I spent Sunday dog sitting with Arturo, pictured above. I am thinking about getting a dog. Wanted to see how I would react with a dog in my space. Outside of 1 accident on my carpet we got along fine. He was my little shadow. Until J. came over and got him fired up. Which was cool. He got to jump on J for a while and give me a break. After J.'s visit we chilled on the couch watching movies. When he was not tring to hump my arm or pillow, he sat on my lap and watched Finding Nemo. I dont know if he knew what was going on, but he seemed to be paying attention. His owner says he will watch animal plant when they are showing other dogs or fish. ( This is the kind of dog I want. One who will bark like crazy when bad people stop by, but is content sitting on his doggie pillow watching Animal planet or Tyra Banks next top model show.)
My father was in town over the weekend ,and mother sent me a box of things that was in storage in her home. I guess she is like, keep your shit in your own house since my brother got a box of stuff as well.
Looking through this box was like a episode of this is your life the early years.
It had my pinewood derby car I made when I was a boy scout. Old ribbons for wrestling and track in high school, garters from the various proms I went to. ( I was straight back in those days :-)
What really took me way back were the collection of tour programs of my favorite groups. What is really funny to me is that most of the people that I know who will read this was under 3 years of age when most of these events took place. For example, Prince's Purple Rain tour in 1984, followed by the Lovesexy in 1988 (My personal Favorite) The Jacksons Victory tour, Madonna's Who's that Girl Tour. Luther Vandross with Debarge. The Jody Watley Larger than Life Tour. The Wham America tour ( do you remember them?)
I never really considerd myself a fan of hip hop, but I never missed the Fresh Fest at the UIC pavillion. Saw acts like Run DMC, Dougie Fresh, Whodini, Roxanne, UTFO, Alexander O'Neal and Cherelle, Force MD's Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam. I paged through the old Budwiser Superfest shows from 1984 with Ready For the World, Morris Day and the Time, Teena Marie, Frankie Beverly and Maze, Gladys Knight, and Patti Labelle. This was during the time when they were not restricted to a 90 minute set. Patti could sing until the spirit left her. Bands would have never ending jam sessions. The 80's were a great time for live music.
The group I saw the most was New Edition. I think I saw them every time they played Chicago. I go back to the I'm leaving you again and Mr. telephone man, Cool it now, Lost in love and My secret days with Bobby still in the group. I was a die hard fan. I had all of the albums, even have a copy of the All for Love tour. Bobby left they got Johnny Gill and released NE Heartbreak. With cuts like Crucial, If it isn't Love, and to this day you can't say Can you stand the rain is still not the jam.
New Eddition has been around for 20 years now. They are one of the most under rated groups around. If it was not for them at lot of groups would not be getting paid. There would be no New Kids on the Block, Backstreet boys, Nsync, or 98 degrees. When NE left Maucice Starr's label, Maurice was savy enough to get 5 white guys, with a pop sound with a slight R&B beat and sell it to middle America. New Edition would never achieve the commercial success of the current incarnations of boy bands. Not since the Jackson 5 have we had a black boy band. There was a niche for New Edition. Since New Edition the only black group who had potential to compete on the commercial level with the white boy bands was B2K and they are fucking up too early in the game.
My mother also sent my old poster collection and magazines. I know I kept Cynthia Horner in business. I was a loyal reader of Right ON magazine and Black Beat. I collected every picture I could find of Janet, Prince, Madonna, Sheila E, and Vanity.
These Artists provided the soundtrack of my youth. That box took me on a nice trip down memory lane. Now back to my so called life.
Comments (2)
That was hilarious, and you know you were OH SO RIGHT. What I am surprised is that I didn't see Loofer or Anita Baker there. I'm surpised you didn't go see that one at Rosewood.
Posted by ej | February 20, 2004 5:30 PM
Posted on February 20, 2004 17:30
I saw Luther and Anita at Rosemont Horizon. Moms made me go to all his shows. Back in the day that was all she listened to.
Posted by wood | February 20, 2004 6:26 PM
Posted on February 20, 2004 18:26