Marc Spitz

meet the new site, same as the old site.

Posted on March 12th, 2010

i have a stack of journals that i kept through much of the 90s.  i had no idea i was such an archivist but i guess i have always thought that someday they would be valuable to me as a writer.  it’s amazing that i could have ever thought that since i was not really planning to live this long, but i guess even at 19 and 20, i knew i was probably a bit of a poseur with the whole die young stay pretty thing.   anyway, this stack of notebooks, some of them classic black and white marble composition books, a few purchased at the bennington college book store and one of the last ones (from 90s) a britney spears number, are now being poured over and transcribed and they will end up in a memoir about new york in the 90s, that i hope will be as valuable (to others) as jim carroll’s forced entries was to me.  i got the idea after reading the patti smith book, and realizing that i’ve rubbed up against similar characters – skewed towards my age and time, and came from a similar place (east jesus nowhere’sville) to new york in hope of being a real artist.  and that nobody’s really done that book for the pre-gent ludlow street scene.  i am doing that book.  i have the stuff.  not sure what i am going to do with that book.  i have a book to write that i know what i am doing with.  there will be a lot about that book on this page over the next year.  it’s basically a 30 scene impressionistic bio of jagger.  not a “then he did next” book (those exist) not a review every album, use all you got book.  i just did that with bowie and it’s EXHAUSTING not even exhaustive.   i got the idea at the jay z concert at MSG this month.  he held the world’s greatest arena in his palm with nothing but confidence and well chosen words.  i just bought a postcard of him on ebay and i am putting it on the wall in front of my desk.  he is forty.  Hova.  i am forty.  you should be able to swing that shit at 40.   i may even write the fucking book before i do one interview.  although not before i do research.  i’ve purchased every book and magazine ever written about mick, mick and keith, mick and the angels, mick and jerry, mick and the zeitgeist.  i bought cocksucker blues.  i put freejack in my queue.  i do the homework, boy.  but when it comes to the jazz, the writing, the real style shit, i’m going to believe in myself a bit more, and i bet it will be a better book.   i like my editor.  i am optimistic.  it’ll be out 2012 from gotham/penguin.   going to europe in may to get feel for where he grew up, south of france to get feel for exile, chicago and south to get feel for the blues.  i bought a harmonica.  going to learn to play.  you gotta move.

so this is the new version of the last site.  same stylo.  different rocker.  and, maybe a bit more grace, now that i can do this like i ain’t new to this.  i won’t crack a smile, or falter with emotion.   less Boy George, more the dude from Trio.    cool.  practical.  efficient.  excellent.  a rock and roll great white shark.   fuck yes.