Beastie Boys
Beastie Boys founder Adam Yauch lost his long battle with salivary gland cancer on Friday. In the world of the Beastie Boys he is commonly known as MCA, a true talent in the hip-hop genre. In a business where hip-hop acts sky rocket like roman candles and fizz out at the height of glory, the Beastie Boys have endured since 1979.
They initially came together as a hardcore punk band in the vein of The Dead Kennedys and Reagan Youth playing hip-hop venues all over the five boroughs of New York.
They were barely more than teenagers tearing up the Big Apple music scene. It was not until their shift to more of a hip-hop sound in 1983 that the boys from Brooklyn begin to see moderate success when their 12-inch single “Cooky Puss” (satirical references to the ice cream treat) became a hit in New York underground dance clubs and night clubs.
If Cooky Puss was the launching pad, their next release License to Ill was the rocket. They decided to hire a DJ for their live shows, and ended up getting an NYU student named Rick Rubin. Soon thereafter, Rubin began producing records, formed Def Jam Recordings and approached the band about producing them for his new label.
The band recorded Licensed to Ill in 1986 and released the album at the end of the year. The album was well-received, and was favorably reviewed byRolling Stone magazine with the now-famous headline, “Three Idiots Create a Masterpiece.” Licensed to Ill became the best selling rap album of the 1980s and the first rap album to go No.1 on the Billboard album chart, where it stayed for five weeks. It also reached No.2 on the Urban album charts. It was Def Jam’s fastest selling debut record to date and sold over five million copies. The first single from the album, “(You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (To Party!)“, reached No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100.
After the success of Licensed to Ill, the Beasties parted ways with Rick Rubin and ended their relationship with Def Jam to sign with Capitol Records. Their first release on the Capital label is the 1989 release, Paul’s Boutique. The album was a fan favorite and despite going double-platinum ten years later Boutique was considered by Capital Records a commercial failure. Rolling Stone ranked it No.156 on its list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.
In 1994 the hit single Sabotage from Ill Communication had multiple nominations at the MTV music awards including video of the year, and award ultimately lost to Aerosmith‘s ”Cryin’.”
All in all, Beastie Boys have released eight studio albums including 2011′s Hot Sauce Committee Part Two. The group had sold 22 million albums in the United States and 40 million albums worldwide, making them, according to Billboard, “the biggest-selling rap group” since 1991.
They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on April 14, 2012, “just the third rap group to enter the Hall, after Run-D.M.C. (2009) and Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five (2007).”
On May 4, 2012 founder Adam Yauch succumbed to a rare for of cancer at the age of 47. The illness delayed release of Hot Sauce Committee Part Two and the subsequent tour.
Jeff Ament of Pearl Jam said that Yauch was “a crazy talent whose contributions with his band were inspirational and consistently ground breaking”.
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Marshall Tucker Band
Marshall Tucker Band
The Marshall Tucker Band developed its Southern rock roots in Spartanburg, South Carolina. Blending rock, rhythm and blues, jazz, country, and gospel, the Southern rock genre in the early 70s was a daily staple around the Mills household.
MTB enjoyed moderate success early in their career but in the face of personal tragedy the band slipped into obscurity and in 1983 went their separate ways.
Five years later MTB reunited and have performed in various lineups every since.
The original 1972 founding lineup included:
Toy Caldwell - guitarist, vocalist, and primary songwriter (1947–1993)
Doug Gray - keyboard player and vocalist
Jerry Eubanks – Flutist
George McCorkle - rhythm guitarist (1946–2007)
Paul Riddle – drummer
Tommy Caldwell - bassiest (1949–1980)
Marshall Tucker Band signed with Capricorn Records and in 1973 released their first LP, The Marshall Tucker Band.
The “Marshall Tucker” in the band’s name refers a Spartanburg-area piano tuner. One evening while the band was practicing in an old warehouse and discussing possible band names, someone noticed that the warehouse’s door key had the name “Marshall Tucker” inscribed on it. That’s all it took. They didn’t know at the time it referred to a real person. It later came to light that Marshall Tucker, the blind piano tuner, was the previous warehouse tenant.
Their 1973 self-titled album, The Marshall Tucker Band, included one of my favorites, Can’t You See.
Between 1973 and 1978 MTB would release seven albums on the Capricorn label which contained enduring songs such as, Take The Highway, Fire on the Mountain, and Heard it in a Love Song.
The best charting album was 1975′s Searchin’ for a Rainbow which managed to climb to #15.
On April 28, 1980, Tommy Caldwell died from injuries sustained in a car crash on April 22. It was a devastating loss for the band, the people of South Carolina, and the Southern rock genre. The Charlie Daniels Band‘s 1980 album Full Moon is dedicated to Caldwell.
In 1979 MTB moved over to Warner Brothers and released Running Like the Wind. Over the next four years the band released five more albums under the WB banner. The 1983 album Greetings from South Carolina could only manage a 202 spot on the album charts and within weeks of its release the band hung up their guitar picks and went their separate ways.
In 1988, Gray and Eubanks reorganized MTB to record the album Still Holdin’ On, their one and only release on the Mercury label. Although Gray and Eubanks added new members Rusty Milner, Stuart Swanlund, and Tim Lawter, Still Holdin’ On was primarily recorded with studio musicians. The newer members had a much greater role, however, on the band’s 1990 album, Southern Spirit, released on the Sisaspa label. The album marked a return to the band’s country and blues roots.
Founding member Toy Caldwell died in his South Carolina home on February 25, 1993. The cause of death was listed as respiratory failure.
The band continues to tour and make music for fans around the country.
This post is dedicated to the memories of brothers Toy and Tommy Caldwell.
The band at Tom Bass Park Amphitheater in Houston - May 15, 2011. Photo by Barry Sigman (barrysigman@msn.com)
Note: In an odd coincidence, one year later on April 28, 1981, Steve Currie, bass player for the British rock band T-Rex, also died in a car crash.
Read MoreLevon Helm
Levon Helm lost his battle with cancer on Thursday past. He was a unique player on the rock, country, and folk landscape. Helm achieved fame as the drummer and frequent lead and backing vocalist for The Band. His soulful voice was cultivated in the cotton fields of Arkansas, a stones throw from the Mississippi River.
Helm played with many of the rock and roll, and country greats throughout the years but he is most noted for his vocals on many of the Band’s recordings, such as “The Weight“, “Up on Cripple Creek“, “Ophelia” and “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down“.
In the late 90s, Helm was diagnosed with throat cancer causing severe hoarseness and was advised to undergo a laryngectomy. Instead, Helm opted for a tedious regimen of radiation treatments at Memorial Sloan–Kettering Cancer Center in New York City. The tumor was successfully removed but Helm’s vocal cords were damaged. His powerful tenor voice was replaced by a quiet rasp.
Helm’s 2007 comeback album Dirt Farmer earned the Grammy Award for Best Traditional Folk Album in February 2008, and in November of that year, Rolling Stone magazine ranked him #91 in the list of The 100 Greatest Singers of All Time. In 2010, Electric Dirt, his 2009 follow-up to Dirt Farmer, won the first ever Grammy Award for Best Americana Album, an inaugural category in 2010. In 2011, his live album Ramble at the Ryman was nominated for the Grammy in the same category and won.
Besides being a notable singer and drummer, Helm found his way to Hollywood and was cast in many standout feature films.
1. Coal Miner’s Daughter – Ted Webb, Loretta Lynn’s father
2. The Right Stuff – Jack Ridley, Chuck Yeagar’s friend and Flight engineer.
3. The Fire Down Below – Reverend Bob Goodall (w/Steven Seagal)
4. In the Electric Mist – General John Bell Hood (in dream sequence)
Helm’s narration and performance in The Right Stuff.
On April 17, 2012, his wife and daughter announced on Helm’s website that he was “in the final stages of his battle with cancer” and thanked fans while requesting prayers. Two days later, Helm died at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York City.
Read MoreDeep Purple
One of the British bands to hit the scene in the late 60s was Deep Purple. For some reason they always seemed to be a tier below their British contemporaries.
First off I want to wish Ritchie Blackmore, one of the earliest members of Deep Purple, a very Happy Birthday. He turns 67 today.
Richie’s guitar mastery is second to few and in the days since Purple, he has stayed very active in the business.
The early lineups of Deep Purple:
Ritchie Blackmore – Guitar
Ian Paice – Drums
Jon Lord – Hammond B-3 Organ
Rod Evans (1968-69), Ian Gillian (1969 – 1973) – Vocals
Nick Simper (1968-69), Roger Glover (1969-1973) – Bass
Deep Purple enjoyed immediate success when their cover of Joe South‘s, Hush reached #4 on the Billboard Top 100 in the US and #2 on the Canadian charts.
In October of ’68, Deep Purple opened for Cream on their Goodbye tour.
In 1971 the band released their most commercially successful album, Machine Head. The album included the song Smoke on the Water, which included the lyrics, “Frank Zappa and the Mothers, were at the best place around. But some stupid with a flare gun, burned the place to the ground.”
These words are in reference to their recording plans for Machine Head. The band was originally booked to record at the Montreux Casino in Switzerland. The Casino always closed in the winter months for refurbishment and Purple arrived on December 3, 1971.
The final Casino concert of the season was the following night when Frank Zappa took the stage. Sometime during the concert a member of the audience fired a flare into the building’s roof. Although there were no fatalities, the resultant fire ruined Deep Purple’s plans. The band retreated to a nearby theatre called the Pavilion, where they recorded a riff by Ritchie Blackmore provisionally named “Title No. 1.” It became one of the most recognizable riffs in rock.
Bass player Roger Glover named it “Smoke on the Water”, in reference to the band’s experience watching the burning down of Montreux Casino. A photograph of the burning Montreux Casino would ultimately be included in the gatefold of Machine Head’s album cover.
Machine Head would be the groups only #1 album. (#1 in UK – #7 US)
In December of 72, DP released Made in Japan, a double album live set.
Jon Lord interview at www.thehighwaystar.com
Despite getting to platinum in two weeks, Made in Japan topped out at #6 in the US and #16 in the UK.
This period also marked the beginning of the band’s decline. Roger Glover took an exit shortly after Made in Japan and was replaced by Glenn Hughes. Vocalist Ian Gillian was replace by David Coverdale about this same time.
Blackmore abandoned the band in mid 1975 to be replaced by Tommy Bolin.
Within a few months Deep Purple imploded on the wieght of Bolin’s drug use and Coverdale’s resignation. The breakup was publicized in July of 76. Guitarist Tommy Bolin died of a drug overdose the following December.
In April 1984, eight years after the demise of Deep Purple, a full-scale (and legal) reunion took place with the “classic” early 1970s line-up of Gillan, Lord, Blackmore, Glover and Paice. The reformed band signed a worldwide deal with PolyGram, with Mercury Records releasing their albums in the US, and Polydor Records in the UK and other countries. The album Perfect Strangers was recorded in Vermont and released in October 1984. A solid release, it sold extremely well (reaching #5 in the UK and #17 on the Billboard 200 in the US.)
The guys clicked along with miner skirmishes flaring up between Blackmore and Gillian over the years. Then in November of ’93, Blackmore walked off, guitar in hand, never to return.
Joe Satriani was drafted to complete tour dates in December and stayed on for a European Summer tour in 1994. He was asked to join permanently, but Satriani’s other contract commitments prevented this. The band unanimously chose Dixie Dregs/Kansas guitarist Steve Morse to become Blackmore’s permanent successor.
Morse’s arrival revitalised the band creatively, and in 1996 a new album titled Purpendicular was released, showing a wide variety of musical styles, though it never made chart success on Billboard 200 in the US.
Don Airey joined the group in 2001 to prepare for Jon Lord’s looming retierment from Deep Purple. Through the years there have been many shifts in the lineup but the 2012 Deep Purple looks like this.
Rolling Stones – 1962
In the timeline of rock the chance meeting fifty years ago today between childhood friends Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, and guitarist Brian Jones at an Alexis Korner concert in London, set the stage for the longest continuous rock act in history — The Rolling Stones.
Brian Jones was the initial leader but by 1969, with Jones’ personal life unraveling under the weight of legal and drug problems, Richards and Jagger took over primary control of the band.
The original 1962 lineup included:
Brian Jones – Guitar
Mick Jagger – Vocals
Keith Richards – Guitar
Ian Stewart – Keyboard
Dick Taylor – Bass
Tony Chapman – Drums
Brian Jones left the Stones in 1969. Publicly it appeared to be his decision but legal problems and drug issues surrounding the co-founder had become very divisive and on June 8th of ’69, Jagger, Richards, and Watts, met with Jones to let him know the band would be moving on without him. Jones was replaced by 20-year-old guitarist Mick Taylor (formerly of John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers).
Charlie Watts took over drums in January of ’63. Bill Wyman replaced Taylor at Bass in December of ’62 but retired in January of ’93.
Mick Taylor left the band voluntarily in 1964. He was replaced by former Birds / Faces guitarist Ronnie Wood.
Ian Stewart played piano off and on, and acted as road manager from the beginning until August of 1985. “Stu” had a heart attack that December and died in the waiting room.
Chuck Leavell, long time Allman Brothers’ piano player, stepped in as the unoffical Stones keyboardist in the wake of Stewart’s death.
After Wyman retired, Darryl Jones, a noted sessions musician from Chicago was invited to play bass, a position he enjoys today.
Considering the recent tift between Jagger and Richards another tour is questionable. With Jagger and Richards both enjoying a young 68-years-old, if they have one more tour in them they’d better get going. There’s just something about the prospects of 70-year-old rockers playing Carnegie Hall that doesn’t seem quite right.
Rolling Stone magazine is saying a Stones Tour for 2013 is being tentatively planned but everything hinges on Richards’ health.
I wonder what this Tour would be named???
- The “Sympathy for the Doctor” Tour
- The “Gimmie Seltzer” Tour
- The “BooHoo Lounge” Tour
- The “Bridges to Bathtime” Tour
- The “Exile on Pain Street” Tour
- The “Geriatric” Tour
Dark Side of the Moon
On this day in 1973, Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon climbed into the album charts and setup camp. There it stayed year after year finally sliding off in 1988, a total of 741 weeks. On that basis alone it is the most successful rock and roll album of all time.
DSOTM was Pink Floyd’s 8th studio release and featured some of the most sophisticated recording engineering of the time.
Engineer Alan Parsons was directly responsible for some of the most notable sonic aspects of the album. Clare Torry provided the trademark non-lyrical vocals on “The Great Gig in the Sky.”
The artwork was created by their associate, George Hardie. Hipgnosis offered the band a choice of seven designs, but all four members agreed that the prism was by far the best. The design represents three elements; the band’s stage lighting, the album lyrics, and Richard Wright’s request for a “simple and bold” design. The spectrum of light continues through to the gatefold—an idea that Waters came up with. The DSOTM rainbow prism may be the most recognizable rock brand in the history of modern music.
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