Bruce Springsteen — Born in the U.S.A.
It’s a strange time of year. A time when some people who probably ordinarily don’t listen to rock and roll music or blues music and definitely don’t dance in public to it, clamber onto stages, bars and flatbed trucks with certain songs blasting out of speakers. The intention of this bizarre ritual is to make other people dig them.
No song suffers this fate more than Bruce Springsteen’s Born in the U.S.A. …
What do you see when you see this picture? Jesus Christ or a hedgerow?
Writing before about walking around arguably the most haunted house in Spain, and the mysterious faces that mark its walls, I had never heard the expression Pareidolia, I was reckoning that what was going on in that very strange house in Belmez was Pareidolia, I just didn’t know it was called Pareidolia.
The Origin of the Species
The gags are endless —
After the Apocalypse, it will be only the rats and Keith Richards.
We can’t take drugs anymore because Keith Richards has taken them all.
God boomed, “Adam this is Eve. You are to love her forever. Adam replied, “Okay, but who is that?” God shrugged. “Oh, that’s Keith Richards. He was here when I got here.”
Fidel Castro is dead. Looks like the Queen of England and Keith Richards are in the final.
But Keith Richards is more Jedi than Joker.
Rock n’ Roll Icon or Sacred Philosopher?
The Rolling Stones were formed in 1962. 1962! 58 years ago.
There have been…
Transformation of your dog from Savage Wolf to Best Buddy
My dog Gram Parsons hates being outside. He always wants to be inside with us, lying on rugs, looking out the front windows or watching TV, especially when football is on. And he always, always sleeps inside.
I have a few farmer friends to whom the idea of a dog in a house is abhorrent. Their dogs possess fine quarters — kennels and sheds — and are well looked after but they remain out with the rest of the animals.
But, I have many townie friends who allow their dogs to sleep in their bed with them and wash them…
William Eaton warrants comparison with Lawrence of Arabia
William Eaton was US Consul at Tunis when war broke out against Tripoli in 1801.
The main task of the US Consul at Tunis was to negotiate trade and peace agreements with the governor. During the nineteenth century, American and European merchant ships were under constant attack from Barbary pirates. The Barbary coast consisted of several Muslim states under the rule of the Ottoman Empire along the Mediterranean Sea in Northern Africa.
Similar to European policy, the US government paid tribute to the Barbary states rather than engage in military action to ensure safe passage of shipping.
With the tribute…
History
It was almost like been blind, they went by smell and touch and hearing.
Background to the Tunnels
During the First Indochina war against French colonial forces, the Viet Minh constructed an extensive system of underground tunnels, which were later expanded by the Viet Cong.
There were two types of tunnel —
Expedient tunnels — Simple in construction. Size ranged from twenty to several hundred feet long. Consisting of ambush, safe hide, river bank or escape tunnels. Carefully camouflaged entrances to facilitate evasion and escape.
Complex tunnels — Tunnel may be a misleading word. They were more underground complexes which housed hospitals, sleeping quarters, training areas and arms depots. …
Lie under a blue sunset and look down on Earth to see it as the Martian does — blue, green and perfect.
I get it. Humans prefer Humans. But I prefer the Martian to the Human.
For Mars I feel is a more preferable planet than Earth and the Martian more preferable to the Human. No more human politic for me. No more human love for me. I want to go to a place where they really know what love is.
I want to go to a place where there has never been a war, where there has never been a crime, where there has never been a broken heart. A place that has never had a religion and has never damaged…
Naked and smeared in mud, we need rescuing
Approaching Day 50 of lock-down, I am forced to admit that my Utopian vision of how our family would conduct ourselves during the pandemic is in ribbons.
At the beginning, our aspirations for what we would achieve were lofty, indeed in hindsight, ridiculous.
We believed that away from the pressures of commuting, holding down jobs and suffering society that we would blossom instead we have positively wilted.
We started well, that first night is like a dream now. We played Trivial Pursuit. We ate homemade Shepherd’s Pie and home baked apple pie. We looked across at one another in the…
Music
Rocket 88 — Jackie Brenston & The Delta Cats
Background to Recording
The Kings of Rhythm, the best jump combo in all of Mississippi had sent the fine folks of Greenville home sweating. The owner of the small downtown club had dilly dallied on booking the group, swaying between the fear of their reputation for wrecking joints and the desire for the dough they would bring in — they always rammed the place. He booked them. But when the crowd began to turn savage. He pulled the plug.
The Kings were racing home after the gig to Clarksdale along Route 278. They came across a heap of cars abandoned around a big…
Warning! May contain perception of you that is jarring
Coldplay: You have built a treehouse in which you will live for the duration.
The Eagles: Keeping your fridge stocked with beer has become your life purpose.
Bob Marley: Keeping your fridge stocked with peanut butter and bananas has become your life purpose.
Shania Twain: You miss your hairdresser the most.
Guns N’ Roses: You miss your bartender the most.
The Beach Boys: You are slowly losing your mind.
Mariah Carey: Your neighbors thought they knew you.
Black Sabbath: You have formed a vigilante group to make sure people stay indoors.
Backstreet Boys: Your dog thinks about eating you.
Motorhead…
Will Russell
Freelance Writer — lifestoryontheroad.com, The Start Up, Noteworthy, Slackjaw, MuddyUm, PS I Love You, Hotpress, Atlas Obscura
