Showing posts with label Pink Floyd. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Pink Floyd. Show all posts

HNT - Shrinking The Blob...

Sparks Of Insanity By Vinny "Bond" Marini Thursday, September 18, 2008 33 Of Your Sparks

REMEMBER TO LEAVE YOUR PINK FLOYD STORY ON YESTERDAY'S POST BELOW IF YOU WANT TO WIN THE NEW DAVID GILMOUR LIVE IN GDANSK CD. WINNERS ANNOUNCED TOMORROW! YUP WINNERS - I WILL BE GIVING BOTH AWAY....


HNTbutton

Well, this is not your normal usage for HNT, but what the hell...

OK, so I might really regret this, but I have discussed it on a few posts in numbers so I might as well show it in pictures...

Ya'll know I have been working out and watching my diet for the last two months. I began on July 20th and I have seen some great results. I have a target of 175 from my high of 198.

Let's look at the numbers one more time...

JULY 20: 198.7 pounds 29.5% Body Fat
AUGUST 22: 195.3 pounds 26.6% Body Fat
SEPTEMBER 02: 192.2 pounds no new body fat measurement
SEPTEMBER 16: 186.3 pounds no new body fat measurement

Now for the photographic proof. While Mom Joan was here I overheard her talking to my Sister Lynn and I guess sis asked how I looked with my new routine. Mom's reply was "He is looking good and things are moving around."

I guess these photos illustrate that point.


This is me on July 19th:

This is me on September 13th:

This is the two put together.
It is not totally accurate as my arm was not in the same position and Nancy did not take it from the exact same spot, but I held the back as a constant and it does give a decent representation.

Besides the "Marini Belly" (it is a hereditary thing...I really do not have a lot of weight anywhere else but there), I see more definition in my arms and legs...

Here is the weight tracking from the site myplate.com:



Hope I did not ruin your breakfast/lunch dinner!

This is from Oleander and is called "Shrinking The Blob"...thought it was appropriate...LOL

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Tuneage Tutelage - R.I.P. Richard Wright &Tuneage Tutelage Review

Sparks Of Insanity By Vinny "Bond" Marini Wednesday, September 17, 2008 20 Of Your Sparks



Richard William Wright
(July 28, 1943 - September 15, 2008)

Some sad news in the music world came out yesterday. Richard Wright, a founding member of the rock group Pink Floyd, died Monday. He was 65.

Pink Floyd's spokesman, Doug Wright, who is not related to the artist, said Wright died after a battle with cancer at his home in Britain. He says the band member's family did not want to give more details about his death.

Wright met Pink Floyd members Roger Waters and Nick Mason in college and joined their early band, Sigma 6. Along with the late Syd Barrett, the four formed Pink Floyd in 1965.

Wright wrote significant portions of the music for the albums Meddle, Dark Side of the Moon and Wish You Were Here, as well as for Floyd's final studio album The Division Bell.

Wright was educated at the Haberdashers' Aske's School and the Regent Street Polytechnic College of Architecture, where he met Mason and Waters.

Wright sang lead on Barrett-penned songs like "Astronomy Domine" and "Matilda Mother", as well as notable harmonies on "Scarecrow" and "Chapter 24". Examples of his early compositions include "Remember a Day", "Paintbox" and "It Would Be So Nice".

Wright recorded his first solo project, Wet Dream, and released it in September 1978 with little fanfare.

He was forced to resign from Pink Floyd during The Wall sessions in 1979, by Roger Waters, who threatened to pull the plug on the album's tapes if Wright did not leave the band. However, he was retained as a salaried session musician during the subsequent live concerts to promote that album in 1980 and 1981.

Fittingly, Wright became the only member of Floyd to profit from those hugely spectacular shows, since the net financial loss had to be borne by the three remaining "full-time" members. He was the only member of the band not to attend the 1982 premiere of the film version of The Wall. In 1983, Pink Floyd released the only album on which Wright does not appear with The Final Cut.

In 1996, Wright released his second solo album, Broken China, considered to be a more focused and artistically successful work than Wet Dream and it contained extensive use of computer-based recording and production techniques, assisted by Anthony Moore with whom he co-wrote the album's lyrics.

He married his first wife, Juliette Gale, in 1964. The two had two children and divorced in 1982. He married his second wife Franka in 1984. They divorced in 1994. Wright married his third wife Millie (to whom he dedicated his second solo album Broken China) in 1996. Their one child is named Ben. In 1996 Wright's daughter Gala married Guy Pratt, a session musician who has played bass for Pink Floyd since Roger Waters' exit.

His keyboard playing was an integral part of the incredible music produced by this band. He was never an attention seeker as were his band mates...he just played brilliantly.

David Gilmour stated: "In my view, all the greatest Pink Floyd moments are the ones where he is in full flow. No-one can replace Richard Wright - he was my musical partner and my friend. In the welter of arguments about who or what was Pink Floyd, Rick's enormous input was frequently forgotten. He was gentle, unassuming and private but his soulful voice and playing were vital, magical components of our most recognized Pink Floyd sound. Like Rick, I don't find it easy to express my feelings in words, but I loved him and will miss him enormously. I have never played with anyone quite like him."

He will be missed by all Floyd fans...but his music lives on forever!

Floyd in 1968
(L to R) Nick Mason, Syd Barrett, David Gilmour, Roger Waters, Richard Wright




It seems almost cosmic, because next week, David Gilmour Live In Gdańsk a double live album plus concert DVD will be released on September 23rd on Columbia Records.

Why cosmic? Well Monday I received TWO copies of the 2-disc CD (DVD not included) and Richard Wright appears with Gilmour, playing keyboards and contributing vocals. As I write this, it is playing in the background and let me tell you folks...it is fantastic.

David Gilmour Live In Gdansk, the first solo live album from Pink Floyd’s singer / guitarist, captures the magic of his concert held in front of 50,000 in the Gdansk shipyards, the final performance of his critically acclaimed 2006 On An Island tour.

That album has achieved multi-platinum status around the world, reaching number 1 in Europe, number 1 in the UK and number 6 in the U.S. It is the first ever live recording with an orchestra of Pink Floyd’s "High Hopes" and "A Great Day For Freedom", the latter performed here as a one-off for this special Solidarity anniversary.

The rest of the band includes Phil Manzanera on guitars and vocals; Jon Carin on keyboards; lap steel guitar, programming and vocals; Guy Pratt on bass guitar and vocals; Steve DiStanislao on drums and vocals and Dick Parry on saxophone and keyboards.

They perform with the Baltic Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra conducted by Zbigniew Preisner.

The sound on this recording is vibrant and full. Gilmour's vocals and guitar playing sound as good as I have ever heard. The Orchestra behind them add a special dimension to the new songs and turn old favorites into new experiences.

The song collection includes "Time", "Shine On You Crazy Diamond", and "Wish You Were Here""Comfortably Numb" along with 18 other musical treats.

If you are a 'Floyd Fan', this is a must have for your collection.

YES, I said I received TWO COPIES. My contact at Sony/BMG was kind enough to include a copy for me and one to give-away to one of my lucky guests.

Personally, I saw Floyd twice live in concert and both times were spectacular events. Once was at Stony Brook University on Long Island during their Atom Heart Mother tour in 1970-71 and the second was at Madison Square Garden during their Wish You Were Here tour in 1975-76.

I have always been a huge fan of the space-psychedelic-improvisational album Ummagumma and would use various tracks to open and close my radio show in Rochester.

So, are you a fan of Floyd? Want to have this historic album in your collection?

Simple enough...write a comment telling me why you should have it. Tell me a story about a Floyd experience, whether it was seeing them in concert or one of their songs making an impact on your life.

I will announce the winner on Friday. Sorry Dana and Starr, you are both ineligible for this one.

A little taste of the album, the spectacular "Shine On You Crazy Diamond"....

ENJOY.....




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Ruby Tuesday

Sparks Of Insanity By Vinny "Bond" Marini Tuesday, July 08, 2008 24 Of Your Sparks


It's RUBY TUESDAY!


If you are unfamiliar with RUBY TUESDAY, then you must head on over and visit Mary/The Teach.

Here is my contribution. Taken a few years back, this dead tree caught my eye. I always called this photo "Serpent". When I added brightness and contrast to the original and then colorized it something popped out to my eye. On the front left, it looks like a dogs head in mid bark...

OK, so maybe it is just me and my creativity (in my mind) has run wild...but that is my story and I am sticking to it! (it will get very large if you click on it)




This is the original picture so y'all can see I did not add the head.



Well, the head I see...I still don't know if YOU will see it...

Let me know in your sparks comments...let 'er rip, I can take it...


OK, yesterday Dana commented "I am a HUGE fan of music that steps out of the -oh-so-common 4/4 time signature. I really enjoyed this one!"

Well, that got me thinking Billy Cobham or The Mahavishnu Orchestra, but I have not gotten that far along on my digitizing.

Well that led me to YES...but as I was scrolling, this song hit my eye...THIS is anything but 4/4 time signature...from Pink Floyd's first album, "Ummagumma", this is something that hit me when I first heard it and I love what he does...

He is Roger Waters. Ummagumma was a two disc set. The first disc is composed of live performances, including the brilliant "Be Careful With That Axe Eugene". The second disc allowed each musician a chance to go into the studio and record something.

The track consists of several minutes of noises resembling rodents and birds simulated by Waters' voice and other techniques, such as tapping the microphone played at different speeds, followed by Waters providing a few stanzas of quasi-lyrics in an exaggerated Scottish brogue.

The Picts were the indigenous people of what is now Scotland that merged with the Scots.

There is a "hidden message" in the song at approximately 4:34. If played at a slower speed, Waters can be heard to say, "That was pretty avant-garde, wasn't it?". Also, at the very end of the rant, Waters is heard to say "and the wind cried Mary", followed by "Thank you".

Some will find this the worst thing they have ever heard, some might not care either way and a smaller group will enjoy it. Some will call for the straight-jacket brigade to visit Memphis!

"Several Species of Small Furry Animals Gathered Together in a Cave and Grooving with a Pict" YUP! That is the full title of this composition.

Lifelogger is being itself and acting funky. Sometimes I see the player, sometimes I do not. Normally reloading the window will fix it.







Coming up this week on DR. BLOGSTEIN’S RADIO HAPPY HOUR:
(Live on Tuesday July 8th at 9PM ET and forever archived at BlogTalkRadio.

themole_jonkelley.jpg
Jon Kelley, host of ABC’s hit reality series The Mole will stop by the Radio Happy Hour. We’ll get insight into the inner workings of the game, his role in the intrigue and we’ll use “extraordinary rendition” to get him to reveal who the mole is to us.

We’ll also talk sports with Kelley who was a star running back for the Nebraska Cornhuskers and covered all six Chicago Bulls world championships for WMAQ-TV in Chicago. phoenixblock.jpgThen, band Phoenix Block visits Dr. B and Dangerous Lee. They’ll fill us in on their August 1st album release and their connection to the Barack Obama presidential campaign.


Also, renowned psychotherapist Dr. Robi Ludwig will help us analyze what turned out to be the final interview conducted by author Thomas M. Disch before he committed suicide just days after appearing on last Tuesday’s show.

All that, plus Vinny Bond drags his Big Leather Couch into the Radio Happy Hour Lounge to chat live with the listeners, Justin the Weatherman and we’ll take your calls at 646-652-4804.

Join us live every Tuesday night at 9PM ET. The Radio Happy Hour Lounge-a live chat room during show time-is a whole new reason to make sure you listen live! It’s the show within the show!

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Wednesday Words

Sparks Of Insanity By Vinny "Bond" Marini Wednesday, May 07, 2008 14 Of Your Sparks

Sheesh... I formatted this on my test site yesterday and never moved it here...


Well, due to my trip and schedule I was not able to join Doc and Dangerous last evening on the Radio Happy Hour. It had the makings of a great show, so click on the player on the left sidebar and find out yourself. I am planning on doing so some time today.





I am planning on getting the photos from the Beale Street Music Festival up for Friday, so look for those. Still not sure they will be great, but they will be here none the less.

I had mentioned some time last week that I was beginning a new affiliation to bring you, my most wonderful guests, more music news, reviews of new albums coming out and, hopefully, some freebies of some of the new music about to be released.

This affiliation is with Sony/BMG Music and I want to thank my friend Layla for getting me connected with this giant of the music industry.

Today I received the following email and it is pretty exciting news as far as I am concerned. I have been a fan of Pink Floyd since I was a fledgling music-lover and truly have enjoyed the sounds of David Gilmour.


David Gilmour has announced the release of Live In Gdańsk in September, 2008 on Columbia Records. The album was recorded during the last concert of Gilmour's 2006 summer tour, which was held in front of 50,000 people at the shipyards in Gdańsk , Poland . The concert was the only occasion on which Gilmour performed the tour material with an orchestra, using the 40-strong string section of the Polish Baltic Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Zbigniew Preisner, who was responsible for On An Island album's orchestral arrangements.

Other unique features of the show included the special 6-screen design, created by lightmeister Marc Brickman to allow each band member his own dedicated screen for the edification of the audience; the performance of “A Great Day For Freedom” with the orchestral arrangement of the late Michael Kamen, and a guest appearance by prominent Polish pianist Leszek Mozdzer, who reprised his piano part from On An Island’s “A Pocketful Of Stones”.

David Gilmour’s most recent offering, On An Island, was multi-platinum around the world, hitting #1 in Europe, #1 in the UK and #6 in the U.S.

Best known as guitarist, vocalist and writer with Pink Floyd, Gilmour is also renowned for his solo work and collaborations with other artists including Kate Bush, Paul McCartney and Pete Townshend.

I am hopeful I will receive a copy of this epic concert prior to the release for a review and even some extra copies to use as giveaways.





I officially hate the new shower heads they have installed at Marriott hotels. These are those "rain forest" type shower heads that make you feel like you are standing in a light rain. Personally, I like a hard shower. The water blasting on me. I never feel like my hair is free of shampoo nor the soap off my body with these shower heads.

First they make all their hotels smoke-free (not a real hassle, but too P.C. for me), and then the wussy shower heads. The hotel I am in is ahead of the curve with a new desk that contains outlets for internet, and to allow you to connect your computer to show videos on the TV in the room. This room also has a flat screen 36" TV. Not that I actually have time to enjoy it!





Tomorrow, I have a special video post for an incredibly special woman in my life. I hope you come by and visit. It is not short, so plan accordingly. I tried to make it shorter, but in the end, she deserves the entire tribute.



Digging into the vault...how about we do some David Gilmour with Pink Floyd... Gilmour on lead vocals for the verses, Richard Wright singing lead on the bridges...Gilmour's guitar solo after the first verse is considered by many to be one of the best of his career.


"TIME"
Dark Side Of The Moon
Composers: David Gilmour/Nick Mason/Roger Waters/Richard Wright



Ma

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Thoughtful Friday

Sparks Of Insanity By Vinny "Bond" Marini Friday, September 14, 2007 24 Of Your Sparks







There are times when we all wonder why we have done things in our lives.

Times when we wonder why we met someone.

Times when we wonder why people have left our lives.

Times when we wonder what we have to do to change the way our world is moving.

Over the last week, these thoughts have been taking it's time and circulating in our mind

Since moving to Memphis we have certainly had many changes in our life and most for the very best. Still there are things that are missing in our life and things that need changing and we are attempting to find them and change them around.

We were chatting with a friend recently and we mentioned that it felt as if we were in a constant series of tests. Those life tests we all must go through from time to time in our lives.

For the last three years it seems we are taking the SATs over and over and over without a break. Just when we thing the testing has ended and things will smooth out, another test drops in our lap.

Have we gotten stronger over time? Absolutely.

Has this also taken its toll over time? Absolutely.

Will we survive the latest in this series of tests in time? Absolutely.

We have friends who are beginning wonderful journeys, special times in their lives. We watch and listen as they are floating on clouds of joy.

And we smile and are so very happy for this time in their lives.

We have friends who are struggling in their journey now, worse times than anything we have ever been tested on.

And we hold out a hand and hope we can assist them in the steps they are taking during these times.

Time...there's no place to run

Time...and you run to catch up to the sun.

Time...you make of it what you can and hope there is another click of the clock.

Because if there is you have another second to make it right...more time

We are continuing to try and make it right and with the help of our family and friends we know it is possible.

We hope for that next tick of the clock, so we can have the time to share in their joys or to be there to hold out our hand in support.

There are many more ticks left - so much more time, and we will use every tick, every minute, every hour of time to do everything we dream of....to take the time to hold as many hands as we are able...to continue to hope for another tick of the clock after that.

Thanks for taking the time to sit though our thoughts today...



A little tease for next week's Tuneage Tutelage



Have a most wonderful weekend....



Depth of friendship does not depend on length of acquaintance.
Rabindranath Tagore



THE CHAMBERS BROTHERS
"TIME"
Joe & Willie Chambers

Time has come today
Young hearts can go their way
Can't put it off another day
I don't care what others say
They say we don't listen anyway
Time has come today
(Hey)

Oh
The rules have changed today (Hey)
I have no place to stay (Hey)
I'm thinking about the subway (Hey)
My love has flown away (Hey)
My tears have come and gone (Hey)
Oh my Lord, I have to roam (Hey)
I have no home (Hey)
I have no home (Hey)

Now the time has come (Time)
There's no place to run (Time)
I might get burned up by the sun (Time)
But I had my fun (Time)
I've been loved and put aside (Time)
I've been crushed by the tumbling tide (Time)
And my soul has been psychedelicized (Time)

(Time)
Now the time has come (Time)
There are things to realize (Time)
Time has come today (Time)
Time has come today (Time)

Time [x11]

Oh
Now the time has come (Time)
There's no place to run (Time)
I might get burned up by the sun (Time)
But I had my fun (Time)
I've been loved and put aside (Time)
I've been crushed by tumbling tide (Time)
And my soul has been psychedelicized (Time)

(Time)
Now the time has come (Time)
There are things to realize (Time)
Time has come today (Time)
Time has come today (Time)


PINK FLOYD
"TIME"
David Gilmour/Nick Mason/Roger Waters/Richard Wright

Ticking away the moments that make up a dull day
You fritter and waste the hours in an off hand way
Kicking around on a piece of ground in your home town
Waiting for someone or something to show you the way

Tired of lying in the sunshine staying home to watch the rain
You are young and life is long and there is time to kill today
And then one day you find ten years have got behind you
No one told you when to run, you missed the starting gun

And you run and you run to catch up with the sun, but its sinking
And racing around to come up behind you again
The sun is the same in the relative way, but youre older
Shorter of breath and one day closer to death

Every year is getting shorter, never seem to find the time
Plans that either come to naught or half a page of scribbled lines
Hanging on in quiet desperation is the english way
The time is gone, the song is over, thought Id something more to say

Home, home again
I like to be here when I can
And when I come home cold and tired
Its good to warm my bones beside the fire
Far away across the field
The tolling of the iron bell
Calls the faithful to their knees
To hear the softly spoken magic spells.




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Money...

Sparks Of Insanity By Vinny "Bond" Marini Tuesday, August 21, 2007 23 Of Your Sparks

Our "friends" at Comcast decided to renew our Internet around 8:45PM tonight...

Gosh, we love you Comcast

snicker


Our friend Tiggerprr tagged us with a brand new meme and we have taken the challenge. It is funny, though that I wonder if a few zeros were dropped of on the amount you are given because some of the questions would require wayyyyyyyyy more than the $50,000.00 offered.

OK, here it is.... and awayyyyyy we go....



A philanthropist awards you $50,000 with the stipulation that you may use half of it for yourself and the other half you must use for the benefit of others. By “benefit of others” it can mean anything really, buying a gift for a family member or donating to a charity.

A. How do you spend the money on yourself?
This one is real simple. Half would go to Matt for college and the other half would go to pay off the debt that was accumulated during my time out of work.

B. How do you use the money for others? Please be detailed, so if you say “give X dollars to charity, let us know what charity and why you select that one.
The other half would go to Gay Men'sHealth Crisis. GMHC offers an array of programs and services to thousands of men, women, and children every year. Though some of our services are for registered clients only, there are many workshops and programs available to the general public regardless of HIV status, sexual orientation, or gender. We have had a number of friends and one family member who have been affected by this horrid disease.

C. If you were to spend part of your money to have a performer do a show for you, who would it be and why?
This is where it gets funny for me..part of my half the money...not enough to have many artists perform, but if it were possible, we would love to have a private concert for our special friends with this gray haired guy as the performer...yup....ME! No, kidding...Taylor Hicks...

D. If you were to use it on a new vehicle for yourself, what kind?
Hummmm...would like a Mustang convertible we guess...once again..not sure there would be enough for a Hyundai...LOL

E. If you spent part of it to go to a “fantasy” camp, what type would you choose?
We loved Tiggerprr's answer about a sun and pina colada fantasy camp...now that would be HAWT...but not sure that exists, so the NY Yankee Fantasy Camp would be way cool too...

F. If you were to use it to buy season tickets for a sports team, what team would it be?
Gee, let's think about this for like a milli-second or less...yup...the Ballpark In The Bronx baBY!

G. If you were to use it to go on a cruise (assuming you like cruises) where would you cruise to?
Would love to do the Mediterranean, and get to see Italy and Sicily and Greece.

H. If you were to use it to go to NYC to see a show (or shows) what would you see?
Oh man...We would go in march and see as many of the 15 nights the Allman brothers spend at the Beacon Theatre.

I. Totally off subject (but since Fall is coming) what is your favorite carnival food (I was watching “Big” while writing this and saw them at the carnival)?
Cotton Candy! Pure sugar and air....gimme gimme gimme...yummers....



We now have to tag some people (is there a number?)...hang on a second...we need to run back to Tiggerprrs and find out...hand loose a minute....dang girl, she picked 7 people...we had 6 in mind...

OK, here we go.... DANA, JULIE, MO, THE 108, THE QUEEN OF MEME'S - MIMI, ANNDI and COCO

Hope all y'all enjoy it and have some fun...



What else would be more fitting then PINK FLOYD....



"Money" is the sixth track from Pink Floyd's 1973 album, "The Dark Side of the Moon". It is the only song on the album to hit the top 20 in the United States charts. On the original LP, it opened the second side of the album. It was written by Roger Waters.

Personally, we saw them twice. First at Stony Brook University in 1970 during the "Ummagumma / Atom Heart Mother" Tour (their real melodic psychedelic phase), and then in 1973 at Madison Square Garden for the "Dark Side Of The Moon" Tour. Both incredible concerts...



BLOGTALK RADIO UPDATE:

Dr. Blogstein and Jane will have a real interview with a virtual celebrity.

Jon "NEVERDIE" Jacobs is a real personality in the Entropia Universe, which is a virtual world. Stuff Magazine listed him in their "Top 30 Under 30" list.

He has become a real millionaire by purchasing an asteroid in the Entropia Universe in 2005 for $100,000 and building a nightclub, Club NEVERDIE on said ateroid. The club is now the #1 virtual destination hot spot and brings in an average income of $20,000 per month for him!

If you're confused, join the club but we'll get to the bottom of it!

Also, we'll get an update from embattled "Bestest" blogger Bobby Griffin who faced allegations of fraud on our April 4th edition of the Radio Happy Hour. He was booked last week but was bumped due to the Walid Shoebat segment running late.

All that, plus we'll discuss the Radio Happy Hour's appearance in the New York Post with Justin the Weatherman, we'll hear from Vinny Bond on his couch and we'll take your phone calls at 646-652-4804.

Join us live every Tuesday night at 9PM ET . And if you miss us then, we're ALWAYS ON at www.DrBlogstein.com.




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Music On The Couch