Ya know, I must be doing something wrong because I only had one person respond: UNSUBSCRIBE after last week's note. That certainly does not mean everyone agreed with me, but before I get to that, here's something I haven't said in weeks:
There's a Blue Band gig tonight!! (Fri.) The November, First Friday of the month, Geeezer Gig happens at The Hub, 4th & Main, right here is Sparkle City USA, we start playing at 6pm, pizza by the slice is available shortly after we get started, cover is only $5 (FIVE BUCKS? I was playin' for $5 in 1981. Go ahead, put the rest of that $10 bill in the tip jar!) the adult beverages are priced to get those happy feet goin' on the spacious dancefloor and a pleasant time is guaranteed for all. But wait, there's more...It's Rena and Ernie's anniversary! Rumor has it they're bringing all 5623 people in the Sheehy family to celebrate. And Rena's bringin' the CAKE! Hopefully Avis' husband Bob will bring his (green) guitar and sit in, one-time Lil Ed & The Blues Imperials saxman Eddie McKinley will join Al in the horn section, longtime Blue Band Wizard of Wires/Sultan of Sound Phil Maass will be the soundman and all that happens right before one of Iowa's most popular bands-The Nadas-plays the late night show after we're done! (for those who do not feel driven to make it home for the 10 o'clock news) It's been so long since we've played, I'm hoping I can remember the names of the guys in the band, let alone how the songs go! Plus the merchandise special is any three CDs/DVDs/Shirts for $20! That's right, you could get our new CD, the History of the Blue Band 2-DVD set from Iowa Public Television AND this year's tour shirt for a piece of paper with Andrew Jackson's face on it. How do we do it? VOLUME!! What's not to like, right Avis?...
Next week, Saturday the 13th, we've been invited to help celebrate the 1st anniversary of the 503 Nightclub in Iowa Falls (what? we're an anniversary band now?) at 503 Estes St. right across from the Red Rooster cafe. I spent many a night at the Red Rooster cafe after my band The Little Red Rooster Band played at Dan's Place in the 70s. The woman who manages the 503 used to manage Dan's! we play 9-midnight...
And the new President of the Linn County Blues Society, Frank Wilson, reminded me that I did not mention that the New Bo Festival fundraiser in Cedar Rapids on Nov. 26 is at Gatherings Nightclub and Restaurant, 905 3rd St. SE in Cedar Rapids. Make your plans to help us raise money for this great artist support group. And I hope to see you at the Linn County Blues Society monthly meeting this Monday, 11/8, 6:30p, at the Longbranch Hotel. Don't worry if you're not a member, they can sign you up on the spot!...
A few more roadblocks to doing the Backtracks radio show live on Iowa Public Radio have emerged. I had hoped to do another of those live shows this Saturday but "circumstances beyond my control" are getting in the way of that happening. I'll keep jumpin' through the hoops and maybe we can get back to those fun requestfests before the end of the year. IPR has invited to me to be part of their year end music review, as "the blues guy", on the morning show Talk of Iowa, next Thursday (11/11) starting at 10am. (who else thinks there should be a law against talking about the blues that early in the morning?) I'll mostly be talking about blues releases that you might have missed, but should go back and find, from 2010. I have also been talked into visiting the Grundy Center High School class that is having a chapter on the blues in their music appreciation class on Nov. 17. The West Music stores in Iowa have a music education program that will make inexpensive harmonicas available to all 26 kids and I have volunteered to tell them everything I know about playing it (I wonder what we'll do with the other 35 minutes in that class period!)...
It's the ying and yang as far as health is concerned for two guys named Bob in my family. Apparently I am healthier than a person who lived pretty hard for 30 years should expect to be! The physical exam, chest Xray, and blood work all turned out good. Except I have slightly elevated cholesterol numbers and I am 6-8 pounds overweight. My doctor says I'll live longer if I cut out the CAKE. I say why would I want to live longer if there is no CAKE? Despite all the good numbers, I could not talk the doctor out of ordering a colonoscopy. That whole process weirds me out. In the end (!) I hope it'll all be ok. The bad health news is that my father-in-law, Bob Prins, was rushed to the hospital today. His heart seems to be working overtime because of a low hemoglobin count and suspected internal bleeding that the doctors have not been able to find. His condition stabilized after getting a transfusion and we're all hoping for a speedy recovery. If you have a direct line to the health Gods, please put in a good word for him...
OK, so politics and the election. Here's some random responses to last week's note: Thank you, Bob. You have the courage to speak your mind and let it either fly or fail. And I WHOLEHEARTEDLY agree with everything you said about the whole political scene. It is especially tiring to watch it get uglier and uglier when you happen to be an early voter like I am...Bob, I heard they have spent 3 Billion dollars on political ads this year. What is wrong with this country? Somebody needs to clean up this mess. By the way nice Blue Note...Hey Bob, I don't agree with everything you said but I do agree with most of it and I've been a third party voter since I could vote, which is about ten years longer than you have been!...BD, I usually skip over the political stuff but I just want to say ~ I agree with everything you said, 100%. I had to say that a few times before I believed it (grinning now!!!) but by golly, it's true...this year I became a 1 issue voter. I started by refusing to vote for any candidate who lied to me. half truths intended to influence my decisions are defined as lies. I believe grassley is the only candidate who passed this test. maybe I did not hear/read enough of his 'info'...Hey, Roberto, the good news is that even libs can play a mean harmonica (music IS a great uniter)...Bob - I always enjoy your weekly letters. I also enjoy the political commentary.....although I mostly disagree with your political perspectives. (You and I traded various emails on this a couple years ago.) All I can say this time is......I hope that, politically, you are very disappointed by the results on Nov. 2...thank you so much Bob. I absolutely loved your Blue Note today. I too am so sick of political crap. No matter what party you are it is all a bunch of crap...Regarding your political rant, I enjoyed reading your opinions. I will not be voting for anyone that supported that Healthcare bill. The stated goals are swell, but the actual bill will be very destructive...Just had champagne cake! Ha! And I coulda told u a long time ago (and I did, but u never listen 2 me!) that we were all being sold down the river. But, no! U believed in the dream. And now it's a nightmare...
And that's just SOME of the comments! Here are some of my post-game observations: Iowans who live west of I-35 are very different than Iowans who live east of I-35! (that is not a qualitative judgement, just an observation) Iowa is the only state (I think) who returned every incumbent Democratic Representative to office (their districts are all east of I-35!) And here's the weirdest one. For the last 20 years, I have routinely voted to remove every sitting judge! It had to do with some bizarre notion I have that no judge should take for granted his/her position. (wasn't it Bob Dylan who said "You Got To Serve Somebody") In those 20 years, EVERY judge was returned to the bench by the voters. This year, because I was strongly against politicizing our judicial system, I voted to retain all 3 Supreme Court justices. They were ALL turned out! And finally, I would like to point out that the Iowa Libertarian candidate for Senator got over 10,000 votes!...
Here it is, after 4am again. Be careful on the Blue Highway, especially with all those Sheehys driving to Cedar Falls to have some of Rena's Anniversary CAKE (I'm havin' some even if it kills me) Rub yer washboard tie to the tune of Here Comes The Judge, check the Post A Note page (http://www.theblueband.com/chat2.cfm) for all the latest Blue News and always know that we love you. Bob Dorr & The Blue Band
