Good Night

I bid you good night with a glorious sight, one that should go into the God the painter category. An albino peacock. Looks like a snowflake.

They Could Have Been Beatles Songs

I was washing the car today (while sweating) and I came across a song on the Ipod that got me thinking about Beatles songs not done by The Beatles. Songs that sound just like The Beatles but aren't... Tears For Fears-"Sowing The Seeds of Love" This is a well intended blatant rip off of the mid period Beatles stuff, all the way down to the french horns in the chorus. With the "A Day in The Life" trippiness pervasive in this sound, I enjoy the tribute and like this song.

Beatle level 4

ELO (good)-Mr. Blue Sky. Maybe it's me but I think this song is a loving tribute by a guy who stated that he always wanted to be John Lennon. I think this song was at the writing and performing peak of this band. How about an alarm clock in the song? Sure, here is a perfect place. Not plagarism but paraphrasing the Beatles' sound to almost perfection.

Beatle level 4.5

ELO (bad)-Don't Bring Me Down. I hate this song, It think it's plagarism from a guy who should know better. I don't know why but this tune rubbed me the wrong way everytime I heard(or played)it. It was the first time in the career that ELO didn't use strings on a song.

Beatle level 2

Raspberries-Go All The Way The first time I heard this on the AM radio, I just knew this was what we had all been waiting for, the return of the fab four. But alas, the DJ told me it was "The Raspberries" wha? Whatever, it sounded great in the summer of my 16th year.

Beatle level 4

Badfinger- "Day After Day" This is cheating.

Beatle level 5Klaatu-"Sub Rosa Subway" Again, this had to be them, right? The hoax of 1977. Silence from the record companies about this group. Could it be? Nah, it's just a cheap imitation. Catchy stuff but minus two stars for trying to deceive the radio guys. Not good karma.

Beatle level 1.5

Utopia-"Deface The Music" Everything on here sounds like the Beatles, this is a masterpiece. Have a few listens here. His ultimate tribute.

Beatle level 4.25

Cheap Trick-"Voices" Just about everything these guys did expressed their love for the fab four, this one in particular. As good as these guys got, and they got good.

Beatle level 3.75

Sweaty Randy

I am not sure what has happened, but lately, I am sweating like a bear. Whenever I play basketball anymore, every nano-micro-inch of my clothes including socks and shoes are wet. Washed my car today, sweat like a pig. Cleaned out the inside of my car, sweat like a muhfugga.

Went shopping, sweat. Walk from where I park the car to KMOX at 8am every morning, sweating bullets. I know my body thermosat is working pretty well, it just must go into overdrive when it gets this hot. Temperatures in the upper nineties all week.

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I found my old 1981 model Sony Trinitron 13" TV the other day, plugged it in, got snow and nothing else. This TV is as much a part of my past as I can think. It's been a good friend and also been used as a projectile during a heated discussion. I know it would be cheaper and easier just to go out and buy a new one. Can we have attachments to inatimate objects? At one time, it had the best picture around and it really came in handy when I lived in Denver. I called a TV repairman the other day, he said he would drop by and work on it, never heard a word from him since. Maybe the TV is junxed.

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"It's Just A Flesh Wound!!"

Uh, no, I don't think a helmet would've helped, that's just me, though.

Way to Go, Sheriff Judd

As reported earlier this week, some dirtbag who got pulled over in a routine traffic stop in Florida ended up 'executing' the deputy who stopped him. The deputy was shot eight times, including once behind his right ear at close range.Another deputy was wounded and a police dog killed. A statewide manhunt ensued. The low-life was found hiding in a wooded area with his gun. SWAT team officers fired and hit the guy 68 times.Now here's the kicker:Naturally, the media asked why they shot him 68 times. Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd, told the Orlando Sentinel - 'That's all the bullets we had.'

Very thought provoking

I remember when we only had one channel..on a good night.The Stranger.....

A few years after I was born, my Dad met a stranger who was new to our small Misssouri town. From the beginning, Dad was fascinated with this enchanting newcomer and soon invited him to live with our family. The stranger was quickly accepted and was around from then on. As I grew up, I never questioned his place in my family. In my young mind, he had a special niche. My parents were complementary instructors: Mom taught me good from evil, and Dad taught me to obey. But the stranger...he was our storyteller. He would keep us spellbound for hours on end with adventures, mysteries and comedies. If I wanted to know anything about politics, history or science, he always knew the answers about the past, understood the present and even seemed able to predict the future! He took my family to the first major league ball game He made me laugh, and he made me cry. The stranger never stopped talking, but Dad didn't seem to mind. Sometimes, Mom would get up quietly while the rest of us were shushing each other to listen to what he had to say, and she would go to the kitchen for peace and quiet. (I wonder now if she ever prayed for the stranger to leave.) Dad ruled our household with certain moral convictions, but the stranger never felt obligated to honor them. Profanity, for example, was not allowed in our home. Not from us, our friends or any visitors. Our longtime visitor, however, got away with four-letter words that burned my ears and made my dad squirm and my mother blush. My Dad didn't permit the liberal use of alcohol. But the stranger encouraged us to try it on a regular basis. He made cigarettes look cool, cigars manly a! nd pipes distinguished. He talked freely (much too freely!) about sex. His comments were sometimes blatant, sometimes suggestive, and generally embarrassing. I now know that my early concepts about relationships were influenced strongly by the stranger. Time after time, he opposed the values of my parents, yet he was seldom rebuked... And NEVER asked to leave. More than fifty years have passed since the stranger moved in with our family. He has blended right in and is not nearly as fascinating as he was at first. Still, if you could walk into my parents' den today, you would still find him sitting over in his corner, waiting for someone to listen to him talk and watch him draw his pictures. His name?....

We just call him, "TV."

He has a wife now....We call her "Computer."

Note: This should be required reading for every household in America!

Is That Pamela Anderson?

My Lap Top's Wallpaper

My two grandkids. Ain't life grand?

God The Painter Volume 8

Goodbye, My Friend

Yeah, I know we never met but you were such a part of my life. Working the night shift in radio in the 70s and early 80s as I did, you made my nights. So many things you would say, so many funny lines. More than once (wayyy more), I stole your stuff. I even made it on to your show on the phones, more than once. You were the nightcap to my days. You were, my friend, the Frank Sinatra of interviewers. You never got flustered, never failed to keep control of an interview. You taught me how to control the conversation. I never saw anyone talk about losing their dog in a way you did, years later after losing a 14 year old English Shepard, I vividly remember that show. Thanks so much for everything, my friend. If I smoked, I'd have a cigarette for you (you know, I am sure by this time, that's what killed you). and if I drank, I'd have a colortini for you, too. You asked the questions that needed to be asked and took no bullshit for answers. Yeah, I never met you but, indeed I did. How can you not invite a guy over to your house for a decade and not know him? I think there is a whole generation that knew you. Indeed, Indeed. Have nice long walk with your dog. If God ever would ask for someone to interview him, I think your name would be at the top of the list. Good job, Tom. Good job! :
One of my favorite Tom Snyder quotes is about death. He said people always say when speaking about the possibility of someone dying “God forbid. And do you now what ? He never does.”
Here's a great link about Tom.

Sunday Afternoon

Three weeks from today, the kid moves away. Today was day one of the "big shop". So far, so good. Foundation strong, looking for cracks. I sometimes think that may be I should start a support group for Dads who dread this kind of thing in the fall. By talking around, a number of guys didn't know what to do when their youngest daughters left for college. One dad from the Notre Dame clan said he got so depressed, he could hardly work. You know, us guys aren't supposed to feel shit like this. Keep walkin, keep walkin..but sometimes we just may need a break from the slog just to sit and talk and see what and how we are doing. I am not sure if moms and son's feel this way, but dog gone it, these girls are our babies and it stings.

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One of my nearest and dearest friends in town tonight from Kansas City for the "High School Reunion" show at The Scottrade tonight. I got him tickets when "The New Cars" were still on the bill, but somehow got double billed with a gig in New Hampshire (WTF?). It's Gin Blossoms, Stray Cats, Pretenders and double Z. I first saw ZZ Top in 1973 with Skynyrd opening the show. (More about that later) The Pretenders opened for the Keith Moonless Who at Kemper in 1980. When they first came out, we thought she was a he. They blew the Who off the stage that night. Exceptional chops and I have been fan since ("Middle of The Road" kicks ass) that night. Stray Cats ought to be fun, Brian Setzer is about as good as it gets. Gin Blossoms are a fine band. We will regale and be merry over steaks, potatoes and sweet corn and then off to the show, they go.
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I am jealous of a co-worker. He has a phone that will allow him to import mp3s as ring tones. While watching the video on WLS the other day (not on company time) we came to the point where the WLS jingle was played and he had a great idea. So, after a little help here and there, he has a ring tone that says "da-da-da music radio doubleyou el ess..chicago" everytime he gets a call. It sounds great, the bum. I can't do that with mine, just download tones from the web. The bum.
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One Man's Opinion

Oh, Betty, I wish I could but I can't...yeah, you're pretty and all that....and damn, you can shake that thang, but when Etta screams "At Last"...

Veronica is the one that curls my toes. No offense, Betty. You're "Cute" but....man look at that..she's got it all. Nice curves, dark hair, great smile, hot curves and just the perfect specimen. Speaking of perfect, the woman to the right is Erin Burnett and if Veronica was ever to be played in a movie, it would have to be played by her. Damn, now that's hot!!

I Am Officially Creeped Out, Big Time

Alvin, Simon, Theodore?

This I can accept. Yes, howdy, boys! I'll go back to being 7 again, cool.

This was a bit fun. Here are our boys doing their renditions of "Brass In Pocket","Refugee" and others. I actually played this on the air in Kansas City. Here was the only problem with this: it was July 1980. After I interviewed my buddy Mike Clark (who was pushing the record) on the air, I decided to play some tracks from it (BTW, Mike Clark looked more like Leland Sklar than Leland Sklar did...something like this...

Anyway, did I mention it was one hot muhfugga that July? I don't think anyone in KC wanted to be "entertained" by their favorite Tom Petty, Queen, Pretenders songs sounding like it they were being played at 78rpms. With good intentions, but alas flopping like a led balloon, the "Chipmunk Punk" is stashed away with "Slim Whitman" and "Slimjam 1980". People were pisssssed. I know, I answered the phone.

I digress...

45 years after Simon, Theodore and Alvin actually meant something to a seven year old, somewhere rolling around the family archives is the 331/3 rpm recording of Alvin and the Chipmunks doing the Beatles. I ask you, how sick is that? Huh?

After all this time, get ready for God forbid, the movie....

Here's the trailer...let us all weep together. I am creeped out, big time.

How and when did David's boys become thugs? Yo, Zimmy? China white, today bbeeeeeoooy!

Kay What the F^&k?

K-WHAT? Unbuilt Maui TV station lands questionable call letters

THE call letters KUNT have landed at a yet-unbuilt low-power digital television station in Wailuku, Maui.
Alarmingly similar to a word the dictionary says is obscene, the call letters were among a 15-page list of new call letters issued by the Federal Communications Commission and released this week.
The same station owner also received KWTF for a station in Arizona.
From Skokie, Ill., comes a sincere apology "to anyone that was offended," said Kevin Bae, vice president of KM Communications Inc., who requested and received KUNT and KWTF. It is "extremely embarrassing for me and my company and we will file to change those call letters immediately."
On the Net:» svartifoss2.fcc.gov/reports7/callsign.cfm

He thanked your columnist for bringing the matter to his attention and pledged to, "make sure I don't fall asleep on the job when selecting call signs again."
One might understand how Bae's eyes could glaze over during selection, as KM has some 80 sets of call letters and alpha-numeric callsigns for TV and radio stations in several states.
No KM station is yet on the air in Hawaii but its mainland TV stations carry programming from America One Network, My Network TV and the CW.
The call letter snafu was a source of great mirth for Bae's attorney.
"I can't tell you how long he laughed at me when he learned of my gaffe," Bae said.
Broadcasters for generations have joked among themselves about call letters resembling off-color words or acronyms knowing the FCC would never approve their assignment -- but that was before computerization.
KCUF-FM near Aspen, Colo. got its F-word-in-reverse call letters in August of 2005 and has been on the air since December, "Keeping Colorado Uniquely Free," its Web site says. Uh, yeah.
Station officials could not be reached, but the automated pop-music slinger has been written about twice in the Aspen Daily News. The paper said radio regulators "blessed the call letters."
However, assignment of call letters actually is an automated process, according to Mary Diamond of the FCC's Office of Media Relations. Broadcasters use the FCC Web site to request and receive call letters with no oversight from Beavis, his partner, or any FCC regulator.
Dude, seriously. Even after years of concerns over broadcast indecency and the debate about fines for fleeting profanities that hit the air.
The Code of Federal Regulations allows applicants to request call letters of their choice as long as the combination is available. Further, "objections to the assignment of requested call signs will not be entertained at the FCC," it states.

This Makes Me So Mad, I Could Throw Up!!!

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Army medical examiners were suspicious about the close proximity of the three bullet holes in Pat Tillman's forehead and tried without success to get authorities to investigate whether the former NFL player's death amounted to a crime, according to documents obtained by The Associated Press.
"The medical evidence did not match up with the, with the scenario as described," a doctor who examined Tillman's body after he was killed on the battlefield in Afghanistan in 2004 told investigators.
The doctors - whose names were blacked out - said that the bullet holes were so close together that it appeared the Army Ranger was cut down by an M-16 fired from a mere 10 yards or so away.
Ultimately, the Pentagon did conduct a criminal investigation, and asked Tillman's comrades whether he was disliked by his men and whether they had any reason to believe he was deliberately killed. The Pentagon eventually ruled that Tillman's death at the hands of his comrades was a friendly-fire accident. The medical examiners' suspicions were outlined in 2,300 pages of testimony released to the AP this week by the Defense Department in response to a Freedom of Information Act request.
Among other information contained in the documents:
- In his last words moments before he was killed, Tillman snapped at a panicky comrade under fire to shut up and stop "sniveling."
- Army attorneys sent each other congratulatory e-mails for keeping criminal investigators at bay as the Army conducted an internal friendly-fire investigation that resulted in administrative, or non-criminal, punishments.
- The three-star general who kept the truth about Tillman's death from his family and the public told investigators some 70 times that he had a bad memory and couldn't recall details of his actions.
- No evidence at all of enemy fire was found at the scene - no one was hit by enemy fire, nor was any government equipment struck.
The Pentagon and the Bush administration have been criticized in recent months for lying about the circumstances of Tillman's death. The military initially told the public and the Tillman family that he had been killed by enemy fire. Only weeks later did the Pentagon acknowledge he was gunned down by fellow Rangers.
With questions lingering about how high in the Bush administration the deception reached, Congress is preparing for yet another hearing next week.
The Pentagon is separately preparing a new round of punishments, including a stinging demotion of retired Lt. Gen. Philip R. Kensinger Jr., 60, according to military officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because the punishments under consideration have not been made public.
In more than four hours of questioning by the Pentagon inspector general's office in December 2006, Kensinger repeatedly contradicted other officers' testimony, and sometimes his own. He said on some 70 occasions that he did not recall something.
At one point, he said: "You've got me really scared about my brain right now. I'm really having a problem."
Tillman's mother, Mary Tillman, who has long suggested that her son was deliberately killed by his comrades, said she is still looking for answers and looks forward to the congressional hearings next week.
"Nothing is going to bring Pat back. It's about justice for Pat and justice for other soldiers. The nation has been deceived," she said.
The documents show that a doctor who autopsied Tillman's body was suspicious of the three gunshot wounds to the forehead. The doctor said he took the unusual step of calling the Army's Human Resources Command and was rebuffed. He then asked an official at the Army's Criminal Investigation Division if the CID would consider opening a criminal case.
"He said he talked to his higher headquarters and they had said no," the doctor testified.
Also according to the documents, investigators pressed officers and soldiers on a question Mrs. Tillman has been asking all along.
"Have you, at any time since this incident occurred back on April 22, 2004, have you ever received any information even rumor that Cpl. Tillman was killed by anybody within his own unit intentionally?" an investigator asked then-Capt. Richard Scott.
Scott, and others who were asked, said they were certain the shooting was accidental.
Investigators also asked soldiers and commanders whether Tillman was disliked, whether anyone was jealous of his celebrity, or if he was considered arrogant. They said Tillman was respected, admired and well-liked.
The documents also shed new light on Tillman's last moments.
It has been widely reported by the AP and others that Spc. Bryan O'Neal, who was at Tillman's side as he was killed, told investigators that Tillman was waving his arms shouting "Cease fire, friendlies, I am Pat (expletive) Tillman, damn it!" again and again.
But the latest documents give a different account from a chaplain who debriefed the entire unit days after Tillman was killed.
The chaplain said that O'Neal told him he was hugging the ground at Tillman's side, "crying out to God, help us. And Tillman says to him, 'Would you shut your (expletive) mouth? God's not going to help you; you need to do something for yourself, you sniveling ..."

Here's the rub. the Army killed him and tried to cover it up. What a fucked up time in this country's history, huh? Liars, cheats, cowards everywhere. You can't believe any body anymore because...

NO ONE IS TELLING THE TRUTH!!!

Impeach every one of the bastards, starting at King George and eliminate every one of his henchmen. Then let's go to work on Congress and tell them we are so bloody sick of them and every money hungry sombitch in Washington. Lobbying corporate scum bags run this country, not us. The military killed it's poster boy and then covered it up.

CAN WE DO ANYTHING RIGHT, INCLUDING MURDER?

Song Number Six

Each time I sit down at the computer to do work or piddle, I always wait for the sixth song on "Rocko Radio" to come on. Wasn't it usually song number six that started the second side of an album? Someone once told me that the most important songs were put at three positions on an album. Song one to kick it off, song three to maintain momentum and the the first song on side two to "keep the listener". With that in mind, each time I sit here and the station gets to song number six, I will give you my memory or what the song meant to me. Pretty narcissistic, huh?

Song six tonight is: "Comes A Time" by Neil Young.

From the CD of the same name, released in 1978, to me, this release was his follow up to "Harvest". A very fine song with great lyrics that lift you up. I was working at KFMH in Muscatine and this was a new release that I would reach for quite frequently. My two favorite songs on the album were "Comes a Time" with Nicolette Larson singing back up; and the original "Lotta Love" that she made a hit. Very cool and mellow time for me, I was just exploring life and women since I had just recently divorced. Not too far away from home but I had my own place there and this was my first foray into living alone and not having ANY money. The woman at the time happened to be Rose Case. She had a small child and was a very pleasant person. The child must now be 30. Hey, Rosey, you were fun. If I was to do my top ten Neil songs (which I don't think I can do), this one would be right there.

THAT'S TONIGHT'S SONG NUMBER SIX!!!

Hot Suburbian Action!

America's Fastest-Growing Suburbs
By Matt Woolsey, Forbes.com
July 16, 2007

The fastest-growing suburb in the country is Lincoln, Calif., just outside Sacramento. Its population jumped from 11,746 to 39,566, or an increase of 236%. The fastest-growing big suburb (with a population of 100,000 or more) is Gilbert, Ariz., outside Phoenix, which expanded from 112,766 people to 191,517.
While not cheap by national standards, the growth in Sacramento's outerlying areas is strong because it's a less-expensive alternative to Los Angeles, San Francisco or San Diego. The Phoenix area saw the greatest positive domestic migration of any American metro last year, with 115,000 more people moving into town than leaving. Affordable housing and a growing economy draw a lot of people to the city.
Rounding out the top 10 fastest-growing suburbs after Lincoln were four Phoenix suburbs: Buckeye, Surprise, Goodyear and Avondale; Plainfield, outside of Chicago; Beaumont, outside San Bernardino, Calif.; Frisco and Wylie outside of Dallas; and Woodstock, outside of Atlanta.
In Pictures: America's Fastest-Growing Suburbs

While Los Angeles is sometimes called the "Sultan of Sprawl", not one of its suburbs makes the list.
Instead, Angelinos are packing their bags and heading 60 miles east to San Bernardino, where twelve of the country's 100 fastest-growing suburbs are located. Leading the pack? Beaumont. It has experienced 130% growth since 2000.
It's easy to understand why. Home prices in the Riverside-San Bernardino metropolitan area are 30% less expensive than in L.A. Add comparable household incomes to the mix, and the move from the basin to the valley makes sense.
So much sense that San Bernardino's rate of net domestic migration has near quadrupled since 1990, while the Los Angeles metro posted negative net migration figures over that same period. Last year, it lost 72,000 more residents than it gained.
Our list was compiled using U.S. Census growth data from 2000 to 2006 and provided by Demographia, a St. Louis-based research firm. Since a city's metropolitan statistical area is defined by the counties it encompasses, Demographia excluded those outlying towns which were in suburban counties but didn't have significant economic and social ties to the big city. Suburbs included cities, townships and villages that had more than 10,000 people in 2000.
But with sprawl comes both pros and cons.
In Texas, for example, geographic growth is almost completely unregulated. Not surprisingly, the Lone Star State has the lion's share of the country's top-growth suburbs, 20, 12 of which are in the Dallas-Forth Worth metro area.
As a result, these areas have some of the most affordable homes in the nation, since there is plenty of supply to meet demand. But transportation expenses are often high. In Houston, such costs are the No. 1 household expense, according to the Brookings Institute.
Cities that engage in restrictive growth policies find themselves with different trade offs. In Boston's inner suburbs, including Chelsea and Cambridge, zoning and growth restrictions designed to prevent sprawl backfire because they force people to look farther outside the city for affordable housing. According to the same Brookings Institute study, metros with growth exclusion plans like Boston have the most expensive housing stock in the country since there is a limited supply of homes close to the city.
This becomes particularly problematic in northeastern and Rust-Belt cities that are losing population. Places like Phoenix and Las Vegas are spreading out faster than Boston, but they are doing so more efficiently, meaning with a more concentrated population.
Last year, just over 16,000 more people left the Boston metro area than moved in, yet the suburbs continued to expand geographically. The result is a thinning of the area, which makes Boston more of a sprawl, if sprawl is defined as the density of population over a geographic space.
Top 10 fastest-growing suburbs
Lincoln, Calif
Buckeye, Ariz
Surprise, Ariz
Goodyear, Ariz.
Plainfield, Ill.
Beaumont, Calif
Frisco, Texas
Wylie, Texas
Avondale, Ariz
Woodstock, GA

Post 850!

"Military justice is to justice what military music is to music. "-Groucho Marx

It Comes In Threes

Three people who have had an influence in my musical history have passed in the last few days..er, uh...weeks, no make that months...
Marshall Tucker Band guitarist George McCorkle died Friday morning (June 29) near Nashville after being diagnosed with cancer earlier this month. He was 60. He co-founded the Marshall Tucker Band in 1971 in Spartanburg, S.C., with vocalist Doug Gray, guitarist Toy Caldwell (who died in 1993), bassist Tommy Caldwell (who died in 1980), drummer Paul Riddle and flute and saxophone player Jerry Eubanks. McCorkle, who served as rhythm guitarist through 1983, wrote one of the band's Southern rock anthems, "Fire on the Mountain." In 1999, he released a solo album, American Street. In recent years, he had been working as a member of the Renegades of Southern Rock and writing songs in Nashville. One of his compositions, "Cowboy Blues," was featured on Gary Allan's Smoke Rings in the Dark album. Boots Randolph was big in my house. "Yakety Sax" is one of the very first songs I ever bought. It became more notorious as the theme to "The Benny Hill Show".

One of my first musical memories.

I missed this last year..how?

Music impresario Phil Walden, who managed Otis Redding and helped define Southern rock through his work with the Allman Brothers, the Charlie Daniels Band, the Marshall Tucker Band and many other acts, died Sunday after a long bout with cancer. He was sixty-six years old.
After managing several R&B acts in the 1960s, including Al Green, Sam and Dave, Percy Sledge and Redding, Walden helped create the Southern rock genre with Capricorn Records, where the roster featured the Allmans, Elvin Bishop, Bonnie Bramlett and the Dixie Dregs.
Personal and financial difficulties led to the demise of Capricorn in 1980, but Walden resurrected the label ten years later in Nashville, kicking off the return with the debut album from Widespread Panic. More recently, the label had successes with Cake and 311.
After graduating from Mercer University in Macon, Georgia, in 1962, Phil Walden became a booking agent and then a manager. His work with R&B acts led to his affiliation with Atlantic Records and producer Jerry Wexler. During a stint in the military, Walden recruited his younger brother, Alan, to take over the management business. Alan Walden later managed Lynyrd Skynyrd.
Working with Wexler, Walden and co-founder Frank Fenter established Capricorn -- an imprint of Atlantic named for Wexler and Walden's star sign -- in Macon in 1969. Walden met guitarist Duane Allman, then under contract as a session player for Atlantic, through Wexler, and set about making him a star in his own right.
The Allman Brothers were not an instant success, selling just 33,000 copies of their debut album. But the breakthrough of their 1971 live double set, At Fillmore East, helped convince Walden to end Capricorn's affiliation with Atlantic and move to Warner Bros. A later agreement with Polygram ended in 1979; Walden declared bankruptcy in 1980.
Redding's death in a plane crash in 1967 had been a huge blow to Walden, who considered the client one of his closest friends. He suffered another devastating loss in 1971, when Duane Allman died in a motorcycle crash. Yet Walden soldiered on, creating a small empire in Macon with the label, a recording facility, real estate holdings and other ventures. In 1976 Walden and the Allmans threw their support behind a presidential candidate from Georgia named Jimmy Carter.
Walden dropped out of sight during the 1980s, struggling with drug and alcohol dependencies, a court decision that found he had underpaid royalties to the Allmans, and other setbacks. When he returned to artist management, his anchor was not a rock band but the comic actor Jim Varney, whose "Hey Vern" commercials made him a hillbilly icon and the star of a string of movies.
In recent years, with the Capricorn name retired, Walden tried his hand with another label, this one called Velocette. The entire staff was made up of Waldens, including his son, Phillip Jr., and daughter, Amantha.
"Phil was one of the preeminent producers of great music in America," former president Jimmy Carter said in a statement. Walden's work with Redding, the Allmans and others, Carter said, "helped to put Macon and Georgia on the musical map of the world."

50,000

Ya' all are nuts, that all I can say other than thanks.

It's Just Junk!

When I am waking up, I don't need to be met on the Local TV by a guy who says it's "a warm 77 today". What does that mean? Tomorrow, if it's 77 at 7:40am, does that mean it's a "cool" 77? What about October, it truly would be a "warm 77"in October, huh? But in July, it could be a "cool" 77, just for arguments sake, no? I have never used an adjective in front of a number, but in today's climate (climate? "warm 77" get it? I kill me!!) of broadcasting, it doesn't matter, and he's "cute" anyway, so that's all that counts.

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Can you say "rebuilding"? This team is going nowhere fast. How disappointing. Tony's gone, and so is everyone from that regime. Too bad. The owners will now try and get the people to fork over more dough for the ballpark village that looks great on paper but without all the taxpayers money seems doomed. Screw them, all of 'em. I guarantee that these owners won't be here in five years so who cares if the ballpark village goes up, they seem to be content with the hole in the ground the way it is...
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Tomorrow is a day off. (I hit a sales goal that allowed me to take a three day weekend). Here's how it will play out. Tomorrow, up late, drink way too much coffee, basketball at noon,sauna, then off to the Golden Eagle Ferry. Head to Kinder's, have a fish sammich, drive around then get ready to go to Davenport Iowa where my grand daughter is turning six. We'll see her (and mom and my 89 year old aunt), then hang and get ready for another work week.

Man, on the "station" tonight, I heard Jeff Beck into Simple Minds into Nanci Griffith into Rare Earth into Steve Miller. Nice, now THAT'S what I am talking about!!

God the Painter Number Six

Maybe my favorite so far. I'd like a cabin right about here^.

R. I. P. Bill Flemming

There are certain voices, songs and smells that I think back on fondly. They have added so much to the texture and fiber of who I am and how I turned out. When you are born the second son by eight years, you pay attention more, you want to impress your brother, make some kind of connection, spend some quality guy time together. College Football and ABC's "Wide World Of Sports" filled that niche every Saturday morning. We actually did something together, I wasn't the dumb kid brother and it made me feel special when he would turn around and point out some miniscule piece of crap on the broadcast. He was sharing it with me. Me. No, I didn't know that the receiver from Georgia Tech is the same guy that had his head cut off and then sewn on backwards....really? BWAH HAH HA HA HA.

Those Saturday mornings Chris Schenkel, Chris Economackie, Ray Scott, Bill Flemming, Lindsay Nelson, Jim McKay and others filled my world with the pasion and excitement only great broadcasters can bring to the table. Whether it was covering the Notre Dame game or hanging out on the ski jumps, or covering the high diving championships somewhere in Acalpulco or wherever, when I hear old tapes of these guys, I immediately take about 45 years off my life, for them, I am eternally grateful.

Bill Flemming died at 80 today, and according to the obit, hung around and played golf the last few years of his life. Good for him. Man, add one more to the list of the people I would like to talk to in heaven. What a voice.

Bill Flemming, 80, a pioneer tele­vision broadcaster who helped shape ABC Sports, has died.
The part-time Marco Island resident passed away Friday after a long bat­tle with prostate cancer in Michigan.
Flemming was in the home of millions in covering 11 Olympic Games and more than 600 varied events for the multi-award-win­ning "ABC’s Wide World of Sports.''
Flemming made Marco Island his vacation home in 1977, when he wasn’t traveling around the globe. Marco Island became his second home in 1998, spending seven months a year on Marco and the remainder at his summer cottage in Good Hart, Mich.
Ara Parseghian, part-time Marco resident and famed Notre Dame football coach, calls Flemm­ing a good friend.
"Bill broadcast some of my games clear back to when I was (coaching) at Northwestern (in Chicago) and games at Notre Dame," Parseghian said. "When I joined ABC we did a number of games together, with me doing color and Bill doing the broad­casting. We got along exception­ally well, there were no egos in the way.
"He first used my condo when he visited Marco before he bought his own."
By his colleagues, Flemming was considered the most versatile His extensive play-by-play coverage of college football was renowned, but what pleased him as much was an interview with Bobby Fisher during his historic chess match with Boris Spassky in Ice­land in 1972.
"My dad was really proud of his interview with Bobby Fisher," daughter Lindy said. "He spent weeks getting the interview."
Lindy, a video producer for corporate and non-profit organiza­tions, said that what she learned from her father was the importance of preparation, profession­alism, dedication and enthusi­asm.
"Enthusiasm was a big word for him," she said. "He con­ducted great interviews because he made everyone feel special and they would open up to his warm style."
Lindy recalls her dad being the first to interview Peggy Fleming after she won the gold medal in skating in the 1968 Olympic Games.
"He was just so thrilled for her. It was an emotional interview," she said.
Lindy said her dad was low key, "enjoying Marco Island and playing golf with his buddies at Island Country Club."
"He was good friends with Jack Nicklaus," she added.
Flemming’s passion for sports began early when his Ann Arbor High School football team won the state championship in 1943. He entered Michigan as a pre-med student , but switched his career path to broadcasting after winning a campus-wide speech contest.
He got his first big break when he joined NBC’s Detroit affiliate, WWJT-TV, in 1953. By the next year he headed the station’s sports department. His first net­work appearance was on NBC’s "Today'' show, which led to a chance to help with the telecast of the 1957 U.S. Open. He moved to the newly-formed ABC Sports, joining Wide World of Sports in 1961.
He is survived by his wife of 57 years, Barbara, daughter Lindy and son-in-law Phil Andrews, their two grandchildren and son William. A memorial service will be at 2 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 10, at First Presbyterian Church of Harbor Springs in Michigan.

What Your Drink Says About You

I know what my drink says to me..."let's have another"!!!
Yes, I am a margarita guy. Link

From Cromulant to Craptacular: The Top 12 Simpsons-Created Words

More fun from our friends at "Cracked", here's the link.

And more Simpson's fun with the 101 Greatest Quotes. Link it here.

And no list can be complete without the 6 trippiest scenes in Simpsons' history....whoa! Link

And for the creme' dela creme, the top 25 Simpsons Supporting Characters (miss ya, Phil). Link

In Praise of...Eddie Money

First off, let me say I had just started in the business of playing rock and roll when Eddie's first album came out. I had been in the business for a while but when late 1978 rolled around, I was helming the morning show on "KFMH, 99 plus stereo" in suburban Muscatine Iowa. With a signal that stretched from Des Moines to LaSalle-Peru, and a format that was "..we have a format?", I was a pretty happy guy. That being said, the first Eddie Money release hit me in the gonads. Born Eddie Mahoney, this guy was a native New Yorker and followed his dad on the force, disillusioned with a paper pushing assignment, he decided to see how far he could go.

I immediately loved "Two Tickets", "Baby Hold On" and also discovered some great stuff on the songs that weren't popular like "Save A Little Room In Your Heart For Me","Jelousies" etc. His next, "Life For The Taking" was equally strong but by "No Control", he was toast. He redeemed his career with "Can't Hold Back" in 1986. That was pretty much it. He released "Peace In Our Time" around Christmas 1990 but hasn't regained his popularity. Come to speak of it, he was a dick to me in Nashville. It was my last official appearance as a station employee and he made it clear why it was time to leave the business.

But, Eddie, my man, love the gritty passsion you put into most of your music, and we'll keep the blondes hidden from sight. Here's the top ten:

1. "When You Took My Heart"(1981)-I heard this on a competing station in 1981 and almost got fired I wanted us to play this song so much. Great power pop masterpiece.

2. "Two Tickets To Paradise"(1978)-I've heard this more than you. East coast straight ahead rock and roll with a protaganist and a plot. Always one of the highest testing classic rock songs ever.

3."Save A Little Room In Your Heart"(1978)- "Old faces and old places don't bother me Like they seem to bother you We've had our day No more sorry's to say But there's just one more thing I want you to do... Save a little room in your heart for me Save my pictures with your other memories Save a little room in your heart for me And I'll be there "- damn fine song.

4. "Endless Nights"(1986)-Everyone dug "Take Me Home", but to me, this was THE song from that release.

5. "Trinidad"(1980)-The summer of 1980, hot and muggy. Nasty hot, song of the summer to me.

6. "Baby Hold On"(1978)-Another pop masterpiece.

7. "I Wanna Go Back"(1986)- Man, I hear ya. Another great pop song, a song filled with hooks, great playing and the words that nail a 51 year old to the ground.

8. "Peace In Our Time"(1991)-Classified as a Christmas song by many programmers, I think of the Berlin wall falling. I thought this was the last great Eddie Money song

9. "Can't Keep A Good Man Down"(1979)-Nice funky chunky bottom and another great 1979 era song.

10."Take A Little Bit"(1982) the only thing from "No Control" I liked.

What a picky ass I am huh? Keep the blondes away. Thanks Eddie

Ads from Yesteryear (Thank God!)

Uh, yeah, this is an ad extolling the virtues of douching with Lysol. OK, as Moe Howard once said "...go ahead, I'm right behind ya.." Whatever worked now or back then.

God, The Painter Volume Four

What I wouldn't give....Thank you, Lord.

Drew Carey....Come on Down, You're The Next Host for...The Price Is Right!!!!!

By DAVID BAUDER, AP Television Writer Today at 4:35 pm
Genial comic Drew Carey was tapped Monday to replace silver-haired legend Bob Barker on the CBS daytime game show "The Price is Right." The deal was set Monday afternoon shortly before a taping of CBS' "Late Show" with David Letterman, where he confirmed it.
"I realize what a big responsibility this is," he said. "It's only a game show, but it's the longest-running game show in American television and I plan to keep it that way."
The selection attracted more attention than usual for a daytime show because of the prospect of replacing Barker, 83. Barker retired after 35 years in the job last month following taping of his 6,586th episode.
The opening attracted widespread interest, including from comic Rosie O'Donnell after she left "The View."
Carey, 49, spent a decade on his own ABC sitcom and also was host of the improvisational game show "Whose Line is It Anyway?"
He will also be host of a new CBS prime-time game show, "The Power of 10," that will air first next month. He told The Associated Press on Monday that CBS officials first contacted him about "The Price is Right" immediately after he completed a pilot of the other game show this spring.
"My agent called me and said `I was talking to CBS casting today' and in my head I was thinking, `Oh, `CSI' guest star?' And he said what would you think about replacing Bob Barker on `The Price is Right?'"
Asked if he found the prospect of replacing such a TV legend daunting, Carey recalled talking to a friend who knows the game show business who told him, "as long as Bob Barker is cool with it, the fans will be cool with it."
"I'm cool with it," Barker said after hearing Carey's remarks.
Barker said he's not familiar enough with Carey's past performances to offer an opinion on his selection. But, he said, "I understand he ad-libs very well and that he has a very nice, friendly way of working, and I think both of those would be helpful to him on`The Price Is Right.'"
His advice for Carey: "Go out there and do that show the way you think it should be done. Don't imitate me and don't imitate anyone else."
While Carey said doesn't know Barker personally, the younger comedian said he was comfortable that his predecessor would be accepting when he took on the job.
The negotiation process was nerve-racking. While he was talking with CBS about the job, Carey said he got a call from another lawyer in Hollywood who told him one of his clients was offered "The Price is Right" job.
He figured CBS had lined up back-ups if the first choice did not come through.
"If I was going after a second baseman, I wouldn't just talk to one second baseman," the Cleveland Indians fan said. "If I were the general manager, I would be talking to a few second basemen."
___
Associated Press Writer Jacob Adelman in Los Angeles contributed to this report.

I have no problem with this. For many years, while living on the farm and watching one TV station from Springfield, we watched with pride how Bob Barker (Springfield native) became a celebrity for nothing more than doing his job better than anyone else. First, with Truth or Consequences and then on to the "Price Is Right" in 1973. Generations have passed (more than once) since he was not on TV.

"Who's Line Is It Anyway" is an absolute muhfugga in my house and has been for years, still laugh my ass off and wonder how they do it. A show that was appreciated by the whole family for a long time. Drew is a blue collar nerd from Cleveland that has a great talent. I think this will be a great hire by Goodson/Toddman. Now that he has been chosen, I really can't think of anyone who could do it better..or with the most justice.

These Crazy Kids

Man, if I woulda had one of these back in the day, my head would have probably exploded.
A one handed smoking apparatus. To be used while driving, of course. I mastered the art of one knee driving to perfection. Damn fine, I'd say. Not that I "had" to or anything like that...
Here's the link (just in time for Chrstmas).