Tigerbeat Nostalgia...

Yes, it's Leif Garrett, at age seventeen, and again at age fourty-four.

Granted, few people really have the opportunity to tidy up for their mugshot, but man this is depressing.

Understand this: I'm not one to make light of other's misfortunes - and that's not what this is about. I am just genuinely surprised at the, uh, transformation that time can produce.

On the plus side, Leif's Official Website - http://www.leifgarrett.net - is much more upbeat, and has photos of Leif in the Gallery section that look a hell of a lot better (thank God!)... but he (and I) are of the age where certain people develop a certain "shine" to the top of their heads. Some people (like me) acknowledge and embrace it. Others choose to wear lots of hats and bandanas. To each his own.

In the end, I suppose Leif has always been kind of a nice guy, and it's good to know he's still around and in the biz - not that I listen to any of his records, but constancy can be a comfort, even if it's not always in the "looks" department.

Luckily, if you want to check-in on Leif yourself, you can get his music from the iTunes music store - his latest release is "Betty Ford for Christmas" by Leif Garrett & The Crush Ups. He also contributed a vocal track on the Melvins "Crybaby" album in 2000. (Yes, he's got other records too - just check his website!)

You can also visit Leif's online store to purchase apparel and housewares. I am very tempted to buy a Leif Garrett trucker cap - it's so cryptic, the cool factor shoots through the roof.