"§ Mayday, Mayday, there's a riot going down §" "§ In a deep, dark corner of West Berlin town §" "§ Mayday, Mayday, there's a riot going down §" "§ In a deep, dark corner of West Berlin town §" "§ Mayday, Mayday, there's a riot going down §" "§ In a deep, dark corner of West Berlin town §" " Narrative is a capitalist plot." " Meet Hugo, bitter music critic and part-time bartender." "He poured a mean Molotov cocktail." " Pop music is the religion of the opiated!" "Und zat means you, fascist piggies!" "[angry rock techno]" " Make movies, not love!" " And here's Sudabey, postmodern pornographer and social critic." " I greet you." " Whoa, Jesus!" " My porno films feature fully clothed men making business deals." "[laughter]" " Yeah, that sounds hot." " [screaming]" " § Molotov cocktails are turning up the heat §" "§ And the overturned cars are burning in the street §" "§ And the people keep on screaming §" "§ And the billy clubs are swinging §" "§ And the people keep on screaming §" "§ And the billy clubs are swinging §" "§ Molotov cocktails are turning up the heat §" "§ And the overturned cars are burning in the street §" "§ And the people keep on screaming §" "§ And the billy clubs are swinging §" "§ And the people keep on screaming §" "§ And the billy clubs are swinging §" " § What the fuck is going on?" "§" "§ What the fuck is going wrong?" "§" "§ Can I get a straight answer?" "§" " § Uh, uh!" "§" " § Motherfucker!" "§" " § What the fuck is going on?" "§" "§ What the fuck is going wrong?" "§" "§ Can I get a straight answer?" "§" " § Check the chorus of this song §" "§ Mayday, Mayday, there's a riot going down §" "§ Mayday, Mayday, there's a riot going down §" "§ Mayday, Mayday, there's a riot going down §" "§ Mayday, Mayday, there's a riot going down §" "And then she came to the rescue... [grooving rock music]" "§ §" "§ Miss Desi, that is §" "§ Desi, Desi, that is §" "§ She was a left-wing love machine §" "§ Can you dig it?" "§" "§ She was uptight, out-of-sight §" "§ Workers of the world unite §" " § Workers of the world unite §" " § Whoo-whee!" "§" "§ All night §" "§ Until you get it §" " Have a discussion with ze hand!" "A woman can speak for herself." " Yeah, that's right." "[cheers and applause]" " Ich bin Desi." "Welcome to our riot." " And when Desi started talkin', everybody got quiet." " § I am the founder of Nowhaus §" "§ The home where life becomes art §" "§ It's a halfway house, I guess you could say §" "§ For those who have to live life more than halfway §" "§ I don't write or paint or sculpt, you see §" "§ My masterpiece is this family §" "§ I've built this radical sanctuary §" "§ Where only love is revolutionary §" " Hey, what do you say after this riot we grab ourselves a little drink?" " Hey, man!" "§ Nowhaus was not looking for your real §" " § Nowhaus was not looking for the real §" " § Nowhaus built the real with their ideals §" " § Nowhaus built the real with their ideals §" " § Nowhaus was not looking for your real §" " § Nowhaus was not looking for the real §" " § Nowhaus built the real with their ideals §" " § Nowhaus built the real with their ideals §" "§ And then the sirens sang a hymn to him §" "§ To frame this episode §" "§ They sang, "Are you ready? " §" " Yeah!" "§" " § "Are you ready?" § - § Yeah!" "§" " § Are you ready to explode?" "§ [music slows]" "§ §" "§ And then the billy clubs stopped swinging §" "§ And the police held their breath §" " § What's inside is just a lie §" " § Molotov cocktails cops could handle §" "§ But performance art scared them to death §" " § What's inside is just a lie §" " § And then the front line of the uprising §" "§ Became a gilded stage §" " § What's inside is just a lie §" "§ There's only surface §" " § Welcome to Mr. Venus' riot cabaret § [powerful guitar chord]" "§ §" " § What's inside is just a lie §" "§ What's inside is just a lie §" "§ What's inside is just a lie §" "§ What's inside is just a lie §" "§ Ideas are dependable §" "§ There's a new one every week §" "§ Emotions are expendable §" "§ Because they aren't unique §" "§ Ideas are dependable §" "§ There's a new one every week §" "§ Emotions are expendable §" "§ Because they aren't unique § [scattered applause]" "Culture is cosmetic." "Culture is cosmetic." "Culture is cosmetic." "Culture is cosmetic." "§ What's inside is just a lie §" "§ What's inside is just a lie §" "§ What's inside is just a lie §" "§ What's inside is just a lie § thud!" "[laughter] [applause]" " Now, say your songs sounded like this... [bright singing]" " § Don't try to hide §" "§ The truth is inside §" " And then you heard this..." " § What's inside is just a lie!" "§" " It would have to make some kind of impression on you, now, wouldn't it?" "[laughter]" "Or in other words," "§ His song was ugly, cold, and cracked §" "§ But Venus had something our hero lacked §" " § Courage to bleed §" " § Venus gave him speed §" "Okay, I know this is gonna sound a little bit crazy, but according to the Nowhaus manifesto, and I quote," ""What's inside of each and every one of us here in this room," ""what we mistakenly call our thoughts," ""our feelings, and our dreams," ""have actually been put there by a system." "Therefore"..." " § What's inside is just a lie §" " § Our minds have been invaded, conquered, and occupied §" "§ Hence... §" " § What's inside is just a lie §" "§ And like a catchy refrain §" "§ That gets trapped in your head §" " § What's inside is just a lie §" " § Like a catchy refrain §" "§ That gets trapped in your head §" " [computerized voice]" "§ What's inside is just a lie §" " § Somebody else's desires get lodged in your brain §" " § What's inside is just a lie §" " § And so the only way to become your true self... §" " § I'm starting to feel real §" " § You've got to create your own self §" " § I'm starting to feel real §" " § You turn your life into a work of art §" "§ You turn your life into a work of art §" " § That stands in opposition to capitalist society §" " § I'm starting to feel real §" "§ So the real that I've been searching for §" "§ Is in the beauty of these burning streets § [furious rock music]" "§ It's the song I couldn't write yesterday §" " § What's inside is just a lie!" "§" " § Till Mayday gave me the courage to bleed §" " § Only love is real, yeah §" " § I'll write a song called Revolution §" " [screaming]" "§ What's inside §" " § 'Cause Mayday gave me the courage to bleed §" " § Only love is real, yeah §" " § And now I'm ready § - § Yeah!" "§" " § And now I'm ready § - § Yeah!" "§" " § And now I'm ready... § - § Yeah!" "§" "§ To explode!" "§" " § And now I'm ready § - § Yeah!" "§" " § And now I'm ready § - § Yeah!" "§" " § And now I'm ready... § - § Yeah!" "§" "§ To explode!" "§" " § And now I'm ready § - § Yeah!" "§" " § And now I'm ready § - § Yeah!" "§" " § And now I'm ready § - § Yeah!" "§" "§ To explode!" "§" "§ § [cheers and applause]" "[sweet chiming music]" "§ §" " Then they all walked back to Nowhaus, where the two sat down to tea." "Did I mention Desi and Hugo just broke up recently?" "Well, anyway," "life was revolutionary, and love was almost free." "And the riot, comrade, was you and..." " That riot was me." "This is where me and the real shall meet, not in some stupid little song but in the middle of the" "§ Burning street where she lives § [romantic piano playing]" "§ §" " When they weren't taking long afternoon walks by the Berlin Wall, mornings and evenings found Desi and the new guest taking tea in the Nowhaus rec room where she would open up the world and invite him inside." " The system wants us sick and unsatisfied so we'll mindlessly consume their products and call that living." "We're all damaged." "But here at Nowhaus, we feel that healing and the smashing of capitalism go hand-in-hand." " Healing?" " Art heals, man." "When we are in the presence of art, we are taking the cure." "And that's revolutionary." "I don't know how we'd manage without it." " § She had an everyday solution §" "§ For the emptiness you'd feel §" "§ She called it revolution §" "§ She told him... §" " Only love is real." " And days would pass, and he would never know where Desi ended and Berlin began." "He just knew that she was a new kind of music, the music of Mayday, man." " You didn't know that 80% of the farming in Africa is done by women?" " Hey, I don't even know who does 80% of the farming in America." "[building piano music]" " § In L.A., okay, the sun shines §" "§ Every single day of the year §" "§ But if you loved paradise's confines §" "§ You wouldn't be sitting here §" "And like the bank and the burned-down supermarkets still smoldering in the distance, his American soul had been razed to the ground by Desi's irresistible mind." "But out of the ashes of him arose a new soul, the soul of a young lion." " You cannot accuse third-world men of being sexist when sexism itself is a Western concept." " Listen to you now!" " We can't force our values on them!" "You can't ignore the cultural specifics." " Nazism was culturally specific to Germany." "Should we have ignored it?" "[sweet piano playing]" "§ §" " Oh, that's- wow, I walked right into that one, didn't I?" " Yes, you did." " Hey, I started off pretty strong though." " Ja." "Not really." " Shit." " § She was a riotous proposal §" " § She was an overthrow, a coup §" " § She said "The day's at your disposal §" "§ We can seize it, me and you" §" "§ And he would steal her sweet blessings §" "§ And bathe all night in her fire §" "§ But he never said §" "§ "Thank you for quenching my desire §" "§ "Thank you for leading me through the flames §" "§ "Through the noise, through the chaos, §" "§ "Through the dark night of your mind §" "§ And your small hand guiding me through the teargas clouds," §" "§ He never said, he never said §" "§ He never said "Hey, thank you" §" "§ For all the love she allowed §" "§ But he was thankful in his way §" "§ Thankful for the music of Mayday §" "And when the house grew quiet and the cigarette smoke curled between them in the lamplight," "§ He'd find her more than beautiful §" "§ Staring out the window onto the street §" "§ Almost whispering... §" " The system does all kinds of damage." " Ich Lieder dich." " Du liedst mich?" "Baby, we need to work on your German." " What'd I say?" " "What'd I say?"" " § Only love is real, yeah §" " Ich Lieder dich?" " Well, it means "I love you," right?" " Liebe is love." "Lieder means song." "You said, "l song you."" " Oh." "[laughter]" " § He depended on the music of Mayday to heal §" "§ Depended on Desi to touch, see, and feel §" "§ But we'll never know exactly just what was the deal §" "§ Whether he heard her or not when she said... §" " § Only love is real §" " § Did you hear her when she said... §" " § Only love is real §" " § Did you hear her when she said... §" " § Only love is real §" "§ Only love is real §" "§ Only love is real §" "§ Only love is real §" " It's about commitment to your own vision and having the courage to bleed for it, one uncompromising vision:" "the orchestra conductor, the puppet master." "The super revolutionary artist must be prepared to trample all in his path to reach the final aesthetic conquest:" "the whole fucking world as my own multimedia spectacle." "Mere mortals mate." "But only gods like us create." " You need to create a place to stay tomorrow." "Your guest period is now over." "Auf Wiedersehen." " What do you mean?" "Hey, I'm an artist too." "I belong here." " Nowhaus is a family of art revolutionaries." "And you really don't seem like a team player." " Look, Mr. American Pop Song Maker, if your songs do not critique the hegemony of populist consumption..." " Or if they mimic the phallocentric narrative of verse, chorus, verse, chorus, climax, fade out, smoke a cigarette, turn over, snore all night and never call me again... [laughter]" " Then they are nothing more than tools of the oppressor." " Wait a minute." "Rock and roll, a tool of the oppressor?" " What about the Clash?" " Yeah, man!" "[laughter]" "The Clash." "Sandinista!" " Punk rock was a marketing strategy." "[lilting piano playing]" " And what about zat Dutch girl singing about her fucking keys?" " Good for her." "She has a nice flat." " Heterosexual love lacks drama!" " That's bullshit." "[all arguing]" " Welcome to an average day among the Nowhaus tribe." "This little discussion lasted for two whole weeks until finally" " Look!" "Let's cut to the chase scene, ja?" "Please, give us one reason why we should allow you to stay." " Uh, well, uh..." "Because I'm black?" "all:" "What's that?" " Yeah, Mr. May, '68." "Do you know what it's like to be the object of oppression living under police occupation in the ghetto?" " He did not." "His police-occupied ghetto looked more like..." " Your friend Terry stopped by again in that brand-new Datsun 240Z." "He's making good money." "And he's not even in a gang." " Well, let me ask you this, Mr. Know-It-All, do you know what it's like to hustle for dimes on the mean streets of South Central?" " Nobody in this play knows what it's like to hustle for dimes on the mean streets of South Central." "[cheers and applause]" "His mean streets looked more like..." " I ran into Sherry at the arts and crafts fair." "Boy, has she turned into a beautiful young lady." "And as you know, she is not a crack 'ho." "[cheers and applause]" " § Whoa!" "§ [grooving soul music]" "§ §" "§ Ever hear of the projects?" "§" " § This palatial two-story house feels empty without you §" " § They call it the projects 'cause we all workin' §" "§ On a project called "Just trying to live" §" "§ Whoa!" "To see tomorrow §" " § And I'm working on a project called §" "§ Furniture re-upholstering §" "§ For this wonderfully spacious, almost-paid-for house §" " § Nobody knows the trouble I've seen §" "§ Nobody!" "§" "§ I come from hell on Earth §" "§ Illiteracy, guns, drugs, insanity, decay... §" " § I wish you'd call me sometime §" " § And death §" "§ Yeah, motherfuckers §" "And I am no mere pop song maker." "I'm an artist." "My work is about reinvention." "My work is about transcendence." "My work is about the limits of blackness." "§ Whoa!" "§ [soulful guitar riff]" "§ Whoo!" "§ [cheers and applause]" " Welcome to Nowhaus, comrade." " So blackness is the main subject of your work?" " Uh, yes and no." "In other words, "yo."" "[loud electronic music]" " § Cast your eyes to the center ring §" "§ Of a chilly art space in the Nowhaus scene §" "§ Only the transgressors can take this chance §" "§ Only the guest's listed can enter this trance §" "§ In a metal skirt of bananas §" "§ He would do a song and dance §" "§ Strip your mind naked, pilgrim §" "§ It's an opening, so take it, pilgrim §" "§ Like Josephine Baker, don't fake it, pilgrim §" " Knock 'em dead, my ghetto warrior." " § Just dance, dance, dance!" "§" " Meine Damen und herrings, in the most anticipated Berlin debut in recent memory," "I force on you," "Mr. Middle Passage!" "[projector clicking]" " I am bleeding sunshine." "I am emptying my veins." "And when I'm done bleeding sunshine, this song will break my chains." "Your gaze completes my being, but I'll make you gaze in vain." "I illuminate with fiction the truth darkness cannot explain." "[easy bass notes]" "§ America is flowing §" "§ Slowly exiting my veins §" "§ I am giddy, cold and glowing §" "§ And this song will break my chains §" "§ The chains of §" "§ I-i-i-i-i-i-i-dentity §" "§ The chains of §" "§ I-i-i-i-i-i-i-dentity §" "§ The chains of §" "§ I-i-i-i-i-i-i-dentity §" " Why don't you want to be around your own people?" " § The key to the real is finally in my hand §" "§ And now your expectations are exiting my veins §" "§ The key to the real is finally in my hand §" "§ And now your expectations are flowing out my veins §" "§ Hit the wall §" "§ Free at last §" "§ Hit the wall §" "§ Free at last §" "§ I am the 20th century incarnate §" "§ Hit the wall §" "§ Free at last §" "§ The 20th century coming home covered in mud §" "§ And missing a shoe §" "§ Child, what's become of you?" "§" "§ Haven't you got any sense?" "§" "§ Child, what's become of you?" "§" "§ Haven't you got any sense?" "§" "§ Child, what's become of you?" "§" "§ Haven't you got any sense?" "§" "§ Nein, Mama, Nein, Mama Nein, Mama §" "§ Nein, Mama, Mama, Mama, Mama Mama, Mama, Mama, Mama § [eerie piano playing]" "Mutti, bist du da?" "Hallo?" "Mutti, kannst du ein bisschen Geld für mir senden?" "Hallo?" "Mutti, wir haben ein bad connection." "Wir haben ein bad connection." "Wir haben ein bad connection." "Wir haben ein bad connection." "Wir haben ein bad connection." "Wir haben ein bad connection!" "Wir haben ein bad connection!" "Connection, connection, connection, connection, connection." " Why don't you want to be around your own people?" " § My pain and my ego §" "§ Once stood at opposing ends §" "§ But they met up in Berlin §" "§ Now they're the best of friends §" "§ And now I'm drained of your expectations §" "§ I was instructed from the start §" "§ To let my pain fuck my ego §" "§ And I call the bastard "art" §" "Pain!" "Ego!" "Art!" "Pain!" "Ego!" "Art!" " § I let my... § - § Pain!" "§" " § Fuck my... § - § Ego!" "§" " § And I... § - § Call the bastard §" " § Art §" " § I let my... § - § Pain!" "§" " § Fuck my... § - § Ego!" "§" " § And I... § - § Call the bastard §" " § Art §" " § I let my... § - § Pain!" "§" " § Fuck my... § - § Ego!" "§" " § And I... § - § Call the bastard § [building guitar chords]" "§ § [applause]" " Only the slums of America could produce such pain." " His ghetto angst is far superior to ours." " Exquisite." "Like an orgasm in reverse." " We love you like an anthropologist loves a tribe." " Tribes must love the attention." "I bet it makes them feel like stars." "[jazzy chorus line music]" "§ §" " § Who lends the club that speakeasy air?" "§" "§ The black one, the black one §" "§ Who dances like a god and has wunderbar hair?" "§" "§ Der Schwarze §" "§ Now he's the life of every soiree §" "§ He'll give the bum's rush to your ennui §" "§ Turn up these lights 'cause I barely can see §" "§ The black one §" "§ §" "§ Is he the postmodern lawn jockey sculpture?" "§" " § The black one §" " § The black one §" "§ Or just a soul on a roll exploding your culture?" "§" "§ That black one §" " § An artist creates surfaces §" " § And then comes the fee §" "§ He's doing the same thing §" " § Except I call the surface me §" " § He's dancing in a cage §" " § But I'm the one with the key §" " § And he's the black one §" "§ He's the real voice of America §" "§ And Berlin listened closely §" "§ Speaking as a Negro from there-ica §" "§ He was automatically... §" " § Am I real now?" "§" " § An expert on its evils... §" " § Can I feel now?" "§" " § An authority on its crimes §" " § Am I real now?" "§" " § And he could wax lyrical §" "§ His knowledge was almost empirical §" "§ Of oppression from the present back to slavery times §" " § Ya, da, da, da §" "§ Da, da, da, da §" "§ Ga, ga, ga, ga § all: § Who lets us know that we're in the right place?" "§" "§ The black one, the black one §" "§ Who's got Good Times painted right on his face?" "§" "§ The black one §" "§ He's living truth §" "§ 'Cause his life is a dare §" "§ In L.A. he had two left feet §" "§ Our Berlin Fred Astaire §" "§ He's so down to Earth §" "§ When he's moonwalking on air §" " § Just 'cause he's the black one §" " § I'm the ghetto warrior, yowza!" "§" " § Oh, the LAPD never thought he was that cute §" "§ But now a squad of ice queens are in hot pursuit §" " § I'm Super Fly in the buttermilk §" " § And we find him sehr gut §" " § 'Cause I'm the black one §" " I envy you so much." "I want to be re-incarcerated as a black man." " § Oh, yeah!" "§ [cheers and applause]" " Why do you lie about who you are?" " What?" " This ghetto warrior persona, it's not you." " Look, black people go through hell every fucking day in America, okay?" " I know that." " And you will never understand the hell that I'm from." " Remember the story you told me about your grandma, the one who had to pass in order to get a job?" "Well, I think you are passing for ghetto." "[soothing music]" " § Listening is waiting §" " You came here to be real." "But you're not." " § Listening is waiting §" " How can I love you if I don't even know you?" " § Now you are knee-deep in your head's footnotes §" " Let me see your pain." " § I'll take your complex out of context §" " Let me know the geography of your hell." "§ I've been listening to you talking in your sleep §" "§ It's a strange poetry §" "§ You're always running from something, it seems §" "§ Let me chase away whatever's hurting you §" "§ Just have to ask it of me §" "§ My love is more real than all your dreams §" "§ 'Cause I been thinking about leaving §" "§ My fingerprints on your being §" "§ I've been thinking about leaving §" "§ My fingerprints on your being §" "§ I've been thinking about leaving §" "§ My fingerprints on your being §" "§ It's like church now §" " § Leaving, oh, oh, oh §" " § So come down now §" "§ Remove your mask §" "§ See, all you got to do is ask me §" "§ I'll give you all the love life allows §" "§ So come down now §" "§ Remove your mask §" "§ See, all you got to do is ask me §" "§ I'll give you all the love life allows §" "§ All you got to do is ask me §" "§ All you got to do is ask me §" "§ All you got to do is ask me §" "§ All you got to do is ask me §" " § All you got to do §" " § What does this feeling mean to you §" "§ Both to be seen and to be seen through?" "§" "§ What does this feeling mean to you §" "§ Both to be seen and to be seen through?" "§" "§ See, love raged like an ocean in a state of withdrawal §" "§ A fishbowl of emotion and the Berlin Wall §" "§ Love raged like an ocean in a state of withdrawal §" " § Right when it was starting to feel real §" " § How you gonna deal?" "§" " § It was starting to feel real §" " § Right when it was starting to feel real §" " § It was starting to feel real §" " § All you got to do is ask me §" " § Feel real §" "§ How you gonna deal when it's starting to feel real?" "§" "§ To feel real §" "§ To feel real §" "§ To feel real §" "§ How you gonna deal when it's starting to feel real §" "§ To feel real §" "§ How you gonna deal when it's starting to feel real?" "§" "§ To feel real §" " § Ask me §" " § To feel real §" "§ How you gonna deal when it's starting to feel real?" "§" "§ To feel real §" " § Ask me §" " § All you got to do- § [phone ringing]" " Did that jacket I sent fit all right?" " The jacket?" "Oh, yeah, the jacket." "No, it fits fine, Mom." "It's great." "Snazzy." " I know you're picky, but shoot." "When it's cold, a coat's a coat." " Yeah, that's right." " Home." " Well, seeing as how you didn't make it out last year," "I know you're not gonna let me down this Christmas." " Let you down?" " It'd be nice having you around, son, to talk." " But we're talking now, Mom." " Don't you miss the sunshine?" " What do you want to talk about?" " Oh, you know, lots of things." " Like?" " Well, I mean, first of all, you've been on this trip of yours for so long." " Trip?" " And you're so hard to reach." " Mom, this is not a trip." " And there are so many things we have to talk about." " I live here now." " Important things." "We have important things to talk about." " Mom, I live here now." "Did you hear me?" " Now, one thing you need to realize right here and now, son, is that I am" "I mean, your family is important." "You can't just sit over there and act like I" "like we don't exist!" "Family is not some- some service you can take advantage of for 20 years and then cancel when it's convenient for you." "It don't work like that." " I couldn't come back even if I wanted to." " Why not?" " Why leave a place where I can be myself to come back to a place where I can't?" " Why do you need a particular place to be yourself?" "Can't you be yourself at home?" " No, Mom!" "I'm already 22." "Life's passing me by." "Los Angeles is just death row with palm trees." "I'm scared of waking up one day and being" " Me?" " Well, and not having lived the life I wanted to live." " Your deep concern for yourself is very moving." "It's touching, really." " Mom, you need to start focusing on other things besides me, like your own life." " We need to talk, son." " God, if I could focus on my art" "like you focus on me," "I'd be Picasso by now." "Besides, what's waiting for me in L.A., Mom?" "Okay, look, Mom, there's this show I got to do in Kassel in like, I don't know, two months or so." "And it's big, okay;" "it's really big." "But then maybe sometime after that," "I can start thinking about when I can visit." "Is that okay?" "Is that all right?" " I love you." " But is that all right?" "Mom, I said I'll try to visit you as soon as I can." "Is that all right?" " You see, brothers and sisters, our hero, the fiery pilgrim, never saw the point of love without understanding." " How 'bout now?" "[bright piano playing]" " § It's Christmastime in old Berlin §" "§ And the snow is all about §" "§ What could this mean to the Nowhaus scene?" "§" "§ The hero's about to find out §" " One last piece of house business." "I'm pleased to announce that my seven-hour composition" "Shower Hum Song is finished." " Put the needle on the record." " Not so fast." "I've decided to unveil it on Christmas Day." " Christmas Day?" " Are you completely crazy?" " I know, I know, how embarrassingly" "Judeo-Christian of me." "But it's not about a stupid holiday." "It's about how I feel." "Just being here is like Christmas to me." "And the song is just something for us to listen to while we party." " No one is here for Christmas." " We all go home for ze holidays." " Home?" " To our families in their sleepy West German villages." " I am missing my stupid old friends." " I cannot wait to lay around with my teddy bears." " I love the look on my father's face when he serves the blood sausages." "He remembers how I loved them as a child but forgets I'm a vegetarian." "[laughs]" " You know, absence really does make ze heart grow into a state of mind which somehow transforms what you once could not stand about your family into a somehow quaint, pleasure-giving construct." "[cheers and applause]" " Ain't zat ze truth?" " So what, you're just leaving me here all alone?" " You said you'd never be caught dead in my backwards little village." " With her backwards little parents." " It would be a nightmare for you." " It would be a nightmare for your parents." " Well, why isn't your backwards little village a nightmare for you?" " Why do you think I left?" " I know why you left." "I'm just trying to figure out why you're going back." " One week out of the year I see my family." "I'm sorry, but I don't want to take you." " What, you think I give a fuck about your little redneck village?" "I just don't know why you'd choose it over spending Christmas with me." " Scheisse, man, it's my family." "It's Christmas." " Well, hey, I guess it's just me and you, home skillet." "We'll hold the fort down." "I mean, this is Berlin, God damn it." "Somebody's keeping it real for Christmas, ain't they?" " I'm going home." "Come, Hugo." "Come view my new blue leather miniskirt." " Why should I want to see your" " Come see the goddamn miniskirt!" " True love can only exist after the revolution." "[bright piano riff]" " So much for me understanding the geography of your hell." " When I visit my parents, I barely speak." "There's an ocean between us." "They don't know who I am or what I am doing." "And they will never, ever understand me." " So why be with people that don't understand you?" " Because they love me." " But that seven-hour piece was written for you." " I don't want to be a song." "I want to be loved." "And you don't know the difference." "If you would like to learn the difference, I'll stay." " It's not love if somebody has to change." " Okay." " I don't want to be a song." " As snow began to fall, all Christmas Eve long he worked through the night on one of them "Why'd she leave me? " songs." "[sweet guitar chords]" " § Why leave me alone?" "§" "§ Her eyes were red, but her heart's stone-cold §" "§ Why'd she go from me?" "§" " He was soothed by the hush of snow-caked streets at dawn." "His voice echoed in the ghost house all Christmas morning long." " § I couldn't be her dream §" "§ She focused on things that weren't there in me §" "§ Then she split the scene §" " And for once he wanted to be taken from his singing by his mother's Merry Christmas telephone ringing." "But her call never came, and his song never ended." " § She wanted me to change §" "§ That's not love in my view §" "§ Let's inspect the remains §" "§ As she's alone now too §" "§ What's the point of looking §" "§ For what's not there in you?" "§" "§ You lose track of- § [music fades]" "§ You lose- §" "How does this song go?" "§ Ah, da, da, da, da, da §" "§ Da, da, da da, da, da, da § [bittersweet piano playing]" "§ §" " § Every day I build a mask up to the task §" "§ Another song, you see §" "§ §" "§ I live behind the rhyme and verse §" "§ I lift my voice till I lift the curse §" "§ It's all rehearsed, you see §" "§ §" "§ This music always rescues me §" "§ There's a melody for every malady §" "§ Prescription: song you see §" "§ And should the mask begin to fall §" "§ My chorus comes in like a 12-foot wall §" "§ So you can't see me §" "§ And I'm blessed to entertain §" "§ The crowd laughs and swoons §" "§ It's loud guitars and champagne §" "§ And I sleep well past noon §" "§ But I've got a lot to explain §" "§ To myself, not to you §" "§ Like who lost track of her pain §" "§ While working their wound?" "§" " § Ah, da, da, da, da, da §" "§ Da, da, da da, da, da, da §" " § So I finally found a home §" "§ Between the clicks of a metronome §" "§ In a song, you see §" "§ §" "§ Then I went out on a limb §" "§ But the tree disappeared and the sky grew dim §" "§ And the song changed key §" "§ But then you told me my pain entertained §" "§ I heard the applause, thanking God you're sane §" "§ But what about me?" "§" "§ See I'm cursed to entertain §" "§ The crowd laughs too soon §" "§ And all I have is my pain §" "§ Sharp and way out of tune §" "§ But you know, I feel a bit ashamed §" "§ Since I'm still here marooned §" "§ And you lose track of her pain §" "§ When you're working your wound §" "§ And you lose track of her pain §" "§ When you're working your wound §" "§ And you lose track of her pain §" "§ When you're working your wound §" "§ And you lose track of her love §" "§ And you lose track of her pain §" "§ Just hop back on my train §" "§ And keep working §" "§ And keep working, like he's working §" "§ And keep working like he's working §" "§ And keep working like he's working §" "§ And that's how the fucking song goes §" "Hey, Spurney, that's how the song goes." "Am I right?" "Gibbs, Gibbs, that's how the song goes, right?" "§ But the problem is it never stops § [music stops]" "You know, it's weird when you wake up that morning and realize that your entire adult life was based on a decision made by a teenager... [applause]" "A stoned teenager." "I know there must be some investment bankers out there that know the feeling." "[laughter]" "You know, some time ago we had a dress rehearsal." "It was free." "Sorry, we forgot to tell you about it." "We invited some friends and family and stuff." "And I invited a friend of mine whose offices are downtown on Lafayette and Astor." "He sells pretzels." "Sat him down in your seat, and he watched the play." "Then afterwards, we ran back downtown to this bar." "After about 5 or 1 6 beers, he looked at me, and he said, "The real."" "And I said, "Yeah."" "And he said, "The real, you know," ""the thing that the kid in your play keeps looking for?" ""I got news for you, Stew." ""The real is not real." ""The real is a construct." ""The real is a creation." ""The real is artificial." ""The kid in your play is looking for something in life that can only be found in art."" "And I was like "Damn, pretzel man." "You're a heavy motherfucker."" "Some people feel like art is more real than life." "And that really gives you something to think about, especially if you're at a funeral." "[hymnlike piano chords]" "§ §" " It's so great to see so many friends and family gathered here to see my mother home." "[hymnlike organ chords]" "In the plane from Berlin to L.A.," "I prayed for her to wait long enough for me to see her again," "Long enough for me to hear her again... § §" "Long enough for me to tell her I'm sorry and mean it." "Last night I woke up in darkness." "And I didn't know where I was." "And so I just sat there asking her questions all night long... like, "How can I go on when the love that kept me aloft is gone? "" "§ §" "So now she's free." "She made it home, I know." "But now that she left me, where am I to go?" "[piano enters]" "I got to fill this void inside me." "[music swelling]" "§ §" "Where am I to go?" "§ §" "§ I got to fill the void with music §" "§ I'll fill the void with song §" "§ Until my cup runneth over §" "§ All night long §" "§ I'll live in vans crammed with guitars § [electric guitar riff]" "§ I'll sleep on floors and play in bars §" "§ I'll dance to my own metronome §" "§ Till chaos feels like home §" "§ I'll grow colder §" "§ I'll grow bolder §" "§ I'll grow older and keep filling' my cup §" "§ I'll grow colder §" "§ I'll grow bolder §" "§ I'll grow older §" "§ But I'll never grow up §" "§ And this is not a passing phase §" " § It was just a passing phase §" " § No, this is not a passing phase §" " § It was just a passing phase §" " § You see, I'll stay young for so long §" " § It was just a passing phase §" " § Till chaos feels like home §" " § It was just a passing phase §" " § Up and down from town to town §" "§ Tour van wheels go round and round §" "§ Up and down from town to town §" "§ Tour van wheels go round and round §" "§ Every night play rock and roll §" "§ Get fucked up after the show §" "§ In the morning lock and load §" "§ And then leave §" " § Right when it was starting to feel real § [solemn bass notes]" "§ §" "§ Wish we could talk about how the means §" "§ Will not prepare you for the ends §" "§ How your epiphanies will become fair-weather friends §" "§ How death will make you lower your defenses §" "§ The only truth of youth is the grown-up consequences §" "§ You see, song is a balm §" "§ But song cannot heal §" "§ You believed in it too long §" "§ Now I need something more §" "§ I need something more than real §" "§ Someday the chords of age §" "§ Will drown out the life you've been dreaming of §" "§ Then you'll be out on your ass and cursing, alas §" "§ 'Cause your song is just passing for love §" "§ Like my song was just passing for love §" "§ And you will never see her again §" "§ And I will never see her again §" "§ And we will never see her again § [music fading]" "§ §" " Is that it?" "That's it?" "Hey, you're right." "You cannot bring her back." "But why lose faith in the only thing that can?" "I will see her again, because life is a mistake that only art can correct." "I will see her again every night." "Cue music." "[quiet music]" "Lights up on Mother in an outrageous gown showing everyone." "§ §" " What do you want me to say?" "§ §" " Tell him it's all right." "§ §" " § Is it all right?" "§" "§ §" " § Don't be sad about your chosen path §" "§ And where it's taken you thus far §" "§ 'Cause this is what you did §" "§ And that is who you are §" "§ And it's all right §" " § Is it all right?" "§" "§ §" " § Yes, it's all right §" " § Is it all right?" "§" " § Yes, it's all right §" " § Is it all right?" "§ [music slows]" "§ §" "§ I remember when I owned everything §" "§ The Sun and the Moon and the rain §" "§ And my domain stretched and yawned §" "§ Along the astral plane § [sweet piano music]" "§ The universe is a toy in the mind of a boy §" "§ And life is a movie too §" "§ Starring you §" "§ Your whole family's the cast and crew §" "§ That's a little secret between God and you §" "§ But ain't it strange how it all makes perfect sense §" "§ Once your life becomes evidence §" "§ Of the need to feel §" "§ Love is more than real §" "§ Because your mother's love might seem insane §" "§ That's 'cause she really knows everything §" "§ §" "§ Too bad it takes so long §" "§ To see what you've been missing §" " § Love like that §" " § Too bad it takes so long... §" " § Can't be measured anyway §" " § To see what you've been missing §" "§ Too bad it takes so long §" "§ To see what you've been missing §" "§ Too bad it takes so long to see §" "§ Too bad it takes so long §" "§ 'Cause the real is a construct §" "§ It's the raw nerve's private zone §" "§ It's a personal sunset §" "§ You drive off into alone § [music fades] [cheers and applause]" "Christian Gibbs on guitar and keyboards." "Jon Spurney on keyboards and guitar." "[rocking keyboard solo]" "§ Christian Cassan on the drums in back of me § [steady drum solo]" "And my collaborator," "Heidi Rodewald on the bass and the voice." "[applause]" "And now for the rest of the band, Mr. Chad Goodrich..." "De'Adre Aziza..." "Colman Domingo..." "Rebecca Jones..." "Eisa Davis..." "And Daniel Breaker." "We'd like to thank everybody who makes the show look and sound so good." "We're gonna get out of here now." "All I have to say is, whatever you do, rock on." "Last Saturday rock show at the Belasco." "Last night at the Belasco!" "Last night at the Belasco!" "[crashing rock music]" "§ §" "§ §" "§ Uh, uh, uh §" "§ Now whip it on in § all: § Yeah, it's all right §" "§ Yeah, it's all right §" "§ Yeah, it's all right §" "§ Yeah, it's all right §" " § It feels all right to me §" " § Yeah, it's all right §" " § It feels all right to me §" " § Yeah, it's all right §" " § It feels all right to me §" " § Yeah, it's all right §" " § It feels all right to me §" " § Yeah, it's all right §" "§ Yeah, it's all right §" " § It feels all right to me §" " § Yeah, it's all right §" " § It feels all right to me §" " § Yeah, it's all right §" " § Bad Brains said it was all right §" " § Yeah, it's all right §" " § Living Colour said it was all right §" " § Yeah, it's all right §" " § Jimi Hendrix said it was all right §" " § Yeah, it's all right §" " § Lee Perry said it's all right §" " § Yeah, it's all right §" " § P-Funk said it's all right §" " § Yeah, it's all right §" " § Sun Ra said it's all right §" " § Yeah, it's all right §" " § Coltrane said it's all right §" " § Yeah, it's all right §" " § Coltrane said it's all right §" " § Yeah, it's all right §" " § Coltrane said it's all right §" " § Yeah, it's all right §" " § Told me that it's all right §" " § Yeah, it's all right §" " § Arthur Lee said it's all right §" " § Yeah, it's all right §" " § Arthur Lee said it's all right §" " § Yeah, it's all right §" " § He come to tell me it was all right §" " § Yeah, it's all right §" " § He told me it was all right §" " § Yeah, it's all right §" " § He told me it was all right §" " § Yeah, it's all right §" " § They told me I was all right §" " § Yeah, it's all right §" " § They told me I was all right §" " § Yeah, it's all right §" " § They told me I was all right §" " § Yeah, it's all right §" "§ Yeah, it's all right §" " § It's all right now §" " § Yeah, it's all right §" " § It's all right now §" " § Yeah, it's all right §" " § It's all right now §" " § Yeah, it's all right §" " § It's all right now §" " § Yeah, it's all right §" " § It's all right now §" " § Yeah, it's all right §" " § It's all right now!" "§" " § Yeah, it's all right §" " § It's all right §" "§ It's all right §" "§ It's all right §" "§ It's all right §" "§ It's all right §" "§ It's all right §" "§ It's all right now §" " § Yeah, it's all right §" " § It's all right §" " § Yeah, it's all right §" " § It's all right now §" " § Yeah, it's all right §" " § It's all right now!" "§" " § Yeah, it's all right §" " § It's all right now §" " § Yeah, it's all right §" " § It's all right now §" " § Yeah, it's all right §" " § It's all right!" "§" " § Yeah, it's all right §" " § It's all right!" "§" " § Yeah, it's all right §" "§ Yeah, it's all right §" "§ Yeah, it's all right §" "§ Yeah, it's all right §" "§ Yeah, it's all right §" " § It's all right!" "§" "§ It's all right!" "§" "§ It's all right!" "§" "§ It's all right!" "§" " § Yeah, it's all right §" " § It's all right now §" " § Yeah, it's all right §" " § It's all right now §" " § Yeah, it's all right §" " § I say it's all right, all right §" "§ It's all right, all right §" "§ It's all right, all right §" "Whoo!" "[crashing rock finale]" "§ §" "[music slowing]" "§ § [cheers and applause]" "[bittersweet guitar playing]" "§ §" " § For if love knew what was good for it §" "§ It would play it passing for song §" "§ Fill an empty house with harmony §" "§ And play on after things go wrong §" "§ Days and opinions and all of fate's minions §" "§ Tend to fade like the bang of a gong §" "§ There's a ballad to break any fall, you see §" "§ And a rhythm to still any row §" "§ There's a melody for every malady §" "§ You're listening to one right now §" "§ Art is made up but artificial it ain't §" "§ Art is love in clay and words and paint §" "§ Play on §" "§ Play on §" "§ Play on §" "§ Play on §" "§ Be the food of life §" "§ And play on and play on and play on §" "§ So what's life without a few lost bets?" "§" "§ It's no fun if you're all contrite §" "§ What's life without a few regrets?" "§" "§ If you didn't fuck up, you weren't doing it right §" "§ Art is made up but artificial it ain't §" "§ Art is love in clay and words and paint §" "§ Play on §" "§ Play on §" "§ Play on §" "§ Play on §" "§ Be the food of life §" "§ And play on and play on and play on §" "§ Be the food of life §" "§ And play on and play on and play on §" "§ Be the food of life §" "§ And play on and play on and play on §" "§ Play on §" "§ Play on §" "§ Play on §" "§ Play on §" "§ Play on §" "§ Play on §" "§ Play on §" "§ Play on §" "§ Play on §" "§ Play on §" "§ Play on §" "§ Play on §" "§ Play on §" "§ Play on §" "§ Play on §" "§ Play on §" "§ Play on §" "§ Play on §" "§ Play on §" "§ Play on §" "§ Play on §" "§ Play on §" "§ Play on §" "§ Play on §" "§ Play on §" "§ Play on §" "§ Play on §" "§ Play on §" "§ Play on §" "§ Play on §" "§ Why you want to leave?" "§" "§ Right when it was starting to feel real §" "§ Why you want to leave?" "§" "clank!" "slam!"