Problems Will Not Go Away as the Calendar Changes

New Year's Day is always an optimistic time as we all hope that next year will be better.  2020 was a terrible year for all as COVID-19 has claimed about 350,000 lives to date in the United States.  Millions have been sickened by this dreadful disease as unemployment has devastated the country.  Civil unrest and political polarization also dominated the headlines in 2020.

The problems that I briefly discussed in the previous paragraph will not go away as the calendar turns to 2021.  The experts say that the COVID situation will get worse before it gets better.  I was optimistic this summer as the numbers went down, but there was a resurgence in the fall.  Thankfully, vaccines were developed and are being distributed.  This process will be slow as hundreds of millions of Americans will have to be vaccinated.

We can hope that as more receive the vaccine, the numbers of deaths and hospitalizations will go down.  I pray that sometime in 2021 the numbers will be minimal, and we can return to "normal".

My best wishes for a happy, healthy, and safe new year for all readers of Bruce's Journal.

Sneak Peek of The Beatles: Get Back - A Documentary Directed by Peter Jackson

 

This documentary covers the making of The Beatles' 1970 album Let It Be.  It would have been released by now, but it was delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic.  According to Wikipedia the release date will be in August 2021.  It was produced with the fullest cooperation of Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Yoko Ono, and Olivia Harrison.

I viewed this preview and was pleased to see footage never released to the public.

Green Green Grass of Home by Tom Jones - Country Crossover Hit of the Day

 

Once a week I like to listen to Willie's Roadhouse on SiriusXM, a station that plays classic country hits.  This morning DJ Charlie Monk played Green Green Grass of Home by Tom Jones.  This hit peaked at #11 on the Billboard Pop Charts in 1967.  This song was covered by many artists over the years.

Last Days of John Lennon - A Beatle Book with a Misleading Title

 

The death of John Lennon was in the news recently as 2020 marks the 40th anniversary of his murder.  James Patterson is a prolific writer best known for his fictional works.  When I saw the announcement of this book, I presumed the entire book was devoted to the days leading up to his murder.  I started reading the book and noted that it was a history of the Beatles from the Quarrymen days to 1970 and of John Lennon as a solo recording artist.  Between the chapters describing the history of the Beatles, there were small chapters describing the events of December 6-8, 1980 starting when the murderer (I refuse to write his name) boarded a plane in Hawaii with his gun in his suitcase intending to murder Lennon.

Almost all of the material describing the Beatles is common knowledge to long-time fans.  There are very long bibliographies for each chapter which shows Patterson's book was well researched.  Less than 20% of the book is devoted to John's murder and the events leading up to it.  Eyewitness to the Death of John Lennon: A WABC-TV special provides more information on the tragic event.

This book is only suited for a very casual fan of the Beatles and John Lennon.  I would not recommend it for avid Beatle fans.

Marrakesh Express by Crosby Stills and Nash - Random Oldie of the Day

 

I always enjoyed Crosby, Stills, Nash (and Young) as a group and as individual performers.  I just saw a documentary about the group on Amazon Prime Video.

Reflections after 3 Years of Retirement

2020 has been a difficult year for everyone.  Karen was in the hospital for 12 days in April suffering from COVID-19.  Recovery has been difficult for her.  Many cultural institutions including movie theaters are still closed limiting recreational activities.  Libraries are open with limited services.  I feel very badly for those who have suffered from the disease and those who were economically affected by the pandemic.

I have taken my hobbies to a higher level over the three years.  I have spent much time in activities with the Society for American Baseball Research (SABR).  I certainly spend much more time reading books about baseball and music.  I certainly have attended many Zoom meetings over the past year.  The New York Giants Preservation Society headed by Gary Mintz would meet only a few times a year.  Recently, this organization runs Zoom meetings almost every week.  I meet monthly with Bob Dylan enthusiasts on a Zoom Meeting.

I am disappointed that my contacts with former colleagues have been minimal.  A click on Facebook or Twitter indicating one likes my post is not keeping in touch which should be a two-way street.  It is frustrating when I don't get a reply to a friendly e-mail.  I have come to the conclusion that out of sight out of mind supersedes keeping in touch.  I guess I must move on and let go of the past.

I am pleased that my finances are in very good shape.  I am actually saving money every month.  I planned very well through TIAA for a good retirement income supplemented by Social Security.  I hope in the future I can take vacations.

I hope for the best for everyone.

 

Another Sad Story about a Business Closing Due to the COVID Situation

 
Thousands of businesses in New York City including bars and restaurants have closed in 2020 due to the COVID situation.  I just decided to give an example - Finnerty's Sports Bar on 2nd Avenue and 14th Street in Manhattan. It is unique since it appeals to fans of San Francisco sports teams.  The New York Giants (Baseball) Preservation Society held several meetings there.  Below is a message that the owners sent to their customers.

BACK TO HOME

To our friends and supporters,

We hope you all are staying healthy and safe during these unprecedented times!

We are reaching out today to let you all know that we have had to make the sad decision to permanently close Finnerty’s.

We are gutted.

The last 11 years have gone by so quickly and we can barely believe it.

We still remember how proud we were when taking down the roll down security gate during opening renovation, making us one of the only bars in the area without one. We believed in the East Village and the neighborhood proved us right year after year. We thank you and hope you stay strong!

We always wanted to be a great sports bar but we never imagined we would become a home for Bay Area fans and expats living on the East Coast . What started as a small group of 49er fans on Sundays became something bigger than the bar itself.

Getting to host thousands of fans for playoff games, World Series trophy visits, and the decade of bus trips to Giants, Sharks, Warriors, and 49ers games has been one of the greatest and craziest honors imaginable. You are the best the fans in sports and getting to meet so many of you throughout the years has been our great privilege.

While shutting down operations in March 2020 due to Covid was one of the hardest things we’ve ever made, we knew it was the right decision for the safety of our staff and customers.

The pandemic striking the city just days before St Patrick’s Day and March Madness was a huge blow to us during what is typically our busiest month of the year.

Even with this, we still hoped to eventually reopen in some capacity. But unlike so many other catastrophes we have made it through, this was one disaster that forced people apart rather than together, and one that struck the heart of our industry.

Even in the best of times, the realities of the bar and restaurant industry in New York City make surviving, let alone prospering, a difficult undertaking. As lucky as we’ve been before, we weren’t immune to these realities this time.

The pandemic, along with being unable to reach an agreement with our landlord, forced our hand. There just wasn’t any way forward for us.

That being said, aside from our community, saying goodbye to our staff is the hardest part. Anyone who has been to Finnerty’s knows that we have a small and dedicated team that made Finnerty’s the special place it was for our customers. Finnerty’s wouldn’t have been Finnerty’s without them.

As disappointed and sad as we are at having to close our doors, all the emails, texts, tweets, letters, and phone calls wishing us well and offering us support have meant the world to us. It is still almost inconceivable to us that a little bar in New York City touched so many people both down the block and across the country.

While this is the end of Finnerty’s for now, we truly hope to share a drink with you all again soon. We’ll keep the bell polished and ready to ring again.

Stay strong, stay kind, and look after one another!

Dieter Seelig & Brian Stapleton

Owners of Finnerty’s

Chad Stuart Passes Away at 79

 

Yesterday's Gone by Chad and Jeremy

Sadly another recording artist of the 1960s is gone as I found out today that Chad Stuart, part of the duo Chad and Jeremy passed away at age 79.  Above is a video of the duo Yesterday's Gone that hit the charts in 1964.

There is a good article in Goldmine Magazine written by Dave Thompson about Chad and Jeremy.  This includes an interview conducted in 2003.

Comments about Bruce's Journal

I have maintained Bruce's Journal for over 15 years and have over 700,000 hits over that time.  I assume that most of the hits are causal as people will read a posting quickly and move on to something else on the internet.  I always wonder how many people reading this blog know me either in person or online.  When people read the journal do they look at several entries at a sitting or just one?  Let me try to categorize the subjects of the journal:

• Oldies Music
• Radio Broadcasting
• Baseball (general)
• New York Mets
• Bob Dylan
• Current events
• Career issues
• Museum Trips
• Jeopardy
• Movies

I try to avoid writing about politics although there are a few political posts here and there.  I often try to avoid giving people's names out.  For example, I would say Clarence who worked at my former employer.  I try not to get too personal as most of my posts are hobby related.

A few times I posted surveys asking for feedback, but there were very few responses.  I always appreciate comments, but I doubt if I'll get any.

To all my readers:

Have a happy, healthy and safe holiday season.

McCartney III Comes Out Today

 

50 years after the group broke up the 2 living members of the Beatles are still recording.  Today McCartney III was released.  I ordered my copy from Amazon who said I will receive my copy tomorrow.  In the video above Paul discusses his new CD with Jimmy Fallon.

Virtual Symposium for Bob Dylan's Birthday is Planned for May 22-24

The Institute for Bob Dylan Studies at the University of Tulsa just announced a virtual symposium in May for Dylan's 80th birthday.  Plans everywhere have to be modified to the COVID-19 situation.  It would have been nice for this event to be in Tulsa, but nobody knows what the situation will be in May.  No details were announced, so I don't know if the Bob Dylan Museum will be open at that time.

I thank in advance Sean Latham, Tara Aveilhe, and many others for their hard work in planning this event.  They certainly did an excellent job for the symposium in 2019.

 

Sad News in New York Radio: Rita Houston, Program Director of WFUV, has Passed Away at Age 59

 

About a week ago I wished Rita Houston well as she was taking a leave of absence from WFUV to take care of her health.  Today it was announced that she passed away after battling cancer for 6 years.  An obituary was written by Program Director Chuck Singleton.  I started listening to her shows in the 1990s when she first joined the station.  WFUV will never be the same.

Saw the World's Largest Menorah as we visited the Southeast Corner of Central Park

 

We may as well enjoy mild December weather as there is the possibility of two winter storms this week.  We took the subway to Fifth Avenue and 59th Street to see the world's largest Channukah menorah.  We were there at about 2 PM, much too early to see the lighting for the fourth night.  We then walked around Central Park;

The Plaza Hotel is across the street from the menorah

Getaway by Georgie Fame - Random Oldie of the Day

 

I look back at many of the postings that I've written over the years and noted that many Youtube videos with songs were deleted.  I assume that since copyright was violated the "Youtube Police" finally caught up to the poster and deleted the video.

Are Restaurants Being Scapegoated as the Cause of the Rise of COVID-19 Cases?

Yesterday we ate lunch at Ben's Deli in Bayside which may be our last meal in a restaurant for a while.  For several months in New York City restaurants have been open allowing for 25% capacity.  As predicted the COVID-19 cases have risen as people are spending more time indoors since the weather is colder.   The Governor announced that if the number of hospitalizations rises, restaurants will be open only for take-out.  In my opinion, the main cause of the rise of COVID-19 is caused by gatherings in people's homes.

A limit of 25% capacity allows for social distancing.  Obviously, people eating must take off their masks while they eat, but diners are several feet away from other customers.  When one enters a restaurant the body temperature is measured.  Restaurant employees thoroughly clean the facility several times a day to prevent the spread of the virus.

It is very sad that thousands of restaurants across the country have closed permanently as a result of lost business.  More will close when indoor dining is shut down in the near future.

 

Newark Penn Station to Be Renovated at a Cost of $190 Million - But it is Much Too Late For Me

 

Newark Penn Station was one of my least favorite places when I commuted from 1992-2017.  There was a report on the news today that $190 Million is being allocated for upgrades and repairs.  It is hard to believe that it 3 years since I took my last ride on New Jersey Transit.  I had to walk through that station to pick up the Newark Rail and my last leg on my trip to work.  I worst thing about Newark Penn Station was the derelicts hanging out here.  I just hated waiting for the train back to NYC on Track 1.  NJ Transit never did anything about that problem.  They would never send social workers to try to help the homeless.  Will anything change after the renovations are completed?

Bob Dylan Made the New York Times Today

 

It was announced today that Bob Dylan sold his songwriting catalog for $300 Million to the Universal Music Publishing Group.  According to the article:

"Dylan’s deal includes 100 percent of his rights for all the songs of his catalog, including both the income he receives as a songwriter and his control of each song’s copyright. In exchange for its payment to Dylan, Universal, a division of the French media conglomerate Vivendi, will collect all future income from the songs."

Of course, this has generated discussion in the Dylan Facebook groups.  I think it is an issue of estate planning.  Dylan has two ex-wives, and several children and grandchildren.  By selling his catalog the funds from this sale among other assets will be distributed among his heirs many years from now after his passing.

There is really nothing to be alarmed about.  If a company wants to use a Dylan song in a commercial it will have to get permission from the Universal Music Publishing Group.  I am a little concerned about decisions that will be made about issuing unreleased recordings after his passing.

Two more accounts of this sale:

• Rolling Stone Magazine
• Associated Press

Yet another Bob Dylan Book

I guess when I don't listen to Bob Dylan, I read about him.  I really should compile a list of all the books that I have at home about him.  I subscribe to a Dylan fanzine from the UK called Isis that was discussed in this Journal.  Derek Barker, the publisher of this periodical has compiled an encyclopedia of songs that Dylan didn't write, but did perform in concert or on a legal or bootleg recording.  The entries detail the history of 550 songs and offer an explanation of how he came to perform them.

Volume 1 as seen above was published in 2008.  Derek has just issued a supplement adding songs performed from 2008 to the present.  Reading these 2 volumes should keep me busy for a while.  I can read it a little at a time while I pay attention to other books and magazines that I have on my shelf.

Legitimate albums that have these songs include:

• Self Portrait
• Good as I've Been to You
• World Gone Wrong
• Bob Dylan (his first album released in 1962)

Many bootleg collections that include conert performances are listed.

 

Best Wishes to Rita Houston of WFUV

 

Radio Online reports that Rita Houston will be taking a leave of absence from WFUV to attend to her health and spend more time with her family.  Rita started out as an on the air personality at the station in the early 1990s and was promoted to Music Director and then to Program Director.

Assistant Program Director Eric Gottlieb will become interim Program Director while Delphine Blue will host Rita's Friday evening show "The Whole Wide World."

I became a regular listener to WFUV about the same time Rita started there.  I speak for all the station's listeners in wishing her all the best and hope she returns soon.

Oy Vey - The COVID Situation Looks Very Bad

 

I just read the following in the New York Times:

The number of Covid-19 patients in U.S. hospitals exceeded 100,000 for the first time, nearly double the peak from the first wave in the spring.

The experts were correct in predicting the second wave in the fall.  I assume the reason is that people are staying indoors where it is easier to spread the virus.  I assume there is also "pandemic fatigue" when people are tired of wearing masks and social distancing.  At least, a far smaller proportion of people who get the virus these days are dying from it.

On the positive side, the vaccines will start to be distributed later this month.  It will take several months for the vaccines to be distributed to all who want it.  There is the fear that people who refuse the vaccine will contract the disease and spread it to others.

Hopefully, there will not be a "pause" as that will create problems such as domestic violence since people would be frustrated by having to stay home.  Likewise, more businesses would close permanently.

Let's hope for the best.

Sylvia's Mother by Dr. Hook & The Medicine Show - brings back memories of the early 1970s

 

This song reminds me of a friend of mine in the early 1970s who was the world's biggest mama's boy.  When I phoned him, his mother would intercept the calls.  His mother wouldn't let him have a TV set since it would interfere with his studying.  When he got married at age 23, it was like changing mothers as his wife would intercept his phone calls.

Enough said.