AFTER MEETING WITH THE 16 YEAR REUNION STAFF: NANCY TEXIDOR, STEVE NOEL, MONETTE MANNING MORGAN, CATHY COLLINS, ROBYN ROTHSTEIN, RAUL ARZOLA, DIANE SILBERSTEIN, SANDY SILBERSTEIN, DIANE DAVISSON AND THE FABULOUS SHELLY FOREMAN ARMSTRONG, I FIND SO MANY AMUSING THOUGHTS EMERGING FROM MY BRAIN. AT FIRST, I WASN'T SURE IF I WAS READY TO ALLOW MYSELF TO OPENLY REMINISCE ABOUT THE "OLD TIMES" WITHOUT DRIVING MY WIFE (AND MYSELF) TOTALLY BONKERS BUT NOW, I CAN'T SEEM TO THINK ABOUT ANYTHING ELSE. THIS IS FANTASTIC...... A CHANCE TO 14RITE ANOTHER M AND R GAZETTE .... AN OVERDUE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPELL ANGELIC AND DEMONIC MEMORIES FROM THE DEEPEST PARTS OF MY GRAY MATTER.... SCREW IT.... THIS IS A HAPPY TIME ... TIME TO LOOK BACK AND LAUGH AND CRY WITH OUR LONG LOST FRIENDS.... WHO KNOWS .... IT MAY BE 16 YEARS TILL WE SEE EACH OTHER AGAIN. I AM VERY HAPPY TO BE A PART OF THIS REUNION AS I WAS TO BE A PART OF "THE NEW GENERATION SINGERS"
WHEN I THINK BACK TO MY VERY FIRST EXPERIENCES WITH THE "N.G." WHAT COMES TO MIND IS THE MANNING SISTERS RECRUITING ME INTO SOME SORT OF CHOIR-LIKE SOCIAL GROUP WHO REHEARSED ON WEDNESDAY EVENINGS AT A MORMON CHURCH ON CENTINELA AVENUE. I THINK OF CHRISTMAS 1968, PARTIES, CAROLING, FUN. I THINK OF THE AWESOME REVERENCE WE ALL HAD FOR DON BLUTH AND THE UNINHIBITED LOVE WE HAD FOR ELLEN DAVIS. (NOT TO MENTION THE PURE TERROR WE HAD FOR FRED BLUTH) I REMEMBER MEETING OTHER KIDS FROM DIFFERENT HIGH SCHOOLS, MAKING NEW FRIENDS, MAKING PLANS, LETTING MY SCHOOLWORK SUFFER, DRIVING MY PARENTS CRAZY. I REMEMBER MEETING GREG McMURRY FOR THE FIRST TIME. I THOUGHT HE WAS SO FUNNY. THERE WE WERE IN THE MIDDLE OF A PERFORMANCE IN A MORMON CHAPEL SERVICE AND GREG, OVERCOME BY FATIGUE AND BORDOM FALLS ASLEEP RIGHT THERE. SNORING AND EVERYTHING. THAT IS WHAT ENDEARED HIM TO ME. I REMEMBER MY SISTER RECEIVING A PIE IN THE FACE AT A REHEARSAL. I REMEMBER THE UTAH TOUR, THE MEXICO TOUR, THE CATALINA TOUR AND THE SAN FRANCISCO TOUR. I REMEMBER SCOTT JACOBY'S HILARIOUS SENSE OF HUMOR, APRIL BUNTING'S HOUSE, JERRY BADEN'S SMILE, KAREN BLUEL'S SNEER, SUSAN GOLDMAN'S HONK, LESLIE SCHULMAN'S BODY. I FONDLY REMEMBER JUDIE THOMAS'PRESENCE WITH GREAT JOY. HER SONGS, HER ARRANGEMENTS HER DEDICATION. I EVEN REMEMBER ROCKET RODEN'S JOKES, CAMERON MacDONALDS TENOR VOICE, CATHY COLLINS' GROUP SPIRIT. I REMEMBER HENRY HELLER ... NOT JUST BECAUSE HE AND I GREW-UP TOGETHER BUT BECAUSE OF HIS TIRELESS ENERGY AND LOVE FOR THE TECHNICAL SIDE OF THE "N.G". I REMEMBER RICHARD BLUEL, RAY NOVAL, HORT AND MELON, JOHN BREUCKNER, SANDY SANSON, PAUL BURDINE AND JIM HOLLY. I'LL NEVER FORGET RUSTY HAFT'S DRUMS, CURTIS STEELE'S CAR CRASH, ROGER McKAY'S CAMERA, DAVID McKAYS CUP OF COFFEE, DAVID WERTHEIMER's EGO, CHRIS ZERMENO'S FRIENDLY DEMEANOR, CARLA ANDERSON'S WHEAT GERM. LEST I FORGET SUE FINK'S VOWELS, MARLENE MARCUS' DEEP VOICE, PAM BROWN'S SEXINESS, DRIVER DAN, KENNY HERRMAN'S WHISTLE. I'M REALLY STARTING TO ENJOY THIS .... I COULD GO ON FOREVER BUT THERE'S MORE FUN-FILLED PAGES IN THIS SPECIAL ANNIVERSARY EDITION OF THE M AND R GAZETTE.
I HOPE YOU ALL ENJOYED THIS TRIP DOWN 'MEMORY LANE WITH ME AND I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU AT THIS VERY SPECIAL PARTY. ANYWAY .... READ ON, HAVE FUN, BE HAPPY, AND KEEP ON SINGING.
RICK