The Sky is Crying

There are many music lovers out there at that would claim Jimi Hendrix as THE guitar god. That may be case, yet blues legend Stevie Ray Vaughan sits on his right hand as a faithful disciple of Hendrix. Hendrix may have opened the door for generations of guitar players exploring the boundaries of the instrument, yet Stevie Ray sent it the the limitless heights of the stratosphere.

Note for note, each sound Stevie Ray creates on his beat up Stratocaster is worth it weight in gold. Always playing with unbridled passion and emotion, Stevie Ray somehow reaches into the heart and soul of the listener-whether it is playing at blinding speed or the slow down steady blues. Not bad at all from guy who sneaked into his older brother's room just to self teach himself on the guitar.

On the 1991 release of The Sky is Crying illustrates all that and more. The posthumously assembled ten-track outtakes collection actually proves to be one of Stevie Ray's most consistent albums, rivaling to 1989's In Step as the best. Compiled by his older brother, Jimmie Vaughan (of the Fabulous Thunderbirds), these songs were recorded in sessions spanning from 1984's Couldn't Stand the Weather to his last album, In Step and were left off of the albums for whatever reason (or, in the case of Soul to Soul's "Empty Arms," a different version was used).

What makes the record work is its eclectic diversity --Vaughan plays the slide guitar on "Boot Hill" while "Life by the Drop" was done on the acoustic. He smokes on the slow blues of "May I Have a Talk With You" and the title track just as much as on the up-tempo Lonnie Mack cover, "Wham" Holy Cow! Talk about blistering guitar work there! Then he shows the jazzy side of his playing on and Kenny Burrell's "Chitlins Con Carne. The buzz on the amp on Hendrix's "Little Wing" intro slowly crawls in a wailing guitar solo that is literally mind blowing!

But it's not just musical diversity that makes the record work, it's also Vaughan's emotional range. From the morbidly dark "Boot Hill" to the lilting "Little Wing" to the exuberant tributes to his influences -- Lonnie Mack on "Wham" and Albert King on "The Sky Is Crying". Stevie Ray makes the material resonate, and in light of his death, "The Sky Is Crying" and the touching survivor-story ballad "Life by the Drop" are two of the most moving moments in Stevie Ray Vaughan's oeuvre.

Never Forget....

I was at work when this all happened.....

Somebody at work had called in sick, so had to work on another press than I normally do. The day itself seemed to peaceful and calm. Nothing would prepare me for what was to come.

I was in the scheduling office picking up paperwork shortly after the first plane hit. The radio in the office been blaring news. My first impression was an aircraft controller had somehow had messed up and directed the plane at lower altitude causing the crash. Never in my mind was this an attack of terrorism until I was getting ready to walk out of the office when the second plane hit.

I remember the feeling of dread afterwards. News and rumors spread like wildfire across the plant. We had limited access to the outside world. By lunchtime television sets were set up in the conference room across the hall from the break room. These were the first images of terror at the World Trade Center I saw. I was horrified...

I remember the fear growing inside of me as the day went on. Little did I know what was really going outside the concrete walls of the building I was working in. Was a there a full scale war going on? Will I be gunned down as I walk out of the building? Maybe my imagination was running wild with me...

It wasn't until I got home I that realized the full scale of what happened. The repeated images on the TV told me everything. By then, the Pentagon had been hit. Flight 93 had crashed into a field in Pennsylvania. The towers had collapsed-killing thousands of civilians, firefighters and police alike. I was mortified...

Packers Week #1

My beloved team-the defending Super Bowl champs Green Bay Packers defeated the New Orleans Saints in this explosive season opener 42-34 at Lambeau Field. What a game! The Pack looked to have the game wrapped up in the first quarter before the Saints came alive with Drew Brees' quickfire passes.

Here are my thoughts of the game:

1) The Packers are clearly still a HOT team! Aaron Rodgers passes are like lightning!

2) Make no doubt, New Orleans is a GREAT team. The do have a lot of weapons in their arsenal.

3) Packer seemed to have a running game going (finally) with two good running backs at their disposal.

4) Special teams on both sides of the field have stepped up. Their were two kick off returns in the game.

5) Neither quarterbacks made an interception.

All in all it was an awesome game, a great way to start the season!

More on the game here.

Didn't Go...

Last night, I was supposed to go see the Doobie Brothers at the Walworth County Fair in Elkhorn. Well, didn't go. My girlfriend and I were called away to Shawano Saturday afternoon to witness the birth of her first grandchild. We didn't get home until Sunday evening about 45 minutes prior to the show. With the weather being drizzling, cold and icky and the possibility of getting caught in the traffic situations dealing with Pearl Jam's show at nearby Alpine Valley were deciding factors in not going. Would of been nice though. The Doobie Brothers latest album, World Gone Crazy is their best piece of work since their 70's heyday of Takin' it to the Streets and Minute by Minute. Their recent setlists included classic tunes like "Black Water", "China Groove", "Listen to the Music" and "Rockin' Down the Highway" as well tunes from their recent album.

I've must of been in a dark closet during the last couple of months. About four days ago, I just learned that one of my favorite bands, Pearl Jam was kicking off a leg of their PJ20 Tour at nearby Alpine Valley last night and the night before. This is one band I've always wanted to see live! Their energetic shows and ever changing setlists are the some the reasons I want to go. To make these shows more for worth craving for were the appearances of Chris Cornell from Soundgarden, Josh Homme from Queens of the Stone Age along with members of Mudhoney and the Strokes. Just to hear Chris Cornell and Eddie Vedder jam together doing Temple of the Dog classics would definitely have been a treat! Top top it all...$50 lawn seats!

Was it worth it not going? Yes! My girlfriend's first grandchild was born 1:35 Sunday morning. A girl. 7 pounds 4 ounces. A real cutie pie....

Hair of the Dog

Nazareth. Yes, Nazareth. Remember that long forgotten name that was buried under the weight of the popular 70's riff crunching powerhouse bands like Led Zeppelin, Aerosmith and Black Sabbath? I do. It seems like a vague memory for some. It's kind of easy to see why...These Scottish rockers never stood out above the crowd, instead they blended into the rock and roll scenery like a chameleon on a branch. It wasn't just they sucked. They might not have quite the talent like Zeppelin, nor the flamboyancy like Queen and Aerosmith, yet they certainly had some moments of glory. Among them was their sixth studio effort, Hair of the Dog, released in 1975.

Hair of the Dog was the first album I ever picked from Nazareth. As a young teenager, I got excited of hearing the boisterous title track, marveling at the uncensored chorus of "Now you're messing with a son of a bitch, Now you're messing with a son of a bitch" over the loud relentless guitars combined with a smoking bass solo on the radio. Then there was the beautiful Everly Brothers cover of "Love Hurts". Singer Dan McCafferty's trance like singing of this wholesome ballad was repeatedly requested on the radio by love struck girls requesting it for their boyfriends to the point that I wanted to beat my head against the wall like a schizophrenic having delusions. Nevertheless, it is a great tune taken in moderation.

The rest of the album should not be ignored, for it divides its time between similarly pulverizing hard rock fare and some intriguing experiments with the group's sound. Notable tracks include "Miss Misery," a bad romance lament driven by a doomy riff worthy of Black Sabbath and my personal favorite, "Changin' Times", a throbbing hard rock tune driven by a hypnotic, circular-sounding guitar riff ending with a monstrous solo by Manny Charlton. A big big highlight is "Please Don't Judas Me," an epic tune about paranoia that trades heavy metal riffs for a spooky, synthesizer-dominated atmosphere that is further enhanced by some light, Pink Floyd -styled slide guitar work.

Some may argue to what is the best Nazareth album. Razamanaz, Expect No Mercy and No Mean City are all fine albums, but Hair of the Dog remains the most popular. It has sold two million copies worldwide. To top it all, it is a necessity for Nazareth fans and anyone who loves 1970s hard rock.

Hurricane Irene

Over the weekend Hurricane Irene sliced up the Atlantic coast from North Carolina to New England leaving a death toll now at 37 and a trail of destruction in its wake. As of this point, millions are still without power and the rebuilding begins.

Once a storm to be feared to a degree catastrophic proportions, Irene roared out of the Bahamas a Category 3 hurricane packing winds of over 110 MPH. Residents of the Atlantic coast had every right to be afraid, especially to those whom live in New York City and other large metropolitan areas. In which, of New York haven't had a major hurricane in God knows how long.

A Katrina like catastrophe, Irene wasn't, reduced to a Category 1 be the time it made landfall on the Outer Banks in North Carolina. By the time made it's third American landfall at Coney Island, New York, Irene was downgraded to a tropical storm. A huge sigh of relief and good news for most everybody. Still, it was a storm to be reckoned with-left a huge mess for everyone to clean up.

Enough with the news...I'm sure everyone heard all the details about Irene. Storms always captivated my interest, especially hurricanes and tornadoes. It's a wonder that Mother Nature, who's beauty and splendor can be so destructive and terrifying....Now, I wonder how Seano from the Circle of Fits is doing. He's from Philadelphia...

What to Write About?

I know that I haven't posting much on here lately and some of you may have been wondering what happened. I'm fine. I've been busy with work and so has my girlfriend. Time seems to be a luxury these days. I try to prioritize my time off from work and other important errands by spending it with my girlfriend and kids. Some days are not so easy....

There are times like this I'll got a moment to myself to write a blog. So here I am, filled with ideas to what to write about, yet I'm drawing a blank.... Typing away here very slowly, one finger at a time (I'm no speed demon on the keyboard, that's for sure) thinking I've got recent albums from the Doobie Brothers, Yes and Lynyrd Skynyrd that I could do reviews on. Not to mention stacks of burned CD's that been piling up my desk here, I could easily do. I could scan some old photos of vacation trips I took as a kid and write about it. Some old pet photos too, why not? Of course, I could do something personal, yet I've been leery about doing that lately.

It's summer though and I love the sunshine. I do want to enjoy it while I can. Read a book outside with my tunes and then cook on the grill. Take a walk through the woods with my lady and my dog. Can't really do that in the winter...

Not to worry, I'm still around, reading your blogs and commenting on them. Wouldn't miss them for the world....

We are Stardust, We are Golden

In 1969, a monumental music festival changed our world. More than half a million people came together - united in a message of peace, openness and cultural expression – and demonstrated how a generation could be heard. Today, Woodstock lives on. Gathered on Max Yasgur's farm in Bethel, New York, they came from all over....changing forever the face of rock and roll-encrypting our minds with images of love and peace....

Woodstock originally was designed as a profit-making venture. It famously became a "free concert" only after it became obvious that the event was drawing hundreds of thousands more people than the organizers had prepared for. Tickets for the event cost $18 in advance and $24 at the gate for all three days. But a late change in venue did not give the festival organizers enough time to prepare. Organizers felt they had two choices. One option was to improve the fencing and security which might have resulted in violence; the other involved putting all their resources into completing the stage, which would cause promoters to take a financial hit. The crowd, which was arriving in greater numbers and earlier than anticipated, made the decision for them. The fence was cut the night before the concert.

During the sometimes rainy weekend, thirty-two acts performed outdoors. Among them were sensational bands like Santana, the Grateful Dead, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Janis Joplin, the Who, Jefferson Airplane, Ten Years After, the Band, CSN&Y and Jimi Hendrix. I know, that's a lot of acts!

The influx of attendees to the rural concert site in Bethel created a massive traffic jam. To add to the problems and difficulty in dealing with the large crowds, recent rains had caused muddy roads and fields. The facilities were not equipped to provide sanitation or first aid for the number of people attending; hundreds of thousands found themselves in a struggle against bad weather, food shortages, and poor sanitation.

The festival was remarkably peaceful given the number of people and the conditions involved, the audience, in tune with the idealistic hopes of the 1960s, Woodstock satisfied most attendees. There was a sense of social harmony, which, with the quality of music, and the overwhelming mass of people, many sporting Bohemian dress, behavior, and attitudes helped to make it one of the enduring events of the century.

It is widely regarded as one of the most pivotal moments in rock and roll's music history...I have often wondered what it would be like to have experienced this.



25 years later gave birth to a new generation to the those attended the first. Organizers had come with plans for a second Woodstock to commemorate the anniversary of the original. Of course by then, the times had changed and the music had evolved. Skepticism arose as plans unraveled. Would the memory of the original be tarnished?

Woodstock '94 was settled in a large field in Saugarties, NY, about ten miles away from the original site and it was originally proposed as the location for the 1969 concert for permission to use the property was not granted. Tickets were sold for $135 to try to limit attendance to 250,000 people. Kind of steep price, yet considering the Eagles were charging the same amount for their shows, to see 67 acts in three days seemed fair. An eight foot high fence was erected around the venue to thwart gate crashers.

Instead of driving cross country and paying the big bucks to see this historical event, it was decided that staying at home and spending $50 to watch it on pay per view was a better idea. After all, it was my Woodstock...and I got a free T-shirt out of the deal. So I took the liberty of video and audio taping the ENTIRE concert...

67 acts and a wide diverse amount music covering two stages was presented to the hordes of music fans that came in from all points of the globe. Some new acts as well as the older ones. Among them were Collective Soul, Blues Traveler, Blind Melon, Nine Inch Nails, Metallica, Aerosmith, Allman Brothers Band, Green Day, Bob Dylan, Traffic, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Peter Gabriel. Returning from 1969 were Santana, Joe Cocker, Country Joe, CSN and the Band. There was no way I could miss this...

As I was watching this spectacle, I couldn't help to notice how surreal and crazy it was. It was a combination of generations-young and old-in the crowds and in the mosh pits. Body surfing, beach balls and naked people. An experience that felt a reminiscent to the original Woodstock with a modern twist. Rains came down during Saturday afternoon turning the place into "Mudstock". Out came the "Mudpeople" turning hills into mudslides-all caked with mud. By the time Aerosmith hit the stage late Saturday night with a mind blowing show, the crowd had swelled to an approximate 450,000 people. The gates had been taken down, lest people getting injured breaking in. At that point it became a free concert....

By the time I shut down my VCR and stereo, moments after the Sunday night Peter Gabriel finished his set, I was exhausted. Yet I smiled when I went to bed knowing a peaceful show worthy of the Woodstock name would bring up memories of a lifetime for me....




Five years later, as promoters wanted, came another Woodstock. Given the circumstances of the previous peaceful Woodstocks back in '69 and '94, it didn't seem to be a bad idea at first. A Woodstock every five years? The first one was a sacrilege while the second one was a peaceful commemorative, the third one was overkill.

Organizers picked the abandoned Griffiss Air Force Base in Rome, NY, which was about 200 miles away from the original site, to solve the problems dealing with the mud that plagued the previous shows. Tickets were sold for $150 a piece, which were considered expensive that time period standards. Prior to the concert, the promoters of the event were determined to avoid the gate-crashing that had occurred at previous festivals, and had characterized the site as "defensible", describing the 12-foot plywood and steel fence intended to keep out those without tickets. About 500 New York State Troopers were hired for security. Woodstock 99 was conceived and executed as a commercial venture with dozens of corporate sponsors, and included the presence of vendor "malls" and modern acoutrements such as ATM's and e-mail stations.

Over 100 acts came to this event! Among them were Insane Clown Pose, Buckcherry, Korn, Bush, Kid Rock, Counting Crows, Dave Matthews Band, Limp Bizkit, Rage Against the Machine, Muse, Godsmack, Jewel, Willie Nelson, Creed and Megadeth, Returning from '94 were Collective Soul, Metallica and the Red Hot Chili Peppers. No one from the '69 show made an appearance...

Sounds if the promoters finally got it all together....WRONG! Very wrong...

But what went wrong? Crass commercialism for starters. Participants who had not brought sufficient food or water to the show had to either buy from onsite vendors, whose merchandise was expensive: a single-serving pizza sold for $12, bottles of water and soda went for five bucks a pop. The oppressive heat —which reached above 100 F-baking concert goers on the asphalt certainly didn't help matters. One by one, the testosterone driven metal bands pushed the crowds into a frenzy. Some crowd violence and looting was reported during the Saturday night performance by Limp Bizkit, including a rendition of the song "Break Stuff". Violence escalated the next night during the final hours of the concert as the Red Hot Chili Peppers performed. During the band's set, the crowd began to light candles, some also using them to start bonfires. The hundreds of empty plastic water bottles that littered the lawn/dance area were used as fuel for the fire. Many large bonfires were burning high before the band left the stage for the last time. Participants danced in circles around the fires. Looking for more fuel, some tore off panels of plywood from the supposedly inviolable security perimeter fence. ATMs were tipped over and broken into, trailers full of merchandise and equipment were forced open and burglarized, and abandoned vendor booths were turned over, and set afire.

Police investigated four alleged instances of rape that occurred during the concert. Eyewitnesses reported a body-surfing woman being pulled down into the crowd and gang-raped in the moshpit during Limp Bizkit's set. Seven arrests were made on the final night of the concert and, afterward, police reviewed video footage, hoping to identify and hold accountable rapists and looters who, amid the chaos, had not been arrested. Approximately 12 trailers, a small bus and a number of booths and portable toilets were burned in the fray. Six people were injured.

I was so glad that I turned down the $50 per per view for this show. The only act that I was even interested in at the time was Metallica. It deeply saddened me, to know that the great sacrilege of Woodstock was tarnished by a bunch of assholes....

Vicious Cycle

I know that I haven't done an album review in awhile and it's long overdue that I do one. Anyways, it doesn't mean that I haven't been listening to music lately, in fact I have. Too much of it... My girlfriend and I have been plundering and pillaging the local libraries for CD's to burn. One of these we got is Lynyrd Skynyrd's tenth studio album, Vicious Cycle.

I've always been a huge fan of Southern rock, it almost seems to run in my blood even though I never been south of the Mason/Dixie line. Somehow I can relate to whiskey swigging, hell raising lifestyle even though I'm a family man with a remote in hand. Mostly I think it is my love for the blues.

On Vicious Cycle, Lynyrd Skynyd delivers that same whiskey drinking and hell raising fun that I like. There are some killer bone crunching guitars, tickling piano and insightful lyrics, a perfect combination for a Skynyrd classic. But first, a little history lesson....

Since Lynyrd Skynyrd's reunion in 1987, the band has going through a perpetual lineup change. Gary Rossington, the only original guitarist left from the days of "Freebird" and "Sweet Home Alabama" leads the pack the triple guitar assault with a resounding force. The addition of ace guitar players Hughie Thomasson from the Outlaws and Ricky Metlocke from Blackfoot make this a spicy Cajan combination to behold. Ronnie Van Zant's younger brother, Johnny, who's insightful and colorful lyrics paints a vivid picture of the rebel raising south-in the all American way as seen tunes like "Red, White and Blue" and "That's How I Like It"

But what's missing here? It's hard not to compare this album (and others) to the classics of the pre-plane crash Skynyrd. This is really no challenge here. Though they try....Johnny tries his damnedest to follow the footsteps of his older brother, lacks the emotion and depth. Billy Powell's legendary spidery piano work, slowly is being overcome with an organ. Ean Evans, whom takes over the bass, clearly isn't the same caliber as the late Leon Wilkeson (he passed away during the sessions). Micheal Cartellone, the drummer from the Damn Yankees, does his best to fill in for the departed Artimus Pyle.

What's with Kid Rock doing with a remake of "Gimme Back My Bullets" ? THAT I cringed over hearing...

Maybe I'm wrong to compare oranges from peaches. This is a good album, no doubt. Second Helping and their debut are classics that stand the test time. If this were a brand new band, I may have another viewpoint. In the meantime, I'll tip my beer in favor of the band trying to keep the spirit of Ronnie Van Zant and Lynyrd Skynyrd alive....

Cookin'on the Grill!

O yeah, it's that time of the year again! One of my favorite summer activities, cooking on the grill. Weather it's chicken, burgers, steak, ribs, brats or hot dogs. "You kill it, I grill it" is my motto when I have the tongs in one hand and a beer in other.

This year I downsized my big assed gas grill in favor of a small charcoal grill that I had stashed for years. I know that gas grills faster to cook on and cheaper in the long run, I prefer the taste of the charcoal flavoring over the propane taste. On top of that, it gives me an opportunity to pull out my boom box to listen to some killer CD's and ENJOY a couple of cold brews while the flames are roasting the meat.

One of my favorite recipes is honey and spice chicken wings. It's rather easy to cook...

Ingredients:

1/2 c Heinz 57 sauce
1/4 c honey
2 lbs chicken wings

What I do is boil the chicken till fully cooked. While that is going, I'll combine the Heinz 57 sauce and the honey in a large freezer bag. Once the chicken is done, I'll put the chicken of the freezer bag with the sauce to marinate overnight. Sounds easy, eh? What's your favorite grilling recipe?

Some Crappy Albums

It's not too often I give out reviews for the disastrous albums out there. Being open minded, I tend to like a lot of the stuff out there and even tolerate some (except for rap and disco, which I think are dredge of the earth) Every now and then I come across a shitty album in my collection that I wished I never heard. Here are a few...(in random order)

Diamanda Galas with John Paul Jones The Sporting Life-1994 Being a die hard Zeppelin fan, I find it hard not to pass up anything Zep related, this one however, is one of that I should have. Galas pitifully hisses, whines, chants, howls and screams like Yoko Ono in heat. Can not comprehend a word to what she is allegedly singing. What amazes me the most here is that John Paul Jones, whom has a good ear for talent, is even working with her.

Impellitteri Stand in Line-1988 On the back cover of the album was inscribed with the words of guitarist Chris Impellitteri, "I promise that my guitar solos will only get faster". Ok, I'll bite. Like a fish caught on a hook reeled into a frying pan-not good. Impellitteri's guitar playing is as fast as a Porsche stuck in the mud. Tires spinning, but going nowhere. Like Yngwie Malsteam, he's all technique with no soul nor emotion. Even with ex-Rainbow singer Graham Bonnet on hand for the vocals couldn't save this album.

Kingdom Come In Your Face-1989 Or should I say Kingdom Clone? The success of Whitesnake's 1987 self titled release brought out an avalanche of Zeppelin sound alike bands hoping for their 15 minutes of fame. We had Bonham, Great White and others, each trying to reduplicate the sound of Zeppelin, but just couldn't "get it right". It takes more than amps cranked up to 11 and a Plant sound alike to recreate the Zep sound. This one however, takes the cake. Nothing exciting nor memorable here, just a listless rehash of another Zep clone.

Emerson Lake & Palmer Love Beach-1978 A record that ELP released only because they owed it to their original label. Love Beach isn't simply bad, it's downright stale and pathetic. It's about creative as washing dishes. I bought this at a rummage sale for 50 cents, I'm still waiting for a refund....

Foreigner Agent Provocateur-1984 With each album coming out from Foreigner, they seemed to grow lamer and lamer, trying cash in on the ballads. Yeah, "I Want to Know What Love Is" became a HUGE hit for the band, yet it bored me after awhile. The rockin' moments became fewer and further between. "That Was Yesterday" was the best track of the album, the rest is filler.

Just a few for now. More bashes to come soon as I dig through my collection. So what's your worst album?

JTI Summer Gathering of 2011

For the third year in the row, the wonderful group of friends known as the JT Irregulars got together for our annual summer gathering. A great time was held by all...

A good turnout with great people. Seated under a canopy at a local restaurant by the waters of Root River, OrbsCorbs, kkdither, lizardmom, SER, Tender Heart Bear, froglover, fungi and his wife, newcomer jedwis and myself was there. Not to forget Hale-Bopp from Tuscon, Arizona and Why Not? and her family from all away from Sweden came to join the festivities.

What a great we had! Talked for hours and had a few drinks. Hale-Bopp entertained with his stories from his travels. OrbsCorbs provided his detailed exploits from city hall. Tender Heart shared her stories from her childhood in Chicago. fungi explained the ramifications of the concealed carry law that goes into effect on November 1st. Why Not? brought her two adorable little girls. Me? Being a quiet one enjoyed hearing all of these stories.

Honestly, this is how it really went :P

Irregular we may seem, I'm looking forward to our next get together. These guys are like family to me....

Saturday Night Videos

Experimentation is a part of rock and roll. The need to experiment, to create and the stretch the boundaries is essential. The overgrowing technology has certainly helped to the cause, without it rock and roll wouldn't be the same as it is today....

Inspired by the Beatles' 1965 release, Rubber Soul, Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys wanted to create the "greatest record ever". The result was Pet Sounds (1966), where Wilson's growing mastery of studio recording and his increasingly sophisticated songs and complex arrangements would reach a creative peak. Influenced by psychedelic drugs, Brian Wilson turned his attention inward and probe his deep-seated self-doubts and emotional longings. The album's meticulously layered harmonies and inventive instrumentation set a new standard for pop and rock music. Wilson was a pioneer of the 'studio as instrument' concept, exploiting novel combinations of sounds that sprang from the use of multiple electric instruments and voices in an ensemble and combining them with echo and reverberation. He often doubled bass, guitar and keyboard parts, blending them with reverberation and adding other unusual instruments. It remains one of the most evocative releases of the decade.



Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band is the most important rock and roll album ever made, an unsurpassed adventure in concept, sound, songwriting, cover art and studio technology by the one of greatest rock & roll groups of all time. This album is also rock's ultimate declaration of change. For the Beatles, it was a decisive goodbye to matching suits, world tours and assembly-line record-making. Producer George Martin's innovative and lavish production included the orchestra usage and hired musicians ordered by the band. Genres such as music hall, jazz, rock and roll, western classical, and traditional Indian music are covered. Several then-new production effects feature extensively on the recordings. The use of multi-tracking , a new idea back then, is prevalent throughout the album...



Beginning with the sound of a heartbeat, Pink Floyd "Breathes" air into their 1973 release of the legendary The Dark Side of the Moon. Recorded in the famous Abbey Roads Studios between May 1972 and January 1973, the band were assigned staff engineer Alan Parsons (you know who he is) to oversee the recording of the Dark Side of the Moon. The recording sessions made use of some of the most advanced studio techniques of the time; the studio was capable of 16 track mixes, which offered a greater degree of flexibility than the eight- or four-track mixes they had previously used, although the band often used so many tracks that to make more space available second-generation copies were made. The sound effects on "Money" were created by splicing together Waters' recordings of clinking coins, tearing paper, a ringing cash register, and a clicking adding machine, which were used to create a 7-beats effects loop. An that's the tip of the iceberg...

Hot Enough?

105 degrees outside said the auto dashboard as I drove off from work today. With the wind in my hair and Tom Petty blasting on on the radio, it felt so great to get away the sauna of the workshop I was in... Temperatures and humidity levels have risen to excessive heights in the last few days. Not that I minded the heat, it doesn't really bother me that much, it's the humidity... Working up a sweat feeding presses and fighting off dehydration by slamming Gatorade by the gallon can a bit of a chore. Being asthmatic doesn't help....

Saturday Night Videos

Until recently, I never really was a big fan of AC/DC. Quite seemingly, in the last couple of years I've finally accepted AC/DC's classic rock status and even embraced them a little bit. Since then, I've picked up a couple of CD's from them in hopes to compile a best of collection from them. One of them, their third release High Voltage, offers up a plate of primal sleaze. The opening track "It's a Long Way to the Top (if You Wanna Rock n Roll)", really got me rockin'! I remembered hearing it for the first time in the Jack Black's movie School of Rock and became intrigued. Even more intriguing was the bagpipe solo on the tune. That's something you don't hear in rock and roll too often...



As I was digging through my collection looking for some lost classics that I haven't heard in awhile, I stumbled across Judas Priest's forth album, Stained Class. Released in 1978, before the days of the headbanging leather, Stained Class offers up streamlined, melodic metal reaching often new heights of power, speed, musicality, and malevolence. Never in your face like their more famous later day hits, Stained Class is focused with knife like precision. The songs pack an enormous visceral impact, jacked up to punk-level speed-leaving listeners with an all-out adrenaline rush.



Then there is the David Bowie led Tin Machine, a forgotten band from the '80's. Though Bowie is the lead singer, Tin Machine is a band with a band attitude. Their music is hard-edged guitar rock with an intelligence missing from much of the work of that genre at the time. Stunt guitarist Reeves Gabrels provides much in the way of ambient guitar solos. The album is a nice piece of artistry...

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?