BATTLE OF THE BANDS: 2025, MAY 1st (Or, RAY CHARLES Versus XAVIER CUGAT, Part 1 Of 2)

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The Kentucky Derby, the world's most famous horse race, occurs at Churchill Downs each year on the first Saturday in May.

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Kentucky is also world renowned for its bourbon whiskey; and because a Mint Julep contains bourbon, it is the official cocktail of The Kentucky Derby. It's been stated that over 120,000 Mint Juleps are served at Churchill Downs during The Derby weekend, and this cocktail tradition goes back to 1875.

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Although I have never witnessed a Kentucky Derby race in person, I have been to Churchill Downs & had a Mint Julep there.

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Because The Derby is taking place in a couple of days, this edition of Battle Of The Bands' Battle Of The Booze features two renditions of the song 'One Mint Julep'. I  have a somewhat humorous story to tell related to the Mint Julep cocktail. I'm going to tell half of the story below, and the second half in my May 15th BOTB contest (which will feature different recordings of 'One Mint Julep'). 

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If you don't wish to read the first half of my story below, because yer time is VERY limited my writing & stories suck, you can click HERE and skip directly to the songs. (Make no mistake, I know who you scoundrels are! 😄)

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First, a blind squirrel's lucky nutshell history of Virginia City, Nevada's 'Crystal Bar': The structure was built in 1867 and became a bar in 1871. Partially destroyed in the massive 1875 fire, the back portion of the structure was rebuilt soon after. The May 27th, 1946 edition of Life magazine featured 5 of the most famous bars in the U.S. & The Crystal Bar (> Here) was the first one mentioned. Life said this: "Important drinkers put their signatures on the bar register, which contains names like Ulysses S. Grant, Thomas A. Edison and John Mackay, who dug a fortune out of Virginia City mines."

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The 1984 book 'Hilver Sillside' 'Silver Hillside' (remember that name; you'll need it later!) says: "One saloon on C Street has been around longer than people can remember. The Crystal Bar has been owned continuously by the Marks family since 1901."  

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In early 1992 (91 years after the Marks family obtained ownership of The Crystal Bar), The Countess & I were on vacation in Virginia City, Nevada. While we were standing at the intersection of > B and Taylor Streets (or, "Bee Taylor", for you > TAGS fans), I suddenly felt compelled to hike to the Virginia City "V" on the side of Mt. Davidson:

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The Virginia City "V" viewed from the Virginia City cemetery.

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The "V", up close & personal.

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The "V"iew of Virginia City & Six Mile Canyon from the "V" on Mount Davidson.

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After I descended, I was thirsty & ready for a drink, so The Countess & I walked into 'The Crystal Bar'. There were only two persons in the bar: Margaret Marks, the owner of the bar & the widow of Bill Marks; and another elderly lady who was Margaret's friend. Both of them were very nice ladies! 

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The Crystal Bar, circa 1946?

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Top: Margaret & Bill Marks in 1984. Below: Bill Marks (far right) in The Crystal Bar, circa 1946. Photos from the excellent book 'Silver Hillside' by Barbara Richnak.

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I noticed a sign advertising their "Mint Julep" cocktails, so The Countess & I each ordered one.

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Margaret's late husband, Bill, behind the Crystal Bar's... bar.

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If you're going to make a Mint Julep correctly, it takes a little time, like > THIS. It's not simple, like pouring 3 ounces of Wild Turkey 101 in a glass & adding some 7-Up; or pouring some lowlife pirate rum in a mug & accidentally spilling some cola into it while you're rushing to the restroom due to flood-like  gastrointestinal issues. No... making a real Mint Julep cocktail is almost like an art form.

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While Margaret Marks set about to make our Mint Juleps -- which took forever + a day or two, due to her advanced age and the complexity of the recipe -- Margaret's friend began telling us how wonderful the book 'Silver Hillside' was. Published in 1984 & written by another friend of hers named Barbara Richnak, 'Silver Hillside' chronicled "The Life And Times Of Virginia City".

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At one point, the tipsy elderly lady referred to the book as "Hilver Sillside". Right then, she stopped herself, and said, "Well, I've got to be going". She called out a goodbye to Margaret and carefully stepped out of the bar. I had to give her a lot of credit for knowing when she'd had enough to drink.

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And then -- finally -- our Mint Juleps were set down on the bar in front of us. 

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Barring the start of World War III, the second half of this story will appear in my May 15th Battle Of The Bands' Battle Of The Booze installment.

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Scroll down or click HERE for the 1st Mint Julep Battle.

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~ D-FensDogG

BOTB: MAY 1, 2025 (Or, RAY CHARLES Versus XAVIER CUGAT - Part 2 Of 2)

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(Continued from Part One > HERE.)

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Alright, let's get on it. 

Let's get ON this thing! 

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We have Ray Charles on the Hammond B-3 organ & backed by some members of the Count Basie orchestra, going up against Xavier Cugat's orchestra, which brings an aural flavor of Cha-Cha Twist to its Mint Julep. 

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Please vote for the Mint Julep you enjoyed most (good freakin' luck!), and then visit all of the other BOTBers and drop your two cents in their Battles.  

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One Mint Julep (1961) 

by Ray Charles  
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gFL0x2ur71E

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"Quit crying and get me some bourbon." ~ appropriately from the Film Noir classic 'The Asphalt Jungle' (It's a Kentucky bourbon & Thoroughbred horse racing thing; you wouldn't understand!)

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One Mint Julep (1963) 

by Xavier Cugat 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HzUw_ZXPpX8

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I intend to return here on May 8th with my own vote (if I can figure it out by then!! 😱) and to announce the winner. 

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~ Stephen T. McME 

(because someone's gotta do it)

DogGtor of Alcohology & 

King of Inebriation Nation

BATTLE OF THE BANDS: 2025, APRIL 15 (Or, VAN MORRISON Versus TODD SNIDER - Part 1 Of 2)

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NOTE: This Part 1 explains in copious detail why the two songs in this BOTB's Battle Of The Booze installment remind me of specific times in my life. The songs are pretty Bluesy, but other than that, they are vastly different -- as were these two times in my life.

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If you're not interested in learning the backstory & want to cut straight to the songs in Part 2, click HERE.

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'The Back Room' by Van Morrison

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For 7 years I worked in the movie / TV industry in Hollywood. But, by the end of 1983, I had healed from the Acting bug that had bitten me. For the last 2+ months of '83, when I wasn't working on a studio set, I was feverishly spending every spare minute trying to finish writing my book manuscript, 'The League Of Soul Crusaders', in time to present it as a Christmas gift to my friends. (Thanks to "Fast Fingers" Ma, I made the Xmas Eve deadline.) My friends thought I had been snubbing them those 2 months... until the evening of December 24th, when they found those 197 single-spaced typewritten pages in their hands!

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At the start of 1984, I quit performing in Hollywood and decided to make my living doing something more sensible; namely, betting on the horses at Hollywood Park. 😲

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My career as an Equine Gambler was short-lived, and on March 12, 1984, I began working as a commercial sign artist, designing things like these:

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However, those 2+ months at the beginning of 1984 were a special time for me. I got a chance to really relax & decompress. I'd place my bets at Hollywood Park very early in the mornings, & then General  Poohregard (one of the 6 "League" members) and I would hang out together. We were the founding and sole members of the 99-Cent Club. (At Azteca, margaritas were only 99-cents until Noon.) 

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After the 99-Cent Club would adjourn for the day, Pooh and I would go to his place, "The House At Pooh Corner", & drink beer (Mickey's Malt Liquor, I'm looking at you!) while listening to music together. That was where Pooh turned me onto Tom Waits via his 'Small Change' album. The other LP I remember us most often playing was 'Trouble In Paradise' by Randy Newman (the song > 'I'm Different', with Linda Ronstadt providing backing vocals, really tickled me!). 

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This was probably the most carefree time of my "adult" life. It was almost as if Pooh and I were playing Tom Sawyer & Huckleberry Finn, even to the point that we once borrowed a raft on the Venice canals and toured the place from the waterways. We'd pause underneath the bridges and 'tip the bottle' in the shade.

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L.A.'s Venice Canals, circa 1984.

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Huck & Tom (or... me & Pooh?)

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At that time, General Poohregard worked at his Dad's liquor store in Venice. He said that he worked there for "the binge benefits". It wasn't uncommon for Pooh (& sometimes his friends with him) to down a brew or two in the store's back room. Like this:

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Pooh (looking a bit like Randy Newman) in "The Back Room".

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A song that always transports me back to those times is 'The Back Room' by Van Morrison. Pooh & I could really relate to the lazy, carefree, conversational stream-of-consciousness mood of that song. We recognized that it seemed to paint a perfect picture of the kind of lifestyle we were floating in and on during those first months of 1984.

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By the way, General Poohregard just released his first book of photographs titled 'Sacred Places And Sacred Faces' which you can preview and order > HERE. I can't help finding it humorous & astounding that Pooh has become a truly talented professional photographer. After all, when he and I used to party together, Pooh never saw anything in focus! In fact, I think he once tripped over someone's camera tripod and fell into a pond. (Or... maybe that was me. After awhile, it all seemed to blur together.)

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'Betty Was Black 

(And Willie Was White)' 

by Todd Snider

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One day I was sitting in > The Townhouse at Venice Beach, which was one helckuva dive at the time. Taking a sip from my cocktail, I noticed my reflection in a mirror behind the bar; and I mentally said to myself, "What if there was a guy who was so self-loathing that he would move to a different bar stool in order to avoid seeing himself in the mirror?"

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I started asking myself more questions, such as, "What might happen to him when he leaves the bar on a rainy night and starts walking home?" One question led to another, and another, and before long, a story was developing in my mind. I was a professionally trained actor, but I didn't know the Ins & Outs, the Dos & Don'ts of screenplay construction. So I took a couple of professional classes & read a ton - 2,000 pounds! - of books about screenwriting. 

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In 1991 I wrote my first & only screenplay for a movie I would call Billy 'N' Billie. It turned out to be an interracial romance between a socially awkward White guy (Billy Withers) & a sassy Black woman (Kimberly Clayton) who idolized Billie Holiday and sang Blues songs on the Venice Beach Boardwalk for tips. The imaginary musical soundtrack can be found > HERE. 

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Larger view HERE.

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Larger view HERE.

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I started shopping the screenplay around, which was a lot of work back in those pre-personal computer years. Was it any good at all? Well, this may be a clue: Tony Bill (producer of 'The Sting'; director of 'My Bodyguard') contacted me and set up a meeting with him at his Venice office. Unfortunately, however, I went into that meeting with the 100% WRONG approach / attitude, and that was that. 

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In 2000, Todd Snider released his album 'Happy To Be Here' which included the song 'Betty Was Black (And Willie Was White)' which reminded me of my 'Billy 'N' Billie' story. In the song, Betty & Willie fall in love while drinking Tanqueray gin. But in my story, Billy is a drinker of Beefeater gin, because he's subconsciously attempting to beef-up his anemic sense of manhood. 

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Continued Below (Or, Continued > HERE)

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~ Stephen T. McCarthy

BATTLE OF THE BANDS: 2025, APRIL 15 (Or, VAN MORRISON Versus TODD SNIDER - Part 2 Of 2)

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{Psst! If you missed the "dogs" in Part 1 > HERE (yes, there were two dogs this time!), they were located in the 'Billy 'N' Billie' screenplay pages I showed you.}

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Alright, let's get on it. 

Let's get ON this thing!

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Please vote in the comment section below for which song you preferred. And then please be kind enough to visit all - I said, "ALL" - of the other BOTBers and also drop your two-cents in their contests. 

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'THE BACK ROOM' 

by Van Morrison 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_lVEh8Smo-c

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'BETTY WAS BLACK 

(AND WILLIE WAS WHITE)' 

by Todd Snider 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YvjDtei3qlY

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I intend to return here on (or about) April 22nd with my own vote and the Final Tally. 

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Until then, may you... 

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Bless & Be Blessed!! 

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~ Stephen (T. McCarthy)

BATTLE OF THE BANDS: APRIL 1, 2025 (Or, TODD SNIDER Versus BRUCE BLACKMAN)

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Today is that silly un-holiday, 'April Fools' Day', so here I am, the king of the court jesters, to amuse, entertain & tickle you with foolishness.

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This installment of Battle Of The Bands' Battle Of The Booze is going to feature a couple of silly songs that I consider to be pretty E-Tickety, as far as silly songs go.

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'Beer Run' by Todd Snider 

Versus 

'Less Thinking, More Drinking' 

by Bruce Blackman

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Last November, I introduced you to the song 'Ballad Of The Devil's Backbone Tavern' by Todd Snider, whom I consider to be one of the funniest & cleverest lyricists ever.  

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Snider ought not be underestimated! This guy writes songs across an amazing spectrum. He can write downright funny songs; also, downright serious stuffs. (At one time, I considered using his song 'You Think You Know Somebody' in my 'Battle Of The Booze' series, and then dismissed the idea because the song is just too depressing.) And, Snider wrote & recorded one of my two all-time favorite Christian Rock songs: > 'Somebody's Coming'. (Got any idea who that Somebody, "who don't need your vote", might be?)  

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Snider's song in this contest is about making "Beer Runs". When I was a member of 'The League Of Soul Crusaders' in the early 1980s, we made a lot of beer runs. But we didn't need a car & a driver. Our headquarters were located at 824 Bay Street (where 98.97% of the executive decisions were made); and being a beer bottle cap-toss away from the intersection of Pico & Lincoln Blvds., we had 3 different liquor stores "within stumbling distance" (i.e., within two blocks). 

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However, 99.87% of the time, we walked (or stumbled) to Lucky Liquor, which was located right next door to Jolly Jack's Bar. "Two great places that tasted great together!"

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Lucky Liquor & Jolly Jack's: an Alcoholic's Alliteration Award winner!

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Bruce Blackman, the leader of Starbuck, gave us the catchy hit song 'Moonlight Feels Right'. In his book, 'The Road To Moonlight Feels Right', Blackman tells the following story: 

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At a recording studio in Doraville, Georgia, Bruce had just barely finished singing 'Moonlight Feels Right' when Steve Clark, the recording engineer, walked in and said, "You done? We've got to stop now. Skynyrd is waiting."

Then Ronnie Van Zant [lead singer for Lynyrd Skynyrd] entered the room and said to Steve, "Hell's that? You ready to quit doing this stupid shit and work on something good?" 

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That "stupid shit" went to #3 on the Billboard music charts in 1976. Lynyrd Skynyrd's biggest hit? 'Sweet Home Alabama' in 1974 - #8.

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Years ago, I left a comment for Bruce Blackman at YouTube, telling him, "...It was actually your song 'Doing Nothing' that turned me on to Mojitos. Prior to that, I was strictly a Margarita man. Thanks, Bruce, you done good!

:o)

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He responded:

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@StarbuckMusic

8 years ago

+D-Fens DogG I've been known to down a mojito or two, or three on occasion.

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Alright, let's get on it! 

Let's get ON this thing!!

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Please vote here, there & everywhere.

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BEER RUN 

by Todd Snider 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r1ABFJACVrg

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LESS THINKING, MORE DRINKING 

by Bruce Blackman 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JvKS7b0K4WQ

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~ Mr. Stephen T. McCarthy