Mizzou in the Tournament

As far as sports go, March is my favorite month. Baseball is just around the corner and March madness descends on my TV. Yes, I have been watching the conference tournaments, all the way from the Big 12 to the game between Holy Cross and American (??)
I think the Big 10 is an awesome conference, but one that will get screwed by the tournament selection committee, because as far as they are concerned, you can't have enough ACC and Big East teams in. I keep hearing how the Big East is the best conference in the nation. Well, they only have 16 friggin teams in the conference, that alone should do the trick. I must admit, the 6 overtime game the other night was pure joy for a basketball fan. As much as I get tired of Jim Boehim and Jim Calhoun, they are great coaches. I just don't think that they deserve three number on seeds.
My number one seeds would be...Carolina, Louisville, Memphis and Michigan State. Number twos would be Connecticut, Pittsburgh, Missouri and Duke (as much as I hate them). Threes would be Kansas, Oklahoma,Washington and Illinois. I like Bruce Weber and hope the Illini can do some good things in the tournament. He seems like a decent guy and a team that put a huge hurt on Mizzou early in the season.
I have my concerns about Mizzou. At times, they look like the least disciplined team ever and then at times, they look like thay can run you out of the building. They have, however, come a long way since the disastrous Quinn Snyder years. Now, there is the story of a guy who f**ked up his shot at the big time. The lasting memory of him is when he left the court after another Mizzou blow out game, getting his head drenched with popcorn from an unappreciative fan. Now, the athletic department at Mizzou will have to break the bank to keep Mike Anderson. Alabama will come calling, along with others. Here's hoping Mizzou gets a number two seed and at least gets as far as the Elite 8. They have the chops to do it, but please keep Demarre Carroll from dribbling down the court. It's nice to able to root for them again.

Friday the 13th

I was saddened today when I read about Verne Gagne. Spending a great deal of my youth in the Quad Cities, Verne put on "All Star Wrestling" which featured The Crusher, Dirty Dusty Rhoads, Mad Dog Vachon and the guy who lost every match but had the coolest name George "Scrap Iron" Gadaski. It was on late at night on Saturday night and it was areal treat for us kids to stay up and watch it, then discuss in our bedrooms whether it was fake or not. Gagne was the founder and owner of the American Wrestling Association and wore its championship belt. In the 1960s and '70s, his ''All-Star Wrestling'' was a TV sensation. The show was a modest affair, taped before small audiences at various Minneapolis TV stations. But it was syndicated on up to 120 channels across the Midwest and as far away as San Francisco, Las Vegas, Phoenix, Salt Lake City and Winnipeg, Canada. He mostly stopped wrestling in 1981 but remained active in the business. He trained more than 140 wrestlers from the late 1950s up until 1990, including Blackjack Lanza, Larry ''The Axe'' Hennig, The Iron Sheik, Sgt. Slaughter and Jesse ''The Body'' Ventura, who later became governor of Minnesota. One of my fondest memories is going to Wharton Field House in Moline and being blown away by how big it was. We were there to watch the guys on TV wrestle locally. Verne is now 83 and is suffering from Alzheimers and dementia. Apparently, he was reliving his wrestling days and body slammed a 94 year old man, causing his death. This happened at the nursing home where both men were. The other man's family is not persuing legal action saying that Verne had no idea what he was doing. The man he body slammed escaped from Germany in 1930 and went on the develop the antitode to mustard gas.

I have already had the discussion with my family and will once again post it here. If there comes a time when I don't recognize my kids or my family, that is the day I want to leave this planet. I will have no more use for life and life will have no more use for me.

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Hank Locklin 1918-2009

This was one of my mother's favorite artists. I remember as a kid listening to "Please Help Me, I'm Falling" and especially "Send Me The Pillow That You Dream On" which has been covereed by everybody from Dean Martin to Dwight Yoakum. "Please Help Me I'm Falling" released in 1960 was listed in Billboard magazine's 100th anniversary issue as the second most successful country single of modern times. The song was nominated for a Grammy Award. In Ava, the grocery stores would put out albums on the Surefine label that would feature great old country songs, "Send Me The Pillow" was on one that we played on our record player a lot. That album also featured "Alabam" by Cowboy Copas. Another voice of my early youth silenced.

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Let's hope Friday the 13th is lucky for me. Karma gifts accepted.

New Stock Market Terms

CEO-Chief Embezzlement Officer
CFO- Corporate Fraud Officer
BULL MARKET -A random market movement causing an investor to mistake himself for a financial genius
BEAR MARKET -a 6 to 18 month period when the kids get no allowance, the wife gets no jewelry, and the husband gets no sex.
VALUE INVESTING -The art of buying low and selling lower.
P/E RATIO-The percentage of investors wetting their pants as the market keeps crashing.
BROKER-What my financial planner has made me.
STANDARD & POOR-Your life in a nutshell.
STOCK ANALYST-Idiot who just downgraded your stock.
STOCK SPLIT-When your ex-wife and her lawyer split your assets equally between themselves.
MARKET CORRECTION -The day after you buy stocks.
CASH FLOW -The movement your money makes as it disappears down the toilet.
YAHOO-What you yell after selling it to some poor sucker for $240 per share.
WINDOWS-What you jump out of when you're the sucker who bought Yahoo at $240 per share.
INSTITUTIONAL INVESTOR-Past year investor who's now locked up in a nuthouse.
PROFIT-an archaic word no longer in use.
# # # # #
If you had purchased $1000 of shares in Delta Airlines
one year ago, you will have $49.00 today.
If you had purchased $1000 of shares in AIG
one year ago, you will have $33.00 today.
If you had purchased $1000 of shares in Lehman Brothers
one year ago, you will have $0.00 today.
But---- if you had purchased $1000 worth of beer
one year ago, drank all the beer,
then turned in the aluminum cans for recycling refund,
you will have received $214.00.
Based on the above, the best current investment plan
is to drink heavily & recycle.
It's called the 401-Keg.
~~~~~
thanks KK

Videos From Saturday Night

Thanks to my reader Mike S. for posting these on Youtube.

Some highlights from Saturday night

Gary's medley before Last Chance


Gary doing "Breakout"..this is his first time on stage in 24 years.


Gary doing "Last Chance" as I turned around on this song, all of the Shooting Star wives were crying, which, in turn, made me cry.

Brush With Greatness Number 20

Can you identify this man? You've heard him a thousand times. Who is he?

That would be him on the far left. Now you know.

Shooting Star in The Kansas Music Hall of Fame

A few years ago, Gov. Sibelius had the idea of putting together the Kansas Music Hall of Fame. Originally started with taxpayers money, the event has grown to where it can sustain itself. Held at The Liberty Theatre in downtown Lawrence this past weekend, this years event was completely sold out. * Addendum Bill Lee, the director has informed me that there have been NO taxpayer funds used to start or maintain this great tradition. Check out his comments in the comments postings. Now, I must admit, I didn't realize how big this event was going to be as there was standing room only at 7:30 when the event started. The first year Kansas, Brewer and Shipley and Mike Finnegan were inducted. there were others, but these are probably the ones you recognize. The next year it was Gene Clark (The Byrds and the New Christy Minstrels) and Melissa Etheridge. Last year, it was Marilyn Maye, Martina McBride and Pat Metheny. This year it was Larry Lingle, a former member of Frankie Valli's band and several Kansas groups; The Serfs, whose members included former Wichitan Mike Finnigan, Lee McBee, Lawrence; Danny Cox, Kansas City; The Dinks, Beloit; Shooting Star, Kansas City; Billy Spears, Lawrence; The Young Raiders, Lawrence; Jim Halsey, Independence; Bobby Poe & the Poe-Kats, Coffeyville; and The Sensational Showmen, with members from several towns.

Now, I know who Danny Cox, Lee McBee and Billy Spears were, I had seen them play, but the rest were unknowns to me. It was a great evening of entertainment.

The weekend started on Friday night with a party at The Frontier Steak House which is owned by the family of Dennis Laffoon, the keyboard player of Shooting Star. A number of radio and media people attended...

Joe Camporato, the manager of Shooting Star, a friend of mine for years and an all around nice guyThat's Dave Maygers. I used to introduce his band on stage when he played at various high schoold in Kansas City. Yes, his band (JTN) would do shows at high schools after school. That's the first time I ever heard "Switch Box Susan" played in concert ever. He's now booking bands and running stage shows. Great friend, hadn't seen him in at least fifteen years.Janet Jameson, she used to be married to Rick Bacus, who once has a band named "Morningstar", they have two songs that are "KSHE Klassics". She is now the violin player for SS. Her Janet Jameson Band was a great collections of musicians in the late 70's and 80s. Sweetheart.The two guys most responsible for my radio career. Bob Garrett, former general manager of KY102 when I was hired and the one and only Max Floyd. I love them bothTracy Wilde, former rock goddess of 105.7 The Point here in St. Louis (and my daughter's all time favorite DJ) with Bob and Max.Joe, Steve Thomas, the drummer of SS and myself. How about another maragrita?

Shooting Star playing "Flesh and Blood" on the patio at the party

Bob Garrett and Gary West, who was one of the original members and founders of Shooting Star. Gary basically hasn't been heard from or played with the band since 1986.

The concert and induction ceremony was held in a very warm Liberty Hall. The thunderstorm that passed through Lawrence that night was very refreshing and rewarding.

The Sensational Showmen who played Chicago better than Chicago can. They were great.

Lee McBee, who is one of the most under rated harp players ever.

Billy Spears and Janet, doing a little "dueling fiddles"

The Young Raiders another great horn band that nailed me to the wall with their rendition of "I Love You More Than You Will Ever Know" by Blood Sweat and Tears

Van and Janet, trying to "out do" each other as fast as they can. Great stuff

"Are you on my side? Yeah. Yeah"

"When the stranger came to town...all the people watched with wonder" Gary, first time on stage with Shooting Star in about 24 years, hands shaking, voice quivering, nailing it.

"Today may be your Last chance to believe in yourself" first singer..latest singer

Stand By

Pictures from this weekends Shoooting Star induction into the Kansas Music Hall of Fame will be displayed this evening. It was a wonderful time. The party on Friday attended by many people I haven't seen in years and a few surprise guests on Saturday. I am lecturing some future broadcasters this morning and afternoon. See you tonight.

Thursday Trippings

How to tell you are really old.....

The Beatle's management today announced that they will lend the fab four to the "Rock Band" game. I have no idea what that means. I don't know what "Rock Band" is and I have never played "Guitar Hero". I guess I should get with the times, but blogging and listening to my Ipod are about as close to being "with it" as I can get.

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Clooney crazy....

George Clooney is in town to film his new picture "Up In The Air" and the local media is in a tizzy interviewing people that may have seen him. This really makes St. Louis look and sound so small town. I thought this city was bigger and better than that.

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Radio woes...

Citadel, the company that owns WLS in Chicago and a number of other stations around the country has been delisted from the NYSE when the stock price fell to one cent. Yes, that's ONE cent. It was trading last year at this time at about $22. Another case of greedy bastards killing a great company. Once Citadel paid a lot for ABC radio, the debt was really huge. Add one helping of economic troubles and viola, you have a company in trouble. Why oh why have we allowed this to happen to this great industry? Locally, Emmis has let a number of people go, rumour has it that longtime St. Louis hometown guy and mainstay Mark Klose is one of the casualties. I am not sure what Emmis would do with that afternoon shift, Mark was very well liked. Will the last person please turn out the lights?

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The Bachelor...

What I know about the "Bachelor" on TV could fit on the head of a pin. But dude, you dropped

this woman

for this one?

You are an idiot!!!

A Thousand Years Ago Part 2

Going through some crap in the house, and I came across this...how funny. Circa 1978. Love ya, Max, wherever you are....

Hooked on phonics

cutie....

My five-year old students are learning to read. Yesterday one of them pointed at a picture in a zoo book and said, 'Lookat this! It's a frickin' elephant!'I took a deep breath, then asked...'What did you call it?' 'It's a frickin' elephant! It says so on the picture!' And so it does...

" A f r i c a n Elephant "

Backstage Pass Number 18

Great show. Camper Von Beethoven opened up. Don't ask why I remember that. Kiel Auditorium, sound was abysmal.

A Thousand Years Ago

The studio of 99 plus stereo KFMH Muscatine. My first full time job on the air. 1:20 am January 1st 1978. Tim Lissie aka Thin Lizzy to my right. Looks like we had an arms race and I lost.

Brush With Greatness Number 19

...don't let your Meatloaf

Happy Square Root Day

It won't happen again for another 7 years, 1 month and 1 day.

Paul Harvey....Good Day

Nothing else to say here. One of the greats in the broadcasting business has died. The king is dead. Being able to do something you love until you're ninety only gives me hope for the future. He met his wife "Angel" who just passed in St. Louis when he worked here in the forties. He could make you hang...on...every...word. Unbelievable talent. He was the one who had talent on loan from God, not Rush.
R.I.P. Paul, thank you for your service to better my industry and here's hoping you know....the rest of the story.

Norm Van Lier 1947-2009

Norm Van Lier was an outstanding football, basketball and baseball player in high school. He was on a high school basketball team that won 56 straight games in a row and two championships going through both his junior and senior years undefeated. When he played for St. Francis University, I read an interview with him that stuck with me to this day. "I primarily play defense, and to me, that means that if keep my player from catching the ball and scoring, I have done my job. If my player scores an average of 16 points a game and he only gets 3 on me, that means I've scored 13 points that you will never see in the box score. I not only don't want my guy to score, I'll work my hardest to make sure he doesn't touch the ball." THAT was like a bolt of inspiration and I never forgot that quote, as you can see. In the pros, he teamed up with Jerry Sloan (who also had similiar thoughts about defense) to create the nastiest, hardest working backcourt ever for the Chicago Bulls. At 6' 1", his height was also an inspiration to me and probably formed my game (whatever it was) more than anyone ever, outside of Pete Maravich. When I moved to the Quad Cities in 1971, cable TV had just arrived and we got WGN out of Chicago which showed the Bulls a lot and I became even more of a fan than before. His name "Stormin Norman" came from his tenacity on the defensive side. He was also named defensive player of the year three times during his career.

Norm was also a DJ on "The Loop" FM in Chicago and constantly talked about his love for The Beatles, The Rolling Stones and his favorite band ever Chicago. From 1992 to 2002, he was the television pre and post game analyst for the Bulls. During that time, they won numerous championships. He died on Thursday after being found unresponsive in his Chicago apartment. He was 61. Also that day, the Bulls lost longtime play by play announcer Johnny "Red" Kerr who died of prostate cancer. Norm was the epitome of cool and hard work. He left his legacy on this young basketball player at an early age. He and "Pistol Pete" were my favorite players growing up and now they are both gone.

Saturday Morning Stuff

Tis a chilly, cloudy and cold Saturday morning in St. Louis as the predicted snowstorm has yet to appear (so, what else is new)?
******
Tonight, I am donating my time by being the M.C. and host for a trivia night at the Walker Scottish Rite Children's Medical Clinic. I would do just about anything for the kids there and the executive director, who's been a family friend for the last fifteen years. Hey, it's just a Saturday Night, huh?
******
Next weekend is spent in Kansas City, honoring the boys in Shooting Star who will be inducted into the Kansas Music Hall of Fame along with Melissa Etheridge and Kansas. The party starts next Friday night with a dinner at a steakhouse in KC, KS, then the following night a concert at the Lawrence Opera House. This will be really big and I get to reprise my role from 25 years ago by bringing them onstage once again. There are rumours that Gary West (original writer/singer/guitar and piano player) will make his first appearance with the band in about 20 years. I'll make sure and take lots of pictures. Here's the original band featuring the late, great Bill Guffey on keys. Miss ya, Bill.

*****
I am weeding through my CD collection and putting many of them up for sale on Ebay. At one time, I had 4,400 of them and that's just not right. I am not going to live forever and I don't want to sadlle the family with the burden of what to do with my shit when I am gone. Plus, maybe with the extra scratch, I can go somewhere in March before my job starts on April first. If you are interested, my username on Ebay is "phineasphreak". It's a reference to the old Fabulous Furry Freak Brother that I beared a resemblance to in the past. In this batch, the real goodie is a promo disc I got in 1989 featuring Jeff Beck and Stevie Ray Vaughn that is about as rare as can be. We'll see how much it goes for. There is also a japanese import Ambrosia disc up for grabs, too. The criteria: if it hasn't been listened to in 20 years, it's gone out of the collection. Keep checking back for some interesting things put online.
*****
"Deadwood" is becoming a mish mosh of stuff. I saw an interview with David Milch that said he basically "made it up as he went along". No shit. With a little more planning, this series would be great, but right now, I am losing interest. The actor who played the killer of Wild Bill Hickok (who was then killed) has been brought back, only this time with a beard and he plays a...get ready..killer. I am on season two, episode 7 and I am going to give it two more episodes and then if it doesn't get any better, cut it loose. Bummer.
*****
This Monday night, I'll be doing something I haven't done since high school. I will be the color guy for the Wentzville boys basketball team on the radio. So, if you are so inclined, turn on 99.9 KFAV (Or listen online) to see how I do. I appreciate Jay Murray asking me to help out and while I am not getting paid for it, who knows where it may lead. I just remember how much fun it was and that's all that counts right now.

"Over Rated"

George Thorogood
Don't Get It. Never Have. His stuff all sounds the same and I think I'd rather put a bullet in my brain than hear "Bad To The Bone" again. When he fisrt exploded on the scene in 1979, I really thought he'd be a flash in the pan and be done soon. He didn't write much of his own material and while his "50 states in 50 days" tour was admirable, I thought .."what was the point?" He was one of my most cantankerious interviews (my attitude may have had something to do with it), but he did get off the best line while finishing it up. He was obviously tired and I put him into a corner with a statement about now not being able to understand how four chords produced five albums. He looked at me, winked and said "that's six albums, but who's counting. "One Bourbon, One Scotch and One Beer" is atrocious, the rest of his catalog less so, but he gets points for working hard. He is still out there, so what the heck do I know?

Something New This Way Comes....

Coming soon, an announcement of something new, exciting, challenging, scary, refreshing, unbelievable, unfathomable, and just downright cool. It's the story of a boy who gets to go home again. As Led Zeppelin would say .."it's Celebration Day". Margaritas for everyone. Stay tuned to this channel for more details.

Academy Snub

Was waiting for the Academy Awards "In Memorium" set to come on and after 10pm, it finally happened. Where was Don LaFontaine? He probably did more for the Oscars and movies than half the people shown. "In a world far away..." he's probably a bit steamed. I know I was. Was George Carlin in the movies? I think he was ("Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure", "The Aristocrats"). No mention of him, either. Overall, I thought this show was not very good. Too much crap, not enough substance. I haven't seen "Slumdog Millionaire" yet. It had better be good to win that many awards.

Here's Don doing his thing...

Call Me A Sissy, Then...

For all those crazy guys who go 'noodling' for catfish and & stick their arms down the fish's throat!! This would be 'all the catfish you can eat.' Each year, a few people were drowning or disappearing mysteriously in Huadu's Furong Reservoir (China). It was not until recently, when the son of a government official went swimming, in the reservoir and was drowned, that the secret was revealed. It is a 3 meter long man-eating catfish whose head alone is 1 metre wide! After cutting up the catfish, people were surprised to find the remains of another man inside! Swimming in the reservoir is now forbidden because it is feared another similar man-eating catfish is still lurking in the waters.

I used to "noodle" when I was a kid. But, I'll be a sissy and use a pole from now on.

Thanks, Deb

The Brilliance of Bruce

Around the first of December, word got to me that Bruce was releasing a new collection of recordings, roughly a year and a half after his wonderful "Magic" release (which, on first listen, I dismissed). It seemed to be too soon for him. He hasn't released LPs in this close proximity for years and I wondered if the old boy still had it in him. There were three videos that came out before the CD, "My Lucky Day","Life Itself" and the title track which piqued my interest and gave us a glimpse as to what this was about. "Working On A Dream" may be the best collection of songs since "Born In The USA" 25 years ago. He's back to his working class roots and although "The Rising" was fine, it seemed he was trying too hard to make a statement. His favorite subjects on this release are love, loss and work. These are things he knows well.

The disc opens with the weakest track "Outlaw Pete" although it has grown on me a bit. Rarely does a CD start with an 8 minute tune about a killer and on first listen, really put me off. But, like his best stuff, you have to get to know the song.
"My Lucky Day" is typical, lyrical Bruce. "..in the dark of this exile, I felt the grace of your smile, honey you're my lucky day...". The big man nails it in the middle and this is a great Bruce song. Video here
"Working On A Dream" is the one he sang at the Superbowl and this would feel comfortable on "Tunnel of Love". It an ode to the workingman and the woman he loves. Can't get much more basic than that. Instead of the whistle in the middle eight, I would have preferred to hear Clarence more than what's there. Video here
"Queen of the Supermarket" would fit on "Born To Run". He even drops an f-bonb on this one. He's in love with someone who is unobserved and plain, an observation he's been so keen on for years..."though a company cap covers her hair, nothing can hide the beauty waiting there."
"What Love Can Do" maybe the most pedestrain on the disc, but still a fine song written from the heart, with a great harmonica and violin middle eight and delivered with passion and soul.
"This Life"...probably my favorite on the disc and the one where he sounds like Roy Orbison. This would have been a hit in the mid 60's with key changes at the most oppoortune times. Wonderful music and word song "...this life, this life and then the next, with you I have been blessed, my universe at rest." Wow!
"Good Eye" is Bruce, his harmonica, and his imitation of John Fogerty. He pulls it off well, some rhythm and blues for a long, cold winter
"Tomorrow Never Knows" is Bruce getting a little bit country, again, he pulls it off with great songwriting chops with a shuffle beat and a fiddle ..."where the time goes, tomorrow never knows". He needs to do some work with Alison Krauss or someone of that ilk. Nashville Bruce.
"Life Itself" This is the darkest, deepest track on the CD and another one of my faves, the video is outstanding ..."why do the things we treasure most, slip away in time?".



"Kingdom of Days" is his love song to Patti. ..."and I count my blessings that you're mine for always, we laugh beneath the covers and count the wrinkles and the grays"..




"Surprise, Surprise" is a birthday song to someone and one I played last week. "May the rising sun caress and bless your soul for all time". Thanks, Bruce you, too.
"The Last Carnival" is tough to listen to. It's his tribute to Danny Federici, who died last year. It was Danny that asked Bruce to join HIS band. Emotional and very moving. It also features Danny's son on accordion. "Moonrise...the light that was in your eyes has gone away."




"The Wrestler" reminds me of Dylan. It fits the movie so well, just like "The Streets of Phildelphia" did. This is the coda to the disc .."have you ever seen a one armed man punching at nothing but the breeze, then you've seen me."

My only complaint is there isn't enough Clarence on the disc, but, from what I hear, he's not well. I will put this among the top five he has ever done. At this point in his career, it's hard to call it a masterpiece, but as close to one as someone of his age can get. It's an incredible disc from, in my opinion, the only songwriter in my lifetime that can approach what the Beatles did. He's that good.

The Top 25 Most Influential LPs

Over at the Pole Hill sanitarium (Dr. Sardonicus' website) he posed a question I thought would be very difficult to answer. His question is....what would be the 25 most influential LPs of your life (his list has the top 15 but, there is no way on God's green earth that I could narrow it down that far)? Now, I take that as being not necessarily the Top 25 of your life but the top 25 most influential LPs that helped form your musical background more or less. This is hard. I would probably rule out anything that I listened to after the age of 22 or so, because, by then, my listening preferences were pretty much well formed, that leaves a few of my favorites out...
So, here they are...In alphabetical order....

Allman Bros Band-Eat a Peach
Beatles-Abbey Road
Jeff Beck-Blow by Blow
Blue Oyster Cult-debut
Chicago II
Creedence Clearwater Revival-Cosmo's Factory
Crosby, Stills Nash and Young-Deja Vu
Derek and the Dominoes-Layla and Other Love Songs
Doobie Brothers-Captain and Me
Jonathan Edwards-Have A Good Time For Me
Marvin Gaye-What's Going On
Jimi Hendrix-Smash Hits
Elton John-Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
King Crimson-In The Court of the Crimson King
Love Sculpture-Blues Helping
Dave Mason-It's Like You Never Left
Led Zeppelin-Houses of the Holy
Mahavishnu Orchestra-Birds of Fire
Moody Blues-Every Good Boy Deserves Favour
Potliquor-Levee Blues
Queen I
Bruce Springsteen-Born to Run
Steely Dan-Aja
Robin Trower-Bridge of Sighs
Wishbone Ash-Argus
Yes-Fragile

...and there are about 10 that tied for honorable mention. This was really hard to discard some old, great faves like Sly, Humble Pie, Deep Purple, Amazing Blondel, Elvin Bishop, Bonnie Raitt, John Prine, Cat Stevens, Al Stewart, Shooting Star, Neil Young, The Stones, Jethro Tull, Iggy and the Stooges, ELP, Dan Fogelberg, etc.
And, if you'll notice, most of them were released in that 1970-73 range where I was influenced so much by music. Sometimes, these groups were my best friends, I spent hours with them.

Very Fitting

Robin Williams in England 11/28/08

He still has it.

R I P Louis Bellson, Hometown Boy Makes Good

I met him as a kid when he did a demonstration on how to play at a music store. He grew up in Moline and came back frequently. He was one of the guys who got me interested in time keeping and playing drums. I loved his quote about the double bass drum and I wish that more rock drummers felt that way. I always (for some reason) admired the fact he was married to a black woman (don't ask me why), that woman being Pearl Bailey, a legend in her own right. Can you imagine sitting around THAT house after the sun went down? Wow. Thanks Louie, for putting Moline on the map. Here's the obit:

LOS ANGELES – Big band and jazz drummer Louie Bellson, a master musician who performed with such greats as Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Benny Goodman and his late wife, Pearl Bailey, has died. He was 84.
Bellson died Saturday at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles of complications of Parkinson's disease following a broken hip in November, according to his wife, Francine.
Bellson's career spanned more than six decades, performing on more than 200 albums with jazz greats including Tommy Dorsey, Harry James, Oscar Peterson, Woody Herman, Sarah Vaughan, Ella Fitzgerald, Dizzy Gillespie and Louis Armstrong.
It was through Ellington that he met Bailey, the great singer and Broadway performer. They married in 1952, and when she died in 1990 at age 72, he told the Philadelphia Daily News that "I just lost my best friend."
He was designated as a "master of jazz" in 1994 by the National Endowment for the Arts, which said he "ranks among the foremost big-band drummers of the swing and post-swing eras and is best known for his precise technique and the invention of two pedal-operated bass drums."
Bellson wrote more than 1,000 compositions and arrangements in several genres, including jazz, swing, orchestral suites, symphonic works and ballets. As an author, he published more than a dozen books on drums and percussion.
His final recording, "Louie & Clark Expedition 2" with trumpeter Clark Terry, was released last year.
Bellson was born in 1924 in Rock Falls, Ill., son of Italian immigrants whose family name was originally Balassoni. He told Jazz Connection, an Internet magazine, that he was entranced by the sound of drums when his father took him to a parade when he was 3. His father, who eventually opened a music store, taught his son to play drums and other instruments.
Bellson was still in his teens when he pioneered the double bass drum set-up, and two years later he went on to win the Slingerland National Gene Krupa drumming contest.
"I've been of the opinion that all a drummer really needs is one bass drum, a snare drum, some tom-toms, a ride cymbal, a crash cymbal, sticks and brushes," Bellson told Jazz Connection. "If you can't do it with that, you better go back to the drawing board. The extra bass drum is frosting on the cake. It doesn't mean that every drummer needs to play two bass drums. For me, it works."
There are tentative plans for a Los Angeles-area memorial service, followed by a funeral and burial in his boyhood home of Moline, Ill., according to his Web site.

The Day Before The Big 5-3

It's the eve of another one, guys. Bruce has a great song on his new CD called "Surprise, "Surprise"...
"Well today is your birthday. We've traveled so far we two. So let's blow out the candles on your cake, and we'll raise a glass or two. And when the sun comes out tomorrow, it'll be the start of a brand new day. And all that you have wished for I know will come your way"

I thought I would have some fun on Monday night and get out my Billboard Hot 100 Charts of the seventies. I put the ten years into my hat and pulled out 1973. I was getting ready to turn 17 and here were the top songs on this day, 1973.

10. "Don't Expect Me To Be Your Friend"-Lobo (karaoke version)...hey, man this was OUR song



9. Rocky Mountain High- John Denver (lost my virginity to this one) I still think there's some resemblance to me at that time



8. Also Sprach Zarathustra-Deodato I still love the long version on the Ipod



7. Love Train-O'Jays Soul Music at it's utmost zenith, never better than this one



6. You're So Vain-Carly Simon I bought this album just for the cover



5. Crocodile Rock-Elton John This guy certainly helped get me through high school



4. Could It Be I'm Falling In Love-Spinners (see OJays comments) one of my all time favorites, I never get tired of this song (Midnight Special version)



3. Last Song-Edward Bear (well, they can't all be great)



2. Dueling Banjos-Eric Weissberg er, uh, great movie



1. Killing Me Softly With His Song-Roberta Flack A song written about Don McLean. One of the all time greats. She just turned 70! Still gives me chills.

Ipod Jukebox

As I was sitting down this morning, catching up on some correspondence, working on some written stuff, and adding pages to the book I'm writing (oh boy!), I decided some tunes would be in order this beautiful Sunday morning. God has given us a gorgeous day and I will repay the favor by going to Mass at 6pm tonight, sprained ankle and all (Oops, I did it again).....

It's time to check in on the old IPOD jukebox and find out what tasty treats Randy has in store for us today...

Crying-Roy Orbison

Mercury Blues-Steve Miller

29 Palms-Robert Plant

Isn't She Lovely-Stevie Wonder

A New Rock and Roll-Mahogany Rush

Rock Steady-Sting

Dangerous-Doobie Brothers

Tomorrow Never Knows-Phil Collins

The Boxer-Emmylou Harris

Detroit Breakdown-J. Geils Band

No, No, No-Deep Purple

Angel of Death-Hank Williams

I'm Leaving-Taxxi

French Foreign Legion-Frank Sinatra

Long, Lonesome Highway-Michael Parks

Ghost Town Parade-Les Dudek

Wild Night-Van Morrison

What A Fool Believes-Kenny Loggins

Young Lust-Pink Floyd

Blue-Joni Mitchell

Brightest Star-Santana

Travelin Band-CCR

Help Me Rhonda-Beach Boys

Nice mix, wouldn't you agree?

ARoid and the Hall of Famers

Cheaters don't get in...period. That includes you, Mr. Bonds, Mark McGwire, Alex Rodriguez, Andy Pettitte, Roger Clemens, Miguel Tejada (jeez, guy, you've been in this country for ten years, please speak english)anyone who cheated is out, I don't care what the circumstances were.

Bud Selig (the commissioner of baseball) makes 18 million a year...let's divide that by 52, shall we? That's $346,153.84 a week. What does he do? Stands by idly as the game gets trashed under his watch. Hey, I'd do it every year for what he makes in a week. I could, you know. Very easily...

Roger Goodell is the commisioner of the NFL and he has decided to take a pay cut. I would do his job for the pay cut, but at least he's doing something. Mr. Goodell, I hope you do something about the preening and grandstanding that happens in the NFL after every play, but I know these guys are mostly thugs and don't know better.

One last thing, calculus and alcohol do NOT mix...please don't drink and derive.. hey that's all I got, I'm here all week.

Randy's Top 100

Blondel...Amazing Blondel

This is another gem that I first heard at a "head shop" in the Quad Cities in 1973. The previous releases from these guys were very baroque and had a very comfortable madrigal feel, almost a middle ages quality. Blondel featured basically two guys....Eddie Baird on vocals and guitars and Terry Wincott on vocals, guitars, percussion, flute, recorders, pianos and something called a crumhorn. The manager of the band recruited some cat named Steve Winwood to play bass and another guy named Simon Kirke to play drums. That caused a certain musical change in the band and behold "Amazing Blondel" was born. This is some of the finest, most well played music I have ever heard. The songs are elegant, well crafted and the addition of Paul Rodgers on "Weaver's Market" rounds out this release that up until 1995 was unavailable on any format. I remember one time when my son, who was about 13 at the time heard this release and fell in love with it. At college, he played this for a music major and she said as far as a musical statement was concerned, it was as close to perfection as she had ever heard. I am not sure what that's about, but I know that when I die, if I have a few minutes to play whatever I want, I want this CD played. "The Leaving of The Country Lover", "Young Man's Fancy", "Easy Come, Easy Go", "Sailing", "Festival" and "Weaver's Market" make this CD in my top ten of ALL time. If I were to give this a ranking, it would nestle in at about number 7 all time on my list. That's how much it's affected me in my life...and see, you've never heard of them. Here's their website and you know if brother Randy says it's good...

If I could ever dedicate a song to my son, it would be this one...

Young Man's Fancy

Composed by Edward Baird

Here's to my acquaintance, and companion

Lift your glass

I love you, and leave you

I do, give you, all my best

Here's to lovely lasses

Who, by now, are sleeping sound

We miss you and kiss you

We will, until we can no longer hope

And I would spread the softest ground,

For you to walk around,

If I could be your right hand,

I'd bless the seed that I would sow,

And hope it would grow

Into a sight to hold you

And we could make the richest thing

To make your songbird sing

A tale to haunt the evening,

Then I would give you every note

Of every song I ever wrote

For you to ring forever.

...he knows it, that's all that counts. What a record, what an impact on my life. It's a top ten , kids, maybe one you should seek out.