Grunge-r Strike

Have you ever watched any documentaries or TV shows about the 1990s? One might start something like this… As the neon glow of the 80s started to fade, the Rubik’s Cubes and parachute pants made way for flannel, Doc Martens boots, and a musical revolution out of Seattle called “grunge.”

Speaking for myself, I normally resist whatever trend is current — especially in music. When grunge music was all the rage, I was probably listening to something from The British Invasion or Bo Diddley. I’ll say that I do appreciate some grunge music more now that some time has passed since the 90s. However, I didn’t “get” a lot of it or relate to those bands. One song from that time period I have always loved was written by Chris Cornell and recorded by a one album supergroup called Temple of the Dog. The song is called “Hunger Strike.”

Prior to writing this blog entry, I listened to this song repeatedly. Obviously Chris Cornell’s dynamic vocals are a big part of the song. I think you have to give him credit for not only his vocal range, but the emotional power in it.

Here’s another conclusion. “Hunger Strike” reminds me of Led Zeppelin’s approach to a lot of songs — soft acoustic intro, building into a hard rocking, dynamic finish. (Ann and Nancy Wilson of the band Heart were big Led Zep fans and copied this technique as well.)

There’s a whole back story about why the Temple of the Dog group formed and the inspiration for the album. I think what’s important, though, is it was made up of Cornell and several members of Pearl Jam including singer Eddie Vedder. I was never into Pearl Jam and really couldn’t relate to Vedder’s singing voice. That said, I think his Vedder’s baritone served as a perfect foil to the wailing voice of Cornell. Cornell sounds pretty amazing on his own, too.

If I had to pick a favorite song from the 90s, “Hunger Strike” would definitely be in contention. I think it has just enough Vedder vocals and just enough grunge guitar.

Till next time, keep your Mojo on the Horizon!

Rhoads, Romance, & Canon

I recently watched a documentary about guitarist Randy Rhoads who tragically died in a plane crash at the young age of 25. Rhoads is not only known for his association with Quiet Riot and Ozzy Osbourne, but also his background in classical guitar. I can’t say I’ve ever really been big into classical music, but I think Rhoads is an interesting example of bringing that influence into a hard rock musical environment. The easiest example to cite is the power ballad “Goodbye to Romance” off the Blizzard of Ozz album.

If the melody sounds familiar, that’s because it’s based on the popular classical piece “Canon in D” by Johann Pachelbel. The chord changes are basically the same. You might have heard it at a wedding.

Singer-songwriter Lisa Loeb also covered “Goodbye to Romance” for the album “Bat Head Soup: A Tribute to Ozzy.”

Frank Zappa’s son Dweezil played guitar on the track. I like both the Ozzy and Loeb versions of this one.

Incidentally, I never owned “Blizzard of Ozz”, but I distinctly remember buying “Tribute” which is a live Ozzy album featuring Randy Rhoads and also some big Black Sabbath tunes as well. I bought it at a Streetside Records location on cassette tape.

Not too many guitarists can pull off the look of a black Gibson Flying V guitar with white polka dots, but Randy Rhoads definitely did it.

Till next time, keep your Mojo on the Horizon!

Super-Gerry-i-nation

Cable TV was a new thing in my neighborhood when I was around 12 or 13 years old. One thing I always remember about that time period was the little premium channel guides that would come in the mail. You’d have a listing of what film or what comedy special was on which of the premium stations like HBO, Showtime, The Movie Channel, or Cinemax. There were plenty of pictures and descriptions to promote the various things we all couldn’t wait to see. One of those I always remember was a show called “Thunderbirds” which featured some unique, militant-looking puppets. Naturally, that wasn’t on one of the premium channels we got. I guess it was kind of like my cable TV white whale in some way.

Recently (and many years later) I got to learn about “Thunderbirds” and several other programs via the documentary called “Filmed in Supermarionation.” It’s a great mix of interviews with not only director Gerry Anderson and various crew members, but also plenty of video clips and behind the scenes pics. There are some great stories.

The film goes into great detail about many of the shows which came before and after “Thunderbirds” like “Four Feather Falls” and “Supercar”. There are also some freaky ones like “Joe 90” and “Captain Scarlet” to name a couple. I think this film has a pretty wide appeal because of the great stories about how Supermarionation was created along with many of the creative and technical challenges encountered along the way. One thing I failed to mention is all of these shows originated in Great Britain so there may be some cultural differences along the way. (One time I watched a show with Paddington Bear where he kept searching for marmalade. I was like, “Dude, just open up the fridge.”) I can’t see a show called “Torchy” ever being big in America for example.

The biggest thing I got from the documentary was how dedicated the crew and Anderson seemed to be. They are presented as creative and inventive people who were determined to make some excellent shows for the rest of the world’s viewing pleasure. I suppose Gerry Anderson is to Supermarionation world what George Lucas is to Star Wars.

Till next time, keep your Mojo on the Horizon!

Xmas Smackdown

Some may argue it’s in man’s nature to fight. Does it all come down to good guys vs. bad guys or right vs. wrong? The argument of red vs. blue can definitely be made…whether you’re talking about politics, Bloods vs. Crips, or even Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robots. Naturally, that brings up the topic of Christmas — it’s hard to believe that another Christmas is almost here, but “whoomp there it is.”

Hopefully this Christmas season will be one of peace for you,… rest, relaxation, and reconnecting with old friends and relatives. I had a friend years ago whose tradition was hosting a Christmas party in his condo. Good friends, good food, and my friend had VHS recordings of about every Christmas TV show you could name. For some reason, I have a hard time remembering the title of 1974’s “The Year Without a Santa Claus”, but I can definitely remember the music.

I can remember standing in my buddy’s living room when this song came onto his TV and cracking up when the chorus line of little Snow Misers made their entrance.

Maybe it’s the arrangements, but I always thought the songs had a sort of Gene Krupa-Sandy Nelson feel to them. The musical composer’s credit goes to Maury Laws with lyrics by Jules Bass. One interesting bit of trivia about the Snow Miser song: Vocals were performed by Dick Shawn — you might remember him as the emotionally unstable character Sylvester in “It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World.” As for his look, Snow Miser definitely has panache. (Mr. Peanut has got nothing on his hat and cane ensemble. ) The ski slope nose with an icicle is a nice touch…or is it “too much”?

Heat Miser, on the other hand, has more of a Bob Dylan-Jimi Hendrix-Don King hairdo happening. It definitely enhances his whole flame vibe. George S. Irving handled the vocal duties on the green Christmas tune. If this was an actual boxing match between the two brothers, Snow Miser would get the decision based on the winter vibe of Christmas.

I don’t remember too much else about this particular TV Christmas special. I think there’s a depressing version of “Blue Christmas”sung by a little girl in it. Otherwise, it’s a glorious stop motion animation thing that’s fun for all ages.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0072424/

Till next time, keep your Mojo on the Horizon!

LeopardSkinPillBobDylan

Bob Dylan…an interesting dude. He’s one of the most bootlegged recording artists around and has had many different chapters in his career: folk singer, “protest” songwriter, Grammy winner, member of The Traveling Wilburys, etc.

Some people loved his acoustic recordings, but went nuts when he “went electric”. Others can’t stand his voice, but love his songwriting. I would probably say I’ve been a Bob Dylan fan since my teens or twenties. (The Concert for Bangladesh was probably my initial introduction to him. Thanks, George Harrison!) Recently, I was made aware of a museum called The Bob Dylan Center https://bobdylancenter.com/ …I assumed it would be in his hometown of Hibbing, Minnesota, but I was wrong….it’s in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

During a recent road trip, I was fortunate enough to check out this museum and thoroughly enjoyed it. It has some of the things one might expect to find like backstage passes, handwritten lyrics, and interviews. (I’m not including a whole bunch of pics to spoil the fun for those who are able to visit. I will say some of my favorite display items were cards mailed to Dylan from George Harrison.) Museum attendees are provided with headphones and will get a chance to listen to performances and interviews.

So what’s the appeal of Bob Dylan? Some call him a poet. I think part of that poetry he does really well might best be classified as “stream of consciousness.”

And, yes, I’m partial to the bluesy arrangement and unique lyrics of “Leopard Skin Pillbox Hat.” On my drive home from Tulsa, I was listening to a classic rock station and two songs reminded me of Dylan’s impact. The first was Guns ‘N Roses cover of Dylan’s “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door”. It’s interesting to think about how many people have heard this song just because this Sunset Strip metal band recorded it. Thanks, Dylan. The second was R.E.M.’s “It’s the End of the World as we Know It (and I Feel Fine).” While Dylan didn’t write this song, it certainly seems like an attempt to imitate him or craft some Dylanesque lyrics.

One of the hardest decisions I had to make was which souvenir to purchase from the BDC’s gift shop. I decided on a guitar capo with the museum’s name on it. I’m going to see if it “balances on my head just like a mattress on a bottle of wine.”

Viva, Tulsa! Viva, Bob Dylan!

Till next time, keep your Mojo on the Horizon!

Walter Hill’s Warriors

If I had to pick a favorite film director, Walter Hill is a safe bet for me. I’m sure I’ve mentioned some of the films he directed…The Long Riders, Crossroads, Hard Times, Trespass. There are plenty more, too….Red Heat, 48 Hours, Geronimo: An American Legend. In short, his films kick ass. They’re macho and adventurous.

This time, I want to mention the 1979 film “The Warriors.” On the surface, it’s a film about New York City street gangs. Part of the appeal or backdrop to the film is the oddball assortment of gangs from the Grammercy Riffs to the Baldies and more (The protagonist gang from Coney Island is actually named The Warriors.) Any great action film has to have a great bad guy or guys. There’s no shortage in this film, but my favorite happens to be a gang called The Baseball Furies. They look like the NY Yankees crossed with KISS. They even have an eerie theme song of their own courtesy of Barry De Vorzon.

To put it in perspective, if I’m ever channel surfing, I ALWAYS stop on The Warriors. It’s a badass movie with lots of memorable scenes and one-liners. Hill’s film is based on a book (called The Warriors) by Sol Yurick. Here’s where it gets a little more confusing…Yurick’s book is based on Xenophon’s Anabasis… a Greek text about an army stranded behind enemy lines. If you watch the film, you can argue it’s “dated”, but great stories live on in my book, so I don’t buy that at all. Plus, I liked the Seventies.

You might recognize a couple of familiar faces in The Warriors. James Remar plays a brawny, tough guy-Warrior named “Ajax” and Deborah Van Valkenburgh (she was the brunette daughter in TV’s Too Close for Comfort) stars as the love interest for Warriors Gang Leader “Swan” (Michael Beck). David Patrick Kelly also delivers quite a performance as another antagonist to The Warriors. If you’re not convinced by now, you should know Joe Walsh collaborated with Barry De Vorzon on the song “In the City”, which closes this film.

Viva, Walter Hill! Viva, The Warriors!

Till next time, keep your Mojo on the Horizon.

A Shot of Rhythm & Keef

I’ve always been a fan of The Rolling Stones. I’ve blogged about some of their lesser known tunes, some of their hits, and even different eras including Brian Jones and Mick Taylor. While I think you have to give the hyperactive-rooster-strutting Mick Jagger his due as a front man, lead singer, and songwriter, that goes DOUBLE for Keith Richards.

Maybe I’m wrong about this, but isn’t a band member who sings (on stage) AND plays an instrument (on stage) automatically twice as valuable as one who only does one? In any event, my main purpose of this particular blog entry is to recognize the solo efforts of The Mighty Keef. Oh yeah, and he also co-wrote those Stones hits with Mick Jagger.

I can’t remember when exactly, but sometime in the past few months, I came across one of Keith Richards’ solo tunes I had not heard previously. It’s called “999.”

How would one describe this tune off the “Main Offender” album? Stream of consciousness is the phrase that pops into my mind. Lyrically, it’s more Dylan than Stones. Keef mentions a “damn monkey” on his back that’s “either too tight or it’s too slack.” Addiction? Yes, I think Keith has had his share of it like most rock n rollers. Maybe more. He also says he needs something in his Dixie cup. But then again, this cool cat says he has “a pocket calculator”….is he a Nerd in hiding? Beats me.

The bottom line is this…no matter how “cool” Mick Jagger is, he’ll NEVER be as cool as Keith Richards is. Keef’s group of musician friends is known as The X-Pensive Winos…include guys like Ivan Neville and Waddy Wachtel. That’s probably as cool as “The Rolling Stones” sounded in 1964. By the way, I think I still have 1988’s “Talk is Cheap” effort from Keef on cassette. Does that make me cool or a Nerd? Apparently, some people even dress up as Keith for Halloween.

Viva, Keef!

My Best Friend’s Riff

The Cars. They had massive radio airplay and hit records, not to mention frontman Ric Ocasek wound up with supermodel Paulina Porizkova somewhere along the way. Recently, I’ve been learning the guitar parts to “My Best Friend’s Girl”, which is an absolutely great piece of catchy pop music. There’s one thing I didn’t realize about the song until I started playing it. It falls into a special category of songs which were recorded in one musical key (E), then the recorded tape was sped up into a higher key (F). There are a good deal of these songs which fall into this category, but that’s a whole other discussion.

Something I recently noticed while watching a video guitar lesson, is one section of the song sounds a lot like the Bo Diddley song “Crackin’ Up.”

Listen around the 4:30 second mark on this lesson, and you’ll hear what I’m saying.

It took me a minute, but I knew I recognized that guitar riff from another song. I can’t remember if I heard the Bo Diddley original version of “Crackin’ Up” first or the version by Paul McCartney on his Russian Album.

This part is a repeat, but years ago, I took some guitar lessons with this ponytailed dude. He was the one who told me “My Best Friend’s Girl” borrowed heavily from a song on The Beatles’ White Album. I scratched my head at first, but then determined he was talking about the beautiful Paul McCartney song “I Will.” As a whole, the songs don’t really sound alike, but there is a guitar riff which certainly does.

Ric Ocasek got the songwriting credit for this song, but give some credit to Cars’ guitarist Elliot Easton for his contribution on this one. I even found a YouTube video with Easton showing how he played the guitar solo on it. All in all, it’s a psychic convergence of music.

Till next time, keep your Mojo on the Horizon!

Workingman’s Rush

“Working Man” by the Canadian power trio Rush popped into my head today so I had to listen to it repeatedly and dissect it. I’ve always loved the guitar in this song from their 1974 self-titled debut. As a whole, this song ROCKS!

It’s not just the guitar that makes this song enjoyable for me. I love the lyrics and the driving feel to it. I think this song has an angry undertone tone. I mean, who is happy to be doing nothing but working your ass off, right? “I got no time for livin’, Yes, I’m workin’ all the time.”

When I was growing up, I would see tons of fans wearing their Rush concert t-shirts. There was also a subdivision entrance with the circled-star-Rush-2112 spray painted on the street. There are a lot of die hard Rush fans, but I wouldn’t put myself in that category. There are also rallying cries I’ve heard about the band over the years: Neil Peart/Geddy Lee is the best rock drummer/bassist ever, etc. That, or, they’re a great band, but I can’t stand Geddy’s singing voice. I have no problem with his voice, but maybe that’s one reason why this tune appeals to me. “Working Man” actually features Neil Peart’s predecessor John Rutsey on drums as well.

Getting back to the guitar, there are plenty of parts to dissect: the opening lick, the siren lick, and lots of hard driving solos in the E minor pentatonic vein. What’s not to love about it! Oh by the way, the guitarist’s name is Alex Lifeson.

Till next time, keep your Mojo on the Horizon!

Purple Hush

If you’re like me, when you think of the song “Hush”, you think about British rock band Deep Purple…even though they didn’t write it. More on that later.

Their version had a dramatic intro with prominent drums, prominent organ, and a bit of electric guitar. “Funky” is probably the best word to describe the vibe of this song. It’s one of those songs where the lyrics aren’t necessarily easy to understand, but the “na, na-na-na” part is quite singable. It most likely passes the good beat-easy to dance to test as well. As a bonus, they got to play it on “Playboy After Dark.”

“Hush” has been recorded a decent number of times, but I think it’s hard to eclipse the DP version. I recently found an interesting version by American guitarist Dan Baird (Georgia Satellites, Homemade Sin).

I suppose Baird didn’t hear the need for organ, so he left it off. Sounds a bit more stripped down, but the song still works. (With no Playboy video, I wonder if he feels like he was cheated out of his Bunny experience?)

“Hush” was actually written by a guy named Joe South and then released by Billy Joe Royal.

If none of these versions grab you, there was a release in the 90s by a band called Kula Shaker. I think there’s also some sort of Thin Lizzy version recording as well.

Till next time, keep your Mojo on the Horizon!