2016 - The Year In (MY) Music

Well, it is that time, when folks look back over the previous year, and reflect.  I figured to chime in.  I'll do something photography related later, but here's a look back from a music perspective:

Live Music:  I went to 3 concerts in 2016.  That's actually more than I have since the 70's and 80's, before "real life" intruded.  Concerts included:

• Boston / Blue Oyster Cult / Gary Hoey at Family Arena, St. Charles, MO  6/3/2016  more here
• David Cook / Tyler Boone at The Duck Room (Blueberry Hill), St. Louis, MO 9/24/2016  more here
• Al Stewart / Gary Wright / The Empty Pockets at The Wildey Theater, Edwardsville IL 11/11/2016  more here

 Recorded Music:  I added 307 songs to my iPod in 2016.  That's just 4 more than 2015, but about 1/3 the yearly average from 2009 through 2014.  But the reality is that my collection is largely transferred to digital, so that's expected.  I did add a good chunk of music (albums and individual songs) from each of the acts seen live (except for Gary Hoey).  And several albums for/from my son (The Fratellis, Oskar Schuster, David Cook)

Other albums purchased (in alphabetical order):

• Bryan Adams - Anthology (2 discs) (songs 1975 - 2005)
• James Taylor - Mud Slide Slim (1971)
• Jethro Tull - Stand Up (1969)
• Joe Jackson - Fast Forward (2015)
• Leon Russell - Will O The Wisp (from vinyl) (1975)
• Men At Work - Cargo (from vinyl) (1983)
• Soundtrack from The Man From U.N.C.L.E (movie, not TV show) (2015)
• Toto - The Essential Toto (Mostly 1978-1988)
• Triumivrat - Sparticus

Over a quarter of the new music was "onsie-twosie".  This included the typically random stuff.  Mostly from the 60's though 80's. Interesting, no Classical or Jazz this year.... .... .... nor folk / bluegrass...  hmmmm.  That surprises me.


Playing Music:   I'm still playing (bass) with our Church praise band.  Probably 45 Sundays, more or less.  Usually 4 or 5 songs / week.  We did NOT play any special events this year, though.  And I didn't do anything outside that group.

Throwback Thursday - Fall Colors, Rocks

Throwback Thursday, looking back at the Better-Photo years.  Many of these may have been posted here before, but probably not recently.  Hope you enjoy:

Yep, another from Spokane River Park.  And another that I've always been especially fond of...

Quotated

"Be at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let every new year find you a better man. "

 - Benjamin Franklin

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Sunrise, Central Pennsylvania.  late 1978

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Throwback Thursday - Misty Woods

Throwback Thursday, looking back at the Better-Photo years.  Many of these may have been posted here before, but probably not recently.  Hope you enjoy:

Another from Silver Lake Park, Highland IL.  I don't miss much from my days working in Highland, but lunctimes at the park were nice...

Pick Your Passion

Some folk like to surf.  Some prefer metal detecting.  Yet others choose photography.....  The beach has a little something for everybody.

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I'm SOOOOOO behind.  I'm still trying to process photos from our Thanksgiving trip to Florida.  I guess it hasn't even been a month yet, so I'm still good.  Right?

Throwback Thursday - Fern, Rocks, River

Throwback Thursday, looking back at the Better-Photo years.  Many of these may have been posted here before, but probably not recently.  Hope you enjoy:

Another from Spokane River Park, outside Spokane, WA.  Not from the same trip as the previous post, though.

Quotated

"A man can fail many times, but he isn't a failure until he begins to blame somebody else."

- John Burroughs

 

Wheaton Md, circa 1983

Ol' 55

1955 Chevy wagon, a little worse for were and tear...  Seen on my evening commute.  Lots of effects here, I was going for a timeless, painterly feel...  softening some of the age apparent on the carm, and rendering the surroundings as generic as possible...

The title is from the Tom Waits song, covered notably by The Eagles on their "One Of These Nights" album.

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jW0vTY7rNt0

R.I.P. Greg Lake, 12/07/2016

Well, 2016 is continuing to be a sucky sucky year in music.  I just saw that Greg Lake, bass player for King Crimson and Emerson Lake And Palmer has died (yesterday).  Apparently he's been battling cancer.

From David Bowie to Leon Russell to Keith Emerson to Prince and Glenn Frey...  the list goes on and on (and on).  And other musicians like Mere Haggard and Mose Allison...  Just bad.  I know all of the folk I listened to as a kid are getting old, but it seems like an inordinate number of them have passed in 2016.

sigh....

Emerson Lake and Palmer are near the top of the list of bands I wish I had seen live.  But by the time I was attending concerts (1976), they were pretty well done.  I don't recall them ever playing anywhere near where I lived...  But their 1974 live album remains a favorite, and I'll be listening to it before this post goes live.

Throwback Thursday - Sunrise Lake Little Grassy

Throwback Thursday, looking back at the Better-Photo years.  Many of these may have been posted here before, but probably not recently.  Hope you enjoy:

Once upon a time, and I don't remember exactly when....  Our church was looking at expanding, and a group of people were selected to be on a discernment committee, to talk over and ponder the issue.  I was asked to be part of that froup, as was my younger daughter.

We met at the Methodist camp at Lake Little Grassy...  and thus, this photo.

Frosty

 Taken last week, on the first day this fall when I've had to scrape my car windows...  We've had a pretty mild fall, but the cold is rolling in.  All part of life, of course.

This photo is a bit of happenstance, though.  I noticed the reflection while scraping, and had my compact camera in my jacket pocket.  As always, the best camera is the one you have with you!  It has been well received over at 365project, making it on to their "popular" page, and getting some nice comments.

The title is from the old Gatemouth Brown song....

Throwback Thursday - Prom

This is really random.  Actually shot by my son, when he was maybe 3 or 4...  Pretty much a random click while he was trying to be like dad.  Anyway, I rather like it.