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...
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...
