TITLE:The Guy Can't Help It! MEDIUM: colored pencil and ink SIZE: 8.25" x 13.25"
Paul McCartney told me he liked Little Richard as much as John liked Chuck Berry. And John said he agreed to do "A Hard Day's Night" because he and all the other teenagers would line up to see Elvis and all the rock n' roll heroes perform on the silver screen -- so, why not do movies? So, I watched "The Girl Can't Help It." I didn't like it like I liked the Beatles' movies -- but I'm a beatlemaniac -- I can't help it. I was, however, mesmerized by one performance. Little Richard shimmied across the floor like a ninja in drag. Years before Tom Wolfe and Lennon, himself, made white their official uniforms, there was Mr.Penniman seemingly possessed by his own music. Wearing a face that would be mimicked by all the New York dolls, Little Richard teased the camera like a serpent with perfect teeth.
After the show, I asked him to dance on his piano as I sketched.
