“Pictured here is a card from my participation in the Tibet House benefit, where I gladly rubbed shoulders with esteemed company like Philip Glass, Michael Stipe, and many, many others who all came together under Robert Thurman’s activism (yes, Uma’s father). One memory I have is of rehearsing with the group at large and heading out in the hall for some water when I ran into Lou Reed; who gave me a warm hug and asked me what I was doing running around with such a suspect crowd (a joke, obviously). Highlights of the night were performing ‘E-Bow The Letter’
tter’ with Michael (one of my favorite R.E.M. songs), and sitting side by side with Mr. Glass as we played piano. Additionally, with time spent I got to ask Philip tons of questions about how he made his early work (Music in 12 parts, etc). I’d also perform two songs on my own, ‘Blessed and Gone’ and a Rev Gary Davis tune who’s name escape me (I played it poorly is why I’ve erased it). Lastly, there is the memory of my rehearsing and Coming off stage to find a waiting Allen Ginsberg: who didn’t like the rhymes I was using in the song and wrote some ideas for me on a piece of paper (I think he thought I was a young and aspiring musician). So I have that scrap somewhere with Allen’s rhymes. A pleasurable evening for which I was never invited back (at least I don’t remember being invited), but that’s how things roll in celeb land where no good deed is remembered.” – WPC