This is a weekly blog to let you in on what song and/or band that i've been feeling for that particular week. Music will always be a very important part of my life. I see it as the soundtrack for memories that bring you back to a certain place and time and new songs help to create new memories. Hope you enjoy!! :)
Scootchy!
(passed away on Saturday Sept. 23, 2017)
I never had to make a decision like I had to make tonight. To have the words "I have to put my pet to sleep" come out of my mouth really sucked. Pets are family. That's just how it is. And my cat Scootchy was my little buddy. Whenever I was trying to do something at my computer, here she comes, jumping on my desk wanting to be patted, getting right in the way of what you were trying to do. But once she stared at you with those eyes, your heart melted and all your attention focused on her. She was a nice piece of cat!! Almost nightly, when I went to brush my teeth, here she would come, jumping on the sink and annoying you, in a cute way! In fact, the picture I have of her on this blog post is her getting in the way of me brushing my teeth! She was a funny cat! I've had many animals but I never seemed to be as close to any as I was to Scootchy. I'm not a big show affection type person, but she had me wrapped around her little paw. As you can see, this post doesn't have a lot to do with my song of the week. I chose "Hooligan" by Kiss for a few reasons. One, it's sung by Peter Criss, The Cat!! And two, my little furry friend portrayed some hooligan type tendencies! Couches and desk chairs? She made quick work of those, so much so that all my furniture is covered in beach towels to hide the scratches!! Window screens? Good luck! Have any glassware up on counter tops? Nothing like being awakened at 3:30 in the morning to the sound of shattered glass and the little culprit goes buzzing by you at 100 miles per hour cuz she saw another cat outside!! So, I chose "Hooligan" with tongue firmly planted in cheek because, even though I held my little buddy as she took her last breath tonight, I will never forget the funny things Scootchy did. Some things were cute.. many things were devious!! She had a look about her when she was up to no good! So Scootchy, I'm going to miss you terribly. I will never forget you and how you made me laugh and smile. I'm sorry for having to make this decision tonight to let you go, but I couldn't see you struggling like you were. I couldn't see you struggle walking, not eating or not drinking. I hope you are somewhere in a better place and acting like your old playful self. I hope you forgive me for what I had to do. It is the last thing I ever wanted to do, but I am happy that I had to make this decision and no one else. When my time comes, I hope you are one of the first to greet me on the other side. I love you little buddy :(
"Jumpin' Jack Flash", according to Stones' vocalist Mick Jagger, is about getting away from the acid induced state that the band had been in during their previous album, "Their Satanic Majesties Request". From taking a read of the lyrics, to me it appears to be about rising above an abusive past. Each verse paints a picture of someone that has endured pain and struggle and abuse and starvation, but the chorus gives you a sense that he has made it through it and is better for it and he is alright now. Though "Jumpin' Jack Flash" was recorded during the "Beggars Banquet" sessions, the band decided to release it as a stand alone single. The song is their most played song in concert and one of the band's biggest singles of all time!
THE ROLLING STONES DISCOGRAPHY (Full length albums only):
1964 - The Rolling Stones (London Records)
1964 - 12 x 5 (London Records)
1965 - The Rolling Stones, Now! (London Records)
1965 - Out Of Our Heads (London Records)
1965 - December's Children (And Everybody's) (London Records)
1966 - Aftermath (London Records)
1967 - Between The Buttons (London Records)
1967 - Their Satanic Majesties Request (London Records)
1968 - Beggars Banquet (London Records)
1969 - Let It Bleed (London Records)
1971 - Sticky Fingers (Rolling Stones Records)
1972 - Exile On Main St. (Rolling Stones Records)
1973 - Goats Head Soup (Rolling Stones Records)
1974 - It's Only Rock 'n Roll (Rolling Stones Records)
1976 - Black And Blue (Rolling Stones Records)
1978 - Some Girls (Rolling Stones Records)
1980 - Emotional Rescue (Rolling Stones Records)
1981 - Tattoo You (Rolling Stones Records)
1983 - Undercover (Rolling Stones Records)
1986 - Dirty Work (Rolling Stones Records)
1989 - Steel Wheels (Rolling Stones Records)
1994 - Voodoo Lounge (Virgin Records)
1997 - Bridges To Babylon (Virgin Records)
2005 - A Bigger Bang (Virgin Records)
2016 - Blue And Lonesome (Polydor Records)
The band has also released 23 official live albums which i'm not going to list here.
CURRENT STATUS OF THE ROLLING STONES:
When it comes to rock and roll, one of the most argued items is, who is better? The Beatles or The Stones? The Beatles were often perceived as the guys you wouldn't mind marrying your daughter. They wore suits, were clean and their music was almost, "happy". The Stones, on the other hand, were the guys you didn't want your daughter talking to. They were dirty. They were the wrong side of the tracks. The Beatles were heavily influenced by 50's rock and roll. Elvis Presley, Chuck Berry and Little Richard. The Stones were influenced by the blues, Muddy Waters, Robert Johnson and Willie Dixon. So, regardless of who you thought was or is better, both of these bands are at the pinnacle of rock and roll music, there's no questioning that. Also like The Beatles, The Stones first couple of albums featured mostly cover songs. Vocalist Mick Jagger and guitarist Keith Richards began working harder together to form their own musical compositions. "Heart Of Stone", one of their first originals to become a successful single, gave the duo added confidence that they could write hits. In 1965, the band released another orignal song, "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction", and the band was set to soar. Along with The Beatles and The Who, The Rolling Stones also rode the wave of the British Explosion and became household names in their own country as well as across the pond here in the States. The Stones went through a bit of a psychedelic phase in 1966 and 1967 for their albums "Aftermath", "Between The Buttons" and "Their Satanic Majesties Request", perhaps trying to follow what The Beatles were doing at that time. Luckily, the band decided to strip down and get back to their roots in 1968, starting a four album run in four years that is considered the "golden age" of The Stones' career. "Beggars Banquet", "Let It Bleed", "Sticky Fingers" and "Exile On Main St." is simply The Rolling Stones at their best, blues inspired rock and roll. The late 70's scene was shifting musically, with punk rock and disco but The Stones still remained relevant with their 1978 release, "Some Girls". With a shift to new wave in the 80's, this decade would prove to be the most tumultuous for The Stones. A rift between Jagger and Richards which had been bubbling in the late 70's really came to a head in the 80's. There was thoughts that the band was going to break up it got so bad. The two seemed to make amends by the end of the decade the band went on a record setting tour to support their album "Steel Wheels". By the 90's, the releases were a bit more sporadic. They did release two albums in that decade, 1994's "Voodoo Lounge" and 1997's "Bridges To Babylon". It was the touring that really set the bar for The Stones by this point however. In the mid 80's, The Rolling Stones were almost seen as an act that wore out it's welcome, who's time has passed. In the 90's and 2000's, they now became an act that you must see before you die! In 2016, the band released their latest album, "Blue And Lonesome", which is a blues covers album. With all of the members of the band in their mid 70's, they still do massive stadium tours and they plan on releasing an album of all original music, perhaps next year. The band still boasts original lead singer Mick Jagger, original guitarist Keith Richards and original drummer Charlie Watts. Original guitarist and founder Brian Jones left the band after "Beggars Banquet" and drowned to death in his swimming pool in 1969. He was replaced by Mick Taylor from 1969 till 1974 when he left the band. Ronnie Wood, of The Faces fame, joined the band in 1975 and he's remained with them to the present day. Original bassist Bill Wyman departed the band in 1993. As I said earlier, The Rolling Stones are one of the most influential rock and roll bands of all time. Mick Jagger is the consumate frontman and Keith Richards oozes rock and roll. Every decades top bands were probably influenced by The Stones to the present day. For the band's first three decades together, they were literally almost releasing new music every year! An astonishing feat, especially considering how many hit singles were involved in all those releases. Multi platinum selling albums, Rock and Roll Hall of Famers, one of the top touring acts of all time and one of the greatest rock and roll bands of all time. Nuff said!
TEN THE ROLLING STONES SONGS YOU SHOULD CHECK OUT:
1. Sympathy For The Devil
2. Honky Tonk Women
3. Gimme Shelter
4. You Can't Always Get What You Want
5. Brown Sugar
6. Jumpin' Jack Flash
7. Under My Thumb
8. Tumblin' Dice
9. Beast Of Burden
10. Angie
"Rearviewmirror" appears to be a song about breaking free from an abusive relationship. Pearl Jam vocalist Eddie Vedder has said that the song reminds him of driving in a car and getting as far away from a bad situation as possible. It's like putting the past in the rear view. The song is connected to the song "Daughter", which is also on "VS". But, in "Daughter", the victim closes the shades, hiding the abuse that she is enduring. In "Rearviewmirror", the victim raises the shades, sees the light, and escapes her abuser. Simply put, one of the best Pearl Jam songs of all time!!
PEARL JAM DISCOGRAPHY (Full length albums only):
1991 - Ten (Epic Records)
1993 - VS (Epic Records)
1994 - Vitalogy (Epic Records)
1996 - No Code (Epic Records)
1998 - Yield (Epic Records)
1998 - Live On Two Legs (Epic Records)
2000 - Binaural (Epic Records)
2002 - Riot Act (Epic Records)
2003 - Lost Dogs (Epic Records)
2004 - Live At Benaroya Hall (BMG Records)
2006 - Pearl Jam (J Records)
2009 - Backspacer (Monkeywrench/Universal Music Group)
2011 - Live On Ten Legs (Universal Music Group)
2013 - Lightning Bolt (Monkeywrench Records)
CURRENT STATUS OF PEARL JAM:
Pearl Jam came from the ashes of Mother Love Bone and exploded on the Seattle music scene in 1990. The band's debut album "Ten" is a landmark album which has been certified diamond. What does that mean? It means that album has sold massively worldwide! It also propelled the band to superstardom, almost before they knew what had hit them. At the forefront of the grunge explosion of the early 90's, along with bands like Nirvana, Alice In Chains and Soundgarden, Pearl Jam kept the heat on with their next two releases, 1993's "VS" and 1994's "Vitalogy". The pressures of being that big, that fast began to weigh on the band, especially vocalist Eddie Vedder and the band made a conscious effort to start pulling back the reigns. No more videos and less media obligations. They also did a 180 on their next album, "No Code". This was a much softer, more experimental side of the band and really an effort to change it up musically. Battles with Ticketmaster and going into a shell of sorts began to alienate the band from some of it's fans. The band itself was having some inner struggles and wondering if they were even going to co-exist much longer. Luckily, 1998's "Yield" was a return to form for the band. It also marked a full band collaboration whereas Vedder really took over creative reigns on "Vitalogy" and "No Code". From this album on, every band member would contribute to all future Pearl Jam releases. The early 2000's were a bit of a weird time for the band. "Binaural" and "Riot Act" were both good albums but seemed to be lacking something. The band also began offerering their bootlegs from every show available at this time, beginning with the "Binaural" world tour. Their bootlegs continue to be offered through their website to this day. This period also marked the biggest tragedy that the band was a part of, the 2000 Roskilde tragedy where 9 of their fans were trampled to death during their performance. In 2006, the country was becoming more and more split over the actions of the Bush administration post-9/11. The scene was ripe for a band like Pearl Jam to get their creative juices flowing and write what is perhaps their most political album yet, the self-titled "Pearl Jam", sometimes referred to as "Avocado". This album was a breath of fresh air to me. Urgent and hard hitting, an album with a definitive purpose. 2009's "Backspacer" is probably the band's most positive and fun album. The band's most recent effort was 2013's "Lightning Bolt". This album proved that Pearl Jam is still relevant in an ever-evolving music scene. The band also has plans to release a live album/dvd in the fall of 2017 called "Let's Play Two", which chronicles the band's two performances at historic Wrigley Field in Chicago in 2016. Pearl Jam's sound is a culmination of a slew of influences from The Who, The Ramones, Kiss, Neil Young, Dead Kennedys, Pink Floyd and many, many more! Of the 4 major grunge bands to emerge from the early 90's, Pearl Jam's sound always commanded arena crowds. Their music is powerful. Their lyrics personal and emotional. They have influenced hundreds of rock bands who came after them. They are equally comfortable playing arena anthems ("Alive"), acoustic ballads ("Elderly Woman"), punk influenced hardcore ("Mind Your Manners") and groove laced stompers ("Evenflow"). The band takes more time between albums as they tend to focus more time on their growing families as well as keeping busy with solo and side projects, but they always get back together to tour all over the world and their shows are always epic and must see performances that rival Springsteen and the Grateful Dead. I'd say they are overdue for a new album. Perhaps the band will be inspired by their induction into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 2017 or the current political turmoil in the United States and drop another aggressive album with a purpose!
TEN PEARL JAM SONGS YOU SHOULD CHECK OUT:
1. Alive
2. Release
3. Yellow Ledbetter
4. Corduroy
5. Rearviewmirror
6. Go
7. Given To Fly
8. Not For You
9. In My Tree
10. Light Years
"I Will Believe" is a song that appears to be about trying to find yourself. Perhaps the vocalist has someone in his life that is keeping him down as well. Though he is in a rut, you sense his hope that one day he will find his peace of mind and believe he can break free of the things that hold him down. "I Will Believe" was actually recorded live in 1993 and appeared as a b-side on Oasis' 1994 cd-single "Supersonic".
OASIS DISCOGRAPHY (Full length albums only):
1994 - Definitely Maybe (Creation Records)
1995 - (What's The Story) Morning Glory (Creation Records)
1997 - Be Here Now (Creation Records)
1998 - The Masterplan (Creation Records)
2000 - Standing On The Shoulders Of Giants (Big Brother Records)
2000 - Familiar To Millions (Big Brother Records)
2002 - Heathen Chemistry (Big Brother Records)
2005 - Don't Believe The Truth (Big Brother Records)
2008 - Dig Out Your Soul (Big Brother Records)
CURRENT STATUS OF OASIS:
Oasis formed as a band back in 1991 but it wasn't until lead singer, Liam Gallagher's brother Noel saw them play that he saw the band as a vehicle to get his own music out to the masses. When Noel joined the band, he became the defacto leader and songwriter. Fast forward to 1994, while the grunge movement was exploding in the United States, Britain was having their own resurgence in the world of pop/rock music. Oasis, along with Blur, would be at the forefront of this movement when they delivered their debut album, "Definitely Maybe". This album entered the U.K. charts at #1 within a week of it's release, making it the fastest selling debut album at that time in U.K. history. The roller coaster continued with their sophmore effort, 1995's "(What's The Story) Morning Glory". This album featured the band's first #1 single in the U.K., "Some Might Say" and on the heels of monster singles, "Wonderwall" and "Don't Look Back In Anger", has sold over 22 million units worldwide. Though the band was on top of the world in terms of success, the relationship between the two Gallagher brothers was beginning to disintergrate. The band's next album, "Be Here Now" was initially selling big, but sales died down quickly. As the 2000's began, Oasis began dealing with losing band members and the tension between Liam and Noel seemed to be getting worse. Noel was leaning on his bandmates to collaborate a little more and the albums "Standing On The Shoulders Of Giants", "Heathen Chemistry" and "Don't Believe The Truth" reflect that. In fact, "Standing On The Shoulders Of Giants" features the first cut penned by Liam Gallagher, "Little James". 2005's "Don't Believe The Truth" was a bit of a comeback record for Oasis. Behind the hit single "Lyla", this album has sold over 7 million units worldwide. Oasis would release one more full length studio effort in 2008, "Dig Out Your Soul". While touring in support of this album, a fight backstage between Liam and Noel would turn out to be the last call for Noel. On August 28, 2009 he announced to the world that he quit Oasis and could no longer work with his brother Liam. Noel has since created his solo band, Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds while Liam formed the short-lived band Beady Eye and is currently supporting his very first solo album. Oasis was a great band. Influenced heavily by The Beatles, you also hear some Stone Roses, Rolling Stones, The Jam and The Smiths influences in their sound as well. Noel had a knack for creating simple pop songs that sounded huge while his brother Liam had a nasally snarl and rock and roll star attitude that made him be one of the top frontmen in rock and roll. They say sometimes the hardest thing to do is work with family and this was very much true for Oasis. The tension and fights and arguments between the Gallagher brothers would be too much and eventually led to the downfall of the band. On the outside, the band was still achieving success as a headlining act, but on the inside they were imploding. While the new projects the Gallagher brothers are involved in are great, it's not Oasis. Here's hoping these two can come to some sort of peace with each other and they can resurrect one of the best bands in the business. Right now, however, that seems like a pipe dream for Oasis fans.
TEN OASIS SONGS YOU SHOULD CHECK OUT:
1. Live Forever
2. Morning Glory
3. Rock'n'Roll Star
4. Acquiesce
5. Lyla
6. Don't Look Back In Anger
7. Go Let It Out
8. Whatever
9. Stop Crying Your Heart Out
10. All Around The World
