by Quentin Lewis

Quentin's Weeknotes 2/1/20-2/7/20

weeknotes music books writing museum teaching

This Week:

  • I was saddened to hear of the passing of Andy Gill. Gang of Four’s first two records are unimpeachable classics of skronky political funk-punk. Gill’s guitar playing, shoehorning vicious shards of noise into pop structures, was as revolutionary as the band’s Marxist lyrics (I think the first time I heard the term ‘marxist’ might have been in reference to G04, in Roni Sarig’s book). It’s is in the DNA of a huge swath of the music that has thrilled and sustained me in my life.  I saw them live in 2005, more than 20 years after those early albums came out, and they were mesmirizing. Rest in Power. [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2JVX1ExGaM&w=560&h=315]
  • I finished Jason Ridler’s essay collection “FXXX WRITING: A Guide For Frustrated Artists." It’s a collection of essays about trying and failing, and seeing yourself as a writer not because you get published or find success, but because you can ride the waves of pride and shame that come with living a creative life.
  • On a lark (well, actually they were on sale), I picked up a Parker Jotter stainless steel pen. I’m very particular about my pens, preferring Uniball Jetstreams fine points, and Pilot Precise V5s (though I have a bunch of Sharpie Felt Tips as useful back ups). I’ll probably get a different cartridge for it (1 mm point, blue ink? No Thank you!) but it feels good in my hand and writes well.
  • At work, I finished installing dadibaajimo, and made the last minute preparations for the visits of the two artists in the show.
  • I also started teaching MUST204: Collections Management at Hartwick. I continue to try to make the class more immediately hands-on, more collaborative, and with a linkage of collections practice with theory.