tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27660291.post505458295226784576..comments2023-12-06T01:42:02.251-08:00Comments on AnimalRighter: James McCaffry: 1954-2011Mat Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12162399434918547569noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27660291.post-74222549069133728792013-02-16T20:33:23.202-08:002013-02-16T20:33:23.202-08:00Hello Mat Thomas and Everyone,
I was born in the ...Hello Mat Thomas and Everyone,<br /><br />I was born in the same year and, as a teenager, grew up knowing James.<br />His essential nature remained intact throughout his life and I will always love him as I did back when and will continue as long my memory functions.<br />As his friend, I visited him a few times after his arrival in San Francisco in the late 70's.<br /><br />This poem is for him/all this soul<br /><br />all this soul<br />is it actually mine to roam in?<br />these shivers applied to tissues<br />the heaving of myriad cells of action<br />many trails of refraction tangling all views of the sky<br />countless notions<br /><br />all this soul I feel it<br />I name it<br />ever so briefly<br />the word anchor holds<br /><br />all this soul is impossible<br />it is a giddy scary deepness<br />a fantasy deliciously unreal<br /><br />all this soul<br />a temptation to make incantations<br />to an image deliriously complex<br /><br /><br />all this soul<br />do I love it?<br />or do I just let it love me?<br /><br /><br />all this soul<br />is a river flooding the streets<br />a rampant trespass of logic<br /><br /><br />all this soul<br />a brave wild flower between snowy rocks<br />a starry night as seen in a mirror<br /><br />all this soul<br />alive between the secretions and the membrane<br />benign as a puppy<br />it is the sound of the surf in all sweaty dreams<br /><br />all this soul<br />a devourer of dogma<br />a collector of inventions and schemes<br />a training manual blowing across a mountain range<br /><br />all this soul<br />engorged with knowing itself<br />larger than life<br />how could I ever carry it to it’s final destination?<br />~<br /><br /><br />Norman MacInnisAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27660291.post-10653137418170774452011-05-31T14:40:22.414-07:002011-05-31T14:40:22.414-07:00Dear Jeff:
I'm so glad you posted your memori...Dear Jeff:<br /><br />I'm so glad you posted your memories of James here because as I was writing this tribute to him, I was very aware that there were many things I DIDN'T know about James, and that only others who knew him would. The Offs was something he did talk about: he's the one who turned me on to them (through their "Live at the Mabuhay Gardens" release). But I didn't realize he actually PRODUCED some Offs recordings!<br /><br />Also, I just added a note to the end of my blog post encouraging people who knew James to leave comments. James had an army of friends, and I hope that many of them will write their memories & tributes so that people can get to know James better -- whether or not they knew him while he was still with us.<br /><br />Mat.Mat Thomashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12162399434918547569noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27660291.post-2548921157309425662011-05-31T14:01:59.945-07:002011-05-31T14:01:59.945-07:00Thank you Mat,
I too had the great opportunity to...Thank you Mat,<br /><br />I too had the great opportunity to have a close working relationship with James. It was thru the mid 70's and eighties. <br /><br />Your descriptions of his soft and gentle nature and sincere way of being are very accurate and moving.<br /><br />Our creative projects covered a lot of ground - before he was an accomplished photographer in his own right, he used a dance photo of mine for a magazine cover. I used him to design my company logo and ads, and posters for an African worldbeat band I managed at the time (Joni Hastrup and the Africans). He brought the punk band The Offs to my studio and produced some recordings there, and he designed a magnificent album cover (yes, as in vinyl) for a Reggae artist I worked with, Earl Zero (Visions of Love).<br /><br />It was the days of flowing cocaine, studio parties and roots reggae shows.<br /><br />As you say, he was great to work with, party with and to relax and talk with.<br /><br />I was shocked to see his photo on the IDA website. This was a connection I was not aware of. Our paths could have very well crossed in the IDA offices. I have been friends with Dr. Katz and IDA for a couple of years now, mostly dealing with the Wild Horse issue, producing videos that detail the legal cases IDA has brought against the BLM.<br /><br /> (http://www.vanityfair.com/online/daily/2010/06/a-solution-for-americas-wild-horse-crisis.html)<br /><br />This would have been another subject my friend James and I could have commiserated about.<br /><br />Thanks so much for your thoughtful and insightful reflections on the man and his art. <br /><br />jeff roth<br />vimeo.com/jefftv<br />jeff@focusedaudio.comjeff rothnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27660291.post-13034229751244804542011-05-30T09:54:54.404-07:002011-05-30T09:54:54.404-07:00A beautiful tribute, my friend, and you will see e...A beautiful tribute, my friend, and you will see each other again. Remember how James loved <br />listening to "Dark Side of the Moon?" (But not <br />while watching "Wizard of Oz," oh no.) James <br />was often quite funny, with a deadpan style. <br />I'll miss his jokes.Mark Kalogrishttp://192.168.100.10noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27660291.post-76795926867105461712011-05-29T16:29:38.757-07:002011-05-29T16:29:38.757-07:00Mat,
What a loving portrait of James. He was a kin...Mat,<br />What a loving portrait of James. He was a kind, gentle person and will be greatly missed by many.Kristiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14381745748068404950noreply@blogger.com