BEST OF BOTH WORLDS

Friday evening and I turn the truck westward, heading up into the mountains, with a trip to Aspen in mind. It was time to tap into my classic 4 pack pass that I've been saving all winter long.

Good weather made for fast driving. First stop was Penny Hot Spring along the Crystal River near Redstone. The main pool was frigidly cold, high water from the recent warm weather flooding the side-by-side pools. The smaller pool downstream was warmer and I undressed and slipped in, laying on my back or belly, getting as close to the side were the trickle of hot water flowed in. One side was warm, the other side was bathed in cool water, burning hot water flowing around my neck. Not very comfortable, causing me to exit after only about 20 minutes. Too bad because as I was leaving a bunch of young women arrived, ready to take a dip in their bikinis. I offered them the small pool as I departed.

I drove to the dead end of the road leading to the Continental Mine just north of Redstone. Snow blocked the end of the road. Time to party. For some reason I was spooked when I got out to do the concert thing, sensing there was something around me in the darkness, moving on the periphery of my vision. No good explanation, but it diminished as I got lost in the music.

The opening act was disc 1 of Van Halen's 2004 compilation album Best Of Both Worlds. It was named after the Van Halen song of the same name from Sammy Hagar's first album with the band, 5150 but also because it has the best of both of Van Halen's famous vocalists. It features 20 songs with Sammy Hagar on lead vocals, 16 with David Lee Roth despite Roth recording 6 albums with the band and Hagar recording 4 and a live album. Consider the simmering feud between the Van Halen's a David Lee, the album's artwork features no photos of Roth. Great rocking music to start the party!

Latin legacy
They remember freedoms gift
Salvador death squad

Waits at street corner
Shots fired at nearby checkpoint
Lived for twelve short years

Lies awake at night
Distant sound of roadside bomb
Silence is restored

Swerves and then strikes
His explosive-laden car
Gone in a blinding flash

Explosive filled car
Swerves towards the stunned policeman
No chance for goodbyes

The final moment
Look into each others eyes
White of the bombs flash

Forgotten landmine
Sounded like a firecracker
Wakes an amputee

Frightened men react
The innocent pay the price
Poor Jesus still weeps

Download it here:

No way! Go out and buy it to support the band!

Act 2 was Echo and the Bunnymen's Ocean Rain, the 2003 reissue with 8 bonus tracks, several of which were live recordings. As always, I was swept away by their dreamy sound. Earlier in the week, in the quiet of the morning before others awoke, I sat over breakfast with their Seven Seas running endless through my head. As a consequence, I was looking forward to hearing it from beginning to end on this album.

By the end of this evenings show I was dropped back to Earth finding myself standing alongside a rushing creek running down the red rock walled canyon in the pitch black. Crawled into the back of the truck and slept soundly wrapped in my sleeping bag. A very mild night, although I became chilled after standing in the wind blowing down the canyon for so long.

Trapped between his ears
Music's sound so alluring
Echos in his head

He's staring blankly
Sees without his open eyes
Visions in his head

Launched up towards the sky
Spirit rides on musics wings
Drifts amongst the stars

Star lit firmament
Trees stand black against the sky
Canyon's cold wind blows

Download it here:

Ha! Go out and buy it to support the band!!