Pynchon the Guest Musician?

[Dave Monroe]

Another late 60's and early 70's band indebted to
Pynchon was called "The Insect Trust." Its most famous
member was the noted writer, critic, and
ethnomusicologist Robert Palmer. Two albums, Insect
Trust (Capitol, 1968), and Hoboken Saturday Night
(ATCO, 1970), were produced. The music ranges from
surreal folk-rock, to pop-soul in the style of
Booker-T, to flat-out free jazz. It is the latter
style which is adopted on a song called "The Eyes of a
New York Woman," sung by Nancy Jefferies and
accompanied by a haunting jazz descant recorder solo
played in a true virtuoso style. The song's composers
are listed as Jeff Ogden and Thomas Pynchon, and the
lyrics are taken verbatim from V., where they are sung
by Benny Profane as he, Angel, and Geronimo are trying
to pick up some girls (V. [1963; rpt. New York: Bantam
Books, 1979], 127). When he sings his despairing song,
all the girls can say is: "It doesn't have any beat"
(128). Fortunately, "The Insect Trust" version has a
great beat. The whole piece is moody and lazy, just
like a hot Hoboken Saturday night, and you are lost,
perhaps, in the streets with the Whole Sick Crew,
where "The eyes of a New York woman/ Are the twilit
side of the moon."

http://www.themodernword.com/pynchon/pynchon_music_insect-trust.html

--- Rcfchess at aol.com wrote:

> Maybe I just had too much beer last night, but I'm
> confused: what's the relation between TRP & the
> music? Or is it just a joke?

__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Tired of spam?  Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around 
http://mail.yahoo.com