Off We Go Into The Wide Blue Yonder

Yonder is Bloomington/Normal Illinois. I was born in Illinois; Moline to be exact. It looks like now I'm headed back that direction. While I have enjoyed my run at KMOX and an opportunity to be part of such a heritage, first class organization, I set my sails north on I-55 about 150 miles. The opportunity for me to finally bestow my radio knowledge on a cluster of stations has made itself available. Starting on July 21st, I will be employed by Great Plains Media as the Market Manager for their Bloomington/Normal three station cluster. This decision was made after consultation with my family and a few close friends. Each and all agreed that this is where I needed to go to see if I indeed knew what the hell I have been talking about for the last 20 years. My time at KMOX has been fruitful and wonderful and I have learned a lot from the process, making some great friends along the way. I'm nervous but as Dave Ervin said..."you wouldn't be scared if it didn't mean anything". He's right. I will have three stations under my watch. A news/talk station on FM, a country station and a classic rock station. I hate to leave here again but it's time at 52, to put up or shut up. This is what I have been waiting for a long time. I hope not to blow it. I can not say in words what my time at KMOX has meant to me. There are none. God bless us all, everyone.

See The Picture Above?....

It is now my life...once again. It's never been easy with me, I have just got to relalize that after 52 years..and it will NEVER be easy.

Post 1,200

"May we never let the things we can’t have, or don’t have, or shouldn’t have, spoil our enjoyment of the things we do have and can have. As we value our happiness, let us not forget it, for one of the greatest lessons in life is learning to be happy without the things we cannot or should not have". Richard L. Evans

Another One Hit Wonder Band

Thank God for youtube. This isn't the greatest quality, but that's to be expected.
This is a song that I fell in love with in 1981.
I was mowing the yard and this popped up on the Ipod.
Here's the skinny on Duke Jupiter

Coldplay

It's been a week since I made the first purchase of "new music" since I bought The Eagles record at Christmas. I must say, this is a very nice piece of music. Throughout this album, I hear U2 (of course), Pink Floyd, Zeppelin and yes, a tinge of the Beatles here and there. While it won't rank with "Dark Side of The Moon" or any of those great albums, it'll come darn close.

It starts and ends with the same U2 Police inspired riff called "Life In Technicolor", that gives it a sense of cohesiveness thoroughout the disc. The songs are arranged on the CD in the correct order, this is one of the those discs that need to be played from beginning to end in one setting (like "Dark Side" or "Abbey Road").

"Cemeteries of London" is one of a number of their songs that changes tempo a couple of times through the tune, this is a very nice song with some great guitar chops and great lyrics "...save the nightime for your weeping". This is one of many songs on the release that has a coda. Just when you think the song is done, it shifts gears again.
"Lost!" is a great U2 song with a heavy organ presence..."just because I'm hurting doesn't mean I'm hurt" That cutting "Edge" guitar in the middle makes it one of the more heavy songs. This one has emerged recently as one of my favorites on the record.
"42" is my favorite so far. Starts off sweetly with just Chris Martin and a piano, then at the 90 second mark takes off like a Zep rocket with the refrain of ...."you didn't get to heaven but you made it close", this one's a killer, then all of a sudden it stops. I just wish it was longer.
"Lovers In Japan/Reign of Love" is another one that sounds like it could be a great U2 song, and there's nothing wrong with that. It could be the influence of Brian Eno more than anything. This song would fit on "The Unforgettable Fire" real well. "Reign of Love" has a real seventies Cat Stevens feel to it, another excellent song.
"Yes" is my second favorite song, well produced and sounding more like Coldplay than anything else, nice tasty string break to separate the verses. Another coda that has noting to do with the song. It's almost annoying. Almost.
"Viva La Vida" is one of the best pop songs I've heard in a long time. This was the song that got me interested in this in that Itunes commercial. So, yes, I've succumbed to the cheap advertising ploy thrown my way. They got me hook, line and sinker.
"Violet Hill" This their dark Pink Floydish track. "It was a long, cold, dark December..." Nice gutar work, here. Stops down with just Chris Martin and a piano at the end of the song.
"Strawberry Swing" is one of the better tracks on the CD, well produced and well played with great dynamics. This song sounds great, such great sonic landscapes painted by Brian Eno, very Beatle-esque.
"Death and All His Friends" This is a great way to end the disk, another Floyd sounding tune until it breaks wide open in the middle. Another quality recording and the coda to the whole body of work.

The tunes are catchy, full of hooks and the dynamics on this record make it one enjoyable ride. It sounds good, the producing and mastering by Bob Ludwig are first rate. The only problem I see is reproducing this on stage. There will be lots of pre-recorded stuff in concert.
Not the masterpiece they were shooting for, but I'll give them credit for coming close. A fine release that make Coldplay maybe the best band out there (apologies to U2).
Grade A-

Saturday Morning Coming Down

This is the time the I take it all in. I don't look at the phone or email until noon. I'll read the paper have my usual oatmeal and toast and then veg for a couple of hours.
It's weird how I have kind of morphed into my father. He would have has rigid rituals. Certain things had to be a certain way at a certain time. I'm even starting toi look like him.

I applaud the passengers on the flight that was cancelled on the tarmack. They didn't leave the plane to protest. The only bad thing about it is that it happened in China. It needs to start happening here.

Where have America's thinkers gone? I am talking about the kind of people who would take the initiative to get us out of our addiction to oil. This started happening 35 years ago, and we're still stuck. What happened to us? Where are the Edison's, the Einstein's, the people who took the lead and invented or developed something in all this time? I don't understand how someone couldn't have come up with an alternative to gas in thirty five years.

All we better off now than eight years ago? The next president has a lot of work to do. I don't remember a time since the seventies where this country has been as fucked up as it is now. Housing mess, stock mess, gas prices mess, Iraq mess, crisis of confidence mess... and the band played on. I get the vision of Nero who fiddled while Rome burned. I think this may be the most out of touch administration in the last one hundred fifty years. The silence from Washington is deafening.

The proposed sale of AB to InBev, if it happens, will turn St. Louis into Dayton. Now, don't get me wrong, there's nothing wrong with Dayton but St. Louis has always been a Cleveland sort of town. If AB goes (and if the sale goes through, it will), the entire heart and core along with the civic pride in this city will deteriorate. Contrary to what's coming out of Belgium, the first thing InBev will do is cut, cut, and cut some more. It won't be good for this region. St. Louis in recent years has lost a number of Fortune 500 headquarters (May Company, ATT, etc) but this will be like roling them all into one. I wish the board members at AB good luck. They are going to need it.

The Cardinals get swept by the Royals at home, go to Boston and win two (almost three) out of three and then get beat be the Royals again. They've lost three in a row, hope this isn't a trend.

I wonder what kind of conversations God and George Carlin have gotten into. Like to be a fly on the wall there.

I got an email from someone who wanted to know if I still look like my picture on the profile. Are you kidding? Sure, I do....not. It was taken about twelve years and I'm just havin some fun. My new one is my last "publicity shot" at KSHE. I didn't care for it much but Abby Pollay said, ..."it's so you." And as usual, Abby was right. A little less hair and it's certainly a different colour.

Fire Rainbow

THIS IS A FIRE RAINBOW - THE RAREST OF ALL NATURALLY OCCURRING ATMOSPHERIC PHENOMENA. THE PICTURE WAS CAPTURED THIS WEEK ON THE IDAHO/WASHINGTON BORDER. THE EVENT LASTED ABOUT 1 HOUR. CLOUDS HAVE TO BE CIRRUS, AT LEAST 20K FEET IN THE AIR, WITH JUST THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF ICE CRYSTALS AND THE SUN HAS TO HIT THE CLOUDS AT PRECISELY 58 DEGREES. Thanks, Beth

Something Very Rare

Paul performing "A Day In The Life" earlier this year. He nails all of John's lyrics but he forgets his own part...even the greats have senior moments....

What Joe Cocker Was Really Saying

No, I don't know who April is, but I have a niece with that name, so..OK

The Black Sabbath Cartoon Show

you've been warned...

God and Missouri

Thanks, KK

Once upon a time in the Kingdom of Heaven,God was missing for six days. Eventually, Michael the Archangel found Him,resting on the seventh day. He inquired of God, "Where have you been?"God sighed a deep sigh of satisfaction and proudlypointed downward through the clouds, "Look Michael, look what I've made!" Archangel Michael looked puzzled and said, "What is it?""It's a planet," replied God, and I've put life on it. I'm going to call it Earth and it's going to be a great place of balance.""Balance?" inquired Michael, still confused.God explained, pointing to different parts of Earth."For example,Northern Europe will be a place of great opportunity and wealth,while southern Europe is going to be poor; the Middle East over there will be a hot spot. And over there I've placed a continent of white people, while over here is a continent of black people."God continued, pointing to different countries. "This one will be extremely hot and arid while this one will be very cold and covered in ice."The Archangel, impressed by God's work, then pointed to an area of rolling hills and prairie on a large land mass and said, "What's that beautiful garden spot there?"Ah," said God. "That's Missouri, the most glorious place on earth.There are beautiful lakes, rivers, sunrises, sunsets, rolling hills, open prairie, oceans of waving corn, small water falls, monumental rock formations, abundant wildlife, pure white snow in the winter,white fluffy clouds, blue skies year-round, and a place where a person can See millions of stars in the sky at night.God continued, "The people from Missouri aregoing to be modest, intelligent and humorous and they are going to be found traveling the World. They will be extremely sociable, hard working and high-achieving, and they will be known throughoutthe world as diplomats and carriers of peace."Michael gasped in wonder and admiration but then questioned, "What about balance, God? You said there would be balance!"God replied wisely, "Wait until you see the idiots I'm putting around them in Arkansas, Kansas,and Oklahoma.

nyuk. nyuk. nyuk.

Monday Night Music Club Week 2

I was looking for something with some cool sophistication to it, something to make me feel better, something that appealed to the music lover in me, so I found this in my collection...

Here's one that ranks in my top 50. Suave and capturing the feeling of 1976, pre disco music. For some reason, the memory I have of this is being with the ex wife at a drive in burger joint in Milan Il. Later, of course, I used this release as a fine "let's go back to the apartment" selection.

This CD is really the first time we heard what became Toto with the trio of Paich, Porcaro and Hungate getting a lot of time on this. David Paich also wrote a number of these songs. Also featured is session man Fred Tackett who went on to join Little Feat in the 80s. In a cameo role, one of my favorite underrated guitarists (Les Dudek) is featured.

Boz is nothing but class and this is one of the classiest releases of the 70s. With "What Can I Say" kicking it off, the cooler than cool "Lowdown" and "Lido Shuffle" on the same damn record along with "Harbor Lights" and "We're All Alone" and the very funky Allen Toussaint number "What Do You Want The Girl To Do", Boz was never better. This one brings back fine memories of a very unfine time....if ya know what I mean...

I met Boz at the Pageant and brought along this LP for him to sign.."For Randy, thanks for all the years.." is what he wrote. It's hanging in my office as we speak.

Goodbye, My Old Friend

My heart is broken. When I was in high school, I could escape the perils of the world by stealing off to my room, putting on the headphones and George would take me to a new world, where all norms were challenged and things were looked at in a different light. "Why is it that you park on a driveway and drive on a parkway"? "Snot's funny. The original rubber cement, ya know. Ya can't get rid of it." "What do dogs do on their day off? They can't lie around. That's their job." We slayed the same demons. "Names. They mean something. For instance, you wouldn't buy Goodyear pancakes. No one wants those. You wouldn't want Aunt Jemima tires for the same reason. If Janitor in a Drum made a douche, nobody'd buy it." My life is much less rich. "Football is a ground acquisition game. You beat the shit out of 11 guys and take their land away from them. 'Course you only do it 10 yards at a time. That's the way we handled the Indians, right? First down in Pennsylvania, Midwest to go." I feel like I have lost a member of my family. "Did you ever notice that your own farts smell OK?" "It's just exhaust. We're not perfected yet." "You know you really like your neighbor or your partner when you're willing to fart out loud." I feel I have known George since the days of Burns and Carlin. "Woody Hayes is weird. He wears a baseball hat during football games. Can you imagine if Walter Alston wore a football helmet during a baseball game? They'd take him away in a wire truck." He helped me get through life. "The language of football and baseball tells it all. Football is technological. Baseball is pastoral. Football is played on an enclosed grid. Baseball is played on an ever-widening diamond reaching into infinity. In football you have the hit, clip, block, crackback, the tackle, the blitz, the bomb, the offense, the defense. In baseball, you have the sacrifice." Another one gone. "In New York subways, it's a $50 fine for spitting. Vomiting is free."

George Carlin 1937-2008 Good bye, my friend and companion. I pray for your family.

Here's his best work in years..



My favorite Carlin bit. The difference between baseball and football



Goodbye Wally Lando. Thanks for all the laughter.

I Sure Feel Like This Sometimes

From The Associated Press:

Midwestern levees are bursting. Polar bears are adrift. Gas prices are skyrocketing. Home values are abysmal. Air fares, college tuition and health care border on unaffordable. Wars without end rage in Iraq, Afghanistan and against terrorism.

Horatio Alger, twist in your grave.

The can-do, bootstrap approach embedded in the American psyche is under assault. Eroding it is a dour powerlessness that is chipping away at the country's sturdy conviction that destiny can be commanded with sheer courage and perseverance.
The sense of helplessness is even reflected in this year's presidential election.Each contender offers a sense of order — and hope. Republican John McCain promises an experienced hand in a frightening time. Democrat Barack Obama promises bright and shiny change, and his large crowds believe his exhortation, "Yes, we can."
Even so, a battered public seems discouraged by the onslaught of dispiriting things. An Associated Press-Ipsos poll says a barrel-scraping 17 percent of people surveyed believe the country is moving in the right direction. That is the lowest reading since the survey began in 2003.
An ABC News-Washington Post survey put that figure at 14 percent, tying the low in more than three decades of taking soundings on the national mood.
"It is pretty scary," said Charles Truxal, 64, a retired corporate manager in Rochester, Minn. "People are thinking things are going to get better, and they haven't been. And then you go hide in your basement because tornadoes are coming through. If you think about things, you have very little power to make it change."
Recent natural disasters around the world dwarf anything afflicting the U.S. Consider that more than 69,000 people died in the China earthquake, and that 78,000 were killed and 56,000 missing from the Myanmar cyclone.

Americans need do no more than check the weather, look in their wallets or turn on the news for their daily reality check on a world gone haywire.
Floods engulf Midwestern river towns. Is it global warming, the gradual degradation of a planet's weather that man seems powerless to stop or just a freakish late-spring deluge?
It hardly matters to those in the path. Just ask the people of New Orleans who survived Hurricane Katrina. They are living in a city where, 1,000 days after the storm, entire neighborhoods remain abandoned, a national embarrassment that evokes disbelief from visitors.
Food is becoming scarcer and more expensive on a worldwide scale, due to increased consumption in growing countries such as China and India and rising fuel costs. That can-do solution to energy needs — turning corn into fuel — is sapping fields of plenty once devoted to crops that people need to eat. Shortages have sparked riots. In the U.S., rice prices tripled and some stores rationed the staple.
Residents of the nation's capital and its suburbs repeatedly lose power for extended periods as mere thunderstorms rumble through. In California, leaders warn people to use less water in the unrelenting drought.
Want to get away from it all? The weak U.S. dollar makes travel abroad forbiddingly expensive. To add insult to injury, some airlines now charge to check luggage.
Want to escape on the couch? A writers' strike halted favorite TV shows for half a season. The newspaper on the table may soon be a relic of the Internet age. Just as video stores are falling by the wayside as people get their movies online or in the mail.
But there's always sports, right?
The moorings seem to be coming loose here, too.
Baseball stars Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens stand accused of enhancing their heroics with drugs. Basketball referees are suspected of cheating.
Stay tuned for less than pristine tales from the drug-addled Tour de France and who knows what from the Summer Olympics.

It's not the first time Americans have felt a loss of control.
Alger, the dime-novel author whose heroes overcame adversity to gain riches and fame, played to similar anxieties when the U.S. was becoming an industrial society in the late 1800s.
American University historian Allan J. Lichtman notes that the U.S. has endured comparable periods and worse, including the economic stagflation (stagnant growth combined with inflation) and Iran hostage crisis of 1980; the dawn of the Cold War, the Korean War and the hysterical hunts for domestic Communists in the late 1940s and early 1950s; and the Depression of the 1930s.
"All those periods were followed by much more optimistic periods in which the American people had their confidence restored," he said. "Of course, that doesn't mean it will happen again."
Each period also was followed by a change in the party controlling the White House.
This period has seen intense interest in the presidential primaries, especially the Democrats' five-month duel between Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton. Records were shattered by voters showing up at polling places, yearning for a voice in who will next guide the country as it confronts the uncontrollable.
Never mind that their views of their current leaders are near rock bottom, reflecting a frustration with Washington's inability to solve anything. President Bush barely gets the approval of three in 10 people, and it's even worse for the Democratic-led Congress.

Why the vulnerability? After all, this is the 21st century, not a more primitive past when little in life was assured. Surely people know how to fix problems now.
Maybe. And maybe this is what the 21st century will be about — a great unraveling of some things long taken for granted.

Coldplay

I stopped at my buddy Tom Young's place "Now Hear This" in downtown Kirkwood today and picked up "Viva La Vida" from Coldplay and a couple of obscure REO releases on one CD ("Riding The Storm Out" and "Lost In A Dream"). So far, the word for Coldplay is "interesting". I could almost say it is a masterpiece but allow me more listens.
Chris Martin sounds to me like he's trying to write a masterpiece, but it so far has kept my attention. I'll check back later.

Another One Hit Wonder Band

I could not tell you another song these guys have done. I do remember about 1983 and KY102 was conflicted on which way to go. The Kansas City powerhouse station cut it's teeth on REO, Van Halen, Journey and such but this "new wave" stuff out of England was now all over MTV and how do we counter that? In a move that probably was the first death nell of the station, we were forced to capitulate and play a lot of it. This one was one we may have played for a week in 1984, but something about this song rocks my world. Don't ask me why but when this came on the Ipod while running today, I had a better spring in the step.

Style Council's story

Getting Caught Up

Tim Russert was a welcome guest in my house every Sunday morning. Even staying up after Route 66, I still got up to see Tim at 8 oclock. I couldn't believe it and couldn't believe how the whole thing played out. How this dominated every outlet, how poised and collected his boy was and the rainbow was cool, huh? I don't know who will replace him but no one can. Died on the job and apparently pretty quickly. That works.

Jim McKay was another great voice from my youth. From cliff diving, or bowling or bocce ball, ABC's Wide World of Sports was a Saturday afternoon treasure. On the days when you weren't out; something different, strange or bizarre was on WWS, Jim always made you think and feel he was as excited as possible. His broadcasting skills were impeccable and he was always what I wanted to be as a broadcaster. The Olympics will never be the same...."they're gone, they're all gone.."

Charlie Jones was in my house a lot as a kid. I lived in either Ava, Mo. or the Quad Cities while growing up. For the NFL, it was The Cardinals or The Bears, but in the AFL, it could be the Buffalo Bills, The Chargers, Chiefs or Broncos. Charlie would call that game. Charlie's on the right in the picture and once again, he died of a massive heart attack and was dead quickly. He was 78.

here's Charlie's story

RTF Review

As most of you know, I have very eclectic tastes in music. I love a good bluegrass song, dig the blues and rock and roll, like a lot of the country stuff and then there's...my jazz fusion side. I first heard "Return To Forever" in a head shop in Moline. I walked in and was enamored with how fast and precise these guys could play. That revelation made me seek out Mahavishnu Orchestra, Weather Report, Lee Ritenour, Billy Cobham, etc etc. It has been 25 years since this incarnation of RTF has been performing. I can not name the songs they played but their wizardry in pulling off such incredible, tight, fast runs is amazing. Al DiMeola and Chick Corea were smiling at each other many times during the evening as they pulled off those intricate pieces with great skill and ease. One of the problems of this tour, I think, it that it seems that all of the other guys have been playing but Lenny White, the drummer, looked like he felt uncomfortable and had to be pulled along by the other guys. It seems that he had to think about what he was playing before he played it, The other guys seemingly just played automatically. It was a near perfect evening with one glaring exception, the solos. Each one had a turn. Al kept his guitar solo relatively short and sweet, Chick's could have been about 3 minutes shorter, Stanley could have cut his short by half and Lenny White should NOT have attempted one at all. It was sloppy and unfocused for about 10 minutes. I haven't played in twenty years and I think I could have pulled it off better. Other than that, they were as good, if not better than I thought they would be. I think this music is our generations "classical" music. These guys may be our greatest unknown composers. That lead me to a question..who will keep this music alive? There doesn't seem to be any younger people focused on this style of jazz. Who's next when it comes to carrying the torch of Mahavishnu, RTF, etc? It was an amazing evening.

Iowa City Flood

A Bridge Too Far

What used to be Burlington Street

University of Iowa baseball fields

Coralville Strip

Nice try with the sandbags

Coralville Dam (not any more)

Return to Forever Tonight at the Fox

It's like The Beatles getting back together for us jazz fans. Al DiMeola, Chick Corea, Stanley Clarke and Lenny White all on the same stage. 2nd row seats and I'm pumped. I had a very interesting weekend and I will write about it tonight. But for now...

Family Fishing Day

Let's see...a family (not mine)? check. Fishing...check. It's daytime...check.

This Is Funny

From Rolling Stone:

The Field Guide To Guitar Jam Faces

Like this one:

Monday Night Musings

The house all to myself, I have made an executive decision. Monday night will now be known as "Monday Night Music Night". Tonight's offering is "Stagepass" by the under rated and over looked Michael Stanley Band. Maxim magazine has come up with a list of the worst broadcasters in sports. For the most part, I agree with just about everyone on the list, no probs with this at all. Link

I enjoy working in downtown St. Louis, for the most part. Whenever I get there, the smells of the downtown restaurants permeate the air. Today, I smelled bacon. Every once in a while, you can smell a steak or the ballpark, too. However, since the weather has warmed, the ever present smell of urine has hit the nostrils. Every spring, it comes back.

I am reading David Sirota's "The Uprising", which talks about the populist movement that seems to have taken root in the country that is scaring the bjeezus out of Wall Street. I think that' s one of the reasons Obama has captured the imagination of the country's youth. I am not well versed in political acumen, but I can say that this race looks like 1976 all over again. In 1976, the democrats could have run a raccoon on the ticket and won. We were SO tired of the Nixon crap and Ford reminded us of all the crap that preceded him. Jimmy Carter, while a very smart man, wasn't a big enough asshole to be president. We just needed a break. I feel the same way now. The republicans have had eight years in power and where are we? We are tired. I think the skinny black kid with the funny name is going to be the next president and I don't think it will be close.

Done with physical therapy. I am so far ahead of schedule, I don't need it. Bring on basketball, it won't be here soon enough.

Every semester, I go out to Washington High School, see my second favorite teacher and talk to her class about radio, the media, journalism and expectations in the real world. It's not pretty. I enjoy going there and one young woman grabbed my attention last year. Christie Nicks will be famous some day as a great anchor or reporter. She just won the SchoolTube.com high school journalist of the year and even though she hasn't mentioned me in her interviews, I'll say that maybe I had about .0007% of the credit for her success. Michelle, you are the best and it's evident in the students that come out of your class. Well done, my friend.

I first saw The Michael Stanley Band at the RKO Orpheum in Davenport circa 1977. Cheap Trick opened for Michael Stanley who opened for Ted Nugent. Cheap Trick was NOT big at the time and I found the lead guitar player strangly familiar. He played at my high school prom in 1974. Rockford was not far from the Quad Cities. I am sure it was him. I was feeling pretty fuunnnkkky because I had just went through a divorce, so I was hoping a show would cheer me up. Michael and his band came out and basically played most of the "Stagepass" release. I was stunned. They kicked my ass and I left after they played becasue I knew that no matter how hard he tried, Ted was NOT going to out duel these guys.In Kansas City, the first show I ever did stage announcements for was The Michael Stanley Band at Worlds of Fun. I remember it like it was yesterday. "Stagepass" is one of my Top 100 of all time. It was an honor and pleasure to meet him and the band. He now does afternoons on the ClassicRock radio station in Cleveland. He knows that's where the chicks are.

I am very proud of my oldest daughter. She has copped another gig that she can use her degree.

She is now working for Sen. Tom Harkin of the great state of Iowa. She gets the bennies that he gets. How cool. Working for the US gubment. I hope he decides to run a few more times. Way to go, Jess. Proud of you.

Reality TV. Ick.

Another One Hit Wonder

This is the long version of a song I played last night on Route 66. I think Mr. Gershwin would have liked this version. From 1966.

Here's Billy Stewart's story

Me at the Office

http://view.break.com/513310 - Watch more free videos

Three RIP's

Alton Kelley, yes you know his work...

Bo Diddley, yes you know his work...



Buddy Holly takes a crack at it...



many remember this...(I know I do)!



...and finally, goodnight and goodbye to my favorite all time doctor. Dr. Paul Shuff, my ears, nose and throat guy passed from cancer yesterday. One of the coolest, most interesting guys I have ever met. His daughter used to produce Spike O'Dell at WGN in Chicago, so we became fast friends. I could always count on an interesting conversation with doc. He was a man of many talents and a guy full of goodness. I'll miss the talks, doc. I'm glad you didn't have to suffer too long. God speed Paul Shuff, you were a great kind hearted soul.

Beautiful...but I Wouldn't Want To Be There

...right outside of Kearney, Nebraska.

thanks vic

Ruh Roh

My dad was 50 when I was born. My brother died at 45.


A mass study found that deaths of children fathered by over-45s occurred at almost twice the rate of those fathered by men aged between 25 and 30.
Scientists believe that children of older fathers are more likely to suffer particular congenital defects as well as autism, schizophrenia and epilepsy. The study was the first of its kind of such magnitude in the West, and researchers believe the findings are linked to the declining quality of sperm as men age.
A total of 100,000 children born between 1980 and 1996 were examined, of whom 830 have so far died before they reached 18, the majority when they were less than a year old.
The deaths of many of the children of the older fathers were related to congenital defects such as problems of the heart and spine, which increase the risk of infant mortality. But there were also higher rates of accidental death, which the researchers believe might be explained by the increased likelihood of suffering from autism, epilepsy or schizophrenia.
Most research into older parents has, until now, focused on the risks passed on by older mothers. But the new study, published in the European Journal of Epidemiology, was adjusted to take account of maternal age and socio-economic differences.
The research also found higher death rates among children of the youngest fathers, especially those below the age of 19. However, the study said these differences were explained by the risks of teenage motherhood and poorer diet and lifestyle.
Previous research using the same data found that older men were four times as likely to father a child with Down's syndrome, while other studies have found that the genetic quality of sperm deteriorates as men age.
More than 75,000 babies in Britain are born to fathers aged 40 and over each year, or more than one in 10 of all births. This includes more than 6,000 born to fathers aged 50 or over. The average age of fathering a child in this country is 32.
Dr Allan Pacey, senior lecturer in andrology – the medical specialty dealing with male reproduction – at the University of Sheffield, said: "A lot of people know that there are risks for the child that come from having an older mother, but children of older fathers also carry an increased risk. These sorts of results provide another good reason to have children early, when possible."
Dr Pacey, who is secretary of the British Fertility Society, said scientists were unsure exactly what impact the ageing process had on the quality of sperm, making it impossible to detect defects before conception.
Dr Jin Liang Zhu, from the Danish Epidemiology Science Centre, which carried out the research, said: "The risks of older fatherhood can be very profound, and it is not something that people are always aware of."
The mother's age still has the bigger impact on child health, however. About one in 900 babies born to women under 30 have Down's syndrome – a figure which reaches one in 100 by the age of 40. The number of over-40s giving birth in Britain each year has doubled in the past decade to 16,000. The risk of miscarriage rises sharply with age.

Words To Live By..

I don't know if this is Mitch Hedwig or Stephen wright or Eddie Izzard or Carlin..but, hey it works....

I was in a casino, I was standing by the door, and a security guard came over and said "You're gonna have to move. You're blocking the fire exit." As though if there was a fire, I wasn't gonna run. If you're flammable and have legs, you are never blocking a fire exit. Unless you are a table.

I went to the store to buy a candleholder but the store didnt have one, so i got a cake.

I want to hang a map of the world in my house then I'm gonna put pins into all the locations that I've travelled to. But first I'm gonna have to travel to the top two corners of the map so it won't fall down.

If you find yourself lost in the woods, fuck it!, build a house. Well, I was lost but now I live here. I have severely improved my predicament.

I had a neighbor, and whenever he would knock on my wall I knew he wanted me to turn my music down, and that made me angry because I like loud music, so when he knocked on the wall I'd mess with his head. I'd say: "Go around! I cannot open the wall. I don't know if you have a doorknob on the other side, but over here there's nothing. It's just flat.

I like escalators because an escalator can never break: it can only become stairs. You'll never see an Escalator Temporarily Out Of Order sign, just Escalator Temporarily Stairs. Sorry for the convenience. We apologize that you can still get up there.

I don't have a girlfriend. I just know a girl who would get really mad if she heard me say that.

When you go to a restaurant on the weekends and it's busy so they start a waiting list, they say, "DuFresnes, party of two, table ready for DuFresnes, party of two." And if no one answers they'll say the name again: "DuFresnes, party of two." But then if no one answers, they'll move on to the next name. "Bush, party of three." Yeah, but what happened to the DuFresnes!? No one seems to care! Who can eat at a time like this!? People are missing. You people are selfish. The DuFresnes are in someone's trunk right now, with duct tape over their mouths. And they're hungry. That's a double whammy. We need help. "Bush, search party of three. You can eat once you find the DuFresnes.

I bought a doughnut and they gave me a receipt for the doughnut. I don't need a receipt for a doughnut. I'll give you the money, you give me the doughnut—end of transaction. We do not need to bring ink and paper into this. I just cannot imagine a scenario where I would have to prove that I bought a doughnut. Some skeptical friend—"Don't even act like I didn't get that doughnut—I got the documentation right here! (pause) Oh wait, it's back home in the file, under 'D', for doughnut." 'Cuz we all know that 'D' is for doughnut.

I like baked potatoes, man. I don’t have a microwave oven. It takes forever to cook a baked potato in a conventional oven. Sometimes I’ll just throw one in there, even if I don’t want one. By the time it’s done, who knows.

I bought a seven dollar pen because I always lose pens and I got sick of not caring.

Last week I helped my friend stay put. It's a lot easier'n helpin' 'em move. I just went over to his house and made sure that he did not start to load shit into a truck.

On a stop light green means go and yellow means slow down, but on a banana it's just the opposite. Green means hold on, yellow means go ahead, and red means, 'where the fuck did you get that banana at?'

I used to do drugs. I still do, but I used to, too.

I'm against picketing, but I don't know how to show it.

I was walking down the street with my friend and he said, "I hear music", as if there is any other way you can take it in. You're not special, that's how I receive it too. I tried to taste it but it did not work.

This shirt is "dry-clean only"...which means it's dirty.

My lucky number is four billion. That doesn't come in real handy when you're gambling. "Come on four billion! Fuck! Seven. Not even close. I need some more dice. Four billion divided by six, at least."

My apartment is infested with koala bears. Its the cutest infestation ever. Much better than cockroaches.

I like vending machines 'cuz snacks are better when they fall. If I buy a candy bar at a store, oftentimes, I will drop it so that it achieves it's maximum flavor potential.

You know when it comes to racism, people say: " I don't care if they're black, white, purple or green"... Ooh hold on now: Purple or Green? You gotta draw the line somewhere! To hell with purple people! - Unless they're suffocating - then help'em.

I saw a commercial on late night TV, it said,"Forget everything you know about slipcovers." So I did. And it was a load off my mind. Then the commercial tried to sell me slipcovers, and I didn't know what the hell they were.

I like the American-Canadian border, 'cuz if you're walking on the border with a friend, and you push your friend into Canada, he can't push you back right away, 'cuz first he has to go through customs. "What brings you to Canada?":[Points to the side] "That asshole." "When are you leaving?" "As soon as I regain my equilibrium!"

I love my fed-ex guy cause he's a drug dealer and he don't even know it...and he's always on time.

I saw this wino, he was eating grapes. I was like, "Dude, you have to wait."[

Top 100

In a futile attempt to record my top 100, I have been remiss in my duties, so in no particular order, I continue my charting of the albums that in my life, have reached the top 100.

There would be another Elvin Bishop recording in my top 100. I could not get enough of this guy in the mid 70's. This release reminds me of being married to my first wife, but that's not all bad.

For our honeymoon, we packed up the pick up truck with lots of music and took off to Ava, Branson and then one night at Busch Stadium to see the Cardinals play the Braves. This eight track is one that was played over and over again. One night, Elvin played the Quad Cities and I made sure that after I had put in ten hours at the plant, I got front row seats. This is joyful noise, A glorious sound of mostly happy and mostly drinking songs.

"Sunshine Special" is the one that kicks off the album and sets the tone.."and I can almost see my people, standing on a hillside, on that morning when I arrive..."

"Ground Hog" is a love song, I'll leave it at that.

"Honey Babe" is the best jam on the whole darn record, these guys cook on the last half of this one.

"Stealin Watermelons" is actually one I can relate to. ..."just like that little woman of mine, sweet and juicy and oh, so fine."

"Travellin Shoes" is his "Stairway" and not one for women. "I'm gonna get Hank Aaron's baseball bat and tenderize her head" Ouch. OK, then. Crippling guitar solo, though.

"Let It Flow" is more joyful noise..."bird's chirping in the tree, fish flowing through the sea, bees buzzin in the breeze, I got the music flowing all through me"

"Hey Good Lookin" is a 70s update on the old Hank song. A lyrical update about TV and weed, and, well..

"Fishin'" silly fishing song that I think is hilarious, talking about sending Charlie Daniels out for some corn liquor.

"Can't Go Back" and one of the truths I've learned in life.

"I Can't Hold Myself In Line" one of the best drinking songs ever

"Bourbon Street" in New Orleans, every night's like News Years eve

This may be the first time Mickey Thomas appeared on any record. Great back up band and a wonderful, special record that I still play regularly today, 34 years after it was released.

His daughter and her mother were murdered as a part of a bizarre plot. Link

Here's a very tasty video, not the greatest sound quality, but you get the idea..