D.B. "So Leonard, great show."
L.C. "Thank you."
D.B. ""You sounded great."
L.C. "It's a gift."
D.B. "Anyway Leonard, what is it you are really trying to tell us?"
L.C. "Just to get serious about this thing, you know. One has to be compassionate. It's true that people are up against things, economically and emotionally. The obstacles are great and the suffering is great and people have got to make a living. It's easy to look down from the summit you've reached, or even the summit I've reached, and talk about the responsibilities of the artist, but most people are just trying to get their foot in the door and make a living. So we've got to temper anything we say with that. On the other hand, you've got to be serious about what you do. And you've got to understand the price you pay for frivolity or just for greed--it's a very high price, especially if you're involved in this sacred material, which is about the human heart and human desire and human tragedy. If there isn't some element of seriousness in the training of the artist or in the atmosphere that surrounds the enterprise, then this shabbiness grows and eventually overwhelms it. I think that's what we're in now. It's hard to be serious about so many things. [Look at the whole emphasis] on the charts, if you're a songwriter. Over the years, I saw that arise, where people were now longer interested in the song."
D.B. "We're still interested in your songs."
L.C. (tipping his fedora) "You're too kind."
Award winning Irish writer. Literary thoughts and literary advice. Author of The Eskimo in the Net (shortlisted for The Kerry Group Irish Fiction Award) and Sightings of Bono (adapted for film featuring Bono (U2). Poetry (Digging My Own Grave 2nd place in Patrick Kavanagh Award), Fiction. Creative Writing instructor and Mentor.
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Thursday, May 08, 2008
This Lonesome Cattle Call - Eddy Arnold R.I.P.
The cattle call is a little lonesomer tonight. Dead Beat too. His writing owes a lot to Mr. Arnold and to others of his kind.
Thursday, May 01, 2008
The Magic of Writing
D B is going through a D B moment. David Blaine. So Chris Angel walks on water and David Blaine forgets to breath.
Meanwhile DB is coming up for air.
Meanwhile DB is coming up for air.