Cowtown Memories

Last night I watched the second part of the premiere of a game show called Don't Forget the Lyrics or something like that. Congrats to the hot gal who won $350,000 by remembering the words to songs I barely remember.

The last song that the gal selected was a Rolling Stones song, "I Can't Get No Satisfaction" and it made me flash back a long way.

It was the mid 70's, probably 1975, and I was stationed at Lackland AFB, in San Antonio, Texas. Concert going was a way of life for me and a friend, and when it was announced that the Rolling Stones would appear in concert for the first time in something like 12 years, we secured decent tickets to the event and patiently waited for the day the group rolled in.

As the day of the concert approached, news outlets began talking about their last appearance in town. The Stones had played at, I believe, a fair in San Antonio where they were booed off the stage. Upon leaving town, Mick Jagger declared he and his crew would never play what he called, "Cowtown," ever again. Well, obviously, they had changed their mind. It was a new town, a new era and, well, money is money, no matter what town supplied it, and the Stone accepted a two date engagement in Cowtown.

On the evening of the first concert day, my friend and I arrived at the stadium (I don't remember where the concert was being held) and found our seats. We had selected front row, mezzanine seating, over-looking the stage from a good angle. We enjoyed the warm-up music while the Stones prepared for their portion of the night off-stage, and when the time came for them to play, there was a delay. Again, I don't remember the length of the delay, but it wasn't short, nor was it excessively long.

After a few minutes of stadium shaking calls for the Stones, they appeared on stage and began their show. Of course, one of the songs was "I Can't Get No Satisfaction," the reason for the flashback. But I don't really remember the song...nor do I remember any of the other songs the Rolling Stones sang that first evening, during their first appearance in San Antonio, since they were more or less run out of town on a rail 12 years earlier.

But what I do remember, was what happened midway through the last song of their encore.

As I hung on the railing overlooking the stage about 100 feet or so away, a trap door opened on the left side. Jagger was singing and prancing around the stage as he was, and maybe still, want to do when I noticed the opening. And just as I did, something began to rise from the stage.

It was a huge condom...sort of. It was flesh colored, three and half to four feet in diameter and at least 20 feet high. There was no reservoir at the tip, but there was a nicely form head, giving the inflated object the look of a perfectly formed penis, erect and ready for action. And what action followed!

Jagger then strutted his way over to the erection and as the final song of the evening ended, he straddled the phallic symbols, he began a mock hand-job on it and yelled out, "This is for you, COWTOWN!" He continued his mockery for a few moments, then pranced to center stage just as the song finished, bowed and the lights went out and they were gone.

There was a very brief moment of stunned almost-silence in the stadium while everyone's brain attempted to comprehend what had just happened. I was laughing my ass off, as was my friend. We turned and looked at each other and continued to laugh as the roar for more gained volume and when it was obvious nothing more would happened (the lights in the stadium coming on was a sure-fire sign things were finished), we began filing out.

The next day, the news was ablaze with the story of the "Jagger Jack-off" of the night before. Some thought it was cool, others thought it was going to far. In the end, the Stones were banned from recreating the incident during the second night concert and from what I heard, it didn't happen. What did happen, I don't know, or knew and don't remember. But whatever it was, it could in no way, top what happened that first night.

If that happened in this day and age, it would be the talk of the internet with cell phone videos of it all over YouTube and elsewhere. But it didn't happened recently...it happened some 30 odd years ago.

I'm just glad I was there to witness it.

Home Again

I probably should have updated this a couple of days ago, but I didn't. 8v) I am back in Oregon now. San Antonio was fun, humid and stormy. The best part of the trip was seeing family and an old friend I hadn't seen since like 1970 plus or minus a year or two.

The evening I arrived in San Antonio, my brother and his son went to a gathering of amateur astronomers they knew my friend would be at. When we got there, I had a little fun with my old buddy and walked up like I was just an interested person with a question. I asked one, my friend turned around and began to answer when suddenly, I could see things began clicking in his head. It took a moment for him to figure it out, but needless to say, the look on his face was worth it. Sorry Yogie...but I couldn't resist.

I also saw a lot of new birds, bugs and butterflies and got some good photos. However, I had some equipment problems and my photos aren't as good as I hoped they would be. I did however, push my 20,000th image through my Canon Digital Rebel.

I am currently working on the uploadable images and will be posting them to my Flickr photostream when finished. Most of them are of butterflies. The birds in San Antonio knew how to hide from me. The trees were all fully fledged with leaves and I figure the comfort of all that green surrounding them made it a nice place to hide...but that is bad for a photographer with low-end gear. 8v(

Anyway, it might snow tonight in central Oregon. I have a lens to ship off for repairs. And it's time I got it out.

San Antonio, Texas

Well, I am in San Antonio Texas now, visiting with family and a friend I haven't seen since the early 70s. My first evevning here, he and I met at a meeting of the local astronomy club and spent most of the time reliving old memories.

My main goal here has been nature photography. I have gotten some good images but not as vaired as I hoped for. The weather has played hell on my visit, but should improve before I leave. I'll post my new images when I return to Oregon.

But, for now, I'll enjoy where I am and the people I am with. This is me, signing off for now.