Tag: John Lennon

Retro Rock Reviews: Ep. 1 – George Harrison’s ‘All Things Must Pass’

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Welcome to a new series I have on YouTube called Retro Rock Reviews. Each week, we are going to pick an album and do a quick review. They won’t be long shows, something quick and fun to get you through your day. For the first episode, I am going to do a review of George Harrison’s debut solo album ‘All Things Must Pass’. I reviewed it years ago for the site and thought it would be fun to do that one as my first episode for the new series. I hope you enjoy it…oh yeah…since the original series on YouTube is called ‘The Collection’…these reviews will only be albums in my collection…makes sense!

So go check it out as it is live now on August 8, 2024 at Noon.…because why not!! Thanks for stopping by and please click “Like” and hit “Subscribe” as it helps out the site when you do.

Friday New Releases – July 12, 2024

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Happy Friday!! And why is it happy? Well, it is New Release Friday that is why. We have a bunch of new albums for you this week. I am interested in the Van Halen and the Mr. Big release. My kids are excited about the Megan Moroney and Cigarettes After Sex new albums. Hopefully there is something in here for you. Let me know what you want to hear or what we may have missed. Thanks for stopping by and have a great weekend.

  • Mr. Big – Ten – (Frontiers Records)
  • Megan Moroney – Am I Okay? – (Sony Music)
  • Hardy – Quit!! – (Big Loud Rock / Mercury Records / Republic Records / UMG)
  • Cigarettes After Sex – X’s – (Spanish Prayers / Partisan Records)
Continue reading “Friday New Releases – July 12, 2024” →

My Sunday Song – “Song For Lennon” by Shugaazer

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For My Sunday Song #417, we are on to another band from Paul Laine called Shugaazer. This was a much more modern sounding Paul then we are used to and you know, I quite dig it. The song this week is called “Song for Lenon” and it is on the band’s only album, 2003’s ‘Shift’. The band consists of Paul Laine on vocals, Chris Matheson on guitar, Roland Churchill on drums and Shane Demers on bass. The song was written by Paul Laine and someone named Par. I didn’t see it in the credits but it could be either Stuart or Patrick “Par”enteau as both were thanked on the album and Patrick took the photographs used in the booklet. If you know, let me know in the comments.

Paul Laine had this to say about “Song for Lenon” when he spoke to MelodicRock.com back in 2003.

“Like many others, I have always been a huge fan of John Lennon and the Beatles. I had just watched the film “Imagine” and I was very moved by his compassion for other people, as well as his love for Yoko. He had a real passion for things he felt strongly about and was not afraid to speak out about them. I was thinking to myself…I wonder what John would talk about if he was still around today…how would he see the world? How would he see his own life and the impact he had on other people? Would he still write about love and peace? I felt compelled to write a song for him expressing my own thoughts and feelings, and in a way, express some feelings that I thought he would have too, if he were still alive.”

I think that explains nicely what the song is about.

The song opens slowly, with a gentle build in the song while we listen to Lennon speaking. Paul comes in with the first verse and during that the full band kicks in. The song is a power ballad and is tender and peaceful as Lennon while the choruses are more powerful like Lennon’s impact on the world. The melodies and the layering of Paul’s vocals are so killer. You can feel the emotion he is trying to get across. Musically, a very modern rock song sound, no 80’s style this time around. The drums are powerful, the guitars are sweeping and the keys add the right amount of texture. All blended nicely together with Laine’s vocals. A very well crafted tune.

Continue reading “My Sunday Song – “Song For Lennon” by Shugaazer” →

Cheap Trick – “Gimme Some Truth” – 7″ Single RSD Black Friday 2019 (The Cheap Trick Collection Series)

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For Record Store Day on Black Friday, November 29, 2019, Cheap Trick was releasing a limited edition 7″ Single of a new song and limited to only 1,500 copies. It was a RSD First Release which means they were going to release it again sometime and wasn’t exclusive, but it didn’t stop me from picking it up. The funny thing is it said it was a new song off it’s latest album which actually didn’t come out until 18 months later, but I am okay with that as I love my 7″ Singles. The song was “Gimme Some Truth” which is a of course, not really a new song as it is a cover of the John Lennon classic. But I guess it is new to Cheap Trick.

The B-Side is a live version of a song that was truly on their latest album at the time which was their Christmas album called ‘Christmas Christmas’. The studio version is on the album and this is live which is cool as the song is the Wizzard cover of “I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday” written by Roy Wood. Well, Roy Wood is featured on this live version from the band. How cool is that!! And the packaging was great as I like the Uncle Sam on the cover and then on the back is the Cheap Trick logo morphed in to the Union Jack. Cheap Trick was always called the American Beatles and with covering a Lennon song, we get the British side of them as well.

Continue reading “Cheap Trick – “Gimme Some Truth” – 7″ Single RSD Black Friday 2019 (The Cheap Trick Collection Series)” →

The Original vs. The Cover – “With A Little Help From My Friends”

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For this episode of The Original vs. The Cover, we are going to discuss the incredible song “With A Little Help From My Friends” originally by The Beatles and most famously covered by Joe Cocker. The song for The Beatles was off their 1967 album ‘Sgt. Pepper & the Lonely Hearts Club Band’ and it was never released as a single until a re-issue of it in 1978. Joe Cocker’s version was off his 1968 album of the same name. His version went to #1 in the UK and only #68 in the US but is a signature song for him.

The song was written by the great writing duo of McCartney and Lennon and according to John Lennon, the song was mostly written by Paul with a little help from his friend. They wrote the song specifically for Ringo Starr who sings lead on the track. I found where the original working title of the song was called “Bad Finger Boogie” because Lennon played with only his middle finger on the piano as he hurt his forefinger. That title is said to have inspired the band Badfinger. Now, only believe this if you believe everything wikipedia tells you.

The song is said to be about drugs as even former U.S Vice Presidential candidate, Spiro Agnew, stated it was and wanted the song to be band. That claims is completely denied by the band. The song could be just about how no matter hard it gets, you can make it through it with the help of your friends. I mean John and Paul wrote the song for Ringo so that was helping their friend. Let’s get to the music.

THE BEATLES:

Continue reading “The Original vs. The Cover – “With A Little Help From My Friends”” →

My Sunday Song – “3 Warning Shots” by Rick Springfield

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For My Sunday Song #275, we are going after the brutal song “3 Warning Shots” by Rick Springfield. This is another from the 2008 album ‘Venus in Overdrive’. The album went to #28 on the Billboard charts upon its release and I think was a very overlooked album by many as it had some great tracks including this one.

The song is about the murder of John Lennon and it is not what you’d expect. It is a letter to the man that killed Lennon and there is so much anger in this letter and it is really shocking (I’m not saying the killers name for a reason as he does deserve to be named). Rick is basically telling the guy, if I find you, I am going to basically kill you by shooting you 3 times in the head. I love how he tells the guy that Lucifer might have promised you you’d be legit, but everybody thinks your shit. It is not a song you would expect Rick Springfield to write, but it is awesome.

I love how the song opens with Rick’s son reading the news like an actual broadcast of Lennon’s death. Rick then sings with so much anger and to match that the music is a lot heavier. The drums pound with a veracity that amplifies that anger. The whole song is Rick calling out Lennon’s killer and the song wouldn’t be as impactful if the music didn’t match the intensity of the lyrics and Rick’s vocals. It all works perfectly. I remember hearing the song the first time and being taken back. I had to hit repeat and listen to it again and again. I think I listened to it 5 times in a row. It is one of my favorites of his, plus I love songs about Lennon for some reason.

Continue reading “My Sunday Song – “3 Warning Shots” by Rick Springfield” →

You Pick It! – What Album to Review in June?

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You, my reader, are going to pick an album for me to review each month.  It is really simple…first, I will give you 5 albums to choose from and second, you will tell me which one of those you would like to see reviewed on the site.  See…simple!

There are a few simple rules I have put in to place in my selections.  They are…

  • One has to be a new release (within the last month)
  • One has to be one I have never heard before (new releases don’t count for this one)
  • One has to be from a genre I don’t normally listen to at all or very often
  • And the last two are choices from my collection that I haven’t reviewed before

What are the 5 albums you ask?  Funny you should ask because I have those right here…

  New Release – Weezer – ‘Van Weezer’

  Never Heard Before – John Lennon – ‘John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band’

  Not My Normal Genre – Fugees – ‘The Score’

  From My Collection – The Beatles – ‘Rubber Soul’

  From My Collection – The Traveling Wilburys – The Traveling Wilburys, Vol. 1

Let me know which one you would like to see and sometime in June, I will post a review of the album that gets the most votes. You have one week to decide and from there I will start listening to the album and do a review. I somehow ended up with some major Beatles connections with 3 of these albums and not sure why I did that, but I did.

Thanks for participating!!

Friday New Releases – April 23, 2021

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Happy Friday everyone! Spring is upon and us and things are heating up both in temperature and releases. We have some great stuff for you today, at least I hope you find some of it great. Lots of rock, lots of Indie and lots of country. I know I’m excited as I have 3 new albums I am eagerly waiting on and those are marked in Blue. Let me know what you are interested in hearing and what I may have missed on my list so everyone can know what is out there. Thanks so much for stopping by and I hope you all have a wonderful weekend.

  • 81RzK+8xYmL._SX522_  Reach – The Promise of a Life – (Icons Creating Evil Art): This three-piece band from Sweden is back with their third album. Their last album, ‘The Great Divine’, was my favorite album a few years ago so can’t wait for this one. The used to be a little melodic rock, but now they are far from it. They are way more alternative rock now in the vein of maybe The Muse or even Panic at times. We will see if I like the new direction, but I have a feeling I still will.
  • 71w+LOfrv6L._SS500_  Kaleo – Surface Sounds – (Elektra Records): Are you ready for Icelandic Blues Rock…you heard me right. This band from Iceland are the real deal. This is their third album that was supposed to come out last year right around the time the pandemic hit and now we are finally getting it. They are a solid blues band and you will be in for a treat.
Continue reading “Friday New Releases – April 23, 2021” →

Friday New Releases – October 9, 2020

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October started out with a bang last week and no signs of slowing down this week either. This seems to be the week of some massive Deluxe Box Sets with Linking Park, Tears for Fears and John Lennon each issuing one. There is a also a wide variety of artists from metal, to rock, to pop, to classical crossover, to country, to gospel and on and on. I hope there is something for you. My choices are highlighted in Blue as usual. Let me know what you want to hear and what I may have missed. Thanks for stopping by and have a great weekend!!

  • images-2  Linkin Park – Hybrid Theory 20th Anniversary Edition – (Warner Records): 20 years, that seems crazy. One of my favorite Linkin Park albums so I am anxious to hear all the rarities and anything else they have never released. This looks massive and awesome.
  • 71MEqNhRJhL._SS500_  Smith & Myers – Volume 1 – (Atlantic Recordings): Brent Smith from Shinedown and musician Zach Myers have their first full length acoustic album. It has 5 new songs and 5 covers. As their previous work has been exceptional, I expect no difference here.
Continue reading “Friday New Releases – October 9, 2020” →

1980 – The Greatest Year in Music?

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If you are new to the site, I started this series with the year 1987 and then noticed that 1991 and 1983 were also a couple of the greatest years in music.  I got to thinking, was there a pattern that every 4 years we have another great year in music.  Well theory didn’t last long as I don’t think the next two years I researched were “great” years in music.  Those years were 1979 and 1995. If you want to explore all the years I have examined so far, click on the link below…

1971 – The Greatest Year in Music?

1979 – The Greatest Year in Music?

1983 – The Greatest Year in Music?

1987 – The Greatest Year in Music?

1991 – The Greatest Year in Music?

1995 – The Greatest Year in Music?

Now that my theory is busted, I am now on the hunt for the “Greatest” year in music. I reviewed 1971 first and it was pretty fantastic and I am now on 1980.  I know, I know.  I am not going in any kind of order.  I am going with what I am in the mood to explore and this time 1980 has me jazzed as so many great albums are now 40 years old!!

Will 1980 be another great year or will it be the greatest year.  Let us explore and see and then decide at the end.  But first we have to ask What were the top albums of the year?, What were the debut albums from some of the great rock bands? and What was going on in the world of music that year?

NEWS:

400px-Original_Sony_Walkman_TPS-L2The Sony Walkman: I wrote about the advent of the Sony Walkman in the 1979 post as that was when it went on sale in Japan.  In the U.S., it went on sale on June 25, 1980 almost a year later.  The way you listen to music was changed forever!! (at least until the CD and then the MP3 and now streaming).  Who didn’t have one of these if you were a kid in the 80’s.  I definitely did.  It helped spur my love for music as it now was more portable and more personal.  It was better than just the radio, I could listen to what I wanted to wherever and whenever I wanted.  I used mine while I mowed the lawn (and every now and again I would snag the cord on the mower and pull my headphones off). I had a boombox, but that wasn’t the same as the Walkman.  There was nothing better (until my iPod). Continue reading “1980 – The Greatest Year in Music?” →