Saturday, January 15, 2011

January 15


THE ALBUM OF THE DAY
LINKIN PARK...A Thousand Suns (2010)
(CD, vinyl, Allmusic review)
I kept hearing that this was a bad album. I need to stop listening to critics, I never agree with them. This is a good record. It's not their best but it's still a good rock record. Some people would call it a rap/metal record, which it is. That' what Linkin Park does, and they do it well. It's good, you'll enjoy it if you like the rap/metal scene and I recommend it. Highlights: "The Requiem", "The Catalyst" and "Burning In The Skies"

Friday, January 14, 2011

1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die #156. The Band - The Band (1969)


156. The Band - The Band (1969)

Label – Capitol
Producer – The Band and John Simon
Art Direction – Bob Cato
Nationality – Canada / USA
Running Time – 43:54

Track Listing (standout tracks listed in bold)

1. Across The Great Divide
2. Rag Mama Rag
3. Night They Drove Old Dixie Down
4. When You Awake
5. Up On Cripple Creek
6. Whispering Pines
7. Jemima Surrender
8. Rockin' Chair
9. Lookout Cleveland
10. Jawbone
11. Unfaithful Servant
12. King Harvest (Has Surely Come)

“The Band” is the second record by the group The Band, and was released in late September of 1969. It is also known as the “The Brown Album”, in the spirit of the Beatles' The White Album. Like their debut record, this is a fine record. This one however reveals how the group were gelling as a musical unit, and with writing – or co-writing all 12 songs, Robbie Robertson established himself as a song writing force to be dealt with. His songs tell the stories based on a variety of different types of people. On "King Harvest (Has Surely Come)" it’s the story of a union worker, on "Rockin' Chair" it’s a retired sailor, and of course, Virgil Cane – a Confederate civil war observer in "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down."
Like it’s predecessor, the musical arrangements here are delivered in a loose yet structured, confident style, which lends to a appeal of the music. It makes you believe that The Band lived the life that their music canvas paints, and that they are from 19th century rural Southern life, although the members are Canadian..
When released, “The Band” peaked at #9 on Billboard's Pop Albums chart. The album includes many of The Band's best-known and critically acclaimed songs. The singles released from the lp - "Rag Mama Rag" and "Up on Cripple Creek" - peaked on the Pop Singles chart at #57 and #25 respectively. Although not picked as a single, "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down", has become a classic. Rolling Stone named it the 245th greatest song of all time. In 2003, the album was ranked number 45 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time. In 1998 Q magazine readers voted The Band the 76th greatest album of all time. TIME magazine included it in their unranked 2006 list of the 100 greatest albums. In 2009, the album was preserved into the National Recording Registry because the album was "culturally, historically, or aesthetically important, and/or informs or reflects life in the United States."
It is highly recommended.

January 14

THE ALBUM OF THE DAY
PETER FRAMPTON...Frampton Comes Alive (1976)
(CD, vinyl, Allmusic review)
The only complaint I have with this album is that the sound quality is not that great. I have not heard the 2001 release which I've been told has an improved sound to it. But for 35 years now I have enjoyed this album immensely. It is still fun to listen to, it still rocks, it's still youthful. The highlights for me are still the 3 most popular tracks..."Baby, I Love Your Way," "Show Me The Way" and "Do You Feel Like We Do". It is highly recommended, but you probably knew that anyway. Put it on, enjoy it again

ROCK BIRTHDAYS FOR JANUARY 14
Geoff Tate from Queensryche is 52; Zakk Wylde of Black Label Society is 44; Dave Grohl from the Foo Fighters and Them Crooked Vultures is 42;

ON THIS DATE
2000 David Crosby is revealed by the Rolling Stone magazine that he has fathered a child for Melissa Etheridge and her partner Julie Cypher
2002 Adam Ant is placed into a secure ward at London’s Royal Free Hospital by his family

Thursday, January 13, 2011


Listen to more Eric Clapton at Wolfgang's Vault.

1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die #155. Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin (1969)


#155. Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin (1969)

Label – Atlantic
Producer – Jimmy Page
Art Direction – George Hardie
Nationality – UK
Running Time – 44:46

Track Listing (standout tracks listed in bold)

1. Good Times Bad Times
2. Babe I'm Gonna Leave You
3. You Shook Me
4. Dazed And Confused
5. Your Time Is Gonna Come
6. Black Mountain Side
7. Communication Breakdown
8. I Can't Quit You Baby
9. How Many More Times

At true classic. This is of course Led Zeppelin’s debut record released in early January 1969. It is widely regarded as marking a significant turning point in the evolution of what we now consider hard rock and heavy metal. To me, it’s actually more like an incredible blending of blues and rock.
“Led Zeppelin 1” (as it is generally called) is an lp consisting of powerful guitar riffs from Jimmy Page with a backdrop of simple, memorable songs belted out by Robert Plant and held together by the pounding drum and bass rhythms of John Bonham and John Paul Jones respectively. There is however an emphasis on subtlety. Not a barrage of guitar fills and a wall of noise, it’s more like a painted masterpiece with subtle shading and textures, filling the music canvas - but leaving spaces that are filled with alternating tempos and multi-layered stereo panning passages.
All of the tracks here could be labeled as ‘stand out’ tracks, and the record plays like a ‘best of’! There is the extended psychedelic blues of "Dazed and Confused," "You Shook Me," and "I Can't Quit You Baby", the acoustic driven "Babe I'm Gonna Leave You" which shifts from folk to rock. "Good Times Bad Times" and "How Many More Times" have groovy, bluesy shuffles with the latter turning out into a full blown jam that I dare you to sit still through! Then there’s "Your Time Is Gonna Come", almost what could be considered a anthem rocker with a sing along chorus, and "Communication Breakdown" a balls out wild rocker. And this is their debut record!
The album was very commercially successful. Within two months of its release the album had reached Billboard's Top 10. It stayed on the Billboard chart for 73 weeks and held a 79-week run on the British charts.
In 2003, VH1 named “Led Zeppelin” the 44th greatest album of all time, while Rolling Stone ranked it 29th on the magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.
It is HIGHLY recommended.


You can purchase the CD here, and the vinyl here

January 13

THE ALBUM OF THE DAY
ROBERT PLANT...Sixty Six To Timbuktu (2003)
(CD, Allmusic review)
What a great listen this was. It's a 2 disc set, with disc 1 being Plant's hits and strong album cuts from his first 8 solo albums. Disc 2 is rarities with some tracks that were recorded before he was a member of Led Zeppelin, going back to 1966...thus the name Sixty Six To Timbuktu. What I found unbelievable is that this set only made it to number 134 on the US Billboard album charts. I thoroughly enjoyed both discs and I recommend you give it a listen

TOP 10 ROCK CD'S/LP'S/DOWNLOADS FOR THIS WEEK (1-13-2011)
(1)1. KID ROCK...Born Free
(4)2. BON JOVI...Greatest Hits...The Ultimate Collection
(5)3. LINKIN PARK...A Thousand Suns
(2)4. KINGS OF LEON...Come Around Sundown
(3)5. JOURNEY...Journey's Greatest Hits
(8)6. HINDER...All American Nightmare
(6)7. MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE...Danger Days: True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys
(Re-enter)8. ELTON JOHN/LEON RUSSELL...The Union
(7)9. A DAY TO REMEMBER...What Separates Me From You
(9)10. AVENGED SEVENFOLD...Nightmare


ROCK BIRTHDAYS FOR JANUARY 13

Trevor Rabin, formerly with Yes, is 57; James Lomenzo of Megadeth is 52; Graham "Suggs" McPherson from Madness is 50;

ON THIS DATE

1967 The Rolling Stones appear on 'The Ed Sullivan Show'
1969 Yellow Submarine album by the Beatles is released
2003 Pete Townshend of The Who was arrested in London on suspicion of possessing indecent images of children. He was later cleared

IN THE NEWS
Kate Hudson, Muse's Matthew Bellamy Expecting a Baby
Duran Duran Go Back to the Eighties With Mark Ronson
25 Things You Don't Know About Steven Tyler

ROCKLINE with Bob Coburn
Monday, January 17 THE DAMNED THINGS 11:30 PM Eastern/8:30 Pacific Listen here
Wednesday, January 19 QUIET RIOT 11:30 PM Eastern/8:30 Pacific Listen here
Does your local rock station carry Rockline? Find out here

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

January 12

THE ALBUM OF THE DAY
DISTURBED...Asylum (2010)
(CD/DVD, vinyl with bonus CD, Allmusic review)
If you like hard rock/heavy metal you should check out this album. This is a fun album, and it rocks...totally. I love how it starts off with an instrumental track called 'Remnants' which then segues into the title track 'Asylum'. Other highlights: 'Another Way To Die' and 'The Infection'. I recommend it for all hard rock/heavy metal lovers.

ROCK BIRTHDAYS FOR JANUARY 12
Charlie Gillingham from the Counting Crows is 51; Rob Zombie of White Zombie is 45; Zack de la Rocha of Rage Against The Machine is 41; Dan Haseltine of Jars Of Clay is 38;

ON THIS DATE
1977 Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones is fined for possession of cocaine that was found in his vehicle after he had had a car accident in 1976
1993 The Doors, Cream and Creedence Clearwater Revival are inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame
1995 Led Zeppelin, Janis Joplin, the Allman Brothers Band and Neil Young are inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame
1998 Gene Vincent, Carlos Santana, The Eagles and Fleetwood Mac are inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame
2006 Axl Rose of Guns 'N' Roses sues Beverly Hills Classic Cars alleging that the dealership violated an oral agreement with him by failing to deiver two luxury vehicles
2010 Y Not by Ringo Starr is released


CENTRAL FLORIDA CONCERT DATEBOOK
Saturday, February 12 HUEY LEWIS AND THE NEWS Sea World Orlando

IN THE NEWS
Drowning Pool 'Devastated' Arizona Killer Played Its 'Bodies' Song
Exclusive: Perry Farrell Opens Up About New Dave Sitek-Produced Jane's Addiction LP
Steven Tyler Says 'American Idol' Will Not Stop Aerosmith From Making New Record

ROCKLINE with Bob Coburn
Wednesday, January 12 CHICKENFOOT 11:30 PM Eastern/8:30 Pacific Listen here
Monday, January 17 THE DAMNED THINGS 11:30 PM Eastern/8:30 Pacific Listen here
Does your local rock station carry Rockline? Find out here

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Playlist: Bob Marley


Bob Marley remains the most widely known and revered performer of reggae music, and is credited with helping spread both Jamaican music and the Rastafari movement to a worldwide audience. For today's playlist we present 10 tracks from Bob and the records I found them on. Sync And Enjoy!

1. Mellow Mood - 1970 - Songs of Freedom
2. Trench Town Rock - 1976 - Songs of Freedom
3. Concrete Jungle - 1973 - Catch A Fire
4. Natural Mystic - 1977 - Natural Mystic
5. Three Little Birds - 1977 - Songs of Freedom
6. Easy Skanking - 1978 - Songs of Freedom
7. Don't Rock My Boat - 1973 - Legend Lives On
8. So Much Trouble In The World - 1979 - Rebel Music
9. Bend Down Low - 1967 - Talkin' Blues
10 - War - 1976 - Songs of Freedom

1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die #154. Quicksilver Messenger Service - Happy Trails (1969)


#154.Quicksilver Messenger Service - Happy Trails (1969)

Label – Capitol
Producer – Uncredited
Art Direction – George Hunter
Nationality – USA
Running Time – 50:08

Track Listing (standout tracks listed in bold)

1. Who Do You Love
2. When You Love
3. Where You Love
4. How Do You Love
5. Which Do You Love
6. Who Do You Love
7. Mona
8. Maiden Of The Cancer Moon
9. Calvary
10. Happy Trails

“Happy Trails” was the second album of the band Quicksilver Messenger Service, and turned out to be the last one with all the original band members. This falls under the category ‘band I had heard of, but never had listened to any of their music before’. What a JAMMING record this was!! I enjoyed this record immensely, and played it several times in a row!
The album, which was recorded live recorded at the Fillmore East and at the Fillmore West, is basically just two songs, Bo Diddley's "Who Do You Love?" and "Mona," with extended jam sections each given a specific track name. The first ‘side’ is "Who Do You Love?" split into an beginning and ending segment, with four distinct sections for the respective band members to show their stuff. ‘Side’ two - "Mona" and its companion piece "Calvary," continue in the same fashion. It all comes to a crashing end with a brief cover of Roy Rogers and Dale Evans' "Happy Trails," – which lends the album it’s title!
The playing is just top notch and it’s easy to see why QMS was considered the equals of Jefferson Airplane and the Grateful Dead in the early beginnings of the psychedelic music genre coming out of the Bay area in the late 60’s. Although ultimately not as commercially successful as those bands, this record proves that they were, for a time, their equals.
In 2003, the album was ranked number 189 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time. It is HIGHLY recommended.


You can purchase the CD here, and the vinyl here

What We're Listening To This Week (1-11-2011)

WHAT WE'RE LISTENING TO THIS WEEK
TRACKS
SALIVA...Nothing
ALL THAT REMAINS...Hold On
BOB AND TOM BAND...MILF Next Door
APOCALYPTICA/DOUG ROBB...Not Strong Enough
HOLLYWOOD UNDEAD...Hear Me Now
BLESSTHEFALL...Hey Baby, Here's That Song You Wanted
HELLYEAH...Better Man
GARY HOEY...Walk Away
GREGG ALLMAN...Just Another Rider
GERRY RAFFERTY...Baker Street
BLACK SABBATH...The Wizzard
BON JOVI...Wanted Dead Or Alive
THE GRATEFUL DEAD...Cosmic Charlie
DAVID BOWIE Playlist
STEVIE WONDER Playlist
CURTIS MAYFIELD...Playlist

ALBUMS
DUSTY SPRINGFIELD...Dusty In Memphis
GERRY RAFFERTY...City To City
ELVIS PRESLEY...From Elvis In Memphis
THE VELVET UNDERGROUND...The Velvet Underground (Third Album)
JOURNEY...Journey's Greatest Hits
KINGS OF LEON...Come Around Sundown
JOHN LENNON...Shaved Fish
PETER FRAMPTON...Frampton Comes Alive
DISTURBED...Asylum
ROBERT PLANT...Sixty Six To Timbukto

January 11

THE ALBUM OF THE DAY
GEORGE HARRISON...Extra Texture (Read All About It) (1975)
(CD, vinyl, Allmusic review)
When this album came out in 1975 the critics just hated it. To this day I have never figured out why as this is a very good record. Even the Allmusic review is favorable, giving it 3 1/2 out of 5 stars. Highlights for me are "Ooh Baby (You Know That I Love You)", "This Guitar (Can't Keep From Crying)" and "The Answer's At The End". If you're a Beatles fan, a George Harrison fan or a soft rock fan you'll enjoy this album and I recommend it for your collection. Extra Texture peaked at number 8 on the US Billboard album charts, and so far, unfortunately, has not been remastered


ROCK BIRTHDAYS FOR JANUARY 11
Clarence Clemons is 69;

ON THIS DATE
2000 After only 4 months Sharon Osbourne resigns as manager for the Smashing Pumpkins, saying that Billy Corgan was making her sick
2003 Mickey Finn, formerly with T. Rex, died in Croydon, Surrey, UK. Finn was 55
2004 Ted Nugent receives 40 stitches after cutting himself with a chainsaw while filming a reality show for VH1 “Surviving Nugent: The Ted Commandments"
2005 A federal appeals court dismisses a lawsuit brought agains Kid Rock by former business associates who accused him of violating trademark and copyright-infringement laws
2005 Spencer Dryden of the Jefferson Airplane (1966-1970) dies in Penngrove California. Dryden was 66
2011 Thank You Happy Birthday by Cage The Elephant is released
2011 Showroom Of Compassion by Cake is released


IN THE NEWS
Green Day Confirms 'Awesome as F**k' Live Album in New Trailer
Chris Martin Says New Coldplay Disc Is About Love and OCD
John Lennon's first car up for auction

ROCKLINE with Bob Coburn
Wednesday, January 12 CHICKENFOOT 11:30 PM Eastern/8:30 Pacific Listen here
Monday, January 17 THE DAMNED THINGS 11:30 PM Eastern/8:30 Pacific Listen here
Does your local rock station carry Rockline? Find out here

Monday, January 10, 2011

Playlist: Curtis Mayfield


Curtis Mayfield is a winner of both the Grammy Legend Award (in 1994) and the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award (in 1995),and was a double inductee into The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, inducted as a member of The Impressions into The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1991, and again in 1999 as a solo artist. He is also a 2 time Grammy Hall of Fame inductee. For today's playlist we present 10 tracks from Curtis and the records I found them on. Sync And Enjoy!

1. Move On Up - 1970 - The Anthology 1961-1977
2. People Get Ready - The Impressions - 1965 - The Anthology 1961-1977
3. So In Love - 1975 - There's No Place Like America Today
4. The Makings Of You - 1970 - The Anthology 1961-1977
5. Jesus - 1975 - There's No Place Like America Today
6. We The People Who Are Darker Than Blue - 1970 - Move On Up: The Best Of
7. Choice of Colors - The Impressions - 1969 - The Anthology 1961-1977
8. To Be Invisible - 1974 - Sweet Exorcist
9. Billy Jack - 1975 - There's No Place Like America Today
10. Keep On pushing - The Impressions - 1964

Sunday, January 9, 2011

New Releases

THE ALBUM OF THE DAY
KINGS OF LEON...Come Around Sundown (2010)
(CD, vinyl, Allmusic review)
This was the first album I've ever listened to by Kings Of Leon. They have made a big splash in the music world as their albums are selling well (this one peaked at number 2 on the Billboard album charts). I thought of U2 while listening to the record, while all the while they were defining themselves very well. It's a catchy melodic album, has some good tracks on it. If you're more into classic rock sounding albums this is not for you. If you're open to new music check it out, you'll like it


NEW RELEASES
January 11
New
CAKE...Showroom Of Compassion (vinyl)
CAGE THE ELEPHANT...Thank You Happy Birthday
EDIE BRICKELL...Edie Brickell
IGGY AND THE STOOGES...Thousand Lights: Live In 1970

Greatest Hits, Compilations, Reissues
ELMORE JAMES...Hits And Rarities
DEEP PURPLE...Burn (180 gram vinyl)
DEEP PURPLE...Live at Montreux 2006 (vinyl)
TED NUGENT...Cat Scratch Fever (180 gram vinyl)
POISON...Look What the Cat Dragged In (180 gram vinyl)
JIMI HENDRIX...Blues (2 LP vinyl)
THE CULT...Pure Cult: The Singles (1984-1995) (vinyl)
LOVE AND ROCKETS...Sorted! The Best Of Love And Rockets (vinyl)

DVD, BLU-RAY
JOHN LENNON/YOKO ONO...Lennon NYC (Blu-ray)
ALTER BRIDGE...Live From Amsterdam (Blu-ray)
CREED...Live (blu-ray)
WHITE LION...Concert Anthology 1987-1991 Deluxe Pack (DVD)

January 18
PEARL JAM...Live On Ten Legs (vinyl)
GREGG ALLMAN...Low Country Blues (vinyl)
STEVE LUKATHER...All's Well That Ends Well

Reissues
STEVIE RAY VAUGHAN/ALBERT KING...In Session (vinyl release)
ALAN PARSONS PROJECT...X2 (I Robot/Eye In The Sky)

ROCK BIRTHDAYS FOR JANUARY 10
ABSOLUTE ROCK BIRTHDAYS FOR JANUARY 10
Ronnie Hawkins is 76; Rod Stewert is 65; Aynsley Dunbar formerly with Jefferson Starship, Whitesnake and Journey, is 64; Donald Fagen from Steely Dan is 62; Scott Thurston from Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers is 58; Pat Benatar is 57; Michael Schenker from the Scorpions is 55; Curt Kirkwood of the Meat Puppets is 51; Brad Roberts of the Crash Test Dummies is 47; Matt Roberts from 3 Doors Down is 32; Brent Smith from Shinedown is 32;

ON THIS DATE
1964 The Beatles' first album in the United States, Introducing the Beatles, was released
1977 Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones is found guitly of cocaine possession
2003 Stolen tapes from the Beatles Let It Be sessions are found in the Netherlands
2005 Gene Simmons of Kiss is sued by Georgeann Walsh Ward claiming Simmons made her out to be a nymphomaniac in the VH1 Kiss documentary "When Kiss Ruled The World"
2007 Don Henley and Glenn Frey of the Eagles file a $537,000 lawsuit against a South Korean insurance company that they accuse of using their group's ballad "Desperado" illegally


CENTRAL FLORIDA CONCERT DATEBOOK

Tuesday, January 11 STYX The Plaza Theater Orlando

IN THE NEWS
Trent Reznor to Score 'Girl with the Dragon Tattoo' Movie
Elvis' 76th Birthday Celebrated by Fans, Rescued Chilean Miner
Nikki Sixx and Denise Richards Call It Quits

ROCKLINE with Bob Coburn
Monday, January 10 DEFAULT 11:30 PM Eastern/8:30 Pacific Listen here
Wednesday, January 12 CHICKENFOOT 11:30 PM Eastern/8:30 Pacific Listen here
Does your local rock station carry Rockline? Find out here

Playlist: Stevie Wonder - Music That Moves You



Stevie Wonder has recorded more than thirty U.S. top ten hits and received twenty-two Grammy Awards, the most ever awarded to a male solo artist. Wonder is also noted for his work as an activist for political causes, including his 1980 campaign to make Martin Luther King, Jr.'s birthday a holiday in the United States. In 2009, Wonder was named a United Nations Messenger of Peace. In 2008, Billboard magazine released a list of the Hot 100 All-Time Top Artists to celebrate the US singles chart's fiftieth anniversary, with Wonder at number five. For today's playlist we present 10 tracks from Stevie that are emotionally and physically moving, and the records they can be found on. Sync And Enjoy!

1. Big Brother - Talking Book 1972
2. All I Do - Hotter Than July 1980
3. I Was Made To Love Her - I Was Made To Love Her 1967
4. Superwoman (Where Were You When I Needed You) - Music Of My Mind 1972
5. As - Sings In The Key Of Life1976
6. I Don't Know Why - For Once In My Life 1968
7. Hapiper Then The Morning Sun - Music Of My Mind 1972
8. That Girl - Original Musicquarium I 1981
9. I Believe (When I Fall In Love It Will Be Forever) - Talking Book 1972
10. Living For The City - Innervisions 1973

January 9

THE ALBUM OF THE DAY
JOURNEY...Journey's Greatest Hits (1988)
(CD, Allmusic review)
15 million sold and counting. It only reached number 10 on the US Billboard album charts but it continues to sell around a million units a year. It currently is number 44 on the charts. Pretty good for an album that's 23 years old. It is a fun listen, containing all the favorite Journey hits we all know and love. I highly recommend it for your collection


ROCK BIRTHDAYS FOR JANUARY 9
Joan Baez is 70; Jimmy Page from Led Zeppelin is 67; David Johansen (aka Buster Poindexter) of the New York Dolls is 61; Eric Erlandson formerly with Hole is 48; Carl Bell from Fuel is 44; Dave Matthews is 44; Steve Harwell of Smash Mouth is 44;

ON THIS DATE
1975 The Beatles partnership is officially dissolved in court
1984 1984 by Van Halen is released
2005 Vince Neil of Mötley Crüe marries longtime girlfriend Lia Gerardini in Las Vegas with Tommy Lee and Nikki Sixx attending
2010 Gilby Clarke, formerly with Guns 'N' Roses, suffers a broken leg following a hit-and-run while he was riding his motorcycle


IN THE NEWS
Exclusive Album Stream: Cake's 'Showroom of Compassion'
For fans, Graceland is Elvis

ROCKLINE with Bob Coburn
Monday, January 10 DEFAULT 11:30 PM Eastern/8:30 Pacific Listen here
Wednesday, January 12 CHICKENFOOT 11:30 PM Eastern/8:30 Pacific Listen here
Does your local rock station carry Rockline? Find out here

Saturday, January 8, 2011

Playlist - David Bowie 1970-1980



David Bowie is widely regarded as an innovator, particularly for his work in the 1970s, and is known for his distinctive voice and the intellectual depth of his work. For today's playlist we present 14 tracks from those 'classic' years 1970-1980, and the records they can be found on. Sync And Enjoy!

1. The Man Who Sold The World - The Man Who Sold The World 1971
2. Changes - Hunky Dory - 1971
3. Five Years - Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars 1972
4. Life On Mars - Hunky Dory 1971
5. Starman - Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars 1972
6. Lady Grinning Soul - Aladdin Sane 1973
7. The Jean Genie - Aladdin Sane 1973
8. John, I'm Only Dancing - ChangesOneBowie 1976
9. Young Americans - Young Americans 1975
10. Fame - Young Americans 1975
11. Warszawa - Low 1977
12. "Heroes" - Heroes 1977
13. Ashes To Ashes - Scary Monsters 1980
14. Up The Hill Backwards - Scary Monsters 1980

January 8



R.I.P. Phil Kennemore of Y&T

THE ALBUM OF THE DAY
RUSH...Moving Pictures (1981)
(CD, vinyl, Allmusic review)
The 8th studio album from Rush is absolutely superb! It is my favorite of all Rush albums, and the general public must agree as it is the most successful record in the band's history, selling more than 4 million copies in the US alone. The album reached number 3 on the US Billboard album charts. My favorite Rush song ever is on Moving Pictures, "Red Barchetta". The other 6 are also great tracks, with the highlights being "Tom Sawyer", "YYZ", and "Limelight". It is highly recommended for your collection

ROCK BIRTHDAYS FOR JANUARY 8
Robby Krieger from The Doors is 65; David Bowie is 64; Mike Reno of Loverboy is 56; Jeff Abercrombie from Fuel is 42;

ON THIS DATE
1935 rock-and-roll legend Elvis Presley was born in Tupelo, Mississippi
1974 Kiss signs with Casablanca Records
1979 The Canadian government names Rush the “Ambassadors of Music”
1991 Steve Clark of Def Leppard is found dead in London due to excess alcohol mixed with antidepressants. Clark was 30

CENTRAL FLORIDA CONCERT DATEBOOK
Saturday, January 15 .38 SPECIAL Silver Springs Silver Springs
Saturday, January 29 GRAND FUNK RAILROAD Silver Springs Silver Springs

IN THE NEWS
Phil Kennemore, Y&T Bassist, Dies at 57
Steven Tyler Wants To Record New Aerosmith LP, But He Can't Find Joe Perry
Vinyl Sales Increase Despite Industry Slump

ROCKLINE with Bob Coburn
Monday, January 10 DEFAULT 11:30 PM Eastern/8:30 Pacific Listen here
Wednesday, January 12 CHICKENFOOT 11:30 PM Eastern/8:30 Pacific Listen here
Does your local rock station carry Rockline? Find out here

Friday, January 7, 2011

A Commentary


By R Barr

Lately I have been thinking about the quality of the reproduction of the music that I listen to. Like many others, I embrace the ease of loading all of my music onto a computer and transferring them to my iPods as it is very convenient for me to carry all of my favorite bands ENTIRE collections with me wherever I go. The question is, now that the excitement of this revolutionary device has died down, and it is now common place in my life, have I happily traded fidelity for portability and convenience? Are iPods and compressed files sucking the life out of the music I so enjoy?
The answers sadly to both questions is yes. No doubt the compressed mp3 files are ‘thinner’ sounding, many times crackly and tinny sounding. What’s even worse, new releases these days are engineered louder knowing the end user will either buy it compressed to begin with, or rip their own CD’s for their devices, which eliminates sounds and range contained on a recording. You would think knowing these things would make me trash the ipod and go back to only CD and vinyl, but convenience has trumped sound in the overall scheme of things.
One factor is when I listen to music. The majority of the time it is in the car to and from work – and at work on my ipod ready portable speaker system. I rarely listen to music at home anymore with all the other factors of life occupying that time. (Grand kids, favorite TV shows, sports, etc..). I used to just sit and listen to music growing up. It was an activity. The other side of this however, is that I actually listen to MORE music now than I have at any other time in my life. That is a direct result of the iPod’s portable convenience. The downside would of course be it becomes the background while I am doing something else rather than being THE thing that I am doing.
I have however retained my listening habits. I’ve never been a ‘mix tape’ kinda guy, I’m an ‘album guy’, and I preferred to listen to an artist work from start to finish, in the order it is on an lp or CD. I still do this even on the iPod. It is incredibly simple to create play lists on the iPod, heck you can even have it create them for you, but I prefer to listen to one artist instead of moving from one artist’s song to another’s. To me there is an art to listening to music, and the move to the jukebox-style playlist mentality delivery of songs was one compromise that I can say with pride I did not make.
So what to do? Well I will never abandon my iPod. It has become my central music delivery system, and shows no sign of being replaced any time soon. But to combat the degradation of sound quality in this MP3 era, I’ve started re-ripping my favorite music into a ‘lossless’ format, preserving the sound closer to it’s original intent. With external hard drives getting larger and cheaper all the time, storage of these much larger files is really not the issue of space and cost that it once was.
What’s lost is that there was a magical almost romantic quality with the album that has been lost in reducing the packaging and music that was inside to digital content. I do long for the days of listening to music on vinyl, holding the large sleeve, checking the sides to make sure it is centered correctly, looking at the lyric sheet, watching the label turn on the turntable. You felt like you were buying something to be cherished and that you became a part of. We will never feel that simply downloading a few files.

1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die 153. The Velvet Underground - The Velvet Underground (1969) (Third Album)


1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die 153. The Velvet Underground - The Velvet Underground (1969) (Third Album)

Label – MGM
Producer – The Velvet Underground
Art Direction – Dick Smith
Nationality – USA
Running Time – 43:59

Track Listing (standout tracks listed in bold)

1. Candy Says
2. What Goes On
3. Some Kinda Love
4. Pale Blue Eyes
5. Jesus
6. Beginning To See The Light
7. I'm Set Free
8. That's The Story Of My Life
9. The Murder Mystery
10. After Hours

I must admit, when I saw this record getting closer and closer I was really dreading listening to it. After all, the previous two Velvet Underground records are just dreadful, and I really expected the same with this one. I was VERY surprised. That said – it’s still not a very good record, it’s just not downright awful like the previous ones. Those records tested the boundaries of how much out of tune noise/music could be committed to tape in what has been described as a drug fueled speed party, where as this record – the third album by the group - is really pretty sparse and – well – quiet.
Most of this is likely due to the departure of John Cale who spearheaded the earlier records with Andy Warhol’s strong influence, and here Lou Reed takes over as the main band contributor. There are actually some SONGS on this record with melodies with "Pale Blue Eyes," and "That’s The Story Of My Life" standing out. There is still some really bad tracks here, "The Murder Mystery" - an 8 minute piece that mixes and matches four separate poetic narratives. Just dreadful and tedious listening.
In 2003, for reasons lost on me, the album was ranked number 314 on Rolling Stone's "The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time" list.
Again – I didn’t loath this record as I did their others, which was very surprising, and compared to those records this is a masterpiece – but I do NOT recommend it.


You can purchase the CD here, 180 gram vinyl here

January 7

THE ALBUM OF THE DAY
OZZY OSBOURNE...Scream (2010)
(CD, vinyl, Allmusic review)
This is the 10th studio album from Ozzy and it's probably his worst of those 10. It's a decent record (although "Diggin' Me Down" is absolutely horrible) but just not what I'm used to from Ozzy. All of his albums have always grabbed me on the first or second listen but this one didn't do it. "Life Won't Wait" is, however, an excellent track, something different for Osbourne, and in this case it worked very well. I would recommend it, especially for Ozzy fans, but don't expect to be blown away like the previous 9 albums did. Scream made it to number 4 on the US Billboard Album charts.

ROCK BIRTHDAYS FOR JANUARY 7
Paul Revere is 73; Kathy Valentine from The Go-Go's is 52;

ON THIS DATE
1970 Max Yasgur is sued by his neighbors in upper New York for damages caused by those who attended Woodstock 4 months earlier. Yasgur owned the property where the festival was held
1994 Nirvana performed on stage for the last time in the US at a concert in Seattle
1996 Pink Floyd, David Bowie and Jefferson Airplane are inducted into the Rock 'N' Roll Hall Of Fame
2004 Dr. Gilbert Lederman offers to donate a George Harrison autographed guitar to charity one day after Lederman is sued by Harrison’s estate for coercing the Harrison into signing a guitar on his death-bed. The case is settled when its agreed that the guitar will be disposed of privately
2011 Phil Kennemore of Y&T died of lung cancer in Stanford, California. Kennemore was 57

IN THE NEWS
Watch: Foo Fighters Get Girly, Channel Gaga
Paramore Controversy Sparks Social 50 Chart Climb
Robert Plant Opens Up About Led Zeppelin Reunion, Failed Follow-Up With Alison Krauss

ROCKLINE with Bob Coburn
Monday, January 10 DEFAULT 11:30 PM Eastern/8:30 Pacific Listen here
Wednesday, January 12 CHICKENFOOT 11:30 PM Eastern/8:30 Pacific Listen here
Does your local rock station carry Rockline? Find out here

Thursday, January 6, 2011

1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die - #152. Elvis Presley - From Elvis in Memphis (1969)


#152. Elvis Presley - From Elvis in Memphis (1969)

Label – RCA
Producer – Chips Moman
Art Direction – Jacqueline Murphy
Nationality – USA
Running Time – 37:08

Track Listing (standout tracks listed in bold)

1. Wearin' That Loved On Look
2. Only The Strong Survive
3. I'll Hold You In My Heart (Till I Can Hold You In My Arms)
4. Long Black Limousine
5. It Keeps Right On Hurtin'
6. I'm Movin' On
7. Power Of My Love
8. Gentle On My Mind
9. After Loving You
10. True Love Travels On A Gravel Road
11. Any Day Now
12. In The Ghetto

This is perhaps Elvis at his finest! (it is at least on par with his RCA debut LP from early 1956). When “From Elvis in Memphis” was released in June 1969. it was the thirty-fifth album by Elvis Presley, released on RCA!! To be fair – the last six years he had been making dreadful soundtrack albums and thankfully - none of this record resembled any of that less than stellar material the King had been cutting.
Relying only on producer Chips Moman to shape the project, and recording at American Sound Studio in Memphis, the results were stunning, and what resulted is one of the greatest soul albums ever recorded. There are some shifts into country, pop, and blues as well, but Elvis delivers the material with a fire that had been missing since he was drafted into the Army. It didn’t hurt that he's backed by the best playing and backup singing of the era.
These sessions were very productive and non album tracks produced include the singles "Don't Cry Daddy," "Kentucky Rain" and the smash "Suspicious Minds".
The single that was on the record - "In the Ghetto," released as the lead single two months before the album hit the stores, went to #3 on the singles chart, his first top ten single since 1965.
The record when releases peaked at #13 on the Billboard 200, and has been certified a gold album by the RIAA. In 2003, the album was ranked number 190 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.
It is HIGHLY recommended.


You can purchase the CD here, the vinyl here

Top 10 Rock CD's/LP's/Downloads For This Week (1-6-2011)

THE ALBUM OF THE DAY
GERRY RAFFERTY...City To City (1978)
(CD, vinyl, Allmusic Review)
As we remember Gerry Rafferty, who passed away Tuesday, we check out the most popular album of his career, City To City, which went to number 1 on the US Billboard album charts in 1978. It is a pleasant album filled with soft pop tracks, and includes the hot singles "Baker Street" and "Right Down The Line". I had never heard this album until he died, but I recommend it for all music lovers.

TOP 10 ROCK CD'S/LP'S/DOWNLOADS FOR THIS WEEK (1-6-2011)
(1)1. KID ROCK...Born Free
(3)2. KINGS OF LEON...Come Around Sundown
(Re-enter)3. JOURNEY...Journey's Greatest Hits
(2)4. BON JOVI...Greatest Hits...The Ultimate Collection
(5)5. LINKIN PARK...A Thousand Suns
(9)6. MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE...Danger Days: True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys
(Enter)7. A DAY TO REMEMBER...What Separates Me From You
(Re-enter)8. HINDER...All American Nightmare
(Re-enter)9. AVENGED SEVENFOLD...Nightmare
(10)10. DISTURBED...Asylum



ROCK BIRTHDAYS FOR JANUARY 6
Kim Wilson from the Fabulous Thunderbirds is 59; Malcolm Young from AC/DC is 57; Alex Turner of the Arctic Monkeys is 25;

ON THIS DATE
1946 Syd Barrett of Pink Floyd is born in Cambridge, England. Barrett died in 2006
1957 Elvis Presley appears for the third time on the "Ed Sullivan Show"
1975 The mayor of Boston cancels a scheduled Led Zeppelin concert after fans damage the Boston Gardens while waiting to purchase tickets
1977 After only 3 months EMI drops the Sex Pistols
2004 The George Harrison estate sue a doctor who had been treating Harrison for $10 million. The estate claims the doctor coerced George into autographing his son's guitar and sign autographs for his two daughters
2006 Chris Cornell submits a petition with California's Division of Labor Standards Enforcement requesting that his ex-wife, Susan Silver, return all earnings she received while managing Soundgardenm stating that she was not licensed
2009 Ron Asheton of the Stooges was found dead in his home in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Asheton was 60

IN THE NEWS
Beatles' Deal Most Lucractive in iTunes History
Carlos Santana Weds in Hawaii
Johnny Rotten Contemplates New Sex Pistols, PiL Albums

ROCKLINE with Bob Coburn
Monday, January 10 DEFAULT 11:30 PM Eastern/8:30 Pacific Listen here
Wednesday, January 12 CHICKENFOOT 11:30 PM Eastern/8:30 Pacific Listen here
Does your local rock station carry Rockline? Find out here

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die - #151. Dusty Springfield - Dusty In Memphis (1969)


Label – Phillips
Producer – Tom Dowd, Arif Mardin and Jerry Wexler
Art Direction – Haig Adishian
Nationality – UK
Running Time – 33:31

Track Listing (standout tracks listed in bold)

1. Just A Little Lovin'
2. So Much Love
3. Son Of A Preacher Man
4. I Don't Want To Hear It Anymore
5. Don't Forget About Me
6. Breakfast In Bed
7. Just One Smile
8. The Windmills Of Your Mind
9. In The Land Of Make Believe
10. No Easy Way Down
11. I Can't Make It Alone

This is a fine record. This is one of those records that I always read about, and how it was a classic. Sometimes when I actually get around to listening to some of these ‘classics’ I wonder if memories distort or inflate the quality of recordings that have for one reason or another been labeled “classics”. In the case they are warranted. This set has definitive numbers in "Son of a Preacher Man," "Breakfast in Bed," and "Just a Little Lovin'" , but I enjoyed the entire record. It's truly a disc deserving of its classic status.
At the time Dusty Springfield was hoping to give her career a much needed boost, and although she had sung R&B tracks before, this was her first released of an entire album solely of R&B songs. “Dusty in Memphis” was produced by legendary producers Jerry Wexler, Arif Mardin and Tom Dowd. With that stable of producers who at the time had their pick of material from the top writers of the day, and the use of the finest session musicians in the Memphis area, it was hard not miss with this lp.
The standout track of the album is of course "Son of a Preacher Man". Released as a single, it reached #10 in the United Kingdom, United States and internationally. The Billboard year end chart placed the single at #96. It placed #77 among The 100 Best Singles of the Last 25 Years by the writers of the Rolling Stone magazine in 1987, and #43 of the Greatest Singles of All Time by the writers of New Musical Express in 2002.
“Dusty In Memphis” is frequently included in lists of the greatest albums of all time, and is highly recommended.


You can purchase the CD here, the 180 gram vinyl here

January 5


R.I.P. Gerry Rafferty

THE ALBUM OF THE DAY
LED ZEPPELIN...How The West Was Won (2003)
(CD, Allmusic Review)

ROCK BIRTHDAYS FOR JANUARY 5
Chris Stein from Blondie is 61; Grant Young, formerly with Soul Asylum, is 47; Marilyn Manson is 42;

ON THIS DATE
1973 Greetings From Asbury Park, New Jersey by Bruce Springsteen was released
2006 Aerosmith begin a U.S. tour in Orlando with opening act Lenny Kravitz

IN THE NEWS
Courtney Love's Tweets Lead to Court Trial
Gerry Rafferty, 'Baker Street' Singer, Dies at 63
Paramore Speaks Out: 'We're Not Going Anywhere'

ROCKLINE with Bob Coburn
Wednesday, January 5 ROBERT PLANT 11:30 PM Eastern/8:30 Pacific Listen here
Monday, January 10 DEFAULT 11:30 PM Eastern/8:30 Pacific Listen here
Does your local rock station carry Rockline? Find out here

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

What We're Listening To This Week (1-4-2011)

WHAT WE'RE LISTENING TO THIS WEEK (1-4-2011)
TRACKS
KOPEK...Cocaine Chest Pains
PAPA ROACH...Burn
ROBERT PLANT...Angel Dance
THE DAMNED THINGS...We've Got A Situation Here
AIRBORNE...Blonde, Bad And Beautiful
AIRBORNE...No Way But The Hard Way
LINKIN PARK...Waiting For The End
BLACK CROWES...Jealous Again (Acoustic 2010 version)
HEAD EAST...Love Me Tonight
GEORGE HARRISON...Blow Away
ELTON JOHN...All The Girls Love Alice

ALBUMS
GEORGE HARRISON...Extra Texture (Read All About It)
RUSH...Moving Pictures
OZZY OSBOURNE...Scream
LED ZEPPELIN...How The West Was Won
BON JOVI...Greatest Hits...The Ultimate Collection

January 4

THE ALBUM OF THE DAY
KISS...Alive (1975)
(CD, vinyl, Allmusic review)

ROCK BIRTHDAYS FOR JANUARY 4
Michael Stipe from R.E.M. is 51; Benjamin Darvill of the Crash Test Dummies is 44;

ON THIS DATE
1967 The Doors by the Doors is released
1968 Jimi Hendrix is arrested and jailed in Scandinavia after he and his bassist Noel Redding got into a fight and damaged a hotel room
1973 The Allman Brothers Band announced that Lamar Williams would be their bassist, replacing Berry Oakley who had died in 1972 after a motorcycle accident
1986 Phil Lynott of Thin Lizzy dies in Salisbury, Wiltshire, England, of pneumonia and heart failure due to a drug overdose. Lynott was 36
2010 Sully Erna of Godsmack reaches a multi-million dollar settlement with an individual who was in the back seat of a vehicle that Sully's Hummer rear-ended three years earlier
2011 Gerry Rafferty dies in London from liver failure after a long battle with alcoholism. Rafferty was 63


IN THE NEWS
Vince Neil's DUI Trial Pushed Back in Las Vegas
Paul McCartney Urges India to Declare Vegetarian Day
Paramore's Hayley Williams Names New Touring Bandmates

ROCKLINE with Bob Coburn
Wednesday, January 5 ROBERT PLANT 11:30 PM Eastern/8:30 Pacific Listen here
Monday, January 10 TBA 11:30 PM Eastern/8:30 Pacific Listen here
Does your local rock station carry Rockline? Find out here

Monday, January 3, 2011

New Releases


THE ALBUM OF THE DAY
THE GRACIOUS FEW...The Gracious Few (2010)
(CD, Allmusic review)

NEW RELEASES
January 4
Compilations
JIM CROCE...All Time Classics
JETHRO TULL...Thirty Six All Time Greatest

DVD, BLU-RAY
BON JOVI...Live At Madison Square Garden (DVD)
THE ROLLING STONES...Get Your Ya-Ya's Out (DVD)
PINK FLOYD...Music Masters Collection (DVD)

January 11
New
CAKE...Showroom Of Compassion (vinyl)
CAGE THE ELEPHANT...Thank You Happy Birthday
EDIE BRICKELL...Edie Brickell
IGGY AND THE STOOGES...Thousand Lights: Live In 1970

Greatest Hits, Compilations, Reissues
ELMORE JAMES...Hits And Rarities
DEEP PURPLE...Burn (180 gram vinyl)
DEEP PURPLE...Live at Montreux 2006 (vinyl)
TED NUGENT...Cat Scratch Fever (180 gram vinyl)
POISON...Look What the Cat Dragged In (180 gram vinyl)
JIMI HENDRIX...Blues (2 LP vinyl)
THE CULT...Pure Cult: The Singles (1984-1995) (vinyl)
LOVE AND ROCKETS...Sorted! The Best Of Love And Rockets (vinyl)

DVD, BLU-RAY
JOHN LENNON/YOKO ONO...Lennon NYC (Blu-ray)
ALTER BRIDGE...Live From Amsterdam (Blu-ray)
CREED...Live (blu-ray)
WHITE LION...Concert Anthology 1987-1991 Deluxe Pack (DVD)

ROCK BIRTHDAYS FOR JANUARY 3
Sir George Martin is 85; Stephen Stills from Crosby, Stills and Nash is 66; John Paul Jones from Led Zeppelin and Them Crooked Vultures is 65;

ON THIS DATE
1964 Lots of people believe that the Beatles first American TV appearance was the 'Ed Sullivan Show', but it was actually on this date in 1964 that they appeared on 'The Jack Parr Show' showing them in concert
2008 Stephen Stills of Crosby, Stills and Nash undergoes prostate-cancer surgery in Los Angeles on his birthday


IN THE NEWS
Sebastian Bach Divorcing Wife of 18 Years
Lennon's 'Abbey Road' Suit Sells for $46k in Auction
Chuck Berry Collapses at Chicago Show

ROCKLINE with Bob Coburn
Monday, January 3 DISTURBED 11:30 PM Eastern/8:30 Pacific Listen here
Wednesday, January 5 ROBERT PLANT 11:30 PM Eastern/8:30 Pacific Listen here
Does your local rock station carry Rockline? Find out here

Sunday, January 2, 2011

January 2


THE ALBUM OF THE DAY
SHINEDOWN...The Sound Of Madness (2008)
(CD/DVD, Allmusic review)

ROCK BIRTHDAYS FOR JANUARY 2
Doug Robb from Hoobastank is 36;

ON THIS DATE
1969 The Beatles began work on the album and film Let It Be
1979 Sid Vicious of the Sex Pistols goes on trial for the murder of Nancy Spungen, his girlfriend. Vicious later dies before the trial ends
2007 Rod Stewart becomes a Commander of the Order of the British Empire by Queen Elizabeth II

ROCKLINE with Bob Coburn
Monday, January 3 DISTURBED 11:30 PM Eastern/8:30 Pacific Listen here
Wednesday, January 5 ROBERT PLANT 11:30 PM Eastern/8:30 Pacific Listen here
Does your local rock station carry Rockline? Find out here

Saturday, January 1, 2011

Top 10 CD's/LP's/Downloads Of 2010

Reissues; box sets; live, and from the vaults releases:
1. JOHN LENNON/YOKO ONO...Double Fantasy Stripped Down
2. PAUL McCARTNEY...Good Evening New York City
3. PAUL McCARTNEY AND WINGS...Band On The Run
4. ELVIS PRESLEY...Elvis 75
5. JIMI HENDRIX...Valleys Of Neptune
6. THE WHO...Greatest Hits Live
7. THE ROLLING STONES...Exile On Main Street
8. JIMI HENDRIX...West Coast Seattle Boy: The Jimi Hendrix Anthology
9. RINGO STARR AND HIS ALL-STARR BAND...Live at the Greek Theatre 2008
10. THE BLACK CROWES...Croweology




New music:
1. THE GRACIOUS FEW...The Gracious Few
2. BRUCE KULICK...Bk3
3. TOM PETTY AND THE HEARTBREAKERS...Mojo
4. HEART...Red Velvet Car
5. ROBERT PLANT...Band Of Joy
6. PETER FRAMPTON...Thank You Mr. Churchill
7. BLACK LABEL SOCIETY...Order Of The Black
8. ERIC CLAPTON...Clapton
9. RINGO STARR...Y Not
10. BACHMAN AND TURNER...Bachman And Turner

If you haven't played these 20 records - do so TODAY!!