ADE or CFG
Thursday, July 30th, 2009
After writing the last post, I had the privilege of getting a response from Matt at Axebay.com (definitely a cool site! I’d recommend it to anyone who digs guitars!!) that “Rock N Roll really started with the blues.
And he’s 100% right!! Though we were talkin’ about how rock-and-roll got its name, let me take a second to tie it in with what Matt said:
From the Mississippi Delta to the streets of Chi-Town (Chicago), the hard, mournful chords of a plain “box” (acoustic) guitar served as a backdrop to the plaintive, soulful wails of streetcorner blues artists. Their songs would echo the sadness, sweat, strain — and sometimes tragicomedy — of a hard-workin’ life.
A few decades ago, I had a friend who played with legendary bluesman Big Bill Broonzy, and asked him what the basic blues chords were.
He looked at me like “I don’t believe you just asked that!” then burst out in a booming laugh.
“Chuck, there ain’t no “basic chords” in the blues, man!” He picked up an old Kay guitar he was using and continued,
“Look a-here … you feel kinda good, ya might do a little sweet stuff, like this!” And he played some soft, almost angelic chords.
“But,” Sammy continued, “let’s us say yer wife done left ya for some UHHH-gly man. Whatcha gonna do?” He immediately hit the chords like he was gonna break ‘em! A “G”, an “A”, a “C” …
Then he put the guitar down, pulled out a toothpick to suck on, and said, “If they’s any ‘chords’ you could call ‘blues’, jus’ stick with them ‘big three’. Yep … ‘A, D, E’ or … ‘C, F an’ G’. Ever’thang starts from there!“
Now, I know this is sorta gettin’ away from our continuing posts about rock roots, but Matt’s comment triggered this memory. Sammy died shortly after I talked with him that afternoon, but he knew the blues like “maple” knows “syrup”.
And it was just as smooth …
Where do you think rock’n'roll first began?
Now, according to some records of the ’20s, a few of the deacons would be … well, more than, er, “spiritual guidance” to some of the prettier ladies of the congregations and start some “rockin’ and rollin’ of their own!”.jpg)
Deep Purple have announced they’ll begin recording a new studio album next February — and for DP fans young and old (this writer included), that’s great news (hey … you listen to this band from their early days on and see if you don’t become one yourself! Man, it’s guaranteed!!)
To prepare the main lines takes about three weeks, to deal with lyrics, recording process and mixing also take two weeks.
First of all: remember when I introduced you to the fab new UK band who’s really makin’ headlines around the music world? Many of you have already become fans of 
in studios, more bands are pluggin’ into PAs and amps rather than a computer …
What I’m saying is that the best of rock-n-roll is returning to mainstream big time!! And, just as the original rock soothed the worries and sadness after November 22, 1963, this time it’s soothing the same for a world needing relief from war worries, recessions, violence, etc.
Y’know, in the world of rock-n-roll … in fact, in the music world itself … there seems to be a lack of the one thing that can turn people on, get endorphins rushin’, and make life a little easier to bear.
Miller always seemed to be smiling while singing his signature hits like Dang Me, Chug-A-Lug, England Swings, You Can’t Roller Skate (in a Buffalo Herd) – even more pensive songs like One Dyin’ and A Buryin’ and Husbands and Wives. The man was one of the most likeable guys off-camera as well, and he’s sorely missed.
But when it came to rhyme, meter and phrasing — all in spoken-word verses — nothing could beat 1969’s Gitarzan. If you listen to rap and hip-hop today, you’ll hear exactly the same meter, the same timing … but Ray did it years before! Of course, today’s laughlord is “Weird” Al Yankovic, whose parodies of the hits-of-the-day have gone platinum!
When Nine Inch Nails front man Trent Reznor asked fans for help, they answered to the tune of $260,000+ in just two days to help a man in dire need of a heart transplant. As of this writing, it’s reached $850,000+!
Eric’s situation shines a bright light on a broken health care system, and his particular set of problems are being addressed on the political front, aiming for reform in addition to the need for immediate financial help to keep him alive TODAY. I think we can help with the latter,’” he wrote.
Sir Paul McCartney — who’s due to play at the opening of Citi Field (the new home of the NY Mets) has added a third concert set for Tuesday, 21 July. The first two shows (on 17 & 18 July) sold out in just under five minutes!
Of course, the gigs will feature classics from Macca’s extensive catalog, including Beatles, Wings and his solo career hits. He’ll also include selections from his most recent album, Electric Arguments, released under his alias of The Fireman.
The year was 1966. I’d been a guitarist for about three years, and had a decent set of pipes — not like today, where my voice sounds like the mating call for bullfrogs! (Awww, it comes with age … and a lot of voicework [I've been a DJ and am now freelancing in voiceovers, as well as a lot of presswork for 
Mick, Olin, Jimmy and I had a solid following throughout Charlotte (in fact, through the border towns of South Carolina as well).
I dunno … maybe there’s just too much access these days: Ipods, YouTubes, ThemSomethings or whatever, along with the internet exposure and CDs being churned out without promoted singles might have something to do with it.
It’s been recently discovered that specific decibel levels can, in fact, spark a healing mechanism within the body chemistry that can help in various neurological and, at times, physical malfunctions. I believe it’s 25-50 Hz (if I’m wrong, I’ll update in the next post. My notes are at my other office).
NOW … LOOK AT THE PIC: Y’know, it seemed everybody had his or her fave Beatle in the early days. But it was more than just “Paul is dreeeeeeeeeammy!” or “Oh, Ringo’s so kyuuuuuuuuute!!”
John Lennon. Brash. Cocky. Witty. Daring. Now, this guy was the epitome of the words “mover and shaker” (and I don’t mean in just his music!). But every young teenaged male who envisioned himself as a “butt-kicker” idolized John!! He inspired courage and audacity, just as Paul inspired romanticism, George a philosophical slant and Ringo a quiet resignation.
Alice Cooper recorded under their banner … as did Mӧtorhead, Whitesnake, Blackmore’s Night and UFO.
Make no mistake about it: When Jay Leno leaves the Tonight Show … well, tonight …, he’s gonna leave a bag of mixed feelings behind.
Hey … wanna feel old? All ya gotta do is listen to the radio and hear the DJs decribe songs from your childhood — or, even worse, your adulthood — as “oldies.”
Now, there are two good things that are coming outta this trend: Buddy, Beatles, Byrds and beards are returning to AM radio, which played those songs when they were new. At least seven AM stations around the country are already trying this format. Cincinnati’s “real oldies” station uses the same call letters - WSAI - even some of the DJs from its days as a Top 40 station in 1969!
In a way, I was kinda like most of the rock world when I read about the lineup for “supergroup” Tinted Windows. I mean, James Iha (Smashing Pumpkins), Adam Schlesinger (Fountains of Wayne) and Bun E. Carlos (Cheap Trick) … lining up with Taylor Hanson (yes, of that “brothers” group)? It just all seemed a bit far-fetched … almost comical.
When they performed on the Late Show with David Letterman on Tuesday, they proved to viewers that Tinted Windows is serious about their music!
Y’know, it’s a cryin’ shame when ignorance stands in the way of a good, danceable record and some serious airplay.
But these same zealots ripped the first big hit of soul artist Brenton Wood (the Oogum-Boogum song) because, again, they said the last lyrics into fade were slanging that anatomical part (geez … do these cats obsess or what?).
Of course, the most famous of the alleged “red label” songs is the late Richard Berry’s hit as first recorded by the Kingsmen: Louie Louie. For years, many have thought it had some sexual meaning behind it.
Listen … we’ve got a lot of industrial-strength challenges hittin’ us in the social face, thanks to those wars goin’ on overseas (Iraq? Afghanistan? What’s the difference? Same machine-gun tunes, just different political verses …), prices skyrocketing and political bickerin’ over here. We’ve turned just about everywhere for answers, but there doesn’t seem to be an end to the madness.
Perhaps our political leaders, worldwide, could combine heads (rather than bash them) and think of other ways of ending the troubles (we’re already doin’ that on the home front, with things like hybrid cars that don’t use as much gas).
They had a strong rhythm section in John’s Rickenbacker. It gave a good, solid backing to everything. When you’ve got the people in one steady rhythm, you’re more likely to see something pass … something change …
And they knew when a song was finished. They didn’t drag it onandonandon … they moved on to the next one in their set … and the next … starting, using the qualities I mentioned before, and stopping it. Can’t we do that in our sociopolitical doings?
Hey … lemme see a show of baby-boomer hands out there: How many of you saw the movie, Blackboard Jungle, starring Glenn Ford, Sidney Poitier and Vic Morrow?
Ahhh, but the “old guard” had a tight grip on all-things-teenage … that is, until a gyrating, sultry- sounding dude from Memphis — someone the DJ’s called Elvis — began to shake, rattle and roll things up. Thanks to him, (and Ed Sullivan, who said Presley could be shown from waist up only when he first appeared on the show) we finally found a serious role model to parlay the mood we got from Jungle.
One such skiffle group, The Drifters, dug Elvis and hired on a young frontman named Harry Webb (who changed his name to Cliff Richard) because he sounded so much like the former truck-driver from Memphis. They also grooved to the smooth sounds of America’s surf-rock electric guitarist Duane Eddy and decided to amplify themselves, changing their name to The Shadows to keep from being confused with our doo-woppers of the same name.
Got a question from a Rockaholic down in PA way (hmph … I had a Pa once. He was a good man …): What’s the difference between “oldies” and “classic” rock? Or IS there one? 
Lemme give ya an example or two: Anybody remember Poison Ivy by the Paramounts? (okay … I know some of our readers from UK do!) Cool, but a cover. Classic?
Grooooooooovy, mannnn … we made it to the psych-O-del-ic years!
Actually, Creedence Clearwater Revival started their Haight stint as The Golliwogs (Fight Fire) before changing their name and adopting a new bayou sound. That drew the Fogerty brothers (John and Tom — the latter now deceased), Cook and Clifford away from the district and into the big-time.
Y’know, while everybody is making a big thing about the national obesity issue, even more are wringing their hands and wondering “Gee … how CAN I lose these gosh-ugly POUNDS?!?”
The phenomenon continued to grow and, in an attempt to cash in on the craze, an Australian company began making them for sale in retail stores in 1957. And that brought it to the attention of Wham-0, a small California toy maker. Richard P. Knerr and Arthur K. Melin (two employees) decided to make them into plastic hoops of different and bright colors. These two guys promoted the products for months in 1958 on Southern California playgrounds where they would give away hoops to get the children to learn and play.
When the Beatles and other Brit groups hit America’s shores, it seemed that almost every type of music was pushed aside a bit to make way for this new European sound.
Still, their highly-emotive sound, backed with a driving rhythm section, made them one of the most requested American acts on radio! Their only rivals were the great Martha and The Vandellas (Dancin’ In The Street, Jimmy Mack). Their male counterparts were part of a five-man vocal group whose members shared the lead vocals at one point or another.
Of course, we wouldn’t've had the Motown/Stax stampede at all were it not for the man they called “Soul Brother #1″ – the inimitable James Brown. Though Mr. Brown had almost single-handedly invented the screaming soul sound years before, his act was new to many white audiences.
The only one who actually gave Mr. Brown a run for the money on the charts was the raw energy of “Wicked” Wilson Pickett. He covered the Billboard Top 10 with a number of hits (the biggest was Mustang Sally), and was, to some, more versatile than Mr. Brown: He could rock (Land of 1,000 Dances), shoot soul (Mustang Sally), get down with funk ([I'm A] Midnight Mover), cover country (Green, Green Grass of Home) — even do a bit of operetta (Deborah, which was the “B” side to Mover).
Otis! (Otis Redding, of course).
By mid-1963, while Rock America was teetering on the brink of superblahdom, the new British groups were picking up steam (and extra bookings) at places like the Star Club and Kaiserkeller in Germany and, of course, the famous Cavern Club in Liverpool. Their records were becoming as big as their live performances.
Before that moment, our music was pretty much just glossy, post-Presley pop and light, tinny soul. We’d just lost our President to an assassin’s bullet three months earlier.
Of course, every kid in America wanted a part of the action that was unfolding! While groups like The Searchers, The Kinks and The Dave Clark Five started appearing on our television screens, many statesiders started forming groups that copied these performers as closely as possible.
While the Beatles are readin’, lemme sneak in here (q-u-i-e-t-l-y!) and give ya a quick peek at why these (and other) groups hit so big in America: First, the acts were simple in their set-ups. No big “pyros,” giant orchestras, turntables and DJs; just guitars, drumkit and (often) piano. Thus, it was easier for the individual personalities to shine through.
When Buddy, Richie and Bopper left this world on Feb. 3, 1959, it left a void for millions of rock fans around the nation.
Oh, sure, it caught the attention of kids … for awhile. But it soon became boring — they wanted Presley/Holly/Vincent, not watered-down “folk” music. At this point, enter a group called The Ventures that showed them the further potential of the electric guitar-based group.
While the skiffle was turning into electric rock overseas, the USA was still gettin’ down with Little Richard, Chuck Berry and a young white boy from TV land named Ricky Nelson. The rest of the cool radio dials were still stuck on non-stop pop, doo-wop and the rockabilly crop. The music of Buddy Holly was duplicated by a few (including Bobby Vee, who took Holly’s place at what would’ve been his next stop after the Surf Ballroom, and Tommy Roe, whose Sheila hit in 1962 as a response to Peggy Sue), but no one could bring it to the pinnacle again (maybe that was out of respect to the man).
Meanwhile, over in England, the skifflers (who were already gaining tremendous popularity; they added wit, new sounds, and movement to their lively acts) were beginning to make the move to electric. 
… over in England, the big music of the day was trad — sort of a watered-down Dixieland sound. Sure, it was okay to listen to Mr. Acker Bilk and Kenny Ball, etc., if ya just wanted mood music
But kids throughout those seaport towns wanted to play that deep, dirty music like John Lee Hooker played it! And, when they finally picked up on Elvis, the fever hit bigtime, as they saw a chance to combine the two sounds!
But putting skiffle in the hands of rock-hungry kids was like giving a pacifier to a crying baby; the kids began to love it. And leading the skiffle charge was a young singer named Lonnie Donegan with My Old Man’s A Dustman and Rock Island Line. That was followed by the country-skiffle of a youngster named Tommy Hicks (soon known as Tommy Steele) and a group known (at the time) as The Drifters.
Britain’s first rock n’ roll motoring auction, is gonna be held by 
Highlights include bizarre Brian Eastwood dreamlike guitar creations, a replica of George Harrison’s famous hand-painted Fender Stratocaster, “Rocky”, and an official Gibson Buddy Holly J45 acoustic reissue, one of only 250 worldwide.
We can’t really move ahead to the Great Rock Explosion without mentioning the Hoy Hoy era. The phrase, itself, was coined by Cab Calloway (”Minnie The Moocher”) back in 1937, and was used through the Forties and early Fifties by R&B musicians who played their music faster, stronger and (occasionally) a bit sexier.
Now, I mentioned the Hoy, Hoy era of R&B back at the first of the ’50s decade — and especially the way the term was used to describe “insignificant” acts. Well, this next line is important:
That was all changed when a young truck driver from Memphis, who’d already patterned his crooning style after the great Dean Martin, tuned into Berry and Richard’s R&B Hoy Hoy and, by using the simplest of instruments and what he’d picked up from the new rockabilly movement, became the superstar who bridged the gap between “black” R&B and “white” audiences — turning it into solid ROCK!
