RIP Ziggy Stardust

"Oh no love! you're not alone
You're watching yourself but you're too unfair
You got your head all tangled up but if I could only make you care
Oh no love! you're not alone
No matter what or who you've been
No matter when or where you've seen
All the knives seem to lacerate your brain
I've had my share, I'll help you with the pain
You're not alone"

"Rock 'N' Roll Suicide" -David Bowie

Again I woke up this morning to sad news from the musical world.  I opened my Facebook news feed and I saw a ton of posts about the death of David Bowie.  I immediately thought this is a hoax its not true so I started trying to look into it more and more and all I could find was this was true.  How can it be?  Didn't David Bowie just release an album how could he be dead? 

Blackstar was released on January 8th, 2016.  Now in all fairness I had not listened to it but in my many times of searching around iTunes I had seen that there was a new album.  Immediately when I heard the news my mind started playing the songs and lyrics through my head.  I have said that my brain is full of worthless musical knowledge and song lyrics but moments like this send all those sounds and words flooding into my mind.

Tonight when I got home I pulled up "Space Oddity" on my phone and showed my 5 year old son the video.  David Bowie in all his glory with red fire hair sitting with a guitar singing about Major Tom.  I have loved this song from the very first time I heard it.  I do not know why but it has resonated with me.  It is simple and acoustic but the lyrics tell a vibrant story.  I could always sing along with it and always wanted to learn how to play it on my guitar.  I even bought a book of guitar music for the sole reason that it had this song in it.  Sadly I have never learned how to play it but maybe someday.

David Bowie was Art in its true form.  He was Art, he lived Art and I am thankful that he was never afraid to show this.  He released 27 total studio albums.  Let that sink in for just a little bit, 27 studio albums.  He was relentless in his music and lyrics.  He stated that when he created Ziggy Stardust that he had committed himself so much to this persona that it actually was making him ill and that he was questioning his sanity. 

His voice has an amazing quality to it and when you hear a song you can almost immediately say that is David Bowie.  Even tonight I was watching the "Lazarus" video again and my wife said that still sounds like him.  I thank him for being willing to show the world who he really was and not being afraid of criticism or not fitting the mold.  He said in an interview with Rolling Stone "A song has to take on character, shape, body and influence people to an extent that they use it for their own devices,  It must affect them not just as a song, but as a lifestyle,  The rock stars have assimilated all kinds of philosophies, styles, histories, writings and they throw out what they have cleaned from that."

I for one love David Bowie's music and if you have not listened to any before please do yourself a favor and go find some and listen to it.  Take it in let the sound and lyrics resonate with you.  Listen to the story and allow yourself to go on the adventure with him.  

Well all the people have got their problems
That ain't nothing new
With the help of the good Lord
We can all pull on through
We can all pull on through
Get there in the end
Sometimes it'll take you right up and sometimes down again

"It Ain't Easy"-David Bowie

My top 5 underrated singer/songwriters

As many of you know I have a huge love of music and love sharing music with others and with my family.  I have tried to expose my children to many different types of music.  They listen to records with me, dance to Sammy Davis Jr., sing along to the Beatles, and (thanks to Censie) make me sing along with Kelly Clarkson!  

Music has been something that has gotten me through a lot of tough times and brought me close to others.  While I was in the hospital recovering from my Ileostomy surgery I listened to music quite a bit, it helped me immensely during that time.  

This brings me to our current conversation.  Who are my top five singer/songwriters?  Why did this come up?  I was talking to a co-worker the other day I brought up Jim Croce and the co-worker had no idea who I was talking about!  I was shocked so I wanted to compose this list and share my musical thoughts. 

Top Five Singer/Songwriters

#5 Robbie Robertson and Levon Helm:  

Levon Helm was born in Arkansas and was the drummer and multi instrument member of "The Band".  The Band is often times known for their southern Roots Rock band, but all other members of The Band were from Canada, Levon Helm was the only American born member.  Robbie Robertson is often times credited for writing all the songs but Levon Helm has claimed that they were mostly written collaboratively, this was an ongoing feud.  The Band had many notable songs and The Last Waltz was an amazing collaboration last concert between many musicians.  I am actually going to see a Last Waltz Revisited concert in Denver here in a couple of weeks.  Some of the best songs from The Band are:  Up On Cripple Creek, The Weight, The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down, Atlantic City, Rag Mama Rag, and Ophelia.  

#4 Randy Newman

Randy Newman is probably best known for writing songs for Pixar Movies, most notable Toy Story.  The kids and I will sing "You've got a Friend in me" all the time when listening to Toy Story.  Many though do not know that he had a great musical career prior to these movies.  Randy Newman has been a professional songwriter since he was a teen.  He is an amazing singer and piano player and is great to listen to.  Some of his greatest songs are:  Mama Told Me (Not to Come), You can leave your hat on, Short People, and I Love L.A.

#3 Jim Croce

I grew up listening to Jim Croce songs before I knew who he was.  I have shared my love for his music and story telling with my family.  More than likely you have probably heard his songs before and probably sang some of them without knowing they were written and sung by him.  Jim Croce's career was unfortunately cut short when the plane he was on clipped a pecan tree causing it to crash.  Jim Croce had a great way of telling a story during his songs so that as the listener you could see in your head everything he was talking about.  Some of his best songs are :  Bad, Bad Leroy Brown, You Don't Mess Around with Jim, Time in a Bottle, Operator, New York's Not My Home, Roller Derby Queen,. Rapid Roy (The Stock Car Boy), I Got a Name, and I'll Have to Say I Love You In a Song.

#2 Harry Chapin

There are many songs that were written or sung by Harry Chapin that many individuals know of the song, but like Jim Croce, they do not know that they were written by Harry Chapin.  Harry Chapin is probably best known for his song "Cats in the Cradle" a song about a father being too busy with work to spend time with his son. One of my favorite songs.  Chapin, like Croce, as well died in an accident but a motor vehicle accident.  Harry Chapin was also a great humanitarian trying to fight world hunger.  He started the Harry Chapin Food Bank (Long Island Food Bank) in 1980 a year before his death.  Harry Chapin was also a great story teller and could paint a picture with words and music that amaze me.  Some of my favorite songs are :Cats In The Cradle, Flowers are Red, Taxi, Mr. Tanner, I Wanna Learn a Love Song, 30,000 Pounds of Bananas, Circle and Dancing Boy.

#1 Warren Zevon

A great singer song writer that also suffered from a very bad case of OCD but was an amazing singer, song writer and story teller.  One of his compulsions was buying and hoarding grey Calvin Klein shirts.  He actually built a great friendship with Billy Bob Thornton around having OCD.  Warren Zevon played piano for Everly Brothers and actually played with REM.  Warren Zevon is probably best known for "Werewolves of London".  This has been played at almost every piano bar that I have been to, and is a crowd favorite.  Warren Zevon had many other great songs some of my favorites are: Lawyers, Guns and Money, Excitable Boy, Mr. Bad Example, I'll Sleep When I'm Dead, Desperados Under the Eaves, Roland the Headless Thompson Gunner, and Things To Do In Denver When You're Dead.  

These are just a few of the musicians that I love and wanted to share with you.  I would enjoy hearing about some of the musicians that you enjoy so I can expand my musical knowledge and enjoyment as well.  I hope you will listen to these artists if you have never heard of them and maybe you will enjoy them as well.  

Third time's the charm!

So I know that I have tried this before but I am going to try and get my blog up and running again. I have been very busy with my new job and the family,  but I have a strong desire to have this blog be read by others and share my experiences as a husband, father and as a person. 

Everyone in this world has a story and has something to share and this is my attempt to share a part of who I am. My amazing wife Censie has had an amazing blog for quite some time now so I have a great coach on how to do this but just have to put forth the effort. 

This blog started while I was dealing with an Inflmatory Bowel Disease known as Ulcerative Colitis. This still continues to be a huge part of my life but since my ostomy surgery I have tried to make it a smaller part of my life than it has been. 

Here is a little about me for those of you who do not know me. I love being a father and daddy. It is amazing, I never thought I could feel this way and that I would love this role in my life so much. They challenge me on a daily basis but I love them and would do anything for them.

I have been married to Censie for twelve years, I know I can't believe that she has put up with me for that long either. I am the luckiest man because she chose to be with me and I am so thankful for that. 

I am a huge sports freak. I love watching sports and pretty much anything to do with sports. I am a huge Red Sox fan and a Broncos fan, although I don't get to watch many sports any more because I am usually watching kids shows like "Miles from Tomorrowland " with the kiddos.  

As you can tell I am also a huge music lover, especially classic rock!  I am working on building my vinyl music collection and working to teach my kids about great music, but despite my best efforts they also love listening to pop music. 

I look forward to sharing more experiences and stories with everyone!