7-03-12 Survival Jobs for Writer-Musicians – Starter Job #139 (The Washington Squares - Early Visuals 1)

We were really masters of the visual, in the Squares -- which was good, because we do live in a visual age.  And a new thing called MTV was just starting out roundabout then. . . music wasn’t complete without a video to accompany it.

Of course, having a “look” has always been important when you’re in a band -- and we were very aware of how that was as much a music entity’s identity as its sound.  That’s why Tom, Bruce and I went to great lengths to identify and mold our appearance to be truly identifiable.  I guess you could say we were into branding.  And as we loved the Beats and the kitsch quality of “beatnik,” we went with a truly Greenwich Village signature look. . .

 

Tom’s club connections got us into hip places like the Limelight, Danceteria, and the Peppermint Lounge, of course.  The “Yab Yum” session mentioned was kind of silly and we didn’t know what we were doing but we improvised. . . we read poetry loudly, did abstract expressionist paint throwing at a white sheet hung on a wall (black paint only!), and played folk songs.  I guess if we had any kinetic talent we might have danced. . .