Classic Rock Music Monday

The stuff that now passes as "music", particularly rock 'n roll, leaves me cold. So, to start off the week, here's a video of a classic rock artist. 

To kick off the month of December, we have two music videos from Michelle Branch, "Everywhere" and "Game of Love" (with Carlos Santana). 

From Wikipedia:

Michelle Jacquet Branch (born July 2, 1983) is an American singer, songwriter and guitarist. She won a Grammy Award for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals with Santana for their 2002 single, "The Game of Love".

As a solo recording artist, Branch's first album Broken Bracelet came out in 2000. After signing to Madonna's Maverick record label the next year, her second album The Spirit Room followed and contained the singles "Everywhere" and "All You Wanted". Her third album Hotel Paper was released in 2003. Two years later, she formed the country music duo the Wreckers with Jessica Harp, and produced the Grammy-nominated single "Leave the Pieces". The Wreckers disbanded in 2007 to pursue their respective solo careers. Since then, she has released extended plays in 2010 and 2011, and a fourth solo album, Hopeless Romantic in 2017. Her fifth studio album, The Trouble with Fever, was released in 2022.

 

Classic Rock Music Monday

The stuff that now passes as "music", particularly rock 'n roll, leaves me cold. So, to start off the week, here's a video of a classic rock artist. 

To start off the week and finish off November, we have U2 with their 1983 hit, "New Year's Day" from their War album.

From Wikipedia: 

U2 are an Irish rock band formed in Dublin in 1976. The group comprises Bono (lead vocals), the Edge (lead guitar, keyboards, and vocals), Adam Clayton (bass guitar), and Larry Mullen Jr. (drums and percussion). Initially rooted in post-punk, U2's musical style has evolved throughout their career, yet has maintained an anthemic quality built on Bono's expressive vocals and the Edge's chiming, effects-based guitar sounds. Bono's lyrics, often embellished with spiritual imagery, focus on personal and sociopolitical themes. Popular for their live performances, the group have staged several elaborate tours over their career. 

Classic Rock Music Monday

The stuff that now passes as "music", particularly rock 'n roll, leaves me cold. So, to start off the week, here's a video of a classic rock artist. 

To begin the week, we have Toto with their 1982 hit, "Africa" from their album, Toto IV.

From Wikipedia:

Toto is an American rock band formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1977. Toto combines elements of pop, rock, soul, funk, hard rock, R&B, blues, and jazz. Having released 14 studio albums and sold over 50 million records worldwide, the group has received several Grammy Awards and was inducted into the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum in 2009.

Classic Rock Music Monday

The stuff that now passes as "music", particularly rock 'n roll, leaves me cold. So, to start off the week, here's a video of a classic rock artist.

To start off the week, instead of one artist, we have two. But both bands are playing the same song. The song is "More Than This". I couldn't decide which group's version would be spotlighted, since I like both. So, I decided to spotlight both.

The first one is by Roxy Music from 1982 in their final studio album, Avalon.

The next band is 10,000 Maniacs who, after the departure of singer Natalie Merchant, covered the song with new lead singer Mary Ramsey in 1997. It was featured in their album, Love Among The Ruins.

Classic Rock Music Monday

The stuff that now passes as "music", particularly rock 'n roll, leaves me cold. So, to start off the week, here's a video of a classic rock artist.

To start off the month of November, we have the Gin Blossoms with their 1993 single, "Found Out About You". The song reminds me of the time that the Northridge Earthquake took place. 

From Wikipedia:

Gin Blossoms is an American alternative rock band formed in 1987 in Tempe, Arizona. They rose to prominence following the 1992 release of their first major label album, New Miserable Experience, and the first single released from that album, "Hey Jealousy". "Hey Jealousy" became a Top 25 hit and went gold, and New Miserable Experience eventually went quadruple platinum; four other charting singles were released from the album. The band's follow-up album, Congratulations I'm Sorry (1996), went platinum and the single "As Long as It Matters" was nominated for a Grammy Award. Gin Blossoms broke up in 1997. Since reuniting in 2001, the band has released Major Lodge Victory in 2006, No Chocolate Cake in 2010, and Mixed Reality in 2018.

Classic Rock Music Monday

The stuff that now passes as "music", particularly rock 'n roll, leaves me cold. So, to start off the week, here's a video of a classic rock artist.

This week's entry is "That Lady" by the Isley Brothers from 1973. It should be noted that Jimi Hendrix played guitar on early recordings for the Isley Brothers, most notably the 1964 single "Testify" and the 1965 single "Move Over and Let Me Dance" before forming The Jimi Hendrix Experience. From Wikipedia: 

The Isley Brothers (/ˈaɪzli/ EYEZ-lee) are an American soul group originally from Cincinnati, Ohio, that began as a vocal trio consisting of the brothers O'Kelly Isley Jr., Rudolph Isley and Ronald Isley in the 1950s.

Together with a fourth brother, Vernon, the group performed gospel music until Vernon's death a few years after its formation. After moving to New York City in the late 1950s, the group had their first successes during these early years, and rose to prominence in 1959 with their fourth single, "Shout", written by the three brothers, which became their first single to chart on the Billboard Hot 100, and sold over a million copies. In the 1960s, the group recorded songs for a variety of labels, including the top 20 single "Twist and Shout" and the Motown single "This Old Heart of Mine (Is Weak for You)", before recording and releasing the Grammy Award-winning hit "It's Your Thing" (1969) on their own label, T-Neck Records.

The inclusion of younger brothers Ernie Isley (lead guitar, drums) and Marvin Isley (bass guitar), and Rudolph's brother-in-law Chris Jasper (keyboards, synthesizers), in 1973 turned the original vocal trio into a complete band and led to the group's reaching the height of their success. For the next full decade, they recorded a string of top-selling albums including 3 + 3, Between the Sheets, and The Heat Is On, with the latter peaking at number one on the Billboard 200 chart. The six-member band splintered in 1983, with Ernie, Marvin, and Chris Jasper forming the short-lived spinoff group Isley-Jasper-Isley. The oldest member, O'Kelly, died in 1986. Afterwards Rudolph and Ronald released a pair of albums as a duo before Rudolph retired to a life in the Christian ministry in 1989. After multiple lineup changes, the remaining duo of Ronald and Ernie achieved mainstream success with the albums Mission to Please (1996), Eternal (2001) and Body Kiss (2003). Eternal spawned the top 20 hit "Contagious". As of 2025, the Isley Brothers continue to perform under the lineup of Ronald and Ernie.

Classic Rock Music Monday

The stuff that now passes as "music", particularly rock 'n roll, leaves me cold. So, to start off the week, here's a video of a classic rock artist. 

To start off the week, we have Paul Revere & the Raiders with their hit, "Kicks" from 1966.

From Wikipedia:

Paul Revere & the Raiders (also known as Raiders) were an American rock band formed in Boise, Idaho, in 1958. They saw considerable U.S. mainstream success in the second half of the 1960s and early 1970s. The band was known for including Revolutionary War-style clothes in their attire.

Originally an instrumental rock combo called the Downbeats, the Raiders were formed in 1958 by organist Paul Revere, and included singer Mark Lindsay. After charting in 1961 with the minor hit "Like, Long Hair" and then in late 1963 just missing Billboard's Hot 100 with a cover of "Louie Louie", the band was signed to Columbia Records, under the tutelage of producer Terry Melcher. In January 1966 the single "Just Like Me"—propelled by exposure on Dick Clark's shows such as Where The Action Is—reached no. 11 on the Hot 100, followed by the consecutive Top Tens "Kicks" and "Hungry", thus establishing the band as national stars. Clark's TV shows showcased Lindsay as a teen idol and Revere as the "madman" of the group, and between 1966 and '69 they reached the top 30 with 12 hits. Bolstered by the success of the singles, the three 1966 albums Just Like Us, Midnight Ride and The Spirit of '67 all were gold-certified by the RIAA.

Mark Lindsay replaced Terry Melcher as the Raiders' producer, and the band scored with the US No. 20 hit "Let Me!" in 1969. In early 1970 the band's name was shortened to "Raiders" and one year later the hugely successful cover of the song "Indian Reservation (The Lament of the Cherokee Reservation Indian)" reached number one in both the US and Canada and was eventually certified platinum in 1996. But the failure to continue the record's success led to the breakup of the band after being dropped by Columbia in 1975. In 1978, Revere went back to live performances with a show that mixed comedy and rock and roll. He died of cancer in 2014.

The group had many lineup changes, with their most well-known "classic" lineup being: Mark Lindsay (vocals and saxophone), Paul Revere (keyboards), Drake "Kid" Levin (guitar), Phil "Fang" Volk (bass), and Mike "Smitty" Smith (drums). This lineup recorded most of the material on the group's first five Columbia albums from 1965 to 1967.

Classic Rock Music Monday

The stuff that now passes as "music", particularly rock 'n roll, leaves me cold. So, to start off the week, here's a video of a classic rock artist. 

To start off the month and the week, we have a live version of "Sweet Home Alabama" by Lynyrd Skynyrd from 1974.

From Wikipedia:

Lynyrd Skynyrd (/lɛnərd ˈskɪnərd/, LEN-ərd SKIN-ərd) is an American rock band formed in Jacksonville, Florida in 1964. The group originally formed as My Backyard and comprised Ronnie Van Zant (vocals), Gary Rossington (guitar), Allen Collins (guitar), Larry Junstrom (bass), and Bob Burns (drums). The band spent four years touring small venues under various names and with several lineup changes before deciding on "Lynyrd Skynyrd" in 1968. The band released its first album, (Pronounced 'Lĕh-'nérd 'Skin-'nérd), in 1973. By then, they had settled on a lineup that included bassist Leon Wilkeson, keyboardist Billy Powell, and guitarist Ed King. Burns left and was replaced by Artimus Pyle in 1974. King left in 1975 and was replaced by Steve Gaines in 1976. At the height of their fame in the 1970s, the band popularized the Southern rock genre with songs such as "Sweet Home Alabama" and "Free Bird". After releasing five studio albums and one live album, the band's career was abruptly halted on October 20, 1977, when their chartered airplane crashed, killing Van Zant, Steve Gaines, and backup singer Cassie Gaines, and seriously injuring the rest of the band.

Classic Rock Music Monday

The stuff that now passes as "music", particularly rock 'n roll, leaves me cold. So, to start off the week, here's a video of a classic rock artist. 

To start off the week, we have a short-lived band from Los Angeles called The Parade with their 1967 hit, "Sunshine Girl".

From Wikipedia:

The Parade was an American sunshine pop group from Los Angeles, California. 

The group featured Jerry Riopelle, who played keyboards on several Phil Spector-produced records; Murray MacLeod, an actor who appeared on Hawaii Five-O and Kung Fu; and Allen "Smokey" Roberds, another actor. They wrote a song called "Sunshine Girl" which was picked up by A&M Records, and in 1967 the tune hit #20 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 pop singles chart. Among the session musicians on this recording were drummer Hal Blaine, bassist Carol Kaye, and saxophonist Steve Douglas. Stuart Margolin, later to gain fame as an actor, co-wrote the B-side with members of the band; Margolin would end up co-writing many of the band's songs (usually with Riopelle), as well as playing percussion on some tracks.

The Parade's next two singles, "She's Got the Magic" and "Frog Prince", both failed to chart. 1968's "Radio Song" bubbled under the Hot 100 at #127, but the group broke up after two further singles - "She Sleeps Alone" and "Hallelujah Rocket" - were unsuccessful.

Classic Rock Music Monday

The stuff that now passes as "music", particularly rock 'n roll, leaves me cold. So, to start off the week, here's a video of a classic rock artist. 

To start off the week, we have AC/DC out of Australia with their 1980 hit, "Back In Black".

From Wikipedia:

AC/DC are an Australian rock band formed in Sydney in 1973. Their music has been variously described as hard rock, blues rock and heavy metal, although the band calls it simply "rock and roll". They are cited as a formative influence on the new wave of British heavy metal bands. The band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2003 and have sold over 200 million records worldwide, making them one of the best-selling artists of all time.

Classic Rock Music Monday

The stuff that now passes as "music", particularly rock 'n roll, leaves me cold. So, to start off the week, here's a video of a classic rock artist. 

To begin the week, we go back to the 1960s (1967 to be specific) with "A Whiter Shade of Pale" by Procol Harum from the United Kingdom.

From Wikipedia:

Procol Harum (/ˈproʊkəl ˈhɑːrəm/) were an English rock band formed in Southend-on-Sea, Essex, in 1967. Their best-known recording is the 1967 hit single "A Whiter Shade of Pale", one of the few singles to have sold more than 10 million copies. Although noted for their baroque and classical influence, Procol Harum's music is described as psychedelic rock and proto-prog with hints of the blues, R&B, and soul.

In 2018, the band was honoured by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame when "A Whiter Shade of Pale" was inducted into the new Singles category. They were previously nominated as performers in 2012.

Classic Rock Music Monday

The stuff that now passes as "music", particularly rock 'n roll, leaves me cold. So, to start off the week, here's a video of a classic rock artist.  

To start off this week, we return to the 1990s with Enigma out of Germany with two of their hits. The first is "Sadeness (Part I)" from 1990 and the second is "Return To Innocence" from 1994. "Sadeness (Part 1" has a Gregorian chant flavor and "Return To Innocence" has a Native American flavor.

From Wikipedia:

Enigma is a German musical project founded in 1990 by Romanian-German musician and producer Michael Cretu. Cretu had released several solo records, collaborating with various artists, and produced albums for his then-wife, German pop singer Sandra, before he conceived the idea of a new-age, worldbeat project. He recorded the first Enigma studio album, MCMXC a.D. (1990), with contributions from David Fairstein and Frank Peterson. The album remains Enigma's most successful, helped by the international hit single "Sadeness (Part I)", which sold 12 million units alone. According to Cretu, the inspiration for the project came from his desire to make a kind of music that did not obey "the old rules and habits" and presented a new form of artistic expression with a return to mysticism.

Classic Rock Music Monday

The stuff that now passes as "music", particularly rock 'n roll, leaves me cold. So, to start off the week, here's a video of a classic rock artist. 

To start off the week, a new month and Labor Day, we have Johnny Rivers with two of his hits, "Secret Agent Man" from 1966 and "Slow Dancin'" from 1977.

From Wikipedia:

Johnny Rivers (born John Henry Ramistella; November 7, 1942) is an American musician. He achieved commercial success and popularity throughout the 1960s and 1970s as a singer and guitarist, characterized as a versatile and influential artist. Rivers is best known for his 1960s output, having popularized the mid-60s discotheque scene through his live rock and roll recordings at the Los Angeles nightclub Whisky a Go Go, and later shifting to a more orchestral, soul-oriented sound during the latter half of the decade. These developments were reflected by his most notable string of hit singles between 1964 and 1968, many of them covers. They include "Memphis", "Mountain of Love", "The Seventh Son", "Secret Agent Man", "Poor Side of Town", "Baby I Need Your Lovin'", and "Summer Rain".  Rivers had a total of nine top-ten hits and 17 top-forty hits on the US charts from 1964 to 1977.

 

Classic Rock Music Monday

The stuff that now passes as "music", particularly rock 'n roll, leaves me cold. So, to start off the week, here's a video of a classic rock artist. 

To start off the week we have Johnny Nash with his hit, "I Can See Clearly Now" from 1972. I still remember the first time I heard this song. A date and I were on the California Highway 60 (Pomona Freeway) on the way to the Los Angeles County Fair when the song came on the radio.

From Wikipedia:

John Lester Nash Jr. (August 19, 1940 – October 6, 2020) was an American singer and songwriter, best known in the United States for his 1972 hit "I Can See Clearly Now". Primarily a reggae and pop singer, he was one of the first non-Jamaican artists to record reggae music in Kingston.   

"I Can See Clearly Now" reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 on November 4, 1972, and remained atop the chart for four weeks, spending the same four weeks atop the adult contemporary chart. 

Classic Rock Music Monday

The stuff that now passes as "music", particularly rock 'n roll, leaves me cold. So, to start off the week, here's a video of a classic rock artist. 

To open the new week, we have two versions of "Mama Told Me Not To Come" by Three Dog Night. One is a live version and the other is the studio version.

From Wikipedia:

Three Dog Night is an American rock band formed in 1967, founded by vocalists Chuck Negron, Cory Wells, and Danny Hutton. This lineup was soon augmented by Jimmy Greenspoon (keyboards), Joe Schermie (bass), Michael Allsup (guitar), and Floyd Sneed (drums). The band had 21 Billboard Top 40 hits between 1969 and 1975, with three hitting number one. Three Dog Night recorded many songs written by outside songwriters, and they helped to introduce mainstream audiences to writers such as Harry Nilsson ("One"), Randy Newman ("Mama Told Me Not to Come"), Paul Williams ("An Old Fashioned Love Song"), Laura Nyro ("Eli's Comin'") and Hoyt Axton ("Joy to the World", "Never Been to Spain").

 

 

Classic Rock Music Monday

The stuff that now passes as "music", particularly rock 'n roll, leaves me cold. So, to start off the week, here's a video of a classic rock artist.

To begin the week, we have two videos from the late 1960s by singer B. J. Thomas. They are "Hooked On A Feeling" and "The Eyes of a New York Woman", both from 1968.

From Wikipedia:

Billy Joe Thomas (August 7, 1942 – May 29, 2021) was an American singer widely known for his country, contemporary Christian, and pop hits of the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s.

Popular songs by Thomas include "Hooked on a Feeling" (1968), "Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head" (1969), "(Hey Won't You Play) Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song" (1975), "Don't Worry Baby" (1977), and "Whatever Happened to Old-Fashioned Love" (1983).

In 2014, "Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head" was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.

Classic Rock Music Monday

The stuff that now passes as "music", particularly rock 'n roll, leaves me cold. So, to start off the week, here's a video of a classic rock artist.

To start off the new week and new month, we have Smokey Robinson & The Miracles with their number one hit from 1967, "Tears of a Clown" I saw them in 1972 at Disneyland for Grad Nite on the Tomorrowland stage.

From Wikipedia:

The Miracles (later known as Smokey Robinson and the Miracles from 1965 to 1972) were an American vocal group formed in Detroit, Michigan in 1955. They were the first successful recording act for Motown Records and are considered one of the most important and most influential groups in the history of pop, soul, rhythm and blues and rock and roll music. The group's international fame in the 1960s, alongside other Motown acts, led to a greater acceptance of R&B and pop music in the U.S., with the group being considered influential and important in the development of modern popular music.

Classic Rock Music Monday

The stuff that now passes as "music", particularly rock 'n roll, leaves me cold. So, to start off the week, here's a video of a classic rock artist. 

To start off the week, we have Gerry Rafferty with his 1978 hit, "Baker Street" from his solo album City to City. 

From Wikipedia: 

Gerald Rafferty (16 April 1947 – 4 January 2011) was a Scottish singer, songwriter, musician and record producer. He was a founding member of Stealers Wheel, whose biggest hit was "Stuck in the Middle with You" in 1973. His solo hits in the late 1970s included "Baker Street", "Right Down the Line" and "Night Owl".

Rafferty was born into a working-class family in Paisley, Renfrewshire, Scotland. His mother taught him both Irish and Scottish folk songs when he was a boy; later, he was influenced by the music of the Beatles and Bob Dylan. He joined the folk-pop group the Humblebums (of which Billy Connolly was a member) in 1969. After they disbanded in 1971, he recorded his first solo album, Can I Have My Money Back? Rafferty and Joe Egan formed the group Stealers Wheel in 1972. In 1978, he recorded his second solo album, City to City. A heavy drinker for much of his life, Rafferty died from liver failure in 2011.

Classic Rock Music Monday

The stuff that now passes as "music", particularly rock 'n roll, leaves me cold. So, to start off the week, here's a video of a classic rock artist.

We have two videos from country/pop crossover artist Juice Newton as I was on vacation over the last two weeks. They are: "Love's Been A Little Hard On Me" and "Queen Of Hearts".

From Wikipedia:

Juice Newton (born Judith Kay Newton; February 18, 1952) is an American pop and country singer, songwriter, and musician. Newton has received five Grammy Award nominations in the Pop and Country Best Female Vocalist categories – winning once in 1983 – as well as an ACM Award for Top New Female Artist and two consecutive Billboard Female Album Artist of the Year awards. Newton's other awards include a People's Choice Award for "Best Female Vocalist" and the Australian Music Media's "Number One International Country Artist".

Newton has several Gold and Platinum records to her credit, including Juice, Quiet Lies and her first Greatest Hits album. During the 1980s, she charted 14 top 10 hits across the Billboard Country, AC, and Hot 100 charts, with many of the recordings achieving crossover success and six of the songs hitting the No. 1 position.

Classic Rock Music Monday

The stuff that now passes as "music", particularly rock 'n roll, leaves me cold. So, to start off the week, here's a video of a classic rock artist.  

To open the week and the end of the month of June, we have the 1980s girl vocal group Exposé with their 1987 hit, "Come Go With Me"..

From Wikipedia:

Exposé is an American freestyle vocal group originally formed in 1984 in Miami, Florida. The group has primarily consisted of lead vocalists Jeanette Jurado, Ann Curless, and Gioia Bruno. The group achieved much of its success between 1984 and 1993, becoming the first group to attain four top 10 entries on the Billboard Hot 100, including the 1988 number one single "Seasons Change." Exposé’s seven consecutive Top 10 hits on the US Hot 100 landed them behind only The Supremes (with nine consecutive Top 10 hits) for most Top 10 hits by an all-female group. In March 2015, Billboard magazine named the group the eighth most successful girl group of all time.

The group was popular in dance clubs and the mainstream Top 40, as well as adult contemporary charts in the United States. They toured and recorded music from 1984 to 1995, then retired from recording and public performances until 2003.