born during massive blizzard
minneapolis, mn
capricorn
move all over mid-west, dad was a traveling salesman
3 more kids am cooking dinner for 6 by age of 10
land in connecticut suburbs in 1970
miserable misfit
given a guitar at 12
beautiful small classical guitar that my dad picked up in mexico
still play it
the times they are a’changin’
or they already changed but i’m too young to take full advantage
tho i want to
bob dylan
joan baez
leonard cohen
joni mitchell
terrible pain
guitar lessons learn the old ballads start writing songs
poetry
journals always
beautiful hippie chick babysitter puts on the rolling stones one night
and my world turns upside down
allman brothers
traffic
neil young
johnny winter
janis
45’s and transistor radio late into the night
one is the loneliest number
fall in love with jimi hendrix look-alike
discover pot lose virginity
it’s all sex drugs and rock n’roll now
and art and poetry
move to boston in late 70s to attend mass college of art
play the coffee houses
get fucked up and quit college for a year
back on track
halfway thru college get job at legendary local joint the inn square men’s bar
discover patti smith, robin lane and the chartbusters, nervous eaters
real kids, jonathan richman, the clash, pistols etc.
learn to play drums die hair pink
full on punk rocker start punk trio with friends
children of paradise
graduate from mass art
all i wanna do is rock
hire a drummer become a lead singer
play in bands non-stop in 80’s
witch doctor etc.
discover magic, the goddess, shamanism
study hard
initiated in wicca
fall madly in love with wayne viens
lose beloved guitar player to dope
quit playing rock for a while
form cabaret act les chanteuse sorcieres with
catherine coleman
whole new level of musical understanding
piano and voice
engaged in paris
marry wayne
join boston rock opera
musical theater!
boston rock opera’s rock and roll circus
sgt. pepper’s lonely hearts club band
a night at the opera
preservation
for the benefit of mr. dee
jesus christ superstar
abbey road
aqualung vs. billion dollar babies
the point
travel to new mexico, arizona, monument valley
listen to funk non-stop in desert
take acid trip and decide that boston needs to dance
form notorious 12 piece funk orchestra with wayne
crown electric company
take it underground to vfws and other spaces
raves, dance parties
CEC feeds the soul
make pilgrimage to nashville, graceland, robert johnson country, helena, ak
get pregnant
daughter ruby clare is born 11/6/98
our greatest gift
take music break to be a mama
9/11
all is fleeting and fragile
ready to get serious about music again
feeling mortality
get more fiercely political
songs come
meet the celtic boys,
dave, derek, eamonn
start jamming, smoke a lot of weed
kitchen table is where it all happens
larry dersch joins as drummer!
and andrea gaudette on keys
end up calling ourselves the bad saints
rock acid house country
political whammy music
alabama 3
steve earle
fun lovin’ criminals
lucinda williams
neil, always neil
work hard on kerry campaign
george bush wins election
furious and despairing
sing with good friend emily grogan while our kids run wild
form angeline
hope returns
which brings us to the now
the still burning desire to understand the world
to make life good
and my humble offerings.
l.viens 4/1/05