There was a short-lived NY Times series years ago called Famous to a Few. These were profiles of artists and musicians who had small, devoted followings. I remember one about Vernon Reid, the Living Colour guitarist, who also had a fascinating solo career.
This feature appealed to me because it seemed to make everybody equally upset (if only mildly). The subject was probably more below the radar than he wished. The people who loved him wanted to keep the secret to themselves. That left the uninformed reader embittered that they’d been out of the loop so long. After a few stories, it was mercifully put to rest.
But there’s something about loving a band or writer and when you meet somebody else who loves them you feel an immediate sympathy. Now I don’t want to argue about whether these meet the ideal level of obscurity, but hopefully you’ll find something you like and one day will meet a fellow traveler which will start a beautiful friendship.
Blood Knots by Luke Jennings. I’ve recommended this incredible memoir before. But I started re-reading it and it’s even better than I remember. It’s about fishing, yes, but it’s also an unsentimental memoir about schoolboy life in England and the history of author’s father in WWII. There’s also a charismatic schoolmaster who gets involved in Irish politics. Introduction by Tom McGuane (if you get a later edition). And some of the most beautiful writing in English, for my money, of the last twenty years.
Tindersticks. Some bands shed fame the farther they get from their hometown. In Minneapolis we were always waiting for Soul Asylum to break through (oddly that happened on Runaway Train, a ballad instead of their more visceral songs). Bostonians of a certain age thought it was only a matter of time before Buffalo Tom was a fixture on 120 Minutes. Well Tindersticks seems like a band that a lot of English people know well, but not enough of us Yanks. Late night, smoke-filled, closing time in the pub vibes. I first really heard them from Duncan Hannah, who loved this sort of music. He made me a mixed CD of his favorite Tindersticks songs which I still have. Now on Spotify, you can get down to the heart of the matter.
Local Hero. A charming 1983 film about a Texas oilman who’s sent to Scotland to buy a coastal area for development, (his boss, Burt Lancaster, thinks he’s Scottish—he’s not). He meets the locals and, you guessed it, falls in love with the place. This is an adult comedy, the kind we don’t see any more, and it’s a pleasure (it’s also on Delta flights, so keep a look out).
Laughing in the Hills by Bill Barich. I was reading an old New Yorker collection of sports writing and this was the first piece. I couldn’t believe how good it was—about horse racing, but, like most good writing, about everything else too. I bought the book right away and was embarrassed I didn’t know his work. He’s written about many things, but horse racing is his preferred vice and this is just one of those books—human, bittersweet, closely observed—that’s thrilling.
Richard Hawley. An English crooner who was once a member of Pulp. He also led the band that toured with Morrissey for years, so he’s expert at a certain elevated British rockabilly. His solo work is great, when you’re in the right mood. I’d start with the album Lady’s Bridge. You’ll know if you like it pretty quickly.
Spirit of the Beehive. This lyrical Spanish film from 1973 is a straight up masterpiece and one of great works of art about children ever made. Describing the plot—a six-year old girl sees the film Frankenstein in a small town in 1940 and is mesmerized by it—doesn’t quite do this justice. There’s undercurrents of political unrest and an unhappy relationship between her parents. But if you’re not afraid of a slow, arthouse film you’ll love this when it comes around on Criterion.
Derek Marlowe. It’s hard to believe that at one time, a young Tom Stoppard was jealous of Marlowe’s career. Today, few people have heard of him. Marlow came to prominence with the spy novel, A Dandy in Aspic, which was made into a film starring Laurence Harvey and a very young Mia Farrow. I prefer Do You Remember England? or Rich Boy From Chicago, if you can find them. And anybody who can explain the ending of the genre novel, Somebody’s Sister, please do!
The Larry Sanders Show. This is the kind of show that a lot of people know about but feels a little bit lost to time. It’s Garry Shandling, of course, playing a talk show host and suggests 30 Rock and Curb Your Enthusiasm, but operates a slower pace than we’re used to now (which is not a bad thing). The cast is historically great—Jeffrey Tambor, Rip Torn, Janaene Garofolo and some real 1990s B- C- and D-list celebrity callbacks. The episodes are usually around 25 minutes. If you want to get in the mood then listen to the excellent Stick the Landing podcast with Bill Simmons and the brilliant Andy Greenwald. Streaming on HBO.
Co-sign the Local Hero recommendation—great charm there. The soundtrack courtesy of Mark Knopfler is also a winner.
Local Hero is a fantastic film with an equally fantastic soundtrack done by Mark Knopfler.