Cry Baby

I've been listening to 10CC all week. I have this weird affliction (as I am sure many do) that when I listen to music from my past, I am returned there in my mind. Over the course of a single song, hundreds of memories can come back. Situations and events, however simple, that I definitely wouldn't have recalled without music being the catalyst. They (whoever they are) say that happens mostly with music, food, smells, and funnily enough, liquor. The perfect combo as I sit with a tall rum (Jamaican of course), barbecuing burgers, and listening to more 10CC.

The band 10CC is (or was) a collection of seriously talented musicians. All of whom could write, and play every instrument. Two of those were Kevin Godley and Lol Creme (yes, liong before texting and Facebook, there was a guy named Lol). After the members of 10CC went their separate ways. Godley and Creme went on to write, produce and work on many videos. Tonight's effort features their song "Cry" from 1985. The song is amazing, but what may be most interesting, is that the video features one of the first uses of "image morphing technology". What's that? Watch and learn...and have an AWESOME weekend.

It's 5 O'Clock Somewhere........Ocho Freaking Rios, Jamaica

I need to suck it up buttercup. After seven fantastic days in the Jamaican sun, we returned home to YVR at around 11:30 to 7°C and sheets of cold rain. Not great weather, considering we were still wearing shorts and flip-flops. I whined like a baby who had dropped his soother. Yes, we could have changed into more suitable attire, but that would have been a full acknowledgment that the holiday was indeed over. The saving grace for my family was that they had five more days of Spring Break vacation. I, on the other hand, manned up and went to work the next morning. Although I have tried to focus for the last few days, every once in a while, I am taken back to the beach, the sailing, the seemingly endless supply of rum, and deep inside, I yearn to go back.

Speaking of rum (and I know my rum), I must admit that it was weird to get up in the morning, scout out a spot for the day, apply the sunscreen, and then order a tall rum-based beverage. One day as I swam up to the bar to place my order (around 11:00 a.m. if memory serves correct), I joked with a woman beside me that it might be a bit early to imbibe. She responded with the quintessential "it's 5 'clock somewhere". As Arron the bartender filled my insulated mug with a seriously strong concoction of rum and who knows what else, I thought to myself....."yes, it is". And that was the only excuse that I needed.

So tonight, I raise a toast to that moment with a video by Alan Jackson (featuring a cameo by the legendary Jimmy Buffett). I'm not a big country guy, but this one gets me toe tapping every time. Enjoy, and have a strong Appleton's for me.

The Tale of Pirate Smokey Joe

No words this week. Just watch the video.........

Same as it ever was......

As I write this, my sweetie and I are taking a collective breath and toasting to a well-deserved and long awaited Spring Break. Although I have one day left of work on Monday, we are then all on hiatus - me for a week, they for two.

I stumbled upon tonight's video (literally - have you tried www.stumbleupon.com?) and was reminded that both the group and the song once reigned as my favourites. Talking Heads leader David Byrne is not only a musical genius, but maybe one of the best frontmen ever. His quirky style and jittery antics always amuse and amaze me. That, and the lyrics of this song, are well worth a listen. Hopefully you enjoy this live version "Once in a Lifetime" as much as I do.

Technology permitting, next week's episode will come to you from a far away place, where we are lucky enough to be holidaying this year. Get your dreadlocks cleaned, and we'll talk next Friday.

Writer's Block - Version 1.00

Welcome to FNHHVD. I have writer's block. It coincides perfectly with my chest and nasal congestion. As a result, I am offering some humour to get you through these depressing, rainy, cold days of March. Enough said....watch and laugh.

Tex-Mex in Northern Ontario?

Welcome back to FNHHVD. Last week's episode was pre-empted due to the Speech from the Throne. Nothing I could do....seriously. CBC pre-empted a lot of things when I was a kid. We only had CBC-TV so it wasn't as though I could just change channels. I would really like to see my kids live with one channel today. They couldn't handle it. Their gnat-like attention span wouldn't allow it.

While I am musing about the CBC, do you have any memory of the 60's TV Show "The Forest Rangers"? If so, you'll remember the show's cast of kids who lived at a northern Ontario forest outpost, and basically ran around solving the world's problems with very little adult supervision. I spent most Saturdays watching this show, and every once in a while, I find myself humming the jaunty theme song (you'd know it if you heard it.) Although I'd like to keep this blog focused on rock/pop/soul/folk videos, I may one day just slip in a TV theme song or two. I can do that because it's my blog, and I don't have any adult supervision.

Tonight's featured artist is actually in town tonight opening for Eric Clapton. I sincerely wish I was going, but I am not. Los Lobos is from East L.A. and serves up some great Latin-inspired Tex-Mex rock. Like so many bands that I listened to in the 80's, they seemed to disappear then reappear several times. They gained success by covering Richie Valens' La Bamba for the motion picture, but I think their best work was their first album "How Will the Wolf Survive". This cut is from that album and features great vocals and guitar. Plus, there are few that look as cool as these guys. Enjoy and Beunos Noches!

Stand By Dave

Welcome back to FNHHVD. Last week's episode was postponed due to plans being made to watch a certain team from Wisconsin win a small trophy. Yes, the Packers are Super Bowl XLV champs, and I am still on cloud nine.

Tonight's video comes as a suggestion from my old friend Dave, who now resides in Kelowna. Dave and I met on our first day of ski patrolling over 20 years ago and he is a true friend. Since that fateful meeting, we have lived together, shared a business dream together, played in a killer band together, and shared one or two beverages from time to time. Years ago, Dave placed a massive pile of sticks on my 1961 Valiant while I was asleep. That's the kind of thing that a true friend does - and one doesn't mind. Although we see less of each other now due to our distance apart, we still manage to chat once in a while, and we get together when we can. Life goes on. Good friends can be apart and still be friends. That's just how it works.

Dave's suggestion comes from "Playing for Change", a group of documentary filmmakers whose goal is to bring the music of the street to the masses. This video, "Stand By Me", was created by recording and then synchronizing tracks played by a huge variety of musicians across the world. What I like about it is that it's NOT the over-produced, auto-tuned, American Idol tripe that we see so much of. These people play simply because they love to play - there is no expectation on their behalf. There is no glitz or glamour, no awards. Yet, their musicianship is remarkable.

Like Dave, these people (or at least some of them) have probably piled sticks on their friend's car at one time. And power to them for that.

My "Inception" Dream

I have had R.E.M. on my mind all week. Not the band, but the sleep state. It all started on Tuesday morning as I tried to grab those last few precious moments of sleep before facing the day. I dream a lot at that time, and Tuesday was no different - except it was different. Bear with me here. In my dream I was at some business meeting on a 20-storey rooftop with my brother and when it came time to leave there was a panic with the elevator. You may or may not know that I absolutely despise elevators. After a treacherous ride down, I awoke, breathing heavily and my heart racing. After telling Leona about my nightmare, she comforted me and rubbed my back, soothing me. I was lucid and ready to arise and start the day. Then......I freaking woke up. So, as you may have guessed by the title of this post, I had a dream within a dream. If you haven't seen the movie Inception, you should, and if you have seen Inception, you know that this is indeed a seriously excellent thing that happened to me.

So for tonight's video post, I thought it pertinent to celebrate with a video from one of my favourite bands, R.E.M. Many connect their name with the sleep state (Rapid Eye Movement), however the band considered names like "Twisted Kites", "Cans of Piss", and "Negro Wives", before settling on R.E.M., which singer Michael Stipe selected at random from a dictionary. Although it's a fine name, are there any bets on how far they would have gone as "Cans of Piss"??

This song was their first single, back in 1981. The performance was R.E.M.'s first live television gig, back when David Letterman was funny, Michael Stipe had hair, and my dreams were only one level deep.

A Heap of talent

Welcome to FNHHVDWP (That's the shortcut - you figure it out). We're a bit late tonight as happy hour was shortened due to some awesome visitors we're having over.

I posted this video to Facebook a long time ago, and I just had to make it officially a part of the show. Imogen Heap, a British singer/songwriter, is simply brilliant. You'd be hard pressed to find someone who doesn't appreciate her voice and writing style. What is unique is that she marries that with a powerful understanding of technology. She makes use of a vocoder, as well as a myriad of synths and other instruments to augment her sound.

This live (yes, live) performance highlights her immense talent. Enjoy "Just For Now", and have a skookum (that's a great word) weekend.

Back to the 80's

Welcome to 2011 and "Friday Night Happy Hour Video Date" with Pete. I spent the holidays sorting through tens of thousands of videos to try and come up with a few that I feel are a "cut above" the rest. Hope you enjoy the first of the new year.

Tears for Fears was formed in the early 80's by Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith. The two were teenaged friends in Bath, England and quite accomplished session musicians by the time they formed TFF. Many pundits wrote the band off as another synth-based 80's duet, however it soon became clear that they had great talent as both writers and performers.

Their second album "Songs from the Big Chair" went #1 in the USA and cemented their legacy as one of the great 80's bands.

Tonight's video is a live performance (one of their last) and was shot at the County Bowl in Santa Barbara, California, in 1990.

I sincerely wish that I had written this song, because I sure sang it enough times dri...ving around in my car in 1985. How about you?