Photo Shop Fun, Bill Walsh, BlogTalk Radio & ummmm Cream

Well Happy Tuesday all.
We are going to share with you another round of

PHOTOSHOP MANIA...

Our wonderful friend Dixie came to us last week and asked if we would redo her blog for her to be more in tune with her life right now as the Proud Mother of a U.S. MARINE recruit.

Of course we told her we would get right on it.

The last few weeks we have been reupholstering THE COUCH behind the scenes, rebuilding it from scratch...keeping some parts, tossing others adding some other new things. We had hoped to have it done by this weekend.

Well, that was before our friend TURN asked for a sidebar button and logo for her BlogTalk Radio Show. Then she needed a header for her web site. Well we got all that done Thursday in hopes of beginning on Dixie's site on Friday. We really enjoyed doing that one. It was fun to find all the right components and meld them together.

Then the other email came from Dixie with a photo from last weekend. It was of her and Matt and a third person. This third person is someone Dixie did not want in the picture. Could we remove him? Well sure, we have removed people before.

Then we saw the picture and kinda freaked. Man...this was going to be a toughie...

Got home Friday early, around 3:00PM. Cranked up the tunes, poured a cocktail and sat at the MAC ready to play. All photos can be enlarged by just clicking on them.

STEP ONE: Delete the person from the photo. We grabbed the 'lasso' tool and began to outline him very slowly. We worked in sections as we had the image at 400% on our monitor. After about 20 minutes or so, we had this:


Notice that his hand had been on Matt's shoulder....rut ro...oh and the background? Not some simple wall to just clone... nope....but one step at a time...

STEP TWO: OK, time to rebuild Matt's shoulder where the hand had been. Hummm can we copy the left and make it the right? Nope...hand there too... OK, time to start cloning and building...About 20 minutes later, we had this:


There ya go... a brand new shoulder and at the same time, replaced the wall behind his head...AH why, couldn't the whole background just be a plain wall??????????????

STEP THREE: OK, so then...we made another cocktail...turned the music up louder, bent into the screen and increased the picture size even more. Time to build us some vending machines.

Now, damn.. the 'S' on the machine is covered in both places... HUMMM..play around trying to recreate the 'S'...not gonna happen... OK, well here comes some creative license...

Finally get it done and look over at the clock...HOLY MOLEY...3.5 more hours had slipped by and it was now 8:00 PM, but we were done.

Looked at it for about 20 minutes, made some minor tweaks and then looked again... Still some minor things we would like to change, but it might mean going back and starting over...Wait...let me try this first...OK, that is better...we are pleased...

So, without further ado....here is the picture we sent off to Dixie. Heard from her yesterday (Monday) morning and she was thrilled....Made us smile to know we had pleased a friend.

If you blow up the picture, and look at the Pepsi can in the right hand machine, you will see what we needed to do. Half the can was blocked by his body, so we cloned the right side and flopped it and put them together. Well, you can't see it unless you blow it up and in the normal size, it LOOKS like a real Pepsi can!

And if you blow up the picture, you might also see some of the areas that we are still not totally pleased with. OH well....

We spent time on Saturday and Sunday building her new website. Had to make a few tweaks tonight and then let her see. She asked me to post it...go over and see.

We are open to helping others with similar requests. If you have something you need done. let me know and we can work out an 'arrangement.'

We know Sanni and The 108 and Janna are out there doing like things...but hey, we are always here to help our guests...

Well, we had just wrapped up the writing and formatting of today's post when we got an email from our incredible friend Travis. In the email he informed us that BILL WALSH had passed away, so we had to include a little on this great man.

THE COUCH NOTE: Our posts are normally written at lunch the day before or sometime the evening before.

Tom Hauck / Allsport File

William Ernest Walsh
Nov. 30, 1931 - July 30, 2007

Mr. Walsh died early Monday following a long battle with leukemia, he was 75.

He began his career in 1954 at Washington HS in Fremont, CA as the football and swimming coach.

He had stints as an assistant at California and Stanford before beginning his pro coaching career as an assistant with the AFL’s Oakland Raiders in 1966.

Walsh joined the Cincinnati Bengals in 1968 to work for legendary coach Paul Brown, who gradually gave complete control of the Bengals’ offense to his assistant.

Walsh built a scheme based on the teachings of Davis, Brown and Sid Gillman — and Walsh’s own innovations, which included everything from short drop backs and novel receiving routes to constant repetition of every play in practice.

Walsh also is widely credited with inventing or popularizing many of the modern basics of coaching, from the laminated sheets of plays held by coaches on almost every sideline, to the practice of scripting the first 15 offensive plays of a game.

In 1976, Walsh left for stints with the San Diego Chargers and Stanford before the San Francisco 49ers chose him to rebuild the franchise in 1979.

Over the next 10 years Mr. Walsh built a dynasty in San Francisco and also changed the game of football forever with his different schemes and plays.

He won the Super Bowl in 1981, 1984 and 1988 with the 49er's.

He was responsible for drafting the likes of Joe Montana, Jerry Rice, Ronnie Lott & Charles Haley while building the dynasty.

He was elected into the Football Hall of Fame in 1993.

Finally, you can always tell the success of a man (in any profession), by the success of the people who they trained and groomed and mentored.

Mr. Walsh, leads that category without even a contest. The following is a chart showing the assistants who worked for Mr. Walsh who went on to become head coaches in the NFL, and the lineage that was built by one man.

FREAKING IMPRESSIVE!
(You will have to click on it to enlarge. We could not make it any bigger)

BLOGTALK RADIO UPDATE:

TONIGHT...6:30 EDT

A few weeks ago during the "WHY DO I BLOG" show, the subject mutated into "weird names of places".

Tonight Mo and his guests will try and outdo each other in coming up with the weird named cities and towns around the world...sort of like...

Intercourse, PA...
Ding Dong, Texas...

(we have a whole list, but don't want to be a spoiler...hehehe)

Everyone in the car...time for a trip to "weirdnameville"

Collect your weird town names and join in the fun....

THEN...TONIGHT AT 9:00pm EDT - We will be back on with:

Über Publicist Rob Tencer claims to have the secret to make YOU the next celebrity socialite. He'll share some tricks of the trade and give tips how anyone can get mentioned on Page Six or in "Life" and "Style Magazine".

Tencer, who wrote the e-book, "Stop Waiting to be Famous and Start Dating to be Famous", also promises tell us how us how even we can date a celebrity! Who wants to bet that Wilmer Valderrama read this book?

Also, Isobella Jade was once 5' 2" and homeless. She's still 5'2" but has overcome her lack of funds and lack of height to become a model.

We'll discuss her unconventional road to becoming a fashion model, find out if there are naked shots of her anywhere on the internet and discuss a potential movie being made about her life. Dr. B will also use tips he learned in the previous segment to get a date with a model!

REMEMBER, YOU CAN LISTEN TO BOTH BY CLICKING ON THE LINKS ON THE LEFT.

And finally, our song of the day. Beautiful weather outside...90's, hot and just clear skies. We do love this weather even when others consider it 'too humid.'

We are feeling better, just lonely the last five weeks. Our friends have been there whenever needed and it has helped...some.

We are hoping future days will bring new life and happiness

Ginger Baker, Jack Bruce & Eric Clapton. -yes Anndi...we know we said not Clapton- but this is CREAM!!!!!!

"I FEEL FREE" written by Jack Bruce and Peter Brown has always been a fav of ours.

A summertime, light breezy song with more a feel of Haight Asbury than Mississippi cotton fields. It stood out for it's style against much of the blues/rock found elsewhere on the album and is the first of many successful Bruce/Brown collaborations.

This was the first song, side one of their debut album "FRESH CREAM" in 1966.

It was the second single released and reached 11th on the UK Singles Chart and #116 on the US Billboard Pop Singles Chart.

You know, we are just looking over this material and ....feels like a full post coming on...

Feel when I dance with you,
We move like the sea.
You, youre all I want to know.
I feel free, I feel free, I feel free.

I can walk down the street, theres no one there
Though the pavements are one huge crowd.
I can drive down the road; my eyes dont see,
Though my mind wants to cry out loud.

I feel free, I feel free, I feel free.

I can walk down the street, theres no one there
Though the pavements are one huge crowd.
I can drive down the road; my eyes dont see,
Though my mind wants to cry out loud,
Though my mind wants to cry out loud.

Dance floor is like the sea,
Ceiling is the sky.
Youre the sun and as you shine on me,
I feel free, I feel free, I feel free.

...HOPE YOU ENJOYED TODAY'S SONG AND NOTES

Missed, So Wrong; 10,000 Maniacs

Head over to MORGEN'S to see more "Missed" contributions...

Last week we published "Hollow", a writing from back in our college days.

IT SEEMS WE MISSED AN OPPORTUNITY...

Our most excellent friend Travis wrote and told us he enjoyed it greatly ... and that is had the rhythm and pace of a poem.

He then took the words we had written and reformatted them to fit into how he was 'hearing them' in his head.

He did a wonderful thing....took the words and gave them more impact and meaning, just by changing the format... incredible Travis... you are a special guy!

Hollow
It is dark in the room;
Not even a sliver of light from below the door;
Not a sound to be heard,
except the sound of the blood pumping through his veins.

That pounding sound inside his head;
reminding him that he is still alive;
even as his surroundings tell him differently.
So hollow.

He sits still;
not feeling the desire to move; in the tiny room he lives
in the total darkness.
Once he had stretched out his arms,
and could touch each of the four walls from where he sat.

So close.
His arms folded quickly;
and he had not moved since.
His ears reaching out for a sound other than the pounding;
or worse yet, his own breathing.

The reminders that he is in this space
and the nightmare shall not end.

If the beating stopped,
if the breathing sounds stopped,
would he feel more content?

Would the hollowness be filled?
Would the sounds that now make him cringe, when gone, be missed?
Would the hollowness ebb?

If they gave him one final wish,
and if he did ask for another chance,
would they actually grant such a thing?
Or would they just shake their head slowly,
and say that second chances were not the things of wishes?

So he sits,
silently,
motionlessly,
and begins to feel the hollowness surround him.
Sitting still,
as it begins to envelop him,
and he waits for it to complete it's mission.

thanks Travis...

OK, we found this over on SPARKY'S blog from when he did the Blogothon. His charity is the Shriners Childrens Hospitals, a 22 hospital network that treats the children of North America for free for various difficult diseases and even has 3 hospitals that specialize as burn care units. It truly is an amazing organization that his wife has experienced first hand in Philadelphia.

Please go over and check it out and if possible make a contribution to the cause.

BUT...what we found made us cringe. We have not seen this in our market yet, and we think you will find it easy to understand why.

This is HORRIBLE....hear us ....HORRIBLE..and the worst thing....well watch this first...

ARGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG...you want to know the really horrible thing about that?

Read this:

"Viva Las Vegas"
(Doc Pomus, Mort Shuman)

Elvis Presley Music, Inc. (renewed)
Mort Shuman Songs (BMI)
Renewed 1993 Sharwyn Felder, Geoffrey Felder.
All rights on behalf of Sharyn & Geoffrey Felder
administered by Pomus Songs, Inc. (BMI)
All rights on behalf of Mort Shuman Songs (BMI)
administered by Warner-Tamerlane
Publishing Corp. (BMI)
All rights reserved. Used by permission

DO you see it thee? Yup! This is Lisa Marie and Priscilla allowing this crap! This is from the ELVIS site under the licensing area...

Elvis Presley Enterprises' Licensing Division is charged with the responsibility of protecting and preserving the integrity of Elvis Presley, Graceland and other related properties. We accomplish this through the pursuit of the right commercial opportunities that fit with our financial strategies while maintaining desired branding and positioning for Elvis and our other properties.

We devote personalized attention to each of our more than 100 licensees and we are sensitive to the unique situations and financial goals of each. Years of experience combined with a true sense of support and responsiveness for our licensees distinguish EPE's licensing team as one of the best in the industry.

Contact us today and let us explore together how we can develop mutually beneficial merchandising and licensing programs.

The ley word there is mutually beneficial. It appears that if you slap Elvis' face on something, it benefits them because you must check out the list of LICENSEES. We considered listing them here, but really, it would have taken up too much space.

Look, we are not trying to say that "Viva Las Vegas" is an American classic, but it just seems so so wrong to us.

Natalie Merchant...hell of a voice...and she is an incredible word-smith also...This from the "IN MY TRIBE" album. It is called "THE PAINTED DESERT" and is written by drummer Jerome Augustyniak and Ms. Merchant. Natalie on vocals, Jerome on drums, Robert Buck on guitars, Dennis Drew on keyboards and Steven Gustafson on bass guitar.

Hope you enjoy...

Friday Sports On The Couch - Vintage Airplane

Hello and happy Friday to all of our so special guests…

Well, yes this is about sports, but it is more about the social attitudes of those who happen to play sports than the sports themselves…and those social attitudes seem to be continuing to slide downward awful fast…

Chomp Chomp Chomp…
Pacman Jones (real name Adam Bernard Jones), was drafted into the NFL after his junior year at college. Since then, he has been arrested more times than he has intercepted a pass…

This guy has five arrests, many happening when he is around strip-clubs and he has been suspended for the entire 2007 season by new commissioner Roger Goodell who appears to have decided it is time for the NFL players to clean up their images.

Jones has not learned though, as after being suspended he still is in trouble. He was stopped in May for speeding in a car not registered to him and in June was questioned about a shooting at a …ready kiddies…strip-club. He was not at the scene when the shooting occurred, but it involved members of his entourage.

Ah the ever present entourage....

And The Wheel Goes Round And Round…
Leading the Tour de France, having won the yellow jersey on Wednesday, Michael Rasmussen was sent home last night and told not to come back.

Insisting that "doping is the enemy, not cycling" and that "things are changing" for the better, the organizers of the Tour de France hailed the ouster of Michael Rasmussen from the race on Thursday.

Rasmussen, a 33-year-old Dane, was expelled by his Rabobank team late Wednesday for lying about his whereabouts to avoid drug tests before the Tour started July 7.

Instead of being in Mexico, as he repeatedly said, he was seen training in Italy. That unraveled his week long defense that he had evaded the unscheduled tests by mistake, not by design.

Rasmussen left his team hotel in Pau late Wednesday for Italy, race officials said, adding that the French police had arrived at the hotel just too late to arrest him. (sorry, can't stop myself...isn't the line 'the French police arrived at the hotel just too late...' kind of redundant? Like what have those people ever done on time or correctly?)

At a news conference before the start of the 17th stage, Christian Prudhomme, the race director, said, "What happened yesterday is probably the best thing that has happened in the last eight days."

Shit…why not just make the drugs allowable and let all the riders do them…this race has become a farce unto itself. Last years winner American Floyd Landis is still hiding out in shame after having his race tests come back positive and losing his title.

YO…people...they are gonna take blood…they are gonna test you…and they ain’t buying that your girlfriend was going to leave you unless your hair thickened up…

WHISTLE IF YOU LIKE ME
Everyone knows Michael Jordan likes to lay a few sheckles at the craps table and on the golf course. The NBA knew all that …but it was MICHAEL!

Now comes word that Tim Donaghy, who spent 13-years as an NBA ref, may have been effecting the outcome of games with his calls…a whole new way for the gamblers to deal with POINT-SHAVING!

Don’t ask the athlete making $20,000,000.00/year to take a dive…have to pay them too much money. So go to the guys who can totally influence a game…the refs.

A minute left, favored team up by 5 but the point spread is 3…gamblers have their money on the underdog. Underdog forward brings the ball down, time ticking away, up goes the three point shot…the defender goes up in the air and maybe, just maybe the very tip of his finger touches the shooter…

WHISTLE….foul shots…

Player makes two of three…his team loses, but the gamblers win…

Now David Stern, commissioner of the NBA is calling this the “darkest day the NBA has known.”

DAVID…dude…you are partially to blame for this. There were reports this guy might not be on the up and up, yet the NBA could not find proof. DO you know how many NBA security officials are at a game… a minimum of three…one for each team and ONE FOR THE REFS!

How does this happen? Easy. Guy likes to bet…loses money…some low-level associate of the bookie approaches and says ‘hey make sure the Pistons win by more than 7 tonight and your debt foes away.’

Hangin’ With The Homies
You are the starting quarterback for an NFL team. You have endorsements coming out of every orifice of your body. The owner of your team loves you to death, even though you really have not lived up to your potential…so, what do you do for fun?

You own fighting dogs and you train them to kill other dogs and you bet on them all you can….and if they lose, you and your friends kill them yourselves…

Then when it all comes out you use the handy ‘well, it is my house, but I am never there and I let my friends use it. I have no idea what goes on there.’

That’s right folks, the all encompassing ‘I have my head up my ass and do not know what is going on around me’ defense…

Mr. Michael Vick has had some other off the field scraps, including; Vick was asked to throw the water bottle away before going through security at an airport and made a fuss before finally doing so. The bottle was collected and found to have a false bottom. Originally it was reported there were traces of pot in the compartment, but that was later proven false.

In March 2005 a woman filed a civil lawsuit against Vick alleging she contracted genital herpes from Vick and that he failed to inform her that he had the disease. She further alleged that Vick had visited clinics under the alias "Ron Mexico" to get treatments and thus he knew of his condition.

This led to a deluge of fans ordering customized #7 Atlanta Falcons jerseys on NFLShop.com with the name "Mexico" on the back.

Due to the media interest surrounding the case, the National Football League disallowed the use of the jersey/name combination two days after the lawsuit. On April 24, 2006 Vick's attorney, revealed that the lawsuit had settled out of court with a undisclosed settlement

Now, he has been told to stay away from training camp and yesterday was his arrangement on the dog fighting and cruelty to animal charges.

And another horrible consequence of this…this case actually makes those imbeciles from PETA look like they are intelligent humans and not bizarre ‘let the animals live, kill the humans’ protesters.

Did Anyone Hear A Pin Drop?
As a point of reference, the Major League Baseball Home Run Record is 755 by Mr. Henry Aaron.

There are ONLY FIVE players who have hit more than 600 home runs in the history of the game. Now conservatively speaking, since 1900 there have been 7,600 players in the majors...

(OK, how did we get to 7,600? We know you were wondering Sparky...

24 (number of players) multiplied by 20 (average number of teams a year) multiplied by 75 (number of years, cut down for conservatism) divided by 5 (length of service) to get a CONSERVATIVE estimate

ANYWAYYYYYYYY ...sheesh...

Those five are:

Hank Aaron 755
Steroid-head 753
Babe Ruth 714
Willie Mays 660
Sammy Sosa 603

Wait? What was that? You didn't know Mr. Sosa had hit his 600th home run? Should have been big news that even local news stations might mention...

But, with the black cloud hanging over his head the feat was met with a small pop instead of a huge celebration. His career, once a thing of a made-for-TV-movie, began to disintegrate when he was found to be using a corked bat during a game.

Then the specter of steroid use enveloped him like the darkness found in the minds of some bloggers...

So, a grand celebration turned into a little pop goes the weasel.....kind of appropriate...

BUT...just watch..very soon, possibly this season Ken Griffey Jr. will hit his 600th home run and the celebration will be different. This is a young man who did it the right way and looked to be the one who would pass Mr. Aaron and probably rack up quite a few other records until injuries cut short too many seasons.

Every team athlete today has a "Personal Conduct Clause" in their contract. What constitutes a violation of a "PCC"?

Should it be invoked if one of your players visits a strip club? Should it be invoked if, at that strip club, they get into an altercation with a 'fan'? What about a bar, or a restaurant? The movies?

Is it enough that paternity suits begin to start coming out of the woodwork? (Hellllllo NBA!) Is being caught with marijuana enough? What about cocaine or crack? Hey, how about steroids?

We hear about this "PCC" all the time but so rarely hear it used. The Cincinnati Bengals would not be able to field a team if they used it. They probably win the award for the 'how to draft using a 10-most wanted list'...

Think we are fooling? Let's look at what has occurred since 2005:

1. Chris Henry (June 14th, ‘06) - providing alcohol to three under aged females. Did he score?
   
2. Chris Henry (Jan. 28th, ‘06) - possession of a concealed firearm, improper exhibition of firearm, aggravated assault with firearm. Why do we see him pulling his shirt front up to reveal the gun in his waistband. You all know the move...
   
3. A.J. Nicholson (June 3rd, ‘06) - burglary, vandalism, grant theft. Yeah, he ripped off a teammate. Now how do you think practices went for him after that?
   
4. Frostee Rucker (June 21st, ‘06) - vandalism, spousal battery. He-man stuff...sheesh.
   
5. Reggie McNeal (Dec. 3rd, ‘06) - resisting arrest and drug possession. 'But it was a clean hit coach!'
   
6. Eric Steinbach (Aug. 5th, ‘06) - boating under the influence. BUI...now don't you think he feels small around the rest of these guys?
   
7. A.J. Nicholson (May 18th, ‘06) - domestic violence. Another he-man...big guy loser.
   
8. Chris Henry (June 3rd, ‘06) - DUI, 0.092. Oh Chris...you character...
   
9. Odell Thurman (Sept. 25th, ‘06) - drunken driving, a 0.18. Think about that 0.18...guy was drunk enough for him and Matt-Man combined!
   
10. Deltha O’Neal (Dec. 9th, ‘06) - DWI, 0.10. Odell Thurman made fun of him for being such a pansy-man.
    
11. Matthias Askew (July 22nd, ‘06) - disorderly conduct, resisting arrest, failure to comply with police officer’s order, obstructing justice. Just a typical 'I am important reaction to officers trying to do their job.
    
12. Chris Henry (Dec. 15 ‘05) - weed possession. Don't bogart that joint, my friend, pass it over to me.....
    
13. Quincy Wilson (June 17, ‘07) - disorderly conduct. We once DJ'ed a wedding that got that crazy!
    

OK, OK, we know Chris Henry accounts for 4 of the thirteen (gosh we coulda' used this yesterday!).

Well…that is the end of our sports rant….

Yup…you got it…not one word on that other story. It will probably happen in the next few days and some will cheer and some will boo…

Hopefully in a few years that record will be broken by a guy named A-Rod…and the guy we have to hear about over and over will be gone and invisible from our lives.

Song of the day…

Back into the vault. Wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy in the back we found this under some dust bunnies and cob-webs. August 5th 1967 is the date.

We are crossing the border (before you HAD to have a passport), to visit our friends up north.

Beautiful city of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

The venue is The O'Keefe Centre. It is now known as The Hummingbird Centre For The Performing Arts (we think, we hope..hehehe...ANGELL...let us know!).

Since it is the weekend, we are giving you two from "The Jefferson Airplane"...At this time the band consisted of:

* Grace Slick - vocals, piano, recorder
* Marty Balin - vocals, rhythm guitar
* Paul Kantner - rhythm guitar, vocals
* Jorma Kaukonen lead guitar, vocals
* Jack Casady - bass guitar
* Spencer Dryden - drums

Enjoy "3/5ths Of A Mile In 10 Seconds", written by Marty Balin and the true Airplane anthem "Somebody To Love" which was written by Darby Slick who, at that time was Grace Slick's brother-in-law...

A bootleg recording, the sound is a bit flat but you certainly get the full effect of Grace cranking out the lyrics and holding those long notes she could hold on 'Somebody'.....

Personally, we love to turn it up after the song ends to hear the stage banter...on some it is so distinct, especially the Dead concerts direct from the sound board...

...HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND

Huh? What? VooDoo Chile

We are sitting here and realized we had nothing ready to go for all y'all, our special guests...

Do we go wayback? nah....

Let me look around for a second here.... lalalalalalalalalalalalalalalalalalalalala

Nope, no memes anywhere .... not gonna go chasing them down (and please dear guest, do not inundate us with them...this is only mildly amusing humor) though and we think we may have done all out there...is that even possible? Not sure....wait...no, you hang on a second...

YO MIMI, QUEEN OF ALL MEMES, Owner of Bloggingham Palace....is it possible someone has done every meme there is??????

Hope she gets back to us...she is pretty cool to her loyal subjects...yeah she will...

Anyway, where were we?????? If you forget, why should they remember?

OH yeah, what the hell are we going to write about tonight...it is getting late here again...sleep, glorious sleep...SEE STARR, we can do Billy S.

What, that wasn't something he wrote? You mean we wrote that?

Are you sure it wasn't a mattress commercial you saw and it stuck in your subconscious and now they are going to come after you and sue...take all your vinyl away....

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

maybe we can get them to take Anndi's Luggage instead...yeah, that's it.... bwahahahahahahahahahahhahaaa

Anyone out there even notice there is one subject in sports that we have not discussed? anyone...anyone....bueller??? anyone???

Hummmm there are quite a few stories out there in sports...which could it be????

OK, well find out tomorrow, when we dust off SPORTS FRIDAY...which will he not mention... hummmmmmmmmm

Sitting with ESPN on and just shaking our head....

OK, so song of the day...and we hope you are enjoying getting some of the liner notes with them...What to play...what to play... would you like a rare, live recording? Pretty cool huh...?

We actually have hours and hours...much is Grateful Dead, but we have some Yes, and Jimi, and Janis, and Hot Tuna and Jefferson Airplane and oh there is more...

So, should we open the vault today?

Back in 1988, the Jimi Hendrix Experience was on fire. Jimi along with guitarist-turned-bassist Noel Redding and drummer Mitch Mitchell comprised this incredible group of musicians.

On the evening of October 10th, 1968 the trio performed at the famed Winterland Arena in San Francisco, CA. We will not swear to it, but this sounds like a soundboard mix. The sound is crystal clear...close your eyes, crank it up and you are in the 10th row...

ENJOY...

Words For Wednesday - Hollow

It is dark in the room. Not even a sliver of light from below the door. Not a sound to be heard except the sound of the blood pumping through his veins. That pounding sound inside his head, reminding him that he is still alive, even as his surroundings tells him differently. So hollow.

He sits still, not feeling the desire to move in the tiny room he lives. In the total darkness, once, he had stretched out his arms and could touch each of the four walls from where he sat...so close...and his arms folded quickly and he had not moved since.

His ears reaching out for a sound other than the pounding, or worse yet, his own breathing. The reminders that he is in this space and the nightmare shall not end. If the beating stopped, if the breathing sounds stopped would he feel more content. Would the hollowness be filled?

Would the sounds that now make him cringe, when gone, be missed?
Would the hollowness ebb?

Because if they gave him one final wish, and he did ask for another chance, would they actually grant such a thing? Or would they just shake their head slowly and say that second chances were not the things of wishes?

As he sits, silently, motionlessly and begins to feel the hollowness surround him.
Sitting still as it begins to envelop him and he waits for it to complete it's mission.

VEM1975

Proof positive we wrote back in the "olden" days -
and were pretty freakin' dark then too...
Actually we found some from way back in HS...and song lyrics too!
oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Finally...we had a hankering for something last night and then it hit us...
Stevie Ray & and Double Trouble.

This is "EMPTY ARMS", originally recorded on the 1985 album "SOUL TO SOUL"
It includes bassist Tommy Shannon and drummer Chris Layton.

HOT GUITAR


Your gonna miss me little darlin', the day that I'm gone
Your gonna miss me little baby, the day that I'm gone
Cause I'm leavin' in the mornin', won't be back at all

You have run me ragged baby, your own fault your on your own
You have run me ragged baby, your own fault your on your own
You didn't want me no way baby, 'till that other man was gone

You can try to get me back baby, with all your tricks and charms
You can try to get me back baby, with all your tricks and charms
But when all your games are over, you'll be left with empty arms
Low down and dead, and all alone

Contests, Blogger Radio & Blues

Over the last year and a half of blogging, we have met so many wonderful people.

Some we found through a site called Bestest Blogger...well a few months ago there was a big hub-bub over the way the site was being run (or not run depending upon your point of view), and some nastiness went through the bloggosphere. We made our feelings known then and, as you can see...well, there is nothing to see...LOL

Well, it appears that Mr. Griffin has revamped some of that site and is going to begin a new site. But before he does, there is a contest to name the BESTEST BLOG OF THE YEAR.

All sites that have been named BESTEST BLOG OF THE DAY are entered.

What does this mean?
It means some of our favorite bloggers are in the running, including:

Starrlight
Ms. Bee
Travis
Morgen
Matt-Man
Bud at WTIT
Sarge Charlie
Sgt. Dub
Mimi's Dating Site
Desert Songbird
Doc Blogstein
Sanni
Maggie Moo
Sadie Sadie
Dixie
and
Janna

The process is super simple. There are 105 blogs in the running. Go here and vote for them on a scale from 1 to 5 (1 is the worst, 5 is the best).

If you want to make your vote count 3 times as much, be sure to register first.

Voting will end 2 weeks from today, August 6th and winners will be announced on August 7th.

The winner will receive (at least) a $50 cash prize! They will also have a link to their blog featured on the Blankest Blank Home Page for the next year (until the next blog of the year is decided).

The overall top 10 blogs (including the winner) will have their link featured at Bestest Blog (replacing the Blog of the Month and Featured Blog in the top left) as well as have their links replace the blog of the year voting page. Results for blogs ranked 11 and up will be available from a link on the voting page as well.

OK, do not forget to give some love to those above...
....THANKS

......this has been a public service announcement

BlogTalk Radio update...

tonight...6:30 - 7:30 EDT
Just click on the MO SHOW link in the left sidebar




Tonight at 9:00PM EDT
click on the link right above MO

Yahoo! Sports Senior NBA Writer Adrian Wojnarowski will update us on the latest information concerning NBA referee Tim Dunaghy and allegations that he was working on behalf of the Gambino Crime Family.

Dr. Blogstein will attempt to keep Jane awake and alert when he assembles his sports brain trust to discuss the scandals in all our major sports leagues. We'll try to determine who has it worst: the mobbed up NBA, the thugged up NFL, or the juiced up MLB.

Also, rapper and radio talk show host SK-1 stops by. We'll delve into the state of hip-hop, find out who the governor of that state is and what the age of consent is there. We'll also try to get SK-1 to do some free-style joints for us (I'm so white).

All that, plus the return of Justin the Weatherman and your calls

Don't remember doing this before, but we just have to go for a second helping of "RIDING WITH THE KING" and Mr.'s Clapton & King...

This is called "THREE O' CLOCK BLUES" and has the two trading vocals and guitar licks throughout. It is just freaking hot.

Oh, yes, we have all lived this one....

The song is credited in various places as being composed by Reily King (B.B.'s given name); B.B. King; B.B. King & Jules Taub; Reily King & Jules Taub; B.B. King & Jules Bihari and finally just to Lowell Fulson!

Once again, Nathan East on bass and drummer Steve Gadd do an excellent job of holding down the entire walking line which allows the guitarists and keyboards a chance to take us away on floating lead guitar lines and keyboard explorations. Mr. Tom Carmon is once again on the Hammond Organ and the great Joe Sample was sitting in on piano.

FYI, the first guitarist is Mr. Clapton... Mr. King takes the solo after he sings...

Hope you enjoy...

Well now, it's three o'clock in the morning
And I can't even close my eyes.
Three o'clock in the morning
And I can't even close my eyes.
Can't find my baby
And I can't be satisfied.

I've looked all around me
And my baby, she can't be found.
I've looked all around me, people,
And my baby, she can't be found.
You know if I don't find my baby,
People, I'm going down to the golden ground.

Goodbye everybody,
I believe this is the end.
Oh, goodbye everybody,
I believe this is the end.
I want you to tell my baby,
Tell her please, please forgive me,
Forgive me for my sins.

Thanks & A Key...

Hey, want to put the cool tribute to Matt you see over to the left on your blog??

Then all you have to do is put this block of copy in your sidebar, whereever you want it to appear.

With love
img src="http://img169.imageshack.us/img169/2093/mattsidebarcx8.jpg" />
and pride

Just add a less than sign just before the img in the second line.

THANKS to everyone who posted a tribute to Matt and Dixie and family this weekend. We here at THE COUCH did forget to mention Matt's sister Kaitlin who will be missing him terribly. Along with Dixie's partner Tony, who now has the task of dealing with our dear friend over the next weeks. be brave Tony!

Hit the play button. You have heard this song many times before...Among many others the song has been recorded by David Bromberg, Chuck Berry, The Allman Brothers, Spencer Davis, Derek & The Dominoes, John Lee Hooker, Freddie King, Little Walter, Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee, Dinah Washington, Junior Wells and Muddy Waters.

Written by Bill Bill Bronnzy & Charles Segar it is a true R&B classic.

This version is featured on the 2000 release "RIDING WITH THE KING" with B.B. King & Eric Clapton featured.

A project the two had discussed over the years since meeting in the '60's, they finally had the opportunity. On this particular song, "KEY TO THE HIGHWAY", Mr's. Clapton and King are both featured guitarists and vocalists. They are joined by Nathan East on Bass, Steve Gadd on drums, Tim Carmond on Hammond Organ, and drum programming by Paul Waller.

Just think of what it would have been like to be in that studio for these recordings. The passion, respect and energy must have been amazing.

We hope you enjoy...

About a week and a half ago our dear from Gail awarded us with the "SCHMOOZER AWARD"...we were in a flux then and put it aside.

Now, we also were given the award from Starrlight on Friday.

As we are trying to get on track and back to normal, we wanted to thank both of these wonderful women for the honor they have bestowed upon THE COUCH...

Here is what they said:

GAIL:
Vince - Call him "Bond, Vince Bond" Just like a spy, he stealthily made his way into my heart. The couch is my bed away from home.

STARRLIGHT:
Bond over at THE COUCH. I love this blog and it's owner. Bond is an awesome and and lovely human being as well. His fiction is amazing, go read the Matinees! And if you want to see the finest example of blogging community involvement go check out his latest post and join us in his latest mission. Or you can go directly to my next choice!

Ladies.. you honor me to no end....

Not sure who has received this and who has not...

For MATT & DIXIE

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO AND HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

LOOKIE HERE WHERE KYRA (THE108) DID!
SHE WILL ALSO HAVE ONE DESIGNED FOR YOUR SIDEBAR
THAT YOU CAN FLY THE ENTIRE TIME MATT IS AT BOOT CAMP!

Kyra, you always have a seat her on THE COUCH...
Thank you for your brilliant designs!

pssssssssst...if you ask her nicely, she will send you the code for this so it does link to Dixie's

On Sunday, my wonderful friend Dixie will be traveling into Memphis to deliver her son Matt to the Marines.

Is she proud? Absolutely, 1,000,000,000% proud. Her little boy who she brought into the world and nurtured and cleaned cuts for and taught to swim and all the other little things you do with your children that, when they are happening you think nothing can be better.

Years later when you are apart, (this is from experience folks), there are times when you can sit and think back and feel a warmth come over you even when they are thousands of miles away.

Matt is now a man and decided upon graduation from high school that he would join the Marines.

Is she upset? Of course she is. This is her oldest, her only boy, and her loving son. Who would not be upset by their going away? Even if it were to leave for college, mothers will feel a loss unlike anything we men can imagine.

Sure, we men get sad…our kids are growing and leaving and we have been told it is more difficult if a daughter (never had one…wish I had), is leaving. When our sons leave, we most certainly feel the loss, but we also know they are beginning their new life.

The last weeks have been a plethora of emotions for Dixie. They will continue over the next 13 weeks as Matt completes his boot camp where they "are cut off from the civilian world and have to adapt to the Marine lifestyle." Then he will come back to is mom, still her son and so much more.

We are not even sure she or her brave son will see this before he leaves Sunday, but we ask every single reader of THE COUCH to take a little trip over to DIXIE’S HEART AND SOUL and just leave a little message.

Leave it to Dixie…leave it to Matt…leave it to both of them, but leave one. It does not have to be tear inducing, just a “good luck & stay safe” will do.

Then we ask you to do one other thing. Put the following on your blog today and tomorrow and Sunday…let’s spread the word and support one of us…

“Please Visit Dixie and Matt and Wish Them Well As He Leaves For Parris Island And The Marines on Sunday, July 22, 2007.
Just click HERE.”

What THE COUCH asks of you is to make it so when Dixie opens her blog on Tuesday, when she gets back, there are HUNDREDS OF MESSAGES (would it be too much to ask for thousands?).

One minute to post the message to your blog. Two minutes to leave a little comment…

THREE MINUTES people and if all y’all do it, we can show my dear dear friend that she is not only not alone, but she is surrounded by some of the most incredible people in the world.

Then, when Matt gets home from boot camp she can sit him down and say “Son, look at these messages, they are for you and they helped keep you safe.”

Not sure why, but I am sitting here at my desk at work and the front of my shirt is wet from the tears….I hope they are tears of joy as you all jump on board.

Thank you to every single one of you who helps…we want this to circulate…it does not matter if ten days from now someone sees it and goes to post…

Be safe Matt...you honor us all and show what a wonderful man you have become...

Not sure if it is appropriate for a non-Marine to say it, but....

SEMPER FI





CREDITS:

"MARINE CORPS HYMN (HALL OF MONTEZUMA)"
Marine Corps Band
Composer: John Phillip Sousa


From the Halls of Montezuma
To the Shores of Tripoli;
We fight our country's battles
In the air, on land and sea;
First to fight for right and freedom
And to keep our honor clean;
We are proud to claim the title
of United States Marine.

Our flag's unfurled to every breeze
From dawn to setting sun;
We have fought in ev'ry clime and place
Where we could take a gun;
In the snow of far-off Northern lands
And in sunny tropic scenes;
You will find us always on the job--
The United States Marines.

Here's health to you and to our Corps
Which we are proud to serve
In many a strife we've fought for life
And never lost our nerve;
If the Army and the Navy
Ever look on Heaven's scenes;
They will find the streets are guarded
By United States Marines.

The Marines' Hymn is the official hymn of the United States Marine Corps. It is the oldest official song in the U.S. Armed Forces. The song has an obscure origin—the words date from the 19th century, but no one knows the author. The music is from the "Gendarmes' Duet" from the opera "Geneviève de Brabant" by Jacques Offenbach, which had its début in Paris in 1859. The Marine Corps secured a copyright on the song on August 19, 1919, but it is now in the public domain.

The initial verse is "From the Halls of Montezuma to the Shores of Tripoli". The Montezuma phrase refers to the Battle of Chapultepec. The Tripoli phrase refers to actions during the First Barbary War and the Battle of Derne.

SOURCE: Wikipedia.org

The 108 Meme

The incomparable THE 108 has tagged us with a MEME of her own design. It is actually a pretty interesting MEME and deserves to be circulated...

Here is what The 108 has asked:

You MUST post five links to posts we have written. Post your five links and then tag five other people. At least TWO of the people you tag must be newer acquaintances so that you get to know each other better.... and don't forget to read the archive posts and leave comments!

Link 1 must be about family.
Link 2 must be about friends.
Link 3 must be about yourself, who you are... what you're all about...
Link 4 must be about something you love
Link 5 can be anything you choose.

I think this is a great way to circulate some of the great older posts everyone had written, return to a few great places in our memories and also learn a little something about ourselves and each other that we may not know.

So, with the rules set....away we go.....

LINK 1: OUR "FAMILY POST". We have done posts about individual members of our family. Mom and dad, Matt, my niece, and other, but this is the one that means the most to me.

LINK 2: OUR "FRIENDS POST". You need to scroll past the review of American Idol to read the post of the best weekend we have spent with friends in like...FOREVER!

LINK 3: OUR "ABOUT US" POST. This one could have probably fit into the Family post too in some ways, but it fits this category we think.

LINK 4: OUR "SOMETHING WE LOVE" POST. Guess one of these had to be a Matinee...and this is the one. It tells the story of something I love...
There are many Matinee's (and if you have not read them all, they are listed near the bottom of the right side-bar), but after all the writing...this is the story that came from our depths.
We found it funny that so many comments all stated similar thoughts...so all y'all might want to read them too!

LINK 5: POST OF OUR CHOOSING. Well, if this Meme is to let you get to know us better, then this one should be included.

Now we have to tag five people and TWO of them have to be recent acquaintances....so:

1) AISBY - she has been a frequent visitor to THE COUCH recently, and has left some wonderful comments. We linked her over on our favs on Monday, so today we tag her so that we can get to know her better.

2) TURNBABY - she is a wicked wicked lady with a heart of gold. (and will be doing her first BlogTalk Radio show this Sunday. Check out her blog for the info.

3) TRAVIS: my partner "Hottie", Travis is a magnificent writer, has a wealth of knowledge on so many subjects and is one of those friends we have met in the last year and a half who has impacted our life in so many wonderful ways. STARRLIGHT TAGGED HIM FIRST! DAMN HER!

3) MAGGIE: she writes about her job, her life and throws in short stories...she can do this one for lil ole me!

4) SPARKY DUCK: Sparky is fairly new to THE COUCH, and he is wickedly funny. There are things we would like to learn and this seems a good way to learn some more. YEAH THAT'S RIGHT...STARRLIGHT GOT TO HIM FIRST...

4) LAYLA: Another newer visitor to THE COUCH, we hope she partakes in this little adventure.

5) MIMI: Well, how can we call this a true Meme until the Queen Of The Meme's actually does it???

CREDITS:

"WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM MY FRIENDS"
Joe Cocker
"Mad Dogs & Englishman"

Composers: John Lennon & Paul McCartney

Words For Wednesday - Figurine

Our good friend TRAVIS does what he calls "WORDS FOR WEDNESDAY", as opposed to Wordless Wednesday.

We like his idea we have never been one to be silent here on THE COUCH.

This short story has been sitting on our computer for about a month now. It wrote itself one day while we were eating lunch at our desk. Inspiration comes when it comes...

We hope you enjoy...

WE CALL IT:

"FIGURINE"

He looked at the mantle above the fireplace and sighed. The space next to the plant was vacant. No, not just vacant, there was a hole…a void, a hollowness that he could not believe.

The figurine was the most beautiful piece he had ever laid eyes on. That day, two years ago when he was ambling through the shops was beautiful, sun shining, the sky a rich cloudless blue…he will always remember the day, no matter how many more he walked the earth.

Not looking for anything special, he was just enjoying himself, treating himself to a day alone. Then he saw it. It was hidden with a number of other less desirable figurines. They were all special in their own way, but this one…well, this one sparkled.

He reached out carefully, his fingertips touching one of the others, and feeling the cold of it’s surface. They wrapped around this special one and he could feel his fingertips begin to tingle. This was a special gift. There was no doubt.

The marble, normally cold to the touch, was awash in a warmth he did not think possible...It was almost frightening to him how wonderful this figurine felt. Could anything be this good? Could anything hold this much warmth?

Lifting it slowly, he turned it over in his hands, examining it and allowing himself to be swallowed by its beauty. As he turned it to look at the bottom, his heart dropped. There on the bottom was a tiny sticker. One word written in the scratchy hand of the store owner, he presumed. The one word..."SOLD".

Walking over to the counter where the old man sat, silently reading the morning paper, he spoke up, “Excuse me?” the man spoke quietly. The shop owner looked up and smiled, and then his eyes trailed to the figurine in the customers hand and his eyes saddened, but just for an instant.

“Can I help you young man?” the old man spoke. His voice was rough, but filled with a wisdom that was unmistakable.

“Yes, I saw this incredible figurine and I have fallen in love with it. But, I see it says “sold” on the bottom. Is this true? If it is sold, why is it still on the shelf?”

“Well, you see son, a man did buy that figurine. He paid in cash and told me he would be returning that day to pick it up. I have not seen him again, but since he paid, I need to keep the sticker on and not resell it. I am sorry, there are many other fine figurines here, maybe we can find you anoth…”

“No, that is fine. This is the one I want. If it is not for sale, then I shall move on and continue my day.”

With that, he walked out of the shop, a quick glance backward allowing him to see the shop owner tenderly replacing the figurine where it had been before…

That night he had a dream of the figurine. His dream showed him holding the figurine, showing his friends, bragging about how special it was and how it was all his.

When he woke he knew he had to have it. He began to stop back every day and ask the shop owner if he could buy it. Eventually, the old man would have to capitulate and allow him to own this beautiful object.

Every day he stopped. Every day he looked and held the figurine. Every day the shop owner tried to sell him another figurine, and refused to sell the one he truly wanted.

Then, one day he stopped by and nodded to the owner. The owner gave him a smile and the man wondered why it seemed different today. He walked over to the table and slowly lifted the object of his desire. It once again tingled in his fingertips as he held it. It was warm to his touch…and it felt different. He could not figure out how and why, but immediately he knew there was a difference.

Slowly, ever so slowly he tilted the precious item in his hand and looked at the bottom. It was empty. No little sticker…no scratchy handwriting.

His head shot up and turned to look at the old man behind the counter. The old man sat smiling, his eyes sparkling…"Yes, young man…it is for sale again. The gentleman who purchased it came in yesterday and told me he could not purchase it. He didn’t even ask for his money back…he just told me and turned and walked out of the store."

The man looked again at the figurine. Could it be true? Was he really about to finally own this incredible piece? He looked at the owner and said “Name your price, anything…it is worth it.”

The store owner quoted the price of the figurine. The man was shocked. It was expensive, no doubt, but in the end he would have paid triple the price. This is the one piece he had always imagined owning...and that dream was about to become reality.

That was a year ago now…and today, sitting on his couch looking at the emptiness of the mantle, he cried. Long, hard tears flowed down his face…how could it be? How could it have been taken from him?

He wondered if he were to blame. When he first brought the figurine home, he worshiped it. Every morning he would walk over to the mantle and gently touch the figurine. Every evening just before he got into bed he did the same. Every day…day after day….

About a month ago, something had come up in the morning and hen he left for work, he forgot to touch his figurine. He thought of it on his ride to work and even throughout the day. That night when he got home he walked directly to the mantle and whispered “I am sorry for leaving you alone for the day.”

But it happened once or twice more over the next couple of weeks. It was not that he loved his figurine any less; on the contrary, his love for it only grew stronger and stronger every day. His mind was distracted by problems with family and work. When he sat at night he always had a view of the figurine.

He had a couple of days away and was not there to touch his figurine. He missed it awfully and would close his eyes and picture it sitting there.

When he arrived home yesterday, he walked directly to the mantle and looked...and his heart sank. It was gone…

He looked all over his house…he knew he had not moved it, but he had to look anyway.

NOTHING!

He called for help, but no one he spoke with could give him an answer.

It was gone. Someone had come and taken it from right under his nose. Someone else was touching his figurine. Someone else was enjoying its beauty. Someone else was smiling, as the tears flowed down his face.

The next day he went to the shop and when he walked in the owner looked up at him. The man felt strange, there was no recognition in the owner's eyes, surely he could not have forgotten me already, could he?

“Hello, may I help you?” the shop owner spoke.

“Yes, the figurine I bought from you was stolen the other day and I am very saddened by it. I was wondering if you knew if there was another one like it anywhere.”

“You must be mistaken; I do not remember selling you any figurine. I remember you coming in and admiring one, but it was sold I told you that. I was just waiting for the owner to come back. ”

“Yes, yes, and I kept coming back every day and finally, you sold it to me a year ago...a stunningly beautiful figurine…please can you help me, where can I find one like it?”

"As far as another one like it, that was a one-of-a-kind piece. There are none like it anywhere." The owner continued, "Son, you never bought that figurine. The man who purchased it came back in and picked it up. He apologized for being delayed, but was excited to see I had not sold it and he was able to walk out of the shop with it. He was really beaming.”

“BUT, you sold it to ME!” the man cried….

“Sorry son, I think you must have imagined that last part. I could never sell you something that belonged to another…”

The man walked out of the shop just as it began to rain. All around him people were scurrying here and there to not get wet, but he just walked, head down, staring at the spot on the sidewalk where his next step would land.

The rain poured down on him, soaking every inch of fabric on his body, but nothing was as wet as his face from the tears streaming from his eyes…and he just walked…and walked…and walked…

ORIGINAL FICTION VEM2007

CREDITS:

"HIDDEN TREASURE"
Traffic
"Low Spark of High Heeled Boys"

Composers: Steve Winwood & Jim Capaldi

Take a walk down by, take a walk down by the river
There's a lot that you, there's a lot that you can learn
If you've got a mind that's open, if you've got a heart that yearns

If you listen to, if you listen to the water
You will hear the sound, you will hear the sound of life
There's a million different voices, there is happiness and strife

Message in the deep, from a strange eternal sleep
That is waiting there, that is waiting there for you
Like hidden treasure

For Amy's Dad

Our good friend Amy lost her dad on Monday.

He passed in his sleep after a battle with cancer.
Add her and her family to your prayers please.
You can express your sympathy to dear Amy & her family HERE.

hummmm

Looks like someone thought we wrote something interesting. Whoever it was, we say thank you.

Why?

So, The Couch has been a place of smiles and tears, laughter and sorrow for its existence (now at 364 posts and counting).

We have met so many wonderful people along our journey. Many came along from the American idol boards after we left there to write here.

Last week on "The Mo Show", the subject was “Why Do We Blog?” It was a very interesting show, and you can listen to the archives simply by clicking the link on the left-hand sidebar.


As we listened it was difficult for us to answer. If you are a regular, you know we have been in a state recently. The reasons are complicated and can not be discussed in public at this time, but suffice it to say, it can be a hard slap of reality as you start to think that maybe you will never find that true reward you desire.

We listened on the archives and as we did, we felt tears flow down our cheeks. They were a combination of happy and sad tears. First the sad tears were caused by the fact that we didn’t know f we could keep up blogging. It is such a personal experience and when your personal can not be shared, well it tends to dry up the well of enthusiasm you have for a subject.

They were also sad tears because a post we had written would never be published and is now cyber trash

There were sad tears because we felt alone and disappointed we were not listening live and could share with the folks calling in.

There were also tears of happiness as we listened to many callers relating their stories…their desires, their reasons for being here on the Blogosphere. Why the tears? Because these people have become my friends. Listening to their stories was so personal and uplifting.

Yes, it was also nice to hear that THE COUCH has brought bloggers together. Many of the group that came from the AI boards have begun their own blogs. From THE COUCH, they got to meet others and now our little enclave has grown to huge proportions.

So, why is there a COUCH? Well, it was all due to wanted to review the season 5 shows of AI. Then we got booted for allowing our sparks of insanity to live, and found this place called blogger.

We had this built in audience who would come and read, but rarely commented. In the first month of posts we had a total of 15 comments….but we kept writing. We needed an outlet for the things floating in our brain.

Slowly, it all began to take shape and then we began to work on the look and feel of THE COUCH.

Now, we have BLOGTALK RADIO, moving blogging onto the internet. Nothing real new, and actually a tiny step backward from V-log's (video blog) which exploded on the scene a year or so ago.

Our good friend Doc Blogstein was the first to jump in and we have appeared on the show many times. As mentioned above, Morgen has taken his blog onto Blogtalk Radio. Now news that two more of our ever expanding blog-family are going to talk on the medium.

More news on that when they decide to announce their arrivals...

We hope we can begin to write again as our spirit mends slowly…
HEY KNUCKLEHEAD...WAKE UP...YOU DID JUST WRITE...WHAT A TURD.
YES, HE DID WRITE...BRAVO....BRAVO...BRAVO...
WHAT DO YA WANT A FREAKING MEDAL??? I'LL GIVE YOU A KNUCKLE SANDWICH MEDAL.

OK, ENOUGH YOU TWO...

Where were we?? Oh, yeah, right...

Why do we blog? As an outlet, to share and to learn...

What do we get from blogging? FRIENDS!

If we missed your picture, it means we could not find one or just now forgot! One or two people might even be in there twice...but we are too tired to fix it...

We will be back to our schedule of 5 days a week...you sit yer butt, we'll give you something to read and hopefully listen to, and you can tell us how good or bad it was...just like the old days...

See you on Doc Blogstein's Radio Happy Hour tonight at 9:00pm EDT...

CREDITS:

"BEALE STREET BLUES"
Duke Ellington & Johnny Hodges
"Back To Back"

Composer: W.C. Handy

Marbles

I'VE LOST MY MARBLES

Enjoy Manic Monday over at MO'S

Please stay well and enjoy your happiness...

CREDITS:

"Rock & Roll Stew"
Traffic
Composers: Jim Gordon & Rick Grech
"Low Spark Of High Heel Boys"

Now You Know...Rick Derringer

COUCH NOTE: Having trouble with music at the moment. I am leaving the players in, so I can fix them soon. On today's post, only Rock & Roll Hoochie Koo works as of posting.

Staying on music...
Check out this resume:

1971 Alice Cooper "Killer" [player]

1971 Alice Cooper "Love It To Death" [player]
1971 Richie Havens "Alarm Clock" [player]
1971 Richie Havens "Connections" [player]
1971 Johnny Winter And [member/co-producer]
1971 "Johnny Winter And Live" [member/co-producer]
1971 "Edgar Winter's White Trash" [producer/player]
1972 Todd Rundgren "Something/Anything" [player]
1972 "Roadwork" [producer/member]
1973 Todd Rundgren "Wizard, A True Star" [player]
1973 Thomas Jefferson Kaye [player]
1973 Michael Stanley [player]
1973 Steely Dan "Countdown To Ecstacy" [player]
1973 Johnny Winter - Still Alive And Well [player/writer/producer]
1973 "They Only Come Out At Night" [producer/player] featuring "frankenstein" and "free ride"
1974 Jerry La Croix "The Second Coming" [player]
1974 Joe Vitale "Roller Coaster Weekend" [player]
1974 "Saints And Sinners" [played various instruments/producer]
1974 "John Dawson Winter III" [played various inst./producer]
1974 "Shock Treatment" [producer/group member]
1975 Bette Midler "Songs For A New Depression" [player]
1975 Todd Rundgren "Initiation" [player]
1975 Steely Dan "Katy Lied" [player]
1975 "Jasmine Night Dreams" [player]
1975 "Edgar Winter Group With Rick Derringer" [producer/member]
1976 Dan Hartman "Images" [player]
1976 "White Trash/Entrance" [2 - record set]
1976 "Together" [member on Johnny/Edgar Winter Together Tour]
1978 Moogy Klingman "Moogy 2" [player]
1978 Todd Rundgren "Back To The Bars" [player]
1979 Produced Cyndi Lauper Demos For Her Epic Albums
1979 Ellen Shipley [player]
1979 "Blast" [player]
1980 Eddie Schwartz "Schwartz" [player]
1980 Steely Dan "Gaucho" [player]
1980 "The Johnny Winter Story" [german greatest-hits double lp]
1980 Isle Of Wight And Atlanta Pop Festival - The First Great Rock Festivals Of The Seventies - 'Johnny Winter And' does "Mean Mistreater"
1981 Hilly Michaels "Lumia" [player]
1982 Eye To Eye [player]
1982 Donald Fagan "The Nightfly" [player]
1983 Kodomo Band "Heartbreak Kids" [producer]
1983 Meatloaf "Midnight At The Lost And Found" [player]
1983 Bonnie Tyler "Faster Than The Speed Of Night" [player]
1983 Wierd Al Yancovic "I Love Rocky Road" [producer/player]
1983 Savatage [producer of demos/atlantic]
1983 Silver Condor
1984 Colour Radio [producer/player]
1984 James House [player]
1984 Kiss "Lick It Up" [player]
1984 Madam X "We Reserve The Right To Rock" [producer]
1984 Chris Mancini [player]
1984 Danny Spanos "Looks Like Trouble" [player]
1984 Barbra Streisand [player]
1984 Wierd Al Yancovic "In 3-D" Includes Grammy Winner,"Eat It" [producer/player]
1984 Adrian Zmed [producer/player]
1985 "The Wrestling Album" With Hulk Hogan Theme "Real American" by Rick Derringer [prod/write/play]
1985 Mason Ruffner [producer/player]
1986 Hunt Sales' Space Shot Orchestra "Requiem For A Yuppie"
1987 Cyndi Lauper "True Colors" [writer/player]
1987 Meatloaf "Masculine" [writer]
1987 Wierd Al Yancovic "Polka Party" [producer/player]
1988 Rosie Vela "Zazu" [player]
1988 Guitar Speak "Sloe Moon Rising"
1988 "Piledriver" Album By The WWF Includes "Rock And Roll Hoochie Koo" [prod/write/play]
1989 Wierd Al Yancovic "Who's Fat" Including Grammy Winner: "Who's Fat" [producer/player]
1990 Wierd Al Yancovic "UHF" [producer/player]
1990 "Rick Derringer And Edgar Winter Live In Japan" [writer/player]
1993 "Hats Off To Stevie Ray" Rick Plays "Pride And Joy" [tribute]
1993 "Fit For A King" Rick Plays "Born Under A Bad Sign" [tribute]
1994 Cream Tribute Album, Rick Plays "Other Woman Blues" [tribute]
1996 "The Real Deal" [player on Hoochie Coo]
1999 "Mambo Sons" Tom Guerra / Scott Lawson [player]
1999 "One Day Away" Jeff Pitchell and Texas Flood [producer/player]
1999 "Riverview Drive" Damon Fowler [producer]
1999 "Winter Blues" [player on Good 'Ol Shoe, On The Tip Of My Toungue, player/writer on White Man's Blues]
2002 "In Concert/ Ohne Filter"
2005 "Take 2 - Priceless Collection"

OH...then his albums...

1973 "All American Boy"
1975 "Spring Fever"
1979 "Guitars And Women"
1980 "Face To Face"
1983 "Good Dirty Fun"
1993 "Back To The Blues"
1994 "Electra Blues"
1996 "Rock and Roll Hoochie Koo, The Best of Rick Derringer"
1997 "Tend The Fire" (Released In Europe)
1998 "Blues Deluxe"
1998 "Guitars And Women" - CD Release w/bonus tracks
1998 "Rick Derringer & Friends" Live w/Edgar Winter, Ian Hunter, Dr. John, Lorna Luft, Hall and Oates
2000 "Jackhammer Blues"
2001 "DBA-Derringer, Bogert & Appice- doin' business as..."
2003 "Greatest & Latest"
2003 "Hootchie Koo Once More"
2003 "Free Ride" Promo Single
2005 "Coach Kelly Benefit Concert"
2006 "Live at Cheney Hall"

We are pleased to bring you...

MR. RICK DERRINGER

Back in the first week of October of 1965, American record buyers made a song by a group called The McCoys a Billboard #1 hit...that song was "Hang On Sloopy".

Formed in Union City, Indiana, in 1962, The McCoys were initially comprised of guitarist Rick Zehringer, his brother Randy on drums and bass player Dennis Kelly. Starting out as "Rick And The Raiders", then "The Rick Z Combo", the group later added organist Ronnie Brandon, becoming the McCoys soon after Randy Hobbs replaced the college-bound Dennis Kelly.

The quartet became a highly popular attraction throughout America's Midwest, it gained the the attention of Bert Berns' "Bang Records". The group's very first release was a simple, hard driving tune called "Hang On Sloopy", which shot to the top of the U.S. charts and reached the top 5 in the UK in the summer of 1965.

For a follow-up, the band chose a similar arrangement for a tune called "Fever", a remake of Peggy Lee's Top Ten hit in 1958. A series of successive releases in a similar gutsy style fared less well and a cover of Ritchie Valens' "C'Mon Let's Go" was their only other Top 40 hit.

By 1969, the group had discarded its bubblegum image with the progressive album "Infinite McCoys", and became the house band at New York's popular Scene club. The club's owner, Steve Paul, later paired the group with an up and coming blues guitarist named Johnny Winter and billed them as "Johnny Winter And..." ("And" referring to "The McCoys") featured the Zehringer brothers and Randy Hobbs, with Rick handling the production.

It was about this time that Rick changed his last name from Zehringer to Derringer.

Mr. Derringer has produced every Gold and Platinum records recorded by either of the brothers Winter. He played with Johnny on tour and then played on and soon afterward became a full-time recording-touring member of the band. Mr. Derringers rock and roll anthem "Edgar Winter's White Trash""Rock & Roll Hoochie Koo" first appeared on the "Johnny Winter And" album and has been rerecorded numerous times over the years both in the studio and also live.

Throughout this time, you can see above the incredible array of artists Mr. Derringer has either played for, produced or engineered. It is a who's who of the music industry during the years.

Mr. Derringer is still going strong, having formed "D-B-A" with Tim Bogart and Carmine Appice (both original members of the "Vanilla Fudge" and the rhythm section of Beck, Bogart & Appice), and releasing an album to some response.

Following that, Mr. Derringer and his wife worked together to release "Aiming4Heaven" and "Still Alive And Well", two albums of Christian music.

Now You Know About...

MR RICK DERRINGER
AUGUST 5, 1947 -



Some additional musical compositions featuring Mr. Derringer

TIME OUT OF MIND - STEELY DAN


ROCK & ROLL HOOCHIE KOO - RICK DERRINGER

THE TOUR SCHEDULE
(as of today)

Abate Bike Rally - Springville, Indiana -July 19, 2007

Rock the Park - Harris Park w/many bands-check it out! London, Ontario Canada -July 28, 2007

Dog Days of Summer Jam IV - Melbourne Auditorium Melbourne, Florida - August 4, 2007

The Tiki Bar - Watkins Glen, New York - August 11, 2007

Smitty's Kaskaskia River Marina - New Athens, Illinois - August 12, 2007

Daniel Street Nightclub - Milford, Connecticut - August 17, 2007

Times Theatre - Milwaukee, Wisconsin - August 21, 2007

Navy Pier (Private Party) - Chicago, Illinois - August 22, 2007

Calgary International Blues Festival- Calgary, Alberta Canada - August 23, 2007

Keswick Theatre w/Johnny and Edgar Winter - Glenside, Pennsylvania - September 16, 2007

Carnival Rock & Roll Cruise - Leaving Port of Miami, Florida - October 15-19, 2007

KPLX Music Festival w/Edgar Winter & The Doobies - Tuscon, Arizona- -October 20, 2007

Roxy Theatre w/Commander Cody - Northampton, Pennsylvania - October 31, 2007

TBA - Dade City, Florida -November 2, 2007

Wickham Park, Operation Stand Up a benefit for returning vets from Iraq & Afghanistan
Melbourne, Florida - November 3, 2007

Rick only with the Rock & Roll Army Cerritos, California - November 10, 2007

Soaring Eagles Casino w/Johnny & Edgar Winter - Mount Pleasant, Michigan - December 28, 2007

Please stay well and enjoy your happiness...

CREDITS:

"HANG ON SLOOPY"
The McCoys
Composers: Bert Russell (Bert Berns), Wes Farrell
Single Release

"ROCK & ROLL HOOCHIE KOO"
Rick Derringer
Composer: Rick Derringer
"Johnny Winter And"

"TIME OUT OF MIND"
Steely Dan
Composers: Walter Becker & Donald Fagen
"Gaucho"

Yes...we are aware the music from yesterday is not playing...figures...decide to focus on music and the music does not work...trying to get it fixed so we can post our next profile

Comments Are Back

See you tomorrow

Now You Know...D.D.

Hi...

There will be some changes over the next few weeks...

Some you may notice, some you may not...

Some you may like, some you may hate...

But...hell, if you hate it you will just not come back...

Do you know what the following albums have in common?
(OK, this is a long list...but it illustrates our point).

Albert King (Born under a bad sign, 1967)
Albert King (Blues for Elvis, 1968)
Albert King (King of the Blues Guitar, 1969)
Albert King (Lovejoy, 1971)
Albert King (The pinch, 1977)
Albert King (The Blues Don't Change, 1996)
Albert King (Born Under a Bad Sign, 2002)
Bill Withers (Just as I Am, 1971)
Billy Swan (Your OK, I'm OK, 1978)
Blues Brothers (Briefcase Full of Blues, 1978)
Blues Brothers (Made In America, 1980)
Bob Dylan (Shot of love, 1981)
Bob Dylan (Bob Dylan 30th Anniversary Concert, 1993)
Booker T & The MGs (Sould Dressing, 1965)
Booker T & The MGs (And Now... Booker T & The MGs, 1966)
Booker T & The MGs (In the Christmas Spirit, 1966)
Booker T & The MGs (Hip Hug-Her, 1967)
Booker T & The MGs (Doin' Our Thing, 1968)
Booker T & The MGs (Soul Limbo, 1968)
Booker T & The MGs (Uptight, 1968)
Booker T & The MGs (Mclemore Avenue, 1970)
Booker T & The MGs (Melting Pot, 1971)
Booker T & The MGs (And Now... Booker T & The MGs, 1992)
Booker T & The MGs (That's the Way It Should Be, 1994)
Booker T & The MGs (Time Is Tight, 1998)
Booker T & The MGs (Soul Men, 2003)
Bruce Roberts (Bruce Roberts, 1978)
Carla Thomas (Love Means Carla Thomas/Memphis Queen, 1997)
Carol Grimes (Carol Grimes, 1976)
Chris Hillman (Slippin' Away, 1976)
Crosby Stills Nash & Young (Looking Forward, 1999)
David Porter (Victim of the Joke?: An Opera, 1971)
Delaney & Bonnie (Home, 1969)
Diana Ross (Baby it's me, 1977)
Don Covay (Mercy, Mercy/Seesaw, 2000)
Don Nix (Living by the Days, 1971)
Doug Clifford (Cosmo, 1972)
Duane Allman (Anthology vol. 2, 1974)
Eddie Floyd (Knock on wood, 1967)
Eddie Floyd (Rare Stamps, 1969)
Eddie Floyd (Soul Street, 1974)
Elvis Presley (Raised On Rock/For Ol' Times Sake, 1973)
Eric Clapton (Behind the sun, 1985)
Eric Clapton (Crossroads, 1988)
Eric Clapton (Money & Cigarettes, 2000)
Eric Clapton (Money and Cigarettes, 1983)
Eric Clapton (Unplugged/Clapton Chronicles, 2001)
Freddie King (Getting Ready, 1971)
Freddie King (Texas Cannonball, 1972)
Freddie King (Getting Ready, 1996)
Freddie King (Texas Cannonball, 2002)
Guitar Showdown at the Dusk 'Til Dawn Blues Festival, 1966)
Herbie Mann (Push Push, 1971)
Isaac Hayes (Presenting Isaac Hayes, 1968)
Jesse Ed Davis (Ululu, 1972)
Jimmy Buffett (Hot Water, 1988)
Joan Baez (Blowing away, 1977)
Joan Baez (Gulf winds, 1976)
John Fogerty (Blue Moon Swamp, 1997)
John Fogerty (Blue Moon Swamp, 2004)
John Prine (Common Sense, 1975)
John Prine (Prime Prine, 1976)
Johnnie Taylor (Who's Making Love, 1968)
Johnnie Taylor (Who's Making Love, 1991)
Keith Christmas (Stories from the Human Zoo, 1976)
Leo Sayer (Here, 1979)
Leon Russell (Best Of Leon Russell, 1976)
Leon Russell (Will o' The Wisp, 1975)
Levon Helm (Levon Helm & The RCO All Stars, 1977)
Manhattan Transfer (Pastiche, 1976)
Mar-Keys (Great Memphis Sound, 1966)
Mavis Staples (Mavis Staples, 1969)
Mavis Staples (Only for the Lonely, 2002)
Mel & Tim (Starting All Over Again, 1972)
MGs (The MGs, 1973)
Mickey Thomas (As Long As You Love Me, 1976)
Mickey Thomas (As long as you love me, 1977)
Mitch Ryder (The Detroit Memphis Experiment, 1969)
Muddy Waters (Fathers and sons, 1969)
Muddy Waters (Muddy & The Wolf, 1974)
Muddy Waters (Goodbye Newport Blues, 1995)
Neil Young (Road Rock Vol 1: Friends & Relatives, 2000)
Neil Young (Are You Passionate?, 2002)
Otis Redding (Pain in my heart, 1964)
Otis Redding (Great Otis Redding Sings Soul Ballads, 1965)
Otis Redding (Otis blue, 1966)
Otis Redding (Soul Album, 1966)
Otis Redding (Live in Europe, 1967)
Otis Redding & Carla Thomas (King & Queen, 1967)
Otis Redding (Immortal Otis Redding, 1968)
Otis Redding (Dock of the Bay, 1968)
Otis Redding (Love Man, 1969)
Otis Redding (Tell the Truth, 1970)
Peter Frampton (Where I should be, 1979)
Rance Allen (Straight From the Heart, 1972)
Rance Allen (Soulful Experience, 1975)
Richie Havens (End of the Beginning, 1976)
Rita Coolidge (Rita Coolidge, 1971)
Rod Stewart (Atlantic crossing, 1975)
Rod Stewart (A Night on the Town, 1976)
Ronnie Hawkins (The Hawk, 1971)
Roy Buchanan (Loading zone, 1977)
Roy Buchanan (Guitar on Fire, 1993)
Ruby Johnson (I'll Run Your Heart Away, 1993)
Rufus Thomas (Can't Get Away From This Dog, 1992)
Sam & Dave (Back at 'Cha!, 1976)
Shirley Brown (Woman to Woman, 1974)
Shirley Brown (Shirley Brown, 1977)
Soundtrack (Roadhouse, 1989)
Soundtrack (The Great Outdoors, 1988)
Soundtrack (Vampires, 1998)
Steve Cropper (Playing my Thang, 1980)
Stevie Nicks (Bella Donna, 1981)
The Blues Brothers (Blues Brothers & Friends: Live from House of Blues, 1997)
The Emotions (Sunshine, 1978)
The Mar-Keys/Booker T & The MGs (Back to Back, 1967)
The Original Soul Christmas (1994)
The Soul Children (Genesis/Friction, 1999)
The Soul Children (Soul Children/Best Of Two Worlds, 1995)
The Staples Singers (Soul Folk in Action, 1968)
The Staple Singers (This Time Around, 1981)
Tinsley Ellis (Fire it up, 1997)
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers (Damn The Torpedos, 1979)
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers (Hard promises, 1981)
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers (Playback, 1995)
Tony Joe White (Lake Placid Blues, 1995)
Various Artists (Atlantic Blues, 1986)
Various Artists (Monterrey International Pop Festival, 1967)
Various Artists (Soul Christmas, 1968)
William Bell (Soul of a Bell, 1967)
William Bell (Little Something Extra, 1992)
William Bell (Bound to Happen, 1997)
Willie Dixon (The Chess Box, 1990)
Wilson Pickett (In the midnight hour, 1965)
Wilson Pickett (Exciting Wilson Pickett, 1966)

What the above represents is the discography of one Mr. Donald "Duck" Dunn. Every one of those albums carry a credit line for Mr. Dunn on one or more songs.

Go on, go back and scroll through them again. We will wait...

Mr. Dunn was born in 1941 in a place called Memphis, Tennessee. Dunn's dad was a candy-maker and was of the opinion that going into the music business meant doing drugs and dying young.

Mr. Dunn picked up a ukulele when he was around 10, but began playing the bass guitar at the age of 16. As Mr. Dunn explains it on his web site, "There were so many good guitarists another one wasn't needed. What was needed was a bass." He did grow up with Steve Crooper, a great R&B/Soul guitarist

Mr. Dunn taught himself to play by listening to records and always felt he would be good at the bass guitar.

His dad gave him his nickname early in life one day as they watched a Donald Duck cartoon together. Even some of Mr. Dunn's teachers called him Duck!

He and Cropper formed their first band, "The Royal Spades", playing Jerry Lee, Bo Diddley and Chuck Berry covers. They were one of the first white bands to play Soul and Rhythm and Blues in the Memphis area.

The band morphed into the Mar-Kays and had a hit "Last Night" before Crooper left to be a session guitarist at the great Stax Label.

A short time later Mr. Dunn, at Cooper's urging joined the house band at Stax. This group of musicians performed live as a little band called "Booker T. and the MGs"

On his blog, Mr. Dunn speaks of the bass guitars he has owned in a reverential way, he still owns the first Fender Bass he bought in 1958.

In 1967, Mr. Dunn traveled with Otis Redding to England for a series of concerts, and was taken back by the great reaction the bands received there. Prior to his going on tour the group at Stax would try and achieve the sound that was coming from Motown. Over time, he and many others, including myself, believe it certainly does.

Remember, during this time, in the Memphis area you had Stax and Sun Records both cranking out hits along with Motown out of Detroit. All three had incredible house bands. As the bands became so comfortable playing together they each created a "sound" special to their label.

Famous riffs and song rhythms were born out of jam sessions and allowing songs to flow at the end, people taking a chance or changing a rhythm and letting something new evolve.

mr. Dunn was a part of the legendary recording session for Jerry Lee Lewis' album, "Southern Roots" in 1974. The four day session ran rampant with drugs and alcohol and people passing out on the studio floor. Through it all, Mr. Dunn says that "When A Man Loves A Woman" was done in one take and calls Lewis, "...outrageous, but I think he is the best rock and roller that ever lived."

The MGs continued to put out music with some hits through the 70's until Booker left Memphis. He had decided to move to California. Steve Jackson and Mr. Dunn worked to keep the MGs together, but it was not to be. Jackson was killed by an intruder to his home in 1975.

In 1980, mr. Dunn, along with Crooper were asked to appear in "The Blues Brothers Movie"

Mr. Dunn has a few lines in the movie, but the most memorable one is in the scene where Jake and Elwood are trying to convince the band (now playing as "Murph and the Magic Tones"), to reform as the Blues Brothers. After Jake tells them they were the backbone of a great rock and roll band, Mr. Dunn's line comes...

"Jake ain't lying though.
We had a band powerful enough to turn goat piss into gasoline."

Mr. Dunn is third from left.

Mr. Dunn has continued playing with Booker T. and the MGs since they began doing shows again in 1977, as well as playing in the Blues Brothers Rock and Roll Revue, while continuing to work on albums for other artists.

In 2007 Mr. Dunn and Booker T. & the MGs members Lewie Steinberg, Booker T. Jones, Steve Cropper, and wife of deceased member Al Jackson - Barbara, were awarded a Lifetime Achievement Grammy during a Special Merit Awards Ceremony in Los Angeles.

Mr. Dunn is also an inductee in the "Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame", along with his Booker T. and the MGs band mates, having been inducted in 1992.

Now you know...

MR. DONALD "DUCK" DUNN

Want to check out Booker T. and the MGS? Here is the latest tour schedule...

July 20, 2007
41st Montreux Festival
Montreux, CH
With the MGs

July 21, 2007
Porretta Soul Fest
Bologna, IT
With the MGs

July 22, 207
Nice Jazz Festival
Nice, FR
With the MGs

August 8 and 9, 2007
The Dakota
Minneapolis, MN
Two nights with the MGs

August 10, 2007
Waukesha Blues Festival
Delafield, WI
With the MGs

August 12, 207
Bayfront Blues Festival
Duluth, MN
With the MGs

September 8, 2007
Bull Durham Blues Fest
Durham, NC
With the MGs

Please stay well and enjoy your happiness...

CREDITS:

"Green Onions"
Booker T. & The MGs
Composers: Booker T. Jones, Steve Crooper, Lewie Steinberg, Al Jackson
"Top Of The Stax - Twenty Greatest Hits"

"I Forgot To Be Your Lover"
William Bell
Composers: William Bell & Booker T. Jones
"Top Of The Stax - Twenty Greatest Hits"

DAMN IF YOU ARE GOING TO LEAVE THEM WITH MUSIC AT LEAST MAKE IT UPLIFTING!
OK,, OK GET OFF MY BACK!

This one has always been able to get me to feeling better about things...so we share it with you...
The song is called "Mountain Jam" and in the credits it says "Theme From First There Is A Mountain"

Music is credited to the band...

If you have the time...listen...

This just - to me - illustrates a climb...it begins...quickly...building...building...then it slows down...hitting the wall...and then the motion begins again...falling backward...getting up and trying once again...until the crescendo at the end...when you know you have made it...

To me, it is an uplifting song, especially the second half...

But it is not a background song...you have to give it your attention...There is layer upon layer of music here and to appreciate it...If you can...turn it up, close your eyes and just let it envelop you...

It is long (33 minutes)...but if you can get 15 minutes in or so, after the drum solos you will hear the most magnificent slide guitar work...

Anyway...we have been listening to it often - not working yet...

See you all soon.

Please stay well and enjoy happiness...

Please stay well and enjoy happiness...

Independence Day 2007

A rerun from 07/03/2006
With a new opening, some formatting changes and the addition of music
enjoy!



HAPPY
INDEPENDENCE DAY
to our guests from the U.S.A.

To those of you not celebrating
Happy Wednesday!

Musically, today you have your choice of:
Elvis

or Ray
(who does the third verse and then the well know first verse)

or BOTH today!


Please stay well and enjoy happiness...

June 11, 1776, five men meet in secret...their goal, to draft a resolution by which the 13 colonies would break from rule by the British. These five men (John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, Robert R. Livingston & Roger Sherman), decided that Mr. Jefferson would write the original draft.

When he was done, Franklin and Adams made some minor changes and these changes were incorporated prior to presenting the document to the Continental Congress on June 28, 1776.


John Trumbull's famous painting is usually incorrectly identified as a depiction of the signing of the Declaration. What the painting actually depicts is the five-man drafting committee presenting their work to the Congress. Trumbull's painting can also be found on the back of the U.S. $2 bill.




On July 2, 1776, independence was declared as outlined in the "Lee Resolution" presented to the Continental Congress by Richard Henry Lee of Virginia on June 7, 1776, which read (in part):

"Resolved: That these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent States, that they are absolved from all allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain is, and ought to be, totally dissolved."

The full declaration (after some additional rewriting) was adopted at the Pennsylvania State House on July 4, 1776.

The original was signed by John Hancock and Charles Thompson. Then a local printer, John Dunlop spent the evening printing 150-200 copies of the document. The original document never survived but there are about 25 original "Dunlap broadsides" in existence.

On July 19, 1776, Congress ordered a new handwritten copy be produced and signed by all of the original delegates to sign.

On August 2, 1776, most of the delegates signed this document, in geographic order of their colonies from north to south, though some delegates were not present and had to sign later. Two delegates never signed at all. As new delegates joined the congress, they were also allowed to sign. A total of 56 delegates eventually signed. This is the copy on display at the National Archives.

The youngest to sign was Edward Rutledge (26). The oldest, Benjamin Franklin (70).

THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE

Today- do not skip over it - read it...this is our freedom

When, in the Course of human Events, it becomes necessary for one People to dissolve the Political Bands which have connected them with another, and to assume, among the Powers of the Earth, the separate and equal Station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent Respect to the Opinions of Mankind requires that they should declare the Causes which impel them to the Separation.

We hold these Truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed, by their Creator, with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.

That to secure these Rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just Powers from the Consent of the Governed, that whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these Ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its Foundation on such Principles, and organizing its Powers in such Form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.

Prudence indeed, will dictate, that Governments long established, should not be changed for light and transient Causes; and accordingly all Experience hath shewn, that Mankind are more disposed to suffer, while Evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the Forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long Train of Abuses and Usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object, evinces a Design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their Right, it is their Duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future Security.

Such has been the patient Sufferance so these Colonies; and such is now the Necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The History of the Present King of Great-Britain is a History of repeated Injuries and Usurpations, all having in direct Object the Establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let the Facts be submitted to a candid World.

COUCH NOTE: * The signers then list 27 grievances against the British Crown. The grievances are directed personally at the King

In every stage of these Oppressions we have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble Terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated Injury. A Prince, whose Character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the Ruler of a free People.

Nor have we been wanting in Attentions to our British Brethren. We have warned them from Time to Time of Attempts by their Legislature to extend an unwarrantable Jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the Circumstances of our Emigration and Settlement here. We have appealed to their native Justice and Magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the Ties of our common Kindred to disavow these Usurpations, which, would inevitably interrupt our Connections and Correspondence.

They too have been deaf to the Voice of Justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the Necessity, which denounces our Separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of Mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace, Friends. We, therefore, the Representatives of the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, in GENERAL CONGRESS, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the World for the Rectitude of our Intentions, do, in the Name, and by the Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly Publish and Declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be, FREE AND INDEPENDENT STATES; that they are absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political Connection between them and the State of Great-Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as FREE AND INDEPENDENT STATES, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which INDEPENDENT STATES may of right do. And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm Reliance on the Protection of the divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor.

THE SIGNERS
In order - North to South

• Josiah Bartlett, New Hampshire
• William Whipple, New Hampshire
  
• Matthew Thornton, New Hampshire
• Samuel Adams, Massachusetts
• John Adams, Massachusetts
• John Hancock, Massachusetts
• Robert Treat Paine, Massachusetts
• Elbridge Gerry, Massachusetts
• Stephen Hopkins, Rhode Island
  
• William Ellery, Rhode Island
• Roger Sherman, Connecticut
• Samuel Huntington, Connecticut
• William Williams, Connecticut
• Oliver Wolcott, Connecticut
• William Floyd, New York
  
• Philip Livingston, New York
• Francis Lewis, New York
• Lewis Morris, New York
• Richard Stockton, New Jersey
  
• John Witherspoon, New Jersey
• Francis Hopkinson, New Jersey
• John Hart, New Jersey
• Abraham Clark, New Jersey
• Robert Morris, Pennsylvania
• Benjamin Rush, Pennsylvania
• Benjamin Franklin, Pennsylvania
• John Morton, Pennsylvania
• George Clymer, Pennsylvania
• James Smith, Pennsylvania
• George Taylor, Pennsylvania
• James Wilson, Pennsylvania
• George Ross, Pennsylvania
• Caesar Rodney, Delaware
• George Read, Delaware
• Thomas McKean, Delaware
• Samuel Chase, Maryland
• William Paca, Maryland
• Thomas Stone, Maryland
• Charles Carroll of Carrollton, Maryland
• George Wythe, Virginia
• Richard Henry Lee, Virginia
• Thomas Jefferson, Virginia
• Benjamin Harrison, Virginia
• Thomas Nelson, Jr., Virginia
• Francis Lightfoot Lee, Virginia
• Carter Braxton, Virginia
• William Hooper, North Carolina
  
• Joseph Hewes, North Carolina
• John Penn, North Carolina
• Edward Rutledge, South Carolina
  
• Thomas Heyward, Jr., South Carolina
• Thomas Lynch, Jr., South Carolina
• Arthur Middleton, South Carolina
• Button Gwinnett, Georgia
• Lyman Hall, South Carolina
• George Walton, South Carolina

Were these men perfect? Absolutely not! We all know that many were slave owners and that their words did not represent slaves. Women were also not represented in this document or it's meaning. But right in the beginning, they also gave those that follow the ability to change as the times changed:

"that whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these Ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its Foundation on such Principles, and organizing its Powers in such Form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness."

Over the centuries, our ancestors have righted these wrongs and given those who were once slaves their freedom and women the right to vote.

Did these changes come easily? Of course not, change is never easy. The change that these men saw fit in the 1700's was certainly not easy. The civil war pitted brother against brother in some cases. The fight for a woman's right to vote was long and hard.

For the most part the changes that have needed to be made have been made.

Are we perfect today? Like our ancestors, we are not. We have many things that we still need to change and slowly over time we can only hope they will.

Will they change without struggle? Again...no.

But the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA is built on the words that change can be made...and without those words who knows what our lives would be today.

Today we celebrate the day these patriots stood up to a government that was intolerable. We get together with friends and loved ones and enjoy the company of all. We barbeque and eat and drink and laugh and smile.

Many will watch the fireworks - which represent the battles that took place during the original fight for freedom.

What we no longer do, it seems, is stop to reflect on the lives that were lost during this struggle and the lives that have been lost in the many struggles that followed. Not only the wars we fought with our military (we have days to honor those brave men and women)...but the lives that were lost fighting for freedom within the USA.

The lives lost by those who fought for racial freedom.

The lives lost by women during their struggle for equality.

The lives lost over the right to choose.

The lives lost by those who have protested what they have felt are unfair policies of our govenment.

All these lives have been lost in the continuing struggle to get it right.

Will we ever get it right?

I certainly can not answer that question, but I can certainly hope and pray we do our best to get as close as possible.

So, today, JULY 4, 2007, as you sit with friends and family and throw another burger on the grill or pop open another beer, take one moment and silently thank those people who began the fight in 1776 and all of those who have continued the fight over the last 231 years...

We are not perfect...but we could be so much less perfect without them.

CREDITS:

"AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL"

Elvis Presley
"Live In Las Vegas"
12/06/1975
-+-
Ray Charles
"A Message From the People"
1972

Words by Katharine Lee Bates,
Melody by Samuel Ward

COUCH NOTE: Have you ever read all the lyrics? So much more there than just the first verse which praises our land. The verse every child knows.

The remaining verses praise the people and the struggle that was fought and won.

Katharine Lee Bates wrote the original version in 1893. She wrote the 2nd version in 1904. Her final version was written in 1913.

Here is a note from Katharine Lee Bates we found on the internet:

"One day some of the other teachers and I decided to go on a trip to 14,000-foot Pikes Peak. We hired a prairie wagon. Near the top we had to leave the wagon and go the rest of the way on mules. I was very tired. But when I saw the view, I felt great joy. All the wonder of America seemed displayed there, with the sea-like expanse."

O beautiful for spacious skies,
For amber waves of grain,
For purple mountain majesties
Above the fruited plain!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea!

O beautiful for pilgrim feet
Whose stern impassioned stress
A thoroughfare of freedom beat
Across the wilderness!
America! America!
God mend thine every flaw,
Confirm thy soul in self-control,
Thy liberty in law!

O beautiful for heroes proved
In liberating strife.
Who more than self their country loved
And mercy more than life!
America! America!
May God thy gold refine
Till all success be nobleness
And every gain divine!

O beautiful for patriot dream
That sees beyond the years
Thine alabaster cities gleam
Undimmed by human tears!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea!

O beautiful for halcyon skies,
For amber waves of grain,
For purple mountain majesties
Above the enameled plain!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
Till souls wax fair as earth and air
And music-hearted sea!

O beautiful for pilgrims feet,
Whose stem impassioned stress
A thoroughfare for freedom beat
Across the wilderness!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
Till paths be wrought through
wilds of thought
By pilgrim foot and knee!

O beautiful for glory-tale
Of liberating strife
When once and twice,
for man's avail
Men lavished precious life!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
Till selfish gain no longer stain
The banner of the free!

O beautiful for patriot dream
That sees beyond the years
Thine alabaster cities gleam
Undimmed by human tears!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
Till nobler men keep once again
Thy whiter jubilee!

Vacation

As you all know, we are a semi-regular with DOC BLOGSTEIN on his RADIO HAPPY HOUR with JANE every Tuesday evening at 9:00pm EDT.

The link is along the left side bar.
We now ask you, our guests here on THE COUCH, to help raise the presence of the RADIO HAPPY HOUR around the world...

If you have a few second (no signups required)...do the following please:

1.Go here

2. Click vote

3. Enter email address (they don't send emails--only ask for confirmation)

4. Ask a friend or two or twelve to do it too

5. Rinse and repeat once per month
From Doc and Jane and myself..... danks so much!

If you have not noticed, we linked our dear friend Meribah over under the FAV SITES...just look for the insane puppy!

Other than that...I really have nothing else to post about.

I did write a long very intense post, but this is not the right place for it.

Consider this a vacation

I might be visiting your homes, I might not...

Don't forget us...we will be back sometime

Wednesday, we will post our contribution from last year for the holiday.

PLEASE be safe...

Too Much Information...

It feels like we am Mimi for a day with 3...count 'em kiddies....
THREE memes flung at us...

SO...without further ado...(ummmm adooooooo adooooooooo - be right back - OK, went to the mirror and watched the lips adoooooooooo is cool...not as cool as other words, but cool...)

Where were we?
GET A MOVE ON YOU IDJIT...THIS IS TAKING FOREVER
PLEASE, LET HIM TRY AND BE SLIGHTLY HUMOROUS, YOU KNOW HOW THAT MAKES HIM FEEL BETTER...
SLIGHTLY HUMOROUS? IS THAT ALL I AM?
OH PLEASE, DO NOT LISTEN TO MY CONVERSATIONS WITH HIM...
BUT...
WILL YOU SHUT UP AND JUST DO THE DANG MEMES?

MEME ONE FROM STARR...
"THE BIRTHDAY MEME"

Here are the rules: You go to Wikipedia and type in your birthday (only month & day). Then you write down 3 events, 2 births, 1 holiday, and then you tag 5 friends.

JUNE 16, 1954

3 Events
1960 - Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho opens in New York.

1967 - Monterey Pop Festival begins; Monterey, California.

1996 - First round of voting in the Russian presidential election.


2 Births
1970 - Phil Mickelson, American golfer

1971 - Tupac Shakur, American Rapper

1952 - Gino Vannelli, Canadian singer and songwriter


1 Holiday
Bloomsday, in honour of Leopold Bloom, the hero of James Joyce's Ulysses set on 16 June, 1904.

There are five slots in the meme list.... as you are tagged, you have to remove the name in the first slot and bump everyone up so that your name can be added to the bottom.

Are We There Yet?
Maggie Moo
108th
Starrlight
Big Leather Couch


This one has been round and round..please grab it if it has not reached you...

Starr also slid this one in under the door...so

FIVE THINGS

1.What were you doing 10 years ago?
We had just moved back from Boston. We moved in March of ’97. Was working 10 minutes from home and the company was honoring their agreements (at that time). Matt was 10 and playing Little League and was just playing in his first All-Star Tournament. Unfortunately, we had made plans to go to Florida and he only played in one game. It was the last year we ever planned any vacations before August!

2.What were you doing 1 year ago?
Out of work…at home…ducking creditors…not having a good time at home.


3. Five snacks you enjoy:
Popcorn – no butter
Chips Ahoy cookies
Famous Amos Oatmeal Raisin cookies
Cantaloupe
Rocky Road ice cream


4. Five songs to which you know all the lyrics:
Sugar Magnolia – Grateful Dead
One Way Out – Allman Brothers
Walk This Way – Aerosmith
Frosty the Snowman – The Chipmunks hehe
Places I’ve Been – Taylor Hicks


5. Five things you would do if you were a millionaire:
Pay for college for all my nieces and nephews
Pay off the homes for Rich/Cindy, Lynn/Kevin and mom and dad
Establish a trust for Matt for when he hits 30
Pay off my debt
Establish a charitable fund to help rebuild hurricane ravaged and inner city baseball fields


6. Five bad habits:
Procrastination
Snacking
Smoking
Letting my emotions get away at times (ah the Gemini)
Not always finishing what we star……


7. Five things you like doing:
Listening to live music
Watching live baseball (all levels)
Blogging
Watching TV
Swimming in the ocean



8. Five things you would never wear again:
Black suede Beatle boots
Flared bell bottoms
Hukapoo shirts
Shoulder-padded linen jacket
Speedo (We worked as a lifeguard in our “yute” and yes we worn them)




9. Five favorite toys:
Remote control
DVD recorder
Risk
Trivial Pursuit
4 silk scarves


Again...if you have not done this one...go crazy...

THE MAGIC 8

We’ve been tagged by the lovely and talented Angell from Angell’z Secretz to give eight pieces of trivia about myself.

First, The Rules:

We have to post these rules before we give you the facts.

• Players start with eight random facts/habits about themselves.
• People who are tagged need to write their own blog about their eight things and post these rules.
• At the end of your blog, you need to choose eight people to get tagged and list their names.
• Don't forget to leave them a comment telling them they're tagged, and to read your blog.

1. We lie in bed on Sunday mornings watching SportsCenter, Outside The Lines & The Sports Reporters.
2. We wake at 7:05 AM every morning. At one point recently we had our own private wake-up service. It was wonderful.
3. There is a TV on always..even when music is playing (yes, we mute the TV sound).
4. Can not help but tear up if Extreme Home Makeover is on. Just gets to me every time. (Go on giggle...we will wait....done? OK, let's move on...)
   
5. We have not been in a movie theater in over 5 years. Sad, we know.
6. We have never read Moby Dick. Sad, we know.
7. We hate those Geico "Caveman commercials" and now they are even making a comedy series about them!
8. There is someone who makes me smile.
   

Taking the total easy way out... all y'all can tag all ya want...

At this point (8:11 PM) lifelogger.com (Where we store our music)
is down for maintenance. Maybe no music....
10:50...lifelogger.com back in business and so are we...



CREDITS:

"YOU ARE SO BEAUTIFUL"
Joe Cocker
Composers: Billy Preston & Bruce Fisher

"I CAN STAND A LITTLE RAIN"

Joe Cocker (Vocals)
Randy Newman (Piano)
Greg Mathieson (Piano)
Chuck Rainey (Bass)
Nicky Hopkins (Piano)
Clydie King (Bass / Vocals)
Henry McCullough (Guitar)
Jim Price (Organ /Piano / Trombone / Keyboards / Vocals)
Jimmy Webb (Piano)
Stewart Blumberg (Trumpet)
Ollie E. Brown (Drums)
Merry Clayton (Vocals)
Cornell Dupree (Guitar)
Venetta Fields (Vocals)
Jay Graydon (Guitar)
Ralph Hammer (Guitar)
Jim Horn (Saxophone)
Jim Karstein (Drums)
Trevor Lawrence (Saxophone)
Steve Madaio (Trumpet)
Greg Matheson (Piano)
David McDaniels (Bass)
Daniel Moore (Vocals)
David Paich (Piano)
Ray Palmer (Guitar)
Jeff Porcaro (Drums)
Ray Parker, Jr. (Guitar)
Bernard "Pretty" Purdie (Drums)
Chris Stewart (Bass)
Richard Tee (Organ / Piano / Keyboards)
Mayo Tiana (Trombone)
Dave McDaniel (Bass)
Ollie Brown (Drums)
Peggy Sanduig (Organ)
Sherlie Matthews (Vocals)