Doug Skinner: An Archive on Your Gizmo

Doug Skinner header image 1

Entries from December 2011

Filthy Song Night

December 29th, 2011 · 2 Comments

On December 17, 2011, I did my bit for the annual “Filthy Song Night,” at the Jalopy Theater in Brooklyn.  I brought out my baritone horn, which I seldom play in public, and offered a traditional variant of the hymn tune “Old 100th.”  You can listen to it here. Addendum: No, I guess you can’t.  […]

[Read more →]

Tags: *Music · F

Music at the White House

December 29th, 2011 · 2 Comments

When I was 13, I played ‘cello in a city-wide youth orchestra in Washington, D.C.  I had forgotten about this performance at the White House until I rediscovered this program.  Simply to amuse myself, I slipped “played ‘cello at the White House” into a couple of bios.  So, if you happen across one of those, […]

[Read more →]

Tags: *Music · M

UnConvention 1998

December 26th, 2011 · Comments Off on UnConvention 1998

For my first appearance at the UnConvention, the weekend bender organized by the Fortean Times, I gave talks on the Count of Saint-Germain and Richard Shaver.  The nice folks at FT even hired a ‘cellist for me, so that I could sing a couple of the Count’s songs with a proper continuo.

[Read more →]

Tags: *Words · U

Dull Comics

December 25th, 2011 · Comments Off on Dull Comics

A 1979 mini-comic, given to the world under the name of my whilom character, Red Telephone.

[Read more →]

Tags: *Cartoons · D

Holiday Recording Party

December 21st, 2011 · 2 Comments

Every year, Meg Reichardt holds a holiday recording party.  Everyone writes a seasonal song; and records it with whoever and whatever is available.  My contributions for 2011, “Jesus Under the Mistletoe” and “The Easter Bunny’s Noel,” are now online over here. I also participated in 2009, with “Or So I’ve Been Told” and a round […]

[Read more →]

Tags: *Music · H

Quoted in “Hustler”

December 21st, 2011 · 1 Comment

As far as I know, I’ve only been quoted once in Hustler magazine. The occasion was an article on Forteana by Skylaire Alfvegren, in the November 2006 issue.

[Read more →]

Tags: *Words · Q

A Tape Cassette

December 19th, 2011 · Comments Off on A Tape Cassette

A tape cassette of my songs, from 1991, in the days when people made tape cassettes.  This, of course, is the artwork; which was cut, folded, and inserted into the little plastic box.

[Read more →]

Tags: *Music · T

Warburton’s Cook

December 16th, 2011 · 1 Comment

“Warburton’s Cook” is a one-act play based on the melancholy literary anecdote of John Warburton, a collector of rare manuscripts, who discovered that his cook had used many of them to line her pie tins. The cast was a treat; and I enjoyed tailoring the script to their talents.  

[Read more →]

Tags: *Stage · W

Invisible Lines

December 16th, 2011 · 2 Comments

I drew this in my notebook at school, rather than listen to the teacher.  I think it was in middle school — then, of course, called junior high.  

[Read more →]

Tags: *Sketchbook · I

Cracking Up

December 15th, 2011 · Comments Off on Cracking Up

Cracking Up (1996) was a film written and directed by Matt Mitler, who also played the lead, a self-destructive comedian.  I was one of the many downtown performers who appeared.  

[Read more →]

Tags: *Other · C