Since Boomer sucks, it looks like its up to the Nüdge to keep the blog alive.
This one will require some feedback. As you all know the epic battle between Dans and Daves has raged since the early 1990's. Dans would argue that winning the gold medal in the 1996 Olympics clearly is the trump card in the classic battle. However, Daves may counter that no medal can account for the epic fail that was Dan's lack of qualifying in 1992 after all the hype.
There is no doubt that Dan in Real Life is superior to Meet Dave, but what about Dave, a pretty solid flic and most likely Ben Kingsleys greatest role, sorry Ghandi. Since this is a music blog maybe we should settle it there so I have a reason to post this here.
Dave Matthews -- what would you say, I say weak sauce, but still better than 80% of the crap out there.
Steely Dan -- solid band, sweet light show, Reeling in the years, and mad props to any band that Michael McDonald contributed to.
Dave Grohl - would be a positve for Daves all over had he stopped at Nirvana, however the addition of "There goes my Heeerooo watch him as he goes" to his resume, makes me watch his positive impact for Dave's go as well.
Banjo Dan and the Midnight Plowboys - wow mad points for Dans everywhere on this one: --US Senator Patrick Leahy: "Thanks, Dan. What a production!" Hard to argue this is not a blow to Daves around the globe.
Dave Mason - this is a good one for Daves, he played with just about everyone, Traffic kicks ass, and he plays the acoustic on Hendrix's version of All Along the Watchtower
Dave Mustaine - too hard core for Metallica (what a bunch of sellout pansies to have to kick him out), formed his own band called Megadeth, and beat George Clinton on Rock and Roll Jeopardy not sure how Dans can top this...
Hmmm Goodbye Dan Marino perhaps?
-Nüdge
Monday, October 5, 2009
Thursday, September 10, 2009
K&W Calling
While we wait endlessly for Boomer to post his next musings, I have decided to break my place in line and post since Boomer is taking months and is a lazy ass, anyways I was recently inspired by two great things: The K&W Cafeteria and The Clash's London calling. I thought to myself, wouldn't it be great if two classics like this could be combined some how, so below is the love child of the song and the food, you can see the two really do belong together like peanut butter and jelly, if peanut butter were a song by a british punk band and jelly was a southern food cafeteria that is. Enjoy with a little biscuit and excitement on the side:
♫ K&W calling to the faraway towns
Lunch time is declared - and trays come down
K&W calling to the hungerworld
Come out of the cupboard,you boys and girls
K&W calling, now don't eat too much
Phoney Picadilly has bitten the dust
K&W calling, see we ain't got no dumplings
'Cept for liver and onions and that luncheon thing
CHORUS
The seniors are coming, lard asses zooming in
Jello mold and pies, no hope in growing thin
A vegan's terror, but I have no fear
Cause K&W is open and graavvvy, flows like a river!
K&W calling to the stomach alone?
Forget it, brother, throw the taste buds a bone
K&W calling may lead to our death
Keep pigging out - its better than meth
K&W calling - and I don't wanna shout
But while we were talking I saw lines thinning out
K&W calling, see they ain't got no fries
Except for that skin on drumsticks and thighs
CHORUS x2
The seniors are coming, lard asses zooming in
Jello mold and pies, no hope in growing thin
A vegan's terror, but I have no fear
Cause K&W is open and graavvvy, flows like a river!
Now get this
K&W calling, yes, I was there, too
An' you know what they said? Well, some of it was true!
K&W calling pan pie for a while,
And after soft rolls, won't you give me a smile?
K&W Calling
I never felt so much alike, like-a, like-a...
♫ K&W calling to the faraway towns
Lunch time is declared - and trays come down
K&W calling to the hungerworld
Come out of the cupboard,you boys and girls
K&W calling, now don't eat too much
Phoney Picadilly has bitten the dust
K&W calling, see we ain't got no dumplings
'Cept for liver and onions and that luncheon thing
CHORUS
The seniors are coming, lard asses zooming in
Jello mold and pies, no hope in growing thin
A vegan's terror, but I have no fear
Cause K&W is open and graavvvy, flows like a river!
K&W calling to the stomach alone?
Forget it, brother, throw the taste buds a bone
K&W calling may lead to our death
Keep pigging out - its better than meth
K&W calling - and I don't wanna shout
But while we were talking I saw lines thinning out
K&W calling, see they ain't got no fries
Except for that skin on drumsticks and thighs
CHORUS x2
The seniors are coming, lard asses zooming in
Jello mold and pies, no hope in growing thin
A vegan's terror, but I have no fear
Cause K&W is open and graavvvy, flows like a river!
Now get this
K&W calling, yes, I was there, too
An' you know what they said? Well, some of it was true!
K&W calling pan pie for a while,
And after soft rolls, won't you give me a smile?
K&W Calling
I never felt so much alike, like-a, like-a...
Monday, March 2, 2009
Top 5 Worst Songs by Great Artists
So The Nüdge has a penchant for making top 5 lists, my goal is to make enough over time that I can eventually make a Top 5 Top 5 lists list. So we are going to start it off with the Top 5 Worst Songs by Great Artists. Let me explain the criteria I am using a bit. In order to be eligible the song must be really, really bad but performed by an artist I think is really good. So for instance while I may be tempted to put every song ever played by the The Eagles on the list, I cannot because that would imply that in spite of this one song (in this case their entire repertoire) that they are still great which they clearly are not. The same analogy also works for Aerosmith, although they may be eligible for a future Top 5 list: Top 5 Great Songs by Horrible Artists. Anyways I think you get the point, feel free to comment and add suggestions, if they are bad enough I may have to edit the list, like the Constitution it can be viewed as a living and breathing document.
5) Tears in Heaven - Eric Clapton - I know this one will be a controversial pick because of the subject matter of this song but seriously this is the guy who rocked with Cream, ripped Crossroads, played Further on up the Road at the Last Waltz, and who covers J.J. Cale like no other not once but twice, and we have to listen to this. Add the requisite saturation through constant radio play and the sympathy Grammy's and this song becomes borderline unbearable.
4)Shiny Happy People-R.E.M. - This song makes me want to shoot myself in the head. And just when you thought it couldn't be worse... , actually I take it back that may be better.
3)France - The Grateful Dead - This song is so bad I cannot find an Internet link for audio of it, the best I can do is find a site that scrolls the lyrics, my only guess is because to play the song would immediately bankrupt the web provider. Seriously find the Shakedown Street album put it on Track 2 and wonder to yourself how this is not #1 on my list, especially compared to this from the same album. Thanks for letting Mickey Hart write a song and Donna Jean sing one guys. If this had been written by Weir/Barlow or Garcia/Hunter it might really be #1, it slides to #3 because maybe they were just throwing Mickey a bone by putting it on the album either that or they had found some really really potent drugs at the time. Never Performed Live.
2)Higher Love - Steve Winwood - This song is so bad it almost makes you forget how great Steve Winwood actually is. From Spencer Davis Group to Traffic to Blind Faith (a band with two members cracking this list) Steve Winwood was an artist that other artists wanted to play with. I saw a Biography on Jimi Hendrix where a close friend of his is talking about how Jimi always wanted to play with Steve Winwood but was too nervous to ask, something tell me if he had been around for this release it may have settled his nerves a bit.
1)I'm No Angel - Gregg Allman - When I first found out this was Gregg Allman I did not believe it, I actually thought it was Eddie Money for years. Boasting great lyrics such as "Come and let me show you my tattoo" it is hard to see where this song steered so far wrong. I can only rest easy that Gregg Allman did not end his career with this, and has since been touring with The Allman Brothers Band and not playing this garbage. Talk about a roller coaster, start with this brilliance then move to what we are discussing and then come full circle to end well.
Others receiving votes: Kokomo - The Beach Boys, Savoy Truffle - The Beatles, The entire Album -Ball - Widespread Panic.
Ok there is my list, have at it, up next Top 5 Worst Venues to see a show.
Nüdge out.
5) Tears in Heaven - Eric Clapton - I know this one will be a controversial pick because of the subject matter of this song but seriously this is the guy who rocked with Cream, ripped Crossroads, played Further on up the Road at the Last Waltz, and who covers J.J. Cale like no other not once but twice, and we have to listen to this. Add the requisite saturation through constant radio play and the sympathy Grammy's and this song becomes borderline unbearable.
4)Shiny Happy People-R.E.M. - This song makes me want to shoot myself in the head. And just when you thought it couldn't be worse... , actually I take it back that may be better.
3)France - The Grateful Dead - This song is so bad I cannot find an Internet link for audio of it, the best I can do is find a site that scrolls the lyrics, my only guess is because to play the song would immediately bankrupt the web provider. Seriously find the Shakedown Street album put it on Track 2 and wonder to yourself how this is not #1 on my list, especially compared to this from the same album. Thanks for letting Mickey Hart write a song and Donna Jean sing one guys. If this had been written by Weir/Barlow or Garcia/Hunter it might really be #1, it slides to #3 because maybe they were just throwing Mickey a bone by putting it on the album either that or they had found some really really potent drugs at the time. Never Performed Live.
2)Higher Love - Steve Winwood - This song is so bad it almost makes you forget how great Steve Winwood actually is. From Spencer Davis Group to Traffic to Blind Faith (a band with two members cracking this list) Steve Winwood was an artist that other artists wanted to play with. I saw a Biography on Jimi Hendrix where a close friend of his is talking about how Jimi always wanted to play with Steve Winwood but was too nervous to ask, something tell me if he had been around for this release it may have settled his nerves a bit.
1)I'm No Angel - Gregg Allman - When I first found out this was Gregg Allman I did not believe it, I actually thought it was Eddie Money for years. Boasting great lyrics such as "Come and let me show you my tattoo" it is hard to see where this song steered so far wrong. I can only rest easy that Gregg Allman did not end his career with this, and has since been touring with The Allman Brothers Band and not playing this garbage. Talk about a roller coaster, start with this brilliance then move to what we are discussing and then come full circle to end well.
Others receiving votes: Kokomo - The Beach Boys, Savoy Truffle - The Beatles, The entire Album -Ball - Widespread Panic.
Ok there is my list, have at it, up next Top 5 Worst Venues to see a show.
Nüdge out.
Friday, February 27, 2009
That Sweet New Orleans Piano Sound
Everybody has heard of the blues and jazz. But, have you ever heard of boogie woogie, zydeco, stride, ragtime, and calypso? Well believe it or not, all seven of these musical forms played an important role in shaping and influencing the amorphous genre we call rock and roll.
As one of the big three centers for the development of American roots music, New Orleans has been home to an incredible collection of artists over the decades, many of whom commanded the above musical styles. For me, two N'Awlinz players in particular blended all these genres into one savory gumbo of ivory tickling greatness: Professor Longhair and James Booker.
I'll spare you the full biography of either of these two legends (though if your interested, see here, and here), but I will talk just a little about their music. A lot of people (but probably not enough) are familiar with the music of Professor Longhair. He won a posthumous Grammy winner in 1987, he was a Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee in 1992, and his album "New Orleans Piano" was voted #220 on Rolling Stones' 500 Greatest Albums list.
Fess, as he we called later in his career, has been credited as the founder of the New Orleans piano style. This style is generally characterized as a combination of all the above musical forms, with a special focus on the player's technique. This difficult technique involves using the left hand to continuously pound out bass line chord walks, while contemporaneously using the right hand to accent the bass notes and chords with lead style runs that fly all over the keys. In short, this.
Professor Longhair was not only the creator of this sound, but many today still consider his work on the keys to be the best ever produced. One of his most famous songs, and one that really showcases how uniquely talented this guy was (it also happens to be my favorite by him) is the eccentric tune "Tipitina". If you've ever been to New Orleans, you may have noticed a famous music club there in the city by the same name. Now you know where the name of the club came from. Here are some other great glimpses of the Fess: "Hey Little Girl," "Bald Head," and "Everyday I Have the Blues." All it takes is one listen to this stuff and there's no question that this guy helped pave the way for rock and roll.
James Booker came along as a recording artist a decade after rock and roll had cemented its place in American culture. However, thanks to his immense talent on the piano and his flare for performing, it didn't take long for the even the best musicians out there to name him as one of their influences. As you probably noticed from the above videos, Professor Longhair could really do a lot with the keys. But, in my opinion, Booker could do even more (especially with his left hand playing bass note walks.) He was classically trained on the piano, and was reputed to have learned entire compositions from Chopin, Bach and Rachmananoff after only one listen. Somehow, he was actually able to incorporate these classical sounds into his modern New Orleans style. Booker was nothing short of a virtuoso.
Tragically, he suffered from lifelong mental illness and battled a sever drug problem which eventually took his life. Despite this, much of his music still lives on. Booker is much less well known than Professor Longhair, so it's a lot harder to find links to his stuff online. By far, my favorite Booker tune is his take on the blues/jazz classic "Junco Partner." Unfortunately, I could not find a link to Booker's recording of the song (other than the 5 second preview on Amazon), so I will just have to link you to Dr. John's attempt; while good, it can't touch Booker's version of the song, trust me. There are, on other hand, some great examples of Booker's playing on these (mostly instrumentals): "Pixie,"Put Out the Light," "Yes Sir That's My Baby," and an untitled recording.
An interesting note is that Booker schooled a young Harry Connick, Jr. on how to play New Orleans style blues - can you tell?
For anyone who likes the blues, jazz and/or rock & roll, I would strongly suggest getting to know these two artists. There's no better place to start than here: for Professor Longhair start with the album New Orleans Piano; for James Booker start with any of these three records. Buy, download or steal, you'll be happy that these albums were added to your collection.
Boomer
As one of the big three centers for the development of American roots music, New Orleans has been home to an incredible collection of artists over the decades, many of whom commanded the above musical styles. For me, two N'Awlinz players in particular blended all these genres into one savory gumbo of ivory tickling greatness: Professor Longhair and James Booker.
I'll spare you the full biography of either of these two legends (though if your interested, see here, and here), but I will talk just a little about their music. A lot of people (but probably not enough) are familiar with the music of Professor Longhair. He won a posthumous Grammy winner in 1987, he was a Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee in 1992, and his album "New Orleans Piano" was voted #220 on Rolling Stones' 500 Greatest Albums list.
Fess, as he we called later in his career, has been credited as the founder of the New Orleans piano style. This style is generally characterized as a combination of all the above musical forms, with a special focus on the player's technique. This difficult technique involves using the left hand to continuously pound out bass line chord walks, while contemporaneously using the right hand to accent the bass notes and chords with lead style runs that fly all over the keys. In short, this.
Professor Longhair was not only the creator of this sound, but many today still consider his work on the keys to be the best ever produced. One of his most famous songs, and one that really showcases how uniquely talented this guy was (it also happens to be my favorite by him) is the eccentric tune "Tipitina". If you've ever been to New Orleans, you may have noticed a famous music club there in the city by the same name. Now you know where the name of the club came from. Here are some other great glimpses of the Fess: "Hey Little Girl," "Bald Head," and "Everyday I Have the Blues." All it takes is one listen to this stuff and there's no question that this guy helped pave the way for rock and roll.
James Booker came along as a recording artist a decade after rock and roll had cemented its place in American culture. However, thanks to his immense talent on the piano and his flare for performing, it didn't take long for the even the best musicians out there to name him as one of their influences. As you probably noticed from the above videos, Professor Longhair could really do a lot with the keys. But, in my opinion, Booker could do even more (especially with his left hand playing bass note walks.) He was classically trained on the piano, and was reputed to have learned entire compositions from Chopin, Bach and Rachmananoff after only one listen. Somehow, he was actually able to incorporate these classical sounds into his modern New Orleans style. Booker was nothing short of a virtuoso.
Tragically, he suffered from lifelong mental illness and battled a sever drug problem which eventually took his life. Despite this, much of his music still lives on. Booker is much less well known than Professor Longhair, so it's a lot harder to find links to his stuff online. By far, my favorite Booker tune is his take on the blues/jazz classic "Junco Partner." Unfortunately, I could not find a link to Booker's recording of the song (other than the 5 second preview on Amazon), so I will just have to link you to Dr. John's attempt; while good, it can't touch Booker's version of the song, trust me. There are, on other hand, some great examples of Booker's playing on these (mostly instrumentals): "Pixie,"Put Out the Light," "Yes Sir That's My Baby," and an untitled recording.
An interesting note is that Booker schooled a young Harry Connick, Jr. on how to play New Orleans style blues - can you tell?
For anyone who likes the blues, jazz and/or rock & roll, I would strongly suggest getting to know these two artists. There's no better place to start than here: for Professor Longhair start with the album New Orleans Piano; for James Booker start with any of these three records. Buy, download or steal, you'll be happy that these albums were added to your collection.
Boomer
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Be on the Lookout for Some Guest Gyros!
Just an FYI to our readers,
The Nüdge and I have many compadres out there who not only know a ton about music, but also bring very different perspectives to the party (not that anyone would ever need viewpoints beyond the brilliance that we already offer.)
Quite a few of these folks have guest authorship privileges in here, and we look forward to their analyses and reviews. So, be on the lookout for these fresh new commentators.
Boomer
The Nüdge and I have many compadres out there who not only know a ton about music, but also bring very different perspectives to the party (not that anyone would ever need viewpoints beyond the brilliance that we already offer.)
Quite a few of these folks have guest authorship privileges in here, and we look forward to their analyses and reviews. So, be on the lookout for these fresh new commentators.
Boomer
Poor Howard only knows that he knows nothing.
Hey there. I'm poor Howard, and I know less about music than anyone on this blog. Really. I'm just some guy. Usually when I'm listening to music it's while I'm doing something else. But I'm operating under the assumption that---even though Boomer has the power to communicate with humbucker pickups and the Nudge could probably list the entire discographies of Creepwood and Stinky Creek and other patchouli-scented jam bands I've never even heard of---I'm still entitled to my opinions. For me, talking about music is fun for the same reason talking about sports is fun: there are nearly as many opinions as there are people, and very few of those opinions are flat-out wrong.
Here's a not-quite-flat-out-wrong opinion of mine: Pearl Jam is better than Nirvana. Ten is better than Nevermind.
When I say this to people who know more about music than I do, one of two things always happens: (a) their heads explode, or (b) they spend the rest of the conversation treating me like Forrest Gump ("Really," they whisper to their friends, "as damaged as he is, the fact that he can hold an opinion at all is a triumph of the human spirit"). But I don't care. For a host of personal reasons that maybe I'll get into in a future post, I prefer Pearl Jam.
Meanwhile, feel free to write a long comment telling me how I made your head explode or how I'm a Faulknerian idiot man-child. But if you do, take a moment to stop typing at some point and listen carefully---that sucking sound you hear is your free time circling the drain.
Besides, all I'm really saying is that if Eddie Vedder had choked to death on his own vomit before polluting the radio waves with "Last Kiss," Pearl Jam might be bigger than Satan right now.
So, what might I blog about in the future? Expect more half-baked opinions, maybe some anecdotes about living with music, and definitely some questions for you, Loyal Reader. I suspect a lot of people out there are like me and mostly listen to music while doing something else---waiting for the bus or folding laundry or having sex. But just because you giggle at the word "humbucker," that doesn't mean music isn't important to you. Music can still enhance moments in your life. You don't have to be an expert to know that the right song at the right moment can charge your perceptions with its own valence. And that's my angle. Consider me this blog's resident non-expert.
By the by, some of my favorite music to listen to while I'm doing other things comes from Dylan, Bowie, the Stones, Derek and the Dominos, The Band, R.E.M., Camper Van Beethoven, and The National.
Yours, until next time, in gleefully opinionated ignorance,
PH
Here's a not-quite-flat-out-wrong opinion of mine: Pearl Jam is better than Nirvana. Ten is better than Nevermind.
When I say this to people who know more about music than I do, one of two things always happens: (a) their heads explode, or (b) they spend the rest of the conversation treating me like Forrest Gump ("Really," they whisper to their friends, "as damaged as he is, the fact that he can hold an opinion at all is a triumph of the human spirit"). But I don't care. For a host of personal reasons that maybe I'll get into in a future post, I prefer Pearl Jam.
Meanwhile, feel free to write a long comment telling me how I made your head explode or how I'm a Faulknerian idiot man-child. But if you do, take a moment to stop typing at some point and listen carefully---that sucking sound you hear is your free time circling the drain.
Besides, all I'm really saying is that if Eddie Vedder had choked to death on his own vomit before polluting the radio waves with "Last Kiss," Pearl Jam might be bigger than Satan right now.
So, what might I blog about in the future? Expect more half-baked opinions, maybe some anecdotes about living with music, and definitely some questions for you, Loyal Reader. I suspect a lot of people out there are like me and mostly listen to music while doing something else---waiting for the bus or folding laundry or having sex. But just because you giggle at the word "humbucker," that doesn't mean music isn't important to you. Music can still enhance moments in your life. You don't have to be an expert to know that the right song at the right moment can charge your perceptions with its own valence. And that's my angle. Consider me this blog's resident non-expert.
By the by, some of my favorite music to listen to while I'm doing other things comes from Dylan, Bowie, the Stones, Derek and the Dominos, The Band, R.E.M., Camper Van Beethoven, and The National.
Yours, until next time, in gleefully opinionated ignorance,
PH
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Statistics are Stupid
Where to start on Boomer’s last post? I guess first off, who cares what guitar they are playing as long as it sounds good. Statistics are not what this blog should be about, but since that is the direction we are going, look forward to my next post, a regression analysis of which is the greater act, Sonseed or Montgomery Flea Market, while both have their respective merits and obvious demerits, I look forward to an excel spreadsheet telling me which one I like more.
Second, your so called statistical analysis is so inherently flawed I hardly know where to start. You take a subjective list and use this for some sort of correlation which is then supposed to provide some kind of insight. There is a direct correlation between shoe size and intelligence; does this mean that people with abnormally large feet tend to be smarter than those with average feet? No, it means that grown ups are smarter than babies. Until you do a Granger causality test your correlation means nothing to me.
Next by breaking this into solos and not artists the fact that Jimi Hendrix played a Fender counts as much in this debate as the combined weight of Jerry Garcia, Mark Knophler, Pete Townshend, B.B. King, Jerry Cantrell, and Carlos Santana. This is downright silly, and any list that provides the same weight to Jerry Garcia and Richie Sambora is seriously flawed. Heather Locklear and Denise Richards are hot and all but give me a break.
Did you know that if 23 people are in a room there is a greater than 50% chance that two of them will have the same birthday. What light does this shed on which is better, a Gibson or a Fender? About the same as Boomer’s post, absolutely none, we are still living in darkness after that post, but we won’t get the time in our lives it took us to read it back.
On a happier note I would tell you I saw a show that blew my mind a few months back, David Byrne at Meymandi Hall in Raleigh, the sound was awesome, setlist rocked, choreography was amazing, one negative was the beer line was atrocious, but overall one of the best shows I have seen in years, and I have no idea what kind of guitar he was playing, as it should be. In the immortal words of John Bell, “if it feels good we shake.” Ain’t that how we should judge it? Definitely see David Byrne if you can, he has aged incredibly well and still rocks, white tutus and all. And if you have never see Stop Making Sense, rent it now.
Also, unrelated but I am sick as hell of thinking Warren Zevon is coming on the Radio and having it end up being Kid Rock. Nüdge out.
Second, your so called statistical analysis is so inherently flawed I hardly know where to start. You take a subjective list and use this for some sort of correlation which is then supposed to provide some kind of insight. There is a direct correlation between shoe size and intelligence; does this mean that people with abnormally large feet tend to be smarter than those with average feet? No, it means that grown ups are smarter than babies. Until you do a Granger causality test your correlation means nothing to me.
Next by breaking this into solos and not artists the fact that Jimi Hendrix played a Fender counts as much in this debate as the combined weight of Jerry Garcia, Mark Knophler, Pete Townshend, B.B. King, Jerry Cantrell, and Carlos Santana. This is downright silly, and any list that provides the same weight to Jerry Garcia and Richie Sambora is seriously flawed. Heather Locklear and Denise Richards are hot and all but give me a break.
Did you know that if 23 people are in a room there is a greater than 50% chance that two of them will have the same birthday. What light does this shed on which is better, a Gibson or a Fender? About the same as Boomer’s post, absolutely none, we are still living in darkness after that post, but we won’t get the time in our lives it took us to read it back.
On a happier note I would tell you I saw a show that blew my mind a few months back, David Byrne at Meymandi Hall in Raleigh, the sound was awesome, setlist rocked, choreography was amazing, one negative was the beer line was atrocious, but overall one of the best shows I have seen in years, and I have no idea what kind of guitar he was playing, as it should be. In the immortal words of John Bell, “if it feels good we shake.” Ain’t that how we should judge it? Definitely see David Byrne if you can, he has aged incredibly well and still rocks, white tutus and all. And if you have never see Stop Making Sense, rent it now.
Also, unrelated but I am sick as hell of thinking Warren Zevon is coming on the Radio and having it end up being Kid Rock. Nüdge out.
Monday, February 23, 2009
A New Perspective on the Great Fender v. Gibson Debate
Thanks to the inventive genius of both Les Paul and Leo Fender in the 1940's, the electric guitar has been the the undeniable symbol of rock and roll for over seventy years. Ever since the electric guitar first worked its way onto the rock and roll scene all those decades ago, guitarists have been debating whether Gibson or Fender makes the higher quality instrument.
Most guitar players have very strong feelings about this debate, and they are firmly entrenched in one camp or the other. For many of these musicians, their loyalties to either Fender or Gibson lie in something deeper than the typical differences in brand you might expectc (e.g., price, durability, or even aesthetics.) For many, their loyalty is based on much more than that; the choice between Fender and Gibson represents a statement about what kind of individual artist you are, or want to be.
This intense subjectivity is the reason, I believe, this debate so difficult to settle. So, in an effort to perhaps shed new light on this classic contest I turned to Guitar World Magazine for inspiration. Some years ago, Guitar World published a now oft-cited ranked list of the 100 Greatest Guitar Solos. I decided to take this ranked list and examine which songs were played with a Fender, Gibson, or Other brand guitar. After all, the guitarists who pulled off these solos are some of the greatest ever to play, so surely their choice of instrument would tell us something, right?
Putting aside the accuracy and completeness of Guitar World's rankings for the moment, I have reproduced the list below and added the guitar brand used for each solo. Following that list is a brief look at the numbers, and how things break down.
Rank / Song / Band / Guitarist/ Fender, Gibson or Other
1. Stairway to Heaven / Led Zeppelin / Jimmy Page / Gibson
2. Eruption / Van Halen / Eddie Van Halen / Other
3. Free Bird / Lynyrd Skynyrd / Collins & Rossington / Gibson
4. Comfortably Numb / Pink Floyd / David Gilmour / Fender
5. All Along the Watchtower / Jimi Hendrix / Fender
6. November Rain Guns N’ Roses / Slash / Gibson
7. One / Metallica / Krik Hammett / Other
8. Hotel California / Eagles / Felder & Walsh / Fender & Gibson
9. Crazy Train / Ozzy / Randy Rhoads /Gibson
10. Crossroads / Cream / Eric Clapton / Gibson
11. Voodoo Chile (Slight Return) / Jimi Hendrix / Fender
12. Johnny B. Goode / Chuck Berry / Gibson
13. Texas Flood / Stevie Ray Vaughan / Fender
14. Layla / Derek and the Dominos / Clapton & Allman / Fender & Gibson
15. Highway Star / Deep Purple / Richie Blackmore / Fender
16. Heartbreaker / Led Zeppelin / Jimmy Page / Gibson
17. Cliffs of Dover / Eric Johnson / Fender
18. Little Wing / Jimi Hendrix / Fender
19. Floods / Pantera / Dimebag Darrell / Other
20. Bohemian Rhapsody / Queen / Brian May / Other
21. Time / Pink Floyd / David Gilmour / Fender
22. Sultans of Swing / Dire Straits / Mark Knopfler / Fender
23. Bulls on Parade / Rage Against the Machine / Tom Morello / Other
24. Fade to Black / Metallica / Kirk Hammett / Other
25. Aqualung / Jethro Tull / Martin Barre / Gibson
26. Smells Like Teen Spirit / Nirvana / Kurt Cobain / Fender
27. Pride and Joy / Stevie Ray Vaughan / Fender
28. Mr. Crowley / Ozzy / Randy Rhoads / Gibson
29. For the Love of God / Steve Vai /Other
30. Surfing with the Alien / Joe Satriani / Other
31. Stranglehold / Ted Nugent / Gibson
32. Machine Gun / Jimi Hendrix / Fender
33. The Thrill is Gone / B.B. King / Gibson
34. Paranoid Android / Radiohead / Jonny Greenwood / Fender
35. Cemetery Gates / Pantera / Dimebag Darrell / Other
36. Black Star / Yngwie Malmsteen / Fender
37. Sweet Child of Mine / Guns N’ Roses / Slash / Gibson
38. Whole Lotta Love / Led Zeppelin / Jimmy Page /Gibson
39. Cortez the Killer / Neil Young /Gibson
40. Reelin’ in the Years / Steely Dan / Elliot Randall / Fender
41. Brighton Rock / Queen / Brian May / Other
42. While My Guitar Gently Weeps / Beatles / Eric Clapton / Fender
43. Sharp Dressed Man / ZZ Top / Billy Gibbons / Gibson
44. Alive / Pearl Jam / Mike McCready / Fender
45. Light My Fire / Doors / Robby / Krieger Gibson
46. Hot For Teacher / Van Halen / Eddie Van Halen / Other
47. Jessica / Allman Brothers / Dicky Betts / Gibson
48. Sympathy for the Devil / Rolling Stones / Keith Richards / Fender
49. Europa / Santana / Carlos Santana / Gibson
50. Shock Me / Kiss / Ace Frehley / Gibson
51. Master of Puppets / Metallica / Kirk Hammett / Other
52. Star Spangled Banner / Jimi Hendrix / Fender
53. Since I’ve Been Loving You / Led Zeppelin / Jimmy Page / Gibson
54. Geek USA / Smashing Pumpkins / Billy Corgan / Fender
55. Satch Boogie / Joe Satriani / Other
56. War Pigs / Black Sabbath / Tony Iomi / Gibson
57. Walk / Pantera / Dimebag Darrell / Other
58. Cocaine / Eric Clapton / Fender
59. You Really Got Me / Kinks / Dave Davies / Fender
60. Zoot Allures / Frank Zappa / Gibson
61. No More Tears / Ozzy / Zack Wylde / Gibson
62. Money / Pink Floyd / David Gilmour / Fender
63. Scar Tissue / Red Hot Chili Peppers / John Frusciante / Fender
64. Little Red Corvette / Prince / Dez Dickerson / Fender
65. Blue Sky / Allman Brothers / Dicky Betts / Gibson
66. The Number of the Beast / Iron Maiden / Dave Murray / Fender
67. Beat It / Michael Jackson / Eddie Van Halen / Other
68. Starship Trooper / Yes / Steve Howe / Gibson
69. And Your Bird Can Sing / Beatles / George Harrison / Fender
70. Purple Haze / Jimi Hendrix / Fender
71. Maggot Brain / Funkadelic / Eddie Hazel / Fender
72. Walk This Way / Aerosmith / Joe Perry / Gibson
73. Stash / Phish / Trey Anastasio / Other
74. Lazy / Deep Purple / Ritchie Blackmore / Fender
75. Won’t Get Fooled Again / The Who / Pete Townshend / Gibson
76. Cinnamon Girl / Neil Young / Gibson
77. Man in the Box / Alice in Chains / Jerry Cantrell / Other
78. Truckin’ / Grateful Dead / Jerry Garcia / Fender
79. Mean Street / Van Halen / Eddie Van Halen / Other
80. You Shook Me All Night Long / AC/DC / Angus Young / Gibson
81. Sweet Jane / Velvet Underground / Lou Reed / Other
82. 21st Century Schizoid Man / King Crimson / Robert Fripp / Gibson
83. Scuttle Buttin’ / Stevie Ray Vaughan / Fender
84. Lights Out / UFO / Michael Schenker / Other
85. Moonage Daydream / David Bowie / Mick Ronson / Gibson
86. Whipping Post / Allman Brothers / Allman & Betts / Gibson
87. Highway 61 Revisited / Johnny Winter / Gibson
88. Kid Charlemagne / Steely Dan / Larry Carlton / Gibson
89. Killing in the Name / Rage Against the Machine / Tom Morello / Other
90. Let it Rain / Eric Clapton / Fender
91. Heard it Through the Grapevine / CCR / John Fogerty / Gibson
92. Stray Cat Strut / Stray Cats / Brian Setzer / Other
93. The End / Doors / Robby Krieger / Gibson
94. Working Man / Rush / Alex Lifeson / Gibson
95. Yellow Ledbetter / Pearl Jam / Mike McCready / Fender
96. Honky Tonk Woman / Rolling Stones / Keith Richards / Fender
97. Beyond the Realms of Death / Judas Priest / Glenn Tipton / Fender
98. Under a Glass Moon / Dream Theater / John Petrucci / Other
99. Cause We’ve Ended as Lovers / Jeff Beck / Fender
100. Wanted Dead or Alive / Bon Jovi / Richie Sambora / Other
Percent overall:
Fender = 39%
Gibson = 37%
Other = 24%
Percent in the top 10:
Fender = 27%
Gibson = 56%
Other = 18%
Percent in the top 25:
Fender = 41%
Gibson = 37%
Other = 22%
Percent in the top 50:
Fender = 38%
Gibson = 41%
Other = 21%
Percent in bottom 10:
Fender = 40%
Gibson = 30%
Other = 30%
Does this analysis bring us any closer to settling the great debate, or is this just a case of simple correlation and no causation? I'll let you decide. Perhaps later I'll reveal which camp I fall into (some of you may already know I, too, have very strong opinions about this question), but for now let's think about what this list can tell us.
Boomer
Most guitar players have very strong feelings about this debate, and they are firmly entrenched in one camp or the other. For many of these musicians, their loyalties to either Fender or Gibson lie in something deeper than the typical differences in brand you might expectc (e.g., price, durability, or even aesthetics.) For many, their loyalty is based on much more than that; the choice between Fender and Gibson represents a statement about what kind of individual artist you are, or want to be.
This intense subjectivity is the reason, I believe, this debate so difficult to settle. So, in an effort to perhaps shed new light on this classic contest I turned to Guitar World Magazine for inspiration. Some years ago, Guitar World published a now oft-cited ranked list of the 100 Greatest Guitar Solos. I decided to take this ranked list and examine which songs were played with a Fender, Gibson, or Other brand guitar. After all, the guitarists who pulled off these solos are some of the greatest ever to play, so surely their choice of instrument would tell us something, right?
Putting aside the accuracy and completeness of Guitar World's rankings for the moment, I have reproduced the list below and added the guitar brand used for each solo. Following that list is a brief look at the numbers, and how things break down.
Rank / Song / Band / Guitarist/ Fender, Gibson or Other
1. Stairway to Heaven / Led Zeppelin / Jimmy Page / Gibson
2. Eruption / Van Halen / Eddie Van Halen / Other
3. Free Bird / Lynyrd Skynyrd / Collins & Rossington / Gibson
4. Comfortably Numb / Pink Floyd / David Gilmour / Fender
5. All Along the Watchtower / Jimi Hendrix / Fender
6. November Rain Guns N’ Roses / Slash / Gibson
7. One / Metallica / Krik Hammett / Other
8. Hotel California / Eagles / Felder & Walsh / Fender & Gibson
9. Crazy Train / Ozzy / Randy Rhoads /Gibson
10. Crossroads / Cream / Eric Clapton / Gibson
11. Voodoo Chile (Slight Return) / Jimi Hendrix / Fender
12. Johnny B. Goode / Chuck Berry / Gibson
13. Texas Flood / Stevie Ray Vaughan / Fender
14. Layla / Derek and the Dominos / Clapton & Allman / Fender & Gibson
15. Highway Star / Deep Purple / Richie Blackmore / Fender
16. Heartbreaker / Led Zeppelin / Jimmy Page / Gibson
17. Cliffs of Dover / Eric Johnson / Fender
18. Little Wing / Jimi Hendrix / Fender
19. Floods / Pantera / Dimebag Darrell / Other
20. Bohemian Rhapsody / Queen / Brian May / Other
21. Time / Pink Floyd / David Gilmour / Fender
22. Sultans of Swing / Dire Straits / Mark Knopfler / Fender
23. Bulls on Parade / Rage Against the Machine / Tom Morello / Other
24. Fade to Black / Metallica / Kirk Hammett / Other
25. Aqualung / Jethro Tull / Martin Barre / Gibson
26. Smells Like Teen Spirit / Nirvana / Kurt Cobain / Fender
27. Pride and Joy / Stevie Ray Vaughan / Fender
28. Mr. Crowley / Ozzy / Randy Rhoads / Gibson
29. For the Love of God / Steve Vai /Other
30. Surfing with the Alien / Joe Satriani / Other
31. Stranglehold / Ted Nugent / Gibson
32. Machine Gun / Jimi Hendrix / Fender
33. The Thrill is Gone / B.B. King / Gibson
34. Paranoid Android / Radiohead / Jonny Greenwood / Fender
35. Cemetery Gates / Pantera / Dimebag Darrell / Other
36. Black Star / Yngwie Malmsteen / Fender
37. Sweet Child of Mine / Guns N’ Roses / Slash / Gibson
38. Whole Lotta Love / Led Zeppelin / Jimmy Page /Gibson
39. Cortez the Killer / Neil Young /Gibson
40. Reelin’ in the Years / Steely Dan / Elliot Randall / Fender
41. Brighton Rock / Queen / Brian May / Other
42. While My Guitar Gently Weeps / Beatles / Eric Clapton / Fender
43. Sharp Dressed Man / ZZ Top / Billy Gibbons / Gibson
44. Alive / Pearl Jam / Mike McCready / Fender
45. Light My Fire / Doors / Robby / Krieger Gibson
46. Hot For Teacher / Van Halen / Eddie Van Halen / Other
47. Jessica / Allman Brothers / Dicky Betts / Gibson
48. Sympathy for the Devil / Rolling Stones / Keith Richards / Fender
49. Europa / Santana / Carlos Santana / Gibson
50. Shock Me / Kiss / Ace Frehley / Gibson
51. Master of Puppets / Metallica / Kirk Hammett / Other
52. Star Spangled Banner / Jimi Hendrix / Fender
53. Since I’ve Been Loving You / Led Zeppelin / Jimmy Page / Gibson
54. Geek USA / Smashing Pumpkins / Billy Corgan / Fender
55. Satch Boogie / Joe Satriani / Other
56. War Pigs / Black Sabbath / Tony Iomi / Gibson
57. Walk / Pantera / Dimebag Darrell / Other
58. Cocaine / Eric Clapton / Fender
59. You Really Got Me / Kinks / Dave Davies / Fender
60. Zoot Allures / Frank Zappa / Gibson
61. No More Tears / Ozzy / Zack Wylde / Gibson
62. Money / Pink Floyd / David Gilmour / Fender
63. Scar Tissue / Red Hot Chili Peppers / John Frusciante / Fender
64. Little Red Corvette / Prince / Dez Dickerson / Fender
65. Blue Sky / Allman Brothers / Dicky Betts / Gibson
66. The Number of the Beast / Iron Maiden / Dave Murray / Fender
67. Beat It / Michael Jackson / Eddie Van Halen / Other
68. Starship Trooper / Yes / Steve Howe / Gibson
69. And Your Bird Can Sing / Beatles / George Harrison / Fender
70. Purple Haze / Jimi Hendrix / Fender
71. Maggot Brain / Funkadelic / Eddie Hazel / Fender
72. Walk This Way / Aerosmith / Joe Perry / Gibson
73. Stash / Phish / Trey Anastasio / Other
74. Lazy / Deep Purple / Ritchie Blackmore / Fender
75. Won’t Get Fooled Again / The Who / Pete Townshend / Gibson
76. Cinnamon Girl / Neil Young / Gibson
77. Man in the Box / Alice in Chains / Jerry Cantrell / Other
78. Truckin’ / Grateful Dead / Jerry Garcia / Fender
79. Mean Street / Van Halen / Eddie Van Halen / Other
80. You Shook Me All Night Long / AC/DC / Angus Young / Gibson
81. Sweet Jane / Velvet Underground / Lou Reed / Other
82. 21st Century Schizoid Man / King Crimson / Robert Fripp / Gibson
83. Scuttle Buttin’ / Stevie Ray Vaughan / Fender
84. Lights Out / UFO / Michael Schenker / Other
85. Moonage Daydream / David Bowie / Mick Ronson / Gibson
86. Whipping Post / Allman Brothers / Allman & Betts / Gibson
87. Highway 61 Revisited / Johnny Winter / Gibson
88. Kid Charlemagne / Steely Dan / Larry Carlton / Gibson
89. Killing in the Name / Rage Against the Machine / Tom Morello / Other
90. Let it Rain / Eric Clapton / Fender
91. Heard it Through the Grapevine / CCR / John Fogerty / Gibson
92. Stray Cat Strut / Stray Cats / Brian Setzer / Other
93. The End / Doors / Robby Krieger / Gibson
94. Working Man / Rush / Alex Lifeson / Gibson
95. Yellow Ledbetter / Pearl Jam / Mike McCready / Fender
96. Honky Tonk Woman / Rolling Stones / Keith Richards / Fender
97. Beyond the Realms of Death / Judas Priest / Glenn Tipton / Fender
98. Under a Glass Moon / Dream Theater / John Petrucci / Other
99. Cause We’ve Ended as Lovers / Jeff Beck / Fender
100. Wanted Dead or Alive / Bon Jovi / Richie Sambora / Other
Percent overall:
Fender = 39%
Gibson = 37%
Other = 24%
Percent in the top 10:
Fender = 27%
Gibson = 56%
Other = 18%
Percent in the top 25:
Fender = 41%
Gibson = 37%
Other = 22%
Percent in the top 50:
Fender = 38%
Gibson = 41%
Other = 21%
Percent in bottom 10:
Fender = 40%
Gibson = 30%
Other = 30%
Does this analysis bring us any closer to settling the great debate, or is this just a case of simple correlation and no causation? I'll let you decide. Perhaps later I'll reveal which camp I fall into (some of you may already know I, too, have very strong opinions about this question), but for now let's think about what this list can tell us.
Boomer
Care to Share the Peace Pipe?
I was listening to the radio the other day, and I caught a song I haven't heard or thought about in years. The song was "Peace Pipe" by the forgotten band Cry of Love. What a kick ass song, and a what a shame this group never really stuck.
This song blew me away for a number of reasons. First and absolutely foremost is the guitar work throughout this tune. The guitarist here is none other than the rock guitar virtuoso Audley Freed, more on this guy a little later in the post. The song starts off with Freed giving us a really creative little guitar riff that seems almost disjointed at first. But it only takes a few seconds for the drums and the bass to kick in, and then the odd little guitar riff goes from the questionable to the irreplaceable. At this point it becomes instantly clear that the riff is tie that binds the melody to the rhythm.
The bass, by Mr. Robert Kearns, is also killer in this song. It settles into the mix early on with a very tasteful bluesy walk by Kearns that manages to drive the verse of the song along without feeling repetitive. The drums, while nothing special to my untrained ear, hang back just enough throughout the song to also encourage the undeniable driving feel of the entire effort.
When the song's first chorus emerges at about 0.35 sec., Freed's guitar takes a noticeable turn towards increased energy, but does so without overpowering the prominence of the vocals during the song's refrain. It's at this point that we get our first taste of one of the things that makes the guitar work of Feed so impressive here. At 0.42 sec. Freed gives us a short but very sweet lick (see definition #8) to fill up what could have been a dead spot in the chorus. Small features like this may go unnoticed to many listeners, but to me they are often what separates a really cool song from an average one. At the very least, they are a sign of a talented musician.
The chorus is also the first chance we get to hear the tougher side to vocals of Kelly Holland. For me, Holland's vocals sound a little too much like our old stroking friend Billy Squire. Personally, I am not a fan of Bill Squire's work, but despite the similarity Holland's vocals work in this song. This is especially true in the chorus. The chorus melody invites Holland to be a little rough when he sings the lyrics, "Burn down..." and "Tearing the temple..." For whatever reason, the manufactured crust in his voice works for me here.
At 2:10 sec. we get our second taste of how tasteful Freed's guitar licks are in this song. As the band is building up to the monster guitar solo that's about to happen, Freed and the bass pull out a very cool descending staccato run down the neck. It struck me as a really cool way to make the listener hold their breath for the impending solo. Nice.
Then way hear it... the biggest part of the song that blew me away... the solo. This solo is, forgive me for getting a little Bill and Ted on you here, totally ripping. The way Freed utilizes double stops and multi-string bends he reminds of a modern day combination of Chuck Berry, Johnny Winter, and Hendrix. One of things that separates Freed on this solo is how clean he is able to make each note ring out despite that fact that he's got the distortion cranked up on the amp. That's a sign of a player who is a master at fretting; a player whose tone is derived more from the way he manipulates the notes on the neck as opposed to the equipment he uses. Freed rips all the way through this solo, and the energy never stops. It's a solo that grabs you by the collar at the beginning, and proceeds to shake you into submission as it slices along.
The next cool part of the song is the stop at the 2:50 sec. mark. It's just a really nice touch coming off all the energy of the solo. This is not the type of song to give you a breather by slowing down or getting weaker. The stop was a great choice.
We get a secondary solo from Freed starting at the 3:06 sec. mark, and that's where his Johnny Winter influences really show through. The song doesn't lose steam at this point either, as Freed starts mirroring the chorus melody of Holland's vocals at 3:26 sec. The songs ends with Freed finally moving up high the neck and giving us a killer series of repeating double stop bends.
An interesting note about the band Cry of Love is that they were formed in Raleigh, NC, one of the stomping grounds of the Jukebox Gyros themselves. The band fizzled out after a couple of albums, and Freed joined in as the lead guitarist of the Black Crows. Since then, Freed has made a name for himself in the jam band scene as a respected lead player. Kelly Holland is reportedly still in the Triangle area. One of my close friends, a drummer who lived in Raleigh for a while, said that he spoke with him a few times in a number of Raleigh bars.
If you're interested in another cool tune from Cry of Love, I would suggest this live version of Highway Jones, off the same album as Peace Pipe, Brother. It's another example of how huge Freed can be on the guitar.
Boomer.
This song blew me away for a number of reasons. First and absolutely foremost is the guitar work throughout this tune. The guitarist here is none other than the rock guitar virtuoso Audley Freed, more on this guy a little later in the post. The song starts off with Freed giving us a really creative little guitar riff that seems almost disjointed at first. But it only takes a few seconds for the drums and the bass to kick in, and then the odd little guitar riff goes from the questionable to the irreplaceable. At this point it becomes instantly clear that the riff is tie that binds the melody to the rhythm.
The bass, by Mr. Robert Kearns, is also killer in this song. It settles into the mix early on with a very tasteful bluesy walk by Kearns that manages to drive the verse of the song along without feeling repetitive. The drums, while nothing special to my untrained ear, hang back just enough throughout the song to also encourage the undeniable driving feel of the entire effort.
When the song's first chorus emerges at about 0.35 sec., Freed's guitar takes a noticeable turn towards increased energy, but does so without overpowering the prominence of the vocals during the song's refrain. It's at this point that we get our first taste of one of the things that makes the guitar work of Feed so impressive here. At 0.42 sec. Freed gives us a short but very sweet lick (see definition #8) to fill up what could have been a dead spot in the chorus. Small features like this may go unnoticed to many listeners, but to me they are often what separates a really cool song from an average one. At the very least, they are a sign of a talented musician.
The chorus is also the first chance we get to hear the tougher side to vocals of Kelly Holland. For me, Holland's vocals sound a little too much like our old stroking friend Billy Squire. Personally, I am not a fan of Bill Squire's work, but despite the similarity Holland's vocals work in this song. This is especially true in the chorus. The chorus melody invites Holland to be a little rough when he sings the lyrics, "Burn down..." and "Tearing the temple..." For whatever reason, the manufactured crust in his voice works for me here.
At 2:10 sec. we get our second taste of how tasteful Freed's guitar licks are in this song. As the band is building up to the monster guitar solo that's about to happen, Freed and the bass pull out a very cool descending staccato run down the neck. It struck me as a really cool way to make the listener hold their breath for the impending solo. Nice.
Then way hear it... the biggest part of the song that blew me away... the solo. This solo is, forgive me for getting a little Bill and Ted on you here, totally ripping. The way Freed utilizes double stops and multi-string bends he reminds of a modern day combination of Chuck Berry, Johnny Winter, and Hendrix. One of things that separates Freed on this solo is how clean he is able to make each note ring out despite that fact that he's got the distortion cranked up on the amp. That's a sign of a player who is a master at fretting; a player whose tone is derived more from the way he manipulates the notes on the neck as opposed to the equipment he uses. Freed rips all the way through this solo, and the energy never stops. It's a solo that grabs you by the collar at the beginning, and proceeds to shake you into submission as it slices along.
The next cool part of the song is the stop at the 2:50 sec. mark. It's just a really nice touch coming off all the energy of the solo. This is not the type of song to give you a breather by slowing down or getting weaker. The stop was a great choice.
We get a secondary solo from Freed starting at the 3:06 sec. mark, and that's where his Johnny Winter influences really show through. The song doesn't lose steam at this point either, as Freed starts mirroring the chorus melody of Holland's vocals at 3:26 sec. The songs ends with Freed finally moving up high the neck and giving us a killer series of repeating double stop bends.
An interesting note about the band Cry of Love is that they were formed in Raleigh, NC, one of the stomping grounds of the Jukebox Gyros themselves. The band fizzled out after a couple of albums, and Freed joined in as the lead guitarist of the Black Crows. Since then, Freed has made a name for himself in the jam band scene as a respected lead player. Kelly Holland is reportedly still in the Triangle area. One of my close friends, a drummer who lived in Raleigh for a while, said that he spoke with him a few times in a number of Raleigh bars.
If you're interested in another cool tune from Cry of Love, I would suggest this live version of Highway Jones, off the same album as Peace Pipe, Brother. It's another example of how huge Freed can be on the guitar.
Boomer.
What Up Party People
Nüdge here, thought it would be necessary for an introduction of my own after Boomer's lame ass attempt to tell you what the Blog is about. First off, I was shocked to find out that the name of our Blog was mocking and not honoring Foreigner, Jukebox Hero after all has to be the second greatest song of all time, just a smidgen behind Sister Christian made famous of course by Night Ranger. Second it is important I make this DISCLAIMER:
The Nüdge has no musical ability whatsoever, I can't play anything, there was of course the 5th grade failed attempt at the Trumpet and the 7th grade failed attempt at the Drums, and a failed attempt at the harmonica somewhere down the road in high school. After these attempts I came to the conclusion that while I love to listen to music, attend live shows, and criticize the hell out of it, I should never ever attempt to create it. So unlike Boomer, my role is not build music but to tear it down. However, I do have two notable musical achievements to this point in my life:
1) I got an A- in the History of Rock and Roll at The University of North Carolina -Chapel Hill (The Flagship University of the State of North Carolina), in this class I learned three important lessons that were drilled into my brain:
A)A Day in the Life is the greatest rock song ever written
B)Sargent Pepper's is the greatest rock album ever made
C)My Professor had a hard on for The Beatles
2) I have almost convinced Boomer that despite his tendency to use his pinky and play low on the neck of the guitar, Jerry Garcia may actually have a modicum of talent.
Boomer and I have a lot of crossover in what we like to listen to, but also a lot of differences. I tend to be a bit more on the Crunchy side of things, listening to a lot of gooey granola hippy stoner jams by the Grateful Dead, Widespread Panic, and Phish. I also listen to bluegrass, newgrass and any other kind of grass. I love Motown, Stevie Wonder is a musical genius (when he plays funk, not when he sings love ballads). I think the Talking Heads and Dire Straits are two of the greatest 80's bands and Pearl Jam can lyrically melt faces. And of course I love me some good ol classic Stones, Zeppelin, Traffic, The Band etc. I don't like pop music, girl rock bands, Creed (Boomer's favorite band), Johnny Cougar, John Cougar Mellencamp, John Mellencamp, Springstein or any other Dylan wannabe. Well that should give you a good overview. I forgot to add one last thing, while not related to music it should provide you with a good perspective of where I am coming from, I think Point Break is without a doubt one of the greatest films of all time in spite of the fact that it stars Keanu Reaves, which only speaks even more so to its greateness to overcome such a liability from the get go, make it two Utah. Nüdge out.
The Nüdge has no musical ability whatsoever, I can't play anything, there was of course the 5th grade failed attempt at the Trumpet and the 7th grade failed attempt at the Drums, and a failed attempt at the harmonica somewhere down the road in high school. After these attempts I came to the conclusion that while I love to listen to music, attend live shows, and criticize the hell out of it, I should never ever attempt to create it. So unlike Boomer, my role is not build music but to tear it down. However, I do have two notable musical achievements to this point in my life:
1) I got an A- in the History of Rock and Roll at The University of North Carolina -Chapel Hill (The Flagship University of the State of North Carolina), in this class I learned three important lessons that were drilled into my brain:
A)A Day in the Life is the greatest rock song ever written
B)Sargent Pepper's is the greatest rock album ever made
C)My Professor had a hard on for The Beatles
2) I have almost convinced Boomer that despite his tendency to use his pinky and play low on the neck of the guitar, Jerry Garcia may actually have a modicum of talent.
Boomer and I have a lot of crossover in what we like to listen to, but also a lot of differences. I tend to be a bit more on the Crunchy side of things, listening to a lot of gooey granola hippy stoner jams by the Grateful Dead, Widespread Panic, and Phish. I also listen to bluegrass, newgrass and any other kind of grass. I love Motown, Stevie Wonder is a musical genius (when he plays funk, not when he sings love ballads). I think the Talking Heads and Dire Straits are two of the greatest 80's bands and Pearl Jam can lyrically melt faces. And of course I love me some good ol classic Stones, Zeppelin, Traffic, The Band etc. I don't like pop music, girl rock bands, Creed (Boomer's favorite band), Johnny Cougar, John Cougar Mellencamp, John Mellencamp, Springstein or any other Dylan wannabe. Well that should give you a good overview. I forgot to add one last thing, while not related to music it should provide you with a good perspective of where I am coming from, I think Point Break is without a doubt one of the greatest films of all time in spite of the fact that it stars Keanu Reaves, which only speaks even more so to its greateness to overcome such a liability from the get go, make it two Utah. Nüdge out.
Friday, February 20, 2009
An Introduction to the Jukebox Gyros - A Welcome from Boomer
Welcome to our blog, Jukebox Gyros. "Who are we," you ask?
We are two guys who love music, but bring very different perspectives to the table. We decided to start this blog because it was time take advantage of how often we think, talk, argue, debate and bloviate about all things music. The purpose of Jukebox Gyros is to take our thoughts and opinions to the people. We're not afraid to stick our necks out on the line for those songs, albums, and bands that we love. And we're also not afraid to mock everything that we think deserves the derision.
My name is Boomer, and my administrative counterpart is The Nüdge. Hopefully you will enjoy the dynamic that we offer: Boomer, the wise and contemplative musician, and The Nüdge, the snarky uber-fan who carries a seven pound iPod. Much of this blog will be a presentation of our seemingly hidebound musical opinions, and it's only fair that I reveal some of my underlying prejudices. So, here's two things you probably need to know about me up front:
1) I am a fairly serious musician
I have been playing guitar for many years now, and if I could have any job in the world it would be playing every night as a respected lead guitarist in an enormously popular band. I like to think of myself as a blues man (my favorite guitar player being the great Buddy Guy), but I still love playing everything from rock to bluegrass on the guitar. When I listen to music I can't help but hear things from a guitarist's perspective. This undoubtedly colors my attitude toward the music I hear, and many of the artist that I see perform. All that being said, I have no problem enjoying good music when I hear it, no matter how the guitar may factor in.
2) When it comes to music, I tend to hate the new and love the old
The older I get, the more I am drawn to "roots music." Whether it be the roots of rock and roll, metal, grunge, or punk, I tend to gravitate toward those foundational artists who seemed to launch entire genres by being original. Because of this, I have enormous respect for artists such as Bob Dylan, Elvis Presley, the Beatles and the Stones, Led Zeppelin, The Who, etc. There are some glaring exceptions to this rule. For example, I prefer the more modern, electric blues style much more than the much older and more brooding delta blues sound. However, for me, that last great era of music was the grunge/hard rock movement of the 90's, with bands such as Pearl Jam, Alice in Chains, STP and Gov't Mule cranking out some wonderful tunes and landmark albums. Now that those type of bands seem to be fading away, music in the past ten years has largely been a load of crap.
Other than that, my biases will probably reveal themselves as this blog rolls along. I hope you enjoy reading this blog, and feel free to comment on any and all posts that interest you. The more discussion and debate we generate the better.
Until next time,
Boomer
We are two guys who love music, but bring very different perspectives to the table. We decided to start this blog because it was time take advantage of how often we think, talk, argue, debate and bloviate about all things music. The purpose of Jukebox Gyros is to take our thoughts and opinions to the people. We're not afraid to stick our necks out on the line for those songs, albums, and bands that we love. And we're also not afraid to mock everything that we think deserves the derision.
My name is Boomer, and my administrative counterpart is The Nüdge. Hopefully you will enjoy the dynamic that we offer: Boomer, the wise and contemplative musician, and The Nüdge, the snarky uber-fan who carries a seven pound iPod. Much of this blog will be a presentation of our seemingly hidebound musical opinions, and it's only fair that I reveal some of my underlying prejudices. So, here's two things you probably need to know about me up front:
1) I am a fairly serious musician
I have been playing guitar for many years now, and if I could have any job in the world it would be playing every night as a respected lead guitarist in an enormously popular band. I like to think of myself as a blues man (my favorite guitar player being the great Buddy Guy), but I still love playing everything from rock to bluegrass on the guitar. When I listen to music I can't help but hear things from a guitarist's perspective. This undoubtedly colors my attitude toward the music I hear, and many of the artist that I see perform. All that being said, I have no problem enjoying good music when I hear it, no matter how the guitar may factor in.
2) When it comes to music, I tend to hate the new and love the old
The older I get, the more I am drawn to "roots music." Whether it be the roots of rock and roll, metal, grunge, or punk, I tend to gravitate toward those foundational artists who seemed to launch entire genres by being original. Because of this, I have enormous respect for artists such as Bob Dylan, Elvis Presley, the Beatles and the Stones, Led Zeppelin, The Who, etc. There are some glaring exceptions to this rule. For example, I prefer the more modern, electric blues style much more than the much older and more brooding delta blues sound. However, for me, that last great era of music was the grunge/hard rock movement of the 90's, with bands such as Pearl Jam, Alice in Chains, STP and Gov't Mule cranking out some wonderful tunes and landmark albums. Now that those type of bands seem to be fading away, music in the past ten years has largely been a load of crap.
Other than that, my biases will probably reveal themselves as this blog rolls along. I hope you enjoy reading this blog, and feel free to comment on any and all posts that interest you. The more discussion and debate we generate the better.
Until next time,
Boomer
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)