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Elton John To Sing With Alice In Chains

Corey Koehler — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 22:16:42 +0000

Yep, you read that right. Sir Elton John is going to be doing a tune with Alice In Chains on their upcoming album “Black Gives Way To Blue”. For the record I usually don’t do a ton of press release stuff but this is above and beyond Musicgoat worthy. I mean think about it, Elton John and Alice In Chains? I couldn’t have made it up if I tried. Can’t wait to check it out.

Anyway, here is the rest of the press release with some statements from the Jerry Cantrell. Read it and let us know what you think in the comments below…

Los Angeles, CA (August 11, 2009) – Among the many highlights on Black Gives Way To Blue, the highly anticipated new album from ALICE IN CHAINS, is a special guest performance by Elton John. The two rock legends collaborated on the album’s stunning title track, “Black Gives Way To Blue,” a heart-stirring tribute to Alice In Chains’ late lead singer Layne Staley. The album arrives in stores September 29.

“We were thinking about adding piano to the track and a friend suggested we call Elton,” recalls guitarist/vocalist Jerry Cantrell. “I remember laughing and saying, ‘Yeah, I’ll get right on that.’ But I decided it was worth trying and wrote Elton an email explaining what that song means to us — that it’s a real, raw openhearted song for Layne. We sent him the track and got a call shortly after saying he thought it was beautiful and that he wanted to play on it. We were blown away. Elton John is a huge influence on me as a songwriter and having him on that song is an amazing honor for us.”

“I’ve long been an admirer of Jerry Cantrell and when he asked me to play on ‘Black Gives Way To Blue,’ I was very flattered and couldn’t resist,” says John. “It was a great recording session with Alice In Chains for a beautiful song. ”

About the collaboration, Cantrell says, “Elton was finishing his Red Piano run in Vegas, so we flew there and hung out for a few hours. Walking into a studio and seeing the sheet music for that song on Elton’s piano made it meaningful on so many different levels. The whole experience was pretty magical.”

BLACK GIVES WAY TO BLUE is Alice In Chains’ first new studio release in more than 10 years. The quartet (guitarist/vocalist Jerry Cantrell, drummer Sean Kinney, bassist Mike Inez and guitarist/vocalist William DuVall) recorded the album with producer Nick Raskulinecz (Rush, Foo Fighters) at Studio 606 in Northridge, CA and Henson Studios in Hollywood.

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Music Review: Metal ala Deflagration and Acoustic Rock ala Rob Anthony

Corey Koehler — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 02:20:59 +0000

Well I have a few gems for you this week. I have a new metal band that I have been listening to for the past month (and should’ve told you about long before today). And an artist who was on a previous podast that has released a masterpiece of intimate and inspiring acoustic rock. Here ya go.

Deflagration “A Call To Arms” (Metal)

This stuff is damn heavy and breaks some new ground ta boot (I can’t quite pinpoint it but you’ll see what I mean). I’ve been listening before and during my workouts for over a month now and this stuff gets me really – and I mean REALLY – jacked up (which reminds me, try not to listen around your buddies that drink whiskey, unless you are looking to break up a fight).

Anyway, they kind of remind me of the band Pro-Pain (I think its the singing). Oh and don’t just take my word for it. I’ve shared their stuff with some of my live and bleed metal buddies and here are their comments;

Mark on Facebook – “Dude! I checked out Deflagration and it was awesome! Thanks!”

Bob on Facebook – “I like them. They sound different. I like the sound though. I might have to get the CD.”

My favorite tunes are “Split Wide” and “Color and Ash”. Bottom line, if you are a metal fan, you are gonna like these guys. These tunes will fit nicely in a playlist along side Slayer, Testament, Exodus, Metallica, Slipknot and many of the newer bands of that ilk. Check them out on MySpace or CDBaby.

Rob Anthony – “While the World Sleeps” (Acoustic Rock/Americana)

Speaking of metal, Rob Anthony is an ex-thrasher who has learned how to turn it up by turning it down. He has crafted a great acoustic album.

Even though I know it’s borderline heresy in the indie world, I’ve been listening a decent amount of top 40 rock, country and adult contemporary lately as part of my songwriting self-education. The stuff on this release could EASILY go toe to toe with almost anything on the pop charts. The top-notch songwriting is both timely and timeless.

His performance is very personal and very intimate. He will tap your psychy and bleed the emotion out of you on nearly every tune. There is really no way to pick a few favorites because I love pretty much every tune on the disc. And for all of you cover tune nuts, you will want to check out his take on the DePeche Mode tune “Personal Jesus”.

Bottom line, if you haven’t heard him, you are missing out. Check him out on the official Rob Anthony Site or on CDBaby. Then tell everyone you know because he deserve to be heard. Oh and be on the lookout for an interview with Rob in the near future. We’ve been in contact and are trying to find some time in our schedules.

Music Podcast 035 – Acoustic Rock & Country Blues Blender

Corey Koehler — Wed, 20 May 2009 14:51:30 +0000

The Melting Pot is back in action and you, my friend, are not going to wanna miss a single note of any tune present in this compilation. The tunes, like me, are mellow yet upbeat and 100% thought provoking.

Grab a beer, glass of wine or mixer and press play now!

Click Button To Play | Right-Click To Download

Songs heard on this podcast:

Whitey Morgan and the 78′s – “Crazy” (download this tune free on eMusic)

Blitzen Trapper – “Black River Killer”

Lubriphonic – “Rain Keep Falling” (download this tune free on eMusic)

Junkyard – “Simple Man” (download this tune free on eMusic)

Dazy Head Mazy – “Let Me Off Here” (download this tune free on eMusic)

Scotty Dont – “Later on Today”

Also, Bumper music compliments of Jazz Organist Dan Fogel and his tune “Blues After All” on his album “15 West”

Links mentioned in the show:

10 Songs Covers You Didn’t Know Were Covers

Say something…

Have a comment, request or review of your own that you would like played or discussed on the show? Shoot me an email or put somehting in the comments below.

The Beatles: A Case Study in the Law of Truth and Karma

treadmarkz — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 17:54:51 +0000

Guest post: Treadmarkz is my brother-in-law, a Human Beatles Encyclopedia and the author of the weblog Treadmarkz.wordpress.com.

Regarding why the Beatles broke up, for years, I was a member of the “Yoko Is Evil” sect. Then for a while I converted to Paul-is-an-Egomaniac-ism. I took it for granted that the truth lay somewhere within these two camps. Eventually I realized the many other factors: John Lennon’s addiction to heroin; the death of the Beatles manager Brian Epstein; their music and individual talents getting too big to be contained within one album; George Harrison’s waning interest in traditional western pop music.

Part of the reason for Harrison’s change of direction was his growing passion for Indian music, philosophy and eventually religion. Recently I have myself become immersed in a faith which relies heavily on the Hindu worldview regarding reincarnation, karma, “Hell” as distance from God rather than a literal lake of fire. I feel my years of Beatles fandom was just a way to get me across that spiritual bridge.

Whenever I meditate on a worldly desire and make a vow to do, or not do any given thing, if I later fall back on that vow, I find that I do face consequences of my action. It’s Karma, its Natural Law, the Law of Truth, whatever you want to call it. A dharma (religious duty) of Hinduism, Christianity and all major religions really is “Do not bear false witness” with an implied “or else…” involved. Mohandas Gandhi wrote of this concept in depth in his “Autobiography.”

In 1967, the rest of the Beatles willingly accompanied Harrison to Wales for a weekend seminar on Transcendental Meditation, and to India the following spring for an extended course. Though the course did not make religious faith a priority, there is always an aspect of spirituality with meditation, and where there is spirituality, there is a connection with God on one level or another. Whether one accepts it or not, that door is opened at that time. The importance of the Law of Truth is, hence, heightened.

Before the Wales seminar, the Beatles were on top of the world having just released Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band and the single “All You Need Is Love” that summer. They were the voice of the youth movement. What happened?

Two of the Beatles’ best-known songs are “Can’t Buy Me Love” and “All You Need Is Love”. Could the Beatles have written, recorded and performed these songs for profit, all the while living the lavish and, lets face it, decadent lifestyles they did without Karma rearing its ugly head?

While they were at the Wales seminar, their manager died. But things still seemed good six months later when they left for India. While in India, John Lennon flirted with the idea that their next move as a band should be to become “spiritual leaders.” For the course, they were to give up all non-prescription drugs for mental clarity. But none of them gave up smoking pot and once they got back from India John went back to LSD and soon started using heroin. Even George never gave up his rock star lifestyle while scolding other rich people in a song called “Piggies.”

Even though they wrote about 40 songs in India the following spring and seemed to be very together, as soon as they got back from India, everything seemed to fall apart rapidly. From the beginning of the White Album sessions in May 1968 there were bitter arguments. This was followed by Yoko entering the picture, a bitter struggle for power in the band, and a very bitter court battle which eventually tore the band asunder.

Was Yoko’s presence a catalyst to bring on the negative Karma the Beatles collected through their non-adherence to the law of Truth? What about the death of Brian Epstein? Another example of Karmic retribution on the band? Surely not as their Karma should not have dragged Brian and his very life into it. It may have been Karma from past incarnations that caused them to have to go through such a tragedy together, but that is a different story. The disaster of Apple Corps., and the resulting lawsuits over money which ended the Beatles, however, seem like fitting Karmic retribution for years of singing about love being more important than money, all the while making money and lifestyle the most important thing in reality. And Lennon must have known it, as one of his first solo singles was “Instant Karma, where he sang “Instant Karma’s gonna get you” and “we all shine on”, meaning “we all have to live with the consequences of our actions, so be careful.” Indeed, his band had fallen mightily from grace.

Music Review: Stoner Metal Grunge, Some Outlaw Country and the Record Label that Pimps Them

Corey Koehler — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 13:28:26 +0000

I normally don’t review multiple bands from the same record label but when I stopped by the Small Stone Recordings website, I was side tracked for a few hours and ended up burning up about thirty bucks on downloads, so I figured why the hell not. Here’s a word or two about a label and a few of the bands that you should check out.

The Label

Based out of Detroit, Small Stone – for the most part – represent bands that are of the stoner rock ilk, but, they aren’t afraid to mix it up – one of my favorite finds, happens to be country.

They have stood the test of time and have been putting out their brand of music since 1995. In an April 2008 article on Metromix, the founder Scott Hamilton explained that he wanted to model the label after Sub Pop. He also defined stoner rock as being “just a really amped up version of classic rock” with “a bunch of fat guys with beards in the crowd.” You gotta love the honesty.

The Bands

Here are some of the bands that caught my attention. And, to give you sort of a jumping off point, I’ve listed a tune or two from each (which by the way have made it into heavy rotation on my iPod).

Oh and just so you know, you can buy the cd’s on Small Stones site and if you are the mp3 type, everyone of these artists – and the tunes listed – are available for immediate download on emusic (which means you can get them for free if you don’t have an emusic account).

Anyway, check these bands out;

Roadsaw - If you are fan of early Soundgarden circa “Louder Than Love” – or just grunge in general – you need to check these guys out. I love vocals and the smooth grind that is present throughout.

I think your best bet to get a feel for what these guys can do is to get started with “Up To You” and “It’s Your Move”.

Whitey Morgan and the 78′s – WARNING: When combined with good weather, good booze and good friends, the music of Whitey Ford could leave you with a splitting headache and a pissed off boss.

This band takes a well needed and refreshing approach to old school country. They easily slip into all of the elements of 70′s era outlaw and all of their tunes will make Waylon, Wille and Bosephus fans very, very happy (and a little jagged).

I recommend that you download the whole album but if you are only going to stick your toe in the water, make sure you check out “Crazy” and “If It Ain’t Broke”.

Mos Generator – The riff heavy tunes that these guys are laying down are immediately addictive. The tune “Acapulco Gold” – which could easily be the love child of Steely Dan and Monster Magnet – documents a love affair of the smokin kind. And “Wizards of the Prophecy Pen” is a well produced tune that could very easily be an early Sabbath tune. Grab them!

There, now you have some stuff too listen to as we all wait for summer. Remember, all of this stuff is on eMusic for immediate download and if you are still doin the CD thang, check out the Small Stone online store.

Beatles Rock Band Set To Go British Invasion on Your Video Game Console in September!

treadmarkz — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 05:24:28 +0000

Guest post: Treadmarkz is my brother-in-law, a Human Beatles Encyclopedia and the author of the weblog Treadmarkz.wordpress.com.

Well, clearly the beef between Apple Corps and Apple Computers that started a while back is still bitter as ever, and unfortunately this will deny listeners who live and die by the iPod access to the Beatles music. But, lo! Here it is! The Beatles Rock Band arrives in stores on September 9th!

The upcoming release of the Fabs’ foray into the gamer world is exciting for me. Because it is yet another confirmation of what I have been telling the Musicgoat for years: the Beatles, as a cultural phenomenon, will never – yes I said Never – die.

If I had an Xbox, Playstation or Wii, I would definitely shell out the $99.99 to get myself an imitation McCartney violin bass, or a Harrison twelve-string Rickenbacker which is included for use with the game. I would have liked more information on what specifically is included in the Special Edition. For $249, you want to know, and you want time to save up for it if it is what you want. I am sure it is not worth it unless you get an imitation Beatles sitar, Moog synthesizer, harmonium, tape loop machine, wind machine, and calliope, so I can play the Beatles’ studio-era music to the full effect.

But even if not, wow, music in video games has come a helluva long way since the Mario Bros theme song, huh?

Music Review: The Talented Lubriphonic and Their “Soul Solution”

Corey Koehler — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 16:18:52 +0000

If you are anything like me, then you know that there is nothing like the feeling – a small buzz even – that you get when you pop in a new CD and realize immediately that you have stumbled onto to something that you just have to share with everyone. That is what happened to me today.

Early this morning, like any other morning lately, I reluctantly drug my ass out of a warm bed, shuffled my son through our pre-dawn sleepwalk and then headed out the door to what was looking like a long day at work.

I was tired, it was freakin cold and the snow was falling (again). I turned the key in the ignition, backed out of my driveway and this began to play…

Pssst…press play

Song is: Lubriphonic – “Walls”

…Out from the speakers came this mental massage and the feeling of “everything my friend…is gonna be alright.” That massage and that reassurance were provided by a band called, Lubriphonic on their release entitled “Soul Solution.” Like an old freind sitting next to me in the car, that CD hung out with me for the remainder of that day – and the next – and then made its way to these pages.

The band – based out of Chicago – is loaded with road tested musicians who have toured with the likes of Koko Taylor, Buddy Miles, The Ohio Players and Lenny Kravitz.

These pros have put together a disc that has a little bit of everything. If you dig soul, blues, classic rock, great guitar, a little bit of funk and a soaring horn section, you will lap this up.

Oh and I can’t forget to mention the soulful “i’ve been there” vocals, the ultra-nimble fingers that make the guitar and bass flow and groove, and man, the acoustic tunes on this disc are about as honest, as comfy and as real as it gets.

I like almost all of the tunes but make sure you check out “Rain Keep Falling”, “Walls”, “Chalk Talk, “Mexico City Blues”, and “Soul Solution.” I would also recommend ordering the CD so that you can hear the bonus live tunes. They are well worth the wait!

So there you have it, a music review for you and a great start to the day for me. Thanks Lubriphonic!

Now, do yourself a favor, go download ALL of the tunes on “Soul Solution.

MMP034 – A Hard, Heavy and Very Metal Resolution

Corey Koehler — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 01:34:15 +0000

Grab your studs, your air guitar and a beer (or three). I keep the intensity level high as you and I check some out some tunes from all over the metal spectrum.

Press play and listen as we explore some newer metal music ranging from Hard Rock to Thrash.

Click Button To Play | Right-Click To Download

Here are the songs heard on this podcast and the links to each artists website;
Robot Lords of Tokyo - “Mergatroid” (get it free on eMusic)
Robot Lords of Tokyo – “Belly Full of Greed”
DC4 - “Candy Caine” (get it free on eMusic)
SNEW - “Got Love” (get it free on eMusic)
SNEW – “She’s A Real Gunslinger” (get it free on eMusic)
American Angel – “Turns to Grey” (get it free on eMusic)
Top Johnny – “X-Tasy”
Exodus – “Children of a Worthless God” (get it free on eMusic)

Websites Mentioned on this podcast;
SNEW frontman interview on the Classic Metal Show

Most of these and a ton of other great artists can be found on the Pod Safe Music Network.

MMP030 – The Stress is a Four Letter Word Music Podcast

Corey Koehler — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 15:48:18 +0000

As you will hear in the first tune, it is time to “Give your day the brain off.” Yep, we crack a bottle of wine (or beer or Jack or whatever), lighten it up a bit and realize that, it just isn’t that freakin bad.

For best results, grabs some good Headphones.

Find yourself a nice, relaxing place and press play now.

Click Button To Play | Right-Click To Download

Here are the songs heard on this podcast and the links to each artists website;
Supersuckers – “I Don’t Wanna Know”
Darrin James Band – “Thrones of Gold” (get it free on eMusic)
Hello Dave – “Mountains”
James Dunn – “Oak Tree”
Bill Johnston – “Devil on My Shoulder”
Ethan Stone – “Ain’t That the Way”
Jon Nicholas – “Grandmas Getting High”
Great Big Sea – “Straight to Hell” (get it free on eMusic)
Fabulous Hats – “Lets Go to Vegas”
Stuckey and Murray – “Taking A Dump at Work”(get it free on eMusic)

Most of these and a ton of other great artists can be found on the Pod Safe Music Network.

MMP029 – The Tastes Like AC/DC Snack Pack

Corey Koehler — Sun, 14 Sep 2008 05:06:05 +0000

I am kind of at a loss for words right now so I will just get to the point. It’s just you, me, my f@#k ups and some tasty music by some talented, hard rocking, late 70′s sounding artists.

Press play now and enjoy. Simple as that.

Click Button To Play | Right-Click To Download

Here are the songs heard on this podcast and the links to each artists website;
Stripwired – “Another Shot” (get it free on eMusic)
Lauren Harris – “Steal Your Fire” (get it free on eMusic)
Crash Kelly – “Ride the Wire”
Moonstone Project – “Slave of Time”

Other sites and podcasts mentioned in this show;
Sneak peak of the new Metallica “Death Magnetic” Rock and Roll Geek Show style

BRAIN FART ALERT: My apologies to Lauren Harris. I said your name correctly the first time but then – right before the song – I mentioned some other Lauren.

Most of these and a ton of other great artists can be found on the Pod Safe Music Network.

MMP028 – Meaty Metal Crunch With A Hint of Hard Rock Featuring Sevendust

Corey Koehler — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 17:48:09 +0000

Are you ready for a healthy dose of crunch? You better be damn it because it’s on. A little screamin, a little crunch and nothin but head bobbin, fist pumpin metal goodness for your listening enjoyment.

You are about to listen to what could possibly be my best metal podcast yet!

Press play and brighten your f#$@%n day.

Click Button To Play | Right-Click To Download

Here are the songs heard on this podcast and the links to each artists website;
Dream Evil – “Fire Battle in Metal” (get it free on eMusic)
FEFF – “I’ll Tell You”
Sevendust – “Deathstar”
Warrel Dane – “When We Pray” (get it free on eMusic)
Ground Mower – “Down”
Pride Tiger – “The Lucky Ones”
Supagroup – “Born in Exile”
Paradise – “Lady Luck”

Other sites and podcasts mentioned in this show;
Live Metallica with King Diamond ..very cool
Heavy metal christmas album on the way (yep you read that right)
Mike Cameo’s Indie Top 10 Rock Podcast

Most of these and a ton of other great artists can be found on the Pod Safe Music Network.

MMP027 – Blue Moon Mellow featuring Collective Soul

Corey Koehler — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 05:09:59 +0000

Image Source:Criminal Justice

Today’s the day. We are finally gonna do it. You and I are going to tell the boss to take a freakin hike. We are gonna play hooky. Yep, we are going to the beach or the bar or wherever and we are gonna have couple….and just chill! Hold that thought, press play and check out my latest offering…

Click Button To Play | Right-Click To Download

Here are the songs heard on this podcast and the links to each artists website;

Bag of Toys – “Smile So Wide” (get it free on eMusic)

Ruby Rendrag – “Meditation”

Kelly Zullo – “Where You’re Hiding”

Old Crow Medicine – “Caroline” (get it free on eMusic)

Hello Dave – “Perfect Day”

Jacob Gehret – “Won’t Remember Me”

Collective Soul – “All That I Know”

Rob Anthony – “You’re the One”

Stop by my iTunes page now, tell me what you think by posting a comment and then subscribe. Other sites mentioned in this show; Rolling Stones “Top Ten Fictional Bands”

BRAIN FART ALERT – I said Bag of Toys music was going to be on the Fox show “House”, I was wrong. The show they will be on is “Bones.” Sorry guys! Most of these and a ton of other great artists can be found on the Pod Safe Music Network.

Your 13 Step Guide To Becoming a Beatles Fan

treadmarkz — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 01:12:20 +0000

Guest post: Treadmarkz is my brother-in-law, a Human Beatles Encyclopedia and the author of the weblog Treadmarkz.wordpress.com.

I am sure you have heard all the hubbub, but maybe you never quite knew what it was all about, this thing, this MANIA called the Beatles. If you have been thinking of getting into the Beatles (and I mean really into the Beatles, not just buying their latest Greatest hits compilation) this is not the Beatles’ Top 12 Best Albums, and I am not reviewing each album. This is just the order you need to buy them in, in order to feel the full effect of what they did.

The chronological order in which they were originally released seems like the most sensible way to do it. But this isn’t sensible. If you get into the Beatles you have to be prepared for a little disjointedness and things that come out of left field. You don’t have to follow this guide exactly, and as you will see, I give you opportunities to make your own choice. Also, this is just the original Beatles Music we are talking about here, not Let It Be…Naked, or the Love Album. Having said that, I give you…The List:

1. Rubber Soul, 1965: This is the album that really showed the progression starting to happen. The two previous albums showed a little bit of experimentation, but it was more superficial, whereas the progress the Beatles made on Rubber Soul had some substance. Better lyrics and more interesting innovations musically. But the main reason why this is the first Beatles album you need to get is that this shows where they had been and where they were going, musically.

NOTE: If you are going to get the Beatles Past Masters I & II albums (compilations of songs that are not on their albums), and I recommend you do, I think you should get them at this point. They will help guide you through.

2./3. A Hard Day’s Night, 1964/Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Heart’s Club Band, 1967: Okay here is where you get to make a decision on your own. No matter which of these two you choose first, these are the next two albums you need. You will find out quickly from Rubber Soul what you like about the Beatles. So if you liked the poppy, peppy, happy songs from Rubber Soul (mostly Paul’s) then your next move would have to be A Hard Day’s Night. It is the first Beatles album which was composed entirely by the Beatles themselves. No cover tunes. A big step for the Beatles and mankind.

If you found that in Rubber Soul you got more from the down-tempo, more thoughtful songs (mostly John’s) then I would move forward and make your second pick Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Heart’s Club Band. This is where the progress they were making on Rubber Soul completely came into fruition. Though John did not do as much on Pepper’s as on Rubber Soul, it was his infusion of Bob Dylan-like lyrics into the Beatles repertoire which strongly affected the music on Pepper’s.

4. Revolver, 1966: If your last pick was Pepper’s, you will want to know how they got from Rubber Soul to Pepper’s. It was a hell of a jump, musically, but with Revolver you get to fill in the blank, while still getting a taste of pre-Rubber Soul moptop from Paul. However, if A Hard Day’s Night was your last pick, then Revolver will serve the purpose of blowing your mind. Get ready.

5. Abbey Road, 1969: Simply the Beatles final recorded album giving generations of rockers something to strive for. This is the benchmark.

It was important that you get a taste of every era of the Beatles music before we move on. Now that you have, with the core of the band’s progressive era covered, you need an album that can show you everything that the Beatles were capable of. And I think from country, to reggae to hard rock to classical, we can only find the answer in….

6. The Beatles, aka The White Album, 1968: The Beatles was an album that, like Rubber Soul, gives listeners a chance to decide what they really like about the Beatles. Did you like the straight up rock songs, or did you like it when they tried something unusual for pop/rock? Well the White Album gives you a little bit of both with a splash of something new…Heavy Metal! This is the album that brought us “Helter Skelter” but it also has a few other head-bangers like “Everybody’s Got Something To Hide Except Me and My Monkey”, “Birthday” and “Yer Blues” which is really metal-blues. So if you are hooked on the Beatles, and at this point you should be, then you are probably ready for a double album. Go for it. You will not be disappointed.

7. Help!, 1965: Time to cool it down again. Time for something a little more predictable yet captivating. Help! came out just months before Rubber Soul, where we started. This one is just full of great songs, and I think that is what we need right now. “Yesterday”, “You’ve Got To Hide Your Love Away” “Help!” and “Ticket To Ride” are all essentials and they are all here. This album will prove that song after song about love can still be interesting! And if you like it, then…

8. Beatles For Sale, 1964: Now we are really getting back to the moptop days. But this one is interesting because, just like Help!, it shows of the Beatles country/folk chops, without losing that pop flair. There are a lot of cover songs on here as there will be for the remainder. But the Beatles self-penned songs are introspective, and you are able to put yourself in the story. For the first time the Beatles really “take you there” on Beatles For Sale.

9. Let It Be, 1969: We don’t want you to delve too far back into the catalogue. You should probably now pick up Let It Be. Though it is often considered the Beatles most disappointing album, that is only because of what they had done in the few years leading up to Let It Be. They had changed the entire definition of rock music with Revolver and Sgt. Pepper!! So of course it was disappointing for fans to hear them going back to their roots, which is exactly what this is. But you will still get a little taste of psychedelia from “Across the Universe” and “I Me Mine”.

And if that is what you liked…

10. Magical Mystery Tour, 1967: It is kind of like the Beatles trying to expand on the concept of Sgt. Pepper’s but not quite getting there, but it is chock full of great singles, much like the Help! album, but much weirder. “All You Need Is Love” and “I am The Walrus” are on this one, and it is the only place you will get “Strawberry Fields Forever” or “Penny Lane” unless you’ve already got the “1″ album. And if you do, I hope this list has helped you take your Beatles listening further.

11./12. Please Please Me/With the Beatles, both from 1963: The beginning of the Fab Four. These albums show you where the Beatles came from. On these two albums, which really could be considered Vol. 1 and 2 of the same album, they bring you covers of the music that they loved when they were a struggling bar band, and they bring you their hand-written songs in which they use what they learned from the music they loved. To me, it really doesn’t matter which of these two you get first.

13. Yellow Submarine Songtrack, 1999 or the Yellow Submarine Soundtrack: It is up to you which one you get, but there is a huge difference. Either way you are only getting four songs that you haven’t already heard before. But the difference is this: The Soundtrack has the four songs you have never heard before, along with the song “Yellow Submarine” and “All You Need Is Love”, and rest is instrumentals by the George Martin Orchestra, if you are into that. The Songtrack on the other hand, has the aforementioned four “new” songs, and 11 other random songs taken from Rubber Soul to Magical Mystery Tour which appear in the film. It is a nice mix and you can get your fix of a couple of different eras in Beatles music without having to switch CDs.

Welcome to Beatledom, my friends. Enjoy!

The Beatles’ Studio Revolution of 1962

treadmarkz — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 20:03:56 +0000

Guest post: Treadmarkz is a Human Beatles Encyclopedia and author of the weblog Treadmarkz.wordpress.com

Buddy Holly wrote his own songs. Chuck Berry wrote his own songs. Little Richard wrote his own songs. Paul McCartney and John Lennon, being devoted followers of all three, began writing their own songs early, and often. McCartney wrote rough versions of “I’ll Follow the Sun” and “When I’m Sixty-Four” in about 1957. And many of the originals from the Beatles first album were written by John and Paul around that same time. They knew that it set them apart from the other up-and-coming bands.

But rock n’ roll had changed drastically by 1960. Holly was dead, Berry was in jail, Little Richard had become a preacher, and Elvis, the King of Rock and Roll himself, had become a balladeer, more interested in making movies than creating a movement. Rock n’ Roll was in trouble. Balladeers singing already-proven hit songs were running the charts. Nothing new was happening!

Fast-forward to September 1962. The Beatles had just been brought in to record their first professional single at Abbey Road Studio. In June of that year, during their audition, they had brought in a number of original songs that they intended to show off. After playing them all, producer George Martin did not think any of them were strong enough to be a single. He also did not like their drummer, Pete Best.

When the Beatles came back in September with Ringo Starr on the skins, Martin suggested a song called “How Do You Do It?” written by Mitch Murray, a professional songwriter. So the Beatles came in and recorded the song. But they knew it did not suit them. They insisted on having another go at a song they had submitted in June, “Love Me Do”, and they continued to argue for it until they got their way.

Their first single, “Love Me Do” was their own song, as was it’s b-side “P.S. I Love You”. Gerry and the Pacemakers went on to success of their own with “How Do You Do It?” but not as much success as the Beatles. The Beatles version of the song can be heard on the Beatles Anthology 1 CD, disc one.

The version of “Love Me Do” recorded on Sept. 4 would become the Beatles first single, but another version would be recorded for the Beatles first album, Please Please Me a week later. It seems that Martin did not like Ringo’s drumming either, at this point, and brought in a professional session drummer, Andy White.
Many fans now point out how painfully simple and repetitive “Love Me Do” is. This may be true, but the Beatles had taken creative control from day one, and went on to inspire generations of musicians to sing their own songs, and do your own thing. September 4, 1962 is certainly the day “The Sixties” began, at least for rock n’ roll.

The Beatles and the Beach Boys Race to the Toppermost of the Poppermost

treadmarkz — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 17:17:53 +0000

Guest post: Treadmarkz is a Human Beatles Encyclopedia and author of the weblog treadmarkz.wordpress.com

The Beatles competed to be the best ever since their days as the Quarrymen in Liverpool in the late 1950′s, and during their stints as a bar band in Hamburg, Germany from 1960-62. This desire to be the best did not stop in February 1964 when they were seen by 73 million people on the Ed Sullivan Show, or in April ’64 when all of the top five singles in the U.S. belonged to them. It didn’t stop when they were the first rock band to sell out a Major League Baseball stadium, when they rocked Shea Stadium in the summer of ’65. Desire, some might say ego, is what pushed them beyond teen idols to legend status.

In December 1965, the Beatles released the album Rubber Soul. The Beach Boys’ leader Brian Wilson would later say it was the first album he’d heard where every song “went together like no album ever made before.” It would greatly influence most of the recording of the Beach Boys’ own album, Pet Sounds, released in May 1966.

Pet Sounds was still very pop-rock, but in it, Wilson and the boys utilized extensive outside instrumentation normally not heard in rock n’ roll recordings. But it was the Beatles who had set that ball rolling with the strings in “Yesterday” and the sitar on “Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)” both in 1965.

Pet Sounds came out just as the Beatles’ work on their next album, Revolver really started to take off. On Revolver, songs like “Good Day Sunshine” and others emulated the Beach Boys vocal style, and “For No One” was in some ways indebted to the baroque musical stylings of Pet Sounds.

Well, with Revolver, the Beach Boys knew that the Beatles had taken it to another level. Pet Sounds may have been a very tight, unified album, but the Beatles managed to work endless styles of music into the mixture and still end up with an album that felt like it really fit together.

Wilson quickly set to work, earnestly trying to up the anty. He enlisted even more outside musicians, and more outside songwriters to help create a soundscape that had never been heard before. The album was to be called Smile, and was to be less of a collection of songs than an album-long sound collage. Then came February 17, 1967, the day the Beatles released the double A-side single “Strawberry Fields Forever/Penny Lane”.

Brian Wilson was driving in his car one day when “Strawberry Fields Forever” came on the radio. He immediately pulled over to the side of the road to just listen.
After the song ended, he went to tell his bandmates and his other collaborators, “you know what, guys, let’s just forget it.” The Smile project was shelved, and a watered down version of it, called Smiley Smile was later released. Meanwhile, the Beatles released the iconic Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, and, for the second time in their careers, became the new voice of their generation.

The Beatles themselves seem to have lost the spirit of competition after that. They released the double-EP “Magical Mystery Tour” and three more great albums before breaking up. Many argue that either Rubber Soul or Revolver were greater albums than Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band was. But it was in 1967 when they truly reached the pinnacle, having shaken off all competition creatively.

Jeff Healey, 1966-2008: While My Guitar Gently Weeps

treadmarkz — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 03:13:27 +0000

Guest post: Treadmarkz is a Human Beatles Encyclopedia and author of the weblog treadmarkz.wordpress.com

Jeff Healey, the blues/rock/jazz guitarist who gained fame in the late-80’s with the song “Angel Eyes” passed away Sunday from cancer. He was 41.

The Canadian-born singer-guitarist had retinoblastoma, a form of ocular cancer which first developed when he was one year old, leaving him blind for life.

He began playing guitar when he was three, developing an idiosyncratic style of playing, with the guitar`laying on his lap, which, ironically (as his disability was surely seen as an impediment) allowed him more freedom in chord structure. In recent years, Healey has stepped out of the limelight and embraced jazz music, another love of his.

I cannot say that I was a fan of Healey’s, in fact I did not know much about him at all. But when I went to the internet to listen to “Angel Eyes” tonight, I was instantly transported back to the age of 9 when this song was popular. His guitar solo in “Angel Eyes” is one of such depth, not only does it leave an imprint on your memory somewhere, but it has a texture and shape that you can almost see, feel and taste it. But there can be no more fitting tribute, and no better way to exhibit his sheer talent and flair on the guitar, than to post his version of the Beatles’ “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” Enjoy.

Acoustic Hendrix (Video)

Corey Koehler — Mon, 01 Oct 2007 01:28:42 +0000

Here’s something you don’t see everyday. A video of Jimi Hendrix playing a 12 string acoustic guitar. Very nice. Check it out.