When It Came On, I Couldn't Sit Still

Doug: Back on January 31, I was charged with driving my sister the 50 miles or so up to Midway Airport so she could catch her flight home after a short visit. It was really early on a Sunday morning, so I needed some tunes on high just to keep me awake for the ride back home. I had the Sirius-XM set to "70s on 7" because, after all, I am a Bronze Age Baby. I really like that station, because you could get Led Zeppelin, Al Green, the Bee Gees, and the Knack all back-to-back-to-back. And then it came on -- the Spinners' Rubberband Man. At no point for the next three minutes was I in any danger of falling asleep at the wheel. I'm sure other drivers gave a sideways glance at the champagne-colored Highlander and wondered who the whackjob behind the wheel was.



Doug: Enjoy a live version of the song in question. And of course, what makes you move to the music?

Time May Change Me

Doug: My wife and I were recently offered a deal we couldn't refuse on a used vehicle. We weren't in the market, as the SUV I was driving had relatively low miles for its age and had been paid off for several months. Yet we were able to upgrade after negotiating a best-case scenario trade-in and adding several thousand dollars from my original art sales as a down payment on the new loan. I say all that to tell you that the new SUV has satellite radio capabilities, so I've been enjoying an introductory offer from Sirius-XM radio. For those who don't know, satellite radio not only offers several "genre stations" across the musical spectrum, but also stations dedicated to specific artists. I've also enjoyed their "decade stations", featuring popular music from the timeframe we cover on this blog -- the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. And it was a day not too long ago while listening and driving that the inspiration for today's topic struck me.

Doug: Simple question -- of the three decades just mentioned, during which do you feel popular music changed the most? Of course music exists in so many layers that many of us will approach our answers with different songs or artists in mind. I hope that will be a fun part of the conversation. For example, I might think of the early 1970s as characterized by the advent of AM radio "soft rock" and the end of the decade as the "disco era". You might have thought of some of the hard rock acts emerging from the 1960s, with the '70s ending with punk. Regardless of who or what you choose to cite, in your opinion which decade's music had changed the most by the time the next decade rolled round?

http://www.bionicdisco.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/bionic_disco_music.jpg

With a Side of Jam

Doug: Raise your hand if you love long plays where the band just seems to love what they're doing and gets into an extended jam. Me, too. I'm betting we can come up with quite a list of fun songs, particularly when we get into album versions, live versions, etc. of favorite songs.

Doug: One of my nominees, and you can hear it below, is the extended version of the Doors' "Light My Fire". Of course, for much of my life I was held a musical hostage by the radio version. What most of us knew to be true was in reality missing about a 5-5 1/2 minute jam in the middle. And doesn't that make a difference when you hear the whole thing! Other songs that are enhanced by the "jam version" are the Blues Brothers' "Sweet Home Chicago"and the album version of  "Abacab" by Genesis.

Doug: And the ending of Guns 'n' Roses' "Paradise City", which is tremendous, may just get nominated right now in the "best ending ever" category!

Discuss: Hall & Oates

Doug: Back around the 4th of July, my wife and I were at a festival up in the western suburbs. There was a nice line-up of "garage bands" on one of the stages. One group of youngsters was specializing in music from the 80s and 90s (you know -- oldies) and went through a fun rendition of "You Make My Dreams Come True" by Hall & Oates. I've had this post on my mind since, so I'm finally getting around to it. Obviously these guys were pop juggernauts in the 1980s, but that's not the sort of sound they started with in the 70s. Nope -- back then they were more soulful. In fact, I'd like to entertain your thoughts on the likes of Al Green singing "Sara Smile", or Al Wilson or Lou Rawls on "She's Gone"? But in the bigger picture, I want your general feelings on this duo and their place in 80s history, music history, whatever. Shoot, if all you want to talk about is the series Live at Daryl's House that airs on Palladia, we can go there, too.

PS: True story -- John Oates married a local girl. I think they reside in Aspen, Colorado now. However, he was in the area about three weeks ago and our local paper ran a couple of pics of him sitting on a corn rack on his in-laws' farm. "Big rock star hits the small town" -- that sort of thing.

Tom, I Can Name That Tune In One Note!

Doug: How many of you watched "Name That Tune" from time-to-time in the Bronze Age? I don't know that I was a regular viewer, but I know I saw the show often. I've included a short YouTube clip below for those of you who may never have heard of the program. I always wished that the producers of the game would have used a real recording of the music rather than simply playing some notes or a measure on the piano.

Doug: Which brings me to a radio version of the show. I am most certain it was just a local promotion -- nothing that might have been in syndication. But as you might guess, the DJ took two callers, would read a little trivia about the song and/or artist, and then ask one contestant to begin with "I can name that tune in X notes." Of course the other contestant would get a rebuttal, where he or she could lower their guess requirements by a note. Well, one time I about caused an accident because both contestants went through the obligatory bravado until the got to "in one note!" And then the DJ played that one note -- which if I could play it for you now most of you would probably get it -- and both contestants choked! I was screaming at the radio while I was driving... now who's the fool? Well, below the Name That Tune clip I've included the entire song of which neither of those bozos could name. Hear that distincitive first note -- as I said, you'd have gotten it!

Doug: Today we want to do a little BAB variation on this. What are songs you could name in 1-2 notes, regardless of the place in the song? Are there some very memorable guitar licks at the beginning of some songs that zero you in immediately? And can you name a song with something so distinctive in it that it would just be a dead giveaway for you if you heard only that part?

Discuss: Bands of Brothers (or a Sister or Two)

Doug: Today's topic is to toss out your favorite musical groups that have siblings in the line-up.  Brothers, sisters, brothers and sisters -- you name 'em, we'll discuss 'em!

http://www.bay-area-bands.com/pictures/bab0556.jpg

 

 

 

 

http://www.guitarworld.com/files/imagecache/featured-node/heart-crazy-on-you-arista-2.jpg

Soul Music

Karen: Lately I've been listening to "Sixties on 6" on Sirius Radio on my commute, and one of the DJs mentioned that June is National Black Music month. That got me to thinking. Growing up, we listened to a little bit of everything, including quite a bit of what  in those days was called 'Soul' music. I don't hear that term used much now. And truthfully, I'm not even sure I can define it adequately. Some people might say that's what any type of music played by African Americans (other than jazz perhaps) was called. But I think there's more to it. When I think of soul, I think of songs sung with heart-felt emotion. Whether it was happy or sad, you could feel it in the singer's voice. You knew what they were going through. It was passionate and real and  it connected. It was real stories about the everyday concerns about real people. In that respect, I suppose it had a lot in common with country music.

Karen: But it's gone now, at least the type of music I recognize as soul music is gone. There are a ton of 'vocalists' out there today, many of whom wouldn't have a career without artful production work and auto-tune, and as far as I'm concerned none of them can come close to performers like Aretha Franklin or Otis Redding. Gone are people singing and dancing and having a good time; now it seems like every performer has to come across as tough and menacing. Everything is so much grimmer. It actually parallels the way comics have gone, now that I think of it. I mean, you'd never see five guys wearing lemon yellow suits singing and dancing nowadays. They'd be laughed off the stage. But the Temptations were amazing performers with great songs.

Karen: And as I get older, I come to appreciate certain songs more and more, like this one by the Queen of Soul:

Karen: Of course Soul's roots are in Gospel music, which is very evident when performed by certain singers, such as Aretha. I suppose over time it only makes sense that Black music would change, just as all music does. But I confess I miss the more upbeat, melodic sounds of the 60s and 70s. I guess that's just where my brain is stuck and what I prefer. Sure, my Itunes has some rap songs in it, but you'll find far more Smokey than Jay-Z. What about you? Do you enjoy a little soul in your day? Who really gets you smiling or singing along?

Thank You Fa Lettin Me Be Mice Elf

Doug: How about a discussion on some of that sweet, sweet soul music? Man, lately I've been digging the Temptations' Ball of Confusion and Cloud Nine, some Sam Cooke, and for my money you can't beat the Otis Redding version of Hard to Handle. Curtis Mayfield's Freddie's Dead has also graced the iTouch recently.

And how about the influence of soul and R&B as it spread outward? In the past we've mentioned Rod Stewart's version of (I Know) I'm Losing You (hey, Rare Earth did that one A-OK too), and Karen is always loving on the Rolling Stones.

So let's hear it -- who do you like, discuss the influence of various artists, love on Motown for awhile, whatever you got today. And thanks in advance!