THE GREATEST SONGS BY CHICAGO - CHICAGO'S TOP TEN GREATEST SONGS OF ALL-TIME

The iconic Chicago logo 

This blog is mostly devoted to television, but we write about music from time to time and particularly about musicians, singers and songwriters who have appeared on television over the course of their career. Chicago made many appearances over the last 50+ years on television, so since I've assembled the greatest songs by Queen and The Doors I only thought it right as a born and raised Chicago woman to write about the band that "borrowed" its name from the city of big shoulders. 

To say Chicago is one of the great rock bands of all-time would be a wild understatement. Their career started in 1967 and in one way or another they are still around. If one had the good fortune to see Chicago during their heyday one could honestly look in the mirror and say to self they were one of the best live acts ever. In my own checklist, Chicago would be on that list with Bruce Springsteen, Paul McCartney and Little Feat. I never saw Elvis Presley live on stage. I'm a bit too young, but I gather I missed one of the greatest live performers there ever was.   

Chicago was an original. No band in the rock era had ever attempted to top the charts with a horn section and in their case, a horn section that could have provided their craftsmanship and their artistry to the great acts of  those cherished artists from the Depression era/World War II period. Chicago took that brass and turned it into a rock solid moneymaker, but far more importantly a hit making machine with loads of talent from every member of the band. 

There is a great deal of history to the band and I will certainly not detail their biographical chart. To sum up their fame in the proverbial nutshell of one paragraph, they famously were the first rock act to sell out Carnegie Hall for an entire week back in 1971. Other musicians respected their work. That's always the compliment one would want to hear or read about. Their first album, Chicago Transit Authority was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame (their original name was Chicago Transit Authority, but the notorious CTA made them change it - what idiots - the CTA, not the band). They were rewarded with a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2020; and they finally got voted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2016. By the way, this was 24 years after they were first eligible. Imagine doing this to one of the most critically acclaimed, at least in the first decade of their career and certainly one of the most commercially successful acts of all time (over 100 million records sold). 

Since I am a purist, I only mention the names of the original and magnificent seven. Peter Cetera, Terry Kath, Robert Lamm, Lee Loughnane, James Pankow, Walt Parazaider and Danny Seraphine. These men were Chicago and from the perspective of 50+ years of history, will always be Chicago. This was the formation for those songs that mattered. When I say I'm a purist, I mean to define pure regarding music. Only Jesus Christ is completely pure, but as far as music goes -- According to the Collins English Dictionary, "If you describe something as pure, you mean that it is very clear and represents a perfect example of its type." Chicago - the original band members represented a perfect example of its type.  

This post is dedicated to clarinet/flute master, Walt Parazaider who announced in 2021 he had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease. My beloved dad lived with the dreaded disease for 12 years and succumbed to it eventually. Some numbers indicate there are some 40 million people currently living on planet earth with Alzheimer's. Those numbers include 14 million Americans. That would be close to 5% of the U.S. population. When you listen to Colour My World, stop and hear Walt's beautiful flute playing on the track.  

Chicago: L to R: Robert Lamm, Peter Cetera, James Pankow, Lee Loughnane, Walt Parazaider, Terry Kath, Danny Seraphine 

Here are the top ten greatest songs by Chicago.

1) Beginnings - Robert Lamm composed this illustrious and timeless piece of music. The melody is superb, the lyrics are romantic (what on earth do people fall in love to today?) and his lead vocal is like listening to a modern day Mr. Darcy singing to his Elizabeth Bennett. How does one not admire the creativity behind the line " the color of chills all over my body." Robert Lamm was either totally stoned or his creativity levels were creeping up at a high tilt. Just for the sheer benefit of the doubt I will say the latter as opposed to the former. Robert Lamm, who looked like he just stepped out of a Jane Austen novel was a wildly underrated musician/singer, but he was even more undervalued as a songwriter. In the early years of Chicago the band was blessed with three excellent lead vocalists, Lamm, Terry Kath and Peter Cetera. Why Lamm stopped singing lead as the band progressed beyond the 1970's is beyond my guess.  

Beginnings is joyful, energetic and proves within the confines of even one song what superb musicians each of the band members were. These were a group of consequentially gifted guys. Listen to Cetera's bass line. Danny Seraphine's drumming was flashy at times, but more importantly he was significantly credible. Seraphine didn't just keep time. He was musical. I love this song! I could play it on a daily basis and never tire of its sheer dripping with joy! A thousand different feelings. 

2) Make Me Smile - James Pankow wrote what would become Chicago's first top ten single. It was released way back in early 1970 and it is one song of many that highlights their absolutely outstanding musicianship. Chicago was for all intents and purposes the first real rock band to use horns, even though The Beatles (of course, they did) used horns sporadically on some tracks and most notably on Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. The Doors even came in to use horns on their 1969 smash hit Touch Me, but Chicago utilized brass on nearly every track and nobody did it better. They were unique. No one sounded like Chicago. A rock/jazz band filled with musicians who literally could have played with Glenn Miller, Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey and Artie Shaw. Needless to say, the big band giants of the Depression/World War II era produced some milestone musical pieces and their musicians were among the best musicians of the twentieth century. Members of Chicago would have fit in just fine.

Terry Kath was surely one of the best rock vocalists the era produced. He rises high in the annals of great rock singers. He's up there with Paul Rodgers, Lou Gramm, Freddie Mercury, Steve Perry, Stephen Stills, Elvis Presley and Lennon and McCartney. Kath rarely gets credited this way, but wow what a talent was lost with his early death. 

The introduction on Make Me Smile and then that absolutely brilliant (a word used too often, but applicable here) ending are moments to savor.  I hear young people listening to the same noise over and over again. It's not even music. It's just noise. Music is played by musicians. Chicago were musicians. Make Me Smile is a complicated piece of music. If you play you will know what I mean.   

3) Dialogue (Part 1 & 2) - Robert Lamm wrote this song and it appears on Chicago V (in hindsight, it would have been nice to have taken all of their creativity and used it to name their albums in a more memorable way). The song was released in 1972 during a chaotic period including involvement in the Vietnam War. It is rare to have an actual dialogue in a song outside of a feature film or Broadway score. The late Terry Kath sings the first person dialogue and his character is caught up in the sadness and  madness of the world. Peter Cetera comes in to do the latter half of the back and forth and he's a happy camper not caught up in the world. The song goes in to a Part 2 and it is the band singing en masse and it completely comes to a close a capella. Their diverse worldviews are accentuated throughout. Looking back on the song more than five decades later you actually get both sides which attests to the brilliance and even the prophetic aspects of the song.    

Dialogue (Part 1 & 2) is a masterpiece. I will repeat that, it is a masterpiece. Chicago (I write on reflection of the original seven members during this entire post) not only was filled with superb musicians, but they were intelligent. These guys harnessed their formal educations at DePaul University and Roosevelt University to mastermind one of the most prolific acts in modern musical history. This song was released during a time when attending university/college actually meant something. Imagine coming up with the dialogue and then making it challenge the intellect, the worldview, the thoughts of the day. Don't hate people because they don't agree with you. 

Terry Kath was a virtuoso guitar player. His solos are worth the songs in many cases. We Can Make It Happen! Oh yes, they could and so can we, but we have to get off of our phones and do something!

4) Feelin' Stronger Every Day - This song should be a jolt used in locations where people are not having a good day. I dare anyone to listen to this song and not feel good even if it only lasts for as long as the song. Based on how much airplay it continues to receive I am going to assume it is the most popular track by the band. Peter Cetera and James Pankow composed this track. Even though Pankow cowrote the song the horns are pretty much laid to rest on this track. 

These were tight musicians who knew their way around the concept and reality of a melody. Chicago, in their heyday were one of the best live acts ever. Even as they aged they still delivered enviable performances, but if you saw them back in "the day" you will remember vividly what their stage performances were capable of.  

Not exactly a rousing intellectual feat lyrically, but if you can carry a tune, wow what fun can be had belting this one out at a Karaoke bar. Of course, I've only done this once, but I still remember quite vividly what it felt like to sing such get out of the seat happiness via a song! Time signatures. Study up!

5) Hard To Say I'm Sorry/Get Away - Cetera wrote this song with David Foster. That sentence pains me, but this is one superb song. It is also one of the last songs powered by the band that is still what made Chicago, Chicago. Cetera began steering the band away from their traditional path and took them down the pansy path of pop. Having said that, Cetera had a memorable and gifted voice, but obviously he was not looking to stay and he sure wasn't going to say he was sorry.  The latter half of this musical composition is Get Away written by the always reliable Robert Lamm. Radio stations always remove Get Away from their airplay. I have wonderful memories of that summer in 1982 and if you were alive at the time you quite literally couldn't escape hearing this song. Roll down the window and blast that song. You will feel good. Once again, like Feelin' Stronger Every Day before it, Chicago knew how to amp up a few minutes of pure fulfillment by the joy of music. 

Cetera was capable of delivering emotional lines without sounding over the top. In videos he looked at times strained, but vocally he was all truthful and meaningful emotion.   

6) Colour My World - First off, I love the British spelling of the world Colour. I have no idea why James Pankow did this, but it doesn't matter. Looking at it in print form all these years later it just makes it sound more poetic and this song is poetry in lyrical motion.  

In the 1970's there wasn't a prom, school dance, homecoming event or wedding that didn't have this song on the top of the play list. It became an all consuming musical moment to say the least. Pankow wrote it and and Terry Kath sang it with all the passion and longing any vocalist could possibly provide. That flute solo by Walt Parazaider is a stunner. Oddly, there is only one verse in this song. We needed more.   

"As time goes on I realize just what you mean to me." That is the opening line to the song. Romance in music doesn't come any more beautifully than that line. Well, Paul McCartney's Here, There and Everywhere tops it (written for his beautiful Titian haired fiancee, Jane Asher).   

7) I've Been Searchin' So Long - James Pankow wrote this dream-like, almost haunting piece of music. No one would accuse Pankow of being a talented lyricist, but melodically he was one of the best tunesmiths that an American rock band gifted us with. In addition to the band, there is an entire orchestra that joins in as the music escalates to take us to another place. The best music always takes us somewhere and this song certainly fits that tradition. Cetera's vocal is powerful on this song. He intensifies the spirit of the lyrics with absolutely fantastic backing by his musical comrades.  

One of the key elements in music is the arrangement. Few bands could touch the arranging skills of the members of Chicago. Listening to the music sometimes would mean sitting down and listening to the music. If you love music it isn't just background filler. Pankow and Lamm in particular were mesmerizing in their ability to craft a song with their arrangements. Pankow, in particular could have done horns for some master class in classical music.    

8) Mongonucleosis - My eldest brother would play this song everyday for about three months. No exaggeration. He'd get ready for the day with this hyper display of jazzy, Latin American music. Certainly no other "rock" band would have recorded and released Mongonucleosis. Well, maybe Santana, but Carlos is Latin-American. It is so different and downright fun it had to be added to the list.

Once again, kudos to Terry Kath who was a full-body guitar player without a single hint of strutting his musical gifts. Clearly, this was who he was and what he was. This song is in many ways, the one song on this list that is all about the brass section. It was what separated this band from all other bands. 

9) Happy Man - Peter Cetera wrote this lovely ballad and what makes it a significant song is that it is not a cookie cutter style romantic ballad. It is an adult song loaded with depth and maturity. Cetera was a graciously good singer who had perfect pitch. If you are a Chicago fan you will end this post by noting of the ten songs on this list, four of them come from Chicago VII. Chicago VII was a double album and their finest achievement in recording. Call on Me is also on that album and that illustrious tune didn't make the cut.      

10) Skinny Boy - Robert Lamm composed this song for his first solo album. When that effort failed this song was used on Chicago VII. Once again, Lamm proves to be not only the best lyricist in the band, but also a stylized tunesmith who was able to drift off in various directions. No one in their right mind would peg this as a Chicago song. That was another reason why they were so good. Chicago was undervalued every which way you turned. 

The lyrics here sound like a significantly older man reflecting back on his life. When Lamm composed this song he was still in his 20's. Note the backing singers are the Pointer Sisters. A nice addition to the track and this song holds up well under the fog of many years having passed. None of their songs are dated. Amazing when you think of it.

Chicago was comprised of seven men with special abilities. Thank you to Peter Cetera, Terry Kath, Robert Lamm, Lee Loughnane, James Pankow, Walt Parazaider, Danny Seraphine 

The original and magnificent seven. One of the greatest bands of all-time!

Copyright The Flaming Nose 2022

Interview with Laurie Burrows Grad - Sharing Grief with Humor

 

Laurie Burrows Grad is in an author, blogger and fundraiser. Her family ties run deep in the annals of entertainment industry history. Her father Abe Burrows was a Tony and Pulitzer Prize winner (Guys and Dolls, How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying). Her brother James co-created the iconic series Cheers; and her son Nick is the President of Original Programming at FX. She has authored  several books; and her most recent book is The Joke's Over, You Can Come Back Now: How This Widow Plowed Through Grief and Survived. Since her husband Peter Grad passed in 2015, she has written extensively on grief. Laurie and Peter were married for 47 years. Laurie has said that "one minute he was laughing and the next minute he was gone."  

She was the overseer of the annual A Night At Sardi's which served as a high-profile fundraising event for the Los Angeles chapter of the Alzheimer's Association. Several years back I wanted to get involved and have purpose with an organization that was serving to benefit the life ravaging disease of Alzheimer's. My father had been diagnosed with the disease and Laurie's father died from the disease. Little did I know that doing some volunteer work would lead to an off and on and back and forth with Laurie all of these successive years.  

Laurie is one of the most elegant, engaging, caring and compassionate people I have had the fine pleasure of encountering in life. In an industry that often relegates relationships to the "what can you do for me" arena, Laurie defies that way of thinking. She's gracious, completely unflustered and genuinely concerned. When she first met my parents I watched her with them and it was as though she had known them for decades. Having gone through watching her own dad's debilitating period with Alzheimer's she instinctively knew how to chat with my beloved dad.       

Albert Camus once wrote "There are two or three great love stories in a century. Everything else is vanity or boredom." Since my mom and dad had one of those love stories and Laurie and Peter Grad had one - there is another great love story out there. Claim it as your own! 

JT: Laurie, your book The Joke's Over, You Can Come Back Now - How This Widow Plowed Through Grief and Survived was about your coping and surviving after your husband Peter's death. I knew you and Peter shared a consequential love story. My parents had a great love story, so I am conscious of couples who love one another so fully. 

Laurie Burrows Grad: Peter was my best friend. Losing a spouse is like losing a limb. It is hard to cope alone especially since we were married so young. I had never really functioned on my own, so I had to adapt and find a way through the loneliness.

JT: Without going through all of the points of your book what were the key components of plowing through grief and then surviving?

Laurie Burrows Grad: I used humor. Other people use other methods, but humor was what worked in my marriage and humor got me through my pain. I have heard that the sixth stage of grief is finding meaning. I have found meaning by helping other widows cope with their pain. I often get notes saying: “it is as if you are in my head.”  I say all the stuff that people are afraid to talk about. My first blog: Demoted to Lunch on HuffPost went viral, because it addressed the issue of people not knowing what to say.  I could do lunch by myself.  Now, dinner was another story and I needed others to surround me and help me through the tough times.

JT: The biggest mistake of my life was not marrying and having children. I never thought about what my life might be like as I got older. Most people don't. No one cares if I've been to Malaysia. I don't care that I've been to Malaysia! My surviving siblings and I were with my mom when she went to her eternal home. Being with loved ones at the end is vital. My mom and dad had a significant love story and friendship. There were times when I realized their great strength was that they liked one another as much as they loved one another - which at times is harder to do. I got to witness the bond between you and Peter on multiple occasions. Another significant love story. What were the elements of your marriage that made it work and work so well?

Laurie Burrows Grad: We were each other’s best friend. That is a rarity these days and I haven’t been able to find anyone who could walk in Peter’s shoes. They were comfortable and warm shoes and I miss them all the time.

JT: You discussed dating after the death of your husband. At some point, you referred to it as dumpster diving. Any stories you can share without giving away too much of your life? 

Laurie Burrows Grad: One guy drove past the valet parking. I said "we need to park here.”  He said, “I never pay for parking.” Now I knew I was dealing with a cheapskate. When he turned to me and said: “your roots are a little dark, when are you having your color done,” I nearly fainted. He followed that with “you must have been too busty to have modeled,” I said: “the editor has left the building," and I walked out of the restaurant.

JT: That's memorable and not in a good way! I only walked out of one date in my life. It was a date with a music industry guy many years ago. Worst date of my life! I had fun walking out.  I love to journal (that bad date made it into the journal) and I've been doing it most of my life. I don't look back, but it's there if I ever want to. Out of curiosity, did you keep journals after Peter passed?

                               Laurie Burrows Grad and Peter Grad 

Laurie Burrows Grad: I journalized on my blogs on Huffington Post. I discussed finances, “who will zip up your dress,” and all the other aspects of widowhood that people sweep under the rug.

JT: I had to zip up my own dress! My mom passed away two years ago. She lived with me the last 12 years of her life. I miss her deeply. The single best relationship in my life. I knew my life was never going to be the same again and I was right. Obviously, it is a different relationship, but this has been difficult for me. What advice would you pass on to people struggling with loss, even beyond loss of a spouse?

Laurie Burrows Grad: Get help. I joined a group after Peter died at Our House Grief Support Center.  It helped me immeasurably.  I went to the group feeling “why me.”  After I was in the group, I said “why not me?”  I also used a grief therapist.  There are many organizations that help people adjust to grief.  Many are free and Our House charged the minimum.  I joined the board after I left the group and help them as much as I can.

JT: You and I met when I started volunteering on A Night at Sardi's for the Alzheimer's Association in Los Angeles. You lost your dad to the disease and eventually I lost my dad to the disease. I recently interviewed an author on his book regarding the disease; and over the last few years I've reviewed three documentaries on the disease. The numbers of people being diagnosed with the disease are growing. Clinically where do you see the future of this disease - short haul and long haul?

Laurie Burrows Grad: I watch my brother in law descend into that scary place of Alzheimer’s. It is the worst possible disease. To see my father, a wordsmith, not able to speak made both Peter and me want to help and raise money.  I am sorry to say they are no further along with research in this dreadful disease that robs the mind.

JT: What happened to A Night at Sardi's? I was attending two events per week throughout my career and A Night at Sardi's was definitely one of the best of the Hollywood fundraising events. Quite honestly, the only event that bested your event was the Carousel of Hope Ball (they gave out Hermes scarves!). A Night at Sardi's was a notable night on the town while serving as an important fundraising operation. 

Laurie Burrows Grad:  It was the most fun event.  We got celebrities to sing Broadway tunes. We handed over the reins to Seth Rogen and his wife Lauren Miller who are committed to helping Home Instead.  

JT: Your dad was a famed Broadway legend and your brother was the creator of one of my all-time favorite series (Cheers). Both your dad and your brother are show business legends and clearly you were surrounded by funny people. 

Laurie Burrows Grad: I come from funny. My brother just wrote a book called Directed by James Burrows and he talks about his career. My father always cracked us up at the dinner table. Hence the humor gene. After you’ve dumpster dived dating, you too would want to laugh!

JT: Your son is the President of FX scripted series. FX is known for its high quality series. I loved Black Narcissus that aired in the fall of 2020. I reviewed it at the time. Just fantastic mini-series and you most likely wouldn't see that production anywhere other than on FX. I'm sure you are a proud mom.  

Laurie Burrows Grad:  Nick has fostered some wonderful hits - The Shield, Sunny in Philadelphia, and so many other series. Yes, I am proud of his work.

JT: You are a gifted writer and you've written multiple books, including several cookbooks. Did you come to writing later in life and if so, why did it take you so long?

Laurie Burrows Grad: I wrote four cookbooks but until Peter died, I didn’t use my prose. Now that he has died, I believe he would be thrilled with my writing. The writing I do now helps me to help others.

JT: I cannot let Laurie Burrows Grad not share some of her favorites? What are your favorite films?

Laurie Burrows Grad: The Philadelphia Story is my absolute favorite movie and  I am a fan of Sandra Bullock. I am about to sell my book to a movie company and I can’t think of anyone better to play me!

JT: Favorite theater production of all-time? 

Laurie Burrows Grad: Guys and Dolls. A classic!

JT: Favorite television series?

Laurie Burrows Grad: Fawlty Towers, Downton Abbey. I love a great British mystery!

JT: Last question. Who is your all-time favorite actor?

Laurie Burrows Grad: Cary Grant!  Does that date me too much?  LOL!

                  Laurie Burrows Grad with brother James and son Nick 

Copyright The Flaming Nose 2022

     

 

AMERICAN MASTERS - BRIAN WILSON: LONG PROMISED ROAD

The PBS series American Masters has been around since its debut in 1986. Season 36: Episode 5 features BRIAN WILSON: LONG PROMISED ROAD. The series is clear in how it wants to celebrate an artist and it does so with tremendous gusto. If you are going to have a series celebrating the arts and artists you certainly want to throw every laurel at their feet. There are times when the viewer doesn't understand the decision to laud over some of the people defined by American Masters and then there are times you practically find yourself weeping with joy over the complete and total brilliance of an artist. The American Masters on one of the founding members of the iconic band The Beach Boys is one of those times. Brian Wilson is one of the most celebrated songwriters of the latter half of the 20th century and deservedly so. The man who never learned to surf created, designed and mastered so many outstanding melodies that it is even all these years later difficult to comprehend. One must keep in mind that Brian Wilson was a man verbally abused by one of the bad dads of the last century, but Wilson didn't grow bitter, angry, miserable or mean-spirited. He became a gentle giant. A man full of a sweet spirit and a tender heart. 

Wilson is and this is no embellishment - the single most humble public figure I have ever witnessed. You see it in the interviews, but I had the good fortune to meet Mr. Wilson on a couple of occasions. He really is that guy! The American Masters special finds much of the 90 minutes with Brian Wilson driving around various locations in the L.A. basin with Rolling Stone reporter, Jason Fine. They are going from one Wilson moment to the next. Visiting the house he and his brothers, Dennis and Carl grew up in (I met their mom when I first moved to SoCal to begin a career in the entertainment industry - she happened to be a good friend to a local family friend) is a fun throwback to another era. They visit various recording studios and other homes Brian lived in. It's a delightful and free-wheeling chatfest that is compelling conversation. 

We hear many of the melodic whirlwinds Wilson crafted from his gifted brain and wow a boatload of gigantic tunes. Wouldn't It Be Nice, Good Vibrations, California Girls and many more, but nothing and I mean nothing comes close to the most definitive of all harmony achievements in the rock era - God Only Knows. God Only Knows sounds as good, if not better in 2022 than it did upon its release back in 1966. Since the special aired I have listened to this remarkable song a dozen or so times. I look forward to it each and every time. We learn during the special that Wilson actually wrote some songs in a sandbox. He may be the only person ever to do that. 

God Only Knows was recorded while every musician and singer was in the same room at the same time! They can't and won't do that today! The piano, harmonica, banjo. Baby brother Carl Wilson was blessed to get the opportunity to sing lead on the vocal; and that gorgeous double-back harmony by Bruce Johnston still kind of takes my breath away. 

Brian Wilson has suffered severely from mental illness since the mid to late 1960's, but his memory has not faded one bit. He is now 80 years old (I'm writing this in 2022) and his amazing memory is fascinating. Talk about having significantly strong cognitive abilities well into these late years in life. 

In these documentaries one always gets to see and hear a variety of talking heads, but this go-round you listen to talking heads who obviously wanted to do this. Elton John (he inducted the Beach Boys into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame) waxes beautifully on Brian's talents, skills and abilities. Bruce Springsteen, as usual is a stand-out in his reminiscing. Springsteen himself is a great writer of words and in my opinion second only to Bob Dylan as a lyricist in the rock era. Springsteen's use of words is on full display in this documentary. Springsteen digs in with discussing the joy of his youth and all these years later the sadness of the autumn and maybe even the winter of his years. Springsteen can and usually does bring a tear to the eye.  Fellow Beach Boy Al Jardine is featured, along with producer/musician Don Was, Jakob Dylan and Nick Jonas. 

Goodness, sweetness, tenderness, positivity and innocence - who in their right mind would have thought all those years ago that one of the most accomplished and successful songwriters of the 1960's would be described that way.

American Masters: Brian Wilson: Long Promised Road recently premiered on PBS. Watch it and watch it now. Absolutely glorious in its every single second. 

Original Beach Boys: Al Jardine, Carl Wilson, Dennis Wilson, Brian Wilson, Mike Love

Copyright The Flaming Nose 2022  

       

             

       

DOMINA - THE WORST TELEVISION SERIES CURRENTLY ON IN THE ENTIRE WORLD!

This is my opinion...

I rarely write negative reviews. I prefer to offer up positive perspectives and hopefully motivate people to watch programming that is to varying degrees worth watching. Every once in awhile I run across something that is just so significantly awful that I will weigh in with an opinion. I think so poorly of this disgusting piece of junk I will not even upload any images. DOMINA is not worth one single image. 

The Roman Empire is a fascinating and long period of history and much of it is covered in blood, (Jesus Christ's crucifixion is the most life transforming example) corruption and evil. Eventually, the empire would wear itself out with of all things, laziness. There are few times in filmed entertainment that have gotten anything right about the Roman Empire, but DOMINA is the single worst piece of garbage to ever pretend to be based in some sort of historical period. 

DOMINA which airs on the EPIX channel in the United States (it was a SKY presentation out of the U.K.) may very well be the single worst series not only currently on television, but it may be the worst television series of all-time; and all of this is saying a whole lot. Imagine being the worst series of the nearly 600 series on television in the U.S. at the moment? Imagine being the worst series of all-time? Well, this is it.  EPIX will soon be rebranded as MGM+.  The once iconic MGM brand soiled. 

The best casting directors in the world aren't capable of knowing every single actor currently working on some format of a series that airs on television. We have the broadcast networks, the cable networks, the premium services and the ever expanding number of streaming services.

The television people (we have all worked or continue to work in executive roles in television or film) that write for this blog watch a great deal of programming and this writer wants to shout it from the housetops that DOMINA is the worst television series in the world. I literally couldn't loathe anything more than this piece of cheap trash. By the way, sometimes cheap trashy programming can at least be mildly entertaining, but this isn't even close to the most minor of entertainment moments.   

First off, it is a series set in the early days of the Roman Empire. The Roman Empire as we know it from a historical perspective lasted around 500 years. It was led by a wide variety of emperors and assorted other leaders with different titles - some of those leaders were profoundly influential and others were blips on the radar of human time. Julius Caesar and Constantine were clearly the two who were the most influential as we peer back into the history of the Roman Empire. DOMINA picks up right after the death of Julius Caesar. Julius Caesar's life has been written about and filmed before, but no one has made a consequential film about Julius Caesar.  

The Roman Empire was the most notable of all historical leading empires and that would include the British Empire which lasted for a couple of hundred years and the empire of the United States. The U.S. empire has been in decline for the last 20 to 30 years and it is continuing to slide into irrelevance with an ever growing debt and a complete lack of leadership. 

Having studied the Roman Empire in some detail through formal education and by reading more than forty books on the subject matter I know I am qualified to state that DOMINA is the single most ridiculous attempt at bringing the Roman Empire to your television screens. 

First off, it's cheap looking and I mean cheap looking. They shoot at the Cinecitta Studios in Rome. Famed film directors, Sergio Leone, Bernardo Bertolucci and Italian-American Martin Scorcese have all filmed at Cinecitta Studios, but for some wildly bizarre reason this piece of mayhem doesn't look anything like the film classics used by the masters just mentioned. This series is similar to a stunned teenager whose incompetence and recklessness just totally demolished the family car. It's the old symptom of upheaval and collapse - nothing works and I mean nothing works in DOMINA. 

It looks like it was shot in an unused mechanic garage and from 1932 to boot. Even the exteriors look cheap. You would get a better backdrop of the out-of-doors in almost any forest preserve in a suburban location.  EPIX couldn't deliver a second season of BELGRAVIA, but they have managed to greenlight a second season of DOMINA.       

DOMINA means lord and/or master. The only lord and master in this production is post-feminist character of Livia. Livia gives women a bad name. A reputation for bad is all the way around for this character, including lots of bad acting. Beyond the despicable (and, not in a morbidly fun way) lead character, the viewer doesn't like a single character and you don't care for anyone either. The first two episodes you see the younger versions of the lead characters and they were better than the adult versions, but that isn't saying a great deal. Kasia Smutniak plays Livia. Plays is an odd word to use here. Smutniak is not a good actor. I hate to use the word actor in conjunction with whatever she is doing here, but acting is not a word that should be used.  

Overall, the acting, if one can call this acting, is absolutely horrific. There are way too many people working in an industry that needs some level of craft and art; and this series has no art and/or craft. I have seen better performances at high school presentations. The writing is even worse than the acting and that's another loaded moment of thought.  It is predictable and sometimes predictable is good. At times, I like predictable. I find comfort in predictable, but this AIN'T that type of predictable. The silliness and the non-historic elements of the dialog and the narrative drive is absurd. To even say narrative drive in conjunction with DOMINA is an overreach of any of one's critical thinking skills. By the way, the use of the F BOMB scattered throughout is not only ridiculous, it is loathsome. The F BOMB was not used during the Roman Empire. Note, even John Milius used the F Bomb in his famed HBO drama on Rome, but the rest of it was masterminded by John Milius, so it gets off the hook a bit! More importantly, it is used repeatedly and none of these people are exactly characters out of a gangster film (or are they?). Right about now, you can use a good gangster film.     

Keep in mind, the Roman Empire contributed some good to the societal norms of the world and obviously a whole lot of bad. They created the most heinous form of death ever conjured up with crucifixion, but with Constantine's conversion to Christianity they actually destroyed crucifixion. Without the Roman Empire we would have waited a whole lot longer for relatively safe drinking water! The concept of roads - give credit to the Romans!  Make note: you would never know anything good about the Roman Empire by watching this madcap (and I don't mean madcap in any humorous way) awfulness of a series. 

One more time with the bad acting. If some financing company said "hey, find me some of the worst actors out there" then you would conjure up this mishmash of an ensemble. One is worse than the other, but the proverbial holy grail of this solidly bad ensemble is the lead female actor. Of course, the worst actor in the entire outing happens to be the person in the series with the most screen time. Not one moment of instinctive acting. There isn't one single shred of credibility or skill in this performance. It is a weird vibe of a performance. I repeat, I do not like giving bad reviews, but somehow, someway the hired actors need to know how to act. Then, I ask why is Matthew McNulty in this drivel? McNulty has given some wonderfully interesting performances (Deadwater Fall, The Musketeers) and seeing him languish in this drizzled mess of a bad storm is disappointing.   

Everyone is awkward and seemingly uncomfortable. By the way, you hate everyone in it and you are uncomfortable watching it. 

I started this post out by saying I rarely write anything negative and I sure hope nothing this bad will motivate me again to take to the keyboard. I sure hope there will not be a season three. This type of bad programming gives television a bad name and EPIX (again, soon to be MGM+)  should be embarrassed by this mess of a series. It is unforgivably stupid and the awful and awkward dialogue is incomprehensible. EPIX (distributing in the U.S.) should be beyond embarrassed by this cheap looking silliness.  

I believe in God. May He in all of His wisdom not allow a third season of this junk.

Copyright The Flaming Nose 2022  

  

 

    

 

INTERVIEW WITH JIM JANICEK

Jim Janicek is the creative/collaborative force behind multiple media brands. This includes being the creator of one of the most famous brands in television history - the ABC TGIF brand. He also has been at the forefront of launching three major television networks. 

Jim founded and leads Janicek Media (JMC) an entrepreneurial production company that develops branded entertainment programming and innovative 360 media messaging campaigns. 

He recently completed three family films; Adeline, The Engagement Plot and The Happy Camper. The latter two films were produced with Brian Bird (Creator and Executive Producer) of the Hallmark Channel's number one franchise, When Calls the Heart. 

Jim also produces content with The Walt Disney Company. He recently completed a project with two time Academy Award winning actor, Tom Hanks. The project was for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Museum.   

Over his long career Jim has worked on projects for The Muppets, Baby Einstein, Winnie the Pooh and multiple ABC and NBC specials. 

I had the pleasure and privilege to interview Jim Janicek recently.

J: Jim, you have had a long and storied career in media, but you only recently started producing films. How did The Engagement Plot come about for you and your production company?  

Jim: I had actually just completed a film partnering with fellow producer Myrrha Satow and close friend Becky Daugherty (former Executive Vice President at Disney/ABC) in Ohio called Adeline about a miracle equine therapy horse.  I met Brian Bird, who is the Executive Producer of Hallmark’s When Calls The Heart through a friend who felt we should meet and possibly collaborate.  He was encouraging and he also happens to call Colorado his home. I recently moved back to my home state of Colorado, so this was a common bond for us.  Funny story; Brian was a writer on one of the ABC TGIF shows called Step By Step during the time I was at ABC. We instantly had a connection and a number of mutual friends.  I appreciate Brian’s talents and we both share the same goal of producing family entertainment without fear of including a few faith based messages.  We also believe in building a production business model that gives all an opportunity to thrive.  There’s room in this genre for lots of new faces. We discussed our mutual vision of working more in our home state.  I have done a lot of my productions and post in Colorado, so I was confident we could mount a film production team that was capable of working on multiple projects.  I have a longstanding relationship with the Colorado Governor’s Office Of Film and approached them for support.  We were granted a 20% film incentive if we brought the productions to Colorado.  It was an easy decision as Colorado has great locations, support crew, creative and post already in place.  

J: Wow. What a great backstory to the working relationship with Brian Bird. I love the business plan of working in Colorado as well as finding and developing new talent. Do you have plans for another film?

Jim: I am in discussions on a few projects.  I’m always open to what crosses my path.  If an opportunity is financed, I’ve learned to say yes if it’s a good fit in my schedule and it’s a good message. 

J: You created the ABC Television Network's TGIF campaign which ultimately became one of the most famous of all on-air television promotional campaigns. Can you share how this campaign was created? 

Jim: It’s a fun story.  Back in 1987, I was a Writer/Producer for the ABC Television Network's On Air Promotions department.  We were sometimes invited to the ABC Executive Towers to participate in creative think groups with the top executives.  I’ll never forget sitting around this massive conference table with the likes of several Capital Cities/ABC Television Network legends (this was before The Walt Disney Company buyout of Capital Cities/ABC).  We were discussing the impact cable TV was having on our audiences and I spoke up suggesting we consider “narrow casting to a specific demo on specific nights.”  One of the executives (whom shall remain nameless) looked at me with anger and said, “Young man, we are the American BROADCASTING company.  We will never do that!”    Needless to say, I didn’t get invited back to one of those meetings for some time! 

Later, Bob Iger was just coming on board as President of ABC Entertainment and my supervisors Mark Zakarin and Stu Brower gave me the job of promoting Friday nights during the summer.  Back then, Friday night was considered the death slot for most shows as everyone thought families were out on the town.  I didn’t feel the same way and wanted to try and create a fond experience from my childhood.  Every Sunday night my family would gather and watch Mutual Of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom and The Disney Sunday Movie.  It was always a great night of dinner with family and some TV time, complete with Walt Disney himself hosting.  This was the genesis of the plan for Friday Night.  I learned early in the business that it’s not that people know what they like, they like what they know.   I wanted to create something I knew other families shared and had fond memories about. 

I started promoting Friday nights using stock footage, claiming all kinds of odd comedic stories about Friday night having profound effects on people when they watch.  “Bob shaved 32 strokes off his golf game!"  Mark Zakarin who was the Executive Vice President for Marketing and On-Air Promotions  called me saying, “I don’t know what kind of crazy you’re on, but because it’s summer, keep it up, they are funny and different!”  When it came time for fall TV premieres, I was given a budget to do more and that’s when the second part of my plan went into play.  I wanted to create our own Walt Disney style hosts for the night.  I hired a music team I’d worked with for years to generate a main title, and we approached each of the show runners for the new season of comedies with the idea that each Friday, I’d come to the set and we’d record host segments with their cast after taping their shows.  The idea was that each show would support the other and together we’d generate America’s first case of FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out).  The whole was greater than the sum of its parts.  No one had done anything like that before, but thankfully the Warner Bros. and Disney studio teams involved were willing to give it a try.  Being one of the youngest producers at ABC at the time, I didn’t know better.  All I knew was this was going to be a great way to be on set each week with our shows.  There was another major snag we faced; the network was only allowed a limited amount of time for promo every hour.  The FCC would step in if we violated that rule.  My boss Stu Brower and I put our heads together and came up with a wild plan to ask each show to cut their original program down by 20 seconds so we could take that as “entertainment programming time” for the host segments.  A few friendly phone calls with producers Bob Boyett and Tom Miller and we had a deal. The other producers followed suit.  The name TGIF came together with Stu Brower, myself and Bob Iger.  We had generated a long list of candidates with everything from Friday Fun Club to Friday Night Funnies.

Writing and filming the hosted segments each week was no easy ordeal.  It took a huge amount of coordination with programming, each show, and our own teams.  It literally was a balancing act every week, but some amazing dedicated cohorts helped make it happen every week for nearly 10 years, even during summer hiatus.  It was an amazing experience that launched multiple new opportunities for me with ABC Kids, NBC, Fox, The Muppets and Disney.  We didn’t really know we had a hit until about 12 months in. This is where I owe a debt a gratitude to Bob Iger.  There was a meeting in Century City with the research department and they were discussing “Q” ratings (cast recognizability) with the executive team.  Research was alarmed because when they’d show pictures of Friday night’s cast like Ashley & Mary Kate to focus groups, they’d hear “Oh those are the girls from TGIF.”   Research wanted to kill the TGIF name so people would recognize the show name.  Thankfully, Bob Iger saw this very differently.  He was thrilled that we had clearly created a brand that was working.  Our budget and horsepower was increased! Warner Bros. studios joined forces, assigning a gifted producer, Karen K. Miller to help us coordinate with each cast. ABC advertising eventually capitalized on the idea of selling ad time at higher rates across the entire night vs. a particular time slot.  At nearly the same time, I found out my mom was suffering from Parkinson's disease and the prognosis was not good.  I made a difficult decision to possibly move back to Colorado to help care for her. Mark Zakarin put me in a meeting with Bob Iger to suggest that I continue my work and commute.  Bob welcomed the idea and even picked up an idea for a primetime special I wanted to do. ABC helped me set up Janicek Entertainment in 1990 and was my first major contract outside of the network.   I continue to work with ABC/Disney to this day on select projects.  They are a fond part of my work family. 

J: Great and memorable stories from that period of your career. I know all of these people from the old ABC team, so it was great to hear their names again in conjunction with your memories.  Jumping to 2022... The Engagement Plot takes place in Colorado. You are from Colorado and now you are back in your home state. What was behind the move?  

Jim: I work a lot in Colorado and sometimes film in California. With technology today, it’s possible to work from almost anywhere.  We do all our post production at my company offices.  I feel very blessed and could never have planned this ideal life.  I think networks and studios are more open to working in alternate locations as it certainly helps with budgets and a variety of locations. There are so many ways to generate creative content and the film incentive in Colorado certainly helps.

J: What moment in life got you interested in working in the entertainment industry?

Jim: When I was in 8th grade I had a science teacher who got me interested in Ham Radio.  He helped me get my license as a radio operator.  It was exciting to speak with people all over the world. There was a national Saturday Morning TV show called Kids World that came to film a classmate and I about our radio experiences.  When they showed up with a crew, I was hooked.  Then to see it on air, I was amazed at the idea I could speak to people all over the world via broadcast television. 

J: What's the wildest/wackiest/craziest story that happened to you during your career? One that you can share here?  

Jim: It's tough to remember all of them. I spent a night with my crew in the Tower Of Terror at Disneyworld!  I’ve been comedically insulted by Ms. Piggy and the Baby on Dinosaurs who didn’t take direction well “NOT THE MAMA!”   Ernie Anderson, the famous The Love Boat voice liked to rip up my scripts.  We did a Home Improvement special that went like clockwork and my producer even said, “Hey, we not only hit our budget, we got great stuff and are out right on time!”  Then our prop truck promptly tore the entire roof off the guard gate house of the mansion we were filming at.  We were filming a spooky Halloween special for Fox at a Van Nuys mansion and our black cat escaped and ran under the house.  We had to crawl through 100 years of spider webs underneath the house to rescue him. I got to sit in the cockpit of the Space Shuttle Atlantis before it was being prepped for its next mission. Danielle Fishel (Topanga on Boy Meets World) and I had to wing an entire night of TGIF LIVE from the stands of a U2 POP Tour Concert in Las Vegas. Bono and The Edge were going to join us, but canceled at the last minute.  Ryan Reynolds tried to get me fired one time when he claimed I was a difficult director.  In fact nothing bad ever happened on set.  It turned out he was mad that the network program executive hadn’t come to the taping so he was making waves. Thankfully, I wasn’t fired! While working with Jamie Foxx, I did steal a presidential fax paper cover sheet from the set of White House Down so I could send spoof faxes to a few of my friends.  

J: I've got some memorable moments, but you definitely win the war of the wackier side of things.  What is your most memorable moment from your years in the entertainment industry?

Jim: I’ve enjoyed so many amazing things. 3500 hours of TV makes it very hard to choose.  I do really take heart to the idea of making audiences enjoy a laugh together, or take pause for a moment.  I didn’t really know TGIF made such a huge impact on people’s lives until much later.  It’s a nice feeling when fans tell me how much it was a part of their family.  Mission accomplished.  

I find myself continually amazed at my life path.  I’m very entrepreneurial and love to spot trends and opportunities for creative ways to build a business or audience, but can never predict what’s next.  I had a chance meeting with a Disney executive one time that years later led to me taking over production on Baby Einstein right after my wife and I had twins. How odd is that. The brand grew to over 100 million dollars after we did 12 titles.  I would have never even understood the brand until we had twins! I had a chance meeting with an executive at Comcast in 2012 and pitched him an idea for a new network dedicated to helping the Latino audiences engage with their entertainment offerings.  We launched and operated Xfinity Latino to 22 million homes for 8 years. I always believe “The Best Is Yet To Come.”  This is a saying I barrowed from my friend John Sie.  

Years ago I helped launch and brand Starz network. I did a special for the president John Sie on his life story that revealed much of his rough childhood and even a few business failures.  He was against it at first, but I convinced him that he needed to share the flaws. It gives young people hope that they too can achieve great things.  John didn’t get to be where he was without incredible life challenges.  The story was used for a huge network event.  He was so touched by it and we became friends. His entire industry had a new perspective and respect for him.   

J: Jim, if you weren't doing what you do, what would you be doing?

Jim: I love cars, entrepreneurial business, and home designs. So probably designing new technology or working on design and builds. So many opportunities… so little time!  I also love to travel and with our kids now mid college, my wife and I want to spend more time together exploring.  We actually bought a cool van so we could take driving trips with our dogs and easily transport them between Denver and San Clemente! We have a little beach getaway we simply love.  I want to partner on a few more projects with some of my favorite cohorts.  Becky Daugherty (another long-time former ABC Executive) and I occasionally do projects together.  I also hope to do some guest teaching at Chapman Dodge College of Film & TV in Orange, California. 

J: How do overcome the dreaded creative blocks?

Jim: Wine!  Ha ha. No, I’ve learned that I will always be my own worst critic.  I don’t think there’s one thing I’ve done that I feel isn’t flawed in some way.  I think it's important to step away when blocked.  I often go work on a car or in the garden doing something with my hands or something that requires me to create with my hands.  For some reason that unlocks new perspectives. 

J: Which artists have inspired your work? Who has influenced your work the most?

Jim: As I think about it, probably some of the bigger names are: Walt Disney, Jim Henson, Tom Hanks, Kenneth Branagh, Jamie Foxx…. The list is long.  I think the world of Carol Burnett,  Ron Howard, Mark Lynn Baker….. That’s just top of mind… and there’s so many new talents coming to light right now.

I recently worked with Tom Hanks on a special for the new Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences Museum in Los Angeles.  He is genuine, funny and not affected at all. He drove himself to the filming and stayed way past his call time.  Helpful and fun two work with.  I think I’m constantly struck by great work that influences my thinking.   

I’m impressed when artists can tell a story with impact, without the crutch of cuss words, and edgy adult situations just to be current or hip.  To me, that’s playing to the lowest common denominator just to create hype in hopes an audience will watch.  That doesn’t take talent. It also deteriorates our industry to something lacking in responsibility to the viewing audience. 

J: Do you have one big ultimate dream project you would love to get produced?

Jim: I do hope to help find financing and build out a large LED Studio at Chapman Dodge College that becomes a working operation within the industry.  It’s going to take 5-7million to complete. My vision is to form an alliance with a distribution partner.  Together with several highly experienced cohorts from the industry we’d create content there which includes using film students as Production Assistants or in other entry level positions.  The business model works:  The production company team is making short and long form content made for a client to use on their platform. The production costs are lower.  We are using the newest technology at the only film school in the country with such a stage, and each student enters the work place from college already having real world credits with significant mentors.  The fellow mentors are continuing to make the kind of content they are known for at a pro level, while also feeling like their helping guide the next generation of filmmakers. 

J: We all have them! Who are your favorite actors, writers, directors from the last fifty years?

Jim: I tend to find myself being a fan of many different talents on any given day depending on what I’ve recently seen. While I’ve met and worked with many, I think the one person I’d simply fall on the floor with respect for is Carol Burnett. She had a huge impact on my childhood and desire to be in comedy.  Tim Conway, Harvey Korman and Carol would have us laughing until it hurt. What I wouldn’t give to be a part of a variety show that had the world laughing like that.  What fun that would be to create again. 

J: What keeps you up at night?

Jim: I’m excited and worry that our industry and the current technology that’s at hand gives a great deal of power to anyone who desires to put something out into the world on media. Perhaps I’m being naive about the past. Today, it seems the moral obligation of being truthful or balanced in news has all gone away and been replaced by spectacle. Young filmmakers need to respect the incredible power they have to create perception and good in the world, and with that comes responsibility.  

J: So after a life in the entertainment industry are your children following in your footsteps?

Jim: Like it or not,  yes, they are.  Our daughter is at Chapman Dodge College in Orange studying screenwriting. Our son is at Gonzaga studying Broadcast and Business. We hope they will always bring light to the world.  

COPYRIGHT THE FLAMING NOSE 2022

DOCUMENTARY REVIEW: HAVE YOU HEARD ABOUT GREG? A JOURNEY THROUGH ALZHEIMER'S WITH FAITH, HOPE AND HUMOR

I've reviewed multiple documentaries that revolve around the demoralizing and at times near degrading disease of Alzheimer's. Alzheimer's disease is a deeply personal disease and yet it is is becoming all consuming to the overall world population. The numbers of people afflicted with this mind erasing disease are climbing and they are climbing quickly. Fifty million people on planet earth are currently living with some form of dementia and that includes the most dreaded one of all, Alzheimer's disease.  

My father was diagnosed with the disease at the young age of 69. What my family didn't know at the time was that those pesky personality changes that had been showing up for several years prior to the onset of the actual disease were the initial symptoms of the disease. My father lived with the disease for 12 years and in large part he lived a life full of love, compassion, mercy and grace. Most of the credit for this quality of life goes to my now deceased mother. My mom loved my dad with every single cell in her body. Love, real love is spontaneous; and my parents were amazingly spontaneous. 

The documentary, Have You Heard About Greg? A Journey Through Alzheimer's with Faith, Hope and Humor is about journalist Greg O'Brien's experiences with the disease. O'Brien was diagnosed with early on-set Alzheimer's at the age of 59. The film by Steve Ecclesine is an intriguing look at O'Brien's daily life. O'Brien states early on in the film that 60% of his short-term memory can be gone in 30 seconds. Stop and think about that. That is frightening. As the nation and the world ages and the population numbers grow we will continue to see more and more people with this shared experience. 

                                                Greg O'Brien

O'Brien's situation may have been exasperated by two known serious head traumas he suffered, including a severe fall off of a bicycle. Needless to say, this is not the only way to get Alzheimer's, but we do know by the many studies conducted that head trauma and concussions are contributors to severe brain disease. One of the best documentaries you will ever see is Frontline: League of Denial. The documentary explores the National Football League and its players and their various issues with harsh brain injuries. Again, there are many reasons why one would get Alzheimer's disease and brain injury is just one of those reasons.     

Fortunately for O'Brien he is surrounded by a loving family, including his wife, two sons and one daughter. One of the keys to surviving this disease with some semblance of dignity is to be engulfed with love from family and friends. Many people don't have this ring of love and devotion. 

Some of the finest moments in this documentary are when O'Brien is sharing his inner thoughts with his Pastor. There are times in life when you just want to let your thoughts go unleashed and O'Brien does this frequently with his Pastor. There is a wonderful story that transpires between these two men about geese and how they fly in formation and how they take turns at the front. Going to the lead is an act of encouragement and a display of hard work. The geese take turns in their respective leadership roles. Relationships that work in life are in many ways the ultimate synergistic display in life. One hand does indeed wash the other.  

Alzheimer's disease is different than other forms of dementia in that it isn't just the loss of cognitive skills, but it is the total breakdown of the physical body. O'Brien suffers from macular degeneration, stenosis of the spine and neuropathy from his knees to his feet. He is also incontinent.  

The vast majority of people don't want to contemplate their own mortality, but we all will die, therefore contemplating death is not depressing. Contemplating the very concept of death can be cathartic. O'Brien has a deep spiritual resolve. The idea of not finding faith until you pursue faith is explored with his Pastor and when he says he wants to go home - needless to say, you believe him. 

Greg O'Brien wrote a book about his experience with Alzheimer's and you can read the book to learn more about his journey with the disease. The book is called On Pluto: Inside the Mind of Alzheimer's. 

Multiple neuroscientists and other medical professionals outline some ways to potentially delay dementia; and those points are provided in this poignant and revelatory documentary. They include:

1) Sleep - Get seven to eight hours per night.

2) Learn how to handle stress. 

3) Interact with people. Do not isolate.

4) Physical Exercise - Walk, Cycle, Go the the Gym, Garden

5) Learn New Things. Continue to educate yourself.

6) Diet - Plant Based Diet, Mediterranean Diet, Fiber - A healthy gut, a healthy heart leads to a healthy brain.

Have You Heard About Greg: A Journey Through Alzheimer's with Faith, Hope and Humor is a film worth viewing.  

Copyright The Flaming Nose 2022

  

    

THE GREATEST SONGS BY THE DOORS - THE TOP TEN!

This is my opinion...

The Doors were the most unusually distinctive rock band the United States of America ever delivered to our radios, our vinyl records, our CDs, our cassettes, our 8 Tracks, our streaming services. They were a marvel of magnificence and certainly one of the most significant of American rock bands. 

The band had a short shelf life due to the untimely death of their dynamic and troubled lead singer, Jim Morrison. In spite of Morrison's 1971 death at the age of 27 The Doors amassed a memorable music catalog in just five years of recording.

They were a group of gifted musicians even though Morrison himself wasn't a musician, but Ray Manzarek, Robby Krieger and John Densmore were certainly three of the finest musicians in the annals of pop/rock music. Morrison wasn't completely able to distinguish one chord from another, but he had a unique singing style that could alter itself from one song to another and he certainly knew his way around the concept of words. Some critics lambasted him as pretentious and a wannabe poet, but one would be hard pressed to look back on Morrison's lyrics and not see a gifted wordsmith. 

Morrison was a certifiable genius with his 149 I.Q., but some biographers have stated Morrison suffered from extreme clinical depression and there is no mystery surrounding his hard-core alcoholism. In the late 1960's there were no rehab centers and even 12 step programs were somewhat rare. If one is being truthful about Morrison he probably wouldn't have attended one of them no matter what pressure was put upon him. Seemingly, no one in his inner circle would have done anything anyway. Sadly, the people that most likely would have supported and encouraged him were the very people he no longer spoke with. He was a talented, brilliant and stunningly beautiful man who lost out to booze and depression. He wasn't a good discerner of relationships; and his life was ended in a bathtub in Paris. Nearly 51 years after his death, the music of The Doors can still rattle a cage and upset the path of least resistance.

 Morrison's perfect features and a head of hair all the girls would envy.  

Morrison was fortunate to be in a synergistic music relationship with one of the most sensational of keyboard players, Ray Manzarek. Drummer John Densmore was a creative musician who could play jazz, blues and avant-garde experimental music. Robby Krieger is one of the most underrated and undervalued guitarists of the rock era. Some of the finest songs by The Doors were written by Krieger.  All these years later, here are:  

The Doors Ten Greatest Songs

10) THE WASP (TEXAS RADIO AND THE BIG BEAT)

Jim Morrison wrote this semi-autobiographical song years before the band recorded the song for what would be their last album (with all four band members on the album), L.A. Woman. In the earlier years, Morrison would recite the song on stage as beat (late 1950s-early 1960's poetic style) poetry. Since Morrison's speaking voice was a beautiful soft lilt he could pull off reciting poetry without sounding wildly off the mark. Today, with that voice, Morrison would have been a terrific add to narration on nature documentaries. Go ahead, imagine that. Imagination is all you have left with James Douglas Morrison.    

The song takes a twist from the high powered 1950's Mexican radio stations that could be heard across the U.S. border. Also, since Morrison spent a couple of years living in Virginia (his father was an Admiral in the United States Navy) he then had the experience of attending live shows in that state. His poetic take with these words were filmed more than once, but this was in an era when there was little to no film of pop and rock artists, so we are limited with what we now have available. All of the footage that does exist is featured in black and white filmed entertainment.

"Comes out of the Virginia swamps cool and slow with plenty of rugged precision with a back beat narrow and hard to master." 

The song has a unique marching band push of the melody. Drummer John Densmore was in his high school marching band, so that snare drum is right out of Densmore's high school days. 

Morrison may have been one of the definitive bad boys of rock, but he was far more intriguing than most, if not all of his counterparts. Ironically, what makes him hold our attention all of these years later is not the bad boy stuff, but the smart and sensitive side of Morrison.   

9) BREAK ON THROUGH (TO THE OTHER SIDE)

A powerful rock song with one of Morrison's best vocals. This song is off their debut album which was released in 1967. Break on Through (To the Other Side) is essentially a revolution within a revolution. It is a joyously unrestrained piece of music with a hard driving Bossa Nova beat. Keep in mind this song has to be put into the context of the era. Bossa Nova music out of Brazil was a huge trend during this time period. Even Frank Sinatra had drunk from the well of the Bossa Nova era. 

There is a superb guitar riff and the marriage of drums/guitar/keyboards make this song sound like a savage mash of ferocity. The Doors, at this point in music weren't like anyone else and in many ways there is still no act that can match their genuine calm meeting madness. Treasure that bass line as it works in complete harmony with Morrison's vocal. Break On Through (To the Other Side) is like a powerful thunderstorm with a whole sky full of lightening strikes.   

8) LOVE ME TWO TIMES

Love Me Two Times is a sensational pop song by The Doors. Morrison gets in your face with his interpretation and once again the bass line draws you in with heroic musical implications. A notable highlight on this track is that arousing and intense harpsichord bridge. Not a lot of bands could play this well and so consistently. Robby Krieger wrote this song as well, but much of the music on most Doors songs are made in communion with the entire band, but credit where credit is due ---  this is a Krieger track. 

7) LOVE HER MADLY

How not to love this song? One of Morrison's finest vocals.  Love Her Madly appeared on the L.A. Woman album which of course was their last album as a four member band. By this time, Jim Morrison's physical decline had intensified, but a listener would never know by this powerful and masculine vocal. A man singing about his woman. "Don't You Love Her As She's Walking Out the Door." Lyrics and music by Robby Krieger. A pop/rock song for the ages. Love Her Madly never wears out its welcome.    

                 John Densmore, Ray Manzarek, Jim Morrison, Robby Krieger

6) TOUCH ME

At the time of its release horns were becoming a central component in the success of some American bands. Most noteworthy was the seven man band out of Chicago named Chicago. Well, originally they were Chicago Transit Authority, but the city lords made them change their name. Chicago was a highly regarded band in the early days of their success and of course, they employed players on trumpet, saxophone and trombone. Blood, Sweat and Tears also rallied with much success at this point and The Doors allowed themselves to use horns and strings (hey, the Beatles used horns and strings on the then ubiquitous Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band album). The horns and strings served this song well. In many ways, Morrison never sounded so good. He's the total crooner on the tune. Frank Sinatra, Bobby Darin, Elvis Presley and Tony Bennett all could have sung this song. Imagine Jim Morrison in a Las Vegas lounge serenading the ladies with this wildly romantic song. 

5) LIGHT MY FIRE

Light My Fire was released 55 years ago as of this writing and it is surely timeless. Part of you can't help but think of another time and place and on the other hand it is as fresh as that proverbial daisy. Even though there is nothing The Doors touched that would come off as innocent and pure as a freshly picked daisy. The progression of the song just keeps ramping up and up and then it never drops you off.  You just keep going. It is one of the ultimate examples of classic rock at its best. Morrison's vocal is all predator. He never lets up as he near yells out for a rebellion. Manzarek's intro on this tune is so recognizable that you get it in two notes! 

Guitarist Robby Krieger wrote the song with Morrison adding only the second verse which includes the funeral pyre reference. Morrison gravitated toward the end of things, including life. 

4) THE END

The End started out as a farewell address to an old girlfriend from Florida. The woman in question wanted a career in Los Angeles and Morrison clearly didn't think that was such a good idea. In hindsight you almost have to wonder who in their right mind would have walked away from Jim Morrison at the age of 23? Well, she clearly did and most likely knew a lot more than anyone else at the time. 

The 11:35 song is a journey to uncertainty. Death isn't just knocking at the door. It is blowing the whole house down in one big swoop. Keep in mind the song was released while the Vietnam War was in full destruction mode. The neocons and the neolibs love war, death and killing. Yes, and they still do. The End is a thought provoking trip of a song and a psychotherapist would have a field day attempting to figure out the song and the author. 

Morrison was a self-destructive soul. The Doors were beyond way ahead of their time. 

The experimental world the band delves into with this song is like nothing else from the era. "This is the end, my only friend - the end."         

3) ROADHOUSE BLUES

No out and out rock band - I repeat no out and out rock band played the blues more masterfully and truthfully than The Doors. This is the example. This track is the definitive rock blues song. Some of Morrison's best lyrics are included in this romp of a track. Try not getting a speeding ticket while listening to this in the car. The nerdiest, dorkiest biggest yahoo of all-time could play this song and walk away smiling looking cool with Roadhouse Blues on their back.

"I woke up this morning and I got myself a beer." Well, quite frankly, the last thing Jim Morrison needed was a beer in the morning, but no question it's one grand line. Then, in the same song he delivers "The future's uncertain and the end is always near." In the middle of a bar band tune, Morrison waxes deeply poetic as though Tennyson is writing rock music. How much do you love this guy's work? Why, oh why did he have to be so troubled? 

That eminent bass was played by Lonnie Mack and John Sebastian (Lovin' Spoonful) delivers the memorable harmonica punches.

  

2) RIDERS ON THE STORM

The story goes that the band members were messing around in the studio by playing the cowboy classic Ghost Riders in the Sky and somehow that morphed into Riders on the Storm. Even if you don't know notes and chords you should get the similarities. Add Morrison's lyrics where he takes you on an intense path of his life and you end up with literally one of the most singularly unique songs ever released by a music artist in the latter half of the 20th century. 

This song must be listened to. Seriously, listened to. Play it while you are in the car. Play it at home. Play it anywhere. Riders on the Storm will transport you instantly to a dark two lane road with the rain coming down. I can see my windshield wipers moving at a quick clip and then the thunder hits.  

Few songs in the rock era are as evocative as this classic. Talk about being put into a place and a defined setting. Brilliant on all levels.       

1) L.A. WOMAN 

L.A. Woman and all of its kinetic energy is one of the greatest rock songs of all-time. There would be no theoretical way not to have this wild ride of a 7:50 minute song be at the top of the list. That rolling auto engine rev open sets the stage for a ride through a city. The song is clearly not about a woman, but about the city of Los Angeles. The city as it was in 1971. Today, that Los Angeles would be unrecognizable. Los Angeles was a beautiful city in the late 1960's/early 1970's. Today, it is crowded, dirty and ugly. It also takes about an hour to go ten miles. The only thing left are those hills filled with fire.  

I love the downshift of the tempo as Morrison goes full throttle into immortalizing his Jim Morrison acronym Mr. Mojo Risin - and he does it over and over again. "Motel, Money, Murder, Madness." In many ways Morrison saw the future of Los Angeles. L.A. Woman is a torpedo of spirit, spunk, rebellion, anarchy, chaos and out and out hard driving rock music. Few songs would run parallel to its achievement in rock's annals.     

A woman I went to high school with said she hoped if she ever got pulled over for speeding this would be the song she'd be listening to at the time. If that ever happens, I hope the police officer just lets her off with a warning!           

Copyright The Flaming Nose 2022

 

   

REVIEW: NOVA: DETERMINED: FIGHTING ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE

It's 2022 and there are literally thousands of options for filmed entertainment and infotainment, but PBS still manages to create programming you either cannot find anywhere else or won't find anywhere else. Their science series, NOVA is now in its 49th season and it is still producing highly worthwhile special programming.

Season 49, episode 5 premiered this week and it is another outstanding installment for NOVA. It is Determined: Fighting Alzheimer's. Worldwide in 2022, there are fifty million people living with Alzheimer's disease or another form of dementia; and most of the world's population knows someone that has this dreaded disease. It is not a diagnosis with a good prognosis. There is no cure for the disease, but this one hour special sheds light on what is happening in the fight and struggle surrounding the disease. 

Three women are enrolled in Alzheimer's disease trials at the University of Wisconsin which has been funding this program since 2001. The trial is called WRAP. My dad had Alzheimer's and he spent 12 years of his life under the heavy and darkened shade of the disease. Prior to his diagnosis, he had a variety of personality changes. At the time, we had no idea that personality changes took place prior to the onset of the disease itself. We only found this out years after he had started his path on the disease route. My mom didn't have Alzheimer's, but she passed at the age of 97 with age related dementia. There is a huge difference between Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia.

The three (Karen, Sigrid and Barb) women mentioned above are enrolled in the University of Wisconsin trials and all three of them have a history of Alzheimer's disease in their respective families. 

One of the moms featured in this special is named Irene and she and her husband, Doren have been married 59 years. My mom's name was Irene, so I am drawn to someone with my mother's name and ironically enough my parents were married for 59 years. Doren loved his wife and at one point he tells one of his daughters (who are all enrolled in the program) that he will keep on loving her and taking care of her. Doren's Irene eventually ends up on hospice as did my mom, Irene. 

The information that has come from some of these long-term studies provide healthy guidelines, but none of this necessarily means you will not get Alzheimer's or another form of dementia. Depression, anxiety, low mood and stress affect memory. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle while eating healthy and exercising have an impact in keeping the disease away. We live in a nation where 33% of the population is inactive. Physical fitness keeps your cognitive skills up high.  

Alzheimer's Disease wasn't discovered until 1906, so 100 plus years in we still have a long way to go. This special is superb programming. If you have an opportunity to view this special, please do. It is one of the most informative specials and one of the most personal pieces on the disease that has been produced on the subject.   

 Copyright The Flaming Nose April 2022