Tag: Bon Jovi

Father’s Day – The Vinyl Gifts

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I hate holidays…I don’t know why, but i just do.  Ok, I hate the ones where I have to buy gifts…I feel so much pressure.  The holidays I do like are the ones where I actually get gifts.  The old adage “it is better to give than to receive” is crap.  That person never received vinyl records as a gift obviously.

For Father’s Day this year, my wife and daughters gave me some nice gifts.  Not only did I receive some great cards and some candy, but I got some nice shirts for work as well.  Which I needed.  They also got me some really cool, crazy socks.  One was blue with some pineapples (don’t know why, but I love them) and the other was some gray socks with guitars on them (I understand that one and love them as well).

But what I loved most of all was some vinyl.  I love to go buy vinyl, but I generally only buy used records from the 70’s & 80’s and if I am lucky…early 90’s.  The brand new copies I generally don’t buy…too expensive.  So I always ask for those as gifts.

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Bruce Fairbairn – Producer Extraordinaire #3

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In my producer extraordinaire series, this is the 3rd producer who helped create some of my favorite albums.  The first post in the series was for Robert John “Mutt” Lange and then second post was for Brendan O’Brien.  Both legendary producers.

Bruce Fairbairn didn’t have as long as career as the first two guys due to his untimely death back in 1999.  However, during his brief time, he crafted some of the most memorable albums of the 80’s & 90’s and the albums sold well over 65 million copies if you just count the platinum and gold albums.

It all started in back in Canada in the late 70’s when he started out producing for a band called Prism.  Prism had moderate success in Canada, but not much internationally.  In 1980, Bruce started production on the debut album for another Canadian band called Loverboy.  Loverboy opened the doors for Bruce with the bands international appeal. He produced 4 albums with Loverboy in the 80’s.  They were as follows:

  • Loverboy – (2x Platinum)
  • Get Lucky – (4x Platinum)
  • Keep It Up – (2x Platinum)
  • Wildside – (Gold)

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Friday New Releases – February 10th

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Welcome to another Friday!  It is time for more new releases and I hope you have some money saved up because one of these is quite pricey.  I know I won’t be getting it anytime soon…if ever.   Not a lot this week, but one I am getting for sure…My picks are in Blue.  And that is The Michael Bolton you see on the list.

  • 616o1njxsrl-_ac_us174_  Def Leppard – And There Will Be A Next Time…Live From Detroit (Blue-Ray/DVD/CD) – (Eagle Rock Entertainment):  Def Leppard is back with another live concert DVD and CD.  Mine has been on pre-order for a couple weeks and should be at my house when I get home.  Can’t wait for this one.

  •  41xza0r4ubl-_ac_us160_  Bon Jovi – Vinyl Box Set (24 LPs) – (Universal Records):  At over $400 this set is for the diehard fan.  I am no longer diehard, but there are 2 albums in here I want that have never been on vinyl before…’Keep the Faith’ and ‘These Days’.  Two of their best albums that I will pick up sometime soon.  Here is a video from their newest album which is included in this set.

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Train – A Girl A Bottle A Boat – Album Review

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Train has found a niche in the pop world.  They bring a fun, summer song feel to their albums and are firmly fitted in the Adult Contemporary world.  They have found their formula and they are sticking to it.  However, they are starting to show signs of a disease called BonJovitis.  What is BonJovitis?  Well here is the clinical definition:

BonJovitis – a disease caused by repeating the same song formula without ever changing anything other than the words. It causes dull, lifeless and completely uninspiring albums and puts your fans and listeners to sleep.  Ultimately the disease will cause your album sales to drop and fans to leave and search elsewhere for music.  (See Bon Jovi as a perfect example).

All their albums are starting to sound the same, but it isn’t as bad for me as how Bon Jovi does it.  If you are a regular reader of my site, you know Train holds a special place in my families heart.  That is the only reason they don’t have full blown BonJovitis in my eyes…YET!!!

All joking aside, Train has delivered another solid album.  I even think the album cover is actually quite beautiful.  It has the ocean, a beautiful girl, a boat and the American flag.  I don’t see a bottle though.

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Concerts, Concerts, Concerts – The 80’s

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I have been going through this rock & roll trip down memory lane with this blog.  It started with the vinyl records I found in a box and than last week with the posters.  I actually found one more box from my younger days and this one had a ton of concert ticket stubs from over the years.  I also found a couple concert T’s and a couple programs as well.  I still can’t believe I kept all this stuff, but I am glad I did.

Going to a concert nowadays, they don’t give you a physical ticket anymore.  If they do, they charge you for it.  Nope, tickets are on your phone and get scanned in or you print it out on your printer.  Not the same as those dot matrix printers from the old days.

You also used to stand in line for tickets.  You had to arrive an hour or two before the tickets went on sale whether it was hot, cold, raining or snowing.  We did it each and every time we wanted to go see a show.  And we loved it!  Now you go online from the comfort of you home…not the same.

Whether you want to or not, I am going to take you on a journey of my musical concert experiences…at least most of them because I think I am missing quite a few ticket stubs.

The 80’s

Our journey begins back around 1983.  I was only 14 years old.  My parents finally agreed to let me go to a concert, but I had to go with my sister…REALLY!!!  Actually, it was okay.  My sister and I have been to many concerts together and even went to one 2 years ago some 3o+ years later.

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Friday New Releases – December 16th

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Happy Friday.  This is the last Friday New Release update of the year.  The next two weeks might have some new releases but nothing on my radar.

This week’s list is very limited as well. The only one worth writing home about is the 40th Anniversary of Rush’s classic album 2112.  Outside of that I might listen to the Bon Jovi live album (won’t buy it) and I will always listen to anything Tony Bennett.  See if there is anything you are interested in hearing.

  • cover170x170-13  Rush – 2112 (40th Anniversary) – (Mercury Records):  Hard to believe it has been 40 years since this album came out. Amazing.  And I am getting old.  It will be great to go back and listen to this amazing classic.  If you have 20 minutes to kill, check out the video.

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The Top Rock Albums of 2016

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2016 is about to be over so it is time to look back on the year and see what amazing albums rocked my world this year.  It was a great year indeed.  This was the year I started this blog back in April and it has been a blast. I have listened to a lot of albums this year so I had stuff to write about and it really made the year special.

This list will be my favorite “Rock” albums of the year.  All other types of music will be for a later post.  I am going to leave this one to my favorite genre.  It is a broad genre, but these are the albums that I consider to be ROCK!!

Also note, these are MY FAVORITES!!  These are not the most popular or possibly even the ones that have sold the most.  These are the albums that I connected with during the year and kept coming back to again and again.  And without further adieu, here are the Top Rock Albums of 2016:

My #1 Album of the Year:

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Hellyeah – UnDen!able (Eleven Seven Music):  This album screams Rock & Roll to me!  It is heavy and pounding with aggressive vocals and lyrics and was perfect for me when I got stuck in traffic and needed to vent a little.  With songs like “Startariot”, “X”, “Scratch A Lie” and “Be Undeniable”, I was completely satisfied with this gem.  Check out the review at this link to see what I thought in detail about the album.

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Turntables & Vinyl #4 – The 80’s Are Back!

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I have been going to records stores way too often as I continue my obsession on buying vinyl.  On the flip side of that, I also don’t feel like I have gone enough.  Confusing I know. I actually enjoy just browsing through the store and seeing what is there.  It is rare I go into the store and I don’t buy anything, but lately I am picking up 5 or 6 at a time and I am loving it.

Most everything I am picking up is of course from the 70’s or 80’s since vinyl died out in the 90’s.  The new releases that are out now are too expensive to make it a habit so I focus on the used record.  There are no shortages of those, but what I want is seldom available on my visits.  It is hit or miss.

Lately, it has been more hit than miss.  And it has mostly been 80’s records so I guess the 80’s are back.  Yes, I am buying records for albums I had already purchased back in the 80’s whether on cassette or CD, but I don’t have any of those anymore so I actually only have the one physical copy of the album.  The other copy is now digital and you can’t really hold that in your hand.

So, what I have been picking up on my adventures you might ask that is from the 80’s?  Well, you probably aren’t asking but I am going to tell you anyway.

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Giving “Thanks” – Playlist – Happy Thanksgiving

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It is Thanksgiving time here in the States and I definitely have a lot to be thankful for.  In celebration of this wonderful Holiday, here are a collection of songs about giving thanks or at least things we should be thankful for.  Happy Thanksgiving to you all and thank you for taking the time to stop by and check out the blog.  It is much appreciated.

“Thank You For Loving Me” by Bon Jovi off the album ‘Crush’.  If you have that special someone, make sure to tell them Thank You for being a part of your life and for loving you for you.  If you don’t have that special someone, I love you!!  So you are welcome!!

“Give Thanks And Praise” by Bob Marley off the album ‘Confrontation’.  Actually not a bad way to start everyday by giving thanks for waking up and giving praise to our maker.

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Bon Jovi – ‘This House Is Not For Sale’ – Album Review

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The song “God Bless This Mess” sums up the album. The album is a complete mess. The album has some good songs, but overall lacks heart and the great songwriting from years past. I really wanted to like this album and hoped they could make one last great album. That did not happen.

What is wrong with the album?  Where do I begin.

1. The album is so formulaic and a repeat of their last few albums. There is definitely nothing new.

2. The backing vocals are lacking. Richie Sambora’s vocals alongside Jon’s voice are sorely missed.

3.  There are no great power ballads and a lot of the songs lack any real emotion. At times it feels like they are phoning it in.  It is very disappointing.

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