New Lowen & Navarro Video for Augie’s Quest

Friends, I've popped out of the writing cave to make you aware of a powerful new song and video by Lowen & Navarro that is up on www.whatkindofworlddoyouwant.com

My wife has known Eric for over 20 years and I'm sure many of you are fans.

The video speaks for itself...

http://www.whatkindofworlddoyouwant.com/videos/view/id/884613

J.

1:31 AM - 7 Comments - 16 Kudos - Add Comment

Resolutionary Regards

Happy New Year Friends

May 08 bring you good health and many moments of joy.

John

11:15 AM - 23 Comments - 36 Kudos - Add Comment

Email of the Week- 12/30

John- Thought you might find this interesting. I sang your song in a talent show with my daughter...

The Riddle

The Riddle Background

Tim Dahms
Key West, FL

11:19 AM - 8 Comments - 16 Kudos - Add Comment

Email of the week- 11/25

I want to personally thank you for the idea of issuing CD's to
troops that are deployed.


I am a wife of a soldier with the 1/325 AIR, out of Ft Bragg, NC.
He has just returned on November 3rd from a deployment to Iraq.
Having been with the 82nd Airborne Division for the past 9 years,
my husband SSG Darron Riggs has been deployed more times than I
would like to remember. Not only has he gone to Iraq three times,
but also Kosovo, and Afghanistan. The deployments have gotten
longer and harder and the feelings about another deployment just
make me sick. I am blessed that he will be home for Thanksgiving
and Christmas this year. I was one lucky wife to be able to greet
my husband when his plane landed and he was alive.


I now take everyday that I can with him as a bonus and realize
that many people do not realize how hard it is. My children, who
are 14 and 11 seem to understand how lives can change in one
minute and they also feel that the soldiers need to be recognized.


I find it great that you have put together a CD for the troops who
are deployed. They love to see that people still support them and
know that they are over their risking their lives for freedom. I
am sitting here typing this to you and tears fall down from my
eyes because all you hear now a days is the negative that people
feel for the military and what they are fighting for. Forget the
politics and remember that these soldiers are human beings, who
are loved, missed and are brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles,
mothers, fathers, grandparents, sons, daughters to people who love
them!


I just want to personally thank you for the support that you are
giving our troops. It is well appreciated.


Thank you,


Kim Riggs

Proud wife of SSG Darron W. Riggs

1/325 AIR

82nd Airborne

Ft. Bragg, NC.

11:03 PM - 4 Comments - 10 Kudos - Add Comment

CD For The Troops

Friends,

I'd like to let you know about a project exclusively for our Troops
and their families. The CD for the Troops is a compilation of songs
to be given FREE to our military and their families this holiday
season. We have amazing artists who have given me some of their most
popular songs for this effort. Check it out!


Billy Joel " Scenes From An Italian Restaurant"
Brooks & Dunn "Keep On Swingin"
The Fray "How to Save A Life." (Acoustic)
Gary Sinise & LT Dan Band "Sweet Home Chicago"
Goo Goo Dolls "Feel The Silence" (remix)
Jewel "Hands"
Josh Groban "February Song"
Los Lonely Boys "Heaven"
Melissa Etheridge "Come To My Window"
Montgomery Gentry "My Town"
Neville Brothers "Brothers"
Sarah McLachlan "Wintersong"

I've contributed "100 Years"

If you have a valid military ID go to AAFES.COM to get your free
downloads of these songs. If you have a family member or know one of
our 2.4 million active military personel, please let them know of
this gesture.

I'm proud that the music community and these artists have come
together to simply thank our troops and their families through song.

We will also be manufacturing 200,000 hard copies for our fighting
men and women in Iraq and Afganistan as well as military hospitals
and Fisher houses.

On a personal note I would like to send my thanks, love and support
to our all our troops, veterans, and their families who's sacrifice insures my
liberty, and that of my children and future generations.

There would be no songs of consequence without soldiers.

We Love You.

John

www.cdforthetroops.com

8:50 AM - 22 Comments - 43 Kudos - Add Comment

New and Improved WHATKINDOFWORLDDOYOUWANT.COM

Friends,

I'm excited to announce the re-launch of whatkindofworlddoyouwant.com. Though we've never frankly "gone away", the model has been changed to facilitate the raising of more dollars for our great charities. In the past money was raised when a viewer clicked on a sponsor's video attached to the end of videos you made and uploaded. Now we receive donations up front so every viewing secures 1 dollar to your charity of choice up to the donated amount less expenses. Know that over 95% of money donated goes directly to our causes! You can see exactly how it works in our…well… "How it works" link. It has been amazing to see the powerful clips and comments you have generated in watching and contributing videos. We've had a substantial numbers of views to date and the site is only in its infancy

I've added 2 great charities to go with Autism Speaks, The Fisher House and Save the Children. These are the USO, which has been providing me with the honor of entertaining our troops world wide, and Augie's Quest, an organization redefining fundraising and research in the drive to cure ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease). Augie Nieto has become a friend and a mentor and I urge you to watch the video we made with the MDA.

This site is about awareness, ideas, creativity, and good will.
In this holiday season I would be honored if our charity could be part of your year-end giving. No gift is too small, and every donation is tax-deductible.

Most importantly, continue to make and watch the videos on the site. I close every day with a visit to whatkindofworlddoyouwant.com. It makes my life better. I thank you for that.

John.

12:52 AM - 4 Comments - 10 Kudos - Add Comment

Email of the Week - Updated 10/4/07

Hi everyone, we want to start sharing, what we call, the email of the week.  The email for the week of 10/4 is posted below.  Enjoy!

John,

I stumbled upon your column while avoiding the work that my employers say they pay me to do. This particular column was the recent one with the "list-ical" look at sports. The last entry was what quasi-sport should be brought back. Roller Derby.

I wanted to let you in on a secret: it's back and it's international. Derby is also a full fledged sport as well. No more of the "WWF" style fake bouts. These are real athletes giving their blood, sweat and tears for a sport they love.

Check out the WFDTA, the Women's Flat Track Derby Association, and Lead Jammer, the main news outlet for Derby fans. I am guessing it is much bigger than you think. If you are in the Grand Rapids area (yeah, right) email me and I'll take you to meet the league I referee for.

Cheers

_________________________
Jake Jacobs

12:21 AM - 3 Comments - 3 Kudos - Add Comment

On Music & Sports

Friends,

SI.COM asked me to write a 500 word essay on Music and Sports. What I ended up with is posted below. As you can see the subject matter brought out a bit more than I might have imagined. Thanks to my editor the 5000 words piece I ended up with will be broken up into a few articles for Sports Illustrated's series over the next month or so...

Here's the first one...

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/writers/music_sports/09/27/john.ondrasik/index.html

And here's the entire paper...

I look forward to your thoughts...


On Music & Sports - Ondrasik

I once wrote a song called "Michael Jordan". In the lyric, I describe a laundry list of items that "I would give to be you". The "you" being Michael J. The first verse has me offering mundane items; my hat, my books, remote, and a trip to the zoo. The 2nd verse finds me throwing down the job, my cash, my car, and the requisite house on the hill. Finally, the tune terminates with the sacrifice of my wife, a first born or two, with the knife, to become my God, "my Mike"…The recording itself is a swing at a high fastball but I can still take the point a decade later. The deification of the athlete is a cultural phenomenon that has been building over generations - a communion that is currently crashing down on our cap wearing heads. Crashing down like a Todd Bertuzi two hander to the skull.

Why is there a connection between music and sports? Is it that both mediums provide a needed escape from mans daily drudgery? Are the songs and games arenas that inspire and educate about ability's of the human heart? Is it immaturity that we must find others to vicariously live through to fulfill our competitive nature? Is it baser than that? Pro Athletes and Rock Stars have what appeals to testosterone in men young and old. The time-tried trappings of celebrity: Fame, Fortune, and Potential for Sex with women who'd otherwise not acknowledge our existence as primates. Are we swimming in shallow pools or is the perfect song set against the perfect performance an avenue to God?

I've always been somewhat obsessed with sports…as a passionate fan, and as a student of the social psychology surrounding the games. For the record, celebrities, be they singing, flinging, shooting, scoring, whoring, or paroling, are role models, it's implied.

I named my band Five For Fighting after a Marty McSorley, Bob Probert scrap. Upon entering the recording studio after a L.A. King home game I was confronted by the President of EMI records. I was told that the male singer songwriter was deceased and to come up with a band name, pronto. This was the day of boy bands, Lilith Fair, and grunge - "John Ondrasik" would not do. After my first suggestion "Marketing Ploy" hit the wall I threw out "Five For Fighting". It's been a blessing and a curse. FFF is hard to pronounce. There is no "band" frankly. And Five For Fighting does not, up front, reflect the color of my music. Still, the name becomes more appropriate daily. The music business is a straight right to the eye socket and I spent twelve years in the box.

I've been fortunate to play on Monday Night Football, ESPN Sports Center, and the SI Sportsman of the year Awards. I played the 2001 NHL All Star-game and opened the Daytona 500. My music has been used in World Series, Olympics, and Hall of Fame Retirement ceremonies. This is good for my esteem and I usually pretend it's no big deal. Honestly, it makes me giddy. With all this, nothing topped John Buccigross's "John Ondrasik is to Five For Fighting as Dominic Hasek is to the Detroit Redwings" years ago on NHL Tonight. It was my first mention on any show I actually watched. I fell off the couch.

There are good songs and music surrounding sports. Some that come to mind are Fogerty's "Centerfield", The Theme to Brian's Song, and Queen's "We are the Champions". I still remember the Pirates theme "We are family" though according to some websites I was not yet born. I've written a few songs about sports…Michael Jordon, Keep on Swinging (with Brooks & Dunn), and a father/son baseball song called "The Best".

As a huge King Fan, I caught Gretzky fever and decided to teach myself to skate. I joined an adult Hockey League at Iceoplex in the Valley with my friend Bo. Iceoplex was co-owned by now King President Luc Robetaille. Though I sucked, I scored a goal in my first game. I was checked into the crease and some wise-ass shot a puck off my helmet into the net. I got a point and Bo got into a fight.

The older I get, the less passion I have for particular teams. Still, I crave the escape that is sports. Though I'm not as big a Dodger or Laker Fan as I was decades past, I now yearn and appreciate each Vin Scully syllable, and greatly miss Chick Hearn. I find new joy in taking my children to UCLA football games with their Grandfather, the man who carried me on his shoulders to Bruin clashes back in the day. I am disgusted and angered by the arrogance and thugary of many Superstars. I don't want my son to grow up to be Barry Bonds, Mark McGuire, Michael Vic, Pete Rose, or Ron Artest. I also don't want my daughter to grow up to be Brittany Spears, Lindsay Lohan, or Courtney Love. Sports and Music have a lot in common when it comes to false idols and Demigods.

When I went to Gitmo with the USO I interviewed soldiers about hockey for SI.COM. The best thing about sports (and sometimes music) is that sports by nature bring with it a common bond, an open door, and a chunk of home. I got a new sense of home singing for 50 National Guardsmen in the shadows of Camp Delta (where the U.S. Government detains Al Qaeda and Taliban terrorists). It turns out the CO at GITMO was a huge Bruin fan and plays in-line under a 90 degree Cuban sun. Most everyone I spoke with had a favorite team and a story. The marines like the fighters. The Cubans don't like 4th of July in GITMO.

Who I like – David Robinson, Charles Barkley, Jerry West, Hank Aaron, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Jerry Rice, Ronnie Lott, Payton Manning, Derrick Fisher, Mike Scioscia, David Eckstien, Vlad Guerrero, Steve Nash, Barry Sanders, Pat Tillman, Carl Edwards, Tony Stewart, Carl Lewis's National Anthem attempt, Kenny Smith, Jamal Wilkes, Kurt Rambis, Aaron Affalo, A.C. Green, Andre Agassi, Tiger Woods, John Stockton, Rick Monday, Oral Hershiser, Karch Kari, Steffi Graf, Pete Sampras, Brandi Chastain, Mia Ham, and most every player in the National Hockey League

Who I most admire in sports: John Wooden

Most annoying and embarrassing sportsman: Diving Soccer players

Most annoying and embarrassing sports trend: Pro Athletes who rap.

Worst thing about Sports: Performance enhancing Drugs

Sport that broke my heart: Cycling-The Tour de France

Sport that saves my heart: Little League Baseball

Sport in most need of radical marketing change: Hockey

Sports going backwards: Pro Basketball, Pro Baseball, Tennis, and Olympics

Sports going forwards: Collage Basketball, Collage Football, and Golf

Sports on the bubble: NFL, NASCAR

Sports that are irrelevant: Soccer, Boxing, Track & Field (to my regret)

Sports that are no longer sports: Cycling,

Sports I don't want my son to watch, Men's Soccer, Cycling, Ultimate Fighting

Cool underground sports: surfing, volleyball, Archery, water polo,

Leisure class sports: skiing, tennis, golf, and horseback riding

A Sport I do not get: cricket

A quasi sport they should bring back: roller derby

Not a sport: Poker

Favorite Sporting Event I've attended: 1995 Final Four UCLA Championship in Seattle

Most Exciting Sporting Event I've attended: Game 6 of the 2002 World Series – Angels/Giants

Most Depressing Sports Event I've attended: Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Finals 1993 L.A. Kings – Montreal Canadians

Events I'd yet like to attend: US Open (the Tennis one), the championship game of a 4-team collage football playoff, A L.A. King Stanley Cup clincher. (I know)

Sport with the best athletes: Basketball

Toughest Sport: Olympic wrestling

Sport with hottest groupies: not hockey

A good day in Sports: any day UCLA beats USC

The best game that is not a sport: chess

Best Sporting Adventure – taking the red eye to JFK, a hopper to Buffalo, renting a wreck and driving to Toronto for game 3 of the western conference finals between the Leafs and Kings in 1993…

At most gigs someone shows up in a hockey jersey. Rarely is it an L.A. King Jersey. Usually it is a big guy with an average looking girlfriend in his 30's. Most always they drink and sing louder as the show goes on. Often they are in the front couple of rows. This is not always the case. For some reason the Pittsburgh Penguin's represented quite well on our last tour. I always order the NHL and NBA package. The back lounge has either a game on, our a black screen with the text "waiting for satellite signal"

In 2005 we brought sticks and in-lines on the road and would skate a bit before gigs. That was when we were opening for other bands. We don't do that anymore and I miss it.

I played Basketball as a toddler through high school. I was never a great athlete but my head got me playing time and our teams won more than they lost. My father coached the "Golden Bears" and I have sweet and sour memories. Our team had an equal number of Black, White, and Latino ballers with an Armenian speedy point guard. I've only realized in the last decade how those friendships defined my attitudes and opinions regarding race. Sports can be not only glue, but a window. Music also does that. As a junior in High School I broke my ankle while dunking (successfully) on an 8-foot rim. It was fortuitous, as my High School had become a recruiting ground for "out of district" talent and my hope to woo Linda Mucitelli as a varsity shooting guard had evaporated. I coached the "C" team and we went undefeated. I had a ringer.


I was asked by my friend and editor at SI.COM to write an article about why the connection between music and sports is so strong. I'm not sure it is. And if it is, many adjoining threads are nothing to be proud of. Still, family aside, my life has evolved, revolved, and been consumed by music and sports. Each outlet takes turns keeping me sane. One Yin's, while the other Yang's. I can't imagine the person I would be without music or sports. I guess you can call that a connection, at least for me.

11:28 AM - 19 Comments - 38 Kudos - Add Comment

Are you Ready for some Football!

I had one of the best times I can remember cutting the opening to Monday Night Football with Hank Williams Jr. and the All Star Band.

From the Cervezas with Brian Setzer and Gretchen Wilson to the Vegas Cheerleader extra's...my bloody hands after 8 hours of glissandos were well worth it...

Everyone was a class act and I'm honored to be the piano player in this year's ultimate bar band...

The fact that L.A. is still lacking an NFL franchise (don't get me started) allows me to jump on whatever bandwagon that's appealing. More on that later...

For now...Are you Ready???












Photos by Erik Rohde

2:01 PM - 6 Comments - 52 Kudos - Add Comment

FFF DVD and Live Album

For those of you who have been asking, we WILL be putting out a DVD and Live Album this fall!

The concert was filmed in Orlando and the DVD will have all the FFF videos, making of's and extra stuff...

Look for it around the end of October...

Also stay tuned for some cool news regarding whatkindofworlddoyouwant.com...

Hope you all are enjoying your summers

take care

J.

3:24 PM - 26 Comments - 51 Kudos - Add Comment