It took me years to appreciate this man. I never knew what the big deal was about him during the 60's when Bill Graham used to rave about him in Rolling Stone. I didn't get it. Then one day, I realized I loved all his stuff. I had an epiphany, I guess. Brown-eyed girl. No one can sing that and make it sound good. He did.... speaking of brown eyes.... oh wait, I might get penaltied if I dare post the Trump sphincter mouth picture.
So, just imagine my sick mind at work.....
Bill Graham Passes
The night they shut the Fillmore West down: music, nostalgia and basketball Concert promoter Bill Graham poses for a portrait in 1967 in San Francisco, California. Michael Ochs Archives/Getty By David Felton August 5, 1971 Bill Graham and I are both Capricorns, both left-handed, both Jewish, both lovable, warm people. —Judi Land, senior salesgirl at the Fillmore West concession stand
Like many people whose faces resemble caricatures or, perhaps, masks, Bill Graham appears almost too familiar upon first live encounter, a bit too close to the news photo version. Unnerving. At least that's how it seemed June 29th, the night of the last Fillmore West in-house basketball game, audition and surprise jam. Though wearing an official purple Fillmore West jersey and matching trunks, Graham was instantly recognizable from his famous cartoon features — the terrifying arched eyebrows, the reptilian lines connecting his larger-than-life nose and mouth. It's one of those high-contrast faces that can be xeroxed with amazing accuracy. Try it.
His reputation, too, is something of a caricature, a legend of immoderate energy and temperament, and this also made him recognizable that Tuesday night as he dribbled, coached and hollered up and down the strangely bright Fillmore West basketball court.
To Graham, a man of excellent form for 40 years, nothing is "just a game." Someone mentioned the phrase to him at a basketball game two years ago and he bellowed, "Are you outa your f*ck*ng mind? Why play if you're gonna lose?"
Randy D 