Classic Rock News for a New Year

I've told Dave White on several occasions that I WANT HIS JOB!  I would love to be paid for writing about one of my favorite topics.  But the truth is, he does a great job and I would miss him if he ever left.

Here's the latest news for Classic Rock in 2011 taken from Dave's site at About.com :

STUDIO ALBUMS

Some of the most familiar A-list classic rock acts have announced plans for new studio albums in 2011.

• ZZ Top will celebrate the 40th anniversary of their debut album with the release of of their 15th.

• The Zombies will celebrate their 50th anniversary with a new album, expected sometime in Spring 2011.

• Yes, Journey, The Cars, Steve Miller Band, Jeff Beck, Motorhead, Blondie, Paul Simon, and Joe Walsh have announced 2011 album release plans.

• Supergroups Chickenfoot, Black Country Communion, and Them Crooked Vultures plan to release their second albums in the coming year.

• Look for the release (CD and DVD) of live performance footage of Jimi Hendrix during a European tour in 1969. Expect to see the catalogs of Queen, Emerson Lake & Palmer, Thin Lizzy and Rory Gallagher being reissued.

• And then there are the "maybes" -- the ones that have been the subject of conversations about possible (but by no means confirmed) 2011 albums: Aerosmith, Van Halen, Rolling Stones, Rush, Crosby Stills & Nash.

ON TOUR

• Judas Priest will begin a long farewell tour, as Scorpions continue theirs. Allman Brothers Band will return to Beacon Theater for their annual New York City residency.

• James Taylor will be joined by his son, Ben on the road. Robert Plant and his recently reconstituted Band of Joy will be touring.

• Rush, Eric Clapton and John Mellencamp will continue tours already in progress. Jeff Beck, Ozzy Osbourne and Thin Lizzy have 2011 gigs booked.

• Mentioned as possible, but far from certain: The Who, Rolling Stones, and Van Halen.

REUNIONS

• Already on the books are reunions of The Zombies, The Cars and Toto.

• Very possible but not certain are 2011 Pink Floyd and Buffalo Springfield reunions.

• Discussed but nixed: there will be NO reunions in the new year for the original members of Black Sabbath or The Kinks.

ALSO NOTEWORTHY

• Sammy Hagar will publish his autobiography

• Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, Paul Simon, Art Garfunkel, David Crosby, Charlie Watts, David Clayton-Thomas, Richie Havens, Paul Kantner, Neil Diamond and Mike Love will turn 70.

The Best of Spirit

For someone who has never experienced the band Spirit, this is an excellent album to start with.

The vinyl version was released in 1973 after the original line up of the band broke up. Jay Ferguson and Mark Andes had left to form Jo Jo Gunne. Randy California had taken time off after a horse riding accident and the record company was looking to cash in on their past successes. With the release of this album and after releasing the popular song Mr. Skin from the album Dr. Sardonicus , the bands popularity grew again. Dr. Sardonicus was creatively their most critically acclaimed. It shows on this Best of album with 5 of the songs coming from the Dr. album.


It also includes a song that kind of got lost when first released in 1968 called 1984. The lyrics brought up controversial images of the George Orwell novel of the same name. The radio stations had for the most part boycotted this strong song due to its content. I also really like the song Mechanical World. A psychedelic wonder with haunting vocals and instruments. Their original break through chart hits, I Got a Line on You and Natures Way were a part of this line up as well.

Altogether a great album for those who like their music on the psychedelic side. Here's one of their best.

NEIL YOUNG

TIME FADES AWAY

Released as a document of the ill-starred 1973 tour with the Stray Gators, this is a very nervous record.

I like it a lot.

YOUNG: "My least favorite record is Time Fades Away. I think it's the worst record I ever made - but as a documentary of what was happening to me, it was a great record. I was onstage and I was playing all these songs that nobody had heard before, recording them, and I didn't have the right band. It was just an uncomfortable tour. It was supposed to be this big deal - I just had Harvest out, and they booked me into ninety cities. I felt like a product, and I had this band of all-star musicians that couldn't even look at each other. It was a total joke."

Out of print on vinyl and still not available on CD, this rough gem begins a sequence of albums that were artistically brilliant.

"Harvest" was huge hit, "Heart of Gold" went to number one and Neil was riding high following his work with CSNY and Crazy Horse. The next logical step was to bring the mellow, back porch sounds of his recent LP on a lucrative tour. Heavyweight players from the "Harvest" sessions were drafted, though one member of the band didn't make it past rehearsals.

Danny Whitten was Neil's right hand in the first incarnation of Crazy Horse on second guitar and vocals. He was talented but headed down a path of heavy substance abuse, leading Neil to dump Crazy Horse for awhile. Whitten was invited to join the new touring outfit based on word that he was in the process of straightening himself out.

He wasn't.

YOUNG: 'We were rehearsing with him and he just couldn't cut it. He couldn't remember anything. He was too out of it. Too far gone. I had to tell him to go back to L.A. 'It's not happening, man. You're not together enough.' He just said, 'I've got nowhere else to go, man. How am I gonna tell my friends?' And he split. That night the coroner called me from L.A. and told me he'd ODed. That blew my mind. Fucking blew my mind. I loved Danny. I felt responsible. And from there, I had to go right out on this huge tour of huge arenas. I was very nervous and . . . insecure.'

Casting a pall over the tour, the negativity would only be exacerbated with disputes about money and a set of brand new songs that Young wanted to try out and record live.



Switching to a Gibson Flying V that refused to stay in tune, blowing out his voice (Crosby and Nash were brought on board late in the tour to help with vocals) and pissing off fans in packed stadia at every stop by presenting sets of unfamiliar material were all events that marred Young's 90 day trek.

The result was worth it.



Making no attempt to be cuddly, rough edges are left in, capturing things on the fly. Real, though not radio-friendly, Young would be frustrated with his audience and their inability to move with him. Opening with a pounding, uptempo country raver that introduces "fourteen junkies, too weak to work" down on "pain street", the subject matter stands apart from what his contemporaries were singing about. It was the antithesis of the sunny California, singer-songwriter trip which was then in vogue.

Canada features in the lyrics of the title track and "Journey Through the Past", which boasts a great melody and had been around in his set for some time before seeing official release on Time Fades Away. (you can hear it on the BBC session and the Massey Hall gig from 1971). A gentle song that catches the author in a reflective mood, it provides a softer contrast to the junkies on pain street. This was one of three solo piano spots on the disc, each offering a quiet musical snapshot.



"LA' is one of my favorites on the set, with a haunting refrain ("LA... city in the smog..uptight...") and creeping steel part (courtesy of the late Ben K eith) that comes closest in feel to the material on Harvest. Too many artists in the "alt-country" genre have based their sound completely on this musical model, though they fail to create the same mood. (weak songs, little originality) "Don't Be Denied" is autobiographical in tone, covering being beaten up in school through to jumping the border and helping to form Buffalo Springfield. There's an excellent version of it with CSNY at Wembley at the close of their 74 tour. The riff is simple, but effective when married to the pleading nature of the chorus.



"Last Dance" folks, but no one was dancing when a very drunk Young was screaming at the audience in Cleveland ("Get up!!") and making ungodly noise on his out of tune Flying V. That particular performance doesn't show up here, though I kind of wish that it did. Turgid and flatfooted, it seems to go on "for hours and hours and hours and hours and hours and hours..." (listen to the record). Should have been edited to make room for another cut. Young always had songs in his back pocket and set lists from this tour reveal tunes that are unreleased to this day ("Sweet Joni" being a case in point.)

While it was not greeted warmly by fans or critics, charting outside the top 20, it's an important release. Never before had a major artist put out a live disc, comprised of all new material, with nary a hit single to be found.

Imagine the balls that it took to present this to the record company.

Now it's quite sought after and opinions have since (of course) been revised, though you won't see it released on CD anytime soon. The sonic problem with "Time Fades Away" is stated on the LP label: "This Recording Was Mastered16-Track/DirectToDisc (acetate) by Computer." The multi-track master tape was recorded/mixed LIVE, leaving little room for remixing tape hiss, bad notes and crowd noise. To reassemble the album, someone would need to sort through fifty or so ¼" and/or 2" multi-track reels and "a few" cassettes. Finding the right version by date would be easy enough, but at what stage would the mix be at? Raw recording? Truck monitor mix? Mono PA monitor recording?



Right.

Best just to snag it on vinyl, as I did when my cassette copy finally died.

Happy Holiday's From Layla's Classic Rock!

 Wishing all of you a the best holiday possible under whatever circumstances you may be in.

I want to send a very HUGE THANK YOU to Dan, Sean and Darrin for keeping Layla's alive.  Thanks boys, you are the BEST!

Guest Post from Australia

Classic Rock & Mysticism

"While on the surface many music listeners may hear but simple words in songs by rock legends such as Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd and the ever eccentric Ozzy Osbourne the reality is that if you peer beneath the depths of the lyrics of this music, you will sometimes find golden pieces of wisdom of both a philosophical and literal nature…

What I find particularly interesting about the concept is that for the most part, this wisdom, these hidden meanings more often than not fall on complete deaf ears and this really makes one think back to that insightful quote “he who have an ear, let him hear”.

I don’t want to go into specific meanings and lyrical messages that are prominent throughout music, after all, most of it is subject to personal interpretation and if you were meant to have heard it, you would have by now wouldn’t you?

But while it is true, that most messages conveyed through lyrics are subject to personal interpretation, In some circumstances when we understand the background of the individual who has penned the lyrics and music, we can safely conclude they intended us to hear a specific thing…

For example, did you know that Jimmy Page, the world renowned guitarist of led zeppelin was a huge occult practitioner and regularly spent his time traveling about seeking out all sorts of eclectic texts and visiting “scared” locations, Perhaps you did, perhaps you didn’t, but riddle me this…

Those of you who have listened to led zeppelin extensively would know, that during improvisation page often projects an almost “mysterious” feel about his playing and is often seen in footage performing rather strange movements on stage, take for example his antics with the violin bow in dazed and confused.

Now, if you do your research on page, you quickly learn he was extremely interested in the works of Aleister Crowley, in fact for many years he actually owned one of his most used houses, and when you cross reference pages stage antics with Crowley’s writings we can perhaps draw insight into what was going through his mind at the time...

You see, Crowley considered himself a magician, while I won’t go into that specifically, it is worth pointing out that his teachings talk about using talismans, daggers and wands to perform certain alleged “magickal” acts…

Now call me crazy if you will, but if we know that jimmy page was a practicing occultist who followed the works of Crowley during the time that he composed the song dazed and confused, is it such a far stretch to speculate that perhaps in his mind, the violin bow was his “wand” and he was, at least from his point of view, conducting a ritual?

I think so, of course I do know a lot more on the subject, but I can’t be giving away all my secrets now can I? but as we conclude this article for today, it might interest you to know, that jimmy page once spent an entire week alone, conducting occult practices inside Aleister Crowley’s abbey in Scotland, when he returned, he had  written the song Kashmir…

Interesting don’t you think? Take a closer listen to some of your music, you will be surprised at what is there to be learned just beneath the surface."

Please let me know what you think of his insights, he may become a frequent guest here at Layla's.

Also, check out his website which you will also find listed in the sidebar:

Dub Turbo

Favorite Christmas Albums

This album for me has more to say about Christmas than many of the classic Christmas songs. Vince Guaraldi's arrangements, piano playing and the other 2 in his trio were impeccable.

I remember as an 8 year old kid when I first watched "A Charlie Brown Christmas" I loved every minute of the show. I will never forget Snoopy joyfully dancing on top of Schroeder's piano with his nose in the air. I believe the music played a large part to my adoration.


If you have another classic Christmas album that sticks in your mind, let me know your favorites.

Dave Clark Five

Happy Birthday Dave Clark, 68 years old today.



They were a great 60's pop/rock band who followed The Beatles on the Ed Sullivan Show. Too bad Mike Smith, the lead singer, passed away a couple of years ago, but they still make me Glad All Over!

44 Musicians Who Have Died

The guy who made this video was kind enough to forward it to me, knowing I'd appreciate it.  I am going to make room for it on "Gone But Not Forgotten".  Speaking of that - we have not lost anyone (that I know of) since Ronnie James Dio back in May.

Happy Birthday, Jim Morrison

Happy Birthday, Jim.  I know I'm a day late in wishing you one, but you know how its been the last 30 years - the focus has been on John on December 8th.  You probably understand and don't mind people remembering his death before your birth...but I just wanted you to know, I didn't forget.

Oh, and btw, I heard you were being pardoned for your "indecent exposure" charge all those years ago.  Times have changed, its amazing what people do on stage these days.  I doubt that you were indecent at all...maybe just a little feisty.

Remember John Today

LOON CHOIR

EXPANSION FORCES

Courtesy of online accessibility, a wealth of new sounds are bubbling up from the underground to a waiting world, readily available to those who want something of substance in their musical diet. While much from the indie menu commends itself, sometimes it's helpful to have a map with clear directions to the best, undiscovered gems out there.

Loon Choir's debut should be your next stop.

Hailing from Ottawa (Canada), the young sextet manages to balance icy synths with the warmth of a very human approach to their songcraft. There is fantastic counterpoint in the vocal department as male and female leads are deployed, cleverly, to bring additional depth and variety to the material. The bedrock tempo of the songs easily translates to the dance floor, yet there is melody present and a great deal of care taken to infuse the hooks with thoughtful lyrical subject matter.

Highlights of the disc include "New Forewarnings", "Bricks" and "Soil Science", though all of the tracks are pretty stellar. Having had the pleasure to catch them in the act, I was most impressed by the fact that their tunes have an even greater impact in a live setting. They come across as grittier while retaining the polish of the recorded versions.



Layered in the mix, there are echoes of groups from the early eighties who married technology to real playing (Gary Numan, Joy Division) and managed to strike a balance between keyboard oriented themes and guitar-centric ideas. This provides only a hint of the overall sound, which again greatly benefits from the vocal interplay of Nicole Yates (who has a strong Kate Bush inflection-definitely a compliment) and Derek Atkinson. Overall, this is a satisfying listen that begs the question of what direction they will choose to take in plotting their next project.

Put Expansion Forces on your list and share it with your friends. Check out selections from the CD here (also available for purchase on itunes)

Get to know the band

10 Grammy Nominations for Eminem

So often when you ask someone (of my age) what kind of music they like they will say "oh, everything.....except rap/hip hop of course!"

Well, I used to say that too but I begrudgingly became a fan of Eminem.  I say begrudgingly because when he first appeared on the scene with his obscenities and violent lyrics I forbid my son to listen to him and judged him as a bad influence with nothing beneficial to say and very little talent.

But then I had to follow my own advice and not judge a book by its cover (or in this case a hip-hop artist by his image).  I learned more about him and listened not to the words he was saying, but to the message.

As time went on I started to realize why my son liked him.  I liked him too.  I especially like his latest CD, "Recovery".

I wish him the best of luck in winning all those nominations.

What about you?

- do you like him?
- are you surprised that I do?
- have you listened to "Recovery"?
- who do you like that I may be surprised by?
- do you watch the Grammy's (I don't)?

A Lad Insane

I was in the mood for some Bowie tonight.  Its amazing how much music he's produced over the years.  This will always be one of my favorites.  It was the first album that came out AFTER he became well known, it followed Ziggy, and that was a very hard act to follow.  Here is what David had to say about Aladdin Sane:

"Bowie himself described Aladdin Sane as simply "Ziggy goes to America", most of the tracks being observations he composed on the road during his 1972 U.S. tour – the reason for the place names following each song title on the original record sleeve.  Biographer Christopher Sandford believed the album showed that Bowie "was simultaneously appalled and fixated by America".

Do you like David Bowie?  Which songs/albums/era?

Michael Hutchence

Watching an old doc. on INXS and appreciating all that he was:

Passionate
Intense
Engaging
Beautiful
Sensual
Sweet
Sexy as hell
Talented

What doesn't show is the depression, the angst, the torment.

About 6 years ago I met someone who knew Michael for a very short time when he was assigned to do an exclusive interview.  He was a journalist from London, his name is Ian _____. (I can look it up if anyone wants proof that this is not bullshit, but I can't think of his last name at the moment).

Ian told me that he was backstage at a few concerts and has spent time with Michael and his father.

After Michael's death his father was going through his belongings and came across his journals.  He immediately called Ian, he wanted him to be the one to see them.  Ian told me he didn't want to share specifics but that Michael was very depressed for a long time.  His writing was so dark and hopeless.

In a way it made me feel better knowing for sure that his death was his choice, not an accident and not a murder.  But the bottom line is - - - he's gone.  And in spite of what his bandmates thought - there is not replacing him, he WAS the band.  INXS was just another band without him.

Depression is everywhere.  Its affecting several people that are close to me....including my son and myself.

What Should I Listen To?

I'm feeling really "blah" and fighting the blues big time (mental, not rhythm and blues).

What should I listen to to inspire me to carry on even when so much around me is seemingly hopeless?

TONIGHT ONLY! Springsteen on Jimmy Fallon (plus a sad personal announcement)

Today marks the release of "The Promise" DVD Box set is released.  I wrote about it in detail HERE.

"Springsteen is the only guest booked for the hour, and the appearance will mark his only performance to promote the Darkness On The Edge of Town box set. There's no word on what he's going to perform, but it'll likely be at least two songs — and possibly even more to be posted on Fallon's website."

More details can be found at Rolling Stone.

ON A PERSONAL NOTE:


Its with a heavy heart that I announce the passing of very close friend of mine, Gary Means.  Gary had a heart of gold - but sadly that heart suddenly gave out on him over the weekend.  I mention Gary here because he made the banner for this blog and for "Gone But Not Forgotten" (as a gift for me to make me smile...I think I screamed in joy when I saw them!)

I will miss Gary more than words can say.  He was the big brother I never had.  He touched so many lives with his generosity, wisdom and humor.  Gary leaves behind a wife and two college age sons.

He would enjoy being on the same post as Springsteen because he loved to tease me about my passion for Bruce.  So Gary, this one's for you:

Velvet Revolver Fans: Free DVD!

UPDATE:  One of my blog friends has asked for this DVD so I am giving it to her.  But keep your eyes open, I will be giving away a Rolling Stones DVD next week!


I've been given a copy of brand new DVD, "Velvet Revolver Live in Houston".  I am not a huge VR fan so I am giving this DVD away to someone who will agree to review it on their blog (or I can put it here if you don't have a blog).

So let me know if you're interested and I'll pick a name out of a hat for the "winner".  Should I use this hat?

Happy Birthday, Greg Lake

Greg has been in two very classic rock bands, King Crimson and Emmerson, Lake and Palmer, as well as having a solo career.  In addition to being a great bass player, I believe Greg has one of the sexiest voices ever.  Could listen to him all day, all night.

This is kinda funny - back in Sept. '07 I listed him as one of my top five favorite voices in rock!  If you read my blog back then you may have left a comment, it was a popular post.  If not, why not answer now:  Check it out here.

Also asked the same question in August of '08 and my answers changed a bit but Greg was still in the top five.  Check it out here.

WHO ARE YOUR TOP FIVE FAVORITE VOICES IN ROCK AND ROLL?

On a personal note, ELP was one of the first concerts I saw back in my high school days.  (I can still see myself sitting next to Brad C. in his little VW Bug with surf photos laminated all over the dash, I think there may have been some "reefer" involved!  Was it really that long ago?)

Derek & The Dominos 40th Anniversary Release Planned

Layla re-released?

Its interesting to me that so many older bands re-release their music these days. What do you think of that?

KSWD 100.3 The Sound - All About The Music - Derek & The Dominos 40th Anniversary Release Planned

Peace, Hope and Love,Barbara

Invasion of the 80's Bands

I read on one of my favorite blogs, Isorski's Musings, that The Cars are in the recording studio after a 23 year break.  Hmmm.  I don't know how I feel about that since my favorite "Car" was Benjamin Orr so it won't be the same without him.

Can The Cars be labeled rock and roll?  Its a subjective topic placing music in specific genres.  But I have to say, even though rock and roll was invaded by New Wave, Pop, Arena Rock, Hair Metal and DISCO in the 80's - there sure was a lot of fun music to dance and party to!

It may taint my image as a die hard 70's rock chick to admit this, but in the 80's I also loved listening to:

Blondie

Culture Club

Depeche Mode 

Diana Ross 

Duran Duran 

Elvis Costello 

Erasure 

Eurythmics

Hall & Oates

Human League

Janet Jackson

Madonna 

Michael Jackson 

Paula Abdul 

Paul Simon

Phil Collins 

Pixies

Prince 

R.E.M 

Roxy Music 

Simple Minds

Simply Red

Spandau Ballet

Talking Heads

The Bangles 

The Cure 

The Fixx

The Stray Cats

Thompson Twins

Thankfully Seano doesn't read hear anymore he may disown me as a friend. I may have lost a lot of credibility admitting to a few of these - but honesty is the only way I roll. Even though its often very embarrassing.

What about you? Guilty pleasures of the 80's

New Elvis!

"Elvis Costello’s new album National Ransom in on sale at Amazon MP3 for $3.99. He is a classic song-writer/lyricist  and this album spans his musical canon from brit-punk, a little twang, to slow jazzy jangles."

Elvis Costello’s National Ransom

Amazon Daily Deal

$3.99 on Amazon MP3

Who played these guitars?

one

two

three

four

five

six

seven

eight

nine

ten

Neil Young and The Band

Just saw a great video. Let me know if you think it is great too.



WOW!!!! Joni Mitchell singing back-up. Could not get much better. What a back up band!

Bob Dylan

Some say he could sure write some music.



Some say he still can.



I say he could and he still does. Have fun Rock and Roll Guru! Tonight in Madison Wisconsin.

Rock and Roll Trivia

It would be easy to find the answers on Google, how many do you really know without looking?


1.  True or false?  Paul got the name "Eleanor Rigby" from a tombstone in the graveyard of St. Peter's Parish Church in Woolton, Liverpool, just yards away from where Paul McCartney met John Lennon in 1957.

2. What prompted Bruce Springsteen to write "Dancing In The Dark"?

3. Who had a juke box in a pavilion near his well-known mansion's swimming pool that contained records by Jerry Lee Lewis, Sammy Davis Jr., Tom Jones and many others, but none of his own songs?

4. Which Southern Rockers tried out the names "The Noble Five" and later "My Backyard", before choosing the name they would stick with?

5. Which TV show was on in the US for 23 years and showcased nearly every major music act of the 60's?

6. True or False? Procol Harum's "A Whiter Shade Of Pale" has been recorded by over 900 other artists.

7. To help launch the new Beatles' recording company, Apple Records, the firm encouraged new acts to send in their auditon tapes. They signed Bad Finger, Mary Hopkin and a host of others, but turned down _______.

8. What song did Paul McCartney write after hearing someone say, "black notes, white notes, and you need to play the two to make harmony folks!".

9. Who's mother told him, as a child, that dogs could pick up vibrations from people, so that a dog would bark at "bad vibrations."

10. Who said said when asked if he thought Ringo was the best drummer in the world, replied "Ringo's not even the best drummer in The Beatles."

Brilliant Post by Teenager Obsessed With Rock Music!

This young lady has a lot to say on the topic of why today's teens don't listen to rock music.  Her post is thought provoking and interesting.  I know she'd love to hear from some of you to get the thoughts of us old folks (ha).

That reminds me - when people ask me the secret to my youthful looks and disposition I say its two things:  Rock and Roll and sunscreen :)

Tom Petty

Happy Birthday Tom!!!!



My favorite aging hippy, 60 years young today.

Street Player: My Chicago Story by Danny Seraphine

Next to the Beach Boys, Chicago is the top selling American rock group with well over 100 million albums sold worldwide.  While a couple of books have been written about them over the years, many of those books had to pass the muster of the band and thus the portrayal of the band's history was rose-colored at best and revisionist at worst.  Depending on what history you've read of this band and when the roles of different band members were either substantial or inconsequential.  Finally having a book written by a founding former member, a disgruntled one at that, is long overdue and something many fans have been waiting for!

I had the opportunity to interview Mr. Seraphine via e-mail about 13 years ago.  At the time he was living a self-imposed exile in Colorado after his acrimonious split from the band in 1990.  He struck me as still smarting from the wounds of his departure from the band, understandably so, and it's only been within the past four years or so that he's returned to the music scene with his new band, California Transit Authority.

Chicago was featured in a VH1 Behind the Music special in 2000 that focused primarily on the untimely accidental death of guitarist Terry Kath and the departure of Peter Cetera.  Danny was included in that special and his comments regarding his former bandmates more than hinted at his continued hostility.

That being said, I'm really looking forward to this book as it touches on a lot of the behind the scenes stories about Terry's death, rubbing elbows with rock greats like Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin, rumors of the band's ties to the mob, and even the story behind Seraphine's own acrimonious departure from the band.

If you're looking for a good rock and roll autobiography to add to your Christmas Wish List this may be it!

For more info click here

MISSING CAT

RISE OF THE ALL-SEEING CAT

Scotland's Missing Cat has a new CD on offer and it takes heavy rock and blues to great heights. Frontman Paul Montague blows a mind-bending harp, aided and abetted by solid playing. Miles ahead of the plastic confections that contemporary radio is flogging, these guys live what they are putting across.

This is the blues, refracted through an alt-rock prism. Gritty, catchy and waiting to be discovered.

Check out "Maybe Maybe" right here

Find out more about Missing Cat

Excellent Interview with Ian Anderson

Dw. Dunphy has an great interview with Ian Anderson.  You can find it here.

I think Ian is one of the most fascinating men in rock and roll. If you've never seen or read an interview with him I recommend it.  He's an interesting and unique person.  

aha moment: voting

Vote for JOE! 

Joe is a good friend of mine and I can tell you - HE LIVES HIS PHILOSOPHY! There have been so many times when he's helped me with big life issues and helped me have a positive attitude.

It only takes 30 seconds to watch his video and vote:

aha moment: voting

"Teenage Girl Obsessed with Rock Music"

That is the description on this wonderful blog that you MUST check out!  Very few things make me as happy as meeting a young person that appreciates ROCK AND ROLL!

This young lady from the UK has unique perspective and great taste in music.

Check her out at:  Music and More!

Imagine - That John Was Here With Us to Celebrate His 70th

Happy Birthday, John.
I made this video years ago...today I dedicate it to John's memory on his would be 70th birthday:

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

THE PROMISE: THE MAKING OF DARKNESS ON THE EDGE OF TOWN TO DEBUT OCT. 7 ON HBO

THE PROMISE: THE MAKING OF DARKNESS ON THE EDGE OF TOWN, an in-the-studio look at the recording of Bruce Springsteen's 1978 album, will debut THURSDAY, OCT. 7 (9:00-10:30 p.m. ET/PT), exclusively on HBO.

THE PROMISE: THE MAKING OF DARKNESS ON THE EDGE OF TOWN goes into the studio with Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band for the recording of their fourth album. Grammy- and Emmy-winning filmmaker Thom Zimny has collaborated with Springsteen on this documentary, gaining access to never before seen footage shot from 1976 to 1978, capturing home rehearsals and recording sessions that reveal Springsteens creative process at work.

WHAT I WANT SANTA TO BRING ME:

The Promise CD, containing 21 new songs from the "Darkness at the Edge of Town" recording sessions is now available for pre-order at Amazon.com and at the Sony Music Store.






The Promise 2 CD and 4 LP packages can be pre-ordered at Amazon. Both 2 CD and 4 LP Vinyl editions with exclusive t-shirt and poster are also available for pre-sale only at The Promise Online Store.

AND THE WINNER of the RUSH DVD IS:

Michael of the blog Chez Bez!!!!

Congrats, friend!  I hope you enjoy it.  Email me!

Tomorrow I will be reviewing another DVD, but its too good to give away, must keep for self!  

DVD Giveaway: RUSH 2112 & Moving Pictures

I have a treat for Rush fans! I just received a copy of the new DVD release from Rush and would like to pass it on to one of you. If you're interested leave me a comment and I will draw a name next week on Wednesday.

Here is a description:

The latest addition to the acclaimed & award winning Classic Albums series tells the story behind the making of two legendary

albums from Rush. 2112 was the album that saw Rush break through to major chart success, going to No.1 in their native Canada

and Top 75 in the USA where it would eventually be certified triple platinum. Moving Pictures opened them to a mass audience for

the first time and remains the biggest selling album of their career. It also went to No.1 in Canada and went quadruple platinum

there while hitting No.3 in both the UK and USA. Rush members Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson and Neil Peart talk us through the

making of the albums, together with original producer Terry Brown via interviews, demonstrations, archive videos and use

of the original multi-track tapes.

BONUS FEATURES

Over 50 minutes of additional interviews, archive footage and new demonstrations not included in the broadcast version.

Here is a review I found on Amazon written by Greg. He gave me permission to re-write it here:

I find this DVD a worthwhile addition to my Rush collection. After recently buying remastered versions of 2112 and Moving Pictures (Eco) (Rpkg), and seeing (and buying the DVD of) the excellent documentary, Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage [Blu-ray], I questioned the wisdom of yet one more bit of Rushverse memorabilia. Turns out I still have more to learn, and I was especially interested in learning more about the connection of the story in 2112 with the Ayn Rand work, Anthem, Expanded 50th Anniversary Edition. I knew that 2112 was influenced by Rand, but was under the wrong impression about what that influence had been. That's just an example of the types of revelations on tap in this documentary.

And the guys are as low-key and approachable as ever. I said it about "Lighted Stage" and I'll say it about this Classic Albums DVD...the personalities of the Rush bandmates, and their friendship with each other, and their gonzo commitment to their musical vision, make them extremely attractive as artistic icons, even if some of their music is, let's face it, as annoying as hell. (But that doesn't apply to anything on the two albums showcased in this documentary--this is cream-of-the-crop Rush.)

ALSO: Stay tuned for a review from me on another new DVD release that is TOO GOOD to give away, I have to keep it for my collection :) (hint: another band that starts with the letter "R")