Tuesday, March 8, 2011

A new Van Dyke Parks project

The guy’s on a roll: Van Dyke Parks plans to release five singles, each a collaboration with a visual artist: Frank Holmes (who did the cover art for the Beach Boys’ never-released SMiLE), Sally Parks, Charles Ray, Ed Ruscha, Art Spiegelman, and Billy Edd Wheeler. Says Parks, “We’re calling it Nouveau Niche."

[I know: that’s six artists.]

Update, March 9: Some more information, from Van Dyke Parks: there will be five 7"-vinyl singles released in 2011. The first: “Dreaming of Paris,” b/w “Wedding in Madagascar,” with art by Ed Ruscha. Another song title: “Katrina,” with art by Sally Parks. A concert at the London Islington Union Chapel (May 16) will launch the series.

[“Backed with,” “b/w”: an expression from the analog past.]

Some recent Van Dyke Parks posts
Van Dyke Parks at Daytrotter
Van Dyke Parks in Chicago (1)
Van Dyke Parks in Chicago (2)
Van Dyke Parks and Clare and the Reasons, on the radio
Van Dyke Parks and Clare and the Reasons, on the radio again

comments: 8

Richard said...

This news is both fascinating and a bit bewildering. How is this going to work -- how, that is, are the "illustrations" going to be presented? (With all this recent activity, VDP seems to be something of an exemplar of creative aging.)

Michael Leddy said...

I think you’re asking the wrong guy. :) (I’ll ask.)

Klaus said...

Great news. Is this the music he recorded with Clare and the Reasons?
He mentioned in some interviews that he is in the studio with them and that they will finish the recordings (for a new album, he said) in March.
Do you know anything about a new VDP album, Michael?

Michael Leddy said...

I would guess that these singles are that project. There also seems to be a project in the works involving Depression-era songs.

Klaus said...

I´m looking forward to the other project too.
Thank you, Michael for the information.

Michael Leddy said...

You’re welcome, Klaus. It’s a great time to be a VDP fan.

Stephen K said...

How can order the Singles?
Sj Kalinich

Michael Leddy said...

From the Bananastan website. (My imaginary liner notes for the first two 45s are there.) And of course from iTunes.

For anyone who doesn’t recognize the name, Stephen Kalinich is a poet with a Beach Boys connection: he collaborated with Dennis Wilson on “Be Still,” “Little Bird,” and “A Time to Live in Dreams.” Hello, Stephen!