No, that’s not a typo in the headline. I got two emails over the weekend that saddened me deeply. One, a shock and a personal loss even though the person in question was part of my life well over 40 years ago, and the other, because of how random and idiotically absurd life can be. How can a man beat disease and survive a potentially life threatening condition, only to be felled by a bad driver and worse timing.
I received this email yesterday morning along with the other people that belong to a private list we’re all on. It was news to me and it stopped me in my tracks:
I made a video documenting the trip I took to Yosemite a few weeks back with my dog Rex to meet my brother. My mother Diane’s last wish was for her ashes to be scattered over Yosemite, so we went there to do just that. She loved nature, conservancy, animals, and Yosemite specifically, and this was definitely the right thing to do.
Zak
Not only did I not know Diane had passed away almost 11 months ago, I hadn’t even known she was ill. In fact, I hadn’t seen Diane since 2000, and even then it was for the first time since 1969. Her son, Zak, and I have never even met, and I have only conversed with him a few times online through emails years ago. Still, Diane and Zak mean a great deal to me.
I introduced Diane to the man who would become her husband, and Zak’s father, back in 1967.
Diane had become a friend in 1965-66 after she introduced herself to me after a Family Tree gig at either the Whiskey on Sunset, or one of the other places we played in Hollywood back then. She became a regular part of our visits to L.A, and was one of the sweetest, nicest people you could imagine. Diane’s smile was one of those infectious forces of nature that would light up the room, and when you made her laugh, her laughter was more of a reward than a reaction. It too, was infectious.
As warm and friendly as she was, Diane was also very shy, and could be so quiet you would forget she was there. She was smart, and deep, and the furthest thing from a groupie or a hanger-on that you could possibly imagine. She became part of the band’s L.A family, not just someone who showed up at gigs, or had a crush on someone in the band.
Early on, when funds were tight, Diane would let a couple of us crash on the living room floor of her tiny Hollywood apartment. She started and became president of the Family Tree Fan Club, probably the most flattering thing anyone had ever done for us. She 
knew our music, and she made us feel like we were as good as any artist out there. Diane was a true fan…and a true friend.
One day, Diane confided in me that she thought she was in love with a friend of ours. She wanted to know all about him, and asked me dozens of questions concerning his likes and dislikes, what he liked to talk about, etc. I don’t remember if I arranged the date, or if Diane had been asked out after they had been introduced, but she was so nervous before the big night, she came over to where I was staying and expressed doubts about being herself around him, what if if he didn’t feel about her the way she felt about him, and all the other doubts a young woman would have about being with someone she was in love with, someone she clearly adored. Her eyes lit up when she talked about him, and sparkled when she said his name.
Harry.
Harry Nilsson.
Diane and Harry were married on New Year’s Eve, 1969. Harry and I had long since had a falling out over a tank of gas and the last cigarette in a pack of Winstons, but when I heard that they had gotten married it put a huge smile on my face.
They had 3 years together, and I hope that they were good ones for Diane. Harry could be difficult, and the fame and fortune, and notoriety of Harry’s life at the time must have put a lot of strain on everyone around him.
They had a son, Zak, and the video below is testament to Diane’s impact as both a mother, and a wonderful person, on her son.
Rest in peace, Diane. Rest in peace.
The other piece of bad news arrived in the same batch of emails.
My friend Joel Rabinowitz had introduced me to the comedy of this man years ago when he played me Robert Schimmel’s first CD. It was after dinner one night at Joel’s home, and the women were disgusted at Robert’s profane take on the world, and his obsession with scat, masturbation, and all things usually avoided in mixed company conversation.
Like Sam Kinnison and Bill Hicks before him, Schimmel was one funny sonofabitch, as insightful as Lenny Bruce, as observational as Jerry Seinfeld, and as dirty as Redd Foxx and Richard Pryor…and like Sam and Hicks, taken from us far too early.
Robert had beaten cancer, was dealing with Hep C he contracted during a blood transfusion, and was working steadily when his daughter was driving he and his son somewhere, and was forced off the road by another motorist. She’s in stable condition, the son was uninjured, but Robert succumbed to his injuries on the 3rd of September. He will be sorely missed by those lucky enough to have heard his CDs or saw him perform.
How funny was he?
The first clip is from early in his career, the second from within the last year. If you are easily offended, don’t bother, but if you have a sense of humour and aren’t a hypocrite, you will enjoy the shit out of this.
Don’t open these at work or in front of your children if your co-workers are tightly wound, or your kid is…well…a kid.
Robert and the Little Man in the Boat
And now, your Mail…
Jim Chisholm in Campbell River: Yes! I like Jaimie’s ideas too.
Michael Senchuk: I keep meaning to talk to my father about it (ex-CRTC commish who got his start in radio), but the more I think about it the more I like your farm team idea for corps with 4+ stations in a market. Like you said, it would be a great opportunity to experiment with formats, as well as develop talent that’s maybe not quite ready for primetime. The only thing I’m not sure about is what the corporations would get out of it, because one would assume it wouldn’t make as much money as the others (perhaps the opportunity to flip formats whenever they wanted would be a benefit, though).
SEG SAYS: You would think the Canadian Grant and entertainment and cultural funding people would fall all over themselves trying to promote new ideas, jobs, and training in a far too overlooked area of media and creativity. The Corps would also benefit from good will with a show of leadership. Again, there are many good ideas floating around out there. It is putting the ideas to the test that needs to be addressed, but may never be because of the fear of change and financial uncertainty. As a friend of mine so succinctly put it, “It is extremely ironic that there may be a lack of balls in a business that seems to be run by so many dicksâ€.
Frank Gutch Jr: Funny you should mention successful venues. I have been pumping musicians about venues in the various areas and have been handed a number of names which are basically listening rooms, barely attached to the venue itself. Musicians show up, provide their own door person, stage their own show (sometimes with sound help, but many times not) and, if they want an audience, do any promotion beyond a name on a reader board and a list in the local weekly or on their website. I wonder how much more successful the venue could be if they actually cared about/attended the shows? Or actually listened to the music? It is one tremendously weak link in the equation. I remember the days when a venue gave respect and reaped benefits when a band on the way up booked that venue again because of that respect. Perhaps it is there and I just don’t see it, but it at one time made one hell of a difference.
SEG SAYS: The venues that are run by people who listen to the public and the music they have embraced are the ones who will have successful venues. Hit records no longer guarantee sell-out shows, but working bands can fill an awful lot of clubs, soft-seaters, and concert halls with their loyal fans.
Don Lamont: Great piece Bob. I was fortunate enough to meet and become friends with Macko in the early 80’s. Met him through a guy he went to Parkdale High with 
named Drago. Remember him Bob? Anyway Macko was and is a great guy, and Toronto and the mighty Q were lucky to have him.
SEG SAYS: Do I remember Drago? This Drago? (Pictured Here: Drago, Bob, Mark Bronson, Garwood Wallace, and Drew Winters. Segarini Q107 Cruise 1979)
Pete Kashur: @SOWNY…and don’t forget the three hundred pound jackass (masquerading as an elephant)…sorry, I’ve been sitting on that one for a while…it’s K A S H U R!
Tom Williams: Bob, People will always make music. It’s in our DNA. What might be news is that people may no longer count on making money from the people who make music. After all, the “music businessâ€Â is only a 100 or so years old. We have all come to believe that the current way (or recently current way) of seeing music is the way it has always been. Who says we have to find a way to monetize the internet delivery systems? Nothing is going to stop the kids down the block from forming a garage band. Most musicians, at least in the beginning, are not in it for the money and never have been. I have a young man who works for me, who has spent half of his life in this century (he is 20), who loves music, and who has never, ever, paid for it.
He is not liable to start.
I offer no solutions.
I don’t believe there are any. However, there is a lot of room at the buggy whip factory for those who want to carry on just as they have always done.
Cheers from Laguna Beach!
SEG SAYS: Great to hear from you Tom! When you and Al (Mair) had Attic Records, a lot of local bands benefited from your hard work and belief in their ability. Give my regards to Laguna Beach.
Barry Roden: Love ya, Bob. Thanks for the kind words and advice. I am still listening and taking notes. Respect your elders…yes! Let’s kick it into overdrive and animate music….the right way.
Roxanne: Happy Beersday! You’re not getting older, you’re … oh, hang on, you are getting older! But then, so are we all. Good company indeed.
=Ae=: Happy Birthday Bobbo – may you live to be 130.
I’m still only 57 – I call it my ‘Heinz’ year …
Gordy X: Thanx for the invite to your party, it was loads of laughs and those women, Wow…what a country!
Peter Kashur: Some could feed a country…
Gordy X: True, true, true…
Jamie Lindsey: Robert…no disrespect, but did you hire those ladies? If not, it must be great being you! Hope you had a grand birthday! What am I saying? The pictures speak for themselves!!!
Susan Kavanagh: Bob gives good Karma
SEG SAYS: Thanks again for all the birthday wishes, and no, Jamie, I did not hire the ladies. I’m just blessed with wonderful (and sometimes beautiful) friends. Also, I am just as cute as a kitten…
And finally…
Frank Gutch Jr: I Am working my way through the list you posted awhile ago, but there was one name missing—- a lady you saw at a bar during the Toronto or Montreal showcase thing. I can’t remember her name and I wanted to check her out. You raved about her live performance. Ring a bell? I wrote it down, but haven’t been able to find the note. Oh, well…
65! Man, we’re getting old! I really enjoyed the TV clip and the birthday cake. You are a magnet for good looking ladies. Maybe I should move to Toronto and just hang out with you.
SEG SAYS: There are so many great female singer/songwriters these days, I would be hard pressed to remember who I mentioned here. Maybe one of these names will trigger the answer: Sara Dell, Basia Lyjak, Tree, Ariana Gilles, Christina Maria? Let me know if that helps. I know you’re already a fan of Ali Milner.
Jamie Lindsey: Is there a way to make your song safe from others stealing it without having to shell out any money to copyright it? ! I read the old “poor man’s way” of putting the song in a sealed envelope and mailing it to your self does not always stand up in court…I was thinking if putting it on you tube may do the trick. Working on some songs,but don’t have much money to copy right them. Any suggestions?
SEG SAYS: Anybody have any suggestions for Jamie? These days there is so much proof of copyright creation (youtube time stamps, blog posts, registered letters containing the song and mailed to yourself)…coupled with the fact that this kind of theft is extremely rare, that I wouldn’t worry about someone stealing your song, but writing one so good that people would want to.
Next: The Rock Files
That’s enough for now. Email me at segarini@fyimusic.ca with your comments, complaints, and thoughts…and remember…don’t believe a word I say.
Bob “The Iceman†Segarini was in the bands The Family Tree, Roxy, The Wackers, The Dudes, The Segarini Band, and Cats and Dogs, and nominated for a Juno for production in 1978. He also hosted “Late Great Movies†on CITY TV, was a producer of Much Music, and an on-air personality on CHUM FM, Q107, SIRIUS Sat/Rad’s Iceberg 95, (now 85), and now provides content for radiothatdoesntsuck.com with RadioZombie, The Iceage, and PsychShack. Along with the love of his life, Jade (Pie) Dunlop, (who hosts and writes “I’ve Heard That Song Before†on RTDS), continues to write, make music, and record.
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Bob, that clip of Robert at Dangerfield’s is one of the funniest 7 minutes of sustained comedy I’ve ever seen. Very sad news of his passing, but big props to you for a great tribute.
Thanks for the inspiration the other night Bob.
Hope you enjoy the CD.
Aaron