Communism Vs. Constitutional Republic, New Jersey Vs. Dogtown, Fame Vs. Obscurity, War Vs. Peace, Light Vs. Dark, Good Vs. Evil, Man Vs. Machine, Love Vs. Hate, Dog Vs. Cat, Sun Vs. Moon, Brain Vs. Brawn, Angel Vs. Demon, Laurel Vs. Hardy, Beer Vs. Wine, TV Vs. Radio, Pitcher Vs. Batter, Paper Vs. Plastic, Reality Vs. Fantasy, Yeshua Vs. Beelzebub, Conservative Vs. Liberal, You Vs. Me, House Vs. Senate, Offense Vs. Defense, Kramer Vs. Kramer, Spy Vs. Spy, Fischer Vs. Spassky, W.C. Fields Vs. Sobriety, Harold Gimpy, Jr. Vs. Sheldon J. Pismire, Rock Vs. Paper Vs. Scissors, Islam Vs. Everything, Singer Vs. Singer, Band Vs. Band...
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BATTLE OF THE BANDS (BOTB)
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Shoop-Shooby -
Shooby-Duh-Dooby-Doop-Dooby-Dooby-Doo-Wah -
Buh-Doo-Wah!
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Yes, it's time once again for 'Battle Of The Bands' ('BOTB').
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Alright, let's get on it. Let's get ON this thing!...
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In 1975, New Jersey's Bruce Springsteen released his album 'Born To Run', which included the song 'Night', which included the term "soul crusaders".
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In the early 1980s, a group of guys in a place known as 'Dogtown' in the Los Angeles area, used to go around saying that they were "Leading the League!", as if life were really a sporting event and these guys were in first place.
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They believed themselves to be in first place in the category of 'Carpe Diem', which included athletic subcategories like 'Most Amount Of Energy Expended', 'Most Number Of Jokes Told In A Night', 'Fastest & Funniest Ad Libbing', 'Most Dangerous Stunts Involving Old Cadillacs And Other Automobiles', 'Loudest & Coolest Customers In The Bar', 'Highest Number Of Drinks Consumed In An Evening', 'Highest Number Of Chess Pieces And Coconut Heads Knocked Unconscious', and other feats of athleticism.
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| The sign reads: THINKIN' MAYBE WE DON'T "LEAD THE LEAGUE"?
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| A dog in "Dogtown" with many 80-proof friends in the trunk of a '59 Caddy. |
And then one night, following the Red-Head's birthday party, this group of guys, who idolized Bruce Springsteen, began referring to themselves as "The League Of Soul Crusaders", taking the "Soul Crusaders" portion of their name from Springsteen's song, 'Night'. And the rest, as they say, is
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So, today's Battle is between the original song, Springsteen's 'Night', from 1975, and a tribute to The League Of Soul Crusaders, written, sung, and recorded circa 1990 by Mark "Twinkie" Johnson (aka "The Blonde-Headed Swede"), one of the original 6 members of 'The League Of Soul Crusaders'.
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The rat trap's filled with soul crusaders
The circuit's lined and jammed with chromed invaders
~ 'Night'
by Bruce Springsteen
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NIGHT - Bruce Springsteen
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EGe1bKEdEag
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Real joy is when you follow your passion
I said real joy's when you follow your passion
Boy has a dream of being in the circus
But isn't that a shame? - You've gotta be a man
~ 'The League Of Soul Crusaders'
by Mark "Twinkie" Johnson
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THE LEAGUE OF SOUL CRUSADERS - Mark "Twinkie" Johnson
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w6jFtB7plN8
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The Battle Within The Battle
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VERSUS
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Question: "Will Mark "Twinkie" Johnson beat Bruce Springsteen?"
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The Magic 8-Ball (13-9) sez: "You May Rely On it"
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The Amazing Sixwell (16-6) sez: "Outlook Not So Good"
.Alright now, “you know the gig”... I welcome you (whether I know "you" or not) to vote for your favorite of these songs in the comment section below. And feel free to tell us WHY you chose one song over the other.
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After voting here, I suggest - actually I insist - you pop over to the blogs of the other 'BATTLE OF THE BANDS' participants to see which songs they have chosen and vote there also. (If their ‘BOTB’ blog bits aren’t posted yet, pour yourself two shots of ‘Grand Marnier’ over ice – do it twice – and then return to their blogs to
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Voice Your Vote...
@ ‘TOSSING IT OUT’ by clicking HERE.
@ 'MIKE'S RAMBLINGS' by clicking HERE.
@ 'CURIOUS AS A CATHY' by clicking HERE.
@ 'THE SOUND OF ONE HAND TYPING' by clicking HERE
@ 'JINGLE JANGLE JUNGLE' by clicking HERE.
@ 'THE DOGLADY'S DEN' by clicking HERE.
@ 'CHERDO ON THE FLIPSIDE' by clicking HERE.
@ 'AI LOVE MUSIC' by clicking HERE.
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As I've done in the past, I will continue to return to my 'BOTB' blog bits on the 7th and 21st of each month to post my own votes and announce the winners in the comment sections.
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~ Stephen T. McCarthy
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Mark "Twinkie" Johnson gets my vote. Bruce is a great songwriter, super musician and I like a lot of his songs. However, I don't like all of his songs and this is one of those songs. Mark's song was much more enjoyable to me and he gets my vote.
ReplyDeleteHowdy, MIKE! I hope your weekend got off to a good start.
DeleteThanks for your vote! I am still a fan of Bruce's first two albums, and other than 'Jungleland' from the third album, I feel that's when he was making his best music. 'New York City Serenade' is still my favorite Bruce track. (Not to be confused with 'Moose Track'.)
~ D-FensDogG
'Ferret-Faced Fascist Friends'
Oh for the energy and vitality of those days. I'm more content now than when I was in those younger days, but they are filled with good memories just as yours are.
ReplyDeleteBruce's song was fine in the tradition Bruce musical vein. But since it's not the now pretentious blowhard Springsteen, I gladly give my vote to Mark Johnson.
Arlee Bird
Tossing It Out
Hello, BOIDMAN! ~
DeleteLike you, I feel more content, more at peace now than when I was in my early twenties. But, yeah, wish I had the best of both worlds. I guess a lot of a person's energy must be expended in the search for wisdom and understanding. You can't have your energy and knowledge, too. (I think it's like that "cake" thing.)
But memories, and stories, and lasting friendships? I gots 'em!
~ D-FensDogG
'Ferret-Faced Fascist Friends'
I am not big into the Boss because I never really got into Bruce's songs. Lately, my coworkers from England and the US would put on songs from top stars in the 70s and 80s and I would shrug and play something unheard of during those decades. Maybe I never listen to Bruce because everyone knew his songs and I was looking for something that no one heard before.
ReplyDeleteI didn't know the tale of The League Of Soul Crusaders beforehand but I am going to choose this. Thanks for this lovely battle!
AMY ~
DeleteI don't think I know a single person whose taste in music changed over the years more drastically than mine did. In many ways, I am not the same person I was in my early twenties, and in terms of musical preferences, it's like I morphed into another person almost entirely. Springsteen was abbalouly my favorite singer / songwriter in the early '80s. Today, I only own his first two albums, and I rarely play either one of them. Mostly only when I'm feeling a sense of nostalgia about my long gone youth.
I have a large collection of Jazz, and that's the musical genre which gets the most exercise on my CD player in my old-- er... I mean, "wiser" age.
~ D-FensDogG
'Stephen T. McCarthy Reviews...'
Mark Twinkie Johnson gets Brer Marc’s vote. Just a overall better song in my opinion. Really well crafted and why haven’t I heard of these guys?
ReplyDeleteI am as pleased as spiked punch to see you here in my comment section, BR'ER MARC!
DeleteI hope things are going better for you, Brother! I remember you and your family in prayer.
I agree with your assessment of the song. And methinks you *have* heard of those guys. But due to the copious amounts of booze you consume on a regular basis, you protly just fuhgot.
Oh, wait! "Copious amounts of booze consumed"... I think I momentarily confused you with me. HA!
~ D-FensDogG
'Ferret-Faced Fascist Friends'
Okay first before the vote, two stories about the Boss. 1972 my college roommate who was from New Jersey had a bunch of photos of this guy who used to play all over in Jersey. he told me he was going to be the biggest thing in rock and roll and he played me some of this stuff. Didn't really get it, and didn't think he was on target with his opinions about the Boss. Just yesterday I was conversing with a retired vice president from Arista Records who worked hand-in-hand with Clive Davis. He was telling me that Clive was a genius and just had an amazing ear for number one artists. Even though the Boss signed with Columbia, he still came to Clive Davis for advice. My friend of yesterday, said that he never understood it either about Springsteen. But hey who's to say or not say, the buying public. Having said all that, I still don't get the Boss and I'm casting my vote for Twinkie. He has a quality to his voice that really appeals to me. So that's my Twinkie Defense.
ReplyDeleteBRUHTHUH LELLY ~
DeleteThat was a very interesting, E-Ticket comment! Thanks for coming by with your 2-cents for the kitty! I thank you, Twinkie thanks you, and kitty thanks you.
In my youth, I definitely "got" Bruce. (I just can't bring myself to call him "The Boss" anymore.) But the older I got, the less I "got" him. And today, I just shake my (grey-haired) head at the taste and naivete of my (misspent) youth.
I hate to have to admit this, but honesty still *is* the best policy: The first time I read your comment, I guess I just did so too quickly, or else I was having one of those "senior moments", but the meaning of that last sentence did not immediately register with me. However, the second time I read the comment, that final sentence made me *literally* GOL! (Guffaw-Out-Loud!)
Brilliant, buddy, brilliant!! If there's a heaven for comments related to Rock 'N' Roll, that final sentence immediately ascended to it, and Saint Peter held the gates open wide! Thanks for the great laugh, Lelly! That was... well... brilliant! (I sez it again!)
~ D-FensDogG
'Stephen T. McCarthy Reviews...'
And Stephen,
ReplyDeleteFirst, not enough pictures of the Pooh in the montage. This is really the toughest battle yet. Night is one of my favorite Bruce tunes and what with the drinkin' and all...the League was such an epic part of my life. So I'm gonna have to vote for Twinkie.
Love the photo on the roof, when we summited it to WATCH the parade and then decided to be IN the parade. Still get a goose bump or two thinking about that. Finding banners and markers, slowly inching our way towards the intersection and then finding that moment and bam...we're in the parade. I'm convinced Guardian Angels kept us from being arrested. And as you know there must have been a squadron or two of Guardian Angels watching over us.
Good times my friend making me feel much JW for you and the rest of the League!
JW, JW!
Pooh
...AND, POOH, That's Not All...
DeleteNaturally, I realize you wuz jus' jokin' about the number of pictures you wuz or wuzn't in. But that actually got me curious, so I just did "the math". (Uh-Oh! Me 'n' math, you know how that always woiks out!)
I found that a total of 6 photos were used in the video, and here's how many each of us appeared in:
Twinkie: 6 (Which, of course, makes sense, since it's HIS song. I intended for him to be in every photo.)
Torch: 4
Nappy: 3
Pooh: 4
Me: 4
Cranium: 2
So, Cranium's the one what got cheated (as Ike Clanton would say). But then again, it's his own fault for choosing employment over the 4th of July parade. He coulda been in the parade, too, if he had wisely quit his beach parking lot job.
But, heck, I did include Cranium in the Bay Street roof "Filly Waggitt" photo. And Nappy's in that one, too. Plus, the energy you can feel just emanating from Nappy in that one picture of us on the bank's roof goes "up to eleven".
And just think about that... of all the roofs we could have chosen to watch the parade from, we selected a BANK! "Attitude!", baby, "Attitude!"
>>... "when we summited it to WATCH the parade"
Pooh, did you just coin that word? I've never encountered it before, and it's great! I will protly be re-using it. C'mon, fess up, Punk - who'd ya steal it from?
I think it's a foregone conclusion that we ALL feel the same way you do: >>... "the League was such an epic part of my life."
Easily one of the best, most memorable periods of my life. Possibly even #1. That was a very rare thing God did. (It seems odd to credit God for creating the perfect cast of drunkards but...)
Ya know, when you really think about it - going all the way back to the founding roots - in a peculiar and roundabout way, we have Gene Wilder and his movie 'The Frisco Kid' to thank for 'The League Of Soul Crusaders'.
Love ya, General Poohregard. (JW!-JW!)
~ D-FensDogG
'Ferret-Faced Fascist Friends'
Yeah, I said it. As an English Major I am obligated to throw in such words. I wanted to be concise and also capture the effort it took to get up there. That and it also being a high point for the LEAGUE! Good times my friend, good times. It was simply magic epicness or was it an epic mess? I vote for magic epicness. I'd love to catch some of that spontaneous back and forth banter again. Truly Leading the League! love you man, JW!
DeletePooh
...AND, POOH...
DeleteIt's difficult telling others about The League, because almost everyone thinks they had similar experiences. ("Oh, yeah, me and my buddies also used to hit the bars and..." --bibbidi-bobbidi-boo.)
And you don't want to come off like some conceited jackass by telling the truth and saying:
No. No. If you and your buddies were in a bar with The League, and The League started to head for the door, you would ask us where we were going next and could you join us there?
I mean, it's not like that sort of thing didn't actually happen, for crying-out-loud.
~ D-FensDogG
'Ferret-Faced Fascist Friends'
Hey there Stephen!
ReplyDeleteI'm finally making the rounds. You know me... day late and a dolla short.
I am one of those that used to listed to The Boss back in the day. Quick story - Back in '86 I was on a road trip with my good friend Marie in her '69 Mustang. It was early March, I believe. The roads were clear, with one or two patches of ice. We were out in the middle of nowhere. The sun was out and we had The Boss blasting in the background. 1 mile outside of Snowville, Utah, Marie glances down (at what - I don't know) and at that moment we happened to hit a patch of ice. She overcorrects and the car does a 180 and we end up on the shoulder of the road with fluid leaking from what appears to be the radiator. Not another vehicle in sight. So we locked up the car, walked across the median and headed back toward Snowville. We had only been walking about half a mile when a Frito-Lays semi stopped to give us a lift into town where we had to wait several hours for the tow truck and state patrol. Turns out there is only one state patrol assigned to that stretch of road (about 100 miles. Now days, I have a hard time listening to The Boss - he sounds like he has marbles in his mouth.
Now your buddy, Mark, was much more enjoyable to listen to. I liked the overall sound and quality of his song.
My Vote: Twinkie (and not just because I'm a fat girl that likes to indulge in Hostess every once in awhile)
~Mary
Jingle Jangle Jungle
Literary Gold
MARY, The Arsonist ~
Delete>>... You know me... day late and a dolla short.
Well, that's better'n being a day late and a six-pack short!
>>... Back in '86 I was on a road trip with my good friend Marie in her '69 Mustang.
Bad year, great car!
Do you happen to remember which B.S. song was playing when y'all crashed the classic?
Well, getting picked up by a Frito-Lays truck ain't bad. I mean, it's not quite as good as getting picked up by a Sierra Nevada Brewing Company truck, but it's still a top-notch ride.
Ha!-Ha! Your "Hostess" remark made me laugh. When I think of Hostess or their Twinkies, I'm always immediately reminded of my old drinkin' buddy, Mark, and of course Archie Bunker. One of the quickest ways to get on Archie's bad side was to steal the Twinkie from his lunch box!
Thanks for making your 2-cent voice heard in this Battle, Mary. Now remember... maintain good dental hygiene, always look both ways before crossing the street, and don't play with matches!
~ D-FensDogG
'Ferret-Faced Fascist Friends'
Wow! I didn’t know Twinkie could sing ( or if I did, I didn’t remember)! Though there are a couple of Springsteen songs that I have enjoyed over the years, I never understood all the hype around “The Boss”. Saw him twice in concert, and was pretty bored both times. Give me Billy Joel or Sting live any day over Bruce! Comparing these two songs for me was no comparison at all.. Mark gets the vote EASILY over Bruce! The League Of Soul Crusaders has a “Doors” vibe to it, and I love The Doors...I love them madly, I want to meet their daddy!! Twinkie all the way!!!
ReplyDelete"HI, COUNTESS" (to quote Lee Marvin) ~
DeleteI sincerely appreciate your appearance in my Battle's comment section!
I definitely bought into the whole B.S. thing in my late teens / early twenties. And I too have seen him perform in concert a couple of times, going way, way back to the early 1980s. I will concede that he put on a tremendous show. However, he wasn't better'n Ol' Waylon. I'm sure we're both in complete agreement about *that*!
>>... "The League Of Soul Crusaders has a “Doors” vibe to it, and I love The Doors...I love them madly, I want to meet their daddy!!"
GUFFAW-OUT-LOUD! (GOL!)
Most interesting that you mentioned The Doors because, although I don't really hear a Doors vibe, musically speaking (the song has more of a 1980s sound to me - like something the boys and I might have heard / seen on MTV while pounding Mickey's Big Mouth at the Bay Street house), lyrically, however, 'The League Of Soul Crusaders' NEVER fails to make me think of The Doors. And here's why:
Twinkie's song includes these lyrics...
Tonight's the night
Tonight's the night we're gonna jump into the sea
You and me
We're gonna ride the blue sky
We're gonna try to touch the Moon
You and me, we're gonna jump into the sea
Those lines always remind me of the following lyrics from The Doors' 'Moonlight Drive':
Let's swim to the moon
Let's climb through the tide
Penetrate the evenin' that the
City sleeps to hide
Let's swim out tonight, love
It's our turn to try
Parked beside the ocean
On our moonlight drive
FUN FACT #1:
>>... “The song is known to fans as being one of the first written by lead singer Jim Morrison. According to the Morrison biography No One Here Gets Out Alive by Jerry Hopkins and Danny Sugerman, Morrison wrote it ... during his halcyon days on a rooftop in Venice Beach, a suburb of Los Angeles, California, in 1965. Later on, when he happened upon friend and soon-to-be fellow band member Ray Manzarek, he uttered the memorable lines, “Let’s swim to the moon, let’s climb through the tide, penetrate the evening that the city sleeps to hide.” Reportedly Manzarek was immediately awestruck, and they decided at that moment to form a band; Morrison already had a name picked out: The Doors".
FUN FACT #2:
During "The League" years, it was I who was the major Doors fan in the Bay Street house. I played a LOT of Doors music for the boys back then. (It was great music to get "laminated" to!) I never asked him about this, but I've often wondered if Twinkie, having heard me play Doors songs so often, consciously paid tribute to 'Moonlight Drive' with those lines that seem so reminiscent of the lyrics from Jimbo's famous song.
Thanks for coming by with a vote, Countess. And thanks for the laugh, too!
~ D-FensDogG
'Stephen T. McCarthy Reviews...'
It might shock you to hear that I'm voting for Bruce Springsteen. Actually, that would shock me too, because I can't imagine any universe in which I would vote for him over ol' Twinkie. This one ain't even close for me. And for most other people, it seems, too.
ReplyDeleteI thought that might help to spice things up, since Twinkie's giving Bruce a right proper shutout style beating. But let's keep that going. One very easy bote for Twinkie and the League of Soul Crusaders. No pity votes for Bruce... just yet.
HOLA, JULIO! ~
Delete>>... I can't imagine any universe in which I would vote for him over ol' Twinkie.
I'll bet Rod Serling could have imagined a universe in which you would vote for Bruce over Twinkie. Heck, wasn't there a Twilight Zone episode titled 'Topsy Turvy World'?
Oh, no, wait!
I'm thinking of 'Rocky & Bullwinkle'.
Never mind...
Ha! Thanks mucho for your bote, mi amigo!
~ D-FensDogG
'Ferret-Faced Fascist Friends'
Wow, this is a great post for a variety of reasons. First and foremost, I love a good backstory...on blogs, on songs...bring it!
ReplyDeleteNow, on to the tunes. I'll sound a bit like a broken record when I (also) say that I used to think that Bruce Springsteen was truly THE BOSS of all things rock and roll for a while. Lately, he has soured my enthusiasm with his politics. In general, I feel like this about all entertainers who feel their art can build a great soapbox and everyone will want to hear their learned (cough) lectures on society and government. Hey, man, I freely give you your songs to sing whatever you want. Artists can paint whatever they want. Just don't change lanes on me and go political. THE VIEWS EXPRESSED ARE JUST PURE, UNADULTERATED CHERDO OPINION, FREE TO ALL TO IGNORE. JUST 'SPLAINING...
This particular Springsteen song was never a favorite; it just lacks that ole' sumpthin'-sumpthin'. Mostly, it made me miss Clarence Clemmons.
So, TWINKIE, the vote (or bote) is all yours to have and to hold, till death do us part or we grow up (a similiar, but different, scene).
Danke schoen, brudder!
Why, hello, DOC MacSIS ~
DeleteI thanks ya for the complimentary compliment.
It has always puzzled me how so many entertainers (especially musicians) can be so ignant when it comes to politics. I have always thought: These people have SO MUCH DOWN-TIME between performances that it leaves plenty of opportunity for reading and self-educating. So, how is it that they are usually 180-degrees off from the truth and the most ignant people in the room?
I consider that one of life's biggest mysteries.
>>... This particular Springsteen song was never a favorite; it just lacks that ole' sumpthin'-sumpthin'.
And that's ANOTHER thing that's puzzled me over the years! Why is it that so many musicians and singers, when they record a song, often forget to include that ol' sumpthin'-sumpthin'? I mean, if I were a recording artist, I'd always put in that ol' sumpthin'-sumpthin' FIRST, just to make sure I didn't accidentally forget and leave it out.
But for the lack of the ol' sumpthin'-sumpthin', I would love even a lot more music than I currently do.
Thanks for the bote, Sis.
And let us never forget one of life's most important slogans (words to live by)...
"I don't want to grow up...
I'm a Toys-R-Us kid!"
~ D-FensDogG
'Stephen T. McCarthy Reviews...'
Words to live by!
DeleteHey, look! A puddle to jump in!
I called DIBS!
Delete~ D-FensDogG
'Stephen T. McCarthy Reviews...'
Howdy Stephen T.!
ReplyDeleteAn easy vote for brash and breezy Mr. Twinkie! And I never even heard of him before. Beats the heck out of that other guy; throwing a tantrum.
Howdy, dIEDRE ~
DeleteI thanks ya for taking the time to visit, listen, and bote! I appreciate your $00.02.
>>... An easy vote for brash and breezy Mr. Twinkie!
Blonde, too!!
Brash, breezy, and blonde. (We didn't call him "The Blonde-Headed Swede" for nuttin'.)
>>... throwing a tantrum
Ha!-Ha! Yip! That's one way of describing it.
(Thanks for the laugh. It's the best medicine!)
~ D-FensDogG
'Ferret-Faced Fascist Friends'
Yo Saint Mac;
ReplyDeleteGlad to see you're all settled into your new digs, and have discovered such an awesome Saloon for your dog tired feet at the end of the day. Mayhap I'll sneak a peek at ya if I find the time when I'm prospecting new accounts in your area. If it ever stops snowing up there.
This was an interesting battle. I love the rockin out noise of Springsteen's Night, but not his vocals so much. So it was an easy choice to vote for Twinkie. Plus, ya know, twinkie!! Cream filled cake - that I can't eat. But hey, I love the thought of sweets.
Peace out Dude . . .
WILD THING ~
DeleteI'm yet a long way from "settled in". In fact, just yesterday I finally managed to start putting stuffs in their proper rooms, instead of just cluttering up my living room like a confused mob.
And I finally found my toothbrush! It was in the same box as my VHS copy of 'The Best Of America's Funniest Home Videos', my shot glass, my salt and pepper shakers, my arthritis medication, and my copy of 'Whipped Cream & Other Delights' by Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass. (The idea was to keep ALL of my most important things together. But then I forgot what the box looked like.)
Let me know when you're in the area. I should have a good idea where all the bars are before long and we can do "The Carson City Crawl".
I was hoping you might be the one to put an end to this shutout but... alas... you like Twinkies, too.
~ D-FensDogG
'Stephen T. McCarthy Reviews...'
Big smile . . .
DeleteStephen,
ReplyDeleteYour story intro into the battle song was a nice read. I love stuff like this. It makes me think of Peter Noone's spot on Siruis radio 6 on 60s. He always has an interesting tale to weave for his audience just before he plays a tune. He's a neat fella to listen to! Now on the battle. I never was a big fan of The Boss. I know that's almost like blasphamy in some circles but it's true, he just doesn't do much for me. Oh sure Iike some of his mewsic but there's better talent out there. I think your buddy Mark is one. Yep, Mr. Twinkie gets my vote! Cool showdown!! Thanks for the introduction.
CATHY, It's That You!! ~
DeleteI thank you, my friend. I'm pleased as spiked punch that you liked the intro story. There's a whole lot more to it. In fact, it's a single-spaced typed book manuscript of about 200 pages. Available wherever unpublished books are sold!
Peter Noone, Peter Noone... yeah, I know the bloke. Leader of one of those '60s groups. Lemme test my ancient memory and see if I can come up with the right one...
Uhm... 'Herman's Hermits'? Or... Hmmm... I know it's not 'The Lovin' Spoonful', because that's... uh... what's-his-name.
Well, anyway, I know it's one of those British groups. I actually dig some of their stuffs, too.
Guess I'll have to Google the chap right after I post this comment.
>>... I never was a big fan of The Boss. I know that's almost like blasphamy in some circles
True. But apparently not in *this* circle.
I would have considered that blasphemy from 1978 to 1984. But not today.
In my Results post, I'll have another story about Twinkie and his own musical tastes back when "The Blonde-Headed Swede" was surrounded by Irishmen and Springsteen fanatics.
Thanks for stopping by to feed the kitty, Cathy!
~ D-FensDogG
'Stephen T. McCarthy Reviews...'
I love this story! Such fun times you all must have had. ☺ Bruce Springsteen recorded some good tunes, but "Night" didn't really do much for me. On the other hand, your friend Mark has a fabulous voice and I love the bluesy vibe. ♥ Your memoirs would make a fascinating book, Stephen!
ReplyDeleteDEBBIE D'DOGLADY ~
DeleteThanks so much! Really glad you dug it!
>>... Such fun times you all must have had.
Well, that's what we've been told by reliable (i.e., sober) sources. ;o)
Yeah, Debbie, we had a blast! Life was so much simpler then, and we definitely were living that "Carpe Diem" attitude. I get tired now just thinking about those years.
You're right, Twinkie could REALLY sing! I'll yak a little bit more about that in my BOTB Results post but, in short, he was acknowledged as one of the best singers in the heavily populated high school we went to. He was a member of the most highly esteemed choral group in the school (which was practically a city in itself).
Ha!-Ha! You are bound and determined to get me to write that memoir, aren't ya?
I actually did fully write the story of 'The League Of Soul Crusaders'. A couple hundred pages, typed single-spaced. But it was a Christmas gift to the boys, and I've never attempted to get it published. I'm afraid it WOULD get published; I'm afraid a popular movie would be made from it; and I'm afraid boys would try to emulate what we did, and no doubt there would be major injuries, if not some deaths. And I would not want that on my conscience.
Like Pooh said above, we must have had squadrons of guardian angels working overtime for years for us to have all survived that relatively unscathed. Looking back on it all these decades later, it's really remarkable that we got through all that without anyone even losing a limb. Incredible! Heck, no one even went to jail. Er-- well, not in *this* country, anyway.
~ D-FensDogG
'Ferret-Faced Fascist Friends'
Those must have been some high-risk escapades, if you're willing to forego a fortune in publishing and movie rights, Stephen, for the sake of saving the lives of foolish young boys. Now you've piqued my interest even more! ☺ So, somebody went to jail in Mexico? You sure were a talented bunch; Twinkie the singer, Stephen the writer/actor, etc. So, I guess I'm going to have to peruse this blog for more memoirs. I know you wrote some, cuz I read a few things here before. It's our memories of youth that sustain as we age, don't you think? The older I get, the more nostalgic.
DeleteDEBBIE ~
DeleteBooze 'n' boys don't mix. We performed many experiments to test that theory and in the final analysis, we agreed that they... just... DON'T... mix!
>>... So, somebody went to jail in Mexico?
No necesariamente. Tal vez fueron a la cárcel en Canadá.
Ha!-Ha!
I have always had a strong nostalgic streak in me. But I agree that it has become even more heightened as I've aged. Thinking back on so many good times really is a source of pleasure to me. It's better'n going to the cinema. The movies in my mind are always entertaining and end well.
Plus, my mind has a way of blocking out the severity of some of those hellacious hangovers I experienced. (I remember one so bad, going through the desert on our way back to L.A. after a night in Las Vegas, where I started to hallucinate. I won't even mention what I thought I saw because it's Twilight Zone-ish level creepy. Thankfully, Twinkie was doing the driving.)
Yeah, it's all fun 'n' games until someone loses... 40 billion brain cells in a single night! [;o)
~ D-FensDogG
'Stephen T. McCarthy Reviews...'
Hahaha! You drove all the way to Canada? Mexico is so much closer, so that was the obvious assumption. ☺ It's only natural to idealize past experiences. Love your description of "the movies in my mind". Similar to my own experience. That sure sounds like one terrifying hangover! Now I want know what you saw.
DeleteHA! :oD DEBBIE! ~
DeleteYou definitely need to watch more 'Columbo'!!
(I just finished watching another episode of 'Columbo' titled 'The Greenhouse Jungle'.)
The fact that I posted that bit in Spanish was a clue (which Columbo would have picked up on) that, indeed, you were right. The League members who got "harrested", were "harrested" in Mexico, not Canada. I won't mention any names because it would embarrass me-- er... I mean, "them". ...OK, look, some friends of mine were taken into custody South O' Da Border. And that's all anyone needs to know.
>>... Now I want know what you saw.
Alright. Alright. But this is against my better judgment. And keep in mind that I NEVER did drugs. This was strictly an alcohol-induced hangover.
The League members were unbelievably spontaneous. In an instant, someone would come up with an idea, and if, at that moment, it seemed good to the others, then we'd just act on it without any planning or preparations.
One time we went to Catalina Island because it seemed good at the moment. No reservations, no place to sleep. So, the first night, we slept on park benches. Next morning, Mr. Policeman says we'll go to jail if he finds us there the next night. So, Night 2, we slept on a mountaintop overlooking Avalon.
We're all hungover one morning at Kelbo's restaurant and some moron suggested a trip to Ensenada, Mexico. It's a bad idea to drink your way to Mexico, with no thought to where you might sleep when the money runs out.
In this case, everyone was somewhere else, and it was just Twinkie and myself. One of us suggested a trip to Las Vegas. And it was probably already about 7 or 8 PM before we even started the drive to Vegas.
There's a line in 'One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest' (easily one of the very greatest movies ever made), where R.P. McMurphy (Jack Nicholson) yells, "Somebody get me wiener before I die!"
URL to the scene in question:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XI_4HtIJYDM
Well, Twinkie and I are on the Vegas Strip and I started saying, "Somebody get me a drink before I die!"
So, we pretty much drank our way completely up and down the Vegas Strip. Any place that sold booze, we stopped in for a drink. Up... and... down... The... Strip.
Naturally, we were drunker'n hell. No room reservation, and too drunk to get a room. So we tried - (*TRIED*) - to sleep in Twinkie's truck in some dirt lot somewhere.
The next morning, both of us terribly hungover and operating on maybe 30-minutes of actual sleep, we headed back for Los Angeles.
At one point, I saw the telephone poles, out in the desert, start jogging to keep up with Twinkie's truck. Then they actually outran the truck, stopped, and started doing jumping jacks.
Twinkie: "You wanna take the wheel for awhile so I can rest a bit?"
Mr. Intense (me): "I'm thinkin' maybe I probably shouldn't."
True story. True 'League Of Soul Crusaders' story.
Now, how much do you have to drink in order to see telephone poles doing jumping jacks the next morning?
~ D-FensDogG
'Ferret-Faced Fascist Friends'
And that hallucination came from booze alone? NASTY hangover! I'm surprised you guys never suffered from alcohol poisoning. I've been to the Vegas strip and know how many drinking establishments there are! Good to know you and your liver survived! ☺
DeleteDEBBIE ~
DeleteAs I got older (i.e., began to mature), I got into more health-related things (e.g., soy lecithin, distilled water, Vitamin B-17, etc.) and toned down the drinking a great deal. And my liver actually sent me a 'Thank You' card. From Hallmark, too! (It cared enough to send the very best.)
~ D-FensDogG
'Ferret-Faced Fascist Friends'
☺
Delete"Twinkie" wins this because I don't like Springsteen.
ReplyDeleteJOHN ~
DeleteIs that like saying, "Spinach gets my vote because the competition is Brussels sprouts"?
~ D-FensDogG
'Ferret-Faced Fascist Friends'
"'Most Dangerous Stunts Involving Old Cadillacs And Other Automobiles." Ahahaha. Hands covering eyes. You guys are lucky to be alive.
ReplyDeleteWell, it's pretty obvious The Boss got fired. I know all the clichés about "Millionaire Coal Minor." Somehow I still respect Springsteen. Could be a shutout. Paypal me $10 on the downlow, delete this post, and I'll vote for Springsteen. Otherwise, I gotta give it up for Mr. Johnson.
Non Sequitur
You've noted the Christian Bale movie about Wall Street. If you haven't seen this, highly recommended.
"What happens in Iceland doesn't stay in Iceland"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_96zE8minOg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1505DBTp2eE
BRUHTHUH DOGG ~
DeleteYeah, in truth, we probably ARE lucky (or especially blessed) to be alive. I remember one night in a parking lot where Torch was driving Nappy's van, while Nappy was clinging to the roof of the van and Torch was doing everything he could to buck Nappy off that horse. Needless to say, they were also drunk. (*Don't try this at home, kids! These are untrained professionals!!*)
And Torch used to do this thing with his Cadillac that he called "The Space Walk". And I'm not even going to describe it because everyone would just think I was lying if I did. But, yeah, doing the death-defying "Space Walk" on Pacific Coast Highway, and you're mostly worried about a cop seeing it, while you can actually hear the invisible Grim Reaper laughing above your head. SMH!! Allah's Unholy Trousers!
DogG, normally, I avoid a BOTB shutout like the plague. But there have been a few BOTB installments I've put together where I've thought in advance: I could actually happily live with this one being a shutout. ...And this Battle is one of those.
I will definitely check out that movie you mentioned, Bruhthuh. It sounds like something up my alley. Thanks for the heads-up!
~ D-FensDogG
'Stephen T. McCarthy Reviews...'
Well, Bruthaman,
DeleteThe closest I cam to that is Joe Ramirez got on the hood of my car holding on with his hands next to the windshield wipers, I slowed down to 15mph and was concerned that his belt buckle would scratch the hood. I can hear you from here, you saying "Sissies."
G DogG ~
DeleteHa! Well, it was a start, anyway. Gotta start somewhere, amiright? ;o)
~ Bruhthuh Stephen
The good ole days when one could drink in the car. Oy-Vey! I can recall(well the beginning of the evening) many times carrying a thermos in the car(I was not driving) that was full of OJ and Vodka. I have never been a true blue Bruce Springstein fan although i do like some. I will give this over to Mr. Twinkie...I prefer the bluesy style with the guitar playing and the voice over Bruce
ReplyDeleteHiYa, BIRGIT ~
DeleteI don't really remember a time when one could drink in a moving automobile (unless it was a limo and you're in the back with a licensed limo driver at the wheel).
Therefore, drinking in a moving automobile was illegal in the USA; therefore, The League Of Soul Crusaders NEVER did it. We weren't the kind of guys who would defy "The Law".
Bwah-Ha-Ha!!!
One of Torch's Cadillacs had holes in the back where radio speakers used to be. Those holes were where we put the empty beer cans. They weren't speaker holes; they were "beer can trash cans"!
Birgit, The League was 6 main guys (I'm proud to say I was one of them) and a whole bunch of hangers-on (which we called "Pinch Hitters" - a baseball term). There weren't a whole lotta womens brave enough to spend a night partying with us. But there were a few (my Sister being the principal one). And you know what?...
YOU would have partied with The League. I'm sure of it. You would have LOVED us. (Except for maybe when we'd turn the TV to the 'Wally George' show and start chanting, "Wal-ly! Wal-ly!! Wal-ly!!!")
Seriously, we were the good knights in shining armor, but it was hard to tell through all the energy, recklessness, drunkenness, loudness and whatnot.
>>... I prefer the bluesy style with the guitar playing and the voice...
Ahh... The guitar playing. I shall definitely address that in my Results post. I'm kind of shocked that you were only the first person to mention it.
Thanks for your $00.02!
~ D-FensDogG
'Ferret-Faced Fascist Friends'
This was fun. I'm glad I remembered to stop in before the clock ran out.
ReplyDeleteFirst, I gotta say that it's pretty darn awesome that one of you recorded a song (and called it League of Soul Crusaders). What a fantastic time of your lives. Oh to be young again...
I really enjoyed Twinkie's song ever so much more than Bruce, but it could be that there was some nostalgia (that wasn't even mine) in play here. Even so, I thought it was well done and I enjoyed it immensely.
Thank you for sharing this. It was a lovely to walk down your memory lane.
Hey, Stranger, I'm happy to see ya here! Welcome back, GIRL WONDER!
DeleteWhen I think about all the energy I wasted in the early 1980s... Dang! What I'd give to have 1/7th of that energy now, today, in my old-- er... in 2019.
>>... it could be that there was some nostalgia (that wasn't even mine) in play here.
I'd like to think that there's at least a little "League Of Soul Crusaders" in everyone. ...I mean, I'd *LIKE*(!!) to think that, but... it's just not true. Oh, well...
The League members all believed in God, but we never once prayed for protection before a night out on the town. ...UHP! We were idiots!!
>>... It was a lovely to walk down your memory lane.
'AMNESIA Lane' is more like it.
I thank you for coming by and feeding the BOTB kitty. We're still havin' fun here.
~ D-FensDogG
'Ferret-Faced Fascist Friends'
Al Bondigas here. Slam dunk win for Twinkie. I can't tell you how much pleasure I get rulin' agin that low rent, soy boy, beta male punk of dubious character Springsteen. Twinkie knocked it outta da park!! Rulin' fer Twinkie. That's it, that's muh rulin'!!
ReplyDeleteJUDGE AL ~
DeleteHmmm.... Do I detect a trace of animosity toward Bruce? Ha!
It's a tad difficult for me to determine if you got more pleasure voting AGAINST Bruce than you did voting FOR Twinkie, or the other way around.
Either way, thou hast cast an unmistakable vote. No hanging chad here!
Thanks for yer rulin' in this case, Judge. I 'spect law students will be studying the details of this case for many decades to come.
~ D-FensDogG
'Stephen T. McCarthy Reviews...'
Hi Stephen, Loved the athletic subcategories especially “coconut heads being knocked unconscious!” I also applaud your creativity in battle challengers, but Bruce gets my vote. He has a unique style which is why he’s still “The Boss.”
ReplyDeleteJulie
I just read the other comments. Then I listened to Twinkie’s song again and now I know why everyone else voted for him. Serves me right for coming here so late at night - it’s almost 2 a.m. here. No need to change my vote as it won’t make a difference anyway, but I want you to know that I know I should’ve brought my A game to your Battle of The Bs game.
ReplyDeleteGEM JULIE ~
DeleteThanks for coming by with two-cents for the kitty!
I'm supposed to post a BOTB Results installment today. And I'll see if I can find a "coconut head" photo for it.
I was pleased to see your "bote for Bruce", because he was getting shut out until you showed up. At least you were able to get "the boss" on the board. I appreciate that, my friend!
~ D-FensDogG
'Stephen T. McCarthy Reviews...'
Wow! It seems as though probably all the usual voters have voted but me. Maybe I'm forgetting someone, or perhaps another League Alumnus will show up? Or Sig McLeague?
ReplyDeleteHow should I vote? Boy, Twinkie sure has a great song going on, and he is clearly the crowd favorite. The guitar work is mighty fine. MIGHTY fine! He tells the tale of the League of Soul Crusaders. With help from Stephen McCarthy, they are becoming legendary: such tales as to scare the children and make the ladies blush. If I’d been there and applied for membership in the League I’d have been rejected because I was both too old and too sober. But maybe could have hung around, like an elderly version of D’Artagnan to the Three Musketeers. Twinkie deserves a vote just for being a part of LOSC and writing a song about them.
Obviously, the members of the League liked The Boss well enough at the time to appropriate his term “soul crusaders” and make it their own. But retired League voters have either lost their love for Bruce or are just loyally sticking with their own. Probably both.
I hate Bruce Springsteen. He is a communist punk and a fraud. His music these days totally sucks, and I don’t listen to him voluntarily any more.
However, in the Glory Days (earlier than “Glory Days,” actually), I was a huge fan. An earlier commenter remarked that she’d rather see Sting or Billy Joel than Bruce in concert, and I can attest that THAT would have been a big mistake back in the day. Joel’s concerts were a snooze-fest. Bruce’s were four hour long, sweat-drenched marathons of emotion. Nobody ever did better concerts than Bruce back in the day, and frankly I'd contend that nobody has done better since, either. I went to at least four of his concerts long ago, the last one being his “Born in the USA” tour in 1984. That album was when the worm began to turn, the milk began to sour, shark began to get jumped.
In the early days it was different, and “Night” is a song that I listened to over and over. These lines:
“the rat traps filled with soul crusaders
The circuits lined and jammed with chromed invaders
And she's so pretty that you're lost in the stars
As you jockey your way through the cars
And sit at the light, as it changes to green
With your faith in your machine off you scream into the night“
These lyrics reflect a part of my experience. I grew up in SOCAL, and in my town at night the streets WERE lined with chromed invaders. Like that blue Chevelle with a heavily worked-over 396 and slicks on the back, or the ’65 Mercury Comet that was the fastest car for 50 miles around. The girls WERE so pretty we were lost in the stars. They sat at the lights and screamed out into the night. And this image was even more prevalent on the east coast. In 1974 I drove across the country with friends: one guy and four girls. Our path took us thru Jersey and South Philly, and we saw literally HUNDREDS of cars in groups at night set up for impromptu street drag racing.
Whether or not Bruce is or was a fraud, lots of these early Springsteen lyrics meant a lot to many people. He hit on some truths - whether by fraud, understanding, or accident. I like this song, and will not agree with the suggestion that it is a bad or lesser song. It paints a picture for me with its fast driving pace and with the great saxophone of The Big Man.
So, I am casting the lone vote (at least as I write this) for Bruce. It is not a vote against Twinkie.
SIXGUN McITCHYFINGER ~
DeleteThat was a truly EPIC comment! Definitely worth waiting for. Thanks!!
I'm pleased you enjoyed both recordings. And, yes, most drunkards in this world don't have a song written for them (unless they knew Twinkie or Tom Waits).
I saw Bruce live 2 or 3 times in the early 1980s - 'The River' tour, and the 'Born In The USA' tour. They were definitely Rock 'N' Roll marathons, and one certainly got their money's worth and then some.
As I'm sure you know, I too am familiar with that Southern California "Car Culture" and "Cruising". We did it for years in Westwood Village, and it also occurred out in "the Valley", but I didn't go there because that might have made me "a Val". Dogtowners and Vals weren't supposed to mix. [;oD
That's one of the reasons I love the movie 'American Graffiti' so much. Although that story takes place in the early 1960s, what it portrayed on the screen was still occurring in Los Angeles when I was in my teens, and I got to experience it as well. Very cool!
You did a superb job of explaining your vote (or "Bruce bote"), and although I am no longer a fan of his, as you're aware, I was actually pleased that he wasn't shut-out. I knew going in that this would be lopsided in Twinkie's favor, but I honestly didn't expect to be seeing a shutout up until the final day of voting. Bruce got two, and I think he deserved to be on the board, even if he's no longer my mug o' beer.
Thanks for the epic comment, my friend! It was a "goot juan", as Nappy and I like to say.
~ D-FensDogG
'Ferret-Faced Fascist Friends'
you detect it. But, it's more than a trace.
ReplyDeleteATTENTION PEOPLES!
ReplyDeleteIf you are interested in seeing the final vote tally for this 'BATTLE OF THE BANDS' installment and my closing thoughts on it, you can put the following URL into your browser:
https://stmccpresentsbattleofthebands.blogspot.com/2019/03/botb-results-2019-march-1-or-bruce.html
~ D-FensDogG
'Loyal American Underground'
Poor Cranium missed the 4th July parade-crash. Although, 4th of July at beach parking was the most lucrative day for 'double tearing' parking stubs and making lots of money under the table - the same table where the gin and tonics and limes were stored. Of course, once the boss arrived, we hid the gin in the sparkletts cooler and the boss thought we just like tonic with lime juice woohoo.
ReplyDeletesigned Cranium
>>... Of course, once the boss arrived, we hid the gin in the sparkletts cooler and the boss thought we just like tonic with lime juice
DeleteMethinks you had a pretty cool boss, Cranium. Because NO ONE gets to be a boss who actually believes young guys "just like tonic with lime juice".
Let's hear it - CHEERS!! - to all the bosses who "look the other way" out of respect for their employees' love for gin & tonic.
And, hey, by the way...
I didn't remember that you liked gin & tonic. All these decades, I've been under the false impression that Twinkie and I were the only League members who were gin & tonic fans. Thanks for straightening out me crooked memory glands.
~ D-FensDogG
'Stephen T. McCarthy Reviews...'
Hey Steph... well my boss from the beach parking lot days, was an ex-Vietnam vet himself and knew how to enjoy the drinks and the weed and the occasional acid. So, I think his management style was that if he did not actually see any paraphenalia and they looked like they could do their job, it was cool with him. Signed Cranium
DeleteI like that philosophy. I think very much along the same lines (except I don't smoke weed or drop Acid).
DeleteIf it ain't broke, don't fix it. Don't even *LOOK* at it!
Unless you have a problem, you don't have a problem.
When one employee screws up, stick it to *THAT* employee. You don't create new policy just because one dipshit didn't obey the old policy. Just can the dipshit.
And so on and so forth.
The truth of the matter is, the majority of "bosses" are not qualified to be bosses. They just managed to stick around long enough to kiss the right asses and get promoted by other bosses who were themselves not qualified to be bosses.
That's how it is in the real world of employment.
~ D-FensDogG
'Stephen T. McCarthy Reviews...'