This blog spot is the home to my ramblings. I am a free lance writer. Most of my work goes on Associated Content. Sometimes I write what is on my mind, sometimes I plug some of my writing, and sometimes a combination of the two. So, sit back read, enjoy, and we will see where it goes.
In a battle over the Led Zeppelin song Black Dogs my readers voted three to three in this Heart to Hart decision. Will I do an overtime battle on May 1st or will a go in a different direction? Honestly, I don't know.
The fair thing to do is to celebrate both Beth Hart and Heart.
"Bad Woman Blues" from Beth Hart
Heart "Barracuda"
Tune in on May 1st for another Battle of the Bands.
The winner of my last Battle of the Bands was Pomplamoose beating Weezer 4 to 1. Pomplamoose does mostly covers so no celebratory post this time around. Anyway this time around I am getting the Led out with Led Zeppelin's Black Dog.
Contender One: Beth Hart
Contender Two: Heart
Tell me which version you liked the best in the comments Beth Hart or Heart. I count the votes and in about a week or so I announce the winner in a new post. Hope you enjoyed the battle.
I knew Heart's version of Stairway to Heaven would be hard to beat. As Birgit pointed out "They really belted it out in front of Robert Plant no less at the Kennedy Center Honors ." I will add in front of Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones too!
I'm not sure this version from the last time they reunited would have won?
I felt Mary J Blige had something. She didn't shorten the song to single length but she tweaked the arrangement to fit her with more of a pop sensitivity that Zeppelin wouldn't have cared about. She also brought in her all stars.
In the end Heart prevailed 5 to 2, but Mary J Blige did challenge. I'm glad the voters returned for this Battle.
Here Heart does their version of "Black Dog"
"Barracuda"
I'll be back on the 1st with a brand new Battle. I have 10 days to think of something.
Come back and vote on the new Battle and tell your friends!
I most have lost my mind taking an epic, masterpiece like Stairway to Heaven and use it on a Battle of the Bands. It's worse than playing the song in a guitar store. What's worse is one of the cover versions I plan to use many regard as the best one. So this nut job of a blogger thinks he has a version that can compete! Well I think I have one. What I think and how the votes come in can be quite different. I've had nail biters, ties, blowouts, and shutouts so let's start this riot.
Since the song is pretty long I am not going to dig out the original. I'm pretty sure everyone has probably heard Led Zeppelin's Stairway to Heaven. If you haven't go check out their fourth album.
Heart with Jason Bonham
Mary J Blige
Mary like Heart has some help on this song. Mary has the guitars of Steve Vai and Orianthi.
Heart or Mary. Let me know in the comments. I'll write about the winner in a week or so.
It's time for Monday's Music Moves Me blog hope post. This one should be interesting since it is about Body Parts in the song title.
"Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes"
A little band from Texas had a song about "Legs"
A little ZZ Top.
Eyes count, "Behind Blue Eyes" The Who
Shakira "Hips Don't Lie"
Page and Plant "Heart in Your Hand"
ELO "Can't Get You Out of My Head"
Hey I kept it clean! I was able yo get a lot of body parts, head, heart, hand, hips, eyes, legs, shoulder, knees and toes! I hope you had fun and I will be back with a new post soon!
It is late at night. H is a little tricky and since I didn't want to do a short post like I did for G. I will stay with a music theme. I will go with Heart, a female led rocking outfit currently on hiatus.
Let's rock out to "Barracuda" from 1977...
I should be sleeping so maybe "These Dreams"
Yes, I eventually discovered the classic Heart songs of the 70s. However, I was introduced with their 80s and 90's hits...like "What About Love"
"Never"
What is your favorite Heart song? Feel free to share. Tuesday's letter is I!
My last Battle of the Bands featured two talented but different females singing a classic Soundgarden song. It was another tribute to Chris Cornell. If I wanted a girl to rock me it would be Ann Wilson. If I was in the mood for something more jazzy it would be Norah Jones. Hearing these two woman interpret Cornell's song really paid tribute to how well the song was created.
I enjoyed the Battle and I look forward to the next one. The results came in with each artist getting three votes. The results are all done by the votes of my readers. That' s why I don't cast a tie-breaking vote.
Here is Ann Wilson in Heart...
Here is Norah Jones..."Come Away with Me"
Stay tuned I will have another Battle of the Bands coming up on June 15th. Please come back and vote on an all new Battle of the Bands.
Last month the world lost some talented musicians. Even though I honored them with a tribute post, I a still remembering them in the Battle of the Bands.
How it works: I post two versions of the songs. You listen to the songs and let me know which one you thought was the best in the comments. I count up the votes and announce a winner at a later day which will be around June 7.
In honor of Chris Cornell, today's song comes from Soundgarden...
Ann Wilson
This one wasn't a tribute, but was done just a few days before his death...
Norah Jones
This one was a tribute..
Side note Norah's performance was at the same place Chris had his last performance.
Vote in the comments I will be back with a winner.
Jason Bonham has certainly been busy lately touring with Sammy Hagar (currently), his own Led Zeppelin Experience, and with Heart. Rumor has it he is apparently going to be the drummer on the new Phil Collins album.
Jason with Sammy Hagar performing Led Zeppelin's "Rock and Roll"
I enjoyed Jason Bonham working with Glenn Hughes in their last band Black Country Communion..
Here is "I Can See Your Spirit"
I thought these bands would steer Jason a bit out of his Father's shadow. Being in a band that isn't a Zeppelin cover band or a band with a similar sound. Jason is a heck of a drummer but being the son of John is a blessing and a curse I would imagine.
Anyway I was looking forward to catching California Breed live somewhere down the road..
Here they pay tribute to Deep Purple and Led Zeppelin...(Mr. Hughes was in Deep Purple)
Oh well. I enjoyed Jason in a rock trio setting while it lasted..
I wish him luck in whatever he pursues. I mean I have been following him since the 80's. Catching him live in 1988 with Jimmy Page and again in 2012 with Black Country Communion.
You might not have heard about California Breed. They are a brand new power trio in the rock world. Collectively the group can be linked to Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin, and Black Country Communion. I'm ready to hear their debut being released in the United States on May 20, 2014. I mean I haven't been this excited for a new band's debut since Black Country Communion's first release.California Breed consists of Jason Bonham, Glenn Hughes and Andrew Watt.
The beginning:
Jason Bonham and Glenn Hughes made up the rhythm section of the supergroup Black Country Communion. Mr. Hughes adding his legendary vocals with his energetic stage presence easily could be considered a frontman in the band.
BCC had more ingredients including blues guitar maestro Joe Bonamassa and keyboard master Derek Sherinian.
Then they split up and out of the ashes came California Breed. Though in honesty, BCC didn't go down in flames. Probably the reason falls more on logistics and conflicting music projects.
Older Past:
Glenn Hughes first made his mark in the music world with bands like Finders Keepers and Trapeze. His status took a legendary leap as a member of Deep Purple. A successful run with Black Country Communion brought Glenn Hughes into the now. Now California Breed is set to put him into the future..
Jason Bonham has the bloodline being Led Zeppelin's John Bonham. He has cut his teeth on rock and roll. He has recorded with Robert Plant and Jimmy Page. The first time I saw him play live was in 1988 with Jimmy Page on The Outrider Tour...
He played in his own band and Bonham in the 80's. Did some Zeppelin tribute tours. He played as a member in Led Zeppelin in a couple of one off reunions including The Celebration Concert at the O2.
He even honored Led Zeppelin with Heart at The Kennedy Center..
The New
Andrew Watt at 23 represents a new generation of guitar heros playing with the established Hughes and Bonham.
You know this year's Kennedy Center Honors was on my radar. Led Zeppelin and Buddy Guy being honored. The show alone would be interesting with one of Late Night Televisions best in David Letterman, actor Dustin Hoffman, and ballerina Natalia Makarov.
If you missed the show on PBS check it out on youtube. No none of the honorees performed. However, Tracy Chapman, Jimmy Vaughan, Gary Clark Jr, Bonnie Raitt, Beth Hart, and Jeff Beck played tribute to Buddy Guy. It is hard to say Led Zeppelin is my favorite band of all time, but they are at least the most influential band on my music taste. Now they were honored, I am a big fan of Buddy Guy, and then they add my favorite guitarist performing in Jeff Beck.
During the Led Zeppelin tribute part of the show. They had The Foo Fighters, Lenny Kravitz, Kid Rock, and Heart. Heart performed with Jason Bonham on drums and they brought the house down with their performance of "Stairway to Heaven." They even added a choir to the song.
Here is Lenny Kravitz...
That is just on the music side. Add in Tina Fey and Robert DeNiro and others and you have one fantastic show. Something to check out...
The breaking news of the day of who will be the new members of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2013 kind of trumped what I was planning to blog about.
Lou Adler
Lou Adler made it as owner of the Roxy, a manager, a songwriter, basically a music insider responsible for a lot of the California Rock Scene having a hand in Monterrey to Carole King.
Here is an interview I dug up on him...
Quincy Jones
Quincy Jones made it as well. Trumpet player, arranger, musical director, had his own solo career, did music for movies and TV shows, and he produced numerous hit albums.
Here is a song from Quincy..
RUSH
This Canadian Rock trio deserves to be the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.Songs like "The Spirit of the Radio" and "Tom Sawyer" have made the group staples of classic rock radio stations everywhere.
Here they perform "Fly by Night"
Heart
I know Ann and Nancy Wilson started in the 70s but they were everywhere in the 80s. Songs like "These Dreams," "Magic Man" bring up so many memories. "Barracuda" just rocks. They are having a great 2012 just performing this month at the Kennedy Center to honor Led Zeppelin, the girls have been on tour most of the year.
Here they are performing "Barracuda"
Rush and Heart definitely top the list of rock bands that made it.
Albert King
Deserves to be in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame if nothing else for his influence. The blues man influenced the likes of Eric Clapton, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Johnny Winter and Derek Trucks to name just a handful.
Randy Newman
It is hard to put him in a musical box his songs went from country, to film, to R&B, pop...
However it is hard to argue with a resume that has 6 GRAMMY Awards, 3 EMMY Awards and 2 Oscars.
Donna Summer
She was the Queen of Disco. 5 Grammy Awards and 6 American Music Awards help paved the way for her to be in the Hall of Fame. Sadly she passed away in May.
Public Enemy
Hip hop is represented as well. Public Enemy made it to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The band has won a Grammy and been nominated for several. They also have won a Soul Train Award. The band was political and influential.
The people, bands, and musicians above got it and I congratulate them. Yes, there are a few who haven't made it in that deserve it. At least in my opinion and we all have opinions so I know there are few who probably should be in. Maybe one day we will celebrate them. Today we celebrate these.
Hey it is Rocktober so my blog should be heavy with music this month. Let's take a look at the 2012 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Nominations. A few of these should already be inducted., including RUSH...
Deep Purple is another that should be in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. It is also a band my wife and I went to see for our first date together...
The Sisters of Rock and Roll Heart are nominated..
Joan Jett and the Blackhearts also was nominated..
and some real classic rock Procol Harum...
Some Blues..Albert King...
The Paul Butterfield Blues Band...
The Meters...
Some more twists with Chic...
Randy Newman...
The Marvellettes...
Kraftwerk...
The great, late Donna Summers...
Diversity is strong this year with Public Enemy...
and N.W.A...
I'm pulling for Deep Purple and RUSH. There are a few more who deserve to be in as well. Who are you pulling for?
The A to Z: Challenge ended and now my blog is back to it's regularly scheduled programming. Then again maybe not. It is about time I told you about some rocker who died. Maybe old rockers are taking a break from becoming deceased. Maybe young rockers are deciding the 27 Club is overrated. Well anyway our fairy tale begins in a restaurant owned by a rocker who can't drive 55..
Heart guitarist Ann Wilson married Music Executive Geoff Bywater, you can read the details here. I think it had to do with him being a Magic Man..
Now they are on their Honeymoon on the Sea of Love...
and they live happily ever after..or that's the way it is supposed to go. Hopefully they won't be eaten by Barracudas..
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