On October 21, Warren Pash was
presented with an award from SOCAN (they were happy enough to tweet about it! )
Parallel Lines Parallel Lives examines exactly what its name suggests. It is the first-hand account of how two career creatives, a musician and a photographer, lived parallel lives and forged parallel paths during the 20th Century's last exciting cultural upheaval - punk rock - while maintaining both peer-group cultural currency and their unique identities.
The dots that connect their story
are Warren's
music, both original and covered (recorded for this project) and Theresa’s photography,
which are the featured entertainment components of the project. Part oral
history, part Q&A, part show & tell, the presentation has already
caught the attention of law professors in the area of Intellectual Property
programs, vis a vis issues of attribution, authorship and veracity in the
digital age. The intersection of technology, the arts and intellectual
property is an important one where Warren and Theresa offer valuable, real-life
insights and commentary on the state of matters in this tricky balance.
At the core of Parallel Lines Parallel Lives is a 5-song
recording of punk rock songs by Warren, backed by notable Nashville musicians
Matt Bach, Ben Martin and Matt Swanson (together, they are The Gospel of Power)
that illustrate and help drive a
narrative to a series of Theresa’s photos. Both the music and the images
are from 1978, which is the year each of them made their creative beginning
in Los Angeles.
Warren recorded the tracks during a 5-hour
party, live to tape at the Bomb Shelter in Nashville with producer Andrija Tokic
completely in the DIY/analog spirit of 1978. There was a photo exhibit
installed in-situ, with the pictures of the artists whose music was being
covered displayed as if they were family pictures.
Despite the DIY/family spirit of things, the collective
pedigree of this group impresses. Warren
Pash, while best known as a writer of the international hit for Hall &
Oates, “Private Eyes,” is a rock n roll performer in his own right and produced
the final album by pop music’s legendary iconoclast, Tupper Saussy. Theresa Kereakes is a world-class
photographer, filmmaker and television producer with album covers and awards
that span decades. The Gospel of Power
is the loose congregation of Nashville's
veteran underground rock musicians who play and record with Dave Cloud.
(l-r: Andrija Tokic, Ben Martin, Warren Pash, Matt Swanson, Matt Bach;
photo: theresa kereakes)
Recording with Warren
for the Parallel Lines Parallel Lives EP are GOP members Matt Bach (guitar/Cheetah
Chrome Band), Matt Swanson (bass/Lambchop) and Ben Martin (drums/Bonnie Prince
Billy). Andrija Tokic owns and operates
the analog Bomb Shelter Studios in Nashville,
and has produced Alabama Shakes, Hurray for the Riff Raff, The Ettes and many
more.
