Twisted Acres

Everyone Stares: The Police Inside Out was one of my favorite Christmas gifts this year... already watched it twice. It's all footage taken with Stewart's Super8 camera between 1978 & 1982. An absolute joy to watch, especially for a rabid Police fan like myself.

Can't stand solo Sting and all of his/its pompous-ness, but Police records taught me how to play guitar, and they're still the only band from whom I can play every song. Met my wife 20 years ago playing my first gig... in a Police cover band. They'll always hold a gigantic place in my heart.

Forgive me for going on and on, but... when I was 13, my sister's friends used to have me go wait on line at the local record store to buy tickets for them for concerts. I'd get up at 5:30, walk over to the Record Baron, be one of the first on line, and always get them primo seats for Journey, Van Halen, J. Geils, whomever they wanted me to get tickets for. As payment, they'd take me.

They had me get them tickets for The Police at the Meadowlands in 1981, the Ghost in the Machine tour. This was the first band of all the bands they took me to see that I was jumping out of my skin to see. I knew every song, every video (they called them promo films back then), had every issue of Creem with them on the cover... anyway, the day of the show, my sister decides that she's gonna use my ticket and I can't go. Apparently she caught wind that Sting was kinda cute. I was devastated. Didn't get to see them in '83 at Shea Stadium, or at any of those subsequent appearances (have seen all of them individually several times).

So needless to say, this would be my first time seeing The Police, and I'm screaming with excitement at the very possibility that it could happen. Guess I'll be going across the pond at some point this summer.

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I'm especially thankful for the song "Be Thankful For What You Got" by William DeVaughn.

Hey Maudie, Patti and I hope you had a wonderful birthday, and an equally fantastic Thanksgiving with The Clan!

Hope you and that giant Sears Tower are doing well, Matt... one of the VC originals. All the best to you my man!

What a relief that the Mets were able to get back to Glavine being tied in the series 2-2. You never know what you're gonna get from Oliver Perez; 1 run in 8 innings, or 8 runs in 1 inning. Thankfully last night was somewhere in-between, and good enough to buy us one more night at Shea.

Joe did not deserve that fate. He's gonna be great with the Cubs.

Maximum vibes emanating from the Great Northeast. I hope he is safe.

Would love to see Robby back with the O's, quarter... it's where he belongs.

I'm a bundle of nerves now that it's officially the post-season.

Let's. Go. Mets.

Hey Bridget, long time no chat... I hope your birthday is/was fantastic!!!

-mart

My heart breaks for you and your family, Jeff... a mother's love is such an irreplaceable love to lose in life, but she's always gonna be with you. You're all in our thoughts and prayers.

-mart and patti

"Big game" Garcia is throwing another one-hitter. Where has he been for the rest of the year?

Where's Buerhle been for that matter? Madly inconsistent...

I was thinking of you specifically earlier today, Martin. Strength to you and yours.

Thanks Kev.

Still a tough day.

I love the guitarist and bassist for the Magic Tones. They play like they were playing to Jesus.

phone calls! you need to make phone calls!

As opposed to the post-war Martin who played with him.

 

(sorry)

oh my god, i would kill for that rug. me and casinoqueen will go in together in a letters for santa bid for that rug.

It's a lot of work getting a rug like that... a lot of work.

...and great pics, Sandy! I actually see Patti in one of the photos (she's usually good at escaping the lens).

I felt he wore his look quite well. He was superbly friendly as we discussed the two pre-war Martins he brought along to play... still the same guy under the beard!

Patti commented on how fit he looked, and how cut his arms and shoulders looked in particular (she actually had a bit of swoon in her voice... I was surprised, amused, and made a bit jealous all at once!)

Fear not; I'm sure he'll look all sexy again real soon. And I could use new glasses soon too... perhaps I'll glom his old ones from him.

man alive, sooz, I felt so bad for your carpet. It drank more than anybody... it even had a nice portion of brownies.

His parents called to make a request (or Susan called them, I'm not sure which).

Patti was on the stairs at the time... their phone rang up in the kitchen, and Susan ran up to get it.

oh my god what an amazing weekend. Great friends, great music, great food... and a glorious sunday in Chicago to top it all off. I said to Kristina and Laura that I'd be talking about this weekend at my wake.

Thanks Jeff & Susan for being so incredibly generous... thanks Sooz & Sam for everything associated with making this happen and for allowing a boatload of psychopaths into your lovely home... thanks Paul for making everything go smooothly... thanks Chandler for busting your ass to put together a fantastic sound system for both nights... thanks Healthy White Baby, Adam Fitz & Devin fucking Davis for making Friday so much fun... thanks Dan the Herbalist for knocking some of my friends out for the count... thanks Kris and Jeff for yelling "HEY JIM" enough for me to feel like I was actually at Wrigley Field... thanks Dave Mirabella for letting me borrow your epiphone... thanks Kristina for putting up with Patti and I all weekend (and for another fun ride to the airport! you're one of the most kickass drivers I know)... and thanks everybody else for making it so unforgettable and so much fun. I miss you guys already.

Jeff asked me if I wanted to use his other guitar on "kamera"... the question didn't even make it to my brain's processing area until yesterday afternoon. *shudder*

Absolutely brilliant, Rob. All the best as the new setlist dude.

Sorry I've been so remiss in my responsibilities (I've never been busier than I am right now)... but the tracks are all consistent level-wise now, and we have ourselves a disc. I just need to get raw copies over to my fellow admins. They'll ship early next week. We're close.