Time for a new regular feature on this ol’ blog which will cover some of my all time favorite songs as well as shining a spotlight on some newer acts that you should check out if you’re hankerin’ for a taste of something different.  I’ll keep my comments fairly short and simple so you can enjoy listening while reading my heartfelt and often rambling musings.  Need to keep some things kinda short for those with short term attention spans 😉

Hilarious to think these days that many youngsters (and uneducated oldsters) hear this and go “oh yeah, the CSI:Miami theme!” but I’m hear to tell YOU dear reader that this may damn near be the greatest 8+ minutes of musical goodness you’ll ever come across.  I’ve never been one to like songs with simple structures; I’ve got a have a bit of mania and chaotic intensity from time to time to really satisfy my tastes.  And WGFA?  Is anybody playing the same riff?  That’s the beauty within.  John Entwiste’s bassline is dive bombing everything in site, Pete Townshend’s slashing the guitar with massive power chords, Roger Daltrey is roaring with manic glee, and Keith Moon is a drum tornado all throughout as these four musical icons play o’er top a propulsive synth line.  Powerful and an anthem of monstrous proportions-  watch the live version from The Kids Are Alright and your fists will be punching the sky by song’s end.  What’s not to like?

“Gimme Three Steps”, Lynyrd Skynyrd Essential

What is there to say about this song?  Great lyric, great guitar work, great bassline, great vocal all rolled into a magical four and a half minute ball of fun.  A buddy of mine (RIP Steve) used to play this in a cover band with his brother and it would always pack the dance floor full of booty shakers and drunken fools.  One of those “I can name that in four notes” kinda songs that everyone and their brother knows, especially those that grew up in the 70s/80s timeframe.  An all time fave Skynyrd cut.

“Passenger”, Nevermore The Politics of Ecstasy

As grunge was dying out in the mid to late 90s I was actively looking for something new and heavy that hearkened back to the 80s metal days and Nevermore fit that bill.  Ironically, Nevermore was born from the remnants of Seattle metal band Sanctuary as that band’s Warrel Dane and Jim Sheppard teamed with hotshot guitarist Jeff Loomis to create a darker, more gothic metal stock.  “Passenger” here is a bit gloom ‘n doom with snaky Loomis guitar and passionate Dane vocal.  Great band.

“When The Lights Go Out”, The Black Keys Rubber Factory

Early Black Keys is really it for me as it’s a bit more raw, primal, and underproduced, similar in vibe to the Hill Country blues artists from the Mississippi Delta with possibly a bit more percussive stomp to the occasional starkness of the presentation (especially here on this cut).  Dan Auerbach’s vocal is all cool in its subtleness as it slithers and slides between the simple guitar riff and thumping drums courtesy of Patrick Carney.  A ton of power here in the simplest of forms.

“Suzie Hold On”, Saxon The Eagle Has Landed III

Saxon were always one of the most underrated of hard rock/metal bands that came out of the early 80s (technically late 70s) which never got their just due in the States.  “Suzie” must have been pushed as an attempt at a hit single as it came out on TWO Saxon albums in the US; however, the song didn’t do anything and rarely found itself in the band’s setlists over the years.  This version does come from a live album released in 2006.  I always liked the melody and riff in this one although it falls in the middle tier of fave Saxon cuts.

“I Can”, Helloween Treasure Chest

Germany’s great pumpkins in Helloween (check out the album covers!) are full of what I’ve always called “happy” power metal.  “I Can” features a strong riff and fine vocal along with a positive lyric and cool guitar solos that should fill anyone’s bill looking for a rockin’ good time.  Dare I say this was written with the radio in mind as it is a bit more friendlier to the ear than some of their more heavier compositions, but don’t let that scare you.  More on the melodic side than some of their more well known songs.

“Back To Paradise”, .38 Special Flashback

Man, talk about a band that was an odd fit for the video heyday of MTV-  take a group of macho southern rockers and watch them act in some silly videos! “Paradise” was a minor hit in the ’80s and is a fun song although far removed from the heavier guitar approach of their early days.  A bit more keyboardy compared to their other stuff, but Don Barnes was always a great singer and does a fantastic job here.  That said, this could have fit on a Huey Lewis album back then too.  Theme from Revenge Of The Nerds II!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zKbeHoFAKWM

“Sco-Mule”, Gov’t Mule The Deepest End-Live

Do I loooove looove love this.  Warren Haynes, Matt Abts, and Danny Louis called on a huge number of guest stars for a live album to round out their “Deep End” series of discs put together in remembrance of their late bassist Allen Woody.  “Sco-Mule” here is a live instrumental featuring the talents of Bernie Worrell on keys and Victor Wooten on bass.  The playing here is phenomenal by all parties and the groove is ridiculous, plus this features what might be my favorite solo from Haynes himself.  Dat tone is sweeeeeet…

“First Date” Blink-182 Greatest Hits

I was never a huge fan of Blink 182 but the hits are major earworms and their “Fisher Price punk” was tons of fun in the 90s plus they never took themselves seriously in any of their videos.  This was my son Zach’s first ever concert and I enjoyed it immensely myself, especially the drum talents of one Travis Barker.  Besides the catchy music, the lyrical content of their songs is occasionally ha ha funny (in a middle school way) but it’s all good harmless fun.

“(I Got) The Fever”, Oasis Stand By Me

Oasis B-sides are often just as good as their A-sides and should really be on their albums.  “Fever” is hefty rock through the verse and catchy and melodic come chorus time, Liam all sneering vocal and Noel with layers and layers of noisy guitar all throughout.  However, if you don’t like loud and noisy production you may want to stay away as this is a bit of an ear bleeder but the song does hit some major sticky sweet goodness.  A bit of Slade here, a bit of psychedelia there, and lots of fun.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXUsLEAN_T8

“Every Rose Has Its Thorn”, Poison The Best Of Poison: 20 Years of Rock

Normally I HATE power ballads with a passion but there was always something about this one that I always liked.  There is a ton of simplicity here that lends to its charms plus the lyric is something that many of us can relate to.  There’s no bombast here, just a simple cowboy song with a wonderfully over the top CC Deville solo and cool production touches here and there (tastefully done keyboards, simple percussion bits, background vocals, etc).

Favorite song of the week goes to “Sco-Mule” followed by “Gimme Three Steps”

Got to thank my brother for this idea… what are the discs that you would have with you if you were stuck on a desert island?  Would it automatically be your favorite discs?  Would it be a catalog of your favorite artists?  How about specific genres of music?  Or something else?  (Don’t worry about how you’re gonna play them, that’s what your imagination is for)

The plan was to come up with a list of ten but that was a difficult task, so I’ve tacked on a couple of others for good measure.  I wanted to steer clear of greatest hits collections and live albums, but I have made a couple of exceptions as you’ll see below.  My collection does not include what I’d consider my personal top albums of all time; more or less, it is a list that would come in handy depending on my mood.  Also, contrary to what you might think not all of these artists would fall in my own personal top list of groups.  There may be a few surprises in here but if I’m gonna get stuck on an island it’s got to be eclectic for survival mode.

So, without further ado…  here is the twelve albums that make up my Desert Island Disc collection.  If I’m going to be stranded for God knows how long, these are going to keep me alive.

Junior Brown – Guit With It

I’ve never been a huge country fan but I love Junior Brown.  That voice, that guitar playing, those often hilarious songs…  I’d need something to put a smile on my face so I can sing and dance around like a fool.  And he’s got a little bit of slide playing on this disc that would fit that island environment perfectly.

Black Sabbath – Heaven and Hell

A dense and often doomy album thick with spirit lifting grooves, Heaven and Hell features plenty of mysticism and fantasy in overall vibe to help ease the stresses of the day.  The combination of Dio’s passionate vocal and the mighty heft of Iommi’s guitar awakens the mind, cleanses the soul, and elevates the senses.  Powerful with a capital P.

Elvin Bishop – Don’t Let The Bossman Get You Down

Speaking of hilarity, Elvin Bishop has that down pat.  I’m a blues fan and Elvin is more of the good time variety but there’s nothing wrong with that as the man writes great tunes and is a helluva guitar player.  I don’t have time to be sad on the island, I need to keep my spirits up and this disc has a ton of fun songs.

Megadeth – Peace Sells… But Who’s Buying?

Yeah!  If I need that piss and vinegar to get me fired up as I’m chopping down trees to build a fire or if I’m hunting wild boar, this disc will do.  Early Megadeth is always the best medicine if you want to hear loose ‘n manic thrash with snotty and sneering vocals.  Gets the blood pumping for a long day’s work.

James Brown – Foundations Of Funk

A bit of a cheat here as this is a collection; however, JB was always a singles guy in the early days so getting an album is tough to do.  But you want funky James Brown to get you out of the dumps and get you “feeling good” and grabbing a double disc of the Godfather’s funkiest will do the trick.  You’ll break out in a cold sweat in no time.

Pink Floyd – Wish You Were Here

I’ll need that spacey album as I’m lying on the beach at night gazing at the stars and Wish does the trick.  Sure, you coulda gone with Dark Side here but this is my fave Floyd platter and the one I’d take hands down.  Those longer cuts on here will set the mood as I’m relaxing after a long day’s work and doing some comet watching.

Led Zeppelin – Physical Graffiti

Zep is necessary and I must double my pleasure with this double disc.  Graffiti is in itself a journey; all full of the highest heights, greatest majesties, the darkest of shades and the lightest of lights.  A grand album that’s many moods are perfect no matter what I’m doing any time of day.  Remember, you’re gonna be stuck for awhile and you need some magic.

Thin Lizzy – Jailbreak

A disc full of many great rock classics and mellower but moving cuts, you need that disc where you can sing along while you’re building your own homemade beach drum kit made out of coconut shells and hollowed out palm trees.  You want songs that tell stories to relieve the doldrums and Lynott is one of the best.

The Who – The Kids Are Alright

Another semi-cheat but hey, this is a soundtrack and has most of my favorite all-time Who cuts (I gotta have “Young Man Blues” AND “Won’t Get Fooled Again!).  You’ve got the island to yourself!  Bust out the rock star poses!  Windmill to your heart’s content!  Sing with chest thumping bravado!  And that homemade drum kit you made to play Lizzy?  Better build another as you will DESTROY it listening to this one.

Cheap Trick – At Budokan: The Complete Concert

So yeah, gotta have a couple of lifetime favorites here (the other up next) and I’ve got this memorized so much that I don’t REALLY need it but…  I’m smuggling the “Complete Concert” to double my CT fun and to have a few thousand screaming Japanese fans to keep me company.  (Remind self… make homemade guitar picks out of seashells to mimic the pick-flickin’ style of Rick Nielsen and sling them at unsuspecting crabs)

Iron Maiden – Powerslave

Gotta have my favorite band and (depending on the day) favorite album of all time.  Maiden, and especially this album, is in my soul, my spirit, my blood, and is wholly me-  like a favorite pair of jeans or most comfortable shirt, it fits like a glove.  It gives me the confidence and the willpower to go into survival mode and realize that yes, there is no giving up and yes, I am going to get off this island.

Miles Davis – Kind Of Blue

I’ve got to take some jazz with me and Kind Of Blue will be that album that is great for the daily “cool down” or even to ease into the course of the day.  Nothing threatening here; just smooth goodness as I’m lyin’ on the beach perpetratin’ a tan and mentally drifting away to better times and places.  I missed that rescue plane?  Relax with Miles; another will be along soon.  What’s the rush?

These past few months have been rough for long standing music fans due to a few iconic figures who have passed away, some due to ill health and some due to death by misadventure.  In some ways it is shocking and in other ways it’s to be expected, but having so many influential artists from my youth die in such a short period of time makes you think of your own mortality.  And as much as I hate to say it, we’re going to see even more and there may come a time where we’ll lose just as many in such a short period of time.

However, music is timeless and the lasting legacies of these artists/performers will last forever.  Some of the artists that have died over the past few months are legends or have legendary reputations but none will be forgotten due to their vast musical output.  From the all out speed metal assault led by Lemmy Kilmister of Motorhead, to the rock solid bass work from Rainbow\Dio bassist Jimmy Bain, to the snakelike swagger of Stone Temple Pilots’ Scott Weiland, to the smooth R&B stylings of Earth, Wind, and Fire’s Maurice White, to the classic country rock songwriting of The Eagles’ Glenn Frey, to the psychedelic cool of Jefferson Airplane/Starship’s Paul Kantner, and to supremely influential and chameleonlike David Bowie –  all leave an extremely large canon of music to be enjoyed for years to come.

Whether or not you are a fan of any of these artists is not the point-  you may not own a Bowie album or Motorhead is too heavy or maybe you’ve never even heard of some of these guys.  The point is that whoever your musical heroes are, treasure them while they are still alive.  Go see them in concert.  Pick up their CDs or download their albums.  Sing along with your favorite song by them.  Buy their merchandise.  Support them while you can.  And most importantly, ENJOY-  life is too short for all of us.

To David, Glenn, Maurice, Lemmy, Jimmy, Scott, and Paul…   a sincere THANK YOU for your works.  You will be remembered.

1.  John Entwistle

Ahh, The Ox…  back in my burgeoning music fandom days I wanted to be a bass player and a big reason why was due to Mr. John Entwistle.  One listen to “My Generation” and hearing that bass breakdown midway through the song had me hook, line, and sinker.  And it wasn’t just me; we had fellow Who fans in high school that loved the Who and even a couple of them actually played bass in the school band and had their own garage bands in the process.  It was always “we wanna hear ‘The Real Me’!” if you’d see those guys playing a school function and they’d always happily oblige with a few notes from the Quadrophenia classic.  The amazing thing about Entwistle was that he was always the rock in The Who while Townshend and Moon would often play off each other and take off in flight while “Thunderfingers” would rumble along, keeping everything in check.

There are just too many iconic Entwistle moments to count-  besides the aforementioned two songs, you can’t go wrong with “Dreaming From The Waist”, “Won’t Get Fooled Again”, “Young Man Blues”, “Sparks”, “Who Are You”…  the list goes on and on.  Just go out to YouTube and search for “Entwistle isolated” and soak up the fat, metallic tone and musicality of it all (“Eminence Front” is an absolute gem in regards to funky groove and “Won’t Get Fooled Again” is just fat out ridiculousness in a good way).  Entwistle’s death in 2002 was incredibly sad, especially since The Who was starting to make a bit of a (nother) comeback of sorts.  There hasn’t been another that packs quite the punch and full scale approach as The Ox in regards to tone, dynamics, dexterity, and “lead guitar bass”.