So much for my life this past week! My beloved son, the light of my life and all that rot, had to do a biography project for school. Now, being the son of a dyed in the wool music freak, Noah read a biography on the Beatles. Actually, the book he chose, Who Were the Beatles? By Geoff Edgers, was not a bad read. While a tad been sanitized for your protection, since it’s geared for the post pablum/pre Pernod set, obviously facts were checked and that makes me happy. This project did lead to a great deal of interesting revelations however, dealing with media, knowledge and the change in how we do homework in the digital age.
Noah would read and then come to me with a gazillion questions. I do sometimes forget that he was born in the “new millennium” and therefore doesn’t have a frame of reference to many of the music/ideas/ideologies mentioned in this book. Sure, he IS my son and has been exposed to some sort of Beatles rot in every room of the casa, but….. So, now is the time that I sing the praises of You Tube! After each night’s reading, Noah and I went on You Tube, watched and listened. The pre-Beatles as the Quarrymen? Watched that. The Beatles coming to America and visiting mumble mouthed Eddy Sullivan? Watched that. John Lennon being bigger than Jesus? That, too. Beatles as trippy hippies, “Paul is dead”, Let It Be concert? Yeah, yeah, yeah!
I even took a big breath and managed to get through footage of the memorials to my beloved Mr. Lennon, as well as post Beatles solo offerings and the Anthology videos (Free as a Bird/Real Love).
While I am sure that Noah benefitted from all of this Fab Four exposure (the proof in the pudding being whatever grade he gets) I know that I did. While some may dis You Tube, I am happy that in some way, music/film/telly/pop culture history is being archived somewhere for the next generation. No longer is there a case for “fade away and radiate” within the scope of popular accomplishment and I know that makes me glad!
Saturday, January 16, 2010
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
They Say It's Your Birthday!
So, it’s official. Forty-five years ago this very day, I made my stage debut. Before offering me a hearty chorus of “huzzahs”, please consider other musical talents of note born on January 6. I had to look long and hard, cruising the Internet for at least 3-4 minutes to come up with the names of the aft mentioned rockinrollas….and I am sure you will be as gobsmacked as I was when I found out who shares my natal anniversary.
1967-Peter Loran, vocalist of the band Trixter.
1964-Mark O’Toole, bassist/drummer of the band Frankie Goes to Hollywood
1963-Paul Brindley, bassist of the band The Sundays
1959-Kathy Sledge, vocalist for the group Sister Sledge
After finding these first four names, I wasn’t all that impressed. I mean, it was better than telling people I shared my birthday with the Reverend Sun Yung Moon, founder of the “Moonies”, but still, where were the Rock and Roll genius’ I knew the “self proclaimed Goddess of the Groove” should share her zodiac sign with? MMMM, just wait…here come the heavy hitters…..
1953- Malcolm Young, guitarist for AC/DC.
Now, I will admit, I was a big fan back in the day. I like my music a little more, dare I say it, comfortably numb….which brings me to…
1946- Syd Barrett, Pink Floyd.
OMG! I share my birthday with a right freaking genius! OK, so he went mad and some of his later behavior rivaled Howard Hughes. I mean, don’t we all go a little mad sometimes….
1944- Van McCoy- if you are teetering on the edge of extinction as I am, you will remember, if not Van McCoy’s name, his biggest claim to fame, that all out and out classic disco party song…the Hustle. I am not too proud to admit, much to my friend’s chagrin that I put on my Candies F-me heels and my iced blue Satin disco dress and danced to this song at many a school dance. Ok, so I was 14…..and that excuses me!
1941-Sandy Denny, vocalist of Fairport Convention/Fotheringay. How did I not know that one of my idols shared a birthday with me? How I love Sandy’s soothing voice on the folk rock sounds. If you are familiar with Fairport Convention, which also boasted the talents of my beloved Richard Thompson and lovely Trevor Lucas, who was later part of Fotheringay, you will know that most of their music has a decidedly, imho, folk sound. Sandy’s second band, the very short lived one albumed Fotheringay, was a bit more folk/rock. To me, the album is so good that it hurts!
I can sleep now, knowing that as I near the end of the first day of my 45th year on Earth, I share this date with others who felt the pull of music, perhaps even more so than I do.
1967-Peter Loran, vocalist of the band Trixter.
1964-Mark O’Toole, bassist/drummer of the band Frankie Goes to Hollywood
1963-Paul Brindley, bassist of the band The Sundays
1959-Kathy Sledge, vocalist for the group Sister Sledge
After finding these first four names, I wasn’t all that impressed. I mean, it was better than telling people I shared my birthday with the Reverend Sun Yung Moon, founder of the “Moonies”, but still, where were the Rock and Roll genius’ I knew the “self proclaimed Goddess of the Groove” should share her zodiac sign with? MMMM, just wait…here come the heavy hitters…..
1953- Malcolm Young, guitarist for AC/DC.
Now, I will admit, I was a big fan back in the day. I like my music a little more, dare I say it, comfortably numb….which brings me to…
1946- Syd Barrett, Pink Floyd.
OMG! I share my birthday with a right freaking genius! OK, so he went mad and some of his later behavior rivaled Howard Hughes. I mean, don’t we all go a little mad sometimes….
1944- Van McCoy- if you are teetering on the edge of extinction as I am, you will remember, if not Van McCoy’s name, his biggest claim to fame, that all out and out classic disco party song…the Hustle. I am not too proud to admit, much to my friend’s chagrin that I put on my Candies F-me heels and my iced blue Satin disco dress and danced to this song at many a school dance. Ok, so I was 14…..and that excuses me!
1941-Sandy Denny, vocalist of Fairport Convention/Fotheringay. How did I not know that one of my idols shared a birthday with me? How I love Sandy’s soothing voice on the folk rock sounds. If you are familiar with Fairport Convention, which also boasted the talents of my beloved Richard Thompson and lovely Trevor Lucas, who was later part of Fotheringay, you will know that most of their music has a decidedly, imho, folk sound. Sandy’s second band, the very short lived one albumed Fotheringay, was a bit more folk/rock. To me, the album is so good that it hurts!
I can sleep now, knowing that as I near the end of the first day of my 45th year on Earth, I share this date with others who felt the pull of music, perhaps even more so than I do.
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