heidi
kole

The Subway Diaries – Adventures of a Subway Musician

Damn Cops!

Seriously – there’s other stuff to do down there in the trains than mess w/ me to save your job!!!

Damn Cops! Ticket – summons – court! All surpassed the ridiculous tonight. This cop passed by me, listed for over 45 minutes, smiled and said nothing, not a thing, nada! Then, out of the blue he comes up behind me & says “Ummmm…do you have an ID? I’m sorry but I’m gonna have to write you a ticket, you’re gonna get a summons & you’ll have to go in front of the judge, but it’s all bullshit so he’ll dismiss it.By the way, are there any warrants out for your arrest? Tell me, honestly, ’cause if you  don’t I’ll get in trouble”
“No, no warrants Officer Chin” I answered, grabbing his name from his badge and name tag
“You’re sure, right? I mean everyone says that but you’re  sure  there are no warrants out for you?”
“As far as I know, nothing” I bit  my  tongue at this  point as I was itching to sing as me and the audience were having a very good night underground
“Ok, well, I ‘ll go on your word ’cause I don’t want to go back up there and see  my supervisor to run your ID through the system.  So, here’s the deal, once I”be given you the ticket, you can keep on playing. I just have to show my supervisor that I”m doing something or else I get fired. See, there was apparently this guy with a gun that we were looking for and because I did not find him  my  supervisor thinks I’ve not been  doing anything. So, I’m gonna have to write you up so it looks like I’ve done something, otherwise I’ll get in trouble.”
wtf!!!
“Really? I can  keep singing even  after you’ve  given me a summons? But what about your  supervisor?”
“Oh, she’s super lazy, she’ll never  come  down here, believe me. She never  does  anything but  sit up there”  and he  pointed up to the landing above me where I guess the ‘grand mistress’ that is  the new female “Lazy Lieutenant’ resided
As officer Chin wrote the ticket he  kept chatting saying; “Yeah, I told the Lieutenant I was doing my job, I was down here, right? You saw me right? I was doing my job. But she saw me resting once and said “What are you doing, go do something useful” So, yeah, now I have to write  you up or I’ll get fired.”
“So, why me, and not the guy playing piano across the platform?
“Oh, he’s just lucky. I just saw you first. But don’t worry, it’s all bullshit. Hmmmm…I don’t even know what to write this up for. I guess I’ll just put that you’re blocking traffic”
Blocking traffic? Blocking traffic? Seriously? God – where was my tape recorder!!! I mean the entire conversation was beyond absurd!!!It was eight thirty at  night on he Downtown A,C,E Port  Authority and barely an audience member around. Although the few people sitting on the bench watching this  whole thing in awe  had  been  a fabulous audience just a few minutes prior and for that I was supremely  grateful.
Anyway, as  rediculous as this act was on the cop’s part, now I’m ‘on record’ which means if another cop  decides to save his or her ass at my expense before the court date of July 11th, 2011,   I go to jail. Seriously, you couldn’t make this stuff up….it’s beyond absurd &  I  don’t wanna play this game…& need to busk. I need to make a living.
God, I’m just trying to earn the cash to eat & finish my album! ‘leavemealonenypd’…..this was  harassment!
PS the gunman…he’s still out there ‘sans’  summons

Lilys, Sunflowers & Tour Dates in the Sun!

So, last night I had a dream of  two dancers/mystics in long, colourful robes, movine & dancing across a green lawn, each one holding a flower. The first held an enormous, larger-than-life White Lily and the second an equally large, oversized Sunflower. After that dream, somehow now I knew Spring had finally arrived in NYC! We all thought it might actually skip us this year the way the winter dragged on. But the trees are in bloom, the flowers are comin’ up & birds tweeting madly. I even saw a goose lay her egg (all be it not golden) as I was running along The Hudson River. This truly is my favourite time of year & I hope all of you are enjoying it to the max.

I’m blessed this year to usher in the season with a full schedule of gigs & appearances that allow me to actually see the sun as I sing, speak & sign books! The tour dates range from Nassau Bahamas to Middletown Ct with fun appearances in between. Check out all the happenings below & I hope to see you all either above ground or under!

  • 4/30/11  Nassau, Bahamas – Featured performer at Crazy Johnny’s All Rock & Roll Club http://www.bahamaslocal.com/events/
  • 5/1/11 Global The Subway Diaries Featured Book Review in Dstripped Magazine http://www.etsy.com/listing/71533233/dstripped-magazine-spring-issue-2011- Pre Oder your fabulous printed copies NOW! It’s a rockin’ magazine. DStripped Launch party May 12th, NYC, NY – Location TBD
  • 5/12/11 NYC, NY Taping of Different Voices with host Poet Minor on Time Warner TV, Chanel 56 – Open to Public www.bliptv.com/differentvoices
  • 5/13/11 5/13/11 NYC, NY Performing at  “New York’s Underground Streets” Event 10PM @ “Terminal 5”
  • 5/15/11 I’m teaming up w/ fabulous documentary film maker, producer Justin Morales & Associate Producer, Magda Grover on their super film “Busking The System” www.buskingthesystem.com – we’ll be filming in the NYC subways & appearing everywhere together @ festivals & events this summer & beyond so keep your eyes & ears peeled!

A special note of thanks to the brilliant handiwork of bassist & master luthier Rick Mullen who has repaired my much neglected guitar. Thanks to his talent & dedicated work on my ax I’m up and ready to go this Spring! If you’ve got a stringed instrument in need of repair – he’s your guy! www.rickmullen.net

Finally – I’m sending all of you the best wishes for a happy, safe & super creative Spring!

 

‘Adjustments’ Underground & quotes of the week

A lot of the buskers have noticed an increased police presence  underground, along w/ cops holding machine guns above on the street.  And, yes, I was ‘nabbed’ by the cops last week @ 59th St/ Columbus Circle.  So, we’ve surmised the latest ‘crackdown is due to us  being at  ‘war’ in Africa and that, of course, logically means no music underground in NYC, NY – Oh yeah, that makes perfect sense…

Which leads me to two favourite quotes of the week for the week – one from your s truly and the other from Rev Michael Beckwith.

“Let’s try the power of love vs the love of power…just for a minute and see what happens” ~ Moi

“When the ego loses, the soul wins” ~ Rev Michael Beckwith

 

Heidi /Luss – Jet Plane-twist – up in the Bronx

Luss & I tryin’ out our latest twist on “Jet Plane” up in the Bronx – grainy & way unplugged but gives you an idea at least. Luss’s words rock so listen closely. Guaranteed, he’ll move you

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AicHCo2K4Gs[/youtube]

From my friend Saburo Horikawa on Japan & the Nuclear Threat – Pray….

As you all know, just last week Sab came to NYC and, as a sociologist, is now fascinated by the underground and followed me  in the subways with his camera for an evening at 59th Street. Now, just one week later, an 8.9 Earthquake and a Tsunami have hit Japan, and last night he shared the following with me on the severe nuclear threat that now looms over Sab, his family and his country. He and I alike are baffled at what it will take for the world to wake up. Please pray….& leave your thoughts and prayers here for him, his family & country as he does visit/read & tells me over& over how much everyone’s words mean to him…

“Dear Heidi:
Thanks for the reply. We are about 160 miles from the nuclear plants. What it means is that this threat is totally different from the Russian nuclear accident. One of the largest cities in the World is under the nuclear threat. Evacuation seems unrealistic. When the fatal nuclear accident occurs, there is almost no chance for us to survive. There is not much we can do here.

We are all very, very concerned about the troubles in nuclear power plants in Fukushima Prefecture, Japan. I’ve always been against governments’ nuclear policy, and it is outrageously sad to see that my concerns become reality. I always have a very serious concern that the US and European countries have been reviving their nuclear power plants policies and have started to construct new ones. Haven’t we seen enough through TMI and Russian accidents?

I hope at some point the World will realize how fragile our present lives are.

Anti-nuclear movements have always been forced to fight loosing battles. Bob Dylan’s tune is ringing in my head: “How many deaths will it take till he knows that too many people have died?”


Please make music, Heidi. Sing this. Write a new song about this stupid poison power and the people who fought against it in vain.”

~Saburo Horikawa

Department of Sociology

HOSEI UNIVERSITY

Last few days of Winter Busking 2011

Two fabulous photographers, Mickey Holiday (www.birdhouserevolution.com), NYC, NY & Saburo Horikowa, from Tokyo Japan, followed me underground this past week during one of the last (hopefully) fridgid weeks here in NYC 🙂

‘Revolutionary’ Music & Missed Connections

We all had a fabulous time @ The Transit Museum’s “Missed Connections Party” on Valentine’s Day. I asked Luss to come too & in between my solo tunz we did our thing on the old fashioned platforms @ the event. Here’s a clip in case u missed the party! 🙂

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-1-lr14Ksg[/youtube]

So…whatchyadoin’ for Valentine’s Day?

If you don’t have plans, I’ll be performing & signing copies of “The Subway Diaries” at The Transit Museum’s ‘Missed Connections Party’. It’s bound to be a fun filled. lovin’ evening. Hope to see you there!

Find your Missed Connection @ the New York Transit Museum on Valentine’s Day!

Monday February 14, 6 – 8 pm

New York Transit Museum
Boerum Place and Schermerhorn Street in Brooklyn Heights

Free

Poems by New York Times Metro writer Alan Feuer
Paintings by Sophie Blackall
Music by Left on Red and Heidi Kole
Refreshments thanks to Brooklyn Brewery and 5th Avenue Chocolatiere (Yummmm!)

Multiple above ground happenings :)

In between busking and ding voice overs, I’ve been interviewed madly these last few weeks. First I interviewed w/ Tyear Middleton of Tyeattv.com followed by an interview with the fabulous Donna Drake of  “Live It up Show” – WLNY-TV, an impressive host commanding an audience of over 13 Million viewers and a most fabulous person. www.liveitupshow.com

Stay tuned for the air date of both interviews!

Stay Musical 🙂

The Annual “No Pants Subway Ride” – A different kind of underground :)

So, yeah, a lot of music & art goes on Underground in the NYC Subways but so does the annual “No Pants Subway Ride”!!!
The 10th annual No Pants Subway Ride returns! The small prank orchestrated among friends has elevated into an international streaking of the Metro System. The warped minds of Improv Everywhere, invite residents to bare it all on Sunday, January 9th! Whip out the razors and wake up those legs from winter hibernation. The New York stop of the Global No Pants Subway Ride will kick off in various stations at 3 p.m. Participants must arrive on time to receive instruction and team assignment. In order for the event to be successful, founder, Charlie Todd , warns riders must not acknowledge their pant-less-peers. (courtesy, ‘Going.com’)

http://improveverywhere.com/2011/01/02/no-pants-subway-ride-2011-details-for-new-york/

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/v/UxI46nl9pkc[/youtube]

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