Happy Birthday to the late great Alvin Lee

R.I.P Smokin Joe Kubek 1958-2015

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Nominees-The Hits and Misses

Recently the Rock Hall released the nominees to be inducted in 2016. The list includes a who's who of rock, rap, disco, R&B and soul.The nominees The Cars, ‪‎Chic‬, Chicago, Cheap Trick, Deep Purple, Janet Jackson, The J.B.’s, Chaka Khan, Los Lobos, Steve Miller, Nine Inch Nails, N.W.A , The Smiths, The Spinners and Yes.

Of course there the obvious ones who shouldn't get in like N.W.A and Janet Jackson.Then there are the ones who should have been inducted long ago like Deep Purple and Yes. But since the hall is not to big on progressive rock Yes will be waiting a long time to get in much like Rush did. I'm also super excited that other great rockers are finally getting a shot like Chicago, Steve Miller and The Cars. Other newer rock groups who were nominated like Los Lobos, Nine Inch Nails and The Smiths. While I have nothing against these groups I don't think they should be getting in before Yes, Chicago or Deep Purple. And even those three should not be getting in before pioneers like Dick Dale, Link Wray and Danny and the Juniors.


But those three pioneers won't get in because the no longer cares about the pioneers because they aren't popular like Janet Jackson or Madonna. It's now just a popularity contest. But of course you have the fake rock fans who think Janet Jackson is rock. I went to her Wikipedia page and was able to put any question of her being a rock artist to rest. Under the genre category the three genre's listed are pop, R&B and dance. Nowhere is rock  listed. These rock posers only seem to be-able name one Janet Jackson song in defense of her being inducted. That song is Black Cat and it seems to be her only rock sounding song.

Should Willie Nelson get in because did one song with Carl Perkins? Absolutely not. Doing one duet with a rock artist or having one rock sounding song does not make you a rock artist. You rock posers should just go back to your R&B and leave rock 'n' roll to the real rock fans.  I enjoy the music of Chaka Khan and The Spinners but their music isn't rock and that is why they shouldn't get in. Neither should N.W.A who is a hip hop group. Rock is not listed on their Wikipedia page under the genre section. But sadly I don't see Yes or Deep Purple getting in since they've been nominated many times before and haven't won.   

Happy 80th birthday Jerry Lee Lewis

Lou Gramm at The State Fair

Last night I got the chance to see the Lou who was the lead singer of Foreigner. He had suffered a brain tumor in the late 90's and the surgery caused damage to his voice. Although he couldn't hit the highs on songs like Juke Box Hero he still sounded pretty good. This was one of the free shows at the Minnesota State Fair. It was at the the Leinenkugel Loge. This was the second time I had been to this venue. The last time I'd seen a show there was Blue Oyster Cult back in 2013. Although when he talked it was hard to hear because of all the noisy drunks. But thankfully the music was able to drown them out. This is much better then Foreigner aka Mick Jones and friends. although these free shows aren't very long he. was able to pack in many of foreingers greatest songs. Some of the songs he sang were I Want To Know What Love Is, Double Vision, Hot Blooded, Cold as Ice,Head Games and Urgent. He also sang his big solo hit Mightnight Blue. After the show I went to get a record and tape signed that I brought. He was nice enough to sign both. I liked that he put a limit on the number of things you could get signed. Then I was able to get a picture with the man himself. I had a great time overall. It is still surreal to know that I got to see live for free and meet the voice behind some of classic rock's greatest hits.

One more for the King

Happy 70th birthday Pete Townhsend

Long live the King of The Blues

This is my tribute to the King. Many people argue over who is better Eric Clapton, Stevie Ray Vaughan and Jimi Hendrix. But I think that the top two spots on any list belong to B.B. King and Chuck Berry. Every rock guitarist was influenced by one or the other. B.B. is at the top because without him the three I just mentioned would probably not be playing.  It only takes one note for me to know it is him. He is so big that many of music's well-known guitarists have posted a tribute to him. Eric Clapton, Buddy Guy, Robert Cray, George Thorogood, George Benson, John Mayer, Carlos Snatana, Bonnie Raitt, Eric Johnson, Keith Richards, Taj Mahal, Joe Bonamassa, Jimmie Vaughan, Walter Trout, ,Tom Morello, Steve Cropper, Dave Davies, Dave Mustaine, Lenny Kravitz,
Brad Paisley, Keb Mo, Joe Perry, Slash, Neal Schon, Peter Frampton, Rick Nielsen, Jimmy Vivino, Brian May, Joe Walsh, Kenny Wayne Sheppard and Roger McGuinn have all posted tributes. There has not and never will be another guitarist with the exception of Chuck Berry that has had such a impact on such a wide variety of guitarists. I got the chance to see King live in 2012 who at the time was the last of his generation. It was a day I will not forget. R.I.P. B.B. King and thank you.

Rememebering 3 rock pioneers Wally Lester, Jack Ely and Ben E. King

First on April 23 we lost Wally Lester at the age of 73. He was one of the vocalists for the doo-woop group The Skyliners. They had several hits in the late fifties including “Since I Don’t Have You,” "It Happened Today" in 1959 and "This I Swear" and "Pennies From Heaven" in 1960. The group split up in 1963 but would reform on and off in the 70's. Above is the hit Since "I Don't Have You".

Then on April 28th Jack Ely died. Ely was was the lead singer for the early 60's rock band The
Kingsmen. The Kingsmen's most well-known song was a cover of Richard Berry's "Louie Louie" in 1963 which spent 6 weeks at number 2 on the Billbaord charts. Their version of this song was investigated by the F.B.I for being obscene. The case was dropped in 1964. This was the bands only hit song but has went on to become a staple of rock music and the most popular and well-known version of the song. The song is posted above.
  

Then on April 30th the great Ben E. King died. He sang one of music's greatest and well-known song Stand By Me. It was one of a few songs to be reach the top of the charts for a second time. It reached the US Billboard Hot 100in 1961 at number 4 and then again at number 9 in 1987 after the film of the same name came out. Before his solo career he was the lead singer of the legendary doo-wop group the Drifters and sang with them from 1958 to 1960. He sang one of the groups most well-known songs Save the Last Dance for Me. Another  great Drifters song he sang on is This Magic Moment which I posted above.

5 bands that need to call it a day.

5. Foreigner
This band is now a joke compared to the once great band of the 70's and 80's. Not only is Lou Gramm not the singer anymore the only original member in the current lineup is mick Jones and even he doesn't play at all of their shows.

4. Ten Years After
After Alvin Lee who was the band's singer and guitar player left the band they should have called it quits. After Lee passed they should have stopped the band instead of trashing the name of a once great band.

4. Lynyrd Skynyrd
They should have called it quits after the crash but why they still decide to trash the name of a good band with only one original member boggles the mind.

3. Guns N' Roses

These guys really only had one good album in my opinion and that was Appetite for Democracy. The band was forever tarnished by Axel Rose who is a complete burnout and drunk. He single-handedly ruined this bands image by being the only sole member of this band.

 


 
2. The Who or The Two
They were never really the same when Moon died and even more so when John died. They were terrible at the Super bowl because Rodger has lost his voice. After the 50th tour hopefully they will call it a day.












1. Queen or Queen+Paul Rodgers or Queen+Adam Lambert
Queen was once a great rock band. But now it's just a joke. Queen was over in 1991 when Freddie Mercury died. John Deacon knew it was over and made the right choice to retire. Yet Brian and Rodger keep deciding to milk it. There is no one who can replace or come close to Freddie not even a American Idol runner up.

Remebering Alvin Lee on the second anniversary of his passing

RIP Crickets bassist Joe B. Mauldin

Dion: The Wanderer Tells Lies

Dion never flipped a coin with anybody. He just needed some crap for his book. Everyone knows Tommy Allsup flipped the coin with Valens. Bob Hale who was the DJ that night also backs up Allsups story. In this latest lie he claims to have flipped the coin with The Bopper but other times has claimed he flipped it with Valens. Of all the books I've read on the subject they all tell Allsups story and have no mention of Dion flipping the coin. Buddy had wanted Allsup and Waylon Jennings to fly with him. The Big Bopper was under the weather so Waylon gave up his seat.


If he actually cared about them he would have come to one of the Winter Dance party tributes. He has yet to attend one and probably never will. Allsup has been to many and I got to meet him there in 2012. Frankie Sardo who was also a headliner had showed up at least once maybe more. The fact that you couldn't even bother to up show at the 50th anniversary tribute or any tribute just shows what a douche-bag you are. These are all recent claims which he never brought up when Waylon Jennings was alive. He is basically calling Jennings, Allsup and Hale liars. Stop rewriting history just so you can capitalize off of their deaths. It is disgusting and I will be selling the record of yours I bought two years ago and dumping your music from my iTunes library. For a deeply religious man he seems to have forgotten the thou shalt not lie part of the The Ten Commandments. Below are quotes from Dion. The one on top is from a recent Facebook post and the second is from 2011 globe gazette article.

"56 years ago the Big Bopper and I won a coin toss to fly to our next gig with Buddy Holly."

“I won the toss ... but $36 was a deciding factor,” he said. “That was a lot of money in those days. I said to Ritchie, ‘You take it.’ He said, ‘Thanks.’ ”

Happy 80th birthday to Chicago blues legend Eddy "The Chief" Clearwater

Robert the hypocrite

In 2014 Led Zeppelin front man Robert Plant turned down millions to do a reunion tour stating that "I don’t want to be stuck in the ’70s or the ’80s”and "'I'm Not Part of a Jukebox". If this is the case then why are all of his recent solo shows made up of Zeppelin tunes. For his performance at the 2014 New Orleans Jazz Festival 7 of the 13 songs he performed were Zeppelin tunes. If he doesn't want to be a Jukebox or be stuck in the 70's or 80's then he needs to stop playing Zeppelin songs at his shows. Most people who go to his shows are going because they are Led Zeppelin fans and want to hear him play Zeppelin songs. He plays these songs because that's what the people want to hear. Attendance at his shows would be way down if he didn't play Zeppelin songs. If he won't reunite the band for 800 million I find it highly unlikely that he would do it for the fans. This guy is a pathetic joke.