People often talk about Desert Island Discs, and it always reminds me that I could probably isolate myself there with Stevie Wonder’s 70s catalogue. My two older brothers, dressed in Bicentennial necklaces above hairy chests and and red, white, and blue platforms, took me to Seattle Center on Live Music Sundays to see bands like Overton Berry, Johnny Lewis Quartet, Cold, Bold & Together and of course Cookin’ Bag. But in our trailer court backyard, where middle child Joe and I made our homemade comics (under the “Starlight” brand) we had BBQ’s to this album, which fit In perfectly with the dope smoke and drawing our own characters like Fear and Monsanto (analogs for the Beast from the X-men and a demonic Reed Richards). This album was as cool as the Jesus Christ Superstar OST, my mom’s sigil, and yet also connected to us in all the post-Vietnam vibe of orange and brown. I would later end up doing PR work for Wheedle’s Groove, which seemed like either fate or faith.
Stevie Wonder – ‘Innervisions’ by Chris Estey
