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