A Dog Named Lumpy

My family and I were blessed with a dog that we named Marshall (after Wilbur Marshall, ex-Chicago Bear LB), he came from some friends that had bred their dog.  Marshall was a Black Lab and when we got him, he had the greatest personality.  The dog pranced when he walked, he was always happy and he really loved us all (and we reciprocated that love).  Marshall was still young when he had a serious accident, well it was more like an attack by another dog.  That attack was so severe that we had no choice but to put him to sleep, we were all crushed.  Where does this Lumpy come in you ask.  Well....

Slash - Mississippi Moon Bar

Famous, sometimes infamous, men have slashed and burned their way through the history of man-kind.  From Attila the Hun, to William Tecumseh Sherman and his March to the Sea, to the blitzkrieg of World War II humanity has been subjected to the practice that left everything smoldering in their wake.  Each purveyor of the “slash and burn” philosophy was successful in its accomplishment of leaving the victims smashed, their very essence drained from their lifeless charred bodies.  History itself cannot describe the true aftereffects of the tactics except to describe the events that befell the victims in mere words like shock, terror and awe.  Why even Sherman must have looked back at his “March to the Sea” in awe but unlike Sherman, Dubuque, Iowa didn’t have the burnt terrain, it just had awe.

Blackfoot - Halfway Jam

The history of rock is one that has far more bands that have failed, vanished, ran away screaming or just went 'POOF'.  All too often the aftermath can be so tumultuous that the whirlwind that spawns can be as Dorothy-not-in-Kansas any more.  The divisions can separate families, divide countries and set foreign policy (okay those might be just a TAD over the top).  What can happen is that the cause and effect has the ability to generate something that can be just as good or even better that the original iteration.  What on earth can I be talking about?

Heart - The Great Jones County Fair

The '80's were a time when music scrambled as quickly as it could from the '70's and the tight bell bottoms and the evil that was Disco.  Disco and its incarnates appeared from the muck and ooze of the stench filled mud of Woodstock with serious undertones of Vietnam.  It wouldn't be much of a stretch to blame Disco on the hopped up hippies and that ultra vile "peace rock" that they created.  Within the boundaries of the '70's came this amalgam that wedged itself into popular music but despite courageous attempts many of the acts lacked something.  That thing would be "Heart" (I know its corny but keep reading).

Jackyl - Halfway Jam 2012

Comparisons between a jackal and a dog are relatively simple as far as comparisons go.  Jackals are in the same genus (canine), they have fur, they are carnivorous, and they mark territory using urine.  Its an interesting comparison actually but there are so many other differences that forgo any further comparisons.  As an example, a jackal will not make a good pet, jackals might on occasion actually eat their owner, dogs really don't understand rock music.  Huh?

Aerosmith - Summerfest

During the '80's (those of us that still remember the '80's) there was a time where all that was heard was Run DMC and their version of "Walk This Way".  It was interesting when I look back on that time (its a bit choppy so stick with me) and I remember the video of the song.  What I remember the most was the shot of those unlaced Adidas's and I remember this out of place, long haired dude beating on the wall with a mic stand.  I think that's the way it went anyway.

Jon Lord - Deep Purple Legend

Something happened in the realm of music in 1968 that sent waves through history that helped form and transform music forever.  Within the confines of rock music were legends that were so entrenched that it looked like no one could match them.  Think about the music scene at that time, Jimi Hendrix, the Rolling Stones, the Beatles, Iron Butterfly and an upstart band named Deep Purple sat in pop culture.