I like the album, and I trot it out a couple of times a year. But it always sounds a bit like it's stuck in its time. Its staying power is surprising. 1986 is a weird year for music.
I've grown to detest the term "content," and its cousin "repurposed content," but I wrote this a few weeks ago on another page in response to someone asking what people's first concert was:
"My first show? None other than Huey Lewis & the News. December 1986 and the Memorial Coliseum in PDX. No Rose Garden yet, so this was still /the/ place for big bands to play. My dad got us tickets for Christmas, and we went with 2 of his fellow computer programmer friends. We looked like extras from "Halt & Catch Fire."
This was the sort of story you keep to yourself as a teenager, but the truth is it was an amazing show. Bruce Hornsby & the Range opened and were fantastic (nerd alert: my dad excitedly pointed out that Range bassist Joe Puerta was also in Ambrosia).
Going to a show completely wrecked my frame of reference of what music could be and what it meant to see live performances. We didn't know it yet, but that would also be one of the last things my dad & I ever did together; he passed away suddenly less than 2 weeks later."
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And it was a great show! I'm not sure that I fully grasped the sociopolitical message Hornsby was singing to us, but it was blatantly obvious even to everyone in that hall that he--and the Range-- had enormous talent. It was dad rock even then, but I sure dug it that night in the arena. And as a dad now, it sounds as good as ever (I'm listening to "Long Race" as I type this).
And +1 to everything CJ said about reforming gun laws in this country. I can't believe we're in a place where we can't even agree that kids should not be killed while watching "Lilo & Stitch."
Sure, change is hard. But we've done it before. Within weeks of 9/11, we stood up an entire government agency, revamped a multitude of laws, and completely changed the travel experience for every American. And the truth is, for every joke about "theater" or "thousands standing around," the system works. I see it every day at work. We can do hard things. We just have to have the will to make it happen. We're really good at doing that when the enemy doesn't look like us. We're terrible at it when the call is coming from inside the house.
I know we've all said it far too many times now, but I hope /this/ time is different.
Kevin, first of all I’m sorry for your loss all those years ago. Your dad sounds like a great guy. Second, this is a fantastic story! I really dug Huey Lewis’ first two albums, and he and Bruce have a decades old connection to each other. Great stuff!
Another great post. I remember the song and some vague association with the Dead. I was deep into rockabilly in 1986 and neither BH or the GD were of much interest. I'm looking forward to listening to the album today. So much stuff that I dismissed as a teenager in the 1980s sounds pretty good these days.
Jun 1, 2022·edited Jun 1, 2022Liked by Ken Warshaw
About 3 weeks ago, “The Way it Is” popped into my head and I gave it a spin. For the first time in my life, I heard the lyrics “ah, but don’t you believe it” correctly (I previously thought it was “ah, but doncha believe it?”). Got me a bit choked up. Great pitch and a worthy addition. Cheers, fellas.
Beautifully said, CJ. As far as I’m concerned, our “rules” are insignificant when you have something so powerful and moving to say.
I wasn't expecting you guys to agree on this album. Do Yacht Rock next.
Paul, if I’m being honest, I didn’t think the three of us would agree either
I like the album, and I trot it out a couple of times a year. But it always sounds a bit like it's stuck in its time. Its staying power is surprising. 1986 is a weird year for music.
I've grown to detest the term "content," and its cousin "repurposed content," but I wrote this a few weeks ago on another page in response to someone asking what people's first concert was:
"My first show? None other than Huey Lewis & the News. December 1986 and the Memorial Coliseum in PDX. No Rose Garden yet, so this was still /the/ place for big bands to play. My dad got us tickets for Christmas, and we went with 2 of his fellow computer programmer friends. We looked like extras from "Halt & Catch Fire."
This was the sort of story you keep to yourself as a teenager, but the truth is it was an amazing show. Bruce Hornsby & the Range opened and were fantastic (nerd alert: my dad excitedly pointed out that Range bassist Joe Puerta was also in Ambrosia).
Going to a show completely wrecked my frame of reference of what music could be and what it meant to see live performances. We didn't know it yet, but that would also be one of the last things my dad & I ever did together; he passed away suddenly less than 2 weeks later."
##
And it was a great show! I'm not sure that I fully grasped the sociopolitical message Hornsby was singing to us, but it was blatantly obvious even to everyone in that hall that he--and the Range-- had enormous talent. It was dad rock even then, but I sure dug it that night in the arena. And as a dad now, it sounds as good as ever (I'm listening to "Long Race" as I type this).
And +1 to everything CJ said about reforming gun laws in this country. I can't believe we're in a place where we can't even agree that kids should not be killed while watching "Lilo & Stitch."
Sure, change is hard. But we've done it before. Within weeks of 9/11, we stood up an entire government agency, revamped a multitude of laws, and completely changed the travel experience for every American. And the truth is, for every joke about "theater" or "thousands standing around," the system works. I see it every day at work. We can do hard things. We just have to have the will to make it happen. We're really good at doing that when the enemy doesn't look like us. We're terrible at it when the call is coming from inside the house.
I know we've all said it far too many times now, but I hope /this/ time is different.
Thanks for sharing that memory, Kevin. And thank you for your spot on example of how things can change for the better if we really want them to.
Kevin, first of all I’m sorry for your loss all those years ago. Your dad sounds like a great guy. Second, this is a fantastic story! I really dug Huey Lewis’ first two albums, and he and Bruce have a decades old connection to each other. Great stuff!
Thank you! It was a great night; we had a lot of fun.
Another great post. I remember the song and some vague association with the Dead. I was deep into rockabilly in 1986 and neither BH or the GD were of much interest. I'm looking forward to listening to the album today. So much stuff that I dismissed as a teenager in the 1980s sounds pretty good these days.
About 3 weeks ago, “The Way it Is” popped into my head and I gave it a spin. For the first time in my life, I heard the lyrics “ah, but don’t you believe it” correctly (I previously thought it was “ah, but doncha believe it?”). Got me a bit choked up. Great pitch and a worthy addition. Cheers, fellas.