Musical Sundays – 2018’s Coming Attractions

Posted on February 18, 2018 by Brad

Coming soon to a browser or smartphone near you: your weekly invitation to join me in Brad’s Music Room. This year I have a mix of new, as well as familiar programs.

Moses Meet Mozart

We will continue reading the essential scripture passages of the Old Testament. Starting next week you will receive a monthly email with that month’s prescribed reading.

In 2017 we focused on the book of Genesis. This year we will finish Genesis and turn our focus to the book of Exodus.

Experience these stories with a soundtrack of some of the greatest classical music of all time. Featuring  music from familiar composers like Aaron Copland and Johann Strauss. In  addition you will hear pieces from lesser known artists and contemporary composers.

Record Digging for the Holy Grail

We all have a list of records that we would do anything to get our hands on, that we’ve been chasing for years. And we actually call this list our “holy grail.” Over the next 10 months I will share with you the top 10 albums on my “holy grail”. In addition to being a personal favorite, each represents a significant milestone in music history.

What Else Is Coming?

On This Day In Music History

From My Library–Audiobooks, TED Talks and inspiring Videos

What’s Going On? Random Posts About Things Happening in My Life

We can never know about the days to come
But we think about them anyway
And I wonder if I’m really with you now
Or just chasin’ after some finer day

And tomorrow we might not be together
I’m no prophet and I don’t know nature’s ways
So I’ll try and see into your eyes right now
And stay right here ’cause these are the good old days

I hope I have given you something to anticipate.

Posted in Almanac, From My Library, Holy Grail, Moses Meet Mozart | 2 Comments

Record Digging for the Holy Grail

Posted on February 11, 2018 by Brad

When I was a teenager, I had an obsession of buying vinyl LPs. I saved money from my part-time jobs and spent hours in record stores for many years. Thus I accumulated a large stash of records. I became what many of us are: record junkies.

In the Beginning

In high school most days followed a familiar routine. My friend Beaner, my brother and I went to Bernie’s Delicatessen for ice cream. We called it “Bern’s” because we shortened the name of everything back then. Afterwards, we would visit pawnshops, located downtown, to see if they had any albums.

We sifted through piles of albums. Most were pretty scratched and 99% were albums no one cared for. We sorted through the albums with treasure in mind.

Record Digging

Record digging, as the name suggests, means getting your hands dirty. It means spending hours rummaging through warehouses, church basements, yard sales, and record stores.

When you’re digging for records, you’re surrounded by music you don’t know. Consequently you imagine the thousands of artists who were destined to be legends but for various reasons, were just overlooked. Many of these records only exist in a handful of copies. Furthermore some have never even been found, never been heard. They’re literally endangered species.

Record digging is a lifestyle. Hence we get excited about obscure records, expensive records, dollar-bin records, and crazy artwork. We’re music archaeologists. Therefore we are always hunting down the lost artifact.

My Holy Grail

We all have a list of records that we would do anything to get our hands on, that we’ve been chasing for years. And we actually call this list our “holy grail.” Over the next 10 months I will share with you the top 10 albums on my “holy grail”. In addition to being a personal favorite, each represents a significant milestone in music history.

 

Posted in Holy Grail | 4 Comments

Super Bowl XXXIV – One Yard Short

Posted on February 4, 2018 by Brad

January 30, 2000 at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta. The Rams entered their second Super Bowl in team history with an NFC-best 13–3 regular season record. It was the franchise’s first playoff appearance since 1989, when they were still in Los Angeles.

The Titans, who were originally the Houston Oilers, also finished the regular season with a 13–3 record. Tennessee finished in second place in the AFC Central division behind the 14–2 Jacksonville Jaguars. However, they advanced to their first Super Bowl in team history after entering the playoffs as a wild-card team.

Super Bowl at the Hickman’s I

In January 30, 2000, the Hickman’s lived in San Antonio. Since we recently moved to our new home we wanted to host a party. Furthermore. I wanted to show off my a new 50″ big screen TV with 5.1 surround sound system. The Super Bowl seemed like the perfect excuse. This was the first of what has become an annual  tradition.

The guests for SBATH I were three of my fraternity brothers and their wives. Like me, they transferred to San Antonio after starting their careers in Missouri, Kansas and Oklahoma. John and Dianna still live in San Antonio and usually come. And despite their company move to Dallas, Marty, Denise, Steve, and Jana regularly make the journey to San Antonio.

The Game

The first two quarters of Super Bowl XXXIV were largely a defensive battle. Despite outgaining the Titans in total offensive yards in the first half, 294–89, the Rams held only a 9–0 halftime lead on three field goals. St. Louis later scored their first touchdown midway through the 3rd quarter to go up 16–0. Tennessee then responded by scoring 16 consecutive points to tie the game with 2:12 left in regulation. This was the largest deficit to be erased in a Super Bowl and the first deficit that was greater than 10 points. On the Rams’ ensuing drive, quarterback Kurt Warner completed a 73-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Isaac Bruce to regain the lead.

The Titans then drove to the St. Louis 10-yard line with six seconds remaining, but on the final play of the game, Rams linebacker Mike Jones tackled Tennessee wide receiver Kevin Dyson one yard short of the goal line to prevent a potential game-tying touchdown. This play went into NFL lore as One Yard Short, or simply The Tackle. Considering the magnitude of the Super Bowl, and the wild game that preceded it, “The Tackle” is considered one of the greatest and most exciting game-ending plays in modern NFL history.

The “dot-com” Super Bowl

This game is often referred to as the “dot-com” Super Bowl since it was held during the height of the dot-com bubble. Several Internet companies purchased television commercials.

Halftime Show

The E-Trade halftime show was produced by Disney and titled “Tapestry of Nations” after the Epcot parade of the same name. The show, narrated by actor Edward James Olmos, was inspired by Walt Disney World’s millennium celebration. It featured a full symphony orchestra conducted by Steven Byess; a multi-generational, 80-person choir; and singers Phil Collins, Christina Aguilera, Enrique Iglesias, and Toni Braxton.

Posted in Almanac | 3 Comments