The Desert, People.
The desert people. They are unique.
Me and Lara Beitz landed in Phoenix, rented a car at Budget (No Hertz available), drove through the desert to Tucson. Arizona has the prettiest deserts.
I can’t really remember the last time I was in Tucson. It had to be in the eighties. Vague memories. Almost like flashbacks without context. I know when I lost my mind on drugs in LA in ’87 it was where I drove to. Hearing voices, sleep deprived. After seeing a horrendous accident outside of Palm Springs I remember seeing it as a sign and stopping at a Motel 6 for the night to try to gather myself before making my way to Tucson to show up at my brother’s who was going to school there at the time. I hung out with him for a few days before driving back home to Albuquerque to get clean for the first time.
I went back to Tucson at some point to play the comedy club there. I don’t really remember much other than hooking up with a woman who had a large lizard tramp stamp. I saw that as a sign, too. Not a good one. When I was there the other night at the Rialto Theatre I asked from the stage if she was there or if anyone knew her. Maybe we put that evening together from the past over coffee. Probably not a great idea. Reunions of one night stands never are. She could have grandkids by now.
The show in Tucson was great. I love desert people. I’ve always loved Tucson. Pretty place.
We drove back to Phoenix to do a show at Standup Live. My dad was there with his wife. They drove out from Albuquerque. He still remembers who I am. Actually, he was very engaged and present. I showed him x-rays of my mother’s neck on my phone because she has to get surgery and he knew exactly what was going on. He used to do that kind of surgery.
I spent a lot of time with the both of them and they came to the show. I did all of my new material making relatively good-hearted fun of my father which he always loved. His wife loves it more. It was big night. Good times. Packed house.
It was all in all a very smooth trip in and out of the desert.
When I was in high school I worked at a restaurant across from the University of New Mexico and one of my early mentors was a guy named Steve LaRue who worked at the record store next door. He killed himself a few years ago. He was musician and a great oddball. He turned me on to all the great weirdo music. Adrian Belew was one of the things he turned me on to. So, it was an honor to talk to him today about working with Zappa, Bowie, Talking Heads, NIN and his solo stuff.
On Thursday Sam Rockwell comes back to catch up. I talked to him about winning his Oscar, seeing him in American Buffalo and doing The Bad Guys with him.
Great talks.
Enjoy!
Boomer, Monkey and LaFonda live.
Love,
Maron
A Very Smooth Trip.
