One rainy night a few months ago in a foul mood after a date gone awry I strolled into Terra Blues down on Bleeker Street in the Village. I don't know what I was looking for but it wasn't the first thing I saw when walking in the door, a six foot five transvestite. It was actually quite attractive to be honest and I sat down at the bar in the back while a fast boogaloo blues number was performed on stage by Saron Crenshaw, still hoping that the lonely woman dancing by herself would not ask for my help. I started thinking about that old line Never turn down a woman's offer to dance...never. "Did it apply to trannies?" "I don't want to be impolite" "Well hopefully she won't ask". My mind raced.
Thankfully she never asked and found an older, lonelier gentleman as the song ended, when Saron slowed it down a bit and began the slow intro to this beautiful R&B number. The scene was pretty perfect, one man on stage singing his guts out, a dark room, rainy night and two people slow dancing enjoying themselves, somehow sharing a moment. It worked wonders for my own mental state at the time, jaded, pissed and misanthropic about the world, brought me back into the fold. Sometimes life can be funny like, sometimes seeing a tranny in the Village where they belong and always have been can put your mind at ease. With the corruption of SoHo and Meatpacking it is nice to know that there are still some freaks running around New York because that is what New York is all about. That Statue of Liberty sitting slightly to the southeast of this rock wasn't just asking for immigrants from other lands but also those that don't just quite fit in their own. All the better when they dig great music.
But I guess the freaks and the fringe have always had a monopoly on music and so much of it was born in this town. From Lou Reed to the Ramones there has always been a place in New York's heart for such people and have always treated them with the decency everyone deserves.
Bobby Blue Bland is not much of a freak and I'd imagine his momma from Rosemark, Tennenesse wouldn't think to kindly of her little boy associating with such kind. Rather Bobby was raised on Gospel and Choir music, the blues at times, when it wasn't so Goddamn sexual bless its heart. Eventually Mr. Bland would make his way through the ranks of Beale Street bands and find himself collaborating with B.B King on multiple albums. He was the first to cut such famous songs as "Turn on Your Lovelight" and "Further On Up the Road" and is a man Van Morrison counts as his biggest influence. His trademark falsetto voice and throat clearing grunts gained him entry to the Rock and Roll Hall of fame back in the early 90's well before they started letting such trash as ABBA into the hall.
That night watching an empty room sans two people dancing and myself at the bar with Saron hitting every note in a la Bobby Blue it wasn't just the scotch warming my soul. More so it was...
When you lose the one you love
You heart goes through changes
Especially when your sweet memories
Still hold their thrill
And just when you think
The pain is all gone
Don't fool yourself
'Cause here's the deal
That's the way love works
You've got to hurt before you heal
Oh, yes you have
Those southern boys have more clarity than a showroom Rolls windshield at times and the delivery removes any doubt just what exactly they are saying. For me it was enough not to miss that terribly attractive blond I left rather abruptly a short hour ago, in fact it was better than being out still shaking my head yes and agreeing with every foolish self absorbed word she uttered. It was much better. It was much better to be with people who were real, regardless of whether it was the struggling singer on stage or the sexually confused woman dancing with (well, soon to be) equally confused, lonely man. It was good to be alone and to not have to fake it anymore. Bobby never faked it, every time he's a-gonna give you just what you are looking for if you are smart enough to look for it in the first place. And if you are not, if you are looking for hours of listening to the words Hamptons, Page Six, Alligator Birkin, Mustique and Standard Grill over and over until you are about to throw up in your mouth I know a perfect blond who is just prime for the taking.
