Friday, July 16, 2010

Rolling Stones DVD Stones in Exile

Recently, the Rolling Stones re-released "Exile on Main Street". Their 1972 masterpiece, over-time, has been regarded as the band's greatest album. The new version includes 10 new tracks. These tracks are mostly unfinished recordings from the "Exile" recording sessions, with new instruments and vocals added as needed. If you are a Stones fan, I'd definitely check the new release out. There is also a release that only contains the new material, if you do not want or need to buy the original tunes. A good deal of media announced the event of the re-release as well.


Recently, the band released a companion DVD  to the re-release titled "Stones in Exile". The Rolling Stones are my favorite band and I'd pretty much buy anything they release this side of duets album with Yoko Ono. (I actually have a Yoko Ono song with Keith Richards playing bass on video) The timeline of the DVD starts with the Stones leaving England in 1971 for tax purposes, covers the recording of "Exile on Main Street" in the south of France in 1971-1972, through the final recording sessions in Los Angeles and ends during their tour in the summer of 1972.

I'd recommend this DVD to fans of the Rolling Stones. I'd also recommend it fans of rock n' roll in general or even fans of documentaries. It is a really neat piece of video. There are some clips that you may have seen from past releases and pirated video that can be found online but, there is plenty of new footage here as well. I have seen and read most everything available about the band and I still saw things I have never seen. The DVD captures a transition period in the Rolling Stones career as well as the transition period in rock n' roll. The unique recording circumstances and the interview archives are still great today. The love they had for American music really comes through on this release. That love has helped to draw me to the old blues musicians, who I now count amoung my favorite artists.


Anyway. There is a lot to like here. There are some neat interviews with Benicio Del Toro, Sheryl Crow, Jack White and many others, showing the impact the album has had on them. There are also new interview snippets with the band. If you are a fan of the band, I'd buy this for sure. It can be had at any music store or for about 14 bucks at Target/Best Buy. If you are a fan of music in general or 60s/70s music specifically, I'd take a look at this DVD as well.

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Fighters of Foo debut Show!

If you like the Foo Fighters, check out the Fighters of Foo. They will be playing their debut show opening for the amazing Smashed Pumpkins. They are playing Station 4 in downtown St. Paul on Friday August 13 at 9:30. Address is 201 East 4th St.


If you can make it, check it out. Report back to me. I'm not expecting to be able to make a show in Minnesota that day.

For more information check out:
www.fightersoffoo.com
www.facebook.com/fightersoffoo
www.twitter.com/fightersoffoo

Monday, July 12, 2010

Top songs of the 60s

Since this is a new music blog, I figured my first order of business, was to do some sort of favorite songs list. I'll break the list up into stages of time and do a top 100 of all-time or something later on.

I started with my 30 favorite songs pre-1960 here. This time, It's my 100 favorite songs from the 1960s.


I stated in my previous post that I am a huge Robert Johnson fan and many of his influences appear in the British Invasion artists of the 60s. The Rolling Stones especially worshiped Johnson. Since Johnson is one of my favorite artists of all-time, it would make since that the Stones would be as well. They are well represented on this list.

Wonderful World - Sam Cooke 1960
Georgia On My Mind - Ray Charles 1960
Cupid - Sam Cooke 1961
Boom Boom - John Lee Hooker 1962
Twist and Shout - The Beatles 1963
I Want to Hold Your Hand - The Beatles 1963
Louie Louie - Kingsmen 1963
Don't Think Twice, It's Alright - Bob Dylan 1963
Under The Boardwalk - Drifters 1963
On Broadway - Drifters 1963
It's All Over Now, Baby Blue - Bob Dylan 1964
Bus Stop - The Hollies 1964
Route 66 - Rolling Stones 1964
Fortune Teller - Rolling Stones 1964
The Sound of Silence - Simon and Garfunkel 1964
House of the Rising Sun - The Animals 1964
My Girl - Temptations 1964
All Day and All of the Night - The Kinks 1964
Norwegian Wood - The Beatles 1965
In My Life - The Beatles 1965
Run For Your Life - The Beatles 1965
Help - The Beatles 1965
Day Tripper - The Beatles 1965
Like a Rolling Stone - Bob Dylan 1965
Positively 4th St. - Bob Dylan 1965
Satisfaction - Rolling Stones 1965
For Your Love - The Yardbirds 1965
California Dreamin' - The Mama's and the Papa's 1965
Hold on I'm Coming - Sam and Dave 1966
Sunshine Superman - Donovan 1966
The Kids Are Alright - The Who 1966
I Can See For Miles - The who 1966
Wouldn't It Be Nice - The Beach Boys 1966
Hang on to your Ego - The Beach Boys 1966
Taxman - The Beatles 1966
I'm Only Sleeping - The Beatles 1966
Tomorrow Never Knows - The Beatles 1966
Eight Miles High - The Byrds 1966
I've Been Loving you too long - Otis Redding 1966
Paint It Black - Rolling Stones 1966
Under My Thumb - Rolling Stones 1966
Going Home - The Rolling Stones 1966
America - Simon and Garfunkel 1966
A Quick One, While He's Away - The Who 1966
I Am the Walrus - The Beatles 1966
A Day in the life - the Beatles 1967
Sunshine of Your Love - Cream 1967
Light My Fire - The Doors 1967
Somebody to Love - Jefferson Airplane 1967
White Rabbit - Jefferson Airplane 1967
Little Wing - Jimi Hendrix Experience 1967
If 6 was 9 - Jimi Hendrix Experience 1967
Sitting on the dock of the Bay - Otis Redding 1967
Connection - Rolling Stones 1967
Sittin' on a Fence - Rolling Stones 1967
2000 Light Years From Home - Rolling Stones 1967
Red House - Jimi Hendrix Experience 1967
Manic Depression - Jimi Hendrix Experience 1967
Whiter Shade of Pale - Procal Herum 1967
Nights in White Satin - Moody Blues 1967
Groovin' - Young Rascals 1967
Glass Onion - The Beatles 1968
While My Guitar Gently Weeps - The Beatles 1968
Happiness is a Warm Gun - The Beatles 1968
Blackbird - The Beatles 1968
Lay Lady Lay - Bob Dylan 1968
White Room - Cream 1968
Crossroads - Cream 1968
Love Street - The Doors 1968
In-A-Gadda-Da-Vidda - Iron Butterfly 1968
Papa's Got a Brand New Bag - James Brown 1968
1983 A Merman I Should Turn To Be - Jimi Hendrix Experience 1968
All Along the Watchtower - Jimi Hendrix Experience 1968
Voodoo Chile (Slight Return) - Jimi Hendrix Experience 1968
A Boy Named Sue - Johnny Cash 1968
Sympathy For the Devil - Rolling Stones 1968
No Expectations - Rolling Stones 1968
Dear doctor - Rolling Stones 1968
Jigsaw Puzzle - Rolling Stones 1968
Street Fighting Man - Rolling Stones 1968
Stray Cat Blues - Rolling Stones 1968
Salt of the Earth - Rolling Stones 1968
Jumpin Jack Flash - Rolling Stones 1968
Something - The Beatles 1969
Oh! Darling - The Beatles 1969
Can't Find My Way Home - Blind Faith 1969
Wooden Ships - Crosby Stills & Nash 1969
Gimmie Shelter - Rolling Stones 1969
Love In Vain - Rolling Stones 1969
Let it Bleed - Rolling Stones 1969
Monkey Man - Rolling Stones 1969
I Don't Know Why - Rolling Stones 1969
Pinball Wizard - The Who 1969
Whipping Post - The Allman Brothers Band 1969
Dreams - The Allman Brothers Band 1969
Is This Love - Bob Marley 1969
Suspicious Minds - Elvis Presley 1969
My Way - Frank Sinatra 1969
Cinnamon Girl - Neil Young 1969
Cowgirl in the Sand - Neil Young 1969


Friday, July 9, 2010

30 favorite songs, pre-1960

Since this is a new music blog, I figured my first order of business, was to do some sort of favorite songs list. I'll break the list up into stages of time and do a top 100 of all-time or something later on.

I figured I'd start from the beginning of my musical interest. I am leaving out classical music standards as well as old folk standards such as old Irish tunes. These songs are hard to determine when they were first performed and there is really no release date to speak of. I am a fan of both classic and ethnic standards and might address these types of music in the future.

I'll start with the earliest jazz/blues tunes that I like. This list goes from the beginning until 1959. Since there is a lot of music from early jazz, blues and early rock n' roll I will miss, I encourage leaving songs I might have missed in the comments. I'm always looking for cool music and music discussion. Perhaps my favorite musician is Robert Johnson. The picture below is of my kick-ass Robert Johnson T-shirt. He figures heavily in this first list and I will address his influence on rock n' roll music on a later post.


I chose 30 songs and could have picked many more. 

Minnie the Moocher - Cab Calloway 1931
Terraplane Blues - Robert Johnson 1936
32-20 Blues - Robert Johnson 1936
Summertime - Billie Holiday 1936
I'm A Steady Rollin Man - Robert Johnson 1937
Love in Vain Blues (Alternate Take) - Robert Johnson 1937
Hell Hound on My Trail - Robert Johnson 1937
Stop Breaking Down Blues - Robert Johnson 1937
Traveling Riverside Blues - Robert Johnson 1937
Rollin Stone - Muddy Waters 1948
Boogie Chillun - John Lee Hooker 1948
Still A Fool - Muddy Waters 1951
You're Cheatin Heart - Hank Williams 1953
Rock Around the Clock - Bill Haley 1954
I'm Your Hoochie Coochie Man - Muddy Waters 1954
Jailbait - Andre Williams 1954
Mannish Boy - Muddy Waters 1955
Heartbreak Hotel - Elvis Presley 1955
Hound Dog - Elvis Presley 1955
Jailhouse Rock - Elvis Presley 1956
Roll Over Beethoven - Chuck Berry 1956
Good Golly Miss Molly - Little Richard 1956
Great Balls of Fire - Jerry Lee Lewis 1957
That'll Be The Day - Buddy Holly 1957
Johnny Be Goode - Chuck Berry 1957
Folsum Prison Blues - Johnny Cash 1957
The Girl Can't Help It - Little Richard 1957
Around and Round - Chuck Berry 1958
Carol - Chuck Berry 1958
One Night - Elvis Presley 1958

Again, let me know what you think and if there are any songs I might have missed. This is a new blog, so if you have an idea on a future blogpost, let me know.

Thursday, July 8, 2010

Start this off

Well, I have decided to write a crappy music blog to go with my crappy Twins/baseball blog. Soon, I will write a series of posts detailing my favorite songs. I will state really quickly, this blog probably won't be cutting edge "Spin" magazine type stuff. The blog will be a place to talk rock n' roll, blues, and other good stuff. Since this is new, I figured I'd start it off, like the beginning of a concert. When I think of the beginning of a concert, the song below always comes to my mind.