Wednesday, August 16, 2006
The Family Jewels
Growing up in rural Podunkville, there was not a lot happening, most of the time. Some of the major events were when concerts would come to the nearby city. It was what everyone did! My really bad eighties wardrobe consisted of a great many concert T-Shirts that I was proud to own (and wear) and some really big hair. And possibly leg-warmers, but lets not go there, shall we? I don't think I could even count the number of bad concerts that I have been to in my life, but at least it was something, right? I'm talking the greats! (snark) Joan Jett and the Black Hearts. Bryan Adams. Streetheart, Helix and the Headpins, Pat Benatar, to name just a couple. I know. *yawn*. Trust me, I lived it. It was a feat that they even appeared where I grew up. The guy responsible has won many an award for managing to keep some 'big' name acts rolling through even today.

At any rate, I digress. No surprise, I know. When I was thirteen or fourteen I joined a youth group in this same city with some friends, which meant that our parents committed to driving us the 45 miles twice a week to have us attend, under the premise that this would give us positive focus and something constructive to do in our formative years. Such awesome parents. And I do not say that sarcastically, it really was sweet of them, if you think about it. There were probably half a dozen or eight of us that joined, having all gone to the same church growing up, so our parents shared the driving duties and we car-pooled. Our parents would studiously drop us off and then go about their own happenings, while we were in the care of responsible adults left to guide us down the path to righteousness.

Trouble is? We were shitheads, mostly. Well practiced in the art of the duck and run, we high-tailed it as often as possible to the mall, or the movies, or wherever nice young Christian kids do NOT go for things constructive. Honestly, we didn't really get into much trouble, aside from the odd cigarette smoking or flirting with boys. There was nothing hard-core. No drug abuse or alcohol or anything of that nature, at least that I saw. Well, one of these trips to the mall was very fruitful, for me and a friend.

In the mall there was this very obvious 'bad-boy' who totally didn't belong in our neck of the woods. Dude! It was Eric Carr! (scream! swoon!) Also one of their roadies. (shudder, gag) Dude! He gave us tickets to see KISS! DUDE!! (Scream some more!) The roadie, not Eric Carr. (Gag some more, but who cares, free tickets!)

Well, we managed to go to this concert, under the guise of another youth group activity. DUDE! We totally got busted. No more youth group for us. Gee, I wonder why. The parents? Not nearly as stupid as we believed. At any rate, Kiss was fun. They were in make-up and it was enlightening. Silly, right? I loved them! I still love them! It opened up my eyes to that devil music (insert backmasking and lost souls here), heavy metal. I still dig Kiss and Ozzy and Judas Priest and Nazareth and, and, and. The Clash, The Sex Pistols, Eric Clapton, Pink Floyd, RUSH, all greats. Not at all related, but still, all great.

Yes, that ages me. Greatly. Don't care, its stellar music and beats most anything that kids listen to now. And MY WORD what the consider heavy metal now hurts my brain. There, I said it, I have turned into my parents. "That's not music! Turn that noise down!!"

ANYWAYS! Now I really digress. If you are not watching Gene Simmons: Family Jewels, you need to be! I love it! If I was sixteen years old I would be crushing ALL over Nick Simmons. And Gene is still crazy wild, for an aging (Sorry Gene, cause I totally know you read my blog. I heart you!) rocker. But what I love most about this show is how real this family is. This is a man that clearly ADORES his kids and isn't afraid to do really silly, funny stuff to show it. Watch it, please. For me.

Besides, we are talking about GENE SIMMONS, people! Need I mention his other claim to fame??

**Alright, perverts! I wasn't talking about his tongue! I was talking about the fact that he claims never to have been drunk or done drugs. And that he speaks about six languages fluently. And is a teacher. And is Isreali born. Okay, never mind, I WAS talking about his tongue and the fact that he claims to have slept with 4600+ women. So sue me!**


1 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

I was totally banned from rock music as a child, which meant as soon as I could get away from my house in the car I would crank up AC/DC and Led Zepplin. Awesome blog, darlin, as usual. I seem to remember someone making fun of me for liking Def Leppard and Motley Crue, however. Hmmmm.

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