Sherry Chandler

Here’s an interesting notion. At the CommonCensus Map Project, they’re re-drawing the map of the United States based on spheres of influence, mostly of the major metropolitan areas, instead of state boundaries, etc. In our area, I’m struck by how small Louisville’s sphere (red) is compared to Lexington (green). But the really biggie around here seems to be Nashville (gold). That big blue area over to the left is St. Louis.

Of course, this is all based on the responses they get. This map is based on a little more than 28,000 votes. You can go and put your two-cents worth in here.

I picked the link up at Taegan Goddard’s Political Wire.

Through the magic of Netflix, I just watched “Don’t Look Back,” which I somehow missed in its original 1967 release, maybe because my own particular times were going through some pretty heavy changes. Difficult to watch a 40-year-old film about youth culture without a certain nostalgia, a certain tenderness for the geometry of Dylan’s innocent flesh. I had thought to write a little review of it here but found that I had nothing to say. The thing is what it is. All that’s left of the review idea is that quote, “Give the anarchist a cigarette,” which is almost the last thing Dylan says in the film.

Although this tour was acoustic, and it was enlightening to see what an effective acoustic performer Dylan was, his first electric album had already been cut but not realeased. The tension of that change drives the film.

This morning I read in the NYTimes that Dylan is now going to do a dj show on XM satellite:

Bob Dylan shocked his fans 40 years ago by embracing the electric guitar. Now he’s stunning a few more by embracing another technological innovation: satellite radio.

The singer has signed on to serve as host of a weekly one-hour program on XM Satellite Radio, spinning records and offering commentary on new music and other topics, starting in March. The famously reclusive 64-year-old performer said in a statement yesterday that “a lot of my own songs have been played on the radio, but this is the first time I’ve ever been on the other side of the mike.”

…

(Mr. Dylan’s program is to air on XM’s Deep Tracks channel, featuring lesser known cuts from classic rock albums and which is also home to a weekly show with the rocker Tom Petty as host.)

Maybe this is a new sort of Travelling Wilburys.

Anyway, I have nothing to say about this development either, except to point it out. Times, as some one famously said, are changing. Times are always changing.

[Note 1: I used Wikipedia here as a link to the Wilburys because it's the best information I can find. Other links seem to be fans and/or people trying to sell things. Here's their article on "Don't Look Back.".

Note 2. "Don't Look Back" is worth renting to hear Bob Dylan sing "Lost Highway" in a hotel room with Joan Baez trying to harmonize but obviously having no clue.]