Radio Papesse

This week Radia Show is brought to us by Worm Radio. In may 2012, WORM RADIO invited Truus de Groot to make a radioplay in the worm studio, especially for the RADIA network. So this is what she made of it.

An autobiographical opera by Truus de Groot about her earliest years in the US. Dealing with the isolation and loneliness through her ongoing often humorous audio observations that she has collected over the years.

The piece starts out with Truus reading from her Diary in 1980, shortly before her departure to the US. Just minor observations of a 20 year old, nothing special yet a moment in time. Not really a clue she would be going to the US mere months later, never to call the Netherlands her home again.

It was an adventure looking back for her, but at that time these were just impulsive decisions. Never thinking twice, why am I doing this? Is there future here??  What will I do? Her first stop was a connection she made on a whim in Eindhoven, David Linton, who lived in Tribeca, NY. His roommate was Lee Renaldo, who was at that time painting. From there her US journey began.

In her isolation she could see the absurd humor of a culture that was so new to her. The many hours spent just looking at people, their silly habits, crazy public fights, moody encounters, make this opera a time capsule of sorts. It also conveys her frustrations of being harassed endlessly by the prying eyes of males that feasted their eyes on a beautiful yet naive young immigrant. 

However bothersome that might have been, Truus always translated it into humorous musical reflections. It is not dark yet perhaps a bit cynical, but full of irony.

Credits

Written by Truus de Groot (aka Geertruda De Groot Hrnjak) 2012
Truus Makes Waves
An Autobiographical opera by Truus de Groot

With:
Johnny Dowd - presenter
Solex (aka  Elisabeth Esselink) - Instrumentation on NY NY
Kathy Ziegler - Bontempi Organ on Toilet Dame
Analog Synthesizers sounds from Worm

Timeline

• Intro by Johnny Dowd
• Truus reads from Diary from 1980 (actual recording from 1980)
• Truus reads from Diary from 1979
• Song:  Done Me wrong Blues (recorded at WORM 2012)
• Hoboken Street argument - (actual recording from 1983)
• Song:  Hoboken Runaround - recorded in Hoboken 1983
• Song:  NY NY - written in 1983 (recorded at WORM 2012) instrumentation by Solex
• Song:  Seven Rounds  (recorded  at WORM 2012)
• Song: Hoboken dirty Kids - (actual recording from 1983)
• Song: Hector - (actual recording from 1987)
• Strange Phone call - From Truus' strange phone call collection
• Song: Unlikely Crush - (recorded at WORM 2012)
• Song: Toilet Dame - (recorded at WORM 2012)
• Closing words by Johnny Dowd