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.
Sheryl Crow won my Battle of the Bands contest 3 to 1 over P.P. Arnold. Why did I pick P.P Arnold as a contestant? Well she has done backing vocals for Roger Waters, Peter Gabriel, The Small Faces, Stephen Stills, Graham Nash to name a few. She also had a solo career. During her solo career she was the first to record a song by Cat Stevens called "The First Cut is the Deepest." So Sheryl Crow beat one of the First Cuts.
Kicking off the Battle of the Bands for July with a song written by Cat Stevens called "The First Cut is The Deepest." Sometimes when two woman fight it is called a cat fight. Well How about P.P. Arnold duking it out with Sheryl Crow? Plus the song was written by a guy named Cat.
Cat Stevens "The First Cut is the Deepest"
Alright the voting will be for the contenders. Tell me which one you liked best in the comments.
It is a Blog Hopping double helping at my blog today. Today marks the halfway point of April. In addition to my Battle of the Bands entry this post will also be my post in the A to Z Challenge. Today's letter is M.
I am doing the Battle of the Bands because this is what I would do on any first of the month. I like the blog hop. My blog isn't changing for the A to Z challenge. What you see during the challenge is just how my blog goes.
Since more readers may be popping in it is probably even more important for me to explain what is going on and who else has battles!
Regular rules, listen to the song clips in the blog post. In the comment section vote for the one you like the best. Feel free to explain why you voted the way you did. The battles take place on the first and 15th and winners will be announced on the 7th and 21st. I will normally post the winner in the comments. Of course have fun and enjoy!
The below list is edited to welcome some new battles and unfortunately some battles have taken a break. If you are still looking for more musical fun after you vote, you can check out these sites for more battles:
A to Z visitors please check out my friends above, they post some pretty neat stuff! Since today's letter is M so I picked a song by the artist formally known as Cat Stevens and now going under the name of Yusuf Islam. The simple reason the song is a masterpiece. I am going to mix it up with my contestants. Here is the original, which is not eligible to win.
Let the fun begin! Contestant One Mr. Big In my younger days I really enjoyed this band. Of course their is an M in Mr. so the band fits today's theme as well.
Contestant Two Maxi Priest I stated I was going to mix it up. Going from a rock groups ballad version to a reggae version by Maxi Priest is certainly mixing it up. M in Maxi makes this choice fit the A to Z: Challenge.
Testament to a great song that it can be performed by different artists and still come out sounding great!
So which version did you like the best? Please vote for Mr. Big or Maxi Priest in the comments! Winner will be announced soon! Please feel free to share your thoughts! Thanks for visiting and I will be back soon with another A to Z post.
Pete Seeger passed away while my blog was out. It might be better to write about him now since his death isn't current news or a trending topic. His death is simply a recent event. His life was far more than a simple life and his songs are much more than simple folk songs.
In my younger days the loud guitars of Van Halen, Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, Hendrix, and Guns and Roses appealed to me. I was turned on by the blues, especially the electric Chicago Blues. But as much as liked the grittier music I also liked the softer songs such as Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Crosby, Stills and Nash. Neil Young kind to capture both sides. However, in my teen and young adult years I was introduced to the songs of Pete Seeger.
I used to sing and play his song "Where Have All The Flowers Gone." His influence on people, who could play music who I knew, really pushed him up in my book. You know the real people in your life, who influence your taste in music and never have a clue they have.
In my opinion he is up there with Woody Guthrie and perhaps Ramblin' Jack Elliot on the top of my folk list. I tend to like the generation after them, The Grateful Dead, Dylan, Joni, Cat Stevens, Jimmy Buffett, and the list goes on. Still music before my time my wife likes to say. But to one of the guys who introduced me to Seeger's music, it was the music of his generation and he passed on the seed to grow inside my head. He probably doesn't know or remember he did. However, I am glad he did. I was able to appreciate Pete Seeger's music when he was alive and I will be able to pass it along.
Below is President Obama's tribute to Pete..
One of his last recordings was his cover of a Bob Dylan song..
Pete Seeger thank you for your music which influenced a generation. A generation that still passes your music down to other generations who will pass it down as well. You may have passed on but your music will carry on and another generation will ask "Where Have All The Flowers Gone."
Back for another round of who's in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for 2014.
Peter Gabriel
Peter Gabriel is officially a two-timer! A two time member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame that is. The first time around he was inducted as a member of Genesis, this time around he is being honored for his solo work.I agree with his selection. He had a big hit with Sledgehammer and a lot of his songs got a tremendous amount of airplay.
"Solsbury Hill"
Cat Stevens
It is a "Wild World" out there and Cat Stevens deserves this honor just ask Mr. Big. But Mr. Big wasn't the only superstar to have a hit due to a song Cat Stevens wrote, Rod Stewart and Sheryl Crow will tell you "The First Cut is the Deepest."
Hall and Oates
I remember liking them as a young kid. Somewhere down the line it became not as cool. But I like what I have seen Daryl Hall do recently with his live from his house show or what not.In truth they were very talented.
"Private Eyes"
Linda Ronstadt
A good call she belongs here. You might be "No Good" but she is. 11 Grammy good.
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