A Public Service Announcement for KISS Fans: Mandatory Holiday Viewing - by Anne Marie

My son is a huge James Franco fan and he recently suggested Why Him? for family movie night.  Why Him? came out last December.  Set at Christmas time, it features Bryan Cranston as Ned Fleming, Hollywood's version of a Midwest normal dad, going out to California with his wife and son to spend the holiday with his daughter at Stanford to meet her new boyfriend.  As a comedy, it's pretty much a ripoff of the Meet the Parents storyline, but it has some funny moments and I especially liked Keegan-Micheal Key's character, Gustav.

As we watched it, and repeated reference was made to the fact that the Flemings' favorite band was KISS, and KISS was on the soundtrack and worked into the very fabric of the plotline, I thought, "How has Colin not mentioned this? This must be on his annual holiday watch list."  And when I asked him, I was floored when he responded, “I don’t know that one!  You have one-upped me on KISS!  How is that possible?”

How is that possible?!?  This is the dude whose blog has more than 30 articles devoted to KISS, who has himself written multiple articles about the band, one in which he describes an entire Sunday morning devoted to Googling Kiss setlists and then watching the videos on Youtube and another in which he compares the finer points of Paul and Ace’s respective solo albums, and who can expertly steer any conversation towards the band, to wit this recent Facebook discussion which began as which Rock Hall nominees would become inductees in 2018, and then became which bands were fully formed on their debut album, and then somehow became an all out KISS-o-mania celebration:

James Baumann I always think of The Pretenders and The Clash as the answers to this question. R.E.M. is a good choice as well.

Colin Gawel Scott Carr I don’t think they really hit stride until Heaven Tonight. Love the debut but it’s pretty quirky.

Matt Walters KISS’ debut is pretty hard to beat, although they weren’t really “fully formed” in the sense they weren’t a whopper with cheese yet. 😉 The Jam, The Beastie Boys, Exploding Hearts (RIP), Television all have 5/5 debuts, too. I might also throw Franz and TVOTR in there too. Also You Am I but nobody’s ever heard of them.

Peter Nichols Colin Gawel Sh*t, I forgot "Get The Knack".

'Twas brilliant!

Peter Nichols I mean, the drumming alone deserves to be in the Hall of Fame.

James Baumann Matt Walters Love me some You Am I.

Steve Elshoff Van Halen.

Steve Elshoff Jeff Buckley.

Colin Gawel Matt Walters KISS is but sonically it just doesn't have the goods. Alive is really the record in my opinion.

Colin Gawel Van Halen ! duh. Facepalm.

Kyle Siegrist Metallica Kill 'Em All

Kyle Siegrist Colin Gawel IMO the Kiss debut lp is their best, but I agree Alive put them on the map.

Colin Gawel Kyle Siegrist best songs no doubt but I always play Alive for folks. Actually, they probably hit their peak on Destroyer. Artwork - sound - songs - all that jazz.

Colin Gawel Or possibly Crazy Nights.

Scott Carr Rock And Roll Over beats Destroyer all day long.....

Colin Gawel Scott Carr now you are just trolling me. Everybody knows I’m a Destroyer guy.

Scott Carr hehe....

Kyle Siegrist Remember I'm not really a Kiss fan like you or Scott. For whatever reason I personally just like thier debut best. I also really like The Elder.

Colin Gawel In other KISS related news I guess the greatest book ever written is being re released and I’m not talking about the Bible.

Scott Carr Colin Gawel I thought you were a Crazy Nights guy????

Scott Carr that book is anazing...

Colin Gawel Guess the author was on Eddie Trunk and an updated version coming out. And rumor has it Vinnie Vincent is on the cover. Seriously.

Matt Walters vinnie's also on the back cover! It's a commemorative edition specifically highlighting how overrrated he is by certain fans of the band ;)

Matt Walters I think this discussion about KISS vis-a-vis the "fully formed on the debut" comment is really interesting. On KISS boards, the debut typically is a solid #2 among fan aggregate polls (behind RARO - usually Hotter than Hell is third and Destroyer is f...See More

Colin Gawel Kyle Siegrist I think reasonable people can agree The Elder is better than The Wall.

Rick Kinsinger Am I the only one who suspects that Colin's motive for this entire thread was to turn it into a discussion about the KISS discography?

Kyle Siegrist Colin Gawel yeah that's a no brainier

Nate Puderbaugh Oasis "Definitely Maybe"

Pete Vogel Some of my fave debut albums: VH, Boston, Foreigner, The Cars, Tom Petty, Led Zep. All broke new ground, IMO.

Scott Carr Rick Kinsinger isn't that why all Facebook threads are started?

Colin Gawel Matt Walters I can't find pre order for updated KISS touring history? Can you help a brother out?

Scott Carr ColinGawel I think the only place they are taking orders is through pledge music.....

Colin Gawel Scott Carr good tip. Stumbled on many other Kiss books in my quest. You read that Elder one?

Scott Carr yeah The Elder one is good. If you have the solo album book, it's done by the same guy. Lots of info....

Matt Walters Colin Gawel I believe it sold out. Let me check the FAQ

Scott Carr Colin Gawelhttps://www.pledgemusic.com/projects/alive-forever

So if you, like Colin, are a KISS fanatic who hasn't seen Why Him? yet, or if you are just looking for another Christmas-themed raunchy comedy to pass a couple of hours, Why Him? is currently on demand.

 

SPOILER ALERT!!!!

* * *

DO NOT EVEN GLANCE BELOW HERE OR WATCH EITHER OF THE VIDEO CLIPS IF YOU WANT TO BE FULLY SURPRISED BY JUST HOW KISS "PLAYS" INTO THE MOVIE.

Attention World: Colin on Andymanathon Saturday Morning. Stream It!

Watershed and myself have a lonnnnnng history with the annual CD1025 Andymanathon charity for the kids. The late WWCD program director Andy Davis started the tradition 25 years ago when he would stay on air for 48 straight hours and play requests in exchange for donations for children's charities. Though sadly he has left us, his tradition remains alive though the current staff widely divide up the two day event among themselves.

With that is mind, I will be on air with Brian Phillips Saturday December 16th from 8-10am. (Or from after I drop off Owen at basketball practice until 10am.) The good thing about that time slot is that if you call in, and make a request-donation it usually goes on air very quickly. So, please tune in or even better, stream the show at www.cd1025.com and request your favorite Watershed-League Bowlers-Lonely Bones song. You will be glad you did.  

Call 614 221 1025 and tell Brian and myself "hello" and play a song for the kids. 

The title song to Colin Gawel and the Lonely Bones' December 2010 release. We shot the video at the "Still Love Christmas" release party at Rumba Cafe in Columbus, OH. COLINGAWEL.com

Live from the CD102.5 Big Room, Colin Gawel with "Superior" on April 10, 2010. -~-~~-~~~-~~-~- Please watch: "Brian Fallon "Nobody Wins" LIVE in the CD102.5 Big Room" → https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SvDjAwDt92A -~-~~-~~~-~~-~-

Elf Anxiety - by Andra Gillum

Elf Anxiety by Andra Gillum.

Every year just after Thanksgiving, I look forward to unpacking all our Christmas decorations.  I pull out the boxes, and the kids and I put everything in its proper place.  I must admit, however that there is one holiday decoration I wish I could leave in the bottom of the box.

The Elf on the Shelf triggers my anxiety.  I hate to admit it, but this little guy really knows how to push my buttons.

As I said, I love almost everything about Christmas.  From the decorations to the lights to the music and traditions, I l really do love it all.   It’s just that darned Elf!

It’s not that I dislike elves in general.  The movie Elf is a classic.  I love that Buddy the Elf and his Pop-tart pasta with syrup.  And how could you not root for the little misfits: Herbie the dentist and his friend Rudolph?

It’s just the Elf on the Shelf who makes me twitchy.  The holiday season is busy enough, and the stress he adds just pushes me over the top.

Every night, I’m expected to come up with some clever thing to do with the Elf, or some funny place to put him.  There are photos and ideas all over the web about it.

Somehow, I’ve gotten on an email list that sends me ideas an inspiration for my elf.  When they suggested that I soak the elf’s feet in a bath of marshmallows and call it a spa day, I decided that I’d rather leave the elf on his shelf and have my own spa day.

My kids show me You Tube videos of all the clever things that other elves do.  Someone’s naughty elf actually wrapped their entire Christmas tree in holiday paper.  I’m lucky to get all the gifts wrapped.  Never mind ribbons and bows.

Then there’s the Elf Shaming.  My daughter comes home from school with stories of all the silly and clever things that her friends’ elves did.  She tells me how bad she feels that she has nothing to share. Mom guilt.

Plus, the pressure goes on all month long!  That means 24 nights of anxiety.  24 days of trying to think of something new and different.  

There have been nights when I have finally climbed into my warm bed after an evening of wrapping gifts.  I’m half asleep when I am jolted awake by the realizations that I have forgotten to do anything with the elf.

I’m certain that I am not the only one with elf-anxiety.  A friend posted a funny picture on You Tube of an elf wearing a full leg cast.  He left a note for the children saying that he wouldn’t be able to move from the shelf for 2-3 weeks.  That’s one smart mom.  

I hate to come across as a Grinch because I really do love Christmas, and all the fun traditions for our kids.  Maybe we can just shorten the elf’s visit from the North Pole?  How about a nice, 3-day weekend?  Who’s with me?

I mean no offense to any Elf lovers out there.  I applaud your enthusiasm and perseverance.  We’ll just have to agree to disagree.

So, whether you love the Elf…or count down the days to his departure, I wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!  

 

Andra Gillum is a Pencil Storm contributor and the author of the children’s books “Doggy Drama” and “Puppy Drama” and “Old Doggy Drama”.  Learn more or order online at www.doggydrama.com.  Like us on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/doggydrama.   

If you work for a school, or know of one who would be interested in an author visit, please contact Andra at andrag@wowway.com.  Follow Andra on Twitter @GillumAndra

 

What OSU Players May Leave Early? Baver Answers Colin's Questions

Colin: What are your thoughts on the CFP final four? Did they get it right?

Baver: I don’t have a huge beef with it. Would Bama have gotten the nod if they weren’t Alabama”? Probably not. Did Ohio State deserve the nod over Bama for the last spot? You can certainly make a decent case for it. But when you lose by 31 pts to unranked Iowa, you made your own bed. The thing I hate the most is the “choosing the BEST team” argument. If you take that argument literally, Bama is in the playoff every year, and is your #1 seed in that playoff every year. Hell, a 9-3 Bama team would still get in, while a 12-1 Wisconsin team with a similar strength of schedule would not. It’s complete hogwash that this is a so-called focus point of the committee.

Colin: Did JT's performance in the Big Ten title game hurt the Buckeyes chances to leap frog Alabama?

Baver: I think OSU winning by less than a TD did indeed hurt them, and JT certainly wasn’t himself against Wisconsin. His ability to move laterally was diminished big time, and I am not sure he throws those picks if he were healthy. The Iowa game aside, JT does not throw many picks. The guy is a warrior and deserves major praise for playing 6 days after surgery. I didn’t think he could pull it off.

Colin: Was this Buckeye team, with JT starting capable of winning a rematch with Clemson and how damaging would another bad loss be to the 2018 Buckeye chances of getting into the CFB?

Baver: I honestly think they could have beaten any of the other three teams, had OSU edged Bama for the last spot. Ohio St could have also lost to any of the three. And a healthy JT woud have been OSU’s best option to beat Clemson, Georgia or Oklahoma. You would have gotten a much better showing out of Ohio St if they had a playoff rematch with Clemson. As for part two of your question….no doubt about it. The committee had Clemson’s 31-0 beat down of the Buckeyes last year in the back of their mind, when they chose Bama over Ohio St.

Colin: There is now an early signing period starting on DEC 20th. How does this affect OSU and what do we need to know about the upcoming class?

Baver: Ohio State currently has 17 verbal commitments. Here is the breakdown: 9 recruits have said they “will” sign early; 3 say they will “likely” sign early; 3 are undecided; and 2 say they will sign in February. There isn’t a lot of shakeout from this new rule with OSU’s class or any other big program’s class…at lease not yet. It will be interesting to see what happens with those who don’t sign early.

As for this OSU class, it’s the top rated class in the nation right now. Urban and his crew have been machines on the recruiting trail the past two years, more so than before when their recruiting was “merely” elite. They may lose 4-star QB prospect Emory Jones. But the verbal commitment the Bucks just got from 3-star QB Matthew Baldwin would ease that loss a bit. Baldwin looks like a major diamond in the rough, and might end up being a better college QB than Emory Jones.

Colin: On a similar note, what Buckeye players should leave early for the draft and/or possibly sit out the Cotton Bowl to avoid one final risk of injury before finally getting paid to put their bodies on the line? 

Baver: It appears no one is sitting out the Cotton Bowl. Someone told me that game is meaningless. Tell John Cooper that (most) bowl games are meaningless, and he’ll probably be on the phone to Andy Geiger shortly thereafter. Sitting out bowl games is a double-edged sword, in my opinion. But leaving after your 3rd year is usually an NFL prospect’s best choice. Eight OSU guys might forego their 4th year: Weber, Campbell, Dixon, Prince, Dre’Mont Jones, Hubbard, Baker, and Ward. Hubbard and Ward are almost certainly out the door. Dre’Mont is likely gone too. I’d put the over/under at 5, in terms of the # of Buckeyes leaving with eligibility left on the table. Maybe I stay one more year if I’m Isaiah Prince. If I am any of the other 7 guys, I’d probably be leaning toward leaving.

 

Wes John Cichosz Threads the Needle with New Record - by Matt Walters

In order to succeed in today's music industry, artists are frequently encouraged to have the widest possible appeal. 

Be immediate.

Be universal.

Don't ever be obscure!

After all, in this digital download age, instant gratification has become the calling card of the marketplace. To satisfy restless fans in the ADD era, where tens of millions of entertainment options are available at any possible second, there is simply no room left for an emerging artist to try to be an acquired taste. There's too little mantle space left to display a newly-discovered curio, anyway, with all of the instantaneous access we have to million of songs. Yes, it would be sheer folly for any artist to attempt to become that unlikely favorite you loudly champion in that back room to your oldest friends, as the hours turn from late to early, and as the scotch runs three fingers deeper....

..and yet, against all odds...Wes John Cichosz will be exactly that thing, should you give him the opportunity. 

Cichosz's sophomore effort, "The Moon Threads a Needle" is an exceptional triumph of nuance and subtlety. Each of the nine tracks are a distinctive blend of sophisticated musicianship and incisive lyrical wit, set against a backdrop of uniquely imaginative arrangement. 

It's the early solo work of Paul Simon (at his most sardonically clever and concise) blending with hints of Steely Dan at the height of their tragically sharp wit and stupefying arrangement powers. It's the muscles of Zappa's compositional prowess flexing to couple with the mellifluous delicacy and dynamics of the great late-70s solo artists: Lowell George, Loggins and Messina, and yes, Boz Scaggs. 

If these seem contradictory, believe me, they should be. This record should be a convoluted, disastrous mess. However, "Moon" is quite the opposite. Wes has painstakingly synthesized these sharply distinct ingredients into an cool, organic, cohesive stew that simultaneously cooks and flows. 

In a word, it's fucking brilliant.  (Okay, that's two words. Here's two more: Sue me.)

The album opener and lead single, "Everybody Says," contains so many things that "everybody" would probably caution you against doing in a song these days...beyond the ridiculously irresistible chorus, of course. 

There's way too much exposition before we hit the first hook.  There's way too little volume going on to excite and titillate the impatient, and there's way too many key changes to grab the listener. Ah, but grab you, it does- and his songs don't exactly do a good job of letting go, once their hooks sink in. As it turns out, the acoustic exposition is utterly crucial to change your ear from hearing to listening, while the space within the Royal Scam-influenced verse lets the wine of the words breathe, and the chorus arrangement features a sophistication that is curiously never overbearing despite its playful dance. 

This track is a tour-de-force of all things that encompass the totality of Cichosz: the top-shelf musicianship featuring his brilliant acoustic guitar phrasings and virtuoso-caliber saxophone; the deliberate arrangements that always sound effortless beyond the complexity they betray to the careful listener; the iconoclastic, against-the-grain philosophy of the sharp-tongued anti-hero he crafts, his voice filled to the brim with the rough-hewn character and subtle dynamics that his incredible lyrics demand. All of it is channeled through an observational-but-cutting lyrical humor that is woven to tie it all together, standing steadfast, just on the dry side of dry, just on the funny side of helpless, just on the right side of cynical despair. It's crucial to it all. 

The title track spills out of that first song in the second position, almost as a plaintive sigh of relief, as a wheeze of a guitar phrase that resolves into a caesura, and then breathes into a pleasant, understated melodic theme. "The Moon Threads A Needle" is the perfect linking verb in the first paragraph of an essay, featuring beautiful reeds and a nice set of harmonies over an anti-chorus, which is really more of a resting point between complex musical passages than a hook. Still, it manages to get into your head in the most subversive of ways. The highlight actually threading the needle is a dizzying middle eight, conjuring instrumental Zappa in the perfect part of his compositional career- after he abandoned the cheap thrills of pure satire, but before he waded so far into the synclavier that he forgot how to really make a band routinely dazzle an audience. 

I've always felt there was a natural link between album sequencing and a proper batting order in baseball, and so the most immediate and best pure pop song of the album, "Kittens and Ice Cream," coming in at #3 in the lineup (the best hitter for average), tickles me even beyond memes of the two titular nouns ever could. It's thematically reminiscent of "Something in 4/4 time" from the underrated 1980 Daryl Hall solo LP "Sacred Songs" (where Daryl's catchy commentary on label executives goes nuclear after a Robert Fripp guitar break with reversed rhythm patterns is inserted into an otherwise tailor-made radio hit); here we have a common-key, artfully crafted pop song with an insidiously toe-tapping chorus admonishing us of the evils of modern consumerism. The punchline is everything, though. Wes' sarcastic optimist still hopes for the best, despite "the clear and present manger never seem(ing) so far away", wishing that "one day skies will open up to equal rain." He's always riding the edge with a wink and a smile, rather than cynically diving over it. I love that. 

I could go track by track and reveal all of the details I've personally mined from this incredible album, but to do that would simply rob you of the discovery I hope you dare to make for yourself. All of the other tracks contain similar musical and lyrical depth, and like all other exceptional albums, it's almost impossible for me to choose my least favorite song. The "Blackout" opening lyrical couplet is a brilliant observation on life's spell of diminishment (one I've definitely felt resonate while occasionally lost in the wilderness of my own head in an increasingly confusing music industry); "Important Stallion" showcases Wes' supple, modular, crack band of Chicago professionals in their hottest bebop shuffle, behind the beat but aggressive...a loose feel, but tight as hell; "Bottle Made of Twine" pushes the sonic climax of the album into progressive territory, in ways that are truly daring...but never truly pretentious, with breathtaking dynamic contrast through it all. "The Birds of November 6th" contains the sweetest jazz vocal harmonies, borrowing all the right things from yacht rock while checking the self indulgence at the door. "The Only Day" is a fitting exercise in the confident restraint of a great songwriter, and "When Molly Got Lost" has an undeniable roll of a rhythm paired with an infectious call and response.

In another era, Wes John Cichosz would be a Signed, Fully Financed Artist, one who would already be making his way around sold out mid-level venues with the muscle of a Columbia or Warner Bros behind him, as he gathered momentum towards the next phase of his career. Yes, he's that good. It's sad that with the evaporation of truly exploitable financial opportunities in the music industry, some truly deserving artists can't get the exposure to lead them to that Big Break. However, like Wes' lovable anti-hero, I also happen to be a not-quite-cynical optimist, preferring to believe that one day skies will open up to equal rain, too, and that the Wes John Cichoszs of the world will get their due alongside the other great songwriting virtuosos we already know. My advice is to jump on board now... because it never goes out of style to be the first one of your friends to find a gem like him.     Click here for his website

 

Matt Walters is a retired professional poker player, theatre industry Union thug, lead guitarist and keyboard player for Roxy Swain, and the songwriter, vocalist and frontman of Sixcups. When not negotiating, recording, or performing, he is typically found at Galloping Ghost in Brookfield Illinois, setting high scores on obscure Japanese arcade games. He still resides in Oak Park, IL after all these years, and is occasionally persuaded to write about music.

Wes John Cichosz performing "Everybody Says" at Sofar Chicago on May 26th, 2017 Click here to come to a show in your city: http://www.sofarsounds.com/signup For a new gig every day, along with playlists, features and more, subscribe to Sofar here: http://bit.ly/SubscribeToSofar Find us on Facebook and Twitter for more information - http://facebook.com/sofarsounds http://twitter.com/Sofarsounds http://facebook.com/sofarsoundschicago http://twitter.com/SofarChicago http://instagram.com/sofarchicago Artist: Wes John Cichosz http://wjcmusic.com http://facebook.com/wjcmusicinc http://twitter.com/wesjohncheese http://instagram.com/wjc_music Filmed by: Chris Owsiany, Alex Kapp Edited by: Alex Kapp Audio by: Dan Norman of Mystery Street Recording Company http://mysterystreetrecording.com