Jimmy Carter was a bit of an anomaly in his one term as president. Before him was Nixon/Ford and after his presidency was Reagan/Bush. The contrast couldn’t have been greater. This film, Jimmy Carter: Rock and Roll President, was a blend of music and Carter politics, as told by many of the musicians of the … More Jimmy Carter: Rock and Roll President (2020)
After The Who By Numbers album, The Who had some ground to make up. The Who By Numbers was not a bad album, it just was not what many fans and critics expected. Pete Townshend’s songs were a bit dark and the arrangements were sparse for a Who album. This was the last studio album … More Who Are You (1978)
At this point in his career, what does the Boss still have to say? Some fans say he’s already said it, and better. Can Springsteen he repeating himself, exhausted of original ideas and new musical riffs? Well, this album hardly breaks new musical ground. It does feel familiar, but that is not a horrible thing. … More Letter to You: Bruce Springsteen
Who are the best songwriters? There are many to choose from. There are some great songwriting teams, but I am only going to talk about individuals who write both music and lyrics. These are in no particular order. Bob Dylan – Bob has been at it for nearly 60 years. He is not a great … More Best Songwriters
I like Weird Al. I get him. He’s a clever and funny guy. You either like him or you do not. Alfred Yankovic started calling himself Weird Al in college as a way to give himself some distinction. He started college at age 16 and admitted to be a big nerd. He got picked on … More Weird Al
Hard to believe John Lennon has been gone 40 years, but it is safe to say his legacy is stronger than it has ever been. I remembered John Lennon back in 2017. Remembering John Lennon Even more than his musical career, I believe he is most associated with the peace movement. It is impossible to … More John Lennon at 80
With the passing of Eddie Van Halen, I decided to list some of my favorite Van Halen songs. Many of these were hits, some not. Some have Dave, others have Sammy. VH received so much airplay since the late 1970s that their music is hard to miss. Many of their songs are hard rock staples … More Van Halen Songs
Favorite bands and musicians? My list is long. Picking one for each letter of the alphabet is challenging. Sometimes you have to work around a first name or last. Alan Parsons Project – A studio creation, two talented guys wrote the intricate songs and hired musicians to help create the music. For nearly a decade, … More Favorite Bands: A to Z
I wrote a blog about the top bass players and Leland Sklar is on that list. He has played with everyone from the 1970s to present. I will list some of his credits but he has to be the top working session and touring bass player of the past 50 years. Besides his music, Sklar … More Leland Sklar (famous bass player)
In 1970, Dave Mason released his first solo album, the revered Alone Together, after the first version of Traffic crashed. Mason moved to America where a lot of roots music originated. He settled in Southern California, hanging out with Stephen Stills, Eric Clapton, Cass Elliott and others where a new sound was developing. This led … More Dave Mason: Alone Together, Again
