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Ronnie Lane–366

ALBUM: Slim Chance

MVC Rating: 4.5/$$$$

On any given day, this album may be my favorite and this underrated British musician may be my favorite rock ‘n roll character.

Check out a documentary on this lovable guy on YouTube and learn about how he bought a rundown farm and began traveling to gigs in a dilapidated travel camper only to miss said gigs because it broke down. Took him days to travel to venues.

Lane died too early of multiple sclerosis on 1997 at age 51.

He was born in 1946 on April Fool’s day.

He wrote a song about being an April Fool.

I have Ronnie Lane all over the place, my Small Faces and Faces records, a collaboration with Pete Townshend (see Annie) that’s excellent and collaboration on a movie soundtrack with Ron Wood. Love all the above. Except for Faces, the other albums have not yet been reviewed in my alphabetical countdown. (I’ve just started the L’s).

Lane first gained attention in Small Faces and Faces where they came up with ”Ooh La La’ and ‘Itchykoo Park.’

Lot of videos in this post but they work better than my words in explaining this whimsical Leprechaun. RIP Ronnie.

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Lake–368, 367

ALBUMS:: Lake (1977); Paradise Island (1979)

MVC Rating: Lake 4.0/$$$; Paradise Island 3.5/$$$

This is a German band (sang in English) that had some minor success on the radio with a couple of songs, including ‘Time Bomb.’ My knee-jerk reaction would be to say they are Yes-lite. But the better description would be Styx’s German cousin.

So what’s the difference between Lake and Styx, Asia, or Toto? Record sales is about all I can see. Lake has the same skill-set: highly professional musicians who can put a polished sheen on a radio-friendly sounding tune.

They definitely were aiming for the radio, unafraid to lop a healthy dose of syrupy strings over there rock balladry — see ‘Do I Love You.’ Or is that keyboards?

My wife enjoyed this band, more than me. And that’s how I came to have these.

The band did receive an honor from MyVinylCountdown by being named by me as a band that should have had a bigger hit in the song ‘Jesus Came Down.’ It’s about Jesus coming back and being disappointed in what we’ve been doing. Now who might be behind this little outcome? I don’t know, who could it be? Ummm, SATAN. (Thanks for pointing that out church lady.

Both the albums I have, their debut and the second one, are almost interchangeable. They are both good solid examples, of the polished guitar and keyboard rock that came out of car radio speakers in the late 1970s and 1980s.

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Peter Himmelman — 380, 379, 378

ALBUMS: There is No Calamity (2017); The Boat That Carries Us (2014); and, ‘The Mystery and the Hum; (2007)

MVC Rating: Calamity 5.0/? Boat. 4.5/?; Mystery: 4.5/ ?


Peter Himmelman is many things.

Very good singer-songwriter is one.

Overlooked in that regard is another.

His music is kind of like — and here I go with my sometimes inane, roll-em-up, comparisons — but he’s kind of like James Taylor, John Mellencamp and Tom Petty rolled into one. (I’ve seen Peter Case and Warren Zevon also in these comparisons.) Actually, in circumstance Joe Henry might be good comparisons in that both are outstanding and underrated. (I only have Henry on digital.)

And both have a famous family connection. Henry is married to Madonna’s sister. Peter is married to Bob Dylan’s adopted daughter.

But I digressl

Peter is Peter.

He’s a rock-and-roller from Minnesota whose lyrics are informed by his Orthodox Judaism, as the message and questions raised in his songs strike universal themes: life and death, pain and joy, war and peace — both globally and internally.

Peter is also a Grammy nominated children’s music maker and composer for TV and film (Judging Amy, Bones, among others).

For more about his story and how it is part of my story see the post I did last week for AL.com. In it I tell you how Peter came to send me three rare out of print vinyl records.

I need to live with these records for a while to give them their proper due, but I can tell you there are some strong songs.

The reason I have question marks on the price rating scale for these three albums is because they are no longer available in vinyl. And the only seller I could find online on several sites including Amazon had one copy of ‘There is no Calamity,’ for $198. It looks like you will have to go digital for any of these three records. I’m going to post links to two songs each off each he sent me and two other older songs. I’d urge you to listen.

There is no calamity

There’s two songs on this are so blunt both lyrically and musically and catchy I can’t believe they are not hits. Listen to them: Fear is our Undoing

And 445th Peace Song.

He and his band rock Peace big time at the end in this live version. Studio version here..

The boat that carries us

Here’s two from ‘The boat that carries us: ‘boat’ title song and Too Afraid to Lose..

The Mystery and the Hum

I found “Hum’ to be the most rocking album.

Good Luck Charm is another one that should be on radio.

So should this one ‘Room in Davenport.’

Older favorites: Impermanent Things and This Too will Pass.

Like I said last time, pick any three Himmelman songs and listen all the way and then see if you aren’t hooked. I can’t say that about many artists.

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The Seven Stages of Lewy Body Dementia

I am excited to have found a new LBD resource. Unfortunately my finding led to another finding that I am probably a Stage 4 Lewy patient on a 7-part scale.

My new resource is Norma Loeb, and she runs the Lewy Body Dementia Resource Center.

She contacted me recently after hearing the K-Pod podcast where I was interviewed by Kerri Kasem, daughter of Top-40 radio personality Casey Kasem who they believe died of LBD.

So glad she contacted me because the first thing I noticed going to her website was a post listing the seven stages of Lewy body. I have heard people talk of different stages. but I don’t believe I knew there were seven and I haven’t seen anything breaking that down in simple language like this.

I would classify myself in Stage 3 at best, but most probably Stage 4 based on this scale. Yikes. Although I believe I was diagnosed early. It has been nearly three years and it appears I am moving up (down?) the scale rather quickly. Makes it a little more serious when I put it like that.

I need to stretch my stages out a little longer, I think.

Without further ado, here is Norma Loeb’s post:

Dementia is a disease that affects millions of Americans. There are several types of dementia that we know of, including Alzheimer’s Disease and Lewy Body Dementia.

While forms of dementia vary in symptoms and severity, the Global Deterioration Scale aids in identifying the typical progression.

If you or someone you know may be in the early stages of dementia, here’s what you need to know about its seven stages:

STAGE ONE: NO COGNITIVE DECLINE

Stage one is entirely undetectable to the patient, loved ones, and physicians. At this stage, individuals do not experience or present with any cognitive decline.

STAGE TWO: VERY MILD COGNITIVE DECLINE

Stage two may bring subtle changes in the individual, such as mild forgetfulness. These instances may include forgetting names or having trouble locating familiar objects. In the second stage of dementia, it’s difficult or impossible to notice these minor symptoms, and a diagnosis is not yet able to be reached.

STAGE THREE: MILD COGNITIVE DECLINE

Stage three involves mild cognitive decline. The symptoms may become more noticeable to loved ones of the individual in stage three dementia, and a diagnosis may be near. This stage often includes mild memory loss, out of character forgetfulness, and a slightly decreased ability to concentrate.

STAGE FOUR: MODERATE COGNITIVE DECLINE

Many people living with dementia are officially diagnosed during stage four, which is when physicians are able to pinpoint cognitive decline with an exam. At this point, the patient will likely present symptoms such as life-disrupting forgetfulness and out-of-character difficulty performing daily responsibilities. It may become more challenging for those with stage four dementia to manage finances or navigate to new locations.

STAGE FIVE: MODERATELY SEVERE COGNITIVE DECLINE

Stage five is marked by moderately severe cognitive decline. Individuals in this stage often have notable memory loss and begin to struggle with daily activities. Significant details such as address or phone number may be difficult to recall, and those with stage five dementia will likely need assistance with tasks such as meal preparation and bathing.

STAGE SIX: SEVERE COGNITIVE DECLINE

Individuals in stage six need a high level of support to live comfortably. Memory loss tends to be significant, and many in stage six dementia are only able to recall memories of early life. Incontinence is common in this stage, and many patients also begin to lose their ability to speak. A change in personality may occur during this time period, which lasts an average of 2.5 years.

STAGE SEVEN: VERY SEVERE COGNITIVE DECLINE

Stage seven typically lasts for 1.5 to 2.5 years and is characterized by very severe cognitive decline. Patients in stage seven lose their ability to communicate, and are often unable to walk. Individuals in late stage dementia require extensive assistance with life’s activities, and often need round the clock support.

Dementia affects approximately 5 million Americans each year. Lewy Body Dementia (LBD) comprises approximately 1.4 million cases within this figure, and is often misdiagnosed. If you’d like to learn more about Lewy Body Dementia or seek support, please visit us online at lewybodyresourcecenter.org or reach out to our helpline at 516-218-2026.

My Vinyl Countdown post today in AL.com

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Thoughts on how to beat a fatal disease (blog version)

This is an opinion column from Mike Oliver, who was diagnosed  with the fatal  Lewy body dementia more than two years ago.

Acceptance of a fatal disease diagnosis is the first step.

Listen up brain. I’m talking to you.

That doesn’t mean you are not angry about it. That doesn’t mean you are not sad about it. And that doesn’t mean accepting everything the doctor says. Do research.. Ask questions. I’m not saying give up hope – for a cure, for a milder case, for, yes, even a miracle.

But be realistic.

 To avoid despair – and that’s a weighty word for giving up – you need to come clean with yourself primarily, and, then, others as you begin to become comfortable talking about  it.

I knew a person with a fatal cancer diagnosis who refused to talk about her cancer. Her friends and children eventually knew she was sick but had little to no time to prepare for her death. When she died her school-age children did not know death was even a possibility. Her death was a hard blow to handle without preparation, a sucker punch with long lasting effects.

Talking about my fatal disease, even joking about it has been my way of making this horrible thing bearable. I also talk to my brain.

Now this might sound silly but try it: Stand in front of a  mirror and say “I know I have Lewy body dementia (or Alzheimer’s, or Parkinson’s, or cancer, or whatever it is).

“I know you may kill me before I want to die,” I say to my reflection, talking to my brain. “But I will fight you. I will not go gently — until I can do that on my terms.”

Still standing before the mirror I say: “Lewy, I will resist your memory damaging brain attack. I hereby give you, my brain, permission to summon whatever resources you have to fight back to slow the proteins down.

“Step up brain. You are me. I am you. Together we can beat this.”

 I received an email from a reader that illustrates some of what I am talking. I am printing the email here in whole.

Anne Pinkston in Nashville brought a tear to my eyes with this email.

    —–Original Message—–

    From: Anne Pinkston

    Sent: Thursday, February 14, 2019 10:32 PM

    To: Mike Oliver <MOliver@al.com>

    Subject: Thanks for your articles

    Dear Mike,

    I am guessing you receive more emails than you can read, but still I felt compelled to write.

    I am Anne Pinkston in Nashville.

    My husband Ken, age 76, too has been diagnosed with Lewy Body Dementia with Parkinsonism.    Several months ago, a friend in Birmingham told me about your articles, through which you are chronicling your journey.   That night, I sat up for hours because I could not stop reading your articles.  

    At that time, Ken knew very little about his “diagnosis” and had not been ready to embrace the diagnosis.    I began to read your articles to him at breakfast.  That is how I have exposed him to everything “Lewy”.   Now, he can sometimes even make jokes.  

    Your articles have been a great inspiration for me.   I love your sense of humor and your determination to not be defeated.  I relate to your wife, Catherine.  

    Tonight, I read your article about driving.   My husband had to give up driving in September, and should have sooner.  He has not adjusted yet.  I will read your article to him in the morning, with the hope that it will help him and will make him smile.   

    I believe you and my hubby will both “beat the odds” and live longer and better than expectancy for Lewy Body, so don’t give up.  

    Thank you so much for your articles, your humor and your amazing outlook on life.  You, Catherine, and your girls are to be admired.   I am guessing you have inspired many, many people, as you have inspired me.

    So your friends pledge $$$’s if you dunk.  Well, I pledge $500 to your July Mike Madness B-ball Tournament, whether you dunk or not.  But, I think you and  Dr. J’ Erving could both do it!  Is there a link for 2019 Mike Madness pledges.

    I have been including you and your family in my prayers.

    Keep that “vinyl countdown” going!

    Anne Pinkston

Thanks Anne for making my day! –  Mike

Post Script: Keep your eye on myvinylcountdown.com for information about the charity basketball tournament. We are in early planning stages right now. But I have a feeling this year’s Mike’s Madness is going to be a doozy.

AL.com version with reader comments.

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Kerri Kasem says Lewy body dementia needs more attention

Kerri Kasem and I talked recently about the disease that contributed to the death of her father, world-famous Top 40 disc jockey, Casey Kasem. He died in 2014 of complications of Lewy body disease.

Like myself (and countless others) the elder Kasem was first diagnosed with Parkinson’s. That’s one reason we need much greater awareness of this disease, which affects more than 1.2 million people nationwide, according to the Lewy Body Dementia Association.

Given that we had a similar mission — raising awareness of a little known and little understood brain disease — Kerri, co-host Ashley Marriott, and I talked for a podcast found on her KPOD her podcast website.

That podcast is now live at:

http://thekpod.com/the-kpod-living-with-lewy-body-dementia/

D

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Mark Knopfler, Kitaro 382, 381

ALBUM: Local Hero (movie soundtrack 1983); Kitaro.

MVC Rating: Local”4.5/$$$’ Kitaro, 4.0/$$$

For the Now Playing portion of my column featured on this website and AL.com, we have a movie soundtrack from Mark Knopfler that is good, very good, as is the movie.’

Local Hero,’ beautifully filmed in Scotland is a droll and understated comedy fits right in with Knopflers’s smooth sounding finger-pick work. Like all soundtracks, there are incidents of incidental music, and the album is mostly instrumental. But the overall quality is superb.

I’m adding into this review another sleepy time album -by – a musician who happens to be in alphabetical order, more or less, as I reach into the New Age and pull out Kitaro. If ‘Local Hero’ puts you in a restful peaceful state, Kitaro will just knock you out . A New Age record, for those who don’t remember, is light bright soft serve ice cream. I don’t know that image just came to mind. But I’ve enjoyed New Age musicians, such as George Winston, Michael Hedges and Kitaro.

It’s also fine background music where you don’t want the music to drown out the talk. I find that a lot of folks get into New Age music when they have little ones, nothing like a soothing Kitaro waterfall with flutes to ease those temper tantrums. Because when you finish your tantrum, you’ll be able to help the children, right?

Got that?

I highly recommend Local Hero, a good one that has held up.

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Kid Creole and the Coconuts, Dr. Buzzard’s Original Savannah Band –384, 383

ALBUMS: Kid Creole: ‘In Praise of Older Women (1980);’ Dr. Buzzards Original Savannah Band’Meets King Penett.

MCV Rating: KC: 4.0/$$; Dr. B: 4.0/$$

And now for something completely different. Swing influenced disco jazz.

Stony Browder and Thomas Browder AKA August Darnell, started Dr. Buzzard’s Original Savannah band in 1974 and it sounded far different from anything on the radio at the time.

Buzzard was more swing-y old timey whereas Kid Creole and the Coconuts was more jump jazzy and funky.

Taking a break from my Kinks and Who and Stones, I really enjoyed the throwback exotica and tropicalia of these bands. August Darnell, whose parents were Italian and Caribbean, according to Wikipedia, had a Master’s degree in English and a way with words.

The fun dance songs were flirty with steamy romance. Either of these or anything by either of the groups would be a great bargain bin find. I’ll bet Prince had some Kid Creole in his collection.

If you’re looking for something different.

 

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Carole King — 385

ALBUM: Tapestry (1971)

MVC Rating: 5.0/$$$

When I was growing up — I was about 11 when this came out — nearly all of the songs on Tapestry were on the radio. Or so it seemed. They are among the all time greatest pop songs ever written.

Rolling Stone magazine has her and writing partner Gerry Goffin at #7 on the list of greatest songwriters behind Bob Dylan, Paul McCartney, John Lennon, Chuck Berry, Smokey Robinson and Mick Jagger/Keith Richards. She’s the highest ranking female on the list. But I could argue for an even higher rank.

I think King hops the Stones’ boys and Smokey, all brilliant mind you, and on my desert Island I’d probably take the Stones first. But from a purely objective point of view, I think she’s a No. 5 on the list. And if you pulled the two Beatles together into one rank – the No. 2 slot — she would move up to the No. 4 slot. I’m not going to do a side-by-side on these but Tapestry, the album, is astonishing in that nearly every song is a standard.

But the kicker is this: Look at what she has written for other artists including a song — Chains — covered by the Beatles. Here’s a small sampling of non-Tapestry songs she wrote:

  • ‘The Loco-motion’ for their babysitter Little Eva.
  • “Go Away Little Girl,’ Donny Osmond and Steve Lawrence.
  • ‘Up on the Roof,’ the Drifters.
  • ‘Don’t Bring Me Down,’ the Animals.
  • ‘If it’s Over,’ Mariah Carey.
  • ‘One Fine Day,’ the Chiffons,
  • ‘I’m into Something Good,’ Herman’s Hermits.

At one time I remember Tapestry being the biggest seller ever, at least for a period, eclipsing Beatles. Then I remember hearing Pink Floyd’s ‘Dark Side of the Moon’ surpassed Tapestry. Don’t know if this is accurate, but it comes out of my Lewy body dementia memory that way. Tapestry is still in theTop 10 best selling album of all time.

The copy of Tapestry I have in the house is from my wife’s collection. We began dating in 1978 and were married 1981 and that involved ‘merging’ of some records and tastes. Catherine loved Tapestry and knew every word to every song. Here’s the songs from Tapestry as listed on Wikipedia.:

Side 1

  1. “I Feel the Earth Move” – 3:00
  2. “So Far Away” – 3:55
  3. “It’s Too Late” (lyrics by Toni Stern) – 3:54
  4. “Home Again” – 2:29
  5. “Beautiful” – 3:08
  6. “Way Over Yonder” – 4:49

Side 2

  1. “You’ve Got a Friend” – 5:09
  2. “Where You Lead” (lyrics by Carole King and Toni Stern) – 3:20
  3. “Will You Love Me Tomorrow?” (Gerry Goffin, King) – 4:13
  4. “Smackwater Jack” (Goffin, King) – 3:42
  5. “Tapestry” – 3:15
  6. “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman” (Goffin, King, Jerry Wexler) – 3:59

I was learning to like some of Catherine’s music: James Taylor, for whom I skipped class to camp out and buy tickets to his sold-out concert at Auburn University in, oh, 1980 maybe; Carly Simon, whose ‘Your So Vain’ was one of the few songs I could listen to a million times without getting tired of it. Other groups she loved that I came to appreciate, for the most part anyway: Bread, America, the Carpenters and Diana Ross.

Here’s a good overview of her work by Rolling Stone.

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King Crimson — 386

ALBUM: Discipline (1981)

MVC Rating: 4.0/$$$$

This is a good progressive album. And as I’ve stated before progressive is not my go-to genre. Those who have been following this blog know that — but also know that I admire and own some good examples: Emerson, Lake and Palmer; Yes; and Genesis.

And I also own what I’d call genre-busting proggers: Captain Beyond, Frank Zappa, Pink Floyd, and Crack the Sky.

It all starts on this album with ‘Elephant Walk’ with clever wordplay on the meaning or lack of meaning in verbal communication. Robert Fripp and Adrien Belew deliver some articulate and geometric guitar that blazes, stops and fills better than anyone this side of Zappa on his A-game.

But it’s the opening lyrics that set the tone in ‘Elephant Talk.’

Talk/It’s only talk 
Arguments, Agreements, Advice, Answers , Articulate announcements 
It’s only talk 

Talk /It’s only talk 
Babble, Burble, Banter, Bicker/bicker/bicker, Brouhaha, Balderdash, Ballyhoo 
It’s only talk/ Back talk 

Talk talk talk/It’s only talk 
Comments , Cliches, Commentary, Controversy, Chatter, Chit-chat/Chit-chat/Chit-chat, Conversation, Contradiction, Criticism 
It’s only talk/Cheap talk’

Better at alphabetical order than I am. Some call it ‘math rock.’ You can see for sure that Robert Fripp and crew influenced progressive New Wavers, especially the Talking Heads.