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They Call Me “Mr. Gadget”
I
like the classic film “They Call Me Mr. Tibbs” and when I wrote this article, I thought I would borrow the title. Except this time, it is more about being “gadget-minded” and not one of “respect” as the Sidney Poitier film  stressed in the racially changing late ’60s–early ’70s. In case you are unfamiliar with the film, it was the sequel to “In The Heat Of The Night” where Mr. Poitier created his defining Detective Virgil Tibbs character.
Well, I finally purchased a new computer and I can hear the applause of my online editor, my publicist and my friends as I say that. Call me “old school” if you will and I admit, I probably had one of the oldest personal computers in the world. I bought it back in 1999 as a Christmas gift for my wife Linda. Prince could have included it in his hit song it was so old. To make matters worse, I had Windows 98 as the running word processor program. I would say it wasn’t just old, it was ancient—a modern-day relic for sure.
I can hear all the teens and “computer junkies” laughing their “you-know-whats” off but it did a fairly good job until last year. You know, “if it ain’t broke” slogan? Well, that is one of the old school mottos I live by and when my computer “broke,” it nose-dived. Try writing a column with no computer nowadays. My PR guy, George Dassinger pitched in, as he always does, and we were able to make our deadlines by using a fax. I wrote the whole column long-hand. Now, if that isn’t “old school,” I don’t know what is. Times have changed though, as I intend to upgrade every chance I get.
So, I stepped into the 21st century and man, I am glad I did. I admit I am not the computer whiz some of my friends are, like Robert LeBlanc (our newest Imperial). It was Robert and George Dassinger that introduced me to “Ultimate Ears” listening devices (backstage at Madison Square Garden). I’ll talk more about that marvelous device in my next column. I can’t wait to use it live in concert. I will be able to hear myself—amazing.
Back to my new computer—I have been learning a lot over the last two years and my old computer, through trial-and-error (and coaching from family and friends) was fading slowly but surely. Linda had a way with it and she coached  me too, but it drew its last megabyte right before the holidays. So, we headed to the Las Vegas Best Buy, and man it was embarrassing—especially when they saw I was using Windows 98 still.
The Best Buy sales people smiled a lot but they knew who I was (and my age). They were so considerate. They gave me some on-site schooling, suggested a computer (and programs I could manage fairly easily) and then, sent me and Linda home with our newfound family edition PC. I am proud to report I have now stepped with both feet into the 21st century. I have a modern PC and Windows 7 and this column is my first utilizing its speed, process ability and spell check. I can write my column even faster. Look out online world, here I come. Just call me “Mr. Gadget 2010”—and if you believe that there is a bridge in Brooklyn I am considering on selling.
Massachusetts Upended It Y’all
I’m feeling a little sigh of relief now that Mr. Scott Brown was elected to fill in the seat vacated by the death of Teddy Kennedy. Mr. Brown’s election in Massachusetts was unexpected and it put the brakes on a health care plan most Americans are not in favor of. Let me clarify that comment: we all know that we need to have our health care program revised but the one planned, isn’t the answer. It was a monster of plan conceived by President Obama and our Congress and it was filled with “pork and special options.”
 The Presidential and Congressional push was one front and with a Democrat moving into Ted Kennedy’s seat, it was a going to fly no problem. Oops. In all the years I have been voting since I was 18, I have never experienced anything like our current Congress. To me, it proved outright that absolute power does corrupt absolutely and this plan was more of national nightmare than an answer to America’s health-related dilemma.
Thank you people of Massachusetts for taking a stand and stopping the proposed health plan dead in its tracks. I thought Massachusetts would be the last state to stop this runaway train. By electing Mr. Brown, a Republican, into office, the equation changed.
Don’t get me wrong President Obama, but the message is loud and clear. Thomas Jefferson once said that a people who fear its own government is “tyranny.” On the other hand, a government that fears its people is “freedom” (plain and simple). President Obama you have to adjust to the people and if you shift toward the center, I believe you will not only re-energize a new health plan, but gain a re-election as well. The handwriting is on the wall or even more obvious today, “it is on Facebook.”
You Gotta Call Terrorists For What They Are
Mr. President why are we giving our Constitutional rights to those who want to crumple our way of life? They will do everything possible to blow up a plane, buildings, barracks, embassy offices and if possible, our way of life. Why are we giving those determined to destroy us any rights at all? Did the bomber “on Christmas Day” care about the 275 men, women and children onboard that flight? He is an enemy combatant whose sole purpose was to kill, destroy and terrorize “Americans” at one of our holiest times of the year. Does he deserve to have Miranda rights? Those rights were a direct result of so many Americans giving their lives—some taken by acts of terrorism. It’s unbalanced.
You gotta call terrorists for what they are—not for what we would like to convert them to. They have no regard for people, property, rights, (other) religions, common decency, fairness, civilians, houses of worship, women, society…the list goes on and on.
 I don’t want to jump on a soapbox Mr. President, but treating an enemy humanely is one thing, but giving him “American citizen rights” that is going too far. You have to call them for what they are and the accused is a prisoner of war, plain and simple. You announced it that we are “at war.” Civil courts should then be by-passed in cases of war-related terrorist acts. Turn the prisoner and their contacts over to the military. You can’t have it both ways—it’s “an international war” yet we are treating terrorists as “living-in-the-’burbs break-ins.” It is more than “a crime on the street”—that is undeniable.
America was built and created on the rights of the individual—its citizens. It is a part of our DNA—you are either “for us or against us.” There really is no middle ground here especially when you are at war. No matter what you have learned or have been swayed by, rights are inherited not given away. If you adjust, you will be able to govern our country and organize our society as it progresses and thrives in the new millennium. Listen to the “national community” and it is a government by the people and for the people. Mr. President, govern with American beliefs and truths in mind and funnel your ideology where the court of public opinion matters not.
Fighting a foreign ideology with an American ideology is a “fool’s game.” We have to fight an alien ideology with truth, justice and the American way Mr. President. Even Superman knows that. The truth is we are at war and the war is with terrorists. Sure you can point a finger at a Timothy McVey. The current enemy though is ideologically determined to catapult us back to the dark ages. They say, “All infidels must die” and show no mercy whatsoever. You have to call them for what they are. Giving terrorists rights contradicts our way of life. We now live in hard times Mr. President and the terrorist organizations have pledged to annihilate us. That is the truth. This is heavy on my heart Mr. President and I know there are lots of Americans who feel the same.
Las Vegas Hilton—April 30th
The last column I did, I mentioned we had another concert for April, well Little Anthony & The Imperials are going to be at the Hilton in (hometown) Las Vegas on Friday, April 30th. This concert is so important to me I can’t begin to tell. Streisand, Peggy Lee, our friend Elvis, Liberace even performed at the LV Hilton exclusively. Clarence and I, back in the day, would visit Elvis when he was in town. The Hilton, man, is one of the biggest dates of our career. True. To appear where the “greats performed,” man, is a show that is a “Hall Of Fame honor” in itself. Call it a “peer thing” if you want, but for the guys and me, performing at Las Vegas Hilton, it is everything we dreamed about.
 The Hilton concert room holds 1600 people and it is a prestige performance for me and The Imperials. Trivia: Did you know that when you watch “Diamonds Are Forever” with 007 Sean Connery and Jill St. John, the casino scenes were all shot in the Hilton? It is a prestige performance for me and The Imperials. I love a venue with history—don’t you?
The LV Hilton is an amazing facility and for Little Anthony & The Imperials to perform there is an honor, This show is something special. We’re in rehearsals now and I think we’re gonna bring in strings like on the Letterman show. It’s expensive to recreate exactly a LA&TIs classic but for the LV Hilton show, we want to wow everybody.
In the next vegascommunity.com online column, I am going to interview Mr. Rick White. Mr. White is the entertainment manager responsible to booking us on April 30th. I thought it might be interesting to talk to him about the history of the LV Hilton and what other talent he has planned for the LV Hilton for 2010. Rick, in my opinion, is maintaining LV Hilton’s legendary entertainment stature and that could be one of the most demanding jobs in Vegas today.
Tickets to the LV Hilton April 30th show are available—contact the Las Vegas Hilton (3000 S. Paradise)—800-222-5361 for tickets or click here to buy tickets online.
Observer Music Monthly LA&TIs Career Photo
If you click on the Observer Music Monthly (UK magazine) site (posted on Jan. 24th), you will notice the magazine is featuring a series of new photos devoted to “American Legends” (and LA&TIs were included just in the nick of time). This is the photo we did in New York in a subway station hours before we went to Madison Square Garden for the 25th Anniversary Rock HOF concert (back in late October).
We were jammed with concert dates and if we didn’t do the photo in New York City, we would have lost the opportunity to appear with the likes of Jerry Lee Lewis, Chuck Berry, Little Richard, Ornette Coleman, Buddy Guy, Les Paul, Smokey Robinson and one of my personal legends, Jimmy Scott. There are more “Legend photos” and they are brilliantly photographed. I wanted to thank everyone involved for helping us shoot our “Legends” shot. It was a blast to go down to the subway, chronicle our old rehearsal space and sing there again over 50 years later.
A lot of people passed us during the shoot and I wondered if they even knew who we were that morning in October. The shoot was one of those career aspects that went full circle for us. We started in the New York City subways as teens. It was our rehearsal space. We were back there again for this shoot. Things are oh so much more problematical now and a LA&TIs would need permits to “rehearse” (if you could even get one). They say you can’t go back home again well, the Observer Music Monthly opened a time portal for Little Anthony & The Imperials and we stepped back in.
It was cool to re-visit the subway echoes, organic harmony and MTA-tiled reverb. The “Legends” photo allowed us to re-visit a scene from Little Anthony & The Imperials’ heritage and re-create it one more time. Thank you Observer magazine, this is a photo we will always love and cherish. You could call it “a career photo”—we do. Thanks again.
On The Road Again 2010 And I Love It
After a disastrous close to 2009 concert season, we are getting more 2010 concert dates and I have to attribute it to our glorious induction into the Rock HOF and the HBO broadcast of the 25th Anniversary of the Rock HOF concert. Those two career-defining events and the Letterman performance more than put us on the 2010 concert radar screen; it elevated our history and created an interest in audiences who were not even born when we recorded back in the day. I love it and I know, when I speak for the group, we are so appreciative.
Here are some upcoming concerts:
February
14 Meyerhoff Symphony Hall Baltimore, MD
(V4V Concert—Valentines for Veterans Concert)*
March
13 Trump Plaza Hotel & Casino Atlantic City, NJ
26 Eisenhower Hall Theatre West Point, NY
27 Quicken Loans Arena Cleveland, OH
*Valentines for Veterans Concerts (V4V) is a yearly concert series honoring Veteran Patients (and their families) on Valentines Day. It is a free concert series that has grown annually in number and Little Anthony & The Imperials are the founding group of this VA initiative. The Baltimore concert and 10 other concerts around the country are scheduled for 2010.
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