Exploring unheralded rock songs from many genres including classic rock, hard rock, psych, garage, metal, proto-punk, punk, post-punk, and the occasional blues tune...
For those of you who thought I'd end the Deep Rock Mining daily song format with a underserved rockin' number, you're going to be disappointed. Similarly, if you expected a song with poignant lyrics, disappointment will follow. Instead, I'll end it with the end of the musical spectrum, the Shaggs. Enjoy their dissonance as they sing about their cat.
In all seriousness, thanks for reading the blog and I'll be back in a while with some other rock related articles, just not daily!
After several attempts to find certain Dylan songs on Youtube(even trying to post one myself, unsuccessfully), I did find this clean copy online of one of my favorite Dylan tracks off of, arguably, my favorite Dylan album, Highway 61 Revisited. I just couldn't end this daily blog format without playing a track from the greatest lyricist of the rock era. So, for my penultimate daily post, enjoy this Dylan masterpiece.
As I've noted several times before in this blog space, it took me a while to warm up to thrash metal. Once I finally did so, I gravitated to Slayer as one of my favorites. What better way to say goodbye to the genre in this format than with one of the all time greats off of their debut album.
When I started college in the late 80's(in the height of hair band nation), the coolest band in the world was Jane's Addiction. And for good reason, they had a unique sound that rocked, they were interesting visually in the age of MTV, and they always seemed like they were on the verge of self-destruction. I remember getting an advance copy of Ritual De Lo Habitual and was floored by its power. So, I couldn't end this format without featuring a deeper cut from that influential LP.
Forgive the sound the quality, but enjoy the video of this raw, electric Jimi Hendrix making his debut to the big time at Monterey. I've always considered this the concert festival I would have wanted to attend in the 60's, much more so than Woodstock.
Sometime in February/March 1997, I was going through a stressful period at work, requiring me to get into the office at 4AM for a number of days. On one such day, I was listening to some national radio show that was picked up by my local station on the way in. I remember Eddie Vedder talking up a relatively new band from the Northwest that were phenomenal. Their new LP, Dig Me Out, was the band's third release. He introduced the title track which followed. I instantly fell in love with Sleater-Kinney music. I went out and bought the new CD, as well as the first two. I played them constantly for weeks.
As luck would have it, the band was touring in support of their new album and would be playing in May at the Middle East over in Cambridge, MA. I bought a ticket(however one bought tickets in 1997. I no longer remember). It was one of the rare occasions in my concert going life that big hype was met with an equally big performance. The band just rocked from end to end cranking through all of their songs with power and determination. After the show, the band hung around and signed some autographs. Stupid me didn't bring any CD's, so I just pulled out a dollar bill. Lead singer Corin Tucker signed it, "A fool and his money...Corin". Classic. I left that show on a high and have been a fan of Corin, Carrie Brownstein, and Janet Weiss ever since. Here they are with a masterpiece of rock music off of their second album Call The Doctor.
I'm sure that when I conclude my daily blog post format, there will be some artist that I will have forgotten about and failed to pay my respects to on this site. Well, it won't be the musical genius that is Stevie Wonder. Here he is with some of his funkiest stuff that brings you right into the 1970's urban landscape.
Over the years, I've occasionally featured chanson/ yeh yeh French singers for a change of pace. And after a few days of hard rock, this definitely qualifies. And what better artist to exemplify the best of yeh yeh, but the Yeh Yeh girl herself, Francoise Hardy.
Another rock great who died in the course of me writing this blog was Lemmy Kilmister. I have featured tracks by Motorhead and the Rockin' Vickers, but here is one from his heavy psych band, Sam Gopal. I had to get one more Lemmy track in before retiring the format.
I may never reconcile the fact that the guitarist who quit the Yardbirds because they were selling out(by recording For Your Love) was the same guitarist who recorded Wonderful Tonight and a string of other MOR records a mere decade later. That paradox aside, Eric Clapton was one of the best blues rock guitarists for a stretch in the late sixties/early seventies. Of course, with Cream, he was helped out by master class musicians Ginger Baker and Jack Bruce. It just worked. I remember hearing short studio songs by Cream on classic rock radio, such as Strange Brew and Sunshine of Your Love, but it wasn't til I heard some of their live stuff listening to late night radio that I really heard the band playing at the next level. I couldn't end this daily blog without a day dedicated to one of those masterful jams.
Towards the beginning of running this daily blog, I featured some early Black Flag, featuring the great Keith Morris on lead vocals. Well, now that I am nearly the end, I want to feature him again with his next band, the Circle Jerks. Enjoy.
Well, I had to get the Beatles involved in my daily blog farewell, one way or another. This probably falls in the "another" category. The Beatles, and others like Metallica and Prince, are pretty rigid about allowing their stuff on YouTube. Still, I was able to post this unreleased outtake from the Let It Be session. While it is a goof, it would not have been out of place on the Let It Be album.
As a white suburban guy that grew up in the 80's, it shouldn't be very surprising that I was a big fan of the Beastie Boys. Despite the immature lyrics and basic hooks of their debut LP, Licensed to Ill, the band went on to produce some unexpectedly great music after their big first release. Paul's Boutique is one of my favorite albums and Check Your Head, their third album is also up there. This was the release that first heard a little of the Beasties' hardcore origins. Here is one of my favorite tracks in that style...
One of the things I love about finding new music, whether in physical form or online, is discovering some proto-metal or proto-punk. Here is a Belgian band that had more a proto metal sound for 1973.
Day #2 of my farewell postings is dedicated to artist I haven't seen live who I most want to see perform. I missed him a few months back in Boston, and will have to wait my turn. Ty has also been featured in this space as a solo artist and with his band Fuzz(a real scorcher).
[Note for Readers: As I've been posting daily song of the day blog updates for the last few years without repeating artists(save David Bowie on the occasion of his untimely passing), I feel it's almost time to retire the format. Over the coming two weeks, I will wind down the format by featuring some tracks/artists that I've been meaning to get around to. After a break, I will return with a less frequent, but more in-depth articles featuring(you guessed it) underserved rock n' roll. And what a better way to kickoff the long goodbye to this format that with Black Sabbath, the greatest hard rock band of all time.]
So, back in high school in the 80's, I became aware of Black Sabbath for the first time. As I was just getting into the Beatles at the time, this music was much too heavy for my liking. Also, someone told me that they were devil worshippers. I believed that and disregarded the band as stupid and immature. It would be a few years later that I would finally hear Black Sabbath in the appropriate setting(loud in a rock club). From there, my opinion began to slowly to change, morphing all the way to a band that I hold in the highest esteem at this point. I could have selected just about any song, but I defaulted to earlier stuff, as is my custom. So, here they are from their sophomore effort, Paranoid.
Look at me featuring two 2019 tracks in the span of three days. Well, here is a newly formed French band that features the Limiñanas, along with members of Ultra Orange and The Brian Jonestown Massacre. This track is just too hip.
Only recently have I become aware of 70's British prog rockers Hatfield And The North(named after a road sign). They released a couple of albums mid-decade. Here they are with a track off of their second and final long player.
As a side project by members of Swedish band GOAT and Hills, Djinn is a seriously eclectic and deeply jazz rooted band that just released a debut self-titled LP. Here is a sample track from this wonderful release.
The Stimulators were an interesting NYC punk band for many reasons, the first being the diverse make-up of the band members. The guitarist and initial bassist were women, the lead singer was a gay man, and the drummer was a child(Yes, that is correct). After having trouble finding a drummer, bandleader and guitarist Denise Mercedes recruited her 11- year old nephew, Harley Flanagan to play drums for the band. Harley would go on to play for the Cro-Mags. Still for the early 80's, the Stimulators played all around New York and releasing one album and a couple of singles. The band would come to an end with the AIDS related death of lead singer Patrick Mack in 1983. Here is the band from their first single.
