JTI Spring Gathering

Here we are, all gathered again. The JTI Springtime Gathering. This time to honor Beejay coming up from Florida to introduce her beau, Mr. Dan. Many of us came out and had a good time. Had a couple of drinks, good tacos and shared a few laughs.

Lizardmom, her husband, and their daughter-Froglover, showed me their ideas for the future of the best of Racine posts. SER cracked some good jokes. kkdither was all smiles and laughs. Orbs Corbs and I chatted about family. Dog Addicts and her husband talked up a storm! Mr. Dan got Beejay blushing with pride about the fun they had...All in all I had a great time! I love these guys! Yes, Mr. Dan looks great in a sombrero!

BTW, where was Madame Zoltar?

Riding the Tide

Every now and then I write songs/poems. Usually it's when I have something inspired to write about. I haven't written anything since My Girl From California last year. This is my latest piece. It starts off mellow to a climax, the last verse bringing it down. Enjoy!

Riding the Tide

Softly the winds blow-breaking the stride
Our love is still there-way deep inside
Love and the passion-we could not hide
Set sail on the sea-love on our minds

We are together-it feels so right
The sun is shining-the rays so bright
Our love is the anchor-onward we might
The sails are open-ship's taking flight

Hollow fateful day-words broken truth
Was churning the sea-that was so smooth
The darkness may fall-bringing the gloom
Blinded by the dark-to see it through

The winds from the west-bringing the rain
The harsh words that sting-bringing the pain
The sails are breaking-nothing's the same
Was everything-broken in vain?

Broken and betrayed-twisted inside
Tossing and turning-riding the tide
Yearning for our love-hurting inside
Waiting for the ebbs-to flow and reside

The sea is raging...
The sea is raging...
And storm blows through the night



Way deep down inside-you were so right
Even the darkness-even the night
Can we find a way-to make it right?
That's because our love-still burns inside....

How the World Sees the U.S.

When I saw this, I couldn't resist posting this. Hope it gives you a good laugh....

I Got Tickets!

Wooohooo! I've got tickets to go see Rush for the third time! I'm totally stoked for this show! With so many concerts to see this summer and Summerfest has a hell of great line-up this year, I was forced to limit myself to whom I should see. So Rush pretty much came out on top. (Thanks to a special friend ;) in helping me to decide)

This tour should be a great one! From I've read from various blogs, the band plans to play the entire Moving Pictures album, some new and unreleased material, and an old classic "Jacob's Ladder". That's just a small part of a three hour show with two sets and no back up band!

The tickets I've got are decent. I've been to the Marcus Ampitheater quite a few times. There really isn't a bad seat in the house. My seats are in the rear reserved (yellow), section 4, aisle P, seats 32 and 33. The prices weren't too shabby. About $70 a piece.


I plan on having a great time. I hope to see some friends there. (Some whom you may know) I will be blogging about this show...

My Top 25 albums from1984 to 1989

So here it is folks! My top twenty 25 albums from 1984 to 1989. What a crazy time of my life it was! I had just graduated from high school and out into the real world. PARTY! And THAT'S what I did. When I wasn't attending classes in college or working as a waiter, I was out there in the bars and nightclubs partying the nights away. I could you tales of downing shots of Jack Daniel's in barber chairs and waking up in the middle of a field, but that will have to wait for another blog. Those days are long over, now that I am a single dad. No sense in reliving them...

Anyways, the music scene was changing then. New Wave and heavy metal arrived at full force. MTV rotated the same mindless videos repeatedly and endlessly. The leather, the big hair, the makeup and the neon clothes were at full bloom. The music started to sound corporate and plastic. At was all bright lights and glitter, but no real talent and soul. Yet underneath all this corporate bullshit, there was some GREAT stuff. Let's check it out!

U2 The Joshua Tree-1987 Hands down, THE best album from the '8o's! Bono and the boys take musical inspiration to new heights with this album. The Edge's jangling guitar and Bono's soulful lyrics leaves me breathless to this day. A timeless classic!

Guns n' Roses Appetite for Destruction-1987 I was totally blown away the raw and furious energy of this album! The rage! It like I could feel their pain and anger. It is the perfect fuck you adieu to the world. On top of that, these guys are talented musicians!

Def Leppard Hysteria-1987 How can any band outdo their previous album like Pyromania? Def Leppard managed to do so. Just as catchy as Pyromania, but more carefully crafted. Yes, with a one armed drummer.

Metallica Master of Puppets-1987 Nobody can rock harder and faster than Metallica! These guys from San Francisco are a driving force that pummel you with scorching rhythms that will rivet into your brain!

Bon Jovi Slippery When Wet-1986 I know, I know everybody must of heard something from this album a million of times! What can I say? It's a classic! These rockers from New Jersey, not only created a hell of a catchy album, but lyrically created storyline like tunes that people can relate to.

Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band Born in the USA-1984 I absolutely love the homeliness of this record! Its was more upbeat and more pop oriented than his previous work. It's kinda like a record that makes you feel good inside. Having the title track sort of like the national anthem helps.

Deep Purple Perfect Strangers-1984 The long awaited reunion of the famous Mark 2 lineup returns! Ritchie Blackmore and the boys put out a perfect album! The best stuff since 1972's Machine Head. A must get for any Purple fan!

Pink Floyd A Momentary Lapse of Reason-1987 Argue if you want if this is David Gilmour solo album or this is an actual Pink Floyd album, I don't care. It's the first one without bassist Roger Waters. With or without him, I thought this album was brilliant! I really loved "Sorrow".

Robert Plant Now and Zen-1988 After scratching my head over the Honeydrippers project and his "Shaken and Stirred" album, I began to wonder about Plant. What is he doing? Instead of running away from the Zeppelin legacy, he now embraces it-bringing in mysticism and mystery into the fold. Recruiting his ex-band mate Jimmy Page helps.

REM Document-1987 I didn't get into REM until the '90's. By then, I backtracked to get their earlier stuff. I thought Document was the best out that bunch. I really liked "The One I Love" and "Finest Worksong".


Aerosmith Pump-1989 Their 1987's release Permanent Vacation was one hell of great comeback for Aerosmith! Pump turned it up a few notches, making it their most hardest rocking, best damn album they released since 1976's Rocks!

Iron Maiden Powerslave-1984 The 13 minute epic "Rime of the Ancient Mariner" was alone worth the price of this album! The rest of the album also rocks! Even the instrumental "Losfer Words" left me headbanging for years.

Van Halen 1984-1984 This is exactly the album that Van Halen needed to break away from the dismal Diver Down album. Adding keyboards was a brave and bold idea-and a brilliant one.

Tom Petty Full Moon Fever-1989 Tom Petty's first solo album away from the Heartbreakers proved beneficial for Petty. Pulling off timeless classics like "I Won't Back Down", "Running Down a Dream" and "Free Fallin'" certainly helped Petty' career out of a rut and got the Heartbreakers re-energized.

Grateful Dead In the Dark-1987 The Grateful Dead's first studio album in 17 years. The Dead had been playing most of the album for years before recording it. MTV's rotation of "Touch of Gray" helped the band's popularity to new heights

Prince & the Revolution Purple Rain-1984 I admit it, I like Prince! I just love the way he snatches up rock and roll, r & b, funk, reggae and everthing else under the sun and puts into a mixing bowl and makes it work! It takes talent to do that! Yeah, I thought the movie sucked.


Marillion Misplaced Childhood-1985 By about this point, prog rock just about dead. Asia was starting to fall, Yes was starting to suck, and Genesis was getting wimpy. Somehow Marillion carried the torch. Having a killer tune like "Kayleigh" helps.

Van Halen 5150-1986 After the departure of singer David Lee Roth, brothers Eddie and Alex brought Sammy Hagar into the fold. Argue if you want, if that was a good idea. I believe the arrival Hagar added the more artistic approach to the band. With great results!

Rush Power Windows-1985 Rush embraced the '80's with the synthesizer sound. Some people liked it, some didn't. I loved it, maybe not as much as the 70's stuff. Anyways, the album showed band's strengths as they evolved.

The Cars Heartbeat City-1984 I never was really into the Cars until I got this album. Aside from their first album, I thought this one was their best. I absolutely loved the tune "Drive"

Dire Straits Brother in Arms-1985 Anybody remember the "Money for Nothing" video? I do! That one was a classic! Not only that tune was awesome, the rest of the album was good.


Soundgarden Louder than Love-1989 This album could quite well be the birthplace of grunge. Mix punk with Zeppelin/Sabbath and you will get this! To top it off, Chris Cornell's voice just blows me away!

The Firm Mean Business-1986 I like the Firm, but I expected more from the former Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page. Nonetheless, this album is still pretty good. I thought Paul Rogers was exceptional in this album.

Bruce Hornsby & the Range Scenes from the Southside-1988 A very mellow album with a loose and easy feeling to it. Perfect for a quiet evening with your partner.

Neil Young Freedom-1989 Neil Young's comeback album after a string of lousy ones. Contains the tune "Rocking in the Free World"

There you have it folks! My top 25 from 1984-1989. Took me two days to write this...

Four Wheel Drive

Last week, a good friend of mine, whom I had not seen in 25 years called me and invited me to see a band last Saturday night. The band, Four Wheel Drive is one of Milwaukee's favorite local bands. Well known for their play of of classic rock tunes from the '60's, '70's, and '80's, band the does a great job of performing them. They roared into their opening song, "I Just Want to Make Love to You" sounding very close to Foghat's version without the slide. Drummer Tim Wolf held a solid beat through out the night. Keyboardist Duane O' Reilly tickled the ivories, pulling off some vibrant sounds on tunes like "Riders on the Storm" and " LA Woman". Rhythm master Andrew Lee has a flair for showmanship, often stepping into the crowd to play the bass. The band's centerpiece David Ellman, showed off his impressive guitar work- working man's style. He sang with a great voice as belted out the classics.

The dance floor was packed with revelers as the group plowed through numbers from the Romantics, Sweet, and John Mellencamp. My highlights were their version of "Rock and Roll all Nite" and "Surrender" Good and solid fun rock!

I did get a chance to meet the band during breaks between sets. They seem to be down to earth rockers. They spoke pleasantly with the audience and chatting away with friends, bringing a good vibe that filled the place.

All in all, I had a good time. The band played well. If ever want go out and have a good time, and hear some good classic rock this is the band to see! Thanks for the invite B! I appreciate it

Happy Birthday to My Son!

I know my son doesn't look too happy in this picture, he doesn't like his picture taken. Who could blame him? He's just turned 13 today! He's that age... My little boy is growing up! I'm so proud of him! My son is an amazing artist and has got a great heart. I just love his spirit for happiness and way he looks around the world with joy. I could ramble on about him, but he's got a huge list of things to to today and I can't keep him waiting!

The Beatles in 3000

I know that I haven't written anything about rock and roll lately. Right now, I'm working on a project-my top 25 favorite albums from '84 to '89. So while I do some research, here is a video of the Beatles "discovered" in the year of 3000. Check it out! You may find it clever and funny. I did!

Live Love Laugh

I've heard this saying many times before. In the light of our over exhausting world, we seem to be failing to slow down and really see the world around us. I go to work each day with demands of more production and more responsibilities than the day before. Then I come home to a world of cell phones, computers, cable TV and the responsibility of taking care of a thirteen year old boy. Sometimes the rushing never stops.

We seem to live in a world of bigger, better, faster and more. High speed technology was taken us to the furthermost corners of the globe in a heartbeat. We have microwaves that can zap our meals in seconds. We have digital cable that can receive hundreds of TV shows that we never watch. There more options out there than ever. More things to buy. More music to choose from. All off the internet! Decisions, decisions!

In the end, are we really satisfied? Has all this technology and pushing ourselves over the limit brought us happiness? Have they really made our lives easier? Not always. Sometimes things get a little more complicated.

There are many times I'd just rather sit down with a cup of coffee and watch the sunrise. Go down to the lake and watch the waves go by. Take a walk in the woods and feel the breeze. I want to live better with myself. Have the love that I want. Laugh a little harder...at the silly stuff.

Twists and Turns

Sorry, that I haven't been blogging so much these days. A lot has been on my mind. Most of it is about my family, my close friends and relationships. Too personal to blog about it openly. Anyways, I 've thinking about the twists and turns in road of life. Like can they lead right back to where you started? Is that a good thing or a bad thing? It's day by day thing. One day, a twist in the road can bring you happiness and then the next day, bad news and tragedy. Sometimes, I'm not so sure about this road. It may be pretty, but the blind curves are the worst.


Sometimes, I prefer the straight and narrow road. This way, I can see the horizon. See what's ahead of me, instead of a murky view. I know it may sound boring, at least I know where I'm going....

Bad Boy

Last night, I stumbled across a video from one mine favorite local bands, Bad Boy. It's rare that a band from Wisconsin had ever made it big. Off of the top of my head, I could only think of two. The Violent Femmes and the Bo Deans. Three if you include Cheap Trick. (They are from Rockford, Illinois-just south of the border) Anyways, these guys enjoyed moderate success in the late 70's and early 80's supporting bands like Cheap Trick, Survivor, Ted Nugent, .38 Special, Kansas, Paul Rodgers, Angel and Night Ranger. Not only that they headlined to sold out shows across the Midwest.

Signed on the United Artists label in 1977, founding members Steve Grimm (guitar, keys, vocals), John Marcelli (bass), Joey LaVie (guitar, vocals) and Lars Hanson (drums) released two albums-"The Band Milwaukee Made Famous" and "Back to Back" Both albums reached the top 100 nationwide.

Xeno (vocals, guitar) joined the band after his departure from Cheap Trick in the early 80's. That present lineup released their most successful effert to date-"Electric Eyes". Tunes like "Cheat on Me" and "Thunder and Lightning" received radio airplay. The fans were just flocking to their shows.

It wasn't long before the band faded into obscurity. I heard nothing from them in LONG time. I thought they had broken up. And yes, they did. That was a shame! I had enjoyed seeing them play time after time.

They did reform in 1998 with new members. Bringing in Craig Evans on bass and Scott Bernendt on drums, the band was energized! They released a album of new material called "We Should be Dead by Now" in 2002. They continue to play at clubs and festivals across the Midwest. The last time I saw them was two years at a festival nearby my place. THEY ROCKED!

Are there any local bands you want to rave about?

Saturday Morning at the Lake

This morning my son and I decided to have brunch at Chartroom Charlie's, a local restaurant where the Root River empties into the waters of Lake Michigan. It was one of those cold, rainy and dreary mornings where the heart feels cold. We were seated down by windows that overlooked the river. What a great view I thought. My son said to me, "Racine is sure ugly." I didn't think so. I just see it in a different light.

As we were looking out the rain splattered windows, we were watching fishermen in their small boats drifting by. "These fishermen are a die hard breed" ,I thought. Wondering if they caught anything. Salmon, trout or walleye? I'll never know. We watched Mallard ducks bobbing in the river. Canadian geese and seagulls were flying by. It reminded me of the time that we saw a muskrat swimming in the river.

As I was sipping a warm cup of coffee, my mind drifted off to the places I've been to. Like the cottage on the lake Up North. It was the warm feeling I had before-sipping coffee and looking out of window. I remembered the smell of bacon and fresh cinnamon rolls while my mom was cooking breakfast. The fishermen were out there trying to catch their sunfish and bluegills. The indigo buntings, goldfinches, nuthatches, blue jays and downy woodpeckers were getting their morning fill at the bird feeder. The loons were diving deep in the water to catch their morning fish, only to reappear elsewhere. I remembered the bald eagles and the osprey diving for fish and scaring the heck out of the loons.

My mind drifted off to more recent days of visiting the warm and sunny Dana Point, California. It was a whole new world for me. The smell the salt in the air and the warm breezes off of ocean are still in my memory. The palm trees, tall and majestic against the glow of the sun, were just glorious in my eyes. The yellow rocky bluffs behind me looked forbidding, yet grand. I wondered why people would build houses on the edge of the cliffs. The wildlife was different there too. We saw pelicans, cattle egrets and white herons out there looking for a catch of fish. There was this sea lion swimming in the harbor, catching the attention of tourists. Those were some of the happier days in my life.

My point being of this blog, is every where you go, there is beauty to be seen and observed. Just got to look for it. The lunch was delicious and the service was great. As I walked out the restaurant, the rain had stopped and the sun started to shine...

Mural, Mural on the Wall (part 2)

Howdy folks! I have blogged about my son's art project at school before. Here's on update on it so far. It's finally on the wall! They just started painting it today. Doesn't it look awesome so far? I should be done in two weeks. I'm stoked about it....

Thinking / Big Head Todd & the Monsters

There is a lot on my mind lately, thinking about things. Thinking about relationships, my family and my son. Wondering if I should take some steps forward or take a step back and wait things out. I'm being optimistic about things, yet looking at the reality of it all. I want the right decisions made before anyone close to me gets hurt. Guess I'm waiting on a sign somewhere, but not sure where. I know that I might much sense now, I can't reveal too much online. Just pray that things work out somehow for the better...

What I can reveal is, that I've been listening to Big Head Todd & the Monsters lately. Some of you folks out there may have never heard of this band before. This trio out from Colorado enjoyed moderate success in the '90's with "Bittersweet" Great tune! Here's one of my favorite tunes from them called "Circle"

Enjoy!

Happy Birthday, Eric!

The man behind the guitar in legendary bands of the Yardbirds, Cream and Derek & the Dominoes turns 65 today! Yep, Eric Clapton! This guitar legend, whose career has spanned over four decades, is certainly worth the title-GOD. The news doesn't get any sweeter than this...He is coming to headline at Summerfest this year!!! With special guest, The Who's vocalist Roger Daltry, he will be appearing the Marcus Ampitheater on July 28, 2010. This guy is on my bucket list to see in concert...

My Top 25 Albums 1978-1983

It was in 1978, when I bought one of first albums KISS "Double Platinum", my mother said to me, " Now that you got the greatest hits from KISS, there is no need for you to go get the other records." I just gave her the look as to say "Yeah....right...." I only had a handful of albums back then, needless to say, I went on the rampage and got more. This led my album collection to be a monstrocity of what it is today.

The music scene was different then than is it now. I may be a young puppy, but I'm old enough to have endured a tough time for rock music. Back then, disco and punk invaded the scene with their mindless crap. I witnessed the break up iconic superbands like Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd and The Who. Saw the murder and deaths of greats like John Lennon and John Bonham. Overjoyed at the death of disco. Saw the rise of videos and the MTV generation. It wasn't pretty. Underneath of it all, there was some great music.

Back then, there were basically two radio stations to choose from. WRKR in Racine and WLPX in Milwaukee. WRKR was the pop flavored, disco oriented station that 14 year old girls dedicated songs to their boyfriends. WLPX was a ROCK station that played AOR rock to the masses. Of course, I listened to the later. There was no other station like that till I heard KSWD The Sound out of Los Angeles recently.

So why am I telling you this? What's my point? I read a friend of mine's blog about his top 25 classic albums. Because of the size of my collection, there is NO WAY I could come up with a list like that. I had to narrow it down. Taking a cue, I decided to limit it to my teenage years from 12 to 17. This simple idea became a project. I wanted to describe the what it was like back then as I was listing them out. Enough my chatter and on with the list....


Led Zeppelin In Through the Out Door-1979-The last studio album from Zeppelin. It may not be their finest moment, but this experimental album has shown the band's new direction. If John Bonham hadn't died, who knows what they'll be doing now. It is still a lot better than many albums out there.

Pink Floyd The Wall-1979-The last album to fully feature the whole band. I remember the hype that went into this concept album. EVERY station was playing "Another Brick in the Wall (part 2)" over and over. My best memories were sneaking out of the house to watch the midnight specials of the movie.

Rush Moving Pictures-1981-By then, I was a huge Rush fan. I remember getting this the day it came out. I rocked out to "Tom Sawyer" , "Red Barchetta" , "YYZ" and their ten minute epic "The Camera Eye" endlessly.

The Eagles The Long Run-1979- My first Eagles album I bought. I've always liked the harder edged stuff from them. Joe Walsh was spectacular on this album! Sad to say, it was their last...for awhile.

Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble Texas Food-1983- I didn't get into SRV till MUCH later. Wish I had much sooner. This debut album is definitely worthy of anyone's album collection! This guitar player and his band redefined the impact of the blues into rock. "Pride and Joy" is a perfect example of this.

Supertramp Breakfast in America-1979-Not only this album is special to me for sentimental reasons, it marked my way away from the typical hard rock I was getting into at the time.

ZZ Top Eliminator-1983- Who made MTV famous or who MTV made famous, the world may never know. C' mon now, who can forget their videos? The fuzzy guitars, the cars, the women and the beards! Classic...

Ozzy Osbourne Blizzard of Ozz-1981-Who ever thought that Ozzy couldn't survive without Black Sabbath? Bringing in an unknown guitar phenomenon certainly helps.

The Police Synchronicity-1983-The band kept getting better and better! I remember EVERY radio station playing the latest hit off of the album. Why is it when bands hit their most creative peaks they break up?

Neil Young & Crazy Horse Rust Never Sleeps-1979-Acoustic
on one side, electric on the other. Brilliant idea at the time! Neil was just on the roll at this timeframe.

Journey Escape-1981-The band's most commercial and successful excursion to date. I loved everything off of this album! Steve Perry's soulful ballads and Neil Schoan's blazing guitar work.

U2 War-1983- These guys keep reinventing themselves! True musicians in their own right. Although I listen to The Joshua Tree and Achtung Baby more often, this album is easily among their best!

Van Halen (s/t)-1978- This album is probably what killed disco...YAY! Eddie Van Halen's explosive finger tapping guitar solo on "Eruption" just blew everyone away!

Bad Company Desolation Angels-1979-It's still one my favorite albums out there. Although "Rock and Roll Fantasy" was a hit. Tunes like "Crazy Circles" and "Evil Wind" remained my favorites.

Rush Hemispheres-1978-I know, two entries from the same band. I just can't blow off Hemispheres. The instumentation on this album is fabulous! Everytime I'm listen to this album, I'm hearing something new, especially the 20 minute title track.

Def Leppard Pyromania-1983-Heavy metal just couldn't get any catchier than this. The constant MTV rotation of their hits made these guys a household name.

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers Damn the Torpedoes-1979- I was blown away by the creativity of this band! These guys were straight foward and just played like it is...No frills or gimmicks...just rock and roll...

Black Sabbath Heaven and Hell-1980-Thought Black Sabbath couldn't survive without Ozzy? Think again! The band got reenergized by the arrival of Ronnie James Dio and made a hell of a good album!

Iron Maiden The Number of the Beast-1982-I love the fierceness and the drive of this record. This controversial album went for the throat! The twin guitar crunch and Bruce Dickinson's vocals left me head bangin' for years!

Rolling Stones Tattoo You-1981-Suprisingly, an album of outakes from previous studio efferts. The Stones approached the '8o's with the '70's touch- with great results! MTV certainly helped in the success of this record.

Bruce Springsteen Darkness on the Edge of Town-1978- I never was a huge Springsteen fan until recently. I've always respected his integrity as a rocker. I picked up this disc a month ago for sentimental reasons and it's the fastest rising album in my collection. I just love the lyrics and the straight forwardness of this record.

Asia (s/t) - 1982- I admit that I didn't like this album when I first heard it. I was so used to hearing the long jams the prevealed on the earlier ELP and the classic Yes albums. After reading an article about not putting anyone in the spotlight, shed a new light on this record. I've been loving it ever since!

Yes 90125-1983- Although this album doesn't get close to measuring up to the standards of the classic Yes albums, it stands up upon its own. It is the biggest selling album from this band, fueled by their hit "Owner of a Lonely Heart" A new name perhaps?

Bob Segar & the Silver Bullet Band Against the Wind-1980-I just love Bob Segar's voice! This album is where they all got all together seemlessly...

Scorpions Lovedrive-1979- Perhaps the most consistent Scorps album. Every track is good...

Hope you enjoyed my list! What's yours from your teenage years?

Some Lyrics Going Through My Head....

Well, I'm in the process of writing a blog that is turning out to be a bit of a project. Silly me, I take a simple idea and I go nuts with it... I hope to have it finished over the weekend. In the meantime, here some lyrics to some songs that has been in my head the past few days.

We sailed away
We walked 2 thousand miles
and then we slipped away
We looked so hard
But couldn't seem to find just what
the world was for
Now we know
Just what the journey's for

------------------------------------------

The waiting is the hardest part
Every day you see one more card
You take it on faith, you take it to the heart
The waiting is the hardest part

From: http://www.musicbabylon.com

------------------------------------------

Well we drank champagne and danced all night
Under electric candlelight
She picked me up and sat me on her knee
And said dear boy won't you come home with me
Well I'm not the world's most passionate guy
But when I looked in her eyes well I almost fell for my Lola

Can anybody guess these songs?

Winds of Change

Today, I'm feeling the winds of change coming my way. A good wind that will bring change. One that is filled with anticipation and hope. I'm feeling some major changes down the road that in the long run that could make me happy....I not sure what it is, but I think I like it....

Dog Hero

Every now and then, I come across a video that touches me. This is one of them. This video proves to me that animals have compassion. Warning: this video is not for the timid...

Shake Your Money Maker

It was in the late '8o's. I was getting really bored with all leather clad and make-up wearing metal bands. Fed up with imagine consciousness of the MTV generation. Tired of plastic feeling of many of the artists in the '80's. I had a desire to sink my teeth into some REAL rock and roll! Along came one night on the David Letterman Show, I saw the Black Crowes.

Here's the band I was looking for! Rock and roll without the schlock! No make-up, no gimmicks and no frills! Just straight forward rock and roll! These guys sounded like purists from the '7o's-a time when rock sounded the best. They sounded like Led Zeppelin, The Faces, and the Stones all mixed up in a melting pot without sounding retro. It was all in that tune, "Jealous Again" that made me RUN to the record store and get this album! Since then, I've been a die hard follower.

As I listened to the album, the surprises kept coming! There wasn't a wasted note on the record. Recorded solely on analog equipment, the album retained that '70's feel. Singer Chris Robinson has got a voice that is a cross between Rod Stewart and Robert Plant. The guitar crunch of Rich Robinson and Jeff Cease blew me away, especially on tunes like "Stare it Cold" and "Hard to Handle" Drummer Steve Gorman, yes, he reminds me of the late and great John Bonham-hitting those drums heavy! Bassist Johnny Colt, well-he fits it the mold somewhere. Unfortunately, this line-up didn't last. Marc Ford replaced Jeff Cease for the following album. That was the beginning the revolving door of musicians that plagued the band till this day.

A few months later, I saw these guys in concert, opening up for Aerosmith. Seventh row center seats. Great show! Back then, NOBODY have seem to have heard of these guys. To top it all, they were filming the "Hard to Handle" video that very show!

Sorry, that I could not track that video down, but I hope everybody can settle for this one :)

Compassion...Is that an Lost Art?

The other day is I was walking into work, I was greeted by some laughing co-workers. What were they laughing about? Apparently, some co-worker thought it would be a great idea to take another co-worker's picture, photoshop it with a derogatory message about his manhood, and then mass texted it to other co-workers. No, I did not receive the message. When I saw it on another co-worker's phone, I was outraged and offended! I admit the victim is a little "slow" and can be a little difficult to work with because of his handicaps. Is that a reason to treat him this way? I don't think so!

I'm aware that some teasing and practical jokes go on in the place, but this was downright malicious! A workplace is a place where professionalism and courtesy take priority. Everybody's got a right to a peaceful working environment. After seeing the victim walking around looking downtrodden and beaten like a dog, I decided to say something. I mentioned the incident to the supervisor. He mentioned that there was little that he could do about the cell phones, but he will look into all teasing and that goes on and take action. After all, workplaces can be sued for incidents like these....


Just last night, my son and I were having dinner at a local restaurant. We noticed that a noticed a handicapped lady with a walker was having a hard time pushing open a door. Someone threw fries at her! WTF! I was disgusted! My son then got up and opened the door for her. That's my boy! He has a kind heart where others do not.

All these incidents has got me thinking. Where has the compassion gone is this world? Is being mean to other people really that funny? Has this generation gone to crap? I guess I was raised differently. I was taught to be compassionate towards others less unfortunate than I am.....

It is the Springtime...

With the temperatures climbing up to 65 degrees today, I decided it would be a fine day to take Harley for a walk and cook on the grill. With all that cabin fever inside of me, I just couldn't wait to get outside and do something! It was so nice to go outside without a jacket and hear kids playing. I'm so ready for the summer... Anyways, it's supposed to snow this weekend. Bummer...

Gettin' the Car Fixed

Spent much of my evening getting my car fixed. Yuck! That's the one thing I can't stand doing putting money into this clunker. Yeah, I blogged about this car before. I shouldn't complain about it, after all, I got it for free! Thanks Mom, Dad, and Frank! My last car, a 1993 Dodge Aries station wagon was stolen from this same spot as the picture posted. it was another clunker I had, but I loved it. The car ran like a champ!

So, what was wrong with this car? I had issues about the steering wheel vibrating while I was driving. Took it in and got new tires and the wheels balanced. Cool! More work needs to be done- I have to get a wheel alignment, new belts, shocks, etc, etc.

Think I need a new car...

Pearl Jam Atlanta, GA 4/3/1994

It's been awhile since I have written about a bootleg...So here goes.

Pearl Jam is one of the most explosive and intense bands to hear live to concert. Their energy and raw power is unparalleled except by a few bands. They are known to improvise their songs, often changing lyrics. To top it all, no one really knows what they are going play from night to night. They also change their set lists nightly. To see them in concert ought to be great!

This bootlegged show I have is no exception. I recorded this live on a national radio broadcast. A deal here! The show starts off slowly with the baritone voice of Eddie Vedder soulfully building up in "Release" before the band kicks it to high gear with "Rearviewmirror". The next number was "Whipping" a track off then yet unreleased third album "Vitalogy". The band assaulted the audience sences with the classics like "Evenflow", "Alive", and "Animal" Micheal McCready literally wails on his guitar to "Why Go." I just could imagine bassist Jeff Ament just bouncing around on stage. Stone Gossard kept a great rhythm on his guitar through out the night. Towards the end of the show, the band played even more "unreleased' songs like "Better Man", "Satan's Bed" and "Sonic Reduser" Unfortunately, this one of that last shows to feature drummer David Abbruzzese, who left the band after the tour.

This is a far cry from the best show I've heard from Pearl Jam. Some of their live albums are very good. I recommend Verona, Italy 6/20/2000 and Live at the Gorge 05/06 if you can track them down.



The set list;
Release
Rearviewmirror
Whipping
Evenflow
Dissident
Why Go
Deep
Jeremy
Glorified G
Daughter>Another Brick in the Wall
Go
Animal
Garden
State of Love and Trust
Black
Alive
Blood
W.M.A.
Better Man
Elderly Woman
Rats
Satan's Bed
Once
Sonic Reduser
Porch
Indifference

Some Spring Pictures

Today with temperatures rising up in the '50's. I decided to take to a ride and get a few pictures around town.

The Wind Point Lighthouse


Lake Michigan

Racine harbor


A rare find in Racine-a lesser scaup

ENJOY!

Saturday Morning Cartoons

I remember waking up Saturday mornings when I was a kid. Yep, those Saturday morning cartoons! Does anybody remember the classic ones like Bugs Bunny, Tom And Jerry, and Scooby Doo? I do!

To this day I still watch cartoons. I mostly watch the super hero ones and occasionally SpongeBob. Guess I'm still a kid in the heart...

Heartbreak Station

Back in the 8o's I was into a lot of heavy metal. There was literally hundreds of these bands out there at the time. Yet, I was picky about the bands that I got into. I did not like the glam metal, the death metal, the speed metal, the Zep clones, or any metal band that was too repetitious. I didn't like Poison, Warrant, Slayer, Kingdom Come, Winger, Twisted Sister, Megadeth, Kix, Trixter, etc. What did I like? I liked any metal band that thought outside of the box-lyrically and instrumentally. The ones that showed potential to grow and evolve. Cinderella was one of them.

Cinderella's debut album, "Night Songs" to me was nothing more than a glam rock act. Although a couple of tracks like "Shake Me" and the title cut were OK, I thought the rest of the album was junk. Their second album, "Long Cold Winter" really picked up my ears. That album marked the shift away from the glam rock scene into the blues. Gone were the usual lyrics about partying and loose bimbos. Gone were usual song structure that plagued the other metal acts. These guys were showing the signs of life! By the time their third album, "Heartbreak Station" came out they dropped the glam metal act completely and focused on creating new boundaries to grow upon.

This album sounded more bluesy and more Southern. Tommy Keifer's Joplin like vocals never sounded better. Gone were the coventional usuage of the guitar. The band pulled out the dobro, played the slide, and other instruments came into the scene like the piano and the sax. This band was growing! Tunes like "Shelter Me" you could dance to. "Heartbreak Station" was a ballad that didn't sound so wimpy and whiney. "The More Things Change" was was a pleaser.

Unfortunately, their forth album, "Still Climbing" was a couple of steps back. Due to the loss of interest in heavy metal and Tommy Keifer's vocal issues, the band faded into obscurity. They still tour and haven't released any new material for quite some time. One can only hope that they come with something new and interesting...

Roboplow!

I've got to get me one of these!

Nigerian Slaughter

I just read an article that really got my blood boiling! It was about the slaughter of hundreds of Nigerians being massacred including babies and toddlers! Many of the chopped down with machetes! All in the name of what? Religion! It seems that the Muslims and the Christians have been going at since January. It keeps getting worse. It sickens me!

Here's an excerpt from the article I was reading that made my stomach churn:

An Associated Press reporter counted 61 corpses, 32 of them children, being buried in the mass grave in the village of Dogo Nahawa on Monday. Other victims would be buried elsewhere. At a local morgue the bodies of children, including a diaper-clad toddler, were tangled together. One appeared to have been scalped. Others had severed hands and feet.

WHY! I mean who's religion is better? Yours or mine? Who cares? Is that justification for killing innocent children? I don't think so!

My point being is if your are happy with your religion, that is fine with me. After all we are human beings living on the same planet. We all bleed the same color. I couldn't give a rat's ass to whom you pray for. I have my own religion, you have yours. I'd be happy to listen to your point of view, if your are willing to listen to mine.

Sorry, for my rant...had to let it out...

The Benefit

Last night I attended the Thoughts for Food Benefit in downtown Racine. For a great cause, I had a good time. The first band I saw was Lydon Moon. at the Michigan Pub. This instrumental trio pulls off an uncanny resemblance to Joe Satriani. Guitarist Lydon Moon played very fluid and precise throughout the set, pulling off tricks like finger tapping and whammy bar techniques like breathing. This guy is a guitar god in his own right.

The rest of the band shouldn't go unnoticed. Bassist Joel Thierfelder bounced around stage keeping an excellent and complicated rhythm. The drummer, Dan Jung, played the skins like a demon possessed! These guys are the perfect fit for Moon's style of playing!

Next, I went to see a local favorite band, Mean Jake, at Chartroom Charlie's. I tell you, this place was PACKED with fans coming to see them! Standing room only! I did manage to find a place to sit down in the back. Listening to this band is always a treat. This blues based quartet never fails to deliver a foot stomping show! Their hard edged versions of classic tunes like "Ring of Fire", "Gloria", "Who Be the Next in Line", "Suzi Q", and "Sympathy for the Devil" always seem to get the crowd up and dancing to their music. I can't wait to see these guys again at the beach this summer!


Not knowing whom I was going to see next, I settled for the Feet of Clay at the downstairs stage at the Eagles Club. I've heard of this band before, but never saw them until last night. They are pretty good! They play to the likes of a hard edged version of the California psychedelic electric folk style of music. Bands like Wilco and the Jayhawks came into my mind while listening to them. Hopefully I'll see these guys again!

I had promised my good friend Aaron, formerly of the Radioactive Sguirrels to see his new band, Full Flavor, at the Michigan Pub. This is the first time I saw these guys play! They ran though classic numbers from the Doors and Cheap Trick. Aaron was all over the stage with his guitar playing antics! This dude can PLAY! Unfortunately, I left the show early. The tavern was WAY to crowded for my liking. I was getting a little claustrophobic in there. Hopefully I'll see more of these guys over the summer. Perhaps at the beach.

All in all, I had a good time! Can't wait for next year's benefit!

Thoughts for Food

The 18th Annual Thoughts for Food Benefit is tomorrow night. The ticket prices are ten bucks a piece and a donation of some non perishable food items. Proceeds of this show goes the Racine County Food Bank. It's a great cause!

I plan on going again this year. ( I have going to this event for the last few years) Many of the great local bands are going play. I'm really keen on seeing Mean Jake and Lydon Moon. I may bring my camera and blog about this. Should be a great time!

Thoughts for Food

Equinox

One may argue about Styx's finest moment. Even though their heyday was in the early '80's, I prefer their stuff from the '70's. This album here was the turning point for the band. This album marks the the first one they did for A&M Records, breaking away from the indie label, Wooden Nickel. Also this album marks the last with founding guitarist, John Cululewski. Tommy Shaw replaced him in time for tour.

Being the turning point, this album was more polished down and better produced than the previous four. And more progressive too. So band sounded more eager to explore and found a way to capture a wider audience. This was their break through they needed.

My highlights of the album were the catchy "Lorilei", a great song that you can sing about girlfriend. Great harmonics in there from vocalist Dennis DeYoung and the rest of the band. "Light Up"-wonder was that song about? That song would have made a great show opener. I love the bass riffs on "Born for Adventure" Kudos to bassist Chuck Panozzo! The heart of the album lies in their epic "Suite Madam Blue". Still today, that song remains a fan favorite.

Breaking News

Former Racine Mayor Gary "Slimeball" Becker was sentenced today by Judge Stephan Simanek for three years in prison and five years probation. Becker pleaded guilty to attempted sexual assault of a child and child enticement.

Judge Simanek said he was prepared to give Becker a probation-only offense until last-minute information about Becker's Feb. 16 purchase of bras and panties from Boston Store.

Smart move Becker, hope you make new friends in prison...

More on the story here.

Mural, Mural on the Wall

My son, who has a talent for art, has been staying after school three days a week to work on a mural. Here he is combining his efforts with other classmates. They are doing a fantasy theme combining stories like "The Lord of the Rings" and Jack and the Beanstalk". They hope have it finished by the end of the school year for permanent display on the wall...

This is just the bare beginnings of the project, my son's work is on the left side...

As I was walking down the hallways of his school, I noticed many murals already up for display. This one above caught my eye. Anyone want to take a guess who are these famous people are?

She's in the Hospital...

With so many issues going on lately it's hard to keep focused on putting up blog posts. One thing I can say is younger sister is back in the hospital. She is having complications from a surgery she had last week. My mom called me Saturday afternoon to tell me of the news.

She went in last week to get a mass removed from her abdomen. The surgery went well. Thank God it wasn't cancerous. Kinda freaked me out, my sister always took better of herself better than me and I'm older!

Now she's back in because her bowels stopped working. She is now on a 48 hour observation. If things don't start working the doctors may have to operate again. Damn...

I wish I was there for her. Living so far away doesn't help anything. I just can't take off from work and drive up there. Thank God her husband is there by her side and never left her side. He is such a good man for her. (Wish I had a relationship like that) I pray that everything goes well for her. Sis, if you are reading this, please get better, I love you!