RIP someone or another

[skullguise]

RIP Moses....

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[blessingx]

RIP William Becker, who introduced a ton of important directors/films to many Americans.

http://mobile.nytimes.com/2015/09/14/theater/william-becker-who-transformed-janus-films-dies-at-88.html

[ironbut]

RIP Moses. He dominated the basketball record books forever.

 

I'm embarrassed to say that Mr. Becker's contribution to film was unknown to me.

The two sided mask of janus was always the film equivalent to a fine leather bound volume. Whenever I saw it, I could be sure that my life would be enriched.

RIP William

Edited September 14, 2015 by ironbut

[Dusty Chalk]

Gary Richrath (REO Speedwagon) -- before you mock, go listen to the live side of a Decade of Rock'n'Roll: 1970 to 1980.  We lost a good one.

[Wmcmanus]

Gary Richrath (REO Speedwagon) -- before you mock, go listen to the live side of a Decade of Rock'n'Roll: 1970 to 1980.  We lost a good one.

Saw REO in the summer of '79.  They were the headliners for the Rockford Speedway Jam.  They were quite good, but The Cars were simply incredible and Ian Hunter was really eye opening for me (it was just after the release of "You're Never Alone With a Schizophrenic").  It was freaking hot as hell and of course you're standing on or near asphalt all day long with nothing to drink but buckets of beer!  Amazing, long, long day...  

It was just myself, Dice, and Mince, my best two friends from high school.  Then on the way back home at about midnight we were the 4th car back from a head on collision that killed 6 people on US-51 which really was the only (shitty 2-lane) road South at the time (this was much prior to I-39).  There was blood, glass and car parts everywhere, with the last couple of victims who didn't die on impact still screaming.  Everyone was scrambling to see if they could help and trying to pry one girl free but then there was silence.  We couldn't do a thing to help these poor souls, the lone driver of the Northbound vehicle and 5 young people in the car that was heading South and tried to pass a long line of cars.  They had also been at the show all day, and were probably just as drunk and high as we were.  

We all sat around for nearly 2 hours until they finally cleared the road.  Some people were freaking out, others wandering from car to car just to have someone to chat with, but it was just so sad and eire.  From life to death in just an instant.  When we finally got moving again and down the road several miles, nothing was said for the longest time.  It had to be 2am by then.  Then all of sudden Dice, who was driving, cranked up The Doors for the rest of the way home.  We never talked about it again.  Could have been us just as easily, although thankfully he wasn't trying to pass anyone.

Anyway, RIP Gary.  Lots of good memories from that day too...

Oh, and the Head East "Flat As a Pancake" album is loaded with really fun kick ass 70s rock ("Never Had Any Reason" being the hit, and rightfully so).  Most of the REO guys were from Rockford, so they played there often, and Head East was from Pekin, IL near Peoria.  

[skullguise]

Incredible story, Wayne....

RIP Gary.

[Absorbine_Sr]

RIP Gary. And Wayne, I believe I met Ian Hunter and Mick Ronson the year of that tour. I worked for Camelot Music which was based in Ohio. They had a yearly convention for managers, and one year that I went Hunter's band performed live for us. There was a meet & greet afterwards and I got to shake hands with both of them and talk to Mick about his days with Bowie. In hindsight, I bet he hated that.

And chilling story about your ride back. Glad you guys were back a few cars...

[Dusty Chalk]

Yeezh, Wayne.  I just can't imagine going through life with memories like that.   (involuntarily shudders)

[Wmcmanus]

Yeezh, Wayne.  I just can't imagine going through life with memories like that.   (involuntarily shudders)

I think the best thing we did was after the first 15-20 minutes or so (after a bunch of emergency vehicles had arrived)... was a bunch of guys who happened to have the misfortune of being so close up near to the accident (including the three of us) stood around and essentially formed a human road block about 150 yards back.  Or at least we tried the best we could to convince everyone who kept wandering up the road that they really didn't want to get any closer.  It worked for about 80% of the people.  

Then people who insisted on seeing it for themselves would come back 5 minutes later wishing they had listened to us.  So they started telling the new people who wandered up, "No, no, you don't want to see it..." (all dramatic, and insistent). Damn idiots!  It was like they had to be macho and walk up there to earn a badge of honor or something, and then be the big man hero trying to spare someone else... whereas those of us who were up front to begin with were just trying not to think about anything, and were basically in shock.  Then some new group of morons would wander up, and this kept going on for 2 hours. 

But you know, sitting in that line for so long, even as word of mouth reached back a mile (seemingly) or however long it was, some people still wanted to come up and gawk... and this was extremely high impact, so not much was left of either vehicle.  So that got frustrating, the fact that we were right there and had to babysit and keep looking out for all of the idiots who kept coming and coming...

But just all of those lights from such a variety of emergency vehicles flashing for so long, I think that's what I remember most.  That, and the darkness and quietness of the night.  Nowhere to go and nothing to do but wait with lights flashing and reflecting everywhere.

(Anyway, enough about that.)

 

Edited September 16, 2015 by Wmcmanus

[muskyhuntr]

Jack Larson, aka  Jimmy Olsen.  Always fun to watch as the over eager Daily planet cub reporter.  Rest in peace Jimmy!

Me

[Wmcmanus]

Today, it finally is over... RIP Yogi Berra, a true legend of the game of baseball, and just a lot of fun, always.

http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/151137752/hall-of-famer-yogi-berra-passes-away-at-90

[skullguise]

Wow, thought he'd live forever, I think a part of him will....what a legend....RIP Yogi

[Voltron]

RIP YOGI

[Kerry]

Yeah, I thought he would just always be there.  RIP.

[guzziguy]

RIP Yogi.  You're a treasure.

[mikeymad]

"When you come to a fork in the road, take it." - RIP Yogi

[robm321]

RIP Yogi!

[Pars]

RIP Yogi. What a great one!

[ironbut]

RIP Yogi!

There are tons of tributes across the interweb but I thought this one was excellent.

http://m.mlb.com/atl/video/topic/41109544/v496973283/eight-great-moments-from-no-8-yogi-berras-career/?c_id=atl

[Aimless1]

nice tribute.  RIP Yogi.  One of kind seems like a gross understatement.

 

[blessingx]

RIP Catherine E. Coulson

(Also camera operator on Wrath of Khan, Night on Earth, etc.)

[Voltron]

RIP Log Lady!  That's sad and makes me want to watch all of Twin Peaks again.

[Wmcmanus]

Frankie Ford, of "Sea Cruise" fame died today at age 76.  

Saw him along with Del Shannon and Cocktail Stevie & the Tablerockers in my home town of Oglesby, IL, back in the early 80s.  We had some pretty cool old timer bands play at our annual summer Oglesby Celebration Days weekend drunk fest.  (Sorry about the audio quality of this clip.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i5tIHtbctFQ

 

Edited September 29, 2015 by Wmcmanus

[skullguise]

RIP Catherine and Frankie.....not big parts of my life/growing up, but do remember both fondly.

[Wmcmanus]

Joe Bichl, 53, one of my high school classmates, died of alcoholism related issues yesterday.  We weren't particularly close in high school, although he was a great kid with an incredible, sarcastic wit.  I had a chance to catch up with him one day last summer when I was home at my mom's house, a day which I'll always remember now.  One of my younger brothers had been his AA sponsor for a couple of years and never once mentioned his name to me.  But then apparently when he told Joe I was in town, Joe wanted to see me and said he didn't mind if I learned of his problems.  

We chatted for a couple of hours about just about everything except AA, which I know nothing about in any event, nor is it any of my business.  I guess he was relieved (I learned later) that I treated him "just like anyone else" which is actually quite telling in terms of his level of guilt and shame.  Obviously it was a sickness that was beyond his ability to ever quite shake.  But he was actually doing quite fine at the time, and seemed so humble and content and (without speaking to the issue) he had a quiet confidence about him that seemed to suggest that he had made it over the hump and was looking forward to what the rest of his life might hold for me.  Or at least that was the vibe I got.

I guess he relapsed several times this past year, and eventually "fired" my brother as his sponsor (too much tough love? not sure), but then he would then call sometimes when he had been drinking hard again, and then accept my brother's help yet again, at least for a while until the cycle repeated itself again.  When I was home just last weekend, my brother told me that he had hit rock bottom and was refusing to get help.  He said, "if he doesn't dry out, he'll be dead in a week."  Sure enough, almost to the day, he was gone...

Anyway, he was a good guy, and like cancer, alcohol and substance addiction and abuse really sucks.

 

Edited October 11, 2015 by Wmcmanus