Friday, February 28, 2014
Thursday, February 27, 2014
Hall with Rock and Roll in it's title chooses not to honor pioneers.
It's been a while since I've blogged about the hypocrisy of The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. So today we will talk about how a hall with Rock in it's title refuses again and again to honor rock music pioneers when they die. This has happened time and time again. I first noticed it last year when inductee and original Comets bassist Marshall Lytle died last may. I went to both their Facebook and Twitter and saw nothing on either about Lytle's passing. Once again it happened on Monday with the passing of inductee and Comets guitarist Franny Beecher. And like last time I went to check their Facebook and Twitter and their was nothing. For a hall that says their rock 'n' roll they sure do a piss poor job of honoring their inductee's when they die. To the hall I say this Wednesday, February 26, 2014
RIP Franny Beecher 1921-2014
On Monday we lost Franny Beecher at the age of 92. Beecher was the guitar player for Bill Haley & His Comets from 1954 to 1962. Although Beecher did not play on their most well-known song "Rock Around the Clock" he did play on all of their other songs including See You Later, Alligator. He also composed several Comets songs including "Blue Comet Blues", "Goofin' Around", "Week End", and "Shaky". Franny Beecher continued to play in the comets later in life up until the age of 90. Beecher was born in Norristown, Pennsylvania and died in
Philadelphia the city in which Bill Haley & His Comets were formed. Of the original Comets only saxophonist Joey Ambrose and drummer Dick Richards are living. A few of my favorite solo's of Franny are "The Saints Rock 'n' Roll" and "Rock-A-Beatin' Boogie".Tuesday, February 25, 2014
10 most underrated guitarists
1. Alvin Lee
Although Lee played at Woodstock and was popular in his day, he never became a household name like fellow Woodstock players such as Hendrix, Santana and Johnny Winter. On most classic rock stations you will hear only one of his songs.
2. Eric Johnson
Eric Johnson like Lee is an amazing guitarist with an amazing body of work but sadly most people only know one song. Many of them have only heard of Cliffs of Dover because of Guitar Hero. The chances of hearing Johnson on the radio are slim. He is also nowhere to be seen on Rolling Stones 100 Greatest Guitarists.
3. Sonny Landreth
Sonny is in my opinion the greatest living slide player today. Although having appeared at every Crossroads festival at having fans like Eric Clapton and Mark Knopfler he still very much unknown even among blues fans.
4. Prince
5. Terry Kath
Kath's work with Chicago mainly on their first album The Chicago Transit Authority is some of the greatest playing I have heard in a while. He also shines on The Chicago classic 25 or 6 to 4. Sadly the life of this amazing guitarist was cut to short at the age of 31. Chicago is more known for it's horns but I think Kath made the band what it is.
6. Jimmie Vaughan
Although Vaughan is very well-known in blues circles he never was able to break out of the shadow of his younger brother and is therefor cast aside and often overlooked. He is a fantastic both solo and with The fabulous Thunderbird's.
7. Hughie Thomasson
I think that both Thomasson and The Outlaws who are one of my favorite bands never really got as much attention as fellow southern rockers like Marshall Tucker Band and Charlie Daniels. I think he is one of the best guitarists in the Southern Rock genre. The third best after Duane and Allan Collins.
8. Rick Derringer
With the career Rick Derringer has had you'd think he would be more famous. But that is not the case. Even his two most well-known songs "Rock and Roll, Hoochie Koo" and "Hang on Sloopy." the latter which he recorded with The McCoys receive little or no airplay on classic rock stations. Derringer is an amazing yet horribly underrated guitarist.
9. Walter Trout
Playing with both Canned Heat and John Mayall's Bluesbreakers in the 1980's you would think that Walter Trout would go on to be one of the best blues guitarists of the modern era. But sadly Trout would not become a well known name in modern blues. His speed and power are a force to be reckoned, having seen him live I can attest to that.
10. Ted Nugent
The outspoken Michigan guitarist nicknamed The Motor City Madman is the final guitarist on this list. Although I don't care much for his politics I don't let them get in the way of what I listen to. I think his politics are what keep most people from listening to him. With a career dating back to the late 1960's Nugent has proven himself to be a great guitarist with classics like "Stranglehold", "Stormtroopin" and "Journey to the Center of the Mind" his hit with The Amboy Dukes. But sadly most people only know him for "Cat Scratch Fever". When it comes to rock Ted can Rock.
Of these ten guitarists only Prince is on Rolling Stones list of 100 greatest guitar players. He is also the only one of these ten to have been inducted into The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Although Lee played at Woodstock and was popular in his day, he never became a household name like fellow Woodstock players such as Hendrix, Santana and Johnny Winter. On most classic rock stations you will hear only one of his songs.
2. Eric Johnson
Eric Johnson like Lee is an amazing guitarist with an amazing body of work but sadly most people only know one song. Many of them have only heard of Cliffs of Dover because of Guitar Hero. The chances of hearing Johnson on the radio are slim. He is also nowhere to be seen on Rolling Stones 100 Greatest Guitarists.
3. Sonny Landreth
Sonny is in my opinion the greatest living slide player today. Although having appeared at every Crossroads festival at having fans like Eric Clapton and Mark Knopfler he still very much unknown even among blues fans.
4. Prince
This list wouldn't be complete with him. He was one of the greatest artists of the 80's.But he has notgained as much recognition for his guitar work as he should. His amazing guitar playing is brought out on Let's Go Crazy.
5. Terry Kath
Kath's work with Chicago mainly on their first album The Chicago Transit Authority is some of the greatest playing I have heard in a while. He also shines on The Chicago classic 25 or 6 to 4. Sadly the life of this amazing guitarist was cut to short at the age of 31. Chicago is more known for it's horns but I think Kath made the band what it is.
6. Jimmie Vaughan
Although Vaughan is very well-known in blues circles he never was able to break out of the shadow of his younger brother and is therefor cast aside and often overlooked. He is a fantastic both solo and with The fabulous Thunderbird's.
7. Hughie Thomasson
I think that both Thomasson and The Outlaws who are one of my favorite bands never really got as much attention as fellow southern rockers like Marshall Tucker Band and Charlie Daniels. I think he is one of the best guitarists in the Southern Rock genre. The third best after Duane and Allan Collins.
8. Rick Derringer
With the career Rick Derringer has had you'd think he would be more famous. But that is not the case. Even his two most well-known songs "Rock and Roll, Hoochie Koo" and "Hang on Sloopy." the latter which he recorded with The McCoys receive little or no airplay on classic rock stations. Derringer is an amazing yet horribly underrated guitarist.
9. Walter Trout
Playing with both Canned Heat and John Mayall's Bluesbreakers in the 1980's you would think that Walter Trout would go on to be one of the best blues guitarists of the modern era. But sadly Trout would not become a well known name in modern blues. His speed and power are a force to be reckoned, having seen him live I can attest to that.
10. Ted Nugent
The outspoken Michigan guitarist nicknamed The Motor City Madman is the final guitarist on this list. Although I don't care much for his politics I don't let them get in the way of what I listen to. I think his politics are what keep most people from listening to him. With a career dating back to the late 1960's Nugent has proven himself to be a great guitarist with classics like "Stranglehold", "Stormtroopin" and "Journey to the Center of the Mind" his hit with The Amboy Dukes. But sadly most people only know him for "Cat Scratch Fever". When it comes to rock Ted can Rock.
Of these ten guitarists only Prince is on Rolling Stones list of 100 greatest guitar players. He is also the only one of these ten to have been inducted into The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Sunday, February 23, 2014
Friday, February 7, 2014
Monday, February 3, 2014
Saturday, February 1, 2014
My thoughts are with Walter Trout.
Trout is an amazing player and I got the chance to see him in 2012.
I wish him a speedy recovery. Here is some footage of him from that show.
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