I'm not Irish and since Ive left Massachusetts I no longer have to be Irish one day a year because the law in that Irish state (once an English colony and state) is that everybody is Irish on St Patrick's Day.
I'm damn proud of being English all down the line on one side. God Save The Queen! Rule Britannia!
The Puerto Rican crew working on Grampy's (Roger Lewis) strawberries and general crops farm in Andover, Massachusetts, in the 1950s is the reason why I'm not a Yankee despite my Yankee pedigree going back to only a few decades after the Mayflower (and possibly being a very distant relative of George Bush - don't worry, I'm not claiming him, fuck no!).
If Roger's son Russell (dad) had not taken a special liking to the Puerto Ricans and gone to Puerto Rico I would have been a Yankee like him and Roger and Roger's mom (Great-Grammy Lewis, Alice Johnson Lewis) and Helen's parents (Grammy, Helen Newton Lewis; Great-Grampy and Grammy Newton) and the rest of my paternal ancestors.
Great-Grampy Lewis (Herbert Lewis) was English. He left Liverpool, Merseyside in 1889 and settled somewhere in Essex County, Massachusetts. Grampy was born in Old Salem, aka Danvers, in 1906.
I think that Grampy felt compelled to explain to his fellow Yankees and other white folks in Andover and environs how I, being and looking Puerto Rican (something other than typical Massachusetts), was his grandson. He would tell them how his son settled in Puerto Rico and married a Puerto Rican woman.
In Gettysburg the Civil War park guide felt compelled to mention the black regiment of Massachusetts when I mentioned that I have family ties with Massachusetts. I didn't bother to explain that my Massachusetts family ties are 100% English and Yankee, that I have nothing to do with Massachusetts blacks. Then again, he may have mentioned that just because and not because of anything he perceived and/or assumed about me.
I'M ENGLISH, NOT IRISH. Well, the Irish are Celtic and I have Celtic ancestry, either English or Welsh. mainly English really.
13 March 2007
09 March 2007
Cuba, a thread
Ms Ferris Wheel:
MIAMI -- Fearing a potential mass exodus of Cubans when Fidel Castro dies, dozens of federal, state and local agencies, along with the military, will participate in a massive two-day training exercise beginning today to hone migrant-interdiction skills.
The exercise will also test readiness to intercept vessels heading to Cuba. Some Cuban exile groups in South Florida have made clear their desire to set sail for Havana once they receive proof of Mr. Castro's demise.
Last week, 47 migrants from Cuba were intercepted at sea by the Coast Guard and sent back to the communist island. One of those intercepted was allowed to stay because of a medical condition that required immediate attention.
The 50 or more groups participating in Operation Vigilant Sentry -- a Coast Guard-designed drill -- will also involve representatives from the State Department, the Pentagon and the Justice and Homeland Security departments.
Though Coast Guard officials would not specify just how many ships, aircraft and people would participate, they did acknowledge it as the most extensive preparation yet for such a mass-migration scenario.
"By interdicting people at sea, it's putting out the message that it's not safe to travel here that way," said Coast Guard Petty Officer Jennifer Johnson.
One scenario to be practiced during the exercise is the interception of a vessel sailing out of Fort Lauderdale, Fla. for Cuba.
"We're going to simulate several situations to test areas of the plan to see if they are working," said another Coast Guard official.
The ailing Mr. Castro, 80, ceded power in July to his younger brother, Raul. The elder Mr. Castro had abdominal surgery and has not been seen in public since.
This week's exercise comes weeks after Congress approved an $18 million Pentagon plan to prepare U.S. Naval Base Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to accommodate migrants intercepted at sea.
Bush administration officials told The Washington Times the improvements would create facilities to handle about 10,000 migrants.
Other improvements would include a processing center for those seeking asylum.
Typically, Cubans who reach dry land in the United States are allowed to remain in the country, while those intercepted at sea are returned home.
Officials fear the so-called "wet foot-dry foot" policy would be overwhelmed in the event of a mass migration.
"The capacity to process migrants at Guantanamo is an integral part of our plans to ensure that any attempted mass migration in the Caribbean is not successful," one Bush administration official said.
A new detainment center and stepped-up vigilance along the waters separating Florida and Cuba won't deter thousands from attempting to gain access to the United States after Mr. Castro's death, said Andy Gomez, a senior fellow at the University of Miami's Institute for Cuban and Cuban-American Studies.
Mr. Gomez said he has warned Bush administration officials that up to 500,000 Cubans could flee the island "in all directions," inundating not just the United States, but several Caribbean and Central American nations with asylum seekers.
"We [in South Florida] are very concerned whether we can absorb that kind of migration -- we just don't have that kind of infrastructure," he said, noting likely shortfalls in housing, health care and public services were hundreds of thousands of migrants to arrive on Florida's shores.
Me:
As a Puerto Rican I say, Cosa mas grande la vida, esos cubanos de Miami. Estan esperando que se muera Fidel. Conyo carajo. Ay bendito. Bueno, yo ya sospechaba que estos cubanitos ya tienen su plan pa' cuando se muera Fidel, pa' volver a Cuba y tomar posesion pa' los intereses americanos republicanos.
The Griot:
It pisses me off too, because I've been saying that for years. Fucking republicans and democrats alike would love to get a hold of Cuba to make it just another fucking resort island. Basically just pimping it of all its resources and exploiting its beauty and still making sure to keep the people in poverty and subservience just as America's been doing since its inception.
Me:
Back in 1898 Americans pretended to care about how badly the Spaniards were abusing the Cubans and then they further pretended to aid Cuba in its war of independence. As soon as the Americans arrived in Cuba they had nothing to do with the Cuban forces which were mostly blacks and mixed and they instead socialized with their supposed enemy, the Spaniards who of course were white and European.
After the war (a few months in 1898) both Cuba and Puerto Rico -an afterthought in the U.S. war plan- lost their Spanish provincial autonomous status and became outright colonies, military possessions. But then in 1902 Cuba became a Republic, la Republica de Cuba. What it really became was just another kind of colony and then eventually it became a resort island, as you mention. Ironically, while Puerto Rico, "Porto-Rico", was a colony and Cuba was a republic Cuba suffered the most from U.S. intentions and attentions.
So whatever wrongs Fidel Castro** has done to the Cuban people since the 1960s, in 1958 or 1959 he liberated Cuba and made it a real republic. Of course, then circumstances being as they were he made it a Russian satellite and then in the last 20 or 15 years he allowed Cuba to revert somewhat to the status of limited resort island, certain areas were reserved for wealthy foreign tourists only.
Speaking of wealthy foreign tourists. The Americans found it easy to impose their racist apartheid notions in the "Republic of" Cuba because since Cuba had been a sizable and essential and important slave plantation colony there was already a clear division between whites (pure and otherwise) on one side and blacks (pure and otherwise) on the other.
**Fidel is the son of a wealthy Spanish planter father and a white Cuban mother and therefore a member of the country elite from birth. It occurs to me then that the Cuban elite that took over Miami felt betrayed and/or sold out by one of their own, Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz.
MIAMI -- Fearing a potential mass exodus of Cubans when Fidel Castro dies, dozens of federal, state and local agencies, along with the military, will participate in a massive two-day training exercise beginning today to hone migrant-interdiction skills.
The exercise will also test readiness to intercept vessels heading to Cuba. Some Cuban exile groups in South Florida have made clear their desire to set sail for Havana once they receive proof of Mr. Castro's demise.
Last week, 47 migrants from Cuba were intercepted at sea by the Coast Guard and sent back to the communist island. One of those intercepted was allowed to stay because of a medical condition that required immediate attention.
The 50 or more groups participating in Operation Vigilant Sentry -- a Coast Guard-designed drill -- will also involve representatives from the State Department, the Pentagon and the Justice and Homeland Security departments.
Though Coast Guard officials would not specify just how many ships, aircraft and people would participate, they did acknowledge it as the most extensive preparation yet for such a mass-migration scenario.
"By interdicting people at sea, it's putting out the message that it's not safe to travel here that way," said Coast Guard Petty Officer Jennifer Johnson.
One scenario to be practiced during the exercise is the interception of a vessel sailing out of Fort Lauderdale, Fla. for Cuba.
"We're going to simulate several situations to test areas of the plan to see if they are working," said another Coast Guard official.
The ailing Mr. Castro, 80, ceded power in July to his younger brother, Raul. The elder Mr. Castro had abdominal surgery and has not been seen in public since.
This week's exercise comes weeks after Congress approved an $18 million Pentagon plan to prepare U.S. Naval Base Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to accommodate migrants intercepted at sea.
Bush administration officials told The Washington Times the improvements would create facilities to handle about 10,000 migrants.
Other improvements would include a processing center for those seeking asylum.
Typically, Cubans who reach dry land in the United States are allowed to remain in the country, while those intercepted at sea are returned home.
Officials fear the so-called "wet foot-dry foot" policy would be overwhelmed in the event of a mass migration.
"The capacity to process migrants at Guantanamo is an integral part of our plans to ensure that any attempted mass migration in the Caribbean is not successful," one Bush administration official said.
A new detainment center and stepped-up vigilance along the waters separating Florida and Cuba won't deter thousands from attempting to gain access to the United States after Mr. Castro's death, said Andy Gomez, a senior fellow at the University of Miami's Institute for Cuban and Cuban-American Studies.
Mr. Gomez said he has warned Bush administration officials that up to 500,000 Cubans could flee the island "in all directions," inundating not just the United States, but several Caribbean and Central American nations with asylum seekers.
"We [in South Florida] are very concerned whether we can absorb that kind of migration -- we just don't have that kind of infrastructure," he said, noting likely shortfalls in housing, health care and public services were hundreds of thousands of migrants to arrive on Florida's shores.
Me:
As a Puerto Rican I say, Cosa mas grande la vida, esos cubanos de Miami. Estan esperando que se muera Fidel. Conyo carajo. Ay bendito. Bueno, yo ya sospechaba que estos cubanitos ya tienen su plan pa' cuando se muera Fidel, pa' volver a Cuba y tomar posesion pa' los intereses americanos republicanos.
The Griot:
It pisses me off too, because I've been saying that for years. Fucking republicans and democrats alike would love to get a hold of Cuba to make it just another fucking resort island. Basically just pimping it of all its resources and exploiting its beauty and still making sure to keep the people in poverty and subservience just as America's been doing since its inception.
Me:
Back in 1898 Americans pretended to care about how badly the Spaniards were abusing the Cubans and then they further pretended to aid Cuba in its war of independence. As soon as the Americans arrived in Cuba they had nothing to do with the Cuban forces which were mostly blacks and mixed and they instead socialized with their supposed enemy, the Spaniards who of course were white and European.
After the war (a few months in 1898) both Cuba and Puerto Rico -an afterthought in the U.S. war plan- lost their Spanish provincial autonomous status and became outright colonies, military possessions. But then in 1902 Cuba became a Republic, la Republica de Cuba. What it really became was just another kind of colony and then eventually it became a resort island, as you mention. Ironically, while Puerto Rico, "Porto-Rico", was a colony and Cuba was a republic Cuba suffered the most from U.S. intentions and attentions.
So whatever wrongs Fidel Castro** has done to the Cuban people since the 1960s, in 1958 or 1959 he liberated Cuba and made it a real republic. Of course, then circumstances being as they were he made it a Russian satellite and then in the last 20 or 15 years he allowed Cuba to revert somewhat to the status of limited resort island, certain areas were reserved for wealthy foreign tourists only.
Speaking of wealthy foreign tourists. The Americans found it easy to impose their racist apartheid notions in the "Republic of" Cuba because since Cuba had been a sizable and essential and important slave plantation colony there was already a clear division between whites (pure and otherwise) on one side and blacks (pure and otherwise) on the other.
**Fidel is the son of a wealthy Spanish planter father and a white Cuban mother and therefore a member of the country elite from birth. It occurs to me then that the Cuban elite that took over Miami felt betrayed and/or sold out by one of their own, Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz.
The Sonics (!)
This mid to late 1970s pop and standards group were in fact The Sonics and were in fact descended from the solid rock beat stomping Sonics of the mid 1960s. What the fuck happened? Sonics leader Andy Parypa gave up the group and name to pop singer Jim Brady in 1968 and this group here were most certainly directly derived from Jim Brady and The Sonics. Why Jim Brady et al kept the rocking name Sonics is so mystifying.
(And yes, a big businessman in Seattle payed the rocking Sonics in 1966 for the use of their name -inspired by the supersonic jets of nearby Fort Lewis (no, not named after me)- for a basketball team. And you know the Seattle Sonics, don't you?)
non-hippie non-mellow non-pretentious longhair rocking band, 1966 or 1067
THE MOURNING REIGN
when longhairs weren't hippies, when longhairs weren't about peace lover and flowers and being mellow or pretentious or Serious Artists
I dig these cats just like this and this moment in time. Fast forward 2 years later. Are they putting down the same sound? Are they on the same trip? Have they gone pop and/or mellow? Have they gone hard rock or progressive? Fast forward to 1976, do we even want to know!? Probably not. Fast forward today - do we want to see these guys recreating The Mourning Reign in 1966-67 or recreating whatever they did in 1972?
SEE THE SONICS POSTING.
Howlin' Wolf
HOWLIN' WOLF
fave bluesman of English and white American bad seeds as the bridge between Mississippi muddy gritty acoustic blues and Chicago pulverizing gritty electric blues
The Rolling Stones
THE ROLLING STONES
when they were still a real group, a beat combo, the first actual rock band, when it wasn't the Mick and Keith Show, when Brian mattered, when Bill had not yet been relegated to the background (and Charlie was everybody's darling and he still is), when Chuck Berry, Howlin' Wolf and the soul artists were the basis of their sound
The Sonics
THE SONICS
(Takoma, Washington) rocked the hardest and grungiest of all local and regional U.S. beat combos in 1965
07 March 2007
Hypodescent (from free essays)
The question of race has been a long debated topic that still has not been answered. Jeffrey Fish embraces this issue in his writing entitled, Mixed Blood. The document opens by proposing the question of What is race?, then breaking it down into smaller factions. The two lesser questions that are formed instead are: How can we understand the variation in physical appearance among human beings? How can we understand the kinds of racial classifications applied to differences in physical appearance among human beings? The preliminary hypothesis determined is that race is a myth and does not really exist. Yet, Fish chooses to expand on various possibilities that may lead to other conclusions. Over the millenniums, evolution of man has been slow, but very significant. Through different means of mutation, natural selection, and genetic drift, the human species has come to numerous modifications. Although, the concept of genetic drift is what intrigues the minds of most individuals. The concept of adaptive value seems to appear as a major role in physical differences. For instance, the first settlers of the New World all had different characteristics depending on the environment they lived in. Those that stayed further North, such as the Eskimos, usually had short, rounded bodies with light faces. These features were developed due to the weather. The rounded figures were to help insulate their bodies and as a result of little or no sunlight the skin color of these people were often very light. In contrast to this are the settlements of cultures South near the Equator. Indians from Central America to South America held dark complexions and thin frames as a result from the exposure to intense heat. For these reasons a consistent biological approach can not be assessed on terms of skin color or body size. Rather now we have simply broken the human species into three distinctions of Caucasoid, Mongoloid, and Negroid; which everyone seems to fall inside of, or do we. Americans tend to classify people on many terms. Blood, being one of the most definitive of today, has brought about a whole new way of trying to classify people. The word hypo-descent plainly explains this by stating that a person is the heritage of the less prestigious race. The lines of descent are that of white, being at the top, Asian, the intermediate, and black as concluding the chart. In other words, since my friend Amber has a white father, but black mother then she is considered black. Still, the idea of hypo-descent is nothing merely than the tale of one's ancestry and is non-informative of the person themselves. Such instances form the expression that race is not just a physical, but a social classification. To offset this notion, Fish gives an example of Brazilian folk taxonomy to give a different perspective on the scenario. Yet, the realization is that different cultures have different ways they choose to classify themselves. Therefore, there methods and ideology of race can be completely foreign. In conclusion, the tested hypothesis was correct. America has no conception of race. It can not be done due to its diverse angles included. With the increase of immigration as well as intermarriage the fast rising category is now Other. It has nothing to do with a biological standpoint. Rather it is a cultural issue and how one chooses to observe the issue. The correlation of this article to the rest of our class and cultures are deeply intertwined. First, we have begun by discussing the essence of culture. Where it comes from, who's involved, and what is it composed of are each within the composition of the metes and bounds of culture. Then further readings have taken light of the shifting in culture and race which have caused such stirring debate. Finally, we deal with such true incidents like this all the time, whether by external or internal thought. It is a part of our society and a harsh matter we must deal with like it or not because this is what the future holds for our species.
(from www.free-essays-free-essays.com)
Also, I would add that this might apply to white mixtures. Possible hierarchy: Top of the line is English and German, Germanics and Scandinavians, then it's French and Belgians, then it's Irish, then it's southern Europeans, Greeks and white Hispanics followed by Slavs or vice versa, and then it's North African and Middle Eastern and East Indian Caucasians and then it's mixed whites (mostly Hispanic).
(from www.free-essays-free-essays.com)
Also, I would add that this might apply to white mixtures. Possible hierarchy: Top of the line is English and German, Germanics and Scandinavians, then it's French and Belgians, then it's Irish, then it's southern Europeans, Greeks and white Hispanics followed by Slavs or vice versa, and then it's North African and Middle Eastern and East Indian Caucasians and then it's mixed whites (mostly Hispanic).
06 March 2007
60s and 70s Rock Survey
Thanks to Hideelee & Rockin' Rod Strychnine
List 10 musical artists you like, in no specific order (do this before reading the questions below)!
1. The Sonics
2. Creedence Clearwater Revival
3. The Rolling Stones
4. The Yardbirds
5. The Beatles
6. The Kinks
7. The Animals
8. The Monkees
9. The Standells
10.The Seeds
-What was the first song you heard by 6?
"You Really Got Me".
-What is your favorite song of 8?
"(I'm Not Your) Steppin' Stone" which was originally by some Northwest beat group before being taken over by Paul Revere & The Raiders and then really owned by The Monkees.
-Is there a song by 8 that makes you sad?
All of their progressive pop schlock makes me sad thinking about why they felt they had to quit the big beat. Why did so many groups quit the big beat in '67?
-When did you first get into 1?
1985. CAPTAIN PJ (AND NOW WITHOUT FURTHER ADO) ON WCUW OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS!!
-What is your favorite song of 1?
"Money (That's What I Want)".
-What kind of impact has 1 left on your life?
The Sonics helped me dig the fact that the big beat could be real heavy and pulverizing. Also, I played "Strychnine" at full blast in the dark 5 times and I had to play gospel music afterwards to shake off an evil feeling.
-What is your favorite lyric of 5?
We're all alone, there's nobody else. You still moan, keep your hands to yourself ("I'm Down").
-What is your favorite song by 4?
"Mister, You're A Better Man Than I".
-How many times have you seen 4 live?
Never, only on video.
-What is your favorite song by 7?
"I'm Mad"
-Is there any song by 3 that makes you sad?
"As Tears Go By".
-What is your favorite song by 9?
"Sometimes Good Guys Don't Wear White".
-How many times have you seen 9 live?
None, only on "The Munsters" on TV.
-How did you get into 3?
Typical of someone born in 1964 it was through the older kids. One of my first rock records,1977, was the 2nd record of "Hot Rocks"
-What is a good memory concerning 2?
Just recently I played along with CCR doing "Good Golly Miss Molly" on CD. I played a one drum with authentic drumsticks and I was really doing it.
-How did you become a fan of 10?
Thanks again to CAPTAIN PJ (AND NOW WITHOUT FURTHER ADO) on WCUW I went out and bought a lot of tougher sounding 60s beat rock compilations and "Pushing Too Hard" was on one of the hits compilations, ok, it was on Nuggets. 1986.
AL-BUM'S!!!, WORCESTER, MA, RECORD SHOP!!!!!
This or That Q's
1. Queen or Rush?
Rush.
Rush's first LP, which I discovered about 2 years ago. As for the more famous stuff, Rush, because "Tom Sawyer" is a fave of mine since 1981. Then again, "Another One Bites The Dust" and "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" were also high school faves.
2. Kiss or Queen?
Kiss.
Another album, LP, record, wax, vinyl, 33 and a third, I had early on, 1978, was "Kiss Alive II" and then I had "Destroyer".
3. Led Zeppelin or Black Sabbath?
Black Sabbath.
Back in high school I would've picked Led Zep because I was more familiar with Ozzie solo than with Black Sabbath.
I recently watched "The Song Remains The Same" and Jimmy Page playing the guitar slung so low and posing just turned me off
4. Beatles or Rolling Stones?
The Rolling Stones (1962-1966) and The Beatles (1961-1965), almost equally. But Bill Wyman's beat combo got the edge.
5. Steve Miller or Tom Petty?
Steve Miller.
I've liked Steve Miller's hits since high school (again). I've never liked Tom Petty's hits.
6. Poison or Def Leppard?
Def Leppard.
I'd have to quote you here, "Def Leppard's Pyromania doesn't seem so stupid compared to what Poison spit out."
7. Joan Jett or Lita Ford?
Joan Jett.
"I Love Rock'n'Roll" shuts down anything else she's ever done (then again, there's not much she's done that needs to be shut down). Again, it's a fave from way back then.
8. Pearl Jam or Nirvana?
Neither one. Kurt Cobain may have known about the big beat but the only indication of that knowledge that I know of is the video in which Nirvana impersonate a 1965 style group and I really dig that they did that.
9. Pink Floyd or The Eagles?
Neither one but I would definitely choose The Eagles over Pink Floyd. Again, "we don't need no education and all that" was a high school fave.
10. Stevie Ray Vaughan or Jimi Hendrix?
The Jimi Hendrix Experience.
I have to quote you again, "He had so much more imagination than Stevie Ray Vaughn. I don't mind white guys playing the blues. It's just that English guys have something that Americans like Stevie Ray Vaughn of George Thorogood seem to lack."
11. AC/DC or Guns and Roses?
AC/DC!!!!
NO CONTEST!! AC/DC is the only non-beat rock group that I dig at the same level as The Sonics and Question Mark & The Mysterians and the early Pretty Things.
As for Guns 'n' Roses, like with most of these groups you bring up I only like a few tunes here and there.
12. The Kinks or The Who?
The High Numbers / The Who (1964-1965).
"Leavin' Here" and "Daddy Rollin' Stone" shut down every shitty tune The Who have done, especially the goddamn "Tommy" crap.
HERE'S WHAT IT COMES DOWN TO, TWO REASONS WHY I DON'T DIG MOST ROCK GROUPS SINCE 1967 ARE THEIR OBVIOUS STATEMENTS:
"PLEASE LOOK AT US AND SEE HOW SERIOUS WE ARE BECAUSE WE'RE ARTISTS"
"PLEASE LET US SHOCK YOU, YOU MUST BE SHOCKED BY US!"
13. The Clash or The Ramones?
The Ramones.
Just 7 years ago I didn't dig The Ramones because I perceived their music to be more influenced by Phil Spector than by The Pretty Things and The Sonics. Now I know better. And their blend of pop schlock and pulverizing primitive beat rock is REAL BOSS.
14. Eric Clapton or Jeff Beck?
Neither one. It's all drek.
15. The Yardbirds or The Doors?
The Yardbirds (till 1966) of course!
The Doors - see the statements above. I'd prefer The Doors in '67 without Jimbo.
16. Grace Slick or Janis Joplin?
Janis Joplin!
Thanks, Hideelee!(She said that Janis Joplin never sang "We Built This City On Rock'n'Roll"! Hell yeah!)
17. Bad Company or Boston?
I have a soft spot for Boston's first 2 albums, again, it goes back to high school.
However, Bad Company is more my kind of 70s rock group.
19. Elvis Presley or Bruce Springsteen?
Elvis Presley (1950s)
Never mind Bruce Springsteen.
20. Alice Cooper or Ozzy Osbourne?
I have to agree with you, Alice Cooper for sure.
List 10 musical artists you like, in no specific order (do this before reading the questions below)!
1. The Sonics
2. Creedence Clearwater Revival
3. The Rolling Stones
4. The Yardbirds
5. The Beatles
6. The Kinks
7. The Animals
8. The Monkees
9. The Standells
10.The Seeds
-What was the first song you heard by 6?
"You Really Got Me".
-What is your favorite song of 8?
"(I'm Not Your) Steppin' Stone" which was originally by some Northwest beat group before being taken over by Paul Revere & The Raiders and then really owned by The Monkees.
-Is there a song by 8 that makes you sad?
All of their progressive pop schlock makes me sad thinking about why they felt they had to quit the big beat. Why did so many groups quit the big beat in '67?
-When did you first get into 1?
1985. CAPTAIN PJ (AND NOW WITHOUT FURTHER ADO) ON WCUW OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS!!
-What is your favorite song of 1?
"Money (That's What I Want)".
-What kind of impact has 1 left on your life?
The Sonics helped me dig the fact that the big beat could be real heavy and pulverizing. Also, I played "Strychnine" at full blast in the dark 5 times and I had to play gospel music afterwards to shake off an evil feeling.
-What is your favorite lyric of 5?
We're all alone, there's nobody else. You still moan, keep your hands to yourself ("I'm Down").
-What is your favorite song by 4?
"Mister, You're A Better Man Than I".
-How many times have you seen 4 live?
Never, only on video.
-What is your favorite song by 7?
"I'm Mad"
-Is there any song by 3 that makes you sad?
"As Tears Go By".
-What is your favorite song by 9?
"Sometimes Good Guys Don't Wear White".
-How many times have you seen 9 live?
None, only on "The Munsters" on TV.
-How did you get into 3?
Typical of someone born in 1964 it was through the older kids. One of my first rock records,1977, was the 2nd record of "Hot Rocks"
-What is a good memory concerning 2?
Just recently I played along with CCR doing "Good Golly Miss Molly" on CD. I played a one drum with authentic drumsticks and I was really doing it.
-How did you become a fan of 10?
Thanks again to CAPTAIN PJ (AND NOW WITHOUT FURTHER ADO) on WCUW I went out and bought a lot of tougher sounding 60s beat rock compilations and "Pushing Too Hard" was on one of the hits compilations, ok, it was on Nuggets. 1986.
AL-BUM'S!!!, WORCESTER, MA, RECORD SHOP!!!!!
This or That Q's
1. Queen or Rush?
Rush.
Rush's first LP, which I discovered about 2 years ago. As for the more famous stuff, Rush, because "Tom Sawyer" is a fave of mine since 1981. Then again, "Another One Bites The Dust" and "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" were also high school faves.
2. Kiss or Queen?
Kiss.
Another album, LP, record, wax, vinyl, 33 and a third, I had early on, 1978, was "Kiss Alive II" and then I had "Destroyer".
3. Led Zeppelin or Black Sabbath?
Black Sabbath.
Back in high school I would've picked Led Zep because I was more familiar with Ozzie solo than with Black Sabbath.
I recently watched "The Song Remains The Same" and Jimmy Page playing the guitar slung so low and posing just turned me off
4. Beatles or Rolling Stones?
The Rolling Stones (1962-1966) and The Beatles (1961-1965), almost equally. But Bill Wyman's beat combo got the edge.
5. Steve Miller or Tom Petty?
Steve Miller.
I've liked Steve Miller's hits since high school (again). I've never liked Tom Petty's hits.
6. Poison or Def Leppard?
Def Leppard.
I'd have to quote you here, "Def Leppard's Pyromania doesn't seem so stupid compared to what Poison spit out."
7. Joan Jett or Lita Ford?
Joan Jett.
"I Love Rock'n'Roll" shuts down anything else she's ever done (then again, there's not much she's done that needs to be shut down). Again, it's a fave from way back then.
8. Pearl Jam or Nirvana?
Neither one. Kurt Cobain may have known about the big beat but the only indication of that knowledge that I know of is the video in which Nirvana impersonate a 1965 style group and I really dig that they did that.
9. Pink Floyd or The Eagles?
Neither one but I would definitely choose The Eagles over Pink Floyd. Again, "we don't need no education and all that" was a high school fave.
10. Stevie Ray Vaughan or Jimi Hendrix?
The Jimi Hendrix Experience.
I have to quote you again, "He had so much more imagination than Stevie Ray Vaughn. I don't mind white guys playing the blues. It's just that English guys have something that Americans like Stevie Ray Vaughn of George Thorogood seem to lack."
11. AC/DC or Guns and Roses?
AC/DC!!!!
NO CONTEST!! AC/DC is the only non-beat rock group that I dig at the same level as The Sonics and Question Mark & The Mysterians and the early Pretty Things.
As for Guns 'n' Roses, like with most of these groups you bring up I only like a few tunes here and there.
12. The Kinks or The Who?
The High Numbers / The Who (1964-1965).
"Leavin' Here" and "Daddy Rollin' Stone" shut down every shitty tune The Who have done, especially the goddamn "Tommy" crap.
HERE'S WHAT IT COMES DOWN TO, TWO REASONS WHY I DON'T DIG MOST ROCK GROUPS SINCE 1967 ARE THEIR OBVIOUS STATEMENTS:
"PLEASE LOOK AT US AND SEE HOW SERIOUS WE ARE BECAUSE WE'RE ARTISTS"
"PLEASE LET US SHOCK YOU, YOU MUST BE SHOCKED BY US!"
13. The Clash or The Ramones?
The Ramones.
Just 7 years ago I didn't dig The Ramones because I perceived their music to be more influenced by Phil Spector than by The Pretty Things and The Sonics. Now I know better. And their blend of pop schlock and pulverizing primitive beat rock is REAL BOSS.
14. Eric Clapton or Jeff Beck?
Neither one. It's all drek.
15. The Yardbirds or The Doors?
The Yardbirds (till 1966) of course!
The Doors - see the statements above. I'd prefer The Doors in '67 without Jimbo.
16. Grace Slick or Janis Joplin?
Janis Joplin!
Thanks, Hideelee!(She said that Janis Joplin never sang "We Built This City On Rock'n'Roll"! Hell yeah!)
17. Bad Company or Boston?
I have a soft spot for Boston's first 2 albums, again, it goes back to high school.
However, Bad Company is more my kind of 70s rock group.
19. Elvis Presley or Bruce Springsteen?
Elvis Presley (1950s)
Never mind Bruce Springsteen.
20. Alice Cooper or Ozzy Osbourne?
I have to agree with you, Alice Cooper for sure.
Fictional Lyrics, 1969
Down South Blues
Vietnam is a drag on the evening news (2)
Know by that I got the down south blues
Jimmy got a letter that morning
And this is what it said
Greetings from Uncle Sam
Boy, you’re goin’ to Viet Nam
Where you will soon be dead
Uncle Sam wants you, Jimmy
Vietnam, it must be the USA’s worst ruse (2)
Know by that I got the down south blues
Jimmy went to see that doctor
To see what could be done
To save himself from the doom
Of rifle and cannon boom
He certified Jimmy’s a psycho case
Uncle Sam doesn’t want a psycho, Jimmy
Vietnam gets me mad through and through (2)
Know by that I got the down south blues
Vietnam gets me mad through and through (2)
Know by that I got the down south blues
Poor Hippie’s Almanac
Here’s your flash on me
I’m just a poor hippie
I tuned in and I turned on
But I never dropped out
And I dig what’s far out (2)
Feel the vibrations
Wearin’ groovy threads, like wow
And my hair is so very long
And I sing folk and blues songs (2)
It’s too far out
No Tom Collins and Marlboros
But I smoke grass and drop LSD
And that heroin junk ain’t for me (2)
Heavy, man, heavy
I got an old lady or two or three
Each one got another man, four
And everybody’s welcome at my door (2)
And Mom doesn’t recognize me
And Dad doesn’t want to know me
That’s a poor hippie’s almanac
Tiffany Stoned
Talkin’ ‘bout Tiffany stoned
Tiffany stoned
Happy to the bone
Or sad to bemoan
That’s Tiffany stoned (2)
Tiffany stoned
Willin’-n-ready
For hard-n-steady
That’s Tiffany stoned (2)
Tiffany stoned
In no mood
For carnal food
That’s Tiffany stoned (2)
Tiffany stoned
So full of weed
So full of speed
That’s Tiffany stoned (2)
Talkin’ ‘bout Tiffany stoned
Long Time
The Sun once shone but now we’re stoned
And time flew away and we wore happy grins
Where have we been, we ask, we don’t know
We don’t know where time flew away
We don’t know when is the end of the day
We’re lost in a cloud that’s lost in the haze
When times flies, do you see its wings
No, you don’t, so does it really fly
Time sees nothing and time sees all
Time knows, it knows nothing at all
We don’t know where time flew away
We don’t know when is the end of the day
We’re lost in a cloud that’s lost in the haze
Drop this and toke that, time crawls
Maybe it speeds, maybe it undulates
We got the time and the time’s got us
We got no time to wait for the red bus
We don’t know where time flew away
We don’t know when is the end of the day
We’re lost in a cloud that’s lost in the haze
The Sun once shone but now we’re stoned
And time flew away and we wore happy grins
Where have we been, we ask, we don’t know
Vietnam is a drag on the evening news (2)
Know by that I got the down south blues
Jimmy got a letter that morning
And this is what it said
Greetings from Uncle Sam
Boy, you’re goin’ to Viet Nam
Where you will soon be dead
Uncle Sam wants you, Jimmy
Vietnam, it must be the USA’s worst ruse (2)
Know by that I got the down south blues
Jimmy went to see that doctor
To see what could be done
To save himself from the doom
Of rifle and cannon boom
He certified Jimmy’s a psycho case
Uncle Sam doesn’t want a psycho, Jimmy
Vietnam gets me mad through and through (2)
Know by that I got the down south blues
Vietnam gets me mad through and through (2)
Know by that I got the down south blues
Poor Hippie’s Almanac
Here’s your flash on me
I’m just a poor hippie
I tuned in and I turned on
But I never dropped out
And I dig what’s far out (2)
Feel the vibrations
Wearin’ groovy threads, like wow
And my hair is so very long
And I sing folk and blues songs (2)
It’s too far out
No Tom Collins and Marlboros
But I smoke grass and drop LSD
And that heroin junk ain’t for me (2)
Heavy, man, heavy
I got an old lady or two or three
Each one got another man, four
And everybody’s welcome at my door (2)
And Mom doesn’t recognize me
And Dad doesn’t want to know me
That’s a poor hippie’s almanac
Tiffany Stoned
Talkin’ ‘bout Tiffany stoned
Tiffany stoned
Happy to the bone
Or sad to bemoan
That’s Tiffany stoned (2)
Tiffany stoned
Willin’-n-ready
For hard-n-steady
That’s Tiffany stoned (2)
Tiffany stoned
In no mood
For carnal food
That’s Tiffany stoned (2)
Tiffany stoned
So full of weed
So full of speed
That’s Tiffany stoned (2)
Talkin’ ‘bout Tiffany stoned
Long Time
The Sun once shone but now we’re stoned
And time flew away and we wore happy grins
Where have we been, we ask, we don’t know
We don’t know where time flew away
We don’t know when is the end of the day
We’re lost in a cloud that’s lost in the haze
When times flies, do you see its wings
No, you don’t, so does it really fly
Time sees nothing and time sees all
Time knows, it knows nothing at all
We don’t know where time flew away
We don’t know when is the end of the day
We’re lost in a cloud that’s lost in the haze
Drop this and toke that, time crawls
Maybe it speeds, maybe it undulates
We got the time and the time’s got us
We got no time to wait for the red bus
We don’t know where time flew away
We don’t know when is the end of the day
We’re lost in a cloud that’s lost in the haze
The Sun once shone but now we’re stoned
And time flew away and we wore happy grins
Where have we been, we ask, we don’t know
01 March 2007
28 February 2007
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
THE 13TH EARL OF BENLU IS A LONGHAIR.
It's All About Me
- THE 13TH EARL OF BENLU
- City of People, State of Mind, United States
- I'm a Puerto Rican Yankee and a Yankee Puerto Rican, white and mixed. I'm a scholar of race and ethnicity and Hispanic history. I'm a library technician and an English major college. I'm a mid 60s big beat rock fan and a longhair and a non-druggie hippie. I'm an Anti-Christian and a caveman. I'm a nudist, sex maniac and a "friend with benefits" to dark ladies. I've got chips on my shoulders and a heart full of love and hate. To tell the truth, I'm a liar.