Driving home from The Girlfriend’s tonight, I could see a pair of wildfires burning on the mountain ahead, the one which separates the Salt Lake Valley from Utah Valley to the south. It’s a sight I’ve seen just about every summer for as long as I can remember — hot weather combined with a careless cigarette butt or a dry lightning strike is a simple equation — but it never loses its eerie, unworldly quality. That particular mountainside hasn’t been developed yet, you see, so there are no street or house lights up there; it’s effectively invisible at night, except when there’s a fire. Then there’s a glowing orange smudge that seems to float in the sky, or sometimes it backlights the hulking shape of the mountain itself. Geek that I am, I can’t help but think of Lord of the Rings whenever I see this effect. All the image needs is a psychic vision of a flaming eyeball and a creepy, growling voice telling me that it sees me…
Of course, I was listening to “Every Breath You Take” tonight, so maybe that’s close enough to the Voice of Sauron to count. That always seemed like such a nice romantic tune back in the Awesome ’80s, before we all noticed the unnerving stalkerish overtones that linger underneath the catchy bass line like the stink of burning sagebrush…
Ash nazg durbatuluk, ash nazg gimbatul, ash nazg thrakatuluk, agh burzum-ishi krimpatul.
Robert, it may amuse you to know that I almost deleted this comment before I noticed it was from you. At first glance it looked like the nonsensical text that fills the viagra spam I get everyday… 🙂
Agh, that reminds me. Mike and I went to see The Police in concert in Vegas last week. I can safely say it was the best concert I have ever been to in my entire life. Stings stage presence cannot be matched. Oh, what a show. Sorry, you just reminded me of that, and the way you felt with their music….
I’m jealous, Steph – I’d like to see The Police, but unless they add a Utah date, that’s not looking too likely…
Where do you think all that spam comes from? Mordor, of course!
Of course! It’s the only explanation for its spammy evil!
Heh…
Steph: Stewart Copeland (drummer for The Police) disagrees with you.
Damn, Brian, Copeland isn’t a happy camper, is he?
Of course, he’s talking about the first show of the tour; maybe by the time they hit Vegas they were a little tighter? Or maybe nostalgic middle-aged fans just don’t that much attention to flub-ups?
Either way, I’d still like to see them. I never did when they were in their prime…
I think Copeland just has a bad attitude! There was not one person sitting around us, or that we talked to leaving the concert that said anything less than an amazing concert. So, in my opinion he doesn’t know what he’s talking about! I’ve been reading off and on what he’s been saying, and I just don’t care.
I wish they’d come to Utah, I’d go and see them again. Mike and I are just waiting for the Eagles to do another farewell tour. Hmmmm, we’ll see if that happens.
Probably will if Don Henley decides to buy another house. I love how all these old bands are either on endless farewell tours or reunion tours. The cynic in me says it’s all a transparent attempt to cash in on nostalgia and the fact that there’s so little music made for grown-ups anymore, but my inner teenager that never got a chance to see a lot of these guys doesn’t care. And if they can still play halfway decently, that’s just a bonus…