Back in Action III *

July 25

* OK, I think I’ve worn out this theme . . .

I’ve always wanted to smash a guitar over someone’s head. You just can’t do that with a piano. ~ Elton John

And OK again, I didn’t take this photo. NASA did. I need a grabber for Facebook postings . . .

July 17

Playing guitar is a never-finished journey. ~ John Fogerty

[The most usual of the usual suspects . . . ]

[Assembled at Jack’s Pub at Carlos Creek Winery . . . ]

[To see and hear Anthony Miltich . . . ]

If you want music to be your livelihood, then play, play, play and play!… ~ Eddie Van Halen.

I grew up in a world that told girls they couldn’t play rock ‘n’ roll. ~ Joan Jett.

I’m just a guitarist in a kick-ass rock and roll band. What more could I ask for? ~ Eddie Van Halen

If you really love guitar, you’re going to spend every waking hour stroking the thing. ~ Frank Zappa

July 19

Don’t use your brain to play it, let your feelings guide your fingers. ~ Jimi Hendrix

[Then it was on to the Tuesday Night Club at the Garden Bar on Tuesday . . . ]

[It was a full house for the boys . . . ]

Everyone has their own sound, and if you’re heard enough, folks will come to recognize it... ~ Chet Atkins

The guitar is a small orchestra…Every string is a different color, a different voice. ~ Andres Segovia

I would advise you to keep your overhead down; avoid a major drug habit; play everyday and take it in front of other people… ~ James Taylor

[My medium rare, 6 oz. filet mignon with smoked guoda mashed potatoes with corn succotash was more than tasty . . . ]

Melvin D. Lamar, age 91, of Alexandria, MN died on Saturday, July 16, 2022, at the Sauk Centre Nursing Home. A Celebration of Melvin’s life will take place on Saturday, August 13, 2022, at 11 AM at the Vie Church in Alexandria. A visitation will take place one hour prior to the service at the church.

[Mel was a local legend and guitar tutor to many. He often played with the guys of Tuesday Night Club . . . ]

[I thought this a great shot of Mel posted by Terry Kennedy . . . ]

July 22

No heron is an island . . .

But for their cries, The herons would be lost Amidst the morning snow. ~ Chiyo Ni

Memory in these incomparable streets, in mosaics of pain and sweetness, was clear to me now, a unity at last. I remembered small and unimportant things from the past: . . . blue herons on the marshes . . . ~ Pat Conroy

There was an infinity of greens, rendered all the greener by splashes of red hibiscus and the herons floating past, so white and big it seemed as if sheets hung out to dry had suddenly taken wing. ~ Geoff Dyer

July 23

Art is about building a new foundation, not just laying something on top of what’s already there. ~ Prince

I like Hollywood. I just like Minneapolis a little bit better. ~ Prince

I like constructive criticism from smart people. ~ Prince

[Jerome Newsom reprised the role of Morris Day performing The Bird from the movie Purple Rain (canned photo). We “ran into” him in the theatre parking lot. The Super wondered how he got such a great spot. I reminded that her was a member of the band, an assumption on my part . . . ]

My hair is capable of doing a lot of different things. ~ Prince

[Killroy was there . . . ]

[Killroy has problems shooting behind because he has to tilt his head far back to focus through his bifocals . . . ]

When I first started out in this music industry, I was most concerned with freedom. Freedom to produce, freedom to play all the instruments on my records, freedom to say anything I wanted to. ~ Prince

People say I’m wearing heels because I’m short. I wear heels because the women like ’em. ~ Prince

I learned from Jimi Hendrix. They all wanted him to do the tricks, and at the end of his career, he just wanted to play. I lived longer than he did, and I can see how those pressures can really play with your head. ~ Prince

[Our view from seats E1 and E2 . . . ]

I don’t want anyone to fail, so if you can make money off music even though you can’t sing or dance, that’s genius. ~ Prince

[Part of the regulars of the regular crowd . . . ]

I don’t talk to old people; they try to find ways to stay static. Young folks are the ones with the ideas and constantly moving forward. ~ Prince

You ever get that feeling that you just have too many hits? ~ Prince

[TLHD’s executive director Nicole Mulder greets the attending masses . . . ]

Each audience is different. ~ Prince

[Chase & Ovation take the stage (well, actually this is at the end during the wrap up and encore (Purple Rain) when the entire audience felt comfortable taking photos) . . . ]

I’ve always understood the two to be intertwined: sexuality and spirituality. That never changed. ~ Prince

Well, my musicians are my friends. ~ Prince

[The guitar player on the far right is Alexandria’s own Spencer Bradley Christensen. His Alex background was oft noted during the performance. The Super and I went to his high school graduation party. He then matriculated to McNally Smith College of Music in St. Paul. And he recently turned 30 . . . ]

[Brian “Snowman” Powers on saxophone . . . ]

I like to open people’s eyes. ~ Prince

At one time, MTV was hip and suddenly it became outdated. ~ Prince

My bankers are very happy with me. ~ Prince

[Chase noted that at the time, VH1 polled its listeners and When Dove Cry was voted the No. 1 dance song. I don’t dance, but When Doves Cry is my favorite Prince song . . . ]

YouTube is the hippest network, and they abuse copyright right and left. ~ Prince

[And a well-deserved standing ovation . . . ]

[Say good night folks (a 2 1/2 hour show) . . . ]

Good night!

July 25

This morning. 61 degrees. Victoria Heights. Alexandria, MN. Where Ozzie and Harriet lived on every corner. Perfect.

This is where I grew up (well, got larger). Playing ball, fishing unabashedly from other people’s docks, and otherwide enjoying the life of Ozzie and Harriet . . .

I didn’t grow up in a mom-and-pop, Ozzie and Harriet type of environment, but who did. ~ Lucinda Williams (Well, me.)

We lived a lovely, middle-class, suburban life in Philadelphia. And I really thought that the TV programs of the ’50s, like ‘Father Knows Best’ and ‘The Adventures Of Ozzie And Harriet’ Nelson were documentaries filmed with hidden cameras in our neighborhood. ~ Richard Corliss

Man, y’all make the Addams family look like Ozzie and Harriet. ~ Tami Hoag

Well, when I was growing up it was Ozzie and Harriet on TV – nobody’s parents were like that. ~ Liza Minnelli (Well, mine.)

I really wasn’t too interested in writing “Father Knows Best” and “Ozzie And Harriet.” I thought they were pleasant enough, but it wasn’t really what I wanted to do. ~ Garry Marshall

Those rosy memories we all share are actually memories from our favorite TV shows. We’ve confused our own childhoods with episodes of “Ozzie and Harriet,” “Father Knows Best,” and “The Brady Bunch.” In real life, Ozzie had a very visible mistress for years, Bud and Kitten on “Father Knows Best” grew up to become major druggies, and Mom on “The Brady Bunch” dated her fifteen-year-old fictional son. ~ Cynthia Heimel

The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet is a TV program that first aired in 1952 on American Broadcasting Company. The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet ended in 1966. (poemofquotes.com)

The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet was on for 14 seasons and 435 episodes. The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet is created by Ozzie Nelson. (poemofquotes.com)

[Just looking for a strong finish . . . ]

A night none of us will soon forget…

A BIG THANK YOU to the community of Alexandria, and to the gracious hosts of a MOST beautiful Theatre L’Homme Dieu who helped us welcome a *SOLD OUT* crowd to this Central MN gem of a Performing Arts Center. ..

Such a special night we all had this weekend coming together in Celebration of LOVE.. LIFE.. AND THE MUSIC OF *PRINCE!*..

The energy in this room and the love shared with one another is everything we could have hoped for during our visit with our neighbors to the North..

We’ll certainly be back to see you all again..

BIG Love…