Wednesday, March 24, 2004

Weather: We had a few squalls yesterday, but nothing much. There was a nice rainbow, but it's TOO dry overall!

Wildlife: The geese were perching on the log net to the shore of our lake. The ice melted even more overnight. No fish have floated up dead, so the aereator might have served it's purpose.

Charity Alert: The Breast Cancer Site : Fund Mammograms for Free

Media Watch: Rock N' Roll Hall of Fame Part 2 --
It looks like I saw most of it already, but the last two inductions are worth describing, for completeness, if nothing else. Keith Richards introduced ZZ Top, but he wasted a lot of time because he didn't prepare his speech. I suspect he'd punch somebody else out if they took a musical solo without learning the song, but there he was! When he had his wits about him he was funny. I hope he learned something. "Spontaneous" is a different quality from "unprepared."
ZZ Top did their "John Lee Hooker" jam, but I've heard them play better. However, I can say that same thing for 90% of the acts I've seen at this ceremony. ZZ Top certainly deserves to be in the Hall of Fame, they're one of the most innovative blues bands/power trios ever!
The last part of the show was devoted to George Harrison. Since I wrote recently about the Concert for George on PBS, I'm not going to say as much as I could.
Tom Petty's Heartbreakers is a really good band, and they are a very appropriate choice for re-creating Harrison's music. Petty himself was a friend of Harrison, and worked on one of his best projects -- The Traveling Willburys, along with Jeff Lynne.
Lynne isn't my favorite musician, but he's a capable singer who can hit Roy Orbison's high notes with some resonance in his voice. He can duplicate the vocal sounds of George Harrison's other musical endeavors too, since he was his producer and co-songwriter in the late 80's. Petty and Lynne were well-matched in singing those songs.
It is still fun watching Dhanni Harrison stroking the guitar while his father's music is playing. Prince did an impressive guest appearence playing lead on While My Guitar Gently Weeps. He's been compared with Jimi Hendrix, but that's unfair to both of them.
The credits were rolling while Traffic's David Mason led a crowd of jammers in his song "Feeling Alright." No damage was done, thanks to the miracle of video tape. I noticed Paul Schaffer on the stage, and realized he'd done the background music for The Dells that night. (Note: Mr. Mason has quite an American accent after living here for 30 years.)

Update: Trombone virtuoso Greg Boyer says this about the mystery saxophonist standing next to him at the Rock N' Roll Hall of Fame ceremony: "mike phillips. last seen w/ stevie wonder and was the opening act on jill scott's tour. keep your ears & eyes open, he's gonna blow up big!
(Now I think he's talking to me) btw, wassup mike?!
Just bloggin' away, Greg!

Tuesday, March 23, 2004

Weather: Warmer, but gray -- a few squalls on the horizon, otherwise dry.

Wildlilfe: Water birds everywhere -- the melted areas in the lake didn't glaze over last night! I think the deer are spending more time in the woods.

Charity Alert: The Child Health Site : Help a Child in Need Lead a Healthy, Active Life

Media Watch: Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony (taped + edited) Part One
As the show started, my friend Greg Boyer was standing stage right, next to Candy Dulfer, Maceo Parker, and an un-named-as-yet third saxophonist, as Prince Rogers Nelson began the show with a hot, funky, soulful set.
"There are many kings..." said Alicia Keys, "But only one Prince!"
Bruce Springsteen properly noted the greatness of the album Late for the Sky when he introduced Jackson Browne.
David Lindley got some compliments for his killer slide work with Browne, but he deserved a statuette as well, if you ask me.
Jann Wenner's segment was mercifully short -- Mick Jagger put him in his deserved place, and Wenner acknowledged Ralph J. Gleason, who REALLY got Rolling Stone magazine running.
Traffic was certainly due for Hall of Fame honors -- their intro and speeches were interwined with a jam on Mr. Fantasy. -- this format was repeated for all the other honorees. Steve Winwood, Jim Capaldi, Dave Mason, and the late Chris Wood were inducted. I will also honor Reebop Kwaku Baah, Jim Gordon, and Rick Grech, along with Roger Hawkins, David Hood, Barry Beckett, and Jamaican Bassist Rosko Gee. for going on the road with them.
Capaldi mentioned that Chris Wood brought John Barleycorn to the band. That's some great news -- when I saw them live, that song was one of the best pieces I'd ever heard performed! (Still is.)
For the heck of it, I'm going to praise Capaldi's up-tempo single of the Bryant's classic Love Hurts, which was on the radio when I lived in England -- one of our actresses was really into that song. The juxtaposition of the beat and the lyrics worked well!
Here's a fairly informative site about Traffic: Jim Capaldi Official Web Site
The Dells were fabulous. Fifty years together with only one personnel change! Their singing and acceptance speeches were ideal. An important point was made -- the time is NOW to bring great vocal groups like the OJays and Manhattans into the Hall.
Kid Rock did the intro for Bob Segar, appropriately. Segar pleased me very much by thanking and naming the two wonderful woman singers who have toured with him since the 70's. Bob Segar always plays funky, even though he doesn't always play funk!
I had to go to bed -- I'll deal with Part Two later, after I watch it.

Monday, March 22, 2004

Weather: The ice on Middle Foy's Lake continues to shrink. Some water glazes over at night, but it melts by mid-day.

Wildlife: The water birds are beginning to set up housekeeping. Canadian Geese are building nests nearby.

Charity Alert: The Rainforest Site: Help Save Our Rainforests!

Media Watch: I'm reading a book that traces inventions, and perceptions of them in the pages of Popular Science from 1875 to 1975. Speaking of "nostalgia," my attention has been on subjects I dealt with thirty years ago and more:
Comic Books -- Out of the blue, I got an email from someone inquiring about the "Cosmic Aeroplane Pedigree."
What Da' Hail is a "Pedigree?"The Pedigree: an in-depth analysis

Theater: Some of my old "partners in grime" from the down-and-dirty road are on the Internet:
1) Footsbarn Theatre
2) Katie Duck; Katie Duck interview; Semi-current Advert; Mini-bio + Picture
3) Matt Child was in a move: Sudden Impact Cast
He's married to Caroline Noh, another actor: Noh Business Like Show Business
4) Hey! Our band morphed into it's own completely different group and it played here: Akbank Caz Festivali
5) This musician suffered as our manager, then built his own career: Mark Nelson's Shameless Self Promotion
6) This gentleman is/was a real delight: Peter Wear -- British Comedy Company; Here's some of his gigs with Katie, Jango, and Justin Case: London International Mime Festival/history
Here's Pete's friend Justin: Justin Case, Comedy Trick Cyclist
7) Here's the guy who got us to Europe, and more or less got the Festival of Fools in Amsterdam, Holland started (this site goes to yet another site): Jango Edwards' website
8) Charly worked with Jango off & on: Charly Jungbauer
9) How about our sponsoring organization?: De Melkweg
10) Here's a special friend of mine: Karen Quest, Cowgirl Tricks
11) These guys are good too!: Cheney and Mills
12) Patsy Droubay worked with Matt, Katie, and me. She's been doing a pantomime version of How the Grinch Stole Christmas around the Salt Lake libraries for about twenty years. Here's last Xmas' coverage in the local paper: The Salt Lake Tribune