Never Get Out Of The Boat

Many years ago while on a canoe trip, one of my fellow campers introduced me to a book that would be come a favorite of mine.  I got introduced to this book in the late 1970s.  The book is "Dispatches" by Micheal Herr.  The book is regarded as one of the finest books about the Viet Nam War.  What I didn't realize is that the same Michael Herr wrote all of the narration in the movie "Apocalypse Now." There are many different points of trivia that I could mention about the movie, but please go here for some good tidbits.  When I was in the Army, I would go out to a training ground to support all sorts of units.  In the middle, there was an impact zone where all the rounds from the tanks, artillery, and machine gun fire would end up.  I brought that novel with me once, but because of the live fire in the background, it made it hard to read about war.  A book should not come with it's own sound effects.  In the film, Kurtz reads the poem "The Hollow Men" by T.S. Elliot. Elliot was inclined to write the poem by Joseph Conrad the writer of "Hearts of Darkness" which "Apocalypse Now" is based.  This is the original ending that I saw in the movie theater years ago, but on the DVD releases, it has been changed to a peaceful ending. I still believe that war is hell and that peace is a better alternative.

Music for today:

Grateful Dead
November 22, 1972
Municipal Auditorium
Austin, TX
listen here

Grateful Dead
November 24, 1972
Dallas Memorial Auditorium
Dallas, TX
listen here

Grateful Dead
November 26, 1972
San Antonio Civic Auditorium
San Antonio, TX
listen here

Texas Trippin'

The shows that I am listening to now are the swing through Texas in 1972.  I need to write more about the music that I am listening to then the other things that are going in my life now that the football season has about ended. The other winter sports don't thrill me much.  There will be the Winter Olympics coming up in a few weeks and a month long movie festival to write about, but the focus need to be on the shows at hand.  The first one at Hofheinz Pavilion on 11/18/72 has the best Playing in the Band according to the late great Dick Latvala.  The next show at the same location has a very sweet transition of Dark Star>WRS Prelude (first ever)>Mississippi Half Step.  This is a combo that can't be beat.  I will write more on the rest of the shows as they come up this weekend.

Music for today:

Grateful Dead
November 18, 1972
Hofheinz Pavilion
Houston, TX
listen here

Grateful Dead
November 19, 1972
Hofheinz Pavilion
Houston, TX
listen here

More Minnesota Music

I read an article in the local paper today about Matin Zellar who was the frontman for the band The Gear Daddies.  He had his own band that did a Neil Diamond tribute show.  I had a roommate many years ago that was from Austin, MN (the home of the Gear Daddies.)  He went to school with the drummer and was still friends with him when they made it big.  Here is a performance of them playing on David Letterman doing "Stupid Boy."  The next is them doing the song "Zamboni" at the Fine Line Music Cafe in Minneapolis.  The next band is The Jayhawks.  Here is the song "Blue."  They also made it on David Letterman as well doing the song "Save It For A Rainy Day."  The last song by the Jayhawks is "Waiting For The Sun." The last is an early performance of The Replacements playing at 7th Street Entry. The Entry is a small club connected to First Ave.  The song is "Kids Don't Follow."

Music for today:

Grateful Dead
November 14, 1972
Oklahoma City Music Hall
Oklahoma, OK
listen here

Grateful Dead
November 15, 1972
Oklahoma City Music Hall
Oklahoma, OK
listen here

Grateful Dead
November 17, 1972
Century II Convention Hall
Wichita, KS
listen here

Bob Geldof

The focus for today is the artist Bob Geldolf.  His career went from The Boomtown Rats, to staring in The Wall, and heading up Live Aid in 1985.  The first song features Bob in "Comfortably Numb."  The next is an interview with Bob explaining his feelings about Live Aid.  The next is The Boomtown Rats performanc of "I Don't Like Mondays" at Live Aid 1985. The reason I bring this up is the result that happened after Live Aid.  Once they got all the food to Africa, the shipment was held up at the docks by the government.  It seems that the government officals at the time were more interested in dominating the people by force at what ever means possible, This included using food as a weapon.  What is so interesting about this is that these are the same kinds of people our government are fighting against now.  What acts of kindness can be brought to its kness by brutes? Bob Geldof was unaware of the kinds of politcal situation that he was getting into when he did this.  Acts of kindness  can only be their own reward in cases like these I fear.

Music for today:

Grateful Dead
November 12, 1972
Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Hall
Kansas City, KS
listen here
Vocals are messed up on this recording. Listen at your own peril.

Grateful Dead
November 13, 1972
Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Hall
Kansas City, KS
listen here

Taking the First Step of a Smaller Journey

The journey in which I am talking about is the journey of weight reduction for myself.  I have been so wanting to lose the chains that keep me down,  I have tried many methods, but morbid obesity has gotten me licked.  Due to poor eating habits, lack of exercise, and bad medications, my weight has shot to over 350 pounds.  I am going to a meeting tomorrow to gather information on the lapband surgery that will be performed in Minneapolis.  My mother wants to be by my side, so I need to schedule it for the late Spring.  In the mean time, I am going to get used to eating smaller meals, and trying to exercise more.  I am glad my job helps out with that, but I need more than what I am getting.  Wish me luck on this endeavor.
Music  for today:

Grateful Dead
October 28, 1972
Cleveland Public Hall
Cleveland, OH
listen here

Grateful Dead
October 30, 1972
Ford Auditorium
Detroit, MI
listen here

Life Cycle Of Popular Radio

Many years ago, I was an announcer on radio in Northern Minnesota.  When the time comes for my final demise, I can truely say that I did what I really wanted to do in life.  I just wish it would have lasted longer.  I bring this up because of a thought I had earlier about the topic of the "Song."  I try not to pick songs for this part because they are popular, rather because they fit the case.  Like a lawyer building a presenting a case then using evidence to support the discussion, this how I offer each day's fare to you all.  Take this song for example, It is done by a group called Reunion "Life Is A Rock But The Radio Rolled Me."  The next song celebrates the famed disc jockey Wolfman Jack "Clap For The Wolfman" by the group The Guess Who.  This next ditty is a one hit wonder, but it is very cool indeed, "Let It Out (Let It All Hang Out" By The Hombres.  The last is from the movie Billy Jack.  It is the tune "One Tin Soldier."  I say in the title life cyle of radio.  A huge blow came to the radio in 1981 with the advent of MTV.  The very first video that the aired was "Video Killed The Radio Star" by The Buggles.

Music for today:

Grateful Dead
October 26, 1972
Music Hall
Cincinnati, OH
listen here

Grateful Dead
October 27, 1972
Veterans Memorial Auditorium
Columbus, OH
listen here

Fooled Again

Another football season comes to a fruitless finish, but what makes this one so hard to bear is that we were promised at least a superbowl appearence.  At the beginning of the season, I was not to supportive of the whole Farve idea, but when when we started to win some games, I got caught up in all the hype.  What a dope I am.  I got fooled again.  The Vikings gave away the NFC championship by playing the most horrible game ever.  There were so many turnovers, but the one that hurt the most was the one at the end of regulation.  I swear Favre gave the game away at that point.  He killed his promise right there on the spot.  I don't think I can stand to do this again, but being the masochist, I most likely will follow the Viking into the gates of Hell once again.

Music for today:

Grateful Dead
October 24, 1972
Milwaukee Performing Arts Center
Milwaukee, WI
listen here