"G" IT'S HODGEPODGE DAY...I ALMOST FORGOT!

     Today is "G" day at the A to Z Blogging Challenge but it is also Wednesday Hodgepodge time. Being too lazy to write two blog posts my "G" post will appear in the Random Thought, question #8. Thanks Joyce for another essay test of our psyche. I hope you all enjoy this edition.

1. Besides left over Easter goodies, what's something currently kept in a basket at your house?
     As I look around the office I see a basket containing a bunch homemade cards waiting to bring cheer to their recipients. I see another basket containing gift wrapping paper for all occasions. Still another basket serves as a waste basket. We have many more baskets around the house because my beloved SWMBO loves baskets. You might say that she's a basket case! (Oh, yes I did!)

2. 'The greater danger for most of us is not that our aim is too high and we miss it, but that it is too low and we reach it.' ~Michelangelo Buonarroti 

So which one are you...the one who aims too high, or the one who aims too low? Have you ever seen The Sistine Chapel? Did you know Michelangelo's surname prior to answering this question?
     It depends on the time of my life. There have been times that I aimed too high and failed miserably. There are other times when I aimed too low and knew that I could have done much better. I have never seen the Sistine Chapel and I still don't know Michelangelo's last name.

3. April 7th is National Beer Day. Hmmm...wonder how that's celebrated? Do you like beer? Have a favorite? If you're not a beer drinker do you have any recipes you enjoy cooking that call for beer?
     I do like beer. My favorite kind of is a light lager. Nothing tastes better than an ice cold beer when you're over heated on a hot summer's day. 

4. When did you last travel somewhere new? Tell us where? How'd it go?
     Last fall SWMBO and I packed up the fur babies and drove to Bar Harbor, Maine, and visited Acadian National Park. It was a wonderful time. We would love to go back someday.

5. The value of _________________________is greatly overrated.
     Two things come to mind. One is "FAME." I have seen many interviews with famous people who once obtaining fame, most long for the days when they were unknown. Bill Murray once advised people who want to be rich and famous to try the "rich" thing first and see if that doesn't satisfy you. He ruefully opined that fame is not all it's cracked up to be. 
     The second thing that comes to mind is "EDUCATION." Education without wisdom can be dangerous. Being a well educated idiot still makes you, well, an idiot. Pardon my cynicism but it seems to me that we have too many Ivy League educated idiots in high government positions. Look at the havoc that they have wrought!

6. What's a pet peeve of yours when it comes to restaurant dining?
     I love going out to a restaurant with my beloved SWMBO. I love being able to share a nice meal and a time of adult conversation about nothing in particular without the fur babies nosing around for table scraps, the phone ringing or other distractions. My pet peeve is the waitstaff coming by every five minutes to ask if you need anything. I would prefer that they come after the meal is served and we've had a chance to take a bite or two and then come by to ask if everything was okay...ONCE! Other than that quietly, keep the drink glasses filled and walk by periodically to see if we have finished our meal. Other than that leave us the heck alone!

7. It's Poetry Month...share a favorite poem, either the title, a few lines you find meaningful, or the whole kit and caboodle.
     "There once was a man from Nantucket..." Just kidding! I don't really have a favorite poet or poem. I do like poetry in the form of song lyrics, though.  There are some songs that resonate with me on an emotional level for one reason or another. 

8. Insert your own random thought here.

     My theme for the A to Z Blog Challenge is a walk through Rock and Roll history from A to Z. Today being "G" day I am remembering "THE GRASS ROOTS." The Grass Roots was a manufactured band not unlike the Monkees. Dunhill records was trying to cash in on the Folk Rock movement in the mid 1960's. Two songwriters who worked for Dunhill, P.F. Sloan and Steve Barri, wrote several songs, they just needed a band to play them...and so The Grass Roots was born. The band went through a number of revisions and personnel changes until the arrival of Creed Bratton, Vocals/Guitar; Rick Coonce, Drums/Percussion; Warren Entner, Vocals/Guitar/Keyboard; and Rob Grill, Bass Guitar. It was this lineup that performed most of their hit songs. 
     Interestingly, most of the studio music on their records was performed by the now famous "Wrecking Crew," a number of studio musicians who performed the music on the records of many famous artist of the day. The Grass Roots did play their own instruments at concerts and on tour. Another interesting factoid is that the Grass Roots was one of the first bands to use a brass section in their music. They included brass instruments before Chicago and before Blood, Sweat and Tears. 
     Some of my favorite songs are "Midnight Confessions," "Things I should have Said," "Bella Linda," and "Temptation Eyes," to name a few.  The Grass Roots, for being a manufactured band, made quite an impact during the 1960's despite never having a number one hit. Do you have a favorite Grass Roots song?

"F" DAY BLOG POST

I love music, particularly Rock and Roll music, in case you haven't deduced that by this point in the A to Z Blog Challenge. My tastes run from the mellow sounds of soft acoustic artists to the hard driving sounds of heavy metal bands.

My first artist this morning is at the softer end of the spectrum. His name is Dan Fogelberg. Dan was born in Peoria, Illinois, on August 13, 1951. His mother, Margaret, was a classically trained pianist. His father, Lawrence, was the band leader at the local high school.

Dan joined a Beatles cover band, The Clan, at the age of 14 years. He went to the University of Illinois and studied Painting and Theater Arts. While in school Dan played in local venues and cafes. He eventually became a session musician in Nashville, TN. 

A few of my favorite songs are "Longer," "The Leader of the Band," and "A Same Auld Lang Syne." Each one of these songs sparks a vivid memory of a specific time in my life.

The song "Longer" is often sung at weddings. I once sang an a cappella version  of this song as part of a choral group at a church wedding. It is a beautifully romantic love song that sounded wonderful in the slight reverb acoustics of the church building.

"The Leader of the Band" is somewhat autobiographical. It's a tribute to his dad who taught him his craft and exemplified discipline and hard work for achieving success. Dan laments in the last verse of the song that he didn't tell his father that he loved him near enough times.  This song resonates with me.

The last song, "A Same Auld Lang Syne,"  tells the story of a chance meeting with an old lover in a grocery store on New Years Eve. The song explains how they talked over old times, how their lives were now and the sadness at having to part anew.

Dan Fogelberg never achieved "superstar" status, but his music endures to this day. If you enjoy a softer kind of rock and roll and you haven't listened to Dan's music, do so...you'll be glad that you did!

Towards the other end of the Rock Spectrum we find the group "Foreigner".  The driving force behind Foreigner's success is Mick Jones, lead guitar/songwriter, and Lou Gramm, Lead Singer. It was these two men who gave Foreigner their distinctive sound. Lou Gramm had a distinctive voice that complemented Mick Jones' songs very well.

Foreigner's first album "Foreigner" sold about four million copies and gave the group it first three hit singles. Their second album, "Double Vision," sold about five million copies. It's unusual for a sophomore album to do better than the first album. Foreigner's third album is "Head Games." This album didn't do as well as the first two, only selling about three million copies.

There have been many changes in the bands line up over the nearly forty years of rocking. I suppose that it's inevitable that people will come and go if a band endures as long as Foreigner has. Lou Gramm left the band in the late 80's only to return in 1992 and then left the band permanently in 2003. Mick Jones is the only founding member still with the band.  Like I said, he is the driving force behind the bands songs and musical direction. 

I really like Foreigner's song catalogue. It makes a good background to working around the house or in the yard. They have been rocking for almost forty years. I hope that they continue to do so!  

"E" IS FOR EVERLY BROTHERS

In the beginning of Rock and Roll there were not a lot of duo acts. Most of the pioneering acts were soloists and bands. My first "E" subject is an exception. They were a duo that blazed the trail for others to follow. I am talking about the Everly Brothers.

Don and Phil Everly were born in Kentucky, grew up in Iowa and Tennessee. They come from a musical family. Their father Isaac played guitar and their mom sang. Isaac Donald Everly "Don" is named after his father. Don was born in February 1937 and Phil was born two years later in January 1939.

Don and Phil got their start singing together on their dad's radio show in Shenandoah, Iowa. There were called "Little Donnie and Baby Boy Phil." Their first commercial success was in 1957 "Bye Bye Love." Some of their other hit songs are "Wake up Little Susie," All I Have to Do is Dream," I'll Do My Crying in the Rain," and "Till I Kissed You," to name a few. 

Don and Phil toured with Buddy Holly, spent a couple of years in the U.S. Marine Corp Reserves, and then went through a series of tough times. They fought with song publishers, drug addiction and became estranged from each other, off and on, for many years. Phil died in 2014 at the age of 72  from lung disease. 

The Everly Brothers were one of the first ten acts to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1986. They were inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2001.  

D-DAY BLOG

Today is D-Day on the A to Z Blog Challenge. It bears no resemblance to that D-Day of June 6, 1944, when the Allied Forces assaulted fortress Europe. It does mean that we pause at the letter "D" as we continue on our journey through Rock and Roll history.

How could I write about Rock and Roll history without talking a little bit about one of the most prolific songwriters that America has ever produced, that is, the iconic Elston Gunn. You don't know who that is? Perhaps you know him as Robert Zimmerman. No? I am talking about Bob Dylan.

Bob Dylan has been writing songs and performing since 1959, that is, 56 years. Bob Dylan's music has influenced more bands and artists too numerous to list. His music has been covered by some of the greats of rock and roll. 

The Byrds covered Bob Dylan's "Mr. Tambourine Man," and "My Back Pages" to name two. Jimi Hendrix cover of "All Along the Watchtower" is the definitive recording of this Dylan song.

Bod Dylan is a true master of his craft and has made significant contributions to Folk Music, Protest Songs, Rock and Roll, and Jazz and he is still going strong to this date.

My next "D" artist is the British heavy metal band called Def Leppard. These lads come from South Yorkshire, England. They began as many bands did back in the day. Some lads meet in High School and decide to form a band. The play a few gigs. Members leave, new members join until just the right mix of personality and music come together just right. This is essentially the story of Def Leppard.

I first came to like the band when I heard their third album, "Pyromania." They had an interesting way of using two lead guitars in their arrangements. Their music was good, hard charging Rock and Roll. Their fourth album "Hysteria" became a classic as did Pyromania.

One event in the band's history that cemented me as a fan is that their drummer, Rick Allen, lost his left arm in a car accident. Most bands would have sent him packing. Not Def Leppard! They found a way that Elliot could still drum using both legs and his remaining arm thereby staying in the band. You seldom see such loyalty among people.

There have been more personnel changes in Def Leppard through the years but they are still rocking as is their original drummer Rick Elliot. Rock On!

I CAN "C" FOR MILES AND MILES ! ! !

     There have been a number of music artists who left us way too soon. JIM CROCE is among them. Sadly, Jim Croce died just as his star was rising. His music is a softer, more folksy kind of rock and roll. 

Jim Croce signed a three record deal in 1972 with ABC Records. His first studio album was " You Don't Mess Around With Jim." Some of his better known songs include the title track in which a good old southern boy names Slim tracks down Jim, a pool shooting hustler, to get his money back. After they meet, the song shifts to "You don't mess around with Slim!" 

One of my favorite Croce songs is "Operator-That's not the way it feels." This song tells the story of a man trying to get the number of his girlfriend who ran off with his best ex-friend. Jim's romantic side is seen in "Time in a Bottle" a plaintive cry to save every day "...just to spend them with you!" It is a beautiful love song. Then there's "Bad, Bad, Leroy Brown" the baddest man in the whole damned town, particularly the south side of Chicago.

Sadly, Jim died in a plane crash after performing a show in Louisiana in September of 1973. He was just hitting his stride and becoming well known. His passing was truly untimely and tragic.

My absolute favorite "C" group has got to be, without a doubt, CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVIVAL (CCR). One of the things that attracted me to CCR was the simplicity of their music. They did not use a lot of electronic gadgetry like synthesizers and the like. Their music was just good Rock and Roll. I learned how to play guitar playing their music.

CCR was composed of John Fogerty, his older brother Tom Fogerty, drummer Doug Clifford and bassist Stu Cook. John composed and arranged most of CCR's music. He essentially controlled everything to do with the band's sound. This became a source of trouble in the ensuing years.

CCR was a group that on the outside were rocking, hitting on all cylinders. However, on the inside there was dissention, animosities, lawsuits and counter lawsuits. In fact, they were a very dysfunctional family which led to the band's inevitable disbanding. Much of the animosity between the band members remain to this day. 

Tom Fogerty died in 1970 from complications due to contaminated blood he received during back surgery. He and his brother John never reconciled before his death.   

Despite their internal problems CCR gave the world a catalog of iconic Rock and Roll music. The band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1993.

TO "B" OR NOT TO "B" !

This is “B” day of the 2015 A to Z Blogging Challenge. My theme this year is an A to Z look at various bands or artists whose name begins with the letter of the day. 

   Today I’ll be talking about the band Boston and Pat Benatar. Boston and Pat Benatar are two of my favorite musical acts. Their music spoke to me during different periods of my life.

Pat Benatar appealed to me as a rock star with an incredibly powerful voice. It came as no surprise to me that she was trained to sing Opera. She certainly had the vocal range to succeed singing opera. Pat Benatar also struck me as being personally strong, independent, decent and good.

One of her songs that appealed to me on a deep emotional level was Hell is for Children. She co-wrote this song with her husband and guitarist, Neil Giraldo, after reading about a particularly horrific child abuse case in the newspaper. There is a special place in hell for anyone who abuses a child.

After four decades, Pat is still rocking and is still married to Neil. Both items are a rarity in the world, much less in the world of Rock & Roll. I admire that!

Another of my favorite artists beginning with “B” is BOSTON. Their music is still a staple on Classic Rock radio stations today. However, back in their heyday their music was part of the music background of my life.

The driving force behind BOSTON was Tom Scholz. He graduated from MIT with a Master’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering. He worked for Polaroid, the camera people, and developed his ideas for a unique musical sound while working there. 

Scholz was joined in his effort by Brad Delp, Lead Singer. Brad had a singularly unique and powerful singing voice that helped define BOSTON’s unique sound. BOSTON’s first album was one of the highest selling debut albums in history, selling over 17 million copies. Their song “Rock and Roll Band” follows in the tradition of the Monkee’s “Hey, Hey We’re the Monkee’s” and the Mama’s and the Papa’s “Creeque Alley.” A song that tells the story of their beginnings.

   Another song that spoke to me during a particularly down time of my youth was “A Man I’ll Never Be.” It’s a song about a guy that can never become the person that his significant other wants him to become. 

BOSTON spoke to a generation with their music ranging from hard driving rock and roll to romantic ballads. They are a band for a generation. 

“C” you all tomorrow!

PRE A TO Z BLOG CHALLENGE HODGEPODGE!

     I have a difficult time writing and publising more than the Wednesday Hodgepodge blog post each week. So I sign up to participate in the 2015 A to Z Blogging Challenge where I commit to write one blog post per day, except Sundays, through the month of April. Yes, I am definitely nuts! Well onto this weeks edition of the Wednesday Hodgepodge. Thank you Joyce for more questions! Enjoy!

1. In honor of the date...when were you last sent on a 'fool's errand'?
     When I was in the military I was once sent to locate "the left handed screwdriver." I have personally sent people out to the flightline to get "...a bucket of prop wash." I was once sent to the base hospital to get "...some fallopian tubing." I once worked in a restaurant and was asked to go to the store room to get "...the bacon stretcher." These fool's errands are also known as "wild goose chases." I can't remember the last time I was sent on a fool's errand but I am certain that I have been.

2. Peter Rabbit, Bugs Bunny, The Energizer Bunny, The Easter Bunny, Rabbit (Pooh's friend), White Rabbit (of Wonderland fame), or the Trix Rabbit...which of these 'famous' rabbits can you best relate to right now?
     I'll go with "Bugs Bunny." I identify with his not taking anything too seriously demeanor. I also like his singular smart-ass wit. 

3. When did you last find yourself scrambling to get something done? Explain.
     The church where I serve as an Elder owns a house next doot to the church that we use as a parsonage. In January the furnace stopped working and the pipes on the first and second floor froze and burst. I did a bit of scrambling arranging for plumbers and dealing with the insurance company, the restoration company and other associated tasks.

4. Last time you were up at the literal crack of dawn? Why? Last time you stayed up all night? Why?
     Crack of dawn? Are you kidding? I'M RETIRED...I DON'T DO CRACK OF DAWN! I have stayed up all night because I couldn't sleep because of coughing due to a cold.

5. Crack a book, crack a bottle, crack a joke, crack an egg...which have you done most recently?

     I have cracked a book and cracked a joke. I frequently crack open books and more frequently crack jokes.

6. What's your favorite part of a typical weekend? Tell us why that's so.
     My favorite part of a typical weekend hands down is Sunday morning worship service, particularly taking the Lord's Supper, a.k.a. Communion.

7. What's something I'd find on a bookshelf in your home? Other than a book I mean!
     A box containing guitar picks, a guitar tool, and a pitch pipe.

8. Insert your own random thought here.

     This past Saturday we celebrated my eldest granddaughter's sixth birthday. She is growing so fast. Today we had both granddaughters at our house for a few hours. I do so love being a grandfather. Before they left both girls hugged me and said "I love you Pepere!" Grandfather Nirvana! It don't get any better than that!