Lawr Michaels, Have Fun Til the End

by

I became friends with Lawr, like most, because of our mutual loves of baseball (real and fantasy) and rock ‘n’ roll, but much of our chatter when we would get together was about literature and storytelling, or food and cooking, or politics and wishing.

For most of the history of the Fantasy Baseball Guide Lawr put together the Mock Draft, assembling All-Star casts from his wide circle of friends and experts. Back in the early days his wife, Cathy, worked as proofreader and copyeditor on the Guide. She passed away not long after from cancer, and as one got to know Lawr one learned that his grand passion and enthusiasm for doing things came from a shadow of tragedy that trailed after him his whole life.

In 2011 he released a full album of original songs called Downward Facing Dog. I reviewed it on Amazon, where you can now find a copy for $32 cheap, to support my friend but also because I think it’s a terrific piece of work. 

Lawr was diagnosed a few months ago with some potentially serious problems and set himself on an even better diet than the good diet he already followed, and he tried to strengthen up by taking care. He said he would work on the Guide this year, but then stepped back. He passed on our Tout Wars meetings, and said he had Rock Remnants pieces to write but had to get better first. When I heard he’d taken a turn for the worse a few days ago I thought of his love for the Kinks and Richard Thompson, but when I’d heard the bad news this morning I thought of this Lawr original song.

Well, I thought of the studio version, which is neater, but this rougher version has video of Lawr himself, which is just a moment of comfort at this sad time.

.

Lawr Michaels, Rest in Peace

by

On first meeting I remember his red Cons. Lawr looked at me and smiled like “Who are you, nice to meet you.” I said “You must like The Ramones.” That was that, we were friends, and we stayed friends for 20 years. I’ll take that to my own grave, and you will too if he was your friend. 

We also lost Steve Moyer this year. These two deaths brought home a lesson to me and I want to share it. As it happens, a few years ago Steve and Lawr had a falling out. They were both highly opinionated human beings and not shy about letting you know those opinions. Steve and Lawr disagreed on a lot and went at it often. At one point one of them crossed the line – actually since I heard both sides of the story I’d say they both crossed the line – and they stopped speaking. They were each royally pissed at the other and I’m sure I’m not the only one who got an earful from both of them. But the story has a happy ending: they reconciled and died as friends.

Bury the hatchet. Forgive each other, for we all need to be forgiven. Gonna miss you, brother Lawr.

Song of the Week – Haunter of the Darkness, Zuider Zee

by

Ignored           Obscured            Restored

Once upon a time (the early ‘70s) there was a power pop band that should have been huge, but few know about them.  They were called Zuider Zee.  Although the Memphis based band (via Louisiana) was signed to Columbia, they received little to no promotional support from the company so their only album release (there were no singles) attracted zero radio play and sank into obscurity.

But this year indie record label Light in the Attic rescued a dozen previously unreleased gems by the band and issued it under the title Zeenith.

Today’s SotW is “Haunter of the Darkness.”

The easy comparisons are to the Raspberries and Badfinger.  But I hear a strong influence to Big Star and Emmitt Rhodes (and the Merry Go Round).  In any case, those bands form a club any band would (should) be happy to join!

This recording still sounds fresh today.  Great playing by the guitars and keys, hooks that instantly grab you, and harmonies that soar.  Isn’t that what power pop is all about?

Enjoy… until next week.

Song of the Week – Picture Book, The Kinks

by

Ignored           Obscured            Restored

1967 was the year of psychedelic music – Pink Floyd’s The Piper…, Surrealistic Pillow, Disraeli Gears, Hendrix, and of course, Sgt Pepper.  But soon a change was comin’.  In late December 1967 Bob Dylan signaled a new direction with his release of the country influenced John Wesley Harding.  A couple of the best albums released at the beginning of ‘68 included The Band’s Music from Big Pink and The Byrds’ Sweetheart of the Rodeo – both very early examples of what would eventually come to be called Americana.

Even the superstars of rock, The Beatles and The Rolling Stones, would take heed with The Beatles (The White Album) and Beggars Banquet, released within two weeks of one another in late 1968.  Both turned away from the psychedelic stylings of their predecessors for a more organic, back-to-basics approach.  And songs from both of those classic albums have already been featured as Songs of the Week.

Another great album from that golden anniversary year of 1968 was The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society – released the SAME DAY as The Beatles.  That was one helluva trio of record releases to end the year!

The Kinks, never a group to follow fashion (they mocked it!), put their own very nostalgic, British twist on “Americana,” including today’s SotW, “Picture Book.”

Some of the lyrics seem especially prescient in these days when every moment of our lives seems to be snapped in a photo and posted to social media.

Picture book, of people with each other, to prove they love each other a long ago. 

Picture book, your mama and your papa, and fat old Uncle Charlie out cruising with their friends.

Picture book, a holiday in August, outside a bed and breakfast in sunny Southend. 

Picture book, when you were just a baby, those days when you were happy, a long time ago. 

Head Kink Ray Davies said of the cut  “The whole magic of that track is that 12-string guitar and the snare drum with the snare off.”

You Millennials may remember this song from a really cool commercial for HP digital photo products that came out in 2004.

Enjoy… until next week.

Pete Shelley is Dead.

by

One of the best records I ever bought was Singles Going Steady, the Buzzcock’s compilation of their 45s. On the other hand, I realized today that I played that one over and over and didn’t hear them all. Which is too bad.

This one is up third on the original SGS vinyl. I don’t mind. Great songs, great band.

https://youtu.be/MPcnXBj8Msw