Category Archives: Potpourri

George Carlin called them “Brain Droppings”. Random thoughts, updates and observations separate from the historical narrative of “The Latest Installment”

Twenty fourteen has barely begun;
Only fourteen days have passed
‘Ere we see the hell
That a sick show and tell
In a middle-school has amassed.
‘Tis a preteen with a loaded shotgun.
Too soon again, my heart is bleeding
And my faith so deeply shaken
That someday we may find a way
To stop children being taken
Far too soon for their final meeting.
Too many of us too often forget
That rage is ever so fleeting.
It’s depression and sorrow that last till tomorrow
If there’s no one there who’s heeding
The issues we all need to vet.
Here’s to the shy ones, the quiet ones
The ones who don’t make waves.
And to those of us who make a fuss,
Keep racking up those saves
By loving our daughters and sons.

Do you play CDs? If so, I have a limited number of the latest two albums (Dangerous Blues & Work In Progress) available for a small fee to cover production costs. (They are lovingly hand-crafted by a chubby, jovial elf in very small batches.)

Dangerous Blues contains songs written in the early 2000s including three songs influenced by my sister’s decline and death in early 2003 (“New River”, “Twelve  Breaths” and “Crystal’s Requiem”). There are also a couple of surprises: “Donna’s Love Theme” is an unapologetic disco song, “Bus Ride” is a synthesized fantasy piece (see the video on YouTube). “Dangerous Blues” is not only a description of the consequences of prolonged introspection, but a bone fide blues song. There’s even a funny country song for true variety (“Deer in the Headlights”, also on YouTube).

Work in Progress is a collection of jazz instrumentals (“Single Malt”, “Red Ryder”, “Funky Junky” and “Packaging”) with  two harder rock tunes (“Photographic Memory” and “Quiet Man”) and even a bouncy pop tune (“Greatest Fear”). This is, I believe the best work to date in terms of arrangement and production and I hope you find it as addictive as I do (of course, I’m not completely objective on the matter…).

Hey, I’ll even autograph them if you want.

Hell, I’ll sign someone else’s name if you prefer: 😉
“Break on through!, Mr. Mojo  Risin”
“Flyin’ high again, Randy Rhodes”
“Lwirnd djirrll thhinn gihdlr, hu? Van Morrison”

Hey, if you like the old Simon & Garfunkel tunes as much as I do, head on over to my SoundCloud channel. There are a bunch of covers there for you to enjoy. I made this collection as a Christmas present for my dad many years ago (except “For Emily, Whenever I May Find Her” which I recorded in 2012).

Phil Everly, Half of Pioneer Rock Duo, Dies at 74

I am saddened by the news of Mr. Everly’s passing. Were it not for the close harmonies he and brother Don brought to popular music in the fifties and sixties (and those duos they influenced like Simon & Garfunkel), I’d’ve never gained an understanding of chord structure so early or learned to sing three-part harmony (think about it).

Ooo, shiny!

My New Years Poem

Potpourri

2013 is finally done.
A year of greatest excess.
Incredible storms
Rewrite the norms.
Climate change is no longer a guess.

Too many heroes rode into the sun
In this chilling year.
I am too numb
To tally the sum
Or mark the year end with much cheer.

As our children grow up, they carry our guns
Into the halls of schools.
Instead of old pranks
They’re resolving their angst
In a mad show put on for us ghouls.

When it comes right down to it, we are, everyone
Defined by our love and our hope.
Millions pray that tomorrow
Will ease today’s sorrow
As they struggle each day to cope.

We choose this date to mark our trip ‘round the Sun
Taking note of our ups and our downs.
Let’s sing “Auld Lang Syne”
And hope He be inclined
To carry us once more around.

My Gift to you….12/24/2013

Italy 2008 643_face0

  • No matter where you are, no matter who you’re with
  • On this festive eve,
  • The aim is to give more than you receive.
  • YOU are the GREATEST gift!
  • Be it toque and galoshes or bathing suit/sunglasses
  • You reach for Christmas morn,
  • I hope that you have what needs to be worn
  • For covering your asses.
  • I’m no expert, just an amateur elf
  • But, I’d be surely miffed
  • If you didn’t enjoy your own gift.
  • It’s the peace you give yourself.

Who Do I Sound Like?

I’m trying to fill out an artist profile and they want to know who I sound like.

OK, let’s forget for a moment that I don’t WANT to sound like anyone else and I’m not TRYING to sound like anyone else.

Hypothetically, what artists’ fans do you think my music would appeal to? I kinda have a blind spot or, at the very least, I can’t answer the question objectively.

A bad simile is like a bad simile and a partial simile is like.

Remembering Lennon/The Consequences of Guns AND Mental Illness

Friends, when I was a kid, my father and I used to joke about the profile of the lone shooter. That almost comical similarity of newspaper accounts (he was a quiet man, kept to himself mostly) that no one seems to identify until it is too late.

The murder of John Lennon occurred thirty-four years ago, but the list of innocent people killed by emotionally overwhelmed souls with firearms grows longer every day.

It isn’t in my nature to take a political stand, but as I grow older, it bothers me more and more every time something like this happens (and there have been so, so many).

As a society, we in the US are failing to deal with the trend of violence (particularly gun violence) by emotionally disturbed people who are not getting the help they need.

I finally got around to writing a song about this in 2007 (Visit the You Tube version for lyrics: Quiet Man).

Please bear in mind, the song isn’t about guns OR mental illness, it’s about guns AND mental illness. I ask you to listen to it and think about whether anyone you know may be in crisis and whether you have the opportunity to save someone you love or avert just one tragedy.

IMAGINE

Vacillating between the mahogany Martin D15 and the Fender PJ bass. Unusual choices for me, I know, but I had to leave the Martin 12-string and the Balladeer in Pittsburgh when my truck broke down. I have a couple hours to decide. Any suggestions?

It occurs to me that I haven’t really explained in any kind of cohesive detail exactly what I’m doing and what is where (web-wise). Apologies for the abundant alliteration.

On the website, you’ll find

You Tube: Videos, cartoons and slideshows (movies) of some of my later (more recent) songs and covers

SoundCloud and ReverbNation: Streaming recordings of my latest material and covers

As always, thanks for your support!

Dr. Ken

Happy Thanksgiving!

Potpourri

Wishing everyone a great day in the company of your choosing. 😉

I’ve posted the latest installment of the blog which covers the summer of 1983 to the summer of 1984.

I’ve also uploaded the next batch of songs which brings us up to the summer of 1985. The accompanying blog will post next week.

Thanks for your support.

Ciao, Baby.

I don’t know if I can stop laughing long enough to write these down. I say: “We’re  having a thunder snow.” Mom asks: “Is that like a clusterfuck?”

Happy Holidays

Potpourri

Headed home for Thanksgiving with the family and to see some friends. If you’re in the Pittsburgh area this week and have a itch to get together, let me know. Traveling light with just a six-string and my little travel guitar, but I can still make music.