We were randomly empowered to cheat in the moment. There was no fighting authority; it just happened.

Our traveling trio consumed the visual art, likely his lesser-known talent to most, as our 4th of July surprise in Bloomington, Indiana, was serenaded by some of the painter’s famous audio recordings. There was no expectation of viewing John Mellencamp’s paintings in the CLASH art gallery on our country’s 249th birthday. Still, it fortuitously happened, and our spike in excitement could be described as launching from birthday candles to sparklers on the proverbial birthday cake.

My friend Tom Gross drove in from Illinois to visit a family member for the holiday. And that meant time enough to steal him away for an hour(ish) drive to the Indiana University campus to pay homage to the John Mellencamp statue that was unveiled on Oct. 18, 2024. The bronze statue, sculpted by Bloomington native Michael McAuley, is Mellencamp in motion with a guitar and can be found in the Elsie Irwin Sweeney Rock Garden on the north side of the IU Auditorium.

Nearly a year earlier, Tom and one of his amazing daughters joined me and Monica for a trip to Seymour, Ind., where we explored, appreciated, and celebrated THE “small town” where Mellencamp grew up. It became an important part of the podcast episode that Tom and I recorded while discussing each track from the 5X platinum (U.S.) 1985 album, “Scarecrow.”

While in Seymour, it was easy to find people to talk about their local rock and roll hero. Bloomington was no different once we walked into CLASH. Owner and artist Jennifer Mujezinovic welcomed us with open arms and shared how Mellencamp’s art came to be in her gallery and how that relationship has continued to grow. There were many great stories, but none better than when she introduced us to the painting,​ "Indiana Jersey Line." She had a print of the piece hanging in the gallery—Art created by the combination of Mellencamp and his friend, Bruce Springsteen.

Soaking in that story, hearing “R.O.C.K. in the USA,” and other songs through Jenn’s curated gallery playlist (that only has a handful of Mellencamp’s songs), and spending a special holiday with loved ones while meeting a new friend was amazing. More “small town” feelings as we again celebrated a person, artist, and individual who has made a tremendous impact on Indiana, America, and the world.

In a report by WJLA - ABC7 News, “RFK Stadium demolition to begin late January, officials say,” it’s time to revisit times like these—of those who discovered who they were/are about two miles due east of the U.S. Capitol building, near the west bank of the Anacostia River. The demolition is necessary and due, but it has also lit a spark in me to celebrate some of my experiences, and hopefully tales from others, who hold the stadium close to their hearts.

I saw this news earlier today while checking NFL news from the best pro football news site available, Mike Florio’s Pro Football Talk. My RFK experiences started with the adrenaline-filled, big event magic of 1980s Washington Redskins (now known as the Commanders) football games as a little kid from the Maryland suburbs. Dave and I, from our childhoods, had the Maryland and Virginia sides of the DMV covered, respectively.

More to come about the sporting events, concerts—especially the numerous versions of HFStival starting in 1993—and other memorable moments of how this venue in the Nation’s Capital filled my soul and taught me the power of friendship and community.

Thank you, RFK Stadium. Love letters commencing.

I lived on MTV from junior high school through college. There was nothing like the hyped-up world premiere of the newest offering from one of my favorite artists with a VJ just as pumped to be introducing it to the world.

What was even better? Getting introduced to an artist for the first time through an unexpected video. There are two videos I remember introducing me to artists I had never heard of that forced me into the same reaction—” Who was that?!”

The first was in the spring of 1989. I’m assuming it aired at the close of a Yo! MTV Raps episode, but it may have been on some other random channel with a shorter music video show.

“Doowutchyalike” by Digital Underground set me up for a year of frustration. It was released as an independent single and wouldn't arrive on an actual album until Sex Packets was released on March 20, 1990. There was no internet access yet and I couldn’t find any information about this group or their amazingly catchy hit from the golden age of hip hop. 

As you can see the video is full of cameos at the party—MC Lyte, LL Cool J, and many others. One of my goals this year is to break down Sex Packets, track by track, on a full episode of Album Cockpit Podcast.

The next video is from an LA punk band, The Distillers. Like “Doowutchyalike,” there was nothing fancy about the video. Raw and bootleg-esque, “The Young Crazed Peeling” is punk. Simple. Raspy. Rugged. Lead vocalist and guitarist Brody Dalle, with her super-spiked hair, tattoos, lip piercing and bright red lipstick bowled me over. Who is this and how do I get more?

This time around, with the good ‘ol internet, I was able to find out about the band, and where to find a DVD they were giving away while opening for No Doubt and Garbage. 

I can say so much about both of these bands but I’m staying simple and celebrating these two videos and how they introduced me to acts I love to this day.  

I’m starting this new approach by reading “How to Write a Song that Matters,” by Dar Williams. I want to be better and more knowledgeable about the music I know, love, and continue to be introduced to, so I’m turning to an established recording artist I first bought an album from in 2003.

The Distillers, Audioslave, Outkast, AFI, Missy Elliott, Good Charlotte, 50 Cent, Eminem, Coldplay, and others were played more on my iPod. Still, folk music always finds a place for me, and The Beauty of Rain was an album that helped diversify my listening.

More importantly, I look forward to incorporating learning from Dar’s book into how I understand the albums, songs, and artists that will have a place with the Album Cockpit Podcast in 2024.

Here’s more on Dar Williams. Check her out:

• Official Dar Williams Website

• Official YouTube: Dar Williams

• Spotify artist page: Dar Williams

• Instagram: Dar Williams

For me, it’s more about putting up Christmas decorations and breaking out holiday music for its chilly month in the spotlight. And no singular album of holiday music is more important to me than the inaugural “A Very Special Christmas” album. Keith Haring’s cover art is just as much part of the holiday as any reference to Santa Claus or elves in his workshop.

The list of artists consisted of the same heroes I carried in my pocket Walkman that went everywhere I went, or who my parents played in the car when we were traveling. The Pointer Sisters, Eurythmics, John Mellencamp, Run-D.M.C., Madonna, and Stevie Nicks are only a sampling of the star power on this original offering—the brainchild of producer Jimmy Iovine.

Travis M. Andrews, a feature writer for The Washington Post, wrote an excellent piece for the news outlet titled, “How a 1987 Christmas album changed the way the holiday sounds.” (NOTE: The Washington Post requires a subscription for most articles.)

It provides a rich history of how the concept began and the personal journey made by Iovine to recruit artists for the tracks of the A&M Records offering. It also shares the impact of this album, beyond the millions of dollars it has raised for the Special Olympics.

He mentions how a teenaged Tupac bought the album specifically for the “Christmas in Hollis” holiday hip-hop track. I bought the album because of all of the artists and how fresh and new they made my holidays. Andrews documented similar thoughts from music critic and author Rob Sheffield.

“This is such a huge album in terms of its impact, just because there hadn’t been anything like it. It changed the place of Christmas in pop culture,” says Sheffield, who believes “A Very Special Christmas” represents “a before-and-after moment in the history of Christmas in pop culture. It’s a thing that had never existed before, and afterwards was never going to not exist again. Pop stars now all want to do Christmas albums.”

The holidays are more memorable and easier to celebrate because of these songs by a collection of massive music stars. “A Very Special Christmas - Vol. 3” may be my favorite overall album in the series, but the magic doesn't get going without the original effort of Iovine and everyone involved in that inaugural album.