Nearly 40 years on. Somewhere back there, about ’70 or ’71, I saw Glass Harp for the first and only time. It was at Warren Packard Music Hall or Stambaugh Auditorium. One of those places. I don’t really remember now. As a young musician myself at the time, I was blown away. This was a power trio that could rock the house down. This was a power trio that could weave beautiful soft and melodious ballads. This was a power trio with harmonies equal to if not better than Lennon and McCartney. This was a power trio who were, and are, Christians – unlike me at the time, and still unlike me today. I suppose my non-Christian status goes with the professional territory somewhat. As a note, although the members of Glass Harp are Christians, I don’t consider them a Christian rock band since not all of their music is Christian in nature, ie., with Christian oriented lyrics, etc.
Back in the day, Glass Harp released three studio LPs and then went their separate ways. The three LPs were, in order, the self titled debut album, Glass Harp; Synergy; and It Makes Me Glad. At first the albums were very hard to get. Out of print, ownership rights, and the like. But eventually they started popping up. And with the introduction of CDs, they readily became available again. Recently, within the past decade, the band reformed for a few shows, concerts, benefits, etc., sparking renewed interest. A couple of old live shows were released on CD and DVD. New live shows were recorded (ALA the photo above), and a fourth studio LP (Hourglass) was produced.
It makes ME glad that Glass Harp is back, even if in limited form. They did a recent show, last October 2008, which I missed. Quite frankly, I didn’t know it was happening, else I’d have been there. But I’m watching now, waiting for another Youngstown area show to come up. And I will be there for the second time in 40 + years. And my Australian born wife can’t wait to see them. She’s not Christian either, but she does have an ear for exceptionally great music.
So, I recommend Glass Harp whole-heartedly. You may be inspired, one way or another.
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Copyright © 2009 by rsc
I don’t have much time to read for entertainment anymore. Most of my reading these days consists of professional research for my day job, and semi-professional research for my part time literary job. That said, I have to admit that I do come across some interesting material that takes me off on tangents from time to time.
Case in point…was researching THE ROAD TO UBAR by Nicholas Clapp for a story arc I had been working on a couple of years back. Through the Ubar book I discovered another of Clapp’s books, namely SHEBA, a book about his search for the existence (or non-existence) of the legendary queen. As tangential reading material, I finally got around to SHEBA. Nearly finished now. I recommend them both – SHEBA and UBAR. A pair of nice diversions.
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Copyright © 2009 by rsc
Specifically, my tenure of writing in a specific sub-genre of fiction, having written my final planned story in this sub-genre. Hopefully within the next 12 months or so, a 350 page + collection will be available. I’ve had some moderate success in the sub-genre – a published collection of short stories, inclusion in a couple of anthologies, a few stories in cyberzines, and a series of chapbooks (some of which are still to be published). Doesn’t mean I don’t have critics. All writers have their critics. Myself included. Still, for every critic, I have thrice as many fans. It’s a fair trade. And two of my short stories in this sub-genre were recommended for Bram Stoker Awards in the 2000 season (if you don’t know what Bram Stoker Awards are, look it up). So, it’s paid off to some degree. I’m satisfied.
So now what? On to industrial horror and fantasy satire that I’ve been toying with and have taken a back seat for far too long.
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Copyright © 2009 by rsc
In my support of the “war on terror,” I’ve come across some genuine authentic rabid crazed Bush haters. Now, I’m not talking about those democrats who disagree with the Bush administration on foreign policy, etc. Everyone’s entitled to their opinion. Even the democrats (although I tend to question their reasoning).
Now, these rabid crazed Bush haters, they live in a world of their own…and, I might add, their own invention. These are the patented rabid crazed Bush haters who have no inclination to listen to reason (I doubt they understand the concept of reason), and blame Bush for everything under the sun, et al, the bombing of Pearl Harbor, the fall of Rome, our current financial crisis, the sacking of Troy, 9/11, the Black Death, the sinking of the Titanic, and other assorted nonsense.
However, there is one thing the rabid crazed Bush haters have also blamed Bush for that actually hasn’t happened yet. And now that he’s out of office, it isn’t likely to happen (of course that won’t stop them from blaming Bush if it does, even AFTER his tenure). And that event that hasn’t happened yet is the bombing and/or attack on Iran. The rabid crazed Bush haters must be feeling mightily sad that it hasn’t happened, so to perhaps brighten their mood a bit…here’s a nice little photo for them to smile about…
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Copyright © 2009 by rsc
Here I am, in northwestern Pennsylvania, victim to lake effect snow and cold and wind and….damn!
Where in the hell is that loony Al-I’m-gonna-save-the-planet-from-evil-humanity-Gore when you need him!? He could open his big mouth and spout off something stupid and raise the air temperature here significant enough to warm the surrounding landscape if not the entire planet. It could be summer again!
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Copyright © 2009 by rsc
