Last tour for Bob Seger?

Seger worth seeing if he comes near you

Long-time rock and roll singer Bob Seger has begun his 2013 tour and published reports indicate this could be the last time he hits the road. Seger, who is in his 60s, hinted to Rolling Stone last year this could be it when it comes to touring.

At this point, he is not scheduled to come close to this area. The closest date is currently a visit to North Carolina later this month. However, since most of the dates are located in the Midwest, it is hoped he will take the tour nationally later in the year.

He has played Nashville in the past. The only time I saw him in person was in the late ‘80s at the old Municipal Auditorium. The joint really rocked that night, and it remains one of the more memorable concerts I have seen.

Though Seger has long been an elder statesman of his profession, his career is also an example of perseverance. Though it is easy to forget, Seger spent the first 10 years of his career as a wandering performer who could not quite get over the top.

The album that really broke him out was Live Bullet.  In general, I am not a big fan of live albums, but this one really cooks.  Backed by the Silver Bullet Band, it was a multi-platinum release that took him from regional journeyman to national star.

Macca set to rock Bonnaroo in June

Paul is coming to Manchester

I have lived in Manchester for most of my 48 years, and I have seen several things occur that I thought I never would as a boy.

As a music lover, one of those things is the remarkable array of musicians that have visited our community as part of the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival. I know this event can polarize some of us because it brings both good and bad elements of our culture to our town in a mighty way.

However, when it comes strictly to music, a tremendous list of artists has come here. Of course, the definition of the word “tremendous” can vary depending on who a person is talking to. For people of my generation, identifying a tremendous artist might be a totally different process compared to how somebody half my age might do the defining.

My definition of “tremendous” includes artists like Bob Dylan, John Fogerty, and Bruce Springsteen who have all played at Bonnaroo. Seriously, if anybody had told me when I was a teenager that Bob Dylan would someday play three miles from my house, I would have told that person to seek professional help.

The latest list of performers for Bonnaroo was recently announced, and the first artist to catch my eye was Paul McCartney. A Beatle is coming to Coffee County? Chalk this up as something else I thought I would never see.

Even if McCartney’s career had ended in 1970 when The Beatles broke up, his status in modern popular music would have been secure. The Beatles’ influence on music and our culture cannot be overstated. The band took what Elvis Presley, Chuck Berry, Little Richard, Buddy Holly, and Fats Domino started and took it to a whole different level.

The Beatles growth as artists over just an eight-year period is startling. When “Love Me Do” was released in 1962, it was a quaint love song most significant for its use of a harmonica as a lead instrument.

Compare that song to songs like “A Day In The Life” only five years later, and the growth of the songwriting team of McCartney and John Lennon was obvious.

Though McCartney and Lennon wrote less and less together as The Beatles progressed, it is interesting how the perception of them as artists got so rigid. Often, Lennon was designated as the genius with words while McCartney was noted for his melodic flair.

This is not entirely true, and it does McCartney a disservice because he could also come up with fine sets of lyrics. For example, “Hey Jude” is a fine set of words, and the song is almost entirely McCartney’s.

In the final couple of years of The Beatles career, McCartney got on a hot streak that would be a career for most musicians. Songs like “Get Back,” “Let It Be,” and “The Long and Winding Road” all hit the top of the charts and were his babies despite sharing songwriting credit with Lennon. Sometimes the fog of time can dull memories and cause us to miss how much quality product he produced in such a brief period.

Now, McCartney will be visiting Manchester, and he will have a rich catalogue of songs to choose from when entertaining the crowd. Now that he is 70 years old, it is fair to wonder just how many more times he will tour America.

Hopefully, he will visit many more times, and this June he will being playing songs that he has not often brought to our area.  A couple of years ago he played in Nashville, but that was a very rare visit.

This will be a great opportunity to see a legendary artist.

Dylan's 'Nashville Skyline' breezy and pleasant...but mysterious

Bob looks happy.

Bob Dylan's Nashville Skyline has always fascinated me because of the context in which it was released in 1969. From 1965-67, Dylan released four albums that are undeniably great. Bringing It All Back Home, Highway 61 Revisited and Blonde on Blonde are unlike anything ever created in music history. Full of impressionistic poetry and raucous rock and roll, the three broke new ground in unfathomable ways.

After that came John Wesley Harding and it was a departure. Coming after his much-chronicled motorcycle wreck and an extended break, the record was acoustic and quieter. It still contained strong poetry, but it hinted at new directions. This was especially true on the album's final two songs, 'Down Along the Cove' and 'I'll Be Your Baby Tonight.' Dripping with Pete Drake's sweet steel guitar, both songs are warm and seem light years away from 1965.

Then came Nashville Skyline. If the final two songs of John Wesley Harding hinted at a departure then Nashville Skyline took it further. It was a mainstream country album, and the song's lyrics reflected a simpler and more straightforward approach. There were no magic swirling ships to be found. Dylan had re-invented himself again.

The album has three indisputably great songs. 'Lay Lady Lay' may be the greatest love song in pop music history. Incredibly, Dylan's vocals are warm and seductive and Kenny Buttrey's drum work is fantastic.'Tonight, I'll Be Staying Here With You' is equally penetrating and Drake's steel guitar playing during the instrumental break is shimmering. It is one of many great songs in Dylan's catalogue that does not get the attention it deserves. 'Girl from the North Country' is his famous duet with Johnny Cash and is as charming as a summer day is long.

The rest of the album is far less meaty. This does not mean the songs are bad. In fact, there is not a bad song on the album. However, some are so lightweight they might float away with a gentle wind.

As stated earlier, my primary fascination with this album has to do with the context in which it was released.It came on the heels of four profound efforts. As the release date for Nashville Skyline approached, it had to have produced intense anticipation. After getting through the Dylan/Cash duet that opens the album, I can only guess at the reaction of the pseudo-intellectuals who love nothing more than to imagine interpretations of Dylan songs that aren't there.

After that opening song, there is the instrumental 'Nashville Skyline Rag.' It is a breezy and well-performed song, but after listening to a minute or two of it, I am sure many thought: What is this doing on a Bob Dylan album? With many of Nashville's best playing on it, the level of musicianship cannot be denied. However, it appears more suited for a soundtrack of a film about jaunting through the back roads of Tennessee than a Dylan album.

Based on what I understand about the country music scene in 1969, the songs 'I Threw It All Away,' 'One More Night,' and 'Tell Me That It Isn't True' are all songs that could have been played on country radio. The songs are all about the ups and downs of love.

The song 'Country Pie' appears to be about pie. Who doesn't like pie?

As with most actions taken by Dylan, a person cannot help but wonder why he released the album when he did. Surely, he understood the impact it would have on those riding on his bandwagon.

After all the triumphs of the previous years, had he simply developed writer's block? Or did he finally become fed up with all those trying to anoint him as the ‘spokesman’ of his generation? His next album, Self Portrait, might cause one to decide that the answer to both those questions is 'yes.' It was weaker and even more of a departure than Nashville Skyline.

We can speculate endlessly about these questions and others, but the bottom line is we do not know. And it really does not matter. Because of this, we should accept Nashville Skyline for what it is. It really has a happy vibe to it, and because of this, it deserves a spot in your collection.

John Fogerty's 'The Blue Ridge Rangers' is an excellent but unusual album

John Fogerty = The Blue Ridge Rangers

As rock and roll entered the late 1960s, many artists were knee deep in psychodelia and intent on pushing music to its cosmic limits. Albums like the Beatles' Sgt Pepper in 1967 showed that almost anything was possible as musical concepts were getting more and more linear. But as surely as all things in life run in cycles, some artists began returning to a simpler approach to music while still standing in psychodelia's shadow.

Out of that return emerged what became known as 'country-rock' music. Ushered in primarily by Bob Dylan's John Wesley Harding and Nashville Skyline albums, rock musicians began showing how country music influenced them. It was in this setting that The Blue Ridge Rangers released their first album. 

The Blue Ridge Rangers name is actually a joke. John Fogerty of Creedence Clearwater Revival fame performed the entire album. He played all the instruments: guitar, bass, drums, fiddle, steel guitar, banjo, percussion, triangle and more. When originally released, the only place his named appeared was for the producer's credit on the back of the record jacket. All the songs were traditional country and gospel songs that he did not write. 

This was his first album after the hugely successful CCR broke up in 1972. Faced with making an album on his own, he found a way to make music without having to live up to the lofty expectations that his name produced. The music was the total focus and not the person making it. While he sacrificed commercial success by hiding behind the Rangers' moniker, he produced a gem of an album that is almost forgotten 40 years later. 

The album's high point is his version of the well-known Christian hymn 'Working on a Building (For My Lord).' At his peak, Fogerty's voice was one of the most potent forces in rock and roll history, and he used it with great success on this song. Multi-tracking his vocals so that it sounded like an entire church choir, he effectively communicated the song's message with the passion and fervor one would expect to hear at a revival service. 

His rousing version of Hank Williams' 'Jambalaya (On the Bayou)' was the only hit from the record, cracking the top 20. Kicking off the chorus each time with the cry of 'Well, Jambalie,' Fogerty's vocals made the song his own in a way countless folks who covered the song were unable to do. The song is a good illustration of how an artist can re-interpret a song in a new and vital way while not betraying the song's original essence. In other words, it is completely the opposite of Michael Bolton's assassination of the Otis Redding classic '(Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay' a few years ago. 

Musicians are all inspired by someone or something. However, most times, they are unable to directly pay homage to the inspirations that helped mold them into what they became. This album is one of those rare instances where the listener gets to hear the musical influences that helped inspire a great musician to choose the life he chose. And that is pretty neat.

Creedence Clearwater Revival defines American rock and roll

From left:  Tom Fogerty, John Fogerty, Stu Cook, and Doug Clifford

Though its heyday was brief, Creedence Clearwater Revival produced more memorable songs than just about any group in rock and roll history. Led by lead guitarist, singer, and songwriter John Fogerty, the group only released seven albums. However, a staggering five of them were released in 1969 and 1970.

Here is a look at my personal top ten:

'Up Around the Bend' -- Appearing on the album 'Cosmo's Factory,' this song is the walking definition of a toe-tapping hit single. Reaching #4 on the Billboard singles chart, it has all the traits of classic CCR: Fogerty's growling vocals, the whiplash rhythm section of bassist Stu Cook and drummer Doug Clifford, stinging guitar work, and an infectious beat. If this song does not make you smile, you better check your pulse.

'Have You Ever Seen the Rain?' -- This song hit #8 on the charts and may have the most tastefully performed Hammond organ work I have ever heard. The real intrigue of the song is its melancholy lyrics that Fogerty later revealed were inspired by the group's impending break up. The song appeared on their 'Pendulum' album, which was the last to include all four members of the group. Rhythm guitarist Tom Fogerty left the band shortly after its release.

'It Came Out of the Sky' -- An album track from 1969's 'Willy and the Poorboys,' this song is a slice of life from that era. The references to Spiro Agnew and Ronald Reagan may make the song a little dated, but it rocks.

'Fortunate Son' -- Clocking in at only 2:20 in length, this song says more about class warfare than just about any song in the rock era. At the time, it was specifically applicable to those who were and were not serving in Vietnam, but the song's lyrics are so universal that they can apply to many other circumstances.

'Born on the Bayou' -- The opening song on the group's second album, 'Bayou Country,' this tune was the first to introduce their signature swampy sound. It was also the first place I heard the verb 'chooglin' as in 'chooglin' on down to New Orleans.'

'Proud Mary' -- Also appearing on the 'Bayou Country' album, this is the song that even casual fans know even though they usually incorrectly identify it as 'Rollin' on the River.'

'Green River -- The title track from their third album, I've always looked at it as a continuation of 'Proud Mary.' If 'Green River' isn't a brother to that song, then it's definitely a first cousin. It makes another case for utopia by the river side.

'Someday Never Comes' -- This was the group's final top 40 single, but it hardly follows the CCR formula. It is a chilling song of family neglect that is passed down from one generation to the next. Fogerty said later this was written during a tough period in his marriage, and he was just trying to explain his feelings to his kids.

'Bad Moon Rising' -- Old Testament prophecy meets Revelation type imagery in this song. And things aren't looking so good.

'I Heard It Through the Grapevine' -- Though known mostly for its short, tight songs, CCR did have extended jams on their albums. Their version of the Marvin Gaye hit is probably the best example of this and clocks in at a little over 11 minutes.

'Stranger in Town' shows Bob Seger at his best

Ha Segah

In the mid and late 1970s, Bob Seger was on a hot streak. After years of struggling to find national success, he had hit the big time with Live Bullet and Night Moves. Both were huge commercial triumphs, and with his straightforward unflinching style, Seger was being mentioned in the same breath as Bruce Springsteen and Tom Petty when it came to traditional American rock and roll.

In 1978, Seger released Stranger in Town, and it is a consistently pleasing album that has not lost any of its punch through the years. Coming sandwiched between Night Moves and Against the Wind, I have always felt it has been a little lost in the shuffle when considering his work.  However, there is not a weak track on it, and all of Seger's trademark styles are represented here.

It opens with the thunderous 'Hollywood Nights' and it is highly reminiscent of other Seger rockers such as 'Rock and Roll Never Forgets' from Night Moves and 'Even Now' from The Distance.  His masterful acoustic style is represented on 'Still the Same' and it fits nicely with other similar songs in his catalogue like 'Against the Wind.'

Still, there are other songs that make the album stand out.  For anybody who has ever felt unappreciated by their employer, there is the working man's anthem 'Feel Like a Number.'  For those who were chafing under the popularity of disco in the late 70s, 'Old Time Rock and Roll' felt like a life preserver back then, and it still holds up today.  'We've Got Tonight' and 'The Famous Final Scene' are tremendous ballads that exude warmth in a way that is rare on a mainstream rock and roll album.

Seger brings fire and fury on this album, and if it is not in your collection, it should be.

Justice still preserved: John Lennon's killer denied parole again

Lennon sometime in the 1970s

Late last month, New York officials denied Mark David Chapman's seventh request for parole, and he will remain imprisoned for murdering musician and former Beatle John Lennon back in 1980.

He has been imprisoned since he pled guilty to the crime back then and was sentenced to a 20-years-to-life term.  Looking back through the haze of almost 32 years, it is amazing that his sentence was that light.

The circumstances in which he murdered Lennon were horrible. The musician was returning to his home after an evening in a recording studio. Chapman stepped out of the shadows and shot him four times in the back. Lennon received massive injuries and was pronounced dead soon after at a local hospital.

Murder is a cowardly act, but Chapman’s execution of Lennon was especially cowardly. What kind of a person lurks in the darkness and then shoots an unarmed man in the back? There has been much written about Chapman's mental state at the time, and maybe this helps explain his deeds.

Still, it is hard to imagine why a man who committed such a grisly crime would even have the option to apply for parole. I believe in rehabilitation, and I hope Chapman has experienced that in prison. Despite this, his crime was so heinous that he should spend the rest of his life in prison.

However, in a few years, I am sure we will hear another report about another parole hearing regarding Chapman. I suppose there is a chance he could get out someday, but given the nature of his crime and who he killed, I think those chances are slim.

Even after all these years, I would not rule out the possibility of another misguided person lurking in the shadows waiting to kill Chapman if he got out. Let us face it – we are a violent society, and people are becoming more and more uninhibited when it comes to administering what they feel is true justice. Vigilantism is not the way to go, especially in a case like this because Lennon advocated concepts of love and peace so much.

Based on what I have read, Lennon was a man of many faces. Though he advocated peace, he was deeply complicated, and even he admitted he had aspects of his personality that were not so pretty. Despite this, there can be no denying the impact he and The Beatles had on contemporary society.

I am sure some people could have quite a discussion regarding whether that impact was totally good, but the fact there was an impact is a matter of historical fact. A generation was changed primarily because of The Beatles. Not many other musicians can say that or many other people period for that matter.

Though December 8 will mark the thirty-second anniversary of Lennon's death, it is a memory that remains as vivid as yesterday. I am not old enough to remember The Beatles before they disbanded, but I was aware of the four members when I was growing up in the 1970s.

Like with so many other prominent people, I can remember where I was when Lennon died. I was 15 years old and laying in my bed watching Monday Night Football.  The New England Patriots were playing the Miami Dolphins. Commentator Howard Cosell announced Lennon’s death and I was aware enough of his importance that the game lost its significance to me.

Though Chapman's crime was horrible and is still remembered, Lennon is the one who will be remembered as we go through time. A hundred years from now, Lennon will still be played on the radio. As for Chapman, I do not think we will give him a second thought.

Johnny Cash TV show a real hidden treasure

A great feeling we all experience is when we stumble across something wonderful without expecting it. It seems we spend a lot of time trying to find things that provide enjoyment or fulfillment, but often we find the best treasures when we are not even trying.

I love music. I love many different genres, and we are all fortunate we live in an area that is so musically diverse. You name it; we pretty much have it here. If a person does not believe this, then he should open his eyes. The MusicTree and Bonnaroo festivals in the coming weeks should provide ample evidence of this.

As for my own recent experience, it began by accident at Cracker Barrel. Like most people who eat there, I was going through the restaurant’s gift shop after eating a meal. I was looking through their DVD section, which is usually a mixed bag. Their selections to choose from are usually pretty random. For example, if a person is looking for Season Three of ‘The Sonny and Cher Show’ then this would be a good place to visit.

However, after looking through their selections, I found a real gem. ‘The Best of the Johnny Cash TV Show (1969-71)’ includes some remarkable music. Even though Cash’s television show aired for only a couple of seasons, he crammed many remarkable performances into the show’s history.

If the DVD included only Cash performances, it would be a superior disc. And it definitely provides plenty of those. Well-known hits such as ‘I Walk the Line’ and ‘A Boy Named Sue’ are presented as well as lesser known performances of ‘Hey Porter’ and ‘Man in Black.’

Cash’s impact on country and pop music cannot be overstated, I won’t try to summarize this here. Last month, the Manchester Art Center hosted a tribute to his legacy and his impact is felt on communities like ours all over the world.

What causes this DVD to transcend from being ‘good’ to ‘great’ is the inclusion of guest musicians from all parts of the music scene back then.

From country music, there are performances by legends still at the top of their game. Merle Haggard sings a duet of ‘Sing Me Back Home’ with Cash. Loretta Lynn delivers a lovely version of ‘I Know How.’ Tammy Wynette performs her classic ‘Stand By Your Man.’ George Jones sings a medley of his hits that includes ‘The Race Is On’ and ‘She Thinks I Still Care.’

This is all overwhelming when taking it in one dose. But the greatness does not stop there.

From rock and roll, Creedence Clearwater Revival sings ‘Bad Moon Rising.’ At this point in 1969, CCR was well on its way to claiming the title of top rock band in the world as the Beatles were breaking up.

Cash’s friendship with Bob Dylan brought the legendary singer-songwriter to his show. On the DVD, Dylan sings ‘I Threw It All Away,’ and though it is not one of his major songs, any performance of his at the Ryman Auditorium (where the show was filmed) is of important historical significance.

Neil Young earned a standing ovation for his delivery of ‘The Needle and the Damage Done.’ Cash and Joni Mitchell collaborated on a wonderful version of ‘The Long Black Veil.’

Additionally, the DVD includes Ray Charles singing a version of ‘Ring of Fire’ that brings the house down.

I know this column has sounded like a commercial for this DVD, but it includes music that must be heard. The fact that I stumbled upon it by accident at a Cracker Barrel just adds to the good fortune that I feel for owning it.

John Fogerty’s ‘Wrote a Song for Everyone’ expected this fall

I am really behind the curve on this one, but John Fogerty’s next album, Wrote a Song for Everyone, is due this fall but with an interesting twist. Much of the album will be remakes of classic Fogerty and Creedence Clearwater Revival tunes with various artists.  For example, he will remake ‘Fortunate Son’ with the Foo Fighters and ‘Who’ll Stop the Rain’ with Bob Seger.  Other artists expected to be on the album are Keith Urban, Brad Paisley, My Morning Jacket, Alan Jackson, Dawes, and Miranda Lambert.  There will be some new songs as well, but I have not heard what they are yet.

Remembering Levon Helm

We lost a great musical talent when Levon Helm passed away on April 19 at age 71. Though he enjoyed a renaissance in the last 10 years that saw him win Grammy awards, I will remember him mostly for his groundbreaking work in the legendary rock group known simply as the Band.

Though guitarist Robbie Robertson wrote many of their most important songs, it was Helm’s singing that often brought life to them. Their greatest work was recorded on their self-titled second album.

More than 40 years later, it is easy to underestimate the Band’s impact when they had their commercial breakthrough in 1968. At that time, rock and roll remained drenched in psychedelia, and free-form expressionistic jamming was the style of choice. Bands with silly names like the Strawberry Alarm Clock and Vanilla Fudge were on the scene. 

Looking back, it seems obvious that the time was ripe for a breath of fresh air. The Band, whose very name was a reaction to the times, arrived on the scene that year with their debut album ‘Music from Big Pink.’ Instead of the jamming that was popular, the Band emphasized ensemble work and their expertise on their debut record produced songs like ‘The Weight.’ 

However, the Band released their best album in late 1969. That self-titled album mentioned earlier would haunt them in some respects because it provided a remarkably high standard to reach for the rest of their careers. The fullness and richness of these recordings grow stronger with each listen. The album is full of great songs.

The best song ever written about dignity is ‘The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down’ and is the album’s best song. Written by Robertson, it was Helm’s vocals that brought passion to it and is a big reason it remains so memorable.

“Virgil Kane is the name, and I rode on the Danville train,” Helm sang as the song began. The song contains haunting imagery as vivid as any Matthew Brady photo, and it conveys the despair of lives that are in shambles. This song produces images that are cold and stark, and Helm’s singing projects despair, pride and strength all at once. 

The album has other strong songs. ‘Up on Cripple Creek’ is funky and made the Top 30 on the singles chart. ‘Rag Mama Rag’ is fiddle driven and embraces the joys of sharing music in unusual situations. ‘King Harvest (Has Surely Come)’ paints a picture of a late afternoon sunset in summertime. 

Rarely had a group been blessed with so many excellent vocalists. Helm, bassist Rick Danko, and pianist/organist Richard Manuel shared the vocal chores. Manuel’s sweet swinging on ‘Whispering Pines’ is worth the price of the album alone. 

Following this album, they continued touring and churning out albums until the late 70s. However, they decided to call it quits and their farewell concert is one of the best rock and roll movies ever. Called ‘The Last Waltz,’ it was a concert of epic proportions in which most of their contemporaries performed. 

After a few years, four of them (minus Robertson) reformed and toured. Kind of like a boxer who cannot stop returning to the ring, they played on and on and on. However, that should not take away any of the luster of their career. 

In their own way, they changed the direction of rock and roll and helped carry it out of the excess of the late 60s. Though their name was bland, there was nothing bland about the group itself. Musicianship of this caliber comes along only so often.

Levon Helm was a big reason the Band was great, and he will be missed.

The role of The Monkees in pop music history

When pop star Davy Jones recently died, it caused me to pause and ponder the role The Monkees played in the development of modern pop music.

Jones was one-fourth of the pop quartet that had its greatest popularity in the 1960s. Though the group was the vessel through which some memorable music was produced, it was also the object of scorn and ridicule from many in the pop music establishment.

The circumstances of the group’s creation fed into this ridicule. ‘The Monkees’ was a television show that followed the ups and downs of a struggling musical group. The show was clearly developed as an extension of The Beatles’ film ‘A Hard Day’s Night.’

Unlike The Beatles, The Monkees were not a real group. They were four actor/musicians who were cast in roles for the show. They were hatched in a laboratory on a Hollywood soundstage and clearly had no musical credentials as a band.

When the show hit the air, demand for the music on it went through the roof, and according to one source, The Monkees eventually sold 65 million records during their career.

This instant success created resentment from some, and the group received the ultimate insult of that time. They were labeled as ‘plastic.’

At the time, it was quite a controversy, but with the benefit of 45 years of hindsight, it really should not have been that big a thing. If something like this happened today, it likely would not cause most people to raise an eyebrow.

The Monkees were a triumph of marketing, and today, marketing is often the king bee when presenting music to the public. The Monkees were attractive and charismatic young people who connected big time with their target audience. Isn’t that the normal approach these days? It certainly seems that way with most of the music coming out of Nashville.

The Monkees music was harmless and lightweight. It was not in the same universe as other bands of that era. However, this does not mean it was bad.

The group used songs written by some of the best songwriters at that time. Songwriters such as Carole King and Neil Diamond contributed several songs to the group, some of which were big hits.

Diamond wrote ‘I’m a Believer’ which is probably the group’s biggest hit and most well-known song. King co-wrote ‘Pleasant Valley Sunday’ with Gerry Goffin, and it was also a big success.

The bottom line is that if The Monkees are taken in the proper context in which they were meant, we quickly see they were good entertainment. If The Beatles and Bob Dylan represent the meat of the 1960s music scene, then The Monkees were sugary sweet pastry like a doughnut.

While a steady diet of doughnuts is not always good for us, they do have their place. In the same sense, The Monkees have their own place. Their music was pleasant and satisfying.

While many view music as art that must be taken with the utmost seriousness, it does not have to be that way all the time. The band’s critics back in the 1960s lost sight of this fact.

This is understandable in some way. Pop music was fighting for its credibility back then to be taken seriously as an art form. Therefore, the pre-packaged approached Hollywood used to create The Monkees had to have been horrifying to them in many ways.

Still, we have to be sure not to take ourselves too seriously, and The Monkees music helps us not to do that.

As for Davy Jones, I am sorry for his family’s loss, but I am glad he played a role in leaving us a lot of good music.

Music that makes a long drive a little more fun

I drive a lot every week day. A lot: two words. Let me tell ya that it can get tedious sometimes. Same roads. Same traffic. Same fields. Same cows. The only thing that makes these drives somewhat bearable is the music I listen to. Here are several I have been listening to lately. Maybe you will like these as well.

"Rolling in the Deep" by Adele

"Rumour Has It" by Adele

"Summer Wind" by Michael Buble

"C Moon" by Paul McCartney

"Junior's Farm" by Paul McCartney

"Goodnight Tonight" by Paul McCartney

"When I Paint My Masterpiece" by Bob Dylan

"Tonight I'll Be Staying Here With You" by Bob Dylan

"Love Rescue Me" by U2

"When Love Comes To Town" by U2 with B.B. King

"Morning Glory" by Oasis

"Don't Look Back in Anger" by Oasis

"I Heard It Through the Grapevine" by Creedence Clearwater Revival

"Hey Tonight" by Creedence Clearwater Revival

"Someday Never Comes" by Creedence Clearwater Revival

"Cortez the Killer" by Neil Young

"Campaigner" by Neil Young

"Winterlong" by Neil Young

Scorsese biography of George Harrison to air on HBO in October

For fans of the Beatles, there was good news recently when it was announced that a documentary produced by Martin Scorsese about ex-Beatle George Harrison will air on HBO in October.

Scorsese is one of the best filmmakers of his generation and has a successful track record when it comes to documentaries involving rock and roll figures. He directed The Last Waltz that recorded the farewell performance of the Band (though they resurfaced in various forms after that). He was also involved in a well-received documentary about Bob Dylan in 2005 titled No Direction Home: Bob Dylan.

As for Harrison, the 'quiet Beatle' may finally get the attention he deserved during his life. The other three Beatles had more extroverted personalities and that guaranteed he would be lost in the shuffle somewhat.

However, one of the most interesting aspects of the Beatles' story was how Harrison began to flower as their career progressed. Early on, he seemed almost content to stand in the background. Slowly, he began to help shape their sound by introducing instruments like the sitar.

By the time the band was nearing its break up, he was writing songs that were as good as John Lennon's and Paul McCartney's. On the Abbey Road album, how many of their songs measure up to Harrison's 'Here Comes the Sun' or 'Something'? Not many. Certainly, Lennon's 'Come Together,' but Harrison's songs hold up better than just about any other song on the album.

Hopefully, this documentary will give Harrison the treatment he deserves.

Bob Dylan to play Ryman in Nashville on Aug. 1

Bob Dylan will return to Nashville and play at the Ryman Auditorium on Aug. 1. A great artist will be playing at a great venue. I do not know if my schedule will allow me to attend. However, if you have never seen him in concert before, I recommend that you go. It will be well worth it.

Bob Dylan definitely influenced Bonnaroo

Though he is not performing this year at Bonnaroo, the long shadow of Bob Dylan definitely has influenced many of the acts playing there. Bonnaroo is the annual music and arts festival that attracts 80,000 each year to the small town of Manchester, Tenn, in mid-June.

The simple truth is that Bob Dylan is the most influential musician of the last 50 years. I am sure many would disagree with this assertion, but when looking at his body of work and who he influenced, this fact becomes clear.

Late last month, Dylan turned 70 years old with little fanfare. Last year, the late John Lennon's 70th birthday was observed in multiple ways ranging from television specials to re-issues of his music.

However, Dylan remained largely silent. This really should not come as a surprise. Dylan has played out his career on his own terms, and for better or worse, his birthday did not get the recognition it deserved.

Dylan's influence on popular music cannot be overstated. When comparing him to major acts like the Beatles, it is clear that he influenced them far more than they influenced him.

Exhibit A in this debate is the music produced by the Beatles after they became acquainted with Dylan. If nothing else, Dylan showed musicians that just about any topic was fair game when it came to developing subject matter for songs.

In the Beatles' case, they rapidly changed from a band that almost exclusively focused on love songs to a band that would try anything. Particularly Lennon and George Harrison picked up on what Dylan was doing.

Beatles' masterpieces like 'I Am the Walrus' simply could not have been composed without exposure to Dylan's brand of imagery and surrealism in the mid-1960s.

Was Dylan equally influenced by the Beatles? Probably not, but it must be acknowledged that the Fab Four had an impact on him. After all, he was making his transition from folk music to rock and roll just after Beatlemania hit America.

Likely, there was some inspiration there, but Dylan's musical vision was definitely his own.

Last month, the Nashville Scene magazine had a fascinating article about Dylan's album Blonde on Blonde, which was recorded in Nashville in 1966. The album is one of the greatest in rock and roll history. However, the article made a compelling case that it not only helped revolutionize rock and roll but also how music was made in that city.

Article writer Daryl Sanders interviewed several of the surviving musicians who played on those sessions. They stated they had never experienced anything quite like it before or since.

Making their living as musicians in Nashville, these men were fantastic artists. However, Dylan's approach was new and refreshing.

Instead of simply arriving for a session and working on a three-minute song, they found themselves playing on songs that lasted as long as 11 minutes. By today's standards, this does not appear too revolutionary, but it was at that time.

Because Dylan was able to break down these boundaries of conventional record making, many of the artists performing at Bonnaroo grew up in a musical environment that showed them anything was possible.

When reviewing Dylan's 50 years of work, it is quite eclectic. Folk, rock and roll, country, and Biblical music all have significant places within his work.

However, when re-reading his autobiography Chronicles: Volume 1 recently, I could not help but feel that his career had taken a tremendous toll on him. Many thrusted the title 'Spokesman for a Generation' on him, but he really did not like it.

I got the feeling that he really craved a simple life, but all the fame he had achieved would not allow it. That is a shame, but maybe that is why his recent birthday occurred so quietly.

Quote of the day

"No comment." -- by George Martin

The Who's 'Who's Next' is hard rock classic but much more

It's funny how the meaning of an album can change over time. Not so much the album itself, but how a person understands it. As we all mature, we all begin to look at life differently. We become able to understand music (or spirituality or relationships or politics, etc.) from different angles and points of view that can completely turn upside down how we originally understood something.

Who's Next is an album just like that. When I first discovered this album as a teenager, I enjoyed it as simply a head-banging rock and roll album. And that it is. With classics like "Won't Get Fooled Again," "Baba O'Reilly," and "Behind Blue Eyes," this album is easily one of the greatest rock and roll albums ever produced. I don't use the word "greatest" lightly. This album has a level of musicianship and songwriting rarely heard.

In many ways, Who's Next is the ultimate hard rock album, but then again, it really isn't. Calling this a purely hard rock album doesn't do it justice. There are some beautiful piano and acoustic guitar driven songs. There is an undeniable spiritual element to it, and it also includes synthesizer work that was groundbreaking for its time. However, one of the most fascinating aspects of this album is that it was born out of failure.

In 1969, The Who released Tommy, which was a huge worldwide hit. After years of laboring on the edge of success, the band became superstars. The Tommy breakthrough culminated in August of that year when they knocked the socks off everybody at Woodstock. After this breakthrough, however, the pressure was on to follow up on it.

The project the band decided upon was actually a film to be called Lifehouse. It had a science fiction plot, but it eventually collapsed. However, sometimes in the rubble of failure lay the seeds of success. And that is what happened when the band decided to go ahead and record the songs written for Lifehouse.

Taken all at once, this is an overwhelming album. The two best songs are "Behind Blue Eyes" and "Bargain." "Behind Blue Eyes" has become a radio staple over the last 40 years, and its twin themes of self-pity and rage are both emotions in which everybody can identify. By probing these two universal themes, the band committed to album what rock critic Dave Marsh described as one of the fiercest prayers ever sung. The song's thunderous final 90 seconds are nothing less than a universal prayer spoken with pain and honesty.

"When my fist clenches, crack it open
Before I use it and lose my cool,
When I smile, tell me some bad news
Before I laugh and act like a fool.
If I swallow anything evil,
Put Your finger down my throat
If I shiver, please give me a blanket,
Keep me warm, let me wear Your coat"

Each line reveals fears and insecurities that all of us have had at some point. The songwriter, Pete Townshend, has taken his fears to the Source, and it is delivered with sledgehammer force. Some may believe this is a disrespectful approach to God, but above all things, I believe God wants our prayer life with Him to be totally honest. Sometimes a person needs to tear the bark off the tree and tell it like it is.

On "Bargain," the spiritual yearning is no less intense. The delivery is still fierce, but the writer's heart has moved from rage to what he will do to have a closer fellowship with God.

"I'd gladly lose me to find You
I’d gladly give up all I had
To find You, I’d suffer anything and be glad
I'll pay any price just to get You
I'll work all my life and I will
To win you, I'd stand naked, stoned, and stabbed
I call that a bargain, the best I ever had"

There are no duds on this album. When originally released, the integration of the synthesizer into the band's sound was unique. At the around the same time, Stevie Wonder was also pushing the envelope in terms of synthesizer use. The Who wanted to use it to add atmosphere to the science fiction plot of Lifehouse. They wisely chose to keep it for the Who's Next album. In addition to "Baba O'Reilly" and "Won't Get Fooled Again," the 'popcorn' synthesizer effect on "Goin' Mobile" added much juice to the song.

"Getting in Tune" has a beautiful piano and backing vocals, and Roger Daltrey's vocals have never sounded so vulnerable. Written by bassist John Entwistle, "My Wife" includes his trademark wit and includes some nice horn work.

The Who never reached this album's heights again. They had moments, but much like The Rolling Stones, once they hit superstardom, their genius came to the surface only occasionally. However, an album like this is more than enough to ensure their place in musical history.

Quote of the day: Sly Stone

"Lookin' at the devil
Grinnin' at his gun
Fingers start shakin'
I begin to run
Bullets start chasin'
I begin to stop
We begin to wrestle
I was on the top"


From 'Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)' by Sly and the Family Stone

Is 'Revolver' The Beatles best album?

Perhaps the most intriguing characteristic of the Beatles entire body of work is how rapidly they grew as artists in a relatively short amount of time. From when they began recording in 1962 through early 1965, almost all their songs dealt with love. Boy and girl meet. Boy loves girl. Girl loves boy. Boy loses girl. Boy gets girl back. Boy wishes he had a different girl. All the songs were simple variations of the same theme.

By early 1965, subtle influences began changing the band. Lyrically, John Lennon, George Harrison, and to a lesser extent Paul McCartney, each began following Bob Dylan's lead and started exploring deeper subject matter. Songs that followed like "Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)," "Nowhere Man," and "In My Life" still dealt with relationships. However, their lyrics now probed the subject matter in ways that more accurately reflected the complexity of those relationships. Simple love songs were now gone for good. Those three songs appeared on their late 1965 album Rubber Soul, which acted as the vessel that delivered the Beatles into the most creative phase of their career.

In 1966, the Beatles remained the unquestioned leaders of rock and roll. With their album Revolver, they decided to use that power to break the conventional boundaries of the current musical scene. As the subject matter of the album's songs reveals, band members sometime had different ideas about what it meant to break boundaries.

For Lennon, his excursion to new places led him into citizenship in Alice's Wonderland. Surrealism saturated his songs in such a complete way that the songs retain their original freshness and vitality more than 40 years later. Whether it was his boredom with making albums or his tendency to sometimes incorporate drugs into the creative process, Lennon's work on this album repeatedly travels into the cosmos in ways that are often bewildering. To the casual listener, a common response to these songs might be, "What the heck is this?"

Nowhere is this more obvious than on "Tomorrow Never Knows." With lyrics taken almost directly from the book The Psychedelic Experience, the song's musical arrangement mostly features guitars that were recorded and then played backward, accompanied by thumping that sounds like tribal drum beats. The result sounds like waves of electronic sound pounding a beach, while accompanied by Lennon's vocals that resemble a spiritual chant.

"I'm Only Sleeping" is an ode to dreaming the day away in bed, and "Dr. Robert" is a tribute of sorts to various Dr. Feelgoods who fulfilled the special needs of cultural icons. Though neither song is drenched in psychedelics like "Tomorrow Never Knows," they both represent a clear departure from Lennon's early songwriting. In both songs, it is like the listener can pull back his skull and peer deeply into his subconscious and ego. "And Your Bird Can Sing" is less successful than the other songs, but the surrealistic lyrics are a direct nod to the work of Dylan in the mid-1960s.

For McCartney, breaking boundaries did not necessarily include experimental studio wizardry. At that time, rock and roll still maintained second class status in the musical establishment's eyes. The establishment often maintained an attitude of unbridled condescension toward rock and roll. Cleverly, McCartney began integrating elements of the 'old world' and showed they could be used in a rock and roll context.

The previous year, McCartney began this musical migration when his song "Yesterday" included only him on acoustic guitar and a stringed quartet. No other Beatle played on it, and in a sense, it was the first Beatles solo recording. The song is one of the most recorded and commercially successful songs of all time. However, the song's big breakthrough was that McCartney showed how to use a classical musical approach in a rock and roll context.

On Revolver, he did it again. On "Eleanor Rigby" he was again accompanied by a classical group, which spun a somber musical arrangement around lyrics bemoaning the growing isolation of people. The result is chilling. Forty years after the fact, this may seem like a minor achievement, but this type of musical fusion was highly unusual for that time.

Other songs of his on the album are less adventurous but no less successful. "Good Day Sunshine" embraces the pleasure of spending a beautiful day sitting under a tree with your woman. The title of "Got To Get You Into My Life" is pretty self explanatory, but the chewy horn section that propels the song is outstanding. "Here, There and Everywhere" may be the prettiest ballad McCartney has ever written.

Though George Harrison often stood in the shadows of his two more heralded band mates, he continued to mold the band's sound on this album. The previous year he introduced the sitar to his band members, and it was included on the song "Norwegian Wood." Primarily associated with Indian music, the instrument was largely unknown to American and European audiences when the Beatles used it. The instrument made another appearance on this album on Harrison’s "Love You To."

Harrison's "Taxman" became one of his most well-known songs in which he lamented the impact that England's severe tax code had on his bank account. Ah, the problems of wealth. "I Want To Tell You" is a steady and straightforward rocker that delves into relationship problems.

The only top 10 hit from the album was the Lennon/McCartney composition "Yellow Submarine" with Ringo Starr on lead vocals. The song would be the springboard for an animated film three years later. The song is pretty silly in some respects, but it has the charm of a nursery rhyme.

The Beatles body of work is eclectic, and its impact on the world can not be overstated. Whatever musical limitations each member had, the four of them made up for it by perfectly complementing each other. Plus, they had the good sense to break up before they had a chance to fail. The audience was spared seeing them decline over time like the Rolling Stones and the Who did. This was one of the few times when the sum of all the parts added up to a whole.

'The Distance' is vintage Bob Seger

Bob Seger has a fascinating catalogue of albums. Ranging from the 1960s until the present, he has produced memorable ballads as well as some great rock and roll.

Even though he began recording in the '60s, he did not break through commercially until the mid-70s with the live record 'Live' Bullet. The live album concept is not a favorite of mine, but that was one that really worked. Because of the long time between the start of his career and his breakthrough, the public missed a lot of really good music that is never heard on the radio. Of those early albums, seek out Smokin' O.P.'s and Mongrel. They are fascinating examples of a gifted artist finding his voice.

The Distance was released in 1982 and came on the heels of a lot of commercial success. After breaking through with 'Live' Bullet, Seger followed it up with Night Moves and Stranger in Town. Both are filled with big hits and are among the best albums of the '70s. However, after those two he released Against the Wind. Though another commercial success, the quality dipped. The songs sounded forced (like 'The Horizontal Bop'), and there was a malaise to the record that was undeniable.

Seger's career was at an interesting crossroad at this point. After tasting success after all those years of struggle, was he beginning to lose his edge and motivation? The Distance provided a convincing answer to that question and stands as one of the best albums of his career.

The album explodes from the start with 'Even Now' much in the same way as 'Hollywood Nights' did on Stranger in Town. Seger pays homage to his home in Detroit with 'Makin’ Thunderbirds' and questions the pitfalls of fame in 'Boomtown Blues.'

The big hit from the album was his version of Rodney Crowell's 'Shame on the Moon.' However, the strongest track on this set is 'Roll Me Away.' The song begins with Seger questioning who he was and what he was doing. It ended with him vowing to do his best until he gets things right. Propelled by the piano of the E Street Band's Roy Bittan, it is one of Seger's greatest.

This album is rock and roll at its best.