Guilty!

Somehow, I knew it would come to this...I just didn't want to believe it.

4:30 AM on a Saturday morning, I was woken up from a deep slumber by my dog barking at my back door. Who would be knocking at my back door at this such an hour? It was my ex-wife with my son. Christopher had been arrested-for raping a two year old. My heart just sank to a bottomless pit.

That was last year, February 20, 2010.

The story begins with a phone call after my son got home from school. His best friend, Christopher, wanted a sleepover at my place that night. These guys had numerous sleepovers ever since the wee days of their childhood. Like two peas in a pod, they seemed like a bond in brotherliness. Anyways, I agreed to pick up Christopher at our meet up place in Milwaukee. There, my son, "my daughter and "my granddaughter" met up with Christopher and his mother. Everyone was in good spirits. Nobody had a clue what darkness lurked around the corner.

At the time, I was going through issues of my own and I wasn't up for much company so it was decided that they would spend the night at my ex-wife's place. After all, the drama had died down over there and we all felt it was safe enough for the boys' sleepover. How wrong we were...

By accounts, this is what is told to me....

My son and Christopher were playing video games in my son's bedroom when Christopher needed a controller from his backpack from the other room where my "daughter" and my "granddaughter" slept. For some reason inexcusable, Christopher had slipped my "granddaughter" away from my "daughter" and began his assault. My "daughter" had woken up to find Christopher on top of her with both their pants down. As what a concerned mother would do. she fought off Christopher with a plastic sword and then chased him out of the apartment with a knife, having my then 12 year son witnessing all this.

Maybe I was in denial. I've known Christopher since the day he was born. His mother and I were close friends since high school. My ex-wife babysat him on a constant basis while his mother worked. He was like a "son" to me-a part of the family. On the other foot, after my divorce my ex-wife and my "daughter" were known drama queens, hanging around with the wrong people. Drugs. I had my suspicions about them two. Things didn't seem right. Could it be they were looking for attention or for money? As much as I wanted to believe what happened, I just wanted the truth.

It tore me apart. The family along with it. I was in the middle of the madness, pulled apart like a game of tug-o-war. My relationship with my "daughter" was severed. Later on, Christopher's mother and I stopped talking. The case got ugly, really ugly. Even though the case made the news, I keep quiet about it, save for a few people I can trust.

By November, the DNA results can back. Indeed Christopher's DNA was found on the little girl's underwear. Sounds like an open and shut case, think again! Not only Christopher's DNA was found, TWO OTHER DNA WAS FOUND! My mouth just dropped to the floor! For some ungodly reason unknown, the persecution decided NOT to pursue the other DNA. That totally outraged me!!!! Was it a lack of evidence? A cover up? An easy way out? I'll never know the answer to this. All I know that this was a load of crap...As I later learned, the other two DNA were on the underwear (perhaps from folding clothes) while Christopher's DNA was found inside of the little girl.

From November to February 2011, the case kept getting delayed time and time again due to the defense persistently trying to find doctors that will evaluate Christopher insane. The more and more delays came and went, the more I felt Christopher was guilty.

Around this time, my relations between my "daughter" and I began to improve. Big thanks to my girlfriend. Then again as the case was moving along, my "daughter" freed herself away from the clutches of my ex-wife's drama and settled into a place of her own with her daughter's father. My daughter seems to prosper and do much better now in the drama free lifestyle than she did with my ex.

The delays in the case soon took it's toll. The defense, hoping to dog down my "daughter" and the district attorney by prolonging the case with the endless search for doctors forever, failed. After an outburst in court from my "daughter" about the delays, the process was finally sped up. By April, Christopher plead guilty. The sentencing date was set for July 11. He could face up to 60 years.

Outside the courtroom was chaotic. Words were exchanged between families as we were coming to the terms of the truth. Some family members had to be escorted out the building. No one was permitted to speak of the case till after the sentencing. That includes me blogging about it. I didn't feel like sitting in jail for contempt of court.

The case changed all of us. My son wonders why to why Christopher did this hideous act. My son barely acknowledges Christopher's existence and clams up when anyone speaks to him about it. To this day, I not sure how traumatized he is over this. He refuses counseling. My" daughter" finally saw the err of some her ways of thinking and sought to make herself a better person.

The day finally came to where justice can finally be served. Tension filled the courtroom as the police filled the place with their presence. This could get ugly, I thought. After the reading transcripts from the previous court times, the defense (including me) made statements to the court. Some these statements were teary eyed and full of emotion. The defense tried to show leniency by promoting probation only, then they tried to explain to the court that my ex-wife lied about a statement she made. (Whether it was a surprise to me or not, it didn't matter, I felt it was irrelevant it this point).

The pre-sentence investigation and an Illinois forensic psychologist suggested that community treatment would be a better option for Christopher than prison.

In a surprise move, Christopher made a statement-begging for leniency and apologized the victim's families. That fell on deaf ears for Judge Torhorst. "I simply believe you are and will continue to be a serious risk, not a minimal risk but a serious risk," he said. Christopher was sentenced to ten years in prison plus 15 years of extended supervision.

As we were corralled out the courtroom by the police, I couldn't help to wonder if justice was really served. Christopher WAS a good kid, but he what he did. There is no changing that. He got what he deserved. Somehow I can't help the feeling that he can be helped. (If that is possible) Just one question remains is to WHY?




Links for further reading...

The Journal Times 7-11-2011

The Journal Times 4-23-210

The Journal Times 4-23-2010

Look What I've Found!

My girlfriend's son is an obsessed KISS fan. The last time he came down to visit us, I ended up showing him my KISS albums that I have on vinyl. Still inside were all of the memorabilia of posters, stickers and such. Also inside was a receipt....


Three days after my 13th birthday, I bought two KISS albums for a total $12.44. Sounds cheap today considering that prices we pay today. I remember saving up birthday money and allowance just to buy records.....Kinda neat....

Happy 4th of July!

Have a happy and safe 4th of July !!!!

What ever you do, don't do anything stupid like this....

Learning Isn't Hard When you Got Your Library Card...

When money's tight, another good source of music is via the library. I made a few trips there recently to pick up CD's to burn. One trip a book sale where I picked up a dozen albums for a buck.

Here's a list of what I've picked up recently...

Aerosmith: O, Yeah! The Ultimate Hits
Asia: Live Around the World
the Babys: Anthology
Bon Jovi: The Circle
David Bowie: Station to Station
Chicago: V
Chicago: VII
Creedence Clearwater Revival: Pendulum
Al Di Meola; Scenario
Dixie Dregs: Freefall
Dixie Dregs: Night of Living Dregs
Dixie Dregs: Dregs of the Earth
Melissa Etheridge; The Awakening
Melissa Etheridge: Fearless Love
Peter Gabriel: (s/t)
Peter Gabriel: Security
Rory Gallagher: Irish Tour
Steve Hackett: Please Don't Touch!
Steve Hackett: Spectral Mornings
Steve Hackett: Defector
Heavy Metal (soundtrack)
Jethro Tull: A
Paul Kantner & the Jefferson Starship: Blows Against the Empire
King Crimson: Lizard
Marillion: Fugazi
Pet Methany Group: Offramp
North Mississippi Allstars: Hernando
Ozzy Osbourne: Scream
Elvis Presley: Elvis' Christmas Album
the Pretenders: Learning to Crawl
Soul Asylum: Black Gold
Bruce Springsteen: The Essential Bruce Springsteen
Bruce Springsteen: Devils & Dust
Bruce Springsteen: Live in Dublin
Bruce Springsteen: Magic
Bruce Springsteen: Working on a Dream
Billy Squier: Emotions in Motion
Steely Dan: Aja
Stephen Stills: (s/t)
Supertramp: Retrospectale
Pete Townsend: Empty Glass
Pete Townsend: Chinese Eyes
Neil Young: Unplugged
ZZ Top: Rancho Texicano

Styx at Summerfest!

Styx gets a bad rap. They’re one of those punch-line bands that people claim to like ironically. This is both unfair and stupid. There’s a subset of great classic rock bands that are being kept out of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame for having the gall to be too popular. Along with Journey, Kiss, Rush, Boston and Chicago, it seems that success and longevity have worked against them. No matter, though, because an evening with Styx is what rock n’ roll is really all about.

At Summerfest tonight, it was no exception...Styx blasted off the night with one of their signature hits with Blue Collar Man (Long Nights), setting the tone for a wonderful evening of classic blasts from the past. Followed by the rousing "The Grand Illusion" the entire audience was standing on the aluminum bleacher benches of the M&I Classic Rock Stage like drunks on skateboards. Nevertheless, I did manage a few good shots of the band. Anyways, my attention was turned towards the band itself.

Styx, a band that's a shell of it's former self, relied on Lawrence Gowen to tackle the vocal and keyboard void left by original member Dennis DeYoung. Taking the calling of the 12 year veteran he is, Gowan, showcased the multi-talented force off he is on "Lady" and "I'm O.K." He has that unique ability to fuse constant energy with vocal brillance. Kinda made you forget about DeYoung....

James Young, the guitarist and the only original member left, kicked in his two cents worth. Hovered the stage with his towering pose on "Lorelei" and "Miss America", his distinctive vocals and his fingerwork on his axe shined brilliantly!

All eyes were on Tommy Shaw as most of the Styx's popular material is from this talented guitarist/singer. Charged with charisma, Shaw bounced around from one side of stage to the other, with his long blond mane flowing. Recalling his days of joining Styx after the Equinox album, Shaw leads the band into a moving version of "Crystal Ball".

The real surprise of the night was the special appearance of original bassist, Chuck Panozzo. Sidelined at times due to health issues concerning his struggles with HIV, Panozzo received a warm welcome as strapped on the bass to jam with his bandmates on the Grand Illusion hits, "Fooling Yourself (An Angry Young Man)" and "Come Sail Away".

When I was shouting out the chorus to “Come Sail Away” at the top of my lungs, and considering the absurdity of the lyric “I thought that they were angels, but much to my surprise, they climbed aboard their starship and headed for the skies,” I cracked a giant smile. At this point, I realized that the people who make fun of this band, or others like it, have no rock n’ roll soul, and their opinion doesn’t matter. It was a night for rock and roll anyways...

The setlist-

Blue Collar Man (Long Nights)
The Grand Illusion
Too Much Time on My Hands
Lady
Lorelei
Man in the Wilderness
I'm O.K.
Crystal Ball
Fooling Yourself (An Angry Young Man)
Castle Walls
Miss America
Come Sail Away

I Am the Walrus
Renegade

Into the Darkness....

Power was restored four hours ago while I was sleeping...Around 8:30 last night, just as I was checking through my blogs, power went out at place. Strong winds up to 70 mph, blasted Racine's coastline from a storm over the lake. Basically, what we got was an outflow from the storm, a big downburst of wind. With nothing to do, we headed out to take pictures of the storm damage.

Waves off Lake Michigan at the lighthouse



Downed tree on Four Mile Road by the lighthouse



Downed tree near English and Green Streets

According to the Journal Times this morning, most of the outages were in the City of Racine, about 8,900 customers. About 2,000 Caledonia customers, 450 in Wind Point and 350 in Mount Pleasant were reportedly without power. A long night for public workers...

On Vacation....

Today, I've started my vacation. I should dancing around and celebrating, but I'm not. Why? Well, money's tight this year. After paying the bills and making car payments, I'm searching my pockets to find loose change and I'm finding mostly lint. So this means some of the things that I'd really like to do are severely limited.

Well for sure, seeing U2 at Soldier Field is out. I definitely can not afford to pay the $250 or more for what is asked for a ticket.

Summerfest, I may go on Friday to see Styx and the Los Lonely Boys on the side stages. July 5th does sound good as well with Paul Rodgers. So does Kansas on the 7th. I'm taking it day by day.

For the rest of the vacation, nothing is really planned. Going Up North and/or camping has been discussed, but nothing set in stone. I've been looking online to see what going on around the region. Something tells me, I'll find something soon. As it stands, I'm taking it day by day.

At least, I'm sleeping in.....

Satuday Night Videos

I've been around....traveled... Over the years of my life, I've seen the majestic snow capped mountains of Colorado reflecting a mirror image on a crystal clear lake. Seen the vast waters and felt the sea breeze of the Pacific Ocean as I waded in the waves off the coast of Oregon. Gazed in wonder along the lines of palm trees at the golden sandy hills of Southern California. Yet, to this Midwestern native from Wisconsin, there is no place like home...


Home, that someone would describe as "flat as a pancake". Yeah. From what I see in this land of rolling hills of corn, the ample barns and silos and desolate towns and villages is the integrity of the people who live here. The integrity of who we are... Farmers and industrial workers. The blue collar of America's Heartland and taking pride in who we are....

Yet, some amazing music has come from America's heartland... First we have John Cougar Mellencamp. Born and raised in Indiana, Mellencamp often sang about teen rebellion, the plight of the farmers and life of the heartland of America.... He often gets political, but we're not going to into to it are we? Here's one of my favorites, "Small Town", from the Scarecrow album.



Next is Kansas, a progressive rock band from where else? Kansas, of course. This six piece band rose to fame in the '70's with their heart warming lyrics of spiritual uplifting, Native Americans and other things that will ponder the mind. Their music is a mix of American-style boogie-rock and complex, symphonic arrangements with changing time signatures. Here is a cool video of one of their lesser known songs, "Cheyenne Anthem" off of their best album, Leftoverture.



The recent passing of Clarence Clemons, of Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band had affected me deeply. Few musicians can match the "Big Man" in the terms of the sax.His sax solo on "Jungleland" is one of the most impressive I've ever heard. I've never seen Bruce Springsteen in concert, but I've heard it's an experience itself. An experience I'd always wanted to try. "The Boss", lyrically has the most visionary approach to the America's Heartland that I've ever known. His blue collar feel singing away about the misfortunes of America, yet embracing to the heart. Springsteen is the true defender of the faith in the heart of America.

Just Not Feeling Well

"CRUNCH, CRUNCH!" Sleepily, I barely opened my eyes to a sound that I was familiar with. Harley was munching on an ice cube my girlfriend's daughter had given her. Bundled comfortably under layers of sheets and blankets, I did not want to get up! I had to. Somehow, I did an Ozzy Osbourne stumble to the bathroom. My head was in a fog. I'm all congested, barely able to breathe. Somehow, I made it back to bed. Just as I drifted back off to hang with the Sandman, my girlfriend brings me a bowl of chicken noodle soup and a grilled ham n' cheese. Perfect! As if she could read my thoughts....



We both went to Prompt Care earlier this week to find relief for our hacking coughs and feverish heads. Doctors told us that we both have asthmatic bronchitis and gave us antibiotics for relief. Somehow, my girlfriend has found relief sooner than me. Here I am, in a daze... Hopefully I'll feel better soon, because next week, my vacation starts...

Satuday Night Videos

As summer is getting closer to the mark, I've been finding myself hitting rummage sales and thrift shops, anywhere I could buy music for real cheap. One of these stops, was at at a blogging friend RWWackoStu's rummage sale in Sturtevant. There I picked up Oranges and Lemons from XTC. Those who don't know XTC, it is a band that is best described as New Wave meets the psychedelia pop of the Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's and the Beach Boys' Pet Sounds with a twist of REM. Sounds different don't it? It is. Oranges and Lemons is a record exploding with details, while sonically rich and filled with immaculately crafted songs.



This afternoon, my girlfriend and I stopped at the library to check out the book sale that they were having there. Not only we picked up some books and video cassettes for dirt cheap, I picked up a dozen albums for a buck. Two of these were for the Southern prog rock band, the Dixie Dregs. I've heard of these guys before and I was familiar with the guitarist Steve Morse who played for Kansas and Deep Purple. The Dixie Dregs is a complicated band. Mostly instrumental, the Dregs employ a wide variety of sounds to the listener. It's Southern rock with a violin player and a keyboardist. Kinda like an instrumental version of Lynyrd Skynyrd meeting with Kansas, Yes and bluegrass. Hard to explain, yet I like it. To make our day, we ran into OrbsCorbs on the way out.



The band I've been digging SOOO much lately is Badfinger. Although my Badfinger tapes have been silent for the past few years, much of the resurgence was due of interest in john's Rock Roots blog. As I pulled my tapes to listen to, I remembered what I was forgetting-a Beatleque like band with strong catchy hooks and crafty lyrics. Anyone can sing along to their songs! Anyways, Badfinger suffered dearly due mismanagement of the band. Once recording under the Beatles' Apple Records label, the band fell under hard times when Apple Records went under. Unable to secure a new label, the band went under. Because of the financial issues, guitarist/vocalist Peter Ham committed suicide by hanging, followed by the baas player Tom Evans years later. A damn shame, These are f#*king good! If you love the Beatles, you'll like these guys!

A Sad Day for Asbury Park.

Clarence Clemons, the larger-than-life saxophone player for the E Street Band who was one of the key influences in Bruce Springsteen's life and music through four decades, has died. He was 69.

Clemons died Saturday night after being hospitalized about a week ago following a stroke at his home in Singer Island, Fla.

"We are honored and thankful to have known him and had the opportunity to stand beside him for nearly 40 years," Springsteen said on his website. "He was my great friend, my partner and with Clarence at my side, my band and I were able to tell a story far deeper than those simply contained in our music. His life, his memory, and his love will live on in that story and in our band."

At the Fair....

While there has been an abundance of bands playing at Summerfest year, one may not want to fork out $70 per ticket for an act at the Marcus Amphitheater. Even though admission for Summerfest is $15, there are the crowds and the traffic jams though downtown Milwaukee. There are other alternatives for good live music. County Fairs!

I know, I know, most of these fairs have your typical yee haw pig chasing, tractor pulling, demo derby fun ....and a lot of country. After sifting through site after site, I've found a few acts of interest across the southeast portions of the state.

Wisconsin State Fair West Allis, WI

ZZ Top Tuesday, August 9 2011
Whitesnake with Skid Row and LA Guns Thursday August 11 2011

Rock Fest Cadott, WI

Slaughter Thursday August 14 2011
Cinderella Thursday August 14 2011
Three Days Grace Thursday August 14 2011
Kid Rock Friday August 15 2011
Avenged Sevenfold Saturday August 16 2011
Jackyl Sunday August 17 2011
Tesla Sunday August 17 2011
Heart Sunday August 17 2011
Def Leppard Sunday August 17 2011

Rock USA Oshkosh, WI

Cheap Trick Thursday July 14 2011
Puddle of Mudd Thursday July 14 2011
Daughtry Thursday July 14 2011
Firehouse Friday July 15 2011
Warrant Friday July 15 2011
Candlebox Friday July 15 2011
Lynryrd Skynyrd Friday July 15 2011
Journey Friday July 15 2011
Dokken Saturday July 16 2011
KISS Saturday July 16 2011

Waukesha County Fair Waukesha, WI

Ted Nugent Thursday July 21 2011
Creedence Clearwater Revisited Friday July 22 2011
Collective Soul Saturday July 23 2011
Beach Boys Sunday July 24 2011

Wisconsin Valley Fair Wausau, WI

Beach Boys Tuesday August 2 2011
Sawyer Brown Thursday August 4 2011
Styx Friday August 5 2011

Washington County Fair West Bend, WI

.38 Special/Loverboy Thursday July 28 2011
Train Saturday July 30 2011

Fond du Lac County Fair Fond du Lac, WI

Beach Boys Thursday July 21 2011
Tesla Saturday July 23 2011

Outagamie County Fair Seymour, WI

Ted Nugent Thursday July 28 2011

Walworth County Fair Elkhorn, WI

Doobie Brothers Sunday September 4 2011

Racine County Fair Union Grove, WI

the Guess Who Thursday July 21 2011

Kinda impressive, huh? I know that I'm not going to see them all. Depending on where I'm at (weather here in Racine or Up North) I may go see some of these bands. So far, the Doobies is a sure thing...

Cosmic Railroad

Yesterday was my birthday...To treat ourselves, we to see one of Southeast Wisconsin's best local acts, Cosmic Railroad, at their Family Gathering Pre Show Party. Located at the Local 72 Union Hall in Kenosha, the band pulled out an excellent show!

This is how the night went...

Doors to the place opened at 8:00. Looking around from the parking lot, I could see the usual tye-die hippie attire. This had to be the place...The first band that played was Terry n' the Front. From the first few bars of the Grateful Dead's "Feels Like a Stranger", I knew this going to be a long night. Five hours of music-with no place to sit down. Not wanting to hear another chessy Dead tribute band, we went back to the car and waited out the first band.

The second act, Asparagi, didn't fare any better in my eyes. Taking on a darker sound, this jam band sounded forced. The drums were too loud, drowning out the guitars. The singer seemed to be shouting into the microphone. Disgusted, we went back to the car to wait Cosmic Railroad to begin setting up.

Churning out free flowing, laid back sounds that immediately took me into a cosmic experience, Cosmic Railroad utilizes three guitar players, two drummers and a bass player. Cosmic Railroad is surprisingly unheavy while still utilizing all the guitars for some nice interplay. These guys listen to and feed off one another without going over the top. The teamwork of the two drummers is absolutely incredible, locking into a rhythmic groove that is addicting.

To describe Cosmic Railroad is rather difficult. The best way I could say it is, the Grateful Dead meets the Allman Brothers and Phish without the keyboards. Their catalog consists a different setlist each time they play. The band leaves up the moment to pick the next song. This is where you can see their mastery. As the night moves on, they continue to pick up steam, and things really start to roll. They'll do a Dead tune like "China Cat Sunflower" that would roll into an original tune of theirs like "Carolina" before segueing into the Phish-like epic of "Marco Polo" Then somehow, you're hearing "China Cat" again.

Just who is Cosmic Railroad? Well, they are a jam band based out of southeastern Wisconsin, forming in sometime in 1999. I remember seeing them several times playing in dives in the early 2000's. Each time I saw them, I noticed their fan base getting bigger and bigger. The past few years, I've noticed them playing in festivals all over the Midwest, including appearances in Jamaica. I would not be surprised (in fact, I hope they do) if they do get a recording contract.

The line up hasn't changed for them ever. The band consists of :

Greg Gierl -Guitars and Vocals
Brandon Shilts -Guitars and Vocals
Pete Rallo -Guitars and Vocals
Paul Aceto -Bass and Vocals
Mike White -Drums and Percussion
Shawn Laurence -Drums and Percussion

Here's one of my favorite tunes from Cosmic Railroad-Carolina.



For more information on Cosmic Railroad, check out their website.

Happy Birthday to My "Granddaugther"

I've mentioned about her before on my blog that I have a "granddaughter". Biologically she isn't my granddaughter, but she might as well be. How do I explain this? Well, my granddaughter's mother is my ex-wife's niece. My ex-wife and I raised her as if she our child, since she was four years till she was 20, when we got divorced. So to speak, she is like a daughter to me. (You get me so far?) Anyways, my granddaughter turned four years old today. She is cute little girl and and a bundle of energy. I really don't how anyone could keep up with her, yet the smile on my face is ear to ear when she calls me Gampa.

Anyways, my girlfriend and I had a cookout to celebrate her forth birthday. Along with our own kids (my son and her youngest daughter) we had burgers, brats and of course, cake! A good time was held by all....

Call it the Bargain...

Summer's practically here and my girlfriend and I already hit the rummages sales and the thrift shops. I'm kinda like my friend, Crabb, who like to out and look for music dirt cheap. Hey, much of my music COMES from rummage sales and thrift shops. In the past couple of weeks, I've come home with a quite a bit of stuff! Here's a sample of what I've gotten.

Asia Phoenix
Autograph Sign in Please
Babys Anthology
Blues Traveler North Hollywood Shootout
Meredith Brooks Blurring the Edges
Cult Ceremony
Donovan Barabajal
Feet of Clay (s/t) (local band)
Heaven & Hell The Devil You Know
Honeymoon Suite The Big Prize
Billy Joel 52nd Street
Billy Joel The Stranger
John Cougar Mellencamp Big Daddy
Van Morrison Moondance
Van Morrison The Best of Van Morrison
Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers Mojo
Pure Prairie League Bustin' Out
Soul Asylum Let Your Dim Light Shine
Steely Dan A Decade of Steely Dan
Toto (s/t)
XTC Oranges and Lemons
Yes Yesyears (box set)

The biggest "steal" I got was the Garth Brooks' The Limited Series box set for my girlfriend. A six disc limited edition box set (perfect condition) for five bucks.

This doesn't include the numerous upgrades I've got as well... Think I've got enough music? You're right...Nah.....

Amar Caballero

When I first heard of Babe Ruth, I was a young teen no more than 14, 15 , maybe 16 years old at the time. I was at a friend's house playing cards when he pulled out their debut, First Base. The album's first track, "Wells Fargo", took me by storm with the killer intro guitar riffing, Janita Haan's Joplin-like vocals and the hot sax solo in the end! As my buddy explained it to me then, Babe Ruth had broken up a long time ago and the album was out of print.

Not deterred by the out of print status, I spent much of the decade searching high and low for a copy of the album. Back then, there was no Internet, no Amazon, no way to order for it. If it was out of print, it was OUT of print. Years later, at a rummage sale, I finally did get it on vinyl...

Fast forward to now...During a recent trip to the library, I stumbled across a CD of Babe Ruth's First Base AND their second album, Amar Caballero. Whoa... An incredible find, if you ask me. Well, I could use a CD copy to crank it in my car and as for the second album...I NEVER even heard of it before! I snatched that baby up right away...

Glad I did...

Acknowledged more here in the States, than their homeland of England, Babe Ruth enjoyed their moderate success in the early '70's with a cult following. After hearing both First Base and Amar Caballero, one could easily see why. Babe Ruth is one of those bands that are willing to stick their necks out and take a risk. Amar Cabellero is a prime example of that.

Starting off with the bluesy/jazz classical "Lady" this 1973 release is a cornucopia of styles and genres led by guitarist Alan Shacklock. A mellowed out "Broken Cloud" follows. Rocker tune "Gimme Some Leg" has got some wild Joplin like vocals from Janita Haan with a killer guitar solo to end the track. The Spanish flamenco styled guitar work on "Baby Pride" was relaxing as it was impressive.

By halfway through this album, it was more and more apparent of the Latin influences that dominated this record. The crazy assed "Cool Jerk" gives prog rock a salsa twist. My head just spun around to hear the tone of the record change so quick. An instrumental classical tune called, "We are Holding On" was preceding the weird psychedelic funk of "Doctor Love". The eight minute title track end the record reminds me of Santana.

I'll admit that this album is not for everyone. It does take awhile for a listener to get used to. The band shows a great potential and that's because the wide variety of influences displayed here. That's were the understanding of the cult status comes in...

North Beach Oasis

Memorial Day...Not only it is time for remembering our fallen troops that served our beloved country, it is the time for relaxing, beer and brats, and enjoying the sunshine at the annual opening of the North Beach Oasis. The Oasis, a concession stand that serves as a centerpiece for the North Beach, provides not only beer, soda and good food-offers live music. On some weeknights on and every weekend musicians from various local bands either jam together or put on a show with their own band. Over the years, I've seen a variety of local acts such as Mean Jake, Full Flavor, the Radioactive Squirrels, Melvin Barker and the Bluz Cruise, Roy Edwards Band, Shameless Place and many many more! All at NO COVER CHARGE!

A local jam session with various musicians



A typical crowd at the Oasis

View of the beach from the Oasis...

As you can tell, it's one of my favorite summer hangouts. So, what's your favorite summer hangout?

Chocolate Fest 2011

Ever wonder where your Nestle's Crunch Bars, Butterfingers and 100 Grand Bars come from? One of those places is Burlington, Wisconsin. Burlington is a small community with a population of 10,000 located about 30 miles west of Racine. Affectionately nicknamed "Chocolate City, U.S.A." after the Nestle's plant was built here in 1966, ChocolateFest has been a regular attraction for Burlington for 25 years on the Memorial Day weekend.

Over the weekend, I took my girlfriend (whom never been there) and my son to visit this spectacle. Even though the skies were cloudy with a few raindrops, the temperatures were in the upper '60's. We had fun, anyways.

The centerpiece of the festival



The midway were rides, games, vendors and delicious food are sold.



Kids digging through chocolate looking for hidden treasures



Dresses made from candy wrappers.
(They actually had a fashion show with these!)

Springtime in Racine

Spring has come rather slowly this year. Though we have had a couple of 70 degree days, temperatures has been rather cool lately. That didn't stop me from embracing the coming of the season after a long, cold winter. Here's a couple of pics from a drive around town...

Some apple blossoms on Main Street, downtown Racine.



A para-skier cruising along on Lake Michigan at North Beach.



A family of geese along the lake shore drive
(taken from a cell phone)

Some Concerts I've Been To

This is kinda neat!

On my last blog on Saturday Night Videos, I came across a video of a concert that I've been to. Davy Knowles and Back Door Slam from Summerfest in Milwaukee back in '09. This intrigued me to look for some more. Guess what? I found some!



The video above is from the Guns n' Roses show I saw at Alpine Valley on 5/25/1991. Yeah, I remember seeing Axl Rose in that umpire outfit that he is wearing, thinking WTF? My only guess it for protection from flying sod at the show. People from the lawn seats were chucking sod into the reserved seats where I was sitting. Not my kind of fun. The music was great, but the audience was behaving poorly. To top it off, Axl encouraged this kind of behavior.



The next video is from the Heart show I saw on The M&I Stage at Summerfest on 6/30/2009. Went the show with a companion and met up with a mutual friend of ours there. Ann Wilson sure can belt out her vocals after all these years. I believe you can see the back of me at 2:53 in the video. (I remember talking to the dude in the cowboy hat)



This video is from the Yes concert I saw last year's Summerfest on the M&I Stage. Went there with my girlfriend and my son. Even though it wasn't the "classic" lineup of Yes, they put out a great show! I blogged about this show last July.



And finally, Rush! Saw them inside the Marcus Amphitheater at Summerfest on 7/3/2010. My girlfriend and I attended this one as well. Perhaps the best show I've seen in ages! Blogged about this one as well...

Thank God for YouTube! So many treasures one can find there...Just wondering if anybody can find a show they went on YouTube...

Saturday Night Videos

As I was on my way off to to attended my girlfriend's youngest daughter's graduation party in Elkhorn, I found myself listening to Back Door Slam's first album, Roll Away. As I was explaining my girlfriend about what a phenomenal guitar player Davy Knowles was, I finding myself molding into that blues/jam band frame of mind. Yet, I wanted to do Davy Knowles justice with his live music. Now, I don't have any Back Door Slam live materiel in my collection, just recollection of seeing him in concert back in the summer of '09 at Summerfest.

After I returned home, I dug through YouTube on a search for some excellent live Knowles. Guess what I found? The very show I saw at Summerfest almost two years ago! Reeling back memories and getting stoked here, I was totally amazed to even FIND a show that I've been to. As I was watching the video, I noticed whomever was recording this show was sitting behind me and off to the right. (We were in the first row on the left) So, I didn't myself nor my companion in the vid, yet I did some familiar faces.

We DID get to meet Davy Knowles and his manager after show, thanks to our friend, Joe Heuer, the Rock and Roll Guru. Davy Knowles seems like a very humble young kid, unaffected by his recent fame. Really pleasant to hang with. My companion and I were thinking of staying to see Buddy Guy, who playing after wards, but we had to leave early to catch an early flight to California.



On the way home, I was in the mood for some Rolling Stones. This time, something off their mysterious classic Exile on Main Street. The Stone's most druggist and creative effort ever! Recorded in a dirty basement in France and smacked up on heroin, the Stones pulled off an album that was considered among the best in rock and roll per say.



As I was sifting through videos, I came across a local band I used to get into back in the '90's-Zoot Suit Boogie. Their guitarist Robert Allen Jr, held me captivate with his impressive hollowed bodied Eliphone guitar flowing through a tiny Fender amp playing the blues....

You Can't Kill Rock and Roll

Lately I've been stressing out over work and money issues. It seems that no matter how hard I work or how many hours I put in it never seems to be enough. More work, more rules and not enough time for me...SIGH...

At the end of the day, it is so refreshing to summon up the remaining energy and rage I have to crank this tune FULL BLAST! Kinda reflects how I feel about certain things....

Mescalaro

As I was cooking out my grill not so long ago, I threw this in my boom box to give it a good listen. It was one of those albums that I've listened to a couple of times then later shelved. Why?

ZZ Top, although a great band, for the past 40 years has basically kept the same formula. Intro, verse, chorus, second verse, chorus, guitar solo, third verse, chorus and last guitar solo. A simple, yet tired and true formula. It works for ZZ Top. And they pull it off their 14th studio release, Mescalaro.

The album starts off with the chugging bass thump of the title cut. Familiarity settles in... As I was swigging my beer, I was thinking, "OK, this is not so bad..." It still has that Texas larger than life blues boogie. Billy Gibbons still has that fiery blues guitar attack. The rhythm section of bassist Dusty Hill and drummer Frank Beard still have that tight punch. What's new in the this song, the lyrics are in Spanish! I'm tripping out here.

As the album moves along here, I'm noticing the familiar fuzzbox Rockman crunch reminiscent of the Recycler album. It's like they are taking a couple of steps back to move forward. Nothing here really new. It doesn't suck, but there is nothing new to the table. "AlleyGator" has got some ferocious guitar solos on it. Tunes like "Buck Nekkid" and "Me So Stupid" displays some of their off the wall sexual humor that the band is famous for.

Why fix something that isn't broken? Sure ZZ Top will continue to slug out their "That Little Ol' Band from Texas" trademark sound as long as the fans are loving it. As redundant as it may sound, I do like this album...

video link

Wisconsin Jokes

Have heard of a site called the Uncyclopedia? If you haven't, check it out. Its satire is rather hysterical... Here's a sample of their entry for Wisconsin.

If you consider it a sport to gather your food by drilling through 38 inches of ice and sitting there all day hoping that the food will swim by, you might live in Wisconsin.

If you're proud that your region makes the national news 96 nights each year because Park Falls is the coldest spot in the nation, you might live in Wisconsin.

If you have ever refused to buy something because it's "too pricey," you might live in Wisconsin.

If your local Dairy Queen is closed from November through March, you might live in Wisconsin.

If you instinctively walk like a penguin for five months out of the year, you might live in Wisconsin.

If someone in a store offers you assistance, and they don't work there, you might live in Wisconsin.

If your dad's suntan stops at a line curving around the middle of his forehead, you might live in Wisconsin.

If you may not have actually eaten it, but you have heard of Head Cheese, you might live in Wisconsin.

If you have worn shorts and a parka at the same time, you might live in Wisconsin.

If you have either a pet or a child named "Brett," you might live in Wisconsin.

If your town has an equal number of bars and churches, you might live in Wisconsin.

If you have had a lengthy telephone conversation with someone who dialed a wrong number, you might live in Wisconsin.

If you think California is dumb jest because of their milk production, you might live in Wisconsin.

If you know how to say Ashwaubenon, Eau Claire, Waupaca, Shawano, Suamico, Oconomowoc, Waukesha. Wautoma, Menominee & Manitowoc, you might live in Wisconsin.

If every time you see moonlight on a lake, you think of a dancing bear, and you sing gently, "From the land of sky-blue waters,"....you might live in Wisconsin.

YOU KNOW YOU ARE A TRUE WISCONSINITE WHEN:

1. Your idea of a traffic jam is ten cars waiting to pass a tractor on the highway.

2. "Vacation" means going up north past Hwy 8 for the weekend.

3. You measure distance in hours.

4. You know several people who have hit deer more than once.

5. You often switch from "heat" to "A/C" in the same day and back again.

6. Your whole family wears Packer Green to church on Sunday.

7 . You can drive 65 mph through 2 feet of snow during a raging blizzard at night, without flinching.

8. You see people wearing camouflage at social events (including weddings and funerals).

9. You install security lights on your house and garage and leave both unlocked.

10. You think of the major food groups as beer, bratwurst, and cheese.

11. You carry jumper cables in your car and your wife or girlfriend knows how to use them.

12. There are 7 empty cars running in the parking lot at Mill's Fleet Farm at any given time.

13. You design your kid's Halloween costume to fit over a snowsuit.

14. Driving is better in the winter because the potholes are filled with snow.

15. You refer to the Packers as "we."

16. You know all 4 seasons: almost winter, winter, still winter and road construction.

17. You can identify a southern or eastern accent.

18. You have no problem pronouncing Lac Du Flambeau.

19. You consider Minneapolis exotic.

20. You know how to polka.

21. Your idea of creative landscaping is a statue of a deer next to your blue spruce.

22. You were unaware that there is a legal drinking age.

23. Down South to you means Illinois.

24. A brat is something you eat.

25. Your neighbor throws a party to celebrate his new pole shed.

26. You go out to fish fry every Friday.

27. Your 4th of July picnic was moved indoors due to frost.

28. You have more miles on your snow blower than your car.

29. You find minus twenty degrees "a little chilly."

30. Attend a High-School with less than 500 students, in the entire district.

Gotta admit some it is true...

Blogger Down

The last couple of days have been harrowing indeed! Never mind the fact that today is Friday the 13th when the good luck ends. Blogger has been down since Thursday morning into mid day today. I could read the blogs, but I couldn't post any comments, sign in, nor much of anything else-just read... Any click of the the mouse directed me to an error message and/or Blogger not available page. Thinking the problem my be at my end, I had cleaned my computer out, taking viral scans. No change.

I'm aware of Blogger shutting down for maintenance issues from time to time, but NEVER for this long. As the hours passed, I began to wonder if my computer was really starting to freak out. Just to be sure if anyone else was having this issue, I called my good friend Lizardmom of the JTI to ask her if she was having any problems. Sure enough, she was... At least my computer was fine.

As sat vigil over the computer waiting for Blogger to fix their problem, I began to notice the situation was getting worse. Blogs posts and comments were starting disappear-like a virus spending throughout the system. I began to worry if this was the end for Blogger. My mind raced-what will happen to the JTI? How I be able to recover my blog? All those years of hard work gone!

That ray of hope shown through mid day today when Blogger was finally restored. As I surveyed the damage, I noticed that the blog posts that had disappeared, returned. I had lost some unfinished blog posts that I had planned. Many comments remained missing.

Blogger never gave a logical reason to what the problem was, but issued a statement. Hopefully, they'll be able to finish the loose ends of this madness up soon.

At least I can breathe again...

Saturday Night Videos

I tend to stay up late on Saturday nights, chilling out after a long weeks of work with a couple of beers and listen to some great music. Nothing is more soothing to the soul than some great music. Here's where I can kick up my feet and relax. Anyways, this sharing my thoughts and introducing the music that I listen to could become a regular thing....

My first pick of the night is "The End" by the Doors from there debut album released in 1967. Jim Morrison's amazing poetry and baritone vocals always have given me the chills. His lyrics can become deep and meaningless, yet the provoke the mind. The tune starts off slow then it cascades to an apocalyptic Oedipal ending with shocking lyrics. I was stunned the first time I heard this tune...



If that didn't shock you. the next tune will..

Some of you maybe ready to break out your lava lamps and black velvet posters. The Rolling Stones went through their psychedelic/golden years in the late '60's and early '70's with albums like Beggars Banquet, Let It Bleed, Sticky Fingers and Exile on Main Street. There wasn't much that could be wasted here, even the deep cuts were something to behold... "Jigsaw Puzzle" off of their Beggars Banquet album (released in 1968) set a tone further beyond the Beatles' bad boy imagine-with a huge amount of talent! No disrespect towards the Beatles-I love 'em! The Stones pushed the envelope of censorship, shocking shocking people with their creativity... Yes, "Sympathy for the Devil" is on the same album.



I've been working on my DrewTube blog lately. It's a documentation of my album collection. Just started a couple of months ago. It's project in the works and will take years to finish...So far, I've gotten to Allmam Brothers Band. Yep, I've got that many albums and bootlegs. Here is the latest entry....Live from Austin City Limits...Unfortunately, I can't embedded from that show, but I'll leave you with "Ramblin' Man" from the House of Blues in 1995.



ENJOY!

Rock and Roll Trivia

Since the the first Rock and Roll Trivia was successful, I'd thought I'd give it a run....

1) What famous musician named his guitar Blackie?

2) What was the first album to be released on Led Zeppelin's Swan Song label?

3) What bands (or musicians) can you name came from Canada?

4) Who was the loudest band in concert?

Locks of Love

My good friend, Brandie who will 46 years later this mouth, suffers from cancer. She has two lovely children ages 12 and 10. I can not begin to describe to what she going through. One thing though, her free spirit and her will to live absolutely amazes me! Anyways, she sent me an email about a worthy cause...

A Mother’s Day Wish
By Brandie

As mother’s day is rapidly approaching, many moms and mommy-to-be hope and pray that their children will grow healthy and happy.

But some moms like me are battling cancer and very grateful that they can spend another mother’s day with their children and loved ones. So as I prepare to celebrate this wonderful holiday with my children and family, I ask and pray that people will remember and be thankful for their caring and healthy mom.

My mother’s day wish is that people will take a minute and think about that some moms who are battling an illness and yet staying strong and fighting to spend more time with their children. So now you are asking what can I do to help these moms with their fight? There are many things a person can do to lift their spirits.

I am not asking people to donate money for a cause. I understand that with today economy many families are struggling. But there are ways to help. The biggest thing is take some time and donate blood/platelets. Many cancer patients rely on donators for live saving blood to help battle their cancer.

The other way to help is to donate hair to Locks of Love. This is the simplest and painless way to help. For locks of Love there are no age restrictions, hair type, or color. The only thing is to have at least 8-10 inches of hair that can be cut. It takes 10 people to donate their hair to make one wig. As a wig wearer myself, due to the chemo treatments stripping me of my curly locks, I found that I feel healthy, strong and yet most of all beautiful. Every mothers dream.

I know in south eastern Wisconsin that Great Clips will cut the hair for free as long you are donating it to Locks of Love, plus they will ship the cut hair to the processing plant in Atlanta Georgia. If you live in an area that doesn’t have a Great Clip, then call your favorite stylist/salon and they may be able to point you in the right direction.

Please take the time and help a mom enjoy another Mother’s Day.

I would like to wish all moms and mommy to be a very happy and many more Mother’s Day.

I want to thank Brandie for bringing this cause to my attention, hopefully others will find out it. Maybe I should get a haircut...

Summerfest Takes Shape

It's that time of the year, when line-up for Summerfest to fill up. After browsing through their site, I've seen few acts that I might be interested to see.

Wednesday, June 29 2011
Peter Gabriel at the Marcus Amphitheater
Buddy Guy at the Harley Davidson Roadhouse
Meatloaf at the Briggs and Stratton Big Backyard

Thursday, June 30 2011
Reo Speedwagon at the M&I Classic Rock Stage

Friday, July 1 2011
Los Lonely Boys at the Harley Davidson Roadhouse
Styx at the M&I Classic Rock Stage
Third Eye Blind at the Briggs and Stratton Big Backyard

Saturday, July 2 2011
Maroon 5 at the Miller Lite Oasis

Sunday, July 3 2011
Blue Oyster Cult at the M&I Classic Rock Stage
Jayhawks at the Briggs and Stratton Big Backyard
Don Felder at the Potawatomi Bingo Pavilion

Tuesday, July 5 2011
Def Leppard with Heart at the Marcus Amphitheater
Paul Rodgers at the Miller Lite Oasis
Cinderella at the M&I Classic Rock Stage
Indigenous at the Potawatomi Bingo Pavilion

Wednesday, July 6 2011
Black Keys at the Marcus Amphitheater
Peter Frampton at the M&I Classic Rock Stage

Thursday, July 7 2011
Kansas at the M&I Classic Rock Stage

Friday, July 8 2011
Goo Goo Dolls at the Miller Lite Oasis

Saturday, July 9 2011
Meat Puppets at the U.S. Cellular Connection Stage

Sunday, July 10 2011
Todd Rundgren at the Potawatomi Bingo Pavilion

Impressive line up! With the exception of Def Leppard, nothing really jumps out on grabs me like Rush and Yes did last year. With the economy the way it is right now, I'm not sure that I want to pay $70 or more for tickets to go see Def Leppard. I've seen Kansas, Blue Oyster Cult and Heart before. My biggest bet is on July 1 to see Los Lonely Boys and Styx since they are playing at different times.

Rock and Roll Trivia

I've got something I'd like to try...Rock and Roll Trivia. If it goes well, it may be a regular thing on my blog.

1) What bands can you name with ONE original member through out their career. Extra bonus if you can name that member.

2) Who was Tom Petty's guitar instructor?

3) Where was Lynyrd Skynyrd from?

4) What is Bono's real name?

Easter Up North

Thursday night, my computer went on a fritz...Firefox crashed and I was barely running off on Internet Explorer. That put the final decision on heading Up North for Easter weekend, besides I figured I really needed to get away from the insanity that been going on lately. Glad that I did!

Friday morning, after I dropped the computer off, I headed off for the boondocks... Breaking away from gray metropolitan of Milwaukee into budding brown and green of the countryside, I felt my heart getting a little lighter. As I was traveling northbound, I could still see patches of snow hidden from the glow of sunlight. Winter was slowly losing her battle against Spring.

The battle between seasons became more evident by the time we reached Appleton. The Wolf River had overflowed its banks, kissing the roadways. I had recalled news stories about major snow storms hitting the area just a few days before. Not much snow now, just water and ice. The lakes were starting to thaw around the edges like ice cubes bobbing in water.

The wildlife seemed to rejoice in the upcoming spring. I saw a small heard of deer just outside the Menominee Indian Reservation. A turkey was trying to decide his fate with traffic just further down the road. By time I left my folks' place Sunday, I've already seen a black squirrel, downy woodpeckers, nuthatches, goldfinches and juncos in the birdfeeders. Vultures were gracefully on the wing, soaring high on the thermals. Bufflehead ducks, swans and loons were taking over any open water.
Yes, my girlfriend and I enjoyed the peaceful, easy feeling of the countryside. Before that delicious Easter dinner, we visited the Woodland Trail Winery in Lakewood. Had our partake in wine samples before deciding on a bottle of Northern Ice. Time was well spent visiting our families and friends, enjoying feasts and laughter.

As fast as holidays come, they go. As much as we wanted to stay and relax a little bit more, reality beckoned us to come home. A nasty year long court case with a surprising verdict, work, bills to pay and a computer to pick up.... It won't be long before we head up there again.....

Bootlegs

Ever since I set up my boom box in front of the TV to record an MTV special on Asia in concert from Tokyo, I've been fascinated with bootlegs. Finding, collecting and doing research on them has been a hobby for me for years.

So what are bootlegs? They are unauthorized live recordings by an artist. They can not be found in stores nor anywhere music can legally be sold. Many of these recordings are sold illegally through online sites. None of profits go to the artists' themselves. However, I'm not interested in any sharp nor form in the business of dealing tapes for cash. Music is priceless.

Getting them was rather interesting. I never bought any from the online sites that are strewn over the internet these days. I never trusted these sites for various reasons. Instead I have recorded them off of the radio, hooked up my tape deck to the VCR from the TV specials like MTV Unplugged, Live 8 and the Woodstock '94 pay per view and even hooked my tape deck to the computer to record downloads of the Internet from sites like the now defunct WinMX. Most of them I've gotten from are from friends. How they got them, the don't ask, don't tell rule applies.

I never have, myself, bootlegged a concert that I've been to. Too risky to get caught. Though I do have FOUR bootlegged shows that I've been to in my collection. That said, I do have a dresser 3/4 full of bootlegged tapes, making them a HUGE part of my collection.

So why all the fuss over bootlegs? Yes, I love live recordings from any artist. To me, they are extensions of the studio work. Where in the studio, the artist can slice and dice to perfect a song, in concert, it's do or die in one take. I've noticed though, the live recordings released by any artist are often "doctored". Meaning that they are mixed, overdubbed or whatever in the studio for release. Kiss Alive! and Led Zeppelin The Song Remains the Same are perfect examples of that. Whereas a bootleg, anyone can get the concert feeling as if you were in the show yourself-flaws and all. The flaws are gives the music its character...

Bootlegs are not perfect either. The sound quality can be barely audible to excellent. Blame can be given to whomever is recording the show and the technology they use. I've noticed in late '60's and the early '70's the recordings are often rare and muddied, while shows later on tended to be a better quality and more common. Thinking about it, a big and bulky tape recorder in smaller venues being stalked by roadies on the rampage versus compact and updated equipment in stadiums. Sometimes one can't be too picky, after all it's a bootleg.

However, there are a few bands that do promote tape trading. Jam bands like the Grateful Dead, the Black Crowes and the Allman Brothers have set ups at their show where can one pick up the finished tape or disc after the show.

Over the years, I've picked up unbelievably awesome and weird recordings. Many of them that captures the true essence and the spirit of the band. There's the Led Zeppelin's Earl's Court run in London at end of their 1975 tour. To this day, I still wonder why at least one of the shows hasn't been released. Aerosmith's Woodstock 1994 show was spectacular! Robert Plant's show in Amsterdam in 1993 was a real trip. A Traffic show at Summerfest had face melting guitar solos on "Dear Mr. Fantasy". Pink Floyd blew up a pig at Oakland in 1977. The Counting Crows wowed me in Chicago in 2004. The Allman Brothers blew my mind at Holmdel, New Jersey with their dual guitar attack on "Jessica" in 1994. I could really could go on and on about all this. I guess I'm gonna have to to more bootleg reviews...

So is your take on bootlegs?

Happy Birthday to My Son!

Another year has come and gone and today my son turns 14! Hard to believe that he's growing up before my eyes...Once a young lad playing with Hot Wheels in the sandbox in the backyard, is now in 8th grade looking towards high school. I don't see him as often as I would like, he's been keeping busy hanging out with his friends and weight training. I know, a typical teenager. He's already talking about girls...(Oh boy...) So what am I gonna do with him? Be the best Dad I can be for him and teach him the right things. Gotta love him!

The Eagles Alpine Valley East Troy,WI 7/15/1994

It's been a long time since I've done a bootleg review. This time it's about a concert that I've been to. Yep, I do have FOUR bootlegged concerts in my collection that I've been to. Two of them are Rush, a Robert Plant show and this Eagles one. (No, I didn't bootleg any of these shows, copies of them fell into my hands).

1994 was an impressive year for concerts. Bands like the Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd, U2, Pearl Jam, and the Eagles were on tour that summer. With tickets prices growing out of control, we opted to see one concert that summer. After much deliberation, the decision fell on to the Eagles, for it was their reunion tour.

A wise choice, I may say (although I regret not seeing Pink Floyd)! The concert ended up being one of my favorite shows that I've been to.

Let me tell you why...

We pulled into the grassy parking lot of Alpine Valley in our Subaru station wagon on a sunny Friday afternoon. Temperatures were warm and comfortable. Pulled out our grill and beer to do some tailgating. As the burgers sizzled on the grill, we were introduced to a couple from Kenosha. As we were sipping the cold brewskis and playing frisbee in the parking lot, the vibes became more evident. The peaceful, easy feeling vibe.

And that vibe lasted into the night.....

Melissa Etheridge opened with an impressive set showcasing her latest tunes off of her Yes I Am album. Her vocals were top notch! The tunes like "Come to My Window", "I'm the Only One", "Bring Me Some Water" and "Yes, I Am" sent shivers down my spine confirming Melissa is the real deal!

As the sun was setting between sets, the vibe was getting stronger as I was laying there on my blanket feeling very calm. Then I heard explosions! Thunder! The roar of the crowd as the opening bars of "Hotel California" filtered through the dusky sky. The show was on! As roar died down, magic was filling the air... I could hear the entire audience singing along to the words! It was so surreal to hear this choir like effect on classics like "New Kid in Town", "Lyin' Eyes" and "Tequila Sunrise". People were dancing like lovers, swaying and singing along with the music. The crowd was cheering loudly for Joe Walsh's crazy antics (like wearing Dr. Suess' Cat in the Hat hat on "Average Ordinary Guy").

For the next three hours and two sets, the band consisting of Don Henley, Glenn Frey, Timothy B. Schmitt, Joe Walsh and Don Felder, plowed through tunes not only from the Eagles, but solo songs as well! It was quite surprising to hear the Eagles play "Rocky Mountain Way", "Boys of the Summer", "Smuggler's Blues","Dirty Laundry", "Life's Been Good" and "Funk#49".

When I play back the tape of the show, the hairs on arms stand straight up remembering the good, peaceful vibes and the magic of the show. I still wear the smile on my face when I walked up the hill after "Take it Easy" closed the night....

The set list...

Set 1
Hotel California
Victim of Love
A New Kid in Town
Wasted Time
Pretty Maids (All of Them in a Row)
The Girl From Yesterday
I Can't Tell You Why
Ordinary Average Guy Lyin'Eyes
One of These Nights
Tequila Sunrise
Help Me Through the Night
Love Will Keep Us Alive
Forgiveness
You Belong to the Night
Boys of the Summer

Set 2
Funk#49
Dirty Laundry
Smuggler's Blues
Life's Been Good
All She Wants to Do is Dance
Heartache Tonight
Life in the Fast Lane
Get Over It
Amazing Grace
Rocky Mountain Way
Already Gone
Desperado
Take It Easy

She's Coming Around.....

To those who have had Harley in their prayers...THANK YOU!

It's been a week since, I had taken her to vet. A week of sadness and grief. A week of pondering over a decision that I did not want to make. A week of prayers. Its may be too soon to rejoice, but a miracle is in the works. Harley is coming around!

All last week, Harley seemed to be knocking on death's door. Laying on the floor next to the bed, practically unable to walk. She was very weak, short of breath, listless, lifeless, and didn't want to eat. A visit the vet confirmed a low red blood cell count and may need surgery. Unable to afford treatment, I resigned myself to lose Harley for good.

As I was getting closer to deciding to bring Harley in for her final visit to the vet, a miracle happened! She met me at the door wagging her tail! Just like she used to do all the time! I cried tears of joy.... Slowly, but assuredly she is progressing. She is now eating like normal, walking about on her own and "bugging" me for affection.

She may not be at 100%. She's still weak at times, but she seems to be getting better. I know that I shouldn't get my hopes up to high, but SOME hope is definitely better than none....