Over the last thirty or so years, Burt Britton has worked at The Village Vanguard, The Strand, and The Sheridan Square Book Store. He was then a co-owner of the Upper East Side’s Books and Company, which closed in the early 90s. While he worked, he would ask people to draw self-portraits, including Miles Davis, a teenage Kareem Abdul Jabar, Tennesse Williams, and of course, Edward Abbey, whose self-portrait is above. Over 200 were selected for auction this past September, and Abbey’s, in the company of people like Normal Mailer, Frank Gehry and Saul Bellow, still fetched $1900.

MP3: Kate & Anna McGarrigle – Swimming Song

Posted: March 1st, 2010 under Desert Solitaire.
Comments: 3

A few weeks ago, The FADER asked if I would write up a blog for them, doing the things I do here, but with more of an emphasis on fashion. To be perfectly honest, I don’t know much of anything about fashion and/or style, but, as I mentioned at The FADER earlier today, I’ll damn well do my best. You can read my entire first post here:

My first hike was a catastrophe. I was on a vacation with my family in Arizona, and after a morning of eggs, bacon and swimming, my father, my brother and I all went on what would be the first of many family hikes up Phoenix’s Camelback Mountain. Camelback is a prominent landmark in the area, impossible to miss unless you’re above 60 and have started to lose your sight and/or mind. The hike up the mountain is difficult and steep, enough so that rails have been put in several places along the trail to keep the college visor wearing hikers hydrated by Mountain Dew from falling to their premature deaths.

Thanks again to everyone who reads this rag. I can’t tell you how much it means when someone writes and says they enjoy coming around these parts. And an obvious thanks to the staff at FADER (especially Chioma) for a) knowing what Cold Splinters is and b) writing the best music magazine around. Can’t wait to see what JTK has in store for you.

MP3: Electric Light Orchestra – Shine A Little Love

Posted: February 17th, 2010 under Desert Solitaire.
Comments: 3

Another dark and lonely night from the amazing Closet Of Curiosities’ “Sounds Of Nature” series.

More here

MP3: Uncredited Artist – Track 4

Posted: November 24th, 2008 under Desert Solitaire.
Comments: none

Backpacker’s guide to beautiful Saguaro National Park

There’s still no backcountry camping in the Organ Pipes.

MP3: Blind Willie McTell – Searching The Desert For The Blues (Thank You One Particular Wave)

Posted: October 13th, 2008 under Desert Solitaire.
Comments: 1

In August of 1999 in Salt Lake City, Utah, a beat up old pick up truck was sold for more than 50 times its blue book value.

“We intend to leave with that truck tonight. We want to all sit up in the front seat and drink a beer just like he did.”

I drove Abbey’s truck

Posted: September 17th, 2008 under Desert Solitaire.
Comments: 2

“Of course I litter the public highway. Every chance I get. After all, it’s not the beer cans that are ugly; it’s the highway that is ugly.” - Ed Abbey, The Journey Home, 1977

MP3: Christine Perfect (McVie) – No Road Is The Right Road

Posted: July 8th, 2008 under Desert Solitaire.
Comments: none

Edward Abbey, author and critic of everything, is one of CS’s absolute favorite things in the cosmic empire and we were happy to see that a little scene from Voice In The Wilderness made its way onto the Internets. VITW is an Abbey documentary that was made a few years back that includes a lot of bad PBS-style moments and a few great ones. This segment has one of the latter where Abbey takes us back to his Desert Solitaire days and carelessly expresses where he wants to be buried.

In reality, Outside Magazine tells us:

The last time Ed smiled was when I told him where he was going to be buried,” says Doug Peacock, an environmental crusader in Edward Abbey’s inner circle. On March 14th, 1989, the day Abbey died from esophageal bleeding at 62, Peacock, along with his friend Jack Loeffler, his father-in-law Tom Cartwright, and his brother-in-law Steve Prescott, wrapped Abbey’s body in his blue sleeping bag, packed it with dry ice, and loaded Cactus Ed into Loeffler’s Chevy pickup. After stopping at a liquor store in Tucson for five cases of beer, and some whiskey to pour on the grave, they drove off into the desert. The men searched for the right spot the entire next day and finally turned down a long rutted road, drove to the end, and began digging.

MP3: George Harrison – Hear Me Lord (Demo)

MP3: The Beach Boys – There’s No Other (Like My Baby)

Posted: May 20th, 2008 under Desert Solitaire.
Comments: 1