I was jogging in the Oakland hills the other day, listening to a Pandora shuffle, when a version of Hendrix’s “Voodoo Child” stopped me in my tracks and challenged my long-held theory of cover songs.
A Top Ten playlist of the best rock ‘n’ roll cover songs, according to a painstaking methodology I have developed over the years. With one notable exception, these are either excellent versions of obscure tracks or completely revamped classics.
Watching Glen Hansard perform “Astral Weeks” is to see the power of music personified, how it shines a purifying light on the darkest internal recesses. It is like being let into a sacred space.
A gym playlist for classic rock fans, guaranteed to get you through your workout — guaranteed.
My friend’s mom gave us a ride to the Clash concert and instructed us in no uncertain terms to meet back at the car at 11:00 PM. I can still hear that command, which seemed reasonable at the time, ringing in my ears three decades later.
I know a band rocks when it inspires a bald fifty-something to stage dive — thrice. And my wife to skip the gym in favor of drinking.
The Stone Foxes, originally from California’s Central Valley and now hailing from San Francisco, have a polished grittiness that features great structure and arrangements while also displaying the rawness that epitomizes rock.
If you are heading to the mountains and don’t have any Barry Manilow on hand, try this mix for inspiration.
My father’s taste in music was grim. He tended towards Barry Manilow, regaling the family with tortured renditions of “Mandy” and “I Write the Songs” during interminable road trips. I remember thinking there has got to be better music than this.
Heartless Bastards is a unique blend of many roots and classic rock influences. There is a lot going on with this band, all of it good.