Great Big Sea

Great Big Sea and the “Techno-Make-Over”

From a pile of cassettes, I retrieved from a basement shelf I picked up “Great Big Sea”. I held it for a moment and put it into my pocket to play later, during a quieter time. The cassette itself seems to be a bit of an issue as my daughter says that I need a “Techno-Make Over”. It’s true. I have been found guilty of the following technical violations: not having a cell phone, nor any desire to own one; having a total disability to set the digital clock in my car (following day light savings time) or  any clock in the house having a digital/electronic component; a lack of knowledge/ability in retrieving phone numbers or messages from our cordless phone (no points for having the phone because I won it in one of those hospital lotteries); not having a cable high speed hook up for my now aging computer and of course the cassette thing.  I am so glad that my daughter has never actually seen my eight track collection.

I remain proud of the remnants of my LP collection, saved by my son from the near total garage sale disaster of /97.  Occasionally, I find myself almost fondling my Best of the Rolling Stones Collection 1967 to 1970. Those were historical and pivotal years. I can’t actually play the LP as my turn table, more old technology, is long gone probably being used by some hip hop DJ in a downtown club somewhere. I did however buy the CD version of the Stones and oddly, that same week my daughter made the identical purchase. I paid less, but I won’t pursue that theme.

Technology may change, and likely, in my life time I will own various formats of the Rolling Stones as technology evolves and I desperately strive to stay connected to my music. Did I tell you that my daughter and I went to the Stones concert in Edmonton. I think it was their “last tour”. I was not the oldest one there and Jessica was not the youngest.

However, back to the Great Big Sea…I digress. “Dad come here, you have to listen to this.’ My son was introducing me to the Donkey Riding, a song by GBS. I remember sitting in the big blue, (like the sea), wing back chair in his basement room thoroughly enjoying the Celtic/Newfie blend of vocals and chords. Now, I have their complete works on CD and a few pirated cassette versions, but I don’t think cassette copies are considered a crime in my jurisdiction any more. Each play takes me back to my son and his music. He surfs and works in Australia these days, so very far away…across the Great Big Sea.