Category: Uncategorized

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Ace Frehley and The Ongoing Departure of My Childhood Heroes

Ace Frehley was my 1st guitar hero. Kiss was my first musical love. They were my 1st obsession. Kiss Alive was the 1st album I ever bought with my own money. It was the 1st album to hook me and haunt me. They filled my childhood, which was at that point filled with fear and anger, with excitement and joy.

My obsession for Kiss long since diminished but I’d be remiss if I didn’t honor the passing of Ace Frehley who passed away 16-Oct. 2025. His death does sadden me as yet another pivotal figure of my life moves on. He joins Ozzy, Eddie Van Halen, Jeff Beck, Neil Peart, Harold Budd, Vangelis, Lemmy, Prince, Tom Petty, David Bowie, Charlie Watts, Pete Way…and on and on…as people that meant so much to me, whom I never met but who contributed to memories and moments as real and as important and any attributed to my friends and family. Their departure from this life hits me in a very real way, perhaps not as acute as a loved one but no less real. Their departure is a reminder of the passage of time and a closing of a door to further contributions from their artistry to impact my life further. Yes, I still have the contributions from when they were alive and those contributions will live on in a way, but there will not be another Sabbath album or a VH show to go to, or an entertaining story about Ace Frehley. The door is now shut.

Thank you, Ace, for giving a scared, angry kid a joyous outlet that provided so much joy. May your soul be at peace.

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Ozzy!

On July 22, I shed tears for someone I never met for the 2nd time in my life. The 1st time was for Edward Van Halen (see previous posts). Of course, this most recent moment was for the passing of Ozzy Osbourne who was already on my mind with renewed, albeit nostalgic focus as a result of his very recent farewell concert on July 5th. I think many felt it was truly a farewell but were equally shocked that his death would be so soon afterwards.

I can’t do justice in memorializing Ozzy. Its clear by what has already been said by so many on Socials that I’m but one of many who feel like a dear friend has departed. I’ll just say that his life made a difference to mine. He wasn’t a saint, but he was inspirational.

God bless Ozzy Osbourne.

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4 Years Today….

We lost Eddie Van Halen 4 years ago today. There is a growing list of artists near and dear to me that have passed on. That’s what happens when we grow old. But Eddie has left the biggest void and remains the strongest “shock”. I miss him and truly cherish his legacy.

Alan

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Last Piece of Upcoming Release

Hello:

Having debated on releasing singles vs an album, I’ve opted for a “mini album” (EP is so 1977). It will be released on Bandcamp before the end of 2024. I have to master the last piece which I’m putting the final touches on. I have a trip planned for end of October so I’m going to target a December release date. More to come.

Cheers,

Alan

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Practicing Nonviolence

From the Center for Action and Contemplation:

Franciscan peacemakers Rosemary Lynch and Alain Richard have identified ten “commandments” for those seeking to live a spiritual life of nonviolence. They call it “The Decalogue for a Spirituality of Nonviolence”:

Active nonviolence calls us:

  1. To learn to recognize and respect “the sacred” in every person, including in ourselves, and in every piece of Creation….
     
  2. To accept oneself deeply, “who I am” with all my gifts and richness, with all my limitations, errors, failings and weaknesses, and to realize that I am accepted by God….
     
  3. To recognize that what I resent, and perhaps even detest, in another, comes from my difficulty in admitting that this same reality lives also in me….
     
  4. To renounce dualism, the “we-they” mentality (Manicheism). This divides us into “good people/bad people” and allows us to demonize the adversary. It is the root of authoritarian and exclusivist behavior. It generates racism and makes possible conflicts and wars.
     
  5. To face fear and to deal with it not mainly with courage but with love.
     
  6. To understand and accept that the New Creation, the building up of the Beloved Community is always carried forward with others. It is never a “solo act.”…
     
  7. To see ourselves as a part of the whole creation to which we foster a relationship of love, not of mastery, remembering that the destruction of our planet is a profoundly spiritual problem, not simply a scientific or technological one. We are one.
     
  8. To be ready to suffer, perhaps even with joy, if we believe this will help liberate the Divine in others. This includes the acceptance of our place and moment in history with its trauma, with its ambiguities.
     
  9. To be capable of celebration, of joy, when the presence of God has been accepted, and when it has not been to help discover and recognize this fact.
     
  10. To slow down, to be patient, planting the seeds of love and forgiveness in our own hearts and in the hearts of those around us. Slowly we will grow in love, compassion and the capacity to forgive.
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Travel and Upcoming Music

Soooo…I’ve been traveling lots recently. Much of July was spent in Kuwait which was interesting. Most relentless heat I’ve ever experienced. I did meet and befriend some very kind people which is always the big plus of any of my travels. But there is nothing better than coming home.

I’m finishing the mixing/mastering of a piece I started in June. Tentative title is “Melancholic”. I’m not sure if I’m going to release it as a single or compile some more pieces for an album. I’ll see as more music comes forth.

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Current Reading

I’m presently reading “The Memory of Old Jack” by Wendall Berry. It has captured me in the same manner as “Grapes of Wrath” by John Steinbeck did equally because of the settings of days long past in America and the descriptive nature of the writing of deep emotions. I strongly recommend this book.

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“The Contemplative Life”

Thomas Merton (1915-1968), the Trappist monk and author, has been a major influence in my life via his writings and the influence he has had on others that I admire (e.g. The Dalai Lama, Richard Rohr). For anyone curious, I strongly recommend you explore his writings.

He has referred to “The True Self” in his writing which is, as I understand, our self that is beyond ego, beyond fear, beyond even what we consider our identity. It is, as he describes it, reachable by way of a contemplative practice. His description is comparable to those of Buddhist, Hindu, and Sufi figures throughout history which I find fascinating and encouraging. To use Richard Rohr’s term, it rings of “perennial truth”.

In the past few years, I’ve made it a daily routine to awaken 1 hour before I have to get ready to depart the home so as to allow a time of prayer, meditation, reading, etc. It has made a subtle but noticeable difference in my demeanor and inner peace. It has been akin to dipping my proverbial toe into the contemplative waters.

I share this as much to note to myself that, in spite of my noisy mind, fears, frustrations, and shortcomings, I have made some minor progress in this life to understand what serenity is. I know enough to know it is elusive and isn’t something to grab or obtain so much as it is something to be uncovered and rediscovered. It is, I believe (as Merton put it), to discover our true self.

May peace be with you,

Alan