The Beatles – Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band

When I first started writing for this blog I didn’t want to do the obvious albums like this one. So much has been said about the greatness of this album. We’ve all heard it. It’s one of those things that’s accepted as GREAT!  Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band is synonymous with an artistic album achievement.  When Musical artists are looking to make a great album that’s the pinnacle of their creative abilities, they refer to it as “their Sgt Pepper”. There’s a Time/Life  History of Rock n’ Roll documentary where Todd Rundgren refers to Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon as that band’s pinnacle “Sgt Pepper” moment. 



I hadn’t even thought about writing anything about Sgt Pepper. But, I was writing about Cheap Trick awhile back and I started sampling through all of their albums. One of the recent albums is a Live performance of Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. The band had been asked by the Hollywood Bowl to be the band to perform the album in its entirety. If you've ever followed Cheap Trick, there's been parallels to the Beatles throughout their history
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Rick Nielsen has a Hamer guitar with the faces of the Beatles on them. Rick Nielsen and Bun E Carlos were asked to play with John Lennon for the Double Fantasy sessions. They recorded a cover of Day Tripper on their All Shook Up album. That album was also produced by longtime Beatle producer (and fifth Beatle) George Martin.  On their Greatest Hits package they cover Magical Mystery Tour. So, that prompted me to pull out my Beatles CD and put it on my MP3 player so I could listen to it on the drive to work. WOW!! It’s definitely an album that greets you like an old friend but then you discover new things about it every time you hear it.
I wrote so much about my own Beatle obsession on the anniversary of John Lennon’s death.  So, I honestly don’t feel like repeating myself about the Beatles. I grew up with the Beatles in my home. My older sisters were Beatles fans. I share a birthday with Ringo Starr. Ringo was my first drumming hero.  But, my love for the music of this album started from the often dreaded and despised 1978 Robert Stigwood movie production of Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band starring Peter Frampton and the Bee Gees.  I could deny that I loved the movie or that the Beatles catalog of songs from the Sgt Pepper and Abbey Road album were so sacred that no one should ever try to cover them…..especially in a movie musical form. But, I won’t! I really liked it….and why?…..even back in 1978, I liked the songs. I liked the music.

I remember putting my tape recorder up to the radio when I heard this version being played. Remember doing that kids in the days before “boom boxes” and “Ghetto Blasters”?  It wasn’t long after the release of the movie and the soundtrack that my sister Kathy had a copy of the soundtrack as did my neighbor Brad. Brad and I had seen the movie at the local Movie Theater Triplex.  I loved the embossed look on the album cover and I loved the music. At the time, I’m not sure I knew that it was Beatles music. I just knew I liked it. I would see the album at many different retail outlets. I remember riding my bike to the local Ben Franklin store and as I would flip through the records and tapes, I remember just taking in the colors of the soundtrack album cover. I even bought the novelization of the movie from the Scholastic Book club. That year I asked for the soundtrack album for Christmas. As I stated in my John Lennon blog, my parents actually gave me the original Beatles album instead of the Frampton/Bee Gees soundtrack.  I was originally disappointed that I had been given the album by the Beatles instead of the soundtrack.  But, that didn’t stop me from listening to the album over and over.  Turns out, my Mom knew best.
The Beatles’ Sgt Pepper album had the song lyrics printed on the back cover. The novelization of the Frampton/Bee Gees movie also had the song lyrics printed in the book. The movie featured songs from the Sgt Pepper album along with cuts from Let it Be and Abbey Road as well.  Brad and I had this crazy idea to record our voices singing along with the Soundtrack album. We had the lyrics in the book and the Beatles’ album too. So, we set up a simple tape recorder and played the album in the background and recorded it. I remember thinking neither one of us wanted to sing the songs that had been performed by the females in the movie. Looking back, That’s kind of funny considering the songs were originally recorded by 4 guys. But, singing these songs definitely had an impact on me and soon became part of my musical DNA.

I don’t know what it was. But, something happened where I stopped yearning for the 1978 Soundtrack versions and I fully embraced the 1967 original.  As I grew in my love for music and the Beatles, I learned that the album was originally released on May 26th, 1967 (UK) and June 2, 1967(USA). I was born in July of that same year.  Ringo and I share the same birthday.  I grew up thinking that the Ringo probably celebrated his birthday that year on the road touring behind the Sgt Pepper album.  I obviously became educated about the history of the band and later learned that this album was the first in a new era for the band where they DIDN’T tour behind the album.  Paul McCartney tells the story that a mere days after the album was released that Jimi Hendrix had learned the opening song and performed it live.

In the 1982 Beatles documentary The Compleat Beatles, Musicologist Wilfred Mellers expresses that when Sgt Pepper was released

“The most distinctive event in pop music’s brief history and it marked the turning point(of course) when the Beatles stopped being ritual dance music and became music to be listened to”

It may be strange to think about popular music in those terms in today’s 21st Century world. I would assume the Beatles had grown tired of writing catchy pop tunes for teenage girls from 1962 through 1966. It’s obvious by the subject matter of the songs on albums like Rubber Soul and Revolver that they had grown tired of the “lovable moptops” image.  They had toured constantly for four years and endured the crowds and the incessant screaming. The Beatles had begun to question their own musicality.  This was a chance to make a musical statement that didn’t need to be expressed on tour or on a stage.
The songs are so rich in the musicality of it all. We start off with an introduction to a fictional band that supposedly started “20 years ago today”.  Right there, you’re taken on a small journey of the mind and imagination to think of this band. Then, the listener is introduced to “The singer’s gonna sing a song and he wants you all to sing along….the one and only Billy Shears” and a seamless introduction into A Little Help from my Friends.  I stated earlier of hearing the movie version. When I heard the Beatles version, I wondered to myself “Who is singing this? Is this Paul or George? This person has a very different style to his voice than Frampton did.”  I learned later it was Ringo singing. With my obvious bond to Ringo through our birthday and as drummers, I accepted this song as my own personal statement to the friends in my own life.  I get by with a little help from my friends.  My friendships mean so much to my own life and often coincide with music that resonates me as well.

I remember being a little cautious of With a Little Help From my Friends when I first heard the lyrics “I get HIGH with a little help from my friends”.  I was afraid my parents from another generation would be suspicious that I was getting into some new lifestyle of smoking marijuana on a daily basis. I even remember my Mom asking about that lyric. I think I eventually told her it was an expression that really didn’t have anything to do with the intake of the herbal jazz cigarette.
The inspiration for the next song came from a picture John’s son Julian made called Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds.  Of course, the myth and rumor when I was growing up is that this was yet another drug reference that the Beatles put in their music and Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds was about LSD.
When the Beatles released their Anthology back in 1995, Paul made the comment that he was proud that he and John always seemed to write songs with a positive theme to them. The next song may be one of those songs as well.  I’m talking about Getting Better. I’ve obviously heard the story that Paul likes to tell as he was writing this. He would sing “Getting Better all the time” and John would be right there with his quick wit singing “It couldn’t get much worse”. I don’t know what it was that I loved about this song. Maybe it was the simple song title and the catchy chorus. I just remember liking this song at first listen. As I listen to it now, I love the sound of the rhythm guitar and they way it just rings and chugs along. Ringo plays straight quarter notes on the hi-hat along with some congas in the mix as well.

The next track is Fixing a Hole. Looking back, it’s hard for me to not think about the George Burns version from the Frampton/Bee Gees movie.  If you grew up watching the talk shows and variety shows of the 1970’s, George Burns was everywhere.  Here he was again as the “mayor of Heartland USA” in the movie. In fact, he narrated the entire movie. But, as I think back and have listened to this song as a part of the album, I find myself singing it out loud as I do with the entire album. 
She’s Leaving Home spins a story of a mother and father telling of a daughter who branches out from the family nest. The song is told through the eyes of the parents as they see her leaving home.  As much as I love this album I really didn’t grow to appreciate it as much until I heard the live Cheap Trick version.

As much as I love the studio albums and especially the classic ones like these, I love to hear artists pay homage and love to these tracks as well. It’s gives me a new perspective on someone else’s love for these songs.  Since the Beatles never performed these songs live, you can’t find a live video of them performing stuff from this album. Although, Ringo and Paul would end up singing these songs as part of their solo sets. 
Being For the Benefit of Mr. Kite is a fun song that John Lennon wrote as inspiration after he obtained a 19th Century poster and quoted the acts on the poster almost word for word. I always enjoyed this song for the playful circus atmosphere.

For the benefit of Mr. Kite
There will be a show tonight on trampoline
The Hendersons will all be there
Late of Pablo Fanques' fair, what a scene
Over men and horses hoops and garters
Lastly through a hogshead of real fire
In this way Mr. K will challenge the world
The celebrated Mr. K
Performs his feats on Saturday at Bishopsgate
The Hendersons will dance and sing
As Mr. Kite flies through the ring, don't be late
Messrs K. and H. assure the public
Their production will be second to none
And of course Henry the Horse dances the waltz
The band begins at ten to six
When Mr. K performs his tricks without a sound
And Mr. H will demonstrate
Ten somersets he'll undertake on solid ground
Having been some days in preparation
A splendid time is guaranteed for all
And tonight Mr. Kite is topping the bill

a performance from the Beatles Rock Band video game

The opening of Side Two is a George Harrison song entitled Within Without You. When I first heard this, I didn’t get it. For my middle of the road/mid Nebraska upbringing, this was a weird sounding song and I just chalked it up to some kind of Eastern sounding drug induced song and I wanted nothing to do with it. Years later, my brother would use the sitar drenched intro as the backing music for a message on the family answering machine. He even supplied the Maharishi imitation. I still laugh about that one.
Lennon & McCartney are now heralded as one of the greatest songwriting teams of the 20th century along with such noted tunesmiths like Rodgers & Hammerstein. In fact, Paul has said that as songwriters they had aimed to write songs for the likes of Frank Sinatra. When I’m Sixty-Four is one of those songs that Paul says was a song that he kind of aimed as a Rodgers & Hammerstein type of song.  When the first edition of Trivial Pursuit came out in the 80’s, I remember playing with the family and one of the questions was “What is the name of the 3 ‘grandchildren on your knee’ in the song When I’m Sixty-four?”  Even then as a Beatles’ trivia buff, I remember struggling to come up with the lyric. The answer: “Vera, Chuck and Dave”
I’ve always loved the next track called Lovely Rita.  I loved the harmonies. I loved to play along to the very simplistic drum fills that Ringo plays on the song and the ability to rhyme Lovely Rita, Meter Maid always amused me.

Since 2014 is the 50th anniversary of Beatles arrival in the United States, I took it upon myself to educate my (almost) 10 year old son about the historical significance of the event. So, he’s been listening to a lot of Beatles with his daddy lately. This past Sunday, I woke up in a bit of a grumpy mood. We jumped in the car and I said “I need some music to put me in a happy mood.” Before I finished my sentence, he answered exuberantly “THE BEATLES!!”   and I put on Sgt Pepper.  Very soon thereafter Lovely Rita had been ringing through our ears and he was singing it in the car, the store, the bathroom. “Dad, I can’t get that song out of my head!”  I pat myself on the back for planting another musical seed in his head.
From there is yet another up tempo sing-along with Good Morning Good Morning.  This past year before I moved closer to my son, I was working at a job in Central Nebraska where I didn’t want to be and the lyric from this song rang in my head on my daily commute to work.

Going to work…don’t wanna go feeling low down

The continuing love of the Beatles and the Sgt Pepper album have continued with my son from week to week. This past week, I dialed it up on my mp3 player and we drove in the car and just sang our hearts out to the songs once again and then we got to the Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club band – Reprise. 

My son and I were all smiles and we sang out loud. There were cars passing us and just looking at the sight of this man and his son singing and smiling.  For years, I’ve loved listening to all of the Beatles’ albums. There’s always something intriguing for me. At times, I had grown a bit tired of it. I put it away and I don’t listen to it for a few months or a few years. Then, I pull it back it out and see how this music touches my son and it lights him up and all of sudden we’ve created a brand new father/son moment and memory that will be eternally special to the two of us. As I was winding down on this blog, a friend of mine reminded me of a recording of John Lennon and his son Sean singing “A Little Help From My Friends”.

This is such a fantastic father/son moment that I can truly relate to as I’ve sang these songs with my son and I used to sing John’s Beautiful Boy to my son Joe as a lullaby. 
The album winds up with A Day in the Life. This has always been a song that many talk about the complexity of the composition. It’s been said that John wrote the parts of “I read the news today Oh boy!” and Paul wrote the “Made my way upstairs and drank a cup. Somebody spoke and I went into a dream”. Then the wind up and build up of the music and the sound of an alarm clock to signal the next part of the song. Alarm clocks have been used as part of musical soundscape since then. But, had it been used before? Years ago, I found a live version that Sting had done with his band and it was refreshing to see a band conquer it in a live sense.

I have been writing the blog for weeks and months and even years. I have talked for so many years about how much I loved the Beatles. My friends realize that. My family realizes that. As I drove across town, I thought about the memories this album has generated for me. I listened to the music of this album from various artists who obviously found a connection to it.  I discovered this music as a boy and grew to love it.  After seeing Paul McCartney live in 1993, I was listening to a lot of Beatles on a road trip with my brother. So, I have precious memories sharing this album with him. Now, in 2014, I have memories of sharing the music, the songs and the smiles with my son which just warms my heart and takes this music to another special memory in my life.
Is this an important album in the history of musicians, Rock n’ Roll and 20th Century culture? ABSOLUTELY!  According to BM in 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die,

Because its boundary-pushing was matched by scintillating songwriting. From McCartney’s rousing opener through Lennon’s kaleidoscopic ‘Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds,’ to the duo’s astonishing ‘Day in the Life’, every one is a gem.

But, for me, it has become something more personal that some kind of cultural and musical cornerstone. This is something I’ve shared with friends, musicians, fans and now a new generation through my son that touches me on a deeper emotional level.  Thank you for reading and helping me “Get by with a little help from my friends”. I hope you enjoyed this read. Because as they say in Day in the Life… “I love to turn you on!”

John Mayer-Continuum

For me, I can associate a variety of emotions and memories from many different albums from various points in this journey known as life.  In this entry, I am going to re-visit a time and an album in my life not so long ago where so many songs, lyrics and sounds seemed to resonate with me on an emotional and musical level. I've been working on this blog entry on and off for a couple of years. I dive into the songs and the emotions that I was going through come flooding back and I shelf the blog for a bit.

Awhile back, I had been making full use of my DVR and great channels for music like AXS TV, Palladia(now known as MTV-Live), and VH-1 Classic.  One concert that I recorded that I had wanted to see for years was Where the Light is-John Mayer Live in Los Angeles.   Back in 2006-2007, I binged heavily on Mayer’s albums Heavier Things and especially Continuum.  By the time this live CD and DVD was released in 2008, I was interested but wasn’t ready to dive into a double live CD. I had seen clips from this concert and knew that I would probably enjoy it. But, I never got around to watching it until years later.

So, I bring up this concert on my DVR and start watching it. It features 3 sets from Mayer. One set of acoustic numbers of just himself and guitarist Robbie McIntosh(formerly of the Pretenders and Paul McCartney’s solo band). The second set is the John Mayer Trio featuring bassist Pino Palladino and drummer Steve Jordan. If you’re unfamiliar with these two, let me briefly educate you. Pino is the session bassist that Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend called to replace the late John Entwistle for the Who when he died back in 2002. Steve Jordan is a longtime favorite drummer of mine who was the original drummer for Late Night with David Letterman before Anton Fig. He was the original backbeat behind the Blues Brothers band when they first played together and recorded.  When Keith Richards got tired of waiting for Mick Jagger to write and record new material in the late 80’s, he formed his band the X-Pensive Winos with Steve Jordan on drums.  So, when John Mayer employed these two musicians, he had my attention. The 3rd set of this concert is a full band set of multiple guitars, horns, keyboards and drums.

As I start watching this show, I am loving the musicianship of Mayer and the funkiness of Palladino and Jordan. I’ve been a sucker for the blues trio format for years.

His full band is top-notch as well. But, when the band kicks into Mayer’s 21st Century blues number Gravity, I was transported both psychologically and emotionally to the Winter of 2007 and the thoughts of loss. That was the year I was dealing with emotions and heartbreak from the separation of my marriage and eventual divorce.  I alluded to this album on a review of his 2012 album Born and Raised and my “listening habits of 2013”. But, I’ve yet to write and spell out what this album meant to me.

When my son’s mother and I separated in the Fall of 2005, I went through a series of thoughts and emotions of “Why is this happening?” and “What can I do to change her mind and get back together?” When I finally came to grips that the divorce was going to happen, I turned to something like music to get my mind off of the failed marriage. But, the music had a way of drilling into those emotions when I wasn’t expecting it.

I had heard Waiting on the World to Change at the tail end of 2006. I had begun to see John Mayer in various music circles of artists that I followed. He had done an episode of PBS Soundstage with legendary bluesman Buddy Guy.  I saw him playing guitar with Derek Trucks, Robert Randolph and members of Gov’t Mule on a music showcase called “The Jammys” that featured bands like the Allman Brothers Band, John Scofield and Gov’t Mule.  I had sampled through some of his John Mayer Trio CD and I liked what I had heard.  I bought the Continuum CD, ripped it to the computer and synched it up with my MP3 player and started a routine of Mall-walking around the almost abandoned Imperial Mall of Hastings Nebraska after I would get off work. I was alone in this mall with my walking music and my thoughts. This collection of music was in heavy rotation on my MP3 player and in my mind and heart at the time.

Waiting for the World to Change – In the days and months after the separation, I would wake in the morning and ride the stationary bike and watch VH1 morning videos.  I remember seeing this video. I liked how the song felt and moved.  After I bought the album, I remember playing this song in the car while my (then 2 year old) son was seated in his car seat behind me. He originally would sing along to the song on the chorus especially on the “WAITING” echo part.  He told me at one point that this sounded like “Uncle Mike” music and that he equated this music with my brother(his Uncle) Mike. Mike later commented that he hadn’t heard it. But, appreciated the comparison.

I Don’t Trust Myself in Loving You – my first thoughts when this song came on was that I hated the snare drum sound.  But, that’s my own drumming issue. When the sound of the snare lends to the tone of the song, then it works and it didn’t take long before the song sucked me in. 
It was a time of separation from my wife and a time of accepting the fact that we may never be together as husband and wife.  Over time, the one issue I keep coming back to when I think about the idea of remarrying and moving into another relationship is TRUST.  Can I trust another woman to stay with me in marriage for the long haul. The lyrics rang through my ears and mind. As much as I wanted to remain married, did I trust myself and her in loving again. Would I ever be able to date again and love another woman or even trust another or (as the song states) “Trust myself in Loving you”

Belief – This song had a cool sound and grooving beat that helped me to pick up my step while walking.  While I walked the (almost) deserted Imperial Mall in Hastings Nebraska.  The heat would be turned down in the mall and there were little to no stores open anymore in this mall.  I was alone in my thoughts listening to this album as I would walk.  Although Belief has some heavy lyrics about believing, beliefs and how people have their own and it’s hard to change and it’s can be used as a weapon or a shield.

Gravity – The heaviness of this song would hit me as the upbeat tempo of Belief would wind down. 

“Gravity is bringing me down”
“Gravity is working against me”
“Gravity is trying to bring me down”

at that point the modern blues of this song was hitting me as the world around me was bringing me down. I was looking at a divorce in the months ahead of me.  I was living apart from my wife and son. I missed them both. But, the line “Keep me where the light is” would offer me just a glimmer of hope to carry on.

Heart of Life- At the time, I was rather active on MySpace communicating in a daily blog entry and seeking feedback from friends. I was in frequent phone conversations with my friend Scott who I had reconnected with in recent months. I had conversations with my lifelong college buddy Bob and my compatriot from my days at the community theatre Bill S as well as my college friend Kelly. I had commented that this album was big for me and how much I was digging it at the time. I met up with Bill one day for lunch. Bill had been a fan of John Mayer and he burned a CD of his favorite Mayer tunes. When I hear this song, I think how the love of these friends shined through for me in my personal darkness.

“Pain throws your heart to the ground
Love turns the whole thing around
No, it won't all go the way, it should
But I know the heart of life is good

You know it's nothing new
Bad news never had good timing
But then the circle of your friends
Will defend the silver lining”

The line about a “Circle of friends will defend the silver lining” rang true for these friends who were there in my times of ranting and venting about my hopelessness and my (soon to be) ex-wife. Still to this day I think about these individuals when I hear this song.
Vultures – I don’t remember this song hitting me or resonating with me in any emotional way. The rhythm was steady enough that made for good walking pace. But, as I look back, the lyrics may have been subconsciously strengthening me.

“I’ll Walk through the fire
if this is what it takes
to take me even higher.
Then I’ll come through like I do.
When the world keeps
testing me, testing me, testing me”

Stop this Train – A nice easy going acoustic number that incorporates a nice little train beat. It touches on all the things I was thinking. I was months away from the finalization of the divorce. Something I didn’t want and I kept hoping for a moment of reconciliation and we would be back on track as a married couple and family of 3 again. I feared the future and the uncertainty of the future. I wanted this emotional pain out of my heart and emotions. I wanted to “STOP THIS TRAIN” 

Slow Dancing in a Burning Room – For me, the song wrapped up my marriage in a 4 minute song. As I walked, everything said in this song was what I was feeling or had felt in the time we were together. The arguments, the attempts to reconcile, and the moment where I felt us grow apart all came back rushing back to me in memories and I would feel this heaviness in my heart. I looked back on all kinds of points in our relationship that should have been red flags. I would stop walking, lean against a wall in a secluded corridor and fight back the tears that were welling up in me. 

"Can't seem to hold you like I want to
So I can feel you in my arms
Nobody's gonna come and save you
We pulled too many false alarms  

We're goin' down  

And you can see it too

We're goin' down
And you know that we're doomed
My dear
We're slow dancing in a burnin' room"

Bold as Love- Ah yes, a Hendrix cover. One of the things that had turned me on to the music of John Mayer was a sample recording I had heard of the John Mayer Trio live where he, Pino and Steve Jordan were rocking some Hendrix. This was a welcome relief to the heavy emotions I was feeling at the time and the musician side of me was able to rock to these sounds. I wanted to sit behind a drumkit and rock out to some Hendrix at this point. 

Dreaming with a Broken Heart- Here is a song that touched the barest nerve of hurt and heartbreak that I was living at the time. The opening lyric voiced the emotions I was feeling in that months between the separation and the divorce.

"When you're dreaming with a broken heart,
the waking up is the hardest part,
you roll out of bed and down on your knees
and for a moment you can hardly breathe
wondering
Was she really here?
Is she standing in my room?
No she's not cause she's gone gone gone gone. "

I was dreaming of our life together still going on. We were still together as a family. I wasn’t living with my parents and spending time away from my son. Then, I’d wake up and there I was back in my parent’s basement and worrying about my future and what I could say and do to win my wife back. 

In Repair – This was a song that described where I was in my emotional state. I wasn’t in a blissful happy state. I wasn’t broken down as I had felt many months before. I was “in repair”. I remember spending time on MySpace and writing in my “status” field that I was in repair.  I had a friend of mine at the time that basically asked me “What the hell does that mean?” I always felt it was self-explanatory.
I’m Gonna Find Another You -  At the time, this song felt like a bit of closure for the inevitable divorce.  The marriage was over as much as I didn’t want it. I had finally accepted it. The song says,

“It’s really over
You made your stand
You got me crying
As was your plan
But when my loneliness is through
I’m gonna find another you.”

I didn’t really want to find “another you”. I wanted to find someone different than what I had been through. I still haven’t found someone new. I don’t look for someone. I’m more concentrated on my own self-improvement and my own happiness.  I figure when the time is right, the right person will enter my life. I am not desperate for a new mate.
It’s been over 10 years since this album was part of my daily listening habit and daily routine. It’s taken a long time since I can listen to the album and not have the emotions I was feeling to come flooding back. Even this blog entry has been an ongoing writing process. I have finally come to a point where the hurt has dissipated. I can look back at this album and a statement that helped me grow. It comforted me at a time when I needed that comfort. The music was honest, bluesy and resonated with my emotional state.  I have testified to the music of this album to many friends of mine over the years. I can only imagine the lives this album touched apart from my own whether it was musically, lyrically or a combination of both.
As you read this, understand that this memoir was part of my own healing process. I’m happy I’ve made this journey in life and anticipate the next step of the journey. I also hope that this will help others in moments of heartbreak and getting through those troubled times and storms that many must push forward through. 
I have more blog entry drafts in my mind and my computer waiting to be finished. I’ve had more people ask me about my blog and it feels like a renewed way of sparking my own creative writing to get more finished and eventually published.

Listening habits and Favorites of 2015

Well, look at the calendar! It's January 2016. I haven't posted a new blog entry since March of 2015 and before that it was my memories of Joe Cocker when he passed in December 2014.  In mid-December, I began seeing a few favorites of 2015. My old employer and friend Dusty emailed me a list of his favorites for the year.  I put together a playlist of some of my favorites to listen to. I'm not sure how many I came up with.
So, let's take a look at some of my favorites for the year 2015(in no particular order).
Most of the albums I will list for this year are going to be bands or musicians that have been around for years. They are still big in my world and my musical spectrum.

Winery Dogs - Hot Streak

I wrote about these guys back in 2013. The "supergroup" featuring drummer Mike Portnoy, bassist Billy Sheehan and guitarist/vocalist Richie Kotzen. These are musicians that are continually working and they are masters of their individual instruments. But, they put together great songs to back up their musical prowess. There are moments of "look at all we can do on our instruments" to those moments of "We dare you to sing along with these songs."

Toto - XIV

The musicians of the band Toto have always been the creme of studio musicians since the band first formed back in the late 70's. For myself and drummers like me, this was the band that gave us the talent of drummer Jeff Porcaro who passed away in 1992 and was replaced by super-drummer Simon Phillips from 1992-2008. In fact, I thought that Toto was over with. Jeff Porcaro was gone. His brother Mike had been playing bass in the band for years and passed away last year after suffering from Lou Gehrig's disease. But, the band recorded this album with original bassist David Hungate, brother Steve Porcaro and David Paich on keyboards and synth along with vocalist Joseph Williams who sang with the band back in the 80's along with mainstay guitarist extraordinaire Steve "Luke" Lukather and session drummer Keith Carlock. The band is saying that this album felt like a natural follow-up to their 1982 album Toto IV.  This was an album that I kept coming back to for musicality and the overwhelming groove and production. It always hit me just right. This past summer they were on tour with Prog giants Yes (minus late bassist Chris Squire) and actually played here in the southwest in El Paso, TX. I missed the concert. I'm sorry I did.

Vanilla Fudge - Spirit of '67

If you've known me the last 30 years and know my drumming favorites, you know that drummer Carmine Appice is one of my all-time favorites. The first album I ever bought at Dustys Records back in the Spring of 1984 was The Best of Vanilla Fudge.  The band had been reuniting in various forms over the years. One of the musical trademarks of Vanilla Fudge is taking hits of the day and giving it a symphonic, psychedelic and bombastic makeover. They debuted back in the year 1967 with new creative covers of the Supremes' You Keep Me Hangin' On and the Beatles' Eleanor Rigby (among others). In 2015, they made a whole album of new cover songs that were hits the year they debuted(1967)  The album begins with someone introducing them as "These rad dudes from the 60's they're called Vanilla Fudge. They take these arrangements from songs that were big hits and they kind of put their symphonic, psychedelic rock trip to them. This is what's kind of coming." This intro sets up the whole album as they re-interpret songs like Heard it Through the Grapevine, I Can See For Miles, and I'm a Believer.  This album was one I would put on the headphones, listen and play drums along to. For me, listening to Carmine lay down a groove is like hanging out with an old friend.

 Whitesnake -  The Purple Album

As a longtime Deep Purple and Whitesnake fan(all lineups), I enjoyed this album. Whitesnake leader David Coverdale decided for 2015 to pay tribute to the band that originally put him in the spotlight. The story was that he had talked briefly to original Deep Purple guitarist Ritchie Blackmore after the passing of keyboard master Jon Lord. Apparently, there was talk of working together again. But, it never came to fruition. So, Coverdale and his band Whitesnake decided to do an album of Deep Purple tunes from Coverdale's days in the band and the albums Burn, Stormbringer and Come Taste the Band.  I usually shy away from albums full of covers when you can go to the original albums and listen to those. Part of the excitement I experienced from this album was watching a YouTube web series of Coverdale's "Purple" Memories. The difference with Whitesnake and Deep Purple is that Whitesnake has a dual guitarist where Purple has just one. Both Purple and Whitesnake have featured drummer Ian Paice. This new album features drummer Tommy Aldridge on the album. Aldridge has been a favorite of mine for years. So, to hear him playing these classic Purple tunes is really cool.

Zac Brown Band - Jekyll and Hyde

Once again this year, the Zac Brown Band has made my list for favorites. Their new album Jekyll and Hyde is just a great mix of different genres. From Gospel, Rock, Dance and (of course) Country, this album hits everything. So, as I've said before, it's hard to lump this album and this band into a category of just "Country". If this band had come up in the 70's, they may have been lumped into the genre of Southern Rock. I often look to this album for drumming inspiration from the band's drummer Chris "Sweets" Fryar. He even had a cover feature story this past year in DRUM! magazine. I quickly sent a letter into the magazine and was happy to see it published.

One of the songs that served as inspiration (both musically and spiritually) was the song Remedy.

Sammy Hagar and the Circle - At Your Service

As I wrote in my Favorites of 2013, I talked about Sammy Hagar and his ...and Friends album. Sammy has really seemed like an old friend. I would love to sit down and share a drink and talk with the guy. This past year, he toured with his new band known as "The Circle" which features his longtime Van Halen buddy Michael Anthony on bass, his longtime guitarist Vic Johnson and drummer Jason Bonham. Let's just say I was happy with this lineup. I continue to be a huge fan of Jason Bonham and his drumming. He's only a year older than me and he continues to inspire me behind the drumkit. To me, he seemed like the perfect addition to Sammy's solo band. Since Sammy's former drummers Denny Carmassi from Montrose and Alex Van Halen were obviously influenced by Jason's dad John "Bonzo" Bonham, it's only natural that the legacy of the Bonham name continue playing with a solid act like Sammy Hagar with 40 years of recorded history. This live album tackles songs from Sammy's years in Montrose, his solo career, Van Halen and they even cover some classic Led Zeppelin tracks too. So, the setlist was exactly what I wanted to hear with a band that continues a sound that isn't heard much anymore. In mid-December, Sammy announced that a DVD would be released of this recording. Add that to my wishlist.

Jeff Lynne's ELO - Alone in the Universe

During last year's Grammy Awards broadcast, Ed Sheeran appeared with one of my childhood favorite bands The Electric Light Orchestra AKA ELO. The Grammy crowd was on their feet dancing and even Paul McCartney was singing along to Evil Woman.  So, one of the music stories I was following this last year was the return and release of Jeff Lynne's ELO and the album Alone in the Universe. There was a pre-release album listening available a week before its release. I listened and anticipated it. I took it in. It didn't light me on fire like Fire on High or any other of the band's legacy recordings. But, some of the nostalgia associated with this band gave me cause to give the album repeated spins. Even the lead single brought back memories as Jeff sang about When I Was a Boy.

Vintage Trouble - 1 Hopeful Rd. 

I'm not sure where I heard of this band Vintage Trouble. Perhaps it was website specializing in Classic Rock. Maybe it was cover feature on the band's drummer in DRUM! magazine again. The album is soulful, rocking, funky and everything that tickles my musical funny bone. Great album from great band that's worth the listen.

These were the albums that hit me big time for the year of 2015. Another few albums that I've had some interest and have given them a couple listens.
David Gilmour - Rattle That Lock

Another solo outing from Pink Floyd guitarist David Gilmour. I liked this album. But, I felt the need to go back, enjoy and listen to some of his past solo albums. So, I really haven't given Rattle That Lock a good listen yet.

Dead Daisies - Revolucion

A Classic Rock band comprised of former members of bands like Guns N' Roses, Whitesnake and Motley Crue. Bassist Marco Mendoza(Whitesnake) Dizzy Reed(GN'R) and onetime Crue vocalist John Corabi made up this rocking band that toured the world opening up for such bands as Whitesnake and KISS. Drummer Brian Tichy played drums live with the band too. The one thing that sparked my interest was a cover of Cactus cover of Willie Dixon's Evil.

My biggest favorites of the year were the deluxe reissues of Led Zeppelin's Physical Graffiti, Presence, In Through the Out Door, and Coda.  With added sound fidelity and sound levels on this batch, it was a pleasure to dial up these songs on my MP3 player and play along on the drums. 

Musically, this year has been a busy one. I am currently playing with 2 gigging bands. One is a Blues/Rock combo known as The Morgan Brothers Band and the other is a local Country artist Vince Alten. Vince has recorded a few of his original songs in Nashville and the band he put together here in New Mexico is a really top-notch group of musicians. I'll even put up a link to the band playing a recent anniversary event at the local music store. We're planning for bigger and better things for both bands in 2016.

Happy New Year and here's to new music in 2016.

Kansas–Leftoverture and other Miracles out of Nowhere

I’ve been looking over my last bit of blog entries and I haven’t written a new one in the last 2 months.  What albums are sparking memories in me? Why isn’t anything jumping out at me? What happened to this passion I had for writing these posts? Is this what it’s like to have “writer’s block”?  Then, I saw a trailer for an upcoming documentary for a band that has been a longtime favorite of mine and this band originated from (and is named after) a state that neighbored my own home state. I’m talking about the band known as Kansas. The album I’ll be talking about is the 1976 album Leftoverture.

First of all, I want to let you know that in this blog entry I’m going to touch on things of my own spiritual life and my Christian beliefs. If that turns you off, I’m sorry. It’s a part of who I am. Where did I first hear this band? When was I first exposed to this music? For this, I go back to my childhood at about the age of 9 or 10 years old. I remember one night going shopping with my sisters. That night, I believe we went to KMart. This was odd because my dad was the manager of a locally owned department store. So, we very rarely went to other stores to buy things like this. I think my sister Connie bought the album Point of Know Return which was the album after the Leftoverture.  I’m guessing she was a fan of the song Dust in the Wind.

Through my older sisters, I remember hearing Carry On My Wayward Son on FM radio in the those years around 1976-1977.  But, what still sticks out in my mind was the TV movie trailer for the 1977 Henry Winkler film Heroes.  In my own personal history, I was a big movie watcher at this point.  My friend Brad and I would go to the movies practically every Saturday.  Of course, Henry Winkler was known to many TV audiences as “The Fonz” on the ABC Sitcom Happy Days.   But, he was an actor that I admired at that point in my young life.  I remember seeing the ad and hearing the music of Kansas and Carry On My Wayward Son in that trailer.  Before I wrote this blog, I looked online and tried to see if I could find that trailer. I had read that there was some legal issues with use of the song. But, I found the trailer. I’m posting it as part of this blog. But, it’s hard to say how long it will be up on YouTube and available to see.

1977 movie Heroes. Starring Henry Winkler, Sally Field and Harrison Ford

I’m not sure if there was ever an album copy of Leftoverture in the house growing up. I do know that the copy of Point of Know Return got played by my sister Connie and eventually made it to the cupboard of albums that were to go into Mom’s Garage Sales. I grabbed quite a few of the different albums from that group in the cupboard.  So, I added this little seed to my growing collection of music.

Fast forward to my teen years and my burgeoning obsession with music and drums. I had bought myself a set of drums and I was exploring all kinds of styles of music and drummers.  I wanted to play drums but I didn’t want my parents to worry about what kind of stuff I was listening to. During our summer family vacation in 1982, I came across an article about the band Kansas and guitarist Kerry Livgren in a Contemporary Christian Music magazine. The story was basically how Kerry Livgren had accepted Jesus as his savior and wanted his music to be a reflection of that.  The result was the 1982 album Vinyl Confessions.  I bought this album on cassette and it was one of a few cassettes that was with me constantly in the early age of walkmans and personal cassette players.  What I hadn’t realized was that original vocalist Steve Walsh had left the band and that another singer by the name of John Elefante was singing lead. At the time, I didn’t know the members of this band. I knew that Phil Ehart was the drummer from ads I had seen of him for Ludwig drums (or was it Slingerland?) Although the Vinyl Confessions album was not the multi-platinum seller like their albums of the 70’s, I would remain a fan.  But, after I bought the Vinyl Confessions album, I was eager to explore other albums of the band. At one point, I bought a “2-in-1” cassette that featured both the Leftoverture album and the Point of Know Return album.

Now I had another Kansas album(actually 2) in my collection. So, I would often put on the headphones and listen this cassette as well. In fact, during my senior year of high school, I was living with my older sister, her husband and my (under a year old) niece. I was in the downstairs and they were upstairs.  As most know with infants, they don’t sleep full nights their first year of life. So, during those nights where my niece was screaming and crying (and not sleeping), I would throw on the headphones and listen to something to try and lull myself back to sleep. At the time, I felt that the music of Kansas was less heavy than the music of Van Halen and Def Leppard that was my usual diet of music at the time. So, I would usually listen to Leftoverture start off with Carry On Wayward Son and then I would drift off into sleep during the rest of the album.

Carry On Live (2009)

The album proceeds into song like The Wall and What’s on My Mind and then into the fourth song that has (over the years) become a favorite of mine. The song is Miracles Out of Nowhere.

Another live performance from 2009.

Through listening to this album on my headphones and sleeping while it played, I’m guessing it became engrained in my subconscious. So, when I would revisit this album in my college years and later in my adult life, it would feel like an old friend I had known once before.

The band would regroup with vocalist Steve Walsh in 1986 with the album Power. But, this time around bassist Dave Hope and Kerry Livgren were not included in the lineup. Instead, Dixie Dregs guitarist Steve Morse recorded the next album Power.  I remember an acquaintance commenting how this album was better and was relieved that Kansas had gotten away from their “Christian” themed stuff.  I myself felt somewhat saddened that Livgren wasn’t in the band anymore.

In the mid to late 80’s, it became common for record companies and artists to release box sets of collected works. In the early 90’s, Sony/Columbia released a Kansas Box set of sorts. It was only 2 discs and I was wanting more. I remember reading that this compilation had been put together by a list of songs that had been voted on by die-hard fans of the band. There wasn’t a lot from the Livgren “born again” years and I felt disappointed. But, I bought it anyway. I still came back to the Leftoverture album again and again.

In the age of social media and Facebook statuses, I took it upon myself to educate my friends and family on “This Day in Music” and other pop culture and I would usually post a video by a band or artist on their respective birthdays. I would look up on various “on this day” websites and Wikipedia to find out the birthdates on different days.  I’d look for different musician’s names that I was familiar with. When I came across Kerry Livgren’s birthday, I did a search for Kansas and Kerry Livgren.  One day, I came across a video of Kerry giving a testimony of his faith and his Christian journey.  I was touched by this story and it stuck with me.

As the months would pass, I’d continue to post videos by some of my favorite  bands. When it would come to post a video for Kansas, I would try and post a live video and maybe make it a song that was a little lesser known. I wanted to post something other than Carry on My Wayward Son  and Dust in the Wind. The other song that I kept coming back to was Miracles Out of Nowhere.

In the Fall of 2012, my son’s mother told me that she and her husband were planning on moving to the El Paso and Southern New Mexico area from our home state of Nebraska. They had also wanted me to move and continue to be in the life of our (then 8 year old) son. This was a no-brainer.  I just wanted to be wherever my son was. To see him and spend time with him on a regular basis and be in his life was of the utmost importance to me. She was lucky and applied for work and found a job within a few weeks time. They had moved by Thanksgiving of 2012 and I was left to find work and move on my own.  I would apply for so many jobs online and hoping to find work. If I received any calls, they would usually end up with the employer asking me, “When can you be down here?” and my answer would usually be “Whenever you hire me.”  I became distraught, frustrated and saddened by the miles and time away from my son. I missed him so bad. I was crying my eyes out on my way to work, before I went to bed and whenever the thought of my son came into my head(which was often).  I’m told that the Bible says that when we “cry out” that God hears us. As I said, I was doing a lot of crying. So, God must have heard me.

Through the centuries, we have heard stories of people saying that God talked to them. But, it’s usually in a story from the Bible. If someone in modern times says that God talked to them, we think they are crazy.  But, if we quiet our mind and listen, God will speak to us in a way that we understand.  Why am I talking about my son and my faith in a blog about the music of  Kansas? Because on  February 4th, 2013, I believe that God spoke to me and comforted me through a couple of Kansas lyrics.

I was working on a gear forge press at a factory in Kearney Nebraska. I had taken this job because I needed work and was hoping to move back to Kearney where I had lived before my divorce.  In this factory, the workers are required to wear protective ear plugs because the machines are that loud and are damaging to the ears without. I was working 2nd shift(PM) and running a press one night. My thoughts drifted to thoughts of my son so far away and how I wanted to be near him (yet again).  Then, the lyrics for Kansas’ Miracles Out of Nowhere started repeating in my ears.

Here I am just waiting for a sign
Asking questions, learning all the time
It's always here, it's always there
It's just love, and miracles out of nowhere
It's so simple right before your eyes
If you'll look through this disguise
It's always here, it's always there
It's just love and miracles out of nowhere

and then the final chorus changes a bit.

Here I am, I'm sure to see a sign
All my life I knew that it was mine
It's always here, it's always there
It's just love and miracles out of nowhere

I stood at that press and the lyrics continued to ring through my ears and my brain. I thought to myself, “Why is this song going through my head? Why is the LYRICS to this song going through my head? I’m a drummer. I listen to the drums and the instruments. I hardly ever pay attention to the lyrics…especially for this band.”

Then, the lyrics for Carry On My Wayward Son started going in my head.

Masquerading as a man with a reason
My charade is the event of the season
And if I claim to be a wise man, it surely means that I don't know
On a stormy sea of moving emotion
Tossed about I'm like a ship on the ocean
I set a course for winds of fortune, but I hear the voices say
Carry on my wayward son,
For there'll be peace when you are done
Lay your weary head to rest
Don't you cry no more

I continued to work on the press and began to dissect the lyrics for this one. “On a Stormy sea of moving emotion. Tossed about I’m like a ship on the ocean”  That is how I felt. I was nothing but a “Stormy sea of moving emotion” and I thought about the story where Christ calmed the waters as his disciples were at sea.  I hear the voices(God) say….Carry on my Wayward Son…lay your weary head to rest and don’t you cry no more.  I thought to myself, looked up and wondered, “Did God just talk to me through a Kansas lyric?” and “What will people think if I tell them that God spoke to me in a classic rock lyric?” So, I wrote it down in a journal (with many ideas for this blog) and sat on it. I talked to my friend Pastor Scott Murrish about this. I reasoned that God knows that I’m such a music fanatic and I’m so passionate about it that he would pick a way to communicate with me in a way that I would understand. I asked Scott if he believed that this was possible and he wholeheartedly believed….and I wasn’t crazy.

This past week, I started a study in “Practicing Listening to God” at the church where I play for drums for the Praise band.  I shared my story of the Kansas songs and lyrics and the Pastor asked if I wanted to share this story with the church this Sunday.  I was more than happy to share in my own way. So, Today, I shared this story with the church and the response I got was not ‘You’re crazy for thinking God talked to you through a song.” It was a positive and an outpouring of love and support.  Some of my fellow musicians told me of songs that had touched them as well in a spiritual way. I even had a member of the church offer to make some copies of some of Kerry Livgren’s solo work too. I find it funny and amusing that for months I had wanted to share this story of Faith with the church. I felt called to share. I just didn’t know how I would go about doing it. 

Kansas will occasionally reunite with Kerry Livgren for anniversary concerts and various projects. The band will release their documentary Miracles Out of Nowhere on a DVD/CD combo on March 23rd. I have pre-ordered my copy and I eagerly await. I think about how this band has affected my life with the memories and through the music on a level more than just a band I love. But, music that affected my life and my faith as well.

The Song that started it for me!

Joe Cocker - May 20, 1944 - December 22, 2014

Today I found out of the passing of a true Rock n’ Roll original – Mr. Joe Cocker! As I found out the news on my lunch break, I began to reflect on those Joe Cocker moments of my life and how I became familiar with this unmistakable and individual talent. 

How did I “discover” Joe Cocker? I can’t remember how I first figured out who he was. It was a series of events. After seeing footage of Joe Cocker in the 60’s and 70’s, I think I would be safe to say that my older sisters were probably not fans of Joe in those years. I remember hearing bits of You Are So Beautiful as a kid. But, I think I heard of Joe Cocker when John Belushi did his stunning impression of Joe Cocker and his rendition of the Beatles’ A Little Help From My Friends on the early years of Saturday Night Live.  I don’t think it was until Joe Cocker appeared with Jennifer Warnes on the Grammy Awards in 1983 to perform their duet Up Where We Belong that I finally figured out who he was.

I remember initially thinking that this guy with the weird movements acts a lot like the caricature that John Belushi had done. As I soon learned, this WAS the guy that Belushi was imitating/paying tribute to. 

It wasn’t until I entered college and my good friend Shaun insisted we watch the movie version of the Woodstock Music Festival during the PBS Labor Day pledge weekend. In those days, the TV’s with Cable were only in the main lounge and the separate floors. So, we sat in the main lounge of Mantor Hall and watched as these classic artists ran through the sets. When Joe Cocker came on, I listened to these lyrics of a song I had known for years known as the Beatles’ With a Little Help From My Friends.   The pattern and melody of the song was different and yet fresh.  I finally made the connection to John Belushi and Joe Cocker.  At first, I didn’t understand why he acted like he did when he sang.  As the 80’s progressed and my love of music grew, I didn’t care how he acted onstage. He sounded fantastic. His definitive raspy belting voice was hard to deny. I began to love and respect the rocky raspiness of Joe Cocker.  Even my love of Led Zeppelin crossed paths with Joe Cocker as Jimmy Page played guitar on the studio version of With a Little Help From My Friends.

In 1986, the Mickey Rourke/Kim Basinger movie 9 1/2 Weeks used Joe’s version of the Randy Newman song You Can Leave Your Hat On.  This song was predominantly featured in the movie and actually was in some heavy rotation on MTV.  Years later, my friends in the Kearney cover band Fear of Flying added You Can Leave Your Hat On  to their set. One night as the band played, I sat in front of the stage and began miming my own version of the John Belushi /Joe Cocker impression. It got big laughs. At one gig, I asked the keyboard player Jon Coleman if they could play it. He said they would play it if I got up and sang it in my Joe Cocker impression.  I agreed even if I couldn’t remember all the words.  But, until the band played the song, I sat in the back of the bar with his (then) wife and his in-laws and they kept buying me drinks. So, I eventually performed it drunkenly with all the spastic Joe Cocker mannerism as well. Also, this gig happened to be in my childhood hometown of North Platte Nebraska. My childhood friend Mick played drums and his parents came to see him play. But, when I got up and did my Joe Cocker impression and rendition of You Can Leave Your Hat On, Mick’s parents didn’t know whether I they should applaud me or feel bad because I was moving in a spastic Joe Cocker moves. Mick’s brother Dan had to explain that I was doing an impression of Joe Cocker and that I really didn’t sing like that.

In the summer of 1990, my fellow Dustys Records employee Jayson Obrecht called me to ask if I was interested in tickets to see Stevie Ray Vaughan at Fiddler’s Green in Denver with Joe Cocker in mid July. As a huge SRV fan, I obviously said yes.  Joe Cocker was incredible to hear. Many of the songs were so well played. His band was fantastic including the outrageous bassist TM Stevens. At one point, Joe made the comment to the audience that he broken a couple ribs recently before the concert and to excuse him if he winced a bit.  I remember thinking “I don’t think anyone is going to notice” just because of his onstage movements.

When I finally bought my own stereo system along with a CD player, one of my earliest CD purchases was Joe Cocker Live and With a Little Help From My Friends.  It wouldn’t be long until these songs would become some all-time favorites.

One of those songs that became a favorite would be the song Feelin’ Alright written by Dave Mason. The live album starts out with that song I love the percussion on it with congas laying down a funky groove and soulfulness of the song.

Win

Of course, this song is classic for a historic pairing of both Joe Cocker and his imitator John Belushi on Saturday Night Live. Apparently, the story was that John Belushi had the wardrobe and costume department make an identical outfit for John to the one that Joe Cocker would wear on the show. I still love this clip.

As I heard the news of Joe Cocker’s passing and his battle with lung cancer, I thought about the history of Rock and Soul singers and belters.  In today’s world of American Idol and The Voice, Joe Cocker probably would never make it in today’s world of popular music where an individual vocal style isn’t celebrated as opposed to how a singer appears and how they are made up for the audience.

Joe Cocker, you were one of a kind and you’ll be missed!