"You're the Inspiration" even if you can't pull yourself together fully to acknowledge it! I didn't even know I liked them!

Many musical reflections this year that I might want to capture.  We'll see.  Subscribe to the blog if you want to periodically reflect.

Losing Glenn Frey, David Bowie, Prince, BB King, and others in a quick run marks the end of some incredible talent / people / music / "eras" / etc.  This follows a few years of losing some of my personal musical heroes (Alex Chilton, Gary Moore), and has me thinking about transitions in life and how quickly "it" all goes.  Heightens the sense of urgency to not waste time.

I go through so many phases where different artists are on my mind and making an impression on me.  My poor family benefits from this as well, especially since we now have this whole house sound system.  They'll realize the benefits later in life.  Last night catching a bit of this year's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction setoff a new "mini" phase when Chicago got inducted.

OK, I was never a huge Chicago fan.  Actually not a fan at all.  But like a lot of people, I can string together many Chicago songs throughout my younger years and bring memories and sing-along tendencies. 

And I always appreciate a good band story - people coming together, contributing individual talent, blending to create great and complex music, and developing a shared identity that is recognized around the world (and in most cases - Chicago's specifically - also rooted and shaped by a geographical region and somehow becoming part of our cultural sense of that place).  And all of the human drama that comes with it.

I did take the time to find out why Peter Cetera, who I always thought of as the voice/face of "Chicago", was not at the Hall of Fame ceremony.  It's not clear, but appears to be a spat of some sort - he was going to go, then not going to go, then going again, but in the end "it's just not meant to be".

So this band of (over the years) 19 people - second only to the Beach Boys in American-band Billboard chart success, one of the best-selling groups of all time, a band who owns the "rock and roll band with horns" sound - can't all put their daily concerns aside long enough to relish the fact that they made a pretty cool mark on the world together?? 

Well I'm not going to let that drag me down, as unfortunate as it may be.  The music is just too unique and fun.  And they made it together, as a group of individuals - suspending their personal concerns and stresses at least long enough to record part of our American "soundtrack".

So Saturday morning listening to "If You Leave Me Now", "Saturday In The Park", "You're the Inspiration", "Will You Still Love Me", and, yes, "25 or 6 to 4" is a pretty pleasant way to start the weekend.  With the mental backdrop of a diverse group of people, working together as a band, creating a distinct slice of our world ringing through my head as their recordings flow through my (and my lucky family's) ears. 

Pretty inspirational.  Yesterday morning I couldn't have cared less about Chicago.  But this is the way it goes with music and me - a little spark, and 24 hours later I'm inspired by something new, or something old brought back to light.  Life is too short not to enjoy!  Even if just for one day.