And I thought love was only true in fairy tales.
The legend of the Monkees is that they didn’t write their own songs, they didn’t play their own instruments, the whole think was fake.
WRONG!
The Monkees were the first indication that we’d won. That the old guard, the establishment, our parents, were no longer in control. We had our own sitcom on TV. Featuring our music. That was a gigantic breakthrough.
But what was even better was the music was great! In the case of “I’m A Believer”, spectacular! Credit the songwriters, credit the delivery, but never forget it was a band, which came together through obtuse circumstances, like so many, but went on to not only create music, but stay together, even after their eponymous television show had been canceled.
And Micky Dolenz might have sung most of the songs.
But Davy was the front man, he was the cute one, he was the one the girls swooned for, the one we wanted to be.
Even better, he had a sense of humor about himself. He was funny back then, and knew he’d lived a charmed life until it all ended today.
Here we come
Walk down the street
We get the funniest looks
From everyone we meet
There’s not a baby boomer alive who does not know “(Theme From) The Monkees”. This was not a Justin Bieber sideshow, the Monkees had more impact than Mr. Bieber or Lady Gaga. They were ubiquitous in a three network world where we were addicted to the radio when we weren’t in front of the tube.
There are classic album openers, like “Gimmie Shelter” and “Back In The U.S.S.R.”, and “(Theme From) The Monkees” is a member of this club. You’re hooked from the initial drumbeat. And unlike modern hip-hop culture, the listener didn’t feel excluded, put down by the group, but invited in.
But the hit was “Last Train To Clarksville”. It played all fall until… “I’m A Believer” took over and owned the airwaves, through Christmas and beyond.
A magical track, “I’m A Believer” pivoted on Micky Dolenz’s breathy vocals, but we didn’t see it as a solo cut, but a masterpiece by the Monkees. It still puts a smile on my face today. I played it incessantly back then. I have never ever burned out on it. In a pre-Internet era where we didn’t have our music on demand, you listened to the radio until they played your favorite song and then you went out and bought it.
Which I did.
I even bought the songbook, so I could play the songs at home, on my guitar. Not because I thought I was gonna be rich and famous, but because I wanted to share in the joy.
And I’m stunned how joyful I feel when I hear “Pleasant Valley Sunday” today. I’d given up at this point, as you often do. I bought the first three albums and then dropped out, but years later I realized I was wrong, this was a killer track.
But, once again, Davy did not sing the lead vocal.
But not only did Davy carry the hit “Daydream Believer”, he sang “I Wanna Be Free”, “This Just Doesn’t Seem To Be My Day” and “Look Out (Here Comes Tomorrow)”, which were as big as the hits to we who wore out these vinyl records.
I saw Davy twice in recent years. Once at the Pollstar Awards, where he demonstrated the aforementioned sense of humor about himself and last summer at the Greek, as part of the Monkees reunion.
At Pollstar, Davy talked about being a fading, aged rock star. The bills for college. He mocked his height, or lack thereof. And was essentially shilling for work, that’s why you present at the Pollstar Awards.
At the Greek, the band played all the hits, we reveled in the memories. They showed video, we marveled over who we once were. It was thrilling, but shortly thereafter they broke up once again and the rest of the tour was canceled.
And that’s the story of rock and roll, of being a fan. We want our bands to last forever. But they almost never do. The alchemy is so fragile. But the music remains. We put our faith in it. It keeps us going.
Such that when one of its purveyors passes to the other side, we’re shocked. We thought they’d be here forever, with us, like the music. We looked up to them. If they’re old and gray and pass away, what is to happen to us?
I don’t know if Davy Jones went to the doctor. If he adhered to his prescription. In any event, he’s now gone. He was a thread, however thin, to what once was, my formative years, I didn’t have a bad memory about him. But if he goes, that means I’m next.
Yes, we baby boomers are heading into our sunset years. And as we’re shuffled off the horizon, they want to rewrite our history.
Let it be said that we were mad about the Monkees. Their music stands the test of time. They were trailblazers. They were not hula-hoops, used briefly and then discarded with disdain, but a group of four men we embraced warmly. They let Jimi Hendrix open for them. They created one of the first psychedelic films. Hell, to get “Head” you’ve got to be high on drugs. It was co-written by Jack Nicholson before anyone knew who he was. Don’t pigeonhole the Monkees as a trifle, as a mere footnote, as puppets. With their television show on the air it showed us not only that we had won, but the music was the decisive weapon in our battle. Soon bands like the Jefferson Airplane would be testing limits, we’d all gather at Woodstock and blow the mainstream’s mind.
We owned the country. It was now ours.
And it would have happened slower, and it would have been different without the Monkees.
Great songs, great performances… If that ain’t the essence of music, I don’t know what is.
Davy, we’ll never forget you.
by Bob Lefsetz.com/wordpress
]]>03/09/2012 - 12:00pm
You must register for Music Dealers before you can submit to jobs.
Music Call:
Our client is looking to license a rendition of “Flight of the Bumblebee.” This is for a children’s toy brand commercial so they want it to be upbeat / fun / whimsical. Feel free to switch up the instrumentation as long as it doesn’t vary too much from the original composition and the desired emotion requested by the client.
Genre:
Classical / Various
Emotion:
Upbeat / Fun / Whimsical
Vocals/Instrumental:
Instrumental
Duration:
Full Songs
]]>Appearing in the journal Pediatrics in 2010 (published online on May 17, 2010), a study conducted by Harvard researchers found that relatively low-level exposure to common pesticides doubles kids’ risk of ADHD. The researchers took urine samples of 1,139 children, aged 8 to 15 from across the United States. They tested for signs of exposure to various organophosphate pesticides used on commercially grown fruit and vegetables. Ninety four percent of the children showed evidence
of the compounds. At the same time, interviews with the children’s mothers, or another caretaker, revealed that about one child in 10 met the criteria for ADHD, the approximate estimate for the general population. “That’s a very strong association that, if true, is of very serious concern,” said researcher Marc Weisskopf of the Harvard School of Public Health, who worked on the study. “These are widely used pesticides.”
The findings of this study are not surprising. Originally developed for chemical warfare, organophosphates are known to be toxic to the nervous system and pesticides are designed to
kill pests. That they might also have a toxic effect on the nervous system in humans is not a huge leap, and especially in children who are more sensitive to their effects as their nervous systems are still maturing. Most children across the US eat non-organic fruits and vegetables, a large number of which, according to a 2008 report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture cited in the study, have detectable levels of pesticides. And though exposure to pesticides has been linked to learning and behavioral problems in children in the past, previous studies have focused on high-risk populations like farm workers. This study was the first to examine the effects of exposure in the population at large.
The solution is obvious. People should buy organic fruits and vegetables whenever possible and especially of the “dirty dozen,”or those foods most contaminated with organophosphate pesticides. According to tests by the consumer organization Environmental Working Group (EWG), these would include the following fruits and vegetables:
According to the EWG, the following 15 fruits and vegetables are relatively low in pesticide residues:
Washing and peeling fruits and vegetables and eating a varied diet will further help reduce potential exposure to pesticides. National surveys have also shown that fruits and
vegetables from farmers’ markets contain less pesticides –even those that are not organic.
Sources for this article include
http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1989564,00.html
http://news.discovery.com/human/adhd-pesticides-children-behavior.html
About the author:
Sharon Heller, PhD is a developmental psychologist who specializes in books on holistic solutions for anxiety, panic and sensory processing disorder. She is the author of several popular psychology books including Anxiety: Hidden Causes, Why your anxiety may not be “all in your head” but from something physical (Symmetry, 2011) and Too Loud, Too Bright, Too Fast, Too Tight, What to do if you are sensory defensive in an overstimulating world (HarperCollins, 2002). She can be contacted via email at info@sharonheller.net and via her website, www.sharonheller.net.
Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/035156_pesticides_children_ADHD.html#ixzz1oRssxlfu
]]>All about the money
Despite the thousands of ingredients already deemed safe for use in personal care products, cosmetic companies are always looking for new ways to manipulate customers. To get a leg up on the competition, these companies change their formulas to include previously unused and formerly untested ingredients just so they can market them as new and improved. Of course this doesn’t mean that they actually work better, just that they are slightly different.
Not wanting to lose out on a major source of revenue, Avon has bowed to the inhumane requirements of the Chinese without a fight, reports People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA). This from the company who announced to the world in June 1989 that it was permanently ending all animal testing, including testing performed in outside laboratories. However, since Avon created a loophole in their public promise that they “will conduct animal testing only when required by law” it is possible that they have been testing on animals for years, and without informing customers.
Estee Lauder has a similar loophole, using the law as an excuse for unnecessary cruelty. PETA reports that Estee Lauder also complied with the Chinese requirements without a fuss, and without telling customers who still think they are supporting a cruelty-free company. Of the major three, Mary Kay is the only one who is trying to convince China to change their policy, but is still using animal testing in the meantime.
Humane methods
Testing on animals is completely unnecessary. In addition to the thousands of ingredients that have already passed the testing phase for safety and efficacy, there are non-animal methods of testing that produce the same results. Companies such as the non-profit Institute for In Vitro Sciences, Inc. not only employs these cruelty-free in vitro methods, they also teach them. Through workshops and webinars, laboratory staff are able to learn how to determine an ingredient’s safety without injecting, force-feeding or topically applying ingredients on or into helpless animals.
The Institute for In Vitro Sciences is currently forming a coalition of experts to hopefully instruct Chinese scientists on humane testing procedures, according to PETA. Over 1,000 companies already use compassionate methods and do not support animal testing, and not just when it is convenient.
Some companies that test on animals, or are owned by one that does
Colgate
Unilever
Dove
Johnson & Johnson
L’Oreal
Garnier
Lancome
PZ Cussons
Procter & Gamble
Herbal Essences
Companies that never test on animals nor hire others to do so
Nature’s Gate
PureOlogy
Arbonne
Seventh Generation
Almay
Paul Mitchell Systems
Alba
Botanica
Natura Essential
Planet
Wet N Wild
Companies that do not keep their promise to consumers need to be told that compassion and public trust are more important than money and marketing.
Sources for this article include:
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals: Avon, Mary Kay, and Estee Lauder Are Paying for Tests on Animals
http://www.peta.org
Institute for In Vitro Sciences: Home
http://www.iivs.org/
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals: Search for Cruelty-Free Companies and Products
http://www.peta.org
Opposing Views: Top Cosmetic Companies Quietly Resume Cruel Animal Testing
http://www.opposingviews.com
Uncaged Protecting Animals: How to Spot an Animal Testing Company
http://www.uncaged.co.uk/animaltesting.htm
One Green Planet: Top Cosmetic Companies Reportedly Resume Animal Testing
http://www.onegreenplanet.org
About the author:
Sarka-Jonae Miller is a health writer and novelist. She was certified as a personal fitness trainer through the National Academy of Sports Medicine and the Aerobics and Fitness Association of America. She also worked as a massage therapist, group exercise instructor and assistant martial arts instructor.
Miller’s premiere novel, “Between Boyfriends,” was recently published http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B006Q6TSCS/ref=cm_cr_mts_prod_img
Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/035078_cosmetic_companies_animal_testing_cruelty.html#ixzz1ngr6rSWL
]]>“But he told me that most of the time he stayed on the boardwalk, facing the water, just the way we were sitting now, even when it got cold and he had to wear his newspapers after he read them. And I asked him why. Why didn’t he go to one of the shelters? Why didn’t he check himself into the hospital for detox?
And he stared out at the ocean and said, “Look at the view, young lady. Look at the view.”
And every day, in some little way, I try to do what he said. I try to look at the view. That’s all. Words of wisdom from a man with not a dime to his pocket, no place to go, nowhere to be. Look at the view. When I do what he said, I am never disappointed.”
Last page of Anna Quindlen’s book titled A Short Guide to a Happy Life.
]]>
Of the drum shell types discussed here, the “solid” shell shown to the left is the only one that is of ONE piece of wood with no support or glue.
Many in the drum industry use the generic term ’solid’ to describe all manner of segmented, stave and steam-bent single ply drums.
Our friends at Oregon Drum are among a handful of companies around the world offering a ‘true solid’ shell. In the case of their Myrtlewood Series, solid is truly a seamless shell lathed from a round of kiln dried, relaxed wood. In other words, a hollowed out tree trunk. No other construction method allows the wood to freely offer it’s contribution to the sound of your drum the way a true solid does.
Not All Wood is the Same
OK, time to talk about the wood types. As you know, there are many types of trees, each producing a different kind of wood. Some is suitable for shell construction, others aren’t. So what make it suitable? Here a several key reasons:
|
Woods used in cheap drum sets (such as eucalyptus, bass wood, & tulipwood) tend to be in great supply and are very workable, but don’t finish well. This is why they are wrapped with some type of solid or patterned plastic.
A trick some companies use it to add an outer layer of higher quality wood such a maple or birch for staining. Be sure that the drums aren’t sold as “all” maple or birch.
Popular woods used in semi-professional to professional drum shells include maple, birch, and mahogany. Each wood type gives the drum a different sound due to the “character” of the wood. Here’s what I mean by character…
Hard vs. Soft
There are always exceptions to the rule, but these properties usually hold true. Now we have to ask which woods are hard or soft? Let’s look:
The Big 3
Starting with mahogany, it’s the softest of the three. Mahogany’s sofness gives it the lowest tone of the group. You can expect good bottom end punch with this wood.
Keep in mind that the mahogany discussed here is of high quality (i.e. African Mahogany). Many cheap drum sets are made with the cheaper mahogany that is commonly found on hollow doors. The price is less but the tone suffers.
Maple falls in the middle when it comes to both hardness and tone. The pitch is higher than mahogany’s, yet it is considered “warm” when compared to birch.
Maple is very popular among many drum makers and drummers alike. Keller Drum Shells has been key to the mainstream popularity of maples shells. The great tonal range, natural beauty, and large supply should keep it on the “most popular” list for years to come.
The final wood to consider is Birch. Since it is the hardest of the group, birch has the brightest sound. It is also very attractive with a nice staining wood grain. The volume you can achieve with birch makes it a pick for drummers in live settings (who like it LOUD!)
Shell Size and Thickness
Depth or Diameter?
We all know that small drums have a high pitch and larger drums have a low pitch. Why is that?
1. Shell diameter (how big around) affects pitch more than any other factor. Based on that, a 16″ tom will sound much lower than a 10″ tom no matter how deep it is.
2. Depth plays a role in the tone (how high or low) but has a greater role in sound projection. Your personal taste, type of music you play, and especially the setting you play in will dictate what shell depth may work best for you.
Thick or Thin?
The thinner the shell, the more it will vibrate and give a rich wood tone. The volume will be less than thicker plies though.
The thicker the shell, the less if will vibrate, but the louder the drum will be, giving preference to the attack of the head rather than the tone of the shell. This is why thicker shell are used for snares and bass drums!
In closing, here are several rules of thumb to keep in mind:
Observe your property at different times of day. Consider which areas receive the most sun, which are in shade for much of the day. Depending on where you live, if sunshine is a scarce commodity, you will want to expose plants to receive as much as possible. On the other hand, in desert regions, you will not want your plants to be in the area most likely to be parched by sun exposure. Also think protecting your garden from the paths where strong winds tend to blow through your property. Even a small property will have microclimates — notice these and plant accordingly to give different plants either more sun or more shade according to their preference.
Avoid disease-prone plants which require time-consuming chores such as spraying and pruning by the gardener. Select plants which will thrive in your area rather than those which will require extra labor on your part to protect them from the environment. As far as possible, select plants which serve multiple purposes, such as fruit trees which will put forth blossoms in one season, fruit to pick in another, and provide shade for when you want to sit and enjoy your garden’s natural beauty. Native plants are also more likely to attract local pollinators such as bees, and to draw butterflies so that your garden contains even more natural beauty.
Raised beds require less physical effort on the part of the gardener and also benefit plants, providing better air circulation, more protection from spring chills and improved usage of water. Raised beds also mean a small permaculture garden is an option even for apartment dwellers and others with little available space since you can rely on containers and vertical gardening principles.
One of the key concepts of permaculture organic gardening is to avoid waste. Having a garden gives you a means of re-using natural waste such as eggshells, apple cores, coffee grinds as well as yard waste which many people throw away. You can either purchase or make a compost bin to turn this organic material into gardening gold which can be used to help your plants grow.
Modern gardeners who do not follow sustainability principles tend to draw heavily on piped-in water resources, often using hoses and sprinklers to make plants which require abundant water grow in a desert climate. Permaculture organic gardening tries to use natural water as much as possible, maximizing the use of groundwater and rainwater. Rain barrels allow you to collect rainfall and extend its use over longer periods of time.
Eschewing the use of chemicals does not have to mean a garden full of pests. You can use companion gardening principles, growing plants which deter pests near those which attract them. There is also a natural synergy between some plants which means planting them near each other increases your yield. Also, just as some herbs have a medicinal effect on human health, they also offer benefits to plants which grow near them. For more information about companion planting, visit http://www.appropedia.org/CCAT_companion_planting and http://www.gardeningknowhow.com
If you have space and live in an area where it is permissible to keep poultry, chickens can make a wonderful addition to a permaculture garden. If they are permitted free-range for most of the day, they will consume many pests. Chicken manure also contributes beneficial nitrogen to the soil of your garden.
Sources for this article include:
http://www.safecom.org.au/permaculture.htm
Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/035038_permaculture_gardening_how_to.html#ixzz1n8uxPTIt
]]>
1. TALK.
If you can talk with someone and learn what is interesting or important to them, you can usally write a song together. Don’t be afraid to open up.
2. LISTEN.
The reason a skilled songwriter can write a song from a conversation is that he or she listens to what’s being said and draws an idea from that. The song is out there; you just have to hear it.
3. FOLLOW THROUGH.
Nothing is more frustrating to a co-writer than a demo that never get recorded or a lyric that never gets written. Whatever your responsibility is, get it done
4. EXPERIMENT.
The whole point of a co-write is to try something new. Don’t insist on doing what you’ve done before.
5. BE HUMBLE.
Don’t rub you’re credits, accomplishments, or current success in your co-writer’s face. You will both have ups and downs. Keep them to yourself.
6. BE CONFIDENT.
No matter how new to the game you are you’ve somehow made it into the co-write session, so your opinion is worth something. Present it with confidence.
7. BE HONEST.
If you don’t like something, say so. If you don’t want to finish the song, offer to let the co-writer take his or her part back or bring in a third writer to finish it.
8. BE PREPARED.
If your a lyricist, come to the session with some tittles or concepts I. Mind. If you’re a composer, have a musical progression started. At least it gets a conversation going.
9. BE OPEN.
If your co-writer doesn’t like your idea, or has a different one, then try something else. The things you stumble on are usually the most interesting.
10. HAVE FUN.
Songs written in misery usually sound, well miserable. If you’re stuck on something , take five, go have a slice, tell a few stories, and come back to it. This isn’t life or death.
11. GET A SIGNED SPLIT LETTER AT THE END OF YOUR SESSION!
Eric Beall
]]>