gene pitney (1961-2006)

he died this week, a writer and a producer. he did several songs that are the absoulute the best of pop, songs that i think are better, more complicated, sadder, and better constructed then any in the beatles/stones/kinks/yardbirds access, but songs that were sung by women.

hes a rebel is my favourite i think, sung by the crystals, because what is considered a rebel is someone who is prepared, through the veil of butch posturing and masculinity, to hold hands...it sounds ridicilous, but so accurate, strangely accurate--like when they say he hit me and it felt like a kiss, which sounds like the be all of apologetics for masculine violence, but for women ive heard saying as much.

pitney went on to handle northern soul, work with marc almond, and find a career elsewhere, but listen to the second verse of hes a rebel, you dont have to eat babies or worship satan, just need to find the love of one good woman.