The Giant Panther

Did I mention how much I love covers? Even when the cover turns me onto the original? Actually, in this case, the cover reminded me of the cover that should have turned me onto the original. In 1973 somebody handed me a copy of David Bowie's Pinups. It was an album of covers, which sometimes takes the fun out of it, but I didn't know many of the songs back then. After all, I was 13 years old. Among the songs was a cover of The Kinks song "Where Have All The Good Times Gone." It was first released as a B side to the classic 1965 single "Till The End of The Day." Baby I feel good, from the moment I rise...god I love The Kinks. I think The Everly Brothers invited inter-band family brawls, but The Kinks were right there. Ray and Dave Davies might not haven't gotten along much of the time, but they were one volatile rock & roll force. Few bands have 40 GREAT singles to their credit, but this band does without question. The funny thing is I didn't consider "Where Have All The Good Times Gone" to be one of them until I heard David Lee Roth and company rework this baby. I hate to say it, but this cover might be better than the original. And no offense to the legendary David Bowie, but his cover was nothing to write home about. Of course nobody can say that about his career though. I can never get enough cow bell, er, David Bowie. Whoa...

You can find The Kinks version of this song on the 1965 LP The Kink Kontroversy, but I'm sure it's out of print by now. Van Halen sped up the tempo and Eddie Van Halen Blows Your Face Out as J. Geils used to say. Van Halen was on such a ride by 1982 they could have put out a cover of Seasons in The Sun and the world would have soaked it up. Van Halen was an interesting act. I thought the Sammy Hagar led 5150 was more than respectable, but there is no comparison to the David Lee Roth led Van Halen. I don't know exactly why, but I fought Van Halen for the longest time. My friend's Jefferson and Mark just loved this band and the more they loved them the more I scoffed. I was wrong, big time. I'm not ashamed to admit it either. I never did care much for their cover of "You Really Got Me," but their love of The Kinks is to be applauded. I just thought there was too much showmanship in Eddie's guitar work and Roth's yelping vocals in that song and "Ice Cream Man." However, the first track that blew my hair back like the Maxell guy in the chair was "Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love." OK I said.

Still, Van Halen's records didn't totally grab me until 1981's Fair Warning. Van Halen, Van Halen II and Women and Children First all had BRILLIANT singles on them; most notably Beautiful Girls, Dance The Night Away, Everybody Wants Some!!, And The Cradle Will Rock..., Jamie's Cryin', Runnin' With The Devil and Somebody Get Me a Doctor, but they seemed somehow incomplete and a bit disjointed to me. I even liked their cover of their cover of the Linda Ronstadt hit "You're No Good," but again, these records were not my all time favs. Fair Warning changed all that for me. My favorite Van Halen song is "Dirty Movies" and nobody even knows the track. It could have, and should have, been a monstrous hit. But "Unchained" was terrific. "Mean Street" and "Hear About It Later" I also loved. I reluctantly hopped aboard the Van Halen bandwagon express with my buddies. I only saw them once in their heyday. It was at the then Worcester Centrum on Saturday October 23, 1982 on the Diver Down Tour. I can't remember anything about that concert, after all, it was an hour ride from Boston to Worcester and I wasn't driving, but I'm sure it was a blast. My $11.50 ticket stub can't talk, but if it could I'm sure it would ask why I left it in my back pocket the whole show...

Van Halen was starting to splinter by 1982's Diver Down, but that didn't stop them for releasing another great record, even if they had to feature three covers in Roy Orbison's "Pretty Woman" and Martha & The Vandellas "Dancing in The Street" as well as WHATGTG to do it. "Little Guitars" and "Secrets" made sure there was some good original material on the record, but nothing could stop the masses from buying this record in droves. They peeled off one last big seller in 1984's 1984 before Roth took off to eventually become an EMT. I might have been the only one who enjoyed his radio show after the insufferable Howard Stern left the terrestrial dial, but I was clearly in the minority. The cynic in me thinks it must have been time to make the doughnuts with regard to the lastest Van Halen reunion with Roth a couple of years ago, but I did get to see them, sans the assless chaps and the ridiculously high leg splits, at The Naming Rights For Sale Garden in Boston's North Station recently and enjoyed the hell out of it. I hear tell they are planning a new record in the next year without original bassist Michael Anthony, but I'll get over that. Bass players get no respect huh?

I didn't mean to focus on Van Halen as much as I did here, but they are the artists with the post. I'll say it again though, The Kinks were among the greatest bands off all time. I can only imagine how many great songs they'd have recorded if they could have stood each other's company more often. In the grand scheme of things, there is no comparison between the legendary Kinks and Van Halen, but in no way do I mean to denigrate what Van Halen once brought to the table. They were a good, no make that great, time. So, I ask you, Where Have All The Good Times Gone?

This is all I know about Pete Droge; a friend of mine, Stacy, who is also a masseuse, told me about this artist while I was on the table about 15 years ago. Stacy and I had worked together in a restaurant called TGI Fridays in the early 80's. She was a very cool, make things happen chick who took a shine to yours truly about 30 years ago. Sounds sad to say now, but back in the day it was practically all I had to go on. We ran in a circle of friends that, at such a tender age, lent itself to a bit of a mutual stat culture. I don't mean to say this in any kind of a negative way, but from time to time one or more of my buddies may well have had sex with the same woman. Most of the time I was on the outside looking in, but generally speaking eminent domain was a phallacy. My relationship, such as it was, with Stacy was not exclusive. That is not to say Stacy slept around, because she most certainly did not, but I might know two or three guys that enjoyed the same experience in a manner of speaking. Not that there's anything wrong with that mind you. She was a blast.

The only reason I even mention it is because Stacy had great taste in music. She turned me onto a couple of bands that I might not have ordinarily caught onto. For that I will always be Grateful, if not Dead. One night, exactly one year apart almost to the day, we were enjoying each other's company for a second time when my roommate, a temporary fix based on the departure of a long time friend, kicked down my bedroom door mid act thinking I was enjoying the company of his ex. Stacy and I enjoyed a good laugh about it, but it was always something we had in common even if our relationship was relatively temporary in its own right. I basically parted company with all parties involved on the spot, but that didn't stop me from hiring Stacy when I needed a massage. She was terrific even sans the happy endings. One night she laid the music of Pete Droge on me. Pete is an alternative folk singer-songwriter. I guess the song that I came to post today, "If You Don't Love Me (I'll Kill Myself)," appeared in the soundtrack to the slapstick comedy Dumb and Dumber later that year, but I had no idea. I just knew a friend of mine turned me onto a great song.

I'm a sucker for a simple guitar riff and a good melody. It's not that complicated. My friends laugh at me for saying I'd prefer a woman with similar taste in music, but it's so true. I have enough ammunition to not buy another record for my final thirty or forty years on the planet and it's completely portable. I can see myself as a Tiki Bar owner, hello John Hiatt, in my Golden Years (ooo wop wop wop...don't let them tell you your life's taking you nowhere...). If I had a woman half as curious and half as musically tolerant I'd have scored big time. I want to play Back in Black and Court and Spark back to back and have her adroitly adapt without batting an eye. Perhaps that's asking (A Touch) Too Much. I'm probably just waiting for that proverbial Car On A Hill, but it seems reasonable when you consider how many women I see at each and every show I attend. They seem to be having as much fun as I am. We just don't seem to know each other is all and it's a shame.

Anyway, "If You Don't Love Me (I'll Kill Myself)" is a great song. I haven't given the Final Solution much thought as it applies to women, but I get a kick out of this song's sentiment. Since I was crushed in the 80's, apparently never to recover, it feels like a bit of a theme song for me. Pete, of course, can just shove on to the next venue and put some salve on his wounds any time he feels like it, but I can't play a lick of guitar. That puts me at a distinct disadvantage. You'd think after 23 years I'd have moved on to the next disappointment, but the fact is I haven't. See what happens when you blog after midnight? It's like truth serum. And drunk dialing. Don't forget Sexting. Total heart on the sleeve crap. Stacy (they call me Stay-cee, they call me her) probably wishes I felt the same way about her, but I never did. Love Stinks for sure, but particularly when you are on the wrong end of the gun. Oh well. Here's a little Pete Droge for those of you who know what I'm talkin' about.

P.S. Congrats to The Giant Panther who recently got engaged to a great lady! Score!!!