An email from October 2003

 

..........
The Freak

 

Be Nosy!


Woodlawn Cemetery in the Bronx

ORDER LOW END

As a native New Yorker and an American, I am still angered by the cowardly attacks of 9/11. Unless we restore New York City's skyline to its condition prior to September 11th, 2001, the miserable scum who attacked us will have won! Visit www.makeNYNYagain.com and rebuild America!

    

 

It’s a freak show. Hey man, I know these guys. All of them. The music business is a freak magnet. You know, every freak born between 1945 and yesterday will wind up in a rock band at some stage of their development. Only the hardcore will opt to arrest that development in this life and stick with it for better or worse, richer or poorer. Sounds like getting married. At least you can get divorced if you marry—musicians either succeed or go down in flames trying.

Law enforcement is probably the second biggest freak magnet. If you become involved with the law from either side of a shield, you’ll know what I’m talking about. New York City is a freak magnet too, and if the Big Apple can’t attract big enough freaks, it’ll just generate them itself. Like Harry.

Well, our boy has managed to catalog all the freaks, both imported and domestic, from our old neighborhood. Then he made up a few of his own. I may be speaking out of school here, but I truly believe many of his made-up freaks were spawned from his own subconscious.

They were the best of times, they were the worst of times, but I know that’s been used before. Being an over-the-hill rocker, or maybe a has-been-that-never-was, is its own punishment. You know, contemplating all the things that might have been, and toasting them repeatedly in a dark run-down bar on the wrong side of town, doggedly cherishing a five thousand dollar guitar while your best sneakers leak and your day job has about as much future as a grave. There were perks too—we may have been down and out, but we had those vital intangibles: friendship, music and love. And man, that is why I like what our author here has done with his little story.

Harry had his period of being exactly like Gary. He’ll deny it, but it’s true. Ask him about Christmas of ’86, a bunch of us sitting in the mall with no money in our pockets and nowhere to go, watching the yuppies running by with their packages. We were all broke, but we had something that I doubt many of those upscale trendies did. We had burdens we would and could share. Too many people live and die holding it all inside.

What can I say about Harry's 'characters' and those days? The times are long gone and a painful number of the people are too. Yeah, Harry has managed to put together quite a nice little piece of fiction, but did it have to hit so close to home?

--The Unknown Rocker

  LOW END  By Harry George Pellegrin.  The first in the Gary Morrissey series of mysteries.  Dealing with modern subject matter in the classic style of the 1940's Mystery Noire masters--think Raymond Chandler in New York in the 1980's...  LOW END is the story of a drug addict who is murdered after he believes he has found evidence of a major government conspiracy.  Is it only drug-induced paranoia?  Might be, except his paranoia could be considered justified: he was murdered, after all.  Friend Gary Morrissey takes it upon himself to find out just what happened and lands himself in the crosshairs.
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Classic Guitar Method  Composed, written, transcribed, edited and arranged by Harry G. Pellegrin: Now in one volume, much of what the novice classical guitarist will need to know to lead him or her to the recital stage. From proper instrument care and maintenance to the necessary technical skills, musical mind-set, and the standard repertoire—all exposed and explored with enough detail and insight that the student will wish to keep this book handy years to come as a ready reference source.
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DEEP END: The Wreck of the Eddie Fitz  By Harry George Pellegrin. A mystery novel. Involving a semi-professional musician and a Kreyol death cult, DEEP END takes the reader from the bottom of Long Island Sound to the steamy streets and Blues clubs of New Orleans. Alternative spirituality does battle with the common working man.  Published by PAB Entertainment Group in association with LULU.com.
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Reflecting Pools    Original Music by Harry G. Pellegrin:
Reflecting Pools is a departure for me as it is totally keyboard. Well, the guitar did show up on one track...

"...Reflecting Pools is a notable first album [for Mr. Pellegrin]. A dramatic sense of tonality and mood are propelled by exemplary musicianship and exciting compositional exploits."

Available through www.BATHTUBMUSIC.com...

...And containing nine tracks that are relaxing, inspirational -- sounds like a snooze. Not really, this is great stuff to listen to on a rainy afternoon, while with your significant other (nudge, nudge, know what I mean?) Please visit the Reflecting Pools page on this site or www.bathtubmusic.com.

In That Zone, is now out! Please visit www.bathtubmusic.com for details and to order.

See the info page on this site...

For scholarly transcriptions and free sheet music, click the following link:


The Guitar School - Iceland


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