Start Me Up

I go to the gym every day. I hate it. But I’m happy when I’m done.

Since my knees have curtailed my running practice I’m all about the  elliptical.

Lately I’ve been listening to Work-Out 70s, 80s, 90s playlists. As long as I can match my stride with a tempo, alternating double-time (less resistance) with straight-time (more resistance) it keeps me moving. Sweating. Feeling less guilty about the pasta.

But those playlists are getting redundant. Segue to …

The Stones’ Foreign Tongues dropped this morning. As I tap this, I haven’t heard it yet.

It’ll be easier to go to the gym today. With an entire album – not just a track, or a single, or an EP – to look forward to. A journey.

I’m not an aficionado on the Stones by any stretch of the imagination. A fan? I mean. “Angie,” “Wild Horses,” “Just My Imagination,” Duh.

A number of years ago our friends Aileen and Brian texted … The Stones were playing at Staples that night and a slew of tix has just been released for standing room. I’m not a fan of standing at a concert but what the hell. Everyone would be standing anyway, right? Let’s go.

Our eyes bugged when we saw the line of ticket holders for those standing room seats. Aileen and Brian said not to fear. They were “experts at skipping lines.” What? How?

Adam and I are are rule followers. Well, mostly. But that line was insane. We wanted in. And we wanted a favorable place to stand. Aileen and Brian –  obviously they had done this before – instructed us to just follow them, and not to look anyone in the eye.

We did as they said. They didn’t bat an eyelash. In we walked without any problem. How on earth?

Brian, a master, led us up to the mezzanine where he scanned the area. A makeshift row of extra seating had been placed in the very front of the section. Brain approached a man sitting in a group of four chairs. His Spidey sense told him he didn’t have a ticket for that seat and before Brian even said anything, the man, seeing Brian approach, apologized and scurried off. 😳

Omg. He wasn’t doing anything we weren’t doing.

Needless to say, Adam and I were UNCOMFORTABLE. Also, we assumed whoever had tickets for these seats would arrive at some point, and we’d be mortified. (Had we been teenagers – not so much.) But we we were committed to surrendering to Brian and Aileen’s scheme. Brian said if somebody came, we’d just move. Easy. 😳 For them!

Miraculously, nobody ever came. By the time “Satisfaction” kicked in my guilt simply vanished. We were witnessing Rock and Roll at its finest. Mick strutting. Keith shredding. It was an electrifying show and since that night, my appetite for the Stones has remained quite robust.

Last week, I was taking the curves on Mulholland, top down, beautiful LA day, listening to my celebrity hall pass, John Mayer (on his Sirius channel) intro the new Stones single, “In The Stars.” I was kinda like, Uh oh. It’s gonna be bad. Because, idk… they’re 80? Can they still?

They can. What a yummy hook. The “ooohs” alone. Although, ok reminiscent – mainly (for me) of the Romantics infectious 80’s ditty  “Talking in Your Sleep.” It’s a no-fail vibe. (I loved that song too.)

I pre-saved the album.

It dropped today.

Valuable real estate (on virtual vinyl) was given to a cover of Amy Winehouse’s “You Know I’m No Good.” I heard a clip on KCRW this morning. Impressive.

And so, as soon as I post this, I’m off to the gym.

I can’t help but reminisce about that adventure with Aileen and Brian. No regrets.

Where are my sneakers? Start me up.

And now, for a little AI….

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