I cannot recommend enough this 2007 Vanity Fair article regarding the genesis of Rufus Wainwright — stay with me.
Not only is it packed with details about Rufus’s drug binges (“He sat on the toilet for four hours before crouching in the corner, wearing a red Miu Miu peacoat”), it paints his dad, the folk singer Loudon, as a illustrious candidate for a place on the list of the Worst Semi-Notable People Ever.
Here’s Loudon, talking about art:
Now we’ve stumbled onto the big, important question: Is it necessary to feel like shit in order to be creative? I’d say the answer is yes—unless you’re J. S. Bach.
And talking about parenting while doing art:
‘You know, Pounie,’”—Pounie is Martha [Wainwright's] family nickname—”‘I think I had to do it this way. I think I had to let you guys go in order to be Loudon Wainwright, and I’m sorry, but I think I had to do it that way.’”
And his feelings on love:
When Loudon wrote his first song about [his ex-wife] Kate, it was not some sappy declaration of love everlasting, but something murkier, perhaps tinged with envy, called “Saw Your Name in the Paper.”
In conclusion, make your own conclusion! What do I know about parenting? See you in the comments section.
**Addendum, 8/11** All above said, Attempted Mustache is one of the most brilliant album titles in the history of album titles.
2 thoughts on New York: day 338
Loudon, impressed with what Rufus was up to, had the bright idea of taking his son on the road as his opening act. “The first night, I didn’t go over too well,” Rufus says. “His audience was a little rowdy, and the angry middle-aged men were there. But by the third night, I developed a thick skin and really did a great show. After that, my father came to me and said, ‘We’re never doing a show together again.’ He felt threatened.”
Dear Mrs. Finnegan,
I know this is weird but I’m really desperate. My name is Morgan Young. I have contributed to the Huffington Post before with the Eyes an Ears section, but my previous contact has become unavailable recently and I have a great story idea about a WWI memorial dedicated to Black veterans that’s interactive. The kicker is that its in WV, the only one of its kind, and its run by students. My partner and I would really like to write the article for your section. I tried to find your email address but had no luck. If you could please respond to this comment or email me at myoungwvu@gmail.com, I would be eternally grateful. Thank your time.