Ron Hill, other items

["Karen L. Newcombe" <kln@crl.com>]

Hi all.  Ron Hill visited San Francisco back in the spring, and seemed to
have lost his Internet access at the time.  He said he had not been active
in ages and didn't forsee when he'd be back.  He was as fanatic about 
Kate as ever, but was busy with other things.  

I've listened to some African music that was hanging around the house and 
found it to be similar in structure to Eat the Music, very rhythmical but 
somewhat different that what we're used to hearing, with no bridge, key 
changes, etc. that characterize Western songs at this juncture in time.

Eat the Music has grown on me somewhat over time; like all works of art 
and music we can but take it on its own terms.

I believe it was Margaret Atwood who said (paraphrased) that the job of 
the writer is to write, and the job of the critic is to explain to us 
what the writer did -- not to tell the writer what to do.

An interesting comment from a woman who writes writing and criticism.  I 
highly recommend her essay "An End to Audience?" as an intelligent look 
at writing (or any art) and the role of the writer.

TRS threw me for a loop the first time I heard it: many listenings have
allowed me to develop Deeper Understanding and realize the true brilliance
of the genius embodied in each and every song -- Put on Top of the City
and go out on the roof of a skyscraper -- maybe the angels will put you 
up on their shoulders so they can hear Kate too . . . don't be surprised 
if they look like gargoyles!

Karen Newcombe  kln@crl.com