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Here is their comment after the verdict was announced:

You can click here to see my entire story, but the jury ruled that while Jimmy Page and Robert Plant may have had access to the song at some point, it didn’t constitute copyright infringement!

Source: Led Zeppelin “Stairway To Heaven” Courtroom Update! Jimmy Page Testifies!! Homage Or Theft?

Paul McCartney’s One Time Only Supergroup – Macca’s “Rockestra!”

The great “Rockestra Theme” is one of Paul McCartney’s great instrumentals – and the last song ever performed with Wings! It’s also a Grammy winning song that started a whole new category for those awards…time to celebrate this song – performed by an all-star band!

“Rockestra” Visits Abbey Road!

The song “Rockestra Theme” is the last song on the “Back To The Egg” album, and was recorded on October 3 1978 at Abbey Road Studios by an all-star collection of musicians dubbed “Rockestra”!

The studio was full of big name musicians taking part – take a look at the music video – you will see a number of familiar faces!

The All-Star Band!

A lot of friends were there that day playing on the record. Among the Musicians who performed on this song:

David Gilmour from Pink Floyd, The Who’s Pete Townshend, and legendary Led Zeppelin drummer John Bonham, along with Zeppelin bandmate John Paul Jones!

Thanks to youtube, here is a vintage ten minute promotional reel of the recording session for the song – wth lots of guest appearances and fun behind-the-scenes moments!

In a 2001 interview on VH1, McCartney said Keith Moon was to have taken part in “Rockestra” but died one month before the recording sessions took place.

The Concerts For The People Of Kampuchea!

The “Rockestra Theme” was a great collaboration from a number of great Musicians.

The song was performed one more time – live this time, at an amazing charity event. “The Concerts for the People of Kampuchea” was a huge fundraising concert that featured Queen, The Clash, The Pretenders, The Who, Elvis Costello, Wings, Robert Plant and many more artists – it took place at the Hammersmith Odeon in London, England in December 1979 to raise money for the victims of war-torn Cambodia.

Here is a look at the tracks that are on the live double album – which I own:

The event was organized by McCartney and Kurt Waldheim, and it raised a ton of money – and more importantly awareness – for the war-town country.

One Whole Side Of Wings”

The double album included a whole side of Wings music – along with some Beatles AND a new McCartney solo song, “Coming Up!” – check it out!

These concerts helped raise money for a great cause, and the concert and album was a great success. It was however, the last time that Wings would perform live…

Time To “Rockestra” Live!

The huge finale was the live performance of the “Rockestra Theme”, with an all-star cast onstage.

Here is that amazing live performance, with a stage full of guitarists, led by Pete Townsend:

Polish That “Silver Wear”!

Most of the Rockestra wore silver suits for this performance – except for Pete Townsend, who decided not to – you can see him standing out on the live performance – because he’s the one without the Silver Coat!

The Song Gets Grammy Gold!

The live version of “Rockestra Theme” is terrific, and it is always great to see musicians taking part in good causes like this. Even though the song wasn’t a hit, “Rockestra Theme” won the first Grammy for Best Rock Instrumental Performance.

In fact, the album wasn’t a hit as well…”Back To The Egg” didn’t perform like the band’s previous work – music had changed and the songs seemed out of touch with the times…it is, however, another brilliant album by the group.

Here is an in depth look at the “Back To The Egg” album, the last from Wings.

https://johnrieber.com/2015/09/30/paul-mccartneys-cracked-back-to-the-egg-the-all-star-rockestra-band-a-musical-farewell-to-wings/

Wings lasted about the same amount of time as The Beatles did, and they had massive hits like these:

Read all about the chaotic events that led to this masterpiece here:

https://johnrieber.com/2016/05/01/band-on-the-run-paul-mccartneys-triumph-over-adversity-classic-chaos-creation/

Wings were a huge band throughout the 70’s, including the classic “Venus And Mar” – see the music videos here:

https://johnrieber.com/2016/06/07/venus-and-mars-paul-mccarneys-classic-rock-show-an-almost-lennon-mccartney-reunion/

The second Wings album is one of my favorites, the great “Red Rose Speedway”…see some great music videos here:

https://johnrieber.com/2015/08/21/paul-mccartneys-brilliant-ram-2-wings-soar-with-red-rose-speedway/

Of course, the band had a rough start – the first Wings album was a critical and commercial disaster!

You can see videos from this first Wings album, and read some great trivia as well here:

https://johnrieber.com/2016/02/13/paul-mccartneys-wild-life-the-disastrous-debut-of-wings-mccartneys-plea-to-john-lennon/

As I said, Wings performed “Coming Up” at the concert, but it was actually Paul’s next single from his solo album:

“McCartney II” was very experimental, and has grown in stature in time – it is another one of his brilliant albums – see the music videos here:

https://johnrieber.com/2015/11/28/mccartney-ii-paul-mccartneys-experimental-masterpiece-the-secret-stories-of-mccartney-ii/

Let me know if you own the “Concert For Kampuchea!”

Frankfurters For The Holidays!

I love the internet. It gave me this classic ad, for a holiday Frankfurter dish courtesy of “Mrs. Damon Runyon!”

Note the “Creamed diced carrots in onion cups” that go along with it…and after a fine meal like that on Christmas day, you need a smoke!

Classic Celebrity Holiday Smoking Ads!

As you can see, everything we love is on the internet – like these holiday cigarette ads with celebrities shilling cartons of smokes as a holiday gift!

Can you imagine that today? Still, really funny to see these classic ads pop up – and there are tons of ads showing celebs shilling smokes all year long as well, like this one with John Wayne:

After all that food and smoking, you may need an Alka-Seltzer – don’t worry, Sammy Davis Jr. has you covered:

I love that all of this vintage Hollywood stuff is on the internet – for example, do you want to see pictures of Celebrities playing with their food?

Yes, now you can own a picture of Robert Plant eating an ice cream cone – rather sloppily I might add…check out tons of celebrities playing with their food here:

https://johnrieber.com/2015/05/18/hilarious-internet-trend-celebrities-play-with-their-food-sex-bacon-bikinis-elvis-tasty-pics-of-the-stars/

Speaking of celebrities and food, did you know that legendary Actor Humphrey Bogart used to sell chocolates?

How could you NOT buy these treats knowing that Bogie approved of them? See a lot of funny celebrity ads here:

https://johnrieber.com/2016/09/26/hilarious-celebrity-product-endorsements-stallone-humphrey-bogart-wacky-ads-galore/

There you go, more celebrity fun courtesy of the internet!

Classic Rock!

Well, as you can see Roger Daltry and Pete Townsend are over the moon with excitement about this new post. Take a moment to be impressed with just HOW HIGH Townsend leaps during his guitar playing!

For many, “classic rock” is the greatest genre of music ever thanks to The Who and many other bands. Classic rock consists of timeless songs like “Layla”, “Freebird”, “Smoke On The Water” and many, many more…but what is the greatest rock anthem of all time?

“Valhalla, I Am Coming…”

Led Zeppelin created some of the great rock songs of all, with lyrics like these:

“Hammer of the gods will drive our ships to new land.
To fight the hordes and sing, and cry.
Valhalla, I am coming…”

Just seeing pictures of Led Zeppelin in concert tells you that this band KNEW they were mythical: HAMMER OF THE GODS indeed!

But did they record the greatest rock anthem of all time? As I said, there are many contenders to the throne…

Here are three choices for you to ponder, beginning with a group considered the greatest of all time:

Look at that: in just six years, The Fab Four would go from clean-cut suits in classic black’n’white photos to the greatest single concert event ever captured – their London “rooftop” performance of all new material for the documentary “Let It Be”.

It would be, of course, the last time they ever performed together – and it’s an amazing experience to see – in fact, the “Let It Be” documentary was briefly released on VHS, and I have a copy – see some of the great moments here:

https://johnrieber.com/2013/04/06/let-it-be-the-beatles-lost-documentary-londons-live-beatles-rooftop-concert/

The Beatles have so many great songs, but there has always been one that was more “anthemic” than all the others:

The Epic Brilliance Of “Hey Jude!”

It begins with some of the most iconic lyrics in music:

“Hey Jude, don’t make it bad
Take a sad song and make it better
Remember to let her into your heart
Then you can start to make it better”

It’s a song that runs longer than seven minutes, Paul singing a song of support to John’s young son Julian, as his parents were getting a divorce.

The band invited a studio full of friends and fans to join them for a live performance of the song, an iconic moment in music…

“Hey Jude” begins as a soft ballad, slowly building before exploding into an audience participation chant of the chorus – it was the longest single ever released at that time.

Here is the amazing “promo film”, introduced in the studio by David Frost, and it begins with a minute of goofiness before the camera cuts to Paul’s closeup, and he awaits his cue to begin:

WOW.

That video has been viewed more than 64-million times! That’s tough to beat, right? You can see all of the promotional films recorded by the band on their incredible new music video release:

You can see more videos and the entire “Hey Jude” film here:

https://johnrieber.com/2015/09/18/the-beatles-exclusive-new-release-incredible-beatles-music-videos-the-beatles-1-is-here/

So, how do you top that? Well, do these lines strike a “classic rock” chord?

A “Bustle” In My “Hedgerow?”

Yes, Led Zeppelin have stormed into the discussion, with their greatest song ever!

Without a doubt, “Stairway To Heaven” includes some of the most unique lyrics in rock history – and the most memorable!

“If there’s a bustle in your hedgerow, don’t be alarmed now,
It’s just a spring clean for the May queen.”

Jimmy Page was one of rock’s greatest Guitarists, and along with Singer Robert Plant, they wrote one of the most mystical songs of all…lyrics like this:

“And if you listen very hard
The tune will come to you at last.
When all are one and one is all
To be a rock and not to roll.”

“To Be A Rock And Not To Roll” Indeed!

Well, these lyrics are known by every rock fan – from what is widely referred to as the greatest rock song of all time – the incredible musical suite known as “Stairway To Heaven”:

The song is from Led Zeppelin’s fourth album, known as “Zoso” or “Runes” – it’s a masterpiece, from the opening song “Black Dog” to the brilliance of “Rock And Roll” and straight through to the end – but one song immediately reached iconic status:

The Majesty Of “Stairway To Heaven!”

It’s a brilliant song with some of the most-known lyrics of all time:

“There’s a lady who’s sure
All that glitters is gold
And she’s buying a stairway to heaven.
When she gets there she knows
If the stores are all closed
With a word she can get what she came for.
Ooh ooh and she’s buying a stairway to heaven.”

Here is the band performing the song live in 1975 from Earls Court in London – with the great Robert Plant ad-lib in the middle of the song:

“do you remember laughter?”

WOW. What an incredible performance by the greatest hard rock band of all time.

The slow build, the dramatic shift to hard rock, and the softly sung final lyrics…amazing.

All of the band’s music has been remastered with tons of extras – massive box sets that include rehearsals and alternate takes, plus great music videos as well – see more detail here:

https://johnrieber.com/2014/08/01/led-zeppelin-iv-remastered-zoso-zeppelins-top-5-singles-hoth-remastered-too/

So, there you have it – two of the greatest rock songs of all time – um, wait, there’s one more?

“Who”?

Yes, indeed!

The Who “Won’t Get Fooled Again!”

Before any title is bestowed upon The Beatles or Led Zeppelin, I want to make a case that The Who really nailed the rock anthem in 1971 with their classic “Won’t Get Food Again”!

“I’ll tip my hat to the new constitution
Take a bow for the new revolution
Smile and grin at the change all around
Pick up my guitar and play
Just like yesterday
Then I’ll get on my knees and pray
We don’t get fooled again
No, no!”

Pete Townsend wrote the song, a epic statement about youth, rebellion, revolution and acceptance – eight minutes of rage, anger and energy that reaches a crescendo with what is, without a doubt, the greatest howl in rock history:

“Yeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!”

It’s almost impossible to accurately capture the power of this guttural primal scream that Roger Daltry performs in this song:

The song has great musicianship, two different solo bridges, changes in tempo, and of course, THAT SCREAM.

What follows that scream is a summation that is cutting – and iconic in rock history – as these lyrics end the song:

“Meet the new boss
Same as the old boss…”

Anger, rage – and acceptance that nothing will ever change…

Pete Townsend is famous for his powerful guitar work – and circular assault on the instrument – throughout the song – but the lyrics are just so incredibly powerful – match by the energy of the entire band – here is an amazing performance of the song live from 1977 – one of the greatest live rock songs of all:

The Who continue to perform 50 years on, and you can still see them with the same youthful energy and passion for music as always – here is a look at their 50 year anniversary:

https://johnrieber.com/2014/10/16/the-whos-new-song-the-who-hits-50-tours-2015-who-i-am-pete-townshend-tells-us-who-he-is-warts-and-all/

Let me know your favorite rockers of all time!

Time To Make Some Music – Alphabetically!

I love music, and thanks to my friend “Beetley Pete” from England, there’s a great way to celebrate – one letter at a time! Pete did this “letter by letter” look at music, and I’m going to do it as well…

How it works is simple:

You can use a song that begins with the letter “A” – or you can use a band with that letter, like this:

ABBA – “When I Kissed The Teacher”:

The band name begins with “A” – so check out the pop majesty of this quartet from Sweden, who spoke no english!

Yes, ABBA is terrific, and their music lives on decades later…and if the band’s name doesn’t begin with “A”, then the song must:

The Beatles – “All You Need Is Love”

You get the idea – and if you’ve never seen the fab four singing this song live, here you go – a video seen by the entire world:

Beatles – All You Need Is Love from SimDo on Vimeo.

A timeless classic. Of course, you can see all of The Beatles’ promo videos like this on their blu-ray collection – check out the list of great moments here:

https://johnrieber.com/2015/09/18/the-beatles-exclusive-new-release-incredible-beatles-music-videos-the-beatles-1-is-here/

Another “A-List” song comes from one of my favorite bands:

Aerosmith – “Dream On!”

Aerosmith announced their arrival with this amazing song – check out a live version of their first smash hit “Dream On”:

Time to look at a Singer/Songwriter who had some huge smash hits – for others! She wrote big hit singles for Barbra Streisand, The Fifth Dimension, Three Dog Night and Blood, Sweat & Tears!

Laura Nyro wrote the classic song “And When I Die” – check it out, a much more raucous, joyous version than the hit single released by Blood Sweat & Tears:

Nyro was a muse to Todd Rundgren, who discussed her influence on his music many times – see the story here:

https://johnrieber.com/2013/10/25/brilliant-laura-nyro-todd-rundgrens-muse-their-beautiful-musical-history-together/

As A Todd Rundgren fan, I can share with you one of his most beautiful songs:

“A Dream Goes On Forever” – Todd Rundgren:

Here is Todd’s beautiful ballad, performed live:

This song is from his terrific album “Todd” – see more about it here:

https://johnrieber.com/2016/04/25/todd-another-four-sided-plastic-waffle-todd-rundgrens-eclectic-gem/

Time now to take you to a decade that featured this look:

“Antmusic” – Adam And The Ants

Here is a “double A” effort, as Adam And The Ants gave us “Antmusic”, with some of my favorite lyrics ever:

“So unplug the jukebox
And do us all a favor
That music’s lost its taste
So try another flavor
Antmusic!”

Check out the video:

If you love this stuff, click here to see more 80’s music from such classic Artists as A Flock Of Seagulls!

https://johnrieber.com/2016/01/20/classic-80s-brit-pop-animal-style-flock-of-seagulls-adam-ant-bow-wow-wow/

If you are a fan of British music, try the band Athlete – I used to joke that they were for people who found Coldplay too hard-edged…actaully, they are terrific, and here is proof –

Athlete “Shake Those Windows”:

here is the band performing one of their big hits live:

Yes, it’s a bit mellow, but I love how it builds to a crescendo, and I think they are one of the great newer Brit bands – here is a look at other “one word” band from England I love, like Elbow, Doves and more!

https://johnrieber.com/2014/09/21/the-new-british-invasion-keane-athlete-doves-elbow-kasabian-long-live-rock/

Thanks again to Beetley Pete for starting this great exercise in music – Pete posts great stuff about music, movies, and especially walks with his terrific dog Ollie – follow him here:

https://beetleypete.wordpress.com/?wref=bif

Let me know your favorite “A” song or Artist!

Looking For The Right “C” Note?

I am looking at songs and musical Artists one letter at a time, and today it’s all about the C’s…let’s get started with a classic trio who make this list because of the first person mentioned in the group:

Crosby, Stills & Nash!

This legendary group was also +Young once in awhile, but one of their later hits showcases the amazing harmonies of just CSN:

“Southern Cross”

This classic early 80’s album included a great song about sailing, love, and longing…

“Think about how many times I have fallen
Spirits are using me larger voices callin’
What Heaven brought you and me cannot be forgotten

(Around the world) I have been around the world
(Lookin’) Lookin’ for that woman girl
(Who knows she knows) Who knows love can endure
And you know it will…”

A terrific song with beautiful harmonies…here they are performing it live:

It’s from a great album called “Daylight Again” – see more music videos here, including their great hit “Wasted On The Way”:

https://johnrieber.com/2017/06/18/crosby-stills-nash-see-daylight-again-terrific-music-from-stephen-stills-and-graham-nash-the-reluctant-return-of-david-crosby/

From sailing to surfing – The Beach Boys weigh in with two classic “C” songs:

“California Girls” by The Beach Boys

Who doesn’t know these lyrics?

“Well East coast girls are hip
I really dig those styles they wear
And the Southern girls with the way they talk
They knock me out when I’m down there
The Mid-West farmer’s daughters really make you feel alright
And the Northern girls with the way they kiss
They keep their boyfriends warm at night
I wish they all could be California
I wish they all could be California
I wish they all could be California girls!”

Check out this vintage TV performance from 1965:

The Boys came back a year later with a hauntingly beautiful ballad:

“Caroline, No” by The Beach Boys

From the brilliant album Pet Sounds, Brian Wilson told his story of longing and loss:

“Where did your long hair go
Where is the girl I used to know
How could you lose that happy glow
Oh, Caroline no…”

Here is Brian performing it live in 2013:

Fifty years on, Brian Wilson is performing again live, and here is the last Beach Boys song he ever recorded, the haunting “Summer’s Gone”:

https://johnrieber.com/2014/10/10/god-only-knows-all-star-bbc-music-video-summers-gone-for-the-beach-boys-classic-surfs-up/

Now, time for some classic power pop from a band that always seemed to have “tongue in cheek”:

The Cars – “My Best Friend’s Girl”

The Cars were Ric Ocasek’s invention, and he wrote catchy pop hits with interesting lyrics.

We begin with their debut album, which launched them into stardom with their first power pop hit, “My Best Friend’s Girl” – ANOTHER song about longing and loss:

“When she’s dancing ‘neath the starry sky
Ooh, she’ll make you flip
(Here she comes again)
When she’s dancing ‘neath the starry sky
I kinda like the way she dips
She’s my best friend’s girl
She’s my best friend’s girl
But she used to be mine”

Here is a great live version from 1978:

There is always room on any list for a classic Beatles song – or in this case, a Beatles song that Paul wrote and gave to another band to record!

“Come And Get It!” by Badfinger / Paul McCartney!

When Apple signed Badfinger, Paul gave them a hit song – and when the Beatles Anthology was released, we got to hear that Paul recorded it exactly the way he wanted them to record it…he still performs it today – here is a great live version from 2011:

It was the theme song to a movie starring his bandmate Ringo Starr and Peter Sellers – check out the madness of “The Magic Christian” here:

https://johnrieber.com/2013/05/02/ringo-starr-the-fab-fours-magic-christian-madness-raquel-welch-dominatrix-great-solo-music/

Next up, a song inspired by one of the greatest anti-war film ever!

How can you have a list of “C” bands and not include these guys?

The Clash is one of my favorite bands, and while there are so many songs to choose from, such as “I’m So Bored With The USA”, “Train In Vain Stand By Me)”, “Rock The Casbah” and “Should I Stay Or Should I Go?”, I will go with a terrific song off of their sprawling, messy three-record masterpiece known as “Sandinista!”

In a nod to one of my favorite films of all time, “Apocalypse Now”, The Clash delivered a smooth, sultry take on Robert Duvall’s classic line from the film:

The Clash “Charlie Don’t Surf!”

“Charlie don’t surf and we think he should
Charlie don’t surf and you know that it ain’t no good
Charlie don’t surf for his hamburger Momma
Charlie’s gonna be a napalm star”

Here is the band performing the song live in 1982:

Next up, timeless music from one of the most popular bands of the 70’s:

Creedence Clearwater Revival

Lead singer/Songwriter John Fogerty still tours today, playing such timeless hits as “Proud Mary”, “Traveling’ Band” and “Down On The Corner”.

“Born On The Bayou” and “Bad Moon Rising” were both pure “swamp rock”, a southern vibe that felt very authentic – even though they were from San Francisco’s bay area!

Here is the band performing “Bad Moon Rising” on TV in the late 60’s:

“Proud Mary”, “Fortunate Son” and their 11-minute version of “Heard It Through The Grapevine” were also huge hits, but by the end of their run, they were world-weary, as evidenced by one of their last hits:

“Have You Ever Seen The Rain?”

The party boogie was long gone, replaced by a band that had written about the war in Vietnam, the student protest in the US, and other deeply political songs:

“Someone told me long ago
There’s a calm before the storm
I know it’s been comin’ for some time
When it’s over so they say
It’ll rain a sunny day
I know shinin’ down like water
I want to know
Have you ever seen the rain?
I want to know
Have you ever seen the rain
Comin’ down on a sunny day?”

Here is a live performance from 2011 by John Fogerty, his voice still terrific:

Finally, Parrotheads can rejoice that Jimmy Buffett wrote one of the greatest songs ever about food!

Cheeseburger In Paradise

A song that celebrates America’s greatest hand-held food!

Cheeseburger in paradise
Medium rare with mustard’d be nice
Heaven on Earth with an onion slice
I’m just a cheeseburger in paradise.

I like mine with lettuce and tomato
Heinz 57 and French fried potatoes
Big kosher pickle and a cold draught beer
Well, good god almighty, which way do I steer…

Jimmy Buffett has created a huge business out of his Margaritaville restaurants, because his songs are fun, upbeat and a good time – here he is with a classic live performance of “Cheeseburger In Paradise:

There you go, now I’m hungry! If you are hungry for more great music, how about this guy from the 80’s – and the “A” list?

Yes, “Antmusic” is just one great song from the letter “A” – here are more:

https://johnrieber.com/2017/11/09/music-from-the-a-list-a-new-ongoing-celebration-of-music-one-letter-at-a-time/

And if you love to surf, then you’ll love the music from the “B” list:

Timeless classics from The Beach Boys, The Beatles and Bowie of course – all right here:

https://johnrieber.com/2017/11/12/dance-to-the-beat-of-this-great-b-music-the-musical-alphabet-continues/

Listen To Adam Levine’s Great “L” Song Along With Keira Knightley!

I was faced with a ton of great options when I tackled “songs or Artists with an “L”, because there are so many timeless classics – but here are some to consider, beginning with one of today’s most successful Artists!

“Lost Stars” by Adam Levine

Adam Levine fronts Maroon 5, hosts “The Voice” and acts as well – like here, when he gives a terrific performance and does a gorgeous rendition of this song from the movie “Begin Again”, which he stars in with Mark Ruffalo and Keira Knightly…

“God, tell us the reason youth is wasted on the young
It’s hunting season and the lambs are on the run
Searching for meaning
But are we all lost stars, trying to light up the dark?”

Here is the Maroon 5 frontman singing the Oscar-nominated “Lost Stars” in the film:

“Begin Again” was one of the best films of 2014 – absolutely terrific – and Keira sings a version of the same song in the film as well, as well as many more terrific songs – it’s a killer soundtrack – you can see the trailer here:

https://johnrieber.com/2014/10/19/begin-again-best-films-of-2014-maroon-5-soundtrack-mark-ruffalo-keira-knightley-adam-levine/

Here is another “L” song – and it’s from a movie as well, but the combo of movie and Artist is not what you would expect…

“Late For The Sky” by Jackson Browne

This classic song from the mid-70’s is actually seen in a clip on TV in the brilliant film “Taxi Driver!”

That’s right, Travis Bickle is watching American Bandstand on TV as Browne’
s brilliant, haunting song is played – and it makes complete sense, as these haunting lyrics could be speaking directly to the psychotic “Taxi Driver” Bickle:

“How long have I been sleeping
How long have I been drifting alone through the night
How long have I been running for that morning flight
Through the whispered promises and the changing light
Of the bed where we both lie
Late for the sky”

Here is Jackson Browne performing the song on a TV show in the 70’s:

Jackson Browne has had an incredible career, and still releases great new music – click here to see a new video that talks about “Winslow Arizona” from his latest album – since he co-wrote The Eagles hit “Take It Easy”:

https://johnrieber.com/2014/11/21/never-running-on-empty-brilliant-new-jackson-browne-music/

Jackson Browne certainly has a 70’s folk rock sound in the clip – in the 80’s, music sounded much different, thanks in part to this band:

“Love My Way” by The Psychedelic Furs

This song was released in 1982 and to me, accurately captures the sound of that decade…

“Love my way, it’s a new road
I follow where my mind goes
So swallow all your tears my love
And put on your new face
You can never win or lose
If you don’t run the race”

Here is the original music video:

Of course, the album was produced by the legendary Todd Rundgren, who aside from having his own brilliant musical career, produced albums from Meatloaf, Daryl Hall & John Oates, XTC and Patti Smith among many others…here is a look at his producing career:

https://johnrieber.com/2014/04/25/hall-oates-meatloaf-funk-todd-rundgrens-top-5-producing-efforts/

Todd also performed with his band Utopia, and one of their concert set pieces may have inspired the next “L” band on the list:

Yes, the legendary Spinal Tap make the “L” list – and why not? They were stars of one of the greatest comedies of all time – and they bring with them a great “L” song!

“(Listen To The) Flower People” by Spinal Tap

Yes, “England’s Loudest Band” started as a “hippie pop” group, and “This Is Spinal Tap” is a hilarious “mockumentary” that begins with the band’s early years:

“Listen to what the flower people say
Ah
Listen, it’s getting louder every day
Listen, it’s like a bolt out of the blue
Ah
Listen, it could be calling now for you.”

Here is the clip from the movie where the band perform this “flower power” hit from the late 60’s:

Later, the band tries a more progressive sound, but their new stage set malfunctions. That’s right, one of their “eggs” wouldn’t open!

As I mentioned, Todd Rundgren’s band Utopia used similar set pieces, and the “Tap” eggs may have been inspired by that early set piece fiasco – read all about it here:

https://johnrieber.com/2014/02/05/this-is-spinal-tap-greatest-cult-film-worlds-worst-album-covers-terrific-tap-trivia/

Last but certainly not least, there has to be room on an “L” list for the greatest rock and roll band of all time:

“Hammer Of The Gods!”

Yes, Led Zeppelin of course, and I could have chosen a dozen songs to include: “Kashmir”, “Whole Lotta Love” – and don’t worry, you’ll see “Stairway To Heaven” on an upcoming list, so I had to include this iconic rock classic:

Led Zeppelin – “Immigrant Song”

It all begins with a chant like howl from Robert Plant, then right into these iconic lyrics:

“We come from the land of the ice and snow
From the midnight sun, where the hot springs flow
The hammer of the gods
W’ell drive our ships to new lands
To fight the horde, and sing and cry
Valhalla, I am coming!”

“Hammer Of The Gods” indeed!

Here’s a time capsule – when Led Zeppelin played the song live in 1970!

The greatest of all time – and all of their albums have been remastered with lots of rehearsal material – check it out here:

https://johnrieber.com/2017/01/09/happy-birthday-jimmy-page-led-zeppelin-remasters-zoso-and-so-much-more-zeppelins-top-5-singles/

Let me know what “L” songs I missed!

Songs with the letter “O” includes two of my favorite films of all time, the scathing “anti-Art Garfunkel” song written by Paul Simon – and some classic Led Zeppelin as well! Let’s get started with a brilliant Brian DePalma movie that was a flop when released, but has now become a classic:

“Old Souls” by Paul Williams – sung by Jessica Harper – from the film “Phantom Of The Paradise”

In 1974, Director Brian DePalma made a rock’n’roll retelling of the classic movie “Phantom Of The Opera.” He hired Composer Paul Williams to write the film score AND star in the movie!

Williams is amazing in the film, as is the late William Finley as “The Phantom.” Jessica Harper also starred in the movie as Phoenix, the woman the Phantom loved, so he wrote a song just for her – and only her – to sing:

“Our love, is an old love baby
It’s older than all our years
I had seen in strangers eyes
Familiar tears
We’re old souls, in a new life baby
They gave us a new life to live and learn
Some time to touch old friends and still return
Our paths have crossed and parted, this love affair was started
Long,long ago”

Here is Jessica Harper’s haunting performance from the film:

My wife Alex and I chose this song as our first dance at our wedding – we love this song, and the film, and there is an amazing blu-ray out that has a ton of behind-the-scenes material, including a lengthy conversation between Williams and Director Guillermo del Toro, the acclaimed Director of “The Shape Of Water” who is an avid fan of the film – read more here:

https://johnrieber.com/2014/02/27/cult-classic-phantom-of-the-paradise-guillermo-del-toro-talks-up-paul-williams-great-new-special-edition/

Next up on my “O’ list is another song from a brilliant movie:

“O Lucky Man!” by Alan Price

After Malcolm McDowell’s brilliant performance in “A Clockwork Orange”, he conceived and starred in this modern retelling of the “Candide” story, as an ambitious young man learned just how harsh the world can be:

Director Lindsay Anderson made a masterpiece, and McDowell has never been better – and the music from the film is just as great:

“If you have a friend on whom you think you can rely you are a lucky man
If you’ve found the reason to live on and not to die you are a lucky man

Preachers and poets and scholars don’t know it
Temples and statues and steeples won’t show it
If you’ve got the secret just try not to blow it
Stay a lucky man!
A lucky man!”

Price was the original keyboardist for the group The Animals, and he also has a role in the movie…in fact, much of the soundtrack is played onscreen by the band in the film.

Here is the movie’s title track, from the film’s opening credits, when Price plays the song while Director Lindsay Anderson moves about during filming:

This is my second favorite film of all time – brilliant in every way – and “Seinfeld” pays homage to it! Yes, there is a very specific episode of “Seinfeld” with a scene directly from the movie! See the whole story here:

https://johnrieber.com/2013/03/22/o-lucky-man-malcolm-mcdowells-seinfeld-connection/

From brilliant movies to a brilliant duo who broke up in the most public way possible – by way of a song on their final album!

“The Only Living Boy In New York” by Simon & Garfunkel

This is the song that broke them up – as Paul explains on this terrific live performance I am about to share, he wrote the song after Garfunkel left him to make the film “Catch-22” – leaving him waiting in New York to record the “Bridge Over Troubled Waters” album…

“Bridge” ended up as their final album as a duo…for those who don’t know, they got their start as “Tom & Jerry”, which explains the song’s first lyrics, as Simon shares his frustration about waiting for Garfunkel to return from the film set:

“Tom, get your plane right on time
I know your part’ll go fine
Fly down to Mexico
Do-n-do-d-do-n-do and here I am,
The only living boy in New York”

Here is the live performance, with Paul’s intro setting up the meaning of the song:

There was much more to the breakup than just this song, but Paul’s scathing lyrics didn’t help, that’s for sure! You can read all about it here:

https://johnrieber.com/2017/08/10/the-only-living-boy-in-new-york-paul-simon-skewers-art-garfunkel-over-catch-22/

Next up, a band with the letter “O” – not that well known, but they have a monster ballad I want to share!

Orson – “Look Around”

Orson was a band from LA in 2000 – while they were very successful in England, they never really broke big in the US, which is a shame, because this song is absolutely gorgeous!

Here is the powerful ballad “Look Around” – stay to the end when it builds to a huge finale!

They are worth checking out – finally, here is art greatest rock and roll band of all time – as this picture shows, they really were “rock gods!”

“Over The Hills And Far Away” by Led Zeppelin

From their fifth album, “Houses Of The Holy” – a slow build to classic rock – here is a great live performance by the band from 1973:

So many incredible songs from the band, and their albums have all been remastered – here is a look:

https://johnrieber.com/2014/04/11/classic-led-zeppelin-remastered-hammer-of-the-gods-x3-greatest-rock-albums-ever/

Let me know your favorite “O” songs or Artists!

Are You Ready To Rock?

I’m taking part in a “Music Monday” event, thanks to Phil Taylor, who has a great website called “The Phil Factor”.

You can see his blog here:

https://thephilfactor.com

I am sharing seven incredible concerts that I was able to see live, and yes, that includes the greatest rock band of all time, Led Zeppelin!

1 – Led Zeppelin at The Seattle Center Coliseum, 1975

I was young, but not TOO YOUNG to rock with the greatest band of all time! The Seattle Center Coliseum could barely contain them – this was at the height of their prowess as a band…

Luckily, many of these performances were captured in the band’s unique concert film “The Song Remains The Same” – and if you love the band as much as I do, you no doubt also have all of their albums remastered – here is a look at those, and my “top 5” singles from the band:

https://johnrieber.com/2014/08/01/led-zeppelin-iv-remastered-zoso-zeppelins-top-5-singles-hoth-remastered-too/

Another incredible live performer is Paul McCartney, and when Seattle’s Kingdome was built, he played the first concert there:

2 – Paul McCartney & Wings Over America at The Kingdome in 1976

Six years after the breakup of The Beatles, Paul was at the height of his popularity, and he took his band Wings around the world, releasing a triple live album that captures all of the magic of the shows:

I remember standing outside with 50,000 other fans waiting to get in, when we saw Paul and Linda on the roof of the Kingdome, looking out at us!

He played his great solo hits, new Wings songs and a few Beatles classics as well – one of the greatest live performers there is – he still performs for three hours and you know every song!

Here is a look at that show at the Kingdome, with a couple of live clips!

https://johnrieber.com/2014/07/12/paul-mccartney-wings-over-seattle-the-kingdome-implosion-seattle-sports-history/

I am a huge fan of Todd Rundgren, as those who read my blog know – and in 2016, he put on a great show filled with his greatest hits!

3 – Todd Rundgren at The Sabon Theater in Beverly Hills, 2016

Todd is out on the road now with his band Utopia, reuniting after decades apart…but in 2016, Todd toured to promote a new album, and also toured with a show that focused on his library of classic songs, like this one.

Here is Todd performing “Hello It’s Me”:

If you don’t know Todd’s music, he is an incredible Artist…here are more videos from the Beverly Hills show:

https://johnrieber.com/2016/01/07/todd-rundgren-rocks-beverly-hills-todds-2016-tour-reviewed/

I have focused on legendary performers, because when you hear them perform, you realize why they have such long and successful careers….my next Artist is no different:

4 – Stevie Wonder at The United Center in Chicago, 2014

Some don’t know that in the 70’s, Stevie Wonder released 3 albums in 4 years, and each one took home the Grammy for Album Of The Year!

In 1974, he won for “Innervisions”, the next year for “Fulfillingness’ First Finale” (beating “Bankd On The Run” from Wings), and in 1977, he won again for “Songs In The Key Of Life.”

A couple of years ago, Wonder went on the road to perform “Songs” in its entirety – confirming what a masterpiece it is!

In addition to those “songs in the key of life”, Wonder also performed some of his other hits, like this great rendition of “My Cherie Amour”:

Wonder’s voice was flawless, and he was full of energy and humor – here is a look at this show, with more videos:

https://johnrieber.com/2014/11/15/songs-in-the-key-of-life-stevie-wonders-masterpiece-live/

Sometimes, a band can wear out over time, becoming a hollow version of their best self…but not in the case of Tears For Fears:

5 – Tears For Fears at Staples Center in Los Angeles, 2017

I was surprised to hear that TFF were touring with Daryl Hall & John Oates, assuming they no longer recorded or toured….I was wrong, because in some ways they blew H&O off the stage!

Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith put on a 90-minute show filled with non-stop hits like “Shout”, “Everybody Wants To Rule The World”, “Mad World”, and this classic…

Here they are performing “Sowing The Seeds Of Love:”

I was impressed by how tight the band sounded, how energetic Roland and Curt were, and how well the music holds up…here is my story about the show, with more clips:

https://johnrieber.com/2017/10/21/tears-for-fears-incredible-live-performance-iconic-band-wows-l-a-with-their-biggest-hits/

I have posted stories about every single Eagles album, and they are another band that performs their catalog of songs with respect and passion:

6 – The History Of The Eagles at the United Center in Chicago, 2013

The group’s “history” tour coincided with the dynamite 5 hour documentary about the band…it was the last tour before Glenn Frey’s tragic demise.

Here is the band performing their classic “Take It Easy:”

The band is still performing, with Frey’s son replacing him in the band, along with country Artist Vince Gill…I am so happy I saw this show, which was dynamite, and including founding member Bernie Leadon as well – see that clip here:

https://johnrieber.com/2013/09/21/history-of-the-eagles-amazing-concert-old-friends-return/

Finally, I was lucky enough to see punk rock at its most ferocious. thanks to The Clash:

7 – The Clash at The Paramount Theater in Seattle, 1979

When The Clash toured America, it was an event, tearing up theaters across the country with their punk energy, and songs like “Janie Jones” and “I’m So Bored With The USA”…

If you never saw them live, you have a chance to relive it, because of a unique film that they co-starred in!

“Rude Boy” was a fictional film about a roadie who was friends with the band, and they shot The Clash in concert as part of the film – here are some of those clips – an incredible document of the power of punk at the end of the 70’s:

https://johnrieber.com/2014/03/09/the-clash-is-live-rude-boy-iconic-punk-music-meets-classic-cult-movie/

The Clash returned to Seattle to open for The Who at The Kingdome a few years later, and yes, The Who could top this list as well…

Let me add that I’ve seen a ton of great shows in my life, all of which could end up on this list – including:

Daryl Hall & John Oates
Pearl Jam
Oasis
Diana Krall
Elvis Costello
Neil Young
The Doobie Brothers
Glen Hansard
The Who
Bruce Springsteen

And so many more to go – let me know your favorites!

Look At This “Stairway To Heaven” Fireworks Display!

Last week we celebrated the 4th of July with tons of fireworks all across the US.

While this is two years old, I’ve never seen a fireworks display like this one – what a “firework of art”!

The YouTuber “Canadianshadowrider” offered up this information…bravo!

Stairway to heaven: Artist creates stunning 1,650ft ladder in the sky with FIREWORKS
•Cai Guoqiang used metal and gunpowder for the show in Quanzhou, China
•The ladder, which measured 18ft wide, was taken up using a hot air balloon
•Artist drew a draft of the show 21 years ago when he visited Bath, England
•It was a labour of love for Mr Cai’s elderly grandmother who raised him
•Same artist designed the spectacular fireworks to open Beijing Olympics

Here it is in all its glory:

Now, the details, as offered up by “Canadianshadowrider”:

The ladder, which was made of metal wire and aluminum, was filled with gunpowder and attached to the bottom of a hot air balloon.

The balloon, which was made with special material, was launched from a boat off the shore of nearby Huiyu Island.

Called the ‘Sky Ladder’, the project started off as a dream for Mr Cai 21 years ago when he was visiting Bath, England. He designed the performance by drawing a draft of the design on the window of an art gallery.

He said he wanted to put on a spectacular fireworks show to thank his grandmother for supporting his dream of being an artist.

‘My grandma was born in a small fishing village in Quanzhou and sold fish to help her grandson realise his artistic dream,’ the artist revealed.

As China’s most prominent fireworks artist, Mr Cai has created spectacles for a series of international events in the country, including the opening ceremony of Beijing Olympics in 2008.

He’s also well-known for using gunpowder to produce paintings.

In 2013, he created a massive 80ft long painting of his hometown Quanzhou with the impact of gunpowder explosions, which was later auctioned by Christie’s for £1.6 million.

Amazing! Bravo to this incredible Artist….but others have also used the name “Stairway To Heaven” as well:

The “Stairway To Heaven” Hiking Trail!

Yes, this amazing hiking trail in Hawaii exists, although it’s closed, but that doesn’t stop people from sneaking in…check it out here:

https://johnrieber.com/2016/07/15/hawaiis-amazing-stairway-to-heaven-incredible-and-illegal-hiking-trail/

Let me know what you these of these two “Stairways To Heaven”!

Led Zeppelin Rocks A Lake!

They were the world’s greatest rock band, no denying that, but they didn’t begin that way – in the early days they played some, shall we say, more “obscure” venues?

Like Seattle’s Green Lake?

I love this story, and only wish I had been old enough at the time to see it myself!

As Historylink.org posted:

On Sunday May 11, 1969, the up-and-coming British rock ‘n’ roll band Led Zeppelin performs a legendary concert at a most unusual venue: Seattle’s Green Lake Aqua Theatre. That theater — an outdoor stage set on the western edge of one of the town’s most popular parks — had been built in 1950 to feature shows by the Aqua Follies and so it boasted a stage with a 40-foot diving tower on each side, and a pool between the stage and the 5,000-capacity concrete grandstand. Although the theater was generally dedicated to rather light fare — “swimusicals,” comedic plays, and a jazz festival or two — by 1965 rock ‘n’ roll promoters began producing the occasional show there with pop stars such as Sonny & Cher or Ian Whitcomb. So, clearly, bringing the world’s heaviest hard-rock band, Led Zeppelin, into the place was raising the stakes in a seismic way — and the theater would ultimately pay the highest price by sacrificing its life in the wake of that thundering event.

The other band that day? Three Dog Night!

The article goes on to state:

The Seattle Post-Intelligencer reported that on that sunny day “several thousand of the whimsically clad and nearly unclad younger set” attended, but that “only about half the crowd” paid for their entry tickets — the “rest bent their freeloading ears to the amplified sounds from a variety of places. Some roosted in the trees, many crowded onto one small dock, it submerged slightly. A flotilla of canoes, rented rowboats, and rubber rafts surrounded the back side of the stage, where a few also treaded water. A hundred perched on the roof of a concession stand. And a thousand or so sprawled out on the lawns around the theater, forming a wall-to-wall carpet of human bodies.” The Seattle Times concurred: “The audience was everywhere. The benches in the Aqua Theatre were filled to overflowing … . Several energetic souls treaded water in the pool between the stands and the stage. There were even two swimsuit-clad fellows perched atop the roof of one of the diving towers.”

Bravo to History Link for this great story – you can see more here:

http://www.historylink.org/File/9232

And someone just shared this: recently, Jimmy Page returned to Green Lake!

Yes, on a recent trip to Seattle, the legendary Guitarist took a moment to go back to the scene of the concert…

Here is that story!

https://www.ajc.com/news/national/led-zeppelin-founder-jimmy-page-returns-seattle-site-where-band-played-1969/69uVAcULD9iJpwZ8u37JdM/?icmp=np_inform_variation-test

I love that!

Of course, there are some incredible books about rock’s greatest band, but perhaps none as influential as this one:

This book tells the entire story of Led Zeppelin’s rise to greatness, and it includes a very raucous story from Seattle as well…another book that tears the lid off rock is this one, about the other band to perform that day at Green Lake:

Yes, the lead singer of Three Dog Night had a rough stretch – see more about both of these classic rock’n’roll memoirs here:

https://johnrieber.com/2012/03/22/hammering-gods-todd-is-god-and-three-dog-nightmare-best-music-books-pt-2/

Let me know if you were lucky enough to see Led Zeppelin at Green Lake!