The Von

Friday and the Random 10 (Can We Beat Georgia Again? Edition)

2022-01-07T01:00:00.001-05:00

********************************************************************************

Welcome to a new and improved, simplified and

stripped down Random 10!

The Rules: Set your iPod, mp3 player, or media player on random and list the first ten songs that pop up, no matter how embarrassing.

1) AC/DC/Back in Black

2) Styx/I'm Gonna Make You Feel It

3) Yes/Everydays

4) Kansas/Need

5) Wings/Not Such a Bad Boy

6) Squire-Sherwood/Days of Wonder

7) John Lennon/Yes I'm You're Angel

8) The Beatles/Penny Lane

9) Journey/Homemade Love

10) Billy Joel/The Longest Time

I'm still rebuilding my music collection so there may be a lot of repeat artists for awhile.

********************************************************************************

Stay warm/dry/comfy wherever you are, don't eat Tide pods or snort condoms, be safe, and Roll Tide!

Randomness so far in 2022: AC/DC, Alan Parsons Project, Beatles (2), Billy Joel, Journey, Kansas (2), John Lennon (2), REO Speedwagon, Rush, Squire-Sherwood, Styx (2), Wings (2), Yes (3)

********************************************************************************

Friday and the Random 10 (New Year's Eve Return Edition)

2021-12-31T10:29:00.000-05:00

********************************************************************************

Welcome to a new and improved, simplified and

stripped down Random 10!

The Rules: Set your iPod, mp3 player, or media player on random and list the first ten songs that pop up, no matter how embarrassing.

1) The Beatles/Maxwell's Silver Hammer

2) Wings/So Bad

3) Yes/Roundabout

4) Yes/Harold Land

5) REO Speedwagon/Reelin'

6) Kansas/Portrait (He Knew)

7) John Lennon/Don't Worry Kyoko

8) The Alan Parsons Project/Can't Take It With You

9) Styx/Fight of Our Lives

10) Rush/Big Money

********************************************************************************

Stay warm/dry/comfy wherever you are, don't eat Tide pods or snort condoms, be safe, and Roll Tide!

Randomness so far in 2022: Alan Parsons Project, Beatles, Kansas, John Lennon, REO Speedwagon, Rush, Styx, Wings, Yes (2)

********************************************************************************

Bryson City Magnets (#'s 227 - 234)

2021-04-04T08:44:00.005-04:00

We took a weekend trip to Bryson City, NC to get away. You know what that means: magnets!

#227

#228

#229

#230

#231

#232

#233

#234

**********************************************************************************

Magnet #'s 220 - 226

2020-12-18T13:08:00.000-05:00

Okay, for this bunch of magnets I kinda cheated a bit. I was looking through some websites for railroad museums and they had an online gift shop. I picked a few up considering I may never visit some of these places, you know, like Alaska.

#220

#221

I got these from the Virginia Museum of Transportation:

#222

#223

These are from the Wiscasset, Waterville and Farmington Railway (WW&F Ry) Museum in Alna, Maine (someday!).

#224

#225

And finally, from the Cumbres and Toltec:

#226

**********************************************************************************

The Rest of the Vacation Magnets (#'s 214-219)

2020-12-18T11:30:00.000-05:00

After collecting a bunch of magnets from Branson, we were only able to find just a few more the rest of our vacation.

This one was a classic along Route 66.

The next batch comes from the Transportation Museum in St. Louis:

And the last one is from the National Quilt Museum (yes, really) that was in Paduca, KY.

**********************************************************************************

All the Branson, MO Magnets (#'s 205-213)

2020-12-18T10:55:00.007-05:00

So many magnets from Branson:

Baseball Card Mail Week (10/03/2020)

2020-10-03T00:30:00.013-04:00

Been awhile, but I have picked up this trio of PSA graded cards:

********************************************************************************
Also this pair of Broder cards from 1989:

And here's a cool miscellaneous item:

Also been picking up a few uncut panels:

1986 Fleer Stickers

1987 Fleer Stickers

********************************************************************************

Baseball Card Mail Week in Review (09/05/20)

2020-09-05T14:16:00.004-04:00

I finally got this 1986 Boardwalk & Baseball error card (no slash between the B&B).

********************************************************************************

More graded cards!

Another miscellaneous item:

********************************************************************************

Arkansas Magnets (#'s 202-204)

2020-08-25T20:55:00.000-04:00

We hit some spots in Arkansas on our vacation trip:

#202: Eureka Springs and Northern Arkansas Railroad

#203: Bulls Shoals Caverns (Spelunking!)

#204: Not Urkansas but Arkansas

Be sure to check out the Refrigerator Magnet Challenge at the top!

Check it out on Facebook here.

********************************************************************************

The Vacation Magnets of Memphis (#'s 198-201)

2020-08-23T19:14:00.003-04:00

And you thought I forgot about magnets while I was on vacation!

#198

#199: It was vacation so Sarah had to let me get this one.

#200, The King

#201

Be sure to check out the Refrigerator Magnet Challenge at the top!

Check it out on Facebook here.

********************************************************************************

Baseball Card Mail Week in Review (05/30/20)

2020-05-30T13:24:00.000-04:00

This was an interesting get:

********************************************************************************

Some uncut panels:

1984 Ralston Purina

1987 Burger King

More graded cards:

********************************************************************************

Baseball Card Mail Week in Review (05/23/20)

2020-05-23T14:25:00.004-04:00

I got this 2015 Museum Quad pretty cheap.

********************************************************************************

More graded cards!

A few other miscellaneous cards and items:

2014 Panini Crusade, 2019 Topps Green, and 1990 Donruss Preview

1995 Leaf and 1986 APBA game card

********************************************************************************

This Day in Music History: Jon Anderson/In the City of Angels (05/17)

2020-05-17T00:30:00.000-04:00

In the City of Angels is the fifth solo album by Yes lead singer Jon Anderson, released on this day in 1988.

Unlike most of Anderson's previous solo works, this album contains many additional songwriters. Consequently this is the most straight-ahead commercial pop album in his catalog, and sounds closer to a Toto album than his own earlier works. In fact, Toto performs on several songs. Jon reciprocated the favor by performing on their album The Seventh One (recorded about the same time as In the City of Angels).

A music video for "Hold on to Love" aired on MTV. In the video, the album is titled In The City of Lost Angels. Yes's bass player Chris Squire has a cameo appearance in the video starting at around the 1:28 mark.

********************************************************************************

This Day in Music History: King Crimson/In the Wake of Poseidon (05/15)

2020-05-15T00:30:00.000-04:00

In the Wake of Poseidon is the second studio album by the progressive rock group King Crimson, released on this day in 1970. The album was recorded during instability in the band, with several personnel changes, but repeats the style of their first album, In the Court of the Crimson King. Also like their first album, the mood of this album often changes from serene to chaotic.

Tracks:
1. "Peace – A Beginning"
2. "Pictures of a City" (including "42nd at Treadmill")
3. "Cadence and Cascade"
4. "In the Wake of Poseidon" (including "Libra's Theme")
5. "Peace – A Theme" (instrumental)
6. "Cat Food"
7. "The Devil's Triangle" (instrumental)
I. "Merday Morn"
II. "Hand of Sceiron"
III. "Garden of Worm"
8. "Peace – An End"

This Day in Music History:Styx/Big Bang Theory (05/10)

2020-05-10T00:30:00.000-04:00

Big Bang Theory is the fifteenth studio album by the band Styx, released on this day in 2005. It consists of cover versions of classic rock songs.

In 2004, Styx performed a cover of the Beatles song "I Am the Walrus" at Eric Clapton's Crossroads Festival, where the song was received so well that it was released as a single. The single's success resulted in the band recording this album of cover songs. The album reached #46 on the Billboard Top 200 Albums, Styx's highest charting album in 14 years.

Track listing:

1) "I Am the Walrus" (The Beatles)

2) "I Can See for Miles" (The Who)

3) "Can't Find My Way Home" (Blind Faith)

4) "It Don't Make Sense (You Can't Make Peace)" (Willie Dixon)

5) "I Don't Need No Doctor" (Humble Pie)

6) "One Way Out" (The Allman Brothers Band)

7) "A Salty Dog" (Procol Harum)

8) "Summer in the City" (The Lovin' Spoonful)

9) "Manic Depression" (The Jimi Hendrix Experience)

10) "Talkin' About the Good Times" (The Pretty Things)

11) "Locomotive Breath" (Jethro Tull)

12) "Find the Cost of Freedom" (Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young)

13) "Wishing Well" (Free)

14) "Blue Collar Man @ 2120" (rerecording of a Styx song)

Baseball Card Mail Week in Review (05/09/20)

2020-05-09T00:30:00.000-04:00

I was actually able to find some
Topps Gallery of Champions Bronze (1987, 1988)

********************************************************************************

More graded cards!

Three Gem Mint 10's!

********************************************************************************

Baseball Card Mail Week in Review (05/02/20)

2020-05-02T00:30:00.000-04:00

Another one that I'm proud of. One of two PSA 9's. No 10's exist.

********************************************************************************

More graded cards!

One of my oldest PSA needs. And also working my way to the 90's!

And the rest is just a random mix:

1986 OPC Box Bottom and a 2016 Topps Gold Label red (#'d 16/50)

2005 Upper Deck Hall of Fame green (#'d 20/25)

********************************************************************************

This Day in Music History:Yes/Union (04/30)

2020-04-30T00:30:00.000-04:00

Union is the thirteenth studio album by British progressive rock band Yes, released on this date in 1991. It was so called because it brought together the previous Yes album's lineup (Jon Anderson, Chris Squire, Trevor Rabin, Alan White, Tony Kaye) and the then ex-Yes members group ABWH.

Front Cover by Roger Dean

After Big Generator in 1987, Jon Anderson teamed up with ex-Yes men Steve Howe, Rick Wakeman and Bill Bruford. The result was Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe, released in 1989 and supported by a successful tour. Because of the separate existence of Yes (part of the band's name still being owned by Chris Squire), this alternate incarnation were forced to use their surnames as the band's name after Squire threatened legal action. Meanwhile, Yes began composing and recording material for their follow-up, while ABWH did the same in April 1990.

Bowing to record company pressure to resurrect the Yes banner, Squire and Anderson came up with the idea of merging both projects, which resulted in the 1991 album Union. The result was a mix match of songs from all over the place.

"Masquerade" was a solo piece Howe had recorded some time before, included at the last minute when the record company requested a solo guitar piece from him. It earned the album a Grammy nomination for Best Rock Instrumental Performance.

"The More We Live" was the product of a new writing partnership between Chris Squire and Billy Sherwood, who had briefly been considered as replacement for Jon Anderson in the Rabin-led version of Yes.

"Lift Me Up", "Saving My Heart" and "Miracle of Life" were largely demos. Rabin had been planning to record them properly and was taken by surprise that they were used as they were, with vocals from Anderson added.

"Evensong" was a version of Bruford and session bassist Tony Levin's duet from the ABWH tour.

The ABWH project attempted a second, follow-up album that never materialized, and, from the long set of demos called Dialogue, the only surviving piece to make it onto Union was "Take the Water to the Mountain".

Both the main riff of "I Would Have Waited Forever" and the 9/4 riff in "Silent Talking" can be heard on Steve Howe's solo album Turbulence, released about the same time.

"Lift Me Up", became Yes' biggest hit on Billboard's Album Rock Tracks chart, reaching the top spot and remaining there for six weeks in early 1991.

Although the supporting world tour was a commercial and critical success, praised by fans and band as one of Yes' best, the album was not as well-received, resulting in sales figures equivalent to those of the ABWH album (half a million copies worldwide). Union would turn out to be Yes' last studio album to have significant sales, though it did not match the popularity of 1987's Big Generator.

Wakeman, Bruford and Howe would depart the sprawling line-up in 1992, returning Yes to its 1983-1988 line-up. Union would be the final Yes album with Bill Bruford, and would be the last album with Steve Howe and Rick Wakeman until their return in 1996.

Rick Wakeman (good ole RW!) calls this album "onion", because he says he wants to cry every time he listens to it.

Roger Dean painting "Tsunami" used on the back cover

I have covered this album in more in depth posts here (Side One) and here (Side Two)

********************************************************************************

Baseball Card Mail Week in Review (04/25/20)

2020-04-25T11:23:00.001-04:00

Yeah, I'm proud of this one. One of two PSA 9's. No 10's exist.

********************************************************************************

More graded cards!

And the rest is just a random mix:

2005 Leaf Leather & Lumber Hitter's Inc (#'d 1149/2000) and 2020 Donruss yellow parallel

2005 Upper Deck gold (#'d 148/199) and 2005 Upper Deck Yankee Stadium Legacy

2012 Topps Golden Moments Die-Cut

*****************************************************************************

Baseball Card Mail Week in Review (04/18/20)

2020-04-18T00:00:00.000-04:00

First up is this 1987 Stuart Super Stars complete panel. I didn't have to rip this one open to see the Boggs.

And now for some catching up...

********************************************************************************

More graded cards!

Press Proofs, Relics, and Serial Numbered!

1997 Donruss Silver Press Proof, 2015 Donruss Press Proof (#'d 88/99)

2020 Topps Decades Best Black (#'d 103/299), 2019 Topps Allen & Ginter Framed Materials

2005 Topps Retired Signature Edition Gold (#'d 127/500), 2019 Topps '84 Relic Red (#'d 14/25)

New Donruss!

2020 Donruss '86 Retro w/Holo Blue, Independence Day, and Gold Press Proof (#'d 2/5!)

Odds/Ends

1998 Leaf Fractal Foundation (#'d 1126/3999), 1991 Panini Canadian Top 15 sticker

2008 UD Heroes Black #34 and #187

********************************************************************************

Baseball Card Mail Week in Review (03/21/20)

2020-03-21T01:00:00.000-04:00

First up is this 1986 True Value complete panel. It was unopened , but I couldn't see the Boggs once again!

Sigh. Anyway, my tax return came in and I went a little crazy...

********************************************************************************

More graded cards!

Refractors!

1998 Topps Chrome refractor, 2002 Topps Traded Chrome black refractor (#'d to 100), 2018 Stadium Club Chrome refractor

Relics!

2005 Topps Pristine, 2000 SP Legendary Cuts, 2008 Upper Deck Yankees Stadium Legacy, 2011 Topps 60, 2018 Triple Threads

Old/New/Serial #'d

1998 Topps Stars gold and red, 1987 Boston Red Sox Photo Card Series 1, 2020 Topps '85 Gold

********************************************************************************

Magnet #'s 196-197

2020-03-19T20:42:00.000-04:00

Susan keeps up with her Spring Training tradition of sending me a magnet (or two) from Missouri:

#196

#197

Be sure to check out the Refrigerator Magnet Challenge at the top!

Check it out on Facebook here.

********************************************************************************

Baseball Card Mail Week in Review (03/07/20)

2020-03-07T01:00:00.000-05:00

First up is this from 2019-20 Topps 582 Montgomery Club Set 2

No idea what this was but I needed it.

********************************************************************************

More graded cards!

********************************************************************************

This Day in Music History: Foreigner/Foreigner (03/08)

2020-03-07T00:30:00.000-05:00

Foreigner is the self-titled debut studio album by British-American rock band Foreigner, released on this day in 1977. The album went 5X Platinum and reached #4 on the Billboard 200 album chart.

It spun off a barrage of hit singles, including "Feels Like the First Time" (#4), "Cold as Ice" (#6) and "Long, Long Way from Home" (#20). It also features album tracks such as "Headknocker" and "Starrider", the latter of which features a rare lead vocal from lead guitarist and co-founder Mick Jones.

My Fave:

********************************************************************************

This Day in Music History: Rush/Rush (03/01)

2020-03-01T05:00:00.000-05:00

On this day in 1974, Rush released their debut album simply called Rush. It reached #105 on the Billboard album chart and is certified gold.

The album shows much of the hard rock sound typical of many of the popular rock bands emerging earlier in the decade, and it is the only album to not have Neil Peart as drummer. Rush were fans of such bands as Led Zeppelin and Cream, and these influences can be heard in most of the songs on this album. Original drummer John Rutsey performed all drum parts on the album, but was unable to go on extended tours because of complications with his diabetes and was respectfully let go by the band after the album was released. Rutsey contributed to the album's lyrics, but never submitted the work to the other members of the band. The lyrics were instead entirely composed by Lee and Lifeson. Rutsey was soon replaced by Peart, who has remained the band's drummer (and percussion god) ever since.

My fave:

********************************************************************************