view from the bridge wing

Be more than a sports fan, be a sports man

2012-01-27T17:35:00.000-08:00

Yes, you can do a triathlon. Nearly anybody can and for your own good, you probably should give it a try. Triathlon participation in the United States and across the globe has exploded in recent years with double digit growth over the last dozen or so years. Despite a widespread (but slowly receding) misconception that a triathlon includes an IronMan-like effort (check out Iron War, Matt Fitzgerald's great recap of the Dave Scott-Mark Allen Kona duel in 1989), there is a race and training schedule that will work for you. With a modest amount of research and training time, a sprint triathlon is attainable and likely to toss the triathlon newbie down a training path that has no off-ramp. Like many others that have started triathlons in the last three years, I'm hooked and given the numbers, you too probably are either involved, or will soon be. But with significant costs, hard to stage races and a prolonged period of declining disposable income, why is the triathlon one of the world's fastest growing and most hyped sports?

It's fun
People enjoy triathlons because it takes us back to being kids again. As kids, what did we love to do? We rode our bikes, we ran with reckless abandon and we went to the beach or to the pool to swim and we played and competed like hell. All hallmarks of the triathlon. And although races are relatively difficult to stage and expensive to join and train for, there's a race and a goal that's right for everybody. It used to be that running a triathlon was taken to be the classic IronMan distance made notable by the yearly televised Kona Hawaii IronMan race, delivering riveting pictures of the resplendent successes and near-tragic physical meltdowns that are part of events that last 140.6 miles and take more than a third of the day for even the fastest and fittest triathletes. But that's no longer the case. Sprint, Olympic (sounds long but it's not), half IM (aka a 70.3) and full IronMan distances (140.6 miles) are all there for the taking, depending on your appetite and will to train and invest.

It's good for you
Research has concluded that exercise is good for you. A truism. Not debatable. The litany of the benefits of exercise are innumerable, including the big one for for anybody staring down their fourth or fifth decade on this earth: longer and healthier lives. The activities of swimming, biking and running act in a complementary fashion, engaging many of our key organs while challenging our minds to incorporate efficient strategies for succeed in all three disciplines. All this is good and there is increasing evidence that there is no such thing as too much of a good thing (exercise, that is). Of course, many can call on the fact that over-training is a common affliction for triathletes but I'll attribute much of that to a lack of common sense, imagination and self-discipline. Training to swim, bike and run faster will make you a healthier person and most likely will make you a more focused, self-aware and confident person to boot.

It's in your genes
Finally, our instincts as humans, and specifically our genetic makeup, direct us to do all that we can to survive. Triathlon races serve as a proxy to those critical survival tasks of our distant past such as hunting prey, avoiding predators and procreating. Adrenaline surges from chaotic charges at the start of the swim, simulate the fight or flight instinct that we still use to survive. It's in us to compete, whether it's for limited resources such as food, water or a mate in the ultimate pursuit to pass on our genes to the next generation. Racing against the open elite, against fellow age groupers or more likely against your last best self, provides a clear feedback loop that rings a very large and loud bell for the athlete to hear. Our successes are obvious, measured in many ways, and ready to be sliced and diced, reviewed and compared for anybody (that cares) to see. Triathlons provided convenient racing intervals (e.g. swim, T1, bike, T2, run and overall)and we like that. We see where you stand versus the competition, your last best self and whatever goal you aspire to meet. Triathlon races serve as our hunting grounds to pursue our goals, no matter how grand or modest and have a great time doing it. What else could you ask for?

For most, the end of January signals the beginning of triathlon season so it is time to get kicking and begin the training cycle that will hurl us toward our 2012 goals. In the words of Julius Caesar, "Veni, Vidi, Vici," loosely translated as, "I came (to swim, bike and run), I saw, I conquered." Even if middle age is upon you or past, triathlons offer ways to improve both our physical and mental fitness and for you to be a better you. Train hard but smart, follow a plan but pay attention to your instincts and take care of your heart. Best of luck in 2012.

Life's little (league) lessons

2011-06-05T21:57:00.000-07:00

All systems were go for a perfect weekend for an 8-year-old, baseball-loving boy. The anticipation of tournament games against real opponents, with umpires, strikeouts, score books, dugouts, and doughnuts, and not of the Krispy Kreme type, was palpable. He couldn't take his eyes of the brand new, slick uniforms with the cool, bat-toting knight logo resplendent with name and number across the back. Conley - 3! "Girls, look at my game jerseys! Name on the back too!" The love of the game was clearly growing and I could only sit back and enjoy, encourage and hope to say the right things when things didn't go as smoothly as expected. Somewhere, life would present a challenge and how he would face the challenges and fight through them (or not) is ultimately, the important stuff. That was the big picture and I expected those bumps to present themselves...only I did not expect one so early.

As the customary Saturday chaos evolved, I ended up leaving later than expected and rushed to the field in Summerville, SC. After warming up (as if the mid-day 90 plus temp and scorching sun were not warm enough), Owen stared intently at coach Daniel as he proceeded to shout out the starting DI Knights lineup. Ten boys' names were called out, not a single name included the word "Owen." Somewhat confused, Owen walked up to coach Daniel and innocently told him that he forgot to tell him where he was supposed to go. "You're not starting, Owen, hang in there, you'll get to play soon." Ouch. I could physically feel his disappointment and perhaps it was my own. I could see the joy seep from his body, his shoulders sag and then the hang-dog face and walk back into the dugout. My only solace must have seemed like hollow and useless advice to him: "Hang in there, buddy, stay positive, you'll get your chance."

Well, the game began and let's just say that the Summerville Sox were prepared. In the first inning, they proceeded to rip the cover off the ball, treating the "blue flame" pitching machine like Adrian Gonzalez treats fastballs left out over the middle of the plate. Simple line drives that would have been gappers in any league, one after another. Bubba's turn, then Critter's turn, then Biggie's turn (real nicknames, I kid you not) and meanwhile, the shell-shocked DI Knights were confused, intimidated and making every baseball mistake in the book. Finally, after six runs were plated, the half inning ended mercifully with a couple of DI putouts. Silver linings: Nobody got hurt and the maximum 7 runs allowed in an inning were not reached.

The Knights' luck with the "blue flame" was decidedly different. A few observers noted that the current machine was throwing 5-10 miles per hour faster than the machine the kids' saw for the first time the day prior at practice. Other than a hit by Danny and some contact by Omar, the blue flame was Nolan Ryan-like with a string of K's that would have made Roger Clemens proud. End result, 18-0 Summerville Sox over the Daniel Island Knights and our boys were not really sure what hit them, or what lay ahead for them. Another bump, but hey, there were three more games and plenty of room for improvement.

And improve they did. The team played better in each game as the confidence of the boys grew with each inning. Game 2 turned into a 8-6 win over a similarly talented team from Walterboro. Game 3 was a breakout game as the kids knocked the ball around hard and played some nice defense culminating in a 7-0 victory. Game 4, again facing the powerful Summerville Sox, the Knights turned in a spirited performance but ultimately fell 10-2 to a talented and well-coached bunch of kids. Over the course of 36 hours, the kids grew immensely as baseball players and as boys and took the first steps down the path to success in baseball and in life.

My little guy, Owen, has always made me proud and despite (and because of?) his intense disappointment of not starting the first game of the tournament, he showed what kind of determined and gutsy little boy he is. After a mostly uneventful first game (a strikeout victim of the blue flame), in Game 2 Owen bounced a hard hit ball past the first baseman and used his great wheels to leg out a home run and plate 3 runs to help DI take a 5-1 lead. As his teammates (and now newest close buddies) mobbed him after his safe slide into home, the disappointment of not starting the first game evaporated like a single drop of water in the Summerville heat. Game 3 saw more solid contact and two putouts from right field, one a force at second and the other a force at first, earning him a shot at playing second base for the final game of the tournament. He made a number of fine plays in the field while booting only a single hard one hopper. His focus, determination and talent simply shined brightly. Kudos, little man. I have a very strong feeling that you will take the right steps that will lead you to success in baseball, in school and in life.

What about my performance as a dad? I spent lots of time analyzing my son's performance and also tracking the game statistics in the score book, but how did I do? As a first time participant to the travel team gig, I thought I showed good restraint in resisting coaching Owen on the field. Other than giving him the encouragement needed and a few positioning adjustments (along with the Gatorade, grapes, water, chewing gum, equipment, ride, et al), I let the coaches coach and tried to observe. Admittedly, I did have one gaffe, and I owe both Owen (I already did) and the coaches (I will on Friday) an apology. Early on as Owen and the team struggled to gain confidence with the speed of the machine, the coaches told the players that they could bunt the ball if they felt that they needed to make contact to get a better feel for the velocity. Well, after two strikes, struggling with his confidence, Owen squared up to bunt and me, in my infinite wisdom from behind the backstop, told him unequivocally to "not" bunt. The good news, he listened, the bad news, he struck out and was pissed at me. The irony is that Owen and I had practiced drag bunts on numerous occasions and he's a fine bunter from the left side but I did not know it was even legal. Result, I caused a strikeout and some disappointment and I take the heat. Lesson learned: dads should stick to the encouragement, not the strategy. Too much input from too many sources leads to confusion, doubt and ultimately failure.

Final results, 2 wins, 2 losses, cool runner-up trophies and a number of important lessons for the players, their parents and coaches. I've got a feeling these were the first steps down the path to success as athletes and as young men. I cannot speak to others' expectations for their sons, but I can only imagine and dream of the joys, thrills, spills, disappointments, and ultimately triumphs that lie ahead for Owen and his dad.

spring 2011: aqua terra maru

2011-05-20T19:09:00.000-07:00

Lots going on and spring is here again with summer ready to assert itself. As the heat lamp switch is flipped to the "on" position, the Charleston sprint triathlon series beckons. Like Odysseus being pulled by Sirens to the rocky shores, I am pulled by the yelps of urinating dogs into the murky waters of the James Island County Park lake.

My yearly (or so) music mix is presented below and the theme, if you cannot discern, is triathlon-based. Aqua - Self-explanatory with the songs revolving around the theme of water and beginnings, as in the first leg of the triathlon. Terra - Self-explanatory (I hope) with the songs making a nod to mother earth (terra firma) and the second and third legs of a triathlon. Maru - Not so self-explanatory but loosely translated from Japanese, maru is a circle. The circle represents completion of a journey, trip or race. Interestingly, many (or most?) Japanese merchant ships contain "maru" in the title (e.g. Tokyo Maru, Hanshin Maru) to represent good luck and the safe completion of a journey. You can probably make the connection...

If interested, let me know and I'll burn you a copy. I'm going to eventually figure out how to stream this on the blog but not sure I can or want to do that right now. I'll add some video links to the songs over time and some are on the left nav bar.

AQUA
La Selva Triste – Rock for Wood Various Artist
Wave of Mutilation – Pixies
Ocean Breathes Salty – Modest Mouse
Take Me to the River – Talking Heads
7/4 (Shoreline) – Broken Social Scene
Floating Vibes – Surfer Blood
Ready to Start – Arcade Fire
Standing in the Doorway – Soul Asylum
Water Wings – Superchunk
Rockaway Beach – The Ramones
Constructive Summer – The Hold Steady
Complete Control – The Clash
Go – Pearl Jam
Bury Me – Smashing Pumpkins
Super Massive Black Hole – Muse
Feel the Pain – Dinosaur Jr.
My Will is Good – Port O’Brien
No Line on the Horizon – U2
Up the Beach – Jane’s Addiction
Night Swimming – REM

TERRA
I Went to the Woods – Rock for Wood Various Artists
Intro – The XX
Resolution – The Vision Thing
L.E.S. Artistes – Santogold
Feel Good Inc. – Gorillaz
Help I’m Alive – Metric
Kiss the Dirt (Falling Down the Mountain) – INXS
Bicycle Song – Orbit
Iron On – Superchunk
Motor Away – Guided By Voices
Driver 8 – REM
Breakneck Speed – Tokyo Police Club
Tick Tick Boom – The Hives
Rearview Mirror – Pearl Jam
Can’t Stop – Red Hot Chili Peppers
The 11th Hour – Rancid
Teenage Riot – Sonic Youth
In a Big Country – Big Country
In God’s Country – U2
Ride with Me – Lemonheads

MARU
Nausea – Concussion Ensemble
Fire it Up – Modest Mouse
E=MC2 – Big Audio Dynamite
No Cars Go – Arcade Fire
Howling at the Moon – The Ramones
The Long Cut – Uncle Tupelo
Start Choppin – Dinosaur Jr.
MM17 – Bob Mould
Body Snatchers – Radiohead
Percussion Gun – White Rabbits
Everlong – Foo Fighters
Can’t Hardly Wait – The Replacements
Sometime to Return – Soul Asylum
Alive and Kicking – Simple Minds
Road to Nowhere – Talking Heads
The High Road – Broken Bells
Ten Little Kids – The Jayhawks
Where the Streets Have No Name- U2 & Sowet Gospel Choir
All the Way –The Hoodoo Gurus
The Boys are Leaving Town - Japandroids

Spring 2010: Carnival of Sorts

2010-04-11T20:39:00.000-07:00

Well, spring has sprung in the south. Outside activities rule with long, sunny days made for trips to the beach, hanging or working out, and just plain basking in the sweet sounds of spring. With lots of new music popping (e.g. Indie Rock Cafe), and accompanying tours looming on the horizon, I’m hoping to hit at least a few shows this spring and summer. Although Charleston, SC remains a bit of a remote outpost for visiting (and resident) indie music, there are a couple of decent shows on the way. My Morning Jacket tops the list and is playing here on Daniel Island and it definitely will warrant a drive back from Columbia for a Wednesday (4/28) night take. I've heard real positive things about their live shows, I love their sound, their new album and videos and I'm thinking this one's a keeper. I’m not exactly sure this will work at the Family Circle Cup Stadium, an outside tennis venue filled with good seats and site lines, but I’m hoping for the best.

On a somewhat related note, I caught a Sox-Yankees game the other night on NESN and tuned in just in time to hear Steven Tyler and a daughter not named Liv, sing God Bless America. On the positive side, he didn’t try to finesse the song and pretend to be someone other than a rock and roll singer, but a few words sprung to mind as I listened; limited, flat, good try, and bad decision. This is one, his agent should have nixed. My 11 year daughter Bridget, who plays guitar very well and has a great ear for music had just gone to bed and heard the rendition from an adjacent room. She called out of the bedroom to ask if the Red Sox had brought someone out of the crowd to sing the song. Well, anyway, the next night they had Steven Tyler back at Fenway and in the booth along with Peter Wolf of the J Geils Band to announce a twin bill of Aerosmith and J Geils at Fenway in August. The interaction with Jerry Remy and Don Orsillo was awkward at best and upon reflection, pretty damn funny. Of course, Peter Wolf had his signature lid on and was doing his schtick which led me to provide a pretty lengthy description of J Geils, Peter Wolf, Steven Tyler, Joe Perry, Aerosmith and some associated trivia to my little guys. I think they appreciated it and got a kick out of some of the clips of the legendary Boston bands. My kids were familiar with Freeze Frame and Centerfold and I broke out the Run DMC – Aerosmith version of Walk This Way. All great stuff and mightily appreciated. That version is pretty classic and worth a view: Walk This Way.

Some other interesting shows coming up:

Coachella, the big indie festival at Indio CA, headlined by Them Crooked Vultures, Thom Yorke, Gorillaz, Pavement, Echo and the Bunnymen, PIL, Muse, Phoenix, Faith No More, MGMT, Jay-Z, Grizzly Bear and others would be a good take out in California next week. Hot desert shows reminded me of a couple of shows that although I did not attend, I’ve heard and read some interesting things about. Take a look at the clips and other related information for the US Festival in 1982 and 1983

Cool detail from Wikipedia on the US Festival, organized by Apple’s Steve Wozniak and some of the battles between the heavy metal and new wave acts. Pretty funny stuff.

Anyway, take a look at the opening night of the first US Festival and tell me that braving the 110 degree heat wouldn’t have been worth bragging about the following lineup:
• The Police
• The Ramones
• The English Beat
• Oingo Boingo
• The B-52’s
• Talking Heads
• The Police

Bonnaroo is also around the corner, a serious road trip away and although I’d love to rent an RV and take that one in alas, that is a bit of a pipe dream. Lots of cool “second tier” bands although the headliners (Dave Matthews, Conan O’Brien, Jay-Z, Stevie Wonder, Norah Jones) don’t cut it for me. However, the xx, Kings of Leon, Tenacious D, the National, the Black Keys, Fanfarlo, Japandroids, Dropkick Murphys, Phoenix and John Fogerty would make it a worthwhile take but certainly not a “can’t miss” show.

Some other random festival tidbits:
I was cruising around cable the other night and saw some footage of The Who at the Monterey Pop Festival (see sidebar) and they performed an awesome set. Although I really enjoyed this year’s Super Bowl, I was pre-occupied and unable to catch the Who’s halftime performance although I heard a mixed bag of opinion on the performance. I did, however, catch the youtube clip and felt Roger, Pete and boys did a very nice job. Bill Simmons (aka the Sports Guy and formerly the Boston Sports Guy and writer for and friend of Jimmy Kimmel), my favorite sports writer and guru of all things sports and pop culture for ESPN.com Page 2 column wrote one of his infamous diaries about the Super Bowl that included the following gem, that after review of the performance, I disagree with wholeheartedly: “By the way, Solomon Wilcots just reported that the White House is labeling The Who's halftime performance as an act of terrorism on American soil.” Bill, I love you, but man, Monterey Pop Festival was 40 years ago and although not comparable, these guys did a really nice job. Cut 'em some slack. Hey, not as good as U2’s 9/11 tribute at the Patriots' first Super Bowl victory in New Orleans in 2002 with Where the Streets Have No Name but good nonetheless.

Lollapalooza also looks pretty good again with my new favorite band Arcade Fire leading the way along with Soundgarden, Green Day, The Strokes , the xx and others. Some iffy choices with other headlining acts but all in all, it appears to be another nice take. Maybe that warrants a plane flight!

How ‘bout this triple bill I saw at the Cow Palace on New Year’s Eve in 1991?
1. Nirvana (opening act)
2. Pearl Jam (second act)
3. Red Hot Chili Peppers (headliner)

Enjoy the spring and happy Earth Day to you on April 22. Do something to make things better, will you?

Winter Indie Music Review: Best of 2009

2010-01-16T04:30:00.000-08:00

Upon reflection, my inconsistencies and deficiencies seem quite consistent and relatively predictable these days. Like my chronically late Christmas cards (let's just call them holiday cards because the sentiment and period represented does include New Year), this post will be delivered a bit late and look back at some of my favorite music of 2009 while also looking forward. Approximately a month behind (my consistent tardiness usually means I'm about 10% behind schedule) traditional best of 2009 reviews, this one is neither comprehensive nor scientific. It just contains the music I like from my hours tuning into satellite radio (primarily SiriusXMU that focuses on indie rock) but also includes some reflections on some new wave tunes from the '80s. No apologies but after this sentence, there will be no further mention of Lady Gaga, Eminem, Miley Cyrus, Jay-Z, Black Eyed Peas, Taylor Swift or Rihanna. Full disclosure: I have not listened to terrestrial radio in more than two years.

With my new job in January '09 came a significant increase in time spent in my car with SiriusXM. Despite some minor shortcomings, I am very pleased with all the options presented by satellite radio. Of course, I get the filter of SiriusXM's bias, but it is far less restrictive than the bias of say a clear channel or citadel radio station. It's fun to look back nostalgically on my favorite songs of decades past but more importantly, it's even better to peer into future at the bands and music that keeps me young.

Here goes with my Best of 2009. The lists below include my favorite new bands and the songs (and video) that turned me on to them along with a list of old friends that created some good music in 2009 and some friends whose music keeps finding its way into my ears. Take a look at the list and the links below (and to the right) and let me know what you think. I hope you enjoy and perhaps find some new music to make your life a little more enjoyable.

New friends found or re-discovered in 2009:
24. Kid Cudi and MGMT (Pursuit of Happiness)
23. Throw Me the Statue (Lolita)
22. The Decemberists (The Rake's Song)
21. Spoon (The Underdog)
20. Yeah Yeah Yeahs (Maps)
19. Passion Pit (The Reeling)
18. Fanfarlo (Harold T. Wilkins)
17. Peter Bjorn and John (Nothing To Worry About)
16. Dirty Projectors (Stillness is the Move)
15. Bat For Lashes (Daniel)
14. Bon Iver (Blood Bank)
13. Big Pink (Velvet)
12. Arcade Fire, from Soundtrack to Where the Wild Things Are and Neon Bible (Wake Up, Neighborhood, Black Mirror)
11. Port O'Brien (My Will is Good)
10. Antlers (Kettering)
9. Santogold (L.E.S. Artistes)
8. Shout Out Louds (Walls)
7. Black Keys with The Blak Roc Project (Ain't Nothing Like You)
6. The Thermals (Now We Can See)
5. White Rabbits (Percussion Gun)
4. Japandroids (Racer X and Young Hearts Spark Fire)
3. Deer Tick (Easy)
2. Andrew Bird (Anonanimal)
1. The XX (Crystalised, Basic Space)

Big buzz, hot indie bands that I just don't get:
Especially Vampire Weekend. Damn, they are pushing these guys and I just don't see it. I guess it took me a while to warm up to bands like Radiohead but I don't think these guys are very original or good, for that matter. Also, Animal Collective and Grizzly Bear keep getting perfect 10s from Pitchfork.com and lots of best of 2009s and I'm not quite seeing it. However, I do like the new Animal Collective song more and more and will keep tuned there.
1. Vampire Weekend
2. Grizzly Bear
3. Animal Collective
4. Atlas Sound
5. Girls
6. Pains of Being Pure at Heart

Old friends that put out worthwhile music in 2009:
1. U2
2. Sonic Youth
3. Dinosaur Jr.
4. Radiohead
5. Ian McCulloch
6. Depeche Mode

Old friends (including above) that are standing the test of time:
1. The Ramones
2. The Clash
3. Elvis Costello
4. Superchunk
5. Pixies
6. Anything with Bob Mould
7. Uncle Tupelo
8. The Jayhawks
9. The Police
10. Talking Heads
11. Big Country (specifically "In a Big Country")
12. Alphaville (specifically "Forever Young"

Have a great 2010 and beyond...

October: Sunday Bloody Sunday

2009-10-13T18:33:00.000-07:00

October is almost over so this one's overdue.

With U2 in town (probably more accurately described as "in region") on Tue (10/6) night and a couple of tickets in hand, 220 miles between Columbia and Atlanta seemed a small price to pay for the band that has painted the musical backdrop to my adolescent and adult life. There were a few hurdles to overcome, maybe a potential story or two as a result and a good time most likely lay ahead for me and my buddy Jim in ATL. I hadn't seen Bono and the boys play since the stupendous Elevation Tour 6 years ago. Although some negatives were lining up on the debit side of the ledger, the credits seemed to be accruing nicely.

I don't pay much attention to the whims of the American consumer but the lack of sales for Horizon really did reflect poorly on a bunch of disappointing singles. Get on Your Boots, Magnificent, Breath were weak and unfortunately, they set the tone for the concert. I was, however, looking forward to Unknown Caller with its singalong hook and killer lyrics and I thought No Line on the Horizon would turn out to be a good or great live song, maybe like Elevation turned out live. Well, no Unknown Caller and a underwhelming No Line on the Horizon. Overall, the venue, the sound, the playlist and ultimately the challenging drive home all made for a disappointing night. Let's just say that I survived.

Quick list of disappointments:
1. They did not play Pride (In the Name of Love) in MLK's home town. WTF?
2. I Will Follow, Gloria, Bad, and Two Hearts among others were avoided
3. Weak versions of Where the Streets Have No Name, I Still Haven't Found and Elevation.
4. I hate stadium shows, no matter how big the video screens, the space staion and speakers. I guess I knew that's where the show was being played but it still was disappointing.
5. Too much time with pictures of Aung San Suu Kyi and her plight with the Burmese government. I guess I'm a bit too shallow...

Here's to hoping the next time is a bit more intimate (like Philips Arena (?!), instead of a freaking dome) with a stronger playlist.

Despite the letdown, I really love these guys and hoping this isn't the beginning of the end for my favorite band. I really am looking forward to bringing my three little guys for a once in a lifetime experience and hoping that the show wows them like many have in the past for me.

U2 at the Rose Bowl

9-09-09

2009-09-09T18:01:00.000-07:00

Heteronym...palindrome? Although the definition (a palindrome is a word or phrase which reads the same in both directions) does not exactly work in this case, I still like the date. The number "9" has always been a favorite and when my firstborn was born on 3-3-99, it felt like kharma. Although the B's Johnny Bucyk wore the number in my early hockey watching days (and I did love the Chief's frequent hip checks), there really was not a #9 I looked up to in the Boston sporting world. Basketball Jesus Larry wore #33 for the C's but maybe, just maybe, subliminally or genetically I received my mom's love for Ted Williams and his famous "9." Maybe it wasn't subliminal at all?!

It seems big numbers are popping up more frequently these days and I can't seem to avoid a 20 year anniversary of this or 25 year anniversary of that to save my life. Those dates used to happen to somebody else. Now, I reflect and just say, "25 years, really?" My 25 year high school reunion, which I missed this year due to work commitments, happened in the spring. Interestingly enough, Boston Latin School is celebrating its 375th year of existence in 2010 (it antecedes Harvard by a year) and I'm going to somehow take part in that. I'm hoping to take my little ones to Boston and introduce them to some significant, fellow alumnae (Cotton Mather, Henry Knox, John Hancock, Sam Adams, Joe Kennedy, John Honey Fitz Fitzgerald, George Santayana, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Leonard Bernstein, Jack O'Callaghan to name a few). I didn't realize at the time that I was part of the 349th graduating class from BLS and I guess that goes to show you how little perspective an 18-year-old has for what is going around him in the past, present and future. I don't think there's a name yet invented for a 375 year celebration but I'm looking foward to experiencing BLS's quadricentennial celebration... With grandchildren, perhaps?

Yet another 20-year anniversary appeared in 2009: the 20 year anniversary of the release of the Pixies' seminal work "Doolittle." I do remember my first listen and thinking, "Damn, this is probably as out there as I'm going to get, but it is good." References to aliens, nightmares, mutilation and b-movie horror heroes seemed exquisitely normal and inviting yet disturbing, and the screams interspersed with lilting tunes and captivating beach music seemed par for the course. Of course, after years of consistent play, multiple live shows (along with a few good stories) it found a special place and now is a top 3 album of all time. In honor of the Pixies, I named my fantasy football team "Wave of Mutilation" and tried to explain the title to my good buddy, a Rush-loving Canadian whose musical tastes don't often bump into lead singers that scream "Got me a movie,ha ha ha, slicing up eyeballs, ha ha ha ha, girl is so groovy, ha ha ha, I want to be, be a debaser..." Unfortunately, I'm most likely not going to take in any of the dozen or so shows where the Pixies are going to play Doolittle start to finish. Like the Decemberists with their Hazards of Love, these "concept" shows are the rage these days.

How 'bout those band leader names, like the Pixies' own Black Francis aka Frank Black? A couple of my new favorite noms de plume (or whatever you call a singer pseudonym) are Jay Reatard, Art Brut and Kurt Vile. They may be their birth names but somehow seem the musical equivalent of porn pseudonyms, like my buddy Murph's alias M. Clydesdale. How does one appropriate one of those names? Do you just go down to the local town hall with your birth certificate and say my name is now Marvelous Marvin Hagler? Are you even allowed to give yourself a pseudonym or do the rules follow the key nickname taboo: thou shall not give yourself a nickname, it must come from somebody else. Isn't that righ A-Train? Do you think, maybe, the scenario plays out something like this; "Hi my name is Paul David Hewson and I will from now on be referred to as Bono Vox or maybe just "Bono." Yeah, Bono works just fine. And my friend here, you and all others shall refer to him as The Edge and he will forever wear a skull cap." What the hell happened there? Anyway, Art Brut is quite a character and I've enjoyed a few of his interviews and a number of his songs. Very entertaining. Art Brut vs. Satan contains such gems as "Alcoholics Unanimous" and DC Comics and Milkshakes. His song "Moving to LA" has the following lines:

I'm drinking Henessey
With Morrissey
On a beach
Out of reach
Somewhere very far away"

Nice.

Well, that's it folks. Gotta get my sleep in preparation for Nation's Triathlon this weekend. TO, JG, Planman, B-Hee, Speed Wilkinson and The Crusha are battling it out for athletic supremacy. Who will gain the bragging rights to the best middle aged athlete of 2009? I'll let you know next month...

August - Been Caught Stealing

2009-07-27T19:21:00.001-07:00

It's been a while since my last Lollapalooza show. 1995 was the year. Bosstones, Sonic Youth, Cypress Hill, Pavement are some of the notables amongst many others. Man, that sounds good to say and yes, despite their rather limited vocal range, the passion and intensity of these bands was/is always there.

As the 30s and adulthood surfaced and then slipped away, the 40s arrived with little fanfare, and even fewer concerts. Hey, the desire still remains but opportunities appear far less frequently. Entire weekends spent with very few worries at "music festivals" seem incredibly distant, more appealing yet highly unlikely. England had Glastonbury, the south has Bonnaroo, the west has Coachella and the northeast has All Points West but Perry Farrell, Jim Rose and his freak show of a circus called Lollapalooza was the place to be...Sonic Youth, Cypress Hill, Rage Against the Machine and Jane's Addiction (or just Perry) seemed to always be there. This year's bill looks good but..

While only claiming stake to three of the shows (and none of the recent incarnation), I dearly appreciate Perry Farrell's attempt to pull this all together. The 1995 show in Quonset, RI was especially entertaining for me. After a 5 hour, 50 mile drive, interspersed with tailgating and socializing directly on Route 95S (L7 missed their set due to "traffic"), a 6 hour sun-drenched, beer-baked, dust-infested chaos of "dancing" to the Beastie Boys, George Clinton, et al, we fought through a crowd of about 77k to desperately reach the front of the stage for the Smashing Pumpkins set. What a surprise then to discover my mate's feeling of "claustrophobia" and the need "get away from people" as we retreated to the back and nearly out of sight of the Pumpkins.

Having seen the Pumpkins a few times live and never feeling anything but slight disappointment, I guess I didn't miss that much. Hey, two of the best shows I've ever attended came out of the blue with little or no expectations. Vasco Da Gama and Concussion Ensemble, both side projects for other better known Boston bands in the 80s/90s (Zulus, Laurie Geltman Project) took me away from Landsdowne Street and Mass Ave respectively and brought me to another place. Unfortunately, I think VDG played maybe one other show and it's difficult to find any audio or video history of them. Concussion Ensemble, formerly reunited on a yearly basis and played shows at the Middle East and similar smaller clubs in Boston is out of service, or at minimum, out of my sphere of life. I managed to find a youtube video and posted on the sidebar for your enjoyment.

Hey, a little Birdie informed me that the Pixies have reformed and again are touring both the east and west coast with original band members Frank Black (aka Black Francis), Kim Deal and Joey Santiago. Ever since the first time I heard Kim Deal strum the first base chord and whisper on Gigantic, "And this I know, His teeth as white as snow," I was hooked. Doolitlle, clearly one of the most influential indie albums of all time, still is probably my favorite album of all time. My 2008 yearbook quote would definitely be from their classic Wave of Mutilation:

"cease to resist, giving my goodbye
drive my car into the ocean
you'll think i'm dead, but i sail away
on a wave of mutilation
a wave
wave

i've kissed mermaids, rode the el nino
walked the sand with the crustaceans
could find my way to mariana
on a wave of mutilation,"

Out, BC

New Music Monday II - A Summer Fiesta Scottish Style

2009-05-29T19:01:00.001-07:00

So much time, so little to say...

I've found my new favorite band name...We Were Promised Jetpacks. Love it. Not sure if they're going to last in my little world or in the slightly bigger indie world or the much wider expanse of the pop music world. I have no idea what's in this new Scottish band's best interest but the name rocks. I might be caught up in the newness of the relationship with WWPJ(p) as could have been the case with the Scottish band the Futureheads. They seemed to scream The Jam (high praise indeed) but I've cooled off a bit on them. Not sure if it was them or me. Maybe we didn't communicate enough...???

It really is hard to figure what's in the listener's best interest regarding commercial success for their favorite bands. I guess, the best case scenario is U2, a great band out of the gate that consistently (and I mean real-life not Hollywood consistency) makes great music, stays together, and then manages to reinvent itself and then puts on a tour that kicks ass. Damn, it's the soundtrack to my life. From Unknown Caller (a new U2 top 5 for me):

"I was right there at the top of the bottom / On the edge of the known universe where I wanted to be / I had driven to the scene of the accident / And I sat there waiting for me /Restart and re-boot yourself / You’re free to go / Oh, oh / Shout for joy if you get the chance / Password, you, enter here, right now / Oh, oh / You know your name so punch it in / Hear me, cease to speak that I may speak / Shush now / Oh, oh / Then don’t move or say a thing"

Enough U2 and Ireland, let's get back to Scotland. When I hear that burr I can't help but reflect on my favorite Scottish band and song of all time: In a Big Country by Big Country on the album...Big Country (of course!). What a guilty pleasure! When that song hits the radio, it is cranked!

Another Scottish name to store for future reference is Natasha Khan from Bat for Lashes. She has a sweet voice and will probably find her way to a modicum of success in America. I listened to an interview with her and was sucked into her world (or more likely my fantasy world) of castles, fog shrouded forests and that Scottish super-meat haggis. What a meal...ahhh.

New Music Monday I - Quattro de Mayo

2009-05-04T18:07:00.000-07:00

As the Caps and Pens battle away in the background, I bring you the first of a (potentially) weekly ensemble of music, pop culture, sports, philosophy, health, fitness and yeah...music musings. Each Monday, after a pair of 2 hour drives between Charleston and Columbia, SC, I thank my lucky stars that our government has put our vast array of satellites to good commercial use and created the underpinnings for SiriusXM Radio. Please stay solvent my little satellite entertainment provider. It is the best 12 bucks a month I spend.

Let me start with Larry the Duck and his dj gig (6 years now) on SiriusXM's 1st Wave radio station. As many of you know, Larry the Duck goes back to mid-80s new wave days on Long Island at the Garden City studios of WLIR/DRE. Great stuff like the Ramones, The Cure, Smiths and lots of other not so great bands like Shreikback, Scritti Politti, Howard Jones and ABC spewed forth from Jones Beach to Jones Hall on LI. Although my mind often fails me in important situations, it never ceases to amaze me that I can recall the exact falsetto scream in a Gene Loves Jezebel song (Motion of Love) or some other half-assed, cliched lyric uttered by an utterly forgettable (yet unforgettable) English lead singer from the new wave band du jour. Like a good Depeche Mode or Peter Bjorn and John song, I find these songs, bands, personalities and memories all guilty pleasures. Anyway, Larry the Duck (and Malibu Sue?) are alive and well and greatly appreciated.

Even with my penchant for "the classic new wave" of the 80s, my favorite station on XM is XMU, the new "college music" station. Zach would love it and probably does. Lots of new stuff out of left field, classic great bands like Sonic Youth and hot new bands like The National, Arcade Fire and this week's Quattro de Mayo special: the Henry Clay People. Check em out on the cool music blog aquarium drunkard. Kind of an Uncle Tupelo meets Replacements band. Hmm...that sounds good.

As you know, as we get older, it gets harder and harder to see live bands and I have a "just missed, a "nice catch" and "can't wait" show for you. On the "just missed" side of things, Dinosaur Jr. came through Charleston a few weeks back along with Mike Watt from the Minutemen and fireHose. Dino Jr, a classic 80s/90s garage band from Amherst, Ma has a number of great albums and songs. Feel the Pain is one of my faves. Also, my friend Jen knows J. Mascis, the lead singer and Lou Barlow from Sebadoh is also great. As a "nice catch," I caught American Aquarium at the Pour House in CHS. Interestingly enough, we had a very impressive breast exposure incident. There was a fairly attractive, over-served and exuberant young lass that insisted on obtaining the bass player's hat. In good rock n roll form, he traded the hat for a boob shot and we were all amply rewarded. Long live rock n roll! Of course, U2 (in ATL) is my "can't wait" show in October. In my own version of High Fidelity, this band would be the soundtrack to my life. I do remember a party in Boston in 1984 when a bunch of girls in black introduced me to u2. My best buddy Sean was already into the Clash, the Jam, Elvis Costello but I was not on board yet and thanks to Sean, I found Elvis, Mick Jones, Joe Strummer, Paul Weller and Bono. Nice.

That's all I have tonight. I hope you're all well and enjoying the view from the bridgewing.
BC

Happy Patriot's Day

2009-04-29T19:09:00.000-07:00

All I could think of during that hostage situation on the lifeboat was "Damn, I hope the deck cadet did a good job counting the waters and checking for expired rations."

Given that I'm in the heart of Dixie (there is a Confederate Day state holiday here!), I had to reflect on my home state holiday of Patriot's Day (aka Marathon Monday) and say that I miss Boston. Patriot's Day, a celebration of the Lexington and Concord battles, is a great day in Boston with the Sox playing in the morning followed by the finish of the Marathon. By the way, it's usually 43 degrees like today was and everybody is wrecked. Back in 1982, I was a vendor at Fenway and after working the game, made my way over to Boylston Street to see the finish of the race. Hearing the motorcycle engines and the roar of the crowd and seeing Salazar leading Beardsley by a few paces and flying down the street was a sight I will never forget. After Game 7 of the Celts-Lakers in 1984 Finals, it is the best sporting event I have ever seen. You've got to check out the youtube video. Amazing. It was chaos with the crowds and motorcycles. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FmzljrUrwKE) The motorcycle actually bumped Beardsley and almost knocked him down and threw him off his pace and dropped him back. Amazingly, he fought back and closed the gap.

Later dubbed the Duel in the Sun, it is also the best sports book (along with The Greatest Game Ever Played) I've ever read and worth the purchase. Both of them didn't know it but that race physically took it's toll and although they were just reaching their racing peaks, they never ran close to that speed again. It was learned years after that Salazar burned 30+% of his lungs in the mid 70s heat and sun as he did not drink a drop of water through the whole race. Beardsley later was injured in a farm accident and became addicted to pain killers. Both have bounced back and are amazing. Also, both of their times, race records at their time and just off Salazar's world record, are still in the top 6 finishes all time in Boston. The video probably looks like 1932 video of Jesse Owens in the Berlin Olympics but gives me goosebumps.

Well, enough of memory lane. I hope everybody's making their own memories and enjoying life. Let's all get together soon. Tim, Bob, Jay, Bee and I are running an Olympic distance triathlon (.9mi mile swim, 24 mi bike, 6 mi run) in September in DC. I suggest we make a little wager on best finisher. Of course, Tim-O did finish an ironman so we will need to handicap his participation. Tim, we won't physically make you handicapped but you'll have to spot us a leg of the race (maybe the swim). We'll have to think about the stakes at a later date.

All the Best,
BC

2009-03-29T05:34:00.001-07:00

Observations:
For the first year, I really haven't followed March Madness closely and feel I have lost nothing and gained quite a few hours

That doesn't mean I'm not interested but I am in the beginning stages of sports detoxification. First to go, NBA, second to go NFL. I'm hanging on to my Sox.

I said it at the time but I want to repeat. BC made a horrendous decision by moving from the Big East to ACC. Will they realize their mistake and go back with hat in hand. I think not.

Luke Harangoddy will be a better pro than Eric Montross...I mean Tyler Hansborough. I also predicted JJ Reddick would be a good pro. Also, Luke and Fitz hairdos are eerily similar. Did Luke get a too short haircut his freshman year?

Gerald Henderson looks just like his dad. I like them both.

More to follow...

Sportsman or Sports Fan?

2008-11-29T18:46:00.001-08:00

Surprise of surprises, this post will have lots of sports references. Since the Boston loss to Tampa Bay in the ALCS, I've been meaning to jot down a few observations...from the bridgewing.

Well, I'm not sure if it's age or reason finally kicking in (or maybe a combination of the two) but this loss didn't bother me that much. Of course, watching Kirby Puckett, I mean B.J. Upton jacking balls over the Monster was disconcerting but the series loss just didn't hurt. This, close upon the heels of the painful yet digestible loss to the Giants in the Super Bowl earlier this year by the Pats, brought me to the realization that maybe I just didn't care. Is this really me?

Interesting question as I ponder my lot in life and endeavor to bestow my values on my three beautiful and impressionable children. In Owen's final year of pre-school, he received the award for Best Sports Fan that was seen as fun to most but was somewhat troubling to me. Maybe it it's just semantics and they meant to grant Owen the honor of Best Little Athlete or Most Dedicated Athlete or Most Determined Little Guy but Best Sports Fan? Does that mean he's going to go to an SEC or ACC school and wear face paint and act like a crazed maniac at all football and basketball games or live in Red Sox replica gear and know the ERA of the all the Paw Sox and Portland minor league prospects?

I hope not and I'm pretty sure that he's a sportsman, meaning the little guy likes to play. Basically, he's been throwing balls since he made it our of the womb and has taken to just about every sport that he has ever undertaken. Funny story but he went to lacrosse camp a few weeks back, mixed it up with big and littel boys alike, and came out proclaiming, "Dad, that was awesome, my coach called me a machine two times." My beautiful girls do not find team sports all that interesting but have taken to various individual sports like skating, dancing and swimming. However, let's focus on the team sports aspects.

The key question here is should I invest any of my resources in professional sports? Of course, I've already influenced my children on this front and they are and will be Boston fans. However, is this a productive use of mine or my children's time or is the system too corrupt and irrelevant and we're just wasting our precious time? If I do invest, what does that say about me? Since my move from Boston to Charleston, SC four and a half years ago, it's been an interesting adjustment as my Boston-ness, (read: identity) had never previously been in question. Now as a stranger in a strange land, do I need to let everyone know that I am a better fan than you?

What makes me a real fan and if I am, does that matter? I'm not sure but I wanted to proclaim that I do not, and have never owned a replica jersey of a single player. Yet, I hold my own on Boston sports lore/trivia/history with anybody and I'm on top of the day-to-day activities of my Boston sports teams. I have never owned a season ticket for the Sox, Pats, Bruins, Celts or even BC Eagles. Circumstance has contributed to this situation but I have chosen not to make this part of my life. However, thanks to my dad, I could always sneak into games at Fenway and landed a sweet gig as a vendor at Fenway from age 14 to 18. I can unabashedly say that my favorite days were long homestands with the final Sunday day game, spending the morning watching BP while perusing the Boston Sunday Globe sports page and specifically the Peter Gammons baseball column. I got to see Wade Boggs, Carl Yastremszki, Jim Rice (finally a HOFer this year), Dennis Eckersley, Roger Clemens et al in their prime. Man that was fun. Sean Reid and I were midcourt balcony, second row at game 7 of the 84 Celts-Lakers and we met my buddies at the 4s after the game. I'm not sure they were telling the truth but one said he caught the ball that Bird threw in the air as the game ended and the fans poured on the court. He said he had it in his hands and then was laying on the parquet, unconscious. Tommy Ward said he had Jabbar's shorts down to his ankles but couldn't rip through the mesh...No wonder why Jabbar was throwing hay makers as he stormed off the court. Check out the video on youtube...holy mackerel, what a zoo!

Enough of my war stories and sports credentials because I'm kind of tired of it. I've gone out to watch a few Sox playoff games and my heart hasn't really been in it. Usually, I get turned off by at least a couple of knuckleheads and it pretty much ruins the fun. So, I'm relegated to laying low and watching it in the comfort of my home. I guess that should be ok. As I recall, one of my favorite sporting events was a solo viewing of the Pats-Raiders tuck game. Man, the snow was really coming down, I had the house to myself, a fire roaring and I enjoyed. Brady really did get better as the conditions deteriorated and that kick by Vinatieri was clutch. Bring on the snow!

So, as the Bruins vault into first place in their division and look like a serious Cup contender, the Cs dominate another year and look to be another NBA finalist at worst, the Pats strive to win the division despite losing their best offensive and defensive players (Brady, Harrison, Thomas) for the year and the BC Eagles in the ACC football championship game again (after winning a NCAA hockey championship) and headed to another bowl game win, things can't get much better. Every team I care about is on top or damn close. "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times..."

I probably should have spared the words and sent you to my old reliable, Bill Simmons. Maybe I should have fashioned myself after him or Peter Gammons and taken up journalism in college. Hey, I did work at the Boston Globe and upon reflection, I should have tried. Anyway, I am relegated to very infrequent blogs and emails and nothing more. Abbott may read this post but that will be about it.

In an email I constructed and queued up to Bill Simmons after the Sox 2004 Series win, I compared the 2004 Series post-victory letdown to something like postpartem depression. Once again, I probably overstepped my bounds comparing sports to really important things in life like child birth but damn, that's how I felt. Upon reflection of my reflection, it was a pretty ignorant statement. Not that I told anybody but I did think it.

That's all I have for now. Try and be a good sport and sportsman and let the sports fan stuff come naturally. I'm not sure I care what your sports fan credentials are. I am sure that I strive to be a good sprotstman and that I raise children with that goal in mind.

(Go) BC

p.s.
Definition: Sportsman (spôrts'mən, spōrts'-)

A man who is active in sports.
A person whose conduct and attitude exhibit sportsmanship.

2008-11-29T18:46:00.000-08:00

And I love that dirty water...

2008-08-07T21:42:00.000-07:00

Hey, I know, it's been almost a year but nobody reads this thing anyway! I'm poised for a comeback and promise to nobody in particular, an assortment of stories, pics and links after a week of fun on the Cape. My electronic gear is charging as I peck away so brace yourself for more observations from the bridgewing.

The family unit is heading north and there should be some good information to pass on. I'm on my chartered course to experience all the great N.E. events firsthand and this year I get to tick off the Falmouth Road Race. I've also got 2 tix to the Sox game on Wed and hopefully will be able to land some more so that a bunch of us can go. Fenway is the best and I'm looking forward to another visit, hopefully with my little guy Owen this time.

People train runs out of (snort...snort) Stubbsville

2007-09-12T18:19:00.000-07:00

Well, I've recovered. The voice is back. The shakes are gone. The 1st annual footgolf weekend in Charleston, SC was a success. Or so, as far as I can tell, it was a success.

What constitutes success? Here's my take:

Weather (A plus) - Breezy, warm, sunny and spectacular. We were threatened with a tropical storm but no dice. Plenty of adiabatic cooling...occluded fronts...
Football (A plus) - Football Thu night, Friday night (kinda, Rutgers-Navy), Sat and Sunday. The boys were a bit comatose on Sunday but I did enjoy the Pats domination. Johnny, not so much. That Cle-Pit game was a real winner.
The talent (A plus) - Simply astounding. This, of course, does not include the night at Poe's on Sully's Island that included some questionable decisions. However, it was made nice by the fact that we got to drink on Tim O's card while he was sleeping. Full disclosure, I took a little nappy poo also.
Golf (A plus) - Stono Ferry - nice start for very reasonable price. Depite the fact that old sob wanted to shake down my shoe bag and prove it was a cooler. Those Stono Ferry holes on the river were nice. Charleston National - very nice course with only drawback the recently aerated greens. Dunes West (Links) - Nice course with beautiful 16/17/18 but pricey. Abbott and Gallaher (?) did get to play a ball off the beach. Not a trap, the beach. We all were drunk at tee time and some recovered (BC's eggs, 10 strips of bacon and 2 coffeess pulled it out for me) but BeeHee did not seem to bounce back on Saturday. His round? Not so enjoyable.
Town (A plus) - Sullivan's Island and downtown Charleston had plenty to offer. We made it out to Poe's on Friday night and into Charleston on Saturday. Mad River Saloon was a blast. A great football game, an awesome waitress, a big table on the dance floor, a rugby party, rugby queens, talent galore...
House (A plus) - The house, despite a few visits of the famed and dreaded Palmetto bug, was quite nice. What a location on the beach. Nice deck overlooking the Atlantic and the dreaded Breach Inlet ("stay away from that inlet, it's got suck holes").
The right people together (Off the chart) - We missed you Plankster. KMAC was very disappointed and upset, as were all of us, but we did a few ceremonial "Planskers" for you. However, the real fun was the poor girl that asked Chris to go dance. She almost rann away from him after a few seconds of the Farmer Ted spastic dance. Amazingly enough we found rugby queens and a rugby party at Mad River. Great guys make for a great time. Lots of stories to tell and I'll use this post or the next to tell some stories.
The ocean (A plus) - Took advantage of that bad bitch. ("Wish I was ocean size, no one moves you man, no one tries") Nice waves, nice warm water, once again great sites. I don't think Chris or Kevin made it into the water.
Food (A) - Lots of hot dogs. Lots of brats. Lots of chips. One nice steak at the house, one good dinner at Rue de Jean.
Crazy Carl and the people train runs out of ...(snort snort) Stubbsville.

Early award results for the weekend:

Most hot dogs eaten - Schlongo

Most love dispersed - KMAC

Most audacious line - I can name 20 qbs better than Eli Manning. Peyton, Palmer, Brady, Kitna, Jason Campbell, Quincy Carter... - KMAC

More to follow...