And you are so right about John Bonham. Ironically, I think the only rock drummer that could be considered in the same class was the other one that got taken away from us early - Keith Moon. And Bonham's son, Jason, is quite talented, though obviously not his father.
Ginger Baker's Toad is a masterpiece. Also, in a completely different way, Roger Taylor can make a drum solo melodic. Not as technically impressive as Baker, but his solo's are enjoyable as music as opposed to simply demonstrations of skill.
I can't argue with either point. I admit I'm most familiar with Bonham partly because of some of the film & video footage I've seen of him playing (in addition to listening to my collection of Led Zeppelin). He reminded me of some Middle Eastern percussionists that I've seen. There's a certain point in the music when the artist, the instrument and the rhythm become one. I don't know how to explain it but it's truly transcendent when it happens.
I was listening to Stevie Ray Vaughn today and thought he might fit in the Band of Heaven as well. I know he was heavily influenced by Jimi Hendrix, among others, but he did have his own style.
I was watching a bio of Johnny Cash on TV recently, and found out an interesting tidbit. He and Johnny both recorded for Sun records, and, in the early days, they would tour together. He and Elvis would often play jokes on each other. Sometimes they'd parody each other on stage.... (tries to imagine Cash doing a Presley song "Elvis the Pelvis" style, and falls over laughing....)
Another new member of the Band of Heaven. Syd Barrett, one of the founding members of Pink Floyd, and their original creative leader, has died at the age of 60. Barret was an absolute genius, but like many creative geniuses he was plagued by mental problems and lasted only three years with the band. I hope he has finally found peace.
"Spirits in the shape of hawks and eagles flew ever to and from his halls; and their eyes could see to the depths of the seas, and pierce the hidden caverns beneath the world."
Voronwë_the_Faithful wrote:Another new member of the Band of Heaven. Syd Barrett, one of the founding members of Pink Floyd, and their original creative leader, has died at the age of 60. Barret was an absolute genius, but like many creative geniuses he was plagued by mental problems and lasted only three years with the band. I hope he has finally found peace.
Remember when you were young, you shone like the sun.
Shine on you crazy diamond.
Now there's a look in your eyes, like black holes in the sky.
Shine on you crazy diamond.
You were caught on the crossfire of childhood and stardom,
blown on the steel breeze.
Come on you target for faraway laughter,
come on you stranger, you legend, you martyr, and shine!
You reached for the secret too soon, you cried for the moon.
Shine on you crazy diamond.
Threatened by shadows at night, and exposed in the light.
Shine on you crazy diamond.
Well you wore out your welcome with random precision,
rode on the steel breeze.
Come on you raver, you seer of visions,
come on you painter, you piper, you prisoner, and shine!
Thank you Jerry, for all the joy and wonderment that you given me. Thank you, wherever you are.
"Spirits in the shape of hawks and eagles flew ever to and from his halls; and their eyes could see to the depths of the seas, and pierce the hidden caverns beneath the world."
To Jerry! Oddly enough, I've become a fan since his death.
I wasn't that into the Grateful Dead back in the day, but I've been introduced to their music by my son. He did "Friend of the Devil" as his first public performance. At a church talent show. He also plays a lot of Jimi Hendrix tunes. And Beatles, of course.
I've mentioned this elsewhere, but it seems appropriate to repeat in this thread: I sang in high school chorus with John Lennon's killer.
And my personal opinion is that heaven's band picked up a heck of a fiddler in April.
Take my hand, my friend. We are here to walk one another home.
It's hard to believe that's it's been fifteen years since Jerry Garcia became an ancestor. I miss him.
If my words did glow with the gold of sunshine
And my tunes were played on the harp unstrung,
Would you hear my voice come thru the music,
Would you hold it near as it were your own?
It's a hand-me-down, the thoughts are broken,
Perhaps they're better left unsung.
I don't know, don't really care
Let there be songs to fill the air.
Ripple in still water,
When there is no pebble tossed,
Nor wind to blow.
Reach out your hand if your cup be empty,
If your cup is full may it be again,
Let it be known there is a fountain,
That was not made by the hands of men.
There is a road, no simple highway,
Between the dawn and the dark of night,
And if you go no one may follow,
That path is for your steps alone.
Ripple in still water,
When there is no pebble tossed,
Nor wind to blow.
You who choose to lead must follow
But if you fall you fall alone,
If you should stand then whos to guide you?
If I knew the way I would take you home.
"Spirits in the shape of hawks and eagles flew ever to and from his halls; and their eyes could see to the depths of the seas, and pierce the hidden caverns beneath the world."
"Spirits in the shape of hawks and eagles flew ever to and from his halls; and their eyes could see to the depths of the seas, and pierce the hidden caverns beneath the world."
We dug out a DVD last night of the travelling Wilburys, there are only two songs we watch on this, the first is handle with care sung by Geo. Harrison(now playing Lead Lute) Roy Orbison( Vocals) Dylan,Tom Petty and the amn from ELO, and the second is called last time. Roy died between the making of the two video's. In the second one his prescence is acknowledged by an empty rocking chair with a big acoustic guitar, the image is trite but it brings a tear to the eye, especially as they frame it when that huge voice cuts across.
The house she lived in as a girl was recently put on the market in Baltimore. From what little I know of her childhood, I'm not sure she'd have had fond memories of the place. But it is interesting to think about the lives of the people who lived in our houses before we did. (It's of course been completely redone and modernized, so I doubt it even looks like it did when she lived there.)
The guy who shot Lennon is up for parole.
Yeah, can't say these names mean much to me. I have never been a fan of the Beatles. Well, okay, so some of their songs are kind of fun. But I don't particularly care for them. I didn't grow up with them. I know these musicians through their recordings, not their live performances, so I'm kinda okay with the level at which they've been immortalized as it is.
So I am a John Girl through and through. And I was born in 1970 when the Beatles split up! But I love Lennon. His words, his aura, his voice. His song "Love" is the most beautiful love song ever, in my humble opinion.
And Freddy Mercury. I cried when he died. Queen is just great music, wonderful voice, rythm, melodies, they have it. A day at the races and A night at the opera were the first albums on my I pod. I still get shivers from hearing "I want to break free".
And Kurt Cobain. I could not stand Virvana at th time when he died and started listening later, when I was myself in crisis. It's a powerful music out of the dark, it's almost unbearable at moments.
For me too, although it is not my generation there are the two big "French" voices after the War: Edith Piaf and Jacques Brel (who was Belgian). Are they known the not French speaking world?
So sad to see the news of the early death at 48 of Ari Up of the slits, she was one person who never compromised, didn't take up the celebrity stakes that could have been soon easily hers. She would have grown old disgracefully. This news came in the week that Slits released their first album in 25 years.
Two more gone Gerry Rafferty made the short trip from Baker street to heaven and also later on yesterday, Mick Karn bass player from Japan - who is the eighties were always photographed sucking boiled sweets.
City to City must be one of the most consistenly played LP's in our collection, onecan imagine Gabriel being roped in to play the sax break on his silver trumpet/
Since 1410 most Welsh people most of the time have abandoned any idea of independence as unthinkable. But since 1410 most Welsh people, at some time or another, if only in some secret corner of the mind, have been "out with Owain and his barefoot scrubs." For the Welsh mind is still haunted by it's lightning-flash vision of a people that was free.
I was very sad to learn of Gerry Rafferty's death. I play the first 2 cuts of City to City over and over. The sax solo is wonderful: the sax player was Raphael Ravenscroft, which is one of the great names, is it not? But the guitar solo was just as wonderful, sometimes I can scarcely bear to hear it.
Just listening to the Ark as I write this tears in my eyes, I have been transported back to my student days when hope abounded before Thatcher and the fall of the world
Since 1410 most Welsh people most of the time have abandoned any idea of independence as unthinkable. But since 1410 most Welsh people, at some time or another, if only in some secret corner of the mind, have been "out with Owain and his barefoot scrubs." For the Welsh mind is still haunted by it's lightning-flash vision of a people that was free.
He also plays a lot of Jimi Hendrix tunes. And Beatles, of course.
