Hello everyone, thank you for checking out my page.
This blog is intended to take you along with me on a journey through my enormous CD collection. I will be listening straight through: A to Z. Expect huge doses of rock and blues, but know that there will always be a surprise lurking around the corner. I will play them all, guilty pleasures included.
Along this journey, I will be sharing stories about the music in my own life, people from the bands I met, and my observations about the albums themselves. I have some experience in music production and recording, so I hope to give you more than just “this guitar solo on track 3 is awesome!” Although, as a fan there will probably be some of that as well.
I’m excited to get started, hope you enjoy the journey with me.
I didn’t see a computer for the first time as a kid and feel this undeniable attraction to coding or taking it apart to upgrade. No, I became a techie through my first love and that is music.
In honor of #TechiesDay I am writing this post about how I became a techie. It did not happen in the usual route. I didn’t see a computer for the first time as a kid and feel this undeniable attraction to coding or taking it apart to upgrade. No, I became a techie through my first love and that is music.
Some people may not realize that there is a ton of technology in music. Back when electric amplifiers came along, they were very primitive. They didn’t produce much sound and one of the main complaints the Beatles had about performing live was that they couldn’t play loud enough to drown out the screaming girls. (A problem I’ve never had, unfortunately haha). A new field was born, with electronics and the love of fiddling with music gear was the key. The great companies you hear about today: Fender, Marshall, Vox, Peavy, Gibson, they all started out in the same way. Some nerd somewhere was fiddling with music equipment and discovered a way to make it sound better.
My dad grew up during this revolution and he had a great affinity for these things. I still remember the radio he built. It was awesome being able to pull the cover off and see the components. As a musician he was always fiddling with something, trying to get it to quit cutting out or boost the signal.
When I started playing guitar, I found his advice invaluable. In fact, how I became a techie was rebuilding my tube amp with my dad (see picture below). We pulled out the board and completely redid it, resoldering loose connections and replacing some of the potentiometers (pots) for the dials on the front. I took a crappy old amp that I bought for $100 and turned it into a weapon for rock.
Time moved on and those experiences helped me decide to become an Electrical Engineer, just like my father. Even though I would probably be well served to replace this amp, I keep it around as a reminder of the time I spent with my dad working on it and learning the craft.
I learned to love computers and servers, eventually even accepting Software as part of the family. Despite this, it is music and my love for it that made me love technology and become a Techie.
I leave you with the story of one of my favorite Musical Techies of all time: Tom Sholz. He founded the rock band Boston from his basement studio. He got his masters in engineering at MIT and worked at Polaroid. He literally built most of the equipment by hand that was used to create their unique sound and recording their demo EP that got them signed. His story is is amazing and PBS did a great series on him on their website if you’re interested.
Here is one of my favorite songs of this epic first album of theirs.
This is what happens when the Beatles are finally given creative control and the time to record properly. One of the best albums ever made.
This album is flawless. Rather than jumping into the studio for a few days randomly between appearances, they were given real time off to record Rubber Soul, and this was the result. One of the best albums ever made, there isn’t a bad track on it. Rolling Stone ranked it #5 in their Top 500 albums of all time and there’s a long list of critics who agree.
Why is it so great? Well, the Beatles were finally given the keys to the castle and had the freedom and time to do what they wanted in the studio. They had creative control. Paired up with George Martin, they made a complex album with rich harmonies and tastefully layered sounds without losing that fun poppy sound that made them famous. For the first time since A Hard Day’s Night, all of these songs are originals.
The Beatles were growing up. This album marked the transition from Beatlemania into a more adult sounding genre. It had a variety of musical styles, which keeps it interesting. Folk, blues, rock, pop, and even a honky tonk song (thanks Ringo!). The stories the songs told weren’t just puppy love and infatuation anymore. Sometimes they struck out and slept in the bathtub (Norwegian Wood) and other times they have conflicting emotions (I’m Looking Through You and Girl). There’s a wonderful song about childhood and nostalgia (In My Life). They were starting to view the LP as one musical project, rather than a collection of individual songs. It was a good 3 years ahead of its time and made everything else sound outdated. To give you some perspective, when it hit #1 it knocked The Sound of Music movie soundtrack out of the top spot. It was a radical shift.
When I first heard the transition from their previous albums to this I was angry at the record company and manager. Could this have happened sooner if they’d been given the freedom to record this way from the start? Could A Hard Day’s Night or Help! been even better? Or were they not mature enough to make an album this good until now? The chicken or the egg, which came first? Obviously, we will never know, but what we can do is appreciate the incredible songs on this record.
One note about the title of the album. It was based off a saying the guys had heard making fun of Mick Jagger, a white brit singing black American soul music. He had a plastic soul, not genuine. I don’t necessarily believe that, as I feel that certain types of music resonate with people on an individual level, no matter what color they are or where they’re raised, but they used that as a basis for this album title.
Drive My Car
I love this song. It’s fun, up beat, and a bit goofy. Seriously, who hasn’t sung “Beep Beep, Beep Beep, YEAH!” along with the music when nobody was around to hear. As a kid, this was one of the songs that turned me on to the Beatles. Great way to start an album. This was the best version out there I could find. It’s not as good as the studio version, but it’s not bad.
Norwegian Wood (This Bird has Flown)
I mentioned this song in the intro. Great folksy guitar riff, sounds great on an acoustic. Even when they struck out with the ladies they could write a good song about it. I couldn’t fine a decent Beatles version, but apparently everyone and their grandma has covered it because there’s a million of these videos out there. I guess they should be flattered. Here’s one that wasn’t appalling:
Nowhere Man
So far I’ve played three of the first four tracks off the album. Can you imagine an album starting off like this today? I LOVE the harmony on this song. They were so strong vocally as a group and it shows out all over this album.
Michelle
The French style guitars make you feel like you’re in a cafe in Paris enjoying a latte and ham sandwich with way too much butter on it. It’s so smooth and mellow.
In My Life
There’s so many amazing songs on this album, it’s almost like a greatest hits collection by itself. This is a moving song. I get emotional when I hear it thinking about all the people and places in my life I’ve known that mean so much to me. It’s wonderful.
Girl
There’s so many more songs I’d like to share, but I’m picking this as the last. The melody of this song is very haunting, as shown by Jim Sturgess in the Across the Universe movie below.
Here’s another excellent cover. I’m happy that there are so many Beatles cover bands out there. They’re keeping the music alive and relevant.
That’s all I got. Hope you all have a fantastic week.
If you’re really into music you’ve got at least one friend who is into it as much as you. You spend hours talking about different bands and albums.
If you’re really into music you’ve got at least one friend who is into it as much as you. You spend hours talking about different bands and albums. Multiply that by 10 if you’re both musicians as well. I’ve been blessed to have met many musicians and audiophiles over the years and cherish their friendship.
I was hanging out with Dave, one of these friends who lives locally in NC a few weeks ago. He’s been reading my blog, so we had a lot to get caught up on. Like two people who just crossed the desert, we were gulping down the refreshing conversation. In fact, I was a little embarrassed because we were supposed to be at a small group picnic, but hadn’t talked in so long we pretty much ignored everyone else for the first 45 minutes getting caught up.
I mentioned that Help was coming up next and it was one of my favorite Beatles albums. He countered with “Hard Days Night is way better” and off we went. It took a second time hanging out later that week to finish the debate, but suffice it to say we both now have a greater appreciation for the two albums.
Interesting album facts:
The picture on the cover is the Beatles doing semaphore, signals that ships use to communicate without radio. But it doesn’t actually spell out Help!
Wikipedia tells us “On the UK Parlophone release, the letters formed by the Beatles appear to be “NUJV”, whilst the slightly re-arranged US release on Capitol Records appeared to feature the letters “NVUJ”, with McCartney’s left hand pointing to the Capitol logo.”
The Beatles appear much more rested on this album, completing it in February before leaving the UK for the Bahamas to film the movie. It was 8 months after Beatles for Sale and you could tell they were energetic and excited to go film. Like A Hard Day’s Night, the tracks that made the movie were on Side A and the rest of the songs from the session were on Side B.
HELP!
The title track kicks off the album. It has an energy that was sorely lacking from Beatles for Sale. Wonderful melody and musicianship on this song. One of their most recognizable songs. Probably written after their burn out of recording Beatles for Sale, it is a clear cry for help, definitely showing how emotionally drained they all were from the schedule.
You’ve Got to Hide Your Love Away
This song has special significance to me because it was the first song that I ever performed in front of an audience. My friend Abe Savas was a vet of many rock performances in high school, and when we met at Alma College he took me under his wing and showed me how to play in front of an audience. We played this song as part of our set at Max and Emily’s during an open mic night. And there was an actual crowd! Abe gave me this song as kind of a George Harrison/Ringo Starr one off to give his voice a break. It is something I will always appreciate. It’s a melancholy song, but sometimes that’s the mood you’re in.
Unfortunately, there is no version of the Beatles playing this that’s available, so I’m giving you Oasis’ version. They actually do pretty good and they’re British, so close enough. At least it’s not the Eddie Vedder version.
Ticket to Ride
This album is heavy on John Lennon songs, which is possibly why I like it so much. Iconic song, the harmonies on this song are solid, as usual.
It’s Only Love
Another John Lennon classic. This video has the added bonus of showing you how to play the song on guitar. It’s actually John singing in the background, which is good because I couldn’t find any suitable replacement on youtube. Sorry.
Yesterday
They could’ve just ended the album here and nobody would have been the wiser. My friend Dave pointed this out and I think I agree with him. It’s a sad and beautiful song, but sometimes you’re just in the mood for that. One of my favorite Paul McCartney songs. I love how this video just shows him on stage with a single spotlight on him. Perfect.
That’s all for now. Hope you all enjoyed reading. Thank you for your support!
In the past, I viewed this album as a let down after 3 great LPs. But, is it really?
In the past, I always viewed this album as a let down after such a great first three albums. When I was in the mood for some Beatles, I never once said “Hey, I’m in the mood for some Beatles for Sale!” But, is this album really a let down? It took me so long to finally write this post, I had the chance to listen to it about a dozen times. Each time my CD changer made a new circuit I heard it again. I think I’m finally ready to write about it and have some theories as well.
Beatles for Sale kick off with the following songs: No Reply, I’m a Loser, and Baby’s in Black. Those are good songs, but they aren’t Hard Day’s Night or Help. So right off the bat, there’s a bit of a let down because the album doesn’t have a fast, up beat tune to start it. That comes all the way down at Track 4, Rock and Roll Music, which is a cover, and brings me to my next point.
The Beatles were tired. The constant grind of touring, movie making, show appearances, and studio work for the past two years has completely wiped them out. Who can be creative when all you really want is some peace, quiet, and a good night’s sleep? To wit, half of the songs are covers, which is a bummer after Hard Day’s Night was their first album to be 100% original. This also shows in the fact that Beatles for Sale didn’t produce an A-side single, not one. They were running out of steam trying to make incredible albums as well as put out incredible singles to keep them on top of both the song and album charts.
If you look at the album release dates, they had put out FOUR albums in the past two years. That is a ridiculous amount and it reminds me of stories I’ve heard about child actors back in the 50’s and 60’s, who got hooked on drugs that they used to give them “pep” so they could perform well during their grueling film schedule. Judy Garland is a prime example. I’m sure this is no different, except (as far as I know) they didn’t use these drugs to keep them going. George Martin also had commented that they were weary during recording and it led to the melancholy tone of the sessions.
But is this really a bad album? I don’t think so. After hearing these songs several times, it just has a different feel than previous albums. John and Paul were trying to write more autobiographical songs (see wiki link above), so naturally it wouldn’t be only the sugary pop of previous releases. And musically, these are good songs. There is a great deal of unique Beatles sound in them and often the chord progressions and songs themselves don’t go where you would expect, which is nice.
Since they had to include some covers, in order to make the December 1964 deadline for the album, I’m really glad they chose the American rock and roll numbers they did. So many Americans were looking across the pond at that time to what was happening in the UK with the Beatles and other bands, but they were looking right back at us seeing the unique sound of the American south. Rock and Roll was a very unique thing and I love that they pay tribute to some of their contemporaries that maybe weren’t getting quite as much recognition or credit. Chuck Berry had a large part in inventing Rock and Roll, yet when the Beatles covered his song, it was a huge boost to his popularity as well. And rightly deserved.
As you’ll see in later posts, I have an extensive Blues collection from several different American artists. I feel like this is the true roots to all of the great rock music you heard back then and to hear the Beatles paying it tribute is right on the money in my mind.
I’ll Follow the Sun
You have to get deep into the album before you hit this song, but I think it’s incredible. It’s sad and beautiful, with a very positive message. I know this might be a little morbid, but someday we all will pass on. There isn’t a song I’d like played at my funeral more than this one. It points to the impact people have on your life and the fact that time and circumstances separate us all eventually, with the promise of a reunion someday. It’s wonderful and I like this more than the sugary pop songs. It has much more depth and feeling.
Eight Days a Week
Finally! Here’s what we’ve been missing, an honestly to goodness upbeat Beatles song! You have to wait until Track 8 to hear it, but it’s worth the wait. This was released in the US as a single, but not the UK. Weird. Anyways, it’s a great tune.
I LOVE the animation on this video. The 60’s just looked like a fun time to be alive. Reminds me of the Frosty the Snowman Christmas special.
Everybody’s Trying to Be My Baby
This is one of the notorious cover songs. A fun tune by Carl Perkins, it’s totally George all the way. I’m sure the Beatles could sing this and know from experience how it goes. I like the tongue in cheek way they present it. Great way to close out the album.
Hope you enjoyed the post and have a great weekend full of music!
The Beatles’ first movie soundtrack. They’re really hitting their stride now.
I was talking with my friend Silvia the other day and she mentioned this album as it was up next on the blog. She said that she must have watched this movie at least 100 times and could quote it all start to finish. I asked her how that was possible and her response was that it was one of the only movies that her local library had when she was growing up in South America. In fact, it was how she learned to speak English, just listening to it over and over.
This made me think about how big an impact The Beatles have had all over the world. It wasn’t just a UK or US thing, it was a GLOBAL thing. All continents, all peoples. Truly amazing.
I admit, I haven’t actually watched any of The Beatles’ movies except for Yellow Submarine. I’ve read the stories about making them, but not seen the actual films. I’m going to try and do this soon. But, since this blog is about the music, I’m going to plow ahead.
A Hard Day’s Night
That opening chord. Need I say more? It’s a fantastic, ear catching way to kick off an album. Amazing song, written in such an off the cuff style that is all Beatles.
According to my Beatles songbook, the chord is a Gsus4. Tab is below:
–3–
–1–
–0–
–0–
–x–
–x–
By itself this is really nothing special. But, the studio magic of this is that at the same time John is playing this chord, George is simultaneously playing the barre chord version on a 12-string guitar, which gives it that ringing harmony. Paul also plays the root note to give added depth. Looking at the music, this is a very simple song, anybody could play it. But, that’s the trick, isn’t it? It’s very hard to sound like The Beatles doing it.
If I Fell
This is an amazing song. So sweet and heartfelt. Probably one of my top ten Beatles songs. The harmonies between John and Paul are so tight and well done. Perfect for an acoustic guitar and two singers. I had a very hard time finding the Beatles version, but here is one they did live on BBC.
I would like to also play the Across the Universe version of this song. It’s a unique take on the song, so is worth hearing. This scene is were Lucy begins to fall for Jude. Such an amazing voice.
Can’t Buy Me Love
The live recordings are getting much better by this point in their career. They’re great performers, so this version is almost identical to the album version. Can we just assume we’re past the whole Money (That’s What I Want) controversy already? Great upbeat song. More pop sounding, like most of the ones on this album.
Final thoughts. Wikipedia tells us that this was the first album that the four lads wrote every single song. This explains the stylistic change from Rock to a more Pop sound. They had found their own voice and were taking off.
And, of course there’s the story about the title of the album, which is based on a “Ringo-ism”. Ringo had a unique way of speaking where he’d sometimes just make up words or phrases to say exactly what he was trying to express. If the normal lexicon just wasn’t enough. Very unique individuals.
Typically bands have trouble following up their debut album. So, if you’re the best band in history, how do you respond?
Typically bands have trouble following up their debut album. The reason for this is simple, they spent years working on the songs for their first album, perfecting them. Once they hit it big, they’re required to put out another album ASAP to follow it. If they don’t have other songs waiting to go, it can be a rough ride.
So, if you’re the best band in history, how do you respond? You open up a musical can of whoop ass, that’s how. FOUR MONTHS after releasing Please Please Me, they go back in the studio and record this amazing album. I don’t think there is a bad track on it, start to finish. Lots of quality deep cuts here. The fact that they wrote these songs while on their insane touring schedule makes it even more impressive. As you can see from Wikipedia, whenever they had a break in touring, radio, and TV spots, they’d go right into the studio and lay down what they could.
Now for the songs…
It Won’t Be Long
Because it’s so hard finding studio versions on YouTube, I’m going to take the opportunity to talk about Across the Universe. From 2008, it’s one of my favorite movies. It is the story of Jude and Lucy as they go through the 60’s, meet each other, fall in love, and then hit a rough patch when the Vietnam war breaks out. The movie is FULL of Beatles references, with the story moving along through musical numbers like the one below. You could watch it dozens of times and see something new. Evan Rachael Wood (Lucy) and Jim Sturgess (Jude) do an amazing job on the songs. There’s even a cameo by Bono.
In this scene, Lucy is excited to hear that her boyfriend, who is in the Army, is getting a weekend pass to come home and see her. Great song, kicks off the album perfectly.
Till There Was You
This wasn’t written by the Beatles, but Paul does an amazing job on this song. I think it is a great love song. Paul is giving us a look into what some of his classic love songs will be like on future albums. And the guitar playing on this song is excellent. Way to go George!
Money (That’s What I Want)
They got so much crap for this song and they didn’t even write it. Are they so different now than when they wrote Can’t Buy Me Love and All You Need is Love to redeem themselves several years later? Only they could say. It’s still a fun tune. Just enjoy it and quit being so serious!
All I’ve Got to Do
This is the second track on the album, but because I couldn’t find it done by the Beatles anywhere on YouTube due to US blocking, I moved it to the bottom. Another quality song. This video is just a guy in his practice room/kids playroom/office with an acoustic guitar, but I think it sounds great. He deserves some props, the dude has real talent. So, Brian Jepson, today is your day in the spotlight!
Hope you’ve enjoyed this journey through With the Beatles. I’m going chronologically through, so Hard Day’s Night is up next. Until next time….
When you really dig deep into their music and story, you find a group of four extremely hard working and talented young guys who loved music.
I would say The Beatles are my all time favorite band. Not that I’m going out on a limb by saying it, because they’re one of the most popular of all time. But, when you really dig deep into their music and story, you find a group of four extremely hard working and talented young guys who loved music. They worked hard at their craft and their sound evolved and changed as they matured and experimented with different instruments and song writing ideas.
When you follow their discography, they put out an amazing amount of material in a very short amount of time, much to the world’s benefit. Their creativity was running at a mile a minute. You’ll find several stories like this, about how they wrote the song Hard Day’s Night. George Martin told John and Paul that they needed a title track for their movie album and the next morning they walk in with that classic. Probably took them 15 minutes to get it all down.
Because of this rich history and my love of every one of their albums, I’m going to slow down and dedicate one post to each of their albums. That way I can take my time with each and give them the attention I believe they deserve individually.
Please Please Me
The Beatles had been a very successful live club playing in Germany and then returning to London for their epic tenure at the Cavern Club, where they started to gain a following. According to Wikipedia, Please Please Me was basically a live recording of one of their Cavern Club sets. It only took 3 recording sessions, a total of 9 hours and 45 minutes to record this classic. In studio time, that’s a ridiculously short for an album of this quality. There were very few overdubs, just the performances recorded onto a two track tape recorder.
Some interesting facts about this album:
It wasn’t released in the US until 1987, when the Beatles catalog was converted to CD. Some of the songs were released on other LPs, but the full album was not
The classic John Lennon vocals for Twist and Shout were done on the very first take, at the end of the day. He had a cold and they worried recording this song would shred his vocal chords, which it did
The photo on the album cover was taken in the stairwell of EMI Records. If you’ve seen the retrospective albums 1962–1966 and 1967–1970, you’ll recognize this photo was repeated several years later and the two were used on the album covers. Very cool touch.
On a personal note, I didn’t actually hear this album until 1995, when I slowly collected The Beatles’ full discography, one used CD at a time. I recognized all of the hit songs, as my dad listened to the retrospective albums all the time as I was growing up. The big realization to me, was that the entire album was very good. Even the tracks that never made airplay were excellent.
Here’s some of my favorites, all of which have become iconic songs from this time period.
I Saw Her Standing There
Wow, what a way to kick off an album.
Please Please Me
This is a very upbeat and fun song. I couldn’t find an album version anywhere out there, so here’s a restored version of the song live in Washington DC. Like most Beatles concerts it’s nearly impossible to hear the band over the screaming of the girls in the audience.
Twist and Shout
Here’s that classic vocal performance from John Lennon with perfect harmonies by Paul and George. Just makes you want to shout along with them at the ending part. They didn’t write this song, but it is an amazing performance. Like the other, I couldn’t find the album version out there, but this is a famous performance, done in front of the Queen. That joke about the cheap seats is a famous one.
Thanks for reading, hope you enjoyed the songs. With the Beatles is up next.
I don’t use the words groundbreaking or revolutionary very often, but I am going to with these guys.
I don’t use the words groundbreaking or revolutionary very often, but I am going to with these guys. The Beastie Boys, along with Run DMC, broke the mold for rap groups by including hard rock guitars into their sound. What made the Beasties unique though was their sometimes odd lyrics and funny stories they tell in the songs. Like their obsession with White Castle or the way Yav would just make up words to rhyme with the previous line. As a young Midwestern kid, it was something that I have never heard anything like before and I liked it.
License to Ill
I bought this tape soon after hearing Fight for Your Right on the radio. It was one of those tan cassette tapes and I listened to it mercilessly in my brand new ghetto blaster that I had just gotten for my tenth birthday. Of all the tapes I owned, I’m surprised this one survived. My brother and I would rap the songs on it, each of us taking one of the singers. In fact, we got so good at Paul Revere that we could actually perform the song without the music.
One last story about License to Ill. My friend A.J. from the neighborhood got to see them in concert when they went on tour for this album. For about 5 minutes, anyways. They were pumping up the crowd before their first song and let loose so much profanity in those first couple of minutes that his mom turned right around and marched him out of the arena. So, he was the luckiest guy in the neighborhood for just a short period.
No Sleep Til Brooklyn, this song rocks hard. It’s a parody they made about glam metal bands and the video is hilarious. One of the few videos from the 80’s that is actually good. Enjoy… (sorry, you’ll have to click the link, it isn’t showing up in the post right)
There’s some other really good stories about this album, like what you see in the mirror if you look at the album cover. You can find them on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Licensed_to_Ill
Paul’s Boutique
So, time moved on and musical interests changed. As a kid that happens very quickly. About three years later, my brother Tommy comes home from a friend’s house all excited and tells me about this new album he heard by the Beastie Boys. “The Beastie Boys?”, I say. “Those guys aren’t cool anymore”. To this day, almost 30 years later, I STILL feel rotten about saying that, because he ended up not getting it and didn’t listen to it anymore. I admit, I was so wrong.
A good friend of mine, Larry, whom I met while I was working second shift at the GM factory set me straight about ten years later. He was an audiophile, much like myself and introduced me to all kinds of music that I had missed out on. You never know when or where you’re going to make great friends with similar interests. He told me a story about this album, where with all of the sampling of Beatles and other songs that’s done on it if it were done today it would cost several million dollars to make.
This album was very deep with some awesome songs. Here’s Egg Man, which is very groovy baby.
Shake your Rump is another great track. Love the funky guitars in this one.
And finally, Hey Ladies, which is probably their biggest hit off this album. Totally sweet. the video for this song is totally inappropriate and totally ridiculous. My favorite part is the mariachi band saying “Hey Ladies”. Just crazy, which is exactly what you should be expecting from them by now.
Unfortunately, that’s all I’ve got. These guys are one band that I’d like to expand my collection. Up next is The Beatles, probably my favorite band of all time.
One of my dreams as a teenager was to get in a band good enough to play gigs around Michigan. To be part of “The Scene”
I LOVE local music. These bands that are often times just as talented as major label performers, but that you can actually see live in small venues and even talk with after their show is over.
One of my dreams as a teenager was to get in a band that was good enough to play some gigs around Michigan. The clubs we’d walk past in East Lansing when spending the day out there seemed so mysterious. I’d been to concerts before, but these were different. You were up close with the musicians and really part of the music.
Well, my dream came true back at Michigan State when a friend I’d met, Isaac VanderSchuur, had invited me to play rhythm guitar in his band, The End. This kicked off a whirlwind of rock shows across the state, late night drives home, crashing on people’s couches, and most importantly meeting other bands when playing shows together.
I was actually part of the Michigan music scene. Once I got past the “fan boy” awe of these guys and sat down to talk with them they were actually pretty down to earth people. They liked music like me and spent a lot of their time listening to it and playing it. They worked at a music store or guitar shop usually, regular blue collar dudes. Another reason to like local bands, they’re just like you and me. Regular people.
Aware Records (from Chicago) came out with a complication CD of the most popular bands around the state from this time (1997-1998). We didn’t make the cut obviously, but it was great to see our local heroes making it big. If you are interested, they still sell this CD on their website. Really big fan of Aware and the work they do with local bands. You’d be surprised how many big acts they found when they were unknowns.
Track 1 on the CD: Nineteen Wheels. These guys have the most polished sound of the group and the singer has a “rock star” voice. On a side note, most of the guys in this band worked at Music Manor in south Lansing and I bought several effects pedals from them. Colorado, good song.
Papa Vegas – Bombshell
These guys, along with The Verve Pipe and Fat Amy were our local heroes. They were the ones that really made it big from “the scene” and were great guys to boot. Papa Vegas was from the west side of the state (Grand Rapids area), so we didn’t get to know them, but their music is incredible.
Dorothy – Morning After
Another band we didn’t get to meet, but liked their music greatly. Dorothy just rocked out. They put out an incredible CD and then just kind of faded away. Some bands do that, unfortunately.
Fat Amy – Bourbon
This finally brings us to Fat Amy. These were OUR GUYS. I had hung out with the guitarist Mark on several occasions, once even showing up at some friends dorm late on a sunday to surprised them with a party. So many good times with this band. The singer, Bob Guiney, ended up being the most famous of all of them. You probably know him as Bachelor Bob, from the TV show The Bachelor. Fame comes in really weird ways sometimes.
The good side of this is that it rekindled an interest in his old band and they were able to make a few come backs, which was great. Really miss these guys. To me they (along with The Verve Pipe) really stood for what local music was all about. Super talented local guys who were good people just trying to make a living doing what they love.
There are plenty of other great songs and bands on this album. I highly recommend checking it out. And really, I encourage you to go see some local music no matter where you are. These people need your support and encouragement. You may meet some really cool people and discover some unique music you really enjoy.
So what exactly is a Christian Artist? A musician that is a Christian? Not exactly…
So what exactly is a Christian Artist? A musician that is a Christian? Not exactly… According to Christian Music radio stations, a Christian Artist is an artist that is signed to a Christian Music record label. If you’re a “secular” musician, meaning signed to one of the more popular record labels, it doesn’t matter whether you’re Christian or not. You will NOT be getting air play on the “Christian” radio stations like K-LOVE or Air1.
Sound hypocritical? Well, if you don’t believe me, here is the history of the Gospel Music Industry on Wikipedia. This quote in particular, backs up my assertion:
“Christian music is sometimes cited as a “ghetto,” meaning that the majority of artists in the industry are pigeonholed to operate solely in it. These artists are isolated from the mainstream public, to Christian media, including radio, magazines, and book stores. For many this is a conscious choice, however others, not content to stay in an isolated industry segment, attempt to “cross over” and gain acceptance in the general market.”
This speaks to a larger issue that many have talked about in the church, which is treating your church like a spiritual bomb shelter. You are huddled together, only doing business with people in your church, hanging out only with people in your church, and attending only events hosted at your church. It’s very common, especially in today’s megachurches. I’ve heard several sermons addressing this problem, reminding what Jesus asked us to do, which is to leave our comfortable spaces and go out to meet other people who most likely don’t share our beliefs and to share the gospel with them.
Getting back to music, I was part of the praise and worship band when I attended Shoreline church in Austin, TX. We would play to crowds of between 2000 and 3000 people every weekend. It was an amazing experience to perform to crowds that size that were truly into the music.
One of the bands that came through on tour of the megachurches in our area was Audio Adrenaline, the band featured here. Up until that point, much of the Christian music I’d heard didn’t really speak to me. It was slow and boring to be honest. And then in comes these guys, guitars cranked and rocking out. Finally!! I didn’t have to “settle” in my listening anymore. After that I was able to find more bands that I enjoyed, like Casting Crowns, Hillsong United, and Toby Mac, but these guys were the first to really break the K-LOVE mold.
Is it hurting bands that only stay within the Christian Music “ghetto”? I would say no, because they get a ton of promotion and captive audiences that they normally wouldn’t get. Just don’t get mad when I call U2 “The Most Successful Christian Band of All Time”, because in my mind it matters whether you believe in God, not what label you’re signed to.
Here’s my tribute to Audio Adrenaline, a band that I think is great, no matter what their label.
Worldwide
In my opinion, the best album these guys ever put out. It just rocks from the start and continues on with great songs from there. It was recorded in several locations, so it naturally has a variety of sound throughout the recording. That makes for a more pleasurable experience to my ears.
Worldwide (title track)
Another great song from this album. Leaving 99. It’s about sheep, but really about us.
Lift
A solid album with a great message, but a bit of a let down after Worldwide. It does have one of my favorite songs on it, Ocean Floor. Nice message about taking your sins as far as the East is from the West. It sounds so much like Oasis, but I don’t care. Great song.
I only have the two albums I bought at the concert, so there could be more good music out there. It might be worth a trip to youtube to see what’s new. A musician friend of mind told me a bit about the band, that basically they’ve been swapping out band members like you’d change out parts to a car lately. Just swap out somebody and keep on truckin’. Guess that’s cool, keeping the legacy alive.
Thanks for listening. Up next is a compilation that the end of the A’s. It shows my love for a local music scene that I was a part of for 3 wonderful years.
Big D's A to Z Playlist 