Doug Skinner: An Archive on Your Gizmo

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Dummy Talks

December 14th, 2011 · Comments Off on Dummy Talks

A 1990 profile by Susan Morgan, from Interview.

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Adult Comedy Christmas Show

December 14th, 2011 · Comments Off on Adult Comedy Christmas Show

In 1989, Jim Turner and I traveled out to San Francisco to put on a Christmas show. It was a cavalcade of bits, none having to do with Christmas, and must have perplexed the San Franciscans. One interesting bit of trivia: the show was produced by Bill Talen, before he entered his chrysalis and emerged as Rev. Billy.

Here’s a snippet of a review by Robert Hurwitt, in the Examiner.

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Art Against AIDS

December 14th, 2011 · Comments Off on Art Against AIDS

In 1989, Art Against AIDS produced a PSA that recreated the cover of Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, to a tune by the B-52s.  I was one of many (well, two of many, counting Eddie) to take my place around the drum.  It was quite a crowd.

 

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Late Night Fools

December 3rd, 2011 · 3 Comments

On November 17, 2011, I joined Bill Irwin and the cast of King Lear, then at the Public Theater, at Joe’s Pub.  The show was called Late Night Fools; Bill and I reprised some of our old material, and I sang some of my songs.  We also resurrected the song “Home in Pasadena,” which I did not write, and which was featured in The Regard of Flight.  Here, many years later, is the Geezer Mix, as captured by an audience member.  And there are photos here.

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Black Friday

December 3rd, 2011 · Comments Off on Black Friday

A lament about one of our most unpleasant holidays.

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Parget

December 3rd, 2011 · Comments Off on Parget

A lilting number for viola and piano, on the outskirts of ambience, with some bitter dissonance to linger on the palate.  “Parget” is ornamental plasterwork; this is the sonic equivalent.

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Earrings

December 1st, 2011 · Comments Off on Earrings

These earrings were made at the request of Dr. Mamie Caton.  I photocopied my original color drawings onto acetate, then cut them out.  A pinhole was made in the tab, and the appropriate earring technology inserted there.

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UnConvention 2002

November 30th, 2011 · Comments Off on UnConvention 2002

In 2002, the nice people at the Fortean Times invited me to give a couple of talks at their annual UnConvention.  I gave one on John Keel and the Mothman, tying in with the film that was just released; and the other on the scientific method.  At Keel’s request, I introduced a talking frog puppet into the first one.

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The Regard Evening

November 30th, 2011 · Comments Off on The Regard Evening

In 2003, The Signature Theatre presented a series of three productions by Bill Irwin; I wrote the music for two of them.  The Regard Evening was the second.  The first half was a shortened version of our old show, The Regard of Flight; the second a sequel, showing the characters twenty years later.  We were performing The Harlequin Studies seven times a week, and spending our days reconstructing the old show, and trying to come up with the sequel.  It wasn’t easy.  Still, the show was received well, and we were extended, providing welcome employment.

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The Harlequin Studies

November 30th, 2011 · 2 Comments

In 2003, the Signature Theatre in NYC presented a series of three productions by Bill Irwin; I wrote the music for two of them.  The Harlequin Studies was the first.  I called on two fine musicians to join me: David Gold on violin and viola, and Sean McMorris on drums.  The score included short cues and flourishes for the first part, a series of brief vignettes; a more extended score for the second part, a longer play featuring Bill as Harlequin; and a noisy overture in between.

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