Sandy Cilantro- Born Outlaw

 

I haven't been around here much, but have kept in touch with Sal through the occasional email.       

Since moving to  western Massachusetts, I've been involved in the electronic music scene. Western Mass Electronics hosts an open mic the last Sunday of every month at Quarters, a barcade in Hadley. There are two tables up front, and participating artists get 5 minutes to set up, and 5 minutes to play. It has grown significantly in it's two years of existence. Often 20+ artists, friends, and bar regulars make for an entertaining evening.

The last time I sat in for Sal coincided with my going down the Guy Clark/Townes Van Zandt rabbit hole after watching the documentary, "Without Get Killed Or Caught". I'd bought a lot of records and put together a "'T' For Texas Road Trip" weekend mix that went over far better than expected.

I started going to the open mics in March and immediately wanted to participate. Setting up electronic gear in 5 minutes is nerve wracking. Not a great state of mind to begin a performance. While the participants play a wide variety of styles and textures, many have no stage presence at all, just up front, staring down at their gear and twisting knobs. That first night, a woman, performing as The Third Entity, sang, which received a tremendous response from the audience. On the way home, I started thinking, "What can I do?" Maybe harmonica?

I'm not a singer or lyricist. I compose and record "Imaginary Soundtracks". Nor did I play harmonica, even though I'd inherited a few. I began experimenting, playing them through guitar pedals, looking for an electronic sound. I settled on Strymon's Night Sky, an experimental reverb unit, a pedal so crazily unsubtle it's hard to use. For a Hohner in the key of C, I composed a 5 minute soundtrack with strings, rain, lightning and thunder. I came up with a very simple setup for the open mic. Essentially "harmonica karaoke". I spent a few weeks learning to reliably improvise over "The Ballad Of Sandy Cilantro".

During this time Mollie and I came home from shopping with fresh cilantro, which I washed immediately. I told her about the time, over 20 years ago, that I forgot to, and that sandy cilantro ruined dinner. "That's my new stage name!" I'd outgrown BBJ a while ago, and it feels good to be free.

Sandy Cilantro is "A charismatic badass who brings a harmonica to a synthesizer fight."

I showed up to the open mic in full western cowboy garb, Stetson and all. It went over extremely well. The audience response was like nothing I've ever received before. 

6 months later Sandy Cilantro has nearly 40 harmonicas and at least that many fans. Somehow I managed to combine the Guy Clark/Townes Van Zandt rabbit hole with Western Mass Electronics.

The audio is the soundboard recording of my second Quarters appearance. The video was found on the Internet Archives, and is mostly from a 16mm school transfer of  "Alistair Cooke's America", with a brief appearance of a car from 1947.

I'm currently preparing a 20 minute set, and Sandy has become a big part of my existence. 

I can't take anything too seriously, but I'll ride this train as long as possible.

Enough about me. Someone else tomorrow. 

Thanks for listening,

-Sandy Cilantro

 

I am taking a week to recharge down south. I have a pretty crazy schedule, but I may make an appearance here with a photo or three. Our pal BBJ might even have something up his sleeve.

See you on Monday, 9/28.

Laissez les bons temps rouler. 

Songs Of The Week, 2026: 9/12-9/18

 

 

Blessed- Simon & Garfunkel
Easy To Say- Del Shannon
Get On The Right Thing- Paul McCartney & Wings
The Girl You Won't Leave Your Wife For- The John Sally Ride
Hung Up On You- Fountains Of Wayne
Atomic- Blondie
Ain't Nothin' To Do- Dead Boys

It's HERE 

BW's Saturday #88

 

"Glittering Sequence": THE WEEKEND MIX

 

On the surface this may appear to be a random collection of songs. But I wouldn't be lying if I said, the idea for this mix first came to me in 1981. And again years later. And once again in 2014. 

And here we are.

Back to 1981, I was throwing a birthday party for my girlfriend at the time and my friend Chris invited me to the DJ studio at Baruch College where he spun music for the college station WBAB. We spent the day creating mixed tapes for the party, and that's when I first heard the genius of The Beatles' "You Can't Do That" fading out into the drum intro of "Train In Vain" by The Clash. It also reminded me of how eerie the transition from "Poorboy Shuffle" into "Feelin' Blue" on CCR's "Willy And The Poorboys" was.

And so, for years and years, I've paid attention to transitions. As you know, I love sequencing songs and I saved some of my favorites in a folder. Unfortunately, you won't be able to experience the crossfades on this mix. I tried once, using that feature on iTunes and it was a shambles. But use your imagination and try to dig what's here. At the very least, it's a pretty good random collection of songs.

Plus, it sounds good altogether. 

 

TRACKLIST:

She Cries Your Name- Beth Orton
Ode To Billie Joe- Bobbie Gentry
Mais Que Nada- Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66
Little Floater- NRBQ
Jane- Golden Smog
A Whole New Thing- Big Star
Poorboy Shuffle- Creedence Clearwater Revival
Feelin' Blue- Creedence Clearwater Revival
Rock Music- Charli XCX
I Get Lifted- George McRae
Time Of The Season- The Zombies
Feelin' Alright- Lulu
You Can't Do That- The Beatles
Train In Vain- The Clash
Rosalita- Brice Springsteen

DIG IT 

Pippin'

 

Cheetah Chrome, 1955-2026

 

Eugene Richard O'Connor, aka Cheetah Chrome passed yesterday.

 

I've listened to "Young, Loud & Snotty" and "We Have Come For Your Children" twice a month for almost 50 years. That's no lie. I was listening to "Young, Loud & Snotty" just a few hours before hearing the news. Another truth. I'm stunned.

 

I knew Cheetah for a few years in the early 80's. We shared a rehearsal space on The Bowery across from Phebe's, lovingly called The Pit. He'd pop in and out with his then girlfriend Gyda. It was always a blast. The band I was playing with at the time, The Bandits, with my long time friend Frank De Stefano and bassist Janet Rage, loved hearing him jam with with the guys in the back- Lower East Side legends Shebo, Mugsy and Elda Stilletto--and we particularly latched onto a Cheetah original called "Used To Be Fun," which we were lucky enough to play with him. (Somewhere out there is a cassette with some of that crazy shit.) "Fun," if memory serves, was also the name of Cheetah's dog. Cheetah was a wild man and he was also a sweetheart.

 

This hit me hard. It was unexpected. But then, it always is.