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December 2022

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Bruce Springsteen has been the face of the music industry for decades now. But it was not easily achieved as it took him years of performance to get to the level he is at now. And when got what he deserved, he didn’t shy away from his inspirations. Keeping aside his hard work, and determination, he once revealed he owns everything to Elvis Presley.

Growing up, Presley was everything to Bruch Springsteen. Elvis was his first musical hero and then, later on, he became a superstar of his own. He revealed, Elvis’ 1956 song ‘Hound Dog’ was the one that made him who he is today. He said the following statement when he appeared on BBC Radio 4 program Desert Island Discs.

“When I heard it, it just shot straight through to my brain. I realized, suddenly, that there was more to life than what I’d been living. I was then in pursuit of something, and there’d been a vision laid out before me. You were dealing with the pure thrust, the pure energy of the music itself. I was so very young, but it still hit me like a thunderbolt.”

The same fire was within Bruce even in his adult life. That’s when he and his bandmate Steve Van Zandt were finally able to see Elvis’s performance at the Spectrum in Philadelphia. But he realized how it was a disappointment. He recalled, “It was not a good night.”

Bruce also disclosed, to battle his disappointment, he went home and wrote a song titled ‘Fire’ but Presley passed away before the song could reach him. He, later on, passed away that song to Robert Gordon. Still, he kept his appreciation alive and when he was a mainstream success, he didn’t shy away from revealing his influence.

Diving deep into the time when he almost met Elvis…

“I remember we got out of the cab, and we stood there in front of those gates with the big guitar players on ’em. And when we looked up the driveway, in the second story of the house, you could see a light on, and I figured that Elvis has gotta be up readin’ or somethin’. And I told Steve, I said, ‘Steve, man, I gotta go check it out.’ And I jumped up over the wall, and I started runnin’ up the driveway, which, when I look back on it now, was kind of a stupid thing to do because I hate it when people do it at my house.”

“Anyway, at the time, I was filled with the enthusiasm of youth and ran up the driveway. I got to the front door, and I was just about to knock, and guards came out of the woods and asked me what I wanted. I said, ‘Is Elvis home?’ Then they said, ‘No, no, Elvis isn’t home. He’s in Lake Tahoe.'”

“So, I started to tell ’em that I was a guitar player and that I had my own band, and that we played in town that night, and that I made some records. And I even told ’em I had my picture on the cover of Time and Newsweek.”

“I had to pull out all the stops to try to make an impression, you know. I don’t think he believed me, though, ’cause he just kinda stood there noddin’, and then he took me by the arm and put me back out on the street with Steve.”

Despite all this, Bruce Springsteen and Elvis Presley never crossed paths in person. Presley passed away in 1977, and Springsteen was obviously devasted. Springsteen said, “I remember later, when a friend of mine called to tell me that he’d died, it was so hard to understand how somebody whose music came in and took away so many people’s loneliness and gave so many people a reason and a sense of the possibilities of living could have, in the end, died so tragically.” It was on a live show.

To this day, Bruce loves The King and shows his gratitude. Listening to ‘Hound Dog’ was a major point in his life and we can only imagine what would have happened if he hadn’t listened to that song.

Scorpions are a German rock band that was formed in 1965. They changed the face of rock throughout the years, with their ever-changing lineups. The band also proved to be the heroes of ‘Heavy Metal’. The most successful lineup of the band was from 1978 to 1992.

One incident which showcases the peak of their career was their 1985 Oakland concert on August 31. It was inside Oakland Coliseum Stadium and everyone in the crowd could see their knack for performance. They also created some of the best songs that were relatable to listeners. And among those songs is ‘Still Loving You’. And in the concert, there was a powerful performance of ‘Still Loving You’.

Day on The Green was put together by promoter Bill Graham and was an annual concert in Oakland, CA. It began in 1973 and later till the early 1990s. Back then, in the heat of metal, and rock, Scorpions took the stage alongside, Metallica, Rising Force, Victory, and many more.

The band provided an hour-long performance and the night was incredible. Some songs which were included in the setlist are, ‘Still Loving you’, ‘Bad Boys Running Wild’, and many more. The setlist of the band is given below.

“652”

“Coming Home”

“Bad Boys Running Wild”

“Loving You Sunday Morning”

“Make It Real”

“Big City Nights”

“Coast to Coast”

“Holiday”

“Still Loving You”

“Rock You Like A Hurricane”

“Can’t Live Without You”

“The Zoo”

“No One Like You”

“Can’t Get Enough”

Be sure to watch them down below.

The band was formed in 1965, and its goal was always to be big in America. The band combined their own music into rock which was popular during that time. They first visited the US in 1979. After visiting the US, they started playing with a heavier sound. In 1985, they traveled to California to perform at Day On The Green.

The concert was a huge success. The most glorious song there was ‘Still Loving You’. It was originally released a year prior to the concert and chartered at number sixty-four in the US. That performance was sweaty and majestic, and even the voice was at its prime. It was one of their best shows till now.

Neil Diamond is one of the best-selling musicians of all time. Neil is associated with Rock, Pop, Folk, Country, and many more genres to this date. He is one of the most influential musicians who had ten No.1 singles on the Hot 100 and Adult Contemporary charts.

Neil announced his retirement from touring in 2018, and it was after he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. And recently Neil Diamond made a rare public appearance and sang his 1969 hit song, ‘Sweet Caroline’. The beloved singer came out of his retirement to sing his classic.

On December 4, Sunday night A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical debuted on Broadway at the Broadhurst Theatre. Diamond was also in attendance. Before the show kicked off, Diamond appeared on the balcony and sang ‘Sweet Caroline’ with fans.

Back in 2018, he issued a statement that mentioned his retirement from touring. The statement stated, “the onset of the disease has made it difficult to travel and perform on a large scale basis but will allow Mr Diamond to continue his writing, recording and development of new projects.”

On the news, he revealed, “It is with great reluctance and disappointment that I announce my retirement from concert touring. I have been so honoured to bring my shows to the public for the past 50 years. My sincerest apologies to everyone who purchased tickets and were planning to come to the upcoming shows. I plan to remain active in writing, recording and other projects for a long time to come. My thanks goes out to my loyal and devoted audiences around the world. You will always have my appreciation for your support and encouragement. This ride has been ‘so good, so good, so good’ thanks to you.”

This was not the only time this has happened. He also sang the song at the Boston Red Sox game in the US. The song had been the sports teams’ anthem since 1997 and the crowd also sang along. The song was also popular with England football fans during the Euro 2020.

Check out the moment down below.

According to Rolling Stone, Universal Music Group will handle future Neil Diamond music. Diamond had things to say about it and commented, “After nearly a decade in business with UMG, I am thankful for the trust and respect that we have built together and I feel confident in the knowledge that Lucian, Jody, Bruce, Michelle, and the global team at UMG, will continue to represent my catalog and future releases with the same passion and integrity that have always fueled my career.”

The urban legend “Paul is Dead” is still a topic talked about around the globe. Allegedly, it states that Paul died on 9 November 1966, in a car crash and was replaced by a look-alike. The rumor spread like wildfire and it is still one of the weirdest conspiracy theories to exist to date.

It’s kind of weird that people still believe this rumor as he is still active in his music-making profession. This all started with the Beatles’ White Album. When a caller told Russ Gibb, a DJ hosting his show on WKNR to spin the ‘number nine, number nine’s ‘Strawberry Fields Forever’ intro backward. While on air, he tried it and heard the words, “Turn me on, dead man,” and “I buried Paul”.

While it was one of the weirdest events in history. Mary, Paul’s daughter also addressed something about it. The conspiracy theory of the Abbey Road album cover. The theory states that Paul’s white Volkswagen has a number plate with the number ’28IF’ which suggests Paul would have been 28 if he had survived the car crash. Also, the album cover has Paul walking barefoot.

Further elaboration,

Suggests, the album cover is a funeral procession. According to Fox 5, George is the gravedigger, Paul is the corpse, Ringo is the congregation and John is the priest. In an interview with Mary McCartney, she revealed,

“Dad’s like, ‘It was a sunny day.’ He had sandals on, and he just flipped off his sandals when they walked across because it was hot. But then, John Lennon’s wearing a white suit. Think they were like, ‘Oh, this means Paul is dead.’ And then in the background, apparently, there’s like the number plate that sort of almost reads like ‘271f,’ like if he was still alive, and people read all these things into it, but it was just reading into it.”

Regarding that matter, when she also revealed how people would ask her if he is alive or not. Mary said, “That happened in a shoe shop once in Long Island. It was like, ‘Oh, but you’re dead,’ and he was like, ‘No,’ and they were like, ‘No, but we saw the whole thing, That was my earliest memory of like, ‘What’s going on here? Why are they saying that?’ Then, it sort of opened up.”

Even Paul himself became paranoid at one point. In an interview for his website, Paulmccartney.com he addressed people would often call him to check if he was dead or alive. He said,

“I know all the rumors… because I was being asked about them! There would literally be someone ringing up to ask, ‘Are you dead?’ I said, ‘Well, no. I’m answering this phone call!’ And the reply would be, ‘Well, I can’t be sure it’s you. So, then you actually do get a bit paranoid about yourself. And you think, ‘How am I going to prove to them or to anyone that this is me?!’ I figured, in time, this look-a-like will be writing some pretty decent songs, and if it wasn’t me, how had I trained him to write songs?”

There is very less to say anything about it because most people didn’t believe the rumor. But our heart goes out to Mary as she had to go through such an event while growing up. “Paul is Dead” is something totally made up, and while the rumors surfaced, everyone tried to push facts and clues to make it sound legitimate.

The legend lives on and his daughter Mary recently directed a documentary “If These Walls Could Sing”. It dropped on December 16 on Disney+.

Be sure to uncover the secrets revolving around London’s famous Abbey Road Studios.

Mick Taylor joined the Rolling Stones on a tour in 1969. When Brian Jones left the group before his tragic death, John Mayall and Ian Stewart recommended Taylor to Jagger. Back then, Taylor was a member of Mayall’s band The Bluesbreakers.

Taylor was a member of The Rolling Stones from 1969 to 1974. He went on to create many classic albums like “Let It Bleed (1969)”, “Sticky Fingers (1971), “Exile on Main St. (1972)”, and “Only rock n’ Roll (1974)”. Even after departing from the Rolling Stones in December 1974, he created his own solo albums and also worked with other artists. His career is very successful.

Regarding Mick Taylor, the original guitarist of the band Keith Richards has always talked about him. Back in 2017, during an interview, he explained that Mick Taylor was an essential part of the group.  He recalled,

“Taylor opened up some beautiful possibilities, especially in recording because I would just lay down 3 or 4 different rhythms. Mick was very much a solo player. Incredibly melodic and sensitive about his playing. Most of those early Stone records, you know, the big ones.”

“He’s probably 6, 7 maybe 8 sometimes guitars on these tracks. But you wouldn’t know that. When I play guitar I wanna play with another guy and if he is providing the other side of the coin. If I’m laying down that rhythm then the compliments that come from the other guitar then will be moving into the rhythm guitar.”

Talking about Taylor’s time in the band. Richards said, “You write with Mick Taylor in mind, maybe without realizing it, knowing he can come up with something different. You’ve got to give him something he’ll really enjoy. Not just the same old grind.”

Richards also didn’t shy away from his part and agreed that Taylor really did make the Rolling Stones. He added, “We did the most brilliant stuff together, some of the most brilliant stuff the Stones ever did. Everything was there in his playing — the melodic touch, a beautiful sustain, and a way of reading a song.”

Charlie Watts also explained, “the Mick Taylor period was a creative peak for us. A tremendous jump in musical credibility.” However, by the time 1974 rolled around, Taylor had seemingly had enough of the craziness of being in the Stones, and he left. Richards later said, “Mick could never explain why he left. He doesn’t know why. I always asked him, ‘why did you leave?’ He said, ‘I don’t know.'”

Taylor was born in Welwyn Garden City, England in 1949. He was not only a member of The Rolling Stones in his career. He did help the Stones become who they are today. He also worked with John Mayall and The Bluesbreakers. He recorded his albums with Jack Bruce, Bob Dylan, and even Carla Olson. He is undeniably one of the greatest in the rock world.

Listen to Keith Richards talking about Taylor down below.

 

 

 

 

 

Noel Gallagher has always been in the limelight be it for his music or his criticism of others. The former Oasis man says that he sees a lot of stuff and his criticisms are all about the real thing. He has always been notorious for his comments, but there is one that stands above everything.

Looks like, Noel believes that there is an overrated group in the music world. During an interview with Fuse in 2011, Gallagher discussed The Beach Boys with the host Mark Hoppus. That’s when he commented that they are the most overrated group of all time.

Regardless of things, Many people still love The Beach Boys. Their album ‘Pet Sounds’ is something that changed the face of today’s music. But then, there’s Noel Gallagher. In the interview, he asked, “Don’t you think they’re the most overrated group of all time? He added, “The only reason they’re anyway successful is because they’re next to The Beatles in alphabetical order and Paul McCartney likes them. That’s it.”

He also added good things about them though. Noel disclosed, “Barbershop quartet music, F****** rubbish. Although ‘Good Vibrations‘ is amazing. They’ve got about six good tunes.”

Noel also didn’t like the idea that his songs were compared to Brian Wilson’s. In an interview with Paste, Gallagher was asked if his album ‘Who Built the Moon?’ was similar to Brian Wilson’s music. He replied, “F*****’ hell — I hate Brian Wilson!”

And you know what? If there’s a more overrated person in the music business than me, it’s that guy. But these experiments were great. I just think my flame burns a little bit brighter now — I’m at a creative peak. And my band that I started out with six or seven years ago is not the same band that I’m in now. I’ve got different people, and I’ve got girls in the band.”

Also in 2005, Gallagher discussed how Brian Wilson is a cabbage. It was an interview with The Age, “Their new fucking record, man, I’m telling you, I am pretty fucking amazed by. One tune sounds like the Beach Boys. Not that I like the Beach Boys. I fucking hate the Beach Boys – I think Brian Wilson is a cabbage.”

Eric Clapton is regarded as one of the most influential guitarists in rock music. The singer, guitarist, and songwriter have been part of many bands. Some are The Yardbirds, Cream, and Plastic Ono Band, and many more to which he contributed his craft.

He was associated with a lot of bands in his early days but we all know that he is a lone wolf. Being in a band is different for everyone. A bandmate may love the idea of working together whereas, another bandmate could hate it. Many famous bands like the Beatles and Guns N’ Roses also had such problems.

Bands have their own perks and downsides to it. The greatest asset you can get the benefit of is having someone beside you to be on the stage together is something to look forward to. Also, the production of tracks become easy for people with the same interest.

Looks like the legendary guitarist Eric Clapton had things to say about being in a band listing out its pros and cons. It was a confession to Lindsey Buckingham. During an interview with BAM magazine in the early 1980s, the topic took a turn toward solo recording. He talked that being in a band is always beneficial and joked around. He commented,

“I think it will be pretty nerve-wracking. Because you can’t hide behind anyone at that point. You’re taking total responsibility. That’s something a lot of people who have gone solo miss.”

That’s when he switched the topic and shared how Eric admitted to him how much he missed being with a band. Lindsey said, “When Eric Clapton hangs out with Mick or us, he’s always saying, ‘God, I wish I was in a band again.’ That’s because the burden is all on him.”

“It’s just not the same when, as a leader, you’re paying people a certain amount each week to play with you. The balance of power is not the same, and it drains you. Bob Welch had a couple of successful solo albums, but now I think he misses being in a group where people will give you honest feedback [and] tell you when you’ve got your head up your ass. You need that thing when other people in the band have as much at stake as you do.”

It was Clapton’s decision to go solo but looks like he really missed being in a band. Maybe he was just reminiscing about older times after seeing all his friends in bands like Fleetwood Mac and the Rolling Stones. We believe he felt that way only because he saw his friends thriving in bands. Be it in a band or not, Eric Clapton is still loved to this day, and we believe he was great on his own.

Famous celebrities’ feuds are always fun to know about…

And well, we have one just here.

The Beatles are one of the most loved bands out there, but one of their members definitely knew how to frustrate other singers. John Lennon is a character everyone wants to be in their life. Known for his talented musical feats, he certainly wasn’t the easiest person in a room to get along with.

John is known for his impeccable sense of humor. And during an incident, a particular artist was not happy with John’s comment. Tom Jones wasn’t happy during his first encounter with Lennon.

Tom Jones is one of the iconic members of the 1960s pop bubble. He knows how to create music that rattles the senses and enriches the soul. He started by performing in working men’s clubs across South Wales. Later on, he was found by industry executives and landed on a record deal with Decca.

It took some time for his first hit to arrive but when it happened, he was compared to other superstars of that time like The Beatles. His song ‘It’s Not Unusual’ was the song that made him a megastar. With his success, he put up a new single ‘Once Upon A Time’ and during the promotion of the album, Jones made an appearance on the TV program ‘Thank Your Lucky Stars’.

The whole event was a big affair for him. It was his first ever appearance on television. It was the time to make a great impression, and he was ready for it. During the discussion with Channel Bee, he remembered, “I had ‘It’s Not Unusual’ out, which was my first hit record in 1965 and The Beatles were on the show. I went to watch them rehearse in the afternoon, and I’m sitting there where the audience would be later on. I’m with my manager, Gordon Mills, and waiting for The Beatles to come out to watch them rehearse.”

Tom remembered, “John Lennon was the first one out on the floor, and he looks up at me, he’s got his guitar. He says, ‘It’s not a unicorn, it’s an elephant’ and then said, ‘How you doing you Welsh poof?’.” Jones disclosed that he was angry at John and responded, “‘Come up here, you Scouse prick, and I’ll show you.'”

An exclusive interview with Far Out sheds more light on the matter. After Lennon’s comment, Tom thought, “what the f***?, How you doing, puff?” That’s when he stated the stuffs mentioned above. His manager was also the one who saved him that day. He recalls, “My manager said, ‘Don’t, he’s a Liverpudlian, that’s his sense of humour.”

All thanks to his manager, because punching him would have done a lot of damage to his recognition. He added, “Gordon Mills says ‘It’s his sense of humour, don’t’. Which of course it was, and we became friends later on. He was taking the mick or taking the piss, so that was his sense of humour.”

This was a big incident for Jones as it was his first appearance on TV. Later on Jones recalled the incident with the Liverpool Echo and said, “Paul McCartney said to me, ‘If John Lennon made fun of a song, it means he likes it, because he wouldn’t make a comment on it if it didn’t strike him'”

John was surely a wild man with a wild sense of humor. This was not the only time Paul had to step in to stop Lennon from getting into trouble. No doubt, everyone would get angry if they were to make fun of you the very first time you meet with them. But, it was one disaster Jones successfully got away from due to his manager and Paul.

In 1968, ZZ Top’s Billy F Gibbons was in the blues-psychedelic band the Moving Sidewalks, and they opened a series of shows for Jimi Hendrix. They were initially inspired by local peyote rockers’ 13th Floor Elevators. And when they opened for Jimi, they even faced a problem completing their show as per their agreement.

Back in 2020, in an interview with Express, Billy commented, “We hit it off in a rather unexpected manner. Our contract required us to play for 45 minutes, and at that time, the only way we could complete the run was to include two numbers by Jimi Hendrix. Which was kinda chancy I must say.”

This was during Jimi Hendrix Experience’s tour in Texas, in 1968. The Moving Sidewalks didn’t have enough material of their own to cover their 40-minute slot which was a big problem for them.

The good news, the band got away with it. And even Jimi had things to say about it. He revealed, I remember wrapping up the set, coming off the stage … there was Jimi in the shadows – off to the side with his arms folded. But he was grinning, and as I passed by he grabbed me and said, ‘I like you. You’ve got a lot of nerve.

In a recent interview with LouderSound, Billy talked about it again and discusses his covers too. He remembered, “To try and wrap your head around those compositions, it was something so new you didn’t quite know where to begin. We were fortunate to be able to interpret our versions of ‘Foxy Lady’ and ‘Purple Haze’. They were Texas interpretations.

The discussion also led the talk toward Billy’s first impression of Jimi Hendrix. He disclosed that it was his girlfriend who helped him land Jimi Hendrix’s record. He stated,

“I had a girlfriend from Texas who found herself on holiday in London, and she had the foresight to pick up a copy of the first Jimi Hendrix Experience record [Are You Experienced, ’67] and forward it to the States. I had my hands on it early on, certainly before its US release. And I remember standing at the turntable with eyes wide and jaw dropped. I was seventeen when that record landed in my lap and I was ready to just soak it up. There was hours spent just listening to the way he phrased his stuff.”

“It was operating on a number of levels. The technique stood out immediately, and it was bolstered by some tone that had not become commonplace. I can almost bet that the engineers who designed the Fender Stratocaster never knew that these sounds would emanate from their handy invention. In the hands of Jimi Hendrix, it was otherworldly.”

There is also a photograph that shows the band and Jimi together in a frame. It was at the Municipal Auditorium in Texan on February 15, 1968.

THE MOVING SIDEWALKS and JIMI | Jimi hendrix, Billy gibbons, Hendrix

Seems like Billy’s favorite song by Jimi Hendrix is Foxy Lady and Purple Haze. He commented, “Foxy Lady and Purple Haze still reign supreme. The mind was twisted with the first album, then when he interpreted All Along The Watchtower it went from Dylan’s ownership to suddenly it became Hendrix’s song. Then there’s Red House. You can’t overlook Hendrix’s interpretation of the blues form. Quite recently they found a version of Hendrix playing an up-tempo version of Bobby Bland’s song Further On Up The Road. And it’s killer! Just wild.”

Watch Billy F Gibbons play one of his favorite songs ‘Foxy Lady’ by Hendrix down below.

Bob Dylan has been regarded as one of the greatest songwriters of all time. Other than that, his lyrics incorporated political, social, and many other influences which appealed to the general public. Also, the way the world changed with Covid and its restrictions was a different time and Bob Dylan had things to say about it.

Bob Dylan recently gave a ’20 question’ written interview to the Wall Street Journal. Seems like even a fruitful singer like himself had rediscovered how Frank Zappa was ahead of his time. Bob has earned countless awards including an Oscar, 10 Grammys, and the 2016 Nobel Prize in Literature.

In the interview, he reflected on the bubble of technology, his younger days, and his own lockdown experience and songwriting. To talk about his older days, he revealed he first heard most of the songs on the radio, portable record players, and jukeboxes. He compared those experiences with his current habit and said he now listens to music on CDs, and satellite radio and likes to stream.

Bob also talked about how he discovered new music. He revealed it is mostly by accident. He went on with such a topic until he stumbled on one. After talking about technology, creativity, and social media, he talked about Lockdown. Bob said,

“It was a very surrealistic time, like being visited by another planet or by some mythical monster. But it was beneficial in a lot of ways, too. It eliminated a lot of hassles and personal needs; it was good having no clock. A good time to put some things to an end.”

Dylan also discussed some changes he made in his life. He commented, “I changed the door panels on an old 56 Chevy, and replaced some old floor tiles, made some landscape paintings, wrote a song called ‘You Don’t Say.’ I listened to Peggy Lee records. Things like that.”

That’s when he talked about songs he appreciated. Zappa was also mentioned. Dylan added, “I listened to The Mothers of Invention record ‘Freak Out!,’ that I hadn’t heard in a long, long time. What an eloquent record. ‘Hungry Freaks, Daddy,’ and the other one, ‘Who Are the Brain Police?’ are perfect songs for the pandemic. No doubt about it, Zappa was light years ahead of his time. I’ve always thought that.”

Seems like Dylan had a good time in the lockdown. From changing the door of his car, and replacing floor tiles, to listening to old classic good music. In the interview, he even had other things to say like his favorite music and tours. Be sure to read the full article (paywall) which will surely give you different insights into Bob Dylan.