Posts

Showing posts from November, 2008

40th Anniversary of the Beatles "White Album"

Image
In November 1968 the Beatles released the album simply titled "The Beatles ", which became known as the White album. It was recorded from May 30th to October 14th, 1968 at Abbey Road Studios,London, with a small amount done at Trident Studios, London. The Beatles were fresh off their meditation retreats in Rishikesh, India with the Maharishi. Over forty new songs had emerged from Rishikesh, most were made to rough demos at George Harrison’s home studio in Esher. With so many songs available, it became clear they would need more than a single album. For the first time in music history a double album of new material was released. Sure, harsh critics & even producer George Martin always said if the album had been edited down to a single LP, it may have been the best of all the Beatles albums. I think Paul McCartney summed it up best in the Anthology saying "it's the Beatles bloody White Album, it's great, shut up!". Ditto. The recording of the album came d

AC/DC "Black Ice Tour" ....Concert Review 11-19-08

Image
It's amazing how rock n roll can be sometimes be timeless. Last night AC/DC proved that again, as we were all Back In Black! The arena glistened with blinking red lights from the Light up Devil Horns that were being sold, mostly worn by the chicks & kids. Angus Young wore his during the encore. They shook the Meadowlands "all night long" as if it were twenty five years ago but still showing us that these too are our hey days. The highlights of the night could have been when the whole place was jumping to You Shook Me All Night Long, or maybe for Dirty Deeds or Back In Black. The sing along to the old classic The Jack with Angus's strip tease may have been another. They were loud & had great clear sound system. The backdrop of the stage was a huge locomotive car spewing smoke with an AC/DC logo on it's front. Two huge video screens hung on each side of the locomotive car, displaying the band, mostly focusing on everyones hero of the night Angus Young. Angu

Passing of Brooklyn Dodgers - Preacher Roe (1916-2008)

Image
Elwin Charles "Preacher" Roe was born in 1916 & grew up in the Ozark Mountains in a small town of 200 people, near the Missouri border. As a boy he was taken on horse & buggy rides by a local minister & when an uncle asked what his name was he responded "Preacher", the moniker stuck. Roe was a smart man who taught math but liked to be labeled a dumb country boy & played up to the image. He was a wild fast ball pitcher who would walk more batters than he would strikeout. He was signed out of high school by Branch Rickey for the Cardinals, where he'd pitch one game then toil in the minors for six years. Roe learned to control his wildness by become one of the craftiest pitchers in the league, mixing up his pitches and throwing a spitball. He was one of the slowest working pitchers, stepping off the mound to ruin the batters timing. He was called up to the Pirates in 1944 going 13-11. The next year he made the All Star team & led the NL in str

Liverpool Museum Buys Shea Stadium Seats

Image
The Beatles Story, a museum in Liverpool, England has recently bought two seats from Shea Stadium. They plan to use the seats as part of a permanent display early next year. The exhibit will be part of the Beatles first visit to America section. Located within Liverpool's historic Albert Dock, the Beatles Story is a unique visitor attraction focusing on the life, times, culture and music of the Beatles. It chronologically g oes through the Beatles careers from the fifties in Woolton where John meets Paul. Then traveling to the Casbah Club, Hamburg, the Cavern, Abbey Road Studios, America, the Psychedelic years and a section soon to be opened focusing on the Solo Years. There is also a special Imagine room, which is a tribute to the life of John Lennon. About the Shea seats, the Museum's Press Officer says "It's an opportunity to show an iconic moment from The Beatles' career in America," said Jamie Bowman, the museum's press officer. "Shea Stadium rea