Glyn Styler

About 2 years ago my friend "the Badger" and myself dropped in at the ZEITGEIST theater to see what was going on. We had read something about a strange singer that should not be missed. As we entered the theater, we noticed everyone going up stairs so we followed on. Once we got upstairs we were met with the sounds of a small string ensemble tuning up. We sat down just in time to see this dark clad gentleman approaching a microphone that was set up amidst the ensemble. He was wearing a black suit, black tie, dark sunshades and had a thick head of hair, styled in a mid 60s mop top cut.

The string ensemble started the first song and this strange singer looked out over the audience with a look of disgust, when he finally approached the mike, a low beautiful, timeless voice poured out of the man! A voice of calm poured out like he was channeling ghosts, yet he maintained an expression of disgust. This contrast was unforgettable! We watched on in amazement. A few songs into the set he spoke, "This next song is a song by someone else none of you probably know", he paused as the music started, then sounding almost annoyed he said "SCOTT WALKER!?" Then like magic he was back to channeling.

When the show was finally over, the Badger and I wanted to go up to this torch song Orpheus and say "We Love Scott Walker" But not knowing how to do that without looking like two dorky girls, we just left. On the way out I looked at the flyer on the theater doors. "AN EVENING WITH GLYN STYLER" That's his name!

A few days later I wrote a song for Glyn, a few months ago I finally gave it to him. After meeting Glyn I found out more about him. The first thing I learned was that I was not the first to write a song for Styler, as a matter of fact, RAY DAVIES wrote a song for him! What else do Ray and I have in common? Two songs written for a man who has NO plans of ever doing either song!!
I also found out that Glyn had done an album with his friend LYDIA LUNCH and also had a cd out called "Glyn Styler LIVE AT THE MERMAID !" I thought the Mermaid was just for loud music!

Later I went to see Styler at the Mermaid and he was with a loud band this time! He was wild! The same suit, the same look of disgust but this time he was in full angst, raging and screaming.

After meeting with him and realizing it was okay to play him my "strange" music, I found out that Styler was no traditionalist at all, he actually preferred my more eclectic songs like "DECORATE" as opposed to the gentle, traditional sounding, anti-love ballad I wrote for him called "THE FORTUNATE FEW."

The man is also a self educated scholar of the neglected genius, his cd collection is a monument to that. He is not one of those fake artists that pretends like they never listen to other artists because he doesn't want their art to influence him. He will tell you to your face: "JOHN CALE is great!" " I saw WHITE WITCH live back in the 70's! " "IGGY is beautiful don't you think?" "LAURA NYRO is darker than DIAMANDA GALAS!" " Do you like STEELY DAN?" " Nothing grounds me like VAN MORRISON", " I just ordered some CLAUDINE LONGET cds", " WHAT do you mean you never bought any albums by The 5th DIMENSION? I thought you were into the 60's?!" And as he says all of this, I can't help but be amused at the STREISAND LP hanging on his wall! Right next to the NICO sketch!!

So what is my point?! Simply this, I highly recommend that everyone keep an ear out for Glyn Styler. I know he is currently working on a new album. He's also starring in a Doris Wishman film!! and still appears live on occasions.. when he feels like he can stand being in the presence of the human race. (Which isn't that often).