Aprilbaby's California Life

Bruce & Doug had a Knack for Living

Bruce Gary (drummer of the Knack) and Doug Fieger (lead singer/songwriter of the Knack) were friends of my husband and mine. Bruce died in the summer of 2006 and Doug died just this past Valentine's day, February 14, 2010.

 

(Photo: Bruce and my friend Toni at Burton Cummings surprise 60s themed birthday.)

Tall lanky Bruce, with that great smile and frenetic energy, grew up right here in the Valley. Here's a nice tribute about his life and influences.

 

(Photo: The only photo I took of Doug with the Knack. I sat in the audience for the filming of Rock n Roll Fun House.)

Doug was a ferociously curious and intelligent guy, quoted Shakespeare, doled out the best advice, gave great support to anyone who needed it, always knew the best Italian restaurants. He had a head full of musical facts and his eyes lit up talking about music or anything else he loved. He had life down - and lived every minute as if he couldn't get enough. 

It's hard to believe Bruce and Doug, two guys with such brilliant energy and passion for life, are no longer on this earth.

********************************************************************

While I can't imagine my childhood without the Beatles music playing in the background, I can't recall my teen years without the Knack. I hear "My Sharona" and I'm transported back to 1979, when disco was just waning and I wanted some music of my own.

 

(Photo: Me daydreaming in class)

1979, "Days of My Sharona":Just entering high school, I smelled of Love's Baby Soft, day-dreamed through school, scribbled boys' names on my Pee Chee folders, loved going to the beach, loved dancing and listening to music. One song I couldn't get enough of, couldn't sit still through and sang out loud, and badly, was "My Sharona". Thumping, heart-pounding rhythm and racy, pleading lyrics and harmonies - it was contagious.

Hearing it now brings back coconut-oil scented beach days when I knew no true heartache, had few responsibilities and my whole wide future stretched before me like the ocean.

Back then, I never imagined I'd know Doug or Bruce personally, or that I'd be heartbroken to have lost these two unique and special people. They both grabbed every moment from life and lived with passion as contagious as their music. Their spirits, so electric and inspiring, live on in their music, in our memories and in the light.

The World Feels Emptier

My husband and I lost a dear friend yesterday, Doug Fieger. The world feels emptier.

In happier days, Doug invited us to the taping of "Rock and Roll Fun House." We were in the audience cheering during this video shoot.

I believe we all come in the world wanting to make a difference in our own unique way - and Doug did through his optimistic passion for life, his music, his mentoring and friendship to many, and, in his final months, his extraordinary fortitude and appreciation for life.

Appreciate each moment and the people in your life.

Life's the road we ride upon, love's the hope we're hanging on, a brief time here a long time gone - Doug Fieger from "It's Not Me"

King Cotton and the Bonedaddys Pay Tribute to Bo Diddley

So King said to Paul Laques (former Bonedaddy's guitarist), last Thursday night, before going on stage: "Shoot, these two shoulda named her King-ette," pointing to me and my husband (the Bonedaddy's former record producer).

And then King proceeded to explain to Paul how twenty years earlier he jumped down off the stage of a warehouse party, with his head covered in a mask, flicked his tongue at me, a twenty-two-year-old, as I was about to leave the "Tape Heads" wrap party at 1 a.m, and said, "Hey, come back inside. There's someone I want you to meet."

His mask, flickering tongue and raspy Southern accent almost scared me off.  But I did go back inside.  Long story short - he introduced me to his record producer, we've been married nearly twenty years and now have an 18-year-old daughter. Unfortunately, we didn't name her King-ette - but we should've.  She wouldn't be here without King.

I met King only months before these videos of him with the Bonedaddys were taped on this late show (see video). So you can imagine why - at one a.m. on a dark, warehouse jammed street of downtown LA - I might be frightened.  Also around this time, King and the Bonedaddys were playing and recording with Bo Diddley (See the second video).

Last night, King, Marv Kanarek (another great friend and an ex-Bonedaddy drummer), Mike Tempo (percussion), Paul Laques (on guitar and now with I See Hawks in LA) - and more, to be named when I'm more awake -rejoined the Bonedaddys at the opening night of the Santa Monica Twilight Dance Series.  The band paid tribute to Bo Diddley.  It was one throbbing, thumping, jamming, funk-fueled, wickedly great evening.   

Here's a Slide Show of the evening.  To make the photos move faster, click the button on the bottom left corner.

Need More Cowbell? My Husband's on The Midnight Special!!

Another Youtube find.  Burton Cummings, Randy Bachman - "American Woman" on Midnight Special, 1978.  My husband's the bass player in white pants and blue shirt, to the left of Randy.

Weird Moment of the Day

The other day my husband, Ian Gardiner - who used to play bass with Burton Cummings of the Guess Who - sent a little note to Burton on his Myspace page.  Yesterday, Burton mentioned it in one of his blog posts. 

Ian told me to go to Burton's Myspace page and read about Burt's first night in LA when he hung out with Jim Morrison.  I did.  Good story.  Then I read his post "Friends of Mine," which mentions my husband, only to find some of Burton's fans commenting that they thought my husband "had passed."

Creepy.

Nope.  Ian hasn't passed (shiver).  He's alive and doing fine... except for the hell I put him through.

(photo: Ian and Burton)

Getting Into The Music & A Curb Your Enthusiasm Moment

We went to Molly Malone's last night to see our friend Fred play keyboard with Philip Sayce.  You know what I love about this band?  They all get so into it.  Even the drummer, Mike Leasure - who was great, by the way - sang his heart out.  I don't usually see that.  It was all pure passion for the music... something that all too often is missing, at least on the radio, these days.

Here's a video of the band playing a beautiful song called "Daydream Tonight," at Molly Malone's.  And I found this: Philip Sayce with Melissa Etheridge on Oprah.  Oprah loves Philip, too.  Not only does she "Whoooo!" at his guitar playing, but listen to what she says at the end.  It's so cute!

 

Last night's Curb Your Enthusiasm moment:

(So I don't embarrass anyone, most will go nameless)

There were four of us standing in a clump outside of Molly Malones: My husband, me, a friend (who will go by name “concerned friend”)  and another friend (a very serious, stoic, no-nonsense record producer). Only moments before, the producer was talking to my husband about some audio gear... maybe some sort of meter.

Our concerned friend stops whatever conversation is taking place to ask the record producer a question.

Concerned Friend: Hey, what about what happened to (80's rock star), huh?

Stoic Record Producer: What?

C.F:  Uh, you don't know?

Stoic RP shakes his head.

C.F:  You just worked with (80's rock star) didn't you?

Stoic RP:  Yes, but I don't keep tabs on him.

C.F:  Well, uh, he's... he's...uuhhhhmmm

The concerned friend, so concerned this news will shake up the record producer, hesitates to tell him.  He entered the conversation thinking the record producer had surely heard. 

I nudge the C.F's arm to say it already.

C.F:  Um... he's... no longer with us.

Stoic RP remains expressionless.

C.F:  He's no longer alive.   Dead.

Stoic RP says nothing.  His expression doesn't change.  He then turns to my husband and continues talking about meters.  "So what were you saying about..."

The concerned friend seemed certain the friend/record producer would need to be consoled - might even buckle at the knees upon hearing the news.  The build up to the punchline left me anticipating some sort of reaction from the record producer.  But no.  Nothing.  He was more concerned with meters.  It was such an odd moment.  My husband and I both wanted to laugh.  But it seemed so wrong.   

The Philip Sayce Band

Our friend Fred Mandel, a talented musician himself, told my husband and me we should check out a friend of his, a guitar player named Philip.  He said the guy is an amazing player, the sort of talent you rarely find these days.  So we caught a ride with Fred and his wife Jenny out to the Brass Elephant in Monrovia to catch Philip Sayce and his Band (drummer, Kenny Aronoff and bass player, Roger Bueno). Check out this video!

Wow!  They had the place entranced.  From beginning to end - the nonstop sweat-flying, chest-thumping, head-slamming, finger-blurring - never waned in energy.  It was simply stellar blues-rock.  Philip, at one point, walked off the stage and through the bar, ending up right in front of our table.

And the venue couldn't have been better.  Where else, exactly, can you see that kind of show for nothing but the price of a beer?  Not that there's even a drink minimum. The cozy 1920's bar - with its thick, aged walls and whirrling pulleys of ceiling fans - was filled with locals. 

They all seemed to know each other, like the guys I sat near - yelling across the room to friends, pumping their fists in the air to the guitar wails.  They had photos of Philip and one of his CDs, out and ready to be signed.  Others held up microphones to tape machines and video cameras.  They're Philip Sayce fans who've been following the band.   And last Thursday Night I heard why.

LA Times Festival of Books at UCLA

Yes!!! People in Los Angeles do read.  Not only do we read, but we have the largest book festival in the nation.

On Saturday, I bought a book I recommend for anyone who loves and/or lives in LA: "Down By the Los Angeles River." The great cover art caught my eye.  As I reached for the book, I met the author and artist, Joe Linton.  He's so passionate and informative about the LA River - that mostly-cementy-kind-of-watery-thing I drive by or roller blade past and wonder about all the time - that I bought the book. 

It's filled with his great artwork, lots of information about the wildlife that lives on the river; its history and its future, as well as the walkways and bike paths along the way.  Other than the Sepulveda Basin area, I really had no idea the LA River has so much going on.

Next, while scoping out books at a booth, I noticed an older woman who had a Life Magazine photo in her hand: The iconic VJ Day photo of the sailor planting a kiss on a nurse in New York's Times Square.  Turns out the older woman, Edith Shain, is the nurse in the photo.  Edith and I had fun gabbing.  First we talked about her kiss - the sailor caught her off guard and the kiss was very long - and then we talked (I don't know why) about old phone booths (remember those?) and life before call waiting.  It's a little scary.  Edith's almost ninety and yet I could relate to her so well.   Anyway, she was very lively, sweet and full of kind comments.

Later, I walked by the NPR booth and heard author Susan Straight being interviewed.  I only stopped because I heard her mention her eldest child was at the Coachella music festival.  The interviewer asked, "Oh, so do you think she'll tune in to hear you on the radio?"

I knew I could relate to Susan when she said, "Uh, no.  She doesn't listen to me at home.  Why would she want to hear me on the radio?"  Spoken as a true parent to a teenager.

Susan Straight is an author from the Inland Empire.  I only learned that after stumbling upon the book, "Inlandia," and saw that the forward was written by the very same Susan Straight.  Intrigued, I bought the book and attended a panel discussion with Susan and other writers from "Inlandia," an anthology of writers from the Inland Empire.

My only time spent in the Inland part of California is whenever I have to pass through it heading for the San Bernardino Mountains to go skiing or the one time I cruised down part of Route 66.  As the  writers of "Inlandia" tell it, their home has been disparaged as nothing more than where the Hell's Angels, neo-Nazis and smog dwell.  Until then, I knew so little about the Inland Empire, I didn't even realize that much about the area. 

During the panel, the writers spoke of a place they grew up where orange groves and date tree forests were so vast they'd get lost in them; where the Santa Ana winds and the sand would blast the paint off of cars; where the air smelled of Eucalyptus and orange blossoms.  It was where they arrived, grew and stayed.

As a resident of the San Fernando Valley, another maligned Southern California area, I could relate.  While I've only read a few chapters of "Inlandia," I'm really enjoying getting lost in the stories of their misunderstood land.

As I bought "Inlandia" from the Heyday Publishing Founder, Malcolm Margolin, he asked me what I do.  I told him I'm writing "Craving Normal," my stories of growing up in California and traveling the world as the kid of hippies.  Malcolm, the bearded Allen Ginsberg look-a-like, threw back his head and laughed.  "Did your parents feed you lentil loaf when all you really wanted was junk food?" 

I slapped him on the shoulder.  "Yeah, how'd ya guess?"

He told me his kids could relate as children of hippies. 

"Yep, I just wanted a Twinkie,"  I told him.

He nodded in sympathy, as if he'd heard it a million times from his own now-adult kids.

After that, I blathered-and-bored another group of writers as I bought their books.  I made Kevin Roderick's eyes glaze over as I bought his (and co-writer J. Eric Lynxwiler's) beautiful book, "Wilshire Boulevard."  And then I moved over to married writers, David Kipen and Veronique de Turenne, and yakked away as I bought the anthology "My California," to which they both contributed their work.  I had some nerve to blather about my love for California (Oh please kill me now!  What was I thinking? Is all I could think AFTER I had the sense to shut my mouth) when these lovely people donated their work so that the proceeds of the book could benefit the California Arts Council - to bring the arts back into our schools.  Some people are not only talented, but selfless...and then there are people like me.

Speaking of talented and selfless - Next, I stopped to listen to Don Cheadle and John Prendergast, authors of "Not on our Watch:  The Mission to End Genocide in Darfur and Beyond." It was nice to see a huge crowd there.  We all need to do everything we can to end the genocide.  It's unimaginable that so much senseless horror has gone on so long.  They got me realizing that every one of us can contact our politicians and demand they get the killing to stop or they won't get our votes.  Sad to think that's what will make politicians act - as if innocent people being killed isn't a good enough reason to do something.

Next to me on the lawn was a nice woman who offered me a carrot stick.  See, I tell you - there are some good people out there!  But I was too busy stuffing my face with Kettle Corn.  My mouth didn't have room for a carrot stick.  But I thanked her for asking.  And, hey!  she's a Valley-ite like me.  See, we Valley people do get out and are curious about the world around us.

Then, I stopped by the Skylight Books booth and bought "The Leisure Architecture of Wayne McAllister."  Thank you, Chris Nichols for writing this book.  I had no idea all the wonderful architecture Wayne McAllister contributed to California.   It'll go right next to Kevin Roderick's and J. Eric Lynxwiler's "Wilshire Boulevard" on my coffee table.

As I was leaving the UCLA campus, I came upon a Latin flavored Ska band called "Upground."  They're young guys from East Los Angeles who had a huge multi-generational, multi-cultural crowd grooving.  They're really talented.  Not only could they play well, but the vocals were really good, too - so good I bought a CD.  It's the type of music that makes you want to get up and dance.  One man in his 60s was getting funky, while a toddler spun around below the stage, and everyone else was bobbing their heads and smiling.

Yes, it was another great festival of books.  Every year it gets better.  Now, I just need to find time to read everything I bought.

*More of my Festival of Books photos will be on my Flickr page.

Hey, My Husband's on You Tube

I found this on Youtube.  My husband's the bass player.

Our friend Marv e-mailed this Youtube video, circa 1983, he found of Burton Cummings (American Woman, etc.) with Del Shannon.  The video opens with Burton and Del talking, but then the video fades into them on stage playing Runaway.  Look for my husband (dressed in a blue shirt and tan pants) playing bass behind Del Shannon's head.  Also, please note, the sweater Burton is swearing is just like one I used to wear with a white mini skirt that same year.(Photo: My husband and Burton)

My husband, Ian Gardiner, played with Burton from the mid 1970s to the mid 1980s.  When they weren't touring, Burton often had TV specials on the CBC.  Below is a youtube medley someone put together of one those shows.  My husband is the bass player dressed all in tan standing on the upper-level.  The drummer is Jim Gordon; he co-wrote Layla with Eric Clapton, oh, and - due to the strange voices in his head - bludgeoned his mother to death.  Now he's in prison.  He obviously needed help.  It's a sad story.

Here's the video, which also has Randy Bachman and the Manhattan Transfer.

Now I just need to find some of the Midnight Special videos they were on.

Here's another video where my husband's playing bass

Top Ramen: Good For Eating; Bad For Bantering

Back in my party days, when I was young and single, I didn't struggle with small talk...party banter.   Partying was easy.  Of course, I was twenty and usually dressed in something like a black leather mini-skirt.  Then who needed banter?  I was usually too busy trying not to fall while dancing on tables. 

I now realize (unfortunately, too late) the bantering skill is a good thing to acquire. I discovered this while standing in the furnished parking lot - complete with couches and two open bars - of "The Pass" recording studio's opening night party, last Friday night.

As we sipped our strong margaritas, my husband and I spent the first half hour playing a game he made up called, "Guess the second engineer."  We do these sort of things when 1) we know no one else and 2) we tire of talking about bills, kids, and our other married-people topics.

"See that one," he said, subtly pointing to a slouching guy in his mid-twenties dressed in baggy pants and a too-small jacket that inched up his back, "he's definitely a second (as in second recording engineer.)

"Hmmmm...," I responded, "I can imagine him sitting on our couch at midnight." A reference to one second engineer (during my husband's studio days) we invited for Thanksgiving dinner, who failed to take my yawning and slipping into pajamas as hints to leave.

Playing "guess the second engineer" and thinking of things to talk about is probably not what I'd be doing at a party if I were still twenty.  But I now believe the ability to banter is a nice skill to have; now, If I had only made my discovery sooner that evening, I could have avoided this exchange between two men and me:

Forty-something acquaintance:  Ah...Top Ramen.  If you buy it in bulk, it's like negative cents.  Isn't it?

Twenty-something second engineer:  Yep.  Good stuff.

Me:  Yeah, you can always count on Top Ramen to pull you through those lean times.  And it tastes pretty damn good.

(The men nod)

Twenty-something s.e.:  Yeah, unless you use the whole seasoning packet.  Then it's waaaaaay too salty.

Me:  Are you kidding?  Not salty enough. (I licked the chunks of salt on the lip of my margarita cup for emphasis)

My husband: She loves salt.

Me:  Not only do I use the whole seasoning packet, I add lots of soy sauce.

(The small crowd gasped)

Then, caught up in the excitement, I started blathering the other thoughts in my head, when I should have stopped after hearing the gasp.

Me:  But then... I wake up puffy the next day.  So puffy I can barely open my eyes (not quite, but like I said, I was caught up in the moment).

twenty-something s.e.: (cowers in revulsion) Whaaaaahhh?

forty-something acquaintance:  It's the sodium.  You'd have to be a forty year old woman to understand. (He says knowingly, being married a few decades himself.)

Ouch!  How unsexy is that? And I once called myself a party girl! 

After that unfortunate exchange, I was happy to learn my husband had correctly picked out all the second recording engineers.  If only we could have left with a prize.  But no.  We headed out empty handed, with only a loop of the Top Ramen tale playing over and over in my slightly-tipsy head.  We left just as weird Al Yankovic was arriving.  Rather than think of more banter, we headed for In-n-Out burgers, chocolate shakes and fries... fries I doused with salt...mmmmm...

to awake the next day with an ache in my swollen little head.

*And for all you other ramen lovers out there, this book may be one you want to add to your cookbook collection.

Savage Wine and All That Jazz

Are you an Oenophile?  Or are you like me and you enjoy tasting really good wine, but don't know all the high falutin' terminology? Though you do know what you like.  Or, maybe, you don't know Pinot Noir from Chardonnay - and don't care - but need to find a nice gift for your wine-loving friend.  Stop by Duke of Bourbon in Canoga Park.  These guys know a lot! Doug, John and Steve took time and listened to exactly what I was looking for.

At first I arrived with this request: "A Syrah. I hear it's manly and savage."

The straight-faced men bent over laughing.

Laughing myself, I had a hard time explaining that I read that description in my Bon Appetit magazine, and became intrigued enough to learn more.

Anyway, after describing what I usually prefer, "Something smooth, spicy, a little earthy," I walked out with a Pinot Noir; wine that, once I tasted it later that evening, brought a slow-glowy smile to my face.

Now I can't wait to return to Duke Of Bourbon to thank them.  And to find another wine to enjoy...maybe a manly and savage Syrah.

And speaking of wine... just last night my husband and I joined friends at Bellavino in Westlake Village to hear a friend play jazz.  Bellavino is a winebar (they, like Duke of Bourbon, carry a wide range of wines) and restaurant. 

The musicians (Joe Porcaro, drums; Abe Laboriel, bass; John Chiodini, guitar) accompanied singer, Daniela - and, wow, they were exquisite.

Seated an arm's length away from the band, we hardly spoke all night (except when the band took a break.) all of us were too into the music.  The passion and art with which they played was moving.

I enjoyed every piece they did, but Daniela sang an Italian song about a summer romance that had me in a complete trance; I didn't understand one word, and, still, it broke my heart.

John Chiodini came over to thank us for listening.  In unison, the four of us said, "No. Thank you."

Ahh...extremely good music, enjoyed with plates of eclectic cheeses - including a lavender flavored chevre called Purple Haze - and sliced baguette, which we drenched with sips of wine:  for me, a glass of Pinot Noir.  And for my husband I selected a Syrah blend... because it's very manly and savage.

*John Chiodini told us he plays Wednesday nights at Henri's Backroom in Canoga Park, 7-10pm. Henri's, 21601 Sherman Way, 818-348-5582.

*I would have a link to Daniela, but I don't think she has a website. 

AM: The Musician/Singer/Songwriter

Here's my review & accompanying interview on AM for LA Splash Magazine.

AM's the recent winner of the L.A. Weekly singer/songwriter of the year award.  AM, as in...on your A.M. dial - not as in...the early part of a day.  Those were the initials he was born with, but like kismet also represent his love for the music he grew up listening to on his A.M. radio airwaves.

I saw him for the first time last Monday night at the party for his remixed CD, titled "Mainstay," and his video debut at Cinespace in Hollywood.

His voice is soulful, and his music is a shimmering, harmonious blend, that sounds - at times - haunting and dreamy.  He's done so much of his own thing with the music that's influenced him it's hard to say, "He sounds like..."   But if I had to pick...hmmm... I'd say his voice sounds a bit like Beck's, but the music is such a beautiful collage it's hard to pin.

So if you're like me, disappointed with what's on most radio stations check out AM, and Fonogenics (an online music boutique) for other great music.

I asked AM, "Why don't I hear you on the radio?"

He said, "KCRW plays us." 

I felt like thumping myself on my head for two reasons: Of course!! The party was put on by KCRW, along with Fonogenics.  And for being so thick skulled; I've been wanting to hear some of my favorite writers like, Sandra Tsing Loh and Hollis Gillespie, on that station.  And why haven't I?  What?  Are my arms paralyzed and I'm completely incapable of pushing a radio button to 89.9 F.M.?  I mean, I could do that with my toes.  So... for the last two days when I'm not listening to my AM cd, I'm listening to KCRW.  And I didn't even have to use my toes.  What can I say? I'm a slave for quality. 

Somehow, whenever I see, hear, touch, read or taste something of skill, craftsmanship... something that someone spent time thinking about and creating... well, the world just seems to be filled with posibilities - and I have hope. 

The Arclight, Amoeba Music and Melinda & Melinda

Friday night, my daughter and I wanted to go to a movie.  I'd heard good reviews of Melinda and Melinda,  Woody Allen's new film (my review below), but as of that night it was playing at only a few theaters - one of which was the Arclight Cinema in Hollywood, in the Cinerama Dome.  After going online to get the film times, I reserved seats in the middle of the theater.

Amoeba Music:  We parked in the lot next door to the Arclight, then walked over to Amoeba Music, since we had a bit of time to spare before the movie.  Oh man!  Amoeba is music and D.V.D. nirvana!  I had to ask myself why exactly have I driven by a million times, met people who've worked here, heard about it and, yet, have never gone inside? With so little time before the movie, I couldn't even begin to explore all that they had available - there was just too much.  Though I did buy  Beck's new C.D., and then went upstairs to discover that they had a killer documentary D.V.D. section.  Lover of a good documentary ("Crumb", "The Last Waltz", Bob Dylan's "Don't Look Back," etc.) that I am, I know exactly where I'll be heading next time I want to buy any.

The Arclight:  I could really get used to reserving movie seats online.  We were able to head right in the middle of the theater, where I always like to sit, without having to worry that someone else was going to snag the seats first.  When my daughter went to get a snack I didn't have to throw down some territorial marking, like a coat or purse, in order to make it known the seat was taken.  People simply looked to their tickets and found there seats without having to stand in the aisles arguing with friends and loved ones over the best seating, or over who would have to ask the entire row to move down and make room. It was all very painless.

Here's my review of Melinda And Melinda.

Rythym & Soul, Chili Fries & A Rastafarian Cowboy - a week in review

My friend Todd, an architect normally, played drums with a band for an ASCAP Rhythym & Soul show at Pearl Restaurant (once Luna Park) in West Hollywood.  No cameras were allowed.  Did that stop me, rebel that I am? Nope.  Without the use of my flash, the photos came out blurry.

After all that rythym and rebellion I was hungry.  We headed over to Carney's for chili fries (so-so oily fries, but good chili). My Carney's shot is blurry because I had a few watered down twelve dollar drinks at Pearl...$12.00... as in cash, money, mullah!!! I could have bought six bottles of Trader Joe's Two-Buck Chuck for the price of one of their drinks.

Other than breakfast with friends, Marv & Lisa, at the Country Deli in Chatsworth, it's been all work and little play. Below is Lisa and one of the Country Deli's murals (Is it just my imagination or does that cowboy look Rastafarian?)

Musical Questions

1. Song that sounds like happy feels:
"Obla Di Obla Da," by the Beatles.  I grew up on their music, and this song always made me happy when ever I'd sing along.

Not too long ago, I edited together my family's 8mm films from when I was a kid, and our years traveling around Europe.  I put together all of the wacky family moments with "Obla Di Obla Da" as the soundtrack. It fit perfectly. 

2. Earliest memory:
Sitting in my kiddie sized rocking chair, while watching Jack La Lanne.  When he said, "Come on!  Let's do jumping jacks," I was convinced he was talking right to me.

3. Last CD you bought:
It's a Crowded House cd I bought my husband for Christmas.  Though it was meant to be his gift, I've been playing it over and over again.  It's so damned good.  Why, oh why didn't I ever go see those guys when they were together?  The songs have a dreamy, Beatlesque quality; yet, since the songs are so well written, they're entirely original.

4. Reminds you of school:
Jr. High:  It's a tie between Lynard Skynard's "Free Bird" and L.Z's "Stairway To Heaven."

High School:  The first that comes to mind is The Pretenders "Brass In Pocket."  My friend Jackie would play that when ever we'd go cruising up and down El Camino Real Blvd., in San Mateo, on Saturday Nights - looking for cute guys.  Our car full of girls would sing along... or, screech along, like it was some sort of teen girl anthem, revving up to go boy hunting.

College:
Talking Heads!  I can't hear the beginning of "Burning Down The House," without feeling like I'm standing near a beer keg with a frat boy puking out a near-by window at Stanford's Sigma Chi House.  And no!  Unfortunately, I wasn't a student there.  As my friend and I used to slur when asked..."We go to ...UCSM"- aka College of San Mateo.  We were only Stanford guests.

5. Total music files on your PC:
I'm pretty clueless with most technology.  So none, unless they're my daughters.  I just figured out how to use our DVD player.

6. Song for listening to repeatedly when depressed:
Beck's "Devil's Haircut" would do the trick.  Or some good Bossa Nova.  Who could be upset when listening to a true Brazillian version of "The Girl From Ipenema"?

7. Song that sounds British, but isn't:
I'm stumped.

8. Song you love, band you hate:
The only thing that comes to mind is Pink's...what is it?  "You're like a Pill"?

9. A favorite song from the past that took ages to track down:

I had a hard time finding the soundtrack to "The Last Tango In Paris."  My husband mentioned that it had some really beautiful music on it, so I wanted to buy it as a gift.  I found it on the internet, eventually - but after looking all over.

10. Bought the album for one good song:
I bought a Christina Aguilera cd for my daughter, because she liked the song "Beautiful."

11. Worst Song to Get Stuck in your Head:
"Cat Scratch Fever" by Ted Nugent.  Once, I spent the night at my friend's house, and her brother woke us up by turning that song on the record player full blast, right near my head. I had a real hard time getting that song un-stuck out of my head.

12. Best song to dump a beer on someone's head to, then storm out of the bar?
For some reason "Back In Black" by AC/DC comes to mind.  It always gets me feeling extra bold.

13. Who should do this next?
Is there anyone in the blogging community who would like to fill this out?  It's one of those questionnaires that you pass along.  The only people I know to ask don't have blogs to post this.