My Most Important Drumstick

Amongst the plethora of both damaged and unused drumsticks that constitute my personal arsenal, there is one that remains though all the others be thrown out. It stays firmly ensconced among the other sticks, mallets, brushes, rods, & drum keys, despite the rather high turnover rate of the other residents of my stick bag. It is never played. It never gets used. Its purpose in the bag is symbolic and sentimental, reminding me about things more important than any music I could make with it if I chose to pull it out.

It was hand-carved from the wood of a tree by a great uncle of mine during the Depression. He wanted to become a drummer and, given the rough economic dynamics of the time, was required to make his own drumsticks in order to pursue his dream. When he had to leave to fight in the most horrific and widespread war this world has ever known, he gave the stick to his parents and told them that should he not return, he wanted it to be passed on until it reached the hands of another drummer in the family. 

Adventures in iTunes: an über '80s mix

Alright, folks. We're going back in time a bit on this one. This list is chock full of hits as well as a few deeper cuts, great, classic songs as well as pure cheese, and I'm sure somebody out there is going to respond with a, "Why is this song on there but not that one?" And, well, that's the point. Let it inspire you to make your own 1980's playlist. Because, well, every iPod should have one, really.


There are some great childhood memories for me on this list and a bunch of songs I still love to listen to. The '80s were a great time for pop music. For those of you not born until the following decade, just trust me: having my first concept of rock 'n' roll be either the classic tunes of the '50s and '60s my father played for me or the songs I heard on radio stations during the late '80s and early '90s was a great blessing. It helped me to fall in love with music in a way that was more than reality competition shows or videos posted on a Facebook wall. 

Anyway, enough reminiscing. Dig the list!

Days Like Today

Sometimes they just catch you off-guard. The days, that is. Sometimes I find myself blown away by just how much can be accomplished in one day, how much you can get done in the 16 or 17 hours you're awake. Other times, I can't help but be stopped in my tracks thinking about the cumulative effects of all the previous days that led up to this one.

Like today, for example.

Adventures in iTunes: The Meditative Mix

As some of you may or may not know, work has officially begun on my first book. And to help get through some of the down time, I've taken to designing an iTunes mix whose purpose is stimulate the process of thought while remaining relaxing and chill.

Thus, I present to you all the very first draft of my Meditative Mix. Handy for reading, writing, or moments of reflection and introspection, this mix contains a potent combination of classical and modern instrumental pieces, with a few lyrical tunes thrown in for good measure, too. There's definitely movement in this list, but not so much of the driving, groovy kind. The percussion tends to be laid back and ethereal, in step with the moodiness of the overall vibe - peeking out from time to time as opposed to ubiquitously spread throughout the entire mix.

Hope you dig it. Feel free to share with me some of your ideas for any additional tracks that might work well with these. Happy listening!

Book Reviews on a Music Blog

The Monuments Men: Allied Heroes, Nazi Thieves, and the Greatest Treasure Hunt in History by Robert M. Edsel
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

World War II stands, in my mind, at least, as perhaps the seminal moment of modern history. Perhaps most notably, it signaled the death toll of the Enlightenment, birthed the nuclear age, and elevated the United States to the level of superpower preeminence on the world stage. But, beneath the grand historical themes reside the stories of untold millions of people that lived through it all - stories that captivate the imagination and, at times, defy comprehension, due mostly to the fact that they actually occurred.

'The Monuments Men' documents just such a collection of stories - ones that may constitute some of the most fascinating & unknown aspects of the war.