My first actual column of 2020 will run this coming Monday.
In the meantime, this is a recently re-discovered 2 hour program of music I put together for Cherry Cola’s Rock and Rolla Cabaret and Lounge a decade ago to play when bands or DJs wanted to take a break. I don’t think they ever used it, but it represents one way a radio station could sound if they threw the idea of ‘format’ out the door and just played some energy music the DJ felt like playing …which is exactly what I did.
I do not do well during the Holidays.
I look back at the year just passed and wonder if I did well …moved forward …accomplished some of my goals, and years ago, before the practice of ageism robbed me of being able to use my skill set to create and work and earn a paycheque, I could endure the passing of yet another year, but these days, it is difficult to channel all the energy, creative juices, and desire still active inside of me, to continue to hope that the songs will finally get recorded, the book will finally get edited, the radio ideas tried, the TV show and movie brought to fruition …having taken everything as far as I can on my own, I just can’t seem to find that person or persons to open the doors I need opened.
Well then! Your fearless columnist stayed up on line all night all last week, scouring the virtual globe as it were, asking anyone and everyone he surfed across out there that timeless and timely musical question:
“WHY WOULD YOU REALLY RATHER BE LISTENING TO THE BEACH BOYS THIS DECEMBER 25th?”
Miss Part One? Click here
There were only 4 responses to my request for comments favouring a Part 2 concerning the 2019 AMAs, 3 of which half-heartedly clamored for one (probably because they are nice people and thought if they didn’t it would hurt my feelings), and the 4th from an old friend and fellow scribe/music hostage/old guy complaining about how impossible it is to read these columns because of the white words and black background. The words are actually light grey and the black is called “Midnight Black”, but try as I might (and believe me, I’ve tried), it can’t be done. AND, If I change it, 2500 columns will be affected and look like poop, so, sorry Richard. Also, having Glaucoma makes reading black print on white difficult for me, producing headaches and the occasional sneezing fit, so …I will send my friend a copy of the book when it’s finally done, which will be black on white, but with not many pictures, because other than my own personal pictures, the pictures I use in these columns I swipe from other sites and some want me to PAY for them! I mean, really …have you EVER?
Now then …where were we ….?
Saw the hip doc yesterday….time for a checkup. After 14 years my bionic hip is still in rock solid shape. Yes, there’s a little wear and tear but after all this time I can still do the hippy hippy shake. I’m extremely fortunate it’s lasted this long and the doc ….he’s smiling.
I decided to walk from Queen and Victoria over to Sherbourne and Bloor (downtown Toronto). I haven’t strolled around these parts in years. It evolved into a walk down memory lane. Chris and I moved into our first apartment together on Sherbourne between Dundas and Shuter. It had brilliant orange balconies and we were situated on the top floor. Complete with sunken living room, 12-foot ceilings and a huge bedroom we were set. We hunkered down there for two years before we became Beach residents.
So rarely does an Awards Show come along that enthralls as well as entertains, educates as well as enlightens, and stinks up a room less than a Tour Bus full of Used KFC Buckets, 2 Weeks worth of Green Day’s unwashed sweaty stage socks, and the urinal odor of R. Kelly’s bedroom, but this year’s AMA’s managed to do just that.
Not by much, really, but still ….
Looking back, the musical and lifestyle Centre of the Universe that came into being in the mid ’60s wasn’t heralded by an anthem grown and harvested locally. It was heralded by an edited 10 page-long poem written by a boy from Wisconsin, and set to music played by young and mostly forgotten studio musicians and recorded in New York.
In August of 1965 THIS is the song that Echoed in the Canyon from Sunset Strip to the San Fernando Valley. This is the song that fueled the moment.
It couldn’t be more ironic ….
Bullseye Records of Canada
