All posts by Hallgeir

Country, Great albums, Rock, Steve Earle, Video

Steve Earle’s album Copperhead Road was released in 1988 – 24 years ago

“I volunteered for the Army on my birthday
They draft the white trash , ´round here anyway
I done two tours of duty in Vietnam
And I came home with a brand new plan…”

“”This record is definitely going to keep me off the Grand Ole Opry. I think we’ve made a real rock ‘n roll album. People that only know me from Guitar Town  might be freaked out a bit, although anyone who also followed Exit O  and the live thing won’t be taken aback at all. Sonically, the rhythm section’s a lot tougher.” – Steve Earle (to Spectator)

Copperhead Road is an American alternative country/country rock album released in 1988 by Steve Earle. Often referred to as Earle’s first “rock record”, Earle himself calls it the world’s first blend ofheavy metal and bluegrass, while in their January 26, 1989 review of the album Rolling Stone suggested the style be known as “power twang”. (read more at Wikipedia)

Released October 17, 1988
April 29, 2008 (Deluxe)
Genre Heartland rock, Alt-Country, Country rock, Americana
Length 43:36
Label Uni Records (USA/Canada)
MCA
Producer Steve Earle, Tony Brown

Official video for the song Copperhead Road

The songs on  the album are a mix of personal/love songs and political/story-songs. The title track is about a road used for drug/alcohol traffic through generations,  the song “Snake Oil” compares then president Ronald Reagan to a traveling con man.  The title track and “Johnny Come Lately” ( with The Pogues) both describe the experiences of returning veterans.

Steve Earle and Pogues recording Johnny Come Lately:

“Johnny Come Lately” compares the experience of US servicemen fighting in World War II with those in the Vietnam War, and tells about the completely different welcomes  they received on returning home.
Continue reading Steve Earle’s album Copperhead Road was released in 1988 – 24 years ago →

Neil Young, video of the day

Video of the day: The Barr Brothers – Don’t Let It Bring You Down (Neil Young)

The Barr Brothers cover Neil Young’s “Don’t Let It Bring You Down” for a Fuel/Friends Music Blog Chapel Session from MeadowGrass Music Festival at La Foret in Black Forest, CO 5/27/12.

Read more at the very good music blog I am fuel, You are friend and see more video and hear more songs form the session.

– Hallgeir

Film, Video

Wonderland music documentary – The LA scene 1977

When I looked for songs on youtube for Jackson Brownes birthday I stubled upon this great documentary. This is why the web is so goddam cool, you can find long lost treasures, things you were certain was out of circulation or that you’ve never even heard of.

In 1977 the Dutch public broadcasting association VARA made a documentary called Wonderland, about then up-&-coming recording artists Warren Zevon, Linda Ronstadt, Bonnie Raitt & Jackson Browne. Here is that film.

Warren Zevon at Griffith Observatory, Linda Ronstadt in studio “Tracks Of My Tears” alternative studio version, Linda Ronstadt outside her Malibu house, Warren Zevon at a burrito stand, Warren Zevon in concert “Carmelita”, Bonnie Raitt at Frederick’s, Bonnie Raitt in concert “Nothing Seems To Matter”, Linda Ronstadt in the bedroom of her Malibu house, Linda Ronstadt in studio “Lose Again” alternative studio version, Warren Zevon at Griffith Observatory, Warren Zevon in rehearsal “Frank And Jesse James”, Bonnie Raitt in concert “Give It Up Or Let Me Go”, Jackson Browne in concert “Before The Deluge”.




– Hallgeir

Live, Photo, Rock

Witchcraft live in Haugesund, Norway 2012, photo special

After a five year break,  Witchcraft(from Sweden) have released Legend, their fourth studio album and first for Nuclear Blast. Before their production style and sound was compared to the sound that made American bands like Blue Cheer so recognizable (“loudest band in the world” 60s) The new record sound much more up to date, it sounds great.

Thursday night they played in Haugesund (at Jimmy Legs), it was my first show seeing Witchcraft. What a great band! They mix modern hard rock with Sabbath-style doom metal and Roky Erickson psychedelia (and a bit grunge ala Soundgarden), the singer/band leader Magnus Pelander is fantastic. At times he seems to not know what to do with his hands, and I understand that this is his first album not playing the guitar.

When asked by About.com if it was strange not playing guitar he said:
“No, it is more of a relief not to have a guitar strap around your neck.”


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Rock'n Roll, Soul, Stax

Today: Sam Moore is 77 he was born in 1935

Samuel David Moore aka Sam Moore (born October 12, 1935) is an American Southern soul and rhythm & blues (R&B) singer, who was the tenor vocalist for the soul vocal duo Sam & Dave from 1961 to 1981.

Sam Moore is a member of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, the Grammy Hall of Fame (for “Soul Man”), the Vocal Group Hall of Fame, and a Grammy Award and a multi-Gold Record award-winning recording artist. Sam & Dave were the most successful and critically acclaimed duo in soul music history. Moore has also achieved a distinguished 25-year career as a solo performing and recording artist.

In 2008, based on a poll of other musicians, Rolling Stone named Sam Moore one of the 100 greatest singers of the rock era (1950s-2008).

Sam & Dave:

Sam Moore and Dave Prater were both experienced gospel music singers, having performed individually with groups the Sensational Hummingbirds and The Melionaires. They met in The King of Hearts Club in Miami in 1961, where they were discovered by regional producer Henry Stone, who signed them to Roulette Records. After modest success at Roulette,they were signed by Jerry Wexler to Atlantic Records in 1964, then being ‘loaned’ out to Stax Records to produce, record and release their records.

The duo’s November 1965 single, “You Don’t Know Like I Know,” started a series of ten straight top twenty Billboard R&B hits that included “Hold On! I’m Comin'” (1966), “You Got Me Hummin’ (1966), “When Something Is Wrong with My Baby” (1967), “Soul Man” (1967), and “I Thank You” (1968). Most of their hits were penned by Isaac Hayes and David Porter. In most recordings, they were also backed by Hayes on piano with Booker T and the MGs and The Memphis Horns. The ending of their association with the Stax record label and their frequently volatile relationship contributed to their first break-up in 1970. Their last performance together was on December 31, 1981, at the Old Waldorf in San Francisco. On 9 April 1988, Prater died in a car crash in Sycamore, Georgia.
(Wikipedia)

Oslo 1967:

Moore and Prater (posthumously) were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame on January 15, 1992. Shortly after the induction, Moore announced plans to record a solo LP, featuring duets with Bruce Springsteen, Phil Collins and others.
On August 29, 2006, Moore released his first solo album, Overnight Sensational.

When something is wrong with my baby:

What a fantastic singer! Happy birthday Sam!

Solo discography:

Plenty Good Lovin’ : The Lost Solo Album 2002
Sam Moore recorded this album in 1970 with R&B great King Curtis, who produced eight of the ten tracks. The album was originally intended to be Moore’s solo debut, but it was shelved for a variety of reasons (including the murder of King Curtis shortly after the album was recorded).

Overnight Sensational 2006

Other 12 October:

Bob Mould was born in 1960:

Guitarist/singer/songwriter Bob Mould was a member of Hüsker Dü, one of the most influential American bands of the ’80s.

He has released several great albums as a soloartist and as a member/leader of the group Sugar. We had the great fortune of seeing him perform Copper Blue at this years Oyafestival.

Happy birthday Bob! You also get the album of the day spot with Sugar’s Copper Blue:

 

Continue reading Today: Sam Moore is 77 he was born in 1935 →