Quick Hits: Volume CCCXXXIX

 - Chaos on the U.S. House of Representatives floor Tuesday evening. 

The Republican effort to impeach Department of Homeland Security secretary Alejandro Mayorkas failed Tuesday night in a dramatic House standoff that came down to the wire thanks to three Republican defectors.

The resolution was defeated 216 to 214, as Republican Representatives Tom McClintock of California, Ken Buck of Colorado, and Mike Gallagher of Wisconsin joined the united Democratic caucus in voting against impeachment. Representative Blake Moore (R., Utah) joined the “no” side at the last minute to break a tie and allow Republicans to bring the resolution to the floor again. Representative Steve Scalise (R., La.) was absent due to cancer treatments.

Some GOP House members took to X to criticize their fellow Republicans who voted not to impeach, with Representative Nancy Mace (S.C.) saying those four chose “to snub the will of the people.” Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene (Ga.) told reporters after the vote that “there was a motion to recommit,” meaning “that we can bring the articles of impeachment back to the floor maybe as early as next week. So this is not over yet.”

The articles of impeachment accuse Mayorkas, who has presided over record levels of illegal immigration, of “willful and systemic refusal to comply with the law” and “breach of public trust.”

My unpopular opinion (at least among the political right)? This is the correct call. 

Is Mayorkas incompetent? Perhaps. Derelict in his duty? Definitely appears so. But if you believe then President Donald Trump's so-called "perfect phone call" with the Ukrainian president was not an impeachable offense, then Mayorkas' poor job performance isn't either. 

You'll never convince me that it's somehow justified to weaponize power because the opposite side has done so. I'll concede that's where we seem to have arrived in today's American politics, but it doesn't make it any less sleazy. 

- The Minnesota Senate has a new Majority Leader ahead of the legislative session slated to begin next week. 

Longtime St. Paul lawmaker Sen. Erin Murphy will be the leader of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor majority in the Minnesota Senate.

DFL senators elected Murphy as majority leader on Tuesday, a little less than a week before the 2024 legislative session begins. Murphy replaces Majority Leader Kari Dziedzic, who had been the top Senate Democrat since their party won a 34-33 majority over Republicans in the 2022 election.

Dziedzic announced last week she had to step down after learning her cancer had returned after she underwent surgery to remove a tumor during the legislative session last year. The five-term senator will remain in office but announced she would vacate the leadership role last Friday.

If you recall, Murphy won the DFL endorsement for Minnesota governor back in 2018, only to lose in the Dem primary to current Gov. Tim Walz. For all the virtue signaling prog men engage in over more women needing to be in elected office, they certainly have no qualms about stepping over them to obtain power (see also Mark Dayton usurping DFL-endorsed Margaret Anderson-Kelliher in the 2010 gov race). 

Would love to be that proverbial fly on the wall when legislative leaders meet with Walz this upcoming session. 

- For a stretch in the early to late 1990s, I became a fan of country music. The artists who really swayed me were Garth Brooks, Clint Black, John Michael Montgomery, Alan Jackson.......and Toby Keith. 

The song that drew me in to Keith's music was his debut single on his second album Boomtown, released in 1994. 

This song was especially resonant because I had just seen my ex fiancée a month earlier, and she told me she was dating a guy. Since the gist of the song "Who's That Man" is about a divorced guy driving by his former house to see his ex married to another guy who's fathering the divorcee's kids, it's not perfectly analogous. Nevertheless, the tune still impacted me in that someone had taken my place seemingly against my desires. 

Keith not only sang about matters of the heart, he also was unapologetically patriotic, especially when singing of putting a "boot in your a**" if you dare cross America. 

Sadly, it was announced Tuesday morning that Keith succumbed to cancer at age 62. 

While it's difficult to say goodbye to our favorite musical artists, their enduring "art" will make it feel as though they're always with us. 

-----------------------------------------

Quick Hits: Volume CCCIII

 - So there have been four objects shot down over American airspace in about a month's time. The initial object was a "spy balloon" deployed by China. It was allowed to fly across literally the entire U.S. before being shot down over the Atlantic Ocean. 

Fast forward to this past weekend, and we're shooting down objects immediately upon being detected via radar. Conservative commentator Erick Erickson ponders why the change in philosophy.

What changed? One of two things.

It could be that they are doing it because of public perception and knowledge. The government changing how it handles things because the public might not like its prior response is a bad thing. Either the balloons were worthy of spending a stinger missile on them or not. That’s bad form.

Or, it could be that we now know what is on the balloons and what they are carrying has provoked a heightened national security response. That such an escalated response has not come with sanctions, etc., against China would also be deeply troubling.

Either way, the Biden Administration has botched this.

But is China responsible for the increase in quantity of these literal UFOs? Not necessarily.

My tweet based on this: https://t.co/v5Ctz4g7sI

— shako (@cauchyfriend) February 12, 2023

Regardless, none of these scenarios is providing great comfort at this point, especially due to the woeful lack of transparency from our government. 

- I definitely applaud the creativity of my fellow Minnesotans when the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MNDOT) held a contest to name some of its snow plows. 

The winners:   

The votes are in! 🎉 More than 64,000 people voted and we’re excited to welcome eight new snowplow names to our fleet (including an homage to someone who just won Record of the Year *ahem* hi @lizzo!)

Meet the Class of 2023 Snowplows and learn more: https://t.co/vCCLVYw2s3 pic.twitter.com/2aXZCsBFIp

— Minnesota Department of Transportation (@MnDOT) February 8, 2023

And would you believe this elicited a response from mega pop star Lizzo???

  

BLIZZO SUPREMACY ❄️❄️❄️ thank you MN #blizzo pic.twitter.com/IIIMBX7t3r

— FOLLOW @YITTY (@lizzo) February 12, 2023

This also had to be a nice change of pace for the Twin Cities media in that they didn't have to do their normal contortions to unearth a local angle in a story. 

- In what was the third highest scoring Super Bowl of all time, the Kansas City Chiefs defeated the Philadelphia Eagles 38-35 on Sunday evening. It was the Chiefs' second title over the past four years. 

When quarterback Tom Brady retired a couple of weeks ago, I said the only modern day QB who could possibly eclipse all his records (i.e. career pass yards, career touchdown passes and most Super Bowl titles) is the Chiefs' Patrick Mahomes. 

While I'm still skeptical that Mahomes will usurp Brady in any of those categories, I certainly wouldn't bet my house that he absolutely won't. I mean, just look at the beginning of his career. In his five seasons as a starter, Mahomes has reached the AFC title game all five years, while appearing in three Super Bowl and winning two (named MVP in both games). He has also won two NFL Most Valuable Players awards. 

Some people are already willing to crown Mahomes the G.O.A.T., but I think that's premature. That said, if one were to suggest he has the most complete skill set of any QB who has ever played the game? Given he played 10 of KC's 12 quarters in the 2022 postseason with an ankle injury that typically requires multiple weeks to heal, you're not going to get a lot of pushback from me. 

---------------------------------------------------------

Quick Hits: Volume CCXXXVII

- On Tuesday, many commemorated the 40-year anniversary of the death of legendary musician John Lennon. 

I was in 6th grade when this occurred and while I knew the name "Beatles," I couldn't have named one member of the group. I was also taken aback at how this tragedy affected my fellow 6th graders. Apparently they were much more musically engaged than I was. 

But the one aspect of this anniversary which stood out to me? Lennon has now been gone for almost the same amount of time (40 years) as he was alive. Dang. 

- University of Nevada-Las Vegas quarterback Max Gilliam apologized for eating sushi off a naked model on an episode of some reality TV series called Below Deck. 

"This is not a reflection of my character or the way I was raised nor a reflection of the culture of UNLV Football," Gilliam wrote. "I would like to humbly move past this and focus my time and energy on our game against the University of Hawaii this weekend."

I would concur that this was as egregious an offense as one can imagine. One should never partake in eating sushi.

- Yet another in a long-running series of reminders about how we are so not "all in this together" in the fight against COVID-19.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo is warning that renewed restaurant restrictions could be on the way in the state as the coronavirus outbreak worsens, but operations at NBC’s “Saturday Night Live” won’t be interrupted despite the fact that the program recently had an indoor, live audience.

As previously reported by Fox News, the comedy show is said to have skirted strict coronavirus regulations in the Big Apple by paying audience members $150 for their participation in the season premiere this fall. This would allow the program to consider live audience members paid individuals who “work” for the show.

An NBC spokesperson did not return Fox News' request for comment on whether this policy is ongoing.

This is on the heels of SNL personality Pete Davidson mocking small business owners who reside in his hometown of Staten Island. Davidson implied they were crybabies for essentially not wanting to acquiesce to their livelihoods being in peril.

You ever notice that the biggest critics of anti-lockdown protests are those who aren't suffering much (if any) of a financial loss? 

-----------------------------------------------------

A tale of two singers

Let's take a gander at two separate responses to the Monday terrorist attack at the Ariana Grande concert in Manchester, England.


First, a reaction from legendary English singer Morrissey:

Compare that to the "hot take" from the undeniably talented (but utterly vacuous) Katy Perry: 

That is all.

------------------------------------------

FLOTUS told us

I can't say I disagree much with what the First Lady had to say the other day.

Michelle Obama issued a deeply personal denunciation of Donald J. Trump on Thursday for his lewd comments about women, exhorting voters in scathing terms to reject his candidacy and the campaign’s increasingly vulgar tenor by backing Hillary Clinton as a matter of conscience.

“This is not normal. This is not politics as usual,” Mrs. Obama said in a 25-minute speech here during which her voice at times quavered with emotion. “This is disgraceful, it is intolerable, and it doesn’t matter what party you belong to,” she added. “No woman deserves to be treated this way — none of us deserves this kind of abuse.”

In remarks that were among the most outspoken by a first lady in modern history, Mrs. Obama, who has mostly avoided the political limelight, positioned herself at the center of a campaign she characterized as having devolved into “madness.” She implored voters to “stand up and say enough is enough.”

Again, I have no interest in defending Trump here simply because I'm not in the habit of defending the indefensible. But as is normally the case with the President or First Lady, their indignation is sprinkled with hypocrisy.

My friend Erin Haust said it best.

Oh SPARE ME! The woman who idolizes Beyonce & Jay Z, whose lyrics & music videos are some of the most disgusting displays of objectifying & degrading women in today's society, is lecturing us on "intolerable" language?

The hypocrisy is nauseating. Cannot wait for 2016 to be over.

I know what some of you may be thinking. You're thinking that someone like Jay Z merely raps about such acts whereas Trump actually perpetrates the actions of his vile rhetoric. If that's your mindset, then it's the equivalent of saying it's OK to merely deal hard drugs as opposed to actually using them.

Hey, whatever helps you assuage your conscience.

--------------------------------------

Quick Hits: Volume CXXXIV

- There was a lot of flap over the weekend regarding San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick not partaking in the tradition of NFL teams standing for the National Anthem. Kap's reason for this protest is he doesn't feel it's right to stand for the symbol of a country which he feels is oppressing minorities (Kaepernick himself is bi-racial and was raised by white adoptive parents).

The irony is probably lost on Kaepernick in that he is thumbing his nose at the symbol of the very country which allows him to openly criticize said country and its government officials. But with that said, I'm not all that worked up over this "protest" he is staging. In fact, in some small way, I actually admire Kap given what product endorsements he may have will likely dry up in light of this. As such, he is putting his money where his mouth is.

The only real issue I have with this whole saga is while Kaepernick seems all indignant about First Amendment rights (i.e. freedom to criticize the government without fear of retribution from said body), he doesn't appear to grasp the concept of the Fifth Amendment, specifically the "Due Process Clause."

There's a lot of things that need to change. One specifically? Police brutality. There's people being murdered unjustly and not being held accountable.

Emphasis was mine.

Unjustly? Sorry Kap, but justice is meted out only after someone has been through a trial. Yep, Due Process is still a thing. You might wanna browse your pocket Constitution while sitting on the bench.


- I heard the MTV Video Music Awards took place Sunday evening (does MTV even air music videos anymore?).

Not since Crowded House won for Best New Artist in 1987 have I indulged in an entire broadcast of the VMAs, which means that streak has now reached 29 consecutive years. Believe me, my resolve is strong.


- In light of the disgusting details over former New York congressman Anthony Weiner's latest "sexting" scandal, this seemed to be the next logical step.

Huma Abedin, the wife of the former representative Anthony D. Weiner, announced on Monday that the couple were separating in the wake of a report that Mr. Weiner had been involved in another sexting scandal.

Mr. Weiner, who resigned in 2011 after it was revealed he had been sending lewd messages and photos to random women online, apparently deleted his Twitter account on Monday after The New York Post reported that he had exchanged sexual messages with an unidentified woman last year.

The initial scandal destroyed his political career and strained his marriage to Ms. Abedin, a top aide to Hillary Clinton.

On Monday, Ms. Abedin said in a statement: “After long and painful consideration and work on my marriage, I have made the decision to separate from my husband. Anthony and I remain devoted to doing what is best for our son, who is the light of our life. During this difficult time, I ask for respect for our privacy.”

It's obviously long past time that Weiner seek professional help. After multiple high profile incidents which caused him to resign his House seat in 2011 and then, in 2013, force a humiliated Abedin to defend his behavior in an effort to save his bid for NYC Mayor, Weiner still couldn't cease this abhorrent behavior. But then to send explicit pictures to an unknown woman while his 4-year old son slept next to him?!?! Unconscionable!

----------------------------------------------

But life is just a party, and parties weren't meant to last.....

I don't like to throw the word "icon" around too casually. But when an entertainer attains immense popularity among multiple generations, such a label would seem apropos. It's safe to say that the Twin Cities music scene (and the entire music world for that matter) lost an icon.

Legendary Minnesota pop musician Prince, hailed worldwide as a versatile musical genius, was found dead Thursday morning at his Paisley Park recording studio complex in Chanhassen. He was 57.

The Carver County Sheriff’s Office reported that responders found the artist, unresponsive, in an elevator and were unable to revive him with CPR. He was pronounced deceased at 10:07 a.m.

His body is at the Midwest Medical Examiners Officer in Ramsey. An autospy is planned Friday.

In a transcript of a 911 call released by the Carver County Sheriff’s Office, an unidentified male caller tells the dispatcher there is “a person … dead here,” says he doesn’t know how the person died and struggles to find the exact address of Prince’s home, which the dispatcher urgently seeks.

“You’re at Paisley Park, OK, that’s in Chanhassen,” the dispatcher says. “Are you with the person who’s …” and the male caller quickly interrupts to say, “Yes, it’s Prince.”

Multiple responders were quickly dispatched. An ambulance dispatcher soon canceled further medical help, saying, “confirmed DOA.”

Prince had his initial enormous success in the 1980s, which were my formative years. I could hardly turn on the radio in middle school and high school without hearing a Prince tune. The songs 1999, Little Red Corvette and Delirious were the most popular tracks at the Wooddale roller skating rink around 1983-84. And the tunes When Doves Cry and Let's Go Crazy were often part of the soundtrack on bus rides to our away basketball games in 10th grade.

Despite his worldwide popularity, Prince always stayed true to his Minnesota roots by living hear when not touring. And while it wasn't touted publicly, his philanthropy was prolific.

Gov. Mark Dayton said Prince’s “tremendous talent was matched only by his generosity and commitment to improving his community ... (his) contributions to the betterment of our state will be remembered for years to come.”

Yes, Prince's music and his generosity to his hometown are two things which will last for a long, long time.

-----------------------------------------

Glenn Frey: 1948-2016

If there's one venue which triggers memories more than most, it's music. Whenever I listen to Sirius XM radio channels '70s on 7, '80s on 8 or '90s on 9, I recognize the vast majority of the tunes being played. My favorites are the ones which help me remember at which point I was in life when said tunes were hits.

When The Eagles released the album Hotel California, I was in second grade. Sure, I was too young to understand the lyrics of the title track as well as other hits such as "Life in the Fast Lane" and "New Kid in Town." Nevertheless, the guitar riffs, drum beats and keyboard licks were immediately identifiable. And while I couldn't name one band member, I was able to easily ascertain that there were different lead singers at the helm for "Hotel California" and "New Kid...."

It was the early '80s when I really started to appreciate music and the artists who performed it. It was this time frame when I often heard radio DJs introducing tunes from "Eagles co-founder Glenn Frey." Frey had success with his solo work, often faring much better with tunes from TV and movie soundtracks. "The Heat is On" from the film Beverly Hills Cop and "You Belong to the City" from the TV show Miami Vice were both Top 5 hits. And thanks to classic Twin Cities rock stations like 92 KQRS, I was able to indulge in Frey's work with The Eagles. To this day, I still have two of The Eagles' greatest hits albums plus Frey's first three solo albums all on cassette. Yes, those were played on heavy rotations during my 30-minute commute to college in the late '80s/early '90s.

Despite Frey's 1988 album Soul Searchin' not having the same tremendous commercial success as, say, his soundtrack work, two of my favorite Frey tunes came from that album. For many many years, I fantasized about having the pipes to sing "True Love" to that special lady in the same vain as Frey belted it out. 

And while it may sound a tad corny, the song "Livin' Right" actually does give me a little extra juice while I'm exercising.




When The Eagles reunited for their Hell Freezes Over tour in 1994, I tried in vain to tickets when they made a stop in the Twin Cities. After not partaking in any of their handful of stops in Minneapolis/St. Paul over the next two decades, a high school classmate (and fellow Eagles enthusiast) strongly encouraged me to check out the band at a scheduled Target Center appearance. I didn't immediately jump on tickets when they went on sale in the spring of 2013 as they just seemed so darn expensive. As September 18, 2013 (the date of the actual concert) arrived, my high school pal Lisa asked if I was attending. I told her I was not. She then implored me to scour Stub Hub for some cheap tickets since this may be the last opportunity to ever see the band live. Lisa's persistence paid off as I was able to find an "obstructed view" ticket for about $95. Turns out, my view wasn't all that bad.

Here's a brief clip from that night, featuring the classic Eagles tune "Take It Easy" with Frey on lead vocals.



I hadn't really thought about it until that evening in September 2013, but Frey had been a significant part of my life's soundtrack. That fact was further emphasized when I learned of his death via the Eagles' Facebook page.

It is with the heaviest of hearts that we announce the passing of our comrade, Eagles founder, Glenn Frey, in New York City on Monday, January 18th, 2016.

Glenn fought a courageous battle for the past several weeks but, sadly, succumbed to complications from Rheumatoid Arthritis, Acute Ulcerative Colitis and Pneumonia.

The Frey family would like to thank everyone who joined Glenn to fight this fight and hoped and prayed for his recovery.

Words can neither describe our sorrow, nor our love and respect for all that he has given to us, his family, the music community & millions of fans worldwide.

Cindy Frey | Taylor Frey | Deacon Frey | Otis Frey

Don Henley | Joe Walsh | Timothy B. Schmit | Bernie Leadon | Irving Azoff

Even though Frey is no longer with us, his 4+ decades of work will always be here. But it sure would have been nice to hear the entire gang (Glenn, Don, Joe, Timothy et al) in person just one more time.

----------------------------------------

Quick Hits: Volume CXXII

- A musical legend has died.

Lemmy Kilmister, the lead singer and bassist of Motörhead and a heavy metal icon for six decades, passed away Monday after a battle with cancer. Kilmister turned 70 on Christmas Eve. The band's official Facebook confirmed Kilmister's passing, "There is no easy way to say this… our mighty, noble friend Lemmy passed away today after a short battle with an extremely aggressive cancer."

Like many icons, Lemmy was just as revered for his exploits off stage, particularly when it came to the obligatory lechery.

When asked a few years ago if the legend was true about his bedding approximately 1,000 women, Lemmy's answer was itself legendary.

When you think about it, it isn't that unreasonable. I'm not even married, and I've been doing this since I was 16. And I'm now 66, so that's like 50 years.

If my math is correct, that's an average of about two gals per month over 50 years. That's borderline chaste compared to his peers.


-For the first time in three seasons, my favorite NFL squad is in the playoffs!

Thanks to a convincing win over the New York Giants Sunday evening, the Minnesota Vikings have a chance to play a home postseason game if they can beat the Green Bay Packers Sunday. If indeed that happens, the Vikes would host the Seattle Seahawks the following weekend. Yes, the same Seahawks who came into TCF Bank Stadium a few weeks ago a crushed the Vikings 38-7. However, if the Vikings and Seattle both lose their regular season finales, Minnesota would then travel to Washington, D.C. to take on an average Redskins team.

Some are suggesting the Vikes tank Sunday in order to play a less formidable opponent in their first playoff game. While I don't deny Seattle would be the tougher draw, any talk of tanking games is utterly asinine. How could any true Vikings fan even suggest mailing in a game against the rival Packers?


- Congressman Trey Gowdy (R-SC) recently endorsed Marco Rubio for President. As such, some of the maniacal Donald Trump supporters wrote that off as "establishment RINOs looking out for each other." Never mind the fact that both Gowdy and Rubio were only first elected to Congress in 2010, but whatever. "Establishment RINO" has become the favorite pejorative for one to lob at someone who doesn't support one's preferred candidate. It basically has no meaning anymore.

Anyhow, one of the more visible Trump spokespersons, Katrina Pierson, just a few months ago was starting a movement to draft Gowdy as the new Speaker of the House to replace the retiring John Boehner (heck, she even touted his candidacy on my radio program on October 4). And would you believe her organization, the Tea Party Leadership Fund, is still using said candidacy to raise money?

Awkward!

--------------------------------------------

30 years ago today.......

There are certain songs that, no matter how heavy a rotation they're played, give me goosebumps each and every time I hear them.

This would be one.

The all-star recording session for We Are the World, the biggest charity single of all time, took place 30 years ago Wednesday.

On Jan. 28, 1985, at A&M Recording Studios in Hollywood, following the American Music Awards, more than 40 artists gathered to record a song Lionel Richie and Michael Jackson had written to raise awareness of widespread, life-threatening poverty in Africa. Most of that show's winners — including Cyndi Lauper, Hall & Oates, Bruce Springsteen, Huey Lewis, Willie Nelson, Tina Turner, the Pointer Sisters, Kenny Rogers and the Jacksons — participated.

Inspired by the U.K. all-star charity single Do They Know it's Christmas?, released a few months earlier, We Are the World was released March 7, 1985, and went on to sell more than 20 million copies. The more than $75 million raised by non-profit organization USA for Africa helped to fight poverty on the continent. The song also won three Grammy Awards in 1986, including song and record of the year.

If you're fascinated by fascinating facts (like I am) then the entire USA Today story entitled 'We Are the World' at 30: 12 tales you might not know is a must read.

One anecdote missing was one which Kenny Loggins shared regarding a conversation he had with Paul Simon. Loggins claimed that Simon was looking around the room at the who's who of music superstars. Upon soaking in the cavalcade of talent, Simon allegedly turned to Loggins and said "If a bomb were to hit this place, John Denver would be #1 again."

---------------------------------------------------

Wrong on Wright

As a country music fan, I like Chely Wright. I believe she is an incredibly talented singer whose songs were equally fun (Sea of Cowboy Hats), heartfelt (I Already Do) and...uh....somewhat risque (Jezebel).

So two years ago I didn't suddenly dislike Wright's music when she publicly announced that she is a homosexual. Naturally many cultural elites focused their attention on the country music industry, waiting to pounce on their alleged intolerance.

Leave it to Oprah's buddy Gayle King to finally just come out and say it (Emphasis mine).

The Obama-supporting anchor targeted the country music industry for supposedly giving Wright the cold shoulder: "I'm a little disappointed and surprised by the reaction of the country music industry....they do seem, Chely, to have rejected you, ever since you came out."

King also gave an enthusiastic thumbs-up the musician's new documentary about her "coming out process." The CBS personality gushed, "Chely Wright, I have to say, your documentary took my heart and ripped it out a couple times when I was watching you."

The close associate of Oprah Winfrey previewed the Wright interview: "When she opened up about being gay, the door to country music stardom closed.

As I said at the outset, I personally love Wright's music. Unfortunately not enough other people do but it has nothing to do with her being gay. You see, Wright came out only two years ago. However, she hasn't had a top 40 hit since 2004, including her last four singles which didn't even chart. Wright isn't so much shunned from the industry for being gay as much as she's just not a big draw anymore. It's business.

For whatever reason, country music has seen scores of artists burst onto the scene only to vanish in less than five years. Does anyone happen to recall the names Wade Hayes, David Lee Murphy, Ty Herndon(Whoops. He's gay - ed.), Jeff Carson, Doug Supernaw and Bryan White? All topped the country charts in the mid-90s (around the same time Wright burst onto the scene) but none had any real success once the 21st century rolled around.

Maybe the country music industry also has a vendetta against heterosexual white males.

------------------------------------------------------

Whitney Houston: 1963-2012

Having been in my formative years in the 1980s right through my graduation of college in 1992, I obviously was very familiar with the work of singer Whitney Houston. I'm not going to tell you that I owned every album of hers, but I definitely did not change the station when a Whitney tune came on over WLOL or KDWB! And I certainly didn't change the channel away from MTV or VH1 when a music video featuring the attractive and radiant Ms. Houston appeared on the TV screen.

With ten #1 singles (including seven consecutive number ones from 1985-87) before the age of the 30, Whitney was an icon amongst my peers who enjoyed pop music. In fact, I had been told by people my parents' ages that the way my generation revered Whitney in the late '80s into the early '90s was much the same why they embraced Aretha Franklin in the '60s.

But it was Whitney's appearance on the grandest stage of them all, the Super Bowl, which cemented an already larger-than-life persona. With the United States embroiled in war in the Persian Gulf, Whitney, a mere ten days after the beginning of Operation Desert Storm, was to sing the National Anthem prior to Super Bowl XXV on January 27, 1991. With pride and patriotism at a fever pitch, Whitney's exhilarating (and seemingly effortless) rendition of the Star Spangled Banner appeared to give an emotional lift to the millions of Americans tuned in to professional sports' largest spectacle.



I actually played this on my radio show this afternoon. I'm not going to lie to you, I definitely got a little misty. I remember exactly how I felt at that point of my life in early 1991 when our American military faced an uncertain task ahead in the Gulf conflict. I personally had never experienced our country having been in a war such as this, so I was rather uneasy surrounding the whole thing. I'm not being melodramatic when I say that Whitney's stellar performance of our National Anthem provided a sense of peace, if only for the next several hours.

Over the next 20+ years, it seemed Houston was known more for her erratic and bizarre behavior away from the music scene. Whether it was rampant drug use, the perpetual volatility in her marriage to singer Bobby Brown, flaking out on scheduled high-profile performances, a bizarre 2003 trip to Israel or an ill-conceived reality TV show, Whitney's music career (and accomplishments) almost became an afterthought.

I recall an interview conducted with Sam Nelson, the youngest of pop star (and 1950s teen idol) Ricky Nelson's four children. Sam was around ten-years old when his Dad was killed in a 1985 plane crash. During the memorial service for his Dad, Sam was so taken aback by all the adulation and admiration people had for his father that he wondered to himself why he never knew that particular Ricky Nelson. Having been born in 1993, Bobbi Kristina Houston Brown, Whitney's only child, may likely be in the same boat. That is, she may be aware of the talented musician that was her mother but likely doesn't grasp the iconic status which her mom had a stranglehold on for nearly a decade. But that fact is trivial when one considers that today there is an 18-year old girl who now must face the rest of her life without her mother.

-------------------------------------------

Quick Hits: Volume IV

Yes, I still recall fondly the days of when dissent was considered the highest form or patriotism, especially from 2001-2008. And said dissent was never exercised more fervently than in song. Musicians such as The Rolling Stones, Neil Young and Pink even penned tunes specifically to savage the Bush administration. Naturally they were heavily lauded by the entertainment industry for speaking "truth to power" (we really need to retire that moronic phrase).

But if one is a lesser known musician who dares to tug on the cape of the proverbial liberal Superman.......?

American beauty Ash Soular recorded “Obamanation” in 2008 as a protest song. She warned Americans about slick media sensation Barack Obama.

The upside was that she got over 4,000,000 hits on the song she posted on YouTube. The downside was that she was harassed and received death threats for posting the song on YouTube.

"I wanted to express how I felt about this past election, but I’m not very good at writing political blogs or particularly fond of debating" Soular said. "So I figured, how better to express my opinion than to write a song."

Check out the rather prophetic lyrics for yourself. I'll say this: If I were a bettin' man, I'd ask Ms. Soular to accompany me to Churchill Downs the first Saturday in May.









-As we approach the Major League Baseball All-Star break, the talk of baseball trades begins to heat up. Perhaps the most coveted player this year is Seattle Mariners' starting pitcher Cliff Lee. It is rumored that four teams are currently in the hunt for Lee, including my favorite squad.

If this move is made, it would send yet another signal to Twins fans that the club's front office is serious about utilizing the new revenue streams brought on by Target Field. And it also would send a clear message that it is "World Series or bust", since there is zero chance the Twins will pursue Lee when he becomes a free agent after this season.

Such a trade might actually help the Twins scale that proverbial postseason mountain known as the New York Yankees. In their past four postseason appearances, my favorite club has been eliminated by the Yanks on three occasions. And lest we forget, Lee was the winning pitcher in the two games the Philadelphia Phillies won in last year's World Series versus the Yankees.

Let get this done, Mr. Smith.

-------------------------------------------

Acknowledging a milestone birthday

He was born Hugh Anthony Cregg III exactly sixty years ago today in New York City. As a youngster, Hugh and his family would relocate to the San Francisco Bay Area, specifically Marin County.

After his parents' divorce, Hugh, a highly intelligent young man, graduated from the prestigious Lawrenceville prep school in New Jersey at age sixteen. He even scored a perfect 800 on the Math section of his SAT. But his Dad, who treated Hugh like an adult since he was a young boy, encouraged him to see a little bit of the world before going to college. As such, Hugh hitchhiked across the country until he arrived in New York City. While waiting for rides along the way, Hugh killed time by playing the harmonica, eventually becoming very proficient.

From there, he hung around the NYC airport for a few days before stowing away on a flight to Europe. While visiting such places as Scotland and Spain, Hugh would get by financially playing the harmonica. He would earn enough money for a flight back to the USA where he enrolled in the engineering program at Cornell University. While at Cornell, Hugh struck up a friendship with several other aspiring musicians. As a result, his focus shifted away from academics and more on his newly formed band. Hugh would return to San Francisco after dropping out of Cornell in his junior year in 1969.

In the early '70s, while working odd jobs, Hugh joined the Bay Area band Clover, a country/rock band out of Mill Valley. He would stay with the band until it dissolved in 1979.

Hugh and childhood friend Sean Hopper, who also played keyboards with Clover, decided to form a band of their own. Johnny Colla (saxophone/guitar), Mario Cipollina (bass) and Bill Gibson (drums), who played with the Bay Area band Soundhole, were also recruited to play. The lineup would be rounded out with guitarist Chris Hayes. While tinkering with various stage names, Hugh would eventually settle on Huey Lewis.

Having settled on the name Huey Lewis and American Express, the band was in the midst of recording their initial album. However, credit card company American Express issued a complaint about the band's name in early 1980. From there forward, the band would forever be known as Huey Lewis and the News.

Later in 1980, the band would debut their self-titled album to little fanfare.




It was at that point where Huey began to assess his life and career path. Having just turned thirty years old with a mere $300 to his name, Huey realized the sense of urgency in producing a hit record. With that in mind, he reached out to a record producer whom he had known from his days with Clover. Robert John "Mutt" Lange, who was the brain trust behind AC/DC's hugely successful comeback album Back in Black, offered Huey a tune called We Both Believe in Love. With some slight adjustments, the band released the song Do You Believe in Love as the featured single on their second album Picture This. The song peaked at number 13 on the Billboard charts, and seemed to sustain the band's immediate future.




With some momentum, Huey & the guys began work on their third album Sports. When the finishing touches were put on said album, manager Bob Brown was convinced it was the best thing which he had ever been associated. However, when he attempted to contact the band's record label, Chrysalis Records, Brown learned that the company had disconnected its phone lines in Los Angeles, New York and England. With Chrysalis having experienced financial troubles, it was feared that the band had created a musical masterpiece without a record deal to release it. Huey recalled that the master reel-to-reel tapes had to be held under lock and key to ensure they not fall into the hands of a foundering record company.

Eventually, Chrysalis co-founder Terry Ellis convinced Brown that the company was stable, and thus Sports would be released. By far the band's most successful album to date, it has been certified 7x Platinum by the RIAA and had five top 20 hits. Sports was also ranked number two on Billboard's year-end album chart in 1984, behind only Michael Jackson's Thriller.




With the kind of enormous success brought on by Sports, there was a tremendous expectation for future albums. Despite scoring a number one hit with The Power of Love from the Back to the Future movie soundtrack, Huey's fans were clamoring for a follow up album. The release of Fore! in 1986 was a fantastic response. Having peaked at number one on the Billboard album chart, Fore! featured two number one singles in Stuck with You and Jacob's Ladder. The album had five top ten singles and was certified triple platinum.




Having the credibility of tremendous mainstream success, Huey decided to do something a little different with the band's fifth album Small World. With more of a jazz feel, the album did not approach the commercial success of the previous two offerings. While the album did reach Platinum status, it featured only one top ten hit with Perfect World.




In 1991, Hard at Play, under new record label EMI, would be Huey's last album of original material in nearly ten years.




While the lineup has changed over the past decade-and-a-half (both Hayes and Cipollina retired), Huey continues to thrive with whomever wants to come along for the ride. While there are plans to release a new album this year, Huey Lewis and the News continue to tour and play much smaller venues than in their heyday of the 1980s.

Having attended one of their concerts recently, I can tell you that Huey Lewis puts on the same kind of show in front of 5,000 people as if it were 50,000. As a fan of Huey's music for more than 25 years, I'm just as big a fan of the person. Despite more than a dozen top twenty hits and several million in album sales, Huey has never appeared to let the success go to his head. I recall a story one of his handlers told about a concert appearance at the height of the band's success in the 80's. After said concert, the band was ushered out the back door and into a non-descript vehicle to take them back to their hotel. Upon arriving at the hotel, Huey and the guys entered in through the alley way and took a service elevator up to their suites. Yet despite going through the extra effort to smuggle in the band incognito, Huey was down in the hotel bar within thirty minutes, having a drink with all of the fans. It also wasn't all that unusual for Huey to stay up well past Midnight to accommodate all of the fan autograph requests.

So it is on this day I would like to wish my boyhood (and early college-age) idol a very happy 60th birthday. Admittedly, I don't keep a "bucket list". But if I did, meeting Huey Lewis would be in the top ten.

------------------------------------------

Keep the change

Country singer Darryl Worley seems to have a finger on the pulse with his latest offering.

I WATCH THE NEWS AND HAVE TO WONDER IF THIS COUNTRY'S GOING CRAZY

TALKIN' BOUT HOW MUCH THEY LOVE IT HERE BUT HOW THEY WANNA REARRANGE IT

I'M JUST YOUR AVERAGE JOE AND THAT MAKES ME SMART ENOUGH TO KNOW

THERE'S A BUNCH OF US OUT HERE THAT FEEL THE SAME

GONNA KEEP OUR GOD, OUR FREEDOM, A LITTLE MONEY IN THE BANK

Y'ALL CAN KEEP THE CHANGE

-----------------------------------------

Old "News" still fresh!

From the time I was in middle school through my college years, my room was a veritable shrine to Huey Lewis and the News. If there was a TV show or national radio program featuring Huey, I was sure to tune in. I can't begin to tell you how many hours I spent watching MTV, ready to hit the record button on the VCR. To this day, I still have my collection of Huey Lewis music videos on VHS.

This past Saturday evening at Treasure Island Resort & Casino, I saw Huey and the boys in concert for the first time since 1991. Despite the fact that Huey will turn sixty years old this July, he gave no indication that his musical prowess had diminished. While the faces have changed somewhat with the retirements of original members Chris Hayes (guitar) and Mario Cipollina (bass), the band's sound remains just as distinctive as it did in the '80s.

The set began with four or five soulful tunes from an album which is currently in the works. While HLN hit the mainstream in the 80s with a general pop sound, Huey's roots (and heart for that matter) lie in the blues/soul genre. While the crowd politely applauded this set, Huey ascertained that the oldies (still not comfortable referring to '80s tunes as "oldies") were in demand. The next set began with He Don't Know, a modest hit on 1991's Hard at Play. But then the crowd really got into it when the guys launched into I Want a New Drug from their most successful album to date, the multi-platinum Sports. The band also covered the tunes Heart and Soul and The Heart of Rock & Roll from that same album.

After whipping the crowd into a frenzy, the band covered So Much in Love a capella, and did a mighty fine rendition of it! After a couple more songs, Huey and the gang walked off the stage for the evening. Of course, an encore was in order. Huey knew full well he couldn't end a show without singing The Power of Love from the Back to the Future soundtrack. The guys then wrapped up with Do You Believe in Love and Workin' for a Livin', both from 1982's Picture This.

All in all, Huey Lewis and the News put on a great show on Saturday. And given the lackluster performances recently put forth by 60-something rockers (The Who at the Super Bowl comes to mind) it was a treat to indulge in such a stellar performance.

-------------------------------------------

Separated at Birth: Jermaine Jackson & Isiah Thomas

This was pointed out to me by ESPN's Bill "The Sports Guy" Simmons.

Singer Jermaine Jackson (left) is Michael Jackson's older brother.

Isiah Thomas is an NBA Hall of Famer.

------------------------------------------

Happy Birthday Bonnie Tyler

The husky-voiced Welsh singer turns 58 today.

Ms. Tyler scored such top 40 hits as It's A Heartache, Holding out for a Hero and Total Eclipse of the Heart, which hit #1 in 1983.




Now enjoy some comic relief in the following parody of Bon's top hit from the '83:



-------------------------------------------

Partying like it's 1980-something (UPDATED)

Yes, it’s true. I still love the 80s!!! So it’s no surprise that I’ve had an absolute blast this week watching VH1’s 100 Greatest One Hit Wonders of the 80s. Thru Thursday evening they counted down song numbers 100 thru 21. Given I’m such an 80s rube “connoisseur”, I will definitely be watching tonight’s finale at 8:00 9:00 CT when VH1 commences with the top 20 songs.

My co-worker (and fellow 80s rube) Kevin and I collaborated on what 80s tunes will make the Top 20.

Here they are in alphabetical order:

1) 867-5309/Jenny (Tommy Tutone)
2) 99 Luftballoons (Nena)
3) Cars (Gary Numan)
4) Come on Eileen (Dexy’s Midnight Runners)
5) Hot Hot Hot (Buster Poindexter)
6) I Melt With You (Modern English)
7) I Ran (Flock of Seagulls)
8) In A Big Country (Big Country)
9) It Takes Two (Rob Base and DJ EZ Rock)
10) Mickey (Toni Basil)
11) Rapper's Delight (Sugarhill Gang)
12) Relax (Frankie Goes to Hollywood)
13) Rock Me Amadeus (Falco)
14) She Blinded Me With Science (Thomas Dolby)
15) Somebody's Watching Me (Rockwell)
16) Tainted Love (Soft Cell)
17) Take on Me (A-ha)
18) Too Shy (Kajagoogoo)
19) True (Spandau Ballet)
20) Whip It (Devo)

As far as #1 is concerned, Kev is going with Relax by Frankie Goes to Hollywood. But I say the smart money is on 867-5309/Jenny by Tommy Tutone.

Anyone else wanna make a case for which song is the greatest one hit wonder of the 1980s?


UPDATE: I will be doing a "live blog" as the 20 greatest one hit wonders of the 80s is being counted down. It looks as though the Top 20 will be broadcast on VH1 at 9:00 pm CT, not 8:00. I regret the error.

-------------------------------------------

UPDATE II: And now, THE TOP 20, as recited on VH1!

20) Somebody's Watching Me (Rockwell)
19) You Spin Me Round (Like a Record) (Dead or Alive)
18) It Takes Two (Rob Base and D.J. E-Z Rock)
17) The Safety Dance (Men without Hats)
16) 99 Luftballoons (Nena)
15) Whip It (Devo)
14) In a Big Country (Big Country)
13) She Blinded Me With Science (Thomas Dolby)
12) Obsession (Animotion)
11) Cars (Gary Numan)
10) Relax (Frankie Goes to Hollywood)
9) Too Shy (Kajagoogoo)
8) I Want Candy (Bow Wow Wow)
7) I Melt With You (Modern English)
6) Mickey (Toni Basil)
5) Tainted Love (Soft Cell)
4) 867-5309/Jenny (Tommy Tutone)
3) Take On Me (A-Ha)
2) I Ran (A Flock of Seagulls)
1) Come on Eileen (Dexy's Midnight Runners)

So there you have it! Kev and I got 16 out of 20. Not bad. We missed song numbers 8, 12, 17 and 19, but who cares. I'll take any and every opportunity to talk 80s music!!

-------------------------------------------

Music mauled

There are certain songs I’ll hear these days that have been irretrievably ruined or altered in my mind. That is, I’ll immediately think of a skewered version of the song or how it conjures up bad memories given the venue in which it was played.

Here are just a few examples:

Carol of the Bells: OK, whose idea was it to go from ”Hark! Here the Bells” to ”Ding! Fries are Done”? That’s worse than ”Jingle Bells, Batman smells…”.


This Will Be (An Everlasting Love) (Natalie Cole): One word: OVERKILL!!! In addition to it being the commercial theme for eHarmony, this song was featured in seven movies in ten years, including The Parent Trap, Must Love Dogs and While You Were Sleeping.


American Pie (Don McLean): A long, long time ago in a galaxy far away…whoops, I mean….I can still remember how that music used to make me smile. Yes, thanks to Weird Al Yankovic I usually divert into his parody tune The Saga Begins whenever I hear the McLean classic.


Viva Las Vegas (Elvis Presley): A commercial for a certain little blue pill has forever denigrated this once great song. That’s all I’m sayin’.


You Send Me (Sam Cooke): From early 2007 until election day 2008, the fawning over Presidential candidate Barack Obama was utterly insufferable. But to hear about Chris Matthews’ tingly leg intertwined with this Cooke fave doesn’t…uh…”thrill me.” Thanks a lot, Fraters Libertas.


The floor is open for any other submissions.


------------------------------------------------