I marveled at the abilities of my ancestors as I stood at the top of an Aztec pyramid.
I viewed the Emerald City from young impassioned eyes.
I was numbed by the quiet pain radiating from the gaping hole of 9/11.
I saw Tokyo Tower and lost my breath at the top of the Akasaka.
I walked the hotel halls of Hollywood glamour, and the ghettos of Juarez.
I saw Mount Fuji for 5.2 seconds.
I could only imagine what walls could say if only they could speak…from Whisky a Go Go to CBGB.
I saw 1940’s racism exist in the 1990’s south.
I sat in President Taft’s enormous chair somewhere in California.
I made myself disappear into the crowds of Shibuya and never felt more at home.
Bono sang to me in the desert.
Billy Idol let me touch his hair.
I’ve seen the moon rise over glistening white sand and the sun set on a quiet gulf.
I saw 126 soldiers leave and 125 come home.
I developed a hopeless addiction to the Windy City, and heard blues as I’ve never heard them before.
I’ve been mesmerized by the lights of Las Vegas one too many times.
The finest steak melted in my mouth deep in the heart of Texas.
A hall of famer tried to take me to bed with him, but a world series pitcher succeeded.
I fell off a bridge at college and was rescued by the man who’d become the father of my children.
I rushed to the city different and saw hope in a black man’s face, reassuring me he might just be president.
I’ve been to so many places I never meant to go but have never been in the place I’ve so badly wanted to be.
Thursday, July 3, 2008
Thursday, May 1, 2008
Dancing with Def Leppard
Def Leppard squashed the last shimmering shard of hope held close to my rocker-chick heart that they still maintained a bit of coolness. They appeared live on Dancing with the Stars. No really. Live. As ballroom dancers whirled around them in sequins and bad self-tanner. I know, I know…people love this wholesome, family entertainment. Which is exactly why it disturbs me that Def Leppard would appear there. In the midst of pondering the horror, I (the marketing/PR girl that I am) wondered if Def Leppard was: 1) appealing to the demographics of the show; 2) Trying to spit shine their image; 3) earning some quick cash; or 4) losing their marbles.
Now granted, in the grand scheme of rock star reputation, Def Leppard was no Guns N’ Roses. They probably didn’t trash many hotel rooms or assault groupies with live aquatic animals but they weren’t exactly clean cut. The drummer, afterall, wore the union jack for shorts! (Gasp!) And I’ve seen that one-armed drummer in action and he is BAD ASS. Do not be mistaken, Def Leppard was the master of Pyrotechnic British Heavy Metal in the 80’s. They were one of the early saviors of MTV, with catchy videos and smashing good looks. (Joe Elliott…sigh…)
Def Leppard has been crowned, however, the most unluckiest band in Rock n Roll. Their excesses caused them to lose not only the arm of their drummer, Rick Allen, but original guitarist Pete Willis who was kicked out of the band for severe alcoholism (how bad are you when you are fired from a rock band?); Later guitarist Steve Clark died from an overdose of drugs in combination with alcohol, making him the official 110th rocker to die from his own vomit (Ok I made that number up). So really, after all those bad mishaps, its just too late to try and salvage any sort of reputation you may have once (if at all) had.
Ok, so we’ve established Def Leppard’s status in the world of the rock n roll lifestyle. Yes, they could be trying to appeal to an older sophisticated Generation X’er crowd that once banged their heads to Rock Rock (Til You Drop) and now enjoy B-listers doing the Fox Trot to Pour Some Sugar on Me. Ok, granted, Pour Some Sugar on Me was the pop-phase of Def Leppard and it was all pretty much down hill from there. Even I acknowledge it to be Def Leppard’s least shining moment. But Def Leppard as entertainment for Dancing with the Stars? No. Not my generation. Not me. Not ever.
I believe the biggest (unfortunate) likelihood is that Def Leppard simply sold out. Their last two new albums have been less than stellar money-makers and even their compilation (greatest hits) albums have not scored big. My guess is the High n Dry funds are high and dry.
Now granted, in the grand scheme of rock star reputation, Def Leppard was no Guns N’ Roses. They probably didn’t trash many hotel rooms or assault groupies with live aquatic animals but they weren’t exactly clean cut. The drummer, afterall, wore the union jack for shorts! (Gasp!) And I’ve seen that one-armed drummer in action and he is BAD ASS. Do not be mistaken, Def Leppard was the master of Pyrotechnic British Heavy Metal in the 80’s. They were one of the early saviors of MTV, with catchy videos and smashing good looks. (Joe Elliott…sigh…)
Def Leppard has been crowned, however, the most unluckiest band in Rock n Roll. Their excesses caused them to lose not only the arm of their drummer, Rick Allen, but original guitarist Pete Willis who was kicked out of the band for severe alcoholism (how bad are you when you are fired from a rock band?); Later guitarist Steve Clark died from an overdose of drugs in combination with alcohol, making him the official 110th rocker to die from his own vomit (Ok I made that number up). So really, after all those bad mishaps, its just too late to try and salvage any sort of reputation you may have once (if at all) had.
Ok, so we’ve established Def Leppard’s status in the world of the rock n roll lifestyle. Yes, they could be trying to appeal to an older sophisticated Generation X’er crowd that once banged their heads to Rock Rock (Til You Drop) and now enjoy B-listers doing the Fox Trot to Pour Some Sugar on Me. Ok, granted, Pour Some Sugar on Me was the pop-phase of Def Leppard and it was all pretty much down hill from there. Even I acknowledge it to be Def Leppard’s least shining moment. But Def Leppard as entertainment for Dancing with the Stars? No. Not my generation. Not me. Not ever.
I believe the biggest (unfortunate) likelihood is that Def Leppard simply sold out. Their last two new albums have been less than stellar money-makers and even their compilation (greatest hits) albums have not scored big. My guess is the High n Dry funds are high and dry.
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