Heart – Stairway to Heaven Led Zeppelin – Kennedy Center Honors
On Dec. 26 the 2012 Kennedy Center Honors was aired on national television for the first time on CBS. During the event, which took place at the Kennedy Center Opera House, Ann Wilson and Nancy Wilson of Heart performed Led Zeppelin’s “Stairway to Heaven” with Jason Bonham on drums.
The honor is given to those in the performing arts for their lifetime of contributions to American culture and in 2012 the surviving members of Led Zeppelin (John Paul Jones, Jimmy Page and Robert Plant) were among those honored. During their segment, the Foo Fighters performed “Rock and Roll,” Lenny Kravitz performed “Whole Lotta Love,” and Kid Rock performed both “Babe I’m Gonna Leave You” and “Ramble On”
The Obama’s are just too young to get it. Michelle looks positively bored. Thank God, I “got it.” I was born at just the right time. 🙂
She looks bored unless she is the center of attention. Most of the time she seems like spoiled brat to me.
Holy Cow, Mr. Michalopulos! I swear I received today a compilation entitled: “100 Stairways: A Tribute to Led Zeppelin’s ‘Stairway to Heaven'” It includes – among the hundred – audio covers by (at least those I know) Ann Wilson (apparently alone), Heart, Foo Fighters, Dolly Parton, Gregorian Masters of Chant, Iron Maiden, Leningrad Cowboys & the Red Army Chorus, London Symphony Orchestra, Mothers of Invention, Pat Boone, Moby, Stanley Jordan, Sydney Philharmonic Orchestra, Steve Morse, Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, Zakk Wylde, White Skull, and of course, Led Zeppelin themselves. I’ll let you know…
Leningrad Cowboys? Did you ever see them perform “Sweet Home Alabama” with the Red Army Chorus? Astounding.
Well, circle this day on your calendar. M.S. and I agree on something!!!!! 😉 Led Zeppelin rules!
Besides Stairway to Heaven, what is the best L.Z. song? I vote for Kashmir.
the Immigrant Song, but then I’m partial to the Viking era of history
As am I.
It doesn’t get better than “Black Dog” live until you try and understand the lunacy that was Robert Plant and Allison Krause, and realize it’s all about chemistry. Aye! And that’s T-Bone Burnett right in the middle of it all.
“Good Times, Bad Times” is one of my personal favorites.
Dang good!!!
I like it better than the LZ original.
Good to have you back as well, Carl.
Stairway to Heaven Tribute by the Leningrad Cowboys & The Red Army Chorus in zip archive. Click here to download. It should automatically unzip, but if not, double-click to unzip the .mp3 music file.
Yeah, I know it’s Wednesday, and I should be fasting from secular music .. but..Enjoy at the 4:50 mark
http://youtu.be/QOFmW8BrGd4
Or, for those who want the classic original
http://youtu.be/n3e4D8eVihg
Forget the Obama’s, Plant was priceless!
I’m NOT back; however, I’m not completely cruel and wish to extend my felicitations on this important day, ‘National Martini Day,” as I lift my pure, conservative, traditional martini (made with 2/3 dry Martini gin, and 1/3 dry Martini vermouth dressed with two brake-light olives) to President Obama and Chancellor Merkel, the brightest heads of state in our day!
Cheers!!
I miss you Bishop Tikhon!! The discussions are much more interesting with you (even as much as I get ticked off some times, but that’s my problem, not yours).
You failed to mention: shaken or stirred?
I took mine shaken. 🙂
We’ve missed you, Your Grace.
Exactly how many martinis have you HAD, Your Grace? 😉
Thumbs down?! Oh for Pete’s sake! When I asked His Grace how many martinis he had it was in response to his comment “. . . President Obama and Chancellor Merkel, the brightest heads of state in our day!” It was my feeble attempt at a joke, which is why I put a wink after it. We don’t see eye to eye politically, however, I ALWAYS enjoy his posts and have said so on many, many occasions. He is one of the, if not THE, sharpest tools in the shed, which makes him good company in my book. His Grace can have as many martinis that he wants. He’s earned them. Heck, if I were there, I’d pour!
Ms. Sheppard,
I stopped paying attention to the vote system a long time ago when it occurred to me that there may be a few individuals with much too much time on their hands and more than a few chips on their shoulders that figured out a way to manipulate it – think Tor. Let’s say at one moment a person votes on comments and then while still in the Tor browser, clears the cache, logs in with a “new identity” (that is a new ip address) and votes again. It appears to Mr. Michalopulos’ server that the individual is a unique visitor voting for the first time when in reality they are a troll playing a mind game with all of us.
It’s important to note that certain posters and topics tend to be targeted, and that certain other people become strangely quiet. For example, Dr. Stankovich’s comments, while abrasive and caustic at times, even sometimes difficult to follow (for me at least) don’t always (in my worthless opinion) warrant a negative vote. He does make some valid arguments. What does this imply? That it is not about content but about perceived personalities/loyalties for some individuals. That, in and of itself is dangerous, since most of us only “know” each other through our correspondence on this blog and we use the filter of our passions in our unreasonable estimation of others.
Don’t take the voting system seriously. It’s meaningless and I will prove it over the next week. Watch the votes on this particular comment.
Ms. Sheppard et al,
Would you look at that!! Not even 24 hrs after I posted the above message and already I have 12, count ’em 12 votes on my post alone and every single one positive!
See how everyone just simply adores ME?
They come to this blog simply to read the profound and humble knowledge that exudes from my fingertips, through the key board to your eye balls…and the vote rating proves it.
Long live the popular vote!!! Forget the Martini’s, somebody, mix me up a Mai-Tai and crank up the ZoFo there is voting to be done!! *Air-guitar solo* “and she’s buying a stair-way to heeeeaven…..”
Well, I “adore you.” 🙂 Thumbs up for me!
Aw shucks *blush* . Any time sistah!
Your Grace, I’ve sworn off all active participation on this disheartening blog, confining myself now to read-only mode — for its clinical interest. But it seemed mandatory to make an exception in this one instance: hoping your vermouth is Dolin Vermouth de Chambéry, Dry (paired up with Tanqueray or Bombay Sapphire, of course.) I prefer Greek olives in mine.
I never imagined it was possible to actually enjoy a traditional Martini, mixed in the correct proportions, until I discovered Dolin’s Dry. Incidentally, the Dry and Rouge together with a good Highland single-malt makes a first-rate Perfect Rob Roy, too — my favorite. Highland, or some other minimally peaty single.
I never acquired the taste for gin. All my Martini’s are made with vodka.
Personally, I have not been able to tolerate any hard liquor since the Thanksgiving many years ago when I came down with a raging toothache and could not find a dentist ’till the next day. The only substance we had in the house to quell the pain was some vodka. Even though I tried not to swallow the stuff as it laved my tooth, I still got raging drunk on an empty stomach.
What alcohol I imbibe now is limited to an occasional wine–especially those made by my wife’s family winery Wyldewood Cellars http://www.wyldewoodcellars.com/ and an occasional beer.
A shameless plug: Wyldewood Cellars is the largest winery in the state of Kansas and has received over 500 medals in international wine competitions. In 2002, one of their wines was the official wine of the U.S Winter Olympics. They specialize in non-grape wines. Great taste at small outlay. They also make and sell the finest elderberry juice concentrate — no sugar, no additives, all juice. The FDA does not like it so it must be good, huh? They raided the winery a couple of years ago with armed marshals to arrest the supply. They cleared the case but still have “not had the time” to send someone to release the supply they impounded (about $100,000 of juice). For those close to Wichita, visit the main winery just off the Mulvane exit of the Kansas Turnpike south of Wichita.
Ask for Merry
Gotta love those regulators!!! Fascism pure and simple, IMO. The same agency that raided an Amish Farm in Washington with sub-machine guns because they were committing the heinous crime of selling raw milk.–locally. That prompted the largely liberal legislators of Washington to make it a state felony for the feds to do such things in their state for intra-state businesses. Yes, Obama is sure smart. Lord have mercy.
The FDA’s action cost the winery at least $500,000 in lost sales, lawyer fees, fines and they get to pay for the enforcement action itself. They just don’t have the money to pay the “insurance’ to the feds. Al Capone anyone?
Read the play: “The Resistable Rise of Arturo Ui” by Bertold Brecht.
Support small local business every chance you get for as long as there are any around.
Wine: Wyldewood Cellars
For Books: Eighth Day Books. Any Orthodox with an internet connection who does not order all of their books through Eighth Day is seriously deranged.
Great people, faithful Orthodox running a business that is also a tremendous outreach ministry. Hundred’s of folks have used Eighth Day as their portal to the Church.
I’m beginning to think that we’d have a better run country if all the politicians got drunk and stayed that way. Their decisions might be more human that way. Of course, many of them are I suppose so maybe I’m wrong.
May all of the politicians receive what they deserve unless they come to their senses and repent.
Thank you Mr. Bauman.
Next time I pass through Kansas I will check them out 🙂
Michael,
I went on your wife’s family’s website and joined, but I wouldn’t know what to order. I now have a glass or two of chardonnay (as permitted) when I get home from work. I prefer Rodney Strong, but often drink Two Vines and find I am content, which may be more indicative of job stress than anything else. Given the price differential, I’m guessing my palate has not yet been developed. I know I can’t drink anything red or anything too sweet. So, what would you and your wife recommend? I have never even HEARD of non-grape wines, but am eager to try.
Gailina
My wife says Chisholm Trail is probably the best for you. One of her favorites. Only comes in dry. My experience is that their drys are not super pucker producing drys. She says order quickly because they are almost out.
Michael,
Is it the Blanc du Bois? I can’t order it because I live in CA, unfortunately. I will definitely find it when I’m in TX! Tell your wonderful wife I thank her for the recommendation.
G
Gail they ship to California. If you select the wine side rather than the Elderberry side you can order from there.
It’s just not there, Michael. Maybe they’ve run out. Give me a “heads up” when it is again available: gail.sheppard@usa.net
I will forward the link to my cousin in Mendocino, CA, as well as to my friend, Betsy, who likes to entertain in Kansas City. 😉
https://www.vinoshipper.com/wines/wyldewood_cellars?&page=3
“Where willows shade the riverbank,
She urged that I recline,
She fed me figs, and poured me full
Of elderberry wine.”
Navarth
I know nothing about martinis, except that “dirty” ones, whatever that means, are quite enjoyable, as are “lemon drops,” which are wonderful but taste entirely different. If martinis can be made with gin OR vodka, what constitutes a martini? When you order a martini, do you have to tell them what to put in it? – Seems like good information to know. – I see Father James is talking about “wet” vs. “dry.” What in the world does THAT mean? – I seriously wish we were all in one room with an open bar. Something tells me we would all get along famously and if anyone disagrees with me, you probably don’t belong on this blog! 😉
I’m sure that if we were all in the same room enjoying libations no one would disagree with you about anything. More than a few of us would be moonstruck I dare say!
And, George, I “adore you,” too. Thumbs up for everyone!! 😉
Good Lord, George– vodka martinis? So you’re a heretic after all….
As for our good bishop, the classic martini, with 2/3 gin, is too heavy on the vermouth, with all respect to Holy Tradition. I think 1/6 vermouth is about right. But then, I’m a Presbyterian.
Oy! So, since when does a Greek know from martinis?
@Orthodox Schmorthodox
*with very thick Greek accent through an even thicker Greek moustache*
You not know the word “martini” come from Greek word? Is true. Sit down. I teach you…we eat lamb together.
The word martini is come from four Greek words said together very quickly: “ma re ti gini” – very loose translation: dear mom what is going on?
This is what Greeks said first time somebody made this drink for them but they said…”ma re ti gini…it not so good…it need some thing.” They reached for something to add to the drink, they only thing they had was cigarette butts or olives. It was difficult choice but in the end, the olive won out. They choose the nice glass cause Greeks, they like nice geometric shapes. They smart people. Never mind that they play with goats. The exclamation martini is Greek! So, when does a Greek know from martinis? Greeks know from everything!!
Bishop Tikhon Fitzgerald says (June 19, 2013 at 10:04 pm:
I’m NOT back; however, I’m not completely cruel and wish to extend my felicitations on this important day, ‘National Martini Day,” as I lift my pure, conservative, traditional martini (made with 2/3 dry Martini gin, and 1/3 dry Martini vermouth dressed with two brake-light olives) to President Obama and Chancellor Merkel, the brightest heads of state in our day!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Now, that’s a seriously wet martini. I like to enjoy a constitutional martini after Vespers, but I like mine very dry. So I premix my ‘holy water’ (as Abp John Garklavs liked to call it) by adding just as much vermouth as will fit under the cap of a new bottle of ‘London dry’ gin, the best I can get for cheap unless someone else is buying. Then I store the bottle in the freezer until I pour it over one large pimiento-stuffed pickled green olive and an ice cube in a small funnel-shaped glass.
How EVER did I not know there was a National Martini Day?!
I never eat the olive — my Dad warned me nearly fifty years ago that it’s eating the olive that makes you drunk. Besides, if you take a topper or two and add an olive each time, you not only get to keep track of yourself, but each drink is proportionately smaller so you don’t embarrass yourself before supper.
But I wouldn’t waste even the cheap stuff toasting a politician of ANY stripe. Unless YOU’RE buying….
I remember a pious Anglican monk who referred to the hard stuff as ‘Father’s milk’!
Vladyka, you should try Dry Fly of Big Gin (both produced in the sovereign peoples’ republic of washington) lower case so as to no upset that other place on the East Coast.
Please consider staying after your trial visit. Your voice is needed!
Yes, it exists. Dolly.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fw_Codf29Pw
Best Zep?
I’ll be different. The opening of a magic flip on one LP.
Your Time is Gonna Come.
http://www.chow.com/recipes/30599-virgin-gin-and-tonic