RUSH: Getting their due

Legendary Canadian progressive rock band RUSH, who were inducted into the
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in December of 2012.
From left are Alex Lifeson, Neil Peart, and Geddy Lee.

Finally, after so many years, Canadian band RUSH has been elected to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Trailbreakers, trendsetters, and innovators, there was no band like RUSH.

Cousin Carl loves RUSH
Before I had the chance to discover RUSH on my own, it was another band that my cousin Carl introduced me to. Now he absolutely loved RUSH, especially guitarist Alex Lifeson. Every time I went to visit him in Lethbridge, he had a poster or album of theirs. That's where I first heard about the song "Tom Sawyer", the album "2112", and the live album "Exit…Stage Left". It was on a poster he had hanging by his weightlifting bench that I first saw RUSH's "star man" logo too.

The RUSH "Star man" logo.

RUSH re-discovered
When my cousin moved away, and my interest in music grew in the mid-1980s, RUSH faded from my view. That's because they were never completely mainstream or top 40, choosing to remain more independent and less about self-promotion.

In that period, the fall of 1984 and on, I started listening to radio station LA-107 FM, broadcasting from Lethbridge. It was an album-oriented station, so you really got to hear more than just the latest release from an album, and learn a lot more about the band too.

So, when RUSH released their 1985 album "Power Windows" I finally got my first exposure to RUSH. The first single was called "Big Money", and it was my first real chance to hear that unique vocal style of Geddy Lee's.

Actually, truth be told, my first exposure to Geddy Lee was when he was part of the group of Canadian musicians that made up "Northern Lights" to record the single "Tears are not Enough" for African famine relief. He had a brief spot where he screeched: "Oh you know that we'll be there!" It was unforgettable. It even caused producer David Foster to smile during the recording of the song. We were able to see the reaction in a documentary CBC aired on the making of "Tears are not Enough".

During the summer of 1986 I went to visit another cousin, this one on my dad's side, who was a musician and big into music. He had a huge collection of heavy metal music magazines, most notably "Circus" and "Hit Parader". One of those publications ranked musicians and there, sitting at the top of the drummer rankings, was RUSH's Neil Peart. Geddy Lee was near the top for both vocals and keyboards, and Alex Lifeson was in the top 10 among guitar players.

RUSH renewed

The album cover for RUSH's 1985 album "Power
Windows". It was the first time I heard RUSH regularly.

It was only as I entered my 20s and 30s that I began to hear all those old RUSH songs that had attracted so many loyal fans. Rolling Stone magazine likened their loyalty to Trekkies and the Star Trek phenomenon. I had a chance to really savour and enjoy "Fly by Night", "Closer to the Heart", "The Spirit of Radio", "Tom Sawyer", "Limelight", "New World Man", and the newer stuff such as "Mystic Rhythms", "Time Stand Still", and "Roll the Bones".

Looking at it as a whole body of work, gave me the opportunity to see how RUSH's music changed and evolved over time. Not only were they never afraid to experiment, they just kept on producing original material. I always admire artists who are prolific.

They were first eligible for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1998. It took 14 years to be selected, and that was definitely too long, given the length and breadth of their career. Plus, so many artists cite RUSH as an influence or a favourite, ranging from Trent Reznor to the Foo Fighters, Metallica, Rage Against the Machine, and the Smashing Pumpkins.

It was time RUSH got their due.

Eric Laneuville: Learning from the best

Eric Laneuville, at bottom right, with

the rest of his "St. Elsewhere" castmates.

Eric Laneuville, known for his
role as orderly Luther Hawkins
in "St. Elsewhere", a medical
drama of the 1980s. 

Bruce Paltrow, producer of "The
White Shadow" and "St. Elsewhere".

He used to be a weasly little African-American dude named Luther Hawkins who worked at St. Eligius Hospital in Boston. Now, he’s a director of TV shows such as “Body of Proof”, "L.A. Law" "Quantum Leap", "Doogie Howser M.D.", "NYPD Blue", "ER", "Gilmore Girls", "Monk", "The Mentalist", and "Lost". In 1992 he won an Emmy for directing the episode "All God's Children" in the NBC series "I'll Fly Away".

Eric Laneuville was a supporting actor on "St. Elsewhere" in the 1980s. It was a groundbreaking show from the creators of "The White Shadow", and other shows. One of those creators was Bruce Paltrow, long before he was relegated to being described as Gwyneth Paltrow’s dad.

No, back in the day Bruce Paltrow was a consummate story teller. His shows touched subjects which, now may be common, but at the time were almost untouchable.

In "The White Shadow", there were stories about drug use, homosexuality, and the shooting death of a teammate. "St. Elsewhere" was one of the first shows to deal with AIDS and have a character not only contract the illness but die from it.

But what gave life to those great stories by Paltrow and company were actors such as Eric Laneuville. So, when I see an episode of "Body of Proof" strike a chord with me, I know that Eric Laneuville was not just acting for Bruce Paltrow, but he was learning from him. Story teller begets story teller.

Parachute Club rises up

It was last heard on national television sung at the funeral of Jack Layton, the federal leader of the New Democratic Party who died in 2011. Lorraine Segato, lead singer of the Parachute Club actually sang it at the 1988 wedding of Layton and his wife Olivia Chow. It was that 1980s anthem of change: “Rise Up”.

That may have been the last time I saw them, but my association with Segato and the Parachute Club goes back almost 30 years.

Pop music
One day when I was maybe 14, I was visiting with my cousin Doris who told me she liked “pop”. I really wasn’t sure what she meant because I thought everything on the radio was pop.

No, she explained, she liked stuff like the Parachute Club, and asked me if I’d ever heard of them. Sure, I replied, I’d heard “Rise Up”. But there was more than that, so the next time I was at her place, we listened to the entire album.

The Parachute Club was one of the first Canadian bands to integrate Carribbean sounds such as reggae into their pop music.

"Rise Up" won the 1984 Juno for single of the year, and is the Parachute Club's most famous song. It came off the their self-titled debut album "The Parachute Club", which was produced by Canadian Daniel Lanois who would go on to produce musical legends such as U2 and their seminal album "The Joshua Tree", Bob Dylan, Neil Young, and Peter Gariel.

Their second album, "At the Feet of the Moon" produced their second top 40 single: the album's title track. In 1985 they won the Juno for group of the year.

I have to admit, their sound changed over time, and I liked them more and more. The big change, I think, was when John Oates, of the group Hall and Oates, started working with them for their third album, "Small Victories", released in 1986. He even appeared in the video of their song “Love is Fire” where he accompanied lead singer Lorraine Segato. That song won the Juno for video of the year in 1987 .

The last single I heard was "Love and Compassion" at the beginning of 1987, off that same "Small Victories" album.

Social conscience
Segato was the face of the band. She was also one of the many Canadian artists who made up the group Northern Lights, which sang the anthem, “Tears are not Enough” for African famine relief. She always seemed to have a social conscience which explains her association with the Laytons and, by extension, the New Democratic Party.

The legacy
"Rise Up" has been used by a host of different causes over the years from gay rights to anti-racism and the New Democratic Party itself. It tuly is an anthem of the 1980s – a truly Canadian one.

That's What Friends are for: Stronger than the sum of its parts

Dionne and Friends who, from left are Gladys Knight,
Elton John, Dionne Warwick, and Stevie Wonder

“That’s What Friends Are For” holds a special place in my heart, not only because it is a touching song with a great message and raised millions for AIDS research, but because it brought together four such different voices.

Dionne Warwick had been a star for years, charting single after single. At that point, Warwick was the host of “Solid Gold”, and the cousin of this new singing sensation named Whitney Houston. In fact, Warwick found herself in the odd spot of announcing her own song as the number one song of the week. Although that did make it easy for her to sing it then.

The “friends” were Stevie Wonder, Elton John, and Gladys Knight.

Gladys Knight was a singer most often associated with her band "The Pips" and was fresh off trying her hand at a sitcom, a "Cosby Show" knock off called “Charlie and Company” where she co-starred with Flip Wilson.

Stevie Wonder was fresh off probably his last big single "Part Time Lover", from the album "In Square Circle".

Elton John was in the midst of a resurgence with his album "Ice on Fire", which produced the hit singles "Nikita" and a duet with George Michael called "Wrap Her Up".

So all of them had been on the radio and on the charts when "That's What Friends are For" came out late in 1985. Elton John played piano and Stevie Wonder played the harmonica, highlighted by that touching solo to open and close the song.

The song would shoot all the way to number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in January of 1986, and go on to raise more than $3 million for AIDS research. The song won the Grammy for best pop performance by a group with vocal, and song of the year for its writers Carole Bayer Sager and Burt Bacharach. "That's What Friends are For" would also be the last number one single for Dionne Warwick, Gladys Knight, and Stevie Wonder.

All four were stars and chart toppers in their own right, but the whole was stronger than the sum of its parts. The sound they created was truly magical, giving even greater force to the message the song delivered.

Bob Geldof: Changing the world

Bob Geldof, leader of the Boomtown Rats, and driving force behind
Band Aid at Christmas of 1984 and Live Aid in the summer of 1985.

He is one of the greatest anti-heroes of the ‘80s. He shamed the world into doing what was right, even though he often found himself struggling with that decision. Yet, for a magical night in England, Bob Geldof had dozens of recording artists check their egos at the door and record a song that would echo around the world. Not for profit, or for glory, or for prestige. Instead, "Do They Know It’s Christmas" was recorded to raise money and bring attention to the drought killing thousands in Ethiopia. By the sheer force of will, Geldof changed the world. He really did.

Recently, I heard the song on the radio, and it still stirs my heart. I’m not sure if it is the song or the cause. I suspect it is both.

An ordinary man
Until 1984, Geldof was probably best known as the leader of The Boomtown Rats. He was the one who hated Mondays and wanted to shoot the whole day down. He had also spent some time in Vancouver as a journalist, writing for the Georgia Straight. As lead man with the Boomtown Rats, he gained a reputation as being anti-establishment, attacking Irish politicians and the Catholic Church. Little did we know, with his anger turned in the right direction, he would change the world.

Changing the world
Geldof was profoundly affected by a BBC news report he saw in 1984 by Michael Buerk on the famine in Ethipia. It motivated him, and Midge Ure of Ultravox to write "Do They Know It's Christmas?" to raise funds for famine relief. The song would be recorded by several artists who gathered together under the name "Band Aid".

The song entered the United Kingdom chart at number one and would sell three million copies. It was a success on the Billboard Hot 100 in the US as well, peaking at number 13.

The success of the song set the stage for the Live Aid concerts, which were held the following summer of 1985. The day was July 13, and the concerts were held at Wembley Stadium in London and JFK Stadium in Philadelphia.

They would raise millions of dollars that went to help the people suffering in Ethiopia.

I was profoundly affected by that concert, and thought about it for days.

Geldof would be nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 1986, but didn't win.

It was my first experience with the politics of the Nobel Prize. Not only was Geldof not the "right" personality for the prize, the committee often used the prize to make political statements. That was what Geldof's nomination fell victim to. His loss enraged me as can only happen to an emotional teenager believing in his first cause.

More than two decades later, Geldof and Midge Ure were back at it with the Live 8 concerts in 2005 to raise awareness of Third World debt. During that same period, another version of "Do They Know It's Christmas?" was recorded, and the video is above. One of the most touching moments is when Geldof showed the footage of one of the children suffering in Ethiopia to the artists. Some were visibly shaken. Then he brings the girl out who, 20 years later, is a healthy woman. It was extremely powerful.

Again, Geldof would be nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006, but again he would be unsuccessful.

Still, he continues on, trying to change the world despite his personal foibles, and the fact he can be a pretty disagreeable person. No matter what happens, when he and Midge Ure wrote "Do They Know It's Christmas?", and gathered the best artists Britain had to offer to record it, they put the crisis in Africa on the map. They changed the world – forever.

The Great Detective meets Murdoch

Douglas Campbell played
Alistair Cameron in "The Great Detective"

CBC is now advertising the upcoming season of "Murdoch Mysteries" When the show moved to CBC a couple years ago it proved you can go home again. It completed a circle that opened more than 30 years ago.

The Great Detective
You see, I have always loved mysteries – books, movies, and TV shows. The first Canadian mystery show I watched was called “The Great Detective”. It was set in 19th century Toronto and featured Douglas Campbell playing Alistair Cameron, an investigator for the City of Toronto. Back then CBC ran shows at 10 p.m. and I recall staying up, huddled really close to the TV so I could hear without disturbing my parents.

Yannick Bisson plays William
Murdoch in "Murdoch Mysteries"

It was the case then, and still is now that CBC shows made a handful of episodes every year. Two in particular I remember were thus. In one, the Great Detective investigated a fire. When he arrived on the scene, he sifted through the wreckage and found a burnt-up dead bolt he dropped in his bag. In the other, a family of forgers was training their daughter to draw fake money. She showed promise, but got anxious and actually used one of her forged bills, which was quickly discovered because the portrait of Queen Victoria was crooked.

Cameron was based on a real-life detective named John Wilson Murray, who was Canada's first government-appointed detective. He solved hundreds of crimes and, in 1904 published a book of his most memorable cases entitled, "Memoirs of a Great Detective". It became the basis for the TV show. The unit Murray started would evolve into the Ontario Provincial Police.

"The Great Detective" aired from 1979 to 1981, and a total of 29 episodes aired. It was an interesting show, that was uniquely Canadian, as CBC productions should be. (Anyone can watch 24 of the 29 episodes on YouTube by clicking http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLd2b6CG3eyJ2I4hyq3KYgziHXPjOZMRFO)

John Wilson Murray, the real-life
detective who was the inspiration for
Alistair Cameron and William Murdoch

Deja vu
A few years ago “Murdoch Mysteries” debuted on City-TV. I never paid much attention until there was
a lot of promotion about the show moving to the CBC. That’s when I heard it was about a detective in 19th century Toronto. Immediately, I thought of “The Great Detective”.

It turns out "Murdoch Mysteries" was based on a series of novels by author Maureen Jennings. She was inspired by the greatest of detectives Sherlock Holmes as well as a real-life detective she read about in Toronto. She told the CBC's Deana Sumanac in an interview that, "He had to rely on being shrewd, very observant, hardworking, following things up and I liked that whole idea — that was the Sherlock Holmes model. He just couldn't go to his computer."

Who was the detective Jennings had read about, and patterned William Murdoch after – John Wilson Murray.

In effect, “The Great Detective” was the father of “Murdoch Mysteries”. When it moved to CBC it went home. The circle was now complete.

Nothing's sacred: The 1988 Wayne Gretzky trade

It was the shot heard round the hockey world. Edmonton Oilers' fans mourned, Calgary Flames' fans cheered. Twenty-five years ago this week, Wayne Gretzky was traded to the Los Angeles Kings, on August 9, 1988.

It can't be, can it?
It was the last summer I spent on the family farm. I was outside working, when I came in for lunch. The radio was on LA-107 FM and they were reporting rumours that Wayne Gretzky, fresh off captaining the Edmonton Oilers to their fourth Stanely Cup championship in five years, was being traded to the lowly Los Angeles Kings for Jimmy Carson and Luc Robitaille, two young but very talented players.

"It can't be," I thought.

Back in those days, Gretzky was synonymous with the Edmonton Oilers. His first contract was actually 21 years for $21 million, signed on his 18th birthday. It was eventually re-negotiated, but still one of the richest in professional hockey. Plus, blockbuster trades were few and far between back then. When they occurred, it was a straight up swap of talent. There was no way L.A. had anywhere near enough talent to trade for Gretzky. And, a few weeks earlier, he married actress Janet Jones, an event that was televised. Everything indicated he was happy in Edmonton and the rumours were false. (Later it would come out he was eligible for free agency at the end of the 1988-1989 season, and the Oilers were looking to get what they could if he did sign with another team).

In living colour
That night, the news showed the trade had in fact happened, and that tearful press conference became part of hockey history and legend. However, the principals in the trade were much different than first reported by LA-107 FM.

Gretzky, along with Marty McSorley, and Mike Krushelnyski were off to the Kings in exchange for Jimmy Carson, junior prospect and 1988 first round pick Martin Gelinas, $15 million in cash, and first-round draft picks in 1989 (later traded to the New Jersey Devils who selected Jason Miller), 1991 (Martin Rucinsky), and 1993 (Nick Stajduhar). When I saw this, I thought the Oilers really got a bad deal. Gretzky alone was worth everything the Kings gave Edmonton and more. Adding Robitaille, who would go on to score hundreds of goals off Gretzky passes, would have at least made the trade more equitable.

A few months later, on October 19, 1988, I was at the Northlands Coliseum in Edmonton to watch Wayne Gretzky play his first game in Edmonton since the trade. It was surreal. I never much cared for the Oilers, or Gretzky on the ice, so I was not sure who to cheer for. In the end, my loathing of the Oilers prevailed, and I cheered for the Kings. Plus, I came to respect and even like Gretzky as he matured. Edmonton went on to win 8-6.

Hockey lost its way that day
The fact is, that's when hockey lost its innocence. When the greatest player on earth could be traded – well sold actually – to the highest bidder, the game had become about money. As free agency burgeoned and players changed teams as often as they changed skates, loyalty followed. When the NHL head office was moved from Montreal to New York, new franchises were located in sunbelt states, and Canadian franchises were re-located to unappreciative and unworthy American markets, it lost its roots too.

"The Canadian Caper" versus "Argo"

Ken Taylor, Canadian ambassador to Iran
at the time of the US embassy hostage taking
in 1979, received the Order of Canada from
Governor General Ed Schreyer for his efforts.

“Don’t get you history from the movies.”

That’s what renowned film critic Leonard Maltin said when asked about the controversy surrounding the movie “Argo” and accusations it played down the role of Canadians and even disrespected Canada in its role in the rescue of Americans from Iran in 1979-1980.

Seen this movie before

When I first heard about “Argo”, I thought it was important this story be told. Although my first thought was: “The movie has already been made.” That’s right, a year or so after the hostages were rescued, CTV aired a movie called “Escape from Iran: The Canadian Caper”. 

Gordon Pinsent played Ken Taylor, former
Canadian ambassador to Iran, in the 1980 TV movie,
"Escape from Iran: The Canadian Caper"

It starred Gordon Pinsent, the most legendary of Canadian actors, as Ambassador Ken Taylor who was the real hero of the piece. It included the role of the Sheardowns, two other heavily involved Canadians in the event, with John played by another venerable Canadian actor, Chris Wiggins. These people hid for months six Americans who had fled from the attack, and subsequent hostage taking, at the American embassy in Tehran in 1979. It was a solid TV movie.

A matter of perspective

So many years later, Ben Affleck got hold of the story, but it was told from a different angle, that of CIA agent Tony Mendez. Once the whole affair was de-classified by the United States, he wrote a book on his role in it. Affleck used that, and other source material to tell “Argo” from the point of view of Tony Mendez.

It is hard to be critical of a filmmaker, making a drama, for following his source material, and embellishing it. After all, it is a movie. We saw it in the theatre, on a DVD, Netflix, or some other entertainment medium, not on PBS , CBC Newsworld, or 60 Minutes. It was not a documentary.

Still distasteful to Canadians

Having said that, it was distasteful in the way Affleck portrayed Ken Taylor as a background player who even mistook the CIA for the FBI. Why? Because at that time Ken Taylor was actually working with the CIA. So that was unfair of Affleck. So was the implication at the end that the CIA was letting Canada have the credit. In fact, Taylor, the Sheardowns and others had risked their lives for months hiding the escaped Americans.

Rightful place in history

In looking back though, Taylor received more than 100 honours at the time. He was revered as a hero, as he should be, at the time. After "Argo" came out, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter came out and reaffirmed the role played by Taylor and Canada in the whole affair. No Hollywood movie will diminish that.

The fact is, movies always get history wrong, making Leonard Maltin’s comment more relevant than ever. In the same year “Argo” came out, so did “Lincoln”, and guess what? It too was accused of being historically inaccurate. The Americans even get wrong and/or embellish their own stories.

Telling our stories

The only thing we can hope for is this. A lot of school teachers use movies to teach history. It would be galling for Canadian teachers to do two things. One is to never tell the heroic story of Ken Taylor and the Canadians in Iran. The other is to tell that story by showing students “Argo”, when a much better movie is available. In fact, social classes in my own school back in Coaldale watched parts of “Escape from Iran: The Canadian Caper” back in the 1980s. We have to tell our own stories, but we have to tell them to each other before we worry about what other people think.

Honouring Cory Monteith

Cory Monteith, one of the sources
of inspiration for RobVogt80s

Cory Monteith is one of the reasons this blog exists.

For years I mused about writing something about my experiences and memories growing up in the '80s. I always wondered if there was any sort of audience or interest in the '80s, especially the TV, the movies, and the music.

And then came "Glee".

It put any doubts to rest, resurrecting dozens of songs I listened to as a teenager, introducing them to a whole new generation and creating a new audience for that music. There on the screen, singing many of my old favourites, was football star and glee club leader Finn Hudson, played by Cory Monteith.

Today I saw the third episode of the upcoming season of "Glee" will deal with the death of Finn Hudson. They have to do that at some point because Cory Monteith recently died in real life.

A role model
It was sad and shocking to hear of his death. What I kept hearing over and over was that he genuinely was a nice guy. I admired him for sharing his struggles with addiction. He never denied it, nor made excuses. Instead, he was open and honest. He had a problem he was battling, and you know what, everything wasn't okay all the time. Never did he downplay it, or shirk responsibility. He faced his demons. Sadly, they won out in the end, but he let everyone know he went down fighting.

Eternally grateful
So, although we won't hear Finn sing any more duets with longtime fling on screen and in real life Rachel Berry (played by Lea Michele), we can look back and savour what he brought to the screen. He cemented his place in pop culture long ago, and along the way gave me the inspiration to start writing about some of the very things he was singing. For that, I am eternally grateful Cory Monteith. Rest in peace.

And what better way to remember him, then with one of the signature songs from "Glee"…

KISS meets Cousin Carl

KISS came to Lethbridge on July 10. Whenever I think of KISS I cannot help but think of my cousin Carl Schurman.

…Cousin Carl

KISS meets…

Now Carl was the cousin on my mom’s side who I really followed around like a puppy dog. He was four years and one day older than me. Our mothers are sisters and we used to celebrate our birthdays together. What made him so cool though was that he was – and still is actually – a musician. He was in a cool band and did cool things.

And he loved KISS.

Super fan, amazing artist 

Anytime we were in Lethbridge and dropped by for a visit, he was playing a KISS album: “Destroyer”, “Hotter Than Hell”, “Love Gun”, you name it, he had the vinyl. But as I was saying he also did cool things. Carl was generally an amazing artist. He drew pictures of Peter Criss, Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley, and Ace Frehley. He took a handicrafts class in school and had to make an apple-head doll. If you’re not familiar with this medium it’s simple. You peel an apple, carve a face in it, and let it dry. It shrivels into a gnarled-up face. Mostly it looks like a witch or troll. Carl saw Gene Simmons, so he painted the shrivelled up face like the demon’s, with a white base and freaky eyes. Then he carved a guitar out of wood, made some boots and the other parts of a standard Gene Simmons costume. It was absolutely amazing.

When KISS’ record company issued “solo” albums by each of the four members, Carl scooped them up. Trading cards came out, and he got them all too.

Eventually, KISS came to Lethbridge and Carl was there when the semis rolled in – and there were a lot of them.

We used to go trick or treating in Lethbridge. My grandparents and Carl’s parents both lived on the north side, so we would start at Carl’s and work our way to our grandparents. One Halloween, when Carl was no longer coming with us, we returned to his place to check out our loot and he was watching a very special movie.

KISS Meets the Phantom of the Park

It was a KISS movie. I had read about it, and was disappointed I was going to miss it. All I missed was about the first 10 minutes, or so.

The story centres on an amusement park where people begin disappearing. KISS is framed in the process, by the Phantom of the Park who is diabolically using these people as living mannequins in his amusement park displays. He manufactures a "fake" Gene Simmons, then a fake band, who are eventually confronted and defeated by the real KISS. Incidentally, all the band members have super powers.

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery
I developed my own like for KISS, especially Peter Criss. Beyond my love of my cousin, I liked drumming and drummers and still do. So I too bought the Peter Criss solo album, and all the trading cards. I even made my own set of drums, using a series of empty ice cream buckets. I sketched the drawing of Peter Criss' face from the album cover onto a brown grocery bag, cut it out, and pasted it on the lid of the bucket. I also cut the bottom out of a can of Pringles potato chips and nailed that to a green stick from another game for a cymbal. Carl and his family came for a visit and he made some alterations to the "drum kit". He even suggested I add different levels of sand to the various buckets to change the sound. He also rigged the can lid to dangle, making it more like an actual cymbal. All of this was motivated by accompanying Carl and some of the guys from his first band on their first trip to buy an actual drum set.

The re-birth of KISS
By the end of elementary school, I completely lost interest in music, until Grade 9. By then, KISS had become one of many heavy metal bands. They had been unmasked, and were no longer wearing make-up. They put a bunch of albums in that period: "Lick it Up", "Animalize", and "Asylum" with the single "Tears Are Falling".

I started hanging out with Chris Vining, and by the time we got to university where we roomed together in first year, he hung an "Animalize" bandana on his bulletin board in our room.

Can't mention KISS without mentioning "Beth"
The best memory I have involves their most enduring song: "Beth".

It was the only song of note sung by drummer Peter Criss, and has stood the test of time. It was part of the 1976 "Destroyer" album, and is the band's biggest chart success, peaking at number seven on Billboard's Hot 100.

In Grade 11, so the spring of 1986, Vining and I were working at a greenhouse. One day I walk in and he says, "You'll never guess what was number one on the top seven at seven?" That was a call-in show on 1090-CHEC out of Lethbridge, where the songs that got the most requests made up the top seven.

"What?" I asked.

"'Beth' by KISS."

We were both astonished. The song was 10 years old, but it was getting a lot of airplay.

Then, 35 years later, there was "Beth" again, this time appearing on "Glee".

It truly is a song of all ages for all ages.


Parting thought
Initially, Carl was a drummer and gravitated to KISS drummer Peter Criss, then later front man Gene Simmons. My cousin would move on to bigger and better things, writing and playing his own music, playing all over the world, and leave KISS in the rear view mirror.