Classic Rock Appreciation

[WillieMorgan]

I notice a lot of people are posting Metal tracks, which is fine if that's your definition of "classic".

It's funny that you should say that because I don't consider either of the Whitesnake tracks that I posted recently to be Metal. I think Def Leppard is pushing it also. I guess people's definition of Metal is different sometimes.

One thing that is definitely a rarity on a thread like this is posting a track and drawing particular attention to it's synthezisers. That's not gonna happen regularly on a Classic Rock Thread. This power ballad, possibly the finest one in a decade where literally hundreds were recorded, doesn't contain a single lick of guitar. What sounds like strummed guitar chords coming in late on in the song are actually synthesised. But what gorgeous synths. A nice quirky fact about this song is that most of the different synthetic tones present here were actually played by a pre-fame Thomas Dolby. This is the power ballad par-excellence 'Waiting For A Girl Like You' by Foreigner, a song that inspired a thousand imitators. This one's best enjoyed through headphones:

[seismic-2]

One thing that is definitely a rarity on a thread like this is posting a track and drawing particular attention to it's synths. That's not gonna happen regularly on a Classic Rock Thread.

Ah, synths. I don't remember whether this track has been posted previously (it probably has been, but there's no harm in re-posting it), but this was essentially the single track that made the Moog a big part of the "art rock" branch of progressive rock. Interestingly, the Wikipedia article on the song reports that keyboardist Keith Emerson claims that he was just "jamming around" on this particular take, and he was "devastated" that this was the version that was actually released. He further claims that afterwards, when people would request it, he couldn't remember how it went!

[From The Shadows]

[ed2962]

Rock and Rule was an early 80's animated film from Nelvana. It initially got limited distribution and little advertising in the States but later gained cult popularity. The premise was that an aging rock star decided to raise a demon but he needed "the perfect vice" to do so, so he kidnapped the female singer of a young rock band. The rest of the band try to save her. The female star Angel's parts are sung by Debbie Harry from Blondie and the rest of the band's songs are done by Cheap Trick. The designs for Stretch and Dizzy from the band seem to be inspired by Rick Neilson and Bun E Carlos from Cheap Trick. The villain ( Mok) is an evil caricature of Mick Jagger with some David Bowie and Lou Reed mixed in. Anyway...here's my favorite song "My Name Is Mok" sung by Lou Reed.

[numberthirty]

Since synths/classic rock/animation came up, it's always kind of amazing how well this tune holds up. It's the one time I will get "This Close..." to doing an air guitar windmill. The synth part at the end of the tune is also a riot.

[WillieMorgan]

The early 90's collaboration between David Coverdale and Jimmy Page turned out to be very short lived, amounting to just one album and a few shows in Japan. What an album it was though, certainly one of the finest that year (1993). You can find footage of the Japanese shows on Youtube. It's odd to watch Coverdale on stage with Page belting his way through the likes of Black Dog and Kashmir. This could well be the album's highlight:

[WillieMorgan]

Here's a track from Pride, the second album by White Lion. White Lion were a glam rock/metal band that achieved a respectable level of success in the second half of the 1980's. Now, I'll openly admit that White Lion are never really gonna register on any 'Greatest Of All TIme...' lists. They managed to put out four albums before being relentlessly pummelled into obsolescence by the Grunge/Alternative Rock/miserable gits wave of the 1990's. They did have one serious ace up their sleeve though, the guitarist Vito Bratta.

In a decade redolent with flash guitar players, many of whom were far more style than substance, this guy really stood out. The solo in this song alone deserves serious respect. After White Lion split he seemed to retire from the music business.

[WillieMorgan]

I've been posting a lot of material from the 1980's recently so it's time to mix things up a little. I'm far from just an 80's kid.

She Walks Like A Bearded Rainbow, or SWLABR as it's better known:



I love how the Disraeli Gears album got it's name. Quote from Ginger Baker - 'You know how the title came about – Disraeli Gears – yeah? We had this Austin Westminster, and Mick Turner was one of the roadies who'd been with me a long time, and he was driving along and Eric [Clapton] was talking about getting a racing bicycle. Mick, driving, went 'Oh yeah – Disraeli gears!' meaning derailleur gears...We all just fell over...We said that's got to be the album title.'

[ed2962]

I'll admit that I have never liked "Mr Jones", even now I find that one particular song kinda annoying. However, after being exposed to more of their music, I have to admit Counting Crows have written some really decent songs.

[ed2962]

Blues Travelers on Dennis Miller's old show

[WillieMorgan]

As iconic as 'Born To Be Wild' became over time, I always preferred this Steppenwolf classic:

[WillieMorgan]

I'd be interested in hearing if folks have even heard of this band. This psychedelic number actually just about made it into the UK Top 40 in 1970. Here's the nowadays little known Edgar Broughton Band:

[ed2962]

Still holds up

[ed2962]

[ed2962]