Much ado has been made about the year 2012 and the Mayan calendar predicting the end of the world. While Doom’s Day prophecies are as common as failed weddings from the Bachelorette, they are largely ignored by most sane people.
Remember Minister Harold Camping? He went out on limb, not just once, but twice (I think there was a rounding error on his 1st prediction) urging us to empty our 401k’s and get ready for the big end. Sadly for him, he was proven wrong on both occasions.
Other near-famous unsuccessful prophecies include…
Haley’s Comet 1910…Stories abounded about a horrific gas cloud called Cyanogen that trailed the infamous comet (which incidentally was not named for the early rock ‘n roll star, but for some astronomer). Fortunately cooler heads prevailed and years later we eventually were able to “Rock Around the Clock”.
Heaven’s Gate 1997…It’s obvious that Comets play a big role in determining the end of the world. The Heaven’s Gate cult believed that an alien spacecraft was following the comet Hale-Bopp. Sadly, the members of the cult put their money where their mouth was and committed suicide fearing it was their only chance to survive before the Earth was “recycled”.
Y2K…Many feared computers would fail to understand the change from 1999 to 2000 causing massive blackouts, nuclear weapons launching and toilets to stop working. Thankfully, we were able to still flush in the new millennium.
I personally never held much stock in these predications until I learned that Snookie’s due date is December 21, 2012; the exact same date as predicted by the Mayans. Now I always considered “Jersey Shore” to be some kind of preview as to what the end of the world would look like, but I ask you; what are the odds?
You may think I’m being foolish, but I for one plan on cashing in my IRA and heading to Belize to party with the Mayans. If the world is going to end, I want to be with the folks who got it right.
Last night’s Academy Awards provided many memorable moments for fans of the big screen and the glitz it attracts. From Jennifer Lopez’s alleged “Nip Slip”, Angelia Jolie proving her leg does indeed go all the way to her hip, to Sacha Baron Cohen baptizing Ryan Seacrest; there was a tsunami of twitter buzz through-out the night.
There was however, something that quietly snuck by. The 2011 Academy Awards had only 2 songs nominated for an Oscar. Never in the history of the award has so few songs been selected. (3 songs were nominated in 2008, 2005, 1935 and 1934).
In his acceptance speech last night, Bret McKenzie thanked Disney for “making movies with songs in them”. Afterwards, McKenzie said he was more than happy to have less competition, “Well, I am not sure why they only nominated two songs, but I was very happy with that situation.”
So does this bode bad news for song writers? 14 songs were nominated in 1945 (“It Might as Well be Spring” from the movie “State Fair” took the statue home that year) Past winners include such great names as Tim Rice, Burt Bacharach, Elton John, Oscar Hammerstein II, Randy Newman, Bob Dylan, Eminem and Henri Mancini just to name a few .
Perhaps it was just an anomaly; still one has to hope that along with amazing 3-D visual images, mind-blowing computer animation, incredible special effects and brilliant writing, there might be room in there for a good song or two.
Forget “Linsanity”. “Pinsanity” has officially taken over the internet. I speak, of course, about the latest social media craze; www.pinterest.com. It seems everyone these days is surfing the internet and pinning photos of clothes, cute pets, recipes and just about anything else you can imagine to their digital bulletin boards. www.pinterest.com has become one of the top 10 social networking sites, but now cold water is being thrown in its face with accusations of copyright infringement.
You see, most of the photos being pinned belongs to someone else, which could violate the DMCA (Digital Millennium Copyright Act). The site’s Terms of Service are clear, but some industry leaders suggest that 98% of the materials being posted are in direct violation of those terms. What’s a website to do? www.pinterest.com does have a way for someone to report unlicensed use of material, but appears to do very little in policing the site itself.
To help deflect some of the criticism, www.pinterest.com is now providing websites with code that will block people from being able to pin material. They also limit pin captions to 500-characters to stop people from stealing blog posts. www.pinterest.com has another advantage in that the posts can drive traffic back to the original source and are letting publishers embed a “Pin It” button directly on their website, which is a virtual permission slip for people to share content.
Still, not everyone is happy and one wonders if www.pinterest.com will fall of the way of other sites like Napster.
Once again, our fair city takes a back seat to that mega-metropolis called Big D. Are we not as fit? Perhaps we’re not as fashion chic? No, it seems Houston is not as rude as the fine folks in Dallas. This latest slap in the face comes from TravelandLeisure.com who wanted to know the cities where you would receive a rude reception.
Houston ranks 16th on the list, far behind Dallas who came in at 6th (New York City was rated the rudest city). The editors felt “the bigger the city, the bigger the attitude” was a critical factor in determining the level of rudeness. This makes about as much sense as the more money you have, the better looking you are, but that’s beside the point.
Let’s face it, being rude takes a lot of work. It’s not easy to demonstrate disdain and exhibit a total lack of manners to our fellow man. Being nice requires much less effort, so are we just being lazy?
What will it take to improve our status among the travelers of the world? Should we suggest anatomically impossible activities more often? Add more sarcasm when talking about people we really don’t like? Cut in line? What is it that Dallas does to earn such respect when it comes to effrontery behavior?
It’s time for this city to roll up its sleeves and get to work on improving its boorish behavior. Allow me to start by performing the one finger salute to the staff at TravelandLeisure.com.
Tired of hearing the same old same old on the radio? Between the exceedingly whiney Adele who can’t understand why her ex-boyfriend doesn’t want to still be friends to Maroon 5 serenading us with a very disturbing image of Mick Jagger’s tongue, the music coming out of the speakers can have us quickly reaching for a CD, or Pandora.
Fortunately there is a sanctuary of remarkable music for people who want to hear something other than “Sweet Home Alabama”. Say hello to Lost and Found; a nationally syndicated radio program that plays “the best music you never heard” (Lost and Found airs Sunday mornings from 8 to 11 on FM 103.7).
Lost and Found is hosted by Luke Crampton and offers a widely entertaining assortment of music from artists around the world. It’s like hanging out in a used record store with old friends exchanging new found music to check out. Crampton is a veritable wealth of knowledge who walks you through the world of undiscovered music with the ease of someone who genuinely enjoys bringing these hidden gems out of hiding for the world to hear.
Where else would you hear the smoky-voiced Nellie McKay singing a wonderfully sexy rendition of Doris Day’s “If I ever had a dream” or “Love has left the room” by Nina Persson performing under the name A Camp. How do you explain the genius of a Ross Cooperman, a wildly talented singer songwriter whose songs are in a league with John Mayer and Dave Matthews, but can’t seem to get a sniff of airplay?
Listening to Lost and Found makes you really appreciate the fine line that exists between being the rock star Nickelback sung about and that terribly talented musician who doesn’t have the luck, timing, right promotion (you fill in the blank) on what it takes to get noticed.
You need to have both hands on the wheel when listening. From The Ozark Mountain Daredevils, to Aaron Neville, to Graffiti6 and Smoove & Turrell (check out these guys if you like funk), there is no style left unturned. And yes, Campton does play Adela as well, but he digs deep into the playlist to find that rare nugget you won’t hear on the radio.
So make a pot of coffee, grab the Sunday paper and get ready to be entertained, informed and impressed by the best music you never heard.
Peter Frampton changed the business of music forever in 1976 when he released his wildly successful double live album; Frampton Comes Alive. In Wayne’s World 2, Wayne Campbell acknowledged the album’s status among rock fans when he said, “Everybody in the world has Frampton Comes Alive. If you lived in the suburbs you were issued it”.
Three hit singles were released from the album Baby, I Love Your Way, Do You Feel Like We Do and Show Me the Way. The Do You Feel Like We Do single version was edited down from the 14 minute album version to 7 minutes and was almost twice the length of the average hit single and one of the longest ever to make the top 40.
Although the album came out 36 years ago, there is, as Paul Harvey would say, the rest of the story. The iconic guitar (a distinctive black 1954 custom Gibson Les Paul electric guitar with three humbucking pickups as opposed to the usual two) became lost in 1980 when a cargo plane carrying Frampton’s gear crashed while flying to Panama. All of the instruments were thought to be destroyed.
While the details are still a bit murky; somehow the guitar has been found on the Dutch island of Curacao by two fans with the assistance of the Curacao Tourist Board. The Gibson Guitar Company has verified that the guitar is indeed the real deal.
“I am still in a state of shock, first off, that the guitar even exists, let alone that it has been returned to me,” Frampton said in a statement. “I know I have my guitar back, but I will never forget the lives that were lost in this crash. I am so thankful for the efforts of those who made this possible … And, now that it is back I am going insure it for 2 million dollars and it’s never going out of my sight again! It was always my #1 guitar and it will be reinstated there as soon as possible — some minor repairs are needed.”
The end of the year gives an opportunity to pause, look back and remember the people who passed away, but will always be remembered for the music they made. 2011 was no different, so in no particular order, here’s a look at some of the people who are now jamming in the greatest band ever, may they rest in peace…
Clarence Clemons
(1/42/1942-6/18/2011)
Sure, we all know that Clarence provided the expressive saxophone for Bruce Springsteen and the E Street band, but he also worked with Jackson Browne (“You’re A Friend of Mine”), Nils Lofgren, The Four Tops, Todd Rundgren, Aretha Franklin (“Freeway Of Love”), Joan Armatrading, The Grateful Dead, Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band, Ian Hunter, Twisted Sister (“Be Chrool To Your Scuel”), Alvin Lee, Joe Cocker, Roy Orbison, Gary U.S. Bonds, Janis Ian, Norman Seldin & The Joyful Noyze and Lady Gaga.
Gerry Rafferty
(4/16/1947-1/4/2011)
Rafferty, whose smooth sound set him apart from many of his contemporaries, was a member of many bands including The Mavericks, The Humblebums, Stealers Wheel (“Stuck In The Middle With You” and “Star”) and The Fifth Column. He may be best know for his solo work which included “Baker Street” and “Right Down the Line”.
Carl Gardner
(4/29/1928-6/12/2011)
He was a member of The Robins (They did, “If Teardrops Were Kisses” and “I Must Be Dreamin”) and The Coasters (They did, “Charlie Brown” and “Yakety Yak”). Gardner was also the Father of singer, Carl Gardner Jr. and he is a Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Inductee.
Amy Winehouse
(9/14/1983-7/23/2011)
Another classic example of a musician that was lost way too soon. To say that Winehouse was a singer, is a huge understatement. She had many hits including “Stronger Than Me” and “Rehab”. In addition to her solo work, Winehouse was also a member of Sweet ‘n’ Sour. Winehouse could colleberate with anyone, and she did when she worked with The Dap-Kings, Ghostface Killah, Mutya Buena and The Bolsha Band.
Phoebe Snow
(7/17/1952-4/26/2011)
A wonderfully gifted singer and guitarist, Snow recorded such hits as “Poetry Man” and “Sweet Disposition”. She also worked with some of the biggest names including Paul Simon, Linda Ronstadt, Boz Scaggs, Cyndi Lauper, Roger Daltrey, Chaka Khan, Lou Rawls, Buddy Miles, Al Green, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Laurie Anderson, Garland Jeffreys, Jewel, Donald Fagen, Billy Joel, Queen and Jackson Browne.
Jerry Leiber
(4/25/1925-8/22/2011)
Never heard of him? Well you should. Leiber was a very busy songwriter and producer. He co-wrote, “Hound Dog” and “Stand By Me”. That alone makes him special. In addition, his songs have been recorded by The Coasters, Big Mama Thornton, The Drifters, Conway Twitty, Joni Mitchell, Count Basie, Dion, Elkie Brooks, The Robins, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, James Brown, The Monkees, Jerry Lee Lewis, The Cheers, Edith Piaf, The Clovers, Stealers Wheel, Johnny Cash, Muddy Waters, The Everly Brothers, John Mellencamp, Ray Charles, John Lennon, Donald Fagen, Ben E. King, Little Richard, Jimi Hendrix, Otis Redding, Peggy Lee, Elvis Presley, Johnny Mathis, Buddy Holly and Bobby Darin. That kind of legacy is good enough to be both, a Songwriters Hall Of Fame Inductee and Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Inductee.
Nate Dogg
(8/19/1969-3/15/2011)
Dogg was a Hip Hop/Gospel artist who was a member of 213 (“Groupie Luv” and “So Fly”) and nominated for 4 Grammy Awards. He also worked with Dr. Dre, Warren G, Eminem, 50 Cent, Snoop Dogg and Innate Praise.
Nickolas Ashford
(5/4/1942-8/22/2011)
The soulful singer and songwriter was half of the duo, Ashford & Simpson. The recorded such hits as “Solid” and “I’ll Find You”. Ashford wrote songs with his wife Valerie Simpson that were recorded by Ray Charles, The 5th Dimension, Aretha Franklin, Diana Ross, Teddy Pendergrass, Chaka Khan, Rufus, Gladys Knight & The Pips, Martha Reeves & The Vandellas, Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell. All this was good enough to be a Songwriters Hall Of Fame Inductee.
Don Kirshner
(4/17/1934-1/17/2011)
Producer and promoter extraordinaire. Kirshner co-wrote Connie Francis’s, “My First Real Love” and The Coasters’, “Wait A Minute”. He also wrote jingles with Bobby Darin – Co-founded the Aldon music publishing company, but he’s most known Don Kirshner’s Rock Concert and helped the careers of Bobby Darin, Kansas, Sarah Dash, Neil Diamond and Carole King.
Johnny Dee
(1951-10/17/2011)
While not known nationally, no list coming out of Texas would be complete without acknowledging the death of Johnny Dee. Dee fronted the band Johnny Dee and the Rocket 88’s which shared the stage with Wolfman Jack, Dick Clark, James Brown, the Beach Boys, Charlie Daniels, Tanya Tucker, the Pointer Sisters, and Ricky Nelson. Their website says “They take their fun seriously, which means you’ll have serious fun with Johnny Dee & the Rocket 88’s” which rings true with anyone who saw them live. While a great showman, I’ll always think of the “Don’t Mess with Texas” public service announcement they did. Who else could have made an anti-littering campaign so cool.
It’s been a few days since my last post. I guess the holidaze gets in the way of my writing, so I thought I would share some new images I made.
The photo was taken by either me, or my wife (probably my wife since it came out so good :0).
Yes, I know it’s kinda hokey, but I have seen similar prints in Hobby Lobby and other craft stores, so who knows, maybe I can have a 2nd career as a graphic artist.
Much ado has been made about the year 2012 and the Mayan calendar predicting the end of the world. While Doom’s Day prophecies are as common as failed weddings from the Bachelorette, they are largely ignored by most sane people.
Other near-famous unsuccessful prophecies include…
I personally never held much stock in these predications until I learned that Snookie’s due date is December 21, 2012; the exact same date as predicted by the Mayans. Now I always considered “Jersey Shore” to be some kind of preview as to what the end of the world would look like, but I ask you; what are the odds?
