Every year, the Manhattan Beach Unified School District shuts down for a week in February. No, this isn’t an early Spring Break. It is known as Ski Week, and many families flee the 90266 and head to the lands of the ice and snow (Mammoth, Big Bear, Utah, Tahoe, etc) at a time when most of America would be happy to never see snow again.

Having grown up in St. Louis, where snow is typically not welcomed for its recreational purposes (other than sledding at Art Hill – often after a bottle of Jack Daniels) the fact that folks voluntarily do this is puzzling.

Of course, others here in the neighborhood take the opportunity to hop on a plane and head to paradise – Hawaii! (And that would be my choice…)

So, in keeping with the local customs, my wife and son just headed to the mountains for a one-day ski trip while my daughter spends the day packing in preparation for a weekend in the mountains with her youth group.

Me? I’m working and enjoying a beautifully sunny day.

With the recent loss of a dear friend, seeing this completed video reminded me how fleeting our youth really is, although in some ways we always want to stay Forever Young:

A dear friend of mine from high school passed away recently, which led to the receipt of emails from people I haven’t heard from in 30+ years. Then today I was talking to my mom about my grade school.

And then, I noticed some friends on Facebook commenting on Alice Cooper.

Alice Cooper is one of my heroes, so I felt compelled to respond. Since I took a few minutes to write some comments, I figured I should share them here, too.

Since it’s hard to link to a Facebook comment stream, I’m just recreating the thread:

From Tony C:

Listening to Billion Dollar Babies for the first time in years. An odd pairing of Donovan and Alice on the title track. Out of character for Donovan that’s for sure.

From Bob C:

First concert ever was Billion Dollar Babies tour. I was and still am a big fan of the original AC band. Influenced me to get an SG for my first electric guitar. After BBB, I wasn’t so crazy about Muscle of Love when it first came out but, have since come to like it a lot. Look up old vids on YouTube. Some crazy shtick going on there.

From Bob K:

Alice Cooper is at the top of my all-time favorite lists and Billion Dollar Babies is such a classic record!! Their last great record, too.

@Tony: I remember hearing that title track the first time, and thinking – wait, who’s that singing, it’s not one of the band. When I grabbed the cover and saw Donovan’s name in the credits, I was like…why would they do that?

My favorite song on the album is the opening track Hello, Hooray, though. Those lyrics are total rock n roll and fit the Alice persona so perfectly. Interestingly enough, he didn’t write them but he has certainly lived them for the last 40+ years.

The original Alice Cooper band was certainly amazing live, but that string of recordings (Love It To Death, Killer, School’s Out, Billion Dollar Babies) and partnership with Bob Ezrin (Love It To Death was the first record he produced!) was was so far beyond what was happening at the time.

@Bob: April 13, 1973 at the Arena. Yep, I was there with my friend Lindy (RIP). Opening act was Flo & Eddie (with Aynsley Dunbar on drums). By that time, guitarist Glen Buxton – the man with the SG – was so lost, they would plug him into the backline but he cut him out of the live house mix….

That wasn’t my first concert, though – that honor goes to the Alice Cooper/PG&E/Dust show at the Arena Annex on December 17, 1971.

If you ever get a chance, read Bob Greene’s Billion Dollar Baby – on one hand, it’s an awesome insiders look at what touring as a top act in the early 70’s was like, and on the other hand it is a stunning chronicle of a band on the verge of collapse.

Not only does he score a “10″ from the judges for his obscure hipster rock reference to Eno’s Taking Tiger Mountain (By Strategy) in this post, but it’s the purpose of the post that is killer: a link to his brilliant video editing job (and YouTube posting) inspired by that whole Muppet Bohemian Rhapsody thing.

This time, the Muppet’s dream is rock and roll glory, and the soundtrack is none other than Overnight Sensation (Hit Record) by our favorite power-pop standard bearers The Raspberries! (Yeah, look it up, kids…)

During some online banter on Facebook the other day, someone mentioned that a former bandmate of mine had been a classmate of his. Curious as to said bandmate’s current whereabouts, a Google search easily led me to his LinkedIn page. Within hours, we were trading emails and reminiscing.

While we haven’t discussed revisiting all of the months we spent working out our songs in his basement oh so many years ago, there is another reunion related to the late 70’s St. Louis punk/new wave scene that should not be missed if you are going to be in the area – two legendary St Louis bands from back in the day are reuniting: Raymilland and The Welders!  St. Louis - based BDR Records has been fueling the reignited interest in the St. Louis scene, and will be putting more logs on the fire by releasing CD’s by both of these bands in the coming months.  Be sure to check out BDR’s Facebook page to revisit the good old days!

This show is one of those rare instances that I’ll be sorry to be in LA instead of St. Louis:

Reunion concert/release party with:
Raymilland
Bunnygrunt
Medical Tourists
and a special appearance by The Welders

This is a release party and reunion show for Raymilland. They are a legendary St. Louis post punk band that has not played live since 1981. All four original members will grace the stage and play loads of material from their about to be released retrospective. The archival release “Recordings ‘79-’81″ will be available at this show on CD or as a limited LP/CD package!

The Welders are a late ‘70s all-female Punk/Pop band that will have an archival release on BDR Records in early 2010. They will make a special, one time reunion appearance at this show as well. BDR Records co-presidential bands will open the show.

Off Broadway – 3509 Lemp Ave – St. Louis MO, 63118
Saturday,December 26, 2009
Door: 7pm Show: 7:30pm
ALL AGES admitted

Next weekend (November 20 and 21), I’ll be joining Faith UMC’s Devotion Band to provide music for this year’s Drama Ministry presentation, The Wiz . Tickets are still available for all three performances although Saturday’s dinner has sold out.

Also next week, I’ll be working once again with my friend Pete Sheppard, our guitarist from the Last American Heroes days!  He’s asked me to do a vocal track on a Bob Dylan song for a project he’s putting together. And in early December, it’s time for more writing with Doug Sparks.  If you haven’t given My Own Gallery a listen, you are definitely missing some great tunes.

Recommended Reading: One of the few music-related blogs I subscribe to is called Clicks and Pops.  Alex has a unique gift: incorporating his deep knowledge, understanding and love of music while sharing his personal (and sometimes very personal) memories.  Basically, his writing reinforces the concept that music truly is the soundtrack of our lives. 

His recent post reflecting on his search for a particular Harry Chapin song (Sniper, about Charles Whitman’s shooting rampage at the University of Texas) brought back some memories of my own, which I shared in the comments on that post.  Also in the comments section, you can read an inspiring message from Mike Grayeb, who coordinates the annual Harry Chapin Memorial Run Against Hunger.

Off to rehearsal…

Mike V & Robert K @ the King’s Harbor Cafe

Saturday, October 10 @ 7:30 pm

We are appearing as part of the King’s Harbor Cafe 2009 Concert Series. Join us for a rockin’ night of original music. Mike and I will be joined by Jerry Wood (bass) & Randy Harris (drums) to make this a first for us – a full band show!

Facebook event

Driftwood @ American Martyrs Parish Fair

Saturday, October 17 @ 1:30 pm

This is the first official appearance of Driftwood! The band formerly known as the Knights of Columbus House Band – or the Rockin’ (k)Nights – finally escapes the Manhattan Beach Knights of Columbus hall where it started over a year ago to entertain thousands at the Parish Fair! We’ll be playing 2 hours of your favorite 70’s and 80’s covers – only in the light of day with our shades on! Join us, won’t you?

 Hope you’ll come down for a rockin’ night of uplifting, original music. 

Mike V and Robert K

Plans are in the works for another King’s Harbor Church concert in the Hidden Door Cafe with my friend Mike V on October 10th. This was originally scheduled for earlier in September, but now we’re adding drums and bass, so stay tuned. You can follow both Mike and myself on Twitter for up-to-the-minute details.

Also, the group I’ve always fondly refered to as the Rockin (k)nights are soon to be formerly known as the Knights of Columbus House Band. Yes, we will be announcing our new name soon, as well as a probable appearance at a certain church fair in October. Again, stay tuned…

And for all of you FX’ers: be sure to mark your calendars for September 12 – you are not going to want to miss this one. Details will be posted soon on the blog.

Okay, enough teasers…now get back to work!!

Another rockin (k)night of covers with the House Band at the Manhattan Beach Knights of Columbus Hall.  I really enjoy doing these gigs with my friends from American Martyrs because my buddies let me play lead guitar!  We’ll be playing hits from the 70’s and 80’s such as “867-5309″, “Should I Stay or Should I Go?”, “Summer of ‘69″, and “My Sharona”.  There’s also a few Rolling Stones, John Mellencamp and Tom Petty tunes in the mix. 

We’re also celebrating some special birthdays so be sure to join us.

Saturday, August 29
Knights of Columbus House Band
7:00pm – 11:30pm
Knights of Columbus Hall
224 1/2 Sepulveda Blvd (2nd Floor)
Manhattan Beach, CA 90266

Map: http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=224+1%2F2+Sepulveda+Blvd%2C+Manhattan+Beach%2C+CA

Band Members:
Kevin Baxter – vocals/guitar
John Haberstroh – bass
Robert “Bob” Kuhlmann – lead guitar/backing vocals
Tommy Moreno – drums
E.J. Wells – guitar/backing vocals