What to do

I have an I-Tunes dilemma. After adding much of favorite music to I-Tunes I started creating playlists. I have one for Steely Dan and one for Todd Rundgren. The Steely Dan list includes songs by Donald Fagen, lead singer for Steely Dan, his solo work. The Todd Rundgren does not include songs by The Cars even though he is now their lead singer. He was not their lead singer when The Cars stuff was recorded. This was all fairly clear to me.

Now the problem: I have a CD by Michael McDonald. I have music in my library by the Doobie Brothers, he used to be the lead singer. Do I create a playlist for Michael McDonald and include the Doobies or do I create a playlist for the Doobies and include Michael? Are these things the same in any way? He's singing Motown, not Doobie's stuff at all.

These are the questions that plague men's souls.

Espresso -- All Jacked Up

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JezOtqsRr2s

Several reasons for posting this amazing video.

First of all, it's just amazing. Song is by one of my all time favorite artists: Todd Rundgren. The Leggo guy actually looks like Todd.

Second, this is for my niece Erin. The darling is stoically giving up caffeine for her unborn child. What a brave person Erin is. Yeah Erin!

I hope you'll all take a peek at this video. What fun.

Terrifying Truth

"All of these songs are about a paucity of truth. At first they may seem to be about other things, but that is just a reflection of how much dishonesty we have accepted in our daily lives. We are raised from birth to believe things that cannot be proven or that are plainly not true. People will often brag of their honesty, when there is so much they have simply chosen to ignore or leave unexamined.

"The fact is, we are terrified of the truth."

Liner notes from Todd Rundgren's album LIARS

Anxious to hear your responses.

I Saw the Light

I can check one thing off my life list of To-do. I saw Todd Rundgren in concert at the Nebraska State Fair. There's no way to capture the experience, no way to even remember most of it, but I shall do my best to try.

Jeff and I went to the fair about 3. Weekday afternoons are perfect for quiet wandering, not much crowd. We saw quilts, and dresses, tomatoes and beer. All produced by the good people of Nebraska. Jeff would like to be a judge in the pastry competition next year. We'll have to work on that. The photography exhibition was inspiring. We watched children play with baby goats, and the baby goats play bumper cars with each other. We laughed at a goofy clown on a diving board. He wasn't diving into water at all, he had a trampoline! We walked the midway, just for the fun of it. Saw a great exhibition of all the food products developed in Nebraska, and an industrious colony of bees doing their best to contribute.

Then the event really began. I joined the line of early groupies at 5, Jeff went to take in more sites. Only a few of us took up positions to make sure we had the perfect place in the open air hall. Not that there's a bad spot, it only seats 6000. The sound check nearly brought tears to my eyes. There he was, singing "Let's Go" and I was hearing him live. Others yelled for his attention from beyond our chain link prison, I just stood in awe.

After the sound check some people wandered away. Others of us were left to visit with each other and talk with the young man at the gate. He has obviously had some experience with chemicals in his life, they were not kind to him. But he was pleasant enough, as were the others in our gang of instant friends. "Are you a Todd fan or a Cars fan?" Most of us were able to choose one or the other, but no one was disappointed these elements would be sharing the stage.

Our friends Kim and Anita joined us after 5. Kim had scored a VIP pass. That entitled him to dinner and a meet-and-greet with the band. Jeff and Anita went in search of food and beverage. I stayed in line. Something about being there in anticipation of the concert to come kept me riveted to my spot.

At 6 the plastic strip barrier with the diamond shaped flags came down with an admonition from the gate staff to please walk. Okay, whatever. Like any of us were the type to sprint. We had just been swapping grandkid pictures, we weren't running anywhere. I walked down the aisle from the back of the house, my hand like a divining rod held out over the wooden bleachers sensing for just the right spot. Jeff and Anita joined me and the one hour wait to concert time began. We chatted with the folks around us, shared our reviews of the t-shirt selection available, and swapped concert stories.

Meanwhile Kim was off meeting the band. It was a line of folks paraded past the band like they were royals. A quick hand shake, one group photo -- no private cameras allowed -- and they were out the door. Kim was able to yell, "Hey Todd, when's the next album coming out?" Todd yelled back, "This spring, and I like your t-shirt!" It was The Who concert shirt from a few years back. Good choice Kim.

This is where words will fail me. Live music is better than recorded, like books are almost always better than movies. Even with the difficult acoustics in the barn of a building, and the mix that took some time to get just right, there was not a disappointing moment in the hour-and-a-half concert. "Drive" the Cars classic that asks the question, "Who's gonna drive you home tonight?" was the musical non-Todd moment of the night for me.

"It was late last night,
I was feeling something wasn't right,
There was not another soul in sight, Only you, only you.
So we walked along, though I knew that there was something wrong,
And a feeling hit me oh so strong about you,
Then you gazed up at me and the answer was plain to see,
Cause I saw the light in your eyes."

Song by Todd Rundgren, written in 1972 for the album "Something/Anything?" and performed wonderfully last night in Lincoln, Nebraska. Isn't that the way we know the truth about anyone in our life? Don't you have to get close enough to look into their eyes? I was pretty close to Todd last night, close enough to have taken the amazing picture here, though that credit goes to Kim. Still not close enough to see the light in Todd's eyes, but he has touched me musically for many years and last night's encounter was an amazing treat. Todd is an incredible musician, talent that rivals many in the rock world. He's in his mid 50's and yet his passion is raw and vibrant in concert. The music pours from him like sweat on a hot August night in Nebraska.

Note to my beloved niece Erin: I did not throw panties, nor did I have the opportunity to talk to Todd. Had I been given that privilege I would have asked him how his trip was and if he was enjoying his visit to Nebraska. Would that have been okay?

Tonight's the Night!!!

My very first blog was about a concert by a very special musician. I've waited and waited for this day and it's finally arrived. Tonight we see Todd Rundgren in concert. Yes, he's an aging rocker, but I'm an aging rock fan so it works. Pictures tomorrow. EEEEEEEEEE (that's me squealing with excitement).

If I should happen to run into him I even have a plan for what I'm going to say. We'll see if it happens and what actually comes out of my mouth if it does.

I just can't tell you

My husband knows who my rock obsession is, and he spent 10 minutes belittling my fantasy this weekend until he could tell I was near tears. Yes, I realize the man is now playing the free stage at a state fair. Yes, I also understand that a county fair could be the next stop. But seriously, I adore his work! Maybe he's a truly great artist and isn't interested in performing at a giant venue. Maybe he wants to connect with the people on a more intimate level. I can respect that, why can't you?

Please, do not judge him by his commercial work. He's a concept album performer. The few tunes that you would know, were I to tell you who he was, would not impress you. He's the kind of artist that you must appreciate in context. Perhaps most folks are just not musically adroit enough to grasp the complexity of his virtuosity.

Who among us doesn't swoon, just a little, over a melody that takes us back to a moment in time we should, but will never forget? (Bob Seeger, "We've Got Tonight") Who doesn't love the current 7-Up commercials for the few strains of David Cassidy that make us melt? But, it's not like that. I don't swoon, I'm entranced. I don't melt, I delve into deep contemplative states.

This concert could turn out to be the biggest disappointment since that night at Branched Oak Lake. But I don't think it will. Whatever he plays will be magic, and my fantasy will be complete.

Expecting to hear who are among your musical idols. Who would you pay $200 to have dinner with? You tell me yours, I'll tell you mine.

Until I can be sure there won't be any judging, I just can't tell you.