What is your favorite conspiracy theory?
The one about Kennedy actually being shot, accidentally, by his own secret service. It not only sounds impossibly absurd… but ballistically very possible. Now that is intrigue! Clint Hill, I am looking in your direction.
What is your favorite urban myth?
Being a music guy, I would be the one about the Phil Collins song ‘in the air tonight’. It’s a metaphor about his divorce, but many take the lyrics verbatim. “I was there and I saw what you did, saw it with my own two eyes”. The myth goes that he was camping with friends years ago and saw a guy let another guy drown. This song was his great, and super public, revenge.
Then I thought about it. If Phil Collins saw this guy let another guy drown… why didn’t Phil Collins save the drowning guy? Phil Collins watched another guy watch another guy drown. Story doesn’t check out. It’s a great story, though. I could go on all day about great rock myths.
I wrote more about the Phil Collins story here, on my music site.
What is something you were absolutely sure of as a teen which turned out you were wrong as an adult?
Um… everything. That all businesses were evil, home owning was a trap for idiots, that adults have their shit together… because of the sheer fact they are adults. Oh, and I hated onions and tomatoes and eggs. Thank god that all changed. Those are pretty critical ingredients for about everything. What I really missed out on was likely tomatoes. Tomatoes taste like water now, no matter what kind I buy. I have to assume based on spaghetti and ketchup that tomatoes once had a distinct and celebrated flavor. It likely exists outside the United States.
This is cliche, and almost too obvious… but I remember my grandfather’s tomatoes when I was very young. They were super flavorful. We would eat them like an apple. Oh, and my grandfather was no fey or gentle man tending to a garden. He was a a titan of industry. If he ever caught me gardening, he would like it to smoking pot… and tell me to do something real and proper with my wife. Yet… he loved his tomatoes. Weird, huh?
What’s a song you absolutely loved as a teen/college kid and now realize is worthless?
Everything by Duran Duran. Well, the Reflex is still pretty bad ass.
What question would have a very different answer 50 years ago?
Hey Krustowski. Saw your profile last night. Nice work, jack ass!
I am Correct 