Colin Gawel's 2018 Election Day Manifesto (How I am Voting and Why)

2018 Midterm Election Manifesto - Colin G.

As loyal readers know, Pencilstorm doesn’t waste much of your precious time with politics. We prefer to concern ourselves with serious topics such as rock n roll.  However, as editor, I have published how I will be voting prior to every election day and will do so again in 2018. For entertainment purposes only. Let me be clear, I’m not telling you how to vote, nor do I care how you are going to vote. I’m just sharing my thoughts on the matter. It’s called “democracy.” If hearing an opinion possibly different than your own is going to ruin your day, please just stop reading….now.    Seriously, I’m not asking you to read this.

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Ok, let’s begin with the easiest vote…

Ohio Governor’s Race

Why would anybody not directly related to Mike DeWine vote for him? On second thought, maybe that was the plan. The guy has such a massive family tree that the bean counters figured only a couple extra votes from non related folks could take him over the top to become Ohio’s next governor.

Seriously, the guy has been in elected office for 42 freakin’ years. This is the very definition of a career politician. I have not met ONE SINGLE PERSON at Colin’s Coffee who is excited to vote for Mike DeWine. Sure, my Republican friends will still pull the lever but it’s a weak, weak, choice. Why the Ohio GOP didn’t put up and comer John Husted on the top of the ticket is beyond me, but under no circumstances would I ever consider punching the ticket for a worn out, flip - floppy candidate such as Mikey.

On the other hand, Richard Cordray is way less than a million years old, doesn’t turn to dust in daylight and fought for the little guy while heading the Consumer Protection Financial Bureau from 2012-2017. Unless you work for Chase or Time Warner, being against the Consumer Protection agency is like saying we should get rid of the fire department because you have never called it. In just five years, Richard helped recover 12 billion dollars for 29 million customers like you and me who look at a statement and say, “What is that charge for $8.23 anyway?”. I’ll tell you what it is, it’s fraud, and there is nothing you can do about by yourself. But the CFPB can and will tell major companies to cut out the BS and return the stolen cash. Anytime you see a politician fighting against the Consumer Protection Bureau, you know exactly who he is fighting for and it isn’t you and me.

My vote goes to Richard Cordray. No brainer.

That Metroparks thing

I will be voting Yes. I love our Metro Parks. And there is a new one planned just across from the coffee shop on the other side of Griggs reservoir. Take my money please.

Stivers v Neal

I do not approve of most of President Trump’s policies and I really dislike his shameful character traits in general. So I probably cannot vote for Steve Stivers because of his voting record supporting said President. I will, however, give his staff credit for honesty. I called in 2017 to register my disappointment with Trump trying to repeal Obamacare and send our country back into the dark ages for no reason except spite. (And tax cuts for Trump’s super rich friends of course.) I explained my position as a small business owner to the person on the phone and asked “What in this health care repeal l bill should I feel good about?” The staffer at Stiver’s office paused and said, “I have to be honest Colin, there isn’t much in this health care bill a regular person should feel good about.”

Thank God John McCain gave it the thumbs down.

I’m going to vote Neal as a Trump protest vote but Steve Stivers is an OK guy and he is a lock to win anyway. At least he isn’t a total psycho like Jim Jordan. That jackass would vote to replace all Metro Parks with Walmarts and gigantic Bible statues if he could.

Full disclosure, Allison Russo is a regular at Colin’s Coffee and her volunteers often have organizational meetings at the shop. Still, she is exactly the type of experienced, pragmatic candidate I would want representing me in the Ohio House. I feel really great about voting for Allison Russo.

Issue One is tough. I completely agree with the premise. Treatment and not incarceration is the best way to deal with non-violent criminal offenders. Duh. Putting addicts in jail is the modern version of “debtors prison.” Facepalm. My smart liberal friends tell me the language and process of this bill is cloudy and this presents a problem. But... it is so rare that the backward state of Ohio takes even a small step in a sensible direction that I have a hard time voting no. Beggars can’t be choosers, so I’m voting yes on the idea alone, but I may be wrong.

Are there any other races or bills? Probably yes, but geez folks, it’s just a midterm. I can’t study everything. Not with three fantasy teams to run and a gig coming up at Ace of Cups on Wednesday Nov 21st. (Details here!)

Thanks for reading Pencilstorm. Now, get out there and vote! (If you haven’t been purged from the rolls yet, anyway.)  

Colin Gawel owns the possibly soon to be bulldozed Colin’s Coffee and plays music both solo and in the band Watershed. He lives in Upper Arlington, OH with his fabulous wife and fifteen year old son. He likes the Browns and Cheap Trick WAY too much.

Hidden Bonus Track!

Oh shoot, totally spaced on the Senate race. Sherrod Brown, yes, obviously. I’m going to vote for him over that other guy who hates the working class, ol’ what’s his name that replaced career politician wanna be Josh Mandel on the ticket. Why even bother running these losers? Do they get donations? Sherrod Brown all the way.

Let’s end with my real Manifesto..

Dare I Ask About Urban? How 'Bout the Recurring Problems with this Team? Baver Answers Colin's Questions - Husker Week

Colin: The Buckeyes had a week off to regroup from the debacle against Purdue. If you were running the offense, what adjustments would you make to get the running game out of the mud?

Baver: If Urban has phased himself back into running this offense, I think I’d give much of the control back to Ryan Day and Kevin Wilson. It does sound like the coaches did what they almost had to do these past two weeks, with Urban saying they spent a great deal of time working on this running game. If it is still sputtering early against the Huskers, I would consider making in-game lineup changes they don’t normally make. They have to do something to provide a spark, and you rarely see OSU make personnel changes anymore. I would consider using Tate Martell for a 1sthalf series Saturday, and I would certainly use Tate in specific packages. It’s hard to sit Haskins and his million-dollar arm for many plays, but I think it would probably help these tailbacks. 

Colin: Meanwhile, Dwayne Haskins is finally the pure passing QB Buckeye fans have dreamed of playing, but he is no JT Barrett when it comes to red zone or short yardage situations. What can be done to produce more touchdowns when given the opportunity?

Baver: Try other options….rinse and repeat. Tate Martell has to get a look in some short yardage situations. Could that be worse than the success rate they are currently having on the short-yardage plays? And at this point, I think they have to line up Haskins under center when they need a yard. 

Colin: DC Greg Schiano claims this defense is close to being good. Can we take him at his word? What is the most important thing this defense must improve on if they want to perform at an acceptable level? 

Baver: After giving up 49 pts to Purdue, I won’t believe this defense is close to being good until I see it. Purdue scored 1 TD on Sparty last Saturday by the way...this a week after scoring 7 TDs on Ohio St. The Buckeye D-line has fewer problems than the linebackers or DBs, but if the coaches and team leaders could simply motivate this D-line to play to their potential, that would go a long way to improving this D.

Colin: What is your take on Urban? His body language on the sidelines doesn't look like a man who is enjoying his job. 

Baver: I don’t know if he’s returning next year or not. I mean….watch the first 3 or 4 minutes of this video, and tell me if that is the Urban Meyer you know? I think that’s part of the reason why the Vegas line has dropped more than 3 points for Saturday’s game in the Horseshoe. It’s not just this video and Urban’s choice of words here…in the past three weeks, you also have Urban speaking often about his health problems. It sure sounds he is setting up his departure, but I could be wrong. I wouldn’t be surprised either way I guess….as to whether Urban returns in ’19 or calls it quits. I do know the game has taken its toll on Urban much like it took its toll on Woody some 40 years ago. It’s sad to see him like this.

Colin: How do you see the OSU – Nebraska game playing out?

Baver: OSU is as healthy as they have been in some time. I think you will finally see a sense of urgency after being embarrassed. And I think you will see “some” signs of life out of the OSU running game. But Nebraska is much improved. NU QB Adrian Martinez is on his way to stardom in this conference, and I think JD Spielman will again have a big day like he did a year ago against the Bucks in Lincoln. And if OSU starts slowly, the is a losable game for them. But I think Ohio St makes some progress Saturday, even if they don’t win big. The call: Ohio St 42 Nebraska 28.

Colin: Lots of big games this weekend. Which ones will you be keeping an eye on?

Baver: I think you lay the points in Ann Arbor. The home team has won big each of the last two years, and I think you’ll see it again. Outside of DJ Hamler, Penn St’s receivers are way below expectations. Can’t see the Nits throwing the ball on UM. And how healthy is McSorley? I think Michigan wins fairly big here….I’d lay the 10½.

I just read that Bama hasn’t won by more than 14½ at LSU since 2002. That’s the line Saturday night in Tiger Stadium. LSU has one of the best defenses in the country, and it will be by far the toughest D Bama has played this year. If LSU gets Bama in a funk, they could pull the upset…..as any team is beatable. But Alabama does have the best offense in the country and LSU’s offense is going to have many problems moving the ball against the Tide. I’ll avoid picking this one against the spread, but Bama should prove to be too much for the Tigers here.

Rating the KISS Unmasked Draft Albums - by Nick Jezierny

Click here for complete results of KISS Unmasked Fantasy Draft

(editor’s Note: On a 100-degree day in Boise, Nick decided not to ride his mountain bike like he does every Tuesday and chose to sit around in his Kiss boxers and rate these records. “Seems like a productive thing to do,” his wife said sarcastically.)

This is going to be harder than I anticipated – I’ve studied the albums, tried my own crazy formula to rank them (way too complicated and probably too scientific). I thought about ranking all songs from 1-71 and then scoring the records like a cross country meet.

That seemed like a lot of work, and since my love of Kiss sometimes means a song I’m not super-high on one day becomes a favorite the next, I’ve decided I’m just going to go with my gut and that means this: the best rule for unmasked Kiss – the fewer Gene songs, the better.

Let’s be honest. The Demon struggled mightily between the last makeup record “Creatures of the Night” and the last non-makeup record (at least in this draft) “Revenge.” He was making movies and the 80’s fashion trends didn’t suit him well.

So the record that starts with “Domino” and ends with “Lonely is the Hunter” and has a total of eight Gene songs is automatically eliminated. Not only does it have eight Simmons songs, but none of his best five from this era are included.

• Thou Shalt Not

• Secretly Cruel

• Unholy

• Betrayed

• Fits Like A Glove

The highlight of this last-place record in “Silver Spoon,” one of my favorites.

Time to eliminate another record. Two others records have at least five Gene songs, but Gene songs are created unequal. The album that contains two of his epic duds – “Murder in High Heels” and “Any Way You Slice It” – among six Simmons offerings is the next on the chopping block.

While the Gene songs didn’t help — “No No No” is another stinker — it was the lack of great Paul songs that led to its demise. While “Exciter” and “Tough Love” are above-average, they aren’t enough to warrant this record as the winner. And it has “My Way,” which is “no way” in my book.

The next cut was difficult. It would be easy to take an album with five Gene songs, but I’m going a different direction. The album that starts with “Take It Off” and ends with “Carr Jam” is the next to go.

While this album featured a legitimate No. 2 pick in “A Million To One,” there wasn’t enough substance to follow it. I found myself wanting to rank this higher, but there are a lot of forgettable or blah songs, including “(You Make Me) Rock Hard,” “While the City Sleeps,” “Get All You Can Take” and “Who Wants To Be Lonely.”

This disc only had two Gene songs – “Not For The Innocent” and “Spit” – but those aren’t album killers, but they also couldn’t help it stave off elimination.

That leads us to the five-Gene song album that starts with “Unholy.” Between that hit and “Fits Like A Glove,” some of Gene’s best non-makeup work shows up. So does his worst: “Love’s A Deadly Weapon.”

There are some other strong picks – “I’ve Had Enough (Into The Fire),” “Heart of Chrome” and “Thrills in the Night” – but there’s too much filler to warrant a top-two finish. I consider “Reason to Live” like much of the “Crazy Nights” record – average at best. “I’ll Fight Hell to Hold You” is a forgettable tune and might be the worst second song on any Kiss record. (It’s worse than “Any Way You Slice It”!)

That takes us to the top two records. Both are strong records for different reasons, but I’m going to eliminate the record that opens with “Crazy, Crazy Nights” and ends with “The Street Giveth and The Street Taketh Away.”

This record had a lot going for it. “I’m Alive” and “Tears Are Falling” are very strong, and two of Gene’s best - “Thou Shalt Not” and “Secretly Cruel” - are as good as it gets from him in this era. I even like “Forever” enough to ignore “Let’s Put the X in Sex.”

What really sunk this record is the inclusion of “Hide Your Heart.” Back in 1989, when I was a senior at Ohio University, Kiss released “Hot in the Shade” around the same time as Ace Frehley released “Trouble Walkin’,” which as you may know, also featured a version of “Hide Your Heart.” I thought Ace’s version was vastly superior to the poppier Kiss version to the point where I dislike the Kiss version. So that was my tiebreaker – “Hide Your Heart” made this record worse than our champion.

Congratulations to the record that starts with the ultimate opening song from the non-makeup era, “King of the Mountain” and ends with perhaps my pick for the steal of this draft, the 11th-rounder “You Love Me To Hate You.”

In between, this record includes “Lick It Up,” “Heaven’s On Fire” and “God Gave Rock and Roll to You II” for hits. If you want some under-the-radar magic, you’ve got “Gimme More,” “Under The Gun” and a not-so-bad “Betrayed” as one of only two Gene songs on the mix.

We can overlook “Radar For Love” and “When Your Walls Come Down” and realize each of these albums has a dud – “Bang Bang You.”

So that’s it. I intentionally didn’t look at the names of the albums or who drafted them. I wanted to keep this on the up-and-up. Really, I’m jealous I couldn’t participate and would have liked to have included “Carnival of Souls” because there are five or six songs that would have been fine additions to some of these records.

Nick Jezierny is a former journalist who has seen Kiss 10 times on nine different tours and in eight different venues in six different states. He works as a Communications Specialist at Blue Cross of Idaho where he writes a Song Lyric of the Day each morning on the whiteboard in his cubicle.

Joan Jett / Bad Reputation: Go See This Movie. Now. - by JCE

I went to see Bad Reputation, a new documentary on Joan Jett, on a rainy Wednesday evening recently. When I got home from work, the idea of driving almost an hour to the theater where it was playing wasn’t too appealing, but my wife and I made the trip, as it was a one-night only showing at a cool place called the Violet Crown in Charlottesville, VA. Man, am I ever glad we went. On the drive there, I told my wife that I hoped the movie would not be too Runaways-centric and spend more time on her career with the Blackhearts. I was also kind of hoping to hear a little about her childhood since I knew she lived in Rockville, MD and went to Wheaton High School, not that far from where I grew up.

The movie started straightaway with the Runaways story, so I didn’t get any childhood info, but it continued well into the Blackhearts era, and right up to the present. There was a ton of screen time with Joan (in the present) talking and recounting how things went, and I really liked that—hearing it directly from her. There were also many others on-screen talking about Joan, including some of my rock n roll heroes. Debbie Harry of Blondie was featured. Ian Mackaye (Minor Threat, Fugazi) & Kathleen Hannah (Bikini Kill) were also very prominent, and since they are from the DC music scene I grew up in, I greatly enjoyed that. Mike Ness was interviewed. There was also some great footage of both the Runaways and the Blackhearts throughout.

One highlight for me was some footage from the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony in which Joan fronted Nirvana. I am sure that is readily found on YouTube, but I had not seen it before. At the end of the film, after the credits rolled and most of the theater was empty, there was some never-before-seen footage of a few Blackhearts songs being played live during a sound check somewhere. We stuck around the extra ten minutes to take that in. I highly recommend that you make an effort to check the film out, if you like rock & roll documentaries. The main takeaway for me was what a pioneer Joan Jett really was. I have always considered her to be important, but I may not have been giving her enough credit for her place in history.

I got to seen Joan Jett and the Blackhearts in Bethesda, MD at a little place called the Psyche Delly right when the first Blackhearts record came out. There was Joan and the band, clad entirely in black leather, blasting out “Bad Reputation” about ten feet from me. I count myself very lucky to have witnessed that show. I have since seen her in larger venues, but it was never as good as it was that night.

For an entirely superfluous (but somewhat related) live review of Joan Jett from 2012, check out Joan Jett & the Blackhearts Live at the Obetz Zucchini Festival from Ricki C’s old blog.

Ricki C. and JCE (John, to his friends & family) first bonded over their shared mutual love of Boston's Finest Sons - The Neighborhoods - and everything extended out from that rock & roll ripple.  JCE lives in Culpeper, Virginia with his wife & daughter, and thinks a long-rumored new Neighborhoods record being released in 2018 would make this a perfect year.

Tom Petty: Treasure This, a Box Set Primer - by James A. Baumann

On October 20, Tom Petty was supposed to turn 68 years old. Instead, last year, a week after completing his band’s 40th anniversary tour—during which, we learned, he was playing through pain every night—an accidental overdose closed his songbook.

The first posthumous release, the aptly-titled Tom Petty: An American Treasure, arrived at the end of September. Its 60 tracks are a mix of demos, live songs, alternate takes, and a variety of deep cuts. It’s sort of an odd mix. It’s not the instant gratification of a greatest hits disc, nor is it as unique as the previous all-live box set. Still, it certainly delivers. Taken individually, the tracks include a number of gems. As a whole, it is a fitting testament to Petty’s gift: an American treasure indeed. The following is a completely subjective list of 10 shiny coins in this treasure chest. 

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“Listen To Her Heart” / “Anything That’s Rock ‘N’ Roll” (live)

These early live tracks illustrate how and why TP&HP got grouped in with the New Wave bands. The guitars are pointier, the riffs cut, and everything has a bit more of an edge to it. It’s noticeable even when Petty is introducing the new song to the crowd; the voice would eventually mellow into a southern drawl but here it’s a more of a snarl.

 “Lost In Your Eyes” (outtake)

This was recorded by Petty’s pre-Heartbreakers band, Mudcrutch, in 1975 but it has elements that wouldn’t have sounded out of place on records that would come 15-plus years later. Amazing how fully-formed they were even then.

 “Even the Losers” (live)

Petty was always public about not wanting to just trot out the hits during tours, but also was aware of what the fans wanted to hear. His way around that, oftentimes, was to strip the song down to its skeleton. This 1989 recording shows how his brilliant storytelling can make an acoustic version into an anthem. It helps when you have an arena singing along with every word.

 “Keeping Me Alive” (unreleased)

This, along with “Keep A Little Soul” (also included in the set), were recorded during sessions for Long After Dark. “Soul…” is rock solid, but one can imagine it not making the final cut because there were similar songs already slotted. I have no idea how this didn’t end up on some record along the line.

 “The Apartment Song” (demo)

With Stevie Nicks adding harmonies and some counterlines, this demo, in many ways, has more going on than the final version that ended up on Full Moon Fever.

 “Rebels” (alternate version)

This song famously lead Petty to punch a wall in frustration as he struggled to get it just right. This version, with a livelier horn section and (I think) a slightly faster tempo comes off a bit more like a celebration than the official version which sounded more defiant.

 “King of the Hill” (early take)

Dude, it’s Tom Petty singing with Roger McGuinn.

 “Lonesome Dave” (outtake)

A loose rocking and rolling tune, it sounds like yet more evidence of Petty’s Elvis worship. Driven by Stan Lynch’s drumming, it also is highlighted by deft Benmont Tench (piano) and Mike Campbell (guitar) solos. One could imagine the band breaking this out at a Gainesville house party to get everyone dancing, despite the fact they recorded it in search of a track to add to their greatest hits album.  

 “I Don’t Belong” (outtake)

This comes from the batch of songs written for the (underrated) Echo album. Therefore, the lyrics are not the cheeriest in the batch. Musically, though, it sounds like it could have fit right in on one of the Travelling Wilburys’ records.

 “Two Men Talking” (outtake)

This entire collection is a testament to Petty, but it also showcases the amazing musicians he played alongside throughout his career. In the later years, the whole gang seemed more likely to break out of the 3:30 radio-hit format and let the band flex its considerable muscle. This is a formidable example of just that. 

Remembering The Records: RIP John Wicks - by JCE

   1979

1980

   1982

The three albums pictured above are all excellent.  One of them is an absolute classic.  The first album by The Records contained “Starry Eyes,” which many feel is the greatest power-pop song ever written.  (editor’s note: THE greatest power-pop song EVER written? I dunno, to me that sounds like ample fodder for the “Comments” section below.) For me, that first album with “Teenarama,” “Girl,” “Girls That Don’t Exist,” “Up All Night,” “All Messed Up and Ready To Go,” “Affection Rejected” and “Starry Eyes” is one of the most important and excellent records ever made. 

The Records were formed by John Wicks and Will Birch.  Their songs still sound fresh to me even now, and I never get tired of them, no matter how much I play them.  After these three albums, the band faded out and at some point, John Wicks moved to Virginia and did some gigs around the Northern Virginia/Washington D.C. area.  One album - Rotate - came out during that time period (1994) under the name John Wicks and The Records.  It is excellent as well, even all those years after the original band had parted.  I sincerely regret not hunting down a show and going to see John Wicks during that time period, as I also never got to see the original band live.  He moved out west to L.A. several years ago.

John Wicks died from cancer on or around October 7, 2018.  He will be truly missed by many fans who were touched, as I was, by his incredible songs.  Rest In Peace John Wicks.

The Records on American TV, 1979, John Wicks on lead vocals & rhythm guitar

Ricki C. and JCE (John, to his friends & family) first bonded over their shared mutual love of Boston's Finest Sons - The Neighborhoods - and everything extended out from that rock & roll ripple.  JCE lives in Culpeper, Virginia with his wife & daughter, and thinks a long-rumored new Neighborhoods record being released in 2018 would make this a perfect year.