This week I have been thinking of our old friend OldDirtRoad (Kenny) quite a bit. Have told many stories about him also to a few friends.
I was telling them stories that he shared on here in the "old days" and had all of us laughing in tears.
But mostly I told them about what a nice guy he was. Kenny loved music beyond all else and was open to it all. Never judged any genre or peoples' favorites whether he liked it or not.
We shared many musical experiences and tastes. We both loved UFO.
Now many of you may have traded/shared music with Kenny and will likely laugh at similar experiences. He and I traded PMs about UFO one day and all their related offshoot bands. Great discussion as always. Well about a week passes and the doorbell rings and it is the mailman who needs a signature for a box. The box is about 1.5'X1.5' and maybe 8" thick. I traded music all the time but never got a box that size so I never even imagined it being music.
I swear that the entire box was full of CDs. 100+ maybe more. I mean he sent me a disc of every single UFO or UFO related music that exists on the planet. Official/recorded/bootlegged - every assortment imaginable. This huge box packed full. I was in shock and in tears of laughter.
With each disc was a handwritten note with the tracklisting and any info about who played on it and Kenny's own review. I still have it all and will often read some and think of ODR.
This week I went to see Saxon/UFO so Kenny was often in my thoughts and the CDs he sent in my car for weeks leading up to the show.
Well I hope Kenny was watching from Heaven because both bands kicked ass and he would have loved UFO. The band is super tight. Phil Mogg sang and sounded like he did in the early 70s. Vinnie Moore put on a guitar display that was out of this world.
Thinking of you, Kenny. It kicked in a major way - hope you were watching! Thanks again for the trunk load of CDs. You are often in my thoughts.
I think they are headed your way, Scott. I strongly suggest going. 20 out of 30 minutes of the final
are Vinnie Moore just putting on a display like I have rarely seen in Hard Rock/Metal.
Love To Love
Now to send me that many discs from the time of our discussion. Kenny must have burned 24/7 to get it all done. LOL
Lights Out
Kenny was real (RIP)
I rode to see the same show UFO & SAXON in Iowa earlier this year. Awesome
Kenny was real (RIP)
I rode to see the same show UFO & SAXON in Iowa earlier this year. Awesome
Very real indeed.
I would have drove to another show but they are halfway across the US from me.
Saxon started off slow and had some sound issues but after a few tunes they kicked into 747 and never looked back. Biff sounded really good.
UFO smoked from beginning til end.
Every package that Kenny ever sent had at least 20 extra CDs as was his style. I forget how much but his postage cost was over $20 to show you the size and weight.
Hey CM ... yep, Kenny was legendary! I have a ton of music from him.
Hope you are good...
Hey CM ... yep, Kenny was legendary! I have a ton of music from him.
Hope you are good...
Doing great and hope the best for you also. Always nice to see your name for the occasional post.
You are also another incredibly generous guy and I received many great packages from you also. Some of my favorite Mule shows come from you actually. Billy Kain also provided me with stacks of discs.
We were all crazy back them and now I have stacks of discs that I have never heard. 😛
Only so many hours and when guys like Kenny send you a 100 discs or more........he was awesome in every sense.
Somewhere in the old Anything Goes section there are so many of his stories like calling his Mom on LSD. Good storyteller and a good friend. Feel like I could have been a better friend when looking back.
He was one of the reasons I stuck around the old site's forum and a big part of why I originally enjoyed coming here. You never knew what Kenny would be talking about this time. LOL
Stop by more often Dino - the place looks better with you around. Plus I think there are only a dozen of us left. LOL - almost a private chat room.
James,
Thanks for the post .....that was very nice.
I would like to touch on a couple of things...I will try not to make this to long.
When I first joined this site in the early 2000's I came to know Kenny through
our mutual love of UFO and other music. He was "real" indeed!!! Not pretentious
by any means. I thought I was passionate about music...Ken was on another level.
We were chatting on line about Glenn Hughes . He was a big fan of his and told me some of Glenn's history that I did not know. He said he would hook me up with some of his music and wanted nothing in exchange. So I got a package in the mail of all of Glenn's solo stuff and collaborations along with a project of Pete way and Schenker called "The Plot". It was a very generous gesture which I still appreciate to this day. He also put hand written track listings to each disc along with "stars" next to the ones to really emphasize the material that was the strongest.
Yes!!!!! UFO will be in Indy this Saturday night, and I hope I can make it. I have been a fan for about 35 yrs and have never had the opportunity to see them. I have never seen Saxon either, so this will be a great double bill.
I am interested in seeing Vinnie play live. He is a great player no doubt. I really never followed him outside of UFO,just a style thing I guess.
Normally I would not do something like this , but I reached out on Facebook to Paul Raymond. Kinda being a fan boy here but, I just told him my decades love for they're music and his work with the band and MSG . I mentioned that I have never seen them live and hopefully will go this weekend. It is they're last stop on this tour ,so I put in a request for a song. I know good and well it won't happen, but what the heck,huh?
"When It's Time To Rock" is probably my fav UFO song ,or at least top 5 for sure.
I did not expect to hear anything back, but he replied back rather quickly and was very kind in his response....a gentleman.
Here are two of the set list from Canada,not sure what show you were at James.
https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/ufo/2017/queen-elizabeth-theatre-toronto-on-canada-4be3b3ca.html
https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/ufo/2017/theatre-corona-montreal-qc-canada-33e3a8c1.html
UFO has a new covers CD out, its pretty solid and enjoyable . I have made it through once, but will give it several more spins this week. I really dig Paper and Fire ,Honey Bee, and The Pusher come to mind first.
I think it might be one of Phil's best recorded vocal performance as a whole. When he really gets into it, he is hard to beat. I was likened him to Paul Rodgers. Just something about they're vocal style and how great they still sound today.
01. Heartful Of Soul
02. Break On Through (To The Other Side)
03. River Of Deceit
04. The Pusher
05. Paper In Fire
06. Rock Candy
07. Mississippi Queen
08. Ain't No Sunshine
09. Honey-Bee
10. Too Rolling Stoned
11. Just Got Paid
12. It's My Life
These two are for you Kenny.... NICE AND LOUD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Glenn Hughes -In My Blood
UFO
It's hot up in the west end, there's panic right downtown
As the gangs assemble, coming up from underground
Well Jesus I don't know which side I should be on
I'm a class contender if anything goes wrong
When it's time to rock
We're the only ones
No one takes this block
'Cause we're number one
We sneaked through the no go, very late last night
Out up from the back streets, cruising for a fight
Well Jackie's got his six string, he can play behind his back
Mickey's out from Bellevue, he's just makin' tracks
When it's time to rock
We're the only ones
No one takes this block
'Cause we're number one
As we rocked through the midnight, took 'em all by storm
The police boys didn't have a chance, didn't even get warm
Oh daddy, why am I sittin' here, I'm not a member of the bar
I'm not the only wild one in a hot wired car
When it's time to rock
We're the only ones
No one takes this block
'Cause we're number one
[Edited on 10/8/2017 by jszfunk]
Everyone has a plan, till you get punched in the face,
Great Kenny story! I got one of those Glenn Hughes packages also. I think that one only had about 50 discs. Kenny must have been slacking off that week.
I could go on and on with a review, Scott. But I will just sum it up - Don't Miss It.
Phil sounded 100%.
Band super tight.
Vinnie takes it completely over the top. As good as any that I have seen in that genre and IMO surpasses as he is given so much freedom. The last half hour is at least 20 minutes of Vinnie just letting go. Show was amazing.
Saxon flat out smoked also and again Biff sang great. Started a bit slower for me as it was newer material that I don't know but once the old stuff started it never stopped.
A show built for Kenny.
Cool thread. I got a real kick out of this. It's what the net is all about. Thanks! 
Shame as Kenny left this forum because of trolls and stress caused by them.
Now we are back to where we can just talk music. Would have loved it now.
We could have got more stories.
