rock

Spotlight on Artists: 4 Drummers Who Became Talented Guitarists

Webmaster — Tue, 26 Jul 2022 15:31:18 +0000

Spotlight on Artists: 4 Drummers Who Became Talented Guitarists Webmaster July 26, 2022 - 11:31

Topics

Tags

Photo credit: Matthijs Smit

While a band is a close-knit group, there are admittedly some members who get the spotlight more than others. Drummers are often overlooked in favor of singers and lead guitarists, but they're the driving force behind every single song’s rhythm.

Drumming can be every bit as complex as playing the guitar, and may even be crucial for learning how to play the latter. In fact, research has even shown that drumming makes the brain more efficient, eventually requiring less activity to do motor tasks.

This experience has proven useful for musicians who set out to master another instrument. In many cases, band members will need to be versatile, and many have learned how to play another instrument at some point. To illustrate, here are four notable drummers-turned guitarists everybody needs to know about:

1. Dave Grohl

Perhaps one of the most recognized drummers who eventually became a frontman and guitarist is none other than The Foo Fighters' Dave Grohl. At 18, he dropped out of high school to drum for the hardcore punk band Scream, before popularizing alternative rock and grunge music with Nirvana. After Kurt Cobain's tragic death, Grohl went on to lead The Foo Fighters as the band's guitarist and lead singer.

Even though his guitar of choice is a Gibson Trini Lopez signature ES-335 (and later, the Axl Rose-gifted Gibson ES 335 Dot) and credits it as the defining sound of their band, he still insists that he isn't good enough to master Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Free Bird" — a humble statement from someone whose bands have been inducted into the Hall of Fame!

2. Patrick Wilson

Patrick Wilson was the drummer for Weezer for nearly two decades since the band's inception in 1992. However, he was also able to explore his love for the guitar while working on side project Special Goodness, helping him transition to guitar-playing roles during Weezer's tours starting in 2009.

He's well known for using classic equipment like the Fender Stratocaster and the Gibson SG, both electric guitars that deliver the distinctive sound that most listeners have come to know today. For the Stratocaster in particular, this is thanks to its three pickups and vibrato. When it first came out in the 1950s, it didn't look or sound like any other guitar, which is why Wilson's choice in his instruments made it possible for him to become a successful guitarist after his long stint on the drum kit, and the world of rock and roll is much better for it.

3. Danielle Haim

While Danielle Haim has no doubt owned being front-and-center when she performs with her sisters, she still does much of the drumming on their records. Before she started playing the guitar for HAIM, Danielle joined Julian Casablancas of The Strokes as a backup musician on both guitar and percussion. She is also a fan of the Gibson Les Paul, which is her instrument of choice, especially when playing live.

Danielle is more of a multi-instrumentalist rather than just a drummer and a guitarist, as she consistently plays both as well as other instruments live or in the studio. Other all-female bands can certainly take inspiration from the versatility of musicians like Danielle Haim and continue breaking the mold in the world of rock, whether on drums or guitar.

4. Don Henley

Some drummers have no choice but to retire their sticks because of how taxing the instrument can be to play. One example is Don Henley, who used to be a part of the legendary country rock movement in the 1970s. The Eagles were one of the bands that made milestones on the rock scene in the 70s, and Henley happened to play as their drummer.

Despite drumming for The Eagles and even Guns N’ Roses, Henley now prefers to be in front of a microphone, on guitar, or both. He explained how much playing the drums hurt his back, especially after years of sitting in a position that eventually misaligned his spine. These days, he's more content and focused on songwriting and singing while other drummers do the heavy-duty work.

These four musicians succeeded in playing numerous instruments because of one driving factor: their passion for music. In pursuit of making that music, drums were particularly crucial, and these musicians rocked in the different roles they played.

Add new comment

Songs in the Key of Life, 2021

Dusty Wright — Thu, 30 Dec 2021 23:10:25 +0000

Songs in the Key of Life, 2021 Dusty Wright December 30, 2021 - 18:10

Topics

Music Review

Tags

rock

Truly a year of singles for me. The 2021 Covid endemic forced many musicians to get busy during their isolation and so creativity sprang forth like a polluted river being purified by the healing holy spirit of music. I did like a handful albums. Not much time to ingest entire albums unless I played them on vinyl. And one of which I did not discover until December from another critic's list!

Billie Eilish's performance of the song "Male Fantasy" on SNL a few weeks ago cemented the deal for me. I knew she had writing and performing chops, but witnessing her live performance on my flat screen was revelatory. I needed to spend some quality time exploring her latest album in depth. Damn, Happier Than Ever (Universal) is so authentic, soul baring; mature beyond years, she is quickly becoming a generational talent. If you want to peak inside the zeitgeist of her peer youth culture... proceed with caution. Honorable mention: London-based Arlo Parks is no slouch either. Her song "Hurt" is one of my favorite songs from her debut album Collapsed In Sunbeams. (Watch video at top.)

One of my favorite albums of original music this year belonged to Chicago-based singer/songwriter/pianist/blues-funk-soul-pop-rocker Neal Francis. In Plain Sight (ATO/Fontana) is nine inspired and memorable songs; a collection of funky, fun, bluesy rock, and retro pop-rock tunes that harken back to the early '70s FM radio. Think Elton John, Todd Rundgren, Billy Preston, even The Allman Brothers. Recorded to tape and mixed by Dave Fridmann (Flaming Lips, Spoon, Tame Impala), he's given the proceedings that retro hue that is so infectious. Guitar hero Derek Trucks lent his tasty slide guitar chops to the killer track "Can't Stop the Rain."

Promises, promises. Promises (Luaka Bop), indeed. Veteran jazz musician/saxophonist Pharoah Sanders (81 years young) along with electronic music producer/keyboardist Floating Points (aka Sam Shepherd), and the London Symphony Orchestra have taken improvisational jazz, ambient and classical music and created an album of subtle, hypnotic magic. A nine-movement, 46 minute meditation comprised of delicate textures and divine harmonies with a repeating keyboard motif, Sander's improv sax, and delicate orchestral strings. Whether you use it to relax or disengage from some high stress activity, it will create a calmness that we all can defiantly use/need. Listeners should proceed with unburdened breathing while playing this blissful, majestic album.

Ghost of Vroom (Ghost of Vroom 1) is Soul Coughing 2.0, a band that I hailed when it was roughing up crowds in NYC. If you know and dig singer/songwriter Mike Doughty's music and stream of conscious lyrics then that should not come as a surprise. Now living in Memphis and partnered up with bassist/cellist/longtime collaborator Andrew “Scrap” Livingston, their debut album is an unstoppable slithering king snake of blues-soaked, funky hip-hop grooved songs, top to bottom. Ain't no ghosts, just GIANT music freaks leaving a trail of 11 tremendous tunes for all to witness.

I Just Don't Know What to Do with Myself (Compass Records) is my favorite cover album of the year. And it contains one of my favorite songs of the year. "Driving with the Brakes On" was originally written and performed by the most-excellent Del Amitri. (Check out the original.) Here Mr. Colin Hay (Men At Work) shares his rendition, claiming it as his own. In fine vocal form, too, his plaintive voice as raw and emotive as any recorded performance you will hear this year (or next). I hope you can take the time to appreciate this song and his entire album with iconic songs from The Beatles, Jimmy Webb, Faces, Traffic, The Kinks, and other. You will be rewarded. And hopefully, moved.

So what of the deluge of singles released this past year? Here's my ever-expanding list of favorites songs from 2021. I suspect I've missed some hidden gems. Feel free to share you faves in the comment section below.

Add new comment

Your list

Not often (or ever) that you find Billie Eilush and Pharoah Sanders in the same list and kudos for turning me on to the new Pharoah. Big fan from the 60s on.

Add new comment

Song of the Week: "A War On Everything"

Dusty Wright — Thu, 03 Oct 2019 15:39:51 +0000

Song of the Week: "A War On Everything" Dusty Wright October 3, 2019 - 11:39

Topics

Music Review

Tags

rock

Cool tune. Way cool tune. Vibe. For days. Feel good. Moving. Great vocals. Singer. Brett Emmons. Great lyrics. Great band. The Glorious Sons. Great electric guitars. Great tones. And separation. Groove along with it. Then groove more. And then again. And add it permanent playlists. From Canada. Stars there. Risings stars here. Burn it down, Sons.

Add new comment

Song of the Week: Change of Pace

Dusty Wright — Thu, 06 Dec 2018 22:53:04 +0000

Song of the Week: Change of Pace Dusty Wright December 6, 2018 - 17:53

Topics

Tags

Check it out! Andy Frasco & the U.N. have just released yet another catchy, badass tune to uplift and inspire. It's Friday and time to get on your good foot. Hailing from LA, Frasco (lead vocals, piano), Andee Avila (drums), Shawn Eckels (Guitar), Ernie Chang (Saxophone), and Chris Lorentz (Bass) know how to throw it down. From his soon-to-be released third studio album Change of Pace (2/22/19), check out the studio version here.

Add new comment

Summer's Final Rays of Light & Warmth

C. Jefferson Thom — Tue, 25 Sep 2018 20:51:36 +0000

Summer's Final Rays of Light & Warmth C. Jefferson Thom September 25, 2018 - 16:51

Topics

Music Review

Tags

rock

Among the legends of Rock & Roll, The Zombies occupy a unique position with an unusual story. The band formed in 1961 in St. Albans, UK when all its members were in their mid teens. They experienced early success with their hit single "She's Not There," which led to years of touring and recording with Decca Records, but as the 1960s stretched on, their rise to fame lost some steam. In late 1967 they decided to break up, but not before recording on final album, Odessey and Oracle. That album was released in 1968 to critical praise but didn't sell well and went largely unnoticed until one of its tracks was released as a single in the U.S. That track was "Time of the Season" (you know it, the song that asks, "What's your name? Who's your daddy? Is he rich? Is he rich like me?" amid popping claps and sensual breathing) and while it took some time to catch on, by 1969 it became a colossal hit, topping out at #3 on the Billboard charts. "Time of the Season" has since become the soundtrack for the intense and turbulent decade that followed. Over the years, listeners began to explore Odessey and Oracle as a whole and it eventually came to be considered a seminal album of great importance, ranked along side those being put out by The Beatles and Beach Boys around that same period. This is an indisputable success story with a happy ending, right? How could it be viewed as anything else, but when "Time of the Season" first started attracting this overdue praise and attention The Zombies hadn't been a band for close to two years. The band members had gone their separate ways, some to other recording careers, one was selling cars, while its original lead singer, Colin Blunestone, was working in the claims department of an insurance company when his voice began to echo across the air waves of the United States.

On the Tuesday before they kicked off their present tour, starting in Los Angeles, I had the opportunity of catching up with Colin Blunstone over the phone, asking him about this sleeper success story and where it has brought him today...

Interview:

Culture Catch: You're starting your tour on the West Coast of the United States and then you head off to Europe, do you have a favorite city or venue that you're particularly looking forward to?

Colin Blunstone: That's an interesting thought. I love playing on the West Coast of America. I love playing in America all together. The business is very professionally run over here, I think, so it's always a pleasure to come here and do our show. The whole process is quite sophisticated compared to some countries, so it's a pleasure to work in The States. Of course I like performing at home in the UK. I particularly like playing in Holland, but you asked for specific dates, didn't you? I think I'm looking forward to playing at the Troubadour in L.A. because I first played there in the early '70s as a solo artist and so it's got quite a lot of history. I've since played there with The Zombies and this time we're going to be playing there for two nights... I'm looking forward to that one.

CC: The Zombies have a very unique sound. I've heard it called Baroque rock... it almost has an Elizabethan sound to me. It almost sounds like if Shakespeare had an opening band for his plays you guys could have done it, with the flutes and period sounding percussion... What do you think of the sound of The Zombies?

Colin: First, let me say we could have never opened for Shakespeare. He's a lot older than us, but... I'm being serious now... it's very difficult to describe what you do yourself. With The Zombies it was very natural... I didn't write any of the songs on Odessey and Oracle but I was there when the songs were being written. It's a very natural way of writing songs, arranging, rehearsing, & recording, that's the five of us being together, that's the sum of what was happening in our musical world. There's one thing I would say about The Zombies is that we had many influences when we first got started, but by 1967 we weren't particularly influenced by anybody. You can like The Zombies and there are people who don't like The Zombies, but they're [The Zombies] different, so whether you like them or not they definitely are different. I think one of the reasons is that in our formative years- we first got together when we were fifteen and we were all interested in so many different kinds of music and such a wide spectrum of influences from classical music, modern jazz, blues, rhythm & blues, rock'n'roll, standard pop music- we loved pop music, and all those influences come together. I can hear them all on Odessey and Oracle and that's how we arrived at the kind of sound that The Zombies made. We weren't directly influenced by anyone in particular but we did take influences from lots of different types of music and it came together through our filter, if you like, to sound like Odessey and Oracle ... Also we had these two quite sophisticated writers in that band and that really took me by surprise when I was seventeen... we got a deal with Decca Records and we were introduced to a producer called Ken Jones, but before that first session he was giving us a bit of a pep talk and he said to us 'You know you could always write something for this session', it wasn't a big deal, he just dropped it into the conversation and Rod [Rod Argent, Zombies keyboardist and singer] went away and wrote "She's Not There". He came back two or three days later and played us this song and I was absolutely amazed. I had no idea he could write songs. It was a big shock and I think we all knew that it was a special song. So we were so fortunate to discover, it seems to me almost by chance, because Chris White also developed into a fine writer as well- our original bass player. But we had these two writers and that was a big change for the band... I think Odessey and Oracle was the culmination of those seven years we were together.

CC: Speaking of Odessay and Oracle, this album is epic in many regards, both in its qualities and it's unlikely success story. Your'e still there, but the band's long-since over when the album hit. What was it like watching that happen in delayed action?

Colin: It was very, very strange. I have to say that there was never any conversation with anyone about reforming the band. There was absolutely no interest. Everyone was committed to other projects and we watched it with great interest. It's always been a bit of a mystery to me. I don't mean that in a dismissive way. I find it fascinating how that could happen, because it shouldn't happen. Record companies put such promotional interest on current records that you would think that a record that had already come and been released and then been ignored wouldn't stand a chance. So it shouldn't have happened that "Time of the Season" should have been a big hit or even, years later, that Odessey and Oracle would sell truck loads of albums. I don't understand it but I find it fascinating and really interesting but it's a huge mystery to me. But going back to the time, it was a fascinating experience to watch this thing grow because we weren't supporting it. It almost felt like an album that was recorded by other people because two or three years had gone by and suddenly this single is a huge hit and led to me coming back into the music business. Because I was really, really disappointed when The Zombies finished and I wasn't sure I wanted to stay in the music business, but with "Time of the Season" being a huge hit I got a lot of offers and slowly but surely I just dipped my toe into the waters of the music business and I think I fully committed with Rod and Chris again when they produced my first solo album... I think there was a three year gap for me in all by the time I had a really big hit in the UK again.

CC: You have a very positive attitude towards the experience.

Colin: For me the thrill and the pleasure and fulfillment is writing and recording records and then going out there and performing and if anyone is familiar with any of the work I've done I'm eternally grateful. I don't expect people to know everything I've done in my life... I'm very happy to talk about the past but the important thing is what comes next. We need to be writing new songs, we need to be back in the studio... where are we going to be touring next year? What's happening? We're really happy to play- we'll always play three or four tunes from Odessey and Oracle. We play "She's Not There" and "Time of the Season", songs that people know... and maybe some Argent hits, because obviously Rod is a founding member of Argent, but one of the really rewarding things is that the new songs get as good a response as the old songs. I can imagine that some times it can happen that the new songs could be greeted by absolute silence but that's not the case with us... One runs into the other really naturally and it's very rewarding when we get up there and we realize that we play songs that perhaps they're not familiar with and the reaction has just been fantastic and that's very fulfilling.

CC: Now I know you guys are looking to the future, I can't help but look to the past still. In researching about The Zombies I came across a story of your touring in the U.S. and you guys playing seven shows a day at the Brooklyn Fox Theater and that's amazing to me because I've only ever heard stories like this when I see documentaries about the Beatles touring in Germany- that era of bands pumping out performances, twelve hour days that is just unthinkable today. No one would do that. Do I have that information correct? Did you really play that many shows in a day?

Colin: Well we did, but whereas The Beatles were playing non-stop. It was a tradition. By the time you were on one of these American shows you would have a lot of artists playing just a few songs. When The Beatles went to Germany they were playing in clubs and they were expected to play for six or seven hours a night and they would play for a couple hours and take a break. It's quite different when you do these tours... we played the Brooklyn Fox, Christmas 1964 into 65 and we opened on Christmas day but we only played a couple of songs as did the other acts... and so we would go on and sing a couple of songs and then we'd just have to wait around. I think what happened at the end of the show they played a short film and then it all happened again. So we would start at ten o'clock in the morning and the last show would be seven or eight o'clock at night. But it wasn't physically demanding show like that but you had to be there all day just waiting and also we couldn't go outside at all because there were thousands of people around the theater. There was an hysteria about music then that probably happens today but I don't think it happens so much. I know that Paul Atkinson, our lead guitarist, went out of the stage door once while we were there for ten days and the weight of people just came forward and pushed him up against a plate glass window and he lost his shirt and the police came in and got him and just said, "Listen. We'll do this once, but we're not going to do it again". And that meant we had to be back stage the whole time until all the crowds went home, so it led to a long day... but I'm just trying to say it's not the same as what The Beatles did when they went to Hamburg. We decided to become a professional band in 1964 before we recorded "She's Not There" and if "She's Not There" hadn't been a hit we probably- there's quite a good chance we would have ended up in Germany or in Europe playing those kinds of hours to just get the band together but because we had a hit we took a different route. We didn't choose that, it just happened to us.

CC: Still that is an amazing moment in music history to have been a part of. Any particularly fun backstage stories from that time that you'd like to share with us?

Colin: A lot of the ones that are more interesting I can't tell. It would be extremely indiscreet if I were to go into too many details of what was going on... (Laughs) I'm trying to think of something that would be good. The thing is you have to remember, these stories- it's fifty years ago. If I stay here for an hour or two I could probably come up with a few good stories... I remember we did Dick Clark's Caravan of Stars -- it's a terrible name. There was quite a well known female artist on our bus who drew a gun- I mean I'd never seen a gun before. But she drew a gun on someone on the front of the bus and I just remember her being forcibly ejected off the bus and I felt really sorry for her. We drove off -- this is a hit artist and we drove off leaving her standing by the side of the road with her suitcases.

CC: And her gun.

Colin: And her gun! (Laughs) Oh, dear... We made a point of going to the back of the bus with all the soul artists and they would sing for hours through the night and we just loved it. And then I think we were pretty much accepted, you know we were English, for a start, and we were very young and they got to a point where the said, "OK. Now you sing." And we had to stand up and sing in front of all these wonderful soul artists. We were really a bit apprehensive, but we got threw it and we were accepted after that.

CC: To say you've seen shifts in the music scene would be an understatement. You've seen whole paradigm shifts in the music industry from being a young man touring with The Zombies, through your solo career, and up to this present tour. How has the music industry most changed through your career?

Colin: Well, can I give you two answers? The first one is a light-hearted answer but there is a degree of truth in it. I found the music industry intriguing but a bit of a mystery and its been through many, many changes. You know it's going through changes week on week at the moment, but it's still a mystery to me. In some ways I'm quite fortunate because it never changed for me. It didn't understand it in 1964 and I don't understand it now. So, in many ways, there's no difference, its just a different kind of mystery. I don't pretend to understand the music industry and I'm not really interested in the music industry. I'm interested in the creative process. I love the idea of writing and recording songs and performing, that's where I get my energy from. But how you market a record or how you promote your record and whatever else you're suppose to do to records... my eyes glaze over. I try and be interested and I try to be polite if people want to tell me... but I'm not really interested. On a more serious note, one of the things that intrigue me is that you use to -- record sales have fallen through the floor. Quite a few people would sell a million records in 1964, well that's a real achievement now to have a million-selling record. So you used to tour to promote records. It was quite straight forward, you got a record coming out, you needed to tour. But now it is practically the other way around. Records don't make money. Very few records will make enough money to pay back the costs of making the record. Unless, sometimes with a first or second album, you might make them at home quite inexpensive, but if you'r using commercial studios and even then, you still got to pay for marketing and all the other things that come with it... art work. It's quite hard to earn the money back that it costs to make a record. It's almost now as though records are released to promote tours whereas it was completely the opposite when I first came into the industry. Tours are far more important now. Before, to a large extent, they were promotional vehicles for records but now the tour is the focal point and records pretty much promote the tour. I think that is one really big change that's happened in the music industry.

CC: That's interesting. I never thought of it that way, but that's absolutely right. It's almost like it's an excuse to go on tour and hopefully -- if you're selling something you're more likely to make money off of t-shirts or something then you are off of the album itself.

Colin: But you know it's quite often true. I'll tell you what's a really good one: posters. If you've got a good poster... I remember we were touring in Japan and they made a special poster for the tour. I mean how much- obviously you have to have the poster designed, but it costs about a penny or two pennies to print a poster and I know in Japan if they're signed you can get serious money... fifty dollars or something. I actually said this to Rod, we shouldn't make records. We should forget this records thing. We should become a poster company and just do posters. (Laughs)

CC: (Laughs) I think sadly a lot of bands have gone that way...

Colin: I know. The merchandise side of the industry, it just didn't exist when we started. It's so funny that side of things just didn't exist and now it's so important. But, you know, again, I watch that side of the business with interest but from a distance. You don't want to get too weighed down with that stuff.

CC: No, because that isn't why you got into the music. It wasn't to make money off of posters-

Colin: Absolutely not. You know, to a large extent we didn't get into the business to make money either. We all love music and we got together to have fun and that's what we're still doing. I don't think anyone I've worked with over a long period of time has ever been particularly motivated by making money. If you make music well... if you're good musicians and you put on a good show, with a little bit of luck you will make money. But that's a big difference from coming into the business to make money or even to be famous. Heaven help us, I never ever thought like that. I really just want to learn my craft and be the best I can.

CC: I think that's the spirit where the really good music comes from and I think it shows in your work.

Colin: Oh thank you. Even taking us out of the equation, I agree with you that that's where the good music comes from and I think people get it terribly wrong when they come into the industry because they want to be famous and they want to make a lot of money. No one can be really famous- with one or two exceptions, no one is really famous for years and years and years so it always ends up with sadness and desperation and depression and usually dependence on some kind of stimulus, you know, and it usually ends badly. But if you're just trying to write songs and perform well, maybe have some good fun at the same time with some other good musicians, with a little bit of luck you can have a fulfilling and happy career. That's my aim anyway. That's what I'm trying to do.

CC: I know because you guys disbanded before your music was as big as it would later become I've heard stories that there were a lot of fake bands claiming to be The Zombies trying to capitalize on that. Do you have any fun stories about that?

Colin: Well that's very true. I think in the 60s- it happened later as well, about 1990 there as an English band touring America claiming to be The Zombies. But in the 60s there was a time when there were three bands going around it and it was funny because Chris White was in America, he was in Rolling Stone's office and they got the phone number of the manager of one of these bands and they phoned up and put Chris on the phone to this guy and Chris asked him to explain about this Zombies band. And the manager of the band said it isn't the original Zombies but the lead singer in the band was killed in a car crash and this is our tribute to The Zombies... and I happen to be the lead singer in The Zombies. It was on the front page of Rolling Stone and I read about this with great interest.

CC: I'd imagine you would. You'd want to know about your death.

Colin: I know. The news of my death has been greatly exaggerated, I hasten to add. And, also, in one of those bands- two of ZZ Top were in one of those bands. More recently they've talked about it. Listen, I want musicians to work, I want them to be able to get work. Good luck to them. If that was what was on offer at the time, take it, of course, we weren't using the name and they've gone on and done wonderful things. The later band that was more around 1990, we did try to stop that band and they did stop. And I in my naive world thought I had contributed to that stop, I had phoned the musician's union, I'd spoken to lawyers, and I thought well they've stopped, maybe something I've done has resulted in them stopping, but if we go back to one of of our previous topics what happened was they were an English band, playing in America, claiming to be The Zombies. They'd found a guy named Hugh Grundy, the same name as our drummer but he was actually a bass player and he was also about four inches shorter than Hugh, but apparently they weren't very good and they came off stage, they're in their dressing room, and one of the guys from the audience went into their dressing room and pulled a gun on them and said "You are not The Zombies" and obviously scared them to death and they never played again.

CC: I guess, I don't know if the guns worked out in our favor that time around...

Colin: Maybe that was one of the better uses for a gun, I'm not sure that it should always be used in a dispute about a band's name, but...

CC: No. Probably not. I just can't get over the irony that that one band gave your band's name more a layer of validity because you now are the living dead. You are the singing, living dead.

Colin: That is true. (Laughs) I don't want anyone to get too carried away with that aspect of our band's name because they may want to take it a stage further and we're just nice guys that go out and play tunes. I don't want anyone to look too deeply into that.

CC: Exactly. But you already died in a car accident and you're still singing, so The Zombies are real.

Colin: Absolutely.

---------------------------------------------------

The Zombies @ The Neptune - 9/18/2018

That was the end of my conversation with Colin and on the Tuesday following this interview my wife and I got a chance to see The Zombies perform live at The Neptune in Seattle. Colin was telling the truth when he said that they really just love to play music and they did so without pretense, despite the legacy they've already left us. The new songs were great, these guys are clearly continuing their musical explorations and working to ever-improve their ample skills, but hearing them sing their old songs, those twelve timeless gems from Odessey and Oracle along with some of their other, older hits... it was pure time warp. Colin's voice has maintained and strengthened fantastically. He sings with power and control, hitting notes with the same purity and beauty that he hit them back in 1967. His falsetto hums and his tone is impeccable... at moments I closed my eyes and felt transported to an era I've only ever been able to experience through my imagination, but having his voice and those musical sounds to accompany my imagination brought a unique level of clarity to the vision. Rod Argent, the other founding member still touring with The Zombies, also hasn't missed a beat with his runs on the keyboard. Both Argent and Blunestone clearly love what they're doing and it was a pure pleasure to watch and listen to them do it. Anyone with an appreciation for solid rock & roll, from any era, should take the opportunity to catch these masters as they both remind us of the magic they've woven in the past and introduce us to the new wonders they're imparting us with today.

The Zombies will be on tour in the U.S. & Europe through to February 17th, 2019.

For more information, visit:

https://www.thezombiesmusic.com/

http://www.colinblunstone.net/

http://rodargent.com/

Add new comment

Album of the Week: All That You Can't Leave Behind

Dusty Wright — Wed, 02 May 2018 15:00:27 +0000

Album of the Week: All That You Can't Leave Behind Dusty Wright May 2, 2018 - 11:00

Topics

Music Review

Tags

rock

U2 - All That You Can't Leave Behind (Interscope, 180g Remaster)

Some fans and most critics were quick to dismiss U2 in 2000 feeling that they'd lost their rock 'n' roll mojo after the techno-dance-fueled albums Pop! and Zooropa. And it's easy to see why after their hugely successful seventh album Achtung Baby (1991) -- an album many feel is the best in their storied career. So it was no surprise that the Irish rockers would engage the services of the midas producers Eno and Daniel Lanois to steer the ship of their next album All That You Can't Leave Behind. A classic U2 rock 'n' roll record with many a hit; it's no fluke that it won 7 Grammys, too.

All That You Can't Leave Behind sounds wonderful on this newly remastered vinyl release and offers a chance for new listeners to discover one of U2's better albums. Reuninting with Eno and Daniel Lanois was a saavy move to assure that U2 "rock sound" was back. Their sonic details have always help craft their chart singles. That formula worked extremely well on the the robust singles from this album including "Beautiful Day," "Elevation," "Stuck in a Moment You Can't Get Out," and "Walk On." It's just a solid album top to bottom with plenty of concert staples and fan favorites. Pick it up on vinyl today and bask in the warm healing glow of the "U2 sound."

Big Box Set of Lou Reed's 1972-86 Albums a Must-Own

Steve Holtje — Wed, 26 Oct 2016 18:24:45 +0000

Big Box Set of Lou Reed's 1972-86 Albums a Must-Own Steve Holtje October 26, 2016 - 14:24

Topics

Music Review

Tags

rock

Lou Reed: The RCA & Arista Album Collection (Sony Legacy)

In a nutshell: If you are a Lou Reed fan, you should get this seventeen-CD box set regardless of how much of its contents you already own. Everything has been remastered; I compared the sound on six albums I have earlier CDs of (I did not compare the new CDs to my old vinyl, as that's apples and oranges), and on five the sound is greatly improved, more focused and with greater clarity; The Bells in particular has its murky sound fixed but retains its darkness. The exception is Take No Prisoners; it may be, given the circumstances under which this concert was recorded, that there wasn't much to work with there, but the sound is just as good as before. Throw in a very nice book -- not booklet; this thing's hardbound and roughly 11"x12" -- with co-producer Hal Willner's reminiscences, a wealth of historic Reed interview excerpts, and lots of photos and press clippings -- and it's even more attractive.

You want more detail? Here you go: Lou Reed, in case you hadn't noticed, was a complicated character, so of course there are complications surrounding this set. Any artist's participation in a retrospective project can turn out to be a mixed blessing. Let fans decide the contents of a "definitive" collection and the tendency will be maximum inclusiveness. Artists, though, may wish to bury (which is to say, have their audience lose access to) some things in their past. Now, it is clear that Lou Reed was heavily invested, emotionally speaking, in this project; he worked on it even while he was ill with cancer (he passed away three years ago this month). But he was more invested in some of the individual albums than others. I read somewhere that he originally intended to omit his eponymous debut LP and had to be talked into including it. Two other albums that would seem to fall within the bounds of this set based on its title were less lucky. I queried Legacy and received this reply from Rob Santos, Sony Legacy's VP of A&R, who co-produced the set and was the driving force behind it (and let's all give him a big thank-you for persevering): "Lou specifically didn’t want Lou Reed Live included because it was a record that he had nothing to do with and [was] put out without his permission. He didn't really consider it part of his catalog. In regards to Live in Italy, he wasn't interested in including it because it wasn't originally released here, and the focus of this set was his U.S. catalog." I happen to be a big admirer of Live in Italy, which features Lou's leanest and meanest band since the Velvet Underground, but hey, Lou didn't want to include it. I have to respect Legacy for honoring his intentions even after he's gone. It's not like they came to my house and took away my copies of those albums. (Film idea: Lou's ghost goes house to house asking people to destroy their copies of Lou Reed Live.)

Also, don't rush to discard the Reed CDs you've already got. There are a number of previous editions you will want to hang on to, as no albums in the box contain the bonus tracks that were eventually added to the Transformer 20th anniversary edition (two acoustic demos), the Rock 'n' Roll Animal 2000 remaster (two outtakes not even included on Lou Reed Live), Sally Can't Dance (one outtake plus the 7" edit of the title track), and the Coney Island Baby 30th anniversary edition (a whopping six bonus tracks: four from January 1975 sessions featuring late-era VU member Doug Yule, plus two outtakes from the CIB sessions).

There are posters as well, but everybody who buys this set will keep them mint-in-box, so the whole "suitable for framing" thing is moot, isn't it?

Some readers may be thinking that the five or six Lou albums from this period (1972-86) that they already own are enough, but one of the joys of receiving this set is that it prompted me to relisten to albums some of which I'd dismissed decades ago and some that inevitably got overshadowed by the more famous LPs. Turns out a lot of them, in hindsight, are better than I thought they were at the time. So here's a relatively succinct (by my standards, at least) album-by-album rundown.

Lou Reed (1972)

I don't know whether it was because it sold so poorly or because Lou's dislike of it led him to ask RCA to take it off the market, but when I wanted this LP in the early '80s, I had to buy an import from RCA Germany. Yes, it's amusing that Yes members Steve Howe and Rick Wakeman were among the sidemen on this album recorded in England; yes, we eventually discovered that the majority of these songs sounded better on then-unreleased VU versions. It's still a fairly underrated album full of good songs.

Transformer (1972)

With David Bowie producing his hero (in England again, with Mick Ronson the secret hero), this was a big leap forward for Lou and contains a number of his most popular songs. You probably already own it.

Berlin (1973)

An unsettling masterpiece, but in '73 people weren't prepared for rock stars making them feel uncomfortable for an entire LP that climaxes with small children running through an empty apartment screaming for their mother. Me, I'm more uncomfortable listening to the meandering, pointless tootling of something that, since no recorder player is credited, I will questionably ascribe to producer Bob Ezrin noodling on a Mellotron setting.

Rock 'n' Roll Animal (live 12/21/73 at the Academy of Music in N.Y.C.)

The dual electric guitars of Dick Wagner and Steve Hunter convert four VU songs and "Lady Day" from Berlin into fodder for the masses. Some consider the arena-rock arrangements of the VU material heretical, but for many it was a revelation and, even more than Transformer, made Reed a star and a frequent presence on the radio.

Sally Can't Dance (1974)

It's got a hit (the title track) and one of Lou's best songs, the harrowing "Kill Your Sons," his response to the electroshock therapy his parents made him get to keep him from being gay (didn't work, obviously). Fortunately, though the music is very much of its time, it's mostly not overproduced; more like the NY studio funk-rock of Bowie's Thin White Duke period (prime examples: "Baby Face," "N.Y. Stars"). The unfortunate exception is "Animal Language"; female backing singers making animal noises in harmony is hilariously bad -- and it's a pretty slight song to occupy the second slot in the program. Overall, though, another album that's gone up in my estimation.

Metal Machine Music (1975)

Avant-garde masterpiece? Practical joke? Both? An hour of processed guitar white-noise instrumentals that was universally hated at the time of its release, but which has gained a cult following in the decades since. Those with a taste for the extreme avant-garde enjoy it.

Coney Island Baby (1976)

This song album sold much better than MMM, reaching #41 on the pop LP chart, but not enough to get Lou back in RCA's good graces. The title track, a ballad in the true sense, is one of his greatest songs, a reminiscence of growing up on Long Island wanting "to play football for the coach," and "Kicks" kicks. If the rest is not top-notch Lou, it's still fascinating hearing his sensitive side.

Rock and Roll Heart (1976)

His first album for Arista is poorly regarded. Maybe he was trying to deliver an album with hits, or maybe he was showing contempt for the whole concept. The songwriting is rather thin at times; lead track "I Believe in Love" is for all intents and purposes a parody of a pop song, and the lyrics of the second track consist of "I'm banging on my drum/I'm having lots of fun." Closing track "Temporary Thing" is no masterpiece, but it's the only song here that's memorable for good reasons and manages to add some much-needed dark intensity to an otherwise lightweight album.

Street Hassle (1978)

The title track (actually a suite) is one of the most amazing accomplishments of Reed's discography, and in the book we are given the real-life episode that inspired part of it. Gritty, haunting, and brilliantly arranged, it manages to offer a sense of redemption at the end. Though the lyrics on many of the other songs seem on the surface to be just as simple as the previous album's low-effort work, they have a burning focus lacking before.

Take No Prisoners (live 5/17-21/78 at the Bottom Line in N.Y.C.)

This two-CD concert album is sometimes considered more notable for Lou's between-songs one-liners, explanations of songs' origins, and banter with the audience -- and that is all a plus -- but he had put together a good band, and this is musically enjoyable too.

The Bells (1979)

Uneven, but avant-garde jazz trumpeter Don Cherry plays on the darkly haunting title track.

Growing up in Public (1980)

Or, as wags had it at the time thanks to the frumpy cover photo of Lou, Waking up in Public. But Lou got deeply personal again (even if some of it was fictionalized), and the joke track, "The Power of Positive Drinking," is much better than most of his throw-away tracks -- and highly quotable. Also, not one track is overproduced.

The Blue Mask (1982)

Lou's return to RCA was a great comeback, and in the running for best solo Lou LP thanks to not only excellent songwriting but also ripping guitar solos from both Robert Quine (ex-Voidoids) and Reed, who stripped back down closer to the basics of VU than on any previous solo releases. Never mind that it peaked lower on the pop LP chart than anything by Lou other than Metal Machine Music had since his debut; it regained him the critical respect he had lost.

Legendary Hearts (1983)

Mostly the same band. Mostly less intense than its predecessor, but still a fine album if less stunning and memorable.

New Sensations (1984)

Some of this is shallow and panderingly poppy (especially "I Love You, Suzanne"), but "Fly into the Sun" is a great track, and certainly the best use of Fernando Saunders's fretless bass sound in the context of one of Reed's groups. I wish Fred Maher's beats were less robotic, though, and that Quine weren't gone.

Mistrial (1986)

This is the album that rose the most in my estimation on relistening. Though there are some electronic drums, on the real things J.T. Lewis has more "feel" than Maher did on New Sensations. In general (which is to say, obviously pandering tracks aside -- "The original Wrapper" is only amusing the first time and then become eminently skippable), this is more fiery and boasts better songwriting than its predecessor, and hotter guitars.

I could complain about the absence of "Hot Hips" from the soundtrack to the Jamie Lee Curtis movie Perfect, but that would just be showing off and it's no loss that it's not here, just more of the sort of stuff I don't like about much of New Sensations. But if you want to buy my 12" promo single (Arista, 1985), let me know.

It Was 50 Years Ago Today...

Dusty Wright — Sat, 08 Feb 2014 19:03:27 +0000

It Was 50 Years Ago Today... Dusty Wright February 8, 2014 - 14:03

Topics

Music Review

Tags

rock

...and I was in first grade. Ed Sullivan was presenting "these youngsters from Liverpool who call themselves The Beatles" on his American variety television program. My mother, father, younger brother David, and I were huddled around our RCA black and white TV set, just as 73 million other Americans were around theirs! My dad was annoyed that this much attention and hype was being flung at "a bunch kids that needed haircuts!" I didn't care, it was The Beatles! They'd taken the radio by storm with "She Loves You" and now it was time to see them live on TV. And it was electrifying! The audience was going crazy -- girls and boys screaming. They played "All My Loving" and "Till There Was You" and "She Loves You" and "I Saw Her Standing There" and it would usher in a change in the pop music landscape that still reverberates today.

This was a pivotal event for millions of American kids, as it was for me as well. Only 79 days earlier President Kennedy had been assassinated. The country was still in mourning. The Beatles offered some respite from that event and the impending Vietnam war nightmare. Their appearance would shake the establish to the core. Youth culture would be served and the media would do the serving. Beatlemania was born with rockets red glare and two guitars, bass, drums, and magnificent vocal harmonies.

I, like countless others, would become a music freak for life. In fact, that very same summer of '64, I bought my first album with my very own hard-earned money. I had a Kool-Aid stand in front of my home in North Akron and took my profits and raced the four blocks to the local Acme store and plunked down my profits on The Beatles' Second Album. For those of you who don't know, this "second" album by The Beatles was only released in U.S. and all the songs and sequence were chosen by the folks at Capitol Records. These were tracks culled from singles and B-sides, and tracks pinched from their second U.K. album With The Beatles. No matter to me, like I even knew or cared about that Beatles minutia until decades later. Nor did it matter that I'd only heard the "Roll Over Beethoven" and "She Loves You" singles; it didn't matter that I didn't know any of the other tunes. I would fall in love with "Devil in Her Heart" and "Money" and "I'll Call Your Name." It didn't matter to a six-and-half-year old boy that The Beatles, like Elvis before them, had recorded cover songs by some very cool black American R&B artists, including "Long Tall Sally" by Little Richard, "You Really Got a Hold on Me" by Smokey Robinson, and "Roll Over Beethoven" by Chuck Berry. There were no wimpy ballads on this album. Just pure rock 'n' roll distilled by one of the greatest rock and roll bands of all times!

As most of you know, Capitol Records has re-released all of the American Beatles albums in little cardboard slipcases with both the original mono and stereo versions (not always, it should be noted, the mixes heard on pre-'66 American LPs; on this iteration, they've favored best sound and artists' intent over historical accuracy, undoing some of the sonic abominations wrought by American engineers). One of my favorite "American-only" releases was the Hey Jude compilation (originally titled The Beatles Again) released in February 1970. It was an odds 'n' sods effort that collected singles and B-sides left off of their American Capitol albums, including "Can't Buy Me Love," "I Should Have Known Better," "Rain," and "Paperback Writer" (I bought this single back in the day), "Hey Jude," "Revolution," "Ballad of John and Yoko," "Lady Madonna," and "Old Brown Shoe," as well as one of my favorite Lennon tunes ever, the blues-rock juggernaut "Don't Let Me Down" (see video below). The flip side to the single "Get Back," recorded the very same day, primal and real, this was the first love song he wrote for Yoko and probably his kiss off to his once-beloved brothers from Liverpool. Producer Phil Spector left it off the Let it Be record. Check out Billy Preston on electric piano seated just behind Paul.

I always loved the cover art, as this was towards the end of their career and they seemed cool and indifferent, almost bored, like they'd seen and done it all and it was time to get back to their farms. In fact, their names and the album title were purposely left off the album. (I suspect this rootsy homage to The Band was probably no accident. After all, they were fans of what Dylan & The Band had accomplished while hanging out in Woodstock a few short years before these photos were taken. And George Harrison feeling the tension in his own band sought refuge in Woodstock and even wrote a tune with Dylan during this time. Certainly that influence would be felt on George's solo masterpiece All Things Must Pass.)

Watching these performances today, it may not seem like such a big deal. But those of us of a certain age know that The Beatles ushered in a new way of looking at the world. And even though music was the device that provided this crucial vantage, theirs is a legacy that endures.

These Are a Few of My Favorite Things

Dusty Wright — Tue, 24 Dec 2013 06:37:03 +0000

These Are a Few of My Favorite Things Dusty Wright December 24, 2013 - 01:37

Topics

Music Review

Tags

rock

Video still courtesy of Syd Arthur

One of my most diversified year-end lists yet -- rock, electronica, jamband, prog, pop, R&B. I didn't really think I'd even find 10 albums that could hold my attention start to finish, and believe me, I tried to listen to most of my fellow critics' top ten titles and could barely get through most of their selections top to bottom. Okay, so there may have been some overlapping, but very little. Here are my top tens of favorite CDs and singles in some kind of non-numerical order. (Well, actually, the number of plays on my iTunes player.)

1. Laura Mvula: Sing to the Moon (Columbia)

A Mercury Prize music nominee in the U.K. and rightfully so. Slightly left of center, but accessible in a sweeping film noir soundtrack meets Nina Simone kind of way. Joyous tone poems with gorgeous vocals (and ethereal background vocals) and Gil Evans-inspired orchestral arrangements that leave you breathless. Works as background, foreground, and sharing-with-your-lover music. Just can’t shake free from her spell…

2. Public Service Broadcasting: Inform - Educate - Entertain (Test Card)

Concept record, concept sound collages using real public service excerpts from America and the U.K. Their single "Signal 30" used a voice-over from a 1959 U.S. public service safety film about the perils of the Interstate. Relentless. Dangerous. Driving. Throbbing bass, snappy guitar, and drums, played live. Watch out for that speeding vehicle! Brits J. Willgoose, Esq. and drummer Wrigglesworth deliver a thoroughly refreshing take on electronica with wit, wisdom, and verve.

3. Lily & Madeleine: Lily & Madeleine (Asthmatic Kitty)

Indiana teenagers Lily and Madeleine Jurkiewicz blend their natural, worldly harmonies so effortlessly one might think they're some rediscovered lost '60s folk gem. And the sparse musical arrangements -- piano, acoustic guitar, occasional bass and drums -- affords them plenty of space for their vocals without filling every crease and crevice with sound. They, along with Lorde, restored my faith in the musical maturity of our youth culture.

4. Syd Arthur: On An On (Dawn Chorus)

For many, prog rock died back when punk rock hit (circa '76/'77), but thankfully there still exists a healthy fan base extolling the virtues of many an unknown band to the average music consumer. This young U.K.-based quartet -- guitar, violin, bass, drums -- borrows more from Gentle Giant than from the sound of their hometown of Canterbury, i.e., bands such as Caravan, Soft Machine, Egg, and Gong. I've not enjoyed a prog record this much since I first fell for Hatfield & the North -- thanks, Harvey Gold! -- and more recently the psych-prog of Porcupine Tree and the metal-prog of Mars Volta. These lads are making real progress here.

5. Jay Stolar: More Than We Think (Kingston Records)

I've been crowing about this New York-based singer/songwriter crooner for months now. Jay Stolar is the real deal -- a soulful, charismatic pop-rock juggernaut; equal parts old school (Hall & Oates, Bill Withers) meets the new sound (Bruno Mars, Fitz & The Tantrums). Acoustic guitar, piano, bass, drums, and real human voices sharing hook-laden choruses and emotionally charged verses. Although he's criminally ignored by the mainstream and indie press, that is all about to change with his ever-expanding, growing legion of fans.

6. Jonathan Wilson: Fanfare (Downtown Records)

A weighty collision of all things SoCal circa early '70s Laurel Canyon married to a very thoughtful contemporary jamband aesthetic with guitar nods to The Grateful Dead, Pink Floyd, Wilco, et al. When it works, it is exhilarating music, but his third album requires more than a few spins to appreciate its depth and magic. Guest spots occupied by Jackson Browne, Roy Harper, Bob Weir, David Crosby, and some of Tom Petty's Heartbreakers.

7. David Bowie: The Next Day (ISO)

Few could have predicted that this master chameleon had this record in him. Co-producer and longtime collaborator Tony Visconti creates a palette of sonics to augment a canvas of outstanding songs dealing with love, death, redemption, and salvation. The reports of Bowie's early demise have been greatly exaggerated as the numerous high concept videos prove. One of his best records, ever.

8. Ekha: BCWTIOT (Daylight Curfew)

Smart, edgy, provocative, experimental soul-noir from this Brooklyn trio comprised of vocalist Thimali Kodikara and producers Devang Shah and DJ Jad1. This compelling long player is certainly deserving of a larger audience, but it's not for the faint of heart. Sonically think Massive Attack, TV on the Radio, and the retro synth beat dynamic of Suicide.

9. Endless Boogie: Long Island (No Quarter)

More like endless, relentless hook-laden guitar riffs that establish monster grooves that pulsate and shake the rafters from song to song while a Les Paul plays lead after lead and it all keeps lumbering forward like a fullback carrying an entire defense on his back in the snow. No escaping the thunder and stoner fury of these four New York dudes on their third and best album. Not one song under six minutes!

10. Tedeschi Trucks Band: Made Up Mind (Sony Masterworks)

On initial inspection this would appear to be just another pedestrian jamband effort except that über guitarist Derek Trucks lends his name, ABB lineage, songwriting, and inventive chops, thus elevating this R&B meets blues-rock (think Delaney & Bonnie) to revelatory heights. And his guitarist wife Susan is in strong voice throughout. Their best release yet.

Singles Going Steady! Listen to any of these killer tunes on Spotify.

1. "Breathe You in My Dreams" Trixie Whitley - Roosty, soulful, sultry, smoldering, essential.

2. "I Don't Know What to Do with My Hands" Minor Alps - Infectious art-rock pop.

3. "Royals" Lorde - An authentic voice for teenagers everywhere regardless of her pop status.

4. "Screwdriver" 3rd Eye Girl - 3 women, one Prince; 2 guitars, bass, and drums!

5. "Get Up" Wiretree - Like the La's in their prime, only from San Francisco.

6. "The Ceiling" The Wild Feathers - Sound of modern SoCal country rock via Nashville.

7. "Upstarts" Johnny Marr - Former Smiths axe meister chimes and slings.

8. "Good Life" Ben Carroll - Folk-pop dazzler from his second long player.

9. "Black Skinhead" Kanye West - Audacious punk-tribal-hip-hop works on many levels.

10. "Ohio" Patty Griffin - She and beau Robert Plant share their Americana groove together.

What music in 2013 topped your charts?

May Music Mayhem

Dusty Wright — Thu, 23 May 2013 08:42:54 +0000

May Music Mayhem Dusty Wright May 23, 2013 - 04:42

Topics

Music Review

Tags

rock

It may seem that I'm diggin' in the dirt. Gettin' back to my punk rock roots. Well, some of my favorite new music does seem a wee bit primal, oui? And some of it is even out this world. But all of this music is party playlist-worthy for any weekend getaway. Proceed with caution....

"Back to the Way I Was" - Emily Bell: In Technicolor (One-Eyed George)

Love the retro-girl bop rockabilly trip of this Austin-based ginger-haired flamethrower. She's got plenty of sass, snarl, and sex appeal. And her roots-rockin' band rips it up all the while she shakes and struts her stuff. This will keep any party swingin' all night long. Don't move your lips, just shake those hips....

"Signal 30" - Public Service Broadcasting: Inform - Educate - Entertain (Test Card)

Driving, Relentless. Dangerous. Watch out for that speeding vehicle! Throbbing bass, guitar, and drums, played live. Signal 30 was truly a 1959 U.S. public service safety film about the perils of driving. That voice-over is sampled to offer lyrical references in this cautionary tale. Brits J. Willgoose, Esq. and drummer Wrigglesworth deliver a thoroughly refreshing take on electronica with wit, wisdom, and verve. Debut album out on May 28th. This is my summer road trip theme song.

"Space Oddity" - Commander Chris Hadfield

Brilliantly executed revised cover of a Bowie classic performed by Canadian astronaut Commander Chris Hadfield on board the International Space Station. The music was recorded by him before he left, while guitar and vocals were done live. Some lyrics were modified to suit the specifics, but this is profoundly awe-inspiring. "Planet Earth is blue..."

"Down in the Dirt" - Black Flag (SST)

Punk rock fury from middle-aged dudes? Yup. Buzz saw guitar? Yup. Gut-rattling bass? Yup. Jackhammer drums? Yup. Greg Ginn? Yup. Theramin? Yup?! Wot's that you say? Can't hear me? Better turn it up....

"High Heeled Leather Boots" - Baby Bee: The Shaker E.P. (Republic)

Two rock dudes. Drums. Gretsch guitar. Fender Amp. Relentless. Infectious. Bodacious. Soundtrack for the summer? Hmmm... could be. Certainly, one of my favorite singles this month.

"Good To Be King" - Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers Beacon Theatre, NYC, May 21, 2013

When Mr. Petty announced to his ravenous audience that he was going to play many "deep tracks" on the second night of his five night run of shows at the majestic but intimate Beacon Theatre, I knew we were in for a wonderful evening of rock. Sure, he could have taken the easy way out and played all of his jukebox singles, he's recorded more than enough to satiate the crowd. And he did rock plenty of wonderful covers including "Green Onions," "I Just Want to Make Love to You," and "Friend of the Devil." But when he and the lads launched into "King" from his Wildflowers album, they launched into the rock stratosphere. Majestic and extraordinary, Petty and lead guitarist Mike Campbell trading snakey licks, Benmont Tench on hook-laden piano runs, it was that "it" moment when band and audience commune. And we did.

"The Words Don't Work" The Orange Peels: Sun Moon (Minty Fresh)

Indie power pop. Nothing pretentious, just plenty damn catchy in that Big Star meets Teenage Fanclub pop-rock kinda way. Bay-area leader Allen Clapp writes smart songs, but keeps the beat simple and guitars big and chiming. In that way, he invites the listener along for the ride.

Big Star: Nothing Can Hurt Me (Ardent & Magnolia Pictures)

And speaking of Alex Chilton, do not miss this documentary on Chilton's pop-rock juggernaut act formed after the young man left The Box Tops. One of those criminally ignored American rock bands that, although they were commercial failures, inspired legions of rock bands and fans after them. One of the most enduring legacies in the music biz, even if they remain on the fringe of the pop music mythical landscape.

"Pale Horse Phantasm" - Arborea: Fortress of the Sun (ESP)

Another gorgeous, hypnotic melody from the Philly-based avant-folk duo, this from their fifth album. The video feels like an homage to the ladies of Game of Thrones. To my ears this Maine-based husband-and-wife duo of Buck and Shanti Curran really harken back to the English folk-rock days of Incredible String Band, Pentangle, and Fairport Convention. Regardless of your folk-rock proclivities, their talent can not be denied.

"Empathetic People" - Telekinesis: Dormarion (Merge)

Power pop albeit punky from this Seattle-based indie rocker Michael Benjamin Lerner AKA Telekinesis from his fourth effort. The tune has that English smart rock fury -- think XTC -- with its relentless drum beat anchor, even with its simple, but effective drum breakdown, while the grinding guitars keep building towards the video's most-satisfying vinyl platter payoff. Begs to be played loud and often.

Time to fire up the grill.