Bald Chandler - by Sympetalous

December 19 -
Still enthused from last night, I'll share with you this very recent piece about a guy who's been on the circuit for almost 20 yrs, (check out www.chrischandler.org)
a brilliant blend of southern boy, beat hipster, left wing/underground commentator
sometimes working with a keyboard guy and/or lap-top projected imagery on a background bedsheet... he's way smooth and very edgy...his monthly blog/newsletter
as well as several free 5-8 minute videos linked to his website are awesome (check out
"Something's Happening but it ain't on the Airwaves")...

Anyway blah blah gush gush...you've got to get this guy in 2007, a total starving artist type with way less Big Shot baggage than the dutifully esteemed Marteen Espada...and what's really cool is that the only place I've ever seen him live is at a deli in a little old storefront on a slightly funky Main Street in a small New England city/mill town that also has a State College nearby with an improving reputation... sounds like Jester's, huh?... but actually it was Oobah's Deli in Willimantic! and his performance greatly influenced my own unique developing style...


~ A Chandler is a Candler ~
No mean meat butcher or breakin' bread baker so no faker
He's a burnin' Light o' Truth tapered Candle-stick maker

yeah you gotta lotta "street" in your sweet sense
an' some "just rode in" road on your knowing face
an' so you got glide it's hip it's in your step'n'stride
with eyes open'n'wide receivin' higher grace
a little pain endured maybe more than a trace

but mama papa, please don't stop an' rest assured
there's plenty advanced ol' gold in your ancient sweet soul
an' so your way mad flow's mostly honey smooth an' pure
an' your perspective's a blenda empathy with poor
ana sense o' color-Ful hue-More that they & I & Eye adore

therefore, the Lizard Pigs abhor, like your clarion call
to really rally, take it to the streets alive like days of olde
but hey 'twas only 7 years ago when pushin came to shove
an' there was action bold in Seattle no more sleepin' at the Battle of

an' I've no doubt that you were there in full Spear-it and/or Bod-ee you dared
an' still do with arch-ed comment-air-eee,it'd be...no ordinary drawl
2 parts yo and 1 part y'all...why it's all on edge an' then it's on
enlightened cruise con-trol, a To-tal-con Sue-mate-pro
but this ain't no mainstream black face minstrel show
so you make do (unto others) without no, that's any actual dough
but not without the D.I.Y. rapier wit an' keen mind say I

and then we who see can feel a bit o' the bitter-sweet
it'so reet it better comes with years o' barn-storming tours
armed with only reams o' truth on An'gelic wings it soars
from way laid tracks o' bloody troubadors
who got killed before they reach Bombay
oooh ooohhhh...one fine day...oooh ooohhhh

(yeah, the Corporate Trail beckoned and that's what Mick & Keith followed
but that ain't where they were at when they laid down that sweet track
ooooohh, ooooohh, indeed!)

an' paranoid or not, you're always pissin' off
the Big & Little Powers that be so...a sho'nuff
geyser better call you butter, you're on a Kaiser roll
spoutin' off and mouthin' rollin' seven pretty baby needs new shoes
like even shitty vans got blues, maybe goin' south, could be needin' brakes?
an' so you could really use a few mo' fill-in gigs
perhaps a place to stay, friendly digs is what it takes
in a soulful Heartland Burg or some fairy Far West Ville...Age?
it don't matter cuz you're just a Stoney Mountain country boy
born as King was flashin' his famous dream, so you go by Holy Soul
you're tappin' into the Juice that comes up from way down deep
inside the stem of the plant, must be them ol' Dixie Roots
and Fruits o'the Vine maybe sometime looks like you'll be skippin'
that funky fickle New York town, you're torn forlorn or is it?
cuz you're amiss not quite a mess when you're not so damn Dylan busy bein' reborn
you're busy tryin' baby's dyin' to re-visit...Little Ms. Wendy Corn

(Wendy's the inspiring one who introduced me to Chris
as well as the wonderful opportunities in NYC)