Wednesday, July 25, 2007

Six albums for a penny!

When I was 12 years old I took the record club flyer out of the Sunday paper, chose six albums and taped a penny into the circle.

The albums came. They reflected my taste in music at the time, which reflected my friend's taste in music, who lived across the street and had two older brothers. (Everything I learned about sex, drugs and rock and roll came from you, Jeff. Muchas gracias.)

I don't remember all the albums. I remember some.

Foreigner, "Foreigner;" Eagles, "Hotel California," Queen, "Live Killers," and Styx, "Cornerstone."

Come September, I'll see two of those bands en concerto: Foreigner and Styx. I'm more looking forward to the latter.









Without a doubt, Styx was the last great "concept rock" band of the 70s. "The Grand Illusion," "Renegade," "Come Sail Away," all classic gems.

The band was ill-suited for the 80s, a little too deep and not quite cute enough, I suppose. They literally got laughed off the stage with their Mr. Roboto stage "play."

I think there were some reunion gigs with Dennis DeYoung in the years after. But according to the best "Behind the Music" VHI ever produced -- in my humble opinion -- DeYoung got some strange disease where he was allergic to light. I don't think he tours with them any more.

Anyway, going to see them, along with 3 3/4ths of the original Def Leppard. RAWK!

By the way, that record club? My dad called them up and told them I was only 12 years old. Never joined their stupid club. Kept the records, though.

RAWK!

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