Battle of the Bands: Rocktober War Pigs

 It is Roctober and time to rock out a bit. Little by little getting back into the Battle of the Bands thing. October was once referred to Rocktober by a local radio station and I am sure they borrowed that from someone. Rock and October kind of go together. Anyway, with the recent passing of Ozzy Osbourne it also marked the end of the road for Black Sabbath. Tipping the hat in tribute this month's song is "War Pigs."

The original above. I will now select two challengers and you my wonderful readers. viewers get to select the winner by telling me which one you liked the best.

                                             Contender One: Samantha Fish

Contender Two: Gov't Mule

We got a great battle of guitars. The Blue Rockin' Samantha Fish showing girls can rock out! In the other corner Jam Band Warren Haynes led Gov't Mule. 

Don't be shy tell me which one rocked the best for you in the concerts. 

Thanks I will be back with a results post in a week or so!

Rocktober Battle of the Bands Results: Alvin Youngblood Hart runs away with the Zep Cover

 I rang in Rocktober with two artists tangling with Led Zeppelin's Heartbreaker. The guitar master Steve Morse could only manage one vote, while a blues funk version by Alvin Youngblood Hart ran away with five votes. 

Let's celebrate Alvin's victory!

"Big Mama's Door"

"Pony Blues"

I will be back with a new battle on November 1st stay tuned!

Battle of the Bands: Getting the Led Out for Rocktober

Welcome to October, often referred to Rocktober. I haven't rocked out in a Battle of the Bands for a while. I love Rock and Roll, I just enjoy other music as well. I enjoy throwing in twists and bouncing genres during the battles. Let's go with a little Led Zeppelin.

This time around it is "Heartbreaker" off of Led  Zeppelin II...

Next I have two contenders. Hopefully you will give them a listen and tell me which version you like best in the comments. I count those as votes and announce a winner in about a week. It is really pretty simple. Today I am pitting two guitarists against each other Alvin Youngblood Hart versus Steve Morse I hope you enjoy!

 Contender One: Alvin Youngblood Hart

Contender Two: Steve Morse

Thanks for visiting! Stay tuned for new posts and the next Battle will take place 11.01.21

Battle of the Bands Results: Once Bitten Twice Shy

 The Rocktober Battle was close decided by one vote. Shuan Cassidy won this one 4 to 3 over Great White. We celebrate his win,,

                                            Perfect for Rocktober "That's Rock and Roll"

"The Doo Ron Ron"

My next Battle will be November 1, hope to see you there!

Battle of the Bands: Once Bitten Twice Shy

It is time for the second Battle of the Bands for Rocktober. Today's song is the classic "Once Bitten Twice Shy." I didn't know it was a cover. Here is the original for your listening pleasure.

                                             Ian Hunter "Once Bitten Twice Shy"

Here is how it works. I select two covers. You tell me which one you like the best in the comments. I count up the votes and announce a winner in about a week.

Contender One: Great White

Contender Two: Shaun Cassidy

Let me know which one you like best! I hope you enjoyed this battle. I will be back soon!

Monday's Music Moves Me: Roctober 80s Edition

Roctober edition. Today is Monday October 12, 2020.  It is time for Monday's Music Moves Me! Today's theme is pick a decade and celebrate Rocktober. I am picking the 80's so crank up your Walkmans and Boomboxes it is time to rock!

I am Mike and I will be counting down the top Rock songs from 1980-1989, my source playback.fm.

                                            1980 "Keep on Loving You" REO Speedwagon

1981 "Start Me Up" The Rolling Stones

1982 and 1983 The Police "Every Breathe You Take"

1984 Foreigner "I  Want to Know What Love Is"

1985 Dire Straits "Money For Nothing"

1986 Bon Jovi "Livin' on a Prayer"

1987 U2 "With or Without You"

1988 R.E.M "Orange Crush"

1989 Alannah Myles "Black Velvet"

 

Did any of these surprise you? Well I will see you soon with a new post!

Battle of the Bands Results: No More Mister Nice Guy

 It's Rocktober and Pat Boone beats Megadeath in covering Alice Cooper? It was close 3 to 2, or 4 to 2 if we count the guest vote. Stay tuned as Barry Manilow takes over Rocktober next with his thrashing cover of Metallica. The Stray Cat in Heat Orchestra does add so much to his version.

In the meantime we celebrate the winner...

"Love Letters in the Sand"

"Speedy Gonzalez"

"Enter Sandman" it wasn't all sarcasm when I mentioned Metallica

Well thanks for playing, I will have another Battle on the 15th. More than likely I will post something on here between now and then. Stay tuned!

Battle of the Bands: No More Mr Nice Guy in Rocktober

 Welcome to my nightmare, I mean Welcome to Rocktober!  It's 2020 been a crazy year. However it is that time to rock. Alice Cooper I am sure is working on a new song called "School's Out for Covid." But we are all fed up and today's song is "No More Mr. Nice Guy"

Here's Alice....

Contender One: Pat Boone

I try to give you something different and unexpected from time to time. From his Metal Album..

Contender Two: Megadeth

I think this was from their easy listening album...

Has the real world made your Roctober less rocking? Well I will try to share some here!

Anyway most of you know the routine. Which do you like best Pat Boone or Megadeth?

In a week or so I will count the votes and write a post about the winner.

Enjoy, have fun and come back!

Battle of the Bands Results: Jake Wins!

The Eddie Van Halen endorsed, new version of "Runnin' with the Devil" by Jennifer Hope was soundly beat by Jake E. Lee and friends more traditional rock version. The final score 6 to 2. Sometimes different works sometimes not so much.

Jake E. Lee's victory does work great for Rocktober and the Rock. Jake E. Lee has worked with a lot of hard rock bands.

Here he is with Ozzy Osbourne "Bark at the Moon"

Badlands "Dreams in the Dark"

Jake's "I'll be Creepin'"

I'll have another battle on the first!

Rocktober Birthday Bob Weir

I'm behind on my Rocktober Festival posts and apparently every three years I post to celebrate Bob Weir's birthday. Here is my post from 2013 and 2016.

At least Bob Weir is diverse enough to write multiple posts about. He believes he has probably played the most gigs of any musician out there. It is hard to argue against his statement. Math would probably back him up and it is hard to think of someone who would be close. A founding member of the Grateful Dead which he joined when he was just 16.


                                                The Grateful Dead "My Brother Esau"

                                                 These folks were treated to a solo performance of "Loose Lucy"

Celebrating his non-Dead music as well "Lucky Enough" with Rat Dog

Here he is with Paul McCartney

                                              "Bombs Away" with his Wolf Brothers

Hope you enjoy and I will see you soon!

Battle of the Bands:Runnin' with the Devil

The song title "Runnin' with the Devil" kind of has that Halloween feel to it. Van Helen and their song certainly fits Rocktober. There is a new cover that Eddie endorsed the other day out so there is hope for some contenders.


The original for your listening pleasure...

You know the deal. I choose a couple of contenders. You tell me (aka vote) which one you like the best in the comments. I count them up and sometimes we get a winner, sometimes it is a tie, and your vote always counts for something here.

Contender One: Jake E. Lee and friends

Contender Two: Jennifer Hope

What we have here is a straight out rock and roll cover of the song and a cover re-imagining the song. Well I hope you enjoy vote in the comments.

Rocktober Battle of the Bands Results: Girls Rawk

My Battle of the Bands took it a song from AC/DC's hard rocking songbook, a cover band, and a female rock star. The cover band was a girl band too. Guess I was just trying to show girls rawk! The results Lzzy Hale 3 Hells Belles 3 a tie.

You never know what might happen on my Battle of the Bands that happen on the first and 15th. Shutouts, blowouts, nail biters, and ties.

Let's celebrate with some hard rocking girls!

Let's go back to the eighties with Lita Ford "Kiss Me Deadly"

Jennifer Batten she was Michael Jackson's guitarist, she toured with Jeff Beck for a while. A solo tune and a Jeff Beck cover...

Joan Jett "Bad Reputation"

Pat Benatar "Love is a Battlefield"

That should keep you rocking!

Rocktober Time to Catch Up 3 Posts Behind Sickness

The combination of getting older, stress has given me the opportunity to get new ailments that I have never had before. Lucky me! So I am under the weather. Nothing too serious! Something that will pass but not a lot of fun to have.

So let's catch up with a sickness theme!

                                            

Disturbed with my diagnosis..."Down with the Sickness"

Led Zeppelin reminding me I'm "Sick Again"

No Ted it isn't "Cat Scratch Fever" though I have had it before.

Well I will be back soon with another post! 

R.I.P Ginger Baker

It is a sad Rocktober post to announce Ginger Baker, the legendary drummer for Cream, has passed away at the age of 80.

Here is a video from their reunion in 2005. Performing "White Room"...

                                                   

A vintage clip of "Strange Brew" from 1967...

"I feel Free"

"Toad" which shows off Ginger's talent

"Sunshine of Your Love"

He leaves behind the drummers he has influenced, a legacy of music, fans and family may he rest in peace!

Rocktober Saturday Night

It is the first Saturday night in Rocktober and I am sitting here blogging so much for the exciting life. Well let's celebrate with some Saturday songs!

                                                      Elton John "Saturday Night's Alright"

The Grateful Dead "One More Saturday Night"

Sam Cooke "Another Saturday Night"

Well that's a good trio of songs for a Saturday!

Rocktober Post: 49 years ago Janis Joplin

Today is a very beautiful but Summery day where I am at. The music of Janis Joplin fits very well with beautiful, sunshine filled days for some reason. Maybe that is just me. Anyway 49 years ago the singer was found dead in a hotel. I am typing this out on my phone so I apologize in advance for typos and formatting issues.

                 "Kosmic Blues"

"Piece of My Heart"

Just sharing a couple of songs. If you would like to make this post a little more interactive feel free to keave your Janis memories or favorite songs in the comments.

Rocktober: Did anyone remember to wake up Green Day

Day three of the Roctober !



Woot a music fest I can participate in without leaving the house!

Well September has ended, did anybody wake up Green Day?

Well I hope to rock all Rocktober long!

Money, September's Battle of the Bands, Rocktober's Music Festival

Well here is my second post for Rocktober. Apparently I am participating in a blog fest this month. I'll give it a go, like a good blogging addict one day at a time and see how it goes. Well on the 15th of September I had a Battle of the Bands battle and I guess it would probably be a good thing to share the results.

The Battle featured a classic rock song by Eddie Money called "Take Me Home Tonight." The contestants were Jump Off and Every Avenue. Jump Off ran away with it winning 5 to 1. I was saved from a shut out by the mercy of Stephen. 

The Jump Off bills themselves as Philadelphia's Hottest Up and Coming Party Band. 

Here they cover Rob Zombie's "Dragula" which is perfect for Rocktober..

Here is a video about the band...

Support your local music where ever you might be. You never know when your local band might make it onto one of these Battle of the Band things.  Don't forget to vote on my girls gone AC/DC Battle of the Bands that is going on now.

Battle of the Bands For Those About to Rock in Rocktober

Welcome to October and for "Those About to Rock" welcome to Rocktober! Really AC/DC, the song "For Those About to Rock" sounds like a good way to kick things off!

AC/DC "For Those About to Rock"

Here comes the hard part to find some worthy competitors. It's live, raw and highly and will wake you up better than coffee. Might be a little rough but it will do the job!

Lzzy Hale

Hells Belles

You know the drill! Vote in the comments Lzzy or the Belles. Well I have girls rocking out! It works hope you enjoy.

Battle of the Bands: I Can't Quit You, Baby!

Welcome to my Battle of the Bands battle for Rocktober 1st! I am picking a blues tune by Otis Rush who passed away over the weekend. The song was written by Willie Dixon.

In case you need a reference here is the original...

I will pit two bands against one another. You vote for which version you like best in the comments and I count the votes and announce a winner. 

The Rolling Stones

Led Zeppelin

A nice way to pay respects to an influential bluesman and kick off Rocktober in style with two of the biggest Rock and Roll Bands of all time.