BLOGS
My Kind of Day
Yesterday started with the first significant snowfall of the season. Here's my front yard
Yesterday started with the first significant snowfall of the season here. I took the Range Rover and headed for New York City, where I'd had a full day planned.
I sometimes auction off my rare guitars to benefit my charity, the We Are Family Foundation. Today I let a one-of-a-kind mega superstar signed guitar go.
This guitar was my backup guitar that I used to play the Save The Rainforest Concert 2010. It's signed by Sting, Lady Gaga, Elton John, Bruce Springsteen, Mary J. Blige, Debbie Harry and many others. After a quick photo session with the guitar's winners, I went to see the musical, "The Book Of Mormon."
I got tapped on my shoulder and to my surprise, it was my dear friend and original CHIC Organization road manager, Stuart Griffen. He was there with actor Taylor Negron.
Then I went to see my dear friend Rosie Perez, David Hyde Pierce and cast, in a terrific play called "Close Up Space." It was My Kind of Day.
I took the Range Rover and headed for New York City
The winners of my mega-autographed backup guitar, featuring Sting, Lady Gaga, Elton John, Bruce Springsteen, Mary J. Blige, Debbie Harry and many others
I did a quick photo session with my guitar and got one last play before I let it go
This number from The Book Of Mormon really had me laughing out loud
CHIC Organization keyboardist Raymond Jones (RIP) and road manager Stuart Griffen
Taylor Negron poster
Rosie Perez
David Hyde Pierce
The cast of Close Up Space
Playing guitar in my living room is my idea of My Kind of Day
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Singing and Dancing My A$$ Off! 2
I was singing "Magic Of The Blue" and a few other songs by Blue Magic
A couple days ago, I left Le Crib Studio to go to Drexel University. I was singing "Magic Of The Blue" and a few other songs by Blue Magic. It made sense because Drexel is in the city of Philadelphia, where the group Blue Magic is from. Little did I know that by the end of the day I'd experience something that I was not prepared for. In fact, I didn't even know it existed. It was the analog tape archive of the legendary Sigma Sound Studio which is now housed at the university.
Music is such a big part of my life, that I spend a large portion of the day singing, humming, whistling, or just hearing songs in my head. This action is usually prompted by something that I encounter.
During a tour of the Drexel campus I was taken to the tape archive. When I saw the massive amount of familiar song recordings - I was overjoyed and just started singing and Dancing My A$$ Off.
The main entrance to Drexel University
Assistant Dean Louisa Hanshew and me in the tape archive at Drexel
Blue Magic had me Singing and Dancing My A$$ Off
Grace Jones and Atlantic Starr had me Singing and Dancing My A$$ Off
The Delfonics and The Stylistics had me Singing and Dancing My A$$ Off
Gloria Gaynor had me Singing and Dancing My A$$ Off
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Singing and Dancing My A$$ Off!
Yesterday I took the Acela train to Drexel University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Yesterday I took the Acela train to Drexel University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. I went there for a number of reasons, but while I was there I went and visited their music archives.
It's one of the greatest analog tape storage facilities I've ever seen. Some of my greatest musical memories are stored here. I almost missed my return train because I was photographing and singing every song on every tape box that I shot. It was a treasure chest that had me Singing and Dancing My A$$ Off!
One of the reasons I went to Drexel was to talk to the next gen of music biz people
Drexel's got one of the greatest analog tape storage facilities I've ever seen
Rose Royce had me Singing and Dancing My A$$ Off!
South Shore Commission and the one and only First Choice had me Singing and Dancing My A$$ Off!
Ecstasy, Passion and Pain, The Mighty Clouds of Joy, The Trammps, and Robert Palmer had me Singing and Dancing My A$$ Off!
David Bowie's Young Americans and The Duke Ellington Orchestra had me Singing and Dancing My A$$ Off!
The Three Degrees and Instant Funk had me Singing and Dancing My A$$ Off!
The Whispers, Ramsey Lewis, and my old group New York City had me Singing and Dancing My A$$ Off!
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Today, I'm All Over the Map
Today, I found this old photo with my hair in Jheri curls interesting
Since being attacked by cancer last year I appreciate things in this world a little more. I started this blog to help me maintain my sanity because cancer made me think insane thoughts. Sometimes there's no intellectual rhyme or reason why I find something interesting - other times, I can explain it like a scholar. Today, I'm All Over the Map.
Today, I found daybreak from my bedroom balcony interesting
I only slept two hours last night and found sun up in my bedroom interesting
I found Debbie Harry in the Power Station with me and Bernard interesting
Today, I found CHIC on "All My Children" with Darnell Williams interesting
Today, I found Steve Winwood and me with Christopher Max, Kim Sledge, and Slash in background interesting
I found this shot of Gene Ray, Mike Tyson, Billy Squire and Julian Lennon at the China Club interesting
Today, I found this cover of me with Guitarman plexi-Strat interesting
Today, I found me and Alfa performing with CHIC interesting
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Always Got A Surprise For You
I tied up my locks to take a leisurely stroll
I tied up my locks to take a leisurely stroll. It was my last day in Turks & Caicos so I thought I'd take a nice walk on the beach. The sea was still quite a distance away and I was enjoying a pleasant breeze. I had a few hours before my flight home and wanted to fully bask in my last sun filled moments in the Caribbean.
The sand felt wonderful. Everything was perfect. As I walked away from the water I knew that soon my peaceful holiday would be over. I was getting closer and closer to the beach club. I was walking away from the sea.
A big wave was coming behind me but I didn't notice it - and if I had, I'd have no reason to think it would ever reach me. Suddenly, the wave came way up on shore and I was standing up to my knees in water. I was shocked, soaked, and I couldn't stop laughing.
Just when you think you've got Mother Nature figured out - she's Always Got A Surprise A Surprise For You.
It was my last day in Turks & Caicos so I thought I'd take a nice walk on the beach
The sea was still quite a distance away and I was enjoying a pleasant breeze
I wanted to fully bask in my last sun filled moments in the Caribbean
Everything was perfect
A big wave was coming behind me but I didn't notice it
Suddenly, the wave came way up on shore and I was standing up to my knees in water
I was shocked
I couldn't stop laughing
I couldn't stop...
Laughing
Just when you think you've got Mother Nature figured out - she's Always Got A Surprise For You
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Get People on the Dancefloor
January 17, 2012
CHIC Organization Getting People on a BIG Dancefloor
Yesterday it was Martin Luther King Day in America. This is important in and of itself - but from now on I'll always remember it as the day Jimmy Castor (R.I.P.) passed away. Sadly, he's not a household name, but his influence on music is ubiquitous.
Jimmy was a musical pioneer who blazed a trail that I followed like a bloodhound tracking funk-based pop. His groove music wasn't exclusively black music, it made Everybody want to Dance!
Not only can you hear Jimmy's influence on me any time I strum a guitar, but he was the essential link between Diana Ross and the CHIC Organization. He was friendly with Diana's Motown execs and linked them up with us. We'd go on to produce Ross's biggest selling album of all time.
After the success of the album "Diana," I'd go on to produce David Bowie, Duran Duran, Madonna, and countless other pop smashes, which were just one step removed from the "E-Man" grooves of Jimmy Castor. Thank you Jimmy for helping me Get People on the Dance Floor.
Any time I strum a guitar, there's a little Jimmy Castor in me
Jimmy Castor
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A Massive Playlist In My Head
Today I visualized doing more concerts than I've done in any year since we'd formed CHIC
One year ago, I was recovering from surgery to remove an aggressive cancer. To give myself a goal, I focused on my former partner Bernard Edwards. I had four months to get into shape to perform in Japan for the fifteenth anniversary of his death.
Today in Turks and Caicos, I'm also focusing on a goal for the next year. Not only will I go to Japan, Australia, and Europe - I'll do more concerts than I've ever done in any year since we formed CHIC.
Though I live one day at a time, I always have a larger plan in mind. At various times throughout the day I visualized what my next round of live shows would be like. Just like in today's Legacy Rewind feature there's A Massive Playlist in My Head.
While taking this picture, "Lost In Music" by Sister Sledge was added to My Playlist
"Dream on Black Boy" - Imagining singing the lyrics of "Original Sin" by INXS. I produced this international hit and want to do this in Australia
More CHIC, Bowie and even a Duran medley might get added to the show
I'm even going to do "My Feet Keep Dancing" as a backup encore
Thank you very much. We're going to expand the show because I've got A Massive Playlist In My Head
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This Is What I Feel Like
This is What I Feel Like one year after starting the blog
Yesterday, I got up and spent the one year anniversary of my cancer, music, and life blog hanging around the pool. Even though I'm overeating and sleeping, I Feel great.
I am happy to be alive because I've been dealing with cancer and it's aftermath for more than a year. (I've added the LEGACY Rewind » feature to remind myself where I've been and to never get lax.)
I arrived in Turks & Caicos about a week ago and this was the warmest day since. Pictures can say a lot so I'll share a few. This is what I look like - but more important - This is What I Feel Like.
This is What I Feel Like one year after starting the blog 1
This is What I Feel Like one year after starting the blog 2
This is What I Feel Like one year after starting the blog 3
This is What I Feel Like one year after starting the blog 4
This is What I Feel Like one year after starting the blog 5
This is What I Feel Like one year after starting the blog 6
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Going To Make It
Today marks one year since I've started this daily blog
Today marks one year since I've started this daily blog. Over this past year, I've made many new friends and I've lost some, too - but the blog has kept me grounded. On certain days it gave me strength to get through the day when I wasn't sure I wanted to go on. It gave me purpose and a way to focus on my feelings instead of my condition.
Eventually, my condition started to improve. The reason I call the blog Walking on Planet C is because once cancer invaded my life, things have not been quite the same. I must remain ever vigilant because just as the Big C attacked me once, it can counterattack. I feel good today, and to remember the road that I've walked I'm going to attach a legacy article to this post called "A New Beginning." It was the day I started to believe I was Going to Make It.
Eventually, my condition started to improve
The blog gave me strength to get through many days
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Far Worse Places to Suffer
Today, I had a full day of interviews and photo shoots
Today, I had a full day of interviews and photo shoots. Though I'm on vacation in an island paradise, I'm still working. Since I was attacked by cancer, I've been documenting my days.
The hardest part of my life in the music business has always been taking pictures - but it's a necessary part of of my profession, so I've always just suffered through it. My photographer was cool and she made it as painless as possible.
As difficult as I find this, I guess there could be Far Worse Places to Suffer.
Here we go 1
Here we go 2
Here we go 3
Here we go 4
Here we go 5
Me, sitting at the bar area in Turks & Caicos 1
Me, sitting at the bar area in Turks & Caicos 2
Me, on the beach at sunset in Turks & Caicos
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