By: Bob Reynolds

Bob Reynolds — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 20:30:37 +0000

Mike & The Mechanics “Living Years” is a great musical video both from a film perspective utilizing the mixture of natural light, and theatrical lighting on location in Australia. While serving in the Navy based on a ship in Norfolk Virginia, I went to see Mike & The Mechanics perform this song. Michael Rutherford (Guitarist from Genisis) shares intimate details of his generational strained relationship with his father who was a World War II veteran that died before Michel could make amends with him which is something I can relate to. Rutherford’s passion for writing this song was inspired by through his own son when he became a father. I had a similar falling out with my father, a WW II veteran who just recently died, but I was able to make amends with him a year before he died. Coincidently, my nine year old daughter, Alicia got to say goodbye to my father, her grandfather. While my father layed in the hospital bed in his weak state, as one of the last words he was able to speak, he sat up, held my daughter’s hand, and said, “I Love You.” Oddly enough, my 22 year old son Nick, who I hadn’t seen since he was 13 because of a strained relationship with his mother called me up to reconnect with me a week before my Dad died. My son, Nick insisted on coming to my father’s funeral, and spent a week with my wife, Hiromi and my daughter Alicia. All is well with my family because I made amends with my father, my son reached out to make amends with me, and my daughter now has a new found brother. We are a family growing through our new kindled relationships, and most importantly this all happened “In The Living Years.” Thank you Michael for sharing your love for your father and son through your music and in the musical video.

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By: Bob Reynolds