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Alan K. Stout
The United States notes the 10th anniversary this week of the Sept. 11 attacks, and with those reflections come personal memories. Where were you that day? How were you affected? What were your thoughts? I’ve already had this conversation with a few friends and family members, and I thought I’d share them with you as well. And not so much because of anything significant that happened to me on that day, but because of a story that I was told — on that very day — that will stay with me forever.
I had just arrived at work at The Times Leader when I first heard that a plane hit the North Tower of The World Trade Center. And frankly, I didn’t think much of it. As a kid, I had been to the top of both the Empire State Building and the Twin Towers, and I distinctly recalled, when visiting the Empire State Building, hearing about how a small plane had once hit the structure decades before. Apparently, it was a foggy day, and the pilot had lost his way. Sad, in that I believe the pilot was killed, but the loss of life was minimal, as was the damage. And for some reason that’s what I figured must have happened at the Twin Towers on Sept. 11.
We had a meeting at 9 a.m. that morning. It was not a newsroom meeting, where I worked, but rather one attended by members of all departments. As we waited for the meeting to begin, most everyone was chatting about the situation in New York. If I recall, I shared the Empire State Building story with some co-workers, trying to reassure them. In was a gorgeous morning here, but who knew what the weather was like in New York? And we hadn’t yet learned that it was a jet. Maybe it was another small plane in the fog? Or maybe the pilot had a heart attack? Our community news editor, however, already sensed something much worse. She was the first one that I can recall speculating that it was terrorism. And just a few minutes later, our managing editor came into the meeting, told us there was a significant event happening in New York and that another plane had struck the towers. He asked all members of the newsroom staff to return to the newsroom immediately. It would be the only time in my nearly 20 years at this company that we would publish a special afternoon edition.
Soon, we were all given assignments. Mine was to investigate whether or not any of our local federal buildings were being evacuated. Truthfully, I didn’t understand the assignment at first. Did anyone really think any buildings in Northeastern Pennsylvania would be targeted? Regardless, I had my assignment, and off I went. My first stop was at the Federal Courthouse on South Main Street in Wilkes-Barre. And as I arrived, I admit I was pretty shocked to see that it had already been partitioned off to the public by yellow police lines and that the people that worked there were indeed being moved out. And as I stood there, looking at that yellow tape, it occurred to me that nobody really had any idea what was happening. Maybe there were cells of terrorists all over the nation? Maybe any federal building was a target? To be standing in the middle of my hometown and have that odd and uneasy feeling is something I will never forget.
My next stop was the Stegmaier Building on Wilkes-Barre Boulevard. Though not technically a federal building, it was the home of some federal offices and the office of U.S. Congressman Paul Kanjorski. And it too was being evacuated. When I got back to the newsroom, I called the federal courthouse in Scranton. They were also being moved out.
Amid all of this, everyone was monitoring what was happening in New York. I was so busy, I don’t recall when I found out about the plane hitting the Pentagon or the crash in Shanksville, Pa. I know I was on my way back from the Stegmaier Building in my car — at the red light the intersects E. Market Street and Wilkes-Barre Boulevard — when I heard on radio that the first tower had fallen. And I was in the newsroom watching the coverage on TV when the second tower fell.
Soon, it all got a lot more personal.
My sister called. She was crying. Her fiance’s best friend was missing. He worked on about the 102nd floor of the South Tower, and no one had heard from him. All anyone knew was that he was in the building at the time of the attacks and that his office was well above where the planes had hit. With cell-phone service overloaded, the anguish of his family and friends would go on for several heartbreaking and excruciating hours before he was finally able to reach them and tell them he had escaped. Later in the day, sometime around 3 p.m., I asked my sister if she thought he might be willing to talk to me about it. When I think back on it now, I don’t know how many reporters anywhere in the country actually interviewed anyone on Sept. 11 that was actually inside those buildings on that very day, but when he agreed to get on the phone with me, I realized that neither of us had fully realized the magnitude of what he had been through. He was calm and collected, but his story was memorable:
He was at his desk at about 8:45 a.m. He and one co-worker, an older woman, were the only ones that had yet arrived at their office. She saw smoke coming from the North Tower and suggested they leave. He resisted and said there was nothing to worry about. And who could blame him? If you ever saw the Twin Towers in person, you could see that there was actually plenty of distance between them, and that if one had somehow caught fire, the other wasn’t really close enough to be affected. But she had worked there in 1993 when terrorists first hit the buildings, and she insisted that they leave immediately. And rather than take the elevators, she insisted they walk down more than 100 flights.
And by doing that, she saved his life.
He explained that when they got down to about the 50th floor, they felt the whole building shake. It was the second plane hitting their building. And most everyone above that floor died.
I also interviewed his girlfriend that day, who was a native of Larksville and was my sister’s best friend. She was still stunned, yet as you would expect, incredibly relieved. The following summer, they were both in my sister’s wedding party. He was the best man. And when he gave the toast, I wondered how many people in that crowded room even knew his story.
Unfortunately, there were many such stories on that horrible day. Nearly 3,000 of them ended much worse. His was one of the better ones, and while I was just a working reporter, I was glad to hear him tell it. I saw him again three months ago. My sister and her husband had their first child, and he was at the christening. And as I looked at him from across the room, 10 years later, I thought the same thing as I did at that wedding. I wondered how many people there knew his story.
I am told that he never talks about Sept. 11. And who can blame him? He lost many co-workers and probably some part of himself. But what I hope he knows — and what I hope all Sept. 11 survivors, widows, widowers, grieving parents and siblings and orphans know — is that what we all said 10 years ago wasn’t just lip-service. It wasn’t just patriotism brought about by tragedy. When we said it, we meant it.
We will never forget. And you will all remain in our thoughts and prayers. Always.
The big buzz this week has been on Breaking Benjamin. The most successful rock band to ever come from Northeastern Pennsylvania is, according to numerous published reports, in deep turmoil. There are lawsuits. It appears two popular members are no longer with the group. And some have speculated that the band is completely done.
The controversy stems over an internal feud involving material set to be included on the band’s new greatest hits CD. The dispute is now in court and court filings also indicate that vocalist and principal songwriter Ben Burnley has fired bassist Mark James and guitarist Aaron Fink. The crux of the snafu involves the greatest hits album, scheduled for release on Aug. 16, which is set to include a new remix of the song “Blow Me Away.” Court documents filed by Burnley suggest James and Fink approved the use of the new version of the song without his consent. James and Fink, in a separate court filing, deny the claim.
On Tuesday, I spoke with Burnley, who I have known for about 12 years. He was pleasant. Said it was good to hear from me, which kind surprised me, considering I'm sure he knew why I was calling. But he couldn’t discuss the legal actions. Nor would he confirm nor deny that Breaking Benjamin was breaking up.
“Unfortunately, at this time, I can’t comment on anything,” he said. “Not confirming or denying. No comment.”
On Wednesday, Mike Rubinkam of the Associated Press, who worked at The Times Leader for a while back in the ’90s, reported that Breaking Benjamin will continue on with new members. According to the AP, Ben’s attorney stated, “Mr. Burnley intends on moving forward using the name Breaking Benjamin, and the band will continue. It just won’t continue in its prior configuration. He’s not retiring.”
So those are the facts. There was clearly a very big blow up over, ironically, “Blow Me Away.” Mark and Aaron are out. Ben plans to carry on. Whether or not he’ll still be on Hollywood Records, I don’t know. But I do know this: Breaking Benjamin has changed the face of music in NEPA. And they’ve changed it for the better. And while I don’t think anyone that really follows the band at all was really surprised by the events of this week, that doesn’t mean it isn’t disappointing. Think about it this way: the only band from this region that’s even capable of releasing a “Greatest Hits” album seems to have imploded over that very album.
If truth be told, it seemed to me that the members of Breaking Benjamin were always walking on eggshells around, well ... Ben. I bumped into Mark last week at the Motley Crue show at Montage, and we chatted for a while. A week prior, I saw Aaron at a “Jam In The Park” show at River Common, and we talked. They’re both good guys and are always up for a chat, but neither had much to say about the band. And I thought nothing of that. They rarely had much to say about the band. And I often thought that what should have been the greatest 10 years of their lives often seemed somewhat joyless.
I don’t know if it was always that way. The first time I met Breaking Benjamin was in 2000. I did the first story on the band for “Music On The Menu.” It was the original lineup at the time, and they didn’t even have a band photo. We took one for them on the roof of The Times Leader. I recall, at that time, seeing them perform at the old Voodoo Lounge in Luzerne to about 30 people, though in retrospect, those days didn’t last long. Within a year, they were starting to pack them in everywhere.
Breaking Benjamin’s history here in NEPA is well documented. (Hell, I did 14 stories about them.) Mark and Aaron actually left a band that was already signed, Lifer, to join the project. And even at the very beginning, some of the people that I respect the most when it comes to local music — such as Lyn Carey of Media Five Entertainment and Bret Alexander of Saturation Acres and The Badlees — were among the first to get excited about the band. Freddie Fabbri, a former DJ at 97.9X, put his career on the line to help the group. And he did.
Alexander produced their debut EP. Fabbri played it. Thousands of people bought it. Hollywood Records came knocking. Millions of albums were sold. They appeared on all of the big late night talk shows. They toured arenas with the biggest bands. Breaking Benjamin was the right band at the right place with the right sound on the right label at the right time. And that’s a very difficult thing to pull off. Amid all of this, my own experiences with the group were always positive. In early 2002, while still unsigned, they came back down to The Times Leader for another photo. This time we were in the basement, not on the roof, and the photos ended up looking like they were taken in a New York subway station, not downtown Wilkes-Barre. They are still, to this day, my favorite pictures of the band.
Later that same year, Breaking Benjamin was on the bill for our annual “Concert For Karen” charity show but had to pull out after being signed to Hollywood Records. The label wanted them in the studio to work on their first national release, which was totally understandable, and we wished them well. In 2006, however, the band came back and played the show. By that time, they were a multi-platinum act. It was an extremely kind gesture, mostly put together by Aaron, and it’s something I will never forget. I still recall getting a note from Mark after the show thanking us for the opportunity to give them a chance to play. How ironic was that? His band helped raise thousands for charity, yet he thanked us. Like I said, good guys.
Even Ben, who was the Howard Hughes of the group and was rarely seen in the area — even though he also still lived here — could sometimes be sentimental about his hometown.
“You had us first,” he told me for a Weekender story back in 2005. “You kind of raised us and nurtured us like a child, and put us out on the world. We’ve always loved where we’re from, and we’ve always embraced it.”
Today, unfortunately, it’s quite a mess. I don’t know where all of this leaves drummer Chad Szeliga. But like his predecessor Jeremy Hummel — who, by the way, also ended up in court with the band — Chad’s a monster player and will land on his feet. I’m sure Mark and Aaron will be just fine, too. Don’t be surprised if some big bands start calling all of them right away. And Ben? His well-documented health issues aside, he’ll always be able to write good songs. And he owns the Breaking Benjamin name, so its future is in his hands.
Feuds in rock bands are common. Lennon/McCartney. Jagger/Richards. Townshend/Daltrey. Perry/Tyler. In those cases, harsh words were often said. Sometimes, punches were even thrown. But I don’t know if any of those cases had as many lawyers involved as we’ve seen in the saga of Breaking Benjamin. It’s unfortunate. But I guess what they all have in common is the only thing that matters to most people: music. And no matter what happens next, Breaking Benjamin has given us some great songs.
I’ve included a few photos here that some fans of Breaking Benjamin might enjoy seeing. One is that first band photo taken on The Times Leader rooftop back in 2000. Another is from that basement photo shoot we did in 2002. And another was taken outside the Wachovia Arena in 2006 to accompany a Weekender cover story. The photo, to me, says it all: “From the Voodoo Lounge to the biggest room in town.” After the photo appeared in the paper, Mark’s dad called and asked me for a copy, and of course I had one printed for him. He was a proud dad.
His son’s band, I think most would agree, made us all proud.
I've never really been one to try and go backstage at concerts. Considering I've covered literally hundreds of them over the past 19 years for The Times Leader and The Weekender, you'd think I'd have a wall of laminates in my collection. But I don't. If I had to guess, I'd say I've only gone backstage about 20 times over the years, and I've only done so when I was a big, longtime fan of the artist.
On Sunday night at Montage Mountain, with Motley Crue back in town, I ventured backstage for the first time in a few years. I'd known the band professionally for about 15 years, interviewed them many times, and even back in high school, I was the first kid on the school bus to blast their music. I saw them at Pocono Downs back in '87, at the old Spectrum in Philly, at the F.M. Kirby Center, at Montage a bunch of times, in Camden, N.J., and at the arena in Wilkes-Barre. On one occasion, as part of a radio contest, I even saw them play in somebody's backyard. In total, it's probably been about 10 times that I've caught them live.
On Sunday night, I was on a bit of a mission. And it was both personal and professional. And it all evolved around something that I doubt many of our readers even know: In 1999, I wrote the liner-notes to the entire Motley Crue CD catalog. And though I'm sometimes asked why my name is on all of their albums, and how it all came about, I don't think it's anything I've ever written about. So I'll explain ...
In late 1998, the band had played in Wilkes-Barre and I had done an interview with Vince Neil to advance the show. The story was also picked up by one of the national entertainment news wires and it ran in newspapers all across the United States. I'd also covered Motley's 1997 show in Philadelphia. In 1999, I got a call from the band's publicist telling me that the group really liked my stories on them, and they wanted to know if I would be willing to work with them on a new CD project and write their bio. Of course, I was.
The albums, titled "Crucial Crue," were the original Motley Crue albums, but were digitally-remastered and included special bonus tracks. They also included all new liner-notes written by me with the help of the band. For several days in the spring of 1999, I interviewed Vince, Nikki Sixx and Mick Mars on their recollections of various albums in their catalog. Those thoughts were then included on the new CDs. The band also credited me on each album. I sometimes joke that I might have to explain to St.Peter someday at the Pearly Gates why my name is on all of the Motley Crue albums. And I hope I get a pass. It was a lot of fun.
At the time of the project, Tommy Lee was in the band, but he never called when he was scheduled to do so for his interviews. Nobody knew why. Not even Nikki. I can still remember having phone conversations and e-mail exchanges with him where we both wondered what was going on. Eventually, with the deadline to finish the project approaching, Nikki filled in and covered all of the CDs that were originally assigned to Tommy. And it was just a few weeks later that we all learned that Tommy Lee had left Motley Crue.
"Well," I thought. "That explains that."
I caught up with the band, sans Tommy, a few times around 1999 and 2000 while they were on tour. They were very nice. In fact, one year they sent a beautifully framed and autographed item commemorating CD sales of 30 million to the "Concert For Karen" rock auction. And when we met, Nikki, Mick and Vince all signed a copy of a "Dr. Feelgood" CD that I wrote the liner-notes for and the original story I wrote for the newspaper. But until yesterday, they were both still missing one signature: Tommy's.
Not any more.
He signed them both last night.
To the band's credit, they still treat this old music columnist from Pennsylvania pretty good. Though the "Crucial Crue" project was 12 years ago, they still hooked me up with a great pair of seats for last night's show and I was able to go back and say a quick hello to Mr. Sixx, who said he remembered the project well. And while Tommy was keeping to himself or roaming about somewhere else in the backstage area, the band's tour manager - who was also aware of the "Crucial Crue" project - asked him sign my two items. And he happily obliged.
Motley mission accomplished. "Crucial Crue," to me - after 12 years - is now complete. And maybe that's why, to me, "Dr. Feelgood" sounded particularly great last night.
Thanks, Crue.
It's always good to see ya.
When it came time to record a song for the final "Concert For A Cause" album, I obviously wanted to do something special. I've been contributing a track to the annual charity CD every year since 2003, when - at the urging of my friend and former Weekender editor Joe Student - I included my original song, "Summer Days," on the "Concert For A Cause II" record.
Since then, it's something I've enjoyed doing every year. And, in a way, I've let it serve as a tribute to some of my favorite artists of all time. One year, I recorded a Beatles song. Then, I did a Bruce Springsteen song. And I followed with tunes by John Lennon, Elvis Presley, KISS and John Mellencamp. I've always worked with Bret Alexander at Saturation Acres Recording Studio, and I've always had a blast.
Working on a track for the CFC album each year has also allowed me the chance to work in the studio with some of my favorite local musicians. Bret not only produced all of my recordings, but he also played on all of them. Ron Simasek, Jeff Feltenberger and Paul Smith of The Badlees have also appeared, as have A.J. Jump from Underground Saints, Paul Young from Panacea, Dustin Drevitch from Lemongelli and Jane Train from M-80. Jim "Rosey," the guitarist in my old band from college, also played on one of them. Great times. Every time.
Over the years, I've accumulated enough material that I now have a full album's worth of songs, though they're actually scattered across eight different CDs. And again, when it came time to do one last track for the final CFC album, I thought long and hard about what I'd like to do.
The band I chose was U2. They've always been on my list of groups I wanted to cover, and I've said many times that they are, without question, the greatest rock band I've ever seen. In fact, for the past 25 years, I'd say they've been the best rock band in the world. The song I chose was "Walk On." And the reasons were many.
First, I think it's one of the best songs the band has ever written. Second, its lyrics, in many ways, seemed absolutely perfect for the final "Concert For a Cause." And third, its lyrics also seemed perfect for the beneficiary of this year's show, the Big Brothers/Big Sisters Anti-Bullying Program. If you listen to the words, I think you'll know what I mean.
I was very fortunate to have some great help in shaping the recording. Bret, as always, was magnificent in the studio, and he and drummer A.J. Jump laid down all of the basic tracks. I then cut some vocals, but I left plenty of the song unsung. And that's because - for this particular track and this particular album - I didn't care very much about what I sang or what I didn't. I wanted it to be an ensemble recording with some of my all-time favorite singers, and I was very blessed to have them all show up at the studio on what would become a very memorable night.
Bret Alexander of The Badlees. John Smith from Underground Saints. Eddie Appnel from Mere Mortals. Tim Farley from Panacea. Dustin Drevitch from Lemongelli. All in the studio together, all singing on the same track. In the end, all I ended up singing was the intro, two verses and the bridge. I also joined in with everybody on the chorus at the end. Other than that, I stayed out of the way.
Ironically, or coincidentally, the session took place on Dec. 8 and on the 30th anniversary of John Lennon's death. We didn't plan it that way, but that was the only night the studio was available, and I do think we felt some of Lennon's spirit in that room. There are several framed posters of Lennon in the studio, and it did seem fitting that we were recording a song written by Bono, one of Lennon's greatest disciples, and that we were doing it for what we all felt was a very good cause.
Of course, I did bring some cold beverages, and at one point, we had ourselves a nice toast to Mr. Lennon.
What happened over the course of those few hours was one of the coolest things I've ever seen and certainly something I am proud to have been a part of. These guys - all very gifted singers - worked seamlessly together. We didn't even have a real plan before we got there as to who was going to sing what parts of the song, but we worked that out rather quickly, and after that, it was magic. No ego. No tension. Nothing but great camaraderie and creativity. Everybody contributed. Everybody had ideas on how to try and make the song better. Eddie sang behind John. Tim sang behind me. Sometimes, we all sang together. We had a wonderful time, and I know I'm speaking for all of us when I say we came up with something we're all pretty happy with.
The song, along with 29 others, will appear on "Concert For A Cause 9," which will be released on Wednesday to all Gallery of Sound stores. There will also be a CD-release party on Thursday night at The Woodlands. Linked here is our version of "Walk On," which is set to some images of "Concert For Karen/Concert For A Cause" from the past 12 years.
I hope to work with these people again on other projects, and I know I'll be back in the studio again someday. But as for "Concert For a Cause," this is the final show. One last time, and then .... we walk on.
"All this you can leave behind ...."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g-7vXcEGbpk
Six months ago, I wrote a commentary for The Times Leader’s editorial page to commemorate the 38th anniversary of Tropical Storm Agnes and the ensuing flooding that destroyed much of the Wyoming Valley. The same piece also appeared as a blog on the Weekender's website.
At the time, I expressed a desire to make a definitive, all-encompassing film on Agnes that would document exactly what our residents went through in June 1972 and how gallantly they fought to overcome what was then called the worst natural disaster in U.S. history.
Today, plans for The Agnes Anniversary Project, as we have named it, are in motion. And at its center is that film, which we have simply titled “Agnes.” It is our feeling that the word – at least here in Northeastern Pennsylvania – needs no further explanation or subtitles. The project team includes Richard Briggs, producer/director; Tony Brooks, historical consultant; Anthony Mussari, consultant/narrator; and Frank J. Pasquini, funding consultant. Their respective biographies can be seen at www.agnes1972.com.
I am proud to be working with these men on this important endeavor.
Since we first proposed the idea, much work already has been done. We have worked with news archivists at the CBS, NBC and ABC networks and have unearthed some remarkable footage of Agnes that probably hasn’t been seen in nearly 39 years. We have discussed the project with WNEP-TV, WVIA-TV, WBRE-TV and WYOU-TV, all of which have offered support and use of archived material.
We have reached out to the original publishers of four pictorial books on Agnes and all have granted us permission to use photos from those books in the film. We have discussed the project with state Rep. Eddie Day Pashinski, state Sen. Lisa Baker and Wilkes-Barre Mayor Tom Leighton. All have been supportive.
We spoke before members of the Downtown Wilkes-Barre Business Association, which immediately voted to make a donation to the project. The Luzerne County Historical Society did the same. The Times Leader published an article two weeks ago on the goals of the “Agnes” film, and Sue Henry at WILK radio recently asked us to appear on her show to discuss the project.
We have been encouraged by the interest and support. This has been especially evident since we unveiled the “Agnes” film trailer a few weeks ago on our Facebook page. Within days, the number of followers on the page reached several thousand. Older people expressed appreciation for the project. Younger people expressed shock at what they’d seen in the trailer. Hundreds of viewers posted comments. Some began to contact us, offering to share their photographs, home videos and stories.
It has been inspiring.
As the project gained momentum, I was reminded of a moment I had last summer when talks about the film first began. I’d gone for a long bike ride from my home on the West Side toward South Wilkes-Barre and Hanover Township, where I had lived as a young boy at the time of Agnes. About midway through my journey, the sky opened up and a heavy rain began to fall. I took refuge, of all places, under a covering at the River Common. It was a hot day with a strong, warm breeze, and that – combined with the pouring rain – made it feel quite tropical. On my iPod was some of the timepiece music, circa 1972, that I’d hoped to include in the “Agnes” film. And as I watched the rain splash upon the river while listening to those songs, I felt as if the past was speaking to me. And I felt compelled to try and make the project a reality.
Now, I am starting to feel as if Northeastern Pennsylvania is speaking as well. Today, we are certain that the people of this region want to see this documentary and that they share our feelings on its historical and educational value.
It would seem time is on our side, as we hope to finish the film by June 2012 – in conjunction with the 40th anniversary of Agnes. But that only applies if we can get working. And right now the project is still in great need of funding. To learn how you can help, visit www.agnes1972.com. And if you are on Facebook, consider becoming a friend of The Agnes Flood Anniversary Project.
With the support of local officials, businesses and residents, we will make this film. And we will ensure that the legacy of Agnes and the great efforts to overcome it put forth by our parents and our grandparents will be properly documented for generations to come.
(Alan K. Stout is the Newspapers In Education Manager at The Times Leader and writes weekly features for the Weekender and The Times Leader. Reach him at (570) 829-7131 or astout@theweekender.com.)
About the Author
Alan K. Stout is the music columnist at The Weekender and has been covering rock and pop music in NEPA for more than 15 years. His column, "Music on The Menu" appears every week in The Weekender.
Alan has won a Keystone Press Award for Excellence in Journalism for his music coverage and has been voted Northeast Pennsylvania's "Favorite Newspaper Columnist" seven times.
Alan's interviews include conversations with Billy Joel, Steven Tyler, Eddie Van Halen, David Bowie and Ray Charles. He also wrote the liner-notes to the entire Motley Crue catalog, he is the host of the monthly "Weekender/Mountaingrown Original Music Series" and is the founder of NEPA's annual "Concert For A Cause." He also hosts a weekly radio show, "Music On The Menu Live," which can be heard every Sunday night at 8 p.m. on 102.3-FM, The Mountain.
In addition to his work with The Weekender, Alan also serves as the Newspapers In Education Manager at The Times Leader.