1969-1999 Eu sou uma criança da minha epoca - I am a child of my times and, like millions upon millions of you out there, that means that I was born with television. Those broadcast sights and sounds shaped my thinking, os meus sonhos, mon imaginaire.
Much like the show Dream On so brilliantly recreated on any given one of its 120 episodes - my experience and that of millions of others that are a part of this "generation of television" viewers is one of mish-mashing all those images and influences, blending them all into a view of the world that -at least attempted to- make sense of it...!
And the mere task of making sense of any of it is not an easy one for the toddler, the five year-old, the ten year-old, the rebellious teenager, the young optimistic twentysomething...!
Television has been there throughout all of these phases of our lives - and, somehow, it has been for the best. For television is, despite its bad influences through publicity spots that outright lie to you, saturation of violent images, sexually-degrading images too, racist, sexist, socially unacceptable sights and sounds... television still is, for all these sins and more, a valuable teacher, informer and one might even say "friend". It introduces the viewer to the complexities of life (most of which are totally unnecessary for they are man-made to begin with - and they are unnecessary to the human condition exactly because they are man-made too!) that is, modern life of course... It keeps the viewer abreast of any last-minute changes to these complexities, meant only to further alienate or simply frustrate an entire class of denizens out there - but that is another story... And lastly but not least of all, television often added or adds that essential liveliness tot he home: for a home where the television is on is a home where there is "life" - or noise, at the very least. Throughout our very crucial -for they will shape what we are and what we are to be in society- first, roughly-speaking, thirty-or-so years of life, the television will always be ON: for we need it so bad in order to understand and connect with events in our immediate environment; heck, in our city, country, planet...!
Things are still as confusing as ever though, later in life - and, once again, Dream On (we'll keep coming back to that show - for now) acted as some sort of guidance in the early 1990s - the extremely materialistic, fade and bleak 1990s (they were, you must admit, far worse than the 1980s on several key points - but that is another story too.)
Here is at least one sample of that "guidance" - a lesson on how to deal with many of life's pitfalls and other disillusions that come about when one is too aloof to notice things - all the while the lessons learned through the formative years (as well as all the related growing pains and such) are remembered, duly registered and keep coming to the fore, sending little warning signals that we choose to ignore as we are too involved with the 'present' - and then, it is too late.
Here is that little sample - for as long as it can remain available on YouTube before a copyright claim is filed by somebody - a sample episode of Dream On...
Episode 9 of the second season, to be exact, titled "To Have, And Have, And Have, And Have Not" dated September 1st, 1991.
In the end, to have not is perhaps the best thing that could have happened - and so, once again, television somehow carries forth the best possible message to its audience. Despite it being the source of so much negativism, as we've seen before, television almost always drives across "the right message" or the convenient idea through its myriad happy endings, moralistic tales and other assorted lessons dispensers...
My televisions, over the years, have been all of the above - and more.
A living room, or salon, or boudoir, or salle de séjour, or salão (or bedroom, kitchen and bathroom, for that matter!) without a telly was simply missing something, something vital, back in those days...!
The television sets that we have had over the years have met different fates, really: two of the best ones, 36 inch screens and nearly immovable objects being stylish pieces of furniture all on their own, have been the ones who had to be taken away for good, ironically. Another was put out of its misery - but it was simply a 24 inch portable TV thingy - no biggie. Three assorted sets remain - less and less used as time goes by. That is because, as Video allegedly Killed The Radio Star - meaning television took the place of the previous medium that was deemed to be so indispensable to every single home in America (!) - well, truth is now, the computer has killed the television where it once stood, smack dab at the core and center stage of each and every home indeed.
In its latter stages of evolution, television was trying to be more interactive - getting the viewer much more involved than before, when the heights of interaction between the set and its owner was the flickering of channels. That as much as any other indicator signaled the end of an era and the end for the TV as well - because there is nothing more interactive than your laptop! Or desktop, sure...
The television will always remain a fond memory of those years gone by, though - the first thirty years of assimilating, processing and storing up in one's data banks all that would prove to be so useful in any given moment throughout our lives, later on...
Thanks, television! Overall, you truly have been a friend. Somehow...
1980s - Bündock If I am one of the few who remembers (and sympathizes with the plight, struggles, underachieving of) artists and bands such as Les Parfaits Salauds - there are other sensible souls out there that do just like me.
Case in point: Jiehnav, the author of the YouTube playlist that follows, who collected all the high points (the few highlights really) of the career of this obscure band from mixed origins that both Jiehnav and I understand so well - for we are, too, of mixed origins, a dualism that has no end...
Below you will discover an artist who had so much potential when, circa 1987, they released an unique sounding single titled American Singer. Ironically, American Singer sounded quite slavic-inspired as it was more akin to the music style of the few Russian rockers that existed then (hey, this was a time when the Cold War was still effective!) but this Bündock kid looked like he wanted nothing less than to become the new Mick Jagger.
And he had the raw makings of it too!
But is was not to be.
Follow-up single releases were well-received: Tied For Time was a hit as well. But then, pressed by their Quebec peers, the band decided to sing in French. Le Corbeau was a hit, but it was obviously limited in it marketability. And when the video for that Fa La La La holiday tune was made, even though Bündock has the clear backing of many of the local artists (many cameos in the video of virtually everyone that was deemed to be "big" back in 1988 - something Les Parfaits Salauds, pourtant Québécois Pure Laine, never had...) it was clear that the end was near for Bündock...
For the old adage is true: whenever they are caught releasing Christmas songs (or, Heaven Forbid, entire albums of the sort) Québec rockers are in the twilight of their careers...
Bündock, ironically, is attempting a comeback now, with just that: a Christmas album.
Yikes.
Have a look at Bündock now: present but mostly past:
Bündock, somehow, aged much more, shall we say normally than Mick Jagger did.
Maybe it's the Québec winters?
He looks like one of my older cousins now!
The chorus of Tied For Time will always evoke times gone by for me, though: the careless, worry-free, all around blissful days of the late eighties... Days that shall never return - but that are immortalized in songs like that particular one right there.
Nu, pogodi! ("I'll Get You!") is a series of Russian animated shorts directed by Vyacheslav Kotyonochkin, produced at the Soyuzmultfilm studio in Moscow, between 1969 and 1986. The plot of the series follows the mischievous and artistic Wolf (Volk) trying to catch the Hare (Zayats), presumably with the intention to eat him.
Aside from Zayats and Volk, these cartoons featured such unforgettable characters as Cherubashka, its best friend Kosyak (Gena?) the Crocodile (who plays the accordion) and then there was also that Hippopotamus that overworked Volk, unwittingly foiling the latter's devious plans... The Russian Raccoon and the Monkey... The old lady and her doggie... Assorted eccentrics... And many more!
These animated shorts are little gems of creativity and artistic talent given free reign even though this was a period of time when there were obvious restrictions. They transcend any political climate there could have been and reach out to everyone through their sheer humanity and purity. As there was no competition to speak of, truly, these cartoons made the rounds throughout all of the socialistic regimes of the world - including Eastern Europe. Every kid who was denied American fare had access to these; and, quite frankly, they were all the better off for it!
Truly a mirror image of what was being done over at the States - these cartoons truly rival the Merrie Melodies from Warner Bros. in every way - and then some! That and any short Walt Disney ever conceived of as well! The quality is undeniably the same; the morality lessons even clearer than those delivered by their American counterparts!
These productions also made ingenious use of classical music and time-honoured pieces in a way that tops anything else of the kind - including the times Elmer Fudd and that certain hare went to the opera...!
Volk and Zayats are a tad like Tom and Jerry - but with more realistic plotlines overall, if one can achieve that with a cartoon scenario...! The usual plot device here is a comical chain of events -accidents, really- that make it impossible for Volk to come to realize his devious plans... Make that a singular plan, one that is quite basic to say the least - but let us not give too much away here, I suppose?
Zayats is much more likable than that certain hare from my childhood we just mentioned: you know which one - the one who always asked "what's up, doc?"
Volk is everything Wile E. Coyote aspired to be.
Cherubashka is just the cuddliest thing - and with such a heart-gripping story too! For it is a toy, unwanted and ignored, that finally is given a home by Kosyak, the (one supposes to be a teary-eyed) crocodile; so it is forever grateful to the crocodile and with good reason too. Much more touching a story than any Colargol episode that I remember from this side of the iron curtain...!
Makes one wonder why singers such as Sting hoped the Russians loved their children too - of course they do! And they were in the habit of making wonderful cartoons for them as well - every bit as fun as the American ones, but with the added touch of often having a valuable message and lesson in it, as well! Unlike the American cartoons, made for pure unadulterated fun and profit, there was no profit to be made in a communist regime. Thus the cartoons were, ironically enough, all the more innocent and artistic while emanating from such a regime! Just watch now and see for yourselves: the first cartoon on the following playlist is the one with the raccoon and the monkey, plus a lake creature that, at first, scares the raccoon but then he realizes that most valuable lesson of all: a smile is the start of a beautiful friendship. After that, more Volk, Zayats and company! Overall, the lesson is crystal clear: you get back as you've given. It is something that everyone can agree with and could agree with even back then; when there was an iron curtain...
Who would have thought there were such cuddly, friendly creatures hiding behind the iron curtain back in 1969, hmm? Not the Americans - that is for sure!
1987
On December 3rd, 1987, former Boston Bruins star forward Phil Esposito had a special retirement day celebration back in the venerable old Boston Garden (aye, the original one!)
Now, NESN is evoking any and all such "great moments in Boston sports" in a futile effort to determine which one stands out the most...
On some occasion, they had video evidence to back up the nomination, as it is with this great (or rather touching and well-staged; not to mention classy, from an organisational point of view) moment:
Am I aging myself too much by stating that I remember seeing this LIVE on cable TV back then? (And how did I see it, I wonder? Probably it was a Boston-Montreal game again? That would explain why it would have been broadcast in my area! Otherwise, even though Bruins captain Ray Bourque originally hailed from Ville St-Laurent, they didn't give a damn about any Bruins ceremonial presentations in that area! Unless I saw it all in some highlight reel somewhere? That is quite possible too - although the ENTIRE ceremony? (Yeah - even the bits with Phil's bimbo wife by his side - I remember it all!) Anyhow - no matter where and how I saw it all originally - the video above captures the entire thing for us ALL to see! And remember fondly...
I'm just too lazy to track down the information about who the Boston Bruins were scheduled to play and did play back on that cold December day back in 1987!
Sue me, willya?
Now, NESN presents these "greatest moments" in a playoff format reminiscent of the March Madness tournament too - forcing fans to choose each round...! That is, quite simply put, pure torture for the fanatic - but that is beside the point right now!
And so it was retirement day...
Well, a "retirement day" it was, yes, but for Phil's number 7, not for Phil himself! He had been out of the loop for a while already back in 1987 - although he remained involved in the world of hockey in some capacity (but that wouldn't last.)
It was nice to see Phil surrounded by some of his old teammates, several Boston Bruins officials (such as the perennial Harry Sinden) and applauded by all the fans and the Boston Bruins players of the day, several of whom even I, an assiduous fan of the team, cannot recognize or readily recall at all...!
Tis a golden moment in the midst of an overall very successful time for the Boston Bruins as the team made the playoffs every single year (a record they own exclusively now - something like 30 straight years qualifying for the playoffs; it will never be equalled!) and they counted in their line-up, aside from team captain Ray Bourque, two future front office figures and vital cogs in the championship-seeking wheel back then: Don Sweeney and Cam "The Man" Neely! Neely was, in effect, the heir apparent to Esposito - but Bourque wore Espo's old number 7... Bourque was the second coming of Bobby Orr - however it was another defenseman that would successfully lead the Boston Bruins back to Cup glory, one handpicked by Neely himself: Zdeno Chara, of course, in these past playoffs that completed the 2010-2011 season. But we are digressing right now...
Back to Espo's moment with Bourque and the Bruins...
The young Ray Bourque acted so nobly and unselfishly in surrendering his number and jersey back to the veteran who wore it before him - he had always acted as "team first" exemplary athlete and that was why he had been given the "C" (first as a co-captain with veteran Rick Middleton and then by himself as the role-model and blueprint for all Bruins players to come!)
Phil Esposito recognized the gesture from "one of the greatest players today" - that was the best accolade that he could give to the Bruins player who comes ahead of him and maybe even ahead of Neely himself and second only to Orr as "greatest Boston Bruins player EVER". Espo also recognized the 1970s fans, the "love story" between them and the team that he had been a part of, a team led by Bobby Orr... As you can hear him say in the video, he had been "looking forward to this for a long time".
Phil Esposito, alas, ruined everything by his attitude afterwards - not giving a flying fig about Boston's championship runs in subsequent years (the young man who so unselfishly gave him the jersey off his back there, Ray Bourque, captained two teams all the way to the Stanley Cup Finals; the very next year after that touching moment and in 1990. The team could have gone all the way in 1991, 1992 and especially 1993 too. Each time, Phil acted as he had no ties whatsoever, not even on an emotional front, with the team that made him famous. Heck, the team that made him him a legend. (Yes indeed - and if you all think it should be team Canada in the 1972 series versus Russia, well, think again! In that series, all Phil proved was that he had a temper...) And, to see that, is just plain sad.)
Speaking of a temper, Esposito's is displayed in the very next video - ironically it comes on right after the retirement of the jersey and number video, by association on YouTube. I swear, sometimes, YouTube seems to be downright malicious in the associations that they make when it comes to their "related videos" - but that is another story! Most ironic of all, though, is the fact that Esposito's temper is displayed here while he was a New York Ranger recently traded away from the Boston Bruins in the seventies and he exhibits no love lost for his old team already - which is the professional thing to do, of course, in the wild wild mercenerial world of hockey and all... But, still. Also of note: in his Rangers days, Espo wore a familiar number that he would legate to Ray Bourque by sheer circumstantial happening: the number 77.
Oddly enough, as you saw, this video leads to that one: a new Espo on the block taking on another contemporary of his with a familiar name that evokes another era entirely, that of the camaraderie amongst Big Bad Bruins: the Cup champions of the early 1970s! It only comes to reaffirm that Phil is no longer pals with anybody in Boston - even through namesakes who might be no relation at all! Phil couldn't care less about his old teammates now: Wayne Cashman, Ken Hodge, Derek Sanderson
Even Bobby Orr, whom he addresses as "the greatest player to ever play the game" at the retirement of his jersey and number back in December of 1987...
Phil wasn't at any of the games in the latest championship glory that befell his old team, from May to June 2011. Bobby Orr was. Several others were. But not Esposito. He was quoted once again as not caring one bit about it... His exact quote was: "I could care less about Boston" according to some sources, which, alas, displays a lack of education as well as the attitude problems that were never solved since the seventies and, most likely, his trade (and now, due to old age and all, those will never be solved, most assuredly.)
Phil Esposito was a more prolific scorer than Terry O'Reilly was - but the latter is the better Bruin. (The former, as good as he was, couldn't beat goalies such as Dreary Dryden when it counted the most. O'Reilly beat'em all up - and then he led the Bruins on several triumphs over the likes of Rampant Roy, as a coach in the 80s! Espo's track record as a GM and coach over the same span of time, in NY and Tampa, is quite dismal in comparison.)
Phil Esposito may have had a higher profile Wayne Cashman, Johnny Bucyk, Ken Hodge and the rest of the 1970s Bruins - and he may have had a cleaner image (back in the seventies especially) than Derek Sanderson - but all of these former Boston Bruins are greater than he is for they remain in the club's entourage, participate in the Bruins' Alumni activities that benefit their community, have been associated with the organisation in their post-player careers off-and-on for all these years and remain, hence, a part of the Bruins family.
Phil, meanwhile, is much like the prodigal son that is lost.
And, in his case, the prodigal son will never return.
It's his loss.
Still, his passage through Boston contributed to two Stanley Cup championships and several excellent seasons in which the Bruins dominated the entire NHL. When his attitude started ruining everything -and Bobby Orr's knees began giving him trouble- Espo was traded for two key components of the Bruins team that competed for the Cup in the late 70s: Jean Ratelle and Brad Park. While Espo sulked in New York and the Rangers sucked, the Bruins were still top contenders without Esposito in their line-up. Alas, they were also without Orr at that point - which accounts for their inability to convert on those championship opportunities circa 1979.
While the Boston Bruins celebrated the well-deserved 2011 Stanley Cup championship, Esposito chose not to participate in the celebrations with his former team and the extended Bruins family.
Again, it's his loss.
In comparison, former Bruins forward Normand Léveillé drove al the way from Montréal to celebrate with this extended family - despite his handicap and despite the fact that he played so few games as a Boston Bruin before illness stopped his career short in such a cruel way.
Phil can rot in Florida now - or wherever he may be! His lousy attitude and apparent jealousy of the success of his former organisation (something he could never emulate in his tenure as GM anywhere) makes him obsolete now, despite his achievements and contributions to Boston's success in the past.
I am sure his brother Tony is not like that with Chicago - and the classless Blackhawks organisation is the one that deserves such treatment, not the Bruins!
But that is another story - for another blog!
Here, we must enjoy the beautiful moments of the past - even if they are tainted with some bittersweet memories and afterthoughts...!
And so - despite everything, Phil - we still have this beautiful moment back in December of 1987, between you and Ray and the entire Boston Bruins universe!
Whatever you say or do now and henceforth will never affect nor change that!
All of my favorites had career years back in 1972...
Bobby Orr led the Boston Bruins to the Stanley Cup Championship
Ric Flair was beginning his career under the tutelage of the best in the business (not a single McMahon was involved!)
Aquaman was under the penmanship of Steve Skeates and drawn by his quintessential artist (whether he likes it or not) Jim Aparo
Emerson Fittipaldi becomes the Formula One champion also becoming the first Brazilian to do so and the youngest ever as well! Épa, Emerson! Força, rapaz!
Eusébio led Benfica to one of their six championships of the decade as well as leading them to the Portuguese Cup in their jam-packed Estádio Da Luz! Viva O Eusébio! Viva O Benfica! Viva Portugal!
Luis Figo, Jason Varitek, Mariusz Czerkawski, Shaquille O'Neal, Dave Roberts, Manny Ramirez, Jennifer Garner, Poppy Montgomery, Cameron Diaz, Ben Affleck, Claudia Black, Maria de Lurdes Mutola, Joey McIntyre were all born in 1972. (Hey - being born is quite the achievement already believe me on that! But literally all of the above would do something nice, decades later - so double kudos for being born, folks!)
Carl Yastrzemski did wonders in his attempts to lift the Curse that still plagued the Boston Red Sox back then... A+ for the effort!
Elizabeth Montgomery ended her Bewitched run in grand style (despite Dick York being absent and Dick Sargent being present) Glad that the witchery and nose-twitching ended, though... Also glad not to have to see Agnes Moorehead and her sewing circle anymore... But I was young and innocent back then: what's sewing, anyway?
The Boston Celtics and the New England Patriots held their own in the NBA & NFL - one after basically ruling it for over a decade and the other after recently joining it (that would be the Pats joining the NFL, yeah)
Louis De Funès, Gilles Latulippe and Fernandel made me laugh so much (residual income was terrific too for, at least, two out of three for the rest of their natural lives!)
Patof battled it out -so amusingly- with new nemesis Monsieur Tranquille - and it is the latter that would prevail... In retrospect, it is a good thing. A very good thing indeed.
My favorite silver screen stars & heroes ruled Tinseltown: Charlton Heston, Ron Ely, Charles Bronson, Lee Marvin, Roy Thinnes, Robert Vaughn, David McCallum, Patrick MacNee - or they were on TV a lot!
My favorite dames were the talk of the town: Diana Rigg, Tina Turner, Lee Remick, Tuesday Weld, Maggie Smith, Raquel Welch, Amalia Rodrigues, Susannah York, Kay Kendall
Others, I was seeing in action on a weekly basis if not a daily one - and it would soon become too much! I wouldn't have been able to realize it back then, but it would be a blessed day indeed when I would no longer watch in action the likes of Craig Sterling, Richard & Sharon, the Time Tunnel duo, Land of the Giants clique or even the Robinsons in space! It was a simple case of "enough already"...
Musically-wise now... Vicky Leandros won the Eurovision Song Contest for Luxembourg with the hit song *Après Toi* (music by Klaus Munro & Mario Panas lyrics by Klaus Munro & Yves Dessca)
Several bands were doing interesting things, such as The Who, the now-grungy-looking Beatles and many, many more - but I was simply too young to appreciate...! I would discover it all much later on... (And it shall be the subjects of many posts here, on the Saudades Blog!)
And Vangelis with fellow countryman Demis Roussos were a band singing such great material as this right here:
APHRODITE'S CHILD - THE FOUR HORSEMEN
Tell me now, tell me then what was not to like back then? What was not to like about being a kid back when it was only nineteen seventy-two? ;-)
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Born in the Age of Aquarius, destined to seek out truths in many an art form, trained as a historian and a journalist but truly a prose-lover... Luciano is out to dispel any clichés and reinvent them all both to the tune of a little something called the truth as also to his own image - being old-fashioned, he does not mind that distinction one infinitesimal tiny bit at all...! "There are two ways to spread the light; be the candle... or the mirror that reflects It." I have chosen to be the latter... ok? ~*~
"To be not only a seeker of light... but a dream weaver of light" ~*~ As surely as the moon reflects the light from the sun, you and I can reflect the Light from Above - and be, indeed, the light of this world! ~*~*~*~
