Too Old To Rock N Roll- Too Young To Die

I mulled it over, and rather than close this blog entirely, I've decided to do the following....

It will remain open, but I will post links to music related articles that have been posted at Useless Trivia and Mindless Rants.

I would hate to loose the cache that's been created here for official websites, etc, and the links to other rock related blogs.

I do this because of time constraints, and basically a need to simplify my life just a bit. Running two blogs concurrently ceased to be practical.

"Hugh Jee"

Announcing The Closure of This Blog At the End of July

2009-07-22T15:20:00.002-04:00

To my readers- after some close consideration I've decided to consolidate this blog with my other blog,Useless Trivia and Mindless Rants. My time has become increasingly limited, and its become obvious that I have been devoting more time to UT&MR than to this blog.

What I have done is import all existing posts, pictures, videos, and comments from this blog into UT&MR. This will provide a smooth transition. This is more of a merger than a deletion. I'll continue to write about classic rock along with other topics.

This site will go on until August 1, then it will be deleted

Its been fun, and thanks for dropping in and commenting.

Hope to see you "next store" in our semi new digs.

"Hugh Jee"

Paul McCartney On LETTERMAN

2009-07-16T09:06:00.004-04:00

Sir Paul McCartney returned to the Ed Sullivan Theater a mere 45 years after debuting in the US with the Beatles, appearing on the Late Show With David Letterman.

If you didn't see it, McCartney gave a surprise concert outside the theater to thousands of people on the streets of Manhattan.

Great stuff!

Includes a few home vids from YouTube

More in a review from The Baltimore Sun

And from Paul McCartney.com

Happy Birthday to Roger McGuinn!

2009-07-13T21:52:00.006-04:00

James Joseph McGuinn, known as "Roger" since the late 1960's turns 67 today. Few can say they created a genre of music. Almost no one can say they created two.

But Roger McGuinn can make that claim. With The Byrds McGuinn helped to create folk rock. The original lineup (McGuinn, David Crosby, Gene Clark, Michael Clarke, and Chris Hillman) became superstars in August, 1965 with the release of their version of Bob Dylan's Mr. Tambourine Man. Pete Seeger's Turn, Turn, Turn followed, as did Mr. Spaceman, Eight Miles High, and My Back Pages. By 1968 only McGuinn and Hillman remained from the original lineup. And The Byrds went country, with the seminal country rock album Sweetheart of the Rodeo, inspired by new member, the outlawish Gram Parsons. Parsons and Hillman split to form The Flying Burrito Brothers, but McGuinn kept the Byrds alive, bringing in a new lineup, featuring country picker/legend Clarence White on guitar. The double album Untitled with the magnificent ballad Chestnut Mare followed. In February 1973 the Byrds called it a day. But McGuinn continued to record as a solo artist, and in collaborations with past members like Crosby, Hillman, and the late Gene Clark. His distinctive electric Rickenbacker 12 string was the signature of the Byrds and of his solo efforts. His influence can be found in generations of folkies, country acts, and rock bands such as REM and Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers.

Here's a video retrospective of the man, starting in 1963 as a sideman with The Chad Mitchell Trio.

More with the great Roger McGuinn at his homepage.

Happy Birthday Ringo!

2009-07-07T13:16:00.003-04:00

A happy birthday to former Beatles drummer Ringo Starr, born on July 7, 1940...YIKES! He's almost 70!

Here's a vid featuring Ringo and the VERY YOUNG Carrie Fisher, performing YOU'RE 16.

More on Ringo here.

Stephen Stills- CROSSROADS/ YOU CAN'T CATCH ME

2009-07-05T23:32:00.003-04:00

An undated performance (I'm guessing from the appearance of Stills and Graham Nash its 1980's) of Stephen Stills in an incredible acoustic performance of CROSSROADS, segueing into YOU CAN'T CATCH ME.

Wowsa!

More at the Stephen Stills official website.

Happy 4th of July! Grateful Dead- US BLUES

2009-07-03T22:08:00.003-04:00

An old clip from an appearance at Winterland in 1974, plus some animation in the intro. The last vestige of TRUE hippie-dom. Sigh!

For more Grateful Dead

Everyone have fun and stay safe....and please refrain from drinking, driving, texting, and lighting M-80's at the same time.

Led Zeppelin- GET THE LED OUT!

2009-06-30T20:02:00.002-04:00

Shame on me!

This blog has been operating since last winter and I have yet to do entries on several of the giants of the Rock Era....among them, Led Zeppelin.

I'll do a full bio some rainy day....till then, LET'S GET THE LED OUT!

"The cool and groovy Led Zeppelin"

Here's the cool and groovy official website for Led Zeppelin

Rock And Roll: Baba O'riley

2009-06-28T21:18:00.002-04:00

Click the link below to see the great John Entwistle from THE WHO isolated and playing his bass lines from BABA O'Riley.....a magnificent rock treasure.

From Rock and Roll Today

Rock And Roll: Baba O'riley

Jon Bon Jovi and Andy Madadian - STAND BY ME (For Iran)

2009-06-28T16:28:00.005-04:00

Maybe the most fortunate thing to happen to the Iranian regime this past week was Michael Jackson's untimely death- it took the focus away of the brutality they've dealt out to suppress the demonstrations that continue on the streets of Tehran and other cities and towns.

But Jon Bon Jovi continues to bring the struggle of Iran's masses to the rest of the world. Jon and Richie Sambora teamed with Iranian star Andy Madadian to record a new version of the old Ben E. King hit Stand By Me

More on the song here.

Visit the Bon Jovi Official Website.

Useless Trivia and Mindless Rants: Michael and Farrah- THE DAY THE ICONS DIED

2009-06-25T20:02:00.004-04:00

Click below for more on the deaths of Michael Jackson and Farrah Fawcett.

Useless Trivia and Mindless Rants: Michael and Farrah- THE DAY THE ICONS DIED

BOB DYLAN- "Its Alright Ma ( I'm Only Bleeding)

2009-06-24T22:29:00.005-04:00

I'm back!

And this following song is dedicated to the brave protesters on the streets of Iran's cities.

Don't let the hip hop intro fool you. Its Bob Dylan's music set to a very creative concept video.

Bob Dylan is touring this year with Willie Nelson and John Mellencamp with a series of concerts in minor league baseball parks (they'll be down the road from me in Lakewood, NJ on July 23). Check the Bob Dylan website for more info.

Sheryl Crow SOAK UP THE SUN

2009-06-09T20:39:00.004-04:00

Just a little bit of Sheryl Crow with an unplugged version of SOAK UP THE SUN.......and I'm going to do some of that myself.

Here's the Sheryl Crow official website for all of ya!

This is my last post to this blog for a couple of weeks....I'm going to soak up some sun (with sunscreen, of course, SPF 30).

Poco- Through The Years

2009-06-08T20:06:00.007-04:00

I felt it was time for just a little bit of magic in the country and some pickin' and grinnin'...it was time for some more Poco. A brief history can be found on this blog page, and even more history courtesy of wikepedia (hey stop groaning...this article is pretty accurate), and even more on the Poco official website.

I would also like to make a public correction- in a previous post I said that founding member George Grantham was still part of the band, and sadly that is not the case. Grantham suffered a stroke in 2004 and his recovery has been slow. George Lawrence is now Poco's drummer. Jack Sundrud (bass and vocals), guitarist/vocalist Paul Cotton, and founder Rusty Young (vocals/guitar/dobro/steel/banjo/mandolin) are the current lineup.

There looks to be three special dates in August in this year's tour. On August 21 (Bethel, New York), August 22 (Holmdel, New Jersey), and August 23 (Jones Beach, New York) Poco will share the bill with founding member Richie Furay, and with founding member Jim Messina, touring with LOGGINS AND MESSINA.

Here's some videos featuring, in no particular order Furay, Messina, Grantham, Schmit, Meisner, Cotton, Sundrud, and Young.

Check here for more tour dates

The Kinks- LOLA

2009-06-06T21:48:00.005-04:00

Posting this for no special reason...except I was playing it about an hour ago and thought about how great the Kinks' version was. So I put down the guitar and went back to the old 'puter.

Enjoy the rest of your Saturday night.

"I met her in a club down in old Soho
Where you drink champagne and it tastes like
coca-cola c.o.l.a. cola

She walked up to me and she asked me to dance
I asked her her name and in a dark brown voice
she said Lola L.o.l.a. Lola
La La La La Lola

Well, I'm not the world's most physical guy,
But when she squeezed me tight she nearly broke my spine
oh my Lola, la-la la-la Lola
Well, I'm not dumb, but I can't understand
Why she walked like a woman and talked like a man
oh my Lola, la-la la-la Lola
La-la la-la Lola

Well we drank champagne and danced all night
under electric candlelight
She picked me up and sat me on her knees
said good boy, won't you come home with me ?

Well, I'm not the world's most passionate guy,
But when I looked in her eyes, well, I almost fell for my Lola
la-la la-la Lola,
La-la la-la Lola

Lola, la-la la-la Lola
la-la la-la Lola

I pushed her away
I walked to the door
I fell to the floor,
I got down on my knees
well I looked at her and she at me.

That's the way, that I want it to stay
And I always wanted it to be that way for my Lola
la-la la-la Lola,
Girls will be boys and boys will be girls,
It's a mixed up, mauled up, shook up world except for Lola
la-la la-la Lola

Well, I left home just a week before
and I'd never ever kissed a woman before
But Lola's mine and took me by the hand
Said good boy gonna make you a man !"

Well, I'm not the world's most masculine man,
But I know what I am I'm glad I'm a man and so is Lola
la-la la-la Lola,
La-la la-la Lola
la-la la-la Lola

Lola, la-la la-la Lo-la, la-la la-la Lo-la,
Lola, la-la la-la Lo-la."

Useless Trivia and Mindless Rants: "Jon, This Is Jon....Oh, You've Met!" Bon Jovi Campaigns For Corzine

2009-06-05T22:19:00.001-04:00

Jon Bon Jovi campaigns for New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine's re-election campaign.
Click the link for a video from a portion of the event.
Useless Trivia and Mindless Rants: "Jon, This Is Jon....Oh, You've Met!" Bon Jovi Campaigns For Corzine

Koko Taylor Dies of Surgery Complications - ARTISTdirect News

2009-06-04T19:27:00.002-04:00

Music legend Koko Taylor, "the Queen of the Blues" has died at age 80. More information at the link below.

Koko Taylor Dies of Surgery Complications - ARTISTdirect News

The Queen will be missed indeed.

RIP, Koko.

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The Legendary IAN HUNTER Turns 70 (!) Today

2009-06-03T18:24:00.006-04:00

Ian Hunter, the former frontman of the 1970's British rock band Mott The Hoople and a solo star for four decades turns 70 years old today, June 3.

He was born Ian Hunter Patterson in Shropshire, UK. His musical career began with THE APEX GROUP in 1958, and he worked steadily for a decade in relative obscurity.
His big break happened in 1968, when he joined the fledgling rockers MOTT THE HOOPLE. What happened next is told in the snippet of a documentary presented below.

The collaboration between Mott and David Bowie was successful beyond dreams. The single All The Young Dudes charted at #3 in the UK in July, 1972, and the album of the same name broke the Top 100. Organist Verden Allen left the band, and they carried on as a quartet (Ian Hunter, Mick Ralphs, Overend Watts, Dale Griffin) for the next album, Mott. Ralphs left for BAD COMPANY in August 1973. Morgan Fisher (keyboards) and former SPOOKY TOOTH guitarist Ariel Bender (Luther Grosvenor) joined at that point, and this lineup recorded one last studio album The Hoople and a live album in 1974 when Bender left, to be replaced by former Bowie band member Mick Ronson in September 1974. Hunter's ll health helped take down Mott for good in December, 1974.

In October of 2009 the original lineup of Mott The Hoople will celebrate their 40th anniversry by reuniting for five shows in London's HMV Hammersmith Apollo.

Ian Hunter continues to record and to tour as a soloist. MAN OVERBOARD, his 13th solo record, will be released on July 21st. Ian Hunter will appear at The River To River Festival in New York on June 24st, at the north end of Battery Park. Admission is free.

Neil Young On CHARLIE ROSE

2009-06-02T10:19:00.003-04:00

You've might have noticed that I've just installed a VIDEO BAR in the right margin of this blog. For starters, I decided to feature the music of Bruce Springsteen, John Mellencamp, and Neil Young. One of the random videos to pop up was Neil's appearance with CHARLIE ROSE from 2008. Its really intriguing, just sitting down and talking, no frills, about several topics; his history, the creative process, the war in Iraq, and Green Energy, just for starters.

It was such a great interview I thought it deserved to be featured here. Its nearly an hour long, so sit back and enjoy.

For more info, click Neil Young.com.

A Flock of Seagulls- I RAN

2009-06-02T00:14:00.002-04:00

This video is dedicated to the New York Yankees, the Cleveland Indians, to all the fans at Progressive Field in Cleveland, or to anyone who watched Monday's Yankees-Indians game on TV.

If you saw it, you know what I'm talking about.

Ron Wood, 62 Today

2009-06-01T23:25:00.005-04:00

Better late than never...a happy 62nd birthday to longtime Rolling Stones guitarist Ron Wood

Ron Wood played with a British group called The Birds (not to be confused with the American group The Byrds) in the mid to late 1960's, and joined Jeff Beck in 1967 as a bassist. That version of the Jeff Beck Group included Beck on lead guitar, Wood, Mick Waller on drums, and a young singer named Rod Stewart. Tony Newman replaced Waller on drums, and keyboard legend Nicky Hopkins later joined the band, which recorded two albums, Truth and Beck-o-la before falling apart in 1969.

Wood and Stewart joined Small Faces in 1969, replacing the Humble Pie bound Steve Marriott. The band, which also included keyboardist Ian McLagan, bassist Ronnie Lane, and drummer Kenny Jones, soon dropped "small" from their moniker, and became known as Faces. Over the next six years, they became one of the greatest live acts in the world, recording several hit albums. Wood was also a contributor to friend and bandmate Rod Stewart's solo career, playing on his albums Gasoline Alley and Every Picture Tells A Story.

Wood's first solo album was 1974's I've Got My Own Album To Do. He has recorded 13 solo or collaboration albums in the past 35 years.

When Mick Taylor left The Rolling Stones Ron Wood was brought in as a "guest guitarist", though he was still a member of FACES. After FACES broke up in December 1975, Wood was made a permanent member of the Stones in February, 1976. He has been "the new guy" ever since.

Wood is also an artist, and has won acclaim for his portraits of many persons, but notably of his fellow rockers.

Here's a look at "Woody" at work.

The Dave Matthews Band Opens Up - CBS News

2009-05-31T16:30:00.002-04:00

The Dave Matthews Band Opens Up - CBS News

A feature story from today's CBS SUNDAY MORNING.

Tomorrow night (June 1st) The Dave Matthews Band live from the BEACON THEATER, online on HULU, on TV with FUSE at 9:00PM EDT.

Click Dave Matthews Band for official homepage.

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Springsteen Tickets For Giants Stadium Go On Sale Tomorrow (June 1st)

2009-05-31T10:50:00.004-04:00

If you are among the two or three who haven't heard the news, tomorrow morning (June 1st) at 10am tickets for Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band will go on sale for the last performances by a major act at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford NJ. The shows will be September 30, and October 2 and 3.

Its Bruce and the band, its Jersey, its Giant's Stadium for the last time.

Expect some magic that'll rock the spirits in the night.

More info here.

Delaney C . Walsh- Update

2009-05-30T22:15:00.008-04:00

In my next installment of championing the career of Delaney C. Walsh so she can become an international superstar and subsequently dismiss me years from now with a "Hugh...who?"......(and no, she isn't asking for a chocolate soft drink! Do they even make that stuff anymore? Oh, never mind).

Anyway.....

The name 'Delaney Walsh" keeps popping up in Top Search Queries for this and my other blog; so I have to keep writing about her... and admit it, you're gettin' hooked, too.

Here's the latest regarding Ms. Delaney; she's now #29 on the Rock Charts on ReverbNation.

Mucho congrats are in order!

So click the link for some new info and more bio information.

(Delaney Photo#1 from MySpace, #2 from TwitPics)

Had she been born a generation earlier Delaney would have been hanging with Waylon and Willie, and she has a voice that echoes another lady from Texas named Janis.

Good stuff....and here's more about Delaney on my UT&MR blog.

So don't be a cheapskate. Take the fishhooks out of your pockets. Buy this lady's music.

My cousin Anthony from North Caldwell. He's a very persuasive guy. And he just might be a fan. And who knows? Cousin Tony just might drop by your house for a visit.

Ciao!

Lost and Found- STONE THE CROWS & MAGGIE BELL

2009-05-27T13:31:00.016-04:00

I was first made aware of the Scottish band Stone The Crows through a tragedy in the band. I was reading a rock publication in the summer of 1972 when I came upon an article about the band losing their lead guitarist, Les Harvey, when he was electrocuted on stage in Swansea, Wales during a soundcheck. The freak accident occurred when Harvey touched his mike, which probably was not grounded properly, and his guitar at the same time.

About two years later I had been transferred to the UK, and I bought a compilation album of various artists in a bargain bin of an English market. Among the artists on the record were John Mark, Cat Steven's sideman Alun Davies, and Stone The Crows. Stone The Crows did an acoustic version of the old Josh White song, Blindman. The female voice was familiar- she was Maggie Bell, the Scottish blues belter who did backgrounds and harmony with Rod Stewart on the song Every Picture Tells A Story

,

Alex Gitlin.com has a very fine and extensive bio of Stone The Crows and of Maggie Bell, both by British rock journalist Chris Welch, the former from the reissue of the group's album Stone The Crows, the latter from Maggie Bell's debut reissue Queen of the Night. Both were reissued by Repertoire records in 1997. I'll give you a brief history of the band, their albums, some rare video clips, and some "where are they now?" material.

The band was from Scotland, and was originally known as POWER when it was formed in 1968. The following year Led Zeppelin's manager Peter Grant, along with Mark London, became POWER's manager. Singer Maggie Bell, guitarist Les Harvey, bassist/vocalist Jim Dewar, keyboardist John McGinnis were joined by new drummer Colin Allen and the band changed its name to Stone The Crows.

Maggie Bell on the band's name.

"Peter picked our new name. When he said: 'Cor blimey, stone the crows' we thought - what a name! But it stuck and people remember it."

.

This lineup recorded two albums, Stone The Crows (1969) and Ode To John Law. The band did tour America in those years and achieved critical success, and a modest following in the States. After the release of their second album both McGinnis and Dewar left, with Dewar teaming with former Procol Harum guitarist Robin Trower with his self named power trio. Replacements were Ronnie Leahy (keyboards) and Steve Thompson bass for STC's third album Teenage Licks (1971). It was the band's most successful album, and things were on a roll in Britain. Maggie was named Britain's "Best Female Vocalist" by MELODY MAKER in 1971. But on May 2,1972 Les Harvey died in the tragic aforementioned incident on stage. The band decided to move ahead, and after considering former Fleetwood Mac guitarist and founder Peter Green they settled on young Jimmy McCulloch (ex Thunderclap Newman) on guitar. Ontinuous Performance (1972) was the band's 4th and last album. The aftereffects of Harvey's death was too much for STC to overcome.

Colin Allen went on to join FOCUS, and Leahy was a member of several groups in the future, including NAZARETH. McCulloch joined Paul McCartney in WINGS for several years, joined a reunited Small Faces for a short stint in the late 1970's, and started THE DUKES at the end of the decade. He died of a heroin overdose in 1979 at the age of 26.

Maggie Bell recorded the solo album Queen of the Night (1974) in New York with the legendary producer Jerry Wexler and many notable sidemen, to great critical success. Her second album, Suicide Sal (1975) included a great version of the FREE song Wishing Well. It was on Led Zeppelin's label, SWAN SONG, and players included Jimmy Page. Her other solo albums are The Great Rock Sensation (1977) and Crimes of the Heart (1988). In addition, she has done several live albums. In 1981 Maggie teamed with BA Robertson for the Number One (UK) single Hold Me. In her sixties, Maggie Bell continues to perform to this day.

Here's some videos of Maggie and the fabulous STONE THE CROWS.

Some Final Thoughts
Who knows why certain artists gain international fame and fortune, and why some fall into a niche or cult status, or why some fall into obscurity with the passage of time? In the UK, Maggie Bell remains a kind of a Godmother of Scottish rock; in the United States, she's a trivia question, as are the magnificent Stone The Crows. You wonder that had Les Harvey lived, could they have gone on to truly conquer America and become rock royalty? Or would Maggie's vocal similarity to Janis Joplin always be held against her in this country; she wasn't ripping off Janis's legacy, she was singing in an American blues style just as Janis was. But maybe the sensitivity to Janis's death in the eyes of American rock audiences made it especially difficult for Maggie to make in big in the United States.

At any rate, I only wish I could have seen this band in any of its three configurations.They were amazing and talented, and their star should have burned much brighter than the less than half decade that it did.

But we still have the great Maggie Bell....and that's pretty damned good.

More at The Maggie Bell Home Page.

Dixie Chicks- TRAVELIN' SOLDIER

2009-05-24T11:10:00.005-04:00

Maybe the country music establishment doesn't want them anymore.

So rock and rockers will embrace them.

And maybe Texas will secede from the union (if their blustering governor goes through with his "threat").

If that's the case, just give us Natalie Maines, Martie Maguire, and Emily Robison before you vacate the premises.

A song to reflect on all who serve and have served, and for those who never came back....The Dixie Chicks.

Visit The Dixie Chicks official website.

Have a Happy Memorial Day!

Joe Cocker- 65 Years Old Today

2009-05-20T12:56:00.004-04:00

Birthday greetings go out to the legendary John Robert Cocker aka "Joe", who turns 65 today.

Sheffield (UK) born Joe burst into the music scene in the late 1960's with his debut album With A Little Help From My Friends, and his single version of the Lennon-McCartney title song. He electrified the crowd of 400,000 at the Woodstock Festival (Aug 18, 1969) with his versions of Dear Landlord, Feelin' Alright, I Don't Need No Doctor, and With A Little Help From My Friends, among others. His appearance in the film version of Woodstock backed by his group, The Grease Band (Henry McCullough, Chris Stainton, Alan Spenner, and Bruce Rowland) was a highlight of the production.

Joe's second album Joe Cocker! was recorded shortly after his Woodstock appearance. Two more Beatles covers appeared on this release; Lennon and McCartney's She Came In Through The Bathroom Window and George Harrison's Something. He had a UK hit with Leon Russell's Delta Lady, and began an association with Russell.

Joe Cocker disbanded The Grease Band in late 1969, but contractual obligations forced him back on the road, this time with a aggregation of 30 musicians and singers led by Leon Russell, called Mad Dogs and Englishmen. The group included such notables as Jim Price, Rita Coolidge, Chris Stainton, Kathi McDonald, Carl Radle, and Russell. The tour went on into 1970, the hits kept on coming, including his version of The Letter, once a hit for THE BOXTOPS. The live album of the tour was a major hit for Cocker, but its followup Joe Cocker recorded two years later was a disappointment sales wise. The years between 1970-72 were clouded by personal issues and deteriorating health for Joe. and the following years found some successes in between the highs and lows. In 1974 he had a hit with his version of Billy Preston's You Are So Beautiful, and had an international hit with his duet with Jennifer Warnes in 1982 with the Grammy winning Up Where We Belong from the film An Officer and a Gentleman. The 1980's had more hits, including You Can Leave Your Hat On and Unchain My Heart, as well as more chart successes, mainly in Europe, in the 1990's and into the new millennium.

Today Joe is married to Pam Baker, and lives on The Mad Dog Ranch in Crawford, Colorado. Joe Cocker is currently involved in a a US tour , with dates available on his website.

A few months ago Joe appeared on Tavis Smiley on PBS, and was asked about his stage mannerisms (which he has since toned down). He explained that he was so into Ray Charles as a young man that he would try to mimic him....but he didn't know what to do with his hands, so he began playing his "invisible bass" and started to flay his arms around like a windmill.

Consider the mystery solved.

Useless Trivia and Mindless Rants: Delaney C . Walsh- "It Ain't Right"

2009-05-20T10:55:00.001-04:00

Useless Trivia and Mindless Rants: Delaney C . Walsh- "It Ain't Right"

Yes, this is another "cross pollination" post, linking to my current events/ magazine blog. And yes, this is a blog that deals mainly with "classic rock", which will elicit a different definition from just about anyone you ask the question, "what is Classic Rock?"

Classic Rock doesn't and shouldn't belong to old geezers like me- there's a new generation of terrific performers who are carrying on the Classic Rock tradition. And they deserve recognition.

Delaney C. Walsh is a young singer based in Nashville, who's styling is that of a classic rocker. And she has a connection to a famous classic rocker- Delaney has collaborated with Leon Russell on one of her songs. They'll be more on Leon in an upcoming post

So click the link to Useless Trivia and Mindless Rants and meet Delaney C Walsh.

And long live rock!

Pete Townshend Is 64 Today!

2009-05-19T15:12:00.005-04:00

Today is the 64th birthday of Pete Townshend, the primary songwriter and guitarist of The Who, my alltime favorite artists, and the group that produced my favorite record of the rock era, Who's Next.

Rather than show videos of Pete with The Who or with surviving fellow founder Roger Daltrey, lets' check out some solo Pete, electric and acoustic, and in some interviews from the past.

This following video is the original demo of Who Are You by Pete, accompanied by a Who slide show.

For more information on Pete Townshend or The Who, visit The Who's official website.

Happy 60th Birthday to Rick Wakeman! (The Six Wives of Henry VIII)

2009-05-18T21:33:00.005-04:00

It was a co-incidence, really. I was going to write a review of Season Three of The Tudors for my current events blog when I noticed that today is "once and former and who knows when again" YES keyboard whiz Rick Wakeman's 60th birthday.

Happy Birthday, maestro Rick.

Rick Wakeman left YES for the FIFTH time just over a year ago. He's had as many tours of duty with Yes as Billy Martin had managing the Yankees.

Among Rick's early solo projects was a concept album in 1973, The Six Wives Of Henry VIII. Here's a YouTube clip of excerpts from Yes's 2003 tour.

Rick will be doing some touring in the UK, including the Chelsea Arts Festival on June 13th. Check Rick's website for more info.

And in Yes-News...longtime members Alan White, Chris Squire, and Steve Howe are joined by singer Benoit David and Rick's son, Oliver Wakeman on tour in the US. Incidentally, Steve Howe is doing double duty, also playing guitar with the opening act, fellow prog-rockers Asia

For more on Yes, check YesWorld.

Sara Bareilles- "I'm On Fire"

2009-05-16T21:00:00.005-04:00

Staying with the Bruce Springsteen theme (see previous post), I came upon this incredible video of Sara Bareilles on YouTube from the Bruce Springsteen Channel of Sara singing her unplugged version of I'm On Fire.

First, here's some biographical info on Sara Bareilles, taken from her website, saramusic.com....in her own words.

My new Bio.
By: Me

So I'm supposed to tell you about myself and we've tried to write something fancy, and I'm just not that fancy, so here I go.
The non-fancy me.

I've been writing songs for as long as I can remember. Some of them make me happy and some of them are shit, but all of them come because I can't imagine what else to do with my head and the things that are in it besides write songs.
Songs, and some pretty bad poetry.
But mostly just songs.
LITTLE VOICE is my first major label album. I signed with Epic Records on tax day 2005, and I spent the better part of the next year writing and developing the material for the album that is set to release July 3rd. Songwriting is the most sacred thing in my life. It's how I process my world. For now, it's usually me and my piano (that I rent cause I don't have one), my lousy grammar, and some emotion that makes me feel like I'm bursting at the seams.
And it's the best feeling in the world.

We started recording in February of 2006 and it took about a year to get to a place where we felt like it was finished. My producer, Eric Rosse, and I spent countless hours deliberating, fighting, and seeking compromise on what would make this music the best it could be. I'm not proud to say it, but I feel like in many ways I walked in with my dukes up. In the end, we both walked away with some gnarly battle scars, and an album that we're both pretty damn proud of. It represents one of the most tumultuous years of my life that thankfully made me a stronger, better artist. I'm incredibly grateful for that.

It's a collection of songs that pretty much mean the world to me. They chronicle my life, my relationships, my basket-case-ness, and my utter devotion to trying to write honest stuff down and share it. That's where the title comes from. This record was really about me learning to trust my own instincts, and more importantly, recognize how desperately I needed to learn to listen to myself, however inexperienced and naïve I may be. It sounds cliché, but that little voice is sometimes the only voice that's speaking the truth. I think that's pretty fucking cool.

"What kind of music is it?"
I write mostly on piano and I'm a girl, so lots of people say it's Norah Jones, or Fiona Apple. That's fine. I love Norah's subtlety and Fiona's fierce lyrical prowess. But I also have an affinity for the playful and intelligent-pop of people like Elton John and Ben Folds. And although I don't necessarily write like them, Radiohead, the Police and Bjork changed my musical consciousness. Ben Gibbard writes better lyrics than I can even imagine up. Etta James and Sam Cooke make me wish I lived 50 years ago. Counting Crows recorded an album that I consider to be perfect, and Bob Marley created music that makes me want to be a better human being.
So there's all that. And it's all in there. In me. Somewhere. So do what you will with that information, I know it's vague, but it's the best I can do.

"Where are you from and how'd you end up here?"
I grew up in Eureka, CA. Since hardly anyone knows where that is, I'll tell you. It's pretty much as north as you can go up the coast of California before you stop paying sales tax. (Oregon, baby.)
I lived on several acres of Redwood forest, and spent most of my time in the woods developing a delightfully overactive imagination that I'm pretty proud to say I've managed to salvage. I sang in high school choirs and did community musical theatre and played right field softball and rode horses and had my heart broken a few times. I was borderline normal.
I was incredibly lucky.
I moved to LA to go to UCLA, and realized the world was bigger than my hometown. Way, way bigger, come to find out. In school I studied Communications, but everywhere else I secretly studied the world around me. I felt stupid and wonderful and small and liberated and exhilarated and I started feeling the need to write it all down. So I did. And then I wanted to start singing those things. I played open mics and small shows that started becoming bigger shows and actually started calling myself a musician. I met my band/road mates and finally started sharing music. Because of them, I also rediscovered what "family" means. I met my manager, Jordan Feldstein, who has made tiny opportunities blossom into bigger ones, and now I'm not a waitress anymore. I fell on my ass more than once but figured that I'd rather do this than anything, so what the hell?
And here we are.

"Why'd you write such a long bio?"
I realize this is incredibly self-indulgent, but it all feels important to me, and I'm a terrible editor. So, thanks for coming. Thanks for listening. Thanks for ignoring my potty mouth, and thanks for giving a shit about this music. I really really truly appreciate it.

Love and peace,
s

This version of I'm On Fire is part of Springsteen's Hangin' Out On E Street series, which is a collection of cover versions of Springsteen songs from a new generation of performers.

Check Bruce Springsteen. net for more details.

Bruce Rocked Here

2009-05-16T12:54:00.005-04:00

This story by Stan Goldstein (photos by Andrew Mills) and appearing in Inside Jersey Magazine is billed as "The Ultimate Springsteen Shore Tour". Included are photos of Bruce's childhood homes in Freehold, NJ, his elementary and high schools, different venues he played in as an up and coming musician....and even a picture of the hospital where he was born!

Fun stuff for all Bruce-ologists!

Happy Birthday JACK BRUCE! (66)

2009-05-14T22:11:00.004-04:00

Its better late than never, and here's wishing a Happy Birthday to the great vocalist/bassist/multi instrumentalist Jack Bruce, who turns 66 today.

Jack was the primary lead singer and wrote the bulk of songs for super group Cream, which also consisted of drummer Ginger Baker and guitar legend Eric Clapton.

One day I'll do a proper retrospective of Cream (1966-68)....a classic rock blog cannot be complete without one.

Jack later collaborated with Leslie West and Corky Laing in West, Bruce, and Laing and later with Robin Trower. His early career included work with The Graham Bond Organisation, Manfred Mann, and John Mayall's Bluesbreakers. Also in his solo years he's worked with the likes of former Rolling Stone Mick Taylor and former Thin Lizzy guitarist Garry Moore.

Here's some video of Jack Bruce in action, through the years.

For more info check the Jack Bruce website.

Paul Rodgers and Queen Part Ways

2009-05-14T11:24:00.007-04:00

According to a story from Reuters (reported by Gary Graff) QUEEN + PAUL RODGERS will be no more.

Paul Rodgers will tour this summer with the reunited Bad Company, (with co-founders Rodgers, Mick Ralphs, and Simon Kirke) leaving his collaboration with QUEEN on hiatus.

"At this point we're gonna sit back from this," Rodgers told Billboard.com. "My arrangement with (Queen's Brian May and Roger Taylor) was similar to my arrangement with Jimmy (Page) in The Firm in that it was never meant to be a permanent arrangement.

"I think we made a huge success of it, actually. We did two world tours and a couple of live recordings, and...made a studio album (2008's commercially disappointing 'The Cosmos Rocks') which was pretty historical for (May and Taylor) because they hadn't really gone in the studio with anybody and recorded something like that for a very long time. So it was quite an achievement, I think."

Bad Company will kick off a ten city US tour beginning 6/20/09 at the Verizon Wireless Amphitheater, Charlotte NC. Check their website for additional details.

Below, a few clips from Queen + Paul Rodgers.

Joss Stone as ANNE OF CLEVES in THE TUDORS

2009-05-13T18:23:00.003-04:00

Yes, this is a blog dedicated to rock, more specifically classic rock. However, yesterday I was able to catch Joss Stone in her first extensive performance as Anne of Cleves in SHOWTIME'S The Tudors. Her character had appeared in the previous episode, but was seen and heard from only in distant long shots.

The story so far...England's Henry VIII's third wife Jane Seymour has died after childbirth. Depressed and mourning, Henry goes into seclusion trusting only his court jester and becomes even more irrational and paranoid with each day. Additionally, he continues in constant suffering from an ulcerated wound in his leg that will not heal, which has started to limit his mobility.

Danger lurks in the form of Spain and a possible alliance with France. Both have reason to wish to invade Protestant England and win it back to Catholicism. Henry's chief minister, Cromwell, urges the King to marry a Protestant German Duchess, Anne of Cleves in order to give England ties to the German Protestant HANSEATIC LEAGUE. Holbein, the court painter, is sent to the Duchy to paint a portrait of Anne to be given to Henry so he could see what the Duchess looks like. Cromwell tells Holbein to make sure the portrait is flattering- Cromwell has dedicated himself to keeping England Protestant. Henry likes the portrait when it is presented to him, and meets the young unsophisticated Anne when she arrives in Britain...and he can't stand her at first sight.

Below, Anne of Cleves is presented at the English Court for the first time.

Joss Stone did a very good job in her portrayal of Anne. She was understated, sympathetic, and totally believable as an innocent young German aristocrat who was sheltered most of her life and knew little of the outside world. Joss handled the German accent with out making it an SNL style cartoon. To those who wouldn't know Joss Stone from Steve Stone, you'd be hard pressed to know that she was not, indeed German.

There is only one sticking point in Joss's casting. Henry tells all that will listen that Anne "looks like a horse". Take a look at the picture on the top of this column. This beautiful woman sure ain't no horse!

But that's casting...and suspend your disbelief.

Overall..a very fine performance. And there is more drama on the way, as the brief union between Anne and Henry falters and then falls apart completely.

True, THE TUDORS is English history as soap opera; but its a darn good soap opera, and I never miss it.

And more heads will be rolling in the very near future.

Happy Birthday Steve Winwood! (61)

2009-05-12T21:48:00.006-04:00

He was a member of The Spencer Davis Group at age 15, a founder of the eclectic band Traffic at 19, at 21 he was part of the super group Blind Faith. He later reformed Traffic and found its greatest commercial success. And for more than 40 years he has been part of rock's royalty.

Today singer- composer and multi-instrumentalist extraordinaire Steve Winwood is 61 years old. Congrats to one of my all time favorites.

I only saw Winwood once- that was back in January, 1972 with the reformed Traffic...Winwood, Jim Capaldi, Chris Wood, Rebop, and the Muscle Shoals rhythm section of Roger Hawkins and David Hood. The show was at the old ACADEMY OF MUSIC in New York. As a special treat Dave Mason did a walk on to do the guitar solo at the end of HEAVEN IS IN YOUR MIND, Traffic's encore. The opening act, by the way, was JJ Cale. He was great as well.

Steve is currently touring with old friend Eric Clapton. Here's a list of tour dates.

And here's vid or two of Steve and Eric together.

For more on Steve check here, stevewinwood.com.

Martha Quinn Turns 50 Today (OMG!)

2009-05-11T21:42:00.006-04:00

Yes, this one will make us all feel a little bit old(er).

Everyone's favorite MTV pixie turns 50 years of age today....and a very happy birthday to the still very beautiful Martha Quinn.

Martha was one of the original MTV vee-jays, along with Nina Blackwood, Mark Goodman, J.J. Jackson, and Alan Hunter when MTV signed on Aug 1, 1981....and I can't believe that its been almost 28 years of MTV.

Since leaving MTV Martha had acted in several series, cohosted Star Search with Ed McMahon, and is currently hosting a weekly show on SIRIUS radio, Gods of the Big Eighties

Martha married Jordan Tarlow of the Fuzztones in 1993. They have two children, and live in Malibu, CA.

For more on Martha Quinn, check out her website.

Happy Birthday Bill Kreutzmann (63)!!!

2009-05-07T21:41:00.007-04:00

A quick Happy Birthday shoutout to former Grateful Dead drummer BILL KREUTZMANN who turns 63 today, May 7th.

Bill will be appearing at the 5th annual Mountain Jam on May29-31. Other acts include THE ALLMAN BROTHERS BAND, GOV'T MULE, THE DEREK TRUCKS BAND, RICHIE HAVENS, and many many more.

The Jam will be at Hunter Mountain, New York.

Oh what the heck...here's some classic DEAD!

Click the link for the Grateful Dead Official Website. Soon...a feature and more Dead stuff on this site.

Ciao!!!

POWER STATION- The Definitive Eighties Super Group

2009-05-06T20:03:00.006-04:00

In late 1984 the supergroup Power Station was formed by Duran Duran members John Taylor (bass) and Andy Taylor (guitar), and Chic drummer Tony Thompson, and British solo star Robert Palmer on vocals. Duran Duran was on hiatus; vocalist Simon Le Bon, keyboardist Nick Rhodes, and drummer Roger Taylor formed the splinter group Arcadia, sounding much in the Duran Duran tradition.

John and Andy Taylor, however, wanted to go into a heavier sound, more power oriented and guitar driven. It has been said that the genesis for the band was a one time meeting with model/actress Bebe Buell, who wanted to record a version of the old T-Rex song GET IT ON (BANG A GONG). Chic's Bernard Edwards and Tony Thompson became involved in the project, but it never reached fruition.

A plan was devised for John, Andy, and Tony to go into the studio and have different lead singers on each track of new material. Robert Palmer sang the vocal on COMMUNICATION. Palmer heard the demo of GET IT ON featuring the trio, and added vocals to it. It was decided to go with Palmer as lead singer on all of the tracks...and the band POWER STATION was born, named after the studio where the first studio album was recorded.

February 16, 1985 was the only time that Robert Palmer performed live with POWER STATION in its first incarnation. They played GET IT ON and SOME LIKE IT HOT on Saturday Night Live, and in March the album POWER STATION was released. It was a hit, as were the singles GET IT ON and SOME LIKE IT HOT. A summer tour of the United States was booked following this success, but Robert Palmer opted out of the group to return to his solo career.

For the tour singer Michael Des Barres was added to the lineup. This configuration was the group that played the Philadelphia segment of Live-Aid in the summer of 1985.

Des Barres was a friend of Miami Vice star Don Johnson, and the band played on a VICE show while in the United States. POWER STATION folded by the end of 1985. Andy Taylor went solo, John Taylor back to Duran Duran, Thompson and Des Barres on to other projects.

POWER STATION regrouped for a second album in 1996, LIVING IN FEAR. The lineup included Robert Palmer, but before the completion of the project John Taylor opted out. Bernard Edwards stepped in on bass, but tragedy struck when he died of pneumonia. Guy Pratt, a sideman with PINK FLOYD (among others), became the bass player for the tour (later replaced by Manny Yanes), and they also added a second guitarist, Luke Morley. Shortly after the tour, POWER STATION broke up for good.

Robert Palmer and Tony Thompson both died in 2003. The Taylors rejoined the reunited Duran Duran in 2001, but Andy Taylor left the lineup in 2006, leaving Duran Duran's lineup today as; Simon Le Bon, Nick Rhodes, John Taylor, and Roger Taylor.

Below, the classic 1980's videos of GET IT ON (BANG A GONG) and SOME LIKE IT HOT, featuring Robert Palmer on vocals. And then we have POWER STATION with Michael Des Barres in their appearance on MIAMI VICE, playing GET IT ON.

Rock on, Crockett and Tubbs!

Rod Stewart- GASOLINE ALLEY

2009-05-04T18:34:00.005-04:00

The other night while checking out the Jeff Beck vids for the previous post I came upon this rare gem on YouTube. Its a young Rod Stewart, probably from 1970, doing an al capella version of the title song from Rod's second solo album, Gasoline Alley.

This was the time when Rod and Ronnie Wood broke with Jeff Beck and replaced Steve Marriott in The Small Faces when Steve left to form Humble Pie. Soon the group dropped the "small", and for a time, from 1971 to 1974 Faces became possibly one of the top five bands in the world......and they were the headliners one of the first concerts I ever went to, in July, 1971.

A great REALLY UNPLUGGED of a classic song.

An edited update (May 6, 2009) I forgot to mention. The charcoal sketch of Rod Stewart was done by former bandmate (with Jeff Beck and Faces) Ron Wood of the Rolling Stones. Woody is a very good portrait artist who's had several collections displayed in exhibition throughout the world.

What a voice. Hard to match then or since.

Ciao!

Jeff Beck and Joss Stone- PEOPLE GET READY

2009-05-02T11:58:00.005-04:00

So...on a cool and windy Friday night, I was checking out some favorite vids on YouTube. I spent some time with my alltime favorite guitarist, JEFF BECK, and watched a video of his recent reunion with long ago cohort ROD STEWART singing old JEFF BECK GROUP favorite "I Ain't Superstitious" and a great version of Curtis Mayfield's "People Get Ready".

And then I came upon another video, this one of Beck with JOSS STONE singing "People Get Ready". I was so floored by how good they were together, I want to say this publicly....if anything were to happen to me, and I were to go to that Great Gig In the Sky, I want this song and this version played at my grave site. Seriously! No joke!

I have already written about Jeff and of The Yardbirds. So here's some info about the lovely Ms. Stone.

Joss Stone was born Jocelyn Eve Stoker in Kent, UK on April 11, 1987. In 2003 her debut album Soul Sessions went platinum, her second Mind, Body, and Soul (2004) was also a huge hit. Introducing Joss Stone was a GRAMMY nominated release in 2007. This summer her fourth album, Colour Me Free is scheduled for release.

Joss began her acting career with the 2006 fantasy Eregon. She can be seen on SHOWTIME's third season of The Tudors playing Henry VII's German born fourth wife, Anne of Cleves.

Here's the vid. JB's band includes the incredible young basist from Australia, Tal Wilkenfeld.

Pink Floyd- PIGS

2009-05-01T19:30:00.002-04:00

Yes, I know its been forever since I posted here last....but if you've been following my other blog, you'll see that I was trying to balance a whole bunch of plates in the air at one time.

Where were we?

Oh...the so called "swine flu" pandemic, which from now on I shall refer to as the "H1N1 virus" I'm tired of watching innocent pigs being defamed.

So staying on topic, here's Pink Floyd from ANIMALS, with "PIGS".

But seriously........I'll be back with more substantial stuff as soon as those pigs stop flying past my window.

The Kinks- LIFE GOES ON

2009-04-22T11:18:00.003-04:00

This is probably the most unusual post I've ever entered on this blog. Usually the blog entries center on a band or a solo artist, and their music and works. But in this case, its a song dedicated to someone lost to our family today.

You can read about it if you like here

Ray Davies, the singer and principle songwriter of The Kinks wrote the song about a man who failed in a suicide attempt. That failure led to a new affirmation of his life. Its been a song that's been playing in the back of my mind ever since we knew that the death of a loved one was imminent.

Here's Life Goes On by the Kinks, audio only, from the 1977 album SLEEPWALKER.

I'll do a thorough history of the Kinks at a later date.

Seeya in a few.

We're Now Using Twitter!

2009-04-20T18:58:00.003-04:00

OK...I've gone over to THE DARK SIDE, and have signed on with TWITTER. So check out my gadget under my PROFILE, and check out what me and my BFF Diddy are doing.

Tweet me, dammit!!!

Baseball and Rock- Opening Day at "New" Yankee Stadium

2009-04-16T21:23:00.005-04:00

For the record.....today, April 16th, 2009 the New York Yankees opened the new Yankee Stadium with a 10-2 loss to the Cleveland Indians. Johnny Damon had the first hit in the new park, Jorge Posada the first home run....but Cleveland's Grady Sizemore had the first grand slam in a nine run 7th inning that crushed the Yank's home debut.

OK...what does all of this have to do with classic rock?

Well, during the opening day ceremonies, with all the former players and the pomp and circumstance, was former leader of CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVIVAL John Fogerty, complete with a bat shaped guitar, to sing "Centerfield". So, I thought, how about a baseball theme for the blog entry? For a Yankee fan (like me) the music eases the pain of the loss...well, just a little.

So here's a triple header with Fogerty, The Boss, and Meat Loaf (with an assist by #10, Phil Rizzuto).

Hey...we'll get 'em tomorrow. We've got Joba Chamberlain...and they don't!

Ritchie Blackmore- 65th Birthday Today (April 14th)!

2009-04-14T11:23:00.019-04:00

Ritchie Blackmore, co-founder of Deep Purple, Rainbow, and currently fronting Blackmore's Night with his wife Candice turns 65 today.

To do a thorough bio of Ritchie might require my writing a short book- it would include two separate stints with both DEEP PURPLE and RAINBOW and would span five decades- so I'll hit the highlights, using sources like Pete Frames ROCK FAMILY TREES, Ritchie's bio (from the Blackmore's Night website), trusty old WIKIPEDIA, and my own personal recollections of his career (and my attending my first metal concert way back in 1971, featuring Ritchie and DEEP PURPLE).

Born in Weston-super-mare on April 14, 1944, Richard Hugh Blackmore first picked up a guitar at age 11. Early influences were Gene Vincent and British rock n' roll guitarist Hank B. Marvin. He became proficient on guitar, and became a session musican in the early 1960's. Ritchie joined the Crusaders, a band fronted by singer Neil Christian, in January 1965, having left the British group the Outlaws, which he had been a member of since October 1962....with brief stay with Heinz and the Wild Boys in 1964.

Ritchie stayed with Christian and the Crusaders until May, 1967...except for a brief period in late 1966/early 1967 when he teamed with "Screaming" Lord Sutch (The Savages) to form The Roman Empire. Leader Sutch required his band to wear Roman gladiator outfits...mercifully, the band collapsed, and Blackmore returned to the Crusaders. Blackmore went to Hamburg and was a band that lasted only a couple of months called Mandrake Root...which was later the title to an early Deep Purple song.

Deep Purple was formed from the ashes of a band Ritchie formed with ex-Flowerpot Men keyboardist Jon Lord and bassist Nick Simper called Roundabout. They were together for only a few months in early 1968. By March of 1968 the group had gone through several changes of personnel, and had finally settled on a lineup of Blackmore, Lord, Simper, Ian Paice on drums, and new vocalist Rod Evans. This lineup played one gig as ROUNDABOUT, and then changed their name to Deep Purple .

The first DEEP PURPLE lineup had several hit records on both sides of the Atlantic, including "Hush", Kentucky Woman", and "River Deep, Mountain High". Trouble reared its head when the band's US label folded. There was a period of inactivity and uncertainty about the group's future. Simper and Evans left, and were replaced by two former members of Episode Six, bassist Roger Glover and singer Ian Gillan in 1969. This second version of DEEP PURPLE is usually regarded as the classic version, and its most successful lineup. Their albums began with "Concerto With Group and Orchestra" (featuring the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra), and then the harder sounds of "In Rock", followed by "Fireball", "Machine Head", and the classic live album "Made In Japan". Hits included SPACE TRUCKIN', HIGHWAY STAR, and SMOKE ON THE WATER. This lineup made one more album in 1973, "Who Do We Think We Are?", at which time both Gillan and Glover left DEEP PURPLE.

In 1974 a revamped DEEP PURPLE (Mark III) consisted of Blackmore, Lord, Paice, and new vocalist David Coverdale, and former Trapeze bassist/vocalist Glenn Hughes The albums "Burn" and "Stormbringer" were recorded by this lineup. Blackmore grew increasingly dissatisfied with DEEP PURPLE, and left the band in the spring of 1975. Tommy Bolin, an American guitarist who replaced Joe Walsh in THE JAMES GANG was brought in as DEEP PURPLE's new guitarist. This lineup recorded "Come taste The Band" , but by July, 1976 DEEP PURPLE disbanded.

Meanwhile, Ritchie Blackmore joined forces with Ronnie James Dio and his band Elf, which was renamed Ritche Blackmore's Rainbow (later shortened to Rainbow) in May 1975. Soon there was an almost entire turnover of musicians, which over the years included drummer Cozy Powell, keyboardist Don Airey, former Uriah Heep bassist Mark Clarke, and even old band mate Roger Glover. Dio left to join Black Sabbath in April, 1979. Replacement vocalists
Graham Bonnet and later Joe Lynn Turner fronted RAINBOW into the 1980's. STREET OF DREAMS, sung by Turner on the album "Bent Out Of Shape", might have been the most successful song Rainbow had as far as widespread commercial success and public acceptance.

In 1984 Deep Purple (Mark II) reunited and began touring and recording again, with some success. Old tensions between Gillan and Blackmore resurfaced, and Gillan was fired and replaced briefly by Joe Lynn Turner. Gillan evetually rejoined DEEP PURPLE, but Blackmore left for good in November 1993. Blackmore then reconvened Rainbow with a new lineup featuring singer Doogie White, but after recording one album, "Stranger In Us All" Rainbow folded for good in 1997.

Since 1997 Ritchie Blackmore has fronted a Renaissance themed band with his wife,Candice Night called Blackmore's Night. Their music is similar to the old Annie Haslam led band from the 1970's, Renaissance

Blackmore's Night has a strong following in Asia and a growing one in Europe. Ritchie seems happy and contented with his music and his life at this stage...and that's just about all anyone could ask for. Good for him.

For more about Ritchie click here.

JIMMY BUFFET; Videos For Your Inner ParrotHead

2009-04-11T14:47:00.006-04:00

Its Easter weekend, and a frigid 43 degrees, rainy, dreary, miserable, and ugly out there.

What to do?

Time for a quick trip to Margaritaville!

Here's a Buffet buffet, y'all!

Click here for "the online state of mind".

Happy Easter, one and all!

David Bowie- LIFE ON MARS?

2009-04-09T10:03:00.003-04:00

David Bowie and his music were central to the plots of the television series Life on Mars and to its sequel Ashes to Ashes (which I have shamelessly linked to my other blog if you care to read more). His music has often been layered with lyrics and references that may not seem obvious to the listener at first.

But as is often said in LOM and A2A...everything is significant.

Here, from his REALITY TOUR, is an updated live version of LIFE ON MARS?

Savoy Brown (featuring Kim Simmonds)

2009-04-07T19:16:00.007-04:00

They never received the acclaim of their contemporaries, but SAVOY BROWN was one of the most important bands that emerged from the British blues boom of the late 1960's.
SAVOY BROWN was founded by guitarists Kim Simmonds and John O'Leary in 1965. Simmonds continues to front the band to this day, and is the only constant in every lineup since the band's inception.

Over the years members have included singer Dave Walker, who was briefly the front man vocalist with Fleetwood Mac, bassist Andy Pyle, who was in the JETHRO TULL splinter group BLOODWYN PIG with Mick Abrahams, and later joined THE KINKS for a spell, and guitarist Dave Peverett, bassist Tony Stevens, and drummer Roger Earl, broke away from SB and founded FOGHAT.

Some of their most successful albums were BLUE MATTER (1969), RAW SIENNA (1969), STREETCORNER TALKING (1971), HELLBOUND TRAIN (1972, and BOOGIE BROTHERS (1972).
I saw SAVOY BROWN twice in the 1970's, once in Salt Lake City, when singer JACKIE LYNTON was in the band, and another time a few years later in the UK (was it the RAINBOW? I'm getting old) with a three lead guitar lineup featuring Simmonds, Miller Anderson, and former Chicken Shack guitarist STAN WEBB. Good shows...and I think Kim had the same red sunburst Gibson he's still playing 30 odd years later.

Then in the mid-1980's I saw Savoy Brown at THE FAST LANE in Asbury Park, NJ...and no, Bruce wasn't there....Kim was singing then, as well as playing lead.

So here's few vids featuring the most recent versions of the group, and a live acoustic rendition of their biggest hit featuring a solo Kim Simmonds.

And here is a link to the official website of Savoy Brown and Kim Simmonds

Seeya later.........

Paul and Ringo- All Together Now!

2009-04-06T10:23:00.003-04:00

Sir Paul and "The One and Only Billy Shears" got together for an onstage appearance of the two surviving Beatles. Here's the story, from John Carrucci of the Associated Press, and provided by COMCAST.

Paul Simon- MRS. ROBINSON

2009-04-04T13:32:00.003-04:00

How did I come to choose Paul Simon for today's entry?

Its because of the New York Yankees.

Last night I was watching the opening of the new Yankee Stadium, an exhibition game with the Chicago Cubs. The camera panned over to Paul Simon in the new, wet, drizzly ballpark, in attendance for the historic moment in Yankee history.

Broadcaster Michael Kay told partners Paul O'Neil and David Cone the story of when Paul Simon DID meet Joe DiMaggio, many years ago. The proud "Yankee Clipper" didn't understand the line, "Where have you gone, Joe DiMaggio, a nation turns its lonely eyes to you?". Michael Kay said that DiMaggio told Simon that he didn't go anywhere; he had his MR.COFFEE commercials, as well as the one's he did in the New York area for THE DIME SAVINGS BANK OF BROOKLYN. Simon told DiMaggio that it was an allusion to a loss of innocence. That seemed to quell DiMaggio's wounded ego....but the story didn't end there.

Later, Simon's favorite ballplayer, Mickey Mantle, asked Simon why he didn't use "Mickey Mantle" instead of "Joe DiMaggio" in the song.

His answer (according to Michael Kay)...."Mick, its all about the syllables".

Here's Paul Simon, live at the BBC (2006), with MRS ROBINSON.

The Hollies- LONG COOL WOMAN IN A BLACK DRESS

2009-04-01T20:34:00.004-04:00

The Hollies were formed in 1962. And 47 years later they are still together, with two original members; guitarist Tony Hicks and drummer Bobby Elliot. Former members of the classic lineup from the 1960's were singer Allan Clarke, singer/guitarist Graham Nash, bassist Bernie Calvert, and singer/guitarist Terry Sylvester (who replaced Nash in 1968).

There is a very long and detailed family tree on the band's website that can fill in any blanks, and add any pertinent details.

This afternoon Long Cool Woman popped up on the radio...and I thought it was time to talk about the Hollies just a little bit....and show the video.

A quick personal story about the group. In the early 1980's I was the front desk manager of a hotel in New Jersey. The Hollies original lineup (Clarke,Hicks, Elliot, and Nash)had a reunion and were touring the US. They booked some rooms in our hotel for a weekend gig. Hicks, Elliot, and Clarke arrived first, and asked me if the dining room was open.....it wasn't. So I had somebody cover for me, and I opened the dining room just for them, with no approval from my boss. I rolled up my sleeves, and made sandwiches for the band..and comped them!

Needless to say my boss was just a little pissed off, to say the least...all I could say was, "But Mr. G...they're THE HOLLIES!!!!...he didn't get it. I was THAT close to being fired. Then later, Nash arrived, and he asked me to track Crosby down (via telephone) in Washington....I went into OT, never got hold of him.

Dat's it!

Happy 54th Birthday Angus Young! YOU SHOOK ME ALL NIGHT LONG

2009-03-31T23:26:00.005-04:00

Its better late than never....March 31st is AC/DC's Angus Young's birthday. Cheers to the world's oldest schoolboy!!!

Fleetwood Mac- Some Closing Thoughts

2009-03-30T18:47:00.003-04:00

As stated before, Pete Frame's ROCK FAMILY TREES was invaluable in assembling this mini-project, as was his early interview with Lindsey Buckingham.

For additional information on the band, here's a few links that may be of interest.

Fleetwoodmac.com is the band's new official website. Its currently being reconstructed, but has a full(as of this writing) list of the band's tour dates.

The Fleetwood Mac Legacy is a very fine fansite, with news, pictures, histories and all kinds of good and fun stuff.

Fleetwood Mac.net is another very good and well constructed fansite worth a look. By all means check out its biography section, which has current info on all 16 persons (and new photos) who had been members of Fleetwood Mac over the years....including those who came and left quickly (Bob Brunning, Dave Walker, Dave Mason). This too was a huge source of information in assembling this story....hats off!!

Fleetwood Mac-The Chain Broken & Repaired 1994 to 2009

2009-03-28T19:55:00.013-04:00

In 1994 FLEETWOOD MAC went through a massive personnel shuffle. Rick Vito and Stevie Nicks had both left, and singer BEKKA BRAMLETT and former Traffic and solo star DAVE MASON joined the band. BILLY BURNETTE became the lead guitarist. Holdovers from the classic lineup were Mick Fleetwood, John McVie, and Christine McVie.

They released the album TIME in 1995 and toured extensively in support of the new release. Public acceptance of the new lineup was practically non-existent, and record sales were very disappointing. In the past Fleetwood Mac had been able to reinvent and regenerate into something different; but it seemed the only version of FLEETWOOD MAC that the public would accept needed to include Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks.

The band collapsed, and Fleetwood Mac went into a period of suspended animation.

In 1996 the individual band members collaborated on various projects. The following year (1997) the classic RUMOURS lineup got together on a soundstage and recorded a live concert video, the result of which was the reunion album THE DANCE.

The lineup of Buckingham-Nicks-McVie-McVie and Fleetwood toured extensively through 1997 in support of the album, which sold over 5 million units. It was their biggest seller since 1987's TANGO IN THE NIGHT.

In 1998 Christine McVie retired as fullmember of the band, though she still contributed to subsequent projects for the Mac and its members, and as a soloist. Also in that year Fleetwood Mac was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Included were the RUMOURS lineup, and early members Peter Green, Jeremy Spencer, and Danny Kirwan.

SAY YOU WILL was the next release for the band (2003), their first without Christine as a band member since THEN PLAY ON in the Peter Green years. The CD was #3 in the Billboard Hot 200, and was followed by a successful tour.

FLLETWOOD MAC is currently engaged on their Unleashed tour, with dates through spring and into summer throughout North America. Chronicling the tour, Mr. Fleetwod is before the cameras on MICK TV.

Fleetwood Mac-The Chain; 1972-1994

2009-03-26T20:54:00.020-04:00

In 1972 Danny Kirwan was fired from FLEETWOOD MAC. And it is at that point where we'll resume the documentary BBC ROCK FAMILY TREES (Part 3), with the arrival of DAVE WALKER and BOB WESTON into Fleetwood Mac.

Part 4 continues after the pictures of Weston and Walker, with the story of the BUCKINGHAM/ NICKS years, early edition.

Coming Up Next- The reunification of the RUMOURS lineup, Christine's departure, and FLEETWOOD MAC in the new millenium, and on tour in 2009.

Fleetwood Mac; The Early Years- 1967-72

2009-03-25T10:45:00.006-04:00

FLEETWOOD MAC was formed in 1967, and has had several different incarnations during its history. The most famous eras of the group were that of PETER GREEN in the first years of the band, and of LINDSEY BUCKINGHAM and STEVIE NICKS, the current singer/songwriters/performers with the band.

In 1994 the BBC presented a documentary of the history of the group, based on PETE FRAME'S ROCK FAMILY TREES. Below are two segments telling the band's story from its inception in 1967 to the departure of DANNY KIRWAN in 1972.

The story of the band's move to America, the lawsuit against their manager, the departure of Bob Welch, the Buckingham-Nicks Era and beyond coming up next.

Buckingham Nicks- FROZEN LOVE, CRYING IN THE NIGHT and CRYSTAL

2009-03-23T09:44:00.009-04:00

Note; This entry is the first in a series chronicling the story of FLEETWOOD MAC. For an earlier blog entry telling a very condensed history of the band from 1967 to 1975, click here.

Buckingham Nicks was the title of a ten track LP released by the duo of Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks in 1973, produced by Keith Olsen and released on Polydor Records. This was the album Mick Fleetwood heard when he was looking for a studio for the next FLEETWOOD MAC record in Los Angeles, and remembered the impressive artists when he had to replace the departed Bob Welch in FLEETWOOD MAC. The album was popular with a small core of Buckingham Nicks fans, but was generally considered a commercial flop when released. It was re-released in 1976 after Lindsey and Stevie joined FLEETWOOD MAC and were fronting the band with its successful album simply called Fleetwood Mac.

Palo Alto born Lindsey Buckingham and Phoenix native Stevie Nicks were fronting a band called Fritz from 1968 to 1971. Below, from Rock Family Trees by Pete Frame (1980) is the text of an interview Frame conducted with Lindsey Buckingham, and Lindsey tells in his own words the story of FRITZ, BUCKINGHAM NICKS, and how Stevie and Lindsey joined Fleetwood Mac.

“I started playing guitar when I was seven....started by trying to play along with my brother’s records. He’s 34 now, and he has one of the greatest collections of rock n’ roll 45's that I’ve ever seen.....so he used to come home with these classic singles, Elvis, Buddy Holly, the Everly Brothers, Chuck Berry, Eddie Cochran ...it was like having the story of rock n’roll unfurled in front of you. So those records obviously had a great influence on me.’

“Then I fell under the spell of folk music in the mid sixties, and I used to spend all of my spare time working out picking styles on my acoustic guitar....which altogether didn’t help me when I came to join my first rock band. I was a good folk picker, but I couldn’t master a raunchy rock style- so I played bass in that group, which was called Fritz .

The lineup was STEVIE NICKS-vocals; LINDSEY BUCKINGHAM-bass, vocals; XAVIER PACHECO-organ, vocals; BRIAN KANE-guitar; Bob Geary-drums.

While they didn’t billow out of the magic mushroom which enveloped the Bay Area at that time (1967) they “gigged around the Bay Area a great deal, had a real good time, and gained a lot of experience.”

“Our manager, David Forrest, tried to get us a record deal, but we just couldn’t relate to Los Angeles, and Los Angeles couldn’t relate to us, , as far as cutting albums went...so in the long run FRITZ went nowhere fast, and the group broke up in 1971".

“At that point Stevie (Stephanie) Nicks and I became romantically involved, and we decided to strike out on our own as a duo- calling ourselves Buckingham Nicks . We were set to move down to LA, but I was ill and laid up for 8 or 9 months- during which time Stevie and I sat around working on songs and ideas...and I got hold of an electric guitar to work up my lead playing”.

“Eventually we moved down to LA, and through a friend called Keith Olsen, we got a deal with a small label called ANTHEM, which was run by Ted Feigan and Lee LaSeiffe, who had previously been involved with WHITE WHALE RECORDS. They had a production deal with some major distributor (United Artists, I think), and the original idea was for us to go to London and cut an album at Trident Studios...and then Lee and Ted had a disagreement and split up- which meant the end of the ANTHEM label, which had put out only one album (by the Dillards, as I recall).”

“ So we sat around and wrote a few more songs until Lee got himself a deal with POLYDOR , and we cut an album, BUCKINGHAM NICKS , but the record stiffed out, and we were back to square one.”

“At that point, I turned my hand at session work- did some studio work, among other things, went on the road with Don Everly’s band. This was after the Evely Brothers had split up, and Don was doing a short club tour with a backup band that Warren Zevon had got together for him. That tour was a real thrill for me because I had always been a big Everlys fan- and I got to sing Phil’s part on SO SAD TO WATCH GOOD LOVE GO BAD. As well as that went, I stayed in Nashville for awhile and he introduced me to people like Roy Orbison, Ike Everly, and Merle Travis... he and I played guitars together, and that is something I will always remember.”

“Well, our musical activities weren’t bringing us abundant amounts of money so-rather than get involved in scenes I can’t relate to we took jobs- Stevie worked as a waitress in this place called CLEMENTINE’S in Beverly Hills, and I worked for an agency- getting on the phone and soliciting advertisements. It wasn’t the most spectacular of lifestyles, but that along the odd session, got us by, and we managed to eat for a couple of years following the failure of the album.”

“ During this time, despite the hardships, we had complete faith in what we were trying to do. We had managers who were trying to get us to do Top 40 stuff. They said they could get us all the gigs we could handle if only we’d be prepared to play that kind of music- but Stevie and I knew that if we did, we’d lose whatever musical direction we had, and we didn’t want to prostitute ourselves. So we resisted that, and as a result got no gigs....nobody wanted to hear Buckingham Nicks doing their own songs.”

“Well....almost nobody...because we had this very strange area of localized success....a little pocket of Buckingham Nicks- mania! Of the few gigs we had done two were in Birmingham, Alabama; the first was opening for MOUNTAIN, and the second was opening for POCO...and for some reason we really caught fire in that town. Some DJ’s picked up on the album, and it was a huge success there- so we went down a storm! If nowhere else in the world, Buckingham Nicks were stars in Birmingham, Alabama..”

“It so happened that our last gigs as Buckingham Nicks was at Birmingham just after we’d joined Fleetwood Mac. As a result of our two previous gigs we were booked as the headline act, and the lineup was ; Stevie Nicks-vocals; Lindsey Buckingham-guitar, vocals; Bob Geary-drums; Gary Hodges-drums; Tom Moncrieff-bass. So we topped the bill to an audience of 7,000- and Buckingham Nicks went out on a much higher note than anyone could have expected.”

“Meanwhile we had been asked to join Fleetwood Mac. Mick Fleetwood had bumped into a guy called Thomas Christian in a supermarket, somewhere I think- and they got to discussing recording studios- because Fleetwood Mac were looking for a new studio to record their next album. This guy suggested that Mick check out Sound City in Van Nuys.”

“So Mick went there, and the engineer Keith Olsen ( was asked) to demonstrate the qualities of the studio, (Olsen) played a tape of a from the Buckingham Nicks Album that was recorded there.”

“As it happened, Stevie and I were in the next studio working on some demos, and as I went out for coffee, I heard “Frozen Love” leaking out from somewhere. So I went to see what was happening, and there was Mick Fleetwood standing there, stamping his foot to the rhythm. “

“About a week later, Bob Welch announced he was leaving- so Mick phoned Keith and asked if he thought we’d be interested in becoming members of Fleetwood Mac. At the time we were having a New Year’s party at our house...wondering if 1975 would be a better year for us. And Keith walked in and said “Hey I’ve got some news...Fleetwood Mac want you to join them! You could have knocked me out with a feather!”

From Fleetwood- My Life and Adventures in Fleetwood Mac Mick Fleetwood said that originally he was only looking for a guitarist to replace Bob Welch, but soon warmed to the idea of bringing in both Lindsey and Stevie.

The album Buckingham Nicks has never been released on CD, and is a collectors item on vinyl. Lindsey and Stevie are co-owners of the rights, and have debated for years on releasing it on compact disc. It has obtained a cult status among collectors.

Few (if any) film or taped clips of Buckingham Nicks exist, though there are some audio bootlegs available of their rare live performance, some of which may be found on YouTube. Below are some some slide shows backed with three tracks from the album; FROZEN LOVE, CRYING IN THE NIGHT, and the original version of CRYSTAL.

The fansite Buckingham Nicks is a homage to the classic album and the duo, with music clips and more available material....a must for Fleetwood Mac, Stevie, and Lindsey fans.

The Rolling Stones- GIMMEE SHELTER (Featuring Lisa Fisher)

2009-03-22T21:18:00.006-04:00

I usually try to incorporate a bit of history with each entry to this blog, but with the "World's Greatest Rock n' Roll Band", I won't even try. Their bio is too lengthy, their accomplishments too numerous, and The Rolling Stones official website does a much better job than I ever could.

Their history, told by the month, is chronicled in this archive, starting in January, 1962 when Brian Jones recorded a tape of an Elmore James song, which he sent to the "Father of British Blues", Alexis Korner, then on through the decades of the '60's, '70's, '80's, '90's, and on to the new century.

Charter members Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Charlie Watts, and "new guy (of 30+years)" Ron Wood probably will, like they said of love in their first American hit in 1964, "Not Fade Away".

Below...my favorite Stones song, recorded live in Paris in 1998 and featuring longtime backing singer Lisa Fisher.....Gimmee Shelter.

Hats Off to PETE FRAME

2009-03-20T12:07:00.008-04:00

This morning while thinking about a subject to write about on rock history I thought it was about time to acknowledge one of my sources, used again and again when researching the music and the artists and performers who have been at this for so many years. While writing up the EAGLES history of two days ago, or the story of FREE and the origins of BAD COMPANY yesterday, I kept going back to the same very reliable source.

Pete Frame has been writing about rock music since the late 1960's. Frame was born in Luton, UK in 1942. He worked for a couple of record companies in the 1970's, but since 1979 he has primarily been a chronicler of rock music, and one of its most valuable and accurate historians. He has written for such publications as Melody Maker and Rolling Stone, but what he is most noted for are his ROCK FAMILY TREES.

The first edition of Rock Family Trees was published in 1980. It covers everything and everyone in rock from Cliff Richard and the Shadows to Blondie, The Sex Pistols, and Elvis Costello and the Attractions. I have an original copy of the book, in soft cover....and it looks like a thirty year old softcover book. The binding is shot, the pages have long fallen out, it sits in a tattered pile to the left of me as I type...and I treasure it with my life. There is no book available that goes into such minute detail in telling the stories of rock bands and their members, which lineup recorded what, who replaced who and when, and how individual bands are related. The original version asks this question..."How are THE EAGLES and WHITESNAKE related"?

Give up?

The common link is TOMMY BOLAN, who replaced JOE WALSH in THE JAMES GANG, and who later replaced RITCHIE BLACKMORE in DEEP PURPLE, where he played with singer DAVID COVERDALE. Coverdale later went on to found WHITESNAKE.

In 1998 Frame published More Rock Family Trees...which I'm FINALLY going to treat myself to on my next birthday.

Frame has done family trees for boxed sets by Jeff Beck, The Byrds, Crosby, Stills, and Nash, and Yes...and those are just the collections that I own, there have been many more that he has researched and contributed to.

For more information on Pete Frame check this Rogan House publication link.

Thank you Pete Frame....I couldn't write this blog without you!

Paul Kossoff; REMEMBERING THE GREATEST GUITARIST YOU'VE NEVER HEARD OF

2009-03-19T13:20:00.004-04:00

I was reminded after reading the entry in Dave White's very fine CLASSIC ROCK blog on About.com that on this date (March 19) in 1976 Paul Kossoff, former guitarist with Free, and at that time leading his own group, Back Street Crawler, died of drug induced heart failure. Kossoff was only 25 when he died.

Free had a brief but electrifying career, from April or May (conflicting sources) of 1968 to July, 1973, with a breakup of of about six months from late 1971 to January of 1972.

The group consisted of (see photo, clockwise from left front);
Paul Kossoff- lead guitar; Paul Rodgers- lead vocals; Simon Kirke- drums; and Andy Fraser- bass.

They had fair success early on, but their greatest work came in 1970 with their album Fire and Water and its internationally huge single, the classic Alright Now. After disappointing sales of their followup album Highway- and with internal clashes and a worsening drug problem with Kossoff, Free broke up in May 1971.

Kossoff and Kirke joined singer/keyboardist John "Rabbit" Bundrick and Japanese bassist Testsu Yamauchi to form Kossoff, Kirke, Tetsu, and Rabbit. Andy Fraser's new group was called Toby, and Rodgers formed a band called Peace. Only "KKTR" recorded any material available to the public, and soon Toby and Peace broke up.

Free got back together in early 1972, recorded a new record Free At Last, and then saw Fraser leave for good in July 1972. Tetsu and Rabbit were brought in as replacements, and this lineup stayed for the duration. But all wasn't well. Kossoff's drug problem was killing the band, and at one point he couldn't be counted on for tours or recording. Rodgers was forced to stand in on lead guitar, and on one tour Osibisa's Wendell Richardson filled in on lead. One more album followed, Heartbreaker (1973) with another classic single, Wishing Well. But by July, 1973, Free was no more, broken up for good.

Tetsu went on to replace Ronnie Lane in The Faces, Rabbit was a noted side man who recorded alot and toured with The Who. Andy Fraser became a solo act, and Simon Kirke and Paul Rodgers went on to form Bad Company with former Mott the Hoople guitarist Mick Ralphs and ex King Crimson bass player Boz Burrell.

Kossoff regained his health for awhile, and recorded two albums with Back Street Crawler, the second of which was released posthumously. He was a slasher and a progenitor of what would become known as HEAVY METAL. Bands like GREAT WHITE, DEF LEOPARD, BLACK CROWES, and PEARL JAM all covered songs recorded and composed by the members of Free, and their late, great guitarist, Paul Kossoff.

Here's a couple of vids. First Free performs Alright Now on TOP OF THE POPS, and following, before 600,000 at the ISLE of WIGHT FESTIVAL (1970) they do Mr. Big.

The Eagles- LOVE WILL KEEP US ALIVE

2009-03-18T18:49:00.009-04:00

You all know the albums and the songs....the self titled first album, then
Desperado, On The Border, One of These Nights, Hotel California, and The Long Run....the hits Take It Easy, Tequila Sunrise, Already Gone, Best of My Love, Life In The Fast Lane, Heartache Tonight, and a dozen more. The breakup, the solo years, then "hell froze over" after 14 years and they got back together.

Old Eagles never die...they just go on making great music.

It all began in 1971 when Glenn Fry and Don Henley were members of Linda Ronstadt's backing band. Former Poco bassist Randy Meisner and ex-Flying Burrito Brother Bernie Leadon joined Ronstadt's band. They decided to form their own band, and signed on with ASSYLUM records. The Eagles (1972), their first album, was a success, as was their second, Desperado(1973), though not quite as much a seller as the first album. Don Felder became the fifth Eagle for On The Border (1974). One of These Nights (1975) was their biggest record yet, their first #1, a disc that went on to sell 4X Platinum. A disenchanted Leadon left, and was replaced by ex-James Gang and solo star Joe Walsh. This lineup recorded the classic Hotel California (1976). At that point, Meisner left, and was replaced by the man who replaced him in Poco, Timothy B. Schmit. The Eagles released The Long Run in 1979, and a live album the following year....and then took, as they said, a "14 year vacation".

In 1994, the wounded egos were healed, and Henley, Frey, Walsh, Schmit, and Felder got back together for a live album (with four new songs songs), Hell Freezes Over. The quintet toured, and continued to do so throughout the remainder of the 1990's and into the new millennium. In 2001, after a dispute, Don Felder was fired from the band. He has been replaced by guitarist Steuart Smith, although Smith is not considered to be an official member of the group.

I saw them in Wembley Stadium in London, September 1974, It was the Henley-Frey-Felder-Leadon-Meisner lineup...and the group playing before their set was The Joe Walsh Band. Little did we know then.........

Below, Henley, Frey, Walsh and Timothy B. Schmit with a song first recorded on Hell Freezes Over....Love Will Keep Us Alive.

And I almost forgot...in 2007 The Eagles released Long Road Out Of Eden, their first collection of entirely new material since 1979. Here's hoping it doesn't take them so long for the next disc.

Happy St Patrick's Day (Pt 3) ! ....CLANNAD, GARY MOORE, and THE CORRS & THE CHIEFTAINS

2009-03-17T00:30:00.010-04:00

The big day is here! Guinness Stout for the house! But save the Sam Adams for me!
The show continues with Clannad performing In A Lifetime. In the original version Bono sang with the group, in this live performance Brian Kennedy stands in.

Gary Moore, onetime guitarist with Thin Lizzy plays Still Got The Blues. An amazing performance.

And what a way to end it...The Corrs combine with The Chieftains for some traditional Irish reels. Introduced by actor Gabriel Byrne.

Have a happy one and a safe one....and seeya in a couple of daze!

Late Addition! A happy 36th birthday to Caroline Corr!

Happy St Patrick's Day (Pt 2) ! .... THIN LIZZY, VAN MORRISON, and BLACK 47

2009-03-16T17:58:00.004-04:00

Keep the party goin', lads and lasses....or are you called "lad-dettes"?
First up the original lineup of Thin Lizzy (Phil Lynott, Brian Downey, and Eric Bell) with Whiskey In The Jar, from 1973.

Now, we have that fine Irish-American band who took their name from the "Potato Famine of 1847", Black 47 doing Bobby Sands.....and making a political statement.

And to wind it up, and to mellow out a bit, here's "The Man", Van Morrison, with a song Rod Stewart made famous, but Van did first...Have I Told You Lately?

I'll be back with more Irish stuff tomorrow....lookin' fer me whiskey in the jar!

Happy St Patrick's Day (Pt 1) ! ....U2, RORY GALLAGHER, and THE CORRS

2009-03-15T22:04:00.008-04:00

I hope you have your HARP Lager on ice, and your corned beef purchased. Its time to start celebrating St.Pat's! We'll stretch this out for a few days with some performances by Irish and Irish-American artists.

Leading off.........U2, playing Get Your Boots Off live from the Brit Awards, 2009.

Next, the late great genius, Rory Gallagher, with an acoustic version of Too Much Alcohol, Irish TV, from 1977.

Finally, The Corrs perform Stevie Nicks' Dreams, with Fleetwood Mac's Mick Fleetwood sitting in.

Be patient! I'll do bios on all of these guys at a later date...

Lost and Found- UK Soul Band KOKOMO (1975)

2009-03-13T14:09:00.004-04:00

In 1974 I was in the USAF stationed in the UK, and as told in an earlier post was in attendance of Alvin Lee's solo appearance at the RAINBOW in London for the recording of his live album IN FLIGHT. Among his backup band were former KING CRIMSON sax player Mel Collins, bassist Alan Spenner (formerly of JOE COCKER and THE GREASE BAND, and singers Dyan Birch, Paddie McHugh, and Frank Collins. I was impressed with the group, and was surprised to find that they were among the main components of a blue eyed soul band called Kokomo.

The other members of Kokomo were Neil Hubbard, guitar; former guitarist with BRIAN AUGER'S OBLIVION EXPRESS Jim Mullen; Joan Linscott on congas; Terry Stannard , drums; and Tony O'Malley piano and lead vocals. The group was breaking in right about the same time as other blue eyed soul acts, likeThe Average White Band and Hall and Oates, they were very talented, and appeared poised for great success in the UK. There was alot of buzz at the time about a new sound of "pub rockers", among them Hatfield and The North, Brinsley Schwartz, and Kilbourn and the High Roads. Kokomo went on the so called "Naughty Rhythms Tour" in early 1975...and that's when I saw the group at the CORN EXCHANGE in Cambridge, along with Dr. Feelgood and Chili Willi and the Red Hot Peppers.

That was one of the greatest and most memorable shows I have ever seen in 30 plus years of concert going. The place erupted into a dance party...Paddy, Frankie, and Dyan were superb, as was Tony. And there was no better sax player on the planet than Mel Collins. I bought their first album returned to the States, and championed their cause to anyone willing to listen.

Sadly, success was not to be for Kokomo. By 1977 the group had split, with most members going on to other projects, most notably Tony O'Malley joining 10cc for one of their last hits, The Things We Do For Love, and then on to a solo career.

They reunited briefly in the late 1980's, and members of the group still get together and perform as KOKOMO to a devoted following in Europe.

Below are some You Tube vids...leading off, from the self titled first album isAngel sung by Paddie McHugh, with slide show of the group, then and now.

Next, an audio only of the late Alan Spenner singing I'm Sorry Babe

Finally, a couple of videos from Tony O'Malley, with a recent reunion of original members Tony, Frankie, Paddy, Dyan, Mel,and Neil performing Bobby Womack's I Can Understand It in two parts....ENJOY!!!!

Bill Payne's 60th Birthday; Little Feat- ALL THAT YOU DREAM

2009-03-12T19:07:00.005-04:00

Its March 12th....and 60 years ago today Little Feat's co-founder and keyboardist extraordinaire Bill Payne was born. That's Bill in the picture above on the right, and on the left we have the band in a recent photo, and another from their early days in the 1970's.

This amazing group (I can't listen to them without an ear to ear grin and wanting to dance...and I can't dance) was formed in 1969 by former Frank Zappa and The Mothers of Invention guitarist Lowell George and Bill Payne. They were joined by drummer Richie Hayward and bassist Roy Estrada.Two albums with so-so success led to a reshuffling of the deck in 1972. Estrada left, and was replaced on bass by Kenny Gradney. Also joining were guitarist/ vocalist Paul Barrere and Sam Clayton on congas, percussion and vocals. Their sound evolved into that distinctive New Orleans style funk that became their signature to this day. The band went on to success in the 1970's. Jazz-fusion became part of their repertoire. Also during the decade they collaborated with British singer Robert Palmer on his Pressure Drop album.

Lowell George died in 1979, and subsequently the group disbanded for most of the 1980's. In 1988 the surviving members of the group reunited as Little Feat, adding guitarist Fred Tackett and former Pure Prairie League singer/guitarist Craig Fuller. The first album by this new lineup was Let it Roll, their first Gold Record since 1978's Waitng For Columbus. Fuller stayed on until 1993, when he left and was replaced by female vocalist Shaun Murphy . She stayed on until fairly recently, leaving the group in February, 2009.

Here's a look of the classic lineup from a German concert in 1977, a Lowell George led version of All That You Dream, later a big hit for Linda Ronstadt.

Allman Brothers Band- MIDNIGHT RIDER (2003) and WHIPPING POST (1970)

2009-03-11T13:30:00.008-04:00

This morning while reading the (Newark) Star-Ledger I saw a review of the Allman Brothers Band's Monday appearance at New York's Beacon Theater, the first of 15 dates in March at the renovated venue. Forty years after its founding, the ABB are still selling out concert dates, and gaining new, young fans (like my 21 year old nephew).

The current lineup is (pictured above from left to right)- Jaimoe (Jai Johanny Johanson), drums and percussion; Marc Quinones, drums, percussion and backing vocals; Butch Trucks, drums and tympani; Gregg Allman, organ, piano, guitar, vocals; Derek Trucks, guitar, slide guitar; Oteil Burbridge , bass and vocals; and Warren Haynes , guitar, slide guitar, vocals.

Below, a Beacon Theater performance from 2003, with this lineup doing Midnight Rider.

The Original Allman Brothers Band At The Fillmore East

The Allman Brothers Band will be 40 years old on March 26th. Gregg Allman, Butch Trucks, Jaimoe, Berry Oakley (bass and vocals), Dicky Betts,(guitar, slide guitar, and vocals), and Duane Allman (guitar and slide guitar) more or less created the genre of Southern Rock with incredible live performances, featuring long improvisations and the dueling twin lead guitars of Betts and Duane. Gregg's soulful and powerful vocals were, as is now, a signature of their recordings and live performances. Sadly, this lineup was together all too briefly. On October 29, 1971 Duane Allman was killed in a motorcycle accident in Macon, GA. Chuck Leavell (piano) was brought in the band with Duane's passing. Then on November 11, 1972, Berry Oakley was also killed in a motorcycle accident in Macon. He, in turn was replaced by bassist Lamar Williams.
The Allman-Betts-Jaimo-Trucks-Leavell-Williams lineup is pictured below.

The following years found breakups, reunions, hiatus, estrangements, and more than a few personnel changes. Other ABB Alumni through the years have included, Allen Woody, David Goldflies, Dan Toler, and several others counted as official band members.

Below, from 1970, the Allman Brothers perform Whipping Post at the legendary Fillmore East, with the classic original lineup.

Tom Scholz, 62 Today; BOSTON- DON'T LOOK BACK

2009-03-10T08:36:00.004-04:00

A happy 62nd birthday to Tom Scholz, founder, guitarist and guiding light of Boston, the legendary band he founded in 1975, and signed to Epic Records after the company heard demos submitted by Scholz.

Tom had a day job at Polaroid as an engineer, and moonlighted as a guitarist in a local Massachusetts band called Mother's Milk. He had a home studio where he recorded demos with collaborators Brad Delp(vocals-died 3/9/07) and drummer/keyboardist Jim Masdea. After being signed by Epic on the strength of the demos, Delp formed a full band to record and tour- the first (and classic) lineup of Boston was born.

Consisting of Scholz, Delp, drummer Sib Hashian, bassist Fran Sheehan, and guitarist Barry Goudreau the band's debut album, BOSTON, sold 200,000 copies in a few weeks (eventually to sell 17 million copies over the years), and they were the first rock group in history to make their New York City debut headlining at Madison Square Garden in 1977.

On a personal note- I always think of the winter of 1976-77 as "The Winter of Boston". I was working at a ski area in Colorado, and every club was playing their music, every rock station gave you huge doses of them. They were the story in rock music during those icy, snowy days of '76-'77.

Boston spent an incredible amount of time between albums, producing only five records in the studio between 1976-2002. There has been many personnel changes over the years, too many to detail in this short space without becoming "boring you to tears". But the group is still rocking on. The current lineup of Boston is- Scholz (lead guitar); Michael Sweet, lead vocals and guitar; Tommy DeCarlo lead vocals and keyboards; Gary Pihi guitars, keyboards, backing vocals; Kimberly Dahme, bass and vocals; and Jeff Neal, drums and percussion.

Here, Boston's original lineup performs the title track from their second album, Don't Look Back (1978).

U2 To Play GIANTS STADIUM; Other Tour News

2009-03-10T08:01:00.004-04:00

U2 will play Giants Stadium in New Jersey on September 24th, according to a story appearing in The Star-Ledger and confirmed by U2's Official Website. The 360 Degree Tour, so called for the stage configuration that will give the audience views from all angles with stage equipment (lights, speakers, etc) hovering above the stage, will begin in Barcelona on June 30th.

As of this entry other North American tour dates are; September 12 Soldier Field, Chicago; September 16 Rogers Centre, Toronto; September 20 Gilette Stadium, Foxboro, MA; and Giants Stadium on the September 24th.

Again, check out U2's Official Website for details on ticket availability for the European venues, and when tickets will go on sale for the North American dates.

David Crosby- CBS SUNDAY MORNING Feature Story

2009-03-09T00:53:00.005-04:00

David Crosby has been around a long time- probably alot longer than could have been hoped for when the odds were really stacked against him. I saw him with Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young in London in 1974 when he was on top, and in Miami with CSN eleven years later, when a jail cell awaited him.

He is a remarkable talent with an incredible story of survival, and of renewal. A founder-member of The Byrds as well as Crosby, Stills, and Nash ( with whom he'll be playing in Cork, Ireland on June 29th, 2009) Crosby did a piece for CBS SUNDAY MORNING in July, 2008. Rita Braver conducted the interview.

Since this story ran last summer, Crosby, Stills, and Nash have been selected for induction into the Songwriter's Hall of Fame.

Richard Thompson- Oops! I Did It Again

2009-03-08T19:35:00.003-04:00

Richard Thompson's career began as a teenaged lead guitarist in the seminal British folk-rock band Fairport Convention in the late 1960's. In my other blog USELESS TRIVIA AND MINDLESS RANTS there is a history of the group and Richard Thompson's early career up until his departure from the band after the album Full House.

Richard went on to a successful solo career, at times working with his then wife Linda Thompson as well as many members past and present of Fairport. His influence has been substantial, with artists like Bonnie Raitt often citing Thompson as one of the artists she listens to. Thompson's repertoire is eclectic; he'll do old British and Celtic folk, self penned compositions about misanthropes, motorcycles, and ice cream, some Bob Dylan, and even some old Dion (DiMucci).

And here, dare I say, is Richard Thompson singing, playing (but not dancing) to Britney Spears Oops! I Did It Again.

Ten Years After- I'M GOING HOME

2009-03-07T15:39:00.004-05:00

Their name was a reference to the fact that the band was formed "ten years after" the seminal rock'n roll year of 1956. And on one glorious August (1969) night in Woodstock, NY, Ten Years After were the greatest rock band on the planet.

They had some success in the late 1960's, but Woodstock, and the movie that documented the concert, made TYA superstars, a status they held into the mid 1970's.

The band's classic lineup came together in London in 1966, consisting of Ric Lee (drums), Leo Lyons (bass), Chick Churchill (keyboards), and Alvin Lee (guitar and vocals). Alvin Lee (no relation to Ric) was the front man, principle writer, and the fastest guitar alive. They signed with Deram Records in 1967. Three hit albums followed, and by the time their fourth record Ssssh was released in 1969, TYA played Woodstock and became part of rock's mythology.

The 1970's brought a change of labels to CBS, there were two more studio albums, but by 1974 the band called it a day. For awhile.

Alvin Lee continued a solo career, notable for his pairing with Mylon Lefevre (backed by George Harrison, Mick Fleetwood, Ron Wood, and Steve Winwood) in 1973, and the live concert album In Flight, backed by singers from Kokomo Paddy McHugh, Dyan Birch, and Frankie Collins, Kokomo's guitarist and bass player, respectively Neil Hubbard and Allen Spenner, drummer Ian Wallace, and former King Crimson sax player Mel Collins. And I was there, at the Rainbow, in Finsbury Park, London. I saw Ron Wood and Rod Stewart in the audience as well.

TYA reunited briefly in 1983, only to break up again. In 1988 the band was again revived without Alvin Lee, who remains a solo artist. The current TYA lineup consists of Lyons, Churchill, Ric Lee, and singer/guitarist Joe Gooch.

That's enough history. Below, from Woodstock, Ten Years After...I'm Goin' Home....'on a helicopter.

Happy 63rd Birthday! David Gilmour- ASTRONOMY DOMINE

2009-03-06T21:26:00.004-05:00

The great voice and guitarist of Pink Floyd David Gilmour turns 63 today, still as brilliant a musician and artist as ever.

His website goes into more detail and has samples of some of his new original compositions. But below, from that same collection recorded live in Gdansk, comes the song Astronomy Domine, written by David's predecessor as lead guitarist in Pink Floyd, the late Syd Barrett, first recorded in 1968 on the album A Saucer Full Of Secrets. Richard Wright accompanied David on keyboards as part of his backup band.

The James Gang- WALK AWAY

2009-03-05T17:44:00.010-05:00

Every once in awhile I'll be fishing around, looking for clues as to what I should post in this blog on a given day. A couple of hours ago I was watching the tube, and put on an old rerun of The Drew Carey Show. It was the episode where an accordion playing Drew had a rock band called The Horndogs. Their guitarist was none other than Joe Walsh. And at the end of the show, guitarist Walsh, "Horndog" bass player Dale Peters and drummer Jim Fox were introduced as a reunion of the most successful lineup of The James Gang.

The band began in Cleveland in 1966 as a five piece unit. Guitarist Glen Schwartz joined in 1967- he left in 1968. In that year Walsh, then playing in a band based in Kent, OH called The Measles, joined. After some defections the band was left as a trio; Walsh, Fox, and bassist Tom Kriss (replaced by Peters in 1969).The first record was Yer Album (1969), followed by The James Gang Rides Again (1970), Thirds (1971), and Live In Concert, 1971. Late in 1971 Joe Walsh left the group, later forming Barnstorm, and in 1975 he toured with The Joe Walsh Band (which I saw in Wembley Stadium on the same bill with The Eagles). After Bernie Leadon left The Eagles, Joe was asked to join in December, 1975, and he's been part of The Eagles ever since, through breakups, hiatus, reunions, farewell tours, and more reunions.

The Eagles are currently touring with members Walsh, Don Henley, Glenn Frey, and Timothy B. Schmit.

As for The James Gang, they went on for several years, with a succession of guitarists, including Tommy Bolin (who later went on to replace Ritchie Blackmore in DEEP PURPLE), and Dominic Troiano. I saw the Troiano, Peters, Fox and Roy Kenner (singer) version of The James Gang in 1972, but they were a different band entirely, and I really have little memory of them at all....other than thinking the Sixties must really be over now, because who were these guys?

The band called it a day in 1977, but stayed in touch, and played together on three episodes of The Drew Carey Show. According to their website, The James Gang could ride again as a touring band sometime this summer.

Below, the Walsh, Peters, and Fox lineup perform Walk Away, from 1971.

Chris Squire's 61st Birthday; Yes- OWNER OF A LONELY HEART

2009-03-04T09:12:00.006-05:00

Today singer/bassist Chris Squire of the legendary band Yes turns 61. Chris has the distinction of being the only member of Yes to appear on every one of their records, and be the only "Yes Man" to be in everyone of their many lineups. On February 11th of this year he had to undergo surgery on his leg, necessitating the cancellation of the band's
In The Present tour. Here's wishing him a speedy recovery.

During the band's 40 plus years of recording and touring their have been many comings, goings, returns, hiatus, and "suspended animations". For a reasonably good full history of Yes, including a chart detailing "who played with who and when, click here.

Here's a very brief history of the band's highlights. They were formed in 1968 with an original lineup of Jon Anderson, vocals; Peter Banks, guitar; Squire, bass; Tony Kaye, keyboards; and Bill Bruford, drums.

By the fourth album, the classic Fragile (1971), the lineup consisted of Anderson, Squire, Steve Howe, guitar (replaced Banks in 1970), Rick Wakeman, keyboards (replaced Kaye in 1971), and Bruford (to be replaced by Alan White in 1972), drums.

The following years were very successful, millions of records sold, thousands attended their concerts , elaborate (ie, over the top) stage shows, and incredible album covers by artist Roger Dean. The period also saw Wakeman leave the band (replace by Patrick Moraz) only to return. In 1980 Anderson and Wakeman left the group, and were replaced by former Buggles Trevor Horn, vocals and Geoff Downes, keyboards. This lineup collapsed in 1981. Downes and Howe joined Emerson, Lake, and Palmer's Carl Palmer and former Roxy Music, Uriah Heep, UK, and King Crimson bassist/vocalist John Wetton in Asia.

Yes remained disbanded from 1981 to 1983.

After their aborted group called Cinema failed to click, Chris Squire, Tony Kaye, Alan White, and guitarist/vocalist Trevor Rabin had Jon Anderson come in to the studio to help them with vocals. The result was the second coming of Yes. This lineup recorded the classic 90125, and remained together through most of the 1980's.

By 1988, the Yes camp fragmented yet again when Anderson left the band and became a member of Anderson, Bruford, Wakeman, and Howe, all former group members. After several contentious years, the two factions came together, and the eight members united to record Union in 1991.

There were more comings and goings in the 1990's and into the new century.

Currently, Yes consists of (official members) Jon Anderson, Steve Howe, Chris Squire, and Alan White. Rick Wakeman's son, Oliver, has signed on to be keyboard player.

Because of illness, Anderson had to pull out of the group's 40th reunion tour in 2008. He was recently replaced on the road by Canadian singer Benoit David (who sang in a Yes tribute band) until the current tour had to be shelved by Squire's illness and recovery.

Below is a show from earlier this decade, featuring Anderson, White, Squire and Howe performing an acoustic version of Owner of a Lonely Heart.

Heart- CRAZY ON YOU

2009-03-03T13:24:00.003-05:00

So....last night I was at a basketball game (see my USELESS TRIVIA AND MINDLESS RANTS blog for the details), and was just WIRED until 3:00am this morning. So I got up, turned on the tube, and was treated to my favorite female rockers in concert. Ann and Nancy Wilson and a latter day version of Heart were performing their debut album Dreamboat Annie in its entirety. Just incredible!

The show was from a couple of years ago, and so far I have not been able to locate any clips....

But here is Heart, from Women Rock 2000 on Lifetime, doing a chilling version of Crazy On You.

Just love these two!!!!! (As if you couldn't tell).

Happy 47th Birthday, Jon Bon Jovi!- I LOVE THIS TOWN

2009-03-02T08:43:00.005-05:00

Singer, musician, actor, entrepreneur, humanitarian, all around good guy, and the pride of Sayreville, NJ, happy birthday Jon Bon Jovi!

Here's a message from Jon and the guys.........

And a live performance of I Love This Town recorded in Chicago.

BONUS VIDEO!

In early December Rutgers destroyed Louisville in football, 63-14. With about four minutes to go in the game 11 year old "Nicholas" entertained the crowd during a commercial timeout with his impromptu impression of Jon Bon Jovi. The video provided by his Dad!

Jeff Beck- CAUSE WE'VE ENDED AS LOVERS

2009-03-01T20:11:00.008-05:00

Jeff Beck continues to reinvent himself and amaze us 45 years after he made his debut with Yardbirds. He's fronted bands that featured Rod Stewart, Ronnie Wood, Terry Bozzio, and Tony Hymas, collaborated with jazz musicians Stanley Clarke and Jan Hammer, and even recently made an appearance on AMERICAN IDOL with Kelly Clarkson (above). He's done jazz, and rock, and even a stint at a power trio with former Vanilla Fudgers Tim Bogert and Carmine Appice. There have been Grammies and gold records, and tours that are still successful and packing them in.

The group pictured above was the first JEFF BECK GROUP, from 1968, featuring the young Ron Wood (bass), Micky Waller (drums), and a bearded Rod "the Mod" Stewart. I still remember my reaction to "I Ain't Superstitious" with Rod on lead vocals...I never heard a voice quite like it. They were a great group that might have been too talented to hold together, and by late 1969 they disbanded, with a second Beck Group coming together in the early 1970's. After their demise, and the scuttling of BB&A, Beck began his instrumental phase, which carries on to this day. BLOW BY BLOW (1974) was a landmark, and was a definitive jazz-rock fusion album of that era.

Beck's band is about to start an American tour in April, right after his induction as a solo artist into The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The tour starts April 6th in Scranton, Pa.

His band currently consists of Jason Rebello on keyboards, Vinnie Colaiuta on drums, and the incredible young female bass player from Australia, Tal Wilkenfeld (pictured above).

Below, from BLOW BY BLOW, Beck, Wilkenfeld, and the rest perform CAUSE WE ENDED AS LOVERS from a concert in 2007.

The Who- BABA O'RILEY

2009-02-28T18:32:00.005-05:00

The Who were formed in 1964, and were formerly known as The Detours and The High Numbers until settling on their somewhat ubiquitous moniker. Their first hit I Can't Explain was released in 1965 and set them on a path to superstardom. Along the way they invented the concept album (Tommy, Quadrophenia), dabbled with conceptual performance art (the Lifehouse project, that spawned the classic album Who's Next), played to millions live, and sold an estimated 100 million records.

Their very long and extensive bio can be read here.

Today founders Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey keep The Who alive, after losing drummer Keith Moon and bass guitarist John Entwistle to death in 1978 and 2002 respectively. The duo released the album Endless Wire in 2006, and they are currently touring, and will appear in New Zealand and Australia beginning in March, 2009.

Long live rock!!!!!!

Below, the classic lineup from the 1970's, performing Baba O'Riley.

Neal Schon Turns 55, Journey- DON'T STOP BELIEVING (Times 2)

2009-02-27T18:18:00.005-05:00

Neal Schon first rose to prominence as the second guitarist in Santana, making an appearance on Santana III, and on the anthology The Last Days of The Fillmore. Schon left Santana with keyboardist/singer Greg Rollie to form Journey, along with bassist Ross Valoryand drummer Ainsley Dunbar. Dunbar left, and was replaced by Steve Smith. And singer Steve Perry, the voice of Journey in their heyday, joined a few years later. After Rollie's departure keyboard wiz Jonathan Cain joined Journey.

They became one of the quintessential "arena rock" bands of the 1980's, and were indeed part of the soundtrack of a generation. The 1990's saw more personnel changes, with Perry leaving the band and Deen Castronovo became the drummer. More recently Arnel Pineda joined Journey as its latest lead singer.

So....Happy 55th Neal Schon!

And below, two versions of Don't Stop Believing, the first from the 1980's with Steve, the second from 2008 with Arnel.

That song really gained a second life after it played in the last scene of the last show of a certain phenomenon called The Sopranos.

Enjoy!!!

The Beatles; From 1963 and 1969

2009-02-27T09:34:00.003-05:00

I came upon a couple of gems from The Beatles, the first of which I had never seen before, and kudos to the original poster of YouTube who found this...indeed a very rare classic.

Below is a Pathe Newsreel, in technicolor, from 1963. It was shown in British cinemas at a time when newsreels were still being shown in movie houses. Mind you, this is Beatlemania on the rise in the UK....this is months before The Ed Sullivan Show and the group landing on these shores. At that time The Beatles were only a rumor in the United States, a phenomenon in Britain but a band that had a couple of singles released in the US with little response from the public. By the end of 1963, with America still in a state of shock and mourning after the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, the Beatles started to get some airplay on rock n' roll radio in the United States, such as at WMCA and WABC in New York. Soon Jack Paar had a clip of the Beatles on his Friday night TV show....and Ed Sullivan followed by booking them for three live shows for early 1964.

And you know the rest.

Here, from 1963 in Manchester, UK the Beatles perform She Loves You and Twist and Shout.

And by the end of the decade...."We're bigger than Jesus", Shea Stadium, Sgt Pepper, The Maharishi, Yoko Ono, "Paul is dead", All You Need Is Love, and Apple Corp.

Here, from 1969 a clip from the film Let It Be, which chronicled the waining days of the group, they perform Get Back, personally my favorite Beatles song. But after viewing this I had never realized that John was playing lead guitar, not George.

And sadly, of all the players, only Paul and Ringo are still with us, with friend Billy Preston joining John and George in Rock n' Roll Heaven.

Happy Birthday Paul Cotton! Poco- ROSE OF CIMARRON

2009-02-26T15:59:00.008-05:00

Today is the 66th birthday of longtime Poco guitarist Paul Cotton.

Paul joined the group replacing founder Jim Messina....but let me backtrack a bit.

Poco rose from the ashes of Buffalo Springfield in August of 1968. Stephen Stills went on to form Crosby, Stills, Nash (and sometimes Young, while former members Richie Furay and Jim Messina formed Poco with bassist Randy Meisner, steel/ dobro player Rusty Young, and drummer George Grantham. After recording a debut album, Meisner left (he went on to be a founder member of The Eagles). The remaining four went on as a quartet very briefly, Messina switching to bass and Furay on lead guitar.

In February 1970 Timothy B. Schmit joined as Poco's new bassist, with Messina moving back to lead, Richie to rhythm. Messina left the group in November 1970, and was replaced by Paul Cotton.

A sidebar to those who don't know....Schmit not only replaced Meisner in Poco, but years later he replaced Meisner in The Eagles, and is a member of that band to this day.

There were more comings and going...Furay called it a day in Sept. 1973, more changes with the British rhythm section of Charlie Harrison and Steve Chapman, and keyboardist Kim Bullard in the late 1970's.....and a reunion of lineup #1 to start the decade of the '90's.

Poco continues to this day with Cotton, Grantham, and Young, and various new members over the years.

God bless 'em...they never got the acclaim they so richly deserve for not only bringing some country to rock, but bringing a little more rock to country, and spawning the sound you hear in modern country music.

Below...from 1976, Rose of Cimarron with lead vocals by Paul Cotton and Tim Schmit.