A Day at the Record Show

Thursday, spoke with Ken P., got in touch with Gerald Wilson, Bob Sonnenblich in Canada and Brother Woodman. All very productive.

Friday, got a massage from Marti, just the ticket. According to her, I have a great smooth & well defined back. Glad to know it.

Today, I went to the O.C. Record Show, the first one I've been to in several months. Last month, Dec. 2005 wasn't held, for one reason or the next, I didn't go to Nov., so I was well overdue.

Got there at about 8 a.m., and already things were buzzing. I said hello to a couple of record collecting (r.c.) friends, including a guy whose name I don't know, but who always has some interesting 45s and cheap. I found one by Tony Middleton. Went to see Mark Stuckey and, right away, found out I was way too late for a good bunch of rockabilly 45s that had already been snapped up by Bob, Mark and Dennis. Mark told me that a rockabilly collector had died of a drug OD, slicked back hair, tatted up, vaguely recalled him. Saw another Dennis, my neighbor, then walked the aisles. Bought a great looking Clara Ward on Duke 45 from Kamuu Dahood and moved on. Then spoke with Ray Peavy about a possible TV show he's been asked to help create...seems like a super lucrative deal.

Then spoke with J.T., saw what he was buying, spoke to him about a record shop that had opened in his Grant's Pass area. Found 11 45s at Mark's table for $5. Talked with Bay Warren, who seemed depressed - Parkinson's - he later covered his 45s, he'd gotten so little action.

That's when Jim Cooperider walked by and I handed him some 45s that Don Haley had asked me to have him fix...which he'll do, in time for the next show, I trust. Then down the aisle to bug some others.

Spoke with Bob, who later showed me his rockers, okay, but not great stuff. Mark had gotten 2 Tony Casanovas that were interesting, very much like Ritchie Valens. Spoke with Dennis Leonis, who had also taken his share and later Dennis shared with me info about Victor & Vistas he'd gotten off an almost impossible-to-read autographed white 45, great info!!

While speaking with Mike Saito, Cooperider comes by to show us some super-rare 78s that J.T. had passed on to him as payment for straightening some 45s. 4 Jacks on Allen and others, for heavens sakes. Very impressive. Also impressive was that we were the last of the Westdale pre-Capitol swap meet crew left at the show...or so it seems.

Ran into Tony D'Amico, went upstairs and spoke with the guy who had the rocking 45s, nice guy, there with Bob Caro, Latino jazz/r&b player and expert. He filled me in on Rule Garcia, about whom about zip is known - he knows!!! Saw Goodale, Robbie R. & Nurse Cheril, then Steve Bruner comandered me to draw a name, which I did: Ray Peavy, geez Louise! later Robert Miller & Marti, his g-friend, hanging out with Jim.

Left about about noon. Spoke with Canadian Bob Sonnenblich by phone that P.M. Watched TV the rest of the time.

recovering mouthaholic

Since the scary meeting concluded last week, here's the upchuck: "we could sue you, but we'd rather not." It was J.A., S.H., M.K. on their side, me and Jay on the other. So we made nice, kissed each other goodbye, so it was essentially no harm, no foul...so far, so good. Learned a lot, after Jay said "shuttup Steve," I did just that. It was no less than wunnerful, wunnerful.

hits the fan

Yesterday, my article from a week and a half ago about our beloved little local radio station hit the fan when the acting GM mouthed vicious and poorly made comments demeaning me and the rag for which I write, accusing us, among other things, of having less than 1,000 readers - he can count that high?

Jay instructed that I should respond in his pages and not the radio website pages....so be it. Can't wait for reaction, of which there's been zero to date. Apparently, according to this overwrought buffoon, I'm the head of a conspiracy. Is it a paying gig? Are we chartered? Do we hold meetings? Where do we meet? Do we require an oath, some sort of allegiance or omerta? Wow, my own little conspiracy. Acutally, it's a "collaboration conspiracy of folks.” Well put, did he major in English? Does he understand English? He sure don't talk it too good, y'all.

Pete Grendysa sent me an Excelsior/Exclusive database that blows the whistle on that little enterprise...I dub him, and John B., the spo dee o dee team. I'm making progress on that little cunundrum, but it's really an impossiblity to completely solve.

Same day, yesterday, I met with Mike, who contends there's a LVillage drug ring involved with the cops, on a park bench with his "evidence," except there was none, just photos of inoccuous things - parked trucks with a tarp and letters he sent that were ignored. I sympathized with the problems that brought him to this state and took note of his occupation. Sad. I thought it best not to lead him on, promising to look into it, and ignoring him later.

Meanwhile, we sold ol' 83 yesterday, and in doing so, Sylvia is on the road to real improvement. More on that later. Gotta to get to a "collaboration conspiracy of folks” (CCOF) meeting.

ol' man blogger jes' keeps bloggin' along

Ol man blogger, guess that's me. No one else, I means no one, blogs more than I do in my own little environment. I'm not a blog-a-day type guy, far from it. And I don't blog 'em and fugget 'em. I'm more like those miners that are trapped in WVA...just keep chipping away, and they might find you, but once you find out who they are that found you, that's when the heartaches begin, to quote or not quote Elvis, aye, there's the rub-a-dub-dub, three men in a tub, and who put them in? Downtown, prisoners are ripping out phones, here in E. L.B., park rangers are shooting at Los Alamitos High coeds, the blonde kind, while another blonde drives into the drink and doesn't make it. 16-years old and whipping her SUV off the freeway ramps.

Ol' man blogger suggests: how's about 35 year old minimum for licenses, and no cell phones, god no? Ticket to a quick death and more, other victims, because Schwarzenegger in his Hummer mentality okays young kids on the freeway. Arnie, you let Tookie go, but let's not lose 'em before they're fully bloomed.

Rained buckets yesterday, and why they went on with the Rose Parade in those conditions, well beyond my limited level o'thinkin'. Today, it's beautiful...I know, let's have a parade!

Last night, Shea spoke with her old friend Evelyn who suggested they room together. Couldn't have wished for a nicer outcome myself, hope it works out. We told Heather about this - she hurt her foot, Anders his back, in moving, but she's not to keen on Evelyn.

Today, a well-read radio site ran a very abridged version of my jazz radio article, whoa, mentioning that I used to bdcast there....not every reaction will be kind or kindly, thass fo'shure.

Mundanessly-speaking, did the ol' tire switcheroo today, that part worked out okay, and started me on my walk-a-day routine, or returned me to it.

If Big Time Blues comes back, I wanna be around to pick up the pieces, and pick up on the music also. Later, gator.

happy new years

A Happy New Years was had by most. Earlier this week, Rick dropped the bomb, aka Shea, on us, complete with a Beverly Hillbillies-style trailer in our driveway with her stuff in it. He had threatened to throw it on the lawn, when she made the mistake of actually calling him on the phone, thus provoking the ire of one Alma...well, let's just call her Alma McEvil. Now, with her telling him that those in a house have to get at least a 3-day pay rent or quit and a 30-day notice or be in big legal trouble, he relented.

Rain most of day Sat., so on the eve of '06, was just us & the Starks at Casa Stark for New Year's with Dick Clark gurgling a Rockin' NY's Eve...sad, but true. We set off noisemakers at midnite. Drove home, stone sober, after some Stolies and a little champagne. One flute for crimminies sake. Not wild at all.

We're also plotting to take care of what's left of you know what CSULB entity, if and when it becomes expendible and those in power catch on how they've been had over the past dozen or so years.

Someone at KCRW sent the article to LARP, so I'm sure it'll be a big grandiose headline tomorrow. Have gotten very little reaction to date...maybe that goes with the holidays.

Today, Latka (Gravis) at Bernie's with Shea and it was fun, filling and rainy outside. Good crowd, good conversation and food and Shea got a photo of Bernie playing with Lightnin', something about which she got most excited - autographed by Bernie & Ed Pearl to complete the Ashgrove connection. Saw some, but not many, friends from past blues daze.

Phyllis called later with an absolutely wild story of Gene K's wife finding her hubby & secty at a Seal Beach bar, attacking her and biting a cop, and getting charged. Gotta find out more.

Tonight, TV and wait for the Rose Parade to be rained out or blown away, or both. But on early Monday, it's pretty wet, but mild out. No big blowing storm...yet, at least.