First and foremost...MUSIC!!! Also Travel, Movies, Sports, Video & Photography, the Internet, Food & Drink, Trivia & Games
Some famous people who I have great admiration for include CAMERON CROWE, Jon Stewart, Keith Olbermann, Bob Costas, Bruce Springsteen, Bono, Tom Petty, BB King, The Funk Brothers, Tom Hanks, Juliette Binoche and John Cusack (my favorite actors), Lance Armstrong, Troy Aikman, Emmitt Smith, Roger Staubach and Johnny Bench (my favorite sports stars). Regarding my favorite musicians/bands, I've been very fortunate to meet most of them; and befriend several.
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.. width="425" height="350" ..First off, I'd like to proudly state that I am both a Bruce Tramp (Springsteen's been my favorite muscian; since '78) and a Parrothead (of the "BIG" clan). I love all things Motown, Stax & Rounder...and support the artists of the Lost Highway, Yep Rock and Bloodshot labels. I dig the early rock and doo wop of the 50's, have fond memories of most all classic rock, pop, and soul from the 60's and 70's; and am a big fan of 80's giants U2 and R.E.M. Since then, and with the decline of the music that is popular with the masses, I have "gone underground", so to speak; spending my energies on those lesser-known musicians that struggle daily to ply their craft. Continuing on, Freddie Mercury and Stevie Ray Vaughn were the most gifted frontman and guitar player, respectively, that I ever saw perform live; and I strongly believe that The Who, in their prime, were THE greatest rock band of all time. I also believe that Woody Guthrie, Bob Dylan, Springsteen, Kevn Kinney, Todd Snider, Scott Miller, Conor Oberst, and Jackie Greene are the most gifted songwriters of their respective generations; and that Pat Boone should have been publicly flogged for ever singing Little Richard's "Tutti Frutti". Finally, I faithfully follow my brother's advice and only play Tom Waits records AFTER midnight; and, to this day, the most beautiful sound I've ever heard was Karen Carpenter's voice singing over the AM radio of my school bus when I was thirteen years old. ALL THAT SAID ...my favorite musicians CURRENTLY working today include Blue Rodeo, Marah, Will Hoge, Will Kimbrough, Tommy Womack, Todd Snider, Jack Ingram, Scott Miller, Jackie Greene, Franky Perez, Sam Roberts, Jason Ringenberg/Jason & the Scorchers, Ian Moore, Tift Merritt, Ryan Adams, Wilco, Jesse Malin, Martin Sexton, Josh Rouse, The Soundtrack of our Lives, Michael McDermott, Steve Earle, Lucinda Williams, Rodney Crowell, Trish Murphy, Kevn Kinney/drivin' 'n' cryin', Old 97's, Steve Forbert, Paul Westerberg, John Eddie, The Populars, Social Distortion, Soul Asylum (yes, they're still around!), Cowboy Mouth, Hothouse Flowers, Tom Petty, John Mellencamp, Bonnie Raitt, John Prine, Lyle Lovett, Guy Clark, Joe Ely, John Hiatt, Reckless Kelly, Hayes Carll, Adrienne Young, David Baerwald, Beth Wood, Robert Bradley's Blackwater Surprise, Alejandro Escovedo, Keb Mo, Rob Thoroworth, Sloan, Cowboy Junkies, The Sadies, The White Stripes, Matthew Ryan, and Steve Poltz. And, those musicians whose last names are only needed to evoke a smile: Dylan, Clapton, McCartney & Young.Because I love movies almost as much as I do music (scary, eh?), I will do something different other than listing a bunch of my favorites (there's simply too many). Instead, I will list currently working directors and actors of whom I enjoy their whole catalog. (Directors) CAMERON CROWE, Spielberg, Scorcese, Robert Zemeckis, Ron Howard, David Mamet, Rob Reiner, Christopher Guess, Kevin Smith, Michael Mann, Clint Eastwood, Ethan & Joel Cohen, Bobby & Peter Farrelly, Chris Nolan, Lasse Hallstrom, Wes Anderson, and P.T. Anderson. Special recognition for PETER JACKSON, for pulling off the greatest film experience of all...THE LORD OF THE RINGS trilogy. (Actors) TOM HANKS, JULIETTE BINOCHE, John Cusack, Steve Buscemi, Russell Crowe, John Goodman, Jeff Bridges, Morgan Freeman, Steve Martin, Johnny Depp, Naomi Watts, Gael Garcia Bernal, Benicio Del Toro, Paul Giamatti, Don Cheadle, Viggo Mortensen, Vince Vaughn, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Willima H. Macy, Ed Harris, Matt Dillon, Jody Foster, Michael Keaton, John Malkovich, Liam Neeson, Alec Baldwin, John C. Reilly, Cuba Gooding, Jr., Jeremy Piven, Tim Robbins, Susan Sarandon, Craig David, Rebecca Pigeon and, of course, all those legendary actors whose last names are only needed to evoke a smile: Nicholson, DeNiro, Pacino, Hoffman, Newman, Hopkins, Caine, Duvall.
SNL (LONG time fan), The Daily Show (Jon Stewart for President!) and pretty much all of Comedy Central (except that inexplicable South Park), My Name Is Earl, The Office, ESPN (especially The Sports Reporters), The Sopranos, Curb Your Enthusiasm, the Discovery and History Channels, Food Network and VH1 Classic.
It should be no surprise that I enjoy all the good music mags around. I have subscriptions to Backstreets, No Depression, Rolling Stone (for the serious articles), and Harp. HOWEVER...I have been on a SERIOUS kick in the past couple years; to seek the truth about what's happening in this country; in particular our involvement in the Middle East. Currently, I'm on a kick with reading David Ray Griffin's books: "The New Pearl Harbor" and "Christian Faith and the Truth behind 9/11" (only read these if you have an open mind and want to look at the facts). Then, there's "Fiasco: The American Military Adventure In Iraq", by Pulitzer Prize winner Thomas E. Ricks; which is the definitive read on our invasion and early occupation of Iraq. My recent favorite is Richard A. Clarke's "Against All Enemies"...a book that every American should read. That goes for Victor Gold's "Invasion of the Party Snatchers"; as well. Perhaps the best written book I've read during this reading-run I've been on is "The One Percent Doctrine"; by Ron Susskind. Then, I got both laughs and knowledge from Al Franken's "Lies: and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them"; and "The Truth; with Jokes". EXCELLENT INFO IN THERE! Others include Bob Woodward's third book on Bush 43..."State of Denial"; "State Of War", by James Risen; and "America At The Crossroads", by Francis Fukuyama (both excellent!). I also read the short humor book by Calvin Trillin, "A Heckuva Job". VERY funny! Finally, I also recently read "Tuesdays with Morrie"; by Mitch Albom; a WONDERFUL book about the really important issues: Life, Death, & Love.
Anyone who, through their career choice, helps or aids others who are less fortunate due to disease, poverty or natural disaster; or who live their lives daily with consideration towards others. Mean people really DO "suck".