Sunday 8 January 2012

Beercans On The Moon


It is one of the truths revealed by photography that the moon is far smaller in the sky, objectively, than we perceive it. I think it's generally said to be "half a degree of arc", which sounds as tiny as it looks in this photo. Yet, it appeared so enormous and clear to my brain that I could practically see the astronauts' footsteps, and the "beercans on the moon" (a song by the beat combo The Fugs, m'lud; I see Ed Sanders has got an autobiography out).

Getting closer doesn't seem to make it much bigger, either. But it does make for a more satisfying photograph. So much for "context"...


6 comments:

Leigh Perry said...

> So much for "context"...

Mike, to quote another musician, you are what you is.

Mike C. said...

Funny you should mention that, Leigh, I heard "Doreen" on the radio the other day, and it sent me back to my FZ albums for the first time in years. All still on vinyl, so I had to excavate the LP player's lid...

Mike

Leigh Perry said...

I tend to favour his instrumental work less fatiguing, so the only albums I repurchased in the CD era were Hot Rats and Grand Wazoo. They still hold up pretty well. I still have the old vinyl somewhere though.

Leigh

Leigh Perry said...

... make that "find his instrumental work"

Mike C. said...

Ah, "Hot Rats"... I remember hearing it at one of my first real teenage parties in 1970, and thinking it was the last word in sophistication.

My favourite Zappa album used to be the live Mothers album "Fillmore East 1971", but I find it pretty juvenile now. I think "Apostrophe" has stood the Test of Time quite well.

I know what you mean by "fatiguing" though -- he did try too hard too often. Also. his guitar work is brilliant but relentless -- he never did understand that thing about the clever bit being what you choose to leave out...

Mike

Leigh Perry said...

I had Fillmore East on cassette tape for a long time.

I agree with your last paragraph. The message is that prolific artists need to edit *hard*.