[Michael Triba]

Hi Seattle Bob.  Huskies fan maybe?  I do not know that I have ‘met’ or talked to you yet.

I’m MLT2 Michael aka Husker Mike aka Omaha Mike.  As I am a numbers cruncher and lists man, your question is squarely in my wheelhouse.

A couple questions about the rules of your thread, please?

1. Can you give me a few more days?  I have never pre-made these lists yet.

2.  Can I make 2 lists of 5 each?  One for originals and one for covers?  I cannot compare the ORANGES to APPLES, as IMHO the ORANGES are superior.  If I just made one combined list it would be all ORANGES anyway.  (Well, along with the 2012 WWTs.)

Much obliged.

 

 

[Michael Triba]

Whoa; that IS SAD, Greg!  But thanks for telling us.  ’68 to ’71 was my last 2 years of high school and first 2 years of college.  Living all but 4 years of my life in Nebraska, I have never traveled to California or New York (Fillmore East) for any concerts.

The farthest I have traveled from my native Omaha is the 185 miles to Kansas City for The Rolling Stones in 1972.  The second farthest we drove was from Charlotte, NC (where we lived 1986 to ’90) to Raleigh in 1990 to see Sir Paul McCartney.

These Fillmore venues are icons of our Baby Boomer generation and that is indeed sad news.  I hope they can indeed save it.

By the way, where are you from sir?  Have you written an intro of yourself in the Intro section here in this groovy MLT CLUB?

P.S.  If and when MLT comes back to the States to tour here, I would fly anywhere in the country to see and meet them.  That is, if they do not come to Omaha, Kansas City, or Des Moines.  Then I’ll drive, but hopefully not in the winter, if out of town; lol!  🙂

Thanks Greg!

[Michael Triba]

Thanks for correcting Jacki, Howard.  You saved me some time.  Does she also know that Jones was born Geethali Norah Jones Shankar on March 30, 1979 in Brooklyn, New York, to American concert producer Sue Jones and Indian musician Ravi Shankar?

Does she further know that she has won many awards and has sold more than 50 million records worldwide?  Billboard named her the top jazz artist of the 2000–2009 decade. She has won nine Grammy Awards and was ranked 60th on Billboard magazine’s artists of the 2000–2009 decade chart.

Does she know that Jones is the half-sister of fellow musician Anoushka Shankar?

Finally, does Jacki know that George Harrison organized the charity Concert for Bangladesh in August 1971, in which Shankar participated?

Does Jacki know what other female also has 9 Grammy Awards and who has 27?

And do you realize Howard, that this thread is rapidly becoming the one in the MLT CLUB with the most participation and words and characters typed?

Also, here is a trivia question for you.  What are my 4 Greatest Concert Events tied for #1 in my lifetime?  I already told you one that was in 1972.  The others were 1990, 1991, and 2016.  Who were the artists?  Also, what potential concert would TOP all of these and stand ALONE by itself, buddy?  Finally, what is my next concert in February and in what city?  Thank you for your participation; lol!!!

[Michael Triba]

Wow Michael!!!

Poco must really be something for you!  I have heard of them, but my brother and I never bought any of their albums.  I’ll had to refresh myself on their top songs.  Most of us here have MLT in their Top 3!

Like Jung, I should have FB friended you long ago.  You have always had great comments and are a “TOP SHELF FAN!”

LOVE NORAH JONES and saw her in concert here in Omaha in June 2017, one of the 4 BEST concerts of my life!!!  Tied with Moody Blues, Rolling Stones, and Paul McCartney concerts.  Better for me than The Who in the 7th row!  I was in the middle balcony in a 2,000 seat venue for her, but wish I had paid more to get much closer.  Between a quite moment between songs I yelled out, “LOVE YOU, NORAH!!!”  All heard me and Norah stepped to the mic and center stage and said “THANKS TO YOU!”  Made me swoon, Michael!  🙂  I had her Top 10, but now she has settled back to about 20 or so.  My only jazz artist in TOP 25!

Your #4 is awesome, and I LOVE #24 and have his greatest hits CD.  next time I re-do the whole TOP 25 (maybe never, lol) he should be there.  Many folks do not know he was Lennon and McCartney’s fave American songwriter!

Thanks my fellow Michael!  🙂

[Michael Triba]

Thanks Jung!  TUESDAY AFTERNOON is my #1 Song of ALL-TIME and has been since I first heard it in the 60’s!  This is much more than just a song for me; it is the theme of my life!  “I’m just beginning to see; now I’m on my way.”

The indie-folk duo Whitherward did a YouTube cover of it for me.  I have spent time with them the last 3 times they came to Omaha, and even landed them an appearance on Omaha TV.  Ask Itso and Carol and Ricky and Jerry about that!  Just a few months ago they were #9 on my list, but now not.  🙁  I still love them and feel bad about that.  They were just distracting me from MLT too much.

My #4 ZOOMED into my TOP 25, TOP 10, and TOP 5 from nowhere!  MLT have it all; vocals, instruments, cuteness, etc.  But my #4 who is working on her first album of originals, is the best vocalist I have ever heard!  How else could I put her above The Beatles?

My #5 is like ABBA 2.0 from the UK.  Christomir introduced me to them and their music.  In their early 20’s in the 90’s, they are now in their early 40’s and better than ever, after a 10-year breakup.  I better not gush too much about others here, however.  Yikes!

But there is NO ONE who compares to the MONALISA TWINS!!!  I even had them tied with the Moodies after just a month of knowing them.  But now I want no ties in my TOP 25.  I cannot deny my 52 year relationship with The Moody Blues.

Take care Jung and God bless you, sir!

[Michael Triba]

Ha ha; I was just teasing you a bit Howard!  It is my feeble attempt at a sense of humor.  Sometimes I say stuff with a straight face and people don’t quite know what to make of me.

Yeah, I was about to type my Q #3 (in MS Word first), but thought better of it.  I did not realize until tonight that the Advent Calendar had a video for each day.  Now I need to catch up.  I LOVED the drum-line one!!!

I was on FB about 7 years ago for only about 3 weeks and abandoned it.  I just got back on 26 months ago when the Twins asked my permission to show the gifts I sent them and did a write-up for FanMailFriday.  I am about to inactivate it for 2-3 months.  I did that for one month several months ago and got a lot done.  I describe it 3 ways:  #ontoolong #uptoolate #fatternotfitter.

I have met a lot of lovely people, but also a good number of jerks and trolls on FB.  I may be the only person to have a blocked list that is longer than my friends list.  After my 2-3 month sabbatical I may never return.  I do not need FB to follow MLT of any of my other fave musicians old or new.  (see again my new TOP 10)

This MLT CLUB is BY FAR the best place on the Internet.  As you well know, everything the Wagner family does is TOP SHELF!!!

Well, later buddy!  2:30 am now in Omaha; yikes!  See what I mean by #uptoolate?

Here is the FanMailFriday photo!  Think that did not make my day, week, month, year, and decade!?!?!?!?!!!!!  🙂 🙂

[Michael Triba]

LOL, Howard!

When you get to know Jacki better, you’ll see that ALL of her poems are about Mona and Lisa; as this one is!  She does not have to mention them by name every time.

Perhaps you should join her Intergalactic if you have not already done so.  There you will see several poems per week, as well as some of the most amazing neon signs you’ll ever see!!!  🙂

P.S.  Besides, how can she forget them when she is right here in the MLT CLUB?

[Michael Triba]

Thanks for participating Jim!  Those are all great and world-class musicians.  I see you are a musician yourself!

Whoa, 11,000 songs!!!  I wonder how long those would take to play?  About a year ago I was big into an Internet site for indie musicians and their fans.  One could build their own Internet “radio station” for free and I had 112 songs from 40 artists.  That alone took over 6 hours to play.  I have now totally abandoned the place.

I have my fave music and artists on an Mp3 player, but it does not hold anything near to your iPod.  Take care buddy, and I’ll see you around this groovy fan club!

[Michael Triba]

Thanks Martin; I know how you feel.  Except for my TOP 2, my lists are subject to change often.  I just revamped my TOP 10.  My current TOP 10 reflects who I listen to the most at any given moment.  In 2005, Sheryl Crow would have been TOP 5.  (See my comment to Jung Roe.)

So, in other words, you might have a TOP 200, with a 200-way tie for #1, eh?  LOL!  🙂  Thanks for your comment, sir!

[Michael Triba]

Wow Jung Roe!  Your list is by far the closest to what mine was for many decades!!!

When I first met MLT here was my TOP 7:  1 – Moody Blues. 2 – Beatles. 3- Bee Gees. 4 – ABBA. 5 – Beach Boys. 6 – The Who. 7 – Rolling Stones.

I was a HUGE Sheryl Crow fan about 2005 and saw her twice in concert; once indoors, and once outdoors.  I bought ALL of her albums, but the last one in which she returned to her country roots.  I don’t mind a little country, especially some of the pop-crossover.  But Sheryl fell out of favor with me and I best now say why in this venue.

Great list Jung and I like you even better since I see how high The Moody Blues are on your list.  I would send you a FB friend request, but I am about to inactivate it for 2-3 months.  I did that once for a month and got a LOT DONE!!!  This MLT CLUB and website will keep me plenty busy, eh?  🙂

[Michael Triba]

Hi there sweet little Mona!

Thanks so much for your thoughtful and insightful answer!  Beatboxing is what you young folks call that, eh?  I’ll have to write that new word down to remember it.  😉

Having to set up a drum kit, Mona?  Don’t you have a great recital hall in your house set up just for drumming and another one for strumming?

I am really intrigued as to how the brains of the Wagner Four work.  I think you all have connected synapses that most of us can only dream about.  Is uber-creative even a word to describe it?

Could you do me a favor?  Could you and Lisa compose an original song where you sing 3 octaves of a piano and Lisa sings all the strings of a cello?  I would truly love that and I know all my fellow fans would as well.

Please tell your older sister that I will have Q #3 prepared for her this Friday.  I need to make it more difficult than Q #1 because she aced that one too easily.  But I don’t want her to lose sleep over a question I have not thought about yet.  She needs her naps.

P.S. Contrary to public opinion I am not really testing the two of you with my 26 questions.  But if I was, you too aced your first quiz!  😉

Thank you dear!  <3

 

[Michael Triba]

Thanks buddy and no worries!  But yes, opinions are fine, but maybe not combative.  Itso and you are maybe cut a bit from the same cloth.  I could get so angry with him, but also had to look in the mirror and realize I had to meet him halfway.  Our life paths are almost diametrical opposites.

Our bond is the International Language of Music and the Love of the MonaLisa Twins and their wonderful music.  In all my 68 years I have never, ever found anyone like them.  They have infused joy into my life like no other band, not even my #1 band The Moody Blues.  They are well aware of that.

He is super busy right now, but when he is here, get to know Itso.  He has introduced me to so many, many great bands and artists such as STEPS form the UK and THE COORS from Ireland.  Some of my other dear friends here are Rick Ross, Jerry Chamness, and Carol Phillips Hankins aka CPH.  She is kinda shy and a somewhat private person, so don’t tell her I told you I mentioned her.  Of course there is also the irrepressible Jacki Hopper, the founder and director of the famous FB Intergalactic Fan Club for MLT fans.  In behalf of all of us, we welcome you as a newbie into the MLT Fold.  I have never met anyone that has become up to speed as quickly as you have, buddy.

Gotta go now.  It is 10:46 in Middle Earth America and the little woman reminded me it is time to put out the trash is the snow; lol!  Later my friend!

[Michael Triba]

Unless Australia has a different age that kids start school, you must have been one of the youngest in our Class of ’69.  I was one of the oldest and thus one of the first to drive to school as a sophomore.  Are you going to your 50th reunion this year?  We have a couple days of events and I did go to some.  Of course, I again live in the city of my birth.

MY DOB is 11/8/50.  When was yours?

Yup, I have a TOP 25 that I unfolded one by one in Facebook when I was trying to say goodbye there.  With the new faces in my TOP 10, everything would be jumbled now.

That is really sad when folks die that young.

[Michael Triba]

Appreciate you Howard (notice that out of respect I no longer call you Howie, since you told me no one else does).  We are both unique, as everyone is of course.  We are of the same generation and different time zones.

Undoubtedly, we have much more in common than our differences.  We are probably both assertive alpha males.  At times those can butt heads like males rams; lol!

Actually, you remind me of me in my first year zealous year following the twins.  I say that in the best possible way, my friend.  Ask Christomir how “over the top” I could be.  I am certain there were folks in Intergalactic that did not like me because of that.  You can also ask Itso how emotional and over-sensitive I can be at times.  I take after my sentimental mother; bless her heart and God rest her soul.  We all have baggage, but those I respect the most are those to strive to keep learning and improving.

Itso and I have had times when I have bloodied his nose and he has blackened my eye.  10 minutes later we are laughing and drinking a beer together!  🙂

You and I are good, my brother!  Thanks telling me to stay groovy.  That implies that you think I am already that.  Sometimes I am goofy and not groovy, lol!

MLT for ALL, and ALL for MLT!!!  🙂

[Michael Triba]

Another GREAT LIST Howard!  Like Jerry, your list is all from back in the day, except for MLT!  You would like my brother Tom, who like you was H.S. Class of ’70.  (That was your class, right?)  His TOP 3 are 1. Rolling Stones  2. The Moody Blues  3. The Beatles.  I should ask him his entire TOP 10, but I know he would also have your #7, 8, and 9!

When I first found MLT 2 years, 8 months, and 1 day ago, within weeks I put them tied with the Moodies for #1.  My list back then was also all bands:  #3 Beatles, 4 Bee Gees, 5 ABBA, 6 Beach Boys, 7 The Who, 8 Rolling Stones, 9 E, L, &P, 10 Traveling Wilburys.

No worries buddy about all Brits.  My old list has only one fully American band.  IMHO the world’s greatest music has always come out of Europe and especially the British Isles.

If I had to rank continents it would be 1. Europe 2. North America 3. Australia 4. South America.  After that I am pretty clueless and the other continents are not my cup-of-tea.  They do their own thing and everyone has some great stuff.  I might also like the Music of Antarctica; lol!

So far, our average rank of MLT is #2!  Thanks for participating buddy!  Maybe you can get your buddy Tim to do so.