[Daryl Jones]

I’m in that “hard to pick just one” group too but Let It Be has to be way up there. I’ve never learned to play it (guitar or piano), but I have sung it in the years before I lost a portion of my upper/higher vocal range. I’m doing some exercises to try and remedy that but while there is some improvement, it’s not fully there for the high notes later in the song.
Hey Jude and Norwegian Wood are also up there, Drive My Car, I Wanna Hold Your Hand, Michelle, Eleanor Rigby…God, there’s just so many…
But while we struggle with this small dilemma, just imagine how empty our lives would be if these songs, and The Beatles themselves never existed? It just boggles my mind!😱

[Daryl Jones]

Happy Thanksgiving Jacki!

Even though I’m of Celtic ancestry I have a penchant for Ukranian food for festive occasions, cones from growing up in a region that has a strong Ukranian population.

I make “studnetz” (pan headcheese) often, and right after Friday’s WOTT session I hit the kitchen and fired up a batch for today’s dinner at the sister-in-law’s place in the city. My late mother-in-law loved it and we always tried to outdo each other with our recipes. She always said mine needed more garlic!🤣

Bon appetite everyone, hope to see you all in a week’s time on the live broadcast!

[Daryl Jones]

Over the Labor Day weekend, we have an annual dual birthday bash (my wife and her brother share the same date September 1, but 4 years apart) and this year the family coerced me into playing and singing Saturday evening before the birthday fireworks show. As most know Jimmy passed the day before. Of course I had to play Margaritaville and mention his passing prior to playing it in case there were some that hadn’t heard the sad news. Surprisingly (or not?) my voice broke with the emotion as I spoke of him, and it took me a few breaths to collect myself before hitting the intro chords.
I have always enjoyed Jimmy’s music, and his dedicated way of doing his own thing was so refreshing in a world where corporate pressure seems to dictate to so many artists and formulate them according to the corporate ideal. I never had the chance to see him live, but some of my friends did, and they raved about the atmosphere of his performances. Nothing but good vibes and a sharing of positive energy. Of course, now I have more songs of his to learn and put into my slowly growing repertoire. 2023 was a tough year on musicians it seems, we lost some great ones, Jimmy not being the least of any of them.

[Daryl Jones]

Jung, the fastest I can say I’ve “seen” on the speedo on track is a tad over 220 kph. I dont usually spend much time looking at anything but the tach and not very often at that. The two tracks in the Edmonton area have braking markers on our race days and I gauge my braking zones by them and the other bikes and riders I’m racing with. Braking zones on many tracks are often a good passing opportunity.

Jurgen, I’ve never ridden anything but our western Canadian tracks, although I would love to experience some of the famous circuits like Silverstone, Motegi, Philip Island and of course Valencia or any continental Europe GP sites. RMM just north of Calgary is an excellent new venue thay I ran 4 times last season, and Area 27 out in south central BC is an amazing track designed by Jacques Villeneuve of F1 fame. I also have a friend that is an editor of a Canadian motorcycle publication that has been fortunate enough to hit a couple circuits across the pond during bike tests for his articles. Lots of our club members have raced at Laguna Seca, COTA, Vegas, Utah and Chuckwalla. I had to miss a trip to Chuckwalla CA a few years back, sonething I still want to do. I would very happy to get a day or two at Shannonville or CT in Ontario. Two of our local racers are in the CSBK this season and are doing quite well down there. Much better/faster racers than this auld fart is haha. I’m just hoping I can get a few more years in with EMRA, I turn 66 in October and that window is getting a bit narrower every year. 😉

[Daryl Jones]

We’ve had our share of the smoke and bad air since a month ago. At times I was unable to see across the bay from my front deck (less than 1/2 mile vis) but thankfully it’s much better of late. The heavy rains helped immensely, but that brought flooding of disastrous proportions to some regions that were also evacuated from the fires only to be chased out again by high raging waters. Most everyone has managed to return home in those places but still the fires lurk, and the flood damage will take a long time to repair as well. Near as I know, no loss of life, so there’s that.
Now it’s grasshoppers raising Cain. First fire, then flood, now plague of insects…😲
But sounds like most are safe across the land. Pleasant thoughts all.

[Daryl Jones]

I’m kind of late to the party (as usual for me) but Suzi was one of my celebrity heart throbs as a younger lad. Just so doggone cute! Saw her perform live a few times, although some of the vision was a tad blurred in those crazy days of rebellious youth. Ahhh, to be 16 again and listen to her music on the Harmon Karden 8-track in my old ’68 Plymouth Fury 2 door…them truly were the days.

[Daryl Jones]

All good here Jung thanks. Gets pretty smokey lots of times, but only a couple locations close to town got evac orders. No loss of buildings or livestock that I’ve heard.

What’s really disturbing is the extremely high percentage of the wildfires that are directly caused by human carelessness or even arson. So stupid. Quite a bit of rain here this past week, we’ve had a much needed 55mm (over 2″) since Tuesday.

[Daryl Jones]

I never knew about the relationship of George, Angus and Malcom. Whizzed right over my head. But I never knew until a short while ago that Malcom passed 5 years ago either. Another “whoosh”.
Yes there are some obvious similarities when you look closely at the playing styles. I still firmly believe that Malcom was the better guitarist though. Back when AC/DC first became popular, I wouldn’t have crossed the street to see them. Now there’s talk of a resurgence/reunion(?) and even without Malcom, I think I’d go check it out if the chance presented itself. Since I now longer play piano and took up the guitar some years back, my horizons have broadened. I really enjoy more styles and genres of music than I ever did before.

[Daryl Jones]

Congrats to you and your wife!

[Daryl Jones]

I don’t have too many more years of racing left in me, so I’m making the best of it while I am still able; I turn 66 in two weeks. Our race team is out in BC this weekend in the finals of the Western Canadian Championships, which I was unable to attend. I’ll catch up on the results through emails and club posts, and our windup banquet is this coming Saturday evening so I’ll get to see the whole gang there anyway.
Not that I really mind being as I got to be part of the Livestream today. That was beyond anything I could ever have expected.

[Daryl Jones]

Totally agree Jung. It’s a huge undertaking to do an across the pond gig, or a tour of any kind. Much as I’d love to be “second” in line haha.
Things need to unfold in the natural order for them. When it does happen (and I’m sure it will one day) you can be sure that any of us that can will be there with bells on!

[Daryl Jones]

Thank you JP, I appreciate it.
This past Saturday (Canada Day) we went out to some friends’ place for the afternoon and evening for some outdoor games (beanbag toss), a BBQ meal, and some general companionship. Small gathering, only 10 of us, but we had a great day…the sun even shone on our game (very stormy for the previous days and to follow afterward too). Our hosts used to run a DJ/karaoke business and they have quite a set-up in their party house (that’s a whole other story) and of course they insisted I bring a guitar. Naturally after dinner we had to have music so I played and everybody sang as well as some songs that I didn’t know out of their DJ song files. Everybody had a blast including me. Everyone had heard me sing many times, no one other than my missus had ever heard me play so I was a tad on edge to start with. We plugged my guitar into Wade’s soundboard and it went very well, I think I actually had more fun than they did haha.

[Daryl Jones]

Thank you my friend. If life were perfect, we’d have no need for hindsight would we?

[Daryl Jones]

Thanks Sara. It’s always the things we don’t do/get done that we regret later.

[Daryl Jones]

I was so thrilled when I watched the new release! As you say, “stunning”.
But something about the original brings me to tears. Joy, sorrow, wonderment, expectation, innocence; it’s sort of intangible, yet palpable. There is still just something so magical about the original. I love it. Maybe more.