Playlists

If there’s a rock ‘n’ roll heaven, they’ve got a hell of a band

Posted on by brucehhackett

We can’t begin the New Year until we pay our respects to the folks we lost in 2022. It’s always tough to say goodbye to those who made an impact in our lives, be they precious family members, longtime friends, or celebrities whose musical achievements touched our hearts at some point on life’s journey.

At Hack’s Back Pages this week, I am doing what I traditionally do for the final post of the calendar year — offering well-deserved appreciation for the classic rock artists who died in 2022. I have also included a Spotify playlist of 32 songs, two from each of the 16 artists profiled here.

Rest In Peace to these talented people…

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Marvin Aday, better known the world over as the unforgettable Meat Loaf, passed away January 20th at age 74. “Bat Out of Hell,” the over-the-top album he created with songwriter Jim Steinman in 1977, remains one of the biggest sellers in rock music history. His larger-than-life persona helped him pack arenas and concert halls for decades, spurred on by the success of “Bat Out of Hell II” in 1993, with its #1 hit single “I’d Do Anything For Love (But I Won’t Do That).” Meat Loaf also did many dozens of cameos and acting gigs in mostly forgettable films and TV shows, although his appearances in “Rocky Horror Picture Show” and “Wayne’s World” were quite memorable.

Gary Brooker, keyboardist and lead singer for the British progressive rock band Procol Harum, died February 19th at age 76. It was Brooker’s vocals, songwriting prowess and piano talents that defined the group’s music, most notably on their game-changing debut single, “A Whiter Shade of Pale,” the first major work that effectively merged rock with classical music. Brooker remained the constant in the band’s lineup throughout the late ’60s and ’70s, playing a prominent role on albums like “A Salty Dog” and “Grand Hotel” and hit singles like “Conquistador,” recorded live with a symphony orchestra. He shepherded a successful reunion LP in the ’90s, participated in the “Concert For George” (Harrison) tribute concert and album in 2002, and recorded and toured as Procol Harum with new material as recently as 2017.

The rock music world was stunned when Taylor Hawkins, the mightily talented drummer of Foo Fighters, died suddenly in Brazil when his heart gave out on March 25th at age 50. He had been a session drummer and toured with Alanis Morrisette in the mid-’90s before joining up with Dave Grohl’s band in 1999, becoming a fixture on eight albums and numerous tours. He also formed a side project, Taylor Hawkins and The Coattail Riders, in 2004, who released three albums of their own. While he had been a recreational drug user in the past, it was a combination of prescribed meds that proved too much for Hawkins. He was inducted with the Foo Fighters into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2021.

Veronica Yvette Bennett Greenfield, known worldwide as Ronnie Spector, died of cancer January 12th at age 78. She was the pivotal member of the early ’60s “girl group” The Ronettes, who had several Top Ten hits in the US and the UK, most notably the iconic “Be My Baby,” and “Baby I Love You” and “Walking in the Rain.” She endured a stormy, controlling marriage to unstable record producer Phil Spector, who sabotaged her career by refusing to let her perform and threatening her life on multiple occasions. Her attempts at a solo career never amounted to much, but in the ’70s, she recorded vocals on tracks by Southside Johnny and performed with Bruce Springsteen a few times. In 1986, Spector added guest vocals on Eddie Money’s #4 hit, “Take Me Home Tonight.”

Since 1970, Christine Perfect McVie was a crucial member of Fleetwood Mac, a stable influence when so many others in the band’s lineup went spinning out of control. Hired to play keyboards and background vocals, she soon began writing and singing lead on her own songs (“Just Crazy Love,” “Heroes Are Hard to Find”). By the time Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks joined in 1975, McVie was writing compelling pop symphonies like “Over My Head” and “Say You Love Me,” and huge hit singles such as “Don’t Stop” and “You Make Loving Fun.” Her songs from Fleetwood Mac’s 1987 gem “Tango in the Night” tore up the airwaves that year (“Little Lies,” “Everywhere”). Christine suffered from severe scoliosis and died on November 30 at age 79.

Alan White, drummer extraordinaire with Yes for nearly 40 years, 15 albums and 30 tours, died May 26th at age 72. White was recruited by Yes to take over on skins when original drummer Bill Bruford left unexpectedly for King Crimson, leaving them in a quandary just before their 1972 opus “Close to the Edge” US tour, and White made the most of the great opportunity. Prior to joining Yes, White played numerous sessions in British studios, went on tour with Joe Cocker, and participated on several high-profile projects with John Lennon and his Plastic Ono Band, including the “Live Peace in Toronto” appearance and album, and the #1 “Imagine” LP.

Ronnie Hawkins, who died May 29th at age 87, is credited with kickstarting the Canadian rock music scene in the mid-’60s, bringing his infectious blend of gregarious rock ‘n’ roll and R&B. He was born in Arkansas USA, where he developed a love for “a sort of rockabilly/soul mix,” as he put it, which became the format for his group The Hawks. They sought and found some fame in Ontario, but The Hawks disbanded and later evolved into The Band. Hawkins moved to Toronto in the mid-’60s and. became a fixture in the clubs there and in Hamilton for 40 years, both as a flamboyant performer and a talent scout. He also appeared in Bob Dylan’s “Renaldo and Clara” film and The Band’s legendary “The Last Waltz” concert and film.

Jimmy Seals, one half of the popular 1970s soft rock duo Seals and Crofts, died June 6th at age 80. His songwriting, vocals and acoustic guitar playing anchored the albums and hit singles that marked the duo’s career, especially during their 1972-1973 peak with four Top 20 hits (“Summer Breeze,” “Hummingbird,” “Diamond Girl” and “We May Never Pass This Way Again”). Seals was a deep believer in the Baha’i faith, which regards abortion as a sin, and when he and Crofts recorded the controversial “Unborn Child” album and single in 1974, the duo fell out of favor for a while. They managed one more hit in 1976 with the #6 “Get Closer,” then retired from the business in 1980 except for occasional one-off reunions in the 1990s and 2000s.

Lamont Dozier, one third of the incredibly prolific Motown songwriting team of Holland-Dozier-Holland, died August 8th at age 81. With his partners, Dozier came up with hit after hit after hit in the 1964-1970 period, writing TEN #1 singles for The Supremes (“Stop! In the Name of Love,” “You Keep Me Hangin’ On,” “Baby Love”) and many iconic tunes for The Four Tops (“I Can’t Help Myself,” “Reach Out I’ll Be There”), Marvin Gaye (“How Sweet It Is”) and Martha Reeves (“Heat Wave”). He tried his hand as a recording artist himself, charting at #15 with “Trying to Hold On to My Woman” in 1974, and continued achieving as a songwriter into the ’80s and ’90s.

When it comes to riveting lead vocals in the British New Wave arena, few came close to Terry Hall, who served as front man in The Specials and Fun Boy Three, two of the most successful bands of the early ’80s in the UK. The Specials scored two Top Five LPs and six Top Ten singles, including “Gangsters,” “A Message to You Rudy,” Rat Race” and “Stereotype.” Hall left that band after only three years to form Fun Boy Three, again making a huge chart impact with two Top 20 albums and four Top Ten singles. Curiously, neither band made a dent in the US charts, so Hall’s name is known primarily here to discerning American rock fans. Hall died December 18 of pancreatic cancer at age 63.

Olivia Newton-John — wholesome songstress, iconic actress, sexy pop star, committed activist — passed away August 8th at age 73 after a lengthy battle with cancer. She established herself as a purveyor of sugar-sweet pop/country songs in the 1971-1976 period, but that all changed when she was cast as Sandy in the film version of “Grease” in 1978, in which she eventually transformed from innocent lass to aggressive vixen. The platinum “Grease” soundtrack was dominated by Newton-John singles (“You’re the One That I Want”) that influenced her next few rocked-up records, including the ubiquitous “Physical,” a #1 single for 10 weeks in 1981. By 1985 she was a wife and mother and got her first cancer diagnosis, so she switched gears to a less stressful career championing environmental causes.

Jerry Lee Lewis, the original bad boy among the influential pioneers of rock and roll, died October 28th at age 87. Parents in the ’50s found his brand of untamed rock (“Whole Lotta Shakin’ Going’ On,” “Great Balls of Fire”) unsettling, especially on stage, where he sang with unbridled passion and played piano like a man possessed. His cocky attitude was part of his persona, but it didn’t serve him well when, at age 22, he defiantly married his 13-year-old cousin, and the public outcry derailed his career for nearly a decade. In 1968, he recorded a traditional country LP that went to #3 on country charts, kicking off an impressive eight-year run as a country music artist. Lewis was deservedly inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in its inaugural class.

Aaron Carter was only nine years old when his debut LP sold a million copies in 1997 and made him one of the most successful teen pop singers in recording history, with three more multi-million-selling albums over the next seven years. At his peak in 2000-2001, Carter’s LPs “Aaron’s Party” and “Oh Aaron” made him almost as huge a concert draw as his brother Nick’s band, The Backstreet Boys. Carter was found dead in the bathtub of his California home on November 5th at age 34, and the jury is still out on whether it was accidental overdose or suicide. Carter’s story is a sad one. He suffered from bipolar disorder and opiate addiction, necessitating ongoing rehabilitation attempts, and he endured parents who grossly mismanaged his finances.

The most awarded female country music recording artist of all time, Loretta Lynn scored an incredible 24 #1 hits on the country charts and 11 Number One LPs over the course of her six-decade career. Her 1970 #1 autobiographical single “Coal Miner’s Daughtrer” became her signature song and was turned into a popular biopic film in 1980 starting Sissy Spacek. Another crossover success came in 1993 when she collaborated with Dolly Parton and Tammy Wynette on “Honky Tonk Angels,” which reached #42 on the pop charts. Her 50 years of touring came to an end in 2017 when she suffered a stroke, then broke her hip the following year. She died October 4th at the age of 90.

Dino Danelli, the talented drummer of The Young Rascals (later The Rascals), died December 15th at age 78. Danelli has been described as “perhaps the most underappreciated drummer in rock history.” If you check out video clips of The Rascals in performance (notably “Good Lovin'” on “The Ed Sullivan Show”), it’s clear how vital Danelli was to the band’s dynamic sound. The Young Rascals had six Top Ten hits between 1966-1968, including three #1 classics — “Good Lovin’,” “Groovin'” and “People Got To Be Free” — as well as “A Girl Like You,” “A Beautiful Morning” and “How Can I Be Sure.” Danelli was a Jersey boy with jazz drum training who jammed with the likes of Lionel Hampton before meeting Eddie Brigati and Felix Cavaliere to form The Rascals. Later in life, he collaborated with Leslie West and then Little Steven & The Disciples of Soul.

Kim Simmonds, the founder and longtime guitarist of the venerable British blues band Savoy Brown, died on December 13th at age 75. Like so many of his young British compatriots in the mid-’60s, Simmonds was enamored by American blues and formed Savoy Brown in 1965. While they didn’t really catch on much in their native England, the group enjoyed modest success with US audiences thanks to constant touring. Simmonds, who wrote the majority of the band’s repertoire, tended to rule the group with an iron fist, which partly explains the revolving door of nearly 70 different members over the years. The group charted six LPs in the Top 100 here, with 1972’s “Hellhound Train” peaking at #34.

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Honorable mentions:

Bobby Rydell, early ’60s pop idol, died April 5th at 79; Alec John Such, bassist for Bon Jovi, died June 5th at 70; Billie Dale “C. W. McCall” Fries, singer/writer of the CB radio #1 novelty hit “Convoy,”died April 1 at 93; Jerry Allison, drummer for Buddy Holly and The Crickets, died August 22nd at 82; country singer Naomi Judd died April 30th at 76; Depeche Mode keyboard player Andy Fletcher died May 26th at 60; and Irene Cara Escalera, singer/actor in “Fame” and “Flashdance (What a Feeling),” died November 25th at 63.

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Rockers from the vault

Posted on by brucehhackett

Sometimes you open up a safe, and there’s nothing in it but dust. In the vaults of classic rock from the ’60s, ’70s and ’80s, though, you’ll find a treasure trove of delectable goodies just waiting to be exposed to the light.

Here at Hack’s Back Pages, that’s what I do every couple of months: I explore the albums of that rich period of musical development and select a dozen tracks that we’ve forgotten about or never got to know the first time around.

This batch is all over the map — acoustic, electric, jam groove, sunny pop and more. I think you’ll find the playlist at the end to be a great soundtrack to any party. Meantime, I hope you enjoy reading the backstories behind these fine tunes.

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“Room Full of Mirrors,” Jimi Hendrix, 1971

Hendrix’s premature death in 1970 at age 27 took everyone by surprise, including his record company, but they wasted little time in gathering several of the tracks he’d recorded in 1969 and 1970 and releasing them on two posthumous 1971 LPs, “The Cry of Love” and “Rainbow Bridge.” Critics noted that while the former showcased Hendrix’s abilities as a songwriter, the latter highlighted his unparalleled guitar playing. “Room Full of Mirrors” combines both of these talents, featuring Jimi in full-blown virtuosity, exploring new territory as he sings about his need to smash the ego (and the mirrors that reinforce them) so the world around us can be better explored and appreciated.

“Lunatic Fringe,” Red Rider, 1981

Tom Cochrane, lead guitarist for the Canadian rock band Red Rider, was inspired to write this song in 1980 after becoming aware of a resurgence of anti-Semitism in the late 1970s. Coincidentally, he recorded the first demo of the track on the same evening John Lennon was murdered by a “lunatic fringe” loner. The tragic event galvanized Cochrane’s intention to have Red Rider release the song as a single, despite the protests of Capitol Records, who felt it wasn’t commercial enough. While it didn’t have Top 40 chart success, it reached #11 on Billboard’s “Mainstream Rock Tracks” charts, and VH-1 included it among the finest “One-Hit Wonders of the ’80s.”

“Heavy Water,” Jethro Tull, 1989

While Tull’s best work came during the ’70s, frontman Ian Anderson (with loyal guitarist Martin Barre still a pivotal part of the lineup) continued to write and record some substantial material on 1980s albums like “Broadsword and the Beast” (1981), “Crest of a Knave” (1987) and “Rock Island”(1989). The latter LP emphasized hard rock arrangements and lyrics that offered typically articulate commentary on weighty social issues. “Heavy Water,” buoyed by Barre’s biting guitar and Anderson’s ever-present flute, rocks along with driving force as it tackles the scourge of acid rain, which had become a problem in England at that time due to unchecked industrial pollution.

“However Much I Booze,” The Who, 1975

The Who in general, and Pete Townshend in particular, were going through some stormy times in 1974-75. They had just completed a triumphant but exhausting tour promoting their amazing “Quadrophenia” LP, and Townshend was feeling depressed about reaching 30 and whether he and the band would still be relevant in the years ahead. He was also drinking way too much, suffering from a writer’s block and feuding with the other band members. All this eventually came out in the downbeat songs that appeared on 1975’s “The Who By Numbers,” most notably “However Much I Booze,” which Roger Daltrey refused to sing (so Townshend sang it). The uptempo arrangement and cheery melody stood in dramatic contrast to the grim subject matter.

“Blaze of Glory,” Joe Jackson, 1989

Jackson emerged from London around 1977 as part of the punk/New Wave movement and brought forth an extraordinary breadth of great music on a half-dozen LPs, touring incessantly in support of them. In 1989, he came up with his richest, most diverse album, “Blaze of Glory,” which he described as “an examination of my generation as the 1980s were ending,” commenting on the optimism of their 1950s childhood (“Tomorrow’s World”), the politics of terrorism and the Cold War (“Rant and Rave” and “Evil Empire”), yuppies and materialism (“Discipline”) and rockers who wear out their welcome (“Nineteen Forever”). Best of all was the title track about tortured hero Johnny, sparked by a vibrant, majestic horn section.

“Try to Touch Just One,” John Kongos, 1972

Of all the great artists and records I’ve heard over the years that were criminally ignored in the U.S., I’d put John Kongos’s 1972 album “Kongos” near the top of that list.  Hailing from South Africa, Kongos moved to England in the late ’60s and worked with various bands and musicians before finally recording his solo debut, using many of the musicians Elton John used on his early records (guitarist Caleb Quaye, percussionist Ray Cooper, bassist Dave Glover, even producer Gus Dudgeon).  One song, “He’s Gonna Step on You Again,” got moderate airplay here, but the standout song for me is “Try to Touch Just One,” a quasi-suite that takes the listener through an entrancing mix of different tempos and instrumentations.

“Bad,” U2, 1984

They hadn’t yet released their breakthrough LP “The Joshua Tree,” but U2 were well on their way beyond the clubs of Dublin when they released the remarkable album “The Unforgettable Fire” in 1984, beautifully produced by Daniel Lanois. The standout track for me among many fine songs is “Bad,” developed from a riff The Edge came up with that the band built up in intensity as layers of sounds were added. Bono sang gently at first, then agonizingly, about the horrors of addiction that had claimed several people he knew. “I wrote the song for a friend of mine,” he said. “I also wrote it for myself, because you can be addicted to anything. And, you know, that song’s not just about heroin: it’s about a lot of things. None of our songs are about just one thing.”

“Keep On Growing,” Derek and the Dominos, 1970

The sessions for Eric Clapton’s classic double LP “Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs” were legendary for the serendipitous inclusion of Duane Allman on many of the tracks, but one I’ve always enjoyed, “Keep On Growing,” was just Clapton and the Dominos jamming on what was originally an instrumental. It almost was excluded from the record until keyboardist Bobby Whitlock came up with lyrics and a melody line. “They loved the song and what I’d done to it, so I told Eric, ‘Why don’t we do this like you sing a line, I sing a line, we’ll sing a line together.’ We did it like that and it worked out. That song was fresh picked, straight off the vine. What you hear on the album was the first take.”

“Take Me With You,” Santana, 1976

After Santana’s initial explosive success with their first three albums (especially 1970’s “Abraxas”), Carlos Santana felt the need to work with other musicians and try his hand at jazzier songs and arrangements. My interest waned during this period, but in 1976, the group reappeared with an entirely new lineup on “Amigos,” highlighted by an astounding instrumental called “Europa,” which reached the Top Ten in several European countries and got plenty of FM airplay in the US. Often overlooked was the two-part piece “Take It With You,” which begins as a ferocious Latin rocker and then morphs into a much mellower groove. Great stuff.

“Tickets to Waterfalls,” Jack Bruce, 1969

I’ve mentioned Bruce’s 1969 LP “Songs For a Tailor” several times before in this blog because it’s not well known and I’d like to change that. It was the bassist/vocalist’s first LP after the demise of the supergroup trio Cream, and it’s jam-packed with compelling songs by Bruce and lyrics partner Pete Brown. Side A is damn near perfect, with five superb tracks that mesmerized me upon first hearing and still do today. Here, I single out “Tickets to Waterfalls,” with Bruce’s inventive bass lines and powerful vocals captured beautifully in Cream producer Felix Pappalardi’s crisp production.

“She’s Changing Me,” Fleetwood Mac, 1974

In the 1971-1974 period, Fleetwood Mac was largely in the hands of guitarist Bob Welch, who wrote about half of the band’s material, with Christine McVie and Danny Kirwan pitching in on the rest. Welch wrote and sang some excellent tracks that hold up quite well all these years later — “Future Games,” “Sentimental Lady,” “Emerald Eyes,” “Bermuda Triangle” and the superb “Hypnotized.” On his last LP with the band, “Heroes Are Hard to Find,” he came up with the Beatlesque pop tune “She’s Changing Me,” which I always thought would’ve been a successful single for them. Welch left the band in late 1974, which cleared the decks for Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks, who changed the band’s sound and fortunes dramatically.

“What About Me,” Quicksilver Messenger Service, 1970

Everyone mentions the Grateful Dead and Jefferson Airplane as the flag bearers of the San Francisco scene of the late 1960s, but knowledgeable fans of that period wisely include Quicksilver Messenger Service in the discussion. In 1969 and 1970, the group released four LPs that made the Top 30 on US album charts, two with charismatic lead singer Dino Valenti taking control of the microphone. Valenti was a stage name for singer-songwriter Chet “Get Together” Powers, who, under the pseudonym Jesse Farrow, wrote FM radio classics like “Fresh Air” and “What About Me,” both giving off a strong counterculture vibe.

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