I think House of Cards was originally a British series.... Watching a great documentary by Sydney Pollack on the architect Frank Gehry. What a mind and talent ... and I love that he describes talent as liquid trouble.

After 15 degrees C yesterday, we are back down below zero with snow squalls. Which would be fine for driving if the flash freeze from previous rain didn't create an ice rink beneath the snow. And if my windscreen wipers would actually clear the screen.

Thanks for the great information! I've always loved the blues and in Cleveland there were always a lot of it around. I vividly remember the night I first heard Lockwood play. Last time I saw him was around 2003. There are many imitators, but when you hear a real bluesman, it's something quite special. Give me a blues room and a blues master every time.

Oh my gawd ... boys, to your corners. Why can't they share the credit?

If Lennon's words and music inspire others positively then his work has benefited society in some way. It in no way excuses destructive behaviour that impinges on the rights of others. Same goes for anyone held in regard for their artistic merits, liking their music doesn't mean you'd respect the person if you got to know them.

Seems to me the sick people who take shots/kill public people think they are attaining some kind of celebrity themselves. What's their motivation: jealousy, anger, the need to have their name made public? One way to stop such murders is to take guns out of the equation. Can't speak to the medical community's rationale for who gets meds and who doesn't, but some people are not identified and some stop taking their meds so it's an imperfect system any way you look at it.

Thank you Mad Screaming for the great wake-up music this morning. Got into the blues young when I first heard Bobby Jr. Lockwood play a set back in the early 70s. Is he the step son of Robert Johnson? Can anyone dispute/confirm this?

On forums such as this one it's surprising to see how many people express feelings about artists as if they knew them in any significant way. There will always be fans that gush their love for someone in the limelight quite apart from any knowledge they have or not of that person's indiscretions. Aside from the infatuated, the obsessed, or people who shun brilliant work because they don't like something the artist said or did, we can admire talent without condoning an artist's actions or even knowing anything about him at all. Is it necessary to respect Lennon to enjoy his music and recognize that his history and personality gave rise to that music? Great art rises from those who are the most frustrated, depressed, deluded, disillusioned, passionate, optimistic and extreme among us. Why is it so shocking to discover that Lennon was not a choirboy?

This is wild. I remember the Hullabaloos - they were a small chain of unlicensed clubs for the 13- 20 (underage) crowd with live local and touring bands. We were just old enough to get in. No seating, all dance and viewing floor, black walls. We used to see the James Gang all the time but can't recall if we saw the Yardbirds there. Jimmy Fox's day job was at a downtown record store, the place to go for new releases, and I remember him telling us about his new band - The James Gang. I seem to recall seeing Bad Company at a Cleveland club called The Agora in '73, but not sure that is possible given they'd only just formed then.

Quill states that the press conference was March 1st, in that article. If you want more details Greg is easy enough to find and very nice, I'm sure he'd chat with you.

Ah, yes. I was thinking a little further south, but basically the same region. You live in a very charmed place.

Beautiful - a couple seem a little familiar. What are the locations?

Just viewed the Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame concerts. It's nice to see performers I haven't caught in many years and a few I didn't know. Have to say, I find Springsteen hard to watch, he looks as if he's a wound spring about to pop or on the verge of a heart attack. Also watched a few music documentaries including the Ramones and Joe Strummer. Both sad endings. I sense a theme emerging this week.

Has he had jaw surgery in later years? A pic posted of him much younger, also a profile, shows the shape of his face different - now his profile is more flat somehow. Does anyone else see this?

Oh, didn't know that. Glad the child had her mum there - would have been very scary for her.

I have that book and can substantiate that Page said he had just gone through a divorce. I didn't think anything of it when I read that because I didn't know anything about the timing of his marriages or serious relationships at the time. You got the impression he was involved with the groupie women along that timeline somewhere as well. Anyway, it was strange in the book where it said he went off with Robert and family to Greece, then left for Sicily to see some property apparently leaving his daughter with Robert and his wife as she was in the car crash. I think this was during the time they had to stay out of the UK due to Tax situation. Reference to daughter being left with Plant & wife and no mention of Charlotte struck me as a little odd.

Just viewed John Lennon NYC and was hugely impressed with the documentary. I never did a lot of reading about the personal lives or reviews of artists in the past, my experience was focused on live performance and recordings. I realized that in '71 when he was working with Hoffman and Rubin to speak out for peace against the Vietnman war, I was that May hitch-hiking to D.C. for the massive protest. Had no idea Lennon was involved! This film also features Yoko Ono talking about her life with John, in particular about the time she told him to leave to find him self in L.A. I so got her as she talked about this. You have to open up that sort of space to each other to find your individual grounds independently. She was a conceptual artist first and foremost, and that break allowed her to focus on her own work. As any woman in a serious relationship with an artist knows, it is very easy to loose yourself in supporting your partner's expression. Especially when children come along. It took a divorce to allow creative inspirations to flooding back to me, usher in new explorations and experiences. For all the dismissive things that have said about Yoko, she was a strong partner for John and it would seem was his true equal. I applaud her for that.

John Lennon didn't drive? I'm sure there's a pic of him at the wheel of his illustrated Rolls ... I seem to recall seeing that somewhere. Living in NYC you'd not need a car most times, only for trips out to the country. Maybe Yoko played chauffeur!

I was surprised to read that Page said he didn't drive back when Led Zep first formed and still doesn't. It struck me as odd that he never drove because references have been made to his living in the country. Downtown London or NYC driving is a hassle, but in the country you need wheels. Not being able to clear you mind with a drive is one of life's real pleasures.

s'okay!

Agreed, performing his way back from the abyss has been widely reported as well as the tough love his friends imposed to make that happen. Maybe as you say his friends on stage were just keeping an eye on him and encouraging him. As much as I can understand that approach and that his other performances were good, it was sad seeing that AH performance and a shame that he with support from his friends could not have got him in better shape for it. It's honest, I'll say that though.

Not disapproval of Cooper - he was hilarious and having a lot of fun. Wyman and others had a laugh when Cooper destroyed the gongs at the end. It was pretty funny. He is one full on percussionist.

A question for you all: If you were Page's manager or friend and saw the state he was in at the Albert Hall ARMS concert backstage, would you have let him go out on that stage? Getting out to play was a therapeutic exercise for him, but is it justified therapy if he plays badly or appears in a state that he doesn't want to be remembered for? I don't think it was a smart move to let him on that stage. Did you notice how Clapton and the others confirmed their feelings about his state during that final song when they weren't amused by Coopers killing the gong? By that point Page was off in a corner trying to keep up, distanced from everyone else. Some good friend should have sat him down and employed tough love then and there.

Somewhere here someone said that Led Zep bought their way out of trouble. I don't think that's possible with the courts but who knows, he would have had top legal representation. To some extent there is law for most people and law for some people deemed as special. It's sick. It would have been sad if he were jailed and that prevented his career from moving forward, but like any ordinary person he would have done his time and come out and regrouped with his band. Being caught twice with cocaine - can't thin many people would have walked away from that with minimal fines as he did.

Oh my gawd, plaid pants and a western shirt - that's right up there with socks and sandals. A good rule of thumb is that the clothes should not be screaming louder than the music.