I post a weekly diary of historical notes, arts & science items, foreign news (often receiving little notice in the US) and whimsical pieces from the outside world that I often feature in "Cheers & Jeers".
OK, you've been warned - here is this week's tomfoolery material that I posted.
CHEERS to Bill and Michael in PWM, our Wyoming-based friend Irish Patti and ...... well, each of you at Cheers and Jeers. Have a fabulous weekend .... and week ahead.
ART NOTES — print works by artists as varied as Picasso to Rembrandt to Hogarth to Goya to …. even R. Crumb ….. are in an exhibition entitled Graphic Masters are at the Seattle Art Museum through August 28th.
print by William HogarthHAIL and FAREWELL to the Russian chess grandmaster Viktor Korchnoi— who defected from the Soviet Union in the mid-70’s and whom former world champion Garry Kasparov considers the best player never to have become world champion — who has died at the age of 85 …. the English playwright Peter Shaffer— who wrote “Amadeus” and “Equus” (winning Tony Awards for both and an Oscar for the screen adaptation of “Amadeus”) — who has died at the age of 90 …. and the Canadian hockey star Gordie Howe— not only among the game’s greatest-ever, but one of the few athletes who got to play alongside his children in the major leagues — who has died at the age of 88.
FROM THE FIRST TIME that I saw this ……………. I couldn’t take my eyes off it.
Admittedly, Jackson seems out of place, todayENERGY NEWS — the South American nation of Uruguay has generated 98% of its energy so far this year from renewable sources, according to the president of its state-run electric company.
THURSDAY's CHILD is one of three Florida kittehs rescued from a condo fire… revived with oxygen, and all doing well.
All safe and soundSIGN of the APOCALYPSE — a pair of playwrights are looking to raise $6,500 to cover the costs of producing a musical lampooning the so-called “Pharma Bro” Martin Shkreli— which is set to debut in mid-July.
FRIDAY's CHILD is named Wilson the Hero Cat— a Chicagoland kitteh who awoke a family to the presence of a bat (who just happened to be rabid) in their home.
Wilson the Hero CatBRAIN TEASER - try this Quiz of the Week's News from the BBC.
SADNESS to the families of those who perished in the Orlando nightclub …. with luck, prayers and hope: this burden will be borne and our unity surviving intact.
I’M SO GLAD that I was able to post a poll this week: sadly, last week I could not successfully do so after five tries (with three different browsers and using my work computer … to no avail).
FATHER-SON? — Russian president Vladimir Putin and film star Macaulay Culkin.
A young Vladimir Putin A young Macaulay Culkin...... and finally, for a song of the week ...........................… a group that grew from a bar band into a regional hit, then went national was the J. Geils Band— who then went into a mid-1970’s tailspin. The dawn of the MTV era was waiting for them and — with some re-tooling — they finally hit the top of the charts. Sadly, internal differences soon led to a break-up, although reunion shows have been frequent.
The band began in the mid-1960’s in the Boston area as an acoustic blues trio, with guitarist J(ay) Geils, bassist Danny Klein and harmonica player Richard Salwitz (always known as Magic Dick on-stage) before “going electric” in 1967.
They were joined later that year by two musicians who had left a local band called The Hallucinations. These were drummer Stephen Jo Bladd (the only Boston-area native of what would become the ‘classic six’ line-up) and a local disk jockey named Peter Wolf who would become the band’s lead vocalist. For awhile they were called the J. Geils Blues Band, later dropping the word blues as they turned (for the next few years) as a blend of blues, soul, R&B and old-time rock music. On some collective group-written songs, you’ll see the writer’s credit going to “Juke Joint Jimmy” (today, the name of a Geils tribute band).
In 1968 they became a sextet with the addition of keyboardist Seth Justman (who had followed the band while a Boston University student). They began touring not just as a regional band, but also gaining a major following in the Detroit area. Eventually they signed with Atlantic Records, releasing their debut album in 1970 with a mix of original songs as well as blues covers.
Their second album led to their first hit (reaching the bottom of the Top 40) with Lookin’ for a Love— first recorded by Bobby Womack’s band in the early 60’s. In 1971, they performed at the final night of the Fillmore East and released their first live album— a natural for the band and recorded in Detroit, their home-away-from-home. Their next album had another minor hit Give It to Me (reaching #30) but that was their last chart success for a few years. True to form, they toured relentlessly and had some more live album successes, yet always seemed to be in debt to their record company.
In 1978, they left Atlantic for EMI and their fortunes began to inch upward. Sanctuary was their first album in years to crack the Top 50, with a #35 hit in “One Last Kiss” and — interestingly — featured all original-written songs for the first time.
At the dawn of the 1980’s, the band moved into less of a blues/R&B vein into a more synthesizer-pop sound, loaded with humor. Loves Stinks again featured all original songs (by Seth Justman/Peter Wolf) and the band was in a prime spot when MTV debuted the following year of 1981.
Freeze Frame was the band’s first #1 album (and would prove to be their high-water-mark), spawning several hit singles - due in part to placing as much care in recording the videos as well as the sound. The title track became a classic rock staple, while the single’s B side (Flame Thrower) actually reached #25 in the R&B charts (helped by the background vocals of Luther Vandross and Cissy Houston). Finally, a popular MTV hit was Centerfold— their first (and only #1) hit.
They followed-up with yet another live album Showtime!— with a cover of “Land of a Thousand Dances” and good sales, despite lackluster record reviews.
As the All-Music Guide’s Stephen Thomas Erlewine wrote, “After working for years to reach to top of the charts ... the J. Geils Band couldn't stay there once they finally achieved their goal”. Tensions between the band’s principal songwriters (Seth Justman and Peter Wolf) became acrimonious, and Wolf left the band in 1983 in order to pursue a solo career. Carrying-on without him, the band released one more album in 1984 (receiving poor reviews and sales) and the band ended its eighteen-year run by disbanding in 1985.
Fast forward to 1999, when the band reunited with Peter Wolf (yet without drummer Stephen Jo Bladd, who retired due to back and arthritis problems) and while not a going concern: they do reunite for occasional tours.
In recent years, the J. Geils Band has toured without … J. Geils himself. The band even went to court over Geils’ lawsuit, seeking to enjoin them from using the name unless he participates. Geils today restores sports cars in Massachusetts (along with producing some recording sessions). The other musicians also do some solo concerts from time-to-time.
While the band has no tour dates for this year (although Peter Wolf does have some) it seems likely that — whether together or apart — the stage will be likely be calling them back at some point. “For a long time, we didn’t make money on our records,” pointed out singer Peter Wolf. “We had to keep touring; it was the only way we could stay alive. We built up an audience for our live shows, and they kept us going when we didn’t have hit records.”
J. Geils Band — circa 1973 …… … and the more recent touring bandOf all of their work: my absolute favorite remains the title track to their first album of the 1980’s. Love Stinks was written by Peter Wolf and Seth Justman and there has been speculation ... that it was inspired by Wolf’s divorce from film star Faye Dunaway in 1978. It has been covered (for movie soundtracks) by both Adam Sandler and Joan Jett, it’s a song that people in love can appreciate as much as those on-the-outs …... and below you can hear it.
You love her - but she loves him — And he loves somebody else - you just can't win
And so it goes - till the day you die - This thing they call love - it's gonna make you cry
Two by two and side by side — Love's gonna find you - you just can't hide
You'll hear it call - your heart will fall — Then love will fly - it's gone, that's all
I don't care what any Casanova thinks ……………………………………….. All I can say is …………… Love Stinks
x YouTube Video