First Interview Ever

was with this guy...

Ronnie
Van Zandt






(picture taken by me @1973)
I helped put together our radio station in high school and one of my duties was to write to all of the record companies and ask them for service. One who did give us service was MCA. In 1973, these long haired southern guys released their first album and we got a copy. If I am not mistaken, we also got copies of "The Groundhogs","Mose Jones" and "Wishbone Ash", all were on MCA. In September of 1973, Lynyrd Skynyrd opened for ZZ Top in Davenport and the MCA record guy at the time got me backstage with Ronnie. I asked him why he was barefoot onstage and he said it was because he wanted to feel the stage burn. I remember thinking how young he was, not much older than me. I wish I still had that interview today. The sad thing is, I really don't remember when I lost it. After opening for ZZ Top, the Who asked them to open on their American tour, not bad.From that day forward, I was a fan and I genuinely hurt the day the plane went down. One of those days that I will always remember where I was when I heard the news. Yes, I know they were rednecks, but damn, they could really play. With all of that in mind, I present my top five Skynyrd songs:
"I Never Dreamed"
"Seasons"
"I Know A Little"
"I Need You"
"That Smell"
I thought "Street Survivors" was their masterpiece and then they were done.

My Last Weigh In of 2005...

was at the Y after playing basketball today...198 pounds. Good Lord, at the beginning of this year I weighed 183. So, my first New Years resolution is to lose 25 next year. Let's see how I do, it's only a half a pound a week. No sweat, right? Right.

Brush With Greatness Part Deux

Yes, that would be Gene Simmons and myself at the Hooters on Craig Road in St. Louis. That was when I did mornings with Smash at KSHE and our producer on the show used to be their manager or something like that. This was 1992 I believe. We used to do morning shows on the road. He seemed like a good guy, liked to laugh a lot. Well...duh, who wouldn't in his shoes?

I WISH I WAS THERE!!!

I have lived in Denver when it has snowed like this. Give me a house about 9,000 feet up somewhere around Estes or Breckinridge, some tunes, wine, some Rossingnol 140s and watch me be thrilled.
It really doesn't get any better than that.

A week of nothing..a nothing week.

But, it's alright. I wanted to do nothing so the time off would last longer. It's the way I think. I have played basketball three times (and am I really sore)and watched the local holiday high school tournaments. I love going to them and like to do that each year between Christmas and New Year.
On Tuesday I saw two games, and I did last night too. I am always comforted to know that just about anyone under the sun comes to see these games. Last night, I saw white guys hugging black guys, black guys hugging white guys, tall guys, short women, young girls, old guys and midgets. I am rooting for two teams, big bad Webster Groves (the rival from the suburb next door)and Kirkwood (our boys). Webster is the favorite and the final four has Kirkwood in it. The farm boys from Troy Mo are there along with a Hazelwood school. Other than that,I went to the bank, out to eat and been a slug sleeping in. It's good for the soul to sometimes do nothing except be with the family.

Post Number 150!

"Do what you can, with what you have, where you are."-Teddy Roosevelt

My house...in the middle of the street

From the satellite, here's my house. Cool, huh?