Great post! Thanks for letting me read it! I, too, am an accomplished air musician, though a few years ago I almost did myself in playing multiple air instruments along to The Mars Volta’s ‘Roulette Dares’!
Another brave peek behind the Steve curtain! Impressive, as always, SG! You made me think of my formative '60s years growing up (10 in '65), upper middle-class, and a sweet and compliant mama's boy of sorts.
Two things seemed to work together: My brother (less than a year older...yep! My mom always said, "the chute was well-greased," and she found out what caused it and quit!) wanting to constantly pester me, and my dad bringing home new records each week!
Thankfully, as he preferred jazz, I could sequester myself away from big bro (thankfully, we had separate rooms...with a lock on my door!), and listen to the new promo Capitol albums by this new band called The Beatles, and many others!
My early first friends were records (however pathetic that might sound to the psych crowd), and "meeting" the players on each as I copiously perused liner notes! So, without that "forced" room quarantine imposed by my bothersome brother (and Dad's endless supply, well into my high school years, of free vinyl!), I know I wouldn't be as musically influenced as I am.
As you know from reading me, Steve, I was never a slave to radio, as I had access to, literally, every slab of PVC that was released in the '70s, hearing artists radio didn't dare, or even consider, playing!
Anyway, got THAT off my chest! Your writing always seems to have that affect on me! And, that's a good thing!🎵💥🎼🎹🎸💖😁👍
Thanks, Brad! I can definitely relate to records being friends. I thankfully didn’t have an antagonistic older brother and was fairly good about not hermitting in my room — I played lots of sports.
Looking back I see how I had a pretty even jock-stoner balance in my teens. Kind of like the football players in the film Dazed and Confused. Though I was way less jock-like than those guys.
Well, getting into high school (early '70s), I was neither a jock nor a stoner! When I was asked to join Brimstone, the already-existent rock band who was looking for a lead singer (I also played flute), THAT was the first "outside activity" I had ever been involved in (no scouts, no little league).
That, and being music/entertainment editor of the Bellaire High daily (mimeographed) "Three Penny Press"! Amazing to look back, and even more amazing that ANY of us, regardless of the good/bad components of our respective upbringings, actually make it thru to tell the story!! But, Substack, I'm assuming, is delirious we can and do!😉
I wonder if Michael ever ran it by Quincy, and when he realized he couldn't MJ-it enough, that's when they passed. I gotta think Michael, like an '80s Taylor Swift, was besieged with songwriting pitches and requests! But, with "Q" at the helm, he certainly had a certifiable genius in control!
What??? Really? I might have to update the post with that info and thank you for it. I would love to hear how MJ's version of the song would have sounded like.
Great post! Thanks for letting me read it! I, too, am an accomplished air musician, though a few years ago I almost did myself in playing multiple air instruments along to The Mars Volta’s ‘Roulette Dares’!
It’s a far more dangerous activity than people realize!😎
Another brave peek behind the Steve curtain! Impressive, as always, SG! You made me think of my formative '60s years growing up (10 in '65), upper middle-class, and a sweet and compliant mama's boy of sorts.
Two things seemed to work together: My brother (less than a year older...yep! My mom always said, "the chute was well-greased," and she found out what caused it and quit!) wanting to constantly pester me, and my dad bringing home new records each week!
Thankfully, as he preferred jazz, I could sequester myself away from big bro (thankfully, we had separate rooms...with a lock on my door!), and listen to the new promo Capitol albums by this new band called The Beatles, and many others!
My early first friends were records (however pathetic that might sound to the psych crowd), and "meeting" the players on each as I copiously perused liner notes! So, without that "forced" room quarantine imposed by my bothersome brother (and Dad's endless supply, well into my high school years, of free vinyl!), I know I wouldn't be as musically influenced as I am.
As you know from reading me, Steve, I was never a slave to radio, as I had access to, literally, every slab of PVC that was released in the '70s, hearing artists radio didn't dare, or even consider, playing!
Anyway, got THAT off my chest! Your writing always seems to have that affect on me! And, that's a good thing!🎵💥🎼🎹🎸💖😁👍
Thanks, Brad! I can definitely relate to records being friends. I thankfully didn’t have an antagonistic older brother and was fairly good about not hermitting in my room — I played lots of sports.
Looking back I see how I had a pretty even jock-stoner balance in my teens. Kind of like the football players in the film Dazed and Confused. Though I was way less jock-like than those guys.
Well, getting into high school (early '70s), I was neither a jock nor a stoner! When I was asked to join Brimstone, the already-existent rock band who was looking for a lead singer (I also played flute), THAT was the first "outside activity" I had ever been involved in (no scouts, no little league).
That, and being music/entertainment editor of the Bellaire High daily (mimeographed) "Three Penny Press"! Amazing to look back, and even more amazing that ANY of us, regardless of the good/bad components of our respective upbringings, actually make it thru to tell the story!! But, Substack, I'm assuming, is delirious we can and do!😉
I can sympathize; music got me through a rough early life in the bleak, cold, uncultured and conservative Upper Midwest.
Interesting factoid - Dolby composed the song for Michael Jackson, but Jackson exhibited no interest in recording it, so Dolby did it himself.
I wonder if Michael ever ran it by Quincy, and when he realized he couldn't MJ-it enough, that's when they passed. I gotta think Michael, like an '80s Taylor Swift, was besieged with songwriting pitches and requests! But, with "Q" at the helm, he certainly had a certifiable genius in control!
What??? Really? I might have to update the post with that info and thank you for it. I would love to hear how MJ's version of the song would have sounded like.
I'd like to think it would have been interesting, but I'm guessing it would have been devoid of any quirkiness.
Love this!