Brian Lives!!!!

I can't really find the words to tell you all how much it means to me to get to see and play music with the friends that I don't have the chance to visit with much anymore. Barky Lew's birthday bash gives me the opportunity to do just that. Trying to hit that 'HI' note on "Sloop John B" with Foster cracking up to my right as I failed miserably reminds me of all the times we all played on stage somewhere and if the crowd was into it or not, it didn't really matter as long as 'the band' was having a good time! The audience might see Joe, Lewis, Rob or Sean saying something in my ear and not realizing that they're not telling me what key change is coming up or how to end the song.....no, most of the time they were telling me some joke that will totally throw me off my concentration, leaving me to try and remember the lyrics to the next verse without laughing out loud over the mic. Lewis and I got a chance to reminisce a little the other night and we were thinking of the days Mountain Flyer played at the 'Little Bear' in Grand Lake with Tom (Brian and The Tumors) and how wild and crazy that was! Great memories! There are alot of stories we could tell (John Sebastian) and if it all blows up and goes to hell. I wish we could sit on some old 'Blue Bunny Slope' couch or some hotel, and listen to the stories it could tell. You bloggers know more stories than would dare to tell, but go ahead and be anonymous.

Thanks Barky for keeping those good times alive!

'Twas The Night Before Thanksgiving....

Well, I lived through another one. Barky's birthday bash, that is. Every year since 1979, on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving ( a few still don't understand why it's always on a Wednesday, you know who you are...but then again, maybe not!) None the less, a great group of old friends still gather together every year in Colorado Springs to celebrate the day Barky Lew got his name. It all started at the Hungry Farmer and even after it closed, the party is open for business and perhaps a bit of fun! But, I've got to tell you...after 29 years, we celebrate more in the fact that we are all still alive and healthy! I see smiles everywhere and a lot of grey hair, but I get to share hugs and stories with people I love but don't get to see very often, and (most of all for me), get to play music together with... my "old buds".
Sean, Rob, Lewis, Joe, Steve, Lee, Dave and Dave....everybody sounded great and it was wonderful to see and listen to all of those old farts and their music!
I hope everyone had as much fun as I did and I look forward to next year (but never trust a party over 30!!!) I had such a good time playing music that I forgot to take any pictures for "The Blob". I was asking Sean if he remembered the time we dressed up as pilgrims for the party and he did, but wasn't sure if he had any pics and which one of us was dressed up as what?
So....this is the best picture I can come up with? Maybe Dicky Stew (Barky Lew's 'faithful retainer') has one. And to quote 'Stew'....."I swear, I haven't been able to enjoy a 'Thanksgiving Dinner' for 29 years!"

Rock Man

This is my 'Rock Man'! If you've ever seen Harry Nillson's "The Point" then you know the wisdom of those 'stoned folks'. This guy resides about a mile and a half up the East Inlet trail in Rocky Mountain National Park. I always stop and visit on my way up to the second meadow and soak in the good vibes from the cat that just sits there soakin' it all in...soo cool! Check out the attachment here and discover a philosophy that one can dig. After all, you don't have to possess a point...to have a point!
http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&aq=t&ie=UTF-8&rls=HPIC,HPIC:2006-04,HPIC:en&q=the+point+rockman

Barky Lew's 29th Birthday Is Approaching

Yes, it's that time of year again. Time to jump in the 'Wayback Machine' and head for Colorado Springs for Barky Lew's Birthday Bash. This year it will be at McCabes on S. Tejon and once again looks to be another good time. Sean, Rob, Steve Foster, Joe, Lewis and myself for sure. Maybe Allan Blackwell on drums and hopefully Cynda can make it again this year. I'm looking forward to seeing the 'old gang' and pickin' a few songs together. Hope to see some of you there. It's hard to believe it's been 29 years! That means next year is 30 and I think it was John Lennon who said, "never trust any party over 30".

One Foot At A Time

Getting back to work on the Foot, Foot project. Ronnie Roo's working hard on new illustrations and I'm getting the recording of the song and the narration together. If you don't know what I'm talking about here, I had an idea (or a brain fart) to do a children's book based on the old 'Foot, Foot Song' by Ray Bolger. My parents gave it to us kids one year with a phonograph and the song slept in my head somewhere until some drunken night in Colorado Springs when I decided to resurrect it with our old band, 'The Phantom Hooters'. Sean and I would do the rabbits with our hands while we sang the song and then one night someone (was it Ralph Routen's wife?) made us three rabbit hand puppets and the act became semi-famous! I did it for the Gong Show at Squeaky Bob's once and didn't even get gonged because Dicky Stew(a judge) said he was a sucker for animal acts.

The hand puppets had little neck ties that were eventually cut off when we were playing at the Trail Dust Steak House. Anyway, thanks to Ronnie's help, my idea for a book, CD and DVD are starting to come together. If we ever get it published, I hope you blob readers will be interested in getting a copy. Also, if anybody knows any publishers out there(hint...hint), let me know.

PS. If you want to see more on this...go to Ronnie's blog(located in my links, roodroppings) and look at the April archives.

There's one foot and foot, foot and a brother they call foot, foot, foot.....

On A Sad Note

Our friend Blaine Albertson lost his battle with cancer yesterday. I couldn't find a picture of Blaine, just a picture of a sign I made for him when he had his counseling business in Granby. Blaine was quite a guy. He had lost both his arms in a farm accident when he was young but that never stopped him. He was an Olympic skier with the disabled team, played pool(with his feet), bowled with a special bowling ball that had a retractable handle that he could throw with his hook and he even played a little golf. He never quit and I'm sure he battled to the end. A great lesson for all of us. I remember a few Christmas parties at Blaine and Nora's at their house in Columbine Lake and of course B.J.(Hershel), the Ethiopian horse. If anyone has any particular memories of Blaine, please share them with us here on the blob.

PS. I usually don't edit my blog after it's been posted but this an exception. Nora sent me a few pictures that I wanted to share with you. Remember that smile!

Happy Birthday Stephen

Tomorrow, November 14th is Stephen Bishop's birthday. He was born the same year as me...1951. He is one of my favorite singer-songwriters(especially the early stuff before he did the movie songs that probably made him a fortune). Haven't heard anything from him lately but I came across this picture and couldn't help but put it out there for you bloggers. I think he looks rather 'festive' but I can't help but wonder if those pants are real polyester? Anyway, happy birthday Steve. Can I borrow that outfit for "Louie Heckert Night"? I could go 'On and On' but I just wanted to give you all something new to comment on. Ooh and how 'bout that guitar?

Winter Returns To The High Country

Winter has returned to the Never Summer Mountains. I don't think I've seen the sun for over a week now. Oh well, as Chris Lapp from "Jeremiah Johnson" would say..." winter stays long this high". Some ski areas are open but there's not enough here yet to get out the 'skinny skis' and do some cross country skiing. I must say we had a beautiful Indian Summer and that was a treat. Now it's time for me to get back to work on a couple projects that I just couldn't quite get into doing when the weather outside was sunny and nice. I don't mind the snow but I do hope we see more sunshine in between storms than we did last winter.

Thanks!!

Thank You Veterans!!

Gong Show 2008

I think the 2008 Gong Show was a great success! It raised over $4,000.00 to help out our good friend Jerry Warner and a good time was had by all. I especially liked the addition of Vanna 'The Bod' and her wheel. Some of the hit acts were "Heidi"(Jeanine) playing 'Stairwell to Heaven' on the accordion, a girl who put nails up her nose, the 'Pine Beatles', and the "Popsicle Girls" sucking erotically on their frozen treats!

The only problem I see is that after the success of this years show they may want to do another one.

Gong Show Lives

Just when you thought it was safe, something comes along and bites you in the ass. I thought the days of the Gong Show were long gone but history is trying to repeat itself and once again someone has decided to resurrect the old Gong Show this Sunday. Just because the Broncos are off doesn't mean we have to go hop in Mr. Peabody's "Way Back" machine does it? Well I guess it does. It's for a good cause....to help our friend Jerry Warner out with a fundraiser of sorts but now I'm forced to come up with an act. How could I possibly top some the acts I did at Squeaky Bob's in the 70's and 80's! There were such memorable skits like the ventriloquist with a speak and spell(stolen from Howie Mandell), the duet with me playing my nose, Bibus playing the 'singing saw' and Chuck Schmuck on the "washtub bass", the 'Lumberjack Song' with Barky and Fetch, "Nursie" Young and her dancing Yankee Doodle Dandy, and the only one I didn't get gonged for..... the Foot, Foot Song with the rabbit hand puppets.
Maybe somebody(Stew) can remember some of the other unforgettable acts. Well, I guess it's time to dust off the old "Comodaphone" and see what I can come up with. On with the show, this is it!

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