In the late Summer of 2018, I walked the 500 mile path of the Camino de Santiago in Northwest Spain. As a 54 year old man and morbidly obese, I was punished daily by the broiling Spanish Sun. Almost accidentally, I downloaded Astral Weeks and began listening to it while I lumbered mile after mile, wondering why in the hell I was punishing myself so. Was it penance? Was it a test? Was it a quest for redemption? Van Morrison and Astral Weeks became my daily distraction and then my meditation and then my guide. The lyrics took on mystical meaning and allowed my body to escape the mounting pain and my mind to receive epiphany after epiphany. By the time I completed the pilgrimage, Astral Weeks and I were old friends. I suspect we will remain so. I don't believe in coincidence. The fact this masterpiece album "found" me, 5,000 miles from home, on its 50th birthday, was a gift for which I will be forever grateful. This article by Lester Bangs confirms what I already knew... Astral Weeks is indeed a gift from Heaven Above.
Listening and finally understanding Astral Weeks back in the late 70's as a young kid, was the awakening that I had sensed was coming but I have to re-iterate how much of an explosion it was to my brain, or soul or consiouceness, I have no idea what it exactly was, but it had the effect of a thermonuclear detonation in my head, then the whole world opened up for me...
If you enjoy this fabulous play "How to be a Rock Critic," you'll also enjoy this film A Box Full of Rocks: The El Cajon Years of Lester Bangs... ua-cam.com/video/vyDBcmNDyOc/v-deo.html
In the late Summer of 2018, I walked the 500 mile path of the Camino de Santiago in Northwest Spain. As a 54 year old man and morbidly obese, I was punished daily by the broiling Spanish Sun. Almost accidentally, I downloaded Astral Weeks and began listening to it while I lumbered mile after mile, wondering why in the hell I was punishing myself so. Was it penance? Was it a test? Was it a quest for redemption? Van Morrison and Astral Weeks became my daily distraction and then my meditation and then my guide. The lyrics took on mystical meaning and allowed my body to escape the mounting pain and my mind to receive epiphany after epiphany. By the time I completed the pilgrimage, Astral Weeks and I were old friends. I suspect we will remain so. I don't believe in coincidence. The fact this masterpiece album "found" me, 5,000 miles from home, on its 50th birthday, was a gift for which I will be forever grateful. This article by Lester Bangs confirms what I already knew... Astral Weeks is indeed a gift from Heaven Above.
Amazing story. And how are you now, sir?
Listening and finally understanding Astral Weeks back in the late 70's as a young kid, was the awakening that I had sensed was coming but I have to re-iterate how much of an explosion it was to my brain, or soul or consiouceness, I have no idea what it exactly was, but it had the effect of a thermonuclear detonation in my head, then the whole world opened up for me...
The first piece by Bangs I ever read (right from the collection “Psychotic Reactions and Carborator Dung”).
Thanks for the blurt!
If you enjoy this fabulous play "How to be a Rock Critic," you'll also enjoy this film A Box Full of Rocks: The El Cajon Years of Lester Bangs... ua-cam.com/video/vyDBcmNDyOc/v-deo.html
E X C E L L E N T !
Hey just to let ya know,you spelled Lester wrong, Not with a A. Not big deal but just thought id say something,thanks for the upload.