Eartha Kitt

What's WRONG? At CLUB DEAD, The bell tolls for Eartha Kitt, she of "Santa Baby" and Batman, she who faced down the First Lady, dying December 25 of colon cancer which was discovered two years ago.

If ever a lady had balls, it was Eartha Kitt. Her beauty and charm lifted her above the crowd. Her grace was special. She was a lady,a lady like no other, but she was no shrinking violet.

One of her most recent appeances in the national media was at the White House Christmas tree lighting two years ago. On the eve of that visit, The New York Times recalled her Vietnam-era confrontation with Lady Bird Johnson, wife of the President:

Her most famous visit to the White House was nearly 40 years ago during another unpopular war (Vietnam); her unexpectedly pointed comments about American involvement reportedly made Lady Bird Johnson cry and nearly derailed her stage, film and singing career.

“When I was against Vietnam I was asked in the White House itself, by Mrs. Johnson, what the problem was among our young people,” Ms. Kitt explained, saying that she responded based on what she was told by youths. She had no regrets about speaking honestly, she added, even after being forced to work abroad for a number of years afterward.

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Eartha Kitt in a live 1962 performance of I Want To Be Evil"




Vox Populi centers on her as replacement Catwoman on the Batman TV series, when Julie Newmar became unavailable due to a movie committment. She said in a 1996 AP interview there was nothing to the part, or as she put it, ``there was nothing to think about. You just walk on the set and...DO it.'' And every Christmas season, she sings "Santa Baby." She recants her wish list of rewards for being good ("just fill my stocking with a duplex... and checks") and begs him to hurry.

Eartha Kitt passed away on Christmas Day. Seems somewhat appropriate. Eartha probably just caught a lift with Santa. He certainly could oblige her that, at least considering all the other thiongs he provided for her. At least I'm assuming he got her everything she asked for in "Santa Baby," because she never recorded a sequel taking him to task.

Well, it's hard to be a good girl.

Then again, screw her; she's dead. Let's go look for crocodiles.



StevenK

Majel Barrett Roddenberry

What's WRONG? At CLUB DEAD, the bell tolls for MAJEL BARRETT, wind beneath the wings of the Great Bird of the Galaxy, Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry. Stand by your man? Damn right she did.

Gene Roddenberry, soon to be divorced, and Majel Barrett met and began dating when she appeared on his television show, "The Lieutenant." Her resume was impressive, with appearances on popular shows like "Bonanza" and "Leave It To Beaver." He was a former police officer who had produced a few westerns and a police series when he pitched his new science fiction show to NBC in 1964.

"It's Wagon Train to the stars", he said, invoking the name of the sucessful western series which told a different story every week, all happening within a company of covered wagons making their way westward. Science fiction, serious science fiction that is, had never really worked on network TV.

Gene Rodenberry made it work, thanks in no small part to Majel Barrett. Not that the network wanted her.

Star Trek was produced by Desilu, which was responsible for The Untouchables and The Lucy Show, and she had appeared in both shows, and worked on the Desilu Playhouse series. In the first Star Trek pilot, she played a character called "Number Two," the second in command on the ship. NBC requested a second pilot, but told him to not use her. He made no secret of the fact that he thought NBC was unfairly restricting his vision of the future by claiming that a woman could not be second in command. In ensuing years, various NBC execs have scrambled to deny those comments. According to them, NBC didn't object to a woman as first officer, they objected to THAT woman, meaning Barrett.

When the first pilot was rejected, they took the hint. When the inaugural cast finally set sail on NBC in the fall of 1966, Majel was nowhere to be seen. She was there, however, as the unseen voice of the ship's computer. Later on she was written into the cast as nurse Christine Chappel, assistant to Dr. McCoy, with an unrequited longing for Mr. Spock.

Behind the scenes, she was social secretary and den mother to the cast. It was Majel who remembered birthdays, or who had kids graduating from high school, or whose sister was expecting a baby. Majel was unquestioningly supportive, and tolerant beyond understanding of her boyfriend's frequent and open dalliances. She helped organize the letter-writing capaigns which are wideley credited with exteding the life of Star Trek's original network run.

They were married about the time of the cancellation of Star Trek. A marginal series during its initial run, the show developed a cult following in reruns. Gene and Majel were fixtures at sci-fi conventions and Star Trek fan events. She contibuted voices to the Saturday morning cartoon Star Trek series, and appeared in the 1979 big budget Star Trek movie. When the Next Generation came along, she had a banner turn as Counselor Troi's mother. Folowing Gene's death in 1991, she acted as guardian of the tradition.

All along, Majel continued to voice the computer on thhe various incarnations of the U.S.S. Enterprise. She recent completed the voice over work for the newest Star Trek film, set to debut in 2009. It'll be a bittersweet moment when her voice cuts onto the screen.

Then again, screw her; she's dead. Let's go look for crocodiles.

StevenK

Bettie Page

What's WRONG? At CLUB DEAD, The bell tolls for pin-up queen
Bettie Page, felled by a heart attack at age 85. She struck a blow for femininity, teaching Fifties America that women could be sexy and strong, as well as demure. But it wasn't about sex. It was never about sex.

Whip me, beat me, kick me, love me...

Off 21st Avenue in Nashville, in one of the "we must be cool because we're across the street from Vanderbilt" neighborhoods, sits a trendy, touristy-college retro store. You know the kind, vinyl albums, posters, comic books, t-shirts, tourist memorabilia. Naturally, you'll find displays of the popular artists. Whose likeness do you suppose is featured most prominently of all? Not Garth. Not Reba. Not Toby. Not Kenny C. or Kenny R. or Kenny G or Elvis nor any other music star.

It's Nashville's own Bettie Page, brunette pin-up star and icon of feminine empowerment. "I think that she was a remarkable lady, an iconic figure in pop culture who influenced sexuality, taste in fashion, someone who had a tremendous impact on our society," Hugh Hefner told The Associated Press. "She was a very dear person." Hefner described her appeal as "a combination of wholesome innocence and fetish-oriented poses that is at once retro and very modern."

---

It wasn't about sex, even though it was surrounded by sex. It was never about sex. It was about freedom, and expression, and release of inhibitions. It was a generation of American women daring to say "I enjoy the life I've chosen, but I'm not afraid to see what's behind door number two."

Bettie Page was a 27-year-old typist when she was first spotted by a Coney Island photographer in the fall of 1950. She had been taking acting classes after work in the hope of losing her Tennessee accent. Bettie was anxious to get exposure in the entertainment world, so she was delighted when he asked to photograph her.

A few months later, after making the acquantaince of a professional photographer with a taste for S&M., she changed her hairstyle and began to pose in bondage gear. With her black bangs and no-holds-barred demeanor, she came to personify the leather-clad dominatrix in pinups that covered countless GI's walls.

She appeared in all the major Men's magazines. Hefner personally selected her as Playmate of the Month for January 1955. And on film, her exuberant performances helped open the frontiers of sexual expression. She so personfied the "lifestyle" as they called it then, that she was supoenaed to give testimony to a Congressional invesigation into sexual perversity.

Entertainment reporter Tim Estiloz chatted face-to-face with the REAL Bettie Page in this exclusive "one on one" 1997 TV Interview. Bettie's current business rep... who meets and talks with Bettie Page regularly - confirms this 1997 TV interview is most likely the FIRST and ONLY lengthy "in depth" TV interview she ever gave.

In 1957, at the pinnacle of her fame, fatigued by a failed marriage and subsequent nervous breakdown, she dropped from view. Bettie Page avoided the public spotlight for decades, but saw a revival of her career in the 1990's. She was grateful for the attention, but repeatedly declined to be photographed, prefering than fans remember her as she appeared in her prime.

Make sure to catch "Betty Page: Pinup Queen, a 1998 documentary made with her blessing and participation. Also look for "The Notorious Bettie Page," a 2005 HBO movie starring Gretchen Mol. Reportedly she liked the film, but not the use of the word "Notorious".

Then again, screw her, she's dead. Let's go look for crocodiles.

StevenK

"Deep Throat" (Mark Felt)

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Levi Stubbs of The Four Tops

Levi Stubbs

What's WRONG? At CLUB DEAD, The bell tolls for
Levi Stubbs of The Four Tops, soul singer and voice of the carnivorous Audrey II in "Little Shop of Horrors" Stubbs died at home following a long string of illnesses, cancer and a stroke. He was 72.

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Some cities evoke certain reactions. Dodge City? The wild west. Dallas? Oil. Nashville? Twanging guitars. Philadelphia? High Society

Detroit? Motown (yeah, cars, but with gas prices....)

The unpretentious building bears the designation "Hitsville USA." It's a museum now; hey, truth be told, it was a museum then.

Motown...Marvin, Aretha, Smokey, and the Four Tops. They lasted over forty years with all the original members who broke as the Four Aims in 1953. After a name change to avoid confusion with the Ames Brothers, they soared to the pinnacle of stardom. More to the point, they stayed there. At the forefront of the band was Levi Stubbs, a Detroit native and posessor of a singing voice that could stop you in your tracks.

“Levi was the greatest interpreter of songs I've ever heard,” said Motown guru Berry Gordy. “Levi's voice exploded in the room and went straight for our hearts." The band churned out hit after hit through the sixties and seventies..."Baby, I Need Your Loving," "Bernadette," "Standing in the Shadows of Love," "Are You Man Enough?," "Ain't No Woman Like The One I Got." 45 hit singles in all, the last in 1988 ("Indestructible.")

Along the way, there were side trips into acting, most notably in the 1986 movie adaptation of the musical "Little Shop of Horrors." Stubbs lent his voice to Audrey II, the alien blood-sucking plant that brought fame to Rick Moranis and the other residents of Skid Row (the place, not the band) I confess to sometimes wanting to slip "Mean Green Mother From Outer Space" into the 80s at 8:00. (Of course I also want to judge the biggest gazangos contest at South Beach, so pay that no mind). CAUTION: Adult language

The Four Tops were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990. In 1997, original member Lawrence Payton died of liver cancer. Obie Benson passed away from lung cancer in 2005. Levi Stubbs' death leaves Abdul “Duke” Fakir as the only surviving member of the band.

Stubbs stopped performing in 2000 due to his health. He would, on occassion, make cameo appearances at concerts by Motown artists. That's our loss. but when they bring the stacks and stcks of wax...he'll sing on into infinity.

Then again, screw him, he's dead. Let's go look for crocodiles.

StevenK

Paul Newman

Paul Newman

What's WRONG? At CLUB DEAD, the bell tolls for Paul Newman, actor, director, race car driver, entrepeneur, and blue-eyed devil. It sure as hell took the Academy long enough to recognize his talent. After several nominations, he finally got an honorary Oscar in 1985. As if to say "up yours," he then went out the next year and got one the old-fashioned way. He earned it.

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Paul Newman's screen performances were legendary. Even the highlights will take a while.

We begin with the mandatory roll call of classic movies in which he starred: Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, The Sting, The Hustler, The Color of Money, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Hud, Torn Curtain, Fort Apache The Bronx, Exodus, The Verdict, Life And Times of Judge Roy Bean, The Towering Inferno, Lady L, Cool Hand Luke...okay, gotta stop somewhere. Add the 'guy' movies, Slap Shot (Hanson Brothers, eh?), Somebody Up There Likes Me (the story of boxer Rocky Graziano), Sometimes A Great Notion, and "Winning," where he indulged his passion for auto racing.

I once heard the definition of "a gentleman" was one who was at home in anyone's company. That fits Paul Newman perfectly. His co-stars were the cream of the crop Elizabeth Taylor, Sophia Loren, Robert Redford, Sally Field, and wife JoAnne Woodward.

He ran with the giants, but never seemed to assimilate their personality. He and Woodward had fifty years together, though it was not the first marriage for him. By all accounts, he kept the common touch. Reportedly, his favorite movie was Slap Shot, the gritty, vulgar and hilarious story of a minor-league hockey team struggling to attract enough fans to remain solvent. Not exactly highbrow.

Much will be written of his penchant for racing cars, and his venture in merchandising, with his Newman's Own food brands, whose profits go to charity.

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The movie geek in me would recommend three lesser-known movies:

• The Young Philadelphians, with Paul as a up-and-coming Philiadelphia society lawyer who risks exposing a family scandal by defending an old friend accused of murder. Great cast, including Brian Keith, Barbara Rush, John Williams, and future TV stars Robert Vaughn (The Man from UNCLE) and Adam West (Batman). Don't miss a great turn on the witness stand by Richard Deacon. (You'd know him as Mel Cooley, the bald-headed producer from the Dick Van Dyke Show, and as the father of Wally's pal Lumpy Rutherford on Leave It To Beaver)
  
  
• Blaze, a mostly-true story of Louisiana politico Earl Long, and his relationship with stripper Blaze Starr (Lolita Davidovich) His controversial career included a term as governor and a time of commitment to the mental hospital.
  
  
• Absence of Mailce..not really obscure (one of his Oscar nominations) but somewhat overlooked now. Newman is tainted by a erronious newspaper article saying he is suspected of murder. Sally Field is the reporter, and Wilford Brimley is the Federal investigator with the all time classic line: "Come sundown...I'm going to have somebody's ass in my briefcase."
  

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It's better to laugh than cry, so to here's Paul Newman unleashing his secret weapon (The Hansen Brothers) in the rowdy comedy Slap Shot (1977) WARNING: ADULT LANGUAGE

Maybe Paul Newman's natually laid-back persona hampered him from winning the multiple Oscars he so richly deserved. In 1985, after six nominations, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences voted to present him a lifetime Oscar, a tribute usually reserved for those at the end of their career. Some of his friends though he was being insulted... sort of a "Don't let the door hit you on the way out" vibe. Newman didn't take offense, at least not openly

"You don't kick people in the butt who are trying to be nice to you," he said.
But Newman also told a reporter "It's like pursuing a beautiful woman for years, then when she finally succumbs, you have to say, I'm sorry; I'm tired." His lawyer was more blunt: "They always treated him like he was second, and now they're acting like he's old and through."

For whatever reason, Newman latched on to his current project, updating one of his most memorable characters 25 years later. Fast Eddie Felson, the pool whiz kid from "The Hustler" was now an aged, usually wise, mentor to Tom Cruise in Martin Scorcese's "The Color of Money." One again, Newman recieved a nomination. He declined to attend the ceremony, announcing he was "too busy."

Of course, he won. Sometimes the good guys finish first, even after six tries.

Then again, screw him, he's dead. Let's go look for crocodiles.

StevenK

Richard Wright of Pink Floyd

What's WRONG? At CLUB DEAD, the bell tolls for keyboardist Richard Wright, founding member of Pink Floyd, and author of several classics, including "Us and Them" and "Shine On You Crazy Diamond." Wright died of cancer at the age of 65. (His family is requesting privacy as to any additional information about his death.) Petty infighting removed him from his rightful place. Even if there were a Pink, it wouldn't have been him.

In Have a Cigar, Pink Floyd spoofs a comment by a record company exec, who, upon meeting the band, asks "Which one's Pink?" Even if there had been a definitive front man for the band, Richard Wright wouldn't have fit the bill. But it's hard to dispute the idea that his experimental keyboard stylings were the pistons under Pink's hood.

Musicians universally despise the "they sound like so-and-so" comment. They spend years crafting their art, and some aspiring journalist hears a few cuts, and brands them as a soundalike cover band. With Pink Floyd, there was virtually no obvious predecessor. But there was the everpresent sound of Richard Wright's keyboard, binding the parts together, its majesty infused with psychedelic tranqility.

Unlike bandmates, Syd Barrett, David Gilmour, and Roger Waters, Wright tended to escape the solo attention that came with being a rock star. As Pink Floyd emerged from the mid-Sixties London counterculture, Wright gradually shied from his place in the spotlight once Barrett left the band due to mental and emotional quirks, and especially with the unrivaled success of Dark Side of the Moon. The album spent fourteen years on the Billboard Top 200, the Bible of music industry retail sales.

The next Pink Floyd LP, Wish You Were Here featured a song Wright composed on Barrett's honor: Shine On You Crazy Diamond

Wright had a public falling out with the band, and was exiled from the inner circle after the release of The Wall, though he later made contributions to projects and tours by other Floyd members.

Live 8, the 2005 charity show, featured a reunited Floyd (minus Barrett) performing live in London for the first time in over two decades.

Shameless Plug: On my Steven Kelly Page at WABX.net, you'll find instructions for the "Dark Side of the Rainbow" synchronization of Pink Floyd and The Wizard of Oz

And here, some video of Richard Wright's contributions to the Floyd.

What might they have done had they not fallen from grace with each other?

On the other had, screw him; he's dead. Let's go look for crocodiles.

StevenK

Don LaFontaine

Don LaFontaine, Scary Voice Guy

What's WRONG? At CLUB DEAD, the bell tolls for Don LaFontaine, arguably the most prominent voice-over actor of our time. In a world where dramatic inflection and a commanding tone of voice are the tools to succeed, his work set the gold standard for the rest of us wannabees.

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No apologies here. This is simply a case of hero worship. The voice of over five thousand movie trailers, Don LaFontaine's name still will mean little to anyone outside of the world of voice actors. The prominent pop culture image is probably the recent Geico "we hired an actor" TV commercials, in which Don LaFontaine spoofed himself as "That announcer guy from the movies." He repeated the story of the woman whose cars flooded, in the phrasing and inflection of his movie trailers.

In cyber-speak, the term is SVG: Scary Voice Guy. In the radio industry, we call them Voice Gods. They are those men and women who appear for a few seconds between the songs, and speak in tones of satin sheets, or rumbling thunder. They implore us to listen to FUNKY-109.6 because they play the best music or the most music or most of the best music or the greatest memories, or the best variety of songs while you work or play or listen all day...you know the drill.

On television, they'll make sure you're aware of an all new episode of LOST or the season premiere of House; or the old familiar "Very Special Episode" of your favorite show. It's their job to alert you that someone will die tonight on Desperate Housewives, or that tomorrow night, the E.R. doctors face a crisis like none before.

Every trade has its heroes. Ballplayers have a few beers and talk of being the next A-Rod or Brett Favre. Radio people sit around and try through slurrred lips to say "This..is CNN" like James Earl Jones.

There are thousands of people who did what Don LaFontaine did for a living, but few as successful. Most toil in anonymity. Sometimes, though, the voice becomes so well known, so omnipresent, that it achieves its own status in the culture, even as their names remain unknown. John Facenda, the longtime voice of NFL films, ("...the frozen tundra of Lambeau Field, warrors clad in loins of green and gold") broke through that wall. So did Ernie Anderson, ("The Luhhh-vvve Boat") and Peter Thomas, who delighted in telling of the various waitresses or cabdrivers who would hear his voice, and exclaim 'oh my, you're Exxon!' or 'Hey, it's Mr. American Express.'

They all had their hook.

So did Don LaFontaine. His catch phrase, "In a world where..." came from his work voicing movie trailers: "In a world where men and women were slaves...," or "In a world where the rules have been abandoned," ... or whatever circumstance was relevant to that movie. It was a subject of frequent parody in the industry, so if imitation really IS the sincerest form of flattery, he was flattered like no other.

A few years ago, a friend of his put together a trailer parody of the voice gods on their way to an awards show. Click the video to see "Five Guys In A Limo." You'll recognize the voices, if not the faces.

As I said at the beginning of this piece, this is hero worship. I admit to more than a little good-natured departmental envy when Don LaFontaine's voice recently popped up here on the Hill in some bits he recorded for our corporate partner station, HOT 96. I think I heard them all, at least I damn sure tried. Genius like that, right here in my own back yard, is not something to be ignored.

Then again, screw him, he's dead. Let's go look for crocodiles.

StevenK

 

Jerry Reed

Jerry Reed

What's WRONG? At CLUB DEAD, the bell tolls for Jerry Reed, country singer/songwriter, occassional movie pal of Burt Reynolds, and (insert regret here) NOT my boss.

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They say laughter can take you a long way on this earth, and make your journey not only more pleasant, but longer. Jerry Reed made it to 71. Lord know he made us laugh.

During my garage band days, I hung aroung Memphis and knew a few session musicians, and that's how I came to meet Jerry Reed. I didn't know what to think when he grabbed my bicep and felt it.

"Son!", he said in his best When You're Hot You're Hot voice, "What'cha been eatin?" He then offered me a job as a bodyguard, although it was probably more in jest than not. Back then, I had more granite and less filler material. More than a few times, I've wondered what might have been waiting on the road not taken.

Jerry Reed was one of those special singers who found a niche outside of the normal boundaries. After having established himself as a sucessful songwriter and session picker, he crossed over from country to pop stardom. It was an odd time musically, that era of homogenized AM Top 40, when radio played the popular songs, regardless of arbitrary categories. Jerry's song might be preceded by Diana Ross and followed by Led Zeppelin.

He was part of the "Country when country wasn't cool" club. You might even give him credit for being one of the ones who helped make it cool, with novelty songs like "Amos Moses," "Lord, Mr. Ford," and "Tupelo, Mississippi Flash(an homage to Elvis Presley, in appreication for Elvis having covered Jerry's "Guitar Man") keeping him in he public eye.

In 1974, he made "W.W. and the Dixie Dance Kings," his first of several films with Burt Reynolds, then the biggest star in movies. Jerry played a guitarist in a band managed by Burt. Something must have clicked, because they followed it up two years later with "Gator." The fun was just beginning

In 1977 came "Smokey and the Bandit." The movie became a national phenomenon at the height of the CB radio craze, and yielded a mega-hit, "East Bound and Down" for truck-drivin' Jerry. The sight of Sally Fields alongside Burt in the black TransAm also became legendary. Jackie Gleason boiled and bitched as the sheriff who chases them as they try to make good on a bet to smuggle a truckload of Coors beer to Atlanta. (Younger readers may not know that until 1981, Coors was sold only west of the Mississippi, which added to its mystique)

A sequel followed, then a disappointing third "Smokey" film, minus Burt, who was refered to but never actually seen as the TransAm peeled across the screen.

Jerry Reed got his own chance to star in 1979's "Hot Stuff." Also starring Suzanne Pleshette and Burt's pal Dom DeLouise, the movie told of Miami cops who fence stolen goods through a pawn shop in order to trap theives. "Hot Stuff" was better than it was received, but disco had come fully into fashion, and audiences evidently had grown tired of good ol' boys. Even the title made people think of the Donna Summer song of the same name, which had no connection to the movie.

Jerry went back into the studio and recorded another hit album, including one of his biggest songs, "The Bird." Jerry sang of buying a talking bird from a con man. Naturally, at the first opportunity, the bird flies the coop. And the same era yielded perhaps his crowning song, a lament familiar to every divorced man: "She Got The Gold Mine; I Got The Shaft."

His legacy is that of a man who left you feeling better and happier. that's a good life to live. He was wrong, you know. WE got the gold mine.

Then again, screw him, he's dead. Let's go look for
crocodiles.

StevenK

Issac Hayes

What's WRONG? At CLUB DEAD, the bell tolls for Issac Hayes, a/k/a/ South Park's Chef a/k/a Soul Music's Hot Buttered Icon, dying of an apparent stroke after a session on the treadmill. How could one man have so many cool points? Easy. That cat Issac is a bad motherSHUT YOUR MOUTH

Issac Hayes. His definitive LP also bore one of his nicknames, Hot Buttered Soul. You could almost play a game of free association with his name. Memphis, Stax, Shaft, Hot Buttered Soul, chains(no not 'bling.' Doesn't sound cool enough.) the bald head, the knowing smile, and the voice. It was the voice, and the attitude, that introduced the South Park generation to Issac Hayes. And to those who know only Chef, there's a world of (as Chef might say) hot pulsating music ready to envelop you.

Barry White was the only other person considered, but in the end, Issac Hayes was the perfect choice to be Chef. His musical gift, and his unbelievably complex verbal skills (in addition to his singing talent, he had become a popular radio d.j. in New York City in recent years) gave him the right attitude for the frienly ladle-wielding keeper of the lunchroom at South Park Elementary (I mean come on...we all know Chef really ran the school.)

Thousands will be eulogizing Chef. I'm going to talk about Issac. And to do that, I'm going to talk about Soul. Soul is more than an antiquated term for African-American R&B songs. Soul was an essential element to surviving the sixties... no exaggeration intended. As riots erupted and city after city burned during the long, tense summers, soul became code for survival. As Americans, we became keely aware that just having a good heart and following along with "the way things are" wasn't going to cut it any more.

Soul came to sybolize the new birth of emancipation. To have soul was to have understanding, and empathy for the struggle which could no longer inch along at the pace of the status quo. To be known as having soul was to be venerated as part the new America. To be a Soul Brother or Soul Sister meant that you shared trust, accceptance, and the sober truth that our country was thrashing and kicking as it was finally being held accountable to our daring idea that everone is created equal.

It was spirtual protection, sometimes literal protection... and you damn well better take note of the new order. Dotted across the landscape that summer, I saw many businesses and homes with the words "Soul Brother" proudly displayed, Sometimes it was desperately displayed, as if to say "I sympathize. Please don't burn my store."

These were serious days, and a young boy trying to understand why there was such anger, and such revolution in the wind, looked for answers. My best friend's mother worked at the neighborhood Kroger, and she had been given the honor/task of painting "Soul Brother" over the store's boarded up windows, which were covered for fear they'd be broken. I guess they were just covering any eventuality.

So, "soul" was not a concept to be idly tossed around. It was a badge, a mantra, a statement of who we were, what we stood for, and (most important) what we would no longer stand for. The questions became unavoidable. Like most of my generation, I came to ask them all. I would ask anyone who would answer, or anyone who would even listen. I would ask them at a young age...maybe too young to properly grasp the depth of the feelings. The answers to those questions told me a lot about who I was, who we were as the flower power generation, and where we stood as Americans.

In a nutshell, we found the answers. We survived, and we embraced the changes. And thank God we did.

Issac Hayes was one of those who led the way. As with so many social changes, the culture molded to the message of the entertainers. Soul was cool; soul was right, No one was cooler or righter than Issac Hayes.

We could still be startled though. When Shaft was released in July 1971, it captivated the nation. Some people noticed Richard Roundtree in the title role of a detective hired to find a mobster's daughter. Some others worried about the violence, and the term "blaxpliotation" would soon come into being.

But everyone was buzzing about the song. We'd not heard anything like it before. That three-note bass line, dropping a momentary octave after each triplet, the brass adding layer upon layer of stacotta riffs, climaxing with a question unlike any heard on the radio before:

"Who's the black private dick who's a sex machine to all the chicks?"

"Shaft" came the response. And in 1971, most of us couldn't get away with saying "..they say this cat Shaft is a bad mother(SHUT YOUR MOUTH)." Issac Hayes could. And he kept producing music unlike anyone else's. Wonder what he was listening to on that treadmill, seconds before his time ran out.

I'll bet it had soul. Hell, if Issac Hayes was around it, it had soul.

On the other hand, screw him; he's dead. Let's go look for crocodiles.

StevenK

 

Bernie Mack

What's WRONG?At CLUB DEAD, the bell tolls for Bernie Mack, actor and comedian. WTF? He's just now starting to make it.Where the hell's Mr. Jordan? It couldn't have been his time yet!

When I saw the photo of Bernie Mack on the screen, I assumed it was some publicity blurb for Ocean's Thirty-six or wherever they are now. Sadly, the story it told was one of a crying family, a weak heart, and a gruff but gentle giant with a shell more fragile than anyone could tell.

He seemed so young. Hell, he was young, at least in terms of dying. Pneumonia's not supposed to kill you... not nowadays. His family had come to realize that his pneumonia was more serious than first thought. Drag out all the cliches about God wanting to laugh, and we never know when the curtain will fall, and he's in a better place, catching Lenny Bruce and Henny Youngman's new act. By now, he'll have checked out Redd Foxx and Richard Pryor's new material. All those things we always say "out of respect" when what we're really doing is making ourselves feel better.

(Some other time, dear reader, we'll ponder if he really would have done those things that quickly. I mean, if it takes an hour and a half to change license plates, it might be logical to expect eternal judgement to take more than a few minutes. God surely doesn't seek to administer justice faster than a Mexican court.)

Bernie Mac seemed to be genuine. Some Hollywood people just look phony. You couldn't imagine ever seeing them on the Mary-Tekoppel bus, or running into then having a cup of coffee at Donut Bank. Not so with him. I could imagine Bernie knocking on his neighbor's door, asking to borrow a ratchet; or bragging that he made it straight home from work without stopping for a single orange barrel.

Maybe a bit of pomposity, just the right amount, sealed the mix. I wish we'd gotten to know him a little better.

On the other hand, screw him; he's dead. Let's go look for crocodiles.

StevenK

Skip Caray

What's WRONG? At CLUB DEAD, the bell tolls for Skip Caray. Caray, Atlanta Braves broadcaster for 33 years, dies in his sleep at 68. The South loses another broadcasting legend. And the American sprit loses another link to the days before baseball became just another string of digits on some corporate ledger sheet.

I can't say I know a lot about Skip Caray, apart from his royal parentage: son of Harry, father of Chip. I am impressed by the almost universal outporing of love and admiration from his peers. He must have been a remarkable person to inspire such devotion.

And there were the stories you didn't hear. In this age, every parking ticket is fodder for the talk shows. If we're allowed to judge someone by a lack of baggage, then Skip Caray passes with flying colors.

He was direct and on point. No razzle-dazzle announcer games required. Forget the lights and sound effects. He broadcast the game. It was the star. He was helping bring the pagaentry without becoming a member of the performing company.

Skip Caray began broadasting for the Braves a million years ago. Okay, it just seems that long ago. Cue the flowing harp sfx indicating memories of another time. It was less than a year after Hank Aaron passed Babe Ruth as baseball's home run king, and just a few months after President Nixon resigned from office rather than face impeachment proceedings. Gas was fifty cents a gallon then, and Skip Caray was there.

He was there in satellite TV's infancy when thanks to WTBS, the Braves became America's team. For a great many Braves fans, he's been there their whole life. He's all they've ever known.

And another piece of history passes from us.

Storytelling has always been the hallmark of the well-seasoned Southerner. So from Dizzy Dean, with his Arkansas wit, and Tennessee native Russ Hodges ("The Giants win the pennant! The Giants win the pennant!") until today, the South has been blessed with an abundance of great sports broadcasters. John Ward (Tennessee) and Cawood Ledford (Kentucky) come to mind at once, as does Woody Durham (North Carolina) and Bob Harris (Duke).

Mel Allen grew up in Alabama and spent time calling Alabama football before joing the New York Yankees for a long and stellar career. Eli Gold hails from Brooklyn, but had enough sense to come be the voice of the Alabama Crimson Tide and NASCAR's Motor Racing Network.

Folks in Georgia are fortunate: They still have Larry Munson to enjoy, although his health is such that he only broadcasts home games now.

Skip Carey honored his father Harry by the way he lived his life. He never depended on his father's name but he always treasured it. Now his own son Chip carries on the Atlanta Braves family tradition. Stat geeks probably already know that they are the only three generation broadcasters to work the same game. Actually, they they did it twice, one in baseball and once in basketball. That's nice way to build a legacy.

On the other had, screw him; he's dead. Let's go look for crocodiles.

StevenK

Dan Fogelberg

What's WRONG? At CLUB DEAD, the bell tolls for Dan Fogelberg, a/k/a/ the Captured Angel. Back here, he's going to be remebered mainly for his time as a balladeer of woosy love songs. That sucks more than any of his songs ever did.

Yes, you're in the right place, rock dogs. This is coming from a guy who rocks out every night to Led Zeppelin, Skynyrd, Van Halen, AC/DC. You might wonder why I'd even note the passing of Dan Fogelberg. It's a simple answer. I adored Dan Fogelberg. This is no "guilty pleasure" confessional.Before he sang his pop songs, Dan Fogelberg ranked high on the list of things cool.

The pop culture attention span being what it is, Dan Fogelberg will doubtless be rembered as

• The guy who did that song about meeting his old girlfriend in the store on Christmas
  
• The guy who did that song about his father the bandleader
  
• The guy who did that song about the horse in the Kentucky Derby
  

Oh there's so much more. Dan Fogelberg wove the soundtrack to no small part of my life, and of my circle of friends.

My college and early married years were entwined with his early career. Even today, hearing "Illinois" or "There's A Place in the World for a Gambler" or that whole delicate side of "Netherlands" brings forth all the thoughts and memories of that time. That music was ribbed with passion. filled with angelic harmonies, lonesome echoes and the anticipation of what could be just beyond the horizon.

Forgive for drifting into seventies-speak. Yes, kids we really did used to think that way.. start each day with a warm smile. Discover what magic the morning sky would hold today...yeah, hold hands and sing Kumbaya. and hopefully wake up naked next to someone.

Fogelberg was not 'rock your way through the day' music. He was for contemplation, after class, after work, after a date that somehow ended at 9:30. You'd not play him at a party, except really late. That's when one of the real benefits of his work became evident. Women who liked his music were attracted to splendor and intensity... and were more generous in their passion.

Later in his career, as his popped out hit after hit for soft rock radio, Dan Fogelberg became embedded with the "sad ballad" tag. Eventually, his "Lite-FM" persona overtook whatever cool points he earned early on.

Much like Billy Joel, the popular perception of Fogelberg came to be shaped more by his radio hits than his early, less mainstream music.Looks like the secret got out. He became a staple of the early 80's, and enjoyed great commercial success.

Well, good for him. I'm happy. How can I begrudge someone the success that springs from his hard work. I'm also grateful to return to college in my mind for a few minutes. Dan Fogelberg will always be a big part of those years, as will the feelings his music evoked.

Then again, screw him, he's dead. Let's go look for crocodiles.

StevenK

George Carlin

What's WRONG? At CLUB DEAD, The bell tolls for George Carlin, most profound when he was most outraged. He made us think. Seems so simple now. His "seven words you can't say on television" was the crown jewel, but there were so many more moments of truth to be heard.

It's the David O. Selznick curse. Do one exceptional, outstanding thing and you will wear the weight of its success for all eternity.

George Carlin should be remembered for so much more than the "seven words" bit. Yet, that's how all the obits are reading. He was a biting social commentator, and appeared to fear no authority. Lost in the furor over his language was the fact that most of his material spoke to a more universal concept, one that defined a generation: Question everything.

"A hot water heater? Why would anyone want to heat hot water? Don't we mean
a cold water heater? Maybe a hot water cooler"

"When two planes almost collide, they call it a near miss? It's a near hit A collision is a near miss.

As Al Sleet, the hippie dippy weatherman, Carlin might tell us it's 68 degrees at the airport, but he would also remind us that he doesn't know anyone who lives at the airport.

Trace the timeline and damned if he wasn't laying the social foundation for a higher debate, one that wouldn't even become fashionable for decades: the examined vs. unexamined life. George Carlin told America it was okay to question ourselves.

It seems so obvious now, but not then. We didn't used to question the status quo, you know, at least not openly. That mid-century America that our parents spoke of so reverently was a place for accomplishment, growth, velocity. It was not the place for standing still and soul-searching.

Then came the Sixties. Asassinations, civil rights, Vietnam, riots, and rumblings about what the hell is happening in America. We began to ask questions and we haven't stopped yet.

George Carlin may have been the voice of his generation, but I don't think he would have wanted to be though of that way. He almost became a tv icon. He hosted the first episode of Saturday Night and some of the suits wanted him as permanent host, but he said no thanks.

Everyone has a Carlin story today, so here's mine: I shall lock in on those remaining brain cells, and picture 1976 or 77, Evansville Coliseum, the man with the beard and the wooden stool holding court with a spellbound audience.

Mostly.

Despite several empty seats closer to the stage, there was a group seated high up in what passes for the nosebleed seats at the Coliseum. From those upper seats, an occasional cry of "we can't hear" would interrupt the show. Carlin was more patient than the audience, but finally acknowledged them. "We'll see what we can do" or something to that effect, he said.

As the catcalls continued, he stopped again. "Look," he said "if we had known that we were going to be here and you were going to be here, we would have stayed home."

The resulting applause and cheers served only to egg them on, and again, the calls of "we can't hear" floated across the seats.

Now the man was pissed.

"You can't hear?"

"No!" came the reply

"THEN FUCKING MOVE!"

To use a quote that would make George Carlin's blood boil, Mission Accomplished.

I wish his anger had mellowed with time. All comedy is based on someone's discomfort, and as the years went on, sometimes, especially in his atheist rants, he seemed more intent on twisting the knife than in finding the funny. Just call him an angry old man...there are a lot of worse things to be.

And balls to the wall for George Carlin for speaking out when so many were unsure, and setting the table for us all. God rest his soul. Yeah, he would have objected to invoking God's name in his memory. Well, screw him. He's dead. Let's go look for crocodiles.

StevenK

Hello, world

Hello, world