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Against The Wind

    The vast majority of y'all ( southern term for all-inclusive) won't remember Bob Seger and the Silver Bullett Band. You will doubtless relate this band to a Coor's Lite commercial and see in your mind's eye a train with frost rolling off it. This is, however, a terrific band from my era.
    I was excited to hear that Bob was doing a tour this summer. Then I read that it was actually a Spring tour and this tends to irritate me because now I'm not prepared. When I was younger I loved spontaneity but now it is even hard to spell. I checked on Stub Hub, the ticket place, and Bob is in Nashville tomorrow night which is Thursday. Then he is in Greensboro, North Carolina on Saturday night. Either of these is within a long day's drive for me. Due to one thing and another I don't think I can make it. Seems like anymore, I'm always running against the wind.
   This is the title of my favorite tune by this band. Well really, it's hard to say what my favorite song is. Bob Seger wrote some great ones. Old Time Rock And Roll may be his best. Then again, Night Moves is hard to beat. If you are unfamiliar with his stuff pop over to Amazon and grab the free listen on some of the songs from his albums. They have a Country Rock style  like Creedence Clearwater or Johnny Rivers and yes, I know you haven't heard of them either. Here's a list of my favorites.
1. Against the Wind
2. Night Moves
3. Betty Lou's Getting Out Tonight
4. Ramblin' Gamblin' Man
5. Fire Down Below
6. Her Strut
7. Katmandu
8. Main Street
9. We've Got Tonight
10. Horizontal Bop
11. Old Time Rock and Roll
     Bob Seger still doesn't allow his songs to be sold individually on I-Tunes which is certainly his right. To be fair, there is not that much filler on his albums anyway, but individual song sales would have made him a ton of money, like he needs it.
    A little trivia for you. What album was number 1 in sales for the decade of the 70's? You are probably thinking about Elvis, The Beatles and all that. No. It was a Bob Seger album. By the way, I neglected to mention his song called Fire Lake in the list. It's really good.
    Maybe my failure to attend one of the concerts this week is indicative of the truth of the song, Against The Wind. When you're young and strong the wind is not a consideration. When you get old you want the wind, and everything else, in your favor before you do anything. I know people who won't go to town if it's foggy or rainy or cold or if their joints are stiff. We are a pathetic bunch at times.
    I was just reading in Rolling Stone that Bob's Dad deserted the family when he was 10. Now, he flies home after every concert so he can sleep in his own bed and take his kids to school the next morning.It's interesting how our childhood can shape our habits for a lifetime.
      Just in case you read this, Bob, I'm learning to play Night Moves on my keyboard and will be available to play it on your next tour. Thanks for the great songs, by the way.
     From the author's green retreat, I'm CE Wills, running with the wind, when I run at all.
P.S. My advice is that you should do stuff while you are young. Get out and have fun. Have those dream vacations even if you have to go in debt. When you get older you will probably regret the things you didn't do more than the things you did. Run against the wind if you have to, long as you can run.
P.P.S That's a squirrel's nest in the pic.
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