You arrived as I was leaving
You were filled with that popular feeling
I could tell by the walk
I have heard about the walk
"Injured Bird"
Like the Invisible Man directing traffic
I'd be ineffective no matter how enthusiastic
"It Is What It Is"
I post the lyrics in the hope it will drive folks to access the songs and consider the life. He left us yesterday in Athens, Georgia under a rising tide of over $70,000 in medical bills. He's one for the ages. I'm reminded that we'd all do well to celebrate, champion, and lift up the voices of the geniuses we're given to discern while they're still with us.
Kristin Hersh remembers him here.
Some especially good conversations with the man are here and here.
2 comments:
I posted this at no depression.com yesterday: I saw in Rolling Stone that he had passed away. Either way, a horrible tragedy. I had the chance to meet him several years back at a Tower Records store before he did a show in Nashville. When I showed up, not one person was even talking to him. I ended up buying 4 of his cd's 2 of which he signed, and we spoke for about 30 minutes. That night he played one incredible show. An incredibly talented songwriter.
David, I could say this for all your posts, but am feeling it particularly strongly for this one - I love you for posting this. We were in the internetless wilds of New Hampshire and heard only the barebones news about Vic's death from a good friend who called us there. I saw him perform 3 times: the first in a teeny bar in Brooklyn accompanying himself and king of all he surveyed; the 2nd in the same bar with a delightful band that had been cobbled together from local worthies (and his wife on bass); and the last time just this past summer, where he was alone again, the support act, convinced that no-one knew him. My friend tried compelling me to request 'Kick My Ass' - I am deeply sorry that I did not. I have been thinking a lot about him and everything he gave: in particular the amazing clarity of Speedracer off his first album: 'I'm not a victim/I am intelligent/I am an atheist'; and his declaration about the habits of his life from the Silver Lake album, with the call and response chorus - 'Do you think it makes a difference? I say, Yes.'
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