NOTE: The Mojo City News is trying a new form of journalism. We figure most people have a TV and know what's happening. So we're going to provide some background on the events through conversations with Cody Barstow and Riley Collins over morning coffee. They meet at the Mo-Jo Shop (once called the More Coffee Shop, but shortened, "Bring me some Mo' Jo"). We will continue to report on the Clown invasion and other events as they warrant, however.
The
Concert
for NYC
MOJO CITY, Oct. 21, 2001 -
CODY: I watched the Concert for New York thing on TV last night.
RILEY: I was hiding under the covers. Afraid anthrax'd come in through the door.
CODY: It was the strangest thing. I actually came to feel like I was a part of the event. You know, like I was there in spirit with those people. Defying the idea of this whole terrorism scare.
RILEY: I caught a part of it. Couldn't stay with it. Started tearing up. I hate it when I do that.
CODY: Same here. Almost got into a full-blown crying thing. It was hard to get past. You saw the pictures of family members held by those still living ... there was Pete Townsend at the end of The Who's set ... I can't remember what he said, but when he looked at the crowd at the end, I got this sense of real connection. The Who weren't there for a concert. They were there to share this thing.
RILEY: This thing. This victory.
CODY: What do you mean?
RILEY: I actually watched a lot of it. And yeah, there was this sense of unity that was something you could almost touch. But there was more.
Cody Barstow's Fender bass. It was bought about 15 years ago and does a fine job of taking up space in the bedroom closet.
Previous Stories
Clowns
Fell Tyler Poofs
The Gunman
Old Glory
Additional Stories
Cody's
Travels with Fred
It's too damned late.
The weather sucks.
Look at the way the
government's doing this war. It's untouchable. Unseen. Information, photos,
video ... all totally controlled and pretty much blacked out. We, the
people can't even begin to get a handle on any of it. There's no release
of the anger, the fury we all have.
This concert, though ... this celebration of our spirit ... there was
a point where some guy... I think he was fire department ... said Osama
could kiss his rosy red Irish ass, or something like that.
CODY: Saw it. Most cool.
RILEY: That's the
only war, the only way to strike out that we've got as a people. Open
defiance. Made public. The music was defiant ... songs about America ...
David Bowie opening the whole damned thing with this incredibly simple
... God, Cody ... it was an unbelievable take on Simon and Garfunkle's
"America." Quiet. Dignity. You know? Followed it up with "Heroes"
for the NYPD and NYFD.
I'll tell you the truth, Cody. I never cried, never really felt anything
like grief during all this time since nine-eleven. Sure, the horror hit
me. But the grief ... no. And then, as Bowie began singing ... I was standing
there in my living room bawling like a baby. Mary just stood back and
let me have at it. When I was done with it, she held me like a baby. Never
said a word about it.
CODY: Yeah. Amber was gone. I was feeling it alone.
RILEY: Tough. Well, I've got work to do. Your turn to pay for the coffee.
CODY: The Stones ... Jagger and Richards ...
RILEY: Sucked, didn't they?
CONTACT:
Scott
MacGregor
managing editor
Cody Barstow
contributing editor
