Sometimes I have the feeling “it’s just me”, but…  I’ll hear something on the radio or on the internet or see a band in concert and think, “ahhhh…  I don’t get it”.  Or you’ve got friends that will tell you that X band is the greatest thing since sliced bread or you pick up the latest copy of a music rag and the cover states that “THIS IS THE HOT NEW ARTIST/BAND” but when you finally hear something from said artist/band it just doesn’t register- maybe it’s the hype, or maybe you just have an innate stubbornness to anything that popular media is all over this day/week/month.

However…  let me tell you a tale where this happened to this writer and how it changed my life for the better.  To the time machine!

The year…  probably late ’85 or early ’86…  as a young college freshman, I had very little funds to go out and buy new music.  My fellow dorm mates and I would occasionally share new tuneage with each other or we would all hop into a room collectively and run through each others’ album or tape collections or just sit around listening after a long day in class, which was always a cool experience.  And fortunately, I had two record stores within walking distance where I could go and trade in some of my collection or buy something fresh and new.

I still don’t recall exactly where I’d heard the name, but around this time I caught wind of a band called “Metallica”.  It may have been hearing a song (“For Whom The Bell Tolls” maybe?) or more likely that I’d read something where these guys were considered the new thing in metal.  Being a huge fan of bands like Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Dio, Van Halen, Ozzy, etc, I figured that if these guys were the hot new thing that I must check them out. One day after class I headed on down to the record store to check out what Metallica they had in stock.  First thing I see in the Metallica section is Ride The Lightning (at the time Metallica’s second disc)-  took a look at the cover, checked out the credits on the back and said to myself, “yep, this looks pretty cool.  Time to buy!”.  So I plunked down my hard earned cash for the album and started on my way back to the dorm (about a good 15-20 minute walk), all the while thinking…  what’s this going to sound like?  These guys look like rock dudes, the song titles are interesting…  I think we’ve got a winner here!

Shortly thereafter I arrive to my dorm room, put the album on the turntable, turned the stereo on, cranked up the volume, dropped the needle, and…  confusion.  Ummm…  what is this?  In my young, musically inexperienced mind I just could not comprehend what I was hearing.  To me, “Fight Fire With Fire” was just unfettered noise that didn’t really go anywhere; just distorted guitar going “BRRRRRRRRRRRRR” and a lead singer who more or less barked the notes.  So I lifted the needle to go to the next cut and experienced the same thing with something called “Ride The Ligthning”…  huh?  Okaaaay… life needle and play next cut…  “For Whom The Bell Tolls”…  this sounds a little bit better, but still…  lift needle, next cut… “Fade To Black”…  not bad either, but…  flip album over…. same thing.

So after giving the album a quick run through I was left scratching my head-  what am I not getting?  How are these guys the best new band on the planet?  Granted, there were some elements I did enjoy to some extent but many baffled me to no end.  In hindsight (and funny looking back on it) it was too fast, too raw, and too dark.  Not long thereafter, I actually saw Metallica open for Ozzy Osbourne to tour their Master Of Puppets album and I STILL couldn’t comprehend the love for the band.  Metallica T shirts were flying off the shelves and people were going bonkers for these guys, which left me shaking my head.  It wasn’t any type of outright disgust or hatred for the band; no, it was more like… am I missing something here?

By now, it’s late 1986.  My brother, who is also a huge music fan as well, picks up a copy of Metallica’s Master Of Puppets and also buys a copy of Anthrax’ Among The Living and plays them nonstop (keep in mind here that he’s still in high school while I’m starting my sophomore year in college).  At some point when I’m back home for the weekend he tells me that he’s bought these cassettes and that these guys are great, so I figured well, maybe this new album is better and we’ll see about these Anthrax guys.  But I’ll be damned…   I STILL DID NOT GET IT for Metallica and the same thing for Anthrax…  but…  the claws were starting to sink in to some extent.

At some point in early 1987 I borrowed the tapes from my brother so I could listen at school.  Both bands were heavy and both bands were different-  different singers, different lyrical content, different levels of musicanship, but I still could not grasp it.  Once I got out for the summer break my brother (bless his demented heart) would continue to play these things nonstop and little did I know that the claws were sinking in even more, ever so slowly.  It’s not that I wanted to like it because someone else did; rather, it was just because I’d not heard anything like it before although I had to admit to some level of excitement being there.  I just kept hanging in there until, shall was say, all was revealed on  June 12, 1987.

Nah, I didn’t have that date memorized (that’s what the Internet is for) but that is the date that kicked my love for music into an even deeper dimension.  I’d already been a big fan of the band Metal Church courtesy of their self titled debut album and the great “Watch The Children Prey” from their second LP The Dark.  These guys were co-headlining a tour of the States for that second LP along with that other band that I didn’t quite yet get… Anthrax.  Kicking off that evening’s festivities were Metal Church, who put on a fantastic, headbanging worthy show of epic proportions-  HEAVY drums, great guitar work, killer singing.  How could anything even get close to that?  Well, little did I know…

Anthrax just SLAYED!  Holy crap…  I suddenly GOT IT and was HOOKED!  The energy level was infectious, their sense of fun enormous, and their overall show was off the hook crazy.  Where that Metallica show was more heads down menace and brutality, the Anthrax show was almost a complete 180 degrees-  it was almost as if a comic book had come to life in front of my very eyes.  I don’t know if it was the members’ sporting crazy and colorful jams shorts or the whirling dervish that was guitarist Scott Ian, but the show was akin to an epiphany and one that has made a mark on my psyche forever.

Shortly thereafter, it was me that was playing Master Of Puppets and Among The Living nonstop and it was the both of us exploring other bands from the budding thrash movement, anyone and everyone from Testament to Megadeth to Flotsam and Jetsam to Sacred Reich to Exodus and even branching out to some of the punk rock bands that influenced the genre.  Thinking back to that time frame, I cannot thank my brother enough and I am happy to say our bond continues to this day as we share each others’ passion for music and frequently share the latest tunes and favorite artists/bands on an ongoing basis (Thanks Steve!).

Oh hang on a sec…  ” Hey!  You forgot about Slayer!”

Well… ha ha ha… Slayer scared the pants off us the first time we heard them but that’s a tale for another day…

“Here Today”, Paul McCartney Tug Of War

A real heart tugger here, Macca pens a tribute to Brother John and it’s a beaut with its fab melody, plaintive acoustic, and wonderful string accompaniment that hearkens back to the Lennon/McCartney glory days.  Released only two short years after Lennon’s tragic death, you can sense the sorrow in McCartney’s vocal as he reminisces on those special moments between the two musical icons that we fans will always link as one entity.  Production courtesy of the late Sir George Martin.

“No Lies”, Bruce Dickinson Tattooed Millionaire

Bruce takes a brief vacation from his day job with Iron Maiden to indulge in his AC/DC-esque fantasies as he pens more basic songs with the help of friend (and soon to be Maiden member) Janick Gers.  “No Lies” is a no nonsense rocker with a throbbing bass beat, good chorus, and whammy bar ending.  Think of this as the sister song to “Bring Your Daughter To The Slaughter” that Maiden would eventually take to #1 the following year.  Bruce gives up the “air raid” siren for a more guttural vocal.

“Kick Down”, Bad Company Rough Diamonds

Man, this Paul Rodgers cat can croon like no other.  A bit of an underrated cut from their last album before a long breakup/hiatus, “Kick Down” also features some great, great guitar work from Mick Ralphs and some cool piano and keyboard noodling from Rodgers.  Solid backbeat from drummer Simon Kirke as well, but man… that vocal and just listen to that watery guitar tone, Ralphs saying so much with so few notes.

“Voices Of Babylon”, The Outfield Big Innings: The Best Of The Outfield

The mid to late 80s really offered up some strong, pop laden bands that did a great job of mixing the rock formula with new wave tones.  “Voices Of Babylon” expanded a bit on The Outfield’s hit formula as it added a few more production touches to their usual strong pop sheen.  Sure, everyone remembers the band’s bigger hits but this is a strong one even though texturally it’s a product of its time (nothing wrong with that!).

“Running Back”, Brian Robertson Diamonds And Dirt

A really cool take on the underrated Thin Lizzy cut courtesy of that band’s Brian Robertson, who ranks high among my list of favorite guitarists (check out those posts!).  Robertson finally puts out something to his name after years of guest work on other artists CDs, and his version of this song is a bit more of a Seger-esque R&B soulful groove in comparison to the shuffle in the original.  Smooth guitar work and nice, understated vocal.

“Doctor Doctor”, Iron Maiden Best Of The B-Sides

I’ve always loved Maiden’s covers and this is a great one, featuring the unfairly maligned Blaze Bayley who really shines in this version as it’s right in his wheelhouse.  They don’t stray one whit from the UFO original and is pretty much dead on perfect short of some guitar fills.  And the always smooth Dave Murray does an excellent job in the Schenker role.  Trivia note:  Maiden ALWAYS has the original playing at every gig just before they hit the stage!

“Captain Nemo”, Michael Schenker Built To Destroy

Speaking of Michael Schenker, here’s an instrumental from the Mad Axeman on his third solo album.  “Nemo” features everything you love about the guy’s playing:  melody, note choice, tone to die for…  you name it, it’s a good one if you like this kind of stuff.  While we had Van Halen as the guitar hero in the States at this time, the Europeans were already knocked for a loop via Schenker’s playing since his days with UFO and brief tenure in The Scorpions.

“In The Naked Eye”, Greg Kihn KihnSolidation

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h6__yz8Uxos

The late 70s/early 80s were an interesting time in music as disco and punk were both on the way out and skinny ties and new wave were on the way in.  But there were some artists that fit in a bit differently and hearkened back to a 60s sensibility, like Greg Kihn.  Kihn wrote some great rock cuts, “In The Naked Eye” starting off with almost a reggae vibe before settling into a groovy backbeat.  A bit of an unheralded cut from the man’s early days before he hit the big time with “Jeopardy”.

“Game Face”, Gov’t Mule Dose

Man, the original Mule were something special before Alan Woody’s untimely death after album #3.  “Game Face” is a great example of their early rock prowess, drummer Matt Abts anchors the bottom end with Woody’s bass which allows the always excellent Warren Haynes to not only lay down some awesome guitar chunkery but he’s an underrated singer as well.  Dig the musical breakdown midway through the cut-  these boys played off each other so well as they take it to another groovy and slammin’ level.

“Blow Up The Outside World”, Soundgarden Down On The Upside

Soundgarden gets a little psychedelic and a bit Beatley here and there (and there ain’t nothing wrong with that).  I’ve always considered these guys in the top tier of grunge, far above Pearl Jam and Nirvana due to the solid musicianship and strong pipes of Chris Cornell.  “Blow Up” is a testament to their creativity as they blend their usual dark unsettling tones with a bit of quirky melody.  Glad these guys are finally back together and putting out music again!

Tough, tough choice for song of the week as all of these are strong in their own right, but I gotta go with the beautiful “Here Today” as the top cut from this post with “Game Face” and “In The Naked Eye” filling out the top three.

As I’ve gotten older my tastes, interestingly enough, have become more and more extreme and oftentimes are polar opposites of each other depending on my mood.  Sometimes I want to relax with something a bit more “out there” and atmospheric, and other times I’m in the heads down bullrush mode and want to bang my head to the most insane sounding stuff.  But dang it all, there are still those times where I fall somewhere in the middle and want to here something more melodic with its own sense of beauty.  “Without You” from Symphony X absolutely falls in this latter category.

I can hear the guffaws and hardy har har hars from some of you that are familiar with this great band and their material:  THIS SONG???  ARE YOU KIDDING???  It’s too mellow and soft!  There are waaaay better songs than this!  To that I say…  you’re right, but it depends on what I want to listen to at a given time.  Symphony X is an extremely talented band, exhibiting more musicianship than some of their fellow progressive counterparts (Dream Theater, Kamelot, etc) but the key diff is the versatile pipes of Sir Russell Allen.  Allen’s vocal talents are reminiscent of prime Ronnie James Dio during some of the heavier cuts but I actually prefer the timbre and tonality of his voice when he’s less aggressive and actually sings.  Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely love those headbangers but his style is more unique and powerful during the band’s more melodic moments and his voice has become even stronger and confident over each passing album.

As a whole, “Without You” is one of those moments, an unparalleled bit of majestic beauty that ranks as a high watermark of melody in their lengthy catalog.  After kicking off with a few introductory power chords underlain with an acoustic pattern, Allen starts off with a beautiful vocal during the verse before the heavier chords kick in come chorus time.  The song continues to build in the second verse, eventually pushing the sonics into another atmosphere with a fantastic guitar solo from Michael Romeo.  And did I mention majesty and beauty?  Take a listen to that short passage immediately after the solo- just a beautiful symphonic tradeoff between piano, keys, acoustic guitar, and bass that lays a perfect bed of emotion for Allen to sing over and carry us back once again into the chorus as the band gradually segues to a close.

Take one part dramatic vocal, add a healthy dollop of heroic guitar rock, and toss in some tasty melody and symphonic moments in the mix and you’ve got a winner.  “Without You” does this in spades and then some.  Think Kansas/Foreigner mixed with Yngwie Malmsteen/Dream Theater/Rainbow and you’re in the ballpark.  Fantastic stuff.

I’ve been meaning to put this together after completing my list of favorites, so sorry for the lateness of this entry in comparison with some of the more recent posts.  So why “honorable mentions”?  Well, when I put together my lists I would jot down multiple names and then whittle those down.  After doing this I began to have second thoughts on final numbers, so I felt that I had to include these artists somehow and decided early on that I’d have this post.  Sorry, not going in detail about why I like these artists, just a short list of who they are and their most well known band(s).

Favorite Vocalist Honorable Mentions:  Roger Daltrey (The Who), Steve Perry (Journey)

Favorite Guitarist Honorable Mentions:  David Gilmour (Pink Floyd), Randy Rhoads (Ozzy Osbourne)

Favorite Bassist Honorable Mentions:  Joey Vera (Armored Saint), Paul McCartney (The Beatles), Mike LePond (Symphony X)

Favorite Drummer Honorable Mentions:  Dave Lombardo (Slayer), Peter Criss (KISS)

Feels like forever since I’ve done a Shuffle blog.  My 120 GB iPod blew up back in February/March or so and I had to purchase a new one, but since King Microsoft and their infinite wisdom decided to kill the Classic model I had to troll the Interwebz to find one used.  Luck was with me and the stars were aligned one day and I found a great price on a refurbished 160 GB(!) model so I’ve been busy reloading it with what was on my old iPod PLUS adding EVEN MORE stuff that I had laying around.  Who knows how this post will turn out as the snark content may be very high, so here’s fair warning (there’s a VH reference for ya!)

“My Bucket’s Got A Hole In It”, Hank Williams 40 Greatest Hits

Funny, I have very little country on the iPod and not much Hank Sr but what I DO have on here is pretty dang good.  Old country is where it’s at and you can’t get much better than Sr, he of the classic hillbilly voice and simple yet direct tunes like “Bucket” and its groovy little shuffle.  Dig the steel pedal accompaniment to Hank’s acoustic and the little touches that pop up here and there on electric guitar that weave in and out of the mix.  Good stuff.

“Girlfriend” Walter Becker 11 Tracks Of Whack

The name Walter Becker alone is one that likely doesn’t ring a bell, but if you add in his partner in crime Donald Fagen then the picture may become clearer.  In 1994, Becker decided to return from a long musical hiatus and released 11 Tracks Of Whack, which pretty much revived the fusion-y vibes of his and Fagen’s old band Steely Dan and helped set the stage for that band’s comeback.  “Girlfriend” is a prime example of their old days with a bit of funkiness thrown in on top of Becker’s nonchalant vocal approach.

“Set The Controls For The Heart Of The Sun”, Office Of Strategic Influence Office Of Strategic Influence

OSI’s debut self titled album featured a prog supergroup of sorts (hit up Wikipedia for all names), but the only players on this cut are former Dream Theater members Mike Portnoy on drums/percussion, Kevin Moore on keys, and Daniel Gildenlow (Pain of Salvation) on vocals. Yes, this is a reworking of the Pink Floyd tune but it’s more of a vast soundscape intercut with multiple audio sources (news stories, radio broadcasts, etc).  For those of you that dig full on spacey trippiness…

“I’m Down” The Beatles Greatest Hits

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KexUGqEEsI4

Holy crap could Paul McCartney belt a tune back in the day!  Taking a cue from one of his heroes in Little Richard, the “cute one” belts this one out from the get go and the backup from his fellow band members is top notch.  Just top notch British Invasion rock n roll with all the spirit and manic fervor in the world and those damn awesome Beatles harmonies to go along with it.  What’s not to like?

“Me And The Boys”, NRBQ Uncommon Denominators

First exposure to this was Dave Edmunds’ version but the original was done by NRBQ, one of those “critic’s darling” bands that are relatively unknown in comparison to what made the Top 40 back in their heyday.  Just straight ahead rock and roll that chugs along like a stuttering locomotive with a funky odd time signature, guitar drenched feedback, and solid heads down drum bashing.  Kinda fun to sing along with so PAY ATTENTION!

“The Storm” Witchery Symphony For The Devil

Time to scare the pants off your girlfriend, your mom and dad, your kids, or whomever.  Witchery is no frills speed/thrash metal and “The Storm” is just that, kicking off a bit spookily with windy sound effects before kicking you in the head with a fierce riff that would make ol’ Lemmy proud.  And Toxine’s vocals are not for the faint of heart, all churlish sneer and gargle roared out in spitfire fashion.  Blackened in the end…

“It Hurts Me Too”, Barefoot Servants Barefoot Servants

No video here unfortunately, but this is the well covered blues chestnut performed in hearty fashion by this band who unfortunately released only two albums in their short career.  Led by the Boston bluesman Jon Butcher, the Servants’ disc is full of muscular blues rock that’s extremely well played by the former Axis man with some fellow stellar players.  “It Hurts Me Too” has some great slide work in it on top of the rumbling groove.

“The Recognition”, Valient Thorr Stranger

Ha ha ha, if you live by the shuffle as I do sometimes you’ll end up with an oddball here and there.  “The Recognition” is nothing but a percussive workout from Lucien Thorr that serves as a 1:16 segue between cuts on their great Stranger album.  A bit of a tribal stomp and mini-“Moby Dick” if you will with multiple drum and percussive patterns.

“Muddy’s Gold” Mogg/Way Chocolate Box

So the ever wandering Michael Schenker up and leaves UFO, leaving mainstays Phil Mogg and Pete Way to hire on guitarist George Bellas and release a couple of albums under the Mogg/Way moniker.  “Muddy’s Gold” is like prime UFO and Bellas shines in the six string slot with a chunky riff and a lead style that mixes smooth blues bends with the occasional burst of speed.  Once again Phil Mogg’s Springsteenisms pop out in his cool lyric and vocal mannerisms.

“It Don’t Take Long”, Charlie Sexton Cruel And Gentle Things

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TNohO4TdnQQ

Aaaand we round things off this post with the always smooth Charlie Sexton and his cut “It Don’t Take Long”, kicking off with a lonesome train whistle before the song moves into Beatleesque territory.  Sexton croons over a plaintive piano with a simple drum pattern and swirling psychedelic effects with this dreamy yet beautiful closing cut that’s a bit removed from his early blues rock roots, but don’t let that deter you.

Some tough choices for the top cut on this post but I gotta go with Sir Paul and the gang with “I’m Down” followed by the menacing “The Storm” and rollicking “Me And The Boys”.

One of those awesomely cool things about having a son that’s as into music as I am is the sharing of artists that we both may be passionate about.  Ian’s taste is like mine-  all over the map, liking a lot of cuts that are not played on the radio and listening to stuff that’s a little more eclectic than what the average Joe may be into..  I admit there are things where we differ in what we like but one of those that we both have in common is our love for Protest The Hero.

Hailing from Whitby, Ontario (that’s in Canada, hoser), Protest The Hero has been around since the early 2000s gravitating from punkier roots to an extremely progressive metal element with ridiculously good instrumentation and the incredible vocal work of lead singer Rody Walker.  My first exposure to the band came via the video for “C’est La Vie”, the lead cut from the band’s third release Scurrilous, an absolute knockout of a cut that is an excellent intro to the band for those of you uninitiated.  If you like metal that’s a bit more progressive and technical in style (even moreso than your Dream Theaters and Symphony Xs of the world) with extreme riffing and plenty of melodic guitar touches, then these guys are for you.

As an old school metalhead the key to this band for me are the remarkable pipes of Walker, one moment belting it out like a more demented King Diamond or Sebastian Bach (fellow Canadian and former lead throat for Skid Row) before slipping into a smooth falsetto voice then dropping down into a more guttural growl.  This guy HAS IT, especially for those of you that don’t like the Cookie Monster style vocals of other heavier bands these days.  Sure, Walker throws in the occasional GRRRRR here and there but he mixes it up extremely well (listen to something like “Sequioa Throne”, “Bloodmeat”, or “Clarity, or…  well…  there are plenty of great examples).  Ridiculously crazy, crazy range.

Did I say “extreme” riffing?  Oh yeah…  there is so much going on in these songs that they are perfect for those of you with short attention spans, but if you want typical 4/4 beats this surely won’t cut it for you.  Half this stuff feels like it could be the soundtrack to a car chase or some offbeat video game.  Songs will often start with one wicked riff followed by a crazily tapped melodic pattern then kicked into another gear with a near blast beat pattern on the drums before a totally different riff brings you home.  For you old dudes like me throw Iron Maiden, Pantera, Megadeth, Racer X, and Dream Theater in a blender with a dash of punk rock spirit and you have maybe 50% of what these guys are about.  These guys are serious players.

Weeeeeeeeelllll….  maybe not TOO serious.  These guys have some hilariously funny videos worthy of your attention too.  Dig the epic Star Wars vs Star Trek “fight” in their video for “Clarity”.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a7pvvAuj7jw

Look for a new EP from the band this year called Pacific Myth which you can get via their Bandcamp page at:  https://protestthehero.bandcamp.com

There are some bands that are huge in certain parts of the world and in other areas they are barely a blip on the radar.  The Darkness, hailing from jolly old England, are a prime example-  these guys have been huge in the UK and Europe since their debut LP Permission To Land was released in 2003 but are relatively unknown in the States in comparison.  But a great band is a great band and I snapped up a couple of tickets for me and my brother to check out Lowestoft’s finest.

Arriving shortly after the first band played we were treated to a local band (The Skunks?) who took advantage of their 20 minute slot and put on a highly entertaining and spirited performance.  Shortly after their set my brother and I moved front and center of the stage about 15-20 feet back of the proceedings, which we figured would be a prime location for a rocking good time.  Also billed on this tour were another band from the UK in newcomers Raveneye featuring blues guitarist Oli Brown, who has taken time away from his solo gig to lead a more heavier, blues based trio.  The band put on an outstanding show, all three members very solid and the band interplay was fantastic.  Really cool to see three guys playing their hearts out and playing off each other.  Brown is a damn good rock singer and player- so impressed were we that we grabbed the EP from the drummer on our way out the door.  But not before…

About 20 minutes after the breakdown of the Raveneye stage setup, the house lights went down and we were treated to a good few minutes of bagpipes ‘n synth as the stage was bathed in blue light.  Shortly thereafter the band strolled onto stage before Dan Hawkins’ kicked off the intro chords to “Barbarian” and we were off!

Playing for about an hour and a half, the band did not let up.  Riffs and lead playing were tight, drum and bass were solid, and Justin Hawkins’ vocals were just about dead on perfect.  If you are not familiar with anything from The Darkness, then you’ll be in a shock when it comes to hearing the ridiculous range of Hawkins’ high tenor and incredible falsetto.  Think Freddie Mercury fronting a band that’s a cross between AC/DC and Thin Lizzy and you are damn near in the ballpark.  And how the guy still has that range at 41 years old and can sing AND scream in that falsetto/head voice is absolutely amazing.  And boy did he nail it tonight!

The songs?  Pretty much everything off debut Permission To Land with about two each from the remaining three albums, which was certainly appreciated by me as that debut is loaded with my fave cuts.  The overall performance?  Top notch.  Justin Hawkins is a unique and very entertaining frontman; at one minute being hilariously overdramatic and the next minute throwing classic rock star shapes in an effort to fire up the crowd.  His in between song banter is quite funny as was the occasional interplay with bassist Frankie Poullain (who was decked out in 70s disco fashion to go along with his huge ‘fro and fu manchu moustache).  And watching younger brother Dan’s heads down, take no prisoners guitar riffing certainly delivers the rock star goods as he hammered away on a variety of sweet Gibson Les Pauls.

The overall verdict?  To steal a phrase from the Brits, is was a bloody good show and we were dead chuffed by night’s end.  Three cheers all around!

Can 2016 get any worse?  I wrote about the passing of some of our favorite artists just a couple of months ago and we’ve had a few other deaths since then, but I wanted to make a special case here for an unsung artist whose death was overshadowed due to the media’s coverage of the passing of Prince.  No disrespect to His Purpleness, who was certainly a game changer and iconic figure that helped set the tone for 80s music and beyond, but sometimes such mass reportage overlooks “the little guy”.  That “little guy”, in this instance, is the passing of guitar great Lonnie Mack.

And no, Lonnie Mack was no “little guy”.  Mack was a bonafide 60’s guitar star that influenced many artists from Jeff Beck to The Allman Brothers to Stevie Ray Vaughan, the latter of whom covered Mack’s “Wham” and also brought him out of semi-retirement to produce the classic blues rock album Strike Like Lightning for Alligator Records.  But Mack wasn’t just the blues-  he blended rockabilly, country, soul, surf into one package and slayed audiences with his searing guitar style (a mix of fast runs, chicken pickin’, and steamy bends with an awesome watery tone) and extremely soulful singing voice over a 40+ year recording career.  I was fortunate to catch him live in the late 80’s in downtown Cincinnati and he put on such an outstanding show that it remains a favorite concert memory.  As the title of one of his late 80s songs attests, he was “too rock for country, too country for rock n roll”.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x3JQM3noYxk

Oh yeah…  here’s your fun factoid of the day…  you know that classic rock staple “Roadhouse Blues”?  That cool bassline that plays along with the main lick?  That’s Lonnie Mack, who guested on the Morrison Hotel album of fellow Elektra label mates The Doors.  Spring that one on your rock lovin’ older brother/uncle at your next family gathering 🙂

Ahhh, the power ballad…  likely initiated somewhere in the ’70s and became so disgustingly overwrought and over(wind?)blown during the rise of hair metal in the ’80s that could very well have killed off that genre and spawned the grunge movement in the process.  But who wrote the first one?  Who can we blame for foisting the likes of Kip Winger as he stares brazenly at the camera while “heading for a heartbreak” or Jani Lane from Warrant as he opines that “heaven isn’t too far away”?  Or what about Vince Neil from Motley Crue pining for “Home Sweet Home”?  Who?  WHO?????  Someone must take responsibility!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3WAZ60xA9wo

Alright, let’s step back for a second.  Just what is a “power ballad”?  Does it have power?  Is it necessarily a ballad?  What are the key components to unite those two seemingly unrelated words into one cohesive phrase?  Look at it this way…  the bands that wrought these monstrosities upon us are categorically hard rock or heavy rock bands (the “power”) that have decided to expand upon their creativity  by experimenting with different colors from the artistic rainbow.  What I mean by that is, instead of non-stop crunch and rah rah rock they’ve decided to soften their approach somewhat by introducing instrumentation such as keyboards and acoustic guitars with the occasional bombastic moments (yeah, the rockin’ parts) thrown in for good measure.  Pretty cool concept until the record companies started smelling beaucoup $$$ and decided that EVERY rock band needed one!  And ya gotta do a video too!  Women LOVE these bad boys and they’ll love them even MORE if they see how soft and sensitive they are!  Close ups of EVERY band member staring into the camera!  Explosions!  Slow motion shots of a screaming crowd!  Slow motion everything!   AUUUUGHHHHH!!!!!

OK…  sorry, got carried away…  let’s start pointing fingers.  Mind you, I like some of these songs but I am a rock dude so these certainly aren’t in the “most played” category of the iPod.  Let’s start with two specific ones:

“Dream On” – Aerosmith and “We Are The Champions” – Queen

Your two key elements, piano and bombast, all rolled into one!  Certainly both bands are well known for their rock songs but in this instance you’ve got a little more pomp and grandiosity with Queen but more of a classical figure and vibe with Aerosmith with its gradual build.  Both songs are excellent, very powerful, and maybe, just maybe, sowed the seeds of our topic du jour.

Now let’s go on to two others:

“Beth” – KISS and “Babe” – Styx

A new concept!  LOVE!  Ahhh, sweet love.  But where is the “power”?  Certainly not here.  No, these are flat out ballads, one introducing more of a symphonic concept and the other a bit more schmaltz but honest in delivery.  But like I mentioned in the definition, both bands were certainly known for their rock songs.

So there you go, four contenders for inventors of the “power ballad” and all four songs with different key elements to the concept.  Shortly thereafter some of these bands’ contemporaries were releasing their own mellow cuts-  Journey with “Open Arms” and “Faithfully” (two definite love ballads) and REO Speedwagon with “Time For Me To Fly” and “Can’t Fight This Feeling” to name just a couple of bands (what, no mention of Foreigner!).  But then everyone had to jump on the bandwagon because, dog gone it, they made money and gobs of it!

Who am I to argue?  I said I liked SOME of the songs.  So if you hold me to it, here are my top five power ballads.  Not sure you agree that these are “power ballads” but it’s my blog dammit!

5.  “Every Rose Has Its Thorn”, Poison

4.  “Sister Christian”, Night Ranger

3.  “Wanted Dead Or Alive”, Bon Jovi

2.  “More Than Words”, Extreme

1.  “The Flame”, Cheap Trick

1.  Keith Moon

Ahh, Moonie…  former clown prince and court jester with and oversized personality and heart of gold,  Keith Moon was a drummer and character unlike no other.  If drumming were a tornado Moon “the Loon” would be categorized as an F5, cutting a wide swath of destruction and leaving little in its wake.  Moon wasn’t your typical rock n roll drummer; nah, he was more of a surf music nutter that always propelled the music forward and was not really content to sit back and tap out a simple 4/4 beat.  He wanted your attention and he damn well got it.

There are two things that amaze me when watching a live performance from The Who during their glory days:  1)  the synchronicity between Moon and guitarist Pete Townshend, and 2) just how in the hell Moon does it behind the kit!  For the former just watch how the two interact:  The Who was infamous in how they could take the basic structure of their songs and make them explode with such power and ferociousness in a live setting.  Both of these guys would have their eyes on their fellow comrade as they play off each other and instinctively KNOW when to push, when to pull, and when to come back to the main structure of the song.  That, my friends, is the power of a live band in action.

But for the latter…  I just can’t figure it out.  I mean, I’m no drummer though I can tap a decent beat on the kit, but…  with Moon what you hear and what you see appear to be two different things.  I’ve watched other drummers play and can see what they are doing and it makes sense but in this case I’m bewildered and befuddled.  Watch Moon and it’s all arms and legs that looks like pure chaos but what you hear is so totally exciting and exhilarating, almost as if you are watching a magician in action.  I think part of that is likely due to his unique style as he pushed that beat and rarely relied on keeping time with the hi hat, working various cymbals into his extremely creative and thundering drum rolls.

And the songs!  Like listening to a drum orchestra with some of those manic drum breaks and rumbles-  “Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere”, “My Generation”, “Substitute”, “Underture”, “Happy Jack”, “I Can See For Miles” (those first two snare cracks are a thing of beauty-  WHAP WHAP)…  hell, that’s just stuff from the 60s!  As Townshend’s songs grew ever more creative, Moon’s talents grew as well:  “Won’t Get Fooled Again”, “Bargain”, “The Real Me” (An Entwistle tour de force but listen to those drums too!), “Bell Boy” (Moonie on vocal!), “Who Are You”…  the list is endless.  And let’s not forget the classic Who live platter Live At Leeds for prime drum work.

Like Bonham, Keith Moon unfortunately died far too young.  Like Bonham, I play the “what if?” game as well.  But all I can do is share my love of the man’s talents and the overwhelming joy that he has brought not only to me but to countless music fans out there.  Keith Moon may be gone, but his music and influence lives on forever.