Songs were born around campfires and grew out off field hollers, at least according to Alan Lomax and other people who know such things. The birth of the album is another consideration entirely Many excuses have been offered. Megalomania even bought us the ‘theme’ album—sort of an evil twin to the ‘double’ album. (Hey, it worked for Pete Townsend.) Today still, the odd studio-glazed soul will look back on twelve virgin tracks and insist to anyone within earshot, “Shoot me if(this doesn’t tell a story”

Chuck Prophet

THE HURTING BUSINESS

(treatment for a movie-that-never-was)

1. Rise 2. The Hurting Business 3. Apology 4. Diamond Jim 5. It Won’t Be Long

6. Lucky 7. God’s Arms 8.1 Couldn’t Be Happier 9. Shore Patrol 10. Dyin’ All Young

11. Statehouse (Burning In The Rain) 12. La Paloma

The hero, an unknown who should favor Steve McQueen, is a modern drifter risen from the Lee Van Cleef western mist and remains nameless throughout. The closing credits identify~ him by only a Japanese ideogram [as the Man With No Computer].

In track 1, he has just been released from rehab and makes his way across Texas to ‘claim’ what is ‘his’. After a short honeymoon reunion, Re and She pick up where they left off, pitched battle in a rented room. They take and give pleasure freely, although the scales tip heavily towards disharmony.

In track 3, he reflects upon the chip on his shoulder, and everyone else’s and shakes his head, expecting it to fall off. Perhaps absorbing the premillenial heebie jeebies in the air, he seeks Salvation, in the vehicle of a local charismatic.

In track 5, he has become disillusioned with Diamond Jim. Nursing the mother of all relapse hangovers, he surveys his surroundings and prospects and laughable loves, and cries a dried-up creek. Next, he drinks anew, this time from sense of purpose.

In track 7, having abandoned his previous pursuits, he realizes he has become a stranger to himself, which plays right into his hands. He does things he is not ashamed of, but of which he will never tell another living soul. Unexpectedly, love enters the picture in a deep blue sea kind of way and he finds himself exchanging vows in front of a churchful of suits and dresses and Flowergirls and discovers he has parents.

In track 9, he partakes of the fruits of this life in Los Angeles itself [, and even acquires a used lap top]. Looking down from the Hollywood Hills, he soon

realizes his fellow travellers down life’s autobahn are falling all around him, whether the victim to their own criminal poses and an early check out time or to retro postures of respectability.

In track 11, disappointed, desperate mob take short-sighted satisfaction from sheer incendiary destruction of the very community and world they must breath in. Surprising himself, he does not join in, but makes tracks south to drink gallons of iced tea in Veracruz on the Mexican sand, from where he calls to try to begin to set things straight between them.