photo credit: Vectorportal

The term ‘rock star’ tends to evince a different image depending on who you ask. Me, I imagine a hard-drinking, guitar-shredding womaniser who can turn a subdued crowd of spectators into an exigent stampede. I picture Axl Rose, Jimi Hendrix, Kurt Cobain. I don’t think of The Beatles or The Who, though many will. Images of a tongue-wagging Gene Simmons or microphone-raising Freddie Mercury are what pop to mind. Yes, it’s fair to say rock star is a polarising term.

There is rock royalty of course, many of whose members huddle under the umbrella term ‘monsters’. So-called monsters of rock generally include Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, Aerosmith, and Iron Maiden, their modus operandi comprising a blend of gigantic riffs, superabundant solos and memorable antics, both off stage and on. They are the big guns, the Hall of Famers. Kicking ass and taking no prisoners, the monsters have assured their place in history, and provide fertile ground for modern rock stars to thrive. But is the rock dinosaur extinct? Read the rest of this entry

If you are a sucker for good (or at least interesting) cover songs, then check these out. Here are a few of the good – and not so good – that I’ve come across lately.

First, you’ll want to check out Prince doing “Crimson and Clover”. Even though I am a Prince fan and fellow resident of the great state of Minnesota, I still like Joan Jetts cover better.

Next, I’m not a huge Deftones guy but I thought this was pretty cool.  Here they are doing a cover of The Cars “Drive” on YouTube. 

And Finally, here’s a question for you. Read the rest of this entry