What happened on Monday March 3rd?

Damn... this sucks .. you probably already heard... Jeff Healy .. a awesome jazz/blues/rock guitarist has passed away. Talk about someone who died before his time.

Howlin' Wolf - Wang Dang Doodle -> (download mp3)

Lonnie Mack with Stevie Ray Vaughn -> Oreo Cookie Blues (Download mp3)

Great news for me I got my Numark TT USB Turntable last night. Once we get back from vacation, I'm going to start digitizing albums.

What happened on Monday February 18th?

Okay here I am Forty-five years old and happy (drugged but happy .. joking). Yesterday was my birthday, and I really don't feel a day over twenty-five.

Aren't we supposed to feel older and more mature as we grow up? I always thought I would, but every day I am surprised that I have 3 kids between 15 and 8. That I've been married to the same beautiful woman for 20 years. That I have been working for almost twenty three years (spread that over about 7 companies). Here I am supposedly getting old and I just don't feel that way. (hey the other night at TaiKwonDo I was doing ninja rolls and summersaults .. I paid for it the next day). So I guess what I saying is all that myth about adults getting older and wiser is just crap (shhh!!! don't let the secret out)

Here it is the first official Family Day in Ontario and I am at work. Or at least I am supposed to be working. What are you doing?

Here is a couple of original tracks and cover versions for you to listen to. Which version do you like better?

John Lee Hooker - Boom Boom Boom (download .mp3)
The Animals - Boom Boom Boom(live)(download .mp3)
Howlin' Wolf - Killing Floor (download .mp3)
Jimi Hendrix - Killing Floor(live Monterey Pop)(download .mp3)

If you like the music go out and buy some.

I just finished reading White Night by Jim Butcher. If you want a great read with a lot of adventure, humour and just all around fun, pick up any of Jim's Dresden file books. Now I read a fair bit, but lately I've been looking into what and how I read. School books and Non Fiction, I can't get into, in fact I can't pay attention to a single page long enough to get any information out of it. (though for some reason I can read biographies) I read what I call movie books. If I can get into a book deep enough I begin to see the action and characters as if they are on a screen and I'm watching a movie.
Anyway .. take some time a pick up a Dresden book, if you have read any before I would suggest #1 "Storm Front"

What happened on Monday February 11th?

I haven't made a personal post in a fair while (I probably have lost most of my regular friends), mainly because I'm not willing to admit things to myself. Kind of a bold statement don't ya think!

What's going on is I have been suffering from depression for about the last 10 months or so. I hadn't done anything about it until recently because I felt I was being a wimp and just causing myself to be down. Due to how I've been handling the depression I've been flying off the handle quickly, yelling a lot, this has made me a real asshole to my family and just a jerk to live with. I finally felt I had to do something about it when I was getting suicidal thoughts. Not that I would ever do it, just that I would think how much better Wife and kids would be without me.

I went to the doctor a few weeks ago, he has put me on a antidepressant called Cipralex. I find the affects to be interesting. My emotions/reactions aren't as explosive .. I'm thinking before I get upset or worked up and I can make a more intelligent decision about what my reaction needs to be. For the most part it's kind of nice. There are down side's to this, I get a slight nausea feeling an hour or two after I take the pill. Late in the day around two or three pm I get incredibly tired and this may sound weird but I have to remind myself which part of my progressive lenses that I need to look out of. I've also come to realize that I handle my emotions differently then people around me.

We have been talking to a family councillor the last few months, on how to handle raising a teenager with ADD-I. Part of is that I have come to realise that I am also ADD (I have to get myself tested, but like I said other things have to come first -- BILLS!!!), and I don't know how to explain this but I get a rush from extreme emotions. These pills make me feel mostly dead emotionally (though it has been explained to me that I am feeling and thinking about things the way everyone else does - damn you guys are emotionally dead), things that would normally set me off in a emotional high I am now thinking about and realise that I don't have to overreact, where before I would have gone through the roof. I was or better put I do enjoy the extreme rush of the emotional reaction. Though I now realize that this is not good for me, my family and my married life.

I have had a couple of anxiety attacks since starting to take the pills, mainly while I'm out shopping with Wife, I think these originate when I'm conflicting between what she wants me to do and the fact that it goes against what I want. My only problem is that I get testy and snappy when this happens and I get upset at her. I don't want to do this, so I have to work on this. I know that I will need to talk to someone about this, I have plans to it's just right now I have to many other things that I need to get done.

Things are going well for Eldest, he is on a new ADD med and is succeeding at school. In fact today we have been informed that in two of the classes that he has been struggling in, he was able to get a 85% in the last two tests as opposed to 45% to 55% that he was getting. He is happy and says he likes the difference between (as he says) the focused world and the unfocused world.

Middle is being a thirteen year old, the attitude is incredible, but for the most part she is a wonderful human being who puts up with being a middle child trapped between a brother who is getting a ton of attention and a little sister who demands attention. Life can be unfair, but we are trying to be fair with her. She hates being a goalie, but she plays so well, its a shame but I think this year will be her last year in hockey.

Youngest is youngest, demanding attention, seeking confirmation that she is the centre of attention. She wants to be a famous singer when she grows up, but just try to get her to practice.

Well that is it from me, I've come clean with myself and now back to music and pictures of plants.

Enjoy Muddy Waters,download
Mannish Boy.mp3

What happened on Saturday December 8th?

Ever since I began blogging I have done a December 8th post. Not because of Pearl Habour (though this is a event that changed the course of western democracy, allowing the creation of the super power to the south of Canada, but because of the death of a single man. Stupid right, how could one person (who is not a member of your family) be important enough to write about every year.

The morning of Dec 9th 1980 was a normal school day for me, I woke to the radio (Q107) and the announcer saying the John Lennon was dead, shot as he entered the building he lived in. Sounds odd, but the world stopped, and I walked around in a daze for the rest of the day. Here I was 17, and I was upset by the death of some guy I had never met. A great uncle had died that summer, I wasn't as upset about his death as I was by Lennon's. Why? I liked his music, I had grown up with it. Though we never had Beatles albums in my parents house (or at least until I had brougth home my copy of Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band a few summers before), when a Beatles song came on the radio (which is always on) the volume would go up. Mom was only 26 when she had me, I always thought that she really wanted to be a Beatles fan, but would never admit it.

John Lennon was a really good musician, a great lyricst, a member of a band that changed . But why did it upset me. I think it was the realization that everything was not hunky dory, that you could go out your door and not return. That just because something beautiful existed didn't mean that it couldn't be destroied. That the dreams you have might not come true and you do have to except reality.

Anyway here are a couple of John Lennon songs for you to remember him by. As I said about Norvel, celebrate his life. Buy his albums, share his ideas and dreams. They just might make the world a better place.


*The Beatles - Help! - Help!.mp3
*John Lennon - John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band-Working Class Hero.mp3
*John Lennon - Live in New York City -Instant Karma.mp3

What happened on Thursday November 30th?

Youngest was born 8 years ago today. Every day has been a joy. Her fire and will drive us to distraction, but the love she gives is overwhelming. She is a Diva who is always on stage, always preforming...even when she does not have a audience.

Happy birthday little girl.

We have bought the kids concert tickets as a enticement to excel at school. Youngest and Middle have a chance to go to Avirl Lavigne in April, and Eldest might get to see The Foo Fighters in march.

Remember to go buy CD's or pay for your downloads.

Enjoy The Stranglers "European Female". Download the MP3

What happened on Sunday October 14th?

Rome at night, yes that bus is really that small.

Arrrgh!!!! I am so sick.

I had a great time at Gogol Bordello. Awesome concert. I got there early, a bit to early 8pm. Got a great spot, right up to the front, only about 2 deep from the stage ... the opening act, Dub Trio, didn't come on til 9pm. Dub Trio is a pretty cool band, Bass Guitar Drums doing Art Rock/Metal/Punk/Dub .. really interesting but LOUD. You could feel the bass cords inside your body.

By the time Gogol Bordello came on I was soaked with sweat. My hair, shirt and pants were wet with sweat. I have not be crowded by people since I don't know when. The music was great, LOUD again (next time I will bring ear plugs) Then the mosh pit began right behind me. Started getting slamed from all sides, claustraphobia clicked in and I had to get out. Finally after wading through the pit, I got to the outside and was able to watch the concert in some peace. Occasionally getting you foot steped on, slammed by someone falling out of the pit. But hey I had a great time. Can't remember the songs, in fact the guy I was with said afterword that it was the best concert that he had ever been at where he could not understand a word being sung.

Anyway Gogol Bordello was great, but it made me so sick. I still haven't gotten over the cold. Had to take a day off of work on Thursday. Then I spent most of today in bed.

Enjoy a couple of cover versions:

Willie William-Armagideon Time (Download)
The Clash-Armagideon Time (Download)
The Who-Baba O'Riley (Download)
Waco- Baba O'Riley (Download)

What happened on Wednesday July 25th?

Hydrangea

I was tagged with a meme from Paul's Blog. He was tagged by Heather, who was tagged by Ari, who was tagged by Chris, who was tagged by Jodi .. so this whole damn thing can be blamed on Jodi.
"This is the meme. Write about 5 or 10 (or so) songs that had an impact on your life, and tag five people to carry on."

So I need to come up with 5 to 10 songs that profoundly impacted my life. Wow! Okay so here we go.

1/ The first music that I really remember was by Glenn Miller. Dad is a child of the 40's (he was born in '32) and is a big "Big Band" fan, I remember these 78 (yes I meant a 78 rpm record) being played constantly when I was young. I wanted to know who this man was, why he made this music and why Dad loved it so much. Before the Internet all we had was "The Glenn Miller Story
So here is The Glenn Miller Orchestra with "It Must Be Jelly (cause jam don't shake like that)" (download MP3)

2/ Be Bop A Lula ( download MP3 ) - Gene Vincent and the Blue Caps. It seems to me that I have always known this song, Mom and Dad were not fans of Rock'n Roll, but we were always allowed to watch the Ed Sullivan show and whatever guests he might have on. Though I don't remember this song from that show ( I did a Internet search and he was on in '57, I wasn't even a figment in my parents imagination yet.) So it had to be radio airplay or something that embedded this song in my mind. I remember being a little kid, probably around 7 years old, walking along the train tracks on my way to cubs, and singing this song. I only knew two lines "Be bop a lula she's my baby, be bop a lula I don't mean maybe", and I would repeat them constantly.

3/ Light My Fire (download MP3) - The Doors. We didn't get a lot of radio stations in central Ontario in the late sixties/early seventies. This song seemed to be on the air constantly. How did this impact me? Long hair and rock'n roll seemed so cool. I knew I wanted to be involved somehow, and I thought that being a radio DJ was the way. I would stand in the bathroom for hours perfecting my radio voice.

4/ Paradise by the Dashboard Light (download MP3) - Meat Loaf, Wow 1977 was a pretty important year. I was 14 years old, going into high school, got stoned for the first time that summer, got my first portable stereo (A blue eight track AM/FM stereo with split speakers), saw Star Wars and began to realize that information was cool, not the stuff they taught us at school but what I could learn on my own. So I read/watched as much as I could about the artists I listened to .. I became a music geek at high school.

5/ White Riot (download MP3) - The Clash. (another 1977 occurrence) I was over at a friends house getting stoned and he puts on "The Clash" .. this song hit me. Wow! people stood up for things, I didn't have to take the shit being handed out to me. (I was kind of complacent and easy going back then) I guess it was the first time that I realized that if you really wanted something you had to fight for it not just roll over and take what was being given.

6/ Ziggy Stardust (download MP3) - David Bowie. I was in my parents room watching a music documentary, sometime in the mid seventies, I remember it like it was yesterday. There was this whole part about David as Ziggy. Once again a wow experience. This was a rockstar, I had to learn more. I discovered the Velvet Underground, Andy Warhol and the incredible mixture of Art and Music.

7/ London Calling (download MP3) - The Clash, Cool For Cats (download) - Squeeze. The first two albums I bought for myself. I had a job, I had money and I didn't have to wait for my birthday or Christmas for a gift. I was independent.

8/ I Got My Mojo Working (download MP3) - Paul Butterfield Blues Band. This was on my set list for one of my first college radio shows. Once again a Wow!, I was listening to mostly punk and rock at this time. All of a sudden the Blues were there. I hit the library and learned at much as I could. Paul Butterfield lead me to B.B. King, BB King lead me to Muddy Waters, Muddy Waters lead me to Blind Lemon Jefferson, Blind Lemon Jefferson lead me to Leadbelly. A big door opened. Blues/Folk/Bluegrass/Country and Gospel all became real.

9/ Bohemian Rhapsody (download MP3) - Queen. The only reason why I went to see them in concert at the CNE grandstand. I had to see this song done live.

10/ Skin Deep (download MP3) - The Stranglers. I wanted to so badly go out with this certain girl that I knew in college, (long blond hair, great lips, beautiful eyes and a really good body) I talked her into going to the concert at the Masonic Temple with me. I was so caught up in the music and show that I never saw her make out and leave with the guy beside us, until his girlfriend told me we had been dumped. I realised at that point that for me women came second to music. (until I met Wife of course!)

I'm not big on tagging but for once I'm going to do it. So I would like to see some reponses from:

Hi-Watt-Cha Doing?
Nics Opinions
musings of middle age
CamelsbackandForth
Armagideon Time
The Vinyl Villain

Listening to "Story Of the Rockers" Gene Vincent.

By the way

All the mp3s posted on the site are there to encourage you to listen and then rush out and buy the songs direct from the artist, by mail order or from a decent record shop near your house. Any artist who doesn't want their works featured here only needs to get in touch and the mp3 will be removed at the earliest opportunity. In any event, all mp3s are posted for a limited time only.

What happened on Friday July 13th?

Yellow Daisy


I'm off work for a week. Going to build/rebuild at deck at the house. It's needed to be done for the last two years but I just haven't taken the time. So this year I set aside a week. Post holes are dug, just have to get started. I'll try to take some pictures of the project to show you what I've done.

I've been trying to figure out what to post about today until I found that Toronto Mike did a post about "Bob Marley Steals From Banana Splitz". Thanks Mike.



How many of you remember the Banana Splits, this was a show done by Sid and Marty Kroftt. It was a variety show for kids, no skit was more than a few minutes and it would never bore a kid. It had a cliff hanger serial called Danger Island (until I found this link, I had always thought the guy was yelling "UH Oh, Tongo!"). I used to run around shouting UH Oh, Tongo! all the time at the fine old age of 6 and 7. I guess I thought was so cool! Don't know how we got this show in Bracebridge but we did. (we only had two TV channels back in those days {CKVR and CHEX})

Any way this led me to repost the Dickies version of The Banana Splits (The Tra La La Song).mp3, It was on "New Wave Archive" hope you go out and buy it.

Listening to Jackie is Punk - The Rammones.

What happened on Wednesday July 11th?

It's a sad day .. a canadian Icon has passed away .. say good by to "Honest" Ed Mirvish ... he passed away this morning at a grand old age of 92.

When I first moved to Toronto, I used to buy all my clothes at the Bathurst store. Where else could you get jeans, socks, a couple of shirts and underwear for around $20. For a kid barely making $5 an hour at a radio station, it was a god send. You could spend hours walking through the store, just browsing. He had everything.

Then he went and brought theatre back to Toronto. Wife and I saw some great shows at his theatres. The Lion King, Cats Rent and so many more.

Thanks for the clothes and thanks for the shows.

From Rent One Song Glory.mp3

What happened on Tuesday July 10th?

This is what I look like now,

This is what I want to look like in the future!

Have some fun, make a avatar at The Simpsons Movie

Listening to Amphetamine Annie - Canned Heat

What happened on Friday June 28th?

Foxglove


Okay I have been tagged twice to do the "8 things meme" once by "Nic" and the other time by "Musings of middle age". I don't tag back, but if you want to do it go ahead.

1

I can be complusive about things. When I collect something, I want to have all of it. When I used to buy albums, I would buy every album a band had put out. I would do my best to get every back copy I could. I try to buy every book put out by a author I like (paperback - can't afford all those hardcovers). With gardening if I see a plant I want, I have to buy it. I can control it, but sometimes it's very hard.

2

I am the youngest of three, the only boy and even though I don't think I was spoiled, I really was .. damn I/am was a brat.

3

I can be really lazy, I don't like to work hard and it shows.

4

I buy lottery tickets, but have never won more that $10.00. It's called the "tax on the stupid", but I can dream.

5

Men do daydream about other things then sex .. or at least I do.

6

As of today I am 285 lbs, 3 weeks ago I was 295 lbs. I don't want to be a fatman.

7

At the end of July I get to go for my Purple Belt in Taikwondo.

8

I have everything I want and really don't need anymore .. I am very lucky.

I've been hitting the MP3 blogs pretty hard lately .. staying up to past 2am .. so I figured I should give back. Give a listen to the Dickies with their cover of The If you like the song, try to find it and buy it. These guys still get their royalty cheques.

Listening to Cheech & Chong "Pedro and the Man at the Drive-In" that I borrowed from BlankCrisis.com