Devil Music

When my brother and I went our separate ways in collage we broke up one of the best CD collections EVER. He would buy some Led Zepplen while I'd buy the rest. He was going through a pretty hard core punk phase while Springsteen, U2, REM and the Replacements were my faves. It was a perfectly wonderful and eclectic collection of music. We were also on call to settle lots of music related bets while living in the dorms. One moron actually thought Candle in the Wind was some new hit by Elton John (and this was the late eighties, people). I was called in to back up a friend who insisted it was an old song. I confirmed that it was in fact an old tune and could even tell them which side of Goodbye Yellow Brick Road it originally appeared. I may not be an authority on music anymore but I still seem to know more than the average Joe (or is that Joette?).

Lately I've been in a 60's/70's kick but when I went digging for some Creedence, Van Morrison, Joni Mitchell, Fleetwood Mac and even the Beatles, they were all missing. My brother admitted having them all but they were in storage from their recent home improvement project. OH NO! He promised to spring them out of storage today. I happened to be in his neighborhood all day visiting a friend. On my way home, I called bro and asked if he had pulled the CDs out of storage. He hadn't, but he offered dinner and said he'd pick them up. I didn't want to pressure him and told him any time in the next week or so would be fine but he seemed to want to go. Cool! Left over BBQ from the 4th AND my CDs? Sign me up. He showed up with 6 flat bins of CDs. (Yes, Shandon, we're still talking jewel cases and it's got to change.). Anyway, we spent about an hour going through the CDs. I found everything I'd been looking for. Yea! Well, Fleetwood Mac Rumours is still MIA but I'll live. (Except, hold the phones, it's not available on iTunes! What's the deal? Love it or hate it, that album takes you back and I just gotta find it.)

Here is a typical exchange from the CD search:

Lucy: Do you have Pat Benetar?
Bro: (Incredulously) Do you think I'd defile my iPod with Pat Benetar?
Lucy: You're the one who spent all last weekend quoting Hell is For Children.
Bro: Oh yeah. Well, no, I don't have any Benetar.

He loves to quote something until I get it. It can drive me crazy because he refuses to reveal the source, no matter how much I ask, until I correctly call it. He just keeps repeating and repeating. Last weekend it was Hell is for Children. We were cracking up at how brutal the lyrics are. Oh how I loved that album in the 8th grade.

On the bright side I did score this little number. iPod upload here I come! I also found some Flying Burrito Brothers, Love and a few other jems. Bro was pushing jazz but it's jut not my scene today, baby.

I was listening to the killer boxed set and just when Wanda Jackson was really swingin' I heard some very strange panting and footsteps outside my bedroom window. There was some whispered chatter and more running around. Who ever it was was obviously too clueless to shut the hell up so it had to be kids. Rather than feeling scared I was completely annoyed. I rushed to the front door, swung it open and saw two teenaged boys crouched behind our oak tree. There was a car doing a u-turn and peeling out on the street. I stood there and shouted "Can I help you?!" (with no intention of offering assistance). One young man hurriedly replied "Oh, sorry!" and they both ran away. Now, looking back, I could have been walking into a drive-by shooting but it would have been the first in our neighborhood. Still, as I shut the door I said "Well, it's official. I'm an old lady." I remember marveling at how my parents could tell off teens back in the day. Now I understand that adults don't just see teenagers we actually see the word "Jackass!" or "Idiot!" before our eyes when we see youngsters. Maybe it was Wanda Jackson, she always riles me up and can bring the Annie Oakley outta any red-blooded woman, but good grief. What the heck were those fools doing out there anyway? I'll never know. I'd seen a huge raccoon waddle by my car as I parked earlier. What I wouldn't give to have seen that thing brush against those two kids tonight. What a hoot that would have been! All's quiet on the Western front now... sort of like The Shining night. Teenagers in the front yard after 10:00pm? No problem. Jack Nicholson losin' it in an empty hotel? Oh, the chills just keep coming.