BRING IN SUMMER WITH THE BEACH BOYS!

Back in the Dark Ages When I was a teenager, it wasn’t summer unless you heard The Beach Boys being blasted at pool and lake parties and from cars as they raced down the highways.  For me, the group was merely a symbol of innocence, fun, and simplicity.  Brian Wilson, Dennis Wilson, Carl Wilson, Mike Love, and Al Jardine created great memories for many of us.  Al Jardine lived in Rochester during his early childhood years.  This connection to Rochester earned him a membership in the Rochester Music Hall of Fame, Class of 2019.

Here is a playlist of some Meyer and McGuire songs mixed with our favorite Beach Boys’ s songs:  Surfer Girl, When I Grow Up, Wouldn’t It Be Nice, In My Room, Kokomo,Good Vibrations, Fun, Fun, Fun, Sloop John B, Wendy, Barbara Ann, Warmth of the Sun, Help Me Rhonda, I Get Around, Little Deuce Coupe, & California Girls.  Happy Summer!  Enjoy!

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/43Xw23MKJQohWFPxDPMmOM?si=33e5fc8130374d7a

 

(Not a Spotify member?  Free accounts are available.) 

RECONNECTING WITH OLD FRIENDS AND COLLEAGUES

Two appropriate shows on graduation weekend!  A big weekend of connecting back to the days at CA!  On Friday, Siobhan and I played a last minute happy hour show at Iron Smoke Distillery.  Coincidentally, the late night band was Taran, a well-known rock group with two of its members being former CA students, Todd Tarantello and Bob Maslin.  Jim Shelton, another CA grad, was running sound for the band.  It was great seeing the guys, and we got to listen to their first set as we packed up.  They were terrific!

A big thank you to everyone who came to Iron Smoke for the happy hour.  We had a blast playing our tunes for you, and your positive feedback was much appreciated.  Big thanks to Tommy and Jen Brunett for supporting our music, and a big thanks to Casey, Mike, Julie, Caitlin, and the rest of the staff at Iron Smoke for being so friendly and helpful.  We’ll be back at Iron Smoke on  July 16.  Stay tuned.

On Saturday, the CA connections continued.  Bill and Chris Clark, CA grads,  asked us to play for their parents’ 50^th wedding anniversary.  Coincidentally, their mother, Margaret, was a friend and colleague of ours at CA before she went to teach in Geneva.  Needless to say, it was great catching up with all of the family and their friends, many of whom we knew from the CA days.  A big thanks to Bill and Chris for asking us to play.  A big thanks to Perry Cleaveland for joining us for this show and taking our music to a higher level as he always does.  Congratulations to Bill and Margaret, and we wish them another 50 wonderful years!

Hope you all had a great weekend!  Enjoy what is left of it, and we hope you have a great week!

  

GOING BACK TO 1978!

In 1978, I was in my fourth year of teaching English at Canandaigua Academy.  I became part of the group, Meyer Miller and Mulligan, a group who played throughout the Rochester and Finger lakes Regions.  Carol Mulligan and Steve Miller were two of the finest friends and bandmates anyone could ask for.  Many great memories.   The music of 1978 served as a backdrop to the following events:

·         Egypt and Israel sign the Camp David Accords.

·         People's Temple Jonestown Suicides.

·         First Solo North Pole Expedition.

·         United Kingdom - First Test Tube Baby Born.

·         The first Garfield comic strip.

·         Susan B. Anthony Dollar.

·         US Teachers strike.

·         US Dollar plunges.

The playlist here mixes Meyer and McGuire songs with songs from 1978: Billy Joel, Kansas, Paul Simon, Linda Ronstadt, Chrystal Gayle, Jackson Browne, Bob Seger, Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, Kenny Rogers, and Dan Hill.  Enjoy!

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/24vwifXIaF5zbEwqFHAM3g?si=0d75db40478442a6

 

(Not a Spotify member?  Free accounts are available.)