Rocco's Blog 12/10/08

a collision of people
with different names
enter a coffee shop
and leave the same
way they came
leadbelly, leadbelly, leadbelly

Rocco's Blog 11/5/08

A woman entered a restaurant and shouted at the top of her lungs, “DO NOT PRETEND!” the bartender escorted her out and continued to serve. I laughed because I thought she had a point. Morning came and I began my walk home only to find her words written on the wall. I snapped a photo, walked home, and listened to the amazing Samuel Barber till I fell asleep.

Rocco's Blog 10/21/08

Style is alive and well on this side of town-

Rocco's Blog 8/28/08

We can see for miles in the twilight. A man crosses the streets and reveals how far it reaches. We watch the dance of shadow and street. I'm lucky to see it. I won't take it for granted anymore. Emerson wrote, "If the stars should appear but one night every thousand years how man would marvel." Stars do not shine so brightly within Los Angeles. We are too much with our own lights. This is not the great sky of Sangre de Cristo or Joshua Tree. So I wait for the magic hour. I wait for the passing, the change. I try to recognize it when it comes. That is our gift.

Rocco's Blog 8/9/08

This is an active time amongst the passionate people. I see it swelling in the nooks of the city. Bright, bright, bright. Soon I will be in the bay area again with as little as I can carry. That sounds nice. Three cheers to the architects, poets, and the makers of freshly squeezed orange juice. A kiss on the cheek to those who dared to kiss the angels last night. A warm hug to those who need it and to those who don’t.

Rocco's Blog 7/21/08

Up and down the streets of Sunset these kids were skating. They noticed I had a camera and decided to tell me that I would be a fool not to document. One had even told me that I would be so sorry that I would have to beg forgiveness from the Virgin Mary herself… I didn't want that on my head.

Rocco's Blog 7/02/08

Thanks again to Atlanta for one of the best nights in my life.

ROCCO'S BLOG 6/6/08

Idealism is a tricky thing; it usually contains hope and light but often fails in the depths of instinct within the human mind and heart.
A neighborhood carpenter gave me a book called "Unto this Last," by John Ruskin. I took it to a local coffee shop and read it. I have now been idealistic for three straight days!

ROCCO'S BLOG 5/20/08

The day was hot. This man was pulling items from his truck to sell them. He placed them against the wall. I was walking towards him but I didn't purchase anything. I said hello and walked down to the corner to meet with a person who claimed to have every recording by Alan Lomax. He had quite a few, but so did I. Then we talked about earthquakes in China, how saddened and removed we both felt. Our conclusion was that we suffer across the world, in our backyards, and in our own skin. Enough.

He played me one of my favorite records by the Staple Singers and I asked him,” Would anybody today care enough to make a record that raw and beautiful?"
He told me, "yes, but in a different form."
Fair enough I thought to myself, “but I still love this fucking record."
He asked, "Why do you think it is we could love a piece of vinyl so much?”
I told him, "Because it reminds us of something better."

ROCCO'S BLOG 4/28/08

The gods are curious things, they bless and curse everything. I’m spending my days and nights in East Los Angeles walking from the studio to the market. It’s nice to be outside around the magic hour when everything feels like itself. I ran into old friends tonight and we talked as they lit cigarettes and watched the cars climb the streets. We talked about family, friends, who are doing what to who, architecture of the city and of coarse the unavoidable mother subject that’s on lips of almost every Angelino, 'music.' I told them about the songs I had recorded and I started to get excited as I continued to explain the way in which I documented sounds. My friends started to share in this excitement and they decided I should put together some photos and let people 'in' on what’s going, so I did.

So, Monday night if anyone goes to roccodeluca.com, one can get a bit of a vibe of how we have been spending our time. I will add more photos and footage as the weeks follow, but I wanted get something started. The record will be released in the fall. Until then I’ll be playing and walking around Silver Lake, while playing spot dates across the country with Sheryl Crow and other recording artists. Thanks for everyone’s patience and kind words. See you around!
My artist friend Jules made this drawing so you would know the password for this Tuesday night the 29th at Spaceland

ROCCO'S BLOG 3/29/08

R-Bar in Korea town-

Ryan Carman (cajon)
Brian Blade (drums)
Daniel Lanois (guitar and voice)
More than a handful of friends
and myself

Thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

ROCCO'S BLOG 2/11/08

Every once in a while we meet
those who can see and teach
a great deal.
Where words and sounds come together
to reveal something more
than the sum.

This is a photo taken by Bryan Ritchie
of Daniel Lanois in studio-

Rocco's Blog 1/28/08

looking through the photos
and the words from our trips.
we met amazing people along
the way who are no longer with us...