Passages

[hearthesilence]

Robbie Robertson of the Band. One of my favorite groups.

EDIT: I'm sure "leader" in that headline is going to piss some people off, during their peak years it was very much a democratic band even though The Last Waltz made it look otherwise. I will say that criticism about Robertson's songwriting credits, stemming from Levon Helm's accusations later in life, do seem grossly exaggerated upon closer scrutiny.

“Broken Arrow” from his self-titled solo album is a great song, covered in concert by the Grateful Dead, and Rod Stewart in the mid-90’s. I liked How to Become Clairvoyant a lot, for how he managed to weave in disparate guests such as Trent Reznor, on an original composition credited to Eric Clapton who appears on the album as well.

I'm not a fan of his solo debut, but that is a good track. IIRC Peter Gabriel provided much of the backing track, and I think it would have been a truly great record if he was singing lead. In fact, I kind of wish he sung lead on the entire album, because I think he could've put the album over in a way Robertson couldn't (as a singer).

[A Tempted Christ]

Ebrahim Golestan at 101

[flyonthewall2983]

Terry Funk

[CSM126]

Terry Funk

One of those people like Iron Sheik, who lived improbably long despite a hard life. It still sucks to imagine a world without Terry Funk. Absolutely a legend, impossible to hate even when he did ridiculous things (like punching Dustin Rhodes with raw chickens on his hands like boxing gloves, or the endlessly hilarious time he got mule kicked by a horse during a brawl at his ranch, and then challenged the horse to a fight). Some part of me thinks his absolute peak was the long-lost promo where he called Mick Foley a satchel-ass before their match at ECW One Night Stand. It was utterly hilarious and I probably watched it a hundred times. Now it’s gone and I wish I had saved it somehow. (A recap with a clip of it here.)

Oh god, we could talk about great Terry Funk moments all day, both the insane and the actually, seriously great stuff. I’ve been watching wrestling since I was a baby and Terry Funk was always around for nearly all of it, until he finally retired for real. I love the man for all the entertainment and the great matches and for being the inspiration and teacher for lots of other wrestlers. I heard that his health declined quite severely after his wife died and his last years were tough. Now he gets to rest well.

Or have exploding time bomb barb wire death matches with Balls Mahoney and the Original Sheik in hardcore heaven.

[flyonthewall2983]

Bray Wyatt

[jazzo]

Terry Funk

One of those people like Iron Sheik, who lived improbably long despite a hard life. It still sucks to imagine a world without Terry Funk. Absolutely a legend, impossible to hate even when he did ridiculous things (like punching Dustin Rhodes with raw chickens on his hands like boxing gloves, or the endlessly hilarious time he got mule kicked by a horse during a brawl at his ranch, and then challenged the horse to a fight). Some part of me thinks his absolute peak was the long-lost promo where he called Mick Foley a satchel-ass before their match at ECW One Night Stand. It was utterly hilarious and I probably watched it a hundred times. Now it’s gone and I wish I had saved it somehow. (A recap with a clip of it here.)

Oh god, we could talk about great Terry Funk moments all day, both the insane and the actually, seriously great stuff. I’ve been watching wrestling since I was a baby and Terry Funk was always around for nearly all of it, until he finally retired for real. I love the man for all the entertainment and the great matches and for being the inspiration and teacher for lots of other wrestlers. I heard that his health declined quite severely after his wife died and his last years were tough. Now he gets to rest well.

Or have exploding time bomb barb wire death matches with Balls Mahoney and the Original Sheik in hardcore heaven.

I saw Junkyard Dog put him through a table at Toronto’s Maple Leaf Gardens back in the late eighties. An indelible moment in my life.

I’ll also never forget him getting toe slammed out of his shoes when he tried to stop the Undertaker from continuing to destroy Mankind in the infamous Hell in the Cell.

[CSM126]

Bray Wyatt

Oh my god, that’s awful. Such a young man, and with a wife and kids.

Edit: He died of heart problems exacerbated by a Covid infection.

[MichaelB]

Czech screenwriter and film historian Pavel Taussig, best known internationally for writing the original story behind Jan Svěrák's Oscar-winning Kolya (1996).

[flyonthewall2983]

Bob Barker, 99 years old

[Kracker]

He just had to get as close as he could to 100 without going over

[Kracker]

Arleen Sorkin, the voice of Harley Quinn across the DC universe since the day the iconic character was first introduced on the animated series, at 67

[flyonthewall2983]

Bernie Marsden

[brundlefly]

Stars of the Lid's Brian McBride.

And Their Refinement of the Decline was a place my head lived during some rough stretches.

[swo17]

And so many great albums before that too, RIP

[hearthesilence]

John Kezdy, vocalist for Chicago legends the Effigies. Collided with an Amazon van parked in the bicycle lane.

[beamish14]

Playwright Tina Howe

[beamish14]

Nicholas Hitchon, who we followed through the years in Michael Apted’s 7 Up series

[JSC]

Nicholas Hitchon, who we followed through the years in Michael Apted’s 7 Up series

That's a downer. After the last installment I used to periodically check to see if there was any news
about his condition. There is some talk of Apted's producers doing 70 Up, and he will be very
much missed. He seemed like a warm and interesting guy.

[fdm]

Dire Straits guitarist Jack Sonni

[hearthesilence]

Jimmy Buffett

[Gregory]

Documentary filmmaker, producer, and photographer Nancy Buirski

[GaryC]

Artist John Goto, born John Glithero, who was so impressed by Walerian Borowczyk's film Goto, the Island of Love, that he changed his name in tribute to it.

[brundlefly]

Steve Harwell, just a positive guy from San Jose who tried to have some fun.

[beamish14]

Robert Klane, novelist turned screenwriter and director who authored Where’s Poppa? and both Weekend at Bernie’s films. He first made a mark with the incredible novel The Horse is Dead, which has been OOP for decades, but was briefly reissued on Kindle before its new publisher shut down under mysterious circumstances.

I’ve always wanted to read his rejected sequel script for Grease, Grease 2: Greasier

[Buttery Jeb]

Dream Weaver Gary Wright