Friday, December 31, 2010

Happy New Year!

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Happy New Year to everyone from Kevin, Marley the cat, and Nigel!

"This one goes to eleven" folks - so hold on tight. But as always - enjoy the ride as much as possible.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XuzpsO4ErOQ



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Congratulations, Part Deux

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First the Dayton City Paper and now the Dayton Daily News' "Top Local CDs Of 2010."

Another hearty congratulations to Andrew & the Pretty Punchers!


PLEASE NOTE: if you are unable to read Mr. Thrasher's comments above (click on photo to enlarge), I have tastefully transcribed them for your reading convenience:

"This is the second and final album from this sadly missed crew. Leader Andy Smith's heartfelt lyrics are bolstered by tasteful pedal steel guitar and a muscular backing band that elevates these melancholy songs into dynamic, compelling rockers."

(Don Thrasher, Dayton Daily News)




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Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Congratulations

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Ho-hum . . . another year of Andrew & the Pretty Punchers songs and another year of accolades:

http://www.daytoncitypaper.com/?p=2955

But seriously . . . congratulations to the late and truly great Andrew & the Pretty Punchers: Andy Smith, Greg Saluke, Josh Wickersham, Kevin Rogers, and Mike Payne. You fellas did yourselves proud with two brilliant CD releases.


You als
o set the bar very high with many unforgettable and wildly enthusiastic shows. I do believe that Jimmie's Cornerstone is still recovering from the October 9th CD release party and final show:


A personal thanks to Andrew & the Pretty Punchers for keeping the fire of music burning brightly in the Gem City . . . City 'o Dreams . . . my much beloved Dayton, Ohio.





[the show photo above was taken by Dayton legend and walking, talking definition of a nice guy, the esteemed Mr. Eric Frisbee]


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Friday, December 24, 2010

Christmas Must Be Tonight

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My wish for everyone, everywhere, is peace, understanding, basic human dignity, and a heartfelt compassion for one another.


I dedicate my favorite modern day Christmas song to each of you:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8C3rwZneYa8



"Come down to the manger
.And see the little stranger . . .
.How a little baby boy
.Could bring the people so much joy"

.(The Band)

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Thursday, December 9, 2010

Three Words: Rock and Roll.

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Go ahead ladies . . .

Feast your eyes on an up and coming lil' slice o' heaven . . .

That's right . . .

It's Kevin @ eleven.


With only two years to go until "the summer of love" it was time for me to start breaking it down and "honing my craft."


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Wednesday, December 8, 2010

It Was Thirty Years Ago Today . . . December 8, 1980

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In December 1980 I was 26-years-old. I had very recently received my Master of Library Science degree from Kent State University, and had just a couple of weeks earlier started my first professional position at the public library in Chillicothe, Ohio.

On the night of the 8th, I was drifting in and out of sleep in my efficiency apartment's much too small Murphy bed, with the radio playing softly as usual. I remember the DJ interrupting the song that was playing and saying: "This is so te
rrible . . . This is so terrible" over and over.

That woke me up.

Then he said something like "I am very sad to report that some idiot has just shot and killed John Lennon." For some reason, I distinctly recall the DJ using the phrase "some idiot."

I still remember how peculiar it felt that something so universally important had just ended at the exact same time that something so personally important, a new career, was just starting for me. Along with sadness, I remember feeling a very odd sense of guilt.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2GmVajkqLNU


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Saturday, December 4, 2010

Day One

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I just walked a 1/2 mile through a veritable winter wonderland of verifiable wintry wanderlust to pick up some Chinese.

Food, that is.

On the stroll home - with my bag o' moo goo gai pan goodness, egg roll, and fried rice tucked safely inside my jacket - I was suddenly struck by the realization that *at that exact moment in time* I was considerably cooler than you.

One other thing.

I am sure that many of you (four) are wondering what my fortune cookie said. Well, my fortune cookie did not say anything, but the little piece of paper inside of the cookie had this typed on it:

"You are adventurous and sociable!"

Yeah, yeah . . . so my country is up to its eyeballs in debt to your country - that doesn't give you any right to get all sarcastic on my ass.


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Friday, December 3, 2010

To Whom It May Concern

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The time has come to ring some changes.

My New Year's resolution has been cast in stone.

Effective January 1, 2011, I will be resigning from my long-held, and very much self-inflicted, honorary position as the Mayor of Loserville.

Too many of my loved ones, relatives, acquaintances, contemporaries, and heroes (both present day and from bygone eras) have passed on.

The time has come to make some lifestyle changes, mostly in the areas of physical and social activity - such as exercise, volunteer work, rekindling friendships, etc.


Preparations (and reparations where applicable) will soon be in place to ensure a smooth transition.

This is for real.



"This old house is tumbling down

.The walls are gone, but the roof is sound . . .
.It's time to ring some changes"

.(Richard Thompson)




. . . (pictured above: the soon-to-be former Mayor of Loserville and Marley)


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