You’re about to get a rare peek inside the mind of a teenage dweeb from the 70’s, as I delve into the sarcophagus. It’s going to be scary. I would suggest that those of you with weak constitutions (I’m looking at you, Serbia!) go out and enjoy your Saturday. The rest of you, please, keep the tittering and finger-pointing to a minimum.
Here we go! (Please, God, no K.C. and the Sunshine Band.)
Tape One: Written in scratchy pen strokes are words that make my heart sink–Neil Diamond. It also has a pair of small notes that say, “Recorded in J.F.-B.W. Studios, 1979” and “Re-mixed courtesy of Steve Moor”… and “Styx cont.” is alongside the Neil Diamond label. Very odd. Why would I have a tape from Ric the Schmuck’s private collection? Oh well, at least I can blame him for this one. I pop it in the daughter’s boombox and prepare for the worst.
Whew! It’s Eric Clapton. This is a radio special featuring great guitarists. After Clapton’s piece and an interview about Duanne Allman, there’s about a 20-minute-long Boz Skaggs tune with Allman’s awesome lead. A break for commercial (which I didn’t tape, sadly), and it’s back with the story of Dylan going electric, featuring Michael Bloomfield.
Allman Brothers, Neil Young… ooh! a commercial! Northern Lights (do they still exist?), Pepino’s (ha! trying to explain Mexican food to Mainahs…”they’ve got menus with pictures and friendly people to explain them”… Be a Pepino’s people! Come to Pepino’s today!)… I really have to digitize these things… Then, a voice comes on: “12:04 in the AM, and you’re tuned to WTOS-FM, Skowhegan, broadcasting from the top of Sugarloaf.”
The segment on the Eagles is cut off before their intro is finished (ha!). Instead, it’s cuts from Grand Funk Railroad’s greatest hits, Linda Ronstadt’s cover of the Stones’ “Tumbling Dice”, Jimi Hendrix “Wild Thing” live (complete with total smash-up-the-stage ending).
Then, curiously, the tape shifts into early 80’s mode. Here’s something I haven’t heard in forever. Anyone remember The Producers? “What’s he got… that I ain’t got? He’s got yoooooo…” Then, it’s a song I can’t identify. It sounds like proto hair metal, with the lyrics “you’re only one step ahead of the reaper”… anybody?
Tape One hasn’t been nearly so traumatic as feared. My spirit is bolstered. But this was not 70’s geekery, either. This was 1981 at the earliest (see the Producers track). My quest for the dork side continues…
My brother was a big ‘TOS fan back in the day. too. If you were taping them, you’re not likely to find anything too embarrassing to today’s musical sensibilities.
So can I take credit for the fact that it actually is good stuff, since you were ready to blame me if it was bad?
By the way, Pepino’s is still in business here. It’s the only Mexican resturaunt here that Mrs. Schmuck and I actually like.