US - Minnesota - Full Moon 73 - 09/21/02
Low
Trust
Rough Trade
Didn't John Cage say The most exciting thing that I can do is to change my mind? I think it
was him. He did say I have nothing to say and I am saying it. I know he did. He was a man of
few words, even if it was him telling you that he was. One afternoon listening to NPR in the
1980's I heard his Norton lectures. Alone in my apartment with no television. I remember just
sitting there, staring at the radio. My mouth was probably hanging open.
What was this? Who is this strange and mellow old man?
Finding and reading his Silence changed My mind. About everything. I mean, how often does
that happen? Just as often as it needs to I guess.
Many of the intellectuals of his time were also into what John Coltrane was doing with his
sheets of sound, and occasionally would ask Cage what he thought of him. And you know what he
told them?
I find Rock and Roll more interesting, it's much more modern.
Right on John.
Copyright © 2002 Alice Kenner
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