Ultimate Album #3 Candlebox-Candlebox

Well it's that time again, my next ultimate album, the Freshman release from Candlebox, their self titled album.  While researching for this one, I could not really find a lot of info about the band or the album, I thought this very odd and disturbing.  This album sold over 4 million copies and several songs received heavy airplay on radio and rotation on MTV (Back when they actually played music videos).  But I will forge ahead, seeing as how it's not really about all the stats and info I find, but about what I like and hear in the songs.  This band was the first one signed to Madonna's start up record company Maverick Records, someone made a good decision on this one, and is their anything that woman does not have her fingers in? Surprisingly these guys came from Seattle, home of grunge.  With bands making it big and releasing huge multi platinum selling albums like Nirrvana's Nevermind (1991 certified Diamond  10 Million copies), Pearl Jam's Ten (1991 Diamond certification), Alice In Chains' Dirt (1992 4 x's Platinum), Soundgarden's Badmotorfinger (1991 2 x's Platinum), and Temple Of The Dogs' Temple Of The Dog (1991 Platinum), it truly amazes me that these guys even got a shot, seeing as how they don't really have that Seattle grunge sound.  But I am so glad someone took the time to listen to these guys and give them a shot.  So let's get started.  The band is comprised of
Kevin Martin - Lead Vocals
Peter Klett - Guitar
Bardi Martin - Bass
Scott Mercado - Drums

I really like the way these guys play and the musical style they put forth.  Their musical style is not easily categorized.  They have influences that cover a broad spectrum, including blues, jazz. rock, and some metal influences.  This is obvious in some songs on this particular album.  So lets get to my favorite part, the track breakdown.
1. Don't You
2. Change
3. You
4. No Sense
5. Far Behind 
6. Blossom
7. Arrow
8. Rain
9. Mother's Dream
10. Cover Me
11. He Calls Home

Don't You
This one starts off really heavy, with a good drum intro, and then then goes into this guitar riffing that just drives the song along heavy foot work on the bass drum, and Kevin Martin vocals just below screaming but not out of place for the tempo of the song.  He really shows some range in this song, going from low to high. Then we go into a solo intro then then the solo, awesome work on the guitar by Peter Klett.  Slow it down for just a second then right back into the original rhythm of the song, with Kevin just ripping it out.  This song along with a few more from this album are in my favorites play list and my tracks that I love to play drums to.

Pictured Peter Klett, guitarist for Candlebox.
Heavy use of the Les Paul Gibson guitar, influences range from David Gilmore (Pink Floyd), Jimmy Page (Do I really need to say it), to the guitar duo of Dave Murray and Adrian Smith (Iron Maiden) Excellent! (I hope somebody gets the gratuitous Bill and Ted reference here! lol)








Change
Start off subdued and echoey then bring it all up slower tempo with rim shot accents. The bass to me is what carries this song between choruses.  Once again Kevin putting out on the vocals.  I love the open high hat accents acting like punctuation.  Then the solo is just so heavy and distorted.  Then go into the break, and you get this slower tempo that just seems to be out of place  because it's so heavy.  Go back to the slow original tempo with the rim shots with the high hat accents leading into the next part.  Just like before this one is in both of my play lists.
You
Little guitar intro with this heavy bass and quick foot work on the bass drum and the high hat.  Go back and listen to this one again and pick up on the guitar layered in the background, and almost out of time, it seems to me, offering the perfect mood to the whole thing, carrying into the chorus, switch it real quick to the front leading everything back into the heavy bass and awesome beat of the whole song.  Go from heavy into the break and slow it back down.  Then Kevin picks it up and  brings the whole thing to a head just before the solo, which is high with the notes getting sustained for effect.  I love this one and yes you guessed it, it's in both of the play lists.
No Sense
Now in this one the jazz influences are standing out, and brings a whole different sound to the music from the previous tracks.  Rim shots and ride cymbal work, with the Bardi Martin on bass carrying everything and the light guitar work reminding you that the potential for getting heavy is just around the corner.  As you get into the chorus the distortion comes in and just the right amount of crash cymbals laying it all down to keep the song on the edge of getting extremely heavy.  Go into the pre solo and Peter is working the frets with some jazz inspired licks.  Start it all into this heavy heavy bass grooving into the solo with some great fingering and bending.  I have no idea what key or note he is playing the solo in but man it is on up there in range, high and screaming, all the while Scott is jamming on the ride with this fast slow fast slow type of fill, I have no idea what you call it but I really get into it.  Drop it back out and get back into the slow bass driven guitar accented theme of the song.  Kevin's vocals are kinda echoic and it carries the mood of the whole thing right along.
Far Behind
Their biggest hit off this album, start off with this sad sounding guitar work, and some moody vocals from Kevin, add some quick high hat fills to fill in the gaps, and you would never think that it gets as heavy as it does when you go into the chorus.  Some awesome vocal work from Kevin, really going from the moody somber start to the loud screaming in the choruses.  Heavy and sustained guitar licks before going into the solo. I really do like how Peter uses different sustains and fret work and reverbish sound to create the climax to this song.  Working low to high and back, going back into the chorus, with Kevin throwing in some vocal accents for effect.  Bring it all out with sustaining guitar licks and drop it out into the end of the song.

Pictured Kevin Martin, lead vocalist of Candlebox.  As I have said before it is sad that I cannot find very much information on these guys.   I would really like to know some of his influences and vocal stylings.  They really do make the sound they have quite unique.










Blossom
The fist time I ever really listened to this song, I found myself mesmerized.  I thought it was going to be almost like the song Change, a couple of tracks back.  Once again the jazz influence is so obvious in the drumming on this one.  I was transported to another place with the way this song affected my mood.  Some really nice bass work from Bardi, and really crafty footwork from Scott on drums.  Kevin's vocals are so mood inducing and subdued, but you have this ride cymbal to china transfer on the drums, they seem so polar opposite of each other, and you think OK it's going to get heavy now, but nope go back to the somber mood that you started with.  Kevin is doing this bow wow bow wow wow on the guitar accenting the whole moodiness of the song.  Break into some heavy distortion and screaming vocals and you have changed the whole mood, drop it into some bass work to carry it into the pre solo, distorted guitar, then into the solo, once again with some quick fret work, and high notes that magically work the song to a fever pitch bringing the mood from somber to almost angry.  Carry it out to the end of the song with chorus and by the time your done listening you almost feel emotionally drained.  I could listen t o this one over and over again.

Pictured Scott Mercado, Drummer for Candlebox.  Known for his unique blend of Jazz drumming into modern rock.  Voted Best Up and Coming Drummer in Modern Drummer Magazine.





Arrow
Drum intro, bring in the heavy heavy distortion on the guitar, subdued bass grooving, and throw in some quick fret work accents, and then Kevin comes in with the screaming vocals, to me the vocals and guitar are on totally different time signatures, you would think they would be reversed, guitar fast vocals slow, but it's just the opposite, vocals faster and the guitar slower.  You have this distorted chica chica choca guitar work going on behind the vocals, with heavy bass drum and open high hat accents, totally groovy.  Getting into the chorus you get this fret work going from high to low, mixing it up but throwing it all back into time.  Go into the break with Kevin and Peter screaming/playing in the same key.  Bring the bass to the front with this off time ride cymbal accent. The guitar playing this chorused, layered sustained notes, Kevin comes back in with some low key vocals, then smash it upside your head with screams and the distortion going into the solo.  I wish I knew how he got that particular guitar sound at the very start of the solo, because I love it.  Some serious string bending to drop it all back out to the chorus again, but the tempo never lets you go, staying heavy and fast all the way to the end of the song.
Rain
What do you get when cross blues and jazz?, You get this song, after being taken on an emotional roller coaster with Blossom, getting your face smashed in from Arrow, you get a break and go into this slow tempoed song.  Good thing because you need a break, don't hold your breath for to long cause it picks up towards the end.  The guitar work just screams of the blues, and the bass just makes your head bob up and down in time with the whole thing.  Then distort the guitars, sustain the notes and use the vocals as a bridge to take you into a quick time tempo change.  Drop it back into the slow tempo from the start off the song and bring in Peter on the solo, the notes he's playing remind me of some Stevie Ray Vaughn, dripping off the strings, if you can't hear the blues in this guitar work, something is wrong with you dude, and the whole time the bass is just filling in all the gaps with ba- doomda doomda licks, I swear I have heard this combo before in some clubs down on Beale Street.  Then all of a sudden it drops out, silence, is it over? No way bro'.  Bring it all back up starting with this guitar riffing and these 16th beat accents on the high hats, and Kevin doing this little doo-doo-doo-do, but it start off subtle for a few lines, keeping the whole blues feel, into the last part of the song, Where everything speeds up, distorts, and just gets down right funky.  As an added bonus you get another little solo from Peter, still bluesy feeling, but with a little distortion.  I really dig this blues/rock blending they put out in this song.
Mothers Dream
Start off echoey with heavy bass, and subdued guitar, bring the guitar to the front go into Kevin on vocals, sounding like he's singing through a bad PA system, now make the guitar just screech and carry it all through with a nice beat.  This goes on until you get to the chorus then Kevin comes in with the screaming vocals and the heavy distortion on the guitar.  I wish I knew what to call the guitar work Peter does right here, or how to describe it layman's terms, but it is wicked, the fret work, the sustained notes with heavy reverb. Drop it back into the bass grooving bass, drum thumping beat with this single sustained guitar notes echoing around in the background,  then start the guitar screaming again into the chorus, Kevin Just screaming his fool head off, so heavy for a slower tempoed song.  Exit out with Peter on the guitar going woooooooow, wowow, woooooooow, wowow, woooooooooooooow, just goes to show the broad range of music these guys can put out.
Cover Me
Wait a minute, acoustic, you say?  That's right another side to this multi-faceted band.  Bardi on the bass really carries this one and gives the whole song it's feel and groove.  Kevin once again going from subdued to screaming, throw in some distorted guitars during the chorus, and then go dark with the solo, having grown up in the metal 80's listening to these high guitar notes screeching solo's this one took me by surprise, dark is the word I was use to describe this one, oh he gets the notes up there after he starts, but man the notes he uses on the intro to the solo are just deeeeeeeep.  It ends nothing like it starts, all heavy and distorted and the bass driving, layered guitar, punctuated with bass drum thumps, hard snare drum pops, it is really a great song, drop it out, back to acoustic, and exit out.  Whew can you handle much more of this?

Pictured Bardi Martin, bassist for Candlebox.
Once again my surprise at not being able to find more information on these guys.














He Calls Home
We get back to some acoustic work, and Kevin taking the vocals straight to the front.  Once again the blues influence can be heard in and out of the song. Perfect timed bass licks, and slowed tempo with hard bass drum and snare marching us through the whole thing.  Now the chorus, Kevin's vocals, with some perfectly pitched backing vocals, flowing up and down like riding a wave.  The song doesn't really have the somberness from previous songs, but still carries that sadness through with the lower pitching and lyrics.  What a way to end your first album.

I don't know if I have said it before (probably not), but I am of the opinion that song placement in the track listing can make as much difference in the sound and appeal of a band or an album as the songs themselves.

Thank you once again for journeying through my musical un-knowledge, and I will try and keep this up.
Have fun boys and girls, and remember this quote from an unknown source I read on my desk when I went to college, 
 "Never underestimate the poor taste of the American Public" 

Ultimate Album #2 Stone Temple Pilots-Core

Cover Of STP's Album Core

Okay boys and girls, as promised, my second ultimate album.  This was hard for me to decide, I had may suggestions from friends and family but after changing my mind and the album about 6 times this one popped up on the shuffle in the ol' IPOD.  Driving along and singing to the steering wheel to some songs from this one  and I had one of those DUH! moments. I mean how could I not have remembered this album.  I bought this album for a friend as a birthday gift, I went to the old Pop Tunes on Summer Ave. and what do you know sale time, buy one get one half price, so out I walked with two cassettes one for me and one for my buddy.  I got in my old beat up 78 Trans Am, tore off that plastic heat shrink wrap from hell, popped it into the old Sony Super Bass cassette player and was instantly so glad I bought this one.  It jumped from one musical style to the other hard, bluesy, soft, haunting.  It was incredible, I fell in love with it the first time I listened to it, and believe me I did a lot of listening to this one.  So a little history and accolades for this album shall we.

Released in 1994, it was severely punished by critics, here's some quotes:

Jon Pareles of The New York Times wrote in a 1993 concert review, "The San Diego band has climbed onto the Seattle grunge bandwagon. Its slow songs, with heaving riffs and half-speed vocals, are second-rate Pearl Jam; for variety, there are some midtempo groans that imitate Nirvana."Additionally, the band is casually mocked in the lyrics of the 1994 Pavement song "Range Life":
Wow, what a jerk, I bet he really thinks he knows something about good music, which is why I am doing this whole blog thing in the first place.
Then the ever popular Rolling Stone Magazine, (remember those guys, from the last blog entry?), In 1994 Rolling Stone Poll they were voted simultaneously voted Best New Band by the readers poll, and Worst New Band by the magazines overpaid, out of touch, totally ignorant music critics.
I can give them a small break this album was released  on Sep 29, 1992. The same day that Alice In Chains released their huge album Dirt.  What competition.

The album peaked at #3 on the billboard 200, the song Plush won the 1994 Grammy Award for Best Hard Rock Performance, the MTV Video Music Award for Best New Artist in 1993, and the American Music Award for Favorite Pop/Rock New Artist 1994.  The band has also been ranked # 40 by VH1 in the 100 Greatest Artists Of Hard Rock. The album has been certified  8x's Platinum by the RIAA.

TRACK BREAKDOWN
1. "Dead & Bloated"
2. "Sex Type Thing 
3. "Wicked Garden
4. "No Memory"
5. "Sin"
6. "Naked Sunday"
7. "Creep
8. "Piece of Pie"
9. "Plush"
10. "Wet My Bed"
11. "Crackerman"
12. "Where the River Goes"

Dead and Bloated
How do you start off the first song on your first album?  You sing a couple of lines with no music through a guitar pick up, that's how. Then you bust into heavy riff slow tempo, and let it rock. I'm telling you when Scott Weiland is sober that dude can sing his nuts off.  Listen to the chorus when he is singing and see if you can hear the extra layering on the guitar from Dean DeLeo, it gives the song that extra subliminal haunt.

Pictured Dean Deleo, guitarist for STP. The STP album Purple was ranked at #73 on Guitar World's 100 Greatest Guitar Albums of All-time list.  While he owns over 100 guitars, his live rigs consist mainly of 78 Gibson Les Paul Standards, He was a former user of a Rockman for his switching and chorus effects










Sex Type Thing
Scott's tribute to sexual harassment, abuse of power, macho behavior and humanity's view towards women.
The song is well put together, with this deep, dark, distorted guitar work.  Then in the pre chorus you get this little wow wow wow,  going up scale to lead in and down scale to exit out, that just puts the accent to the whole thing.  Scott doing the same thing with the vocals throughout the song.
Wicked Garden
This is my favorite song on the whole album.  Crunchy guitar work, with this bass line in the song just pumping keeping the time, then in the chorus going to the forefront of the song up and down the frets low to high back to low.  The back up vocals give it some extra flavor, and Dean DeLeo throwing in these little slides and screechy accents, really puts it all together.  This song is my OOOOOOOOH I have got to learn to play the bass on this song list.

Pictured: Robert DeLeo, bassist for STP, one half of the blending of the music of STP, and the groove they put out.
Robert was interviewed and asked about his equipment he said he is using Schecter basses, because they are good for mid range, and he can get the same jazzy feel out of them that he can out of his old heavy Fenders.








No Memory
A little instrumental between the DeLeo brothers, acoustic with rich bass playing right along.  I remember the first time I ever heard this song driving down the road, window down, engine just humming along cool night air, it was like one of those epiphanal moments when the planets were lined up and beaming some cosmic energy into the atmosphere, the song totally fit the mood and situation of the moment. You really can't tell which instrument to focus on as the front drive in the song it just kinda goes back and forth. And then...
Sin
You get this smooth guitar chording with this bass line just grooving right behind keeping the whole thing together.   Listen closer and you can hear the accent points getting put in by Eric Kretz with some open high hat licks.  The song is about rage and violence and the music just fits the mood of the song oh so right.

Pictured Eric Kretz drummer for STP.  He helped co write the song Plush with Scott Weiland.  Playing some of these songs is harder than you might think, you have to be in total sync with your bassist.  Even the songs tend to be on a slower side, they still rock hard and get in your face.


Naked Sunday
An attack song on government and organized religion and the control they try to exert.  Eric lays down this syncopated beat, Scott using his voice as the bridge, (in the style of Robert Plant maybe?), Listen closely to the bass line if you can hear it, it's in total harmony with the drums, almost couldn't pick it up when I was listening to it, it doesn't really stand out but if it was missing you could definitely tell.  I don't what you guitar guys call that little chica chica chica  chocca chocca thing you play but it gives this song the whole drive and feel, throw in some wah wah pedal accents and you get a really cool song.

Pictured Scott Weiland singer of STP.  The voice behind of, in front of, and all over the music of STP.
Troubled by heroin abuse throughout the years, he said in a 2007 interview with Rolling Stone Magazine that Core and Libertad, were the only albums he wrote sober.  He cites Jim Morrison and David Bowie as his influences.



Creep
Slow it down, give it an acoustic feel, and you get this song.  Coming from the faster paced Naked Sunday, you have an almost slap in the face transition into this song, get all pumped up and WHAM.  According to DeLeo he was thinking along the lines of Neil Young's Heart Of Gold, for this song, written in D-minor the saddest key of all, he says.  The lyrics are about taking a look in the mirror and not liking what you see, a Creep.
Piece Of Pie
After the little slow down, you get hammered by this one.  It is dark, heavy, and thick.  Another one of my favorites on this album.  The vocals going up and down, with back up vocals being echoed right behind.  Gives it an eerie quality.  The bass and guitar working in perfect unison,  Eric providing the perfect beat in the transitions. The bass picking up the front in the chorus, with the guitar layering accents in the background.  I really do dig this song.
Plush
Dean Deleo's homage to his love of ragtime music, well I don't know a lot about that but this song has that ethereal quality to it.  Simple chords, back to basics, stripped down music.  The lyrics were inspired by a newspaper article Scott read about a girl whose body had been found outside of San Diego.  If you listen to it with no other distractions, I promise it will give you chill bumps.  Now go into the chorus, get an octave or so higher with the vocals, increase the tempo just a little, Dean is playing this little bow wow wow wow bow thing behind the vocals, the bass and drums providing the supporting cast.  Listen to it again with these thoughts in mind and it takes on a whole new persona.
Wet My Bed
Okay I have no idea what this one is all about if anyone does pleas tell me.  Honestly I think they needed something short to fill in 1:37 of space on the album.
Crackerman
Oh yeah, go from the silly little thing before this and smack straight into this groovy little number.  Hard hits on the snare set the tone, the guitar just pounding in your ears, It's hard to find the bass line in this one for me, until you get to the break and go into the solo.  Put this song on next time you have to make a long drive, you will find your foot on the floor, and your neck doing a pigeon imitation, it's just.....Groove-a-liscious ( I hold the patent on that word, so don't even think about stealing it).  Roaming roaming home, get away gotta get away, and I think too much, (an inside joke for some of you ha ha), and I'm thinking while I'm thinking, another one of my favorites on this album.
Where The River Goes
Once again slow it down a little but keep it heavy.  Start off with some John Bonham-esque When The Levee Breaks drum intro, and away we go.  The name of this song is so perfect for the feel of this song, just flowing along, cruising through the notes and stretching out the vocals to cover the gaps, for the toned down time.  In the pre chorus you get these little guitar screeches to punctuate the mood.  So you get the bottom dropped out almost completely, little bass and guitar softly hanging in, then bring it all back up, pound the snare for the lead into the solo.  The solo for this song is so simple, it doesn't have 1000 notes crammed into a tiny space, no fingers running up and down the frets like Steve Vai on speed.  Clean and simple, it reminds me of AC/DC's drummer.  Go back and listen to some old AC/DC and really pay attention, the lack of drum fills and hard hitting crashes at every turn, he makes just as much of a statement by the lack of accents, as he could have by adding them.   It just takes on this bluesy feel and keeps the whole mood of the song right on track.

So thank you for reading my blog, again, I keep telling myself more pictures and less getting so long winded. but hell man it's the albums that I love and I want to explain it to you from my "ear". I really hope that you might go back and listen to the album again and try and hear what I'm hearing, and I swear I'm not on drugs, just maybe a little deaf, but I swear it's there. And to answer your question chica, chocca and bow wow are the technical terms used by all musicians to describe the way things sound. I promise.
ENJOY!

Ultimate Album #1 Boston Boston

Okay so if you didn't get the hint the first album I'm covering is Boston's first release titled Boston.
Now let me say this, anyone who plays guitar, is thinking about playing guitar, or anything along those lines, needs to know who this band is.  Why, you ask. one man Tom Scholz. 

The brains and the brawn behind the five plus year effort to get a major record label deal.  Not only that but this guy has a masters degree in mechanical engineering from MIT.  He built his own studio in his basement, and while recording and playing, he invented what came to be known as the chorus, distortion, compression, echo pedals all combined into one package.  This little gadget became known as the Rockman Amp.  Yep this guy invented this thing in his basement.  A couple of facts concerning the Rockman Amp: Steve Stevens, you might know him from Billy Idol or the song Dirty Diana by Michall Jackson; Alex Lifeson of Rush; Phil Collen and Steve Clark of Def Leppard; Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top; Neal Schon of Journey; Dave Mustaine of Megadeath (Peace Sells Album), all users of the Rockman Amp. So now you have this really smart inventor/guitarist.  Okay next you have in my opinion one of the most recognizable voices in all of rock, Brad Delp. This guy had a range like nobody else, soaring vocals and range, he was said to have "a golden voice".  Not only that but he could play too.  Guitar, harmonica, and keyboards, then on top of all that the guy could write songs to. 

Not to take away from the other guys in the band, but these guys were truly what made "The Boston Sound" the Boston sound.  So why this album you ask, well waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay back long time ago in a galaxy far far away, there was this kid who wanted to play drums, he finally got a drum set and this was the first cassette (yes cassette) that he put into the player crawled up in the headphones and learned to pound the skins.

Yep that's me behind my old Ludwig set, them was the days, this is circa 1990.

So back to the album the track listing is as follows:
1. More Than A Feeling
2. Peace Of Mind
3. Foreplay/Long Time
4. Rock and Roll Band
5.Smokin
6. Hitch A Ride
7. Something About You
8.Let Me Take You Home Tonight.

Released in 1976 this album was the best selling debut album ever until Guns 'n Roses Appetite For Destruction,  and it still sits at number two behind that album to date.  Lets put it like this it was released July 25, 1976, and went platinum November 22, 1976.  Platinum certification per the RIAA is 1,000,000 sold units.  They did it in 4 months.  Not too shabby.  So now for some of the fun stuff, the Track Breakdown.

More Than A Feeling- nice acoustic intro, powerful electric riffs and Brads soring vocals.  This song has made all time greatest lists from here to England to Italy.  I'll post a link later to the greatest website of music lists.  But on a special note, it made the Rolling Stones magazine 500 greatest songs of all time, in at 500.
Peace Of Mind- Acoustics electric snappy little beat, the vocals going up and down, harmonization. 
Foreplay/Long Time-Organ intro, not synthesizer, but a big ass Hammond B3 organ.  Scholz wrote the intro Foreplay in 1969, it was the first piece of music he ever wrote.  Another interesting fact, when this album was mastered for the record label Scholz did it in his basement with a 12 track tape recorder at this time everyone was using 24 track. so what did he do,he recorded every piece over again, played it back through his Rockman Amp and played it again on the guitar while recording, this guy was incredible, oh and the hand claps, their real recoded played back and recorded again with more hand clapping, genius.
Rock n' Roll Band- The tribute to the bar band and the struggles they go through, and once again Brad's voice harmonizing with himself, much like Tom did with the guitars, Brad did the same with his vocals, sing the lead, go back sing the harmonies slightly different key record it all, do it again.  
Smokin-  The guitars and the bass on this are just kick ass, then the vocals the harmonies the drums just keeping the beat going, if you listen to this song and don't tap your feet, you might want to call a coroner, cause you are dead dude.  Oh yeah can any one say organ solo!
Hitchin A Ride- Sweet acoustic intro with Brad getting a different key than any other song, it is my favorite song on the album, I would play rewind play rewind over and over again trying to learn how to play the drums to this song, Hours and hours I spent with this song.  The solo on this song just sends chill bumps down my arms, the chorusing, the different notes, I swear it tells a story all in itself, then to finish with the high E's if I'm not mistaken.  Ungodly.
Something About You- This one I swear it's like there is 10 guys playing guitar exactly the same, remember this is 1975-1976, on a twelve track recorder, Once again Brad's voice on leads and back up, go back and listen to it again pay attention to the back up vocals that's Brad singing, and from what I've read his voice never got tired.
Let Me Take You Home Tonight-a little side bar from the norm slower more country sound then picks on up toward the end, but still a great song for Brad to show off his writing skills.

So to sum it all up this album was where I learned some of my chops on the drums, experienced near ethereal contentment and bliss, listening to the magic workings and harmonies of Tom Scholz playing that guitar like a God, and Brad singing right along with him in perfect pitch.  I hope you enjoy this and I tell you this album is not given the credit it deserves, nor does Brad or Tom get the praise and distinction that they should from the likes of Rolling Stone magazine.  Brad R.I.P., Tom, I applaud you and bow before the throne of Rock for this masterful creation of music.

P.S. The link I promised:
http://www.rocklistmusic.co.uk/
I don't know who this guy is but I love this site, if you are into music and its' history, this site will definitleey tickle your fancy.

First Ultimate Album

I don't know how many people will ever follow this but hopefully a few will.  After three days of pondering, arguing with myself and hair pulling I have picked My first ultimate album.  I am planning on doing it tomorrow, and I hope that everyone will agree with me.  Now then let me say this, some albums are big international best sellers, some are not, that is not the criteria for the albums I choose.  Here are the rules as set by me.
1. I have listened to the entire album more than once.
2.it is an album that has influenced me in my life, made a definite impression on me
3. No best of's greatest hits etc. Exceptions are those by artists who recorded and released albums before songs were put out in album form, ie Elvis.  Back then songs were put out as singles and were later re-released as greatest hits albums.
There are probably some more rules but I can't remember them.
I will put links to information for the purpose of anyone who actually wants to click on the link and learn some really neat stuff about the particular artist and others that they find.  I will also point out that a lot of the info I use is not mine and facts gathered from research on other people's websites etc.. I hope they don't sue and thank them in advance for the using of their information, and give them full credit where applicable.
Thanks to anyone who reads I hope you enjoy and here is a hint:
      Thanks and Enjoy

                                                         Ernie

Ok I've Done It!

Okay, so here I am and I hope this will get seen by some people.  My purpose for doing this is to hopefully get some people like myself to take a few minutes, read this and maybe say to themselves, "hey I really like that song, band, album," or something along those lines.  I am going to start by doing a segment called Ultimate Albums.  I have all this music that I love, spanning from oldies to newer stuff.  So I am going to start by going through several albums (CD's to the younger people) that I love and break them down track by track.  Giving my key tracks from the album, what I like about the songs, and maybe some insightful information.  Hope everyone likes it.  I know I will not please everybody, but leave your comments, suggestions whatever, just remember I am no expert by any means.  I'm just a lover of music, so if you disagree please say so but do it in a nice way at least.