An Album You Should Own - 7/2/10

Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers - Damn The Torpedoes

As Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers set out to make their third album, their world was being turned upside down. Their record label, Shelter, was being sold to MCA Records. To free himself from his partnership with MCA, Petty sent himself into bankruptcy. His feud with MCA is the stuff of legend. Each night he had to box up the tapes of the day's recording sessions for fear that MCA would come in and seize the tapes. Petty insisted that the tapes be hidden without him knowing where they were, so that if he were ever asked to tell a courtroom where they were, he would not know.

In short, he risked everything.

In the midst of it all, he still found the time to record an album that basically revitalized FM radio in the late 70's.

Make no mistake about it, "Damn The Torpedoes" is a KILLER album. There are nine songs on the album and four of them have become classic-rock staples. Before they were classic-rock songs, they were songs that helped Petty and his band go from being rising-stars to legitimate superstars.

"Damn The Torpedoes" delivers on the promise of Petty's first two albums by streamlining Petty's vision of classic Stones and Byrds riffs. Jimmy Iovine's production makes the songs sparkle and pop. In fact, the songs have a timeless feel about them that make them sound as modern now as they did when they were released.

It didn't hurt that the Heartbreakers matured into a band that has since become one of the greatest rock bands the United States has ever produced. They were powerful, even muscular, without losing the ability to be subtle. This is no small accomplishment, either. Left in the wrong hands, songs like "Here Comes My Girl" would not find the dynamic that helps it achieve its slow-burn.

In the end, its Petty's songwriting that triumphs. Songs like "American Girl", "Don't Do Me Like That" and "Even The Losers" are triumphant rock songs that are built on a foundation of quiet melancholy. "Refugee" is a blistering rock song that still achieves lift-off because Petty weaves a sense of rebellion tightly through its pop-hooks.

Its also a perfect summer record. Throw it in your CD player and roll down your windows. It doesn't disappoint and only grows stronger with each listen. My respect for Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers grows with each passing year.

If you don't own this album, explain yourself.
It is one of the best albums of the rock era.

Period.

Further listening: "Hard Promises", "Full Moon Fever", "Wildflowers"
Further viewing: Peter Bogdanovich's excellent documentary "Runnin' Down a Dream"

Trying To Get Organized (Or, Getting Some Things Done Before I Turn 40)

As the summer begins to unfold, a few things are constant:

1) It will get hot.
2) I will get "back-to-school" circulars in my Sunday paper, this weekend.
3) Lots of time will go by before I really decide to do anything.

Last summer, I wrote about how quickly times goes by. In fact, I think that was posted on August 11th. Lots of people wrote to me and said they really enjoyed that particular post. I imagine its because it struck a nerve with many of you.

Time can slide by quickly even as it seems to crawl. The simple truth is...time is time. The days are no faster than they were last year, etc.

With that in mind, I have made a decision to make a list of some things I want to accomplish before summer ends. Usually, I try to make lists that are day-to-day. Let's face it, its not exactly easy to accomplish long term goals unless you organize your time. Now that summer is here, I barely wear a watch. Organize my time?

Forget it. I do that 9.5 months of the year. The other 2.5 are mine. I keep track of time for almost no one between late June and early September.

Having said that, if I am going to get some of these things done, I need to at least make a time-table. With October right around the corner, I am staring down the big 4-0. Mind you, age does not bother me. I can't stop time, so I really don't care about how old I am or will become. It's life. I try not to get too worked up about things like this. The simple fact is, its unavoidable. I worry about what I can change.

So far, I have made a list of goals that looks like this:



1) Read a few books by J.D. Salinger - Many of the students in my school were reading "The Catcher In The Rye", this past year. I have already read this book. The other day, I was struck with the urge to read "Franny and Zooey". I am going to do that this summer. In fact, I am going to try and plow through a few of the books that have been collecting dust on my nightstand.

2) Good rid of clutter - Those who know me will tell you I am a pack-rat. Now, its not to the point where I need an intervention because I cant move around my house. I just get absent-minded. I read several magazines a month. In fact, I get them delivered. Once in a while, I have to go through the process of throwing out several months of magazines that sit in piles next to my nightstand. This summer, I am going to clear the floor.

3) Paint and redesign my powder-room - If you have ever been to my home, you know my basement walls are lined with music memorabilia. Some of if it is really cool stuff. Then, there are things that just take up space. This summer, I am going to finish the basement. Partly because I know that means I will find another house. That's the way it works. I also just have some things hanging in my first floor bathroom, right behind my toilet that I no longer want to look at while I am taking a piss. Its time for the images of a few people to come down from the walls of my house. The only reason they don't go in the trash is because someone took great care to make them for me.

4) Get back into fighting shape - Nothing makes you feel older...like well, feeling older. Nothing makes you feel better than reshaping your body with sweat and hard work. I like the feeling of working out hard and really sweating, coming home, taking a good shower and falling asleep relaxed. Mind you, I am not one of these people that weighs himself as I go, either. I know that pounds fall off better if you don't watch. I just like feeling comfortable in my own skin.

5) Eat right - It feels good to eat right. Besides, accomplishing #4 goes hand-in-hand with doing #5.

Along with all of this, I am still going to do as much as I can to become a master of the fine art of doing nothing. I plan on watching movies, taking walks, listening to music...making some music? It would be nice to find one band that I never heard of to fall in love with this summer. I am listening to a band called "The Young Veins", right now. I like their stuff. I have also been listening to a great deal of jazz. You can't go wrong with the masters. If anyone has any music suggestions, I am always open to hearing them. Drop me a note.

I am going to ride my bike into Valley Green and swim in that damn waterfall near the 2.5 mile marker. I also want to climb the trail and see the Toleration Statue up close, again. It's been too long since I have seen it.



By the time October comes, I want to have a favorite drink. Every man should have one. I have been experimenting with some. So far, I like the Orange Aperol Fizz. You fill a large glass with ice, mix equal parts orange juice and Aperol (good luck finding it - Campari makes a good substitute) and top it off with prosecco.

Well, that's all for today.
As you can see, I have quite a list.

But, the most important thing - spending time with family and friends. I like doing that just about as much as I like doing anything else. I am going to start, this weekend. I hope I get to see as many of you as possible, this summer.

Let's have some fun.

Memories Of The Spectrum - Bryen O'Boyle

I remember when "Purple Rain" came out. We were in 8th grade and we had a half-day in school. My buddy Carlo and I wanted to see the flick badly. I knew my mom would not let me because it was rated 'R' and it was rock n' roll ( my mom thought rock n roll was the devil at the time )

So, we lied to our parents and said we were doing something else that afternoon. We got a ride to the theater and snuck in to watch it.

It was worth the risk of getting caught. And, to be 14...seeing Appollonia's apples... 'nuff said.

Later that school year, they announced the "Purple Rain" tour. Carlo and I had never been to a concert, at this point. We begged our parents, but neither would take us. So, we bribed our music teacher...yes...our junior-high music teacher, to take us (to the Spectrum) if we bought her a ticket. And that was my first music rock-concert experience. Everything, from that point on, got compared to Prince live.

How could it not???

I still have the program downstairs sitting on my piano....

Bryen