Music Talk Radio

     It was news to me that two guitarists came in to record and write quite a bit of the guitar parts on 1974's " Get Your Wings ." Aerosmith's second album. According to Sam Roche from guitar.com , Steve Hunter and Dick Wagner were called in by Producer Jack Douglas simply because he didn't feel Joe Perry or Brad Whitford could write or play the guitar parts needed to give the record a professional sound. Neither guitarist Perry or Whitford were happy about it, but they acquiesced to keep their record deal after almost being dropped when their self titled debut effort didn't do well.      The guitarists brought in by Douglas were  Steve Hunter, who had played with both Lou Reed and Alice Cooper, and Dick Wagner who also played with Alice Cooper. So, Alice Cooper's guitarists.      In a conversation with Brad Whitford, Matt Parker of guitarworld.com quotes Bradford as saying that Steve Hunter plays the solo on "Train Kept A-Rollin." Hu...

    I had no idea Nazareth's 1975 song "Love Hurts" was initially covered by The Everly Brothers in 1960. I just can't picture it. (The song was not written by either band.)      The Nazareth version is dripping with hurt thanks to lead singer Dan McCafferty's perfect gritty voice, while the Everly Brothers sound so 'politely' hurt! I prefer the Nazareth version. Check out The Everly Brother's version and Nazareth's version.

     There are some great female singers: Ann Wilson, Pat Benatar, and Janis Joplin, for instance. Although Linda Ronstadt was multi-genre, and that is a positive, she was a phenomenal rock singer. Linda is a powerhouse and should be right up there with the best female rock vocalists. She could do it all: soft ballads, country, rock and opera.       I happened to think of Linda while watching a reaction video by "The Charismatic Voice" on YouTube. The host, Elizabeth, an opera singer, reacts to rock and metal songs she has never heard before.  Check it out.  She was completely unaware of Ronstadt's talent in the rock world. Elizabeth teaches opera and has studied Linda's opera technique in school. It reminded me of Ronstadt's talent. Another fun fact is that Don Henley, Glenn Frey, Bernie Leadon, and Randy Meisner  were all members of Linda Ronstadt's band before forming the Eagles. That says something.    Ronstadt has won 11 G...

     I know Prince is not classic rock. Still, I wanted to mention a few songs he wrote for other artists in the 80s and 90s that I  read on phactual.com .        I knew he wrote "Nothing Compares 2 U," which Sinead O'Connor made famous in 1990.      He wrote what I thought was a song written by Chaka Khan, "I Feel For You." I never would have guessed that!      I didn't know he wrote the Bangles hit "Just Another Manic Monday." For the life of me, I can't hear him singing that at all. He is credited on the song but under the name 'Christopher.' I can imagine him singing "Nothing Compares 2 U," though. He recorded "Nothing Compares 2 U," but I haven't heard it.     Prince also co-wrote "Stand Back," which Stevie Nicks wrote in response to hearing "Little Red Corvette" on her wedding day. She recorded a demo of "Stand Back" on her wedding night in a hotel room.       Nicks asked Princ...

     If you ask me, the best logo in rock ‘n’ roll is the Rolling Stones tongue logo, created by John Pasche , a 25-year-old student in his last year at the Royal College of Art in London in 1970. Pasche designed at least 90 percent of the logo, which was then finalized by a designer named Craig Braun.       Braun added more prominent white highlights on the tongue and raised the teeth enough to reveal a bit of black inside the mouth. At the same time, Braun was working with Andy Warhol to create one of the best album covers in rock, Sticky Fingers. The new logo was to be put on the album.      Why is this logo so effective? Its red color quickly catches your attention. It's simple. It also has sexual connotations. It's a rebellious symbol, like a kid sticking their tongue out at you. So rock ‘n’ roll. Anti-authority all the way.       According to Radio X , Mick Jagger formed the concept of the tongue from a new...

     This may or may not go over well. Eric Clapton is overrated. For me, he has no originality at all. Sure, he can play the blues and make it look harder than it is with his head tilted back and eyes closed, but he doesn't impress me. I know that he was one of Eddie Van Halen's heroes, and even though Eddie is one of my favorite guitarists, it still doesn't sway me.       I will admit I liked Clapton when he was in Cream, but that's it. I did like "Badge,""White Room," "Tales of Brave Ulysses," and "Sunshine of Your Love," but that was a great team effort. Except for the wah solo on "White Room," I just don't get what is so special about Clapton.     He's a good songwriter and singer, sure. But as a guitarist, I just don't get it. Compare him to SRV, and Stevie blows him out of the water. Stevie was channeling. I never felt that with Eric. It felt phony and pretentious.       How's that for an opinion? ...

     I like Led Zeppelin's "Brown Bomber" album cover for Led Zeppelin II. David Juniper created the artwork. The whole story is at Rock Pop Gallery, but let me summarize it. The artwork was created by taking an authentic 1917 World War I photo of German air force pilots (The Red Baron's crew) and replacing some pilots' heads with the Zeppelin members, famous celebs, and some Zeppelin crew.      Interestingly, the Red Baron didn't make it onto the Zep II cover. In the original photo, he is sitting in the plane's cockpit. Juniper airbrushed him out. Remember that this art was created before the ability to quickly Photoshop the replacement faces. It was all done by hand. It's not as big a deal to make this now, but it was back in 1969.      The blond woman was Glynis Johns, the mother of Mary Poppins. I might add that she looks pretty crazy in this! Glynis Johns was a play on the recording engineer's name who recorded their debut album, Glyn J...

     Here is the thing about Steven Tyler, the lead singer of Aerosmith. He is excellent with wordplay and sexual innuendo in his lyrics. He's forever pulling off "Mustang Sally" type lines. Mack Rice, the lyricist of "Mustang Sally," never says it outright, but we all know Sally is loose and likes to ride! This type of lyricism was necessary during the beginning stages of rock and roll. It was the 50s, after all. It was an uptight, moralistic decade. So, lyricists had to be creative with their message. Today, you can say anything, but back then, oh no!      Take the lyrics in "Love In An Elevator," for instance. "Livin' it up when we're goin' down." Or, in "Walk This Way," from Toys in the Attic , "Singin' hey diddle diddle with your kitty in the middle."       Or the best one yet, "Lord of the Thighs" from Aerosmith's second album, my favorite, Get Your Wings . "I am the lord of your th...

     "I'm Your Captain," by Grand Funk, is on the 1970 album  Closer to Home . The song is among the best storytelling in rock. In it, the ship's captain finds himself in danger of mutiny at the hands of his crew. The boat is lost, and he pleads with his crew to return the ship to him. The captain asks god to help him overcome his plight.      But the song is more than just a great story. Musically, the intro draws me in with guitarist and lead singer Mark Farner's lone guitar, mostly a two-string hook that leads into a prominent and punchy kick drum snare groove by Don Brewer, the band's drummer. Farner's scarce alternating two-chord strums are all the more effective, allowing the groove to breathe. Farner only adds a wah pedal for emphasis.       Just a side note.  The length of an intro like this in a song would never be allowed in music production today!      I digress. At the end of the intro, we come to the...

     According to Rock Reflections , The song "Highway Star," by Deep Purple on 1972's  Machine Head, was written on a tour bus when a reporter asked Richie Blackmore how they wrote songs. Blackmore grabbed a guitar and started riffing in the key of G. Ian Gillan, the lead singer, started making up lyrics on the spot.     Impressively, Deep Purple played the song that night at their gig! What a killer Bach-like guitar solo. It's one of the greatest guitar solos in rock. Great music to drive fast to! Apparently, that was Blackmore's vision of the song. Speeding in a car on a highway with the tune blasting. Check it out on Spotify.

It's 1973, and  Grand Funk is in financial ruin because of a costly legal battle with their producer/manager, Terry Knight. Grand Funk fired Knight because of poor management, and apparently, he wasn't handling their money well either. Knight responded by suing them for breach of contract.      Also , at that time, radio and the record industry were changing from album-focused play to hit song formats. Grand Funk was an underground album-focused FM radio band. Because of the substantial legal costs of fighting Knight, they knew they had to write a "hit" single to stay afloat.     Grand Funk was touring, flying from city to city at the time.  As they were flying into a city, Don Brewer, the drummer in the band, looked out of the plane window, and the line "We're coming to your town, we'll help you party down" came into his head. Brewer wrote the song on guitar around that one inspiring line. He knew about 4 guitar chords. He used them all. Brewer w...

      I love this album cover. Why? Because it looks fantastic. The Machine Head album cover was photographed by Shepard Sherbell. Remember, we didn't have Photoshop or digital photography back then. Artists and photographers had to get creative. This was created using a piece of sheet metal held up to reflect the band like a mirror. The lettering was die-stamped into the metal to give the lettering that raised, embossed look. I love it. It's always been one of my favorites. Photo by Shepard Sherbell, 1972

       I have to admit my snobbery and ignorance regarding Keith Richards. As a guitarist,  I paid homage to guitarists like Allan Holdsworth, Al DiMeola, Steve Morse, and Eric Johnson. You may not have heard of any of these players. My snobbery is astounding.     I've always liked the Stones, although my bands (as a teenager) were Aerosmith (first 5 albums only) and Led Zeppelin. I knew every oooh and ahhh that Plant sang. I was into the whole mystique about the band and Plant's tales of whoa, far-off lands (Kashmir), No Quarter...I was entirely in. You get the picture.     Here is the thing about Keith Richards. He doesn't give a flying f@#! about being the greatest guitarist in the world. He is all about the feel, fun, and rhythm hook, especially . The Chuck Berryish draw you in intros. He just grabs you and slays you with them. How about the best rhythm intro in rock and roll (to me), "Can't You Hear Me Knocking."  Or "Brown Sugar,...

    Did you know that Tony Iommi, guitarist of Black Sabbath fame, lost a couple of his fingertips on his right hand? His index and middle fingers, to be exact. Being left-handed, this would have been his fretboard hand. He worked in a sheet metal factory and accidentally cut them off. Ouch! It almost stopped Iommi from playing guitar, but a friend, seeing Iommi's depression from not playing, played Iommi a record of Django Reinhardt.  A guitarist of Jazz fame. Iommi didn't know until after hearing Reinhardt that Reinhardt had severely burned his ring and index finger on his left hand but kept playing. Iommi was impressed by the jazz great. His friend then revealed that Reinhardt could only use two fingers on his fretboard hand.       This got Iommi inspired and back on the saddle again. Tony used light guitar strings and even banjo strings , dropping the string tension to make them looser.  He dropped his tuning to C# Standard and D# Standard...

     "Since I've Been Loving You" on Zeppelin's third album, Led Zeppelin III , is a masterpiece of hard rock blues. Some say Zeppelin is early metal, but to me, they are a hard rock blues band. The only songs that "hint" at metal are "Whole Lotta Love" and "The Immigrant Song." On "Whole Lotta Love," it's because of the chug-like hook and the E power chords. The Immigrant Song's subject matter (Vikings) and the staccato guitar chord riff also hint at metal. Nevertheless, they are much more blues rock to me as a whole.      Take "Since I've Been Loving You" for instance. Wow. It's my favorite electric blues rock song. Robert Plant's vocals are so authentic in this. He's at his best. Between Bonzo's colossal sound and Jimmy Page's playing on this song, it's pure blues rock bliss in phrasing, intensity, sound, and feel.      T he Stones may have loved the blues but couldn't play th...

     The best live concert I have been to was the band Yes. Even though I knew next to nothing about their music before this show. If you don't know, Yes is a "progressive" rock band that was big in the 1970's. Progressive rock is more complex and sometimes has lengthy songs, odd-time signatures, and some improv. You might recognize the song "Roundabout" or "I've Seen All Good People." These were Yes's biggest songs and my least favorites. The show was at Boston Garden on December 11th, 1974. This was before the venue became the Fleet Center and now TD Garden.       One of the things that made this show so special was that the stage was in the center of the floor. Most people got a great view of the band, even though I was only thirteen at the time. How did that happen?      I just found out while writing this that Yes has released a double CD of this show (in April 2024). You can only find it on Amazon, though. I don't see that you...

     Eddie Van Halen was one of my favorite guitarists. Why? Because of how he could play a hook. I know. Is it not his lead playing? Don't get me wrong, his lead playing was phenomenal. You may not like his lead playing style, but the man could play. Whether it was a single-note phrase/run or brilliantly played diads (two-note chords). Like how Keith Richards hooks you in with his rhythm playing. Like in the "Can't You Hear Me Knocking" intro from Sticky Fingers. Of course, Eddie was more aggressive in his playing but also had to take responsibility for both lead and rhythm guitar. I am pointing out Eddie's brilliance with hooks in case you've never listened to him from that perspective. Check out these tunes on Spotify, And there are so many more! "Running With The Devil" from their debut album Van Halen "I'm the One"  is also from their debut album "Ain't Talkin Bout Love" again from their debut "Unchained"...

     This is a quick "Did You Know." The album cover photo for At Fillmore East shows the band cracking up. Apparently, second from the left, Duane Allman spotted a dealer he knew and ran over to grab some contraband. Then he hurried back to grab his seat so the photographer could take the shot. Duane is hiding the contraband in his lap. Makes me smile from ear to ear knowing this. They are clearly amused. This was revealed in Greg Allman and Alan Light's (2012) book, "My Cross To Bear" on page 182. Pick up the book here and some other great Allman merchandise! Check out the full album cover story here. Photo by Jim Marshall, 1971

      According to Far Out Magazine's Poppy Burton,  Peter Cetera, the lead singer on "25 or 6 to 4" from Chicago II , was at an L.A. Dodgers vs. Chicago Cubs game back in 1969 when he was attacked by four marines . The Dodgers lost to the Chicago Cubs. Cetera was celebrating the win, clearly as a Chicago Cubs fan. The celebration, coupled with his long "hippie" hair, didn't sit well with the uptight Marines. He sustained a trip down some stairs, and he was punched in the face. Cetera ended up with a broken jaw (in 3 places) and a stay in ICU. That didn't stop Cetera from recording, though. He recorded 25 or 6 to 4 with his jaw wired shut. Next time you hear the song, listen to it. I personally can't tell that his jaw is wired shut at all. It's a fantastic recording. As a result of the injury, Cetera developed his singing style with clenched teeth. Check out the tune on Spotify and see if you can tell that his jaw is wired shut:  25 or 6 to 4

     "Gimme Shelter" from 1969's Let It Bleed is my favorite Rolling Stones song.  The story behind it is interesting, too . Apparently, Keith Richards was staying at someone's apartment in London, and there was a big rainstorm. He looked out the window and saw everyone scrambling for cover to escape the rain. His then-girlfriend, Anita Pallenberg (Brian Jones' girlfriend a year earlier), was doing a movie with Mick Jagger called "Performance." Keith was a bit insecure about the sex scenes Mick and Anita were doing in the film. In fact, Mick and Anita did sleep together during this time. Anyway, the scene of the people running out of the rain and the thoughts of Jagger and Anita together sparked the beginning of the song for Richards. "Oh, the storm is threatening my very life today. If I don't get some shelter, ya I'm gonna fade away." There are two distinct parts of the song that blow me away. The first part is the opening guitar. He...

     Did you know that every vocal on Boston's debut album, Boston, is sung by Brad Delp? Brad sang all the harmonies and all the lead vocal work. He was such a fantastic vocalist. He grew up on Wadsworth Street in Danvers, MA. My close friend grew up on the same street! I live a town over in Peabody, MA. Brad was actually born in Peabody, MA. Not that I knew him or ever met him. I didn't. I lived next door to Barry Goudreau (a guitarist in Boston) in my hometown of Swampscott, MA, however. Here's a fun fact, did you know Barry was Brad's brother-in-law?       "More Than a Feeling" is a great song to check out Brad's range. Oh, and Marianne (walking away) in the song  was Tom Sholtz's cousin , whom he had a crush on as a kid. Just another, "Did you know."       Check out "More Than A Feeling" on Spotify:  More Than A Feeling        Gotta love the artwork here, too. The upside-down guitar spaceships an...

     Most of my top live albums don't even rank on Rolling Stone's 50 best live albums. That's okay; I have my own favorites. The following albums are the absolute best live albums. There are only eight albums listed here. I know there are many more live albums. Many I have never even heard. I only know the albums I know. So, if there are other live albums you love, please let me know so I can check them out. I will only bore you with my commentary on my top two live rock albums and why they beat out the rest. So, let's look from number 8 down to number 1. 8. Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band - Live Bullet , 1976 - (Photo by Robert Markliwitz) -   Check it out on Spotify:  "Live Bullet" 7. Grand Funk - Live Album, 1970 - (Photo by Mark Amerling) -  Spotify album link:  Grand Funk "Live Album" 6. Deep Purple - Made In Japan , 1972 -  (Cover Design by Roger Glover, Photo by Fin Costello) - Spotify album link:  "Made In Japan" 5. J. Gei...

     Ok, I used to love the whole feel of getting an album. Remember. Checking out the inside or the back for lyrics. Checking the inside sleeve for any pics. The smell of the album. Pulling out the album for the first time. The whole tactile feel. Remember queuing up the album on a record player. The sound of static after playing the album repeatedly until it got a bunch of scratches. The album skipping, the sound of the needle dropping. I bought a record player two years ago because I missed it so much. I still have to hook it up. I did buy a few albums. Peter Frampton, Frampton Comes Alive . Boston (their debut) and Paul McCartney and Wings, Wings Over America . Stupidly, I got rid of most of my albums years ago. To pay for this or that. I regret getting rid of them. So one of these days, I'll hook up the record player and speakers and re-live the best days in music. The 1970's. The analog days! Speaking of Album Covers, do you remember Led Zeppelin's third album? Albu...

     We are still talking about them! Admittedly, I didn't get them when I was younger. Why they were and are still so great. As I get older and look back, especially in stark contrast to today's music industry and artists, I am starting to understand their musical and cultural importance. I was an early Aerosmith (first 5 albums) and Led Zeppelin fan. My musical taste was influenced by my older brothers. A wide range from James Montgomery, J. Geils, ELP, The Jackson Five, The Commodores, Earth Wind and Fire, and Jethro Tull. Then a bit later, Yes, Styx, and on and on. One of my brothers was a big Beatles fan. Then, he followed Paul McCartney and Wings. I love PM with Wings.       Only now am I starting to listen back and digest what happened way back then? No one was writing the way the Beatles were. Vastly different songwriting and genres on their albums (starting with Rubber Soul) and Sgt. Pepper. Even the Album Art was ahead of its time. It's an ex...

     Stewart Copeland, the drummer for The Police, grew up in Lebanon, Egypt, and England. He was strongly influenced by Arabic rhythms. Skipping the 'One' beat in a measure on many songs. In "Walking On The Moon" from 1979's Reggatta de Blanc , you can hear his use of polyrhythms, which also has a significant effect. It's not your straight-out rock or reggae, that's for sure.       His hi-hat work on this tune is entirely unique. To paraphrase, Stewart expressed on a recent YouTube video that Sting would get frustrated with him not sticking to the usual rock backbeat with snare hits on the 2 and 4 (in 4/4 time). No one plays these types of intricate rhythms in rock. Such finesse, superb dynamics, and ever-changing hi-hat rhythms—not to mention the killer delay on the rim shots from his space echo on "Walking On The Moon."       Stewart's hi-hat work just adds to the song's minimalist structure. His playing makes me forget about th...

     The album art for Cream's  Disraeli  Gears doesn't get any more '60s, does it? 1967, to be exact. Talk about psychedelic! It's always been one of my favorite album covers because of its pure insanity. The artwork was done by a gentleman named Martin Sharp. A fine job he did.   From Wikipedia, " Martin Sharp was attempting to capture the sound of the music in the cover, which he describes as a "warm fluorescent sound"   The colors are outrageous in their combination. This had to be the boldest album cover known to man. To me, it represents the 1960s more than any other album cover. Including Sgt. Pepper and Their Satanic Majesties Request. Peacocks, horses, flowers. Who's the green chick in front of Jack Bruce? Anyone? Oh, and the trio in there too. Gotta love it. Check out more on  Classic Rock Magazine . Album Art by Martin Sharp, 1967

     The B52's self-titled album is hysterical. If you are having a bad day and if you suffer from depression, listening to this album is like taking anti-depressants. In particular, listen to "There's a Moon in the Sky (Called the Moon.)" Listen to it next time you're feeling down. The simplicity of the lyrics and the robotic, almost sci-fi feel are brilliant. It's a priceless tune. And a priceless band. This song and album will lift your spirit. I know they are "New Wave," but you gotta love them. The B52s are the best anti-depressant going. Check it out on Spotify:  There's a Moon in The Sky (Called The Moon)

     This is one brilliant song. It was released on July 11, 1969. And, not coincidently, the 1st moon landing was on July 16, 1969. A perfect release time for the song. It's so different from anything else at that time. You really go on the ride with Bowie's imagery. Imagine being in the tin can. You feel lonely with "Here am I sitting in my tin can. Far above the world." Of course, this evokes the whole NASA thing with the picture of Earth from out in space. Not to mention the urgency of "Ground control to major Tom, your circuits dead, there's something wrong...". Bowie plays the characters well and nails the role of Major Tom and Ground Control. You don't have to guess who is who. Can you hear me, Major Tom.." We have listened to it a million times.      There are many songs about space, but to me, this reigns supreme: "Rocket Man" by Elton John and "Space Truckin" by Deep Purple, to name a couple.  Because of the timing...

     Mick Taylor was a great replacement guitarist for Brian Jones of the Rolling Stones. His keen sense of melody and ability to jam were fresh for the Stones. Think of the end of "Sway." Taylor joined the Stones in 1969.       Taylor played on the following albums from the Stones: Let It Bleed (1969), Get Yer Ya-Ya's Out (1970), The Rolling Stones in Concert (1970), Sticky Fingers (1971), Exile on Main Street  (1972), Goats Head Soup (1973) and It's Only Rock 'n Roll (1974).       When Taylor was in the Stones, he fostered the best and most creative writing and guitar playing. Mick Taylor challenged Keith. They worked well together.       Keith is one of my favorite songwriters, and he upped his game, as did Mick Jagger when Mick Taylor was in the band. Taylor challenged them and intimidated them a bit. They got bluesy, too. Mick Taylor was a great slide player. If you haven't considered him a Rollin...

    Growing up,  I didn't really listen to either of these singers. Why? Because all I heard was Led Zeppelin and Aerosmith. With a bit of J. Geils, Grand Funk, and whatever other bands my older brothers were listening to. Here is my point. In my older years, I can now hear what a great singer Steve Perry actually is. Period. In Rock. He reigns supreme in my book. I never got it. I was into hard rock, and Journey was polished and ballady. A friend once said to me (and she was a singer) that Steve Perry was the best rock singer ever. I fought her, saying Robert Plant was. I was wrong. Just wrong.       Freddie Mercury is also a fantastic singer. Not only is he a genius songwriter in my book and an incredible entertainer, but he takes the cake in the all-around category. Entertainer, singer, songwriter. Listen to him on the song "Under Pressure". His vocal range is vast, and his songwriting made Queen what they were.         ...

     Different decades and genres' main musical focus was on specific instruments. In the 20s, 30s, and 40s, there were horn sections. Glenn Miller, Tommy Dorsey, and the like. The 50s focus was on piano and a bit of guitar. Think Little Richard, Fats Domino. Jerry Lee Lewis on piano. Chuck Berry paved the way for rock and roll guitarists. The 60s and 70s rock scene was highly focused on electric guitar and keyboards were a bit more in the background. Hendrix and Clapton were the foremost guitarists who brought the instrument to the forefront.      Now, 808s and low bass are prominent in hip-hop. Hi-hats are a main staple, too. How many different beats can you make switching these elements up? It's endless. These sounds are mainly produced by artists with music software. These sounds are not instruments at all. They are created with music software virtual instruments called plugins. Nor is there a band recording together in a room with real instruments. ...

     The Bee Gees were among the most significant bands in the late 70’s. Disco was all the rage then, and I hated it except for the Bee Gees. Come on, admit it, you liked them too. The fantastic songwriting. The dreamy harmonies. The Moog synth on “Nights on Broadway”. The extraordinary falsetto. They “made” the movie Saturday Night Fever. The movie would not have been nearly as popular without them. So, just admit it. You liked them too! No shame.

          What a great song. Joe Walsh is so talented and underrated. I can see why this song is remembered as one of the all-time classics. The best part of this song is the interaction between Joe Walsh and Rocke Grace. During the guitar solo, if you are in your car, listen to the left speaker for the keyboards (an Arp Synthesizer) and the right speaker for Joe Walsh's guitar. They are distinctly separated in the mix, so you can tell them apart quickly. This section of the song gives me goosebumps every time.   The main riff gets a bit hangy sometimes, but all is forgiven when you consider Joe Walsh's slide-and-talk box performance in this song. Check it out on Spotify:  Rocky Mountain Way

       I love Neil Young. He is a fantastic songwriter and acoustic player. His storytelling is phenomenal as well. What is fitting and so "Neil Young" is his single-note solos. Like in "Cinnamon Girl" and "Cowgirl in the Sand," to name a couple. I just laugh when I hear them. Not because I am laughing at Neil Young but because he gets away with it. It makes me smile because no one else has ever done this that I know of. Oh ya. Andy Summers of The Police on "Bring On The Night," But I digress. It's as if Young doesn't want to take the time to add another note or has no interest in melody, and you know what! Who cares. He is no Carlos Santana, and who cares. He's Neil Young. Himself. Bold and straight at you with a single note. A big "F" you to us. There is no way you can't tell that you are listening to a Neil Young solo. And when he does take a chance outside the "one" note approach, it can get awfully messy. ...

       One of the greatest rock bands. Why? Simplicity. Their riffs and band interaction are "together" in every sense. The rhythm section is simply solid. Everyone listening knows what comes next, and they can sink into the groove. "TNT" is a great example. Hypnotic in simplicity and perfectly fitting for the lyrics. The band leaves space. It's breathable rock. "It's a Long Way To the Top (If you Wanna Rock and Roll)" and "Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap" are great examples, too. Of all the rock bands in the world, there is no other band capable of grabbing your attention and pulling you in.       The drums are a huge part of ACDC. They never get too complicated and sound big. You can't resist that straight-at-you rock beat. More than anything in ACDC, the drummer keeps you anchored, and you just can't break away. The drummer (Phillip Rudd) is what makes ACDC so good. The rest is icing on the cake, and that is not to take away from t...

1. Carlos Santana. Why Carlos? He is simply the most elegant, sexy, melodic player on the planet. His tone is superb. He never steps on anyone's toes he plays with, but he sure knows when to stick his head out! Love him. 2. Duane Allman. Best rock slide player ever. Soooo great at such a young age. Melody and phrasing! Incredible. Actually, he was a melodic genius. 3. Eddie Van Halen. Oh, Eddie. Unique. No one like him. Technical wizardry. He could play a hook like no one else. Fantastic songwriter. Visionary. He couldn't afford guitar pedal effects, so he made do with otherworldly fretboard tricks and whammy bar assaults. Thus, his style emerged. 4. Jimmy Page.  My first. Mythic and mystical depth. Fantastic blues player! Think "Since I've Been Loving You". No Quarter. Wow, he can take you deep. They all can in that band. The band I was obsessed with in high school. 5. Billy Gibbons.  Attitude. Big Attitude. Can play lead and rhythm simultaneously. Hah! Kickass r...

     Stevie Nicks is one of my favorite female artists and songwriters. I had yet to learn that she dated guitarist Joe Walsh and drummer Don Henley of Eagles fame. Clearly, she's an Eagles fan. According to People,  She dated a list of famous men . We all know her involvement with her former bandmate Lindsey Buckingham and all the hoopla around the Rumors  album, so I won't get into that right now.      You may not know that  Nicks had an affair with Mick Fleetwood, too. The drummer of Fleetwood Mac. Oh, and Mick Fleetwood's former wife, Jenny Boyd, was the younger sister to Patti Boyd. You know Patti Boyd, for which famous songs have been written by Eric Clapton and George Harrison, like Layla, Something,  and Wonderful Tonight.      Of all the men Nicks has dated, she claimed in Far Out magazine that Joe Walsh was her greatest love.

     If you don't know, Clarence Clemons was Bruce Springsteen's saxophone player. On my favorite Springsteen album,  Born to Run, which came out in 1975, is a song called Jungleland. Bruce can tell a story and pull it off with genius imagery. He can surely paint a picture. In this case, it is about gangland and the death of the "Magic Rat."       So, if you can put that aside and listen to the song Jungleland again, focusing on the CC solo, you'll catch my drift. Wow. I mean, wow. Talk about setting the mood. The phrasing is incredible. He never overplays. He knows when to boost the intensity and when to bring it down. When to hold a note and when to keep it short and sweet. His sense of melody is top-notch. It's the best sax solo in rock if you ask me.       Check out the tune again. Sometimes, we don't hear a song for a long time and can't fully appreciate it. As a teenager in 1975, I didn't appreciate the subtlety and powe...

     Back in the 60s and 70s, musicians played instruments! Don't get me wrong, I love all music, but back in the '70s, my time, musicians played the actual instruments. There were no virtual computer instruments, drum machines, or music software. There was no copy and paste your chorus in your DAW (music software) or drum samples, for that matter. There wasn't even music software to record in at all. It all went directly to a reel-to-reel tape machine. There was no Autotune to fix the pitch for vocals or even for effect, like in hip-hop.       So, I say some of the best and most talented musicians are from this decade and before. Mmmm, 50s music. They didn't even have multitracking, so playing live in the studio was the way to record! On a single track! Just saying.