So here we are in february and most of us are starting to forget our new years resolutions. For the most part, I'm still all over mine. This is going to sound really ridiculous, but one of my goals was to get reconnected with music. I missed it. I know that sounds crazy, or doesn't make much sense… but a disconnect happened somewhere along the line. It's particulary easy these days to get caught up in the television craze or get lost on the internet. Guilty as charged… I'm a victim of that.
Having had a recent personalithy profile done (another blog for another day) it was pointed out to me that I needed more music and harmony in my life to "feel right". It's so true. I grew up with music pumping into my ears and it was everything to me through the high school years (alongside with girls and cars). The more things change, the more they stay the same. I still love music, girls and cars.

So, rather than seeking out new music as a focus, which I have done somewhat… I wanted to rediscover some music I already love.

For the past year or so I've been a Radney Foster addict. I was never a country music fan growing up and it was all new to me, but the more I get to know his music, the more I realize that it's not country at all. He's a great Texas singer/songwriter who is a great storyteller. He paints an incredible picture that I can project myself into easily. I can so relate to him as a hopeless romantic trying to figure all this love stuff out. It doesn't hurt that in my car he's easy to sing along with without my voice cracking ala Justin Timberlake. I love his smooth delivery and cool non descript style. Just take it in for what it's worth and enjoy it. He seems to connect as easily with men and women, but guys… if you want to listen to love songs that won't make you puke, he's the man.

I've really been digging deep and pulling out all my Paul Weller/The Jam stuff. I got introduced to The Jam when I was in college and fell in love with this band. It came out of the punk era, peaked during post punk, which is my era.. and then I got to grow up with Paul Weller and graduate to nice singer/songwriter music. Paul Weller, in all his genres is the epitome of cool and you never tire of his music. He's not trying to write a hook or a hit, it just seems to be more of a feeling. As I go back and listen to it now, it means so much more to me, probably because I'm paying attention. My favorite song of his spanning several decades is probably "Brand New Start". Paul never plays the states… I have to seen him play before one of us dies.

While I'm talking music, I have to talk about The Police. They just announced that they are going on tour yesterday. I'm already emailing with two of my best friends from high school about going to the show. Today I signed up and paid $100 to be on their fanlist and get a ticket offer to buy tix before they go on sale to the general public. They are coming to Dallas on June 26th and I have to be there. No band… I repeat NO band meant more to me than The Police did when I was in high school. They were such a party of my growing up. I've never seen them live. As much as I loved them growing up, the cost of a concert just seemed out of my range. Now… I'm not rich or anything, but I would pay ten thousand dollars to be strapped to Stings back during the show. That wouldn't be much fun for the other concert goers but I sure would enjoy it. The songs take me back immediately to all those feeling I had in high school, mostly about love, or crushes, or whatever it was back then.
This is a big freakin deal and I hope I can get good tix when they go on sale and I hope the band can keep it together and finish this tour. I was reading yesterday that Sting woke up one day and realized he needs to call Andy and Stewart and make ammends, get back together and go on tour. I think Sting is at the same place I am in my life where I am realizing what's important, wants to make ammends with people he cares about and enjoy life a bit more.

If you read through this, I hope you have enjoyed it. I have been doing this for sometime now, just not publishing it. One of my new years resolutions was to write daily. It's scary to share it and be judged. I'm going to start posting these and give it a shot. I hope we can make a connection on some level. I appreciate your time. jb