A blog about Arts & Entertainment, Kern County, and Health & Wellness.
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John McCain should be proud to be associated with Bush: I'm proud of our President! A Couple of Mavericks: Hear the new song and keep an eye on the winning ticket Jimmy Carter denegrates McCain's military service: Alt rock song asks Carter, do you have a soul? Makin' Great Strides: New alt rock song about rise and fall of John Edwards Promises made in the Parking Lot at Trout's: hear/review new Krock (Kern County country rock) song It's Rainin' at my Favorite Honky-tonk: For my friends at Trout's: R.I.P. Vern Never Mind the Bollocks: Here's the Alvis Edgar Wannabes: Our First Single/First Trivia Quest The BLT in BeaTLes: Answer this riddle to win Dr BLT cover of song by Buck's favorite band Dr BLTrivia: Identify what the girl says at the end of the Sour Grapes song! Win free blow-up doll! Sour Grapes and Lemons: Dr BLT featuring mystery female artist August 06 September 06 October 06 November 06 December 06 January 07 February 07 March 07 April 07 May 07 June 07 July 07 August 07 September 07 October 07 November 07 December 07 January 08 February 08 March 08 April 08 May 08 June 08 July 08 August 08 September 08 
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The Immigrant is Coming: Bono or Arnold? Who will be the first foreign-born president of the U.S.eh?
I believe it's just a matter of time before we will see a major legislative bill passed that will allow foreign-born citizens to become President of the United States of America? Will a foreign-born be allowed to run in 2012? Will it be an Arnold/McCarthy Ticket? Will it be my preference, a Bono/Bono ticket, featuring Bono, the rock superstar/activist/humanitarian recently named one of Time magazines Persons of the Year? Will Mary Bono be his running mate? Do you have other suggestions as to which foreign-born leader has a chance of becoming our president? I'm all ears (or should I say, all eyes?)
Let's face it. We live in a dysfunctional society, and we all come from dysfunctional families. How is that a recipe for adulthood and maturity? From a Freudian perspective, most of us become fixated at very early phases of development. Some become orally fixated.
For male, orally fixated adult children this could lead to a fixation upon women's breasts. For both orally fixated men and women, this could lead to smoking, overeating, or alcoholism. It could reveal itself in how one uses one's mouth. This could manifest itself in one's sexual activity preferences, or how one uses his/her mouth for communication purposes: spewing out sacastic vitriol, or "shutting up," altogether---remaining silent as a passive way of resisting and retaliating against orally fixated aggressors. Personality-wise, an orally fixated individual is one who is overly needy and dependent in relationships. They tend to sap the energy out of adult children who assume the caretaker, parental role in a relationship (the flip side of dependency, in which needs are attempted to be met vicariously). Then there is always anal fixation, in which, from a Freudian point of view, one is fixated at the anal stage of development. This generally manifests itself in either anal retentive, or obsessive-compulsive behavior, or the antithesis of such: anal-expulsive behavior such as keeping one's room extraordinary messy. Growing up to become an adult child is generally nothing to be proud of. Sometimes it requires intensive psychological treatment. But there is one aspect of childhood that one should never lose. In fact, retaining this aspect of childhood can actually help a person refrain from regressing or remaining in a developmentally fixated state. I'm talking about retaining a sense of wonder, playfulness and creative imagination. From the moment we begin to progress into adulthood (and in some cases, well before), we are discouraged from exercising our individual and collective imaginations. We are encouraged to become conforming individuals who fit into a particular mold. As a result, the only critical thinking we engage in is destructive cynicism (a cynacism I refer to as the cyanide of cynicism) and the only way avoid exercising our creative minds entirely. Sometimes psychotherapy is not enough to help us grow up in terms of moving beyond developmental fixations. Since most mortal role models end up being adult children themselves, I turn to eternal role models such as Christ himself, who did not remain in the cradle, and moved rapidly out of the stable, becoming a stable adult who ultimately became the cradle of Western civilization. The next time somebody tells you to grow up, get in touch with that playful, creative, innovative aspect of your childhood. That is the side of you that should never grow up. That side of you will help you laugh when you need comic relief. It will help you to put everything in perspective. It will help you come up with creative solutions for moving beyond your oral or anal fixation so that you enter the adult world of mature, fulfilling relationships.
Look at all the hate speech scattered all over the blogosphere! Will there ever be harmony between those on the right and those on the left? Can we disagree while respecting, and, yes, even loving one another? My interstate/Bako/Sacto band, Practically Poetz recorded a song that offers hope, not only for peace in the world, but for peace between those who represent disparate political views. So, what do you think? Conservatives? Liberals? Moderates? Can't we all just get a song?
Bono's always been a man with a plan, and when it comes to fighting AIDS in Africa, I've found Bono's plan to be better than any I've seen yet. It's a program called RED and it has to do with merchants banding together to relieve the immense suffering of the people of Africa---suffering that is so vast that it makes all of the problems in the United States pale in comparison. RED is a color that has come to stand for many things, but in this case, it stands for an outpouring of compassion. If you're BLUE about you, maybe you have the right too, but I'd recommend a change of color. I'd recommend adding a little RED. Put on your rose-colored glasses and make the world a brighter place for the people of Africa to live.
Just when you thought it was safe to get out for the mid-term elections, and begin setting your sites on the '08 election, rumors of a John Kerry vote have begun to take float. Republicans, are you afraid of another Kerry run in '08? Vets, are you afraid he would win? Are you afraid of another round of Kerry campaign ads? Democrats, is there anything more frieghting to you than George W. Bush? I don't fear his winning. I don't think that would happen and I may actually prefer him to Hillary. I fear over-exposure to another round of Kerry campaign ads.
I wrote this song just prior to the elections of '04 and it became popular among liberals of all people. I now apologize for making fun of Kerry in '04, and I take back all of the words in this song. BTW, it features Walter Stormont on the Halloween voices.
In the early 70s, nobody thought pop music could become any more vacuous. Then came disco. And it came on strong. Notwithstanding the Beatles, and the British invasion of the 60s, can a phenomenon possibly get any bigger than Saturday Night Fever? Records were selling like they were going out of style. And they did. So did disco, thanks, in part, to a movement reflecting the "disco sucks" sentiment of millions of back-to-basic rock and punk fans.
Well, personally, I've never been one to write off any style of music, and when it comes to disco, well, let's just say I have my guilty pleasures. For better or worse, the Bee Gees became typecast as perveyors of disco, even though they had been delighfully demonstrating their deft knack for writing poignant love songs and brilliant ballads since the early sixties. When Maurice died a few years back, the Bee Gees were no longer three, and I shared in their loss with this article: When the Bee Gees Were Three (Phantom Tollbooth) http://www.tollbooth.org/20... But the article was missing one of my now signature one-song "soundtracks." I released that one-song "soundtrack" this year, and, while it hasn't made the top of any charts yet, like my only truly "hit," Black Santa, it has been competing with Crocodile Hunter and now appears to be the front runner as my most frequently downloaded song. I hope you enjoy it. If you are old school, I hope it takes you back to your high school or early college days. If you are new school, I hope it takes you back to the days when your parents used to play, or burn this stuff way back in the day when they used to say, "DISCO SUCKS!" Download the song for free RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW! When the Bee Gees Were Three words and music by Dr. BLT (c) 2006 http://www.drblt.net/music/...
Bono is, without a doubt, one of the greatest humanitarians of our time. He's one of those rare individuals I like to call a true "rock 'n' role model." But there's a woman I'm sure he holds in high esteem, that started out with much more humble beginnings, and left an immense, enduring legacy that continues to warm the heart of the world, and inspire celebrities like Bono, Oprah, and others to keep doing their best to leave the world a better place than what it was when they entered it. No, she couldn't compete on the runway with any of today's top models, but when it comes to role models, she was, without a doubt, some kinda mutha! Word.
Do you think bin Laden will ever be found? Do you believe he is dead? Does capturing bin Laden still matter? Is Bill Clinton responsible for missed opportunities to capture him? How about Bush?
I'm not interested in getting into the middle of the blame game. But I still think that, as a symbol of our resolve, and as a psychological boon for the psychological operations of the military, he still needs to be captured. I've Never Bin Laden is a song from my 9/11 retrospective CD, One September Mournin' that summarizes my proposed psychological strategy in fighting the war on terror. http://www.sacbee.com/stati... It is based upon the notion that we must recruit more non-military volunteers to become actively engaged in the psychological operations (psyops) of the military.
My morning music often depends on my mood. I like a wide variety of music, including classic rock, alt rock, post-punk and 70s pop and R&B. Most modern rock stations don't hold my attention for too long unless they are playing bands like Jet, All American Rejects, or Green Day. But mostly, I like the old music of the British invasion, the stuff that was mostly taking off before I even knew how to talk, let alone, rock. Among my favorite British invasion bands are the Beatles, The Who and, you guessed it: The Rolling Stones.
It's pretty obvious what the song, Starbucks Maple Oat Scones (And the Rolling Stones) by The Rolling Scones, was inspired by. What is not so obvious is that Starbucks in Bakersfield has recently changed bakers and their once-famous-now-infamous Maple Oat Nut Scones really suck. So while I used to say, "Everyone must get sconed," I now say, "Just say no to Starbucks scones." The song hasn't grown stale at all, especially not with Jerry giving me a break on lead vocals. Me and the rest of the boys from the Rolling Scones hope you enjoy it.
I'd like to introduce a new blog series and a relatively new band. The Rolling Scones started in the summer of 2004 in Bakersfield, California. Jerry Rothberg and I alternate on lead vocals, and his main instrument is the sax. He also plays lead guitar and I play rhythm guitar. Dan Miller plays bass, Walter Stormont plays percussion, Pat Frase plays drums. These are wonderful musicians and we're all good friends.
We don't perform much because we're all heavily involved in multiple projects. We are not a Stones cover band. We are inspired by the Rolling Stones, but the music is written by yours truly, and it's mostly original stuff, from the CD: Stone-ground Dreams: A Bittersweet Tribute to the Rolling Stones. In this song, I drew upon a lyrical story-telling technique I commonly use: one called Magic Realism, in which elements of fiction are juxtaposed with elements of reality. In short, this song is sort of about Mick Jagger. Me and the boys hope you like it. www.drblt.net Psyops involves the psychological operations of the military. What if psyops joined forces with evangelical Christian psychologists in planning a grand intervention in the war on terror that would win over the seemingly intractable soul, while penetrating the seemingly impenetrable Psyche?
I initially became aware of the limits of psychological diagnosis and psychiatric-based classification systems when I worked for Fresno Unified School District as a Music Therapist and participated in Individualized Educational Plans for students who were developmentally delayed. Developing and subsequently implementing interdisciplinary educational interventions for these students was conspicuously hindered when I approached students strictly on the basis of formal diagnoses that had been assigned to them.
I learned more about the limits of such a diagnostic approach to treatment in graduate school. But my greatest teacher in this respect would turn out to be the Man in Black, Johnny Cash. The story can be found via this link: Cash Offering of Six-string Therapy/Phantom Tollbooth http://www.tollbooth.org/20... Don't get me wrong. Diagnosis and formal organization of mental illnesses are ineffably useful in terms of securing funds to address the special needs of students with developmental and psychological conditions that interfere with their functioning. Furthermore, such an approach can be unspeakably useful in terms of organizing clinical observations in a way that allows for effectively treating symptoms for patients suffering from a variety of mental health conditions. However, unless those directly responsible for developing intervention strategies for treating the mentally ill and developmentally delayed individual through the application of critical and creative thinking, treatment strategies and the application of such strategies can become extremely limited. Why classify? What is abnormal? To what does cultural bias interfere with the formulation of diagnostic criteria? Do diagnostic labels help in understanding and treating folks suffering from psychological problems? Do such labels add insult to injury? Do we actually harm patients by observing and treating them from a diagnostic perspective? These questions stem from the application of critical thinking. They must be consistently applied in order to break down traditional ways of looking at suffering individuals. Once they have been applied, we can apply creative thinking to the process, rebuilding the foundation upon which clinical intervention rests. I believe that foundation will be stronger. I didn't learn this from Sigmund Freud, Carl Rogers or B.F. Skinner. I had to walk the line in the footsteps of Johnny Cash to learn this lesson. What are your thoughts on the benefits and drawbacks associated with labeling people with psychological problems according to diagnostic criteria? I'm interested in gathering such feedback, not only from professionals in the field, but from the general public. Your input is the "roll" in this new art form of mine I like to call blog n roll. JC THERAPY: words and music by Dr. BLT (c)2006 can you guess who I am according to your treatment plan according to your DSM-IV what's my GAF score what am I on Axis one if it's a game, well, you won you succeed in labelin' me but when you gonna rescue me set me free nothin' touches my misery like a Cash song sung in G what I need is some JC therapy 'bin depressed for quite awhile 'bin a long time since I smiled I've 'bin manic once before once before and maybe more no, I'm not schizophrenic neither am I schizoaffective as you can see, it's quite severe it's been chronic for a year rescue me set me free nothin' touches my misery like a Cash song sung in G what I need is some JC therapy I am anxious in this place in a place I can't escape when I panic you'll see me freakin' out, it's embarrassin', see?! and my travel is restricted or endured with marked distress I am filled with impending doom like this smotherin', shrinkin' room rescue me set me free nothin' touches my misery like a Cash song sung in G what I need is some JC therapy Have you got some Johnny Cash? ' seems to ease my stress attacks takes my demons holds 'em back simply talkin' won't do that sometimes psychotherapy isn't quite enough for me but when Johnny sings his tunes ' makes my Psyche feel brand new rescue me I'm short of breath feel the tightness in my chest so diseased what I need goin' crazy for some JC therapy... JC THERAPY: words and music by Dr. BLT (c)2006 can you guess who I am according to your treatment plan according to your DSM-IV what's my GAF score what am I on Axis one if it's a game, well, you won you succeed in labelin' me but when you gonna rescue me set me free nothin' touches my misery like a Cash song sung in G what I need is some JC therapy 'bin depressed for quite awhile 'bin a long time since I smiled I've 'bin manic once before once before and maybe more no, I'm not schizophrenic neither am I schizoaffective as you can see, it's quite severe it's been chronic for a year rescue me set me free nothin' touches my misery like a Cash song sung in G what I need is some JC therapy I am anxious in this place in a place I can't escape when I panic you'll see me freakin' out, it's embarrassin', see?! and my travel is restricted or endured with marked distress I am filled with impending doom like this smotherin', shrinkin' room rescue me set me free nothin' touches my misery like a Cash song sung in G what I need is some JC therapy Have you got some Johnny Cash? ' seems to ease my stress attacks takes my demons holds 'em back simply talkin' won't do that sometimes psychotherapy isn't quite enough for me but when Johnny sings his tunes ' makes my Psyche feel brand new rescue me I'm short of breath feel the tightness in my chest so diseased what I need goin' crazy for some JC therapy...
Halloween is a collective, symbolic way of coping with an overwhelming fear of a certain matter that I am loath to introduce. Why? Because, to many, including me, it is a morbid, minatory matter. The matter of man's mortality, and the ephemeral quality of our existence here on earth feels like something to avoid at all costs. But avoidance and denial can cost so much more than any of us could ever imagine. When we hold on to the hands of time for dear life, we merely exist, and don't live our lives to the fullest. This premise is the cornerstone of extistential philosophy and humanistic psychology.
Some say that the fear of death, and the fear of life (also based on the fear of its ultimate end---death), motivates virtually all of our thoughts, our emotions, and our actions. It can lead us to avoid intimate relationships. It can allow us to sabotage our dreams, suppress our talents, and set ourselves up for heartache in our personal lives, and failure in our professional endeavors. Holdin' the Hands of Time words and music by Dr. Bruce L. Thiessen, aka Dr. BLT (c)2006 dance with the hour glass but the sand is shiftin' fast rock with the clock but you know that time ain't gonna last nose to the grindstone and your back against the wall you think you'll last forever but some day you're gonna fall friends all tell you, "Stop, and smell the roses on the way," but you're collectin' seconds every time she looks away spend them just as fast as you can save them thrown away is every precious moment of every wakin' day holdin' the hands of time courtin' the clock on the wall why can't you see that time was meant to be a precious, borrowed, tender, sweet commodity this time this time this time it's over you're left holdin' the hands of time I can't see where you're runnin' to but I can see what you're goin' through you see, I was once a lot like you afraid that time would stop... and pass me by holdin' the hands of time courtin' the clock on the wall why can't you see that time was meant to be a precious, borrowed, tender, sweet commodity this time this time this time it's over you're left holdin' the hands of time
Just because people listen to your music, doesn't mean they're fans. Many people listen to my songs to make fun of them and of me, or to come up with insults about me.
I didn't tell an overt lie, but, in all honesty, when I wrote, I Can Count My Fans (On One Hand): words and music by Dr. BLT (c)2006 http://www.drblt.net/music/... well, it was a gross misoverestimation at best. Getting your music aired nation-wide doesn't ensure fans, and neither does a cameo on an award-nominated MTV music video. Getting your music heard overseas in Spain and in Germany doesn't ensure fans. Getting national airplay doesn't. Getting your songs posted on a blogsite once named by Time magazine as the #1 blog site of the year doesn't. Getting your songs aired in New Zealand and even interviewed by DJs in New Zealand won't necessarily bring in any fans. Securing masses of foreign listeners won't either. Statistics connected to my website show that 49% of my listeners (I won't call them fans) come from Poland. Heck, Polish listeners represent more listeners than I have in the entire United States and Canada put together, and I don't even know a single soul from Poland and I don't have a drop of Polish blood in me either. Landing one of your songs on a top thirty chart on mp3000.net, a website that tracks top mp3s across the world won't necessarily earn you many fans either. All of the heretofore mentioned "big breaks," have come to me, but I'm not really very successful as an artist when it comes to "making it." To get fans, people have to really love your music and they have to keep coming back for more. Until that happens, I'm going to face up to the fact that "I'm my Only Fan," and go on pretending that I don't give a damn. That's rock n roll. You have to either win big time or you have to be a big time loser, and thus, an underdog. Bakersfield: I want to be your underdog. I want to be your blawgin' underdawg. I've got a long way to go as a musician, but if you take me in, I'll be as loyal as any underground blawg dawg you've ever met. This cut is a little ruff. I hope you like it that way. I'm My Only Fan Dr. BLT's One-man "Banned" words and music by Dr. BLT (c)2006 I'd like to make a livin' off of rock n roll I'd like to make a livin' off of rockin' people's souls But the supply outweighs the demand Nobody shows up I'm just a one-man "banned" I'd like to say that I Just don't give a damn I'm my only fan I'm my only fan I'd like to hit the big time Sign upon the dotted line Lots of screamin' fans to tell me that my music's fine But the supply outweighs the demand Nobody shows up I'm just a one-man "banned" I'd like to say that I Just don't give a damn I'm my only fan I'm my only fan I'm givin' all my records away so desperate that If they took 'em I would pay I'm hooked on rock and roll but they ain't hooked on me, man I'm my only fan I'm my only fan Yeah, I'm my only fan
I posted the lyrics to this song yesterday, slightly altered them in this edition, and finished recording the song this morning. It's for one of our own dear soldiers who paid the ultimate sacrifice in the service of our country. Lester, this one's for you and you for your family. May you rest in peace and remain in our hearts forever:
Cowboy Soldier words and music by Dr. Bruce L. Thiessen, aka Dr. BLT (c) 2006 cowboy soldier hometown hero we have cried a thousand tears for you cowboy soldier hometown hero you gave us life so we could be renewed cowboy soldier our hearts remain with you cowboy soldier our hearts remain with you cowboy soldier valliant warrior paratrooper, now that you're gone we will sing your everlasting song we will sing your everlasting song and we know your family cries for you and we know you were filled with fortitude and our hearts are filled with gratitude cowboy soldier our hearts remain with you cowboy soldier upon your shoulders many more will give their lives in the sunset loved ones dry their eyes ride off in the sunset through the skies We've lost another one of our own. It's a time to remember that we are the United States of America, not the Divided States of America. We disagree on many things, but if there's one thing we can remain united on, it's our collective loss and our shared sorrow and suffering.
Do you know somebody that seems to drive you absolutely crazy? Is it a lover? Is it a boss or fellow employee? Is it your cat? How about a politician? Does another person have the power to drive you crazy? Can the issues of a mentally unstable person drive an otherwise stable person into a state of virtual insanity?
This is the core issue addressed in a song by my cross-country, Canadian rock duo, U.S.eh? U.S.eh? was formed in 2005 and consists of a buddy I grew up with in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, who now resides in Vancouver, and myself, who now resides right here in B-town. We are strictly a recording act. We haven't seen each other since High School, but we do all of our recording together by writing separate parts, recording individual tracks in our own individual studios, and then swamping files over the internet. I hope it works for you, and I hope this song causes you to engage in some fruitful introspection.
If you were lucky enough to be born and raised on the praries of Saskatchewan, like I was, you either go outside and play hockey, or you stay indoors and play rock n roll. I opted for the later. If I had the skills, and the motivation, I'd be playing hockey. Instead, I play a metaphorical game of hockey with my guitar and my pick. If you think I'm breaking the rules, blow the whistle on me, and I'll take the penalty. Otherwise, I'm out to score. This song was written for, and inspired by the Condors! You rock! May your season be a victorious one.
This one's for you, Lester. Rest in peace, brave soldier:
This song came to me as I was paying my way through graduate school by working as a Music Therapist for the Fresno Unified School District. I decided to record it last night as I reflected upon that period in my life. As a songwriter, the developmentally delayed children that I worked, and their unique personality qualities, were a constant source of inspiration for me. They helped me to realize that the Rock n Roll Dreams that Meatloaf touches upon in Bat out of Hell II, can be so much bigger than the American Idol dream of becoming a big star.
Music can be a powerful force in shaping young lives, and helping to make the dreams of children come true. I continue to use music as a therapeutic tool, but I now use it as a psychologist. Meatloaf, who was a virtual "co-therapist" in a therapy group I led a few years ago, led the "adult children" in my group to a therapeutic breakthrough with his song, Objects in the Rear View Mirror Appear Closer than they Seem. Of course Meatloaf (who will be releasing Bat out of Hell III on Halloween, 2006) wasn't actually physically present at the therapy session, but this song (nearly as long as its title), depicting the brutal abuse he encountered as a child, filled the room with his haunting spirit. Witnessing the miraculous power of music in this situation further fortified my dream. The dream began when I heard the Beatles for the first time as a toddler. It's a dream that is constantly evolving to fit the realities of my everyday experiences, but one that will never, ever die. If man is the measure of all things, then why have I spent my whole life trying to measure up to the demands of significant women in my life? Humanism, also referred to as "third force" psychology, rose in popularity in the 1960s and has been having a profound influence on Western culture ever since. Humanism grew out of existentialist philosophy. It was introduced as an alternative to psychodynamic theory and behaviorism, the only two schools of psychology that were prominant in the early to mid-1900s. |
