Santa Cruz has so many celebrities who keep a low profile, but have amazing stories if you get to meet them. Sandy Stone is one. She’s an academic who also does all the technical engineering work at community radio station KSQD-FM (90.7).
She keeps a pretty low profile about her life but for rock lovers like me she’s a legend because she worked with a legend, the man who is probably rock’s greatest guitar player, Jimi Hendrix. With music that still sounds fresh half a century later, Hendrix blazed a trail, opening popular music to unheard-of experimental sounds and combined them with visionary songwriting.
And right there in the studio with him was Stone.
She takes you inside the studio with some stories in the cover profile by Bill Kopp. It’s a great read. And if I ever run into Stone again, I have to ask her about one of my favorite unknown artists, Lothar and the Hand People, a group I would bet few people know anything about, but their weird use of the theremin and a hypnotic vocal geared to put you to sleep was a big part of my youth.
New York DJ Alison Steele played it at the end of her show many nights and it knocked me out and gave me weird dreams. I never heard them mentioned since, except in this article.
On the news front, we look again at one of many controversial new housing projects, the building at what is now the site of the Food Bin market on Mission Street.
In an effort to force people out of their cars and onto mass transit, people who live in the building won’t be allowed to have cars because there won’t be any parking. It sounds like an idea that works better in concept than in reality, and neighbors aren’t happy about it.
We need housing, but how far are we willing to go to have it? Santa Cruz is changing big time, and not everyone is happy about it. Is anyone happy about it? That remains to be seen.
There’s also the giant Clocktower project, which many feel is being rammed down our throats.
Other can’t miss articles in this issue: the Wellness column will help protect your skin from the sun; Foodie File introduces you to authentic Watsonville Mexican dishes; in entertainment, John Craigie returns to where he started as a performer decades back; and nationally known comedian Rachel Feinstein plays an unusual gig in Aptos.
Happy reading.
Brad Kava, Editor
PHOTO CONTEST
PEACE OUT This was taken near Riverside Grove in Boulder Creek. It just feels like summer in Santa Cruz. Photograph by Jason Hauck
GOOD IDEA
Santa Cruz is giving free tours of its recycling facility at 605 Dimeo Lane on Fridays, June 14-Aug. 23, at 10am and 1pm. The 90-minute tours show the recycling process, food scraps processing and household hazardous waste treatment.
Visitors will see what happens to the 30-50 tons of material that Santa Cruzans place into their blue recycle bins every day. They will also learn the importance of ‘recycling right’ and avoiding “wish-cycling.”
Registration is required. Tours are limited to 20 people. Children must be at least 8 years old, and youth ages 8 to 18 must be accompanied by an adult. Reserve your spot at www.cityofsantacruz.com/tours.
GOOD WORK
Music Production for Women and Distrokid have announced a series of four free beginner music production masterclasses in July to empower female and non-gender conforming musicians in New York, LA, Nashville and Santa Cruz.
The Santa Cruz event is 5:30-9pm Thursday, July 11 at 411 Kerr Road. Sign up at musicproductionforwomen.com.
“When you’re new to the music production space, it can often feel overwhelming to know where to start and how to start building a network,” founder Xylo Aria says. “We designed these events to be that perfect first step where artists, particularly women, can get a taste of music production, while making new friends in a safe and encouraging space.”
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
“The function of music is to release us
from the tyranny of conscious thought”
–Anonymous
