Rob McConnell, President and CEO of Canada’s Relmar Media Company and host of Canada’s syndicated radio and TV show The ‘X’ Zone, has written an unexpected song in honor of a frequent guest, author, scientific thinker, and radio personality: Howard Bloom.
Bloom, the author of nine books, has been called The Einstein, Newton, Darwin, and Freud of the twenty-first century by Britain’s Channel 4 TV. Here’s why McConnell says he wrote the song:
Why I Wrote “Howard’s Song (The Man Who Invented the ’60s)” By Rob McConnell,
Some friendships are measured in years. Others are measured in impact.
My friendship with Howard Bloom goes back to the earliest days of The ‘X’ Zone Radio Show when I was broadcasting from NewsTalk 610 CKTB in St. Catharines, Ontario. From the very first conversation we had on the air, I knew Howard was not an ordinary thinker. He was one of those rare individuals whose mind seems permanently connected to the pulse of history, culture, and the cosmos itself.
Over the years, Howard became far more than just a guest on my show. He became a trusted voice, a brilliant storyteller, and most importantly, a dear friend.
When you look at Howard’s life, it’s almost impossible to separate him from the cultural revolutions that shaped modern music and ideas. A scientist, Bloom jumped ship from neuroscience to mount a 20-year scientific expedition into the forces of history, a plunge into the dark underbelly where new myths and movements are made. Though he initially knew nothing about popular culture, Bloom founded the biggest PR firm in the music industry, working with artists like Michael Jackson, Prince, Bob Marley, Billy Joel, Paul Simon, Run DMC, John Mellencamp, and many more—helping shape the soundtracks that defined generations. In many ways, Howard wasn’t just observing history… he was helping create it.
That’s why in the song I call him “the man who invented the ’60s.”
But Howard Bloom is more than a music visionary. He is also a thinker of cosmic scale. His books explore the deepest questions about the universe, consciousness, human evolution, and our place in the cosmos. He moves effortlessly between music, science, philosophy, and culture in ways few people ever could.
For more than twenty-five years, Howard has remained a constant presence in my life and on my programs. Every conversation with him leaves me thinking differently about the world.
This song is my way of honoring that friendship.
It’s about the music, the memories, the decades of conversations, and the profound influence one extraordinary mind can have on the people around him.
Howard Bloom is not only a legendary cultural figure.
To me, he is something even more important.
He is my brother, my mentor, and my friend.
And this song is my way of saying thank you.
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Howard Bloom Song (The Man Who Invented the ’60s) – Lyrics, Music & Produced by Rob McConnell
“Howard’s Song (The Man Who Invented the ’60s)”
Lyrics, Music, & Produced by Rob McConnell
Verse 1
From Buffalo’s streets to the New York lights,
A mind on fire, burning so bright.
He walked with legends, hand in hand,
Michael Jackson, John Mellencamp.
Billy Joel sang, Prince played his part,
ZZ Top rocked straight from the heart.
Through every note, through every tune,
The world was changed by Howard Bloom.
Chorus
Howard, the man who invented the ’60s,
Your voice echoes on through the decades of history.
From music’s great halls to the books that you write,
You turn the dark into radiant light.
Howard, your spirit will always shine through,
A brother, a mentor, a friend tried and true.
Verse 2
Author of galaxies, bold and profound,
Stories of cosmos, wisdom unbound.
From Woodstock’s dream to today’s new stage,
Your vision keeps turning page after page.
Legends beside you, the world at your feet,
A harmony only your heart could complete.
In every rhythm, in every rhyme,
Howard, your soul transcends all time.
Chorus
Howard, the man who invented the ’60s,
Your voice echoes on through the decades of history.
From music’s great halls to the books that you write,
You turn the dark into radiant light.
Howard, your spirit will always shine through,
Forever my brother, my friend tried and true.
Bridge
Twenty-five years, and I still see,
The spark of greatness, the friend to me.
From Buffalo’s heart to New York’s embrace,
You’ve given the world your wisdom and grace.
Final Chorus (soaring)
Howard, the man who invented the ’60s,
Your song carries on through the fabric of history.
From legends you guided to stars that ignite,
You showed us the truth in the heat of the night.
Howard, your spirit will always shine through,
Forever my brother, my friend tried and true.
Outro (gentle)
Howard Bloom… the man who gave us the ’60s.
