The Wall of Sound Book

2012-02-02T20:44:00.000-05:00

Tomorrow will be 53 years since Buddy, Ritchie, and the Bopper left us...I know you guys are jammin up there..God Bless you all.....:)

"BUDDY HOLLY, RITCHIE VALENS and THE BIG BOPPER"
*YOU ARE ALL WELL LOVED & MISSED MY FRIENDS*
***MAY GOD BLESS YOU ALWAYS*** WITH GREAT LOVE & AFFECTION.

{Suzy took this photo of me after the WDP tour, The gift of the Big Boppers Guitar Strap is visible.

News | Vintage Rock

2012-02-02T20:41:00.000-05:00

News | Vintage Rock

ROBIN GIBB IS BATTLING CANCER

2011-11-20T10:00:00.002-05:00

N Latest NEWS

Bee Gees star Robin Gibb has reportedly been diagnosed with liver cancer.

The 61-year-old singer has been seen looking increasingly frail in public over the last few weeks.He was thought to be suffering from stomach problems, but earlier this week was rushed to hospital after his health deteriorated. He spent five hours there on Tuesday and is now back at home with his family. His 91-year-old mother and musician brother Barry have both flown to the UK from America to be with him.'Robin is not good and there is a lot of concern for him. You can use your wealth to call in the best experts but sometimes no amount of fame, prestige and money can change things when it comes to cancer,' a friend of the star told British newspaper The Sunday Mirror.

'But Robin is a strong character, he is a fighter and has been encouraged by all the online messages from his fans. Dwina [his wife] is doing everything Â¬possible and hasn't left his side.'There will be difficult times ahead but Robin will never give up and his loving family will make sure he has everything he needs. There is a frustration because Robin has always looked after himself. He doesn't drink, eats well and exercises daily.'

Dwina has apparently been studying alternative medications, and has also arranged for Robin to be treated by a London clinic. He will also go to hospital appointments and see a separate doctor.The two have been married for 26 years and have a son together called Robin-John.Robin's mother Barbara is staying with him and Dwina at their home in Oxfordshire, while Barry and his wife Linda are at their own house in Buckinghamshire.The family have suffered several heartbreaks over the years. Robin and Barry's brother Andy died aged 30 in 1988, while Robin's twin Maurice passed away in 2003.

'It is incredibly sad for Barbara. First she lost her son Andy, then Maurice and now she has to cope with seeing Robin like this,' another insider told the publication.It is a lot for a mother, particular of her age, to deal with. Barry has also been there for his brother and a lot of friends have been rallying round.'

In October, Robin was hospitalised after experiencing stomach pains. He then pulled out of several performances.

His family have not commented on the report.

EC-1000 Electric

2011-11-20T08:54:00.000-05:00

EC-1000 Electric

2011-11-05T23:30:00.000-04:00

Simon & Garfunkel’s 1965 recording of ‘The Sound of Silence’ is a timeless masterpiece, an iconic song that floats beyond the constraints of time and space to become a composition holding a gravitas that far outweighs its origins.

Its origins are certainly not insignificant — it was written by Paul Simon after the assassination of John F. Kennedy, certainly one of the major turning points in our country’s social development from innocent teenager to wizened adult.

It was also a ubiquitous piece of our country’s cultural fabric; ‘The Sound of Silence’ is one of the 20 most performed tunes of the 20th century. The entire century.

Paul Simon’s solo version recorded at New York’s Webster Hall in June 2011, on the other hand, doesn’t quite carry that same weight. It’s not that the song itself has lost significance, it’s just that to hear Simon sing it — sans Garfunkel, no less — for probably the 5,000th time in his dignified career, just seems unnecessary.

We’re sure that to the people in attendance it was a beautifully stirring few minutes — just to be lucky enough to catch Paul Simon in such an intimate venue at this point must be an exhilarating experience, and considering the recording made it on his new ‘Songwriter’ compilation, it’s likely one of his better performances in recent years.

‘Songwriter,’ after all, is a two-disc set curated by Simon himself and spanning his entire career, from his early work with Simon & Garfunkel through to his most recent release, 2011′s ‘So Beautiful or So What.’

But it doesn’t hold a candle to the original ‘Sound of Silence’ nor would we expect it to. And while this new recording does nothing to tarnish Simon’s legacy, it does serves as a reminder that some songs are best left to be experienced how remember them — in their original form.

Frank Zappa’s Carnegie Hall shows to be released on cd

2011-11-01T03:42:00.000-04:00

Frank Zappa’s Carnegie Hall shows to be released on cd

Paul Simon Talks 'So Beautiful' Album, 'Graceland' Reunion Tour | Billboard.com

2011-11-01T01:28:00.000-04:00

Paul Simon Talks 'So Beautiful' Album, 'Graceland' Reunion Tour | Billboard.com

Yoko Ono to Introduce Steve Jobs Tribute at MTV's O Music Awards | Billboard.com

2011-11-01T01:26:00.000-04:00

Yoko Ono to Introduce Steve Jobs Tribute at MTV's O Music Awards | Billboard.com

An interview with Carol Kaye, the Queen of Bass

2011-10-27T13:37:00.000-04:00

The Queen of Bass, Carol Kaye

Fred Ferrara of the Brooklyn Bridge Passes

2011-10-22T08:48:00.000-04:00

R.I.P. Fred Ferrara, formerly of the Del-Satins, who backed Dion Dimucci on such hits as "Donna, the Prima Donna", and "Ruby Baby" , then moving on to the Brooklyn Bridge with Johnny Maestro,..has passed.

On This Day in Music History 1958:

2011-10-21T08:04:00.001-04:00

1958: Buddy Holly recorded his last studio session. Holly and the Crickets recorded “True Love Ways,” “Moondreams,” “It Doesn’t Matter Anymore,” and “Raining in my Heart.”

2011-10-20T11:18:00.004-04:00

On this Day October 20, 1977Ronnie Van Zant, Steve Gaines and Cassie Gaines of Lynyrd Skynyrd were all killed along with manager Dean Kilpatrick when their rented plane ran out of fuel and crashed into a densely wooded thicket in the middle of a swamp in Gillsburg, Missouri. The crash seriously injured the rest of the band and crew who were due to play at Louisiana University that evening.

This Day in Music

2011-10-20T11:08:00.000-04:00

This Day in Music

2011-10-19T19:09:00.001-04:00

Paul Leka, who co-wrote the ubiquitous chant of a hit single, “Na Na Na Hey Hey Hey Goodbye,” passed away on October 12th according to web reports. Leka also wrote “Green Tambourine,” one of the seminal singles of the late 1960s, for his group, The Lemon Pipers.
“Na Na Na” was a hit for Steam, Leka’s group at the time. But it was a chorus that was supposed to be a throwaway B side which he’d written years earlier with another member of the group. They added it to a song written in the studio and it went on to become a massive hit. It’s now a regular chant at sports events.
Leka, from Bridgeport, Connecticut, also produced several hits including Harry Chapin‘s “Cat’s in the Cradle” and “Theme from Summer of ’42″ by Peter Nero. He also produced the first two REO Speedwagon albums from his Bridgeport studio. Leka also produced records by Gloria Gaynor,
Angela Clemmons, and Lesley Gore.

Oldies Music -- News

2011-10-11T11:22:00.000-04:00

Oldies Music -- News

Paul McCartney marries American heiress in London

2011-10-09T13:22:00.001-04:00

Paul McCartney marries American heiress in London

Phil Spector Presents The Philles Album Collection [Box set]

2011-10-03T12:42:00.000-04:00

REM break up after 31 years

2011-09-22T19:56:00.000-04:00

It's The End Of The World As We Know It...Everybody Hurts... The song titles seem sadly apropos with the news that REM have decided to split after 31 years together.
On the band's website today (21 September) came the message: "To our Fans and Friends: As R.E.M., and as lifelong friends and co-conspirators, we have decided to call it a day as a band. We walk away with a great sense of gratitude, of finality, and of astonishment at all we have accomplished. To anyone who ever felt touched by our music, our deepest thanks for listening."
Originally comprised of vocalist Michael Stipe, guitarist Peter Buck, bassist Mike Mills and drummer Bill Berry (who left the group in 1997), REM broke out of Athens Georgia and released the landmark albums Murmur, Reckoning, Document, Out Of Time and Automatic For The People.
After Bill Berry's departure (following an onstage brain aneurysm), the group continued as a three piece. Their most recent album was this year's Collapse Into Now. In 2007, REM was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.

Peace, Love And Understanding In The 1960s

2010-09-24T13:50:00.001-04:00

It began peacefully, but life in the 1960s took an about-face from the relative calm of the '50s. The children of the Baby Boom came of age. When the civil rights movement and the war in Vietnam hurled the nation into turmoil, a noisy minority of the boomers protested through demonstrations or non-conformist lifestyles and changed the direction of society. For those who did not live through the 1960s, or were too young to remember them, this brief timeline provides insight into what Walter Cronkite called “the most turbulent decade of the century.”

1960
The early 1960s were an extension of the conservative '50s. Skirts were knee-length, rock ‘n roll was still young and somewhat innocent, and the nation had high hopes for its new president. Democrat John F. Kennedy defeated Richard Nixon in the presidential election, and historians now point to the first televised debate as Kennedy’s trump card. Some referred to Kennedy’s “reign” as the age of Camelot. Women styled their hair like Jackie in the faddish bouffant, a fussy classic 1960s style that only lasted as long as her husband was in office. Few people could fathom what the 1960s would bring, but certain events foreshadowed the turmoil. Americans were still afraid of a communist takeover, and it seemed that communism was creeping in everywhere. Communist Cuba was much too close for comfort.

But on the whole, Americans enjoyed a safe environment. Folks left their doors unlocked, and kids could roam their neighborhood without fear. Teens were into music, cars and dancing. The 1960s introduced the muscle car (thanks to the ’64 GTO), and drag racing continued to be a popular pastime, carrying over from the '50s.

HOW MUSIC INTEGRATES WITH SOCIAL MEDIA PT. 1

2010-08-15T03:10:00.001-04:00

The was a time in the past, when we went to the movies and listened to music to escape into a better time in our lives. Back in the 1960's when I was just escaping puberty, we still had the All-American institution, the Drive-In. In those days, the Beach Boys & the boys from Liverpool dominated the airwaves. Their music was about cars, girls, the beach, and fun. Our movies consisted of screens full of Frankie and Annette, Biker Flicks from Roger Corman, and those sickening Hal Wallis monstrosities, starring Elvis Presley, which to me always took him to a new low. He was always the lone wolf coming into town, the girls fell in love with him, he kicked every ones ass, and ended the movie singing and dancing into the sunset. Ridiculous, right?
Well, the point was, it was supposed to be entertainment. And it was. It was all a part of Americana. While compared to todays hi-powered action movies with 3d animations and unbelievable special effects, they were very simple, they were innocent, and fun. And they had lots of great music. Elvis always got the girl, Frankie Always got Annette, and everyone went home happy in their 1957 Chevy, happily listening to "Little Deuce Coupe". This would be 1964,and Rockn'Roll was beginning to change, as it was becoming ever interwoven into the fabric of the American youth. In America, the different cultures produced a wide variety of music for its youth. In the inner cities, the radio was permeated with all kinds of different sounds. Detroit gave us Smokey Robinson, Marvin Gaye, The Temptations, and The Supremes. Chicago gave us Curtis Mayfield & the Impressions, Major Lance, Jan Bradley, Jerry Butler. Los Angeles gave us Jan & Dean, The Beach Boys,& Phil Spector & his Wall of sound with The Ronettes, The Crystals, and The Righteous Bros. And of course, New York, gave us the Brill Building, Donny Kirschners Dream Machine, that pumped out such talents as Carol King, Ellie Greenwich, Neil Sedaka, Neal Diamond, Jeff Barry, (oh, that list goes on forever).
And we are still talking 1964.
But, in the middle of this extravaganza, and undercurrent was taking place. In the summer of 1964, at the height of Beatlemania, A young, Jewish kid out of Hibbing , Minnesota, (of all places) appeared on the scene,with a complete blowout of a song, which, for the first time, addressed the issues of what was going on in the world outside of the drive-in. That song was "Like a Rolling Stone", and it was like nothing the average American teenager had ever heard. First of all, the song was over 4 minutes long. (The allotted time back then was 2:30 max for a 45). Now, Bob Dylan had been around for a few years, playing the Folk Scene, and folk music had been played on the radio, but this was electric. It MADE you stand up and take notice.

All of a sudden, the youth , who had grown up cookie cutter to "Leave it to Beaver", "Ozzie and Harriet", and "Father knows Best", realized that there was a world out there, and things were happening. Things like VietNam.
One of the most prolific songs of that time was "Where Have All the Flowers Gone", by the Kingston Trio. To this day, that song sends chills down my spine. For the first time, American youth, both Black and White were taking notice of the issues at hand, such as the war and the Civil Rights Movement. The Folk Rock Movement had been born, from Greenwich Village, with groups like the Lovin Spoonful, to out on the West Coast with the Mamas and Papas (courtesy of Sloan & Barry). By 1966, everyone had gotten into the act, including the Dynamic Duo of the surf crowd, Jan & Dean with the album "Folk & Roll". One of the most powerful songs of that decade was was Barry McGuires "Eve of Destruction". (Ironically, that is an all-too fitting song for todays situation as well.)
Down in Nashville, the Country crowd was getting involved as well. Johnny Cash spent weeks in the Village integrating with the youth, he had a remarkable knack for understanding their frustrations and needs. In 1968, he released a now-forgotten gem of a song called "What is Truth", which focused on the miscommunication of society. Henson Cargill, another C&W singer entered the charts with "Skip a Rope", with strong connotations on Race relations. It was previously uncharted territory for this particular genre.
By 1969, music integration was in full swing. Just listen to The Doors "The Unknown Soldier". Traces could be heard at Woodstock, with Richie Havens, and Country Joe McDonald with the "Viet Nam Rag". Even Jimi Hendrix did a version of "Like A Rolling Stone", as only Jimi Could do. It was culminating in a big way.
By the 1970's, most of the heroes were gone. Jimi, Janis, and Jim Morrison had all gone on to eternity, Mama Cass would follow in a few years. Johnson was gone, as well as Bobby Kennedy, and Dr. Martin Luther King. Music began to turn to a lighter note with social influence no longer being of prime importance. In the 1970's, we saw the emergence of Country Rock, with the Eagles and Poco. Southern Rock was also beginning to take root with the Great Allman Brothers, (although, the granddaddys of Southern Rock were always considered Lynyrd Skynyrd, who everyone related to Georgia, when they, were, in fact, from Jacksonville, Florida. The 1970's was also the advent of Disco, the most meaningless, useless, genre ever conceived. That is strictly my opinion, because good, bad, or indifferent, it had its place in Music Culture.
In Part Two, we will continue our journey as to how music has integrated into more than entertainment, it has become a voice for the people.............See you then