Sunday, January 18, 2015

POSITIVELY scenes from a Folkumentary

Below you will see several moments from the past year of shooting Positively Porco, the real life story of Gerde's Folk City and my grandfather, Mike Porco. Some may say that Mike Porco's life was full of historic moments. It's true. He and his club were witness to legendary events during the 1960's Folk and Blues Revival and the revival of the revival in the 1970s. His name didn't become as well known as some of his friends like Tom Paxton, Arlo Guthrie and Joan Baez but, soon, folks will recall his name in the same breath. 
Let's have a little conversation about bringing this film around the world. Help wanted; Producers, executives, interns and awesome people with deep pockets and connections needed. THANKS



























POSITIVELY PROMO

Sunday, January 11, 2015

POSITIVELY PORCO- Mike Porco's vinyl collection WOW


Jim McGuinn, banjo





These albums can no longer be found in stores. In other forms, yes. But these are artifacts.

The recordings have become digital for all to purchase for their own listening pleasure, but you'll need to search for these albums still in plastic, handled with care, mostly by me.

40 and 50 year old vinyl…once owned by Gerde's Folk City originator, Mike Porco.

Many of what you see below are gifts TO Mike Porco, not necessarily bought BY Mike Porco, but these are his very ones left behind for me to find.

They sit where Mike left them 22 years ago, in the bedroom where dear old Dad now lives and sleeps.


pristine




unopened


I guess it would be assumed by the 300,000 readers of my blog that I love my Pop. Of course I do, but that's not the point. The point is that I wonder: Does or did my dad love his dad? My guess would be no. But that's ok. They were family to each other. And my father not only inherited Mike Porco's records, but also his bed, his 'stuff' and his Lauderhill, FL condo.

practically sitting on the albums



I just returned last night. I photographed some of the albums and I took a gasp at the pictures. I wondered, who would really treasure these things besides me??

I have plans to mail a few to myself….but I said that LAST year when I last went to FLA to interview my dad, Bob Sr. and Mike Porco's other son, Angelo. The interview is part of the Mike Porco/GERDE'S FOLK CITY documentary.

In 2013, I took video of my discovery of Grandpa's collection, but it was staged. I had gone through them years ago only to find them again and again every time I visited my father. But they are SO FUCKING WOW that I definitely must UPS some of that shit to myself.

I will keep them for 'safe keeping' but I just don't have the room nor can I claim that they are more valuable to me than to the artist on the label….or to the fans and collectors of COOL SHIT.

Thanks to my father for keeping the place 'just so' as if it were all a museum, when really, it's just that he sweeps away the path that he has already worn day after day. Dust will collect elsewhere in the room with the vinyl. 

I can collect dust from Mike's time there if you truly want something to remember him by.



Lucinda Williams, not for resale






not for sale


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I can, however, say that these albums ARE worth something to me now. (Thank you Grandpa! They may come in handy…)

I have begun another, (YES, ANOTHER!) crowd funding campaign. My 69 blog followers and 40 twitter followers and I will fund my FOLKUMENTARY ourselves and savor to premiere when we bring it around the world!….right?

''Crowd'' as in: People who know Mike Porco, know the scene, know about the people in the scene, care about the people in the scene and want to see the scene get a feature length documentary completed about the scene….as in $$$$

I don't have a slew of big time (not small time) producers to call. Does one simply just call Scorsese or Ken Burns? No, silly. They need my number, or I need theirs. Help wanted.

So in the meantime, I'm selling some 'stuff' to get BREAD to hire some BIG GUNS to dress POSITIVELY PORCO up in a sweet tart package and tote the film world wide. Believe it.

And for those who say 'Bob, you're stealing from Mike' or 'you're pimping Mike's stuff' I say, yup. Fuck off and put my project under someone's nose instead of complaining. Make yourself useful…or buy a sticker and shut up. 

And for those who 'dig it'….if you know me, I'll give you your album(s) for yourself to keep. For those who may want Mike Porco's personally owned Dylan albums, here is a place to open discussion: ROCKETHUB

Here's the catch: you gotta know who Mike Porco was, know that these were his personal items, know that Dylan, Simon, George Harrison, The Clancy Brothers and nearly every one in his collection were once his friend. You must also take utmost care in preserving the album, or else I'll just let them sit where they have for the last 22 years. Included may or may not include: Introducing the Beatles, The Basement Tapes, Bringing it All Back Home, Another Side of Bob Dylan, Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid, Blood on the Tracks, Still Crazy After all These Years, STILL IN ORIGINAL PLASTIC MINT COND. Many other rare pressings also available. Make offer pay through rocket hub.

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On display (with all varying combinations of product and price considered) are:

VINYL IN PLASTIC:

Introducing the Beatles
Vee-Jay recording 1062

Bob Dylan- Basement Tapes, Blood on the Tracks, Another Side of Bob Dylan, Bringing it All Back Home, Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid (possibly others)

Simon and Garfunkel- Greatest Hits

George Gerdes- Obituary

Tom Intondi- House of Water

Jack Hardy- various titles

Judy Collins- Hardtimes for Lovers (with hole punch)

Paul Simon- Still Crazy

Peter, Paul and Mary- Late Again

Many other artists. List provided.


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OPENED VINYL

Dozens including very good condition:
Dylan live at Budokan, Blonde on Blonde, Infidels, Shot of Love

Jimi Hendrix- Electric Lady Land
(not for sale)

Simon and Garfunkel- Wednesday Morning 3AM, The Graduate, Parsley, sage, Rosemary and thyme 

Knob Lick Upper 10,000

Jose Feliciano

Chad Mitchell Trio w/ Jim McGuinn

The Clancy Brothers- A few albums, worn nicely

Brother John Sellers- Baptist Shouts (actual album known to have once hung behind the stage at original Gerde's)

The Song Project- In Rome

The Beatles- A Hard Days Night soundtrack


~~~~~~~~~~~~~

SLEEVE ONLY, NO JACKET

Several 
Fast Folk Musical Magazine pressings.

Other acetates and first pressings given to Mike by several artists.







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PS- Those albums signed by the artists inscribed ''To Mike'' are certainly precious and not for sale. Thank you Lucinda Williams, Victoria Spivey, Sally Spring, Vinnie Vok



PPS- It occurs to me that there may be only a few albums in such condition unopened for decades such as The Basement Tapes, Bringing it All Back Home, Introducing The Beatles Vee-Jay 1062, another Side of Bob Dylan and Blood on The Tracks…..The Beatles album or the Basement Tapes may not have a price you can think of. But do try. Contact me: folkcity50@gmail.com