Author Archives: Jon Sidel

Greetings from Laurel Canyon!

Oh, when you’re smilin’ / When you’re smilin’ / The whole world smiles with you, baby / Yes, when you’re laughin’ / Oh, when you’re laughin’ / The sun comes shinin’ through

But when you’re cryin’ / You bring on the rain / So stop your sighin’, baby / And be happy again

Yes, and keep on smilin’ / Keep on smilin’, baby / And the whole world smiles with you

I love how a song can absolutely transport me to a moment in time. I was driving the other day and The Dream Syndicate came on the radio. Hearing Steve Wynn’s voice went straight to my veins. It’s wasn’t long before I was digging through crates for my copy of The Days Of Wine and Roses.

I hadn’t heard “When You Smile” in many, many moons. It was a like the chords opened up a little cubby in my mind. Out popped a girl. A crush from when the album came out in 1982.

She was a rich girl from the upper east side. Her dad’s sprawling Park Avenue apartment. I could see her smile as she gave me a light kiss and pushed me away.

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Greetings from Laurel Canyon!

Woke up this morning with an ache in my head / Splashed on my clothes as I spilled out of bed / Opened the window to listen to the news / But all I heard was the Establishment’s Blues.

Gun sales are soaring, housewives find life boring / Divorce the only answer smoking causes cancer / This system’s gonna fall soon, to an angry young tune / And that’s a concrete cold fact.

The pope digs population, freedom from taxation / Teeny Bops are up tight, drinking at a stoplight / Miniskirt is flirting I can’t stop so I’m hurting / Spinster sells her hopeless chest.

Adultery plays the kitchen, bigot cops non-fiction / The little man gets shafted, sons and monies drafted / Living by a time piece, new war in the far east. / Can you pass the Rorschach test?

It’s a hassle is an educated guess. / Well, frankly I couldn’t care less.

I think I can officially say summer has left the canyon. I’m grateful for these past couple of Indian summer months: the warm mornings spent meditating by the pool, Mr. Ha’s apples, George Yemetz almond butter, and, of course, family and their milestones.

Mom’s turning 89, Zoe’s courage, Jonah’s fastball, and Susan’s tenacity and laugh.

This week feels cold and dim. I stayed busy and tried to shake it. My first remedy is always “song.” The friends and artists. You guys have helped.

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Greetings from Laurel Canyon!

I met a girl who sang the blues / And I asked her for some happy news / But she just smiled and turned away / I went down to the sacred store / Where I’d heard the music years before / But the man there said the music wouldn’t play

And in the streets, the children screamed / The lovers cried and the poets dreamed / But not a word was spoken / The church bells all were broken

And the three men I admire most / The Father, Son and the Holy Ghost / They caught the last train for the coast / The day the music died

I guess one could say, “Any day is a good day to release a new song.”

Honestly, I’m a bit stumped on what to report this week. I did give a nod and a wink at this week’s stack of new vinyl. This Idelic Hour set shows that even in dark times, music thrives.

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Greetings from Laurel Canyon!

You always act so stupid / You always talk so dumb / But this is partytime / And you’ve got to say its better than a war / This is partytime / And its better than a cold bath with someone you dislike / This is partytime / And its good to drink for free when you haven’t any money / This is partytime / Oh, she might just possibly take me home

Right on cue, fall seems to finally have come to Southern California. This said, it’s mostly just the angles of the sun and moon. After a gloomy Friday we’re back to sensational weather. We still have watermelon in the fridge.

Call it baseball weather with old friends, new artists, songs, and fall baseball.

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Greetings from Laurel Canyon!

I was a city child with a dead-end smile / And a worm’s-eye point of view / Oh I knew my way, I was a back-street stray / And I had my eyes on you

Now I got this friend and he’s a screwdriver-jiver / You know, some kinda automobeat on the street / And he has converted me to rock ‘n’ roll

I just want to dance to / Honaloochie boogie yeah / Get in time, don’t worry ’bout the shirt shine / Honaloochie boogie yeah / You sure started somethin’

Now my hair gets longer as the beat gets stronger / want to tell Chuck Berry my news / I get my kicks outta guitar licks / And I’ve sold my steel-toed shoes

“My hair gets longer as the beat gets stronger.” I would have thought it was obvious that I used to tag band names and lyrics on the desks at Trinity School in NYC. It’s truly incredible that was a half century ago.

I’m almost in shock looking at my last sentence. I’m back in LA sitting at my desk in my cozy canyon garage office. Monday and Tuesday found me walking the streets of the Big Apple. The weather and combo of old and new friends was perfect. I took it all in like a rocker.

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Greetings from Laurel Canyon!

Everybody’s talkin’ at me / I don’t hear a word they’re sayin’ / Only the echoes of my mind / People stoppin’, starin’ / I can’t see their faces / Only the shadows of their eyes / I’m goin’ where the sun keeps shinin’ / Through the pourin’ rain / Goin’ where the weather suits my clothes / Bankin’ off of the northeast winds / Sailin’ on summer breeze / And skippin’ over the ocean like a stone

Greetings from Wilton, CT. Jumped a red eye east to celebrate my cousin’s wedding and mom’s 89th!

In the past I’ve often enjoyed cutting the Idelic Hour from the road. For inspiration, I pulled out an old IH from a NYC stay some years back. I dug it so much I decided to splice a chunk of the songs into this week’s episode.

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Greetings from Laurel Canyon!

I woke up this mornin’ with the sundown shinin’ in / I found my mind in a brown paper bag within / I tripped on a cloud and fell an eight miles high / I tore my mind on a jagged sky / I just dropped in to see what condition my condition was in

Yeah, yeah, oh, yeah / What condition my condition was in

I pushed my soul in a deep dark hole, and then I followed it in / I watched myself crawlin’ out as I was crawlin’ in, yeah, yeah / I got up so tight, I couldn’t unwind, I saw so much, I broke my mind / I just dropped in to see what condition my condition was in

There are many moments when I feel I am slowly falling apart. I’ll put my iPhone on a shelf, table, or counter—and can’t find it. So I’m walking in circles thinking—WTF am I doing?

Then again, when I actually look back at the last couple of weeks, I am truly amazed that I live a life filled with cool people and great songs. In fact I’ve been so busy it’s been hard to get The Idelic Hour out my door.

This week is 95% all new releases. Thank you and my lucky stars.

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Greetings from Laurel Canyon!

Daddy’s telling lies / Baby’s eating flies / Mommy’s on pills / Baby’s got the chills

I’m friends with the President / I’m friends with the Pope / We’re all making a fortune / Selling Daddy’s dope

Sitting here in Queens / Eating re-fried beans / We’re in all the magazines / Gulpin’ down Thorazines

Do you guys use Flipboard? Fewer and fewer magazines are on it. It seems like publications worth reading want $9.99. I do like the feel of Flippin through a series of interests upon awaking, but one thing is for sure, my clipboard certainly does lead down a variety of paths.

College basketball, transfer portal, soccer news, Trump crimes, and Russia. I mean WTF are Russians thinking? Ugh, god help us.

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Greetings from Laurel Canyon!

You’re just too good to be true / Can’t take my eyes off of you / You’d be like Heaven to touch / I wanna hold you so much / At long last, love has arrived / And I thank God I’m alive / You’re just too good to be true / Can’t take my eyes off of you

Grateful the heatwave in LA broke. As the seasons roll by I’ve learned to appreciate shit. My rock ‘n’ roll journey, the people I’ve met, my groovy pad in the canyon, and most of all my cool chick.

I love ya baby, let’s keep rolling.

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Greetings from Laurel Canyon!

I almost called it a day so many times / Didn’t know what it felt like to be alive / Until you been a friend to me / Like nobody else could be

Keep my hands on the wheel now, mama / I’m gonna honestly try / She looked past the scars and the burned-out eyes / And could see I’m no easy ride / She’s just the kind who might get you to buy / Some strange religion

I’m keeping it quick. My wife called and said the power might go out. It’s hot, I mean it’s real fucking hot like we’ve never felt up here in Laurel Canyon.

A question for a sweltering Indian summer day—are you rooting for the cowboys or the indians?

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Greetings from Laurel Canyon!

Got struck by the first volley / Of the war in the corps / Never held my service / Send ’em a wire, give ’em my best / This ammunition never rests / No one serves coffee, no one wakes up

Stop breathin’, stop breathin’ / Breathin’ for me now / Write it on a postcard / Dad, they broke me / Dad, they broke me / Stop breathin’, stop breathin’ / Breathin’ for me now

As I said last week, “It’s warm, let’s be lazy. Captain, please drive the boat.” In this lil column I’ve mentioned many times that I’ve never been comfortable with long holiday weekends. Here in LA they tend to start upon waking up on Friday mornings.

As I see it there are only two options: sit in traffic or kick back and try to relax. Both will need to be done to music. Here are some of the songs I’ve turned onto this summer.

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Greetings from Laurel Canyon!

Time for livin’, time for givin’ / No time for makin’ up a monster to share / Time for livin’, time for givin’ / No time for breakin’ our own fairytale

Ain’t, ain’t, ain’t nobody’s got to spell it for me / Ooh, ain’t nobody got to yell, I can see / Ain’t nobody got to think, I can hear / But if I have to, I will yell in your ear / Aah, ooh

Time for livin’, time for givin’ / No time for runnin’ over anyone / Let’s share time for livin’, time for givin’ / No time for passin’, done the fun

Just as summer seems to have started, it’s time for LA kids to head back to school. Personally I feel like jumping on a fishing boat and heading out to sea.

It’s likely not gonna happen for a couple weeks. Honestly, there is nothing like setting to sea with studding captain at the helm.

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Greetings from Laurel Canyon!

Once upon a time, not too long ago, we took a day out in Manchester / We all fall down, there’s not enough hours in the day / Played a bit of football, fell into the union / Barged our way into the toilet with the kung fu king

There’s not enough hours in the day / I remember seeing someone dressed in a suit, looking like a lunatic / And we all fall down, there’s not enough hours in a trip

Growing up Jewish on the east side of Manhattan, our family went to the theatre. I’ve always had a soft spot for 1960s Broadway musicals. I’ve always wanted to do a modern take on A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum.

The musical tells the bawdy story of a slave named Pseudolus and his attempts to win his freedom by helping his young master woo the girl next door. The plot displays many classic elements of “farce,” including puns, the slamming of doors, cases of mistaken identity (frequently involving characters disguising themselves as one another), and satirical comments on social class. The title derives from a line often used by vaudeville comedians to begin a story:

“A funny thing happened on the way to the theater.”

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Greetings from Laurel Canyon!

Eyes lit on sharp threats from dark lips / The lights press the soft skin to rough hands / Eyes lit on sharp threats from dark lips / The lights press the soft skin to rough hands

I’ve gotten into the habit of posting lyrics on this, my Idelic Hour column. Honestly having a deadline to write a few words every week can be daunting on a Friday morning. Often I’m just using all the gas in my tank to close the work week in good order.

Last week my daughter Zoe was my “Idelic” muse. This week it’s my son Jonah. Tomorrow he turns 16. I’m certain 16 is a magical and tumultuous age. This curly haired athlete looks like a spartan warrior. We love him so.

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Greetings from Laurel Canyon!

Now that you’ve found your paradise / This is your kingdom to command / You can go outside and polish your car / Or sit by the fire in your Shangri-la / Here is your reward for working so hard / Gone are the lavatories in the back yard / Gone are the days when you dreamed of that car / You just want to sit in your Shangri-la

Put on your slippers and sit by the fire / You’ve reached your top and you just can’t get any higher / You’re in your place and you know where you are / In your Shangri-la / Sit back in your old rocking chair / You need not worry, you need not care / You can’t go anywhere / Shangri-la, Shangri-la, Shangri-la

Nothing is ever truly perfect than a sunny, clear Friday morning in July. Well, let’s call it pretty fucking good. The weather in LA these past few weeks has actually been pretty ideal. Today we’re as lucky as we’ll let ourselves feel. Jonah went surfing with friends. Kid is turning 16 next weekend. I tired to take his photo but he said no and shushed me into the house for fear his buddies would see old rocker dad.

Meanwhile I’m absolutely over the moon to share my daughter’s new music project L’ESPIRAL. Over the past couple of years I’ve watched and listened to my lil “wild flower” turn her poems into songs and become quite the singer. Today’s debut release is a cover celebrating the one year anniversary of Sinéad O’Connor’s passing. Maybe it’s the Sidel way of ushering in a new “season of the witch.” Our country, our planet, needs you (females) to take charge!

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