A milestone birthday. He retired from live performance a few years ago, but said he would continue to create and release new music. Any word on when this might be forthcoming? Even if he doesn’t come out with anything, I’m not fussed. He owes us nothing!
One of my all time favourite artists. Still keeping my fingers crossed for a new album of some sorts.
Publicity Photo for "Tom and Jerry" - Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel. "Hey, Schoolgirl" - Tom & Jerry, 1957. Jerry Landis (aka Paul Simon) with Carole Klein (King) forming the studio group know as The Co-Sines (Paul: Guitar, Bass, Lead Vocals), 1959.
What a giant of music. He has never stopped pushing the envelope. GRACELAND may be the solo album sitting in most minds, but everything since then has been a further reach. He owes the world nothing, but I would rejoice in one more album.
I've seen him live a few times in the last 10 or so years by the way. Amazing shows, each of them. I think he could've continued for a few more years but decided to stop before the quality started to suffer.
Paul and I share the same birthday. 18 years ago, in November of 2003, I was driving down the road. It was around sunrise, and the day after my mother passed. Overcome with thoughts of grief and the overwhelming task of organizing her funeral, I turned on the radio in time for the opening notes of: My day improved greatly from that point forward...
I think he said he was retiring from touring, not live performances. He just had a live performance recently for something, I can’t remember what.
By coincidence I just watched an old episode of the Muppet Show starring Paul. When he enters, the Muppet doorman is busy fixing a lever that's apparently broken. Paul tries his hand at it, succeeds and the thing works, and the doorman falls through a hatch. Says Paul: well I guess there's fifty ways to love your lever! Happy birthday Mr. Simon.
My wife and I were just listening to the LIVE Simon & Garfunkel album "Live 1969" the other night on the back patio and I had forgotten just how great it is! True story, but about ten or so years ago my friends and I were in New York to see a taping of "Late Night With Jimmy Fallon" ("They Might Be Giants" were the musical guest that night!). Before the show we had a bunch of time to kill so we all walked into The Brill Building and we saw that Paul Simon had an office there, so naturally I said "we're going up there". We take the elevator up to his floor and make our way to his office and upon arrival and to our surprise we find that the door is wide open, so I knock but see no one around. I call out "hello", "hello" and still no one responds. There I am in the doorway of Paul Simon's office at The Brill Building and I can see a bunch of his record awards just sitting around on the floor (NOT on the wall, which I thought was kind of weird), but sadly no Paul.
This morning, I couldn't sleep later than I wanted and I looked at the shade on the window and "Red Rubber Ball" was stuck in my head over and over trying to remember all the lyrics. Did not know it was his birthday. Great songwriter to say the least.
