My Top Ten Albums of All Time

After reading my buddy Kevin's blog I thought I would sit down and come up with my top 10 albums of all time. I based my list on the criteria that if I had to go to a deserted island by myself what albums would I take. This deserted island would have an endless supply of beer by the way....Some albums may not be your favorites but that is why this is my list and not yours. I think if you listen to some of the albums on my list you will enjoy yourself a great deal:

10. Def Leppards's Hysteria--An album that had 8 singles and was the soundtrack for my teen years. My favorites on the album are two songs they didn't even release, "Don't Shoot Shotgun and Gods of War"..The album still takes me to that place even now. It is the perfect album for the perfect time.

9. Bruce Springsteen's The Rising--I really fought over this one and Born in the USA but this one held out because I think after 9/11 and the fact that I was getting older myself this album and it's message resonated with me....The message of redemption thru the greatest tragedy imaginable is a great lesson to us all.

8. Kiss' Alive 2--I know for most people that know me know that Kiss is my favorite group next to the Beatles and the group that really changed my life and taught me how to love the theater in music and that it is possible to have songs become a soundtrack to the show you are about to see. I got this album on November 27, 1977 and I was never the same. You Wanted the Best...You Got the Best...The Hottest Band in the World...KISS!!!! You're damn right.....nobody did it better and still doesn't....

7. Savage Garden's Affirmation--I am not much for modern music or the fact that I believe recent artists have no soul to them. I did not even like the first Savage Garden album. Hated it. This album though is the perfect pop album. There is not one bad song on the record. Some danceable tracks and some great ballads all add up to one great album. I am almost glad they broke up after this album because I don't know if they could top this one.

6. The Beach Boy's Pet Sounds--What else can you say about the perfect album in terms of sound and message and great songs. Brian Wilson still to this day is one of my favorites and it only stands to reason that he had mental problems because no mortal person could hear the beauty that he did in his head. The reality is that you have to listen to the whole record at one sitting to get how good it really is. It wasn't about the singles, it was about the trip you were on. I am still on it to this day.

5. Motley Crue's Shout at the Devil--While Dr. Feelgood is the best album they made, there is something about this record that represented what I wanted to become. It was raw, abrasive, in your face and all about kicking ass....if you don't believe me, listen to "Knock 'em Dead Kid" you will see. You could feel the sunset strip dripping in between the tracks. It made us metal heads dream about heading out to the Strip to see what paradise really looked like.

4. Boston's Third Stage--Most people love this band's self titled debut album. I mean how can you argue against 'More Than a Feeling" but Third Stage to me was so awesome it was beyond words. When I hear Brad Delp sing "HollyAnn" I still get teary eyed. I cried at the live show and I cry when it is on my stereo at home. That, my friend, makes a great album.

3. Reo Speedwagon's Hi-Infidelity--It was the album that I had to replace twice because I played thru the grooves. It was the tape I had to replace 3 times because I listened to it so much and the Cd I have replaced once because I ruined it listening to it so much. "Keep on Loving You", "Take it On The Run", "In Your Letter", wherever I am and those songs come on, I stop to listen and soak in how good that album makes me feel.

2. Sam Cooke's Greatest Hits--The worlds greatest singer. Period...Bar None....He used his voice like an instrument...It was sex appeal, a way to touch the hem of Jesus' Garmet, and a way to feel what it must have felt like to be on "The Chain Gang". He was and always be the greatest and will always have a place of honor in my home and life.

1. The Beatles' Abbey Road--Simply put, THE album I could not live without. The second side of Abbey Road is the greatest music ever. That isn't even taking into account how great the first side is. A band that was at the end of their journey provided all of us something that we can take forever on ours.

There you have it. It may not be perfect but man it represents everything I love about music and how it makes me feel. Feel free to add it with some of your choices. I can't wait to read it.

What A Wonderful World

Normally when I sit down to write in this blog I write about abstract things and try not to give too much away. This one is going to be different. This story is just crazee enough to be true and be believed by all. So yesterday I was heading back to my office in the middle of downtown Pittsburgh when a car comes spinning out of control from the opposite direction. This car was going out of control spinning at least 3 times all the way around. Fortunately, I had enough wits about me to notice a road off to the left of me. I yanked the steering wheel hard to the left and pulled in to this road while the other car finally gains straightens out and promptly jumps the curb and crashes into the street signs. As the car starts to slow down I notice the driver throw a woman out of the passenger side door into traffic. He then proceeds to speed off. I grabbed my cell phone and tore across traffic to assist the woman in need. I went to call 911 and I guess the "gentleman" turned around and came back. He proceeded to get out of the car and begin screaming at me asking what I was doing to his wife. Now seconds before this she tells me he was trying to kill her and now this lunatic is yelling at me saying she was trying to kill him. Now here is the kicker.....she gets up and gets back in the car with him and drives away. I am standing in traffic now wondering what the hell just happened. The lesson here.....????? The lesson is that we have fallen so far as a culture that we must second guess whether or not it is even safe to get involved in helping someone else in need. I couldn't believe all of the events that transpired in just a short period of time. That guy could have easily taken out his anger on me if he wanted to and my only fault would have been that I was trying to help. I will leave with nothing more to say and open this up for discussion amongst my friends that read this......

A kid of the 80's

I am sitting here right now listening to a heaping amount of 80's music and I can't help but think of how cool this music really is. I mean who can not think back and get all wound up thinking of Survivor's "Eye of the Tiger". Go Rocky Go!!!!! I can remember spending my Saturdays at the World of Sports Roller Skating Rink with all of my friends and hearing the familiar refrains of The J. Geils Band "Centerfold" and tearing out on the rink and feeling like the coolest kid in the world. There is one person out there right now reading this that knows exactly what I am talking about and since you don't really know any of the other people reading this I leave it to you to keep the illusion that I was cool alive. And then after we all tore around the rink, it was time for the slow skate. Thankfully, I was popular enough that I never had to worry about skating on my own. I remember the big slow skate song was Journey's "Open Arms". I wonder if Journey knew that song would become the South Boston make out tune. While I am on the subject of South Boston...Christy Watts, I have a memory of steel and I remember in 6th grade how HOT you thought the guys in Wham! were. I tell you now like I told you then, a guy that good looking has to be Gay!!!!! Don't even try and deny what I am speaking of. Thankfully, later on you were able to worship at the altar of Motley Crue and other hard rock Gods and they saved your soul. At some point we all felt Dexy's Midnite Runners were pretty sweet and we all wanted to know what Eileen actually looked like....To this day I still don't know how to do the Safety Dance!!!! It was a time when a guy dressed like a girl could be liked by guys...Culture Club anyone??? Karma...Karma...Karma....Chameleon....I think everyone should take a trip down to Funkytown!!!! oh my yes....A lot of the songs that came out that I probably didn't like all that much I really enjoy now...For example, I am listening to Flock of Seagulls now and think "I Ran" is totally bitchin....the hair on the singer is still stupid but the song is killer. It is very difficult to think back to those days and not smile. It was so indulgent and pompous and silly and fun that I find myself grinning just remembering those times. If you need a reminder of how great and silly it was think of "We Built This City" by Starship or Styx's "Mr. Roboto" or The Bangles "Walk Like an Egyptian". We laugh at them now but we danced to them then. They were the soundtracks to our lives at that time. It was a time that didn't take itself so seriously...How could it when the catch phrase was "I want my MTV!!!!".....So the next time you feel like the music today has no fun or no dance to it...Grab an 80's CD and throw it on....You will find your feet tapping and your mouth smiling....Trust me...I am doing right now as we speak....Join In!!!!

Xmas rules and New Years 2007

Mom and Dad's all lit up...Pretty isn't it???


I feel like a real turd writing about the holidays and New Years because it is so not original but I can't think of anything else that I can write about just yet....so here goes....I had a great Xmas. I spent some quality time with the family. It is very rare that we all get together and spend more than a dinner or something together so it was nice. My brother had been working nites for over a month so I never saw him and wasn't sure I still had a brother. Rumor has it I still do. When we did get some free time he and I went to go and see Rocky Balboa. Top-Notch!!!!!! Very good story and a good ending to the franchise. I had to spend some extra hours at work to make sure that my staff was able to go home early....It was worth it....they bust their ass for me and it was nice to get them out of the bank for a bit. By the way, I got everything I wanted this year. I must tell you I had to kick ass this year. I always figured I was the bomb but the presents proved it. After Xmas I took a few more days off work to recover. The sleeping in after the holidays was a nice respite from the hussle and bussle. New years was really good. I settled in to watch Dick Clark--a new year's staple since I was a kid--and boy was I surprised about how much I had to drink already. Beer is God's gift to me...and I love him for it. Now after partying until 3:30 in the morning I slept on the couch and was awakened at the ungodly hour of 8 am with the sharpest reminder that I had to be at my parents house at 11 am to watch the PENN STATE NITTANY LIONS kick some smokey mountain ass in the outback bowl. Needless to say, 2007 started off with me being just as stupid as 2006. Feeling like my head was rolling aimlessly around the deck of the Titantic I decided now might be the time to "climb the mountain". So being the toughest of tough guys I started on to the beer at my folks house at about 10 am...I got there early....That first beer was ugly and rough but after that it was all smooth smailing from there. The more Penn State played well the more I celebrated them. I celebrated very well thank you....20-10 Penn State wins. Now I get home and for the next 3 days I see beer and my fridge and my stomach drops to the deepest depths imaginable. Damn you hair of the dog!!!! Anyway....I hope everyone had a great 2007 and I hope to drink with each of you.