Caught in the Carousel

Letter from the Editor - July 2007

By Alex Green

Maybe I peaked too early.

On my 18th birthday back in 1988, I had the chance to interview The Jazz Butcher (a.k.a. Pat Fish) and I was positively thrilled. I cut class, drove home, set up my recorder and had a marvelous chat with the Butcher about his new album (Fishcotheque), cats and why one should never meet their heroes.

Which was ironic, by the way, because The Butcher was my hero and I had listened to Distressed Gentlefolk (his band’s 1986 effort) every day for the past two years, faithfully studying its idiosyncrasies, its wonder, its majesty. Not only that, but I played “Angels” on every single one of my radio shows; I carried Distressed around with me in my walkman at all times and I’m convinced that the well-placed addition of “Falling In Love” on a long labored mix tape, got me my first girlfriend.

So when I drove home that day in June, I was nervous. Really nervous. My stomach hurt, I was dizzy to the point of being disoriented and my hands shook so much when I dialed the number that I ended up getting a bike shop in South Africa instead of England. But the Butcher was kind to this fledgling music journalist, fielding my Tiger Beat type questions with cheerful willingness. Over the course of our hour-long chat, the Butcher was funny, intelligent and inspiring—he was like a kind of nobleman troubadour. And all I can say is that the whole thing was damn inspiring. It was one of the most significant moments of my life—the best way to usher in 18 than I could ever have come up with.

But, as I hung up the phone, young manhood settling in slowly, I didn’t realize that I would never be nervous again. Over the years I’ve been fortunate enough to interview Bowie, R.E.M., INXS, Sublime, Robyn Hitchcock and Billy Bragg and although these were all nerve-wracking assignments, I was as cool-headed as ever for each one.

But a funny thing: when I set out on my interview with the Butcher 19 years later (young manhood, by the way, has morphed into a collision of gray and excessive sun damage), I was nervous all over again. But, just as he had all those years ago, the Butcher came through with what has to be the most generous and satisfying interview I’ve ever done.

It’s like being 18 all over again—just not as easy to look at.

I’m so proud of this one, dear readers. Enjoy it. And check out the Butcher’s work—go to ITUNES and buy some music—you shall not be disappointed.

That said, a few other items:

**One Little Indian recording artists SURROUNDED are our featured band for the Consummate Top Ten.

**The CITC staff reviews 16 new albums, which is a personal record for us.

**Our CITC T-Shirts are about to go into production—they feature original artwork by our good friend Jesse Michaels, who many of you probably remember from the late, great Operation Ivy.

**Next month David Porter reviews the new Rocco DeLuca album and gets Rocco to sit down for our Consummate Top 10.

**We will be podcasting an original radio show, hosted by me, starting in September.

Oh, there’s more, friends. Keep checking back.

Love and Rockets,
Alex Green
Editor, Caught In The Carousel
Alex670@earthlink.net