2016 has already been dubbed the year of the celebrity death. We've lots a lot of greats in already including David Bowie, Alan Rickman and Patty Duke. But on April 21 in the span of 12 hours we learned of the passing of former WWE star Chyna and megastar Prince. You can see my thoughts on Chyna in the video below.
Purple Rain
Like the rest of the world, I was stunned to hear about Prince's death. I didn't even realize he had been sick with the flu. The outpouring of memories online has brought back a flood of childhood memories. I was nine when 1999 was released. I enjoyed the music on that album, but Purple Rain was the most memorable. I was in junior high by then and can remember school dances including Let's Go Crazy getting everyone pumped up and Purple Rain slowing things down (this is when I exited the dance floor). Of course this was all in the MTV era and music video kept us entertained for hours at a time.
Raspberry Beret
A year later Around the World in a Day was released. My favorite tune by Prince is on that album, Raspberry Beret. I can't give a reason why, it's just so upbeat and fun and reminds me of good times. He performed the music for the original Batman film in 1989 and kept things going into my college years with Diamonds and Pearls and .
I had forgotten he wrote many great hits for other performers, including Nothing Compares 2 U for Sinead O'Connor and Manic Monday for The Bangles. I know we're not supposed to put celebrities on a pedestal, but it's hard not to be sad when people we grew up watching and listening to are gone.
Today we all really know what it sounds like when doves cry. Rest in peace Prince.
In preparation of Tim
Donst’s upcoming interview on From the Rafters Radio, I decided to finally
review Tim’s self-produced CD that I bought at the Chikara show in Chicago
Ridge. The CD is cleverly titled, Reflections: Old Memories of a Young Lion,
playing off Tim Donst being a former Chikara Young Lion’s Cup winner.
Before I get into thoughts
on the nine tracks, I want to get the harshest criticism out of the way. The
audio levels leave a lot to be desired. I’m guessing Tim recorded this at home
on his computer or cell phone or some type of recording device that wasn’t a
professional studio. There’s little consistency in volume level from track to
track and some of the tracks are over modulated. If you get past the amateur
audio though, this is a highly entertaining CD.
The first track is entitled
Free Bonus: Chapter 36 of Tim’s Biography.This is Tim reading a chapter talking about his youthful
days and a game of tag with friends. A simple game of tag leads to a backyard
tickle fight/wrestling match against Tim’s nemesis Betsy Palmer. I won’t ruin
the ending of the story, but will say the purpose of the story is to show Tim
had a Rudo side to him even as a child.
From there the CD segues
into the first song called “Do the Donstaroo.”It may just be me but this reminded me of the Bloodhound
Gang’s, “The Bad Touch.” Of the five songs on the album, this is the weakest.
Tim shows his versatility on
track 3: Open Mic Night Standup. As the title implies this is Tim doing a
comedy routine.Donst has some
good jokes including one about dating a girl who was such a bad cook she burnt
his Eggo and wondering if Chuck Taylor also dated her and if she was the
inspiration for Chuck’s finisher, the Awful Waffle. Based of this track if Tim
ever comes to Hollywood and performs at the Laugh Factory or Comedy Store, I
would definitely go to the show.
Track 4 should already be on
everyone’s Ipod. It is Tim’s multi-platinum hit song “Who’s the Man?”If you’ve been living under a rock and
aren’t familiar with the song here’s the YouTube video. A running
theme through most of the tracks is Donst’s obsession with proving he’s the
best Young Lion’s Cup Champion and especially better than Hallowicked. On Who’s
the Man” Hallowicked shows up at the end to give his thoughts on the matter.
After the greatness that is
“Who’s the Man,” Tim goes into another story. This one dedicated to former
Chikara Director of Fun Leonard F. Chikarason’s son. “The Talk” offers words of
advice to the young Chikarason about being careful when it comes to women and
trusting them and keeping them away from your tag team partner. The ending to
the story is pretty entertaining.
Following the tale about
being careful about women, Track 6, “Be My Ring Valet” is a pseudo-ballad to a
future rat. Heartwarming and if we were living in 1988, “Be My Ring Valet”
would be a bigger hit than “Every Rose Has its Thorn.”
Track 7, “voicemails from
Easton from 1.28.11 with Jakob Hammermeier.” This is a series of voicemails
Jakob leaves on Tim’s phone. The weakest track on the CD and could have easily
been left on the recording room floor.
Hallowicked & Donst Photo by: Flickr user Rick Foster
The CD ends with my personal
favorite track, “Greatest YLC RAP.” Comparable to Billy Joel’s, “We Didn’t
Start the Fire,” Tim runs down the events of his Young Lion’s Cup reign.
Detailing all the opponents he bested while working in shots at Hallowicked.
Honestly how can you not like a song that includes the line, “Hallowicked
you’re Screech and I’m Zack Morris. All my Donstaroos sing the chorus.” A fine
closer to the CD if ever there was one.
I don’t know if all CDs
feature it but my copy has a hidden bonus track called, “Knockin’ on Wink’s
Door.” Since current Chikara Director of Fun Wink Vavasseur wouldn’t listen to
Tim’s request for a match with Hallowicked, Tim decided to put his request into
song form. It seemed to pay off as Tim and Hallowicked squared off at
Chikarasaurus Rex 3.
When I purchased this CD I did
so more as a novelty and didn’t expect much from it. With the exception of the
Voicemail track and “Do the Donstaroo” this turned out to be a highly
entertaining and catchy CD. I think on the road trip from Chicago to Lafayette,
Indiana to Marion, Illinois we must have listened to this four or five times. There
are a lot of Chikara references so someone who isn’t as familiar with the past
three years of Chikara storylines probably won’t appreciate the stories and
songs as much as die hard Chikara fans, Still there’s a lot worse CDs you could
be listening to. Seriously, listen to “Who’s the Man” and if you don’t find
yourself humming it or singing along later in the day, I’d say you have no
soul.
I don’t know if Tim is still
selling copies at live events he’s booked on, but if you want a copy, you can
always hit him up on Twitter @tdonst and ask how to obtain a copy. The holidays
are coming up and this would make a great present.
After you buy Reflections:
Old Memories of a Young Lion let us know on our Facebook page. Want to hear
from satisfied buyers.
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