Tears welling up — thanks Elizabeth. I edited Josh (I somehow never internalized "Joshua," maybe because I truncated my own name) at SPIN magazine back in the '90s. Amazing mind, super funny, very intense sometimes, but gentle too. I was always awed by, and a little scared of, him. But I liked him a lot. We'd lost touch, so it was nice to read your recent prose snapshots. I look forward to re-visiting his writing and watching your convo.
I was also awed and scared by him, Will! He was so inspiring and such a great writer, but he would sometimes just shake things up and say things just for the sake of saying it, like the polemicist he was. But he was always just really funny and sweet when we'd hang out and trade music notes. I'm so glad you got to work with him. I feel like he touched the life of every person he ever interacted with.
First, so sorry to hear about your brilliant friend. It's just the loveliest thing when you know you've made a connection...and ACT on it. (I think as we get older it's seems much tougher to come out and say "I like you, and we should be friends.")
“I am not sure I know anyone anymore whose psychic life is so given over to wandering around inside of songs except for you, so I appreciate your being there to hear my rambling, man.”
For me, as music has maintained a central place in my joy and a central organizing principle for my life, having people for whom I can be the listener and vice-versa is a profound gift; you know my love for DBT, but it is the community of love and understanding that makes it special. I also love, love, love The Mountain Goats; have probably listened to more tMG in the last couple of years than anyone else.
But I do not have someone to "hear my rambling" about the songs (and listen to theirs in turn.) The best part of so much of what occurs in the Truckers' community is knowing you can, and do not have to explain why it moves you, amuses you, makes you human. And that is other humans.
I 100% agree with you, Glenn. Find your people. I'm so happy that the DBT community has provided that for you (a fine lot, indeed!) and I am glad to know you and so many of them.
Very sorry for your loss and thank you for opening it up to us. I was just listening to, on his birthday, Willie Nelson's cover of 'He Was A Friend of Mine," and then your Substack email popped up. Felt destined to read what you shared.
Just reading this. Sorry for your loss. I picked up Josh Clover’s Roadrunner coz of my love for Jonathan Richman. I was terribly impressed by him making that connection to Cornershop, another long time favorite. I don’t remember Josh mentioning it in his book, but one of Cornershop’s earliest 1993 songs aptly titled ‘Summer Fun in a beat up Datsun’ references Roadrunner (Once, and Twice) explicitly in the Punjabi language, Tjinder Singh’s ‘mother tongue’, so that reference was likely lost on English speaking listeners
Elizabeth, I'm very touched to have played friend-matchmaker between you and Joshua, and thank you so much for your kind words here. We're all stricken to have lost him. I wrote about that here, in case you didn't see: https://carlwilson.substack.com/p/meditations-in-several-emergencies
Oh, yes, I loved what you had to say — it was absolutely wonderful. I can't help but go back and look at that PMBiP video and marvel at what a brilliant force Joshua was. You can actually watch his mind working in real time and it's very special. That day changed my life and you are owed all of my gratitude for being the conduit between Clover and me.
Thanks very much — Northport and Huntington are so closely intertwined to me, just because Huntington is basically the next town over (after Centerport, of course). Northport's basically Huntington in miniature. Same North Shore vibes, for sure.
Tears welling up — thanks Elizabeth. I edited Josh (I somehow never internalized "Joshua," maybe because I truncated my own name) at SPIN magazine back in the '90s. Amazing mind, super funny, very intense sometimes, but gentle too. I was always awed by, and a little scared of, him. But I liked him a lot. We'd lost touch, so it was nice to read your recent prose snapshots. I look forward to re-visiting his writing and watching your convo.
I was also awed and scared by him, Will! He was so inspiring and such a great writer, but he would sometimes just shake things up and say things just for the sake of saying it, like the polemicist he was. But he was always just really funny and sweet when we'd hang out and trade music notes. I'm so glad you got to work with him. I feel like he touched the life of every person he ever interacted with.
First, so sorry to hear about your brilliant friend. It's just the loveliest thing when you know you've made a connection...and ACT on it. (I think as we get older it's seems much tougher to come out and say "I like you, and we should be friends.")
“I am not sure I know anyone anymore whose psychic life is so given over to wandering around inside of songs except for you, so I appreciate your being there to hear my rambling, man.”
For me, as music has maintained a central place in my joy and a central organizing principle for my life, having people for whom I can be the listener and vice-versa is a profound gift; you know my love for DBT, but it is the community of love and understanding that makes it special. I also love, love, love The Mountain Goats; have probably listened to more tMG in the last couple of years than anyone else.
But I do not have someone to "hear my rambling" about the songs (and listen to theirs in turn.) The best part of so much of what occurs in the Truckers' community is knowing you can, and do not have to explain why it moves you, amuses you, makes you human. And that is other humans.
I 100% agree with you, Glenn. Find your people. I'm so happy that the DBT community has provided that for you (a fine lot, indeed!) and I am glad to know you and so many of them.
Yes!
Wonderful piece, Elizabeth. So sorry.
Thanks, Joe. I appreciate it.
Very sorry for your loss and thank you for opening it up to us. I was just listening to, on his birthday, Willie Nelson's cover of 'He Was A Friend of Mine," and then your Substack email popped up. Felt destined to read what you shared.
Great song. Willie's version is wonderful. Thanks for this note.
Just reading this. Sorry for your loss. I picked up Josh Clover’s Roadrunner coz of my love for Jonathan Richman. I was terribly impressed by him making that connection to Cornershop, another long time favorite. I don’t remember Josh mentioning it in his book, but one of Cornershop’s earliest 1993 songs aptly titled ‘Summer Fun in a beat up Datsun’ references Roadrunner (Once, and Twice) explicitly in the Punjabi language, Tjinder Singh’s ‘mother tongue’, so that reference was likely lost on English speaking listeners
Elizabeth, I'm very touched to have played friend-matchmaker between you and Joshua, and thank you so much for your kind words here. We're all stricken to have lost him. I wrote about that here, in case you didn't see: https://carlwilson.substack.com/p/meditations-in-several-emergencies
Oh, yes, I loved what you had to say — it was absolutely wonderful. I can't help but go back and look at that PMBiP video and marvel at what a brilliant force Joshua was. You can actually watch his mind working in real time and it's very special. That day changed my life and you are owed all of my gratitude for being the conduit between Clover and me.
A beautiful piece of writing. As an admirer of Clover and a fan/admirer of yours, thank you.
Thanks so much, Glenn.
Sorry for the loss of your friend. I’m curious about Northport, being from Huntington myself.
Thanks very much — Northport and Huntington are so closely intertwined to me, just because Huntington is basically the next town over (after Centerport, of course). Northport's basically Huntington in miniature. Same North Shore vibes, for sure.
This is lovely and I will think of it in the future, I am sure.
Thanks so much.
My condolences on the loss of a friend of a sort that is hard to find.
I appreciate it.