Posted by Mountain Fan on 02-26-2007 at12:54:
Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill
Is this the wild parrot population that was partially the inspiration for the title "Donna Nietche and Her Super Race of Kick Boxing Über Parrots"?
I can't remember where I saw or heard it, but I remember wild parrots in CA being mentioned. Maybe it was in the WEWH bookset or interview with Terry?
On the public radio this morning I heard there was some group trying to save the wild parrots of Telegraph Hill in San Francisco because the trees they inhabit were getting old and were going to have to be cut down.
http://www.markbittner.net/
http://www.wildparrotsfilm.com/
Posted by Mountain Fan on 02-27-2007 at20:58:
OK, I figured that these San Fran birds were not the exact ones, so here's the scoop out of the When Everyone Wore Hats bookset. If you don't have it, you still need to buy it. It is most worth it even if you already have Songs of the Heart. You can still get it in the webstore:
http://www.danielamos.com/store/daindex.html
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Donna Nietche And Her Super Race of Kickboxing Uber Parrots
Originally placed as the seventh cut on "Songs", this time out the tune serves to welcome the listener into the world of mystery and wonder that lies ahead. The strange title came about when Tim, Greg, and I were brandishing about fictional rock band names (a lively habit of ours during "downtime" in the studio). We were in the back room at the 'Fabulous Greenroom' when Greg mentioned that he'd spotted the very real flock of wild parrots that fly around Pasadena. The story goes that several years back a male and female parrot escaped a Pasadena home, gave birth to parrot children who in turn mated, producing a sizable family of wild birds. Apparently they are an obnoxiously loud bunch, and are described as being quite "mean". Greg's account gave rise to our "uber" concept, "uber" being a German term which we began immediately riffing on, coming up with the whole "Donna Nietche" idea (a playful combination of actor Don Ameche's name coupled with the infamous philosophers). Parrots as Nazi storm troopers? We had a title, but for what? When I wrote the song, based on Steven Millhauser's "Barnum Museum" I had no working title. "Donna Nietche" seemed fitting. Humorous, yet mysterious, it seemed to capture the essence of the project as a whole.