I used to imagine the Rebel Richard Bush sang about.  The young boy that left home with nothing but heart and came home a man.  The opening open guitar chords would always give my solace thinking that rebel was worthwhile.  Later the guitar work was simple and perfect, the keyboards seemed so ready for the 80's yet smooth and perfectly selected for production value.  The whole song had heart.   When Bush would belt out his passionate verse... "So be kind when he approaches.... cus that Rebel could be me!" at the end of the song you really knew he meant it, and you got the idea he really wanted that girl to take him to heart.  I hope she did.  Richard if you are reading this... you were a way cool guy I looked up to.  I hope life has treated you fair.  Your music still lives with a lot of us.   If you'd like to learn a bit more about on of my favorite bands The A's, read here.

When The Rebel Comes Home

He’s a refugee from the highway

Out there fighting for years

Whether for God or glory

He’s been traveling through his tears

He always feels like the next step

Will surely set him free

So be kind when he approaches.... cus that rebel could be me!

Doesn’t know the roads been dying

Dying for so many years

He’s been traveling in darkness

He’s been traveling in fear

He left long ago as a young boy

Left the young boy in him behind

Now his reasons for leaving

Are just a little hard to find

When the rebel comes home,

Please don’t leave him alone no no!

Let him rest his head on his shoulder

You can't insult this ...   more »

This is a true story.  The year was 1989.   It was summer.  I owned a small boat, a fifteen footer.  It was small runabout with a 65 horsepower engine and it wasn't always reliable but I was happy it worked the times I put her in.   I always enjoyed using it for freshwater pond fishing but it was a fiberglass tri-hull suitable for ocean or bay fishing. 

I named my boat the Malaise after a car in the Speed Racer storyline.  The Malaise (Ma Lahz) was also known as the X-3 and it was a car that when it showed up, other cars crashed, like a bad omen.  And I remember some bad luck with my boat so I thought the name was appropriate.  Not until this moment did I realize what it also meant as I pen this story.

My best friend from high-school Keith Wright and his friend Earl Parsons were with me this day.  Keith and I had been toying with the idea of forming a band.  That time had no yet come, but we were good friends that did a lot of fishing together and we went as far as to buy motorcycles so we could pal around and do day trips on them.

I had begun to use my boat to meet girls and I'd float around a lot on my own too.  It was a great time in my life.  I didn't realize it so much at the time. I recall using my boat a lot on the upper Chesapeake.  I'd put in at the Perryville Fish market which is now gone and replaced by condo's.  Kinda sad I thought when I saw it happen one summer.   No more easy access to the Susquehanna flats and no more playing volleyball ...   more »