I love music. You will often find song title's as titles to my posts. I set everything to a song, even if it's only in my mind. I was doing playlists way before iTunes made it so easy. (Anyone else remember spending hours with their tape recorder held up to the speaker to record the songs playing on their turntables?) I still have most of my albums and I bet you I could tell you how, where and when I got each one. A song can come on the radio, and like certain scents, it will take me back, just like that, to a moment in my life where I had heard it before. Case in point... America's 'Horse with No Name'... every time I hear it I am immediately in Danny Beastroms mom's dark green Mustang on the way to kindergarten.
I realize I'm outing myself by confessing that I am a child of the 70/80's and that many of my musical influences are from bands of that time (although certainly not limited to). Anyone that knows me can tell you I'd give anything for face time with Tom Petty... although I would probably faint if it ever happened and completely embarrass myself! And certainly The Knack was a huge part of those years. I can remember seeing them at The Forum in LA, when My Sharona hit big, although they had tons of other great songs - Oh Tara, just one of my favs.
About four years ago they played a local concert by my house in Woodland Hills and I stood by the back doors like a groupie for half an hour waiting for the band to come out and sign my original Get The Knack album. And they did. They were so great and genuine and the lead singer Doug Fieger talked to me for awhile about that Forum show, living in Woodland Hills, performing and more. He was so kind.
They last performed at this local venue two summers ago and I was pleased to be able to photograph them for their web site. Although I was aware of Doug's battle with cancer, I never thought this would be the last time I would see them perform live. Doug passed away in Woodland Hills, just yesterday. His voice, his lyrics, his heart will be missed.
Doug, Bruce, Prescott and Burton...