The SFB

Random musings from a Gen X life lived on the edge… of nothing except Lake Erie. 70s and 80s pop culture and music.

  • 1980 and the Teenage Soundtrack of a New Decade

    And where have 44 years gone? I wrote about the greatness of music from 1978, so time to discuss the tunes that ushered in the ‘80s. A new decade and new beginnings for me as I finished middle school and entered high school. What an awkward time in a person’s  life- thirteen and fourteen years… Read more

  • It’s All I Can Do- The Cars’ Absolute BEST SONG

    Photo by Lynn Goldsmith- Elektra press kit 1980 ADDENDUM 3/25/25 I already gave props to the mighty Elliot Easton and his superior guitar work, but listening to this song again recently, for some reason I was really struck by the beat, the momentum, and decided I  must discuss the rhythm section in this song. That… Read more

  • Remember when your friends were in bands? And when bands played house parties?

    I miss the tribal communal musical adventures of my misspent youth. Many things lead to the demise of radio, and the entire musical landscape. Many people who are way more expert than I have written about it.  But here are the things I think contributed and they are all connected. -Loss of free-form radio stations… Read more

  • Remember the thrill of buying records and listening to your favorite song on the radio?

    An adjacent topic that’s not about Benjamin Orr! All of the internet reading and researching I’ve been doing tracing the history of The Cars lately has got me thinking about the music landscape, concerts, and how much things have changed in the last- almost fifty- years since I really became cognizant of the power of… Read more

  • The Cars, Benjamin Orr, and everything else.

    Fair warning.  I am going to be writing a lot about Benjamin Orr.  It’s not even a choice.  There is a gut-level deep force that is compelling me. I don’t know where it’s coming from or why.  Believe me, I know it sounds ridiculous.  But it’s with me constantly and if I don’t get it… Read more

  • Beautiful Benjamin Orr

    The reel that started it all…. OK, things are gonna get weird here, so beware. I think I’m having a mid-life crisis  (can 58 be mid-life?). Either that or I am having a psychotic episode.  Am I bored? Do I need a distraction? Am I feeling lost/sad because of fairly recent deaths in my immediate… Read more

  • How did I get here and where am I going?

    Welcome to my blog, the SFB. Here’s little about me and this endeavor.  This is basically an attempt  to sort through my own aging and growing process and to vent about trying to put things in my life in perspective.  And for me to blather on about things that I like, things I hate, things… Read more