Thursday, March 13, 2008

A Brief Personal Moment Wherein Steve Gets Totally Verklempt

Those who know me best -- by which I mean several ex-girlfriends and some people over at Eschaton who I've not actually met yet -- know that I'm something of a sentimental old fluff, the kind of guy who cries at supermarket openings. That being the case, I'm going to try to keep this little wallow as concise as I can.

Bottom line: On this date last year, I posted at PowerPop for the very first time. In retrospect, it wasn't a particularly memorable entry -- you can read it here, and who amongst us can't remember where we were when we first encountered it? -- but I like to think that I was a quick learner (okay, I still haven't figured out how to post jpegs and the like, but I promise I will soon, okay?) and in any case I soon found that a day without blogging was, well, sucky.

Since then, my life has changed, for the better, in ways I couldn't have predicted when I first accepted NYMary's incredibly generous offer to have a spare set of keys to the car, as it were. I've made wonderful friends, I've discovered all sorts of glorious or alarming music I wouldn't have been aware of otherwise, and most importantly, publicists at major record labels now routinely ply me with hookers and blow. Okay, I lied about that last.

Anyway, I hope you've enjoyed my little efforts here this past year at least as much as I have (which is an awful lot, frankly) and I hope you'll continue to indulge me in the future, especially when I tell another incredibly boring story about some Z-list rock guitarist I once met in a mens room in the mid-70s. I'd also like to thank my colleague and pal Kid Charlemagne for sharing his expertise about all sorts of interesting stuff -- the masses are clamoring for more Saturday Glam Blogging, buster! -- and for saving my sorry ass on a number of tech issues in recent months.

But most of all, I want to say how deeply and profoundly grateful I am to NYMary, both for offering me this opportunity and for repeatedly nudging me to get off my geriatric tush and take advantage of it. Her friendship, her brilliance and her passion for the music have been an unfailing inspiration, and at the risk of coming off even cornier than I have so far let's just say that the Lou Reed/Velvets line about somebody's life being saved by rock and roll could easily apply to me and this blog. And I mean that literally, if you must know.

Thanks, kiddo. You're the best.

Now start posting here regularly again, okay? Ya knucklehead!!!!

22 comments:

four legs good said...

Awwww, U old softie.

And I thought U were gonna be thanking Ripley.

Anonymous said...

Happy blogiversary, steve!

Keep the hits coming!

dave™© said...

Hi-ho, Steverino!

It's been great - looking forward to many, many more!

Anonymous said...

steve simels, you are the bomb.

keep changing teams for me...

VforVirginia said...

I, for one, will never tire of hearing about z-list guitar men's room encounters -- NEVER.

You're a peach, dude! Keep those hits a-comin'!

Anonymous said...

Happy 'versary, Steveo!

And here I thought the music biz made people cynical and mean, but you choke up easier than George Bush gobbling Mr. Salty. Pretzels, that is....

Gummo

Kid Charlemagne said...

Congrats Steve-o,

One of these days, I'll put up a post. My class is almost done.

Who Am Us Anyway? said...

Well I’m 52 years old & as you know most people my age long ago grew up & out of any real love for rock. But like you, I never did, and I never will. Which can be kind of a lonely proposition. Because the truth is, music just no longer means that much to most of my friends & colleagues. So it was hugely cool when I recently discovered all this fine blogging by a guy who loves music as much as I do, knows even more, & writes better to boot. (It’s fun saying “to boot.”)

Cleveland Bob said...

Huzzah for NYMary and her visionary skills. Steve Simels is is good enough, smart enough and gosh darn it, we just love him.

Thanks for the past year's posts, great stories and Listomanias Steve.

Now, could you please send that great new rock station you posted about the other day my way so that I too can reclaim a sense of local pride in FM Land. I haven't listened to anything but classical music on the radio since I left Chicago in '93 and listened every day to WXRT.

steve simels said...

CB:

The jury's still out on WRXP, but if you're curious they're streaming here
http://www.1019rxp.com/

David Rasmussen said...

Steve,
In my basement, I found a copy of your September 1980 Stereo Review column about "Epic Nu Disks," where you write about the "utterly fossilized and reactionary" rock audience. However, so much good material has slipped through the cracks over fifty years years of rock 'n roll, that some of us will delay fossilization for many more years, if only you keep on writing for us. Thanks for then. Thanks for now.

fmcg said...

As one of your first editors, I'm proud to have helped to unleash you on the world.

We all owe a big thank you to NYMary for inviting you to this forum.

Happy Anniversary, Steve!

steve simels said...

fmcg:

Ohmigod. E-mail me. I'd love to catch up....

Anonymous said...

Has it been a year already? Man, how the time flies on these Internets! Anyway, congrats, dude! And thanks--you've added some much-needed mirth and music to Chimpy's dark reign. (And thanks to NYMary, too!)

Anonymous said...

Well, not only have you rekindled my love of music, you've also provided me with laughs, tears, and incredible insights over the last year. Here's to many more.

steve simels said...

You guys are too much. Seriously -- thank you to everybody who commented about this....

steve simels said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
trifecta said...

Congrats Steve. May listomania do for this nation in the oughts what the skinny keyboard tie did for the 1980's!

TMink said...

Dude, congrats! You three have a great place, I visit everyday because I learn and enjoy.

You are all friends I have never met, I mean that with all sincerity and good will.

God bless you all.

Thanks!

Trey

TJWood said...

Happy anniversary, I check this blog out every day and contribute when I can.

MJConroy said...

I've been lurking for a while here, time to come out of the cybercloset and say, keep up the good work. The world needs more PowerPop and the world needs more intelligent observations on music.
Besides, you post the best clips. Still can;t go over last week's Indo-Dutch treasure.

Anonymous said...

Steve, Powerpop is a jewel and you are a worthy part of its 3-stone setting. Mr. Emma and I look forward to your posts the way we used to anticipate Robert Hilburn's reviews in the LATimes (even when we didn't agree with him). You and NYMary introduced this old babe to FOW..... 'enkew!