Aerosmith: Unparalleled success in the ‘80s

It was one of the more unlikely duets of the time – classic rock meets wrap. It not only worked but it gave a boost to both bands. It lead to the revival of one band and provided exposure to another that was really just starting out.

As I heard news today of Aerosmith’s farewell tour, I thought about when I first heard of the rockers from Boston and their unlikely duet with the rap artist Run DMC.

Yet, my memories of Aerosmith transcend that initial meeting.

The years before
Aerosmith released their first single, “Dream On” in 1973, and would have a lot of success in the decade. “Sweet Emotion” in 1975 would be their first top 40 hit, peaking at number 36 on the Billboard Hot 100. A re-issue of “Dream On” that same year became their first top 10 hit, peaking at number six. They would be back in the top 10 a year later, in 1976, with “Walk this Way” going all the way to number 10.

However, by the end of the decade and into the 1980s, they had begun to fade.

Then a funny thing happened to re-ignite their career.

Aerosmith revived their career in the '80s.

Source: https://www.reddit.com/r/hairmetal/comments

(May be subject to copyright)

Walk this Way
In 1986, the rap group Run-DMC did a cover of “Walk this Way” for their album “Raising Hell”. However, this cover was a bit different. Aerosmith actually was part of the song, and the video.

“Walk this Way” went all the way to number four on the Billboard Hot 100, and introduced Aerosmith to a whole new generation of fans.

It also was the catalyst for a string of hits through the decade.

Permanent Vacation
Aerosmith released their album “Permanent Vacation” in August of 1987, and it would have a lot of staying power, producing hit after hit after hit. It peaked at number 11 on the Billboard 200 album chart, and has sold more than five million copies in the United States.

Dude (Looks Like Lady)
“You’ve gotta check this song out. I love his hair”

Those were the words of Kim, one of my closest friends on 10th Kelsey, my floor in res, in the 1987-1988 school year.

So, we went out into the lounge where the TV was on MuchMusic, and the song playing was “Dude (Looks Like a Lady)”. It sounded just like the guys who had sung on “Walk This Way”, but it really did not appeal to me initially.

But, with continuous air play and moving to it at a couple res dances, “Dude (Looks Like a Lady) wormed its way into my ear.

It was Aerosmith’s first top 20 hit in the ‘80s, peaking and number 14.

And Kim was right., Steve Tyler who, at that time, I discovered was the lead singer of Aerosmith, had nice hair.

You’re my angel
Right at the beginning of 1988, Aerosmith had their second big single off “Permanent Vacation” with “Angel”. The song is a ballad, a beautiful song, and one of my favourite Aerosmith singles. It would peak at number three on the Billboard 100.

I will always remember it for a special reason. I went home from university the summer of 1988, and quickly realized that would be my last summer on the farm. I tried to re-kindle a couple friendships with guys I went to high school with. Early in the summer, we were cruising to Lethbridge in my buddy Dave’s truck, catching up on basically the last year. We were talking about people and music. After that the conversation kind of slowed down. Pretty soon, we went our separate ways and I haven’t seen those guys since.

One of the songs playing that night, and we talked about it, was “Angel”.

Rag Doll
In May of 1988, Aerosmith released “Rag Doll”, their final single from “Permanent Vacation”. It hit number 17 on the Billboard Hot 100, but has a special memory of its own for me.

It’s actually two memories. When we returned home in the summer of 1988, my friend Chris Vining and I were both 18, and started going to this bar in Lethbridge called Alley Oops. We went one Friday night, and met a girl we went to high school with and her friend.

That was the first night I think I danced in a bar in Lethbridge, and one of the songs was “Rag Doll”.

Fast forward a few months, and we had moved back to Edmonton and res.Vining and I were now on different floors. One Friday night, some of our floormates from the year before, who had moved out, were back in res visiting Kim. There was a dance and we all kind of hung out. One of those people, Theresa, I knew well the year before. She asked me to dance, and the song playing was “Rag Doll”.

So, when I think of “Rag Doll”, I think of dancing.

Elevators and guns
Aerosmith didn’t miss a beat from one album to the next. It was one long continuous line of singles.

In August of 1989, a new song by Aerosmith appeared on the radio. It was called “Love in an Elevator”, and continued their string of hits, peaking at number five on the Billboard Hot 100.

Interestingly, the album “Pump”, which “Love in an Elevator” was on, was released four weeks later.

Aerosmith closed out the 1980s by releasing “Janie’s Got a Gun” in November of 1989. It went all the way to number four. It also won the band a Grammy in 1990 for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal”

As the ‘90s dawned, Aerosmith was on a roll.

It was one that continued for a long time.

The years after
They kept on churning out hits including “What it Takes”; “The Other Side”; “Liivin’ on the Edge”; and “Crazy”

Then, in 1998, they had their biggest song to date, “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing”. It was from the movie “Armageddon”, and went all the way to number one, their only chart topper on the Billboard Hot 100. It is one of my favourite Aerosmith songs, along with “Angel”.

It was also nominated for an Oscar for Best Original Song, and I remember watching them perform it live on the Oscars.

Parting thoughts
Wikipedia describes Aerosmith’s sound in the 1980s with the release of “Permanent Vacation” as pop-metal. That shift is likely why they achieved the success they did.

They also enlisted the help of a couple Canadians, producer Bruce Fairbairn and songwriter Jim Vallance, who had a track record of success.

The result was a sound that really resonated with me. The songs were catchy, and in the case of ballads such as “Angel”, quite powerful.

More that that, they bring back memories of times in my life that were transitions from one group of friends to another.

Ed Asner: Lou Grant and so much more

Ed Asner played Lou Grant in "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" in the '70s

and "Lou Grant" in the '80s.

Source: https://decider.com/2021/08/30/ed-asner-obituary-lou-grant-masculinity/

(May be subject to copyright)

It seems like I see Ed Asner everywhere these days.

A friend of mine just came back from Disneyland where she got her picture taken with the old man from “Up”, a character Asner provided the voice for. I have also been watching “Hearts Afire”, a comedy that ran from 1992 to 1995, starring Markie Post and John Ritter. Asner played the father of Post’s character. He also played John Lawrence’s estranged and strange father in “Cobra Kai”.

This all made me think of when I first saw Asner play the same gruff character in not one but two different shows when I was growing up.

Sweet Lou
Ed Asner played a character that may be one of the most interesting, dynamic and multi-layered in the history of television.

In the first episode of the “Mary Tyler Moore Show” aired in 1970, the title character, Mary Richards, went for a job interview at WJM-TV. She was interviewed by Lou Grant, the producer, who was gruff, inappropriate, and a bit sexist. Later he shows up drunk at her new apartment and says his wife has left town for a month. Mary now thinks she knows where this is going. Then he tells Mary he misses his wife, so much he wants to write her a letter – right then and there. While this is all going on, Mary is trying to finally end her relationship with her boyfriend. While she tries to talk to him, Lou is muttering phrases for the letter, pounding away at the typewriter, until he finally leaves. Only he returns looking for a stamp. When Mary’s soon to be ex-boyfriend says that’s some kind of boss, she tells him she thinks it’s sweet.

Funny and sweet went with all those other adjectives to describe Lou Grant. That episode set the stage for a character that would evolve over 12 years. After seven years on “Mary Tyler Moore”, from 1970 to 1977, the show wrapped up.

However, Lou Grant lived on. He got his own show, “Lou Grant”, where he was now a newspaper editor in Sacramento. It was an hour-long drama, pretty much the opposite of the half-hour comedy he had been on, yet the character continued to grow.

Finally, after five years, from 1977 to 1982, “Lou Grant” also went off the air.

But Ed Asner left his mark as Loiu Grant. He won the Primetime Emmy Award in 1971, 1972, and 1975 for Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in Comedy on “The Mary Tyler Moore Show”. He also won two Emmys in 1978 and 1980 for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series.

Yet, that was not all he did.

More Emmys
Ed Asner also appeared in television miniseries where he turned in more memorable performances.

In 1976, he played Axel Jordache in “Rich Man, PoorMan”, father to the Jordache brothers who are the title characters. For his efforts he won an Emmy in 1976 for Outstanding Lead Actor for a Single Appearance in a Drama or Comedy Series.

A year later, in 1977, he played Thomas Davies, captain of the slave ship that brought Kunta Kinte to America in “Roots”. He won another Emmy for that role in 1977, for Outstanding Single Performance by a Supporting Actor in a Comedy or Drama Series.

With the five Emmys for his portrayal of Lou Grant, that brought Asner’s total to seven Primetime Emmys, the most ever won by a male performer.

Memorable movie moments
There are a couple movies Ed Asner starred in that really stick out for me.

“The Gathering”, a TV movie released in 1977, seemed to be on every Christmas season on Channel 7 of the three-channel universe. Asner plays a man estranged from his wife and grown children. He is dying and brings them back together for one last Christmas.

“Anatomy of an Illness”, from 1984, is the true story of Norman Cousins who is diagnosed with what is likely a terminal disease. He decides to fight it with heavy doses of Vitamin C – and laughter. I recall the scene where he started his treatment. The Vitamin C is draining into his veins while he watches a silent movie that has him in stitches. Cousins ends up beating that illness and living a long life.

Back on TV
Asner had two short-lived series in the 1980s as well.

“Off the Rack” ran for seven episodes in the 1984-1985 season. Asner co-starred with Eileen Brennan as partners running a clothing manufacturing company.

“The Bronx Zoo” lasted a little longer, 21 episodes in the 1987-1988 season, where Asner played the principal at a school where he battled to motivate students – and his staff.

The years after
Ed Asner would just keep on acting pretty much up until his death in 2021.

He appeared in motion pictures such as “JFK”; “The Animal”; and “Elf”. He also did a lot of voice work, including the Oscar winning “Up”.

Asner also appeared on television in various roles in “Highway to Heaven”; “The Trials of Rosie O’Neill”, where he was in 17 episodes; “Hearts Afire”; “Thunder Alley” for 27 episodes; “The Magic School Bus”; “Mad About You”; “The Practice”; “The Closer” for 10 episodes; “The X-Files”; “Touched by an Angel”; “Dharma and Greg”; “Curb Your Enthusiasm”; “ER”; “Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip”; “CSI: NY”; “Hot In Cleveland”; “Hawaii Five-O” where he reprised a character he played in the original series more than 20 years earlier; “Law and Order: Special Victims Unit”; “Mom”; “The Good Wife”; “Criminal Minds”; “Murdoch Mysteries”; “Bones”; “Cobra Kai”; “MacGyver”; “Modern Family”; “Blue Bloods”; and much more.

He did voice work in television as well, including “Dinosaurs”; “Spiderman”; “Duckman”; “The Simpsons”; “Family Guy”; “King of the Hill”; and more.

Ed Asner died in 2021 at the age of 91.

Parting thoughts
Ed Asner was a prolific actor as you can see by the multitude of credits, and I have only scratched the surface with the things I have seen. He also had a lot of acting credits before that, in a career that started in 1957.

Yet, he will always be best known for playing Lou Grant. It was such a stellar performance, and so diverse. He is one of only two actors in history to win Emmys in drama and comedy for playing the same role.

That’s what I will always remember.

But I will also remember how effective and compelling he was in “Up”. With only his voice to express the emotion and depth of character, he was truly amazing.

Even then, you can imagine the character he voiced in “Up” as being Lou Grant as a senior citizen.

That’s what makes him such a great actor.

Kurt Browning: He’s going to be big

Canadian figure skater Kurt Browning was the first skater

to land a ratified quadruple jump in 1988.

Source: Facebook/Skate Canada Patinage Canada

(May be subject to copyright)

He was the first skater to land a ratified quadruple jump in history, and would go on to win four world men’s figure skating championships.

Yet, the first time I heard of Kurt Browning was not on TSN, or the CTV National News. Instead, it was the lounge on Tenth Kelsey in 1987 when I was in my first year of university, and the world was preparing for the Winter Olympics in Calgary.

He was simply referred to as “My friend Kurt”, by one of my floormates.

She said he would go on to do great things and she was right.

I saw Kurt Browning on television the other day, promoting reverse mortgages in a commercial. It reminded me of that time so long ago, when he was just starting out.

1988 Olympics
All the talk leading up to the 1988 Olympics in Calgary was about the “Battle of the Brians” for figure skating gold.

Canadian Brian Orser was the defending world champion, defeating American Brian Boitano in 1987 at the championship in Cincinnati. Boitano who was the 1986 men’s figure skating world champion, defeating Orser at the championship in Geneva, Switzerland. In 1985, at the world championship in Tokyo, Orser had taken silver and Boitano bronze.

So these two skaters knew each other well.

Their duel would be one of the closest finishes in Olympic history, with Boitano besting Orser.

There was excitement for Canadians in women’s figure skating as well.

Although East German skater Katarina Witt was pretty much pre-ordained as champion, the silver medal was up for grabs.

As usual there were two American skaters, Debi Thomas and Jill Trenary, vying for the title, as well as Japan’s Midori Ito.

Given an outside chance was Canadian Elizabeth Manley.

It was electric the night of the final skate. Witt had already locked up gold, but Ito skated a brilliant performance, to the surprise of many.

Then Manley was up.

She proceeded to turn in the skate of her life, leaving it all on the ice, captivating the crowd and sending them into a frenzy when she finished.

Manley won the free skate and, against the odds, took home the silver medal, on home ice, for Canada.

My friend Kurt
At that time I was in my first year of university, living on the 10th floor of Kelsey Hall. One of my floormates was Shannon Richards, a dental hygiene student from Grande Prairie.

While we watched the Olympics, periodically she would talk about this friend of hers.

He was from Caroline, Alberta but had moved to Grande Prairie, and was currently skating at the Royal Glenora in Edmonton.

“Watch out for him,” she said. “He’s going to be big.”

“His name is Kurt Browning.”

Ice time
He finished eighth at the Calgary Olympics. Then, as Shannon predicted, he made it big just a couple months later. In March of 1988, at the World Championships in Budapest, Hungary he landed the first ratified quadruple jump in competition, a quadruple toe loop.

A year, later at the 1989 World Championship in Paris, Kurt Browning won gold. He repeated the feet in 1990 in Halifax, 1991 in Munich and 1993 in Prague.

He also won the Canadian championship in 1989, 1990, 1991 and 1993.

As the 1980s ended, Kurt Browning was just getting started.

Parting thoughts
Kurt Browning went on to a lot of success as a professional figure skater and entertainer.

He was always a very positive upbeat person, especially when he took a lot of criticism for not winning a medal in the Olympics when he had already won multiple world championships.

I always thought he handled everything with a lot of class and grace.

Whenever I see him, like I did on that reverse mortgage commercial, I think about all the great performances he turned in, as well as all the creativity he showed on the ice. The routine that sticks out is his “Casablanca” skate. It’s just genius.

I also think that Shannon was right.

He did make it big.

Trooper: Still super

The Canadian band Trooper in their first promotional photo in 1975.

Source: https://amplify.nmc.ca/trooper-here-for-a-good-time-and-a-long-time/

(May be subject to copyright)

They were such a part of the soundtrack of Canadian music in the 1970s and 1980s, that I honestly cannot remember exactly when I first heard Trooper.

However, I can tell you exactly where I was and what I was doing the last time I heard them live.

Yet “Raise a Little Hell”, “We’re Here for a Good Time (Not a Long Time)”, “The Boys in the Bright White Sports Car”, and so much more just echo in my mind when I think of Trooper.

And I was thinking of them recently when they were one of 13 music acts inducted into Canada’s Walk of Fame.

The preceding years
Trooper broke on to the charts in 1975. The fist song I recall is “General Hand Grenade” which went to number 14 in Canada.

The following years, 1976, “Two for the Show” went to number 32, and “Santa Maria”peaked at number 35 in Canada.

They kept charting in 1977, with “We’re Here for a Good Time (Not a Long Time)” going to number 43, and “Oh Pretty Lady” going to number 42 in Canada.

Their signature song, “Raise a Little Hell” peaked at number 27 in 1978, and was the only single they ever charted on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart, going to number 59. “Round, Round We Go,” also charted in 1978, peaking at number 22.

In 1979, “The Moment That it Takes”, peaked at number 14. That year, they also released “Hot Shots”, a greatest hits and concert album. It yielded the hit “The Boys in the Bright White Sports Car” which went to number 25 in Canada. They released another studio album, “Flying Colors” in 1979, charting “3 Dressed Up as a 9” which peaked at number 24 in Canada.

This is pretty much the catalogue of Trooper that I heard growing up.

Yet, they still had some more to give as the ‘80s began.

Success on several fronts
Trooper had their biggest chart hit in 1980, when “Janine”, also off “Flying Colors”, went all the way to number seven in Canada. Surprisingly, it was their only top 10 hit.

In April of 1980, Trooper won the Juno for Group of the Year, and both “Hot Shots” and “Flying Colors” were nominated for Junos in 1980 for Album of the Year.

They also released an untitled album in 1980 that went nowhere, releasing three singles that did not chart. I never heard of any of them either.

Trooper released the album “Money Talks” in 1982, yielding the chart hit “Only a Fool”, which peaked at number 44 in Canada. They released three other singles, including the title track “Money Talks”, but none charted.

They closed out the decade, releasing the album “The Last of the Gypsies” in 1989. The first single, “Boy with a Beat” went to number 33. A single I really liked, “Thin White Line”, was also released that year but did not chart.

They would release one more album in 1991, “Ten”, yielding the single “The American Dream” that peaked at number 26 in Canada.

Through it all, they keep on touring.

Money Talks
The last summer I spent in Brooks was 1986. My cousin Fred was really into music, and an influence on me. By then, he was pretty busy so I did not see him that much.

When I did, we talked music, and Fred asked me if I ever saw “Money Talks” to buy it.

I never gave it much thought, at least not until that Fall.

Dropping in to visit my friend David Perlich’s, he was on his way out. He was taking his youngest sister back to Coaldale. Our old school, St. Joseph’s School was having their annual penny carnival. He had to go, but invited me along if I was interested. I sure was.

Not surprisingly, the penny carnival had changed since we went to school there. Much to my surprise, it now had kind of a flea market, garage sale type of thing.

There, staring me in the face were three tapes that I bought – “Foreigner Four” by Foreigner; “Run for Cover“ by Straight Lines; and – “Money Talks” by Trooper.

I immediately scooped it up, but like so many things I never finished back then, never passed it on to Fred. Mind you, I didn’t see him for a few years after that last summer in Brooks.

When I listened to “Money Talks” something interesting happened.

The song “Only a Fool” really struck a chord with me. I was already contemplating writing a sequel to a play I was just finishing up. My vision was to use a lot of pop music in video sequences in the production.

I thought “Only a Fool” might be a good song for a second soundtrack.

Alas, I haven’t written that sequel to date, but never say never.

Parting thoughts
Trooper kept on performing pretty much to this day, in venues both big and small.

When I started my second year of journalism school at Lethbridge Community College, I ended up getting assigned to cover a concert, my first ever, at what used to be the old York Hotel on 13th Street North.

It was Trooper.

I ended up talking to the organizers, and was able to take pictures during their first two songs but that was it. I didn’t have my act together enough to contact them earlier because, if I had, I could have interviewed them. I guess it was all part of the learning process.

Nevertheless, going to that concert pretty much summed up my experience with Trooper. They played every song I could have asked for, and more, including old standbys such as “Raise a Little Hell”, “Two for the Show”, and “We’re Here for a Good Time (Not a Long Time)”, but also more recent songs such as “Boy with the Beat” and “Thin White Line”.

I remember lead singer Ra McGuire saying part way through, “We’re blasting through this set”.

They were, and it was so good.

It just showed how great a band they still were, and why they are being inducted into Canada’s Walk of Fame.

By the way, the headline for my story in the college paper was, “Trooper is still super”.

And they still are.

David McCallum: Remembering Ilya Kuryakin

David McCallum pioneered the role of super spy Ilya Kuryakin

in the '60s, and reprised the role in a television movie in 1983.

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_McCallum

(May be subject to copyright)

The conversation went something like this.

“We need you to save the world.”

“How many times have we saved the world already?”

It was between spy Napoleon Solo who was seeking to bring his old partner Ilya Kuryakin out of retirement for a very important mission in “The Man from U*N*C*L*E”: The 15 years Later Affair.”

He may be known now for his work on “NCIS”, but for me David McCallum will always be Ilya Kuryakin, a Russian operative for United Network Command for Law Enforcement.

I heard today David McCallum has died, and it reminded me not only of “The Man from U*N*C*L*E”, but also “The Invisible Man” and more.

The spy I loved
“The Man from U*N*C*L*E” was more of an idea than a TV show for me. It actually had gone off the air before I was born, and never appeared in reruns. However, my brother and sister had a bunch of books and digests of “The Man from U*N*C*L*E” that I began to read. Then I added to the collection with books and comic books that I purchased.

I learned about the fictional United Network Command for Law Enforcement, and its agents Napoleon Solo, played by the suave and debonair Robert Vaughn, and Ilya Kuryakin, played by David McCallum. Interestingly, U*N*C*L*E was a supranational organization, not operating on behalf of any one country. That way you could have a Russian, such as Ilya, working with an American, such as Solo. Instead of the Russians being the bad guys, it was another evil organization called T*H*R*U*S*H who was the enemy.

Ilya was the one I came to like because he was blonde, resourceful and seemed to get his hands dirty in the field.

Finally, I did get to see a real live show, but it wasn’t an episode.

Instead, in 1983, Robert Vaughn and David McCallum reunited in “The Man from U*N*C*L*E: The 15 Years Later Affair”, which I was so excited to see, and it was well worth it. A terrorist holds the world hostage and will only deal with Solo. Of course, he needs his old partner Kuryakin, who is now a clothing designer.

When Solo goes to see him, they have the conversation I reference above.

It was a good show.

It was also a nice touch they subtitled it “The 15 Years Later Affair”, because very episode of the series  had “Affair” in the title.

Incidentally, I recently found a DVD of the movie in a discount bin in our local Bargain Shop.

Now you see him, now you don’t
The first time I actually saw David McCallum was in a show on Channel 13 on the peasant vision dial called “The Invisible Man” in 1975. He played Daniel Westin, a scientist who employs technology that renders him invisible – permanently. With the assistance of a friend, who is able to create a mask of his features, and his hands, he is able to function in the world.

He works for an organization called the Klae Corporation and his services are called “The Klae Resource”.

“The Invisible Man” only lasted one season, a pilot and 12 episodes, but it was not bad.

I didn’t have many memories of the show initially, but a few years ago I bought it on DVD and binge watched the entire series.

It held up pretty well.

The funny thing was that Daniel Westin, the character McCallum played, was similar to Ilya Kuryakin.

Familiar face
One Sunday afternoon in high school, I was flipping channels and came upon this old movie starring Steve McQueen. He was in a prisoner of war camp hell bent on escaping. Soon, a plot is hatched to engineer the largest prison escape in history. It was called “The Great Escape”, and is an amazing movie. As I watched, I recognized a lot of faces, younger then, because the movie was from 1963. They included James Garner, Charles Bronson, James Coburn, and – David McCallum.

He again played someone who reminded me of Ilya Kuryakin.

The decade
David McCallum guest starred in a number of shows in the 1980s, including “Strike Force”; “Hart to Hart”; “The Master”; “The A-Team”; "Matlock”; “Alfred Hitchcock Presents”; and “Murder, She Wrote”.

He continued on acting, pioneering the role of Dr. Donald “Ducky” Mallard in “JAG” in 2003, then portraying that character for 20 seasons, up until his death in 2023.

He was 90.

Parting thoughts
Eventually, I did see “The Man from U*N*C*L*E” on TV, when RDTV aired reruns when I lived in Edmonton in 1996 and 1997. Later, I found some episodes on video tapes in a bargain bin at the Rogers video store on Whyte Avenue at that same time in Edmonton. Finally, a few years ago, I bought the first two season of the show on DVD.

It’s funny, how I could become so intrigued by a character I never actually saw until much, much later.

The thing was I loved spy stories.

As I read more about David McCallum, I discovered he was a pop culture icon. He received more fan mail then any other actor in MGM history, and was nominated for two Emmys for the role.

So, it wasn’t just me who found the intellectual, introverted spy so appealing.

He really was an icon.

April Wine: Venerable Canadian band

 

 "You have to hear this," my cousin said. "Listen to the violins chime in, it just makes the song."

Growing up, I idolized my cousin Fred and looked forward to going to spend a couple weeks every summer with his family in Brooks. He was a musician, singer, song writer and aficionado of music. When he talked about a song, I listened.

This time, he was referring to one rock ballad on a record filled with 20 of them by one group – April Wine.

That was my introduction to the band from Montreal fronted by Myles Goodwin. By the end of the decade, I not only owned that same album my cousin was talking about, but had incorporated my own favourite April Wine rock ballad into a work of my own.

I was thinking about all this stuff a couple weeks ago when April Wine was inducted into Canada’s Walk of Fame along with 12 other memorable Canadian musical acts.

The venerable Canadian rock band April Wine.

Source: https://www.canadaswalkoffame.com/inductees/april-wine/

(May be subject to copyright)

In the beginning
April Wine is a band that dates back to the 1960s, and has seemingly always been around. They were another band who got a big boost when Canadian content regulations came into effect.

When I looked at their discography, there were so many songs of theirs that I knew. I heard them all on radio.

In the 1970s, they had songs such as “You Could Have Been a Lady”, which peaked at number two in Canada and number 32 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1971.

In 1972, “Bad Side of the Moon” went to number 16 in Canada, and number 106 on Billboard.

In 1974, “I’m on Fire for You Baby” peaked at number 64 in Canada, and “I Wouldn’t Want to Lose Your Love” peaked at number17.

In 1975, “Tonite is a Wonderful Time to Fall in Love” went to number five in Canada.

In 1976, “Like a Lover, Like a Song” peaked at number 49 in Canada.

In 1977, “You Won’t Dance With Me” peaked at number six in Canada.

There were many more, but these are the songs that I recall.

April Wine’s success would continue right through the 1980s.

The dawn of the decade
The decade began with two more charting singles in 1980. “Say Hello” peaked at number 34 in Canada, and number 104 in the United States, while “I Like to Rock” went to number 75 in Canada, and number 86 on the Billboard Hot 100.

The hits kept coming in 1981, when “Just Between You and Me” went to number 22 in Canada and number 21 on the Billboard Hot 100. “Sign of the Gypsy Queen” followed that up, going to number 40 in Canada, and number 57 on the Billboard Hot 100.

In 1982, “Enough is Enough” peaked at number 12 in Canada, and number 50 on the Billboard Hot 100.

“This Could be the Right One” made it to number 58 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1984 but, oddly, did not chart in Canada.

April Wine’s last two singles of the decade were released in 1985 off the album “Walking Through Fire”. “Rock Myself to Sleep” did not chart, although it received good air play, while “Love Has Remembered Me” made it to number 89 in Canada.

Greatest hits
During one summer visit to Brooks, my cousin Fred showed me this album he’d picked up recently. It was called “The Best of April Wine: Rock Ballads”, originally released in 1981.

There was one song that really struck him. It used violins and he just loved that. It was called “You Won’t Dance With Me”, and he played it for me right then and there.

A few years later, I was going to school in Edmonton, saw “The Best of April Wine: Rock Ballads” in a bargain bin, and bought it on vinyl. I only played it once, until I got someone to dub it onto a tape, but I always think of “You Won’t Dance With Me”.

Soundtrack selection
Starting in Grade 11 and finishing in the first part of Grade 12, I wrote a semi-autobiographical play. It was about a high school boy who develops a crush on a girl, and how he tries to deal with that. I initially intended it to be a movie, with a soundtrack. Each song would play during a pivotal scene in the movie.

One of the songs I chose, because it just seemed perfect for the mood of the movie, was “Love Has Remembered Me”.

While I was contemplating the songs for the soundtrack, I stopped with my parents for fish and chips at a place in Lethbridge. As we sat down to eat, “Love has Remembered Me” played on the radio piping music through the restaurant.

I took that as a sign, and put it on the soundtrack.

Back then, I didn’t have a lot of money to buy much music, so I got the entire soundtrack from recordings I made off the radio, preferably FM because it sounded clearer and crisper.

So, I waited with the record button at the ready. I lucked out with “Love Has Remembered Me”, because LA-107 FM used to do these features on bands and albums. Just when I was looking for the song, LA-107 did one on April Wine, and I scored “Love Has Remembered Me”.

It is still my favourite April Wine song.

Parting thoughts
April Wine has had so many good songs, and many have found new life on oldies stations, such as CJOC-FM that currently broadcasts from Lethbridge. In looking at how they did on the charts, I was surprised most of them didn’t do better. They were all well known, because they were played a lot on the radio.

What always sticks out is their ballads, and not just because they put out a greatest hits album full of them.

Instead, it is the vocals of Myles Goodwin. He can just melt my heart with songs such as “Just Between You and Me”, “I Wouldn’t Want to Lose Your Love”, and of course, “Love has Remembered Me.”

April Wine is another artist whose music is woven into the tapestry of Canadian music and pop culture.

That’s why they are another deserving inductee into Canada’s Walk of Fame.

Memories of Platinum Blonde

Platinum Blonde's breakout album was "Alien Shores", released in 1985.

Source: https://redcat.ca/products/platinum-blonde-alien-shores

(May be subject to copyright)

“Crying, Crying over you.”

A blonde man, platinum blonde actually, staring into the camera singing that phrase was my introduction to a Canadian band that really hit its stride in the mid 1980s. It was part of a commercial advertising Platinum Blonde was coming to Lethbridge to perform at the Lethbridge Sportsplex.

I had not heard much about Platinum Blonde when “Crying Over You” came out, but that song and “Alien Shores”, the album it was on, catapulted them to mainstream success in Canada.

I was thinking about Platinum Blonde recently when they were inducted into Canada’s Walk of Fame with 12 other Canadian recording acts.

They’re awesome
My first exposure to Platinum Blonde was in Grade 10, when they came to Lethbridge, and Luba opened for them.

I am not sure I had heard anything about either Platinum Blonde or Luba before that. I just assumed Platinum Blonde was a heavy metal band like Motley Crew, Twisted Sister or Iron Maiden.

The day after the concert, my classmate Bill Vink told us all about it in German 10 class, so it must have been the fall of 1984. He said, in particular, that Luba was awesome.

“Standing in the Dark” was their first song, and I saw the video shortly after. Neither the song or the video were as polished, as their later songs, especially from the “Alien Shores” album.

“Standing in the Dark” was their first album, released in 1983. The first single was “Doesn’t Really Matter”, which went to number 31 in Canada. The titletrack, “Standing in the Dark” was the second single, also released in 1983, and it went to number 43 in Canada.

In 1984, they released “Sad, Sad Rain” which went to number 57 in Canada, and “Not in Love” which went to number 44 in Canada.

That was all prelude to their break out, which came in 1985.

“Alien Shores”
Even now, I can picture the album art for their second album, but for whatever reason, it was a long time before I knew it was called “Alien Shores”. Maybe it is due to the fact there is no title track, no song called “Alien Shores”.

The album came out in 1985, and I always equate it with the beginning of Grade 11 in September of 1985. That’s because Platinum Blonde was coming to play in Lethbridge, and it was heavily promoted. The commercials opened with the first few bars of the video for “Crying Over You”.

It is an amazing song, with an even more striking video, taking full advantage of it as a medium of expression.

“Crying Over You” became Platinum Blonde’s biggest single in the band’s history, going to number one in Canada. It remains their only number one hit.

They followed it up with three more charting singles, that were all really good.

“Situation Critical” became their second straight top ten hit in Canada, peaking at number eight.

“Somebody, Somewhere” followed in 1986, going to number 23 in Canada, and number 82 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States, becoming their only top 100 song in the U.S. to date. What I will always remember about “Somebody, Somewhere” is where I first heard it.

I was riding on the school bus, and the radio was playing a list of songs that were the follow-up singles to current hits. “Kyrie” by Mr. Mister was following “Broken Wings”; “Sara” by Starship was following “We Built This City”; “King for a Day” by the Thompson Twins was following “Lay Your Hands”; and Platinum Blone’s next single was “Somebody Somewhere”.

“Hungry Eyes” was after that, going all the way to number 57 in Canada. I will always remember a scene from the video for “Hungry Eyes”. It is essentially a concert video, and at one point the band is waving a flag that is half Canadian flag and half Union Jack. That pays homage to lead singer Mark Holmes who is originally from England.

The rest of the decade
Platinum Blonde would put out one more album in the decade, “Contact”, released in 1987.

The title track “Contact” was the last Platinum Blonde song I recall of theirs, because life got busy, but their popularity also began to decline. Still, “Contact” was a good song, peaking at number 13 in Canada.

It is their last top 20 single to date.

Parting thoughts
“Crying Over You” came out at a pivotal time in my teenage years. I was beginning to go out more, with my good friend Mat who had his licence. He was taking tae kwon do lessons in Lethbridge every Wednesday. He would pick me up, drop me off at our friend David Perlich’s where I would hang out, until Mat came back. Then we’d all hang out together, play pool, and talk.

So many times, “Crying Over You” was playing on the stereo in Mat’s vehicle.

It is one of the songs that takes me back to that period in time.

"Crying Over You" was an amazing song, that conjures up a an amazing time.

The transformation of Steve Martin

Steve Martin in the movie "Roxanne" in 1987.

Source: https://www.reddit.com/r/moviecritic/comments

(May be subject to copyright)

I have been enjoying Steve Martin as Charles Haden-Savage in “Only Murders in the Building”, and it made me think that I didn’t always enjoy his acting the way I do now.

That all changed in the ‘80s.

The early years
My earliest memories of Steve Martin are of two things. One weekend, I was staying with my cousins Nina and Carl in Lethbridge. They had cable television, which was still new and novel, and it was a Saturday night. I think it was “Saturday Night Live” we were watching. Steve Martin and Bill Murray, who I knew best from “Meatballs”, were looking into the camera, past the camera actually, at something “behind’ the viewer.

“What the hell is that?” Steve Martin asked.

“What the hell is that?” Bill Murray asked.

“What the hell is that?” Martin asked.

“What the hell is that?” Murray asked.

They went back and forth another two or three times.

Then Murray said, “Don’t put your lips on that.”

I didn’t really get it, but none of it was funny at all.

The other thing was the movie “The Jerk”, which came out in 1979. It starred Steve Martin, and a bunch of my classmates at St. Joesph’s School in Coaldale liked it. None of the things they said about the movie were funny to me.

Awhile later, I saw a sanitized version of “The Jerk” on the network television, Channel 13 to be exact. 

Again, there were some things that were kind of funny, but not really that funny.

I didn’t really have any interest in seeing Steve Martin again.

That would change.

Dawn of the decade
Steve Martin started the ‘80s with more of the same, with these odd comedies, including “”Pennies from Heaven” in 1981; “Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid” in 1982; “The Man With Two Brains” in 1983; and “All of Me” in 1984.

In 1986, he co-starred in “Three Amigos” with Martin Short and Chevy Chase, and that was a good movie with a lot of laughs. That same year he would appear in “Little Shop of Horrors”, which I did not see back then but saw years later. I saw the movie after I had seen a stage production of “Little Shop of Horrors”, and it made me realize Steve Martin did a really good job in the movie.

Twenty-five free movies
My parents bought me a VCR for Christmas in 1985 from Baker’s Appliances in Lethbridge. The VCR came with a card for 25 free movies. Getting to Lethbridge was not that easy, so that card was unused for about a year.

Then my sister suggested something. She lived in Lethbridge and came out to the farm every week for Sunday dinner. She offered to get a movie on her way out of the city. We’d watch it on the farm Sunday afternoon, and she’d return it when she went back to Lethbridge. It was a great idea.

Romantic lead
One of those movies was “Roxanne”, which came out in June of 1987. It was a thinly veiled modern re-telling of “Cyrano de Bergerac”, starring Steve Martin, Darryl Hannah and Rick Rossovich.

The story is simple. A man wants to court a woman but just can’t find the words. He enlists a friend, Cyrano de Bergerac, who has an issue with his nose making him self-conscious and unattractive to some. Cyrano tells his friend just what to say, thus winning over the woman. The drama goes from there.

Martin plays the Cyrano role and, yes, he has an extra long nose. That’s what I mean by thinly veiled. Rick Rossovich plays his friend, and Darryl Hannah plays the object of their affection.

I was used to Steve Martin being over the top, slapstick, and never to be taken seriously. His role in “Roxanne” was such a departure from all his previous roles. He was understated, quiet and shy, and very charming.

He was absolutely awesome in that role, and it completely changed my view of him. He played a layered, textured role that was part funny, part serious, part sad, part contemplative and so much more. It made him human, believable and someone you may meet in every day life. He wasn't a caricature often just there for cheap laughs.

I was a fan after that.

Rest of the decade
Steve Martin would have an even bigger success later in 1987 with “Planes, Trains and Automobiles” opposite John Candy. He followed that up with “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels” opposite Michael Caine in 1988; and wound up the decade with “Parenthood” in 1989, another solid movie.

By the close of the 1980s, Steve Martin was a much more likable, engaging and endearing leading man.

The years after
He would go on to have a prolific film career over the next three decades, which continues to this day. Some of his other roles were “L.A. Story” and “Father of the Bride” in 1991; “Housesitter” in 1992; “Sgt. Bilko” in 1996; “Cheaper by the Dozen” in 2003; “The Pink Panther” in 2006; and so much more.

Parting thoughts
Steve Martin has undergone quite the transformation over the years. He used to be over the top, obvious, goofy, and more of a caricature than a person.

Over time, he evolved into a really good actor, portraying a variety of roles from the comedic to the dramatic and more.

It has been quite a transformation.

Memories of the Golden Bridge

As I was sitting in a restaurant in Nanton yesterday having Chinese food, I was thinking about the best Chinese food I’ve ever had. It also happened to be the first Chinese food I ever had.

But what I will remember the most about the Golden Bridge down on Mayor Magrath Drive in Lethbridge was not so much the food as the memories of birthdays and family gatherings.

The Golden Bridge is gone now, replaced by something else, but in the 1980s, it was one of the best Chinese restaurants in Lethbridge.

First birthday party
I was in Grade 1 when my parents took me to the Golden Bridge for Chinese food. I recall the building being long and fairly narrow. I thought I heard somewhere it had previously been a car wash, which would kind of explain that, if it was true. The counter you waited at was part of a glass case that sold gum.

It was my first ever experience with Chinese food, and even the idea they would bring you different plates of food to serve yourself, just like home, was new to me. Years later, in university, I discovered this was called family style.

What I remember most was the pineapple chicken balls. They were awesome.

We had eaten our fill, but there was still a lot of food left. My Mom said we would get a doggie bag. I wondered what that was. I had heard the term on television, but really didn’t know what it meant.

Then a Chinese man brought a pile of silver foil containers with cardboard, circular lids. He proceeded to put all of the leftovers in these containers. Then he ran his finger around the edge of one, sealing everything inside the container. He did it so fast, it seemed like magic to me.

It turned out that man was the owner. All I could think was how nice he was. Maybe it was because it was my birthday.

We ate the leftovers the next day, and that was kind of typical of the time. This was before microwave or toaster ovens, so Mom put all the leftovers in the actual oven to heat them up. I recall the chow mein being browned up, and the other food being hot but also a bit dried out, including my beloved pineapple chicken balls. Our first microwave solved those problems.

The menu
We often ordered their combination dinners. Our rule was if there were three of us, we would order a dinner for four. Everyone liked the leftovers.

The Golden Bridge provided my first experience to so many things. Beyond the aforementioned pineapple chicken balls and chicken chow mein, there was chicken fried rice. I had never seen anything other than the lily white rice Mom made at home. There was egg foo yung, which looked like a stack of pancakes, only made of eggs, and I really did not like it.

Then there was the dish that became one of my favourites – sweet and sour ribs. They were in a brown sauce, and cooked so well. One time I started chewing the bone without at first realizing it, because it was softer than the meat.

When I got older, and ventured to other Chinese food restaurants, I was taken aback by the red sweet and sour ribs. I was told that was the actual colour of sweet and sour. It’s funny how your first exposure to something becomes what you measure everything that comes after it to.

Along the way, my love for ribs turned to dried spare ribs. In fact, they became a favourite of mine and all my cousins. Maybe it was because they were less messy to eat.

Rarely, did we branch out to anything beyond the usual dishes. However, this one dish kept catching my eye, over several meals spanning many months. It was called Cantonese duck. One time, I asked my parents and, much to my surprise, we ordered it.

It was no at all what I expected. I recall it being in this watery, black sauce, and tasting kind of like chicken, but not as flavourful as pineapple chicken. It was worth a try, which was good, because we didn’t really try a lot of new things back then.

Best service
Another time we went, I remember the service more than the food. We had a man for the first time. Back then, virtually every server was female, so that was striking. He was very kind, outlined what was on the menu, asking us if we had any questions. When Mom ordered, he read her order back to her to make sure it was right. When he brought our food, he said, “Enjoy your meal.”

These all seem standard now, but back then it just stood out.

To this day, I think of that man, whoever he is, as providing the best service I ever had. In fact, I measure all service to that day more than 45 years ago.

Farewell party
One year, my Mom’s Aunt Emma and Uncle Otto came to visit from West Germany. Aunt Emma was my Oma Jetz’s sister, and it was striking how much they looked alike.

Unlike families in the community I live in now, my family came to Canada and left the rest of theirs behind. So, as a 10 year old, it was fascinating to meet a person, I had never met before, who looked just like my grandmother. That happened again when another one of her sisters came to visit. They all looked the same.

Anyway, my family, my Uncle Ed and Aunt Joanne, and my Uncle Witold and Aunt Lotta, all showed Aunt Emma and Uncle Otto around. We went to several places around Southern Alberta, including Wateron.

Just before they left to go back to West Germany, they wanted to show their gratitude and take everyone out for supper.

We all went to the Golden Bridge.

I will never forget that night. They seated us at the back of the restaurant. When they seated us, I walked all the way to the back of the table and could not help but thinking this all looked like a scene from “The Waltons”.

We had as much food as we wanted, and I remember the oddest thing. My cousin Gary, who is like 15 years older than me, was sitting at our end. He too loved the dried spare ribs, as did his sister, my cousin Doris, and my cousin Carl. The three of us all kind of hung out together. Anyway, there was this small shallow bowl on the table. Gary started piling his rib bones on it. So the rest of us followed suit. That pile grew and grew, because there was a lot of food. It ended up being, I would say, three or four inches high. The waitress didn’t have any trouble taking it away though.

At the end of the night, I remember Uncle Otto standing up, giving a little speech of thanks in German – because he spoke no English – and toasting everyone.

Mom told me, he picked up the bill for the whole meal. It was hundreds of dollars, which was a huge amount of money then.

But a very kind gesture.

Parting thoughts
Like anything else, we went to the Golden Bridge less and less, as I got older and older. I honestly cannot remember the last time I was in there.

Sadly, it stopped being one of the best Chinese restaurants in Lethbridge too.

When I returned to Southern Alberta in November of 1998, I had some friends coming to town. They suggested we grab a bite to eat. I suggested the Golden Bridge, but it ended up we went somewhere else because they were not up for Chinese food.

I was working at the University of Lethbridge then. When I got to work the next day, and told them about the friends I had over and wanting to take them to the Golden Bridge, my co-workers both winced.

The Golden Bridge was a dive now. They both said it had gone down hill quite badly.

That saddened me, because I had so many great memories of that place, and I wanted to share just a bit of its charm with my friends.

I will always have those great memories, and I still compare every new Chinese food place that I go to with the Golden Bridge.

Going Berserk: A theatre party goes berserk

The movie poster for "Going Berserk" in 1983,

with Joe Flaherty, Eugene Levy and John Candy.

Source: https://moviesanywhere.com/movie/going-berserk

(May be subject to copyright)

“Going Berserk”. It’s a movie I have never seen, and really do not know much about, but its very name brings up memories of a choice I had to make in high school, that ended up not only being the right choice, but no choice at all.

The choice
One of the activities the students’ union at St. Joseph’s School in Coaldale used to plan was the theatre party. They would plan a bus for a Friday night to take the junior high students – who had their parents’ permission – into Lethbridge to go see a movie together.

I saw some really good movies in Grade 7 and 8 that way, some I may have never seen otherwise.

By Grade 9, so the Fall of 1983, our students’ union had changed, and wasn’t as plugged in to the rest of the students.

At that time as well, I was beginning to spend more time in town, at sleepovers with various friends.

When I had planned such a sleepover with my friend Shawn Kingston for Friday night, a conflict arose.

The students’ union was planning a theatre party.

Shawn really had no interest in going. I wanted to go over to his house, and it was always really fun. Shawn’s Mom always made these really good dinners, such as spaghetti and meat balls and mini-pizzas, and great snacks while we played games, watched TV, or talked. So I too passed without even seeing what the movie was.

Friday night
Often, Shawn’s parents would rent movies, and I think we were watching “The Road Warrior” when we got the news.

Shawn’s younger brother Craig, who was in Grade 7 I believe, had gone to the movie party. I recall him being excited about going, and talking to him as he got ready, but still had no idea what the movie was.

Inexplicably, he came back less than an hour later.

We were downstairs, and I heard him talking to his parents upstairs, before coming down.

“You’ll never guess what happened?” he said.

We were all just caught by surprise.

“We were in the theatre 15 minutes and the teachers just pulled the plug,” he said.

Our faces must have been asking why?

“It was the language,” he said.

That was a big deal in a Catholic school like St. Joe’s was, and I could see the teachers “going berserk” themselves.

At that point, I finally asked the question.

“What was the movie?”

“Going Berserk,” Craig said.

I had never heard of it before, or much about it since.

The movie
I didn’t even know “Going Berserk” starred John Candy. He plays a chauffeur engaged to the daughter of a United States senator who becomes embroiled with a shady film director and a crazed cult leader.

I always wondered why it was chosen as the movie. Every other movie party had really interesting choices: “Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan” or “Rocky III”; or “On Golden Pond” or “Chariots of Fire”.

However, the social convener of the time, who really didn’t talk to anyone, thought better, and thought it would be a good movie.

It obviously wasn’t.

Parting thoughts
It’s funny how things can stick with you. I haven’t ever heard much about “Going Berserk”. Yet, when I was doing research on Ernie Hudson, Wikipedia revealed he had acted in “Going Berserk”.

Just hearing that name, took me back to Grade 9 in Shawn Kingston’s basement.

It reminded me how simple life was, and just how different times were 40 years ago.

The Jazz Singer: Starting a long association with Neil Diamond

The album cover of the soundtrack for the movie "The Jazz Singer". It re-ignited Neil Diamond's career with three top 10 hits.

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Jazz_Singer_%28soundtrack%29

(May be subject to copyright)

My brother George always had cool toys. He is 10 years older than me, and was out on his own living in Calgary by the time I was barely starting elementary school, so he had the cool black Z-28 Camaro, the stereo, and one of the first VCRs I had ever seen.

My sister, who is a year younger than my brother, also migrated to Calgary right after high school, so my parents and I started making periodic trips to Calgary to visit them.

One time, I was in Grade 8, and we went up to Calgary on a Friday night, and stayed the weekend at my brother’s place.

He always tried to entertain everyone, so he suggested watching on a movie on his VCR. He had recorded a bunch of movies off Pay-TV which, back then was one of two ways to watch movies that had recently been in the theatre. The other was to rent them from one of the video stores dotting every community.

He had a few to choose from, and we settled on one because it starred a singer George liked.

His name was Neil Diamond and the movie was “The Jazz Singer”.

It would be my introduction to an artist I really have come to love as well as a movie, I have clear memories of.

The movie
“The Jazz Singer” is the story of Yussel Rabinovch, played by Diamond, who is a fifth generation Jewish cantor, kind of trapped in his life. He is married to a woman he grew up with, and his father, played by Laurence Olivier, is committed to having his son continue the Jewish tradition of family members being cantor at their synagogue.

Yussel has other ideas. He dreams of being a pop singer and, when he decides to pursue that dream, upsets his father. So much so, his father tears his own clothes, signifying his son is dead to him now.

Yussel changes his name to Jess Robin, and begins to make a life as a singer, meeting some interesting people on the way. One is a new love interest, played by Lucy Arnaz, who then was still known best as the daughter of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz. They eventually marry, in a Jewish wedding ceremony which, to me, symbolized Jess was not breaking completely from his religion or heritage. Another was Bubba, played by Franklyn Ajaye, who helped him along the way with his career. I later saw that same actor, in a supporting comedic role in “Stir Crazy” starring Gene Wilder and Richard Prior. He was very good in that, as he was in “The Jazz Singer”.

Take three
Over time, I found out something interesting about “Jazz Singer”. It had already been made into a movie twice before. The first time was in the 1920s, with Al Jolson playing the lead role. I believe that version was one of the first movies with sound, if not the first. The second time was in the 1950s when Danny Thomas, who is Jewish, played the lead role.

As I found this information out, I could not imagine either of them playing the role. Neil Diamond was Jess Robin, and I couldn’t get his portrayal out of my head.

The soundtrack
More than anything, I remember the music from that movie. It was before I really got into music, so I never considered the idea it could all be on a soundtrack.

The first song I recall was called “Love on the Rocks”. Jess gets into this recording studio and hears kind of a punk singer belting out a song Jess wrote in a much faster tempo. The guy sees Jess and offers the mike. Jess sings “Love on the Rocks”, which is a ballad. After he is finished, the singer says, “Can I have something with a little more boom, boom, boom?”

What makes this so poignant is this. At the time, Jess had Bubba there, but they would have a falling out. As the movie nears its conclusion, Jess is in the studio, figuring out what to do. Bubba reappears, saying “Can I have something with a little more boom, boom, boom”. They laugh and make up leading up to the exciting conclusion.

A second song is “Hello Again”, and the final one is “America”, which Jess sings in the climactic concert scene.

Those three songs all hit the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100 in 1981, and the soundtrack became Neil Diamond’s biggest album seller to date. “Love on the Rocks” went all the way to number two; “Hello Again” peaked at number two; and “America” went all the way to number eight on the charts.

I remember my Mom and I both being impressed with Neil Diamond’s music.

A couple years later, she actually bought a used copy of the soundtrack to “The Jazz Singer” at a garage sale, or flea market of some kind. I remember the album cover was the same art as the movie poster. It was a painting of the final scene of the movie after Jess has finished singing “America” and has thrust his arm in the air in triumph.

As for me, I developed a love for the music of Neil Diamond that continues to this day.

The music
In today’s day and age, the most popular Neil Diamond song is “Sweet Caroline”, played at a multitude of sporting events, including the home games of Major League Baseball’s Boston Red Sox.

However, Neil Diamond has been a prolific writer and singer for a long time. Some of his other songs have included “Song Sung Blue”; “Longfellow Serenade”; “You Don’t Bring Me Flowers”; and “Forever in Blue Jeans”.

Parting thoughts
Neil Diamond just has a presence about him. He has this powerful voice that just touches the soul. That is best illustrated in “America”, which is as much an anthem as anything – powerful, emotional and building to a crescendo. It really exemplifies the talent of Neil Diamond.

He had a long, prosperous career that had kind of stalled by the end of the 1970s.

Then came “The Jazz Singer”, whose music re-ignited his career.

That’s where I caught the Neil Diamond train.

And I have never got off.

Larry Crawford: Thief on the football field

Larry Crawford, defensive back for the B.C. Lions.

Source: https://alchetron.com/Larry-Crawford

(May be subject to copyright)

Matt Dunigan said this football player belongs in jail, because he stole so many balls. When young quarterbacks took the field in the 1980s, they shuttered to think Larry Crawford was out there, lurking in the secondary poised to intercept one of their passes at any time – or worse – more than one pass.

Larry Crawford, stand out defensive back for the B.C. Lions, was inducted into the Canadian Football Hall Of Fame, and it brought back memories of his play in the secondary, but also the team he played with.

In the beginning
Larry Crawford joined the B.C. Lions in 1981 from Iowa State University, appearing in all 16 games, and intercepting eight passes, returning them for 133 yards and one touchdown.

It was a solid rookie season, and a sign of things to come.

The following season in 1982, he had four interceptions, returning them for 41 yards.

He was set to break out the next season.

Success
The Edmonton Eskimos had dominated the CFL West Division, and the whole league, from 1978 to 1982, winning five straight Grey Cups.

The year 1983 signaled a changing of the guard, and the ascendance of the B.C. Lions in the West Division. They finished first in the West with a record of 11-5, and defeated Winnipeg in the West Final. However, they lost to Toronto in the Grey Cup, played at home in front of close to 60,000 fans at B.C. Place in Vancouver.

Larry Crawford had a career season, with 12 interceptions, returning them for 172 yards and two touchdowns. He was a West Division all-star and a CFL all-star.

In 1984, Crawford intercepted five passes, returning them for 165 yards, and returned one fumble for a touchdown. He was again named a West Division and CFL all-star.

The 1985 season saw the Lions put it all together. They finished first in the West Division with a record of 13-3, defeated Winnipeg in the West Final, then beat Hamilton in the Grey Cup for their first championship since 1964.

Crawford appeared in 10 games that season, intercepting five passes and returning them for 15 yards.

He returned to full-time duty in 1986, intercepting nine passes and returning them for 170 yards and a touchdown. Once again he was a West Division and CFL all-star.

In 1987, Crawford intercepted three passes, returning them for 66 yards, and was again a West Division and CFL all-star.

The Lions returned to the Grey Cup in 1988, losing to Winnipeg, after defeating Saskatchewan in the West Semi-final and Edmonton in the West Final.

Crawford intercepted five passes, returning them 28 yards, and was again a West Division all-star.

Final season
Crawford started the 1989 season with the Lions, where he played in three games. He was traded to Toronto, where he appeared in four games and had one interception, returning it 20 yards.

He retired after the 1989 season, with 52 career interceptions, good enough for fifth place all time up to that point. Crawford had 16 quarterback sacks, including a career high six in 1986, four in 1987, and three in 1985. He also recovered 13 fumbles, returning one for a touchdown.

The CFL only started recording tackles as a statistic in 1987. That year Crawford had 38 tackles. In 1988, he had 34, and in 1989 he had 17.

Crawford was also a deadly returner, returning punts for a total of 4,159 yards and three touchdowns, all in 1987, and kicks for a total of 1,944 yards. When he retired, he was second all-time in punt return yardage.

In 2023, he was inducted into the Canadian Football Hall Of Fame.

Parting thoughts
Initially, Larry Craweford was the other Crawford, because Rufus Crawford of the Hamilton Tiger Cats was better known at the time for his exploits as a runningback and receiver.

But Larry Crawford would soon make a name for himself on the defensive side of the ball, becoming one of the best defensive backs in the game.

Too often, these great players got lost in the mists of time.

I am glad Larry Crawford didn’t, because he too is hall of fame in my book.

Remembering “Mr. Dressup”: Stimulating the imagination

Mr. Dressup with Casey and dog Finnegan in "Mr. Dressup", a children's show that aired on CBC.

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mr._Dressup

(May be subject to copyright)

Can you tell me how to find a trunk that can hold as much stuff as the one Mr. Dressup had? I was always fascinated by how deep that thing must have been, to hold as much stuff as he pulled out of there, day after day and week after week. Just like Oscar the Grouch’s garbage can.

I was thinking about that trunk, and Casey and Finnegan, and of course Mr. Dressup himself the other day. I saw a documentary has been made about Mr. Dressup and debuted at the Toronto International Film Festival.

On the air
To be honest, I don’t have a lot of specific memories of “Mr. Dressup”. I recall the show was on CBC Channel 9 on the peasant vision dial, and was on the weekday morning schedule with “The Friendly Giant” and “Sesame Street”.

I started school when I was five years old, and I don’t have a lot of memories before that. That is usually the time children would watch shows such as “Mr. Dressup”, “The Friendly Giant”, and “Sesame Street”.

The only times I remember watching it were when I was home sick from school, which was rare because I hated missing school, and in the summer time. That was also rare because I was usually outside or elsewhere.

Memories
The memories I do have of Mr. Dressup are kind of scattered.

He was played by Ernie Coombs, which I felt pretty good about learning. It felt like I shared a little secret, just me and him.

His two friends were puppets Casey, a child, and Finnegan, his dog. They often talked in front of Casey and Finnegan’s treehouse too.

The other settings were Mr. Dressup’s living room, kitchen, and a play room. He often read stories, played games, and did crafts.

I remember he drew a lot too, like he was illustrating a point from a story. I also recall really liking that art, and trying to mimic it in my own living room at home.

There was also the Tickle Trunk that housed the costumes Mr. Dressup wore to play make believe. I always wondered how much could be stored in such a seemingly small amount of space.

The years after
“Mr. Dressup” aired from 1967 to 1996.

Sadly, Ernie Coombs died of a stroke in September of 2001.

He was 73 years old.

Parting thoughts
I may not have a lot of pointed memories of “Mr. Dressup” like I do a lot of the TV I watched in the 1980s.

However, as I wrote this something occurred to me.

“Mr. Dressup” stimulated my imagination.

When he drew pictures, I wanted to draw too. When he read stories, I wanted to write my own stories.

Perhaps the effect he had on me was much more subtle, but powerful, than I realize.

I plan on watching the documentary on “Mr. Dressup”, to see how deep that influence was, and what kind of memories it conjures.

In any event, stimulating my imagination is enough.

For that, I am eternally grateful.

Lloyd Fairbanks: Hall of fame lineman

Hall of Fame offensive lineman Lloyd Fairbanks blocking for the Calgary Stampeders.

Source: https://www.stampeders.com/tag/lloyd-fairbanks/

(May be subject to copyright)

He played on some good teams, and some incredibly bad teams, then came within one year of winning a Grey Cup in his last season. Yet through it all, Lloyd Fairbanks was an anchor on the offensive lines of all the teams he played on.

He was recognized for his 15 years of exemplary service yesterday, being inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2023.

In the beginning
The football journey of Lloyd Fairbanks begins not too far from where I grew up, and would end there close to 40 years later.

Born and raised in Raymond, Alberta he played his high school football for the Raymond Comets, a perennial powerhouse to this day.

He moved on to play college football at Ricks College in Idaho then Brigham Young University in Utah.

The Calgary Stampeders would select Fairbanks in the 1975 CFL draft.

Years of the horse
Fairbanks joined the Stampeders for the 1975 season. He was Calgary’s nominee for Most Outstanding Lineman in 1976, and every year from 1978 to 1982. He was named a West Division all-star three times, in 1978, 1979 and 1982, and a CFL all-star twice, in 1979 and 1982. He was named Calgary’s Most Outstanding Canadian in 1980, and was named the top offensive lineman in the West Division in 1982, winning the DeMarco-Becket Foundation Trophy. He was also runner up to Rudy Phillips of the Ottawa Rough Riders for CFL Outstanding Offensive Lineman in the CFL in 1982.

Heading east
It was big news when Lloyd Fairbanks signed as a free agent with Montreal in 1983. I remember the news conference as Joe Galat, of the Concordes, announced Fairbanks’ signing. He looked so small next to Lloyd.

Fairbanks was Montreal’s top offensive lineman in 1984, 1985 and 1986, and was an East Division all-star in 1984,1985, and 1986 as well.

Montreal folded and became the Alouettes in 1986, then folded altogether before the 1987 season started. A dispersal draft of their players was held, and Fairbanks was selected by the Hamilton Tiger Cats, where he played in 1987 and 1988.

Homecoming
Fairbanks returned to the Stampeders in 1989, where he played until retiring after the 1991 season. He was twice named Calgary’s top offensive lineman, and was a West Division all-star in 1990. He finally did get to play in a Grey Cup in 1991 with Calgary, although they lost to Toronto.

Had he stayed one more year, he may have won a Grey Cup with the Stampeders in 1992, when they beat Winnipeg for the championship.

He would return to Raymond and coach the same Raymond Comets high school football team he played on. He would also coach both his sons and win a provincial championship.

Parting thoughts
Offensive linemen don’t always get the credit they deserve. Although that has changed over the past few years, helped by the success of “The Blindside”, a blockbuster movie that shines a spotlight on the offensive line.

Lloyd Fairbanks was always a name I recognized when I first started watching football, and the Calgary Stampeders, in 1978. He was a stalward on their offensive lineman, and helped them become a winning team.

What stands out for me though is that, after 17 seasons in the CFL, he would eventually find his way back to Raymond, his home town, where he contributed to the community that gave him so much. He would get involved in the community, his church, and the school.

He ended up coaching the same high school football team he played for, and was fortunate enough to coach his two sons as well.

That says a lot more about Lloyd Fairbanks than any awards he won, and he won many.

It’s what makes him hall of fame in my book.

Chilliwack: Staple of the junior high dance

 

 The scene was classic junior high. The setting a junior high dance. A bunch of girls standing side by side in a line, their backs turned o the rest of us, the lights dimmed, and them singing, “A gone gone gone so long, she been gone gone gone so long…”

That was my introduction to the band Chilliwack and their iconic song, “My Girl”.

Quintessential Canadian band
Canadian rock and pop really got rolling in the 1970s with the adoption of Canadian content regulations in 1971. Canadian bands got more air play and there became a whole community of performers, many whose careers stretched into the 1980s and beyond,

Chilliwack was part of that community, and there are several songs that always seemed to be on the air.

The first one I recognize was “Lonesome Mary” from 1973, which peaked at number nine in Canada. It was the band’s first single on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart in the U.S., going to number 75.

A year later, in 1974, they released “Crazy Talk” which went to number 10 in Canada, and charted at number 98 on the Billboard Hot 100.

The next song I recognize is “Californai Girl” from 1976, which went to number 19 in Canada.

In 1978, they released “Arms of Mary” which went to number 32 in Canada and number 67 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Chilliwack was picking up speed at the dawn of the decade, and would have their biggest success in the 1980s.

“My Girl”
It was a song with an intro I could never forget. It was so unique and catchy, it was a signature piece for Chilliwack.

Officially called “My Girl (Gone, Gone, Gone),” it came out in 1981 as the first single from the “Wanna Be a Star” album. The song went all the way to number 3 in Canada, and peaked at number 22 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. It was the highest they got on both charts.

Song writers Brian MacLeod and Bill Henderson were also nominated for the Junos for Composer of the Year in 1982, as well as single of the year for “My Girl (Gone, Gone, Gone)”.

The song was very popular at St. Joseph’s School in Coaldale as well. I recall hearing it at all the junior high dances.

One day, I was trying to sing it in class and kept stumbling over the intro. So, Mellissa Huszar, one of my classmates, wrote out the words for me on a piece of scrap paper. That’s how I remember the words to this day.

Whatcha Gonna Do?
Chilliwack released their tenth album in 1982, fittingly called “Opus X”. The first single was “Whatcha Gonna Do (When I’m Gone)”, which I liked almost as much as “My Girl”. To me it is like a book end of Chilliwack songs to “My Girl.” It went all the way to number 17 in Canada, and number 41 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Producers Bill Henderson and Brian MacLeod received the Juno Award for Producer of the Year for their work on “Whatcha Gonna Do (When I’m Gone)”, and another song called “Secret Information”.

Don’t Stop
The last song I will remember from Chilliwack, is “Don’t Stop”, released in 1983 but also charting in 1984 and peaking at number 46 in Canada. It is the band’s last charting single to date.

I also remember this song for another reason.

My parents gave me a ghetto blaster for Christmas in 1984. That New Year’s, LA-107 FM, a local radio station, was playing its top 100 albums of 1984.

I thought it was the perfect opportunity to tape songs that I wanted.

One of those songs was “Don’t Stop” by Chilliwack.

Parting thoughts
I have to admit, I have come to know the music of Chilliwack much better since a new radio station started in Lethbridge dedicated to playing music from the 70’s, 80s and now. They played a lot of old Canadian rock, and part of that was a lot of Chilliwack.

It cemented what I already knew though. Chilliwack was part of that Canadian music community that included bands such as April Wine, Trooper, Harlequin, Streetheart, Toronto, and so many more.

They were not only part of the soundtrack of my youth, but a staple at junior high dances.

Whenever I hear “A gone gone gone so long, she been gone gone gone so long…” I am taken back to the dimly lit gym at St. Joseph’s School and that line of teenage girls.

Glass Tiger: I won’t forget you

Glass Tiger in the '80s, with their breakout single "Don't Forget Me (When I'm Gone)".

Source: https://sacharts.wordpress.com/2022/04/09/glass-tiger-canada/

(May be subject to copyright)

“You’ve got to hear this new band I heard,” said my best friend Chris Vining. “They’re awesome.”

We had this thing, kind of a game, where we tried to discover the next song or band.

“They’re called Glass Tiger,” he said. “The lead singer has the coolest hair.”

I asked if it was parted down the middle and feathered back, which was the height of cool for me at that time.

“No,” Chris said.

Then he told me to just wait and their first song would come on the radio.

In the meantime, I kind of chewed over the name Glass Tiger in my head. I heard of a Paper Tiger, which was a term we learned in social studies for a country that seemed strong, but really wasn’t or couldn’t back up their threats. But Glass Tiger, never heard of it. It was new to me.

Then, that night, I heard “Don’t Forget Me (When I’m Gone)” on the radio and I was hooked.

I have loved Glass Tiger ever since.

They are top of mind, because this weekend they are being inducted into Canada’s Walk of Fame.

Glass Tiger's debut album "The Thin Red Line".

Source: https://glasstiger.ca

(May be subject to copyright)

The Thin Red Line
Vining went out and bought Glass Tiger’s album not too much later called “The Thin Red Line”. It was so cool because the tape was red. I later discovered the record was also red.

Once he listened to it, he told me about it the next day. We were at our after school job working at Gergeley’s Greenhouse.

He raved about the title track, “Thin Red Line”, because it told a great story about an ancient battle on the Scottish Highlands. I asked him if it was a ballad, because I love ballads. No, he said, it wasn’t quite a ballad though.

When I did hear it, I was struck by the song. Later, Vining told me about the video that went with the song. There was one scene in particular that was really touching. This woman paused, and a group children who had been hiding under her long skirt, started running out.

It was so cool.

It would peak at number 19 in Canada but not chart in the States.

But that wasn’t the only great song on “The Thin Red Line”.

Don’t forget me
The first single released from “The Thin Red Line” was “Don’t Forget me (When I’m Gone)”. It was what put them on the charts and propelled them to international success.

It is a great song with a notable back up singer. Canadian superstar Bryan Adams makes an appearance on the song, and his assistance helped Glass Tiger get noticed.

For the video, when Bryan Adams voice plays, it is lip synched by this boy in a white t-shirt and jeans. In an interview on “Good Rockin’ Tonite”, Glass Tiger’s leading singer Alan Frew said they used a kid they knew from their home town of Newmarket, Ontario.

Interestingly, in that same interview, Frew was asked about the name Glass Tiger. He said someone suggested Paper Tiger, and he worked it around, and worked it around, and came up with Glass Tiger.

When the single made its way to the United States, the band released a different music video. It looked like a concert video more than anything, and our young friend from Newmarket wasn’t in this one. Too bad.

“Don’t Forget Me (When I’m Gone)” went all the way to number one in Canada and number two on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart. It also helped garner the band a Grammy nomination for Best New Artist. They went on to win Junos in 1986 for Album of the Year for “The Thin Red Line”; Most Promising Group of the Year; and Best Selling Single for “Don’t Forget Me (When I’m Gone)”.

Someday
Glass Tiger did write a ballad, that crooning “Someday” that is still one of my favourites. In fact, a whole blog post is dedicated to my memories attached to that song.

Beyond that, the video is also a good one. For whatever reason, when I think of that video, I think of Alan Frew walking alone after dark then, later, after talking to his girlfriend, putting on his hat and walking away soulfully. I always wanted to wear a hat like that and walk away from a woman soulfully.

The single was Glass Tiger’s second top 10 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart, peaking at number seven, while in Canada it went to number 14. It would also take the Juno for Single of the Year in 1987.

You’re What I Look For
The fourth single released was called “You’re What I Look For”, and it did not reach the heights of its two immediate predecessors, peaking at number 11 in Canada. It was unique in that it appeared to have some French incorporated in the song, which I thought was different. However, when I mentioned the French words to my dear friend and mentor Michel Ouellette, a Francophone by birth, he said it wasn’t French at all.

The other memory I have comes from a high school dance I went to, the Halloween dance of Grade 12, so the fall of 1986. I went with Vining, and dressed up as Hawkeye Pierce from “M*A*S*H”, going in a bathrobe, cowboy hat, and sun glasses.

I was in the lobby outside the gym when Monica Fast, a friend of ours, asked me to dance. I joined her on the gym dance floor and, as I moved to the music, found myself instinctively twirling the rope belt of my bath robe.

The song playing was “You’re What I Look For”.

I Will be There
The last song on “The Thin Red Line” I recall is “I Will be There”, best known for another guest vocal from Bryan Adams growling “When you call my name” after Frew sings “I will be there”.

The music video is also set in the snow on top of a mountain. It was another great song, peaking at number 29 in Canada and number 34 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the States.

What’s next
“The Thin Red Line” was on the charts for a long time, and left fans wanting more. In April of 1988, the much-awaited follow-up album, “Diamond Sun” came out.

By then, I had come home after my first year of university and, like its predecessor, Chris Vining had bought it and played it in his orange Pinto as we cruised around. It was a major part of the soundtrack of the summer of 1988.

It followed the same pattern as the first album with the title track being the second release from the album.

The first single was “I’m Still Searching”, which was a good song. It peaked at number two in Canada, and number 31 on the Billboard Hot 100.

That would be Glass Tiger’s last entry on the Billboard Hot 100 to date.

“Diamond Sun” followed, and it went to number five in Canada.

After that it was “My Song”, which peaked at number 33 in Canada. By then I was in second year of university, and living on Fifth Kelsey in student residence. One day, I was sitting in the lounge when Wes Siemens came out of his wing, just belting out “My Song” and dancing what kind of looked like a jig.

The strange things a guy remembers.

“Far Away from Me” and “Send Your Love” followed, with neither single hitting the charts.

The final single released from “Diamond Sun” was “(Watching) Worlds Crumble” in 1989, peaking at number 27 in Canada.

By that point, I had stopped paying attention to music because I was so busy with life in university and residence.

Glass Tiger did win one more Juno for Canadian Entertainer of the Year in 1989.

The rest
“The Thin Red Line” really did not have a bad song, and variously all of them were ear worms for me. They included “Closer to You”; “Vanishing Tribe”; “Looking at a Picture”; “Ancient Evenings”; and “Ecstasy.

The same was true for “Diamond Sun”, with the rest including “A Lifetime of Moments”; “It’s Love U Feel”; “Send Your Love”; “Suffer in Silence”; and “This Island Earth”.

In this case, a couple of these songs did resonate.

When we went to our 10th high school reunion, Vining alluded to “Lifetime of Moments” on the drive home. He said life really was that, and we began to recount various moments in our friendship.

In the summer of 1988, I started to think about writing a sequel to a play I had written the previous year. Once again it would be autobiographical, focusing on the main character and his continued inability to ask girls out. I thought “Suffer in Silence” would have been perfect for the soundtrack because it was what the main character was doing – suffering in silence – because he just could not summon up the courage to say how he felt.

Dubbing
The other reason these two albums were ear worms and I knew them so well is that I dubbed them from Vining. He bought them new, and I just recorded them onto a blank tape. That gave me unlimited access, so I played them both non-stop.

Interestingly, after I recorded “The Thin Red Line”, Vining had another tape I recorded on the back side. It was “The Big Prize” by Honeymoon Suite.”

Fast forward a couple years. The album I recorded on the back side of “Diamond Mine”, also courtesy of the Chris Vining music collection, was Honeymoon Suite’s follow-up album, “Racing After Midnight”.

There is symmetry in everything, even the most trivial things.

In concert
Glass Tiger actually came to Lethbridge in the summer of 1986, where they opened for Honeymoon Suite. They played in the Lethbridge Exhibition Grandstand during Whoop-Up days and Vining went to that concert. He raved about it, and actually brought back a concert towel with Glass Tiger emblazoned on it..

I myself, would have loved to go, but I was spending my annual two weeks in Brooks with my cousins.

Glass Tiger is still touring and playing, so I may still get my shot to see them in concert.

Parting thoughts
It is obvious, Glass Tiger was a big part of the soundtrack of the last half of high school and the first half of my first degree.

Not only were they on the radio a lot, courtesy of Canadian content, but a band I went out and found so I could listen to at will.

I just really like their music. Alan Frew’s vocals, the band, the lyrics, everything just resonates with me.

I am so glad they were inducted into Canada’s Walk of Fame because, in the lead up to it, I heard a lot of people, including a couple news reporters, feel the same way about them that I did.

We won’t forget them when they’re gone.