Nostalgic Music Month Day 27

Bob Segar by Jon Hilton

In my musical history, there are several chapters that have been punctuated by the music of Bob Segar. From the time I was a hormonal high school kid to becoming a “responsible” adult, there are messages in these songs which are relatable to my life situations.  From trying to lose those awkward teenage blues to realizing we need to have beliefs that stick with us like a rock. Life is a constant pattern of change and development. The music of Bob Segar has helped a generation or two become more aware of these patterns and to be the best they can be.

1. Night Moves– The biggest focus of a young man is young ladies. In my early life, winning the affection of girls was one of the most important goals of all activities. I liked sports because they were fun, but also a good way to meet girls. So from an early age, I was working on my “night moves”. This song allows you the chance to look back and idealize those times and the people that you knew. Everyone is young in your memory and none are touched with the harsh pains that reality and loss can bring. Some days it is enough to be able to remember the times before we had so much experience.  I awoke last night to the sound of thunder. How far off I sat and wondered. Started humming a song from 1962. Ain’t it funny how the night moves. When you just don’t seem to have as much to lose
   Strange how the night moves. With autumn closing in. 
2. Still the Same– Aging is a process that nobody is really prepared for. For much of life we just ignore the fact that we will get older, it will be something that will happen later on. It isn’t relevant now. I am only 20. I am only 30. I am only 40.  It stops there. Nobody ever said I am only 50.  No, at that point you realize that you getting old is happening. Like it or not. But inside, people feel exactly the same. The essence that is you does remain the same. It has more experience and hopefully has figured a few things out about life. But inside we are still the same you. And you’re still the same. I caught up with you yesterday. Moving game to game. No one standing in your way. Turning on the charm. Long enough to get you by
   You’re still the same. You still aim high. 
3. Mainstreet– There have been a few main streets that have been a part of my life. One for sure is in Damariscotta, Maine. We had nothing better to do than to cruise around town. Ride from one end to the other, to see what is happening? Then to continue on our way to that happening.  Were these wasted times or were they great memories I am not sure. But today if I go to that town, that is what I think of. Cruising around Damariscotta/Newcastle, looking for trouble. I guess we all had to find it somewhere. Through the long lonely nights she filled my sleep. Her body softly swaying to that smoky beat. Down on Mainstreet.
4. Against the Wind– In any life of substance, there are going to be times that you take a wrong turn, or make a poor decision. That is what happens. These are the moments when we are running against the wind. We will either learn how to adjust our sails and use the wind to our advantage. Or we will allow that wind to blow us under.  There is nothing wrong with the experience of taking a wrong turn because, in the broad tapestry of life, you may gain a skill you need to reach your success. A broken heart today, can lead you to find the person who will allow you to become your best self.  There is no point in regret because the past can’t change and nobody is perfect. Understanding this is one of the first steps to happiness in life.  Well those drifter’s days are past me now. I’ve got so much more to think about. Deadlines and commitments. What to leave in, what to leave out. Against the wind. I’m still runnin’ against the wind I’m older now but still runnin’ against the wind.
5. Like a Rock– If you take some time and listen to Bob Segar you will feel like you did back in the summertime of your youth. I don’t care who you are, there were moments when you felt like you were indestructible. Life can systematically dismantle this confidence if you let it. The fears and doubts that come into your mind, slowly chip away at your confidence because you know that you can be hurt and you can lose things and people. The fear of losing these things can become worse than the actual experience of loss.  We all still have that strength inside of us, that will allow you to try again, start over and build something totally new. This is courage and it is in you, standing there just like a rock.  I also have the urge to buy a Chevy truck when I hear this song for some reason. My hands were steady. My eyes were clear and bright. My walk had purpose
   My steps were quick and light. And I held firmly To what I felt was right,
   Like a rock. 

 Iron Maiden by  Mike Martin

 

Iron Maiden is an English heavy metal band formed in Leyton, East London, in 1975 by bassist and primary songwriter, Steve Harris. The band has produced thirty-eight albums, including sixteen studio albums, eleven live albums, four EPs, and seven compilations.

I swear that I have seen Iron Maiden in concert twice both times at the San Diego Sports Arena accompanied by Michael Lally, a longtime friend, and Jolly J shipmate. I got to see Mike the last time I was In Vegas. I met his wife and soul mate, Bonnie and got to watch his youngest child and only son. David, play baseball.

It is a great thing when you see someone that you haven’t seen in 26 years and it feels like you saw them yesterday. Of course, Mike looked a little older and seem a bit more mature, but the bond that share was unchanged and exactly as it was back in the 1980s.

The funny thing about memories is that they are often skewed-the human mind is complicated to understand. I researched Iron Maiden’s 1985-1987 tour dates, and they appeared twice in San Diego during this time frame, on March 23, 1985, their World Slavery Tour and on February 24, 1987, their Somewhere On Tour.

Well, I know for a fact that Mike and I saw the 1987 Iron Maiden show and I know for a fact that I wasn’t welcomed aboard the USS Jouett CG-29 until the early fall of 1985, so there is no way that I saw the 1985 Iron Maiden show in San Diego. I am just wondering where that memory comes from, maybe Mike’s accounts of the World Slavery Tour were so descriptive that I have mentally decided to share his memories, which works perfectly fine for me.

Pioneers of the new wave of British heavy metal, Iron Maiden achieved initial success during the early 1980s. After several line-up changes, the band went on to release a series of platinum and gold albums, Since the return of lead vocalist Bruce Dickinson and guitarist Adrian Smith in 1999, the band has undergone a resurgence in popularity and released their sixteenth studio album, The Book of Souls, on 4 September 2015.

I don’t listen to Iron Maiden much anymore and don’t believe that I have even heard one song on their 2015 studio album. But, what I do know for sure is, if my old pal Michael Lally asked me to see Iron Maiden with him for a “third” time, I would be there with bells on!

Iron Maiden – The Rime of the Ancient Mariner Full Length

The mariner kills the bird of good omen
His shipmates cry against what he’s done
But when the fog clears, they justify him
And make themselves a part of the crime.

Sailing on and on and north across the sea
Sailing on and on and north ’til all is calm.

Please, have a great day, and 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