PARTY ON THE PASS - LOVELAND

How can I resist? I was pumped up having watched ski porn the night before. I had a "free" lift ticket in hand. Gasoline was relatively cheap ($1.81 WOW!). I put the camper shell on the truck, threw in the mattress, sleeping bag, pillows and extra blanket in the back and off I went that evening, driving up into the mountains, headed for Loveland Pass and a day of skiing on Sunday. The 2008/2009 ski season had begun!

Went to the big turnout area below Loveland Pass and the party began when the Van Halen CD was dropped into the stereo, lit up the cigar and popped the lid on the flask. Who knows what time it was when I went to sleep, but it was well after midnight.

Two lifts, four or five runs available this early in the season. The full parking lot meant dodging people on the few runs that were open. Packed powder with the snow guns blowing all day making more. Mild temps and mostly sunny skies made for fun skiing. This was simply a warm-up day, to see how out of shape I had become after a lethargic summer due to the messed up shoulder. The legs really felt it, long dormant muscles having to carry the weight when I dropped the knee to make turns. By the early afternoon I was beat and called it a day. I'll wait until more lifts and runs are open before going up again.

Chairlift sit empty
Peaks wear threadbare coat of white
Grass shows through the snow

Rocket down the slope
A stream of eager skiers
Plumes of curling snow

Stretched out on the bench
Baths in midday's suns warmth
Lost in a day dream

The morning after
Breath's crystals on the windshield
Two aspirin breakfast

My choice to kick off the ski season was Van Halen's Monsters of Rock show at the Three Rivers Stadium in Pittsburgh, PA on June 15, 1988. I had consistently overlooked this show but recent events caused me to check it out, realizing that it was a really good audience recording, every one coming through clearly. The crowd really wanted Eddie, chanting for him several times throughout the show. It kept me dancing in the snow covered parking area from beginning to end.

With regard to the Monsters of Rock Tour, the Van Halen Encyclopedia says:

From 5/27/88 to 7/30/88 Van Halen toured the country with four other acts in a massive outdoor-only, stadium tour. Announced at Universal Studios in Universal City, CA, the Monsters of Rock tour was to be the first traveling festival of its kind in the United States. As part of the promotion, the band was joined by Frankenstein, Dracula, the Mummy, King Kong and the Phantom of the Opera at the press conferences.

Each show kicked off with Kingdom Come, followed by Metallica, Dokken, the Scorpions and Van Halen.

Endless drift through space
From the beginning of time
Burns before my eyes

A blanket of white
Slender spruce reach for night's sky
Snow's season returns

Car lights in the night
Drive the mountains black ribbon
Head up Loveland Pass

Mad Anthony's bass
Brief moment in the spotlight
Solo's thunder booms

March to the drumbeat
Loyal fans cheer the band on
Rock and roll troopers

Race up the mountain
One destination in mind
Can't drive sixty five

From the beginning
Eddie captivates the crowd
Lost in his magic

Silence returns
Echos vibrate through his mind
Ringing in his ears

Can be downloaded from Guitars 101:
http://www.guitars101.com/forums/f62/monsters-of-rock-van-halen-live-in-pittsburgh-1988-a-28128.html

POWDER WHORES LEAD TO FRESNO

An event filled week is now behind us, the most important being the election of a new President. Tuesday night was a very emotional experience. As a child I recall the Nixon/Kennedy presidential debates, Kennedy’s election and his untimely death. Even a kid in kindergarten/early elementary school could sense the hope and new vision that this youthful president brought to a country threatened with nuclear conflict during the height of the Cold War. Those same feelings welled up within me during this election, wanting us to emerge from the "Cold War" waged upon us by our own arrogant and deaf administration, lead by a spoiled rich kid, who’s only goal appeared to be engaging the world in a perpetual war and plundering the US Treasury. Let’s celebrate, ding, dong the witch is dead.

There is now an expectation that President elect Obama will try to correct the last eight long years of a disastrous leadership under the Bush administration and take this country in a new and prosperous direction. Pray for his success because we are all in the same boat and we’ll either sink or swim together.

Like nineteen sixty
Man embodies hopes spirit
Tears streak upturned faces

New dawn breaking
Brilliant sun renews the land
Steps out from the light

I went to see "The Pact" by the guys of Powderwhore, a ski flick for telemark skiers. The guys who run this production are out of Salt Lake city and the deep powder shots are mostly of the Wasatch Mountains nearby. Had dinner with the guys and then beers at the Oriental Theater before the movie came on. A really packed house, standing room only. It’s great to get pumped up in anticipation of the new ski season with a bunch of other like-minded skiers. Woopin’ and hollerin’ all nightlong!

Drove back home from the theater and immediately found my parking spot on the prairie, cracked open the flask and popped in the CD to fill the night air with the sounds of Van Halen from nearly thirty years ago. My choice for the evening was their live show from the Selland Arena in Fresno, CA on March 25, 1979. The recording is from a soundboard and is excellent! It's their first night of their second worldwide tour, also referred to as their "World Vacation" tour. This tour began on the same day they released their new Van Halen II album. Dave was in high spirits and rappin' with the audience throughout the show.

According to the Van Halen Encyclopedia:

"Alex was now regularly lighting his drum kit on fire. Just before the final encore each night, lighter fluid was applied to all of his drumheads. His drum tech would then hand him a pair of mallets soaked in fluid and lit. The effect was nothing short of spectacular. One night, however, a little too much fluid was used and Alex lit himself on fire. The effect was retired by tour's end."

Was bitterly cold outside, having to bundle up in two light weight jackets while standing outside grooving to the music. Was back home and in bed by sometime after 1AM.

Clouds caress the moon
Pearly veil around her face
Watches silently

Thirty years ago
Their music now long grown cold
Like autumns night air

On his pedestal
"Give me a little beat Al"
A blur of drumsticks

Lone woman screaming
Adoring her stage idol
Youthful exuberance

Waves of frigid air
Jet stream's rows of moon lit clouds
Ripples in the sky

Journey at an end
Contacts the high atmosphere
Streaks across nights sky

Download the show here:

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=BA3K3UH3

MINE ALL MINE

Autographed Van Halen 3 promo poster purchased from Rockaway Records, Inc. in Los Angeles. With this acquisition I have signatures of the band from all three eras, with Dave, Sammy and Gary. With Wolfgang now part of the band, does that mean I have one more to go?

DAVE'S BACK IN DC!

Lets go back, as Gary Cherone would sing, a year to the day since they've been gone. What better way to spend this November 1st evening than with Van Halen playing at the Verizon Center in Washington D.C. on November 1, 2007! What a difference a few days make! As you may recall, the October 26th show in Kansas City was uncharacteristically bad, the following show was canceled, but then two shows later in DC Dave appears to be his old self, jiving with the audience throughout the show, giving it all he's got. This bootleg is a good audience recording.

A comparison must be made with yesterdays 1998 show in Philadelphia. Not the quality of the recording (the Philly show easily wins), but the quality of Eddie's playing. Eddie of 1998 is soulful and beautifully executed. Nine years later in 2007 I get the sense that his heart is not really in it, that he's simply going through the motions to perform for a packed house. It's as though in 1998 he was striving to made a comeback after losing a second lead singer, playing his brand of rock in a musically changing and challenging time, fighting to be relevant. In 2007 I get the sense that he's accepted the fact that the best was in the past, and at most he's going to play well enough to get through the reunion tour and make a few bucks off of it. It's as though his heart is not in it like in '98 and earlier. Or maybe its age catching up. Or maybe its something as simple as the recording, where in the mix Eddie sounds distant. Or all of the above.

A beautiful night on the prairie. Mild temperature and starry skies. For the first time ever a car drove by through the unbuilt subdivision. My first thought is it's the police and how do I talk my way out of being there while boozed up. Fortunately the car passes, continues on and disappears down the main road to Parker. No noise complaints. No sheriff to confront. In bed by 1AM.

Orion shows his face
Climbs above horizons rim
Winters messenger

Spins on its axis
Stars parade cross the dark sky
With or without us

Distant suns burning
Far off worlds unto themselves
We in their night sky

Glow below nights sky
City lights rival the stars
Just embers from space

Eternity's flow
Live our complicated lives
Only for an instant

A laser beams light
Mirrored disc's code is transformed
Brings them back to life

Eight track tape heros
There upon the forest bridge
Musics dream is born

HALLOWEEN IN PHILADELPHIA

The uneventfully week ended on Halloween, one of my favorite days in that dark facets of my personality are unchained and allowed to emerge for the public to see. The days of dressing up and going to late night parties are long gone. Instead I join others who bravely dress up to inject bizarre yet fun moments into the boringly normally business environment of the office. I'm fortunate that management is tolerant of this behavior. I did find it difficult to sit down and have serious conversations with other staff who had not dressed up for the occasion. I suspect the people sitting opposite me could say the same while having to look at the odd character I had become.

Knowing that I'd be playing a 2007 tour bootleg Saturday night, I chose a Van Halen III era recording for Friday night. The bootleg selected was recorded on May 24, 1998 at the CoreStates Spectrum in Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia honored the band's 22nd career performance there by declaring May 24 "Van Halen Day." All four members of the band received miniature replicas of the Liberty Bell.

This particular show was a fantastic recording that would be hard to beat. I suspect it was taped from a soundboard, with Gary's vocals and Eddie's guitar pushed up in the mix. I don't exactly know what it is about the 1998 shows that I love, but I think it's because a sober Eddie is playing some of the best guitar in his career. It's awe inspiring! Gary's vocals are good but are no match for Eddie's guitar. I had a rocking time this mild night out on the prairie, a cool wind blowing out of the south.

Ian Christe in his book The Van Halen Saga writes:

Eddie began mentioning a higher power for the first time in relation to his musical gifts. "I don't mean to get deep on you, but there's some force out there, and for me to come up with the whole thing in ten minutes - it was just given to me. Anyone who thinks that they're responsible for something like that can kiss my ass. God just picked me to do this. And you try to keep your chops up so whatever he gives you, you can execute."

Ever present wind
Blowing gently in his face
Breaths deeply nights air

Crowd breaks out in cheer
They know who the master is
Call in unison

Young gifted genius
Learns to play the piano
Masters the guitar

Spanning three decades
Fingers make the guitar sing
Still the reigning king

A sound so unique
Hammering the guitar's strings
Know when he's on stage

A wave of the hand
A temperamental god
Chooses what he shares

Plays oh so sweetly
He excites the audience
There can only be one

Years keeping the groove
Standing beside the giants
Lost in their shadows

He's ten years too late
Notes that can never be replayed
Saved by the downloads