Monday, October 19, 2009

The Tragically Hip

This band is probably the least known band in the US that i have written about. The Tragically Hip is a band out of Ontario they have never really splashed in to main stream American Culture Yet. The hip have a funky sound not to many bands can get away with. The most famous member Gordan Downie has been featured on a few america pop charts, but never given respect he diserves he has one of my favorite voices of today. If you are reading this try out the songs 38 years old or New Orleans is sinking

B.B. King

B.B. king is one of the greatest blues performers and singers of all time. He has that cool and collective look and can absolutely sing the Blues. B.B. has been of the best guitar players also he has continued to tour to this day at age 74. King started out in Missisipi and faught against racism to reach the top. He is ranked #3 on the Rolling Stones greatest guitar players of all time.

Jimi Hendrix

Jimi Hendrix is an American singer, songwriter and the greatest guitar player of all time. Hendrix started his life in Seatle, Washington where he lived a strange life of being born to a 17 year old mother and a father in the army. so Hendrix looked for a way out and this is how he found music. Hendrix was a abnormal person and one strange fact about him is that he was a right handed guitar player with a left handed guitar; what he would do is play it upside down. Another strange fact is that he taught himself how to play the guitar.
Hendrix was first found by guitarist Keith Richards girlfriend and recomended him to the Stones Manger, he did not take a liking to him so he went with Chas Chandler who was convinced Jimi was the next big thing. He helped him create "Hey Joe" Jimi's first big single , from their Jimi was one of the most well known acts, especially live where he was known to put on magical performances reaching everyone in the crowd. But early september of 1970 Hendrix was found dead in his hotel in London. Though their never has been an official cause of Death many believe it had to do with Hendrix partying. He has given me a shiver down my spine more then one time listening to him perform at a concert is one of the most beautiful things ive ever heard. I can easily say that if i could go back in time and see one concert Hendrix would be my pick; this is why i lable him as the best live act of all time.

Stevie ray

Stevie Ray Vaughan born October 3rd, 1954 was a true American Guitar player, singer, and songwriter. Vaughan is not one of the most well noted people in music history; but he is remembered as one of the best guitar players and performers of all time. Stevie Ray Began in Austin, Texas and started performing Blues, rock n roll and a touch of country. Vaughan could play with any guitar player Rolling Stones magazine ranked him number 7 on their all time list of greatest guitar players and number 3 on their list of top 100 wildest guitar players.

Eric Clapton

Eric Clapton is a Legend in the world of guitar players he is in the rock n roll hall of fame with the Yardbirds, Cream, and as a solo performer. He has shown that he could be the center of attention with some of his amazing solo songs such as "Layla" or in the band Cream performing "White Room". He is one of the few performers who could touch anything and turn it to gold such as Bob Marleys song "I Shot the Sheriff" or Bob Dylans song "Like a Rolling Stone" Clapton is a top notch performer in what ever it is he is performing.
Rolling Stones magizine ranked him #4 in the all time greatest guitar players of all time. This man can flat out play when he is on the guitar you should know it, with the cleanest and some of the best sound ever he has etched his name in stone as one of the greats in rock n roll.

Stairway to heaven

Led Zeppelin is another English based rock band formed in 1968. The creators are Jimmy Page guitarist, Robert Plant Lead vocals, John Bonham drums, and John Paul Jones bass. This band changed the world with their electric sound, they are regarded as one of the first heavy metal bands. Jimmy Page was the sound that drove this band many consider the greatest guitar player of all time. Though they had a heavy metal sound they also managed to create many other types of music such as reggae, soul, funk, blues, and some folk. Even though the band enjoyed great success throughout the late 60's and seventies they never enjoyed a number one hit, the only reason i shy away from labeling them the greatest band of all time. After the death of drummer John Bonham the band split mainly because of an on gowing feud between Page and Plant. It only makes you wonder what they could have been with out the split.

The Man In Black

Johnny Cash was a Singer and songwriter who mostly sang country songs. Born in 1932 he lived on a farm with his mother father and older brother. after he was old enough he was drafted in to the army and their is were he started writing songs. Though Cash was mainly a country singer he had a hard edge and could transition in to some rock n roll. his lyrics are some of the most well known from the 20th century and it is hard to debate him as the greatest country singer of all time.

best music movies

Movies and music go together in perfect harmony but to narrow down some of the best movies about music is tough. The best would have to be almost famous this is actually based on the true story of a high school kid following around led Zepplin well on tour they be friend him and he has a wild summer. another would have to be im not there a movie based on Bob Dylans life, this is a very interesting pice in which they use a different actor for each part of his life; my only problem with this movie is its very long and sometimes hard to follow. walk the line was another interesting movie about music based on the life of Johnny Cash it takes you through his life as a child and his drug addictions and music as an adult.

Sunday, October 18, 2009

DMB

Dave Mathews Band formed in 1991 in Charlottesville,Virginia. Founding members include Singer, songwriter and lead guirtarist Dave Mathews, Bassist stefan Lessard, Violinist Boyd Tinsley, Drummer Carter Beauford and saxophone LeRoi Moore. February or March 1991 was when the band started recording their first in studio demo from then till now they have topped the charts with top ten hit after top ten hit.
They have been preforming long concert tours across the U.S. and Europe for ten years now. this has built one of the largest fan bassis of any band to start in the 90's. The largest attraction of this band is the phenominal vocals by the lead singer Dave Mathews, he also is a fantastic guitar player and performer. The Band has received many awards such as winning 2 grammys the biggest award for a musician. The band continues to this day to sell out show after show and continue to sell albumns for many years to come.

Nirvana

The Grundge band out of Seattle which was formed in 1987 by lead singer and guitarist Kurt Cobain, Bassist Krist Novoselic and the drummer who spent the longst time in the band is Dave Grohl. The band first struck big on their second albumn in 1991 "Nevermind" with songs like
"Smells like Teen spirit" or "Rape me" they steped out of the shaddows to full blown stardomn. Kurt Cobain was the leader of the group and thought of as the voice of his generation with some very deep and sometimes intense lyrics. The band was the biggest in the world in the early 90's, but lead singer Kurt Cobain was very uncomftorable with this new found status. which started some heavy drug use including the use of heroin heavily. In 1994 Cobains addiction running wild he was found dead after commiting suicide by shooting himself with a shot gun. This loss to the grundge scene was huge the biggest star of the scene gone but not forgotten. The band after the death split up Dave Grohl hit it big playing drums for Tom Petty and becoming the lead singer of rock/alternative band the Foo Fighters. Cobain was one of the best writers of the early 90's speaking the truth about corporate America and the negative parts of the world. He will always be thought of as the voice of generation X.

biggie smalls

Christopher Wallace born in 1972, in Brooklyn, New York. Raised by his mother Voletta Wallace a Jaimacan elementary teacher he had very little money. He did good at school and did especially well in English class where he had won a number of awards . At age twelve he started to sell drugs and live a life of the gangsters he had admired in movies. He got the name Big because his large build at such a young age.

He began rapping on the streats to entertain people by freestyling and beat boxing. After he went to jail he decided to make a mix tape under the name of Biggie Smalls. smalls was put on the Source's top unsigned rappers in 1992 and this drew the attention of sean "Puffy"Combs. His first albumn ready to die appeared as high as number 12 on the billboard charts.

sadly his life was taken by a 1997 drive by shooting in California in February. His music did not stop when he was killed, he has had cd's go platinum four times of just remastered and remade copies of his work. He has some of the best rythems and lyrics i believe in hip hop history.

Kings of Leon

Kings of Leon is the youngest group i have discussed on this blog forming in Tennessee in 1999. The Band consist of four brothers Anthony Followill lead vocals and guitar, Ivan Followill percussion, Michael Followill Bass guitar, and Cameron followill Lead Guitar. They started with more of a southern rock feeling like a lynard skynard style music but changed more in to alternative sound. But this band is not stuck to one genre they can mix the songs up to a faster pace rock with great guitar riffs. The Kings of Leon first had success over sea's in the UK, they had nine top 40 hits and all three of the bands albums at the time reached top five on the UK Album charts. Only by the night was the firist big sucess in the US reaching number five on the billboard charts.
I feel this will be the next huge band already selling out concerts across the US and Europe. they have a lot of talent, with an amazing lead singer and great instrumentals from every member. some of their songs really can blow you away by the clean sounds and awesome vocals. I do think that their earlier work was a little better but to commercialize you do have to change your style a little bit. all in all this is my favorite band of today.

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Don't Worry about a thing

Robert Nesta Marley (Bob Marley) was born on February 6th, 1945. He was born in a small town of Nine Mile in Saint Annes Parish in Jamaica. Norval Sinclair Marley, Bob's dad was a cacasion Jamaican of English Descents. He was a royal Marine as well as a plantation overseer when he married Cedella Booker. Though he financialy supported the family he never was around always on trips for work around the world. Norval Passed from a heart attack in 1955 when Bob was ten years old. As a youth Bob was subject to much racism and harassement because of his mixed ancestory. This, he explained fueled a lot of hit music.

In 1963 Bob Joined the Wailers with Bunny Wailer, Peter Tosh, Junior Braithwaite, Beverley kelso, and Cherry Smith. They originally called themselves The Wailing Rudeboys", then to "The Wailing Wailers" then eventually the Wailers. This group slowly was comercallising reggae; but Marley and the group felt it better to split up and go solo. Marleys first albumn went platinum 10 times. he had such songs and buffalo soldier, no women no cry, Jammin, and i shot the sheriff. Marley was assasignated in 1981 shot down by a person who did not want peace and happiness

Gimme Shelter

The Rolling Stones is a rock n roll band out of London that have lasted over fourty years of crazy times. The band formed in 1962, the band consisted of an amazing six members. The Lead singer Mick Jagger, the Pianist Ian Stewert, the multi talented Brian Jones, Guitarist Keith Richards, Bassist Bill Wyman and Drummer Charlie Watts. Stewert left the band the next year after they decided he did not fit their idea's they were trying to achieve; but he stayed with the band as road manager and keyboardist until his death in 1985. Jones died in 1969 and was replaced by Ronnie Woods.
In the begining the writing fell in the hands of Mick and Keith who were also thought of as the leaders of the group. The Stones came to America in the early 60's during the British invasion. Their early music was more focused on Blues and R&B mixed with some Rock N Roll. Their musical inspirations were far and ranging from Chuck Berry, Elvis Presley, to the Supremes. The Change in music constantly is what makes the stones such an amazing band. you put on a greatest hits albumn and the first song sounds like a gospel song then the next will be blues, and the third will be some of the best rock n roll music you have ever heard; its almost like you are listening to 5 different bands with one amazing lead singer. They reached so many people over the last 45 years any type of music listener can be entertained by them. Their greatness can be compared to that of The Beatles, but they have last 4 times as long as The Beatles with so much music constantly flowing out of the band it makes it hard to say that they are the second greatest band of all time.

Monday, October 5, 2009

Bob Dylan

Bob Dylan born Robert Allen Zimmerman Was the best song writer and solo artist of his generation. He was born in Minnesota in 1941; he lived here until he was six years old when his father was diagnosed with Polio. he satarted listening to music at a very young age. He would listen to the radio and especially liked blue's and country then he slowley started to like early Rock n Roll, but he also enjjoyed folk music a lot.
He moved to New York City to start his career as a musician in 1961. Dylan could play Piano, hermonica, and the guitar which made him look a little more attractive to a record label. He signed a deal with Colombia records. His first album barely sold five thousand albums just enough to break even in its first year. Many people from Colombia suggested dropping his contract thinking he was dead wait. But his friendship with Johnny Cash might have been what saved him from being released. His second Album was what put Dylan on the Map "The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan." This was his album that let many people see some of his protest songs which in purpose made his career what it was today.
His lyrics have helped fule many civil rights movements which used his songs as the theme song for their fight. He believed that the government was to much in control so he decided to change it through music. Dylans best attributes many believed was his lyrics which can change a person after hearing it once. Some of his most fanmous songs are "Blowin In the Wind", "The hurricane", and Mr. Tamborine Man". These are some of his more famous songs but i would not say his best. He has so many types of music listening to a greatest hits cd you can here the change of music from each decade he has been around.