I say this because. I meet this old guy on the canal path who paints, Jasper Rose – through talking I find out from the mid 60s he lectured on art history in various universities in the states, finishing in Santa Cruz, CA. Anyway, a while back I asked him if I could take a few photos and I put them on my blog – I must have had a dozen emails from people asking me if this was THE Jasper Rose and how could they contact him etc. So, like they obviously googled his name and found him through me – I’d love to think of her sat somewhere browsing and suddenly finding all this lovely stuff about her.

Fanciful I know – but a nice thought!

“Developing this album was an incredible labor of love, a grass-roots project through and through…Until this year, only a very small handful of people had ever heard of Connie or her work. Much to her family’s delight, she’s now being warmly received by a wide and diverse audience. It’s quite a phenomenon [understatement], and although the mystery of Connie’s disappearance is still somewhat unsettling, the success and reception of Connie’s music has brought real joy to her family, specifically her brother, Phil, her first and oldest fan.”

So that’s pretty goddamned moving. That is something of a ‘happy ending’, Phil. Yes, the sharing of her music, now. And for her family to see how deeply moved people are by it.

I thought the interview with her brother was so touching, the respect he had/has for her privacy – and the reading of her letter at the end. She is probably dead, but, wouldn’t it be crazy if she wasn’t?

Not sure if the story needs an ending – the mystery kinda completes it, the sharing of her music now, just wonderful.

The show was wonderful, so thoughtfully put together – I shall listen again and I will also get the CD.

In the tree
there’s a sort of squirrel thing
Sounds just like we did
when we were quarreling…

I know she has a strong melancholy quality, but she also has a great sense of humour and I just dig that about her.

Yes, her story also reached into me powerfully, into my heart and mind and sort of nested there. I think the guys who run Lauderette Records are thrilled at the response to her music, and in particular how well David Garland’s team made that radio show. They really put her story together beautifully. It really sent me into some deep desire to want to find her, and I don’t mean that entirely literally.

I often ponder about the things I create or at least the photos that I take. As the pile of negatives gets ever higher – what will become of them, do I give a fuck, should I give a fuck?

I found the whole program wonderful, I have listened twice now and feel sure I will again.

Some stories fuck with your head in a way you hadn’t expected. This did.

Thank you.

Oh, I’m not overlooking the music – beautiful.

OK, I’m going down a bunny hole with this one. First the archeology, the find. Then the finding personality with interest enough to decode? Did they have to find a reel-to-reel recorder to play the originals back on? (Note to Rick, How will they find your shit, let alone decode it, if it’s found 50 years from now. And if it’s decoded, who will dissect it enough to state what you’ve said?)

I just hope she is in hiding and will someday soon come back to us and create more music. The same way Cat Stevens did.