Movie Review: Possums

This is a forgotten movie from 1998 that is not without it's charm. It's called Possums and stars singer Mac Davis (Baby Don't Get Hooked On Me, It's Hard To Be Humble) as the announcer of a high school football team that has a long streak of losing games and not even scoring a touchdown.

He had left town some time ago, but he returns to run the business starched by his father. He has a love for sports and his beloved Nowata Possums football team, and that comes across in his announcing of a team that is the worst in the league.

The mayor decides to circulate a petition to discontinue the football program at the high school. He claims it's because the team is so bad that it would be better for the morale of the people of the town. Ultimately, the team is dropped.

Well, as fall comes a year later, the former announcer is sad. After a conversation with the student who works for him at his hardware store, he decides to pay for air time to announce fictitious games for the defunct Possums team. He's ridiculed for doing it, but that doesn't stop him. He tells the station owner to consider this like a play on the radio.

In this weekly play, the Possums are competitive and start winning games. As it happens, the town starts listening and getting excited about the team. Former players are gathering at the football field and practicing as the games are played on the radio. The Possums make the playoffs and win the State Championship.

This is where things get interesting. The real State Champions take exception to the idea that the Possums are getting more attention than they are. They challenge them to a game. I don't want to give away all the secrets, and this movie has a few interesting moments as the plot progresses.

Possums is formulaic, I suppose, but it has heart. I really like the charm of the small town too. It's not the best sports movie, but it's pretty good. It's been on Movie Plex TV lately, which is where I saw it for the first time last year. If you get a chance, check it out.

The NFL Once Had It's Version Of A Bronze Metal Game

It was called The Playoff Bowl, but some players and coaches referred to it as The Loser's Bowl. From 1960 to 1969, the NFL had their own version of a "Bronze Metal Game" in which the two losers of the conference championship games played to determine who was #3.

Back in those days, there were only three playoff games, the two conference games and the NFL Championship Game, and the league was facing competition from the upstart AFL. Former commissioner Bert Bell had passed away at an Eagles-Steelers game in 1959, and this game was named in his honor. It was used to raise over $1 million for the retired player's fund in its ten year run.

Technically, the league doesn't acknowledge this game as anything more than an exhibition played after the NFL Championship game. The league still held a Pro Bowl a week after this game. This game was effected by the AFL in 1966 on two fronts.

The game was always played in The Orange Bowl in Miami, and the AFL added the Miami Dolphins in 1966. That was also the first year of the NFL-AFL World Championship game, later named The Super Bowl. When the leagues merged, it was considered a possibility to keep this game, but the game was ultimately dropped.

The Playoff Bowl had three multiple winners as the Detroit Lions won the first three games, the Baltimore Colts won twice and the Los Angeles Rams won twice, including the final game. The Dallas Cowboys and St. Louis Cardinals each won once, and the Cleveland Browns lost all three of their appearances.

The Green Bay packers made two appearances, and legendary coach Vince Lombardi had great disdain for this game. They won their first appearance and lost a year later. The loss spurred the Packers to three straight NFL Championships, which included wins in the first two NFL-AFL Championship Games.

The Key To Getting Dennis DeYoung Back In Styx

I see The Real Music Observer, David Spuria, making some interesting commentaries about various bands that I have enjoyed for years. So, I'll credit him with inspiring me to do this. One of my four classic rock go to bands is Styx. I refer to the classic lineup that included Dennis DeYoung, Tommy Shaw and James Young along with twin brothers John and Chuck Panozzo.

Rather than talk about the why things are the way they are right now, I'm going to talk about the possibility of fixing things and giving fans of the classic Styx lineup the tour they'd like to see. I see two ways to get DeYoung back in the band. Right now, it seems impossible. Styx just did a rather impressive album called The Mission this year, and DeYoung is about ready to record his own solo album after what has been a successful tour with his own band.

Of course, when they kicked Dennis out of the band, they needed somebody who would enable them to continue to do what they do. They needed somebody who could play keyboards and sing the only Styx songs that Shaw and Young seem to be able to tolerate from Dennis's catalog. They found their man in Canadian Popstar, Lawrence Gowan.

The quickest way to facilitate the possibility of a DeYoung return is for Gowan to leave. Being in Styx was the opportunity of a lifetime for him. Let's face it, nobody in America really had a clue who this guy was. He was somewhat popular in Canada. He doesn't have a bad voice, although it's not really right for the songs that Dennis sang that he continues to perform in Styx. He is definitely a showman, and he's a good keyboardist. The problem is, why would he leave the job of a lifetime? Tommy and James have to be happy with him because he fills the role they need. He has to be happy because he's still doing what he loves 20 years later.

The only way for Lawrence Gowan to step aside would be either because he knows the fans want to see Dennis with the band one more time, or he willingly takes a leave of absence from the band. It would be likely that Dennis wouldn't be a long-term member of the band, but a year's worth of dates would be enough. Lawrence could return at the end of that time period.

Some people have said Tommy Shaw is the one holding up a DeYoung return. I don't really believe that to be the case. Tommy has proven that he didn't need the band to keep his career going. True, he was interested in reuniting with the band in the late 1980s, but Dennis was about ready to release his third solo album and had commitments to honor. Tommy ended up taking the gig with the Damn Yankees and recording one of his biggest hits, High Enough. In short, Tommy was doing just fine.

Why would this make any difference? Because, if there's a bitterness that is held against Dennis, it's that he held the band up when others wanted to make money. If Tommy was out there making money as a solo artist in the 1980's and early 1990's, the same cannot be said for either Panozzo brother or Young. I'm not aware of any recording attempts ever being made by John or Chuck Panozzo. Young recorded albums, but nothing popped.

Basically, Dennis and Tommy were able to do their own thing and make money. Both had hits without the band. Then, Dennis came back when the time was right. Unfortunately, Tommy had other commitments, and the band went on without him. They had one of their biggest hits, Show Me The Way, and then things stalled out while they were working on a follow-up album. Dennis has been blamed for this. If I recall correctly, Glen Burtnik very directly blamed Dennis for costing him money, although the two have made peace since then.

James Young is one heck of a guitar player. Some have called him the balls of the band. If things got a little too soft, James was the one who kicked things into high gear. At one time in The Wooden Nickel era, James was pretty much a lead singer in this band. The Man Of Miracles album can be regarded as the height of that for James. After that, he still had one rocker on every album that followed.

Some of his finest moments include the often played Miss America, Half Penny Two Penny and Snowblind, both off of Paradise Theater, and the Great White Hope. An album of all of James's best rockers with the band would be an interesting record. However, he's more known for co-writing some of their best hits and his guitar work than for anything he ever sang with the band.

It was James who notably said that Dennis would be brought back to the band when they were playing ice hockey on the River Styx. That pretty much said that James was the one keeping the door locked and pushing his weight against it. Only James and Chuck remain with the band from the lineup that got the first record deal, and Chuck only plays a song or two on the occasional gig. Chuck's main concern was always that the band be playing so that he could play when he felt up to it.

It's hard for me to believe that if James suddenly came to the guys and said that he wanted to bring Dennis back into the band that this wouldn't happen. Some might say Tommy would be a little bit miffed, but Tommy's position in this band is solid. And he's had 18 years to lead Styx in the direction they are in. He and James have pretty much attempted to redefine what this band's legacy is.

Why would James even want to bring back Dennis? This is a good question. I don't see this current lineup wanting to hang up their guitars anytime soon. They're enjoying being out on the road. However, to the notion that Dennis DeYoung didn't want to tour or Rock, I think what he's done since being kicked out of the band has put an end to that silly discussion. Why would James want to shake things up and bring Dennis back? It brings everything full circle.

At this point, it wouldn't be about the next big Styx hit. Dennis has a track record of putting this band back up on the charts, but times have changed in the music industry. Another big hit for the band at this point in their career seems unlikely. But the Styx hits through the years have generally spoken of optimism and hope for the future. Maybe the reason the fanbase is so divided is because the music of this band has spoken to the hearts of all of them.

It's unfortunate and a bit unfair that the fans have been forced to pick sides. While you have those fans who will go to a Styx show or one of the Dennis DeYoung shows and have a good time, there are many fans who will only go to one or the other because of their feelings about what happened to break things up. Dennis has reached out and is ready and willing, so the next move is up to Styx themselves. If that move is going to be made, it would be up to James to make it. And why would he do that? Because it's the right thing to do.

Getting back to Lawrence Gowan, you don't even have to kick him out of the band to make this happen. Dennis himself has a second keyboardist in his band. This enables him to step out front of the stage and be the showman that he is. Gowan has put 18 years into this band, and I don't think Dennis has animosity towards him. Gowan is just taking a role that somebody else would have taken had he passed on the opportunity.

Lawrence might want to take a leave of absence to let this happen, but he could easily handle keyboard duties and sing a song off of The Mission, one of his other contributions to the band or even Criminal Mind. All of the classic Dennis songs would be sung by Dennis, of course. The fans get to see the three core members and even Chuck on stage one last time, and everybody can walk away happy at the end of the tour. It seems simple enough from this point of view, but when you're in the middle of it, things are a little bit different.

The talk heats up every November when people discuss who the next band will be in the Hall Of Fame. The body of work that Styx had back in those days, the way tickets and records sold and the way songs from those days still touch people's hearts today shows that this is a band that is worthy. At some point, Styx is going to be inducted into the Hall Of Fame. When that moment comes, it could be that we finally get what we were looking for. Then again, if it doesn't happen then, it may never happen.

Just What Is Perf Doing On That Quest?

Journey Quest is now in its third season with episodes being released weekly on YouTube. This is a series launched by Zombie Orpheus Entertainment about 6 years ago. It's a fantasy story that tells the tale of four adventurers on a quest to retrieve the Sword Of Fighting.

It's interesting to watch the four adventurers and where they are now in this story. You have the overzealous warrior, Glorion, who seems to enjoy killing a little to much. You have Carrow, who was killed by Orcs and then accidentally revived as an undead creature due to the inept magic of the yellow wizard Perf. You have Nara, the Elven ranger who believes the sword is her destiny. And then, you have the wizard Perf, short for Superfluous.

Perf does not act like he wants to be on this quest. He is a terrible wizard, who seems to only know two or three spells that aren't very useful. In the early going of the adventure, he was all too keen to try to run away. It's evident that he doesn't want to be there anymore. So why is he there?

I would love to see some back story on how this group was put together. We haven't seen it yet, but I believe it was Nara who assembled the group. Carrow was probably her first choice as the party priest and healer. It seems to me that she needed some muscle to kick butt when needed, and not much thought was put into choosing Glorion. He's not very smart, and he's not one for talking. He'd rather swing his blade at his enemies.

Speaking of the sword, Glorion also believes that the Sword Of Fighting is his destiny, and he's intent on taking it from Perf. If you watched the first season, you know that Perf accidentally grabbed the sword off of the wall in the dungeon. It was only a bit of dumb luck that he got that opportunity as he and Nara we're running from enemies and fell into the dungeon room by accident. Perf realized that the sword on the wall might be the sword they were looking for, and he grabbed it without even thinking.

Did he want that sword? Is that why he's on this Quest? That would be a no on both counts. He doesn't like the sword, and the intelligent talking sword doesn't like him either. In fact, the sword has tried to get him killed a few times, and Perf has repeatedly tried to throw the sword away and leave it on the ground. Unfortunately, he can't get rid of it that easily, and it seems to me he's going to have to come to terms with the fact that he is the sword bearer and take control of things.

You get a clue as to why he is on this quest in the very first episode of the first season. He wants to run away, and he looks over at Nara. He's torn, because it's obvious that he loves her. What probably happened was he saw Nara in a tavern or someplace trying to recruit party members, and he was smitten with her. Either that, or the order of wizards figured he was disposable and sent him along on the quest rather than give up one of the better members of their order. In either case, it was love at first sight for him.

In the current season, the most recent episode involved Perf and the Dwarven tavern owner in her bedroom. They were going to have intimate relations, but Perf at the last minute decided he couldn't go through with it. Why? Nara. He didn't want to cheat on her. Why did he put himself in the position with the Dwarven maiden to begin with? He'd been drinking, and she is a rare woman who has shown any interest in him.

I have no idea where things are going between Perf and Nara. It may be tied in with storyline of Perf being such a coward. He has to step up and gain confidence in himself. He has to claim ownership of the sword and accept the responsibility that a lot is riding on him and the party being successful in their mission. In doing that, he could ultimately win the heart of Nara as she sees him as a man rather than a coward. And ultimately, she is the reason he went on this quest to begin with.

If you want to get caught up on an entertaining web series, check out Journey Quest on YouTube or go to the Zombie Orpheus Entertainment web page @ www.zombieorpheus.com/

Sorry Democrats, But Non Voters Did Not Give Us Trump

I saw this meme on one of my social media pages again, and I hear this from time to time. This comes from a Democrat supporter who says not to blame the Donald Trump voters for Trump getting elected, but blame the people who did not vote. That's a rather arrogant stance to take. What this suggests is that everybody who did not vote would have voted for the Democrat candidate if they voted.

One of my big problems with these big elections as I've gotten older is the way none of the voters want to take responsibility for the change they would like to see in this world. You see it in your big state elections as well. They vote for somebody they think we'll do everything for them, and then they go back to sleep. When nothing changes, during the next election cycle, they get outraged. If you are greatly aligned with either party, then obviously it was the other party who caused every problem.

Let me put it to you this way. If you want to make a big change in your life or begin a project, do you delegate that to somebody else and let them do all the work? Yes, you might hire contractors to do things, but you are keeping an eye on what they are doing every step of the way. This doesn't happen in politics. Frequently, people vote for that candidate based on whatever they believe they say they are going to do that they agree with. Then they go about their life and don't pay attention unless the news puts a story in their face on the television screen.

I watch in amusement as people either blindly worship Donald Trump and everything he does or they are outraged against everything he does based on the frenzy the media whips and into. Don't blame the non-voters for this situation. They looked at the choices and said that neither was good enough. They looked at the third party option, if they went that far, and realized there was no chance of that ever happening. The non-voters recognize that the system as it is now is broken, and you can't fix it by voting. No matter what you do when you vote, it seems to make it worse.

I can break it down simply. The last election had nothing to do with Russia rigging anything. Both parties did attempt to rig the election in different ways. But if you want to boil it down to why the Democrat Party lost, it's because they forced a candidate on people that they did not want. People saw the system being rigged, whether they were buying into Donald Trump's rhetoric when he was saying it at the time or not. Rather than hold their nose and vote for the lesser of two evils, they realized that this way of thinking gets us nowhere either.

I like what Dennis DeYoung said in a podcast earlier this year. The majority of the people in this country aren't really for either party. They want a little from Column A and a little from Column B. When you hear any politician say "America wants this, " you know they are lying. America doesn't agree on anything totally. We will never fix this country as long as we go into an election cycle with an us against them attitude. And once again, you can't blame the non-voters for giving us president Trump. When you say that, you assume that every non-voter would have voted for the Democrat candidate, and you have no basis for a statement like that.

Why Would You Want To Go To Mars?

There's a trailer for a movie on the subject of going to Mars. I wrote about this previously. It's the Mars One project that will send four ordinary people to the fourth planet from the sun. It asks the question, what would make you abandon Earth?

I'm a little disheartened by this 11 minute preview, because the attitude of the people for the most part is either, it's something to do or they have nothing better to do. I hope this is an editing tactic from the movie maker and not an indication of the mentality of those wanting to go.

Would I go to Mars? I totally would if I was fit enough to go in ten years when they blast off. I mean, it's a one way trip and maybe a suicide mission. I say maybe, because we don't know if it is. We land rovers up there safely, so people could be landed safely.

I'd have to have confidence that this ship is going to land safely and we will be leaving with the necessary tools to establish our little colony. Plus, I need to know the others with me are capable of doing their share of what needs to be done.

I think that given the risk, it's better to send up those who are unattached and have nobody who will really miss them if they are gone. So, I would have no problem going in that sense. If I had a loved one and knew there was a good chance I could die, I wouldn't do it.

For me, it's worth the risk. I get the sense that some of them would be happy if the ship did blow up. Not me. As sad as I get sometimes, I don't want to go out that way. The appeal of this trip is to set foot on another planet that nobody from here (that we know of) has been on before.

I have real questions about Mars. I believe there are ruins up there based on some of the things I've seen presented by people like Richard C. Hoagland and others. I would love to see for myself and make history as the first to walk on Mars.

I believe this could be an inspiration to the people of Earth that we can do great things. We should be striving to send a manned mission there with intent to return. The first to land there will have to prove that we can sustain ourselves there.

That means just living day to day, growing crops, maintaining the system and everything else that is important. It's not a joke. The people back home will be looking at the news reports of how we are doing. We need to be serous about this.

So, I would do it to make history and accomplish something to inspire others. I would do it to give my life more purpose. I would do it to "boldly go" off of this planet and explore another world. I want this mission to succeed, so I hope those who are chosen have that sort of attitude.

Link To The story: www.theverge.com/2014/3/6/5478774/what-would-make-you-abandon-earth-for-mars-forever

Clark W. Griswold Is A Good Family Man

I'm a fan of Chevy Chase. I liked him since his days on Saturday Night Live. I love the way he delivers his lines in movies like Fletch and Caddyshack, sort of care free and aloof. One of my favorite characters in any movie really is Clark W. Griswold.

Clark is the kind of man who loves his wife and kids very much and wants to give them everything. I mean, he gets this picture in his mind about what they deserve and how good it will be, and he won't rest until he gives it to them. And, it has to be perfect.

He won't do it second best. He plots and plans it all. He puts it all into action, and it becomes one big disaster. He becomes too obsessed with it, and it blows up in his face. In Vacation, he wanted to take the family to Wally World. After all of the problems along the way, Wally World was closed. Of course, he flips out as only Clark can do.

In Christmas Vacation, he's gonna be holding the big family get together at his place. Of course, nothing goes right at all. The Christmas lights don't work, the tree catches on fire and his boss doesn't give out the Christmas bonus that year. He had a little help from cousin Eddie (Randy Quaid) in the end.

In Vegas Vacation, he nearly blows the whole thing. He's blinded by the glitz and glamor of Vegas and loses the family savings. He nearly loses sight of what is important, but he remembers it's his wife and kids that really matters. He remarries Ellen, his wife of 25 years.

Without his family, he would be lost, and he knows it. He's good at his job, but it's them that he does it for. His life isn't glamorous, but he knows what really matters. He just gets a little too obsessive sometimes in trying to give his family the good times they deserve.

Clark is a good man, and Chevy has done good work making so many movies you can take your family to and have some laughs. It's not that these movies don't get naughty, it's that they don't rely on that humor as the only way to be funny. I wonder how Clark would obsess over his daughter's wedding? Sounds like another movie idea to me.

I'm

Why Not A Disco Hall Of Fame?

I was just thinking what some may consider a silly idea. With Chic having been considered for the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame and "The Queen Of Disco" Donna Summer having been inducted, maybe they need a Disco Hall Of Fame to honor that music. Who would be inducted?

I don't have the hate of Disco that others do. I like all kinds of music, and I still have a record collection filled with a lot of disco. I see it as happy music to dance to. It was all about having a good time at the discos and roller rinks.

So, who would I put in? The "big 3" are in on the first ballot. Donna Summer, The Bee Gees and The Village People. Each had their hits back in the day. Last Dance and Love To Love You by Summer, Staying Alive and Jive Talking by The Bee Gees and YMCA and Macho Man by The Village People.

The first three are no brainers. Chic gets in just on Le Freak alone. Sister Sledge is getting in too. We Are Family was a big hit and was the anthem for the 1979 Pittsburgh Pirates World Series championship team. Yes, the music was big back in the day.

Kool & The Gang and The Commodores. I think there was a time when I was confused and thought they were the same group. Both considered themselves funk and soul, but songs like Brick House (The Commodores) and Celebration (Kool & The Gang) got played on radio all the time.

Let's not forget I Will Survive by Gloria Gaynor. Her song is probably top ten or top five on the all time disco chart. Cheryl Lynn's Got To Be Real, I would have to consider. Maybe not first year, but eventually. Two other groups not to be forgotten are The O'Jays with Used To Be My Girl and Hot Chocolate with You Sexy Thing.

Let's end this with two other huge acts of the day. Michael Jackson for starters. The Off The Wall album got lots of play on disco and pop radio, and you can darn sure dance to it. Is he first year? Perhaps, but I don't want to put them all in on the first ballot.

Earth Wind & Fire was huge back in the day. I know they consider themselves more funk and soul, but songs like September and Boogie Wonderland were big hits. They also did a nice rendition of Got To Get You Into My Life.

I think this would be a good idea. Maybe we could keep rock bands in their Hall Of Fame and give disco artists a place of their own. Would anybody come? Sure they would. With all the music and disco culture exhibits, the actual building would be interesting to visit. I could see it becoming a tourist attraction.

The Little Girl And The Tadpoles

Kids can be so cruel sometimes, especially when they are in groups. If one of them starts picking on another student at school, the others will sometimes join in. These days, there seems to be more awareness and trying to deal with bullying. Back in those days, you were told to just deal with it. You might have heard them say, "Ignore them and they won't bother you, because they'll see they aren't getting to you."

This isn't always easy to do. Lord knows she tried, but sometimes everything around you converges on you. It's a combination of bad things that can become so overwhelming when you are being bullied. Her mother didn't provide all the things from the government check that were supposed to be provided. Drugs were more important.

As a result, she didn't have the best clothes or hygiene, and she was teased relentlessly for it. One day, one of the kids noticed her green teeth and decided "Froggy" would be a nice nickname to call her. The name stuck, and soon other kids were calling her by that name.

She hated it. Why couldn't they leave her alone? Why wouldn't they play with her? She could be fun if they gave her a chance. One day, she happened by the water where the frogs were croaking away. She moved in to investigate and noticed the tadpoles in the water.

There was a jar by the water, and she decided to capture some of them in the jar. She hoped she could raise these tadpoles into frogs and release them back into the water. She got them home and set up a tank. She nurtured the tadpoles and one by one they grew into little frogs.

She held one in the palm of her hand and admired its beauty. Most people might admire a cat or a dog, but she saw the beauty in these small creatures. It became a habit of hers to raise tadpoles into frogs and release them back to the water. It was a way for her to be a mommy of sorts to these frogs, a better mommy than she had.

And so it was the girl they called Froggy became a "mother" to the frogs. It gave her some piece of mind and made her feel good about herself. Years later, there's a new generation of frogs in that water, and that particular line of frogs was touched by a little girl's efforts to nurture the tadpoles into frogs. That thought always brings a smile to her face.

Steve Walsh Releases Fourth Solo Album Black Butterfly

When Steve Walsh announced his retirement from Kansas a few years ago, it seemed like he had reached the end of his singing career. His voice wasn't what it used to be back in his glory days in the 1970's or even in the 1980's. After he released his third solo album Shadowman back in 2005, he decided he was retired from recording any music. Because of this, the other four members of Kansas recorded an album under the title Native Window.

That kind of saddened me to see Walsh go out the way he did. After listening to Glossolalia back in 2000, it was plain to me that this man had something to say in his music that didn't quite fit Kansas. Even his follow-up album Shadowman was pretty impressive. I can sort of understand why he didn't want to write or record with Kansas. It seems to me the things he has to say and the style of music he prefers doesn't quite fit the mold of Kansas.

So the question is, why would Steve stay with the band for so many years? You might say he did it for the paycheck. People will sit and judge these artists for doing that, but we should all be so lucky to make some sort of contribution to society that still pays off for us many years later. I think he still enjoyed the music, but at a certain point he had run out of gas.

With Black Butterfly, Walsh picks right up where he left off with Shadowman. He also helps introduce the world to a talented singer named Jerome Mazza. Jerome and Steve trade lead vocals on the song Born Of Fire, and Mazza handles lead vocals on three of the album's other ten tracks. David Spuria of The Real Music Observer series on YouTube has gone on record with his opinion that Jerome would have been a better replacement in Kansas for Walsh then current singer Ronnie Platt.

The song that immediately jumped out to me upon my first listen was the haunting track Tanglewood Tree. Steve does some different things vocally on this song, which speaks to the topic of suicide. It's a haunting song, really heartbreaking. What do you say when somebody you love decides their life is too much to take anymore? I have to admit my life isn't really at a happy place, not that suicide immediately jumps out to me as an answer to my problems.

There is also the song Dear Kolinda. This is pretty much a love song, and it's one of my three favorite songs on the album after Tanglewood Tree. The song Nothing But Nothing also jumped out at me, and this is a song that he wrote for his children. The album ends with the song Billie Carbone Is Dead. This is Steve's commentary about how when something tragic happens, society seems to want to hear all the news stories about who did the crimes, but the victims seem to be forgotten. It's also named after a member of Kansas road crew, who died tragically.

Walsh teamed up with Tommy Denander, who wrote a majority of the songs with Walsh. Musically, this album rocks, but it doesn't really sound much like the music you would hear Steve record with Kansas. This is one of the reasons I like this album so much. While I admit his voice doesn't sound like it did in the glory days, Steve still brings passion to his vocals. For me, it's much easier listening to him sing newer songs than singing his older songs the way he sounds now.

Back when he recorded his second solo album Glossolalia, Kansas was also recording Somewhere To Elsewhere, the last album by the band to include all of the original members. I've always felt that Steve had more passion on his solo album, and to me it's the better of the two.

To Black Butterfly I can only say this is a good album, and it should rank high among the albums recorded by classic rock artists in 2017. I don't know if Steve plans to do any shows where he plays these songs, or if anybody can even see him perform live at all in 2018. However, I can only hope that he won't rule out a fifth solo album. If this is an example of what he still has to offer as a musician as he approaches 70 years old, I can only hope that he keeps on rocking.

JourneyQuest Season 3 Episodes Being Released On YouTube

I happen to be a big fan of fantasy and used to play Dungeons & Dragons when I was younger. I still enjoy gamer humor from things like the Knights Of The Dinner Table comic and The Gamers movies. The Gamers movies were done by the Dead Gentlemen, and they ended up joining forces with Zombie Orpheus Entertainmart.

This led to a rather enjoyable web series a few years ago called Journey Quest. Journey Quest is the series that introduced me to the concept of independent entertainment as I discovered enjoyable web series such as The Guild, Standard Action, Space Janitors, Voyage Trekkers and the fan created Star Trek Continues.

Journey Quest follows the progress of a party on a quest to find the all powerful Sword Of Fighting. We have an inept wizard name to Perf. There is the elven ranger with whom Perf is smitten named Nara. There is the priest named Carrow, whom Perf accidentally turned into a living undead creature after Carrow is shot with a few arrows by a party of orcs. And finally, there's the overzealous paladin named Glorion. Maybe you'd have to be a gamer in a Dungeons & Dragons session back in the 1980's to really understand the humor of Glorion. One of my favorite Glorion quotes from the first season is, "Killing equals honor." That's followed closely by, "l was too brave to spare the elderly."

We are introduced to several interesting characters along the way, including the cute, pixie like bard named Wren. Wren is sent to follow the party without being observed so that she may write an epic about their adventure. Of course, late in the second season, they send the famed bard Silver Tom to replace her. We also see the three surviving orcs who managed to not be killed by Glorion. Their leader is Rilk, who is smitten with Wren. I admit I am a fan of the Rilk-Wren story.

It is during the first season when, in a rather comical moment, Perf ends up getting the Sword Of Fighting. Of course, he is the last member of the party who should be wielding it. He doesn't want it, but now he can't get rid of it. To make matters worse, the sword is intelligent and doesn't like Perf. It makes for some funny moments, and it also makes Perf the target of Glorion, who believes the sword is rightfully his.

Glorion gets separated from the party, and when we see scenes of him, he's leaving a trail of destruction in his path. We don't get to see Glorion and the orcs until the fourth episode of our current season.With all of the characters having been seen, Season 3 is getting more interesting. We see Perf getting drunk at a tavern, and he ultimately doesn't resist the advances of the dwarven woman who owns the tavern. Unfortunately, Glorion is about to make his way to the tavern.Wren is there, and the orcs have also made their way there.

There's enough gaming references to make the gaming geek happy, but you don't necessarily have to be a gamer to get all of the humor of the show. It's funny in its own right. You care about the characters.I'm not sure where the show is going next. I am sure that I am enjoying their journey, and I hope their quest succeeds in the end.

Since the show began, Zombie Orpheus has grown to include several different web series. They use Patreon to get the crowdfunding that has helped them since Day 1.They are very interested In making content that their viewers enjoy, and as such, they keep an open line of communication with their fan base. In an era where it seems like Hollywood throws big bucks at various projects, Zombie Orpheus Is proving that you don't have to have a huge budget to be entertaining. All you need is creativity, good writers, good actors and a supportive fan base. With this model, the sky is the limit for them.

Check out their website at http://zombieorpheus.com/

Using A Smartphone To Write An Article

I just got myself a new smartphone to replace the one I broke a few months ago. The remarkable thing about these devices is that this little phone I hold in my hand has more ability than my very first desktop computer. And, technology continues to evolve.

Typing and editing can be tedious work. My current laptop has two busted keys, and that makes typing more of a chore for me. I'm actually doing a little bit of jogging in place while I dictate into my phone. This isn't something I could have done when I got my very first computer.

The scary part in all of this is where technology may be heading. A few years ago, I saw the reports about how they are creating AI programs that can actually write articles. Eventually, we'll be reading articles online that weren't even written by a human. In fact, there probably are such articles out there now.

I suppose one of my biggest concerns with all of this technology is that I don't believe it's making us smarter. It does make things a little bit easier for us, but the algorithms used in search engines and such are actually beginning to do our thinking for us.

I could get into more of this, but I've learned that these days it's better to do quick articles. It seems that people don't like reading long articles. I like writing longer articles, so this is an adjustment for me.  Go figure.

Fan Created And Independent Video Content Grows In Popularity

The beautiful thing about technology is that it can enhance the possibilities of what creative people can do.  A great example of this can be seen with fan created internet video content.  If you have a creative mind, the basic tools required and even a simple budget, you can do quite a bit.  Of course, the more ambitious you are with your ideas, the more it may cost you.

Content creators have taken a couple of different routes.  One is to take existing Hollywood owned intellectual property and tells their own stories with it.  This has resulted in hours of entertaining videos from just a few minutes long to feature movie length.  The fan created content from IP they don't own has produced some very good results as well as some cringe worthy efforts.  It has also resulted in legal issues.

Content owners can be very protective of their property.  Back in the 1990's, when the internet was in its infancy, fans of the game Dungeons & Dragons started sharing their whole campaigns and posting them on their web pages.  You might think this would be considered a good thing for the IP owners, but they started shutting down these pages and cracking down on the fans.  It was not a smart public relations move, but they were within their rights to do what they did.

Some of the more popular fan created efforts have come using the Star Trek and Star Wars IP.  Creative minds have used other shows from multiple genres.  One of the more interesting efforts was a show called Adult Wednesday Adams.  Melissa Hunter did a spot on performance of how the Addams Family character might be as an adult.  Her show was very popular, and she was promptly shut down by the IP owners.  While not a popular decision, they were within their rights.  To be clear, she was not trying to get rich off of other people's IP.  She just used it as a vehicle to show what she could do as an actress.

Star Trek fans are passionate about their show, and there is a divide over what is happening with the franchise since the more recent movies.  Some say the J.J. Abrams vision is too far removed from what Gene Roddenberry created.  With the internet and technology being what it is, fans have been able to make better and better episodes of Star Trek based in various eras of the Trek universe.  The original Star Trek is one of the more popular choices.

One reason for that is because the original series wasn't known for having the greatest special effects or the biggest budget when it aired in the 1960's.  That is one of the show's charms.  The most recent and perhaps the best ever fan production is Star Trek Continues.  With money from his own pockets and fan donations, Vic Mignogna created a spot on replica set of The Enterprise.  The look and feel of what has been filmed is what you might have seen when the original show aired.  The writing is impressive.  Only the actors in the iconic roles have changed, but their performances are spot on.

With each new fan created effort, they seem to take it up a notch, and Prelude To Axanar finally drew the attention of CBS and Paramount, owners of the IP.  Axanar was a 20 minute piece made in documentary style that talks about the Four Years War between The Federation and The Klingons.  It was so well done that they raised over $600,000 to make a full length movie and more money to build a studio.  CBS and Paramount stepped in with their lawyers and shut it down, causing more outrage from long time Trek fans who felt that this effort was more in line with the Roddenberry vision.

They furthermore set restrictive guidelines on what a fan created film can and can't be that forced Mignogna to bring an earlier than planned end to Star Trek Continues.  Vic has been respectful of the IP owners and has always maintained that what he does is a love letter to the old show and an attempt to fill the gap between where the old series ended and the movies began.  When the 11th Trek Continues episode is released in November, he will have accomplished his goal.  Vic says he holds no ill feelings towards the IP holders, supports their decision and has been in touch with them while creating his show.  Vic has also been vocal in speaking out against those trying to make money off of other people's IP, which he maintains is something he's never done with his show.

The nice thing about fan created content is that you get things like Star Trek Continues or Born Of Hope, which is based in Middle Earth at the time of Aragorn's birth.  The Tolkien Estate has actually shut down a few fan efforts that have attempted to tell stories based in Middle Earth.  This is the risk you take when entering worlds created by others and attempting to tell a story.  With the tools the average person has at their disposal, they could step in and tell stories in worlds laid out by The Matrix, Pirates Of The Caribbean, Back To The Future or the iconic Godfather Series.

There is a thriving market for all new content created by independent film makers.  If you are a fan of time travel, for instance, there are some entertaining movies available on YouTube for free.  The fantasy genre is a popular one, and there are some good efforts.  There's shows like Standard Action, Space Janitors, Voyage Trekkers, The Guild, Journey Quest and The Gamers, for instance.  The company Zombie Orpheus produces the latter two shows and more.  They started out taking fan donations and putting that content out for free, and now they are subscription based.  The writing is good.  As the actors have worked with each other more and more, their performances have gotten better as well.

As the internet evolves, there is a market for this fan created or independently produced content.  People will pay money if it's something they find entertaining.  You don't even need somebody else's IP to create something good.  You just need a good imagination, writing skills and some money for the necessary equipment.  What might be interesting to see would be the owner of a popular IP officially sanctioning the fans to be creative.  Fans want to be more engaged in these worlds that have inspired their imaginations, and sometimes what they create can rival the official product.  More and more people are starting to believe that the entertainment world is in need of change and fresh ideas.  Perhaps they can benefit from what is happening in the independent entertainment industry.