I have yet to start my Christmas shopping, just not in the spirit. Dubuque got the first snow fall with 2 inches of snow from a clipper but down here we got some flurries along with lots of winds. Most of the snows have been in the South and Florida. Even Corpus Christi got a inch or two of snow (which did melt the next day)
While the Iowa Hawkeyes Basketball team has been a joke all year the surprise has been Arizona State which went to Kansas and defeated them 95-85 to remain undefeated in NCAA basketball. Bobby Hurley has really got them playing great basketball. Iowa on the other hand beat Southern, a 2-8 team, ending a four game skid. But the way they been playing they're on par to lose 20 games this year.
While Josey Jewell and Josh Jackson continue to get awards, fans are not overjoyed about them going to New York for a cold weather bowl game, the Pin Stripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium Dec 27. Only 2,000 tickets have been sold, half of that to players and coaches friends and family. For myself, Iowa played their bowl game when they destroyed Ohio State 55-24 and their chances to the final four playoff.
The fires of California have destroyed forest and homes this year, both Trevor Horn and Simon Phillips lost their valuables as their homes burnt to the ground from nasty Santa Ana winds and very dry weather. Horn's recording studio went up in flames as well. Sad.
Coming to the end of year, I promise a best of 2017 in music but I really have not been in the spirit of compiling the best CDs when I only bought about 20 at most. But I can say there will not be any Kendrick Lamar on this list, nor Ed Sheehan, Queens Of The Stone Age, nor Father John Misty. After this year if you want to know the best, try the music online sites and draw your own conclusion.
Yet another death to report. Pat Dizinio, main songwriter of The Smithereens passed away Tuesday at age 62 from complications from a fall and never quite recovered from that accident. Next to Tommy Keene, Pat's death hit home pretty hard, since I grew up playing songs like Drown In My Own Tears, House We Used To Live In and Tell Me When Did Things Go Wrong. The big hit was A Girl Like You. I tend to find their albums to be a bit same sounding but then again most of my albums are same sounding as well. Pat will be missed.
Leon Rhodes , the last link the old time country music and to Ernest Tubb died Satruday. He was 82. Leon was instrumental in Ernest Tubb's band but also the Grand Ole Opry and most importantly part of the Hee Haw Band. One of the all time best country picking guitar players ever. http://www.tennessean.com/story/entertainment/music/2017/12/11/leon-rhodes-guitar-great-dead-85/939864001/
Ron Beitle, the drummer who inspired Wild Cherry to Play That Funky Music White Boy died from bladder cancer at age 63. http://www.post-gazette.com/ae/music/2017/12/13/Ron-Beitle-Played-that-funky-music-for-Wild-Cherry/stories/201712130135
The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame made the 2018 selections and Bon Jovi was in on the fan's vote. But also Dire Straits, The Cars, The Moody Blues, Sister Rosetta Thorpe and Nina Simone make their way into the hall. I have no complaints about this lineup.
In the order of Importance for me.
The Moody Blues-With Denny Laine, they were more blue eyed soul and R and B, but when Justin Hayward and John Lodge placed Laine and Clint Warwick, they gave us Days Of Future Passed, the first of seven classic albums, that along with the late Tony Clarke, gave the Moody Blues their own style and sound. After 1972, The Moody Blues took a long time off and then came back with Octave, a so so album, Mike Pender left, Patrick Moraz joined up and with Long Distance Voyager reinvented themselves as polish AOR rockers. They might have been more successful but in reality they couldn't top their late 60s and early 70s albums.
Nina Simone-Was she rock, was she soul, was she a militant protester, a country star? A Jazz artist? Simone could record Tin Pin Alley songs and then cover the Bee Gees and even Rich Girl. Her Bethlehem debut showcased her jazz side, the Colpix years her before she recorded Mississippi Goddam for Phillips in the early 60s, She continued her winning streak of albums with Nina Simone Sings The Blues for RCA and the unsettling It Is Finished. After that, she recorded a one off with CTI with Rich Girl and her last album for Elektra A Single Woman in 1993 before retiring.
Dire Straits-Probably a surprise but with David Knopler in tow, the first two albums were pretty good. Then Mark Knopfler would branch out with Making Movies, which included the bloated Tunnel Of Love and the rocking Skateaway. My favorite track was Solid Rock. Love Over Gold has the amazing Telegraph Road. With Terry Williams from Rockpile joining up, they recorded the fun Twisting By The Pool but Brothers In Arms broke them big but the album still sounds a bit cold to me. By then, Mark Knopfler was graduating over to a solo career. With some good moments along the way. Still the first album with Sultans Of Swing remain essential listening.
The Cars-They were new wave but mostly power pop with a driving beat and synths and of course the first album classic rock radio still plays every hour on the hour. It did helped that the late Ben Orr did the vocals on the hits Let's Go, Good Times Roll and It's All I Can Do. While not much love was for Panorama, I thought it was the equal to the other two although the dark overtones may have turned listeners off. Shake It Up was more play it safe pop and then Mutt Lange made them MTV stars with Heartbeat City. Door To Door disappoints and then they broke up, Ric Osceak went on to a up and down career to which I found myself having most if not all of his albums. The Cars did regroup for a new album but with the death of Ben Orr, it was revealed that Orr's absence really hurt that album. Not bad...for a Ocasek solo album though.
Sister Rosetta Tharpe-Great gospel singer, excellent slide guitar player.
Bon Jovi-The people's favorite but not my own. He's always been the lightweight Springsteen wanna be from New Jersey but Jon Bon Jovi has always a good heart. I have tired of the overplayed Slippery When Wet album but of course Wanted Dead Or Alive will get people dancing and Wild In The Streets are pop metal anthems. Listening to Bon Jovi's Greatest Hits which Island put out a few years ago made me realize the importance that they have, but it also reaffirmed me the reason why I never bother to play in rock bands of the 1980s in You Give Love A Bad Name or I'll Be There For You. And besides, spandex made me break out in hives.
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