So on May 18th, my son and I had an opportunity to tour the New-old Memorial Stadium to see the progress and some of the cool new features within. We showed up at 4:00 PM, since there is a skeleton crew only from 4:30 - 6:00PM, and a brief window to tour an active 24-hour construction site. After the jump, many, many more photos.

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Your first music (rock?) concert you attended (what were you thinking?). I thought of this a while ago reading Jeff Faraudo's 20 questions with Cal recruits, since one of his frequent questions was "What was your first concert?". It made me more than a bit sad that 50% of the recruits hadn't attended a concert.

via www.recordsale.de

The first rock concert I attended was Derek & the Dominoes at Legion Field, Birmingham Alabama in 1973. Hey, that's pretty cool, right? I mean, Slow Hand, Guitar God, the man's a legend (Eric Clapton). But there a few details that made this experience slightly less than completely awesome.

One, my mom drove me and my younger bother and sister up to Birmingham from Montgomery to see this show. Really, I was the driving factor in attending this, since I was a huge Eric Clapton fan (Cream, Yardbirds, Blind Faith) and now with Derek & the Dominos. Second, the concert was in the day time (not cool), and my mom attended the show with us (not cool in the slightest bit). At the time, Legion Field was two sets of stands, with the end zones open. The band set up on the sidelines, at the 50 yard line, facing one of the stands.

Now I have two indelible memories for this concert (aside from thoroughly enjoying it), but for one of them, you need to understand the mores of a 1970's rock concert. 1) Everyone smoked weed, and 2) it was a HUGE social faux pas to "bogart" a joint, hence attending a concert at the time meant that every minute (seemingly) someone was handing you a joint. Now my mom was not prepared to allow me to partake in this, but neither was she going to interfere with the customs of the time. When in Rome, etc. So she sat in the middle of the four of us, and reached over to grab the joint, and pass down the line, skipping me.

The second thing was, I personally could have listened to the band for hours, and if I was bold enough to yell out a song, I would have shouted "Tell the Truth" (I didn't). But many in the crowd chanted "Layla" at every f-ing song break. So pissed me off, I mean morons, it's his biggest hit, it's played constantly on the radio and JUST SHUT UP ALREADY HE"S GOING TO PLAY THE DAMN SONG!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ah well, memories. What's your first time? We need the details, man.

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No, not that T-Rex

via 4.bp.blogspot.com

Yeah, that T-Rex

This is a post about Glam Rock, the first in occasional series about the history of rock music. Actually, I've started with one of the most difficult facets of Rock history to describe, as Glam is hard to pin down. Sure the style isn't difficult to describe:

via 4.bp.blogspot.com

Thank you David Bowie, now go re-invent yourself.

But musically, it's somewhat difficult to describe. If you visit Allmusic.com (I do from time to time) you will find this:

Glam rock was fairly simple, crunchy guitar rock put across with outrageous theatricality. Most of the music was unabashedly catchy, with melodies drawn from teenage bubblegum pop and hip-shaking rhythms from early rock & roll. But those innocent-sounding influences were belied by the delivery, which was all campy, glitzy showmanship and sexuality. In fact, one of the main reasons glam never caught on in the U.S. was that glam artists intentionally played around with gender conventions, dressing themselves up in outlandish, androgynous costumes and makeup.

This is basically true, but I think they get something fundamental wrong: that is, Glam Rock was in many ways the first revival Rock music ever. To understand, you have to re-visit 1970 (when Glam started; ended 1975). Rock music had a through-line from 1956- 1970, and then it exploded and went in many different directions. But most of the directions were getting heavy, serious, complicated. You had Heavy Metal, Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, Blue Oyster Cult and others; you had the increasing complexity of mainstream bands like the Beatles and the Stones, you had the beginnings of Prog Rock, (Genesis, Yes, King Crimson) which aimed to bring classical composition and 30 minute songs (not jams) to rock music, you had overblown bands like Emerson Lake & Palmer (largely forgotten now) with over-blown over-orchestrated and over-full-of-itself music.

Basically, everything had gotten, too serious, too heavy. I believe that this song encapsulates the desire of Glam bands to recapture the simple essence and immediate appeal of earlier rock music (please ignore the especially bad British teeth on display). Anyway, it's easier to listen to than explain, and this playlist should work quite well. To me (at its best) Glam Rock was like a sloppy kiss from a drunk girl you barely know at a party, cheap, a bit tawdry, but a lot of fun.

Set Me Free / Sweet
48 Crash / Suzi Quatro
20th Century Boy / T-Rex
Queen Bitch / David Bowie
All the Way to Memphis / Mott the Hoople
Gudbuy T’Jane / Slade
No You Don’t / Sweet
Virginia Plain / Roxy Music
Blockbuster (bonus track) / Sweet
Metal Guru / T-Rex
Rock ‘N’ Roll Suicide / David Bowie
All The Young Dudes / Mott The Hoople
My Friend Stan / Slade
AC-DC / Sweet
Hang On To Yourself / David Bowie
Coz I Luv You / Slade
Life on Mars? / David Bowie
Telegram Sam / T-Rex
Ballrooom Blitz (bonus track) / Sweet
Cum On Feel The Noize / Slade
Cleveland Rocks / Mott the Hoople
Suffragette City / David Bowie

An Addendum:

These two bands are often thrown in the mix as "Glam", but I think that's wrong:

via www.carteblanche-x.com

Roxy Music certainly looks the part, and they may have 2 or 3 songs that could be described as "Glam", but they are really much more of an art-rock band than anything else.

and

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Again, the fashion says Glam, but the music says Punk, one of New York's first proto-punk bands, the Dolls.

Sorry this isn't about Friday the 13th, but Rishi bumped this yesterday.

Poll

What did you think of today's DBD

42%

Cool Story, Bro

6 votes

14%

Way before my time, Dude

2 votes

7%

Where can I buy those sweet threads?

1 votes

35%

Can't wait for the Kraut-Rock one!

5 votes

14 votes | Poll has closed

I've been a lot of things in my life, Juvenile Delinquent, Lover, Fighter, Science student, Slacker, Exhibiting Artist, Political operative, and Real Estate Developer. Oh and a Nerd. I always find it funny that nerds have such a anti-social image, but I guess that has to do with the modern stereotype of nerds all alone in their Mom's basement, interacting over the internet, and subsisting on cheese puffs. But back in the day, pre-internet, to be a nerd meant being social (at least with other nerds)

via thechive.files.wordpress.com

The common image. Not exactly true.

My nerddom as a child consisted of building model airplanes and tanks and such, and playing serious wargame simulations, with cardboard pieces on a hexagonal grid. I also played Risk, but I had a love-hate relationship with that game; I mean as the preeminent military strategist of my generation, why didn't I win all the time? There must be something wrong with the game, so when I was 14, I invented my own global conquest game. Lacking any friends, that version didn't get played much, but when was a freshman at Cal, my parents moved to Northern Virgina, on the same street with my best friends from my days in England.

So on summer break, we had a lot of nerdy fun, and I mentioned my game to my friends. They were enthused, so I decided to re-create the game with every improvement my fertile 18-year old mind could envision. Using my artistic skills I recreated a huge map of world with various territories, each with differing resources and population based on hours of research at the library (books, what a concept!).

via worldpress.org

Just a starting point.

The territories could be improved with mines, farms, oil wells and factories. They could be connected with roads, railroads, ports, and later in the game, airports. Movement by seas (hexagonal grid) was on ships, which needed to be protected by navies.

Sounds fun you say? The mad scientist in me wasn't done yet. I decided that the game would be more "realistic" if there was some political instability, but how to achieve this? So I decided that each country would be represented by three people, one acting as the Government, one the Military, and one the People. There could be revolutions, coups and dictatorships. What fun!

Any way, after weeks of preparation we were ready for the first game. A three car garage was located with amenable parents and a ping pong table large enough for the board. Thousands of pieces, hand created by an army of nerds; we had thought that 6 game sets was enough, but demand was so great, we need to make another two colors.

So one Saturday morning, 24 young people, representing 8 empires assembled to start the game. Over the next two days we had a lot of fun, referring to mino-graphed copies of the rules (someone did this even though the schools were closed; I never asked how). There were battles, revolutions, a coup, and fun had by all.

I just wonder why Sid Meier never returns my calls.

via www.praytoranimation.com

I could use a break from the DOOM and gloom around here, so I have one question for you, when you're feeling down in the dumps, what songs will change your mood and brighten your day? I ofter a few of my faves in this category; I'm sure it's not a complete list, surely you can help me out.

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From the Kinks, something that always reminds me of happier times Picture Book

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One of many from one of my Favorite bands: Life Begins at The Hop

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The most expensive album ever made: The Beach

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Their are to many to list here, but a couple for from the lads from Belfast: My Perfect Cousin & Teenage Kicks

via www.thelineofbestfit.com

From The Housemartins, a short one: Reverends Revenge

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More than couple by the Flatmates, but just these two for now: On My Mind: and Happy All the Time

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A couple from the Dandys: Every Day Should be a Holiday and Get Off

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Or newer, Hearts on Fire

Well, this is only a partial list, remember there are many reason to be happy.

OK, maybe this will be lame, since this is just me reminiscing about the past, but I present you with my two favorite 1970's movie comedies (in order in which they came out):

#1 Blazing Sadles

via images4.fanpop.com

I have never seen a movie in my entire life in which the audience laughed louder and harder than at this movie. I 'm not sure if this is the movie I laughed the most at, but it might well be. I saw this on the base (Maxwell AFB in Montgomery Alabama) with my high school girl friend. We saw the late show, and the only seats still open were in the very front row, on the very side, that's all that was left. The audience was 50/50 black/white, and they (and I) loved every minute of it. Roared like lions - you'll never forget a movie when you see like this.

If I was a smarter, more profound person, I would explain how this was a high point in American race relations, but I lack the requisite skills; I hope someone else can fill in the gap. Honestly, I don't think this movie gets made today.

#2 Monty Python and the Holy Grail

via www.intriguing.com

You couldn't have possibly picked a different movie going experience if you tried. I mean really, really, tried. I saw this when it came out, I was on summer break, living with my parents, and down the street (it's a small world after all, if you're all in the military rotating in bases around the world) from my best friends from England (Catholic family; 12 kids, but I only knew the 9 youngest).

I was a huge Python fan, and me and 6 of my friends decided we had to see this movie. Only issue, the nearest place it was showing was near Silver Spring MD, so we had to take a 1 1/2 hour bus ride from Fairfax VA to see the movie. We were about half of the whole audience (matinee) but we loved it, and supplied at least enough laughter for the immediate environs.

An odd result of this adventure is that on the bus ride home, we told each other all the jokes from that movie over and over again, that by the time we had got home, we could basically recite the movie by heart. Even to this day, that sticks with me. Anyway, happy memories from the past.

Poll

What is your favorite 70's Comedy?

38%

Blazing Saddles

7 votes

50%

Monty Python and the Holy Grail

9 votes

11%

Something else (explain in the comments)

2 votes

18 votes | Poll has closed

 

 

Hey I'm here at the millennium inBoulder and wondering if there are Cal Cgbers that want to get together after the game. I visited Walnut Brewery today and the beer is very good. If you want to do this reply to this post, I'll be the long haired freak in Cal gear. Go Bears on 17!!!!! Ok so I have to say the Med is a really good and cheap place to eat. Boulder is a very nice place to visit

The 2011 football season is almost here! It's so close I can almost taste it! But before the season starts, one last look back at the past and my trip to the Seventh Circle of Hell, AKA as Reno, Nevada. Friday September 17th 2010 I fired up the M5 and drove up I-80 to watch the Bears take on the Wolf Pack. Well, we all know what happened in the game action, so I won't bother rehashing that frustrating experience. Instead I'll focus on the "sights" of Reno.

We hiked up to the stadium from Circus Circus (the most depressing and weird hotel I've ever stayed in; the creepy game room would make a fantastic set for a slasher/torture-porn movie), and following the advice on this site, we went to the "Wall" for a little pre-game libation. Excellent place, packed with fans of both teams, good, cheap eats and plenty of quality booze. There were a couple of pleather hot-pant wearing chicks trying to sell something but I never saw what it was. I looked for someone from CGB who said he would be there with his buds in gold, but I never found them.

I attended this game with my son, who wasn't sure if he could get away from his job, so I bought the game tickets and hotel accommodations at the last minute, which explains why we were sitting in Section, 9, Row 28, seats 17 & 18, the absolute worst possible seats in the stadium, but at least surrounded by fellow Cal fans.

via i1140.photobucket.com

Great seats or what?

The odd thing about these seats, the row holds 18 seats, but for some reason there were at least 24 people in that row as the game went on, it was nuts - a stampede to the worst seats? There was a Cal couple nearby with their 6 month-old with them, they had filled their large insulated milk bottle with Jack Daniels, and were happy to share, and as the game went on, we really needed this.

I didn't think Reno was a bad looking place, in fact the topography was quite nice:

via i1140.photobucket.com

But I was somewhat surprised by what I found after the game was over. First off, the Nevada fans who seemed so friendly before the game turned into obnoxious pricks after the game. Yeah I know we lost, do you really have to scream "Cal sucks" or "Your team is as broke as your f-ing state" at me? Classless.

So it being 10:00 PM at this point and feeling pangs of hunger, I did what Rachel Ray always says to do, and asked some of the locals where we should grab a bite to eat. He suggested the Little Nugget for the best burgers in town, which is inside the Nugget Casino, one of the older (and crappiest) casinos on the strip. After walking past the pimps, hos, drunks, methheads and numerous pawnshops maybe I should have been clued in to what to expect, but I wasn't quite prepared for the squalor that is the Nugget. Penny slots, and fat barflys so drunk only their bar stools were keeping them from collapsing. Hey! Dollar shots! At least my trip to hell would be well lubricated.

As we were waiting for our Awful Awfuls (that's what they call the burgers) a shirtless dude bleeding from his head stumbles into the into the casino, and the nerdiest bouncer I have ever seen (headset & red polo) yells at him that he can't come in without shirt on - I guess bleeding from your head is OK. It takes bleeding dude a little while to figure this out, he seems rather dazed - if he played football, he'd be sitting on the bench.

Well, the guy who steered us here was not wrong, the burgers were great, served in a box on top of 2 pounds of fries, these 1/3 pound old-school bad boys sure hit the spot (only $6.23, such a deal!), as we were wolfing them down, the casino was invaded by a dozen or so teenage skate punks in Nevada gear.

My son was so angry at Cal losing the game, he wanted to leave first thing in the morning - I had to make do with instant hotel coffee (shudders). As bad as driving to Reno to watch Cal lose, the horror wasn't over for many Cal fans - CHP was feasting on speeders as soon as we crossed the California line - and every vehicle pulled over had a Cal sticker; doesn't the man have a heart? Haven't we suffered enough?

I insisted that I needed some real coffee so we pulled into Colfax for the Starbucks there. And in a coincidence that only seems to happen in the movies, one of the referees from the game was there as well, and my son proceeded to badger him about a missed holding call. Sure it was a really bad miss by the refs - but one holding call wasn't going to change the outcome of the game. I felt like I was pulling off a pit bull as I said we needed to leave now.

A note from Cugel's son: After seeing another customer talking to three middle aged white guys, I overheard one of them mention that they reffed the previous night's game. I figured this was one my chance to ever tell a ref that they blew a call so I approached them and kindly asked "How about that blown holding call in the 2nd quarter?" The ref, who looked quite dismayed that I dare hold him accountable replied "Well, different people see different things." What a dick, the least he could do was give me some satisfaction and admit to his mistake, but no, instead he pleads ignorance. As I received my coffee I walked out and said "Yeah, well 30,000 fucking people saw it, I don't see how you didn't." Moral Victory.

And when I pulled into the parking lot of my loft in Oakland, the odometer read 60066; coincidence? You be the judge.

 

Poll

Reno is:

24%

A great vacation destination!

6 votes

44%

Truly the Seventh Circle of Hell

11 votes

32%

A festering wound on Washoe County

8 votes

25 votes | Poll has closed

Why am I posting this? Not sure, but between Rishi's constant linking to websites that are obsessed with how to attract females, and reading the first two chapters of Neil Strauss's "The Game" (approach at an angle of 47.5 degrees! Say something to insult her!) , I feel compelled to offer some common-sense advice for CGB readers in search of female companionship. My brief life as a player was before cell phones, texting, sexting, Facebook, Craiglist, or let's face any technology, so I will be silent on these issues.  But let's face it; men have been pursuing women as long as our species has existed, so this is something so easy a caveman could do it; and if they hadn't we wouldn't be here today.

_So easy a caveman could do it_

via www.mentalfloss.com

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So I drove over to SF to catch our fearless leader at at Gordon Biersch Brewery. The food was good, the beer was better; I sat with Turkey and Since 1997 (who scoped out most excellent seating arrangements) and was joined by my son. The audience of about 100+ Bear fans was about 50% old blues, and 50% not-so-old blues, including some families with kids (did the kids have to pay $20? I didn't ask.)  Tedford arrived on scene at about 12:30 and launched into an overview of the status of the program before accepting questions. After the jump, to the best of my recollection (yo, if anyone who was there disagrees, correct me if I'm wrong).

So Tedford was relaxed and easy-going in this setting, as well he should be, considering the crowd. Interestingly, right off the bat, he acknowledged that the strength of the program has been at the tailback position. He feels that based on the camp so far that we can continue to build on that success. He also gave a shout out to Basquez, the strength and conditioning coach for the work he's done getting the players ready for the season.

Tedford expressed that the defensive players are even more comfortable in the second year of coach Pendergast's scheme. However, he did acknowledge that we lost three great players on defense to the NFL, but mentioned that we have talent to fill those positions. He didn't exactly say the defense would be even better, and in fact most of his discussions revolved around the offense.

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So I found out yesterday (in the DBD where else?) that SAAB is likely to go the way of Edsel, Pontiac and so many other automobile brands and disappear soon. This fact makes me very sad. Why you ask? Because I grew up with SAAB cars, and I have many, many SAAB stories (pun intended).

Poll

What did you think of this DBD?

48%

Brool, story, Bro.

13 votes

37%

I'm buying a SAAB today!

10 votes

14%

Good riddance, kill it with Fire!

4 votes

27 votes | Poll has closed

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Sixty nine years ago today an engagement between the forces of the Imperial Japanese Navy and the United States Navy began that ended in a decisive victory for the US Navy.  In fact this victory was the most decisive naval victory in the last 2,500 years of human warfare, and changed the course of the war in the pacific.  Yet today it's place in the American consciousness is slight.  Maybe that's partly a good thing — if we were truly as militaristic as our detractors portray us, this would be a major national holiday every year.

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On Saturday, I attended Cal's final open practice at Contra Costa College. There was quite a crowd of Bear fans filling, if not quite packing, the stands for a beautiful day of simulated football and real practice. At first, it was a bit of a three-ring circus as the position coaches led their respective groups through several drills. It was better just to pick one group and watch them for a while, otherwise, it was a bit overwhelming. After a hour or so of drills, the orange over-hats came out and a scrimmage commenced.

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From the 2006 through the 2008 seasons I held season tickets in Section II, row 19.  Before the 2009 season I was expecting great things.  Rose Bowl, maybe, National Champions?  Hey why not?  In short I was drinking the Kool-Aid, and for the first three games of the season, it was some of the sweetest, best tasting, nectar of the gods.

So I felt compelled to up my game in anticipation of this glorious campaign, and paid more of a "donation" to get better seats for 2009.  Low and behold, when I received my new tickets I was upgraded to section F, row 20.  After the jump, I'll describe what I discovered in this section of Bear Territory.  You can expect the same hard hitting reportage you have come to enjoy from other posters, about an area of Bear Territory (seemingly) few CGB'ers have visited.

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This is a shout out to all Tennessee Fans

And I have a couple of questions

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