High Fever reminds son of his Dad and rock'n'roll

Holy crap - I am sick! I've been off work for 4 days with strep throat and a fever. I've been sweating constantly.

I can't help thinking that this would feel really good right now! (What a feeling!) Speaking of Flashdance, it always pissed me off that she let dancing hold back a promising career in welding! Did you know that there's a serious shortage of welders up the coast of Mississippi - apparently entry level wages are between $8-$10! Who's the "Maniac" now, smart guy?!

Flashdance had incredible reach. No B.S. - my Dad had the soundtrack! (This probably explains a lot about me.) His collection also included more "manly" fare like the soundtracks to The Jazz Singer and Woman In Red. If it was recorded for a movie - my Dad bought it. Not that my dad was all movie soundtracks. Between 1976 and 1982, we rocked out to such diverse artists as Roger Whittaker, Gordon Lightfoot, and Burton Cummings. (Basically, if you were a white guy with a moustache - you rocked old Ron Wood's world!)

Truth be told, I miss that music. Not 'cause I liked it - but 'cause Dad liked it. I don't think anybody else was listening to the Kingston Trio in 1978, but there we'd be, cruising down Highway 6 to Naicam with "Hang Down Your Head, Tom Dooley" playing.

If it were winter, and if he was playing the soundtrack to Live and Let Die, he would drive my brother and I down Caskey Drive in Melfort, and he would pull a hard left into our driveway, taking out a row of plastic garbage cans.

We lost my Dad in 2002 to esophageal cancer. It's been five years, and I still grieve. My Dad was the best. He was a man with great moral character, he was always kind and welcoming to everyone, and he had a great sense of humor.

What he lacked in the rock'n'roll department, he more than made up in great musical memories.

Like the time that he and I drove to Brandon, Manitoba to meet up with my Mom. I was in college at the time. Dad was driving his beautiful new Toyota Celica - the house had been paid off and he was indulging in finding his youth again. It was early, and I was still kind of asleep.

As we pulled onto Ring Road in Regina, I heard that melody that used to be at the beginning of cassette tapes. Suddenly, it got really loud. This was interesting.

Then the opening chords of "My Woman From Tokyo" by Deep Purple came blasting out. This was loud. Like Brian Johnson from AC/DC loud. I lifted my head up and there was my 50 year old dad with one hand on the steering wheel, nodding his hand in time with the music, a hilarious semi-snarl across his face. F*ck you, Roger Whittaker!

My Dad was an early 60's guy at heart. He loved "Yakkety-Sax" and the American Graffiti soundtrack. He also loved guitar instrumental stuff - the Ventures and Duane Eddy.

I think this is what made music so great for me. Maybe it was all those soundtracks, but I learned quickly that life needed background music.

I've tried make the music special for my kids. They've been raised on everything from The Beach Boys to Kiss and everywhere in between. The two older kids especially enjoyed side two of Alice Cooper "Special Forces" album - "Skeletons in the Closet" and "You're a Movie" were their favorite. Even at a year old, Adam used to squeal out "Broken Dreeeeeammms" anytime the shimmering guitar intro for Green Day's "Boulevard of Broken Dreams" would come on the radio.

Thanks, Dad. You did a nice job. I'm pretty sure they have Deep Purple in heaven. (I'm pretty sure that they have them in hell, too. Only, it's the version with David Coverdale!)