Thunderbolt

This week I offered to create a mix tape, of sorts, for one of my favorite blogs, Py Korry (see link to the right). The sit does some great writing about life and music and the guy who owns the house, Ted, was involved with the Bloggers For A Cure. He also did the interview of me for a radio broadcast a couple months back. The music I selected for Ted was based on some of the drummers from the '80's that inspired me and made me want to rock out. You may not have heard of these guys, but you’ve heard their music, that's for sure. I miss being able to walk down into my parents' basement and wail on the drums anytime of the day (and, when my folks were away, certain early morning hours, much to the chagrin of the neighbors). Drumming was more than just a chore for me. Drumming became the first way I felt like I could communicate passionately through art. Although I began trying to imitate Neil Peart (along with every other drummer my age), I soon started listening to...

I've been busy working on a script, which is a good thing. Although it takes me away from the blog, it means I've broken through the crippling writer's block that shut me down for a couple of months. Anyway, I saw "Knocked Up" last Friday and loved it. Immediately after the movie, I wrote this review. Of all the tings I expected from Judd Apatow’s wonderful movie, “Knocked Up”, the one thing I did not see coming was the emotional honesty at the core of the film. Between all of the dick jokes and the hundreds of times the work “fuck” is used (to comic genius effect), this really is a movie about people connecting and a movie about love. Not just the love between man and woman (and the complexities of love), but also love between friends and love between a parent and their child. In many ways, the film reminded me of Apatow’s classic series, “Freaks and Geeks” (for which he was the producer, writer and occasional director). The humor tempered the pathos in su...

Each and every time I hear the opening guitar strumming of The Pretenders’ “Back on the Chain Gang”; I am filled with happiness, sorrow, love and regret. Then the acoustic guitar (only truly featured in the beginning of the song) joins in, and finally the lead guitar melody, the drums and a wonderful bass part propel me through my past. When asked what my favorite songs of all time would be, I know that this song would be ranked in the top 5. Initially released as a single in 1982, I remember the song fondly for its bouncy video featuring the members of the band leaping in the air. Since we didn’t have cable television my entire childhood (my parents reluctantly got it in the 90’s), I first saw the video in the basement of a kid named Thom Theiss. Thom and I were in 7th grade together and were pretty tight during that year. By the time The Pretenders album, “Learning to Crawl”, was released in 1983, I had fallen out with Thom and his group of friends. It wasn’t so much we had a ...

Yesterday was my parents’' 45th wedding anniversary. In this day and age, that number seems monumental. I failed to call them, which is ludicrous because of all the days in the year, this would seem the most important. If they'd never gotten married, you wouldn't be reading this blog because good old' Scott wouldn't exist. Plain and simple. I know from my few conversations with them about it that my parents had a rough go of it early in their relationship. My grandfather Lamb actually broke them up at one point. But their love was too strong and they found their way back into each other’s lives. After they were engaged, my dad was never in favor with my grandfather. I admire my mom for sticking up for the man she loved, even though her father disapproved. My father graduated and got his first job in Georgia while my mom completed nursing school at the University of Miami. Each weekend, he would drive back down to Florida to see her. Can you imagine? That t...

My father wasn't an easy man to love growing up. I was an emotional kid and I didn't quite get why he wasn't overly affectionate with all of his children. Making matters worse, for me, was that he always seemed to associate better with complete strangers or his students or his fellow teachers. Why couldn't he take the time to talk to me about what book I was reading? I'm sure he would have loved "The Black Cauldron" or "The Great Brain" if he had given them a try. When I reached high school, he and I seemed to reach a level of understanding and we started to get along. I'm not sure what happened, perhaps he had mellowed, or perhaps because I wasn't a rebel rouser like my brother and I wasn't angry all of the time like my sister, it was easier for him to communicate with me. I think some of the things I went through in life and imagine that my dad began to see some of his mortality and he began to realize that he couldn't p...

3:40 pm I've started reading Michael J. Fox's memoir, "Lucky Man". Long a MJF fan (I even liked "Life With Mikey"), I have been inspired by his battle with Parkinson's disease (and who hasn't) and his will to keep fighting. What I have found refreshing, so far, about his book is that he pulls no punches, about himself or the film industry. It takes a brave man to admit he made some shitty films. Most actors are not willing to do so for fear that they'll never work again. Then again, I guess he is not so concerned about that next acting role anymore. What also has come through in the book is his love for his wife and children. If I ever did take up Steve's suggestion and decided to write some sort of memoir, I would most definitely use this book as a model. I have to read it fast, though. I promised Sophie we would both read "Charlotte's Web" this summer. She wants to start this weekend (!). I don't think she unders...

2:32 pm I was just about to go off on hearing some obscure Georgia Satellites song twice ion the same week. But my iTunes followed it up with a fantastic Petty live cut, which of course only brings to mind my drunken wander through the fields of Blossom Music Center with Steve and Phil and the Petty, Satellites, DEL FUEGOS show in 1987. The summer gods are smiling on me,