Changing My Direction... Intentionally

Decided that it is worth making some life adjustments before throwing out a New Year's resolution -- as those really don't have a great track record for anyone.  Thanksgiving was a chance to give thanks for all that I have, have been given and have ahead of me.  That was the last stop before taking a detour to a better path.

When you grow up around someone that works out twice a day, takes his vitamins daily, has a physically intense 12 hour-a-day job and is always looking for a 'healthier' option, it is bound to creep into your psyche.  But knowing and practicing are two different things.  I have always been big on vitamins but, previous to this, I had gone with low carb and timed eating which worked together but didn't make much sense as a way to live long term.  I even decided to use a blender to mix smoothies using... well, we'll go into that another time as I have a video for that.  Although I felt good, portion control became an issue.  So I gave more than a glance to nutrient dense meal replacement products and found Shakeology.  It could sound like a quick fix but I'll explain that away in a future post but I can say that since starting it in October, I lowered my cholesterol 45 points, dropped a few pounds and have no issue with cravings.

So, the day after Thanksgiving, I went the Shakeology 3 day cleanse.  (Contact me here for details.)  Long story short, it is 3 days of restricted calories, 3 Shakeology drinks, some green tea, a gallon of water and a whole lot of bathroom breaks.  Generally, it is used for when you feel your weight loss is at a plateau, to detoxify and/or to start a new program.  In the end, over a belt size down and no hunger during the process.

Last week began phase 2.  The cleanse was a planned springboard for my new workout program.  Ever felt that you just didn't have time to work out?  Did you just skip it that day?  Did you ever let that stop you from going after that?  We all do it unless we are fiercely determined or on a show with Bob, Jillian and Dolvet.  That's when I saw 10 Minute Trainer.


Part of the idea here was the stacking your workouts.  Think about how one person, maybe yourself, would go to the gym and focus on 1 body part.  While holding that dumbell in your hand to do bicep curls, why not work another muscle or two.  Anyhow, it was a great first week of four and now starting the second week.  At the end, I will see where things go and, if I'm ready to ramp it up a bit more, possibly go to advanced series or stack the workouts.  As of now, I'm really thankful that I started this now and feel like I'm regaining a bit of myself.  I hope your next New Year's resolution is as fulfilling.

You can find more details about particular products here or email me here.

Post Post-Thanksgiving Shakeology Cleanse Post

I saw some positive gains here... well, let me say, losses and gains.  I don't have a scale, don't plan on using measuring tape even though some may really may like doing so.  I definitely lost a few pounds and could see definite improvement in many areas.  I can the sides of my abs (pre-six pack) and a thinner jaw/chin.  Looks like I am also down a belt size.  Can't wait to see a blood test next year.  I have gained a lot of knowledge about hunger and nutrition and how a body can be satisfied with so little.

My vet told me once that the problem with my dog eating her poo was that certain nutrients weren't being absorbed in digestion and she was now seeking it and any other unprocessed items there.  Shakeology is nutrient dense.  It's so dense that there was no hunger during 3 days of these 5 eating times.  But, what do people not getting those essential nutrients do?  Some may skip breakfast or eat a large one.  They may flip that scenario around for dinner.  They may eat crap all day.  My son mentioned to me today that he sometimes eats because he is bored.  So, if you aren't getting the nutrients... you are doing what my dog does -- searching for nutrition and eating crap to fill the void.

My assessment?  I'm sick of eating crap for no reason.  Meals should mean something.  Eat to live, don't live to eat.

Post-Thanksgiving Shakeology Cleanse: Day 3

Slept amazingly well again.  The 3 day cleanse may be a perfect thing for insomniacs.  Woke up about 15 minutes until 6, made our green tea and Shakeology mixes.  I also took a long look in the mirror.  A little leaner in the face and mid-section but also a lot more energy.

Wife had a banana and I had an apple as our 9am snack.  Just in time to get ready for some football.

We returned from running some errands (after deciding the football game wasn't going to go our way) just in time for lunch at noon.  She had a chocolate and I again went with greenberry for our Shakeology mixes.  The reason I decided to change things up around lunch was I felt that I needed to break up the chocolate taste as... I really haven't had a craving for chocolate since taking Shakeology.  We both topped it off with our green tea.  We then took the dogs for a walk.

At 3pm we had our final chocolate Shakeology mixes of the cleanse cycle.  Left out a piece of ice to see if it helped or hurt the taste but found it didn't affect it much.  Also had our half-serving of almonds.  Decided to watch a little television.

I love the way that I am excited about our final meal of the night.  I can't really describe it.  Well, I can (it's the same spinach, romaine and chicken breast salad mentioned previously) but what I mean is the anticipation.  I even told my wife that I would be happy having that with her for dinner here and there because it just leaves you feeling satisfied.

All our water is gulped and, yes, the need to pee is strong.  One of us spent more time in the bathroom than the other one and figured that we really had that much more junk in our system to 'cleanse.'  Tomorrow should be an exciting morning.  Back to putting bananas and peanut butter in my shakes.  But I really love how I am feeling right now.  A summation will follow tomorrow.

Post-Thanksgiving Shakeology Cleanse: Day 2

Today we slept in.  In fact all of the day before we just stayed around the house to minimize issues with needing to run off to the bathroom or not have to adjust our eating for the people around us.  Noticed a few slight differences in the mirror around chin and abs but both of us felt noticably lighter.

We had breakfast at 8am.  Our green tea followed out chocolate Shakology mix.  Headaches persisted but wasn't debilitating (well, for me) but hers gradually went away.  We decided to run some errands and move about a bit.  Took the dogs to get shots and then went shopping.

At 11am, we had our snacks -- her a banana and I an apple.  We then headed off to run a few more errands and a little more shopping.  It was around this time that my headache went away just before returning to make lunch.

Due to our late rise and an inevitable later dinner, we decided to cut 30 minutes out here and eat lunch at 1:30pm.  Since it is the lightest of the meals, it would be the easiest to cut back.  She had her chocolate Shakeology and I opted for greenberry (made the same way.)  We followed this with our green tea.  We stayed in from here on out watching television.

At 4:30pm, we had our next Shakeology and both opted for chocolate.  We chased that with 14 raw unsalted almonds each (about half a serving.)

Stomachs began to growl again by 7:30pm (but that had been absent for quite some time.)  Again went with the same dinner but decided to bake the chicken instead of grilling to see the difference.  Still an amazing meal that I can look forward to each evening.  I am starting to think that the cleanse subconsciously has you looking forward to a salad every night.  I can't think of any better way to train a brain to re-think dessert.  I have also learned to try to drink my gallon of water earlier in the day than later as it can seem overwhelming if you forget.

Overall, a great day.  More energy than Day 1 and it made us confident that we can accomplish some regular activities at the same time.  Some, but not all activities.  At this time, both of us are free of headaches, full and feeling pretty darn good about ourselves.  We are eagerly anticipating Day 3.

Post-Thanksgiving Shakeology Cleanse: Day 1

I had read about the Shakeology cleanse about a month ago.  To put all my cards on the table, I love the way I feel taking Shakeology once every morning for breakfast and have noticed many positive changes.  But the idea of taking it 3 times a day and limiting my calories seemed absolutely nutty.  I am a person that loves to study nutrition.  In fact, I have a nutrition guide with calories and information for most items sitting near the kitchen as we speak.  So, I had to look into this.  Neither of us weighed in or measured anything beforehand as we really are looking at this as a health change and clease --not a diet.

My wife started taking Shakeology every morning as well and she agreed that trying this 3-day challenge after Thanksgiving while we were both off of work would be best.  I couldn't agree more.  So let's explain today -- day 1.

We woke up at 5:45am and started making our green tea.  Followed that with our chocolate Shakeology.  We mixed the 2 scoops together with 16 ounces of water and 22 ice cubes -- dividing the contents equally.  Not having the almond milk and strawberries that we were used to was a major change but we believe that our taste buds have made improvements over the last month or so while using the product.  We also bought gallon jugs of water each for us to finish every day.

At 9am we each had a piece of fruit.  I went with an apple and she went with a banana.  The hardest part was here as you are functioning for another 3 hours on just a piece of fruit but it keeps you anticipating the next meal.  A little stomach growling isn't bad, right?

We mixed our next batch of Shakeology at noon, the same way, in our wonderful Vitamix.  We followed that with our green tea.  Now, to clarify the tea, we have been adding Stevia which is also a component in Shakeology, so we felt that wasn't cheating.  Around this time, the wife started getting headaches.  Persistent and located in the front and back of the head but she endured.

At 3pm, we had our next Shakeology mix.  We also took the advice of another person that he replaced his snacks with half servings of raw unsalted almonds.  It comes out to about 14 of them.  Getting to chew the almonds added a little satisfaction as you feel you are biting into something.

For our final meal of the day at 6pm, we grilled up 4 ounce chicken breasts (one seasoned with salt and pepper while the other included garlic, paprika and cayenne pepper.)  We placed that on a bed of 2 cups of spinach and 1 cup of romaine lettuce with 2 tablespoons of dressing (light honey mustard and the other light caesar.)  I can honestly say that this was the most satisfying meal of the day.

We both slept extremely well that night, but her headaches followed her to bed.  Mine started gradually before bed at 8:30pm.  But at no time were we hungry.  This is a shocking fact that really says a lot for what Shakology does as an appetite suppressant.  Pretty amazing.  I can also note that we were both extremely emotional... don't know if that had to do with what we were watching on television all day or if it is a side affect.  We were pretty much couch potatoes all day.  Day 2 should be pretty intriguing but I'm expecting some struggles as I have heard some similar notes.

A Time To Put Things Away

You have to figure that there is a point in time that typewriter manufacturers either transitioned to a new line of business or closed up shop.  Knowing when you are fighting against the tide is important.  It's also important to know when the water is muddy, rising or throwing you against the cliffs.

The experiment is over.  On June 1 of this year, we initiated the Muze News project.  What we didn't tell you were the underlying motivations for the site.  It seems that the time was not right for a news aggregation site that avoided gossip, side-stepped conjecture and went right for release information.  You see, when an album comes out, there is a little dance between the artist, label and press.  First, a mention of the artist wanting to record a new album, work with a producer or finds inspiration in (insert event).  Second, articles pop up about the act in the studio, going into the studio, writing songs or a tour is announced.  Third, a month or season is floated to the press about the album (like "hopes to release the as-yet untitled album early in 2013".)  Fourth, a song is debuted, a single is selected or video is filmed.  Fifth, a single is released.  Sixth, the new single is performed on one or several TV shows or radio shows with interviews.  Seventh, a second single is mentioned with a release date.  Eighth, the album is given a name and a month is mentioned for the release.  Ninth, the album release date is released.  This kind of keeps going on through each single being released abut the album comes out.  Often, it can be jostled.  But, notice that just up to that point, there were 9 different ways to mention the artist's new album before it even came out.  We just cut to the chase:  New single coming out (insert date), new album (insert date) and new video (insert date.)  The more mentions an artist has in the press, the more interest you have in their product when finally released.

Now, we did also mention artists passing away and there is a good reason.  It often goes unreported.  As often the release dates sometimes get lost in the babble out there.  Why do I say babble?  When an artist calls another artist out, slaps another artist, flips off a crowd, moons a crowd, gets arrested or countless other things that do not relate but get them mentioned in the news.  We hoped to prove the populace was ready for something other than the TMZ style of reporting music information.  Seems to be a wrong assumption.

Much thanks to all those who have supported this project, have been visiting the site and have let others know about it.  The way we interact is as important as the way we get our news.  As with the typewriter manufacturers, one needs to know when to look for the exit.  Because, there is bound to be a word processor or a computer just a few generations away that can do the job more effectively.

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