Thunderbolt

I write record reviews for Rock.com. Here is my take on the new Bruce Springsteen album. Bruce Springsteen just won’t let up. Since the 2002 release of his post 9/11 album, The Rising¸ the Boss has put out five studio albums and an assorted lot of live CD’s and DVD’s. Oh, and there were the elaborate box sets celebrating Born to Run and Darkness on the Edge of Town, the numerous tours, and the occasional stump speech for presidential candidates. After being pretty much dormant throughout the 1990’s, Springsteen has taken it upon himself to become a spokesman for the nation, which is exactly what he’s doing again on his masterful new album, Wrecking Ball . If you were a fan of Springsteen’s last effort, the optimistic pop album, Working on a Dream , you’ll probably be disappointed. Wrecking Ball is cut from the same cloth as 2008’s Magic and its predecessor, We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions, that furious collection of folk songs he put out in 2006. Those two albums ...

I'm happy to report that the first draft of the book is completed. From here I'm going to have some people read it and make sure there aren't an abundance of typos and then I hope to get it to a couple of critics for possible quotes. I'm also waiting to hear back from several of the artists I wrote about hoping they'll give me permission to use their lyrics. If anyone has an in with Tom Waits or Bruce Springsteen let me know. Robbie Robertson has already said "yes."

Sorry it's been so long. We're still hanging in there for anyone who is wondering. We still have a long road ahead of us. In looking back on my brother-in-law's accomplishments, I was inspired by Seann's drive to get his art out to the world for his friend, family and fans to listen to and appreciate. Seann recorded music and sold it independently through a digital music service. I sort of took his ambition for granted until it was too damn late to tell him how much I admired his drive. Well, now I'm drawing from Seann's life to try and get my act together. For two years I've been talking about compiling some of my favorite Basement Songs columns and self-publishing them as a book. After seeing the success that my good friend, Will Harris, had when he published a book of his own Popdose columns, I'm finally going to do the same. Ever since we returned from Ohio, I've been editing the Basement Songs columns that I consider some of my best and/or my fa...

It is a new year and we've returned home from Ohio. December is a bad, not so distant blur. I can not believe that my brother-in-law, Seann, has been dead for nearly a month. I never imagined that our family would have to survive such a tragedy. Both Mr. and Mrs. Flynn are such strong, loving people and I have no idea how they are holding up. Only one word comes to mind: devastated. As for me, as if that matters, the loss hits me at strange times. Yesterday, while Dad Flynn and I went to see the new Sherlock Holmes movie as a two hour diversion, the trailer for the next Batman film played. I knew that Seann was a fan of composer Hans Zimmer, who scored the previous Batman movies, as well as Christopher Nolan's Inception (another one of SPF's favs). As the trailer ended and the Batman theme blared through the THX speakers, those blasting horns brought tears to my eyes. Seann will never see that movie; and he'll never get to hear any more of Zimmer's inspiring work. ...

This morning Jacob and I are running the Santa Clarita 5K race together. Right now, he's nervous about getting separated from me (which I'll never let happen) and not beging able o finish. I have complete faith in him. It's only 3.1 miles. However, it is currently 45 degrees and drizzling outside. That's what I'm worried about. Going to be a cold one, my friends. UPDATE- 3:42PM To say that the run was miserable would be a understatement, but we labored through it and I'm so proud of Jake for completing the race. Sometimes it isn't about running the fastest or posting your personal record; sometimes it's just about getting across the finish line and saying "I did it." That's what today was all about and we have the medals to prove it.

Images and scenes of sick or dying children have invaded my dreams. I don't remember most of what goes on in my head when I'm sleeping, but the past couple of weeks have contained some sad, but uplifting moments that obviously tie to my fears for my son and his health. This morning, my dream began with me losing control of my bladder and having to take refuge in a disgusting, two stall shopping mall bathroom to wait for someone to bring me a fresh pair of clothes. While I wait, the miracle of dreaming dries my shorts and shoes and I decide to leave. However, I run into Julie, carrying some jeans and a T-shirt, and she insists that I go back and change. I return to the crappy bathroom and now it's got a line nearly going out the door. Among the people waiting is a teenage boy, maybe 15, confined to a wheelchair. his leg is in a brace and his head appears to be the only normal sized portion of his body. The rest of him is withered and sickly, barely there. The boy- a blond, c...

Finally got a chance to see MONEYBALL tonight and it was an excellent film. Although it was not as emotionally compelling as I'd hoped, I still found the movie inspiring and Brad Pitt's work exceptional. I sometimes forget how good he can be. I guess when you have so many children to feed, you have to make some glossy Hollywood movies to pay the bills. This leaves room to make dream projects like MONEYBALL. There was a moment in the film when the story flashed back to Beane, at that time a washed up major league ballplayer, making the decision to become a baseball scout. "I'm not a ballplayer," he says, much to the amazement of some off screen person (I assume his agent). There are many times that I think about the move out here and the dreams I've pursued and where I now and I think, "I'm not a ball player." But, I did make a movie, which most people can not say, and I've been in the lives of my children since the day they were born instead ...