Nightflying: The Entertainment Guide

Perhaps you will all be relieved and actually continue reading this column when I tell you what it’s not about: real estate. I realize that I did say that my next few columns would be about the misadventures of selling a house…maybe I’ll pick up that subject again at a later date. For now, I didn’t do well patience-wise and pulled my hacienda off of the market. It could have been because I foolishly expected that my house would sell in a heartbeat…it also could have been that I wanted to be able to drape my entire house in underwear, if I so chose.

Being that I actually did do something in a musical vein, I figured that I would comment on that instead. I should add that I just had a birthday. I mention this because said musical event and said birthday took place 2 days apart.

So, the music thing came first. I heartily thank my dear friend Mike Kennedy, program director of The Point, 94.1 for putting me on the station’s guest list at Juanita’s to see Eric Johnson on August 16th.
I don’t miss Eric…ever. I have been an adoring fan since I first heard his Tones album in 1986. The way that man can fuse pop, rock and jazz styling never ceases to blow me away. His albums are always such a pleasurable journey to explore and savor. I love his instrumentals, but just go nuts for his vocals…his soft, yet powerful voice is such a rich compliment to his music.

Eric’s fans definitely fall into the “music geek” category, a group that I am proudly a member of. Many, like myself, were raised on tons of progressive rock…we own Yes albums and Kansas t-shirts. The more complex and lengthy the instrumental, the more happily geeky we become. Names like Rick Wakeman and Carl Palmer make us bow to the Prog God.

I was even told some wonderful Eric Johnson Urban Mythology from my friend Colter McCorkindale. Colter is a terrific musician in his own right and I love to talk guitar with him. As I’ve told you guys many times before, I couldn’t play a guitar if my very life depended on it, but I am a monster fan of the craft. Colter told me that Eric’s ears are legendary…that he can hear the difference between an Energizer and a Duracell battery…when they are powering his gear, of course. Once you see him play live, you won’t doubt anything that you hear.

I love to people watch. Typically, I feel like Grandma with the Juanita’s crowd. It’s just a fact of life…I’m 42…my big clubbing days were pretty much over by the time that I turned 30. I think that’s a pretty accurate demographic for today’s club crowd, so you do the math. The Eric Johnson crowd is typically my age and older. I did see some young guys in the crowd. It gave me hope for the music of the future. The really intriguing thing about Eric’s fans is that they are so not typical of other live audiences. They don’t just listen to Eric’s music. They study him…they watch intently. I swear…people stop breathing when he takes a solo. I have also witnessed his fans taking notes…literally sitting there with a notebook and pen in hand, writing down everything that he does.
Unfortunately, reality had to kick on. The 2 cold hard facts were: 1) I’m not 25 anymore and tend to wear out by 10 and… 2) I had to get up at 5 to go to work. Yes, I have a real job now.

It bummed me out because I was having such a great time…running into old friends from my radio days like Queensryche Mike. Mike is a bigger Q-Ryche fan than I am and that’s saying a great deal. He recorded an interview that Casey Jones and I did with Geoff Tate and Chris DeGarmo back in 1988 or 89. (Mike, please, please make me another copy of that interview!) It was when they were here, opening for Metallica. Metallica was touring for …and Justice for All.

It was an amazing couple of days…and an incredible show. It was February, freezing cold, and everyone on the tour was sick. We even had to miss out on meeting James Hetfield, as he was fighting the flu. We did have a great time hanging out with the rest of the band, and of course our new friends, Queensryche. As I gave Mike a hug, I remembered all of this great stuff…and wondered if anyone in radio now got to experience any of the things that we did back in “the day.”

Jeff Allen from The Point was there as well. He and I go all of the way back to the Magic days…we love to reminisce about the old days as well. He left me a message a couple of days ago, telling me about plunking down big bucks to see The Rolling Stones and commenting on how much he missed the cheap concert tickets from the old days. Cheap? (I thought to myself….) I miss the really glorious days when they were free and I got them for every show (Thank You, Tom Wood, for always taking care of us!)
Ok, so it’s not 1988 anymore and I’m not 25 anymore but that’s ok. I found out that there was an interesting time line that took place during the week in question: Eric Johnson’s show was on 8/16…I turned 42 on 8/18…. Eric’s birthday was 8/17…he’s 51…. Let’s add more…The Rolling Stones return to Little Rock in March…need I say more?

Rock and roll burns inside your soul: once the fire is lit, it keeps burning…42…51…or Keith Richards…. the beat goes on…

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