flashbackfriday! – The Boring Old Man

Flashback Friday! In the Beginning edition

I’ve spent a lot of time over the last couple weeks both immersed in music, but also catching up with old friends and reminiscing about the “good ol’ days”. All that put me in a mood to do a flashback featuring songs we used to cover in my first REAL band. And by real, I mean we actually got out of the garage and played gigs, in front of real, live people. Sure, we were only 15 and 16 years old at the time, and were probably terrible, but that band – The Laters – would set a couple of us on a lifelong path of passionate love for live music, writing songs, performing for audiences…all that good stuff.

Ahhh…good times!

More than a couple of these are considered classics now, but this was cutting edge stuff back in 1983/84. Enjoy!

He was right, they DON’T write ’em like that anymore!

Have a great weekend everyone. Thanks for stopping by!

Flashback Friday! Power Pop edition

As I’ve mentioned a few times lately, I’ve been in a bit of a funk and having a heck of a time digging my way out of it. So today, I turned off the news, steered clear of the doom and gloom websites and jumped into some good ol’ music.

Now, I love all kinds of music – from the 1940’s all the way up through new stuff coming out today and across pretty much all genres – but when I really need a boost, when I really want to shut down the niggling voice in my head that won’t shut up about the world at large, nothing and I do mean NOTHING does it for me like Power-Pop from the mid 70’s through the mid 80’s. To this day it still gives me the feelz, in the best possible way! So without further delay, here are a few gems from days gone by. Back when music was played by musicians and vocal harmonies were sang, not multi-tracked and auto-tuned to the point of absurdity. Back when college radio was the BEST thing on the airwaves! Enjoy!

Enjoy your weekend everybody. Get out there and enjoy life!

Thanks for stopping by!

Friday Flashback! Aussie Edition.

Still lamenting the Chuch show that I missed this week, I’ve been listening to them a lot…which led me down the path back to some Australian faves from back in the day. Enjoy!

Enjoy your weekend!

Thanks for stopping by!

Flashback Friday! Southern Fried Boogie edition

Once upon a time in this Country we had a plethora of what was dubbed “Southern Rock”, and while I’m not from the South, (heck the closest I’ve ever been to “the South” was a trip to Dallas decades ago!) a lot of this music really spoke to me. Maybe it’s that Tennessee Rebel blood in my veins, who knows…

Anyhow, it was a good time in music, just good, old fashioned Rock and Roll! Musicians that could actually play their instruments, solid songwriting, some clever lyrics along the way… Good times!

I recently heard a song on the radio – yes, that’s right, I still occasionally listen to <gasp!> “terrestrial” radio – that sparked the idea for this flashback.

I present some of my old favorites from the Southern Boogie days. And just for kicks, and to really get at the heart of the music, I searched out live versions of my favorites. Enjoy!

Last but certainly not least, and sort of an “honorable mention” as most people don’t consider them a Southern Rock act, but Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers originally hail from Gainesville, FL which as I understand it is every bit as Southern as the rest of “the South”, despite the influx of retirees from up North. The Southern charm just oozes outta their music!

Enjoy your weekend! And thanks for stopping by!

Flashback Friday! Hairspray and Distortion Pedals

As I have mentioned in previous posts, my musical inclination runs more toward ‘alternative’ music, but long before that label was tacked on, we were just called ‘punks’, and if you were part of that clique, listening to the music of the “Top 40” was heresy, much less heavy metal.

That being the case, 80’s metal was sort of my ‘dirty little secret’… I certainly was not a metal head or ‘headbanger’, but I can’t deny a good song, regardless of the genre.

In all honesty, in the case of most metal bands, I like A song of theirs. There are a couple bands that had a few songs that grabbed me. If I had to name one metal band from the era that I actually liked, without question I’d say RATT, was the one. For me, Warren DiMartini was the best lead guitarist in the genre and drummer Bobbi Blotzer was top of the pack too.

Likewise, there were a TON of bands from that era that were simply horrible. Just gawd-awful, cheap imitators, trying to make the record labels some money. And don’t even get me started on “Power Ballads”!!!

Anyhow, here are a few from back in the day that I still get a kick out of. Let your hair down, crank up the speakers to ’11’ and let ‘er rip!

If you get this, you’re my kind of people!

Enjoy your weekend. Thanks for stopping by!

Flashback Friday: Get your brass up!

Today’s Flashback is dedicated to the musicians that are literally breathing life into their music, the Horn Section. Enjoy!

SUPERGROOVE, The best thing to ever come outta New Zealand!

Diamond Dave and his monsters having some fun.

I wish they did more like this one!

Joe, telling it like it is.

Kid Creole, one of a kind!

A comedy classic, with a legendary riff!

A funky groove will always be hip!

Have a great weekend everyone.

Thanks for stopping by!

Flashback Friday!

It’s been awhile since I’ve done a Flashback Friday, but I recently went down a wonderful musical rabbit hole and felt compelled to share.

Today I present “the Jangle Sound” from the 1980’s. Enjoy! Rickenbackers and reverb, oh my!!

One of my Top 10 favorite songs of the era! And a great live band!

Unlike anything anyone had ever heard before. Groundbreaking.

Another college radio darling from when college radio was THE source for new music.

Awesome band, too clever for the mainstream.

This guy…should have been a household name.

No idea what this song is about, but always liked that pulsating bass line.

Not necessarily my favorite tune from these guys, but an eternal classic nonetheless.

Thanks for stopping by! Get out and enjoy the weekend!

Flashback Friday: Deja vu edition

I first heard this song my Freshman year of high school and it resonated with me immediately. It was the era of the Reagan/Bush years, the Cold War, iran-contra, the moral majority, holes in the ozone layer… To say the least, I felt the future was beyond uncertain and my distrust in “the powers that be” – whether gov’t or religion began to take root.

Some 40 years later, those roots have become a mighty tree and the lyrics of this song ring more true than ever. Sadly…

Not that I was ever naive enough to think “rock and roll can change the world, man!” but you’d think if this stuff was so obvious 40 years ago we’d have fixed at least something by now. Alas, we’re still being taken for fools.

Anyhow, I’ve had a dark cloud hanging over me all week and this tune just seemed to fit. My apologies for the gloomy nature. I’m heading to the coast to clear out the sludge.

Enjoy the weekend everybody!

Flashback Friday: The Rain edition

Weather here in “sunny California” has been dark, wet and dreary this week. In the Bay Area at least… So here we go, the Rain edition!

Here’s hoping we see a little bit if Spring next week!

Have a great weekend everyone! And thanks for stopping by!

Friday Flashback! Reminiscing…

After a short break on drumming due to *life getting in the way, I’m getting back into the groove (no pun intended) ‘cuz I have an audition coming up next week. More on that later, maybe.

Anyhow, when I practice by myself, I typically pull up one of two playlists on Spotify that I curated specifically to drum to, pop the in-ear monitors on and let ‘er rip.

I’ve got some studio time this weekend to practice prior to the audition and decided it’s time for a new playlist for inspiration.

The band I’m going to play with is a cover band doing old-school R&B, funk, disco…you know, the typical wedding reception band. So in anticipation of that vibe, today’s Flashback Friday is the Reminiscing edition, going back to the tunes I was hearing as a kid on the ol’ AM transistor radio. Enjoy!

To be perfectly honest, as a drummer these are not exactly exciting songs. But strictly as a fan of music, you cannot deny the appeal, and longevity of the old-school groove!

Have a great weekend everybody! And thanks for stopping by!