I read the news today, oh boy...

...actually it was everal nights ago I was reading the local newspaper online.
There was a bulletin about a double homicide committed just outside a near a town I spent my teen years living in.

Where I live is certianly not an urban environment, but nowhere is immune to this sort of event anymore.

I was saddened to find one of the names belonged to John, a friend from high school.
He traveled to Florida with me and two others to see the launch of Apollo 16. I'll never forget the screams he made when the shower water hit his beet-red skin after spending the day in that hot Florida sun.

John was in my younger brother's class and was like adopted brother for our high school days, and after.

THIS little adopted brother was a patriot.
He wanted to serve his country so bad, he quit school, and got his parents to sign on the line allowing him to join the U.S. Marines.
At 17, John took part in the evacuation of Hanoi, as the U.S. left Viet Nam in a hurry.
I know that stuck in John's throat, the thought of losing a war, but like all soldiers he knew that a war ran by politicians is never good for the country let alone those fighting it.

Any time he returned home on leave, it was the same old John with a different perspective.
One time when he was home on leave, about 8 of us went to see the Rolling Stones a Cleveland's Municipal Stadium.
We 'camped out' all night just out side the stadium... well, we ran around downtown Cleveland all night and checked back at the stadium occasionally to see what thousands of other concert goers were doing.
I'd have probably been terrified to run around an area like that, but the fact that 'John the Marine' was there seemed to give all of us a security blanket that made it fun.


from what the new said, last Friday, John was trying to help the other victim with a problem with her propane tank when the gunman came to kill her.
The shooter was the lady's brother, apparently there was some kind of family dispute and this guy wanted to settle it. John was in the wrong place at the wrong time.

I haven't seen John on over 20 years, and this is not the way you want to see an old friend for the last time.
Tomorrow, I am going to his funeral to say a last goodbye.

Speaking of 'Classical Meets Contemporary'...

After listening to the 'pop' version of 'Jupiter' I was reminded of another classical/pop cross-over that was on the charts shortly after Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin set foot on the Moon.

I do not know anyone that dislikes the last movement of Beethoven's 9th Symphony, aka Song of Joy.
Music like that, which stands the test of time deserves respect if nothing else.

So getting back to 1970's "Himno de la alegría", believe it or not, this song (and all the "Heyward/Lodge" Moody Blue's stuff) helped me to become interested enough to seriously listen to Classical music while I was still thriving on The Beatles, The Who, The Stones, and on, and on...

A piece from The Planets

I am not a know-it-all where 'classical' music is concerned. I've listened to more then most people I know, but that doesn't count for much. There are a number of works I truly enjoy, one of the being Gustav Holst's; The Planets.
Somewhere, some how you've heard bits of this wonderful compilation of music, be it a disc, a commercial, or a movie soundtrack.

I was just poking around in YouTube and found this contemporary take on "Jupiter" by a Japanese pop star named Ayaka Hirahara.

Here's the translated lyrics...
Every day I listen to my heart to find I'm not alone 'cause you're a part of me deep in my heart forever and ever. The star that shines upon all of us over time, endless time has told that it's a wonder that we have forgathered. Every day I listen to my heart We know we're not alone. This universe is holding all of us in its loving arms.I ask myself what can I do for you with these two hands of mine. Let me touch softly your pain away

Some purists will see it as blasphemy, just as they did Emerson, Lake, and Palmer's work in the 70's... but I LIKE IT!

The Greatest Rocker You've Never Seen!

Okay, I know there are so many thousands of good musicians and performers out there.
I know the number narrows down greatly when you speak of great musicians and performers.
And then there very few, the elite that everyone knows by name.

Here's a band I used to follow some twenty years ago.
I always hoped someone that had video of at least one of the band's shows, and tonight I found several on YouTube.

Ronald Koal was as good a lead man as I've EVER seen perform.
If you've read my post on the bands I've seen you know that's putting him in some great company.
Fortunately the videos include the band members that I think were the best incarnation of The Ronald Koal Band.
UNfortunately, the sound quality is sadly lacking.

But it's the best I can find right now, so I would like to share someone you should have seen 20 years ago.

Ladies and Gents, the GREATEST Rocker you never saw... Ronald Koal








...in another incarnation of the band,  covering Iggy!
This video was shot on the same stage where "Dimebag' Darrell of Pantera was shot to death, weird, eh?

A Momentary Lapse of Reason...

It's been a while since I've posted, but not due to a lapse of reason.
I've had this stinkin' flu and it's not real easy to 'feel' motivated to do anything.

Regardless, I will take the time to post the latest trailer from the BBC for November 15th's airing of The Waters of Mars. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4a7bJPY0jws&annotation_id=annotation_148494&feature=iv


I have no idea when it will air in the U.S., or if it will be on BBC America or SyFy.
It doesn't matter to me, because I'll watch it on my TV via YouTube.

Finally, I'm not much for sports these days, but it always makes me happy when the New York Yankees win ANOTHER (#27) World Series!

Finally to all my friends in Great Britain; Happy Guy Fawkes Day!

My (Almost) Complete History of Concerts Attended

I know I've seen more shows then this. I have the actual ticket stubs for many concerts on this list, but some were lost so only God knows what I'm forgetting.
Speaking of God, I've only listed a few of the Christian rock bands I've seen in this collection. I can't find any ticket stubs for musicians like, Larry Norman, Daniel Amos, and Randy Stonehill, and BUNCHES of shows that I think were as good as anyone else I've seen...
Then there was this one chap I saw countless times in local bars and clubs.
He went by the name of Ronald Koal.
Undoubtedly one of THE BEST performers I've ever seen. Like having Iggy, Bowie, and Mick mashed into one person on the stage at the same time... and the guy couldn't get a record contract! Sadly his life ended badly about 18 years ago. :-(
Read all about it! http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendId=446158005&blogId=470974326

Dates showing '1/1/Year' are listed in this manner because the year is most likely correct, but I could not determine the actual date...

Also, I had the venue and the City the show took place in, but removed them beacuse my spreadsheet 'pasted' poorly into the blog's format.
After 'fiddling' around with it, it's still mooshed up, but readable, sorry.

Date Performer Opening Act(s)
10/9/2006 Paul McCartney None
1/1/2003 Bruce Cockburn None
3/21/2000 The Pat Metheny Trio None
2/10/1999 Bob Dylan None
9/2/1998 INXS Ziggy Marley
5/28/1988 Pink Floyd None
3/13/1988 Bruce Springsteen None
6/28/1997 Santana Rusted Root
6/15/1995 R.E.M. Luscious Jackson
3/7/1995 The Pat Metheny Group None
6/15/1994 The Moody Blues None
7/9/1994 Santana RobertCray
8/25/1993 Neil Young Dinorsaur Jr.
10/11/1992 Larry Carlton The Rippingtons
7/30/1992 The Boston Pops None
5/23/1992 Tony Bennett None
5/6/1992 Paul McCartney None
4/15/1992 The Pat Metheny Group None
3/26/1992 U2 None
1/11/1992 Doc Seversen None
9/28/1991 Diane Schurr None
8/31/1991 Sting None
3/11/1991 INXS None
11/1/1990 The Allman Bros Band None
10/23/1990 Iggy Pop None
8/28/1990 Santana ?
8/13/1990 The Moody Blues None
6/19/1990 David Bowie None
4/14/1990 Kitaro None
1/1/1990 The Call None
10/31/1989 Stevie Ray Vaughan Jeff Beck
9/22/1989 The Pat Metheny Group None
9/14/1989 The Rolling Stones Living Colour
9/10/1989 Tom Petty & the H.B.s The Georgia Satellites
8/16/1989 Anderson, Bruford, Wakeman, & Howe None
8/6/1989 Bob Dylan Steve Earle
7/20/1989 Paul McCartney None
6/28/1989 David Sanborn None
5/13/1989 The Who None
4/6/1989 R.E.M. The Indigo Girls
2/12/1989 Paul McCartney None
10/23/1988 The Moody Blues None
7/23/1988 Robin Trower None
6/21/1988 Bob Dylan The Alarm
1/29/1988 Yes None
10/20/1986 Neil Young None
8/21/1985 Neil Young David Allen Coe
4/19/1985 Kerry Livegran and A.D. None
3/25/1985 U2 None
12/30/1984 Steve Taylor None
8/25/1984 Yes None
11/2/1983 Amy Grant Michael W. Smith
7/28/1983 Neil Young None
6/4/1983 Modern English None
1/1/1983 Men at Work None
10/1/1982 The Degarmo & Key Band None
9/14/1982 Kansas None
4/25/1982 Daniel Amos None
9/18/1981 Phil Keaggy Sweet Comfort Band
7/9/1981 Amy Grant DeGarmo & Key Band
5/20/1980 Bob Dylan None
1/1/1978 Dickie Betts and Great Southern Mcguffey Lane
7/19/1977 Emerson, Lake, & Palmer None
7/16/1977 Yes Donovan Leitch
6/25/1977 Pink Floyd None
4/28/1977 Led Zeppelin None
1/1/1977 Dickie Betts and Great Southern None
1/1/1977 Roy Buchannan None
1/1/1977 Paul Young None
11/7/1976 Ted Nugent Montrose
9/1/1976 Robin Trower None
8/15/1976 The Beach Boys (Billy Joel cancelled)
5/27/1976 WINGS None
5/10/1976 WINGS None
3/12/1976 The Electric Light Orch. Roxy Music
2/13/1976 The Stills-Young Band Poco
2/1/1976 Deep Purple Nazareth, (Peter Frampton cancelled)
12/9/1975 The Who Toots and the Maytals
8/2/1975 The Rolling Stones Chaka Khan
7/4/1975 Eric Clapton Santana
6/14/1975 The Rolling Stones The Tower of Power, J Geils Band
3/27/1975 Robin Trower None
3/9/1975 Joe Walsh None
3/3/1975 John Entwistles' OX The Muff Brothers
10/26/1974 Todd Rundgren None
10/3/1975 Rick Wakeman None
8/21/1974 Crosby, Stills, Nash, & Young Jesse Colin Young, The Band, Santana
7/4/1974 Eric Clapton Ross
4/19/1974 The Beach Boys Steely Dan
4/13/1974 The Electric Light Orch. None
3/17/1974 The Bee Gees None
1/1/1974 Dave Mason None
9/21/1973 John Sebastion Howdy Moon
2/18/1973 The Beach Boys The Doobie Brothers, Muledeer ... and Moondog Medicine Show
10/21/1972 Cat Stevens None

A God of Love... and Fury

It had been almost 20 years since I'd last heard this song, but last night I found it on YouTube.

Being a 'right-wing religious nut' (I'm not worthy of God, but He loves me anyway) this piece still makes the hair on my arms stand on end.
The 'end-times' as told in the book of The Revelation of Saint John is pretty awesome reading, couple that with faith and it is almost frightening. Not frightening for the believer, but because of the magnitude of the events and the outcome for many.
President Barack Obama rode the phrase "Change you can believe in." all the way to the White House... The Beatles sang; "You say you want a revolution, well you know, we all wanna change the world..."

If you are a believer, you know a change is coming.
Just when, no one with breath knows... but it is coming none-the-less.

If your not a believer, you'll probably view this piece as a myth, or just plain silly, and that's okay. It's still a pretty good example of mid-80's album oriented rock, so give it a listen.
But I would ask you to look for the God of love. After all, what's the worst that could happen?... nothing at all, or you just might find something you'd never imagined possible.

The Fury (1985)
~ A.D.



I was fortunate enough to see A.D (interesting lineage) in a high school auditorium back in '85. They opened with this song and it blew everyone away.

...next entry will be lighter, I promise. ;-)

Interesting perspectives on real life issues.

I've always got a pretty good laugh out of Woody Allen.
Most folks hate him, or don't think he's all that funny, but his perspectives on life issues amuse the heck out of me.
So many things he says hit so close to home, I feel like he was thinking of me when he wrote them.
Others are the truth, from a different perspective, but the truth non-the-less.

Submitted for your approval....

That [sex] was the most fun I ever had without laughing.
(Annie Hall)

Sex without love is an empty experience, but as empty experiences go, it's one of the best.

My love life is terrible. The last time I was inside a woman was when I visited the Statue of Liberty.

Love is the answer - but while you're waiting for the answer, sex raises some pretty interesting questions.

I'm such a good lover because I practice a lot on my own.

I'm really a timid person - I was beaten up by Quakers.
(Sleepers)

The lion and the calf shall lie down together but the calf won't get much sleep.
(Without Feathers, 'The Scrolls')

A fast word about oral contraception. I asked a girl to sleep with me and she said 'no'.
(Woody Allen Volume Two)

Some guy hit my fender, and I told him 'be fruitful, and multiply.' But not in those words.
(Woody Allen: Clown Prince of American Humor)

And my parents finally realize that I'm kidnapped and they snap into action immediately: they rent out my room.
(Woody Allen and His Comedy)

My one regret in life is that I am not someone else.
(Woody Allen and His Comedy)

I don't want to achieve immortality through my work…I
want to achieve it through not dying.
(Woody Allen and His Comedy)

If only God would give me some clear sign! Like making a large deposit in my name at a Swiss bank.
(Selections from the Allen Notebooks, New Yorker)

On bisexuality: It immediately doubles your chances for a date on Saturday night.
(New York Times)

I had a terrible education. I attended a school for emotionally disturbed teachers.

The baby is fine. The only problem is that he looks like Edward G. Robinson.

I'm astounded by people who want to 'know' the universe when it's so hard to find your way around Chinatown.

Basically my wife was immature. I'd be in my bath and she'd come in and sink my boats.

The only time my wife and I had a simultaneous orgasm was when the judge signed the divorce papers.

If you want to make God laugh, tell him your future plans.

If you're not failing every now and again, it's a sign you're not doing anything very innovative.

There are two types of people in this world: good and bad. The good sleep better, but the bad seem to enjoy the waking hours much more.

What if everything is an illusion and nothing exists? In that case, I definitely overpaid for my carpet.

Interestingly, according to modern astronomers, space is finite. This is a very comforting thought - particularly for people who can never remember where they have left things.

94.5% of all statistics are made up.

Why ruin a good story with the truth?

I failed to make the chess team because of my height.

I'm very proud of my gold pocket watch. My grandfather, on his deathbed, sold me this watch.

I don't think my parents liked me. They put a live teddy bear in my crib.

Jocularity?

We all have a sense of humor, right?
Like most people, I seem to like many different types of humor,
I've seen some folks you need to put under a microscope to find it, but when you get down to femtometers, you'll find it.
Other people have a sense of humor soooo dry, you'd swear they'd spent too much time in the Sahara Desert. And then there's are those that prefer 'bathroom' humor, more of a Mel Brooks kind of thing.
I also like the cerebral stuff (Woody Allen at mid-career.). Not that I'm an intellectual, if you've read anything I've written here, you can see I'm a 'regular guy'.

Anyway, I thought I'd put up some things that make me laugh... or at least made me laugh in the past, and smile now.

So, here goes.



Okay, I know this disaster happened 72 years ago
I WAS NOT around to see it, but the total ridiculousness of
the modified image put to a bastardization of the
commentator's words makes me laugh.


What could be more wholesome, nutritious, and harmless
then baby food? Feeding a baby anything that would hurt
them is just plain evil... but the look on the kids face on this bottle
of 'baby food' is priceless. I'd feel the same way!


Most certainly a rude awakening for the rabbit!


This really isn't laugh-out-loud funny, but I thought it
strange enough to post. They even got the instruments right.


Perhaps the best photo-edit 'funny, I've ever seen.
Just for the imagination shown if nothing else.
Given enough time, in the right circumstances
we can even find humor in a national tragedy.
...I never knew Jack Ruby was a Hendrix fan, playing
left-handed like that.



I like this joke because it's reality.
The manufacturing facility I worked at for 35 years
made me aware that there are those who; no matter
how much you do and how well you do it... they want more.

The succinct nature of intimacy

I'm a big fan of this guy.
His writing burns like a fire in my mind.
Not many do that to me (Lovecraft does too.)

Here's some scribbles he put to type that in all too many cases rings true.
Reminds me of a Woody Allen movie.

The Succinct Nature of Intimacy

Will you go out with me?
I think I like you.
I care for you.
I love you.
Will you marry me?
Goodbye.

~ J. M. Straczynski

Friday!

Friday USED to have meaning to me.
20 years ago it was hit the clubs on High Street in Cowtown and listen to some really good bands.
Not being much of a drinker I heard one couple that followed the same bands I did refer to me as "the coffee guy", since I pounded a lot of that in place of stronger drink.
Not that I didn't drink, I just didn't want the queasiness associated with Saturday mornings I saw so many of my friends have.
In the many years since then I've lost track of the music scene, a family life and real work taking my favorite pastime's place.
Did I say work? Friday was I would hope would be two days out of the 'salt mines', most the time I could be home, doing things that required attention at home.
But many Saturdays and way too many Sundays found me back in the plant doing the things my bosses expected but, I couldn't get to because the actual work I did consumed my 10 to 12 hour week days.
So my plant packed up the work and moved south, leaving a lot of dedicated people here, and like so many others in this country, looking for work.
I'm not gripeing about the company I worked for, 35 years is a pretty good run. A lot more then most folks have at a umber of different jobs period.
But it brings me back to Fridays...
Heck, I don't go out, I don't care about high school football, for God's sake! Doctor Who is between season right now and there isn't even anything on TeeVee I really want to see, so I guess that means I really AM old.
I guess I could just be the geek I am and pull out my Doctor Who or Babylon 5 DVD sets and watch them, or perhaps my Torchwood eps saved to the DVR.
There's always my copy of V for Vendetta, maybe I'll watch it and imagine how badly the United States needs to have the ending of that movie happen in real life.
Or perhaps I'll hit-the-hay early tonight...
Friday's are NOT what they used to be.

Okay, I said it's been 20 years since I was really out and about, and it has, but here's a song with a title of a different duration, I'll relate to no matter how many years it's been.

10 Years Gone

I'm fixing a hole...

Busy, busy, busy; the last 3 days... at least for an unemployed guy.

Pulled the entire kitchen sink to find a leak coming from one of three possible places on the faucet.
I didn't want to pull the sink, but the chap that installed it must have been a 3 foot tall, double-jointed contortionist.
I had a HECK of a time doing what I did.
Regardless, I fixed the leak!
Now I have to find out why I'm seeing small puddles of water under the garbage disposal when there was no water there before I fixed the other leak.
...I'm NOT pulling the sink again!!!

Fixed a door that would not shut properly.
The wonders of power tool's; a little jig saw at that.

Replaced a bit of plumbing in one of the bathrooms.
It works fine now, and NO LEAKS there!

My spare refrigerator (the one in the garage for pop... honest, pop) stopped cooling several days ago and a buddy of mine happened to have the exacxt part needed to fix it.
After doing a bit of rewiring to compensate for a new style replacement part pluged it in and it worked, no blown fuses,no sparks, no fire.

...maybe I can get a job at ACORN.
I understand openings just opened up.

Different day, same garbage...

More corruption exposed within a 'community organization' that our government has allotted 8.5 billion tax dollars to.
Thousands of average, every day people to march on Washington D.C today to protest a government that either doesn't understand The Constitution, or is ignoring it to further an agenda that both party's seem to support.
Despite 'happy' reports, our county's economy is still in a state of recession.
But the news of the day around here is college football. Our news media has it's priorities straight.

On the lighter side... everyone needs some recreational down time.
I occasionally play video games, I enjoy RPGs like the Final Fantasy series, but this week I found a game I thought I'd hate, was actually fun.

The Beatles Rock Band is a blast to play.
I've always thought; why play a game? Pick up an instrument and make music!
My kids had me jump in to sing and play drums on songs that were the soundtrack of my youth.
Perhaps it the fact I know these songs so well, I don't need to read the words to sing along, and I have a pretty good idea what's going to happen with the guitar and drums... it's just which button to push that's driving me crazy. Pushing a button is nothing like having your fingers on the fret board, or a pick hitting the strings.... drums? I just beat the heck out of them.
Apologies for my sad, sad vocals to John Lennon, George Harrison, and Paul McCartney....
Ringo Starr, I think I probably sound like Ringo, or maybe Bob Dylan....Tom Waits?

btw... I never did acid, I barely drank... but several of the cut scenes HAVE to be what one would experience while tripping.
That game made me feel like I was 12 years old again.
And given today's non-headlines, I needed that.

To be or not to be?

I think it would be interesting to set up and maintain my own blog instead of just reading others.

...the question it, will I do it, or will I be a slug, taking up a tiny bit of bandwith?

For now, consider this place a work (or play) in progress.