Feeling Yourself Disintegrate ( #BOTB & #IWSG )

       Just the other day I celebrated another birthday.  Seventy-five years old seems so unreal in many ways.  But I can feel the effects:  I am disintegrating in one sense and yet I feel fantastic for the most part.  Much of the time I feel like I did in my twenties or thirties.  However, the reality exists that I am getting old.  I am in a process of deterioration.  I hope it keeps on feeling as good as it does now...

Battle of the Bands

 

        Battle of the Bands is the blogging event started by Far Away Series and  StMcC Presents Battle of the Bands.   I do this event  each month on the 15th and the 1st of the month.  The premise is simple:  Listen to the songs presented below and then in the comments vote for your favorite and tell us why you liked it.  Then visit the links listed near the bottom of this post for more Battle action.

  

Feeling Yourself Disintegrate

        A year ago I used this song in a Battle in which I used the original version by Flaming Lips against another relaxing dreamy song.  To me this is one of the most beautiful songs I've heard.  And it seems so relevant as I get older.  

       Here are two versions that I find particularly nice.  Take a listen and then tell us which one you like best.

Kathleen Edwards  "Feeling Yourself Disintegrate"  (2015)

The Bad Plus  "Feeling Yourself Disintegrate"   (2009)

Time to Vote!

       Don't disintegrate yet!   Vote now please.   Which song interpretation do you prefer?  Battles are no fun without you the reader participating.    Hopefully you have an opinion of some kind.  You don't have to know about music to have an opinion since it all comes down to your own personal taste.

        Please vote on your favorite by letting us know your choice in the comment section and tell us why you prefer the version you chose. Then after you've finished here, please visit the other blogs listed below who may or may not be participating this time around. And if you've put up your own BOTB contest let us know that as well so we can vote on yours. I don't know if anyone else will be doing a Battle this time around, but you can still check out these sites.

Here are some other places where you might find BOTB posts:

 StMcC Presents Battle of the Bands
 
'Curious as a Cathy' 

Sound of One Hand Typing

Landmark Sounds (Diedre Knight)

BATTLE OF THE BANDS BY DEBBIE D

Trivial Music Silliness

Mike's Ramblings

Results on Monday February 9

       

      At least we'll say that for now.  It's probably when it will happen, but plans can change.

The Insecure Writer's Support Group

Join us on the first Wednesday of each month in Alex J. Cavanaugh's Insecure Writer's Support Group--a forum of writers who gather to talk about writing and the writer's life. For a complete list of participants visit Alex's Blog. 
     The co-hosts for the February 4 posting of the IWSG are J Lenni Dorner, Victoria Marie Lees, and Sandra Cox.

February 4 question - Many writers have written about the experience of rereading their work years later. Have you reread any of your early works? What was that experience like for you?

    Through the years I have often looked back on old writing that I've done and often I have been somewhat surprised how well my writing seemed at that time.  Just the other day I was looking at a comment I had left on someone's blog post about ten years ago and thought to myself, "Did I really write that?  It seems so well expressed."   Same goes with writing from my college days fifty years ago.  I might find an old paper that I had turned in for an assignment or a short story that I had written and be quite surprised at how mature my writing had seemed back then.  

         Recently I pulled down from my closet a box of some of my old writing that I was planning to go through.  The writing goes back to my high school and college days and I think I'm going to find some writing that seems almost unrecognizable now as something I had written in the past.  Was I a better writer back then?   Am I starting to forget words and concepts as I grow older?  Maybe, but I'm not sure that this is the answer.  Probably I just haven't been writing enough lately.  

       I guess I need to start writing more again to hone my skills.  Couldn't hurt.  And maybe my mind will sharpen as well.  More writing would be good.  I need to do that.

      Did you seem to write better when you were younger?   Do you still care about writing as much as you did in another time of your life?

       

bands with members who became famous elsewhere ( #BOTB ),

          We've been having cool nights and balmy days after a bit of rain to usher in our new year.  It's Los Angeles after all and I guess that's what we should expect at this time of year.  For whatever it's worth.  And really how much is it worth just to say this?  How about we do this....

Battle of the Bands

 

        Battle of the Bands is the blogging event started by Far Away Series and  StMcC Presents Battle of the Bands.   I do this event  each month on the 15th and the 1st of the month.  The premise is simple:  Listen to the songs presented below and then in the comments vote for your favorite and tell us why you liked it.  Then visit the links listed near the bottom of this post for more Battle action.

Other lives/lifetimes

      In the mid-sixties in opposite parts of the world--Britain and Australia--two mildly successful rock bands were formed that would later give us a couple of big stars in the music world.  And that brings us to another Battle of the Bands.  Take a listen to each song and tell which you like best...



Zoot  "Eleanor Rigby"  (1970)

     Not only did Zoot give the music world the beginnings of The Little River Band, but even more famously this band yielded the heartthrob star of the eighties, Rick Springfield who most notably recorded "Jesse's Girl" as well as making a number of appearances on the popular soap opera General Hospital.  They released this Beatles song in 1970 and charted in Australia reaching #4.  







The Herd   "From the Underworld"  (1967)

      Peter Frampton became the pretty faced guitarist and vocalist for the band The Herd in 1966 when he was only 16.  The band charted with mild success in Britain and then Frampton went on to form the band Humble Pie to an even greater success.  Then he went solo and eventually put out his immensely popular live album in 1976.  Here is one of his "hits" with The Herd...

Time to Vote!

       Before you too become too famous to vote on these Battles, take a moment.   Vote now please.   Which song interpretation do you prefer?  Battles are no fun without you the reader participating.    Hopefully you have an opinion of some kind.  You don't have to know about music to have an opinion since it all comes down to your own personal taste.

        Please vote on your favorite by letting us know your choice in the comment section and tell us why you prefer the version you chose. Then after you've finished here, please visit the other blogs listed below who may or may not be participating this time around. And if you've put up your own BOTB contest let us know that as well so we can vote on yours. I don't know if anyone else will be doing a Battle this time around, but you can still check out these sites.

Here are some other places where you might find BOTB posts:

 StMcC Presents Battle of the Bands
 
'Curious as a Cathy' 

Sound of One Hand Typing

Landmark Sounds (Diedre Knight)

BATTLE OF THE BANDS BY DEBBIE D

Trivial Music Silliness

Mike's Ramblings

Results on the day that I put them up

 

      It will be soon I assure you.  

Time Is Now ( #IWSG & #BOTB Results )

   Christmas is over and I'm still talking about presents.  However, I'm thinking about the most important present of all and that is now, today, the whole where we are in our lives at this moment.  Really though, I'm always thinking about past, present, and future.  Aren't we all?  For the most part.  Maybe...

The Insecure Writer's Support Group

Join us on the first Wednesday of each month in Alex J. Cavanaugh's Insecure Writer's Support Group--a forum of writers who gather to talk about writing and the writer's life. For a complete list of participants visit Alex's Blog. 
     The co-hosts for the January 7 posting of the IWSG are Shannon Lawrence, Olga Godim, Jean Davis, and Jacqui Murray.

January 7 question - Is there anything in your writing plans for 2026 that you are going to do that you couldn't get done in 2025?

    Couldn't get done?  I don't know.  I can always get something done if I really want to, but I'm a bit lazy I suppose.  And maybe conflicted too?  Sometimes I feel the importance of things that later I ponder as to why they are important anyway.  My writing is important to me I suppose, but how far beyond that does this "importance" go?  I guess the best way to find that out is to keep writing and so that is what I plan to do.

      In essence, my plans for this year are the same as most years that came before.  I want to keep writing songs, but also do something with them.  We'll see.  I still have a ton of songs started that I'd like to finish some day which means now is a good time to do that.  Same with my memoir writing.  I'm more focused on that than any fiction aspirations, but apparently I haven't been focused enough to actually produce any significant progress on that front. 

       Time is not going to stop for me to get on board.  I'm already there and whatever I do with my time is up to me.  I'd better get busy.  The station of my destination is getting closer.

Battle of the Bands Results

Holding Back the Years Battle

     My previous Battle was a showdown between two different artists performing the Simply Red hit "Holding Back the Years".  I must say that I really liked the Angie Stone version with the percussive backing and all.  Love that kind of sound.  And the organ!  But, like the rest of you I had to give my vote to Dan Mason.  Just enjoyed his sound better.  And he won.

Final Vote Tally

Daniel Mason Band       7 votes

Angie Stone                    0 votes             

Holding Back the Years (What, Again?) ( #BOTB )

     And just like that 2025 was over!  It was a pretty good year for me and my house.  We're still going,,  maybe not as strong as in past years, but pretty darn good I'd say.  And here on this blog the music is still not over.  Listen!  It's more music I hear...

Battle of the Bands

 

        Battle of the Bands is the blogging event started by Far Away Series and  StMcC Presents Battle of the Bands.   I do this event  each month on the 15th and the 1st of the month.  The premise is simple:  Listen to the songs presented below and then in the comments vote for your favorite and tell us why you liked it.  Then visit the links listed near the bottom of this post for more Battle action.

Holding Back the Years

     Well, it looks like Déjà vu all over again. I've used this song a couple of other New Years Day Battles, but to me it's a good song and right for the occasion.  After all, this is often a time when many of us reflect on the past as well as a hopefully better future. I hope your past year was at least as good as my own and I hope the year to come is better for all of us.  

      So on with this Battle with two versions, both live performances.  Take a listen if you will and tell us which one you prefer...

Daniel Mason Band  "Holding Back the Years"  (2018)






Angie Stone  "Holding Back the Years"  (2000)

Time to Vote!

        Don't hold on too long!    Vote now please.   Which song interpretation do you prefer?  Battles are no fun without you the reader participating.    Hopefully you have an opinion of some kind.  You don't have to know about music to have an opinion since it all comes down to your own personal taste.

        Please vote on your favorite by letting us know your choice in the comment section and tell us why you prefer the version you chose. Then after you've finished here, please visit the other blogs listed below who may or may not be participating this time around. And if you've put up your own BOTB contest let us know that as well so we can vote on yours. I don't know if anyone else will be doing a Battle this time around, but you can still check out these sites.

Here are some other places where you might find BOTB posts:

 StMcC Presents Battle of the Bands
 
'Curious as a Cathy' 

Sound of One Hand Typing

Landmark Sounds (Diedre Knight)

BATTLE OF THE BANDS BY DEBBIE D

Trivial Music Silliness

Mike's Ramblings

Results on Monday January 8th

       Happy New Year to all of you!  

MY LAST POST (of 2025) ( #BOTB Results )

     It's before Christmas as I post this.  I said I'd do this and now here is my last post of the year.  It's just a Battle of the Bands results post as well as another holiday greeting. Maybe no one will read it or maybe so.  I don't know.  And I'm not thinking about it that much...

Battle of the Bands Results

       This is the outcome of my "O Holy Night" Battle between the Lost Dogs and Rebecca St James. Not many attended this show and voted on it so I'll just be brief.  I liked both of these takes quite well, but for my taste I'll have to go with the more traditional version as done by The Lost Dogs.

Final Vote Tally

Lost Dogs                    5 votes

Rebecca St James       2 votes

Merry Christmas!

    Hope you all have a wonderful, happy, safe holiday season!  See you next year!

O Holy Night ( #BOTB )

        I'm getting the feel of Christmas of late.  My wife and I have been binging on Hallmark Christmas movies and paid a rare visit to the mall on Sunday.  And I've been playing Christmas songs in our church youth band that has been recently started up.  Well, not an all youth band since I'm in it.  At least it's been making me feel somewhat young.  But now for some Christmas music...

Battle of the Bands

 

        Battle of the Bands is the blogging event started by Far Away Series and  StMcC Presents Battle of the Bands.   I do this event  each month on the 15th and the 1st of the month.  The premise is simple:  Listen to the songs presented below and then in the comments vote for your favorite and tell us why you liked it.  Then visit the links listed near the bottom of this post for more Battle action.

O Holy Night

      This is one of my all time favorite Christmas songs.  I used to sing it to my younger brother when he was about 5 and he would ask me to sing "Fall on Your Knees" for him before he went to sleep. I was about 14 at the time.  When I hear this song I can't help but think of those times.  Here are two versions of the song for you to consider and then tell us which you like best...

     

Lost Dogs   "O Holy Night"  (2007)

Rebecca St James  "O Holy Night"  (1997)

Time to Vote!

        Don't be naughty!  Be nice.  Vote please.   Which song interpretation do you prefer?  Battles are no fun without you the reader participating.    Hopefully you have an opinion of some kind.  You don't have to know about music to have an opinion since it all comes down to your own personal taste.

        Please vote on your favorite by letting us know your choice in the comment section and tell us why you prefer the version you chose. Then after you've finished here, please visit the other blogs listed below who may or may not be participating this time around. And if you've put up your own BOTB contest let us know that as well so we can vote on yours. I don't know if anyone else will be doing a Battle this time around, but you can still check out these sites.

Here are some other places where you might find BOTB posts:

 StMcC Presents Battle of the Bands
 
'Curious as a Cathy' 

Sound of One Hand Typing

Landmark Sounds (Diedre Knight)

BATTLE OF THE BANDS BY DEBBIE D

Trivial Music Silliness

Mike's Ramblings

Results Sometime Before Christmas

Holiday Fun ( #BOTB & #IWSG ).

 Sometimes what you think you're going to get is not what you really get.  And sometimes you just get something without thinking about it.  The real question is did you get what you really needed?

Battle of the Bands

 

        Battle of the Bands is the blogging event started by Far Away Series and  StMcC Presents Battle of the Bands.   I do this event  each month on the 15th and the 1st of the month.  The premise is simple:  Listen to the songs presented below and then in the comments vote for your favorite and tell us why you liked it.  Then visit the links listed near the bottom of this post for more Battle action.

A Couple of Holiday Songs

      Before you get into a Christmas mood, let me start off by saying that this is no Battle of Songs of the Season.  Instead we have two perhaps seemingly disparate musical pieces from two different decades that have much more in common than one might expect. Both songs have "Holiday" in their titles and both are pretty weird while at the same time being quite musically complex.  To me it's sheer fun.

      I grew up loving the music and performance antics of Spike Jones and His Orchestra.  Years later I became enthralled with the music of Frank Zappa.  Like my own musical experience growing up, Zappa was greatly influenced by Spike Jones.  I think it is reasonable to say that without Spike Jones there would not be the Frank Zappa that many of us have come to appreciate.

       Here is a "Holiday" piece from each artist--one an original composition by Zappa against Spike's cover of the David Rose of "Stripper" fame's classic "Holiday for Strings".  Enjoy and then tell us which you liked best.

Frank Zappa  "Holiday in Berlin" (1970)

Spike Jones   "Holiday for Strings"  (1945)

Time to Vote!

        It's not your holiday yet so get to work and vote on this Battle.   Which song interpretation do you prefer?  Battles are no fun without you the reader participating.    Hopefully you have an opinion of some kind.  You don't have to know about music to have an opinion since it all comes down to your own personal taste.

        Please vote on your favorite by letting us know your choice in the comment section and tell us why you prefer the version you chose. Then after you've finished here, please visit the other blogs listed below who may or may not be participating this time around. And if you've put up your own BOTB contest let us know that as well so we can vote on yours. I don't know if anyone else will be doing a Battle this time around, but you can still check out these sites.

Here are some other places where you might find BOTB posts:

 StMcC Presents Battle of the Bands
 
'Curious as a Cathy' 

Sound of One Hand Typing

Landmark Sounds (Diedre Knight)

BATTLE OF THE BANDS BY DEBBIE D

Trivial Music Silliness

Mike's Ramblings

Results in the near future

****************************************

The Insecure Writer's Support Group

Join us on the first Wednesday of each month in Alex J. Cavanaugh's Insecure Writer's Support Group--a forum of writers who gather to talk about writing and the writer's life. For a complete list of participants visit Alex's Blog. 
     The co-hosts for the December 3 posting of the IWSG are Tara Tyler, Ronel Janse van Vuuren, Pat Garcia, Liza, and Natalie Aguirre.

December 3 question - As a writer, what was one of the coolest/best gifts you ever received?

       I don't know that I've necessarily received any "gifts" as a writer.  As a blogger I've received many items as giveaways, prizes, or maybe you could call them gifts.  But since I've been writing since I was a kid--I'd say that makes me a writer--I guess I'd have to include the many books, writing materials, and other similar items that influenced my writing that were given to me as gifts by my parents.  Otherwise I don't think I've gotten gifts specifically intended for me as a writer.  Come to think of it, I don't get many gifts anymore.  Since I hit Social Security age, gift exchanging doesn't fit into my budget like it used to.

      One unexpected gift was sent to me out of the blue by one of my regular blogging Battle of the Bands voters a while back.  That person who goes by Six-Gun sent me a copy of a book called Lee After the War by Marshall W. Fishwick.  What a terrific book that even a year or more after having read it, I still think about it.  It's a book that I'd highly recommend especially to anyone interested in Civil War history.  Thank you Six-Gun!

      Christmas is a-rapidly on it's way.  Don't get caught up in too much frenzy.  I plan to stay home a lot this Christmas.

      So, bah humbug, and everybody have a truly wonderful Christmas season!

What gift have you received as a writer?  Did I get the question wrong?   Have you ever known me to be wrong?

 

It's My Life ( #BOTB )

          

   Do you sometimes look back upon your life and think "I should write an autobiography"?   Or think of some period of your life that might be good material for a memoir?   Maybe you should write it.  Maybe I should too.  It's my life after all.  And that sounds like a cue for...

Battle of the Bands

 

        Battle of the Bands is the blogging event started by Far Away Series and  StMcC Presents Battle of the Bands.   I do this event  each month on the 15th and the 1st of the month.  The premise is simple:  Listen to the songs presented below and then in the comments vote for your favorite and tell us why you liked it.  Then visit the links listed near the bottom of this post for more Battle action.

It's My Life

     This song originally by the English New Wave/Synth Pop movement band Talk Talk was a big favorite of mine back in the eighties and the band produced music that I continue to enjoy to this day.  Talk Talk did not achieve the recognition that I think they deserved, but "It's My Life" did reasonably well on the world wide charts.  Years later the bigger rock group No Doubt released their excellent version to even greater chart success.  I think they are both good.  Which one do you like best?

Talk Talk    "It's My Life"  (1984)

No Doubt   "It's My Life"  (2003)

Time to Vote!

        It's your life, but put some fun in it by voting on this Battle.   Which song interpretation do you prefer?  Battles are no fun without you the reader participating.    Hopefully you have an opinion of some kind.  You don't have to know about music to have an opinion since it all comes down to your own personal taste.

        Please vote on your favorite by letting us know your choice in the comment section and tell us why you prefer the version you chose. Then after you've finished here, please visit the other blogs listed below who may or may not be participating this time around. And if you've put up your own BOTB contest let us know that as well so we can vote on yours. I don't know if anyone else will be doing a Battle this time around, but you can still check out these sites.

Here are some other places where you might find BOTB posts:

 StMcC Presents Battle of the Bands
 
'Curious as a Cathy' 

Sound of One Hand Typing

Landmark Sounds (Diedre Knight)

BATTLE OF THE BANDS BY DEBBIE D

Trivial Music Silliness

Mike's Ramblings

Results in a week or so

         You've got time to vote, but don't wait!  Do it now!  I'll tell you who won later on.  And in the mean time I need to work on my autobiography.  It's my life.