Random Thoughts On A Snowy Day!

Random Thoughts….

It’s been awhile since I wrote my Random Thoughts…I guess my thoughts haven’t been so random with digging out from the snow and wishing for spring…

Can’t wait for today’s hockey game but a little observation from the world of sports and especially the Olympics. The next time I hear an announcer make a comment about the USA-Canada game being dubbed the “Miracle On Ice II” I’ll throw my remote thru the TV. Folks this is nothing like the 1980 game. That game was a bunch of unknown college hockey players upsetting a team of professional players from the USSR. Today’s game is a team of NHL professional hockey players playing against more NHL professional hockey players. I hope it will be a great game and it has all of the makings of a hell of a game, but a “Miracle”. Ahhh no…

Okay back to music….

Looking for a great night out on the town and want to help support a great organization? Then plan on coming out to “Get Back” on March 25th and join Roots Of American Music (ROAM) for it’s 2010 spring fundraiser. The benefit will be held at the historic Rockefeller Building in Cleveland Hts and will feature Northeast Ohio’s own Abbey Road Band playing the music of the Beatles. There will also be a silent auction featuring some one of a kind items including unique Beatles items, a behind the scenes tour of the Rock Hall, Live Nation concert tickets, and tickets to see Ringo Starr at Nautica this summer!. Come on out and enjoy a great night. Contact ROAM for tickets at 216-321-9353.

Did you know that Cleveland has a new rock station, or let me refrain that, more like a “new station” that seems like an “old station”. V107.3 is a throwback to the glory days of radio in Cleveland when it was locally owned and programmed for our listening. Wow how unique! It’s nice to tune in and hear a local station play a variety of music where a playlist can go from Lyle Lovett to Marley to Wild Horses to Derek Trucks to Bowie to King Of Leon to Van Morrison to Dropkick Murphy’s. The ecletic mix is definitely a memory of another great radio station in our past. Keep up the good work John, Ric and Lonnie. You got a listener here.

Speaking of radio. I was sent this video of my favorite DJ, Dusty Street back in her days at KTIM in the San Francisco area in the 70’s. Gotta love Dusty! Check out the video here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f0ZUOc-bqiI

Have you been checking out Alex Bevan’s live streaming concerts he’s been doing on the internet lately? Alex is doing them usually on Fridays at noon and it’s like going to the old Coffee Break Concerts without leaving your couch! Alex sounds great and it’s fun to listen to an artist just playing music and enjoying the moment. Check out Alex at his website http://www.ncweb.com/ent/alex/ to find his next concert.

Nuff said, least till next time
Peace Out

Bear

Bear's Holiday Gift Ideas...or Everything Oprah Missed!

It’s that time of the year. People have thoughts of sugar plum fairies (ahhhhh what…..) as they try to figure out what is the cool gift to give this year.

I know you probably listened to Oprah or Ellen or some other TV talking head telling you their favorite holiday gift to give this year. The only problem is I can’t afford the gifts they suggest plus I would rather support the Cleveland artists, writers, craftsmen and venues they seem to overlook. (Take that Oprah!)

Well I’m here to give you the ultimate gift ideas (or at least in my eggnog soaked mind) for the rocker in your life.

There’s a lot of books out there about rock but what you need is a book about rock and Cleveland. The best one I’ve come across is John Gorman’s “The Buzzard – Inside The Glory Days Of WMMS And Cleveland Rock Radio”. Simply I love this book. Growing up in Cleveland with WMMS playing in the background of my life, I can relate to and remember many of the stories John tells about the formation of probably the greatest rock station ever created. It was a phenomenon we were a part of as listeners and it is great to get the behind the scenes look at our version or “WKRP”. Click here to buy

Need something to play in the background while reading “The Buzzard”? How about re-living Fridays at 6pm with Murray Sauls “The Get Downs Vol 1”. I mean the original wild man of Cleveland in the 70’s gave us his on the fly rants about politics, music, drugs, karma, work, life, liberty, sex, slavedriver bosses, and every other thing that crossed his fertile mind. Everyone tuned in at 6pm to get the proper start to the weekend. Always remember "We gotta, gotta, gotta, gotta, gotta.....get down, damnit!" Click here to buy

I’ve said it over and over. The only reason to buy the Plain Dealer is Michael Heaton. Plain and simple. Michael has a way of writing that you, me and everyone else can relate to and his book “Truth And Justice For Fun And Profit” is just fun reading. It’s a collection of his best works and as you finish one, you can’t wait to read the next. It’s a book you can’t put down. His view of Cleveland is to say “unique”. Also if you can get your hands on his “The Best Of The Minister Of Culture” it is worth the price of the book for just the story “Black Leather & Love: A Rock Fantasy” about his fantasy of being Mr. Joan Jett. Click here to buy

Looking for something unique or handmade? How about coming out and supporting Cleveland’s local artists at The Last Minute Market on Saturday December 19th from 10am-6pm at the Lake Erie Building at Templar Industrial Park 13000 Athens Ave. Lakewood. Local artists and craftsmen will be showing and selling jewelry, clothing, artwork and some really, really great rock concert posters (okay that’s my booth!). So why bother going to a crowded mall buying the same old run of the mill stuff when you can come by and get something unique and that one of a kind gift. Hey at worst case, you’ll finally get to see what I look like!

Ever walk down the street and see someone wearing a cool t-shirt and wonder where they got it? They probably got it from Psycho Reindeer! They have the wildest and coolest designs you can imagine and they are only $14 with free shipping. C’mon free shipping! Try to get that somewhere else. Click here to visit their website.

Looking to put the ultimate home theater in your house or looking for that audio system that goes “up to 11” or simply need that flat screen installed on the wall so it doesn’t fall off. Then you got to check out the guys at Crave Audio and Video. These guys know their stuff and I’m telling you this as a paying customer! Look it is easy to go to some of these overpriced audio/video specialist stores that are going to push you into something they want to sell you (trust me on this!) or that Best Buy where you got your tv and now what are you going to do as it sits in a box in the middle of your living room. These are good guys where the customer is first. Give Kyle a call at 440-623-5698 for a consultation and tell him Bear sent you. (Ask him about my A7’s!)

Look it is no secret here that my favorite Cleveland musician is Alex Bevan. I’ve been listening to Alex for over 35 years and his music just hits a cord with me and his latest CD “Falls And Angels” continues the tradition. It’s a beautiful CD that finishes off with the haunting “Gunfighter Smile”. Go over to Alex’s website and pick it up and while your there pick up some of his other great CD’s. Click Here to visit the website

Got a real rock and roll fan in your family? I got the perfect gift then. How about a membership to the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. Never thought of it before, don’t feel bad, it’s just one of those perfect gifts you just never think about. Wow, I got an idea!!!! Instead of going out and buying “Guitar Hero” or “Rock Band” so your child can sit in front of the TV pretending to be a rock legend, why not get them a membership to the Rock Hall in their name. Not only do they get a very cool members only rock and roll t-shirt, a collectable Rock Hall pin but a membership card with their name on it. Think how cool it would be when you take your family to the Rock Hall and your kid pulls out his/her membership card and tells them at the entrance “I’m a member”. Let’s start making a new generation of musicians and teaching them the history of rock and this is a great way to get started. Click Here to go the Rock Hall website

Okay one last gift idea. Just click over to the main website, www.clevelandrockandroll.com and click on the store button and check out the selections of the Cleveland rock concert posters I have available. Janis, Floyd, Stones, Zeppelin, there all there. Go on take a look! Click Here

Wow, okay now the eggnog (spiked of course!) is settling in and I think I might have given you some very cool gift ideas (hey, I have no problem if any of you would like to give me any of them. Just a thought) and you don’t even have to go to the mall and park a mile away and fight the crowds and blah, blah, blah. Okay you get the idea.

This holiday, give a little piece of Cleveland to your rock fan.

Happy Holidays everyone!

Nuff said, least till next time
Peace Out
Bear

Two Guys, Two Guitars and A Great Night Of Music

Last Saturday I had the fortune to attend the benefit for Roots Of American Music (ROAM) at the Beachland Ballroom. It was a very cool event to be a part of because A.) It was a great cause for an organization that is doing so much for our schools and doing what it can to help keep the music flowing thru the halls and B.) it brought together two of my favorite musicians on one stage, Michael Stanley and Alex Bevan.

I can’t count the number of times I have seen either of these two artists play thru the years, and when I say thru the years I mean thru the years. I have been listening to them since the early 70’s. I have seen them in every type of venue you can imagine. Bars, arenas, clubs, outdoor venues, headlining shows, opening shows. The list goes on and on but the one thing I can tell you I don’t think I’ve seen the two of them better than Saturday night.

It was as intimate a night of music as I have ever seen and I have to say, it was one of the best nights of music I have heard in my almost 40 years of going to shows and concerts and this includes thousands of shows I’ve seen.

It was two guys, two guitars and their memories of the songs they sang.

I am used to seeing Alex in this type of show. A man with his guitar and his songs alone on a stage and he does it better than almost everyone and has been doing so for years but it was really different to see Michael in this element. I am used to seeing him fronting The Ghost Poets, The Resonators, The Midlife Chryslers and of course MSB but Saturday this striped down, acoustic version of Michael Stanley blew me away.

I think what made the night special was hearing their stories about each song they played. To hear what inspired them to write the song and what the special meaning of the song was for each of them. Michael said during the show “people ask me if I’ll ever write a book and I tell them to just go back and listen to the albums, it’s all there”.

You know what, I think that’s why these two men have had such a loyal following in Cleveland for so long. Over the years they have been writing and singing about things in their lives and in turn us. They are Cleveland thru and thru and in their songs we find bits and pieces of ourselves in them.

As far as the show itself they alternated playing their music and they pulled out all the classics. Midwest Midnight, Carey Come Smiling, Rosewood Bitters, Rodeo Rider, In The Heartland, Skinny Little Boy, Lover, Grand River Lullaby and many more of the songs we’ve come to love over the years. When each stood up and played, Folks this was the way to listen to these songs, stripped down to it’s essence with the voice and a guitar. When one was playing the other would sit on a chair and listen and just like us you could tell they were a fan. When the night first started they would just sit and let the other have the spotlight but as the night wore on you saw things that showed they were having fun and really getting into the music like when Alex was doing “Rodeo Rider” you saw Michael sitting there and singing the lyrics to himself. That was very cool. When Michael was doing “Rosewood Bitters” and playing a rhythm accompaniment you all of a sudden you heard a little bit of a lead guitar being interwoven into the song and you looked over and there was Alex playing along like you would if you were home listening on your stereo with your guitar on your lap. Again a very cool moment. It was these moments and many more that happened that night when you realized these guys really respected each other as musicians and really enjoyed the others songs. Just like us.

You know the night was great when you didn’t want it to end and you wanted more. As we were leaving my wife (Mrs. Bear) just looked at me and said “god they sounded great”. That was it, one comment just summed up the whole night. As I told Alex when I passed him at the intermission, “I hope you have tape running on this”

If you missed this show (and you got to be kicking yourself right now) and still want to do a good thing to help out Roots Of American Music go to www.rootsofamericanmusic.org/ and make a donation. I know in these times it’s hard for most of us but even the littlest donation helps. Their mission is “Preserving the past, enriching the present and inspiring the future” and that is a good thing for kids

Nuff said, least till next time
Peace Out
Bear

Recommended Alex Bevan albums. available at www.ncweb.com/ent/alex/

"Grand River Lullaby"
The album that made Alex, well "Alex"
Has the beautiful title song "Grand River Lullaby" Simply a classic.






"Springboard"
One of the most beautiful albums I have ever put on a turntable. I've worn out so many copies. "Carey Come Smiling", "Rodeo Rider", "Silver Wings" and so much more. My favorite





"Falls & Angels"
Alex's latest album that has the beautiful "Gunfighters Smile" That song alone is worth the buy.

Recommended Michael Stanley albums. available at http://www.michaelstanley.com/

"Michael Stanley"
Michael's first album it's my favorite. Has my favorite Michael Stanley song "Movin Right Along" as well as the always great "Rosewood Bitters"



"Live At Tangiers"
A thirty song live album done acoustically. Laid back and great with all the hits. Listen to "Lover" and "Let's Get The Show On The Road". Beautiful.

"The Soft Addictions"
One of his newer albums that continues the tradition. Has the amazing "Same Blood (Different Vein)"

Alex Bevan - Cleveland's Real Poet Laureate

On Thursday my wife (Mrs. Bear) and I went to the re-opening of the Clearview Tavern in Richfield which is owned by Freddie Salem. (Yes folks, that Freddie Salem. the famed guitarist for The Outlaws has reopened his great restaurant and it’s always a kick to go in, shake hands, talk to Freddie and eat some great food) to hear one of our favorites Alex Bevan who was playing the opening night.

I was sitting there listening to Alex play when it hit me how much Alex really is Cleveland. Alex is a songwriter that really feels the songs. He writes about life, his life, our life. You can believe the characters are alive and living all the parts, the sadness, the happiness, and the dreams in the songs. Isn’t this how a song, a poem or a great book should make you feel? He calls himself “the Low Tech Troubadour” usually just him and his guitar. He has played with Bo Diddley, The Clash, Michael Stanley, Pure Prairie League and many other national acts but around here in true road warrior fashion he has probably played in more bars than anyone ever has.

Like I said he is a true road warrior. Playing in loud bars with sometimes obnoxious drunks around is not exactly what an artist strives for but that hasn’t changed him over the years. He is one of those artists that enjoys playing his music and the distractions don’t take away from that enjoyment. It’s funny, I was sitting in my booth really enjoying the show with everyone at the tables around me talking, eating, making noise when Alex said into the microphone to me “Bear those guys at the bar will never hear this one” as he launched into his new song “Love Lifts” and he was right, it seemed they never heard this beautiful song being played 5 feet from them. It didn’t bother Alex, he sang the song as he did all night, with a smile on his face and from the heart. That’s what Alex has always been about. I love to tell the story of back around 1986, Alex was playing in a bar I use to own, the Café Rock, when one of the worst snowstorms of the season hit right after he arrived to set up. We had maybe 8 people braved the snow and show up, but what a concert those 8 people got. He played to those 8 people like he was playing to a sold out concert hall. It was one of the best shows I ever saw.

The first time I saw Alex was right before Springboard was released in 1976 at a WMMS Coffee Break concert at the old Agora. It was a great way to spend a Wednesday afternoon back then. I had heard Alex on WMMS as it was one of the only stations that showcased local talent then and I liked the music. I don’t know what initially attracted me to Alex Bevan’s music and created a lifelong fan. At the time I was listening to Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, Aerosmith, etc. Not exactly what you put into the “Low Tech Troubadour “ stylings but then as now when I listen to Alex’s lyrics, I relate. I can’t write like him, but I can relate!

He lives our area thru his lyrics and even when he is riffing on our town, he is giving voice to what concerns us. Back in 1979 he recorded “Have Another Laugh On Cleveland Blues” where he brought up the issues of our time that concerned Clevelanders and in his “I’m really laughing at myself” style he was able to make us laugh at the problems of our time. He could take that song now with a little tweaking and make it relevant to 2009 and Cleveland. When I listening to “Rodeo Rider” I can feel someone chasing the dream, “Grand River Lullaby” you feel the heartache of a coming breakup, “Carey Come Smiling” is a song I’d kill to be able to write about someone I loved. Seriously if I had written that for Mrs. Bear, I could do no wrong forever and trust me I sometimes need that IOU.

When he plays live, it’s a fun time and you get the feeling even in the dreaded Cleveland winters like you’re sitting on a deck of a bar at Put-N-Bay relaxing with a good friends. Before you know it, he is taking one of his songs like “Pass It On” and singing about everything that is going on in front of him in the bar, if you’re a drunk at the bar, you might become a lyric in his song that night. Songs like “Jazzbo” and “Brand New Arkansas Traveler” play and before you know it your heads bobbing and your hands tapping the table and then of course there is Cleveland’s anthem “Skinny”. How many of you, I’m talking to the guys now, remember the song when it came out and thought man that’s me. Every time you walked into those old bars back then like the Longhorn, Déjà vu, Mothers, Pirates Cove, etc you thought he was talking about you! That’s why even now, 30 years later when he plays it live, everyone in the bar stops what they are doing, sings the lyrics, raises their beers and salutes Cleveland’s poet laureate. You know why, because he’s one of us, the hard working, road warriors that call Cleveland home.


Recommended listening: “Springboard”, “Grand River Lullaby”, “Fall And Angels”, and “Dancing With The Muse Live At The Kent Stage” and of course go see him live!