Let me throw out some band names…  The Eagles… Van Halen… KISS… AC/DC… Van Halen… Journey… The Stones…  Now if you pictured the band as a whole when you read those names, who was in the band?  The original group?  Maybe one from the band’s most popular period?  Or are you like me and you picture the era of the band when you first heard about them, maybe during their most famous era, or the one that you grew up with?  Change is good… or is it?

I thought about this the other day when reading something about Don Felder’s dismissal from The Eagles, which was also briefly covered in their excellent documentary History Of The Eagles.  When I think “The Eagles”, the first thing that comes to mind is the lineup of Don Henley, Glenn Frey, Joe Walsh, Don Felder, and Timothy B Schmit (Randy Meisner too) as that was the lineup that I was first exposed to via the Hotel California and The Long Run period.  That’s the band that I became attached to as the visuals from ads and videos from that era prominently feature these five.

Interesting when you think of the history of The Eagles as a whole-  the band had been around since 1971, formed by the core team of Henley, Frey, Meisner, and Bernie Leadon.  This band recorded two albums before bringing on Felder for two additional albums before Leadon left the band and Joe Walsh joined, moving the band away from their country rock roots into more of a heavier guitar based direction.  That tag team of Felder/Walsh gelled tremendously on the Hotel California and The Long Run albums.  Nothing against the earlier albums as they are very good in their own right, but the Felder/Walsh team really helped push the band to new heights and is my favorite era.  So when Felder was dismissed in early 2001 it stung a little as that guitar tag team with Walsh would no longer exist.

All that said…  I’m really not one to say “The Eagles ain’t The Eagles without Don Felder” in it, but I’m sure there are many of you out there who have favorite bands where original members are no longer part of the current touring entity.  How does that make you feel?  To me, it depends on the member that’s left or been replaced and why-  creative differences are always one popular reason, an unfortunate death is another, or just a flat out firing for whatever reason always seems to happen as well.  Besides The Eagles, let’s look at a couple others.

The Rolling Stones have been around since 1962 and are still rocking today with the core team of Keith Richards, Mick Jagger, and Charlie Watts.  When I think of the Stones, I’m always picturing the late 70’s\80s era lineup with Ron Wood and long standing bassist Bill Wyman, but for those of you that know your band history are familiar with two other guitarists.  Brian Jones was a founding member until leaving the band in 1969, to be replaced by Mick Taylor until he left in 1974 and was replaced by Woody, who is still with the band today (Wyman retired and was never replaced with an “official member”, although bassist Daryl Jones has been with them for over 20+ years!).  While their early hits with Jones cannot be denied, their most creative period is arguably the Taylor years.  However, their most popular years as a unit likely started when Wood joined and remains the longest standing core unit.

Now KISS is another matter entirely-  the original band formed in 1973 with Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley, Ace Frehley, and Peter Criss.  THAT band took the world and the public by storm:  nothing was quite like these guys at the time as far as an overall marketing concept for a band.  KISS stuff was everywhere and their live show and theatrics was like no other band at the time other than maybe Alice Cooper.  As a burgeoning young music fan, the whole concept of the makeup and four distinct characters was the coolest.  KISS was so big that me, my brother, and two of our friends dressed up as them for Halloween!

So when Peter Criss left in 1980 and Ace Frehley left by 1982, that shine and shock of the overall KISS concept was starting to wear thin.  Musically the band was heading in a different direction plus times were changing with the advent of MTV.  Oddly enough a new spark hit during that period when they took off the makeup but for me it really wasn’t the same.  Nothing against replacement guitarists Vinnie Vincent and Bruce Kulick and drummers Eric Carr and Eric Singer, but my interest in KISS had started to fade.  A reunion in full makeup of the original four did pique my interest some but the resulting album Psycho Circus didn’t quite hit me like I hoped it would.

For the last 10+ years, KISS has been touring with the makeup on and replacements on guitar and drums that wear the same makeup and costumes displayed by their predecessors.  To some fans this is blasphemy- bring back the original band or design new characters and costumes for the two new guys!  To Simmons and Stanley, they likely believe that when casual fans think KISS they visualize the original four in makeup so there should be no real difference (Simmons has even said he could see KISS without original members; just have new members don the makeup and costumes and carry on).  What do I think?  I grew up with and loved the old band but my KISS fandom peaked around 1980.  The new guys (Tommy Thayer and a returning Eric Singer) are arguably better players than the originals but I miss that early spirit.  But who am I to argue if a band wants to carry on with different members?

What say you?

Junior Brown should be a star.  Instead, the Texas based artist is pretty much relegated to cult hero status among music fans, whether they love that unmistakable singing voice, catchy songs, his unique style of playing on the “guit-steel” (half electric guitar, half lap steel guitar), or those that only know him for penning the theme song to AMC’s “Better Call Saul”.  For those of you that aren’t familiar with his work, “Highway Patrol” is your gateway to the man’s talents.

Originally released in 1993 on Brown’s Guit With It album, “Highway Patrol” is a stone cold Junior classic.  An ode to law enforcement, it’s actually a cover of a 60s country hit from Red Simpson that Junior certainly owns as he keeps the spirit of the original and throws in plenty of guitar flair (electric and steel runs!) to appease those guitar fans out there.  A bit of chicken pickin’ here, sleek slide playing there, and a whole lot of tasty playing throughout.

And did I say unmistakable singing voice?  Oh yeah…  Junior’s droll baritone delivery is certainly a highlight, a sing songy twang that rivals Johnny Cash but has its own timbre as it takes the best of country and Western swing mixed with a touch of rockabilly.  A voice like that can certainly help sell a song, especially one with such a descriptive visual lyric like “Highway Patrol”.  Pure, solid music that they just don’t make anymore.

If you’re one of those that misses the good old days of country music, one that digs unique guitar stylings, or one that just likes simple and memorable songs, it will do you good to check out “Highway Patrol”.  But don’t stop there-  grab a copy of Junior’s Greatest Hits CD on Curb Records or grab any of his other albums.  You won’t be disappointed in the variety of styles-  country, swing, lap steel, rockabilly, Hawaiian, or plain ol’ rock and roll.  He’s got it all!

Is it madness?  No, it’s just the demented ramblings of a music fanboy based on the first ten songs that pop up on his iPod…

“Mars Needs Guitars!”, Hoodoo Gurus Mars Needs Guitars!

First time I heard the name “Hoodoo Gurus” was at my college RA job when one of the female staffers from another dorm didn’t like the music selection at one of our parties and wanted to hear something from these guys or the Beat Farmers (good taste, in hindsight).  Essentially, some raw alterna-roots rockiness with a bit of noisy twang n reverb to it which was certainly miles away from the hair metal and funky R&Bness of the mid to late 80s.

“Boogie Back To Texas”, Asleep At The Wheel The Swingin’ Best Of Asleep At The Wheel

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2MufvrCWBY

Ray Benson and gang are keeping the swing alive from the good old days of Bob Wills and The Texas Playboys, with “Boogie Back To Texas” my favorite from the band.  Piano, horns, female background vocals, fiddle, and the ultra coolness courtesy of Ray and the band boot scootin’ all over this thing.  Listen to this thing and then wonder why in the hell country music is totally missing the mark these days other than a handful who keep the spirit alive.

“Refrigerator Car” Spin Doctors Pocketful of Kryptonite

Remember the early 90’s?  Yeah, twas good…  music was really changing and the jam band scene was hot there for a few years with NYC’s Spin Doctors high on the charts with a couple of big hits.  “Refrigerator Car” was certainly not one but is a great example of the jamminess of the band, riding a dirty Zep-ish riff early before popping the funky along with Chris Barron’s languid vocal style.  Really miss not hearing bands like this on the radio.

“Mad, Mad Heart” Reverend Horton Heat Rev

What is there to say about the Rev?  The man, band, and their retro grooviness is pure fun:  take Bill Haley, Stray Cats, Jerry Lee Lewis, and maybe a dash of Elvis…  who can beat that?  The hands are clappin’, the toes are a tappin, and the rockabilly from the band is hot and swinging.  “Mad Mad Heart” plays it fairly safe, not as wild and dangerous as some of the earlier material but is certainly a hot showcase for the Rev’s talents on the guitar.

“Scapegoat” Farmikos EP

Holy shit is this good, like Soundgarden pumped full of human growth hormone on top of an already heavy dose of steroids.  Think “Rusty Cage” in vocal approach (almost eerily so) but with a choppier riff, slightly grungy in tone and maybe a tad bit speedier and certainly in the guitar hero mode.  Guest bassist here is none other than Robert Trujillo of Metallica fame.  Holmes had been fairly silent after his brief stint with Ozzy but after hearing this he needs to get out from under that rock more often!

“Book Of Liars” Walter Becker 11 Tracks Of Whack

As one half of Steely Dan, Walter Becker generally gets a big thumbs up from me.  Sure, the band has certainly moved into more jazzier territories over the years but there are classics throughout the catalog.  “Liars” isn’t quite the classic but is pretty good, Becker’s vocal style a total 180 degree turn from band mate Donald Fagen but has a relaxed bluesiness to it and the music is a bit more sparse than the sleekness of quality Dan.  Rides a slow slink in those relatively smooth grooves.

“Luv-A-Holic” Kix Hot Wire

Kix were always a good little rock band, probably unfairly lumped into hair metal as they got a decent head start in the late 70s/early 80s with their AC/DC cum Slade ‘n Stonesy histrionics.  “Luv A Holic” is prime Kix (not that crap ballad a few years later), solid riff, great gang vocal in the chorus, and an ever insistent cowbell throughout the song.  A prime example of a hard working bar band that never had sustained chart success but has carved out a decent career.  Pure fun.

“Time Machine” Black Sabbath Dehumanizer

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=frUq17Av6V8

Just listening to this now makes me miss Ronnie James Dio so much.  I’ve said it before, but Dio Sabbath floats my boat moreso than the Ozzy version due to the sheer metal sheen and conviction on display.  “Time Machine” is plain solid; a storming Iommi riff and punchy Geezer bass bringing the business with Dio’s positive vibes in the chorus lifting us up from his proclamations of doom and gloom during the verse.  Lookout!

“A New Age Moving In”, D.A.D. Dic.nii.lan.daft.erd.ark

D.A.D. (formerly Disneyland After Dark before Uncle Walt got involved) has always been a bit underrated here in the States.  The Danes first hit these shores in the 80s with a couple of heavy rock albums full of tunefulness but their look didn’t quite mesh with their hair metal brethren.  The star of “New Age Moving In” is lead singer Jesper Binzer’s vocal as he ably moves from full throated roar for a good part of the song, like a mini-Joe Cocker or Brian Johnson on display.

“Sandblasted Skin”, Pantera Official Live: 101 Proof

I often kick myself for missing out on the Pantera juggernaut in a hot and sweaty club back in the day before Dime’s horrible death.  “Sandblasted” is beautifully ugly and there’s no other way to put it; that insistent and distorted wobbler of a riff, those pummeling drums, and the unbridled fury, lunacy, and insane vocal from Philip Anselmo, who manages to mix full out hardcore bark, death metal grunts, and the occasional singing bit (well, maybe not).  Want to scare your neighbors?  Throw this on.

Song of this post?  Man, that’s a toughie but I have to go with “Time Machine” followed closely by “Scapegoat” and “Boogie Back To Texas”

We sometimes wonder about those serious musical questions, whether they be real life events or infamous rumors…  what would Elvis be doing if he were still alive?  What if Eddie Van Halen had joined KISS?  Is Paul McCartney really Billy Shears?  Did Keith Richards really snort his dad’s ashes?  Did that scream in the middle of “Love Rollercoaster” really come from a woman that got killed in the studio?  Let’s take a moment and ponder an alternate reality of five truths, rumors, and(?) tall tales…

• Jimi Hendrix lives and goes on to record a couple of space age funk\jazz\fusion album with Miles Davis and nearly disappearing from the music scene altogether in the 80s until Michael Jackson invites him to guest on a new album. Hendrix is so inspired by the material that he goes on to revolutionize dance music as we know it.

• Jimmy Page convinces Jeff Beck, Keith Moon, and John Entwistle to form a new supergroup, effectively ending both The Yardbirds and The Who. Band recruits Steve Marriott for vocal duties and releases four albums of blistering hard rock before Moon leaves in 1970 to begin a lifelong career as game show host on the BBC.

• After the “Toot And A Snore” attempt a few years prior, John Lennon and Paul McCartney meet in a New York studio in 1976 to begin writing sessions for a secret project. Once writing is complete, they call in Ringo and George and lay down enough tracks for a triple album.  The Fabs are excited about the material and call it “our best work”, but unfortunately the record company refuses the masters, telling the band that it won’t sell as disco is the “hip new thing” and “the future of music”

• In 1981, MTV debuts with the goal of introducing the general public to music with “substance over style” focusing on musicianship, intelligent lyrics, and keen insight. The new channel is a hit with the older generation, and, surprisingly, the younger folks as they are introduced to artists as diverse as Frank Sinatra, Weather Report, Johnny Cash, and Bob Marley and newer stars such as former nun\now folk balladeer Madonna Louise Ciccone.

• After jokingly running for President of the United States in 1980, Joe Walsh gets serious about a career in politics and decides to run for office again in 1996 as a third party candidate. Although he loses, he is so loved by the public that President Bill Clinton creates a new position in his cabinet for Walsh as Ambassador of Good Will.  Walsh’s responsibilities include hotel room trashing seminars for visiting dignitaries, reading children’s stories on the White House lawn through a talk box, and lead environmental spokesman to save marine life called the ILBT initiative (I Like Big Tortoises).

Good news!  Future Publishing has come to save the day!  The publishing company has purchased Team Rock, thus returning the magazine titles back to their previous home (Future sold the titles to Team Rock in 2013).  Future will also take over ownership of Team Rock Radio, plus the Metal Hammer and Golden God award ceremonies.  No other details at this time around impact to publishing dates, if any.

Information about the deals can be found via the attached links:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2017/01/09/rock-magazines-saved-former-publisher/

https://www.gigwise.com/news/108880/team-rock-classic-rock-and-prog-future-publishing

http://www.completemusicupdate.com/article/future-buys-back-metal-hammer-and-classic-rock-following-teamrock-collapse/

As mentioned previously, the JustGiving campaign founded by Orange Goblin’s Ben Ward is still up and running.  Donations go to those TeamRock staffers who lost their positions before Christmas (you can still make a donation HERE).  Per the above news links, it is not clear what will happen to the 73 that lost their positions- hopefully, some of that staff will be brought along.

Depending on your age group, the name Danny Elfman may ring a bell-  take a look at the guy’s film score and TV credits:  Pee-Wees Big Adventure… The Simpsons…  Batman…  Beetlejuice…  The Nightmare Before Christmas (theme music AND the singing voice of Jack Skellington).  But for those of us that grew up in the 80s we were first exposed to the manic genius of Elfman as leader of Oingo Boingo, who, interestingly enough, had some of their songs included as part of the soundtracks from movies ranging from Fast Times At Ridgemont High, Weird Science, Teen Wolf Too, and my first taste as part of the band in the classic Rodney Dangerfield movie Back To School.  That song on prominent display is the extremely catchy and unforgettable “Dead Man’s Party”.

Kicking off with a snakily distorted and echoey guitar line, the song hits a comfortable groovy stride early with various percussive elements, Elfman’s utter cool vocal, and the return of that guitar.  What’s great about this song is the various melodic lines that flow throughout and how it’s offset by the stabbing horn arrangement, insistent, ping pong-y bass groove, and insanely catchy verse and chorus.  Toss in a few funky and sinuous keyboard lines that intertwine with the guitar and horns in an extended instrumental section and you’re in ska/new wave heaven!  You want to get people up and moving on the dance floor for your next Halloween party, make sure to toss this on the turntable 🙂

One other quick note…  the band released a “live in the studio” version found on Boingo Alive that’s a bit more uptempo plus it kicks off with the horn part before the guitar and vocal comes in.  A bit of a different feel overall but just as impressive and fun as the original.  You can’t go wrong with either option for your next soiree.