Day 7 Nostalgic Music Month

Kiss- by Jon Hilton

When I think back on growing up in the 70’s and the music that I liked as a very young person, Kiss would be at the top of the list. Their music is and was like sugar to the brain. It hits a spot in your brain and makes you want to sing along. Even now, many years later I remember all the lyrics to songs.  The funny thing is that I had no idea what these songs were about.

So choosing the top 5 Kiss songs was difficult. I am ignoring their later

1980’s stuff because by then I had moved on to music with more depth. The Kiss songs I am choosing are the ones I listened to while playing with my  Evel Knievel motorcycle action figure. There was a developing depth but it was years away. At that point, I was satisfied with Shout It Out Loud, and crashing things. Here are MY top five Kiss songs for Nostalgic Music Month.

1. Love Gun- Understand that when I was listening to this music, I was very naive and didn’t really understand the message of most of the songs. I just liked singing the words Love Gun really loud. I think I was really loud at that age and wanted to know how someone pulled the trigger of my love gun.

1. Shout it Out Loud– This was a natural for me because I like to shout things out loud all the time, so I was really happy there was a song encouraging me to do this. Getting the party started is a great remedy for what ails you and at that point, a party included cake and some sort of game playing so who wouldn’t want to do that?  I mean cake? Yes, Shout it out loud.

2. Calling Dr. Love– When I was 11 or 12 I think I considered myself Dr. Love. Of course, I thought love was all about holding hands and stealing a kiss now and then. I knew nothing about sex at all. Other than girls were awesome, I fell in love daily and figured there are no bills, there are no

fees.  And I knew what the first step of the cure is.  They call me Dr. Love.

1. Rock and Roll All Night– I have to point to my previous reference to cake when I heard this song.  I liked the cake and that happened at any party I had ever been to, so yes I did want to rock and roll all night and party every day. This song also satisfied my need to shout loudly simple phrases in rhythm.  So how could the 70’s me go wrong here?  He couldn’t.

1. Detroit Rock City– Here is the Kiss song that has it all. The diner noises at the beginning remind me of breakfast (My favorite meal), then it involved driving which I would come to love. I also it was talking about some sort of elaborate musical chairs game.  Get up, everybody’s gonna move their feet, sit down everybody’s gonna leave their seat.  It also offered me the chance to shout, and understand the tragedy of a shortened life. One I would become more familiar with later in life.  But then, life was good and Kiss was part of it.

Honorable mention- Love Gun, Beth, Deuce, Strutter, Cold Gin, Shock Me, Hotter than Hell

George Thorogood and the Destroyers by Mike Martin

Yesterday-I missed a text from my lifelong buddy Rich Daigle. I have known Rich and his brother Dan forever.  (Dan is way too cool for Social Media Interactions-so I’m I tagging his oldest daughter–again-Sorry Danielle!!)

Rich was in town, but we failed to connect; hopefully, next time brother. FYI: I prefer the phone because I am much better talker than typer and I am not accustomed to checking text message especially on Friday. But, I try to get better every day–at least that is what My Spiritual Advisors (Jon Hilton) tells me I should do.

Yes- I always love to see my lifelong friends our connections run so deep that a small part of the Daigle Brothers is always with me.

When you’re teenagers and live in a small remote and isolated town, you ride the same roads over and over again. This was one of the best forms of entertainment that we shared as young men.

We were lucky as children, Growing up in Greenville, Maine. As I have stated more than once, I feel I was raised with privilege. A huge reason I feel this way as much to do with the amazing automobiles that I got to share with the Daigle Brothers. There was the Toy, the Hornet, the Comet, and the Wildcat to name a few, and when our cars were broken or out of gas, my awesome father was always there to lend us his truck for the day or evening.

Of course, the loan of the truck came with conditions: 1. a strict curfew 2. a demand that the truck was returned with all its bumpers and without dent or scratches. We most often complied because if we didn’t, we would suffer a short banishment. This only happened on a few occasions, and luckily- I have very forgiving parents.

My dad had two cassettes in the first truck I got to drive after getting my

driver’s license.  Eddie Rabbitt – Greatest Hits Vol. II and Move It on Over– the second album by George Thorogood & the Destroyers.

Needless to say, though we did listen to Eddie often, we spent a lot more time listening to George & The Destroyers- Hearing the songs of George Thorogood & the Destroyer second album always reminds me of the hours I spent riding the streets and back roads of Greenville, Maine with the Daigle Brothers.

So, without any more fanfare-My Day 7 #OctoberNostalgicMusicMonth selection is George Thorogood & the Destroyers.

Who Do You Love  Written by American rock and roll pioneer Bo Diddley in 1956.

Move It On Over  Written by American country music singer-songwriter legend Hank Williams in 1947.

My third George Thorogood & the Destroyer music chose was released in 1982 and a George Thorogood original.

It is Halloween seasons. Every October, this beautiful guy hangs in the window closest to our dining room table. He reminds me often that he is truly Bad to the Bone 

If you have any questions, drop us a line and please partake in #OctoberNostalgicMusicMonth and while you are at it take a trip to Greenville, Maine-I understand the foliage is majestic this time of year! #visitGreenville

#OctoberNostalgicMusicMonth #visitGreenville