*********************** HI JOHANNA !!!! ***********************
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I'm standing at the South Street Seaport. I think the first street in all NYC is Pike St., right here.
When I was in school, I was a driver, to make some money, for the heiress to the Thalheimer Department store fortune. German Jewish lady from Virginia, who lived on Fifth Ave. Had a slow Virginia drawl. Nice lady.
She was older and disabled, in a wheelcheer, and had a special van, downstairs in the garage.
I took her and her staff, down here to the Seaport every day. We went to the third floor balcony, so she(we) could watch all the boats go by.
It was nice. Peaceful. One block south of Fulton St., on Beekman St. was a great book store. New, used books. Like a smaller Strand. Where I am standing, was just to the left, of the old Fulton Fish market. They eventually went up to the Hunts Points Market, I think. I remember right before the FBI closed the market down, they were dragging out old, mob, fish-mongers who refused to leave.
It was a good deal, they didn't waant to go. That's why it's called a racket.
The water here used to be filthy, Hudson River was too. But over the years, I was standing right under the bridge, you could see all
the way to the bottom. They opened a small beach, with sand, no swimming, right under the bridge. I walked over the bridge once,
just to say I walked over the bridge. NYC before the bridge(s) & tunnels, was really a lot of little towns. About the year 1900
cars, trains, trolleys, bridges, subways, etc. started traversing the East River. Before that, it was the Fulton St. ferry from,
(where else?) Fulton St. Brooklyn, to Fulton St. Manhattan. I think Walt Whitman wrote about it? Robert Fulton and his steam ferry?
That must have been a lot of travelers in one place !!
Myrtle Ave. in Brooklyn !!!
I met an old Italian lady, who said they used to call it "Murder Ave.'
Number 5 train !!"Dyre Ave, last stop, last stop, all passengers must leave the train !! "
Originally, this was the end of the Bronx, no man's land. Junk yards and auto repair shops. Still is.
Then, subways had no windows, AC, heat, token both clerks. (too dangerous)
When and if a subway came, was anyones guess
Eventually they had a large metal machine, onboard, that dispensed tokens.
Even though it was the end of the line, in those days, no one bothered you. Not saying it was safe.
I used to get my hair cut by an old, Italian barber, on the far left.
One World Trade Center !!!
I'm standing at West 4'th. & Thompson Sts. @ Washington Square !!
Oh look a parking space !! Just kidding.......!!!
University Pl. & E. 3'rd. St.!! The Bitter End is across the street.
I'm always looking for good shows and tickets. A friend works the door on the weekends.
He told me they recently had JOE BONNAMASSA !! Very cool. 'Just Got Paid (?)'
Great shows of his on PBS.
The World Trade Center today!! The 9/11 ground is called: 'FOOTPRINTS',
North tower on the left, South tower on the right.
I got off the downtown train (#4 or #5) at Fulton St. & Broadway, far right, every day.
I would hit the Starbucks in the mezzanine at Fulton & Church St. on the bottom right bldg.
Then, sometimes, heading west (left) I would hit the bookstore at the bottom of the north tower,
and go to school on the far left.
West St. is on the left. My school was (is) second street on the right !!
Fiterman Hall Building on W. Broadway, directly behind ONE WTC, straight ahead,
where I attended classes in, was flattened. The Church St. Post Office, the building the center middle. survived. I had a PO Box there, in school.
The black building, on the right, had a Century 21 I shopped at. Great stuff. Shoes, belts, etc.
Europeans loved the place. They reopened briefly, never to return.
During lunch, I would have lunch at the bottom of the towers, with all the Wall-Streeters,
on benchs in front....!! From the WTC to the World Financial Center, directly next door to the left, was a big escalator.
It was the only thing that survived the bombing. I think it's still there.
The newly rebuilt One WTC !! Silverstein Properties mgmt.
This new one is all steel joints and joists. I think Four WTC is up (?)!!!
There is a new Boro of Manhattan C.C. building directly across the street on Barclay St.
The Queensboro Bridge!!! Wasn't that a Simon & Garfunkel song? (59'th. St.?)
East River looking south. Many nights I looked out at this. The Bridge.
The CITIGROUP Building in L.I.C.
Rockefeller University below. Lower East Side straight ahead. Queens on the left.
Williamsburgh Bridge, in the distance. on the far left.
Still finding a few gems, like this one here:!!!
YOKO ONO
"To Paul, Love, Yoko, Spring 2002 !!!"
I was in college at this time, and had to get from the Upper East Side to the Upper West Side.
Rather than wait for the crosstown bus, which wins the 'Pokey' awards every year,second
only to the 34'th. St., I decided to walk across the park. It was a nice (see below) 'Spring' Day.
Entering the park @ 68'th. St. & Fifth Ave. and heading west, I met Yoko coming out.
She was with her then, new, boyfriend; I don't recall his name.
Some people are such outsize personalities, they are hard to ignore.
I asked how her new album was doing. Got her autograph. She was kind.
I've met many, many famous people, here in NYC.
Musicians, I find, are generally more approachable..
Maybe because musicicians generally have a live audience !!???
Very democratic, down to earth. Humble. Most, not all.....!!
Happy Holidays 2022 everyone. Radio City Music Hall !!
When we were young, mom thought we all needed 'culture,' with a capital 'C.'
So, she left work one day, still dressed in her London Fog raincoat,
and took us to a show here.The Rockettes !! I think my sister and I,....got bored.
I seem to recall us seeing 'The New York Experience.' on Sixth Ave.
It was a large-screen, video retrospective, of NYC life. No one seems to remember it (?) !!
Then, she took us to the F.A.O. Schwartz toy store on Fifth. Ave.
The wooden toy train trolley that ran on the ceiling !!??
They're still around, but I think they downsized and moved.
Coming up Broadway. Strand Books. Love this place. Weekends are crowded.
Just bought some fantatic, new, sheet music here. For very cheap.
34'th. St. & Second Ave.
The road onstruction here has been ongoing as long as I can remember. Prolly union.
Me on Lafayette St. heading north in Soho(?)
I seem to remember seeing DAVID BOWIE around here, long ago, walking around incognito.
I'm usually somewhere on the: Lower East Side, East Side or Upper East Side !!
The NYC, 3'rd.St. Hell's Angels HQ. I used to walk by it every day.
Every mayor as long as I can remember, tried to shut them down. None ever could.
Apparently, Mayor DeBlasio succeeded. I was saying hello to a neighbor here one day,
and she said the shenanigans, here, got to be too much. So, apparently, the Angels got the heave ho.
I knew a few Angels up in CT as a kid. CT was a big, no-helmet, biker state, then.
HAPPY FRIDAY, Jan. the 13'th., 2023 from Fifth Ave. Christmas tree still up !!
Many Manhattan Buildings still do not have elevator buttons for Floor 13. 12a., etc. Seriously.
DECEMBER 2021, I'm (we're!!) surviving here in NYC:
9/11, SuperStorm Sandy, Coronovirus, Hurricane Ida !! (Oy Vey...!!!)
WASHINGTON SQUARE PARK !!! Looking south. One Fifth Ave? (behind me)I read the book,
'One Fifth Ave.", by Candace Bushnell. It was meh...!! More about wealth; than Sex In The City !!
Happy September, 9/11 Day, 2022 everyone !!! I got off the train here every day,
Brooklyn Bridge stop, (local #6, or express #4,5 train) or Fulton St. (#4,5 express).
And then walked right by the World Trade Center. Every day.
I still cannot believe the World Center is gone. 9/11 flattened half my school.
Everyone got cancer.
An accurate, cartographic view of the world !! America? Jersey? Pullllease....!!!
I hate even going to the West Side !! (Seriously)) Lol.
When I was a kid, this was called the PanAm Building. Picture of Snoopy !!
They landed helicopters on top, until one crashed !!
Epiphone. Great guitars !!!!!
A cool tote bag I picked up at The Blue Note !!
A cool shirt I picked up at The Blue Note !!
Return To Forever? Great stuff. I have tons of Blue Note Stuff !!!
DAVID SANBORN !!!
I got lucky, as I was looking for a good show, in newly reopened NYC,
I saw this !! I booked the show, first day tix went on sale. I saw days later, online,
they were going for a lot more.
David is world class, and he did not disappoint tonight.
The Blue Note is small, but that makes for intimate performances.
The bass player and trombonist were all over the place. He also introduced a lovely French singer,
who played piano.DAVID mentioned working with BOB JAMES, who I am also a huge fan of.
They both, BOB and DAVE, have recorded a great version of DAVE' Maputo. Great stuff.
He did play that song, Maputo, tonight !! I think DAVID said tonight Maputo was Nigerian?
I have actually had the pleasure of meeting DAVID many times, on the streets of NY !!
I bumped into him near Lincoln Center where he lived on the Upper West Side.
He sold his townhouse years ago, it was mentioned in The Times.
I also met him many times, where else?,
walking down Sixth (?) Ave. in The Village. Always extremely kind and friendly, world class.
This night (see below) was no exception. Great show, nice people. Why I am real fan.
See also- great videos of him with MILES DAVIS on YouTube.
I didn't know he played with MILES !!
DAVID SANBORN !! I got this one in 2001, I am a long time fan, and like Dave,
a long-time New Yorker!! I was in school,at that time, and happened to be near Lincoln Center.
He said hello, and was very gracious. Which is why I like musicians like Dave.
Among others things. Lol.
DAVE SANBORN !!! I bumped into DAVE walking down 6'th. Ave. (where else?),
in The Village. He walked and talked. A very nice man.
Front door at The Blue Note !! Love this place !!!
Cafe Wha, McDougal St. !! One of DAVID CROSBY' first gigs, after leaving LA
for TX, then NYC, during the Folk Scene !!
Manny Roth, David Lee Roth's uncle, was owner for many years.
They still seem to be doing brisk business.
In the East Village!!
This is my best friend: Matt O' Shaughnessy, who's been on the air with
MATT' METAL MAYHEM for over 35+ years. I have been Matt' friend for the last 12 years,
and helped him co-host MATT' METAL MAYHEM for 12 years as well. (We love Metal, LOL)
Matt O' Shaughnessy's , MATT' METAL MAYHEM !!!
SCOTTSO, aka 'The Professor !! Scott Muni!!!!!!
I met this man every day, as an intern. A true legend. I miss radio !!
I interned for CAROL MILLER, who came on right after Scottso.
Every year when Scottso had a birthday, everyone in Rock Music called in, on the air.
He was a true force in radio. Left the studio every day, shadowboxed with Earl Douglas, his intern.
THE WNEW-FM bumper sticker !! As an intern, I must've given out a gazillion of these.
Conerts, prize giveaways,etc. At the time, they were on cars everywhere.
Strangely, I never saved one for myself.
"WNEW Fm The place where ROCK LIVES !!!!!!!
I had the pleasure of working with PAT a few times at WNEW !!!
Pat being from Michigan like Bob Seger, I seem remember Pat being a big BOB SEEGER fan.
And who isn't? Lol.
Mural over a parking garage in Little Italy. Centre & Greene Sts.? I forget...!!
Welcome to my JEFFERSON AIRPLANE/JEFFERSON STARSHIP/STARSHIP website !!!
My appreciation for these guys started with Grace Slick, and ended with her. She was always very original, even if it wasn't always her material, she made it her own. Honesty, character, integrity. The post 1990, 'New-Age," solo guitar jams, with Craig Chaquico were phenomenal, but crossed music genre lines, and he's now playing with all new band members.
My journey as a JEFFERSON AIRPLANE fan, started after going to a book stall, and finding Grace Slick' autobiography,'Somebody To Love.' A great book,(still have it) and funny too. I was struck throughout reading it, by how down-to-earth she was, regardless of how many situations she got in, and she has been in many. As a lifelong New Yorker, I have met many famous people; but if someone is notable, famous, talented AND nice, I am easily swayed to be an ever bigger fan. After finishing the book, I wrote her to tell her how moved by her book I was, and she wrote back, and she was just as nice and humble as she appears. Over time, I reached out to the other band members, of the never-ending, ever-changing lineups of the following bands, and discovered, by-and-large, they were as equally kind, self-effacing and appreciative as Grace is, I have been a fan ever since !!!
I thought it was very nice that even her grandmother (Sue?), gave her granddaughter kudos for descending into the depraved world of sex, drugs and Rock-n-Roll; She said something to the effect, that,"watch Gracie, she's a smart one, and will do well!!!" Which, relatively speaking, she did !!!!
For you younger folks, this is called a 'cassette. Grace' solo stuff is okay."
GRACE SLICK & SALLY MANN hanging out on stage at Woodstock !!
SALLY MANN ROMANO !!
Sally was Grace Slick' best friend in Jefferson Airplane, and married to the drummer.
She became Grace' daughter, China', godmother. Sally was on stage at Woodstock.
She was the blonde with the band.
Over time she committed an infraction and went to jail.
In jail she became useful,and became a lawyer,
Today,she told me, she now champions being anti-death penalty.
Ironically, Sally lives in Huntsville, TX. Where they have, and use, frequently, the electric chair.
Today she lives with a couple of donkeys, a horse, and gets by in TX.
She has very elegant handwriting. She just recently released a new book,"The Band's With Me," and I hope it's selling.
Sure she needs the dough!! Lol...
JACK CASADY, Lead guitarist of JEFFERSON AIRPLANE !!
JACK CASADY & JORMA KAUKONEN !!!!
[1965-1990:]
JEFFERSON AIRPLANE(1965=1972)
JEFFERSON STARSHIP(1972-1984)
STARSHIP(1984-1990)
[Post 1990:] All Still Playing Today !!!!!!!
STARSHIP - with MickeyThomas
JEFFERSON STARSHIP
CRAIG CHAQUICO
PETE SEARS
Miscellaneous:
Other Rockers I enjoy:
New York Art:
New York Architecture:
Websites I enjoy:
Some Of My Best Albums:
Some Of My Best Books:
I can be reached via e-mail:
pauljancski@pauljancski.com