Superman is from Krypton? Nah. . . . he's from Cleveland

I have often joked with friends across the pond that all Americans want to be like Ohioans. Perhaps it's not so much that we're ideal Americans but that we do a great job of idealizing America. A case in point is "The Man of Steel", who is a universally recognized and a positive image of America created in the Buckeye State. The cultural icon that stands for "Truth, Justice and the American Way" was imagined in 1933 by two Cleveland teenage boys from Jewish immigrant families. Jerry Siegel (October 17, 1914 – January 28, 1996) and Joe Shuster (July 10, 1914 - July 30, 1992).  The co-creators of the DC Comics character Superman both attended Glenville High School and worked on the weekly student newspaper, The Torch. Siegel and Shuster together also published what may have been the first SF fanzine, Cosmic Stories.

Cleveland, the True Birthplace of Superman - Smithsonian article by Anne Trubeck

The Flaming Lips - Waitin' for a Superman

The Big Red S

The Goonies: Brainchild of Ohioans

This year marks the 25th anniversary of one of the most beloved children's films of the 80s, The Goonies. Nearly all kids of the 80s, including myself, can recite whole scenes from this endearing classic about a band of misfits searching for pirate treasure in order to save their homes from demolition. Although the film's setting is Astoria, Oregon, the basis of the whole production was on the imagination of two Ohioans. The screenplay was written by Chris Columbus (perhaps better known now as the director of Home Alone and Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone), who grew up in Warren, OH, and was based on a story by Steven Spielberg (you really should get out more if you don't know who that is), who was born in Cincinnati, OH.

This should not to be confused with the other Brainchild from Youngstown, Ohio.

Cyndi Lauper - The Goonies 'R' Good Enough (Part 1)

Part 2

My favorite Goonie: Data

Sweet blog entry about the 25th anniversary

Love Rollercoaster

Awww, little brothers, they love to aggravate their sisters even when they're all grown up. The other week, my younger brother tried to instigate an argument/heated discussion by suggesting that Les Claypool of Primus was the best living bass player, knowing full well that my love for Flea of Red Hot Chili Peppers would not allow me to remain quiet. Fortunately the discussion was short-lived and a truce declared since we quickly agreed that it wasn't quite fair to compare the two since they have rather different styles. So how does any of this relate to Ohio (other than I've seen both bands perform in Ohio)? Well, the most meaningful connection that popped in my head was that one of my favorite RHCP songs is actually a cover of a #1 hit by a band from Ohio. 'Love Rollercoaster' was originally a hit in 1976 for the funk and R&B band The Ohio Players. As one would imagine, the members are actually from Ohio and the band formed in Dayton, OH in 1959 as the Ohio Untouchables. The band became The Ohio Players when the core members returned to Dayton in 1964, after a breakup in 1963, and added Gregory Webster and Leroy "Sugarfoot" Bonner. They became the house band for New York based Compass Records in 1967 after adding two more singers, Bobby Lee Fears and Dutch Robinson.

P.S. If my little brother happens to read or hear of this post, he will undoubtedly demand royalties (from what I don't know) for my mentioning of him. Some relationships never change but guarantee ups, downs and curves ;-)

Flea - Funk Slap Bass Lesson (with River Phoenix)

The Silverlake Conservatory of Music: One of the many reasons why I love Flea

RHCP - Around the World (of course Ohio is mentioned ;-)

Les Claypool - Bass solo

Good Morning Dayton and Conan O'Brien

Good or bad, Ohio tends to get a mention or head-nod. According to this clip with Ricky Gervais, 'Good Morning Dayton!' falls just in between the Food Network and satellite radio in status.

Groove is in the Heart (of it All)

There are few better places to spend a Thursday night in Columbus, Ohio than at Skully's Music Diner's Alternative Ladies Eighties Night. You'll find children of the eighties, like myself, dancing along with wannabe children of the eighties (think born in the 90s or tail-end of 80s) with a couple of drag queens/kings thrown in for fun. While I'm always pleased to hear my favorite British artists like The Clash, Billy Idol, Psychedelic Furs, Depeche Mode, New Order and The Smiths being played by the DJ, there are few songs that make me shake my moneymaker, with or without an input of alcohol, like Deee-Lite's Groove is in the Heart. Dee-Lite's funky vixen Lady Miss Kier, the revamped 60s-style psychedelic charteuse that came to personify New York City's early 90s club culture was, wait for it......electronic drum-roll and cowbell.......born in Youngstown, OH.

Slow Hand/God and the English/Ohio Countryside

I've often been asked what Ohio is like by folks in England and I typically reply that it's a lot like where they live. By most of their responses, I suspect that they oftentimes don't believe me. Perhaps they would believe Slow Hand/God/Eric Clapton, who has a home in Columbus, OH and has shared pretty much the same sentiments as I, although in an interview with Larry King: "I have a house in England. I have a house in France, a house in Columbus, and a house in Antigua. (Columbus) is great. Well, it is very much like England to me. It has the same sort of countryside, rolling hills, you know, small kind of civilized communities of people that all know one another."

From Sex and Drugs to Domestic Bliss

Sunshine of Your Love

The Wittiest American was from Mount Gilead, Ohio

I first stumbled upon Dawn Powell just a couple of days ago while reading Donald Ray Pollock's Knockemstiff, which begins with a Powell quote: All Americans come from Ohio originally, if only briefly. This quote made me chuckle since it reminded me of one of my quests this past year while in England, namely explaining the importance of my home to the rest of the world. As you can imagine, many people have no idea where my home state is located in the immense country of America, let alone would they know what was produced there other than myself standing in front of them. Don't get me wrong, some people knew of Ohio because a favorite band, sports team or actor was from there but that's usually where the recognition of the state ended. Therefore my task was typically attempted by my mentioning of famous people, companies or crops (I'm a botanist by training and worked with farmers for my Msc project) and apparently became so rampant in my chats that some friends would anticipate my interjections by saying 'Are they from Ohio too?!?!?' rather sarcastically. Thus, I thought that this particularly endearing quote must be from a fellow Ohioan since we are the only ones who truly understand or appreciate the importance of our humble little abode. This small thought eluded me until strangely enough, I just happened to catch part of a Gilmore Girls episode this morning in which Rory mentions Ms. Powell to her friend Lane. Rory has been reading Powell's Complete Novels and says that no one has heard of Powell and explains that it is a shame since some have claimed that she deserves credit for some of Dorothy Parker's best jokes. This second mention of Powell within just a span of a couple of days made me realize that I should look further into the life of this noteworthy woman. After a quick internet search, I found that this extraordinary woman was born in Mount Gilead, which is a stone's throw away from where my family hails. Although I have yet to read her writings (I have placed holds on books from my library) and learn more about what made her tick, from what I have gathered thus far makes me think that I may have stumbled upon a kindred spirit: a woman drawn to sophisticated cosmopolitans, worldly adventures and the unknown but who still cherishes small-town Ohio.

Story of a country girl