WHEN I’M SIXTY-FOUR

WELL, TOMORROW I SHALL TURN 64. I SUPPOSE IT’S TIME TO REFLECT A BIT. I RECALL VIVIDLY FIRST HEARING THE BEATLES’ “WHEN I’M SIXTY-FOUR” WHEN THE SGT. PEPPER ALBUM CAME OUT AND THINKING HOW THAT WAS LIGHT YEARS AND LIFETIMES AWAY…AND NOW HERE IT IS. BANG…
I THINK SOMETIMES THAT SERENDIPITY CAN BE “LINED UP”…ALMOST “READY TO GO”…HARD TO EXPLAIN IN TYPING.
EVEN THAT…THE DETAILS. I HAPPENED TO CHECK OFF “TYPING” AS AN OPTION FOR MY GRADE 10 AT ST. JOHN’S, WHEN WE WERE GIVEN THOSE FORMS AT LUXTON THAT DAY IN GRADE 9. MY FRIENDS BURRELL AND ISRAEL AND ALLAN AND MARTIN WERE ALL CHECKING OFF SCIENCES AND MATHEMATICS COURSES, STUFF THAT WOULD BE USED IN CARVING OUT A CAREER IN LAW OR MEDICINE PERHAPS…I JUST WENT FOR TYPING BECAUSE I FIGURED I COULD ACE IT WITH THE HELP OF BEING A PIANO PLAYER. HIGH MARKS FOR EASY STUFF, I COULD SEE THAT… WHO WOULD HAVE THOUGHT ALL THOSE DECADES AGO THAT TYPING WOULD BE THE THREAD CONNECTING US ALL ON THE NET…?
I TYPE FASTER THAN MOST PEOPLE SO MY INPUT AND OUTPUT ON LINE CAN BE MORE VOLUMINOUS AT TIMES THAN MANY. WHETHER THAT’S A GOOD OR BAD THING REMAINS LARGELY UNDECIDED AT THIS POINT IN TIME.
STILL LOVE THE MUSIC. ALWAYS HAVE A PLAYLIST OR JUST RANDOM SELECTION GOING WHEN I DRIVE. AND I TEND TO DRIVE A LOT. THE MUSIC IS THE SOUNDTRACK. THE I PODS AND I POD FRIENDLY CARS HAVE ALLOWED ALL OF US TO HAVE OUR RECORD COLLECTIONS AND MUCH MUCH MORE WITH US AT ALL TIMES…SOMETHING I COULD ONLY HAVE DREAMED ABOUT IN THE SIXTIES.
SAME WITH THE EXCHANGE OF IDEAS AND VIEWS…NEVER DID WE THINK IN THE HIPPIE DAYS THAT THERE WOULD EXIST A FORUM WHERE ANY HUMAN COULD JUST TAP IN NIGHT AND DAY, NOWADAYS FROM ANYWHERE. EVEN ON COMMERCIAL AIRLINES YOU CAN NOW TAP IN. THE LATEST HAND HELD PHONES ARE NO LONGER JUST PHONES. YOU NOW HAVE THE WORLD IN YOUR HAND. THE NUMBER OF APPS IS STAGGERING, AND IT MUSHROOMS ON A DAILY AND WEEKLY BASIS.
SEEMS LIKE AN HOUR AGO SEVERAL OF US GATHERED AT COLLEEN SAVAGE’S MOM’S PLACE LATE ON CHRISTMAS EVE 1965. I REMEMBER IT CLEARLY CAUSE RUBBER SOUL HAD JUST COME OUT IN TIME FOR CHRISTMAS AND IT’S ALL WE COULD TALK ABOUT. ALL THOSE GREAT SONGS. I WAS SEVENTEEN AND THAT WAS THE FIRST CHRISTMAS EVE THAT I EVER WENT OUT, LEAVING MY MOTHER AND GRANDMOTHER AT HOME.
AND THAT WAS A MERE 46 YEARS AGO…STILL PRETTY CLEAR FOR ALL THOSE DECADES AGO…
I KNOW I MENTIONED THIS THE OTHER NIGHT, BUT I MISS THAT SMELL OF WOOD BURNING IN THAT OLD STOVE IN THAT OLD SHACK AT LUXTON AND ST. CROSS…ALL THOSE CHILDHOOD WINTERS, WE SKATED ON THAT RINK OUR WHOLE GROWING UP TIME. THE SAME RINK. MOSTLY THE SAME KIDS. I REALIZE IN RETROSPECT HOW LUCKY THAT WAS FOR ME AS A KID. STABILITY. ONLY EVER WENT TO 2 SCHOOLS…I SPEAK WITH PEOPLE WHO NEVER HAD THAT STABILITY. HAD TO MAKE NEW FRIENDS OR ACQUAINTANCES EVERY SCHOOL YEAR OR SO. NOT SO FOR US IN THE NORTH END. MANY OF THE KIDS I KNEW IN KINDERGARTEN, I STILL KNEW AT ST. JOHN’S HIGH…THAT’S STABILITY.
WELL AS THE ZEPS ONCE SAID …”RAMBLE ON”…
HERE’S ANOTHER BIRTHDAY. WOW. ONE MORE AFTER THIS ONE AND I’M A SENIOR CITIZEN. OH WELL, I JUST SPENT TIME WITH STEVE MILLER AND HE’S OLDER THAN I AM AND IT HASN’T HURT HIM IN THE LEAST…HE’S AN INSPIRATION…
A BREATH OF FRESH AIR. A GUY FROM WAY BEFORE THE MTV ERA WHO STILL KNOCKS THE CROWDS ON THEIR ASS…GREAT SONGS PERFORMED HONESTLY.
TOMORROW I’M 64. FUNNY, FOR A WRITER I’VE REALLY GOT NOTHING EVEN REMOTELY PROFOUND TO UTTER. PAST WHILE I’VE BEEN LEAVING THE ANTENNA CHANNEL ON A LOT AND EVERY DAY THERE’S FATHER KNOWS BEST, BURNS AND ALLEN, JACK BENNY AND ALFRED HITCHCOCK’S HALF HOUR CLASSICS. I TEND TO LIKE TO HAVE THE JACK BENNY ONES ON WHENEVER THEY SHOW UP. LAST NIGHT MEL BLANC WAS ON AGAIN. HE WAS SORT OF A REGULAR ON JACK’S SHOW. HE WAS ALREADY A LIVING LEGEND, HAVING CREATED OVER A DOZEN LEGENDARY CARTOON VOICES AND IT WAS ALWAYS A TREAT TO SEE HIM IN PERSON DOING THOSE OLD VAUDEVILLE BITS WITH JACK. LAST NIGHT WAS THE ONE ABOUT GETTING JACK’S AUTOGRAPH. HIS NAME WAS HERMAN FDUXAFLKSJRK…AND OF COURSE JACK WANTS TO KNOW HOW HE GOT A NAME LIKE THAT. HIS FATHER MANUFACTURED EYE EXAM CHARTS…
OH BROTHER ! THERE’S ANOTHER ANCIENT BIT JACK DOES WITH MEL BLANC WHEREIN MEL IS MEXICAN AND JACK ASKS HIM AN ENDLESS SERIES OF QUESTIONS, THE ANSWER TO EACH BEING A ONE SYLLABLE UTTERANCE…
SI, SEE, SY, SO, SEW, SUE, SAY…ETC. LOOKS TIRED AND STUPID WHEN I TYPE IT HERE, BUT WATCHING JACK BENNY AND MEL BLANC DO THE BIT IS HILARIOUS. THOSE OLD VAUDEVILLE GUYS WHO SURVIVED INTO RADIO AND THEN MOVIES AND THEN TELEVISION WERE MASTERS OF TIMING…AND LOOKS…JACK WOULD GIVE THE CAMERA THAT SIDEWAYS LOOK OF HIS, FOR WHICH HE BECAME FAMOUS…JUST THAT LOOK.
SOMETHING VERY COMFORTING ABOUT THOSE OLD SHOWS RUNNING ALL THE TIME IN THE BACKGROUND…ESCAPE TO CHILDREN’S DAYS…WE ALWAYS THOUGHT THEY’D GO ON FOREVER. THEY OBVIOUSLY DON’T, AND THAT’S ONE MAJOR REASON TO CHERISH YOUR MEMORIES, AND POLISH THEM AS BRIGHTLY AS YOU CAN. AFTER A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TIME, THEY’RE ALMOST AS GOOD AS BEING THERE AGAIN…
SUNSET TIME, DEC. 30. TOMORROW THIS TIME I WAS BORN. JUST ABOUT FIVE THIRTY PM.
GETTING FAR TOO REFLECTIVE NOW TO CONTINUE TYPING…
BE WELL ALL, WITH THIS NEW YEAR COMING…
BLC

“EXTREME” TERMS, AT ANY JUNCTURE

FOLKS, I DIDN’T WRITE THIS. IT WAS SENT TO ME SOME TIME AGO ON LINE, WITH NO FURTHER INFORMATION. ( IT WAS INTERESTING FOR ME TO READ, TO BE SURE. AND IF YOU’VE READ ANY FAIR AMOUNT OF WHAT I’VE WRITTEN ON LINE THESE LAST FEW YEARS, YOU’LL RECALL MY NEVER WANTING TO USE THE TERM “BEST”…THERE’S REALLY NO SUCH THING.)
THERE ARE MANY GREATS, BUT IT’S NOT A TOTEM POLE. MERELY TO BE CONSIDERED WITH THE OTHER SINGERS MENTIONED HERE, AS THIS WRITER HAS DONE, IS BEYOND WHAT I WOULD EVER HAVE SET OUT TO DO AS A TEENAGER. AND I DO KNOW THE INTRINSIC LEVEL OF WONDER ASSOCIATED WITH RECORDINGS THAT FREEZE TIME. AND I HAVE WORKED CLOSELY WITH THOSE WHO DO NOT KNOW THIS. AND I HAVE LEARNED FROM THAT EXPERIENCE. THAT EXPERIENCE ALONE HAS RAISED MY VALUE BAR AND MY VIBRATION. THIS I KNOW TO BE TRUE. PERHAPS THAT’S WHY PEOPLE WRITE ABOUT ME IN THE SAME ARTICLE WHEREIN SIT MY HEROES. I WONDER WHAT FREDDIE MERCURY WOULD HAVE MADE OF THE INTERNET IN 2011…
BLC

BURTON CUMMINGS-ROCK’S GREATEST VOCALIST ?

Previously, (in the Guess Who posts) I stated that I believe Burton Cummings was the greatest rock vocalist of all time. How can I say that? Well, that’s just how I see (hear?) it. Remember, this is greatest vocalist, not most successful, most popular, or in the best band, etc., but the best rock singer. For me, there are 3 essential criteria that must be evaluated to even be considered as the greatest:

# 1) They must have a great voice, not just a passable voice. Now, with rock singers, there really are very few that have what could be called great voices. That is, not just a good voice for rock n roll, but a great singing voice. Now, I know that you can be a great rock vocalist without having a great voice (such as many of the legends, Neil Young, Bob Dylan, John Fogerty, Robert Plant, etc.), but to be considered the BEST, well you just have to have a GREAT voice. I will accept no arguments on this point. So, this in itself narrows the field considerably.
# 2), the vocalist must be equally strong on hard-rockin, raucous, screamin’ tracks as they are on soft, melodic, or soaring ballads (again, this eliminates most of the hard-rock acts, they just can’t cut it on ‘sweet’ songs).
# 3), they must have their own particular style, quirkiness, coolness that makes the songs uniquely theirs and nobody else’s (Now, I admit that there are many that qualify here). This shows that it is not enough to just have a great voice, they must really know how to use it most effectively.

Using these criteria, Burton was just the best. No one had a better voice, was as strong on growling rockers and tender love songs alike, and always brought his unique vocal style (loved his scatting and ad libs during the extended versions and fade outs of songs). There just was no one else like him. He could be surly and mean one minute, and graceful and soaring another (very often within the same song). Check out his hard-rockin style on tracks such as Bus Rider, Hang On To Your Life, Heartbroken Bopper, Guns Guns Guns, and, of course, American Woman, then listen to the sweet beautiful vocals of These Eyes, Undun, Share The Land, Do You Miss Me Darlin?, Sour Suite, Smoke Big Factory, and countless others. Mostly, though, he alternates between silky smooth and rockin’ within the same track (such as on Laughing, No Time, Hand Me Down World, Albert Flasher, Runnin Back To Saskatoon, Show Biz Shoes, Orly, etc.).

Now, I say was, because, unfortunately the years have not been kind to Burton’s voice. After leaving the Guess Who, his solo career went much more in the direction of soft-rock and ballads than rock n roll, and although he still produced some great pop-rock songs (check out his 2-Cd solo compilation, The Burton Cummings Collection (1994), he denied us of further expressions of his gutsy, harder-rockin vocals in subsequent years (Unfortunately, there aren’t any bootlegs available from his prime solo years). I saw him live with Ringo’s All-Starr Band in 1992, and he still had his great voice then. But, by the time of the extended Guess Who Reunion Tour in 2000-2001, his voice had changed dramatically. Although he still had the same inimitable vocal style, his voice was much more shrill and thin, not having the full rich sound of previous years (for proof, check out ‘Runnin’ Back Through Canada (2001), the live album from the 2000 tour), and, to me, was almost unlistenable in comparison to his prime years. However, in his most recent solo album, Above the Ground (2008, his first solo album in 18 years), his voice is stronger than it has been in years (and a very strong album). He also still performs and tours with the Bachman-Cummings Band (w/Randy Bachman, doing many of the old Guess Who songs). So, it’s good to hear that Burton is still going strong today.

OK, so Burton was the best. But who else ranks high on my list? After Burton, I would probably say Roger Daltrey and Paul Rodgers rank the next highest (both have great, strong rock voices). After that would probably be Paul McCartney (Paul has more of a pop voice than a rock voice, but he’s still up there). Also in the top ten or so would probably be people like Freddie Mercury, Gary Brooker (Procol Harum), Peter Gabriel, Sting, Van Morrison, Greg Lake, Elvis Costello, and, yes, maybe even that other Elvis guy. But who is definitely NOT up there? Robert Plant, Ozzie Ozborne, Mick Jagger, Bon Scott, Axl Rose, Steven Tyler, etc. They may be popular, they may be effective for the music they sing, but they are not great singers. Disagree? Who do you think is the greatest rock vocalist?

Disclaimer: I hereby state that I am not from Canada, have never lived in Canada, and that my high regard for The Guess Who and Burton Cummings is not biased by any Canadian nationalistic pride, influence, or any such nonsense. They are just damn good.