I was singing in the car on my way home from Dublin (CA not Ireland) and I realized how music means so much to me.  I love music.  I love singing.  TV bugs me.  I can sometimes sit through a movie.  I love to read.

When I was young, my parents had a stereo.  The kind that was a big piece of furniture.  You opened the lid and there was the radio controls and the record player inside.  There was also a little place where you could store some of your records aka vinyl lp’s.  I would play my mom’s Supreme records.  I loved to sing at the top of my lungs to Diana Ross!  I also listened to Lloyd Price sing Stagger Lee and Dodie Stevens sing Pink Shoelaces.    When I was in elementry school, I would play my K-Tel records in the house.  Helen Reddy, Captain and Tennelle, Ozark Mountain Daredevils, Neil Sedaka,  Paper Lace, David Geddes  and more could be heard all on the same album.    I loved 45’s too because I could buy the songs I wanted.  Much better even than a K-Tel record.

My friend Laurie and I wore out Elton John’s Rock of the Westies album.  Her mom was into John Denver and would blast the music when she drove us around.  We would scream and hide on the floor.  Her mom would laugh and turn the music up louder. 

In junior high, I had the required Frampton Comes Alive! album that was required to be cool.  I also got Toys in the Attic and in eighth grade I met Kat and we got into KISS!  She was an only child and had a record player in her room and we would spend hours lip syncing KISS songs and playing air guitar.    I spent hours next to my tiny cassette recorder waiting for my favorite song to come on the radio so I could record it.  When it came on, I prayed the DJ would shut up so I could get most of the song.   I had that cassette recorder for years.

The 80’s came and I loved all the new music - Flock of Seagulls, Loverboy, Donnie Iris, Elvis Costello, Phil Seymour and more.  I was also a closet Barry Manalow and Neil Diamond fan.    I also loved Country music and would sit next to the love of my life, Gregg, in his truck while Waylon, Willie, Merle, Dottie West, and Rosanne Cash lamented about lost loves and broken hearts.  My parents by this time had a bookshelf stereo system that played Ronnie Milsap and Don Williams.  I listened to them too.  Of course Elvis was always a staple even though he had died a decade before.  I ditched high school to listen to Van Halen with my friends Kat, Dan, and Greg.  I have seen Van Halen with David Lee and with Sammy. 

 Gregg and I also got into the big hair bands and Tesla, Poison, Cinderella,  Motley Crew, and the Scorpians were mixed in the Country albums.  Bryan Adams was a must have and we did have.  All on vinyl.  All in perfect condition.   It was with Gregg I honed my knowledge and love for all music.    I fell in love with Kip Winger when I saw him on MTV.   I couldn’t wait to see him in concert.   

AC/DC reminds me of Troy.  Quarterflash reminds me of Michael.  Mister Mister reminds me of Christine, John, and Ricki.  Phil Seymour reminds me of Gloria.  Most 80’s music reminds me of Gregg.  Kiss reminds me of Kenny and Kat.  Kenny is a big KISS fan too and would take me around in his car.  We would blare COME ON AND LOVE ME or LOVE GUN full blast.  I cried to Glen Frey’s “The One You Love” and danced my ass off to Loverboy.  Journey reminds me of Steve and so does April Wine.  Heart reminds me of babysitting for Ed and Kathy.  They had the album Dreamboat Annie.  I was in junior high and would play that album whenever I went to babysit. 

The 90’s came and Gregg and I broke up.   I remember listening to Skid Row, Nirvana and The Offspring.  In fact I still have all the CD’s and albums I have aquired over the decades.   Phantom of the Opera reminds me of Steve.  He made me feel like the most beautiful woman in the world.  But he was married so that didn’t work out too well. 

I met Mike in ‘92 and married him and his children in ‘95.  The Black Crows, The Counting Crows, and REM played on the CD player.  Although I would listen to “my” music when no one was home or in the car.  Mike wanted me to get rid of my old CD’s.  He said I didn’t listen to them.  No, HE didn’t listen to them and didn’t like them.  He didn’t know that Pat Benetar still rocked and that I drove in the country crying my eyes out to Gone Away when my friend died in ‘04. 

What is the purpose of this post?   I don’t know.  I could make a timeline of my life with music.   A song can stop me dead in my tracks and make a memory play in my head as soon as it starts.   I love music - it helps me remember things I have forgotten. 

 Have a lucious day!