Pilgrimage to Mountain of Sparks

The Toe Knee Show meets Willie Nelson.... Official interview #2 parts one and two.... see it on the YOUtube links... or read..then click! National Treasure hunt of the week!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gceqtQYiJnQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L0iOm0LAl7g


I'd volunteered at FarmAID 7 in 94... prior to that... back in 92, I drove over to his studio and gave him a Buffalo Skull for his golf house...that Christmas... earlier than that..visited real briefly when he played the Iowa State fair.

I think my Art School years, at the ART academy of cincinnati, in the late 70's were enriched and deepened by his outlaw phase... the album with Waylon... and Jessie Colter... adn Tom Paul Gasier... god... I know I am leaving soembody out... welll.just remember, this is not some CMA awards show.

It's the Toe Knee Show, of Palo Alto, translated to YOUtube.

It occurred to me around 97, that I could bring back an interview "for the people" as Joan Baez used to say... around that time, I was having a few lunchees with her... talking about the beauty around us... just relaxing in the California sun...

thinking back on those days, over the years... then feeling this intense inspiration to go and ask Willie a few questions...the kind few ever seemed to ask... just get that direct, over coffee and smoke, truth...

so... I rolled to Frisco..the Maritime Hall... sauntered backstage, and slipped my request through to his bus...he had me come onto the bus ahead of everyone else...and I was just taken aback... I felt I oculd have aksed deeper ...but I hadn't expected him to welcome me so easily... I guess it ws that Buffalo Skull gift... willie's part Indian...you know...

Anyway. I emphasized, in that interview his willingness to serve the people... especially the concerts he gives to benefit Farmers... and the one in Oakland, to honor the firefighters who had died putting out a tragic windswept blase...

I'm fallling asleep...people... I'll revise thistomorrow.

anyway...

I felt Ihad to ask him about his Raggae album, one that ws being worked on , at the time... and he also had a new record called "Spirit"... which I hadn't listened to yet...

After awhile...i finally apologized to him ...I felt I hadn't prepared myself for the interview...

But the real truth was... I was just stunned to be sititing across from him at the table.

Stunned..

so... I said, "Willie...I think I need to let those other folks have their time with you....." ..."but I wished Ihad been better preapred... I wished I had bought your new record and really listened to it!" ...he said... "tony... you can come and visit me again... some other time...and we can take it from there..." "Yeah... I guess I could ..Willie...I guess I could... Ok.. thanks.... see yah..." I stumbled out with my side kick Jean Michel... We drove home in silence, most of the way... then it hit me... "Holy s**t" "I can visit with him further down the road... where was he going???... Reno?... Jesus... Ithink I am going to be driving to Reno!" and there you have it.. I said my goodbyes... I drove all over town looking for a Fry's store that carried mini-dv footage.. that was open the next day... and finally found one, on the way to Sacramento... swung up on I 80... over Truckee...past Donner pass... I guess. ... all those ancient places.... filmed the various road stops... And pulled in next to his bus... When he stepped off the bus, headed n to the Casino whre he was gonna play, he was startled to see me... all the fans had left... it was later than I thought...I guess I'd lost track of time...

"Tony...let's do the interview...tomorrow... what do yousay?" "that's fine with me willie... but would you sign my shirt?"

"sure"



I was wearing my Chris Isaak signature shirt... which was actually a shirt Chris had signed on each sleeve...two different times... but which was also my Hopi meidicine shirt, custom made for me by a decendant of a lving 105 year old Hopie elder...

Willie signed it...

I wished them all a good night...

Droveoff in my art truck and found a spot in /near thefields to park and camp...away from the harsh casino lights. Road out the next day...to a mall...bought a set of "3 Stooges golf balls" for Willie... and his record, "Spirit"..the new one. Found a spot on a hill did a ceremony... then listened to the record on repeat all day long...

got myself in the right head space to ask the right questions.

It's a two part YOU tube expereince now.

Un edited...

REal as REAl can be. Willie... I love you, buddy... in a non-broke back kind of way... I love you , man! thanks. The drive to Sparks Nevada was a clankety clankety roar from my Jeep Cherokee, that I had to surf... My Jeep felt like a tiger, over enthusiastic cat, saying "here we go..here we go, we're gonna get there!".

My mechanic , Henry, once won a drag race against Elvis, down in texas in the 50's... and some of that spirit in the truck seemed super charged... I couldn't believe a vehicle with 3 odometer rolls and a straight six, leaking that much exhaust, could roll up Donner pass with such enthusiasm... but we made it.

I stopped at the rest stop at the top of the windy I-80... got out my camera.... the 8mm safety cam, gave it a wat to get the image stable... and announced "the mission".

A follow up interview, on Willie's invitation... in Sparks Nevada.

Go back and look at part one..if you haven't seen it.

This is part 2. of the official number 2 interview...

Camping in my truck, on the outskirts of the desrt, of Sparks... driving past the pawn shops and car dealerships and empty hearts, of the gamblers out of cash...it wasn't an easy ride for me.

When I go towards such places, I often feel the downside, inhabitable by humans, unless you have material backing.

I guess Willie is the bright light among the dice rolls and Silicon... I guess it's a good thing he comes and goes from these places... I sensed that the old spiritual songs and the new Raeggae, and the commeraderie on the road of life are all signal flares...but the choices folks make, is none of his (or our) concern...

Nevertheless... I was worried about becoming a troll liviing out of my rusted heap of a Jeep...which would happen sooner than later, if the engine blew... I have no safety nets... thee ain't anybody gonna come and rescue me... if this road trip excursion dive bombs.

so... I got together my medicine kit, and shuffled my way up to the top of the highest mountain on the edge of town... and I prayed for vision... for strength.. I surrenedered to the whole process...no matter how it turns out.

I knew I had to bring Willie some sort of gift, to show my respect... so I drove back down and asked a trucker where the nearest mall was...

Willie loves to golf... and play chess... but I don'tthink it's about winning... it's more about the challenge and the fun...

So I bought him some "3 stooges" golf balls... Each one had a printed black and white image of Larry, Curly, and Mo... I got an instant chuckle thinking about the look on his face, when I gave those to him...

...and that jacked me back to reality.

...Jesus... I made it. I'm in sparks, the batteries are still ggod...the cold of the outdoors was like a refrigerator... and they'd warm up and work fine in either camera... Jesus.. I found tape at the Fry's in Sacramento... I have enough to film whatever I want.... and cash for breakfast... everything's covered... in fact... I can see the casino from here, whre Willie will be playing later on!... so... I coudl walk there, and still interview him... if the truck breaks down... cheer up tony!

Thanks to the 3 Stooges...

I made it to the bus, they were all still resting... and playing chess... Willie was glad to see me, but he said... "let's do it after the show".

I'd heard folks laughing about the way Waylon had "left on time" while they had driven in... evidently there was some sort of competition to be on schedule and neither seemed to be ready to give up the challenge... a little growlin' was going on...too.

I understood that the full focus was on Willie delivering his trademarked speicialty; a consistent and excellent show.

so.. I made my way to give em all room..."I'll see you after the show, willie"

I wasn't there to gamble... I wasn't there to see the show... I couldn't afford a woman... I was confused by all the glitz... because it seemed that the only real thing goin on was the back to back Willie-Waylon series...

so... I admit I was feeling a little lost...

I accepted the full access pass, had a few beers, watche dthe beauty girls with their beauty bellies, evening gowns, tiaras, and rich guys in cowboy outfits back stage... the next new stars and the glitz and glamour...among them, evry so often a person like me...just friends of Willie... or believers in what he stood for... and the borthers-sisters-road crew... others, all gathered around , while the band played out front.

I'd walk in and out,,, drink in a song or two...go back... mull around...

It was all about getting ready to do a gentle wave of surfing over coffee...with willie...on his bus...and bring something back from that conversatin...for the people.

How do I keep the balance from the prayers I prayed on that mountain today?

that was all I could do...

See for your self...

Here's your chance.

This two part interview... this is the second excerpt,

I think I did my part... I know willie did his...



... and later that spring, I rolled down the the western town where willie and family all celebrate, sing all day, share food and stories... Yeah... if you like this interview... you may soon see Joe Ely, Jimmie Dale, The Bells of Joy... and a few others... and willie wink and smile and wave hello... Maybe.

You see,...the folks around Willie...and Willie..they are all just regular people.

some are like the warriors...they go out and they accomplish for the rest of the family... but each part of the tribe is important...and the focus is on being a better person today than you were yesterday...or at least giving it your best effort to do your best...

so... filming Joe Ely... and Jimmie Dale...and Willie and friends down there, well... it's a tender thing... it's a tender thing.

I admit I felt like I was meeting an equal when I met Willie... but isn't that what you feel when you are in the audience?

the best part of having entertainers like this, is that they do not remove themselves from you or me... they reflect the best part of ourselves right back to us... because they are us.

yeah.

On th ebus...with Willie.

(can you tell the coffee finally kicked in, this morning, while I wrote this???)

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