Reminder: Marky Ramone Tonight!

The Ripple Effect will be on Blog Talk Radio this evening at 8pm PST. This is not their usual time slot, after this they will be back on every other Wed.

Tonight's guest will be none other than Marky Ramone of The Ramones. The chat room is open while the guys are on the air and there are usually several of us yakking back and forth and cracking each other up, join us, its fun!

Truth on Earth, A Review

I really, really wanted to give this CD a good review. The group consists of three teenage sisters. Each beautiful inside and out - and its their hearts that appealed to me because they are not your typical teen group. They follow Ghandi's anti-violence views, they are sensitive to many issues that face teens today such as bullying, anorexia, world hunger, child abuse, etc. I admire their desire to make a difference with their music.

Unfortunately, I found it very difficult to listen to. I'm struggling to find a nice way to put it: they don't have much talent sounds harsh. I'll just say they have potential and passion and hopefully in the future they will produce something more creative and appealing. Their voices grated on my nerves. The lyrics were okay. But the idea behind the music is inspirational.

If anyone would like to give them a listen let me know and I will send you my copy.

The Best Albums of 2008

What were your top albums of 2008?  Here are mine, and stop by the blogs listed below to see theirs.  Add your link in the comments if you decide to post your list and feel free to include these links too!  Thanks, Steve, at Heavy Metal Addition for including me!!!

In no particuclar order:

• Back Door Slam - Roll Away
• The Killers - Day and Age
• Nikki Six - The Heroin Diaries (Original Soundtrack)
• Neil Young - Sugar Mountain Live at Cantebury House 1968
• Big Elf - Cheat the Gallows
• Kings of Leon - Only by the Night
• Buckcherry - Black Butterfly
• The Clash - Live at Shea Staduim
• O.A.R. - All Sides
  

Heavy Metal Addiction -- http://hardrockheavymetal.wordpress.com/

 

Hard Rock Hideout -- http://hardrockhideout.wordpress.com/

 

Heavy Metal Time Machine -- http://metalmark.blogspot.com/

 

Bring Back Glam -- http://bringbackglam.squarespace.com/

 

Rock And Roll and Meandering Nonsense -- http://rnrnonsense.toomanyvoices.com/

 

All Metal Resource -- http://allmetalresource.com/

 

Imagine Echoes -- http://www.imagineechoes.com/

 

Metal Excess -- http://metalexcess.wordpress.com/

 

The Ripple Effect -- http://www.ripplemusic.blogspot.com/

 

Rock Of Ages -- http://rockofages.wordpress.com/

 

Layla's Classic Rock -- http://laylasclassicrock.blogspot.com/

 

Hair Metal Mansion -- http://hairbangersradio.ning.com/

 

The Metal Minute -- http://rayvanhornjr.blogspot.com/

Merry Christmas

Wishing you and yours a happy holiday.
Keep rockin!

Dang it, Bruce!

Ironically after posting the wonderful video below I read an article that made me cringe. Details on my other blog:

Writing From the Inside Out

Another Favorite Christmas Song:

Gotta love this rendition of a classic Christmas song. For you E Street fans, it was bittersweet seeing Danny in the second video....his last Christmas :(

Who News

The 31^st annual Kennedy Center Honors proclaimed ‘The Kids Are Alright’. On Dec. 7^th The Who received the coveted Kennedy Center Honor as the first rock band ever to do so.

The award ceremony will be aired Dec. 30^th on CBS.

If you read my recent review of "The Who at Kilburn: 1977" you will know that I thought it was phenomenal !!

U2 News

Bono has been awarded the "Man Of Peace" prize by the Nobel peace laureates for his work in tackling African debt, poverty and disease. Meanwhile, according to the Wall Street Journal (citing regulatory filings and sources) the band have moved to sell 1.6 million shares in Live Nation for $19 million as part of their $25 million 12-year deal with the promoter they signed in March.

U2 have announced that their 12th studio album, No Line On The Horizon, will be released on March 3rd via Interscope. The band were recently in London shooting a video for the first single.

(taken from the 80's Nut Newsletter)

Chrissie Hynde's Advice to Chick Rockers

Thanks to a comment by Cris Cohen I was reminded of this.  I recommend it to any woman who wants to be in a rock band, you may have to click it to get a larger version. This is specifically why I love this woman:

End of Year Music

1. I am trying desperately to figure out what my "top albums of 2008" are so I can participate in an annual post over at Steve's site, Heavy Metal Addiction. I don't listen to Heavy Metal much so my list will seem a bit mild over there, but that's the beauty of diversity :)

2. I get offers to review CDs or DVDs almost daily. I am picky about it because I don't have the time to do many, so I only say yes to music that truly excites me. But there are about 8 that never showed up in my mailbox :( I was really looking forward to them. I wonder what happened.

3. Concerts of 2008 - I only went to one all year. ONE. UNO. That would be depressing but it was Bruce - need I say more?

4. Speaking of Mr. Springsteen, I predict he is going to win another Oscar this year for "The Wrestler". I can't wait to watch him him recieve his award. Trivia: does anyone know who was sitting next to Bruce at the Academy Awards when he won for "Streets of Philadelphia"?

I love Chrissie Hynde! But.....???

I've been a fan of The Pretenders since they debuted back in '79. She got my attention with "Stop Your Sobbing" and totally had me with "Brass in Pocket".

I love her because she is one of only a handful of females that I consider true rock and rollers. She's got that edginess about her that says she's not just some chick in front of a band that can sing and look good. She IS the band, the songs are HERS she's about the the MUSIC not about being a female that can sing and look sexy with a mic, or some dipsy gypsy in long skirts or some wanna-be hard ass in black leather. No, Chrissie is above and beyond all that just by being herself and being talented.

Sadly her band went through some hellish times losing two members within a year - both to drug overdose. But since she IS the band, she kept going and although I can't say I've ever loved anything quite as much as that first album, she still rocks.

I have the opportunity to see them at a SMALL VENUE (Indian Casino) in March. Can I let this pass me by? I don't know....

The only seats left are in the back, Section D, back rows, far left seats. I need to decide soon.


Trivia questions about The Pretenders/Chrissie:

Where was she born and raised?
What college did she go to and what was it famous for?
(Hint: she sings about these things...)

Who wrote Stop Your Sobbin?
(Hint: a guy she was dating at the time famous for his own band)

What are the names of the two original members that both died in June 82 and April 83?

Kurt Cobain - Suicide or Murder?

What do you think really happened?

Can anyone recommend a good bio on him?

Thanks

My Favorite Christmas Song

I'm feeling a bit melancholy/sentimental today.  I suppose the fact that this is my favorite song of the season says a lot about me.  Maybe not.  I wrote about this more on my other blog if anyone is interested, I try not to clutter this one with too many personal rants :)

Where The Streets Had Stones Names

"Mick Jagger and Keith Richards will be honored by the Kent town where
they grew up by having 13 new streets named after Rolling Stone song
titles. Dartford Council is currently deliberating what titles to use."

This would be a fun project to work on! What are some names you would choose for these streets?

A few that come to mind:

Bitch Blvd.
Let it Bleed Lane
Angie Avenue
Street Fighting Man Street
Honky Tonk Woman Way
Sister Morphine Circle
Play With Fire Parkway
Midnight Rambler Road

Speaking of Bloggers and Radio Shows...

My mate, Paul, from Sydney has a new radio show that can be heard Online:

CHECK IT OUT over at

Rock and Roll Revival

Another Great Night at The Ripple Effect Radio Show

I look forward to every other Wed. night so I can hang with those wild and crazy guys, Racer X and Pope. Tonight they had one of my favorite bloggers as a guest star: The Rock and Roll Guru. This dude is FUNNY. Also - I won a CD! Bigelf....I think that's what its called, I know the word "elf" is in the name of the band.

Next time the show will be on a Monday - Dec. 29 and the guest will be MARKY RAMONE - the last of the original Ramones. Don't miss it! (see my sidebar for the link to the show under "Blog Talk Radio"

What do Peter Frampton, George Thorogood and Elton John Have in Common?

Well, I can think of a few things off the top of my head: they are all male, they are all musicians, they all sing, they all use their first name for their "band".

But today what they have in common is that they came on the radio (in the above order) one after the other today and each brought back a great concert memory for me.

Peter's multi-million selling , "Peter Frampton Comes Alive" is the best selling live album of all time.  Its sad that his talent was overshadowed by his" overnight sensation" popularity because he's a good musician.  I went to see him at the Forum of Inglewood with my friend Kim and her brother Clint.  It was a great show, I think I was 17 at the time.   There really is something cool about hearing him do "Do You Feel Like I Do" live.  If you recall that's the song where he uses the  talk box, and an effects pedal to sing the chorus of the song.  Here's how it work:

IThey "redirects a guitar's sound through a tube into the performer's mouth, allowing the guitar to mimic human speech."a which redirects a guitar's sound through a tube into the performer's mouth, allowing the guitar to mimic human speech."

Image via WikipediaNext, George Thorogood and the Deleware Destroyers.  It was an all day music festival at Los Angeles Collesium headlilng the Rolling the Stones.  George came on after a long line of mediorce bands and livened us up.  After they played it was J Geils and then the Stones.  I don't think I could  live through another one of those all day things again.....


And Sir Elton John - saw him under the stars on a warm summer night at Irvine Meadows Ampitheater.  It was the one and only time I saw him perform and he was not a disappointment.  He really is amazing on the piano and fun to watch.  I don't remember much of it but I recall enjoying it and my favorite part was when he lied under the piano playing it....anyone have any idea if there's a cerain song that goes with that?  I don't recall.

Anyhow - those are my thoughts du jour.  Hope you're all having a great weekend/week.

Gone But Not Forgotten (updated!)

I just spent some time on my other blog "Gone But Not Forgotten" fine-tuning it a bit and making sure I had all my info correct. I think its officially up to date for the very first time ever! But, as always, please feel free to let me know if I have left someone off the list that you would like to see there.

Its stunning to see the toll that drugs and alcohol take on the lives of so many musicians. Some artists can go through long careers without becoming addicted, others get addicted and recover and sadly there are those that die either accidentally overdosing or from the damage of addiction.

Its also sad to note the suicides on the list.

I have several theories on why this is. Maybe I'll write about it later.

Totals:

Accidents – 17

Drugs/Alcohol – 48

Murder/Suicide – 12

Natural Causes - 47

Accident (atv) (1)

Accident (Car) (5)

Accident (Gun) (1)

Accident (Helicopter) (1)

Accident (Motorcycle) (3)

Accident (Plane) (5)

Accidental Drowning (1)

Alcohol (10)

AIDS (3)

Anorexia (1)

Brain Aneurysm (2)

Cancer (17)

Diabetes (2)

Drug OD (23)

Drug Induced Illness (12)

Heart Condition (2)

Heart Attack (14)

Kidney Failure (1)

Murder (3)

Natural Causes (3)

Pneumonia (3)

Suicide (9)

Tuberculosis (1)

Twisted Intestine (1)

U2 News:

(wow, news from my two favorites on the SAME DAY!)

U2 Guitarist Draws 'line'
By: Don Kaye

U2 guitarist The Edge confirmed to Mojo magazine that the Irish band's new album is tentatively titled No Line On The Horizon. The Edge explained the concept behind the title, saying, "It's an image, (singer) Bono tells me. It's like when you're moving forward, but you're not exactly sure what you're heading towards -- that moment where the sea and the sky blend into one. It's an image of infinity, I suppose -- a kind of Zen image."

The band pushed the album release back to 2009, although The Edge said it could arrive as early as February. He also revealed that none of the material the band first worked on with producer Rick Rubin would make the final track list, saying, "We actually laid all that stuff to one side. Really out of deference to Rick and that set of songs we just said, 'OK, that's that,' and we drew a line. So none of the Rick material went into this project. Everything has been written subsequently."

Most of the new material was written and produced with Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois in the studio, who have worked on classic U2 albums such as The Joshua Tree, The Unforgettable Fire and Achtung Baby.

Bruce News:

Amazon.com and MySpace Exclusively Premiere New Bruce Springsteen Single and Music Video, "My Lucky Day"; Single Available for Download Only on Amazon MP3 and MySpace Music for One Week

Bruce Springsteen's new song "My Lucky Day" - from the album 'Working on a Dream' (January 27 / Columbia Records) -- will be available on AmazonMP3 and MySpace Music for one week starting today.

Additionally, Amazon.com, Inc. and MySpace today exclusively debuted the music video for "My Lucky Day," the first time that the two sites have collaborated on streaming video. Fans can visit the Amazon Bruce Springsteen Artist Store, http://www.amazon.com/brucespringsteen, and the MySpace Bruce Springsteen Artist Profile page, http://www.myspace.com/brucespringsteen, to watch the video and download the new single. As an added bonus, fans can also check out an extra two-minutes of behind-the-scenes footage of Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band preparing to record the song.

Springsteen's new album 'Working on a Dream' has been set for January 27 release on Columbia Records. 'Working on a Dream' was recorded with the E Street Band and is the fourth collaboration between Springsteen and Brendan O'Brien, who produced and mixed the album.

The Definitive Rod Stewart - Review

Image via WikipediaI received a wonderful CD/DVD to review recently. I have to admit, I am not a huge fan of Rod Stewart's but while listening to the first disc I was reminded how much I like his early music:

Maggie May, Mandolin Wind, Every Picture tells a Story, Stay With Me, You Wear it Well

All great songs that I think are his finest.

Disc two only held one that I actually like:

Forever Young

The set also comes with a DVD that contains some of his music videos from the good old MTV days. If you like Rod, I highly recommend it!

Here's the complete track listing:

Disc: 1
1. Maggie May
2. Mandolin Wind
3. Every Picture Tells A Story
4. Stay With Me (Faces)
5. You Wear It Well
6. Sailing
7. The Killing Of Georgie (Part I And II)
8. Tonight's The Night (Gonna Be Alright)
9. The First Cut Is The Deepest
10. You're In My Heart (The Final Acclaim)
11. I Was Only Joking
12. Hot Legs
13. Da Ya Think I m Sexy?
14. Passion
15. Young Turks
Disc: 2
1. Tonight I'm Yours (Don't Hurt Me)
2. Baby Jane
3. Infatuation
4. Some Guys Have All The Luck
5. Love Touch
6. Forever Young
7. My Heart Can't Tell You No
8. Downtown Train
9. This Old Heart Of Mine (1989 Version with Ronald Isley)
10. I Don't Want To Talk About It (1989 Version)
11. Rhythm Of My Heart
12. The Motown Song - with The Temptations
13. Tom Traubert's Blues (Waltzing Matilda)
14. Have I Told You Lately (Unplugged Version)
15. Reason To Believe (Unplugged Version with Ronnie Wood)
16. Two Shades Of Blue (Previously Unreleased)
Disc: 3
1. Sailing (music video)
2. I Don't Want To Talk About It (music video)
3. The Killing Of Georgie (Part I And II) (music video)
4. The First Cut Is The Deepest (music video)
5. You're In My Heart (The Final Acclaim) (music video)
6. Hot Legs (music video)
7. Da Ya Think I'm Sexy? (music video)
8. Ain't Love A Bitch (music video)
9. She Won't Dance With Me (music video)
10. Young Turks (music video)
11. Tonight I'm Yours (Don't Hurt Me) (music video)
12. Baby Jane (music video)
13. If We Fall In Love Tonight (music video)
14. Ooh La La (music video)

Alice's Restaurant

Image via WikipediaHow many of you remember "Alice's Restaurant"?

I heard it on my drive home tonight and was taken immediately to my grandmother's living room sometime in the 70's where I heard it first on my TRANSISTOR RADIO.

Does your local radion station play it annually around Thanksgiving?

"Alice's Restaurant Massacree" (commonly referred to simply as "Alice's Restaurant") is one of singer-songwriter Arlo Guthrie's most prominent works, a musical monologue based on a true story that began on Thanksgiving Day 1965, and which inspired a 1969 movie of the same name.

The song lasts 18 minutes and 34 seconds, occupying the entire A-side of Guthrie's 1967 debut record album, also titled Alice's Restaurant (Warner Reprise Records). It is notable as a satirical, first-person account of 1960s counterculture, in addition to being a hit song in its own right. The final part of the song is an encouragement for the listeners to sing along, to resist the draft, and to end war.

Seano Got It - A birth and a death of two Legends on December 8th

December 8, 1943, Jim Morrison was born. This year would have been his 65th birthday.




December 8, 1980, John Lennon died. This year marks the 28th anniversary of his tragic murder.

UPDATE!

THANK YOU ROCK AND ROLL HISTORY!

He pointed out that I left Darrel Abbott: off this list, he deserves special recognition too and died in a tragic shooting while on stage on 12/8/04:

Darrel "Dimebag" Abbott, 8/20/66 – 12/8/04. Born in Arlington, Texas Darrel was best known as the lead guitar player for heavy metal band Pantera. He was shot and killed onstage while performing with. He was 38.







on December 8th I will share two memories about Jim and John.

WITHOUT CHEATING....

Image by Eddi 07 via FlickrCan you tell me two things that happened on the date December 8th.

Hint: neither one have anything to do with this pic, I just thought it was cool :)

100 Greatest Singers of all Time - Rolling Stone Magazine

Pete over at Blogness did a post today that shares Bruce's top 20 singers of all time which was included in the "100 Greatest Singers of all Time" list in Rolling Stone.

Are your favorite singers listed?

My top 20 greatest (i.e. FAVORITE) singers and (where they fall on Rolling Stone's List)

1. Jim Morrison (47)
2. Jeff Buckley (39)
3. Bono (32)
4. Marvin Gaye (6)
5. Michael Hutchence
6. Cat Stevens
7. Johnny Reznik
8. Bruce (36)
9. David Bowie (23)
10. Annie Lennox (93)
11. Daryl Hall
12. Billie Joe Armstrong
13. Janis Joplin (28)
14. Prince (30)
15. Ann Wilson
16. Kurt Cobain (45)
17. Paul Rogers (61)
18. Donavan
19. Robert Plant (15)
20. Roger Daltry (61)

Genesis - Giving Away New and Old Music!

Genesis had come out with a 3 volume set of their "extra tracks" that were recorded between 1970 - 1975. I received a sample CD to review and would like to give it away to the first person who wants it (just leave a comment). In addition to that I have a copy of a "Abacab" to give away as well. I'd be happy to send both to the same person (that will save me postage!) or to two separate people.

I am not a huge Genesis fan so it was hard for me to find much to say about this CD. But alas! Paste Magazine has an entertaining review so I will share that with you:

Genesis 1970 - 1975

By

Andy Whitman

So this is it, the Mother of All Prog Box Sets, the one that will send the snarling punks scurrying to buy mellotrons and shimmering wizard robes. The bare details:  7 remastered CDs, 6 DVDs, and a book. Skipping the forgettable Genesis debut album From Genesis to Revelation, this box chronicles the Peter Gabriel years, and the Peter Gabriel albums:  Trespass, Nursery Cryme, Foxtrot, Selling England by the Pound, and the 2-disc The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway, and adds a seventh disc of previously unreleased rarities and outtakes. It presents five video hours of the band in 2007 Boring Old Fart Mode, sitting around the studio and chewing the fat about the grand, weird days. And it features more than three fabulous hours of concert footage from the early ‘70s, the days when Gabriel wore winged bat headgear, was frequently engulfed in a wart-covered amorphous blob costume, and could occasionally be found on stage with mixed fruit on his head. The fact that these comic and nightmare visions could be seen on The Midnight Special, an early ‘70s music revue that usually featured the likes of Helen Reddy and Tony Orlando and Dawn, is all the more delightful. 

Read the rest of Andy's review here at Paste.

Bruce Fans - Here's the Scoop on the New Album:

Bruce Springsteen's new album "Working on a Dream" has been set for a January 27 release on Columbia Records. "Working on a Dream" was recorded with the E Street Band and features twelve new Springsteen compositions plus two bonus tracks. It is the fourth collaboration between Springsteen and Brendan O'Brien, who produced and mixed the album.

"Working on a Dream" Song Titles:

1. Outlaw Pete
2. My Lucky Day
3. Working on a Dream
4. Queen of the Supermarket
5. What Love Can Do
6. This Life
7. Good Eye
8. Tomorrow Never Knows
9. Life Itself
10. Kingdom of Days
11. Surprise, Surprise
12. The Last Carnival

Bonus tracks:
The Wrestler
A Night with the Jersey Devil

Bruce Springsteen said, "Towards the end of recording 'Magic,' excited by the return to pop production sounds, I continued writing. When my friend producer Brendan O'Brien heard the new songs, he said, 'Let's keep going.' Over the course of the next year, that's just what we did, recording with the E Street Band during the breaks on last year's tour. I hope 'Working on a Dream' has caught the energy of the band fresh off the road from some of the most exciting shows we've ever done. All the songs were written quickly, we usually used one of our first few takes, and we all had a blast making this one from beginning to end."

"Working on a Dream" is Bruce Springsteen's twenty-fourth album and was recorded and mixed at Southern Tracks in Atlanta, GA with additional recording in New York City, Los Angeles, and New Jersey.