

Ruben Carbajal spent the first nineteen years of his life praying to get
out of his hometown of Racine, Wisconsin. Now he lives in Bed Stuy
Brooklyn where he spends much of his time talking, thinking, and
writing about Racine, Wisconsin. Examples of this fixation are evident
in the play The Gifted Program, and The World's Best Prom
(co-producer). Ruben is a freelance writer currently at work on a pilot for the web called Strings Attached.
Ain't the internets great? A few months ago, I shared a fantastic music video by director Markus Wambsganss, and wondered what he was up to. Well, he found my little piece of the web, and sent me a link to this equally wonderful video he did for the band Notwist. I can't wait to see this guy make a feature.
You never know who you'll bump into in a New York subway station. Today, I walked past Robyn Hitchcock, a musician I hold in the highest esteem. I didn't see his face at first, but when I noticed a pair of purple pants and a swirling psychedelic shirt, I was certain it was him. Throwing caution to the oncoming C Train, I introduced myself, thanking him for his music. He was extremely cordial. We talked briefly about upcoming shows, including a set in November at Symphony Space. He asked me if I was a musician. When I told him I was a playwright, he paused, and seemed confused. No one ever knows how to respond to that one. I asked him what he was doing in town, and he said, "I pass through here occasionally, like the angel of death." It seemed a very Robyn Hitcockian thing to say, and it was the perfect punctuation to our brief, but unforgettable (for me) meeting.
Some music is inextricably woven into specific places and times in our lives. Destroyer's millennial release, Thief, always brings me back to my month in Athens during the last Olympics. The band's minimalist touch coupled with Dan Bejar's singularly curious but potent lyrics will lead the uninitiated to thoughts of David Bowie's Hunky Dory. For me, the album is a way to instantly relive my days spent on ancient streets, befriending countless stray dogs, rooftop cinemas with views of the Acropolis, and strangely-timed calls home to the woman who would one day be my wife.