Chicano Heritage Month

It was in 2021 that Santa Ana, California became the first major city to observe August as Chicano Heritage Month. In 2022  Representative Lou Correa of California introduced a resolution to recognize August as Chicano Heritage Month and he reintroduced it again in August 2023. While it has yet to be nationally recognized, Chicano Heritage Month has been adopted by various other cities and counties around the nation. As to why August was chosen for Chicano Heritage Month, it was on August 29 1970 that the National Chicano Moratorium Committee Against The Vietnam War held their largest march in Los Angeles. It was while he was covering this march that award-winning and pioneering journalist Ruben Salazar was killed by a tear gas round that struck him in the head. 

While there is already Hispanic Heritage Month from September 15 to October 15, there is still a need for Chicano Heritage Month. It recognizes the unique experience of Mexican Americans in the United States, from the fight against segregation to the farm worker movement to the Chicano rights movement. While there are certainly similarities between the various Latino ethnicities, there are also significant differences. The Cuban experience is different from the Puerto Rican experience which is different from the Mexican American experience. 

Although I have never been particularly vocal about it, I have observed various commemorative months here at A Shroud of Thoughts for years, from Black History Month to Native American Heritage Month. I have observed Chicano Heritage Month since 2023 and will do so again this year with post related to Chicano popular culture. While I am not Chicano myself, Chicano Heritage Month is particularly important to me as the dearest person in my life, Vanessa Marquez, was a Chicana. Regardless of what others might think, it is important to me that the contributions of multiple ethnicities to American history be acknowledged, particularly given I am part Native myself.

The Late Great George Kooymans

George Kooymans, co-founder of the Dutch rock band Golden Earring as well as its guitarist and one of its songwriters, died on July 22 at the age of 77. He had been diagnosed with Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, in 2021. 

George Kooymans was born on March 11 1948 in The Hague, Netherlands. He was only 13 years old when he and his neighbour 15-year-old neighbor, Rinus Gerritsen formed a band called "The Tornados" in 1961. They changed their name to The Golden Earrings when they learned of the English instrumental group also called The Tornados. Their first single, "Please Go," was recorded at Pye Studios in the United Kingdom because their manager at the time did not find Dutch studios satisfactory. "Please Go" proved to be a hit in the Netherlands, going to no. 8 on the Dutch singles chart.

The band's original lead vocalist, Frans Krassenburg, was replaced by Barry Hay in 1968. It was in 1970 that Cesar Zuiderwijk became the band's drummer. The classic line-up of George Kooymans, Rinus Gerritsen. Barry Hayk, and Cesar Zuiderwijk would remain in place until George Kooymans retired due to his illness in 2021. The classic lineup of Golden Earring is then the longest running lineup of any band in rock history. It was in 1969 that The Golden Earrings became simply The Golden Earring. In 1970 it would be shortened to simply "Golden Earring."

It was in 1973 that Golden Earring finally broke though the English speaking market, with their song "Radar Love" peaking at no. 13 on the Billboard Hot 100 and no. 7 on the UK singles chart. The song was written by George Kooymans and Barry Hay. Golden Earring would have further hits in the English language market with "The Twilight Zone" (no. 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 and no. 13 on Canada Top Singles) and "When the Lady Smiles" (no. 76 on the Billboard Hot 100). The former was written by George Kooymans and the latter by George Kooymans and Barry Hays.

While Golden Earring would have no further major hits int the US or UK, they continued to do well on the charts in the Netherlands well into the Naughts. In the United States they maintained a cult following, and "Radar Love" remained popular on FM radio. 

In addition to writing or co-writing songs for Golden Earring, George Kooymans also produced other artists, including Ernie Van, New Adventures, Herman Brood and His Wild Romance, Nancy Boyd, and Anouk, among others. He was a member and co-founder the Dutch supergroup Vreemde Kostgangers. 

There can be no doubt that George Kooymans was responsible for much of the success of Golden Earring. He was a talented guitarist, His guitar work was both powerful and insistent, and his riffs often permeated with the blues. He was also an excellent songwriter, writing or co-writing such songs as "That Day," "Sounds of the Screaming Day," "Radar Love," "Weekend Love," "Candy's Going Bad," "The Twilight Zone," "When the Lady Smiles," and others. Geroge Kooymans was simply a remarkable musician and songwriter who left behind a great legacy of music.

Instagram Should Return Squares to Profile Grids

Today I visited my Instagram profile and I noticed that the grid on my profile now displayed the previews of photos in rectangles instead of squares. This crops the previews of my photos so awkwardly that in some cases it is difficult to tell what is in the photo. To say I am not happy with Instagram is an understatement.

As to why Instagram would make what in my opinion is a rather ridiculous change, according to an article on The Verge, Instagram's head Adam Mosseri said in an Instagram story, "I know some of you really like your squares. And square photos are sort of the heritage of Instagram. But at this point, most of what’s uploaded, both photos and videos, are vertical in their orientation," I am not sure where Mr. Mosseri is getting his information and it may well be accurate, but going by the accounts I follow, most photos are still square. The videos are often rectangular and vertical, but as of yet I still see more photos in my feed than videos. Quite simply, from what I have seen, there is no reason Instagram should have changed from squares to rectangles where previews in one's profile grid are concerned. 

Of course, whether or not photos or videos are more common on the platform,. Instagram should really look to the user as to how the previews in their profile grid are displayed. Someone who posts mostly videos might well like the new grid that displays rectangles instead of profiles. Someone like me, who posts mostly photos, will probably hate it. After all, my photos are now very aggressively cropped in the grid previews. The over all effect is so unappealing that  I am going through and adjust the previews of my photos one by one. Given I have been on Instagram since 2011, it is going to take a long time for me to complete it.

My suggestion is then that Instagram give people a choice of how their grids look. They could have a place in settings where one can choose between squares in one's grid or rectangles in one's grid. I would certainly choose squares. As it is, I do not appreciate having to go through and adjust the previews of my photos in the grid due to a bad choice on Instagram's part. 

Malcolm-Jamal Warner R.I.P.

Malcolm Jamal-Warner, who starred on The Cosby Show and Malcolm & Eddie, died on July 20 2025 at the age of 54. He drowned by accident off the coast of Costa Rica after having been caught in a strong current.

Malcolm-Jamal Warner was born on August 18 1970 in Jersey City. He was five years old when his family moved to Los Angeles. He was nine years old when he began showing an interest in entertainment. This led him to enroll in and graduate from the Professional Children's School in New York City.

Malcolm-Jamal Warner made his television debut on an episode of Matt Houston in 1982 when he was about 12 years old. He also made guest appearances on Fame and Call to Glory. It was in 1984 that he began playing Theo Huxtable on The Cosby Show. He appeared on the show for the entirety of its run. He was nominated for the 1986 Emmy for Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series. In the Eighties he also guest starred on the shows ABC Afternoon Specials, Matlock (as himself), A Different World (as Theo Huxtable), Tour of Duty, and Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.

In the Nineties. he continued to appear as Theo on The Cosby Show. It was in 1996 that he started playing Malcolm McGee opposite Eddie Griffin as Eddie Sherman on Malcolm & Eddie, on which he was also a producer. The show ran until 2000. He also starred on the show Here and Now and was the voice of The Producer on the animated series The Magic School Bus. He was the host of CBS Storybreak. He guest starred on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Touched by an Angel, Moloney, and Sliders. He appeared in the HBO movie The Tuskegee Airmen. He made his movie debut in Drop Zone in 1994. He also appeared in the movies Restaurant (1998) and A Fare to Remember (1999).

In the Naughts, Malcolm-Jamal Warner hosted Lyric Cafe. He starred on the shows Jeremiah, Listen Up, and Sherri. He was a guest voice on the animated series Static Shock and Stripperella. He guest starred on the shows Dexter, The Cleaner, and Hawthorne. He appeared in the movies The List (2007) and Fool's Gold (2008).

In the Teens Malcolm-Jamal Warner had recurring roles on Community, Sons of Anarchy, American Horror Story, American Crime Story, Suits, Sneaky Pete., and Girlfriends' Guide to Divorce. He was a regular on Read Between the Lines, Major Crimes, and Ten Days in the Valley. He appeared in the movies King of the Underground (2011), Megachurch Murder (2015), and Shot (2017). In the 2020s, Malcom-Jamal Warner was a regular on The Resident. He had recurring roles on 9-1-1 and Alert: Missing Persons Unit. He guest starred on Accused, The Wonder Years, The Irrational, and Grownish.

In addition to acting, Malcolm-Jamal Warner also directed episodes of The Cosby Show, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Kenan & Kel, Malcolm & Eddie, All That, Read Between the Lines, and The Resident. Malcolm-Jamal Warner was also a musician who released four albums the first of which was The Miles Long Mixtape in 2003. He was also a poet and was even nominated in 2023 for the Grammy for Best Spoken Word Poetry Album.

I believe it is safe to say that Malcolm-Jamal Warner will always be best remembered as Theo Huxtable on The Cosby Show. While this will probably always be the case, he did play many other roles throughout his career. On Community he played Shirley's somewhat flawed, but at the same time supportive ex-husband Andre Bennett. On Suits he played Dr Julius Rowe, the psychologist at the Federal Correctional Institution in Danbury, Connecticut. On Major Crimes he played Lt. Chuck Cooper, who was in the Officer-in-Charge of the Special Investigation Section of the Los Angeles Police's Special Operations Bureau. One of his better known roles was Malcolm McGee on Malcolm & Eddie. Malcolm McGee was the level-headed, responsible roommate and business partner to the overly upbeat and down-to-earth Eddie Sherman (Eddie Griffin). Malcolm-Jamal Warner always gave good performances and played a number of memorable characters. He also appears to have been genuinely nice person who was supportive of others. I know my dearest Vanessa Marquez enjoyed her guest appearances on Malcolm & Eddie and appreciated both Malcolm-Jamal Warner and Eddie Griffin. Others have also commented on how mice Malcolm-Jamal Warner was, from Kate Hudson who described him as "...the kindest and the sweetest" to Morris Chestnut, who described him as "One of the nicest in the business." Malcolm-Jamal Warner was a true talent and a fine gentleman.

"When the Lady Smiles" by Golden Earring

This week has seen the deaths of several celebrities, so many that it is hard for me to keep up with all of them. Michael Jamal Warner, Ozzy Osbourne, Chuck Magione, and Cleo Laine, among others, have all died this week. Among the celebrities who have died this week is one that many of my fellow Americans have probably not heard of, but who is close to my heart nonetheless. George Kooymans was a co-founder and guitarist of legendary Dutch rock band Golden Earring died on July 22 2025 at age 77 from complications from ALS.

I will write a full eulogy later, but tonight I will leave you with one of my favourite Golden Earring songs, "When the Lady Smiles." It was written by George Kooymans and Barry Hay. It went to number one on the charts in the Netherlands and Belgium, and peaked at no. 76 on the Billboard Hot 100. Sadly, in the United States, I think it might be better known for tis controversial video, which was banned by MTV. Since that video can be found offensive, I will simply share the official audio.

The Late Great Ozzy Osbourne

There are those eulogies on this blog that are harder to write than others. This is one of those eulogies. Black Sabbath has been a part of my life since I was a lad and I was a fan of Ozzy Osbourne's solo career from the beginning. Black Sabbath has always been my favourite heavy metal band of all time and one of my favourite rock bands, period. While he had his share of problems in his life, there can be no doubt that Ozzy Osbourne was a talented singer and songwriter, and a true pioneer in rock music. Sadly, Ozzy Osbourne died on July 22 2025 at the age of 76. In 2003 he had been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease and he had health problems the past several years. He died seventeen days after Black Sabbath's Back to the Beginning Concert in Birmingham, West Midlands.

John Michael "Ozzy" Osbourne was born on December 3 1948 in Marston Green, Warwickshire. His father was a toolmaker and his mother worked in a factory. He had three older sisters and two younger brothers. It was while he was in primary school that he picked up the nickname "Ozzy." At school he took part in plays. He was 14 when he became a Beatles fan, and it was their single "She Loves You" that inspired him to become a musician. 

Ozzy Osbourne left school when he was 15 years old. He worked a series of jobs, including construction worker, a plumber trainee, an apprentice toolmaker,a car horn tuner, and a slaughterhouse worker. He was 17 when he burglarized a clothing shop. Unable to pay the fine, he spent six weeks in Winson Green Prison. It was upon Ozzy Osbourne's release that his father took out a loan to buy him a sound system. Afterwards Ozzy Osbourne put an ad up in the window of Ringway Music that read, "Ozzy Zig Needs Gig--has own PA."

The ad attracted the attention of guitarist Terence "Geezer" Butler. who recruited Ozzy Osbourne as the lead vocalist for his band The Rare Breed. The Rare Breed lasted only briefly, but Ozzy Osbourne and Geezer Butler later joined guitarist Tony Iommi and drummer Bill Ward in the Polka Tulk Blues Band, which also included  slide guitarist Jimmy Phillips and saxophonist Alan "Aker" Clarke. The band's name was shortened to "Polka Tulk" and then 'Earth" and Jimmy Phllips and Aker Clarke were dropped from the lineup. That name was dropped when it was learned there was already a band in England by that name. It was Geezer Buttler who suggested the name "Black Sabbath" in early 1969, taken from the 1963 movie of the same name, directed by Mario Bava and starring Boris Karloff. Along with the change in name, there was also a change in subject matter, with Black Sabbath drawing upon imagery from horror movies, fantasy, and science fiction. Geezer Butler, who had played rhythm guitar, switched to bass when Black Sabbath was formed.

It was in November 1969 that Black Sabbath was signed to Phillips Records in November 1969. Their first single, a cover of Crow's song "Evil Woman," was released on January 2 1970 in the UK. Their debut album, Black Sabbath, was released on Friday, February 13 1970 in the UK. While their debut single failed to chart, their debut album went to no. 8 on the UK album chart and no. 23 on the Billboard  album chart. Their second album, Paranoid, proved even more successful. It went to no. 1 on the UK album chart and no. 12 Billboard album chart. The first single from the album "Paranoid," went to no. 4 on the UK singles chart.  

Black Sabbath continued to see success in the Seventies. Their albums Master of Reality, Vol. 4, Sabbath Bloody Sabbath, and Sabotage all peaking near the top of the charts in the United Kingdom and the United States. While Technical Ecstasy and Never Say Die! both performed well in the United Kingdom, they ranked a little bit lower on the Billboard album chart than previous albums. Behind the scenes things were not always moving smoothly. In 1977, while Black Sabbath was in rehearsal for their next album, Ozzy Osbourne abruptly quite the band. Initially he planned on a solo project, but he had a change of heart and rejoined Black Sabbath in January 1978. They recorded Never Say Die!, which was released on September 29 1978.

Following the tour for Never Say Die!, Black Sabbath rented a house in Bel Air in Los Angeles, where they intended to work on their next album. Unfortunately at this point there was friction within the band, particularly between Ozzy Osbourne and Tony Iommi. Ultimately, Ozzy Osbourne was fired from Black Sabbath. He was replaced by Ronnie James Dio, formerly of Elf and Rainbow.

It was in late 1979 that Ozzy Osbourne formed a new band, the Blizzard of Ozz, which consisted of former Uriah Heep drummer Lee Kerslake, former Rainbow bassist Bob Daisley, former Rainbow keyboardist Don Airley, and former Quiet Riot guitarist Randy Rhoads. Ozzy Osbourne's first solo album was named for the band,  Blizzard of Ozz. It was released on September 12 1980 and did well on both sides of the Atlantic. 

The Eighties would arguably the height of Ozzy Osbourne's solo career. His albums Diary of a Madman, Bark at the Moon, The Ultimate Sin, and No Rest for the Wicked all did well on the charts. In 1985 he reunited with the original members of Black Sabbath for a performance at Live Aid. It was in 1982 that Ozzy Osbourne experienced one of the great tragedies of his life when guitarist Randy Rhoads was killed in a plane crash. Ozzy Osbourne grieved heavily and their tour was cancelled for two weeks. 

Ozzy Osbourne would continue to see success in the Nineties. It was in 1996 that he launched the annual music festival Ozzfest. The festival proved to be successful and took place until 2018. Ozzfest would see original members of Black Sabbath reunite. Ozzy Osbourne, Geezer Butler, and Tony Iommi reunited for the Ozzfest in 1997 and all four original members in 1999. The original members of Black Sabbath also recorded another album together, the live album Reunion. They toured together from 1997 to 1999. Ozzy Osbourne's solo career also continued to do well, with his albums No More Tears and Ozzmosis both doing well.

The Naughts would also be a busy decade for Ozzy Osbourne. The reality show The Osbournes, focused on the domestic life of Ozzy Osbourne and his family, debuted in 2002 on MTV and ran for four seasons. His albums continued to do well on the charts. The Teens would also see Ozzy Osbourne continue to be busy. He reunited with Geezer Butler and Tony Iommi for another world tour in 2011. The three of them recorded the final Black Sabbath studio album, 13, released on June 10 2013. It was in 2016 that they began a tour called "The End," which was meant to be the final tour of Black Sabbath. Ozzu Osbourne's penultimate album, Ordinary Man, was released in 2020.

It was in 2022 that Ozzy Osbourne's final album, Patient Number 9, was released. It was this year, on February 5, that Ozzy Osbourne's wife Sharon Osbourne announced a final concert featuring the original members of Black Sabbath. The benefit concert called Back to the Beginning took place in Black Sabbath's hometown of Birmingham on July 5 2025. It was the first time since 2005 that all four original members performed together. In addition to Black Sabbath, Back to the Beginning had an all-star lineup that included Anthrax, Halestorm, Alice in Chains, Pantera, Tool, Slayer, and Metallica. 

The word "legend" is often tossed about these days, but it is entirely applicable to Ozzy Osbourne. Along with the other members of Black Sabbath, Ozzy Osbourne pioneered the genre of heavy metal. Some might even argue that Black Sabbath invented heavy metal. Their influence can be seen in a number of bands, including Judas Priest, Black Flag, Iron Maiden, Metallica, Monster Magnet, and others.  Black Sabbath's influence on heavy metal can be seen in everything from the music itself to the often fantastic imagery of its lyrics.

Of course, Ozzy Osbourne would have an enormous impact as a vocalist. While he did not necessarily have a wide vocal range, Ozzy Osbourne was capable of powerful vocals and he could relay emotional states and situations from despair to fear. And while Ozzy Osbourne was known for his often intense vocals, he could also deliver softer, more melodic vocals. As a vocalist Ozzy Osbourne was utterly unique, and he would have a lasting influence on heavy metal and hard rock.

"Changes" by Black Sabbath

Yesterday Ozzy Osbourne, the legendary lead singer of Black Sabbath and a solo artist in his own right, died. I have been busy working on his eulogy, but I am not going to be able to complete it today. I have been a fan of Ozzy Osbourne and Black Sabbath since I was a lad and as a result his death has had an enormous impact on me. I certainly want my eulogy for him to be as good as it possibly can be. Tonight I will simply leave you with one of my favourite Black Sabbath songs. "Changes" appeared on their album Vol. 4 . It was also released as a single. "Changes" is fairly atypical of Black Sabbath's oeuvre. It is a ballad that features neither guitar nor drums. It simply consists of Ozzy Osbourne on vocals, Tony Iommi on piano and Mellotron, and Geezer Butler on bass and Mellotron.