Seeing how this blog is primarily a place for me to jot down my personal memories and my occasional rant and/or rave, I’ve never paid all too much attention to my “stats” on this website, other than visitor count. But something caught my eye the other day – my stats page shows the country of origin of my visitors as well. This, I did not know. I will say, it piqued my interest. Granted, in the age of VPNs, these “overseas” visitors could be literally in the apartment below me, not across the globe and I’d never know the difference. Nevertheless the idea of my blurbs in their 1s and 0s, traveling across the world struck me as kinda cool.
If I can’t travel the world, at least my thoughts can!
While the vast majority of (what little) traffic I see comes from the US, in the last month I’ve visitors registered from the following (in no particular order):
Canada, Belgium, Germany, Slovakia, Singapore, China, Hong Kong, Netherlands, Serbia, Romania, France, Spain, Italy, Switzerland, Australia and the UAE.
If only my passport had so many stamps!
Anyhow, that’s all I’ve got today. I just noticed it and thought it was pretty cool. A warm welcome to all my international friends!!
It just wouldn’t be Summer without a show at the Greek Theater. I went to my first show there (The Truth, The Hooters and Squeeze) around 1985, and it’s been a favorite venue of mine ever since.
Berkeley on the other hand, I’m not a big fan of, but I digress…
This show was courtesy of the Mrs and our daughter, who got the tickets as my birthday present back in early June, so the anticipation had grown for some time. We’d seen Young the Giant before, but despite being fans since their first record, had never had the chance to see Cold War Kids.
And as it turned out, this show was a triple bill, so we were in for a surprise. Listed on the bill was Kenny Hoopla as the opening act, but Kenny was MIA – in his (their?) place, we had a band by the name of Beach Weather open the show.
An ironic side note, earlier in the day we had gone to the beach in Half Moon Bay, and it was decidedly*NOT* beach weather – cloudy as far as the eye could see and a little chilly…
I knew of a couple songs by Beach Weather, just in passing. I didn’t even actually know the name of the band before the show, I just recognized a few tunes when they played them. And I will say, they were a pretty good band. Nothing earth shattering, but a solid, tight “alternative” band with some catchy tunes. The highlight of their show, for me, was the lead guitarist. He played some really unexpected parts, that fit just right, and he was frankly just fun to watch. All in all, it was a good set that left me wanting to dig into their discography.
Beach Weather
Cold War Kids were next up, and boy did they deliver!! I can remember hearing their first single on the radio, nearly 20 years ago, and being totally knocked out by it. So much so I took the leap of faith and bought the CD (Robbers & Cowards) for the one song. And I was so glad I did! That record is really a masterpiece. If you’re not familiar with this band, look them up. They are special. I don’t know how to describe their sound, as nobody really sounds anything like them. The best I can come up with, is if Talking Heads decided to play Americana music, you’d wind up with Cold War Kids… Or something along those lines. Great songwriting, excellent musicians and a very distinctive voice. Really an exceptional band. And like I said, in the live setting they really delivered! They played a little bit of everything from across their catalog, and the entire band was on point. Quite honestly, it was much better than I had dared hope for. Absolutely a highlight of my 2026 concert run thus far!
Cold War Kids bringin’ the goods!
The headliner of the night was Young the Giant. As I mentioned, we’d seen them before and I had really enjoyed them, much more than I thought I would, actually. They were another one of those bands that I knew a lot more of their songs than I realized. I guess they were somewhat low-key alt-rock superstars. We’d gone to that show for the opening band, but we were pleasantly surprised by Young the Giant, and they wound up on my heavy rotation playlist for quite some time afterwards.
Young the Giant
Unfortunately, their show this time around was a little underwhelming. Not to say it was bad, it just wasn’t as good as the last time. The sound wasn’t quite as crisp for starters. Their vocalist spent an inordinate amount of time yapping between songs, which in my not-so-humble opinion brings down the energy of the show. Their drummer seemed neutered -for lack of a better phrase – this time around. And to be honest, their newer material just doesn’t hit me the same way the music from their first few records does.
All that being said, it wasn’t bad. It just wasn’t great. Musically, all the guys were playing well. Visually, the lights and the stage setup were great. All the elements were there. But for all the sparks, the fire just smoldered and never really built into a burner. That being the case, we decided to call it early and left before the encore… I’d certainly go see them again, but I’m not exactly going to seek them out.
All things considered, it was a fantastic night. The Greek Theater is a spectacular venue, we heard a LOT of great songs played by a lot of great musicians and even if YtG had an off night, they still put on a show, it wasn’t a matter of them phoning it in. And yes, Cold War Kids rocked the joint and delivered an outstanding set that left a huge smile plastered across my face. That set alone made our trip to the East Bay well worth the effort. I sincerely hope I get a chance to see them again!
Well folks, last night was an eye opening experience. My entire perception of an entire genre has been turned upside down.
As my repeat readers may have picked up on, I like my music played by musicians on actual instruments. Lately I’ve had a growing disdain for the trend of using backing tracks and other electro-wizardry to fill the sound on stage. Nothing brings joy to my ears more than an electric guitar channeling through a piping hot tube amp (if you know, you know) and digital music kinda leaves me flat.
And don’t even get me started on the whole DJ as Performer thing. I’ve seen few on stage, and every single one of them has been as exciting as watching paint dry. Seriously, watching somebody play records and twiddle knobs? That’s got to be one of the dumbest trends in music ever.
Quite frankly, that’s what I thought I was walking into last night. This show was picked by the Mrs., and I knew a few songs by the artist, but I didn’t have any expectations that I would enjoy the show.
And after the opening act, my preconceived notions were reinforced. I never caught his name. I’ll stand by the ol’ if you’ve got nothing nice to say, don’t say anything and leave it at that.
But then the main act – RJD2- came out. Right off the bat, I knew something was different just by the gear set up he was using. I’m not going to pretend to know what all he was using up there, but it was definitely not your standard two turntables and a microphone setup. He had two sampler pads in addition to the turntable setup and who knows what else, and he played all those things with all the passion and precision of a master musician. It was extraordinary. Honestly, I’ve never seen anything like it.
His compositions were extremely complex and deeply layered. His choice of instrumentation was unique compared to his contemporaries in the genre. He somehow took bits and bytes, loops from all directions, and threw it into his digital blender to make it come alive. It was almost as if every finger was its own musician, with his brain as Conductor. It was astonishing. To put it mildly, I was shook.
I really don’t even know what else to say. I don’t know enough about the genre to make comparisons. I don’t know the HOW of it all, what sort of musical sorcery he conjured to make it happen. All I know, is I really, REALLY enjoyed it. And I’m open minded enough to admit, I’ve been wrong to cast such a wide net of derision over an entire genre.
So, big thanks to RJD2 for an amazing night and the eye and ear opening experience. I was unexpectedly surprised and quite delighted with his entire set.
And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand. Matthew 12:25
As anyone that has read my blog will likely notice, I am not what you’d call a religious person. I was raised in a pretty strict Christian household and attended church regularly my entire life up until I hit my 20’s, but since then The Church (not the band, but the institution) and I have had a complicated relationship. Nonetheless, when I started thinking about what to write as our nation’s Independence Day celebration came upon us, my mind kept going back to that biblical verse.
And I’m not gonna lie, I had to look it up. My days of Bible verse memorization are long behind me…
You may recognize the words, often attributed to Abraham Lincoln, but he cribbed ’em from the Bible. When Lincoln used them, he was speaking on the topic of the Civil War and slavery, but the sentiment is every bit as valid today, if not moreso, than it was then.
We as a nation ARE divided. More than ever before. It’s no longer a North vs. South, Red vs. Blue or Black vs. White situation. It isn’t a binary thing. We’re so far beyond the binary, the very concept seems quaint by comparison.
No, the fracture is much deeper than that. Much more widespread. Far more insidious. And the fractured (We the People) seem to be reveling in it!
The United States is not a sports league. If you’re looking at your fellow countrymen as “the enemy”, you’ve been hoodwinked my friend. For the last several decades we’ve been drenched in the whole diversity hogwash, and it is eroding our foundation as a nation. We were sold on the lie that Globalism is the way of the future, that we’re all the same… But how is that working out for the rank and file amongst us?
Diversity has its merits, I’m not going to deny that. Humans have the capacity to see things from different view points and to reach different conclusions based on those view points. That we as US citizens have the right to speak out about those view points is a wonderful thing. I’ve been around the block enough times that I am acutely aware that something that never occurred to me might be plainly obvious to someone else, and vice versa. All that being said however, the important thing is that we, as Americans, should be in favor of the things that make America stronger as a nation and her people more prosperous. And I don’t mean prosperous in a strictly monetary fashion, but in the growth of knowledge, of innovation, of a shared spirit of community. Now, I’m no expert on politics, socio-economics, or anything really, but my eyes and ears have brought me to the conclusion that the almighty Diversity has been nothing but devisive, and literally nothing about it over the last two decades has strengthened our nation. On the contrary, I’ve never seen more angry citizens than in the last decade. I’ve never felt less unified with my compatriots, and likey they with me.
We have been bamboozled, folks. Our generosity as a nation and our compassion as a people has been subverted for less than altruistic reasons. I’m not gonna pretend to know the why’s and wherefor’s of it all. I’m sure somebody, somewhere can tell us why we as a nation have been compelled to do the things we have done, but that’s not me. I can say for certain it wasn’t one thing. There wasn’t a flick of the switch and suddenly everything went sideways. No, this was planned, it was schemed, this is all by design, but with a slurry of unintended consequences as a bonus prize. All I know is the America I lived in, the America I cherish, has all but disappeared over the last decade. Not too long ago I ran across the phrase “suicidal empathy”, and that hit me like a cast iron skillet upside the head. I think that is a big part of the problem. Things here, post-WWII, were pretty darn good for the most part. And being a generous people, we set out to help. We Americans didn’t want to see children starving in famine ravaged countries. We didn’t want to see other nations stomped under the boot of communism. We didn’t want plagues running rampant when simple things like plumbing could make a huge difference. We wanted prosperity for others. Success wasn’t viewed as a zero-sum game.
That doesn’t appear to be the case anymore.
Now we have foreign born people making their way here, and defrauding our “safety net” programs, to the tune of billions of dollars. We have outsiders making their way into our institutions, whether they be education, government or the public sector, and demanding things that are not only un-American but quite simply, unreasonable. We are still sending millions of dollars to the Taliban for cryin’ out loud! The same people we spent 2 decades engaged in a war with, handed over millions of dollars worth of military hardware to and spent untold blood and treasure trying to defeat. We have state legislatures making laws they know good and well are in direct defiance of Constitutional law and pass them anyway, then spend millions of OUR tax dollars fighting for these laws in court. Why, may I ask? What possible good can this do for your average US citizen? Why do we put up with it? Why do we keep the same flippin’ lunatics in office, when CLEARLY they are not proficient at their jobs? How is it possible that things turn around from here?
“When you see that in order to produce, you need to obtain permission from men who produce nothing – When you see that money is flowing to those who deal, not in goods, but in favors – When you see that men get richer by graft and by pull than by work, and your laws don’t protect you against them, but protect them against you – When you see corruption being rewarded and honesty becoming a self-sacrifice – You may know that your society is doomed.” —Ann Rand
Somehow, over the last few decades, the American spirit has been replaced by a cynical, mean spirited shadow of its former self. Everywhere you turn, there’s a grift, a scam, a manipulation. Nobody trusts anything anymore. Not the government, not the police, not the news media, not even their own neighbors in a lot of cases. And why would they? Instead of a common goal, instead of a common culture, we’re being torn apart by these vultures. These vampires. You’ll often hear the phrase “a high trust society” these days. But you know when you never heard that phrase? When we actually had one! The reason it’s talked about so often is because it’s gone, for the most part. When you’re only out for yourself or at best your particular “tribe”, you tend to think everybody else is too, which leads either to battle or isolation. Neither of which are good for the citizens of a nation.
Undoubtedly, politics becoming a full time job was a major mistake. Allowing our legislature to make the rules for themselves was a huge mistake. Allowing essentially unrestricted money into political campaigns is a MASSIVE problem. The idea of checks and balances written into our founding documents was inspired, but clearly didn’t go far enough. The idea used to be that service to one’s country was an honor and a privilege, but the privilege part of it came from being entrusted by your fellow citizens to represent them, not flying around in private jets, not attending “galas” where your night on the town costs more than one of your represented peasants will pay for a year’s rent. Privilege shouldn’t be cocktail parties, “campaign donations”, and insider trading secrets. Our so-called leaders, the majority of whom become millionaires while “serving”, should not be living so high on the hog while the rest of us see the value of our labor siphoned off to support the “underprivileged”, the “underrepresented”. Not to mention foreign nations. I got news for all those nitwits – we’re ALL under represented!! And whatever we have left over continues losing buying power year after year. Our largest growth industries in the US should not be government jobs and healthcare!
As an aside, for those of you in the back row – the ballooning health care industry is BECAUSE our environment is being routinely poisoned, pharmaceutical “remedies” don’t actually cure anything and often cause even more damage than what you started with, and our food supply contains very little actual FOOD. Which is peculiar if you think about it. Isn’t it the GOVERNMENT’S JOB to regulate pollution and drugs and the food supply? And with there being so many new jobs in the government sector, shouldn’t those things be well taken care of? And yet…
But by all means, let’s riot over what’s going on in the middle east, or for disallowing mentally ill men playing make-believe to compete in athletics against females, or I dunno, a murderer being sent to prison for… murder?!? Good grief. The priorities of our people have gone positively bananas. We have utterly lost the common ground. It seems as though it no longer exists.
Recently I (unfortunately) watched a video clip by some young lady – college aged by the look of it – bemoaning the recent trotting out, once again by the Dem party, the ol’ “Big Tent” schtick. And she went on a tirade about how she doesn’t WANT to be in the Big Tent so long as Palestine, transgenders, college loans, undocumented people, stolen land, patriarchy, blah, blah, flippin’ blah… You know the routine. She went on for several minutes about everything wrong in her view of the world, blamed it on everyone else, offering no solution whatsoever, no substance whatsoever. Her words were nothing but a litany of politically correct buzz words. The whole scene was, quite frankly, meaningless. And yet, she was so earnest and emotional about it. She was SERIOUS. But she had nothing of value to offer anyone. And we’re supposed to be sad or demoralized because she doesn’t want to be included in the Big Tent?!? Uh, nope. If you’re so miserable here you think COMMUNISM is the answer, you’ve clearly got a screw loose. We don’t need, or have any use for, that kind of energy in these parts. And the saddest thing of it all, is that you could most likely go out to your favorite social media site and find a hundred videos just like that one in a matter of minutes. This is the result of “the long march through our institutions” coupled with social media. And it’s a recipe for disaster.
As a nation, we have lost the plot.
We are America, we are not the savior of the world. Other countries’ problems are just that, other countries’ problems. It’s not like the information and the technology isn’t out there for anyone with a room temp or better IQ, to solve some problems. We’ve got plenty right here at home that need some serious attention, and aren’t getting it.
I have said many times on this blog and IRL, that I love my country and I loathe my government. That’s every bit as true today as it’s ever been. Even on this special occasion. That is not by any means a contrary opinion these days. And while I absolutely consider myself to be an optimist, I find myself feeling like more of an accelerationist, in that I wish the entire facade would just come crashing down, so we could pick up the pieces and start all over again.
We had a strong start, but made some poor choices along the way. As Bugs Bunny used to say, “we should’a turned left at Albuquerque”, so to speak.
The government’s job isn’t to support YOU or your pet causes, it is to PROTECT its citizens. Full stop. And from where I’m sitting, they have been doing a piss poor job of it. From my perspective, jaded as it may be, they (.gov) have been far too nice about the things that simply aren’t that important in the big scheme of things, far too lenient towards those that would cause us the most damage and far too blasé toward what matters most here, the American people.
But as I have also said many a time, America is her people, NOT her government. And though we’ve been deluged with Nons lately, I know for a fact there are plenty of good, solid Americans still out there. And I do not mean that in a racial sense. Sure, it was Euros that started the ball rolling, but being American -at least to me- is all about what’s inside. It has nothing at all to do with your wrapper. The American spirit is still alive and well, I still see glimpses of it every day. It’s been getting shoved aside, threatened with “cancellation” and bullied relentlessly for the last decade or so, but it’s still there. Maybe on this auspicious occasion, we should all take a look inside and find the remnants of that spirit , take it out, dust it off and try it on for size. I think you’ll find that it fits like a glove and can be very comforting. The spirit that tells you, “yes, you can”. The spirit that guides us to think big, to become better versions of ourselves. The spirit of self-determination, not grovelling to Uncle Sam to coddle you and make everything safe and easy, so you can coast through life on auto pilot without being offended or left out or treated in a way you believe is beneath you simply because you exist.
Listen, I’m not some rose-colored glasses, pie in the sky, rah rah Patriot. I see the homeless encampments, the litter and graffiti, the drugged out whack-a-doos begging for money. I read the police blotters in our local papers, I see the government crime stats. I keep abreast of what the crooks in Sacramento and D.C. are up to (most of it bad). In addition to being an optimist, I’m also a realist and a pragmatist. I can see how far off course we are, I can see the division, I see the rot. I KNOW that some hard choices need to be made. I understand that not everyone is going to like everything. That is simply a reality, it’s not a personal attack against you. I see the charlatans and the grifters out there stirring the pot, trying to profit off the misery and/or misfortune of others. I see the same clips you all do, of people out in public losing their minds over the most trivial things. The wanton destruction of property. The smash and grabs. All flavors of reprobate and degenerate behavior. And these things get to me. It’s demoralizing. It’s beyond sad. It is heartbreaking.
But I also see the random stranger holding a door for someone. I see the stranger picking up the item the senior citizen dropped at the grocery store. I see the volunteers at the per shelters and the volunteer docents at the museums and the state parks. The neighbors bringing a meal to the new parents that just brought a baby home. The churches that let the unhoused park for the night in their parking lot so they don’t get harassed. The Amish building shelters for those that lost everything in floods. And more. So much more. Kids playing soccer in the park. The local minor league baseball team. The college radio station. That one little hole in the wall restaurant that makes the best whatever you’ve ever eaten in your life. The Christmas fairs, farmer’s markets and the downtown parades with the local high school marching bands.
And yes, fireworks on the Fourth of July.
That’s my America. That’s the world I want to continue to live in, the country I want my daughter to grow old in, the homeland we want to leave behind for our someday grandchildren. That is the America worth saving. That is the America you can be proud of. Is it perfect? No. Is anything perfect? Also no. But is it 1000x better than what the “democratic socialists” AKA communists, have in mind for us if they get their hands on the reigns of power. I look at socialism the same way I look at labor unions – unfavourably and with great disdain. We don’t need socialism to make the US a better place, in fact it would make things considerably worse. No, what we need is a re-prioritization of the needs of Americans. And I do emphasize NEEDS, not wants. I want plenty of stuff – a million dollars and huge pectoral muscles would be a great start…but what I need is clean, healthy food and water, a roof over my head and the freedom to forge my own path. That’s all anybody really needs to get by in this life. Of course a stable economy and a massively reduced tax burden would also be very welcome by me and a few hundred million other citizens.
Whining, complaining and throwing tantrums isn’t what made this country what it was. Vision, determination and more than a little grit did. This Independence Day, take just a moment to recognize that. Two Hundred Fifty years is nothing to sneeze at. Find that thing, whatever it is to you, to be grateful for as an American. We can get back to fixin’ the problems tomorrow. With a little reflection, you just might come up with a great idea! And with a dash of determination and good ol’ American grit maybe you can turn those ideas into reality.
What we need in these United States is a renewed sense of UNITY. That is one ingredient that has been sorely lacking for a long time now, and that is what is going to help us right this ship. Maybe it’s time to look up from our screens, get outside, talk to some people in the real world. You might be amazed to find that we all have a LOT more in common than we realize. And that commonality, that sense of community is what is going to take us to where we need to be. That is how we get that domestic tranquility that our founders envisioned. Not that long ago we could disagree with each other, we could discuss our differences rationally, and still be friends and united as Americans. We need to get back to that. A good idea, a good plan is self-evident. If your ideas need to be screamed into someone’s face, if you need to burn down a building or deface a public monument to make your point, then I’m sorry to say, your idea sucks. It’s time to rethink your position. And I get it, our current president is very decisive himself, a braggart and clearly an egomaniac. But our president isn’t our country, our heritage, or our homeland. Presidents and governors and assembly members, et al, come and go. We’ve had hundreds of them and we’re still standing. Beaten and bruised sometimes, sure, but we live to fight another day. Don’t let your loathing of one guy, or one party or one policy diminish what our forefathers risked their very lives to build. Not everyone is a leader, a genius or a visionary but no matter who you are as an American, you have a part to play in our success. Remember that.
“We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.”
Happy Birthday America. And Happy Independence Day to all my fellow Americans.
I’m sure most everyone that grew up in “The West” is familiar with the Foreign Exchange Student program. I’m not sure if that is still a thing, but I was certainly very familiar with it coming up through the 70s and 80s. My high school in particular had a good number of Exchange Students – primarily from Germany and Australia as I recall. In fact, my wife had one living with her for a year of High School, which I had completely forgotten about until I started writing this…
Anyhow, I’ve been seeing a lot of news stories and YouTube videos lately about Foreigners who’ve traveled to the US for the World Cup matches absolutely raving about how wonderful the US is, and several stating either they don’t want to go back home or they can’t wait to come back to the US, and that got me thinking…
I know, dangerous, right?!?
We (The West) should implement a Foreign Exchange program for citizens!
Think about it – we (US citizens) could welcome in/sponsor a foreign citizen as our guest, for a pre-determined amount of time, and let them test the waters and see how they like it. In return, we send one of our dissatisfied citizens off to a country they’re convinced is better than the US, and let them see how they like it. I hear Venezuela is nice this time of year…
After the pre-determined time, the visitor goes back home OR they decide they want to stay and get a fast track to a green card and eventually citizenship. With a positive referral from their Host, of course. The dissatisfied can stay in their new found Utopia, or they come to the conclusion that the US isn’t the racist fascist oligarchy dictatorship where white supremacists run rampant over everyone and everything in their greedy bloodlust…and come home with a new found appreciation for what we have here. The bottom line is, we NEED more people here that appreciate what we are blessed with.
If anything, I would think the whole “open borders, no person is illegal” contingent would welcome such a program.
Sponsorship would help with vetting, decrease dependency on welfare and NGO participation, lead to a quicker assimilation and reduce the number of “randoms” that show up uninvited. And the Hosts would have some skin in the game, so to speak. If you want foreign born people here, you should be willing to shoulder a bit of the weight, not just shout slogans and demand everybody chip in for what you want.
Obviously, there are a zillion details that would need to be worked out, but I think it could be a better way of doing things than the way they are done now.
Don’t get me wrong, I know such a thing is an absolute pipe dream and would never actually come to fruition. I just got to thinking about all these folks that have traveled here over the last month, seeing our wonderful country for the first time, and being astounded by what they’ve witnessed. It’s a refreshing change from the scoundrels that make their way here by hook and by crook, then spend the rest of their lives telling us how terrible we are and how we need to assimilate to their culture(s) rather than the other way around.
Look, I know the US is FAR from perfect. The lunatics have been running the asylum for way too long. (ESPECIALLY in my home state of California!!). Nevertheless, the US is an amazing place, full of untold possibilities, despite our current state of affairs and our so-called “problematic” history. I have loathed my government for decades, but I love my country and my countrymen. And I appreciate all those folks putting themselves out there, sharing their fantastic experiences while traveling throughout our country for the first time. It’s a nice reminder for us. We are fortunate to be here. I for one am eternally grateful to be an American, and I welcome those with a true American spirit, wherever they come from.
Well, that’s enough blathering for today. Sometimes I just gotta get these weird thoughts outta my head.
This morning I was scrolling through my feed on Reddit and came across an interesting topic. The question was “What is the Greatest American Band?”
Wow. That’s a head-scratcher! Lots of comments, and things got a little snarky, as Reddit often does. Nonetheless, a lot of people made good cases for a variety of bands – some bands I hadn’t even thought of. But it got me thinking, how does one “rank” such a thing? The number of songs and/or albums on the charts? The amount of radio play? Record sales numbers? Duration of the band? Cultural significance? Innovation? Influence on artists that came later? All valid touch points to be sure, but what makes them great? And of all the greats, who is the greatest?
For example, the Grateful Dead were mentioned by a LOT of people. Now, I’m not a huge fan of them, but I grew up with them as a constant feature on FM radio. And I did see them live at least half a dozen times, quite possibly more, and Dead shows were unlike anything I’d seen before, or since. There is a small army of people whose lives revolved around that band, some of them for decades. Their music is drawn from folk, bluegrass, C&W, jazz and rock and roll- all very American stuff. Their cultural significance cannot not be overstated. That being said, their albums didn’t make much of a mark on the charts. You didn’t see them on variety shows or American Bandstand or the like. They got on MTV very, very late into their career. A strong contender, but are they the Greatest American Band?
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers were another widely recognized band up for consideration. Their music, from beginning to end just oozed Americana. Honestly, these guys tick a LOT of boxes. Longevity? From the late 70’s through 2017. Albums and singles on the charts? Check. MTV video awards? Check. Influence? Absolutely, undoubtedly. Radio play and MTV? Every day for decades. Influential? Check. Die-hard fans? Yep. Heck, they even got a star on Hollywood Boulevard! As a fan of theirs since the very beginning, I’d certainly lean their direction in voting them in for the Greatest American Band.
But then somebody brought up Van Halen… OK, stop the presses. While Van Halen didn’t exactly tear up the charts with their albums, you couldn’t listen to rock radio from 1977 until… yesterday? without hearing a Van Halen song. David Lee Roth, while not the world’s strongest vocalist, is widely considered to be one of the greatest showmen to ever grace a stage. He was kinda the standard by which all others were judged for a very long time. And Eddie? Good grief, the man REDEFINED rock guitar and inspired tens-of-thousands of kids to beg their parents for a guitar. His innovation with the guitar hardware even, is unparalleled. He became a living legend with the release of their DEBUT album, and then kept getting better! One could argue the entire “hair metal” genre wouldn’t have even existed were it not for the influence of early Van Halen. And while you might think the world would be a better place without hair metal, that is a magnitude of influence unmatched in rock and roll. The kind of influence that might garner the title of Greatest American Band.
Then there were dozens of others, from the Beach Boys (whom I LOVE) to the Eagles (whom I generally loathe) to Lynyrd Skynyrd (I like a lot of their stuff but wouldn’t say I love any of it) and a bunch more that all had some outstanding qualities, but I would never have considered the greatest… Credence Clearwater Revival, the Doors, both the Allman AND Doobie Brothers, R.E.M., the Ramones…it was an impressive list of impressive bands, to say the least.
I guess when you boil it all down, there really is no “greatest band”, American or otherwise. It’s really subjective and in the ear of the beholder. But what I can say, with all sincerity, is that we Americans have been absolutely blessed with a plethora of amazing, supremely talented bands and decades of awesome music. Our country has produced some of the most innovative bands the world has ever known. And we often take that for granted.
For the record, the very first band that popped into my head when I first read the question was Stone Temple Pilots… Ok, I hadn’t had my morning coffee yet, so cut me some slack. I hadn’t taken all the touch points into account. After more consideration (and caffeine!) I came to the realization that STP might possibly be my favorite American band, but they had stood on the shoulders of Giants, who certainly would be worthy of the title more than them. But after careful consideration I have come to the conclusion that there really is no such thing as a Greatest when it comes to music. But as long as musicians are out there trying to be the greatest, all of us with ears to listen are the true winners!
Thanks for stopping by! Now, go listen to something!!
It’s officially Summer Vacation time out in these parts, which means my girls – both teachers – are up to their usual summer shenanigans.
Me? At the office, taking care of the pets, and trying really hard to not talk to myself!
The Varmints
I’ve gotten used to our daughter not being home, considering she moved out 5 years ago, has a husband and their own place, etc. But when the Mrs. is gone, I tell ya, it’s unsettling.
It’s weird, I actually like seclusion. I’m mildly antisocial, unless I know you. I enjoy having time to myself. But when my wife is out of town, I feel oddly lonely. And sleep? Forget about it…
Thankfully, it’s just one more night. I pick them up at the airport tomorrow night after work. But truthfully I’m not looking forward to another restless night and another work day with little-to-no-sleep. Only another 28 hours to go!
Anyhow, nothing exciting to report on…just spending my lunch break doing something to keep me occupied. Hope y’all are doing well out there and enjoying the change of seasons.
Sheesh, it’s been a year already since I posted about putting this Blog on indefinite hiatus. I cannot wrap my head around that…
Of course, I didn’t outright quit, but my posts have certainly been few and far between for the last year. But it wasn’t until I received an “On This Day…” kicker from the folks at WordPress that I realized it had been a full year since I made the declaration about putting the writing on hold.
I’m happy to report that things are absolutely better for the Boring Old Man now than they were a year ago. Is everything great? No, not really. But, do I dread waking up in the morning now? No, not at all.
Just a quick little re-cap…
A couple months after that “back burner” post, I landed a new job. I was cautiously optimistic about it, but it was something I desperately needed, so I jumped and hoped for the best. Well, it hasn’t been great. It’s been OK. I’ve certainly had worse. But it’s just OK. The place was in much worse condition than I anticipated, and I expected 3-6 months of heavy lifting to get things where they need to be. I’m now approaching 10 months in, and while the wheels are no longer in danger of falling off, we are nowhere near where I feel we should be. So needless to say, there is a fair amount of frustration swirling around in my head and the internal debate has started up again – should I stay or should I go?!? I’m not a quitter by nature, and I’ve never left a job in less than a year, but I’ve also had trouble knowing when to cut my losses… I’ll just say my eyes are open and I’ll certainly entertain any promising opportunities that may come my way, even if I’m not actively pursuing them. For the moment, anyway.
The new band I joined didn’t last long, and I left the group after a few months, which culminated in one disastrous gig. It was a better-than-nothing band for me, not something I was really interested in, but I had no other prospects at the time so I went ahead and agreed to do it when I was asked to do it. That was my first mistake. My second mistake was not fully engaging. I didn’t really get any artistic payoff from it, therefore I didn’t spend any extra time practicing my craft, trying to be my absolute best. I just did it on autopilot, which made me kinda resent the whole thing. And I honestly overlooked some red flags. For a band to be GOOD, not just OK, there has to be chemistry amongst the players. There was NONE in that band. Especially with the bass player. And for a drummer to not click with the bass player? Nothing could be worse for a band. And it wasn’t just that our playing styles didn’t mesh, every week I grew to dislike him more and more on a personal level. There was just nothing there for me to latch on to. Then we had our first gig. Nothing special, just a bar gig. I had never been so embarrassed being on stage with a group. It was so unprofessional and amateurish that I simply couldn’t get over it. So that was it for me. And I haven’t sat down to a drum kit since. The rational part of my brain says I need to play again to wash that experience out of my hair. But part of me still stings from how bad the situation was, to the point of not even wanting to pick up a pair of sticks again… We’ll see how it goes.
The ol’ truck project hasn’t progressed at all, but she’s still dependable and approaching 335k miles on the clock. I’ve still got a bunch of parts to replace, but between the new job and winter cold and rain, I had no ambition to do so. Hopefully she’ll get some love over the summer!
All in all, my mental health has improved significantly. My physical health is holding out. I’ve been consistent with the gym workouts and getting out into nature for some walks, all positive things. I haven’t set out on my surfboard for quite some time, but the itch is coming on strong. I almost went out yesterday, but plans changed at the last minute and I didn’t make it out. I do expect to be in the water before the month is out however. I simply can’t put it off any longer. It’s kinda like the drumming thing – I can act like I don’t care about it, ignore the equipment right in front of my face, and make up excuses as to why I can’t do it, but ultimately my brain, my DNA, won’t let it go.
The “new” rabbit is still with us, growing like a weed. He’s destructive as can be – don’t let their cute outer shell fool you, rabbits are destroyers of worlds! But he’s also getting more affectionate and he’s got a very funny personality (when he’s not tearing things up!), and he’s just a darn good looking rabbit!
I’ve got some things to look forward to, concert tickets mostly, and a trip to Hawaii at the end of the year for a wedding, so things aren’t as bleak as they’ve been. It’s amazing what a little healing, a little hope and a little fun to look forward to can do for one’s outlook and attitude!
I hope to get back on these pages a little more often over the coming months, and get back to some sort of regularity. Thanks to you all that have stuck it out with me and keep coming back. I appreciate it greatly!
Take care of yourselves out there, and thanks for stopping by!
It’s that time again folks, DOGSTAR has a new album out, just released today in fact, and they have set out on another tour. Some of y’all that have been around a while know my history with this band, but for any newcomers, I will tell you right up front, full disclosure, that I am highly biased towards this band.
If you know the name DOGSTAR at all, it’s most likely because of their household name bassist, Mr. Keanu Reeves. And as much as I like Keanu – I mean, who doesn’t? – he’s not the reason I’m a super fan of the band. No, my adoration for them is strictly due to their guitarist/vocalist Bret Domrose. I was the drummer in Bret’s very first band back in the prehistoric days, also known as the 1980’s. He and I struck up a friendship, that turned into a brotherhood, and we wrote songs and played in bands together for a good decade before he went to seek his fortune in LA and became the front man for DOGSTAR. And I’m still his biggest fan. So view everything you read from here on out through that lens.
First off, the venue. I’ve never been to this place before. In fact, I have driven through Rohnert Park many times – roughly 45 minutes north of the Golden Gate Bridge – but I’ve never actually stopped here. It’s very odd to see a casino outside of Reno or Las Vegas, but sure enough it’s an honest to goodness casino! The event space was nice, the staff very friendly and they had a very nice sound system, even if it was a little subdued for my taste. I may be a Boring Old Man, but I still like my rock and roll cranked up a few notches! Nonetheless, I give the venue a thumbs up and would certainly come back for another band, should someone pass through that grabs my attention.
The band started off the set with a song from the new album and were brimming with energy right outta the gate.
I had a chance to run through the new record a couple times on the drive up here, and it’s quite a departure from their last outing. It’s certainly heavier, but not akin to their earlier albums back in the 90’s, it’s more reminiscent of early music by the Cult and the Cure, with a dash of Muse, mixed in with the core DOGSTAR sound, based on a solid power trio.
Their set was a good mix of the new record and their last one, and while slightly rough around the edges they turned out a solid hour-plus set that showcased some really fantastic songwriting and some great performances.
In this day and age, when so many musicians are relying on the latest technology to put on a show, it is really refreshing to see a band just come out and play. No backing tracks, no loops, just 3 guys with stings and skins and good ol’ tube amplifiers making good, memorable music on stage. It was a rock and roll show in its purest form, the way it was intended to be. And I’m here for it. As Mick and the boys so eloquently stated back in the day; I know it’s only rock & roll, but I like it!
They’re heading out to the U.K.and Europe in just a few days, so if any of my rare readers from that part of the world happen to see this – get yourself some tickets! It seems like they’re going to be everywhere, from Ireland to England to Holland and Germany, even Romania if I recall. And I’m probably forgetting a bunch of places you’ll find them. Later this summer they’ll be back in the states for a pretty substantial run as well. Basically, there is no shortage of opportunities to see this band over the next few months.
I’m continually more and more proud of Bret as he’s grown as a musician. He’s not some flashy shredder, and he’s not your typical blues-based guitarist, but over the years he’s developed a style all his own, with a tone to match, and it’s just a joy for me to hear him play. Yeah, I know I’m biased. That’s irrelevant. He is obviously and demonstratively an exceptional guitarist.
BRET!!
In the end I guess this was more of a recap than a review, but I’ve seen them so many times it gets difficult to find new ways to write about them. Bottom line, they’re a solid band, they write good songs, and they have a hell of a guitarist with a great voice. Real guys, with real instruments playing real rock and roll without all the unnecessary frills. Sure, one of them is ultra famous because of his day job, but don’t hold that against them. He’s also a damn fine bass player. And I’ve played with enough lousy ones to know the difference!!
Did I enjoy the show? Yes. Do I think you should go see them if you have the opportunity? Also yes.
At the very least, go listen to their new record, they just put out a gem.
Thank you DOGSTAR for a great evening, and thank you for stopping by
Today I saw an article stating “several artists” have pulled out of performing at America’s 250th celebration, and I gotta say that news just bummed me out.
I’m not bummed because I was going to attend said celebration. Honestly, I don’t even know where it’s being held, or when. I’d imagine it’s on Independence Day somewhere in D.C., but I haven’t looked into it. The artists mentioned by name – Morris Day and the Time and Young MC – aren’t anyone I’d go to see anyway. (I do actually really like MD and the Time’s music, but I’m in the wrong demographic to attend one of their shows I’m afraid). And with this news I’m sure there will be more jumping on (or off, as the case may be) the bandwagon due to some sort of imagined “protest”. I don’t know who is on the lineup, and that’s not what this is about anyway.
No, what steams my beans is that a lot of people these days equate America to Donald Trump, and that if you support America, you are thereby a Trump supporter and therefore you are a Nazi or a fascist or a pedo-apologist or whatever slur these half-wits are slinging these days.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – I do not like Donald Trump. I did not ever vote for Donald Trump. I will, quite frankly, be glad when he’s served his term and we no longer have to live in the shadow of “orange man bad”. But here’s the thing – every single president we’ve had in my lifetime has been a disappointment at the very least. They’ve all done questionable things, some very shady and/or outright illegal and in some instances unconstitutional things. This is in no way unique to Trump. But never before have the masses, and especially not the privileged class, essentially turned their backs on our country due to whomever was sitting in the Oval Office. As a teen, I hated Ronald Reagan and his cozy relationship with the “Moral Majority” kooks, not to mention his outright, blatant lies about the whole Iran/Contra crimes. Then his successor GHW Bush came along, and he was worse. I thought Clinton was gonna be great, but it turned out he was a lying degenerate AND he unleashed that harpie Hillary on us, to add insult to injury. Bush Jr. was an imbecile with daddy issues, whose lies led us into a 2 DECADE war, for no justifiable reason, and cost thousands upon thousands of lives, untold billions in treasure, and left lasting wounds upon thousands of service personnel and their families. I personally know a few of those soldiers, and their lives were torn to SHREDS over that middle east bullshizz, and for what?!? Then along comes Obama. I will freely, and regretfully admit, that I bought Obama’s schtick, hook, line and sinker. The first time around. As much as ol’ Billy Clinton disappointed me, I felt utterly betrayed by Obama and could not in good conscience vote for him in his second term. My list of grievances toward him is long and quite frankly I do firmly believe he and his wife set back racial relations in this country by decades. When Trump got elected the first time, I generally thought the American public had lost their flippin’ minds. (Though, in full transparency, even though I didn’t vote for him, I did appreciate the “thumb in the eye” his election gave to “The Establishment”. It was LONG overdue.) He came across as a clown, and a charlatan. Then the wheels really came off with the ascension of Sleepy Joe Biden. His residency was an absolute embarrassment to the office, which undoubtedly set the stage for Trump 2.0. And we can all see how that’s going… And let’s be honest, the players on deck for the next round??? May God have mercy on us…
To be perfectly clear, I have nothing but scorn and loathing for our administrative state, but I love America. I love the American people. I’m proud of many things we’ve done as a nation, despite some of the ugly things done along the way. I do believe the good outweighs the bad. I still believe in the promise of America, what our founding fathers envisioned for their descendants. I also believe we’ve lost our way. But no philanderers, no charlatans, no two-faced, war mongering bastards are going to make me hate my home. I may not respect the man in the office, but I will alway respect the office. A country is its people, its culture, its values. Not its politicians. Politicians, by and large, are narcissistic parasites and should be treated as such.
I can distinctly remember our country’s Bicentennial in 1976. It was very young, and it was a long time ago, but it left a lasting impression on me. It brought our country together. It was a time of celebration and pride in what our forefathers had built. It didn’t matter what color your skin was, it didn’t matter where you or your parents had come from, it didn’t matter WHO WAS PRESIDENT at the time! No, ALL that mattered was that we were Americans in America celebrating 200 years of our homeland’s existence.
Oh, how all that promise, all that hope and determination for a better life has deteriorated in the last 50 years! This, my friends, is what the whole “diversity is our strength” yahoos have wrought upon our country. Are we stronger as a country now than we were 50 years ago? No, no we are not. Has the plethora of hyphens forced upon our people made us more united as a people? No, they have divided us, further and further away from United, with each passing year. Growing up in California, I had friends from all over the world, in every size, shape, color and denomination you can imagine, but you know what we ALL were? American. Not African-American, not Japanese-American, not Mexican-American or Filipino/ Greek/Tongan/Irish/English-American, just American. And even as kids, we knew, KNEW that we were lucky to be here. That our founding was special, it was different. It was unlike anything the world had ever seen, and there was no other country in the world that had what we had. We were GRATEFUL to be in America. And it showed. It felt good. We were all rooting for the same team. We were brethren.
So for me, hearing that some fortunate souls, who have been blessed with fortune and fame, who have achieved their lofty, special station in life, right here in the good ol’ USA are turning their backs to the same country that GAVE them that status, that gave them the opportunity to grab that brass ring, well…it makes me more than a little angry, and very, very sad.
Yes, life in America can be hard. It can be unfair. It can seem like the odds are stacked against you sometimes. But it also holds immense beauty. There are opportunities for anyone that has the guts to step up to the plate and take a swing. There is kindness and empathy and a neverending desire to innovate and to make the world a better place. Our country, our beloved America, is a bountiful place, and should be revered and cherished.
If you turn your back on all that because you don’t like the guy currently sitting in the big chair, or worse, because you are afraid of what theInternet might have to say about you supporting and celebrating your own country, then I’m sorry for you. That is a sad, pathetic excuse for an American.
This coming Independence Day marks 250 years of the greatest experiment in human civilization ever seen, and you are fortunate to be part of it. Show some respect for your ancestors, show some appreciation for the opportunity you have, show some gratitude. If you can’t find something to be proud of as an American, then you aren’t truly an American. I’ve had enough of the celebrity pouting and hissy fits. They should be thanking their lucky stars they get to perform or make art for a living, rather than working double shifts at the local factory, or waiting tables or worse. You were given an opportunity to celebrate your COUNTRY you morons, you weren’t asked to celebrate a single man you most likely disagree with.
For the screeching weasels out there, yes I am proud to be an American and feel extraordinarily lucky to have this country as my home. Nothing you say or do will ever convince me otherwise. If you and your ilk would shut yer yaps for a minute, maybe try to be a productive citizen instead of tearing down everything that hurts your feelings, you might come to find there is plenty to celebrate in our lands.
Ok, that’s enough for tonight. I really try to not rant and rave here, but I’m just sick to death of all the anti-American nonsense being spewed at us left and right, . We will survive Trump. We will survive the next idiot that takes his place. We’re American, that’s what we do. Against all odds, we prevail. Stand up and be proud, your future will be better for it.
The Boring Old Man 