This has happened before. The day AFTER I finished writing my latest Kindle e-book, THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE, I woke up that morning and things started popping into my head that SHOULD have been in the book. And I thought I was finished. (Actually, I just wanted the thing out of the house.) Same thing happened with my first e-book, the record-store memoir GUARANTEED GREAT MUSIC!
If any of the following interests or amuses you, you should see what's IN the book....
My wife Cyndi had this theory about the Beatles' ABBEY ROAD album. She thought it was a comedy record -- that all the songs connected together and commented on each other. That Mean Mr. Mustard and Polythene Pam on Side 2 were planning to climb out the Bathroom Window and go live with Ringo in his Octopus's Garden over on Side 1. That Ol' Flat Top and the Walrus in "Come Together" were gonna help Carry That Weight, but they couldn't because She's So Heavy. Or something like that. Oh, Darling....
This infuriated me. Because I didn't want to see an album I loved turned into a comedy farce by a no-nothing non-Beatles fan -- and especially not the perfect, symphonic second side of ABBEY ROAD.
Cyndi always threatened to write-up her bizarre theory, but she never did. Thank Ghod. It probably would have sent me into a screaming fit.
Or it would have been one of the best, funniest pieces of rock criticism ever.
That probably would have been WORSE....
You couldn't avoid country music in Moreland. With only six radio stations in Wyoming's Big Horn Basin and five of them country stations, a certain tolerance for country was required.
Cyndi got me hooked on some country singers, especially the women -- Mary-Chapin Carpenter, Pam Tillis, Trisha Yearwood, Wynonna. I liked Travis Tritt's "T-R-O-U-B-L-E," and the more rockin' stuff by Dwight Yoakam: "A Thousand Miles from Nowhere," "I Ain't That Lonely Yet," "As Fast as You."
But the women were amazing. Mary-Chapin Carpenter's COME ON COME ON was one of the great albums of its year. Trisha Yearwood didn't do much for me at first, 'til I was sucked in by "Wrong Side of Memphis" and Emmylou Harris's mournful "Woman Walk the Line." Then later Trisha got me with "She's in Love With the Boy," "X's and O's" and "Thinkin' About You."
Pam Tillis had a gorgeous voice and a great band. I couldn't understand why "When You Walk in the Room" wasn't a huge hit. Or "Melancholy Child." Or "Homeward Looking Angel."
But Mary-Chapin Carpenter was IT. Whenever I played "Passionate Kisses" I thought of Deb -- it was her theme song. It summed-up what I hoped, dreamed, fantasized. And I played it a LOT.
A molar on the lower right side of my mouth went bad -- started keeping me up all night in pain. I couldn't eat, I couldn't sleep, I could barely work or function at all. I asked my co-workers at the paper who was the best, cheapest dentist in town. I hated dentists.
When I called him -- in mid-February -- his receptionist said they might be able to fit me in around May. I said I'd be dead by then. I begged. I pleaded.
Finally she said come on in and wait in the lobby, and maybe they could squeeze me in somewhere. I mumbled my thanks.
I went in, and they got me into the doc's in 45 minutes. I begged him to pull my bad tooth, just rip it out of there.
"Oh, we don't want to do that if we can save it," he said.
"Sure," I said, "but how much? I'm not a rich man."
"Oh, I think we can do it fairly cheaply...."
He went to work, did a root canal on the bad tooth, built a new surface for it, got me out of pain, and never caused any further pain.
But the meter was always running. The root canal and repair job ended up costing $2,000. A quick extraction would only have cost me $200.
Another reason why I hate dentists....
There was a low-level bass tone that hung over the town. You could hear it especially well at night -- just a constant low-level hum, hovering behind everything. It never went away. You could hear it best on really cold winter nights. I could never figure out where it came from, and I could never hear it during the day.
Moreland had lots of possibilities for what big industry created the tone. The sugar-beet processing plant? The Pepsi bottling plant? The Crown aluminum-can manufacturing plant? They all ran 24/7. Could have been any of them. I never found out which one, and nobody else ever mentioned hearing the tone. But it was always there at night.
The Pepsi plant was a block down the street from the newspaper office, but you couldn't hear the tone there, not even late at night when I got off work.
But it was always there. I always wondered how many other people around town were laying in bed, listening to the hummmmmm....
Showing posts with label advertising. Show all posts
Showing posts with label advertising. Show all posts
Saturday, September 13, 2014
Monday, August 18, 2014
Freebie
My newspaper-memoir e-book THE CONFESSOR is available FREE up through Aug. 22 at Amazon.com's Kindle Store. Just punch in the book's title and it should come right up.
Hopefully you'll find it's worth more than 3 stars -- I think there's some good laughs and some wild stories in it. See what YOU think.
And you can thank me later.
My newspaper-novel e-book THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE is almost finished -- I just have to proofread the whole thing. I'm hoping to have it out by Aug. 21, but I can't guarantee it. It looks like this monster is at least 220 pages long....
I'm also shocked to announce -- to those of you who've read THE CONFESSOR -- that 90-percent of this new book is brand NEW stuff about the newspaper business that I didn't know I still had in me -- the wildest, funniest stories about 10 years of living as a newspaper guy in small towns. I PROMISE it won't be recycled crap you've (maybe) already read.
More soon. Hopefully next time I'll have a brand-new e-book to announce....
Hopefully you'll find it's worth more than 3 stars -- I think there's some good laughs and some wild stories in it. See what YOU think.
And you can thank me later.
My newspaper-novel e-book THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE is almost finished -- I just have to proofread the whole thing. I'm hoping to have it out by Aug. 21, but I can't guarantee it. It looks like this monster is at least 220 pages long....
I'm also shocked to announce -- to those of you who've read THE CONFESSOR -- that 90-percent of this new book is brand NEW stuff about the newspaper business that I didn't know I still had in me -- the wildest, funniest stories about 10 years of living as a newspaper guy in small towns. I PROMISE it won't be recycled crap you've (maybe) already read.
More soon. Hopefully next time I'll have a brand-new e-book to announce....
Monday, February 17, 2014
#737: More writing projects....
"Well I know it sounds funny, but I'm not in it for the money, no...."
Hey there. This is probably going to sound boring and self-serving of me, but I'm still writing my ass off Out Here every chance I get. I would LOVE to be writing fiction, short stories, novels -- but non-fiction and memoirs are the only things that seem to Want to Come Out, so....
* Am currently halfway through proofreading a memoir about growing-up in Idaho with my wild-ass older step-brother -- the book is called BROTHERS. I hit some of the main points of this story in a post here a couple years back called "My Brother From Another Mother" -- look it up if you feel brave. One of my Faithful Readers Out There has been waiting to read The Rest Of This Story for more than 30 years....
You can trust that this tale will feature all the Drama and Angst you probably remember from back when you were a teenager -- no matter how hard you've tried to block it all out. Or was that just me?
Once I've made sure the basic story's all in English, I feel like all I gotta do is call up my step-brother back in Michigan -- who I haven't talked to since 1975 -- and see if he still remembers who the hell I am. Then I'll see if he wants to talk. And if he doesn't ... that won't surprise me too much either.
The eight months covered by this memoir will include the first time I ever got REALLY close to girls(!), the first time I ever smoked pot, the first time I ever committed petty theft ... should be fun. I'll keep you posted as I get closer to getting it finished.
* Am about halfway through LISTEN TO THIS!: TAD'S GUIDE TO STRANGE MUSIC. Have gotten a lot of reviews written -- more than 100 artists included, more than 500 albums mentioned.
But it's disappointing me. So far, it doesn't seem DIFFERENT ENOUGH from some other music guides out there. So I'm re-thinking my approach. By the time I'm done, it might read more like a bunch of blog posts or nostalgia pieces rather than a book of record reviews -- and that's fine with me. Might as well explain HOW I stumbled over Yes and Genesis and Renaissance back-asswardly from everybody else, WHY I have problems with Peter Gabriel's voice, etc. Plus I have some listening gaps I'd like to fill in before the book's done. So that's in the works....
* Also have that Rock Group Novel cooking, but other than some minor additions I made while I bashed it all into the World's Smallest Laptop, I don't think I've added more than 500 NEW words to it in the last month or so. I'm still not sure where it's headed. So that might be a dead end. I'll still be looking at it....
* Also, while unable to sleep a couple nights ago, I finally decided that it's time to pull together a GAS NAZI! book. That will take the most outrageous stuff from my GAS NAZI! blog and add a TON more outrageous Real Life stories that have never been published anywhere before. I sat down on Sunday and bashed-up off the top of my head a couple pages' worth of notes and incidents that should be included in the book, so I don't think I'm gonna have too much trouble pulling that one together.... Besides, I've been on the job for 10 years -- what better way to mark it?
All of these will probably end up as Kindle e-books available through Amazon.com's Kindle Store -- so if you've got a Kindle, or a Kindle app for your iPad or whatever (I'm REALLY low-tech), I hope you'll watch for them and help your local struggling hack writer build up a few extra $$$ toward his retirement.
While you're waiting, my record-store memoir GUARANTEED GREAT MUSIC! is still available at Amazon.com, along with its playlist/companion RECORD STORE DAZE -- which should have been part of GGM, except that I was an idiot. Both those are available for $2.99. I think GGM is worth much more -- and so do those two folks who have reviewed GGM so far at Amazon. And one of those reviews I didn't even PAY for! Hahahahahaha.... Hmmm, tough crowd....
But the BIG news is -- you can get a copy of my newspaper-career memoir, THE CONFESSOR, for FREE through Feb. 21, just by punching-in the title at Amazon's Kindle Store -- just like, my Ghod, 45 people already have as of 7 p.m. Monday. Or you can punch in my Real Name -- which is Tracy Deaton -- and you can call up all the stuff that's out there with my name on it. I don't make any money on the freebies, but I just wanna get the book out there and see what people think....
This is really shameless, and I apologize for that. But there's a reason I'm not blogging so much anymore, and this is it.
Besides, to be a little too honest, ever since my best friend Don Vincent died unexpectedly a couple of years ago, I've felt like The Clock Is Running, and I need to Get Some Work Done. I plan to be around for a long time -- I feel better than I have in years -- but you know what Motivation can be like....
Too bad I couldn't have done this stuff in my 20's or 30's....
Hey there. This is probably going to sound boring and self-serving of me, but I'm still writing my ass off Out Here every chance I get. I would LOVE to be writing fiction, short stories, novels -- but non-fiction and memoirs are the only things that seem to Want to Come Out, so....
* Am currently halfway through proofreading a memoir about growing-up in Idaho with my wild-ass older step-brother -- the book is called BROTHERS. I hit some of the main points of this story in a post here a couple years back called "My Brother From Another Mother" -- look it up if you feel brave. One of my Faithful Readers Out There has been waiting to read The Rest Of This Story for more than 30 years....
You can trust that this tale will feature all the Drama and Angst you probably remember from back when you were a teenager -- no matter how hard you've tried to block it all out. Or was that just me?
Once I've made sure the basic story's all in English, I feel like all I gotta do is call up my step-brother back in Michigan -- who I haven't talked to since 1975 -- and see if he still remembers who the hell I am. Then I'll see if he wants to talk. And if he doesn't ... that won't surprise me too much either.
The eight months covered by this memoir will include the first time I ever got REALLY close to girls(!), the first time I ever smoked pot, the first time I ever committed petty theft ... should be fun. I'll keep you posted as I get closer to getting it finished.
* Am about halfway through LISTEN TO THIS!: TAD'S GUIDE TO STRANGE MUSIC. Have gotten a lot of reviews written -- more than 100 artists included, more than 500 albums mentioned.
But it's disappointing me. So far, it doesn't seem DIFFERENT ENOUGH from some other music guides out there. So I'm re-thinking my approach. By the time I'm done, it might read more like a bunch of blog posts or nostalgia pieces rather than a book of record reviews -- and that's fine with me. Might as well explain HOW I stumbled over Yes and Genesis and Renaissance back-asswardly from everybody else, WHY I have problems with Peter Gabriel's voice, etc. Plus I have some listening gaps I'd like to fill in before the book's done. So that's in the works....
* Also have that Rock Group Novel cooking, but other than some minor additions I made while I bashed it all into the World's Smallest Laptop, I don't think I've added more than 500 NEW words to it in the last month or so. I'm still not sure where it's headed. So that might be a dead end. I'll still be looking at it....
* Also, while unable to sleep a couple nights ago, I finally decided that it's time to pull together a GAS NAZI! book. That will take the most outrageous stuff from my GAS NAZI! blog and add a TON more outrageous Real Life stories that have never been published anywhere before. I sat down on Sunday and bashed-up off the top of my head a couple pages' worth of notes and incidents that should be included in the book, so I don't think I'm gonna have too much trouble pulling that one together.... Besides, I've been on the job for 10 years -- what better way to mark it?
All of these will probably end up as Kindle e-books available through Amazon.com's Kindle Store -- so if you've got a Kindle, or a Kindle app for your iPad or whatever (I'm REALLY low-tech), I hope you'll watch for them and help your local struggling hack writer build up a few extra $$$ toward his retirement.
While you're waiting, my record-store memoir GUARANTEED GREAT MUSIC! is still available at Amazon.com, along with its playlist/companion RECORD STORE DAZE -- which should have been part of GGM, except that I was an idiot. Both those are available for $2.99. I think GGM is worth much more -- and so do those two folks who have reviewed GGM so far at Amazon. And one of those reviews I didn't even PAY for! Hahahahahaha.... Hmmm, tough crowd....
But the BIG news is -- you can get a copy of my newspaper-career memoir, THE CONFESSOR, for FREE through Feb. 21, just by punching-in the title at Amazon's Kindle Store -- just like, my Ghod, 45 people already have as of 7 p.m. Monday. Or you can punch in my Real Name -- which is Tracy Deaton -- and you can call up all the stuff that's out there with my name on it. I don't make any money on the freebies, but I just wanna get the book out there and see what people think....
This is really shameless, and I apologize for that. But there's a reason I'm not blogging so much anymore, and this is it.
Besides, to be a little too honest, ever since my best friend Don Vincent died unexpectedly a couple of years ago, I've felt like The Clock Is Running, and I need to Get Some Work Done. I plan to be around for a long time -- I feel better than I have in years -- but you know what Motivation can be like....
Too bad I couldn't have done this stuff in my 20's or 30's....
Monday, December 16, 2013
#730: Christmas presents
Good Ghod -- my newspaper-career memoir, THE CONFESSOR, is almost done at 63,000 words/about 200 pages, just a little longer than my last book. I've written 25,000 words in the last week. I don't know why all this stuff is coming out so fast but I'm not going to question it.
All I have to do now is proofread the thing, which I started doing tonight. I think the first section -- about my experiences at journalism school -- is vivid and funny. I'm hoping I can keep it up.
Might take a few days to proofread, add a little, drop a little, dot the T's and cross the I's, etc. But at this rate, the book might be out for y'all to look over at Amazon.com's Kindle Store by Christmas. I'm hoping so.
Also: From Dec. 21 through Christmas Day, my first e-book, GUARANTEED GREAT MUSIC!, will be available FREE at Amazon's Kindle Store. You can already download the first 20 pages for FREE there right now and see what you think.
Right now, I'd be happy if a few more people read the book and let me know what they thought.
Speaking of which, my hat's off to Tim Breshears, who posted his review of GGM at Amazon.com. Four stars! I'm grateful -- I owe you a dinner, Tim.
Help your friendly local aging hack writer plan for his imminent Retirement -- buy a copy of GUARANTEED GREAT MUSIC! for Kindle for Christmas. And if THE CONFESSOR just happens to be there too by then, what the hey...?
I'm going to continue to give this stuff away for $2.99. Except for the freebies, of course.
Hey, BTW -- Rastro is BACK, doing his thoughtful music-reviewing thing at La Historia de la Musica Rock. He's posted a couple reviews in the past week, some of his picks for best albums of the year, and he says there's more coming. Check him out, rejoice and enjoy. We've missed you, buddy....
We all know the most overplayed Christmas songs -- we hear them to death every year at this time. But the folks at the syndicated music-news-and-reviews radio show SOUND OPINIONS played some great obscure Christmas songs during last Sunday night's show, hope you caught them.
Practically everything they played was great -- especially Cheap Trick's "Come On, Christmas," Slade's "Merry Xmas Everybody," and The Ramones' "Christmas Night (I Don't Want to Fight)."
But their expert's pick for greatest Christmas song ever was The Kinks' 1977 classic "Father Christmas" -- which really is freakin' awesome -- you'll be singing along with the choruses by the end, and there's some great guitar from Dave Davies. It sounded just slightly familiar, like I may have heard it once years ago....
SOUND OPINIONS has been doing some great stuff the past few months. See if you can track them down in your area. Here, they air every Sunday night at 10 p.m. on KUOW, 90.7 FM, the University of Washington's radio station. Or you can check them out at soundopinions.org/.
Happy holidays....
All I have to do now is proofread the thing, which I started doing tonight. I think the first section -- about my experiences at journalism school -- is vivid and funny. I'm hoping I can keep it up.
Might take a few days to proofread, add a little, drop a little, dot the T's and cross the I's, etc. But at this rate, the book might be out for y'all to look over at Amazon.com's Kindle Store by Christmas. I'm hoping so.
Also: From Dec. 21 through Christmas Day, my first e-book, GUARANTEED GREAT MUSIC!, will be available FREE at Amazon's Kindle Store. You can already download the first 20 pages for FREE there right now and see what you think.
Right now, I'd be happy if a few more people read the book and let me know what they thought.
Speaking of which, my hat's off to Tim Breshears, who posted his review of GGM at Amazon.com. Four stars! I'm grateful -- I owe you a dinner, Tim.
Help your friendly local aging hack writer plan for his imminent Retirement -- buy a copy of GUARANTEED GREAT MUSIC! for Kindle for Christmas. And if THE CONFESSOR just happens to be there too by then, what the hey...?
I'm going to continue to give this stuff away for $2.99. Except for the freebies, of course.
Hey, BTW -- Rastro is BACK, doing his thoughtful music-reviewing thing at La Historia de la Musica Rock. He's posted a couple reviews in the past week, some of his picks for best albums of the year, and he says there's more coming. Check him out, rejoice and enjoy. We've missed you, buddy....
We all know the most overplayed Christmas songs -- we hear them to death every year at this time. But the folks at the syndicated music-news-and-reviews radio show SOUND OPINIONS played some great obscure Christmas songs during last Sunday night's show, hope you caught them.
Practically everything they played was great -- especially Cheap Trick's "Come On, Christmas," Slade's "Merry Xmas Everybody," and The Ramones' "Christmas Night (I Don't Want to Fight)."
But their expert's pick for greatest Christmas song ever was The Kinks' 1977 classic "Father Christmas" -- which really is freakin' awesome -- you'll be singing along with the choruses by the end, and there's some great guitar from Dave Davies. It sounded just slightly familiar, like I may have heard it once years ago....
SOUND OPINIONS has been doing some great stuff the past few months. See if you can track them down in your area. Here, they air every Sunday night at 10 p.m. on KUOW, 90.7 FM, the University of Washington's radio station. Or you can check them out at soundopinions.org/.
Happy holidays....
Saturday, December 7, 2013
#728: A thin writing life....
I owe British science-fiction writer Brian Aldiss for showing me how I could pull a memoir together through reading his first book, THE BRIGHTFOUNT DIARIES (1955), which I read back in August. Right after I finished it, the light bulb went on over my head and I started on my record-store memoir GUARANTEED GREAT MUSIC!
But I have to report that Aldiss's own writing-life memoir, BURY MY HEART AT W.H. SMITH'S (1990) is thin and disappointing. You can probably tell how compelling it was, because it took me three months to get through 190 pages. Of course I was doing other things, too....
There's some more detail here about Aldiss's younger days, how he ended up writing BRIGHTFOUNT, and what happened after. There's some detail about writing his early novels which made him a big name in '60s science fiction. His first Hugo Award from SF readers came as a totally unexpected surprise through the mail -- and was left at his door all wrapped-up like a lamp or a table-leg.
There's good stuff on how Aldiss wrote his "anti-novel" REPORT ON PROBABILITY A, which sat for nearly a decade before anyone would publish it -- and about his late-'60s "new wave" "acid-head war" novel BAREFOOT IN THE HEAD.
He touches on some more of his books along the way -- he's written a whole shelf full since the late '50s. It would probably help if I'd actually READ some of these -- there's a big section on his three-book HELLICONIA series.
But all I've read by Aldiss is BRIGHTFOUNT, his excellent SF overview TRILLION YEAR SPREE (and its predecessor BILLION YEAR SPREE), and a short story or two.
Throughout, Aldiss is witty, chatty, pleasant -- but BURY MY HEART reads very much like notes he jotted down while between writing projects, and he says so while he's writing it. There's not a whole lot of depth here. Aldiss admits he doesn't know precisely what it is that keeps him writing. But more of the depth he showed in TRILLION YEAR SPREE would have done this book some good.
It's light and fun and witty -- OK reading while you're munching on lunch, maybe. Something to pass the time. But it's pretty surfacey....
...Meanwhile, if you have a Kindle, you can now download the first 20 pages of my record-store memoir GUARANTEED GREAT MUSIC! for FREE at Amazon.com's Kindle Store. Hopefully, this will entice some of You Out There to give the rest of the book a try. I think it's worth the $2.99 for the whole package. If you've enjoyed any of the music reviews or nostalgia pieces I've posted here, I think you'll have a pretty good time.
And work on the NEXT book is continuing....
More soon...!
But I have to report that Aldiss's own writing-life memoir, BURY MY HEART AT W.H. SMITH'S (1990) is thin and disappointing. You can probably tell how compelling it was, because it took me three months to get through 190 pages. Of course I was doing other things, too....
There's some more detail here about Aldiss's younger days, how he ended up writing BRIGHTFOUNT, and what happened after. There's some detail about writing his early novels which made him a big name in '60s science fiction. His first Hugo Award from SF readers came as a totally unexpected surprise through the mail -- and was left at his door all wrapped-up like a lamp or a table-leg.
There's good stuff on how Aldiss wrote his "anti-novel" REPORT ON PROBABILITY A, which sat for nearly a decade before anyone would publish it -- and about his late-'60s "new wave" "acid-head war" novel BAREFOOT IN THE HEAD.
He touches on some more of his books along the way -- he's written a whole shelf full since the late '50s. It would probably help if I'd actually READ some of these -- there's a big section on his three-book HELLICONIA series.
But all I've read by Aldiss is BRIGHTFOUNT, his excellent SF overview TRILLION YEAR SPREE (and its predecessor BILLION YEAR SPREE), and a short story or two.
Throughout, Aldiss is witty, chatty, pleasant -- but BURY MY HEART reads very much like notes he jotted down while between writing projects, and he says so while he's writing it. There's not a whole lot of depth here. Aldiss admits he doesn't know precisely what it is that keeps him writing. But more of the depth he showed in TRILLION YEAR SPREE would have done this book some good.
It's light and fun and witty -- OK reading while you're munching on lunch, maybe. Something to pass the time. But it's pretty surfacey....
...Meanwhile, if you have a Kindle, you can now download the first 20 pages of my record-store memoir GUARANTEED GREAT MUSIC! for FREE at Amazon.com's Kindle Store. Hopefully, this will entice some of You Out There to give the rest of the book a try. I think it's worth the $2.99 for the whole package. If you've enjoyed any of the music reviews or nostalgia pieces I've posted here, I think you'll have a pretty good time.
And work on the NEXT book is continuing....
More soon...!
Tuesday, November 26, 2013
#726: Book 2
I'm 18,000 words/somewhere around 40 pages into a new book, another memoir -- this time about the 20 years I wasted in the newspaper-reporting business -- to be called THE CONFESSOR. Don't know if anybody will care, my last book ain't exactly makin' me RICH, but what the hell -- I've got to get this stuff down while I can still remember it.
The problem this time will not be GETTING to 60,000 words/200 pages -- the problem will be keeping the book from getting too long for anyone to bother reading. I've got a lot of great/outrageous stories to cram in there -- only a couple of which you've seen here.
Just as in my last book, there will be a ton of embarrassing personal details to show what a putz I was back in the day -- and still am. You all know I have no shame.
I'll keep you posted on how this goes. So far I'm up through about 1988, most of the way through my second Air Force assignment and first REAL AF base-newspaper experience. Should be a scream when I'm finally finished.
So far the writing hasn't been tough -- couple days in a row I've cranked-out around 6,000 words. Again, the problem's going to be eventually deciding which details to DROP OUT so readers will be able to actually get through the book while they're still young.
This book-writing stuff's become as compulsive for me as blogging, and way easier than I expected -- and it's too late to turn back now....
Meanwhile, my record-store memoir GUARANTEED GREAT MUSIC! has sold a massive four copies, and the playlist that goes with it, RECORD STORE DAZE, was snapped up by 50 folks when it was available free a couple weeks back.
Both are still available at Amazon.com's Kindle Store for $2.99. In the spirit of the season, those of you Out There who are as broke as I am will want to know that more sale deals are Coming Soon. I'll keep you posted....
Also recently had pop into my head another song that should have been in the playlist and isn't, 999's "Inside Out," which I haven't heard in almost 35 years. As I remember, the choruses were pretty great -- driving New Wave/Punk Rock -- but I can't remember anything about the verses. The album it's from, THE BIGGEST PRIZE IN SPORT, IS included in the playlist, so I didn't completely blow this one....
A new post about Split Enz's great overlooked 1981 album WAIATA will be posted soon at Guaranteed Great Music!, along with reviews of some "one-sided wonders" like Spider, The Records, Tarney/Spencer Band, New England, Holly and the Italians, and etc., and that will all be coming along soon.
But right now I've got to take a break and warm up. It's 35 degrees and foggy outside, the house has no central heat, and my fingers are about to turn blue and break off. More eventually....
The problem this time will not be GETTING to 60,000 words/200 pages -- the problem will be keeping the book from getting too long for anyone to bother reading. I've got a lot of great/outrageous stories to cram in there -- only a couple of which you've seen here.
Just as in my last book, there will be a ton of embarrassing personal details to show what a putz I was back in the day -- and still am. You all know I have no shame.
I'll keep you posted on how this goes. So far I'm up through about 1988, most of the way through my second Air Force assignment and first REAL AF base-newspaper experience. Should be a scream when I'm finally finished.
So far the writing hasn't been tough -- couple days in a row I've cranked-out around 6,000 words. Again, the problem's going to be eventually deciding which details to DROP OUT so readers will be able to actually get through the book while they're still young.
This book-writing stuff's become as compulsive for me as blogging, and way easier than I expected -- and it's too late to turn back now....
Meanwhile, my record-store memoir GUARANTEED GREAT MUSIC! has sold a massive four copies, and the playlist that goes with it, RECORD STORE DAZE, was snapped up by 50 folks when it was available free a couple weeks back.
Both are still available at Amazon.com's Kindle Store for $2.99. In the spirit of the season, those of you Out There who are as broke as I am will want to know that more sale deals are Coming Soon. I'll keep you posted....
Also recently had pop into my head another song that should have been in the playlist and isn't, 999's "Inside Out," which I haven't heard in almost 35 years. As I remember, the choruses were pretty great -- driving New Wave/Punk Rock -- but I can't remember anything about the verses. The album it's from, THE BIGGEST PRIZE IN SPORT, IS included in the playlist, so I didn't completely blow this one....
A new post about Split Enz's great overlooked 1981 album WAIATA will be posted soon at Guaranteed Great Music!, along with reviews of some "one-sided wonders" like Spider, The Records, Tarney/Spencer Band, New England, Holly and the Italians, and etc., and that will all be coming along soon.
But right now I've got to take a break and warm up. It's 35 degrees and foggy outside, the house has no central heat, and my fingers are about to turn blue and break off. More eventually....
Sunday, November 17, 2013
#724: A few new additions....
Hey there. Been doing most of my on-line writing lately over at Guaranteed Great Music!, where there are 4 posts up so far with more coming soon.
Posts so far include a little bit about my book, some of the stuff I forgot to get into the book, a dozen items I somehow left out of the playlist/discography that goes with the book, and one album review (of The Shoes' great PRESENT TENSE). Coming soon will be reviews of albums by Split Enz, Spider, The Records, The Headboys, Tarney/Spencer Band, New England, Grace Slick, Group 87, Sky, and many more overlooked albums from back in the day.
As of 17 November, 39 folks have picked up free copies of RECORD STORE DAZE, my 20-page detailed record-store-era playlist, and that's flattering. But only three folks have bought copies of my 190-page record-store memoir GUARANTEED GREAT MUSIC!, which I think is the more important part. If you think the playlist is intriguing, please check out the real book, available now at Amazon.com's Kindle Store for a measly $2.99 -- where you'll get the stories BEHIND the playlist....
I'm already started on my next book, which I hope will be a longer memoir about the 20 years I wasted in the newspaper-reporting business. I'm already 4,000 words into it, and I'm aiming to call it THE CONFESSOR. I'll keep you posted....
Meanwhile, on my last "weekend," I hit my favorite local second-hand store, Jen's Attic in Bremerton, and scooped up a few things. On vinyl I grabbed Cream's HEAVY CREAM best-of (so I can hear "Deserted Cities of the Heart" and "Those Were the Days" again -- and "Badge," of course), Dave Edmunds' TWANGIN', Teena Marie's STARCHILD (is this her album with all the heavy guitars on it? Hope so), and Van Morrison's SAINT DOMINIC'S PREVIEW.
Looked at Lou Reed's NEW YORK so I could get some idea what all the fuss about him was, but it was warped BAD. So he'll have to wait 'til later.
Haven't had a chance to test-out any of these yet.
On CD I was able to score some stuff I've wanted to get in the house for years, like the Eagles' "Outlaw Man" and Paula Abdul's "Blowing Kisses in the Wind." Hadn't heard "Outlaw Man" since about 1974, and it still sounds great, not a letdown at all. And I don't even like the Eagles much....
Also grabbed Split Enz's HISTORY NEVER REPEATS best-of, for the title song and "Hard Act to Follow," "Six Months in a Leaky Boat," "Message to My Girl," "I Hope I Never," and the cosmically silly classic "Poor Boy."
Also bagged Don Henley's ACTUAL MILES best-of, mainly for "The Heart of the Matter," which strikes me as the most human thing he's ever done. Though it's a little long, I love The Message. Always was a sucker for his "Boys of Summer." And when I'm in a really grumpy mood I almost like "Dirty Laundry," the theme song for reporters and former-reporters all over the world. Other than those, I never liked Henley that much....
Also: Bruce Springsteen's best-of, for "Brilliant Disguise" and "Born to Run" of course, and "Born in the USA" and "Dancing in the Dark." Just one question: Why isn't the marvelous "Rosalita" on here?
Oh, also grabbed ... SOME old Garth Brooks CD, just so I can hear the great "Ireland" again.
I've been inflicting all of these on customers at work ever since. Junior Walker and Booker T and the Temptations and Stevie Wonder and old Motown hits are still working too, and getting good responses from customers. Plus they keep me moving on nights when I'm draggin', which is most nights....
Hey, my thanks to Crabby, who put up a link to my e-book at his blog, RS Crabb's Music Review and Top Ten Site. Crabby has been one of my most-regularist readers and commenters since back in the day, and you should be reading him if you aren't already. Thanx, Crabbster!
Have a new post for THE GAS NAZI! about half-written in my head, so that should be coming along in the next day or so....
...So, if I'm not around here I'll be busy posting overlooked 1979-1981 music greats over at Guaranteed Great Music!, or working on my next book. I've discovered that this book-izing stuff is as obsessive as blogging -- even if it's not as fast or as immediately gratifying. Too bad I wasted so many years before I figured this out....
I'm not done here. I'll be around. So until next time, be good to yourself and grab a copy of GUARANTEED GREAT MUSIC!, would 'ya? Help a feeble old man gather some funds for his fast-approaching Retirement....
Posts so far include a little bit about my book, some of the stuff I forgot to get into the book, a dozen items I somehow left out of the playlist/discography that goes with the book, and one album review (of The Shoes' great PRESENT TENSE). Coming soon will be reviews of albums by Split Enz, Spider, The Records, The Headboys, Tarney/Spencer Band, New England, Grace Slick, Group 87, Sky, and many more overlooked albums from back in the day.
As of 17 November, 39 folks have picked up free copies of RECORD STORE DAZE, my 20-page detailed record-store-era playlist, and that's flattering. But only three folks have bought copies of my 190-page record-store memoir GUARANTEED GREAT MUSIC!, which I think is the more important part. If you think the playlist is intriguing, please check out the real book, available now at Amazon.com's Kindle Store for a measly $2.99 -- where you'll get the stories BEHIND the playlist....
I'm already started on my next book, which I hope will be a longer memoir about the 20 years I wasted in the newspaper-reporting business. I'm already 4,000 words into it, and I'm aiming to call it THE CONFESSOR. I'll keep you posted....
Meanwhile, on my last "weekend," I hit my favorite local second-hand store, Jen's Attic in Bremerton, and scooped up a few things. On vinyl I grabbed Cream's HEAVY CREAM best-of (so I can hear "Deserted Cities of the Heart" and "Those Were the Days" again -- and "Badge," of course), Dave Edmunds' TWANGIN', Teena Marie's STARCHILD (is this her album with all the heavy guitars on it? Hope so), and Van Morrison's SAINT DOMINIC'S PREVIEW.
Looked at Lou Reed's NEW YORK so I could get some idea what all the fuss about him was, but it was warped BAD. So he'll have to wait 'til later.
Haven't had a chance to test-out any of these yet.
On CD I was able to score some stuff I've wanted to get in the house for years, like the Eagles' "Outlaw Man" and Paula Abdul's "Blowing Kisses in the Wind." Hadn't heard "Outlaw Man" since about 1974, and it still sounds great, not a letdown at all. And I don't even like the Eagles much....
Also grabbed Split Enz's HISTORY NEVER REPEATS best-of, for the title song and "Hard Act to Follow," "Six Months in a Leaky Boat," "Message to My Girl," "I Hope I Never," and the cosmically silly classic "Poor Boy."
Also bagged Don Henley's ACTUAL MILES best-of, mainly for "The Heart of the Matter," which strikes me as the most human thing he's ever done. Though it's a little long, I love The Message. Always was a sucker for his "Boys of Summer." And when I'm in a really grumpy mood I almost like "Dirty Laundry," the theme song for reporters and former-reporters all over the world. Other than those, I never liked Henley that much....
Also: Bruce Springsteen's best-of, for "Brilliant Disguise" and "Born to Run" of course, and "Born in the USA" and "Dancing in the Dark." Just one question: Why isn't the marvelous "Rosalita" on here?
Oh, also grabbed ... SOME old Garth Brooks CD, just so I can hear the great "Ireland" again.
I've been inflicting all of these on customers at work ever since. Junior Walker and Booker T and the Temptations and Stevie Wonder and old Motown hits are still working too, and getting good responses from customers. Plus they keep me moving on nights when I'm draggin', which is most nights....
Hey, my thanks to Crabby, who put up a link to my e-book at his blog, RS Crabb's Music Review and Top Ten Site. Crabby has been one of my most-regularist readers and commenters since back in the day, and you should be reading him if you aren't already. Thanx, Crabbster!
Have a new post for THE GAS NAZI! about half-written in my head, so that should be coming along in the next day or so....
...So, if I'm not around here I'll be busy posting overlooked 1979-1981 music greats over at Guaranteed Great Music!, or working on my next book. I've discovered that this book-izing stuff is as obsessive as blogging -- even if it's not as fast or as immediately gratifying. Too bad I wasted so many years before I figured this out....
I'm not done here. I'll be around. So until next time, be good to yourself and grab a copy of GUARANTEED GREAT MUSIC!, would 'ya? Help a feeble old man gather some funds for his fast-approaching Retirement....
Monday, October 21, 2013
#720: Book update
The Record Store Book is basically done. I'm at 61,000 words for the memoir itself -- and a detailed playlist/discography of all the good and bad music we played in the store back in the day bumps it up to 65,000 words, which seems like a good place to stop.
I'm thinking I must be pretty close to finished, because scenes have stopped popping into my head at 2 a.m. and demanding to be written-up.
Except for a couple of minor little music-research details that I have to nail down, I guess I'm done. Have re-read and proofread the book over the last week-plus and I think it's not bad. Some of it's pretty vivid, parts of it are funny, and I think in places it even does what I want it to do.
So, what next?
I'm thinking I might go the Kindle route to get the book Out There, since I've recently learned that self-publishing can be EXPENSIVE. And everybody knows I'm on a Low Budget (Kinks)....
However, I also know you can get lots of books for free on Kindle, so I remain confused about how much I should charge for this masterpiece. Guess that'll come down to How Much Balls I think I've got.... However, I plan to research this further almost immediately.
I'll keep you posted. Am also open to advice about all this stuff. In the current market, I have major doubts about whether a book about working in an old record store has a large enough potential audience to be accepted by an established publisher....
Even if the book DOES have everything a potential best-seller needs -- sex, drugs, rock and roll, it's all in there. A close-up look at a whole subculture that's nearly vanished....
...Uh, sorry, just trying to crank up the hype machine a little, since I guess I'm about to become my own promotional company as well....
Am continuing to use Stevie Wonder, Junior Walker, Booker T and the MG's, The Temptations, The Spinners and Parliament as motivational music at work, and they have all helped get me through the rough spots. Have listened to nothing much New lately apart from songs I'd never heard before played on the syndicated music-news-and-views radio-show SOUND OPINIONS.
Mercifully, this past week at work was easier than the previous week. An update on current work conditions will be posted at THE GAS NAZI! eventually....
It is cold, overcast and gray here, daily high temps around 50. I can tell Winter is coming because I feel like I'm shutting down -- feel like I have half the energy I did a few weeks ago. Pretty much normal for me, this time of year. Hope you are NOT the same....
More soon....
I'm thinking I must be pretty close to finished, because scenes have stopped popping into my head at 2 a.m. and demanding to be written-up.
Except for a couple of minor little music-research details that I have to nail down, I guess I'm done. Have re-read and proofread the book over the last week-plus and I think it's not bad. Some of it's pretty vivid, parts of it are funny, and I think in places it even does what I want it to do.
So, what next?
I'm thinking I might go the Kindle route to get the book Out There, since I've recently learned that self-publishing can be EXPENSIVE. And everybody knows I'm on a Low Budget (Kinks)....
However, I also know you can get lots of books for free on Kindle, so I remain confused about how much I should charge for this masterpiece. Guess that'll come down to How Much Balls I think I've got.... However, I plan to research this further almost immediately.
I'll keep you posted. Am also open to advice about all this stuff. In the current market, I have major doubts about whether a book about working in an old record store has a large enough potential audience to be accepted by an established publisher....
Even if the book DOES have everything a potential best-seller needs -- sex, drugs, rock and roll, it's all in there. A close-up look at a whole subculture that's nearly vanished....
...Uh, sorry, just trying to crank up the hype machine a little, since I guess I'm about to become my own promotional company as well....
Am continuing to use Stevie Wonder, Junior Walker, Booker T and the MG's, The Temptations, The Spinners and Parliament as motivational music at work, and they have all helped get me through the rough spots. Have listened to nothing much New lately apart from songs I'd never heard before played on the syndicated music-news-and-views radio-show SOUND OPINIONS.
Mercifully, this past week at work was easier than the previous week. An update on current work conditions will be posted at THE GAS NAZI! eventually....
It is cold, overcast and gray here, daily high temps around 50. I can tell Winter is coming because I feel like I'm shutting down -- feel like I have half the energy I did a few weeks ago. Pretty much normal for me, this time of year. Hope you are NOT the same....
More soon....
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
#637: Biggest impacts
Over at Circle of Fits, Seano & his friends have posted & started taking responses 2 a list of the 100 Most Influential Albums Ever -- a tough list 2 argue with, even if I haven't heard summa the newer (last 30 years) or British entries. Most of the albums on the list will come as no surprise, if you're a big music fan. They're all titles you probably know well.
But it got me thinking....
I don't much care about which albums have had the biggest influence on The World, but I can tell you off the top of my head which albums have had the biggest impact on ME. & basically it's the same old list, you'll find no big surprises here. But if you haven't tried some of these, you should. You might be very pleasantly surprised....
For almost all of them, I can remember where I was & what I was doing when I 1st heard them. They mark the years for me. In more-or-less descending order....
Moody Blues -- The Present, To Our Children's Children's Children, A Question of Balance, Long Distance Voyager, Days of Future Passed, Seventh Sojourn.
Beatles -- Abbey Road, White Album, 1962-1966, 1967-1970.
Beach Boys -- Pet Sounds, SMiLE.
Who -- Who's Next, Thirty Years of Maximum R&B best-of, Quadrophenia.
Yes -- Yessongs, Going for the One.
King Crimson -- Young Person's Guide best-of, The Great Deceiver/Live 1973-74.
Gryphon -- Red Queen to Gryphon Three, Treason.
Nick Drake -- Bryter Layter.
Pretenders -- 1st.
Providence -- Ever Sense the Dawn.
Boston -- 1st, Third Stage, Don't Look Back.
Genesis -- A Trick of the Tale, ...And Then There Were Three....
Renaissance -- Live at Carnegie Hall.
Illusion -- Out of the Mist.
Happy the Man -- Crafty Hands.
Al Stewart -- Modern Times, Year of the Cat.
Go-Go's -- Talk Show, Beauty and the Beat.
Bangles -- Different Light, All Over the Place.
Group 87 -- 1st.
Caravan -- For Girls Who Grow Plump in the Night, Canterbury Tales best-of, Blind Dog at St. Dunstans'.
Camel -- Nude, The Snow Goose, Breathless, Rain Dances, The Single Factor (side 2).
Clannad -- Macalla, Pastpresent best-of.
Justin Hayward and John Lodge -- Blue Jays.
Fleetwood Mac -- Mirage, Tusk, Rumours, The Chain best-of.
Kansas -- Leftoverture.
Queen -- A Night at the Opera.
U.K. -- 1st.
Fairport Convention -- Fairport Chronicles best-of.
Phil Spector -- Wall of Sound/Greatest Hits.
Gentle Giant -- Pretensious best-of, Free Hand.
Split Enz -- Waiata, History Never Repeats best-of.
Shoes -- Present Tense.
Neil Diamond -- Greatest Hits/Classics: The Early Years/The Bang Years.
Rush -- Chronicles best-of, Moving Pictures.
Kate Bush -- The Kick Inside, Never for Ever, Lionheart.
Pink Floyd -- The Wall, Wish You Were Here, Echoes best-of, Dark Side of the Moon, Piper at the Gates of Dawn.
Strawbs -- Story in Music best-of (Italian import).
Amazing Blondel -- Fantasia Lindum.
Nektar -- Thru the Ears best-of.
Sky -- Sky2.
Suzanne Vega -- 1st.
Grace Slick -- Dreams.
Wings -- Venus and Mars.
Sally Oldfield -- Water Bearer.
Hawkwind -- Hall of the Mountain Grill.
Led Zeppelin -- IV, In Through the Out Door.
Elton John -- Goodbye Yellow Brick Road.
Jethro Tull -- Songs From the Wood, Stormwatch, Minstrel in the Gallery (side 2).
Journey -- Infinity, Escape.
Cars -- Heartbeat City, 1st.
Jefferson Starship -- Freedom at Point Zero.
The Jam -- Setting Sons.
Jefferson Airplane -- The Worst of.
Bread -- Best of Volume 1.
Hollies -- Romany.
Wigwam -- Nuclear Nightclub.
Janis Ian -- Between the Lines.
Cyndi Lauper -- She's So Unusual.
Blue Oyster Cult -- Agents of Fortune.
Mike Oldfield -- Tubular Bells, Ommadawn, Incantations.
Rare Earth -- One World.
Lobo -- Introducing.
Partridge Family -- 1st, Sound Magazine.
...As I get older, it's getting harder to "impress" me, or even 4 me 2 find new music that I actually LIKE. The last 2 albums I remember being completely knocked-out by were Fleet Foxes' 1st & Jordin Sparks' 1st.... I was especially impressed last year with Love's FOREVER CHANGES -- the good parts R really great, but I wish I'd heard it years earlier....
...Is this list a bit wimpy when it comes 2 REAL LOUD rock&roll? Well then, it is. I'm a well-known wimp from WAY back....
...This list may B added-2 at any time due 2 my failing memory.
Your thoughts...?
But it got me thinking....
I don't much care about which albums have had the biggest influence on The World, but I can tell you off the top of my head which albums have had the biggest impact on ME. & basically it's the same old list, you'll find no big surprises here. But if you haven't tried some of these, you should. You might be very pleasantly surprised....
For almost all of them, I can remember where I was & what I was doing when I 1st heard them. They mark the years for me. In more-or-less descending order....
Moody Blues -- The Present, To Our Children's Children's Children, A Question of Balance, Long Distance Voyager, Days of Future Passed, Seventh Sojourn.
Beatles -- Abbey Road, White Album, 1962-1966, 1967-1970.
Beach Boys -- Pet Sounds, SMiLE.
Who -- Who's Next, Thirty Years of Maximum R&B best-of, Quadrophenia.
Yes -- Yessongs, Going for the One.
King Crimson -- Young Person's Guide best-of, The Great Deceiver/Live 1973-74.
Gryphon -- Red Queen to Gryphon Three, Treason.
Nick Drake -- Bryter Layter.
Pretenders -- 1st.
Providence -- Ever Sense the Dawn.
Boston -- 1st, Third Stage, Don't Look Back.
Genesis -- A Trick of the Tale, ...And Then There Were Three....
Renaissance -- Live at Carnegie Hall.
Illusion -- Out of the Mist.
Happy the Man -- Crafty Hands.
Al Stewart -- Modern Times, Year of the Cat.
Go-Go's -- Talk Show, Beauty and the Beat.
Bangles -- Different Light, All Over the Place.
Group 87 -- 1st.
Caravan -- For Girls Who Grow Plump in the Night, Canterbury Tales best-of, Blind Dog at St. Dunstans'.
Camel -- Nude, The Snow Goose, Breathless, Rain Dances, The Single Factor (side 2).
Clannad -- Macalla, Pastpresent best-of.
Justin Hayward and John Lodge -- Blue Jays.
Fleetwood Mac -- Mirage, Tusk, Rumours, The Chain best-of.
Kansas -- Leftoverture.
Queen -- A Night at the Opera.
U.K. -- 1st.
Fairport Convention -- Fairport Chronicles best-of.
Phil Spector -- Wall of Sound/Greatest Hits.
Gentle Giant -- Pretensious best-of, Free Hand.
Split Enz -- Waiata, History Never Repeats best-of.
Shoes -- Present Tense.
Neil Diamond -- Greatest Hits/Classics: The Early Years/The Bang Years.
Rush -- Chronicles best-of, Moving Pictures.
Kate Bush -- The Kick Inside, Never for Ever, Lionheart.
Pink Floyd -- The Wall, Wish You Were Here, Echoes best-of, Dark Side of the Moon, Piper at the Gates of Dawn.
Strawbs -- Story in Music best-of (Italian import).
Amazing Blondel -- Fantasia Lindum.
Nektar -- Thru the Ears best-of.
Sky -- Sky2.
Suzanne Vega -- 1st.
Grace Slick -- Dreams.
Wings -- Venus and Mars.
Sally Oldfield -- Water Bearer.
Hawkwind -- Hall of the Mountain Grill.
Led Zeppelin -- IV, In Through the Out Door.
Elton John -- Goodbye Yellow Brick Road.
Jethro Tull -- Songs From the Wood, Stormwatch, Minstrel in the Gallery (side 2).
Journey -- Infinity, Escape.
Cars -- Heartbeat City, 1st.
Jefferson Starship -- Freedom at Point Zero.
The Jam -- Setting Sons.
Jefferson Airplane -- The Worst of.
Bread -- Best of Volume 1.
Hollies -- Romany.
Wigwam -- Nuclear Nightclub.
Janis Ian -- Between the Lines.
Cyndi Lauper -- She's So Unusual.
Blue Oyster Cult -- Agents of Fortune.
Mike Oldfield -- Tubular Bells, Ommadawn, Incantations.
Rare Earth -- One World.
Lobo -- Introducing.
Partridge Family -- 1st, Sound Magazine.
...As I get older, it's getting harder to "impress" me, or even 4 me 2 find new music that I actually LIKE. The last 2 albums I remember being completely knocked-out by were Fleet Foxes' 1st & Jordin Sparks' 1st.... I was especially impressed last year with Love's FOREVER CHANGES -- the good parts R really great, but I wish I'd heard it years earlier....
...Is this list a bit wimpy when it comes 2 REAL LOUD rock&roll? Well then, it is. I'm a well-known wimp from WAY back....
...This list may B added-2 at any time due 2 my failing memory.
Your thoughts...?
Thursday, December 13, 2012
#615: 4 years blogging!
It was somewhere around this time 4 years ago that I started posting music & book reviews on-line at my old dead website. My son ADD got me started -- we talked about it 4 over a year B4 I finally jumped in & just DID it.
& after I had 3-dozen reviews posted, I hit-up a couple of my on-line reviewing buddies -- Mark Prindle, the Godfather of us all; & "Don Ignacio" Michael Lawrence -- 2 C if they'd B willing 2 post links 2 my new site. Thank Ghod, they jumped right in.
Things were a little diffrent back then. I was a lot more DRIVEN during my 1st year -- I posted 225 reviews & rants & humorous pieces in 8 months. Mostly, I was pretty serious. I think I wanted 2 establish where I was coming from, what my outlook was, how I was diffrent (IF I was....).
Then the old website broke down repeatedly & I got fed-up with it & moved over here 2 Blogger, where things have mostly been pretty smooth ever since.
I think I'm still driven sometimes -- this post-a-day thing should B evidence of that. This stuff is still pretty compulsive 4 me. If I don't post something every few days, I DON'T FEEL RIGHT. (Obviously, that isn't gonna B a problem this month....)
Thank Ghod 4 the Internet, so at last I can get my uncensored views out there, get my daily fix in, & maybe even turn you on 2 music you haven't heard or books you haven't read.
Things have been getting a little sludgy here recently -- can't remember the last time I did something just 4 the pure silliness of it. But I'll B working on that.
This is still fun 4 me, & it keeps me off the streets late at nite -- & it's helped get me thru a depression or 2. Tho there've been some slow spots, this blogging stuff has never let me down. My thanx again 2 ADD, 4 the gift that keeps on giving, the best Xmas present I've ever had.
I still want 2 do some pieces on what being a reporter on a daily newspaper was like; what it was like 2 schlog away 4 10 years in the Air Force; & I've got some more Nostalgia things I wanna do, tho I can't think of what they R right at the moment.
I also have more music & book reviews coming -- & I DEFinitely wanna do a piece on "Slopping the Hogs," a look at the WORST best-of collections of all time. Submit your nominees in the Comments section below....
Just wanted 2 say thanx 2 all you who read here. I'd keep doing this even if you didn't, but thanks 4 dropping by.
& I'm gonna keep doing this as long as the World's Smallest Laptop holds out. If nothing else, the writing exercise has been good 4 me -- & the regular dates with the computer have helped me re-connect with some parts of my past that I didn't know I could still remember.
& if I can get thru this post-a-day thing without Mbarrassing myself 2 badly, it'll B time 2 re-attack that rock group novel....
& after I had 3-dozen reviews posted, I hit-up a couple of my on-line reviewing buddies -- Mark Prindle, the Godfather of us all; & "Don Ignacio" Michael Lawrence -- 2 C if they'd B willing 2 post links 2 my new site. Thank Ghod, they jumped right in.
Things were a little diffrent back then. I was a lot more DRIVEN during my 1st year -- I posted 225 reviews & rants & humorous pieces in 8 months. Mostly, I was pretty serious. I think I wanted 2 establish where I was coming from, what my outlook was, how I was diffrent (IF I was....).
Then the old website broke down repeatedly & I got fed-up with it & moved over here 2 Blogger, where things have mostly been pretty smooth ever since.
I think I'm still driven sometimes -- this post-a-day thing should B evidence of that. This stuff is still pretty compulsive 4 me. If I don't post something every few days, I DON'T FEEL RIGHT. (Obviously, that isn't gonna B a problem this month....)
Thank Ghod 4 the Internet, so at last I can get my uncensored views out there, get my daily fix in, & maybe even turn you on 2 music you haven't heard or books you haven't read.
Things have been getting a little sludgy here recently -- can't remember the last time I did something just 4 the pure silliness of it. But I'll B working on that.
This is still fun 4 me, & it keeps me off the streets late at nite -- & it's helped get me thru a depression or 2. Tho there've been some slow spots, this blogging stuff has never let me down. My thanx again 2 ADD, 4 the gift that keeps on giving, the best Xmas present I've ever had.
I still want 2 do some pieces on what being a reporter on a daily newspaper was like; what it was like 2 schlog away 4 10 years in the Air Force; & I've got some more Nostalgia things I wanna do, tho I can't think of what they R right at the moment.
I also have more music & book reviews coming -- & I DEFinitely wanna do a piece on "Slopping the Hogs," a look at the WORST best-of collections of all time. Submit your nominees in the Comments section below....
Just wanted 2 say thanx 2 all you who read here. I'd keep doing this even if you didn't, but thanks 4 dropping by.
& I'm gonna keep doing this as long as the World's Smallest Laptop holds out. If nothing else, the writing exercise has been good 4 me -- & the regular dates with the computer have helped me re-connect with some parts of my past that I didn't know I could still remember.
& if I can get thru this post-a-day thing without Mbarrassing myself 2 badly, it'll B time 2 re-attack that rock group novel....
Thursday, November 1, 2012
#601: Last man standing...?
Is music blogging Over With? Is the blog as we know it dead? Are these even important questions? (And I was just getting rolling....)
Today I read that my buddy Crabby over at Crabby's Music Review and Top 10 Site is seriously considering retiring at the turn of the New Year. He won't be the 1st. But if he hangs it up, I'll miss his cranky ranting about local radio & his Xcellent Weekly Top 10 lists of the Overlooked.
But there've bn a LOT of music bloggers dropping out over the last year or so. Maybe the newness wore off. Maybe they didn't get enuf feedback. Maybe they have Real Lives 2 devote themselves 2 -- a much better choice than spending all your free time stuck in front of a computer.
Last time I checked, Groove Sandwich had become a working musician and college student. Layla hasn't posted in over a year at her formerly-very-popular Classic Rock blog. Drew has a family life, & tho he'll pop up every couple months with a nature/photo update, I guess you could say he's semi-retired. He's not even doing Green Bay Packers updates this year! (Go with the family thing Drew -- & Thank Ghod 4 the visitors you keep sending me....)
Perplexio hasn't posted 4 awhile at either of his websites. Seano at Circle of Fits has been taking a lot of breaks over the past year, most of them due to health issues. Lex Dexter at The PrisonShip is taking a LONG break over problems that I think he could maybe write his way out of -- it worked for me awhile back.
Even Mark Prindle -- the Godfather of us all, without whom I wouldn't be doing this -- hung it up awhile back.
A few R hanging in there -- Rastro is still posting stuff at his Tumblr site, & we R continuing 2 wreak comedy havoc on Hunter S. Thompson & Larry Niven at Fear and Loathing in Known Space 2x a week, but with the World Series & the prez election, R's bn a busy guy.
Gardenhead is continuing 2 post great stuff at Asleep on the Compost Heap -- he just recently posted a review of his favorite album of 2011! The NERVE! I don't see him ever stopping, either....
As 4 me, there R LOTS of things I still wanna talk about, time & energy permitting. I still have a box of weird CDs from Crabby I'm trying 2 get thru, & more stuff stacked-up that I hope 2 listen-2 someday. I still have Air Force stories & Newspaper stories I wanna write-up. I still have stories & novels I wanna read & talk about. & there's sure 2 B more fits of Nostalgia I'll B posting here without prior warning, & Ghod Knows what might set them off.
I'm still having fun here. But then, I've been a compulsive writer since age 10, & it always makes me Feel Better to have written something, no matter how meaningless & silly.
So I'm gonna keep going, as long as me & the World's Smallest Laptop hold out. Thanx 4 dropping by -- & for gosh sakes will all you good folks from the U.K. & Russia & the Ukraine & the Netherlands & France & Canada & Germany & wherever-else please leave me a comment so I can figure out what the heck you're all reading?
Take care, all You Out There. More soon!
Today I read that my buddy Crabby over at Crabby's Music Review and Top 10 Site is seriously considering retiring at the turn of the New Year. He won't be the 1st. But if he hangs it up, I'll miss his cranky ranting about local radio & his Xcellent Weekly Top 10 lists of the Overlooked.
But there've bn a LOT of music bloggers dropping out over the last year or so. Maybe the newness wore off. Maybe they didn't get enuf feedback. Maybe they have Real Lives 2 devote themselves 2 -- a much better choice than spending all your free time stuck in front of a computer.
Last time I checked, Groove Sandwich had become a working musician and college student. Layla hasn't posted in over a year at her formerly-very-popular Classic Rock blog. Drew has a family life, & tho he'll pop up every couple months with a nature/photo update, I guess you could say he's semi-retired. He's not even doing Green Bay Packers updates this year! (Go with the family thing Drew -- & Thank Ghod 4 the visitors you keep sending me....)
Perplexio hasn't posted 4 awhile at either of his websites. Seano at Circle of Fits has been taking a lot of breaks over the past year, most of them due to health issues. Lex Dexter at The PrisonShip is taking a LONG break over problems that I think he could maybe write his way out of -- it worked for me awhile back.
Even Mark Prindle -- the Godfather of us all, without whom I wouldn't be doing this -- hung it up awhile back.
A few R hanging in there -- Rastro is still posting stuff at his Tumblr site, & we R continuing 2 wreak comedy havoc on Hunter S. Thompson & Larry Niven at Fear and Loathing in Known Space 2x a week, but with the World Series & the prez election, R's bn a busy guy.
Gardenhead is continuing 2 post great stuff at Asleep on the Compost Heap -- he just recently posted a review of his favorite album of 2011! The NERVE! I don't see him ever stopping, either....
As 4 me, there R LOTS of things I still wanna talk about, time & energy permitting. I still have a box of weird CDs from Crabby I'm trying 2 get thru, & more stuff stacked-up that I hope 2 listen-2 someday. I still have Air Force stories & Newspaper stories I wanna write-up. I still have stories & novels I wanna read & talk about. & there's sure 2 B more fits of Nostalgia I'll B posting here without prior warning, & Ghod Knows what might set them off.
I'm still having fun here. But then, I've been a compulsive writer since age 10, & it always makes me Feel Better to have written something, no matter how meaningless & silly.
So I'm gonna keep going, as long as me & the World's Smallest Laptop hold out. Thanx 4 dropping by -- & for gosh sakes will all you good folks from the U.K. & Russia & the Ukraine & the Netherlands & France & Canada & Germany & wherever-else please leave me a comment so I can figure out what the heck you're all reading?
Take care, all You Out There. More soon!
Friday, May 4, 2012
#554: Allabored....
Going 2 B changing-out almost all the old tapes I've bn taking 2 work 4 motivation & uplift. Most of them just Rn't Doing It NEmore. At least they weren't on Thurs nite. Rush's "Force Ten" & "Time Stand Still" still worked, but mosta the rest of the stuff I've bn carrying around in my old brown fake-leather overnite bag just ain't workin NEmore.
I didn't think it was POSSIBLE 2 hear Van Morrison sing "Jackie Wilson Said (I'm in Heaven When You Smile)" 2 MANY TIMES, but I could B wrong. Olde favorites by Rush, Nektar, The Nice, even Hawkwind R losing some of their OOMPH, at least 4 motivational purposes.
So it's time 2 drag 2 work a new batch. We'll C how my customers react 2 David Sancious & Tone's noisy "Transformation (The Speed of Love)," or Mike Oldfield's sensual "Ommadawn," or the woodsy Olde English sounds of Gryphon, or the silliness of the best of Caravan. A whole new round of Xperiments lies ahead, folks.
Only 1 tape kept me moving on Thurs nite, & that was my homemade Beatles' "Top 40" -- not really their top 40 songs, just 37 or so of the best Beatles songs I could find that I didn't already have on-tape at that time. This little item features:
Taxman, For No One, Got to Get You into My Life, It's Only Love, Tell Me Why, I'm Happy Just to Dance With You, Things We Said Today, Anytime at All, No Reply, I'll Follow the Sun, Everybody's Trying to be My Baby, There's a Place, I'll Be Back, I'm a Loser, She's a Woman, The Night Before, I Need You, In My Life, Wait, You've Got to Hide Your Love Away, Norwegian Wood, Hello Goodbye, Across the Universe, Old Brown Shoe, Oh! Darling, Rock and Roll Music, Ticket to Ride, Help!, Please Please Me, She Loves You, I Want to Hold Your Hand, A Hard Day's Night, Can't Buy Me Love, I Should Have Known Better, I Don't Want to Spoil the Party, Slow Down, Rock and Roll Music, Tomorrow Never Knows, You Know My Name (Look Up the Number).
...As you can see, a bit of a mish-mash, but it does keep me moving. Which a lotta other previously-useful stuff ain't doin right now 4 some reason, so it's time 2 shake things up a little. Ghod knows what's up next, but I'll keep you posted....
(But B4 I continue, what a collection of Great Moments, eh? The slashing guitar in "Taxman"; the driving horns in "Got to Get You"; Ringo's great cymbal-smashes in "No Reply"; the trebly showbizzy sound in "Tell Me Why"; the sly lyrics of "Night Before"; George's hilarious confidence in "Tryin' to be My Baby"; everything about "There's a Place" & "For No One" & "It's Only Love"; the great muted gtr in "I Need You"; Lennon's depressed vocal in "Spoil the Party"; the amazing backgrounds in "Tomorrow Never Knows".... These guys were pretty good. Do you think they'll ever catch on...?)
Should also have some more new reviews posted here inna few days, possibly including Miles Davis & Bill Laswell's PANTHALASSA, more of Soft Machine's THIRD, Egg's THE CIVIL SURFACE, Wigwam's HIGHLIGHTS best-of, Illusion's (2nd) & ENCHANTED CARESS, & who knows what-all else. Hope you'll check back....
BTW, if you've bn following heavy-guitarist Ted Nugent's recent escapades in the Gnus, you might wanna take a look at my buddy Crabby's detailed in-depth recap of The Nuge's entire recorded output over at The RS Crabb Music Consortium. Crabby notes both Ted's good stuff & the silly stuff -- I'm a sucker 4 the comedy. But I'll never admit it in public. If yer a Ted fan, check him out. It'll B well worth yer time....
Crabby's bn doing these catalog-recap things 4 awhile now over at the Consortium -- awhile back he did a write-up on ELP, & more recently he did a piece on forgotten '70s art-rock band Pavlov's Dog -- who had a vocalist named David Surkamp who sounded like Rush's Geddy Lee on helium. Drop by the Consortium, leave Crabby a comment or 2, & maybe he'll crank out a few more catalog-recaps in addition 2 his usual Top 10 at his other site....
Also: Been reading some non-fiction as research 4 a post I wanna do about what it was like working 4 3 years at The Biggest Missile Base In The World (Francis E. Warren AFB, Wyoming, 1986-1989). I can report that there's some pretty good nuke-missile history books out there, tho I wish there were more. Currently reading Tad Bartimus & Scott McCartney's TRINITY'S CHILDREN (1991) which is VERY good on the history & development of nuclear weapons all the way back 2 the Manhattan Project. The chapter on life as a missileer at F.E. Warren seems a little thin....
David E. Hoffman's THE DEAD HAND (2009) is VERY good on Cold War history, & really changed my mind about Ronald Reagan's dealings with the Russians. The parts of the book about Russia's germ-warfare program R almost as chilling as Richard Preston's THE DEMON IN THE FREEZER. There wasn't quite enuf on nukes, & I don't think the book quite lived up 2 its own hype, but it's still a good solid read if you're in2 recent history....
Neil Sheehan's A FIERY PEACE IN A COLD WAR is solid on the history of nuke missiles & who got them started & placed on bases across the West back in the '50s & '60s ... but it's a little dry....
...& if you're in2 Vietnam history, awhile back I re-read Michael Herr's DISPATCHES (1977) 4 about the 3rd time, & it's as brilliant & vivid & hallucinatory as ever....
I didn't think it was POSSIBLE 2 hear Van Morrison sing "Jackie Wilson Said (I'm in Heaven When You Smile)" 2 MANY TIMES, but I could B wrong. Olde favorites by Rush, Nektar, The Nice, even Hawkwind R losing some of their OOMPH, at least 4 motivational purposes.
So it's time 2 drag 2 work a new batch. We'll C how my customers react 2 David Sancious & Tone's noisy "Transformation (The Speed of Love)," or Mike Oldfield's sensual "Ommadawn," or the woodsy Olde English sounds of Gryphon, or the silliness of the best of Caravan. A whole new round of Xperiments lies ahead, folks.
Only 1 tape kept me moving on Thurs nite, & that was my homemade Beatles' "Top 40" -- not really their top 40 songs, just 37 or so of the best Beatles songs I could find that I didn't already have on-tape at that time. This little item features:
Taxman, For No One, Got to Get You into My Life, It's Only Love, Tell Me Why, I'm Happy Just to Dance With You, Things We Said Today, Anytime at All, No Reply, I'll Follow the Sun, Everybody's Trying to be My Baby, There's a Place, I'll Be Back, I'm a Loser, She's a Woman, The Night Before, I Need You, In My Life, Wait, You've Got to Hide Your Love Away, Norwegian Wood, Hello Goodbye, Across the Universe, Old Brown Shoe, Oh! Darling, Rock and Roll Music, Ticket to Ride, Help!, Please Please Me, She Loves You, I Want to Hold Your Hand, A Hard Day's Night, Can't Buy Me Love, I Should Have Known Better, I Don't Want to Spoil the Party, Slow Down, Rock and Roll Music, Tomorrow Never Knows, You Know My Name (Look Up the Number).
...As you can see, a bit of a mish-mash, but it does keep me moving. Which a lotta other previously-useful stuff ain't doin right now 4 some reason, so it's time 2 shake things up a little. Ghod knows what's up next, but I'll keep you posted....
(But B4 I continue, what a collection of Great Moments, eh? The slashing guitar in "Taxman"; the driving horns in "Got to Get You"; Ringo's great cymbal-smashes in "No Reply"; the trebly showbizzy sound in "Tell Me Why"; the sly lyrics of "Night Before"; George's hilarious confidence in "Tryin' to be My Baby"; everything about "There's a Place" & "For No One" & "It's Only Love"; the great muted gtr in "I Need You"; Lennon's depressed vocal in "Spoil the Party"; the amazing backgrounds in "Tomorrow Never Knows".... These guys were pretty good. Do you think they'll ever catch on...?)
Should also have some more new reviews posted here inna few days, possibly including Miles Davis & Bill Laswell's PANTHALASSA, more of Soft Machine's THIRD, Egg's THE CIVIL SURFACE, Wigwam's HIGHLIGHTS best-of, Illusion's (2nd) & ENCHANTED CARESS, & who knows what-all else. Hope you'll check back....
BTW, if you've bn following heavy-guitarist Ted Nugent's recent escapades in the Gnus, you might wanna take a look at my buddy Crabby's detailed in-depth recap of The Nuge's entire recorded output over at The RS Crabb Music Consortium. Crabby notes both Ted's good stuff & the silly stuff -- I'm a sucker 4 the comedy. But I'll never admit it in public. If yer a Ted fan, check him out. It'll B well worth yer time....
Crabby's bn doing these catalog-recap things 4 awhile now over at the Consortium -- awhile back he did a write-up on ELP, & more recently he did a piece on forgotten '70s art-rock band Pavlov's Dog -- who had a vocalist named David Surkamp who sounded like Rush's Geddy Lee on helium. Drop by the Consortium, leave Crabby a comment or 2, & maybe he'll crank out a few more catalog-recaps in addition 2 his usual Top 10 at his other site....
Also: Been reading some non-fiction as research 4 a post I wanna do about what it was like working 4 3 years at The Biggest Missile Base In The World (Francis E. Warren AFB, Wyoming, 1986-1989). I can report that there's some pretty good nuke-missile history books out there, tho I wish there were more. Currently reading Tad Bartimus & Scott McCartney's TRINITY'S CHILDREN (1991) which is VERY good on the history & development of nuclear weapons all the way back 2 the Manhattan Project. The chapter on life as a missileer at F.E. Warren seems a little thin....
David E. Hoffman's THE DEAD HAND (2009) is VERY good on Cold War history, & really changed my mind about Ronald Reagan's dealings with the Russians. The parts of the book about Russia's germ-warfare program R almost as chilling as Richard Preston's THE DEMON IN THE FREEZER. There wasn't quite enuf on nukes, & I don't think the book quite lived up 2 its own hype, but it's still a good solid read if you're in2 recent history....
Neil Sheehan's A FIERY PEACE IN A COLD WAR is solid on the history of nuke missiles & who got them started & placed on bases across the West back in the '50s & '60s ... but it's a little dry....
...& if you're in2 Vietnam history, awhile back I re-read Michael Herr's DISPATCHES (1977) 4 about the 3rd time, & it's as brilliant & vivid & hallucinatory as ever....
Thursday, September 8, 2011
Letters from home
Indian Summer here, temps in the mid-80s, 90s predicted by Sunday. For us, that's HOT. Summer finally got here, just in time 4 back-2-school....
Currently re-reading Kathe Koja's THE CIPHER (1991): really creepy, & as abrupt & painful & involving as NE of her work -- & Tom Wolfe's THE RIGHT STUFF (1979): hilarious, especially in his overuse of the phrase "burned beyond recognition," among other things. The chapter "The Lab Rat" is a classic. Great how Wolfe can joke about this stuff (the gathering & life-histories of the 7 Mercury astronauts) & still get across all the basic info 2. Never really liked Wolfe that much, but this & THE ELECTRIC KOOL-AID ACID TEST are both pretty great....
This is probly gonna sound a little sentimental, but so what....
I wish there were more good music bloggers out there. Because I'd like 2 read them.
Ghod knows I've tried. I've found a dozen or so bloggers whose writing I can enjoy, relate-to, or at least have fun disagreeing with -- & I check-in with them almost every day.
I urge You Out There 2 read Rastro (at www.lahistoriadelamusicarock.blogspot.com/ and at www.lahistoriadelamusicarock.tumblr.com/), Crabby (at www.rscrabb.blogspot.com/), & Gardenhead (at www.onavery.blogspot.com/). Not only R they all more musically obsessed than I am, they know their stuff. & they're funny.
This new guy Groove Sandwich is pretty funny too (www.groovesandwich.com/) -- he's also a musician & knows his music theory.
There's also some good folks out there who've started posting a little less-often recently 4 various reasons: Drew (at www.drewsoddsandsods.blogspot.com/) has posted some real good stuff in the past, + some Xcellent reviews of albums I'd overlooked. But recently he's developed a Real Life separate from blogging, & who can blame him if that's where his attn goes? You go, Drew! (& I'm not just saying this cos Drew's sent me more readers in the past year than I can even believe....)
Layla (at www.laylasclassicrock.blogspot.com/) recently went back 2 work after being unemployed 4 awhile, so you can see where her attn might B going. B4 that she posted a TON of Classic Rock news at 1 of the longest-running & most popular blogs of its kind. She also sometimes writes more personal stuff at her other blog, "Writing from the Inside Out."
Perplexio (at www.perplexio76.blogspot.com/) has posted some great stuff in the past, tho he seemsta have slowed down recently. 1 of his best reviews led me 2 grab Nick Hornby's rock&roll novel JULIET NAKED awhile back, & you should too....
Tonal Memories (www.tonalmemories.blogspot.com/) has posted some intresting stuff in the past, but family matters seemta B eating up his time these days.
The grandaddy of all web-reviewers, Mark Prindle (www.markprindle.com/) is still as hilarious as ever, despite some recent upheavals in his life. His recent reviews of the Complete Works of a band called Anal Cunt made me laff until my head hurt. (Jeez, 1st the Butthole Surfers & now this?)
Eoin Butler (www.eoinbutler.com/) only occasionally posts about music, but as a working journalist over in Ireland he's posted some amazing -- and often hilarious -- stories at his blog "Tripping Along the Ledge."
Adam at "There Will Be Blog" seems 2 have retired....
...& at 92, longtime science-fiction writer & editor Frederik Pohl is still showing the rest of us how to do it at www.thewaythefutureblogs.com/.
...I think what grabs me about a lotta these people is that they don't just blog about music or books or current events or whatever -- they talk about their jobs, their lives, the thots that go thru their heads during an avg day, how they get thru each day, what their lives are like. I feel like I know some of these people & that's pretty neat.
It ain't always pretty. But it's always REAL. & reading someone who speaks from the heart -- even if they're angry -- is as involving 2 me as any music review.
There used to be more. Now I can't even FIND the wildman in Orlando who's every progressive-rock review ended with the music descending like a "caterwauling cacophany into the very bowels of Hell." Sure he could barely write in English, but he was 1 of a kind! & his spooky review of Van der Graaf Generator's PAWN HEARTS finally convinced me 2 grab that scary album awhile back -- suprised I had enuf nerve 2 finally put it on the CD player! Xpected 2 get scared out of my wits....
I've tried a bunch of other bloggers & there R a few I haven't quite made up my cluttered mind about, but I wouldn't mind finding more good 1's. In fact, I'd love it.
Problem: Try punching in "good rock music blogs" at Google & see what happens. I got 249 MILLION results. Life's 2 short 4 that -- tho I did look at a couple dozen.
I've also tried "music blog aggregators" like Digital Meltd0wn, & that didn't narrow stuff down much either.
So here's the deal: If you're a music blogger doing something diffrent or adventurous or personal or funny, drop me a line, I'll check you out, review you here, & point my dozen-fans-worldwide your direction.
Or if there's some1 you're reading who's absolutely freaking brilliant & hilarious, lemme know. I'll appreciate it, & I'll let other folks know 2.
I don't even havta "agree" with you, musically. But if you hate all the stuff I love, you're gonna at least havta B entertaining about it....
Currently re-reading Kathe Koja's THE CIPHER (1991): really creepy, & as abrupt & painful & involving as NE of her work -- & Tom Wolfe's THE RIGHT STUFF (1979): hilarious, especially in his overuse of the phrase "burned beyond recognition," among other things. The chapter "The Lab Rat" is a classic. Great how Wolfe can joke about this stuff (the gathering & life-histories of the 7 Mercury astronauts) & still get across all the basic info 2. Never really liked Wolfe that much, but this & THE ELECTRIC KOOL-AID ACID TEST are both pretty great....
This is probly gonna sound a little sentimental, but so what....
I wish there were more good music bloggers out there. Because I'd like 2 read them.
Ghod knows I've tried. I've found a dozen or so bloggers whose writing I can enjoy, relate-to, or at least have fun disagreeing with -- & I check-in with them almost every day.
I urge You Out There 2 read Rastro (at www.lahistoriadelamusicarock.blogspot.com/ and at www.lahistoriadelamusicarock.tumblr.com/), Crabby (at www.rscrabb.blogspot.com/), & Gardenhead (at www.onavery.blogspot.com/). Not only R they all more musically obsessed than I am, they know their stuff. & they're funny.
This new guy Groove Sandwich is pretty funny too (www.groovesandwich.com/) -- he's also a musician & knows his music theory.
There's also some good folks out there who've started posting a little less-often recently 4 various reasons: Drew (at www.drewsoddsandsods.blogspot.com/) has posted some real good stuff in the past, + some Xcellent reviews of albums I'd overlooked. But recently he's developed a Real Life separate from blogging, & who can blame him if that's where his attn goes? You go, Drew! (& I'm not just saying this cos Drew's sent me more readers in the past year than I can even believe....)
Layla (at www.laylasclassicrock.blogspot.com/) recently went back 2 work after being unemployed 4 awhile, so you can see where her attn might B going. B4 that she posted a TON of Classic Rock news at 1 of the longest-running & most popular blogs of its kind. She also sometimes writes more personal stuff at her other blog, "Writing from the Inside Out."
Perplexio (at www.perplexio76.blogspot.com/) has posted some great stuff in the past, tho he seemsta have slowed down recently. 1 of his best reviews led me 2 grab Nick Hornby's rock&roll novel JULIET NAKED awhile back, & you should too....
Tonal Memories (www.tonalmemories.blogspot.com/) has posted some intresting stuff in the past, but family matters seemta B eating up his time these days.
The grandaddy of all web-reviewers, Mark Prindle (www.markprindle.com/) is still as hilarious as ever, despite some recent upheavals in his life. His recent reviews of the Complete Works of a band called Anal Cunt made me laff until my head hurt. (Jeez, 1st the Butthole Surfers & now this?)
Eoin Butler (www.eoinbutler.com/) only occasionally posts about music, but as a working journalist over in Ireland he's posted some amazing -- and often hilarious -- stories at his blog "Tripping Along the Ledge."
Adam at "There Will Be Blog" seems 2 have retired....
...& at 92, longtime science-fiction writer & editor Frederik Pohl is still showing the rest of us how to do it at www.thewaythefutureblogs.com/.
...I think what grabs me about a lotta these people is that they don't just blog about music or books or current events or whatever -- they talk about their jobs, their lives, the thots that go thru their heads during an avg day, how they get thru each day, what their lives are like. I feel like I know some of these people & that's pretty neat.
It ain't always pretty. But it's always REAL. & reading someone who speaks from the heart -- even if they're angry -- is as involving 2 me as any music review.
There used to be more. Now I can't even FIND the wildman in Orlando who's every progressive-rock review ended with the music descending like a "caterwauling cacophany into the very bowels of Hell." Sure he could barely write in English, but he was 1 of a kind! & his spooky review of Van der Graaf Generator's PAWN HEARTS finally convinced me 2 grab that scary album awhile back -- suprised I had enuf nerve 2 finally put it on the CD player! Xpected 2 get scared out of my wits....
I've tried a bunch of other bloggers & there R a few I haven't quite made up my cluttered mind about, but I wouldn't mind finding more good 1's. In fact, I'd love it.
Problem: Try punching in "good rock music blogs" at Google & see what happens. I got 249 MILLION results. Life's 2 short 4 that -- tho I did look at a couple dozen.
I've also tried "music blog aggregators" like Digital Meltd0wn, & that didn't narrow stuff down much either.
So here's the deal: If you're a music blogger doing something diffrent or adventurous or personal or funny, drop me a line, I'll check you out, review you here, & point my dozen-fans-worldwide your direction.
Or if there's some1 you're reading who's absolutely freaking brilliant & hilarious, lemme know. I'll appreciate it, & I'll let other folks know 2.
I don't even havta "agree" with you, musically. But if you hate all the stuff I love, you're gonna at least havta B entertaining about it....
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
Rastro goes Tumblr -- great stuff!
Hey, B sure & check out Rastro's new LA HISTORIA DE LA MUSICA ROCK Tumblr site at www.lahistoriadelamusicarock.tumblr.com/ -- it's punchy & funny & quick, & summa the photos he's posted R freakin' GREAT -- some of them R even sorta scary, Hank Williams Sr., 4 1....
Anyway, it's all good 2 C cos 4 awhile I thot Rastro was gonna take the Summer off. So B sure & check out his wit & musical knowledge in a new, quick & easily digestible format. Really, he does more with a photo & a few well-chosen words than I can do in a 2,000-word essay.
...& I'm not just saying this because of the great women-guitarist photos he's been posting....
Anyway, it's all good 2 C cos 4 awhile I thot Rastro was gonna take the Summer off. So B sure & check out his wit & musical knowledge in a new, quick & easily digestible format. Really, he does more with a photo & a few well-chosen words than I can do in a 2,000-word essay.
...& I'm not just saying this because of the great women-guitarist photos he's been posting....
Saturday, March 6, 2010
I'm just standin' here sellin' everything....
We'll return 2 the Nostalgia portion of R program shortly. But 1st....
I remember Bing vaguely suprised & disappointed when a coupla Beach Boys hits were used in TV commercials in the mid-'70s: "California Girls" was used 2 sell Clairol Herbal Essence shampoo, & "Good Vibrations" was used 4 Sunkist orange soda. I just figured mayB Brian Wilson needed some Xtra $$$ in his early retirement.
Wasn't til a few yrs later that I read that Brian's father Murry Wilson sold-off the rights 2 the old BB's hits at the Nd of the '60s, when he thot the Boys were Over With.
I remember Bing disappointed again later when -- after alla Pete Townshend's high-standards purity-of-rock talk in the '60s & '70s -- The Who's majestic "Love, Reign O'er Me" was used in a soda commercial. Eric Clapton's great "Let It Rain" was used briefly 2, if I remember right.
Then slightly later, Steve Winwood started apparently selling his latest songs 2 the folks at Michelob Beer B4 he even put them on an album. Didn't stop those songs (like "Don't You Know What the Night Can Do" & "The Finer Things") from winning him a coupla Grammy Awards, but it just Cmd odd. I thot he peaked w/ ARC OF A DIVER & the 2 singles that came after it ("Still in the Game" & "Valerie") NEway....
& how 'bout the Beatles' "Revolution" Bing usedta sell Nike shoes...? (Thanx 2 Michael Jackson.) & more Who songs have bn used since. Even Led Zeppelin cashed-in (like they needed 2?) w/ the use of "Rock and Roll" in a Cadillac commercial.... Nick Drake's "Pink Moon" in a VW commercial (which likely got him more listeners than he ever had B4 -- a Good Thing).
Now I'm hearing Michelle Branch's rather good "Everywhere" Bing used in a phone commercial -- which is fine if, when U go 2 sleep, U dream of a telecommunications network that can take U almost ... everywhere.
But connecting is not what that song was about. It was about NOT connecting, or at least a failure 2 connect. Can yr phone make U feel less alone?
Now, I'm not saying Branch's tune is a work up at the level of Brian's or Pete's or Eric's or John's or Jimmy & Robert's or Nick's, tho I think it's got some great guitar & it's passionately sung & it Cms sincere enuf. Really I think it's her only song worth hearing more than 1nce, tho I'm no Xpert.
I'm just wondering why all the time we've gotta B SELLING SOMETHING.
Can't a piece of music or art just B?
Now I know we're inna consumer/capitalist society, & who am I 2 Bgrudge a probly 1nce-starving musician from making a few Xtra $$$?
But more & more it Cms mora the art is going in2 the sale, not in2 what is Bing sold. Sell the sizzle, not the steak. Keep the box, throw the contents away.
I know a good head 4 bizness hasta B parta the package if U wanna B a success, specially these days. I remember Hemingway's old line: "When I'm writing, I'm an Artist. When I'm not, I'm a son of a bitch." I think that's a good way 2 approach the bizness Nd of creating art, these days.
Rock critics from the '60s & '70s useta really get bent outta shape about this stuff, about how using pop classics in commercials was perverting the pure strains of the blahblahblah, cashing-in on people's cherished memories, etc. & 1nce upon a time I sorta agreed w/ that. Now I don't know so much NEmore.
& Bsides, sometimes it works backwards. Sometimes it Cms like catchy new songs appear in commercials 1st & then get picked-up & Bcome hits. Which blurs the line even further. R we just trying 2 sell a catchy tune here, or is there something else Bing sold along w/ it? Like w/ that "Had a Bad Day" song a coupla yrs back (Daniel Powter? Whatever happened 2 him?).
I dunno. MayB people can tell the diffrence Btween Bing sold a tune or some other product. Or mayB no1 cares NEmore.
What Do U Think?
...& w/ this, I should probly note that -- if there's NE1 in Publishing out there reading this -- that this blog is COMPLETELY AVAILABLE & OPEN 4 offers 2 B turned in2 a book. My girlfriend has already told me that nobody's gonna buy a book of this stuff if they can already read it on-line 4 free. & she's right, of course.
But mayB this is a sorta dry-run 4 what I Really Wanna Do. MayB it's practice 4 that book on Strange Music that I hope 2 get written B4 I die. Or mayB it's a warm-up 4 that Rock Group Novel I someday hope 2 finish.
So, in the not-2-distant future, if yr in the Music section of yr fave local bookstore & there's some new book there & the author's initials R T.A.D. (or even just T.D.), well, ... hope ya don't 4get U read about it here 1st.
& if my work should B found on the shelves of that bookstore, I think U can B pretty sure I'll B writing in Real English....
I'm also available 4 advertising purposes, if U pay cash.....
Can't wait 4 my 1st Book Tour....
I remember Bing vaguely suprised & disappointed when a coupla Beach Boys hits were used in TV commercials in the mid-'70s: "California Girls" was used 2 sell Clairol Herbal Essence shampoo, & "Good Vibrations" was used 4 Sunkist orange soda. I just figured mayB Brian Wilson needed some Xtra $$$ in his early retirement.
Wasn't til a few yrs later that I read that Brian's father Murry Wilson sold-off the rights 2 the old BB's hits at the Nd of the '60s, when he thot the Boys were Over With.
I remember Bing disappointed again later when -- after alla Pete Townshend's high-standards purity-of-rock talk in the '60s & '70s -- The Who's majestic "Love, Reign O'er Me" was used in a soda commercial. Eric Clapton's great "Let It Rain" was used briefly 2, if I remember right.
Then slightly later, Steve Winwood started apparently selling his latest songs 2 the folks at Michelob Beer B4 he even put them on an album. Didn't stop those songs (like "Don't You Know What the Night Can Do" & "The Finer Things") from winning him a coupla Grammy Awards, but it just Cmd odd. I thot he peaked w/ ARC OF A DIVER & the 2 singles that came after it ("Still in the Game" & "Valerie") NEway....
& how 'bout the Beatles' "Revolution" Bing usedta sell Nike shoes...? (Thanx 2 Michael Jackson.) & more Who songs have bn used since. Even Led Zeppelin cashed-in (like they needed 2?) w/ the use of "Rock and Roll" in a Cadillac commercial.... Nick Drake's "Pink Moon" in a VW commercial (which likely got him more listeners than he ever had B4 -- a Good Thing).
Now I'm hearing Michelle Branch's rather good "Everywhere" Bing used in a phone commercial -- which is fine if, when U go 2 sleep, U dream of a telecommunications network that can take U almost ... everywhere.
But connecting is not what that song was about. It was about NOT connecting, or at least a failure 2 connect. Can yr phone make U feel less alone?
Now, I'm not saying Branch's tune is a work up at the level of Brian's or Pete's or Eric's or John's or Jimmy & Robert's or Nick's, tho I think it's got some great guitar & it's passionately sung & it Cms sincere enuf. Really I think it's her only song worth hearing more than 1nce, tho I'm no Xpert.
I'm just wondering why all the time we've gotta B SELLING SOMETHING.
Can't a piece of music or art just B?
Now I know we're inna consumer/capitalist society, & who am I 2 Bgrudge a probly 1nce-starving musician from making a few Xtra $$$?
But more & more it Cms mora the art is going in2 the sale, not in2 what is Bing sold. Sell the sizzle, not the steak. Keep the box, throw the contents away.
I know a good head 4 bizness hasta B parta the package if U wanna B a success, specially these days. I remember Hemingway's old line: "When I'm writing, I'm an Artist. When I'm not, I'm a son of a bitch." I think that's a good way 2 approach the bizness Nd of creating art, these days.
Rock critics from the '60s & '70s useta really get bent outta shape about this stuff, about how using pop classics in commercials was perverting the pure strains of the blahblahblah, cashing-in on people's cherished memories, etc. & 1nce upon a time I sorta agreed w/ that. Now I don't know so much NEmore.
& Bsides, sometimes it works backwards. Sometimes it Cms like catchy new songs appear in commercials 1st & then get picked-up & Bcome hits. Which blurs the line even further. R we just trying 2 sell a catchy tune here, or is there something else Bing sold along w/ it? Like w/ that "Had a Bad Day" song a coupla yrs back (Daniel Powter? Whatever happened 2 him?).
I dunno. MayB people can tell the diffrence Btween Bing sold a tune or some other product. Or mayB no1 cares NEmore.
What Do U Think?
...& w/ this, I should probly note that -- if there's NE1 in Publishing out there reading this -- that this blog is COMPLETELY AVAILABLE & OPEN 4 offers 2 B turned in2 a book. My girlfriend has already told me that nobody's gonna buy a book of this stuff if they can already read it on-line 4 free. & she's right, of course.
But mayB this is a sorta dry-run 4 what I Really Wanna Do. MayB it's practice 4 that book on Strange Music that I hope 2 get written B4 I die. Or mayB it's a warm-up 4 that Rock Group Novel I someday hope 2 finish.
So, in the not-2-distant future, if yr in the Music section of yr fave local bookstore & there's some new book there & the author's initials R T.A.D. (or even just T.D.), well, ... hope ya don't 4get U read about it here 1st.
& if my work should B found on the shelves of that bookstore, I think U can B pretty sure I'll B writing in Real English....
I'm also available 4 advertising purposes, if U pay cash.....
Can't wait 4 my 1st Book Tour....
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