the Time Machie

THE TIME MACHINE I’ve read a lot of science fiction and there is a frequent theme of time travel in the books and movies. There is always the question of whether or not traveling to the past would cause problems or a paradox. I say that time travel has been available for years. It has taken the shape of many things over the years depending on the technology. So far, it has not disturbed the3 past, nor caused ripples of change into the present, I consider myself to be a Chrononaut, since I travel through time each day on this vehicle. In my early years, the time machine took the shape of a transistor radio or small record player. Years later, it was a stereo system with huge speakers spinning vinyl records. Soon, it was replaced by tapes, 8 track and cassette. Digital discs came next, compacting the time machine and making it easy to carry with me. Recently, the time travel engineers have made it possible to pump it into my car, my cell phone, or home stereo through the airwaves. I hear the song “Wild Thing” by the Troggs and I am transported back to 1967. There I am, an 11 year old boy who convinced his mom and dad to join the RCA record club so we could get the introductory offer of a small record player and 20 45 rpm records. The record player is rarely silent when I am around. I play “Wild Thing” often, along with “Ring of Fire “ and “The End of the World.” Another trip may find me listening to “Back in the USSR” by the Beatles in 1968. Having just peeled the clean white double album free of its plastic covering to open the foldout LP and find the folded poster and lyrics inside. I reverently put record one, side one on th turn table and lowered to needle to intently scrutinize each new offering from the Beatles. I made notes about each song by the lyrics. My favorite Beatles tune of all time, “Hey Jude” transports me to a warm fall day at Kiefer High School. It is homecoming and my senior class is in the parking lot lazily working on a float for the parade. I am wearing a letter jacket, and laying on a hay bale when the radio plays “Hey Jude.” I lay in the warm sun, feeling like all is well with the world while the Beatles serenade me. My time machine, on shuffle, sends me “I Know I’m Losing You” by Rod Stewart. It carries me to 1976, soon after a surprise break up call from the girlfriend back home. My college buddies and I are in the car when the song comes on the radio. Mack reaches into the front seat and grabs my shoulder. “Hey, Charlie. This is de3dicated to you!” “You asshole!” I reply, but it is only the hell I get from these close friends that helps to soften the broken heart. Later, we will go to the dorm to play Ted Nugent’s “Free For All” at top volume while jumping around the room playing air guitar. This month is the 40th anniversary of John Lennon’s death. His songs and stories played on TV and radio. When “Just Like Starting Over” comes on the air, I am carried to December, 1980. Lennon’s death was announced on Monday Night Football where Bud Sexson and I sat watching the game. I got two calls from people who knew I would be upset by this. Cas called from Kansas U and the girl that would be my future wife, Ashley Peck, called to tell me too. Cas came to visit me the week before school let out for the Xmas break. I had to drive a substitute bus route that morning before school. It was cold and icy as I wheeled the bus through the rural route. Cas rode along, sitting in the front seat. It was then, “Just like Starting Over” crackled over the bus speakers. I looked over my shoulder at cas and we smiled. It warmed the bus to hear the song. Ashley plays her 80’s playlist and The Buggles “Video Killed the Radio Star” plants me in 1981. Bud has convinced me to get cable TV by telling me there is a new music television called MTV. Music 24 hours a day. I am sold. I spend hours watching the new music and music videos. MTV changed the face of music and for a time, was the best way to see new music. Electric Light Orchestra’s “Telephone Line” pulls me back to the fall of 1986. I sat patiently in front of the cassette recorder creating the perfect playlists which I would mail to Ashley Peck at Oklahoma University. I labelled them “Stuff Tapes.” I made a series of them with the intent of wooing her from a distance. I could catch her by long distance calls at the right time, but the playlist was always there with her. “Telephone Line” was the perfect explanation of how I felt if I couldn’t reach her. It I 1987, and Leon Russell has called me with “Roll Away the Stone.” The summer sun beats down on Ashley and I. We were married in January and now expecting our fist child. We crowded into the river Amphitheater in Tulsa to get close to the stage to see Leon and Edgar Winter together. Leon is rocking the stage that night, but the bass vibrations from the band are making the unborn Fletcher do somersaults in the womb. We get up and move the very back of the venue so we can still hear, but Baby One is now settled down. I am still convinced that those vibrations made Fletch love music. My Grunge playlist sends Evanescence to “bring Me back to Life.” It places me with Corwin at an outdoor concert in 2003. We see Evanescence and 12 Stone. It is Cor’s firt concert and he is pumped. The darkness falls and I let the music wash over me. I am happy just to be sharing this moment with him. “Layla” carries me to Dallas in summer of 2004. Fletch and I have tickets to the Eric Clapton Crossroads Guitar fest. Fletch will be a senior in the fall. He shared a love of classic rock with me and the festival is chock full of great players. Wen roast in the hot Dallas summer sun as act after act fills the stage. The amazing musicians that come and go keep us transfixed. Neil Shon, James Taylor, Jimmy Vaughn, BB King, John Mayer, Buddy Guy, Bo Oddly, Joe Walsh, Vince Gill, Booker T, Santana and finishing with home town favs, ZZ Top. Clapton played with everyone. It was an astounding display of musicianship. A time well worth traveling to. And the time travel continues. Even as I type this, Ta Todd Rundgren playlist echoes in my empty classroom. His songs carry me to so many places, from “Just One Victory” while getting ready to play a college football game or “One World” as I stood in a crowd at Cain’s Ballroom watching him perform with Utopia. The same with the Beatles, with Neil Young, with McCartney, Boston, on and on. I know there are many Chrononauts out there, tiptoeing through the years but leaving undisturbed the things that could alter the future. Safety first in time travel.

Growing up with singers

Growing up with singers

When I was a kid, music was always around me. But, not where you’d think. We never had a record player till I begged for one from the RCA record club at the age of 10. There was very little music available on the 3 channels we got on TV. Dick Clark’s BandStand on Saturdays and an occasional lip sync on variety shows. I had a variety of transistor radios over the years. But, the majority of music I grew up with was the acapella voices of my mom and dad.
Mom and dad sang all the time. Mom was the song leader at the Baptist Church. Dad was the deacon. When we were in the car, or at home, mom and dad would often sing hymnal songs together.
Mom would sometimes sing non religious songs to us… such as “Mary Ann, down by the seashore sifting sand…” and dad had a collection of old 78 RPM records including “Wabash Cannonball” that I never saw him play, but did sing out loud occasionally.
It was not unusual to find dad sitting alone on the porch, singing a gospel song out loud to no one.
Mom and dad would sing special music at church occasionally. Sometimes as a solo, often as a duet and one song I remember in particular with my Aunt Bonnie. “Surely, Goodness and Mercy.” So, we decided that they were the title. My mom is named SHirley (Surely), and dad was goodness and Bonnie was mercy.
There is one song that still sends chills up my spine. MY dad, did not read music, but loved to sing. He would often sing a solo of “How Great Thou Art.” He would stand at the front of the church, beside the podium, his glasses held in one hand, while his gurff, deep voice sang out the words that were the basis of his faith. Dad and mom sang the songs because they believed the songs.
My family wasn't a family that played musical instruments, even though my little sister Jo, finally became the first real musician in the family. My family’s instrument was their voice. A good voice is not something I share with them.
ALthough, in my lifelong love of music, to this day, when I am outside, looking at the night time sky, I still hear my dad’s voice singing out “I see the stars. I hear the rolling thunder. Thy power throughout, the universe proclaim.”
That is the music present in every night of stars or in every storm.

Becoming a Guitar God

Becoming a Guitar God


I had always wanted to play guitar.
From a very early age, I idolized the rock bands I loved so much. I wanted to be that lead guitarist out front, Leaning back, hair flying out , sweat drenched, making that instrument wail!
Music lessons really weren't a priority with so much going on in our family anyway. After my 2 older brothers and sister were out of the house, there was still the 5 of us from the second batch of kids. Between the sports we all played, being in church every time the door cracked open and just life, there was never really the time, or the money to do that.
At one point, I managed to get an old guitar that had only 4 strings. I used to twang about on it, most likely tuned to some imaginary tone and pretend I was making music. I’m sure it sounded pitiful and made my mother cringe.
I was jealous when my best friend, Larry, began to take guitar. Larry was an only child who lived with his mother, and grandmother. LArry and I would sit around listening to Beatles albums and he would strum the guitar and talk about what he learned in lessons. Larry and I played baseball and basketball together… and eventually football, but as an only child, he had a lot more free time than I. I spent a lot of time with my brothers and sisters out on our hilltop home in the countryside. A lot of my free time was spent in the pasture… or listening to my albums on a tiny, tinny record player.
Larry got to playing pretty good. By the time we were in high school, he and a couple guys formed a band. They played at some school dances. I would sit at Larry’s house while he played riffs from “Spirit in the Sky” and “Long Cool Woman.” All the time, I wanted to play too.
Finally, after graduation I went to college on an academic and football scholarship. It took me two years, but I soon realized that I could take guitar lessons as a class for a humanities grade. I found what I thought was decent guitar at a pawn shop, with all 6 strings, and prepared for rock stardom.
I signed up. The first day, I met my instructor…. A small lady who also taught violin. Mrs. Powers. She was the wife of my chem professor. She was more interested in classical style music and was a bit perplexed by my desire to learn rock and blues.
The first year of lessons started off well, but then I broke a couple fingers on my left hand in a football game. A fracture. It was never casted, but wrapped for the games. It was painful to use on the frets. I could hardly depress the strings and and Mrs. Powers, who was not a football fan, was miffed that it affected the lessons. In fact, she gave me a “C” for the semester.
My guitar plating improved and I spent time doing scales and runs she had shown me. My roommate, Scott, one day said”when are you going to actually play a song?” I could strum some elementary songs.
I wanted to be a guitar hero, but life kept getting in the way. MY senior year, I reinjured that hand and played games and practice with it basically wrapped like a club. Once again, my lessons suffered.
Finally, spring semester rolled around. MY hand was better. I was working on the guitar. Mrs Powers and I selected a song that I would pick out at the spring recital. It was “Michelle” by the Beatles. With her help, I was working hard to master the tune.
Two weeks before the recital, I was walking back to my 2nd floor dorm room, guitar strapped across my back as the traveling guitar troubadour I imagined myself becoming. As I walked up the stairs, the strap at the top attached to the neck of the guitar broke, and the guitar crashed down on the stairs, neck first, cracking the neck.
I grabbed the guitar, inspected the damage and let out a wail of anguish in the stairwell. I didn't have the kind of money to go out and get another guitar.
I tried gluing the neck together while I had the guitar bound to the bedposts with belts to hold it in place over the weekend and hopefully, hold together. When the weekend passed, I unstrapped the guitar, and the tension of the strings immediately pulled the neck into a crooked position. Distraught
I went to see Mrs Powers. We decided that at this close date to the recital, I would play her guitar. The trouble was, my guitar was a full size instrument with steel strings. That's what I had been playing. Mrs Powers was a diminutive woman with a smaller size guitar and nylon strings. It was like trying to adjust to a completely different instrument. Her hands were small… mine large. The practice time I got was frustrating.
When he day arrived, I sat on the front row of the auditorium with the other performers. I sat there, sweating, compulsively fingering the fretboard over and over to make my hands more familiar with the smaller guitar. Nervous nervous
Beside me sat this guy, also ready to perform with a much nicer guitar than my pawn shop special. He was the kind of guy you always pictured as the “I’m better than you” smartass. He just had that look, and that bothered me even more.
Finally, my turn arrived. I grudgingly climbed the stage steps and took a seat mid stage. I placed the guitar on my lap, placed my hands on the strings and frets and scanned the crowd. I have never hated a Beatles song, but at that moment I dreaded that song more than anything in the universe.
What my rendition sounded like to the audience...I don’t know. But to me, I heard every muffled note, every missed string, every over lapped fret on the neck as I plodded through history's worst version ever of “Michelle.”
Drenched in sweat, mercifully, I finally reached the last note. I gathered Mrs Powers guitar under my arm and descended the stairs to my seat. There, the smartass guy sat with a smirk on his face, obviously enjoying my ineptness. I was both embarrassed and angry as I plopped into my chair.
The only redeeming feature of the recital was that smartass guy was up next. He and his expensive guitar proceeded to produce the worst version of “Classical Gas” that I had ever heard. I smiled. It was much easier to share failure and I was glad to see his smirk disappear.

I did get another guitar. I played with Larry that summer. We even played , at my mom’s request, a few tunes at her church…..including Clapton’s reggae version of “swing Low” and “we’ve Been Told.”
A couple years later, I bought Larry’s electric guitar, that I would pound around on less and less as my coaching career took more and more time. Larry struggled a lot, and was down on his luck. I gave him back his guitar because I knew playing was one of his real joys.
I never became a guitar hero. But, I am still a fan of that wailing, blues lick. In my vivid imagination, I still stand at the front of the stage, wild hair blowing as I make my guitar scream! I’m sure it entertains the other drivers at stop lights while I play air guitar in my car.

Yes or no? Mother nature says no.

I was really excited when I heard the news.
Yes was scheduled to appear in Oklahoma City at the Zoo Amphitheater! Recently (and about time) inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, they finally were coming back to town.
I had been to their concert once before... several years ago. It was at the Brady Theater in Tulsa. But, Ashley suffered an asthma attack midway through the show and we had to leave. Ash was so apologetic, but it was unavoidable.
The band had gone through a few changes. Chris Squire had passed away. he was the only member of the ever fluctuate
ting membership of the band that had been a constant. Jon Anderson sang on most Yes Lps, but had recently left again. Rick Wakeman had gone for a long time and the band's keyboard are now in the hands on the previous member of the Buggles (Video Killed the Radio Star) geoffrey Downes. Downes had been a member of Yes once before when both hwe and fellow Buggle Trevor Horn were Yes for one LP.
Steve Howe had been on most Yes LP's. When gone, he was replaced by Trevor Rabin. Howe had played with GTR and Downes also played with Asia.
The extra bonus of this show was Todd Rundgren. Todd has been touring like mad the past couple years and released several LPs. I saw him with Ringo a couple years ago, but it was not a Todd show. All of these tours missed Oklahoma. One person told me ir was because there were too many Trump voters here.
But, Todd is my fav, right behind the Beatles. He's the chameleon, changing with every album.
The show was rounded out by the Emerson Lake and Palmer Legacy show. Palmer is the only surviving member with he recent death of Lake and suicide of Emerson.
Jackie Caseboldt and I drove to OKC. The weather was great... in fact, I was whining because I had forgotten my sun glasses. We got there early.. got a parking place cheap across the street from the Amphitheater. We were there at least an hour before showtime, so we went in, sat and ordered a beer. I brought a blanket for our tickets on the lawn, but turned out the blanket stunk! Probably from the last flood that hit our house! So, we sat on a ledge.
The crowd trickled in slowly. The shade grew and I began to sweat less. Finally, Carl palmer came on stage with a couple guitarists. No keyboard. I had read it was in honor of Emerson...,. and they did have some recorded keyboard.. which I assume was Emerson's from the lps
During the set, the clouds began to roll in, followed by a cool breeze. First a few drops during "Knife's Edge" and by the next song, rain started to fall. Palmer's set was completely instrumental. It was pretty good, but unusual to hear ELP dongs with no vocals. They had started their set with one of my favs, "Karn Evil Number 9."
The rain fell in sheets. Jackie said he was heading for the shelter of the trees. I was optimistic. I took the stinky blanket and covered my head to wait for the end of the cloud burst. After all, the weather said it was only a 20% chance.


It didn't stop. It got worse. The thunder literally shook the ground like Palmer's bass player. The lightning put on a better light show.. intense and scary as the rain soaked my stinking blanket and everything under neath. Finally I retreated to the cover of trees as even the people in the front reserved seats fled the rain. While there, a flash of lightning crackled light all around us, and the accompanying thunder shook the trees. "How close was that?" One lady screamed@ I left the copse of trees to take shelter near a bathroom, already packed with smarter people. After a few moments of rolling thunder and sheets of rain, an official looking man raced by screaming that the show had been cancelled!
I was ready to wait out the storm. I came to see Todd and he was supposed to be up next, by god!
cancelled??
I tried to text Jackie to find him. It was complete chaos with most people not really sure what was going on. I made my way to the front hoping Jackie was near there. By then, blanket or nor, there was nothing dry on me. I called him, but the pounding rain was so loud I couldn't hear his reply. I decided to gather myself and my now 20 ton wet blanket (but no longer stinking) blanket and head back to the pickup and hope Jackie was there .
Dragging my self in small crowds of nearly drowned people, amidst the fivers of rain water up to my ankles, and the repeated rash of thunder and flashes of lightning... no end in sight...I trudged to the parking lot. No Jackie.. so, finally able to find shelter under a nearby church porch, I called and got him. He made his way to the pickup and we two drowned rats trode wet and cold the hour plus back home with only a large order of McDonald fries to warm us.
I am disappointed to miss Yes since they just got in the Hall of Fame. I am also sad to miss a chance to see Todd. I never know if he will come to our red state on his own.
So, the next day ar school... Todd playlist on the IPOD all day

sigh

Ringo Peace and Love

Yesterday Ringo Starr turned 77 years old. The man is still touring with his All Star Band and is about to release another album. THe man is the proverbial Energizer Bunny.
Ringo had requested that on his birthday, July 7th, at noon, everyone was to tell others “Peace and Love.” I posted a picture of me giving the Peace sign on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter along with the “Peace and Love.”

A Little over a year ago, Ash and I saw the All Star Band at the Tulsa Joint. They puts on a great show. Ringo was in great form and plays the crowd really well. There was a lot of sing Help.a long in the song choices. His band is a collection of great musicians. It includes Steve Lukather of Toto, Gregg Rolie Of Santana and Journey, multi talented Todd Rundgren and Richard Page of MIster Mister.Ringo’s All Star band over the years has featured everyone from Joe Walsh, NIls Lofgren, Sheila E, Levon Helm, Billy Preston, etc., etc. Somehow, on his tours and on his albums, Ringo Starr is the nice guy of rock and roll who draws these people to him.

In 1963, Ringo, or Richard Starkey, replaced then Beatles drummer Pete Best before they started their recording career for EMI. Ringo had net and chummed with the Beatles in Hamburg when they were playing the Star Club. Ringo was there on tour as drummer for Rory Storm and the Hurricanes. When it was decided they needed a stronger drummer, Ringo was John Lennon’s first choice.

Ringo, the drummer with the big nose, made his way into notoriety with his comedic performances in both Beatles films, “A Hard Days Night” and “Help.” He gained other movie roles from those performances including “Candy,” “The Magic Christian” with Peter Sellers and after the break up, “Cavemen.”

Ringo released two albums the same year the Beatles broke up. The first was an LP of standards and the 2nd a country album Ringo had always been a country fan, even recording Buck Owens song “Act Naturally” on a Beatles LP and another country themed song, “Don’t Pass Me By” On the Beatles White Album. IN ‘732 he released his biggest LP, “RingO” that featured appearances by the other ex-Beatles. Ringo even released a song “early 1970” in which he stated he wanted to see all three Beatles together.

Ringo released a series of fairly well received LP’s but none reaching the status of "Ringo.” IN ‘82, an LP he recorded with Joe Walsh producing was not picked up by any US distribution and floundered in overseas markets. The companies thought it was subpar. Later, Ringo left sessions of a proposed country LP in Nashville. It wasn’t much longer till he entered a 90 day alcohol rehab program along with his actress wife, Barbara Bach. His increased alcohol use had been affecting his work. Ringo claimed to be missing years of himself.

A new sober Ringo Starr started the All Star Band In 1989 to tour for the first time since 1966. Different incarnations o the band have toured for nearly 28 years producing several live LPs. Meanwhile Ringo continued to record his solo work with such co-writers players and producers as Dave Stewart, Mark Hudson, Jeff Lynne of ELO, Don Was, Peter Asher, David Gilmour, DEric Clapton, Peter Frampton and more.
Ringo is also a spokesperson for a meditation organization formed by David LYnch. He was joined by Paul McCartney in the production.

So far, Ringo shows no evidence of slowing. It is now July, and the All Star Band is slated to hit the road in October.
As Ringo sang, “I think, therefore, I rock and roll.”
Apparently, it couldn’t happen to a nicer guy

"Where's the Meat?' The music of Jim Steinman

In the fall of 1977, I was having a great time. I was in college, playing football and a late night DJ on campus radio- KJSC. The radio station had been brought back to life after a dormant period by a friend, Lyman Bowling. Lyman gave DJ slots to a bunch of we willing people. Got to say, it was one of the great fun experiences I have had. I have Lymsn to thank for that. He went on to a career in radio.

That fall, I was in a record store and saw an LP cover that struck me. A dramatic, demon looking motorcycle exploding into the air from an ominous cemetery! I was intrigued by the cover, and bought the LP. Only two other times had I purchased an LP based on the album art, and both had been winners. When I put the album on my dorm room turntable, I was met with a rock and roll that muddied the lines between hard rock, ballad and Wagnerian opera! The sing, a huge man named Meat Loaf, had the big voice that shook walls, rattled windows and soared to the sky. The songs he sang were epic, complex, and metaphoric vignettes of teenage angst, rebellion and unrequited love.

Meat Loaf, or Marvin Aday, was the voice I had never heard in rock music. A Texas school boy dubbed Meat Loaf because of his huge size, eventually moved to Los Angles and started his first band. H recorded an album for Motown before joining a production of “Hair” in New York. There he auditioned for a play called “More than You Deserve” written by Jim Steinman. This was the first meeting of a future ground breaking collaboration.
Meat went on to film the role of “Eddie” in “Rocky Horror Picture Show.” His big voice and girth earned the role. He also re cored the vocals for Ted Nugent’s “Free For All” album. Bit, most importantly, it was during this time that Jim Steinman and meat began the work on what would become the “Bat Out Of Hell” LP.

When the LP hit my turntable, I was breathless. I typically had a feature LP on each of my radio broadcasts that I would play selective cuts from, mixed with other rock tunes from a variety of artists. My friend Stick, Dave Brigden, had a show on after mine. We would post notices in the cafeteria / Student Union for our shows. Stick posted the ads for my show advertising “Bat Out Of Hell” mainly to shock students at our Presbyterian College. Stick, who is now a very devote, religious person, was good at that. After all, both his parents were ministers!

With that album, I fell in love with eh writing of Jim Steinman. The “Bat Out Of Hell” LP was a giant. Not only did it feature Steinman’s writing, which straddled rock concert and Broadway play, but it was produced by pop genius Todd Rundgren. Rundgren also played guitars, sang back ground vocals and was aided by other members of his band, Utopia and Roy Bittan and Max Weinberg of the Bruce Springsteen band. The album was loaded for success. Ellen Foley (also of “Night Court”) appeared as female vocals. Her role was taken by Karla Devito on tour due to Foley’s TV show contract.
The B”Bat…” Lp has been certified Platinum 25 times over by the American Recording Industry and spent nearly 500 weeks on the British Charts. The title cut ran nearly 10 minutes. It contained a mini opera “Paradise by the Dashboard lights, and a collection of dramatic ballad and pop music.

Jim Steinman has a way with words. His song titles are often plays on words and twisted meanings. His songs rang of leather clad motorcycle gangs form Marlon Brando’s “Wild Ones” to James dean cool rebellion in “Rebel Without a Cause.” He captured the feel of youth yearning to break free and the burning longings on hot summer nights.

Steinman cut his musical teeth on musical theater. He wrote an original musical called “Dream Machine” while attending Amherst College. It foreshadowed his future work with the story of a rebel named Baal who led a gang called the tribe. It was performed there in 1969.

He also contributed music to several New York theater productions. There was a short work in progress called “Neverland”, based on “Peter Pan” that was never completed. But, it was music from that production, that Steinman and Meat Loaf, who were touring with the National Lampoon Radio Road Show, decided would be the basis of a collaboration.

How many people have sung along with the lyrics of “Paradise BY The Dashboard Lights?” The after party of my niece’s wedding resulted in a loud, drunken, frenzied rendition which the males on one side of the dance floor and the women on the other, shouting the lyrics to each other!

After the success of “Bat Out of Hell,” Steinman had prepared a follow up for Meat to record. Meat Loaf, following the exhaustion of the demanding touring show of Steinman’s music, drugs and stress caused Meat to have a break down and lose his voice. Todd Rundgren encouraged Steinman to record the album himself, with Rundgren’s assistance and production. The result for an album called “Bad For Good” that contained most of the core performers from the “Bat…” LP. The LP spawned several videos for the new MTV, including “Dance in MY Pants,” and “Rock and Roll Dreams Come Through.”

Steinman went on to pen all the tunes for the follow up Meat Loaf LP, after his recovery, called “Dead Ringer.” That same year, Steinman was producer on Bonnie Tyler's album Faster Than the Speed of Night.” He composed two of the songs on the album: "Total Eclipse of the Heart" and "Faster Than the Speed of Night". In 1983, two songs written by Steinman held the top two positions on the Billboard singles chart- "Total Eclipse of the Heart" at number one, and "Making Love Out of Nothing at All", by Air Supply, at number two. “Total Eclipse.” aired on MTV months before it became available as a single in stores.

In 1984, a “Rock and Roll fable” directed by Walter Hill was released featuring two Steinman compositions. Diane Lane lip synched two songs performed by a collection of musicians assembled by Steinman. Several of these performers, including vocalist Rory Dodd, Laurie Sargent and Holly Sherwood, who were on many of Steinman’s projects. They are credited as “Fire Incorporated” on the “Streets of Fire” movie. The songs “Nowhere Fast” and “Tonight is What It Means to be Young” follow Steinman’s theme of disaffected youth.

Steinman wrote other hits for Bonnie Tyler, including “Holding Out For a Hero” and the duet with Todd Rundgren “Loving You Is A Dirty Job.”

IN ’89, Steinman assembled a band called “Pandora’s Box” that featured the vocals of Ellen Foley, the female vocalist on the “Bat Out OF Hell” LP. They recorded “Good Girls Go To Heaven,” and the album title cut “Original Sin.” Meat Loaf would re-record a few of these tunes on his next collaboration with Steinman “Bat Out OF Hell II.” That Meat LP also featured the hit “I’d Do Anything For Love (But I Won’t Do That),”

Steinman’s songs were recorded by artists as diverse as Celine Dion, Barry Manilow, Sisters of Mercy, and he collaborated with Andrew Lloyd Weber on a musical version of the book “Whistle Down the Wind.” Several of Steinman’s songs were featured in Roman Polanski’s play “Dance of the Vampires” based on his 1967 movie “The Fearless Vampire Killers.” It was performed in German in Vienna.

Prolific. Dramatic. Operatic. Whatever terms you use to describe the music written by Jim Steinman, it is quickly recognizable. I remember sitting at home with the radio on the first time I heard “Making Love Out Of Nothing At All” play and said “That sure sounds like Jim Steinman.”
Meat Loaf and Jim Steinman have a new release scheduled for mid-September of 2016. “Braver Than We Are.” In it, Meat sings a collection of 10 songs penned by Steinman. Ellen Foley and karla Devito reprise a role there, and Kelli Clarkson adds vocals to one song. The original musicians behind “Bat Out Of Hell” aren’t there… but there’s still that bigger than life voce from that Texas high school tackle and the word play and teen angst themes of Jim Steinman.

In 2012, Jim Steinman was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

A tribute to the Avante Garde… Posthumously

As a lifelong fan of rock music, I have collected a wide variety of genres of Rock and pop music. My first musical true love was, and still is, the music of the Beatles. But, over the years, as the Beatles, together and separately, exposed me to more esoteric styles as they grew and changed, I began to stretch my listening wings into music that many considered weird, out of the norm or even shunned.
My holy trinity of Avante Garde musicians included Lou Reed, Frank Zappa and David Bowie. Each of these artists is now deceased. Zappa passed away in ‘92. Reed expired in 2013 and Bowie passed as recently as January of 2016.
I remember first hearing of Lou Red when the song “Walk on The Wild side” played on pop AM stations in 1972. Hard to imagine that a song about transvestites could pay on pop radio at that time, but that subject had already been introduced on radio by the Kinks in their 1970 in their radio hit “Lola.” The fact that many saw “Walk on the Wild Side” as a novelty song like “Lola” probably got it air time. “Lola” approached the subject in a comic way. Novelty, ”Walk on the Wild Side” was not, but instead another chronicling of Reed’s bohemian lifestyle in New York City.
At that time, I didn’t realize Reed had released several albums with the group “Velvet Underground.” Their music, including songs like “Heroin,” “I’m Waiting for the Man,” and “Sweet Jane” were not the stuff of AM pop radio in the pre FM album oriented rock days.
Reed was born in Brooklyn in 1942, and raised by a pair of fairly conservative, Jewish parents. Redd admitted to his religious background, but liter quipped "My God is rock'n'roll.”
A socially awkward boy, prone to panic attacks, he learned to play guitar listening to radio. He played in a number of high school bands, playing early rock and roll, Do Wop and R and B. Lou left home to attend Syracuse University. His drug use there and wild behavior so scared his parents that they subjected him to electro shock treatments suggested by a psychiatrist to cure these “homosexual tendencies.” Reed blamed his father for this for years, and spoke of it in later music.
The Velvet Underground, composed of Reed, Sterling Morrison, John Cale and Maureen Tucker sold few LP’s, but attracted edgy artist Andy Warhol’s attention. He managed them briefly. One LP cover contains Warhol’s art. They went through several personnel changes in their short career before Reed left for a solo career.
His first solo LP was little noticed despite having progressive Rock members of Yes, Steve Howe and Rick Wakeman, as studio musicians. The second, “Transformer, produced by David Bowie made Reed’s name and contained “Walk on the Wild Side,” his first song to receive a lot of radio air time.
Over the years, Reed released a number of successful LP’s, including influential tunes like “Small Town,” “I Love you, Suzanne” and one of my personal favs, “Little Sister.” He recorded “Perfect day” and “Satellite of Love.” “Satellite of Love” influenced the creators of Mystery Science Theater, Reed fans themselves, to name their TV space ship the same as the song tittle.
Ever the multi-talented artist, Reed released a book of photography, wrote an opera, released an album based on “The Raven,” recorded with the Killers, and made an LP with Metallica. In the 90’s, Reed was matched romantically to multi-media performance artist Laurie Anderson. Anderson was beside Reed when he passed away in 2013 of liver failure.
The Velvet Underground was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Reed’s near spoken singing style and the subject matter of his songs still evokes a New York City Bohemian lifestyle. In Fact, I’m listening to “Sweet Jane” as I type.
Then, there’s David Bowie, born David Jones, who released his first LP in 1967. The LP sounds nothing like the Bowie most people know. Even Bowie, who wrote all of the tunes, said it was “all over the place.” He had changed his name from Jones to Bowie due to the fame of the Monkees singer Davey Jones and their late 60’s TV popularity.
In 1969, he gained radio time with the release of “Space Oddity.” This sci-fi rock song also started his conversion to the more Glam look and sound. His next album, “Hunky Dory”, contained “The Man Who Sold the Moon,” a song revitalized in the 90’s by Nirvana on their live album.
Bowie’s release of “The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars (1972)” captured the public with his androgynous appearance and Hard Rocking Glam music. “Pin Ups” and “Diamond Dogs” featuring “Rebel Rebel” made Bowie a rock radio mainstay despite his less than traditional appearance.
The era of Glam rock was made for Bowie. Many critics give him credit for its creation. It gave birth to T Rex, Queen, Kiss, Gary Glitter, the Sweet and the Tubes. Spandex, androgyny, outrageous stage shows and showmanship became as important as the music itself. Bowie’s music lost nothing in quality. It had that hard rocking edge of :Suffragette City,” and :”jean Genie.”
Then Bowie, ever the rebel, became the Thin, White Duke. His appearance shifted along with a more R&B music style. His career featured many transition and morphing images. When MTV premiered, when they actually played music videos, Bowie was exactly what they had in mind.
I remember clearly, as a college freshman, overwhelmed and beaten with class and football practice, sitting with my friends in the a small pizza place in Lyons, Kansas and Listening to Bowie’s “Changes” as it played on a scratchy juke box. It was a tune I saw as a theme song at the time.
Bowie’s “Ashes to Ashes” seemed a return to Ziggy Stardust and Major Tom. He even appeared on Saturday Night Live in a solid skirt and make up, and had to be carried to the microphone. Performance art and music blended. He wrote and sang the theme song to the remake of a 50’s sci fi film, “Cat People.” His “Putting Out The Fire (With Gasoline)” was eerie and sensuous at the same time.
He made the first extra length videos for MTV (Blue Jean) and md music with a collection of other artists including Brian Eno and Trent Reznor of 9 Inch Nils. Bowie’s collaboration with Reznor resulted in one of my fav Bowie cuts, “I’m Afraid of Americans.” In 1981, Bowie collaborated with Freddie Mercury and Queen to produce the number one hit “Under Pressure.”
Bowie and his distinctive look/voice made many movie appearances ranging from “Last Temptation of Christ,” “Labyrinth,” The Hunger.” “The Man Who Fell to earth,” and even an episode of sponge Bob Squarepnts.
Bowie created a huge catalog of recognizable music, solo, in collaboration and as part of a short lived band “Tin Machine” with the two sons of comedian Soupy Sales.
Bowie passed away due to liver cancer just 2 days after his 69th birthday and the release of his newest LP. He had known for 18 months of his condition, but according to his longtime producer, Tony Visconti, he worked tirelessly to finish his last musical contribution. Despite a heart problem a decade before which caused him to withdraw from the public, he never released publically his condition of liver cancer until his death.

It’s hard to describe Frank Zappa. Zappa is often under rated because of his musical subject matter ranging from the comedic to the raunchy and offensive. Those who pushed him aside because of the unique style of his music missed his dazzling guitar playing and complex compositions. Zappa composed rock n' roll, jazz, jazz fusion, and orchestral works, He recorded more than sixty albums with his band the Mothers of Invention and as a solo artist. He directed feature-length films and music videos.
He was born in Baltimore as the oldest of four kids. He was often sickly as a child, a condition that he later attributed to the fact his father worked at a chemical warfare plant and he had once been treated for sinusitis by insertion of radioactive granules into his sinuses. Zappa recalled his parents being "pretty religious" and trying to make him go to Catholic school despite his resentment. Zappa first played drums in high school and later switched to guitar. He had classical, R&B and Jazz influences in his early days of self-taught composition.
Frank eventually finished high school (he attended 6 different ones) near Edwards Air Force Base close to Los Angles. At the high school, he composed several Avante-Garde performance pieces for the high school orchestra. He graduated in 1958 and after 1 semester of college, he moved into an apartment in Echo park in 1959. He studied composition with a private instructor and married in 1960. That Marriage lasted only 4 ears, but he remarried in ’67 and they remained married until his death in ’92.
In the early 60’s Zappa worked at a recording studio making money composing and playing. His first recording under the names “Soot” was a failure. In 1965 he joined a band as guitarist. They called themselves the Mothers. In ’66, they were signed to a label by a produced who insisted they change their name to “The Mothers of Invention.”
Their 1st Lp, “Freak Out” was released the same year. It was only the 2nd rock double Lp released after Dylan’s “Blonde on Blonde.” It contained experimental music, sound collages and an 11 minute track called "Return of the Son of Monster Magnet."
They recorded and released a second LP, with Zappa in absolute creative control. He also recorded an orchestral LP the same year called “Lumpy Gravy.: It was supposed to be a "monument to John Cage," post WWII avante-garde composer.
The Mothers released several late 60’s LPs before disbanding. Zappa started two record labels that were distributed by warner Brothers, and included artists like Captain Beefheart and Alice Cooper. He also appeared, oddly enough, in a segment of “The Monkees” TV show and made a cameo in their movie “Head.”
Zappa released his first solo LP, “Hot Rats”, that featured for the first time his guitar solos and Jazz Rock Fusion. He wrote and directed the feature film “200 Motels.” It had several cameos from Ringo Starr and Keith Moon. It also introduced a band that included vocals from Howard Kaylan and Mark Vorman, the onetime pop singers known as “The Turtles.”
In 1971, John Lennon and Yoko Ono jammed with Zappa onstage at the Fillmore east in New York City. That recording was captured and released as part of Lennon’s “Sometime in New York” LP.
In 1971, While performing at Montreux in Switzerland, the Mothers' equipment was destroyed when a flare set off by a fan started a fire that burned down the casino. The event was immortalized in Deep Purple's song "Smoke on the Water,” The same year, Zappa suffered severe head trauma and broken legs when a fan pushed him off the stage into the orchestra pit at the Rainbow Theater in London. He was inactive for quite a while, but his reappearance produced 3 solo LPs and his first top ten LP, “Apostrophe.”
“Apostrophe” was the first Zappa LP at our house, My brother Tim bought it and it included the instrumental “Apostrophe,” along with the FM hit “Don’t Eat the Yellow Snow.” His Bizarre and Straight labels were retired and replaced with Discreet. He followed Apostrophe with Overnight Sensation and Zoot Allures. Kit was an era of a lot of radio play for Zappa, including one of my favorite Zappa cuts, “Montana.”
Zappa ended the 70’s with the bestselling LP of his career, “Shiek Yurbouti.” It contained the Grammy nominated “Dancing Fool,” a parody of disco culture. In 1980, Zappa released “I Don’t wanna get Drafted.” He toured with Steve Vi as part of his band. He also released several songs critical of Rev. Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson. He was more and more politically involved.
In 1985, Zappa testified before the United States Senate as one of many musicians in opposition the Parents Music Resource Center or PMRC, an organization co-founded by Tipper Gore, wife of senator Al Gore. The PMRC was founded to address the issue of song lyrics with sexual or satanic content. It followed on the heels of ridiculous evangelical changes of satanic back masking in popular music that had set off a storm of anti-rock sermons. Zappa saw their “labelling” as simple censorship.
In 1990, Frank Zappa was diagnosed with inoperable prostate cancer. He devoted his remaining time to classical composition and experimentation with the digital Synclevier.
In 1991, Zappa was chosen to be one of four featured composers at the Frankfurt Festival of ’92. One of the other featured composers was John Cage. They chose to perform some of his new works, and even though his illness had progressed to the point of great pain, he made two appearances and received a 20-minute ovation.
Frank Zappa died December 4th of 1993, surrounded by his wife and children. Two days later, his family announced "Composer Frank Zappa left for his final tour just before 6:00 pm on Saturday"
Zappa’s fans are a dedicated group. There were several posthumous albums released of his stockpile of recordings. Creative and prolific, his music still lives on as his son Dweezil tours as “Zappa Plays Zappa,”
“Cosmik Debris,” “Valley Girl.” “The Slime.” “Stink Foot” “You Are What You Is,” and a collection of other songs mostly heard on edgier FM stations, but familiar to fans. They contain the humor and irreverence of the genius of Frank Zappa.

Zappa was inducted into the 1995 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and received the 1997 Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. In 2004, Rolling Stone magazine ranked him at number 71 on its list of the "100 Greatest Artists of All Time", and in 2011 at number 22 on its list of the "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time".
Lou Reed, David Bowie and Frank Zappa paved a road for a whole generation of artists who didn’t play in the boundaries of standard pop music.