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I Got the Fire: Remembering Ronnie Montrose
My daughter often asks me my favorite music artist and each time I find myself struggling to identify one. I can easily list a bunch of groups or musicians whose tunes are guaranteed to reach me...
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The Song Remains the Same
Reelin’ and Rockin’ – Chuck Berry The first record album I remember having as my own was a Chuck Berry greatest hits collection called Johnny B. Goode that my mom bought me. I had one of those...
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A Wiggle and a Wink: Getting The Knack
Everybody knows My Sharona and some may even remember the thrill of hearing the libidinous lyrics of Good Girls Don’t on the radio as a kid and wondering whether the adults simply didn’t get it. (To...
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A Less Than Epic Share
Lately I’ve found myself held back by the idea that, in order for something to warrant sharing, it must matter. In the context of these writings, this meant that I’d become mired in a failed effort to...
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Poisoning a Brain-Washed Mind: My Introduction to Heavy Music
In hindsight I was almost certainly receiving stolen property, but on that day in 1976 the idea that Gary’s uncle had simply given him the two LPs that he was subsequently gifting to me seemed...
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Dancing Madly Backwards: Discovering Captain Beyond
A year ago this past January, I came upon various obituaries written for Larry “Rhino” Reinhardt on the classic rock-themed websites I visit religiously. I’d never heard of him but was intrigued to...
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To Hold No Quarter (A Parenting Success)
The music leaking out of the study where my teenage daughter was ensconced seemed familiar but was initially too muted to identify. It certainly didn’t sound like the bass-heavy dance and pop hits that...
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Postmortem from Far South of Heaven: Slayer in Caracas
Ensuring both my reserved spot in Christian hell and my status as cool Dad, on 17 September 2006 I shared with my then 15-year old son the appearance by thrash legends Slayer at the Poliedro in...
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The Denial of Peter (Criss): My KISS Betrayal
With the album Destroyer still fresh in the racks, I fell big for KISS in 1976 at the age of 12. I certainly wasn’t alone among my friends, although my immediate head-long dive into the deep end of...
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Carving Deep Blue Ripples: My Path to Jack Bruce
And when your fingers find her, she drowns you in her body, Carving deep blue ripples in the tissues of your mind. The above lines are taken from the song Tales of Brave Ulysses by Cream, which is...
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Maybe Before You Were Happy: Feeling Tommy Bolin
The way it was told to me by my late 70s rock mentor Rick, Tommy Bolin replaced Ritchie Blackmore in Deep Purple – after having previously replaced Joe Walsh in the James Gang – and found himself...
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The Top 6 KISS Posters (in my room)
====================== #6: Paul Displays His Instrument (1977): I like to think I am comfortable in my own sexuality and generally relaxed with regard to the proclivities of others. I suffer from...
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Good Times! The Porpoise Is (Still) Laughing
Granted, the period between the ages of five and seven weren’t my most informed years, but I certainly believed at the time that I was watching a TV show made for me and my fellow youngsters. I mean,...
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Sittin’ Here… Oblivious
“London again, showered again. Sat next to Steve Winwood in United business class; pretty cool. I was too lame to bother him. On way Kuwait again (sic)… snow in WDC delayed flight out two hours, cut...
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Just Let Me Believe, for Frank’s Sake
The way it was told to me, Frank Marino believed that, upon its carrier’s untimely demise, Jimi Hendrix’s soul (or spirit, or life-force) had merged with Frank’s to create a new combined being,...
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