The queen is dead: Tina Turner dies at the age of 83

 Another blow was shot to the music world once again. The queen of rock n roll has left her throne and will now reign in the skies. Tina Turner, the groundbreaking and legendary soul singer has died at the age of 83. Instantly, millions took to Twitter and social media to express their sympathies including Ronnie Wood and Mick Jagger of The Rolling Stones to Diana Ross.  Born on November 26th, 1939 in Brownsville, Tennessee, Anna Mae Bullock (Tina Turner) was born into a sharecropper family. She began to sing during her teenage years and she surrounded herself within the realm of R&B/soul and blues. In 1956, she met her now infamous husband Ike Turner at a gig for Ike's current band the Kings of Rhythms. From there, they formed The Ike and Tina Turner Revenue. The duo turned heads with their 1960 classic "A Fool In Love" and the Revenue became famous for their legendary live performances. In the late 60's, infamous record producer Phil Spector was eager to produce Tina. The result ended being the groundbreaking "River Deep Mountain High" which bought Tina and Ike critical acclaim and became a prime example of the famous "wall of sound" production style of Phil Spector. Ike and Tina Turner's biggest hit was a cover of the CCR classic "Proud Mary" off their album 1971 album Working Together. Tina is at her vocal peak here as the song starts off with a soulful/gospel vibe and then explodes into a rollicking soul masterpiece. What's more empowering is that between all that successTina battled her own demons as she suffered intolerable domestic abuse from Ike and they finally divorced in 1976. Then in 1984, Turner experienced the ultimate comeback. That year she released the lauded Private Dancer and the album was a commercial and financial success. "    What's Love Got To Do With It" and 'Better Be Good To Me" became staples of the decade. Post Private Dancer, Turner had another massive hit with "The Best" off her 1989 album Foreign Affair. Recently, HBO released an original documentary titled Tina which was released in 2021 to great praise and I highly recommend checking it out. She was a trailblazer, an icon, and sex symbol. First and foremost, she was a singer and by god was her voice ever so powerful along with her perseverance. Fly high Mrs. Turner. 

New York's a go-go and everything tastes right-Aladdin Sane at 50

50 years ago today, David Bowie released Aladdin Sane. 1973 was a monumental year for rock n roll with the release of Pink Floy's The Dark Side of The Moon, Led Zeppelin's Houses Of The Holy, and Iggy Pop and The Stooges Raw Power. Aladdin Sane should be included more in discussions. Prior to the release, Bowie just completed his worldwide tour for his masterpiece The Rise and Fall Of Ziggy Stardust and The Spiders From Mars and it has been said that Bowie created the character of Aladdin Sane to showcase what Ziggy would be like when he went to visit in America. What we got was Aladdin Sane and it's definitely an album to take a deeper dive into. Arguably the most famous track off the album is "The Jean Jeanie." The iconic guitar part came from Mick Ronson who began playing a Bo-Diddely inspired riff on his new Les Paul. Lyrically, Bowie is at his most bizarre lyrically and is channeling Iggy Pop swagger. Looking past this classic hit, this album has under appreciated gems that need to be bought to light. The opening track "Watch That Man" sounds like the brewing of an old Spiders From Mars rehearsal demo. That's exactly the feel and it makes the song what it is. Musically, it's raw rock n roll in your face with a rollocking rhythm fusing  Rolling Stones/New York Dolls guitar technique. Bowie was an admirer of both bands and loved the members of each band dearly. The hidden gems begin with "Drive-In Saturday" which is heavily influenced by 1950s doo wop bands like The Coasters and The Five Satins. The listener is instantly traveled back to that innocent and technologically defining decade. You're at the drive in with your date and you can still smell the Brylcreem on your hands from slicking your hair back. "Panic In Detroit" is based on Stooges frontman Iggy Pop and the revolutionaries he knew while growing up in Michigan and witness the 1967 Detroit Riots. It's a bluesy fueled salsa infused Bo-Diddley with an apocalyptic backdrop. "Cracked Actor" takes on the point of view of just that. A cracked actor down on his luck and his questionable escapades while looking for work with a hard rocking guitar infused approach. The closing track "Lady Grinning Soul" is a very subtle musical hint of what was going to become of Bowie in his late 70s run of Berlin trilogy albums. It has been described as a James Bond style with romantic lyrics to boot. American soul singer Claudia Lennear for the inspiration. Lennear was on the backup singers in the Ike and Tina Turner Revenue. Bono has cited "Lady Grinning Soul" as one his favorite Bowie songs. Aladdin Sane has always been the forgotten gem that forever live in the shadows of 1972 which was quite arguably David Bowie's year only rivaling The Rolling Stones with Exile On Main St. I was able to pick up a copy from the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame gift shop and I'm glad I did an impulse  purchase. It's well worth the listen. 

The Man in Black emancipated: Why Unchained is the greatest American Recording

Johnny Cash quite arguably had the greatest revival in the history of country music. At the time, it seemed like Johnny Cash's career was over. He didn't have a top 10 country album since 1976 and his 80's catalog was insufferable with the notorious "Chicken In Black" which was released in 1984. To rub salt in the wound, in 1986 Columbia records which had been his home since 1960, dropped him in 1986. His current record company Mercury records was not much better and ignored his creative ideas. Then in February of 1993, an encounter changed his life.  Cash was performing to a few hundred patrons at an outmoded club in  Southern California. Word of mouth spread throughout the club and Cash was asked if he wanted to meet Rick Rubin. He was unaware of Rubin but he agreed to meet with him anyways. By 1993, Rick Rubin was a force to be reckoned with in the music business and produced a variety of genre-defining albums including Red Hot Chili Pepper's Blood, Sugar, Sex Magik, and the 80's hard rocking Electric by The Cult.  The meeting backstage only lasted for 15 minutes, but at that moment Rick Rubin knew they had something special. The following year, American Recordings was released to critical acclaim and was lauded by critics. In 1996, the man in black was back with American II: Unchained. This release, to me, is the best out of the series of recordings. When Cash released At Folsom Prison in 1968, he was able to cross genre boundaries and appeal to both country purists and rock n roll. In 1996, he was able to do it again. What makes this album pleasing to the ears is not only the production value but also the backing band Cash rounded up. Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers are his backing band. Tom Petty had great respect for Cash and he and his fellow Heartbreakers bring their A-game musically. What's more, you have country guitar legend Marty Stuart, Flea from the Red Hot Chili Peppers and even Mick Fleetwood and Lindsey Buckingham all lending their musical talents. The man in black was never afraid to change lanes and was not afraid to cover songs from multiple genres. On Unchained, he covers the 1962 Hank Snow classic "Ive Been Everywhere" a stellar cover of Beck's 'Rowboat" and the best cover on the album; an outlaw country-infused take on  Soundgarden's "Rusty Cage". Cash's own "Meet Me In Heaven" is an emotional tribute to his brother Jack Cash. In 1944, his brother Jack was severely injured in a work accident while trying to scrape up extra money to help his family. It was a harrowing event that stuck with John for the rest of his life. Greater detail can be explained in the stellar biography Johnny Cash: The Life by Robert Hilburn. 

I laud this American Recording record as my favorite because of Cash's way of approaching the album. Though he did contribute some original material, this album shows his true love for music and makes the covers his own. What's more, is that I respect Cash's state of mind. At this point in his career, he had nothing to prove because of the legacy he had already planted within the history of country music. And hey, he was back to what he loved doing most and that was making music. Rick Rubin's crystal production and the star-studded backup musicians are the perfect elements to round out this essential masterpiece and this record proves that Cash could and still can appeal to both country and rock fans alike. 

Wooden Ships free and easy: David Crosby passes at 81

 Not even a week after the passing of Jeff Beck, music lost another true innovator. David Crosby passed away on January 18th, 2023 due to ongoing illness. Crosby was born on August 14th, 1941 in Los Angeles, California. His mother was a salesperson at Macy's and his father Floyd Crosby was an award-winning Hollywood cinema star. He had a younger brother named Ethan Crosby. David Crosby was one of the founders of The Byrds which was formed in 1964 when Crosby, Jim McGuinn, who would later change his stage name to Roger, and Gene Clark who would write some of their most well-known songs. When they acquired Michael Clarke and Chris Hillman soon after, the band was ready to go. In 1965, they gained international fame with their cover of Bob Dylan's "Mr. Tamborine Man'. In contrast to Dylan's folk, The Byrds version incorporated the now iconic 12-string guitar intro played by McGuinn, and thanks to Crosby, the harmonies were Bealtesesque. That said, the band was once dubbed "The American Beatles". The Byrds would go on to have a string of hits including "I'll Feel A Whole Lot Better", "So You Wanna Be A Rock N Roll Star" "Mr. Spaceman", and "Eight Miles High'. Crosby left the Byrds in 1967 and the following year formed CSN with Stephen Stills formerly of Buffalo Springfield and Graham Nash of The Hollies. Crosby Stills and Nash and later Crosby Stills Nash and Young (Neil Young) would become and are one of rocks greatest supergroups. Political anthems like "Wooden Ships" and "Ohio", along with "Teach Your Children", "Suite: Judy Blue Eyes" and Crosby's penned and beloved song "Almost Cut My Hair" all became signature songs. In 1982, the band released "Southern Cross" which got them airplay on MTV which was huge for the time as the new wave rock era was just ushering in. Crosby never stopped creating. 'For Free" was released in 2021 and with cover art provided by fellow 60s counterculture icon Joan Baez. David Crosby was and is an American treasure. He spoke his mind and left a lifetime of creative genius for us to enjoy for the end of time. 

'Music is Love"-David Crosby 

Fly high Croz. 

Heart Full of Soul: Guitar legend and pioneer Jeff Beck dies at 78

 Another guitar god has gone to fly high among us. On January 11th, the rock community lost the virtuoso Jeff Beck. The influence Jeff Beck has had on countless guitarist cannot be overstated. Jeff Beck was born on June 24th, 1944 in Wallington, England. The first guitarist to have impressed him was none other than Les Paul himself whose name is synonymous with the legendary Gibson Les Paul model. The song was "How High the Moon' and soon after he was hooked. Other influences include Lonnie Mack, B.B King, and Steve Cropper who played on countless timeless recordings done for Stax records. After playing on many recordings as a session musician, Beck was recruited by friend and future Led Zeppelin founder Jimmy Page to replace  Eric Clapton who would later go on to play with John Mayhall and Cream. With his short but impactful time with The Yardbirds, Beck helped the band reach commercial success. Some of his best works with the band include a cover of the Bo Diddley classic "I'm a Man' and "Heart Full Of Soul" which would become The Yardbirds biggest hit. After leaving The Yardbirds, Jeff Beck would form the legendary Jeff Beck Group with Rod Stewart, Ronnie Wood, and Mickey Waller. The band would record the album Truth  which was released to critical acclaim in 1968. The cover of Willie Dixon's "I Ain't Superstitious", the slow rocker penned "Blues De Luxe", and the epic instrumental "Greensleeves" have become guitar standards for any inspiring musician. After the split of the Jeff Beck Group, Jeff Beck would embark on a solo career.Some fans were skeptical due to not having a vocalist. Jeff Beck always ventured into new genres and completely new styles of playing and that's exactly what you hear on the acclaimed 1975 masterpiece Blow By Blow. Right up until the very end, Jeff Beck never clocked out. As of 2022, he released 18 with Johnny Depp which gained underground news and had a devoted following. Jeff Beck will forever will be a true innovator, creator, and artist. He will be forever missed. Fly high. 

Starman: David Bowie- 7 years gone but forever present

7 years ago, on January 10th, 2016 the world lost not only a musical genius but also a national treasure. David Bowie passed away at the age of 69 from liver cancer. The world was thrown into a tailspin. Not even the press could figure out why in the moment. In the last years of Bowie's life, the Thin White Duke kept a private life in New York City. He would release his final album Blackstar on January 8th, just two days before his passing. Right up until the end, David Bowie never stopped creating. From the get-go, Bowie always wanted to push the envelope. No matter what persona fits your preference whether it be the theatrical and poetic craft of Hunky Dory, the glam rock enigma of the legendary  The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars, the magic carpet ride that is Aladdin Sane, or the Thin White Duke Berlin era, Bowie was able to blend multiple genres seamlessly. Not only was David Bowie a musical genius, he was also a voice for the voiceless; the outcasts, the dreamers, and people who dared to be different in their lives. He proved that it was okay to be different and to ignore those who think of you otherwise. After  Bowie's passing, I really dived deep into his catalog. I'm glad I took that journey. As mentioned earlier, Bowie had many musical eras. For me, Hunky Dory up until Aladdin Sane is my favorite period. I've been loving the heroes era as of late and really love the experimentation he created but the Hunky Dory-Sane era is what I gravitate toward the most. David Bowie was in pure form and at his full peak during this period in my honest opinion. When you start side one of Hunky Dory you have the coming-of-age anthem "Changes". Then an underrated gem 'Oh! Pretty Things!" is next. The song looks into the outdatedness of the human race with a truce between the arrival of aliens... Far out. Life On Mars? is the standout for its iconic piano and orchestral arrangement. Plus, Rick Wakeman, who would later go on to join progressive rock legends Yes provided piano accompaniment. My favorite track on the album is "Queen Bitch". It's no secret that David Bowie and Lou Reed had a tight friendship. The following year in 1972, Bowie would help Reed produce his second solo album Transformer which would be lauded by critics. "Queen Bitch" oozes Velvet Underground swagger with a lyrical love letter to NYC and a killer Sterling Morrison-inspired guitar riff.  I also love The Rise and Fall of  Ziggy Stardust and The Spiders From Mars equally. As far as rhythm sections go, Bowie's Stardust era was the best ever. It's a crime that Mick Ronson doesn't get the recognition he deserves. His guitar work on "Suffragette City', his iconic solo on "Moonage Daydream" and the glam rock swagger rhythm of "Ziggy Stardust" is the stuff of legend. Trevor Bolder (bass) and Woody Woodmansey provide excellent bass and drum work as well. When I visited the Rock in Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, I was able to pick up a fresh copy of Aladdin Sane on vinyl. The album is packed with gems including "Watch That Man', "Panic in Detroit' and "Cracked Actor" which I hold dear to me. Of course, I can't mention Aladdin Sane without acknowledging 'The Jean Jeanie". It's the perfect blend of glam rock and blues. That's all I can say about that song because it's just so perfect. It's hard to believe David Bowie has been gone for 7 years. However, his music, style, and bold way of dealing with cynical people will continue to live on for as long as music will be celebrated and record stores run out of his catalog. 

"We can be heroes, just for one day"

Peace and Love 

Crazy Rhythms: The Feelies rock Anchor Rock Club in Atlantic City

Last night, I had the honor to watch The Feelies in the heart of Atlantic City at Anchor rock club. The Feelies are an American rock band formed in Haledon, New Jersey located in Passaic county in 1976. In the late 70s, the new wave/punk movement was about to explode in New York City with bands like The Ramones, Talking Heads, Blondie, Patti Smith and Television. The Feelies were in good company. Founding members Glenn Mercer and Bill Million started playing together in a band called The Outkids. They would later be joined by then drummer Dave Weckerman. That same year, they met Keith Clayton (bass) and Vinnie Denunzio (drums). Bill changed to rhythm guitar and Dave went to drums and The Feelies were born. In 1978, drummers changed once again and The Feelies were able to snag the late great Anton Fier on drums. In 1980, the band released their debut masterpiece Crazy Rhythms. It's a wonderful sounding record and bands like R.E.M. fell in love with the records production. Partially, R.E.M. guitarist Peter Buck fell in love with the bands guitar work. You can hear R.E.M's node to The Feelies on classics like "The One I  Love" and their debut album Murmur. That said, The Feelies are heavily influenced by both The Beatles and The Velvet Underground. The Feelies second life came in the mid 80's when the band released their most critically acclaimed album The Good Earth in 1986. The album saw the band start to incorporate acoustic guitar and other musical elements like violin. In that same time, the band now went through another lineup change which is now the current lineup of Glenn Mercer (guitar), Bill Million (rhythm guitar), Brenda Sauter (bass guitar) and Stan Demeski. The Feelies felt right at home at Anchor Rock Club. It was a club that they were born to play. The smell of craft beer, cigarettes, and marijuana filled the air for an intimate yet powerful setlist. The band cranked out songs from their new LP In Between and the 1986 classic The Good Earth. Glenn Mercer delivered fantastic vocals and skillful slide guitar work while Brenda Sauter showcased Tina Weymouth baselines. The heart of any good alternative band are rhythm guitar and drums. Bill and Stan are a class act when it comes to holding a beat. They're so in synch it's almost as if you're listening to one of their records in your bedroom. The Feelies are a fantastic band that showcases that straight forward , crowd pleasing rock n roll is timeless. Go check them out next time they come around.