Fly Like an Eagle

I was saddened by the recent passing of musician/artist Ric Ocasek of the band The Cars. Shortly after turning 13 during the summer of 1978, I bought The Cars' debut album – my second 33 rpm record. The album sat in the back seat of the car while shopping with my mom and warped from the hot sun. When I played it, the needle would bop over the bumps but it never skipped. Lesson learned. The first 33 rpm record I bought was Book of Dreams by The Steve Miller Band. It didn't contain the tune Fly Like an Eagle, but that song was one of my favorites at that time. Sometimes in life, we think bad things are happening to us, but in reality, the Universe is nudging us in another direction towards our true purpose and path, which will bring us more joy, fulfillment, and happiness. When we have the courage to look inward, dive deep, heal past wounds, follow our dreams and move on with gratitude, we are rewarded. We are then truly able to fly like an eagle and soar.


Fly Like an Eagle, The Steve Miller Band, 1976

Here are some Cars videos that will forever make my heart smile:

• Just What I Needed
• My Best Friend's Girl
• Danerous Type 
• Let's Go
• Candy-O
• Cruiser 
• All Mixed Up
• Bye Bye Love 
• Drive 
• Since You're Gone

Above are the first two albums I ever bought while a 7th grader.

beautiful Janis

Broadway came to the Cabot last night with A Night with Janis Joplin and it was better than great. Janis' spirit and voice took over the body of Mary Bridget Davies. Incredible. The show centers around Joplin telling stories of the singers who inspired her – from Bessie Smith, Odetta, The Chantels, Etta James and Aretha Franklin to Nina Simone. The four women who played these roles received many standing Os but what blew everyone away was the voice of Davies. My favorite scene was the character of Janis talking about cleaning the house with her siblings every Saturday while her mom blasted Broadway albums. These tunes influenced Janis deeply – Summertime from Porgy and Bess being one of them. She would then channel Joplin, belting out her renditions. If you're a Janis Joplin fan, you will loooooooove this show. Everything about it is fantastic: the performances, the band and the set with a balcony from where the "inspirations" sang. Prepare to be awed.

Naturally 7

I saw the most unique, inspiring and entertaining show at the intimate TCAN last night. Naturally 7 is a 7-person vocal band where no instruments are used. All sounds come from their mouths and it is mind-boggling. Beatboxing x10. I never wooooohooooooed so much in my life. Originally from NYC and together for 20 years, they've been traveling the world performing their thang to much delight. Besides original work, they sang familiar tunes from Englishman in New York to While My Guitar Gently Weeps with an incredible vocalized guitar solo. How he did that, I'd like to know. Two members are brothers and they talked about having no non-religious music in their home growing up except for 3 albums: a Glen Campbell album, a John Denver album and a Simon and Garfunkel album – then breaking into a melodious S&G medley. If these guys come to your area and you want your mind blown, see them. I laughed, I cried, it was better than Cats. What a way to start a new chapter in life! Once again, wooooooohoooooooooooo!

don't panic

I think there's more panic nowadays other than in Detroit. Here's
David Bowie discussing the throes of having long hair in 1964.


Panic in Detroit, 1973

Saturday morning dose of The Beatles

Paperback Writer and the B-side Rain were released in May 1966.

Shambala

While attending a wonderfully bizarre and galactified weekend retreat,
I could not get this song outta da head. How does your light shine?

Paul Simon on Sesame Street

Check out the cutie innocently upstaging Paul Simon in the 70s.


Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard, 1972


El Condor Pasa (If I Could), 1970

Sunday morning dose of 1964

The Beau Brummells perform on Shindig! I miss John Candy.

greetings from camp

Here are two tv appearances by Allan Sherman circa 1963.
Ahhhhhh, summer camp – sunshine, swimming and musty smells.

Do you smell that?!

While recently hanging out with friends, the song Popcorn came up and I was reminded of this post that makes me LMAO. Mmmmm... popcorn.

Saturday morning dose of Shindig!

Howdy Hi Shindiggers! Here's a montage of The Dave Clark Five.
Check out their induction into The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

have another hit...

...of fresh air. Put on your hippie beads, stick some flowers in your hair and get outside, damn it! Quicksilver Messenger Service perform their 1970 tune Fresh Air. Oooooooooooooooooooooooooooo.

less is more

Enjoy bike riding and camping? This groovy camper may be for you.

Blue Monday

This superb rendition of Blue Monday is too cool for school.


This is the original by New Order from 1983.

Grabbing hands grab all they can

Depeche Mode perform on the Italian tv show Superflash in 1983. Everything counts in large amounts. Oink, oink. That was awkward.

The Fab Faux

I've never been to The Wilbur Theatre until last night and I loved it. For the first time ever, I sat in loge seating and I'm hooked. Click on pic to see view. A splendid birthday present took me to see The Fab Faux and I'm hooked again. This tremendous group performed Beatles '65 (one of my Christmas presents in the 10th grade) and the 1968 album The Beatles, aka "The White Album." When they polled for repeat customers, most of the audience cheered and I know why. This band is incredibly talented. When the drummer came forward to sing, another member took over on drums. The drummer sang often and his rendition of Julia brought tears to my eyes. Gorgeouso! Lots of peeps knew every word to every song and didn't hold back. Screaming the lyrics to I Feel Fine from my perch was heaven. Since taking photos was grounds for expulsion, I waited 'til the end. I was naughty I know. If The Beatles are your thang, you will dig, dig, dig this show. Fun, fun, fun!

Peter Wolf

I never enjoyed large-arena concerts. Seeing incredible acts in an intimate setting does it for me. I finally saw Peter Wolf of the J. Geils Band at the fantastic TCAN last night with his fabulous band The Midnight Travelers. One of my faves putting on a great show 15 feet in front of me! I was naughty and snapped a pic. Got caught but it was worth it. From the start he had the audience clapping, singing, shouting, laughing and smiling. The segues between songs were superb with Wolf's splendid "woofa goofa" speak. When a woman sauntered up to the stage and hilariously gyrated for him, he sang to her. Music can take you right back to an emotion, memory or specific time in your life and I was time-traveling all over the place while hearing Just Can't Wait and the Full House tunes. Whooooooooooaaaaaahhhhh! Thanks, Peter!

The Groove Line

Heatwave's The Groove Line WAS the 7th grade for me.





The fantastic drummer, above, said this about the song: I remember vividly when this song came out and I played drums to it with the 45 rpm record over and over until I got blisters. I wore the record out.

Man, those colors

We deal with heavy shit at times, but if you can still laugh and try not to take yourself too seriously, groovy. Skimming through videos from past eras that give me a chuckle helps to do that. While watching, I'll often think about how old the people in my life were at that time. For instance, this clip is from 1947. My mom was in nursing school and my parents were dating. Was this how it was when my parents got a malted? Bummer about the music but the colors are blowing me away.

I've never seen a color photo of my parents
before the 1960s. My mom would show me a
photo and tell me what color her clothing was
in the picture, but I just saw black and white.
After my mom graduated from nursing school in
1948, she and her school friends rented cottages
at Hampton Beach in New Hampshire. My dad
and his buddies went up to visit. My parents loved
to dance and were good at it. I'm sure they did
a lot of jitterbuggin' at the ballroom there.

My mom told me that her bathing suit in this picture was bright red.

My parents are front and center in July 1949 on their honeymoon drive to Canada. Click to make big. It was taken at The Allen "A" Camp on Lake Winnipesaukee in Wolfeboro, New Hampshire while watching fireworks. They stayed in a little cottage. Where's the snuggling?

hold me, love me

I received this book for Christmas when I was 15. Most of what I learned about The Beatles came from reading this book and looking at the pics. I used to only imagine the experience that was Beatlemania.

Now with the web, we have so much info available instantly. What I only read in books I can now see. This video of their 1965 Shea Stadium concert really displays Beatlemania for those who weren't present. I truly believe they came at the right time – just after JFK's death. They helped a lot of people cope with their pent-up pain and anquish. Yay!

A dad can't deal with his kids freaking out. Imagine the energy.


Eight Days A Week complete with wonderful imperfections. Watch how the smallest girl cries to the rhythm of the song. You're welcome.

I beg your pardon?

I vaguely remember being four-years-old but I definitely remember being five. I would get lost in music as a kid, especially in the car. One of the first songs I remember loving was Rose Garden by Lynn Anderson. She even appeared on Top of the Pops in Britain. Don't you love when the live performance sounds like the record? Check out the audio from this Top of the Pops version. You can hear the studio audience. I'm in love with that thumping bass.

White-suit man is dancing Elaine. A full-body dry heave to music.

The Everly Brothers

Every once in a while my soul craves the harmonious and beautiful sounds of Don and Phil. Learn about their influence in only 3 minutes.

first ladies of the bass

As 14-year-olds, my best friend and I practically wore out his Talking Heads: 77 album. Those songs had a huge influence on me. There's something about art students who rock out. Hello, John Lennon.

Here are two videos of prolific bassists Tina Weymouth and Carol Kaye (The Wrecking Crew). I never realized how many tv themes Kaye was involved in. The Brady Bunch? I just looooooooove the bass!

A smattering of tunes by The Talking Heads and Tom Tom Club:

• Psycho Killer
• Don't Worry About the Government
• The Book I Read
• Life During Wartime
• This Must Be The Place
• This Must Be The Place - live
• Road to Nowhere 
• And She Was 
• Girlfriend is Better
• Genius of Love
• Wordy Rappinghood - the story
• Wordy Rappinghood - tv show 
• Wordy Rappinghood - video
• Pleasure of Love

Except for the extremely annoying audio breaks, if you're a rock and roll history buff, you'll find this documentary hosted by Weymouth very fascinating. It's all about the bass. Boing! Boing! Boing! Boing!

roller rinks

During my early teens, the roller rink in the next town was one of my favorite haunts. Rollerskating AND blasting music? Okay.

My aunt and uncle met at The Wal-Lex in Waltham, Massachusetts in the early 1950s. At that time, organists supplied the music.

Jones Beach on Long Island, NY had an outdoor rink in the 50s.



I find the above video very soothing – like looking at a fish tank. Now I'm jonesing to put on some skates and head to Boogie Wonderland.