THINGS OUGHT TO CHANGE THE STORY BEHIND IT
THE AUDIO
LOCATIONS:
Dan Studio Center Valley Pa - The Lodge NYC
CREDITS:
DAVID PRESTI - Management
JIM WEIDER - Producer
Mastered by Emily Lazar - The Lodge
THE BAND - Linda Lapf Franklin, Singer songwriter & Acoustic guitar - Mike Kemp base - Dan McKinney keyboards - Jim Weider , Telecaster - Randy Ciarlante, drums - John Anthony Franklin Mandolin. Harmonica
THE VIDEO
LOCATIONS:
JACKSON HOLE, WYOMING -
Rendezvous Mountain
CREDITS:
LIN & JOHN - Cinematography
JOHN ANTHONY FRANKLIN - Camera
TOBY RYMKUS - Film Editor
Making the Best of a Bad shitsuation
So if you’ve been following the stories of shifting times that were happening back in 2007, you’ll be able to jump into the beginning of this part of the story. Let's do a quick catch-up. I had been scouting for the next new, inspiring place for us to land, move our lives and reinvent. I flew out to Jackson Hole Wyoming, Lin’s old, stomping ground. Looking for possibilities of networking, my architectural design into opportunities, so that we could move out to the Rocky Mountains. I rented a car and was staying at a local hotel in town. It was very cold, I believe the temperature got down to five above zero that night. I had been out having dinner by myself as Lin had stayed back home East. After two glasses of wine, with dinner I was heading back to my hotel room driving through town, making sure to obey speed limits, turn signals, and traffic lights. Turns out my rental car had a bad tail light. I was about 100 yards away from my hotel when police lights started swirling into the back of my car and pulled me over. They asked me if I’d been drinking and I told them that I had been out to dinner and that my hotel room was right there and I pointed to it as I said that I had some wine with dinner. They made me get out of the car and do a sobriety test. I blew half of a point over their limit. They booked me and took me to the police station and put me under arrest. It was a holiday weekend on a Friday night and I was not able to post any bail. I was allowed one phone call which I made to Lin. They proceeded to put me into a cell with two Mexican young men that did not speak any English and were very rough. Since they had the cell before me they were sleeping in the two bunks and I had to sleep on the floor. It turned out that because it was a holiday weekend I would not be arraigned until the following Tuesday - remember it’s Friday. I spent three nights in a 10 x 10 cell with two angry Mexicans. Bright florescent lights, full-on, all the time which was in itself a form of torcher. I did my best. Come Monday after sleeping in the same clothes for four days and not having any warm clothing with me, cops put ankle cuffs and handcuffs on me and tied us all together with a total of 15 other cellmates. The law officers marched us through town on like we were on display on that cold February day three blocks to the courthouse.
I went up before the judge, he set my bail at $10,000 which I posted 1,000 from a credit card. Mind you, I had been published in national magazines for my work and the commerce that I was attempting to bring to this now tourist trap. Jackson Hole, what use to be a dirt road town with a saloon or two.
After setting bail they let me go and I went to Paul and Marylyn Hartman‘s home and stayed with them before I flew back to Pennsylvania. As a part of the sentencing, they actually made me come back to Jackson to do a week's worth of DYI classes which I did however, this time Lin came back with me. We stayed at the Spring Creek Ranch and made this video. I shot clips of the video before or after attending the DUI classes. We rented a good pro camera from some nice local film company for 1,000 bucks for the week. I didn’t have any first-hand experience with how to use it. I just had been around cameras, through a lot of life, and I have a good idea of what would make a good shot. So we went all over Jackson, visiting all her old stomping grounds, singing this amazing song about how Things Ought to Change.
Let’s not forget about the music. Lin wrote this great song so we got a great record producer, Jim Weider. A man no stranger to the music business. After the exit of Robbie Robertson from the band, The Band, Yes that’s right, THE BAND. Jim, a young, aspiring guitar player was commissioned to take his place, while the rest of the members continued their musical legacy. He played with THE BAND for Over 30 years touring all over the world, singing famous songs, playing guitar, and then he stayed with us at our farm in Pennsylvania while we made the recording with the rest of the band he brought with him down from Woodstock NY where he lived. It was great to get to know Jim during that week. He's a great guy, a gentle spirit who loves a good glass of wine as we do. We shared a lot of stories. Had a lot of fun and made a lot of great music. Thanks, Jim, Randy, and Mike for a great record and a great song.