Rock on but not with a tribute band

Ever have one of those days at work that when you get home you just want to have some alcohol? I seldom drink but I found some wine at home. I have been telling myself someday I will totally abstain. Luckily, today was today and not someday. Some folks had an intervention for me a number of years back. Who should show up but Foster Brooks, Brittany Spears and Charlie Sheen so it didn’t quite work out. I have been looking for another alternative that would help me with the bad stuff of life like bad wealth, bad health, bad habits, bad luck and my car that has bad brakes. I get through each day thinking tomorrow will be a better day. It seldom is but I remain optimistic.


I read in today’s Warren Tribune a story about getting more racially diverse acts for the Warren Amphitheatre. Councilwoman Helen Rucker pointed out that the 14 shows in the series of tribute bands did not feature any black groups. Most acts were tribute classic rock bands "copy bands" as I’d call them. There were psuedo bands of: Queen, Pink Floyd, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Jimmy Buffett, “Aeroscrud,” Rolling Stones, Journey, and Kiss. Helen should be glad no one was copying a black band, as it’s embarrassing enough we had phony half assed white bands imitating classic rock acts.

I didn’t attend any of the shows as I’d much rather hear the worst band in the world as long as they were playing originals. Here’s where I make enemies. The truth is I wouldn’t have gone to see any of the above classic rock acts even if they were the originals band.

I have never ever been a Queen fan. I could never understand how they could play a Nazi goosestep beat and sing, ‘We Will Rock You.” Not with that beat you won’t Fred. And what in the Hell is that "Bohemian Rhapsody" about? “Galileo you’re a boy scout he will not let you go.” What the F. As far as Pink Floyd the beat to "Another Brick in the Wall" is just as bad. I’ve heard enough Floyd that I never have to hear it again. I do miss Syd Barret though. I tend to agree with a friend of mine who stated, “The best thing Skynyrd did was the plane wreck.” I thought that was way harsh until the millionth time I heard, “Free Bird.” “I’m as free as a bird who cannot fly.” Wow that’s tenth beer profound. Jimmy Buffett, ever notice how dunk people at his concerts are? I can’t get that drunk to appreciate him. I also hate mixed drinks. Alcohol should be able to stand on it’s own without a mix or it ain’t shit. You're drinking the wrong stuff if you need to cut it with a mix so try a shot of Jameson. "Aerosrud" wrote “Love in an Elevator” and “Dude Looks Like a Lady.” If you didn’t know it from those lame ass songs they were using heroin. Those songs in themselves should be enough reason for kids not to do drugs. Just say no to “Dude Looks Like a Lady.” Aeroscrud has always been a third rate Rolling Stones. Who needs a third rate Rolling Stones? If we do we’ve got the last 25 years of the Stones third-rate career. Don’t “Start Up” Jagger it’s to late. I saw Journey at the Tomorrow Club years ago. It was when they had their first album out. They were very jazzy and quite good. They soon added Steve Perry and became a boring chic band. Kiss is not a band it is capitalism exploited to the max. Is there anything Kiss related that Gene Simmons isn’t having made by 8 year-olds at sweatshops in China? What genius wrote, “Hot, hot she looked hotter than Hell?” Probably the same genius in Foreigner that wrote, “She’s as Cold as Ice to Me.”


If you went to the concerts at the amphitheater you couldn’t have used enough drugs to reach any amount of groove quotient. In the old days at a concert folks took enough drugs they thought they saw God. At today’s tribute band concerts you just look at your watch and think God when is this going to end. If I sat through such concerts I could only get a smile on my face thinking about the Koran. You know that passage where 72 virgins are promised to martyrs. Truth is I’m not enough of a martyr to sit through such tribute crap. I don’t really care for that Ecstasy drug kids now use as at my age cortisone is my ecstasy.