Friday, March 29, 2019

Late night open thread

Meanwhile, in East Tawas...

Time for Oscoda, After Dark

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with NEW ORDER!

Just look at all these cops weapons and cop equipment. It's a good thing these men are highly trained because no citizen could pull a pin and toss a smoke grenade.

New Order off the hop with 'Everything's Gone Green'

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with HAIRCUT 100!

Johnny is guessing all his readers and fans of the Music Series over years have an idea of what a drummer might wear for a show. From Keith Moon with his tri-circle shirt, to grungy John Bonham to the white shirts and thin leather ties of Cheap Trick's Bun. E. Carlos. If Johnny says lead singer you think of the flash of Freddie Mercury or Mick Jagger's colorful outfit changes while they let Keef sing, to the charisma of Bono.

So, what does a xylophone player wear? Come on, what does the xylophone player in a band shooting a video wear? 

Sadly, this. 

Haircut 100 with 'Love Plus One'

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with MOBY!

How many of our dear readers remember the MTV show Cribs? Music stars would take the MTV camera crew on a tour of their house and in doing so you got to know a little something about each artist and their preferred 'style' and got a look at how the other half lived. Johnny remembers the Moby episode of Cribs, he was the only one with books in his home. Seriously, he even made a point of mentioning how disappointed he was nobody on Cribs had books in their homes.

Books people, have them, know them, read them.

Moby taking us out with 'Porcelain'

Saturday, March 23, 2019

Late night open thread

Music trivia night: The Depeche Mode song, "Personal Jesus" was inspired by Priscilla Presley's book Elvis And Me, in which she describes her relationship with Elvis.

Time for Oscoda, After Dark

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with The ENGLISH BEAT!

Oh this is some nasty sax in this song. There aren't many better saxophone songs in pop music. The English Beat starting us off tonight with 'Mirror in the Bathroom'

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with SMOKEY ROBINSON & THE MIRACLES!

All in favor of something awesome to sing along to?

The motion carries. 'I Second That Emotion' pushing your vocal range up just a little bit higher.

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with LED ZEPPELIN!

It's late on a Friday night/Saturday morning, you're out there driving along US 23 north or south through northeast Michigan and what would sound really good about now?

There you go. 'When the Levee Breaks' in your ears while the moon rises over Lake Huron while the Tikis are dressed up in neon lights.

Sunday, March 17, 2019

Late night open thread

Johnny's Spartans proved it's never a good idea to bet against the green on St. Patrick's Day. Speaking of which, taking us out tonight, The Chieftains and Alison Krauss with the ancient Irish lament, 'Molly Bawn'
Time for Oscoda, After Dark

Put a little something in that coffee because here we go

The Dubliners

The Pogues

'The Irish Rover'

The Tradition continues

One that's been in Johnny's iTunes forever, The Chieftains and O'Sullivan's March

Just brilliant. Sending this one out to all Johnny's roaring Irish cats and kittens!

Happy St. Patrick's Day! We're got a full day of music ahead of us here...

...so let's get started shall we?

Meabh O'Hare start us off by favoring us with Jig & Reels.

Friday, March 15, 2019

Late night open thread

Meanwhile, in West Branch...

Time for Oscoda, After Dark

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with THE VOGUES!

For all the years Johnny's been doing this he could only find record of this, the ultimate Friday night song, being played on the Friday Night Music Series one time.

Let's rectify that.

'Five O' Clock World' stepping us off proper tonight.

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with GUSTER!

Johnny got to see Guster in Central Park with the late Mrs. Johnny 3 or 4 years ago on a simply perfect night for outdoor music. She was a such a big fan who turned Johnny into a big fan. Those are the nights Johnny remembers most.

'Satellite' playing second tonight but first in your hearts...

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with INXS!

Would it really be the worst thing is this song was the one that got stuck in your head tonight and tomorrow? Just give in, you'll be playing that piano (almost a backbeat) over and over again in your dreams tonight.

INXS getting you to where you're going tonight with 'Not Enough Time'

Monday, March 11, 2019

Late night open thread

Well Owls fans, the ladies just didn't have the right stuff tonight and fell to Lake City 49-35. They'll finish and incredible season at 22-1 with a conference and district title. Just an amazing season. Johnny is fired up for Oscoda basketball for next season already. Truly, he's ordering an Oscoda hoops t-shirt.

Both the guys and gals won  conference and district titles this year and their only losses were their last game. That's some good stuff right there for the whole area who needed some good news and fun headlines.

Time for Oscoda, After Dark

There's a rumble in McBain tonight!

The Oscoda ladies basketball team, undefeated at 22-0 taking on Lake City 19-2. In looking over their scores, the Trojans seem quite up to the task of playing some very good defense. The Owls of course are playing exceptional basketball at home, on the road, and on neutral courts. That shows a maturity that is invaluable in one and done situations.

One thing that will certainly bring both Oscoda and Lake City fans together as one is the other regional semi-final at 6pm with 21-0 Houghton Lake vs 12-10 Hart. We'll let you do the math on which team you'd want Oscoda to play should they get power up and win the game tonight.

The kidding around is pretty much over, these are the regionals.

Fearless Forecast:
Oscoda Owls 52
Lake City Trojans 49 OT

Friday, March 8, 2019

Late night open thread

The Oscoda ladies have done it AGAIN! A big win tonight vs Lincoln-Alcona 65-47. With the win they move to a cool 24-0 and play Lake City (22-2) in McBain Monday night. More on this developing story over the weekend.

Go Owls!

Time for Oscoda, After Dark

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with ELLE KING!

'Ex's & Oh's' you can just put on a loop, it sounds that good the second or third time. It's perfect as a party starter so let's get things going tonight.

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with BECK!

Johnny can't tell you how many times this jam would happen to come on the Ypsilanti Ned's Bookstore sound system throughout the store during bookrush. In honor of all the kids who didn't pre-order their books, 'Loser'

Somebody had to say it...

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with DAVID GRAY!

Know what sounds good out driving at night? This song. Seriously. Some songs just sound better at say the beach, in a car, at night, during a rainstorm etc.

Grab your computer, figure out how to hook it up in your car with internet, follow the link above and put Johnny's theory to the test. Please videotape that. 'Babylon' taking us out tonight.

Thursday, March 7, 2019

Late night open thread

Well, ratfarts! Oscoda just couldn't keep this magnificent run going in falling to Sanford Meridian 65-44 in Houghton Lake tonight. The Owls season ends at 25-1. Johnny and the crew here are so proud of the young men representing Oscoda basketball. Conference champions, District champions and one great season to remember.

Time for Oscoda, After Dark

Oh Doctor! Have we got a playoff game worthy of the name tonight!

One team will walk out a big winner and one team is just gonna walk out.

Oscoda, 25-0 vs Sanford Meridian Early College 22-1 at 7pm in Houghton Lake. First thing about Sanford Meridian, they're really good. Oscoda good. 22-1 and they simply do NOT play many close games. They beat up on their opponents pretty well. 30, 40 even 50 point wins were normal for the Mustangs out of the Jack Pine Conference.

Have we got you Oscoda fans good and scared yet? Understand this, the Owls wouldn't be here if THEY weren't good enough. They're ready, they're playing well, they're 25-0 and it's time to leave it all out on the floor for a chance to hang a banner at the Owl's Nest.

Breakdown:
*Oscoda has played six neutral floor games this year while Sanford Meridian has played only 2.

*On a sheer stats line Sanford Meridian scored more points and gave up fewer points than Oscoda this season.

*Oscoda excels earlier in games, Sanford Meridian tends to have a strong second half.

*Sanford Meridian has a 'State Ranking' of #64 while the Owls clock in at #68.

*The winner will have both hands full with either Traverse City St. Francis or Iron Mountain in the next round.

Let's go Owls, let's do this thing!!

Fearless Forecast:
Oscoda 54
Sanford Meridian 53.9

Wednesday, March 6, 2019

Late night open thread

The Lady Owls did it again, winning 51-27 over Wittemore-Prescott and moving on to the District Final vs. Lincoln-Alcona. 23-0 ain't too shabby.

Time for Oscoda, After Dark

District semi-final day dawns for the Oscoda girls basketball team

Tonight at the Owl's Nest the Oscoda ladies will look to improve to 23-0 against Wittemore-Prescott (13-6) in the District 69 semi-final. The Lady Owls should be in a good position to win this game but that's what makes March, madness. Nothing is guaranteed. Yes, if they win tonight they should be favored in the District final vs either Alcona or Roscommon.

Focus, focus, focus. Don't think about what will happen if you win, think about the play in front of you. Things bracket-wise have lined up well for the Lady Owls, here's hooping (get it?) for a run into Regionals!

Tuesday, March 5, 2019

Late night open thread

Oscoda 51
Beal City 33

The boys win again. 24-0. The 22-0 ladies are back at it tomorrow. This is such a fun run. Johnny poked both the Detroit Free Press and Detroit News on Twitter about this success. If this was Clarkston they'd buy office space there. You hope the end never comes but you are always aware that no matter how well you're playing or even if you're getting breaks, the "ratfarts" moment is out there.
Time for Oscoda, After Dark

Time for some Cajun two-stepping

Who better to do that than BeauSoleil? The aptly named 'Cajun Two-Step' for some dinner inspiration.

OK, so you've already had 3 paczki's and your stomach is a little dodgy...

First off, it WAS the blueberry one, yeck, and #2, sit down, relax, listen to The Magnolia Sisters and some up-tempo fun with 'Mag Hop' and enjoy proper live music and, well, eat your fourth paczki.

Fat Tuesday on Johnny's blogs means Mardi Gras music, REAL Mardi Gras music

We've been doing this for years and years, playing the best Cajun selections on Fat Tuesday, the culmination of Mardi Gras. As Johnny was watching the film Southern Comfort back when with his buddy Paco and heard all the Cajun music and Ry Cooder's stunning soundtrack he was just gobsmacked. He ran out and started learning all about it and better yet, buying and later downloading it.

The Balfa Brothers starting us off today with one of Johnny's faves, 'Parlez Nous A Boire'

The Oscoda Boys Basketball team goes for 24-0 tonight in Houghton Lake

The Owls head to Houghton Lake tonight to play the Aggies of Beal City at 7:30pm. While the Aggies are 'just' 13-8 overall, Oscoda must not look ahead to a regional final where they would be favored, the Owls have to concentrate on Beal City tonight good things may come later, focus guys, it's key. Oscoda is a perfect 5-0 on neutral floors this year while the Aggies are 2-1.

Should they win, Oscoda will play the winner of the Sanford Meridian vs. Manton game which will be played right before the Owls game tonight also in Houghton Lake.

Big ups for the Owls! If it's winning time, it's Oscoda High School!

Monday, March 4, 2019

Late night open thread

The Lady Owls did it again! They defeated Johannesburg-Lewiston 62-45 at the Owl's Nest to move to 22-0 and more importantly they advance to the district semi-final vs Whittemore-Prescott on Wednesday right back in the Owl's Nest.

The boys are up tomorrow, make sure to check back for a preview.

Time for Oscoda, After Dark

The undefeated Oscoda girls basketball team is home tonight in another playoff matchup!

The Oscoda girl's basketball team, riding a 21-0 season thus far and a championship in the North Star league Big Dipper division and will host a second-round playoff game with the Johannesburg-Lewiston Cardinals who sport a 13-6-1 record overall (WTF, a tie basketball game? We promise no ties tonight) and play very well on the road with a 6-1-1 record.

Here's tonight's question, Johannesburg-Lewiston's defensive stats are in line with the Lady Owls' but can the Cardinals keep up with Oscoda's scoring or limit it? We'll all find out tonight at 6pm in the Oscoda High School Owl's Nest.

Let's go Oscoda!

The Production Line has been reunited

Sad news Red Wings fans, and hockey fans all over the globe, Wings legend Ted Lindsay passed away this morning at 93. Lindsay, Gordie Howe and Sid Abel manned the famed Detroit 'Production Line' in the 1950's and now they have all passed away.

Johnny might be an Atheist but IF there is a Heaven, the Red Wings are winning all the Stanley Cups up there now. So Oscoda, if you see a guy walking around in a #7 Ted Lindsay sweater around town, it might just be Johnny, come on up and say hi.

Sunday, March 3, 2019

Late night open thread

Here comes Monday.

Time for Oscoda, After Dark

2019 has brought quite a bit of new news on PFAS in Oscoda and overall

With 2019 ringing in a different party in charge of regulating all things natural resources as Democrats took over in Washington D.C. and Michigan elected an entire top line of Democrats, things have changed and mostly for the better so far on the PFAS problem being confronted by Oscoda and elsewhere in Michigan and the USA.

First off, Senator Gary Peters has had some back and forth with the Air Force on the immediate issue of Oscoda water and he had the poking-stick out:

“Yet the Air Force has opted to claim sovereign immunity from state environmental quality regulations and water resources protection laws,” he went on.

“As you know, Congress has waived sovereign immunity for purposes of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act, The Clean Water Act and the Safe Drinking Water Act,” he wrote.

Sovereign immunity is really the only defense the Air Force is using to delay and deny more money for a clean up. If they have lost that as Peters says, good for Oscoda.

The United States Senate is looking to classify PFAS as 'hazardous substances' which could well mean more cleanup funds for Michigan and none too soon:

“The hazardous substance designation has been discussed for decades,” said Arnie Leriche of Need Our Water (NOW) in Oscoda and a member of the National PFAS Contamination Coalition, after the plan was unveiled.

In Michigan, at least 1.5 million Michigan residents are drinking water with some PFAS, the state determined with a year-long testing effort of municipal systems and schools. The city of Parchment’s system was shut down and a school in Grand Haven had to turn to bottle water after high test results. Ongoing testing will be required from 35 municipal systems, 19 schools and 8 daycares as the state considers the safety levels of the contaminants.

At a strictly Michigan level, new Department Environmental Quality Director Liesl Eichler Clark answered questions from both sides of the aisle recently and yes, PFAS and other similar chemicals did come up:

Clark also faced questions from lawmakers on things like energy, agriculture, redeveloping brownfield sites and pollution monitoring and harmful water contaminants like per- and poly-fluorinated compounds.

“We’ve heard from EPA that they plan to move forward, but maybe not as fast as I think many folks were interested, particularly from a Michigan perspective,” she told Sen. Ed McBroom, R-Vulcan, who asked how the department could regulate something that isn’t well-defined yet.

So, here we stand currently, kind of a take on our old News Roundups in Jersey City. Things would seem to be moving in a more positive direction but much work remains.

Johnny has been mighty impressed by how much ownership locals have taken on this issue. They have educated themselves and organized.

Near as Johnny can tell, Oscoda was a lumber town. Then it was an Air Force town. Now, going forward it will have to show off it's greatest resource to make it a bigger tourist town unless Amazon has some deal with the township we don't know about yet. Clean water is where all the natural beauty begins. Oscoda will rely on it now more than ever. We can't do it if hunters can't hunt deer in half the area or eat a lot of the local fish in the Au Sable River. Johnny will now join those who have already joined the battle.

Late night open thread

Did you know that Ohio is our 48th state? It's true. Read on, citizen...

Time for Oscoda, After Dark

Saturday, March 2, 2019

Saturday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with TOM JONES!

Who doesn't love a little Tom Jones once in a while? Know who loved Tom Jones? Johnny's second grade teacher Miss Friedt. Why, it seems like only just 20 or so years Johnny was back in second grade earning the highest marks allowed by law (A big old lie). She was a great teacher as Johnny recalls even if she did go to Ohio State. So, tonight we'll send out a long distance time traveling dedication to her with Tom Jones and 'It's Not Unusual' starting the fun tonight.

Saturday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with IAN HUNTER!

Ellen Foley is a goddamned national treasure. If you had to ask who is Ellen Foley you best get schooled. Ellen sings backup and then the back and forth at the end of this song. Ellen sang on Clash records when she was dating Mick Jones. Good idea. She sang on hits with Joe Jackson and yes, the American standard, 'Paradise By the Dashboard Light' with Meat Loaf (who like Johnny is an avid ghost hunter). THE Ellen Foley who has better work than some in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Ellen Foley with Ian Hunter and one Johnny really adores, 'We Gotta Get Out of Here'

Saturday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with R.E.M.!

R.E.M. putting a little rock in your roll on the way out the door tonight. Oh what a night it is out there Oscoda, go look up outside, that's a very faint Milky Way out there tonight it's so clear.

Not just a Worksong, the 'Finest Worksong'

Friday, March 1, 2019

Late night open thread

No Music Series tonight, we're kicking it until tomorrow night. Sunday looks like a good day to talk about PFAS's in the Oscoda area and where things stand as since there is a new Democratic majority in Washington, some things are actually being sussed out there as well as in Lansing. See you back tomorrow night for music!

Time for Oscoda, After Dark