Though I never had the pleasure of meeting him, he was directly responsible for making my first trip to Los Angeles possible when he hired me to write and tape a Video Watchdog segment for his short-lived OVERVIEW project, an attempt to publish a video magazine on videotape, back in late 1986. There I was at age 30, staying at the Hollywood Hyatt on his expense account, being driven to a spot in the industrial district where I was used as the sole actor performing to a full 35mm production unit - an amazing, surreal memory. I didn't meet him but I got to see his office, use the john in his Winnebago, and meet his son Christian - who has been playing guitar onstage with him for the past several years, and also magnificently produced his final live album.
We kept in intermittent touch over the later years, always briefly and a little magically. One of my favorite Facebook memories is of the time when he dropped in on a thread about my favorite song, "Telstar" noting that he had heard everything I was saying about it from fellow musicians over the years - "Music from another place," as he said. So I knew he was peeking in from time to time. We got to see him in concert with Micky and Peter some years back, and I've been following his most recent work with Micky and also his steel guitarist Pete Finney; he had an extraordinary musical connection with them both.
This is a major loss, one that will take time to fully process. Our sympathies and condolences to his close friends, family, to Micky of course, and all of those who - like us - were profoundly touched by his art, craft, and unique vision.
Happy Trails, Nez. Thanks for passing through.
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