The Losses just keep on coming

This has been a tough year in general for losing people. I lost count of the famous people that died. I remember before Michael, Patrick and Farrah died blogging about Ed McMahan and someone else that died, then saying "I wonder who's going to be the third"? Third? I wish. The grim reaper took half of Hollywood with him.

Unfortunately I got new this week of two people in my life that passed that I was never informed about. Both were very special to me. One was like a surrogate mother to me after my real mom died. My real mom was from Arkansas and my adopted mom was from Oklahoma. I have to admit that my adopted mother was probably a better mother to me than my bio-mother. The other person that died was my adopted mother's daughter. She was like a sister to me. I believe she was a year younger than me as well. We shared long summers together in 1968 thru 1970. Her brother was my best friend during those times. He would eventually give me the fatal news this week.

I've learned something that I MUST pass on to everyone out there. It's so important to greive the loss of your loved one. I did my best to pretend when my mom died (when I was 10) and when my father died, I was a pro at it. Then when my German Shepherd died in 2005; I fell apart. It ripped me to shreds. It wasn't just my K-9 companion, but the loss of my parents too that tore me inside out. 30 years of denial came back to get it's revenge. And it did.

Now that I get news of two more loved ones dying; I can't help but mourn. I've been in a hard to explain depression for a week now. So of course it's not just these two that are weighing so heavy on my mind, but everyone else that's died in the last 40 years.

Don't deny it. It will get you. Some how, some where, or some time, it will catch up with you; or you don't have a heart.

Did Peter Frampton Kill Rock and Roll?.....No

Blame it on IBM

We went from "The Holly Hay Ride" to "Arena Rock" to "Indie" all in about 40 years. It's safe to say that the Indie market is eating the "Music Industry" whole. When asked if he were offered a Warner Brothers Contract in a recent interview, a former chart topper from the 80's said he would have to think long and hard about it.

Rock Music was a fad. Yes, a generational fad. It went from the innocense of the Holly Hay ride in the late 50's to sold out Football stadiums holding 100,000 plus in a little over 15 years. With the exception of a little spurt in 91 in Seattle Washington; Rock Music stopped filling stadiums.

What happened between 1958 and 1975?

Frampton comes alive sold 6 million copies in a week.

Music (over night) went from being an art form to "Product".

The Industry had found what they were looking for. A mega cash cow. Peter was handsome AND had Rock credibility having played with Humble pie. His solo albums were MOR and safe for a changing audience. But just as quickly as Frampton came alive; he left. But the formula was on the chalk board. Pretty face plus Rock Credibility = Album sales. This led to a hideous saturation of what would be known as "Hair" bands in the 80's and early 90's. The keyword in the previous statement was "Saturated". It got to the point where there was something for everyone and nothing for all of them. Acts such as Def Leopard and Van Halen appealed to the pseudo metal crowd. (Those to afraid of Metallica) Journey was the closest band for the masses. Springfield appealed to the Dylan generation. YES appealed to the musicians. Rock music became incredibly fragmented.

Remember the phrase United we stand?

The hardest thing for a band to overcome today is the "15 second pitch" OR, the answer to the question:"What kind of music do you play"? How can anyone that's original answer this question. Think about it. Everything has been bastardized to a point of absurdity. Brian Setzer has a song on his album 13 where he talks about

"Really Rockabilly" He says there's Nuvo Rockabilly, Psycho Rockabilly, there's Starbucks Orange County Rockabilly, There Euro Ja Ja wir machen Rockabilly, There's western traditional blues sinfluenced Rockabilly, there's Australian shrimp on the Barby carry your surfboard to Sears to buy your rolled up Levis Rockabilly.

You get the picture.

The Fad called Rock music was constantly being escorted by the likes of the Stones. Then eventually The Ramones, then in the late 90's the computer came and slew everything and everyone.

Rock music (now in it's 40's)was the music of a previous generation. I sympathize with the Glenn Millers and Cab Calloways of the world. Even Glenn Miller never played to a 6 figure audience. I can remember in the 90's asking my two boys (teens) who stole my RHCP album. They said: "Dad, we don't listen to rock"

What a sobering age affirmation. What an epiphany,

Rock was Born in 1956. It's zenith was 1975. I don't think Rock is dead, it's just been put on a shelf next to Cole Porter, Frank Sinatra and Mozart.

What replaced Rock music? Rock use to be a way of life. Rock was an active form of leisure. When the new Queen album came out, you ran down to Tower Records, paid your 6.95, raced home and "Dropped the needle on it" .

The first time you listened to it; you sat back in your bean bag with your head phones plugged into your Sony 50 watts per channel reciever as this black disc twirled at 33 rpms on a "Technique" turn table. The signal went through something called a 24 band equalizer (so you could hear every violin and Chelo note) And then you indulged in what ever vice you used to relax.

The 2nd time you listened to it, you blasted it out your Marantz/JBL/ or if you bought in the late 70's; BOSE 901 series speakers. (unless you lived in an apartment then you had the 501 book shelf speakers that blew your neighbors away.

Part of that first listen was all about reading the album cover and inner sleeve. People use to have parties when the new so and so album came out.

Now the same age kids are playing PS3 or Wii. And music is just part of the ambience as they are killing Halo beings. What we use to call Stereos are now simple boom boxes. You would be hard pressed to find a "component audio system".

Sometimes I take my band's P.A. (2000 watts per channel) and hook up a walk man to it and play the White album til my windows rattle. Ah the good ol' days.

No Rock isn't dead, but it hasn't exactly had any grand kids to speak of. Or if it has, They're all at Itunes. Something for everyone and divided we've fallen.

Oh what I'd give to hear that needle drop, feel the static electricity of the celophane being taken off the album and to feel the sound of The Dave Clark Five again for the first time.

STRIKE BACK

To The Protest Health Care Reform Bill



They've ignored our rallies-town hall meetings-phone calls-faxes-emails and letters! NO MORE!!!!! National Strike Day---Black Friday! Show Pelosi and her people that THEY WORK FOR US!!!!

DO NOT BUY ANYTHING THAT DAY, CALL IN SICK IF IT DOES NOT ENDANGER YOUR JOB, DO NOT DRIVE UNLESS IT IS AN EMERGENCY

Our local businesses are being destroyed every day by this administration. This is something that they would also want. Do you think they want to be required to provide health insurance for all of their employees or get fined? The health care reform bill HURTS small businesses.

Black Friday is of enormous importance to American retailers and, while an examination of the quarterly SEC filings of major retailers such as Wal-Mart or Target shows that most retailers intend to and actually do make profits during every quarter of the year, some retailers are so dependent on the Christmas shopping season that the quarter including Christmas produces all the year's profits and compensates for losses from other quarters.!!

STEVE PAVLINA ~ Arrested Devlopment for Regular People

Steve Pavlina is a legendary blogger. He makes his living giving away free advice.

Unfortunately, sometimes you get what you pay for.

I'm not taking a jab at Steve because he's ruined his marriage and effected the future of his children; However I do think it's fair to call it hypocracy when you have a blog called Personal Development for Smart People and a book by the same name.

I had some respect for Steve prior to his polyamory blog. After exchanging emails with Steve, I realized that it doesn't matter what I say or think, we're all going to make our own beds that we sleep in. I do feel for Erin and the children. I suggested that Steve change the name of the site to Personal Devlopment for Regular people, because that's all Steve is, just a regular person getting caught up in his own hubris. Of course I was banned from the forum by Steve for saying that. (and it was on Erin's forum)

Having been on the losing side of a divorce, I do what I can to help others avoid divorce. Steve basically called me judgmental and told me never to talk to him again.

Does this divorce surprise me? I don't think it surprised any of the Smart People.