January 30, Steve Wynn in Athens and the day after in Thessaloniki. Good news. He has a new album, we've been loving him for years (since the great days of the Dream Syndicate) and he also loves our country so it is perfectly reasonable for him to wander around our part of the world again .. the last time we spoke, I listened to him speak enthusiastically about the new album that was in progress and arranged an appointment for another interview when it would be on the market. 'Be sure, we have much to talk about ...'
But today I want to talk about the other Steve. Not just for him who remains entirely on earth even after so many decades and also incredible collaborations (look closer to Baseball Project), not only for the guy who loves Bob Dylan and all that he means of course, but for the 'kid' that luckily still lives inside him, until today ... That is also probably the most important reason why I'll run to 'meet' him again at a gig, because without him the songs are not the same ... They are dry, there is something missing, something is not there and everything reminds fatigue. This wild fatigue of resignation from anything that was once fresh and eager, full of ideas and desires, dark and light altogether. A few years ago, the interview was already finished and we had time to say 2-3 things off the record, quick glances out of the studio, and the rain and a look at the motorbike to see if it waits patiently with everything in place.
- You're right on Dylan, beyond the interview, and so is the Bring the magic. It actually rocks Steve. - You know, I grew up with Wolfman Jack Dimitri, it is not something simple, something easy ...
- Yes I understand, but for this reason there comes a nice feeling from the song, a deep love and no dumb nostalgia .. you can see it everywhere ...
Some laughs, some ideas mixed with talks about music, the rain outside getting stronger the way it always does when you see it against street lights, but the conversation does not seem to finish.
- OK I have a surprise for you Steve .. Keep an eye cause I will send you something.
- I'll listen to you on Saturday, so I will listen to my interview (laughs!!) and I am waiting for your surprise!!
'50 .00 Watts from the back of my Impala .. Wolfman Jack is on the line tonight ... Everybody's hungry for someone or something, and everything i care about is clean out of sight .. Bring the magic, bring the magic, bring the magic to me .. All i do is dream inside my radio, Cadillacs and Bonnevilles are making the scene .. ' Steve Wynn - Bring the magic
I mumble the lyrics under the helmet, with the rain falling throughout louder as I go on home. A strong coffee, a cigarette burning in the ashtray as always and I jump into my CDs so as to find what I want. I won't send a simple email, fuck the emails! I think ... Steve deserves to keep it in his arms as a gift from the past (or future maybe ..) it's better this way .. so a few weeks later, I see him again ... but this time the small parcel has now reached the hands of Steve and he is genuinely happy, like a little kid. In fact, he reciprocate the gift a few days later with a collector's 'jewel' from his collection of albums, two words of the soul on paper, a 'thank you' and even one word of soul off air. "You know even today I feel very lucky to live each day through music, never forget how I started ... thank you again .. ' "Nice guy" I think. No relation to any little guy with one album who thinks he's Elvis (I have hung up many phones - interviews on such bulls and not politely ... but that's another story ... hm. ...) or even a new Jagger ..
Months later through the routine of the day, an afternoon I read:
"As you probably already know, I'm in Europe this season and I soon hope to see you sometime in Athens .. who knows .. Dimitri I'm glad you liked my collaboration with Peter Buck in our new, but I'm writing for some other reason now ... .. I'm traveling on train these days, from station to station, from city to city and I'm watching pictures running around me and landscapes changing .. I thought you might want to know that I have all these days in my headphones the voice of Wolfman Jack, the CD with the broadcast, that you sent me a few months ago, mate .. Leaving New York, I got it with me and I hear it .. and you wanna know something ...? It's the same feeling, the same smells, the same images as when I used to listen to him when I was a child ... All these are here with me in this journey through his voice .. Thank you, Steve Wynn .. "
Smiled, lit a Winston and I put my favorite song from Dream Syndicate to play. Bring the magic of the new year, January 30 in Athens ...
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