Never-Ending Pain, Never-Ending Hope Over iPod Lost 4 Weeks Ago

CHERRY HILL, NJ -- Paul Altobelli's iPod, iPaul, was only two years old when it vanished July 4th weekend, 2009.

iPaul was playing one of Altobelli's playlists one minute, gone the next. "Just like that," recalled Altobelli's wife, Lisa. "My husband loved that iPod," Lisa confessed, "and that's why he named it iPaul."

Last weekend, iPaul's owner returned to the garage and to the scene of the disappearance. He came to remember iPaul and to rededicate the almost one month mission to find him.

Even with the passage of time, his faith has not wavered.

"I've never doubted that it's ... out there," Paul Altobelli said. "Until its proven otherwise, I hope one day we will be reunited."

His hope has been bolstered by investigators with the FBI and the Camden County Sheriff's Office, which reopened the case yesterday after hearing of a recent conversation.

"A lead was sparked when Mamata Sahoo and Winona Wyatt were talking about what happened while at work," FBI spokesman Matt Henry wrote in an e-mail to the media.

As cold case cops know, a wisp of a lead can turn into a big break, a fact FBI Special Agent Tim Weaver believes can solve the iPaul mystery.

"Even if [people] think it's insignificant, it's probably not," Weaver said. "Each little piece of the puzzle may not mean something, but when you put it all together, you get the big picture."

"iPaul was a fifth generation, 80 gig, black iPod," Altobelli said proudly. "It rocked."

"iPaul was a great iPod that never seemed to need power," Andi Height tweeted July 20, 2009. "Paul took iPaul along with him when he came to England earlier this year. He loved that iPod and I can understand why he would miss it so much."

"I strongly believe that someone out there knows what happened to iPaul," an optimistic Altobelli said. "I hope to find it safe and sound soon."

The FBI is also seeking information on iPaul. It has published two photographs of it on its Web site. One shows the iPod, taken in the days before its was abducted. The other picture is age-progressed, depicting what iPod would look like today almost 4 weeks later.

If you have any information on the missing iPod case, email Paul Altobelli or contact the FBI, your local police or the Camden County Sheriff's Office in New Jersey.

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Paul Altobelli
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2009 Single of the Year?

I know the year isn't finished but I'm nominating Gomez's "Airstream Driver" as single of the year. It's a simple song yet intricately layered.  It's bouncy yet soothing and something you can tap your foot to.

Airstream Driver

All the angels on the wire
Getting dizzy from the heights
Go carefully, carefully
Oh, airstream driver

She shoots but never misses
Stare down, passin’ traffic
Go carefully, carefully
Oh, airstream driver

I would return the favour
Oversleep the rapture
Go carefully, carefully
Oh, airstream driver

Your watermelon candy mouth
The penthouse at the sands
Go carefully, carefully
Oh, airstream driver

Go go go go carefully, airstream driver

  
Download now or listen on posterous

Gomez - Airstream Driver.m4a (7746 KB)

Posted via email from Paul Altobelli

Google Voice - Too Cool For School

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The Jacksons Live! - 1981

A recent email from my brother, Stephen

OK, if everyone else if doing their Michael Tributes, I might as well do mine.

This is from the middle of the LP The Jacksons Live!, recorded in September, 1981, during their Triumph tour. Even though they were ostensibly promoting their critically-acclaimed 1980 LP Triumph, it could also be called Michael's Off the Wall tour. They did five songs from that LP, which had only been out for a few months. Definitely Michael Mania was in place and in ascent. But the whole album is a treat and they all shine. Michael sounds better than ever (I think) and really does sound like he's about to conquer the world. And they are a band, as much as ever (I'm reminded of the Beach Boys' early 70 LPs Sunflower and Surf's Up), and that's one of the nicest surprises: as good as "Rock with You" and "Working Day and Night" are on the original LP, these live versions benefit from the Jackson harmony, a sound Michael was trying to put behind him. These versions, with all of those familiar voices behind Michael make these songs sound like a Jackson 5 tune with Michael on lead vocals. It's really something and I'm shocked I've never heard this LP discussed. (If it took Michael's death to bring this to my attention, then so be it.)

An interesting detail about the Jacksons as a touring unit in the late 70s was that they stayed clear of their early hits, aside from the ubiquitous three minute medley. That's what I'm including here. It has a long intro, which is half its charm: they have that scripted banter that only a few performers can pull off as genuinely entertaining. It's easy to put yourself in the audience, full of screaming teenagers who were raised on "I Want You Back," but were ready for "Billie Jean." And yet this playful intro preys on a sense of nostalgia the audience didn't even know it had. It's funny (I think it is), it gets you cheering along (silly, but that's how I felt the first time I heard it), and Michael sounds so strong and hellbent on entertaining it's crazy.

Enjoy and play it loud!

Stephen


Listen / Download:
Jacksons - Medley '81

Paul McCartney - July 4th, 1990, Washington DC

The Day I Met Paul McCartney

Mention July 4th to any American and they'll immediately think of flags, red, white and blue, back-yard barbecues, fireworks, and America's birthday. I think of those things too...but first I think about the day I met Paul McCartney.

In 1990 I was working for Classic Rock 105.9 WCXR in Washington, DC. McCartney was promoting his Flowers in the Dirt album and was criss-crossing America. July 4th and 6th McCartney and band were scheduled to play RFK Stadium and my station secured the rights to broadcast live from the venue prior to the show. I, along with afternoon jock, Mark Kessler, and other station employees arrived at RFK at noon to set-up. Around 2pm we received word that McCartney was going to hold a press conference and that I was asked to attend. I was led "back stage" to the Red Skins locker room and it was filled with radio personalities, press, and record label folks. Shortly after my arrival McCartney showed up and sat at a small table in the front of the room. Now, at this point in my career I've met many rock stars and celebrities and you could say I was used to meeting "famous people," but Paul McCartney was different. In fact, I really believe I felt my heart skipped a beat when I first laid eyes on the cute Beatle. The only other time I recall getting "star struck" was when I met Frank Zappa and Eric Clapton. Anyway, everyone in the room started yelling questions and it was at that moment that I realized I forgot to bring along a tape recorder and mic! The purpose of me going to the press conference was to record it and play it back on the air. I was nervous. I forgot. He was a Beatle. You'd do the same thing. Be that as it may, I did ask a question,"Paul, will you using this band on your next album?" McCartney, "Yes. Next question." And that was the first time I spoke to Paul McCartney.

It's interesting to note that all the people in the room acted in a professional manner. However, as soon as McCartney stood up to leave most rushed that little table to shake his hand and get items autographed. This is something that is never done and I was amazed to see these "professional" jaded radio and record people as giddy as school girls. I approached the table too and I reached out to shake his and, as I did, I said, "Thank you Paul,for everything." He shook my hand and gave me a wink.

An hour later, after being chastised by my colleagues for note bringing the tape recorder, I was sent to the field to watch McCartney's band rehearse. This time I was prepared. I came with equipment so I could broadcast on the air and my camera. I along with maybe a hundred people watched Paul perform snippets of songs including, "Good Day Sunshine," "Things We Said Today," and "Eleanor Rigby." I also recall he performed a Ray Charles song, "Don't Let the Sun Catch You Crying," in its entirety.

Finally, it was show time and McCartney rocked the Nation's Capital and played "Birthday" in recognition of it being July 4th. Great show, great time, and a memory I'll always cherish.







Listen / Download:
Paul McCartney - Brithday (RFK Stadium, July 4, 1990)

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