Life Matters

 I was thinking last weekend about how short life really is. In the last month, I've lost two aunts and a former high school and college classmate who lost a long battle with cancer. I only have 1 aunt and 1 uncle left, both on my mom's side of the family. It made me realize how our time above ground is limited.

My aunt Nettie passed away on New Year's Eve Day unexpectedly. I was out of town at a Sevendust concert in Green Bay, WI, and didn't hear the news until I returned home the next day. Nettie was the 2nd oldest of 10 kids in Mom's family (7 boys and 3 girls) and was still quite mentally sharp. I'm glad that I got to catch up with her last summer at a family get-together.

My aunt Connie passed away on January 8th after dealing with some health issues for a while. She wasn't my favorite relative, because there were some lingering family issues, but she was family nonetheless. Unfortunately, I missed both of the services because I was self-quarantining after testing positive for Covid (I had nothing more than cold symptoms and have been feeling much better), but I heard from my parents that they were well-attended and there were plenty of people who had good things to say about them both.

I was surprised to hear last weekend that my old classmate (and star of the ROCORI 1988 boys' basketball state champion team) passed away. I didn't know that he'd been battling cancer. I had a few classes with him in high school and college, and he seemed like an intelligent and kind person. I'm sure those closest to him know how much he mattered to them.

Three deaths in less than a month made me ponder about the fragility of human existence. We never know when it could be taken away from us, so why not try to live each moment to the fullest and value those who are close to us? It seems like we get so caught up in the daily activities and all the negativity going on in the world that we sometimes lose focus. I'm making more of a conscious effort to not dwell on the bad and instead appreciate the good. I've been job-hunting since November and the rejections and ghosting can be discouraging, but I've also had some good interviews and feedback and I have at least one freelance gig lined up so far. I just have to keep pushing forward and believing in myself. The ideal career will be found, probably sooner than later (I hope). 

Well, that's all for now. I'd like to resume my music series sometime soon. It all depends on ideas and my free time. Until my next post, have a great week and don't forget to be kind to one another.

I'm Not Interested

 I'm Not Interested

An impromptu poem

by Aaron D. Backes

I'm not interested in unsolicited ads. 

I have enough unnecessary life interruptions as it is.

I'm not interested in "liking" social media pages,

especially if the request is from someone I don't interact with.

I'm not interested in duplicating work.

If I fill out a form or submit a form, I'm not re-entering that information again.

I'm not interested in optional surveys.

If something's optional, I usually opt the fuck out of it.

I'm not interested in things that I've never expressed interest in, to begin with.

The more I hear about them, the less likely I will change my mind.

I'm not interested in being expected to settle with being unhappy.

I'd rather pursue things that interest me and give me a reason to smile.

I'm not interested in mindlessly following the crowd.

If I like certain things, I like them. If I don't like them, then I don't. 

I'm not interested in conspiracy theories.

The fact that they're theories tells me everything I need to know about them.

I'm not interested in being rich and famous.

I just want to do what I love, make enough money to live comfortably, and have good people in my life. That's all that really matters, anyway.

I've had ideas for this piece in my head for a few weeks before I finally decided to post them in my blog. Hope you enjoyed it.

Until next time, have a great weekend and don't forget to be kind to one another.

Bucky's 2024 Year in Review

 Hi everyone,

Last year I didn't do a year in review column because I'd just had ankle surgery a couple of days before 2023 began. This year, I thought I'd write about how last year went for me. It was full of ups and downs like most years, but it ended on a positive note (for the most part) and enough good momentum heading into 2024.

My surgery was on December 29th, 2022. I was pretty bummed that I had to miss the Sevendust New Year's Eve show in Green Bay. I cancelled my hotel reservation and gave my concert ticket to a member of the Sevendust Facebook family so that they could take their son to the show. I wore a cast, splint or brace on my right ankle until late March 2023. I wasn't medically cleared to drive until then, so it put a damper on any plans until spring.

I attended my first rock show of 2023 in late May at the 7th Street Entry of the legendary First Avenue in downtown Minneapolis. It was great to see my friends in Cold on their 20th anniversary tour for their classic Year of the Spider album. Oddly enough, it wouldn't be the only 20th anniversary album show I'd see that year. 

In June, some of my relatives from the West Coast came to MN to visit. We had a nice gathering on a very warm day at one of their favorite metro restaurants. It was good to see everyone, especially since it was the last time I got to see my Aunt Nettie in person. 

The Minnesota Twins had a surprisingly good season in 2023. They clinched the American League Central and broke a couple of long playoff losing streaks in the postseason. I attended a couple of games in July, sandwiched around my birthday (the first was a 6-2 loss to the Baltimore Orioles, and the next was a 3-2 win over the division rival Chicago White Sox, with a buddy of mine from IL in attendance). In 2002, I invited friends for an impromptu lunch, which 1 person showed up for. In 2023, I announced my birthday dinner plans 3 months in advance, and no one showed up. I don't blame people who live out of the area or who already had prior plans, but those events definitely made me rethink certain friendships.

I also went to my first comedy show in years, at the Red Carpet Nightclub in downtown St. Cloud in July. Headliner Steve Hofstetter and his 4 openers did a great job of keeping the crowd thoroughly entertained during their sets. I also caught sets by Collective Unconscious, Slip Twister and others during an Alzheimer's benefit just a few blocks from my home on a nice fall day. Slip Twister were the regular house band at the Carpet for years, and although they don't play nearly as often anymore (the group members are also in the Fabulous Armadillos), hearing their original songs was a real trip down memory lane (I still want one of those cassettes, by the way). 

I attended my first Sevendust family reunion of 2023 (and 41st Sevendust show overall) at the new Fillmore theater in Minneapolis, just a few short steps from Target Field. During the pre-show meet and greet, I presented drummer Morgan Rose with a onesie for his new grandson. Sevendust and MJT were on the bill supporting Alter Bridge as part of their Pawns and Kings tour that summer. All 3 bands were great, and I enjoyed catching up with different members of the Sevendust family. Sadly, it was also the last time that I got to talk with a member of the Sevendust family who lost a tough battle with cancer last month. 

My next Sevendust show was in Clive IA, as part of the Machine Killer. Sevendust was the co-headliner with Static-X. It was my first time seeing Static-X, Dope and Lines of Loyalty live in concert. I had a great time hanging with members of the Sevendust family on an unseasonably warm fall day. 

My next show was Alice Cooper guitarist and Mammoth WVH in First Avenue's main room. I bought a ticket and found my way to the front rail. I didn't buy any merch and didn't have any of the groups' music, but still had fun enjoying their stage presence and hearing songs that the crowd really got into. The last time I saw Wolfgang Van Halen was when he played bass in his father's band at Target Center more than a decade ago. He writes, records, sings and performs all of the songs on his solo albums, so I have to give him a lot of credit for his talent and hard work.

In November, I made the trek to the Quad Cities area of IA/IL for my first Instamix session in years. I got the bad news that I lost my job about an hour after checking into my hotel. I was understandably bummed, but my friends tried to cheer me up when we caught up at the casino the night before the event, and I'm very thankful for that. 

The next day, I was at the Attic in Geneseo, IL as Jose Urquiza (3 Years Hollow), Morgan Rose (Sevendust), Barry Stock (Three Days Grace) and Shaun Foist (Breaking Benjamin) created a new song from scratch before our eyes. A few hours later, most of us stayed for the listening party for the quartet's new album as Table 9. All eleven songs (and a bonus cover track) were excellent! I was proud of what they'd produced, and it was interesting hearing how each song evolved and the project itself surfaced from an earlier Instamix session. All 4 guys stayed to answer questions and pose for photos before we retreated to the casino for games, refreshments and good conversation. 

Last year, I missed the Sevendust New Year's week tour because of my ankle injury. This year, I was determined to catch at least one show. I made it to Green Bay on December 30th the night before the New Year's Eve show at the Epic Event Center. It was cold but warmer than the same day in 2023. The guys did a brief mini-tour in IL and WI for the 20th anniversary of their album Seasons. I got to catch up with Morgan and lead guitarist Clint Lowery for a few minutes after the meet and greet soundcheck and photos, and went to a local bar & grill to catch up with other members of the Sevendust family before the show. It was my first time hearing South Dakota natives Core, but I was familiar with the other openers, Bloomington, IL residents Burden of the Sky and 10 Years, another favorite band of mine. Sevendust played through the entire Seasons album along with a trio of songs in the encore after the New Year's Eve countdown was over. 

I got home yesterday in the late afternoon hours. I also received the unfortunate news that my aunt Nettie had unexpectedly passed away while I was in Green Bay the day before. I was sad to hear this, but I know that my aunt lived a very long full life, and made the most of her 92 years. I'll deal with the service when it's held along with a few upcoming job interviews with the same positivity and focus that I had at the end of 2023. I know that better days are ahead for all of us in the coming months. I hope that each and every one of you had a happy holiday season and have a prosperous 2024.

Well,  that's all I have for now. Until next time, have a great week, everyone!

I Don't Get It

 I Don't Get It

An impromptu essay by Aaron D. Backes

I don't get it.

Republicans plan to make banning free school lunches one of their top priorities in 2024, even though several studies show that children are more alert and do better in school when adequately fed.

I don't get it.

Republicans want to impeach Joe Biden even though they have no realistic evidence that would warrant such action.

I don't get it. 

Some Republicans want to ban books that feature members of the LGBTQ+ community, even though such works are not offensive in any way.

I don't get it. 

Many Republicans are adamantly against gun control, even though we've had more mass shootings than days in the calendar year every year this decade. Missouri legislators even recently voted to allow children to carry guns in public.

I don't get it.

Texas resident Kate Cox had to flee her home state because she was not allowed to abort her pregnancy which was no longer viable.

I don't get it.

Many Republicans are mad at Democrats for the recent ruling in Colorado that would remove Donald J. Trump from the 2024 presidential election ballots in their state, even though the case for this action was brought forth by Republicans and Independents.

I don't get it.

Many Republicans are vehemently opposed to COVID-19 vaccines, even though empirical data that's surfaced since the pandemic started clearly shows how many more COVID-19 illnesses and deaths have happened in red states than blue states.

I don't get it.

Donald J. Trump has 91 indictments, was impeached twice, and arrested four times, and yet he's still expected to be the Republican candidate for president in 2024.

I don't get it.

Trump also allegedly craps his diapers and reportedly smells terrible. (Hence, the reason why #trumpsmells has been trending lately.) Republicans still support him anyway.

I don't get it.

Many Republicans constantly complain about "cancel culture," while they are actively trying to cancel things they don't like. They also criticize companies and individuals for being "woke," which means being aware of social and political events. Maybe they'd rather stay asleep and live in their little dream worlds. 

We can definitely do better as a nation. 

Until next time, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Rock Bands You Should Know #4: Mammoth WVH

 Mammoth WVH is a relatively new band formed by Eddie Van Halen's son Wolfgang. I was fortunate to see them live in concert at First Avenue in downtown Minneapolis last month. They're a fun live band that's well worth seeing whenever they're in your area.

Wolfgang started the band while he was still the bassist for Van Halen. He started recording his debut album in 2015 at 5150 Studios. Wolfie has thus far written, recorded, sung and performed all of the instruments on Mammoth's albums. He was also the bass guitarist for Alter Bridge/Creed lead guitarist Mark Tremonti's solo band Tremonti until being replaced by Tanner Keegan on bass and played drums on Sevendust lead guitarist's 2020 solo release God Bless The Renegades.

The first Mammoth WVH single, "Distance," was an emotional tribute to Eddie Van Halen, who passed away in December 2020 after enduring a bout with throat cancer. It was one of several songs included on their debut album, which was released in June 2021. Wolfgang revealed in interviews that he wanted to use the name Mammoth as part of his band name, as it was a moniker that his father's band initially used early on. Eddie gave his son approval to use the name as well.

Wolfgang is joined on tour by his former Tremonti bandmate Garrett Whitlock on drums, bassist Ronnie Ficarro, and guitarists Jon Jourdan and Frank Sidoris. Their second album, Mammoth II, was released in August 2023. Mammoth WVH has been on the road recently as a headliner (with Alice Cooper guitarist Nita Strauss and her solo band as the opening act) and supporting Metallica during their stadium tour. 

I was impressed by Wolfie's talent and on-stage presence during last month's show. He's clearly learned from some of the best. His music videos also have a good tongue-in-cheek sense of humor, much like many of the Foo Fighters videos that I've seen over the years. One of these days, I'll have to spring for the VIP meet and greet. It'd be interesting to pick his brain about music and his experiences. I strongly recommend picking up their albums and catching a show or two. 

Well, that's all for now. Until next time, have a great week, everyone!

Rock Bands You Should Know #3: Lines of Loyalty

 Lines of Loyalty is a regional band that I stumbled onto after seeing them at a recent show opening for Sevendust and Static-X in Clive, Iowa. They're a three-piece band that hasn't been around for very long, but they've developed a small, loyal following. I think they're meant for great things. 

The group was originally known as Mixed Company. They've been using the Lines of Loyalty moniker since 2021. The current lineup consists of drummer/percussionist Shane Madsen, bassist/keyboardist Redo Ianni, and singer/guitarist Nubz Morrison. Morrison has been quoted as having said that the concept of loyalty is essential, after having been burned by people in the past. Lines of Loyalty calls Kenosha, Wisconsin home. 

Lines of Loyalty worked with my friend Chris Dawson (former Seasons After rhythm guitarist) in writing and recording songs for their full-length album Hurts to be Human, which was released earlier this year. The title track and singles such as "I'm Not the One" and "My Addiction" are well worth checking out. They have good onstage energy for a three-piece band and it's easy to see that they feed off of crowd interaction. I highly recommend checking them out if they're playing in your area. Maybe we'll get to see them again when the next leg of the Sevendust/Static-X tour kicks off in February.

Well, that's all for now. Next time, I'll write about Wolfgang Van Halen's band Mammoth WVH, who I just saw live in concert at First Avenue in downtown Minneapolis a few weeks back. Until then, have a great week, everyone!

Bullies versus Nerds, or Modern American Politics

 By the time most of us have been in grade school for a few years, we're either a bully or a nerd. I was definitely never a bully. I was smart, skinny and started wearing glasses in 5th grade. I was bullied by a few kids and I had friends who were bullied. The funny thing is that some of us never really grow out of those stereotypes.

I've been watching the current state of U.S. politics lately and that last statement definitely seems true. From my viewpoint, it appears that most of the MAGA Republicans are the bully types, whereas the Democrats are the nerds. I'm not saying that's necessarily true of all current American politicians of course, but the parallels are striking. It seems like Donald J. Trump and many of his disciples think that it's okay to try to push people around to get their way, because they know that their Democratic counterparts won't make much of an effort to stand up for themselves or oppose them. 

I know that there are some strong Democrats, Independents and others who see right through the MAGA bullshit. I really don't know why anyone would continue to support a guy who lied 30,573 times during his presidential term, attempted to incite an insurrection after losing his re-election bid, was recently found liable for sexual assault and is currently in court on charges of vastly overestimating the values of multiple business properties. 

I don't hear a lot of noise from very many Democrats these days. I think that more of them should speak up and take proactive stances against the Republican rhetoric. There are some positive strides being made, such as in this week's anti-abortion wins at the polls in some states. However, there's a lot more work that needs to be done. We can't just sit idly by and let Republicans continue to give tax cuts to the wealthy and corporations, while attempting to cut Social Security and Medicare and do nothing to assist veterans, teachers, the working class and others who are simply struggling to survive in the age of high prices and corporate greed.

I don't pretend to have all the answers, but it sure would be nice if both sides would actually forgo their differences and work together to resolve many of the issues that are regular topics on the evening news. If they can't get over the bully and nerd stereotypes, it might just be time to throw them all out and start all over. No lobbying, no special interests, no nonsense. That could really make America great again.

Well, that's all I have for now. Until next time, have a great weekend, everyone!