As some of you may know, I am a fan of good, harmony based music. I know, shocker, right? Anyway, some of the bands that in my mind are always included in this are The Beatles, The Eagles, The Beach Boys, Alabama, and Steelheart. OK, maybe not Steelheart, (however, how that lead singer belts out the high notes on “Never let you go” is beyond me).
Now, some of you may also know that I have two children and I have been subjecting them so some of the aforementioned bands (minus Steelheart.) It’s interesting to note that some of the same music I was forced to listen to as a child (since my parents only ever listened to oldies on A.M. 1320) is now becoming a staple with my own children. I have to admit it’s fun listening to my children sing along with “HELP!” and “Fun, Fun, Fun” while I roll the windows down in the Grand Caravan, and look way too hip.
While these are just a sampling of the groups where my arranging inspiration comes from, it is important that we all get along. I’m sorry, I didn’t know how to end this, so I’m just going to put random good thoughts together. Like puppies frolicking with butterflies, or Mark staring out a window watching puppies frolicking with butterflies while Steelheart blares through the headphones attached to his Sony Walkman.
We need to find an independent producer or up and coming filmmaker to shoot a reality show revolving around TSF. What a crazy career this has been replete with the highest of highs and ego bursting lows. Yet the genuine thrill of what we do lies almost always in the behind the scenes escapades…in the “Rat Pack” like existence we lead. Almost every week I can envision a new episode… This week we sang for thousands of women at 8:00 in the morning and followed it up on a football field in Tilden, NE, where they have a cow chip throwing contest the very next day. We received emails asking for tips on starting a classic rock band as well as writing the music to a fan’s wedding vows. We managed to get pulled over (again), visit with some Special Olympians, work out Christmas production, etc, all the while cracking jokes, pulling pranks, and enjoying what we do. We don’t make cakes or dress in Kiss makeup and we have never belonged to the cast of Saved By The Bell, but I might watch it just to see what happens next.
One of the main questions we get asked during interviews, is “What is something you can tell us about the other guys that the audience might not know?”. So I’m going to let you in on some little known facts about my three compadres.
- If you catch Mark, you will get his pot of gold (minus the gold). If you wrestle Mark to the ground on St. Patrick’s Day in front of the other three TSF members (and preferably a large group of people), he turns into five gold coins. Offer ends soon, so act now!
- Greg is a sedatephobiac (fear of silence). We’re not entirely sure the level of fear involved, but the necessity for noise is prevalent. A recent fact-finding mission turned up a long history of the disease, reaching as far back as his infancy, when he cried for no reason whatsoever.
- Shaun has webbed toes. Fortunately, with his love for all things water, and his time spent at the lake, it has proved quite the blessing. He holds the record at his junior high school for modified dog paddle.
Glad that’s off my chest. I feel quite refreshed, as though a huge burden has been lifted. I think I’ll have some ice-cream.
“Sometimes, all I need is the air that I breathe”……..to get enough oxygen to live. OK, so maybe that’s not as poetic as the Hollies version, but it still rings true.
But enough of the science lesson for today, let’s talk about summertime shows! They happen to be my favorite shows of the year…..there’s nothing like being outdoors in the beautiful sunshine, singing your heart out on some mega ballad, and watching some guy down a pulled pork pork sandwich like it was his last meal, then wiping his face on his shirt before starting on his ice cream cup.
Seriously though, they are quite fun, and it is always cool to be able to see everyone during the show and constantly be thinking of the next interesting or funny thing to point out in between songs…..or if you’re Jared, be thinking of your next meal, or if you’re Mark, be thinking “where am I?”
No matter what, the outdoor shows are more fun the more people get into them. For example, sometimes people like to dance in front of the stage, or yell appropriate things at inappropriate times, or vice versa, or vice versa versa. Or just versa.
I guess what my friend trying to say is – love is blind.
Today is the first day of July. And never do I get to this point without wishing I had done a few more outdoor performances, or wakeboarded an extra hour or even attended one outdoor barbeque. Since summer seems to start in June and end after the State Fair seasons, I can’t help but feel the weight of time’s second hand. I know I’ll wake tomorrow to find September’s falling leaves but in the meantime, I’d like to ensure a thousand memories. And so I push, pull and charge. Isn’t there some cliche about screeching into your last day out of breath with a glass of champagne in one hand? If so, I think I’d like to be the poster child.
