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 June 4^th marked the 36^th anniversary of the release of Bruce Springsteen’s biggest album ever, “Born in the U.S.A.”  Sure, the Boss was known for his “Born to Run” song and album, “Hungry Heart,” the single from “The River” plus rowdy and intense marathon live concerts, but mainstream mega-success had eluded the New Jersey singer-songwriter.

After 1980’s release of “The River”, Bruce followed up that well played concert tour with the mysteriously depressing, quiet and stark “Nebraska” album.  I actually love all the songs on “Nebraska” but it was an odd release to put out for a guy who had a top 40 hit in “Hungry Heart” and was knocking on the door of bigger things.

A few weeks before the “Born in the USA” album came out, radio stations and record stores got the lead single, “Dancing in the Dark”.  The synth tinged pop song sounded very un-Bruce-like.  Despite the fun B side of “Pink Cadillac”, there was concern among some Springsteen fans (myself included) that maybe he’d gone soft and light on us.  I voiced doubts that “Born in the USA” would sell well among the Springsteen devotees. 

Well I was way off about this and learned how wrong my prognostication was about a few days before the album hit stores on 6/4/84.  What sold me was when I took a call from my college radio friend Dave Ross.  At the time Dave was working in promotions at 95.5 FM,WMET rock radio and they’d gotten an advance copy of the new Springsteen album.  Dave was yelling excitedly to me over the phone about what a monster record “Born in the USA” was going to be.  He was in a production studio at WMET and started needle dropping on the vinyl record, speakers blasting the music over the phone to me. I was hearing searing samples of songs like “Cover Me”, “Bobby Jean”, “No Surrender” and of course the title track “Born in the USA.”  Just catching these snippets, it became apparent that “Dancing in the Dark” was the outlier of the album and an obvious pop hook to bring in the non-Springsteen fans to the record store.  The rest of the album was straight on rock with unforgettable melodies and lyrics.

On June 4^th I was at a mall record store getting my copy of “Born in the USA” and that slice of vinyl stayed on my turntable for the better part of the next two years.  Bruce Springsteen, newly pumped up with muscles from extra time in the gym was also loaded with hot new songs to play for his fans on a tour that started on June 29^th 1984 and landed for three shows at the Rosemont Horizon a couple weeks later.  I attended two of those Horizon shows and was blown away by Bruce’s new music along with songs from the previous years.  The E Street Band was in killer form, despite Little Steven Van Zandt leaving the group after the album was recorded to do his own solo album and tour.  Little Steven was replaced by ace guitarist Nils Lofgren and the E Street tribe added its first ever female member in New Jersey vocalist Patti Scialfa who years later would become the second Mrs. Bruce Springsteen.

After seeing the first of my two Boss shows at the Horizon I was walking back to the car with a buddy, just totally exhilarated by what we saw the previous three plus hours.  I remember thinking Bruce Springsteen’s professional and personal life would never be the same again.  He was on a rocket ride that in less than a year would move his concerts from hockey arenas to huge outdoor football stadiums and beyond.  Several hit songs would be mined from “Born in the USA” and the whole world would know and understand what a big deal the working class guy from Freehold, New Jersey was. 

More than three and a half decades have since passed, and I remember those days like they just happened yesterday. 

NEXT BLOG- A sneak peek at what the “New Normal” will look like.

Look, here’s how it is.  I stay inside a lot and I’m fine with it. To borrow a line from former Chicago Bears offensive lineman Dan Jiggetts when talking about the shelter in place lifestyle, “This is my moment. I was made for this!”  Besides teaching students online and feeding my cat ‘Trouble’ I’ve got music to listen to, TV to watch and internet surfing.  So here’s the latest I can share.

Female stars of movies, TV & music posting thirsty selfies in bikinis and underwear is out of control.  I covered this topic a couple of weeks ago but it’s a wildfire that just won’t burn out.  Put it this way, in two months of scrolling through the TMZ and Daily Mail websites for stories of interest, I’ve come across more chicks in thongs than a strip club Dee-jay sees it in ten years. 

I don’t want to list these starved for attention names anymore but country star Carrie Underwood deserves a quick note.  Carrie posted a bikini selfie then announced her fitness routine is so dedicated that she jogs in place while DOING THE LAUNDRY!  Way to inspire some women and infuriate many others Carrie. In other news, Carrie and her husband Mike Fisher will star in a four part mini-series titled “Mike & Carrie: God and Country” on the “I Am Second” You Tube channel.  They’ll discuss their marriage, the three miscarriages Carrie suffered and the couple’s differences.  I wish them the best but famous couples who take part in upfront & honest reality shows like this often see their relationships deteriorate.   

I also need to acknowledge Brooke Shields.  Getting to hang and laugh with her once many moons ago I’ve always had a soft spot for the former child star. She’s had a classy and graceful transition to adult celebrity model, actress, wife and mother and was very open about her past battles with depression. So when Brooke Shields poses in a tasteful swimsuit and looks amazing at age 54 or any age for that matter, I say way to go!

One of the ways to kill an hour or two at home is singing karaoke to pop and country instrumentals on You Tube.  With my house windows open the neighbors must think I’m nuts.  Lord knows when a local bar will be able to host a karaoke night again but when they’re ready I am too. The tunes I’ve been warbling include “Secret Agent Man”, “Little Sister”, “Son of a Son of a Sailor,” “I Knew The Bride When She Used to Rock n Roll”, Tom Petty’s “Listen to her Heart”,  Alan Jackson’s “Dallas” and Garth’s “Much Too Young to Feel This Damn Old.”

I’m not sure why it’s taking so long but this year’s Lollapalooza has yet to be cancelled. This is a no brainer.  Even in the non-pandemic days, this four day music fest is a Petri dish of more funkiness and germs than the Centers for Disease Control has ever seen. You take tens of thousands of drunken and stoned hacky-sack toting young people, then pen them up in a muddy field with filthy communal toilets and suspect food stands.  Sure. What could go wrong, right?

Finally, another music note, every Wednesday night Clint Black is hosting Facebook live chats where he answers fans’ questions and plays some of his music in acoustic style.  On June 19^th Black is releasing a new album titled “Out of Sane.” I’m looking forward to hearing Clint’s take on the Harry Nilsson classic “Everybody’s Talkin’” which seems tailor made for his voice.  One of the advanced cuts out now is a fun jumping track called “My Best Thinkin’.”

 NEXT BLOG- The anniversary of a landmark album.

Sheltering in place and teaching students remotely from my home computer has been the ‘new normal.’  Anyway, home teaching and school meeting coordination with no travel allows for some extra personal free time, so I’ve been catching up on some shows, movies and music I had yet to see and hear.

The first catch-up has been in binge watching the Netflix series “Ozark.”  Lots of drama and twists and I’ve always been a fan of star Laura Linney so it’s been fun. One point on co-star Jason Bateman, go to IMDB and take a look at his body of acting work in TV shows and movies, it’s more than impressive.   I’ve finally watched all 3 seasons of “Ozark” and am caught up with the rest of the viewing world.  Like everyone else hooked on this series, I can’t wait for season 4.  

 HBO brought me Bruce Springsteen’s movie “Western Stars” which tied in to his album of the same title.  The film had a limited release last year and garnered lukewarm reviews. It is mostly a concert performance in a barn on Springsteen’s New Jersey farm. The music is lush with a full orchestra backing up the boss but there’s not a stand-out new song to be heard.  Bruce narrates personal ponderings of his own life but they offer little insight. It seemed to me like he was throwing a lot of spaghetti on a wall, hoping for some of it to stick in our minds. Sorry, it didn’t happen.  We learned much more and got more from Bruce thanks to his auto-biographical Broadway show which wrapped up at the end of 2018.  

One thing I’m very proud of when it comes to my Netflix watching.  I have not seen even one second of “The Tiger King” series!  Sure the rest of the world raves about how nutty and wild that show is but I have zero interest in watching it. Sorry Joe Exotic, I don’t care how controversial or crazy you are, me falling down the rabbit hole of your show is not going to happen.

Comedian Jerry Seinfeld has a new Netflix stand-up special titled “23 Hours to Kill.”  He covers and kills on topics like text messages, all you can eat buffets and porta potties.  About half of the hour long show reflects on the differences and dynamics between single and married people and there’s plenty there to get you laughing.  Seinfeld is a detailed wordsmith and at age 65 he shows no slowdown in plying his oral trade.   

Reading all the tributes and accolades for Little Richard after his recent passing at age 87 has been a relief. The guy was one of rock’s pioneers and I’m glad younger folks who may not know much about him had a chance to learn a few things.  Little Richard’s influence on the Beatles, Rolling Stones, Elton John, James Brown, Prince and many others plus the presentation of androgyny in a performer are things that should never be forgotten. 

When I was producing the Larry Lujack show at WLS we had him on the phone to promote his role in the movie “Down and Out in Beverly Hills.”  Larry asked Richard how he’s able to sing the “woos” in his songs both old and new.  He said it came from his soul and tried to get Lujack to belt out a couple of loud “woos”!  The best Larry could do was a low key monotone “woo.”  It was hilarious to hear that exchange.  Little Richard’s passing spurred the airing of early his hits like “Rip It Up”, “Long Tall Sally”, “Lucille”, “Tutti Fruitti” & “Good Golly Miss Molly.” So I’m posting up the piano pounder’s 1986 hit from “Down and Out in Beverly Hills.”    

One more musical item to cover is the latest single from country superstar Luke Combs.  A timely song titled “Six Feet Apart.” Back when 9/11 happened, Alan Jackson eloquently touched what millions of Americans thought and experienced with the song “Where Were You When the World Stopped Turning.”  In a simpler but still effective way, Combs’ newly written track expresses similar pathos with “Six Feet Apart.” We can all identify with the emotions of frustration and wanting that this bastard virus has turned our thoughts to. Well done Luke Combs!    

NEXT BLOG- Some more Covid 19 related observations.

With our ‘Shelter in Place – Lockdown Life’, there’s been a welcome respite that went on for the past five weeks on Sunday nights. Of course I’m talking about the ESPN Docu-series “The Last Dance” which covered the amazing Bulls teams of the 1990’s. Two new one hour long episodes each week made us forget the fact that we haven’t had real sports to watch in over two months.

I don’t need to re-cap what was shown but the online and radio & TV talk about this series has been a great vein of entertainment to tap into.  The makers of the series have been interviewed often and each episode has been analyzed and dissected more than a bucket full of frogs in a high school biology lab. 

There’s also been blowback this week from former team mate Horace Grant who insists he was not the blabbing source to writer Sam Smith and his book “The Jordan Rules.”  Heck, there’s even been rebuttal from the guy who made the pizza that allegedly made Michael Jordan sick the night before his “Flu” game which was said to actually be food poisoning.  That pizza maker claims to be a Jordan fan, named his son after number twenty three and personally delivered a carefully and healthfully made pizza to the Bulls star’s hotel room.

“The Last Dance” was a fun historical whirl around the NBA courts, locker rooms and other locales.  And guess what?  As satisfying as all episodes were, I can’t help but think we could’ve done with a few more installments.  Yes, when we digest a great viewing meal like this one, some of us want more!

Like many, I graded “The Last Dance” an ‘A’ for excellence in content and presentation but it missed being graded an ‘A+.’ This is due to some glaring omissions in the coverage of the 1990’s Bulls.  I had no problem with much of each episode being focused Michael Jordan but there were side tales that should have been brought to the forefront.  Four more episodes in total would’ve rounded it all out.

So what was missing? How about Craig Hodges being the big story when the Bulls came to the White House after winning their first title in 1991?  Hodges showed up to meet President George H. W. Bush wearing a full-length dashiki and bearing an eight-page letter covering issues of racism he felt should be addressed.  There were the critical game contributions to the team by other players like Stacy King, Scott Williams, sharp shooting Bobby Hanson and forward Brian Williams. Brian Williams would go on to change his name to Bison Dele and ended up murdered five years after being part of the 1997 championship Bulls team.  He is believed to have been killed at sea by his older brother plus Dele’s girlfriend and the boat’s captain were also presumed to have been killed by this same brother.

None of the players I listed were not nearly as well known as Jordan, Pippen, Rodman, Grant, Paxson, Kerr and company, yet they offered special pieces to the Bulls title winning puzzles.  Featuring these stories in segments would’ve offered an even more complete telling of “The Last Dance.”

The ending of episode ten of “The Last Dance” was a letdown. Sure, it was cool to see never before shown footage of the team at their Utah hotel and Michael Jordan sitting at a piano while basking in the glow of a second three-peat.  And the final Bulls victory rally in Grant Park was fun to re-watch. However, the end, the last notes of the dance wrapped up with a quick text showing the dismantling of the ’98 Bulls. We read about Pippen and Rodman going to other teams, Michael retiring and Phil Jackson taking some time off.  That was it, a dull thud of a close-out.

I was expecting an entire hour to be dedicated to more details on what the main principles in the story did in their post Bulls days. However, doing so would have included Jordan ending up on the Washington Wizards in what was an anti-climactic finish to his amazing basketball career.  While not a major taint on his legacy, Michael would have been so much better off letting that last second winning shot in game 6 in Utah be his last pro shot ever.  In Episode eight MJ even told Ahmad Rashad he wanted to leave basketball before his skills took the inevitable downturn all players face.  I wish his Airness would’ve listened to his own original plan.

I feel the very best way to close out “The Last Dance,” would be to wrap up the players’ post Bulls epilogue first. Then for the very last segment, focus on coach Phil Jackson. That last segment would show the TV news footage of when Phil left the Berto Center for the very last time. Jackson parted ways with the Bulls the same way we’d all like to leave a company or a job, or a career; showing class, confidence and no regrets. Sitting on his motorcycle, Coach Jackson patiently answered some sports scribe’s queries on being done with the Bulls. He was calm as usual and explained it was time to go and he was happy to be moving on.  With that Phil kicked that Harley into gear and drove off into the sunset.  
Gentle visual fade, music swells and the dance is over.

NEXT BLOG-  Reviewing other things I’ve been watching and listening to.

My senior year in high school was a great one. Classmates and I were the big cheese and we had two final semesters of regular school to run through.  My second semester of senior year was a well planned out easy cruise. I started each day with three academic classes, none of them too challenging, and that was pretty much it!  After that I had lunch, P.E., a free period and then my Yearbook staff class. I worked part time at White Castle in Lombard but with my light class load there was plenty of time for hanging with friends, parties and my final year of playing varsity baseball for the York Dukes. 

Graduation in mid-June was a major event as over nine hundred senior grads bid farewell to high school and hello to the rest of our lives.  The day of the commencement, my family had a nice luncheon party for me at Elmhurst’s Café Parisen. After the ceremony we opened gifts and had cake at our house.  Then I went out to party with my fellow grads. It was a night of drunken (but safe) revelry.  Oh wait, at one party that night, the police came to break things up and some girl got sprayed with mace.  But other than that, all was cool as can be.  My summer was spent playing American Legion baseball for the Elmhurst team, more work at White Castle and lots of fun nights with my friends, many of whom were going away to college while I was set to start my higher education with classes at the College of DuPage in Glen Ellyn.

I bring up this memory because the high school senior class of 2020 as we all know, has been compromised in every way possible.  I feel so bad for these kids because they get none of what I and every graduating senior before this year have enjoyed for decades. 

Think of all they’re missing since the shutdowns and quarantines began in mid-March. Late winter and all spring sports cancelled, no spring plays, no musicals, no final band concerts, no honors society banquets or breakfasts, last field trips off, proms were called off, ditto for senior ditch day, the weekend parties when someone’s parents are away couldn’t happen, commencement ceremonies and backyard graduation parties with family and friends were deep sixed.  There’s also the idea that they were in their last days with classmates, many of whom they might never see again or at least until there’s a ten year reunion. This is not to mention the athletes aiming for college scholarships and those working towards academic honors, scholarships and admissions into college.  

I’ll be honest. If I were a high school senior and was missing all these special final things, I’d consider tanking my remote learning assignments and failing the semester. This way maybe I could come back next school year and take part all in the rituals and special events I missed out on. 

But these seniors aren’t going to do that, they’ve opted to endure. Most are completing their required classes online. Some are taking part in Zoom prom parties, online commencement events, having signs noting their graduation put in their yards and other gestures of acknowledgement that they are about to end their high school careers.  Here in Elmhurst, trees in front yards of seniors are wrapped in green ribbons for seniors at York and blue ribbons for seniors attending Immaculate Conception High School. There have been parades of cars rolling by the homes of grads, the cars & vans plastered with signs, balloons and the honking of horns. My neighborhood has seen at least a dozen of these processions. 

I greatly admire the whole nation of American high school seniors. Oh I’m sure behind closed doors there’s been tears, tantrums and angst over this crappy deal, it’s understandable.  Still, for the most part on TV news reports and online stories, I’ve seen and heard hundreds of examples of good humor and the attitude of “We’ll make the best of this unforeseen situation.”  

I also feel similar hurt for those graduating from college and how their final weeks in school should be celebrated and honored in ways that can’t be done at this time.  This isn’t how crowning achievements should end.  Looking ahead, I hope there can be some semblance of normalcy so next year’s class of 2021 doesn’t have to face the same disruptions.  But if that DOES happen, they can learn from the patience, accepting nature and resilience of the class of 2020. 

Happy graduation to all!    

NEXT BLOG- Things I’ve been watching and listening at home.

DISCLAIMER- Today’s blog, despite the pics that go with it, is not meant to be a gratuitous cheesecake photo collection for horn dogs.  Just bear with me, O.K.?

The ‘Shelter in Place’ life we’re living due to Covid 19 has brought out the restlessness in many female celebrities.   There are no parties to attend, no shopping, no lunches at L.A.’s trendy Ivy restaurant, and of course no work projects to be part of.

 So what’s a girl to do?  I know!  Post lots of selfies of yourself in swimsuits to remind the world just how ‘hot’ you still are!  So here’s a small sampling of the famous fillies I’ve been spotting on numerous websites like TMZ, Perez Hilton, Daily Mail, etc. (Jeez, I gotta get a life!)

First off, I’m not including any pics or comments on the Karadshian/Jenner women. Those dizzy twits get enough exposure in their photo-shopped string bikini pics postings.  The fact that these goofs are mega-millionaires only depresses me that American culture continues to embrace these vapid vamps.  

 KATE BECKINSALE- This soon to be forty-seven year old actress (please name me ONE notable movie she’s been in) makes news with each new young fella she dates.  There was the brief affair with SNL star Pete Davidson but before and since then there’s been a parade of other men, all young enough to be an adult son of hers. Kate seems to thrive on the ‘cougar’ reputation she’s earned and makes no apologies.  Ms. Beckinsale also finds every opportunity to post up pics of just how slim and trim she’s managed to stay. 

HELENA CHRISTENSEN– Up until recently, I hadn’t seen this former supermodel make much news in at least ten years.  Helena is now 51 and has recently taken to posting lots of swimsuit pics on social media.  Guys, it appears that Helena is single. VERY single.

JANUARY JONES The 42 year old former “Mad Men” star has recently been posting so many swimsuit selfies that it’s hard to keep track of them all.  Her bikini bender is kind of sad. And guess who realizes how messed up this is? January Jones herself! Here’s a direct quote from Ms. Jones last weekend after she put up new bikini shots.  “I’m troubled by this. What’s become of me?”     

ELIZABETH HURLEY-  For the past several years I’ve wondered if the fifty-four year old model/actress even owns clothing that isn’t a teeny weeny bikini.  Yeah, she looks great but we kind of get it, you & swimwear are a nice combination.  Now please give us a year or two of no swimsuit posts.

PAULINA PORIZKOVA On a CBS Sunday Morning interview two months ago, the fifty five year old former Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue model talked about being understandably hurt over being left out of her late husband’s will.  Married to the Cars’ Ric Ocasek but separated at the time of his death last September, she nonetheless cared for him as he recovered from health issues before he passed on. Paulina also evoked favor by posting make-up free photos of her aging self, gray hair, wrinkles, crow’s feet and all.  She was telling our looks obsessed society, “This is what getting older really is.” Women praised this brave move.  However, after the CBS interview and the brutally honest portrayal of her physical flaws, Paulina Porizkova has done a 180 degree turnabout!  She took a pre-pandemic tropical vacation and posed for numerous photos in barely there bikinis.  Now these pics are popping up all over the place online.  

Now some of you may be saying, “So what Mick?  These women look great and want to show their looks off to the world. What’s your problem?”  Fair enough.  However, a constant run of these photos connotes a feeling of neediness.  Some say these middle aged women are displaying confidence, I say just the opposite is true.    

There’s a decade old slang word the younger folks use to describe what I mean.  These women are “thirsty.”   To clarify, being ‘thirsty’ means you are- Overly eager and desperate, usually for attention, approval, or compliments.

Thirsty? These women look parched and yes, desperate.     

In the 1992 movie “Singles” there was a great line spoken by a woman trying to meet up with a potential suitor via a dating service. she said, “ Desperation,. it’s the world’s worst smelling cologne.” 

So to Kate, Helena, January, Elizabeth and Paulina, I say, “Get over yourself, you look fine but you don’t have to keep seeking approval and confirmation of that fact… Oh, and have a drink, you look a little thirsty.

NEXT BLOG- Honoring the Class of 2020.     

Like many music fans I find it so hard to nail down the very best concert I ever saw. Plenty of shows are memorable to me.  Seeing Elton John, The Who or Bruce Springsteen for the first time all have special meanings. The same goes for two straight nights of Bowie in ‘83, seeing the Rolling Stones twice, or country shows by Garth Brooks, Clint Black or Travis Tritt.  But if I can’t name my very favorite live event, I do know that in the top two would be the multi-act concert I saw at age twenty-five.  It was a long night of music called the “Conspiracy of Hope” which was tied to the Amnesty International organization. This concert happened on June 13th, 1986 at the Rosemont Horizon, now known as the Allstate Arena.

My pal Lee Swanson landed me and several friends in the tenth row of the main floor for the show.  The Amnesty Tour was only six shows long and Chicago was the next to last stop.  The acts that performed that night were Joan Baez, The Neville Brothers, Lou Reed, Bryan Adams, Peter Gabriel, U2 and the Police!  Oh, and there was a surprise twenty minute comedy set by Robin Williams who was so hilarious, I couldn’t get the laughs out fast enough as he had a whole roll of rapid fire jokes to blast on us.

I missed Baez’s opening set because I was driving to the Horizon from my job producing  Larry Lujack’s afternoon radio show at WLS. I caught all the other acts and each was spot on great. Lou Reed sounded as monotone cool as his records, kicking off the set with his Velvet Underground standard “Rock n Roll.”  That was followed by newer solo work like “I Love You Suzanne” and “No Money Down.”  Of course we heard “Walk on the Wild Side” and things closed out with another new track, “Video Violence.”

Bryan Adams favored the sold-out arena with “Somebody”, “Summer of 69”, “Run to You” and a cool cover of the Beatles’ “Get Back” among others.  I’d never seen Adams live before and he smiled broadly throughout his turn to play.  I was also new to the Peter Gabriel live experience and his passion and animated ways made for a killer combination.  “Shock the Monkey” and earlier solo hits were fun to hear but the highlight was when Gabriel closed his set with “Biko”, the song about murdered human rights activist Steven Biko.  The entire crowd was singing the deliberate chorus of “Oh Biko,.. Biko.., because Biko..” and as he prepared to exit the stage, Peter told the crowd “The rest is up to you.” He meant this two ways: one, it was up to the fans to keep singing that chorus after he was gone and second, it was up to all the fans to keep up the fight for human rights.  It was a chilling moment, the kind that never leaves you.

U2 was next up and they blew the roof off the joint.  Over the previous five years, Bono and his band had been steadily growing in popularity but they hadn’t yet broken all the way through to the mainstream.  This was a year before “The Joshua Tree” album busted them loose to mega-star status but they were bubbling so close, right at the precipice of major fame.  In the dark of the stage like a sonic boom the band cranked into their Martin Luther King tribute “Pride, In the Name of Love.” Bono charged the stage like he was leading a prison break. I never heard the Rosemont Horizon this loud before or since.  It came from the band’s performance and the fans willing U2 to clock their official stamp on the show.  There was just something special about the timing of the band’s appearance and how they played, a real harmonic convergence.

Next up was the anthem “Sunday Bloody Sunday” followed by Bob Dylan’s “Maggie’s Farm” which was infused with snippets of John Lennon’ “Cold Turkey” and James Taylor’s “Fire and Rain.”  Bono, Edge, Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen had this crowd in the palm of their hands.  A slowed down cover of the Beatles “Help” with portions of “Walk on the Wild Side”, “Norwegian Wood”, “Biko” and “Candle in the Wind” tossed in was next.  Bono was already a rock star but I always saw this performance as his true coming out party.  The guy was now officially a major force to be reckoned with!  Then U2 brought Lou Reed out again and they pounded out the anti-apartheid “Sun City.”  All acts that night played songs with the theme of justice and political change but U2 stole the night.

Here’s how great U2 was; when the Police came out to do the final set of the night, it was anti-climactic!  Sting and company played their hits just fine and fans were thrilled to see the trio back together for one of the first times since 1983 but it rang hollow. We already saw the climax before the end of the movie.  This was not because of what the Police didn’t bring to the stage but what U2 did bring to it.

Witnessing this rare coming together of performers was beyond special.  As I said, I don’t know what my personal favorite concert ever is, but this long night of talent will always be in the mix.  June 13^th 1986 was a Friday night, and this was one Friday the 13^th that proved to be nothing but good luck for all of us who were there.

NEXT BLOG- Famous women who are too thirsty.

**Just in case you didn’t know, Covid 19 stands for CORONAVIRUS DISEASE and the 19 is due to the year it was unleashed.  The ‘19’ part bums me out. 19 was the number I wore from sophomore through senior years when I pitched for the York High School baseball team.  I took that same number when playing for the WLS AM 89ers softball team. Jonathan Toews, one of my favorite Chicago Blackhawk players, wears number 19. For many years that 2 digit integer was my lucky number.  I know compared to all the deaths and illnesses tied to this pandemic it’s a minor issue but this bastard virus has forever tainted 19 for me.

**Watching TV and social media coverage of the closing of salons these past few weeks has been eye opening for me. I had NO idea how many women color their hair!  I was totally in the dark and this is coming from a guy whose father owned a beauty shop for over 20 years.  No judgment here, but I encourage women to give their natural hair color, even when it’s gray, a chance.

** Meanwhile my hair keeps growing longer which is fine but don’t look for a pony tail to happen.  You’ll never see me trying to be “Mr. Sensitive Ponytail Man.”  My ‘Quarantine Beard’ is getting thick and with the warmer weather I anticipate some discomfort so I’m ordering a new beard trimmer to pare down the face fuzz to something more manageable.

**With so many of us doing work related ZOOM video conference calls, I’m asking for someone to design a bathrobe that looks like a suit coat or dress shirt.  And please hurry!

**Like millions of folks, I miss getting together with friends at a bar for a few beers and a lot of laughs. So for the first time in years, I bought a 12 pack of beer for home consumption.  Whenever I have the need to feel ‘normal’ I open the fridge and slowly savor a bottle of suds.  By the way, just in case anyone wants to favor me with some free foamy goodness, my ale of choice is Shiner Bock.

**The pub burgers sold at Jewel are beyond delicious.  One juicy patty, grilled at home, and I lose all desire to hit a fast food drive thru for several days.

**Al Flash and I have written more COVID 19 song parodies than I can count. I look forward to making music about topics other than this awful virus ASAFP.

**Anyone who reads my blogs & Facebook posts knows how much the summer swim season at Elmhurst’s East End Pool means to me.  With Covid 19 restrictions going on, I have the sinking feeling (no pun intended) that our pool won’t open this year.  Yet, I hold out hope.

**CBS Sunday Morning just interviewed the iconic Julie Andrews and her book co-writer & daughter Emma Walton Hamilton. To cope with our ‘shelter in place’ situation, Emma offered advice from her mom: When in doubt, stand still.” 

**I’ve often said when you take away her goofy drug talk, the tongue sticking out and off kilter dance songs, Miley Cyrus is an amazing singer. I love her versions of Tom Petty’s “Wildflowers” and her godmother Dolly Parton’s classic “Jolene.”  Last week on Saturday Night Live, Miley knocked Pink Floyd’s “Wish You Were Here” out of the park.  Well done girl!

NEXT BLOG: The best concert I ever saw gets a review.

Two weeks ago I posted a Facebook query asking friends to volunteer a movie most others like but they don’t. I got a load of wide ranging responses, everything from “Avatar” to “Zoolander.”   There were many anti-Avatars and considering how much money that film made, I can see how some would check it out and then go “meh, not for me.” Lots of women did not like “The Godfather.”  My guess is they didn’t enjoy seeing how in 1940’s Mafia life the women were treated like second rate citizens.

Everyone has their favorite and least favorite movies.  It’s a subjective issue and there’s no right or wrong, only opinions.  So with that I give you three films that were very well received both critically and at the box office,.and I don’t like them!

GHOSTBUSTERS-  I know why this one was such a money huge maker but it had nothing to with the quality of the script or the acting.  Director Ivan Reitman had two former Saturday Night Live members in the cast (Bill Murray & Dan Ackroyd), a hit theme song “Ghostbusters” from Ray Parker Jr. and the logo of a ghost with a circle and a slash through it, just when international signs like that were taking hold. T-shirts with the Ghostbuster logo were a big deal and worn by many.  By the way, Ray Parker Jr. was sued for ripping off musical riffs from Huey Lewis’ hit “I Want a New Drug” and the money matter was settled out of court for the always popular “Undisclosed Amount.”  The first third of “Ghostbusters” was mildly entertaining with Murray, Ackroyd and Harold Ramis trying to drum up business for ridding buildings of bad spirits.  Then we had Murray’s mugging for the camera and being Mr. Glib when trying to romance Sigourney Weaver. At this point things were slipping and as soon as ghost number one was removed from a hotel banquet room, the movie died for me.  It became a supernatural beast chasing farce with the Stay-Puf Mashmallow Man as its key character. The special effects took over “Ghostbusters” and I found it to be lame. I know I’m in the minority with this one but I still see the movie as nothing more than an elongated SNL bit with a catchy song and not much more.

“FIGHT CLUB” I’m a big fan of Director David Fincher who has brought us dark movies like “Seven,” “Zodiac”, “The Game”, “Gone Girl”, “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” and “The Social Network.” However, “Fight Club” was a disappointment to me and I’ll never get what people saw in it. Well, you did have a buff, shirtless & very scummy looking Brad Pitt to look at.  Then there was the curious but clueless venturing of Edward Norton and a really filthy sex tramp in Helena Bonham Carter. There WAS one key line that people took from this movie and still quote it to this day.  “The first rule of Fight Club, you do not talk about fight club.”  One line of dialog does not a movie make.  Ugh.  The story plodded along with escalated brawls and a mystery as to what may happen at the end.  The film ended with the flat taste of a glass of Coke that was left in the sun all day.  Sorry Brad, Edward, Helena and Mr. Fincher, but when it comes to praising good movies, my first rule is to not talk about “Fight Club.”

“FIELD OF DREAMS”- I saved this most overrated (in my opinion) movie for last.  Again, there’s a catch line filmgoers latched on to like barnacles on an old rusty fishing boat, “If you build it, they will come.”  Jeesh.  Here we have farmer and family man Ray Kinsella (Kevin Costner) listening to weird voices that tell him to construct a baseball field in his acreage so some old time players from the disgraced 1919 Chicago White Sox can come out of nowhere.  Really?  This is your idea for a film? It sounded like one of those ‘wonderment’ stories from “The Twilight Zone”, certainly not a 107 minute love letter to baseball romantics.  Full disclosure, I played years and years of baseball and still enjoy watching the game, but this story reeked of maudlin sappiness.  I’ll never forget when the film ended; I was walking out with the crowd at the Oak Brook movie theater and grown men were sobbing, crying like their hearts were broken!  I felt like smacking these wimps in the face but that would’ve made them cry harder.  Not long after seeing “Field of Dreams” I read the best critique of the movie.  The comment was: “Field of Dreams was designed to make the Reagan generation feel good about baseball.”   Wow!  Truer words were never said, and I didn’t need this trite movie to appreciate America’s favorite past time.

Sometime in the future I’ll have to tap in to two of three films that I find to be underrated and underappreciated.

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Everyone has their favorite songs of all time.  Some were number one smash hits, others may have been top 20 songs or even album tracks.  It’s all subjective and the gamut of preferences can range from heavy metal to basic rock n roll, to soft ballads, bubblegum pop, jazz, country music, etc.

So with baseball season currently on hold, I thought I’d offer a ‘triple play’ of songs that I never tire of; tunes that I could listen to a million times and would still want to hear more plays of them.

“SATISFACTION GUARANTEED”- The Firm.   This was a British supergroup featuring singer Paul Rodgers (Free, Bad Company, Queen) guitarist Jimmy Page (Yardbirds, Led Zeppelin) drummer Chris Slade from Uriah Heep, Manfred Mann & AC/DC and bass player Tony Franklin.  On their debut disc, the first single was “Radioactive” which landed at #28 on the charts.  The next single & video was “Satisfaction Guaranteed” which failed to chart and that is a travesty.  Paul Rodgers is one of the most underrated singers in rock history and is still going strong on solo tours and road runs with Bad Company.  Page’s guitar is strong on this cut but its Rodgers’ vocals that make this an aces song.

“GIMME LITTLE SIGN” Brenton Wood.  Born Alfred Jesse Smith in Shreveport Louisiana in 1941, Wood graduated high school then chased his music making dreams in Los Angeles. Speculation is he changed his name to emulate the wealthy L.A. district of Brentwood but that was never confirmed.  Wood who played keyboards, wrote “Gimme Little Sign” and in 1967 it made it to #9 on the pop charts and #19 on the R&B side.  But for me this song is a number one hit and one everybody should know and appreciate.

“THE SALT IN MY TEARS”  MARTIN BRILEY This ‘I’m better off without you’ song only made it to #36 on the Billboard singles chart in 1983 but the video was in heavy rotation on M TV. This was back when M TV actually played music videos.  Martin Briley was a one hit wonder, never charting again as a singer.  However Briley has written songs for N’Sync, Celine Dion, Michael Bolton, Kenny Loggins, Gregg Allman & Barry Manilow.  That’s quite a wide range of artists to pen for.  Still, “The Salt in my Tears” is a track worth hearing again and again.

So there’s a quick sample of personal favorites from me. I’ll be posting up some more links to other ‘never get tired of’ songs in the near future.

NEXT BLOG: Movies others love and I never did.