Covers - It's What Makes My World Go Round

So with the summer concert season in full swing, concerts are at a premium. Anyone who has ever been to a concert will usually experience a rare but cool phenomenon, the cover song. A cover song, when in the right hands can be a magical moment on stage for both band and audience. I still remember the first time I heard a cover at a concert. It was at a Danger Danger show ( right now everyone is scratching their head saying "Who is Danger Danger"?) They did a cover of Journeys "Anyway You Want It", they really did the song right. To this day, I will almost always play that song in a band setting because of that night.

So I put up 2 covers that I thought really work for me. The first is "Barracuda". This song when done by Heart is unstoppable. They can always bring down the house when they play it. Here we have Alice In Chains with Gretchen Wilson preforming the cover. She does probably the best version of this song vocally that I have ever heard.

Next we have Nickleback doing ZZ Top "Sharp Dressed Man". All I can say is Chad Is the man. He pulls it off brilliantly.

So, With that being said, are there any covers you have heard that you think are great? Post up.

To Sing Or Act, That Is The Question

I was surfing today for more women in rock stuff. Then, I happened across this masterpiece. Don Johnson "Heartbeat". To watch this is like watching a train wreck as it catches on fire and then once the fire is out, another flaming train hits it. The song stinks royally, the video must have been a Miami Vice episode they decided not to show but Don said " Whoa, I can make something of this". Funny little tidbit, the guitar player is Dweezil Zappa, Frank Zappa's son. He actually won a Grammy recently for covering his fathers music.

So I started to think, Is there any good songs by actors or actresses?

I think I will ask the public. Can you give some suggestions of any good actor or actress songs. List them, I will pick a winner and you will win no prize, but you get the satisfaction of being held in high regard for the next post.

Women Who Don't Get The Proper Respect

I was sitting around thinking today about women in rock music. It was easy to think about those at the top of the list like Heart, Joan Jett, Pat Benatar. But then I started to wonder about the women in rock who don't get the credit they deserve. So I thought for the rest of the week, I will post about women in rock who just don't get the love they should.

Lets start with Liz Phair. First off, lets get it out of the way, she is gorgeous. OK, now, what i really love about her is probably something someone will criticize her for. This song "Extraordinary" is something she has not represented in the past. Liz has always been deemed the queen of alt rock. Early on she had indie success by trying to stay out of the main stream. Then she came out with an album that had a popish sound on it. Many people killed her for that. But when asked why she did it, she simply stated " I write whatever I want to, and don't care about what you want, it's my music". ( I am paraphrasing). If that's not a rock attitude, turn off your hearing aid and start watching The View.

The song is POWERFUL. She writes about how she is not an ordinary women and if the things she does startles you, too bad. The music has a great semi harmonic feel to it that allows it to be edgy and then still come around to a great hook in the chorus. The video has a great concept to it as well, show a lot of Liz, good formula.

So, she writes what she wants, has a great song writing talent, is a sort of chameleon when it comes to music, and oh yeah, she can rock with the boys and probably harder than some.

Then, why is she not considered one of the top women in rock? Maybe that's what makes her great.

Growing On Me

Well, after a little hiatus, we are back up and running. This week we have a little ditty by Breaking Benjamin called "Sooner Or Later".

Formed in 1998 by vocalist Benjamin Burnley and drummer Jeremy Hummel, Breaking Benjamin quickly garnered a strong local following in their home state of Pennsylvania. The band derived their name from an incident when Burnley was covering a Nirvana song during an open mic night at a club when he dropped the microphone, breaking it. The person who owned the microphone came on stage and said, "Thanks to Benjamin for breaking my mic." In 1999 the band changed its name shortly to Plan 9 then in late 2001, after various line-up changes, the band changed its name back to "Breaking Benjamin"

This is a band that took me some time to get to appreciate. After hearing of them, I listened to a cd and quickly discharged it to the bin of music lost. But then I would hear them on the radio from time to time and they grew on me a little at a time. Now, I find I can enjoy some of their songs, but still they don't really hold my interest as whole.

This song i do enjoy. It is a modern day roller coaster ballad. What's that you might say? Its a song that has many different elements of musical emotion. It has a heavy anger element, then a sorrow filled melody and a light airy breakdown. This is a nice attempt at a ballad like song for them. It has a good sound and good material, dealing with the fact that eventually a relationship will fall apart, so just throw it away.

Good song, not the greatest, but I like to listen to it from time to time and maybe they will grow a little more on me as time goes on.

A Little Education While You Groove

New post on the way. Until then enjoy some School House Rock.

The singer in this is Jack Sheldon. Sheldon's collaborative list is indeed long and impressive: Dizzy Gillespie, Dexter Gordon, Curtis Counce, Shelly Manne, Art Pepper, Frank Sinatra, Benny Goodman, Stan Kenton, Mel Torme, Tony Bennett, Lena Horne, Peggy Lee, Sammy Davis Jr., Rosemary Clooney, Diane Schuur and many other greats.

Jack Sheldon's importance to the entertainment industry has been a constant throughout his career spanning from the 1940s to the present ... and from bebop to voice-overs. He is living proof that jazz and showbiz do mix. Jack Sheldon's mark on the world of entertainment is indelible.

The Band That Made Me Pee A Little.

Van Halen - Jump


When people ask me, "Hey you, what is your favorite kind of music?", I always say without thinking, Van Halen!
It started for me back in the 80's when I was a young lad fishing with my friend Huck Finn down by the crick. I heard music that sent chills up my spine. It was a Van Halen record (yes I said RECORD). I instantly fell in love with the band. What was the song you ask? Well, that's another story for a different day.

My older brother was getting tickets to go see Van Halen play in New Haven Ct at the Coliseum, which has since been torn down. I begged him to get me a ticket. He kept saying no, so finally I did what any good younger brother would do, I told mom. Well, I got the ticket and the day came, March 24th, 1984. I was only 12 years old at the time. Our seats were only 12 rows from the stage and I was in the middle of pot haven ( you see, at that time you could still smoke in public buildings and security did not check what people were smoking). The opening band was Autograph (They were really good).

The lights went down and all of a sudden a monstrous guitar sound came out from a wall of Marshall amps that made me pee a little. The announcement was made "Are you ready New Haven CT. Here they are, the mighty VAN HALEN!!!

The first song they played that night was "Unchained", a masterful hard rock song. As the night went on they played every song I wanted to hear. By the way, they were REALLY loud. I think I still have effects to this day.

At the end of the night they did "Jump", I thought to myself then "Self", I said, "This song has everything you need in a great rock song". I still believe that to this day.

"Jump" starts out with a melodic synthesizer that play a couple of chords but they grab your attention. Also, anyone who hears that even today knows what song is coming. Next, the rhythm takes over with a driving pulse. When the vocals are presented, here is the ringmaster David Lee Roth, belting out perfectly written lyrics that match the song to perfection. As the song goes on, what you start to notice is what a great visual effect the band has, Eddies Frankenstein red, black and white guitar. Dave's many flamboyant outfits mixed in with his on stage antics.
Back to the song. When the chorus comes in to play it is a simple arrangement along with simple lyrics " Might as well Jump". Then you are met with 2 gut busting solos by Edward. First the guitar solo has the signature licks he has made famous over the years but then the synth solo really burns up the keys which some people were surprised by. Actually, eddie was trained on classical piano at a young age.

There are so many things about this song that I love, I am getting the bends trying to finish this. So to simply put this, this song is great, this band is great (with David Lee Roth), this video is great ( video was shot with one camera. Sometimes one of the band members was filming when they were not in the shot).

If ever a band came out today that had even a small amount of talent and showmanship as Van Halen did, they would be huge. The formula for success never changes.

Finland Is Represented. Goodentag!

Here is a band that is new to me, maybe not new to you, Nightwish. I have just started listening to them and I found this song. Nightwish is a Finnish symphonic power metal band, from Kitee, Finland, formed in 1996 by song writer/keyboardist Tuomas Holopainen and guitarist Emppu Vuorinen( you have to love them just for those names). Although Nightwish has been prominent in their home country, their biggest US hit single, “Wish I Had an Angel”, made it onto three US film soundtracks as a means to promote their North American tour, but they still have not broke in America.

"Amaranth", has an interesting meaning. It means an imaginary, undying flower. Interesting concept.

You know what, I'm not going to say what I think about this song. I want to hear your thoughts. This will really let me see what your thoughts are (SERIOUS comments, not just smart a## remarks). I don't want anyone to comment on others posts this time, I just want your thoughts. After you all comment, I will give you my thoughts on the song and your posts.

Is this a little lazy on my part? Yes, but I enjoy reading your comments, and who cares, my world.