7-21-12 Survival Jobs for Writer-Musicians – Starter Job #154 (The Washington Squares - Poseurs!)

Thought I’d give the conflict a respite and include these photos of us.

1.    Our first album cover, blown up, at Tower Records in LA;

1.    The three of us in front of said album cover, posing as we were on the cover;

2.    Tom and Bruce with Mick Fleetwood -- posing (yes, he is very tall).

Whenever we were in a situation where other celebrities could be photographed with us, of course we were game. . . that was fun. We met a lot of cool people, sure -- and worked with a bunch of ‘em as well.

It was really cool that we were so enthusiastic about it and everybody looked good. But, after the first year of being “Squares,” I wanted to eschew the shades and wear the signature Beatnik chick eye makeup: heavy eyeliner & mascara. I thought that was a really cool look and I wanted to be seen that way. Yes, I have big brown eyes and I’m told they’re pretty -- so what’s the problem, guys?

“You’ll stand out if you don’t wear the shades -- and Ray Bans and berets are part of the deal.”

“Yeah, but so’s the beatnik chick Egyptian eyes -- that’s a very cool Beat look, too, and I can do it ‘cause I’m a girl.”

At this point I started to realize that it wasn’t in THEIR best interest to make me any kind of sex symbol -- or “be” the girl. Not that I was comfortable being a sexy chick but I didn’t mind looking hot in a classy way. Mesmerizing eyes were cool -- but not if two guys in your band fight you tooth and nail. . . 

7-18-12 Survival Jobs for Writer-Musicians – Starter Job #151 (The Washington Squares - Early Visuals 7)

We had two very strong folkie influences (all right, three actually): The Weavers, Peter, Paul & Mary and the Kingston Trio. We loved their music, their politics, and their very broad, mainstream appeal. So, when PP&M played a local gig on Long Island in 1983, all of us piled into a train or a car (don’t remember which) and caught their show.

We came all dressed in our new wave/beatnik regalia, ready to meet and greet the popular, beloved entertainers after the show. Knowing that they’re seasoned pros and would never pass up a meet and greet backstage after a concert, we positioned ourselves with a small but eager crowd at the stage door.

Sure enough, they came out to say hello after the show. We burst right into an early PP&M song, “The Cruel War,” which the guys sang harmonies to as I crooned my best Mary Travers. But -- once Mary heard us singing her song -- she joined in and came over, stroking my cheek and singing lovingly along with us Squares. Nice!  

(photo by Jill Goodkind)

Little did any of us know that within 5 years we’d be sharing a label: Gold Mountain/Gold Castle Records. . . (whatever the heck it was!) 

7-17-12 Survival Jobs for Writer-Musicians – Starter Job #150 (The Washington Squares - Early Visuals 6)

Because we had both the old and the new angles working for us in the Squares (New Wavers gone folky/the old guard passing on the torch to us), we met and played with a lot of really cool people who were a generation or two older. At an Irving Plaza gig (one of the hippest places to play in NYC, still), we played with Peter Yarrow of Peter, Paul & Mary, and special guest Allen Ginsberg (not to mention our own Jeff Berman on bongos!). 

We also played events at historic places in the Village like the Judson Church by Washington Square Park, a hotbed of old leftie activism. So we’d have the stance down just so, we studied old photos of classic folk groups and how they stood (kind of like classic bluegrass groups). Jill Goodkind, again, did a great job of shooting and archiving us as we happened. . . thanks, Jillski!

(sometimes, looking back at these images of us from the '80's is like watching MadMen. . . looking with loving reverence to the past with a great eye for vintage style detail)

7-16-12 Survival Jobs for Writer-Musicians – Starter Job #149 (The Washington Squares - Early Visuals 5)

I’ll say it again: Tom Goodkind was never more brilliant at promotion than he was with the Squares. I knew if I hitched my star to that wagon -- with a brilliant promoter and the combined musical talents of Tom, Bruce, and me -- that it’d have to go much farther than I could’ve mustered on my own. I work well in a team and like to work collaboratively, so it went well, for a while. . .

How Tom got Stephen Holden to review us for the New York Times in 1984 was really quite a coup. If he reads this, I’d love to hear his version of how that came about. I know that Jill was also great at publicity and that she worked in the field, so what the hey, it could’ve been her doing. . . but this was really good for our press kit, which got fatter by the month, seemingly:

Oh -- and here’s a snap of us with Peter Stampfel, the brilliant leader of the (Un)Holy Modal Rounders, taken at a Folk City gig when we invited him up to sing (does Tom remember the name of the song he was belting out enthusiastically with us here?).

7-04-12 Survival Jobs for Writer-Musicians – Starter Job #140 (The Washington Squares - Early Visuals 2)

As mentioned before, we had a band logo early on -- designed by Tom’s friend, artist/graphic designer Marlene Weisman.  Of course, she knew how to look stylishly modern beatnik, too.  Voila:

But our first promo photo was taken by Bruce Paskow’s friend, photographer Michael Halsband.  We went for a classic pose and look:

When we were rehearsing -- usually in Tom & Jill’s apartment on 13^th street -- we were a little more relaxed with our dress code.  After all, living in NYC apartments meant no laundry facilities and you could only hand wash a striped French sailor’s shirt so much before it looked passé. . . and truly BEAT.

  

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. . .