Couches in Alleys

"I shambled after as I've been doing all my life after people who interest me, because the only people for me are the mad ones, the ones who are mad to live, mad to talk, mad to be saved, desirous of everything at the same time, the ones that never yawn or say a commonplace thing, but burn, burn, burn like fabulous yellow roman candles exploding like spiders across the stars and in the middle you see the blue centerlight pop and everybody goes 'Awww!'"

Jack Kerouac is the man, their is absolutely no doubt about it and this incredibly brilliant piece of prose is but slither of the beauty that came out of his literary classic On The Road. Any dude with an interest in music or books know the myriad of artists that this hell man has inspired with his 1957 out of control stream of consciousness. This book encapsulates the possibility and optimism that youth inspires in us all and captures the beauty and potential for enlightenment that travel holds. However as this youthful exuberance wanes and dudes start growing up and getting real jobs what happens then. This juxtaposition with the unbridled hope of youth is frightening at the best of times and is something had to deal with in the startling glare of the public eye as the fame he received from On the Road stole from him the anonymity that made the tale so endearing. This massive neg spiral that Kerouac was them forced to endure was captured in his thinly veiled semi autobiographical tale, Big Sur. I am yet to attempt to tackle this piece of writing with my eye balls but by all accounts it is out of control. 

When i heard one of my heros Ben Gibbard was collaborating with a couple of other dudes to create a lyrical interpretation of Big Sur the anticipation was stifling. While the Album does contain some sweet tracks including "These Roads Don't Move" which has some bullshit lyrics content, the general rootsy rock feel that borders on country at times doesn't really appeal to a dude like me so i came out feeling a little let down. However as i followed a labyrinth of links around you tube after a tip off from a Gibbard crazy mate i did find one piece of gold. The track "Couches in Alleys", for a reason unbeknown to myself, was omitted from the album but in my humble, none music police, opinion is absolutely bullshit. Gibbard regales all who will listen with questions addressed personally to Kerouac asking him how to confront the changes that a dude faces when his life brings him to the daunting crossroads that mark the slide into adulthood. Being a twenty three year old dude just short of graduation and having a plethora of mates who are embarking on life of mortgages, short back and sides, long term relationships and neg outs about too many young dudes being at Cooneys on  a Saturday night i find the lyrics to contain a particular poignancy, but i do in all kinds of shit so i guess that wont do much to persuade anyone. Just check out this clip and keep in mind what this shit is about.