7th September 2009

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Teen’s Love of Foghat’s ‘Slow Ride’ Inspires Lunch-Bell Quest

Thanks to my buddy Will Moseley for finding and sending this to me. While the headline tells MOST of the story, you just have to read the entire article to get the full effect. This kid (“The Daniel”, as he was known) seems to be both a genius and quite the character. I think the Southern-rock-song-as-school-bell phenomenon could spread like the Macarena. Yeah, Macarena.

Anyway, to get you through the article, please turn up your speakers, don your American-flag emblazoned cutoff, and enjoy the object of this teen visionary’s quest in all its Southern chicken-fried goodness:

Enjoy the original article at: http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/education/20050319-9999-6m19foghat.html

More posts to come. Thanks for reading.

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Teen’s Love of Foghat’s ‘Slow Ride’ Inspires Quest

Song Replaced Bell Used to Signal Lunch
By Chris Moran
UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER

March 19, 2005

CHULA VISTA – A song can champion a cause, but in the case of a clever and persistent high school senior, the song is the cause.

Daniel Dorman’s tale begins with a ring and ends with an overpowering anthem. He used Gandhi-inspired tactics to confirm the power of one person to change the world – or at least high school lunch period.

And, as Daniel explains, “Every story sounds better with the name ‘Foghat’ in it.”

The ring is, by Daniel’s reckoning, an “E-sharp” bell that dismisses fifth period and calls Bonita Vista High School students to lunch. It annoys Daniel, and once he decided it needed to be replaced, there was only one worthy substitute: “Slow Ride,” the classic rock staple by 70s rockers Foghat.

So Daniel went to Principal Ramon Leyba and asked: How about playing “Slow Ride” in place of the lunch bell?

Leyba was amused, and told Daniel that he’d look into it. Really, though, Leyba thought that was the end of it. But Daniel was just getting started.

“Gandhi beat the British Empire by not eating,” Daniel said, so getting his school to broadcast “Slow Ride” was surely attainable. Also, the 17-year-old said, “I have a lot of free time.”

He put it to use with a three-page letter that eloquently made the case for “Slow Ride.” He launched a petition drive for Proposition Slow Ride and gathered 300 signatures. He secured the band’s endorsement. Foghat sent him what drummer Roger Earl calls “Fogstuff” – CDs, autographed photos and the like – and wished him well.

Daniel didn’t get any follow-up from Leyba after the meeting, so he and his friends devised messages in their Web design class to be delivered to Leyba daily. The first featured a photo of Daniel and an ultimatum that the principal had 10 days to play Foghat. If Leyba didn’t play “Slow Ride,” Daniel would go on a hunger strike. It was followed the next day with a photo of Daniel holding up nine fingers.

When the countdown reached six days, Leyba called him in. Leyba agreed to play it, but just once. He said it wasn’t possible to wire the song into the school’s bell system, and he would not waste staff time playing “Slow Ride” each day.

It was a high point for a boy who had almost dropped out of school before he got to high school. Daniel and his mom say the trouble started when he made a threat against a teacher in a moment of frustration. It wasn’t a serious threat, but in the wake of the Santana High School shootings that year, administrators didn’t take any chances.

Daniel was transferred to Fifth Avenue Academy, a Chula Vista school that specializes in tough cases. He thrived there for two years and then entered Bonita Vista High in 11th grade.

Daniel previously distinguished himself at Bonita Vista High by having an apprentice – a student who followed him everywhere, addressed him as “The Daniel,” performed menial tasks for him and dressed like him. That meant wearing a derby hat and carrying a pocket watch.

Daniel had 10 applicants for a second apprentice. They submitted résumés providing references, listing favorite television shows and answering questions such as, “If Daniel were to decide to miss school to watch ‘Montel,’ would the apprentice write down a short synopsis of what Daniel missed that day at school?”

Yesterday at 12:36 p.m., the music played, and Daniel’s story had a triumphant ending.

And it has an epilogue. Foghat’s Earl called Daniel last weekend. The drummer thought back to his high school days and wondered what would have happened back if he had asked his principal to play Jerry Lee Lewis’ “Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On.”

“He probably would have kicked me out,” Earl said, but this Leyba “seems like a reasonable fellow.”

So when the band plays at Sycuan Casino this summer, Daniel and three of his buddies will be there as guests of the band. Earl said Leyba’s invited, too.