Revisiting A Very Pencilstorm Christmas 2015

Fairytale Of New York - by Ricki C.

I know it's gonna seem like I'm cribbing from Scott Carr's fine, fine, super-fine earlier Pencilstorm holiday tune post here, but I also have a "My first guitar" story for you.  Rockers will be rockers, ya know?

My sainted Italian father bought me my first guitar for Christmas, 1968.  Guitars were not the kind of presents given in my family.  Socks, shirts & underwear were much more the order of the day in the Cacchione household, if you get my drift.  I think Dad was so heartened by the fact that I wanted something which inferred an interest in the outside world and the people in it that he would probably have bought me a Gibson Les Paul if I had asked for one.  I was a painfully introverted, shy, book-reading child to that point, basically a loser with no friends and dad launched me onward & outward into the world with that guitar.

The Christmas guitar was a fairly cheap acoustic.  The next summer, when the neck separated from the body from constant use and Dad could see I was really serious about playing, he bought me a second-hand white Kalamazoo electric guitar for my June birthday.  It looked just like the Fender Stratocaster that Jimi Hendrix played at Woodstock, only cheaper.  My brain exploded. It was more than I ever could have hoped for.  Dad rewired an old World War II vintage radio we had in the basement so I could use the huge built-in speaker as an amplifier.  I was in seventh heaven.  I was in sonic heaven.  I was alive and amplified.

I sat in that basement for months, playing along to the radio or to the 45-rpm singles I bought at the Lazarus department store or Marco Records in downtown Columbus.  I know I must have eaten and slept and gone to school during that period, but I have no clear memory of those things.  I got good.  But there was no such thing as solo rockers in 1968.  There were folk singers, but I really wasn’t interested in that scene, ya know?  Even at that early date, Pete Townshend and Keith Richards were my inspiration, my heroes, my gods.

I had to find a band.  I did, and just about everything else in my life followed from that quest, from that guitar, from that Christmas.  Thank you, Dad.

Merry Christmas, everybody.  -  Ricki C. / December 25th, 2015


Quite simply: I consider "Fairytale Of New York" the greatest rock & roll Christmas song EVER - hands down, no contest.  I have never - from the first time I heard it in 1988 until listening to it with a Bailey's in my hand earlier this evening - heard this song without it bringing tears to my eyes.  There's something about the way Kirsty MacColl sings the line, "Well so could anyone," in reply to Shane MacGowan's muttered, "I could've been someone," that has always and forever well and truly broken my heart.   

inspirational verse; no way to separate out any one element, I consider every word,
every sublime sweep of melody in this song to be a masterpiece. 

Merry Christmas, everybody.....and raise a glass to Kirsty MacColl 1959-2000.
"some people left for heaven without warning" - Shane MacGowan, 1985

 

 

 

Happy Christmas (War Is Over) - by Wal Ozello

By Pencilstorm Contributor: Wal Ozello

I became a rock ‘n’ roll musician for two reasons: to change the world and to get laid, not necessarily in that order. While the investment I’ve made into rock ‘n’ roll has paid back in dividends, I’m still working on that change the world thing.  Listen, it’s not that I have to save everyone from nuclear destruction, cure AIDS in Africa or stop world hunger… I’m just trying to make the world around me a little brighter.  My biggest thrill as a musician is to look out into the audience and see the crowd enjoying themselves, whether it's that leather-clad rock warrior fist-pumping while I covered Spirit Of the Radio or that girl in the tight mini-skirt swaying her hips to Lovin’, Touchin’, Squeezin’.

What’s this have to do with Christmas?  Everything.

See… I think the world would be better off if everyone thought like rock musicians. We all give a little bit of ourselves every time we sing a song, strum a guitar, beat on a drum, or whatever. Sure, you’re going to have your ego-hungry self-centered hell-beasts out there (i.e., Axl Rose), but for the most part we’re in it to entertain people and make the world a better place – even if that world is only the hundred feet around us.

So to rockers, every day is Christmas. Every day is about making things a little brighter in the people’s lives around us. We have that magic power that turns your plain, doldrum day into a rock-roaring evening. Make you forget about the worries of life – money, fear, terrorism, whatever… and remember that there’s happiness in this world.  That happiness may be found through a Marshall Stack Amp cranked up to eleven or a bass drum hit so hard you can feel it vibrate in your chest, but it’s still happiness.

You don’t have to be a musician to spread goodness either, just simply a passion for rock ‘n’ roll will do it. Whenever I pull up next to a guy that’s blaring out music from his car and beating his dashboard or steering wheel like it’s a drum set: well, that puts a smile on my face. Music infuses us all with a passion for awesomeness. It binds us a human race and helps us remember that there's some goodness in this world. 

Most importantly, it inspires us. How can you not be energized by the opening drum fill of Born To Run, the guitar riff of I Want You To Want Me, or chorus of Thunderstruck? 

In the coming year, we need rock ‘n’ roll more than ever. The fear-mongering is going to get to its worst with the election coming up and there’s bound to be more terrorism, politics, hunger, and people shouting that America is broken.

Prove them wrong. Listen to more rock ‘n’ roll in 2016 and spread the magic power. Do something good. So that in 2017, when you hear this song on the radio in December, you can answer John Lennon's opening line with a list all the great things you've done.

From all of us at Pencilstorm – a Merry Christmas to you and yours.

Check out more stories of Christmas from other Pencilstorm contributors by clicking here for Scott Carr's story, here for Colin's story and here for James A. Baumann's story. 

Wal Ozello is a science fiction techno-thriller novelist and the author of Assignment 1989 ,  Revolution 1990, and Sacrifice 2086. He's the lead singer of the former Columbus rock band Armada and a frequent customer at Colin's Coffee.

Can I Talk About Myself This Christmas? - by Colin G.

Folks, If I had time, I'd spin a sweet holiday tale from Christmas past and certainly I've been blessed to have more than my share. But right now, I'm so busy shipping out copies of Superior: The Best of Colin Gawel, practicing for the show at Woodlands on Dec 23rd, trying to sell Colin's Coffee gift cards and lock down AC/DC tickets for Owen's stocking (shhhhh) that I've got to blow off the real reason for the season to focus on the fake side. 

Still, my heart is in the  right place and if you are looking a couple great holiday reads may I suggest clicking here for Scott Carr's story and here for James A. Baumann's story. Wal will have something posted on Xmas Eve and I'm sure Ricki C. has stuff cooking too. Basically, keep checking Pencilstorm. Yes, this heartfelt holiday post has turned into shameless plug for my own website. Ah hell's and jingle bells, let's just make the whole post about me. It's like Gene Simmons has taken over my brain. Or Donald Trump. (Who are very similar if you ask me.) But now I'm getting off track. Where were we? Oh yeah, I remember, back to me.....   

Colin Gawel and the Lonely Bones live @ Woodlands Tavern Wednesday Dec 23rd. 8pm Showtime. FREE! If you have trouble getting out use these magic words, "I have to step out and do some last minute shopping. It's a surprise." Doors 7 pm - show at 8pm.

Also- Rick Kinsinger and myself will be performing on WCBE 90.5 on Wednesday Dec 23rd around the 2 o'clock hour. Tune in to hear us play some tunes and chat with Maggie Brennan. Click here to hear it streaming.

Superior- The Best of Colin Gawel will be available at the show. The Kickstarter pre-orders have been shipped (Thank you!) and it should start showing up on Spotify / I-Tunes and the like very soon. Once we hit the New Year we will figure where else to sell it. But right now it's only available at the coffee shop or at the gig.  

Anyway, I hope everybody has a great Holiday and I really appreciate all the people who write for and read Pencilstorm. It brings me much joy on these dark lonely mornings at the coffee shop. Thanks to all. X O X O - Colin

Read about ME it in this month's 614 Magazine

Listen to my longest interview ever In The Record Store

Cheap Trick finally got into the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame. Click here to hear an interview with myself about the subject.

The title song to Colin Gawel and the Lonely Bones' December 2010 release. We shot the video at the "Still Love Christmas" release party at Rumba Cafe in Columbus, OH. COLINGAWEL.com

How The Kinks Captured the Reason for the Season - by James A. Baumann

Holiday music is one of those things that is truly difficult to judge on its own merits. So much of the experience of hearing it is framed around setting and context. And, when you consider that much of the setting and context of holiday music – at least in today’s America – is based around the retail experience, well, it’s fighting an uphill battle from the get-go.

This concept first began to settle in my mind around 1990. If memory serves, that was the first Christmas that I worked at a family-owned flower shop, doing deliveries, handling shipments, and cleaning out the backroom. The money was good and needed. But it also meant weeks of driving on icy streets, frozen fingers and toes, and 12-hour-long working days; during most of which I was surrounded by Christmas music. 

When I was out in the delivery van I had free reign to listen to whatever I wanted. I made good use of the radio’s volume knob as well as the Sony Walkman and scattered tapes that sat on the passenger seat. But when I was in the store, I was at the mercy of what was playing.

The store was too small to splurge on a Muzak system, so the playlist was about three cassettes that would continually play through tinny speakers. From time to time someone would remember to switch them out, but when things were busy one tape would just play through again and again. It should be noted that this was also about the time that the world discovered that you could program dog barks to sound like “Jingle Bells.” It would have been like the music they play to break up hostage situations except I wasn’t allowed to leave.

Flash-forward to 2002 or 2003. I’m in the middle of my first day-to-day office job that would eventually be capped off by that corporate tradition of the lay-off. Before that, though, I also had to navigate the corporate tradition of office holiday decorations and – as most germane to this topic – the holiday-music-obsessed co-worker. Her name was Megan. She was smart, fun, nice, and really was about all one could ask for in an officemate save for the fact that, starting at Thanksgiving, her radio was locked-in to the Columbus radio station Sunny 95 and their all-Christmas music format. Headphones could only block so much. I quickly needed a coping mechanism.

I took my inspiration from Steve McQueen in “The Great Escape” who passed his time in isolation by bouncing a ball and counting the days with tally marks on the wall. I commandeered an erasable white board and began my own count of how many times particular songs were played. It quickly began to fill up with the more popular titles and rows of hash marks.

Springsteen’s “Santa Claus is Coming to Town” had to have been the tote board leader. Needless to say, I never again have to hear the Boss asking me if I’ve been good this year. Close behind was probably Paul McCartney’s “Wonderful Christmastime” which – particularly after it being drummed into your head for a month straight – comes dangerously close to undoing all goodwill he had ever built up with the Beatles. I’m sure I was inundated by the Mariah Carey song, though I swear I can’t think of a note of it right now.

I suppose a highlight would have been when David Bowie and Bing Crosby’s “Little Drummer Boy” would come up on the playlist, but mostly because it was as though David Lynch had been given control of the holiday for a moment.

All of this may lead one to think I am opposed to all holiday music. That is not true. Year after year, I would get misty during Darlene Love’s annual appearance on Letterman to sing  “Christmas (Baby, Please Come Home).” The Pretenders’ “2000 Miles” is stirring. Who doesn’t like John Lennon’s “Merry Xmas (War Is Over)?” “Fairytale of New York” remains a poetic short story with backing music. And, at the risk of sounding like a Pencilstorm suck-up, I will comfortably put Watershed’s “Still Love Christmas,” with its sleigh bells and Casio keyboards, in this neighborhood. 

This all brings me to The Kinks’ “Father Christmas,” my unquestioned favorite holiday song. There are several reasons for this, not the least of which is it rocks with the buzzsaw guitar and thunderstorm drums that kicks it off. Plus, there is the added benefit that, due to the face-value of its lyrical content, it rarely, if ever, makes it onto any piped-in holiday music set. It remains pure and unsullied in my mind.

One might deem me a Scrooge for loving a song that denies the existence of Santa within the first 20 words, but stick with it. The protagonist still revels in his childhood presents and, once he reaches adulthood, even takes the time to be a Salvation Army Santa in his neighborhood.

Granted, he is promptly mugged by a group of street urchins who profess their need for cold, hard cash versus typical playthings. But could a Kinks’ Christmas song have any other sentiment? 

This is Ray Davies’ England after the Village Green was paved over and Muswell Hill was flattened. Even still, he never looses the true spirit of the season. The threats and complaints of the kids are bookended between blissful memories of his childhood Christmas and then gentle, adult reminder that, even if you’re doing pretty good this year, there is someone out there who isn’t. 

Probably someone forced to listen to those dogs barking “Jingle Bells.” - James A. Baumann


THE KINKS – FATHER CHRISTMAS  (video below)

When I was small I believed in Santa Claus
Though I knew it was my dad
And I would hang up my stocking at Christmas
Open my presents and I'd be glad

But the last time I played Father Christmas
I stood outside a department store
A gang of kids came over and mugged me
And knocked my reindeer to the floor

They said
Father Christmas, give us some money
Don't mess around with those silly toys
We'll beat you up if you don't hand it over
We want your bread so don't make us annoyed
Give all the toys to the little rich boys

Don't give my brother a Steve Austin outfit
Don't give my sister a cuddly toy
We don't want a jigsaw or Monopoly money
We only want the real McCoy

Father Christmas, give us some money
We'll beat you up if you make us annoyed
Father Christmas, give us some money
Don't mess around with those silly toys

But give my daddy a job 'cause he needs one
He's got lots of mouths to feed
But if you've got one I'll have a machine gun
So I can scare all the kids on the street

Father Christmas, give us some money
We got no time for your silly toys
We'll beat you up if you don't hand it over
Give all the toys to the little rich boys

Have yourself a merry merry Christmas
Have yourself a good time
But remember the kids who got nothin'
While you're drinkin' down your wine

Father Christmas, give us some money
We got no time for your silly toys
Father Christmas, please hand it over
We'll beat you up so don't make us annoyed

Father Christmas, give us some money
We got no time for your silly toys
We'll beat you up if you don't hand it over
We want your bread so don't make us annoyed
Give all the toys to the little rich boys

The Kinks (Ray Davies) on German TV in 1977 "father Christmas"....Father Christmas, give us some money Don't mess around with those silly toys.

One of the best Christmas songs EVER !!! ******************************************************* When I was small I believed in Santa Claus Though I knew it was my dad And I would hang up my stocking at Christmas Open my presents and I'd be glad But the last time I played Father Christmas I stood outside a department store A gang of kids came over and mugged me And knocked my reindeer to the floor They said: Father Christmas, give us some money Don't mess around with those silly toys.