Today is April 4 and it is the 52nd anniversary of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. I had to pick this song to commemorate that anniversary, although it’s not totally about that event. One thing, though, in the song it says “early morning, April 4, a shot rings out in the Memphis sky…” It actually was at 6:01 in the evening. I guess that didn’t fit in the rhythmic scheme. I don’t know. And, as we know, I don’t pass on the chance to play a Mike Massé video. Enjoy!
Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!
— “Early morning, April 4. Shot rings out in the Memphis sky. Free at last, they took your life. They could not take your pride.” – “Pride (In the Name of Love)” (Hewson/Evans/Mullen/Clayton)
With all the crap in the world today, we had to wake up to the news that Kenny Rogers passed away. I was once told I sounded like him. I don’t know about that, but I never had a problem with him. So, while there are plenty of things to play of his, I think this is the best action right now. Rest well, Kenny. Rest Well.
Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!
— “I woke up this mornin’ with the sundown shinin’ in. I found my mind in a brown paper bag within. I tripped on a cloud and fell-a eight miles high. I tore my mind on a jagged sky. I just dropped in to see what condition my condition was in.” – “Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In)” (Newbury)
While I was trying to find something that continued the “stop owing me” motif, I found this nugget. It has nothing to do with my plight but in some twisted way, it is fitting. Today is the 31st anniversary of the debut S/T album from Extreme. It had a few videos released and this was my favorite song from it. I’m not sure what the significance of the dancing girl is, but I’m also not upset about it. I do wish the phone doing the recording would have been more centered and not in front of the guitar amps, but oh, well… Enjoy!
Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!
— “We think your head is getting bigger and bigger and bigger. Hey kid, some good advice to bring your britches down to size. Some modesty would suit you better. So why don’t you give it a try?” – “Kid Ego” (Cherone/Bettencourt)
Today is February 29 and being as we only see that date once every four years, it’s understandable that the pickings are slim to find releases for it. So, I picked one from yesterday, where I had to choose between U2’s War and this. Yesterday was the 36th anniversary of “Weird Al” Yankovic’s In 3-D. It was the general public’s first taste of Al. He had been big on the Doctor Demento show but if you happened to be in a market that didn’t have that syndicated, then you didn’t know much about it. This is his second studio album and it certainly was the first time I ever heard of him. My favorite album of his is the one that followed this, Dare To Be Stupid. Anywhat! In 3-D was produced by Rick Derringer and featured several great parodies but this was my favorite on the album and I would amaze the other schoolmates on the bus singing all the words. Enjoy!
Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!
— “I was there, to match my intellect, on national TV against a plumber, and an architect, both with a Ph.D. I was tense, I was nervous. I guess it just wasn’t my night. Art Fleming gave the answers, oh, but I couldn’t get the questions right-ight-ight…” – “I Lost on Jeopardy” (Kihn/Wright/Yankovic)
Today is the 34th anniversary of my favorite Ozzy album, The Ultimate Sin. I understand that Ozzy purists will slam that album as polished and over-produced and yeah, it may have been. Or, it may not have been. The biggest complaint the Oz-man himself had was the production. Ron Nevison is revered as a producer but something about it, Ozzy just doesn’t dig. Oddly enough, too, is that this is the only classic Ozzy album that has yet to be remastered. Ozzy said if he had the opportunity, he’d love to remix and remaster it.
The reason it’s my favorite is that it was my Ozzy introduction. I’ve talked about the perils of growing up in rural WV with teetotalling parents and not having access to all the musics in “wild and wonderful.” That was in addition to the onset of the PMRC and the religious zealots who wanted to control our rebellious rock and raunch tendencies. So, I was taught to fear what Ozzy was and could be. I mean, “OMG! He sings about suicide and bites heads off of doves and bats and stuff…” Give me a break.
Anywhat! I got to play in my first band and one of the first things I learned was “Shot in the Dark” from this album. When I moved here to NC, I bought it on cassette along with the tablature sheet music for it and I was taken in. The videos were cool for their time, too, at least to me. I had to go back and hear Ozzy’s previous solo stuff after the fact. Heck, I didn’t even know any Black Sabbath stuff except for “Iron Man” and that was because I was a wrestling fan and the Road Warriors used it as their entrance music. I was so sheltered.
But in looking for a proper cover, I realized people suck at this so I am going with the OG Oz-Man doing it in 1989 with Zakk Wylde and Geezer Butler instead of Jake E. Lee and Phil Soussan from the album. Randy Castillo (RIP) is playing drums and did on the album. Enjoy!
Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!
— “Out on the streets, I’m stalking the night. I can hear my heavy breathing. Paid for the kill, but it doesn’t seem right. Something there I can’t believe in. Voices are calling from inside my head. I can hear them, I can hear them. Vanishing memories of things that were said. They can’t try to hurt me now.” – “Shot in the Dark” (Osbourne/Soussan)
So, today is the 40th anniversary of …But the Little Girls Understand from The Knack. Before I looked this up, The BCPF picked it to play today. So, we had listened to it all the way through before I researched what to write today. I asked her, what was the name of that Knack album? and she confirmed it was this one. How weird is that? Coinkydink? Yeah… Anywhat, a lot of people panned this for being too much like “My Sharona” and it certainly is a lot like “My Sharona,” and the whole album sounds like a carbon copy of Get the Knack, and it does sound a lot like Get the Knack. But, that doesn’t take away the fact that it was fun to listen to. Enjoy!
Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!
— “Oh, she got the savage soul. Oh, it’s only rock and roll.” – “Baby Talks Dirty” (Fieger/Averre)
I am doing the “Sounds Like” on Friday because I’m in a hurry and need to really concentrate on the subject I need to talk about. And yes, I promise I’ll bring back the Friend Friday thing. I just want to make sure that I give the companies that I highlight the right dedication and consideration to do them justice. Otherwise, why do it?
Anywhat! I never get enough of Neil Peart and now we have a finite amount to work with since his passing. This “thick boy” as he calls himself (and he’s just honest) plays some mean drums and while he does sound like he skips a hit here and there, it is much better than many drummers that I’ve heard and I know it is better than I could do. So, enjoy!
Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!
— “What you say about his company is what you say about society. Catch the mist. Catch the myth. Catch the mystery. Catch the drift.” – “Tom Sawyer” (Lee/Peart/Lifeson/Dubois)
Today is the 26th anniversary of Green Day’s Dookie album. #193 on the RS List, and the first time I ever heard of the band. I didn’t like it, but I didn’t like anything out of the norm at the time. It’s a pivotal time in music and I like it, now. I’ve “come around” if you will. See what I did there? Here’s a high school band to perform the album’s breakthrough. Notice the drummer. I can’t tell if he’s a dad or a teacher but I think it’s cool. Also, the guy in the red tie has to deal with a thing any band has experienced and hate, the sound guy forgot to turn up the mic. Still, they do a great job. Enjoy!
Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!
— “I went to a shrink to analyze my dreams. She says it’s lack of sex that’s bringing me down. I went to a whore. He said my life’s a bore. So quit my whining ’cause it’s bringing her down.” – “Basket Case” (Armstrong)
Today is the 26th anniversary of what I consider to be Alice In Chains’ most melodic album, the EP Jar Of Flies. I like Dirt better, overall, but this does have some fantastic tunes. It’s Mike Inez’s first album with the band after Mike Starr’s dismissal for drug use, which I think is a bit hypocritical considering Layne Staley was known to be an abuser of substance as well and eventually died from an overdose. But, they were in solid form on this. This band may or may not be an AIC cover band but they do several covers of them so… enjoy!
Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!
— “It’s alright, there comes a time. Got no patience to search for peace of mind. Layin’ low, want to take it slow. No more hiding or disguising truths I’ve sold. Every day it’s something, hits me all so cold. Find me sittin’ by myself. No excuses, then I know.” – “No Excuses” (Cantrell)
Today is the 37th anniversary of Bryan Adams’ third album, Cuts Like a Knife. Even though it was his third album this album put him into the mainstream. The first thing I ever heard from him was “This Time” from this album. “Straight From the Heart” was also on there and then there’s the title track. This band does a good job of it, albeit in soundcheck. And, hey, there’s a chick bass player, so that’s cool.
Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!
— “There’s times I’ve been mistaken, there’s times I thought I’d been misunderstood – ooh yeah. So wait a minute darlin’, can’t you see we did the best we could ooh we could? This wouldn’t be the first time things have gone astray. Now you’ve thrown it all away. Now it cuts like a knife.” – “Cuts Like a Knife” (Adams/Vallance)
