I got a chance to catch up with Artist Blake Jamieson, who has caused a stir in the sports card collecting universe with his involvement in TOPPS Project 2020. The legendary trading card company is producing an ambitious set, with 20 artists giving their unique spins on 20 of the most iconic rookie cards.
The art-sports card connections go back decades, from the early TOPPS releases of the 1950's to the "paint jobs" on cards for players who had been traded or changed teams. Add insert sets with collaborations with Peter Max, among others, and the time was right for another mixing of mediums.
Harmon and Jamieson talk about the hobby, the success of Project 2020 and how Jamieson's journey into full-time artist began.
It started with my Sunday usual, a four-hour trek on the radio. We had a lot of laughs and goofiness between the serious stories that intersect sports and society. And we told a few of our favorite memories growing up --- like getting carried off a football field by your father like a sack of potatoes after having an opponent twist your leg at the bottom of a pile.
Yeah, good times. I naturally gravitated back to those early concert experiences (Jethro Tull very early on) and the eclectic musical choices of the downstairs bar. When home decompressing from his shifts and scrawling numbers and notes into legal pads, my dad would work the record player. And the range was amazing - pivoting between Tull, Willie Nelson, Pink Floyd, Beatles and Stones, and all of the classic singer-songwriters.
I'll always regret not being more proactive in starting dialogues as a kid. Much left unsaid and questions unasked. But we communicated and commiserated through song. And there were plenty of lessons learned about care, consideration and work ethic. And I got louder (see the 24 hours each week on the radio).
And I'm a lot louder in the day-to-day as well. I'm sure my daughters wish the questions and comedy bits would back off at times, particularly when friends are over.
The lockdown during Covid-19 has been a blessing in my respects - for me, anyway. I'm sure they'd have been thrilled to keep moving in practices, workouts and rehearsals. Hell, they've both asked about just continuing the school year given restrictions on activities.
We still got a final recital in on Father's Day, and a bunch of time munching on snacks and watching silly television and movies. And hearing them giggling together over TikTok videos while watching "The Office" was everything.
The roller coasters of emotions and thoughts stop for a minute. Everything's right with the world.
I restarted this entry several times before committing to the awkwardly-scrawled prose below.
Choose better. Find some peace.
Every day, it's a challenge. Here's the deep stuff.
Gains are hard. Change is hard.
Be it something "simple" like the gym. Plateaus and desire for instant gratification and results dissuades people from continuing their resolutions.
Or, at work - the extra hours, projects or perhaps the uncomfortable conversation about aspirations or where the system needs improvement or management styles need tweaking.
Or, in your relationships of any type, difficult conversations are oftentimes sublimated (diving back into the career, housework or a stated goal). The consequences of that discussion may be dire and the fracture irreparable.
Change is hard, but necessary to grow. You learn by building on previously established truths in math and science. But in other subjects, you may need to tear down preconceived notions or perhaps things you'd be told or taught by a trusted source. Experiences and time reveal new paths of knowledge. And hopefully that peace you sought at the outset ...
Today's "Devil's Jukebox" accompaniment is It Don't Come Easy from Richard Starkey - aka, Ringo Starr. You know the words. Sing it loud.
I was going through some of our archived photos from the past year to toss up a large Mixtiles order. Make memories and make sure you can see where you've been, ya know?
And in the midst of a flurry of early summer '19 photos, I came across a few shots from our experience at Dodger Stadium last July. Normally a space for 60,000 blue-clad Dodgers fans with a ton of kids in the mix, the stadium was packed with a crowd that skewed older.
The signs in left and right fields under the 76 logo read: "Paul McCartney Welcome Back"
I went through the photos, including a shot of the concession options and pricing that I texted to get order while standing on line. My favorite part of the pre-show experience was the music pumping through the speakers as smiling fans streamed into the ballpark. The excitement palpable, people were standing in line and singing along to the McCartney and Wings songs pumping through the speakers. One in particular struck me. Its simple instrumentation cut through the noise and hustle and bustle of the commerce underway -- -"T-Shirts!" "Programs!"
The plucking of the guitar strings was the unmistakable (to my ears, anyway) opening of "Put It There." The short song from McCartney's 1989 album "Flowers In The Dirt" has since become a Sing-A-Long song when my jukebox get rolling on longer car expeditions. Here, it brought a smile and more of that communal, spiritual feel that I've written of in previous posts here. It'll be a recurring theme, no doubt.
The setlist for the concert didn't include this gem, but we were treated to a mix of 38 classics and new songs, ranging from quick 2-minute Beatles classics, Wings, solo work and visits from Joe Walsh and Ringo Starr. You had the obligatory "phone as flashlights" sections and plenty of singing. My kids knew the words to a bunch of the songs, impressing a number of people in our section.
Oh, and which picture prompted the memory? It was the fireworks and strings of "Live and Let Die." The picture was blurry, but it conjured a beautiful image in my mind. It was a flawless night for the band and the environment.
And one I wish I'd done better and could do again. We'll save that for another time.
Sing along if you know the words.
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Give me your hand I'd like to shake it I want to show you I'm your friend. You'll understand if I can make it clear It's all that matters in the end.
Put it there if it weighs a ton, That's what the father said to his younger son. I don't care if it weighs a ton, As long as you and I are here, put it there. Long as you and I are here, put it there.
If there's a fight I'd like to fix it, I hate to see things go so wrong. The darkest night and all it's mixed emotions, Is getting lighter sing a song.
Put it there if it weighs a ton, That's what the father said to his younger son. I don't care if it weighs a ton, As long as you and I are here, put it there. Long as you and I are here, put it there.
You inched to the edge of your seat more than a few times watching the news this past week. It wasn't a conscious thing. But each speech, each video clip of protests or clashes or looting brought you closer to the monitor. Be careful not to conflate things or oversimplify as you watch, listen, learn and eventually discuss the events of the past two weeks in America.
I focus on the word listen as I traverse various media sources and engage in conversations with family and friends. The word "empathy" became the word of the week, and I suspect "Empathy Definition" was entered into Google Search bars millions of times.
Listen and hear. It's the Jimi Hendrix conversation from "White Men Can't Jump." You can listen, but can you hear?
I have music in the background for many of my waking hours. Something about the quiet, stillness has always been an issue for me. Lyrics hit home and I've long talked about the connection between music and live events to spirituality and that shared energy.
And that energy is surging on the streets across America right now.
There are a lot of versions of this classic song - Aretha Franklin, Luther Vandross, Rev. Al Green, among others - but I go back to 1964 and the late Sam Cooke.
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The 2020 pandemic wrested control of our anxieties and created new, super-charged dividing lines. But, "stay at home" orders that moved to stages 2 or 3 in some cities and states created optimism and different dialogues. Here in southern California, that meant the opening of beaches and limited capacity operations inside restaurants. Wins. And big steps forward.
While that part of the picture is bright and cheery, I had multiple windows open on my computer Friday night during the show. I was monitoring the latest reports from cities all over America. The horrific scene of George Floyd's death in Minneapolis reignited latent conflict as protests overtook numerous communities. I watched the coverage from Minneapolis, New York, Atlanta, Seattle and finally, Los Angeles.
I was particularly moved by the speech from Mayor Bottoms in Atlanta. She called for everyone that cared about Atlanta to "Go home!" She cited the high percentage of minority-owned businesses in Atlanta, and talked of her phone call home to her son. Click the link. Watch the five minutes.
That's a win. Community.
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Our coverage on the show has been replete with numerous test balloons and theories about how sports can come back and the debates about the safety/efficacy of fans being part of the equation.
-- Football had the good fortune of not being in-season at the outbreak of the pandemic. They've proceeded with the normal offseason calendar.
-- Gary Bettman and the NHL are actually the big winner and leaders. The league and the NHLPA operated under cover of darkness and came forth with a plan of how to operate the playoffs. It's a blueprint!
-- The NBA revealed a plan to get back on the court by the final day of July. The details are still being worked out, but the latest theory includes all teams within six games of the playoffs (based on the regular season standings as of the league's suspension of play). Some theorize that the league is doing everything they can to get Zion Williamson and the Pelicans into the playoff mix. Good! Bright lights and brand-building and marketing and sales.
And then there's Baseball. For those unaware, the league and players came to a deal almost immediately after spring training was suspended and opening day delayed. They agreed to a prorated deal that assumed fans in the stands. With that still a longshot for 2020, there's an impasse as of the end of May.
Some insiders speculate that the season may be lost, and with changes to the MLB Draft and the minor leagues this year, the face of the game is at risk of looking much different. And that's a tough piece to the sporting landscape. Baseball's always been there to help further bigger discussions in society, and right now there's an argument that boils down to cash. Both sides are getting crushed in the court of public opinion.
We've had the much longer and nuanced conversation on the show. I'll throw that spider web of decision points out in a separate blog.
For now, I come back to a fun win. This is about positivity and finding the good. I got that on Thursday during the "Petros & Money" show here in Los Angeles. They pay tributes to the "Alive Guy" and "Dead Guy" of the day. Yesterday's "Alive Guy" was music legend John Fogerty.
From CCR to his solo career, Fogerty's lyrics and soul have been part of my jukebox. He was celebrating his 75th birthday. As part of the celebration, Fogerty he took the opportunity to crash the renovated Dodger Stadium for a mini-concert. And we all received a gift.
He played "Center Field" with his family in the iconic ballpark. I've highlighted a key part of the lyrics below. Fogerty revealed that the "brown-eyed handsome man" was none other than baseball legend and trailblazer Jackie Robinson. It all circles back together.
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I raised a glass of Tito's and soda as we signed off for the night.
Be safe. Hold tight. And sing along if you know the words. Cheers.
I'll keep this one brief. It's a tribute to a cool community that's developed online during this pandemic situation. As I've noted in previous posts and on my radio show, sleep and I aren't friends. So, after the show ends, I've found some positivity and community in the Instagram world.
(Was I supposed to just put IG?)
A friend turned me on to the sets being orchestrated each night (sometimes during the day) by @DNice. Thousands of people from all walks of life, LA celebrities to NY moguls, and everyone, everywhere in-between. Mixing 70s soul with recent hits, themed sets and tributes, it's that perfect exhale to slough off stressors and weights. The conversations are fun and sometimes downright silly with mountains of emoticons. Check out the LA Times Article On Club Quarantine and Derrick Jones.
And "last call" is the last song of the night, that usually becomes a 45-minute superset. For the particular set that's playing now, I'm bouncing to Barry White at 2:05a PT.
This Walrus track came almost a full hour (maybe longer, I lost track) of the "last song" announcement. At that point, DNice made dedications to longtime friends and supporters and celebrated the community of nearly 5,000 people still chair dancing or maybe up and moving. And he mentioned the spiritual aspect of the virtual gathering, a theme that I'll hammer often here in the blog. And he played the unmistakable track from "Hair" -- "Let The Sun Shine In."
You could feel the virtual sway and see the smiles. If it was at a show, the flashlight apps would have been lit! (literally)
Derrick then talked about a blowout bash at The Hollywood Bowl. Sign me up for the VIP section. I need to meet these people and thank them for the conversations and community. And vibe to some bad ass music. Which is what I'm gonna get back to now. Find your groove, and stay in that pocket as long as you can. And feel the bass.
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"Let the sunshine, let the sunshine in, the sunshine in Let the sunshine, let the sunshine in, the sunshine in Let the sunshine, let the sunshine in, the sunshine in
Oh, let it shine, c'mon Now everybody just sing along Let the sun shine in Open up your heart and let it shine on in When you are lonely, let it shine on Got to open up your heart and let it shine on in And when you feel like you've been mistreated And your friends turn away Just open your heart, and shine it on in"
