I have to admit, I was not much of a Dead fan in my younger years. Their folky, psychedelia did not really interest me. I did not mind jam bands per se, but I did not warm up to the Dead’s trippiness and drug culture reputation. I was painting the Dead with a broad paintbrush … More Grateful Dead: Skeletons From the Closet
Forgive me for not writing about this album before, or Eric Clapton for that matter. Where do you start with Clapton? I guess right here. Fifty years ago, this delight was delivered to record stores. Remember record stores? This was the third band for Clapton in just a couple of years. I am not sure … More Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs (1970)
New music that had to wait almost years to get a release. As he readied this album back in 1975, he suddenly hesitated and released something else, an entirely different album. How many musicians have Plan A and Plan B? Maybe Bob Dylan or Bruce Springsteen, but no one has two albums ready to go. … More Neil Young: Homegrown
Each album was career defining for the bands. Is one better than the other? No. It is just personal choice. These two albums are among the biggest sellers of the 1970s and are near the top of the greatest albums of all-time. I’m just telling you this in case you were in a coma back … More Dark Side of the Moon or Led Zeppelin IV?
There have been a number of anthologies and great hits collections released, during his career and after his death. Each one is hit and miss. With several versions on the market, I am not sure they can repackage another one, but I suspect the Tom Petty estate has plans for many releases from his vault … More Tom Petty Mixtape
Three years ago I saw Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers in concert. My first and only time. Something inside told me not to miss this concert, which was near the end of his tour. Within months he was gone. The first song I ever heard from him was “Breakdown,” labeled at the time as some … More Tom Petty: Damn the Torpedoes
Everyone has heard and likely owned this album. Twenty-six million copies sold in the U.S. alone. Go ahead, check your record collection, I’ll wait. I have reviewed several other Eagles albums, but bypassed this one. Honestly, I was not sure what I could say that was new or original about the album. Then I noticed … More Hotel California (1976) Revisited
The 1970s were Neil Young’s most successful and rewarding decade (in my opinion). At the time, I thought he was quite eclectic, but then came the 1980s and the Shocking Pinks (rockabilly), Old Wave (country) and Trans (electronic). The 1970s were diverse, but nowhere near the craziness that Neil would bring us in the following … More American Stars ‘N Bars: Neil Young
I’ve written about Emerson Lake and Palmer a couple of times. Below is what I said about Works, Volume 1: Works Volume 1 (1977), Each member took an album side with the fourth side being a group effort. Keith Emerson wrote a piano concerto, Greg Lake composed a series of ballads, and Carl Palmer created some … More Emerson Lake & Palmer: Works Vol. 1 (1977)
Okay, so I like Jackson Browne. He’s been producing music for about 50 years now, he was just a kid when he started, and so was I. These days (also the title of his song), Browne is on the outside looking in. His albums sell modestly, but he’s steady concert draw. He’s got hardcore fans, … More Jackson Browne: Standing in the Breach (2014)
