The Oppenheimer Report
My blogs
| Gender | Male |
|---|---|
| Industry | Arts |
| Occupation | Writer, Composer |
| Location | Katrine, Ontario, Canada |
| Introduction | I am a student of humor with so much to learn. Songwriting is my passion and I have written over 150 songs in the past 30+ years. My influences and the writers I respect include, but are not limited to: Bob Dylan, John Prine, Jon Brooks, Noah Zacharin, Stephen Fearing, Jim Croce, Stephen Sondheim, Rodgers and Hart, Harold Arlen, Yip Harburg,Cole Porter, George and Ira Gershwin, Paul Simon, Joni Mitchell, Warren Zevon, Bono, Randy Newman, and of course, Mars Bonfire for writing "Born to be Wild". There are a LOT of great songwriters and lyricists out there, but I am afraid that much of it is eclipsed by the popular music of today. What I love most about good songwriting and good writing in general is that, if even one song sticks (and sometimes that takes decades to happen), it immortalizes the writer. I want to be remembered when I am gone because I have a huge (if dormant) ego. |
| Interests | Songwriting, Writing in General, Photography, Boating, Hiking, Live Music, restoring furniture |
| Favorite Movies | Blood Simple, Dr. Strangelove, Pulp Fiction, Sleeper, ANY Monty Python movie, but especially Meaning of Life and Life of Brian, Local Hero, The Big Chill, Fargo (and really anything by the Coen brothers ... Raising Arizona, The Big Lubowski, etc.) The African Queen, The Wizard of Oz, It's a Wonderful Life, any low budget independent film with smart writing, because let's face it, a lot of what's out there today is crap |
| Favorite Music | Artists: Bobby Cameron, Chris Botti, Paco de Lucia, Danny Gatton, Big Sugar, David Grisman, Mark Knopfler, Colin James, Curtis Salgado, Peter Katz, Doc Watson, Tragically Hip, Mozart ... and almost any artist with exceptional musicians / Albums: Rolling Stones - Begger's Banquet, Spirit - Twelve Dreams of Dr. Sardonicus, The Who - Who's Next, Cat Stevens - Tea for the Tillerman, Bruce Springsteen - Born to Run, Fleetwood Mac - Kiln House, Traffic - John Barleycorn Must Die, The Allman Brothers - Live at Fillmore East, Jimi Hendrix (even the dregs released after his death) but especially Axis Bold as Love, Amanda Marshall's debut album, to name but a few. |
| Favorite Books | Tuesdays with Morrie, Barrel Fever, Naked, Me Talk Pretty One Day (all 3 by David Sedaris), Rants by Dennis Miller, Colbert and Stewart's books, Dave Barry Turns 40. I love reading short stories, probably because I have the attention span of a two year-old |