Thursday, 28 June 2012
Kevin Ayers' Carribean Moon...AKA The Gayest Thing I've Ever Seen.
For all you art-rockers out there, I'm sorry, I love Kevin Ayers, but I just laughed hysterically upon seeing this music video. And I thought Elton John was gay...
July birthdays
1-Debbie Harry of Blondie
3-Brian Jones dies, Jim Morrison dies
5-Robbie Robertson of the Band
9-Mitch Mitchell of Jimi Hendrix, Bon Scott of AC/DC
10-Rik Emmett of Triumph
11-Ritchie Sambora of Bon Jovi
12-Chris Wood of Traffic dies
18-Nico dies
19-Bernie Leadon of the Eagles
22-Don Henley of the Eagles
25-Jim McCarty of the Yardbirds
26-Mick Jagger of the Rolling Stones, Karac Plant (Robert's son) dies
3-Brian Jones dies, Jim Morrison dies
5-Robbie Robertson of the Band
9-Mitch Mitchell of Jimi Hendrix, Bon Scott of AC/DC
10-Rik Emmett of Triumph
11-Ritchie Sambora of Bon Jovi
12-Chris Wood of Traffic dies
18-Nico dies
19-Bernie Leadon of the Eagles
22-Don Henley of the Eagles
25-Jim McCarty of the Yardbirds
26-Mick Jagger of the Rolling Stones, Karac Plant (Robert's son) dies
Wednesday, 20 June 2012
Whatever happened to Jefferson Airplane???
The difference in the music caused by the evolutions of Jefferson Airplane and Fleetwood Mac are similar in that there were three main stages in both of their careers. But looking at it all critically, the difference between early and late JA is much greater then early and late FM- mainly for the reason that the Airplane came out earlier and lasted longer, I guess. And one thing I actually find quite cool about JA is that their music really did move with the times. Each album they did represented the current state of popluar music when it was made- without ever sounding jaded or burnt out. That may be attributed to the ever-chaning line-up... Their music never did disapoint though. And although I personally favor the music of the Airplane stage in their career, I'm glad they weren't that married to their psychedelic roots that when the time came to move on, they weren't stuck with what they were known for, they had room to grow, expand and move on.
The first incarnation of the group was formed in San Francisco in 1965, and quickly became known as one of the best bands around in the Summer of Love '67. The very first line-up was Marty Balin, Paul Kantner, Signe Toly Anderson, Jorma Kaukonen, Jack Casady, and Skip Spence. The following year Anderson left and was replaced with Grace Slick. The band became a nation wide hit when White Rabbit and Somebody To Love began scaling the charts.
In the early 70s, the Jefferson Airplane became the Jefferson Starship as the band's music and style changed to accomodate the new times. In 1975 they found great success with the album Red Octopus and the hit single "Miracles." While this was quite a departure from their heyday, the fans still bought it, and the group kept evolving. By the mid 80s they had dropped the Jefferson from the name, now to be known simply as Starship. They recruited vocalist Mickey Thomas, who brought new life and energy to the band and bring songs like "Jane" and "We Built This City" to life.
So how did the ultimate symbol of the late 60s music become a 70s pop band, and then (gasp) and 80s Pop Band?? Like Fleetwood Mac and like what I said earlier, Jefferson Airplane/Jefferson Starship/Starship represented the times and had no sentimental attatchments to their roots. I'm sure the die hards shudder when they hear what they produced as Starship (and rock fans in general as we watch their videos) but give them a break. A psychedelic band would never have made it outside of the 60s, no matter how good they were. So let's remember them as they were and as what they became- none of it was that bad at all.
The first incarnation of the group was formed in San Francisco in 1965, and quickly became known as one of the best bands around in the Summer of Love '67. The very first line-up was Marty Balin, Paul Kantner, Signe Toly Anderson, Jorma Kaukonen, Jack Casady, and Skip Spence. The following year Anderson left and was replaced with Grace Slick. The band became a nation wide hit when White Rabbit and Somebody To Love began scaling the charts.
In the early 70s, the Jefferson Airplane became the Jefferson Starship as the band's music and style changed to accomodate the new times. In 1975 they found great success with the album Red Octopus and the hit single "Miracles." While this was quite a departure from their heyday, the fans still bought it, and the group kept evolving. By the mid 80s they had dropped the Jefferson from the name, now to be known simply as Starship. They recruited vocalist Mickey Thomas, who brought new life and energy to the band and bring songs like "Jane" and "We Built This City" to life.
So how did the ultimate symbol of the late 60s music become a 70s pop band, and then (gasp) and 80s Pop Band?? Like Fleetwood Mac and like what I said earlier, Jefferson Airplane/Jefferson Starship/Starship represented the times and had no sentimental attatchments to their roots. I'm sure the die hards shudder when they hear what they produced as Starship (and rock fans in general as we watch their videos) but give them a break. A psychedelic band would never have made it outside of the 60s, no matter how good they were. So let's remember them as they were and as what they became- none of it was that bad at all.
Wednesday, 13 June 2012
Underrated Musicians #3: Bob Welch
Bob Welch's recent passing inspired me to talk about him a little more in depth, and I figured he would be a suitable character for the Underrated Musicians column because, well, he really was underrated. I mean, he had loads of great songs, but how often do you hear them on the radio or anything? (I know I don't hear them.)
Bob was born on July 31st, 1946, in Los Angeles, into a family much involved in show biz. He was taking French at UCLA when he dropped out to join various local bands, singing and playing guitar. He was invited to join Fleetwood Mac in 1971, and helped define their melodic, poppy sound that the band later went multi-platinum with in Rumors.With F, he did five albums- Future Games (1971), Bare Trees (1972), Penguin (1973), Mystery To Me (1973), and Heroes Are Hard To Fine (1974). He left the band in 1974 after many cases of difficulties within the group that made working with them increasinglly difficult. He was replaced by Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckinham.He redefined himself in the late 70s and early 80s with a successful solo career, spawning hits like Ebony Eyes and Sentimental Lady.
Bob Welch sued Mick Fleetwood, and John and Christine McVie for unpaid royalties, and was later excluded from the band's induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
You know, that last part especially really wasn't right. That he would even have unpaid royalties issues, and that they would do that to him. He remained friends with FM after he split them- some members at least. In one of my late 70s Circus Magazines, I've got pictures of him jamming on stage with Stevie Nicks and everything...About his death, Stevie Nicks had to say that "He was an amazing guitar player - he was funny, sweet - and he was smart - I'm so very sorry for his family and for the family of Fleetwood Mac - so, so sad."
God Bless you, Bob, and rest in peace.
Bob was born on July 31st, 1946, in Los Angeles, into a family much involved in show biz. He was taking French at UCLA when he dropped out to join various local bands, singing and playing guitar. He was invited to join Fleetwood Mac in 1971, and helped define their melodic, poppy sound that the band later went multi-platinum with in Rumors.With F, he did five albums- Future Games (1971), Bare Trees (1972), Penguin (1973), Mystery To Me (1973), and Heroes Are Hard To Fine (1974). He left the band in 1974 after many cases of difficulties within the group that made working with them increasinglly difficult. He was replaced by Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckinham.He redefined himself in the late 70s and early 80s with a successful solo career, spawning hits like Ebony Eyes and Sentimental Lady.
Bob Welch sued Mick Fleetwood, and John and Christine McVie for unpaid royalties, and was later excluded from the band's induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
You know, that last part especially really wasn't right. That he would even have unpaid royalties issues, and that they would do that to him. He remained friends with FM after he split them- some members at least. In one of my late 70s Circus Magazines, I've got pictures of him jamming on stage with Stevie Nicks and everything...About his death, Stevie Nicks had to say that "He was an amazing guitar player - he was funny, sweet - and he was smart - I'm so very sorry for his family and for the family of Fleetwood Mac - so, so sad."
Thursday, 7 June 2012
Bob Welch:1945-2012
I broke down and cried when I heard today on the news that Bob Welch died today. He commited suicide by gunshot around 12:45 today in his home in Nashville, and his wife found his body. He was 66 years old.Oh God, I just can't believe it. We've lost a lot of good people this year-Whitney Houston, Levon Helm, Donna Summer, Adam Yauck, and now Bob Welch.Well, my deepest sympathies go out to Bob and all who knew him.RIP and God Bless you, man.
Bob Welch-Ebony Eyes
Tuesday, 5 June 2012
The Worst Joke Ever
Q: What has nine arms and sucks ass?
A: Def Leppard
Why I love this joke-it is darn funny.
Why this is the worst joke ever-Why pick on Def Leppard? I mean it. Def Leppard were a damn good band. Real, real good. They definetly did not suck ass. I would definetly prefer this joke if it was directed at a real lame band like Steelheart, but the nine arms thing only works for the one and only Def Leppard.
A: Def Leppard
Why I love this joke-it is darn funny.
Why this is the worst joke ever-Why pick on Def Leppard? I mean it. Def Leppard were a damn good band. Real, real good. They definetly did not suck ass. I would definetly prefer this joke if it was directed at a real lame band like Steelheart, but the nine arms thing only works for the one and only Def Leppard.
Whatever happened to Fleetwood Mac?
Around the time I became interested in classic rock music, I decided to do some extensive research on Fleetwood Mac, always having liked their commercial music and curious as to their roots. You can sure as hell bet that I was surprised to find stuff like the Bob Welch era, you know, Hypnotized and all that, which is quite a departure from the well known stuff like Dreams and Don't Stop. Well, that shock was nothing compared to how I felt when I discovered English blues band Fleetwood Mac with Peter Green. I mean, they kicked ass! I love stuff like The Green Manalishi and all that, you know, just darn good classic British blues rock. Peter Green was one of the best blues guitarists England ever produced, which is quite the compliment.
But I guess the question many people are still asking is What the hell happened to Fleetwood Mac? How could this heavy blues band become famous for pop ballads? Well, in 1970 Peter Green basically went nutso and then quit the band. He was replaced by the American guitarist/songwriter Bob Welch, and around the same time John McVie married former Chicken Shack musician Christine Perfect. The music made by Christine and Bob changed the music's direction completely, guiding them away from their blues roots and towards a more melodic, pop-oriented song. And you know, in this case I'm not scoffing at them.They didn't sell out or anything, they just progressed into something new. When Bob Welch left, Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham joined, and the band practically said goodbye to their roots forever as Buckingham and Nicks' music pushed them even further towards the mainstream.
There you go. For all the curious out there, this is essentially the career of Fleetwood Mac and how they evolved from Black Magic Woman (bet you didn't know they wrote it first, not Santana!) to Go Your Own Way. Enjoy the following recording of my personal favorite Fleetwood Mac song.
But I guess the question many people are still asking is What the hell happened to Fleetwood Mac? How could this heavy blues band become famous for pop ballads? Well, in 1970 Peter Green basically went nutso and then quit the band. He was replaced by the American guitarist/songwriter Bob Welch, and around the same time John McVie married former Chicken Shack musician Christine Perfect. The music made by Christine and Bob changed the music's direction completely, guiding them away from their blues roots and towards a more melodic, pop-oriented song. And you know, in this case I'm not scoffing at them.They didn't sell out or anything, they just progressed into something new. When Bob Welch left, Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham joined, and the band practically said goodbye to their roots forever as Buckingham and Nicks' music pushed them even further towards the mainstream.
There you go. For all the curious out there, this is essentially the career of Fleetwood Mac and how they evolved from Black Magic Woman (bet you didn't know they wrote it first, not Santana!) to Go Your Own Way. Enjoy the following recording of my personal favorite Fleetwood Mac song.
The Green Manalishi
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