Hot Tuna "Yellow Fever"

Hot Tuna "Yellow Fever"
This mid seventies release by Jefferson Airplane refugees Jorma and Jack along with Bob Steeler is an electric excursion into bluesrock. The album kicks ass.

The Rolling Stones "Their Satanic Majesties Request"

The Rolling Stones "Their Satanic Majesties Request"
To set the record straight, I want to say that this album has to be the most underrated album of all time. Ignorant reviewers and critics always give this album a bum rap. I can honestly say that this album, which is always compared to Sgt. Pepper's, is light years (no pun intended) ahead of that Beatles album. When I challenge someone who claims to know this album, they can't name more than two tracks from it. Brian Jones was a major force in The Rolling Stones, and he shines on this. Plus the songwriting is top notch. Very creative, colorful, ballsy....what more can I say......it is a masterpiece!

Saturday, November 10, 2007

NEVER TRUST ANYONE WHO LISTENS TO HIP-HOP!

This is only my opinion, and it is not meant to offend...but I strongly feel that anyone who listens to this so called "music" which today is known as "Hip-Hop" will eventually screw you over if you allow them to! You see...that stuff breeds negativity, with no love anywhere to be found in the lyrics or the "music". The negative vibes stay in their heads and they think it is ok to hurt people. I also want to stress that I use the term "music" loosely in this case. Love needs to be nurtured in music. I know that a lot of the rock and roll I have listed on this blog is short on love in a lot of cases, but I have a lot of it posted here for nostalgic purposes. There is plenty of "love music" out there without having to resort to rap or hip-hop. Take a talented 70s group such as "The Stylistics". Listen to some of their songs and you will see what I mean by "love music". It is music written from the heart. Sometimes artists write "love music" from the ashes of pain in their lives. When that happens you get a result which breeds realism and true love. Think about what I have said here when you hear some of that nonsense they play on pop radio today. Money is the object of the game today, not LOVE!!!! -DRUMBO-

Sunday, November 4, 2007

WHICH ROLLING STONES ALBUM DO YOU FEEL IS THEIR BEST EFFORT?

Everyone has a favorite Rolling Stones album. Let's discuss it here and see what everyone likes out there. I will start this off with my opinion. I like the Goat's Head Soup album. It has sentimental value to me as well as a vast array of styles which keep my going back to it. I have loved that album since 1973. OK...anyone else care to comment here? You know you are more than welcome!

Friday, November 2, 2007

BLACK OAK ARKANSAS

I have been back on one of my Black Oak Arkansas kicks recently. Loved this stuff as a kid and still love it. My fondest memories of being a young wild teenager contain the music of Black Oak. The "High on The Hog" album along with the "Raunch 'n' Roll Live" album were two of my favorites back in the good old seventies. The band had a totally unique vocalist in Jim Dandy Mangrum....he knew how to work the crowd like no other. The group released many great albums. The early albums from the early to late 70s were the greatest. They continue to tour today, but the fire of those long ago days has mellowed with time...in my mind they will always be best represented on that wonderful "Raunch 'n' Roll Live" album, which like I said in an earlier review...I wore the bastard out. These guys were the pioneers of wild, southern, bad ass rock n roll. The album just cranks with so much electricity, and real stuff...no bullshit effects.....real raw rock and roll. As you can tell by now I am really into that album. It is in my listening pile right now. It never really left me since the early 70s. I am approaching 50 now and I still remember the way I felt when I was 15 and this stuff was ringing through my head while I did all kinds of crazy, destructive things. I am happy to say that I've become a responsible husband and father for the last 16 years. The music remains...the wreckless behavior has calmed down now. Peace and love.....DRUMBO

Friday, October 26, 2007

MUSIC DOWNLOADING ADDICTION...Are you hooked?!!!

Are you addicted to the internet with the great availability of music to be downloaded? Just remember there is no cure to this evil addiction. You will want more and more and more!!! And guess what...it is perfectly ok. There are much worse addictions out there with much worse repercussions. So whenever you need a fix of new euphoria, simply let it all hang out and download that sweet drug known as music. I find that my mood is greatly affected by what I am listening to. When I want to remember theold days there is no better way than to put on something from that particular period, and it takes me back to a time when the world moved slower, when people weren't so money hungry and greedy....that was the way to live...for me that time was the sixties and seventies. Everyone has their period in time where they felt less stress and pressure from the outside world.....put on some music from your favorite era and relax your mind. You will surely not regret it! sincerely, your host....DRUMBO

Thursday, October 25, 2007

HELLO MUSICNAUTS FROM OUTER SPACE ....DON"T BE AFRAID TO LEAVE YOUR COMMENTS HERE!

Hello out there in music land. Drumbo here. Let's get the word out that the music of the sixties and seventies was light years ahead of the new trash out there today! Whoever wants to add their comments here is more than welcome. We are all in this together. "LET THERE BE SONGS...TO FILL THE AIR" !!!!

We just returned from NYC

We just returned from NYC
My wife and I, along with our two beautiful children, took a two day trip to New York City recently. Highlights included seeing the new re-working of GREASE....a huge Broadway smash. I can't put into words the greatness of the show. We also shopped until we literally dropped...all of our money that is! We ate some wonderful food, saw some amazing sights, and then we returned to our nest. The kids always love to go to NYC, and we visit there 3 to 4 times a year. GET OUT TO SEE GREASE! YOU WON'T REGRET IT !

HEY, CHECK OUT THE LINKS ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE OF THIS PAGE

The links that are at the right hand side of the page should be of interest to anyone who has loved music over the past 40 years. Please check them out. You will find videos, record reviews, political wisdom and a host of other cool stuff. I am available for music discussion anytime through my email address which is amusto42@hotmail.com I also trade music with anyone who is interested. I just acquired a cool Hot Tuna 1978 hooded sweatshirt which should get a lot of heads turning since most of the bozos who listen to that rap garbage out there have never heard of Hot Tuna before. OK, carry on my musical brothers and sisters. "Let there be songs...to fill the air".

Blue Goose "Blue Goose" 1975 Anchor Records

Blue Goose "Blue Goose" 1975 Anchor Records
Back in the mid 70s my friends and myself would always go to the local record store and look for the new "promotional copies" of new releases. Sometimes we would come up with duds, but sometimes we would come up with gems such as this "Blue Goose" album which I have pictured here. This album turned out to be a funky, rockin' affair which I have loved for more than 32 years now. The band was unknown and they only released this one lp. The credits listed thanks to Joey Molland and Steve Marriott so we thought there might be something good there. And indeed there was. The band was short on polish, which was fine by me because I've always appreciated that real, garage band sound rather than an overproduced piece. These guys let it all hang out, and they even have a tender ballad on here. Well crafted and done with the best of intentions, the album bombed totally, landing in the closeout bins almost immediately upon release. That is really unfair because this band had talent to burn, energetic, ballsy, good time rock n roll. If you can find this it will be well worth your time. -drumbo-

Goat's Head Soup

Goat's Head Soup
This album, the follow-up to 1972's Exile On Main Street, is the winner in my favorite Rolling Stones album survey....my favorite anyway! I played this album to DEATH when I was younger, and I still listen to it. They still cared how they presented themselves back in 1973. After that it was a long, slow decline. Not in popularity, but in quality. I think they suck these days!

BEST OF CREAM

BEST OF CREAM
This old relic from the old days will stay with me forever. When I first heard it back in 1972 I was knocked dead by the unique voice of Jack Bruce. This is what you would call a perfect compilation. There is not a bad song on it. The great power trio known as Cream, which only lasted a few years, set the standard for earth shaking heavy metal blues done with class.

NEW YORK DOLLS

NEW YORK DOLLS
This is the first New York Dolls album. I bought this when it was released in 1973. Once again, this is another one of those great master works which has stayed with me for just about 35 years now. The album was groundbreaking, causing plenty of controversy with the band made up like cheap whores on the front cover. The music inside this treasure was packed with energy, tunefulness and balls. The band was not particularly well received and they struggled for notoriety. In my opinion they should have been much, much more popular than they were. Over the years several of these original members have died. Nothing compared to the brash attack The Dolls gave each of their creative compositions. If you haven't heard this you must do yourself a favor and get it. The era which it was released is long gone, but I feel that you must still make the effort to see what it is all about. These guys came from a different New York City than what we know today. New York was a much more dangerous place in the early 70s with crime there at an all time high. The New York Dolls were right in the midst of that wonderful/dangerous city, and the music on this album has the scars to prove it. -drumbo-

OH GREAT ALBUM ART...WE MISS YOU SO MUCH!!!!!!!

I just wanted to comment on the loss of the great album cover. I can't stand the fact that we are forced to accept this tiny version of album art which comes with these cds today. I remember that I used to take albums with me to the bathroom. I would sit on the toilet and read them as you would a book. I would study the artwork, the information, the record label, the inner sleeve, any and all inserts and posters which may have been included. I don't care about the tiny booklets with these cds. The change really sucks.....where have those days of wonderful art and music gone? I'll never forget those days. And you will never see days like that again. The kids today truly don't know what they missed. Oh what a time it was.

A prime example of a "bootleg" 8-track tape from the golden age of rock.

A prime example of a "bootleg" 8-track tape from the golden age of rock.
These were available at small variety stores and shops back in the early 70s. They cost much less than legitimate tapes and there were some cool compilations which were not available in regular releases. This one is titled "An Hour With Alice Cooper". It had a nice selection of their early material. Great stuff. Better days my friend, better days indeed!!!

bootleg 8-track of The Rolling Stones "Goat's Head Soup"

bootleg 8-track of The Rolling Stones "Goat's Head Soup"
This is a nice example of how the artist customized the artwork to fit the title of the bootleg tape. Interesting!

HOW DO WE THANK THE INFAMOUS BOOTLEG 8-TRACK?

Remember those long lost days when you would pick up a new 8 track tape?.....many of them were "bootleg" or "pirate" tapes. They usually had a glossy label with some type of psychedelic art or some fancy lettering and bright colors. They sold for less than legitimate releases and we went crazy for them. Many days and nights were spent driving around with friends blasting Jethro Tull, Alice Cooper, Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin...the list could go on forever. And boy did we smoke...cigarettes, pot....one guy I knew stoked up a whiffle bat...yes, that's right...a plastic whiffle ball bat....we were that fucked up! I remember taking a hit from that and almost choking to death on the burning, smoldering yellow plastic..but hey, we were crazy, it was the 70s, and we loved every fucking minute of it!!!!!

Pupsi Cola

Pupsi Cola
ahh, the beloved 70s again....you can't ignore that it was a great time!

Wacky Packages sticker from the early '70s

Wacky Packages sticker from the early '70s
"BAND-ACHE" great artwork

This famous Grateful Dead logo is known as "White Lightening Man"

This famous Grateful Dead logo is known as "White Lightening Man"
This logo goes back as far as the late 60s. It was originally designed with just the circle and lightening bolt, in red and blue, to stencil on the band's equipment so that their gear wouldn't get mixed up with other band's gear as they played many large festivals back in the late 60s and early 70s. It was turned into a skeleton in about 1970. It is still widely used today

PLASTERED PEANUTS

PLASTERED PEANUTS