Hi All,

For many of us, music was a big part of our high school lives, and likely our memories.

For me, listening to music is still a big part of my life.

So here, I'd like to list that music I enjoyed in high school that I still listen to today. Before I list, I'll note that I'm constantly looking for new music, am not stuck in nostalgia, and think today's recordings are usually much better than we heard through June 1968.

That said, if I still listen to music now that I listened to then, what does that say about the music? About me?

And -- and here's the key thing -- what music from our high school days do you still listen to?

My list, in no particular order:

* Simon & Garfunkel (not just PS, who came after) = once in a while only, too sweet now.

* The Beatles = more their mid-period, the heart of our Francis Lewis days, like Revolver or Rubber Soul. The best pop music still, in many ways.

* Phil Ochs = surprisingly still affecting, but more so his later work, like from The Pleasures of the Harbor or Tape from California albums, and less so his pure political ones that helped radicalize me back then

* Tim Buckley = his first album, called just that "Tim Buckley." Unique music...do you remember him? I remember several of us were awed by it late in our high school days.

* The Beach Boys = I like them more now than I did then, can appreciate them more. Especially albums like Pet Sounds and Smiley Smile. Nearly as good pop music as The Beatles.

* The Rolling Stones = actually, listened to them far more then than I do now.

* Bob Dylan = with his wide range of music, but his mid-1960s recordings are often too dated to my ears for much play today. 

* The Byrds = actually, might be more on my regular playlist today than any of the other artists listed here. Sometime timeless about their sound and songs, to my ears. That is, I still love the music, it's not a question of memories.

* Jefferson Airplane = Their Somebody to Love album was central in my high school love life. But most of the music is too dated to listen to much today.

* Judy Collins = I was a folkie, still like that type of music some. This might be more nostalgic for me than the other artists I've listed here.

* Coldplay = ah, just seeing if you're paying attention.

Hope to see you at the reunion!

David, who says a vivid memory of his Francis Lewis days was waking up early to go on a ski trip to Hunter Mountain and hearing the DJ on the radio excited about playing a new pair of songs, the flip side of a 45, with the songs being Strawberry Fields and Penny Lane, two of the Fab Four's best

Music was always huge in my life.  I was a big American Bandstand Watcher.  I can still do all the dances; and hope to get it all started at the Reunion.

Always went to concerts; Four Tops and the Temptations with Charley Fisher, Gretta Bigayer and Jay Gordon, at the Schaeffer Theatre in Central Park, was one of my first.  I did go, though, to a Murray the K show at the Brooklyn Fox Theatre with Gretta Bigayer when we were in Junior High School!

Still going to concerts now.  Just saw Poco and Loggins and Messina at Jones Beach.............believe it or not, with Neil Rosenberg and his wife and Shari Haber.

We took our son Adam, now 32, to his first concert, at age 5.  THE KINKS, when their Superman "album" was soaring.  Adam is now a professional guitarist (and his last name is Strum!), who graduated from Berklee College of Music in Boston.

Always loved the girl groups; like The Shirelles, The Ronettes, The Marvelettes, Martha and the Vandellas, etc. 

I could go on and on.  The one and almost only thing I remember about Woodstock, was the MUSIC.

David, what special request would you have for the DJ at the Reunion???  I'll arrange it.

Ronnie Fluxgold Strum

Ronnie,

A member of the class of '69, Cassandra Draft Hawkins, is singing now with the Shirelles and Martha Reeves.  She could not make it to the '69 reunion becasue she was performing that night at the Beacon Theater!

Hey Laraine,

Cassandra is actually a guest on this site, as well.  Perhaps I'll email her and let her know my amazing fondest for those "girl groups."

BTW, I'm letting "69ers" know that if they have a desire to come to the "68 party, they should just let me know and I'll put an Evite out there for them.

Thanks for the info.

Ronnie

David,

I just recently purchased the Jefferson Airplanes, "After Bathing At Baxters," which was one of my favorite albums; along with, "Surrealistic Pillow!" 

Naturally, still listen to The Beatles, and in particular "Beatles 65" and "Abbey Road."  I just went to a performance of "Revolver" played in it's entirety, by several local (Long Island) musicians.

See you soon.

Ronnie

Ronnie Fluxgold Strum wrote:

David

You left out Motown!  What else could you either slow dance to, or "dirty dance " to.

Robin