Jersey Mike

We do lots of Bluegrass shows at Greenbelt Events.

Hot Buttered Rum, Hackensaw Boys, Cabinet, Hillbilly Gypsies, Mason Porter and lots more.

And lately, we haven’t been seeking it out much. But I met a dude in LA a couple of months ago who told me about CORNMEAL.

Have you heard these guys yet?

Here’s a taste. (And yes, they’re at ABC on July 15 – be there!)

We want to believe.

We want to feel it.

We often need the chemical release that we get from being in a packed, dark, sometimes smokey room listening to five or six people onstage strumming guitars, pounding drums and picking a bassline underneath lyrics that reach the depths of our souls.

And when we find it, we scream it from the rooftops. We evangelize and preach the teachings of the singer downstage-center.

Sometimes it’s a quiet ballad. Sometimes is a loud, chaotic metal song. Other times it’s a standard, 122BPM pop song that surfaced after four records. And this is the thing that ties us all together.

We fight and bicker and debate Republican vs. Democrat ideals.

Riots ensue when a baseball team wins a world series.

Football fans often get into fist fights and barroom brawls when their team loses (or, oddly, wins)

But when we’re all at the club, standing in front of the stage and the house lights go dark and the intro music comes through the speakers and a collective body of people gets that feeling inside our chests akin to opening a present on Christmas day when we were seven years old and the guitarist jams that opening chord and, with that single combination of notes, a ninety minute set of songs moves us and we laugh together and cry together and get angry together and reflect together and get inspired together, that’s what rock and roll is all about. That’s what keeps us working our shitty jobs to earn enough to pay the rent and then travel by car or bus or plane or foot to the next show.

It’s hard to explain, really, what exactly constitutes a successful band. But it starts with honesty.

Genuine, non-imitating, inspired rock. The singer writes some lyrics and the guitar player comes up with a melody and the bass and drums keep the rhythm and then they show us their goods- they want to play for us and we want to listen. They want to tell us what they think and we’ll either agree and embrace them and tell EVERYONE we know about this band…or we’ll turn up our noses and move on to the next record from the next band.

Everyone gets a chance, you see.

Everyone has an opportunity to rock. To tell their story. To audition their music to us. And we always listen. But we don’t always believe it.

But when we do…it’s like no other pasttime that I can write a metaphor for. Sure, lots of people have a favorite baseball team. Many people have a their star writer or columnist. Actors, soap stars, football players…but EVERYONE has a favorite song. That one song that comes on and brightens your day. Makes all of the bullshit seem that much more manageable.

And that’s why we listen. And buy. And share.

In June of 2006, I was doing afternoon shifts on WTPA-FM in Harrisburg. Yes, at one point, I was an FM Radio DJ. Most of the timeslots I had were late at night or overnight (Midnight-6AM)

Needless to say, I’m not an FM Radio DJ anymore. But it was a fun little stint of my life.

One afternoon (a Tuesday, I think) I came to the station about twenty minutes early to prepare for my shift. And this particular week, all that anyone could talk about was the unfortunate motorcycle accident involving Pittsburgh Steelers Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.

For the record, your honor, I must state that I am not, nor have I ever been, a football fan. (Or any major-league sport, for that matter.). It’s just not in me. Never have, probably never will. So on the day after Big Ben’s motorcycle crash, I decided to kick off my shift (at around 3PM) with a break informing the hundred-thousand-or-so listeners that I would not be discussing the motorcycle accident of Ben Roethlisberger at all during that day. My justification was three fold- 1. EVERY single other media outlet was discussing it. 2. I’m not a sports fan and 3. Well, take a listen:

fired_break

Before the air had exited my mouth of the last sentence about “Big Ben”, the phone lines were jammed. I got calls threatening to KILL me. Literally. Some dude called in and said that he was going to kill me for talking so badly about “Big Ben” – the guy who won the Super Bowl. The Crown Jewel of Pennsylvania sports.

“Trapper” – one of the other jocks on the station – called in to the hotline (the line assigned for inter-office communication) and also joined the “I’m gonna kick the shit out of Jersey Mike” party. You see, “Trapper” is a big motorcycle buff AND a big Steelers fan.

So shortly after the break, the program director buzzed in and advised me to offer an “apology” on air. Which you can hear here: apology

Not only that, but the following morning, I got an email advising me that I was on a two week suspension from the station. (Which didn’t really hurt, considering part-time radio jocks earn less than a clerk at Sheetz. I think my rate was around seven bucks an hour)

So the point of this post is simple: I was right, you were wrong, WTPA staff and hundreds of people who wanted me dead. The guy now has his very own “Likes Not Being Raped By Ben Roethlesberger” Facebook Page. I wonder if Trapper and the rest of the crew at WTPA “Like” that page as well?

Look, I know that sometimes I can be off base or “hit below the belt” – but I never say or type anything that I don’t stand behind 1,000%. And that goes for everything.

Hadn’t been to a City Council meeting in awhile so I thought I’d stop in a couple of weeks ago to catch up on the happenings of our local elected officials. I got there right as the meeting was ending at around 6:30, so after chatting briefly with Councilwoman Susan Brown Wilson and saying hello to a few of the regulars, Roxbury and I went over to Spice for a few happy hour beers.

Clearly, I haven’t been writing much about local politics lately. For a few reasons, but most notably, I simply don’t give a shit anymore.

Time and again, I’ve been disappointed by the (in)action of our local elected officials. Sure, on the campaign trail, they’ll say “yes” more times than a townie in the local seaside bar when the ship of starved sailors docks. But once the pomp and circumstance ends and everyone goes back to their post-election-year lives, it’s a different story.

The same elected officials who made promise after promise on the campaign trail will feign forgetfulness when the points they promised are brought up to them again in, say, March.

Therefore, I just don’t care. I’m here to bring great concerts to this city and that’s what I’ll continue to do. I tried to get these liars and thieves to understand my plight with the Amusement Tax but their lack of action on my single cause- my only action-item, my “cross to bear” has made it crystal clear that they do not work for us. They are supposedly “public servants” but I’ve seen VERY little that would make me believe anything other than the fact that most elected officials have an agenda and a personal objective and if a constituents request or point fits into a pre-existing notion held by said official, then that citizen is in luck. The elected official will “champion” their cause. But if a citizen or group of citizens has a groundbreaking and innovative request of their local leaders and truly wish to see some change happen inside a poorly managed, cumbersome, ego-driven, narcissistic, sociopathic and “Napoleon Complex” riddled elected body, they’re shit out of luck.

ANYWAY…Roxbury and I were having a few beers at Spice and in walks Freshman City Councilman Kelly Summerford. If you recall, I wasn’t (and still am not) a Kelly Summerford fan. And his actions last night further cemented my idea that this guy is not working for the people and is so far out of touch that it’s hardly worth the effort to bring him up to speed.

But I’m here to do that. Kelly- this one’s for you, buddy. You see these words? These words you’re reading right now? On this website? The critical lashing I’m giving to you and the rest of the elected officials that are reading this as well? It’s within a “browser” on your “computer” that you had to “type” in the “address” of to “get here”. (Or, someone “emailed” you a “link” and you “clicked on it”) See it? Got it? THIS, my friend, is a BLOG. And I am a blogger.

You see, I’m spelling this out as if I’m talking to a six year old because time and again, you fucking politicians can’t get it right.

This is a blog. Go ahead. Click around. Use the search box in the upper right to look for your name. Or anyone in an elected position within the City of Harrisburg’s name for that matter.

Kelly, technology has allowed people like me all over the globe to express our opinions and otherwise unreported facts that mainstream media doesn’t report on. We write these things on blogs. I am not anonymous. You saw me in person the other night. I shook your hand. Blammo. You know who I am.

Now, THIS PAGE however, is NOT a blog. That page linked from those words is what is called a “Message Forum”. BIG, BIG difference between a Message Forum and a BLOG. On a message forum, it’s much easier for a “poster” (or someone who writes things and gets them displayed on said Message Forum) to remain anonymous. It’s simple to create a screen name and post different, disparaging comments about  a plethora of topics. Everything from whether or not Linda Thompson is a qualified leader or not to who has the best cheeseburger in town. That’s what  a message board is for.

But if these elected officials don’t even know what a BLOG is, how can we expect them to lead our city into a more fruitful time?

It’s simple, guys- this is the year two thousand and ten. “Teh Internets” has been around for decades now. And blogs have been here for over ten years. Get to know them.

Blogs and bloggers CAN be your friends. Adversaries. Allies. Or, they can be your worst enemies. It’s your choice, really. I told you guys the other night that I think that EACH of you council members SHOULD have a blog. You SHOULD communicate with the public who elected you. That’s what you’re HERE for .

YOU serve US. Not the other way around.

So there you have it Kelly, Linda and whoever else was unclear about exactly what a “blog” is.

Dear Amtrak,

I’ve been riding your rails for over fifteen years now. When was in my late teens and early twenties, I’d ride from New York, Penn Station to Hartford, CT. Mostly on Sunday nights. Occasionally on a Friday afternoon. And I fondly remember how nice it felt from the time I boarded until I arrived at the Hartford station just over two hours later.

The fare at the time escapes me, but it was reasonable. Especially considering the pleasant greeting “Welcome Aboard” that passengers would receive when passing a conductor on our way to our seats.

Occasionally, I’d ride from New York to Boston and the fare was just as reasonable and the service was just as nice.

But fifteen years later, I really want to know: what the hell happened, Amtrak?

Why do nearly every one of your employees whom I encounter react as if a simple question or request is the most inconvenient thing that’s happened to them? Why is it that I sometimes find myself sighing out of frustration when I board a train with my seven year old, only to find many of the seats occupied by a single rider or, worse yet, the four seaters at either end of the train occupied by a single rider and when I ask for assistance in getting two seats together (so my seven year old daughter doesn’t have to ride alone) your employees predictably react ambivalently?

Is it because you’re doing SO well that you don’t NEED to treat your customers with dignity and respect?

Or is it simply because you don’t have any competition and know that I don’t have another option when I would rather do the right thing for the environment and take a train to Jersey?

And what’s with your exorbitant pricing? Checked fares today, and found that if we were to take the 1:05 train from Harrisburg to Newark on Friday, the fare was around $130 for two tickets (one adult and one child) but the fare for the 5:35 train was nearly half that at around $70?

Aren’t you supposed to be enticing customers to choose rail travel over driving, flying or taking a bus?

Isn’t that the idea? Shouldn’t you be trying to make it more affordable and realistic for a family to travel by rail rather than acting like a true fat, lazy, corporation and squeezing every single penny you can out of each customer?

Look, when it was all said and done, my trip to Jersey this weekend for two adults and one child, round trip, is going to cost us $225.60. To travel 180 miles. On a pretty popular route.

How is that affordable? Gas prices have mostly stabilized. We could have easily chosen to drive- with tolls and two tanks of gas (not to mention the lack of snooty conductors) it would have been less than a hundred bucks. And gotten us door to door.

I WANT to take Amtrak. I really do enjoy it…but we’re not talking about luxury travel here. Not only have fares gone up and customer service gone down, but the Keystone line is sometimes even DIRTY.

Sure, you’ve got hundreds of people sitting in those seats daily. And I’m sure your staff doesn’t particularly care to pick up what some inconsiderate riders leave behind. But how about sprucing up the cars at the longer stops? Open the doors, air em out, maybe run a vacuum?

We constantly hear about the need to drive less, take more public transit and conserve more energy…but you, Amtrak, are not making it easy for us. And fares aside, many of your employees act like complete assholes.

I guess this has been building for awhile, this is nothing new. No one particular incident sparked this…other than the fact its’ going to cost me nearly triple what it would to drive home for Easter Weekend.

All in a time that we’re supposed to be encouraging train travel and mass transit.

C’mon, Amtrak. Get your shit together.

Hugs and kisses,

Jersey Mike