Tuesday, December 27, 2016

Five of the Greatest Love Songs of All Time

A good love song grabs your heartstrings, making you yearn even more for that special person you're in love with. The best love songs are the ones that perfectly convey the feelings between two people in love ... both the elation and uncertainty of the emotions involved. There are thousands of love songs out there and Whitney Houston could put a greatest hits package of love songs together, but these five great love songs are among the best ever.

The Rose - by Bette Midler

"The Rose" has been covered several times, but Bette Midler's version from the soundtrack to the 1979 movie The Rose is far away the best. Written by Amanda McBroom, the track wasn't originally intended for the movie, but Midler chose it out of 30 other songs. Lyrically the song is a well-crafted tale of loneliness and inspiration to find love "far beneath the bitter snows". Midler's voice is absolutely perfect, while the song starts off quietly with only a piano. Then it builds with a string section while Midler takes it to another place with a beautiful, soaring harmony during the crescendo. If the final 1:20 doesn't give you goosebumps, you aren't feeling anything.

Thank You - Led Zeppelin

From the great Led Zeppelin II record, "Thank You" had Robert Plant writing the lyrics, writing about his then-wife, Maureen. It's a beautiful song about endless love and devotion, through thick and thin. Jimmy Page composed a lovely acoustic passage on a 12-string, while John Paul Jones' work on the organ reminds us of a wedding and a joyous celebration. You won't find "Thank You" on many love song lists, but it deserves to be among the best, and certainly it's one of the most unheralded love songs.

When I'm With You - Sheriff

"When I'm With You" is a song that garnered a lot of airplay in Canada in 1983, after being recorded for the Canadian band's only album Sheriff, which came out in 1982. In 1983, it went to the Top 10 in Canada, while being only a minor hit in the US (No. 61). But in 1989, it rose to the top of the US Billboard Charts after a Minneapolis radio station starting playing it again. It's a power ballad penned by Sheriff keyboardist Arnold Lanni that's backed by a stellar vocal from singer Freddy Curci. Lyrically the song conveys the feelings of being love: "I never cared for nobody, like I care for you" and "I get chills when I'm with you". The universal power of love in a nutshell.

Without You - Harry Nilsson

"Without You" wasn't written by Nilsson, a fine songwriter in his own right, but his version is the most memorable. It was penned by Pete Ham and Tom Evans of British band Badfinger and described by Paul McCartney as "the killer song of all time". Nilsson's version went to No. 1 in many countries in 1971-72. The lyrics deal with the anguish of love lost, while the narrator doesn't want the relationship to end. When he sings the chorus, it almost sounds like Nilsson is crying as the sings. It's a heart-wrenching track that is certainly among the greatest love songs ever written.

Love Hurts - Nazareth

While many think Nazareth wrote the hit "Love Hurts", it was penned by the Felice and Boudleaux Bryant, then recorded by the Everly Brothers in 1960. Covered by the likes of Roy Orbison and Jim Capaldi, Nazareth's power-ballad rendition (from 1975's Hair of the Dog album) was the most popular, peaking at No. 8 in the US. in 1976 and No. 1 in Canada and several other countries. As the title suggests, love hurts and that's all part of the emotions you feel when you're in love. Vocalist Dan McCafferty's rasping vocals perfectly carry this song and the sentiment of the lyrics.

Check out Five of the Saddest Songs ever written.

Thursday, December 22, 2016

Five Best Ozzy Osbourne Songs with Randy Rhoads

Randy Rhoads’ time in the spotlight as Ozzy Osbourne’s guitarist was oh so brief, but in the two records he recorded with the former Black Sabbath frontman, Rhoads left an indelible impact thanks to his phenomenal, neo-classical guitar style. Rhoads single-handedly helped spawn the neo-classical metal genre, while also influencing thousands of guitarists after his death (in a plane crash) in 1982. Here are five of the best songs Rhoads recorded with Ozzy from the Blizzard of Ozz and Diary of Madman albums.

Suicide Solution

“Suicide Solution”, off the Blizzard of Ozz record, features Rhoads churning out one of his finest, angry-sounding riffs. With a solid backbeat from bassist Bob Daisley and drummer Lee Kerslake, Rhoads is free to incorporate his signature screams and bends, giving the track added depth. Suicide Solution has become one of Ozzy’s trademark songs over the years. For a really amazing version, check it out live on Ozzy’s Tribute album to hear how Rhoads really flexes his guitar muscle. It’s the track that saw Ozzy getting sued in 1986 by a California family after their son committed suicide while listening to it. The case was dismissed in 1988.

Mr. Crowley

If ever there was a song that can be described as neo-classical heavy metal, it’s “Mr. Crowley” from the Blizzard of Ozz album. The keyboard intro lays down the mood, while the lyrics about Aleister Crowley, who was denounced as a satanist and would surely have been denounced as a heretic in the Middle Ages, add to the aura of the song. Rhoads main riff is intertwined with bursts, string scratches and fills, while the solos are stellar. The mid solo reminds one of a violin virtuoso playing lead guitar. The outro solo is Rhoads using trills, runs and lightning-fast picking. Amazing stuff. Again, the Tribute version kicks ass.

I Don't Know

The opening track from Blizzard, this would have been everyone’s first listen to Randy Rhoads, and he made sure people knew he meant business, laying down a blistering opening riff, then throwing in a classic little run at the 0:28 mark. With that 30 seconds or so, Rhoads announced to the world he was onto something. The song blends heavy power chords with a jazzy interlude in the bridge. Then the solo takes it to another level as Rhoads dazzles with de-tuned phrasings, runs, his classic deep bends and speedy hammer-pull combos. For an Ozzy song, I don’t know is a thrill-a-minute ride on the crazy train.

Over The Mountain

The first song from the Diary of a Madman record, Over the Mountain sees Rhoads showing his rhythm chops with the chugging main riff, interspersed with his usual phrasings. Ozzy’s in fine form, singing about altered reality and getting high. Then the solo is one of Rhoads’ most memorable, marrying a harmonized passage with a series of partially slurred whammy bar phrases for a strangely unsettled vibe that’s almost like two solos in one. The epic string scratch that caps the solo off nicely carries back into the final verse and riff.

S.A.T.O.

One of the most unheralded of Ozzy’s songs, S.A.T.O. (from Diary of a Madman) is one of those tracks that carries you off on a journey, not across the sky, but across the ocean. To that end, most people think S.A.T.O. stands for Sailing Across The Ocean, however, Sharon Osbourne has said it actually stands for Sharon Arden Thelma Osbourne. Sharon is Ozzy’s current wife, while Thelma is his ex. In terms of the music, it’s a tour de force, giving you the feeling you’re stuck on ship, getting tossed about in a heavy storm. The solo is simply phenomenal — a two-part session of amazing lead fretwork from Rhoads. And the final verse carries the song to its climax, with Rhoads using the wah pedal to take it to another level. S.A.T.O. is one of Ozzy’s best songs, period.

Check out why Sharon Osbourne is the biggest bitch in rock.

Friday, December 16, 2016

The Life & Times of Guitar God Randy Rhoads

It's been 34 years since virtuoso guitarist Randy Rhoads died in a plane crash, yet his legacy is stronger than ever today.

Rhoads never did many interviews (everyone wanted to talk to Ozzy) during his brief time in the spotlight as Ozzy Osbourne's guitarist from late 1979 until his death on March 19, 1982, but, by all accounts, Rhoads was a super nice, quiet-spoken and down-to-earth person.

Unlike most of his peers at the time, Rhoads didn't drink much and never used drugs - a rarity in 1980.

The single, driving force in Rhoads' mind was to always become a better musician and guitar player, a principle that guided him even when he was a kid, learning his craft as a seven year old at the music school in North Hollywood (called Musonia) founded by his lat mother, Delores. He was trained early on in folk and classical guitar, and soon got interested in electric guitar.

His schooling on the electric six-string came from an instructor at Musonia named Scott Shelly. Shelly soon approached Delores and told her that he could no longer teach Randy, as Rhoads' knowledge of the electric guitar had surpassed his own. That shows how dedicated he was to playing and constantly striving to learn more and get better. Rhoads, who grew up in Burbank, Calif., also received piano lessons from his mother to build his understanding of music theory.

His quest for knowledge, no doubt imparted on Rhoads by his mother and father, who was also a music teacher and left when Randy was a year old, led Rhoads to want to teach music to others and share his knowledge.

So when he was 16, Rhoads started teaching at his mother's school and also formed a band that would become the first incarnation of Quiet Riot.

Quiet Riot became a successful band on the L.A. music scene, releasing two albums in Japan, but they didn't land a recording deal in the U.S. when Rhoads was in the band (they would eventually with CBS in 1982). Quiet Riot's failure to land a recording gig in the States was frustrating for Rhoads and part of the reason he ended up in Ozzy Osbourne's band.

From Obscurity to Blizzard of Ozz

In Sept. 1979, Osbourne was in the process of forming a new band after he was booted from Black Sabbath. Bassist Dana Strum (future Slaughter bass player) was helping Ozzy find a guitar player and asked Randy if he wanted to audition for the Ozzy gig. Randy said yes and got a call to meet Ozzy in his L.A. hotel room on the day before the former Black Sabbath frontman was scheduled to fly back to England.

The story goes that Randy showed up to audition with his Les Paul and a tiny practice amp. Rhoads began warming up, while a wasted Ozzy couldn't believe what he was hearing. Ozzy recalls saying: "Either this is one of the best things I’ve ever heard in my life or these drugs are really good'. The drugs were good and so was Rhoads, who was only warming up for two minutes, according to Delores.

Back in England, Osbourne met former Rainbow bassist Bob Daisley, who would be a key songwriter on Blizzard of Ozz and Diary of a Madman, in a pub. The two got on really well and decided to record together. Ozzy's label, Jet Records, wanted an all-English band and were against having the American Rhoads join the quartet, which was called Blizzard of Ozz, no doubt in homage to Ozzy's penchant for white powder. Ozzy insisted on Rhoads as his guitarist and manager Don Arden finally gave in. With drummer Lee Kerslake in the fold, they recorded 'Blizzard' and then 'Diary', the only two studio albums Rhoads would work on with Ozzy.

Despite becoming a renowned guitarist and making it big on the music scene, Rhoads didn't want to be that guy. He didn't enjoy playing metal music (even though when you watch him live with Ozzy, he is carrying the band and absolutely into what he's doing). In fact, after the Diary of a Madman tour, Rhoads had planned on quitting. Not only did he want to go back to California, make solo records and teach guitar, he was also disillusioned with Ozzy's new manager, Sharon Arden (whom Ozzy subsequently married), the daughter of Don Arden.

After the band recorded Diary in 1981, Sharon promptly fired Daisley and Kerslake, a move that angered Rhoads who was close with both of them.

And just before his death, Randy told many people he was going to leave the band and get his Masters Degree in music and become a teacher.

But it all ended for Rhoads at age 25, when he was a in a small Beechcraft F35, single-engine plane piloted by Ozzy's tour bus driver Andrew Aycock in Leesburg, Florida. Makeup artist and seamstress Rachel Youngblood was also a passenger as Aycock tried to 'buzz' Ozzy's tour bus. He succeeded in making two close passes, but botched the third attempt. At about 10 am, after being in the air for approximately five minutes, one of the plane's wings clipped the top of the tour bus, breaking the wing into two parts and sending the plane spiraling out of control.

The initial impact with the bus caused Rhoads' and Youngblood's heads to crash through the plane's windshield. The plane then severed the top of a pine tree and crashed into the garage of a nearby mansion and burst into flames. Keyboardist Don Airey was the only member of the band to witness the crash, because the rest were asleep in the bus. Rhoads was killed instantly, as were Aycock (36) and Youngblood (58). All three bodies were burned beyond recognition, and Randy was identified by dental records and personal jewelry.

Rhoads Legacy Lives On

Despite his oh-so-short time making records, Rhoads' legacy is still so strong today

His style of playing basically ushered in a new brand of heavy metal that drew plenty of its inspiration from his interest in classical guitar, blending classical modes with an aggressive rock sensibility and very advanced technical ability. Aside from 'Diary' and 'Blizzard', Randy's playing on the live Tribute record truly showcases his wizardry.

While Rhoads was especially influenced by David Bowie guitarist Mick Ronson, he has influenced several generations of guitar players including Zakk Wylde, Tom Morello, Dimebag Darrell, Buckethead, Paul Gilbert and Mike McCready, to name a few.

Wednesday, December 7, 2016

Lars Ulrich's Take on Aging and Playing Thrash Music

Age is the one thing that creeps up on everybody, and for Metallica's Lars Ulrich, he worries about Father Time taking a toll.

In an interview on CBC Radio show 'Q', Ulrich wondered out loud if he and rest of the band will be able to hammer out some of their faster songs as they age into their 60s and 70s.

"Whether we can do the 'Fight Fire's' and the 'Battery's' and the 'Master Of Puppets' and all that in our mid-60s and our early 70s remains to be seen," said Ulrich, who turns 53 on Boxing Day.

"And there's kind of a second part to that, which is that if… I mean, we may be able to still play them — do you know what I mean? — but whether we can bring the weight and whether we can bring the energy and whether we can bring the attitude that those songs deserve in our 60s to 70s, I have no idea," Ulrich continued. "Hopefully we'll have enough clarity to be able to tell if it's not working, to walk away from it graciously and respectfully. But right now we're fine, and we've played some of our best shows in the last couple of years, and I think there's still a bit left in the engine. But whether we can do it in our 70s… hopefully we'll get a chance to find out."

Drumming Takes a Physical Toll

Metallica fans will note that, over the years, Ulrich's drum kit has gotten smaller and smaller. When playing live, he certainly doesn't throw in all the drum fills from the recordings, instead focusing on keeping time.

Not many bands have 70-year-old drummers. Charlie Watts of the Rolling Stones comes to mind, and he's 75. Now Watts isn't pounding out 200 beats per minute, but you get the idea that a drummer must be physically in-shape to play.

In fact, part of the reason Rush retired from touring was because drummer Neal Peart suffers from chronic tendonitis and shoulder problems, making him unable to properly play the complex parts he wrote as a younger man.

Ulrich noted he wants Metallica to go on for as long as possible, but can't predict the future.

"When people ask me to look into the crystal ball into the future: 'What do you think? Are you still gonna be playing…?'" he said. "It's the great, big unanswered question. Mentally, creatively, spiritually, aesthetically, we'll go for another hundred years [and] we're fine. Physically, obviously, it's the big question.

When touring, Metallica employs a couple of physical therapists to keep the band going.

It's actually kind of pathetic. People come backstage [and ask], 'Where's the Jack Daniel's?' There's no Jack Daniel's. It's brown rice and nasty protein shakes and a couple of trainers that are stretching us and stitching us back together again after the show," said Ulrich. "But at least we're still playing, and at least we're still functioning, and at least it still has some of the weight that it used to. So, so far so good, so we'll see where it takes us."

One drummer who comes to mind that's still playing at a frenzy is Iron Maiden's Nicko McBrain, who is now 64 years old, and never misses a fill.

Only time will tell how long Ulrich can keep it going. You've gotta figure he's got at least another 10 years in him.

Tuesday, December 6, 2016

Five of the Best Metal Christmas Songs

Since it's just a few weeks until Santa comes to town, we decided we'd have a ourselves a heavy metal Christmas. That means checking out five of the greatest metal Christmas songs ever recorded. So here they are, in no particular order, including a classic from Christopher Lee, the actor who played Saruman in Lord of the Rings.

God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen

Ronnie James Dio and Tony Iommi take this 1760 carol and turns it into a metal masterpiece that's found on the 2008 We Wish You a Metal Xmas and a Headbanging New Year album. That's Rudy Sarzo on bass and Simon Wright playing drums. Dio's delivery is amazing, and Iommi's guitar is thick and haunting, reminiscent of his sound on The Mob Rules.

Run Rudolph Run

This version of "Run Rudolph Run" also comes from the We Wish You a Metal Xmas and a Headbanging New Year record. Lemmy sounds like he was into the Christmas spirits and probably had about 10 or 12 pints in him when they recorded the track. Dave Grohl pounds the kit, while Billy Gibbons brings that bluesy, rocking guitar tone. You can imagine those three having a great time recording this Christmas standard. Turn this one up!

No Presents For Christmas

Trust King Diamond to lull us all to sleep at first with this song, which opens with elevator music renditions of Christmas carols, then kicks into high gear with his piercing, evil laugh. All hell breaks loose from there as the riff cranks in definitive King Diamond fashion. A highlight of the song comes near the end when the band starts playing "I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas" and King Diamond sings "I'm dreaming of a white Sabbath". Classic stuff. The song was released on Christmas Day in 1985 as a single, the first with his new band after Mercyful Fate broke up. You can find "No Presents For Christmas" on the re-issue of his Fatal Portrait album.

The Little Drummer Boy

Seemingly from out of left field, the late and acclaimed English actor Christopher Lee put out a metal Christmas EP in 2012 called A Heavy Metal Christmas. The man who played Saruman in Lord of the Rings delivers a stellar blast of chugging riffs and heavy drums with his baritone voice for this Christmas classic. Turns out Lee, who died in 2015 at the age of 93, was a huge metal fan dating back to the 1970s when he heard Black Sabbath. He also recorded several traditional heavy metal albums of his own.

Red Water (Christmas Mourning)

A song many may not have heard before, Type O Negative's "Red Water (Christmas Mourning)" is a classic, gothic track from the Brooklyn band off their October Rust album. Late vocalist Peter Steele delivers this song of Christmas mourning with his typical dark rumbling, while the lyrics speak of a bleak, black Christmas that's anything but joyous. "The stocking are hung, but who cares" and "Goddamn ye merry gentleman" are a couple of snippets speaking to the depression of the narrator during the most wonderful time of the year.