Going Out In Style

I have always said sometimes that I wanted to go out on the air with the very first perfect break I have ever done. I have yet to do a break on the air that was perfect, all of them I have done could have been better. It would be like the thunderstorm scene in "Caddyshack" when the priest is playing his last round. One big bolt of lightning and "zammo"! I'm sitting next to Jesus and we're talking baseball with my grandfather. The next obituary goes hand in hand with that thought.
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah (AFP) – A motorcyclist was killed after losing control of his bike at 385 kilometers (239 miles) per hour and crashing on Utah’s famous Bonneville Salt Flats, authorities and reports said Thursday. The American Motorcyclist Association said in a statement on its website that 49-year-old Cliff Gullett of Montana was killed in an accident during a time trial at the location, around 185 kilometers (115 miles) west of Salt Lake City.
The AMA said Gullett was competing in the 500cc class during a time trial speed racing event when his bike crashed. Reports said Gullett was aiming to set a record for the fastest two-stroke, two-cylinder motorcycle. The Salt Lake Tribune cited police investigators as saying Gullett was travelling at 239 miles per hour before the crash. The Bonneville Salt Flats have been used as a speed testing ground since 1896 and became famous in 1935 when British motorsport legend Malcolm Campbell broke the world land speed record at the site.

I could not imagine riding a motorcycle at 139 miles per hour, let alone THAT speed. It's a bummer that he leaves a wife and two kids (10 and 15) behind. I can only imagine what went through his mind in the split second between realizing you are about to crash and then crashing.

The Voice

I have been known to use my voice to make a living, but this guy has always kicked my ass. So long, Don LaFontaine.. you are now travelling .."in a world far away".



my friend Jay sends this:

Here are a couple of emails that explain Don's situation just before his death. The first is written by Don himself and he sounded hopeful and upbeat about his condition, and issues his warning about smoking to the rest of us. The second is an appeal to the industry for prayers and thoughts and was written by his wife, Nita shortly before his death.

========================================

Update from Don

I thought it was about time that I brought everybody up to speed with what's been happening in my world.

You haven't been hearing a lot from me lately, and that's because I have been fairly seriously ill for the last several months.

In order to give you the complete picture, I need to go back over some material of which many of you are already aware, but this thing needs to be seen in its full context.

Last fall, I began to notice that I was having trouble catching my breath during exercise. Subsequent tests revealed a suspicious growth on my lymph nodes and left lung. This required an exploratory surgery called a Media Stenoscopy, which was performed At Cedars Sinai Hospital in late November of '07. The biopsy ultimately proved negative for any tumor, but there was a spot on the lung that still needed to be checked. Unfortunately, sometime during the operation, one of my lungs was nicked, and I developed Pneumothorax, which basically means that the lung collapsed, releasing all the air into my upper body, causing a condition called Subcutaneous Emphysema - Which blew me up like a balloon from the ribs up to my eyebrows. This happened three times over the next six days. The "cure" for this condition is to place chest tubes and small catheters under the skin to drain off the excess air.

Unfortunately, all that air also accumulated around my vocal cords, causing me to sound like an ambassador from Munchkinland. This condition, I was told, could last for a number of weeks.

We decided to put off a Bronchoscopy to determine the status of the spot on my lung until after the new year, by which time, my breathing had become even more labored.

Again, the test failed to reveal anything more than a few "suspicious" cells - but no cancer. I had also scheduled, months before, a standard Colonoscopy, which I had in January. This revealed a growth on my colon.

Are we having fun, yet?

So - I go back to Cedars to discuss laparoscopic surgery to get rid of that growth, after first undergoing CAT and PET scans. During my consultation with the surgeon, my Oncologist came in with another doctor to tell me that I had a tumor growing under my lung and threatening to encircle my Aortic Valve to my heart.

Suddenly, the surgery was put on hold, and I was scheduled for thirty-seven sessions of intense radiation and four sessions of Chemotherapy, which stretched over the next seven weeks. This included four blood transfusions.

During this time, the effects of the Subcutaneous Emphysema had worn off, and I was able to work again.

After treatment, I was told that it was completely successful, and the growth had been completely eradicated! I was also told that the radiation therapy would continue to work in my system for a number of weeks.

Well, it did.

In rare cases - like mine - it spreads into the lungs and causes a very persistent condition called radiation pnuemonitis. This reduces the lungs capacity to about a quarter, making it almost impossible to walk ten paces without having to stop for air.

The treatment for this condition is massive doses of steroids, which balloons the face and body, and it also settles on the vocal cords in a major way, creating a good deal of gravel and hoarseness. In short - it has brought my career to a near stand-still.

Steroids can also have a major effect on one's heart rate, and blood sugar count - each of which sent me back to Cedars on two separate occasions for four and three day stays within a week of each other. Because of the blood sugar influence, I now have a temporary form of diabetes, and need to take insulin.

This condition will pass as soon as I get the pnuemonitis under control, but it's a balancing act between doses of steroids and insulin.

As I mentioned earlier, this lung thing is incredibly resistant, and to this date, I am still looking for some improvement.

I do work from time to time, but my voice is nowhere close to where I need it to be. Fortunately, I have incredibly faithful friends and clients who have shown me what loyalty really means by working with me, even in my diminished capacity.

I am now recovering from the recovery. When this is cleared up, I still am facing the laparoscopic stomach surgery, but that will be a cakewalk.

But the real point of all this is the Genisis of the condition. I was a smoker, on and off, for thirty years. I quit nearly twenty years ago, but that crap has a tendency to lie doggo in your system. It finally caught up with me, and as you've just read - it ain't pretty. For those of you who are in the Voice Over business, and you think that smoking is adding some wonderful quality to your instrument - WAKE UP! Quit! Today! Whoever you are - if you smoke - Stop! All you are adding is garbage to your vocal cords, and a nice deep layer of tar and poison on the linings of your lungs.

I tell you all this, because I need to clear the air, because there has been a lot of speculation out there, and because it should serve as a cautionary tale. Even though the growth on my lungs has been erased, there are still a few miles to go before I'm back to 100%.

But that, I can assure you - is going to happen!

-Don

========================================

The Lafontaine family needs our help. Don Lafontaine, the TOP Voice Talent of today, Famous for his signatory line in many movie trailers, “IN A WORLD….”, Is not doing well and is in the hospital at this time.

Don’s wife Nita has put out this plea sent to us via VO Universe, Beau Weaver & George Whittman.

The letter reads...

Dear friends and family,

I need your help and I'm reaching out to all of you. My wonderful husband is in critical condition at Cedar Sinai hospital; a blood clot is lodged in his lung and he is fighting for his life. This happened on Saturday after I'd taken him in for shortness of breath on Friday. He was doing very well and I left him talking and being funny on Friday evening. Without all the details, I got a call on Saturday morning as I was heading there to visit. There has been some lovely improvement yesterday but he is very sick right now. We need your concentrated prayers! And save a little for the girls and me. We have had small miracles already and, I know how powerful that can be. He is fighting and we all are fighting with him. He is strong and is a warrior so I thank you in advance for your prayers, good wishes and kindness on behalf of my family.

With a hopeful heart,

Nita and family

Don has blessed us with his powerful voice, so let’s bless him with ours!

I can not think of any stronger energy than THOUSANDS of voice talents, actors, directors, producers and entertainment colleagues. If we all stick together and put out positive energy, prayers or whatever your belief, we can collectively make Don well.

Please join with us and help bring Don back home to his loving family.

Thank you so much
All our best
Deb Munro & The Chanti Team

If you’d like to leave a note to pass along, join our discussion board at:


All my best
Debbie Munro
www.MicnMe.com http://www.MicnMe.com

RIP Jerry Reed

One of the true innocence of the age for me was right about the time I moved away from Ava. Things had not been going well, I think I had used up my welcome. So, the days and months preceding the move were filled with thoughts on how I was going to get out of there. I even wanted to move with my cousins to California and talked to them about it. Of course they thought I was deranged. Right about that time, the radio was so important to me and a place where literally, I could find my only friend. You have to remember, I was only 15 and music was music, it didn't matter. Jerry Reed brought "Amos Moses" into my life and Amos stayed a while. Sure, it was corn pone country crud but there was a certain thing about the song. It had a swagger to it. And that little "chunka chunka" guitar was played with precision. "When You're Hot, You're Hot" came along right after my parents decided to move away from the farm. What a joyous noise and celebration that song was to me. I also noticed that this guy was a great guitar player, tutored by Chet Atkins and later, we found out that as an actor, he was a heck of a guitar player. "Smokey and the Bandit" was a fun movie and two of the reasons to watch it were a young Sally Field and Jerry Reed with his stupid dog in the cab. He made me laugh and in those dark and dreary hours, he made me smile, so if for no other reason, thanks Jerry. He was a regular on the Glen Campell Goodtime Hour. He wrote "Guitar Man" and "US Male" for Elvis.
Jerry died yesterday in Nashville from complications of emphysema. He was 71.

The Five Biggest Presidential Bad Asses of All Time

Pretty complete list if you ask me

Another Top 100 Pick

Another John Denver wanna be? Maybe. Although, there were times when I dug the hell out of John Denver. This was on my stereo when it needed to be. I had just got out of a precarious situation in a place and a time far way. I was looking for a break in my personal and musical life. This came across to me as just plain sweet. I loved "Wildfire", maybe because I had horses once and knew how attached you could get to them . "Carolina In The Pines" remains as one of my all time favorite songs, ranking in the top 25 no matter when I make the list. "Desert Rat" reminded me of my grandfather, ..."success is survival and you toughed it out, yes, we'll all tough it out". Nothing appeals to me more than a well played Hammond B3 or a well played banjo. "Wild Bird" does the trick for me. Bob Johnston's production pulled this higher than any John Denver release and I must say this LP had a lot to do with me accepting a job in Denver. I had to be where these songs talked about. "Blue Sky Riding Song" is a song that reminds me of cold weather for some reason. "Medicine Man" is my third favorite MM song. Great stuff. "Secret Mountain Hide Out"..."that's where I want to stay." Still dreaming about it. "Without My Lady There" could be a Dan Fogelberg song, again, transporting me away to about 10,000 feet with a fire a bottle of wine, and my lady there. "Night Thunder".."love me like thunder". "Rings of Fire" is Michael stripped. A great way to end a great album. Pretentious? Maybe. I still dig this release after all these years, it's like an old friend. I believe this was a Columbia House purchase. Sounded great tonight on this Labor Day weekend as we head to fall, then winter. He's the perfect companion for a cold winter's night and a blazing fire. Although at the time, the critics were a bit less kind than me.

Blue Sky - Night Thunder Michael Murphey

Released: January 1975

Chart Peak: #18

Weeks Charted: 38

Certified Gold: 11/17/75

Reviews from the day..."I must admit that Murphey's melodies don't really do anything for me although they are pleasant. His lyrics are just over the line of pretension, except when he's being cosmic, when they are plain embarrassing. What makes Blue Sky - Night Thunder listenable at all is the picking and the production, both of which are excellent. All that's lacking is good, solid content.
- Ed Ward, Rolling Stone, 7/31/75.
Bonus Reviews!
Murphey has been lumped in a number of categories, including progressive country, Texas rock, country/rock and other areas. Basically, the man is simply a fine singer/songwriter with a soothing voice and a penchant for singing acoustic oriented tunes that deal with the people and things of the outdoors. Most of the songs do have an acoustic sound, and country stations should play certain cuts. Expect biggest action to come from FM, however. Highlight is "Goodbye Old Desert Rat," which characterizes perfectly the feeling of any younger person who has had the joy of knowing and talking to a wiser, older person. Like Dan Fogelberg, who is hitting big now, an easy to listen to artist who has a lot to say. Best cuts: "Carolina In The Pines," "Goodbye Old Desert Rat," "Blue Sky Riding Song," "Without My Lady There," "Rings Of Life."
- Billboard, 1975.

Another One Hit Wonder

After a tempestuous dustup with my woman at the time, I was driving home late one night and this song came on the radio. I remember it had a chilling effect on me. While out running yeaterday, this song popped up on the Ipod. I had to stop and collect my thoughts and remember how it was 28 years ago. It was all so clear, it seemed like yesterday and a flood of memories rushed over me. This was about all the Korgis did, but to me, it was enough. It's amazing how we see things long ago through rose colored glasses. If they ever make a movie of my life out of the book I am writing, I know exactly where this song will fit.

Monday Morning You Sure Look Fine....

The homily at church yesterday was about carrying crosses to bear through life. How some have giant, heavy ones and others have light ones. I have carried heavy crosses, I know what they feel like, I've been there when I feel beaten down, old and tired of the weight. Thank God my crosses are lighter now, a little less stress on the shoulders and the heart. I can't say I have everything I want, but I do have most things I need. There by the grace of God go I...

The long lasting feel I get from Bruce Springsteen's "Magic" is that it's his tribute to Roy Orbison. Don't know why but he seems to conjure Roy's spirit and tone on the release. Maybe it's just me making up stuff.

Labor Day 2008. Not sure what happened to the worker's rights in this country but I just read a story in the St. Louis newspaper about Western Union closing the St. Louis office and shipping those jobs overseas. So, where is anyone going to work in this country if all the jobs are gone? Does ANYONE care? Obama SAYS he does, but we'll see.

With that note, I am not sure what to make of a guy who's 72 years old, running for president and picking someone with very little experience to be his running mate. I know all the right wingers are saying, "well he just scored with the women in the country who are disillusioned with Obamas' treatment of Hillary". I think once Hillary's supporters get wind of her political stance, they won't want to jump on that bandwagon. She's about as right wing as it gets.

Tha Cardinals are DONE. Toast. It all boils down to standing pat during the trade deadline. The Cubs get a quality starting pitcher. The Brewers get a quality starting pitcher and the Cardinals get...I'm not sure. Too bad, they could have has a nice run in them. Oh well, gives me a chance to go work out every night instead of watching these guys. It's the Scott Spiezio effect.

The Mizzou/Illini game was fun. IF Mizzou wants a shot at the National title, it had better fix the secordary. Wait till the quarterbacks from the state of Texas get ahold of that defense, they'll run up 500 yards on them. There's enough time to fix it.

Laboring very hard not to labor, that's me.

Unmissable Movies

Every once in a while, as I am flipping through the channels, I'll come across a movie that I can't turn off for one reason or another. I've had about three come on cable in the last week.

Trading Places. 1983 This is still one hell of a funny movie. Eddie Murphy's break out role (along with 48 hours). Great premise, great fun. I can't get enough of it even after all this time. In this crowd-pleasing 1983 comedy of high finance about a homeless con artist who becomes a Wall Street robber baron, Eddie Murphy consolidated the success of his startling debut in the previous year's 48 Hours and polished his slick-winner persona. The turnabout begins with an argument between super-rich siblings, played by Ralph Bellamy and Don Ameche: Are captains of industry, they wonder, born or made? To settle the issue, the meanies construct a cruel experiment in social Darwinism. Preppie commodities trader Dan Aykroyd (perfectly cast) is stripped of all his worldly goods and expelled from the firm, and Murphy's smelly derelict is appointed to take his place, graduating to tailored suits and a world-class harem in record time. Eventually the two men team up to teach the nasty old manipulators a lesson, cornering the market in frozen orange juice futures in the process. Director John Landis (The Blues Brothers) doesn't have the world's lightest touch, but he hits most of the jokes hard and quite a few of them pay off. Trading Places is also a landmark film for fans of Jamie Lee Curtis.

Galaxy Quest. You don't have to be a Star Trek fan to enjoy Galaxy Quest, but it certainly helps. A knowingly affectionate tribute to Trek and any other science fiction TV series of the 1960s and beyond, this crowd-pleasing comedy offers in-jokes at warp speed, hitting the bull's-eye for anyone who knows that (1) the starship captain always removes his shirt to display his manly physique; (2) any crew member not in the regular cast is dead meat; and (3) the heroes always stop the doomsday clock with one second to spare. So it is with Commander Taggart (Tim Allen) and the stalwart crew of the NSEA Protector, whose intergalactic exploits on TV have now been reduced to a dreary cycle of fan conventions and promotional appearances. That's when the Thermians arrive, begging to be saved from Sarris, the reptilian villain who threatens to destroy their home planet.
Can actors rise to the challenge and play their roles for real? The Thermians are counting on it, having studied the "historical documents" of the Galaxy Quest TV show, and their hero worship (not to mention their taste for Monte Cristo sandwiches) is ultimately proven worthy, with the help of some Galaxy geeks on planet Earth. And while Galaxy Quest serves up great special effects and impressive Stan Winston creatures, director Dean Parisot (Home Fries) is never condescending, lending warm acceptance to this gentle send-up of sci-fi TV and the phenomenon of fandom. Best of all is the splendid cast, including Sigourney Weaver as buxom blonde Gwen DeMarco; Alan Rickman as frustrated thespian Alexander Dane; Tony Shalhoub as dimwit Fred Kwan; Daryl Mitchell as former child-star Tommy Webber; and Enrico Colantoni as Thermian leader Mathesar, whose sing-song voice is a comedic coup de grâce.

Nothing In Common 1986. David Basner has it all, one of the largest advertising agencies, a great career and beautiful women (yummy Sela Ward and the equally yummy Bess Armstrong)Then one day his world falls apart when his mother leaves his father. Now, he must balance his life between his mother, who is happy with her newfound independence, and his father, a recently laid off salesman who is hard-headed, stubborn, and hides a lot from David. Now David must cope with the downfall of his family and his life and reconnect with a father who has ignored him most of his life. Sela Ward is awesome, Tom Hanks is very funny and Jackie Gleason (in one of his last roles) shines as Max Basner. Great, cute film.

Dave Ervin

I found out today that one of my mentors, Dave Ervin was fired from KMOX. I am saddened by the news. I always really liked Dave. Even after he fired me 5 years before. Dave Ervin is a good guy, another radio good guy gone.
This is a bummer.

WTF? Part two

LOS ANGELES (AP) - David Duchovny has entered a rehabilitation facility for sex addiction. In a statement released Thursday by his lawyer, Stanton Stein, the actor said he did so voluntarily, adding: "I ask for respect and privacy for my wife and children as we deal with this situation as a family."
The actor's publicist, Flo Grace, confirmed the rehab report, which first appeared on People.com.
She and Stein both declined to elaborate further.
Duchovny, 48, plays a sex-obsessed character on the Showtime series "Californication," which earned Emmy nominations for casting and cinematography. The show's second season begins Sept. 28. Showtime had no comment Thursday.
The actor appeared in the film "The X Files: I Want to Believe" earlier this summer. He has been married to actress Tea Leoni since 1997. They have two children.

DAVID! DAVID DAVID! Wake the hell up, you're married to this:

Are you NUTS? I'd be addicted to sex with her, too

Old School

I brought this beast with me this past weekend. God, what a monster. Still sounding fine after more than 30 years and still heavy as hell. One of the great sounding pieces of metal ever invented. Too bad I can't turn it up.

Another One Hit Wonder

I rode the bike for about 8 miles tonight and of course had the old Ipod on. There were, for some reason a number of songs from 1971 in a row. This was one of them.



This immediately sends me to jazz band where I played this a thousand times and each time it was followed with the words.."again people".

Here's the story of Bill Chase and his band.

Here's a rare video of the them live in 1974, right before the crash...

WTF?

What the hell happened here?

Kids, stay off the blow and crack, out of the sun and away from Tommy Lee. Oy!

Class Act

Neil has always been one of my favorites, since I thought "Cherry, Cherry" was about something dirty when I was eleven. I always wanted to look like him especially in the "Hot August Night" period. I have followed his music and saw him live a couple of times. One time, while being popped in the head with a cane. "Shilo","Solitary Man","Holly Holy"...he is a part of My soundtrack, no question about it. Here's what he did for his followers after not being up to par. I have NEVER heard of someone offering refunds for a bad night. Sorry St. Louis will not get to see him...

Ailing singer pledges refunds
Neil Diamond's offer called 'unprecedented'
Wednesday, August 27, 2008 3:24 AM
By Aaron Beck
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
THE HOT ISSUE
Have you ever heard of a performer giving refunds after a complete show? Click here to vote and comment.
After a subpar performance Monday night in Value City Arena, Neil Diamond yesterday apologized and offered refunds to the 11,000 people who attended the concert.
"Dear Fans in Columbus," the singer said in a statement, "I haven't let you down before, and I won't let you down now. Until you hear from me again remember, You are the sun. I am the moon. You are the words. I am the tune. Forgive me. I love you. Neil."
Diamond, whose voice was extremely hoarse throughout the show, said yesterday that he is suffering from acute laryngitis. Ordered by doctors to rest his voice, he canceled his two other shows this week -- today in Green Bay, Wis., and Friday in St. Louis.
Some industry veterans said they'd never heard of a performer offering refunds because of the quality of the show.
Tracy Tucker, former executive director of Germain Amphitheater, couldn't recall giving a refund for such a reason in the 14 years of the amphitheater.
"The only time we issued refunds was when an advertised act did not play, for some reason," she said.
A throat ailment for a singer isn't unusual, especially for someone such as Diamond, who is 67 and performing three times a week on a lengthy tour.
Still, some fans, who paid $19.50 to $120 per ticket, wondered why he went on with the show if he could barely talk, let alone sing.
When Diamond took the stage, it became immediately apparent that his voice had been reduced to a harsh rasp.
"The first five minutes were very painful," said Sharon Moitis, 66, of Galena. "It was just very sad. I got tears in my eyes when he was struggling on Solitary Man. It was a poignant song to be singing because he was indeed a solitary man."
Many fans left the show early, some demanding their money back. Value City offered some departing fans tickets for Celine Dion's Sept. 22 show in exchange for their Diamond seats.
Marci Stitzlein, who attended the show with a friend, left after the fourth song. She said issuing a refund was the least Diamond could do.
"I sing, myself, on the side, so I understand the whole thing of wanting to not let the fans down," said Stitzlein, 44. "But this was a bigger disappointment for him to have tried to do the show, knowing how sick he was."
Janene Bushey, who is 53 and has seen Diamond 14 times, said, "I about fainted when he came out and said, 'Hello, Columbus,' because I knew something was wrong."
"It was painful," Bushey added. "My heart ached for him. It was painful for him and me both."
The refund, she said, "is fine, but I would have been thrilled to have another concert."
PromoWest Productions President Scott Stienecker, who books shows in Lifestyle Communities Pavilion, also said he's never heard of a performer offering refunds for a poor performance.
"It's unfortunate, but sometimes you have to take the good with the bad. I've sat through Vince Neil falling-down drunk before. I've sat through Bob Dylan not even acknowledging that there was a crowd.
"It's unfortunate, but (Diamond) made it, he was here ready, willing and able."
That's slight consolation for fans such as Roger Moody, of Westerville.
Moody, 65, bought eight tickets with a face value of $120 each to take his wife, children and grandchildren.
"If it had just been me and my wife, I'd have gotten up and left," said Moody, who stayed for the duration of the show.
"I didn't know whether to feel sorry for the guy or appreciate that he gave it a try, but he should have known that that was so far off-base."
Like many of the more than 100 people who called The Dispatch and left comments at Dispatch.com, Moody left the show wondering why Diamond didn't acknowledge his ailing voice during the concert.
Diamond issuing refunds, however, left Moody "utterly flabbergasted."
"In all due respect," he said, "if anybody was going to do it, I would think that this gentleman would."
Others said they enjoyed the show and admired Diamond for going on with it.
"I loved it," said Carolyn Wilkins, 64, of Clintonville. "I recognized that his voice was a little raspy, but it was a gift to be there. In my book, he did great, especially knowing that he was not feeling well. He's my inspiration."
Will she take the Jazz Singer up on his refund offer?
"I don't think so," Wilkins said before pausing.
"Well, I'll mull it tonight."

Running Night

Went for a short one tonight, a small jaunt through the northeast part of Normal. Crossed Veteran's Parkway on College, through a subdivision and a cornfield (?!) to the Four Seasons Fitness Center. A nice, non profit organization that has everything from yoga to spinning to basketball to free weights. I look forward to getting back in physical shape to play basketball again. My membership starts on Tuesday.
What I did tonight was run a song, walk a song, run a song, etc. It was my night to get into shape I guess.

Running songs
"I'll Take Care of You/It's A Man's, Man's Man's Man's World"-Van Morrison time 16:15
"Another Man Down"-Heartsfield time 10:15
"Samba De Sausalita"-Santana time 3:34
"The End"-The Doors time 11:46
"Reach Out I'll Be There"-Four Tops 3:06
"Inna Gadda Da Vida"-Iron Butterfly 17:10

Walking songs
"Factory"-Bruce Springsteen time 2:19
"The Air That I Breathe"-Hollies time 4:12
"You're All I Need To Get By"-Marvin Gaye 2:40
"And The Grass Wont Pay No Mind"-Neil Diamond 3:32
"All The Right Reasons"-Jayhawks 3:25
"Rhumba Girl"-Nicolette Larson 3:49
"I Need You"-Beatles 2:31

Well, you get the idea. It was an absolute perfect night to be outside, crisp and cool about 68 in B/N. It reminded me of walking home from the drive in theatre late in the summer. Lovely evening stroll.

That's Why God Invented The Word Ironic

LOS ANGELES — Dave Freeman, co-author of "100 Things to Do Before You Die," a travel guide and ode to odd adventures that inspired readers and imitators, died after hitting his head in a fall at his home. He was 47.
Freeman died Aug. 17 after the fall at his Venice home, his father, Roy Freeman, told the Los Angeles Times on Monday.
An advertising agency executive, Freeman co-wrote the 1999 book subtitled "Travel Events You Just Can't Miss" with Neil Teplica. It was based on the Web site whatsgoingon.com, which the pair ran together from 1996 to 2001.
"This life is a short journey," the book says. "How can you make sure you fill it with the most fun and that you visit all the coolest places on earth before you pack those bags for the very last time?"
Freeman's relatives said he visited about half the places on his list before he died, and either he or Teplica had been to nearly all of them.
"He didn't have enough days, but he lived them like he should have," Teplica said.
The book's recommendations ranged from the obvious _ attending the Academy Awards and running with the bulls in Pamplona, Spain _ to the more obscure _ taking a voodoo pilgrimage in Haiti and "land diving" on the Island of Vanuatu, which Freeman once called "the original bungee jumping."
It included goofy graphics with each entry, indicating that some activities were "down and dirty," and others "grandma friendly."
The success of "100 Things" inspired dozens of like-minded books, with titles such as "100 Things Project Managers Should Do Before They Die" and "100 Things Cowboys Fans Should Know and Do Before They Die."
Freeman graduated from the University of Southern California in 1983, briefly working for an ad agency in Newport Beach before moving to New York to work for Grey Advertising.
On Sept. 11, 2001, Freeman watched the second plane hit the World Trade Center from his apartment just blocks away. He moved back to Southern California to be closer to his family.
___

Catching Up

It was a real bummer when Bennigan's closed. There was one right down the street from here. When I lived in Denver in 1982, I'd hang at Benningan's all night long. According to some, they just aren't the same. Back then, I think Applebees and TGIF's really applied the Bennigans style and took them out of the game. Too bad.

Apparently, I Was Wrong

I didn't connect with Bruce this weekend, neither did Gladys or the friend that went with us, but apparently, I was wrong. My friend Glen loved it and here's the review from the Backstreet's blog...
August 23 / St. Louis, MO / Scottrade Center
Notes: A real humdinger, and I like it like that. As the last notes of "Twist and Shout" died away, the buzz and general consensus was "best night of the tour." Of course, comparing these final Magic nights to performances from 2007 is like apples and socket wrenches. But no question, St. Louis was a peak performance, with a mind-blowing setlist and the energy to match. As the show stretched to three hours and 15 minutes, with two false endings to "Badlands," Mighty Max simply tearing up the drums, and three songs after "American Land"... Bruce didn't want to get off the stage, and the energized crowd didn't want to let him go.
It all started with "Then She Kissed Me," Bruce's spin on the Crystals classic that he last broke out in 1975. A delirious opener, a song I thought I'd never hear, but hey, we've come to expect such things this month. What I didn't expect was that it would be just the first of five classic covers in the set -- six, if you count the resurrected "Not Fade Away" intro to "She's the One." After granted requests for "Rendezvous" and a full-band "For You," Bruce returned to the signs and said, "As soon as we started doing these requests, people started getting very sassy. Very sassy. Trying to stump us with stuff we played 23 or 30 years ago. Tonight we'll challenge the band... and probably most of the audience, too!" Harold Dorman's "Mountain of Love" followed, a wall-of-sound cover that put me firmly on the path to Springsteen fanaticism when I first heard it on the Main Point '75 recording so many years ago. And in the nine-song encore, three more rock 'n' roll rave-ups -- "Detroit Medley," "Little Queenie," and "Twist and Shout" -- took it over the top.
But the oldies were only part of what shot this one into the stratosphere. Sizzling guitar on the return of a revitalized "Gypsy Biker," "Adam Raised a Cain," and the tour premiere of a muscular "Cover Me," Bruce taking two leads. And then there were the epics: "Backstreets," "Jungleland," and "Drive All Night." Traditional sing-alongs like "Hungry Heart" and "Sunny Day" went out the window to make room for this trio, and judging by the reaction, they were just as crowd-pleasing, if not more. "Backstreets" was played for a sign after "Mountain of Love" -- Bruce laughed, "We know this one!" After "Mary's Place," Steve could be seen miming a steering wheel to get the word around the stage. Bruce showed the "Drive All Night" sign to the crowd, and after an initial cheer there was an extraordinary hush, the whole place seeming to sit back to let it wash over. With the stage bathed in purple and blue light, it was a magical performance -- soulful, understated playing from the band led to tremedous crescendos, and then, if anyone had forgotten, Clarence reminded us of his power on that horn. "Better than Giants Stadium," a friend said to me halfway through the song... and it only got better from there.
For the first "extended play" song after "American Land," Springsteen decided to set a wrong right. "We got the hometown of Bob Costas here, am I right?" In case you haven't followed the corrections coming out of NBC, both Costas and Brian Williams have offered mea culpas for reporting that Springsteen dedicated a song to Olympic wunderkind Michael Phelps -- "news" that thrilled Phelps himself -- when no such thing ever happened. Well, it hadn't happened until St. Louis. Costas had conculded his correction by writing: "Now if The Boss could just cover our butts by giving Mr. Phelps a shout-out on Thursday night in Nashville, or Saturday night in my hometown of St. Louis -- a show I’d definitely be at were I not in Beijing -- I think I'd feel a lot better." Though he didn't have a sign, Bruce decided to grant that request. He made good retroactively on the news reports, continuing with a knowing smile, "We're gonna send this one out to Michael Phelps. Eight golds -- whew!" And again, very deliberately, "To Michael Phelps," before launching into "Thunder Road." Not "Born in the U.S.A." as reported, but Bob, Brian... butts are covered, you're in the clear. (And Brian, thanks for the shout-out.)
From there, the whole place was fist-pumping go! go! go! for "Little Queenie" -- hey, this is Chuck Berry's hometown, too. And no one actually expected the band to stick around for yet another one, but a prominent sign reading "Sophie loves Bruce" was just the excuse Springsteen needed to keep things going. "We gotta do one for Sophie!" he shouted, kicking off "Twist and Shout" to wring the last drops of energy out of the Scottrade Center. Bless you, Sophie, wherever you are, and hail, hail rock 'n' roll
Setlist:
Then She Kissed Me
Radio Nowhere
Out in the Street
Adam Raised a Cain
Spirit in the Night
Rendezvous
For You
Mountain of Love
Backstreets
Gypsy Biker
Because the Night
Not Fade Away/She's the One
Livin' in the Future
Cover Me
Mary's Place
Drive All Night
The Rising
Last to Die
Long Walk Home
Badlands
* * *
Girls in Their Summer Clothes
Jungleland
Detroit Medley
Born to Run
Dancing in the Dark
American Land
Thunder Road
Little Queenie
Twist and Shout

Tend My Garden

I'm taking these back to B/N...

Salsa ala Gladys...

Didn't get a picture before the peppers went under the knife.

Phhhhhtt

What happened to Bruce Springsteen last night? Who took off with him?
Note to all performers...if you start your show one hour and fifteen minutes after the time on the ticket, you had better come out with a gold medal performance. Unfortunately, he did not.
Starting with "Then (S)He Kissed Me", a 1962 song produced by Phil Spector and originally done by The Crystals, he then morphed into something I didn't recognize. This new habit of having fans bearing signs for requests is a show stopper. I mean it literally stopped the show. There was no flow, I thought the sound was muddy and for some reason, it didn't click for me. If you are going to have the audience sing a long, don't do it on one of your newer, more obscure songs (Girls in Their Summer Clothes). Too many covers, not enough "Racing In The Street","Darkness On The Edge of Town","Born In The USA","No Surrender", "Bobby Jean" "The Promised Land", "Prove It All Night", "Land of Hope and Dreams","Hungry Heart"...etc. WTF was the Irish song that was played toward the end of the show with the accordions? He ended with "Little Queenie" and "Twist and Shout". "Born to Run" lacked the intensity of the original and only the inclusion of "Thunder Road" saved this show. Maybe it was the abscence of Danny Federici or the lack of Patti Scialfa (where was she?), but something was NOT right and I can't put my finger on it. Not the best Bruce show by far. Maybe the worst I've seen.
Too bad, but it just wasn't right somehow. We all have our off nights but, according to other bloggers who have followed him on this tour, the feeling is pretty much mutual. With Bruce's lofty expectations, the tour is not very fulfilling. Next.

Saturday Morning (barely)

I'm finally furnishing the new place with what I like to call "craigslist decor". I got a kitchen table and a dresser last week, this week it's end tables, next week, love seat. My place still has no soul, but maybe in a month or so, it won't feel that I am in someone else's crib.

My expedition with Comcast cable is really starting to piss me off. First, they didn't tell me that I needed a different HD box to get the HD channels, so I go exchange it at the office and have to wait 15 minutes. I come home after work and dial the number to activate it and was immediately put on hold for 37 (!!) minutes. Even after talking to the tech, she says that she has sent signal after signal, but it doesn't work. Great! So, I have to wait till 10am one morning for the tech to get there, but in his big truck of tech, he has NO HD box on the truck!! What? "Well, they didn't tell us the problem, just that there was a problem". So, for the second time, I have to take the box back to the store. I decide on Friday to take my lunch hour at go to the cable place. The line stretches out the door. Shit. So, now I ahve a box that doesn't work and no time to fix it. They have one strike left. If I don't get satisfaction on the next try, they are OUT! I'll get a dish or something.
The new job is full of challenges and I am completely maxed for time. That's exactly what I wanted and needed. The programming and engineering guys work their asses off to make sure the stations sound great. My PDs remind me of me many years ago, full of ideas and big plans. I'd much rather reel them in than have to push them. I am training my sales staff with as much stuff as they can handle. Let's return to the things that are fundamentally sound and rudimentary solid. Yes, I am actually training my sales staff, something that is rare in our business. When I started, I was given the phone book and told to "start dialing"...thanks! In six months, I expect to have a staff of GREAT sellers, not just good ones. If doesn't happen, it won't be for lack of effort.
Yesterday, for the first time in twenty years, I had a conversation with one of my favorite people from the past. "Congratulations", she said, "we made it". Wow, we did, huh? With all of the bad juju, the distractions, the drugs, the crises, the deaths of loved ones, the chaos that once marked our lives, we somehow have appeared on the other side. The roller coaster ride didn't kill me, it made me stronger. God tested me (he still does) and I didn't falter. Not when he took my parents away, my older brother (who I adored), my friends, my loves, my money, my house, my health, nothing. I didn't waiver in my faith and I feel I have been rewarded with health, wealth, happy, healthy kids and relationships that get better every day. Yeah, I made it. We made it. We waded into the swamp until we started to wade OUT. I am still walking, still wading.

I saw Eagles tickets for sale and their face value was $187.50. That's without the service charges and other fees. I couldn't be more unimpressed. I hope Don Henley and Glenn Frey choke on their own money. It's hard for me to believe that these are the same guys that I used to adore. Lately, if the Eagles were playing for free in my neighbor's back yard, I'd go next door and tell them to turn it down because I'm watching reruns of "Happy Days". Kinda sums up my feelings, huh?

In the words of Oat Willie(the most thoughtful guy in the world)....onward through the fog....

Joe Biden?

I know my daughter loves this guy but I'm not sure about this. This smacks of everything that Obama is against...the Washington insider...the plagarist...the guy who said the Obama was "not ready to lead." Man, I hope he hasn't shot himself in the foot here. I think I would've liked Chuck Hagel, Kathleen Siberius or even "gasp" Hillary, but maybe he knows more than I (you think?).
It didn't give me a kick in the pants like I would hoped it would. Smart guy for sure and probably will chew up Mitt in the debate, but me thinks that it wasn't the 'Knockout punch" I was looking for. We will see.

How Did I Miss It?

I bought this last year, along with the new John Fogerty release "Revival". At the time, I gave Bruce barely a passing grade while praising the new Fogerty. Not to take anything away from the Fogerty release, but I got this out last weekend and stuck in the car for the drive just so I could familiarize myself with the new record. Jeez, what a record. I'll put it right up there with anything he's done in the last 20 years. The old dynamic key changes and hooks are all in place. The lyrics once again make me sad, happy and angry all at the same time. "Livin In The Future", "Gypsy Biker", "I'll Work For Your Love","Magic" and the anti war "Last to Die" kick my ass but the show stopper, the one that really stands out for me is "Girls In Their Summer Clothes". It immediately and repeatedly sends me back to being 19 again.

"Well the street lights shine Down on Blessing Avenue
Lovers they walk by Holdin' hands two by two A breeze crosses the porch
Bicycle spokes spin 'round Jacket's on, I'm out the door
Tonight I'm gonna burn this town down
And the girls in their summer clothes In the cool of the evening light
The girls in their summer clothes Pass me by

Kid's rubber ball smacks Off the gutter 'neath the lamp light
Big bank clock chimes Off go the sleepy front porch lights
Downtown the store's alive As the evening's underway
Things been a little tightBut I know they're gonna turn my way
And the girls in their summer clothes In the cool of the evening light
The girls in their summer clothes Pass me by

Frankie's Diner's Over on the edge of town Neon sign spinnin' round
Like a cross over the lost and found Fluorescent lights Flicker above
Bob's Grill Shaniqua brings a coffee and asks "fill?"
And says "penny for your thoughts now my poor Bill"

She went away She cut me like a knife Had a beautiful thing
Maybe you just saved my life In just a glance Down here on Magic Street
Love's a fool's dance I ain't got much sense but I still got my feet
And the girls in their summer clothes In the cool of the evening light
The girls in their summer clothes Pass me by
And the girls in their summer clothes In the cool of the evening light
The girls in their summer clothes Pass me by
La la la la, la la la la la la la
La la la la, la la la la la la la
La la la la, la la la la la la la
La la la la, la la la la la la la"

That guy knows MY life better than I do, he always has, I expect he always will. The best recording in the last two years and I missed it first time around. That goes to show you that music has a way of sneaking up on you when you least expect it. This one hit me over the head with a hammer, a year after it should have. Thanks Bruce.
..."and I'm just out here searchin for my own piece of the cross..."

A Night of "Magic"

Tonight's the big night, the one I have waited for months to get here..is now here. Nothing transports me away into time and space than Bruce and his band. I guess you have to "be there" to get it as many of my co-workers/friends don't understand it. Tonight in St. Louis, tomorrow in KC and then the long overnight drive back to Bloomington in the wee hours of Monday morning. Bruce is more of a concert, it's an evangelical experience. Very few people have gotten to my psyche than he has. From the first time I heard "Fourth of July/Sandy" and then heard the majestic, exuberant, muti orgasmic "Born to Run" on KSHE 33 years ago, it was over. Over, I say! Then I discovered "Thunder Road","Tenth Avenue Freeze Out","Rosalita" and the rest. He makes me cry, he makes me think, he makes me happy, he makes me sad. There is nothing like a soaring big man solo to prop up any funk, anytime. The big man can't stand throughout the whole show anymore and the sweet Hammond B3 of Danny Federici is forever silenced, but there is a certain optimism in his music even during the "The Rising". When it's all sorted out, there were be two American songwriters who have defined our generation...Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen. "Take me home, take me home...Thunder Road!".

One Down, A Hundred To Go

You go, girl

The RIAA has lost its lawsuit against Tanya Andersen, a disabled single mother, and have been ordered to pay her court costs of $107,951. But the good news keeps on coming: Ms Andersen is now countersuing for damages arising from her having to defend the suit.
"Well, Phase I of the RIAA's misguided pursuit of an innocent, disabled Oregon woman, Atlantic v. Andersen, has finally drawn to a close, as the RIAA was forced to pay Ms. Andersen $107,951, representing the amount of her attorneys fee judgment plus interest. But as some have pointed out, reimbursement for legal fees doesn't compensate Ms. Andersen for the other damages she's sustained. And that's where Phase II comes in, Andersen v. Atlantic. There the shoe is on the other foot, and Tanya is one doing the hunting, as she pursues the record companies and their running dogs for malicious prosecution. Should be interesting."

Do This, Don't Do That..Can't You Read The Sign?

Back In The Saddle Again

After almost four solid months of not exercising, I got the green light to work on this gut I have developed from not being able to metabolize my food like I used to. Starting Monday, I will join the gym that I have picked out in B/N. It has two facilities, one close to the apartment and one close to work. Before I can play basketball, I need to get into "basketball shape". I am literally starting over, I have no wind and I am fat. I plan on a regimen that will get me back in shape for basketball by October 15th. I have miles and miles to go. Of course, the blog is a great way for me to keep track of how much and when. I will weigh myself on Monday and repotrt back. Ugh, it won't be pretty. Wish me luck....

Hell Hath NO Fury Like A Woman Scorned

Reasons number 1,200-1,210 Not to do it.

A Lesson Well Learned

I went into a client's business on Friday and immediately had my ass handed to me on a platter. I made a critical error when it comes to meeting with a large client for the first time. I didn't do my homework. I had a huge proposal lined up with an opportunity for that client to own our airwaves for most of the winter months. All we wanted was something in trade. Granted, it was large, but the proposal I submiuted was large on our end too. She was busy and only had time for a minute. Uh oh, first bad sign. I laid out my promotion and was immediately handed my tush on a platter. "What in the hell made you think you could waltz in here and tell me how my business is when I have never met you before? You look and smell like some California hustler in here to take my money and I don't appreciate it. Where are you from? St. Louis! Let me tell you something city slicker, you'll never get anywhere in this town with an attitude like that. St. Louis, huh? I'll just bet that you're going to vote for that Muslim son of a bitch who's the anti-Christ too, huh? If he gets elected, my business and half the businesses in this town will shut down because he wants to tax us even more. He's worse than the boy governor of this state and that's saying something..." Anyway, this went on for a while and I explained I used to be a rider and was maybe looking to get back on a bike again; that I had never even been to Califonia, I grew up on a farm in one of the most conservative parts of the country and I was somewhat offened by that remark. All I was guilty of was coming in there with a proposal that was too ambitious for her or her business. That's a huge mistake in my business. I didn't know my client well enough and just thought the proposal was too good to pass up. ERRRR, wrong answer. Things calmed down and I left with the opportunity to earn her trust and respect and through all that, I got a nice Tshirt. Situation went downhill fast when I got there, but just at the right time, I pulled the plane from a nose dive and landed at the nearest airport. A negative was turned into a somewhat positive situation.

All I could do was laugh about it when I got back to the office. We'll hit it all again on Monday.

Another One Hit Wonder

From 1977, these guys were the answer to the Stones, no, wait..Aerosmith, no..er um. Anyway, I always liked this song and have been known to play it on the air a couple of times. apparently, they are still playing. I wonder if they are doing Colosseum Rock?

Whoops, just found this from 2007...what the hell happened to the lead singer, did he get swallowed?