Showing posts with label POSITIVELY PORCO. Show all posts

Thursday, May 23, 2024

Gerde's Folk City Doc Shall Be Released on Bob Porco's Substack June 1

🎂🎼Will You Still LOVE Folk City when it’s Sixty Four?🎼🎼🎹

The four (4) hour ‘director’s cut’ of the FOLK CITY documentary POSITIVELY PORCO AKA the GerdesFolkCityDoc will be on Substack. Free enrollment gets you free content. Subscribe for occasional exclusive content. The GerdesFolkCityDoc will be pay-what-you-wish and will be found here on June first.

You’ve already found me here at BOB PORCO’S SUBSTACK so please have a look at the following email/post and share Substack with those Folkies who are familiar with Gerde’s Folk City.

It’s only been eleven years!!

Actually, I entered the Greenwich Village scene 15 years ago right before the Folk City 50th anniversary concert!!

The first of June 2024 will be FOLK CITY’s 64th Anniversary. From January 1960 to late May, Izzy Young ran the stage. After being closed to music for a few days, my Grandpa Mike Porco took over in June 1960.

🤌🏼 👀 I want you to read this email so that you get the main idea about what the GerdesFolkCityDoc is all about.

🤌🏼Do ya love Rock and Roll?

🤌🏼How about Folk Rock?

🤌🏼How about The Blues?

🤌🏼Americana?

🤌🏼Singer songwriter???

🎼🎼 Ever wonder where all that came from?

Try imagining a place where it was always safe and warm for the stray musician during the Folk Revival of the 1960s.

Gerde's Restaurant was an Italian eatery situated East of Washington Square and MacDougal Street yet it became the unlikely epicenter of a musical movement.

In his autobiography, Bob Dylan called Gerde's "the preeminent Folk club in America." Mike Porco, an opportunist who was never one to turn away a crowd, was instrumental in, literally, setting the stage for the music revolution of the 1960s.

What began as a book project about my grandfather became a film project. I started it 3 presidential admins ago! That’s why some consider the project unfinished; THEY’VE NEVER SEEN IT. Truth is, “it” existed on my lap top for many years. I only wanted TOP SHELF production and fanfare. I held the film closely until the ink was dry on BIG contracts. 🥂

⏳The contract hasn’t come, but I never stopped working on making the GerdesFolkCityDoc. I called it POSITIVELY PORCO for many years and I think the story still answers to that name.

Instead of the Opera House Folkie Overthrow, ‘it’ be released digitally on Substack AS IS.

🛎🎁🎉📅JUNE FIRST.

Between you reading this NOW and June 1st, the GerdesFolkCityDoc will be undergoing one hot and heavy LAST edit and get uploaded ‘completed’ or not.

🤌🏼🤌🏼🤌🏼🤌🏼🤌🏼🤌🏼🤌🏼

🌎Substack is popular with writers and content creators who have daily essays and videos to distribute to their readers and subscribers. I never gave it a thought to upload the GerdesFolkCityDoc to a writers’ subscriber page…WTF

It was always the ‘plan’ to get my final product the GerdesFolkCityDoc out to everyone through the Internet of things.

In my dreams I had visions of selling individual digital views of the GerdesFolkCityDoc.

BUT HOW???

Eleven years later, I discovered a way. 🤞🏼

I need to share it for a very affordable price since everything is digital these days. The COSTS, really, are only for Substack to incur. My 15 years of sweat equity was from a labor of love❤️

NOW

All I need for the documentary to FINALLY get out is for everyone to have-a

✅ Clean signal

✅ Electricity and

✅ Substack subscription to The GerdesFolkCityDoc

It will be found here the FIRST of JUNE 2024!!!

It’s only been eleven years!! What’s the rush??? I’ve been planning this release for several weeks now and I’d love to see-a wha-comes out of it, as Mike would say.

This is folk music. The GerdesFolkCityDoc needs to be accessible to all People.

Acoustic music is supposed to be automatic for the People. EVERY musician hustles for their own benefit, but no one really over-charges, as a rule. The Show must be accessible to entire families.

I’m relying on Substack to work smoothly so people all around the world can watch 24/7/365 worldwide.💫

Countless hours have been spent on the material and I finally want to share it.

🤞🏼🕰POSITIVELY PORCO will become known as the definitive document of the rich history of Gerde’s Folk City. Using first-person testimony, archival footage and authentic recordings, the movie will demonstrate the profound affect the music emanating from the Village had on the collective consciousness of a generation.

The interviews that I conducted in 2013 and 2014 include

BRUCE LANGHORNE

JOHN P. HAMMOND

ARLO GUTHRIE

TERRE ROCHE

BARRY KORNFELD

DOMINIC CHIANESE

VINCE MARTIN

IZZY YOUNG

BOB PORCO SR.

ANGELO PORCO

GEORGE GERDES

SONNY OCHS

PEGGY DUNCAN-GARNER

LARRY ‘RATSO’ SLOMAN

ROB STONER

ROD MACDONALD

HAPPY and JANE TRAUM

ERIK FRANDSEN

ERIC ANDERSEN

JOSÉ FELICIANO

DELORES DIXON

DAVID MASSENGILL

📡I’m giving you the GerdesFolkCityDoc for a pay as you want price.

If you happen to recognize the great contributions that Gerde’s and the musicians gave to American music itself,

Pay a few bucks more. It’s up to you and

I’m grateful for what you give..

⚖️Substack will send you all the information you need to pay and PLAY THE GERDESFOLKCITYDOC.

It will be a SUBSCRIPTION ONLY VIDEO.

I need to get the word out now!!!

🎪🎖I’ll be sharing other clips and shorts to Facebook and where ever hoping you’ll find the DOC from one direction or another. PLEASE SHARE ‘Bob Porco’s Substack’ to find the GerdesFolkCityDoc.

If you gave a shit about Folk City then, then you’ll probably take some interest in Gerde’s Folk City today.

🏆My very noble grandfather gave a lot to the scene.🏆

Please spread the word! This always has potential to blossom into more tributes.

Come on over and subscribe for other content in the future.

Pass it along to your folkie buddies. Substack will keep you in the loop through emails.

For years I kept telling people this film is coming, It’s coming, IT’S COMING‼️Now we have a date.

On June 1st you’ll have your chance!

Get Folked,

Bob

https://bobporco86.substack.com/p/gerdes-folk-city-doc-to-be-released

Sunday, October 1, 2023

DYLAN talk Rolling Thunder Part 1

Built in 2014, used as a naked base reel for another clip with images and music, held on tightly and stowed away in a harddrive, laying in wait for the right deal, THIS clip is mostly about how Bob Dylan's Rolling Thunder Review began on Mike Porco's 61st birthday at Folk City.

DYLAN talk Rolling Thunder Part 1

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LXoGLQDBMPU&t=33s

Savvy tech peeps will recognize the reel as just the first layer saved from a video program unbothered by Ken Burns style images and copywritten music. It's youtube friendly. THANKS to Rob Stoner, Ratso Sloman, Angelo Porco and my dad RIP Bob Sr you have the whole story. Dan Behrman supplied the voice of Mike Porco. It's been a long time coming. Nine fookin years later, it sits. I'd like to give this and part 2 of 'Dylan talk assembly" away. The rest is for sale. In the words of David Bowie, "I can't give everything away." But wait, wait, there's more.

The ending is a glowing description by Ratso and Stoner of Mike Porco the man, how they viewed him in history and how they felt about him. Three Cheers!

Sunday, August 7, 2016

SONG CONTEST LAUNCHED

In the name of my grandfather Mike Porco- a man who was a champion for aspiring acoustic musical talent for two decades- I am launching a contest where

the winner shall earn studio time and production costs paid for as the prize.

Bob Gibson, Mike Porco
(Photo Doug Yeager)

THE MIKE PORCO

SONG INITIATIVE

Rules, of course, shall apply.

Here is a first draft of the rules: (Dated August 7, 2016)

RULE ONE:

Rules are subject to change as well as

the name of the contest

RULE TWO:

Music created will have an identifiable and undeniable POSITIVE sound.

(whatever that means…you know it when you hear it)

The songs created should fit relatively in the FOLK and BLUES sound category

Or genre.

(Not a limiting factor. Not excluding Bluegrass, Rock etc. Keep it real.

Keep it original)

RULE THREE:

Song Lyrics must have UNIFYING theme that can be read aloud, sans music, and

still get the juices flowing

RULE FOUR:

Entrants may be

Bands or Duos only

WHOM HAVE NOT RELEASED OR REFINED

the SONG ENTRY

NOR HAVE A RECORD LABEL TO REPRESENT

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
RULE CHANGE
(September 2016)
ANY musician on Earth willing to enter a song
are eligible

RULE FIVE:

Band or Duo must not suck

Fast Folk

RULE SIX:

Winning Band or Duo will record in New York City

arriving on their own expenses to get there

(some concessions may be made in support of the artist at judge's discretion)

Local bands and acts traveling through

need apply

RULE SEVEN:

Other rules not yet written or even thunk about must be considered.

Including and not limited to:

Final ownership or recording,

number of units for sale,

type of final product release,

ancillary live performances of winning single

RULE EIGHT:

This song contest is not some low-rent, Wi-Fi song "drop."

We're not just gonna fatten up the Internet.

We're pressing a vinyl record. An actual tangible item.

Two sided by nature.

Length will be determined by money raised.

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

The cart is before the horse, admittedly. But where's your sense of excitement?!

The Producer and studio are not even yet sewn up.

In New York, I've got friends downtown.

However, my job is to get the costs covered

by an as-of-yet decided social funding site.

No biggie.

WHY VINYL

Vinyl... because it's gonna sound better.

So the winning entry should

be a wonder to the ears.

Hence the exclusion of solo artists. Extra tracks and instruments of sound

will sound better.

An electronic/digital (youtube video or otherwise) track may and will be used to promote the ultimate sale of the single/EP/45

A song of UNITY will win.

That is the parameter for subject matter in this contest.

Use your own words and music.

UNITY or FELLOWSHIP

or something to that effect should be the message.

Don't bother to refer to anyone in this election season.

The song should be timeless.

Won't you feel like a fool when neither of the current candidates win. People are already asking "Bernie who?"

Don't do it. Songs referencing Slovenian wives or serial raping husbands shall be disqualified.

Sammy Walker, Mike Porco
(photo Theodore Lee)

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

I'll be on the level with you;

the gist is that 'we' record the song(s) and YOU own them and take them with you.

I'll help promote the message and thusly the song.

If the song is worthy, then it will create its own rolling thunder (pun).

If the Band or Duo are bad dressers, difficulty may need to be overcome.

Matching dress….maybe not

In a wild daydream, this may seem like the first pressing of

a budding recording company.

I've truly got too many other things to do such as completing the first documentary

on Gerde's Folk City.

Perhaps you've heard of the place.

Songs by emerging artists need to be recorded because

record companies today are not willing to break even anymore.

They don't want to just perpetuate business.

They need

to make a KILLING.

They would never want to be accused of starting a

positive movement.

They would never want to be accused of UNIFYING people.

They want money.

NEWSFLASH:

I want money, too.

But cashing in on one Band or Duo's song is,

not only impossible but also, uncouth.

If some Band or Duo or SOLO
ARTIST out there thinks that they can write a song

all by their lonesome and enter it into the CONTEST, have at it.

START YOUR ENGINES!!!!

Rules on submission are simple (I think)

Dropbox or email or Wetransfer or 'whatever'

your entry to Bob Porco at

Folkcity50@gmail.com

That simple.

I will reply 'Thank You' upon receipt

and the next email to contestants will be to announce the winner.

WINNER WILL BE ANNOUNCED OCTOBER 23RD

2016.

(Mike Porco's Birthday, doncha know)

One winner. Everyone else comes in second.

Hate to be the first to break the news.

All second place song entries shall be deleted from my possession.

Digital expunge.

Names will be kept on file for merry invites. Reciprocate should you wish.

THE DREAM

The dream ending is that this song leads to

something on the order of

World peace. Not kidding.

Not to make this post any more political than it has to be, I will state that there have been counterfeit and fraudulent grown-up human beings on the streets attacking other fellow Americans for having opinions of their own.

Some of these brats claim that they are 'activists' or 'inclusive' as they rip other protestors' signs and otherwise force them away.

I've been active at protests. I've done street actions. I do them every year. I'm no professional at it but if any one came over and ripped my sign…well that would be a problem. If I went and grabbed another person's sign, that would start quite a fight. In other words, it's just not done unless the streets are filled with phony humans acting like fucking children.

AS IF we have time to battle each other of the streets of our country…

sheer idiocy and social suicide.

If societal suicide is your thing, then maybe this contest

is not for you and your lone friend. If pissing in your neighbor's yard is

more inviting than pissing in your own,

then maybe this contest is not for you.

It's preferable to have a song and message that

may cause some widespread compassion.

Hindrance of free speech should not be tolerated by any

peacenik.

This song should be worthy to show your momma

and your landlord.

This song should be good enough for me to send to my lovely

12 year old daughter.

This song should swing.

This song will be the first of many

done this way

should the planets stay on course.

CONTEST JUDGE:

Bob Porco, writer of this blog

Folk Music Journalist
Artful Dodger
Instigator

How will I know if the winning song has a Folk quality?

To paraphrase Supreme Justice Frankfurter

and to directly quote Israel G. Young,

''I'll know it when I hear it.''

I know that music is the way to bring people together.

I know that I have a small, humble platform here on this blog and here on social media and I know that if I did something to promote UNITY

then something good may come of it.

In addition, some ACOUSTIC GROUP OR DUO will get studio time and a product to show for their efforts.

My politics don't matter. The winning musicians' politics don't matter.

In my opinion, Bob Dylan's 'Masters of War' or "Union Sundown" is a song of unity: the artist and the listener join against the folly of war and greed.

Phil Ochs' songs 'There but for fortune' and 'I ain't marching anymore" are songs of freedom.

If I could change one thing about

Music leading the way…as per norm

John Lennon's songs, I would say "Power OF the People" instead of "to" the People. "We can work it out," "All you need is Love..." Yes yes Yes!

The People already have the power to end wars and negotiate prosperity. Music has led the way forever!

From drums of war to the drummer and fife player to the march in Selma to Occupy.

Arlo educated me dearly during our time together by saying:

"That's what the music was doing in the 1960s. That's what it has done and what it will ALWAYS continue to do."

Believe it.

Tuesday, June 7, 2016

Subterranean 75th Birthday Salute to Bob - HI REZ PIX

Rob Stoner, Bob Cohen

Forever Young

Hurricane

Mike Scott

Happy Traum

The Kennedys

Phil Cimino

Bob Porco

Nick Spinetti

The New World Singers

George Gerdes

Terre Roche

Marc Jonson

Mike+Ruthy

Willie Nininger and Maura
'Like a Rolling Stone'
overture

Astounding

Thursday, January 28, 2016

ZERO LIMITS

https://youtu.be/e1G0Xg_87O4

Yesterday, Joan Baez is celebrated at the Beacon Theater.
Today, I learn that my film is moving forward BIG TIME.
Rob Stoner also tells me that Luther Rix will join the Subterranean Salute.
Tomorrow I see Willie Nile in concert in Beacon.
Saturday, I'll take Angelina to the HOOT and see Mike+Ruthy et al.
Sunday, I fly to LA.
Monday, I'll pay respects to Bruce Langhorne, face to face.
Tuesday, jump rope. Drive. Unplanned. See Bruce again.

More to follow…...

Thursday, December 31, 2015

WHERE YOU BEEN 2015?

What a YEAR!

I couldn't have guessed what treats were ahead of me….other than knowing that the Museum of the City of New York was opening their FOLK CITY exhibit. I never thought I'd meet so many of Mike Porco's friends at once.

I also knew that I'd be supporting concerts of many of the Folk and Blues stars that typically come around NYC and the Hudson Valley, camera in hand.

I also knew I'd be going to Mike+Ruthy's HOOT events, camera in hand.

I also knew I'd be doing at least one interview for the film which nears the magical green light.

I didn't know that Mike Porco and Gerde's would be getting inducted into the New York Blues Hall of Fame. Michael Packer bestowed that honor upon us and I was fortunate to meet, Garth Hudson, Garland Jeffreys and David Johansson amongst others.

So many great concerts were held, and I was happy to attend. I'm lucky that getting 'backstage' sometimes is easier than it sounds, especially when Mike Porco was your grandfather.

What does 2016 hold for us? I'll be sure to snap some photos, capture some more footage and share them here and elsewhere. I encourage all to do as I do- that is- buy a ticket to support working artists.

I'll even be hosting a concert honoring Bob Dylan this May 24th at the Village Underground in NYC. I'm continuing to 'do my part' in documenting the history and significance of Greenwich Village's first Folk Music cabaret by recording moments in time that are still taking place in the FOLK WORLD. It's a continuum, you see..