Sad news--Mark Eitzel Heart Attack in May---Get well soon!!

A Real Showman Knows How

Such sad news about Mark Eitzel, American Music Club vocalist and America's greatest songwriter. Apparently he had a heart attack in May, but I just found out about it tonight. One of my all time favorite artists and again another of the under appreciated people I post about here. Wishing him nothing but goods things, and a rapid complete recovery.

I can't help but think about hearing him perform Patriot's Heart on a Cd that accompanied the Magazine Comes With A Smile. So amazingly devastating in person. It encapsulated perfectly the mood of the time under the rotten Bush years, and he did it in a manner sure to enrage any stuffy conservative ideologue. It's one of the great political songs of our era.



I recall standing in Pier Platter's Records in Hoboken, holding a copy of his Songs of Love Live, eyeing the price tag, and wondering whether I should spend the $20. I reluctantly coughed up the cash and was a better man for it. Just the man with an acoustic guitar, tearing himself apart. Like Kurt Cobain, the performance seems like much more personal and intense, perhaps a little too real!!! I only wish I could have got my paws on some of his limited edition discs that were produced to fund tours. I have some acoustic demos discs from Everclear and Mercury that were sold for a while, but I mean Lovers Leap USA, and Superhitsinternational.





I do think that Mark, and American Music Club will get the accolades they deserve someday and a wider audience appreciation, hopefully a lot sooner than word got out on Nick Drake. I wouldn't be surprised if someday someone put together an album of jazz interpretations of his greatest ballads. Or maybe even a Frito's commercial if it meant he got paid. His music is referred to as Sadcore sometimes, but I think the term is a bit of a slap. Like saying "C'mon Mark, sing something peppy for us!". Because, when I listen to my I-Pod on shuffle, sometimes one of his songs would come up by surprise, and I would be completely bowled over by intensity of the lyrics, the dark yet human emotions expressed. And there is a lot of depth, much wisdom to be gleaned there. Usually I would listen to the song two or three times, because often they sound different or I notice something new about them.





So this news is very sad for me and I'm surprised there wasn't more attention paid to this in the press. When I say things about music, we all understand that this is just one person's opinions being expressed, but I feel very strongly about where Mark Eitzel stands in the pantheon of contemporary songwriters. Do yourself a favor and get acquainted with his solo and band recordings. In some ways I feel as though has music has made me a better person in some intangible way.

Hang in there Mark. And thanks for all the great music.