Funky Perfection

A blast from the past. I don't listen much to oldies, but this song is pure funky perfection. I've been playing this song on my bass lately and while the bass line isn't hard, it's impossible to capture anything approaching the feel of the original. I've listened to several covers of the song, including some by 2 of the most highly regarded bassists of our time - Victor Wooten (Bela Fleck and the Flecktones) and Flea (Red Hot Chili Peppers), and even they can't capture the feel of the original bass line.

So kick back, twist one up if your lifestyle still allows that, and enjoy this '73 classic.

Lost Classmates

My high school class is planning a 35 year reunion for this summer, and since everyone these days is on Facebook, it's easy to instantly disseminate information. They're looking for this person or that person, and someone jumps in minutes later with information. But as a result of this, the news of those that have passed on also comes to light. Most I knew about, some I didn't. All great people, some by accident, some by illness, one a true hero. But it's hard to handle when those pictures are posted, and memories shared.  It was only a blink-of-an-eye ago.

Today in Music

On this day, June 19, 1971, the number one album was Carol King's "Tapestry".

This was an important album for me, after much persuading I talked my parents into ordering if for me from their Columbia Record club.  I was 12, and in Jr High school.  I absorbed that album - every note and nuance.  Later that year they had an assembly at school focused on music.  They asked a few kids to spin a song and talk about it.  I chose "I Feel The Earth Move" from this album.  I don't remember what I said, I think I talked about the transitions between the verse and the chorus, and about the solos.  I also remember the girl that followed me played the Allman Brothers, and gave a critique that made me jealous.

In the nineties my wife came up with Carol King's "Really Rosie" album, and played it for the kids for years - they all grew up listening to Carol King. "Hey dad - this sounds like the Really Rosie lady!"

If I'm not mistaken, this was the flip-slide of the number one single on this day also:

GPS

Today I took a trip to Guitar Center in a town an hour away to pick up a bass cab - our local Guitar Center was out of them.  It's not a big town, but it's big enough to have a Guitar Center, and I halfway know my way around the town.  But what I did, and what almost everyone does today, I plugged the address into a GPS, turned up Sirius XM's "Bluesville" station, and put the mind on autopilot.  The GPS is saying  "in one quarter miles turn left..."  Not "turn south" but "turn left".  Pre-GPS I would have relied on my inner compass, sense of direction, street direction, and so forth.  I would have left the city with a greater understanding, and easier navigation for my next visit.  Instead, I get "turn right and arrive at your destination", and I'm in the Guitar Center parking lot.  I hadn't paid enough attention to know how to get home.  I load up my bass cab, turn the GPS back on, and hit the "Take Me Home" button.  The GPS takes me home on a different route.  I couldn't find my way back there if I had to.  But I don't have to find my way back - the satellites will watch over me.

There's no way I'd have believed this back in the seventies.

Music Store

There's not much that makes an old Product Of The Seventies like me feel younger than walking into a music store. Looking at all the guitars and equipment, hanging and BSing with kids having multiple piercings (that are visible), and listening to them play licks I couldn't BEGIN to play. Talking to the sales people who are mostly my age, probably making ten bucks an hour, but wouldn't trade the opportunity to be that close to music for anything. There's something about music that can bring the generations together.  I hope I never get too busy or self-important to remember that.

Charlie

Watching our beagle Charlie the other day, and this brought back some memories.  Remember the sheepdog named Ralph from the Roadrunner cartoons?  Sat on top of the cliff, protecting his flock of sheep?  He looked exactly like Charlie does here.  Except Charlie is not looking to protect anything, he's waiting for a squirrel or rabbit to be dumb enough to enter the yard.  

This is doubly memorable, my dad didn't make time for things like cartoons, but for some reason he loved The Roadrunner and Ralph,  the sheepdog.  He'd sit there with us Saturday mornings laughing at the silliness.  Interesting how this would be such a strong memory for me, yet he doesn't remember it at all.  If I'm still around, I want to ask my kids about similar memories when they become adults.

Come A Little Bit Closer

Not exactly the seventies, the song is from the sixties, and the movie from the nineties, but still a familiar song for us Products of the Seventies. I went to school with one of the sax players, and have been listening to him since the eighties. I never get tired of The Iguanas.
From 1996, The Iguanas with Cesar Rosas of Los Lobos. I'm lovin' this!

First Job

I've been out of work for 6 weeks now, and it's looking more bleak every day. I've always worked hard - it's what defined me. From the time I was 13 I had a paper route. I was a responsible kid when it came to work. But the money made from working hard was spent irresponsibly. Fast food, cigarettes, alcohol, weed - I never had a dime to my name. Still don't, relatively speaking.

My first real job was at a major roast beef fast-food franchise when I was almost 15, making $2.00 an hour. It was a cultural experience. My first day I watched a coworker I hadn't met yet stumble in the door, hung-over, looking like he hadn't slept in days. He pulled a pill bottle out of his pocket and poured the contents on the table. An assortment of shapes and sizes spilled out, he picked out a couple different ones, ate them dry, and went to work. The store was open late to catch the bar crowd, and a few hours before close someone would take alcohol orders. After close we'd sit outside and drink. Nobody cared that I was only 16 and drinking Sloe Gin, we were part of the team. The manager was a former pro baseball player, another manager was a hard-looking young married gal that liked to talk about her love life, another employee was so smooth he could pick up beautiful girls while wearing an apron covered with roast beef stains. I just took it all in. No job I ever had after was quite like that - I wouldn't trade those experiences for anything.

Fritz The Cat

At the risk of appearing crude and Vulgar, I came across this video. For those Products of the Seventies, how many weren't curious about this movie when it was released? Dig the soundtrack, vintage seventies porn-jazz.

Joined The Ranks Of The Unemployed

Finding myself out of work for the first time this millennium.  It's been 6 weeks, and I'm getting more than a little nervous.  Hopefully the effort going into job-hunting will pay dividends soon.  A friend jokes that they're only a few paychecks away from being homeless, and that's closer to the truth than I'd like to admit.  At least I'll have time to blog again.

Bill Wyman's Rhythm Kings

I'm sure the name Bill Wyman sounds familiar, he was the bass player for the Rolling Stones for 30 years - 60's to the 90's. For the last 10 years or so he's been performing with a band called Bill Wyman's Rhythm Kings. The band has legendary talent, including Albert Lee (YouTube him - Clapton called him the greatest guitar player). An incredible band - I'd much rather see them than the Stones.

No Caption Required

Smoking

The last few weeks have been difficult.  The stress from work, combined with health issues loved ones are facing, have pushed me over the edge.


Last week I bought a pack of cigarettes.  My first since 1989.  I was climbing walls, and caved to the crave.  Since quitting, I've missed  cigarettes non-stop.  I lit that first smoke last week and it was heaven - there's not a drug in that world that could have equalled that.  Since then I've smoked 3 or 4 a day, and loved every single puff of every one.  My hands have been shaking lately, but after a cigarette I'm steady as a rock.  I hope this doesn't become a habit, but I sure love it right now.

Halloween

Halloween - the greatest kid holiday ever. Remember waiting all season for this?

 

The Christian Left

There's a Facebook page called "The Christian Left". When I discovered it, I was excited. Finally, something I could embrace. In the seventies I tried hard to turn my back on my religion. But it didn't last when my wife came along, she was a devout, accepting, caring Christian, and while she didn't get me to church every week, she got my head moving in the right direction.

In the nineties I got moving even more into Christianity, as I was moving far to the right politically. But there were things I just couldn't give up. I loved my NPR, much to the chagrin of other conservatives. And while I was pro-life, I couldn't bring myself to say there wasn't a time and place where abortions were appropriate. And I felt it hypocritical to be pro-life, yet support the death penalty. I mean, come on! What are people thinking? But I still didn't quite have a handle on acceptance, and true compassion. One small thing really changed me. I was used to people trying to take advantage of me as a store owner - stealing, asking for discounts, wanting money, etc. One night a young man came into my store, humble, introduced himself, and said he, his wife, and children were heading through town, had some problems, and needed money to get where they were going. They saw my shop, and he told me his parents had a similar shop. He said they were in a bad way, and asked if I could help his family. I turned him away. I told my wife about it, she got tears in her eyes, and asked how I could just turn them away. I got in my truck and drove around looking for them, but they had disappeared into the night. To this day I regret not helping that young family, and I'm tearing up now just thinking about it.

In the early 2000's my late son convinced me to take him to a large Christian music festival, the Cornerstone Festival. This son was an incredible person, he made Christianity cool. I learned by example from him, and he also helped shape my faith. I don't claim to be a good Christian at all, but if I can be a fraction of what Ryan was in that regard, I'd be there.

Back to the original topic, the Christian Left facebook page would be great, but it's not any different from the Christian right. There is little constructive, little motivational, and little faith being shared. It's mainly a place for like minds to hang out and feel superior. They are not tolerant, and will delete someone if they catch a whiff of dissent. It's time I stir the pot a little, and get myself banned. I'm an old hippie at heart.

Going back to the Cornerstone Music Festival my late son introduced us to, I heard a band there in maybe 2003 that blew me away. The greatest live band I've ever seen. Even today, after seeing them half dozen times, they still blow me away. If you EVER have a chance, experience this band. In honor of my efforts to continue moving in the right direction...

Sons of Guns

Isn't it interesting how you may THINK you understand someone, but you really don't, and never will.

Before I got all soft and liberal, I was as far right as I am left now. I owned a sporting goods store, selling fishing tackle, archery gear, and guns. I carried a gun every day I was in that store. I used to be a serious hunter, with rifle, shotgun, handgun, and archery equipment. So it can't be a surprise that, even though I'm very liberal, I hold to a few of my old values.

I LOVE these gun-shop shows that are on. Sons Of Guns, and American Guns. I know what they're talking about, I know what they'e selling, I know what they're making, and I know why.

Now this has been a long intro to the theme song of Sons of Guns - Tab Benoit's cover of "Shelter Me Lord". He also does much of the music in the individual shows. The show is set in Louisiana, and surprise! Tab Benoit is from Louisiana. He's also one of my favorite blues artists, maybe one of my favorite artists working today. Listen to the tone he gets out of that old Fender.

I Drink

One song for a late night when I can't sleep. Listen - it's a powerful song in a laid-back package. Enjoy.

Mary Gauthier (Go-SHAY ya'll)

Retro Photo Shoot

From a photographer in Iceland, a very sexy series. All done in a seventies theme, and it's really pretty accurate. I enjoyed it very much. Hopefully the photographer doesn't mind if I post one of the pics. Click through to her site to see the other pictures. It's worth it.

The Dude

Another movie clip, from one of the greatest movies of all time. The Dude, a true product of the seventies, who hasn't changed at all since the seventies. The Dude embodies all that we can be, all that we ever wanted out of life. We all think we could be The Dude, but we can't. None of us. The Dude is unattainable perfection. He's what keeps us reaching for the stars.

Boogie Nights

Stumbled on the movie Boogie Nights while surfing tonight. This movie is cool. About 70s porn star Dirk Diggler (Mark Wahlberg), who works for porn director Jack Horner (Burt Reynolds). If nothing else, it's worth checking out just for the disco soundtrack. Brilliantly put together.