NOTE: This is a post I wrote from my old blogspot blog. But hey, I feel like sharing today. Bear with me on this one. I had a great time last night at the Times Union “Meet The Bloggers” event at the Albany Pump Station. TU bloggers Kevin Marshall and J. Eric Smith did a…
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Congratulations, Albany City School District – you officially have no soul
After I read this report about what the Albany City School District is doing to Harriet Gibbons High School, I want to throw up. The Albany City School District finally got what it wanted. It’s going to shut down Harriet Gibbons High School after 40 years of that school helping students who need a hand. …
Read MoreBread and Butter: The Layered Film Experiment
What I’m about to do is not the kind of stuff you’re supposed to do with film. Then again, when in blue blazes have I done ANYTHING you’re supposed to do with film? There is a very small but fascinating subset of the lo-fi photography movement. It involves actually “layering” film – putting TWO rolls…
Read MoreRemembering Ralph Vartigian and the “Good Ship News”
It’s the early 1970’s, and we’re in the era of B.C. (Before Cable). Since there weren’t any “morning news” shows in 1972, our entertainment for the morning – before catching the school bus – was an assortment of Popeye the Sailor and Three Stooges cartoons, maybe even some single episodes of Rocky and Bullwinkle. But…
Read MoreHappy 40th, American Top 40!
I remember hearing a snippet of the radio show in 1975. At the time, I had never heard a countdown radio show before – I knew that WPTR used to count down the top 5 songs of the day at 9pm or thereabouts, but I was not aware of a radio show that actually played…
Read MoreChuck Miller, 1950’s boogie piano player
Blogger Chuck Miller talks about 1950’s boogie-woogie piano player Chuck Miller, who had a Top 10 hit with the rock song “The House of Blue Lights.” The blog post includes audio clips of “The House of Blue Lights” and several other Chuck Miller songs.
Read MoreFireworks at the Empire State Plaza: 2010 Edition
6:15 p.m. Here I am, waiting. The fireworks at the Empire State Plaza are three hours away. One of the entertainment groups, The Happenings, is on stage and going through their big hits, including “I Got Rhythm” and “See You In September.” When it comes to vintage rock and pop groups performing at festivals like…
Read MoreAlbums I Want to be Buried With: ‘63 Mönröe, “Stinkin’ Out the Joint”
In this edition of “Albums I Want to Be Buried With,” Chuck Miller talks about the glam-punk rock album “Stinkin’ Out the Joint” by the Canadian band ‘63 Mönröe, and the time he saw the band at an emotional reunion concert.
Read MoreWhy “A Few Cards Short of a Deck” will be short a few cards at Summer Bowl 1
Ed and Melissa, two of the members of the trivia team A Few Cards Short of a Deck, are getting married this weekend and going on their honeymoon shortly after that. Congratulations and many blessings for your marriage. Of course, this eventually means that they won’t be able to participate in the upcoming Summer Bowl…
Read MoreThe History and Legacy of “God Bless America”
NOTE: I wrote this article for Goldmine magazine; it was published in October 2001, just immediately after the September 11th terrorist attacks. I worked with Richard K. Hayes of the Kate Smith Commemorative Society on the original article. This article has been updated for this blog post reprinting. They stood at the steps of the…
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