Whistles the Wind

I only have one of their albums, and technically (of course) it's not an album, it's a CD but I'm such a fossil I still package music in obsolete units of measure because it's inconceivable to me that you'd ever consider buying it like hamburger, but, rather than by the pound, by the download. I came from an era where people my age showed their devotion to music and musicians by naming their children, 'Dylan' and such. And the generation that followed us name theirs for fruits and vegetables (shoe's a little tight, Gwyneth and Chris?)

The band is Flogging Molly and aside from the same biology that places us in the same genus and species, I have little in common with anyone within the band. They are considered an Irish and/or Celtic Band which does NOT mean Kevin Garnett enjoys them, but helps build the box we can put the label on, to help us not think about what an artist is or what they do-instead we can say 'do you like So-and-So?' And depending on the answer, we can then say, 'you really should try this guy/these people/that ringtone; it'll remind you so much of So-and-So.' One of those all 'ducks are birds but not all birds are ducks' if we can't be profound, let's be profane moments we cherish so much.

I'm gonna wind up writing later this week about politics in general, the election season in Norwich somewhat obsessively and in particular about the first mayoral debate Tuesday evening at Slater Auditorium at the Norwich Free Academy starting at seven to such a length you'll attend to just shut me up. That'll be fine as why you go isn't nearly as important as the fact that you go at all.

The Norwich Bulletin is the sponsor and their Community Conversations Editor, Ray Hackett (who used to write a wonderful blog that stopped, more than merely ended, some months ago) will serve as the inquisitor of the four mayoral candidates and when he's on his game, he is quite the thing of beauty to watch. Which means we might be able to start sifting through the detritus that all prospective mayoral candidates have as part and parcel of their campaigns (it's how this business works) and pick out the grains of importance, interest and integrity that will help us make an informed choice.

I can hear you from here, 'and this has what to do with a band from Los Angeles who now make their home in Ireland?' Maybe nothing and maybe everything, you tell me.
"Well it breaks my heart to see you this way.
The beauty in life, where's it gone?
And somebody told me, you were doing okay.
Somehow, I guess they were wrong."
Perhaps they're singing about a past lover, but I think, and I've listened to this song maybe three hundred (or is it three hundred thousand?) times in five years but never really heard it until late yesterday driving on Water Street through what was downtown Norwich, that they're singing about where I live.
-bill kenny