Waylon Jennings - Honky Tonk Heroes (also including Ol' Waylon, I've Always Been Crazy and Wanted! The Outlaws)

I've been writing so much about Hard Rock, Heavy Metal and Classic Rock lately, I thought I'd take a bit of a rest and talk about some country music. I was looking through the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die and there is some country albums in the book. But, to me, there are some glaring omissions. Of course, Johnny Cash's Live at Folsom Prison and Live at San Quentin are listed in the book. There is some George Jones, Buck Owens, Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson and Dwight Yoakam.  But, for me, the albums that are highlighted in the book are not the ones I would have included. So, I'm going to cheat a little bit here. In the book, the only Waylon Jennings album listed is Honky Tonk Heroes.

 

 

I brought up the album online and listened to it, it sounds good. But, I can't write a "memory" from something I only heard online once.  My fondness of country music is relatively new. But, I've definitely come to appreciate the genre and one of the greats is Waylon Jennings. Waylon & Willie Nelson had the album Wanted! The Outlaws along with Tompall Glaser and Jessi Colter. This was the first country album to go platinum which means it sold one MILLION copies.

 

 

Well, the criteria for the book 1001 Albums is that the albums can't be compilations of previously released materials. This is actually a compilation album including stuff from Waylon's Honky Tonk Heroes.  But, it's also an album I wanted to reminisce about. So, I will touch on this one I've Always Been Crazy and the album Ol' Waylon.

My earliest memory of Waylon Jennings is from my sister Kathy.  Back when John Travolta was in the movie Urban Cowboy, my sister went from listening to the Bee Gees and Donna Summer to the Oak Ridge Boys and Waylon Jennings.  I don't remember hearing the albums. But, I remember the records she used to get from Columbia House changed from bands like Queen to Waylon Jennings. This new wave of country was sweeping the country...at least it seemed to be in my world. I think she had a copy of Waylon Live.  But, it wasn't until years later that everything started to register in my mind.

I remember in the early 70's as our family would load up the station wagon and head from North Platte to Creighton, NE to visit my grandparents and cousins. As we would drive north, we would lose the radio signal from the stations we were familiar with at home. So, my dad would find a radio station to tune into.  I remember somehow getting tuned into Ralph Emery and some kind of country countdown show.  So, I remember hearing Mamas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to be Cowboys and Luckenbach, Texas (Back to the Basics of Love).  My sister and I would make fun of the twang in their voices and laugh about the song. We would drive some more(it was about a 5-6 hour drive) and most likely we would hear it again. About 1978, we drove over to Iowa for a great uncle and aunt's anniversary celebration. So, we heard it even more.

 

 

Fast forward to my college years and my years at Dustys Records. I had been working at Dustys for awhile. My coworkers-Bob and Forrest were my buddies. We were like a three headed monster known as DaveBobForrest when we'd go to college parties and the bars. But, the great thing about the three of us is the mutual respect we had for each others likes in music. Forrest was into punk and college alternative stuff like R.E.M., the Replacements, Husker Du, the Clash and the Smiths. I felt like I was the Hard Rock/Heavy Metal guy. But, I wasn't blind to the fact some of over-the-top Hair Bands of the time really did....um well suck!  Bob....well, Bob was a sponge when it came to musical tastes. He would hear a great song and latch onto it. Bob was a “Heart of America” rocking guy. He liked John Mellencamp. He had a love for the sound of a 12 string (and 6 string) acoustic guitars. Bob came from the small town of Valentine Nebraska and kept a secret underneath his rocking exterior. One day, Bob says to me,"Dave, I've had this certain song going in my head and I'm thinking about buying it on CD."  The mutual respect was so strong at this point that I felt he really wanted to share a certain side with me. But, he wasn't sure of how I'd react.  I said, "Uh...Okay..Well what is it?" He replied, "The song is Amarillo by Morning by George Strait". I basically told him at that point to just go ahead and get it because I really didn't see a big deal. I didn't know the song anyway.  He bought George's Greatest Hits. Bob put that CD on and he knew every word on that entire album. It was hilarious to me that this guy who wanted to come across as a rocker from a small town was a bigger country fan than he ever let on.  From there, I remember Bob put on Waylon's Greatest hits too and knew the words verbatim on that one too.  It seems strange today because tastes have changed. If you said you were a rock kinda guy and liked country....your rock friends might make fun of you or ooooh not even talk to you. Dustys was located in the middle of Kearney Nebraska which is technically in the middle of the United States.  Dusty was a fan of country and would play country a lot in the store. But, by the time I would come to work, I was ready to listen to my albums which didn't have any country to them. Forrest was a big Dwight Yoakam fan and I still am fond of his early work...(hint..I'll be writing some Dwight memories)

 

As years went by, Bob actually bought me George Strait's greatest hits for my 25th birthday and I still cherish it and I love to sing along to Amarillo by Morning whenever I get a chance. I actually began to love country music myself.  But, I always considered it simple to play and not much of a drumming challenge. But, therein the simplicity is the challenge. In 2001, when the soundtrack to O Brother, Where Art Thou? was popular,  I went headlong crazy into the album because the music was devoid of big production and had a very "earthy" feel to it.  It was like great pair of well-worn jeans. It just fit and was comfortable.  I set about putting together a compilation of simple country music that harkened back to the days of Johnny Cash and Willie Nelson.  I downloaded Luckenbach, Texas (Back to the Basics of Love) and was constantly listening to it.  It summed up about how I felt my marriage was like. I felt my wife and I were trying to be some kind of perfect couple like our couples friends and were trying to obtain so many material goods.

 

Maybe it's time we got back to the basics of love

In the spring of 2004, I was asked to play drums for Classic Rock/Country band known as Custom Made. This band eventually become the Lost Outlaw Band that I've been playing with since 2007. Obviously, some of the songs in the set were for Waylon Jennings. The band was made up of 3 brothers..Scott, Aaron and Nick. Scott had a voice perfect for Waylon Jennings songs. So, our set consisted of songs like Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way, I'm a Ramblin' Man and Luckenbach, Texas (Back to the Basics of Love). 

Once again, my overconfidence in thinking I could play this "simple" country backfired on me. I would try to infuse some kind of funky, double bass stuff into these songs. Like AC/DC, the Rolling Stones and the Beatles, the simplicity of the drumming is the beauty of how this stuff works.  For the longest time, I thought the drummer for Waylon was Willie Nelson's drummer Paul English. Last summer, I read Waylon's Autobiography and found out it was Ritchie Albright. I'm sure Ritchie was not a schooled drummer. So, it's his unorthodox style that really makes it work for Waylon.  When the chorus kicks in for Good Hearted Woman, it's as if he's playing straight eighth notes on the hi-hat but the snare and bass drum are in a country swing. Ritchie played on most of Waylon's albums through the 70's. I am stilled blown away by his style that is featured on many country classics by Waylon.

 

Three years ago, I rejoined my band cohorts from Custom Made who had changed the band name to the Lost Outlaw Band. Instead of trying to conquer classic rock stuff, they decided to play on their strengths in the country field.  By this time, they had added another 2 or 3 Waylon songs to the setlists. The new songs included Don't You Think This Outlaw Bit's Done Got Out of Hand, Lonesome Onry and Mean, and Amanda.  Once again, I figured they were easy to play and not a challenge for me. The challenge was to keep the tempo solid and not speed it up.
Last year, I read Waylon's Autobiography and dove headlong into his life and music. I bought a 3 pack of Waylon CD's of Lonesome Onry and Mean, Ol' Waylon, and I've Always Been Crazy.  About a year or so earlier, my ex-wife wanted me to make a copy of the Outlaw album. So, I made a copy for me and her as well. I just drank it all in. Even as I write this, I have recently overdosed myself musically with Hard Rock and Classic Rock. So, this dose of Waylon has just settled my nerves and made me long for some more gigs with my bandmates in the Lost Outlaw Band. I love playing this stuff and I can't wait to get at it again.

So, with Waylon, Dustys Records and the Lost Outlaw band, I developed a love for this kind of country music that sticks with me and continues to recharge me when I least expect it. What's great about Waylon is his love of music plain and simple. I wish I had his autobiography in front of me now to give some examples.  But, as I look at albums like Wanted! The Outlaws, Ol' Waylon and I've Always been Crazy, I'm reminded of Waylon's love of songs by some of the covers he tackles on these albums. Songs like Suspicious Minds, Lucille, Sweet Caroline, I Walk the Line and Medleys by Elvis Presley and Buddy Holly(recorded with original Crickets' members Jerry Allison and Joe Mauldin). 

Waylon even tells the story of a cocaine bust with Don't You Think This Outlaw Bit's Done Got Out of Hand where he was recording and drug bust was in progress because the Fed Ex package of cocaine was somewhere in the studio. Of course, the great characteristic of country music is the ability to spin tales and tell stories in the song.

 

I'm usually critical about people who seem to become fans of an artist after they died.  The coincidental thing is that I'm guilty of the same thing.  I became an over-the-top fan of the Beatles after John Lennon died. I had heard the music playing around me without knowing who it was. I really didn't know who John Bonham and Led Zeppelin was till after he had died. I had been a fan of Johnny Cash since I was a child. So, that wasn't the case when he died.  I knew the music of Waylon all of my life. But, it wasn't till after he died and I played his music and learned his story that I truly appreciated it.
Another note about Waylon, one of the reasons I wanted to choose the album Ol' Waylon is because I remember years ago that Dusty took me over to the Country LP's section of the store, showed me the album cover for Ol' Waylon and told me that the title graphics for this album were the inspiration for the Dustys Records logo with the dripping paint from the letters. I've had people tell me they thought the Dustys logo was letters with dripping blood. But, I was quick to correct them and that it was not blood but "Ol' Waylon"

 

 

 

 

Rush 2112

There's a scene in the movie Almost Famous where the character of Lester Bangs makes a comment about music and the relationship the listener has.

Music..true music...not just Rock n' Roll ...it chooses you!
It lives in your car or alone listening on your headphones
with the vast scenic bridges and the angelic choirs in your brain

If you've ever had that feeling when you're sonically and emotionally bankrupt, and then you find a song, an album or an artist that lifts you up, you are filled to the brim. There is a giant smile that starts on your face and works its way through your whole body. You even find (if you're driving) that you may be driving faster and smoother and everything is just right in the universe.  Today, that happened when I found myself flipping through album titles on my MP3 player for something to listen on my commute to work.  The album I found is one that consisted of nothing but numbers.  That would be Rush's 1976 album 2112. 

Of course, I've listened to this album for ages. I've stated before of those friends that have introduced these bands to me...either by name or playing an album or two for me.  For a lot of music we come across in our lives, someone has planted that seed of musical excitement. In this case, it was my friend Tom who had an older brother with a pretty cool collection of classic rock gems. I remember him going on and on about the band Rush and the album 2112.  He was over-the-top excited about this album being about a story on another planet or in the future or something like that.  I just kinda brushed it off at the time.

 

As the years go by, myself and my drum friends would congregate together and praise "the Professor" Neil Peart of Rush and how great he is or was or whatever. There are countless articles and testimonial accounts of his greatness. Enough praise that I was interested and really wanted to suscribe to his awesome reputation. But, in the years after Rush's Moving Pictures, the band embraced the technology of the 80's and began to feature keyboards and Simmons electronic drums. Synthesizers and electronic drums weren't my favorite sounds.  I remember seeing the video for Red Sector A from the album Grace Under Pressure and didn't see what the big deal about Neil's playing.  It wasn't until I heard the live version of YYZ from the live album Exit...Stage Left that I sat up and paid attention.  Soon after that, I was a fan and out to get every last album by Rush.  I saw them on their Hold Your Fire tour in 1987.  I was hooked. I expanded my music collection by another artist's catalog with Rush. I think I bought a used LP copy of the album (2112) from Dustys. I kept it in my collection and would put it on occasionally.  I knew the songs like the 2112 Overture, A Passage to Bangkok & Something for Nothing. During the late 80's, my brother Mike picked up the guitar and later the bass and began to play. Most bass players are quick to praise the playing of Geddy Lee. So, He became a fan too. Of course, Alex Lifeson rounds out the trio on Guitar and has often been overshadowed by the other two. But, after watching their most recent live DVD's, Alex has the funniest sense of humor.

 

It wasn't until I bought my first CD player that I truly let it all soak in. I was working at Dustys (in Grand Island) when I thought 2112 would be a great album to have on CD.   I remember putting the CD in the player (in my little country rental house). I had the lights off (late in the evening) and just listened to the album without any of my other senses to distract me from what my ears heard.  I had known the Overture. The band had been playing it as their encore at their concerts at that time. 

 

 

But, it was the story told during the parts of the Overture that drew me in. After the Overture is The Temples of Syrinx which sets up the story about a time in the future where music, books, work and play are ....basically censored and controlled by the powers that be known as the Priests of the Temples of Syrinx.  The original album had the lyrics and liner notes that set up the story behind the lyrics.

..."The massive grey walls of the Temples rise from the Heart of every Federation city. I have always been awed by them, to think that every single facet of every life is regulated and directed from within! Our book, our music, our work and play are all looked after by the benevolent wisdom of the priests....

The song is very agressive sounding about the controlling "priests" and then we go into the story of an individual coming across a Discovery which (as you listen) is an acoustic guitar.

..."behind my beloved waterfall, in the little room that was hidden beneath the cave, I found it. I brushed away the dust of the years , and picked it up, holding it reverently in my hands. I had no idea what it might be, but it was beautiful"...

as I listen to this in the dark, I can hear the waterfall flowing and then you hear the character taking the "discovery" and begins to pluck it and tune it

..."I turned to lay my fingers across the wires and to turn the keys to make them sound differently. As I struck the wires with my other hand, I produced my first harmonious sounds and soon my own music! How different it could be from the music of the Temples! I can't wait to tell the priests of it!"...

The music becomes rather "folky" as Geddy Lee becomes the protagonist and sings about his discovery. The acoustic guitar goes from an acoustic sound to more of that of maybe a hollow body Gibson electric. The lyrics seem so innocent as it describes the musical discovery.

What can this strange device be?

When I touch it, it gives forth a sound
It's got wires that vibrate and give music

What can this thing be that I found?

See how it sings like a sad heart

And joyously screams out its pain

Sounds that build high like a mountain

Or notes that fall gently like rain

I can't wait to share this new wonder

The people will all see its light

Let them all make their own music

The Priests praise my name on this night

Follow along with the liner notes and there is more added to the song through the presentation of the listeners imagination...

 '...In the sudden silence as I finished playing, I looked up to a circle of grim,

expressionless faces. Father Brown rose to his feet, and his somnolent voice echoed

throughout the silent Temple Hall...'

'...Instead of the grateful joy that I expected, they were words of quiet rejection!

Instead of praise, sullen dismissal. I watched in shock and horror as Father Brown ground

my precious instrument to splinters beneath his feet...'

I know it's most unusual

To come before you so

But I've found an ancient miracle

I thought that you should know

Listen to my music

And hear what it can do

There's something here as strong as life

I know that it will reach you

This is the line that hit me years ago in the privacy of my own little country house, this week in my car on the commute and it still rings true for me now. For me and many others, music is what lifts us up and becomes more than just background noise to our lives. It is the score, the soundtracks to our lives. It may seem idealistic to some. But, it's what works for me.

1001 Albums says this about the 2112 Overture:

this track tells the tale of a man who leads a revolution through music after rejecting the Priests of Syrinx, a story that mirrored the band's own frustration with the music business.

The 2112 Overture is as much a Mini Rock Opera for Rush as Tommy and Quadrophenia is for the Who. This year the band is being celebrated with a tour and a documentary on the history of the band. Guitarist Alex Lifeson and Bassist Geddy Lee have been bandmates and friends for close to 40 years and still making music.  So, the music revolution they started still resonates by single-mindedly following their own path.

 

For me, it's a new discovery every time I listen to it! It started with just listening to a drummer and then 3 musicians making one incredible sound. Then, it became an intellectual thing as I listened to the insightful lyrics. Then, lyrics became a story and from there it becomes a way of relating to this old music like an old friend that puts a smile on your face, a laugh in your belly and a spring in your step.

 There's something here as strong as life
                 I know that it will reach you

 

Stand Up and Shout for the Man on the Silver Mountain!

Sunday 5/16/2010
As I sit and write this, I am thinking of another music memory. Unfortunately, the artist I'm writing about is nowhere to be found in the book 1001 Albums.  For Hard Rock and Metal fans, this is a glaring omission. I'm talking about Ronnie James Dio who passed away on Sunday May 16, 2010. 

He enjoyed many roles in the arena of Hard Rock and Heavy Metal. Ritchie Blackmore chose him to sing for his first post-Deep Purple project-Rainbow.  He had recorded for the band-Elf prior to his years in Rainbow(which was produced by DP bassist Roger Glover and drummer Ian Paice). With Rainbow, he recorded some legendary metal albums featuring Ritchie Blackmore and legendary drummer-Cozy Powell.  In 1979, Dio went on to greater acclaim as the vocalist that was recruited to replace the notorious Ozzy Osbourne in Black Sabbath. Ronnie (and drummer Vinny Appice) left Sabbath in 1982 to finally form his own band aptly named DIO.  DIO was a staple of the Metal world for most of the 80's.  He even took a turn from Bob Geldof to present a "Heavy Metal Band Aid/USA for Africa" project called Hear N' Aid and the single Stars. He briefly reunited with Black Sabbath again in the early 90's to record the album Dehumanizer and then returned to his solo band.  In 2006-2007, Ronnie wrote some new songs with guitarist Tony Iommi for a Best of Black Sabbath-the Dio Years collection.  The band decided to tour behind the "Best of" package but decided to change the name of the band from Black Sabbath to Heaven and Hell (in honor of the album that RJD first cut with Black Sabbath). The name change was also stated so that there would be no mistaking Black Sabbath with Ozzy with the Sabbath lineup with RJD.

So, as usual, I will try to recount my own memories of who I consider one of the great Heavy Metal vocalists of all time. I was leary for awhile about whether I wanted to tread the grounds of Dio and Black Sabbath because of the non-christian connotations in my youth. I had read tons about the bands through my monthly readings of magazines like Hit Parader and Circus magazines. The same friend that was playing guitar in my senior year talent show got me going with BS's Paranoid and he also had a cassette copy of Dio's Last in Line. I had seen the video for Last in Line on NBC's Friday Night Videos. I wasn't overly impressed at the time. Of course, I have never been impressed by any of the singles or videos that the record companies had issued from the albums and I would end up enjoying the lesser known songs on the albums. My friend-Tom let me borrow his Last in Line cassette and I made a copy for myself. It starts off with an awesome lead-off track titled We Rock! and it does. I can't remember when I bought Dio's first album Holy Diver.  But, it was definitely my senior year of high school.  I was definitely hooked on that one. I remember buying an LP copy of it and put it on a Maxell cassette. I had that copy with me for years. I was into that album on a daily basis. I really don't remember any of my circle of friends being into the album.  So, it really became a personal favorite of mine. Looking back, I think it had a lot to do with the angst of being a teenager. My parents had moved to Hastings from North Platte early in my senior year. I had stayed in NP to finish my high school years. Part of me was sad that my family had moved away. Part of me was liberated and part of me was scared to death of the future.  I guess Dio's music spoke to me and gave me just a little bit of heavy metal distorted guitar to up my confidence level. I didn't change my daily look. But, I began to feel a change in myself. I listened to album religiously on a daily basis and I was especially moved by the lyrics to the last song on Side 1 of the LP..Don't Talk to Strangers.

Don't talk to strangers Cause they're only there to do you harm

Don't write in starlight Cause the words may come out real

Don't hide in doorways You may find the key that opens up your soul

Don't go to Heaven cause it's really only Hell

Don't smell the flowersThey're an evil drug to make you lose your mind

Don't dream of women cause they only bring you down

 

 

I had asked a certain girl to the prom that year and she turned me down. I was crushed and pissed off and the final lyric confirmed what I felt at the time.

I carried my love for Dio with into college. I remember buying a cassette version of his 3rd album Sacred Heart. It was in the cassette deck of my 1976 VW Rabbitt on a daily basis. I'm sure my college friends weren't overjoyed to get in the car and have to hear that album as much as I was listening to it. Dio was one of my favorites of the time. I had pictures of the band on my dorm room wall. I was always reading everything about the band. I had many conversations with my guitarist friends about how great guitarist Vivian Campbell was on Dio's albums. About this time, it was announced that Ronnie and his band were recruiting a bunch of other Hard Rock and Metal acts to record a song to benefit the people of Ethiopia called Stars and the name of the band would be called Hear N' Aid.  It would feature great vocalists like Dave Meninketti from Y&T, Judas Priest's Rob Halford, Kevin Dubrow from Quiet Riot, Paul Shortino of Rough Cutt and of course Ronnie James Dio.  I was pumped about the song because I was a big time Metal head at this time and didn't want to know about anything else that didn't rock hard. 

 

 

Then in the summer of 86(I think), Dio released a live EP called Intermission.  This featured one new song and the rest were live tracks from the Sacred Heart tour but featuring Craig Goldy replacing Vivian Campbell on Guitar. On this live recording Ronnie performs his song Rock n' Roll Children with a medley of some of his Rainbow songs Long Live Rock n' Roll and Man on the Silver Mountain. Then, I began to research his music before his solo band. I began a musical exploration into the music of Rainbow.  I bought a used copy of Rainbow on Stage from Dustys. It featured Cozy Powell on drums, Richie Blackmore on Guitar and Dio's bassist Jimmy Bain.  I put it on in my dorm room and it sounded so powerful to me. The drums were what rocked me first then Ronnie's voice and then the rest of the band was just magical.  I look back and (to me) it was like when drug addicts talk about that first high they get from heroin or cocaine.  It feels so good the first time that you want it to be that way every time. That's the way I felt about Rainbow on Stage. I still listen to it but it doesn't have that magic feeling it did the first time I dropped the needle on that one.  In 87, he released a new album Dream Evil.   My music loving friend-John had shown some interest in my obsession with Dio. But, his was more of an artistic nature. He noticed that if you turned the Dio logo upside down, it said "Devil" and it was even clearer on Dream Evil.  About this time, my interest in Dio was still there but it began to wane.  Ronnie's tales of dragons and demons were getting old and wearing thin.  I was getting more into his Sabbath and Rainbow stuff and began to venture his past recordings. I remember that by the summer of 1988 or 1989 while working at Dustys, I was listening to Rainbow Rising.  We had been listening to it for awhile. My co-workers Bob and Forrest and I had gotten to the point where we were all very respectful of each others musical tastes. Forrest turns to me as we are playing Rainbow Rising and asks me, "Does Rainbow consider Dio an influence?" (or vice-versa)  I grabbed the album cover and showed Forrest the album credits and I assume by the look on his face and the "duh?" look on mine that he felt kinda ....uh sheepish at that point.

 

In 1990, Dio released Lock Up the Wolves with a whole new band lineup. I was unhappy because longtime drummer Vinny Appice was out of the band and former AC/DC skinsman Simon Wright was in. .  The first track was Wild One which was yet another barnburner and I liked it. But, the rest of the album seemed to plod along and did nothing for me. I graduated from college in August of 1990 and didn't really visit my Dio albums a lot after that.  I was working at Dustys in Grand Island, NE from September 1990 til September 1991.  One of our biggest customers at the time was Bob Stelk. Bob farmed for his dad south of GI and would spend LOTS of money on CD's at the store. I actually lived about a mile west of Bob on another farmer's land.  I remember Bob buying the CD reissues of RJD's band Elf.  I would spend time at Bob's house and those CD's sounded really good to me. It was very bluesy but rocking like many of the bands of the late 60's/early 70's.  I kinda put it in the back of my mind to get those CD's some day.

Fast forward to 1992. Ronnie and Vinny Appice reunited with Black Sabbath and recorded Dehumanizer and from there they went on the road to promote the album. At the time, I was living and working in Omaha managing Tape World in the Crossroads mall. It was an early Sunday afternoon. All of sudden, I noticed about four long-haired guys come into the store and start thumbing through CD's. It was the thrash metal band-Exodus. I had become quite a fan through a college friend.  I also knew that Exodus was the opening act for Black Sabbath. I ended up selling a Jethro Tull CD to Exodus drummer-John Tempesta who went on to drum for White Zombie and the Cult. As time went on, I soon noticed Vinny Appice walking down the mall. I wanted to catch up with Vinny and talk to him about all things drums.  But, I was manning the store by myself. Then, I suddenly turned around and two men had walked in the store.  IT WAS RONNIE JAMES DIO. Yes, he's a short guy too. He walks in with his personal assistant(I'm guessing).  I walked up to him and I was absolutely speechless. I shook his hand, said 'hello',  I may have even said something about being a big fan. He then asked me if the store carried any cassettes by the band-Elf. I looked at him and said "Elf.....you mean....Elf (like I had to tell him that it was his band)"  He looked back and just said in his own eloquent way "Elf". Unfortunately, it was the Crossroads Mall in the early 90's and the store was a small store (about 900 sq ft). We were carrying Mariah Carey, Boyz II Men and the Whitney Houston Bodyguard soundtrack.  So, no we didn't carry the recorded history of Mr Dio. I called my friend Bob that afternoon who was working across town in Omaha. He had the day off because he was attending the BS concert. But, I was feeling great. I bought the Dehumanizer album on CD hoping the guys in the band would walk back past my store so I could have them at least sign it. They didn't or at least I never saw them again. I went home that night and listened to my cassette copy of Holy Diver to rekindle my interest in RJD.

 

Years passed yet again. I would pull out my vinyl copies of Dio and Black Sabbath and Rainbow. I had downloaded my own compilation of music by drummer Cozy Powell and came across Stargazer ....what an awesome track from Rainbow Rising. I remember pulling out my vinyl copy of Rainbow Rising after I was married and had a son. I began downloading these songs again. I put together my own Dio compilation CD and fully embraced my love for the music of RJD. I was elated a couple of years ago when Ronnie and Vinny rejoined Tony Iommi and Geezer Butler for new Sabbath recording for a "Best of " package.  I still wish I had had a chance of seeing that lineup live. I have the DVD's. But, it's just not the same.
Ronnie's died on Sunday May 16 2010. I have spent the last week reading and listening to testimonials and tributes from people who knew him. They say he was one of the good guys in the music business. He cared about the fans and the musicians he played with. It's too bad Ronnie never published an autobiography. I'm sure his would have been more insightful than Ozzy's drunken drug-filled half recollections. He left a great catalog of music and I will be enjoying it for years to come.

AC/DC - Back in Black

As I started off this past weekend, I wanted to write about Black Sabbath and the album-Paranoid because I went to see Iron Man 2 on opening night. Well, I did. But, for this sequel, the producers decided to enlist the music of AC/DC. Say what you will about the music of AC/DC. For years, I had denied the simple fact their music is fun and that I like it. Yes... "Hi, My name is Dave and I like AC/DC!" What really clinched it for me was when the end credits for Iron Man 2 come up accompanied by the sound of Angus Young's Gibson SG hitting those opening chords to Highway to Hell. It just sounded so good as I felt a giant smile take over my whole body.

 

 

 

It's odd that whole AC/DC onslaught and epiphany came to me in the last 4-5 days. I went to a local guitar shop that sells outdated music magazines for $1 each. They are mostly Guitar Worlds and Modern Drummers. Modern Drummer magazine has been running a series of "Why We Love....." followed by essays by a current crop of popular drummers and what they like about featured drummers like Neil Peart, John Densmore (of the Doors) and AC/DC's Phil Rudd. The other magazine I picked up is Guitar World's Guitar Legends issue on "Five Greatest Rock Albums" which includes Gn'R's Appetite, Zeppelin IV, Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon and AC/DC's Back in Black. So, I began thinking about the past 30 years of memories associated with this album (and my constant denial that I really like it). From early Junior High memories to college parties to my watching a video of my son playing an air guitar solo in the backseat of his mom's car.

 

There's a scene in Wayne's World 1 or 2 where Wayne's girlfriend shows him a copy of Peter Frampton's Frampton Comes Alive! and Wayne's response is "Are you kidding? ....they used to give away copies of this album with boxes of Tide in the 70's" Well, the same could be said about 1980's Back in Black. Much has been said about this album. Original Vocalist Bon Scott had died after an all night drinking binge just before the writing and recording of this album. This was to be the follow-up to their breakthrough album Highway to Hell which was produced by Robert John "Mutt" Lange. Of course, "Mutt" Lange would go on to legendary status as producer for Foreigner, Def Leppard, the Cars, Bryan Adams, and of course his wife Shania Twain. He has recently produced for Nickelback and is schedule to produce a new album for Maroon 5. But, in 1980 (and now in 2010) the general public didn't know and doesn't care who produced it. They just know in their gut and their inner primal instincts that AC/DC's Back in Black ROCKS!!

 

probably my favorite song off this album.

 

 

30 years ago, I was 13 years old and (officially) a teenager. The choral music program at North Platte's Adams Junior High for 8th graders was divided into boys and girls chorus. The reason being that this is the age where boys' voices begin to change and can be quite embarrassed by the strange noises that emanate from their vocal chords......especially around girls of the same age. Occasionally, our teacher would encourage the class to bring in some of our favorite records for a kind of laid back casual Friday setting. My recollection of the album that everyone wanted to hear (by popular vote) was Back in Black. Since, it was a casual laid back atmosphere, the album cover and inner sleeve were passed around the room as we listened. I looked at the inner sleeve and I remember seeing these sweaty rockers onstage and singer Brian Johnson looked as if he were just screaming. In my mind, that was my first excuse for not liking them. We sit back, the needle is dropped on the record and soon we hear the sound of a big bell as it clangs away as Angus plays those opening notes. I look up and see one of my classmates standing at the front of choral room. He stands there with a mischievous grin on his face and poses as if he's holding an imaginary mallet. He precedes to pantomime to bang his imaginary bell with the sound of the album...very cool...and imbedded in my mind probably because this was out of character for this classmate who was not known for being a class clown seeking attention. By mid 1981, this was THE album that every teenage boy owned or had to own (or wanted to own). My cohort from chorus (and fellow 2nd tenor) Byron was obviously a fan of this. I remember once where he poured out in detail about the stereo he was getting from his parents along with a bunch of tapes to go with it. The tape that he gushed about the most(at least in my memory) was....(duh) the same one I've been talking about. He would go on about titles like What Do Ya do For Money? and Givin the Dog a Bone and of course the classics Back in Black and You Shook Me All Night Long!

 

 

A few years later, there was controversy in the churches nationwide about Satanism in music, hard rock etc. One of the bands that I was told about was AC/DC and that the letters stood for Anti-Christs/Devil's Children. Once again, being a good Christian church going teen, this gave me yet another excuse why I shouldn't like them. I also remember Hit Parader magazine pitting guitarist Angus Young against Eddie Van Halen. At the time, Eddie was number 1 in my book. So, I won't like Angus Young or AC/DC.

 

Years passed by and I went to college in Kearney. I grew in my knowledge of the drumkit and felt pretty confident in my playing. I could do some pretty complicated things if I wanted to. That said, AC/DC's drummer-Phil Rudd has the most basic simplistic drumming style. As I became faster and more complex with drum fills and playing styles, I shrugged off the playing style of AC/DC as simple and stupid. Yet, one night I went to the local bar-Dicky Dugans for college night(and many more after that). I remember being very snobbish about music and drummers at this point. Every video that was on MTV and every style (except the ones I liked) were dumb, disposable and for the idiot masses. The DJ would play songs and it became fun to dance around and have a good time with your friends. When the DJ would put on AC/DC's You Shook Me All Night Long, the dance floor would fill up and y'know it was fun to dance to. I would even let myself be the center of attention and attempt my own Angus Young duckwalking and headbanging impression.

I bought a copy of the LP from the used bin at DUSTYS for 99 cents(I think). I had it in my collection and would listen to it on a whim off and on for years. All this time, I would never fully embrace them as a great rock n' roll album. Of course, there was the multitude of parties in college that Back in Black blasting as the soundtrack of the party. Yet again, it was popular and the ever-growing non-conformist in me made yet another excuse not to like it...(because everybody else did).  I even had a friend who would routinely play the album and everyone would have to drink during the song......(you guessed it) Have a Drink on ME!!

Another observation some friends(musicians) and I noticed that (as you would walk through the dorms) the song Back in Black would come on someone's stereo or radio, most people would always turn up the first 30 seconds of the song and then turn it back down. It was funny but true!

My old friend(and roommate) made a copy of the CD for me and it became a favorite of my ex-wife(I made a copy for her). In fact, at one time, she sent me a video from her phone of our son(probably 3 or 4 years old at the time) playing an air guitar solo to Back in Black.  It was very cute.

So, 30 years this album has been a part of my life (and many others too). I don't feel like I fully embraced the music of AC/DC. I used to say "you only need one album by AC/DC and that is Back in Black.  I know a few die-hard fans that were offended by that.  I remember Dusty telling me when he hired me something along the lines of "You may not like AC/DC. But, they (or the sales of the band) help keep the lights on!" 

It wasn't until I heard the opening chords of Highway to Hell at Iron Man 2 that I finally stopped denying that I like this band. I'm sure I came up with a bunch of reasons why I wouldn't like them. "They were popular. They had a simple drummer. All their songs sounded the same...." I came up with a list of 5 reasons why you can like them (or at least respect them)

1. They never recorded a Power Ballad
2. They never went through a spandex and big hair faze
3. They never had an experimental era.
4. They may be the ugliest band...but Chicks dig the music
5. You don't have to guess what a new album is going to sound like.

 

It's a long way to the top...if you wanna Rock n' Roll!

For those about to Rock...We salute you!!

 

Black Sabbath-Paranoid

Now, I've written a memory on Zeppelin and Deep Purple. In my mind, there is one other band to complete the Hard Rock/Metal triumvirate of 70's Classic Rock. That band is Black Sabbath.

I started this past weekend off by planning a Friday night trip to the movie theater to catch the new Iron Man 2 movie. As I drove to the theater, I dialed up Black Sabbath's Paranoid on my MP3 player and went straight to track #4(of course) Iron Man. So, I thought to myself..."Which came first...the comic book character or the song by Sabbath?" Well, Stan Lee and Jack Kirby created in 1963. Which means (in a historical overview) it was before the Beatles came to America. Which means Ozzy Osbourne and bassist Geezer Butler had yet to meet. As odd as it may seem, Ozzy was a huge Beatles fan in his youth. He figured if a bunch of guys from Liverpool could form a band and make it big, so could he.

How does a good church going boy from the state of Nebraska find out about a hard-edged band from Birmingham, England? After all, I was only 3 years old when Black Sabbath released their 2nd album Paranoid in 1970.

My first memory of this album is a little unsure. I remember the early 80's when Ozzy began his solo career and the influx of rumors and stories of his lunacy. I was 13 or 14 when the story was widespread of Ozzy biting the head off of a bat. Of course, that story has followed him for the past 30 years. That is my earliest knowledge of Ozzy. But, this blog/memory is about Black Sabbath's Paranoid.

I believe my first exposure to this album was during a Boy Scout campout in the early 80's. My friend Tom had an older brother. So, he had the exposure to bands like Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, Rush and Aerosmith. For me, my favorite bands at the time were Styx and the Electric Light Orchestra(ELO). At these campouts, someone (or a few of us) would bring a small tape recorder and some tapes. As time went by, we went from mono tape recorders to stereo boom boxes. I remember many nights staying up in a tent listening to Cheech and Chong, Steve Martin, REO Speedwagon, Styx and (for me) lots of the Beatles. I don't remember who but someone had a copy of Sabbath's Paranoid. I remember the sound of that overly distorted guitar on Iron Man as I looked at one of my fellow scouts lip-synching to the words...

I AM IRON MAN!!!

 

 

But, I distinctly remember once the tape got to the track Planet Caravan, someone said "can you believe that's Ozzy singing?" AHA!!! Ozzy and Black Sabbath...I had made a connection. Was it okay for me to like this? I remember being a good church going Christian boy thinking "I can't like this."...But it intrigued me! I honestly believe that the sound of a good distorted rock guitar feeds the teenage male with extra testerone.

As my listening tastes expanded and I began enjoy the "heavier" rock stuff, I began to hear more about Black Sabbath and Ozzy. By this time, Ozzy was no longer in the band. He was replaced by Ronnie James Dio and then later by Deep Purple singer-Ian Gillan. Even my drumming hero-Carmine Appice had a connection with Sabbath. His younger brother Vinnie was brought in to replace original drummer Bill Ward after the recording of Ronnie James Dio's Heaven and Hell album with Sabbath.

During my senior year of high school, me and some friends decided to put together a makeshift band for a school talent show. I can't remember how many songs we prepared. But, we did decide on at least two songs...Ted Nugent's Free for All and Sabbath's Paranoid. That was the first time I really paid attention to the song. Paranoid was loud and brash. I wasn't sure how Bill Ward had played the drum part. But, I was unconventional and instead of riding on open hi-hats, I played that part riding on my CRASH CYMBAL!! COOOOL!! Rock N' Roll! I really thought that song was awesome and soon became a favorite of mine.

 

When I started college in Kearney in the fall of 1985, I soon discovered that my favorite place to go in Kearney was DUSTYS Records. I would have marching band and symphonic bands practice until about 5pm every afternoon and after that I would head down to Dustys. I would be there flipping through the Rock section of the LP's constantly. I was getting familiar with a ton of artists' names I had never heard of before. When Dusty started selling used LP's, I began to buy a lot more just to build up my growing collection. I remember buying rock staples like AC/DC's Back in Black and (of course) Black Sabbath's Paranoid. I remember listening to Paranoid (in full) with my roommate-Brian. We had the same 8am class on Tues/Thurs (I think) and then we wouldn't have a class until 11am. So, we would usually go back to our dorm room and lay down (on our respective bunks), listen to some music and catch some Zzzz's. I distinctly remember digging the first two tracks War Pigs and then Paranoid. Then the mood of the album changes with the song Planet Caravan. I remember thinking this was the song that someone had pointed out years ago on that campout. It was mellow, spacey and almost otherworldly. The song would start and by the time it finished, I would have drifted off to sleep. In 1994, Pantera covered Planet Caravan on their album Far Beyond Driven. Faith No More covered War Pigs on their 1989 breakthrough album The Real Thing. In 1996, the Cardigans presented an electronic spin to Iron Man. I remember hearing that version with my jaw dropping to the floor followed by a smile of amusement.

Of course, many of these songs would become part of both Sabbath's and Ozzy's live sets for years to come. I believe Ozzy still ends most of his shows with Paranoid.

Instead of going through all the tracks on this album, I'll quote from the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before you Die.

All the Sabbath trademarks are here! Ozzy's eerie, ominous wail; supple, tempo shifting dynamics from drummer Bill Ward and bassist/lyricist Geezer Butler: and, most recognizable, the hulking presence of guitar hero and lord of the riff. Tony Iommi.

As I listened to the album again, I'm impressed that a band that many have viewed as a "Stupid" Metal band can change tempos from a slow plodding metal behemoth to a swinging instrumental tour-de-force that keeps any listener on their toes.

Guns N' Roses-Appetite for Destruction

For me, 1987 was an awesome year. I felt like that was the year that my musical tastes really began to expand. There was music I was excited about that year. I started out excited about Deep Purple's House of Blue Light and Whitesnake's 1987 self-titled album with the deep Zeppelin overtones. The summer saw the release of the much anticipated Def Leppard's Hysteria and the Cult's Electric. That year also saw the release of R.E.M.'s Document, Prince's Sign of the Times, and Anthrax's Among the Living. I remember (through my many Dustys' visits) being introduced to John Hiatt's Bring the Family and the Replacements' Pleased to Meet Me. But, the album that should be remembered that year is Guns N' Roses Appetite for Destruction.
By this point in my life, I was a die-hard music fan(especially hard-rock and metal). I was reading every rock music magazine I could get my hands on. I was in Dustys Records so much that Dusty asked me to submit a "current faves" list in early Fall 87 and then in November he offered me a job.
In the Spring of 87, I remember reading an article in RIP magazine about a new band out of LA that was starting to gain a reputation as one of the hottest bands on the LA music scene. That band was Guns N' Roses. They looked dirty, unkept and different from the glam looking bands that were coming out of the scene. But, they still had a "Bad boy" image that had been cultivated on the Sunset strip. Then, a live EP titled "Live ?!*@ Like a Suicide" was released with a cover of Aerosmith's Mama Kin. By this time, many bands of the LA scene had claimed Aerosmith as an influence. Ratt had covered Aerosmith's Walkin the Dog which was a Rufus Thomas cover. Motley Crue's Nikki Sixx was wearing a black and white striped outfit that looked like one of Steven Tyler's 70's hand-me-downs and the band Black N' Blue had covered Same Ole Song and Dance. So, I had written off Gn'R as yet another Aerosmith clone band.
In the Fall of 1987, I changed my major from music education to Journalism/Mass Communications. The broadcasting department seemed to be filled with a series of social misfits who (like me) had just changed their college major. There, I met my new lifelong friend-Bob Gross. Bob had a radio show on the new college radio station on Friday nights from 10p -2a. I asked Bob if I could go on the air with him one of those Friday nights. On that night, I brought a handful of my own LP's and we had a great time. But, after awhile, we came across a CD Sampler of Guns N' Roses with the song Welcome to the Jungle. I said "I've heard of these guys. Let's play this!" I remember Bob and I sitting back as we played this tune and thought that this was a really cool track. From there, my opinion of this band changed.
I think I dubbed off a cassette of the album copy from the college radio station and the more I listened to it, the more I was drawn to the rawness and the edginess. Welcome to the Jungle began to get some airplay on MTV and the station even aired a live concert from the Ritz in NYC.

 

This was an album by a band literally from the streets of LA. I recently read guitarist Slash's autobiography. Both Slash and vocalist Axl Rose actually lived in the band's rehearsal space which was basically a storage garage. They lived on the streets, slept with the seedy underground of strippers and junkies, drank cheap booze and did LOTS of drugs. But, when it came to making music, the companionship of Slash(lead guitar), Izzy Stradlin(rhythm guitar), Duff Mckagan(bass), Steven Adler(drums) and Axl Rose(vocals) was the perfect combination for an album that's been described as (and I agree) "Lightning in a bottle".

The 2nd track is It's So Easy. The energy of this is so.....in the words of an 80's metal head....AWESOME!!...and it's filled with lyrics like

I see you standing there...You think you're so tough

....Why don't you just......FUCK OFF!!

and

You get nothing for nothing. That's what you do..

Turn around Bitch. I got a use for you.

Besides, you ain't got nothing better to do....

...and I'm bored

....very rebelious and oooohh nasty words too.....oh and cowbell too.

Track 3 is Nightrain which (according to Slash's biography) was about the band's favorite cheap wine. They apparently came up with the lyrics walking (or staggering) back to the rehearsal space .

Rock historians have said that Nirvana brought the punk attitude to the masses with the grunge movement of the early 90's. I say that Gn'R did that almost 3-4 years earlier. After all, Bassist Duff McKagan had moved to LA after playing in bands in Seattle.

Track 5 - Mr. Brownstone hooked me big time with Steven Adler starting the song with the Bo Diddley beat from the ugly underbelly of the city of angels. Axl takes his unique voice down deep and starts to tell the listener that "they've" been dancing with "Mr Brownstone". I remember thinking what a great rocking tune this was. Then, this small town Nebraska boy was educated that "Mr. Brownstone" was slang for.......(duh duh duh)...Heroin!. Looking back, I realize how naive I was.

Track 6 became another big hit for the band with Paradise City. Then again, it's obvious that it would become a hit. The chorus was catchy and easy to sing along to.

Take me down to the Paradise city

Where the grass is green and the girls are pretty

Slash says in his book that he actually wanted the lyrics to be:

Where the Girls are Hot and they've got big titties.

Track 7..(or on vinyl) 1st track-Side 2 was My Michelle. Which was about a friend of the band and was actually autobiographical about this girl named Michelle. Yes...as the song states

Your daddy works in Porno now that Mommy's not around

she used to love her heroin. But, now she's underground.

..quite the pretty picture and I'm not sure I would've been too flattered to have my life immortalized in a song like that.

Interestingly, the next track-Sweet Child of Mine was the song that catapulted the band from underground bad boy band to international Rock superstardom and a household name. I remember my friend Mick telling me that his mom had heard the song and was now a fan of Guns N' Roses. It's been widely reported that Axl wrote the lyrics about his then girlfriend Erin Everly who is the daughter of Don Everly of the Everly Brothers.

Slash wrote the signature riff while just messing around on his Les Paul guitar not knowing that this would be their biggest hit. He then would have to play it over and over while drunk, trashed, loaded and downright self-medicated. He said that depending on his state sometimes depended on how long it would take him to get the riff right to start the song.

 

You're Crazy is a sped up rocker that once again embodies the punk spirit with the swagger of the Sunset Strip. They later slowed it down and did acoustically on the album Gn'R Lies.

The Final track is Rocket Queen and starts with yet another funky groove established by the fun loving Steven Adler. As the song leads into the guitar solo, you can hear the sound of a female who seems to be ......uh....."in the throes of passion".......and enjoying it. According to Slash's biography, this is actually the sound of Axl Rose and his girlfriend...goin at it, doing the horizontal mambo on the floor of the recording studio.

In the summer of 88, with Sweet Child of Mine taking them to worldwide recognition, Gn'R became huge. I was working my summer days at Dustys and we used to write down all customer purchases on legal pads including Label, catalog number, artist and album title. I am proud to say that 22 years later I still remember this album as a GEFFEN 24148-Gn'R - Appetite.

While working at Dustys', I and my co-workers had a tendency to become local celebrities. For me, it became "HEY DUDE! You work at DUSTYS!" anywhere I went in Kearney. So much, that between the time of Appetite and Gn'R's double album follow-up Use Your Illusion I & II, I was constantly asked (at bars and parties especially) "Dude, when's the new Guns N' Roses comin' out?"

In that time between albums, the band found success overwhelming and the chemicals flowed. As I read Slash-the Autobiography, I began to understand the time between albums. The time was spent....well...on Heroin, drunk, and on Cocaine. The band wasn't talking to each other much. It's amazing they got together to write the follow-up. Drummer-Steven Adler was so far addicted that he was fired from the band...how ironic. They hired Matt Sorum(formerly of the Cult) on drums and added Dizzy Reed on Keyboards.

When Use Your Illusion I & II were released, I had an overload of Gn'R and was disillusioned by the band and stop caring. In fact, I recently listened to both Illusion CD's from start to finish for the first time...that's right almost 20 years after they were released.

My friend Mark actually invited me to see Gn'R in 1992 or 1993(can't remember...help me out Mark) in Omaha. I wish I could go back and change my attitude about them. I was a big fan of drummer Steven Adler and didn't like the sound that Matt Sorum had with the band. I probably would have enjoyed the concert much more.

Still, the rawness of sound and production of Appetite unique enough that it was definitely a great album that could never be repeated. As Tom Morello stated on MusicRadar.com, It was "Lightning in a Bottle"