The Giant Panther

I'm not only stuck in the 80's, I'm stuck in 1980 it seems. I don't care. I was jamming (to intentionally coin a phrase) along on my Sony iPod like device this morning at the gym and one of my all time favorite Jam songs popped up. Oh baby, I'm dreaming of Monday, Oh baby, will I see you again...man I love that song. I think I'm the only one because I haven't heard it on the radio since, well, 1980. Yet Town Called Malice from 1982's The Gift seems to get all kinds of airplay to this day.

Sound Affects is a great record. It has Pretty Green, Monday, Start! and the granddaddy of all Jam songs; the brilliant "That's Entertainment." Whoa. The Jam catalogue is full of great songs like "This is The Modern World, The Bitterest Pill (I Ever Had to Swallow), Beat Surrender, Just Who is The 5 O'Clock Hero?," etc, but I favor "That's Entertainment" and "Monday." The irony here is that only die hard Jam fans would even know the song "Monday." It was one of those songs for me that you loved initially, but didn't buy. The Jam were an English Mod Rock band that had been around awhile when they released Sound Affects. I lost track of the song for a number of years, but came across it again around 1986 or so and by then I was flat nailing down every track or album I ever wanted as I built my collection. Today it's kind of embarrassing to be honest. All my friends my age seem to have left their rocking days behind them and even the youngsters I pal around with these days, The Giant Panther excluded of course, just don't seem to get the same charge out of seeing live concerts that I always have. Not only that, listening to music seems to be on the wane too. I know that sounds absurd with the surge of iPod Nation, but it seems like that listening is reserved for the gym and commuting to and from work. I can't remember the last time a buddy of mine and I sat down and listened to the new record by one of our favorite artists and had a couple of beers. It's pretty sad.

I know folks have better things to do and families and everything else, but I still love checking the list of new releases on a given Tuesday. I've been to about fifteen concerts this summer. I don't tell you folks about every one (that takes work!), but trust me when I tell you I'm out there. I've got three warhorses on the docket over the next six weeks in Bruce Springsteen, Mountain and U2, but I'm always a threat to locate smaller shows. I solo most of them now. I used to always buy two tickets and now I just buy one if I buy anything at all in advance. Usually I just show up on the night of event. It's great not having to unload tickets if plans change too. Me & Craigslist. Hello, I'm Johnny Cash...what do you have? The Pretenders and Blondie, among others, just blew through here and I took a pass. Have seen them both and just wasn't feeling it that night. Sometimes you risk the final curtain when you pass. Debbie Harry and Chrissie Hynde are five to ten years older than me, but they both can still sing. It's just a matter of if they want to. And then it's just a matter if I want to listen on a given night right? Most of the time I'm in The Mood for a Melody believe me.

Back to The Jam...They released six studio albums and one Live album between 1977 and 1982. They had Punk Rock leanings, but they were very musical and had great harmonies. The Paul Weller led outfit wore suits as opposed to shredded jeans and safety pins, but that didn't stop them from being talented angry young men. After the band broke up Paul Weller went on to form the critically acclaimed band The Style Council, but I never loved them like I loved The Jam. I hope somebody out there goes "Oh yeah!" after I post "Monday" and puts it in their iPod. After all, I live for just that.

The Jam - Monday.mp3

The Jam - Monday.mp3 YSI