5 Songs to Get You Through the Week #115

5 Songs to Get You Through the Week is a feature I run on Young Ears, Fresh Perspective on Sundays/early hours of Monday morning where I pick out 5 tunes that I think are notable and tell you a bit about them. The point is to give you some rocking music to help you deal with your weekday blues. You can either listen to one each day, listen to them all at once, or any other combination that you feel. As long as you can get through the week without the man getting you down, that's all I care about. Without further ado, here are the 5 tracks I've picked out for this week:

1. Welcome to the Family, by Avenged Sevenfold

Need something loud, thundering, and ripping that will get your week started with a real grab you by the balls kind of vibe? Look no further. From the moment this track gets going till the moment the last note fades out you're in for exactly that. This tune has some killer guitar riffs and solos for sure, but the drumming done by former Dream Theater drummer Mike Portnoy is absolutely top notch. This tune is dark, aggressive, and yet at the same time melodic. Everything a good A7X song should be.

2. Some Kind of Hate, by The Misfits

As I've mentioned before one of the things I always loved about The Misfits was the fact that they made some of the most raw, heavy, and dark horror punk music but at the same time made it sound like it was just louder 50's pop rock songs. It's a combination you wouldn't think would work, but in this tune especially it really does. Glenn Danzig's keen ear for melody and smooth whiskey vocals sure made for some of the best punk rock to ever be put to tape.

3. Less Talk More Rokk, by Freezepop

And now for something completely different. I know you wouldn't really consider this rock n' roll, but I always liked the melodies, harmonies, and rhythm of this tune. I remember it from Guitar Hero II waaaay back in the day. I've even figured out how to play that synth melody on a guitar over the years since then. It's definitely a fun tune to play to get a party started or kept going. Or maybe 10 years ago. What do I know about partying, after all?

4. Electric Man, by Rival Sons

And now back to our regularly scheduled genre. If you need a good stomping, electrifying rock n' roll tune to blow out your speakers, this is definitely the way to go. It will pound your ear drums out, but you'll be thankful for it. The vocals howl, the guitar crunches, and the rhythm section just BOOMS in this. This is even more fun of a song to see performed live, but if you can't make it to a show this studio version will still blow your mind.



5. Any Way You Want It, by Journey

Of course before I wrap this week's post up I have to include the token song that everyone is familiar with from the radio. Regardless I still think this is a fun song and is much better than some of Journey's wimpier soft ballad stuff meant primarily for girls in order to make them fall in love with Steve Perry and get them to spend their money on records. That said, go ahead and turn this one on and crank it up. I won't judge you. I promise.

Ozzy Osbourne and Guitarist Zakk Wylde to Reunite on Tour

Good news for long time fans of Ozzy Osbourne! Those of you who have missed the Prince of Darkness performing with his long time iconic axe man Zakk Wylde are in for a real treat. On Osbourne's upcoming tour, the two will be reuniting and sharing the stage together again for the first time in almost 10 years.

In addition to Osbourne and Wylde, the band will consist of long time members bassist Rob "Blasko" Nicholson, keyboardist Adam Wakeman, and drummer Tommy Clufetos. So far there are only four shows listed on the tour, but it will be kicking off on July 14th in Oshkosh, WI and wraps up in Cartersville, IL on August 21st, though more dates are added on in time.

In a recent press release from Osbourne, he expresses his excitement for the tour and being on the road with these four musicians again, saying:

“I’m so happy to be getting back on the road with Zakk, Blasko, Tommy and Adam. This is what I do. This is where I belong, on the road.”

 Wylde also expressed his own feelings, saying:

“I’m really looking forward to the hardcore ‘powahlifting’ training sessions with Ozzy, as well as playing music in between sets of heavy squats, benching and deadlifts,”

I'm not the biggest fan of Wylde's playing the past couple decades (ever since he started trying to copy Dimebag Darrel's style), but I am glad to see that Ozzy has one of his most iconic guitarists since Randy Rhoads back in the band. These should definitely be some good shows for new and old fans of Ozzy alike (as long as Wylde goes a bit more sparing on the pinch harmonics).

Throwback Thursday: Trying to Burn the Sun, by Elf

In 1975 a little known blues rock outfit known as Elf which featured a young Ronnie James Dio howling away on the mic released their third and final LP titled Trying to Burn the Sun. After this Dio and all of the members of Elf except guitarist Steve Edwards would form Rainbow with former Deep Purple guitarist Ritchie Blackmore. Before that however, they did one more album, which produced some of their finest work of all.

Trying to Burn the Sun is mostly blues rock based, centering primarily around the piano played by Mickey Lee Soule rather than the guitar like most bands usually do. It ranges from upbeat fun rock n' roll numbers like Black Swampy Water to slower, warmer ballads like When She Smiles. Overall it's pretty well rounded as an album and quite frankly the best way they could have gone out as a band, even though honestly they probably could have put out a couple more had Blackmore not taken over.

Good Time Music has to be one of my absolute favorite Elf songs of all time. The piano chord progression in some ways reminds me of a few later era Beatles tunes, but then it transitions into more of a gospel-like vibe in the chorus with a bit of honky-tonk in between. Dio's vocal melodies definitely have a great deal of soul and passion to them as well. The song gives you a rather pleasant feeling throughout your being when it's playing, so I would definitely say that it lives up to its name and then some.

Black Swampy Water as mentioned earlier is one of those tunes that really drives and gets you going. It isn't your typical fast paced radio rock n' roll tune, but it has a good pace and will lift your soul. In some ways the rhythm has a bit of this bounce to it, but it's so fast that it doesn't feel particularly poppy. The gospel-like vocals in the chorus are a welcome layer of substance to the mix for sure. This tune has more focus on the guitar than a lot of the other songs, which is good. Edwards was definitely no slouch on the axe. He knew his stuff.

Trying to Burn the Sun is definitely one of those hidden gems that you never would know about unless you were digging around through obscure stuff or were a big fan of Dio and all of the things in his catalog. Regardless, it is a gem nonetheless and is definitely worth your time to pick up and give a listen. There is bound to be at least one track you like if you're a fan of the blues, rock n' roll, and/or Dio. You might not have the easiest time finding it (unless you go online), but it's well worth it.

Trying to Burn the Sun, by Elf receives 3.75 out of 5 stars.

Track List:

1. Black Swampy Water
2. Prentice Wood
3. When She Smiles
4. Good Time Music
5. Liberty Road
6. Shotgun
7. Wonderworld
8. Streetwalker

Buy the album on Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/Trying-Burn-Sun-RONNIE-JAMES/dp/B01LZ8U71G/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1493363866&sr=8-1&keywords=Trying+to+Burn+the+Sun

Deep Purple's Ian Paice: "No Point to Ritchie Blackmore Reunion"

 

 

Over the years many Deep Purple fans have fantasized over the idea of original guitarist/band co-founder Ritchie Blackmore rejoining the band or at least doing some form of reunion with them. However, drummer/co-founder Ian Paice feels that although there is always the possibility of a reunion, at this point it would be pointless.

In an interview with Blabbermouth Paice discusses his feelings toward Blackmore and the idea of a reunion with him, saying:

 

“Of course, the answers to both of those are ‘possibly.’ But when Ritchie left, nobody fired him, nobody said, ‘You have to go.’ It was his choice. And so the band continued, the band moved on. Ritchie started doing his thing, which is great. He was obviously happy doing it, and we’ve been happy doing what we’ve been doing for the last 23, 24 years, ’cause that’s how long ago it is.

 

Quite honestly, there’s no point for us to consider that. We have a wonderful feeling within the band, everybody’s very friendly, and all we have to do is go onstage and make the music; there’s no other considerations to worry about. I think Ritchie’s life doesn’t work like that. I think it’s a little more complex. And at this stage of my life, I don’t need cloudy areas. I like it to be clear and crystal and know that it’s gonna be fun. I love Ritchie to death, but I can’t guarantee every day with him is gonna be fun.”

Paice also went into detail discussing Blackmore's replacement and current guitarist Steve Morse, who has played with the band for the past two dozen decades, saying:

 

“The thing they have in common is they’re both brilliant guitarists, but they are different, and that’s the important thing with Steve. To try and replace Ritchie would have been impossible and pointless to replace him with a Ritchie clone. So if we were gonna have to bring a guitarist in, he had to be of the same level as Ritchie, but he had to have his own style. And that’s why Steve fit the bill perfectly.”

As a HUGE fan of Deep Purple myself I don't think at this point I would want a Blackmore reunion either. Ritchie is happy doing his own thing and quite frankly Morse breathes new life into the band. Blackmore would just be kind of going through the motions if he came back in any capacity. I would much rather Blackmore do a whole new Rainbow album if he is going to come back to rock on a more consistent basis. That said, I'm looking forward to hearing the two new Rainbow songs that just got recorded as singles.

Elton John Hospitalized and Cancels 8 Shows Due to Harsh Bacterial Infection

Sir Elton John seems to have been put through the mill recently health-wise, as he recently contracted an unusual and harmful bacterial infection while on tour in South America. He was in intensive care for two days until being released from the hospital where he was ordered by the doctor to rest; thus cancelling eight shows.

According to Uproxx, in a statement put out by John's representatives the situation is further explained saying:

“During his return flight home from Santiago, Chile, [John] became violently ill. Upon returning to the U.K., Elton’s doctors admitted him to hospital, where he underwent immediate treatment to remove the infection. After spending two nights in intensive care followed by an extended stay in hospital, Elton was released from hospital on Saturday, April 22, and is now comfortably resting at home per doctor’s advice.”

John himself also made a statement on the situation, saying:

“I am so fortunate to have the most incredible and loyal fans and apologize for disappointing them. I am extremely grateful to the medical team for their excellence in looking after me so well.”

 

Fortunately John is expected to make a full recovery and be back on the road by June 3rd, where he will be kicking off the tour in London according to his official website. I'm just glad he is going to be ok. Lord knows in the past year or two we have lost enough rock n' roll royalty as it is. It would be a shame to lose the man who made me want to go down the yellow brick road and not raise my kids on Mars.

5 Songs to Get You Through the Week #114

5 Songs to Get You Through the Week is a feature I run on Young Ears, Fresh Perspective on Sundays/early hours of Monday morning where I pick out 5 tunes that I think are notable and tell you a bit about them. The point is to give you some rocking music to help you deal with your weekday blues. You can either listen to one each day, listen to them all at once, or any other combination that you feel. As long as you can get through the week without the man getting you down, that's all I care about. Without further ado, here are the 5 tracks I've picked out for this week:

1. Devil on HWY 9, by Danzig

This is a pretty solid new tune by Danzig. You can tell that Glenn's voice has aged, but that doesn't stop this song from slamming you in the face and pounding out your ear drums in all the best ways imaginable. He definitely has a good guitar player on this. If the rest of his upcoming album is as good as this then I imagine it will do pretty well. It has volume, power, and all the right amounts of heavy metal evil to it.

2. Back Door Man, by The Doors

Everyone needs some Doors in their life every now and again. Anyone who says otherwise is just wrong and is a very poor unfortunate misguided soul in serious need of some rock n' roll therapy that of course only some prolonged exposure to The Doors can provide. This tune has a really groovy blues feel to it, but then again that is no real surprise considering most of what The Doors did was rooted in the blues. That said, you don't hear this one on the radio too often so you should check it out and crank it. Jim Morrison REALLY howls on it.

3. Black Water, by Timber Timbre

This is a rather trippy tune that an acquaintance of mine turned me onto recently. It's a fascinating marriage of jazz, psychedelic rock, and indie. It's definitely something to put on if you're interested in jumping down the musical rabbit hole or if you just want something new on your chill-out playlist. I advise trying it with RainyMood.com and/or headphones in the pitch black of the night. Then close your eyes. You'll thank me later.

4.  Stone Cold Crazy, by Queen

If easy listening isn't your speed, then worry not. This song in my opinion is one of the birth places of thrash metal. What? A Queen song giving birth to thrash? What kind of nonsense is this? No, really. Play it and you'll see what I mean. It's loud, heavy, and drives like you wouldn't believe. You can hear a great deal of the beginnings of the genre all the way back in 1974. Queen actually used to be a very heavy rock/borderline metal band and in my opinion this is one of the best tracks from that era.

5.  Across the Universe, by David Bowie

This is one of the few covers that could actually be considered better than the original depending on your tastes. It was apparently so good to the original writer John Lennon that he said that it was the best version of the song ever recorded when he played guitar and did backing vocals on it for Bowie in 1975. That is definitely a high compliment, especially since it is coming from a former Beatle. I definitely agree regardless that it's a rather grand rendition.

 

Danzig Premieres New Single "Devil on HWY 9"

If you have been craving some new Danzig tunes in your life, then your wish has been granted. The evil Elvis of heavy metal Glenn Danzig just put out a crunchy and shredtastic first single to his upcoming album Black Laden Crown (due out May 26, 2017) titled Devil on HWY 9 (which you can listen to by clicking the video above).

Overall it is a pretty solid track. The riffs and rhythms will pound out your ear drums till they bleed (in the best way possible, of course), the guitar solos are blistering and lightning quick, and Danzig's trademark vocal style is there to put the cherry on top of the icing.

The only thing I will nitpick about this track is that you can definitely tell that Glenn has aged. You can hear it in his voice big time. He doesn't have that smooth Jim Morrison/Elvis timbre to his voice any more. You can still tell that it's him, but I wouldn't go in expecting to hear the same voice from 30 years ago. That said, I understand that Danzig can't really help that and will cut him some slack. As I said, it's still overall a solid track and I'm interested in hearing what the rest of it will sound like.

Throwback Thursday: Snakebite, by Whitesnake

Most people when they hear the name Whitesnake instantly think of late 80's big hair and even bigger metal ballads and anthems to make love to. What most people don't realize however is Whitesnake actually got their start long before their huge selling album Whitesnake (1987). In 1978 former Deep Purple singer David Coverdale was trying to launch a solo career, but ended up liking the group of musicians he had so much that they formed a band and called it Whitesnake. It wasn't long before their first release Snakebite was recorded and released.

Snakebite while the length of a full album is really only just an EP because the second side is just select tracks from Coverdale's previous solo album Northwinds. That said, The front side is in my opinion some of the best fun, catchy, good time blues rock you will ever listen to. Snakebite isn't heavy metal in the least. This is straight up Led Zeppelin meets Bad Company meets Little Richard kind of rock n' roll. It's sunshine from start to finish.

Come On is the song that turned me on to Whitesnake in the first place. From the moment that crunchy energizing guitar riff hits your ears, you know that you've found something to crank up and make your day 1,000 times better. It's a mid-tempo tune and has everything a good rock n' roll song needs: melodic catchy vocals, fun lyrics, memorable punchy guitar riffs, blistering guitar solos, and more. I'm honestly shocked that this isn't a classic rock staple.

Ain't No Love in the Heart of the City is a cover tune, but the way they do it is so soulful, powerful, and passionate that in my opinion it far outshines the original by a long shot. It's a sad blues ballad and gives you incredible amounts of melancholic emotion. Coverdale really shines through as a vocalist here. You can hear just how into it he is as well as how much emotion that he truly feels when power housing this song out.

I cannot recommend Snakebite enough. There isn't a single bad track on there. Even the leftover Coverdale solo tracks are still a good listen and worth filling up the second side of the record. These are some songs that really should have gotten a lot more radio airplay than they did. They are as good if not better than the same set of 20 songs that every classic rock song plays on loop forever and ever these days. Then again, no one ever accused radio stations of having good taste, now did they?

Snakebite, by Whitesnake receives 5 out of 5 stars.

Track List:

1. Come On
2. Bloody Mary
3. Ain't No Love in the Heart of the City
4. Steal Away
5. Keep on Giving Me Love
6. Queen of Hearts
7. Only My Soul
8. Breakdown

Buy the album on Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/Snakebite-Whitesnake/dp/B000VZXCCM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1492744500&sr=8-1&keywords=Whitesnake+Snakebite

Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow Working on New Music

Former Deep Purple and Rainbow guitarist Ritchie Blackmore in the past year or so has surprised us all by doing something he said he would never do again: play rock n' roll. Last year he did a small handful of dates with a new incarnation of Rainbow. He said that the shows were all he was going to do, though. However, he has gone back on his statement and has announced that not only will there be more Rainbow shows in Europe this summer but also new music is in the works.

In a recent interview with Japanese magazine Burrn! Blackmore goes into detail on the recording of the new music, saying:

“We were recording until yesterday in the studio at our home. We recorded some songs for Blackmore’s Night and two songs with the new singer for Rainbow.”

Blackmore went into further detail about the music as well as the current Rainbow singer Ronnie Romero, saying:

“When I heard him, he seemed like the right guy to sing the Dio-era songs of Rainbow. He’s versatile. He can sing like Freddie Mercury, Ronnie James Dio, or Graham Bonnet. I wrote one new song and also recorded one of the old ones. Ronnie, who’s in Madrid now, added his vocals and sent it back.”

I'm curious as to what old Rainbow tune they recorded. From what I've heard Romero knocks just about any old Dio era song out of the park. I hope the new song sounds like something from that era too, but more than likely it will have the glossy overproduced sound that the final Rainbow album Stranger in Us All had back in 1995. Even so, I'm glad that Blackmore is doing at least one more new rock song. Maybe if we're REALLY lucky he'll decide to do a full album.

Ex-AC/DC Drummer Phil Rudd Wants Back in the Band

Ex-AC/DC drummer Phil Rudd doesn't seem to want to be completely done with his old band yet. He still would like to get back in with lead guitarist and only original member Angus Young in order to do the next AC/DC album and tour if possible.


Rudd was dropped from AC/DC when back in 2014 he was arrested in New Zealand on drug charges (cannabis and meth), trying to procure murder, and making death threats.

In a recent interview with KaaosTV in Finland, Rudd discusses his desire saying:

“I’d like to be involved with Angus [Young] again, maybe on the next album or something. I have a few travel restrictions, so I’m not even sure if I can get into America. So I have some limitations on what I can do. I’m just making the best of my situation at the moment.”

Personally I doubt Young is going to want much of anything to do with Rudd after all of Rudd's shenanigans. I wouldn't blame him either. The guy seems like he would be a serious liability if they went on the road together again. What actually happens though is up for fate to decide. Honestly, I really don't think there should be another AC/DC album at all considering Young is the only original/iconic member left in the band. That's just my opinion, though.

Album Review: Infinite, by Deep Purple

Deep Purple has been a household name in the world of hard rock, classic rock, and heavy metal for nearly five decades. Scoring hits like Smoke on the Water, Highway Star, Space Truckin', Perfect Strangers, Burn, and scores more it's kind of easy to see why. They have gone through countless line-up changes as well as evolutions in sound over the years, but one thing that has remained constant is their fierce determination to bring the world some of the best rock n' roll possible. Just last week (April 7th, 2017) Deep Purple put out its 20th studio album: Infinite.

Infinite was put out through earMUSIC and produced by famed legendary Canadian rock and pop producer Bob Ezrin who has worked with Alice Cooper, Kiss, Aerosmith, Jane's Addiction, Peter Gabriel, and countless others. This is the second album of Purple's produced by Ezrin, as he also did the band's previous release Now What?! in 2013.

Infinite seems to be one of those records where past and present converge into one piece of art. You can hear a great deal of classic early-mid 70's Who Do We Think We Are? Deep Purple sound mixed in with some of the more recent experimental/pseudo-symphonic sounds they have taken on as well. With the order the tracks are put in, it flows quite nicely.

The downside of this is because of how similar many of the songs sounding similar to their old sound is that none of them seem to stick out and make themselves particularly memorable. What made Now What?! such a great record was that it limited how much of the past it drew from and pushed forward with the kinds of sounds the band could make as experienced musicians who always look ahead. The not so vintage style songs were pretty decent, but they aren't the kind that will get stuck in your head in only one or two listens.

That said, it was kind of refreshing in some ways to hear those kinds of sounds from the band again. They might not be Deep Purple's best, but they still rock. A fan of 70's Deep Purple might be able to latch onto newer Deep Purple a little easier by putting this album on and listening to the way the multiple styles of the band work and flow together seamlessly.

One of the things I noticed in terms of Steve Morse's guitar playing is it seems a great deal more restrained on this record than in other albums. A lot of what Morse is known for is being able to shred it up, but this time he seemed to hold back and put more emphasis on feeling and melody rather than flashy technique. In a way some of his lead parts sound a lot like his predecessor Ritchie Blackmore. It is still his own sound overall, but I couldn't help but notice a great deal of the similarities. That said, there are still a couple moments on Infinite where you hear that Morse signature shred.

I think one of the most fun moments on Infinite is the tail end of the record where they threw on a cover of Roadhouse Blues, by The Doors. They definitely Purpled it up, but it is still the hard rocking, beer swilling, swingy good time that it always has been. It might not be the best version of the tune, but it's still a great time and worth cranking at 11.

I think Infinite is going to be one of those records that requires time and multiple plays before it really sinks in. There is nothing wrong with that, though. Some of my favorite albums of all time are those kinds of records. If you're looking for an album that will have any flashy rock n' roll earworms though this more than likely is not the record for you. That said, I feel it's still worth picking up and getting to know the music on it. It has depth to it and over time has a chance of becoming a classic.

Infinite, by Deep Purple receives 3.25 out of 5 stars.

Track List:

1. Time For Bedlam
2. Hip Boots
3. All I Got is You
4. One Night in Vegas
5. Get Me Outta Here
6. The Surprising
7. Johnny's Band
8. On Top of the World
9. Birds of Prey
10. Roadhouse Blues

Buy the album on Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/Infinite-Explicit-Deep-Purple/dp/B06WGPMQVR/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1492232621&sr=8-1&keywords=Deep+Purple+Infinite

Writer's Moment:

I will be taking the entirety of the weekend off from writing in order to spend time with my loved ones during the Easter holiday. I hope you all have a wonderful time and have warm feelings regardless of whether you celebrate or not.

Also, don't forget that Young Ears, Fresh Perspective has a Facebook page now. You can stay more up to date with the blog and even interact with me and have input on content by following. I'll put the link below:

https://www.facebook.com/youngearsfreshperspective/

Throwback Thursday: In Rock, by Deep Purple

In late 1969 Deep Purple had built up notoriety as a tasteful blend of pop and prog rock. However, they weren't really happy with the current direction they were going and wanted to go heavier and harder. This lead them to kick out singer Rod Evans and bassist Nick Simper and replace them with iconic members singer Ian Gillan and bassist Roger Glover. The following year they would put out their breakout hit album Deep Purple in Rock, which would catapult them into the stratosphere and set the tone for the kind of music they would be making from that point forward.

Deep Purple in Rock is a lot more of a straightforward hard rock record than anything they had released previously. Gone were the melodic pop rock hits and free form jazz odysseys. Now Deep Purple could easily keep up with the likes of Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath in terms of heaviness. With Gillan's wild screams, Ritchie Blacmore's unchained guitar playing, and the rest of the band's drive and punch they became a force to be reckoned with on this record.

Speed King is easily one of the most fun tracks on In Rock. It's zippy, punchy, and fun while taking lyrics from a bunch of 50's rock and roll classics and throwing them into one cohesive song. One of the other cool things this song features is a bit of a duel/conversation between Blackmore's guitar and Jon Lord's organ. While this song is a tribute to the past in a way, it was still blazing the trail for the future of hard rock and metal as we know them today. This is the definition of rock n' roll ruckus.

The most iconic and powerful tune on the whole record however is without a doubt Child in Time. This song goes on almost 10 and a half minutes and features every last member of the band giving it their all. There are jams, well placed astounding emotional screams, and poignant lyrics. It goes back and forth between soft and loud and builds up to crashes in the most epic of ways. That said, I can only imagine how poor Ian Paice felt after drumming that song each time.

If you want to hear where Deep Purple as we know them really began, Deep Purple in Rock is the way to go. The previous three albums of course are important and have good stuff on them, but historically speaking this is where the band took on the iconic essential form that we remember them having. It's got serious balls to it while also not being afraid to be adventurous and go beyond the bounds of your typical 3 minute rock n' roll tune. Pick this up ASAP.

Deep Purple in Rock, by Deep Purple receives 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Track List:

1. Speed King
2. Bloodsucker
3. Child in Time
4. Flight of the Rat
5. Into the Fire
6. Living Wreck
7. Hard Loving Man

Buy the album on Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/Deep-Purple-Rock/dp/B00123IAVA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1492130158&sr=8-1&keywords=Deep+Purple+in+Rock

John Geils from J. Geils Band Dies at 71

Photo courtesy of http://bestclassicbands.com/j-geils-obituary-2-20-17/

Tragedy just doesn't seem to stop hitting the world of rock n' roll these days, does it? Looks like it doesn't end with 2016 as we were hoping. We have lost yet another iconic musician; this time guitarist John Geils who was best known as the leader of the J. Geils Band.

According to Boston radio station WCVB Geils was found dead in his home. Currently foul play is not suspected but the cause of Geils's death is yet to be determined. A tweet from the station's Kathy Curren says:

"Sources tell #5Investigates no foul play suspected in the death of J. Geils. #Wcvb"

Singer Peter Wolf who was with the band from 67-83 and during the reunion tours responded to the loss on Facebook, saying:

"‘Thinking of all the times we kicked it high and rocked down the house! R.I.P. Jay Geils’ PW."

This is definitely a sad loss for the world of rock n' roll. Geils was an underrated talent on the guitar who deserved more props than he got. We definitely lost a treasure of a musician. Unfortunately we are getting to a point in time where all the great players are dropping left and right due to advancing age. I just hope the best for his friends and family during this trying time.

Some Changes Coming to Young Ears, Fresh Perspective

For nearly three years now I have been keeping up with writing Young Ears, Fresh Perspective; keeping you all up to date with what is new in the world of rock n' roll, reviewing albums, taking a retrospective look at its past, and more all while sharing my thoughts with you. I have gotten to a point however where I would like to get more out of this.

Young Ears, Fresh Perspective started as merely a passion project as well as something to bolster my resume. I have not been profiting financially from it at all. That said, I feel it is time to change that. I may not have a HUGE audience right now, but my readership is starting to build up slowly enough to where I could actually make a few bucks here and there.

What will be happening from here is there will be ads placed in this blog. I know you guys probably are not too fond of that, but if you can put up with them (and preferably not read with adblock on) I will be grateful. Plus, you will still be getting the same kind of quality content that I have been writing for the past few years. The only thing different about the actual blog will be now it will look a little more like other web pages you might go to.

Another thing I have been working on to move the blog forward is a Facebook page. By liking the page you will be able to be more up to date with what goes on in Young Ears, Fresh Perspective as well as interact with me and even occasionally have a say on what kind of content comes your way. I feel having a closer connection with you guys will only make this blog better for everyone.

Finally, this is not for sure yet but I am considering doing an internet radio show as well. Right now I am thinking doing maybe a one hour show once or twice a month where I talk about things going on in rock news, my opinions of different rock related subjects, and maybe even condensed live reviews. That is still up in the air, though.

From here on out I am hoping that things only improve with Young Ears, Fresh Perspective. It means a lot to me and I would love for you all who have been sticking with me this whole time continue to do so. Your readership means the world for me. Without you all I would not be able to start to make real progress. Thank you so much.

To like the Facebook page, click the link below:

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Former Journey Singer Steve Perry to Release New Album This Year

Iconic former Journey singer Steve Perry hasn't released any new music since 1996 when he temporarily got back together with his former band to do the album Trial By Fire and hasn't put out a solo album since 1994's For the Love of Strange Medicine. Aside from a small handful of appearances at baseball games and appearances with The Eels Perry for the most part has stayed out of music. All that is about to change this year however when he releases a brand new studio album.

In an interview with ABC Radio Perry discusses the process of writing the album and the events that inspired and surrounded it, saying:

“I met someone and I fell in love with this person. And I lost this person to breast cancer four years ago. In the midst of that, I had written some songs, and before I met her I had sketched some. And so about a year ago, I started recording.

 

It’s been a real cathartic experience going back to that emotional place that I thought I would never go back to. And we really have been doing our very best to capture what I think are some timeless songs.”

 

I'm glad that Perry is able to go back to his true passion and use it as a way to help him deal with a lot of the things life has tossed him the past couple decades. His fans sure have missed him. I'm curious to hear what kind of music he will be putting out after such a long absence from the world of rock n' roll. Odds are it will probably be something more meaningful and complex than the kind of top 40 stuff we're used to out of him. Regardless, I look forward to hearing it.

5 Songs to Get You Through the Week #113

5 Songs to Get You Through the Week is a feature I run on Young Ears, Fresh Perspective on Sundays/early hours of Monday morning where I pick out 5 tunes that I think are notable and tell you a bit about them. The point is to give you some rocking music to help you deal with your weekday blues. You can either listen to one each day, listen to them all at once, or any other combination that you feel. As long as you can get through the week without the man getting you down, that's all I care about. Without further ado, here are the 5 tracks I've picked out for this week:

 1. Blue Orchid, by The White Stripes

I've always thought this was a fun jumpy tune to get you in a ready to go and better kind of mood. It pounds, punches, and drives. Personally the guitar nerd side of me loves the octave effect pedal Jack White uses in this tune. It's not a sound you hear a whole lot of other guitarists using and it hits me in just the right way. I've always been drawn to guitarists that do something different rather than just shred it up though, so maybe that's why I'm such a fan.

2.  Room Service, by Kiss

This is a fun straight up rock n' roll tune. It takes that old 50's rockabilly pattern, but puts it in the flavor of Kiss. It's all about being on tour and ordering "room service", if you catch my drift. It's not an extraordinary tune by any means, but it's still something good to crank and rock out to. Then again, the same can be said for a lot of Kiss tunes. When you need to get your does of rock n' roll they give you exactly what you need; nothing more, nothing less.

3. Brown Sugar, by The Rolling Stones

Speaking of bands that give you exactly what you need when you need to rock out, this classic tune by the Stones will also help you get there. It might get played on the radio way too much, but honestly it's for good reason. It among the other tunes on Sticky Fingers came out in what my opinion was the best time for the Stones creatively. This is back when they still had that roaring fire that helped them redefine rock n' roll and influence countless musicians in multiple generations.

4. Chemical Rain, by California Breed

This is a band I really wish would have lasted longer. It was made up of Glenn Hughes on bass and vocals, Andrew Watt on guitar and backing vocals, and Jason Bonham on drums. They had a big rumbling pounding out your speakers Californian rock n' roll sound. This tune in particular feels like a nice blend of that style as well as grunge. It's slow, ginormous, and feels like you're getting barraged with a wall of sound. Listen to this one LOUD.

5.  Ain't It Fun, by The Dead Boys

This here is a punk rock classic. Some of you might not be familiar with it, though you may have heard the Guns N' Roses cover of it way back in the day. The original is pretty damn special too. It definitely fills you with pure raw emotion of the angsty sort. Makes you want to just kick something and punch right through some glass even though you know you'll probably hurt yourself just so you can get your aggressions out. It does its job and then some as a work of art.

Writer's Moment:

If you're a fan of the work I do here on Young Ears, Fresh Perspective then I've got some good news for you. I just made a Facebook page for the blog! You can stay more up to date and also give me input on the articles, give suggestions, what you do or don't like about the blog, and much more!

Give it a like here:

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Op-Ed Piece: When People Feel a Specific Band Member is the Band

When perusing through articles online tonight for something to write about I came upon quite a few about Journey getting into the Rock N' Roll Hall of Fame and how former lead singer Steve Perry did not perform with his former band. Many fans were quite displeased with this and I suppose understandably so. What kind of got to me though was the numerous comments on these articles saying that Steve Perry IS Journey.

Countless people bashed on current singer Arnel Pineda and even on guitarist Neil Schon saying he wouldn't be anything without Perry. It kind of saddens me because I've listened to Pineda and that dude has one hell of a powerhouse voice. If anything, he can sing Perry's songs better than Perry can these days. As for Schon, that dude doesn't need Perry. He was in Santana making a name for himself for years before he even started Journey.

It's always bothered me when people say a specific member of any band IS the band. I agree that there are some cases where a band has a member who stands out and is noticeably talented, but that doesn't make them the only talent in the band. That doesn't make the rest of the band just backing musicians for that performer.

A prime example of this is Queen. I have heard countless people over the years say stuff to the effect of lead singer Freddie Mercury being the band. While Mercury was the big selling point of Queen, that simply could not be any further from the truth. Every last member of Queen was insanely talented. Each one wrote at least one or more #1 chart topping hits and both guitarist Brian May and drummer Roger Taylor are respectable vocalists in their own right in addition to being superstars on their instruments. If any one member of that band were to have left/been replaced Queen as we knew it would have ceased to be the amazing band we know it to be.

It just seems unfair to say such a thing when each member of a band is essential to the overall sound produced. If you switch out any component you're going to notice the difference regardless of whether it's the most paid attention to member or not. The other musicians in a band put in just as much time and effort into making the band great as the famous ones. Credit should be given where it is due, honestly.

Throwback Thursday: Led Zeppelin II, by Led Zeppelin

In late 1969 English heavy rock titans Led Zeppelin put out their landmark sophomore album Led Zeppelin II. Even though their previous album Led Zeppelin had only been out a few months they wasted no time getting back into the studio and working on a follow-up. Led Zeppelin definitely did NOT disappoint all of the fans whose attention they had garnered in such a short amount of time. Led Zeppelin II was bigger, better, and showed more of what the band was capable of.

Led Zeppelin II is where Led Zeppelin started veering a little bit away from the straight up blues approach they had taken on their first album and crafting the straight up hard rock style that they would become famous for and have countless bands in the decades to come copying. Almost the entire album is made up of hits that I have heard on the radio countless times since I was a lad. That is a true testament to how much Led Zeppelin knew what they were doing and how on fire they were at the time.

The Lemon Song has always been one of my favorite tunes from Led Zeppelin II. The way that main riff just grinds in that perfect way and how sexily it climbs up and down just hits me in all the best ways. It's straight up blues in terms of the technique and construction of it, but it's so big, pounding, and loud that it couldn't be anything else but rock n' roll. It's easily one of the catchiest songs that Led Zeppelin ever penned and recorded to say the least.

Moby Dick in my opinion is one of the coolest things any band has ever done. It's essentially just a drum solo (though with the whole band playing in certain places). However, it's so well constructed and paced that it really does feel like an actual piece of music. This of course was back during a time where mainstream bands were allowed to be experimental and do extended jams/odysseys that could go on for an indefinite amount of time. These days you can't really get away with that, sadly.

I don't know if I would consider Led Zeppelin II the band's best record, but it is definitely in the top few. There isn't a single bad track on it. Whether you've been listening to Led Zeppelin for decades or are brand new to their glorious music you will be jamming and singing along song after song until it wraps up, especially if you play it at the proper maximum volume that it should be played at. This is for sure a must have.

Led Zeppelin II, by Led Zeppelin receives 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Track List:

1. Whole Lotta Love
2. What is and What Should Never Be
3. The Lemon Song
4. Thank You
5. Heart Breaker
6. Living Loving Maid
7. Ramble On
8. Moby Dick
9. Bring it on Home

Buy the album on Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/Led-Zeppelin-II-Deluxe/dp/B00IZ6BF5K/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1491546266&sr=8-1&keywords=Led+Zeppelin+II

Rainbow to Release Double Live Album "Live in Birmingham 2016"

Last year former Deep Purple and Rainbow guitarist Ritchie Blackmore played his first rock shows in almost two decades with his new iteration of Rainbow. Now his label Eagle Rock Entertainment will be putting out a double live album from his performance at Genting Arena in Birmingham titled: Live in Birmingham 2016.

An official statement from Blackmore's label on the double album reads:

“This new 2CD set captures the full audio from the British show at the Genting Arena at the NEC, Birmingham.

The setlist for this show, combining classic tracks from both Deep Purple and Rainbow, includes two tracks from the Mark III Deep Purple era, Soldier Of Fortune and Burn that were not included in the German shows.”

Having a look at the set list it is a pretty balanced album in terms of Blackmore's overall rock career. I've listened to the fan made recordings of the set and to be honest it doesn't sound like the band has all that much drive and energy, but it's still a pretty good sound. It's Ritchie Blackmore playing rock again so you're still going to get quite a bit of bang for your buck. I myself am definitely looking forward to this release.

Live In Birmingham 2016 track list:

Disc 1:

1. Over The Rainbow / Highway Star
2. Spotlight Kid
3. Mistreated
4. Since You Been Gone
5. Man On The Silver Mountain
6. Soldier Of Fortune
7. Medley: Difficult To Cure (Beethoven’s Ninth) / Drum Solo / Bass Solo / Band Jam / Keyboard Solo
8. Catch The Rainbow

Disc 2:

1. Perfect Strangers
2. Long Live Rock ‘n’ Roll
3. Child In Time
4. Stargazer
5. Medley: Black Night / Woman From Tokyo / Black Night
6. Burn
7. Smoke On The Water

Iron Maiden's Bruce Dickinson on the Closing of Small Venues

Many smaller music venues all over the UK seem to be closing down lately. Many of the heralded places where countless classic big time bands first cut their teeth are being shut down in favor of gentrifying the neighborhoods and making the property values go up. Iron Maiden singer Bruce Dickinson has recently voiced his distaste for this.

In a recent interview with Wales Online Dickinson discusses the problem and how he feels it is hurting upcoming musicians as well as the communities at large, saying:

“Sadly that seems to be happening in a lot of places. It’s the gentrification of the city centre, the dodgy hangouts which are really cool which kids like. We wouldn’t have been able to start out if there hadn’t been venues like that. The good thing is you don’t need a lot to have a place where you can have a racket and have people turn up.

Small venues are indispensable to bands – always have been and always will be. I think we miss a trick in this country and some countries in Europe do it better in that they protect their social infrastructure. And pubs and small venues are part of that social infrastructure. Just because something would be worth X a square foot, that is a case of people who know the price of everything and the value of nothing.

These are vital things and the reason why people come to a city centre is to keep it alive. And it not just people who want to drink posh lattes, there are other people in the world who have cultural needs and rock and roll is pretty fundamental to people's lives these days.”

Honestly, it's not just in the UK that this is happening. Even in and near Chicago where I'm from all kinds of hallmark smaller venues are shutting down for this, that, and the other reason. It's getting difficult for bands anywhere to find a place to play. Honestly I can kind of see that as part of why the local music scene has been struggling lately.

5 Songs to Get You Through the Week #112

5 Songs to Get You Through the Week is a feature I run on Young Ears, Fresh Perspective on Sundays/early hours of Monday morning where I pick out 5 tunes that I think are notable and tell you a bit about them. The point is to give you some rocking music to help you deal with your weekday blues. You can either listen to one each day, listen to them all at once, or any other combination that you feel. As long as you can get through the week without the man getting you down, that's all I care about. Without further ado, here are the 5 tracks I've picked out for this week:

1. Shine On Me, by Dan Auerbach

Black Keys front man Dan Auerbach put out the first single for his upcoming second solo album last week. It's a pretty jovial sounding tune. It has a lot of pop and bounce to it. Also features Dire Straits guitarist Mark Knopfler doing the electric rhythm guitar track (and believe me, it shows). It's not exactly what I would have expected out of Auerbach, but at the same time I should have realized that this wasn't going to be a Black Keys song. I respect him for doing something different.

2. Black Sheep of the Family, by Rainbow

This was the first song that Rainbow ever recorded. Originally it was only meant to be just this single because guitarist and band leader Ritchie Blackmore wanted to do the song in Deep Purple, but they shot it down. That's when Blackmore pulled aside frequent Deep Purple opening band Elf's singer Ronnie James Dio and asked him if he wanted to get something going. When doing this song went over so well Blackmore quit Deep Purple and Rainbow decided to cut a whole album.

3. Dream Police, by Cheap Trick

This is for sure one of my all time favorite Cheap Trick tracks. It's big, grand, but at the same time still has an honest feeling to it. You can tell that Cheap Trick were on a big stadium music kick at the time and were on top of the world because of all the fame they had in the late 70's. Still, I like that this has an honest message about Big Brother rather than just being another mindless poppy love song that could sell millions.

4. Steamrock Fever, by The Scorpions

I think a lot of the Scorpions' best work came out of the 70's before they went completely glam metal the way they did. Granted this has a bit of that big stadium anthem feel to it, but it still feels earthy in a way. Regardless, it's a shame this one isn't a lot more known because I feel like it could have gotten a lot more radio play over the past few decades. Plus, it has Uli Jon Roth on it and if you ask me he was the absolute greatest guitar player they ever had.

5. I Can't Drive 55, by Sammy Hagar

If you need more of your commercial radio hit fix though, I've still got you covered. The first time I ever heard this fist pumper was in Back to the Future Part II when Marty McFly comes back to the alternate 1985. Despite it being a chaotic part of the movie, I latched onto this song and thought it was one of the absolute coolest parts of the whole thing. It definitely gets you revved up and ready to go when you need to give yourself an energy boost.

Black Keys's Dan Auerbach Releases New Solo Single "Shine On Me"

Black Keys front man Dan Auerbach seems to have been pretty busy lately. Although there doesn't seem to be any new music from the Keys on the way any time soon, Auerbach IS about to put out his second solo album titled Waiting on a Song (which comes out June 2nd on Auerbach's new personal label Easy Eye Sound according to the video description) for which he has just released a single and music video called Shine On Me.

Shine On Me actually features a very special guest musician Mark Knopfler, formerly the guitarist of Dire Straits doing the main electric rhythm guitar parts. If you're familiar with his style, it's definitely unmistakably him. Overall it's a pretty bright, shiny, bouncy song. If you're looking for something that will perk up your mood a bit, then this is right up your alley. It does a fantastic job of blending old with new in terms of styles. It has a heavy classic rock vibe in some areas, but in others you can hear more modern elements in the back as well. It works.

The video is rather strange and out there with some cartoonish imagery, but I would expect nothing less from the guy who co-wrote every last one of the Black Keys's strangest material. Auerbach is probably on some interesting drugs these days, but as long as he keeps bringing the good music and has his life well enough in order then more power to him.