That by far is not my favorite Led Zeppelin song, but I had been thinking about the title for this blog and that sounded perfect to me.
I am a music lover. I mean I REALLY like music. Most of these blogs have had some reference to music which is no accident. I walk around all day with music in my head.
Years back there was a movie starring Nicolas Cage and Meg Ryan and Nic asked a little dying girl what her favorite thing on earth was and she said “Pajamas with the feet.” Well, mine is music.
While I usually stay in the 70s and 80s in my listening, my gym classes and friends with kids have introduced me to some really awesome modern tunes. The joy of satellite radio can really keep me in my favorite tune zones with no commercial interruption but that has kept me from hearing what the kids are listening to, so once in a while I pop on over to the pop stations and give a listen. I am definitely a fan of Bruno Mars, Christina Aguilera and some others. I would say though, that modern music is NOT what it used to be. Yes, I am perfectly aware I sounds like a curmudgeon but I truly feel classic rock n roll stands the test of time. To me, there is just so much really GOOD music in that era that it would fulfill me a lifetime and is seriously timeless. I plan to be 85 years old still jamming to Heart, Cream, Traffic, Jethro Tull, Pat Benetar, The Eagles, The Beatles and hundreds of other groups.
When I was very young, there was always a radio on wherever we were. Radios back in the early 70s were small and portable with a rolling dial. I remember 13Q in Pittsburgh before FM radio came to be popular and really loved singing along with the catchy tunes that I heard. I laugh today when I think of the song Afternoon Delight by the Starland Vocal Band which was a hit song in the mid 70s. I LOVED the harmonies of that song and basically would sing it at the top of my lungs not having any idea nor caring what the song was actually about. And though I love harmony, I usually sing lead! 😊
I remember as a child going to see Sonny and Cher impersonators. We watched their variety show religiously and I loved singing about being a vamp, another thing I could not define but caught the innuendo and loved it even as a kid. I loved Chastity Bono, who is my same age, having matching dresses and jumpsuits as her mom Cher. Boy did I want to be Cher belting it out and being really sexy!!!I was definitely trying to grow up as fast as possible. The kid music was never my style. I wanted to be Sandy in Grease or even Marie Osmond. When I watched the Donny and Marie Show, I had a microphone that I made from two plastic spoons put facing together and wrapped in aluminum foil. That handy microphone was with me all the time. You never know when you would be asked to do an impromptu concert. I was READY!
As a young kid, I remember the hours and hours that I spent spinning the vinyl records, reading the inserts and really pondering the covers. Those were the days, man. I think today’s kids have really missed out on a tremendously awesome experience.
I wanted to sing for as long as I remember and I have gotten the chance to sing in multiple choruses, my temples, on stage with a band and have been singing karaoke for more than 20 years. It is still a great thrill to sing and as I write this I am planning our latest private gig. Oh the fun I have creating and then whittling down my song list.
Mitch and I have gone to a LOT of concerts in the past 10 years and before that I have been seeing my favorite musical acts live on stage since 1982. That concert was The Police and to this day, they are still my favorite band. Sting, the front man and musical genius of that band is my one CHEAT if I ever get the chance. You all know what I am talking about. I LOVE STING and except for a few minor songs, love his entire catalog of music. I have seen Sting by himself, with special guests like Paul Simon, Peter Gabriel and Shaggy and the whole Police band more than any other group. I have travelled across the country to see and hear him and am seriously considering a stay at his Tuscan Villa where he keeps BEES. You can actually rent his whole place anytime except for the month of August when he and Trudy are there. You can bet I am planning for my 60th birthday…… we can save up for the next 8 ½ years for that one and ask friends to join in and share those 10 bedrooms and make it affordable, well more affordable. What a bucket list item that would be!!!!
So, since we are 51 and almost 60, Mitch and I have been seeing some of our favorite bands who are all celebrating 40 to 50 YEARS of being together. That also means, they are aging and some have passed.
We saw Gregg Allman a few years ago and I knew something was seriously wrong with him. Apparently he had cancer and did in fact pass away not long after. Same situation for Steely Dan with half of the core band being Walter Becker passing, Tom Petty, Prince.. the list goes on and on.
We recently saw the genius behind ELO, Jeff Lynne and he barely moved nor did he sing his own songs. He had a HUGE orchestra with him and I was disappointed to know his band director had to introduce the players as Jeff admitted, he just couldn’t. I am definitely worried about him. He didn’t have much energy at all but played guitar and kept giving us the thumbs up sign. Things have changed.
The last time we saw all the Eagles together about 5 years ago when Glenn Frye was still alive, we were amazed that is was such a docile show.
Phil Collins did a Still Ain’t Dead Yet tour though that we saw and he also barely moved. His 18 year old son is playing the drums for him. He did pound a bit on a handheld drum but he has become pretty feeble. He has had back surgery and was definitely in pain. Having back trouble myself I watched him carefully and sighed.
The music sounds the same, but the background and some main players are changing as these amazing rock starts are dying off. It is the cycle of life I guess.
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