Thank you little Tivo

It's been a decade.  In September of 2002, I purchased my first Tivo.  It was a risk as I didn't know anyone with one, at the time.  But, I also didn't want to pay monthly so I went with a lifetime service.  It recorded some amazing content.  There were interviews with my father for local sports news and when my friend Daniel was on Who Wants To Be A Millionaire.  (I think I burned those to disc later, so no big loss.)  But I learned to depend on it.  I even talked the girlfriend (now wife) into doing the same... and hers is still running.  They would send recordings back and forth.  I guess, you can say they were dating.  I wonder if we need to console the other... console?

Technology has come a long way in a decade.  I know it will be better moving to an HD unit with more capacity and shiny new remote.  I even thought about paying a company to get it fixed.  But, that would be like buying ribbon for a typewriter.  It's time to move on.  Just sad to see it go.  I figure that with the lifetime service I paid about $50 per year for it.  Pretty darn cool when you think the replacement could easily be a "DVR" via cable or satellite service costing $20 a month.  And buying another Tivo makes it difficult to move to satellite later.

So, thank you little Tivo for recording more cooking, home repair, cartoons and drama series than you were expected to.  I mean, heck, you were only turned off a few times when we moved.  Thank you for making my life easier.

West Coast Tour 2.0: Silver Falls in Oregon

I look back at these photos and have Rodney Atkins' "Take A Backroad" running through my head.  The next stop on our vacation/tour would be Oregon's Golden and Silver Falls State Natural Area.  The drive was pretty enjoyable.  Beautiful winding roads with a lot of lush trees, farmland and the occasional wild animal all right outside your car window... unless you venture outside.  Which we did. 
 

Our first stop was a little creek that runs off from the falls.  With a motor court-style entry and two picnic benches, it could easily host a small group or two as they kick back and enjoy the chirping birds and surging waters.  Jake, David, Kenzie and a neighbor friend Courtney went to investigate the waters before we moved on.  Jake decided to take a quick photo... well, I decided to take it.  He just hopped in front of every shot I took.  The dogs wanted to go running into the wilderness but we held them back.  After a little time walking around, we decided to check out another area.

But we did come back.  I'm breaking the timeline a bit here because I wanted you to see the whitewater in the background on both these photos.  Were it a bit deeper, I could see some tubing going on but not here.  The kids decided to try swimming when we returned and the water was icy cold.  Kerry and I took the dogs out a ways to look for suitable spots for them but there are some holes in the rock containing stagnant water with interesting little insects in there.  Had to prevent the dogs from drinking out of them.  Under the water looked like a series of slabs or plates, that seemed pretty sharp to me and I didn't like the look of it for the kids playing in it.  So after nibbling on a few chips and stretching our legs, Bear and Bettieann loaded up the truck and we the Tucson and we were gone.

Between the two visits to that area, we were on a mission.  It was an area called the Silver Falls and Golden Falls that my father-in-law had spotted some time back.  He'd taken Kerry's aunt and uncle to the latter before and now it was time to check the other one out.  But it was a distance away.  What amazes me about the drive is this canopy or archway the trees create.  It's stunning when a little light peeps through in an area that seems protected from the outside world.  Had to try to take a photo of it but the closest I got was on the way out.

By the time we parked, we divided off duties.  Bettieann stayed with the vehicles, I followed Kerry as she grabbed Bella, Bear stayed with David as he took Tulip, Jake and the kids tried to get up there as quick possible but Jake would reconsider at about half-way up-hill and decided to get his iPod and start over again.  I had a great time talking with Bear taking in the scenery as he got some great shots.  We also helped another hiker take a personal photo.  Speaking of personal pics, this one speaks volumes.  Dave is trying to keep pace with Tulip as they continue the journey upward.  There is something cute about a dog that stops and smells everything.  That cuteness can wear off when you have a goal that she doesn't seem to be on board for and she can be a bit stubborn.  Not exactly a jogging partner, there.  Gotta love her.  Dave has the Hawaiian swim shorts, polo shirt, gladiator-thing going on.  You have to like the hiking shoes?  Sandals may seem fun and easy to just slap on but so are Vans and moccasins and... they provide better traction and while letting less rocks in under your toes.  But, lessons have to be learned, right?

So what was the at the end of the trek?  I can't really gather the words well but I'll try.  If you've ever seen those videos of metal being heated into a liquid form and poured into a vessel, this reminded me of silver overflowing from that same vessel.  A very fitting name.  We didn't bother going to the other spot as, we were told, it didn't match this.  Couldn't chose between these two shots.  Enjoy.

 

West Coast Tour 2.0: Gold Beach, Oregon

 

There is something to be said for man and his attempt to conquer the water.  We'll leave that for someone else to espouse.  What I will say, is that I've heard of Gold Beach before and when I heard about the possibility of a 90 minute drive to somewhere that would lead to a 104-mile whitewater wilderness tour, I felt it was a memory worth creating.  Or recreating, you see, Kerry had been on the same ride about 28 years before with her twin sister (for which we received a text saying something to the effect of "how dare you rewrite childhood memories without me.")  But the idea that it was such a strong memory for both of them meant that it would be a great one for 3 kids, 2 adults and a grandpa (who took some of the best photos shown here.)

Probably a good start is introducing the crew.  Pictured from left to right we have Kenzie, Jake, Dave and Bear on our single row on the boat.  Kerry has never been a fan of being photographed so, don't expect to see much of her.  We got a call early that morning saying that if we hurried down there a bit earlier than planned, they'd upgrade us from the mid-size and mid-priced ride to the wham-bam-who's-your-momma 7+ hour trip.  So drive Bear did, arriving just in time.  Wish I got a picture of the little dog out in front of the store that would shove a large smooth rock toward customers in hopes they'll shove it back to it -- in one of the funniest little games that I've ever seen.  Cute.  Oh, well, off to the boat...

One thing that I still remained impressed with were the bridges.  I mean, look at this one.  It's the first one you see when you leave the dock.  They mark a lot of the history in the area by how high floods were when they went through.  One specific bridge still stands despite flood waters rising about 10 feet above it.  But this bridge stood out.  I think they mentioned a French architect and some bill getting signed that made it happen.  From the opposite side, there were nests. (What kind can get lost on me.)  Someone even took a photo of the boat and its occupants from above.  Well, I shouldn't mention it and not show you.

I'm over there on the left side waving in a borrowed brown jacket next to Kerry (your only photo with her in it... see what I mean.)  It's a pretty good sized boat with 3 engines and (what took us a long time to notice) a dog.  I told the kids that it was a specially trained water dog there to rescue children that don't keep their hands in the boat and fall in the drink.  They were pretty well behaved, so the threat wasn't important.  Jake was a little seasick at first (and forgot to take a pill) but someone sitting behind us mentioned chewing gum... which flowed plentifully the rest of the trip.  What Kerry and I found funniest was the same man that helped Jake had a hat that said Navy on it.  He'd lunge forward every time there was burst of water from spray, waves or rapids and use the hat to block her face from each assault.  I told him later that he was definitely a true gentleman.  When he looked confused, I told him that not many men would throw the whole Navy in front of his 'lady love' to protect her from the elements.  Got a broad smile from him and a laugh from what I thought was his wife.

I mentioned wilderness in referring to the boat tour, right.  Well, there were a lot of funny little creatures everywhere.  And the driver did a great job of making sure we knew if something was nearby.  First there were the little birds nests on the opposite side of the bridge.  Then there were tons of birds... and I will not be able to tell you much about them other than there was an osprey, herons and well... this well-recognized American symbol.  I can tell you that I never in my life expected to see a bald eagle.  I guess that's the living-in-a-desert mentality.  I mean, I didn't see a lizard anywhere on this trip.

But we did see a bear!  Sure, the eagle was #1 on my list but to see a hunter in its pursuit of a meal just gives a tingling feeling.  We followed it down bank quite a ways.  From the photo, you can see she (the guide believed it was a female from previous sightings) is searching the water for a nearby fish to pounce on.  Didn't know how the kids would react to seeing something so natural as that (especially after they kept reciting lines from Finding Nemo) but we moved on.  Sure, having a cell-phone as your camera on a trip like this means only one thing: the battery is going to run out that much sooner.  So I had to keep turning it off and turning it on to save power to take specific shots.  Thankfully, Bear (my father-in-law... appropriate nickname to reinforce at this point, right?) had the good equipment to catch these.  My grainy photos could have been Sasquatch sightings.

There were a couple good breaks here and there and the kids got to stretch their legs.  Really beautiful surroundings to do so.

Do you remember me saying something about rapids and whitewater?  Well, that actually did happen.  The problem is that you really shouldn't use electronic equipment when the boat is rocking, when it is spraying water all over you or when the driver does a 360.  So a smart photographer would keep his equipment safe and dry.  So, Bear put his camera away and (cough) someone else took these final enjoyable shots of part of the waters of the Rogue River often called The Wild.

Another full day of the trip in the bag and, yes, a very long day with more sun than I'm used to.  So, it's time to recover.  Maybe a slow day.  Maybe not.

West Coast Tour 2.0 -- Coos Bay, Oregon

 

Today was the start of what I'm calling our West Coast Tour 2.0.  We started off in the great Las Vegas valley after the wife finished work.  With the mini SUV packed, nephew Jake and dogs belted in we were on our way.  18 hours later, we find ourselves in Coos Bay, Oregon with the Freidel clan (the in-laws.)

Tip #1 for long trips -- sleep.  If you get up at 3am, get ready, drive to work at 5am for your 6am shift, finish a full shift and then start that 18 hour drive... you may have issues.  Could be worse if you are as stubborn as myself or the missus.  So, both us us were a little sleep deprived and with only a 90-minute change at the wheel and several caffienated beverages... we made it in.

Tip #2 for long trips -- sharing.  I can be a little obsessive when it comes to music.  But, the idea I came up with, to avoid anyone wanting to put on their headphones and tune out, worked well.  In order of age, let each member of the 'team' choose an album that will be heard in its entirety.  Sure, you may have that awkward moment that someone chooses Yanni or N.W.A. but that could be a good thing.  Think about it... sometimes we don't know what our kids listen to.  Here you can evaluate what they like and... you have a captive audience for that assessment.  Best part?  Hearing one of the younger passengers singing "Daydream Believer" after hearing the Monkees' 'best of' without any prompting.

Tip #3 for long trips -- laughter.  It doesn't hurt to have little animals to break any monotony.  Just make sure to have fun.  Don't take things seriously, discuss the music, the trip, the stops along the way and yourselves.  As you can see... Jake had a little bit of fun with Bella.

All went well and we're enjoying the wea... ok, I need to knock on wood before I jinx the good weather here in the great Northwest.  As you can see from the first picture above, it's pretty nice out here.  Commence downtime!

West Coast Tour 2.0

We took a year off from road travel but we are just 2 hours or so from our official West Coast Tour 2.0 (or so I like to call it.)  A lot was happening last year.  But I am expecting a lot of adventures ahead.  We will be exploring the "city by the bay" and our state capitol... as well as a few other stops.  Dogs will be trying out their new seat belts (expect a photo at some point.)  We will be riding up to Oregon with my nephew and exchange hostages with the in-laws.  Going to be educational, fun and well... you never know what may happen.  Will keep you updated as we go.

Starting The Day With A Thought

Yesterday was strange for many reasons but I would like to share the first one with you.  I visit my doctor -- an amazing man that I'd recommend in a heartbeat -- and he dropped a question in my lap.  It wasn't a normal question but something compelled him to ask about where I was going professionally.

Now, of course, we all think about what we do and where the path is leading.  But, with that question in my head for the rest of the day... it can make you nuts.  What urged him to ask?  Where is my path going?  Where are my new ventures heading?

I'm not unhappy with my direction but for some reason, it feels like I just got out of high school and was asked, "What do you want to do with your life?"

Muze News

New beginnings.  I do believe that looking at the past once in awhile will give me a better understanding of where the future is going and can go.  I have mentioned, many times over the last decade and a half, that there is a gap in music news coverage.  I think back on the sign that I saw driving by a Las Vegas hotel that told me a band was not only together again but touring.  That thought led me to starting a newsletter in an effort to fill that hole.  That path led toward a Web site and podcast series.  But that gap in media coverage was still there and not only did it affect artists of one decade but beyond.

That's where we stand today as of June 1, 2012.  But my hope for the future is still informed by the past.  Today's launch of Muze News will hopefully start to fill that void.  Artists record singles and albums constantly and only a handful of them get airplay.  Many of those will be mentioned in articles and many will not but a lot of them will be overlooked.  The news is out there and if it isn't, we'll have to do exclusive content to get it out.  I don't intend to write the news as much as aggregate, collect and send you to it.

Muze News was created with one question in mind.  "Where do you go to get your music news?"  I wasn't really able to answer that despite being a newshound.  Sure, you have the purple section of USA Today but that tends to be mixed in with movies, television, books and celebrity gossip.  Radio DJs are a great source but they usually cover the type of music they play.  There are some great magazines out there but not all of them cover the rainbow of musical flavors out there or they overlook previously successful acts that have relevance now.

Today you and I begin a new journey.  Many changes are expected.  Already, we've added sections for a Video of the Week, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Accountability, Upcoming Award Shows and a Hotline (for article suggestions.)  We also don't plan to keep posting the same article over and over which means that you will have to do your part and check in often.  Together, let's change the music world by making it more informed.

Great White - Elation

Great White have returned with their new studio album, Elation, and the debut of new frontman Terry Ilous.  Many reviewers may ramble on about 'the change' from Jack Russell to the XYZ singer but I'm not here to criticize their history --  just Elation.  And that my friends is very hard to do as all I want to do is praise it.

The band found two really solid tracks to begin with in "(I've Got) Something For You" and "Feelin' So Much Better."  The former, expected to be the first single and video to be released, blazes to life and will surely be a live favorite.  "Feelin' So Much Better" is a personal favorite here as the vocal harmonies, punchy guitars and intuitive percussion make it a memorable ride.  There is a lot to love about this album.  I do feel that "Resolution" and "Promise Land," while decent tracks, are close but don't meet the caliber of the other 10 tracks.  Overall, the writing is impressive, performances are cohesive and leave little to objectively sneer at.  I enjoy the Louisiana bayou blues beginning of "Love Train," the strut of "Heart Of A Man" and the guitar solo to the ballad "Love Is Enough" as well as the beautiful "Hard To Say Goodbye," playful "Shotgun Willie's" and throwback glam-feel of "Complicated."

Great White have delivered.  Fans have to be feeling the elation too!

4.5 out of 5

Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame -- Accountability

Welcome to this on-going post on which we will hold the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and its voting members accountable for their inductees and the history of those the do not induct.  As highly subjective as and 'hall of fame' is, it is important to put those so honored into a bigger context.  So here (listed according to year of eligibility) we plan to keep a list of those that aren't in yet.  Enjoy... or just get frustrated.

1980
Johnny Ace

1981
Johnny Burnette and the Rock and Roll Trio
Marty Robbins

1982
Chuck Willis
Danny and the Juniors

1983
Kingston Trio
Chantels

 1984
Carole King
Patsy Cline
Brook Benton
Neil Sedaka

1985
Jan and Dean
Chubby Checker
Link Wray
Joan Baez
Cliff Richard and the Shadows

1986
Spinners
Paul Revere and the Raiders
Ben E. King
Gary "U.S." Bonds
Marvelettes
Lee Dorsey
Petula Clark

1987

Peter, Paul and Mary
Dick Dale
Sam the Sham and the Pharaohs
Gordon Lightfoot
Glen Campbell
Contours

1988
Billy Preston
Searchers
Lesley Gore
Manfred Mann
Paul Butterfield Blues Band
Gerry and the Pacemakers
Dionne Warwick
Chiffons
Tammi Terrell
Surfaris

 1989
Zombies
Johnny Rivers
Moody Blues
Marianne Faithfull

 1990
Guess Who

Boz Scaggs
Randy Newman
Golden Earring
Spencer Davis Group
Junior Walker and the All Stars
Tom Jones
Turtles
Herman's Hermits
Cher
Albert Collins
Shangri-Las
Sonny and Cher
John Mayall

 1991
Jim Croce
Monkees
Cat Stevens
Harry Chapin
Grass Roots
Tommy James and the Shondells
Captain Beefheart
Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels
Love

1992

Procol Harem
Gram Parsons
5th Dimension
Gary Puckett and Union Gap
Iron Butterfly
Troggs
Canned Heat
Ten Years After
Vanilla Fudge
Harry Nilsson

 1993

Jethro Tull

Steve Miller
T. Rex
Steppenwolf

Deep Purple
Blood Sweat and Tears
Delfonics
Johnny Winter
Free
Bar-Kays

1994

Chicago

Grand Funk Railroad
Blind Faith
Flying Burrito Brothers

MC5

Linda Ronstadt
Kool and the Gang
Joe Cocker
King Crimson
Carpenters
James Gang

Yes
Humble Pie
Three Dog Night
Meters
Roberta Flack
Slade

1995

Diana Ross
Warren Zevon

Emerson Lake and Palmer
Todd Rundgren
Supertramp
J. Geils Band

Jimmy Buffett
Badfinger
Ringo Starr
Tangerine Dream
Sweet
Ry Cooder
Uriah Heep
Hawkwind

1996
Kraftwerk
Wings

Little Feat

Electric Light Orchestra

Doobie Brothers
America
REO Speedwagon
Carly Simon
Meat Loaf
Steve Winwood
Thin Lizzy
Weather Report
Stylistics
War
Bill Withers
Rory Gallagher

1997

Hall and Oates

Styx
Lou Reed
Blue Öyster Cult
Peter Frampton
Joe Walsh
Roxy Music
Scorpions
Big Star
Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes
Easybeats

1998

New York Dolls
Pointer Sisters
John Fogerty
Barry White
Tina Turner
Bachman-Turner Overdrive
Ashford and Simpson
Marshall Tucker Band
Average White Band
Montrose

1999

Kiss
Judas Priest
Commodores
Bad Company
Jefferson Starship
Kansas
Brian Eno
Rufus featuring Chaka Khan
Cult
Robert Palmer

2000

Journey
Alan Parsons Project
Rainbow
Television
Tubes
Ted Nugent
Modern Lovers

2001

Boston
Kenny Loggins

Peter Tosh
Triumph
Southside Johnny and Asbury Jukes
Runaways
Damned

2002
Jam
Chic

Cheap Trick
.38 Special
Peter Gabriel
Teddy Pendergrass
Eddie Money
George Thorogood
XTC
Foreigner
Motorhead
Buzzcocks

2003

Cars
Toto
Squeeze
Whitesnake
Black Flag
Human League
Dire Straits
Devo
Kate Bush
X
Rick James
Gary Numan
Siouxsie and the Banshees

2004

Cure

Pat Benatar
Def Leppard
Bryan Adams
Sugarhill Gang
Madness
B-52's
Specials
Teena Marie
Iron Maiden
Bauhaus

2005
Go-Go's
INXS
Huey Lewis and the News
Ozzy Osbourne
Robert Cray
English Beat
Joan Jett and the Blackhearts
Afrika Bambaataa

2006

Stevie Nicks
Depeche Mode
Lionel Richie

Replacements
Duran Duran

Phil Collins

Stray Cats

New Order

Mötley Crüe
Ministry

Eurythmics

Hüsker Dü

Billy Idol
Luther Vandross

2007

Sting

Don Henley

Asia
Janet Jackson
Glenn Frey
Sonic Youth

2008
Smiths
Bon Jovi
Cyndi Lauper
Anthrax

Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble
Pantera

2009
Whitney Houston
LL Cool J
Sade
Slayer
Steve Vai
Nick Cave
Pogues
Jesus and Mary Chain

2010
Big Audio Dynamite
My Bloody Valentine
Primal Scream
Megadeth

2011
Soundgarden
Babyface
Melvins
Belinda Carlisle
Tesla
Crowded House
Dwight Yoakam
Eric B. and Rakim
Cinderella
Concrete Blonde
Salt-N-Pepa

2012
George Michael

Jane's Addiction
N.W.A.
DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince
Rick Astley
Pixies
Richard Marx
Sinead O'Connor
Goo Goo Dolls
Debbie Gibson
Tiffany

2013

808 State

Buckwheat Zydeco

DC Talk

Danzig

De La Soul

Fugazi

Jeff Healey

Keith Richards

Kylie Minogue

Melissa Etheridge

Morrissey

Mudhoney

Nirvana

Paula Abdul

Phish

Taylor Dayne

Tone Loc

Tracy Chapman

Traveling Wilburys

Vixen

Widespread Panic

Winger

 

Eurovision 2012

I mention it on here every so often but, yes, the Eurovision Song Contest is gearing up for next month.  I've already started going through the entries.  I guess, what I really enjoy about the competition is that each European country submits a song and singer to perform and, being on another continent, leaves me no pony in the race.  I've discovered several of my favorite artists (and several of my wife's) via this contest over the last decade.  Expect to hear more about these artists as it moves forward.

If you'd like to look at some of the preview videos for these entrants, visit here.  Find a few new favorites for yourself and... maybe root on another country.  If you happen to be in Europe, "may the odds be ever in your favor."

I Failed To Google

So, I'm sitting at dinner with my family for my father's birthday and I finally let slip one of my new project ideas.  It is possibly more involved, accessible and promising than the show, the newsletter and even the other web site.  After fielding a few questions, the ideas are running around my head and getting me edgy.  Later that night, I am sitting at the computer running through domain name ideas with the wife.  With her help, I commit to a domain and am excited about the next few steps.  Work on a logo begins and a few other format evaluations take place.

We have dinner a few days later with my sister-in-law, brother-in-law and a friend.  My brother-in-law Greg mentions that he looked for the website (which I'd mentioned the name to previously) and found another site.  I asked about the spelling and any other variations which led us to a domain with the exact name but with "the" in front.  It had been around awhile, done some video work and would have been a costly future trademark affair if I'd launched the site and gotten further in the project.  Almost as embarrassing as scoring a big hit and having a watch manufacturer sue you over using their name in your band until being redeemed later by scoring a hit (albeit a remake) under your new name.

So, I'm out... about $40 but can redirect traffic from that page to the new site when we launch.  So, on top of trying to find an original domain name, selecting one that doesn't include too many numbers (as you have explain the numbers when saying it so they don't type out the words) and trying to express what it's about in a short name, you need to search Google for your name.  It may be available because someone is already using something close.  It's something I knew already but was too antsy and eager to put my foot on the path to execute.

Expect to hear something about the project here by July.

Non-R.I.T.: "I'll Love You Forever"

It's hard to not be a fan of the Monkees. "Stepping Stone," although sung my Micky, is a personal favorite that my mother had on a 45 -- and I played incessantly in my youth. If you don't like their pop music, love their courage to bring little known guitarist Jimi Hendrix out on tour to support them in 1967. Heck, Davy Jones is the reason another David Jones changed his name to David Bowie (to avoid market confusion.) Anyhow, the song below is a live version of Jones' 1984 holiday single which was only released in England. We will love him forever. (Song starts 1:20 into the video.)

Non-R.I.T.: "I Know Him So Well"

Non-random post. Didn't really know how I wanted to approach Whitney's passing yesterday as there was the initial shock, the moment I thought about the loss of Amy Winehouse, the anger at losing one amazing voice and the sadness that her loved ones will face in the future. As a musicologist, I look at her debut album and smile. Duets with Teddy Pendergrass and Jermaine Jackson, bass by American Idol's Randy Jackson, keyboards by Richard Marx, guitar by Dann Huff and backing vocals by her mom Cissy. Huge record setting album but speaking of her mom... here's a duet they did for the follow-up album. The song was written by Tim Rice and ABBA's Bjorn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson for the musical Chess but would become the final single released off Houston's Whitney album in 1988.

R.I.T.: "Free"

Today's R.I.T. is Big Audio Dynamite's "Free." Released in 1989 as the first single off of the soundtrack to Flashback, the song would go to #22 on the U.S. Modern Rock Tracks chart. It would not be released on a BAD album (until their 1995 Planet BAD 'best of') but a reworked version called "Kickin' In" would surface on their Kool-Aid album. Really should have also done a show on Big Audio Dynamite when I could... well, and also Mick Jones' previous project, The Clash. Have a great weekend.

Big Audio Dynamite - Free (Official Music Video). Watch more top selected videos about: Big Audio Dynamite

R.I.T.: "The Seventh Stranger"

Today's R.I.T. is the 1983 album track, "The Seventh Stranger," that closes Seven And The Ragged Tiger. The song was reportedly a favorite of Simon and Nick's that they wanted to see released as a single but their label, Capitol, wanted something more dance oriented. The song, as well as its preceding track "Tiger Tiger," gave the album its title. Crank it up and enjoy.

R.I.T.: "The Sweater"

Today's R.I.T. is Canadian writer/performer Meryn Cadell's amazingly funny "The Sweater." The 1992 single was a surprise Canadian Top 40 hit and received a lot of airplay on college radio (helping it reach #24 on the U.S. Modern Rock chart.) Cadell's first independent album was released in 1988. The album, Angel Food For Thought, was re-issued in 2007.

What defines you?

Had an idea rattling in my brain for the last few hours and wanted to get it down... in 0's and 1's, I guess.  How do you define yourself.  If you were to take 3 things that define who and what you are (in order of importance), what would they be?  Feel free to take a second and write them down.  Don't worry, this page isn't going anywhere and I'm not looking.  Ok, if you took a real hard look at yourself when writing that down, you'll find something interesting.  You wrote down filters.

I'll explain.  Often, people go through life with a vision of themselves.  Be it strength, intellect, gender, race, sexual preference, nationality, political party, wealth, religion or a myriad of other divisors, we always hold something up to set our internal compass.  Let's use intellect for a moment.  You may believe you are a very smart person, absorb knowledge easily, rationalize concepts quickly and value it more than many others.  It's a great quality to have but here is the kicker.  If that was #1 on your list, it's also a filter.  If you put that above all else, you would have an equal distaste for ignorance, stupidity and idiocy.  You'd have to, as it is the top thing that defines who you are as a person.

So, if you place your birthplace (city, state or nation) above all else, you become less forgiving of other locales.  If your #1 personal definer was gender, you would support and promote it and look less favorably at the opposite sex.  If you were dirt poor, as were your parents and their parents, you would look unfavorably at the well-to-do if your made what defines you was the belief you'd always be poor.  This list can keep going.  Religion can easily easily go that route as can political ideology and sexual preference.  I won't belabor that point further.

The passion of what defines you makes that #1 on your list pretty darn important as it also becomes a filter for who and what we let in and deflect.  We could very well put "human being" at #1 on the list and not believe that we will hate or go on crusades against dogs, cats or horses... although one may go with "living being" if they were averse to eating animals and saw them as an equal.  I've had and still have friends that have a #1 on their list that clears rooms, creates enemies and leaves a bunch of unhappiness in their wake.

You really can be what you want to be.  You can define yourself.  But, finding a definition of ourselves that lets others into our own little world is important... and it is how I view tolerance.

R.I.T.: "Long Long Way To Go"

Today's R.I.T. is Def Leppard's "Long Long Way To Go." Released in 2003 as a single off of their X album, the song went to #40 in the U.K. The song is currently their last hit to chart there. Brilliant lyrics and haunting undercurrent. I was honored when the label asked to use my album review to help promote the single... just wish it got a little airplay here in the U.S. Instead, the U.S. market pushed the song "Four Letter Word" (which would be their most recent chart hit here.)

R.I.T.: "Donald, Where's Your Troosers?"

Today's R.I.T. is Andy Stewart's "Donald, Where's Your Troosers?" No, really, that's the song and how it's spelled. It's a rendition of a traditional Scottish song by the then popular musician and television personality. The 1961 novelty #37 U.K. hit by the Scotsman resurfaced in late 1989 in the U.K. peaking at #4. Be sure to hear the whole song, though.

R.I.T.: "Dominoes"

Today's R.I.T. is "Dominoes" by Robbie Nevil. Released as the second single from his self-titled debut album in 1986, the song would go to #14 in the U.S. Nevil started his career songwriting for Earth Wind & Fire, the Pointer Sisters, El DeBarge, Al Jarreau among many others before getting his moment in the sun. After a few more albums, he'd return to songwriting for Starship, David Lee Roth, K-Ci & JoJo, Aaron Neville, Jeff Lorber, Hannah Montana, Jonas Brothers and something called High School Musical. I think I need to reappraise my blame for the last three.

R.I.T.: "One In A Million"

Today's R.I.T. is The Romantics' "One In A Million." Possibly my favorite track by the band, pure power-pop rock. Released as the 3rd single off their In The Heat album in 1984, the song would go to #37 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #22 on the U.S. Mainstream Rock Tracks chart. Time for a dose of reality, though. "What I Like About You" (which still gets a lot of airplay) is their third biggest hit, landing outside the U.S. Top 40 at #49 in 1980. 1983's "Talking In Your Sleep" was their biggest hit going to #3 in the U.S. (and #1 on the U.S. Dance chart.)

R.I.T.: "Johnny, Are You Queer?"

Today's R.I.T. is "Johnny, Are You Queer?" by the smokin' hot Josie Cotton. The song would go to #38 on the Billboard Club Play Singles chart in '82, #2 on Canadian radio and be 1 of 3 songs she'd contribute to the Valley Girl soundtrack. According to Cotton, L.A. punk act Fear performed an early version of the song with no reference to Johnny but producers/managers Bobbie and Larson Paine would re-write the lyrics for their clients... the Go-Go's. The song became a live favorite for the group but the Paine brothers would forbid them from using the song after the band parted ways with management. Cotton lobbied to record a demo of the song which became the single and the rest is pretty much history. An official video wasn't filmed as her label, Elektra, was in financial trouble... thankfully, she filmed one later.

R.I.T.: "Stand"

Today's R.I.T. is "Stand" by Liquid Jesus. This 1990 cover of the Sly And The Family Stone classic made it's mark appearing on the Pump Up The Volume soundtrack (and being played at the end of the film.) Liquid Jesus' pop sensibilities lay in the fusion of gospel, folk, jazz, rock and blues that would fit right in with Woodstock... no, the first one. It's just too bad that this cover is so much better than other recorded works including their Pour In The Sky album. Looking to find your groove today, play this!

R.I.T.: "Moonbeam"

Today's R.I.T. is the 1987 single, "Moonbeam," from Men Without Hats off of the Pop Goes The World album. The song was a follow-up single to the Top 20 U.S. hit "Pop Goes The World" and would go to #46 on the U.S. Dance and #23 on the Canadian charts. The Quebec act scored 7 hits in their homeland from 1893 to 1991. Fun to see a goofy video like this pop up once in awhile.

Thank you, Grandpa!

Today my grandfather was buried.  He's just walking distance from my father-in-law.  Boy, there are a lot of things I could say about him and my feelings this last week.  I'm just going to keep it minimal.  If you look at a lot of the photos of him we have, you'd see that he loved his recliner.  Well, not as much as his family.  He came from a large family (being one of 10 children) and himself helped create a large family.  The first part of that was during his 22 years of military service.

I was talking with one of my aunts that I don't see that often and she told me how happy she was that I was able to spend as much time as I did with him.  I could sense some hurt in her voice.  You see, a career military man serving during several wars would not be home often and a chunk of your connection is lost when you don't spend time together.  Compound that with seeing your parents split and it's really rough for a child.  You can't fix the past, though.  What you can do is analyze what you've gained through those connections.

My grandfather lived a lot of his pre- and post-military life in the state of Idaho.  He was a pillar of his community, serving as fire chief, postmaster general, mayor and owner of the local store.  We would see him during some holidays and have longer visits during the summer when we'd stay there.  As a child, you focus on very centric things -- me, me and me.  Food, playing, sleeping and more playing would take precedence over real thoughtful conversation.  I wasn't happy with chores (which included moving irrigation pipe) and having only one TV in the house.

But lets, look at what I gained there.  I learned what it was like to do a form of physical labor, where eggs come from (by grabbing them myself), find adventure in a town trusting enough that they didn't lock doors, appreciate a town that isn't 'go, go, go' and to embrace quiet moments with family.  I never really understood grandpa's love for Westerns and military films and obsession with the news.  But, I would adopt the latter myself.

I lost a grandfather while in high school.  I lost another one after high school (when I returned from Reno.)  But, you remember when I related loss with the quality of your connection.  I can't say that I spent 5% of the time with either of my other grandfathers and the weight of this loss is that much stronger.  Knowing that his time was coming to a close, my first project after ending Talking 80s Music was to spend some quality time with grandpa and record his life story for myself as well as the rest of the family.  The me-focused child needed to fill in the gaps and use my interview skills for something greater.  I can say that I am better equipped to deal with his passing by doing it.  I think we said an unspoken long-farewell then.

His recliner isn't empty.  It's just moved closer to the Lord.  I could miss what I didn't have with him but I won't.  I will cherish the time he spent with me and share what I can with the family.  Spend time with your family, your elders.  Harry Chapin's song "Cats In The Cradle" plays in my head this week.  We don't have to be that kid!  We don't have to be that adult!  Connect!  Don't mourn the living!  The time is now!

R.I.T.: "Love Is Like A Rock"

Today's R.I.T. is "Love Is Like A Rock" by Donnie Iris and The Cruisers (no, not Eddie.) Released in 1981, the single would go to #37 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #7 on the Billboard Top Tracks chart. It's a great example of a song that worked its way up the chart from mid-December of 1981 until late February of 1982 -- all without an official promotional video. His biggest U.S. single, "My Girl," would be the follow-up but both are often forgotten behind his 1981 U.S. hit "Ah, Leah!" In late 2010, Iris released his 11th studio album, the Christmas-themed Ah! Leluiah!

R.I.T.: "Last Summer's Evil"

Today's R.I.T. is "Last Summer's Evil" by TNT. The song is track 4 on Antony Harnell's 1984 debut album with TNT, Knights Of The New Thunder. Love the strut of the song and Tony's vocal harmonics here. Odd that it would come up randomly today as Mr. Harnell recently put the silver album award he was presented for Knights Of The New Thunder on eBay with 10% of the final sale going to Breast Cancer Action in memory of Tony's mother who passed away from the disease in 2009. You can find it at http://bit.ly/xxbmgn

 

R.I.T.: "The Zoo"

Today's R.I.T. is "The Zoo" by the Scorpions. The song was their second single off their 1980 album Animal Magnetism and would go to #75 in the U.K. Despite limited chart success, the song has become a critic and fan favorite -- being included on most of their hits collections. The lyrical root of the song comes from their first tour of the U.S. behind their Lovedrive album the previous year (which also earned them a gold disc.) During the tour, they laughingly nicknamed one of New York City's streets "the zoo" and it seemed to fit with a song Rudolf Schenker had been working on while on tour. Vocalist Klaus Meine took that thought and added references to the city streets -- mainly 42nd Street.

R.I.T.: "Seven Spanish Angels"

Today's R.I.T. is a longtime favorite of mine called "Seven Spanish Angels" by Willie Nelson with Ray Charles. This beautifully written song by Troy Seals (cousin of Jim Seals and Dan Seals) and Eddie Setser went to #1 on the U.S. country singles and Canadian country charts as well as #6 in New Zealand in 1984. The song is actually credited to Ray Charles with Willie Nelson as well. You see, both Charles and Nelson had ideas of doing duets albums and would include the song on both of their albums. Ray's album would introduce him to the country music community in a big way and the song would be the biggest of 8 of his hits on the country charts. Crank up the volume and listen to the story.

R.I.T.: "Green Mind"

Today's R.I.T. is "Green Mind" by Dink. Released as a single in 1994, the song would climb its way to #35 on the Billboard Alternative Songs chart the following year. The song would become a mainstay for alternative radio stations in the Midwest and two more singles from the album would surface. The Kent, Ohio band was also aided by Skinny Puppy-producer Dave "Rave" Ogilvie in creating their unique sound. Despite recording sessions that would yield a follow-up EP, Capitol Records pulled the plug on their next album. The audio sample at the start comes from a commercial by an Ohio Chevrolet dealership pitchman, Bob Serpentini, that rose to local infamy at the time for mixing political rants with car sales.

R.I.T.: "U Gotz 2 Get Down"

Today's R.I.T. is Kwame's "U Gotz 2 Get Down." The song was the 3rd single released off his debut album, Kwame The Boy Genius - Featuring A New Beginning, and went to #7 on the U.S. Hot Rap Tracks chart in 1989. By the time the new single came out the polka-dot theme (seen in the video) was in full effect. Not an easy album to find until the rise of iTunes. After a few more albums, he'd be a much-in-demand producer working for LL Cool J, Mary J Blige, Dru Hill, Christina Aguilera, Will Smith, Pussycat Dolls and many others.

R.I.T.: "Diggin' In"

When I say random, I really mean it. Today's random iTunes track (R.I.T.) is "Diggin' In" by Harold Faltermeyer from the soundtrack to the 1985 film Fletch. Standing on its own, it really says a lot about the use of synthesizer in instrumental film scores. It also shares a lot of sonic similarities with Faltermeyer's biggest hit, "Axel F," from Beverly Hills Cop -- which came out the year before. (Both soundtracks were done while he was playing keys and later doing production on albums for Laura Branigan.) The film Fletch was based on a book series by Gregory McDonald that debuted in 1974 and over the last decade has been in various stages of pre-production for a new film.

R.I.T.: "Satellite"

Today's R.I.T. is Lena Meyer's massive hit "Satellite." This song was Germany's entry into the 2010 Eurovision Song Contest and took first place that year. When released as a single (off her debut album My Cassette Player), "Satellite" went to #1 in Germany, Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland as well as top 5 in Austria, Belgium and the Netherlands and #33 in the U.K. An infectious tune (listen to it at least twice.) It was so successful in Germany for her that, since 2006, the song is the 2nd most downloaded single there (just behind Lady Gaga's "Poker Face.") Germany would look to her for their 2011 Eurovision entry, "Taken By A Stranger," which would come in 10th.

R.I.T.: "Silver"

Today's R.I.T. is "Silver" by Moist. The title track to their 1994 full-length debut album was released as its second single and went to #31 in Canada. The group would win the 1995 Juno award for Best New Group and the MuchMusic Video Award for Favorite Canadian Group. Moist released their final studio album, Mercedes 5 And Dime, in 1999.

R.I.T.: "A Woman In Love"

Today's R.I.T. is "A Woman In Love" by Ronnie Milsap. The song was the third single released from the 1989 album, Stranger Things Have Happened. The 53rd single of Milsap's career would become his final and 35th #1 on the U.S. Country chart as well as top the Canadian Country chart as well.

R.I.T.: "That's My Impression"

Today's R.I.T. is "That's My Impression" by the Pet Shop Boys. The song surfaced as a B-side to their hit single "Love Comes Quickly" in 1986. It would later in appear in 1995 as a disco mix on their double-CD Alternative collection. The band was sure that releasing a few original songs as B-sides (often in the same key and not usable on the album) would inspire fans to pick up each of their singles -- to collect them all. They were quite often right... well, at least that's my impression.

R.I.T.: "One Night Love Affair"

Today's R.I.T. is the single "One Night Love Affair" by Bryan Adams. The track was the 5th of six singles released from Adams' massively successful 1984 album, Restless -- which has sold over 13 million copies to date. Written by Adams and Jim Vallance, the song went to #13 in the U.S., #19 in Canada and #85 in Australia in 1985. You may also recognize it from the film Real Genius.

R.I.T.: "Burning Desire"

Today's random iTunes track is "Burning Desire" by New Monkees off their 1987 eponymous album. This song was an album track and appeared in the short-run of the New Monkees television series. Love the groove and guitar-work. I caught one episode of this show before it was off the air but found the album via a friend that was a fan. Some good songs on the album... actually, someone named Sean Roberts covered 3 songs from the New Monkees disc for his 2010 release, The Boy Inside The Man.

R.I.T.: "The Curly Shuffle"

Today's R.I.T. is Jump 'N The Saddle's 1983 hit "The Curly Shuffle." Written by their vocalist Peter Quinn, the fun novelty song would peak at #15 on Billboard Hot 100 chart. The Chicago band released a debut album and parted ways with their record label the next year after they asked them to cover the song "Shaving Cream." (A demo version was recorded with additional unflattering lyrics directed at the record label.) In Canada, a different version of the song was released at the same time by The Knuckleheads.

R.I.T.: "Melodie"

Today's R.I.T. is Michael Jackson's "Melodie." The song is an album track from the 1984 Jackson compilation, Farewell My Summer Love, made up of unreleased solo recordings made in 1973. It was released by Motown to capitalize the momentum of the red hot success of Jackson's Thriller. It was claimed that the songs were 'lost' and re-discovered in 1984 -- for which the instrumentation was re-recorded to update the tracks. Great songwriting here by Larson/Marcellino/Richards.

R.I.T.: "Tiny Daggers"

Today's R.I.T. is "Tiny Daggers" by INXS off of their 1987 album, Kick. Composed by Andrew and Michael, the song closes the album and could have been a single but wasn't. The success of the previous Listen Like Thieves album had the group thinking they needed even better material for their follow-up. According to Kirk, "We wanted an album where all the songs were possible singles."

R.I.T.: "Suddenly"

Today's R.I.T. is Olivia Newton-John and Cliff Richard's "Suddenly" from the Xanadu soundtrack. The 1982 single went to #15 in the U.K., #20 in the U.S., #30 in New Zealand, #35 in Germany, #37 in Australia and #60 in Canada. Known as the love theme from Xanadu, the song was written and produced by longtime Newton-John associate John Farrar. Also notable is that the song was the last single by Olivia before releasing "Physical." It would also precede Richard's 1981 hit "A Little In Love."

Airrace - Back To The Start

Formed in 1982, Airrace began a journey into rock that would include mile markers like their 1984 debut album, Shaft Of Light, and being the first band to launch drummer Jason Bonham's career.  Despite strong reviews and support slots for Queen, AC/DC, Krokus, Ted Nugent and Meat Loaf, the band imploded the following year.  In 2009, a few new members joined the band for reunion shows supporting the 25th anniversary of Shaft Of Light.  With an overwhelming reaction by fans, the group has recorded their long-awaited sophomore effort, Back To The Start.

Power-chord rock anthems return as Airrace open this disc with the uplifting "Keep On Going."  "Two Of A Kind" reminds me of digging into ice cream.  The first bite zings your tongue and makes you go back for more.  But by the time you get a scoop of the chorus... it's another flavor and the initial shock catches you off guard.  By the time you finish the bowl, you enjoyed the whole experience and wondered why you were caught off guard in the first place.  This could be the separation between the fullness of Keith Murrell's vocals and the sticky-sweet chorus vocal harmonies.  "When Baby" is my sleeper.  It's a hit yet to come and I would love to be there to tell someone... "Yeah, I called that one!"  "So Long" grabs you with a marching beat yielding to a near "Eye Of The Tiger" rhythm that then blossoms into one of the album's best tracks.  Love the bluesy feel of "Better Believe It" as well.  "Just One Kiss," "Wrong Way Out," "Enough Of Your Loving," "What More Do You Want From Me" and the Foreigner-esque "Call Me Anytime" also stand out on this release. 

Someone always wins in an air race and I believe that here it will be rock listeners.  Back To The Start is where fans will be going after their first run of the album.  Addictive and infectious, it builds on itself as the listener adds the new information they missed the first time around. Murrell, guitarist Laurie Mansworth and keyboardist Toby Sadler are at the top of their game here with their new line-up and I can't wait to hear what's next.

4 out of 5

R.I.T.: "Church Of Logic, Sin, And Love"

Today's R.I.T. is The Men's 1992 single, "The Church Of Logic, Sin, & Love." Released off their self-titled debut album, the song went to #8 on the U.S. Mainstream Rock Tracks chart. It was their only hit for the Santa Monica-based band before breaking up. Lyrically a bit quirky but a fun album and a personal favorite. The song definitely fit in with the musical landscape of alternative rock at the time (a notable example would be the success of King Missle's "Detatchable Penis") but without further penetration into the market. Oddly enough, despite calling themselves "The Men"... half the band were women.

R.I.T.: "Red Red Wine"

Today's R.I.T. is Neil Diamond's "Red Red Wine." This 1968 single, off of his Just For You album, went to #68 on the U.S. and #78 on the Australian chart. Diamond wrote it during a slow time while working in his father-in-laws haberdashery shop. Although he doesn't drink and rarely forgets (although he sometimes tries), he thought it'd be interesting try to compose a country ballad. It would have stayed that way until... Jamaican rocksteady singer Tony Tribe recorded a version the following year -- going to #46 in the U.K. You thought I was going to say UB40, didn't you? Well, UB40 heard the Tony Tribe version and recorded their 1983 chart-topping version without hearing Diamond's original.

R.I.T.: "Russian Roulette"

Today's R.I.T. is "Russian Roulette" by The Lords Of The New Church off their self-titled debut album. Released as the third single off the album in 1982, it failed to chart as their previous single, "Open Your Eyes," had. Composed by bassist Tony James (of Generation X) and drummer Terry Chimes (of the Clash) in an early incarnation of the band (as they wouldn't be in it by the time they recorded), the song idea came from the 1979 film Apocalypse Now... hence the helicopter intro.  We featured the band on the show a few years back.  A great promo video was released for it but the only version online, that I could find, had horrid audio quality.

R.I.T.: "I Want Her"

Today's random iTunes track is Keith Sweat's 1987 hit, "I Want Her," off his debut album, Make It Last Forever. Written and produced by Sweat and Teddy Riley, the song went to #5 on the U.S., #1 on the U.S. R&B and #26 on the U.K. charts. It is often cited as one of the first #1 hits of the 'new jack swing' (or swingbeat) movement of which Riley was a shining star -- having been a member of Guy and produced hits for Johnny Kemp, Bobby Brown, Jane Child and even Michael Jackson. The song was the biggest hit of Sweat's career until he released "Twisted" in 1996 (which went to #2 in the U.S.)

R.I.T.: "If She Knew What She Wants"

Today's R.I.T. is the 1986 single, "If She Knew What She Wants," by The Bangles off their Different Light album. The song was the follow-up single to "Manic Monday" and charted in the U.S. (#29), Germany (#17), Switzerland (#20), Austria (#30), Australia (#31) and the U.K. (#31.) The song is a cover of Jules Shear's 1985 song off his album, The Eternal Return, for which they rewrote the lyrics from first person to third person to make it work. Two videos were filmed and the one (not shown here) shown in the U.S. was shot by Susanna Hoffs mother Tamar.

R.I.T.: "Billy's Got A Gun"

Today's R.I.T. is Def Leppard's 1983 hit "Billy's Got A Gun" off of Pyromania. The song was one of the 7 singles to be released off the 10-track album and went to #33 in the U.S. During their career, Def Leppard scored only one #1 single on the Billboard Hot 100 charts... "Love Bites." A live version of this song (not unlike the video posted) was the B-side to that 1988 #1 hit.

R.I.T.: "High School Nights"

Today's R.I.T. is Dave Edmunds 1985 hit single, "High School Nights," off the Porky's Revenge soundtrack. The song peaked at #95 on the U.S. charts. Dave Edmunds scored his biggest hit, "I Hear You Knocking," in 1970 (going to #4 in the U.S. and #1 in the U.K.) and recorded with Nick Lowe as Rockpile in 1980. He assembled and produced the aforementioned soundtrack that included songs by George Harrison, Jeff Beck, Carl Perkins, The Fabulous Thunderbirds, Willie Nelson, Clarence Clemons, himself and The Crawling King Snakes (made up of Robert Plant and Phil Collins.) It's hard to believe it but, despite what film it came from, this is a soundtrack you need in your collection.

R.I.T.: "Stand"

Today's R.I.T. is R.E.M.'s 1988 hit, "Stand," off their Green album. The song went to #6 in the U.S. and Canada, #23 in New Zealand and #48 in the U.K. Fun video with lyrics speaking to finding your direction and change. Sonically, Michael Stipe has said they were shooting for 1960s bubblegum pop in the area of the Archies and Monkees. It was the second single off the album and theme to the Fox television series Get A Life starring Chris Elliott. The song was their biggest hit in the U.S. during the 1980s and second biggest hit over their career here.

R.I.T.: "Don't Go Jumping With Frogs"

Today's R.I.T. is Boys Don't Cry & Friends' "Don't Go Jumping With Frogs." It really was random but a nice chance to give a shout out to Nick Richards. This is one of the first new tracks recorded by the band and Nick came on T8M to explain the relaunch of the group. They've been playing several shows to raise money for local schools. I can't wait to hear the next batch of songs by them.

R.I.T.: "Be With You"

Today's R.I.T. is Erasure's "Be With You." The song is their latest single (i.e. hasn't charted yet) from their new album, Tomorrow's World. Fun video. They held a fan video contest and this was the winning submission. "Be With You" seems appropriate for this weekend as we'll be spending each day of the weekend with child visitors. Have a great day!

The Power Of Siblings

I received a call yesterday that kicked my brain into a different gear.  My brother was sitting with his eldest daughter, Mia, and decided to get me on the phone.  She had been making faces and pretty much antagonizing her little sister.  Matt called to say, in front of Mia, that he was sorry for some of the rivalry we had as kids as family is forever and friends can come and go.

I love my brother.  And that call got me thinking... I believe that there is a hierarchy to relationships that -- beyond faith -- peaks with family.  Family can be mother, father, sister, brother, wife, husband, son, daughter, nephew, niece, cousin and grandparents.  It's fun to call your best friend your sister or brother but those relationships can and sometimes do come to an end.  Family will always be family.  Let's put it this way, why do they say BFF (of best friend forever)?  It's because often that isn't the case and adding the other F is to make it more permanent.  There are also religions that use the words father, mother, brother and sister as a means to show another form of closeness in the congregation that normally wouldn't exist.  So I place family, best friends, friends, acquaintances and strangers in that order.

The call also solidified a thought I had the previous day.  I had been lucky to spend about 30 minutes with country act The Band Perry.  Kimberly, Reid and Neil as well as their mother are some of the most amazingly down-to-earth people I have ever met.  Among the things we talked about was the strength of being family in a group.  It's easier to pull friends and acquaintances off in the wrong direction but family will always be accountable to family.  They can fight each other but, when the time comes, it can also be them against the world.

So, I called my brother back a half hour later and told him to let Mia know that being the older child (as she and I are) isn't easy.  Her sister and brother (as well as my sister and brothers) came into this world with the best friend they will ever have greeting them.  There is a comfortable feeling to know that your longest relationships will be with family.  An only child doesn't have that and are missing that being their own size to imitate, learn from, look up to and grow with.  My brother's point in calling was to remind his daughter that, later in life, that sibling you are picking on will still be there in your life and it's good to treat them better now than regret it later.  I think I got more out of it than she did.

R.I.T.: "The Voice"

Today's R.I.T. is the classic 1981 Moody Blues single, "The Voice." No, it has nothing to do with the NBC series with Christina, Cee Lo, Adam or Blake. The song was the second single released off of their Long Distance Voyager album and went to #15 in the U.S. and #9 in Canada. The album was about transitions for the group as they were entering a new decade, their longtime keyboardist Mike Pinder had left (and replaced with former Yes member Patrick Moraz) and their last Top 20 hit was 8 years ago. The album would go to #1 in the U.S. and introduce the group to a new decade.

R.I.T.: "Tonight It's You"

Today's R.I.T. is Cheap Trick's 1985 single, "Tonight It's You." It went to #44 on the U.S. charts and was the first single off their Standing On The Edge album. Producer Jack Douglas (who worked on John Lennon and Yoko Ono's Double Fantasy and Milk And Honey albums) was at the helm but did not mix the album due to legal issues with Ono.

R.I.T.: "Sick Boys"

Today's R.I.T. is Social Distortion's 1990 single, "Sick Boys," off of their self-titled third album. The song was the 4th single off the album and did not chart. The first 3 singles made it on the Billboard Alternative Songs chart. The band was formed in 1978 by frontman Mike Ness and 3 of the original members would leave to join The Adolescents. Ness' troubles with the law and increasing drug habit forced the band to go on hiatus in 1985 while he spent time rotating between jail and rehab. Much of this experience definitely fueled his creative spark for the 1988 album, Prison Bound, and future releases.

R.I.T.: "Falling To Pieces"

What's funny about "random iTunes tracks" is that a lot of songs don't have videos so they get skipped. It's those that do that may have you scratching your head. Today's R.I.T., "Falling To Pieces" by Faith No More off the 1989 Real Thing album is not one of those. It's pretty hard to follow up an epic song like their Grammy nominated #9 U.S. hit... ummm "Epic" as it peaked at #92 in the U.S., #26 in Australia, #41 in the U.K. and #16 in New Zealand. As one of their more popular songs, the band, odd enough, grew to dislike it enough to rarely perform it live (after announcing during a 1993 performance that it was their last time playing it.)

R.I.T.: "Alone"

Today's R.I.T. is the Bee Gees 1997 single, "Alone," off their Still Waters album. The song went to #1 in Hong Kong, #2 in New Zealand, #5 in the U.K., #6 in Germany, #7 in Australia, #20 in Canada and #28 in the U.S. If you listen carefully, you'll hear the bagpipe in the song. It originally was a 12-string guitar but while experimenting on the demo... the bagpipe clicked. When recording, they almost changed the instrument but Robin Gibb was firmly against it. Robin is currently battling liver cancer. The song was their last Top 40 hit in the U.S.

 

R.I.T.: "Useless"

Today's R.I.T. is Depeche Mode's 1997 hit, "Useless." The song received U.S. airplay prior to the announcement of the third single, "Home," off of the Ultra album which pushed them to release "Home" and "Useless" as a double A-side single. The song went to #28 in the U.K., #17 in Finland and #16 in Sweden and Germany. It is often looked at as a pop industrial rock track but (as my favorite song on the album) I think it leans more blues-based than pop... just listen to that guitar.

R.I.T.: "Kiss On My List"

Today's R.I.T. is Hall and Oates' 1981 hit, "Kiss On My List," off their Voices album. The song was the third single off the album and gave them their second #1 U.S. hit (4 years after "Rich Girl.") It also went to #7 in Canada and #33 in the U.K. and New Zealand. It was one of the first hits written by Hall and Janna Allen which would include the top 10 singles "Private Eyes," "Did It In A Minute" and "Method Of Modern Love." Eddie Van Halen reportedly told Hall that he copied the synth part of the track and used it in some song called "Jump."

R.I.T.: "Mind Of A Toy"

Today's R.I.T. (random iTunes track) is Visage's 1981 hit, "Mind Of A Toy," off their self-titled debut album. The song was the follow-up single to "Fade To Grey" and went to #13 in the U.K., #10 in Germany, #16 in Ireland and #42 in the Netherlands. The video was directed by Godley & Creme. Aside from founding members Steve Strange and Rusty Egan, Visage included members of Ultravox and Magazine. I often find myself mesmerized by their sound.

R.I.T.: "Shadows Of The Night"

Today's R.I.T. is Pat Benatar's 1982 single, "Shadows Of The Night," off of her Get Nervous album. As the first single off the album, it went to #13 in the U.S., #12 in Canada, #19 in Australia, #32 in New Zealand and #50 in the U.K. No, it didn't chart in Germany. Could be because the video never aired there due to the Allies/Nazi theme. Covers of the song have been done by Mary J. Blige and Ashley Tisdale. The album was the first to include Charlie Giordano on keyboards as Scott St. Clair Sheets had left the band after Precious Time.

R.I.T.: "Sweet Thing"

Today's R.I.T. is Keith Urban's 2008 single, "Sweet Thing," off of the album, Defying Gravity. The song went to #1 on the U.S. Country, #30 in the U.S., #45 in Canada and #96 on the Australian charts. The single became his 10th U.S. Country hit and his 19th Top 40 country single. Meanwhile, Urban has something to be thankful for during the holidays. He's currently recovering from a successful throat surgery to remove a polyp on his vocal chords.

R.I.T.: "Your Woman"

Today's R.I.T. is the 1997 single, "Your Woman," by White Town. The one-man act formed by Jyoti Mishra released their first single in 1990. This one went to #1 in the U.K., #2 in Australia, #5 in Ireland and New Zealand, #13 in Canada and #23 in the U.S. Hardly hear it anymore but it's a fun track. In October, he released his new album, Monopole, via the Bzangy label.