Michael Eck
Publicist, Proctors Theatre
Residence: Capital District
What television series are you currently watching?
I’m actually not that into TV, even though we’re supposedly having a golden age. But I do let my son, Lakota, an aspiring filmmaker, curate my TV experience. In between him binge watching foreign dramas and horror shows, we are making our way through the third season of “The Killing.” Kind of blows my mind how much Patti Smith refers this to show in her new memoir, “M Train.”
What is the most recent movie you’ve seen?
Lakota and I went to Village East Cinema, in New York, the last week of December to see the roadshow version of Quentin Tarantino’s “The Hateful Eight.” We walked around a lot, hit The Strand bookstore and ate at film and TV-related places like Ben’s Pizza and Katz’s Deli. Enjoyed the film on a visceral level, but if I spend too much time thinking about Tarantino. I get antsy.
Favorite music or musician?
Please. Just one. Can’t do it. I will say that Joe Henry’s 2014 masterpiece “Invisible Hour” is my new desert island disc. Every time I return to it, which is frequently, it brings me new joy and new revelations. It is the “Astral Weeks” of our time.
What are you reading right now and would you recommend it?
Yeah, I’m one of those people who reads a bunch of books at once. Very much enjoying Robert Scotto’s biography of the eccentric composer “Moondog: The Viking of Sixth Avenue.” The history is wonderful, the writing not so much. Another biography, on Kindle for me, is Thomas Kunkel’s “Man in Profile: Joseph Mitchell of The New Yorker.” The history is wonderful, the writing not so much (sound familiar). Richard Polenburg’s “Hear My Sad Story” is a wonderful collection of the true tales behind American folks songs, and I’m using it to shore up my history for Lost Radio Rounders gigs. Finally, I’m loving “Hard Candy,” a collection of Tennessee Williams short stories from 1954. If you can find it, do it.
