Where's The "Flower Child" Now?

Awhile back, I wrote an article called Whatever Happened To The Child Of Peace? ... and since this is now a "boomers" blog (though everyone's welcome to read and comment), I thought we'd inaugurate it by reprinting it here:

The summer of 1967 was one of the most vocal and radical in the history of America. Nationally, we were embroiled in political scandals, racial injustice - and a horrible war in Vietnam.
The country was firmly divided into two separate groups - Doves, who believed the war was wrong and that our military should pull out and come home, and the Hawks, who thought we should not only be fighting in Vietnam, but maybe even take it a step farther and decimate China, who was allegedly bolstering the North's manpower.
Here in America, though, thousands of young people, who were turned onto peace, love and inner guidance, were rising up in protests of the fighting. Some history books will say they were "doves", while others say they were "high on drugs and Indian music." Many of us were there, and we were simply looking at it all with logic. Is peace better than war? Love than hate? Inner guidance better than outer control?
So they began putting the pressure on Washington - from sit-ins to open-air festivals to outright marches - and, by 1969, President Nixon began feeling the pressure and reduced troop numbers. Slightly over three years later, the war was over.
In 1968, the assassination of the Rev. Martin Luther King resulted in widespread violence and looting - a grim climax to the years of struggle for African-American equality. Once again, young, hip whites and blacks were on the scene, united in the cause of peace. And they knew they'd have their hands full: On the one, they tried to calm nerves of both blacks and whites; on the other, they protested the inequality loudly. From the streets of LA to Pennsylvania Ave. in Washington, they took the message that Dr. King had conveyed time and again: that all people, of all races, should work together and given equal rights in this country.
The pressure eventually worked, and society slowly began to realize the importance of true, interracial brotherhood.
More important changes were made by the protesters and marchers. The voting age was finally lowered to 18, and women were beginning to be treated as more than sex objects - they were finally being viewed as equals in the marketplace, employment field and in places of authority.

Now, this is continued on our Mouse Clique blog.

MODELING ... CARS!

When we were young, we all loved those little model kits from which we built nifty cars, planes and the like. They bring pleasant memories of a simpler time, and how we wanted to grow up and have a real car -- just like the one we just built from a model kit!
Well, today you can still get those famed kits from which you built plastic model cars -- and more! The prices are very affordable, and you can even get the paints and supplies you need to make these cars shine!
So, if you liked building model cars, tanks or planes back then -- you're going to love the folks behind that link you just passed a moment ago! Go ahead ... click there now, and you'll end up with hours of fun ... and a wonderful model when it's all done!

New Beginnings

Hey ... sometimes, we need 'em, right??  And this blog is certainly no exception.

Here's why I'm doing this:

After years of reporting classic rock news and covering just about everything else in that genre, I've decided to expand this site to include the many other facets of baby-boomerdom.  I mean, it wasn't/isn't all music ... and we're gonna cover everything else that pertains to that awesome chunk of society!

Now, that doesn't mean we'll neglect the music!  In fact, far from it; you'll still be reading about acts from ABBA to ZZ Top and more.  But we'll also cover issues ranging from the economy to aches and pains (hmph ... probably in the same paragraph, since one seems to cause the other), kids and grandkids, TV, politics, religion and more --


But don't expect this to be just another stodgy, opinionated blog.  (I'm not a Republican, y'know ...)  We're going to have some fun whilst we go through these posts!
You'll also see more vids, along with ads, useful links, rock news, pics, a few surprises ... annnnnd we're gonna keep this blog updated almost every day that ends with a "y" (I'll be 'off' on the other ones. Sorry ...).

Now, there's even more formatting ahead, to enhance the blog a bit -- so keep your eyes out for the new look and all the goodies within, come 2 January (and, yes, we'll definitely be including boomers in the UK as well ...)!!

See ya then ... on the flip side!! (yeah, some things I won't change!)

Merry Christmas 2011!!

Listen ... I'll be back next week with new posts ... and, beginning in the 12, more frequent visits. But today is a special time for the triple-F factor: food, family and friends (not necessarily in that order). Soooooo ...

C ya then ... on the flip side!!

The Page Turns ... and Beatles Facts Found

You know, this genre of ours has lasted for over fifty years, and has gone through drugs, hugs, bugs and a few mugshots ... it's rocked, shocked, shlocked and socked-it-to more Rockaholics than we can count! We've seen Presidents die, those with broken dreams live, warafterwarafterwar, legends pass and new ones take their space (but never "place"), women get more rights (and throw a few "lefts"!), 18ers get to vote and drink, our brethren of other races finally get the props they so rightfully deserve, and so many other wild events! The vanguard was THE BEATLES ... and the musical marauding hasn't stopped since ... And it never will.

RARE BEATLEFACTS FOUND!! WOW!! Talk aboutcher luck! Found some olllllld notes I made about the Fab Four way back in 1979! Along with it (now, this is weird!) was a business receipt for some gas I got -- at the time, I was driving the public, stateside version of a Sherman Tank (aka straight-drive Plymouth Belvedere). The cost for the fill-up was just under (snif!) TEN DOLLARS!
Anyway, after drying my tears, I read the info:

Remember The Beatles' tune, Not A Second Time? 'Twas on their first American LP ... bit it wasn't really a "Beatles" song as such! The tune was actually recorded by John and Ringo, with George Martin sitting in on piano!
And then there was a report of the meeting between JPG&R ... and Elvis! Contrary to reports, he was still a bit skeptical about the "moptops", although John considered him to be the one who really got teenagers into rock-n-roll!
But, when they met, Presley and the lads jammed a bit, and Elvis tried to impress them by doing the lead-in to I Feel Fine (come on, '60s guitarists... who amongst us wasn't tempted to try that lead at least once?) At that point, according to the report, John finally realized that Presley wasn't an unreachable "rock god", per se, but a normal human, like the rest of us.

I also found a scripted note (intended for an early column, apparently, considering it was Smith-Coronaed [ie, "typed"] on onion-skin paper) on which I wrote about I Am The Walrus: "John knew that the headhunters were out in droves, looking for anything 'secret', like 'drug' messages or 'Paul Is Dead' or whatever. So he intentionally set the words in some of the fades to weird phrases that could be played backwards and lead these yokels on a wild goose chase!" Yep ... I actually used the word yokel. Forgive me. I won't do it again ... here ...

JIMMY PAGE ... SKIFFLER?? You bet! And here he is, at the ripe old age of fourteen, as part of a skiffle group. Ahhh, how times have changed:


Well, that's all I've got for this go'round, troops! But I'll be back tomorrow evening with a brand new episode! So stay tuned ...

Beach Boys, Seger and More ...

Okay ... who hasn't heard the Big News yet (hint: look at the pic on your left)?

Right ... The Beach Boys (and I mean as close to the original lineup as you can get!) are reuniting!
But it's for more than a wildly-hoped-for-and-now-reality 50th Anniversary tour (note: Jagger, are you listenin'??); they'll also be putting out a brand-new album to boot!

Now, some of you are bound to say they're too old for the "fast cars, surf and girls" shtick. But you forget a couple of major factors in the success of the band:

(1) They've been to group harmony what the Everly Brothers were to duos! They don't scream their lyrics or funk them up ... the blend is actually ageless!
(2) These guys are certainly, by virtue of their experience both in and out of the studio, great instrumentalists. And, as greats from Les Paul to Paul McCartney prove, that talent doesn't die as you get older ... it just gets better!
(3) Brian Wilson and Bruce Johnston are both prolific songwriters, with pieces that could be as enthusiastically and artistically performed by artistes in their late 60s as well as those in their mid-20s! And the songs are evergreen!

With Dennis and Carl gone, who'll replace them? This is where all true BB fans are in for a treat: Whilst we have Mike Love, Al Jardine, Bruce Johnston and a rejuvenated Brian Wilson on board, the fivesome will be rounded out with the return of original Beach Boy David Marks!
And there's word that -- possibly -- the drumming may be handled by either John Stamos (he played drums on the BB video, Kokomo), Ricky Fataar -- even perhaps even another guest appearance by Ringo Starr! After all, the ex-Beatle did sit in on drums with them before ...
One more thing: As we all are remembering country music's Glen Campbell as he valiantly tours for the last time (he suffers from early stages of Alzheimer's), we should remember that, on songs like Dance, Dance, Dance, even he was a Beach Boy for a time! So, as one winds up his career, another revives theirs ...

IN OTHER NEWS:   Phil Spector filed an appeal of his 2009 murder conviction Friday to the U.S. Supreme Court, arguing that the judge in the trial gave improper opinion on expert testimony.

Troggs lead singer Reg Presley was hospitalised in Winchester, England Wednesday (14 December) with what's suspected to be another stroke (he had a major one a year ago). He's also suffering from pneumonia and fluid around the heart. Reg's wife says he first began to feel bad whilst performing in Germany 3 December and has gotten progressively worse. "Doctors think he has had another stroke. He's not very well and I have no idea how long he'll be in hospital," she said.

Hey ... remember that Gibson guitar seen on the cover of Bob Seger's "Greatest Hits" album? Well, it turns out the guitar was stolen from Seger when he moved between late August and early October. It's valued valued between 8 and ten thousand dollars!

And that's it for this edition, but stay tuned; there's more Rock, Rhythm and Rimshots coming your way in about 24! That being said ... I'll see ya on the flip side!

Hendrix Is NOT the All-Time Greatest!

As I've said in an earlier post, The Rock Relic will be ... well, a relic (small "r") officially after 1 January. But, already, the vacant position's filled:

Whilst the public is gearing up for the return of The Eagle (my pen from 1986-2002, all told. Includes the syndi column, a stint at a Christian newspaper here in Ashland, two papers I published, three years online and a par-trihidge in a pearrrr treeee ...), I just plugged it in to suit my musical side and affairs (including blogs) -- thus, the ELECTRIC Eagle ...

We'll be covering a lot of territory in twice-weekly posts here from now on ... and some will be controversial, like this:

JIMI HENDRIX IS NOT THE ALL-TIME GREATEST!
What better way to kickstart the new, Eagleised blog than to dispute Rolling Stone™ Magazine's declaration of Jimi Hendrix as the "all-time greatest guitarist."
Now, don't get me wrong: Jimi was one of the most prolific guitarists of the Twentieth Century. But, look -- we have to face facts:

There were thousands of young guitarists who didn't have the credentials of Jimi; in fact, most guitarists of that time remained small-ticket or even unknown outside their home area. A few of these, given the right push, could've rivalled Hendrix!
And to say he was the greatest of all-time disqualifies legends like Les Paul, T-Bone Walker and modern-day greats such as Joe Satriani, Joe Perry, the late Stevie Ray Vaughan and others.
But, most of all, is this thought (shared by reader Eric from Spokane): "Jimmi (sic) Hendrix could not be the best gtrist of all time. Time is not over yet. The Rapture hasn't happend, no huge meteor has hit us, Jesus hasn't come back. So how can any body say he is 'ALL-time' best when "ALL time" isnt finished?"
Think about it, gang ...
Eric's right!
How do we know someone won't come along that'll exceed Hendrix's prowess?? Time isn't over yet ... we're still 98.6 degrees-and-kickin' ... so is it fair to say he's the 'all-time greatest'??
More on this soon ... (I know I've stirred up a little hornet's nest here ...)

AFTER READING OUR POSTS HERE, JOIN US AT OUR OTHER BLOG, Lloyd Thaxton's MOUSE CLIQUE. It's a tribute to the great teen show host of the Sixties (and the Eagle's best friend until he left us in 2008) as well as other goodies!

PEOPLE IN WHITE COATS

If there's one thing that this little area we call "Ashland" is known for (outside Judds, Cyruses, Woolerys and Superman), it's the number of medical professionals that work here.
And, of course, all of those who work in labs, MRI, Radiology and other areas wear the most recognized apparel of medical personnel -- the lab coat.
But, as with any clothing, these can become victim of wear-and-tear, indelible smudges and stains -- and there'll be a need to buy new coats! You see, it's not just keep up their image but to accommodate their immediate tools, whether stethoscopes or ballpoint pens!
For the best of these -- and at prices that won't dent the wallet -- the pros click on that link you just passed! They'll be able to choose from a variety of styles -- and even have their coats personalized if they'd like!
So, if you (or someone you know) normally wear lab coats at work, why not click that link today for the best wear anywhere?

New Wings Ready To Fly ...

IT'S TIME TO FLY AGAIN 2012 is just a few weeks away and, waiting silently on the edge of his perch high atop Melody Mountain here in beautiful downtown Ashland, KY., an eagle is ready to try out his newly-healed wings ...

I was first called that 25 years ago by a third-grade student at Pineville (NC) Elementary, where I had volunteered as a teacher's aide and tutored. It became my pen name whilst a syndicated columnist, and lasted until 2005, when The Rock Relic emerged.

Over time, the Relic character grew (and, for that, I thank you), but the person of Chuck Hinson began having a few ... well, let's say "troubles".
Those began to multiply, and it affected both my health and my work (thus, the finances). But this Relic still trudged on, all the while knowing it was in my power to control the situations ... rather than have them control me.

A few days ago, I was checking out my archives when I ran across a challenging email from my late mentor and friend, Lloyd Thaxton (aka "Lloyd Thaxton"). When I'd told him, back in '06, about the old "Eagle" monitor, he sent these words in one of his emails: "You're an Eagle. Then, FLY, EAGLE, FLY!"
Those words sent chills down my spine. Uncle Lloyd's been entertaining a heavenly audience since 2008 ...
(By the way: That earlier "aka" bit? That's how LL signed one of his first emails to me. Just included that as a tribute ...)

Then a very wonderful reader included, on her Facebook® page, one of my favourite Biblical verses (Isaiah 40:31):
"But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.
At the very same time I read this, the radio was playing a song by one of my all-time favourite country artistes: The late Waylon Jennings.
The song??
The Eagle.

NOW ya see why the bird's gonna be the word again??

Now, on the rock side of life, I'm adding a little to the mix: I'm reviving the Electric Eagle (many thanks to Spencer Hannabuss, my British mate from The 286 and, formerly, The Fore, for this idea). For all other writes, it'll be non-"Electric". For you who don't like eagles ... well, just be sure to carry a good, strong umbrella ('cause we know what to do!) ... lol

So, come 1 January 2012, "The Rock Relic" will become just that: A relic from days gone by. But the Eagle ... gonna be flyin' high once again!
(here's the vid ... listen to the word. It's my declaration for 2012)

Unknown Christmas Facts!

We'll get back to the rock in a couple of posts ... but, because it's "the Season", I thought it'd be cool to take a look at some largely-unknown facts about Christmas:

WHY DECEMBER 25? For centuries, it was thought that December 25 was first decreed as the formal Christmas Day by Pope Julius I in 450 A.D. Rome. Whilst that is true, it's been discovered that the first celebration of Dec. 25 as Jesus' birth day was actually 114 years earlier, during the reign of Emperor Constantine.

THREE WISE MEN? Nope. The fact is, no one knows how many there were. This probably started due to the three major gifts to the infant Jesus. Those three were:

GOLD -- A staple amongst royalty, this signified that the Christ child was to be a King.
FRANKINCENSE -- Ancient people burned frankincense, thinking it would take their prayers to heaven. This, then, was to signify Christ's role as our Priest.
MYRRH -- This was used as an embalming material in Egyptian mummies (this also implies where the wise men were from). It signified that He would Die for World Sin.

GRANDMA GOT RUN OVER by a reindeer?? Recent research has discovered that it was actually a John Deere, but the owner didn't want to take the blame. Besides, who could make a Christmas song out of a tractor??

JOLLY OLD ST. NICHOLAS The old St. Nick persona actually began with a man known as Nicholas, from the village of Patara. When his wealthy parents died, he took his inheritance and followed Christ's words to "sell what you own and give the money to the poor."
He suffered big time for his Christian beliefs, died on 6 December in 343 AD. When he was buried, a unique relic called manna formed in his grave. Said to have healing powers, it created a lot of popular devotion to Nicholas. The anniversary of his death became a day of celebration known as St. Nicholas Day ... and people started giving to others in homage to his works.

THE ORIGIN OF SANTA CLAUS As word of St. Nicholas spread to this country (via settlers from Europe), the name allegedly was a variation of the Dutch Sinterklaas (or Saint Nicholas). But, more recent research has discovered that a more likely origin was in the quick pronunciation of the Saint's name. Saint Nicholas, repeated in a fast, accented manner, becomes a form of Santa Claus!
The reindeer, by the way, was partly the concoction of writer Clement C. Moore in his poem, A Visit From St. Nicholas -- as was Santa's stature and outfit. "Donder" and "Blitzen" were originally German names for Thunder and Lightning.

IS SANTA CLAUS REALLY WATCHING YOU??

According to Ray Stevens, he certainly is!

On PBS' "Oldies" Fundraiser

Look ... nobody digs PBS' shows more than The Relic, and I've gotta admit that their fundraisers do include some pretty cool performances at times.
But when they did the "Oldies But Goodies" (Sixties music) a few nights ago ... wellll, it could've used a little improvement!

Now, that's not to say the hour or so that I watched wasn't good: in fact, it had some twists that actually surprised even an old rockhound like me:

I mean, who would've thought that one of the greatest, most gutteral rockers of the decade -- the dynamic Mitch Ryder -- could turn into a serious blues brother? After catching him on a couple of vids since, I'm convinced the man has actually vitaminised his career by turning it in that direction (huh?? Yeah, I know it's not a real word, but ... awww, go with the feeling for once, okay??).

And to hear the legendary folk duo of Chad and Jeremy -- circa today -- is to hear intimate harmony enveloping songs that were rich with smooth, flowing lyrics.

In fact, they sounded just as melodic as they did nearly sixty years ago. Whilst Chad (Stuart, also a producer) and Jeremy (Clyde, also an actor and direct descendant of the Duke of Wellington [who defeated Napoleon at Waterloo]) have understandably aged (c'mon ... who hasn't other than Regis?), they're living proof that "age" doesn't mean "old" by a long shot!

The falsetto of Lou Christie (Lightning Strikes and Rhapsody In The Rain - the latter of which was banned in many markets for being too "sexually-suggestive" for young ears!) was still strong, and the songs still fresh, but ...

Then there was the "new" Paul Revere and The Raiders.  Now, don't get me wrong:  I appreciate the fact that Uncle Paul has kept the band going all these years, and that they're still one of the most popular showbands in America.
But, somehow, whilst the song they performed was the hit, "Kicks", the band couldn't really (here it comes ...) kick into gear (toldja!!).  We long-time PR&R fans were used to seeing the whole group showcased -- Mark, Paul, Smitty (RIP), Drake (RIP) and Fang (whose present act still has the exuberance and bounciness that trademarked the original band -- and, brother, this cat and his crew can really rock!).  On the PBS show, though, only three of the "new" band is showcased -- and it sorta dragged a little.  True, the lead singer isn't Mark Lindsay anymore, but he is good.  They still put on neat shows, btw ... so catch 'em if you can!

Then there was Peter Noone ...
the front man for the phenomenonenomenal Herman's Hermits is entertainment, personified! I mean, he never puts on a bad show! And, if you're lookin' for fan-friendliness, I guarantee you'll find it with this character!
So, when Peter Blair Denis Benard Noone's smiling face came on-screen as one of the emcees -- and, later, he serenaded the crowd with the HH hit, I'm Into Something Good, you just had to know that we were also into it, as well!

All told, a good great time was had by all ...

THE BEAUTY OF BARBADOS ...

is a lovely setting for a wedding, no matter what time of year it is! This island -- the easternmost one of the Caribbean chain -- is known for its spectacular beauty and mild weather, and would be a great spot for nuptials that may be coming up in your (or your family's) future!
Now, to book a barbados wedding isn't as costly or intricate as you might think ... especially if you click on the link you just passed! You'll find out more about the island itself, amenities and so much more ...
So, if there are some "special plans" coming up for you or someone in your family, why not click on that link now and start planning for a first-class, picture-perfect wedding in Barbados now?

Resolution Revolution 2011-12

Over the past few days, as I went through my files (both online and off) covering the past year, I realised that the Relic can't afford to wait to put his resolutions into action! Whilst it's been a good year in some ways for this bald(ing) bird, it left a lot that needs some serious tweaking.

So I'm calling this my Resolution Revolution for 2011-12:

• First of all, I've honed down my work to two serious studios. I'll still do the blogside business reviews, though -- and this blog and The Mouse Clique will be updated much more often (and with more tangible material!).
• The talent with which I work are, truly, some of the best on either side of the Atlantic. But, due to the excessive (and sometimes unfruitful) writing assignments, I haven't followed-through with them as I should.
  
  Sooooo, in this next year, you're going to be hearing a lot about Phil "Fang" Volk, Mike Lane, Matthew Hardy (pictured), The 286 and others; from vids here to interviews there and loads of music in-between, these fab acts are seriously worth following!
  And they'll be in front of DJs, A&Rs, programme managers, labels, etc. every week for max exposure and promotion.
• For you who have expected mailouts from me but didn't receive them, blame the USPS (except for one, which was my fault!) -- and get ready, because your mailouts are seriously in the mail this time!
• If you're from the royal family in Nigeria, you will come through with those megabucks you promised or I will begin deleting any email you send meWAIT! I, ummm ... I already do that, so ONE RESOLUTION ACCOMPLISHED!!

GRAMMY® AWARD NODS

Amongst the classic rockers who are nominated for Grammy® Awards for 2012 are: Paul McCartney (now, is that really a surprise?), Bruce Springsteen, Tony Bennett (hey ... face it: He does rock!), Booker T, Barbara Streisand, Jeff Beck, Gregg Allman and Betty Wright. Congrats to all the nominees announced last night.

HEALTH MANAGERS NEEDED

If you're in the market for good, solid Medical or Health Services Manager Jobs and don't know where to turn, how about clicking that link you just passed?
We already know that the health services industry is the top employer in the nation. Not only can you make good money and have great benefits but, more importantly, think of all the assistance you'll bring to those who are in need! It's your best shot at both worlds: that of financial security and one of personal and professional satisfaction!
So click there now and find the best health-care-management jobs in your state!