On November 26, 1922…Charles Schulz was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He would have been 100 years old today. He would read the Sunday cartoon feature with his dad every week. Schulz had asthma and his mom would give him a pencil and paper in bed to draw and that started it all.
He created the Peanuts strip (originally entitled Li’l Folks) in 1950, introducing a group of characters based on semiautobiographical experiences. That first year, the comic strip came in last place in the New York World Telegram’s reader survey of cartoons… however, a book of Peanuts reprints helped the strip gain a larger audience. Shulz encapsulated the kid’s point of view as good or better than anyone. The grownups didn’t talk; it was all about the kid’s world. When I was growing up I would not miss a Sunday Cartoon feature or holiday special…not to mention the movies that came out.
Schulz channeled the loneliness that he had experienced in his army days and the frustrations of everyday life into Charlie Brown. Charlie Brown was familiar because he was us. . Linus was named after a friend and fellow cartoonist Linus Maurer. Peppermint Patty was inspired by his cousin Patricia and Snoopy is based on Schulz’s intelligent childhood pet dog. Woodstock is just a miniature of Snoopy…he is drawn the same way.
Spike…the model for Snoopy
Philip Van Pelt’s wife, Louanne, inspired Lucy Van Pelt, Linus’ sister. Schulz introduced the feisty…some say mean brunette, known for pulling away footballs just as Charlie Brown is about to kick them, to the cartoon strip in 1952.
The comic strip would explode and be a pop culture icon in the 50s until now. So Happy Birthday Charles Schulz!
When I was a kid I would occasionally get a Peanuts item…watch or something with them on it. My favorite characters were Schroeder and Pigpen since I stayed dirty much to my mom’s horror. No matter how much she tried…and she tried and tried to get me somewhere clean…it hardly ever happened. She got me ready for Church one morning and she had a brainstorm. She got me ready 15 minutes before we left. It was a cool spring day so she put a scrubbed-clean Max into the back seat of our car. When she came out she was horrified…I had dug around in the ashtray and was filthy…therefore Pigpen suited me fine.
Max or Pigpen?
In the late 1990s while my wife and I were dating…we would go to flea markets and antique shops and buy Peanuts memorabilia. We both had rediscovered The Peanuts in our 20s. Over 2-4 years we bought thousands of dollars of older collectibles. If being late on rent meant getting a rare Peanuts item…so be it! No, we were not the most responsible around at the time. It was a cool bonding activity between us and we still have all the things that we bought. At Christmas, we get a lot of it out and decorate the house. We slowed down when our son Bailey came along and we realized…hmmm better start saving money!
So the Peanuts were with me as a child and an adult and if we ever see a Peaunts item out and about…we usually get it.
If you get in the mood to watch The Peanuts… try A Boy Named Charlie Brown and Snoopy Come Home…their first two movies.
For everyone who celebrates Thanksgiving…I hope you have a wonderful day with your family and friends.
This is from the Bob and Tom show…a Thanksgiving episode of Mr. Obvious. I always enjoyed this one…it’s a parody on call in shows.
(hi hello,
this is Mr. Obvious,
and welcome to the Mr. Obvious show.
let’s take a call.)
um
hello is this Mr. Obvious?
(speaking.)
hi Mr. Obvious,
long-time listener,
first-time caller.
(well, thanks very much for the call.)
well, thank you Mr. Obvious
for taking my call.
(well, you’re very welcome.)
all right, bye.
(now remember,
if you have a problem
you too can call
the Mr. Obvious show
and speak to me personally,
why? it’s Mr. Obvious,
let’s take another call.)
um
hello is this Mr. Obvious?
hi Mr. Obvious,
long-time listener,
second-time caller.
(well welcome to the program caller, how can i help?)
well Mr. Obvious, i need some advice on cookin’ a turkey.
(well to be quite honest caller, it’s not as difficult as it may sound.)
well,
that’s what they say Mr. Obvious,
but i tell you what,
i tried cookin’ one the last five years,
and i just haven’t had any success.
(well now, let’s start at the beginning,
do you have a big roasting pan?)
oh sure do Mr. Obvious.
(good, now do you have an oven?)
well of course i do Mr. Obvious.
I’m no idiot Mr. Obvious.
I’m not like a lot of those people that call your show.
(now please don’t take offence caller.
it’s just that sometimes my callers
are
well…
how should i put this,
a little naive.)
i got you Mr. Obvious.
(so again caller, don’t take offence at this question.
do you actually have a turkey?)
sure Mr. Obvious, i got a nice big 25-pound turkey.
(great.
well caller,
i don’t mind telling you
that you do in fact seem
a little more astute
than many of my callers.)
jeez thanks Mr. Obvious.
coming from you that means a lot.
(okay you have a turkey?
you have a pan?
you have an oven?
have you stuffed your turkey caller?)
oh yeah that’s all done.
(pre-heated the oven?)
yup.
(again caller, i don’t want to belabour the point,
but you really have something on the ball.
it’s callers like you that i hoped to attract
when i first started the Mr. Obvious program.)
thanks again Mr. Obvious, makes me proud.
(in fact, Mr. Obvious is a little bit puzzled at this point
as to why you haven’t been able to successfully
cook your turkey in the past.)
well i am too Mr. Obvious.
(all right,
what exactly has happened in the previous years when you tried to cook your turkey.)
um well you know, usually the problem is the turkey’s just too tough.
(hmmm too tough you say…)
oh yeah, real-real tough.
(now do you baste the turkey?)
yup, i tried that and it didn’t seem to help.
(have you thought about putting the turkey in a bag?)
in a bag Mr. Obvious?
(yes siree caller.
many people swear by this method of cooking a turkey.)
that sounds kind of hard Mr. Obvious.
(hard?
why no caller,
it’s not hard at all.)
well if you say so.
can you hang on a second,
and I’ll give it a try well I’ve
got you on the phone here?
(well…
normally Mr. Obvious
is pressed for time,
but for a caller like you,
I’ll spare a few seconds.
go ahead,
put your turkey in the bag.
I’ll hold on.)
great.
thanks Mr. Obvious.
I’ll be right back.
alright, come here boy…
get in this bag…
(what?
what’s goin’ on there?)
calm down boy.
come on,
get in the bag
little feller.
(what’s goin’ on there?
caller?
CALLER!!
hello?)
OW god damn it!
(why do i even try,
oh boy…)
Mr. Obvious?
(yes caller?)
it’s not gonna work I’m tellin’ you.
he’s just too tough. i can’t get him in there.
i figure, even if i did get him in there,
if he can get out of a roasting pan
like he has in the last five years,
i don’t think a paper bag is gonna hold him very long.
(your turkey’s alive isn’t he caller.)
oh yeah he’s alive, there’s no doubt about that.
he’s a tough old bird.
(you’ve been trying to cook the same “live” turkey for five years caller?)
sure have, and i haven’t had a bit of success Mr. Obvious.
(well i can’t help but say Mr. Obvious is saddened by this turn of events.)
yeah i know what you mean Mr. Obvious,
my little girl,
she get’s sad every year
when i try to pop this dawg-on turkey in the oven.
(apparently I’m not the judge of character and intellect that i presumed that i was.
caller, hey here’s an idea.
have you ever thought about killing the turkey?)
tell you what Mr. Obvious,
I’ve sure thought about it a couple of times,
man, when that sucker bites me i just want to wring his neck.
sometimes all that gobbling drives me up the wall.
I’ve never been so mad that i actually seriously thought about killin’ him…
(ah-huh.
caller, you can’t cook the turkey till he’s dead.)
really?
(yes really,
you cook dead turkeys, not live ones.)
hmm…
i never really made the connection.
(hey,
that’s all the time we have for today…)
hey Mr. Obvious?
(yes caller.)
thanks Mr. Obvious,
you’re a lifesaver.
(i appreciate it.
join us next week for another…)
hey Mr. Obvious?
(yeah?)
one more thing…
(ah-huh?)
how long do turkeys typically live?
(join us next week
on the Mr. Obvious show.)
This song is straight-ahead pop/rock with some cool vocal hooks. This song was off The Real Ramona album but did not chart.
The band was formed in 1981 by step-sisters Kristin Hersh (vocals/guitar) and Tanya Donelly (guitar/vocals), who were both at high school at the time. Initially called Kristin Hersh And The Muses, the line-up was completed by bassist Leslie Langstons and drummer David Narcizo. Tanya and Kristin wrote most of the songs. Tanya Donelly is singing this one. She admitted that her songs were a little more simple whereas Kristin Hersh’s were more eccentric.
They lived close to Providence, Boston, and New York and so they could play a club quite often in both places. They had a lot of colleges and some local newspapers, magazines, and radio stations to promote them.
They were the first American band to sign to the British 4AD label. Tanya would go on to form the Breeders with Kim Deal of the Pixies. She also formed Belly as guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter, with Thomas Gorman on lead guitar, Chris Gorman on drums, and Fred Abong on bass guitar.
Tanya was never replaced and the band is still active today as a trio with Hersh. The two step-sisters did get together in 2018 and do some shows together.
Not Too Soon
She colorblind tired eyes Her hallway aching She’ll never move him, likes it that way He’s just a walker and he’ll never stop walking away It’s not too soon, he said, you know it’s not too soon at all And you might as well be dead, he said If you’re afraid to fall, I said, I know her
She said, oh, my, why do you stare so hard? Wrapped up like a doll in bad dreams and broken arms Make these old bones shiver It’s not too soon, he said, you know it’s not too soon at all And you might as well be dead, he said If you’re afraid to fall, I said, I know her
The last time I saw you, you were standing in the dark And with a freezing face, I watched you fall apart
It’s not too soon, he said, it’s not too soon at all And you might as well be dead, he said If you’re afraid to fall, I said Done your time, been in your place I couldn’t look you in the face and tell you that it turns me on it makes my stomach turn I know, I know her
The country I liked in the nineties was this…NOT Garth Brooks. I also listened to Dwight Yokum as well.
The Mavericks’ front man, Raul Malo, co-wrote this with the country songwriter, Al Anderson. Malo hs said that Buck Owens was a big influence on this one. It does have that Bakersfield sound and it reminds me of Dwight Yokum. It has a cool stringy telecaster sound during the solo. It also has that Tex-Mex sound that was popular then.
When I hear a song…the last thing I think of is…WOW, I want more accordion! With this song though it fits like a glove. The accordion was played by Grammy Award-winning Tejano music accordionist Flaco Jiménez.
This is their highest charting song to date. It peaked at #13 on the Billboard Country Chart and #15 on Canada’s Country Charts in 1996.
This song was on the Mavericks’ fourth studio album. The album features the Country musician, Trisha Yearwood, who duets with the band on a cover of the Frank and Nancy Sinatra song, “Somethin’ Stupid.”
The album peaked at #9 on the Billboard Country Charts, #3 in Canada’s Country Album Charts and #58 in the Billboard Pop Album Charts, and #54 in Canada.
Co-writer Al Anderson: “I thought that was a dumb song. Like I was doing, ‘What the hell is this?’ Then I heard the record on the radio, and it was the best – that’s my favorite record of all time. I’m able to zone in on Raul when it comes to songs. I really enjoy writing with him.”
All You Ever Do Is Bring Me Down
I can’t sleep a wink anymore
Ever since you first walked out the door
Then I just started drinking to forget
But I don’t think the worst has happend yet
All you ever do is bring me down
Making me a fool all over town
They all wonder why I wear a frown
That’s ’cause honey all you ever do is bring me down
Hear me now, I go, whoo
It’s funny how my whole world fell apart
I think I saw it coming from the start
I tried to tell myself that you’d be true
But I expected way too much of you
All you ever do is bring me down
Making me a fool all over town
They all wonder why I wear a frown
That’s ’cause honey all you ever do is bring me down
I take ma’m
All you ever do is bring me down
Making me a fool all over town
They all wonder why I wear a frown
That’s ’cause honey all you ever do is bring me down
That’s ’cause honey all you ever do is bring me down
Honey all you ever do is bring me down
Two, three, four
Very sad news that Loretta Lynn passed away at the age of 90. I met the lady one time and she was wonderful. She was the definition of the word classy.
When I was eight years old, my mom took me to Loretta Lynn’s ranch. I actually had breakfast with Loretta Lynn. My mom knew someone who knew her… we were at her Ranch that was just opened to the public. She saw us and pointed and said “come in here” and we sat at the table and ate with her. She was very nice. She kept asking if I needed anything and if I was having a good time.
She was one of the nicest human beings I’ve ever met. Even though I was young, she didn’t talk down to me…she talked to me. It was a wonderful experience and even I knew at that age it was special…that this didn’t happen all of the time.
She wrote about real-life situations with women during her career. Her songwriting was honest and pure.
It saddens me that she just passed away. She is up there with Dolly Parton, Patsy Cline, and a host of other country legends. I was happy back in 2004 when Jack White of the White Stripes produced her album Van Lear Rose.
Jack White of the White Stripes is a huge fan of Loretta Lynn. The White Stripes dedicated their 2001 album, ”White Blood Cells,” to her and invited her to share a bill with them at the Hammerstein Ballroom in Manhattan.
Jack White produced her album “Van Lear Rose” and he asked Loretta to write all 13 songs for the album. The title refers to the Van Lear Coal mines from her youth. White said he would have been happy just to play tambourine on the album as long as he got to work with her.
Country radio snubbed “Van Lear Rose,” and the album received no CMA Awards nominations but it still reached #2 on the country charts and #24 on the Billboard 200. Lynn notched five Grammy nominations for her new music. In February 2005, she and White won Grammy awards for best country album and best country collaboration.
The album is great and this is the song that I liked best. If modern country music was this…I would actually listen! As I type this…I get mad all over again by the way country radio treated this album.
Van Lear Rose
One of my fondest memories Was sittin’ on my daddy’s knee Listenin’ to the stories that he told He’d pull out that old photograph Like a treasured memory from the past And say child This here’s the Van Lear Rose
Oh how it would bring a smile When he talked about her big blue eyes And how her beauty ran down to her soul She’d walk across the coal miner’s yard Them miner’s would yell loud and hard and they’d dream of who would hold the Van Lear Rose
She was the belle of Johnson County Ohio river to Big Sandy A beauty to behold like a diamond in the coal All the miner’s they would gather ’round Talk about the man that came to town Right under their nose Stole the heart of the Van Lear Rose
Now the Van Lear Rose could’ve had her pick And all the fellers figured rich Until this poor boy caught her eye His buddies would all laugh and say Your dreamin’ boy she’ll never look your way You’ll never ever hold the Van Lear Rose
She was the belle of Johnson County Ohio river to Big Sandy A beauty to behold like a diamond in the coal All the miner’s they would gather ’round Talk about the man that came to town Right under their nose Stole the heart of the Van Lear Rose
Then one night in mid July Underneath that ol’ blue Kentucky sky Well, that poor boy won that beauty’s heart Then my daddy would look at my mommy and smile As he brushed the hair back from my eyes and he’d say Your mama She’s the Van Lear Rose
[Chorus]
Right under their nose Stole the heart of the Van Lear Rose
This is about Lemmy Kilmister the founder of Motorhead. The documentary is called Lemmy: 49% motherfucker. 51% son of a bitch. His name was Ian Fraser Kilmister…better known as Lemmy.
I’m not a huge fan of Motorhead but I do like a few of their songs. Lemmy though is another matter. He is a great subject for a documentary. This was made in 2010 and it’s hard not to like the guy. He was who he was and he wasn’t changing for anyone. He reminds me a little of Keith Richards…but a rougher version.
Lemmy saw The Beatles in the Cavern and is a huge fan which surprised me. He was a roadie for Jimi Hendrix and he played with Hawkwind and later formed his band…Motorhead. They took punk and heavy metal and cross-pollinated the two forms in some ways.
This documentary was released in 2010. Some of the people in this documentary per Wiki are Slash, Duff McKagan, Ozzy Osbourne, James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich, Robert Trujillo, Kirk Hammett, Nikki Sixx, David Ellefson, Scott Ian, Dave Vanian, Captain Sensible, Peter Hook, and Marky Ramone, as well as Nik Turner and Dave Brock of Lemmy’s former band Hawkwind. The filmmakers were also able to capture many candid moments with colleagues such as Dave Grohl and Billy Bob Thornton conversing with Lemmy in bars and recording studios.
Lemmy passed away on December 28, 2015. Even if you are not a fan…you probably will enjoy this.
I first heard this band through a song called Hold Me Up a while back. Cool hooks, guitar sound, and melodies. This band has the distorted and jangly sound well mixed together. This song came off of the 1994 album Teenage Symphonies to God which is probably their best-known album. I have listened to this album a bunch and the songs sound like classic songs that have been forgotten.
Vocalist/bassist Paul Chastain and drummer Ric Menck are the band’s two constant members. They had previously worked together in 3 other bands…Choo Choo Train, Bag-O-Shells, and The Springfields in the 1980s.
Guitarist Jeffrey Underhill played with them on their first three albums. The album was produced by Mitch Easter who would produce R.E.M among other artists. He gets such a warm sound with Velvet Crush. Matthew Sweet has also worked with this band.
Chastain, Menck, and Underhill reunited in 2019 to tour.
Time Wraps Around You
To the summer of love, from the winter of fear Seasons change us around, the reasons not clear So turn the page Their innocence can’t be saved Beginning again
Like the motions you make, the wave of your hand Like the time that it takes to know that you can Standing by To try and make you feel alright
This time wraps around you And I’ll wrap around you You know I’ll stay
Through the summer of love, the winter so near Seasons scatter good friends, and more every year Looking back Then you find Learning that It’s time to leave the past far behind
You know it’s alright This time wraps around you And I’ll wrap around you This time wraps around you And I’ll wrap around you This time wraps around you And I’ll wrap around you This time wraps around you And I’ll wrap around you This time wraps around you And I’ll wrap around you Know I’ll stay
Any song that contains train references I usually like and this one is no exception. I was surprised when I heard this song was by Cinderella. They had changed themselves into a bluesy hard rock roots band. The other song that I heard off the album at the time was Shelter…and that one I loved also.
The song peaked at #44 on the Billboard 100, #60 in Canada, #54 in the UK, and #13 on the Billboard Rock Charts in 1991.
In 1990 we were the house band at club at the time. We never played new music but I learned this one just to see the faces of the people when we played a new song. We did this one and Jealous Again by the Black Crowes.
They never really got a chance to follow this momentum up with another album. n 1991, Keifer lost his voice due to a paresis of his vocal cords. After operations, they didn’t follow up this album until 1994 (Still Climbing) and by then grunge had taken over and Cinderella was dropped from the record company after the album went nowhere.
They reformed in 1996 and would tour off and on until 2014.
Heartbreak Station
Waiting at the station
Tears filling up my eyes
Sometimes the pain you hide
Burns like a fire inside
Lookin’ out my window
Sometimes it’s hard to see
The things you want in life
Come and go so easily
She took the last train out of my heart
The last train
And now I think I’ll make a brand new start
The last train out of my heart
Watching the days go by
Thinking ’bout the plans we made
Days turn into years
Funny how they fade away
Sometimes I think of those days
Sometimes I just hide away
I’m waiting on that 9:20 train
I’m waiting on a memory
She took the last train out of my heart
The last train
And now I think I’ll make a brand new start
The last train out of my heart, yeah
My lady’s on the fly
And she’s never coming back
My love is like a steam train
Rolling down the tracks, yeah, yeah
The last train out of my heart
The last train
And now I think I’ll make a brand new start
Took the last train out of my heart, yeah
she took the last train, out of my heart
(The last train) she took the last train
And now I think I’ll make a new start
Last train out of my heart
I had view masters as a kid and loved them…tonight I was able to see some view master slides in a view master projector with a screen. I always wanted one as a kid but never could get it. I had the “click” model you held in your hand.
A few months ago…my cousin Mark came over. He and I collect things from the 50s-70s. Mark has been collecting View-Masters and the round slides. He shopped on Market Place and found someone with a 1950s View-Master projector. The projector is very clear.
All of us (wife, son, Mark, and myself) spent over an hour watching the view-master slides on a screen that he bought from different people.
Of course, the slides are not 3-D when projected but it still was really cool. We saw Busch Gardens, Silver Dollar City, Acapulco, Sequoia, Kings National Park (I think), and some other places. It was like stepping back in time to the 60s or 70s which I guess was the idea. All the pictures came from the 50s through the 70s.
As a kid, I would spend hours clicking the round slide over and over. For some reason, I remember an outer space slide selection I had. The 3-D made it look like you could touch it. When my son was around 5 we got him one and he loved it. I would recommend picking one up if you see one somewhere…no matter how old you are…they are still fun!
The View-Master was based on the stereoscopic viewer, which dates all the way back to the 1800s.
This is my 5th-year anniversary on WP. Thank you all for still reading and commenting.
This was part of Dave’s at A Sound Day “Turntable Talk” series…hope you like it. It’s also a more in-depth re-working of my first post on September 18, 2017. I never dreamed I would be accepted in such a large community of like-minded people. It’s not easy to meet Big Star fans in real life…here in this community, they come to you. My mission was…if I could get one person to at least give Badfinger, Big Star, or the Raspberries a listen…my job was done…but it’s been so much more than that because I’ve learned more than I’ve given. Yes, I love the Beatles but they don’t need my cheerleading.
I usually write shorter posts than this…but it was a lot to say on this subject.
So why are The Beatles still popular with older and younger generations? Their influence seems never-ending. It’s as though they have never left. There are other bands that left a legacy but nothing like the footprint of the Beatles.
The Beatles shaped culture instead of following it. Society changed after that appearance on the Ed Sullivan show. They cast such a large net in music compared to everyone else. They influenced everything from rock, folk-rock, power pop, psychedelia, progressive rock, and heavy metal. They practically invented the thought or image of a rock band. They moved passed that and have become a huge part of the culture they helped create.
The Beatle’s breakup was announced in 1970. Many rumors flew that they might regroup through the years but that ended on December 8, 1980, in New York with the assassination of John Lennon.
Through the seventies, the Beatles were still quite popular with the Red and Blue greatest-hits albums released in the early seventies. The greatest hits album Rock and Roll Music (terrible silver cover) was released in 1976. Capitol released Got To Get You In My Life as a single off of the album and it peaked at #1 in Canada and #7 in the Billboard 100 in 1976. This was 10 years after it was released as an album track on Revolver.
I bought my first Beatle album (Hey Jude Again) in 1975 when I was 8 and then bought the Rock and Roll Music album. So, I was a 2nd generation Beatles fan and there were many of us. The solo Beatles dominated the charts to the mid-seventies. After 1975 they had hits but not as many as before. Beatles’ popularity waned in the mid to late 70s when the “newer/ younger” generations considered the Beatles as belonging to their parents. Many youngsters believed Led Zeppelin, Queen, and all newer bands would replace the Beatles in scope and success.
Everything changed when Lennon was murdered. A newer generation heard the music. Their popularity would go up and down but with the first Beatle CDs released in 1987…again another generation heard the Beatles. Sgt Pepper was re-released 20 years after the original and it went to number one.
What really cemented them in the public’s mind happened on November 20, 1995. The Beatles Anthology CDs were released, and the documentary was viewed during prime time on ABC. Since then, they have never left. On November 13, 2000, they released the compilation album “1” which was the best-selling album of the decade worldwide. The Beatles were also the largest selling band between 2000-2010. In 2009 The Beatles Rock Band game came out and…yet another generation found their music. One was my son who was born in 2000.
Between 2010-2020 they remixed and reissued many of their classic albums with 50th-anniversary editions. The Get Back film by Peter Jackson is the latest project that has thrust them in the spotlight again…but really, they have never left.
The bottom line for their staying power is their music. The songwriting was outstanding. Even the early music was something new. They used minor chords, and different rhythms, along with harmonizing over the top. I’m not going to go into musical theory, but they never repeated themselves. Every album stands on its own. John Lennon’s rhythm guitar was quirky and inventive, George Harrison brought in a Chet Atkins style along with jazz chords, Paul brought bass playing to a new level, and Ringo was a left-hander that played right-handed with an open high hat. The main thing was the songwriting, quality, and quantity that is rarely if ever seen.
Bob Dylan: “Their chords were outrageous, just outrageous, and their harmonies made it all valid.”
They rarely included their singles on albums. Most bands used singles to sell albums, but The Beatles treated both formats as different entities. Songs that weren’t released as singles include Norwegian Wood, You’ve Got To Hide Your Love Away, With A Little Help From My Friends, While My Guitar Gently Weeps, All My Loving, A Day In The Life, Back In The USSR, Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds, Helter Skelter, Michele, The Night Before, and one of the most popular Beatles song Here Comes The Sun, and many more. Any other band would have released these songs as singles but with the Beatles…they were just album cuts. That is how deep their songwriting was at the time, and from 1966 onward George was contributing to the quality as well. George developed into a great songwriter in the impossible situation of being with two of the best in history.
They had more variety than many others. They were rockers in Hamburg and The Cavern. They were pop stars in the Beatlemania years. They were rock-folk-pop in the middle period of Rubber Soul and Revolver. They were Psychedelic rockers during the Sgt Pepper and Magical Mystery Tour era. Then they went back to their roots and were rockers again with the White Album and Let It Be. Abbey Road saw them perfecting their craft in all genres. They knew when to make an exit…while still on top.
They broke up because they outgrew each other and were together constantly, much like brothers. John, Paul, and George grew up together in Liverpool and they knew Ringo well early on. They were never made to stay together like the Stones. The Stones developed a business/brand attitude, but the Beatles were more of a family and things were more personal.
They were not this clean polite band that Brian Epstein and the press created. In fact, the Stones and Beatles’ images should have been reversed… but to make it…they had to clean up to get through the international door. After they did, the door was open for all others. They did however speak of whatever was on their mind. They said things stars just didn’t say, even in the early days. There was something honest about them that is still there to this day.
They were symmetrical… John brought in Paul, Paul brought in George, and George brought in Ringo.
Their story adds depth to their legacy. The odds of them finding Brian Epstein, George Martin, Stuart Sutcliffe, and everyone on the way was nearly zero. If one key person would have would have gone the other way…the story would not be the same or might not have happened.
In a hundred years…the question will still be asked… why are the Beatles still relevant?
This is some good old feet-stomping garage band music. This is my favorite song right now…it sticks with you. The band is from Trenton, New Jersey and they started to record some demos in 1992. The band consisted of brothers Tom and John Jorgensen and Don “Shaggy” Snook.
John Jorgensen played drums, Snook played guitar, and Tom Jorgensen played bass and was the lead singer. The Neckbreakers released their first album in 1993 called Live For Buzz. This song was their lead track. If you like melodic raw rock and roll…I would recommend listening to this album. This song was on a Sopranos episode in season 4, episode 2.
Their reputation as a great live band spread and they started to fill up places in their area. In 1994 they took off on a tour of Europe. The group was especially well received in France, where one radio station even declared a Swingin’ Neckbreakers Week.
From Allmusic: The Neckbreakers’ second album Shake Break came out the next year on Telstar. After Don Snook’s departure from the band in 1996, Jeffery Lee Jefferson eventually filled in on guitar and debuted on the 1997 album Kick Your Ass. Return of Rock and Live Live Live were released in 2000.
They released a total of 5 albums between 1993 and 2000.
I saw an interview with Paul McCartney and he called out major bands playing live with backing tracks but refused to say which ones. I also saw an article about Motley Crue using pre-recorded tracks to bolster their sound.
McCartney:“To me the concert experience is at the heart of what music is about. You come to a show and you are in the room so it is the real thing. I have been to concerts where I think, ‘Oh, I really am in the room with Tony Bennett and it is like he is in my living room’. That is a great part of the experience. I then think, ‘Wait a minute, people must think that about me’. When we make mistakes playing live, we always now turn it and say, ‘Tell you what this proves we are live
McCartney and his band did just that when I saw him. They messed up an intro of a song…Paul laughed and went on.
Before you read the rest…I might be harsher than some people. I didn’t even like it when after 1981… the Stones started to fill up their stage with different musicians to sweeten the sound…and professional backup singers…I would rather hear Keith sing backup. The same applies to the Who… who did the same thing on their 1988-89 tour. That was more because of Townshend’s hearing problems but I would have rather heard the four of them and maybe a keyboardist…BUT at least those bands were not faking it…they didn’t hide anything…they just added more musicians.
Sometimes backing tracks have to be used…Backing tracks are sometimes used when a band cannot have an orchestra or an exotic instrument which I totally get. I’ve seen KISS use it when Peter Criss would sing Beth…I totally get that. I’ve seen The Who use a backing track for Won’t Get Fooled Again and Baba O’Riley which again I totally get. They don’t try to hide it…it’s a part that would be hard to duplicate live and is the main part of the song. That is the reason Keith Moon wore headphones while playing those songs so he would come in on time.
Those tracks are not what I’m talking about. What I’m getting at is when a guitarist, bassist, or vocalist mimes what they were doing and you are NOT hearing it live. You are hearing what they perfected in a studio sometime in the past.
There are places when this has to be done. Many TV studios are not made for rock bands and they have to lip sync to a backing track…most of the bands don’t like doing it but if they want to promote a song they do. In music videos for the most part…they have to lip sync also… so there are times when there is no other choice.
When you are paying $100 for a ticket…I don’t believe lip-syncing or faking should be allowed or they should have to tell you they are doing it. I could take four more bloggers (any volunteers?) and we could mime to Jumpin’ Jack Flash…would anyone want to pay $100 for that? Many acts that dance and jump about…when you hear them sing you hear no panting or breathing hard and you SEE them panting and breathing hard. I’m not a fan but I admire the fact that Lady GaGa actually called some performers out for lip-syncing.
“I don’t think it’s cool to lip-sync, I’m not judging if people do, because it’s everybody’s own style and type of artist they’ve decided to be. But I think that if you pay money for a ticket to see a show then the artist should f**king have some pipes and sing their records for you”… I agree with her.
Paul McCartney is 80 and sometimes his voice goes off… not a lot but sometimes…so what? Mick Jagger goes off at times…but that makes them human. I’m old fashion about this… but I cannot respect anyone that goes out and mimes their greatest hits in a live atmosphere. I’ve been listening to a lot of concerts in the 70s… Lynyrd Skynyrd, Aerosmith, The Who, Led Zeppelin, etc. How did they do it without autotune? How did they do it without an extra Jimmy Page guitar pre-recorded? If they messed up…they messed up…big deal…they are human. Some performers have said since the ticket prices are so high…they want to give a perfect show. No, I don’t want a perfect show…I want a real show warts and all.
What do you think? If you go to see a band live…do you want to hear guitar, vocal, or bass tracks that were recorded earlier? Live music…should be live… right? Am I’m expecting too much? It may not bother many people.
Artists who have been caught lip-syncing include Mariah Carey, Katy Perry, Milli Vanilli, 50 Cent, Justin Bieber, Beyonce, Selena Gomez, Madonna, and more.
Ah…I cannot conclude this post without Miss Ashley Simpson…the poster child for lip-syncing.
This song and “Key West Intermezzo (I Saw You First) came out around the same time off the album Mr. Happy Go Lucky in 1997.
This album was his first album released after his 1994 heart attack and some of the music dealt with his brush with death. The cover artwork caused some controversy with Walmart. They didn’t like that it depicted Jesus and the Devil with Mellencamp holding what looked like to them to be a dead boy. He told them that no…that was his son Hud and he was asleep at the time. The artwork was changed because Mellencamp didn’t care since he didn’t design it. Jesus and the Devil were taken off. As long as the music didn’t have to change he was alright.
The song peaked at #46 on the Billboard 100 and #1 in Canada in 1997.
Some trivia about Mellencamp. Mellencamp’s first manager, Tony DeFries, gave him the name “Johnny Cougar.” He started using “John Cougar Mellencamp” in the early ’80s and eventually dropped the “Cougar.” DeFries is the same guy who persuaded David Jones to change his name to David Bowie. With Bowie I understand because of Davy Jones…but Cougar?
Mellencamp released the album “Strictly a One-Eyed Jack” this year and it contained three songs with Bruce Springsteen… “Wasted Days, A Life Full of Rain, and Did You Say Such a Thing.
John Mellencamp on the song: “That was what the record company wanted to put out as the first single. They said, ‘It sounds familiar.'”
Just Another Day
Bobie Doll and Big Jim Picato Call me up every single day They don’t work and they don’t want to Come on down to some damn café
Bobie Doll tells me, “Live in the moment” Don’t get too far ahead, don’t live in the past I blink my eyes and the moment is over I guess another day has passed
But it’s just another day It’s just another day Watching girls on the street Well, that’s alright with me And it’s just another day
Bobie Doll and Big Jim Picato Always there with their free advice They’ve got pearl-handled pistols under their vests They want me to go out drinkin’ with them tonight
But it’s just another day It’s just another day Watchin’ girls on the street Well, that’s alright with me And it’s just another day
You’ve got clean white sheets in the mornin’ Conversation all afternoon Bobie Doll and Big Jim Picato, baby And me and you
But, it’s just another day Just another day Watching girls on the street Well, that’s alright with me And it’s just another day
Well, it’s just another day It’s just another day Watching girls on the street Well, that’s alright with me And it’s just another day
Welcome to the Hanspostcard TV Draft. I hope you will enjoy it! Today’s post was written by Paula at http://paulalight.com
FRASIER
Frasier is a spin-off from Cheers, starring Kelsey Grammer as Dr. Frasier Crane, a psychiatrist who leaves Boston (where Cheers was set) to return to his hometown of Seattle as a radio show host. Costarring is David Hyde Pierce as Frasier’s brother Niles, also a psychiatrist, and it’s amazing how much the two actors resemble one another. They’re both drolly hilarious as well and play off each other superbly ~ though the writers didn’t originally intend for Niles to have such a large part, they reconsidered after discovering how much Niles added to the show. John Mahoney (RIP) plays their father, Martin, a retired cop, who frequently argues with his sons, and there are two funny women on the show in recurring roles ~ Peri Gilpin as Roz (Frasier’s producer) and Jane Leeves as Daphne (Martin’s caretaker/physical therapist). The show won 37 Primetime Emmy Awards, which was a record at the time. It also won the Emmy for Outstanding Comedy Series for five consecutive years. Supposedly there is a “revival” coming at some point, starring the brothers. The original ran for 11 seasons, beginning in 1993 and ending in 2004.
If you recall, during Cheers Frasier was married to fellow psychiatrist Lilith (wonderfully played by Bebe Neuwirth), and they are divorced when Frasier begins, with Lilith having primary custody of their son Frederick. Immediately thwarting Frasier’s plans for a wild single life is his father, injured on duty, and requiring 24/7 assistance. Frasier brings Martin and his annoying dog Eddie to live with him, and they hire Daphne, a British caregiver. Niles makes frequent appearances, and one recurring motif is that his wife Maris is an impossible person, whom he constantly complains about, yet we never see her face (same as Norm’s wife on Cheers). Niles falls in love with Daphne, and eventually he leaves Maris and marries Daphne. Frasier and Niles are snobby intellectuals (though endearing in their inability to solve their own problems while helping others), and Martin is more of a “regular guy,” so that dichotomy generates clashes. Lilith makes several appearances on Frasier under various premises, from calling in to his radio show to sleeping with Niles due to despair that her next husband left her for a man.
One amusing piece of trivia is that Frasier had announced on Cheers that his father died. That had to be retconned into the Frasier universe by revealing that Frasier had lied about his father dying. The fab theme song “Tossed Salads and Scrambled Eggs” was composed by Bruce Miller and sung by Grammer. Though the show is very Seattle-centric, only one episode was actually filmed there; the rest were shot at Paramount Studios and around Los Angeles. (All info from Wikipedia.)
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Paula Light is a poet, novelist, flash fiction fan, cupcake connoisseur, mom, grandma, cat mommy, etc. Her blog can be found at http://paulalight.com.
Tomorrow morning we will kick off our last TV draft round! We have 8 more TV Shows coming…we all want to thank you… the readers who have made this possible and a fun experience.
I also want to thank the bloggers who have reviewed all of these shows and we have covered every decade from the 1950s until now. Below are the picks that began in January and will end on July 3.
Thank you… Paula, Lisa, Dave, John, Keith, Mike, Liam, Vic, Hanspostcard (who started it), and Kirk for all of the reviews below.
PowerPop... An Eclectic Collection of Pop Culture 