maybe a great band in heaven, or something

I guess 12.8 is not a good day to be a musician.

As you all know, 30 years ago that dude who liked Catcher in the Rye shot John Lennon.

I like this look:


George was my favorite Beatle, but John was probably the most talented, thoughtful, & creative.

All he was saying was give peace a chance.

In other 12.8 news . . .

Many of you may not know that it was on 12.8.84 that "Razzle" Dingley, drummer of Hanoi Rocks, was killed at age 24 in a car crash. Vince Neil from Motley Crue decided that driving drunk was OK, & he was the only one who walked away from the accident.

Sometime soon you will read my little write-up about Hanoi Rocks, but just know they could have been huge. Just consider them Guns N Roses before Guns N Roses: singer Michael Monroe was hands-down the biggest influence on Axl Rose back in the '80s.

Razzle:



& on 12.9.2004, Devin Ablard came into my 1st period class w/ tears in his eyes, said he couldn't believe it about Dime.

In one of the stranger & sadder & scarier things I have heard in my musically-informed years, guitarist Darrell Abbott had been shot the previous night--12.8--while on stage in a club in Columbus.

I had gone to bed early the night before & had not heard anything about this, so I turned on the TV & shed a few tears of my own.

OK, many.

For those who prefer color:


A handful of musicians have really struck a chord (I know, "boooo!") w/ me, & Darrell was one. Dude could flat-out play, & he, while in Pantera, made some of my favorite music ever. At the time of his death he was in Damageplan, but there was always, somewhere in the background, the chance for that reunion.

I guess kind of like Beatles fans had hoped for until 12.8.80.

Anyway, a paranoid schizophrenic who thought the guys from Pantera had stolen "his" songs got up onstage during the 1st song, shot Darrell, a few fans, & a few crew members before a local police officer responded to the call & shot the gunman.

& Vinnie, Darrell's brother, was playing drums in the band, saw his brother murdered.

On stage.

A few days later, a fairly unknown columnist decried the "semi-human barbarians" who mourned Darrell at his service. I kind of think we're all fully human--except maybe people like that guy, filled w/ such hatred & vitriol--even if we like metal music or dye our beards a shade of magenta.

No lesson here, I guess, just memoriam.

RIP John, Razzle, & Dime.

You are missed

Juniors:
Had to leave early, as it was the eldest's time for illness.

So, 1st period got the rundown from me, & the awesome Mrs. Keepers took over for 3rd & 5th.

But . . . you copied 11 questions for "Macbeth Final Prep," due Friday.

Some good ones there, about character, style, theme, even staging.

Have your books w/ you tomorrow, as you will be finding quotations & analyzing them.

Enjoy.


Sophomores:
Unit 6 vocabulary quiz.

"Once Upon a Time," PowerPoint-style.

Gabriel Okara--does a little knowledge of his life change your take on the poem?

How about those specific quotations?

Good stuff all around.

Back at it tomorrow.

Units 4-6 Review part I due Friday!!!

Units 4-6 Review part II due Monday!!!

Let's do this!!!

be cool