Letter of Intent day and Fanfest at Syracuse

Okay, it was actually national letter of intent day for several division one sports on Wednesday of this past week. With fresh faces promising their allegiance to the Orangemen this coming fall, hope springs eternal.

It just so happens that I stumbled upon some old photos from the 2002 football season's Fanfest the other day. Now you get treated to my version of my Uncle Jule's home movies....Gotta go? Well, tough luck! (if you promise to sit still there's some club soda mixed with orange juice and a bagel for you, sonny. Here they are:

I skipped work and my son skipped school (don't tell on either of us!) to visit Paul Pasqualoni and his football team for Fanfest 2002. We started out in the early morning and if memory serves we pulled into the skytop parking lot around 2 or 3 in the afternoon. The practice field is not too far from Manley Field House where we used to watch Rossevelt Bouie and Louis Orr defeat one Georgetown team after another (what...we lost one?). I can remember Jim Boeheim's plaid suit and Clive Gregson-like glasses like it was yesterday though.
Our spirits were high, anticipating the crisp air and the sound of the big hits and helmet to helmet crashes we'd soon bear witness to. But..Uh-o, we forgot....a football!! One can't get autographs without a football. One trip to Manny's on Marshall Street and $25 bucks later, problem solved!

We got back in time to catch practice, something every football fan really must experience. Whistles, yelling coaches, pads crashing against pads...it was beautiful! But the coup de grace would come soon. The players leave the practice field and then, one or a few at a time, they wonder back out to mingle with the fans who came out to get an early glimpse at the team. We met Walter Reyes, Steven Gregory, and others, all of whom were very good to us. There is no question that Coach P recruited guys of high character. I still remember Coach P remarking to my son how much he admired his new football. That's passrusher extraordinaire James Wyche with my son on the right, btw.

To the left you'll find a picture of Steve Gregory signing a football for my son. I'm told Gregory now starts for the San Diego Chargers.

Fanfest 2002 was quite a day! I don't know if Doug Marone plans the same type of thing for this August, but if so....ROAD TRIP!!!

Next post, what we learned about Carmelo, and G-Mac while at the barber shop on M Street. Stay Tuned!

John Wicks and Paul Collins at McCabes - Best of 2009

I don't see as many live shows as I once did, so I have to be selective these days. That having been said, within the last year or so I've seen/heard The Cheeksters, Don Dixon, Pat DiNizio (Smithereens), Peter Case, X, Suzanna Hoffs (Bangles) and Matthrew Sweet just to name a few. While all are unique talents, some have aged better than others. As I'd mentioned in an earlier post, Suzanna Hoffs hasn't aged a bit in voice or looks, and The Cheeksters haven't been around long enough to age (although I'm hoping they will be as they were very entertaining).

None compare, however, to the experience of seeing John Wicks and Paul Collins at McCabes. With so many memorable hits in their respective back catalogs (John with The Records and Paul with The Beat), it was just one great song after another. And they seem very personable. The room wasn't quite full but it was a good crowd nonetheless, and both John and Paul seemed really appreciative of those who trucked out to Santa Monica on a sunny Sunday Afternoon to see and hear them. They were conversational from the start, sharing humorous stories between the trunk full of hits each singer/songwriter carries with him from town to town.

For powerpop afficionado the coup de grace came when Peter Case stepped onstage to join the guys for a few songs. Again, the stories flowed and the hits kept on coming.

After the show they ventured out to say "hello" to those in the crowd, taking time for friendly conversation with those who hung around a few minutes after.

Here's a video from the performance where the guys play one of John's hits with The Records called "Hearts Will Be Broken" from the second LP entitled "Crashes":



If you want more info on John, Paul, or what they're doing together stop by here:

John Wicks and Paul Collins Official Website

John Wicks and The Records Official Website

Paul Collins Beat Official Website

The 12 Days of Christmas in NJ is in stores!!

What's all this fuss about the healthcare bill, terrorism, and the supposed global warming when there's something truly important going on...my book is out!! Published by Sterling Publishing, it's a children's book about, well, Christmas in New Jersey. Retailing for $12.99 before Christmas, I did what any recession period children's book artist does...I scoffed up five copies after the holiday at a discounted price. So get to a Banrnes & Noble near you. Okay folks, calm down. Don't start a Wallmart style stampede.

Best Releases of 2009

1) The Tripwires - House To House
2) Valley Lodge - Semester at Sea
3) Young Fresh Fellows - I Think It Is
4) The Leftovers - Eager to Please
5) Willie Nile - House of a Thousand Guitars
6) Greg Pope - Pete (EP)
7) The DomNicks - Hey Rock N Roller
8) Bruce Springsteen - Working on a Dream
9) Kyle Vincent - Where You Are
10) Cheap Trick - The Latest

Hangin' With The Power Pop Elite

Okay, the picture to the left is really blurry, but take my word for it. That's me and Matthew Sweet. Today's post is brought to you by the letter "S", as in Syd and Susie. Let me explain.

A couple of weeks back I went to Carrboro to see Matthew Sweet and Suzanna Hoffs of the Bangles perform songs from their "Covers 2" release. I'm actually quite the Bangles fan and have always liked Matthew Sweet's work as well. A friend gave me the heads-up on the show. What I hadn't realized was that he was playing bass for "Syd and Susie", as they are calling themselves on this tour.

Dennis Taylor of John Wicks and The Records is an incredible talent, as anyone who was at the show can attest. Little did I know that Paul Chastain would also be performing with them, adding not only his expert guitar but this vocal support as well.

It was a fantastic show, one I would highly recommend. But what was noteworthy was the after show happenings. The Bangles manager, John Calucci, stopped by to say "hello" earlier in the show and make sure I had a good seat where the acoustics were best. What an absolutely great guy. After the show Dennis waved me into the back room to say "hi" to Matthew and Suzanne. I'd never met them before and, having been bitterly dissapointed in meeting some of my musical "heroes" in the past, I'd become a bit cynical. A good friend of mine, showbiz veteran and very funny comic, Lord Carrett, once said to me "Sometimes your heroes are not what you expect them to be". Truer words have never been spoken, but fortunately in this case they didn't apply.

I had the opportunity to speak with Paul Chastain first. I've always been a HUGE Velvet Crush fan (Teenage Symphonies is one of my most played CDs) and had a great conversation with him. He's friendly and approachable and shared a story with me about arriving at Mitch Easter's studio to record the record. I hope I tell this right....He asked Mitch why there was a large cable leading out to the corn field in back of the studio, to which Mitch replied "That's where we recorded Micheal's (Stipe) vocals", presumably for REM's Gardening at Night. A great guy with great stories, that's all I can say.

Dennis then brought me in to meet Matthew and Suzanna. Matthew was sitting down on a couch in a darkly lit make-shift room, complete with half-working lamps and a fridge full of Coke (or diet Coke, I'm not sure). He was approachable and talkative. We spoke about numerous things from his website to the next recording. The real interesting information came when Mitch Easter walked in. I had always admired Mitch's work but had never met him. I had to pinch myself to make sure it was real. Matthew Sweet, Suzanna Hoffs, and Mitch Easter in the same room....with me! Mitch and Matthew started to speak about the next record so after eavesdropping a bit I took the opportunity to excuse myself and say "hi" to Suzanna.

A few immediate observations....my first thought was, how does such a big voice come from such a small person? Secondly, I thought "she hasn't aged a bit". It was a darkly lit room, but there was no mistaking the fact that she still looks, well, fantastic.

I commented that I thought the show was really fun. That's the best word for it, fun. There were some gaffs, what with it being the first show of the tour, but Suzanne and Matthew have a repore that always puts you on their side, like we're all friends and all in this together. And we, the audience, couldn't get enough of it. When I shared this thought she seemed genuinely surprised and modest. How refreshing!

My sincere thanks to Dennis Taylor and John Calacci, two VERY talented, wonderful people, who have a way of making everyone they deal with feel special.

In closing, here's a photo I took of Mitch Easter and Suzanna Hoffs. Again, the room was very dark, so I apologize for the bad quality of the photo...also, my cell phone takes shi**y pictures. In closing, if you can catch these two on this tour, DO SO. It's wonderful people doing a wonderful show.

92 Degrees, an overlooked classic

If your a fan of Shoes, you'll like these guys even more. Not quite as tame as Shoes but with a similar knack for catchy hooks and multi-layered harmonies, these guys produced a debut that I still listen to often. On the Black Vinyl label and produced by Jeff Murphy, it's consistent with the Chicago power pop sound of bands like Shoes, Material Issue, and Cheap Trick...with a lot more in common with Shoes than the later two.

The band consists of Mike Galassini on vocals and bass,
Steve Steffens on lead vocals and guitar, and Dane Svoboda on drums.
Standout tracks include: I've Been Thinking of You, I'm Telling You Now, Sharon Won't, In Her Glow, and She'll Never Know. If you should find this in teh cut-out bin of your local Wal-Mart grab it. It's a keeper.

Nu Look From An Old Dog

If you're familair with North Carolina pop, you know Don Dixon is a giant among giants. Even if you're not familiar with North Carolina pop, you know Don Dixon's work. He's produced hit records for the Smithereens and Marshall Crenshaw among other. I was amazed at what a soulfull voice he has when I last saw him in concert.

His new record (which is actually over a year old) is a collection of pieces written by himself with several contributions from other NC luminaries. You'll hear songs by Jamie Hoover (Spongtones) and Hollsapple/Stamey (dB's) as well as Dixon's originals. There's also a few old blues covers that are really outstanding.

This disk comes highly recommended to anyone who's taste straddles the line between pop and soul. If that's you, pick this one up right away.

PS-Don Dixon performs in Winston Salem NC tonight at The Garage. If you're in the neighborhood don't mess it.