OZZY OSBOURNE TRIBUTE

The world was rocked today with the news of his passing. Oddly enough, I'd had a premonition of sorts just two days ago. I was just about to go to sleep Sunday night and Oz popped into my thoughts and I said to myself, "I wonder how long before we are reading his obituary?" No lie.

It's hard to overstate the importance of Ozzy's music and his impact on popular culture. From his early days in Black Sabbath to his hit reality TV show on cable, "The Blizzard of Oz" has remained culturally relevant for decades, impacting generations of youth. I was one of those youth, when his breakout solo album (title above) debuted in the Spring of 1980. I was in the seventh grade.

I was familiar with Black Sabbath after hearing them fairly regularly in rotation on the Album Oriented Rock (now Classic Rock) station I grew up on in Indy, Q-95. I love the intro to "Iron Man" and Tony Iommi's memorable guitar riff! But once Blizzard came out and "Crazy Train" hit the airwaves all bets were off. I was a bonafide fan of his music. But it started almost as soon as the album came out. My friend and fellow misfit from the Junior High Group at Central Baptist, a kid named Owen, brought the vinyl to church one day. The cover, alone, got my attention. It seemed highly sacrilegious to have this in the basement of our church, let alone to be listening to it on the record player in the high school youth group room. I was blown away. I loved it, from the dark imagery to the music.

Of course, Owen loved Mr. Crowley and the dark theme of that classic tune. He had to explain to me who Aleister Crowley was and his connection to the dark side. By the end of that decade, Oz would be deemed the Prince of Darkness. I just loved the screeching guitars and fill-laiden heavy drums. Ozzy always featured the best guitarists, from the incomparable Randy Rhoades to Jake E. Lee to Zakk Wylde. And I loved everything those axemen brought to the metal table!

I don't know that I could pick a favorite Ozzy tune, but "No More Tears" and "Bark at the Moon" are in my top three, the latter coming out when I was in high school.

To highlight the multi-generational impact of the Godfather of Metal, let me share what happened just today as I learned of the news, around 12:30 PDT. I had just shared the sad news with a fellow musician on the bus who is in his 60's. He hadn't yet heard. Not ten minutes later, I'm standing outside a Ralph's Supermarket here in Venice, CA, and a guy pulls up blaring "Flying High Again" from his white SUV as he parked. The young dude steps out and is wearing an Ozzy t-shirt. We share our grief over his passing and he goes, "But we'll see him again one day." Another stranger walks up a few minutes later and in passing says, "Well, I guess he closed his eyes forever." Recognizing the Ozzy lyric, I share the same sentiments with him. He was my age or a couple of years older. The guy in the t-shirt before him was an early Millennial or late Gen Z-er, I'd say. Even my girls, now 24 and 21, know who Ozzy is.

I never got to see the legend perform live, to my dismay...never attended an OzFest. I anticipate we'll get a tribute album soon like we did in the wake of Ronnie James Dio's passing. Acts from Halestorm to Tenacious D lined up to record a track on that album. Can you imagine the line already forming for the Ozzy tribute?

And think about this...if Sabbath hadn't picked up on what Zeppelin was laying down at the beginning of the 1970's and going at it even harder and darker, would there even be a genre called Heavy Metal? "Crazy Train" has become a rock anthem played in nearly every sports stadium around the world. "ALLLLL ABOOOOARRRD!" Cue maniacal laugh. CLASSIC!

As I said, it's hard to overstate Oz's impact on the world at large, but more emphatically on the music world. Rest in peace, Ozzy.

WHITESNAKE

 

This kickass rock band from the UK got my attention in junior high when I first heard the track, “Love Ain’t No Stranger,” on the radio. I loved that song! It had a Led Zeppelin vibe, starting slow and mellow, the grovelly vocals of David Coverdale soulfully singing, “Who knows where the cold wind blows…” Very poetic and Robert Plant like. Then the song kicks into high gear with the heartfelt scream, “Love Ain’t No Stranger!” Think the dynamics of Zep’s “Ramble On.” I’ll link the video here:

I loved that song so much that I went out and bought the album, titled “Slide It In.” From the provocative album cover to even more provocative (and downright naughty) lyrics, it resonated with my pubescent, sexually-frustrated self at age 15. It came out in January 1984 when I was starting my second semester of Sophomore year in high school. I opened the album, put it on my stereo console and rocked out to the first three tracks, wearing out the grooves on “Slide It In,” “Slow and Easy” (with their highly-charged, sexual lyrics) and Stranger, their radio hit.

Slide It In album cover

I was a big fan! Never saw them in concert, though. Loved their videos on MTV. They toured the U.S. in 1984, opening, first, for Dio, and then for Quiet Riot.

They didn’t put out another album for three years!

Work began on the album as soon as they finished touring in early 1985, but it was recorded piece-meal by ever-changing band members and even some legendary session players, like guitarist Dann Huff (source: Wikipedia). The final pieces were recording Coverdale’s vocals, delayed because of sinus issues and required surgery, and piecing together a whole new lineup for the band. He enlisted Rudy Sarzo, from Quiet Riot, and Dio’s lead guitarist Vivian Campbell, who he’d met on the ‘84 U.S. tour, and Ozzy’s drummer Tommy Aldridge, who had previously auditioned for the WS gig.

This was a whole new Whitesnake. None of them performed on the 1987 album, but all appeared in the subsequent music videos. That was my introduction to Aldridge, who is known for his crazy, curly locks and soloing without sticks! By the time the new album was released, Mar. 1987, I was living in Tallahassee and I purchased it on cd. I then recorded the album on cassette tape to play in my brown Chevelle Malibu at high levels through aftermarket Pioneer speakers. I wore that goddamn tape OUT! I loved it and so did America’s youth as the album shot to #2 on Billboard’s chart. The videos for multiple singles were MTV favorites that year.

“Still of the Night,” to this day is the rockinest, most badass Whitesnake song of all time. It was a total Zeppelin ripoff, especially the Kasmiresque bridge that quiets to a near replica of “Black Dog” before exploding into a soaring Vivian Campbell solo! Gone were the blues undertones of say “Ramble On,” replaced with the harder Zeppelin-like riffs that laid the foundation for hard rock and heavy metal. Coverdale openly admits they were shooting for the new hard rock sound of bands like Bon Jovi that appealed to American youths. It appealed to me! I thought that album was epic. I loved the callback to classic Zeppelin!

It would be my last Whitesnake purchase, and only the second of their albums I ever owned. I couldn’t see how they could top what they had already done. And by 1987, I was getting into religious music (CCM, as it was termed) and groups like Petra, Whitecross, Whiteheart and The Allies were making rock albums that captured my full attention. A great example, complete with Zeppelin ripoffs, is The Allies’ “Long Way From Paradise” album.

So that’s my story. I figured a break from politics, racism and sports was in order.

Rock on 🤘

The Carpenters

I'm a rock-n-roll guy; have been for a long time. But I started out listening to my parents' record collection. And because I had a stay-at-home Mom, I spent my early childhood listening to her favorites, which included Johnny Mathis, Mamas and Papas and one seminal album from a brother-sister duo:

THE CARPENTERS.

The album was 1970's "Close To You," offering up the duo's first NUMBER ONE hit, the title track of the album. Mom loved it because of the layered harmonies and Karen's silky smooth alto voice. Mom was also an alto who could match harmonies with ANY melody. She had a knack for that.

Their music is nostalgic to me on an intrinsic level. Richard Carpenter's opening piano riff on "Close To You" is iconic and it immediately takes me back to Race Street in Princeton, Indiana. That's where we lived when I started kindergarten. Other than my Sesame Street record collection on 45, that Carpenters album was the soundtrack to my early childhood. By the time they hit the "wah" section, I'm five years old again!

Their early hits have been playing on repeat in my head. As a follow-up to their first #1, they released their second hit, "We've Only Just Begun," which was a California bank commercial tune. Richard saw it on TV one day and said, "That's a hit record!" He happened to know the duo who wrote it and rang them.

I ran across a YouTube video chronicling their meteoric rise to stardom in the '70s, appearing on Ed Sullivan, Bob Hope Special, Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, their own special...they were all over television during my childhood. But they're not an act I seek out or regularly listen to. Had it not been for this random YT video I watched, I wouldn't have them on repeat in my head.

But there's something about nostalgic music and how it works like an instant portal. Like comfort food, this music takes me back to the warmth of living at home under mother's care, back to my innocence, a time when I didn't have a worry or care in the world. That's what their music has done for me here lately during this time of uncertainty and change.

Sadly, the world lost Karen Carpenter at 32. She was but a teenager when Herb Alpert signed them to A&M records and suggested the Burt Bacharach tune, "Close To You," which was originally written for Alpert to record, thus the excellent trumpet solo part. A&M left the arrangement to Richard, who had a George Martin-like knack for that sort of thing. I've even heard other artists and admirers compare him to the incomparable Brian Wilson. And as I said, that opening piano riff was all Richard Carpenter. But the silky smooth lead vocal was uniquely Karen. I don't know if sudden stardom contributed to her eating disorder, but it weakened her heart and she died young of respiratory failure.

SEE HOW PERFECTLY SHE SANG:

There was no better easy listening music from that period than Karen and Richard Carpenter. I think they played in heavy rotation on WXTC, Indianapolis. Dad would always have that easy listening station playing at low volume in the living room when I was in grade school, after we'd moved from Princeton. I think I remember falling asleep to the trumpet solo way back then.

The Carpenters, for me, are comfort music.

10 Reasons Why I'm Moving to Belize - #5 Culture

"English-speaking and Creole-dominated, Belize has more in common with its Caribbean island neighbors than its bordering Spanish-speaking countries. With a laid-back ambiance of swinging hammocks, large swaths of impenetrable jungle, and an underwater world of twisted corals, neon fish, and gentle manatees, Belize is a tropical treasure." SOURCE--https://www.adventure-life.com/belize/articles/history-and-culture-of-belize

I couldn't have said it better myself. Sub-tropical, laid back, colorful, diverse, Caribbean...are just some of the words I could also use to describe Destination: Belize.

From coast to jungle, there's so much to love about Belize. One piece of their history, dating way back before the common era, is Mayan Culture. I can't wait to go explore the ruins there!

"There was still a large Mayan population in Belize when Cortés arrived in 1519," according to Belize History at this travel site. Then in 1660, the Brits arrived to set up a logging camp. That began Belize's long history of colonization. They only became an independent country on September 21, 1981. That's the day they celebrate their independence. The democratic country is really still in it's infancy and trying to fight it's way out of third world status...tourism is helping.

Yesterday, I wrote about the diversity of their food, and before that the diversity of their people. The diversity of it's topography, history and culture is another draw. I can't wait to discover their music and customs firsthand...to play my djembe on the beach, to dance to the music of the Garifuna people and to immerse myself in the Caribbean vibe.

While there is no theater district in Placencia or local orchestra, there is still an abundance of culture available. Who has funds for an annual membership to the symphony anyway? I'd prefer a symphony of Western African hand drums, anyday!

The beach and the ruins will be my church!

Imagine meditation at this spot--Cahal Pech! The closest thing we have in The States are earthen mounds built by the Mississippian culture within Native America.

I had considered Cuba, as a Caribbean destination, for it's food, music and culture, or the Bahamas for it's laid-back, English-speaking, island vibe...but Belize offers all of that and more. It's the Belizean culture that starts my TOP FIVE reasons for moving south!

The Beatles, the Summer of Love and Me

I was conceived sometime near the end of 1967 after the infamous "summer of love" and the release of two preeminent Beatles albums.

Two of their best albums, musically and artistically, in my humble opinion.

The release of Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, arguably one of the bands brightest and most creative LP's, kicked off the summer of love on June 1, 1967, followed by the worldwide, satellite premier of "All You Need Is Love." That song became my sister's favorite Beatles song while we lived on Race Street in Princeton, Indiana. In fact, some of my earliest memories from that house so long ago are of sitting in the front living room near the stereo, listening to Dad's copy of Magical Mystery Tour, my favorite Beatles album of all-time, and the Sesame Street collection on 45. The former was released as a double-EP soundtrack in London to accompany the Beatles movie of the same title at the end of '67. I was yet a zygote in my mother's belly.

My father was completing his first semester at Indiana State University in Terre Haute. Mom was in beauty school, preparing to embark on a short-lived career as a hairdresser. My arrival in 1968, brought their aspirations and whatever career goals they had in mind to an abrupt halt. They married in March of that year and embarked on family life, Dad joining the National Guard on the very day his draft number was called. Bullet dodged.

Was I a lingering effect of the summer of love? I don't know, but that hippie subculture was certainly prevalent in the era to which I was born. And the Beatles were the official soundtrack to that era, my Dad owning several of their Capital releases on vinyl, including Meet the Beatles, Rubber Soul and Magical Mystery Tour. Needless to say, my sister and I about wore out the grooves on those old LP's, which were lost somewhere between Tallahassee and Indianapolis in the late 1980's. Sadly.

Ironically enough, the Beatles graced the cover
of LIFE Magazine the day after I was born.

My favorite of those, opened with the anthemic title track, "ROOLLLL UUUPP!" and I was hooked. I loved the psychedelic flavor to tracks like "Strawberry Fields" and "I Am the Walrus." The haunting organ-bathed tune by Harrison, titled "Blue Jay Way" was one of my favorites. Throughout, I loved their use of orchestration, of horns and cellos especially. The album, as well as the movie booklet that accompanied it, had a dreamy feel to it and I was always intrigued to see the actual film (Note: I just watched it this month for the first time). I can sing along with every tune. "Your Mother Should Know" sort of harkens back to the big band tunes of Benny Goodman, leading his orchestra on clarinet (and is similar to McCartney's "When I'm 64"). I really liked that one and "Baby You're a Rich Man" because they were so different from the tunes on earlier Beatles albums. I should also note my Dad's 8-track copy of the Beatles early years, which we wore out in the old family truckster, so I was familiar with most of their early hits. Their 1967 albums were a serious departure from the bubble-gum pop/rock of the early 60's and I quite enjoyed it.

I've been on this Beatles kick, focusing a lot on George Harrison, my new favorite Beatle, for a couple of weeks now. Not exactly sure what prompted it, maybe just a sense of nostalgia and wanting to revel in some of my earliest childhood memories. We have some old home movies shot at that house on Race Street when I was 4 or 5. They are much of the reason I still remember so much about that old house, but music, almost as much as smell, triggers my memory bank, and the Beatles certainly take me back to a happy, simpler, more innocent period of my life.

To whatever degree I owe a debt of gratitude to the "summer of love," I am thankful for the music it spawned (or vice-versa) and for my existence in the world. I think George would be proud of me for my self-awareness and gratitude. :)

Comfort Music

Sitting in a quiet cafe this morning, nearly lulled to sleep by the hum of the overhead flourescent lights, I put in a 70's music CD I had made several years ago. The soft rock music instantly changed the atmosphere in the cafe and improved my mood, wiping away the cobwebs from my mind. It dawned on me that this music from my childhood is as good as comfort food. Hence, I donned the term "comfort music."

Just like it's edible counterpart, the style of music depends on the individual. For me, it is the music that played on the car stereo, the transistor radio/Walkman or the intercomm system at our house while I was growing up. Yes, our house had a built-in intercomm system with an AM/FM radio tuner that we managed to break the first or second year we lived there. Still, that music, which ran the gamut from Motown to Folk to Rock, that provided the soundtrack to my adolescence is what I would call my "comfort music."




This morning it was "Summer Breeze" by Seals and Croft, "Listen To What The Man Says" by McCartney and "Old Days" by Chicago, just to name a few. Like I said, it was a homemade CD of 70's tunes that I either plucked from another CD of mine or from an MP3 download site. It is full of tunes, like the ones mentioned above, that take me back in time and make me feel at home. When played on a great sound system, they wrap me up like a warm, wooly blanket on a cold Indiana day. Some of them remind me of childhood trips to our cabin in Sullivan, IN. Others remind me of driving through downtown Indy on the way to Pee-Wee Football practice at Riverside Park, or through Broad Ripple and past the mansions on Meridian Street. Those are great memories and the radio hits of the 70's were my personal soundtrack.

Okay, before I start to sound like a late night Time-Life Music Collection infomercial, let me switch gears. I also love Smooth Jazz. That upbeat, modern "elevator music" serves as a great backdrop to any number of things from chores to making babies (not that I've ever actually helped in making one). The syncopated and groovy rhythms sometimes get me motivated or make me want to jump behind a drum kit. But when I'm really looking for inspiration, to do chores, projects or workout (not that I work out that often), I switch into what I call 99X gear, mixing up classic rock from the 70's-90's with some edgier, newer alternative rock. See, I'm a complex music lover. But back to my point, and the informercial, I find comfort in the music of my youth. Back in my days of innocence, it was Paul McCartney and Wings, Stevie Wonder. the Doobie Brothers and James Taylor who provided the soundtrack. I think what that music does today, besides transport me back in time, it reminds me of when life was a lot less complicated and anxiety-ridden. That's why I call it "comfort music."

A Man I'll Never Be

This song has always resonated with me...the lyrics, the melancholy in brad's voice that must have come from that deep, dark place where his demons were hidden...it's a shame that he's gone, but his memory lives on.

(Lyrics written by Tom Scholz)

If I said what's on my mind
You'd turn and walk away
Disappearing way back in your dreams
It's so hard to be unkind
So easy just to say
That everything is just the way it seems

You look up at me
And somewhere in your mind you see
A man I'll never be

If only I could find a way
I'd feel like I'm the man you believe I am
It's getting harder every day for me
To hide behind this dream you see
A man I'll never be

I can't get any stronger
I can't climb any higher
You'll never know just how hard I've tried
Cry a little longer
And hold a little tighter

Emotions can't be satisfied

You look up at me
And somewhere in your mind you still see
A man I'll never be

If only I could find a way
I'd feel like I'm the man you believe I am
And it gets harder every day for me
To hide behind this dream you see.........

I can't get any stronger
I can't climb any higher
You'll never know just how hard I've tried
Cry a little longer
And hold a little tighter
Emotions can't be satisfied

You look up at me
And somewhere in your mind you still see
A man I'll never be

If only I could find a way
I'd feel like I'm the man you believe I am
And it gets harder every day for me
I can't keep hidin this feeling

Thank you Tom Scholz for the great melody and rhyme, but thank you Brad Delp for pouring your heart and soul into the vocal performance! I feel you.

Musical Memories Part Two: Prog Rock to Metal

If it wasn’t apparent in part one of this series, I idolized my uncle Greg. Beyond his musical influences—his record collection, his drumset, his monster stereo system—he had cool cars, pretty girlfriends, basketball skills, pornography, alcohol…What more could a pubescent teenager ask for? He fueled my rock-n-roll fantasies.

I can remember cruising the town square in Princeton, windows down in Greg’s “Smoky and the Bandit” Firebird TransAm, Boston 8-Track blaring through the night sky. It was like having an older brother away at college who’d take me out partying and let me do all the things I wanted to do. It was sex, drugs and rock-n-roll…well, sort of. Substitute pornography for actual sex and liquor for drugs and, well, you get the picture.

We used to wear out the 8-Track player in his TransAm. Boston’s debut album, Styx The Grand Illusion, the Cars’ debut album and various mix tapes were our cruising music. When he traded up for a white TransAm, we added Billy Squier, Sammy Hagar, Loverboy and more Journey and Foreigner to the soundtrack of our teens. Only this time, the 8-Track player had given way to the cassette.

I had another musical mentor, but he was a grade school and high school classmate who lived down the street from me. Steve Mascari had two older siblings. He cut his teeth on his brother and sister’s massive record collection. Steve was also a budding musician who usually had instruments in his basement on Winston Drive. He broadened my musical horizons, introducing me to the music of The Who, The Police, Yes, Genesis and a Canadian trio who was just beginning to get heavy rotation on FM radio. No doubt, there will be an entire entry devoted to my favorite band of all time, Rush. Steve and I met in fifth grade at Saint Matthews. It was the only year I attended that school, but he and I became musical buds. From then on, most of my relationships were dependent upon a mutual love of all things rock. Steve’s influences ran more along the prog-rock vein of the 1970’s. His siblings had the older Styx albums, The Who, Rush, Genesis, Kansas, Yes and the like. I learned to appreciate concept albums, epic songs that could take up an entire side or an entire album, multiple time signature changes, keyboard solos (well, sort of) and sophisticated drum solos. My jaw nearly dropped when I first heard Neil Peart’s solo on the live version of YYZ (Exit…Stage Left)…yes at Steve’s house.

My musical tastes were expanding. I even learned that headbanging would play a part in my future, thanks to Steve’s parents and their introduction of cable TV to my world. In the early 80’s, we could spend mindless hours watching MTV on American Cablevision in the Mascari basement. After granting access to the extensive album collection at their house, the Mascari’s now offered MTV, Little Caesar’s pizza and rides to high school. Yes, those were the good ol’ days.

Prior to my exposure to MTV, the only hard rock/metal I had been exposed to was music by AC/DC and Ozzy Osbourne. That reminds me of another darker influence on my life…the high school youth group at Central Baptist Church in Broad Ripple (now Trinity at Westfield and Central). The rabble-rousers there, most of whom were a few years older than me, listened to REO Speedwagon’s Hi-InFidelity, AC/DC’s Back In Black and whatever else would set their parent’s ears ablaze. I befriended one of the few kids my age and Owen introduced me to Ozzy’s Blizzard of Oz album. I was shocked, thrilled and mesmerized by that music. He hung with some hippie wannabe’s who also listened to Hendrix and Black Sabbath. That was my earliest exposure to the darker, heavier side of rock-n-roll, but we’ll explore that some more in part three of this continuing saga.

For now, I’ll leave you with this musical memory. Some of my first actual purchases of rock music came compliments of the Columbia House Record Club. Yes, I licked stamps and taped my penny to the reply card! In return, I received by mail my first three cassette tapes—Genesis Abacab, The Police Synchronicity, and Triumph Allied Forces. After that came many trips to Peaches in Broad Ripple and Karma Records. I don’t know how many albums and mix tapes I amassed during high school, but my job at Little Caesars hardly covered my expensive hobby. And there were concerts, too, but we’ll visit all those memories next time. Until then, keep bangin’ your head and…Rock on!

Musical Memories Part One: The Music That Shaped Me

Recorded music was always a standard at our house and my parents were children of the 50’s and 60’s, so that music was usually Rock ‘n Roll. My parents were fans of three- and four-part harmony, so the Beach Boys and the Beatles were king (no offense Elvis)! Mom also loved the harmonious vocals of the Mamas and Papas, the Carpenters and the smooth crooner Johnny Mathis, to name a few. Those were the records I cut my teeth on, so to speak.

Thankfully, my parents never got into disco, and there is a stretch of the mid-to-late 70’s where we listened to mostly Christian artists, Keith Green, 2nd Chapter of Acts, The Archers and The Imperials…but I digress.

My early childhood was spent listening to Meet the Beatles, Rubber Soul, Magical Mystery Tour and Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. In fact, my neighborhood pal Mike Moffet cut a guitar out of a cardboard box and would jam along to Sgt. Peppers ad nauseum. I often accompanied on air drums, yet even I at 8-years-old was better than Ringo.

As I got older and learned of the “secret death of Paul McCartney,” Mike Myers and I would scour dad’s Beatles collection for “clues,” even attempting to play certain records backwards to find “hidden messages.”

My parents bought me a record player for my 6th birthday. It was my favorite present. The bike they bought me sat unused for many years, but that record player was nearly worn out by my 8th birthday. Some of my first 45” singles included Heart’s “Magic Man,” Boston’s “More Than A Feeling,” Manfred Mann's "Blinded By The Light" and Starlight Vocal Band’s “Afternoon Delight.” The latter is the funniest considering my age and naiveté about anything sexual.

As disco was dying a slow, painful death during my junior high years, I was heavily influenced by an uncle, only four years my senior, who had begun amassing a collection of rock albums by Led Zeppelin, Journey, Foreigner, Toto and Styx. These were the musical influences that shaped me through my adolescence. Ah, the good ol’ days!

Toto, Foreigner and Journey were the bands that provided a soundtrack to my early attempts at drumming. Yes, the uncle who helped shape my musical tastes at decibels unsafe for veteran baggage handlers also had a drumset in his basement. I tried like hell to keep up with drum gods Jeff Porcaro and Steve Smith, but “Hot Blooded” was more my speed in those days.

Steve Smith was the drummer for Journey at the height of their career in the early 80’s. And just when I was getting familiar with FM standards “Wheel In The Sky,” “Anyway You Want It” and “Lovin’ Touchin’ Squeezin’,” Journey released a live album that blew me away. It was right about that time I was allowed to go to my first rock concert at IU’s Assembly Hall. You guessed it, Journey was the headliner. They were on tour with a new keyboard player who sported a crimson red baby grand on loan from IU’s School of Music, no doubt. They were playing new songs from their Escape album, like “Stone In Love” and “Don’t Stop Believin’.” It was a dreamlike experience for a novice rocker and prepubescent 8th grader to be sure.

I’d be remiss if I didn’t say a bit more about the influence of Keith Green in my musical past. His piano-driven pop/rock was my introduction to “Jesus music” and really was very good. Well, his first two albums produced by Bill Maxwell, who is also an accomplished drummer and added his chops to those albums, were very good. Then, Keith got kinda full of himself and took over and the albums went downhill. That, and his career was cut short by a tragic plane crash in Texas. Still, his first album For Those Who Have Ears To Hear molded my softer side and helped give me an appreciation for piano as a percussive force in rock music.

My next entry on this topic will delve more into my evolving musical tastes through high school and my passion for darker music that aligned well with my testosterone-driven teenage angst. Until then, keep your feet on the ground…just kidding. Rock on!

Christmas CD Sale!!!

I've been diligently working on some classic Christmas CDs to enjoy this holiday season. I love the classics by Andy Williams, Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby, Ella Fitzgerald and Nat King Cole (to name a few), and I was browsing Half.com by genre. That's when I found that someone has marked all of their Christmas CDs down to 75-cents! Yes, 75-cents! That comes to less than $4 per CD when you add in shipping.



If you're a thrifty music shopper like me, and you don't believe in paying 99-cents to download MP3's, go to Half.com and pick out your favorite holiday music. You can click on the link to the right and search by artist, title, etc. or click the link above and browse their 9,000+ Christmas titles. Did I mention that most of the CDs are 75-cents???

Happy Holiday!

Rush Encore

Wow, what a once-in-a-lifetime experience! I was privileged to see Rush twice on their North American tour, this time compliments of my good friend Joe Copple. Joe and I went to high school together and camped out for Rush tickets at Market Square Arena in 1986. Three of the four Rush concerts I've seen were with Joe. I blogged about the experience last summer here.

And while this was the pretty much the same show, it was the last stop on their Snakes and Arrows tour--a concert that had to be rescheduled from June. And let me just say that Verizon Wireless Music Center is one of the best venues around. The show was complimented by perfect weather! Oh, and did I mention that the tickets were free?!?!?! Thank you Joe!

We sat in the same section about 10 rows further back from the stage. The Canadian trio put on one helluva show! The end of their second set was an unbelievable trip into their storied past covering Spirit of Radio, 2112 (Overture and Temples of Syrinx) and Tom Sawyer. Then, during the extended encore they played YYZ, one of my favorite all-time Rush instrumentals.

Other songs of note were Passage to Bangkok, Witch Hunt and Natural Science, songs you don't typically hear at a modern-day Rush concert. Of course they sprinkled in plenty of tunes from the current album, including Working Them Angels and Far Cry. It was an excellent show.

The thing I can't understand is how this phenomenal, four decade band has been excluded from the Rock-N-Roll Hall of Fame. It defies logic. With 24 gold and 14 platinum records (RIAA searchable Database Recording Industry of America July 29, 2007) and more than 30 years of recording and touring the globe, I'm dumfounded why Alex, Geddy and Neil are not fixtures in the Cleveland museum. Please take a moment to sign the petition to get these legendary musicians (each a virtuoso on his own instrument) into the hall. If you need any further motivation, please watch this video:

Neil Peart has always been one of my absolute favorite rock drummers and a big reason why I took up drumming at an early age. Even if you don't care for the progressive rock stylings of Rush, you have to admire their individual talents and their longevity...rivaled only by the Rolling Stones.

I only hope I get to see them again before they call it quits. Rush ROCKS!!!

Thanks again to Joe Copple for the complimentary tickets!

All the World's Indeed a Stage...

…and we are merely players, performers and portrayers, each another’s audience outside the gilded cage. (“Limelight,” lyrics by Neil Peart)



Rush took to the stage at Verizon Wireless Music Center last night in Noblesville (Indianapolis), Indiana. The concert marked my third live Rush experience, the best one by far.

The Canadian prog rock trio opened with “Limelight” (Moving Pictures, 1981), a standard on classic rock radio, and didn’t wrap for nearly three hours. There was a 30-minute intermission, but when the band retook the stage, they played some of their newest material with a renewed vigor, surprising for the aging rockers.

And the set list did NOT disappoint. They played B-sides like “Entre Nous,” “Freewill” (Permanent Waves, 1978) and “Witch Hunt,” my favorite song from the Moving Pictures album. Of course, the set was ripe with new material from the 2007 Snakes and Arrows release and crowd favorites, “Tom Sawyer,” “Spirit of Radio” and “Subdivisions.”

The second set included a new instrumental, “Malignant Narcissisim,” from which Neil Peart launched into an incredible drum solo that included his trademark snare rolls, cowbells, synthesized drums and vibraphone, all on a rotating stage. He finished it off with a jazz segment augmented by a video honoring such drumming legends as Buddy Rich. He once again proved that age has not slowed him down one iota.

In fact, Neil, Geddy and Alex all play virtually flawless, but I wouldn’t expect any less from the seasoned vets of rock. Geddy’s basswork now dominates much of the performance as the group has gotten away from their highly synthesized past. He only played a lone keyboard a handful of times. The rest of the show was balls-out, gritty, guitar-driven, rhythm-centric rock.

Verizon is a great outdoor venue and we had great seats to complement the outstanding weather. What made it an absolutely perfect night was sharing it with some old friends, one of whom camped out at Market Square Arena with me for tickets to the 1986 show. All these years later, and Rush just keeps getting better with age. I hope this wasn’t the band’s last tour.



(Click here for a complete Rush discography.)

Smooth Jazz Appreciation

Some people call it the new "easy listening" (read elevator) music, but I call it native music. A great grandchild of New Orleans Jazz, smooth jazz is one of my favorite genres. Thanks to a local radio station and my current employer, I'm treated every couple of months to a concert by some of the best modern artists in this genre. (I blogged about the last smooth jazz concert I attended here.)

Because these semi-monthly concerts are billed as "listener appreciation parties" by the radio station, I decided a blog was in order. Thus, I borrowed for the title.

Now, let me introduce you to a couple of legends in their own right...one of whom I knew nothing about, and the other I had first heard on a Tallahassee smooth jazz station about nine years ago.

Photo by Anita Carlsson/Courtesy StockholmJazz.com

Brian Bromberg is a straight ahead jazz bassist who feels right at home on a standard upright acoustic bass or a five-stringed electric. He's played with some jazz legends, as you can see from the link (i.e. click on his name). He appeared tonight at the Music Mill along with the artist below...just a duet of keyboard and bass. And while it was billed as a "smooth jazz" event, these guys jammed and improved like a couple of jazz greats from the 60's, a time when this music was simply known as cool. I'll admit that I wasn't familiar with Brian's name or his music, but tonight's performance made me an instant fan.

Photo by Nicolas Zurcher/Courtesy AllMusic.com

Jeff Lorber was a pioneer of early jazz fusion in the mid-late 1970's with his self-titled band of which a young Kenny G was a member. Lorber went on to perform with a number of great artists as a keyboardist and drummer, not the least of which was Kenny. He also produced a litany of albums. His list of credits is three pages long on AllMusic.com (follow the link by clicking his name if you don't believe me). Like his white sidekick on stage tonight, the guy could hold his own with any jazz musician anywhere. The skin tone of both musicians belied the soulful artistry within. They blew me away.

The venue was small, once again creating an intimate atmosphere where I almost felt a part of the performance. (With my hands and feet constantly tapping, you would've thought I was the percussionist). It was a really solid set that lasted 90 minutes and was ripe with improvised numbers and meaty solos. I was surprised how much I enjoyed the music, sans drums. There wasn't even a sequencer, midi or electric metronome to keep time. These guys didn't need it.

Since moving to Indy, I've now had the pleasure of watching the following musicians perform (in order): Philippe Saisse, Walter Beasley, Spyro Gyra, the Rev. Al Green, John Mayer and the aforementioned Lorber and Bromberg. I'd say its been a pretty good summer musically speaking. I'm topping it off with a Rush concert at the end of this month...which goes to my other favorite genre and a topic for a later post. For now, let me encourage you to find a cd by either artist and learn to appreciate the artistry behind smooth jazz.

Buddy Rich Tribute

BUDDY RICH 1917-1987

When considering great drummers of the modern era, one man stands at the top of the heap: Bernard "Buddy" Rich. I did not pay near enough attention to this legendary musician in my youth. All I knew about him was that he was a jazz drummer who could play lightning quick buzz rolls and was a favorite on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson.

As I began taking drumming more seriously in my late teens, I began exploring all types of music, including jazz. I marvelled at the percussive wizardry and technical acumen of such greats as Billy Cobham, Dave Weckl, Alex Acuna, Jeff Porcaro, Harvey Mason and others. Still unaware of the influence of jazz's all-time master, I idolized these modern drumming marvels, along with rock's best Steve Smith (toured with Journey early in his career), Neil Peart (Rush) and of course Porcaro (a drummer who truly transcended genre).

It wasn't until the 1990's that I became more aware of the influence Buddy Rich had on all of my favorite drummers. When Neil Peart released the "Burning for Buddy" tribute CD in '94, I was simply blown away. Because of the dabbling I had done in jazz and big band swing, I immediately appreciated the prowess of Rich and his disciples. And this tribute CD featuring Rich's own band included performances by some of my favorite drummers, most notably Peart, Smith and Weckl. They assembled to pay homage to the man who is arguably the best to have ever picked up a pair of sticks.

After wearing out my copy of "Burning for Buddy, Vol. 1" and ordering "Vol. 2," I stumbled upon a best of Buddy Rich compilation that included some of the famous drum duels between he and Gene Krupa. I was mesmorized. So when I found that the Burning for Buddy sessions had been captured on DVD, I had to own a copy.

It arrived in the mail last weekend!

To hear my idols, Peart et al, talk about the impact Rich had on their lives and careers kind of put his iconic status into perspective for me. What's more, they all admired and respected each other, as well. They approached this project with fear, humility and much exhiliration. Some of them, Peart included, had never played with a big band so they were really out of their element. That just makes watching them perform that much better.

I only wish I had paid more attention to Buddy while he was still alive. Some of his performances from the early to mid 80's are astonishingly great. Here's a clip of his appearance on the Muppet Show in 1978: Buddy Rich v. Animal


As you can see, the man was amazingly fast with the sticks and made the double-stroke roll look effortless at any speed. He was very creative in his approach to the drums, milking the percussive quality out of every conceiveable part of his kit, including the stands. He was a pioneer who cut a path for all drummers of the modern era, regardless of genre. (In fact, one of the drummers featured on the DVD was a metal head who played for Guns'N'Roses.) His legacy is evident by the sheer number of drummers, including myself, who feel obliged to pay tribute and who watch the old footage with much awe and admiration.

A Drummers Dilemna

Some of you may not know that "in another life" I worked as a radio personality and semi-professional drummer. The short-lived smooth jazz station in Tallahassee was where I called home for the last semester of school back in '97 and for several months after graduation. Money was the main reason I left that job for greener pastures. But throughout my whole adult life, I've found ways to pursue my passion for drumming. Opportunities have dwindled since leaving the church music scene back in Tally, but the passion is still there.

Any time I am in a concert setting, at a music store or around other musicians, I get the urge to pick up a pair of sticks and bang on something. That was the case this past Thursday.

Indy's smooth jazz station, WYJZ, was hosting a listener appreciation party at a small music venue, featuring saxophonist Walter Beasley. He brought his whole band and for 90 minutes they rocked the Music Mill. Paying close attention to the drummer, I thought (as I often do), "I could be doing that!"

And it's true. While not the most technically-precise or fine-tuned musician, I do pretty well to hold my own with most contemporary forms of music. A self-taught drummer, I really prefer to play smooth jazz, R&B and gospel for their rhythm-centric groove and syncopation.

And its not just the magic of music or the thrill of performance that calls out to me in the shadows of the club, church or music hall. It is the whole atmosphere and the connectedness that joins musician and audience member. It is the power of creation at work, drawing people in on an emotional and physical level.

Even when I handled events for the radio station in days gone by, I sensed that I was part of the larger music scene. I was able to go out and enjoy good music while feeling a part of some larger community not bound by race, socio-economic status or religion. I miss that.

Thursday's concert was just another reminder of what I am missing. And while I've tried to fill that void with the occasional church appearance as guest drummer on a worship team, I yearn for more than just a four-song set on a Sunday morning.

I think it is important to seek creative outlets and to explore the things you are most passionate about. Sometimes life can get in the way of that pursuit, but it helps to be reminded that you make time for the things of most import to you. If you are passionate about something, if you have a creative spark inside you, why aren't you passionate in your pursuit of it? I find myself asking that question more and more.