Norman's Rockwell

30 years ago today Prince and the Revolution unleashed the soundtrack album 4 a movie called Purple Rain. My (musical) life changed 4ever. The whole world of high school, MTV and beyond became paisley, purple gospel, girls and fuzzed out gu itars in 1984. Move over Michael Jackson. It inaugurated the Purple Reign of Prince. Purple Rain is rightly considered a masterpiece. I have my original vinyl, poster intact. I made several cassette copies of Purple Rain that I wore out. So many highlights on that record, the album opener, Let's Go Crazy; Baby I'm a Star; I Would Die 4 U; The Beautiful Ones; When Doves Cry and Purple Rain. And it's an Oscar winner. That's right! People forget that Prince and the Revolution took home the Academy Award for best Song Score. All from the LP that ultimately resulted in the parental advisory sticker. Purple Rain has lost none of its power in 30 years. It is melodic, heavy, groovy, melancholy and uplifting. Dig Prince and his new band 3rdEy

The following mini-blogs were posted on my facebook page before and after attending Barry Gibb: Mythology the Tour at the Hollywood Bowl. The show was amazing. Barry was on a short list of living performers/heroes I had yet to experience in concert. The list is now narrowed down to one David Bowie. But now, the man of the hour is the biggest single influence the second half of my musical career, Barry Gibb... Dispatch 1, From June 3rd: Tonight, I have been listening to maximum BeeGees because tomorrow night, it's Barry F'n Gibb at the Hollywood Bowl! No, I am not mad about the Barry Gibb Talk Show. It's where Fallon finally won me over on SNL. But tomorrow it's Barry's Mythology Show, his own tribute to his brothers and his own fabulous musical catalog of hits. "Night Fever" is one of my 5 favorite records of all time. Main Cou rse & Saturday Night Fever are among my 25 favorite LPs of all time, with Idea, Spirits Having Flown, Children of the World