MICK KAHLER'S WORLD

October, 1994. I can’t believe it’s been 30 years since I experienced one of the  worst times of my young life.  It was Monday October 10^th when I came home from my job as morning show producer for US*99’s J.D. and the Katman Show.  A phone message from college pal Jim Turano told me Lee Swanson, my longtime friend and mentor was in Elmhurst Hospital and seriously ill. 

My dear friend, like a brother to me, Lee Swanson.

I quickly called the hospital and learned Lee was in the ICU unit at the end stage of his life.  He had a recurrence of cancer that was first overcome and seemingly beaten twelve years earlier.  Minutes later, I was at Lee’s bedside as he drifted in and out of consciousness.  He was not in pain and knew who I was and showed he was glad I was there.  We’d last seen each other a few weeks earlier meeting up at a local record store and catching up on each other’s goings on.  At that time there was no inkling that Lee’s cancer had returned.

I didn’t stay long at the hospital but told Lee I’d be back tomorrow.  That tomorrow never came. Later that evening Lee Swanson quietly passed away, he was only 42 at the time. Turano called me at the US*99 studios the next morning to give me the sad news. I was crushed, pulverized for sure. Lee was Yoda to my Luke Skywalker and I immediately became a tsunami of tears.  My only comfort being later when I learned I was the last person to see my friend before he slipped into a short coma and then passed away.

From the late 1980’s- (Left to right) Me, Dave Ross and our mentor Lee Swanson.

I shared this bad news with morning show co-host Trish Biondo before leaving the show early that day.  Trish passed my loss on to the rest of the show members I  know this because that night as I arrived at the J.D. and Katman 5^th Anniversary Party at Chicago’s Whiskey River club, John The Katman Katzbeck was the first to  greet me offering his condolences on the loss of my friend.  Red hot country star Joe Diffie and his band performed at the packed party that night and I made it to the event because I knew, despite my grief, Lee would want me to be at this party.

The next morning, we had a great morning show, reliving events from the 5^th anniversary party and all was O.K. with the world.  I got home and started processing my hurt feelings over Lee’s death.   Then, early that afternoon I got a call at home from Assistant Program Director Dean McNeil.  Dean told me John Katzbeck was stricken with a brain aneurysm at home and was rushed to a nearby hospital for emergency treatment. The outlook for the Katman was bleak!  What the hell was going on?  My mom saw me take in this news on the phone and said I turned white as a sheet and looked like I was about to faint.

John The Katman Katzbeck promoting a giant pretzel.

The next few days were a slow motion blur.  US*99 listeners were informed of John’s situation as we prayed for the best possible outcome.  I attended Lee’s wake that Friday and his funeral on Saturday.  Coming to work early the following Monday morning we got the call that the Katman was not going to survive the aneurysm.  With no brain function he was being kept alive so that his organs and other body parts could be harvested to help others.   John Katzbeck was a great guy and an organ donor.  He passed away later that afternoon and the next two days we did on air tributes to our fallen co-host. We played his many country parody songs and other on air bits that made us laugh through our tears.  Listeners were as grief stricken as we were.  His passing made the local papers and we were even interviewed by a couple of Chicago TV stations. 

A memorial album honoring John and his many parody songs.

John’s wake was on Wednesday and his funeral attended by the whole radio station staff was on Thursday October 20^th.  J.D. Spangler gave a heartfelt eulogy filled with laughs, tears and warm memories.  After such an awful week, J.D. and Trish were given Friday off to rest and reflect.  Ramblin’ Ray Stevens would host that Friday show solo and moved on to replace the Katman on our morning crew.  In just over ten days I had been to two wakes and two funerals and was also given that Friday off to catch my breath.

On that day off, my best friend Bobbo took me and his young son Alex out to breakfast then we spent the rest of the morning at Brookfield Zoo.  That Sunday, Bobbo, our dear buddy Marko and I got together at a bar to watch the Bears game.  Having friends like these guys there to support me during this devastating insane time meant more to me than I could ever say. 

There would be some other friends and family who stepped up to comfort me and more intricate details of those good people and that time thirty years ago will be shared in my memoir “Raised on the Radio.”  In truth, I delayed full emotional processing of this double punch of loss for several months and it wasn’t until September of 1995 before my head and heart were cleared of my deep grief.

This all went down thirty years ago. It sometimes feels like it just happened.  Lee Swanson was practically an older brother to me and I NEVER would’ve gotten to a big time Chicago radio job as fast as I did without him.  John the Katman Katzbeck and I spent 16 months together when I joined US*99 in 1993 and as J.D. would say, we were “each other’s best audience” as we worked up morning show bits and laughs.   I’ll always miss those two guys but the memories and I have sustain me and bring a constant smile to my face.  Lee and John, you two were great to me and someday we’ll reunite for laughs, songs and good times.

NEXT BLOG- Halloween- Now and Then.

Just some of the Class of ’79, great guys one and all!

“With a friend at hand, you will see the light, if your friends are there then everything’s alright.”  (Bernie Taupin- sung by Elton John)

York High Schools class of 1979’s 45^th Reunion is in the books and what a great time it was!  Plenty of old friends, longtime friends and former classmates had the best time anyone could ask for.

First and fore most big thanks to the reunion’s organizers: Holly Maxson Kost, Linda Magneson Proudfoot, Sue Carlson Baader, Craig Nelson, Todd Beja, Frank Catalano, Tom Klatt, Lisa Fanelli and anyone else who I may be omitting. To put on a two-day event like this is no small feat.  Loads of planning, phone calls, emails, check-ins and countless ‘to do lists’ are just part of what goes on.  All I can say is there was not a disappointed alum at either Friday’s get together at Doc’s Victory Pub or Saturday night’s party across the street at Roberto’s.

Good times and cocktails at Doc’s Victory Pub with Scott Thiems, wife Sharon Allison Thiems, Dan White & Linda Proudfoot.

Sorry to say the Dukes football team lost Friday night’s game against Downers North but it was fun watching the game at Doc’s via the York Sports Network. Saturday night’s get together began with Rich Mc Laughlin reading the names of our former classmates who have passed away.  There were names to add in just the five years since we were together for the 40^th reunion.  Pastor Rich then followed that solemn moment with inspiring words and a heartfelt prayer for all of us.  If there’s one thing we all have learned in our post high school years is that tomorrow is promised to no one.  Appreciation for life and living it to the maximum is understood.

Both nights were filled with laughs, hugs, kisses, high fives and hundreds of stories of past days at York and lots more.  We’ve all done a lot of living in the 45 years since we graduated from the home of the Dukes and there was plenty of sharing of photos of kids, grandkids, talks of retirement or pending retirement and other life changes like divorces, remarriages, changes in home residences and hopes for the future.

During our reunion, I personally heard of health tales from several folks.  Everything from new knees and hip replacement operations, to bypass heart surgery, vision issues and the overcoming of cancer diagnoses.   It’s a relief to learn of the positive outcomes from these situations and humbling that I haven’t faced any of those maladies yet. Though, getting a new left leg hinge is coming for me in the next year or so.

Are some of us alumni sporting gray hair, less hair, more pounds and wrinkles than last time we met?  Sure.  But I can say that everyone at the reunion still had the glow of high school youth in their faces.  We’ll never lose that.  I don’t see these changes as signs of aging, we’re just evolving, moving forward in life’s progression.

Left to right- Dianne Turner, Joyce Bojko and yours truly at Doc’s.

One point to make is that many of us have bonds with classmates that began before our days at York started. Middle school, grade school, Elmhurst youth baseball, softball, hockey at the YMCA, junior basketball leagues, church and other local goings on being just some of the ways lots of us met.  Regarding grade schools, we all posed Saturday night with our K-6^th grade mates.  I’m proud to say my fellow Lincoln school classmates had the biggest turn-out at the reunion. Lincoln’s old building was razed a couple years back and the new school looks like a headquarters for Google.  Lincoln and almost all of the newly built schools and additions to older schools in Elmhurst have been constructed by the International Contractors Company which is co-owned by York Class of ‘77 alum Bruce Bronge.

The Lincoln school alums. We packed the place!

In my twenty years in Chicago radio andnow my time as a special education teacher I’ve done plenty of yakking, babbling and talking.  So, I took pleasure in sitting back and listening to my former classmates share the highlights and happenings in their lives.  Family, career, travel and other big experiences were the kinds of things I heard and everyone sure was happy to let others know how things were going all these years later.  Some even talked about driving by their old childhood homes in Elmhurst, some still standing and some leveled in favor of Mc Mansions.  Progress, I guess.

Doing all that watching and listening, a few classmates said some kind words to me.  Things like “I liked hearing you on the radio”, “Your Facebook posts are fun”, “I remember when you put together the White Castle slider party in Mr. Aggen’s math class,” and “I bet teaching is rewarding.”  I even was told a randy story of how a classmate was canoodling with someone years ago in Pioneer Park. The romancer told their partner, “I know the guy who named that park! It was Mick Kahler!” 

Full disclosure- I left the Saturday night party at 9:30 (I ran out of steam, old age I guess) and learned later that the wingding got so loud that the neighbors called the Elmhurst Police and they came in to ask for some toning down of the noise.  So, at age 63, the York crowd still had enough party power to have Five-O cruise in.   Way to go you guys!

Tom Klatt, a prime suspect in cranking the party to a level loud enough to bring in the Elmhurst Police!

I used to think reunions like ours were fun because we recalled the days when we were young, much younger.  But that’s not it. These reunions are special because we all had shared events for four years at York.  Classes, tests, ACT, SAT, Driver’s Ed, sports, plays, concerts, parties, dances, proms, dates, break-ups, meet—ups, part time jobs and of course the forward movement to graduation and beyond.  We were there together, it was a mutually shared experience and a damn memorable one.

Left to right- Sue Carlson Baader, Mark Carlson, Phil Williams and Brian Kinsella.

FOR MORE GREAT PHOTOS– CLICK TO THIS LINK ON FACEBOOK.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/591718297998995

So now we’re five years away from our 50  year reunion.  I know some initial plans for that get together are already in the works.  I hope and we’re all around to attend it and maybe others who missed last weekend’s blasts will make it too.  So, here’s to the York Class of 1979, wishing you continued health, happiness and as the BoDeans once sang, “Only good things.”

NEXT BLOG- Remembering a challenging week from 30 years ago.

            J.D. Souther at his induction into the Songwriter’s Hall of Fame.

Singer-songwriter J.D. Souther passed away last week.  No cause of death was given but it appears to have been sudden and unexpected.  Souther was set to start a tour with Karla Bonoff in Phoenix on September 24^th.  

Some may be a little familiar with his name but I was an aware fan and appreciated J.D.’s work.  He co-wrote hits for the Eagles like “Best of my Love”, “Heartache Tonight”, “How Long”, the rocking romp “James Dean” and “New Kid in Town” which was reportedly written about the slowly rising star of Bruce Springsteen as he started to perform shows in L.A.  J.D. also penned the James Taylor song “Her Town Too” and co-wrote with Bob Seger, Bonnie Raitt and other stars. 

Regarding the Eagles success with Souther’s songwriting, this quote covers it all. “There was definitely a period of time where people would occasionally say to me, ‘Doesn’t it piss you off that the Eagles have these big hits off your songs?’ I would usually start saying, ‘Would you like to see the checks?’” Souther said in an interview with the Creative Independent. “Pissed off? How could I be pissed off? Even Glenn Frey once said — and he was kind of joking because he knows how the royalty thing works — but he said, ‘One of the reasons JD didn’t have a bigger solo career is because he gave us or Linda Ronstadt most of his best songs.’ And that’s sort of true.

J.D. Souther in the early 1970’s.

Souther’s 1979 top 10 pop hit “You’re Only Lonely” is a killer cut that gets to me anytime I hear it.  It has that Roy Orbison feel to it and evokes the emotions of deep hurt and comfort at the same time. I mean just the opening line, “When the world is ready to fall on your little shoulders and when you’re feeling lonely and small, you need somebody there to hold you, you can call out my name, when you’re only lonely.”  Wow!  Just amazing and universal…

Souther’s 1979 hit song “You’re Only Lonely.”

J.D. also collaborated with Don Henley and Mike Campbell on the great Henley song “The Heart of the Matter.”  I’ve written before how that track pulled me out of a deep funk after my first major adult romance slowly crashed and burned.  Don said that song took many years to experience and five minutes to record.  My gut tells me of all the Henley solo songs, that one has to be the one he gets the most personal thanks for.

J.D. was born in Detroit like his one-time duo partner Glenn Frey but grew up in Amarillo, Texas..  The two of them met up in L.A. in the late 60’s and wrote, recorded and toured as “Longbranch- Pennywhistle.”  Frey would go on to be in Linda Ronstadt’s backing band with Henley, Bernie Leadon and bassist Randy Meisner.  While this was happening, JD. Souther was living with Linda.  From what I’ve read about the Eagles lore and stories from the California sound of the 1970’s, J.D. was quite the ladies man who landed the most beautiful women that his music mates could only lust for.

With Souther gone, 8 plus years after his one time duo partner Glenn Frey left us, maybe heaven has re-born music from Longbranch-Pennywhistle.

The album released by J.D. and Glenn Frey as they worked as Longbranch-Pennywhistle.

I think a year or two ago J.D. Souther played a couple of shows at Chicago’s City Winery.  I now regret not going out to one of those concerts.  I bet those were very special nights of great music in an intimate setting.  Damn!

Earlier this year, J.D. joined the current Eagles line-up onstage in L.A. and Don Henley introduced him as part of the “tightknit community of songwriters and singers” that he and the Eagles’ Glenn Frey would turn to in the ’70s “when we would get stuck on a song or we’d try to start some new material.”

To be included into the tight Eagles inner circle of music making which Henley and Frey ruled over, that speaks volumes of the respect Souther had from them and others.  J.D. was also a member of the Songwriter’s Hall of Fame. 

Souther also acted in movies like “Always”, “Postcards from the Edge” and “My Girl 2” along with a recurring role on TV’s “Thirty-Something.”  The guy was multi-faceted, no doubt.

Besides his music itself, another reason I appreciated J.D. Souther was because he was in the shadows of music giants but still had their respect and he helped them climb to higher heights.  Another such songwriter (who also wrote for the Eagles) is Jack Tempchin.  Jack has the same respect that Souther has.  The good news is Tempchin is still alive and performing. 

I have often equated my 20 year radio career as producer and sometime on air guy to J.D.  Souther and Jack Tempchin’s work in music.  I wasn’t THE star but I worked alongside and contributed much to some very big names and shows in Chicago radio.  That fits me and suits me just fine.

So, rest in peace John David Souther. With you gone, the world is only lonely.  But your music lives on and it keeps us company.

J.D. Souther performing at a Jimmy Buffett tribute just 5 months ago.

NEXT BLOG- When I know, you’ll know.

This blog is dedicated to the memory of my swim pal Paul Piaskowy who sadly passed away last week.  Paul suffered a debilitating stroke in April of 2023 and I got to visit and bring him take-out food a few times while he was in nursing home care. Paul lived a very full, varied and interesting life and I have great memories of our times together at East End Pool.  My prayers and condolences go to his longtime companion Jill Bennis and his loving kids and grandkids. God bless you ‘Pia.’

REMEMBERING MY FRIEND PAUL PIASKOWY IN BETTER TIMES.

The swim season at East End Pool in Elmhurst is over.  There’s something sad about making that final exit out of the water, toweling off and walking out to my car in the parking lot for the last time of the summer.  Now my pool tote bag is packed away, ditto for my beach towel and sunscreen.  Bummer.

FEW FEELINGS ARE AS GOOD AS WALKING UP TO THIS ENTRANCE AND PREPPING FOR A DAY IN THE POOL.

Still, it was a fun few months in the water.  My summer ‘’family” grew as I did countless walking laps in the water with among others, Peggy, Mary Ellen, Kiki, Barb, two Lindas, two Carols, two Joannes, two Kathys, Judy, Margie, Diane, her husband Danny and her daughter Amber, Jim, Joe, Melissa, Connie along with Eileen, Martha, Patrick, Lauren and others whose names escape me.  We’d talk about everything from movies, sports, music, along with good places to eat, family activities and local happenings in Elmhurst.  There’s never a lull in our conversations, that’s for sure!

I got to spend more time with Luca (a frequent pool goer) who is a 24 year old young man with special needs and his wonderful caregiver Taylor.  Taylor is a fantastic woman who takes Luca out to lots of events in Elmhurst and Chicago. Just this summer Taylor and Luca saw the Def Leppard, Journey & Steve Miller concert at Wrigley Field along with shows taken in at Northerly Island and Lollapalooza. Luca also got out to bars in Wrigleyville and took in art shows at various locales.  That guy had a busier summer than me, that’s for sure.

This year, each season pool pass owner got four free guest passes to include pals at East End, I used three of mine and hope to use all four next year.  I spent some days doing double pool sessions, taking in early morning laps from 7 a.m. til 8:30 then returning at noon for water walking with the ladies.  I hope to do those double session days more often next summer. 

CROWDED WATERS AT EAST END POOL ON HOT SUMMER DAYS.

You might wonder, what is it that makes me enjoy East End Pool so much?  Hard to say.  I’m an Aquarius which is a water sign and my parents said I really took to lake waves and bathtub time when just a baby, so there’s that.  The camaraderie with so many folks of varying ages is a big part of it and then there’s that calming sensation of floating, swimming and sunning in the way too short summer.  Getting a nice dark tan is an added plus while I’m getting in my much-needed exercise.

My swim pal Jim says I’m such a known fixture at East End that I’m the mayor of the place. I don’t know about that.  Maybe more of an ambassador, advocate for pool fun and the guy who suggests improvements to the Elmhurst Park District. (And the EPD listens and acts on many of my ideas) Several of the East End managers know me by name and I’ve never introduced myself to them.  So maybe “honorary mayor” works out.

POOL SELFIE TAKEN ON THE NEXT TO LAST DAY OF THE SEASON.

This fall, I want to continue my swimming and plan to re-sign up at the Courts Plus Gym.  It’s a five-minute drive from my house and if planned properly, I think I can get in three to four days of laps in their pool per week.  Still, nothing beats the time spent outdoors at East End. I’m hoping for a calm and fast winter and early spring, then we’ll be back for another season.  It’s just eight and a half months away.

Next blog- When I know, you’ll know.

Recently, I saw a funny fake headline on The Onion (aren’t ALL their headlines fake?) that read “Vomit Covered Man Who Shit His Pants Hopes He Didn’t Blow First Date.”  I posted it on Facebook then remembered a first date I had years ago that involved intestinal distress. The name of the woman in question has been changed to protect the innocent and me from lawsuits.  Though I guarantee you, all of what you’re about to read is 100% true.

I was thirty-two and Laura was twenty- nine. She was the office manager at a clinic that I went to for weekly meetings. Laura and I always had a very friendly and flirty rapport and when she resigned to take a new job, she gave me her home phone number.  A little slow to act, I called Laura a few months later inviting her to a movie screening of “The Crying Game” that my radio station Q-101 was presenting at The Vic Theater. Laura lived in a Lakeview high rise apartment and I picked her up there on a Friday night.  I’d already seen the movie once and she ended up liking the film too. There was also the extra color of cocktails served to us by drag queens hired for the event. (If you’ve seen “The Crying Game” you’ll understand the drag queens bit)   After the movie, we then had a delicious late dinner at Ann Sather’s which is just around the corner from The Vic.

So, now it was time to take Laura home and to put things bluntly, “It was on!”  We were set for you know what as I drove my car towards her place.  A few blocks from her apartment, I had a sudden attack of gastrointestinal problems. It came out of nowhere but I really had to use a bathroom ASAP.  I didn’t share my pooping issue with Laura.  Instead, I covered this up with some quick talk. “Hey, this was fun and maybe we can do it again sometime.”  Laura looked both puzzled and shocked. This ‘probable sure thing’ was abruptly canceled.  I dropped Laura off at her building’s front door, gave her a quick kiss and scrammed.  A few minutes later I found a gas station where I could relieve myself.

THE INTESTINAL ATTACK I HAD WAS SIMILAR TO WHAT JEFF DANIELS EXPERIENCED IN ‘DUMB & DUMBER.’

Now you’re probably thinking, “Why didn’t you just use Laura’s bathroom in her apartment, Mick?”  First off, I was sure that too much movement on my part would cause a sudden and messy movement.  Second, not to be gross but the bio-hazard I dropped into that gas station crapper would’ve probably cleared Laura’s entire building.  A nuclear mess for sure!

Needless to say, I was super embarrassed to bail out like this. Laura was one of the most attractive women I ever went out with and she had a great personality too. We definitely had good chemistry.  I think it was all those attributes that prevented me from asking her out again.  It was just too heavy a belly-drop to face up to.  To put it another way, if you’ve seen the movie “Deliverance,” do you think Ned Beatty’s character ever went on another canoe trip?

I CAN UNDERSTAND LARRY DAVID’S LEAVING A PARTY EARLY TO DROP A DEUCE.

A few years later, I saw a woman resembling Laura in a parking lot in my town.  I still had her phone number and left a message, asking if that really was her. It was.   Turns out, Laura moved to Elmhurst and for several years lived in a house that was less than a two-minute drive from my house! 

We never saw each other again but did connect online a time or two. Laura is now married and lives out of state.  This was one of those ‘what could have been’ situations that just never was.  Damn!  But at least when we went out, I wasn’t covered in vomit and I didn’t shit my pants.

Next Blog-Reflections from the pool.

My six-week summer break is over and I’m back in the classroom for another school year.  Not having a set schedule is a great pleasure to enjoy.

 Spending my days at East End Pool head up the list of my fun summer.  I sometimes swam both in the early morning then joined my ‘Summer Family’ for mid-day time in the water.  Our talks on local goings on, vacation trips, sports, movies & TV shows to check out and places to eat were a daily staple.  Thanks to my careful use of sun screen I avoided all sunburns and got my best tan yet.

A recent selfie that showed off my summer tan.

My biggest accomplishment was completing the very FINAL edit of my media memoir “Raised on the Radio.”  I’ve said this before but this really is it. I borrow a quote from Bruce Springsteen when talking about the tinkering done on his “Nebraska” album; “If this gets any better, it’s gonna be worse.”  I’ve also been doing my due diligence in learning the tactics for self-publishing to Amazon. It will be an e-book and paperback and I hope to have it out next spring.

This is not what the cover of my book will look like but it’s a nice start.

Movie wise, I only saw “Trap”, M.  Night Shymalan’s latest mystery film and it fell flat for me.  I wasn’t up for seeing “Twisters” or the latest “Deadpool” offering. This was a fairly weak summer for movies.  HBO brought my more entertainment with the four-part documentary on Pete Rose and the Faye Dunaway feature titled “Faye.” 

I did not see any concerts but fell into the music of the Castellows, an all-girl trio who are all about REAL country songs.  Forget all this rap infused crap that permeates today’s country radio.  I also regained a love for all of Vince Gill’s music, especially his mid-90’s track “High Lonesome Sound.”

Minor home maintenance repairs were done and I got a new bed. My old rest spot was almost 20 years old and the mattress was as worn and thin as a matzo.  I’m sleeping much better every night.  I made it through the summer heat with a sputtering and aged central AC unit. Before next summer, I WILL be getting a new unit installed.

So, that’s my summer break wrapped up.  A good one that makes me look  forward to the NEXT summer vacation.

NEXT BLOG- Recalling a worst first date ever.

On July 27^th,1984 Prince’s landmark movie “Purple Rain” opened in theaters.  I was there for that first night premiere, but I need to share some back story first.

Motorcycle riding Prince posing for his movie’s poster.

I got into Prince’s music in 1981 when I started on the air at Elmhurst College’s radio station WRSE, 88.7 on your FM dial.  College radio played lots of off the main roads music and that’s when I was introduced to and started spinning Prince tunes like “Controversy” and my personal favorite, “When You Were Mine.” 

In the fall of 1982, Prince’s double album “1999” came out.  Leading with the M-TV favorite “Little Red Corvette” along with the title track and songs like “Delirious” and “Let’s Pretend We’re Married” I was all over that set of songs.  So were millions of other music fans. 

A month after “1999’s” release, Michael Jackson’s mega hits album “Thriller” came out.  This is when the whole “Who’s better, Prince or Michael Jackson?” debates began.  I liked Michael’s music but I preferred Prince.  That Prince/Michael debate continues to this day.

Fast forward to June of 1984- Prince released the “Purple Rain” album with the lead single “When Doves Cry.”  “Doves” was another huge video hit on M-TV showing the lady killing star naked in a bathtub.  

Prince in his video for the single “When Doves Cry.”

My dear friend and mentor, Lee Swanson was a massive Michael Jackson fan but thanks to my urging, he was beginning to explore Prince’s music.  This brings us to late July and the opening night of the “Purple Rain” movie.  Lee and I were all in and showed up early to get tickets to the 7:00 showing at the Hillside Square Movie Theater.  This cinema had 4 screens which preceded the whole 20 screens googolplexes theaters that would come out in a few years.

Lee and I took seats in the last row of the center section and were totally into the film from the opening scene of Prince and the Revolution performing, “Let’s Go Crazy” to the final song of the film, “Baby I’m a Star.”  “Purple Rain” was a perfect mix of great music, family and backstage drama and even goofy humor, thanks to Morris Day of The Time. 

Seeing the buxom bare chest of Prince protege “Apollonia” in the scene at the lake was fine by us too.  This movie had a little bit for everyone and was a huge hit across the country and established Prince as a major music and now movie star.

Apolonia, about to jump into Lake Minnetonka.

Our theater was oversold and a group of folks had to stand in the aisle behind our last row seats for the whole film.  At one point, some of these moviegoers started talking loudly and yelling back at the screen. I wanted to focus on the dialog and was getting annoyed.  Finally, I turned to these yakkers and told them to shut up.  Lee quickly elbowed me in the ribs and whispered, “We’re the only white guys in this whole place!” He was right but those who gabbed DID quiet down.  (Me shouting down those loud movie goers was like what George Costanza did to some goofs in a “Seinfeld” episode titled “The  Opposite.”)

Like George Costanza would do years later on ‘Seinfeld’, I had to quiet down some rowdy talkers during “Purple Rain.”

Witnessing “Purple Rain” on the big screen, Lee Swanson fully appreciated the musical genius and appeal of Prince.  He loved Michael but ended up being almost as devoted to the purple clothed guitar slinging dude from Minneapolis.  Later in 1984, Lee was one of the first of us to see Prince in concert.

In fact, Lee got so into Prince, a few years later he dragged me and some friends out to see Prince’s bad movie, “Under the Cherry Moon”, which should’ve been titled “Under the Cherry Bomb!”

All of this “Purple Rain” fun was going on 40 years ago.  Lee has been gone for almost 30 years and I still miss him.  But, whenever I hear a song or see a clip from that film, I think of my pal and smile about our time at that movie and so many other great times we had together.  40 years ago, and it feels like yesterday.  

NEXT BLOG- When I know, you’ll know.

O.K., so I have a few more things on my mind to share while on my summer break, which is going just fine by the way.

Last week the Rolling Stones wrapped up a two-night stand at Soldier Field.  Many of my friends attended one or both shows and by all reports and video clips I saw, Mick, Keith and the rest of the guys were still in fine form.  I admire REM’s reasons to retire from road shows years ago to stave off any claims of their skills diminishing. However, the Stones still roll great at age 80!  And I would kill for that dark purple leather jacket Jagger wore.

Despite them being octogenarians, the Rolling Stones still bring it hard every night.

Another recent cool live event happened at the CMA fest in Nashville.  Newer star Jon Pardi paid homage to the 35^th anniversary of the release of Clint Black’s “Killin’ Time” debut album and song.  Jon invited Clint onstage to duet on “Killin’ Time” and they both killed it.

Jon Pardi & Clint Black knocked their duet out of the park.

Last Sunday I guested with my pal Jim Turano as he filled in for Dean Richards on his Sunday morning radio show on WGN AM 720.  One of the things we talked about was how 40 years ago was a great year for big albums from music acts who were known but hit it bigger with their releases in 1984.  Besides Springsteen’s “Born in the USA”, there was Prince’s “Purple Rain”, Van Halen’s “1984”, Madonna’s “Like a Virgin”, Bryan Adams’ “Reckless”, The Pretenders’ “Learning to Crawl”, REM’s “Reckoning” (my personal favorite of theirs) and Tina Turner’s smash solo record “Private Dancer.”  Also, Huey Lewis’ “Sports” disc was filling the radio airwaves with hits like “I Want a New Drug” and “The Heart of Rock n Roll.”  The “Sports” album was actually released in 1983 but from ’84 through 1990 Huey was on a massive high with hit songs and sold-out concerts.  I got to hang with Huey twice during this time and he was one of the nicest and most unaffected stars I ever met.

1984 was a banner year for landmark albums.

Speaking of anniversaries, July 9^th marks the 25^th anniversary of the first (and best) of the “American Pie” movies.  I still love that comedy. A bit raunchy and yet so truthful and even sweet as the teen characters pursued their sexual interests.  I even came up with a novel idea for the film that a co-worker got made for me. Somewhere in my closet I have a t-shirt that reads, “And This One Time at Band Camp…” And under that phrase is a picture of a flute.  (Figure out that one for yourself)

“And then this one time, at band camp…”

On the subject of current movies, I took a hard pass on Kevin Costner’s “Horizon” and the smash with kids “Inside Out 2”. However, I really liked “Thelma.”  Ninety-three year old June Squibb plays a grandmother who chases after the people who scammed her out of ten thousand dollars.  Richard Roundtree co-stars in this comedy about the elderly which doesn’t mock them and gives us all a preview of what we face as we age.

“Thelma” was a darn good movie. I graded it a B+.

O.K… it’s time to resume my summer break.  Yet, in a few weeks I’ll post a new blog.  It’s all about the time we all sang ‘Let’s Go Crazy.” Stay tuned.

Come 3 p.m. this Friday, my summer break begins.  It’s been another fun and challenging school year and our fantastic staff has more than earned our 6 ½ week  vacation… 

Can’t wait for more long days in my local pool, can you blame me?

The cicadas’ once every 17 years concert of sound is fading out so here are a few random thoughts:

Last week I re-watched the late 90’s mystery thriller “The Sixth Sense” and found it to actually be quite dull.  Filmmaker M. Night Shyamalan has had an interesting and much talked about career, but for my money, his best film was “Unbreakable.”  His next film “Trap” comes out on August 2^nd and is a reported psychological thriller as a father and daughter attend a concert while the dad is being watched and hunted by authorities.  Sounds intriguing.  There really aren’t many other new movies to look forward to this summer, unlike last year when we had the whole “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” thing happening.

The Sixth Sense wasn’t as good as I remembered it to be.

With the warm and steamy weather here, I’m spending a great deal of time at East End Pool and that will go full blast starting June 29^th.  It’s so good to reunite with my ‘Summer Family.’  I know I’ve said this before but it bears repeating. There are few things more appealing than seeing a woman in a tasteful one-piece swimsuit. Some bikinis are O.K. but ladies, ditch the thongs. They smack of desperation and look unsanitary.

The one piece swimsuit attracts without being a crude distraction.

While the Cubs and White Sox have been disappointing so far this season, I have a new set of score sheets printed and will be doing some at home score card tracking for various ballgames. (Holy crap, am I nerdy!)

Baseball nerds unite. Time to keep score of some ballgames on TV.

HOME WORK-

My home chores will include re-painting the trim on the front of my garage, water sealing the back steps and raking out the leaves, dust and assorted garbage out of my garage which luckily is not jammed up with much junk.  I also need to trim back some bushes and other growth in the yard. Our wet and warm spring has really made stuff overgrow.

I have a sleep study set for July (my first in 12 years) and need to look into buying a new set of tires for my car.

Other than these things, I need to get more research done to self-publish my memoir “Raised on the Radio” which I REALLY want to get out to the public next spring.  This past year flew by and I want to set up that book publishing and promotion the proper way.

I’ll be taking a break from blogging with the next post coming sometime in mid to late August.  Til then, it’s flip flops, t-shirts, swimming, sunning and living life without a set schedule.  I look forward to all of it!

Happy Summer to everyone!

I was a major REM fan since their debut release of the “Chronic Town” EP back in August of 1982.  I was in the midst of my college radio career at WRSE FM 88.7, based in the student union building at Elmhurst College. (Now called Elmhurst University) Few people knew who these guys were and their fandom slowly but steadily grew over the next several years.

I was way into REM ever since they released their debut music, an EP titled “Chronic Town.”

In the summer of 1983, I saw REM in concert for the first time during their tour to support the “Murmur” album.  Get this, it was a WXRT budget show at the Park West with opening act Let’s Active. Tickets cost me and my pals 4 bucks apiece! If you think that’s sweet, my close friends Marko and Bobbo saw the quartet from Athens Georgia the previous year in the student cafeteria at S.I.U. for two dollars! 

For me, of course it was the band’s songs that hooked me.  They were different and hard to put into a specific genre of musical style. You also were never sure of the meaning behind the songs. With Peter Buck’s jangling guitars and the often hard to decipher lyrics from lead singer Michael Stipe’s each of REM’s songs required close and repeated listening and I was fine with that.  Bill Berry’s drumming was a great compliment to each tune and bassist Mike Mills was a fine vocalist in his right. 

Thanks to my first career as a radio producer, I had the opportunity to meet the band members twice.  In person, these guys were just normal dudes with no pretense or attitude, in spite of their musical skills and accomplishments.  REM was cool because they didn’t TRY to be cool.  These guys just went about their craft without falling into typical rock or pop star cliches. 

An early pic of the group from Athens, Georgia.

REM’s music kind of lost me after 1994’s “Monster Album” but that record and the previous releases were enough to garner my lifetime admiration.   As far as my song favorites; I’d go with “Radio Free Europe”, “Talk About the Passion”, and the entire “Reckoning” album .  After that, each disc added more forever loves for me including my all-time favorite REM song, “Driver 8.” 

I bring up all this REM nostalgia (and I could list many more tunes I love and concerts of theirs I saw) because last week the band was enshrined into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.  A well-deserved and overdue honor that includes all four members because they all shared EQUALLY in songwriting credit and yes, the money earned from every track they ever recorded.  More of this can be learned in the two links I’m posting at the bottom of this blog as CBS journalist Anthony  Mason interviewed REM in well covered segments.

REM performs live for the very last time as they played the hit “Losing My Religion” at the Songwriters Hall of Fame event.

You’ll also see that REM will never play as a band again.  Their reasons for this reticence is honorable and accurate.  Don’t get me wrong, I like that The Who, Eagles and Rolling Stones continue to tour but for the quartet from Athens, Georgia, they’ve been there, done that, got the T-shirt and are gone for good. Once again, cool without trying to be cool.

Here are those 2 links to check out.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/r-e-m-discusses-bands-breakup-songwriters-hall-of-fame-honor-and-more

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/r-e-m-discusses-surprise-reunion-at-songwriters-hall-of-fame-reveals-why-there-wont-be-another

Next Blog: A last post before my summer break!