Why fight about what it is?…it’s all music…it’s all magical

By Phill Marder

(As promised last time, this exciting episode explores the definition of Rock & Roll)

Like me, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame is far from perfect.

I know, I know. Hard to believe.

For starters, it should have been and still should be designated the Rock Era Hall of Fame. That way, when Abba, Madonna, Bob Marley, Miles Davis and countless others were inducted, there could be no screaming, ” They’re not Rock & Roll,” as if anyone can provide the definitive definition of Rock & Roll in the first place.

Ironically, the variety of music provided by the Hall of Fame inductees is one of the nominating committee’s crowning achievements. For while I can’t tell you what Rock & Roll is anymore than anyone else, I can tell you it’s not as limited as some of you like to believe. Rock & roll is not just two guitars, bass and drums, though that may be the trunk of the Rock tree, and the Hall of Fame recognizes that. The trunk yes, but many branches have developed as the Rock Era years have gone by.

Buried deep below the surface are the roots, Country and Blues. The branches? Everything else. So don’t tell me The Moody Blues aren’t Rock & Roll. And the Commodores aren’t Rock & Roll. And Yes isn’t Rock & Roll. And Donna Summer isn’t Rock & Roll.

As John Sebastian sang in the Lovin’ Spoonful’s “Do You Believe In Magic?,” “don’t bother to choose, it’s jugband music or rhythm & blues.” You’re right, Eric, it’s all meat from the same bone.

It’s Buddy Holly doing “Rave On,” then turning around to do “True Love Ways” or “It Doesn’t Matter Anymore.” It’s Elvis snarling “Hound Dog,” then doing “It’s Now Or Never.” It’s Fats Domino pounding out “Blue Monday,” then weaving “Walkin’ To New Orleans” in and out of the string section. It’s Ricky Nelson releasing two-sided hits that paired opposites such as “Just A Little Too Much” and “Sweeter Than You.”

Did Roy Orbison become a rock & roll star singing “Ooby Dooby” or such symphonic mini-operas such as “Running Scared,” “Crying” and “In Dreams”? Who was the real Eddie Cochran, the one who gave us “Somethin’ Else” or “Sittin’ In The Balcony”? Who was the real Gene Vincent, he of “Dance To The Bop” or “Wear My Ring”?

Were the Everly Brothers those of “Bye Bye Love” or “Devoted To You”? Was James Brown not symphonic in “Try Me” or “It’s A Man’s World.”? How about Ray Charles? Have you ever listened to the album “Ingredients In A Recipe For Soul”? Was Sam Cooke’s “You Send Me” closer to Donovan’s “Lalena” or AC/DC’s “Back In Black”? Or Bobby Darin – “Queen of the Hop” or “Mack The Knife?”

How about Jackie Wilson belting out “All My Love” or “Night”? Was Jackie Wilson not rock & roll? The Skyliners “Since I Don’t Have You” and “This I Swear,” two of the greatest ballads in the history of rock & roll…not rock & roll? For that matter, I could name almost any ballad that has become a rock & roll standard, “At Last” by Etta James, “It’s Just A Matter Of Time” by Brook Benton, for instance. Not Rock & Roll?

How about anything by rock’s greatest ’50s vocal group, The Platters. Not rock & roll?

Two different looks of Rock & Roll from two of the greatest groups, The Platters, the masters of the ballad, & The Beatles, the masters…period

Consider this album: Side 1 – 1. Till There Was You; 2. And I Love Her; 3. She’s Leaving Home; 4. Continuing Story Of Bungalow Bill; 5. Eleanor Rigby; 6. Julia; 7. Martha My Dear.

Side 2 – 1. Fool On The Hill; 2. Honey Pie; 3. When I’m 64; 4. If I Fell; 5. Yesterday; 6. You Know My Name, Look Up The Number; 7. Good Night

If that had been the only album you ever heard by the greatest band of the Rock Era, would you have called them a Rock & Roll band? And I could have turned it into a full four-disc box set.

The Beatles are a four-piece band that played rock & roll. Because they were so versatile, they could change instrumentation, style, mood, whatever you want to call it, to give us an unbelievable variety of fantastic music. Was it all rock & roll? I think yes. Was “As Tears Go By” or “Backstreet Girl” not rock & roll? They were great cuts written and recorded by what many consider the “greatest rock & roll band of all.”

Brian Wilson gave us some of the most beautiful music ever written. Was he and his group not rock & roll?

Where some bands would emphasize their “Jumpin’ Jack Flash” side and sprinkle in the occasional “As Tears Go By,” some bands go the opposite route, emphasizing the “Nights In White Satin” style while sprinkling in “I’m Just A Singer In A Rock & Roll Band” or “Question.”

And I could go on and on, which most of you would say I usually do.

I can’t pretend to know the definition of Rock & Roll. But I was there from the beginning. Actually, I must admit, before the beginning. I had a collection of 78s which I played on an old wind-the-crank phonograph, so I was into Perry Como, Jo Stafford, Hank Williams etc. before the “big bang.” Then I got a paper route – actually two – for the prime purpose of having money to purchase the latest 45s, the first three of which were “All Shook Up,” “Blue Monday” and “Mama Look At Bubu.” And I ended up delivering the bad news on the doorstep.

Still, I was the Northern kid who said, “But I will” every time the record store stocked a new yellow Sun 45.

Take my first three 45s as an example of what I’m blabbing about. “Blue Monday,” a driving rocker by Fats Domino, was backed by “What’s The Reason I’m Not Pleasing You,” which also became a hit. “What’s The Reason” was originally a hit for Guy Lombardo in 1935 and Fats’ entire catalog is sprinkled with remakes of old standards. If Fats wasn’t Rock & Roll, who was? Elvis’ “All Shook Up” also was a two-sided hit, the flip being the quiet “That’s When Your Heartaches Begin,” written in 1937 and recorded by the Ink Spots in 1941. Elvis…”The King of Rock & Roll.”

Harry Belafonte was one of the biggest superstars of the early Rock era

The third became a No. 11 record by the superstar Harry Belafonte whose genes were provided by his Jamaican mother and West Indian father. In the style of what was then known as calypso, many today would not classify it as rock & roll but the chalypso was one of early rock’s most popular dances and it fit “Mama Look At Bubu” perfectly. Belafonte also had other major hits, “Jamaica Farewell” and today’s ballpark favorite “Banana Boat,” more commonly known as “Day-O.”

Twenty years before Bob Marley and just as much a star, why isn’t Belafonte accorded the same rock & roll respect? Only because those alive at Rock’s outset, when Belafonte was cranking out hits, are few and far between today. If “Mama Look At Bubu” doesn’t fit your definition of Rock, then reggae shouldn’t either. But both, chalypso and reggae, are branches of the Rock Era tree. By the way, the flip, a soft ballad entitled “Don’t Ever Love Me,” also charted, then returned four years later as the Arthur Lyman instrumental, “Yellow Bird,” which rose all the way to No. 4.

Which brings us to the conclusion. Can I tell you what “Rock & Roll” is? No chance. The best I can come up with is “music released since 1955 that appeals to young people.” Some young people find Metallica appealing, some like Dionne Warwick. Some love Eminem, others Linda Ronstadt. Some like The Association, and some, yes, The Velvet Underground. Some love Bob Dylan acoustic, some love Bob Dylan electric.

And some, me for instance, love all of it … practically.

Having been there from the start, when the radio played Little Richard followed by Johnny Horton followed by Paul Anka followed by Jerry Lee, I was exposed to every form of what was simply known then as Rock & Roll and, fortunately for me, I kept my ears open as the years passed or else I would have missed a lot of great music no matter what name you wanted to give it.

Why listen to the Moody Blues or The Commodores and try to fit them into a category? The Moody Blues, Procol Harum and other progressive groups such as Yes, Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Pink Floyd, King Crimson, Gentle Giant, Rush…you get the picture…are simply bands expanding the boundaries of Rock as far as they are capable of doing. Groups such as The Commodores, Earth, Wind & Fire, Sly & The Family Stone and others simply follow the lead of Brown, Wilson, Cooke et al. They’re just different branches of the same tree.

Little Richard rocks…and so does Emerson, Lake & Palmer

It’s not Rock & Roll if you confine the definition to something that approaches “Keep A Knockin’,’ but it is rock & roll if your definition encompasses “Keep A Knockin’” as well as “My Special Angel,” “Dark Side Of The Moon” and “(You Gotta) Fight For Your Right (To Party).”

So applaud the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame this time. Their choices leave much room for debate – and, in case you haven’t noticed, no one has ranted more incessantly about them than yours truly – but give credit where credit is due. The Hall of Fame recognizes the great diversity making up what is known as Rock & Roll. It can be The Red Hot Chili Peppers. It can be Chaka Khan. It can be Eric B. & Rakim. It can be Heart.

Those who were there at the beginning will tell you the strict categorization came later. When it started, it all was just Rock & Roll. When the new 45 by Elvis or Connie Francis or The Drifters came out, only one question was asked…

Is it fast or slow?

By Todd Whitesel

Music collectors and audiophiles have long looked to the Land of the Rising Sun for hard-to-find LPs, CDs and exotic stereo gear that was unavailable elsewhere. Some record collectors are obsessed with Japanese pressings, seeking them out for the quality of the vinyl and the cool extras that we don’t get with our North American platters, such as the coveted OBI strip and perhaps a poster or lyrics printed in the beautiful but complicated Japanese script. For the new year, I’ll be “going Japanese” to satisfy my craving for some long-overdue high-resolution reissues.

I’ve lamented the near halt in production of rock and jazz SACDs over the last couple years. It seems the record labels committed to SACD are concentrating almost solely on classical music. I love classical music and have put together a nice collection of high-resolution discs as such, but there are countless other non-classical albums that I wish would find their home on SACD. I can’t imagine going back to a non-SACD disc of Bob Dylan’s “Blood On The Tracks” — listen to “If You See Her, Say Hello” in 5.1 surround and you’ll know what I mean. Incidentally, that SACD is now out of print and still-sealed copies can go for $50 and up — and it’s worth it. Now, and in the coming weeks, several truly classic albums are being reissued on SACD by Universal Japan. Each is a limited edition and likely to become very collectible, very soon. Get ’em now before they’re gone!

1. Stevie Wonder, “Songs In The Key Of Life” — From 1972 up to the release of “Songs In The Key Of Life” found Stevie Wonder on a path of unbridled creativity. In fact, two LPs weren’t enough to contain all the material Wonder wanted to put on “Songs,” so a four-song EP was included in the package. All this after the triumphs of “Music Of My Mind,” “Talking Book,” “Innervisions” and “Fulfillingness’ First Finale!” I can’t remember a song that got more radio play in the 1970s than “Sir Duke,” Wonder’s tribute to the great Duke Ellington. It’s bound to sound even better here.

2. Asia, “Asia” — The 1982 debut of Asia brought together four of progressive rock’s biggest names — bassist/vocalist John Wetton, guitarist Steve Howe, keyboardist Geoff Downes and drummer Carl Palmer — into the much-maligned “supergroup” arena. The surprise, though, was that instead of 10-minute jams and ventures into the cosmos, Asia delivered a set of nine radio-friendly songs, none of which broached six minutes. The album, with its classic Roger Dean artwork, was a huge success and remains the group’s finest effort.

3. Rainbow, “Long Live Rock ‘ N’ Roll” — Ritchie Blackmore and the vocalists he’s worked with have always been something of an oil-and-water mixture, never really settling down for long. Rainbow fans can argue whether Graham Bonnett had better pipes than Joe Lynn Turner, but we wouldn’t be talking for long if it wasn’t for Ronnie James Dio and his inimitable delivery on records such as “Rising” and 1978’s “Long Live Rock ’N’ Roll.” I can’t wait to revisit the great title track on SACD.

4. Kiss, Destroyer — I would never associate Kiss with audiophile-quality recordings, but I love the band’s early ’70s output, and I can’t imagine an album that was more influential or popular at its time than “Destroyer.” Although the record contains the even-for-Kiss overblown “Great Expectations,” the foursome never hit harder than with cuts such as “Detroit Rock City” and “God Of Thunder.” I welcome this reissue and am very curious to hear the “hottest band in the world” in high-res.

5. Gentle Giant, Octopus – Wow! Gentle Giant on SACD? If any band deserves such treatment, it’s Gentle Giant. I’ve spent the last couple months digging into the Giant’s complete back catalog and have come away with a newfound respect that borders on awe. Octopus is probably the first album I’d recommend to those wanting to investigate this unique band, and it features everything from the tricky time signatures and arrangements of tunes like “Advent Of Panurge” to the graceful beauty of “Think Of Me With Kindness.” And, yes, this features the original Roger Dean cover art with the cephalopod rising from the waters instead of the original reissue, where the mighty mollusk is trapped inside a jar. Who would do such a thing?

6. Fairport Convention, “Liege & Lief” — This is British folk-rock at its best. Sandy Denny’s vocals are unmatched and for my money this record betters Unhalfbricking all around. “Matty Groves” remains the measuring stick.

7. Caravan, “In The Land Of Grey And Pink” — If the “Canterbury Sound” could be distilled into one album, this would be it. From the humorous “Golf Girl” and the hippie-esque title track to the sprawling “Nine Feet Underground,” this is essential British prog.

8. Wishbone Ash, “Argus” — I already have three copies of this often-overlooked classic. The original recording is pretty good, but I’m guessing the sparkle and energy of Andy Powell and Ted Turner’s guitar playing will sound even better this time around. “Time was” when I couldn’t get this LP on SACD and I was sad (inside lyrical joke to those who know the tune).

9. The Rolling Stones, “Beggars Banquet” — Man did I miss the boat in 2002, when ABKCO reissued a set of early Stones’ classics on SACD. “Beggars Banquet,” along with “Let It Bleed,” were two that I should have jumped on immediately. To quote Pete Townshend, I won’t get fooled again.

10. Free, “Fire & Water” — I would buy this just to hear “Mr. Big” in high-resolution. For my money, no band has wrapped more attitude around a riff than Free on that track. Paul Kossoff erects a fortress from a three-note phrase as Andy Fraser runs through the grounds with his endlessly imaginative and looping bass lines. Paul Rodgers struts like a peacock finally freed from prison. Meat and potatoes rock was never tastier.

by Michael Popke

After a decade of fits and starts, Italy’s Frontiers Records — a company that has long defined itself by giving such former major-label bands as Journey, Toto, Winger, Whitesnake and Asia new life — might (finally) have an anchored presence in North America.

Today, the label announced that Gentle Giant vocalist Derek Shulman’s 2Plus Music & Entertainment Inc. will coordinate artist acquisition and marketing for Frontiers on this continent and represent the label in its relationship with local distributors and promoters. Which hopefully means that Shulman and his associates will have better luck than the handful of other company’s Frontiers has struck deals with in the past. It should also mean that Asia’s latest CD/DVD, Spirit of the Night-Live in Cambridge 2009, will be readily available in stores and at a significantly lower cost than import prices online. (Right now, only select Frontiers titles make it to the U.S. as domestic releases, either directly via Frontiers or via poorly promoted partnerships with other labels.)

“It is very gratifying to work with people who are music fans and yet understand the dynamics of the ever-changing music business model,” Shulman said in a statement announcing Frontiers’ partnership with his New York City-based company, which formed in March. “Frontiers Records is committed to making the leap to become the premiere independent rock music company worldwide. I am very happy to lend my experience to my friends at Frontiers to realize this goal.”

If you have doubts about that ambition, consider that earlier this month, Frontiers announced the signing of Yes (looking rather dapper in that photo on the right) to a new worldwide deal. This is a band that has sold more than 33 million albums and boasts a history spanning more than 40 years. And they are working on fresh material for the first time in a decade. In prog circles, that’s huge.

Now, if only Shulman — who signed Dream Theater to Atco Records during his tenure as label president in the late 1980s and whose 2Plus roster also includes former Yes man Billy Sherwood — can help Frontiers nab the likes of Magna Carta and InsideOut refugees Kansas, Magellan and Enchant…

Get the closest thing to the full Woodstock experience with the book “Woodstock Peace, Music & Memories.”

• Order the latest Ozzy book,“The Wit & Wisdom of Ozzy Osbourne” (estimated ship date: 9/30/2010) Very witty. Very funny. Very Ozzy.

There’s no doubt that Rich Williams’ intricate guitar picking on the Kansas smash hit “Dust in the Wind” influenced a generation of up-and-coming guitar players.

More than 30 years and about two dozen albums later, Williams is still wowing crowds with the beautiful and complex guitar work that has earned him the nickname “meatwall” from fans. (If you want to hear the wonder of Rich Williams in person, be sure to catch Kansas on the road this summer and fall, often performing along with Styx and Foreigner; see www.kansasband.com for dates and venues.)

So, which albums changed Rich Williams’ life?

Chubby Checker: The Twist
I was 10 years old, and paid little attention to music, when this song hit the radio. I don’t know if it was my time, the song, the nasty saxophone, or the twist mania that swept the nation but this song/sound spoke to me. My first record purchase.

The Beatles: Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band
When I first heard this album I was shocked. I hated it. What happened to my Beatles? Well, they grew up, matured, and made a record so progressive it went right over my head. I just didn’t get it. Then I did.

Jethro Tull: Thick as a Brick
I was a Tull fan, but this was different. Very progressive. Not a compilation of songs as in albums of the past, but one complete piece.

Spooky Tooth: Spooky Two
Great songs with some of the earliest examples of huge British balls. Eye-opening guitar sounds.

Genesis: Selling England By The Pound
Not being very familiar with Genesis, I went to a show in Kansas City. It was the “Selling England by the Pound” tour. Still to this day one of the best shows I’ve ever seen. This record was my official immersion into the band. Everything earlier soon followed.

Gentle Giant: Three Friends

Gentle Giant: In a Glass House

Gentle Giant: Interview

Gentle Giant: Free Hand
Yet another show in Kansas City. I went to see King Crimson for the “Larks’ Tongues in Aspic” tour, and a band called Gentle Giant was one of the openers. I was absolutely blown away, and this started my non-stop listening to all things “Giant.”

Yes: Fragile
I remember being in the car and hearing this for the 1st time and saying “What is that?” It was the most different sounding thing I had ever heard up to that time; so much bass, too loud, so ballsy and aggressive. I loved it!

Yes: Close to the Edge
I can still listen to this and hear new things.

Jeff Beck: Truth
Jeff Beck is it … Period!

John Mayall’s Blues Breakers: John Mayall’s Blues Breakers With Eric Clapton
This was my official introduction to guitar. Until then, it was a twangy accompaniment instrument. This was different. It had a voice, an up front, thick, nasty, ballsy lead voice that changed everything.