Styx and Yes

About a week ago I saw a STYX and Yes concert. The show had a crowd very similar to Comicon or a Dungeons and Dragons tournament.  Needless to say I had an awesome time. Not since I became a level 42 fire mage, have I experienced such a magical night. The combination of two progressive rock bands in one night may be a sign of the apocalypse, but aside from the pestering horsemen, it was one of my favorite concert experiences. Both STYX and Yes are bands from an era long forgotten by people with dimentia. I was not surprised to see that the band members of Yes aged like many rockers and childhood celebrities before them. STYX, however, seemed to be in incredible shape. They spent the whole show running around, dancing, and climbing stairs without the aid of a motorized chair that rode up and down the side-rail. I was impressed enough to write about them again.

Here are a few more gems from the most infamous river in hell, STYX.

And some more yes too:

Back, kind of

I have taken a long break from posting sentence fragments on this blog. While I was away I would occasionally think of good subjects to write about and quickly jot down a few ideas here and there. These idea will eventually make their way onto the site. In addition to not writing on this blog, I have taken on and abandoned several other projects. If you check this blog often, I encourage you to continue doing so, the frequency of when I blog can really only go up.

This song speaks for it self, myself, and my people.

A break from the young and old

I've been busy and its hard to stay fresh with who is old and not since medical technology makes it so easy to change age, gender, and so on. I'd like to transition to a more whimsical theme of things I think are funny or I would like to write about. Here is the first one:

I saw this sign and thought it was hilarious.

Lionel Brockman Richie, Jr. (born June 20, 1949), is an American singer-songwriter, musician and record producer. Since 1968, he has been a member of the musical group Commodores signed to Motown Records. Richie made his solo debut in 1982 with the album Lionel Richie and number-one hit "Truly". In an totally unrelated note, he has aged pretty well.

David Lee Roth

In my opinion, David Lee Roth has aged "ok-ish" for someone who was clearly on a tremendous amount of cocaine.

These videos are fantastic. Had I had my adult life in the 80s there is a good chance I would not have survived it.

Mick Jagger

Sir Michael Philip "Mick" Jagger (born 26 July 1943) is an English musician, singer-songwriter, actor, and producer, best known as the lead vocalist of rock band, The Rolling Stones.Here are a few things you should know about this now 67 year old rock legend.

1.  He was knighted in 2003.
2. In 2006, he was ranked by Hit Parader as the fifteenth greatest heavy metal singer of all time, despite not being associated with the genre.
3. Allmusic has described Jagger as "one of the most popular and influential frontmen in the history of rock & roll"
4. He has aged.

 

When I first was considering writing about Mick, I thought I would be taking the position that he had aged well. Then after googleing some images and only yielding results from what I though to be a wax museum, I changed my mind. Taking into consideration how hard the guy has been on his body for the last 50+ years, he has aged pretty darn well. That being said, he resembles a worn leather hand bag more then his former self.
The only thing I can safely say about him is that he has aged way better then most would think possible.

Jackson Browne

Jackson Browne (born Clyde Jackson Browne; October 9, 1948) at 62 years old still looks significantly younger then his doppelgänger, the lead singer of the band Train.

Jackson Browne

His older looking twin and lead singer of the band train.  Train is best known for their song, "Hey, Soul Sister."

Jackson Browne an American rock singer-songwriter and musician who has sold over 17 million albums in the United States alone.




Coming to prominence in the 1970s, Browne's political interests and personal angst have been central to his career, resulting in popular songs such as "Somebody's Baby", "These Days", "The Pretender", "Lawyers in Love" and "Running On Empty". In 2004, Browne was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame by his friend Bruce Springsteen. The same year, Browne received an honorary Doctorate of Music from Los Angeles' Occidental College for "a remarkable musical career that has successfully combined an intensely personal artistry with a broader vision of social change and justice".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jackson_Browne

Jon Bon Jovi

Another artist who has most likely made a deal with the devil or a great surgeon is Bon Jovi. He actually looks better now then he did 25 years ago.

 

An in addition to eternal youth, Bon Jovi enjoys a successful career, beautiful women throwing themselves at him, and (of course) millions of dollars.

Robert Plant

Robert Plant belongs on the list of artist who aged well mostly because he is still alive after touring with Led Zepplin. His pulse and spontaneous respiration aside, he actually looks fairly young still. Robert Anthony Plant was born on August 20th 1948. He is currently 62.

Micheal Jackson has aged like Benjamin Button with vitiligo and a gender identity disorder

Born a poor black boy in the ghetto Micheal Jackson grew up to be peter pan.

Note how at times MJ ages backwards, changes races, and even appears to change genders. Jokes aside he is the king of pop and loved around the world for his music.

Artists that have defied the aging process

There are many artists who seem to have found the Fountain of Youth while others have been cast down Geriatric Mountain. For example, I've always been shocked to see Madonna looking like she has yet again turn thirty, while Courtney Love looks like she was yet again institutionalized or cut off at the methadone clinic.
In dedication to those who have aged like a fine wine and those who have aged like a briefcase of cheese burgers from White Castle I am starting my next theme for my blog, "Artists that have defied the aging process." Below is a sample of some the artists you can expect to read about in the coming weeks. I am also taking suggestions, so please let me know who you think has remained forever young and who has been ravaged by father time.


Mick Jager and all of the Rolling Stones
Al Green
Eric Clapton
Peter McCarthey
Bono
George Michael
Prince
Bryan Adams

Jon Bon Jovi
Kenny Loggins
Madona

Mavin Gaye

In 1976 Marvin Gayes' marriage was about to collapse. He was also going to be imprisoned because of the massive amount of un-paid child-support he owed to his estranged wife Anna. Motown bailed Marvin out and suggested he leave the US for some time. Promoter Jeffrey Kruger arranged a European tour to start up in September 1976 and it also included a long waited visit to England for the first time in ten years.
 
dominiolinux

iTunes offers a free box of prophylactics with the purchase of this song.

Arethra FRANKLIN

Franklin should have won!









Movie production is expected 2012.

Imitation is the most sincere form of flattery

If imitation is the most sincere form of flattery, why does it still feel like I've been scooped again! Not since my pH adjusted tampoon (treatment for bacterial vaginosis) idea was stolen by RepHresh in December, have I felt more betrayed.
A few days ago a good friend of mine posted a new blog in his google status: http://songdays.blogspot.com/ If you read it, you will see right away why I felt that he had stolen my idea. He does not, however, write about the artists as I pretend to do. You may be wondering, "Why are you so upset about plagiarism when you commit it on an almost hourly basis?" I'm not actually angry, I love my friends - but not as much as I love giving them crap. 

Anywho, I should be writing about Otis Redding but to save us both some time: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Otis_Redding

Al Green

Al Green did not outright win the soul competition, he and otis redding have tied with an impressive 7 votes each (7 times larger then the number of people who read my blog). Otis will be the next one to be immortalized in a blog written at about a 3rd grade reading level.

Al Green, or Albert Greene as you may know him, is an American gospel and soul music singer. He reached the peak of his popularity in the 1970s, with hit singles such as "You Oughta Be With Me," "I'm Still In Love With You," "Love and Happiness", and "Let's Stay Together".

In 2005, Rolling Stone named him #65 in their list of the '100 Greatest Artists of All Time'. The nomination, written by Justin Timberlake, stated that "people are born to do certain things, and Al was born to make us smile." The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inducted Green in 1995, referring to him as "one of the most gifted purveyors of soul music." Greene has sold more than 20 million records, 3 of which, I have purchased.





I have the same suit at home.

ZZ Top

The end of my journey through the alphabet is over. I've decided to let you know about the awesomeness of this band is a slightly different way - without paragraphs and plagiarized Wikipedia entries (there still might be one of those).

Below is a collection of videos, songs, and fun facts about one of the most outstanding bands of the last 40 years, ZZ Top.




The band has three members, two have long flowing beards one is named Beard.

This is exactly how you get pinkeye.

ZZ Top started as a country and blues bar band in Texas, originally named moving sidewalks. They have toured and recorded with the same band members for over 40 years.






In January 1973, ZZ Top was asked by Rolling Stones frontman, Mick Jagger, to open their shows in Honolulu. Dusty Hill recalls: “ We got word that Mick Jagger heard our first album and liked it. And he wanted us to open for the Stones in Hawaii. That just blew us away. But the next thing I heard was that Stevie Wonder opened for them here in the States and actually got booed at one show. So I was scared to death.We get onstage in Hawaii with our cowboy hats, boots and jeans and you could hear a pin drop. Somebody went, ‘Oh no, they’re a country band.'”—Dusty Hill

Yes

Like most bands before the advent of MTV, Yes sounded way way cooler then they look. I've made a short list of artist who were probably too unfortunate looking to have made it in the MTV era of music.
1. Janis Joplin
2. Ram Jam
3. Mama Cass, From The Mamas and the Papas
4. Yes
5. Courtney Love

I believe these outfits were selected by JRR Tolken



Legolas can really shred.

xavier rudd

Xzibit, as you thought I would write about when I inevitable arrived on "X", will have to wait until he agrees to pimp something I own.

Xavier Rudd is an Australian singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. He was born in 1978 and grew up in Torquay, Victoria.

He has a strong reputation for his outstanding live performances at musical festivals and concerts. I saw a show of his last year in Scotland, where the crowd gladly explained to the vegetarian what the national dish hagas really was. He was not impressed.

Many of Rudd's songs incorporate socially conscious themes, such as environmentalism and the rights of Aboriginal peoples. In addition to playing the didgeridoo in many of his songs, he has also included both Australian and Canadian Aboriginal vocals in some of his songs.

 Here is Xavier Rudd with his didgeridoos, drum foot pedals, slide guitar, and several other instruments. He plays them all at the same time while solving crimes in his van with his friends and dog- it is very impressive to see.

Warren Zevon

Warren William Zevon (January 24, 1947 – September 7, 2003) was an American rock singer-songwriter and musician noted for including his strange, sardonic opinions of life in his musical lyrics, composing songs that were sometimes humorous and often had political or historical themes. Listening to Warren's lyrics make one wonder how much of the writing is dark humor or just truly dark. I've been a increasing fan of Warren Zevon since discovering he has far better songs then Werewolves of London. I think he did some of his best work lyrically with "Desperado Under the Eve" and musically his extremely dissonant song "Genius." Unfortunately, the only version of "Genius" on youtube is his last David Letterman performance which I feel does not do the song justice - the string quartet is all off.

Warren Zevon was an outstanding musician who let himself stand in the way of his own success all too often.  I listened to an interview of his a few days ago and was struck by how he let his antisocial personality affect his career. At one point in the interview he remarked on how he was hesitant to record with a band because he knew he wouldn't be able to get himself to tour with anyone. With out the band behind him, he feared he would leave the fans disappointed when their was no big sax solo or drum accompaniment.

During interviews, Zevon described a lifelong phobia of doctors and said he seldom received medical assessment. Shortly before playing at the Edmonton Folk Music Festival in 2002, he started feeling dizzy and developed a chronic cough. After a long period of untreated illness and pain, Zevon was encouraged by his dentist to see a physician; when he did so he was diagnosed with inoperable mesothelioma (a form of cancer associated with exposure to asbestos). Refusing treatments he believed might incapacitate him, Zevon instead began recording his final album. The album, The Wind, includes guest appearances by close friends including Bruce Springsteen, Don Henley, Jackson Browne, Timothy B. Schmit, Joe Walsh, David Lindley, Billy Bob Thornton, Emmylou Harris, Tom Petty, Dwight Yoakam, and others. It has been said that the decision to include "Knockin' on Heaven's Door" was his, much to the dismay of the others in the project, and his recording performance reduced the studio to tears. At the request of the music television channel VH1, documentarian Nick Read was given access to the sessions; his cameras documented a man who retained his mordant sense of humor, even as his health was deteriorating over time.


He was exceeding talented as a song writer and musician as you will hear in his songs. It's a shame to see him go.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warren_Zevon

Vampire Weekend

In my younger and more vulnerable years I attended a catholic grade school where I became friends with a class mate of mine, Ronny Murray. He and his sister, Jenny, have managed to get them selves into this video. Ronny being the man in the leather jacket holding the sign and his sister Jenny being the red headed tennis player. This is as close as I have gotten to fame (I lead a very exciting life).

U2

First I need to apologize for being extremely lazy as of late, I have no excuse. I have had more free time then ever and chose to use it towards self destructive binge drinking and eating. It was awesome.

On to U2

U2 is an Irish rock band formed in Dublin in 1976. The group consists of Bono (vocals and guitar), The Edge (guitar, keyboards and vocals), Adam Clayton (bass guitar), and Larry Mullen, Jr. (drums and percussion). Bono is often cities as holding the record for producing and being the largest turd in the world.



In reality Bono is mostly disliked for being over-the-top good. He and his band members spends a lot of time trying to good for the poor and needed. Throughout their career, as a band and as individuals, they have campaigned for human rights and philanthropic causes, including Amnesty International, the ONE/DATA campaigns, Product Red, and The Edge's Music Rising. His generosity and celebrity status brings him a lot of attention on him. The situation is reminiscent of Mark 12:41-44
"And he sat down opposite the treasury and watched the people putting money into the offering box. Many rich people put in large sums. And a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which make a penny. And he called his disciples to him and said to them, 'Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box. For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.'"
In short, Bono might find less distain if he did his charity work in a more private manner.

U2 is one of the most succesful bands of all time. U2 have released 12 studio albums and are among the best-selling groups in popular music. They have won 22 Grammy Awards, more than any other band, and they have sold more than 150 million records. In 2005, the band were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in their first year of eligibility. Rolling Stone ranked U2 at number 22 in its list of the "100 Greatest Artists of All Time".



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U2