Music | Tracks In The Dust

Archive for the tag “Music”

27 May 2013

Memorial Day & The Beginning of Summer

When I was a kid this holiday weekend signified the beginning of summer.

Memorial Day ( in the US) is a day for all of us Americans to remember the fallen military that have made this country great and to honor those who are living and dead, that fought in wars big and small for the freedom that every person should have.

It is also the time for some fond recollection of a time when school would be wrapping up for summer break, graduation time and celebration for those who were done with school and ready to move on. It was a time of dreams and opportunity. The anticipation for the beginning of summer came with a lot of images.

There would be songs on the radio that would become anthems for that summer and forever trigger those memories for so many years to come. In my younger days we would sing along to the AM radio while cruising in the car (oh for gas to be that low priced again). It was the soundtrack for growing-up. The music of fun and romance.

There was also sun and fun at the water with friends, with towels and “sun-tan” lotion ( I still remember the smell of coco-nut). Just spending time under the sun for the entire day, with cold beer and Frisbees. Taking the long walk down the beaches to find driftwood (among the dried up fish and noisy gulls), and chilling on the shore with wet sand and water hitting at your toes.

As the summer progressed there was much to look forward to. The heart of the baseball season, the 4th of July parades, picnics and fireworks. Traveling up north to send time on in-land lakes fishing , running the boats and sitting by the night-fires. There was a lot of magical times.

Of course I remember them fondly, and yes— a bit more cloudy now I suppose. More of the good than the bad. More of the sounds and smells, of the times that were captured in the adolescent mind I guess. But they were great, and we all knew they wouldn’t last forever so many of us embraced them as much as we could. We spent those lazy days stoking our dreams of fortune and fame ( I was in a rock band back then – imagining that big break that never came). Daring autumn to wait while we took in the moments of memories.

But all of that wouldn’t be possible without the fine men and women who have been part of the armed services during the entire history of the US. Those dedicated people who ask so little and give so much. They allowed some of the rest of us to dream, to embrace the times of freedom and opportunity. Thanks to them, celebrating Memorial Day in America.

Posted in Doing Things That Will Change Your Life and tagged aviation, being remembered, cherish, fond recollection, History, Holidays, Honoring the troops, Memorial Day, Memories, Music, Postive Thinking, Summer, The Seasons, United States

08 Apr 2013

Roll Call

We do this thing from time to time in our family and with our closest friends.

It’s “roll call” time for blogger buddies. Checking in to see that everything is okay today and where your head is at.

So ROLL CALL!

Let’s have some fun.

3 Questions

Who is ” now playing” on your digital music player (iPod) ?

Mine: Little Black Dress (Group from Dallas, TX) and Air Review (also from Dallas, TX) and The Album Leaf

What is the last movie you watched that you enjoyed and thought was worth the time it took to watch it?

Mine: Just finished watching Charade with Cary Grant/Audrey Hepburn (still holds up great for a movie from 1963)

Who wrote the last book you read, and what was it?

Mine: Under the Dome by Stephen King – long book but finally put aside the time to read it (1000+ pages).

YOUR TURN! Roll Call?

Posted in Life's Sound Track (Music) and tagged choices, Dallas Music Scene, Definitions, entertainment, Favorite Music, Movies, Music, Opinion, Rock music, Stephen King, Under the Dome

05 Apr 2013

My Rock Music Legacy

In my early days I joined a rock and roll band in high school. I had interest in football, but it turned out that wasn’t my calling. Later I tried to make a living out of it. Although it was fun (in all the ways you can imagine). Think “almost famous” fun. It could/didn’t last.

Music became a part of my life early, growing up in the days of exploding growth of the modern rock and roll generation. It was like a renaissance of music during my younger years. The evolution of sound and the variety of the definition of what music was and would be and the roots of it all was respected as well.

I am thrilled to say that my children have come to appreciate music like I had. Perhaps I just passed it along in their youth. But they love to listen to music and thrive to find new things (not just the formula that makes up today’s pop-songs). There is still a lot of great new music to be heard. And to be inspired by.

Yup. That’s me in the pic. Kind of rockstar huh?

So I guess I have a rock n roll legacy after-all.

In the mean time I will always recall those younger days…guitars and wailing solos and amps to 11.

If you have the patience, here’s a LINK to a 3 minute original from the old band: The Squam Overture [Remastered]

Posted in Life's Sound Track (Music) and tagged 70's music, Almost Famous, Arts and Entertainment, entertainment, Guitar Music, Music, Rock & Roll, Rock music

25 Mar 2013

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The Dark Side of the Moon: 40 Years Later

40 years ago I spent my $8.99 and purchased an LP record called “Dark Side of the Moon“. It was by Pink Floyd. I was an owner of Pink Floyd albums prior to that, but nothing had prepared me for this.

This was before CD”s, but the deep rich sound of the LP was beyond just about anything I had heard until then. It was like the day I had bought Sgt. Peppers by the Beatles; there was anticipation for every sound and every song. There was so much in the tapestry of the music that it deserved many listening’s just to be sure there wasn’t any thing I was missing in the multi-layers of music and sound.

In those days even holding the “album” was an experience. And the cover was a unique, the words were there to consume and examine. There was the experience of putting the needle down on the platter, knowing that there was a 2nd side. Scanning through things was next to impossible…so you listened. But this album was too short. The entire album is under 43 minutes long. Once you heard it you wanted to find your headphones and listen again.

It’s one of the best-selling albums of all times. It is complete. At that time an albums-worth of music was appreciated for the span of the music provided. Today’s idea of downloading a single song when you like was very far down the road. Even the singles of the time (45 rpm discs with 2 songs) were delegated to sugary pop songs at that time. This is something to appreciate. If you own it, go ahead and put it on and listen for 43 minutes – maybe even with headphones. Just get into it like it was a work of art. It is.

Perhaps others feel that way about their album experiences (not the song-but the album itself). You tell me. What was the album that changed your idea of music as you knew it?

Posted in Life's Sound Track (Music) and tagged Beatles, Dark Side of the Moon, LP Record, moments, Music, Pink Floyd, Rock music

26 Feb 2013

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Poems, Prayers and Promises [February Edition]

MGert Concert Picture

Since January I have added a new page to http://www.tracksinthedust.com.

I have dredged up some old lyrics and poetry in the page above called The Songs and Poems of Another Time.

For the most part all from the mid-70’s ( for many of you before you were born).

But they were rooted in rock and folk music at the time. Inspiration for stuff that has long sat in spiral-bound notebooks that collected dust over the years. I told my kids I would pull out some of them I was fond of and capture them here. [Yup, that’s me many years ago when rock was younger and so was I).

For those of you who are following, thanks for the indulgence. I kindly recap the February entries here with links.