5 on Friday - Set 35

Travis at Trav's Thoughts invites everyone to lay down a short set of music that takes their fancies for his 5 on Friday meme.

As I mentioned on last week's Popculturedivas post, I'm currently and very happily under the spell of Supernatural. One of the strongest elements of the show is its use of classic rock tunes in the soundtrack.

And not covers. No, these are the original tunes by the original artists. Right away I wondered how they ever managed to pull off something so expensive. But when I realized that one of the executive producers, McG, is a former record producer, it all made marvelous sense.

So to continue my spooky October theme, here are five signature tunes used on Supernatural - often more than once - along with some rockin' fan fids that give a good sense of the show.

Keep in mind there are numerous frightening scenes included in these vids.

1 - Oh, Death - Jen Titus

Oh, Death
Won't you spare me over another year?

When God is gone and the Devil takes hold
Who'll have mercy on your soul?

Oh, Death

No wealth, no ruin, no silver, no gold
Nothing satisfies me but your soul

Oh, Death

Well I am Death, none can excel
I'll open the door to Heaven or Hell

- Jen Titus



2 - Carry On, My Wayward Son - Kansas

Carry on my wayward son
There'll be peace when you are done
Lay your weary head to rest
Don't you cry no more

- Kerry Livgren



3 - Highway to Hell - AC/DC

No stop signs, speed limit
Nobody's gonna slow me down
Like a wheel, gonna spin it
Nobody's gonna mess me round

Hey Satan, paid my dues
Playing in a rockin band
Hey Mama, look at me
I'm on my way to the promised land

I'm on the highway to Hell
Highway to Hell

- Bon Scott / Angus Young / Malcolm Young

CLICK HERE to watch the clip











4 - Back in Black - AC/DC

Back in black
I hit the sack
I've been too long, I'm glad to be back

Yes I'm let loose
From the noose
That's kept me hanging about

I keep looking at the sky
Cause it's gettin' me high
Forget the hearse, cause I'll never die

I got nine lives
Cat's eyes
Usin' every one of them and runnin' wild

Cause I'm back
Yes, I'm back
I'm back in black

- Brian Johnson / Angus Young / Malcolm Young



5 - Rock of Ages - Def Leppard

Alright
I got something to say

Yeah, it's better to burn out
Than fade away
Alright
Gonna start a fire
Come on

Rock of ages
Rock of ages
Still rollin'
Keep a-rollin'

- Allen / Clark / Elliott / Lange / Savage / Willis

Thursday Thirteen - 179 - 13 Things About The Night My Teenage Dream Came True

1 - This is me standing in front of my junior high school, wearing my handmade Roller gear.

This is also a picture of a dream.

My dream.

When this photo was taken, I dreamt day and night about what it would be like to meet Leslie McKeown, lead singer of the Bay City Rollers.
















2 - I bought all of their albums, which I listened to obsessively. I bought every 16 Magazine and Tiger Beat and read every article and gazed at every picture. Obsessively.

I was never a big believer in doing anything halfway.













3 - It was all crystal clear in my mind. How I would walk around a corner and discover him there. How we would smile and talk. How he would put his arm around me and give me that first kiss.













4 - It didn't matter to me that the odds of the Rollers coming to tiny, out-of-the-way Halifax, Nova Scotia were dismal to none.

It didn't matter to me that millions of other young teenage girls were having the same exact dreams about Leslie, in their bedrooms in homes all around the world.

Leslie had a way of gazing through the camera right at me. He connected with me like no one else ever had. He was my first romantic crush, the first focus for all my girlish yearnings on the cusp of womanhood.














5 - Over the years, I never lost my crush on Leslie. I've always loved his voice, and have a Bay City Rollers playlist that I sometimes write my dark, scary vampire stuff to.

And over the years, Halifax has grown and connected with the world. A-listers now play here, and our music has made itself at home around the world.

Still, I wasn't quite ready for the news that Leslie McKeown would be appearing at the Casino showroom in October.

What made it so strange was the fact that I'd just had Les McKeown Week here at A Piece of My Mind this past August.



























6 - The Big Night finally arrived. I toasted to dreams coming true with my best friend Connie, who took that picture of me in 1977. I toasted with my cousin Julianne and my sister Michelle, who spent countless hours dreaming the same dreams alongside me.



























7 - We took our seats in the Schooner Showroom, which was fully sold. The crowd was definitely psyched even before the just-about-to-walk-onstage bagpipe music started up.

Bagpipe music. Halifax. Just sayin'.














8 - And then he was there.

Leslie McKeown.

No longer in my head, but right before my eyes.

In the strange ways of the world, Les and his new band ended their North American tour with this Halifax date, never suspecting that Halifax is a party hearty city that loves nothing better than to make everyone who stops here feel like a cherished old friend.

We were rowdy, we were vocal, we rushed the stage immediately, we danced, we laughed, we screamed, we smiled, we fed off each other and made a magical night together.














9 - The current line-up for the band is:

Alex Southgate on keyboard

Michael Koch on guitar

Les McKeown on lead vocals

Alex Toff on drums

Si Mulvey on bass

These guys really cooked! The lead guitarist especially was mighty fine, both to listen to and to look at.

But the energy of the original Rollers were definitely in the room. And our shared experience of Rollermania turned the years back for all of us.




10 - Here Leslie talks about his Rollermania experiences, including what it was like to find 'room service' was actually a fan who'd made her way through security.

The proposal for a Roller reunion mentioned in the clip is not on the books anytime soon.



11 - Here's a clip of the encore number played at the Halifax show which I found on You Tube. The actual sound at the venue was fine - the sound on this clip gets blown out because the camera mic couldn't handle the volume.

You can see the joy on Les' face as the night turned out to be more than he'd quite expected. "I want to say this to the people," he said just before leaving the stage. "The best, final night of this tour I could ever have dreamed of. Thank you very much, Halifax!"

Later on Facebook he wrote: "The Final night in Halifax, what a night to remember, thanks to you, you made a great gig happen, xxx Thank you, from me and the boys, xx"














12 - My sister and cousin having an absolute blast. Leslie really had fun interacting with the crowd, making that eye contact just the way he always did, making jokes laced with saucy innuendo. Just the way we always suspected he would.

He also made lots of jokes about the years that had passed, affectionately and without apology. When he sang The Bump, my cousin and sister ran up and danced it together. He pointed them out and said, "Bet you that hurts now, doesn't it?"

And he was cheeky enough to sing Yesterday's Hero, as well.














13 - After the show, Julianne, Michelle and I stood at the meeting point arranged before the show with the promotions director. Julianne had contacted her several weeks earlier to request a meet and greet.

To our astonishment and delight, she got back to us with news that she would indeed get us backstage to meet Leslie in person after the show.

So while half the sold-out audience got into well-organized line-ups for autographs, we waited nervously for the all-clear.

And then there she was. And we were walking through a door that led to a long corridor, which took us towards the green room. My mouth went dry. Another door opened. And then Leslie turned towards us.

And my dream came true.

We smiled and talked. He put his arm around me as we all posed for a picture. He gave each of us a kiss as though we were old friends saying goodbye until next time.

There was a time when I was younger that I believed dreams might come true. I set about making some of them happen.

Then there was a dark period for me, when I resented the phrase Follow your dreams, as I'd discovered the hard way that many of the most cherished dreams will never come true, no matter how hard you work for it, no matter how hard you fight for it.

But I can say now, that in the moment I stepped through that door and saw Leslie turn towards us, all the pain, the profound despair, the bitterness and crushed future I experienced during that dark period were all swept away.

You can't get more specific than my Leslie McKeown dream. You can't get much darker than the self-destructive path he'd been on until he rose to the surface, clean and sober a few years ago. The audience I was a part of gave him a joyous night. His meet and greet with the three of us gave me a new lease on life.

Dreams do come true. They really do come true.

So don't stop dreaming. Never stop dreaming.

Wordless Wednesday - 169

Through the Opera Glasses - 68 - One Month Countdown to the 2010 Blog Blast For Peace

The very first Blog Blast For Peace appeared in the Blogosphere in 2006.

I didn't begin blogging until March of 2007, but it wasn't long before I began to notice blue peace banners on the sidebars of many of my blog friends.

These are actually called Peace Globes, and they're my favorite part of the Blog Blast event. It's amazing to see what people come up with. In fact, I did a special Thursday Thirteen featuring my favorite Peace Globes in 2008:

Peace Globe Gallery at A Piece of My Mind

I didn't know the first thing about how to create one, but I really, really wanted to participate. So I messed around in my Paint program until I managed to make my very first one, in time for my first Blog Blast post.








Because there are many bloggers who don't know how to make Peace Globes, there are Worker Bee bloggers who will make one for you. My friend Travis is a Worker Bee - if you'd like a Peace Globe, contact him at Trav's Thoughts.














So what does a Blog Blast For Peace post look like?

You can simply fly your Peace Globe.

You can share a song about peace from You Tube.

You can share a poem about peace.

You can write down what peace means to you.

You can share your hopes and dreams for peace.

You can write about peace in your Facebook status.

You can tweet about peace on Twitter.

The most important thing to remember is to name your post Dona Nobis Pacem, which means Grant us peace. In this way, the same message will be sent into cyberspace on the same day.

This movement was launched by Mimi Lenox, who is thrilled, awed and humbled by the fact that bloggers from more than 50 countries around the world take part in this incredible event.

I am one of 140 Canadian bloggers who have flown Peace Globes during past Blog Blasts.

I invite all of you to join in next month, Nov. 4th, when we inform the Universe of our collective desire for Peace.

Poetry Train Monday - 172 - The Things That Aren't Things

This poem was written during the 3:15 Experiment in August.




















The Things That Aren't Things


Things in my room
Castles and Palaces of Europe
Schloss Neushwanstein cookie tin
A red McFarlane dragon figurine
With its crystal ball in its talons

Things in my room
A framed collage of The Arts, signed by the photographer
A framed Taming of the Shrew ballet poster signed by the featured dancer
A dry-mounted poster for my 4th year film screening, including 'Exposed Film' tape to secure the date & time of screening

Things in my room
A pile of photocopied pictures featuring the actor-muses for my fictional heroes from last year's writing retreat
The 'Bravo!' card featuring a single pink rose that Brad gave me when I finished my very first NaNoWriMo
A pile of paperbacks written by fellow members of my writer's group

Things in my room
Two pairs of slippers, one fuschia, one black
An outdated computer tower & monitor
A pile of my dog's stuffed toys she's stashed under the bureau

Things in my room
A pile of programs from special National Ballet of Canada performances
An old cassette tape of my dad talking
Two spiral notebooks containing family stories I've collected

Things in my room


© Julia Smith, Aug. 22, 2010

For more poetry, Ride the Poetry Train!

Weekend Writer's Retreat - 26

Here's the latest installment of Scorpius' boyhood back story.

Scorpius is a character from my dark fantasy work in progress. For the first twelve scenes posted for the Weekend Writer's Retreat, we follow him as a seven-year-old, outgrown from the nursery where he'd been brought up with the other children of the blood. When no one from his family claimed him, Scorpius was released to serve a scarred and intimidating master.

The next twelve scenes follow Scorpius as a ten-year-old seasoned falconer's apprentice. The more he understands of his world, the more he learns to beware the nobles who come to the cottage for the hunt. The political intrigues that take the lives of its players can burn anyone who comes too close - including a falconer and his boy.

We rejoin him at age thirteen.

You can follow the progress of this story arc by clicking on the Works in Progress link just under the blog header.


Scene 26

Richolf had barely released the falcon when the noble grabbed him by the hair and forced him writhing to his knees.

“What game are you playing?” the lord asked, a note of amusement in his voice.

Scorpius rose from his half-crouch, concealed by the forest. The knife slipped from its sheath like his next breath. But he must wait. He must wait.

“No games, my lord.” Richolf twisted in pain but made no sound.

“Do you know, I’ve just now left my newest diversion. Met her for a tumble in the woods a ways back, there.” The noble tightened his hold on Richolf’s hair and shook the falconer. His master’s eyes screwed shut. “But you see, the odd thing was, we had no plan to meet up this morning. I just came across her on the road. Don’t you find that strange?”

“Yes, my lord,” Richolf gasped. “Very strange.” His face drew with more pain than the noble’s grip upon him.

With sudden viciousness, the lord kicked Richolf to the ground. With his polished boot he crushed the falconer’s face into the dust. Scorpius’ fingers gripped his knife handle as he readied himself, remaining hidden as though chained there.

“I never suspected you’ve been running a little love nest out here, falconer,” the noble said. “Very shrewd.”

“No, my lord. I haven’t.”

“No?” He stomped harder on Richolf’s head. His master cried out then. “Then what would a governess be doing out here, all alone? Hmm?”

When Richolf didn’t answer, the noble grabbed him up to his knees again, grabbing fistfuls of doublet. For a long moment he gazed deeply into Richolf’s eyes, finally smiling a terrible smile. “We both know you can keep a secret. Don’t we?”

Scorpius’ heart chilled as his master bowed his head and said nothing.

“You held out for days when we wanted to know what happened to Nizhnii. Dragon, was it?” He shoved Richolf and took several strides away from him.

The falconer collected himself but stayed on his knees, bracing for anything. Scorpius knew his master had his own knife strapped to his hip. Why didn’t he reach for it?

The noble stopped and gazed into the forest for a long moment. When he finally turned back to face Richolf, his expression promised bloodshed. Scorpius crept forward, as close as he dared without giving himself away.

But the lord stood where he was. “I’m not one to stop a man from making a few coins when he can. I salute your enterprise, falconer. Who better to ensure that our indiscretions remain hidden from wagging tongues?”

He strode towards Richolf, who did not shrink or falter, only lowered his gaze as he must. “Other tongues will spill, though, won’t they?”

The noble turned and walked away from the hunt he’d never been interested in. Richolf remained on his knees until the lord was out of sight.

As his master got to his feet, running a shaking hand through his hair and gazing after the noble with a look of pure fear, Scorpius nearly stepped out of the shelter of leaves and branches. But something cautioned him, something held him back.

He waited till Richolf went to collect the falcon from where it pecked hungrily at the game it had brought down. Gazing down at the knife still gripped tightly in his hand, Scorpius wondered what it would have felt like to plunge the blade into the noble’s belly.

© Julia Smith, 2010

Travis Cody says Self preservation...stay hidden and observe. Self defense...stay hidden, observe, be prepared to act as necessary.

Alice Audrey says I'd love to see that particular noble turned into dragon bait.

I'm blogging at The Popculturedivas today

Please join me at Popculturedivas for my latest obsession.


Supernatural, which began airing its 6th season last week.


Want to see why I love it so much? Drop on by.