Mr. Ward

Why Paul McCartney ruled last night's Grammys.

He performed a 45 year old hit with the same instrumentation as the original. Too often these things are overdone. Not here.  No horn sections, no choirs, no extra guitarists or keyboards. There is a reason “I Saw Her Standing There” was a hit to begin with. At the same time…

He wasn’t afraid to update.  He made that song sound modern.  No one was doing those guitar licks in 1964.  Dave Grohl (!) made the drums a little more frantic.  Yet none of it overpowered the tune or felt out of place.  The mark of a well-written song and true musicianship.

He had fun.  Seriously, when you were watching the crowd shots was anyone having more fun than Paul?  From laughing at Jack Black’s joke to helping lead the crowd sing-along on Neil Diamond’s “Sweet Caroline”. (Sidebar:  I hated seeing all the artists sitting in the crowd acting like they were above it all.  Don’t take yourselves too seriously; we’ll probably forget who you are in a few years.)

Perplexed.

I’m confused.  Based on what we were told during the campaign, once Barak Obama became president everything would change.  But I find it has not.  Why is there still war? I expected to wake up on January 21 to the sounds of wind chimes made from all the weapons in the world, which had been melted down overnight. We were told Obama would bring peace to the world, but I see no lions lying with lambs.  Los Angeles still has an Air Quality Forecast.  How?  I thought once Obama took the oath all pollution would disappear.  There are still starving people around the world.  I thought that after the inauguration everyone would magically have food appear in their hands  if not instantly in their stomachs.  America is still in an economic downturn.  What?  I thought he had all the answers.  I called my bank and my balance did not change overnight.  I checked the mail and still had bills to pay.  Quantanamo Bay is still open and we still have troops in Iraq and Afghanistan.  I drove by one of our local lakes and the water level is still down.  How?  After winning a primary victory in Minnesota, Obama said, “I am absolutely certain that generations from now, we will be able to look back and tell our children that this was the moment when we began to provide care for the sick …” and “ this was the moment when the rise of the oceans began to slow and our planet began to heal …” Since then the oceans have not risen one bit, none of the people who claim Earth is in danger have changed their mind and there are no fewer sick people.  Were we lied to?  Does our new president not have the powers and abilities everyone said he does?  Is it possible one man cannot save the world?  So, does anyone have buyer’s remorse yet?

Five Things I'm Sick of Hearing About:

1.  Barak Obama.  If the real Messiah had this kind of press, the Sanhedrin wouldn’t have been able to touch him.

2.  “Marley and Me”.  Like this is the first movie where a dog dies (thanks, Pete!).

3.  iphones:  Ok, I get it; you’re cooler than me.

4.  Male Enhancement Ads:  They’re everywhere and just getting creepy.

5.  Digital TV Changeover:  I’m ready and I haven’t had cable for 10 years!

W's IRAQI SUCCESS

This week at a press conference in Iraq, a reporter threw his shoes at President (yes, he is still the president) George W. Bush’s head.  The most amazing thing was not Bush’s good humor and quick reflexes, but that fact that this man is still alive and free.  In the previous regime of that country, the reporter would have been tortured and killed (providing he lived long enough to be tortured).  This is freedom.  Did America pay a high price for the freedom of people in a foreign land?  Absolutely.  Was it worth it?  I am not smart enough to answer that question (although it would be interesting to ask the reporter’s family); so I’ll leave it to someone else.

“Only a life lived for others is worth living” - Albert Einstein

All The Cool Kids Are Doing It.....

Hey there Mr. Wards friends, this is his favorite student; Pam.
He let me get on his tumblr to ask you guys to do me a favor =]

If you’ve got a minute, get on www.brickfish.com/pamphotography2009 and vote for my picture “Don’t Hold Your Breath.”
Thanks so much!

pamelalala

ps- & if you thought that was fun, you can get on again and vote for me some more! *thumbs up*

Yes! Wait; no!

Only Two More Months To Go

Things I Learned from the New James Bond Film: “Quantum of Solace”

AMERICA SPEAKS

After taking a few days to ponder Tuesday’s election results, I am able to post calmly.  Like all the pundits, I have tried to figure out what America really said with the election of Obama.  Here is what I came up with.

We no longer believe in the greatness of this nation.  We elected a man who believe everything about this country needs to be fixed.  His own wife admitted she had never been proud to be an American.

We no longer believe in the power of the individual.  This is a man whose message is, “There is no way you can do anything for yourself; I’ll have to help”.  Yeah, that’s what Jefferson had in mind.

We are petty, envious, and lazy.  I listened to Bono explain to Conan O’Brien the difference between American and Ireland when it comes to wealth.  “In America someone passes by a house on a hill and says, ‘One day I’m going to have a house like that’.  In Ireland someone passes by a house on a hill and says, ‘One day I’ll get that SOB’.  Class envy is a cornerstone of Obama’s mindset.  People voted because they believe he will take money away from “the rich” and give it to them.  Apparently the thought of earning their own money never occurred to them.

We have denied Martin Luther King’s dream.  Wait a minute; didn’t the dream come true with this election?  King’s dream was that a man would be judged by the content of his character not the color of his skin.  Every article or newscast hailing this as an “historic” election has said it was because Obama is black.  That sounds like color of skin to me.  What was historic was that we elected a socialist with this little experience.

We will do whatever the mainstream media tells us.  Obama owes his election to the fifth estate.  First, they decided they wanted him instead of Hillary and people followed along.  Second, the MSM convinced Republicans they would have a better chance with a moderate candidate rather than a conservative candidate.  When McCain got the nomination the media turned on him.  Way to go America; you let ABC, CBS, CNN, MSNBC, NBC, The New York Times, AP, and Reuters think for you.  But I understand, doing your own thinking might have distracted you from Oprah.

We ignore our own history.  In the 1930’s most of the world experienced an economic depression.  Only in America do we call it “The Great Depression”.  Why?  Everyone else recovered more quickly than us.  We had a big government redistributionist whose policies prevented the economic system from correcting things.  We just elected a guy who will do the same as FDR did.  Hope you enjoy this economic turndown; it’s gonna be here awhile.

We believe the 9/11 attacks were a fluke.  America has not experienced another major terrorist attack since 9/11. There are two possibilities for this.  First, Al Qaeda only planned to attack one time and we would have been safe no matter what we did or did not do afterward.  Second, the actions and policies of the Bush administration have kept them occupied elsewhere and kept us safe at home.  In this election, Americans chose a man who wants to undo the Bush policies over one who wanted to maintain and possibly increase them.  In other words, they chose to believe the first scenario.  This is one of the most naïve opinions I have ever seen.

We no longer want leaders; we want celebrities.  That campaign ad was spot on.  Obama has never proven himself a leader, a statesman, or a policy maker.  But that doesn’t matter; just so long as Chris Matthews and everyone else keeps getting thrills going up their legs when this guy makes an empty speech.  Hey man, just make me feel good.  My hope is that Obama does in The White House what he did in the Illinois State Senate and the U.S. Senate – nothing.

Ten Artists I’m Supposed to Like But Don’t:

Have you ever wondered why you don’t like something everyone else does?  So do I.

1. The Band

Why I’m Supposed to Like Them: A band of incredibly talented multi-instrumentalists and vocalists, they served as Bob Dylan’s backing band on tour and The Basement Tapes.  Influential in forming what may be called “country rock”. Hold a mystique among rock critics and fellow musicians unparalleled except maybe by Dylan himself.

Why I Don’t: The music has never had enough “pop” to excite me or enough mellow to relax me.  I find some of their arrangements too complicated to really enjoy.

Exception: Hey, who doesn’t like to sing along to “The Weight”.

2. The Doors

Why I’m Supposed to Like Them: Acid rock band with a unique sound for the time (no bass player) and cryptic lyrics penned by an enigmatic front man who redefined the way a lead singer works on stage.

Why I Don’t: Sure Jim Morrison was fantastic live, but those lyrics seem a bit pretentious at times.  Dude thought he was Lord Byron or something. Get over yourself.  Without the drugs, Morrison was a third rate Jagger.

Exception: “Hello, I Love You” is catchy.

3. The Eagles

Why I’m Supposed to Like Them: Hugely successful soft country rock band whose music (with the exception of “Hotel California”) is inoffensive and accessible to most people.  Practically invented the music heard on current hit country radio.

Why I Don’t: Songs are way too rambling and loose for me to get a hold on and the lyrics never struck me either.  I don’t buy that laid-back-southern-California-stoned-pseudo-cowboy thing.

Exception: “Already Gone” is a solid, well-crafted rock song.  Oh, and the first half of the second verse of “Take it Easy” is good songwriting.

4. The Grateful Dead

Why I’m Supposed to Like Them: Legendary jam band whose improvisational live shows were steeped in folk, bluegrass, and acoustic sounds.  They may be more famous for their lifestyle than their music.

Why I Don’t: I can never find the structure or the point in the songs.  I dig improvisation, but there comes a point where I get lost.  Deadheads get on my nerves; especially when they turn out to be the very corporate lackeys the Dead refused to become.   

Exception: “Casey Jones”

5. Lynyrd Skynyrd

Why I’m Supposed to Like Them: Practically founded Southern Rock. Their three-guitar attack was incredibly disciplined and provided deceptively intricate song structures. Influenced every country artist and every rock artist from the south for the last 35 years.

Why I Don’t: I have a strange relationship with Southern Rock.  I don’t like the originals, but I love what came from them (The Black Crowes are the greatest American rock band of the past 20 years).  With Skynyrd, there’s a vibe that rubs me the wrong way.  Fans act as though the lyrics are some kind of little man manifesto; sorry, it’s mostly just redneck pandering. It could be over familiarity.

Exception: “Gimme Three Steps” is fun.

6. Bob Marley

Why I’m Supposed to Like Him: Socially conscious musician who brought reggae to the world. Had the courage to speak out against a corrupt government and a system that impoverishes people for generations.

Why I Don’t: I appreciate the message of hope and standing up for what is right, but I just don’t like reggae.

Exception: “No Woman, No Cry” is as good a blues song as anything out of the Mississippi Delta.

7. Pink Floyd

Why I’m Supposed to Like Them: Masters of psychedelic and progressive rock.  Elaborate live shows, experimental music, and incredibly sophisticated and unexpected soundscapes. Influenced many modern rock bands.

Why I Don’t: Every time someone puts on Pink Floyd I almost immediately go to sleep.  I think it’s overblown and intentionally obtuse. I have had people tell me with no irony that I don’t take the right drugs to appreciate Floyd.  Since I take no drugs, that may be a problem.

Exception: None

8. James Taylor

Why I’m Supposed to Like Him: Apparently he has a really great voice and plays guitar well.

Why I Don’t: Zzzzzz; and the over sincerity of his songs brings me down.  Has this guy ever had fun?

Exception: I take exception to how Taylor sucked the life out of Buddy Holly’s “Everyday”.

9. Neal Young

Why I’m Supposed to Like Him: Brilliant songwriter; talented musician; distinct voice.  Remnant of both the hippies and the psychedelic rock movement.  Considered to be some sort of statesman of socially conscious rock.

Why I Don’t: It all seems either arrogant or pretentious.  He takes things way too seriously.

Exception: I dig it when he works with Crazy Horse.

10. Frank Zappa

Why I’m Supposed to Like Him: Prolific, avant-garde, composer and musical genius who stretched the boundaries of popular music.  Incorporated every genre imaginable into his compositions and influenced every artist who wants to do something big and original.

Why I Don’t: It’s so complicated that I can’t get my head around it.  Every time I listen to Zappa I feel stupid because I don’t like it. I actually have a suspicion that people say they like Zappa so they won’t look like musical troglodytes.

Exception: I don’t even feel qualified to answer this one.