There is nothing like Donald Fagen's voice. It's calming and soothing. As the throat for Steely Dan, I have always thought his music was more mature and grown up than the rock I was listening too. The songs have complex arrangements and layered harmonies which are so enjoyable and positive. A storyteller, as well as a musician, Donlad Fagen never misses the mark
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Easily a legend among musicians. His crooning, soothing vocals, with well crafted lyrics and simplitic but rhythmatic melodies make his songs stand out. The storytelling song style is both captivating and relatable. I never enjoyed his music when I was younger. It was too wishy washy and run of the mill. I am gald I braoden my musical tastes.
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The 80s were among the best time of my life. Out of school, playing guitar, bands, concerts, good friends and good times. One of the best memories was working the Mainstream Record Riots at State Fair Park with Todd. We would rat our hair out dress in our finest rocker duds and tease the girls that would come in. CDs were still kinda new, so most of the traffic were in the cassette area. That is where Todd and I worked, helping people find what they were looking for as well as making recommendations. The hottest things that everyone wanted at one of the Riots was Poison's - Look What The Cat Dragged In. God we hated that fluff. We were more into bands Queensrÿche and Crimson Glory. So on that weekend, anyone that asked for Poison, we would also mention,
"Hey, have you heard this new band. They sound a lot like Poison, and I think they sound even better." They were happy and screaming for it. What we were suggesting was Shok Paris - Steel And Starlight. Todd and I loved this album, and it was way on the other side of the spectrum from what Poison was. It's a rocker and full of great riffs and good songs. It was our little joke. We must have sold 50 or 60 Shok Paris cassettes. The girls had no clue and we wish would could have seen their faces when the popped the tape in a gave it a listen.
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This song has a special place in my memory and life. There was a tough time I was going through that music help maintain a normalcy that was much needed. If I dwell too much on the bad parts, it brings me back down to where I was. Music helped cheer me up and keep my mind busy. It didn’t solve anything, but it helped me. Like a doctor….
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I won't lie to you, when this came out, I hated it. It was overplayed, long and boring. I was into KISS and Queen back then. So I had no time for this. As I go older, I recognized the craftmanship and the musical qualities of songs like this for what they were, hits. There was a reason. The mesmerizing stero effects, as well as the soothing vocals, make it what it is.
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This is sooo good. Reminds of The Vapors, which is tall order. Very clever chord progressions, and that bass line. It's perfect this would be on the Power Pop Punk Rock Holy Grail Tape. It's simply amazing. HIGHLY Recommended.
Unknown until a few days ago, this song made an impression on me. It's a throw back to bands like The Michael Stanley Band. A little sax, a little keyboards, some harmonies and it's good. It's a simple song with no complexity, perfect for Rock.
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I was never a Squeeze fan until Mtv opened my eyes and ears to new musical styles. And then still it wasn't until later in life that I appreciated the music of that era. Again embedded in Rock and Metal, everything else was meh...
These guys are awesome. Great melodies and hooks.
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Even though this sounds like it came out in the late 70s it is from 1984. It's arrangment is phenominal, as it is a cover of a famous Bob Crewe song that my dad loved, since it contained trumpet, which he often played for his own enjoyment. It makes me think of my dad, many things do.
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If you know me, my favorite bnd of all time is Queen. I saw Queen with Freddie during The Game Tour with Mental Al, from the 7th row. My dad knew I loved Queen and let me use his credit card to get a p[air of tickets from the box office over the phone. I am forever grateful. This wasn't on the setlist but it is one of their finest.
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A good song is a good song, and stands the test of time. Heavy harmonies, brass and strings were previlant in 70s rock music. The words were easy to understand and made it easy to sing along. This is a classic!
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I have heard of this band, and their hit, My Girl (Gone, Gone, Gone), which wasn't too bad. I feel this is a stronger representation of the musical ability. Straight forward Rock N Roll without the gimmicks.
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Everyone has their favorites, and this post features one of mine, Jeff Scott Soto. He’s has been in many many bands from Journey to Yngwie J. Malmsteen's Rising Force. His vocals are very recognizable and prowess of power and clarity. He obviously loves what he does and so do the musicians in the industry. Not just in this country but world wide’s this band originates from Tokyo Japan. It’s melodic and powerful.
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Straight forward Rock and Roll got buried in the mid to late 80s. From the transition from what was considered New Wave into what became the Hair Metal phenomenon, many bands went unnoticed. I never have heard this before and I have no idea why not. It’s such an excellent song, with great hooks, vocals and guitar work. This duo from California only put out 4 songs and the posted song is in my opinion the best of the bunch. There worse bands that got better notoriety snd better bands that got over looked, this one is grouped with the later and is an example of why I started this blog.
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I'm a sucker for songs that start out slow and build to a cacophony of brilliance. Add exceptional vocals and flawless guitar work and what is there not to like. Better known for their song Immune, the band Lethal, with conotations of being European, are actually from Kentucky. Glad to see that there is more to Kentucky tan Bluegrass.
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This one is a brand new find for me. You gotta love the bass line on this one. It's a little like Devo and a whole lot of wonderful. At just a bit over 2 minute this one left me begging for more. So I gave the rest of the album a quick listen and this song is the best of the bunch. I hope you enjoy it.
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In the late 70s, there were many bands hitting the concert tours and radio airways and Styx was among them. Their simple but yet intricate approach to a somewhat progressive sound made them stand out. The production and layers of sound were only rivaled by bands like The Electric Light Orchestra. Their music wasn't just written, it was crafted. Their vocals were amazing and strong. Unlike many bands, the lead vocalist were different on a single album. One song would be Dennis DeYoung, another Tommy Shaw, and for this post, it's James Young. This is one of my favorites and one of those songs that has a clear definition of stereo separation. LOVE IT!
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