Dude, that song just sucked!

I can’t tell which is funnier, this long-hated cheesebag-anthem turned into a much more interesting, atonal mess in front of thousands of paying customers or the hilarious soldiering on of the Van Halens as they look at each other from inside the trainwreck. Eddie tries to transpose on the fly and match the wildly fucked up keyboards but the great thing there is the difference in pitch is non-musical - about 1.5 semitones sharp. So there’s no frets he can choose to fix the problem! And Wolfgang is 13? Jeez, he's bigger and taller than Eddie.
I would say, the pre recorded synsthesizers are a bit out of pitch, but that's just me. Hope you guys get it fixed before St. Louis. Ick

Three From My Childhood.

Three people very popular with my mother and therefore important figures in my childhood died this week.
RIP Theresa Brewer

Theresa Brewer was born on May 7, 1931 in Toledo, Ohio and starting at five years of age was touring with the "Major Bowes Amateur Hour," a popular radio show of the era.Changing her name to Teresa Brewer, at 16 years of age she appeared on a talent show called “Stairway to the Stars” and two years later was recording with London Records where her “Music, Music, Music” topped the Hit Parade in February of 1950.Signed by Coral Records Teresa’s “Til I Waltz Again With You” gave her a second #1 hit in 1953, followed by another chart topper, “Ricochet” in November of that year. Recording more than 600 songs during her career, Teresa Brewer visited the Hit Parade numerous times. Among her hits were “Sweet Old Fashioned Girl”, “Bo Weevil”, “Jilted”,“A Tear Fell” and “Mutual Admiration Society”. Her versions of “Pledging My Love”, “Empty Arms”, “Tweddle Dee” and “Let Me Go, Lover” also were hits. During her career, she played most of the major night clubs in New York, Chicago, Las Vegas and elsewhere and was presented with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.At her home in New Rochelle, New York, with her four daughters at her bedside,Teresa Brewer died on October 17, 2007, she was 76 years of age. Visit Teresa Brewer’s fan club website here.
Joey Bishop
AKA Joseph Abraham Gottlieb
Born: 3-Feb-1918Birthplace: Bronx, NYDied: 17-Oct-2007Location of death: Newport Beach, CACause of death: Natural Causes
Gender: MaleReligion: JewishRace or Ethnicity: WhiteSexual orientation: StraightOccupation: Comic, Actor
Nationality: United StatesExecutive summary: Rat Pack member
Joey Bishop grew up in South Philadelphia, and started his comedy career doing vaudeville. Still known as Joey Gottlieb, he was briefly in a comedy group that called itself "The Bishop Trio", named for the group's driver. When the act broke up, Bishop kept the name for himself.
His sitcom, The Joey Bishop Show, ran from 1961-65, with Bishop playing a showbiz schmooze-type who (in the second season) became host of a TV talk show. When he hosted a talk show in real life, also called The Joey Bishop Show (1967-69), his sidekick and comic foil was the young Regis Philbin. As a running gag, Bishop routinely needled Philbin on the air, but the gags ended when Regis stalked off the set during a live broadcast, and stayed away for several days.
Bishop seems generally the least-remembered member of the Rat Pack, five cool stars and pals of the 1950s and 60s (the other four were Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis, Jr., and Peter Lawford). He appeared in the Rat Pack movies Oceans Eleven (1960) and Sergeants Three (1962). He said or did something that annoyed Sinatra (it's unclear exactly what) and was booted from the pack while their next film, (Robin and the Seven Hoods), was in pre-production. Rat Pack
TELEVISION The Joey Bishop Show Joey Barnes (1961-65)
FILMOGRAPHY AS ACTOR Mad Dog Time (8-Nov-1996) Betsy's Wedding (22-Jun-1990) The Delta Force (14-Feb-1986) Valley of the Dolls (15-Dec-1967) Who's Minding the Mint (26-Sep-1967) A Guide for the Married Man (25-May-1967) Texas Across the River (26-Oct-1966) Johnny Cool (2-Oct-1963) Sergeants 3 (10-Feb-1962) Pepe (21-Dec-1960) Himself Ocean's Eleven (10-Aug-1960) Onionhead (1-Oct-1958) The Naked and the Dead (6-Aug-1958)

Deborah KerrA cultured actress renowned for her elegance and dignity, Deborah Kerr was one of the leading ladies of Hollywood's Golden Age. Born Deborah Kerr-Trimmer in Helensburgh, Scotland, on September 30, 1921, she was first trained as a dancer at her aunt's drama school in Bristol, England. After winning a scholarship to the Sadlers Wells Ballet School, Kerr made her London stage debut at age 17 in Prometheus. Meanwhile, she developed an interest in acting and began getting bit parts and walk-ons in Shakespeare productions. While continuing to appear in various London stage plays, Kerr debuted onscreen in 1940 and went on to roles in a number of British films over the next seven years, often playing cool, reserved, well-bred young ladies. Her portrayal of a nun in Black Narcissus (1947) earned a New York Film Critics Best Actress award and led to an invitation from Hollywood to co-star opposite Clark Gable in The Hucksters. She remained in Hollywood, playing long-suffering, prim, proper, ladylike types until 1953, when she broke her typecast mold by portraying a passionate adulteress in From Here to Eternity, a part for which she had fought. Kerr's range of roles broadened further after that, and she began to appear in British films again. In 1953, Kerr debuted on Broadway to great acclaim in Tea and Sympathy, later reprising her role in the play's 1956 screen version. That same year, she starred as an English governess sent to tutor the children of the King of Siam in one of the most popular films of her career, The King and I. Kerr retired from the screen in 1969, having received six Best Actress Oscar nominations without an award, although she did receive an honorary Oscar in 1994. She had been honored with a special BAFTA award three years earlier in Britain, and, in 1998, she was further honored in her native land with a Companion of the Order of the British Empire. Kerr, who graced the screen one more time in the The Assam Garden in 1985, is married to novelist/screenwriter Peter Viertel. A cultured actress renowned for her elegance and dignity, Deborah Kerr was one of the leading ladies of Hollywood's Golden Age. Born Deborah Kerr-Trimmer in Helensburgh, Scotland, on September 30, 1921, she was first trained as a dancer at her aunt's drama school in Bristol, England. After winning a scholarship to the Sadlers Wells Ballet School, Kerr made her London stage debut at age 17 in Prometheus. Meanwhile, she developed an interest in acting and began getting bit parts and walk-ons in Shakespeare productions. While continuing to appear in various London stage plays, Kerr debuted onscreen in 1940 and went on to roles in a number of British films over the next seven years, often playing cool, reserved, well-bred young ladies. Her portrayal of a nun in Black Narcissus (1947) earned a New York Film Critics Best Actress award and led to an invitation from Hollywood to co-star opposite Clark Gable in The Hucksters. She remained in Hollywood, playing long-suffering, prim, proper, ladylike types until 1953, when she broke her typecast mold by portraying a passionate adulteress in From Here to Eternity, a part for which she had fought. Kerr's range of roles broadened further after that, and she began to appear in British films again. In 1953, Kerr debuted on Broadway to great acclaim in Tea and Sympathy, later reprising her role in the play's 1956 screen version. That same year, she starred as an English governess sent to tutor the children of the King of Siam in one of the most popular films of her career, The King and I. Kerr retired from the screen in 1969, having received six Best Actress Oscar nominations without an award, although she did receive an honorary Oscar in 1994. She had been honored with a special BAFTA award three years earlier in Britain, and, in 1998, she was further honored in her native land with a Companion of the Order of the British Empire. Kerr, who graced the screen one more time in the The Assam Garden in 1985, is married to novelist/screenwriter Peter Viertel. Kerr, who in recent years had Parkinson's disease, died Tuesday in Suffolk, in eastern England, her agent, Anne Hutton, said Thursday in London. She was 86.

October 20 1977

The first interview I ever attempted was in 1973, when a shy skinny kid met another shy skinny kid. My high school radio station signed on in September of 1973. Before then, we wrote to all of the record companies and asked them to send us product. MCA responded with sending us "Pronounced Lynyrd Skynyrd" and Wishbone Ash. Later that year LS opened up for ZZ Top in Davenport. I called the MCA office and arranged an interview with Ronnie Van Zant. I was later told we were the only station that asked for an interview. I was never so frightened in my life and he wasn't very at ease either. He thought it was EXTREMELY cool that the high school had a radio station. It became a better interview after that. I was amazed at how young he looked. LS blew ZZ off the stage and that was hard to do back then. They became superstars with "Secong Helping" and the rest is history. On October 20 1977, I was living and working in Muscatine Iowa playing just about anything I wanted at 99+Stereo, KFMH. While on the air one morning, the AP and UPI teletype machines went crazy with the word that their plane had went down and there were fatalities. I really liked the band but the latest two releases "Nuthin Fancy" and "Gimme Back My Bullets" were unfocused and sloppy. They were in a rut. "Street Survivors" was ther rebirth. They sounded happy, reigned it and very very tight. I played it a lot on the air when we first got the LP. My favorite song was "I Never Dreamed" and next was "I Know A Little". All of us on staff were amazed at how good the band had become again. Then, they were gone. That was the first time I had ever interviewed anyone who had died. The music world is still effected by their influence. Look how big these guys are with rock and country listeners. They would have been superstars. October 20, 1977, I remember it very well.

RIP Ronnie, Steve and Cassie

Randy's One Hit Wonder

Every once in a while one song from a certain band will grab me. that doesn't necessarily mean I will like the rest of the material, but, nonetheless dig that one song. Here is one that I just heard.

"Burning House of Love" by X

The first picture is of them in 1985 when the song was recorded. If I am not mistaken, KSHE played this in the beginning of 1986. The above picture is them today, same guys, same band. Impressive. I always thought they were a bit too punk for me, but the one song is nothing but snarling, cooking rock and roll and still on my playlist today. Apparently the band is still together and doing gigs in the LA area. Named after the lead singer Exene Cervenka, X also features John Doe on guitar. "Burning House of Love" is about all this band had, to me anyway. Great song!

Robert Duvall

This could be a "Brush With Greatness" deal, but I don't have the actual proof that I met him, so be it. Charlie Brennan interviewed Robert Duvall this morning. There was great commotion. My sales bud Sherman and I tried to corral him in the building but couldn't. We thought he went out the back way. I had an appointment (that I postponed becasue of Charlie's great interview), so I left via the front door. As I am leaving the building, someone has stopped Mr. Duvall to get a picture, right in front of me. Me, not being shy, I walk up to him and I say, "Mr. Duvall, I just want to say thank you." "No, thank you", he replied. "Uh, no sir, thank you for your body of work", I said. "Well, thanks", he said and that was that. It's a mystery world, ain't it? How fun. Robert Duvall. Damn.

The Website "AOR Channel"

My juke box for album tracks pulled this one on me this Friday night...

"Unchained" by Van Halen
"Children of The Sun"-Billy Thorpe
"Broken Arrow"-Robbie Robertson
"I Hear You Now"-Jon and Vangelis
"Tragedy"-Argent
"Whenever You Are On My Mind"-Marshall Crenshaw

I couldn't have programmed it better myself.

Don Daniels

What you are about to read is what us radio people know as ratings. This is for the Kansas City market. This is what we call the summer "book". The bible that is Arbitron. My point is take a look at who made the one of the largest gains.

#30 Kansas City, MO
Updated 10/19/2007
Summer '07 ARBITRON Quarterly Report
12+ Mon-Sun, 6a-12mid
Pop: 1,553,300
Station Format Owner Fall 06 Win 07 Spr 07 Sum 07
KPRS Urban Carter 6.7 6.4 6.5 7.4
KCMO Classic Hits Cumulus Partners 4.5 5.6 4.7 5.7
KFKF Country Wilks 4.1 5.2 5.4 5.2
KMXV Top 40/M Wilks 4.0 4.5 4.7 5.2
KMBZ-A News Entercom 5.1 4.8 5.8 5.0

Yeah, that would be KCMO FM programmed by one of the best in the business, Don Daniels. Don hired me in 2002 to do mornings at KCFX (the flagship station of the Chiefs). His philosophy was very forward thinking at the time. Maybe ahead of his time. When I walked in the door, he said basically..."you know what you are doing, now go do it...we'll meet everyday but you da man." The morning show went from 12th to 6th in about a little longer than a year. New management comes in, Don is transferred and not long after that I am gone. How I miss working for a guy like that. I tip my cap and take a drink for Don Daniels (not his real name) and the love and admiration he inspires in his people. He is successful because he believes in one simple rule..treat others as you would want to be treated. I would work in Bozeman Montana just to work for him again. Congratulations, my brother!!!

More top 100

Being motivated by another survey in a previous post about the top 100 albums of all time, I have decided to create my own. I am doing them in reverse alphabetical order, and there are no greatest hits compilations allowed. The list starts with ZZ Top on a previous post and then continues. This is post number 3 on the subject. And now, on with the show... This CD got me through a nasty summer last year. This is the latest addition to the list of 100. Stevie Williams is a bass player from Manchester UK. I got exposed to this release last year while working at the internet jazz station that Dvaid Meyers headed. I immediately fell in love, it took my CD player captive and it didn't let go till I hit Nashville. From the title track to "Low Fi", Every thing on this CD really cooks. Tasty arrangements and wonderfully crafted tunes make this a late entry into the top 100. This is the best release of 2007 from someone you have never heard of.

Performance A That's a bass? Really?

Songs B+ Just as tasty as could possibly be. Who is this guy?

Sound A "Lo Fi" with its intended record scratches is a very nice touch. Well done.

Production B+ Crisp, clean and mean

Staying Power B- Who knows? No one knows this guy anyway.

Continuity B+ Maybe one song. Maybe. You should have seen the look on my fathers face when I brought THIS one home. He took one look at the cover and shook his head. "Frankenstein" did not sound like anything else being played on the radio. Holy cow, what was that sound? Everyone I knew loved the song and the big bad synthesizer deal. I loved Ronnie Montrose's playing, Dan Hartman's singing and the rest of the package. well produced, well done and just a damn fun record when you were 17. "Free Ride" is everywhere and maybe the best Doobie Brothers song ever. "Hangin' Around " summed up to me what this album was about. Fun stuff and my first exposure to Ronnie Montrose. He rocks and so does Edgar on this one. Too bad their weren't more hits, there should've been.

Performance A "we all had a real good time.."

Soungs and songwriters B- tight ass power pop here

Sound A Rick Derringer produced it.

Production A- Very well done. Sounded great on the 8 track.

Staying power A Are ya kidding me?

Continuity B+ "Autumn" was about the only filler tune.

This may be one of the classiest recordings ever. How can a guy keep re-inventing himself over and over? He took a break after recording "Talking Back To The Night" in 1982 and then blew my face out with this. There is really not one bad song on this album. A stunning example of a craftsman at his finest and counting on his friends (Joe Walsh, Nile Rogers, Chaka Khan), to bring out the best in him. Funk (Higher Love), rock and roll (Freedom Overspill), one of my top 25 songs of all time (The Finer Things) and heartache (My Love's Leavin) make this one of the best albums of the last 25 years.

Performance A+ Top notch musicianship everywhere here

Songwriting A Exquisite stuff with great variety.

Sound A Bingo almost perfect, Also available on MFSL gold disc.

Production A Steve and Russ Titelman produced this

Staying Power B+ Should be better than this, but only "Finer Things" gets much airplay

Continuity A+ Absolutely no filler. Nada

Bubbling Under The Top 100
Steve Winwood-Arc of a Diver
Johnny Winter-Still Alive and Well

Baseball

As much as Major League Baseball tries to pull me out of my love for the game, something happens that pulls me back in. The possiblitity of a Colorado/Cleveland World Series thrills me to no end. I hope no one (other than baseball fans) tune in. That's what MLB gets for being greedy enough to relegate the NL Divisional and Championship Series to TB(fuggin)S. Baseball sold more tickets than ever this year, but that doesn't matter, it will continue to shoot itself in the foot when it comes to broadcast rights. TBS? Not even ESPN? WTF? Still, true baseball fans like me will be glued to the action because these have been the two best teams in the playoffs. The Rockies may have one of the best defenses ever (that's the stuff that wins games). They certainly have my favorite manager (see post below). What is not to like about Cleveland? They beat the Yankees. 'nuff said. And if you, Manny Ramirez pulled the shit you pulled last night with any pitcher from the 60s or 70s, you would have a baseball in your ear next time up. If you would have done that with Gibson, he would have tackled your ass by the time you got to first base and beat you with his glove. Or, at least the next guy up would have paid for your stupid fucking pompous ass gesture with your team losing. Prick. Do what Matt Holliday did. Hit the home run. Run the bases.

So, I am rooting for a Denver/Cleveland Series. I have been to both cities. Denver wins by an avalanche (I kill me). Go Cleveland!!!

I Was Kyle

This is an old story, but I love it. Enjoy it if you haven't heard it before...

We all know or knew someone like this!! One day, when I was a freshman in high school, I saw a kid from my class was walking home from school. His name was Kyle. It looked like he was carrying all of his books. I thought to myself, "Why would anyone bring home all his books on a Friday? He must really be a nerd." I had quite a weekend planned (parties and a football game with my friends tomorrow afternoon), so I shrugged my shoulders and went on. As I was walking, I saw a bunch of kids running toward him. They ran at him, knocking all his books out of his arms and tripping him so he landed in the dirt. His glasses went flying, and I saw them land in the grass about ten feet from him. He looked up and I saw this terrible sadness in his eyes. My heart went out to him. So, I jogged over to him as he crawled around looking for his glasses, and I saw a tear in his eye. As I handed him his glasses, I said, "Those guys are jerks. They really should get lives." He looked at me and said, "Hey thanks!" There was a big smile on his face. It was one of those smiles that showed real gratitude. I helped him pick up his books, and asked him where he lived. As it turned out, he lived near me, so I asked him why I had never seen him before. He said he had gone to private school before now. I would have never hung out with a private school kid before. We talked all the way home, and I carried some of his books. He turned out to be a pretty cool kid. I asked him if he wanted to play a little football with my friends. He said yes. We hung out all weekend and the more I got to know Kyle, the more I liked him, and my friends thought the same of him. Monday morning came, and there was Kyle with the huge stack of books again. I stopped him and said, "Boy, you are gonna really build some serious muscles with this pile of books everyday! He just laughed and handed me half the books. Over the next four years, Kyle and I became best friends.. When we were seniors we began to think about college.Kyle decided on Georgetown and I was going to Duke. I knew that we would always be friends, that the miles would never be a problem.He was going to be a doctor and I was going for business on a football scholarship. Kyle was valedictorian of our class.I teased him all the time about being a nerd.He had to prepare a speech for graduation.I was so glad it wasn't me having to get up there and speak.

Graduation day, I saw Kyle. He looked great. He was one of those guys that really found himself during high school. He filled out and actually looked good in glasses. He had more dates than I had and all the girls loved him. Boy, sometimes I was jealous! Today was one of those days.
I could see that he was nervous about his speech. So, I smacked him on the back and said, "Hey, big guy, you'll be great!"He looked at me with one of those looks (the really grateful one) and smiled." Thanks," he said. As he started his speech, he cleared his throat, and began "Graduation is a time to thank those who helped you make it through those tough years. Your parents, your teachers, your siblings, maybe a coach...but mostly your friends... I am here to tell all of you that being a friend to someone is the best gift you can give them. I am going to tell you a story." I just looked at my friend with disbelief as he told the story of the first day we met. He had planned to kill himself over the weekend. He talked of how he had cleaned out his locker so his Mom wouldn't have to do it later and was carrying his stuff home. He looked hard at me and gave me a little smile."Thankfully, I was saved. My friend saved me from doing the unspeakable." I heard the gasp go through the crowd as this handsome, popular boy told us all about his weakest moment. I saw his Mom and dad looking at me and smiling that same grateful smile.Not until that moment did I realize it's depth.

Never underestimate the power of your actions. With one small gesture you can change a person's life. For better or for worse. God puts us all in each others lives to impact one another in some way.Look for God in others.

Euchre

In the comments section of a previous post, someone brought up the game of Euchre. I have been playing Euchre for as long as I can remember. the above hand, by the way is the best hand you can have if you get it. When I worked in the shops at John Deere, J.I.Case and such, during our three breaks we would get all night, we would fill those breaks with as much Euchre as possible. We would play while we were eating lunch, play in the bars on Friday night (while comsuming "red beer"), play at home with the family, it didn't matter. Apparently, the game came from Germany and since the Quad Cities was rife with Germans, ergo the games popularity. Not a lot of people from St. Louis play the game. It is difficult to explain the rules but Wikipedia does it justice here.

I am a champion Euchere player, by the way.

Now, on the farm, we used to play pitch, which would be considered Euchre's second cousin, I guess. Nights were filled with cards on the farm. Rummy was a huge game with us but a lot of the time, we would play pitch and my grandfather would mysteriously win most of the time. He just kicked our ass constantly or he cheated, which could be entirely possible. After the homework, the chores and the radio, there wasn't much else to do. So you played cards. Pitch and Rummy on the farm, in the middle of nowhere. Here's the deal on pitch.

Arrggh!

It's about 2:30am. I have been out driving for a bit and now I am sampling a Chardonnay. I blew it. Dammit, I can't beleive the show sounded as bad as it did. The Mizzou game ended at the wrong time and in the wrong way (no matter what, Mizzou can't hang with the big boys and I feel a letdown coming with either KSU, KU or CU. I hope Pinkel doesn't finish 7-5). The game ended at 9:37, which meant I had to take care of whole lot of business real fast. I wasn't comfortable for the first 45 minutes and felt real uptight. I give myself a C. After I found out a couple of things about the board, it felt better. So, in the beginning it was a D, after about 45 minutes, I'd give it a B, so there ya go. Loved the music, and basically had a blast but very very disappointing for me, technically anyway. I ain't going to sleep anytime soon, that's for sure. Dammit.