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These are the most influential bands and solo artists in rock music from 1960 to today.
The Beach Boys featured three talented brothers, Brian, Carl and Dennis Wilson, a cousin, Mike Love and a friend, Al Jardine. Of them all, the most talented and sensitive was Brian. Their first hit was “Surfin’ U.S.A.” which put new lyrics to a Chuck Berry riff. The Beach Boys were soon on a roll with…
Countless bands are remembered for one thing: a song, an album or even involvement in a notorious event. It’s unfair since bands are often more accomplished than they are given credit for and find that their catalog of accomplishments goes unrecognized. What’s really crazy is when they are remembered for is something that is not…
Navy towns are great places for Rock bands. You get on-the-job-training working clubs where the only real requirement is to play loud. Hailing from San Diego, in the mid ’60s, the Iron Butterfly were a five-man group with organist/vocalist/leader Doug Ingle, vocalist Darryl DeLoach, guitarist Danny Weiss, bassist Jerry Penrod and drummer Ron Bushy. They…
Warren Zevon always had a unique perspective. He earned it. After his first album bombed, Zevon found work writing commercial jingles. If that doesn’t alter your point of view, nothing will. His return was marked by a self-titled album which contained several classic songs including “Hasten Down The Wind” and “Poor, Poor Pitiful Me” (both…
Countless groups have covered Chuck Berry. Nearly all stayed relatively close to the source. One notable exception was Electric Light Orchestra’s rendition of “Roll Over Beethoven.” Aside from the inescapable guitar riff, the song had definite “classical” overtones (figures, given the song’s title) with a creative arrangement. What made it work was the violins and…
Mr. Big‘s music video for the ballad “To Be With You“ has surpassed 100-million views on YouTube. The video, filmed on-the-cheap, features the band performing in a railroad car and changes from black-and-white to color. “To Be With You” was the second single from Mr. Big‘s second album, “Lean Into It” (1991). The song held the top spot on the…