I am fascinated with 'Dandy' culture as well as the pop culture in London, Paris and Tokyo before the 1970's. I also collect books that deal with Boris Vian. I like to wonder around cities with an outdated map. Los Angeles is actually an interesting 'walking' city. But nothing compared to Tokyo and Paris. Every corner and avenue there is something new to discover. I am also totally obsessed with music. I don't like bad album art. Therefore my entire collection are covers or designs that I find beautiful. Right now I am looking at the Rolling Stones Now! album. That's a nice cover! I feel that way with books as well. I won't buy a book if it has a horrible cover. It depresses me to be surrounded by bad book covers.
Music
Sparks, Associates, Monk, early Miles Davis (can't get my ears around the electric period), Boris Vian, Serge Gainsbourg, Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers, Sun records, Scott Walker (especially the recent material), Billy Fury (amazing!), Joe Meek, Buddy Holly, Charlie Parker, Cowboys International, Jean Paul Yamamoto, Michel Legrand, Nino Rota, Morricone, Cramps, David Bowie, Don Byas, Gene Vincent, Gillian Hills (sort of a Bardot off-cast, but really great French pop singer and actress), Seksu Roba, Jack Nitzsche
Movies
Jean-Luc Godard, Georges Franju, Louis Feuillade, Buster Keaton, Jean-Pierre Melville, Kenneth Anger, Jean Cocteau, Thom Anderson, Lois Weber and basically all the great classic filmmakers from Japan.
I really detest current cinema. It would be wonderful if Hollywood would stop making movies for five years - and in its place they would release old films to first-run theaters.
Television
You're joking! What a horrible medium.
Books
Boris Vian, Yukio Mishima, Osamu Dazai, Patrick Hamilton, Edogawa Rampo, Dennis Cooper, Marcel Allain (Fantomas), Patrick Dennis, PG Wodehouse, John Wieners, Tristian Tzara, Blaise Cendrars, Guy Debord, Patricia Highsmith, Dorothy B. Hughes, Howard Hughes (his memos to his employees), Nic Cohn, Frank O'Hara
Heroes
I really don't have any. Although I can admire a person if they are dressed well.
About me: I am a publisher. TamTam Books. I publish Boris Vian, Serge Gainsbourg and Guy Debord. Pretty much anything about me is on the TamTam Books website:
www.tamtambooks.com
If Sparks had written a song regarding Birthdays I'd mention it here, but I cannot think of one at the moment. Can you? Anyway, wishing you a big one, a magnificent one with all the big surprises you deserve. Think there will be some?! I think so ................. just rub the magic lamp and make a wish
Hey Sir Tosh, thanks for the add! I am still reliving the 21 Sparks shows, how 'bout you? I don't think I will ever get over the magnificence of the Exotic Creatures gig and hope that there may be at least ONE US performance within the next few months. Have you got any influence in that department?
