A Night at Porky's - JJ McCoy

Last Saturday, accompanied by my two closest friends, I embarked on a visit to Porky's Roadhouse in Port Charlotte for some fine chicken wings and one of the best entertainers that country music has to offer, Mr. JJ McCoy, and his band the Chillbillys.

I certainly invite anyone who's never had the opportunity to visit this establishment to find the time.  The Roadhouse offers a great menu containing fair priced, tasty meals, excellent service, two pool tables, a large bar, and serves as an excellent entertainment venue with high ceilings, a large stage, and a semi-private VIP type loft, which is a great place for groupies to goggle or to down a few shots with the band.

Musician friends, I have no idea whether the pay is decent, but I would seek gigging opportunities from this establishment if only because of it's sound friendly, cavernous environment.

We arrived early and observed the band setting up while we dined on chicken wings and fries washed down by ice cold brews.  A leading poultry connoisseur, I proudly offer the opinion from my discriminating palate in regard to the delicacy served at Porky's. Their buffalo style wings, served sans breading, better known as naked, were plump and juicy, cooked to perfection and rolled in sauce, just a tad shy of cayenne. On the other hand, the accompanying fries tasted less spectacular.  I cannot be certain but they looked and tasted like the restaurant vendor bought frozen and fried variety rather than the tastier chopped from potatoes on site version.  Our waitress performed flawlessly ensuring that both our bellies and beer bottles remained full. Although at first shocked by the $5 cover, I realized the bargain of obtaining the wrist band after enjoying the benefits of $1 bottles of Miller Lite throughout the entire evening.

The band began promptly at 9:30 and performed some covers unrecognizable to me since I listen to virtually no popular country music and really only enjoy the outlaw variety of which we did happily witness a fair amount of in the second set.  JJ's original music serves as the centerpiece and highlight of his live show.  His songs paint vivid mind pictures that range from a lonely, homesick soldier on patrol in Iraq, the difficulties in raising a family and distancing yourself from kin, to the joy in living a simple life and enjoying the pleasures of country life.  JJ's huge frame whips his seemingly tiny telecaster around, attacking it with the down home version of shredding, showing amazing virtuosity as a musician while accompanying his booming, rich baritone voice. Fortunately, JJ's band, the Chillbillys prevent him from standing as a one man band.  They provide competent back up with steady drumming, thumping bass, a twangy acoustic, and the unmistakable wail of the pedal steel guitar. Bassist, Leo August, with his versatility, adds a dynamic often missing from country music with his ear for nuance and the addition of tasteful fills. Charlie Brown, on pedal steel, offers parallel diversity with a style that ranges from Hank Sr. twang to the alluring scream of the Allman Brothers.

If you've never heard or seen JJ McCoy, please do yourself a favor and pick up his EP "Redneck, White and Blue" from iTunes for the incredible price of $2.97 then go catch a show at your earliest convenience. His tunes, written deep from his heart, will stick in your head and you'll find yourself humming them all day.

JJ McCoy is the "Real McCoy"!

Enjoy this video clip of that night of JJ and his band performing their original hit "Sunshine State"

Susan L. Shoemaker Auditorium at Island Coast High

Tonight, the Lee County School Board, along with faculty from Island Coast High school in Cape Coral, renamed the school's auditorium and dedicated it in memory of recently deceased guidance counselor, Susan L. Shoemaker.

 On August 7, at the age of 69, Ms. Shoemaker passed away from the ravaging effects of cancer. She spent 47 years as an educator, garnering respect from students, the community, faculty, staff, and school board members.  She received the Golden Apple award numerous times and earned the title "Counselor of the Year" at the elementary, middle and high school levels.

During the night's ceremony, in the newly named auditorium, students and faculty honored Susan by performing a variety of musical, dance, and dramatic presentations.  Ms. Shoemaker's husband, Edward Pritchard, accepted the award on her behalf.  Few eyes remained dry during the evening.

Enjoy the clip below of rising star, Lauren Rae Roberts, performing "Because You Loved Me" as a tribute Ms. Shoemaker.

Oh What a Month - My Rock Star Awards

Another day .....another dollar....., "The Highway Song" from 1970's band Blackfoot echoed through my head as I completed yet another day working for a psychologically abusive boss in an environment foreign to me, an alien lost in a world where chaos ruled over clutter and menial tasks ranked higher than actual accomplishment.  I felt a beer and a steak, shared with an accomplice in this insanity, satisfied a need to plant a stake acknowledging the end of another chapter in the days of drudgery. Yet unfortunately I asked this treasured friend to help with a small task at home and in return I'd spring for the night's tab.

"Please help me change out this ceiling fan in the vaulted family room, my friend, and food and drink are on me", I boldly proclaimed only hours before destiny met reality.  I asked my colleague only to steady the 18' ladder as I undertook the simple task of removing the old worn out and presumedly installing the more elegant and efficient new cooling mechanism.  I shut off the power supplied from the breaker, cautiously climbed the ladder, removed the screws from the decorative cap, and untwisted each of the three wire nuts to allow the easy dis-assembly of the old, rusted unit.  Nothing difficult, I thought, as I pushed the fan up and over the mounting hooks, enabling what I assumed an easy feat to lower each part to the ground.  Surprised by the weight and slightly disabled by my awkward vantage, the fan motor let loose without warning and struck me violently across the face, knocking me backward off the ladder and onto my friend before my head and left shoulder slammed impetuously into the tile floor. I only faintly remember anything from those first few minutes as I sat stunned, gasping for breath and fading in and out of consciousness.

I refused my friend's plea to call for an ambulance and attempted to gather my wits as an oblong pool of blood formed around me.  Clutching my chest fearing heart failure, I found breathing nearly impossible.  I quickly realized that blood poured from the back of my head and left temple and one side of my body remained nearly paralyzed.  I witnessed my friend also bleeding and clutching his right arm and realized neither of us fit to drive to the hospital. In a brief moment of clarity, I dialed my cellular and asked my inamorata to please pick us up as quickly as possible for transport to a medical facility.  She arrived promptly and rushed us to the emergency room as we soiled her car seats with blood.

After ten hours in the emergency department, my friend, and now lifesaver, as I realized that my death had been prevented by his breaking of my fall,  paid the price by fracturing his right arm, an awful predicament for a graphic designer.  Suffering a deservedly worse fate myself, I spent, in a shared hospital room, the following week diagnosed with severe lacerations to the back of the head and face, four broken ribs, a fractured clavicle, and a partially collapsed lung.  The attending physician assistant in the ER placed fourteen staples behind my left ear, stitches across my face, and suture glue across my nose.  I found myself, a week after discharge from the hospital, returning to have an orthopedic surgeon install a titanium plate to reconnect the broken portions of my left clavicle.

An eternal optimist, seeker of the half full glass, and believer in making lemonade from lemons, I quickly recognized this blessing in disguise. Lying virtually incapacitated, relying solely on help from others, forced me into distancing myself from a horrific work environment and allowed me ample time to pursue my dreams of freelance writing, in which I quickly earned blogging notoriety. This accident also enabled me time to learn about the sophisticated network behind electronic social media.

I published many articles, learned how to effectively use Twitter and Facebook, enjoyed the company of new found friends, established solid business relationships, and ticked off a famous celebrity.

Please allow me this opportunity to recap November's blogging highlights from my perspective and award those who deserve special recognition. Today's sophisticated internet technology enables easy evaluation by recognizing the number of readers of each particular article.

I composed and published over 20 individual pieces and a few stand out deserving a renewed highlight, not for my accomplishment but by the actions of those I chose to write about.

So..........drum roll...........Please allow me the opportunity to recognize:

PATRIOT OF THE MONTH - J.J. McCOY
http://ramblingsofjohn.blogspot.com/2011/11/ep-review-jj-mccoy-redneck-white-blue.html
Nothing I've seen recently epitomizes the heartbeat of the heartland, and encourages one to accept pride in Americana like J.J.'s new EP, "Redneck, White, and Blue", particularly the tune "Sunshine State" which paints a glorious yet bittersweet picture of life from the perspective of a soldier overseas anticipating his safe return home.

SPINE CHILLER OF THE MONTH - LISA PROULX
http://ramblingsofjohn.blogspot.com/2011/11/book-review-king-of-shadows-by-lisa.html
I witnessed horror personified deeply in the plot of Lisa's newest novel, "King of Shadows", a disturbing tale of a young boy raised by the demonic spirit of his deceased father.  This month, Lisa re-releases her first novel, "Puncture", a vampire story that I plan to digest and review early next week.

CONCERT OF THE MONTH - NIGHT RANGER
http://ramblingsofjohn.blogspot.com/2011/11/night-ranger-at-cape-coral-coconut.html
http://ramblingsofjohn.blogspot.com/2011/11/99x-mas-ball-2011.html
http://ramblingsofjohn.blogspot.com/2011/11/fort-myers-music-walk-november-2011.html
http://ramblingsofjohn.blogspot.com/2011/11/eddie-money-plays-ballyorney-irish-pub.html
Nursing my wounds, it's hard to imagine the number of concerts that I had the privilege to attend.  The fiery skull bat backdrop during Avenged Sevenfold's set amazed all and the genre bending skill displayed by Hollywood Undead seemed impossible, while Eddie Money forced the reminiscing of high school days.  With a more than ample budget, few could attain the hype of A7X, particularly when fortified by strong lyrical content accompanied by guitar virtuosos in harmony, except the heavy presence of security at Germain Arena dampened the overall effect.  As a result, the crisp, clear, heavy metal presented outdoors at the Cape Coral Coconut Festival by 1980's rockers Night ranger captured this award.  Few guitar players rank with Brad Gillis and Jack Blades is both a talented and entertaining front man. And I'd like to give a special thanks to Tristan Avakian who filled the shoes of Joel Hoekstra while he tours the holiday season with Trans Siberian Orchestra, an event that I will feature later this month.


 BREAKING NEWS OF THE MONTH
http://ramblingsofjohn.blogspot.com/2011/11/at-1115-this-morning-lee-county.html
Although I fancy myself a journalist, the only real event that I captured live exclusively before other media was an evacuation of the Lee County Courthouse after a prisoner in transport smacked an overhead sprinkler triggering the alarm.  I felt especially amazed that my new titanium clavicle did not trip the metal detectors upon entering the facility.

HOLIDAY OF THE MONTH
http://ramblingsofjohn.blogspot.com/2011/11/in-honor-of-our-vets.html
http://ramblingsofjohn.blogspot.com/2011/11/thanksgiving-blessing.html
Fortunately, we celebrated two in November, Thanksgiving and Veteran's Day.  I refuse to allow either a day celebrated eating turkey and watching football with loved ones, or a day in which we pay respect for those who gave their best so we may enjoy freedom, to outrank the other so please consider this one a tie.

RECORD OF THE MONTH
http://ramblingsofjohn.blogspot.com/2011/11/kore-ionz-world-war-free.html
http://ramblingsofjohn.blogspot.com/2011/11/ep-review-jj-mccoy-redneck-white-blue.html
I reviewed many audio recordings during November so with it too close to call, I declare another tie between the peaceful, loving, Pacific reggae smoothness of Kore Ionz "World War Free" and the hard hitting, emotion evoking EP by J.J. McCoy, "Redneck, White and Blue".

LEAST AFFECTED BY ME
http://ramblingsofjohn.blogspot.com/2011/11/album-preview-nickelback-here-and-now.html
Regardless of my opinion, Nickelback's "Here and Now" will hit platinum although I did notice increased readership of them from fans in both Russia and Turkey so hopefully sales in those remote markets increased slightly.

PRIMA DONNA OF THE MONTH
http://ramblingsofjohn.blogspot.com/2011/11/ep-review-brian-howe-emotions.html
During my brief career as a freelancer, I encountered many classy, polite, professional entertainers from the music, acting, comedy, and writing industries and only observed one big cry baby, Brian Howe, formerly of Bad Company, and now a solo artist claiming retirement. Although I displayed complete respect for Brian, he attacked me publicly, sicced his British publicist on me, and "unfriended" me on Facebook, all in reaction of what he considered a negative review by me of his grand finale, "Emotions". I clearly see why Ted Nugent and Bad Company both fired him. He just doesn't play well with others.  So, sorry to say this Brian, but just pack up your toys, leave the sandbox to us big boys, and go home and cry to your mommy.

ROCK STAR, PROFESSIONAL, and MAN OF THE MONTH - KALEB BROWN
http://ramblingsofjohn.blogspot.com/2011/11/book-review-big-m-by-kaleb-brown.html

Kaleb, a nine year old diagnosed with autism, displayed more maturity than many of those more chronologically advanced.  Kaleb's first book, "THE BIG M" , soon to be be an animated series just all out ROCKS.  I'm proud to be associated with such a consummate professional. God Bless You Kaleb and enjoy a long and prosperous career!

QR Code - Unraveling the Mysteries

Created by a Toyota subsidiary to track vehicles during the manufacturing process,The QR Code, an abbreviation for Quick Response Code, first gained popularity in Japan begining in 1994, later gained popularity in Europe, primarily the UK, and only started gaining ground in the United States within the last 3 or 4 years. The code is a matrix barcode that can be utilized to encode many types of information including personal information, links to websites, email and text messages, phone numbers, and electronic business cards.

Apps that serve as readers can be downloaded for any smart phone.  I prefer either I-nigma or Red Laser.  One can also access numerous generators online to create original QR codes.  QRstuff.com proves itself fun and easy to use. 

Scan the code above to see one possible easy to use application.

Billy Graham Hospitalized

Super evangelist and modern day apostle, 92 year old Billy Graham, admitted himself to a hospital near his home in Montreat, North Carolina earlier today as a precaution after suffering from severe congestion and coughing.  Doctors claimed examinations and tests run for pneumonia appeared to be negative although special care must be taken because of Rev. Graham's advanced age.

As he entered the hospital, accompanied by family members and friends, Billy smiled and waved to the crowd, appearing typically congenial.  Daughter Gigi visited with him late into the evening to participate in Bible study and prayer and to watch a bit of television.  Doctors insisted on keeping Billy overnight for observation but assured family members that there was no need for alarm.

Please take time from your busy schedule today to say a special prayer for Billy. 

CD Review - Kore Ionz - World War Free

I only first discovered this young group of Seattle based reggae musicians in September during the annual Bumbershoot festival held over Labor Day weekend.  As a genre, reggae has accepted little adulteration over time.  Reggae today sounds very much unchanged from the style of music that Bob Marley brought to the world's attention during the 1970's.  Kore Ionz maintains that pureness of genre only allowing a tinge of outside influence.  This band generates a very pure reggae sound sprinkled with a speck of hip-hop, a dash of ska and dub, and a small teaspoon of the ukulele laced Polynesian, the music of singer Daniel Pak's native Hawaii.

Kore Ionz surprised many to rein as one of Bumbershoot's truly incredible acts.  I saw many concerts over that weekend and would definitely say that these young men were in the top five if not the very best show of the entire festival.  Unfortunately, Kore Ionz was the only reggae band signed to perform this year during Bumbershoot.  I hope the event promoters change that next year.

Their new album, "World War Free" paints a genuine message of hope, whether out of naivety or fierce dogma.  The radio friendly hit, "Love You Better", with the strong message of spreading love is experiencing heavy rotational airplay on Hawaii's big island peaking as the #1 requested song. From the tasteful wah-fuzz guitar sounds on "Belltown" and "Sweep Us Away" to the Polynesian ukelele on "Morning Son", the rap contributed by Prometheus Brown on "First Avenue", and the traditional reggae of "Marionette" and "Conductor", Kore Ionz peacefully conveys a message of loving others to encourage and inspire change in the world.

This group reminds me of something that I have not witnessed for many years.  They not only want to generate great sounding music and achieve fame, they want to spread a message of non-violence, peace, love, and living in harmony with others and the environment. They want to change the world!  It's refreshing to see this attitude that disappeared long ago as the hippies commercialized and capitalized themselves. Long from now, when Kore Ionz retires, the world will be a cleaner, greener, friendlier place if only in the lives of those that the individual band members touched personally.

Enjoy this clip of the band performing "Love You Better" live at Bumbershoot 2011

EP Review - Brian Howe - Emotions

I've both procrastinated and agonized over writing this review of former Bad Company lead vocalist and fellow Lee County resident, Brian Howe's, self proclaimed farewell to the world of music. I promised Brian and my readers that I would publish a review of this EP several days ago but unfortunately after listening to these five songs repeatedly I've hesitated out of respect for one of rock 'n roll's finest voices, one that I hold in the same regard as the likes of Sammy Hagar and Chris Cornell.

In promoting "Emotions", Brian claims, "It marks the end of my recording career. I did not make it with a record company as I wanted it to be personal from me to you. I am very proud of this effort which was influenced by the love of my life. Please tell all of your friends on Facebook about this record and spread the word. It will be strange to never record again but with the advent of free download sites and record companies with no clue the time is right to retire. I hope you enjoy listening to real "Emotions" as much as I did making it."

As a vocalist who cut his teeth on Ted Nugent's "Penetrator" album, then not only stepped into but filled the extremely large shoes of Bad Company's Paul Rodgers then culminated with the solo effort, "Circus Bar", considered one of 2010's finest recordings, it's hard to believe that this is the same man behind the whiny drivel on "Emotions".

Although Brian added a distinctly pop flavor to both Ted Nugent and Bad Company, he still maintained the ability to rock and unleash those powerful pipes. His songwriting ability also appeared strong on Bad Company's "Holy Water" and his solo effort, Circus Bar". But, unfortunately, on "Emotions", the writing flows weakly like a teenage emo girl sharing a letter with a friend over a broken first love. The vocals share the same weakness and tremble like a drunkard in a bar crying and pitying himself over the wife who disappeared. When I listen to this EP, I envision Brian, martini in hand, sitting at a piano with a fire roaring in the background reveling in lost love with his Fort Myers fishing buddies or his rugby mates from Portsmouth.

I deeply desire that I could stress the highlights of this EP but all 5 tunes echo the same pathetic, hollow message. Nothing the slightest bit uplifting or truly moving can be found on this album. While listening, one feels the life and emotion being sucked from their being.

Brian, I realize that surrounded by cronies, many are patting you on the back complimenting you for this effort and congratulating you for leaving the record companies by the roadside but I think we all know the truth. No record company would touch this mess. We've all lost love at some point in our life and albeit difficult, we pick ourselves up and move on. We don't wallow in it forever. I remember you sharing the same bitterness with me about your ex over a beer in Daytona Beach seven years ago. Don't allow "Emotions" to delineate the end of your career. You are better than this. Your only 58 years old, still young for retirement by any measure so please remember as fans, we'd prefer to see you go out with a bang rather than a fizzle!

Open Mic Comedy at Fred's Diner

I travelled to Naples Saturday night in support of a friend and to witness the opportunity afforded to local comedians as part of an open mic event held after a group of comedy headliners.  I arrived at the venue, Fred's Food, Fun & Spirits, on Immokalee Road, at approximately 11:00 PM, somewhat pleased to find the establishment not completely packed, and therefore able to find a table close to the stage. 

I caught the tail of the last paid comedian's act so could not possibly offer much comment.  Following her act, I enjoyed 8 up and coming comedians from all over southwest Florida. Unlike singers or actors, comedians form a breed of their own, having no band or theatrical group to offer support.  As a comedian, the entire burden of one's success or failure rests upon their individual shoulders. 

Of the eight amateurs, most appeared somewhat competent, a little bit funny and a little bit sad, nervous yet confident and freely enthusiastic over the opportunity to test their material on the crowd.  Apparently not by design, dark, depressive humor apparently rose as the theme for most. I felt a desire to experience some rip roaring, side splitting tales as opposed to the self flagellation practiced by virtually all of the night's acts. 

My friend, Deric, held his own amongst the night's talent and fared a bit better than most.  The highlight of the night occurred after the last comic when Deric turned the tables and microphone on Jordan Owens, host of a YouTube comedy series and conducted an interview on him.  Although stunned and surprised, Jordan handled the event in stride and offered a good, funny interview of himself.  Enjoy the clip below:

Book Review - King of Shadows by Lisa Proulx

Hailing from the same part of the country , I quickly recognize and feel familiar with the Western Maryland vernacular and style utilized by the author, Lisa Proulx, an acquaintance from high school, in her newest book, titled "King of Shadows". How we manage to think, speak and apparently write in this odd mixture of Atlantic coast, southern and Appalachian still perplexes me even after I moved away from the region more than thirty years ago.

Without revealing too much, Lisa spins, as intended, a horrifying thriller about a young boy, Derek, partially raised by the trapped evil spirit of his dead father. The plot weaves a trail that proves to be both imaginative and tight, with an unexpected bizarre twist at the end. I read the book in only two sittings during my busy schedule which reveals the engrossing nature of this well crafted work of fiction. I say fiction but knowing Lisa, I wonder how much is autobiographical when I read of the dogs, Harleys, Peter Frampton posters, and more. I realize that as authors we draw much from the real experiences in our lives whether or not we're spending our time developing fiction.

I would highly recommend "King of Shadows" to all readers, particularly those warped enough to enjoy the horror genre. The book is available on amazon.com and I obtained the Kindle version for only $2.99, a real bargain. I also understand that Lisa is preparing to re-release her first novel, "Puncture", a tale of a vampire loving a mortal on December 1st. I look forward to reading that as well.

Thanksgiving Blessing

Happy Thanksgiving to all during this particularly trying time in history where as a world, we face increased levels of war, faltering major global economies, instability in values, morals and ethics, and a huge level of noncooperation between all levels of society and political affiliation.

Most utilize this time of year to pause and reflect, thinking back on the past year, to at least show a certain level of gratitude for the wonderful things in their life that they consider blessings. It's odd how as a society we've become programmed to believe that all good things are blessings and all bad, curses. For me this year has flipped that mindset on it's head.

During the past 18 months, I've experienced what most consider horrible curses. In reality, it's probably an example of what the Bible describes as "We reap what we sow", or for others, karma. I lost my wife, my business, felt alienated by family, and ended up working for the man that I liquidated my company assets to and rather than exploit or capitalize on my expertise and experience, he psychologically attacked me and mentally abused me at every opportunity. Then to add insult to injury, I later fell 16 feet, landed on my head and shoulder, winding up in the hospital for a week with lacerated skull, four broken ribs, a broken clavicle and a collapsed lung, or more correctly referred to as a pneumothorax. Then one week after release from the hospital, I returned for surgery on my clavicle to implant a titanium plate to straighten the bone.

Yes, I must admit, that for much of the year I felt "wounded of spirit", not a good place to be after referring to Proverbs 18:14, "The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity; but a wounded spirit who can bear?" Living in this state of mind leads to negativity, victim reasoning, unnecessary physical displays of grievance, and the blaming of others for our difficulties. The effect on psyche generated by this "state of being" leads to severe bitterness and depression, of which I fell prey.

A few consecutive events in my life opened my mind to a whole new way of existence. I celebrated my 50th birthday by navigating a 1961 Harley-Davidson panhead from Fort Myers to Daytona Beach to meet those close to me for somewhat of a party. Then two weeks after my return, I experienced the accident that added the additional brokenness of body. During this time, I witnessed the love of Christ in others around me as they displayed care for me when I could not take care of myself, not out of anything I deserved, but unconditionally out of genuine concern for me. I became acutely aware of what constitutes the reality and truthfulness in friendship and observed others fall away who through deception and manipulation faked love only for personal gain and benefit.

During this transitional period in me, I metamorphosed from being one "wounded of spirit" to one experiencing "brokenness of spirit". God desires to find us there per Psalm 147:3, "He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds." Appearing as only a play on words, this slight change in mental state leads to acknowledging wrong, contrition, humility, teachability, gratitude and leads us to seek after God.

And on this Thanksgiving Day in 2011, this is where I find myself. I'm not yet whole and probably never will be but God is in the process of repairing me because finally through brokenness I allowed that to happen. Four weeks ago I should have died but through the grace of God, I'm now able to discern those who truly love me, appreciate simple things in life like the freshness in a morning breeze, the smell of a flower, and the laughter of grandchildren, and have an openness and new awareness to my surroundings and situation. I feel no bitterness toward those who cause me pain and feel joy throughout difficult and trying times.

So in a very non-traditional Thanksgiving manner, I would like to say that I am deeply thankful for the brokenness in my life, and the friends and family in my life who brought my new awareness into focus. As a result I'm allowing a dear friend to host at my house a non-traditional Thanksgiving dinner for others who are broken or have been cast aside by false lovers to celebrate in sincere humility and gratitude the small things that we normally take for granted.

And as a side note, I thank God with all my being for the health of my nine grandchildren, as I've watched others devastated this year by the effects of cancer, accidents and abuse.

God Bless you all!