I tend to read, watch, and listen to a lot of Oldster-adjacent content. Every other Friday (or so!) I’ll pass some of it along to you in a link roundup like this one.
RIP actor James Earl Jones, who died last week at 93. - Eric Pedersen at Deadline.
Also, RIP singer-songwriter J.D. Souther, who wrote hits for The Eagles, Linda Ronstadt, James Taylor and many others, and played record executive “Watty White” on the television series Nashville. - NPR/Associate Press.
This J.D. Souther tune is a favorite of mine:
And, finally, tragically…so long, my dear friend Julie Novak, the only Oldster Magazine Questionnaire-taker (that I know of) who has died. There was absolutely no one like my friend (who hosted a radio program called No One Like You), a brilliant and hilarious performer and artist, and all around force for good in the world. She was just 51. Fuck cancer. There’ll be a memorial this Sunday at 4pm at Willow Kiln Park in Rosendale, NY.
For those in the Atlanta area, this Saturday, 9/21 at 2:45pm I’ll be in conversation with Jessica Handler at the Emory University Festival of Ideas, talking about Oldster and new attitudes toward aging.
“[Paul] Muldoon’s work has been part of the global cultural conversation for half a century now and part of its lasting appeal — for those who soldier on through any initial confusion — can be compared to the pleasure of puzzles.” - In The New York Times, friend of Oldster Magazine Jeff Gordinier reviews Joy in Service on Rue Tragore, the 73-year-old Irish poet’s latest collection.
“Charlotte Jenkins is 81 years old, and she has spent seven of those decades (yes, she began cooking as a child) transforming simple pots of rice into dishes that tell a deep, ancient, and sacred story about where she comes from.” - another piece from Jeff Gordinier, this one about rice and U.S. history, in collaboration with illustrator George McCalman, for Food & Wine, and featuring Charlotte Jenkins, an octogenarian legend of Gullah Geechee cuisine.
“‘Retired professor?’ Eye roll. ‘Writing about aging? Eeew!’” - at Cleaver Magazine, Elizabeth Bird on taking up writing creative nonfiction after retirement. “How I’m Recalibrating for the Third Age.”
“What does it mean to be ‘cool’ after 60, and does it even matter? Amy Rigby is getting to the heart of it on her latest record, Hang in There With Me, expressing the universal feeling that one is always just their younger self trapped in an aging body, looking around wondering, ‘How the hell did I get here?’” - at No Depression, Maeri Ferguson reviews Amy Rigby’s excellent new record, Hang In There With Me. I love all the tracks, but check out this one, “Bricks” with cameos by Rigby’s husband, “Wreckless” Eric Goulden:
“At 67, after four decades of covering fashion, I finally knew how I wanted to dress.” - at NYMag/The Cut, Cathy Horyn writes: “How I Lost (and Found) My Style.”
“They are called supercentenarians, and they have seen it all.” - at The New York Times, Sara Ruberg writes: “Hard Work and Fizzy Drinks: What It Takes to Live Past 110,” featuring obituaries of women who lived past 110.
I usually avoid the entire horror category, but I think I must see The Substance, in which: “A fading celebrity decides to use a black-market drug, a cell-replicating substance that temporarily creates a younger, better version of herself.” Starring Demi Moore, Denis Quaid, and Margaret Qualley.
When you get to the ballot box, please join me (and Taylor Swift and Mel Brooks!) in voting for Harris/Walz, who I publicly endorsed in July. Call me crazy but I’d like to have bodily autonomy and some basic human rights, and the other guys definitely do not want me to have them. (Nor other women, people of color, migrants, the LBGTQ+ community, people with disabilities, other marginalized groups, etc.) - Andrea González-Ramírez at NYMag/The Cut.
Seriously, my very smart political scientist cousin Seth Masket has made it clear this election is going to be a nail-biter. I cannot believe how much is at stake, and that it’s close at all, because WTF?! So vote like your rights (and those of people you love) depend on it, because they really, really do. - Tusk.
Get others on board, too. Bill McKibben’s Third Act has an intergenerational phone-banking opportunity next Thursday, September 26th.
I’ve been a subscriber to The 19th since its inception in 2020, and highly recommend it right now. “This election, it's critical to stay informed. The 19th's briefing on gender, politics, and policy news — including the latest on issues that impact women and LGBTQ+ people — is delivered to your inbox Monday to Friday. Subscribe for rigorous reporting on abortion access, queer rights, and other key issues.”
🚨And now it’s time to put some new music into old ears. 👂 Here’s the monthly Oldster Top 10 by Modern Sounds radio host Cliff Chenfeld: (PS At Oldster’s 3rd birthday party last month, I played the Modern Sounds playlist and everyone loved it. Several guests asked me to share the Spotify link.)
Welcome to the Oldster Top 10, where we listen to hundreds of new songs each month to find some wonderful new tracks from noteworthy artists who may not have caught your attention. It’s hard to find the great new music amongst the tonnage, but we are here to make music discovery much easier for you. You can find all of these songs on the Modern Sounds playlist on Spotify. Enjoy!
Remi Wolf – Cinderella – Throwback funky fun from artist who knows how to start the party..
Kim Deal – Coast – Breeders frontwoman and former Pixies member is back with a solo effort filled with horns and sweet guitars over a melancholy lyric.
Myles Smith – Stargazing – Huge worldwide pop hit sounds like it was written by actual humans rather than hatched in a laboratory by producers and technicians.
Winnetka Bowling League with Medium Build and Dawes – This Is Life – Tuneful, topical and perceptive, this one evokes Fountains of Wayne and Weezer and includes a cool collage of images from Montauk to lost bands of the 2000s.
Eddie 9V – Saratoga – Bluesy, soulful 28 year old guitarist/vocalist nails that timeless rootsy sound.
Rodriguez Jr. – Who Loves The Sun (remix) – If you are curious about the kind of music that permeates Burning Man, this track is representative –hypnotic, electronic, repetitive. Sounds good even when you aren’t in the desert.
Rosali – Rewind – Classic singer-songwriter material with shades of Aimee Mann
Jamie XX – Life – Frothy single from the XX member’s excellent new collection of dance music.
Mk.gee – Alesis – Shiny indie rocker of the moment receiving lots of acclaim for his mash up of genres and sounds.
Hiatus Kayote – Everything’s Beautiful – Often sampled Australian outfit are back with a joyful, bouncy single.
In other news, on Weds., October 2nd I’ll turn 59. On that day I’ll answer the five new questions I’m adding to The Oldster Magazine Questionnaire, and after that I’ll kick off a new series called “Pathway to 60,” in which I’ll write about my hopes, plans, and anxieties as I navigate my way toward my next decade, and the third act of my life. It will be for paying subscribers only, so it’s a good time to jump on board.
Thanks as always to all of you, for reading and thoughtfully commenting, and for supporting Oldster. 🙏 Have a great weekend, everyone.
-Sari
Fantastic round-up!Not only did men wear outfits like that in the 70s, but women too--the flare pantsuit ruled!
I don't know...I grew up in the 70's and I never ever seen a male of any age wear those ridiculous pantsuits.