Got an email from Chris yesterday morning after I played 50 Mission Cap by The Hip. As I understood it, the fifty mission cap was a cap awarded to WW2 pilots after they had flown in fifty missions (pretty obvious, now that you think about it). As a sign of respect, they were allowed to 'work in' the caps at their own discretion, so they stood out from the other pilots.

Hey Tom

Heard your musings on the meaning of 50 Mission Cap this morning. I was always under the impression Gord was referring to a ball cap as his 50 mission cap. You know we guys always have that favorite old ball cap that we wear. The one that identifies and defines us amongst our friends.

I have a friend that used to have an old Flyers cap that was worked in just right, the orange was so faded it was almost white and there were a few little tears all over it. Even those of us that hated the Flyers had to love the hat. During a night of drunken debauchery he left the hat in a cab and never saw it again. Almost 15 years later we still reminisce about the Flyers hat and bow our heads in a moment of silence at its loss.

I didn't know the pilot background that you mentioned but it makes even more sense that Gord would consider a good old hat (probably a Leafs hat) as his 50 Mission Cap.

Just thought I'd add my two cents.

Have a good one

Chris
Michigan Wolverines hat, circa 1990 (since retired/lost)
Green Bay Packers hat, circa 1991 (also retired/lost)

It's a strange bond between a man and his ballcap..but a bond, nonetheless.

I went to see the Boston Red Sox play in 1978 in Orlando, Florida, and it pains me to this day that I don't have the red and blue 70s Sox cap anymore. That one lasted me until 1981, when I retired it, in favour of the solid blue design that the Sox later switched to.

One day, Karen Cooper, who was in my class at the time, grabbed the hat, and started running away. It took awhile to realize that she actually liked me, and this was all part of 'the dance'. I got the hat back, but didn't have a clue about what to do with Karen. I was thirteen, and sadly, my allegiance was more with the cap than the girl.

I got another one from the gift shop at Fenway in '89. It was the first time my girlfriend (and later, wife) had been to a game. The Sox were up 10-0 in the 7th inning, but still found a way to lose to the Blue Jays. That cap is probably my favourite of all, mostly because it was actually signed by Ted Williams in '93, while he was being interviewed by MITV, on a fishing trip in the Miramichi.

I've muddled through a couple more Sox hats since then, and the number of styles has exploded. I'm currently wearing a camouflage model that I got on my most recent trip to Fenway a couple weeks ago. Camouflage might be the best way to go, so I'm undetectable to Yankee fans.

My favourite Sox hat of all, though, is the pink one that my seven year-old daughter picked out on our trip to Fenway last year. It matches her Manny Ramirez jersey that she wore to the games. I hope she realizes how important the cap is, and part of me is hoping she's as clueless about the opposite sex when she's a teenager as I was!

Went to Boston a couple of weekends ago, back when hope was still alive for the Red Sox, and they were about to sweep the Orioles at Fenway. Sucking back a couple of Sam Adams' at a bar around the corner, on comes 'One Headlight' by The Wallflowers. Only, it's a grainy video of the '97 or '98 MTV Awards where Jakob Dylan was joined by Bruce Springsteen on vocals and guitar.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=pdhs0Wm1GSA

I've had this in my collection for a few years now, and it's probably getting noticed now because Bill Simmons mentioned it in a recent ESPN column, but this performance seemed to signal the re-emergence of Springsteen, and the demise of the Wallflowers...Sorry boys, it's Bruce's song now...

Finally managed to get an interview set up with Steven Van Zandt, aka Little Steven from the Undergound Garage, aka Miami Steve from the E Street Band, aka Silvio from The Sopranos. The first time I met Steve was in Salt Lake City, Utah, just before a show at the Delta Centre in 1999 on Springsteen and the E Street Band's reunion tour. It was after walking with him through the back halls of the arena that I realized the character of Silvio didn't require a huge shift in personality for him. Pretty much what you see is what you get. He's funny, spiritual, brash, and a walking encyclopedia of rock and roll over the last fifty years.

That's Steve and I in the bottom picture, and Max Weinberg and I on top. Max actually has fond memories of Halifax, from hosting a drum clinic here a few years ago.

Listen for the interview Monday afternoon between 3 and 7 on the Q.

Also, listen to Route 104 Sunday night at 9 for an interview, and acoustic performance from singer/songwriter Kristina Trites. What a voice!

I think I'll just change the name of this blog to 'Cool Crap Tom Found on YouTube'. I had heard about this little nugget, Hunter S. Thompson interviewing Keith Richards, but I'd never seen it. I've heard the actual uncut interview runs about 11 hours, but this bit has around ten minutes, so you get the idea.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-5777729312239777911&q=keith+richards&hl=en

And, no, there are no subtitles, unfortunately.

Then there's this one...a BOMBED Bob Dylan in the back of a cab with John Lennon circa 1965...

http://youtube.com/watch?v=ZkfAl4PHG8E&mode=related&search=

I really have to get out of the house more often.

We're working on getting an interview with Little Steven Van Zant. He's the guitar guy in the E Street Band, Silvio on The Sopranos, and host of Little Steven's Underground Garage, Sunday nights on the Q. I asked him a couple of years ago if he had the coolest job in the world, and he replied 'I have the coolest THREE jobs in the world!' Nice fella, and a terrific interview.

We were working on an interview with Bob Seger about his new CD, but it fell through. Never did like Seger and the Silver Bullet Band, anyway. Too many beards.

One of the highlights of my vacation-induced coma was watching 'Life and Times' on CBC, featuring a profile of uber-promoter Michael Cohl, famous for working with Pink Floyd, U2, Barbra Streisand, and of course, wrestling the Rolling Stones away from Bill Graham in the late 80s.

Nice Canadian lad, and a real success story of a man who who has revolutionized the mega-concert experience as we know it. They'll probably be re-running it over the summer, so if you didn't catch it first time round, you'll probably get another chance.

Fascinating stuff, and if you've ever bitched about high ticket prices, expensive t-shirts and seven dollar beers at concerts, chances are Cohl has had something to do with it. I'm not sure he's responsible for this little nugget concerning one of the Stones' opening acts in the UK, but have a look...

[uk.news.launch.yahoo.com] Kasabian get Stoned off (Friday August 04, 2006 09:21 AM) Kasabian are apparently furious that the Rolling Stones are going to charge them £150 each to watch them in concert - even though the Leicester-born rockers will be playing as their support act. Reported in today's Daily Mirror, the band's singer, Tom Meighan, said he was outraged at the decision. He said: "It's quite incredible. We're f***ing supporting them! So if we get kicked off the stage we've got to buy a ticket, which is about 200 quid." However, Meighan stated that he didn't blame the Stones personally for the decision, and was honoured to be playing with the 60s legends. He added: "It's probably Americans who are running it, not Jagger. And Richards isn't going to know what's f***ing going on, is he? "It is a f***ing absolute honour you know, they're gods, ain't they? "I mean Mick Jagger, Richards, it's just yeah... S**t like that blows your mind again, you know." "It just happens so fast sometimes that I just don't know how to take it, but it's a wonderful thing, man." Kasabian will be warming up for the Stones in Zurich tomorrow (Aug 5) as well as a date in Nice next week. The band's new single "Empire" is currently at number 9 in the UK singles charts.

To paraphrase...If you're an opening act for the Stones, and you want to stick around after your set wraps up...you gotta PAY for a ticket, Skippy!

In case you haven't seen the Stones rider for the current tour...check it out here, on The Smoking Gun

http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/0117061stones1.html

Pretty interesting, and the lads aren't taking any chances when it comes to the loo, either. I'd imagine if you've played in as many dodgy places as the Stones have over the years, you'd be pretty particular, too.

The Smoking Gun actually has a few of these riders, like this one for Christina Aguilera...

http://www.thesmokinggun.com/backstagetour/aguilera/aguilera1.html

Make sure you read the 'backstage food' section...Soy cheese, Oreos and Flintstones Chewables...Yum!