The other night, Tee Bone was making the artwork for next week’s LeBrain Train episode, Top 5 Ballads. I asked if he could add in a picture of me playing acoustic guitar. It started there, turned into “me recording my acoustic ballad album on the beach”, and it simply grew and grew!
Can you name them all?
1975. My Uncle Don Don had amazing hair. Naturally red and with curls, and for a while my hair was similar but never as cool. But what I really love about this photo is the checkered bellbottoms. For that reason alone, this has been my favourite picture of Uncle Don Don for as long as I can remember. You knew he was a rocker just by looking at him!
This one was sent in by James Kalyn of the KMA. Marketing genius. Since 67% of US households owns pets, it stands to reason that 67% or more of Kiss fans also own pets? (Probably cats.)
If I owned a pet, you can bet I’d have this “Piss Destroyer” at standby for any carpet emergencies!
In 1990, Styx reunited — but without Tommy Shaw. Busy with Damn Yankees, Shaw would have to be replaced. And, let’s face it, it always seemed like most of the Styx friction was between Tommy Shaw and Dennis DeYoung. Needing someone to fill Tommy’s “Shooz”, they recruited young singer/songwriter/guitarist Glen Burtnik.
The DeYoung/Young/Burtnik/Panozzo/Panozzo lineup produced one album, Edge of the Century. It was heralded by lead single “Love is the Ritual”, a decidedly un-Styx-like attempt to break into the 1990 rock market after a seven year absence.
You could mistake it for Winger. With Burtnik front and center, Styx take a back seat in their own music video. Dennis is rarely seen, only needed when there’s a “Hey!” backing vocal. Glen fronts the band with microphone in hand — no guitar. If ever there was a music video built to appeal to the young while trying to hide the age or identity of the band, it is “Love is the Ritual”. The clip is padded out with shots of women and a Fabio-like dude. Truly an awful video, and an embarrassing attempt to grab the brass ring one more time.
There’s a guy, at work, Jeff Taylor. Younger guy but eager enough to listen to me talk about my music. I was yammering about Kim Mitchell when he said “‘Patio Lanterns’, what’s that about? Swingers?”
I stared a minute and said “It’s about a gradeschool backyard patio party, where the hell did you get ‘swinging’ from? They’re drinking lemonade, man.”
“It could be hard lemonade,” he answered.
I wouldn’t let this go. “But seriously? Where are you getting swinging out of ‘Patio Lanterns’?”
“‘Who would be the first to kiss?'” he quoted back at me.
Sigh. Can’t argue with that, I guess.
Our house had the biggest patio
Our house had all the summer shade
We had patio lanterns
I’d spend half the night making lemonade
Which we drank a lot
‘Cause we were all so shy
Shy and nervous
Who was gonna be
Who would be the first to dance
Who was gonna be
Who would be the first to kiss
Under those patio lanterns
Those patio lanterns
They were the stars in the sky
Those patio lanterns
Lighting up our lives
Those patio lanterns
They were the stars in the sky
Those patio lanterns
Lighting up our lives
Under those patio lanterns
And I was stuck on Joy
(That was her name)
We didn’t talk much
She was a nervous girl
I was a nervous boy
We stuck together like glue on glue
Dancing to an old song
Bobby Vinton’s “Blue on Blue”
Heartache on heartache
Who was gonna be
Who would be the first to dance
Who was gonna be
Who would be the first to kiss
Under those patio lanterns
Those patio lanterns
They were the stars in the sky
Those patio lanterns
Lighting up our lives
Those patio lanterns
They were the stars in the sky
Those patio lanterns
Lighting up our lives
Under those patio lanterns
For those who follow my civilian life on Facebook, you know I’ve moved offices more than once in the past year. Three times in fact! Last week, I settled into my new space for the first time. Probably the nicest office of the three I occupied so far.
Even though many people are gone, some still have a sense of humour…as you can tell from the photo below!
If you’re going to quote my work, at least give me credit.
If you’re going to give me credit, at least spell my name right.
At least they tried?
Hey folks! I hope you are having a good weekend. I just wanted to let you know that I’ve decided to retire the Sunday Chuckle by the end of the year, and I’ll replace it with something new. 2020 is the fourth year for the Sunday Chuckle, and it has been a good run.
One of the concepts I’m playing around with is the Sunday Screening. Maybe once a week, I’ll recommend something for you to watch. Does that sound cool?
Here’s what it would be like.
Sunday Screening: Led Zeppelin at Live Aid 1985
Still on the high of all these Led Zeppelin discussions of late, I wanted to check out the much maligned Zeppelin set at Live Aid in 1985 one more time. The unrehearsed band got up and played “Rock and Roll”, “Whole Lotta Love” and “Stairway to Heaven” with two drummers — Phil Collins and Tony Thompson. The performance has been panned by critics and band alike. While it certainly wasn’t great, was it all that bad? You be the judge. I think Zeppelin sounded pretty rough on “Rock and Roll”, but got better from song to song. And it certainly is a joy to hear the crowd go bananas when Robert sings “Does anybody remember laughter?” You can see that same joy on Robert’s face when he witnesses it happen.
Verdict: “Do your own research”
Tonight on 107.5 Dave Rocks, check out Jessie David’s show The Essentials, because this week she’s covering Led Zeppelin! I spoke with her about Zeppelin for the show, and she asked me a question that makes me chuckle: “Have you ever seen them live?”
I laughed and told her I’m not that old! I was only 8 when the band broke up.
Her fellow radio personality Darryl Law was in line to get tickets at the Montreal Forum the day that John Bonham died. How’s that for historic? But I’m not as old as D-Law!
I thought this was worthy of a Sunday Chuckle, and a good opportunity to tell you about her show. 8:00 PM tonight, listen to Jessie David play some Zeppelin Essentials!
I just heard about this kids’ song that is popular in certain age groups. It’s catchy, but I can’t say that I like the lead character too much. He’s a duck that keeps pestering the clerk at a lemonade stand with the same question day after day and not buying anything. I swear to God I used to see him at the Record Store.
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