Hello all, and a happy mid-week to you. Just wanted to put together a brief post to stay in the writing zone.
I'm pretty tired tonight; a car alarm kept going off every half hour or so last night from midnight until almost 4:00 AM. It sounded as if AAA finally came and towed it away, so it must have been an electrical problem. I had long since conceded defeat to getting a decent night's sleep by then, unfortuantely. I can get by on 4-5 hours, but I got less than three last night, and I'm feeling it right now.
One other, much more positive, reason I'm dragging a bit is that I'm running again. I'm still in the very early stages, where my only goal is to rebuild my stamina. I had an online appointment with my doctor this morning, who is also a runner. She nodded sympathetically when I mentioned I'd started up again. She agreed that the first few weeks of starting again from scratch (which I am, for all intents and purposes) just, well... suck. :c) There's nothing to do but keep the big picture in mind and work through it. It will be worth it in another 2-3 months when I start seeing serious results. And having done it once before I know the payoff will come. So as the blog title says, it's through with the two step, each day.
As I've mentioned in recent posts, I'm determined to get out of the long-standing rut where I've been for too long. Without going into details, my doctor's appointment today will help. As we were finishing she said she knows I'll get past this rut, and said I'm one of the most determined patients she's ever had. That was a nice thing to hear. Positive feedback like that goes a long way.
OK, that will do it for now. I'm off to take a shower, then hopefully get a decent night's sleep. Ciao, everyone...
***
I was sorting through moving boxes over the weekend and pulled out an old favorite from my record collection: Robert Plant's second post-Zeppelin solo album, The Principle of Moments (1983), which for me is his best solo album.
I'll start with a song that was running through my head (no pun intended) during yesterday's jaunt through the neighborhood - "Through With The Two Step."
Next is one of the album's two hit singles - "In The Mood":
One reason it's such a great song is the unmistakable drumming of Phil Collins. I was lucky enough to see Plant's tour to support the album - his first as a solo artist - and even luckier because Collins was the dummer in his touring band. I've never understood the flack some people give Collins; the man was a monster drummer. Just listen to the drums in the song's instrumental break, around the 3:05 mark. Seriously great playing.
(Having watched the video for the first time in I don't know how long, I have to say: it is really, really weird. lol I still haven't figured out how the housewives at the 1:28 mark figure into things... but I sure do love their look! Maybe for my next Halloween costume...)
The other hit from the album was "Big Log." I don't care much for most music videos, but this one is a standout; it perfectly captures the song's dreamy, mysterious, other-worldly feel.
I always loved how it ends too; you get the sense this scenario plays out over and over as each new person arrives.
I'll wrap up with my favorite song from Mr. Plant, one which never actually appeared on an album proper. "Far Post" was recorded during the sessions for Pictures at Eleven, Plant's solo debut album from 1982, but inexplicably didn't make the album. Again, Phil Collins drums are a highlight:
It's funny what you remember; I distinctly recall this song receiving extensive airplay on WBCN-FM & WCOZ-FM, Boston's two biggest rock stations at the time, in the fall of 1982. I have vivid memory of hearing it on COZ's Thursday night Top Ten countdown that autumn as it climbed the chart all the way to the top spot. Quite impressive for a song that at the time was only available as the B-side to an import single (if memory serves). I liked it enough that I trekked all the way into Boston to Newbury Comics (which is still around and still great) to buy the single. And all these years later it still sounds great...
'Til next time, everyone...
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2 comments:
"Far Post" was played a lot here in Lexington too. I remember it well. I like the Knofler style guitar licks especially.
Plant's solo work never grabbed me like the Zeppelin stuff. It really demonstrates that Page's tastes ruled the day. Much like Mick Jones's work post-Clash, there is a real departure into territory that would never work in the group dynamic.
My fave Plant song comes much later: "Twenty-nine Palms". More timeless than the initial solo work, which is so steeped in 80's production.
Good luck with the running, wish I had the gumption to
do it myself. It's been seven or eight years now, and I don't see it returning.
Hi Leslie! Apologies; I didn't see this until this evening. I agree that the guitar part definitely adds quite a bit to the track. I think it was Robbie Blunt, if memory serves. I'm a huge Mark Knopfler fan, so that's certainly one of the reasons I like "Far Post" so much.
I like Plant's solo albums quite a bit; I admire his determination to keep truying new things. That said, I hear you about the production on some of those Eighties albums. It's so distracting on Now & Zen in particular, and Skaen & Stirred to a lesser extent, that I hardly ever listen to those two (other than "Little By Little," which I love).
The running is going fairly well, although my allergies are making it a challenge and definitely slowing me down (literally and figuratively). We're supposed to have rain tomorrw afternoon and evening, so hopefully that will help clear the air of the pollen.
BTW, it's never too late to start running again! :c) I found the Couch To 5K (C25K) app to be invaluable. It takes you from not having run at all to running 5K (3.1 miles) in nine weeks. It works; I did it several years ago and was close to 10K before I messed up my knee and had to stop, followed by the pandemic shutting me down. (About the only good thing from the pandemic, though, is that my knee finally healed on its own becuase of the enforced rest). Anyway, just wanted to throw that out there for you!
Hugs,
Cass
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