How could such a thing of beauty exist in the world? #1
The Music Video That Radicalized Me
The Lounge Lizards, “Big Heart”
This wasn’t the first time I ever heard experimental or Avant-Garde jazz, but it was the first time I heard it where it grabbed me by the throat and said, “Listen, motherfucker!” I was home on a Sunday night. I’m thinking it’s 11:00 pm, and on VH1 — a music video channel that existed — Ben Sidran, a jazz pianist of some repute at the time, played this video.
There is so much going on there. Later I found out about John Lurie and the Lounge Lizards and the whole downtown scene. But we can talk about that later. At the moment I felt, “Everything is different, now.” And, “So much noise and joy.” And, “How could such a thing of beauty exist in the world?” I danced. I actually danced in my parents’ family room. I never, ever fucking dance.
Starting with that cymbal crash and the funk-is-not-even-the-word rhythm from drummer Dougie Bowne. The little tiny “whoops” from (I think) Eric Sanko’s fretless bass…
