Monday, June 27, 2011

Under Them Skies So Blue

With Added Dreams

Southern California is big.

Gigantic even.

I was out in the desert this weekend. In the middle of nowhere.

With a bunch of dreamers. All following their own paths. All brought together by a mutual love of something obscure and amazing.

And it was more than 100 degrees out -- sun beating down on us with no humidity.

From the top of a mountain, we barbecued. Talked. Drank. Laughed.

Shared stories.

Hundreds of miles from anywhere.



I remembered other summers. Other hot days. Other people.

And when I came back closer to the ocean yesterday, there was a street fair. Within a mile there were about a half-dozen great tribute bands.

There was a Steely Dan tribute band that rocked out next to the Ben & Jerry's.

There was a Tom Petty tribute band playing a few yards away from Davy Jones' Liquor Locker. Playing song after song everyone knew.

Not always playing the right chords. Not always hitting the right notes.

But the crowd sang along with everything.

Like every word they sang was meant to be.

1 comment:

Who Am Us Anyway? said...

There are few Petty fans that can top me -- though granted there's always a faster gun -- but even so, both these vids are new to me. I've had no TV or cable since the onslaught of the great MTV revolution and missed all this, although i have bought and listened real hard to all man's LPs.

So it kills me to learn for the first time on your blog that Johnny Depp did a Petty video - i had no idea! Of course Depp is exactly right for it -- a real good doorman, a real good rock star.

And hey Alex, here's one thought I've had: everyone i know who's actually played, or really dreamt of playing, in a really good, really seriously solid rock 'n roll band, has the highest respect for tom & the heartbreakers. You press the people who diss Petty and every freaking time you will find out they don't play, they never played, and they don't particularly WANT to play ...

And another thing, Alex? Thanks for the music. Please keep 'em coming. The world is better because of clicks 'n pops and i aint lying.