Idag firas det Thanksgiving Day. Och vem kan väl göra det vackrare än The Man In Black?

En som inte lyckades nåt vidare var Sarah Palin när hon, som guvernörstraditionen i USA bjuder, skulle rädda en kalkon från att hamna på middagsbordet. Kolla killen i bakgrunden!

Dagens livetips blir naturligtvis Bernie Marsden på Munkkällaren. Här är ett klipp med den gamle Whitesnake-gitarristen:

Popdose Report:

Click here to go to Popdose to check a batch of  Whitesnake…”Here I Go Again (Original Saints & Sinners Version)”, “Here I Go Again (1987 Version)”, “Here I Go Again (The Single Mix)”, “Here I Go Again (Starkers In Tokyo Unplugged Version)”, “Here I Go Again (Live In London Version)”, and “Here I Go Again (Live Shadow of Blues Version)”

A Steven Tyler le buscan sustituto

La legendaria banda Aerosmith se encuentra en estos momentos en una etapa de crisis, debido a que su cantante Steven Tyler se encuentra prácticamente en el limbo, tratando de poner orden a su vida, por lo que prefirió salir de la banda, aunque existen rumores de que volvió a recaer fuertemente en las drogas.

Por su parte el guitarrista Joe Perry comenzará una gira en Canadá con su banda Joe Perry Project, abriendo para los Mötley Crüe, durante enero y febrero del 2010.

Por otro lado se habla que Aerosmith está buscando un nuevo cantante para seguir vivos, pero la historia de esta banda comprueba que cuando han tocado sin sus integrantes originales de plano son un real fracaso, aunque también la mala relación que han llevado, más sus problemas con los estupefacientes, también ha provocado que su gran nivel musical  baje a la más pura mediocridad.

Así que pensar que Aerosmith sobreviva sin Steven Tyler, cuando su voz  es prácticamente el sello del grupo, es una idea que sus fans podrían considerar ridícula  y provoca cuestionamientos serios sobre el juicio de los demás integrantes de Aerosmith. 

Aerosmith sin Tyler, sería como los Rolling Stones sin Mick Jagger  o Metallica sin James Hetfield, sin embargo ya comienzan a decirse nombres de quién podría sustituirlo y aquí les damos algunas opciones.  

Tom Keifer, quien fuera el frontman de Cinderella, podría ser un sustituto con afán de revancha, porque seguramente conoce al dedillo el material de Aerosmith. Recordemos que Tom se vestía igual de Steven Tyler y hasta tomaba de la misma forma el micrófono. Sería un renacer para este talentoso cantante y compositor, pero esto es sólo un deseo de Inquisidor71, ya que las últimas noticias que se tienen de este talentoso músico es que perdió la voz, debido a unos nódulos en sus cuerdas vocales.

John Corabi fue brevemente el cantante de Mötley Crüe, en la etapa en que esta banda quiso cambiar su sonido radicalmente, pero sin buenos resultados. A pesar de todo, la calidad de este cantante es incuestionable y podría musicalmente dar el ancho en la música de Aerosmith, pero no es tan dinámico en sus movimientos;  nadie baila como Tyler.

Chris Robinson de The Black Crowes podría ser otro candidato ideal, ya que domina esa mezcla de blues-rock con maestría. Quizás tendría que dejar de lado un poco la banda que lo ha hecho famoso para probar qué se siente subirse  al escenario con esta gran banda.

Stephen Pearcy ex cantante de Ratt, modernizó con esta banda, el hard-rock  de los años 80’s. Aunque muchos los comparaban con Def Leppard, la realidad es que su mayor influencia era Aerosmith, sólo que eran más dinámicos en las guitarras. La voz agresiva de este cantante haría un efecto interesante en la música de la banda que dirige Joe Perry.

Sebastian Bach es un intérprete que a pesar de salir de Skid Row hace varios años, ha mantenido su fama con participaciones en series de televisión y en realitys, así como con participaciones en Broadway, así como en uno que otro disco solista.

Su voz ha sido considerada una de las mejores del heavy metal, pero ahí está el problema, no se identifica mucho con el rock-blues, pero seguramente se pondría a ensayar con todo para ser adorado por los fans de Aerosmith.

Josh Todd de Buckcherry es dinámico en el escenario y tiene una voz rocanrolera de primer nivel, quizás sea el que más se adapte a las necesidades de Aerosmith. Por algo los lectores de la revista Rolling Stone lo tienen ubicado como el principal candidato para sustituir a Steven Tyler.

David Johansen quien fuera el frontman de New York Dolls también es otro candidato favorito para entrar a Aerosmith, sin embargo no creo que logre el nivel por el cual se hizo famoso. Sin embargo, si conserva su dinamismo en el escenario podría salir adelante en esta hipotética empresa.

Axl Rose fue influenciado tremendamente por Aerosmith, sino chequen su versión en vivo con los Guns N’ Roses de “Mama Kin”. Y en realidad es el único que lo veo adecuado para la música de esta banda, ya que tiene una gran voz con perfectos  agudos y graves, así como un estupendo manejo escénico. Pero si fuera invitado, su ego probablemente se lo impediría.

Cormac Neeson de la banda hard-rockera The Answer también es mencionada por algunos medios como un ideal sustituto, aunque en mi particular punto de vista no podría mantener el ritmo dramático que impone Tyler en vivo.

David Coverdale, líder de Whitesnake le cambiaría la cara a Aerosmith. Si con Jimmy Page cantó como Robert Plant, por qué no podría hacerlo como Steven Tyler, además su manejo en las vocales del blues-rock y del hard-rock es de grandes ligas.

Nota: También se menciona a David Lee Roth,  a Iggy Pop  y a un tipo que participó en American Idol, llamado Adam Lambert, pero sobre este último, a pesar de su talento, quizás su homosexualidad no sea del agrado de los legendarios Aerosmith.

Pentru mintea omului , muzica este o calitate innascuta. Nu exista cultura pe Pamant sa nu o posede , iar creierele noastre sunt inzestrate sa o perceapa si sa fie miscate de vraja sa.
Peste toate acestea , detinem “urechea perfecta” , capacitatea de a identifica un anumit sunet muzical fara a-l auzi in raport cu altul … este o calitate extrem de rara. Acest dar ne este dat fiecarora dintre noi , urmand mai apoi sa-l ducem pe meleaguri necunoscute , dar pline de frumusete , dezvoltandu-ne urechea muzicala dupa preferinte , posibilitati si vointa.

Trebuie sa luam minte ca muzica e una dintre cele mai vechi si cele mai populare forme de arta … si arta e subiectiva. Nu ar trebui sa condamnam nici macar un gen de muzica , un stil , o interpretare , pentru ca pana la urma si aceasta trebuie sa aiba cea mai mica urma de arta pentru cel care o asculta sau pentru cel care o interpreteaza.

O doza de arta in domeniul muzicii gasim in persoana celui numit Steve Vai … considerat unul dintre cei mai mari chitaristi si muzicieni ai tuturor timpurilor. Un geniu pe toate planurile ,cel de compozitie , interpretare , improvizatie , tehnica … ca sa-mi exprim aprecierea va recomand , cred , cea mai reprezentativa piesa semnata Steve Vai – For The Love of God ( G3 DVD ) ; For The Love of God ( Amsterdam ) … si chiar e strigator la cer daca e sa consideram cata inspiratie are artistul. Tot pe tente de spiritualism , Vai ne aduce un alt tranchilizant , piesa Whispering a Prayer , prin intermediul caruia sopteste o rugaciune poate ca noi sa devenim mai perceptivi la muzica buna ; ( pe tema spiritualism – muzica puteti citi un articol scris de mine pe www.muzica-nu-ucide.ro , undeva pe maine la amiazi ).

Despre Steve Vai pot sa va scriu foarte multe dar acum intervin cu cateva date fixe si anume ca acesta s-a nascut pe 6 Iunie 1960 , si-a inceput cariera muzicala prin anii 1970 luand lectii de la un alt virtuos al chitarii , Joe Satriani. El a fost remarcat si promovat foarte mult de Frank Zappa. Si-a lansat primul album solo in 1984 , de cand nu s-a oprit din a ne uimi si incanta cu simtul artistic si cu ideile geniale. Artistul a colaborat cu foarte multi muzicieni cunoscuti , a cantat in trupe de rock care au avut de spus un cuvant in scena muzicii contemporane , trupe precum Whitesnake.

In afara de piesele linistitoare prezentate mai sus , Steve Vai are si acea parte de heavy metal prin celebra piesa Bad Horsie de pe albumul Alien Love Secrets , album care contine piesa mea preferata : Tender Surrender , o piesa care din punctul meu de vedere este culmea realizarilor lui Steve Vai , o piesa pe care nu o pot descire in cuvinte , apropiat fiind doar “mesmerizing”. Tot pe partea putin mai heavy m-au impresionat foarte mult piesele The Attitute song si Building the Church pe langa multimea de creatii geniale pe care acesta le detine.

Cu toate ca am inceput sa scriu un intreg roman despre acest minunat chitarist , am renuntat din mai multe motive dar cred ca am cuprins tot ceea ce cred eu ca este important despre artist . Va las ca si recomandare TOATE piese acestuia dar pentru ca tot este necesara o selectie va recomand Lotus Feet din concertul cu orchestra din Amsterdam , piesa Babushka cantata si compusa pentru Romania in turneul acestuia.

Pentru chitaristul invatacel din mine , Steve Vai este mai mult decat o inspiratie , muzica acestuia ma determina de multe ori sa pun mana pe chitara cu totul ca poate nu sunt intr-o dispozitie buna. Ca sa il citez pe profesorul meu de chitara , Andrei Rosulescu , “Daca l-ai intalni pe Dumnezeul chitarii , ce l-ai intreba ” … cred ca daca ar adresa cineva aceasta intrebare lui Steve Vai acesta va raspunde ca tocmai a stat la bere cu el. Pur si simplu nu imi pot da seama de unde are atat de multa inspiratie … pe langa faptul ca poate canta cel putin 10 ore zilnic. Cred ca e o intrebare fara raspuns.

Eu va doresc auditie placuta si sper ca sa va placa si sa-l admirati pe cat il admira chitaristii din lumea intreaga.

Vai Official

Vai Myspace

Hablamos de la década de los 80, cuando todo era excesivo , y el Hard Rock no iba a ser menos. En aquella época Van Halen reinaba en lo más alto, un nuevo subestilo comenzó a nacer, el Thrash Metal , Journey llenaba estadios, y el soplapollas de  Bon Jovi era número 1 en todas las listas de éxitos. Guns n Roses dominarían el mundo y los fabricantes de laca para el pelo hicieron fortunas millonarias , si no revisar cualquir vídeo de la época de cualquier grupo, donde cada componente gastaba el solo del orden de 2 botes. La lista de grandes grupos es interminable y los clásicos que facturaron perduraran en el tiempo como obras maestras, desde el Hysteria de Def Leppard al 1987 de Whitsnake, desde el Appetite de Guns n Roses hasta el Master Of Puppets de Metallica, del under Lock and Key de Dokken al Operation Mindcrime de queensryche, la lista es demasiado extensa como para enumerarla … Pero algo estaba surgiendo en una ciudad de Estados Unidos, Seattle,  y todo esta maravillosa época se fué al traste , aunque estaba a punto de comenzar otra no menos excitante…los maravillosos años 90 y toda la escena Alternativa

GUNS N ROSES

VAN HALEN

DEF LEPPARD

METALLICA

WHITESNAKE

Isto é Amor

(Is This Love – Whitesnake)

Eu deveria saber melhor
Depois te deixar ir sozinha
Tempos como esses
Eu não consigo encarar sozinho
Dias perdidos e noites sem dormir
E eu não posso esperar pra te ver de novo
Eu me encontro perdendo meu tempo esperando sua ligação
Como posso te dizer babe,
Estou contra a parede
Eu preciso de você do meu lado pra me dizer que está tudo bem
Pois eu acho que não aguento mais

Isso é amor o que estou sentido?
Esse é o amor que eu estive procurando?
Isso é amor ou eu estou sonhando?
Isso tem que ser amor
Pois isso realmente toma conta de mim
Toma conta de mim

Eu não posso parar esse sentimento
Já estive assim antes
Mas com você eu achei a chave
Pra abrir qualquer porta
Eu posso sentir meu amor por você
Crescendo forte dia a dia
E eu não posso esperar pra te ver de novo
Então eu posso te envolver nos meus braços

Este com certeza é um dos maiores hits do metal romântico mundial, ou melhor, de qualquer tipo de musica romântica. Estourou nas paradas de sua época e virou até tema de novela brasileira. Com mérito. Pra quem nunca leu a letra desta música, (e que não entenda inglês) não imagina muito o quanto é poética. A melodia é marcante, melodramática, forte, inesquecível. A letra (tenho que dizer de novo), poética, lendária, pura e impactante. “Isto é amor? O que estou sentido?”. Coisas típicas da juventude e de uma geração iludida nas futilidades da “paixão informal” que alegam “amar” mas quando encontram o sentimento ficam perdidos. Isto é que é música, isto é que é romance. Tudo que todas algumas destas bandas e duplas sertanejas tem que tentar imitar pegar umas dicas. Nada de canções pré-fabricadas, letras apaixonadas de segunda mão e vocal sem cor. Isto é Amor.

Saya ngecek fesbuk jam 10.15PM, dan mendapati link postingan dari mbak Ira, judul lagu yang sangat familiar buat saya: Crying in The Rain. Tapi setelah meluncur kesana, ternyata postingannya bukan lagu yang kupikirkan, tapi lagu lain dengan judul yang sama. Yahhhh…

Pendek kata, daripada nanti komen saya jadi ngawur sendiri karena terlanjur memikirkan lagu yang berbeda, saya posting saja Crying in The Rain versi yang kuinginkan.

Crying in The Rain yang akrab di memori saya dinyanyikan oleh Whitesnake, supergrup rock legendaris dari Inggris. Pertama kali dirilis pada album Saints & Sinners (1982), tapi kemudian diaransemen ulang dan dirilis kembali di album Whitesnake (1987). Tak ada klip resmi tuk lagu ini, jadi saya ambilkan saja (dari Youtube) dua penampilan konser Whitesnake saat membawakan lagu ini. Enjoy

Dari konser Live in Rio, Brazil, 1985. Formasi: David Coverdale (vocal); John Sykes (gitar); Neil Murray (bass); Richard Bailey (kibor); Cozy Powell (drum).

Dari festival Monster of Rock, Inggris, 1990. Formasi: David Coverdale (vocal); Adrian Vandenberg (gitar) Steve Vai (gitar) Rudy Sarzo (bass) Tommy Aldridge (drum).

Lirik:

A black cat moans
When he’s burning with the fever
A stray dog howls
When he’s lonely in the night
A woman goes crazy
With the thought of retribution
But, a man starts weeping
When he’s sick and tired of life

I keep on dreaming dreams of tomorrow
Feel I’m wasting my time
Lighting candles in the wind
Always taking my chances
On the promise of the future
But, a heart full of sorrow
Paints a lonely tapestry

The sun is shining
But, it’s raining in my heart

No one understands the heartache
No one feels the pain
Cos no one ever sees the tears
When you’re crying in the rain
When you’re crying in the rain
Crying in the rain

I can never deny
All the sweet things I have tasted
Tho’ I’ve been mistreated
I keep coming back for more
I know where I’m going
There’s no hope of absolution
I can’t seem to separate
The good times from the bad

The sun is shining
But, it’s raining in my heart

No one understands the heartache
No one feels the pain
Cos no one ever sees the tears
When you’re crying in the rain

When you’re crying in the rain

When I first heard this song, Under A Raging Moon by Roger Daltrey, I was blown away by it.

Although I was aware of The Who, it was this song (I still have the 12-inch single somewhere) that really inspired me to find out more about the band and their music.

The song comes from Daltrey’s 1985 album of the same name, released as a tribute to The Who’s drummer Keith Moon, who had died of a drug overdose seven years earlier.

Big Country’s Mark Brzezicki played the drums on all the songs on the album but on this track he was joined by some of the leading drummers of the day to provide their own tribute to Moon. They were: Martin Chambers (The Pretenders), Roger Taylor (Queen), Cozy Powell (Rainbow/Whitesnake/Black Sabbath), Stewart Copeland (The Police), Zak Starkey (son of Beatles drummer Ringo Starr, who would later play with The Who and Oasis) and Carl Palmer (ELP/Asia).

Incidentally, the song was co-written, believe it or not, by John Parr, best known for his 1985 hit St. Elmo’s Fire (Man In Motion), the theme song from the Brat Pack movie.

Here is a live performance of the song from some time around 1985 (although the drum parts appear to be on a backing tape):

And here, as a bonus, is the original album version:

Знает ли нынешнее молодое поколение эту группу? Хард-рок удивительной эпохи 80-х, когда стиль был ещё молодым, но уже окрепшим, вдохновенным и требующим большого исполнительского мастерства. И эта музыка всё ещё остаётся юной! Мода приходит и уходит, а хард-хэви всегда звучит современно. В том числе и великая вещь “Still Of The Night” в исполнении “Whitesnake”…

Does the young generation know “Whitesnake”? It is hard-rock of the wonderful age 1980 -1989, the decade when the style was young, full of inspiration and demanded an immense skill to play. That music is still young! And the great hit “Still Of The Night” is eternally unfading and up-to-date!

O Opera I traz pra Curitiba a terceira edição do Hard Fuckin’ Fest com as bandas Guns n’ Roses Cover Brasil (Crazy Barbie), Hot Stuff, Dr. Jokker e High Heels.

Data e horário:
Sexta – 20 de novembro – 23 hs

Sex, Tequila & hard Rock!

Dark Room
Strip-tease
Muita Tequila na faixa

MULHER FREE ATÉ MEIA-NOITE !

Bandas:
Crazy Barbie – Guns n’ Roses Cover
Hot Stuff – Whitesnake, Led Zeppelin, Gotthard e Deep Purple
Dr. Jokker – Warrant, Firehouse, Europe, Scorpions
High Heels – Ratt,Crash Diet e Great White

Realização: Neural Machine
Fonte: Guns n’ Roses Cover Brasil

For fans of ’80s hair bands, these two items are for you.

Further to my post last week about Bon Jovi’s new album, The Circle, and their partnership with NBC comes the announcement of their upcoming tour. According to their website, the tour will launch February 19th in Seattle and the band will spend the better part of the next two years on the road. Included in that tour will be a residency at London’s O2 Arena in June 2010 before returning to America in the fall for an additional nationwide leg, and further dates well into 2011.

Canadian fans take note: the band will hit Montreal’s Bell Centre for two shows March 19th and 20th, the only Canadian dates on the first leg of the tour. They won’t return to Canada until the summer, with dates in Edmonton (July 15th–Commonwealth Stadium), Winnipeg (July 17th–Canad Inns Stadium) and Toronto (July 20th–Rogers Centre).

Tickets are expected to go on sale November 9th and 16th for the bulk of the shows.

Mirvish Productions have announced a 2010 Toronto run of the hit broadway musical Rock of Ages. The show begins April 27th at the royal Alexandra Theatre. For those not familiar with the show, the story is as follows:

In 1987, on the Sunset Strip, a small town girl meets a big city rocker and in LA’s most famous rock club, they fall in love to the greatest songs of the ’80s. It’s ROCK OF AGES, an arena-rock love story told through the mind-blowing, face-melting hits of Journey, Foreigner, Styx, Reo Speedwagon, Pat Benatar, Twisted Sister, Poison, Asia, Whitesnake and many more.

The musical was nominated for five Tony Awards, including Best Musical.

Sounds like a dream come true for fans of ’80s hair bands. According to the Mirvish website, tickets go on sale November 28th, but a link from their website to TicketKing shows tickets already on sale, so I’m not sure what that’s about. Based on the success of We Will Rock You, this is sure to be a hit with Toronto audiences.

David Coverdale of Whitesnake

8/09/2005

On August 9, 2005 I was very priviledged to attend Whitesnake: The Rock & Roll, Rhythm & Blues Show presented by VH1 Classic. The show was held at the House of Blues in North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Frontman David Coverdale considers the multi-platinum selling Whitesnake “…my most acknowledged public identity…”, but Coverdale has truly been around the block as the former frontman of Deep Purple as well as going platinum with a collaboration with the legendary Jimmy Page.

Still paying homage to his roots, the show started on an explosive note with a “Burn” and “Stormbringer” combo from Deep Purple’s catalogue. This initiation immediately confirmed that the supporting members were
extremely capable of acquiescing with Coverdale’s still amazingly potent, soaring vocals. These guys graduated magna cum laude from the School of Rock, and were well prepared to teach me a little lesson in sonic ass kicking. The band included Uriah Duffy on bass, Reb Beach on guitar, Timothy Drury on keyboards, Doug Aldrich on guitar, and, the legendary in his own right, Tommy Aldridge drumming.

The rest of the show had a nice flow, and the set list was not disappointing as the necessary classics were covered. The last half of the show included “Is this Love” and “Slide It In.” The big closer was “Here I Go Again,” and the crowd happily sung every word along with Coverdale’s appreciative smile. The band came back with renewed energy for the three charged encores “Feeling Hot,” “Take Me With You,” and the classic “Still of the Night.” This show was very deserving of the crowd’s praise, and I personally left with the gratitude that I was treated to a top notch rock show by qualified, enthusiastic veterans. That’s a great feeling.

-Benjamin Sadler

My dad and I went to Walgreen’s for some chocolate syrup and nail polish remover.  He liked to paint his toes to cover up the fungus.  I told him all he needed was Vick’s vapor rub–that’s what Randle told me, Randle my cello tutor who once took off his socks to show me.

Dad said Randle lived with his parents, so what did he know.

When we came out of Walgreen’s there was a fat man sitting on a small chair in front of an easel.  On both sides of him, resting against the building, were charcoal drawings, caricatures of no one I could recognize.  His chair looked like it would break if someone put a baby on his lap.  And he smelled, from ten feet away, like salsa left out in the sun.

“That’s a pretty good David Coverdale,” said my dad.

“I know. But I sold a better one to a guy last week.”

“Who’s David Coverdale?”

“Your kid don’t know Whitesnake?” he asked my dad.

“Before his time.”

“I’ll draw your boy,” he said, looking me up and down.

“How much?” asked my dad.

“Five bucks.”

“How bout four and some change?”

“The kid don’t have a dollar?”

My dad nodded toward the guy, “Give him a dollar.”  I gave him a five and snagged the other four from my dad.

“What now?” I asked. “Want me to strike a pose?”

“This ain’t Rodin, kid. Just stand against the wall.” He flipped to a new page in his sketchbook, and several scribbles later, the  man had finished.  I thought he was joking—like he’d drawn some stick figure, some Picasso bird of peace—but he tore the page away and handed it to my dad.

“That’s uncanny.”

He showed me the drawing and in that quick sketch the fat man had captured me completely, except that one of my arms was shorter than the other.

I got in the car and my dad took a shot of the syrup straight into his mouth.  It wasn’t for ice cream.

“Crazy,” he said.

“What?”

“That guy nailed you. And it only took him a minute.”

“Not really.”

“What do you mean?”

“It’s too distorted.”

“It’s a caricature, Sam. Come on.”

When we got home, I went to the mirror and took off my shirt.  No matter how I stood—shoulders back or hunched—my right arm was longer than my left.

I went through all my shirts, all my coats and sweaters.  Sure enough each one had been altered, but only by an inch or two.

The following post is as close to a “how well do you know me?” quiz as you’ll ever see out of me. Some months ago, there seemed to be a social networking fever sparked by the realization that narcissism was still free and that every gory detail of each individul life needed to be hashed out publically. The trend has died a merciful, not too smelly death of late. My theory is that all the quiz authors got bored over the summer and scraped up enough pennies for vacations. We can put self referential testing away with parachute pants and feathered hair. I may even one day miss finding out my friends favorite Whitesnake songs. To find out about me you have to reach within the recesses of my hell-spawn Honda.

Tomorrow morning I have to take the car to the mechanic. This is like one man inspecting another. It puts as much righteous angst into me as my drill instructors did, or my proctologist does. I put the deed off till after dark. My neighbors are proud codgers who don’t understand my uncouth, hillbilly ways. My lawn is too long, my gutters too short. Going out in daytime will prompt phone calls from one (“Hi this is Fred. Your neighbor across the street. I’m worried because your car door’s been open for 3.6 minutes. Someone might drive into it.” Thanks Fred. Never know when someone is going to come tearing into the driveway and smash my door). He’s a good guy and puts up with the embarrassment of living near me. My other neighbor, Mr. Harvey, is the one that worries me. He’ll stand with his dog at the end of the driveway and just stare. The dog poops and then stares too. I think he can talk (Harvey, not the dog). I expect a silent tear to come down Harvey’s cheek like a public service Native American picking trash out of a stream. So, I cleaned the car at 9:00 in the evening (after watching Faith Hill sing about football on NBC I didn’t have anything to do but go out into the cold). The things I found reveal my true identity. Here they are:

• A beat up copy of For Whom The Bell Tolls. This was my jury duty book. You can’t really be an impartial juror while reading about guerilla warfare. Clouds the process.
• One Dean and Deluca coffee cup. Ah, once I was single and had a pseudo government job. Apparently I bought cool mugs. Found beside D&D were a half dozen more mugs. They even give you a mug just for fathering a child. Who knew?
• Gauze and several pairs of pliers. I don’t know to whom, or when I performed emergency surgery in the car, but there are parts of my life I need not revisit.
• Copy of Simon and Garfunkel’s Wednesday Morning, 3:00 a.m. An earnest as pie folky c.d. that had become covered in evil, brown goo. So long mellow music.
• Evil Brown Goo. Like the X-Files black oil, this was some sort of folk album eating alien creation. The Smoking man hates Simon and Garfunkel. I knew it!
• A case full of Toddler Tunes. These were earnest as pie gospel albums performed by children. We bought these for our baby daughter to lead her along the path of goodness (or at least to point out that the wheels on the bus go round and round and not side to side. Such a common parenting issue). Alas, the c.d.’s were buried in my car and now we live with a heathen seven year old who wears a blond Hanna Montana wig and has a red M&M “problem.”
• Several unopened boxes of Christmas ornaments that had filled up the view out of the back window. Yeah, that explains why my in-laws  always wish me a Merry Christmas in the Summertime. Here I just thought it was backwoods friendliness of the sort they show when they play dueling banjos on the porch.
• A fully fossilized Burger King meal. I thought that Whopper was angry when I bought it, but the thing look sort of peaceful in repose.  Okay, enough sharing for one day.

So, technically it’s not a Countach, but it’ll do.