The Salesman (Live)-Laurie Anderson

[ti:The Salesman(live版)] [ar:Laurie Anderson] [al:The Ugly One With The Jewels And Other Stories] [by:] [offset:0] [00:00.00]The Salesman (Live) - Laurie Anderson [00:05.50]Now the book is called Stories from the Nerve Bible [00:08.07] [00:09.45]And what I mean by the Nerve Bible is the body [00:13.52] [00:15.10]And parts of the body appear and disappear [00:17.81]Throughout the book adding up to a kind of [00:21.08]Self-portrait although not a very naturalistic one [00:24.58] [00:25.78]And I used the word Bible in the title of this book [00:29.45] [00:30.22]Because the first really strange stories [00:32.38]I remember hearing were Bible stories [00:35.61] [00:36.78]And these stories were completely amazing: [00:40.00] [00:40.71]About parting oceans and talking snakes [00:44.72] [00:45.73]And people really seemed to believe these stories [00:48.73] [00:49.66]And I'm talking about adults [00:52.93] [00:53.68]Adults who mainly just did the most mundane [00:56.07]Things imaginable: mowing their lawns [00:59.63] [01:00.52]And throwing potluck parties; [01:02.15] [01:03.20]They all believed in these wild stories [01:06.42] [01:07.44]And they would sit around and discuss [01:09.64]Them in the most matter-of-fact way [01:11.84] [01:13.30]So in a way I was introduced to a special local [01:16.93]Form of surrealism at an early age and so [01:22.60]There was always a question in my mind about [01:25.82]What's actually true and what is just another art form [01:32.05] [01:34.51]Now I've always been intere [01:35.46]Sted in trying to define what makes up the late [01:38.35]Twentieth century American [01:40.00]For example and so as an artist [01:44.24] [01:44.82]I've always thought my main job was to be a spy [01:49.94] [01:51.03]To use my eyes and ears [01:53.88] [01:54.48]And find some of the answers [01:56.15] [01:58.43]For example I like to hang [02:00.48]Around the banks of [02:01.27]Phones in airports one of my favorite listening posts [02:05.54] [02:06.33]And eavesdrop on conversations [02:08.38] [02:09.92]Now I usually travel on the [02:11.16]Same schedule as salesmen [02:13.08] [02:13.78]And after lunch these guys call into the main office [02:18.88]And I just stand there at the phones listening in [02:22.43] [02:23.37]And taking notes for my portrait of the Am [02:27.84] [02:31.88]Oh Frank Listen Frank You know [02:39.13]I hate to say this about Brad [02:42.35] [02:43.21]I mean we both know he's got a heck of a job [02:45.80] [02:46.47]Ya ya Oh you're so right [02:50.17] [02:51.95]But you know we both know that Brad [02:54.12]Isn't pulling his weight [02:56.63] [02:57.29]You know what I mean And I'm not saying this [03:00.80]Just because we're both up for the [03:02.73]Same Safeway account [03:05.48] [03:07.03]So this book is really a collection [03:09.91]Of voices and stories [03:11.90] [03:12.61]As well as portraits of people [03:15.10] [03:15.80]That I've met along the way