Rock-tober 31, 2015

Many, many times during this month Andrea peeked in on me while I was trying to crank out an entry and asked, "How's it going?" Often my response was a shake of the head. I read somewhere that Charles Schulz would sometimes stare forlornly at the four blank panels of his daily Peanuts comic strip for hours waiting for creativity to strike. I think I've glimpsed that struggle.

However, it's October 31st. Another 31 days and 31 songs are in the books and another Rock-tober draws to a close. Looking back at the month's playlist, I'm serenely satisfied.

Anne, a friend of Andrea's, said her fourth graders caught her listening to the opening riffs of AC/DC from the first day of Rock-tober. Those kids may not have known who AC/DC was, but she immediately earned tons of street cred in their eyes. I hope stories like Anne's aren't isolated and that I've sparked a memory, brought a smile to your face, or at least entertained you with tunes from my music collection.

For the third year, closing honors are bestowed on Lynryd Skynyrd. The final selection this year sums up the wistfulness and nostalgic yearning that I've found is a predictable side effect of Rock-tober - for simpler times, old friends, or old stomping grounds.

Despite being born and raised in Alabama, Andrea's one condition of marriage was that we not live in Alabama. Over the years I've tossed out southern cities for possible relocations. Atlanta and Savannah made the cut, but much to my chagrin, Long Beach did not. I'll keep working on it, but at least for the foreseeable future, home is the Old Line State of Maryland.

Thanks for your time, folks, and I'll see you on the flip side.

Rock-tober 30, 2015

I used to be a member of a sail club back in the 90's. The club guru was this grizzled mountain of a man who dispensed some of the most profound Zen wisdom I'd ever heard. He once told us about the time he was accosted at the dock by a power boater.

"You sailboat guys just don't get it. I can cast off from the dock, gun it, and get to the Solomons and back before you even enter the channel." The sailing guru just shook his head. "No, son. You don't get it. Once we leave the dock, we're already there."

Indoctrination into the sail club required several days of lecture on rules of the road, water safety, and the mechanics of sailing. It also required several weekends of qualifying sails on the water. On one of these outings, the skies were overcast and the water was a little squirrely, but we decided to go for it. After an hour or so of basic maneuvering and handling drills, the wind picked up. A lot.

I had the helm when we were hit with a howling gust. Several things happened in very short order. All lines went taut, the sail popped explosively as it filled with wind, our speed dramatically increased, and the entire boat started to heel, or lean over. Our instructor yelled for me to keep a hold of the main sheet and hold our course steady. He then grabbed my sail partner and dove for the upwind side of the boat. We were on a very hard lean and just a whisker away from capsizing. Our instructor throwing his and my partner's weight to the windward rail gave us just enough ballast to stay upright. We sailed through that and several more squalls before making it safely back to the dock.

Later, at a debrief, the sail guru said, "You know, if that happens again, you can let go of the main sheet and the boat will stabilize itself."
"Yes, sir."
"But if you do that, you won't be taking the boat and yourself to the edge of your 'design limits'."
"No, sir."
"Finding yourself on the edge like that will tell you two things. It'll tell you where the edge is, and probably more importantly, it will tell you if you like being there."

I'm pondering the second half of his statement like Caine in Kung Fu. The sudden acceleration, the deck shifting beneath me, the howl of the wind, and the blasting sea spray all combined to make a very pucker worthy moment.

He saw what I was debating mentally and he said, "It's easy to figure out. Were you smiling?"

"Yes, sir."

Rock-tober 29, 2015

Sometime in the very early 70's, Dad bought a car off a Naval officer who was being transferred overseas. The car was a yellow, 1970 model year Mustang coupe with a 302 small block. I couldn't have been more than a year or two old, and I definitely didn't realize how closely that car would be intertwined in my life.

For the longest time it was our only vehicle, and it served faithfully whether it was getting groceries at the base commissary or hauling household goods to a new duty station across the country. It wasn't all work, though. I have all the family albums, and as I look through the photos of vacations, picnics, or just going fishing with Dad, you'd see the Mustang in the background.

Before Dad taught me how to drive in that car, he taught me how to work on it. I spent countless hours under the hood with him holding a flashlight and handing him the tools he asked for. Under his tutelage, and with a well worn Chilton's manual as a reference, I learned how to change everything from the fluids to the spark plugs, replace the brakes, set the timing, and pack the bearings. Looking back, these weren't just car repairs. They were a series of life lessons in self confidence, independence, and self reliance. Dad was the teacher, and the Mustang was the classroom.

Years later, college was behind me, I was married, and I was working at an actual job. Things were golden when I got a call from Mom. Andrea was actually the one who answered, and when she passed me the phone, she had tears in her eyes. I knew instinctively we'd lost Dad.

At his funeral, I delivered his eulogy. It basically consisted of me telling stories about Mom, Dad, me, and the Mustang. Kim Reinike, our long time neighbor was there. I explained how much Dad loved that car, and I told those present that I would be driving the Mustang as the procession's lead vehicle instead of riding in the back of some rented Cadillac. Kim smiled and nodded approvingly.

Currently the Mustang is sitting in our driveway, and she needs some work. Actually, she needs a lot of work, and I'll eventually get to it. But it will be a very odd feeling working on her alone. Meanwhile, word traveled through the "car guy grapevine" about this worn down '70 Mustang sitting idle in this guy's driveway. As a result, I've had more offers than I care to count to sell her.

Honestly, my first inclination is anger, and I want to tell them to go fuck themselves. But I stop and tell myself to breathe. They. Don't. Know. They don't know this car's history. They don't know the miles of asphalt and life that we've seen in that rearview mirror, that its past is my past, and that it's one of my few physical, tenuous links to Dad. So I smile, shake my head, and say, "Sorry, friend, she's not for sale."

Rock-tober 28, 2015

I don't remember much of what happened in 1974. After all, I was all of 4 years old. I know we were living in base housing in Annapolis, MD. I know Dad was in school after he left the fleet and transferred to the SeaBees, and I know Mom was working as a nurse at the local hospital. I know my world revolved around playing outside, going fishing with Dad, and watching Speed Racer and Ultraman on TV.

That was the extent of my world. I was clueless about pretty much everything else. I didn't know we were still mired in the horrors of Vietnam, that an American Presidency hung in the balance as the Watergate storm rolled in, or that the ongoing oil embargo was sounding the death knell for the age of big block engines (at least for a while).

Neither did I know about some English band across the Pond dropping their debut, self titled album, Bad Company. Like everything else outside my world of fishing, play, and TV, appreciation for these events would have to wait until I was much older.

I don't remember when I heard my first Bad Company song or when I bought my first Bad Company album or tape. I do know they're now a regular staple on any Classic Rock playlist I build. I also know that their self-titled single, "Bad Company", off that first album is my favorite of theirs.

Rock-tober 27, 2015

I took a music appreciation class back at South Alabama during the winter of '88. As I understood the class from the catalog, you listened to classical music, attended concerts, and wrote about them. Pfft. This should have been an easy "A".

It got a little more complicated. At least our instructor turned out to be pretty hip. "I'm Dr. Wermouth, pronounced the same as the spirit." The good doctor regaled us with stories of music department get togethers. He explained that if you looked at an album, you'd see changes in the density of the grooves and that these changes were dependant on the passage of music. Louder, softer, faster, or slower passages affected groove density. A favorite parlor game was to cover up the record label and, based on the number of tracks and the lay of the grooves, his colleagues would have to name the composer, the piece, and the movement. Holy crap.

For our final he stood at the front of the class with several turntables loaded with records. He'd start each player in turn and drop the needle at random points. Naming the composer, piece, and movement was then on us. Still not nearly as bad as those departmental shindigs.

The classroom lectures also got pretty animated. Bo Derek's Bolero was released a few years before, and this prompted the discussion of Maurice Ravel's 1928 composition, "Bolero", and how it had been used in Derek's previous film, 10, as a backdrop to a lovemaking scene. Before you get any ideas, be advised that depending on the particular arrangement, Ravel's "Bolero" can easily approach 20 minutes.

As an alternative, I offer Foghat's 1975 release, "Slow Ride". The album version is just over 8 minutes. There's also the released single version that doesn't exceed 4 minutes. Just sayin'.

Rock-tober 26, 2015

It took a year of living in the dorms at South Alabama to spark my interest in playing guitar. Six-strings were everywhere on the floor, and there were plenty of pot head troubadours roaming the halls willing to share what they knew. Looking back, that was probably some of the best musical training available. A number of those guys were music majors. All of them had been strumming away probably before they could walk. They taught me all I was willing to absorb, from tuning and scales to blues progressions and fingering techniques.

Now, I'm not a blues man. It's not that I don't appreciate the sheer talent of the genre's proponents, but the intricate musical innuendo is lost on me - kinda like giving a frat boy a bottle 18 year old Oban single malt. That being said, I do have some albums of this uniquely American musical style, and the bulk of my collection centers around B.B. King.

I'm proud to call Riley B. King a native son of my adopted home state of Mississippi. King was born on September 26, 1925 in the Mississippi Delta town of Berclair. Despite sounding cliche, he was the son of sharecroppers.

King's earliest musical influences were the gospel choir of his home church and another local minister who taught him his first guitar chords. This was the dawn of a career that spanned more than 65 years. In that stretch of time, the man amassed 21 Grammy nominations and won 15 of them. This was punctuated by his induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987.

We said farewell to B.B. King, the last of the Delta bluesmen, and his beloved Lucille earlier this year on May 14. He was 89. Today's selection is another of my "front porch sitting, sunset watching, stiff drink sipping" songs. In it King talks about his history with Lucille. Just let it wash over you.

Rock-tober 25, 2015

In my opinion, ever since the death of John Wayne, this country has seen a slow retreat in masculinity. Think about it. In the years since the Duke's death, the ubiquitous mug of black coffee has been replaced by venti mocha frappuccino lattes. Nature and the outdoors are no longer experienced. Instead they're kept at a distance and framed nicely within the 60" (or larger) border of an HD LED flat screen. Critical life skills like knowing how to navigate out of the woods or jumpstart a dead car battery have been supplanted by knowing the optimal thread count for bed sheets and the ability to recognize six different shades of ecru.

So what's the prescription, Doc Wayne?

Peppering your wardrobe with some stylish flannel shirts is a good place to start. Ditch the frappuccinos and hipster man-purses. Forego the Cosmopolitans and order Glenlivet, straight of course, with a Wild Turkey chaser. Get yourself a manly nickname - sorry, "Techno Stud" is taken. Challenge Chuck Norris to a slap contest. Watch all of John Wayne's movies - except for The Conquerer. Bloody hell, Duke, what were you thinking?

Find the nearest drag strip and make a few runs down the quarter mile. Barring that, find yourself a stretch of open road. And drive. Fast. Preferably with today's selection cranked as wide open as your engine.

I know. That seems to be my answer for a lot of things. Dude, don't argue with your doctor...

Rock-tober 24, 2015

My hair has usually been short cropped, but one day in the early 2000's I decided to grow it out. After about 6 months and for the next 10 years, I was sporting a decent ponytail. For other people, it became one of my primary identifiers and bumped up my uniqueness quotient.

One previous job I held was to help support a national network within the DOJ. I called a lot of these guys regularly on the phone and was on a first name basis with most, but I'd not met many of them personally. Periodically, I'd fly out to one of their locations to deal with technical issues on site. Because security was an issue, theyd ask for my personal description for a positive ID.

I tried to be specific, "I'll be wearing a dark blue shirt, jeans, and a yellow jacket. I'll be carrying a black canvas laptop case." When I arrived at my destination, I'd hang out in an open area and wait for someone to approach. Once, the guy I was meeting slowly walked up and introduced himself. He looked me over and said, "Wayne, it would have been easier if you'd just told me you were the Asian dude with a ponytail."

A few years later, I was in Nairobi for the first time. I'd been in the country for less than three days, and I'm walking down the street when a guy walks over to greet me. He was extremely friendly and welcoming, shaking my hand repeatedly. "Welcome back! It's good to see you again!" All I can do is look at him and shake his hand. "Have we met?" He seemed surprised that I would ask. "Of course! Last week!." Now I'm wondering, just how many Filipinos with ponytails are walking around Nairobi?

A musical term for a copy of someone else's work is a "cover". I'm glad I didn't meet my Nairobi doppelganger. Apart from the possible "timey-wimey" cataclysm, I'd be wondering who was the original and who was the cover.

Spiderbait did a rock version of "Ghost Riders in the Sky" and it became part of the soundtrack of Marvel's Ghost Rider in 2007. The Outlaws, featured today, released their southern rock version of "Ghost Riders" back in 1980. But who were they "covering"? The version I was most familiar with was Johnny Cash's 1979 rendition. In reality, the original was recorded in 1948 by Stan Jones. In the intervening years, Wikipedia shows nearly 100 different releases of this song. However, I can guarantee that none of these was a Filipino with a ponytail.

Rock-tober 23, 2015

I'm looking for a good safety razor. You know, the kind used by our fathers and grandfathers. The kind that was carried in backpacks by soldiers and Marines as they stormed Normandy and Iwo Jima.

There'd be no plastic on this baby. Only a hunk of forged steel and a single edge presented to your beard without all the gummy lubes and multiplex of blades being hawked by hucksters.

But then there's straight razors.

Holy crap. Now we're talking about an open blade passing within a fraction of an inch of your jugular. There's a precariousness about this morning ritual that would be very bracing. Afterwards, there should be nothing that would faze me the rest of the day. For any scenario that decided to foolishly present itself as a crisis, I'd square off against it and say, "Dude, I shaved with a straight razor this morning. Bring it." The exchange would then be concluded by me spitting between its eyes.

I can't think of a lot of tracks that could suitably match the bravado this episode, but this one will do.

Rock-tober 22, 2015

Gents, name one thing you've done in an attempt to impress a girl.

In college, Corey, one of my buds asked for my help in baking some cookies. I scratched my head and cocked an eyebrow. "Dude, you realize baking is not a standard bro activity, right?" He then professed his infatuation with a girl he'd just met, and in his mind, baked goods were the way to her heart. So now we're in his trailer working off a recipe he found somewhere scrawled in his chicken scratch.

"Hey, Corey, we need the baking powder."
"Umm."
"You don't have baking powder."
"Umm. I've got baking soda."
"Dude. Not the same."
"You sure?"

We commenced to bake a very large cookie shaped in the girl's initials. Of course, it didn't set or even bake properly, and I told him as much. He gets the bright idea to make another batch, again sans baking powder, and deliver raw cookie dough to the subject of his infatuation. I had to go along because, you know, I'm a good wing man, and I just had to watch the end of this tale. God bless her, she was very gracious. Corey was pretty excited as we left her dorm.

"Hey, man, what do you think? I think she dug it."
"Yeeaaahh...I don't know man."
"...but we even made it in the shape of her initials again."

Turnabout is fair play, and for my own story, I'm back in high school. We're on some band trip, parked at some random McDonald's grabbing some lunch. By this time, Top Gun had been playing in theaters for a while.

*sigh*

You know where I'm going with this, right? I turned to one of the guys sitting near me and uttered those fateful words, "Hey, watch this."

I strode over to this cute French horn player's table where she was surrounded by her friends, stood in front of her, and said to the guy standing next to me, "You know, I think she's lost that loving feeling." I then launched into my rendition of that Righteous Brothers hit. Unbeknownst to me, a group of guys had gathered behind me. When the chorus rolled around, they all joined in. I'm not sure who was more surprised, me or the cute French horn player. She turned several shades of red, but she let us finish. God bless her, she was very gracious.

Shortly after the famous raw cookie dough incident I was over at Corey's. His roommate left a tape in the VCR after a date with his girlfriend. We didn't have anything else going on so we hit Play. It turns out the movie was Say Anything. When the iconic scene of Lloyd serenading Diane with a boombox cranking Peter Gabriel's "In Your Eyes" played, Corey jumped up and yelled, "That! That's what I was picturing in my head!" Remembering my own attempt to impress a girl, I told him, "Yeeaaahh...I don't think we were that smooth."

Rock-tober 21, 2015

In July of '87, I was a brand new graduate of Long Beach High School. Reagan was still in the White House, Oliver North testified in Iran-Contra, and France severed diplomatic ties with Iran. The Untouchables, Robocop, and Jaws IV were in theaters, and Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream released a new flavor - Cherry Garcia. Also, in July of 1987, Guns N' Roses released their debut album, Appetite for Destruction.

The album entered the Billboard 200 list at #182 and took a year to top the chart. It spawned 5 singles, one of which was showcased in the now classic missive, Rock-tober: Day 20, from 2013. Appetite for Destruction eventually went on to be certified platinum in over half a dozen countries - 18x platinum in the states - and in various circles is viewed as one of the best albums of all time.

"Sweet Child of Mine", one of Appetite's 5 singles, took the #1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 and finished as the #5 song for 1988. The following year it won Best Rock Video at the MTV Music Awards and Favorite Pop/Rock Single at the American Music Awards.

The opening riff and guitar solo are epic and helped solidify Slash's legend, although by his own admission, this is his least favorite song in the G N' R repertoire. One dude wins the Internet for his comments on Slash's riffs.

Dude: "Today is the day I learn to play 'Sweet Child of Mine' on guitar."
Dude: *sees complex sheet music*
Dude: "F#ck it. Leave it to Slash."

Rock-tober 20, 2015

Today's feature is "Meet Me Half Way" by Kenny Loggins. Hah. LOL. Just joking. Almost.

Kenny Loggins racked up an impressive list of hits in the soft rock genre that garnered him 3 Grammy nominations and a win for 1981's "This Is It."

As the 80's unfurled, he also left his mark on many a soundtrack. These were all within his soft rock comfort zone with his edgiest releases being "I'm Alright" from Caddyshack and "Footloose" from Footloose - until Top Gun.

"Danger Zone" was the hard charging, guitar heavy theme from the testosterone laden 1986 movie of Naval aviators and their F14's. Rock-tober alums Toto and Bryan Adams passed on performing the track, as did REO Speedwagon.

It was a definite genre departure for Loggins, but he signed on and took the song to #2 on the Hot 100 chart. The following year, it earned him one of his 3 Grammy nominations.

Incidentally, the music video for "Danger Zone" was shot by the same director who shot the movie. The Navy went on to call the video "the most effective recruiting poster ever produced," and it greased the skids for Naval involvement in 1990's The Hunt for Red October.

Rock-tober 19, 2015

One day, back in 8th grade English class at Long Beach Junior High, we had a substitute teacher. I happened to be in the front row, and the sub was walking back and forth lecturing on the intricacies of English grammar. Suddenly she stopped in front of my desk, looked at me and asked, "Do you understand what I'm saying?"

My classmates were giving me sideways glances, wondering what I'd do. I was contemplating being a smartass. On the other hand she didn't know me, and it was a legitimate question. I managed a nod, when the guy sitting next to me, Chris Cave, went off on her. I don't remember what was said, but it ended with the sub apologizing to me. Chris and I were acquaintances before that episode. Afterwards, we were pretty good friends.

His sense of humor usually made me laugh, but he could also be annoying. A few years later in high school, the student body was called in to the gym. A band named Amber Lights was giving an anti drug presentation. They said, "If you've got friends in trouble with drugs or depression, you need to put your hand on their shoulder and ask, 'How can I help?'" They closed their presentation with a cover of Corey Hart's "Never Surrender". For weeks afterwards, I'd be at my locker, in the cafeteria, or loitering on the walkway when I'd feel a hand on my shoulder. I'd turn around and it would be Chris. With all the fake seriousness he could muster, he'd ask, "Hey, man, how can I help?" Several times this happened in front of teachers, and once, one of those teachers took me aside to make sure I was OK. I could hear Chris laughing as he took off down the hallway. Punk.

Regardless, I'm not sure what happened to Amber Lights, but "Never Surrender" was a big hit for Corey Hart. The song  peaked at #3 in the US. In his native Canada, it went to #1, earned him a Juno award, and was eventually certified Platinum.

Rock-tober 18, 2015

In the fall of '88 I was in my first quarter as a transfer student to Auburn University. The place was way  bigger than the University of South Alabama where I'd spent the previous year, and it took me a while to get my bearings. Luckily I ran into Chris Turner and his wife, Trish. They basically took me in and their home was my second residence. Trish fed me countless spaghetti dinners and Chris helped me navigate a lot of my engineering classes.

During downtime at their place, I was checking out their album collection and came across Billy Joel's Greatest Hits Volume I & Volume II. There was a lot of good stuff on those two pieces of vinyl, and I think my favorite was "Allentown".

Originally released on 1982's The Nylon Curtain, it made another appearance on this Greatest Hits compilation. The song has  become an anthem for American blue collar workers dealing with the decline of American manufacturing. Elsewhere on this blog I've recounted my experience in Detroit, where the old bastion of the automotive industry is now a ghost town.

Years later, I still don't know how to stem the tide of our declining manufacturing base, apart from my strict adherence of buying American if at all possible. It's not easy. One time I needed a flashlight. It took me nearly half an hour of crawling through products of Chinese origin before I finally found an American manufacturer. At least Mr. Piano Man used his celebrity to highlight the issue.

Rock-tober 17, 2015

Queen. There a a lot of factoids about this group. All members earned degrees, and the fields were pretty diverse - physics, biology, electronics, & illustration. Freddie Mercury, whose degree was in illustration, designed the band's crest, an amalgamation of the band members' zodiac signs.

Brian May's guitar, dubbed the Red Special, is iconic in the guitar world. Hand built with his dad in the late 60's from salvaged materials, its tone is utterly unique. This flavored the band's music with a sound that was impossible to produce any other way.

Every member of the band was a songwriter, with each person penning at least one of their hits. Because of this, Queen was the first to be inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame as a band rather than as individuals.

They also wrote and performed the soundtrack for the campy 1980 sci-fi cult classic Flash Gordon. I was 10 years old at the time and saw this one in the theater. Since this movie and the band's single, "Another One Bites the Dust", both released in the fall of 1980, I'm not sure which was my first exposure to the band. I know, "Bohemian Rhapsody" was released in 1975. I just don't remember hearing it until much later.

While they have many more songs that charted higher, my favorite from Queen is "Under Pressure". This song was sampled heavily by Vanilla Ice ten years after its release. Amusingly, to this day, whenever I hear the opening bass line for "Under Pressure" there are a few moments of trepidation when I fear it might be "Ice Ice Baby".

Rock-tober 16, 2015

In another life I used to do IT support for Books-A-Million at their Birmingham headquarters. The schedule was rotating shift work, and I always looked forward to pulling the night shift - 11PM to 730AM. The place was quiet, the phones didn't ring, and I basically didn't have to deal with people. It was just me and a big old AS400 mini mainframe that took up an entire room.

When I left work, I'd go to the gym, run errands, or just tool around town. Since it's the middle of the work day, everyone else was at work, and I'd have all these places to myself. Perfect for this lone wolf.

I usually got in around 6 in the afternoon. As a kid in my early 20's, I could catch 3 or 4 hours of sleep, wake up, and do it again with ease. I hadn't yet developed an appreciation I have these days for my bed - I'm not sure I could handle that nightshift today.

The Commodores released Nightshift in 1985. The album was significant for a couple of reasons. It was one of their first albums released after Lionel Richie left the group. It was also their last to hit #1 on the R&B charts. This was mainly due to to the album's title track "Nightshift", a tribute to R&B greats, Marvin Gaye and Jackie Wilson who both died the year before. The song charted high around the world and earned the group their first and only Grammy.

Rock-tober 15, 2015

Living on the Mississippi Gulf Coast came with certain weather expectations: hot humid summers, mild winters, and the occasional hurricane. The strongest storm I personally weathered was Hurricane Elena in 1985. Long time Coast residents will remember Elena's crazy storm track where its approach to central Florida took an abrupt 180. She took aim at Mississippi and slammed the Coast making landfall at Biloxi.

My folks and I decided to weather that storm at our home, so we made our preparations and hunkered down in a central hallway. For hours the wind howled and the deluge of rain slammed our house in sheets. Power was lost quickly, and one by one radio stations we were monitoring went off the air. Suddenly things got very quiet. An interesting phenomena about hurricanes is the calm of the storm's eye, and Elena's track took hers directly over our house. The scene outside was eerie. What was a maelstrom just a few minutes before gave way to the sun in a cloudless sky, and air that was perfectly still. Dad and I walked the property to survey any damage and make any quick repairs we could. Eventually, the clouds rolled back in, the wind picked up from the opposite direction, and just like that, we were back in the storm.

The lyrics of "Have You Ever Seen the Rain?" ask "Have you ever seen the rain come down on a sunny day?" John Fogerty's intent behind the song was to capture his feelings about his brother Tom's departure from CCR at the height of their success. It reminds me of what I experienced in the eye of Hurricane Elena.

Rock-tober 14, 2015

I'll admit to a certain amount of snobbery about my music. I was there when a lot of these now classic albums were released and feel this somehow gives me some clout and authority to say a lot of today's music just sucks. So, when I read posts from youngsters who say they've been introduced to The Rolling Stones or Aerosmith from playing Guitar Hero or Grand Theft Auto or some other such nonsense, I have to curb my inclination to be dismissive of the experience. Today, there are more venues for musical exposure than just exchanging mix tapes, radio air play, and buying 45's.

Hollywood is and always has been a good way to showcase music. If a good movie is combined with a good soundtrack, both artist and actor benefit. There are countless examples including today's selection, "Stand By Me".

"Stand By Me" was released by Ben E. King in 1961, and he did very well with it. He rode the song to the #1 spot on the US R&B chart, #4 on the Hot 100, and #27 on the UK singles chart. It never really went away after that. It was covered countless times, keeping it in the public eye. However, as a teenager, I don't think I was aware of Ben E. King, his huge library of singles, or his place in the history of R&B. That changed in 1986 when the film Stand by Me used King's version of the song for the soundtrack.

The song rose again, making it all the way back to #9 on the US Hot 100. Suddenly a new generation, my generation, was introduced to this giant of the R&B genre. I guess the lesson learned is it doesn't matter how the next generation is exposed to the classic annals of rock. Just as long as they hear what real music sounds like there's a chance they won't become Nicki Minaj fans.

Ben E. King died on May 1 of this year. Fortunately, he lived long enough to see his recording of "Stand By Me" inducted into the National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress.

Rock-tober 13, 2015

Dorm life was interesting my freshman year at the University of South Alabama. Growing up an only child, I always had my own room and bathroom. Now I was sharing close quarters with 24 other guys. Two in particular were pranksters. One night they dropped in, lingered for a little small talk, and left very quickly. A little odd but I didn't think anything of it and eventually went to bed. I woke up the next morning and headed for the bathroom, but I couldn't open my door. It wouldn't budge. I immediately realized what those punks had done. They wedged a bunch of pennies between the door and the jamb tightly enough that the door couldn't open. You were effectively sealed in your room or, in the vernacular of the dorm, "pennied in".

Okay. They got me. I'll just call the RA and get him to let me out. I picked up my phone and got no dial tone. When I looked down, I realized the phone cord was missing. Okay. They got me twice.

I'm locked in my room with no way to call for help, and my neighbors on either side had gone home for the weekend. I went to the window and looked out. At 25 - 30 feet off the ground I'm trying gauge if I can clear the pavement and land on the turf. I decided against it.

Now I'm mad. These punks were not going to win this. I looked around my room, which was pretty spartan, and I saw my bed, specifically, my bedsheets. "No way," I'm thinking, but then it always worked in the movies. I tied my sheets together, tied one end to my bed frame and tossed the other end out the window. I rapelled (more like shimmied) down the side of the building and I was free, but I wasn't finished. You know that sinister smile the Grinch had when he decided to steal Christmas? That's what was unfurling across my face at that moment.

I went to their room and tested the lock. It was open. I walked in and they were both passed out on their beds. Surely it can't be this easy. I took their phone cord, pennied them in, and strolled out of the dorm like a boss sporting a Cheshire cat grin and thinking, "I win."

When I eventually came back in that afternoon, I walked over to their hall to check on them. They were both standing around the now open door along with an annoyed RA and an even more annoyed campus cop. I shot them a knowing grin and walked away.

Rock-tober 12, 2015

I've got a couple of playlists that I have at the ready depending on my mood, and one of them is simply called "Chill". When I want to unwind and calm down from a day of dealing with other people's problems, this is the one I turn to. You've already been introduced to it. Track 1 is "Drift Away" showcased in the Pulitzer disclaimed Rock-tober: Day 7 from 2013. Today's entry from Kenny Wayne Shepherd is another.

Shepherd is a southern boy, through and through, born and bred in Shreveport, LA. His dad was a local radio celebrity and had a few connections in the business. Shepherd was always fond of the guitar, but this fondness evolved to something more driven when, following his dad around, he came face to face with Stevie Ray Vaughn.

He quickly honed his craft and Ledbetter Heights, Shepherd's first album, was released in 1995 when was 18 years old. "While We Cry" was track number 7 on this album that's since gone platinum. It's a blues instrumental that's best enjoyed on your front porch with a whiskey in one hand and a cigar in the other - my exact same recommendation for "Drift Away".

Rock-tober 11, 2015

With Dad being in the Navy, there were long stretches in my growing up years when I didn't see him, which really sucked swampwater. Midway through a deployment, he'd come home on leave and we'd cram months of father/son time into those 2 short weeks. I looked forward to when he rotated to shore duty because I knew we'd get in a lot of fishing time. More often than not, we'd also take a road trip.

Dad loved to drive and he loved the open road. Years later I've realized I came by my wanderlust honestly.

Back in the day, well before Sirius and mp3 players, there were long stretches of open highway that were radio wastelands. Dad had 2 defenses against these doldrums: a CB radio and a lot of 8-tracks. His choice in 8-tracks was flavored by his love of the old west. John Wayne was his favorite actor and Louis L'Amour was his favorite author. He was most comfortable in boots and jeans. When he donned his hat, shades, and wool lined jacket, I swear he looked like he just stepped out of a Marlboro commercial. It was a pretty badass look that I tried but failed to emulate.

He also loved "outlaw" county music. My first musical influences were the likes of Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, and Waylon Jennings. I listened to a whole lot of Waylon on those trips and found he and his leather clad Fender had a song for just about every mood I'd have.

"Rose in Paradise" was released in 1987. The guitar work is like your momma's chicken soup or apple pie - it's comfort food for the soul. Ironically, Waylon almost didn't record it. The tune was passed around by several artists before Loretta Lynn recommended it to him. He eventually laid down the track for his album, Hangin' Tough. It went on to become his 12th and final number 1 hit.

There were 2 epic road trips Dad and I talked about but never got around to doing - a drive down to Key West and a drive out through Yellowstone. I still look forward to doing these one day, and you can bet I'll have Waylon on my playlist and Dad on my mind.

Rock-tober 10, 2015

Don't worry, you're in the right place. Go ahead and take a minute; I'll just wait here while you get your bearings. One of the reasons for this blog is to showcase the music that was intertwined with my youth. If you go back far enough, you'll find yourself in my living room on a Saturday morning where these animated shorts were a mainstay.

Today's kids will never know the joy of waking up on a Saturday morning, running into the living room while still in PJs, and enjoying the Saturday morning cartoon lineup. "But, Wayne, we've got the Cartoon Network - an entire channel where kids can watch cartoons 24/7." That's my point. It's not special anymore. Back in the day, for those few brief hours, every broadcaster catered their entertainment to me while I tucked into a bowl of cereal.

Along with the latest adventures of the SuperFriends, Fat Albert, or Scooby Doo, School House Rock tried to educate me. Looking back, it was pretty bold. "So let me get this straight. You're trying to teach me stuff? On my day off?"

It turns out original music and animation was a great educational medium. It didn't matter if the subject was grammar, math, science, or my favorite, history, I still remember a lot of the lessons. "Conjunction Junction, what's your function?" "Hooking up words, and phrases, and clauses," is the very simple, very correct answer. Comparing the human nervous system to a telegraph line? That's an incredibly apt metaphor. How about this. Forty years later, I can not only recite, I can sing the Preamble to the Constitution.

I've always loved history. The earliest reference in my life I can point to that presented history from an educational slant was Schoolhouse Rock, and "Preamble" was a part of this. "No More Kings", "Mother Necessity", and "I'm Just a Bill" were also some of my favorites. The one I remember most and getting the most excited about when it came on was "The Shot Heard 'Round the World". Have a listen while you're tucked into your own nostalgic bowl of cereal, and enjoy your Saturday.

Rock-tober 09, 2015

When I'm tooling around in the Mustang, I'm used to certain reactions. A smile, a wave, a thumbs up are some of the more common. But sometimes, just sometimes, I'll get something unexpected. One day I'm rolling out of NIH on my way home, and I'm stopped at a red light. This chick walks in front of me, turns, looks at the car, and frowns?!

Wait. What?

YOU.DID.NOT.JUST.DO.THAT.

If I'd gotten over my shock quickly enough, I'd have revved the engine and done a burnout.

Looka here, Missy. I'm sorry your parents failed to instill in you the proper appreciation for American automotive design and Detroit steel. It's probably an unfortunate side effect from their diet of sticks and granola in their backwoods commune. To be fair, I don't know what you drive. Maybe you're a die hard Camaro girl. I could respect that. Unfortunately, I suspect you probably have a 1.8L 4 banger encased in Chinese plastic. It can't be much of a car considering the 2 liter bottle of Mountain Dew on my desk has more capacity than your engine.

I was annoyed the rest of the way home.

Who could I call to commiserate? If you've studied the past postings of this blog you'll know who I believe are the greatest car guys in Rock and Roll.

I'd hit up the boys from ZZ Top on speed dial and just recount the whole ugly episode.

"Hey, li'l bro, don't let it harsh your mellow. Some folks just don't get it."

"Ain't that the truth."

"Yeah, man. And check this. In 50 years, that 'Stang of yours will still be rollin'. Her ride? Well, it'll probably be recycled into someone's washing machine. But look, check out 'I Gotsta Get Paid'. An entire video of rat rod racing will make you right as rain."

"Much appreciated. You guys always manage to make me feel better."

"Ha. No worries, li'l bro. Next time we're in town we need to hit up that watering hole of yours again. That last time was the absolute shiznit."

Rock-tober 08,2015

Many, many years ago, I was sitting in my first job performance review. My manager was seated across from me, notebook out, and pen at the ready. She then asked me to describe my dream job. Young, clueless me didn't think twice about answering honestly.

"Being an archaeologist in the Middle East would be pretty cool." I could just see myself wearing a fedora and carrying a bullwhip.

"Hmm. OK...what else?"

"A marine biologist in the South Pacific." I mean, who wouldn't want to be Jacques Cousteau waking up to an ocean view every morning?

She gives an exasperated sigh as she puts her pen down. "Wayne. How about something in your field?"

"Ohhh. Right. Hmph. Let me get back to you on that one."

It's said that it's a rare and blessed person whose job is also their passion. I like to say my job is a paycheck that funds my passions. I'm OK with that - too much of a good thing and all. As an analogy, I suspect that if you had steak and lobster every night for dinner, you'd eventually get tired of steak and lobster.

Don't get me wrong. I actually like my job (for the most part) and the sense of accomplishment it gives me, but it can be pretty stressful. However, in the midst of this, like breaths of fresh air, I start thinking, "What's next?" How do I allocate those preciously hoarded resources of annual leave and discretionary funds. Then, in the middle of dealing with traffic, deadlines, and personnel, I start to dream - and smile.

Rock-tober 06, 2015

Born in 1944, Joe Cocker was one of those singers whose sound was unmistakably unique. In a career that spanned more than fifty years, that gritty, raspy trademark voice earned him the distinction of "one of the most soulful white rock singers to have emerged from Britain".

He had some success early on, especially after doing a cover of the Beatles's "With a Little Help from My Friends". Woodstock was on his resume, as was the British equivalent, the Isle of Wight Festival. Moreover, he's associated with what I think is one of classic rock's most epicly named bands - Mad Dogs and Englishmen. Unfortunately, his career took a drastic detour when he became ensnared in alcohol and drug abuse, and this haze lasted for the rest of the 70's.

But then came the 80's. He partnered with Jennifer Warnes on "Up Where We Belong" for An Officer and a Gentleman. Suddenly, this small town boy who once aspired to be a gasfitter was now sporting a Grammy and an Oscar. Multiple award nominations followed for the rest of the 80's and 90's. These culminated in 2007 when he was appointed to the Order of the British Empire - that's a huge 180 for a guy who was once thrown out of Australia for drug and assault charges.

Classic rockdom lost another Woodstock generation alumnus when Joe Cocker lost his battle to lung cancer on 22 December 2014. The one album of his that I own, 1990's Joe Cocker Live is basically his musical CV; it has all his career highlights including today's selection, "When the Night Comes". Thanks for the music, you crazy Englishman.

Rock-tober 07, 2015

Ask most folks what their favorite Seger song is and "Old Time Rock and Roll" usually percolates to the top. Originally released in 1979 off Stranger in Town, it climbed to a very respectable #28 on the American Top 100. Released again in 1983 as a backdrop for a lip syncing, skivvy clad Tom Cruise in Risky Business, it became seared into American culture.

One of my own memories of the song is tied to senior trip as a freshly minted high school graduate somewhere on the Florida panhandle in 1987. It was near the end of our time there, but we wanted one more blow out before heading home. The crew I was with got word that everyone was converging at some club downtown. Funds were running low and the cover charge was going to cut into our refreshments. That's when my buddy, Mike, had a flash of brilliance. He noticed the club's handstamp that let you come and go degenerated into an unrecognizable black smudge in the Florida heat and humidity. We went out to the parking lot, rubbed some brake dust from a random car's rims onto the backs of our hands, and suddenly we were legit. We walked up to the clubhouse door, flashed the back of our hands with all the swagger we could muster, and strode in as boldly as we pleased. The place was jumping, and playing in the background, like the soundtrack to our own teen shenanigans, was "Old Time Rock and Roll".

This, however, is not my "go to" Seger song. "Like a Rock" holds that slot and was showcased in the now critically acclaimed Rock-tober Year 1, Day 3.

A close second is "Hollywood Nights".

"Hollywood Nights" was released back in '78, and it peaked at #12 on the Billboard Hot 100. If "Like a Rock" was the mellow, introspective ballad, "Hollywood Nights" was the extroverted speed demon. Something about its very nature demanded acceleration and velocity, and sitting still was not an option. Everything about it - the tempo, instrumentation, and lyrics - raged adrenaline.

When "Hollywood Nights" was still being recorded, one of the studio musicians asked for a demo tape of it to listen to on the way home. He was on the road, the song was playing, and he's really getting wrapped up in it. When he looked down, he saw he was doing over 100 mph.

Exactly.

Rock-tober 05, 2015

For most of my growing up years on Island View in Long Beach, MS, my neighbor across the street was a guy named Kim Reinike. I'm not sure how else to describe him other than "cool". His street cred with us neighborhood hoodlums was cemented with his car - a classic, restored Corvette convertible.

We were always on friendly terms, and one of the funniest exchanges between the two of us went something like this:

Kim: "Hey, Wayne, a new family moved in just down the street."
Me: "Yeah?"
Kim: "Yeah. They've got a daughter. Looks to be about your age."
Kim: *winks*

I remember looking at him with sort of a confused look on my face. Yeah. My young pre-teen brain just couldn't process that data.

On another day, Kim comes over and says he's going out of town and would I mind watching over and feeding his dogs. "No problem," I said. And it really wasn't; the week passed without incident. When Kim got back, he gave me a thank you present for my time - Bruce Springsteen's album, Born in the USA.

For me, that simple cassette is easily in my Top 5 "Thank You" presents. Born in the USA was released in 1984 and is still selling - 30 million copies as of 2012. It had 12 tracks and I loved every one of them. Seven of them were released as singles, and every one of them broke into the Top Ten. Do I have a favorite? Yup. Being the consummate contrarian, it's one not released as a single.

I'm hard-pressed to find a better coming of age anthem than "No Surrender":

"Well, we busted out of class
Had to get away from those fools
We learned more from a three-minute record, baby
Than we ever learned in school"

It's also more than just a coming of age song. It resonates even now:

"Well, now young faces grow sad and old
And hearts of fire grow cold
We swore blood brothers against the wind
Now I'm ready to grow young again"

And then there's this:

"I want to sleep beneath
Peaceful skies in my lover's bed
With a wide-open country in my eyes
And these romantic dreams in my head"

Wow. This song just transcends time for me; I'm getting misty-eyed just typing this. And to think, I first heard this on an album given to me as a simple "Thank You".

I should be thanking you, Kim.

Rock-tober 04, 2015

Andrea's previous career as a sign language interpreter sometimes landed her in close proximity to some pretty famous company. Neil Armstrong and Condi Rice. Colin Powell and Norman Schwartzkopf. Even Cindy Crawford and William Shatner. Not even geek cred? How about Linus Pauling? Watson and Crick? Yeah. I had to look up those last two. She was even present at one of Clinton's inaugural balls kicking off his second term. During this, she was on stage when he arrived.

Politics aside, she was not impressed by his frat boy image and was far from being a fan. Now Clinton was on stage, and he went down the line shaking hands with all those present. When he got to Andrea, she physically pulled back, withheld her hand, and imperceptibly crinkled her nose at the man. When she told me this story years later, my only thought was, "Holy $*&@;#! My fiancée (at the time) was throwing shade on POTUS!"

There wasn't any drama after that. Throughout the course of the evening A-list entertainers also took the stage. At this particular event, Meat Loaf was the headliner.

Anyone who embraces the name Meat Loaf had better own his space and be bigger than life or you're just asking for an atomic wedgie. Meat Loaf, a.k.a. Marvin Lee Aday, is just that. He's a rare performer who's just as comfortable rocking out with  a mic in his hand as he is delivering lines in front of a camera. Look him up on IMDB and you'll see he has more credits than many "actors".

On the night of the inaugural ball, Bat Out of Hell: Back Into Hell was not his most recent album, but singles from it were still making air time. Its biggest hit by far was "I'd Do Anything for Love, But I Won't Do That". A lot of critics didn't like this song. "The title's unwieldy" and "It's too long for radio play" were common complaints along with "What the heck is 'that' that he keeps yammering about for the song's entire 12 minutes?"

Well, the critics were wrong. The album itself went platinum, the song reached number 1 around the world, and also earned Meat Loaf a Grammy along the way. Not bad for someone sporting the same moniker of a much derided entree. So...you may be wondering, "Does Meat Loaf actually like meat loaf?" Nope. Dude's a vegetarian...

Rock-tober 03, 2015

There's this guy I've known for years named Kelvin, and he's an interesting character. According to him, his parents explained how his full name carried the weight of royalty: "Your first name is Kelvin, after Lord William Thomson Kelvin. Your middle name is Isaac, after Sir Isaac Newton. And your last name is Budd, after the 'King of Beers'." When I heard this, whatever I was drinking at the time was promptly expelled through my nose.

Years ago, I was on a trip with Kelvin and two other guys to Andros Island in the Bahamas to do some construction work. There are no direct flights to Andros so you get to Nassau any way you can and take a tiny puddle jumper over. Our puddle jumper flight was uneventful until we're far enough offshore to not see any land from horizon to horizon. That's when the navigation system failed. Being seated up front, I'm the first to see the flashing amber alarm. I nudge the pilot and point to the flashing light. He tries resetting it. No dice. He tries the backup system. No dice. Did I mention that Kelvin isn't a fan of flying? Kelvin, seated in the back of the plane, was now acutely aware of all the activity at the front of the plane. I heard him clearly over the loud drone of the plane's engine, "Oh, Lord, we're going down! This plane is gonna crash in flames! But we won't be forgotten. Our names will be remembered, and they'll sing songs about us!" This dude was preparing himself for a full on, effin' Viking funeral.

Well, you're reading this post so we obviously managed to find our way and land safely on Andros, but to this day we'll still remind Kelvin about his disappointment in missing out on a highly memorable death. Truth be told, I can't really blame him. There's a song that says, "It's better to burn out than to fade away," but that's another post. I just think there's a bit of viking in a lot of us. If done properly, you live your life to the absolute fullest and cash out like you just broke the bank at Monte Carlo. You go out in a blaze of glory.

"Blaze of Glory" was the first single off Jon Bon Jovi's first solo album, Blaze of Glory. The album hit Gold in the UK and 2x Platinum in the US. The single fared even better. It hit number 1 on multiple charts, won a Golden Globe and American Music Award, and was nominated for an Academy Award. More than that, it's a personal anthem for those determined to "not go gentle into that good night." I've got to remember to ask Kelvin if he has this album...

Rock-tober 02, 2015

In 2013, the first year I announced my intentions to do Rock-tober, Andrea rolled her eyes and muttered something along the lines of "Oh my word..." and got very cross whenever I mentioned her in a post. The second year I did Rock-tober, she actually became an active participant. When the epic month passed, she came over to the computer where I was plunking away at something, and the following conversation ensued:

Her: You know, I just realized you haven't written about Metallica yet.
Me: *furrows brow*
Me: *blinks rapidly*
Me: Um...Metallica? You know Metallica?
Her: Yeah. I've got a few of their songs on my phone.
Me: *blinks rapidly*
Me: Wait...you have Metallica songs...on your phone?
Me: *wipes away tear*

My work here is done.

So here's a question. What does Metallica, headbanging since 1981, winners of 9 Grammys, and already in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, have in common with Roger Whittaker, that folksy British version of John Denver?

When I was 6 or 7, my folks bought a "Best of" Roger Whittaker 8-track from a TV commercial. I eventually got hold of the cartridge and wound up playing it in endless rotation in my room. Sorry, modern MP3 players. You may think you're cool by looping my music, but 8-tracks beat you to it. As a result of this repetition, I became very familiar with Whittaker's playlist with one of my favorites being the Irish folk song, "Whiskey in the Jar".

Fast forward a few decades and I found myself at an Irish pub on St. Patrick's Day. After a series of typical Irish ditties, the live band launches into a familiar tune. I know it, but I've never heard it like this. It turns out they were channeling Metallica's take on "Whiskey in the Jar". I was mesmerized by the hard edged, "metallic" version of the song I used to fall asleep to as a kid, and I joined the drunken revelers singing the chorus at the top of my lungs. Andrea, who was with me, just rolled her eyes and muttered something along the lines of, "Oh my word...."

Rock-tober 01, 2015

So...here we are on October 1st. I assume you're here for that E-Ticket ride that is 31 straight days of glorious guitar riffs, driving drum beats, and vicious vocals known around the world as Rock-tober. Buckle up, boys and girls, and keep your hands and feet inside the car at all times because this ride is being kicked off by AC/DC.

But first...a digression. Recently, there's been a spate of birthdays among my high school classmates, and some have professed difficulties grappling with being on the back side of 40. I for one refuse to believe it's now a slow incessant march to that final curtain call. Who says our glory days are in the rear view mirror, that we're too far downstream to make a difference? Whoever it is better shut their yap before my size 12's become acquainted with their backside. History is chock full of folks who hit their stride later in life. That roll call includes the likes of Colonel Harlan Sanders to Thomas Edison, the undefeated Rocky Marciano to the automotive genius Ferdinand Porsche. Winston Churchill didn't step into Chamberlain's shoes until he was 65. Ghandi still held the world stage into his 70's. Jack Cover was 50 when he founded a company based on a non lethal weapon - the taser. Still not badass enough for you? Consider this, Leonidas I, King of Sparta, was 60 years old when he and his boys rocked the world and changed the course of history at a little place called Thermopylae. Any chance we can still change the world like that? Why the hell not?

Need a little more motivation? Well then, crank up the volume and let let this song be the temporary soundtrack to your life. "Rock 'n' Roll Train" comes off AC/DC's album, Black Ice, released in 2008. Yup. That's right. 2008. That's 33 years after their first album and 42 years after they started rocking the world in their own way. I don't know about you, but I find it very comforting to have one of the Old Guard of Rock and Roll still releasing new material in the new millennium. Stay tuned folks, our glory days are still in front of us.