Rick Daley's Blog
August 29, 2013
My Unprofessional Bio
Rick Daley is known in the contact center industry for taking names and kicking ass, although not necessarily in that order. His qualifications as a certified Call Center Ninja have nothing to do with his skills with weaponry, such as the katana and the throwing star (a proficiency that is best described as “lethal”), but rather with his uncanny ability to understand the problems that lesser people create, and to implement solutions to those problems with an efficiency that makes Seal Team Six look like a bunch of pussies. While his genius is too intense to fully train an underling in the full breadth and scope of his expertise, his minions get smarter just by standing near him.
Daley once created a multi-billion dollar global corporation in a single day, using nothing but a toothpick and duct tape. He gave the money to charity and cured world hunger. While this may have just been a dream, it is important to Daley because he believes in it, and therefore so should you.
His motto, “Buy from me or else,” should not be taken as a threat, even though that’s exactly what it is. Even though he seems mild-mannered, the last person who pissed him off is still unaccounted for, and is likely to remain as such. That being said, you should always provide Daley with up-to-date and accurate information, no matter how bad the tidings; not once has he killed the messenger (at least not that he will publicly admit).
His education stems from a life much more interesting and complex than your own, or than that of any author of any book ever, so there is no degree available that supersedes his experience.
Daley once created a multi-billion dollar global corporation in a single day, using nothing but a toothpick and duct tape. He gave the money to charity and cured world hunger. While this may have just been a dream, it is important to Daley because he believes in it, and therefore so should you.
His motto, “Buy from me or else,” should not be taken as a threat, even though that’s exactly what it is. Even though he seems mild-mannered, the last person who pissed him off is still unaccounted for, and is likely to remain as such. That being said, you should always provide Daley with up-to-date and accurate information, no matter how bad the tidings; not once has he killed the messenger (at least not that he will publicly admit).
His education stems from a life much more interesting and complex than your own, or than that of any author of any book ever, so there is no degree available that supersedes his experience.
April 30, 2013
A-Z Challenge: Zappa
Frank Zappa is a unique musician. Many only know of his song "Valley Girl," but there's so much more to his catalog. His instrumental work was great, and he demanded the ultimate precision from his backing bands. Listen to Peaches en Regalia, for example, great melodies, and a lot of layering in the instrumentation. (NOTE: Link goes to a recording of him Live at Montreaux, which is a famous show where "some fool with a flare gun" set fire to the place and burned it down. Deep Purple wrote "Smoke on the Water" in recollection of the event).
He has some odd material, though. Some downright perverted stuff, too. I think "Briefcase Boogie" from Thingfish earns first place in that regard. He went over the top on purpose, though, in the war against censorship. And battles must be fought to preserve our freedom, and sometimes the arsenal requires use of a copious amount of Very Dirty Words and Ideas.
Frank had a sharp sense of humor, too. One of my favorite songs is "Cosmic Debris," a story of Frank matching wits with a snake-oil guru (my words, in the song he's The Mystery Man).
Then there's "I'm The Slime." It's more relevant now than when he wrote it 40 years ago:
I am gross and perverted.
I'm obsessed 'n deranged.
I have existed for years,
but very little had changed.
I am the tool of the Government,
and industry too,
for I am destined to rule
and regulate you.
I may be vile and pernicious, but you can't look away.
I make you think I'm delicious, with the stuff that I say.
I am the best you can get. Have you guessed me yet?
I'm the slime oozing out of your TV set.
You will obey me while I lead you
And eat the garbage that I feed you
Until the day that we don't need you
Don't go for help . . . no one will heed you
Your mind is totally controlled
It has been stuffed into my mold
And you will do as you are told
Until the rights to you are sold
Challenge complete. Thanks for reading!
He has some odd material, though. Some downright perverted stuff, too. I think "Briefcase Boogie" from Thingfish earns first place in that regard. He went over the top on purpose, though, in the war against censorship. And battles must be fought to preserve our freedom, and sometimes the arsenal requires use of a copious amount of Very Dirty Words and Ideas.
Frank had a sharp sense of humor, too. One of my favorite songs is "Cosmic Debris," a story of Frank matching wits with a snake-oil guru (my words, in the song he's The Mystery Man).
Then there's "I'm The Slime." It's more relevant now than when he wrote it 40 years ago:
I am gross and perverted.
I'm obsessed 'n deranged.
I have existed for years,
but very little had changed.
I am the tool of the Government,
and industry too,
for I am destined to rule
and regulate you.
I may be vile and pernicious, but you can't look away.
I make you think I'm delicious, with the stuff that I say.
I am the best you can get. Have you guessed me yet?
I'm the slime oozing out of your TV set.
You will obey me while I lead you
And eat the garbage that I feed you
Until the day that we don't need you
Don't go for help . . . no one will heed you
Your mind is totally controlled
It has been stuffed into my mold
And you will do as you are told
Until the rights to you are sold
Challenge complete. Thanks for reading!
A-Z Challenge: X, YYZ
Yeah, I'm doing it again. Consolidating letters and bands. For the last time, though, I promise.
X if for Xanadu. Not the disco version, the Rush version. It's not their greatest work, and I didn't even know about it until a few weeks ago when I sat in a frenzy, furiously Googling X-bands and X-songs. Really not much to work with. Last year's movie theme was so much easier.
Now YYZ, on the other hand....That I'm more familiar with. YYZ is a fast jamming, tight instrumental groove. Musically, it starts off with Morse code rhythm for the letters Y-Y-Z (hence the name), bouncing between two notes in an augmented fourth (or diminished fifth, depending on your perspective), a rarely-used musical interval between the perfect fourth and perfect fifth.
As a bassist, I am required to like Rush. I took an oath when I first started playing. Geddy Lee's chops are awesome, and the respect-o-meter goes off the charts given the fact that he also sings while playing bass. Now some people may not like his voice, but I do. It's another one of those unique tones that you can identify immediately.
Neal Peart is a legendary drummer. Not many have the clout behind the set that he has earned. Speed and precision, off-time signatures, and he also writes all the band's lyrics. Yeah, you could say he's talented.
Alex Lifeson rounds out the power trio on guitar. He adds harmony yo the rhythms and melodies created by his counter-parts.
So here's YYZ for you. Turn it up!
X if for Xanadu. Not the disco version, the Rush version. It's not their greatest work, and I didn't even know about it until a few weeks ago when I sat in a frenzy, furiously Googling X-bands and X-songs. Really not much to work with. Last year's movie theme was so much easier.
Now YYZ, on the other hand....That I'm more familiar with. YYZ is a fast jamming, tight instrumental groove. Musically, it starts off with Morse code rhythm for the letters Y-Y-Z (hence the name), bouncing between two notes in an augmented fourth (or diminished fifth, depending on your perspective), a rarely-used musical interval between the perfect fourth and perfect fifth.
As a bassist, I am required to like Rush. I took an oath when I first started playing. Geddy Lee's chops are awesome, and the respect-o-meter goes off the charts given the fact that he also sings while playing bass. Now some people may not like his voice, but I do. It's another one of those unique tones that you can identify immediately.
Neal Peart is a legendary drummer. Not many have the clout behind the set that he has earned. Speed and precision, off-time signatures, and he also writes all the band's lyrics. Yeah, you could say he's talented.
Alex Lifeson rounds out the power trio on guitar. He adds harmony yo the rhythms and melodies created by his counter-parts.
So here's YYZ for you. Turn it up!
April 26, 2013
A-Z Challenge: Victor Wooten
I'd like to say a few short words about Victor Wooten: I am much taller than he is. (NOTE: Ha! Get it? Short, words...I'm taller...That's funny.)
I mentioned Victor once before in this series, but he's worth bringing up again. The first time I had heard of him, my old roommate Matt the Cat had seen a Bela Fleck concert and came back with their CD and said, "You have to listen to this band. Their bassist is incredible. He's their secret weapon!"
Later, I went on a road trip with my friend Mark, and saw that Bela Fleck did literally introduce Victor as the band's secret weapon. And he was right. Victor can do amazing things on the bass, even playing two at the same time, Stanley Jordan-style.
I may have mentioned before that I also play bass, so he's an incredible influence. Victor plays a 4-string, which I think is cool because he can get more sound out of it than most bassists can get from a 6-stringed instrument. He crosses and blends styles, from funk to jazz to classical, and pushed himself to further his own learning. He holds workshops (I recently saw him for free at guitar center here in Columbus) and helps other musicians learn to grow their own talents.
I did have the chance to meet him once. It was after a Bela Fleck and the Flecktones show at Cain Park in Cleveland. That's a very small, hard-to-find amphitheater. After the show all three members of the band hung around to chat with the fans. There were only about a hundred people there, and not all stayed. It was very cool to meet one of my idols and shake his hand.
And, once again, I've covered two letters in one day.
I mentioned Victor once before in this series, but he's worth bringing up again. The first time I had heard of him, my old roommate Matt the Cat had seen a Bela Fleck concert and came back with their CD and said, "You have to listen to this band. Their bassist is incredible. He's their secret weapon!"
Later, I went on a road trip with my friend Mark, and saw that Bela Fleck did literally introduce Victor as the band's secret weapon. And he was right. Victor can do amazing things on the bass, even playing two at the same time, Stanley Jordan-style.
I may have mentioned before that I also play bass, so he's an incredible influence. Victor plays a 4-string, which I think is cool because he can get more sound out of it than most bassists can get from a 6-stringed instrument. He crosses and blends styles, from funk to jazz to classical, and pushed himself to further his own learning. He holds workshops (I recently saw him for free at guitar center here in Columbus) and helps other musicians learn to grow their own talents.
I did have the chance to meet him once. It was after a Bela Fleck and the Flecktones show at Cain Park in Cleveland. That's a very small, hard-to-find amphitheater. After the show all three members of the band hung around to chat with the fans. There were only about a hundred people there, and not all stayed. It was very cool to meet one of my idols and shake his hand.
And, once again, I've covered two letters in one day.
April 24, 2013
A-Z Challenge: U2
Quick post today. For more information, see yesterday's post.
Bono has a very distinct voice. He's up there with Petere Gabriel, Eddie Vedder, and Jim Morrison for being instantly recognizable.
The Edge has a distinct style because he plays the effects alsmost like a second instrument (or a slew of other instruments). His grooves have great hooks to them.
They also have a drummer and a bassist.
Bono has a very distinct voice. He's up there with Petere Gabriel, Eddie Vedder, and Jim Morrison for being instantly recognizable.
The Edge has a distinct style because he plays the effects alsmost like a second instrument (or a slew of other instruments). His grooves have great hooks to them.
They also have a drummer and a bassist.
April 23, 2013
A-Z Challenge: Time
Time. I'm going to tackle this one from multiple angles.
For starters, I've been short on time lately. Work is busy. It's a good kind of busy, though, working for a growing company with a bunch of good people. But the work / life balance is difficult. You know how the old formula goes:
(work * (two kids + dog) / (wife - cost of living) = get back to work
The hours at the office limit my personal initiatives. I'm planning to run a half-marathon, but I'm only getting out and running once a week...a long run on the weekends. It hurts.
This A-Z challenge has certainly lived up to its name...but it's a challenge I've needed because I haven't been writing much else lately. I've been getting up early to make the time to post, but when you miss a weekend day, it's tough to catch up again.
Time is relative, though. I have a bit of jetlag today. I flew to California on Sunday, you see, and got to bed at 10:00 pm California time, which is 1:00 am Ohio time. Then I woke up at 7:30 am Ohio time, which is 4:45 am California time. I got caught up on work, had a great meeting, then flew home, a destination I reached at 11:00 pm California time, which is 2:00 am Ohio time. Then I got to work by 9:00 am Ohio time, whihc is 6:00am California time. So you get the point. My internal clock is a bit scrambled.
But if you do it right, you can manipulate and stretch time when you travel. I've flown to Chicago and arrived before I took off, thanks to a 55-minute flight to a destination 60 minutes behind.
One time I flew home from Germany on my birthday. October 10th lasted 30 hours that year. It might have been 31 hours, actually, because I touched ground in Chicago to change planes and then flew ahead to Ohio. You see, Dusseldorf is six hours ahead of Ohio, and I flew back chasing the sun..and winning.
And you run and you run to catch up with the sun, but it's sinking
Racing around, to come up behind you again
The sun is the same, in a relative way, but you're older
Shorter of breath, and one day closer to death...
- "Time" by Roger Waters / Pink Floyd
Dark Side of the Moon holds a Guinness World Record for being in the charts longer than any other album in history...591 consecutive weeks (a little over 11 years straight). It's a masterpiece, best listened to in whole, and rather loud.
"Time" stands out for it's blend of insightful lyrics, music (how many songs open with a cool drum solo?), and sound effects (thanks to Alan Parsons, who had once recorded every clock in a shop).
Roger Waters was pushing thirty when he wrote those lyrics. He had been playing with Pink Floyd for a decade, successful enough to make a living, but not yet a superstar.
Tired of lying in the sunshine, staying home to watch the rain.
You are young and life is long, and there is time to kill today
And then one day you find, ten years have got behind you
No one told you when to run. You missed the starting gun...
#
For starters, I've been short on time lately. Work is busy. It's a good kind of busy, though, working for a growing company with a bunch of good people. But the work / life balance is difficult. You know how the old formula goes:
(work * (two kids + dog) / (wife - cost of living) = get back to work
The hours at the office limit my personal initiatives. I'm planning to run a half-marathon, but I'm only getting out and running once a week...a long run on the weekends. It hurts.
This A-Z challenge has certainly lived up to its name...but it's a challenge I've needed because I haven't been writing much else lately. I've been getting up early to make the time to post, but when you miss a weekend day, it's tough to catch up again.
Time is relative, though. I have a bit of jetlag today. I flew to California on Sunday, you see, and got to bed at 10:00 pm California time, which is 1:00 am Ohio time. Then I woke up at 7:30 am Ohio time, which is 4:45 am California time. I got caught up on work, had a great meeting, then flew home, a destination I reached at 11:00 pm California time, which is 2:00 am Ohio time. Then I got to work by 9:00 am Ohio time, whihc is 6:00am California time. So you get the point. My internal clock is a bit scrambled.
But if you do it right, you can manipulate and stretch time when you travel. I've flown to Chicago and arrived before I took off, thanks to a 55-minute flight to a destination 60 minutes behind.
One time I flew home from Germany on my birthday. October 10th lasted 30 hours that year. It might have been 31 hours, actually, because I touched ground in Chicago to change planes and then flew ahead to Ohio. You see, Dusseldorf is six hours ahead of Ohio, and I flew back chasing the sun..and winning.
And you run and you run to catch up with the sun, but it's sinking
Racing around, to come up behind you again
The sun is the same, in a relative way, but you're older
Shorter of breath, and one day closer to death...
- "Time" by Roger Waters / Pink Floyd
Dark Side of the Moon holds a Guinness World Record for being in the charts longer than any other album in history...591 consecutive weeks (a little over 11 years straight). It's a masterpiece, best listened to in whole, and rather loud.
"Time" stands out for it's blend of insightful lyrics, music (how many songs open with a cool drum solo?), and sound effects (thanks to Alan Parsons, who had once recorded every clock in a shop).
Roger Waters was pushing thirty when he wrote those lyrics. He had been playing with Pink Floyd for a decade, successful enough to make a living, but not yet a superstar.
Tired of lying in the sunshine, staying home to watch the rain.
You are young and life is long, and there is time to kill today
And then one day you find, ten years have got behind you
No one told you when to run. You missed the starting gun...
#
April 22, 2013
A-Z Challenge: Rolling Stones
I'm still a letter behind, so I'm bending the rules and covering R and S in one shot today with the Rolling Stones. It may be against the rules, but it's also kind of clever, and let's be honest...the Stones are such a landmark in rock history that they deserve two letters.
I'm mostly amazed that they can still function at all, let alone put on a show and please a stadium full of people. I mean, Keith Richards went through the full embalming process at least a decade ago and Mick Jagger is so thin he looks like he hasn't eaten since 1985. Charlie Watts is pushing 150 years old, and Ron Wood makes Richards look healthy.
Still, they kick ass.
There's something to the Rolling Stones that is visceral and kinesthetic. (NOTE: please look those words up and make sure I used them correctly. Thanks.) The energy in their music is the driving force, more than the notes and chords or the lyrics. It resonates deeply across a wide range of listeners. Very few bands have been able to put out hit after hit that scored so strong, and even fewer (i.e. none) have been able to sustain that performance for 50+ years.
Long live rock and roll!
I'm mostly amazed that they can still function at all, let alone put on a show and please a stadium full of people. I mean, Keith Richards went through the full embalming process at least a decade ago and Mick Jagger is so thin he looks like he hasn't eaten since 1985. Charlie Watts is pushing 150 years old, and Ron Wood makes Richards look healthy.
Still, they kick ass.
There's something to the Rolling Stones that is visceral and kinesthetic. (NOTE: please look those words up and make sure I used them correctly. Thanks.) The energy in their music is the driving force, more than the notes and chords or the lyrics. It resonates deeply across a wide range of listeners. Very few bands have been able to put out hit after hit that scored so strong, and even fewer (i.e. none) have been able to sustain that performance for 50+ years.
Long live rock and roll!
April 21, 2013
A-Z Challenge: Queen
Sure, Queen may be a cliche band to use for the letter Q, but let's face it, our options are somewhat limited here. Besides, they were a talented band and their songs endure.
I saw this on Facebook a while back, and it's a great representation of the difference in talent we see from true artists and manufactured hits:
Freddy Mercury had a lot going for him. His voice, piano playing and composition, lyrics...It's been said that he had an opportunity to correct his overbite but he didn't because he thought it could put his vocal range at risk.
Freddie Mercury died of AIDS, and he hid his ailment for along time, finally admitting to it on his deathbed. Now I'm not sure if he was hiding the affliction and the stigma associated with the disease, or just his homosexuality in general, but a few months back I watched a Queen concert on cable, and by mid-way through it Freddie had stripped down to a pair of white Daisy Duke shorts, a red scarf, and a sailor's hat, and proceeded to prance around the stage as he sang. So if it's the latter, I am astounded at the state of denial the public (and / or Freddie) must have been in.
Don't get me wrong, I don't have any issues with him living his life the way he chose...it's just that he could have a a rainbow with the words "I'm Gay!" written across it tattooed across his chest and it would not have made the fact any more obvious.
And for the record, that concert was awesome. The drum solo included both the drum kit and a set of timpani, and the band cleared the stage for the operatic middle section of "Bohemian Rhapsody" and then came back on for the jam-out at the end. Not only were Queen awesome musicians and songwriters, but they really knew how to stage a show.
And Brian May holds a Ph.D. in astro-physics. So add wicked-smart to talented in his case.
Your move, Beyonce...
I saw this on Facebook a while back, and it's a great representation of the difference in talent we see from true artists and manufactured hits:
Freddy Mercury had a lot going for him. His voice, piano playing and composition, lyrics...It's been said that he had an opportunity to correct his overbite but he didn't because he thought it could put his vocal range at risk.
Freddie Mercury died of AIDS, and he hid his ailment for along time, finally admitting to it on his deathbed. Now I'm not sure if he was hiding the affliction and the stigma associated with the disease, or just his homosexuality in general, but a few months back I watched a Queen concert on cable, and by mid-way through it Freddie had stripped down to a pair of white Daisy Duke shorts, a red scarf, and a sailor's hat, and proceeded to prance around the stage as he sang. So if it's the latter, I am astounded at the state of denial the public (and / or Freddie) must have been in.
Don't get me wrong, I don't have any issues with him living his life the way he chose...it's just that he could have a a rainbow with the words "I'm Gay!" written across it tattooed across his chest and it would not have made the fact any more obvious.
And for the record, that concert was awesome. The drum solo included both the drum kit and a set of timpani, and the band cleared the stage for the operatic middle section of "Bohemian Rhapsody" and then came back on for the jam-out at the end. Not only were Queen awesome musicians and songwriters, but they really knew how to stage a show.
And Brian May holds a Ph.D. in astro-physics. So add wicked-smart to talented in his case.
Your move, Beyonce...
April 19, 2013
A-Z Challenge: Peter Gabriel
I've only seen Peter Gabriel in concert once (not counting the DVD of his Secret World Tour) and it ranks as one of the top 5 shows I have ever seen. The music was spot-on perfect. Not in a "Why didn't I just go home and listen to the CD" kind of way, but just...perfect.
Peter Gabriel is a musician and a showman. Thankfully, he ditched the flower costume:
Not that it didn't have it's place in rock history. It just reminds me of this:
But don't think that lessens my admiration for the man and his music. With Tony Levin as his resident bassist, and pulling in a range of other musicians and music influence from around the world, he is the consummate artist. He also has a voice that is instantly recognizable.
It's tough singling out a song, he has so many great ones, but I'm going for this version of "Steam" from the Secret World Tour. Check out Tony Levin's funk fingers...drumsticks that have been cut down and strapped to his fingers to give an extra percussive slap to a driving bass line:
Peter Gabriel is a musician and a showman. Thankfully, he ditched the flower costume:
Not that it didn't have it's place in rock history. It just reminds me of this:
But don't think that lessens my admiration for the man and his music. With Tony Levin as his resident bassist, and pulling in a range of other musicians and music influence from around the world, he is the consummate artist. He also has a voice that is instantly recognizable.
It's tough singling out a song, he has so many great ones, but I'm going for this version of "Steam" from the Secret World Tour. Check out Tony Levin's funk fingers...drumsticks that have been cut down and strapped to his fingers to give an extra percussive slap to a driving bass line:
April 18, 2013
A_Z Challenge: Ode to Joy
Do you have a desert island song?
You know...if you were stranded on a desert island and could only listen to one thing for the rest of your life, because most desert islands have iPods and chargers, but very little in the way of downloadable music options.
My desert island song is Beethoven's 9th symphony. Technically, Ode to Joy is just the 4th movement, and technically, if I could only pick one of the four movements, I'd pick the second, but I'm pressed for time (a letter behind in this little challenge) and the whole symphony is an untouchable masterpiece. It's got dynamics and power...it's the rock and roll of the classical world.
The 9th was Beethoven's last work, and he was completely deaf when he wrote it. If you've never heard it, check this video out. It's the second movement put to graphics that show how the melodies and harmonies come together through the many layers of instrumentation. It blows my mind.
And in case you still have time, here's the end of the fourth movement, Ode to Joy:
You know...if you were stranded on a desert island and could only listen to one thing for the rest of your life, because most desert islands have iPods and chargers, but very little in the way of downloadable music options.
My desert island song is Beethoven's 9th symphony. Technically, Ode to Joy is just the 4th movement, and technically, if I could only pick one of the four movements, I'd pick the second, but I'm pressed for time (a letter behind in this little challenge) and the whole symphony is an untouchable masterpiece. It's got dynamics and power...it's the rock and roll of the classical world.
The 9th was Beethoven's last work, and he was completely deaf when he wrote it. If you've never heard it, check this video out. It's the second movement put to graphics that show how the melodies and harmonies come together through the many layers of instrumentation. It blows my mind.
And in case you still have time, here's the end of the fourth movement, Ode to Joy:
