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His and Hurricanes (Pt. 8 in a serial story)

“Stop there,” muscle head said.

He had a gun Prosby noticed, a Walter PP, pretty bad-ass pistol.

Prosby didn’t realize he said that out loud.

“I’ll show you how it works and fired a shot that whizzed by Prosby’s right ear.

“Now go ahead, piss and let’s go.”

Prosby turned to a tree. He took his time.

“Hey come on,” muscle head said. “Nobody takes this long.”

“I have a UTI,” Prosby said, confusing meathead.

And that’s when meathead made a meathead mistake.

He grabbed Prosby by the arm to turn him around and Prosby instantly had his hand on the gun, Using two hands with  lightning speed, Prosby snapped it upward, the sound of the gunshot straight up into the sky almost overpowered the sound of muscle brain’s wrist snapping like a rubbery chicken bone. Almost simultaneously, Prosby smashed the nose with his elbow and kneed him in the groin.

That was too easy, Prosby thought, putting the pistol in his waistband. Yes it  was too easy.

The other Dani Boy, the 6-foot-7-inch Gladiator reject and part-time driver, had Prosby in a crushing bear hug from behind.

Prosby managed to grab the Gladiator’s pinkies and snap them like wishbones while simultaneously stomping on his attacker’s foot.

“I love you too but not in the mood tonight,” Prosby  said, grabbing a handful of his Thor-like yellow hair and bringing down his head  to meet Prosby’ crunching knee lift to the face.

“Night-night,” Prosby said.

The  fight moves were courtesy of an ancient but little know self defense art said to have emanated out  of a game called basketball.

The defensive fight moves are called OMH, which no one can remember the meaning. It came from Alabama as basketball games became more and more violent. A tribe of older men needed a way to protect themselves, using techniques of basketball, like the Elbow Bash, the Wrist Snap, the Ankle Breaker, the Eye Gouge and the Rock Pick. These ancient techniques can be traced back to a day called Madness when tribes from near and far came to battle and ‘no blood, no foul’ became its creed.’

Now was time for Prosby to run. Dani would be coming and she will not be happy with her boys’ work. Now in a Level 2 Air Zone, gas masks were unnecessary in this part of Florida. But he took Gladiator’s anyway, and hung it with his own on a hip pack designed just for that.

He heard Dani’s voice calling out for her boys as he began to move lightly, quickly and decisively under the cover of the woods and darkness.

…..To Be Continued

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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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Peter Himmelman sends My Vinyl Countdown excellent, hard-to-find vinyl

Peter Himmelman, a Minnesota-born, California-based, singer-songwriter, rock star of cult-level status and observant Orthodox Jew, sent me three vinyl records recently in support of my effort to get the word out about a prevalent but little-known brain disease.

Woo hoo! I was so excited to rip open that box and play some new Himmelman music, which I find to be of the highest order.

Himmelman like a few of my favorite artists had not, heretofore, to my knowledge, put out LPs. Now that I have this vinyl, I can add him to the countdown. (In another post I will review his three albums.)

So how did this come about that a semi-famous rock star, Bob Dylan’s son-in-law, send me three excellent out-of- print vinyl records? Therein lies the story, a story about this singer, this journalist and my wife, Catherine, a Presbyterian minister.

FOR THE FULL STORY, PLEASE CLICK THIS

Himmelman’s ‘The Boat that Carries Us’ album cover.
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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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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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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.

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Hisicanes and hurricanes (Pt. 7)

[Scene Part 7. Prosby still trying to figure out why he is being kidnapped, looks for an escape from the crazy psychopathic Dani and two of her muscle heads.]

It was midnight in Bithlo. Prosby had been tied up, mask on, in the back of a pick-up truck since they left the Panhandle town of Dothan.

Dothan was relatively safe. Bithlo was not.

But because the ocean had covered 70 percent of Florida over the past few hundred years, the only way to get to Orlando was through Bithlo.

Prosby banged his head on the rear view glass to try and get Dani’s attention. She wasn’t driving, one of her steroid enhanced men was at the wheel. He looked about 6’7” and a chiseled 250 pounds. Another one, was quite a bit shorter but probably heavier. As one North American comic put it years ago: His muscles had muscles.

Prosby shook his head. How did this happen?

And then there was Burnees. They were friends in childhood, lovers thereafter. Then their world changed. Hell, everybody’s world changed.

Larger hisicanes and hurricanes, tornadoes with winds off the charts, and the rains that never stopped — except when they stopped… they really stopped.

Last time he saw her, Prosby and Burnees were broke in an ever-disappearing Baton Rouge. They hopped aboard an 18-wheeler and headed west, singing, playing harmonica. Last time he saw her was in California, some godforsaken town. Lodi, maybe? Prosby’s memory was failing him.

He was officially diagnosed years ago, with the little known brain disease called the Woolies, a condition named after Dr. Chapo Wulu, believed caused by radiation exposure. The radiation cultivated killer proteins nicknamed Memory Monsters. Prosby was in early stages but he knew someday his memory would be wiped. On days like this, maybe that’s a good thing.

Salinas! The memory though a late arrival decided to visit. That’s right. Beach town probably underwater now. He remembered that he and Burnees had such great expectations.

But she walked away. ..Anyway.

He never saw her again. He had heard the rumors though. That she was working for the Guardians or hiding from the Guardians. He was glad to hear she was still living nonetheless. He wondered what the witchy woman Dani wanted.

Prosby was snapped out of his reverie by the short muscle head standing over him as the truck came to a stop.

“Hey Popeye,” Prosby said to the man glaring at him. “Gonna whip up some spinach omelettes for us?”

“Shut up unless you want me bounce your head on the street,” said square-muscle.

“Good one, muscle head,” Prosb y said, actually impressed with bicep-boy’s ability to string words together into a sentence.

“Whasssup!” Dani said smiling, emerging from the passenger side, raising her hands and dancing. You two boys introducing yourselves? Big meathead stayed in the driver’s seat looking straight ahead.

Prosby suspected Dani was on cocaine, pharmaceutical.

“I gotta take a leak,” Prosby said.

“Aww nature calls,” Dani said. “You know I may be calling too, soon. As they say, let nature take it’s course.”

She flicked her head to square peg indicating for him to take Prosby for a short walk.

“Stay with him,” she said. “Don’t try anything Prosby, he has orders to kill if you run and he has killed lots of running people.”

“And Prosby, even if you do run and escape the killing machine that is my man here, you’ll be running in Bithlo. The twitching freaks and their dog hybrids will kill you and cut you up for dinner in quick time”

To be continued ...

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The Greg Kihn Band — 389

ALBUM: RocKihnRoll

MVC Rating: 3.0/$

At the risk of releasing a giant ear worm, here’s the band that wrote and recorded ‘The Break-up Song.’ Don’t remember it?

How about if I add the rest of the song title. (‘They Don’t Write ‘Em) No?

How about this hint:

Ah-ah-ah, ah-ah-ah-ah, ah

Yes, they don’t write ’em like that anymore.

It’s a decent song with little to say other than people are dancing to a song like you don’t hear much anymore. That may be profound. Or, like a lot of things, profundity is in the eye of the beholder, or in this case the ear of the listener.

Remember this was 1981. So we can look back and say the same thing about this song.

Ah-ah-ah, ah-ah-ah-ah, ah. They don’t write ’em like that any more.

Maybe we are thankful.

Some decent power pop rock on this album with the emphasis on ‘some.’ I don’t recall buying this but I must have obtained it pretty cheaply. Mostly forgotten fodder. Most of the songs are written or co-written by Kihn. But there’s a cover of “Sheila” by Tommy Roe, he of ‘Dizzy’ fame. “I’m so dizzy, my head is spinning.’

Ah-ah-ah, ah-ah-ah-ah, ah.

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Janis Joplin — 391, 390

Album: Greatest Hits (1973); Pearl (1969)

MVC Rating: Greatist: 4.0/$$$; Pearl 4.5/$$$$

NOTE: I added Pearl, which I picked up in a thrift store after I’d done the original review. Half the tracks overlap with Greatest Hits. Pearl is a great classic album. I’m pretty sure I have pretty much all the Joplin I need as I also have a CD with something like 20 song.

—

Talk about pain — as we have been with the country songs of George Jones and Tammy Wynette — Janis Joplin was one hurting puppy.

Her voice was like no other when that inner turmoil came out.

That’s why the video in my last post of Janis and Tom Jones is something of a revelation. Tom Jones (coming to Birmingham soon) is a made for-Vegas, pop singer with a ladies’ following, some nifty dance moves copped from Elvis, and a strong strong voice in his own right. On this duet, Tom and Janis seem to be having much fun as they see who can out belt each other while shimmying around the dance floor to a small but raucous crowd of musicians and dancers.

Janis’ story is sad. Bullied in school in Port Arthur, Texas, for being overweight and having severe acne, she withdrew, thinking she didn’t fit in. She listened to old blues records and began singing in clubs. Next stop San Francisco. It was the psychedelic 1960s’ epicenter. Music, consciousness raising, sexual liberation and drugs came together in a way that was both exciting and very extremely dangerous. Janis died of a heroin overdose at 27.

She died before seeing her cover of the Kris Kristofferson-Fred Foster penned ‘Me and Bobby McGee.’ I might even put that song in my top 10 all time rock songs. Listen to how the lyrics like graceful brush strokes evoke a time, a place, desperation and, yes, freedom.

It was the second No. 1 single to be released after the artist died. The other? ‘(Sittin’ On the Dock of the Bay’ by Otis Redding, another song in contention for my Top 10 and another example of voice and words evoking a sad song of wandering and memories. I’ve got some Otis Redding coming so, as Sam and Dave used to sing, Hold On.

Fun fact: Bobby McGee has been covered by many people, but the first cover was by Roger “King of the Road” Miller. Road songs all.

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My wife feels an electrical charge when she touches me (blog version)

For AL.com version go here.

My wife Catherine and I have electricity between us.

That’s a truth I am proud of even if we have to check the voltage every now and again after 30-plus years of marriage.

But what I am about to describe is not actually the spark of love or the metaphorical way we describe electricity between people, sparks flying and all..

I’m talking literally.

When she touches the top of my ear, at certain times, she feels an electrical buzz on her fingertip. When she does and moves her finger back and forth I hear what sounds like a Star Wars lightsaber — bzuhzzzzzzzuhzzzzzuhzzzz (thanks Reddit and Huffington Post for offerings on how to spell that sound.)

We discovered this phenomenon a few weeks back and it kind of freaked me out. Not known to be electrifying, I wondered how there was a current running through me. Now when I touch my ear after she feels the buzzing, I don’t feel anything.

My thoughts eventually led me to wonder if it has something to do with my brain disease, Lewy body dementia. The ear is rather close to the brain I figured. And strange body feelings are sometimes symptoms of LBD.

After some time searching the Internet, I got a better idea of what may be going on – but certainly not a definitive answer. It appears that the culprit may be the computer laptop. Other reports are that the phenomenon is connected to electric blankets.

What I found were scattered reports on website threads from people asking the same thing.

This from a reader on a physics blog.

When my wife uses her laptop, if I touch her skin, I can feel a buzz. She doesn’t feel the buzz, but she can hear it if I touch her ear. So I’m guessing it’s a faulty laptop, and she’s conducting an electrical current. But why would she not feel anything, and what would it be that she would be hearing when I touch her ear?

Similar stories are reported on a few scattered websites but many of these reports are five or more years old. And it’s true that the buzzing goes away if I’m not using my laptop with it on my lap.

Now scientists have pretty much ruled out any links between laptops and testicular cancer, a concern in the early days of heavy laptop use. But I haven’t been able to find a study on this particular situation.

So I don’t think it is a symptom of my brain disease but I do wonder – though doubtful – that it may be a cause.

Some reports I have found are here and here.

As ‘Buzzing in California’ asked on a blog post relating an electric blanket experience: This experience prompts two questions; one of an academic nature, and the other more related to general health matters.

Has anybody out there experienced this or know any more about it?

I’d love to hear from you as I keep seeking an answer.

For the time being I’ll just chalk it up to the electrifying chemistry I have with Catherine.