Road trip tapes

Yesterday in talking to Nina we started talking about missing our college days and I told her we needed to pull out our old travel tapes. I think I mentioned in blogging before that we used to talk into a tape recorder when we would go on road trips, talking about all the events around us. Talk about being able to relive your college days! So I dug through the closet of doom, didn't find either of the Toronto trips but found two others, one of Karen and I in Vancouver, the other of Nina and I going to see Glass Tiger in Tucson.
What a blast!! The story goes, we were supposed to go putt-putt golfing one night with Paul (Sloan on CFOX NOW...) while Nina was visiting. I must have used my bad influence on her and we both got a second hole pierced in our left ear. She just mentioned I should use that in my novel as she was in trouble from her mom for doing it. So we got the ear piered and I hada bad reaction, I got sick both times I ever had my ears pierced. So we stayed in my room listening to the radio. I told her I could pick up Tucson stations so I left KLPX on for a while and they run an ad for Glass Tiger playing there the next night. Can you imagine the pre-teen screams, it was the next night...! I had only lived in AZ a year and we drove through a horrible dust storm in the nightmare area of duststorms area Casa Grande. You can tell in the road trip tape that I had never really experienced one, lucky we made it ok... So listening to the tape revealed some observations- I was annoyed with myself, kinda mouthy and bossy...hope I am still not too much like that-hahaha! You should hear the questions we came up with to ask Glass Tiger for an interview...ahhh youth.... some of the stuff was kinda suggestive prompting me to think, good thing we didn't dress or act like sluts because some of the questions could have led us sweet young girls down the wrong path...hahaha! Nina wanted us to ask what color boxers they wore... as I recall, we never saw Alan Frew after the show as he was in a back room with a girl the entire time until their tour manager blew a whistle to get them on the bus. One of the other band members told us Frew was rolling around with a girl who was up front with us during the show. All my years of of chasing bands, well I honestly never wanted more than to just talk to them...but it was scary to hear how innocent Nina and I sounded ...and refreshing...
So next point I found facinating was that she and I were going on about our current guys we had crushes on at the time..That's what 20 years old girls talk about..and I was struck by the fact that we are both still in touch with those two guys. Mine comes and speaks to my classes now-hilarious but a good feeling that we can still stay in touch with the people who were important to us in our lives. (And no, believe it or not it was not a band guy for me, I did go through my sports guys and football players phase. We know I ended up marrying the football player-wink!) I am a true believer in keeping in touch with people in our lifes as much as we can, it ties our past to our current lives.
Next surprise, I realized I think I remember a lot of things from my storied past yet I was talking about stuff on the tape I totally forgot.. I had a pool party which I did remember but I didn't remember said crush guy ever even being to my house yet apparently he came to this party, left and came back then I walked him to his car...again..ahhh youth.... Also even more surprising, I was singing along to songs by Alta Moda, I don't even remember that song yet I knew the words back then. Music isn't something I usually forget. Must have been in heavy rotation on the Mod Maid's mighty Maple minutes at the time.
I listened a little to the GT interview, so bad..How I ever ended up with a successful radio career is now in question in my mind... I think I got better...hehehe
I also listened a little to the Vancouver trip, it struck me completely different. I think Karen and I still sound exactly the same when we converse to each other, I think we use the same phrases, same amusements...I will have to make copies for my fellow pre-teens. I am mystified where the Toronto trip tapes are...
All this nostalgia kept me from writing last night but I had a self imposed night off. It was good for me, enjoyed remember what else I do in my spare time. I have been thinking lately, what did I do before I started writing. I guess I was working on my website a lot, emailing, IMing... for a moment I was interested in cooking.. hmmm...what did I do? guess just messed on computer.. when Mom was alive, we were always running around plus I watched TV with her. Dan watches movies I have no interest in, we have never shared the TV watching thing, I know he wished I would watch more with him but I was never a TV kid even before the computer came along. I was making tapes or out..or on the phone I suppose.
I was on the phone last night with Missy, I told her my new plan. I think I will write a second novel before I try to look further into editors, publishing etc... (things I know NOTHING about) I feel like I am too close to Bay Window and would be too emotional for someone tearing it apart. If I write soemthing else that is a little less close to the heart, I may be able to handle the process better. For as long as I have wanted to write, I did not start with the story I have had in my head the longest. Missy was kind to say she was floored I had two more in my head ready to go...I know I know she's probably biased but she is the only one who has read all of Bay Window.. (war and peace of a college radio girl) I hate talking confident, there is only one thing I was ever confident about in my life and it was my on air talent... but I feel soo good about my writing..I feel like I know when it's not good too... If it feels good do it..somebody wrote something like that...hmmm...have I mentioned how sexy I now find grey haired men.... how come women can't look so sexy grey....ugh..mine are coming in faster than ever...
OK so what did we learn...old crushes never die? WQBR Pre-teens grow up some, and still live in their pre-teen days, I am obsessed with my novel..yep...many lessons learned from the past.
I guess I should have used a Glass Tiger photo but it looks like those boys in the photo are going on a "trip" Ode to my pal Nina, they are on AIR NOVA! Hey, if it feels good do it is our motto today.

Waiting for the flood, actually I'm waiting for an appt so I'm messing about...

The kids all do these survey things so I snagged this one from a student's live journal for fun...

First best friend: Christine Miller in Kindergarten

First screen name: Racergrl754, still is..

First funeral: My grandfather, my mom didn't take me to my dad's, thought I was too young (almost 4, Feb 1970)

First CD: Platinum Blonde "Alien Shores" bought it in Canada before I got a CD player

First pet: Snoopy Mom got him right before I was born he lived until he was 17!

First kiss: Richie Nell outside St. Matthews maybe 7th grade? Was horrible!

First piercing/tattoo: well my ears I guess in high school, no tat yet but that mapleleaf beckons me, almost did when Dan got his SS in London, ONT.

First big trip: Mom, Grandma and I drove from Mich to Cali when I was 7. Went to see my Uncle drag boat race at Long Beach!

First flight: To Tampa Florida to visit Butch's mom when I was maybe 12. I remember we sat in the back of the plane as my parents could smoke back there.

First job: West Oakland Rollery as both the DJ and a skateguard at 14


Everyone also has their lasts…

Last car ride: Rode with Dan to get dinner last week, we don't drive well together, hate each other's driving.

Last time you cried: Thinking about scenes I will write for the end of my novel, driving home from work yesterday.

Last movie you watched: Saw "In her Shoes" on Sunday

Last food you ate: Had Steaks R Us last night for dinner

Last item bought: A cake for The Blaze's b-day yesterday

Last annoyance: Drivers on Apache Blvd, every morning.

Last shirt worn: Blaze one yesterday, the grey and turqouise model

Last phone call: Set up a tour for next week with prospective student

Last time at the mall: Wow, not sure...Maybe Fiesta several months now while Dan and Hunter went to Fantastic Four, Missy and I went to Fiesta

Last Person you kissed: Let's hope it was Dan..hahaha!

Last song listened to: "A Million Miles Away" -Plimsouls on the ipod

Nice Segue- who's your favorite vocalist?

My favorite vocalist- The one in the hat in the photo! Nobody sings better than my Danny...The Katies really need to call him ;)

Happy camper here...CFOX just went from "Oh be Joyful" to "Money City Maniacs" I usually never get them back to back... I heard that it was a low point in Sloan's career when they opened for Matt...I wonder why they ever even agreed, they are the stalwarts who do things their way... I feel like I'm not supposed to like them both...but I do.... Sloan is more my power pop style, Matt just appeals to my rock half plus I think he has an incredible voice, which I don't say about many..

Here's a list Dan and I made a while back of our favorite vocalists...as always I can never narrow it down.
Leah's
Robin Wilson
Ken Stringfellow (The Posies)
Jonathan Auer (The Posies)
Robin Zander
Andy Sturmmer (Jellyfish)
Bill Wood (Eye Eye)
Adrian Smith (Sugar High)
Paul MacAusland(Haywire)
Nick Van Eede(Cutting Crew)
Kyle Vincent
Matthew Good
All 4 Sloan boys (1.Patrick 2. Chris 3. Jay 4. Andrew)
Tom Dunne (Something Happens)
Mike Reno (do I have to tell you?)
Glen Phillips
Bill Blake (Bitter Sweet Alley)
Michael Hutchence
(Honorary mentions to Mark Holmes(Platinum Blonde), Chris Cornell, Ron Dante (The Archies),David Usher (Moist)& Andy Gibb)

Dan's
Robin Wilson
Jason Moore (The Katies)
Raine Maida (Our Lady Peace)
Crosby, Stills and Nash (But not Young!)
Ken Stringfellow
Brian Vander Ark (Verve Pipe)
Freddie Mercury
Lindsey Buckingham
Chris Bell (Big Star)
Chip Z'nuff

The Blaze turns 23, Dear 23

Did I flippin jinx my college radio station? I was talking about lightning striking and it did...it struck our tower last night on the eve of 23 years of broadcasting...
For now Han and his tauntaun are celebrating 23 years of being ASU's original alternative (or New Music Source or breakin stuff or whatever other catch phrases they used over the years) KASR forever in my mind!!!!!!
More later when I finish my work...if I finish my work.....

PS - Van Halen is the next Rockstar show..I thought Sammy was still their singer, what do I know??

2nd generation blossom

I snagged this picture off Robin's blog but look how cute his kid looks in the batman shirt on stage at the Phoenix Zoo. The event was last weekend while I was at the ET finals. (Plus I think it was $300 a ticket, charity thing) He says the Blossoms are about go to Memphis to record which is fine news! I guess the stuff I heard last spring was just demos.
Today I had such a bad fuzzy headache, I cancelled class, I couldn't focus my eyes. I made an eye appointment. More than likely it's the weather as it's actually raining today in Tempe. I am worried it may be my late night hours on the laptop too. Tony showed me how to change my laptop display colors to ones that are easier on the eyes... I am better now but it was an all day ordeal rendering me useless.. tomorrow I have all day blocked off to get things done..let's hope!
I wrote last night, in fact I wrote Fri/sat/sun with results I am proud of. and the big moment happened in last nights writing....oh you know which big event...They are in Vancouver so I am enjoying writing about BC. I realized I am close to finishing which is actually a sad thing. I am kinda thinking about the next one, so I think this is going to ba a hard habit to break. If anything, I will use Bay Window as part of my application to grad school if I do it. I will probably go as far as having a professional reader to gauge if it's of interest. Will I be heart broke if nothing happens with it? Nope, I love it and I will share it with my friends..and know that I did it... I will spend time editing it after I finish and rewriting some older early chapters.
I priced tickets to NS and they are cheaper frm PHX than DTW. I can't fathom how it could only be $300 from Phx to Halifax but if I did the online thing correctly, I need to book a ticket now! Maybe I will look for publishing houses in NS, a love story about college radio kids going to Dalhousie may sell in NS....and maybe only in NS...hehehe
I have had three long talks with Cronkite village kids today which makes me feel good that I can be there for them as they adjust to college life. Somebody asked me again recently if I had kids...I have around 100 of them at The Blaze and 30 freshmen, not enough? ;)
I won some Sloan goodies on ebay, oh it's good I only check out ebay occasionally I am trouble on there. I found a guy who agreed to sell me all their vinyl that I didn't already have. I got this interview disc from the release of Navy Blues which has always been my fave Sloan record, I remember listening to that ne over and over while building my website ages ago. Anyway, it has some classic quotes on it and very insightful. It is hard being a fan of Canadian bands when you don't get to see or hear all the radio/tv interviews etc.. You miss the nuances of inter-band relationships (which I am apparently rather interested in-research of course!)
I am contemptating getting my journals out soon, it will be over 6 years since I have seen them. It will be my own emotional roller coaster if I do it.

Swingin Party

I had to blog as I had an incredible experience just happen to me. I certainly am a believer in signs..
I have been having a tough time of getting back in the groove of writing, going through my usual self doubt as to why I am wasting so much time on this. I seriously have been beating myself up this week..check my emails to Nina for proof..
I wrote a scene yesterday that was the first one I felt I wasn't going to use, that I wasted my time writing.. Today I resisted writing the entire day despite my laptop being out and beckoning me...I even mopped floors! By 9pm I had no more resistance left and decided to give it a shot. Mind you, I am at that point I keep mentioning where I need to move things along, find a way to explain what happens over a few months briefly (I am not good at brief...as you can tell) I found the perfect way as I sat down and started..I have been fretting over this for at least a month...I love the idea I came up with...Elise is keeping a journal of all the things happening to his band so she can give it to him for Christmas the following year (there's more to it, but that is the short of it) So I found a way to chronicle the band's signing, recording, making video, etc... relief..so I am enjoying this chapter, feeling good to be back at it.
The Replacements have played a major part of this story from the start, one day when I first started writing it, I heard "The Ledge" on XM and decided I could use it for a key part of the story. I kept using them for differnt parts of the story and decided that the band would get the chance to open for The Replacement for their first ever tour. I swear to you as I typed the words of Patrick telling Elise they got the opening slot for The Replacements. "Swinging Party" came on my ipod. Now I know that doesn't seem that fateful but I have 4000 songs on that thing, maybe 20-25 are Replacements..let alone it being from "Tim" which I used for a scene just a couple days ago. I personally started crying...I know I am emotional but I felt like a lightning bolt hit me in the head to keep writing again.... the same bolt that hit me the night I saw Sloan in Michigan... man, how many times can one girl be struck by lightning?

What ever happened to fun?

Next week Kyle Vincent will be back in town for another Living room show, I held one last January, was amazing. It will be nice to see him again.
Kinda a rough day today, troubles a foot in Cronkite Village..I am not trained to deal with roommate issues or overbearing mothers...
Didn't get to write again last night, still on 4 day of racing hang-over. Fell asleep by 9:30pm last nite. I can hope for the chance again tonight. I am about to write new years eve then on to the moving along of the next few months...
Team Firebird won the Team Spirit award which I feel so personally proud of since I was leading the cheers at the bottom of the grandstands. My voice is still not back totally. I enjoy getting into costume and making a fool of myself! Having hillbilly be out theme for the race was hilarious since being at that track is as if you are in hillbilly country. I wore these crazy long red braids and full on hillbilly hat, buck teeth and this country gal looking shirt that Missy found me at a garage sale (in my size-unbelievable) I have to say, the team spirit thing was the most fun part of the race, maybe if Big Red wasn't acting so wounded all weekend...
Gotta go, my old pals Thomas and Sam are speaking to my class today...Hopefully I will catch up with a certain young lady names Elise tonight ;)

Somebody Somewhere

This morning I was listening to BOB FM and they play "Not in Love" from Platinum Blonde. I'm pleased, never heard them play it, amused as I listen remembering I wrote a paper in college anaylizing the lyrics. The song ends and Milky says- "That's for Leah out in cyberspace" I choked! I checked my old emails, back on June 30 I sent an email that suggest several bands including Plat..do you think that was it OR is there a Leah in Ottawa who emailed a Plat request? Too weird! Then he proceeded to play INXS then Honeymoon Suite, It was a great start to the day! Of course Platinum Blonde is one of my main character Elise's favorite bands-wink!
Mr Good is on CFOX as I type, they played a Sloan song about 5 minutes ago..yeah..
I have not written in over a week and I miss it sooooo much! Hopefully tonight! I thought a lot about how to move on, what elements I can gloss over and which scences need to be written. I will say that the ending changes in my head often so we'll see what happens. I wrote a lot of notes while at the track, I can be in a whole nother world and still be working on it in my head. Missy told me the last few chapters made her cheeks red, now I am not sure what that means but hey..if it causes any reation, it must be effective?
Karen told me that INXS is not playing here for their tour. That kinda bums me out as Dan and I have both said we miss the show and hearing JD. She said the show Vegas(With Dan Tanna?) played "Dirty Vegas" on it. Seems strange they are skipping AZ but maybe there is a second leg. Milky said on BOB today that everyone is talking about INXS especially since their singer is Canadian now. JD is Scotian baby, I am making on of my characters from New Glasgow in honor of writing while the show was on.
Randomness: They are stomping on the floor above me here at The Blaze, I swear the art teachers tell them to do it to get back at our loud music in the building.
They cut down all the palm trees in the middle median of Apache Blvd. Wonder why?
The new itunes is acting so slow and blowing up my computer, so annoying. The Blaze is now playing INXS, must be an Albert left over (hell I mean a Leah left over, I was PD when this came out...)
Some band called Tony and I's phone line, said they were called "Original Booty Burglers" pretty hilarious name. Ahh College radio...
Back to something I mentioned briefly last week, when I got my grey washed out last week with Molly my hairdresser, I was so excited to hear what she thought of the Posies show. I thought she was acting excited about it but then realized her emotion was of utter disgust. She not only said the aforementions"fucking sucked" she also said they were arrogant and cheesy. She never even got to comment on Ken's panties... How bizarre that two people can see something in such opposite terms. I have seens them 17 times now and the potential was there for them to have lost some of their mojo-right? I saw no sign of them not still being one of the best live bands I have ever seen. I thought having Dan see them for the first time was a good test too, but he was dazzled, rocked, everything a Posies show does for you. She said their new songs sucked and I asked how long it had been since she had been following them lately as they played very few "new" songs. I think if you go to see the Posies thinking they are going to sound like "Golden Blunders" or "Dream all day" then it would be a shock to the system. They have always been a "harder" sound live. I thought Ken was ten times more animated since he joined REM and he was already pretty entertaining on stage. She hated him, said he was the arrogant one (uM...WRONG) I also explained that I think they have a tendancy to joke around on stage and that their comments were probably tongue in cheek. I related it to her as how people always misunderstood Robin's commentary on stage. But I understand there are many opinions, I had just never heard anyone in all my years of loving them say they were even the least bit bad live. She didn't believe me when I said they were my favorite band. I can't really think of anyone who has challenged that long running distinction. Even Scotty from the Blossoms would tease me that I loved The Posies more than them. (They are in a totally different catagory, it's differnt when they are your friends) Oh sure, I listen to Sloan and Matt way more now, one has to keep finding new things to amuse..but since 1988, it's been Posies for me. My engagement ring is a Posie flower for goodness sake, there are reasons for these things....
So that leads to the debate over the new OLP record. The first night it came out Dan had to drive to Casa Grande so he took it. He ranted to me for a half hour after about how bad it was and how dissapointed he was. I like them a lot but Dan is a much bigger fan. He was so bummed. I talked to Andrew not long after and both he and a friend say it's great-love it. I waited a while to listen to it, and my official statement is-boring...I listened to it 3 times in a row, just did nothing for me... One of my Cronkite Village kids said he sold it back he was so disappointed. So..differing opinions...everywhere....
Last thing-I think I may be getting a faster motor...Leah goes Super Steet racing?? 10 seconds? maybe... Dan's answer to any car problems, put a new motor in it. This time I may actually agree.
Did I mention Sloan in this post, never enough I am sure ;)

Big Red Blog entry-Give me an F for...FIREBIRD

Wow, let's see if I can recount all this mess... First let me say, so many people where so kind to ask me if we got problems solved, did I get a good pass, etc... Thanks so much, I appreciate those who care..I really do...
Friday started with hopes of all things better than Thursday right...wrong...We put the new plugs in and indeed, spark plugs can solve odd conking out problems...hey I thought it was crazy but the motor was fine for the rest of the weekend. problem solved..old one resurfaces...I have had three races this year that my tranbrake cord has wrapped around or yanked out completely. no zip ties or tape or anything was keeping it from getting stuck in the groove or the key, etcc.. so first pass Friday, I go to do burnout and no line lock. I look, see my accessories switch is on, think that is it. Didn't even think the trans brake was fried too..Go to stage, no transbrake, catch it but ended up foot braking too late, no rpm up, no shift light, .wasted pass. Dan reconnects the ripped wires, replaced grounded fuse and we hang my transbrake button so I need to just hang on to it, no more long cord. 10 hours later, time for pass number 2, full of hope and promise. I am nervous over the idea of holding button, do kinda crumby burnout (struggling with that with big tires but we'll get to that later) Do my own staging, not watching other lane at all, come up on converter and turns out other guy is pokey puppy...I'm on the converter a good 10 seconds, I spin so hard, never see a shift light come on full pass. The rest of Friday night is bad news. Let's just say Dan was very frustrated with me, I assumed I have killed the converter. I was ready to pack up and admit fully I did not belong at the finals. I can tell you, we definitely should have spent more time testing, we are still gathering data on the changes and I had to just keep thinking I used the ET finals as 4 days of test n tune but believe me, I don't believe that is where you come with a car you are still figuring out...I believe in the finals being the baddest of the bad ass racers battling, not someone who has barely made 10 passes on a practically new car. I know it and was very embarrassed to be such a problem all weekend. So back to our tale, Dan tries to find a converter, no luck, we decide to check a few things and the tranny fluid was super low, probably drained out slowly out at Speedworld's top end (wink) Dan messes with it, seems like it's ok. I am ready to quit racing. (yeah it was one of those kinda nights, the ones were you doubt you have any talent for this sport.)
Saturday comes around, good night sleep, I feel like if I have a car that works, I know I can race. I am ready to give it another shot. Dan adjusts the rear shocks to soften them up, but no help. First time run comes, It spins super bad again (1.80 60ft..yikes) My 11.50 car has yet to run in the 11's at all. Time for First round, I am total duck soup....really, I feel bad for the guy who red lit to me because I dialed a 12.00 and came no where near it as I spun again. BUT I feel somewhat better knowing that I, at least, gained my beloved TF one point. I didn't totally make a fool of myself for accepting a slot on the team.
Sunday comes, I was just so glad to still be racing on Sunday 2nd round. I actually felt pretty good, I didn't think I was going to red light but I did -.007 red. I thought I hung it out and was late, guess NOT, but it did hook up a bit better, that didn't help. I felt sorta bummed but I felt good about my lights all weekend and I know I can finish line race with the best of them. (If given the chance)
I never ran 11 seconds all weekend. There is no question Big Red is wounded and the overwhelming consensus is that the converter is slipping We believe it has been even at the last team race causing me not to spin the tires but the trouble is the converter slipping. My wise young brother in law called it at the TF race, said the converter was toast then. We have another, it's just on a certain lady named Lily at the moment. We plan to get her changed for the next race in Nov. I am getting better at the bigger burnout, I spent so many years trying to take them easy to preserve my tires I am just not aggressive enough. I took some wise advice from Jody Davis, spun them harder than I ever have, I just need to drive her out of it a little further. She is just so much more of a handful and I am a slow to change habits style person. I mean, my feet still want to foot brake, old habits die hard for me! By the way, one habit that wasn't hard to change...I love holding the transbrake button, it's like using my practice tree- I let go and drop it, no worries, I actually adjusted to that right away...Hey!
As for the weekend on the whole, I tried to stay calm and cool over all the shite Big Red was tossing at me.. I was so glad to be at a finals again! I was so happy for my bud Ryan Smith, I hope he knows his victory meant a lot to his friends too! Thanks for letting us be in the photos! I had some good words in to some folks I know upstairs for him. The finals were some of the most amazing memories I had in recent years with my family, we always had a ball from painting signs, jangling pepsi cans or my mom sewing FIREBIRD letters on shirts. I was very emotional to be back in those stands knowing how much fun the whole team spirit thing was for my parents and I. So I just ran down there and tried to get the gang cheering... The "Give me an F" cheer was aimed right up at Butch for wearing that F with pride... So if I was loud, obnoxious or nutty...it was divine intervention...

Every bitter drop

Stringfellow:“I’m always slightly amazed,” Stringfellow says now, “by the things that have left and re-entered my life. People disappear for a while, and then they come back. This band, and the connection between Jon and I — those two elements are really impossible to separate. If one doesn’t work, the other’s not going to — at least, not well. And that period of us not speaking, and not making music, is getting further and further behind now.”

Auer: “After everything that’s happened — a breakup, a falling out with someone who was one of my best friends in life — even after all that, there’s proof that things can work out. I mean, talk about optimism: This band’s a living example of it.”


I have layed down the law this week that I am to go to bed at 10pm yet here it is 10:03pm.... I have things to talk about but will have to quickly mention and return to them
The ode to The Posies today is 2 fold, they are in Detroit tonight-yeah! and today my hairdresser said the conert in Tempe "Absolutely Fucking Sucked" WOW...need to make many comments soon... It is worthy of a blog about differing opinions...it can include the harsh debate over the new OLP record also...
I am so sad to not be writing... I literally miss my characters...too weird... what am I gonna do when I finish? I am pretty much at the turning point of making time pass..I guess I will think about this for a week and figure out how to casually mention things that happen over a year... I maybe at a loss for how to do it...
I have a new pal on the Sloan board, had fun talking to her last night...looking for some inside info...she's a sweetie..
I will try ot blog tomorrow, I have a ton on my mind when I should be preparing what to take to 4 days of racing... My laptop....yikes!
sad to be aware..posiegrl754

She says what she means

Only I could be loking for pictures of turtles online and have google find me Nova Scotia Turtles. Even when I try to think of other stuff, Sloan sneaks in.
Hunter won Scorpion of the week at his school, San Tan Scorpions! He never wants me to see his school shirt because he knows I saw that big ugly black scorpion at Speedworld. Dan was watching "The Longest yard" last night and there he was, the black ugly scorpion starring in a scene in the movie. I mention this because of course I am finally racing at Speedworld this coming week for the ET finals. I have not gone down the quarter mile there since my hood came up in 1997! My car has, Dan drove it there for the first check out passes after the tubbing. It is a big week, the finals should be a ball no matter what. I have been hitting my practice tree. I also need to hit the pillow sooner. I tried to last night, skipped writing but now I am kinda sucked into the Sloan message board and eneded up reading that until 11pm even though I desperatly needed sleep. I have to be well rested this week for 4 days of serious racing. I may write tonight and tomorrow then I better take some time off this week to focus and sleep. Oh and Hunter also got to say something over the loud speaker for being scorpion of the week, "I always do my personal best" I told my shy nephew I can get him a gig on a college radio station when he is ready-;)
This past week was emotional as the approach of two years since mom died approached. I was in a total funk over my writing and even good things bummed me out. Today we went to garage sales and I swear she was leading us to the right ones. We had my mom in law with us for the first time ever, We pulled up to one and they had just put out a 50's coke machine for $125! One time I saw one when I was with mom, wanted to get it so bad but didn't have the funds with us, it was like $400. It was on my birthday maybe in 2002. I think she placed this one right in my path today...Even if my mom in law wasn't along, we would have gone to the bank, it was too good a deal...But alas, Dan is fussing about where we will put it. I need to think it out, easiest would be to put our freezer in the garage but one does not mess with my hubby's garage space. I had to buy my own garage for Big Red after I fought for years to keep it in the garage. Oh and we found a real gum machine for $25 also...my kitchen is gonna look even cooler.. maybe I will be inspired to clean it now-hahaha! Missy found something I know mom always wanted to get her for Christmas which sealed it for me that she was along for the ride today! I am quite certain my writing is therapy, I miss her so much I can't think too much about it. I have to keep busy, keep productive, keep her proud of me...
I went to see a Cronkite school professor last week, he owns an antique shop and found me a pie rack for my kitchen. Anyway, he is also a publishd novelist. His agent works for the Creative writing dept at ASU. They also publish books too. He raised an eye at me when I told him my subject matter, slight interest. As usual I don't thik I properly described it. Although I did get past my bumbling "girls and bands" that I said to Patrick. He kept saying I need an event, a definative action that happens. I am fearful I am taking way too long for this action to happen. He asked me how many words I had so far and again raised a surprised eye when I said over 100,000. He said a first time novelist would usually be right at 100,000. I am gonna be way beyond...but I am sure an editor kills most of it anyway. I was a little bummed but he just said the same as the others I have met with, just keep writing, finish it before I worry. He told me I could come see him anytime to talk more about it. I think he will be a great contact and mentor if I pursue this further. He was very encouraging just as I was depessed the day prior over writing a scene I didn't like as much. I think I maybe forcing it sometimes and have now had two times I was less than thrilled with the outcome. I wrote again Thursday and had my groove back on..:) I think I will appreciate reading this blog later and remembering my struggles with what maybe the biggest undertaking in my life. School is fine, I have been underproductive there, having a funk about work to, not the Blaze or the Village kids, just school stuff...need to get productive there too.
Heard lots of fun stuff last week like "Nova Heart" and "Crying over you" plus lots of Sloan from Neil on CFOX.
Was thinking about seeing Matt again but Andrew can't go...should I wander up to Vancouver myself? Thinking about it...MIssy thinks I should, Dan didn't fuss but would I enjoy it on my own?

My post to the Sloan message board

- If It Feels Good, Do It (After Consulting Your Physician)
- (Arthritis) I Can Feel It
- Can't Face Up (Someone Get The Nurse)
- A Long Time Coming (Talkin' Little Blue Pill Blues)*
- Stand By Me, Yeah (So I Don't Fall In The Tub)
http://yupislyr.com/sloan/index.php?showforum=5

So on to a 38 year old's teenybopper night with her best friend from college. Back in the days of our youth, my best pal Nina and I played groupie to many a Canadina band including our first tour bus with Eight Seconds, A drive through the most horrendous storm to get to hang out with Glass Tiger, a memorable evening hanging out with Eye Eye in Windsor, all I can say is it's a shame we never got to Haywire... Well anyway, I stayed in the music business, she went on to life with kids etc.. I decided to take her to see Sloan figuring we could relive our glory days...
Once we finally got up to the stage area during the OJays, we wandered around looking for refugee from the crowd and walked right back to the backstage area and saw Grinder walking right by us. I asked Nina if the elevator Grinder came up was the only place the band could have come up from... She and I went to broadcasting school together and I swear she put on her investigative reporting shoes and went walking around the entire backstage area. She even pretended to be talking on her cell to look like she belonged back there. Brilliant. She reports back that indeed this appears to be the only place a band can enter. We decide to sit on this grassy area near there. I decide to be a compete geek and make signs (Actually I had Nina's daughter color them for me) I have never held a sign at a concert in my life but something on this message board made me think it would be fun. I wasn't sure I would actually have the nerve to hold them up. So as we sat chatting, I had the signs leaning on my knee. I am in the midst of telling Nina about a cruise my husband and I are going to take that features a bunch of Tempe bands and I see someone looking at the signs out of the corner of my eye. Oh boy...It's Andrew and not only is it Andrew..It's all four of them...I will never get that vision out of my head...just the four of them walking tightly together as if in sync... There was just something that screamed rock stars. I couldn't finish my sentence and Nina kept asking which bands are playing on the cruise... Chris was smiling, Patrick looked a bit distressed, Jay did too and Andrew just kept looking at my 500 Up sign.. We watched them walk in the venue and I just yelped because it was so hilarious... Not two minutes later Andrew comes out to smoke a cig amd Patrick is back out on his phone. Jay was out later to meet some fans, he was the only one who spoke to any fans before the show. We stayed back there until they were about to go on, we just kept chatting with each other so as not to disturb any pre-show rituals...it was fun observing though! I also have to tell you I have one friend texting me to tell Patrick about the fact that Sloan inspired me to write a novel and I have my sister in law texting me to talk to them as I was chickening out as the night went along...
OK, sorry this is getting so long... So on the stage they come...if it was a bad show I didn't notice. I think the sound was messed up but it didn't matter. We didn't know how to get into that area Anne mentioned but I was fine behind the fence. Nina started screaming before they started and I felt ok to dance and sing the whole show...I decided to hold up the signs but got neither of my requests played (Hollow Head and 500 Up) I had written "Patrick don't stop writing rock songs" on one of them. The first time I held it up he walked forward, squinted to see it and waved to us. Now I'm just pre-teen mush... Nina is waving away and I'm hiding behind the sign. I had so much more nerve 20 years ago... btw Patrick said they would have done one of my songs had they known I came all the way from AZ. Next time...I will pack my signs for next time...
Show's over, we head back to our grassy spot to watch everyone talking to Chris and Patrick. This is when I met SHP, yours kids are great! I am pretty sure Chris was teaching them guitar while we were having our marathon discusson with Patrick. I told Nina we would wait out the crowd a bit. I was definately losing my nerve to talk to them but finally I said we better do this now... So we approach Patrick, listen to some guys go on to him incessantly about ipods...By the way, I heard Patrick make a mention to the guys about messages boards and how the fans don't understand they need to do things to make money so they can keep doing this for a long time....finally I interupt and ask Patrick if I can have my photo taken with him... (no, I look too much like the dork I am to post it) Yeah! I tell him I'm there from Phoenix...and he asks me if they have played Phoenix lately... Um yeah...last year on the Jet tour without Jet...that was my first time I met them and was charmed enough to inspire me to write a novel about "girls and bands.."
Patrick proceeds to tell us a tale of some trouble he encountered in my hometown back in 1993...Nina and I agreed it was like meeting a new friend and having a great first conversation. She said I kept apologizing for Phoenix. Well I got the courage to tell him that their show last summer flipped a switch in me to write a novel about all the things I have seen bands go through in my career in radio, although I certainly stumbled trying to explain why Sloan spurred this. We went on to talk about all sorts of nice things like his son and dealing with being away from him. I end up telling him he should write more, like I'm some expert or something... I can only conclude by saying the night was inspiring on many levels and a great chance to meet someone Nina and I will remember as a super sweet guy who gave some old college pals a chance to be pre-teens again, except now we have conversations with band members about our kids and lives. Much nicer than Alan Frew..hahaha!

Big City Life

“Writing fiction is the most deeply and intimately fulfilling work of my life. And it is very private,” she says. (Melissa Pritchard an ASU Professor of Creative Writing)

Neil on CFOX is playing Sloan right now (12:37)...Patty song of course.... ;) OK now He made reference to Sloan getting beer thrown at them in PEI, one guess who told him that... I just told my Blaze staffers I am running away to Vancouver, I swear to god I should have been a DJ in Canada...I guess that is one dream in my life I will never quite fulfil...so I vicariously live through talking to jocks there...I hope they know how lucky they are. I say a little thank god for streaming radio...
Hello Monday morning! Had kinda a weird weekend, just plain exhausted I guess. I had stayed up til 2am on Thursday then late again on friday to watch INXS and Tom Everett Scott on some late talk show. Sat morning we went to garage sale at 7am and I was toast by 3pm...Saturday night I was too tired to write. I hate admitting when my age gets to me but I just killed my weekend by doing that. I slept most of Sunday, kinda wasted good project time snoozing. I finished writing by 11 pm last night to try to get back on a regular schedule.
I went digging in my closet looking for some pictures and ran into something I go the biggest kick out of. It was a long piece of papers attactched that was titled "Leah's brief history with the Gin Blossoms" It had a daily run down of what happened in my life with the Blossoms each day from for several months. I laughed out loud at some many things I had forgotten. It left me in a Blossoms mode for the entire weekend. It always happens that my ipod shuffling reflects my mood in bands. I couldn't quite remember what every reference was, some of the code style writing doesn't translate 16 years later in my memory. I did laugh at one sentance that said "Robin was doing his best Tim Farriss impression in a bat cap" OK, I guess I don't quite remember Tim Farriss being a batman fan but I had to laugh hard at the sentence. You have to remember we went from all the INXS following to the Gin Blossoms so that was the transition that was happening. I also had forgotten the day I walked into Rockaway and found Robin working there, I had didn't remember it was his first day there! Actually reading it made me wonder if there was a little something more than I ever caught on to... I need to read the journals someday again but it will be a while yet. Not ready yet.
OK I'll be back....

Deer in the headlights so gun it, gun it, gun it....

I am listening to the new Matt Good track as I type this. The chorus caught my attention on his website but it doesn't sound the same as I listen, I wonder if that was a different song on the website. Andrew and I went to lunch yesterday as he was in Vancouver Tuesday to get it. Matt mentions him in the video commentary as Andrew is in the video for Anti-pop. Andrew is way too humble about it! I think if you are a huge fan, it is a big deal to get a mention. I equate it to having one of my photos used in the Posies boxset, it's a huge honor to be acknowledged by your favorite artist in someway.. Anyway, I am slowly going through the Matt Good video commentary,I am just glad to finally own all the videos. Lyrics above are from a MG favorite I forgot in my Top MG songs- "21st Century Living" I am getting ready to compile my fave Sloan songs for a blog soon. Promises, promises, eh?
OK here's some random thoughts and news:
I made the team for the E.T. Finals!!! Kinda guessed after Lonnie called but my phone call came like 10 minutes before the INXS final. I had to rush off the phone. They had already sent the list in at 5pm but waited to call me at 8:45pm, hello....nothing like leaving me hanging.. I asked if I was like the last person they called... So 4 days of racing in 2 weeks against all the bad boys from CALI, can't wait!!! Now I gotta get organized before hand, have all our race stuff together, get Dan to fix that bad boy, get the RV ready...lot of work but worth it! Yeah!!!
So JD won, no shock near the end as it was getting really obvious when he debutted "Pretty Vegas" I hope Mig records a record, I'd buy it. I will go see INXS when they come, plus Dan likes JD so at least he will go with me now too. As I said, glad the commitment to a TV show is over, ugh I am so not into watching TV anymore. I am finding it amusing that a Canadian, particularly from Nova Scotia won...
Didn't get to wrote for the last two nights, good and bad, I am eager to write the next scene but I need to cool it because I think the Pisces in me makes me a little obsessive about things (Ya think???) I need to spend time doing things like hanging out wiht my husband ar maybe cleaning my house....
Nina has email now, it is nice we have been emailing everyday now....planning that trip to N.S. She is helping me with Canadian 80's history for the novel. Still not sure how I will ever find out DUI laws in Nova Scotia in 1987 but hey, writing is about research too right?
Oddly not thinking of all the things I wanted to blog about. All is fine with The Blaze and the Village kids, I have some work I am behind on but I will get caught up soon. No big weekend plans... hmmm.. well until we meet again..."I'm ready to go off!"

INXS is now Canadian Content? Nova Scotian at that!

Gotta go teach, for now here is the press release from FMQB about the show last night
And The News INXS Frontman Is...

Septmeber 21, 2005

The television show Rock Star: INXS came to an end last night as the band chose Canadian singer J.D. Fortune as their new lead singer. Fortune beat out two other hopefuls, Mig Ayesa and Marty Casey. Wasting no time, INXS will immediately head into the studio with producer Guy Chambers (Robbie Williams) to begin work on their new album, Switch, due from Epic Records on November 29. The first single will be "Pretty Vegas," a song that Fortune co-wrote with INXS guitarist Andrew Farriss that was already featured on the TV show.

"It's an understatement to say that this is a dream come true," says Fortune. "Growing up, INXS albums like Shabooh Shoobah, Listen Like Thieves and Kick were a huge musical influence on me. I'd listen to their songs and wonder what it would be like to be in this band. That they've chosen me to be their new lead singer is just mind-blowing."

INXS guitarist Tim Farriss mused, "J.D. has a slightly dangerous edge and will bring a sense of spontaneity to our live show. In addition, he has both the star quality we were looking for and is an inspired lyricist. I think he'll grow with us on all levels. We're a complete band once again."

The new INXS will make its national television debut on Friday, September 23 on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson. Also, "Pretty Vegas" will be available through iTunes for two weeks beginning on October 4. Then, on October 17, fans in Los Angeles will get to preview the band's live show when they perform at the new Virgin Megastore. INXS will embark on their first world tour in eight years in early 2006.

CFOX misses one on their 90's at noon birthday list

My buddy Neil on CFOX asked me why I didn't tell him sooner it's was Patrick's birthday. See, I should be doing Canadian radio, I wouldn't have missed it on my specialty show, although I would be doing the 80's nooner right?
Review of Sloan show not going to happen right now, getting ready to head home. I am not sure I can convey that night properly, it was a lightning strike from God that writing this story is the right thing to be doing. How does one go with the other? Irony can be a huge sign.
No phone call from Team Firebird yet, I am sure I am on the bubble but Lonnie called last night to say he asked if I made it and they said yes. My friends are going bug the team captains into letting me go-hehe. Lonnie thought I would get a call last night like he did but nope.... I do really want to race the finals again, it's been since before Dan and I were even married! Nice thing is Dan seems excited about it even though he is not racing this year. The finals are like spirit week in high school, you get to route for your fellow team mates in the stands, there is a huge bbq, you get to dress silly one night (hillbilly is the theme) and you get to compete against racers from California, Nevada, Utah and Hawaii. Some of my favorute memories of racing where how much fun my parents and I had the fials in Palmdale, CA. That was 1998, 97 was very fun at Firebird too! Lonnie won the race of Champions at Palmdale which got all our mugs in National Dragster in the winners circle. Crazy fun memories, I think I even won a few rounds that race, yeah I won money, maybe 4 rounds? Nice wonderful memories... It would be fun to go this year, not sure if we would take the RV or just go back and forth home(Speedworld is about 50 miles from home)
I have to say as I am thinking about it, I really am enjoying the kids in Cronkite Village. They are so motivated and active. I can't believe that it is almost time for me to have to go through it all again to pick the next group already.
I wrote over 5000 words last night on a scene I was dreading. I ended up really pleased with it. Elise has her boyfriend and family over to have dinner with her family...I liked how it turned out, it was definately a case of leading me. I wasn't as certain which way I wanted to go so it took a little longer. It kept me up until 2am and I am feeling it now. MUch as I want to keep at it, I will probably need to crash tonight. INXS is on at 9pm, then I better hit it... My eyes have hurt all day.
Also big today, the deluxe version of Matt Good's hit package "In a Coma" is out today. Andrew is in Vancouver to pick it up today. I should get it this Thursday. It's a great day for my two favorite Canadian guys!! ;)

One X One

One more night of this silly little reality show one of my old favorite bands has suckered me into. I am reminded why I hate TV and how much time it wastes in life. But when I do watch something, man I am so sucked in. Between drag races and Rockstar:INXS I don't know which I yell at the TV more over. I still don't think Mig has a chance espcially since he picked to sing Bohemian Rhapsody tomorrow which will do nothing to convince INXS he is ready to move beyond his musical days. I do hope he will get a recording career out of this so I can buy his Kyle Vincent sounding ballad records...;) BTW Kyle is coming back here this Oct. It will be good to see him again.
I raced on Saturday, it was a crazy night. Big Red was in a foul mood and conked out 3 times on the return road. Maybe it was the full moon..ugh. My buddy Ryan won the track championship so I was very happy to be there to celebrate with him. I remember Mom brought champane when Lonnie won so I brought some for Ryan. As for my night, I won a round which may have helped get me to to the finals in 3 weeks but with me missing so many races, my chances are slim. I did feel good racing despite all the mechanical gremlins. No doubt Big Red needs some love, it's nothing serious but it needs work. I had issues again with my new nemesis. I really don't want to be anyone's bad graces but this kid isn't letting his issues with me go. I know we can't be friends with everyone we come across in our lives but I see no reason to hold grudges with people especially in a high powered sport. If we were NASCAR, he'd be bumping me for sure-hahaha!
Last week was crazy at work as I got home at nearly 8pm every night because of meetings, tours, etc... I didn't get to write as much as I would have liked. I am coming up on some difficult desicions to make on which way I am going in the story. I know which way but I am not sure how to make time pass in the story. I know I said it before but I love doing it, so much! I got the details in my mail about the Master's program for Creative Writing at ASU last week. I have to look further into whether I have a shot, I will probably meet with an advisor over there after I check in with my boss to make sure I will not offend if I go for that instead of the Cronkite School's masters program. I love radio still there is no doubt, I will always follow it's path but I seek new knowledge not more in Broadcasting. I lived that long enough. I would only be studying media to please others, studying creative writing would fulfil something I never finished back when I started at Eastern Michigan. I have really poor undergrad grades as things went south when I started working full time back then, I may not have a shot but I can at least check into it. Me back to school, crazy since I consider my last day of college one of my top 5 happiest days of my life.... We'll see...
Still on the Sloan Posies come down. I will write that review still, maybe tomorrow as it is Patrick's birthday. Silly I know that but oh well...it's fun and if it weren't for them, I wouldn't be writing....
Had another fun idea last week! I found out the next Living Learning convention is at Syracuse. It is next year. I had a thought that upstate New York is a heck of a lot closer to Nova Scotia than Phoenix is. I need to look into how much flights would cost etc..I am trying to talk Nina into joining me. I could finally see PEI and do my research on the N.S. for the novel. We'll see, but hey why not? If I did, I could up my amount of Provinces I have been to up to 6! I can dream right?
Time to go home and write...Farewell Typewriter...

Farewell Mig?

Things are not looking good for my favorite Rockstar INXS candidate. Mig is definatly looking like he'll be on the chopping block, they don't appear to think he is beyond being a musicals star. Dan and I are sure that JD is going to win, actually Dan has said that for weeks. So sad I will be when Timmy tells Mig tonight he is not right for their band INXS-sniff!
Sloan review still to come when I have more than 5 minutes to write. Without asking, I was talking to CFOX's Neil yesterday online and he played 500 up for me ;)
Biggest fun of yesterday was Albert telling me that Ken Stringfellow mentioned me on his blog! WOW! I used to be pen pals with Ken in the old days of snail mail! Still reeling from both shows and events.
One other huge event to share- last night I surpassed 100,000 words on "bay window"!!!! I have no idea how long a novel is but that seems like a lot to me and I am not but maybe half way! Thinking about a title change too, "girl across the street" may seem trite but works more for where things are heading. 100,000 words since June, am I a mad woman or what?

Eats N Beats Festival Shot Pontiac, MI Sept 4, 2005

Here's a photo from the Sloan show I attended, I got it from their website, it's a fan shot but it's better than the ones my camera got. The review from me is still to come but here's a fun blurb from Chartattack.com about Sloan's tour with the Foo Fighters.

(Referring to Dave Grohl) The frontman's comedic prowess was also in effect. His recap of their Canadian tour with Sloan and The Constantines was especially entertaining.
"We played Vancouver and it was OK," he said. "Edmonton was a little better. Calgary was kinda kick ass. People in Winnipeg are fucking kind of crazy. Winnipeg is kinda nuts… people said wait 'til Toronto, those mother fuckers are crazy."
Then Grohl took a shot at Sloan.
"We got Sloan on tour! I think they're older than us!"
Finally, he dedicated "Up In Arms" to "the boys in the Cons and Sloan (and) to all Canadian boys in rock bands. Fuck that, this goes out to the ladies."

Posies Vs. Sloan battle for Leah's heart in 1993

Photo of Jon and Ken Posie with Blaze DJ Teresa who interviewed them Sept 10, 2005

I can’t seem to decide which show I want to blog about first Sloan or The Posies. It was truly two very different experiences in many ways. It is very odd that they both were on DGC, both under appreciated by their label and both still going even after the record company machine could have broke their spirit. I even told the Posies it was DGC band week for me, they were asking how well Sloan does in Detroit when I said I saw them there.
I guess for my first installment, I will tie the two together in my scheme of things. I have often wondered as of late what it would have been like if I had taken to Sloan back in the day the way I did The Posies. Would I have seen Sloan 17 times like I now have seen The Posies had it been the other way around? I certainly never mean I regret my life as a Posies fan, I wouldn’t trade it, especially now that I see them again and was reminded how much they have meant to me in the past 17 years (yikes) I have seen them in many forms but it still never ceases to amaze me, those guys never have a bad show, they are so in tune with each other, so meant to play together. I didn’t doubt they would still be this way but I was utterly amazed at how in tune they are still with each other even after breakups, solo careers, REM, etc… I was actually thinking while I was watching Ken that hanging out with Michael Stipe may have enhanced his stage presence. Ken is so sedate with REM, it was funny to see him back being himself, the wild mad man on stage that he has always been. I remember the tie I saw them at Woody’s the first full band show I saw, he was so crazy he was bleeding from the strings he was breaking. I would say Jon seemed a little more reserved this time around but that didn’t stop the unbelievable guitar solo madness. I also remember vividly being at the 2nd full band show I saw at CDGBS, two industry men were standing in front of me going on about Jon being the next “Eddie Van Halen” Another guitar virtuoso is what they billed him.
I am soooo glad Dan got to see The Posies, as I said to Ken, can you imagine marrying me and having to become Posies familiar whether you like it or not. Fortunately Dan now chides me for not being as big a Posies fan as he is. I think it meant the most to me to see them together and that all the hype that I have told Dan in the past 6 years was lived up to. Dan was cute, all day Sunday he kept saying “I saw The Posies” My answer was “You can see them again, let’s drive to Tucson” but alas we both decided that they would play way too late for us to get back home and actually function at work Monday. I think as much as I wouldn’t mind seeing them again, we had more than our share on Saturday- sometimes it can be enough and for me, I needed to just let the week sink in. I am so fortunate that they also came by The Blaze as I got past my jitters of seeing them again plus the acoustic experience with The Posies is always equal in intensity. I got my wish to surprise them by being at The Blaze as they did not know I was the advisor there. Jon came walking into my office, just as he was figuring out it was me his manager had just spoke to about how KASR was one of the first stations to play “Failure” and that I had seen them quite a few times. Turns out their current manager is a Cronkite school alumni which yet more deliciously perfect irony to why they were prompted to come to The Blaze! I told Jon and Ken it was odd that I never got them to come to the station when I was an undergrad. A couple of other favorite moments included when Ken said on stage they were going to “play a few older ones that only Leah would know” That is when they launched in “Apology” (Yippee!) A local club DJ here in Phoenix Mr. Peabody was able to get on stage and play “Flavor” like he did many moons ago, anyway he grabbed me the set list which was very very kind of him. Then as we were about to leave and were saying goodbye, Jon asked Dan if he could hug me goodbye. I said “don’t worry Dan knows” as I very embarrassedly gave a hug to my old crush. Dan was good natured and laughed later about it. It was very sweet. Oh the angst I can remember there, maybe I should never unearth my old journals, I would hate to read how much anguish I experienced with each one of those Posies shows until the ’93 weenie roast when I finally got over it!
Did they do oldies, yep, but oddly none from “Success” or “Failure” They also did not do anything from the ep “cheekbones” The new songs sounded great live, I noticed I liked them more when they came up on my ipod during my Michigan trip. “Any other way” continues to be the opus live but I was stunned that they ended with “Flood of Sunshine” as “Burn and Shine” was on the set list. The set was heavy on Amazing Disgrace tracks but that was fine with Dan and I. At the acoustic set at The Blaze, they did “Lady Friend” their Byrds cover which was another in the highlights reel. I saw a few old friends at the show but there weren’t as many Tempe popsters as there should have been there. It was an exhausting show finishing with Ken stripping to his ladies panties. I knew he did so at old shows but I had yet to be at one when he did, yikes I was blushing as we were up front by this time. I like my favorite musicians but I don’t need to see them in their underoos-hahaha! Oh well, it was still fun, totally consuming concert actually.
I guess to tie this back to Sloan, I think I was meant to be a Posies fan in the 90’s, they are more in tune to my musical taste, not that Sloan is not but it’s very different, maybe because Posies-2 singers, Sloan-4 singers. I still contend that if I had seen the video for “500 Up” back in the day, I’d probably have found my way to Halifax back then. It’s like that “Sliding Door” movie, had I been at CMJ when Sloan was there would it have been the same affect on me that seeing The Posies at CMJ was? I am guessing it would but Sloan has served a totally different purpose in my life 14 years later, to inspire a story about everything I did experience with said Posies and those Blossoms. I can’t help but be utterly amazed at how these things are unfolding in front of me so widely. I welcome these signs; I just hope to interpret them correctly!

Here's some songs only Leah will know

More to come....I am in come down mode so bad.... LMC on a Monday

The Posies called, wondered if they could come by The Blaze

It’s gonna take a lot of blogs to tell the amount of incredible things that have happened this week. I knew the week of Sloan and The Posies was going to be incredible but I wasn’t expecting the delicious irony I am experiencing with both. I am not sure if it a life full of coincidences or it’s the just plain bizarre world I live in. The entire Sloan experience last Sunday will fill some pages soon but I have to address what happened today. BTW, in case you were worried if my other favorite band the Blossoms were lost in this process, fear not, they ended up playing a part in my weekend too, Of Course they did!
My title is literal. As I sat in my basement closet office in Stauffer I got an email form my MD at The Blaze. Here’s what it said:
I just got a call from the Posies, and they're going to have a shitload of time to kill before their show on Saturday. They're doing an in-store at Stinkweeds at 4, and then would like to come over here after that!

I told them I needed to run it by you first, but....I think I know the answer. Talk to you tomorrow!
OK, Who does this happen to?? I’m pretty sure they have no idea I am the advisor there. Oh, and btw I gave him my permission-haha! In 1988 in the very office that Matt talked to them is the first time I put Failure on the turntable and fell in love, although I wondered why they played poppy music but looked like The Cure. I remember pointing it out in my music meeting as I presented it to my staff. Is this delicious irony? I don’t know what it is but my favorite teen book growing up was called The Luckiest Girl (Beverly Cleary?) I literally feel like I am the luckiest girl in the world. I could moan and groan over my truck being smashed up but come on, for three days of unfortunate incidents last week, now I am being rewarded beyond belief. I am also being vindicated for writing, but I digress. The Posies want to play on the air too, oh sure come on by my kid’s station and play away, I love private concerts anyway! So, I will have a couple days to wonder if they somehow know I advise the Blaze or not. Not sure how they could know unless they have one of those Billboard style guides to college radio stations, obviously my name is listed in a few of them. I love the idea even better that they just want to play the local college radio station and here’s their biggest fan in AZ “Putt putt girl” running the place. I am really looking forward to seeing Ken as I haven’t seen him since I saw them in Seattle for the “Success” CD release, that was maybe 97? Around the time they broke up (yeah break up, for a few days maybe) MD Matt is about to leave for CMJ next week, of course CMJ is the where I first saw The Posies in 1990. I saw them three times that weekend, once at the seminar acoustic (first time I saw them do my favorite Posies song of all time “This one’s taken”) then a club called Woody’s (owned by Ron Wood of Stones) then at CDGBS (which is about to close it’s doors) My photos from CDGBS were used in the Posies boxset as requested by Ken! I was just telling Matt what an incredible experience he is about to embark on as a college music MD at the CMJ conference. I was the one who got KASR to start sending its music directors. Again is this all irony or do I have the definition wrong like Alanis did?
The Posies asked if they could come by The Blaze, I’d be willing to bet when I put them in rotation in my “breakout” category in 1988, KASR was probably one of the first stations beyond Seattle to add them. I think the door is wide open if The Posies would like to come by, what do you think? I think a Gin Blossom will be at the show…

The Good in Everyone?

If you believe in karma, I must have really bad karma this week. I am not sure what I am being punished for but the last two days feel like I am experiencing the worst before I get the joy of seeing two of my fave bands.
This lovely photo of my "new" truck is now a sad reminder. Today I unfortunately was in my first car accident. The good news was no one was hurt and it would have been much worse if I didn't have said truck... I am just sad, annoyed and bruised ego. It was a chain reaction with three cars slammming into one another because the first guy got cut off. I, unfortunately, was the last car in the chain, hence a guarentee failure to control speed to avoid collision. Man, what a major pain in the behind. I am listening to The Spoons "Romantic Traffic" on the ipod but the metaphor of changing lanes in the lyrics are not easing my troubled mind right now. I want to relax on vacation but now I have to worry about insurance adjusters and how to come up with the deductable. UGH!
So let's not dwell on my two bad days (the day prior I lost my keys, not as bad as the virgin car accident...) My new neighbor in my Stauffer ofice, the new freshman advisor is a super cool guy, loves alt music so we have bonded. He got me talking about Bay Window and made me get past my woos this morning. I got so passionate talking about it. I told him he is now my academic advisor too. we just talked about things in our lives that serve as releases as we both try really hard to serve students and do well for the Cronkite school. He is teaching himself trumpet and painting. We both surmised that it's our ways to please ourselves after days full of pleasing those around us.
Had more to talk about but my Blaze station manager needs to talk so gotta go! Sloan in 3 days! Leave for Mich tomorrow!

I just felt like adding a pix of Big Red, it's first official photo after the tubbing! 

I go crazy when I'm without you

Do you ever worry about your own sanity? I don't think I am completely losing it but I have a case of the characters in my head coming to life, they have taken on a life of their own. I was starting to think I was going down right nutty until I went to two different writing seminars this past week that explained that is the way of a writer. Now I am not getting all bold and saying I am any type of professional, it's just a call to write. When it hits you, it is all consuming and as addicting as a drug, you can't stop. The one seminar, the lady said her kids got to an understanding, they needed to find their own dinner if she was on a roll, she needed to keep at it. It has been that way with sleep for me, I have always needed a lot of sleep but now, I am staying up, I can't stop. But even when that is true, I also wake up early, trying to get what I need to done quickly so I can get back to it. I think I fear I am going to lose the urge or the momentum, writer's block would set in. The two seminars were fantastic, it made me remember why I loved my creative writing classes in college, why I spent my teens writing. I feel like I have experienced a lot of different things than most in my life be it being around radio, or racing. These are not the average lives of people. If I can use my experiences to make entertaining stories, well then I feel like I can not just experience it myself but share it with others.
Seeing Sloan last summer, meeting Patrick Pentland was a life altering moment I can not fully try to explain. I can say I had one similar moment back when Nina got married and I decided I wanted nothing more to do with band and bar life. It was on the trip to stand up in her wedding that I decided to save up to buy a race car, that I decided I could bracket race. Now why meeting some band guy in a band I barily paid much attention too may seem like some middle aged woman's crush but I swear that is not what happened, what it did was trigger all the memories I had of 10 years of the Tempe music scene. I got my hair done by Molly the other day, an old Tempe scenster, she said something profound to me. She said she thought Dave Navarro (of all people) seemed familiar to her, like she knew him. She said she realized it was because he reminded her of all the band guys she knew. Nail on the head for me with this guy from Sloan. His mannerisms and charming way about him was a combination of about three well know Tempe band members I was very close to. I can't explain why or when your muse presents it self but if Sloan was my trigger for starting to write a stroy about a radio Dj who gets to know bands..why fight it. Is it interesting enough? Who cares, I just need to get it out. I suspect I will either be in withdrawl when I finish, or determined to do something more with it. When buying the camaro altered my life, it wasn't always a good thing, lord knows how obsessed I have been with going racing in the past. Maybe the writing is to help counteract the racing. I could have used the writing last summer to keep me from going batty while Big Red was getting tubbed. So now, if Dan has to work and we can't go race, I don't mindspending the time writing instead. Am I sad I am missing a race-of course but now I have two outlets for my self instead of just the race car. I hope when I finish "bay window" I will be able to work on what happenes next, find out if I have any chops at this and then start the story of Jim and Andi. The story I have always had in my head to write. The second seminar I went to was a woman who critiqued a scene for me. I went to her because I was struggling with how to deal with the voice of the story. She told me to follow what Elise tells me, it's Elise's story, let her tell it. I was so struck by the fact that a character had taken on life of her own. The lady was right, Elise is guiding the story, I personally don't knwo where she is leading me each night when I write. I know that sounds nutty but you have to experience it to believe it. I have an outline in my head of the story I want to tell but Elise is leading me, the lady told me she will discover people I wasn't expecting to add, this has happened to... I probably wasn't ready for critique because she kept telling me to not worry about little things or editing for now, she said just keep getting it out, the editing comes later. She said I had some real strong visuals but I needed to show more than tell. I guess I sensed that I must not be too bad or she would have had to try harder to be polite in the critique. I wasn't looking for her to tell me I was some amazing new talent, I was just trying to get a sense if I was doing it right, if I was on the right track. I knew Missy was a prety good indicator as she reads more than I ever have, but a professional reader was a nice extra nudge for me to continue. Now I figured if I went to see Sloan again, it would help me, give another inspirational shove but I did have a weird thought that it could also ruin the first impressions that inspired me in the first place. I think I'll chance it, and I get to see them again for their music in the process-hahaha~! Now how can I convince Dan I need a trip to Nova Scotia next... I couldn't write a story about the real people I know, that is impossible. If you use traits from a few different sources it makes for a richer character. Is the main character me, no, no way but she has some things happen to her that may have happened, I find that each female character has tiny traits of myself, that each male character is a tiny bit of every guy I loved or hated for that matter. It is a blast I am planning on riding out. Missy has been so fantastic to talk to me about it, encourage me and keep begging for what happens next. Dan has been more understanding that I thought he would be, he knows I need to do it and doesn't try to bug me or think I'm stupid for it. He does think I need to sleep more but that is ok.
The past two weeks are back to the hectic pace I hate. Nothing is worse than when work feels like it's too overwhelming to ever finish. The feeling goes away when you cross stuff off your list but I hate things hanging and not finished. I also was so cozy just hanging out in my office all summer, having all day to accomplish things. Now with School back in session, I scarely have a moment to finish an email, I hate splitting my time between office, I would rather stay put in one or the other for the day. Maybe next semester I will try that but for now, Blaze in the afternoons, Stauffer in the mornings. I will say the Blaze is so smoth right now I could cry a tear of joy. I can only hope for this to last. My freshman babies are so ambitious, I hope I can keep up with them. They asked me today if we could plan a trip to Disneyland, they are so bound to each other already. I would have loved to living in a learning community like this when I started at Eastern! I hope I can make it special for them, I am so happy how this has come together for not having ever even heard of Living learning communities a year ago. I think the one thing I do that will suffer is my other class , my station ops is taking a back seat right now in my work but it seems like I have a good class. Today they wanted to talk more radio than TV- hey I can do that. I guess I wasn't in the mood to teach today but I have radio students so I will get more inspired next Monday.
Ugh, Dan is singing the Refreshments. We are both so into Rockstar, it has been fun to have something to watch together because there isn't really anything else we both like to watch together. I hadn't been in the TV room in a few weeks anyway. The longest I can sit though anything is a race and even an NHRA event is something I will sit and edit "bay window" while watching. I get so annimated watching and yelling at my favorite racers, I think I am yelling to make sure mom hears me. I never realized what a ritual it was to watch NHRA with her until I now watch alone. I have yet to find someone I can talk NHRA with like her. A racer gal I know and her mom are the same way. I talked to them at the nationals in Feb and realized I was jealous that they had that same relationship I miss so much. Sometimes I think enough time has past with mom being gone to push this writing out of me too. I believe in those guiding hands, just as much as I thought Butch was there for my racing after he past away. Life is so weird, it is also impossible to explain without sounding like one is a little crazy.
I leave for Mich this Friday, I can't believe it has come up so soon. I am planning to spend a couple times at the cemetary, I think I will be in a better place after I do. I hope this festival isn't too crazy, Nina's mom sent me an article that said it's like a million people. I remember how packed bumpershoot was, I am not really a festival goer, and I know I am not seeing Sloan at Big Fish again. I hope I can get in a comfortable spot, not get shoved around and enjoy it without being too annoyed by the large amount of people. God that sounds so old, although I have always been a concert snob, I gave up front row pushing back in the INXS days. I do remember when we were at Bumpershoot, all these people shoved forward when the Posies came on and I told Karen I was not going to get trampled for the Posies, considering I could see them in a club two days later in intimate setting. Which by the way, I will again 4 days after I get back from the trip to see Sloan...how amazing...2 DGC bands from the 90's in one week- Maybe the Candy Skins and Teenage Fanclub will be touring through the following week- I'll take what I am getting for now-man I am going to be a wreck!

Big Red Blog entry for 8/20/05

This is for my other blog-Big Red Blog- I have access to the internet so I am publishing on here for now, will transfer later.
Another 3 months went by with out going down the track for me. I have been a million times more patient than I was when the car was being tubbed. Dan has been working 7 days a week, Team Firebird races never end early so there has been no chance of getting done early enough for him to get up at 4 am. Even this weekend Dan had to work Sunday morning, only not til 6 am. So after a case of the jitters Saturday morning, we finally get loaded up and to the track with "Big Red" in her new enclosed trailer. So I feel fine in the car once I drive it up to tech. I don't know why I get nervous, it's like riding a bike or what ever the cliche is. I am the most comfortable I can be when I am sitting in that car, no matter how many changes it has had since I bought her. So time for a time run, I do a good burnout, my fellow racer takes ten hours to stage for some reason. I surprise myself and red light. I guessed it was from the long staging and didn't worry about it until I made pass number two and red light again. This is the last thing I need, I never want to go back to red lighting. I know I have not have seat time but I was not red lighting up until now with the new set up. I was looking forward to the Run the Money to get the red out of my system. No one ever announced we were not having one so once the 2nd runs were over and they called Pro I was a tad bit off guard that they were calling the class. I threw a guessing dial on the car, headed up and ended up at the end of the line. I need to figure out a way to not be in the back all the time. I need to be completely ready for the call sooner for now on. I was surrounded in the rear by the usual suspects-Marconi, Downing, Kerbel and Kadar. The rear of the line is where the bad boys hang out, I certainly don't belong back there, I need to get towards the middle next race! I was directly behind an orange Camaro. He comes back to me to tell me he is broke and for me to go around him. I wait for Marconi to move up and finally back up a little, turn my wheel and head around the Camaro. Just as I am moving forward, the car stops dead in 1st gear. I had no idea what happened. I mess with the shifter, fearing I did something to tranny. I get he car to move in 2nd gear. I move up in line and realize again the car won't move in 1st gear. I realize my tranny brake line is hanging off the steering column, I had accidentally pulled it out when I made the turn to pull around the car. I have had issues with it wrapping around the steering column since we added it. I thought about foot braking but don't want to hurt anything by leaving in 2nd. I turn around and head back to the pits dejected. Dan said the cord was grounding out making it seem like the tranbrake was working in 1st gear. Ugh...2 passes and my night is over, no first round, no time to fix it in time for the open class. Now I have to wait, wait for another chance...but my wait will be a bit less patient. It only takes two passes after 3 months, I need to be in my car, I thrive on it. I just need that release, I don't know how else to describe it.

Since you've been gone

I sure miss blogging when I don't. I have been so uber busy with the beginning of school approaching, I have had little time to breath let along ramble about things I like.... I certainly have been writing, it has become a daily ritual as I am now determined to complete this novel, I am so involved in it, I have to finish it for my sense of satifaction.
So today with a few minutes to spare, here's some things happening with life in the basement of Stauffer.
It is sinking in that The Posies are coming to AZ, I am getting rather emotional about it as it brings back a lot of things for me, I think I will ball through the whole show, so fyi, I may embarass you if you are near me at this show....

It is not sinking in yet about seeing Sloan. I guess I need to start getting my luggage out soon, maybe then I will get excited for my trip. I am psyched but it has been so busy with school, I don't think it will seem real until I am on the plane as it is nothing but busy until then also. Some metal band is opening for them which will make the wait to see them worse! BTE is opening the day prior, why couldn't they be the opener??! I love their new LP btw, candidate for LP of year.

My Cronkite Village babies moved in this week, I almost got emotional during my orientation for them as I have been working on this since last November and now they are finally here. I can tell it will be interesting as there are some characters among them and issues with roommates already. I desparately need The Blaze to run smooth as I suspect the CV kids will be a lot of work. I do know the Blaze is in great hands. If my retreat for them is ever a true indicator, then they will be smooth sailing.

I am supposed to race tomorrow for the Wally race. I say that because each time I think I am going racing, it hasn't happened. Admittedly I gave up last weekend so dan could go riding. This weekend should be fine. I just need seat time as usual. We'll see how it goes but I am excited to get in the car despite the heat. I doubt I will be racing the ET Finals, we'll see. At least I am not the bottom of the points, that would be Dan this year.

Dan has this awesome theory about Rockstar. He thinks Mig is already hired as their singer. I have to say, He is by far the most obvious choice for them as he is such an obvious fit. Dan thinks they built the show around the others to help make some others popular in the midst of the show. Dan thinks it will make a few other stars out of the runner-ups. Andrew Farriss could produce them. I am not sure if I totally believe they could have a fixed TV show as if it were to get out, it would ruin them. I can see some merit in his theory based on the fact that they already got signed. Would a label sign them without knowing who the singer will be? If they pick JD, I would be sorry if I signed them- hahaha!
CFOX is hilarious, they are always screwing up and having their mics on during songs.
So my time is up, gotta go home. Blog on!

Isn't it ironic?

My last entry was titled with a Posies lyric. I'll tell ya, my mind is too far north of the border lately. I never even remotely thought about the possiblity for said band touring for their first new full record in like 8 years. I can not believe it never crossed my mind. I look at Matt Good, Sloan, even GB tour dates weekly...yet my favorite band of all time comes out with a new record and I don't remotely think they may tour for it. I haven't found an up to date Posies site in a while and have long been off their e-list. You had to pull my jaw off the floor when my favorite ZONE jock Albert emailed me with the Pollstar link. I was on the computer, checking out Jon's awesome Cronkite Village logo when Albert sent the email. My computer freezes just as I try to open Albert's link. I call Jon to confirm as I couldn't wait for the long bootup this computer takes. Jon got the brunt of my pre-teen screams although I think I woke Dan up in the process. Even in their acoustic tours a few years back they didn't come here....NOW Not only are they coming here, they are playing Tucson too, on a weekend for my convience. It doesn't even conflict with a Team Firebird race! So in one week I will see Sloan on Sunday then The Posies the following Saturday and Sunday. I am not sure how much more blessed I can get....well there's always Matt but hey, he was last summer's trip! What a surprise for my day off today...The Posies return to AZ. That could be months of blogs if we tried to recount all my Posies experiences. I'll have to go back and re-count how many times I have seen them, somewhere around 16 which isn't bad for someone who doesn't live in their hometown! More soon..for now a fine photo from a long time ago...oddly my old music director Jon L is in the picture and I heard today he is back on the air this weekend in Phoenix. I hope he doesn't think the whole town remembers KQ...although I certainly know there are some...
The picture is from November of 1990, The Posies first show in Phoenix was at Chuy's that night....and then my putt putt girl nickname was born the next day!

Answer to quiz- Who was that? It was Robin Wilson in front of tons of Gin Blossom loving fans! 

Aurora Borealis is right here in our hands

Thanks to Cheryl K for this lovely photo from Labrador. I can't think of any cancon bands from there. ;)
I am in a fantastic mood thanks to my sis in law last night. I decided over the weekend I would bare my soul and let someone read "bay window" so far to see if I was on crack or should keep up this quest. Now I know it would be a tough predicament for her to tell me if it was really bad but I knew she would shoot me straight. She reads novels constantly so I figured she would be the best judge of whether it was even interesting. Plus she was the right person to read it first because she has no background in music or radio. I am tickled to say she told me quote "she was amazed" Now this does not mean I am convinced now it is a best seller, as I am my own worst critic. It just felt good that someone else thought it was interesting. She wanted to talk about it more with me but had not finished reading so she said she wanted to know more soon. Unfortunately I had one of my headaches that didn't allow me to look at the computer screen last night. I have written two new scenes this week. I did a ton of research yesterday on the Halifax area. I also looked at my transcripts from ASU recently and confirmed I only had two 'A' my entire time here, both in Creative Writing. I always found that funny, I never got an A in any of my broadcasting classes.
My girl Tara got eliminated last night on Rockstar INXS. I think they moved one of the shows to VH1, the ratings must not be good. I am more convinced I want to see all of them play with INXS, that will help get a better view of how they would fit in.
I am laughing, BOB is playing "When I'm with you" Sheriff-they played this one at my prom then it had a resurgence years later on KZZP. It made those guys rich when it was re-released. Of course Arnold Lanni of Sheriff went on to Frozen Ghost and then discovering OLP and Finger Eleven. New OLP on Aug 30 btw!
So I am beaming like the nothern lights today and eager to keep writing! Darn work and life keep getting in the way of writing!

Wouldn't it be Good?

You will now find a link to Matt Good's blog on the sidebar. I will gladly add any links to other blogs so feel free to send them my way.
My stomach is all tied up in knots from a meeting I just left so I am hoping BOB will play me something to ease my mind. BOB has been amazing in the last few days, I almost jumped out of my seat when they played "Buzz" from Haywire yesterday. BY the way June 30 photo is Paul MacAusland of said Haywire! I have heard "Sausalito Summer Nights' by Diesel (One of my all time fave songs) along with GT, Spoons, Loverboy, HMS, Strange Advance, Plat... I might as well be in my bedroom on Solano listening to CFYR in 1987. I can not quite explain properly how music soothes and calms me. Last night we had a pretty bad monsoon storm that unnerved me. I have not gotten enough sleep lately as I can't stop writing. Last night I attempted to go to bed earlier and the thunder was literally shaking the bedroom wall. I woke up thinking I was in Nova Scotia-it was crazy. I have been so emerged in my writing, I woke up not sure who I was or where I was-it honestly frightened me. I hae woke up from dreams before believing they are real but this was near out of body experience. Go ahead and think me nutty!
Dan and I had fun watching Rockstar last night. Most of them are stepping it up a notch but it seems pretty apparent who the last 5 will be. (My take- Mig, Jordis, Marty, JD and Ty) I told Dan last night I would be most excited to go see INXS if they came to town with Mig. I have definately decided that he is my choice. Dan thinks that Navarro's purpose is to comment when the singers start actually playing with INXS. That makes good sense. He bet me Jordis will be in the bottom 3 tonight so I am excited I will be $10 richer tomorrow! I was with Tony at Hogi Yogi last week. We ran into some friends of his who were talking about Rockstar, They were saying they watch because they find it hilarious because of Dave Navarro. I have no use for him and could careless what he thinks, these two guys insist he is the comic relief. I don't think that is the producers idea for him. I also now think he is trying too hard to be nice to the contestants while the INXS members are much more earnest. Gary Garry made a comment to Tara about already having a successful music career, I think it indicated her heart was not in it and she made reference to feeling like an outsider. She will probably be gone tonight,my guess is she, Jennifer and Brandon are gone soon. OK there's my rockstar update.

We are the vegetables

Today I was asked if I was a fan of INXS and if I watched Rockstar. How does one answer what type of fan I was of INXS. I simply answered yes, said I met them and that it was important to see who would end up becoming their singer. I stumbled how to answer...
Let's see, I took a day off from school and work one day back in 1988 to see if we could find the hotel they were staying at. Is that a fan or a Felony style Fanatic? The best part of that story is that a writer for the Tribune wrote a story about them and in her article she said what alias she had to call for Jon Farriss. God bless her and her editor for leaving that in the article. We spent hours calling resorts in Phoenix (there are a lot) and finally I hit paydirt, The Arizona Biltmore had the alias staying there and rang his room! We went to the show at Compton Terrace then were wise to leave early, before the show was over and head tot the Biltmore. Without any harassment from the management, we sat in the lobby and waited. Our wait was rewarded. I sat facing the entryway and there was Tim Farriss with some guys walking in. I said "Hi Tim" so calmly Karri V didn't believe I was talking to anyone, she thought I was "practicing" He was a sweetheart, signed a piece of paper I had. Apparently we didn't think to bring stuff to have signed.
I know we saw Hutch and his then girlfriend Joni come in and go to the front desk. I don't recall any of us talking to him but I remember I stood at the desk near him. I think I recall Andrew Farriss having room troubles and was at the front desk also. For some reason we all split up looking for them. Karen and I were near the elevator and around the corner comes Kirk Pengilly. I can't recall what we said to him but Karen reminded me that I was wearing pigtails(?) and he tugged on them both. I recall thinking he was an absolute sweetheart afterwards. After the Biltmore, we saw them around their hotel the next night in Tucson (it's not hard to find any band in Tucson) Further into the Kick tour, Karri V and I drove to Orange County to see them. We lucked out to be staying at the same hotel as the opener Ziggy Marley. We met some of Marley's band and they gave us backstage passes. The passes were not supposed to be for after INXS but KV was not taking no for an answer and she talked us back. It was a celeb fest in the backstage area including Tom Jones. (I have a list somewhere of who all we saw backstage.) We saw most all the INXS boys backstage there except Jon. Later in my INXS fandom, I had a Michael utchence b-day show on my morning show on KUKQ. I was able to do a phone interview with him while they were recording (Welcome to where ever we are) Oh yeah, we also saw Michael in NYC for CMJ, he was promoting MaxQ. Finally I was able to interview Tim for my morning show, I had my choice of which member and of course I chose Timmy! I will have to dig that stuff out sometime. It would have taken all lunch to truly answer if I was an INXS fan.

I got this off some girl on the Sloan board. I have to save it. I will transfer it to my laptop tomorrow


"If it was a date, you first go out with Jay, and ... you would, ah, listen to some records at his house. And then he'd hand you over to me and I'd be good for some laughs and I'd have you eating at some restaurant, basically, 'cause I like to eat. And then you go out with Patrick who's a little more earnest, and you know, he's really honest and make you ... he'll take you out for some drinks. And then Andrew will take you home and screw ya."

Who could this be? 

I was from Canada where the best become unsung

Inspirational photos