It is always a pleasure to receive new material from an established artist, although I do enjoy new musicians and experiences as well. Watching familiar players as they develop, mature and change with the times is truly fascinating.
Round Red Light is the debut recording from Barcelona guitarist Dave Juarez and the album is comprised of all original material. Juarez has assembled a fine ensemble to present his compositions for this recording session, including John Escreet (Piano), Seamus Blake (Saxophone), Lauren Falls (Bass) and Bastian Weinhold (Drums) are solid players. The music is modern in nature and the melodies fairly complex.
Released on their fifth album, the self-titled record Blur, “Song 2” became the band’s biggest hit on this side of the Atlantic, as well as one of their most recognizable songs in the U.K. The second song on the album, and being two minutes and two seconds long, “Song 2” was originally give the name as a working title, officially announced on stage in Dublin, but after fans dug the title and the album was ready to be released, the name stuck. The song was written to parody American grunge music, but ironically was given heavy airtime by the same radio stations the band was poking fun at.
George Lynch, lead guitarist for Dokken and leader of his own dual rock bands, Lynch Mob and Souls of We, has announced plans to release his eleventh solo album in nearly twenty years. Kill All Control is set for release this summer through Rocket Science, Inc.
One of the many common misconceptions about Death Metal is that people think Death Metal musicians and fans are all about violence and death. It makes sense really; the genre is called DEATH Metal, and one look at the lyrics of any song is enough to make any God-fearing man crap his pants. What outsiders fail to realize is that the so-called “headbangers” do all this in good fun; for the most part. There are always the black metal bands who burn churches and torture people, but they are NOT Death Metal. They are just lumped in to this genre by people who don’t know better. Death Metal is really all about having a great time.
Peaking at number 6 on the Billboard charts, “All the Small Things” was a huge hit for the band Blink 182, and has since become the band’s signature song. Written for lead singer Tom DeLonge’s then girlfriend, the song would not only top the charts, but would expose the band to a whole new audience. According to DeLonge, he wanted to write a song with “na-na’s” in it because he loved the Ramones and wanted to pay tribute to the kings of New York Punk. Though it was released in the year 2000, the song remains a staple of the band’s live set until this day.
There are few singers in rock history that have left their mark on the world as much as YES vocalist Jon Anderson. His career as the lead singer for the progressive rock band, pioneers in their field, is one of the most storied in the genre, and yet it seems like he’s just hitting his creative stride as he reaches his golden years. With a new record out last year, a successful tour with Rick Wakeman under his belt, and embarking on a new solo acoustic tour this spring, the veteran singer shows no signs of slowing down any time soon.
Michigan has had a rough go of things in recent years. The economy has taken a pounding and the State has become the poster child for the struggling middle class as America moves into the new century. But, regardless of what the unemployment rate is, how many jobs GM just cut from their factories or where the State budget is going, Michigan has always managed to produce new and exciting music and some of the best musicians in the nation. Bassist, composer and arranger Tom Knific is just such an artist. The Western Michigan University jazz studies faculty has consistently produced solid recordings of hard-swinging, heavy groovin’ jazz throughout his long and successful career as a performer and recording artist. His latest album, Knific: The Muse, is no exception as it showcases all of the things that have made Knific the premier bassist in the Wolverine State for going on two decades.
Written by Steve Winwood, and recorded by the band Blind Faith, “Can’t Find My Way Home” was not only a big hit for the band, but it became highly controversial for the album’s cover that it was featured on. Featured a young, topless teenage looking woman holding an airplane, which some people thought was phallic shaped. The album had to be released with an alternate cover, featuring a picture of the band, in the U.S. since the original cover was deemed unfit for the American public. The original model for the cover was 14 years old, but when she was deemed too old for the artist’s concept, her 11 year old sister was used for the photo shoot.
Written as a protest song against the Vietnam War, Black Sabbath’s “War Pigs” was released on the band’s best-selling record Paranoid, as well as on every live album except Cross Purposes Live. The song is also known for its long ending, which was so distinct from the original track that it was given its own name, “Luke’s Wall.” The ending was named after two Black Sabbath roadies at the time, Geoff Lucas and Spock Wall, who were a two-man road crew at the time of the album’s recording. Following the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the song was put on Clear Channel’s list of songs that it deemed inappropriate for airplay in the U.S.
