Review: Cherie Currie 'Reverie' Available NOW via iTunes.

The Runaways stood out. How could they not? In a rock world dominated by males, The Runaways were an anomaly. Their persona was that of tough-as-nails chicks from the street who meant business. They rocked, and rocked hard.  They stood up to the guys with guitars and demanded that they move over and let the girls have their say.

They were fronted by the beautiful platinum blonde Cherie Currie. She was part California poster girl mixed with Brigi
tte Bardot, with a voice that was both sweet and snarling. Strutting around the stage in a corset (which she bought because she liked it), it was hard to look away. She commandeered the stage in a way that demanded attention. 

Flanked by capable band mates Sandy West, Jackie Fox, Lita Ford and Joan Jett, The Runaways caused quite a stir. All were too young to actually be in many of the places in which they played. Not only were they an all-girl rock band, they were still kids. That is, kids who rocked like there was no tomorrow.

As happens with bands, things never seem to stay pleasant forever. After a bit of soul-searching, Cherie left the Runaways. Jackie Fox had also decided to leave. The band carried on for a few more years and albums.

But it just wasn't the same.

Without their magnetic lead singer, the band eventually became a training ground for the solo careers of both Lita Ford and Joan Jett.

Cherie went on to famously star in Foxes with Jodi Foster. She followed that with other movie and television roles. She recorded solo and with her twin sister, Marie. She penned her autobiography, Neon Angel.

I'm sure she'd tell you that her favorite role is that of mom to her son Jake.

Through it all, music kept calling.

Cut to present day.

After many valiant but false starts, Cherie has finally finished her much anticipated new solo album, Reverie. Released solely by Cherie, the operative word for this project is undoubtedly 'independent'. With no help from any record company, Cherie and her dedicated band (featuring son Jake) have forged a compelling set of songs.

The songs run the emotional gamut, ranging in titles from Dark World to I'm Happy. Dark World reflects mistrust (maybe mirroring what led to this album being independently produced). Moody and evocative, Dark World would be a great nighttime driving song.  I'm Happy is the other end of the spectrum, of course. Here Cherie is the most autobiographical. She sings about it being a tough road, but being worth the ride. This one seems to be sung directly to the fans that have stuck by her. Something the fans will appreciate, for sure.

Reverie is the well-crafted title track. Hook-laden and guitar-heavy, it walks the line between rock and pop, rocking out, yet laid back. The cryptic lyrics have a dreamlike quality that work well with the music. One of the albums highlights.

The centerpiece of the album for me is Believe. Having read Cherie's autobiography, Neon Angel, the word 'believe' seems to be her mantra.  Never one to play victim, she reported her life story without laying blame on other people (even when it seemed to be warranted). Throughout her life she seemed to stay focused on the positive. Believe is a song that beautifully sums up that philosophy: Great vocal, lush arrangement. My personal favorite of the album.

Runaways fans are well served with two updates of American Nights and Is It Day Or Night. Both rock and both display Cherie's ability to revisit her past and make it sound as new and fresh as ever.

Another Dream is about that second chance we all long for. "Chase what's out of reach, until you find what sets you free." Here Cherie sings that, basically, it ain't over until you say it is. She obviously has more to say and, fortunately for us, more to sing. Another Dream is a shining example of the fact that Cherie is just a plain good singer.

If you want a rock album, this is it. If you want a ballad record, this is it, too. If you like music with depth, this is the one as well.  Cherie even dips into gospel with Happy. Reggae pops up in Inner You. Many styles show up and, strangely, they all work. Like Cherie herself Reverie has many sides, and all are worth checking out.

"I've been lied to. Cheated. Never been defeated yet."

Indeed.

The Monkees, November 17th, 2012, Lakewood Civic, Lakewood Ohio

     Sometime around the Fall of 1982, Kent State's WKSU was selling off a huge chunk of its record library. Pretty much anything that wasn't classical was being hawked. As a dirt-poor college student funding his own education, Lord knows where I came up with dough to buy anything, but when it came to music I always somehow made it happen.
     I bought 3 LP's:  A Bobby Fuller Four 'best of' (on Rhino, still new-kids-on-the-block then), a Velvet Underground comp of some sort (some weird import or 'radio station only' thing), and The Birds, The Bees, and The Monkees (Monkees' 5th album). We had the Monkees LP when we were kids, but it was pretty well worn. I needed a new one.
     The gentleman who took my money gave his seal of approval on the Velvets LP, looked confused by Bobby Fuller and laughed at The Monkees. "Why don't you put this back and grab some real music?"
     Again, this was in 1982.
     I don't hold a grudge, do I?
     Cut to 30 years later.
     The reformed Monkees (including the ever-reluctant Mike Nesmith) announced a 12 date US tour. With the recent passing of Davy Jones it wouldn't be complete, but with Mike on board it would be special. He was definitely in my top ten list of people I wanted to see before I die. Had to go.
     Like a lot of folks, I had first seen The Monkees (minus Nesmith) in 1986 during their 20 year reunion tour. That was a great show. It was me, my then-girlfriend Carol and my sister Mary Jo. As a kid, Moj's wall was plastered with pictures of Davy Jones. When he did I Wanna Be Free, she was in tears. We had 2nd row seats. There were about 18,000 people behind us. Great show.
     Saw them again in '96 with my concert partner Karen at Nautica in Cleveland. Outdoor venue. It poured. POURED. STILL great. Karen scored backstage passes for us. Met Micky. Very nice. I had to split and play a gig of my own on the other side of town at the old Euclid Tavern. Karen got Davy and Peter to sign my copy of Birds and the Bees. Karen came through. As usual.
     Saw Micky solo several times, once with my niece Jane and most recently with my wife and kids.
     My kids LOVE The Monkees, just like I did at their age (Ava is 8 and Jonah is 5). Runs in the family. I introduced them to their music after I'm A Believer was featured in Shrek. Eventually they started watching The Monkees TV show on cable.
     I bought 3 tickets and me and the kids impatiently waited for November 17th to roll around.
     Then, show day. Finally.      
     In lieu of an opening act, they showed a video compilation of Monkees Kellogg's and Kool-Aid commercials. I had seen a few of these in the past, but not all of them. I had no idea that they had done so many. The kids loved these (this may have been Ava's favorite part of the show!).
     The kids also got a kick out of how many of the audience members were dressed. We saw two Mike Nesmiths, both with green wool caps and red double-rowed, white buttoned shirts. One of these gentleman had a Gerry Garcia styled beard, though. Hey, why not? The kids got a kick out of that. 
     Lights out. Wow, this was a loud crowd and everyone was on their feet.
     LOTS of musicians up there, but no Monkees yet. They kicked into a medley of hits as the video screen reminded us of what once was. And there was Davy. Young and completely alive. Sort of sad, really.
     Still, the vibe was anything but sad as the anticipation built.
     And out they strolled.
     They looked excited to be there as the audience showed their appreciation. It was a gas to see Mike up there. Once again, a Monkee.
     First up: Last Train To Clarksville. Standard opener for them.
     Next, Papa Gene's Blues. Nesmith makes his presence known.
     These were followed by Your Auntie Grizelda, She, Sweet Young Thing and I'm A Believer.  
     Now, what just happened? One of their biggest hits was the sixth song in the set?
     Hmmmmmm......
     All the hits were present, but they weren't the highlights of the evening. Silly as it may sound to some, this tour was one for the Monkees inteligencia. A few reviews I read used this fact as an area of complaint. Casual fans were in for some unknown songs.
     Where most tours emphasized the first two Kirshner era LP's, this tour would also highlight the post-Kirshner period. There's a lot of great stuff there, starting with The Monkees 3rd LP, Headquarters.
     With Headquarters, The Monkees had in a sense struck out on their own, playing most of the instruments themselves and writing most of the material. Finally they were in charge. Though the LP fared less well than the previous 2 LP's, it still managed to reach the number one spot.
       From Headquarters they did You Told Me, Sunny Girlfriend, You Just May Be the One, For Pete's Sake, Early Morning Greens and Blues, Randy Scouse Git. All sounded great.
      I had read that it was The Monkees intention to do a part of the Headquarter portion as a 3-piece; Mike on guitar, Peter on bass and Micky on drums, as they usually appeared on the television show (Davy was usually shown shaking the maracas or occasionally playing guitar. In real life,drums were his strong suit).
     Just a 3-piece, huh? Hmmmmm...... I was curious as to how it would sound. It's a tough thing for any band to pull off, but let's face it; Micky would rather play guitar and so would Peter, for that matter. Still, it was an interesting prospect.
     When the time came, all the other musicians on the stage either left or picked up maracas. The Monkees really were going to go it alone.
     You know what? They sounded good. Really good, actually. Sure, Micky seemed a little uncomfortable, but you wouldn't have known it to listen. Plus, they really seemed to be enjoying it. I must admit that I felt a little ashamed. I had lost faith in this band that I'd been defending most of my life. I shouldn't have been worried.
     Ye of little faith, indeed.
     I was glad that they did a few of my daughter's favorites including Auntie Grizelda and Goin' Down. Goin' Down is a manic, seemingly stream of consciousness sprint through several verses, expertly sung by Micky.We were all amazed when Micky gave the mic to a girl in the front row who started where he left off and didn't miss a beat. Pretty amazing.
     The highlight of the evening for my son and me was the portion spotlighting The Monkees' movie, Head. The band skillfully played along with scenes from the little-seen film, much to the delight of the crowd. From the soundtrack album, they did Porpoise Song, Can You Dig It, As We Go Along, Circle Sky, and Long Title: Do We Have To Do This All Over Again. Davy was featured in a video segment of Daddy's Song. Sure, casual fans would not be familiar with all these songs, but the more dedicated fans were elated.
     Next came Daydream Believer (sung primarliy by an emotional audience member), and finally Mike's What Am I Doin' Hangin' Round.
     They left the stage, but returned for two encores: Listen To The Band and Pleasant Valley Sunday.
     Much applause, then it was over.

      The one word that best describes the show is joyful. That's the thing about The Monkees; their mission was joy. And this night was blanketed in joy.
     I think it was important for there to be kids there. Us older folks loved The Monkees when we were kids. The fact is, kids (at least my kids) love them now. Here I was thinking I had turned my kids onto The Monkees. Actually, it was The Monkees who turned my kids onto The Monkees. They came to "monkey around." right? My kids love to monkey around. Makes perfect sense.
     Thanks to the constant video elements, Davy came out of all it looking young and full of life. It was an interesting juxtoposition between Mike, looking all of his  70 years, and Davy being allowed to have not aged a day since 1966. A lot of years have passed.
     But the music was still there. And it was still fun.
     And why shouldn't music be fun?
     Thanks for all the joy, Monkees.
     We need it.
         
      
      
     
    
    
     
     
     
    
    
     

Rock Hall's 17th Annual American Music Masters Tribute Concert Honoring Chuck Berry

     Black Sabbath's Toni Iommi used to complain (actually, still does) that concert reviewers would write negative reviews about their show when it was obvious that they weren't at the show. With that being said, I'm telling you up front that I'm about to review a show of which I missed half. The first half. Telling you up front.
     It wasn't entirely my fault, though. My band is traditionally very busy during the month of October, having been a Halloween band ever since we recorded a Halloween CD for a novelty company some 20 years ago. It was no surprise that we were booked to play on Saturday, October 27th, essentially, Halloween weekend.
     What was a surprise was that The Rock Hall's American Music Masters Concert was October 27th. It's always been mid-November. I know, because it's usually the day of my daughter's birthday party (no, I don't skip out on my daughter's birthday party. I just make sure that it's early enough in the day so I don't miss the show...).
     Lo and behold, we're booked to play on the 27th. At least it was a cool gig; The Akron Civic Theater. Saw The Clash there. And Dylan. And George Jones. And my high school graduation was there.
     Still, Chuck Berry was #1 on my list of performers that I have to see before I die (and, frankly.... well, the guy is 86 years old...). I had never seen him play (had chances, but never worked out). I couldn't miss this show. Period. I had tried to see Chuck on many occasions, but it always fell through. And the American Music Master shows that the Rock Hall puts on are always all-star events.
     So, dilemma. Play and make my band happy, or not play and see Chuck Berry.
     Well, I eventually said "let's play our gig..."
     And I bought a ticket to see Chuck.
     Understand that only a sick mind would be responsible for a decision like this.
     OK. You knew that.
     How would this work? Actually, I had no idea. One thing was for sure; I knew the Chuck Berry show would sell out (which it did). So, if the universe allowed this idiotic situation to somehow work out, I at least had my ticket. And at $30, it was a steal. And how about this all-star line-up: Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees Ernie Isley and Darryl DMC McDaniels,  Dave Alvin, Joe Bonamassa, Rick Derringer, Rosie Flores, John Fullbright, David Johansen, Ronnie Hawkins, Steve Jordan, Malina Moye, JD McPherson, Lemmy Kilmister, Merle Haggard, Chuck Prophet, Vernon Reid, Duke Robillard, Ray Sharpe and Earl Slick.
     Not bad, huh?
     See, I've been to quite a few of these things. I knew it would start at 7:30 and probably would run till 11:30. The real problem was that the show was in Cleveland. Our gig was in Akron.
     OK. So from what I understood about our gig, it was a Halloween ball. We'd be playing a short set (thank God!) from 8 to 9PM. Tear down, and I'm in my car by 9:15 (with band cooperation) and I'm in Cleveland and in my seat by 10:15 (that's taking into consideration the assumption that I immedialtely found a place to park that was close to Playhouse Square).
     Amazingly, what happened was even better than my supposed best-case scenario. We find out (at our gig, about an hour before showtime) that we're playing from 8 to 8:45! JACKPOT! Hopefully, I thought, that would actually be the case. With my luck they'll love us and we'll have to keep playing!
     As it turned out, the gig came off without a hitch (we had a ball and they loved us) and I was in my car on my way to Cleveland at 9.
     I was in my seat by 9:45.
     Jackpot, again.
     When I got in the theater, the house band was playing an instrumental. I assumed the intermission had just ended, but the usher corrected me and said that there was no intermission. They're playing straight through. That spooked me. Who did I miss? Obviously Chuck was the guy to see, but had I missed Merle Haggard? Lemmy? How about Ronnie Hawkins (C'mon, folks! How freakin' often do you get to see Ronnie Hawkins?!)?
     I didn't ask anyone who I had missed.
     I didn't want to know.
     So, first up (for me) was Rosie Flores. If you haven't heard her and you love rockabilly, check her out. Backed by the house band, she belted out a few numbers and whaled on guitar. Nice. She's the real deal.
     At this point I heard a few audience members yelling, "Where's Chuck?!" Good news for me as it seemed that he hadn't played at all yet.
     Next up, Merle Haggard. Yes! Hadn't missed him! He did two songs: Workin' Man's Blues and Chuck's Memphis, Tennessee.  His voice and guitar were spot-on. First time seeing Merle, I'm ashamed to say.
     Better late than never.
     Next up, Ernie Isley.  I've seen the Isley Brothers before, but have never heard Ernie sing solo this much (he's the guitar end of the Isleys. That great guitar you hear on [Who's] That Lady? That's Ernie). It was cool to hear how much he sounded like his older brother Ron. Obviously their simialrity is not a surprise, still, it was neat in a family sort of way. His voice is like Ron's, but is a little grittier. Ernie's signature fuzz-guitar sound was in full-force.
    Darryl DMC McDaniels was joined by Ernie Isley on a version of Chuck's School Day. Darryl first explained that School Day was something he had been hearing MC's do for years, not knowing it was Berry who had written it. He told his story with humor, but made sure to make the point that we must give credit where's it's due. "Chuck was rapping before there was rap!" Always nice to see and hear Darryl. With Ernie along, it was great. 
     Next was Chuck himself (the bad news was I realized I must've missed Lemmy and Ronnie Hawkins. Hey, I tried). After being introduced ably by the Rock Hall's Terry Stewart, the curtain still didn't come up. Actually, Terry ended his intro with, "Next up, Chuck Berry."
     And we waited.
     After another long few minutes, a voice over the PA announced, "And now, Chuck Berry."
     The curtain rose. On stage was a different band (I assumed it was Chuck's regular players). Out ambled Chuck, sporting a captain's hat and his signature Gibson Red ES. Turns out two of the players are his kids (daughter on harmonica and vocals) and son on rhythm. Chuck keeps it in the family.
     Johnny B. Goode. Is it fair to say that it was a little strained?  I mean, he's 86. Still, this is the man. Better strained than not at all. 
     The next number was Reelin' and a Rockin' which Chuck stopped almost immediately. Something was wrong, at least to Chuck's ears (to me it sounded better the first time around, but what do I know; it ain't my song!). Anyone who has seen the Chuck documentary Hail, Hail Rock and Roll knows that this sort of on-stage occurance is always a possibilty when it comes to Mr. Berry. Maybe he was just giving us what we expected. Once the song got going, it was good 'ol Chuck. In true Berry fashion, some of the lines were from the hip. I'm sure he's never sung this song the same way twice. Unfortunately in mid-song, he changed keys a half step (accidentally, I'm sure). This went on for a few moments before he found his way back home. After years of loud music, this sort of thing is going to happen. The crowd went with him anyway. And they went wild when, at 86, he went into his famous duck walk.
     After the song, Chuck got his American Music Masters award. He seemed truly humbled. He brought his wife onstage and gave a shout-out his extended family in attendance.
     Traditionally, these shows end with an all-star jam and this night was no exception. The finale brought everyone out for Rock 'n Roll Music. It was cool for me because I at least got to see all the folks I had missed earlier in the evening.  It was a little rough (there were a TON of people up there), but they were there for Chuck and he seemed to really appreciate it.
     Show over.
     For me, all I can say is' "What a night."  It was hectic, but I knew I couldn't miss this show. And I didn't. And it was all in the name of rock and roll.
     On the way home I was relieved that it all worked out. It really shouldn't have. All kidding aside, I had created quite a bit of stress on myself, my band and my wife (who is also in my band). Still, it all worked out.
     It should come as no surprise that one of my favorite artifacts found in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Museum is a brown piece that's home to some great lyrics: "Hail, Hail Rock and Roll. Deliver me from the days of old." Chuck's song School Day is, for me, the greatest, most iconic rock and roll song ever written. If a person were to ask what rock and roll is, all you would have to do is play that song. And I had to finally see the man who wrote it and recorded it.
     I read in another review of the show that good old Terry Stewart (who is unfortunately retiring from The Rock Hall this year) had said during one of his intro's that he wanted to live in a Chuck Berry Song. Indeed. Actually, my evening was a lot like a Chuck Berry song. It was a wild ride, but it had a happy ending.
     Lord knows, I needed to finally see Chuck Berry.
     And I did. It wasn't easy, but I did.
     And I was delivered.   
     
   

     
      
     

Carole King and James Taylor: Troubadour Reunion Tour, Quicken Loans Arena, Cleveland, July 8th.

Two of my Mom's favorite artists are Carole King and James Taylor. When Mom's 80th birthday rolled around in April, tickets to the show seemed like a natural gift (I, of course, would accompany her. I like concerts, you see...). Mom hadn't seen either performer before (I've seen them both), so this would be an event.

Mom isn't much into music history, so she didn't realize the significance of this pairing. Carole and JT were recreating their historic shows from 1970 presented at The Troubadour in Los Angeles. This would be their first series of shows together since then. They would also reunite the original band that played with them (Kortchmar, Kunkel and Sklar). Seemed like it would be a great show.

And was it ever.

King and Taylor (though more so James Taylor) were musical mainstays in the Branz Family 70's household soundtrack. No, not unusual for the time at all, but let's face it; good is good. When my Dad bought our first cassette player, it came with a tape copy of JT's album Mud Slide Slim. What a great album. Since then, we've loved James Taylor. My Uncle Steve (10 years my Dad's younger brother) introduced us to Tapestry. A great record too, though my personal interest in Carole King is more with her songwriting prior to her solo career. Check out Dusty Springfield's recording of Oh No, Not My Baby or The Bryds Goin' Back or Wasn't Born To Follow. All were written with her then husband, Gerry Goffin .

Back to the show at hand: They opened with James' Something In The Way She Moves, a great starting point for Mr. Taylor. This takes us all the way back to his short time as a recording artist for The Beatles' Apple Records. Sounded great, as did the entire evening. From here it was Carole's So Far Away, then a recreation of their 1970 sets (to the best of their admitted cloudy memories).

The show was something of a multi-media extravaganza, featuring several video screens and a cylindrical film display. Each song was accompanied by still photos and film content. Anytime a person was referenced during an introduction to a song, their picture was displayed. Usually these pictures were from the Troubadour time period. Because of this, some of the back-up singers photos were from grade school! All the video content was thoughtful and emotional. Great stuff.

As a matter of fact, everyone on the stage was treated like family. The word 'family' was peppered throughout the show. One of the reasons my Mom has taken to Carole King is because she has always emphasized the importance of her family and family in general. She was even nice to MY family on one occasion: My wife and kids saw her speak in the little town of Barberton, Oh. on behalf of then-candidate, Barack Obama. Not surprisingly, my kids were somewhat 'vocal' during her talk. My wife tried to calm them down, but were reassured by a smiling Carole King that it was okay and that she understood. She's a Mom, too.

I know my Mom was going back in her mind to the time of the music. She mentioned at one point that the show reminded her of our move to Ohio (we moved here from Wisconsin in the Summer of '73). It was tough on all of us, leaving everyone we knew, everyone us kids ever knew. Though the music had a bittersweet effect (I saw her Kleenex come out more than once), it's one of the things that got us through our transition.

The performers took us through not just their early 70's material, but through their entire catalogs. It was nice to hear them do Mexico and Copperline, as well as the Goffin/King classic Crying In The Rain. Of course, Crying was accompanied by a photo of the picture sleeve of the original Everly Brothers record. Nice, historical touch.

The entire show approached the 3 hour mark, counting a short intermission. They gave it all they had, which was a lot. I have to admit, I was a little nervous that the show might be a little stale, as I've heard virtually all the songs hundreds of times. I needn't have worried. If I could accurately describe the show in just one word, it would be 'youthful.' The songs sounded fresh and alive, as did the performers. As did the audience, for that matter.

At one point, the gal sitting next to my Mom told her, 'I hope I'm still going to concerts when I'm 80!' My Mom appreciated that. Nostalgia is great, but now is what matters. And those songs sound good now. Just ask my youthful 80 year old Mom who loved the show.

CD - Songs from the motion picture When You're Strange: A Film About The Doors

The first thing you hear on the soundtrack CD to the film When You're Strange is the faux-English accent of one Johnny Depp (he reads Jim Morrison's poetry between tracks on the CD). Apparently, Johnny Depp is English now. To be fair, he only lapses into it, but it's hard to pretend it's not there. I guess it makes sense that they chose Depp to narrate the film as he loves The Doors, he too is a superstar and (like the latter day Morrison) he lives in France (which makes the English accent even more mystifying). It's obvious from the passion heard in Depp's voice that he's totally into being involved in this project. And who wouldn't want him involved in their movie?

The CD is the soundtrack to the recent Doors documentary, When You're Strange: A Film About The Doors. The reviews that I've seen for the film have been mixed.

Unfortunately (or fortunately for you), I haven't seen the film for which this soundtrack exists, but I've loved The Doors since Love Her Madly was a hit (the organ reminded of The Theme from The Munsters!). I read the Morrison biography No One Here Gets Out Alive immediately when it was published. I remember actually liking Jim Morrison less after reading it (he came off as quite a bit of a jerk to me), but I've since tempered my opinion of him (I'm older and less wise, I guess). Obviously, this paragraph serves to show that I've been a Doors fan for a long time. Oh; I went to see Riders On the Storm last time they hit Cleveland (Ray Manzarek and Robby Krieger's touring outfit).

I highly recommend this CD. True, if you're a super-Doors fan, you probably have all this stuff, but if you just love them, you'll dig this one. The soundtrack caters to my personal taste as it contains some live cuts, even including the infamous Sullivan show performance where Jim infuriated the host by using the word 'high' throughout Light My Fire (he had promised otherwise, of course). Also included are performances from the Isle of Wight, New York City (1970) and one from Danish TV. Musically, the CD is evened out by the standard greatest hits you would expect.

Besides the poetry (all by Morrison and read intermittently by Depp and Morrison himself), interview excerpts are present by all four band members. One excerpt by Morrison made me laugh out loud (Track 14. You'll have to hear it.). The interviews that are included display the seriousness with which the band took its music. They understood that many saw them as any pop band, but they themselves were working toward something more than that.


It all congeals into a fun and interesting listen. The music is top-notch of course, and the soundbites add insight into the band. Something new? No, but it's a more interesting listen than just another greatest hits or the poetry-laden An American Prayer.

The CD insert includes notes by various folks, including Mr. Depp. Since he's on there, it's nice to hear what he has to say about the proceedings. The book folds out into a poster for the film, I guess, to remind us that there's a potential movie ticket (or DVD) to purchase. Despite my supposed cynicism, I will be doing just that.