Archive:  February 2004

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Hey everybody. We hope that this new Dog Tales finds you healthy and happy.

A number of years ago, we played a wedding reception for TJ and Cathy. I wish that I could spell or pronounce their last name but I can't. It's one of those Polish names with 57 consonants and one vowel. Like my last name is a day at the beach. Anyway, TJ has since been sent to Iraq with his Army Reserve Unit. It turns out that a fellow in his outfit is the brother of none other than Bill Moseman, longtime bar manager at The Parting Glass. Bill's mom recently sent a few of the guys Hair Of The Dog t-shirts. The soldiers sent home photos of themselves sitting on a captured tank wearing the HOTD shirts. How cool is that? These are America's finest and bravest. Thanks guys!!!! We owe you all a pint when you get home.
Photo:  TJ and Cathy's wedding
Photo:  Soldiers in HOTD shirts

Hair Of The Dog recently played a benefit for Albany, NY police Lt. John Finn. Lt. Finn was critically injured a few days before Christmas while pursuing an armed criminal. Along with The Albany Police Pipe Band and many generous local businesses, we were able to raise over $15,000. Sadly, Lt. Finn passed away several days after the benefit. He leaves behind a wife and two daughters. A brave man who was well liked by all who knew him. The next time you are tempted to complain about a cop giving you a ticket, remember that like soldiers, they risk their lives to protect us. Sometimes they pay the ultimate price.

Project Children is a non-profit organization that raises money to benefit needy children in Northern Ireland. Last year, Project Children's Mary Beth McDonough approached me about donating one of our songs to be used on a Celtic compilation CD. I said yes. All of the profits from the CD will go directly to Project Children. The response from other musicians was tremendous. The other artists include: Mary Black, U2, James Taylor, The Chieftains, Altan, Carly Simon, Janis Ian and Mindy Jostyn. The disc will be available at all Hair Of The Dog shows.

At a recent Eamonn's show, I heard an interesting story from a fellow named Tom Flynn. Tom (whose two beautiful daughters work part time at Eamonn's) told me about a friend of his who recently took a coach tour of Ireland. Early in the week, the Irish bus driver/guide played an Irish music CD that the passengers really liked. Tom's friend asked the driver what the name of this great group was. After being informed that it was Hair Of The Dog, she set out to find this "exotic new Celtic sound" throughout her travels. After scouring the Irish countryside for the rest of the week, she pleaded with the driver to sell her the CD. It seems that not one store in all of Ireland had any Hair Of The Dog CDs. How could this be? (Actually they are available at Blarney Woolen Mills.) The driver would not part with the disc (something about it being one of his favorites), but he told her that the group was in fact American. His exact words were "They are from Delmar, New York." To which she replied "So am I!" She could have walked several blocks from her house and gotten our CD at Coconuts.

Many people have complained that my movie reviews are now hard to find because there are so many of them clumped together. I stopped writing new reviews in May of 2003. The page now consists of every review in alphabetical order. It was a great outlet for me and I miss it. I hope to review films again but for now I'm just too busy with Hair Of The Dog and The McKrells. As much as I like to buy my favorite DVDs and watch them at home, there's still nothing like seeing a new release (or a classic for that matter) on a huge theater screen. We are very lucky to have so many screens in this area. God bless The Spectrum Theater for bringing countless quality non-mainstream films to the Albany area. And their popcorn rocks my world. Plus they actually have competent, friendly employees. What a concept.

Work on the Mike DeAngelis solo CD continues. Stay tuned...................

Hair Of The Dog recently lost two dear friends. Bill Dooley was a big teddy bear of a guy. A cop with a heart of gold. I will never forget listening to him sing with us last year in Killarney. Kevin Shea was the athletic all-American high school heartthrob who became the Elsmere Fire Department Chief. I can still see him with that oversized spatula in his hand flipping the best Italian sausage you've ever had. We loved you guys. We'll never forget you.

Thanks for listening. We love you too.

Rick Bedrosian

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