Category ’60s Pop Goodness
THE KING IS DEAD (But Johnny B. Goode Lives On): Chuck Berry, Rock ‘n’ Roll’s Pioneer Architect of Youthful Abandon, Dies at 90.
Chuck was/is a progenitor of the gloriously messy swamp of cross-pollinated sounds we call rock ‘n’ roll. With his own influences as disparate as T-Bone Walker and Nat “King” Cole, Berry burst on the national scene in the early 1950s as a five-tool artist who wrote, sang, played, performed, and created an exciting new form from existing traditions, effortlessly fusing elements of nascent Teenage Pop (which he helped invent), Tin Pan Alley, Blues, R&B, Rockabilly, Swing, and even Country and Western.
A HIT OF SYMPHONIC BLOTTER ACID: Forever Changes But Love’s Masterpiece Endures
The “Summer of Love” it may have been, but much of the music on those iconic records of 1967 contained a far more complicated series of emotions and refracted a darker reality shot through with chaos and doubt, turmoil and altered perceptions. Unlike some of its contemporaries, the music on Love’s ‘Forever Changes’ – not to mention the mystique that continues to surround the work — seems only to have deepened with time.
FOREVER YOUNG & CUTTING EDGE: Bob Dylan Turns 75, Approximately
To hear these inspirations and ideas unfurl like a slow flag or burst like fireworks, explode into the stratosphere, and twist crazily this way and that, you get the sense that this must be what it would have been like to watch Van Gogh mix his colors and apply those bright yellows and brilliant blues to the swaying sunflowers and starry nights he dreamt into being.
RPM: Life In Analog Now Spinning On Google+!
In the spirit of Throwback Thursday (although, truth be told, we’re throwin’ it back pretty much every day of the week here), I invite you to check out a sample of some of my rarer records and vintage music memorabilia being posted and catalogued on an ongoing basis at my brand-spankin’ new “RPM: Life In Analog” Google+ […]
KEYS TO THE HIGHWAY: Remembering Nicky Hopkins, Session Man To The Stars
No wonder Nicky Hopkins felt right at home next to Jeff Beck’s wailing electric guitar. On the day of his birth, Feb. 24, 1944, an air raid hit his hometown of Perivale, England. It was 72 ago today that the late, great British pianist/keyboardist, a longtime session ace and sideman to the stars, as well as core member of […]
Turntable Spins: Our 2015 Playlist in review & rotation
RPM: Jonathan Perry’s Life In Analog was viewed about 8,500 times by casual visitors, avid readers, and loyal subscribers (whaddya waiting for pardner — it’s a free ride!) from 89 countries in 2015. If it were a concert at Sydney Opera House, it would take about 3 sold-out performances for that many people to see it. Chances are, if you’re reading this, you had a stage-side seat.
GENIUS NEVER DIES: John Lennon’s 75th Birthday Gift To Us All (In His Life And Ours)
There is much that I’m not certain of in this world because, yes, it’s true that tomorrow never knows. But one thing I am sure of is that true genius that makes its mark on the universe never dies — no matter how many small, insignificant men or organized armies try to snuff, shoot, or silence it. So I remain heartened and convinced, with utter certainty and clarity, that John Lennon’s spirit will never be vanquished and that his strong, singular voice and vision will live now and forever.
WHO’S NEXT? NOBODY COMES CLOSE: Reflections On Listening To Who At 50, And Their Rock Masterpiece (No, It’s Not Tommy)
Originally posted on RPM: Jonathan Perry's Life in Analog:
The sound of a jet taking off? Nope, it’s just The Who in full flight. Just a quick one — pun intended — to honor one of my all-time favorite artists, The Who, to mark their “Who Hits 50!” world tour that lead singer Roger…
A FEW OF MY FAVORITE THINGS: Listen As RPM: Life In Analog Spins The Sounds At Boston Free Radio!
A post meant as much for listening as reading: I want to give a shout-out and thanks to fellow music junkie and Boston Free Radio “Voices Of Time” host Alan Patterson for inviting “RPM ” (that would be me) to the Internet station’s Somerville studio to spin (and chat about) a few of my favorite things a little […]
Damn Right, It’s Buddy Guy: Still “Stone Crazy” After All These Years
Originally posted on RPM: Jonathan Perry's Life in Analog:
Buddy Guy’s blues and soul spirit reaches everywhere. Here I was today, working on assembling my Buddy Guy tribute package as a tasty tie-in and preview to his pair of local shows later this week (Aug. 2 at the Calvin Theatre in Northampton; Aug. 3 at the…
RPM: Jonathan Perry's Life in Analog 