Lindsey Buckingham - Seeds We Sow live and on CD

When I first started buying records and tapes, listening to music intently beyond just what was on the radio, one of the first bands that I got a lot of was Fleetwood Mac. My best friend's parents had bootlegged HBO off a satellite dish and I asked them to make a recording of the Mirage tour concert for me. They did and I became a Fleetwood Mac super fan.

That taped concert made a huge impression on me on what I thought rock music was. Lindsey Buckingham in particular had an impact because he was the lead guitarist and singer (and later I'd find out producer, songwriter, artist, and so on). The way he played guitar (no pick), the herky jerky body language (like the air humping thing he does when he solos on "I'm So Afraid")...I just thought that was what all rock stars did. I didn't realize it was something unique to him.

Now decades later I've learned that Lindsey Buckingham is a unique talent and I've been a fan of both his solo work and Fleetwood Mac. This was my first time seeing Buckingham live on his own. I got held up at work and was late for the show, so the set list from what I saw was:

Go Insane / Trouble / Never Going Back Again / Big Love / Under The Skin / All My Sorrows / In Our Own Time / Illumination / Second Hand News / Tusk / Stars Are Crazy / End Of Time / That's The Way Love Goes / I'm So Afraid / Go Your Own Way
encore: Turn It On / Treason / Seeds We Sow

Napa's Uptown theater was pretty much a sold out crowd and they were pumped for a rock show. So pumped there was dancing in the aisle and random shouts of "Yeah!" during the acoustic first half. Buckingham wisely front loaded his hits at the start. Performing alone with his guitar and Art Garfunkel haircut, Buckingham was able to reveal added levels of desperation and wistfulness to his familiar tunes like "Trouble" and "Go Insane".

After "Big Love" a three man band joined Buckingham on the stage to allow for more of a band performance. With a lot of momentum built up the set list alternated between his pure solo stuff and remaining Mac hits to make sure no one got bored. Not that boredom is an option at Uptown, the small converted movie theater makes for a more intimate setting where people can yell things at the performer and actually get a response (like when some guy yelled "How many guitars you got?" between songs and Buckingham replied "Too many").

"All My Sorrows" was a major treat for me, Out Of The Cradle is one of my all time favorite albums by anybody anywere. It was nice to drink in the languid tone and pretty melody during live performance. His new disc Seeds We Sow was strongly represented with six songs performed live and in a switch from the norm, the audience seemed to enjoy new material. "In Our Own Time" in particular thrived with Buckingham stooping down for his jagged little guitar fills. Also away from the norm, the crowd seemed to appreciate the artist's abilities beyond being a human jukebox, revelling in Buckingham's intricate guitar work (so intricate he has to shake his hand loose before many songs. Repetetive motion injury?) and howling vocals.

That appreciation is probably why the place went ape shit when Buckingham went full throttle into a classic rock smash like "Second Hand News". It was one of those perfect concert moments where the audience and performer feed off each other as Buckingham's insistent "Do it! Do it! Do it!" in between "bom bom bom bom"s increased in intensity. Buckingham reached out to his fans now, pointing at some dancers and shaking hands with the front row. The extended solo at the end of "I'm So Afraid" gave us the guitar God moment, ending with women literally grabbing at his legs. And how could "Go Your Own Way" not go over well?

After firing off all his major hits I wondered if there would be an encore and if there was would it include "Holiday Road". The answer turned out to be yes and no. Got another treat in form of the Out Of The Cradle track "Turn It On" before discovering a new appreciation for "Treason" off the Gift Of Screws album. Buckingham ended the evening solo acoustic on "Seeds We Sow".

Concert Rating:


Lindsey Buckingham's new disc Seeds We Sow arrived with some minor buzz around it a few months ago. Most of that buzz was about it being self released and sounding under produced. When I first played the album, I thought it was under produced too initally but have found Seeds We Sow to be a -wait for it - slow grower. Where Lindsey Buckingham's work can often be described as lush or layered, Seeds We Sow has an approach closer to Fleetwood Mac's Tusk where the music was stripped down to guitar, bass, voice and drums.

After playing this in my car a few weeks, the each of the songs started to resonate more. On initial listen I enjoyed the 80s pop flavored "Illumination" and the speedy "One Toke Over The Line" influenced "One Take". The electric version of the title track (an Amazon bonus cut) also sounded great. It was the slower numbers that took time to appreciate. "End Of Time" has become one of my favorite Lindsey Buckingham songs, beautiful chorus matched with just enough lush accompanyment to make it shine. And the jerky rhythms to "In Our Own Time" cannot be done by anyone other than Buckingham. The spare sound becomes refreshing over time and actually becomes one of the album's strengths.

If I reviewed Seeds We Sow a few weeks ago I would have given it a seven. But now, I'll bump it up to

Album rating:

A Witchy Woman Ages Gracefully...

Rating:

Stevie Nicks...likes...ellipses...so it seems fitting to write this review in her style, little one. The original witchy woman (who is not the subject of the Eagle's hit) has released her first solo album in a decade. And it soars on the wing of a white winged dove(which means it's good). The stars aligned to unleash her best written work since '83's Wild Heart record. And it gives...a portrait of...a woman aging gracefully...sitting in the corner of a crowded room...like a shadow of a shadow...like a dream...or a Jane Seymour movie... Like the album title In Your Dreams suggests, Nicks lays on the mystique thick invoking exotic locations and the dead (even undead). Dave Stewart's gauzy production enhances the dark mysterious mood while keeping a spotlight on Nicks' fortune teller presence. In fact, if Nicks wasn't so authentic (and wealthy) I'd say "Wide Saragasso Sea","New Orleans", "Moonlight (A Vampire's Dream) and "Italian Summer" were inspired by surfing basic cable tv. But this is Stevie's world baby, so we stay with her awhile. Part of the fun of a Nicks album is deciphering what she's talking about. In Your Dreams is the most romance novelish thing she's done yet, with themes of passion and hope amid a shifting sea of mortality and maturity. Sort of Anne Rice minus the goth. Which works well...in concept and execution...And so...the story goes...

Old Timers Day

Classic rockers did their best to not let Rock and Roll die, spending the decade releasing new music to their shrinking fan bases. Some proved they still had something relevant to say while others looked like they were going thru the motions.

The Future Past Of Rock And Roll

Probably the most visible (and biggest following) performer to make my list is The Boss, Bruce Springsteen. He was prolific, putting out like five albums. Of those, the one to impress me was 2007's Magic where I felt he had a good batch of songs ("Radio Nowhere", "Livin In The Future" and "Long Way Home" were highlights) and recaptured some of the 'ol E Street magic (I thought they sounded stiff on 2002's The Rising which is otherwise a good disc). The Boss's idol, or The Bosses Boss if you will, Bob Dylan, issued the excellent Love and Theft in 2001. Dylan's album had a ramshackle well worn feel alongside vibrant material (like the relaxing "Sugar Baby"). Meanwhile, Sir Paul McCartney came up with a winner on his Chaos And Creation In The Backyard (2005) by having quality tunes and a nice homemade feel. "Jenny Wren" had a great classic Beatles feel to it.

Let Your Freak Flag Fly

More prolific was Neil Young who should win the award for most faithful recreation of a 60's event by spitting out a vitriolic anti war album in Living With War (2006) which doesn't make my list for song quality yet deserves mentioning just for intent. Maybe the only 60's liberal rock survivor I can think of that used his flower power era anti establishment cred for something other than a marketable cache of cool. Agree or disagree with him, Young showed guts to stand behind his established politics even as it just made him seem that much more like a walking antique. But in terms of the actual music, I liked the acoustic Prairie Wind (2005) on which Young muses on fleeting personal mortality.

John Mellencamp also went acoustic and a little somber on Life, Death, Love and Freedom (that's probably not the right title but too tired to look up right title) the disc that turned around decades of hatred...for me that is. I hated John Mellencamp's music since 1982 yet this album grabbed my attention. This disc made me feel like American values of fairness and freedom for all were slipping through my very fingers. Impressive album.

Jackson Browne (a personal favorite of mine) also went anti war in a more low key way (because he is Jackson Browne after all) in 2008's Time The Conqueror. Browne's songwriting was as eloquent and So Cal with its laid back urgency (oxymoron alert!) as ever in an enjoyable way. And though John Fogerty made an anti war statement on the weak Deja Vu All Over Again (2004) CD, he turned it around musically by reviving his Creedence sound on Revival (2007). By getting back to his old swamp grounds Fogerty's anti Bush rants like "Gunslinger" carried more weight.

Peaceful Easy Feeling

Speaking of laid back So Cal urgency, Browne's fellow scenesters also dished out plenty of harmony driven goodness. Fleetwood Mac's Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks had nice solo turns with Under the Skin (2006) and Trouble In Shangri La (2001) respectively, outshining their one Mac disc together the spotty Say You Will (2003). Buckingham went the acoustic route with rewarding results. The minimal instrumentation gave a break from Buckingham's usually dense production style adding freshness to head boppers like "Show You How". Ms. Nicks pumped up her resume' with a polished disc containing older songs written in her songwriting prime. Hence the outstanding numbers "Sorcerer" and "Planets Of The Universe" saw the light of day with strong results.

Meanwhile Hell froze over again thanks to The Eagles double disc smackdown Long Road To Eden (2007). While far from an astounding album, it's solid and a firm reminder of their best qualities.

Gotcha Covered

Because writing new compelling material is the ultimate challenge for every rock and roll artist, watching established performers turn to cover albums became a regular event. Of these, my favorite was the first Matthew Sweet / Susannah Hoffs team up Under The Covers Vol 1 (2006). They had a nice heartfelt vibe in paying tribute to power pop's past. Jack Blades (Night Ranger) and Tommy Shaw (Styx) also teamed up well on their paean to the early 70's with Influence (2007). Shaw / Blades had the best cover of Yes' "Your Move" ever (Sweet / Hoffs covered it in '09). In this list of Marvel Comics Team Ups I've got to throw in The Black Crowes with Jimmy Page Live At The Greek (2000) for tearin' it up on Led Zep covers. Let's face it, unless you were one of those Billionaires at the one and only Led Zep reunion show this is as close as you're gonna get to Valhalla. Bean town's Aerosmith rocked hard and well on their "blues" covers album Honkin On Bobo (2004) including a nice zipping take on "Baby Please Don't Go". Lastly, Def Leppard's best effort in the 21st Century was 2006's Yeah. Lep even got me to enjoy "Rock On", a song I personally loathe for just plain sucking in general.

Next, I'll run a catch all thru the remaining genres before naming my favorite album of the new millennium.

Under The Milky Way

I meant to post a few days ago about the sad passing of producer / engineer Greg Ladanyi, who apparently fell to his death shortly before a concert he was set to work on September 29th. Ladanyi's name appeared on many albums that I purchased in the 80's, including Fleetwood Mac's Behind The Mask, Don Henley's first two solo albums and Jackson Browne. Not to mention his work with Toto including on the immortal Toto IV. Ladanyi's work was marked by a smooth, tasteful sensibility. While reading one of his obituaries I was surprised to learn he had worked with The Church on the album that included a really great song, "Under The Milky Way".

Most producer / engineers don't get as much recognition as the artists they work with, in Ladanyi's case I feel his input played a factor on some of my favorite tunes on either a technical or aesthetic level. He didn't appear to be an "in your face" producer like say David Foster or Nile Rodgers where you hear 30 seconds and immediately knew who worked on it. As I type this, Toto's "Africa" popped up on my IPOD a song Ladanyi mixed. The "behind the scenes" people can make or break a project, I personally love the layered sound to Toto IV including how some of the piano from the demo is inserted into "Africa". In any case, another sad passing in music, to pay some respect here's The Church's hit that Ladanyi worked on "Under The Milky Way".

Great Moments In History 12/12/87

After years of watching music videos and wondering "how is it the concerts I go to are never recorded for music videos?" lightning struck twice for me with two of my favorite bands. the first was the recording of Journey's clip for "Girl Can't Help It" during my attendance of that group's show in Calaveras County in '86. The next year I attended a taping of a full concert for the mighty Fleetwood Mac.

I had no idea this concert was going to be recorded until I got there (despite the tickets stating it was to be filmed), my parents had given me the tickets for a birthday present. So me and my friend Tim took our seats in the good 'ol Cow Palace to see the Mac attack. They were decent seats on an upper seated level directly across from the middle of the stage. Going in I did know of one or two changes, namely that quirky guitarist / vocalist Lindsey Buckingham had quit and was replaced by guitarist / vocalists Billy Burnette and Rick Vito. I was really disappointed that Buckingham had quit before the Tango In The Night tour, as I didn't expect them to come back in the first place and was totally stoked by that album.

As the concert started I saw that this was going to be a recorded event and not done quite as seamlessly as Journey's video either. First, there was this huge tangle of monster cables decending from the middle of the ceiling down to the floor blocking some of our view. And the cameras used included a huge one on tracks that pulled along the front of the stage in addition to the cameramen already scrambling on stage. Plus the house lights weren't brought all the way down, instead maintaining a sort of dusk level that highlighted the amount of smoke (you know what kind of smoke) in the arena. In fewer words, the recording process provided a bit of a distraction that made it tougher to get into the actual show.

But I can't say I didn't get what I wanted, not only did I attend a music video but an entire music vid concert that would later get released on video tape (it was combined with another show filmed at the Cow Palace for the finished product). And a concert I attended has been recorded for posterity, how cool is that? Yet what about the concert itself?

The new Fleetwood Mac (and anyone who has followed this band knows there is a new Fleetwood Mac often) was a tight, professional sounding unit. My teenage crush Stevie Nicks was still there in all her flowing scarves and poofy hair glory. She sounded strong though seemed more reserved than I expected. Maybe it was because this version of the group had a different chemistry, without Buckingham there probably was less drama on and off stage. From the opening song "The Chain" the tone was set: they cruised through a perfect sounding take with good vocals and a steady beat. At the same time, all that nervous edginess and frantic tension the song had with Buckingham was missing. A more polished approach took his place, in addition to Burnette and Vito a percussionist plus background vocalists were brought in to fill out the sound.

Still there were highlights to be seen and heard. Hearing Nicks perform "Dreams" live for the first time was pure magic. Newbies Burnette and Vito tried to invoke the original Fleetwood Mac's memory to good effect with an entertaining "Oh Well" and a mellow "I Loved Another Woman". Rick Vito was a spectacular sight of 80's gaudiness in a poker card covered jacket and dollar sign shaped guitar. "Everywhere" sounded better because Stevie Nicks had more presence in the background vocals (I don't know if she was included in the studio version, the impression I've had is no). "Little Lies" came across well and the one time where Stevie did work up some energy was on her solo hit "Stand Back". And drummer Mick Fleetwood did a one of a kind drum solo where he walked around the stage hitting his chest that made sounds like "Help me!".

All in all it was a good concert and fun, even if the ghost of Buckingham lingered as his "Go Your Own Way" remained at the end of the set. The band's brand of polished mellowness continued into the next studio effort Behind The Mask which I've been playing in the car this week. While I certainly like the Mac better with Buckingham, this lineup had its merits. All of the performers seemed comfortable, Vito could tear it up on guitar and Burnette did have a smoother delivery than Buckingham so it wasn't a copycat. This version of Fleetwood Mac is practically forgotten now, at the time they gave a pleasant backdrop to the end of the 80's.

I Heard A Rumour

Up to Number 2 on my 100 Favorite CD list, it's one of the first tapes I ever bought-

Number 2: Fleetwood Mac - Rumours (1977)

It's not an understatement to say I practically worship this album. The first Fleetwood Mac tape I got was Mirage (1982) and I liked it enough that I felt like a little more Mac leading me to picking up Rumours at the local Payless. My adventure with this album started with it being a great bunch of songs and my crush on Stevie Nicks. As time went on, I learned more about the story behind the album - the relationships of the band members to each other, the art of the production, the piles of cocaine they consumed and the first album to have four Top 10 singles. While I love the multitude of factoids and stories that go with Rumours, what makes it my second favorite all time album is that it just sounds good.

1. Second Hand News

When I bought the tape, this song was placed on the second side and not the start so it threw me when we hit the CD era. Lindsey Buckingham had a slight Country twang that fit his California rocker image well. This type of a song, a fast stiff beat with alternately driving and jangly guitars anchoring his nervously urgent singing would become a hallmark for Buckingham's style. While every song on this album became a hit of some type on the radio, this one always draws a sly smile for the line "Won't you lay me down in the tall grass and let me do my stuff."

2. Dreams

I think this was Fleetwood Mac's only #1 hit. There's a lot to read into with the back story of Nicks leaving Buckingham, there's a sense of poetic resignation to the tune. I always liked how the part about a "Heartbeat drives you mad" is echoed by Mick Fleetwood's heart beat like percussion. The band does a great job of keeping it soft while still giving a pulse to the groove. Along with the elemental lyrics, Stevie Nicks created a song that was memorable and interesting without being too literal.

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3. Never Going Back Again

Easily the funnest song on the album, even if it probably isn't written from a positive place. Buckingham is finger pickin' good on this track, taking the acoustic guitar and setting it to his famed herky jerky beat. This song often pops in my mind if there is somewhere I don't want to go back to. Though my strongest memory is bebopping to this song in a supermarket while shopping with my wife about ten years ago.

4. Don't Stop

Christine McVie's optimistic blues rock romp has become a standard of sorts, particularly after it was used as Bill Clinton's theme song for his initial Presidency. "Don't Stop" is one of those definitive feel good songs, I live how tight the rhythm section of drummer Mick Fleetwood and bassist John McVie is on this track. Christine McVie and Lindsey Buckingham's vocals get entangled in a way where I have a hard time distinguishing who is singing when. The song is such a classic that Fleetwood Mac still plays it without Christine McVie, who left the band a few years back. To think this all started with Christine McVie hooking up with the band's lighting guy...

5. Go Your Own Way

One of the first songs I ever truly loved, "Go Your Own Way" is a blast of high flying harmony vocals, lurching rhythms and some fired up guitar soloing. A bitter kiss off from Buckingham, no doubt directed towards his ex Ms. Nicks, "Way" packs some fury in it's few minutes on. Up there with Jackson Browne's "Running On Empty" for 70's Cali rock traveling songs (highlighted by their back to back usage in the jogging segment of Forrest Gump), I was facinated with Buckingham's unique guitar style. Lindsey Buckingham's biggest hit, when I saw the Mac live the first time in '87 it still held the set closer position in the set list though he had left the band (Billy Burnette sang it).

6. Songbird

Christine McVie alone at a piano is a beautiful, soothing thing. Being from the Bay Area, I liked the fact that this was recorded in Berkeley. Maybe as close as this album gets to sentimentality, "Songbird" provides a moment of peace and grace to close out side one.

7. The Chain

Side two kicks off with "The Chain", a dark song that starts with a chanted style verse as Nicks and Buckingham play off each other leading into a brief bass solo and then a racing guitar frenzy finish. The first time I heard this was on the HBO special for the Mirage tour, where Buckingham and Nicks really dig into the verses almost like actors. It was the show opener and created a lot of drama with the two almost sparring vocally and Nicks unleashing her sexy witchy woman mystique. That tour seems to be the only time this arrangement was used, as the album arrangement keeps the group singing fairly tight without too many jabs at each other.

8. You Make Loving Fun

Though arguably the least famous of Fleetwood Mac's three singer / songwriters from this period, Christine McVie had written the most chart hits. McVie's bouncy ode to rediscovering the thrill of love rides on a supple beat from the famed rhythm section. For me, my favorite part is those incredible background vocals. Once those "Ahhh Ahhh" backgrounds kick in I'm hooked, it's airy brilliance supports McVie's lead vocal perfectly. It's a weird thing to get into, I love the backgrounds on this song.

9. I Don't Want To Know

This was the tune that led off side one on the tape I had! I always thought this song was slight, nothing great nothing bad kind of category. It seems Nicks really wanted "Silver Springs" but was told there wasn't room on the record or something to that effect. "Silver Springs" was relegated to a B side on a single, still years later Nicks still had faith in the song. She tried to claim it for a Greatest Hits comp of her solo stuff in the early 90's but Mick Fleetwood denied it to her, keeping it for a Fleetwood Mac box set instead. That set was the first time I heard "Springs" and I thought it was killer. When the Rumours lineup reunited in '97, "Silver Springs" was resurrected again and became a highlight of their first show which featured Nicks staring down Buckingham on stage while belting out in the final moments. Now it's one of their best known songs!

10. Oh Daddy

A song for Mick Fleetwood, this is probably the most pleasantly dated piece on the record. The slow downbeat groove sets the mood and contains one of my favorite John McVie bass parts. He's all over this bad boy like a monster.

11. Gold Dust Woman

Despite the lyrics allusions to groupies and drugs, the imagery in my mind was of a nomadic weathered faced woman walking through the desert with a spoon in her hand. And so goes my mind! When my wife and saw them on The Dance tour, during this song Nicks let out a huge wail and physically shook that drew a big pop from the audience. Though it wasn't one of the singles from Rumours, this ranks as high in recognize ability to most people as those hits. For me, the best Stevie Nicks number on the album. I dig the hypnotic rhythms and spooky sense of drama.

Fleetwood Mac is one of my all time favorite bands so it makes sense they would have an all time favorite record of mine. Rumours is a convergence of talent, inspiration and maybe even fate leading to a fantastic record from start to finish.

Mr Mike AOR Project 1987

I had this poster up on my wall back in the day, right next to James Bond.

1987, the year that will live in infamy. It lives in infamy because it was the year that Arena Rock's most infamous incarnation took hold of the mainstream. Hair Bands! Spandex, hairspray, makeup, party hearty anthems to work up a sweat and mushy ballads to make mascara run, went for middle America's jugular and took first blood. So flick your bic and hold it high because we're rocking like Amadeus into 1987 (and yes, "Rock Me Amadeus" was 1986).

Disc 1:

Sammy Hagar - Give to Live

The Red Rocker was feeling very "peace on earth and goodwill to men" on his contractually obligated solo album a year after joining Van Halen.

Whitesnake - Here I Go Again

Remember back when Tawny Kitaen wasn't all jacked up? Doing cartwheels on fancy cars seemed so simple then. She gave David Coverdale a reason to twirl his mic stand.

Guns N Roses - Welcome to the Jungle

One of the definitive rock anthems of the decade, Axl Rose's screeching over Slash's rampaging riff is 80's rock magic. It's still often used as a story telling device when a show or movie wants to introduce urban blight. As for me, I thought of this song often when I worked at a Marine animal theme park a year later.

Survivor - Is This Love

The last Top 10 hit for the AOR legends was this spiffy pop rocker with a Steve Perry style vocal hook. Love the cascading keyboards on this one.

Yes - Rhythm of Love

Guitarist Trevor Rabin thought it would be funny to make a Yes song about sex. And in that context, it is pretty funny.

Genesis - Tonight Tonight Tonight

What started as an eight minute prog album track turned into a 30 second beer commercial phenomenon which led to a three minute pop hit. They don't call Progressive Rock "Math Rock" for nothing!

Bonfire - Sleeping All Alone

Cutout bin classics Bonfire generate some heat.

Europe - Carrie

Swedish meatballs Europe wipe away the tears with sheer power balladry.

Bob Seger - Shakedown

What was supposed to be Glenn Frey turned into Bob Seger's monster hit to the Beverly Hills Cop 2 soundtrack. Shakedown...take down...you're busted!

Heart - Alone

One of the best remembered of all the power ballads, Heart's dramatic take on I Ten's song raised the bar on glossy theatrics. That's why it gets sung every year on American Idol.

Patty Smyth - Downtown Train

Before an, er, trainload of people got the idea to cover this Tom Waits song the ex Scandal singer had her take on it.

Bon Jovi - Wanted Dead or Alive

Ok, there's such a thing as too much ego and Jon Bon Jovi's comparisons of this song to "Stairway to Heaven" back in the day is a clear example. It's a great song, who doesn't want to be a cowboy on a steel horse or see a million faces and rock them all ?

Motley Crue - Girls Girls Girls

Some magazine had a caption for this song I can't beat. It said something like "L.A. Rockers ode to the titty bars they love." That's downright poetic.

Bryan Adams - Heat of the Night

A guaranteed hit song as the first single of a new album following Reckless, Adams hits a heavy groove that he would never touch again in the years of movie soundtrack love songs that would come later.

Aerosmith - (Dude) Looks Like A Lady

And with one fell swoop, Aerosmith replaced the Dallas Cowboys as "America's Team" with a fired up declaration to transgender issues.

Cutting Crew - (I Just) Died in Your Arms

A big year for (parenthesis), I was watching VH1's one hit wonders of the 80's and everyone came to the conclusion that this song is about sexual climax. Huh huh, I said "came". I still think that guitar lick was pilfered from "Der Kommisar".

Andy Taylor - Take it Easy

Barney, Opie and the gang get together for one last song on the porch before Otis stumbles in and eats Aunt Bea's Apple Pie. Ex-Duran Duran guitarist took his shot at Arena Rock glory and came up with this decent nugget for Mitch Gaylord's American Anthem movie.

Disc 2:

Dokken - Dream Warriors

One, two Dokken's after you. Guitarist George Lynch tries to outshred Freddy Kruger and wins.

The Outfield - Since You've Been Gone

I saw the band perform this live before the second album dropped, I was so sure this was going to be a big hit. Little did I know the public had enough Outfield from the first record.

Tesla - Little Suzi

It was practically Sacramento, CA's theme song in the late 80's as the local boys made good. Last year during MTV's celebration of their channels launch I found out this was originally a new wave song by a different band. Had no idea!

Cinderella - Nobody's Fool

You know, that girl's tilted clock hat fad never really took off. Cinderella started with flash and glam before bloozing things up a few years later.

Night Ranger - The Secret of My Success

Nothing says Flashback like a theme song to a Michael J Fox movie co-written and produced by David Foster. Throw in the synth horns and this is like Chicago on steroids.

Bon Jovi - Livin On A Prayer

Jon Bon Jovi delivers his masterpiece, a brilliant mix of talk box effects and escalating chorus vocals. I watched this interview with Desmond Child one time, he said he gave this song a Latin flair. Another one of those things I would have never guessed.

Georgia Satellites - Keep Your Hands To Yourself

The Satellites gave Southern Rock a good name and for a second seemed to have a strong future.

Ace Frehley - Into The Night

Space Ace took his leave of KISS to record some decent songs including this sly rocker. Last night the video came on VH1 Classics, it's powerful stuff.

Great White - Rock Me

Maybe one of the best song titles in Arena Rock, this long cut stealthily sneaks up on you and then shifts into overdrive. So sad what happened at that club years later.

Boston - We're Ready

A sort of forgotten hit even though it made the Top 10, it is almost never included in Boston's greatest hits comps. I have no idea why, it's wicked awesome.

Jet Boy - Feel The Shake

A great 80's rock band name if there ever was one, Jet Boy hit the afterburners on this anthemic tune.

REO Speedwagon - That Ain't Love

It threw everyone for a loop, Kevin Cronin grew a mustache! He looked all old and goofy with that thing on, made it hard to take him seriously. Ironically, with a bitter song like "That Ain't Love" Cronin was asking to be taken seriously. He looked like a snake oil salesman.

Pink Floyd - Learning To Fly

This was all over the radio back then, it was the first Pink Floyd song to be listenable since The Wall in 1980. Tongue tied and twisted just an Earth bound misfit, I.

Foreigner - Say You Will

No more head games, Foreigner made one of their patented midtempo pop rock jams the first single. A game of wordplay reigns supreme, say you will, say you won't, say you do, say you don't...damn, they've got a lot to say.

Rick Springfield - Rock of Life

It was rough not being able to squeeze more Genius into these CDs, but fortunately '87 was a weak year for AOR. Springfield takes a Sting like quality in the verses before slamming into the shifting chorus.

Fleetwood Mac - Big Love

I was so convinced it was Stevie Nicks making those little gasps countering Lindsey Buckingham's. Turned out both gasp noises were Buckingham, he just sped up his voice on the second set.

Starship - Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now

You may think being in love with a Mannequin is wrong, but who are you to judge? You can't put limits on love! The heart wants what it wants.

Looks like we're heading towards the end, just two more years to go in this magnificent decade. Don't hate '88, it's almost here.

Mr. Mike Project 1982

Buda-Buda-Buda...on restrictions from watching Buck Rogers? Then find yourself some Rock & Roll on the radio.

1982, the year that essentially created this blog. I wasn't doing well in school and was restricted to staying indoors to do homework without access to television or baseball (my two childhood obsessions) to improve my grades. For entertainment the only thing I had was my clock radio, so I left it on while I did homework. Then I started to like some songs more than others, like Blondie's "The Tide is High" or Toto's "Rosanna". At the end of the year, Casey Kasem and America's Top 40 (Billboard) ran a program on New Years Eve counting down the Top 100 songs of the past 12 months. So I decided to sit down and record the whole program (it was hours long and took about all nite). The best songs of the year for free! I played those tapes incessantly afterwards, leading me to buying music resulting 27 years later with what we have in the present (me and a lot of music).

1982 was also the last year of true Arena Rock. The music industry was in a slump, sales were down and the industry complained about home copying as much as possible to anyone that would listen (sounds familiar?). MTV had just started the year before and was a channel dedicated to Rock music only (big controversy at the time) meaning music hadn't been Hollywood-ized yet. Rock bands didn't have to be pretty, just play music well. Michael Jackson's Thriller was released in '82, but it wouldn't be until the next year that there would be a push to put him on MTV and change music forever. But that was in the future, now it's 1982. Here's my picks for Arena Rock CDs for my car.

Disc 1:

Journey - Open Arms

The song most credited with starting the power ballad, Steve Perry makes the girls weep with his special brand of epic sensitivity and pre-American Idol melisma.

Steve Miller Band - Abracadabra

The Bay Area invasion continues, the 70's rocker got his last run at the pop charts in with this synthy dance cut. He heats up and can't cool down. I heard this was written about Diana Ross, wonder if that's true?

Survivor - Eye of the Tiger

Boxing gets a new theme song as this track from Rocky III scores a knockout. I remember the first time I heard it, got dragged into a friend's house after a baseball game because he wanted to play everyone a tape of the rockinist song ever.

Moving Pictures -What About Me

The Australian smash hit ballad did little business here in the U.S., but was a sign of the growing influence of Arena Rock worldwide.

38 Special - Caught Up In You

Don Barnes best vocal in my book, the 38's give Urban Cowboys something romantic to say to their best cowgirls.

Toronto - Your Daddy Don't Know

A kickin' track that...I can't figure out why it matters that your Daddy don't know what your Mama's gonna do tonight. I guess it means you're telling someone their Mom is sleeping around? Not the nicest thing to say! But it makes for a killer Canadian hit. I've read the New Pornographers covered this too.

Asia - Heat of the Moment

Take three of the greatest Prog bands of all time (Yes, ELP, King Crimson), pour into a cup add water and stir.

Spys - Don't Run My Life

While looking for songs for these CDs, I finally got an answer to a lifelong question: what happened to those dudes that were fired from Foreigner? Answer: they formed this band.

REO Speedwagon - Keep the Fire Burnin'

Did you know that there was a band called REO Speed Dealer? Too funny. Oh, this song is freakin' great in that "Roll With The Changes" kinda way.

Judas Priest - You Got Another Thing Comin'

Rob Halford drops another hint to his fans of what's what. And then sells burgers with it two decades later.

Fleetwood Mac - Hold Me

Lindsey Buckingham kicks his production skillz into overdrive for this overdub classic built on yet another sturdy Christine McVie tune.

Bad Company - Electric Land

You know what sucks? I can't find a cheap copy of "No Smoke Without A Fire" anywhere. Anyway, gotta represent the original lineup where I can, so all I got is "Electric Land".

Bryan Adams - Straight From The Heart

Bri Dog's first big hit was this ballad, maybe I should have went with "Lonely Nights"? I included "Heaven" later, did I really need two Adams ballads?

Dio - Rainbow in the Dark

Ronnie James throws his fists skyward and screams about rainbows.

Quarterflash - Harden My Heart

Swanky sax and a Pat Benatar vibe goes the distance on this big hit.

Alan Parsons Project - Eye in the Sky

I asked my wife to sing this song to me recently, it was beautiful. The song itself with it's Orwellian fears, so ahead of its time.

Joan Jett - I Love Rock and Roll

Snarling, simplistic and catchy as hell. Joan Jett "Ow!"s her way to greatness.

Headpins - Just One More Time

Another Canadian band to do decent business up North, I always liked the name of this group. They had this one video where their faces were on bowling pins, it was cool in that early 80's kinda way.

Disc 2:

Aldo Nova - Fantasy

Awesome futurism, I mean the guy's name is ALDO NOVA and he has helicopters and laser guns in his song. Like Buck Rogers with a guitar. Twiki rocks out.

Tane' Cain - Holdin On

Jon Cain's then wife shows Quarterflash a thing or two in the Pat Benatar copycat department. And then becomes a B movie actress appearing in movies like Illicit Dreams 2 and Bikini Academy. Speaking of futurism, she appeared and sang in the first Terminator movie too.

Supertramp - It's Raining Again

The group's final hit with Roger Hodgson was this sing songy confection complete with the children's rhyme at the end.

Axe' - Rock and Roll Party in the Streets

I heard if you take this record and spray it on you that chicks can't resist you.

Steel Breeze - You Don't Want Me Anymore

Blazin' keyboards and fired up guitar, this is what music is about! State of the Art rock for 1982. Where's my Rubik's cube?

Kiss - I Love it Loud

This is a song I got into from hearing it on Music Choice over the past few years instead of listening to it back then. But what the hell, may as well include some makeup era Kiss if I can.

Journey - Don't Stop Believin'

As Sammy Hagar once said, what is understood does not need to be discussed. A song for the ages.

Rainbow - Stone Cold

Downbeat dramatics rule as Joe Lynn Turner and Richie Blackmore get the cold shoulder. Oooh, ice cold.

Foreigner - Waiting For A Girl Like You

Upbeat dramatics rule as Lou Gramm and Mick Jones give a warm welcome. Having those cascading Thomas Dolby synthesizers didn't hurt either. You know that line in the verse "When we make love it's understood", who understands it? I would think the two people having sex already understand they are having sex. Are they having sex in public?

Toto - Rosanna

As I learned from Casey Kasem, that synthesizer solo took several passes of overdubbing to get the right sound. Rosanna Arquette, inspiration to all musicians everywhere.

Golden Earring - Twilight Zone

You know half of that song "Radar Love" kicks soooo much ass. Oh, this was their other hit.

J. Geils Band - Centerfold

So provocative back in the day, Peter Wolf shuffles his feet and fantasizes about girls in girlie magazines. Interesting compared to now where Centerfolds can have their own TV shows and what not. Not that I'm complaining.

Cheap Trick - She's Tight

The Tricksters lay down their last great rock song, Arena Rock with a touch of punky urgency and ribald sense of humor. No accident Green Day ripped off this song years later.

Eddie Money - I Think I'm in Love

A highlight from last Summer when we saw the Money man play at the Santa Cruz boardwalk, the staggering one stands and delivers a straight ahead shot of AOR.

Shooting Star - Hollywood

Before videos took hold, bands would occasionally get ambitious and tell their musical theater dreams on record only. Also ran AORsters Shooting Star were no exception, I bet Dennis DeYoung was ecstatic when he heard this.

Tommy TuTone - 867 5309 Jenny

Is there anything harsher than putting a real phone number in a hit song? And then making it about getting a girl's number off the wall? Burn!

Billy Squier - Everybody Wants You

Squier brings the beats again on this zippy, bangin track. If it's good enough for the CW, it's good enough for me.

John Waite - Change

Proof that Pat Benatar had male copycats too, Waite hooked up with Benatar's guitarist for this rocker that was only a medium sized hit despite two attempts at chart success (in 1982 and then re-released as a single in 1985 for the Vision Quest soundtrack).

And that's it for the year that was 1982. Next up, MTV takes hold of the video and airwaves.

Top 10 Favorite Albums of 2008

Coldplay had my 11th favorite CD of the year, Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends. Coldplay had my 11th favorite CD of the year, Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends. Hey, stop copying me Chris Martin!

2008 was the year that everything least likely to happen, happened. As I read what I wrote in this post, I see the words "unlikely" or "least likely" pop up everywhere. I have even named a former life long nemesis to this list. It was the year of "Go Figure", it was 2008:

10. Lindsey Buckingham - Gift of Screws

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As his career has progressed, Buckingham's artful refinement of his unique distillation of roots rock, Brian Wilson and 70's melodicism has become increasingly studied though no less sharp. This makes Gift of Screws a pleasant surprise as Buckingham cuts loose a smidgen with a greater focus on energy and Fleetwood Mac-isms than much of his recent work (including Fleetwood Mac albums). Fleetwood Mac white album and Rumours era rock abounds with a cluster of acoustic and electric guitars and multitracked chorus vocals (with Buckingham seemingly raising the EQ on some of his singing to mimic the Buckingham/Nicks sound). Did You Miss Me embraces his softer, swoonier side while "Love Runs Deeper" and "The Right Place to Fade" had me reliving his "Go Your Own Way" glory days.

9. Rick Springfield - Venus in Overdrive

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One of the unlikely candidates for a comeback, Springfield once again displays his Genius of adapting personal experiences to the Pop / Rock sound of the day. As he has done throughout his career, Springfield takes the modern style of commercial rock and personalizes it with his distinct brand of angst and weariness (of the many people to once hold Teen Idol status, Springfield stood out in writing downbeat lyrics to his happy sounding songs). The lead single "What's Victoria's Secret" recalled "Jessie's Girl" in parts and Springfield worked the promo circuit including his old stomping grounds of General Hospital to push it. The rest of the album is just as good as "Secret", referencing the Stones and the Beatles in between the slick sonics worthy of a Disney star. The Genius strikes again!

8. R.E.M. - Accelerate

The least likely of the bunch to ride the retro train, R.E.M. cut out the arty crap and got back to the jangly fast beat riddles that made them College Rock darlings. Like the album title says, it was time for R.E.M. to speed up a bit and tracks like Living Well is the Best Revenge and Supernatural Superserious give a caffeinated kick in the pants. There are still some slower numbers for R.E.M. to get their more ambitious ya-yas out, but what sticks are moments like the silly album closer I'm Gonna DJ. I haven't played this much R.E.M. since Automatic for The People (1992).

7. Amy Winehouse - Back to Black

The real success story for Winehouse is that she made it out of 2008 alive, I really didn't think she would make it. Forgetting that she is a violent mess of a junkie, the album Back to Black ties Classic Soul and Motown to engaging songwriting and a unique performer. Tears dry on Their Own recalls the rush of early Diana Ross while her hit Rehab was attention grabbing fun. Given her self destructive behavior, it's not likely Winehouse will make an album this good ever again. Winehouse is the beautiful sound of damaged goods, intent on proving that You Know I'm No Good was no idle boast.

6. Whitesnake - Good to Be Bad

Of all the 80's rockers to pull their spandex out of mothballs, David Coverdale was one of the least likely to succeed. Whitesnake had come to symbolize hair band excess almost as much as Winger and with little output from Coverdale since the 80's he seemed ripe for a limp pale performance. But Coverdale is a crafty one, bringing in guitarist Doug Aldrich to peel out simpatico Led Zep riffage to Coverdale's Plantish howl. Good to Be Bad is like a cross of the two best 'Snake albums, it has the down and dirty blues rock of Slide it In (1984) and the commercial hooks of Whitesnake (1987). With Good to Be Bad you get the best Whitesnake has to offer, the Led Zep lite of the title track, the power balladry of All I Want All I Need and the fired up go for broke rawk of Got What You Need. Coverdale proves he still has some hair spray left in his can yet.

5. John Mellencamp - Life, Death, Love and Freedom

Is this really my list? I've hated John Mellencamp for years so saying his name positively takes a bit of getting used to. This year I decided to cut Mellencamp a little slack and give him a fair shot at impressing me. His disc Life, Death, Love and Freedom was good but I didn't think it was great. So imagine my surprise when I made this list this week and found I liked this album to the point I would rank it my 5th favorite of the year. Like Springsteen's classic Nebraska (1982), Mellencamp takes a good hard look at the disillusionment with the American dream as it is taken away "Without A Shot" in this Troubled Land. Staring in the face of social and economic ills or maybe just a plain loss of values, Mellencamp paints a stark picture that mirrors the feeling of what's happening now like no other. Looks like all those people who recommended this CD to me was right: it is great and it's one of the best of the year. Hard to believe this all started with me liking the rockabilly My Sweet Love.

4. Asia - Phoenix

It only took a quarter of a century to get Steve Howe, John Wetton, Carl Palmer and Geoff Downes to record a new album, record time in the world of Progressive rock where band lineups change with the weather. Inspired by Wetton's recent health problems, Phoenix comes alive with feel good emotion and tricky band interplay. Surprising in its maturity, Wetton's smooth delivery backed by angular guitars, swirling synths and rapid fire drums bring back the Heat. I even got to live the dream and see these guys in concert this year. Easily the band's most optimistic record, Asia proves it's An Extraordinary Life. "Never Again" had the drama and poppy action expected from the First Supergroup of the 80's while at the same time delving into their storied Prog history like never before on tracks like Parallel Worlds/Vortex/Deya. Carl Palmer rules!

3. Sheryl Crow - Detours

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Crow had become a bit of a media joke as her commercial power has faded, written off as a left wing nut job who survived cancer but failed in a high profile relationship with bicyclist Lance Armstrong. Detours shows Crow can have the last laugh, reteaming with Tuesday Night Music Club producer Bill Bottrell returns her to a more natural, lively sound than her recent outings. And with Bottrell, Crow finds her songwriting muse and writes an album of all killer and no filler (the first time I can say that about one of her discs). Serving as a self portrait, Detours gives insight into her openly lefty politics and wounded romantic heart. Cuts like God Bless This Mess, Love is Free and Now That You're Gone illustrate the power of her songwriting. My favorite of all the Sheryl Crow albums, one of those rare moments where talent, feeling and performance hit their peak at the same time.

2. Journey - Revelation

In what was one of the most controversial Lead Singer swaps in recent history, Journey picked a Filipino singer from You Tube to be the latest substitute for AOR legend Steve Perry. While predecessors Steve Augeri and Jeff Scott Soto fared well, Arnel Pineda turned out to be the best replacement yet for "The Voice". Able to mimic not just Perry's range but recapture some of the soulfulness, Pineda added clear enunciation, an egoless approach and a high flying stage presence to the mix. Surprisingly, Pineda was also able to inject an upbeat personality and genuine feeling into the group's sound to bring Journey back from the brink. Meanwhile, Jon Cain and Neal Schon wrote material strong enough to be the best Journey album since Raised on Radio (1986). Rockers like Change for the Better and Never Walk Away soared like the Journey of old. The band that practically invented the power ballad serve up more misty eyed sentimentality on After All These Years in grand fashion. An album worthy of Tony Soprano's respect.

1. Metallica - Death Magnetic

The Bay Area Bashers rolled back the clock to the speed metal sound that made their name. Unruly song lengths, multisection arrangements, blazing fast guitar solos and growling vocals tear up the landscape. That Was Just Your Life and My Apocalypse could have just as easily come from ...And Justice For All (1988) with its total commitment to heaviocity (a word I made up just now). Some of their later, catchier style works its way in on All Nightmare Long or Cyanide but not to the point of weakening their edge. It's Metallica the way I've wanted to hear them for years: brutal, fast and uncompromising. Most of all, other than the Black Album and Garage Inc. it's the first Metallica album in twenty years to sound more like fun than work.

And there it is, my Ten favorite discs of the past year. Next up, my Five favorite movies and TV shows of '08.

Midnight Madness - Abbott and Costello Edition

Land of Confusion - Abbott and Costello work out the starting lineup in a comedy of errors.

I've been away for a little bit enjoying my Birthday! It's been a great couple of days, hopefully things will continue to go on a positive roll. One of the gifts I got was a Nintendo Wii, so now I'll have even more stuff to blog about. And now, time to go crazy.

Thank You! - Thank you to everyone for the Birthday wishes! You helped make this a great Birthday. And thank you to the Bunny!

Shotgun Blues - Axl Rose continues to follow The Tubes old "Completion Backwards Principle" by doing very little press for the release of Chinese Democracy but instead take the time to lash out at Dr Pepper for a botched promotional tie in. We missed you Axl! You remain the rocker whose next hit is usually a literal punch at someone.

Viva La Vida Redux - Coldplay's smash hit continues to be a magnet for plagiarism claims, this time by established guitar god Joe Satriani. Who knew Coldplay's most original sounding song could seem so derivative? What I heard did have some similarities, but I can't help but wonder if the timing of the lawsuit is because of the Grammy noms.

The Day Finally Came - Metallica is free of their record label and is considering the internet for future direct distribution of their music.

Darling Britney - Shades of the movement that started the PMRC, parents are getting upset about Britney Spear's song "If You Seek Amy" which is pronounced "If - U - See - Kay - Me". Where's Tipper Gore when you need her? The song is normal pop junk, but I have a soft spot for mildly offensive entertainment. Besides, April Wine beat Spears to this gimmick over 25 years ago.

It's Stevie Nicks, B*tch - Just seemed natural to follow a Britney Spears comment with this phrase. Fleetwood Mac is planning some touring in 2009.

Cable TV Roundup - What's new on Cable Networks? Let's take a look :

• Hulk Hogan Celebrity Championship Wrestling - backed by real wrestling folk (Eric Bishoff, Jimmy Hart) this show comes with a bit of pedigree to its D level celebrity reality tv. The program is actually more fun that it has a right to be, watching the likes of Dennis Rodman, Todd Bridges, Danny Bonaduce and Dustin Diamond chop and DDT each other is pretty cool. It's on CMT.


• That Metal Show - Wayne's World was not meant to be taken seriously...or was it? Eddie Trunk and crew gab over what's truly important, such as if Led Zep or Black Sabbath had a greater influence on Hard Rock. A rock geek's paradise on VH1 Classic.


• Chase - The game show that's meant to be like a video game, it's very reminiscent of the old Schwartzenegger flick The Running Man. Contestants are given a backpack and a maze like environment to run through timed missions while evading Matrix looking people. A big game of Tag with special rules, I actually found this program to be fairly entertaining. It's on Sci Fi Channel (Thank you to Some Kinda Wonderful and her son for the correction, I had listed G4 which became Spike a long time ago and was the wrong channel anyway).

Grammy Awards - The latest Grammy Awards are out and so I thought I would take a look at the Song of the Year nominees:

• American Boy by Estelle featuring Kanye West - I haven't heard this song until today, it's surprisingly breezy and slightly jazzy (the presence of Kanye West part had me expecting something harsher). A pleasant song that will undoubtedly get co-opted into a clothing commercial some day.


• Chasing Pavements by Adele - An inventive video does a nice job of enhancing the song. The latest British girl to ride the old school Soul wave, this song does have a nice sweeping hook and strong plaintive vocal.


• I'm Yours by Jason Mraz - Three songs into these nominated tunes and I think I'm finding a pattern. The Grammy's are all about relaxation this year. This song is Ok, maybe a grower, makes me want to take a tropical vacation. Or eat chicken wings at a sports bar. One of those two things.


• Love Song by Sara Bareilles - A good piano based jam that got massively overplayed, still like the clever writing angle. And as this has been commercialized already, I think of that computer printer ad everytime I hear this. Still, a good song.


• Viva La Vida by Coldplay - Or Lawsuit and All Of His Friends, this is my favorite of the songs nominated here. I wish they had expanded on the Apple video instead of this album cover come to life thing they did here. Oh well. One of my favorite songs of this past year.

And one for the road, I just felt like posting this classic Abbott and Costello clip. A & C movies were favorites of mine on weekend tv growing up, here's my favorite comedy bit of theirs, Who's on First. I once tried to memorize it, got nowhere close.

Abbott and Costello "Who's On First?"

The Buck Starts Here

For any of Fleetwood Mac's fans from the 70's who have wished Buckingham would get back to his long haired and bearded Rock phase, this one's for you!

Mac Daddy Lindsey Buckingham is back, in a relatively short period of time, with his new CD Gift of Screws. Buckingham hasn't been known for being prolific since the 70's so it's cool to see a new disc this year following his strong Under The Skin release of 2006 (though I first heard him wanting to use this album title as far back as the mid-90's. During the 1997 Dance tour with Fleetwood Mac I received a free sampler from Best Buy that included the song "Steal Your Heart Away" billed as belonging to the Gift of Screws album. The song later showed up on Fleetwood Mac's Say You Will release.) . Skin was a quiet, more personal take on the man's style of classic pop elements mixed with 70's So Cal rock. This time out, Buckingham takes the opposite tact leading to his loosest and in spots hardest rocking selection of tunes since 1979's Tusk.

And that's how this album has been billed, "Lindsey Buckingham's return to Rock." There is some truth to that statement, Buckingham drops some of the herky jerky rhythms and egg head production sheen to focus on tougher guitar riffs and intense soloing. The best of the bunch is the "Go Your Own Way"ish song "Love Runs Deeper" with it's quiet/loud song structure and runaway chorus. "Did You Miss Me" has a swoony melody and some of Buckingham's smooth dream-like sonics to convey longing. On the Title Track, the Mac master gets a little silly by altering his voice to cartoonish levels to accompany the guitar work. It's his most playful track since "My Little Demon". "The Right Place to Fade" even recaptures some of his mid 70's Country Rock swagger with voices mixed to mimic the Buckingham/Nicks style harmonies.

Alternately, some of the mellow stripped down sonics from Skin show up as well. His fast paced finger picked style still soothes as it creates a lively tapestry. "Bel Air Rain" and "Time Precious Time" both are mostly just him and his voice. "Treason" infuses some of Buckingham's 1950's vocal group influence to a slow beat.

Gift of Screws is an excellent display of Lindsey Buckingham's talents. Sometimes his albums sound so planned and heavily produced that it looses some flavor (particularly in the 80's where the synthesizers and bouncing vocal tracks got really thick) so it's refreshing to hear some immediacy to Screws. Being a long time fan of the Buckingham / Nicks version of Fleetwood Mac, Gift of Screws is a real treat. It's both a look back and a look ahead from an Artist that continues to challenge himself.

Lindsey Buckingham "Did You Miss Me"

Little Guitars - My Ten Favorite Guitarists

It's Alive!

Well, it's been a long week for me I've been under the weather almost the whole time and a trip to the doctor yesterday was of the mostly good news / some bad news variety. I started this post earlier this week but didn't get past the first sentence so I've decided to give it another go. I've always had one or two favorite guitar players but I haven't ranked a listing of them since about 9th Grade. And, being the mature person that I am, I'm doing it again! To my surprise, a lot of my picks aren't shredders and while I'll be explaining why I picked these people and logical reasoning for it and yada yada yada-it's really just based on my emotional reaction to their playing. Also, I'm not a guitar player so I can't get all technical with keys or what string was used so there won't be a lot of that here. Though it won't stop me from sounding like I do. Know stuff, that is. For some reason, I wanted to write this like they were criminals or outlaws from the 1930s, so I kinda did. Ooooh you dirty rat, look here see, disclaimer is done this is how it's goin' down now.

10. John Frusciante

In a Nutshell: That guy Dave Navarro tried to replace.

Known Affiliations: Red Hot Chili Peppers and Solo

The Rap Sheet: Frusciante can get down to scratch funk, rock out in that 90's Alterna way, strum acoustic guitar beautifully and adapt to a wide mix of beats with taste and energy.

The Skinny: When I first heard the Chili Peppers, the thing that stood out to me was the bass playing by Flea (a great bassist, I just recently found out he provided the bass line to Young MC's Bust A Move) and the guitar work seemed secondary (though I liked the guitar to Taste The Pain and later came to appreciate his work from the Mother's Milk (1989) album). When Blood Sugar Sex Magik (1991) came out, I was more impressed with the meaty funk (Give It Away) and acoustic riffs (Breaking the Girl) Frusciante provided. Then he left.

Frusciante released a series of solo albums I've never heard, in reviews there were lots of mentions of being too "atmospheric" or "making the sound of water dripping slowly". Having not heard these albums I can't say if those critics were accurate or not. In any case, it seemed Frusciante went the opposite direction of RHCP by working on textures and experimenting with his sound while he was replaced with a revolving door of people in the Chili Peppers.

Based on this, Frusciante would not have made my list-it's what happened next that got him here. He rejoined the Chili Peppers for their 1999 release Californication and quickly spurred the artistic growth lacking in his absence. Californication found RHCP delving more into pop and quiet, atmospheric songs while still keeping the beat up on their funk rock jams. Frusciante's ability to move from jumpy blasts of rock to lyrical near acoustic passages attributed to Californication's success. The follow up, By The Way (2002), continued in this path but a little too much so for my taste (though I love his playing on Cabron). But Stadium Arcadium (2006) is a showcase for Frusciante as he adds electrifying rock guitar solos and even touches of Pink Floyd into the mix. And if that's not enough, he does a killer version of the Bee Gees How Deep Is Your Love except for the ending.

Favorite Album Performance: Californication gave Frusciante space to do his thang, ranging from classic RHCP funk rock (Around The World ) to midtempo lyricism with an awesome slide guitar lick (Scar Tissue ).

Favorite Air Guitar Moment: Frusciante delivers a flurry of fuzzed out Hendrixian notes at the end of Dani California (also see Number 7)

9. Brad Gillis / Jeff Watson

In a Nutshell: The Bay Area rockers tap and shred their way to glory.

Known Affiliations: Ozzy Osbourne (Gillis), Night Ranger and Solo

The Rap Sheet: Brad Gillis has to be the whammy bar champion of all time. Jeff Watson can shred like a speed demon but also holds notes at irregular lengths to make it stand out more. Together they're pure adrenalin.

The Skinny: The recently split tag team of Gillis and Watson gave what was termed "laser licks" (it was the 80's, lasers are fast man!) and some of the best non-metal twin guitar fury not seen since...I don't know when. No really, I just can't think of an example right now. Anyway, following a stint as Randy Rhoads initial replacement in Ozzy Osbourne's band (Over The Mountain ) Brad Gillis rejoined his original band Ranger that was then changed to Night Ranger to avoid a clash with another band of the same name. Brad Gillis' squalling and dive bombing whammy bar runs gave the group a distinct sound like on Don't Tell Me You Love Me or soaring through the clouds on Sister Christian as demonstrated on these instructional videos. I could listen to Gillis play all day, I think in high school I pretty much did.

But I can't downplay Jeff Watson's contributions which is why they're listed as a tag team. Watson handled a lot of the pastoral guitar parts they were known for like on Let Him Run and Goodbye while cruising on Four in the Morning or blazing through tracks like Can't Find Me A Thrill . His quicksilver riffing and fiery solos gave the perfect counterpoint to Gillis' whammy. Together, they were my favorite tag team on guitar. And on stage they ran around like a football team in two minute offense.

Favorite Album Performance: Can you top Dawn Patrol (1982)? I don't think so!

Favorite Air Guitar Moment: All of the guitars in (you Can Still) Rock in America is air guitar thunder baby!! And I think I recall Jeff Watson getting upset at people saying he got the finger tapping from Eddie Van Halen.

8. Steve Lukather

In a Nutshell: If you record in L.A. and you need a guitar part done and if he's not already working for someone else then you can call in Steve Lukather.

Known affiliations: Toto and Solo. As a session player- Michael Jackson, Chicago, The Tubes, Boz Scaggs, Cheap Trick, Hall & Oates, Elton John, Aretha Franklin, Cher, George Benson, America, Don Henley, Manhattan Transfer, Christopher Cross, Stevie Nicks, Paul McCartney, Randy Newman, Quincy Jones and Alice Cooper just to name a few.

The Rap Sheet: Controlled and professional but definitely not lacking in emotion. As Toto's career went on, Lukather's playing seemed to take on a harder edge but let's face it - this guy can play anything he wants to and make it sound perfect.

The Skinny: In the days before Internet, I had a different image of Steve Lukather. Lukather was the balladeer of Toto, writing and singing sensitive hand wringing love songs like I Won't Hold You Back or How Does it Feel . So I had this idea that he was this sensitive dude that could play kick ass guitar. It was kind of a shock when the Internet hit and interviews like This became common place. It turns out Steve Lukather is a tough talkin' guy, nothing wrong with that, just a surprise compared to the image I had from his songs. But that's cool.

Lukather plays so many different styles that it's hard to categorize him (and musicians hate being categorized anyway) so I'll just run through some of his greatest riffs like the often sampled slide guitar lick from Toto's Georgy Porgy ( MC Lyte's Poor Georgie is the best example). When I saw them live, Lukather's rockin' solo on White Sister was amazing. And then he could turn all jazzy like on "These Chains" from The Seventh One (1988) album. The dude could do it all.

Favorite Album Performance: Toto's Isolation (1984) record was a model of perfect AOR guitar playing. One critic derisively called the record something like an advertisement for their 80's rock studio skills. If you like Toto and read rock critics, you always had to reverse the meaning of what was written to get to the point of view you agreed with.

Favorite Air Guitar Moment: The solo at the end of The Tubes Talk To Ya Later is an awesome piece of AOR craftsmanship. As a dorky teenager, I literally fell off a diving board air guitaring to this solo. And no, I didn't hit the water.

7. Prince

In a Nutshell: Yup, he's a nut alright. A nut but a singular and incredible talent.

Known Affiliations: Prince, The Artist Formerly Known As Prince, Christopher, Jamie Starr, The Time, The Family, Vanity 6, Apollonia, Jill Jones and a continuing list of protege's. (except for the ladies everyone named is pretty much him under different identites)

The Rap Sheet: Funky, funky, funky. Lots of James Brown style funk in there where the guitar kinda rides above the bass groove. And then some Jimi Hendrix thrown in. Prince is able to play any style in his own estimable Purple way. And it's just one of about a bazillion instruments he plays.

The Skinny: When he's not offending people at Super Bowls with his guitar posturing, Prince is a formidable performer on the fretboard. The guitar is usually in the middle of the mix of your usual Prince song but is no less important because of it. Memorable guitar parts include that opening bit with the gnarled intro into a twang on "When Doves Cry", the long solo at the end of "I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man" and even the slinky "Cream". Still, when he's just backing up the groove like on many a Prince jam ("Alphabet St." comes to mind) his playing is on the money and funk-ay. I also like how he uses stray hanging notes to show something slightly unhinged is happening ("Cream" is a good example but I'm sure he did it in other songs, I just can't remember right now). And to many an 80's kid, the Hendrix styled "Purple Rain" with it's drawn out coda is a near religious experience. Though he can't make any claim to one of the best known solos of his hit "Little Red Corvette", that was Dez Dickerson.

Favorite Album Performance: Are you kidding? Purple Rain (1984) of course!

Favorite Air Guitar Moment: The Hendrix styled spectacle at the close of "Let's Go Crazy" saw Prince move away from his R&B tag by out rocking just about every other guitarist around. So good it actually crossed over to Rock radio back in the day. Where's my puffy shirt and spotlight?

6. Lindsey Buckingham

In a Nutshell: Picking a winner.

Known Affiliations: Buckingham / Nicks, Fleetwood Mac, Fritz and solo

The Rap Sheet: Finger pickin' good. Buckingham's style is finger picked and light with an acoustic guitar feel. Very heavy on creating sound textures with his guitar. Though if he needs to rock hard, he can. Up to a mid 70's level, that is.

The Skinny: The first guitarist I ever really idolized, I thought all guitar players didn't use a pick and moved herky jerky on stage (some guitarists have referred to their playing as "making love to the audience", I bet they've never seen Buckingham in action during I'm So Afraid. With every note he gives a long pelvic thrust at the audience and then grimaces. So be afraid. Very afraid.) Known more for his skills as a Producer than a guitarist, I like his unique sound and his custom made sorta banjo guitar.

Guitar wise, he started off as a more traditional sounding Country rocker on cuts like Go Your Own Way, Blue Letter and Never Going Back Again. His finger picked style fit in well with the Country edge. But at the end of the 70's, Buckingham adapted to New Wave and that's when the herky jerky started on tracks like Not That Funny. His stiff, choppy sense of rhythm came to the fore while his solos got more spindly. For the 80's, the guitar work became more involved with creating textures like the raining sound on the live version of Everywhere. His playing eventually condensed down to both the Country rock and New Wave influences to make a unique sound.

Favorite Album Performance: His third solo album Out of the Cradle (1992) showed his distilled style of guitar work to its best effect. The light and bouncy Don't Look Down , the smooth Countdown and the riff heavy This is the Time are just some of the highlights here.

Favorite Air Guitar Moment: The 1982 live version of The Chain features one of the most dramatic arrangements of this well worn tune including a frantic guitar solo at the close. Yes I'm runnin, Yes I'm runnin'!

5. John Petrucci

In a Nutshell: The only thing better than a 30 second shred solo is a ten minute one.

Known Affiliations: Dream Theater, Liquid Tension Experiment, Solo

The Rap Sheet: A Prog Metal King, Petrucci can lay a heavy groove and then shred all over it. He's assimilated from the great ones (such as Steve Vai and Alex Lifeson) to come up with a sound that's distinct to him.

The Skinny: I haven't heard of any of his work except Dream Theater. Fast and precise doesn't begin to describe his playing which has adapted from the upbeat and fist pumping 80's riffage to the grinding nu metal modern era without missing a step. Of the first era check out the spellbinding solo on Under a Glass Moon and then chase it down with the escalating riff to Innocence Faded. For the modern era, take the mix a You Tuber put together combining multiple solos to Solo Medley. And then remember he's in a Prog band that plays ten to 40 minute epics with multiple movements.

Favorite Album Performance: Well, for me Images and Words (1992) is tough to top on any level. I think I've posted about this album a few times so I won't bother to elaborate further. .
Favorite Air Guitar Moment: The brilliant soaring solo to Another Day is dramatic, bombastic and moving. Even when unplugged, like it is in this version.

4. Eddie Van Halen

In a Nutshell: Eddie! Eddie! Eddie!

Known Affiliatons: Van Halen. He worked for Michael Jackson one time, too.

The Rap Sheet: The man who brought us finger tapping and made shredding an art form. He used to play with his back to the audience so people couldn't see his hands.

The Skinny: Often imitated but never truly duplicated, Van Halen added a new vocabulary to Rock music. I think he's the last guitarist to truly innovate the instrument (at least in Rock music) on a mass scale. What set him apart from his imitators was the sense of personality that came from his playing. Where many shred guitarists played in a tight and regimented style to show technical skill and dominance, EVH wove his guitar parts together so they flowed smoothly. The Roth era was more playful as reflected in songs like Bottoms Up or Panama where big riffs and charged solos added to the Party Hearty atmosphere. In the Hagar era, EVH dropped the "Brown" sound and some of the playfulness went away in favor of a more direct approach like Poundcake. But not all of it, as shown on Finish What Ya Started. And through it all, Eruption is often ranked as one of the greatest guitar solos of all time. Although I have a soft spot for Cathedral. All done with enough running scissor kicks to wear a hip out.

Favorite Album Performance: Fair Warning (1981) was the only Original Van Halen album where Roth took a back seat. EVH emptied his bag of tricks all over the disc, making it less accessible but no less impressive. Just listen to the mammoth guitars on Mean Streets or Unchained and I think you'll see what I mean.

Favorite Air Guitar Moment: No one from the "I Want My MTV!" era could forget Eddie Van Halen strolling across library tables in black and white to the tribal rhythms of Hot For Teacher. Or how EVH casually unspools one of his best solos filled with excitement and humor as brother Alex punctuates some parts with his snare. And who can forget that shudder to a stop followed by a loop the loop and crash bang ending?

3. Neal Schon

In A Nutshell: Randy Jackson (American Idol) once called Schon "The Rock Dawg".

Known Affiliatons: Santana, Journey, HSAS, Schon & Hammer, Bad English, Hardline, Paul Rodgers, Abraxas, Planet Us and Solo.

The Rap Sheet: Extremely fast and accurate while only occasionally resorting to shredding, Schon is known for his slick riffs and soaring guitar solos from Journey.

The Skinny: Schon's also a sort of performance addict in that he's repeatedly said thru his career that he can't stand not performing for longer than a few weeks resulting in a huge discography. That smooth yet biting approach that ruled cuts like Stone in Love or adding to the stratospheric climb of power balladry for Faithfully wrote the book for Arena Rock guitar. As polished and technical as his playing can be, there's always a sort of primal feeling to his performances that give it edge. In other bands Schon has shown an inclination to rock harder with meatier riffs like Hardline's Takin Me Down. He never dropped his Santana associations and would play with other early Santana members to revive the sound of the first three Santana albums. And as a solo artist he's branched out into different rhythms, like the pleasantly new agey Beyond the Thunder (1994) album. In the 70's, Schon had like a foot of hair on his head. You've gotta respect that! But if not, I think Schon has said the solo he gets the most compliments for is at the end of Who's Cryin' Now

Favorite Album Performance: Is Hagar Schon Arronson and Shrieve's Through the Fire (1984). It captures Schon in his Journey prime on holiday from his day job. Working with raspy meat and potatoes rocker Sammy Hagar instead of smooth tenor Steve Perry, Schon revs up his guitar of killer rockers like My Hometown and He Will Understand. But if you think he forgot his Journey roots, just listen to the dramatic Missing You. And then pump your fists in the air for the anthemic Top of the Rock. Yeah! Stay in School! (HSAS was formed for a series of benefit concerts for Bay Area schools, which was interesting because both Hagar and Schon were high school drop outs)

Favorite Air Guitar Moment: On the Raised in Radio (1986) record, Schon saw his creative involvement reduced but was given some lengthy solos in return. The solo at the end of their Top 10 hit Be Good To Yourself is feel great AOR bombast at its best.

2. Steve Howe

In a Nutshell: Play on Maestro!

Known Affiliations: Bodast, Tomorrow, Yes, GTR, Asia and Solo

The Rap Sheet: Heavily structured patterns that move like data thru fiberoptic cable.

The Skinny: Determined to come up with a Rock guitar style that was not based on the Blues, Howe pretty much threw everything else together. With Yes, Howe became the deciding factor in moving the British band's music forward from being a musicianly vocal group to an instrumentally based group with voice as a fifth instrument. Classic Yes material like the multi movement Starship Trooper, the outer space slide guitar on And You And I and the point/counterpoint riffage of Heart of the Sunrise relied heavily on Howe's abilities. With the end of Classic Yes, Howe adapted to the 80's by shortening his game and punching catchier guitar parts like on Asia's Heat of the Moment or GTR's When the Heart Rules the Mind. Throughout, Howe developed a solo career for his intricate noodlings and by the 90's had regrouped with Yes.
A special mention needs to be made about Howe's stage presence. He's one of the most committed musicians you can hear live and long ago he stopped worrying about holding back for the audience. So if you're not used to seeing Howe live, his guitar faces, awkward movements and at times crab like manuevers can seem a little goofy. But it's just an honest display of the man gettin' down. I got so much crap from friends after the MTV show Asia in Asia over Howe's antics.

Favorite Album Performance: For my money, his solo album Not Necessarily Acoustic (1994) put Maestro's best pieces in one place in live performance. Howe classics like Clap , Mood For A Day, Sketches in the Sun and "Excerpts from Tales For Topographic Oceans" get first class renditions with the focus all on Howe. Nous Sommes Du Soliel!

Favorite Air Guitar Moment: My sentimental favorite Howe song is Masquerade so I'm picking it as my favorite air guitar song for Maestro.

1. Stevie Ray Vaughan

In a Nutshell: Born to be Blue

Known Affiliations: David Bowie and solo

The Rap Sheet: Six string sting with the Blues and Hendrix.

The Skinny: The first time I ever heard of Stevie Ray Vaughan was in the late 80's, I had a friend who said he wasn't a fan but had to admit Vaughan was born to play the guitar. I wasn't into Blues so I never bothered to check SRV out and mostly heard about him via his untimely death. A few years back, I had a different friend who loved Blues and Blues Rock thru which we would trade CDs and videos to see various artists. I think he lent me the Live at El Mocambo video and I finally saw what the big deal was about. Vaughan played guitar like it was as natural as breathing, his thought and action seemed simultaneous. And what he played was emotional, profoundly sharp and skilled. On top of that, Vaughan would use a bag of stage tricks that he performed with ease, such as playing the guitar behind his back for like half a song.

So I delved into the SRV catalog and found a career packed with amazing performances. That he could play that much guitar and not recycle riffs or solos was really impressive to me. Favorite SRV tunes include the rollicking House is a Rockin' , the awesome Crossfire and the unlikely boogie Mary Had a Little Lamb. The Hank Ballard penned Look at Little Sister also gets repeat plays on my IPOD. And I really liked his team up with Jeff Beck for a dynamite Goin' Down. I got into his music about a decade after his passing, it all held up as honest heartfelt music.

Favorite Album Performance: The debut Texas Flood (1983) heralded Vaughan's arrival to the mainstream with a set of great songs like Love Struck Baby , Rude Mood and of course the Title Cut.

Favorite Air Guitar Moment: I think anyone who has played Guitar Hero 3 knows how great Texas Flood is from start to finish. But that solo at the end has more twists and turns than an M Night Shamalyan movie. And no fake ending!

And that's the list. So many other guitarists came close to making this list, but I had to go with my gut in making choices. Meaning I had a lot to go on. Ha ha. Say goodnight Gracie. Goodnight Gracie.