MY TWO SHITS WORTH: EPISODE FOUR

     This next musical recommendation is somewhat bizarre coming from someone like me.  But to understand its significance and beauty to me, I might have to provide a bit of backstory here.  In 1992,  I suffered what I would kindly refer to as a nervous breakdown.  I can't say I didn't see it coming but it would still rate as a bit of a shocker.  However, my mental state started to effect my physical well-being and things were generally not going as planned for me.
     A few months later, I was in a record store in Bozeman, MT (don't bother looking for the place;  it's long gone) and was thumbing through the titles and suddenly I heard music that literally was speaking to me.  It was sonically appealing and the lyrics were very striking to say the least.  It was as if every song was a chapter in a book and every chapter sparked my interest exponentially.  Finally,  my very shy self tip toed up to an employee and asked what the heck this album was.  The employee said "This is the first CD by a new band called Dream Theater.  Never heard of 'em but we're supposed to play it."  And with that ringing endorsement I walked over and picked up a copy to purchase and then slowly put it back down when I saw the $18.98 price tag.  This was a lot of money for a college student to pay for anything (including most modes of transportation) and so I left feeling disappointed that I might not hear that music again because it certainly was not the type of genre that any of my local radio stations would play at that time.  On my way out of town,  I decided to stop at a pawn shop to ogle musical instruments I also couldn't afford.  When I was there,  I noticed they sold used CDs and the very first one I saw was this exact CD which was titled "Images And Words."  I jumped at the $6.00 price tag and bought it.  Twenty-five years later I'm still amazed by it.  But since then I've learned a few things.  First,  this was not the 'first' CD by Dream Theater.  However, it was the 'first' CD with their current vocalist James LaBrie.  Second,  this album was a loosely conceptual story about a friend of the band who was losing his battle with a horrible disease and the lyrics were very blunt but also very hopeful.  The vocal samples were cool too.  Third, being a amateur pianist, I was floored by the amazing keyboard playing and lyrics of Kevin Moore (who left the band after their 3rd release 'Awake' in 1994).
     To this day,  I only own their first three albums.  I have owned others at times but could never 'get into them.'  And, yes, I know this is not exactly an underrated album as it has gone Gold by the RIAA.  But what I do know is every time I listen to it,  my mind opens up to endless hope and possibilities.  Is that alright with you?

FAMOUS LAST WORDS?

I plan on continuing the blog as long as I'm spiritually, physically and mentally able.  These three areas can cause problems in my writing style which can lead to long periods of time during posts but, rest assured, I'm always thinking about this space somewhere on the side of the road on the information superhighway.
Until next time.....

MY TWO SHITS WORTH: EPISODE THREE.

     Okay, so I'm switching things up a bit in honor of April Fool's Day.  Instead of underrated music I'm shifting my focus to a group of TV specials and books from the mid-1980s.  Martin Mull has never really found his niche as an entertainer and I think this is because he really doesn't care if he is multi talented as an actor, painter and musician.  He's just one of those people that are great in 'measured doses.'  Yes, 'Fernwood 2-Night' and just about everything else he has done are now cult classics and one of these 'classics' is a trilogy of TV specials he did for HBO with the title "The History Of White People In America."  All of these specials where directed by Harry Shearer and all three starred Mary Kay Place and Fred Willard as your typical married American suburban WASP couple.  Some of these specials also starred greats like George Wendt,  Michael McKean and Jack Riley.  Mull usually plays himself as the interviewer and questions these people about politics, religion, culture etc.  There also is some hokey drama played out that surely is a parody of the PBS cinema verite series of the 1970s, "The Loud Family."
     These specials are done in the 'mockumentary' form although these feel a bit more scripted (by Mull and friends) than the usual Christopher Guest variety.  Two books on the subject were also printed and I seem to recall Mull having a strange fascination with the white man's love of Sans-A-Belt slacks (one of the first makers of slacks with the elastic waistband).  With just about anything Mull does, there is a very dry wit that some people might just not get but I loved these specials as a teen ( and still do).
     All three specials are available on the treasured VHS format at yard sales and church book swap benefits.  I think Mull would heartily approve.