My Top 40 at 40!

Recently, and by recently I mean yesterday February 2^nd, which just happens to be my day of birth, a buddy of mine threw down the musical gauntlet.  I have briefly and succinctly paraphrased the challenge below:

Top 40 Artists of your life. Not simply a list of 40, but a ranking from 40 to 1. You have to do it. It must be done. It’s your personal Hall of Fame. This is your preference, your jukebox, regardless of genre or generation. This isn’t educational or time relevant. It’s YOUR Top 40 of all time.

This did indeed get the blood rushing and made my musical pants go a little crazy.  I started to brainstorm a list (and by brainstorm I mean immediately sat down and pounded out 40 names, clarified his initial challenge, perused my list again, and started typing the first sentence you read. 

The initial list was not a difficult as I thought.  The ranking of 1-40 took a little bit of time as did my annotations (those are in my tiny, little head) as to why the band/musician made the list.  The list that lies before you is organic in nature and I believe it to be fairly finite to the time that it was written.  The list is not to be likened to a doctoral thesis, packed with statistics that verify the respective placement, resourced with renowned critical fawning, or any type of research other than my ears and their time on earth. 

Be mindful of the fact that there are only 40 spots on this list.  I can tell you that there are probably some glaring omissions on this list.  Michael Jackson, Aretha Franklin, Bob Marley, Waylon, Willie, and the boys, did not make the list as well as a litany of other great, well deserving artists.  This list is completely subjective and the omission of anyone is not meant to be a form of disparagement.  It is quite simply a list of bands/musicians that I have loved over the years and also value their contributions to the musical world. 

The final piece of the musical puzzle for this list was really a late night revelation.  I realize it has only been a moment or two since you began reading this but I actually have been running the various scenarios of greatness in my head all night.  And then it hit me, the true measure of an artist’s greatness is my personal commitment to that particular artist. 

•  How much of myself have I invested in the artists? 
• What percentage of their catalog do I own? 
• Would I take the time to see them live if the following were aligned:
  • They are still alive
  • They band is still together
  • The venue was geographically conducive to seeing them live
  • The cost of the ticket did not require me selling my 1^st born child.  Although at 15 years of age and being really good at being 15 I would be willing to barter for a really good show right now.

Oddly enough, this revelation did not greatly alter my original list, there were a few additions and subtractions of artists and then the harrowing process of ranking them, with reason, was underway. 

No musicians were harmed in this list.  Of course, egos might be slightly bruised if they ever happen to stumble upon this little read blog and realize their spot on or omission to the list.

So, I give to you my Top 40 at 40!

1. The Beatles
2. Bob Dylan
3. Bruce Springsteen
4. The Rolling Stones
5. Led Zeppelin
6. The Who
7. Pink Floyd
8. Tom Petty
9. The Eagles
10. Eric Clapton
11. Elton John
12. Jimi Hendrix
13. The Doors
14. U2
15. Metallica
16. Pearl Jam
17. Van Morrison
18. Billy Joel
19. R.E.M.
20. Rush
21. Lynryd Skynyrd
22. Simon & Garfunkel
23. John Mellencamp
24. Stevie Ray Vaughan
25. Prince
26. Nirvana
27. Uncle Tupelo
28. Eminem
29. Nine Inch Nails
30. Beck
31. The Dave Matthews Band
32. Rage Against the Machine
33. Robert Earl Keen
34. N.W.A
35. The Black Crowes
36. The Beastie Boys
37. The White Stripes
38. Ryan Adams
39. Ben Harper
40. Joe Purdy

 

Great music awaits!

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Mixed Tape Monday: Pass the Jar

Today’s Mixed Tape Monday is not so much a mixed tape as it is a live album with a varied assortment of artists and cover songs.  Zac Brown and his rowdy band of musical brothers did a benefit concert for the Georgia Theatre, a cultural haven of the Athens music scene that burned down in 2009, and released it as a live album entitled Pass the Jar.  The album is a two disc set that is accompanied by a DVD of the concert.  Zac’s music is typically fun in nature and drenched in the good time vibe.  The concert exemplifies that vibe and the diversity of the cover songs reflects his deep appreciation for music in general. 

The album is a good mix of some of Zac’s songs from his major label debut The Foundation such as:

• Toes
• Free
• Chicken Fried
• Highway 20 Ride
• Whatever It Is
• Where the Boat Leaves From

In addition to Zac and his band, Kid Rock, Shawn Mullins, Little Big Town, and Angie Aparo as well as several other artists lend their vocal prowess to the cause.  As diverse as the special guest are, the cover songs are the real gems. 

• The Devil Went Down to Georgia (Charlie Daniels)
• Into the Mystic (Van Morrison)
• Blackbird (The Beatles)
• Jolene (Ray LaMontagne)
• Can’t You See (The Marshall Tucker Band)
• The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down (The Band)
• I Shall Be Released (Bob Dylan)
• One Love (Bob Marley)

The album is warm, fun, and a tribute to the strength of the band’s live shows.  To take nothing away from the band’s studio album, to truly enjoy the Zac Brown Band, you need to see them live.  While this album and DVD is as close as I’ve gotten thus far, I have added him to the list of folks I am on the lookout for on the DFW concert calendar.

 Great music awaits!

Mixed Tape Monday on Tuesday

Well readers, I know it has been a while and I have the same excuse as last time.  Home repairs! The lovely dwelling of mine had a leak  in the upstairs bathroom that has required two plumbers, a general contractor, and an insurance adjuster.  As a result, we have had to remove and replace of all of the upstairs plumbing.  In order to do so, they had to rip up floors, ceilings, walls, etc…Insert a litany of foul, four, six, seven, and eight  lettered words and various combinations of said words.  And, at this point, insurance is not covering the damage.  Again, insert more obscenities.

Of the folks mentioned, only two are currently in good standing with me.  Jason McCord of B&B Contracting you, my good man, are a life saver.  Chad and Kyle, from Flow Force Plumbing (www.flowforceplumbing.net ), you guys are the best. 

Welcome to another, late, installment of Mixed Tape Monday.

Topic: House, Home, Room, Repair, anything you might find in a house or that can go wrong with a house, etc…

Song:  She Came In Through the Bathroom Window

Artists: The Beatles

Album: Abbey Road

Song:  Light Up My Room

Artists: Bare Naked Ladies

Album: Stunt

Song:  Summer House

Artists: Better Than Ezra

Album: Deluxe

Song:  Black Door

Artists: The Black Keys

Album: Magic Potion

Song:  My Father’s House

Artists: Bruce Springsteen

Album: Nebraska

Song:  Walnut Street (Just listen to the song and you will get it)

Artists: Walt Wilkins

Album: Rivertown

Song:  Lost In the Backyard

Artists: James McMurtry

Album: Where’d You Hide the Body

Song:  Mudhouse

Artists: Bob Schneider

Album: The Californian

Song:  Back Against the Wall

Artists: Cage the Elephant

Album: Cage the Elephant

Song:  Burn That Broken Bed

Artists: Calexico & Iron & Wine

Album: In the Reins (EP)

Song:  Down the Drain

Artists: Chickenfoot

Album: Chickenfoot

Song:  Beautiful Homes

Artists: Chris Isaak

Album: San Francisco Days

Song:  Floorboards

Artists: Chris Mills

Album: The Silver Line

Song:  Living Room

Artists: David Gray

Album: A Century Ends

Song:  No Ceiling

Artists: Eddie Vedder

Album: Into the Wild

Song:  Climbing Up the Walls

Artists: Erin Ivey (cover of Radiohead)

Album: Sweet Little EP

Song:  Renovations

Artists: Helmet

Album: Aftertaste

Song:  Dusty

Artists: Kings of Leon

Album: Youth & Young Manhood

Song:  Another Brick in the Wall

Artists: Pink Floyd

Album: The Wall

Song:  Big Crash

Artists: Less Than Jake

Album: Hello Rockview

Song:  This Old Porch

Artists: Lyle Lovett

Album: Lyle Lovett

Song:  House Carpenter

Artists: Nickel Creek

Album: This Side

Great music awaits!

 

50 Artists you should be listening to and own at least one album!

Ok, I thought yesterday’s blog was fun and elicited some reaction from you, the sweet , gentle reader  and a few David Cassidy fans( ITILY ladies and possibly gentlemen) and also caused a bit of a stir on facebook as well.  So, let’s go and reverse the whip.

I will attempt to continue to WOW you with my vast musical knowledge and then silently judge you if you are not impressed with my musical prowess.  Just kidding, I would never judge you or your poor musical taste. 

I do think that there are some artists that transcend genres and have universal appeal.  Others have a loyal following and then have that one album that regales the masses and they are beloved for generations.  Some of us grew up on music and we think it is greatness based solely on the nostalgia for the time and place in which we first heard it.  And then there are music purist who likes a band /artist because they respect the lineage and the impact that they had on music.

I tend to be a bit of all of the above.  There are some artists that I like because there is some form of connectivity that I really can’t explain, while others are truly a moment in time that has endeared me to an artist, and then there is the whole musical heritage piece.  I am intrigued by the evolution of music and the artists that find themselves compelled to play.  As mentioned previously in a blog, I have no musical talent.  I do not play and instrument, I do not sing close to well, and I’ve never had aspirations to do either.  I simply love to listen to music. 

As much as I have a propensity to scorn/judge, in my humble opinion, awful music, I really respect the fact that those dreadful musicians had the nerve to attempt to play, at some point get signed, and were able to release an album or at the very least a single.  When it comes down to it, I don’t judge the horrific musicians as mercilessly as I judge the faction who listens and procures the music.

So, below is a listing of artists/bands that you should be listening to and would be in any reputable music collection.  

• Ryan Adams
• The Band
• The Beastie Boys
• The Beatles
• Beck
• The Black Crowes
• Jimmy Buffet (with love to Gwendolyn)
• Johnny Cash
• Eric Clapton
• Credence Clearwater Revival
• Drive-By Truckers
• Bob Dylan
• The Eagles
• Steve Earle
• Foo Fighters
• Pat Green
• Merle Haggard
• Ben Harper
• Jimi Hendrix
• Robert Earl Keen
• Led Zeppelin
• Lynyrd Skynyrd
• Dave Matthews Band
• John Mellencamp
• Metallica
• Willie Nelson
• Nirvana
• Pearl Jam
• Tom Petty
• Pink Floyd
• The Pixies
• Joe Purdy
• Radiohead
• R.E.M
• Red Hot Chili Peppers
• The Rolling Stones
• Rush
• Paul Simon
• Sonic Youth
• Sound Garden
• Bruce Springsteen
• James Taylor
• Traveling Wilburys
• U2
• Stevie Ray Vaughan
• Wilco
• Whiskeytown
• The Who
• Neil Young
• ZZ Top

I just listed the artist and not the album or albums that you should be listening to and really own by said artist.  Also, I stopped at 50 and that took a considerable amount of restraint.

This is fundamentally meant to light the candle of thought and get you to think about your 50 artists.  If you only had 50 artists that you could listen to, who would they be?  Think of yourself as Tom Hanks in Cast Away and instead of Wilson the volleyball, you have an iPod with 50 artists and their entire catalog. 

So take some time, peruse the list and let me know who you would have added or deleted from the list or send me you complete list.

Great music awaits!