Music plays an important role in bringing up fond memories of the past. It’s a way to milestone our lives…at least I have always believed that to be the case. Just for fun I thought it would be interesting to create a short list of favourite 70s tunes and link them to memories from my younger days.

Fool for the City – Foghat
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PgtHflRV0cc

My fond memory of this involves the recently departed Anthony Dillon...who was a childhood and long time friend before cancer sadly claimed him last year. Anthony and I used to listen to music together as kids...Doobie Brothers, JJ Geils ... and he introduced me to Foghat. He also taught me how to box/fight. We used to sneak his Remington 306 up to Mud Lake to hone our shooting skills. We shot pool, went fishing with my Dad. He had my back all the time. For this and much more, thanks Anthony! I miss your friendship and hope you are resting in peace.

Carry On my Wayward Son – Kansas
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rGZdNOYrbzY

Fond memories with this tune...it was the theme music for Reach For The Top which pitted high school students around Ontario/Canada against each other in a battle of wits/knowledge. I was on the Chapleau High School team for almost three years...the second and third years we did reasonably well, but the first year we were in Grade 11 and got absolutely slammed. Greg Howard was our top player. On one trip he was horsing around with Paul Hawkins and fell into a mud puddle and had to go to the TV studio in the wet and dirty suit. It was hilarious. He was screaming profanities at Paul while our teacher (think it was Mr. Kheul but could have been Mr. Kujatan) looked on. Mike Walsh was on that team as well. It was a lot of fun, and the first time we all managed to get on TV.

“Rat Bat Blue” - Deep Purple

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9UHAcClxxKM

Rat Bat Blue was my favourite track off of the second album I ever bought "Who Do We Think We Are". (Eagles "On the Border" was the first and I will pull a track from that lower down in the post). My memory from this was playing it on our RCA Victrola down in our rec room, usually by myself and usually at a very high volume. I guess I was starting to realize how much I loved music. I also remember pulling from my Dad's selection which was somewhat more serene with Dean Martin, Lena Horne, Johnny Cash (my favourite) and Connie Frances. It was a good record player and lasted a long time. I listened to a lot of great music on it.

“Fly like an Eagle” – Steve Miller Band
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zlAlCmqjRug

Anyone who spent time in the Chapleau pool hall knows this tune! It was the hangout for those who were too young to go to the Hublit or Sportsman hotels…it was also a very popular place for truant high school students and church goers…but you didn’t hear that from me! Spent a lot of time here with Michel Ribout, who was (and likely still is) a very good shot and a good fuze ball player. I remember one time my Dad (who was also a very good shot), Anthony Dillon and I were playing a game. Anthony used to shoot as hard as is humanly possible and accuracy often suffered as a result. After these cannon shots my Dad would exclaim, “Jesus Anthony are you trying to make a new hole?!”

We’re an American Band – Grand Funk Railroad
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rwsgznR_T-g

I recall listening to this first at Guy Ribout’s place. Guy had the most amazing record collection with obscure LPs like Captain Beyond among others. For some reason I also recall that this was one of Dennis Sawyer’s favourite tunes. It really hooked me on the cowbell as a great percussion instrument. There are some amazing cowbell songs… Honky Tonk Woman by the Stones and Hair of the Dog by Nazereth. Not to ramble too much but with the latter does anyone remember that you could listen to music in the CHS library…and that Mrs. Joyal was the very kind caretaker of that facility? That's where I listened to the Nazereth album for the first time.

Hold the Line – Toto
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQNHbwhdZbU

This was the top song for some time with the gang I used to hang out with in the late 70s…Tim Morin, John Bernier, Larry Martel, Paul Martel, Mario Lappierre, Randy Carroll, Pat Payette (although Pat and I were huge April Wine fans and used to listen to a lot of their tunes) among others.
Toto was a prolific band and I have the fortune to have a ticket to see a reincarnation of the group in Dubai next month (thanks to a gift from my daughter Bianca)!

On the Border – The Eagles
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wRmzajCyToo&list=PL0877E928D20D5...

The first album I ever purchased was “On the Border” by the Eagles. To be honest I took a shot in the dark at Stedmans…I used to work as a dishwasher at the Redwood and had some money to burn after my first pay cheque. This was an impulse buy based on the cover art. And if there is one thing I miss about the vinyl era (although it is making a muted comeback) is the importance of album art. I chose the title track because it kind of slipped under the radar but is an extremely clever and well produced song. Check it out.

I guess that does it for now. Appreciate as always you taking the time to read!
Cheers
Lorne