Like many young teens, I was exploring many genres of entertainment. By the time I turned 15 my dreams of becoming a professional athlete were fading, but music, especially Rock Music had become very exciting to me. I was learning to play the guitar and by the mid 70′s Rock Concerts had taken hold in America. A good friend of mine and great musician in his own right Joe Grizzanti started going to see bands play live with me. My first big gig was Grand Funk Railroad. I’ll always remember it was early June 1974 and my Dad was willing to drive me and Joe to the Ingelwood Forum in the Los Angeles area to see the concert. What a great time. Sitting on the floor, well standing actually because we were way back on the floor, watching Mark Farner wail away on lead guitar and all the lights were flashing while the band played “We’re an American Band” … I was hooked. Immediately I found myself becoming an expert on who the greatest bands were … uh, well at least at the time I did, so I began a journey over the next 38 years that has taken me throughout North America. Over 1800 Concerts later, and hoping I’m wiser than I was at 15, I look forward to sharing these many experiences with all of you. I have a feeling during this blog that memories of your lives will sweep over you. The amazing thing about attending Concerts and Sporting events is that when one of them really grabs you in a passionate way we remember it. It becomes a fabric in our lives. No, I don’t remember all of them. There were several years in the late 70′s and 80′s I went to 150 to 200 concerts a year. Almost every other night at times. It was a way of life. During these runs of one nighters I saw a huge array of bands and artists. The more I went the less I knew it seemed. Life is funny that way, the more you learn the less you know. What’s up with that anyway? The experience though has been valuable and enlightening. I have seen the beautiful births of careers and the sad death of many others. All in all, for any fan, in comes down to a few very important matters. Does the artist speak to you? Do you feel them? Do you relate to them? Do they make you think … or help you forget? Do they move you? and for me maybe the most important is “Are they believeable” ? … Real, not Fake or a Fad. I look forward to our next visit as I’m going to go into my library of memories and pick out some moments that hopefully you can relate with and enjoy. Until then, Peace to all. The Captain.

Many times over the years I have been asked, How did this all start? What was the attraction? From when I was little I was always the “need to know” and “need to tell everyone what I think” kid. Needless to say I stumbled many times in my life. No one likes a know it all. God knows I don’t know it all. It just took me many years to realize that. As we all get older and experience life two very real things become clear. 1) I am learning and growing … 2) I know less as I learn. Once I bought into this, my knowledge of what I do and have done became more relevant. Now, at 53, I am still a  young guy, but I know I have experienced some amazing events and life moments that many people never have or maybe ever could. With that being said, sharing the life I have lived and how I got here today in 2012 hopefully will bring some laughter, enlightenment and entertainment to all my readers. So cheers to you all and here we go. 

In 1967 two very significant things were added to my 8 year old life. Rock music and Ice Hockey. I was already a fan of the Beatles and I loved playing baseball and swimming, but little did I know what was coming my way. So, it’s the summer of 1967. The “Summer of Love” was everywhere in the Bay Area of Northern California. My parents were from our country’s greatest generation and were not part of the magical mystery tour that was sweeping the world. My Father, who I lovingly called “Pop”, was working in Monterey California that summer and took my Mom, my brother Greg and I on a road trip through the beautiful Carmel-Monterey area. Upon arriving we were a day early. Ugh. No hotels anywhere. So we slept in our 1965 Lincoln Continental in the parking lot of the hotel we were staying in the next day. All good right? and the curtain opens the next morning … we can’t open our car doors. There are Hippies sleeping up against our car. We get out of course and all over the parking lot are these teens and twenty somethings with flowers in their hair in colorful garb. Wow, I was thrilled !! … Pop was not and Mom was getting tired of being asked for money by girls so they could buy some food for their children. Hello, what’s going on ? … Needless to say the ever curious lad I was found out there was some Rock concert across the street. It was the opening day of the now world famous 1967 Monterey Pop Festival. I was so taken with everything going on I told my Pop, “When I get older I am going to have long hair !” … not in my house you won’t Pop proclaimed. However the seed had been planted and I was now grafted into the world of Rock and Roll. In upcoming blogs I will begin the journey that started in June 1974 when my Pop took me and a good friend to the Forum in Ingelwood California to see Grand Funk Railroad. My first of over 1800 concerts.

Now, there was one other very important 1967-68 “way of life” that was introduced to me. Ice Hockey. Most importantly the Los Angeles Kings. Pop took me to the Forum freshly built to see the new expansion team the NHL had given to Los Angeles. Now remember, I loved baseball. I wanted to be a Pro Baseball player when I grew up and I was a fan of both the Dodgers and the Angels. Well it didn’t take long and by the time I was a teen the Kings had far surpassed the Dodgers and Angels as MY TEAM … Amazingly 45 years later here we are and the Kings are in the Stanley Cup Finals. The Kings just beat the New Jersey Devils in game one last night to take 1-0 lead in the series. Personally as a fan of many things, this is the mother load of everything hoped for as a fan of anything for me. Go Kings !!!! No Letting Up !!!!.

Ok, still there … 1967, I was 8 years old. This was the beginning of how I got here. I look forward to sharing this road I have walked, crawled and ran on in next blog. We’ll start at the first concert in 1974 and go through my high school years ending in 1977. Thinking about it now those years may take a few blogs …

Peace to all. The Captain

So, did you see the game last night? Can you believe what happened? Never seen a greater comeback have you? Wow, went to the Rush concert last night. The drummer was awesome! 

I’m sure many of you have had experiences watching sporting events or going to a great concert or theatre show. This blog “the Captain’s Voice” is all about that and more. Like many of you, I am passionate about music and sports. During my life I have witnessed the Good, Bad, Ugly and truly unbelievable. Adding in the ticket industry and what it really is, the mission of this blog is to inform and entertain, make you think and hopefully open up the gates of passion that only a fan can bring to your special event. Welcome to the Captain’s Blog.