Cleveland Rocks: Pretenders and Defenders

Good morning, young lovers. It's a chilly Thursday morn in what many call "The Forest City" aka Cleveland aka "The Forest City? WTH? I Haven't Seen Anything Green Since I Got Here." We're headed down to Canton, to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, where I will find great solace, great wisdom in the bust of local legend (and Syracuse alum) (and Dirty Dozen badass) Jim Brown. That's it, Jimbo. Show me the way. Show me the magic... Then, on the way back, we're going to stop in Akron to visit VegiTerranean, native daughter Chrissie Hynde's new restaurant. Any Pretenders fans out there? I thought so. If you'd like to listen to Chrissie & Co.'s new song, Boots of Chinese Plastic, go HERE. Yeah, yeah, I know what you're thinking: Sean, you fear celery, you tremble in the face of arugula, what in the heck are you gonna eat at a vegan joint? Chick peas, baby. Chick peas.

Comments

[Marissa]

mmmmm hummus

Aye-oh, O-HIO.

[Jeff in Cuba]

My good friend Bob was born in Akron.

Which doesn't sound like much of an accomplishment, but when you live in "the Rubber Capital of the World", just getting conceived is something of a feat.

[Forever Fiancee]

SD - have you forgotten how to use a telephone?

Did you break all 10 of your fingers in that fall yesterday and now it's much too painful for you to dial?

Have you blacked out after consuming too much Christmas Ale?

Thank goodness for your blog, or I would know nothing! Nice!

[Starfish]

Sean! Keep FF informed! what are you thinking?!?!?

btw, i LOVE hummus..I eat so much of it that I cant afford to buy it all the time, so I make it myself. ha.

[jo]

I feel fantastic in my boots of Chinese plastic!

[sparky]

Won't Boots of Chinese Plastic give you lead poisoning or at least a nasty rash.

[B]

Since you're off on your man trip and not here in the office to bother, and since apparently you don't know how to use the phone anymore juding from FF post, I'll post here: I just read the Tony Bennett story and LOVE it. The advice for raising daughters? Awesome! He's the dude!!

[jo]

Sparky, my teeth are glowing!

[Lori]

I wish I had a mind like Jeff in Cuba.

[Guy]

Maybe you can bring Spears a vegetarian care package.

Speaking of the Pretenders, the iTunes version of their new CD includes "Can't Help Falling in Love" as a bonus track. It's great.

[FF Fans Unite!]

Looks like Sean might need a bigger doghouse when returns home!

[Forever Fiancee]

OK, Pop Lifers. Sean finally called to check in, and he dialed the number all on his own. Yeah, Seany! What a big boy! Gold star!

I let him know that last night Kid Lulu asked Jesus to bring her daddy home soon and to take good care of her little sister. I said "awwwwwwwww" until she told me that she was going to tire of me very soon and I was giving her a headache. Then I didn't like her so much.

It sounds like SD's trip is going well, except he was about to sit down to a giant breakfast that will most likely clog his arteries and cause serious intestinal issues. Poor Photog Scott! It's going to be a very long ride to the Football Hall of Fame.

If Sean ever calls me again I'll let you know.

[Jeff in Cuba]

SD,

Every time I think you can't get any deeper in the doghouse, you manage to break out a shovel.

You always call in from the road. I once arrived at ramshackle motel in Tunari, Bolivia, only to find that their power was out. But I knew I had to call home, so I hailed in a cab in the pouring rain to find a phone. I ended up calling from the cab driver's leaky kitchen.

And after I venture out into the pitch-black jungle, and enter a complete strangers home in the middle of drug-country, this is what I get from Harriot:

"Thanks for calling. Now, be careful!"

[Jeff in Cuba]

SD,

OK, the FF let you off the hook while I was typing my finger-waving reproach.

But it's still good advice.

[FF Fans Unite!]

Maybe Sean could outsource the calling home process; Jeff in Cuba could take the Friday evening slot; Sparky could grab the Saturday morning-I-just-returned-from-the-bars slot ...

[Lori]

Jeff, I've been where Harriot is, home with four offspring while hubby is constantly traveling with maid service and expense account. From the home end there's not really time nor desire to listen to the "riveting" details of the traveling spouse. Especially late in the evening when the troops are all in bed: the last thing I wanted was one more person I needed to listen to! For me, FF and Jeff, less is more.

[Lori]

BTW, FF, LuLu's words were priceless!

[Jeff in Cuba]

Lori,

Believe me, the kind of places I was visiting weren't exactly "maid service, expense account" joints.

In looking for a picture of Tunari, I stumbled upon this website. It gives you a glimpse of the neighborhood:

http://www.lysator.liu.se/~wizkid/travel/inti_wara_yassi/

[jo]

I am diggin the new Plain White T's tune > 1,2,3,4

"There's only one thing two do three words four you.

There's only one way two say those three words & that's what I'll do.
I love you. (I love you)
one, two, three, four - I love you.
(I love you)
I love you
(I love you)"

It's the mathematics of love PWT style.

so proud of those dudes.

[Bassnote]

Very good tune Jo.

[jo]

Starfish, YOU in particular will love this pretty new LOVE SONG:

1 ~ 2 ~ 3 ~ 4

by THE PLAIN WHITE Ts

[Lori]

Point taken, Jeff. Hope I can get FF on my side, but maybe she still thinks Sean is fascinating....

[Starfish]

So SD, I just read that tomorrow night at the game I will have the pleasure of seeing and hearing Archie sing God Bless America. Gosh, I hope he doesnt ruin such a great song. ha ha.

[Starfish]

Jo, I LOVE that song. Except recently having had my engagement broken off, Im really anti love songs. But before all that happened, the first time I heard it I was in love with it! They are a very talented bunch those boys.

[Lori]

Starfish (I almost made this comment FROM you instead of TO you.) Sorry to hear that, but hope in the long run it ends up to be a good thing. And I think Archie does an awesome job on the Star Spangled Banner--heard his Jazz performance. Where did you find out about that?

[Douglas Arthur]

Small tidbit o' trivia for you Sean-o, me boy. Chrissie Hynde and Mark Mothersbaugh of Devo were both in a band together briefly before they went on to bigger and better things. Speaking of Devo, who also hail from the Rubber City, they just announced a concert there for October 17 to benefit the Summit County Democratic Party in a pre-election push for Barack Obama. So if you are a liberal mindeed spud who lives in the area you may want to check it out. More info on Devo's official website, clubdevo.com. It is their first concert in the city proper of Akron since 1979, though they did play Cleveland just a few years ago. The Akron area was a bit of a hotbed of musical activity in the mid 70s and early 80s with the likes of Devo, Chrissie Hynde, Joe Walsh, Pere Ubu, Dead Boys, and The Waitresses.

Duty now!

[Lori]

Starfish, it's the 7th inning God Bless America. Have fun at the game, girl. I N-V you.

[Starfish]

Lori, If you go to the main page of tampabay.com and click the article about the Rays fest at the beach, scroll down under the pics from that and its like another article underneath. it talks about the first pitches and who they will be thrown by.

Hopefully in the long run it gets easier then it is now, thats all Im hoping for right now.

[Starfish]

Thanks Lori, Im pretty darn excited about it. Im taking half a "personal" day at work tomorrow to get good and primed before the game. ha. Ill take some pics for ya. We have awesome seats right on the first base line in the bottom section.

[Jeff in Cuba]

'Fish,

Sorry to hear about the engagement.

Even sorrier to hear about Chachi at the Rays game.

It's not that he won't do a fine job musically, it's just that his lukewarm, plain yogurt, white tube sock banality will suck all the fun out of the Dome.

Chachi is to excitement what the carpet at the DMV is to interior design.

[jo]

Starfish, sorry about pitching you that love song. Sorry about your break up. My Grandma always sez, "Better Days are comin". And indeed they are, you will see. Just think of all the fun you'll be having at the Rays tomorrow. Did you go to the beach bash with the Cow Bell dude & Robin Zander & his daughter?

[Sean Daly]

Hey dudes, I just got back! Stay tuned for an amazing action shot of pure athleticism. Or something.

[Starfish]

Jo- Ha ha, nah I didnt make it down there. I have class on Thursday nights and I live no where near St. Pete. ha. Its ok about the love song, it happens, Ive heard the song before and under different circumstances I love it. haha. Time will heal all wounds. Better days are comin is right...right after I move, which I HATE doing. Such a pain.

Jeff- Ill zoom in with my camera and take a picture of him just for you and SD, if I can see him. Im not sure if during the 7th inning stretch they sing on the field??

[jo]

Sean, tell us all about Chrissie's restaurant. What did you have?

[Lori]

Trust me folks, it's "or something."

[jo]

Lori, I think you're right. It must be "something really big!"

Waiting, waiting, waiting for it.

[Lori]

Jeff, just how exciting is God Bless America supposed to be? Maybe it's the perfect vehicle for Archie, in your view. I am all for attitude and stage presence (for instance, I really dig Pink and Ska), but the kid's voice is incredibly pure and beautiful, and I am actually charmed by the way he gets totally lost in the music. I know, boo, hiss, but that's my opinion.

[Jeff in Cuba]

Lori,

Chachi's got the pipes, and he makes good music (Daisy in Cuba knows all the words to "Crush").

But the 7th-inning stretch calls for a tuneless "Take Me Out To The Ballgame" sing-along (or shout-along). It should end in a partisan shout of home team support and a sea of high-fives. Nobody high-fives at the end of "God Bless America" (with the exception of Sparky and the rest of the Kate Smith Fan Club).

It's all about picking the right tool for the job. I wouldn't start the wave at Uncle Jim and Aunt Betty's 50th Anniversary banquet, so don't send a crooner to my sporting event.

[Lori]

In Baltimore, we sang "Thank God I'm a Country Boy." No idea why, but fun was had by all.

[Lori]

Jeff, wouldn't you guess that someone with the Rays made the song choice? Second question would be "Why?" because I agree with you that something rousing for the home crowd would be much better. Third is, does anyone recall if this was ever a 7th inning song before 9/11?

For Starfish (still love the new cap!)and all other attendees, I think the fortunate thing is that it's unlikely that very many teen girls have game tickets, so squealing and screaming should be at a minimum.

[Starfish]

I was thinking the same thing Lori, thank god it came out at the last minute so they couldn't all try to get tickets to go see him.

[Lori]

And shame on any parent that would give up a perfectly good playoff ticket to a tween who wants to hear Archie sing for one minute.

[Starfish]

Oh god don't say that Lori, you might jinx it and there could be a ton there. Thats ok though, I plan on being in such a drunken stupor by 6pm that it wont phase me. Hey, only one way to get over being dumped! haha!