Mrs. Seibold's, Since 1920....

I was in downtown Wood River over the weekend.  Not exactly the most thriving area around.  I noticed this former Bakery, "Since 1920", but no longer.  Mrs. Seibold's had several locations in the St. Louis Metro East area, we used to have their stuff at the occasional Church function.  But they're all are gone now.

Passion Is No Ordinary Word (Ain't Manufactured....)

During a lunch-time walk this week, I came across a really WILD looking wildflower:

I'm no botanist, I had no clue what it was.  But, hey, this is the 21st centrury, we have Google!  So I did an image search on "wildflower crazy purple".  And scrolling through the results I found: Purple Passion Flower.  Also known as Maypop or Ocoee.  And it is the "State Flower" of Tennessee. 

So I learned something today....

Meanwhile, the title is from the Graham Parker song, from the album "Squeezing Out Sparks".

A couple more images:

Rolling Stone's Top 100 Albums of the 80's - #52 - Dire Straits - Making Movies

Continuing the series on the Top 100 Albums of the 80's.  Or at least the ones I have....
Continuing to work backwards:

#52 - Dire Straits - Making Movies

Making Movies was Dire Straits’ 3rd album, released in late 1980. It didn’t generate any Top 40 hits, although “Skateaway” made it to #58. But Dire Straits was more of an AOR band, with only 4 Top 40's overall.  MM is a very solid album, with the exception of 1 song: “Les Boys”. Allmusic describes that one as “borderline offensive”, another site declared it:  "offensive, boring and dinky".  I tend to agree (althoughI'm not sure what "dinky" is in the context of a song")...  . But I also agree when Allmusic said “the remainder of Making Movies ranks among the band's finest work”. And , IMHO, “Romeo And Juliet” is a no-doubt-about-it “5-star” song, One of my 3 or 4 favorites Dire Straits songs.

One of the interesting things about these “Best Of” Lists. Rolling Stone magazine ranked Making Movies as the #52 best album of the 80’s. But it did not make their list of the top 500 Albums of all time. By contrast, Dire Sraits' 1985 release “Brothers In Arms” ranked #56th of the 87 albums from the 80's on the Rolling Stone list of Top albums of all time, but it didn't make the cut for best of the 80's.  

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

Recapping: 
#92 - Tom Petty - Full Moon Fever
#85 - Neil Young - Freedom
#80 - Suzanne Vega - Suzanne Vega
#75 - Cyndi Lauper - She's So Unusual
#70 - Travelling Wilburies - Vol. 1
#57 - Pete Townshend - Empty Glass
#55 - John Fogarty - Centerfield

Powerlines across the lake

Another image from the Mazonia-Braidwood State Fish and Wildlife Area.  These transmission lines were buzzing pretty loud yesterday.  Same location as post from yesterday....  This little park is about 0.8 miles west of Exelon's Braidwood Generating Station, the lake is actually cooling water for the plant.
Location here

Waitin' For The Wind

One of the dozens and dozens of wind turbines in the coridor between Dwight and Odell Illinois.  Looking at Google Earth, there's just under 100 meters between this windmill and the barn.  Seems a little close to me.  Location and larger version here.

The post title is from the Spooky Tooth song.  Even thouigh there was plenty of wind when this photo was taken....  Every time I drive across Illinois I see more and more wind farms.  Although the growth rate is down. 

Rolling Stone's Top 100 Albums of the 80's - #57 - Pete Townshend - Empty Glass

Continuing the series on the Top 100 Albums of the 80's.  Or at least the ones I have....
Continuing to work backwards:

#57 - Pete Townshend - Empty Glass

Pete Townshed's second solo album was released in early 1980, just barely qualifying it for the "Best Of the 80's" list.  The album featured Pete's only "pop" hit (as a solo artist), with "Let My Love Open The Door", which peaked at #9.  Empty Glass is a vastly superior album to The Who's Face Dances, which was released in 1981. 

Recapping: 
#92 - Tom Petty - Full Moon Fever
#85 - Neil Young - Freedom
#80 - Suzanne Vega - Suzanne Vega
#75 - Cyndi Lauper - She's So Unusual
#70 - Travelling Wilburies - Vol. 1
#55 - John Fogarty - Centerfield

Mazonia-Braidwood State Fish & Wildlife Area

An interesting little spot I found outside Braidwood, IL.  Following those "brown signs"....  Location here.

Sugar Grove Nature Center, Funks Grove, IL

Another panarama, also from yesterday's drive across Illinois.  This is the Sugar Grove Nature Center, Funks Grove Illinois.  Next time I need to allot time to actually stop!  Location here, Larger Version here

County Road 36, McLean, IL

A panorama taken today, a short side trip on my Chicago --> St. Louis "commute".  Eight photos stitched together.  This is about 4.5 miles west of Funks Grove, Illinois.  Click here for location, here for full size version.

I plot your rubric scarab, I steal your satellite.....

 Many moons ago, in mid/late High School, I was a big Blue Oyster Cult fan.  Even before they released "Don't Fear The Reaper" and got huge.  But the big thing back then was that the lyrics, as best as could be understood, made little sense. 

But there was hope.  You could send to the record company and they'd send you the lyrics!!  I think it was something like $2 and a SASE.  (I should dig out my vinyl and confrm, I suppose).  Andway, I sent in my request, and sometime later received several pages of 11x17" green bar computer paper with the elusive lyrics.  And not just for the album I requested, but for all the albums out at the time (3).  That's right kids, we didn't always have Google!

Of course, while this solved the problem of understanding what the word were, it didn't help understand what they might mean.

Flash forward 35 years or so.  I was looking for something in the basement and came across the lyrics sheet for the album "Secret Treaties".  Just imagine if it was in good shape.  Or if I had all three albums....  I could sell it on eBay!

Rolling Stone's Top 100 Albums of the 80's - #55 - John Fogarty - Centerfield

Continuing the series on the Top 100 Albums of the 80's.  Or at least the ones I have....
Continuing to work backwards:

#55 - John Fogarty - Centerfield

I was a little surprised to see this one on the list, and solidly mid-pack. I guess it was an “important” album, Fogarty’s first release in 9 years, and spawned two Top 20 hits (“The Old Man Down The Road” and “Rock And Roll Girl”). And the title track, which is still a staple at ballparks around the country. It did go to #1 on the album charts. On the other hand, it often sounds so much like CCR that his prior record company sued him for plagiarizing himself. Gotta love the music industry!

But I have this album, and beyond those three songs, it’s pretty “meh”.

This is probably one of the last few albums I purchased on vinyl, back in 1985. My wife gave me a CD player for Christmas in December 1985, and that was the end of vinyl for me.

And a Baseball photo, the centerfielder for the Pittsburgh pirates.  Click for larger version(s):

Recapping: 
#92 - Tom Petty - Full Moon Fever
#85 - Neil Young - Freedom
#80 - Suzanne Vega - Suzanne Vega
#75 - Cyndi Lauper - She's So Unusual
#70 - Travelling Wilburies - Vol. 1

Slice Of life #4896 - Bottoms Up

A couple of ducks at Moody Park this week.  I tried to get this pair in matching head-down poses, but as soon as I grabbed my camera they stopped cooperating.  The lake is probably 2' or more below normal, thanks to our drought.

And for a musical tie-in, how about Jeff Beck - Constipated Duck?

Rolling Stone's Top 100 Albums of the 80's - #70 - Travelling Wilburys, Vol. 1

Continuing the series on the Top 100 Albums of the 80's.  Or at least the ones I have....
Continuing to work backwards:

#70 - The Travelling Wilbury's - Volume 1

 

 

I like the comment by David Wild in Rolling Stone's review:  "This is the best record of its kind ever made, Then again," he added, "it's also the only record of its kind ever made."

 

The Travelling Wilbury's was not so much a "supergroup" as it was a group of muscians coming together for some fun, with an album resulting.  Oh yeah, and those musicians just happened to all be legends. 

• George Harrison  - 63 Top 40 hits (including w/ The Beatles), Member of R&RHOF both solo, and as a member of the Beatles.  12 albums in the Rolling Stone list of Top 500 Albums of all time.
• Bob Dylan - 12 Top 40 hits, Member R&RHOF.  11 albums in the Rolling Stone list of Top 500 Albums of all time.
• Tom Petty -  37 Top 40 Hits (With the Heartbreakers, and solo).  Member of the R&RHOF.  1 album in the Top 500
• Roy Orbison - 23 Top 40 hits, Member of R&R Hall Of Fame
• Jeff Lynn - 20 Top 40 hits (with Electric Light Orchestra). Producer, songwriter.....

There is no doubting the creditials of these folks.

But more important, is that Travelling Wilburys comes of as as a group of friends having fun.  There's nothing pretentious here.  There's never any feel that this would be on ongoing enterprise (although they id do a second album).  And while there's no iconic songs, the overall package really "clicks".


Recapping: 
#92 - Tom Petty - Full Moon Fever
#85 - Neil Young - Freedom
#80 - Suzanne Vega - Suzanne Vega
#75 - Cyndi Lauper - She's So Unusual

Down To The Dregs - Painted Desert

Getting down to the last few photos from the St. Louis to Flagstaff trip.  This is another from the painted desert.  It's actually a photomerge, of 2 images that were only slightly different.  Actual location is here.

Rolling Stone's Top 100 Albums of the 80's - #75 - Cyndi Lauper, She's So Unusual

Continuing the series on the Top 100 Albums of the 80's.  Or at least the ones I have....
Continuing to work backwards:

#75 - Cyndi Lauper - She's So Unusual

Cyndi Lauper exploded onto the scene in late 1983. "She's So Unusual" was her debut, it would chur out 5 Top 40 hits over the the next year.  Including four consecutive Top 5 hits.  From the MTV favorite "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" (peaked at #2) to the Chart Topping "Time After Time" (written by Jules Shears) to #3 "She-Bop" and #5 "All Through The Night".  That's a pretty impressive run for anybody, much less a debut album.  Interestignly, "Time After Time" was the only one of thiose songes written (co-authored, actually) by Lauper.

The album would go on to to be one of the best selling of 1984, and garner half-a-dozen Grammy nominations, winning two.  Sadly, after scoring 5 Top 40 hits on her debut, Lauer would only make the Top 40 five more times in the next 5 years, then disappeared from the charts.

She's So Unusual came out between the time a little over a year after I graduated college, and was a omnipresent through the time leading up to (and subsequent to) our wedding.  I had this album (like Suzanne Vega) on cassette tape.  In May 1984, I saw Cyndi Lauper in concert.  I'd like to say it was a wonderful experience, but it wasn't.   It was really rather bad, one of the most disappointing concerts I've seen.  In retrospect, I imagine she (and the band) were probably run ragged and perhaps overwhelmed, after bursting from relative obscurity into massive stardom. 

Anyway, the cassette is long gone, and I've never purchased a digital copy of "She's So Unusual".  I do have all the hits, which is 1/2 the album, purchased song-by-song.

Recapping: 
#92 - Tom Petty - Full Moon Fever
#85 - Neil Young - Freedom
#80 - Suzanne Vega - Suzanne Vega

One to the photo: Not quite random, this photo was almost certainly taken during the time that this album was topping the charts.  Based on the location (Dexter!) and the cat (inherited when I got married), this is later 1983 or the 1984.