Monday, September 9, 2013

Song #35 On My MP3 Player - Bittersweet by The Hoodoo Gurus

The 39th song on my MP3 player is 'Bittersweet' by The Hoodoo Gurus. This song was released in 1985 and is the opening track on Mars Needs Guitars! 

My friend Ryan Dellwood introduced me to the Hoodoo Gurus back in the day. He put 'Come Anytime' on a mix tape and I wanted to hear more songs from this Australian rock band. I knew this guy named Big Daddy from a Guided by Voices mailing list and he was a big fan of the Hoodoo Gurus. He knew I was interested in learning more about the band so Big Daddy made me a killer Hoodoo Gurus mix tape and I discovered many great tunes like 'Bittersweet'.

This is definitely one of those college rock songs that speaks to the twentysomething dudes. They may have just been dumped or are holding a torch for a former girlfriend. Those dudes need an anthem. One day a Ryan Dellwood or a Big Daddy comes along and drops some Hoodoo Gurus into their world. All is well. All is great.





TonyDoug Wright is The Lost Soul of Rock and Roll.

Friday, September 6, 2013

Song #34 On My MP3 Player - Bird Dream of The Olympus Mons by the Pixies

'Bird Dream of the Olympus Mons' is the ninth track on the Pixies' 1991 album titled Trompe le Monde. This is a song about a bird that dreams of flying to the Olympus Mons, a volcano on Mars that is three times the size of Mt. Everest.

Trompe le Monde is a personal favorite. I first heard the album in 1992 when someone was playing 'Planet of Sound'. I had to know more about that band and grabbed a copy of Trompe le Monde. 'Bird Dream of the Olympus Mons' is a great song, and I wish I could say something really interesting about this song, but it is Friday and I'm thinking about the weekend. Just listen to the song.


TonyDoug Wright is The Lost Soul of Rock and Roll.

Thursday, September 5, 2013

Song #33 On My MP3 Player - Best Thing by Bob Mould

Happy Thursday, everyone! 'Best Thing' is the eighth track on Bob Mould's 2005 solo album titled Body of Song. It is the song of the day at The Lost Soul of Rock & Roll, and it is song #33 on my MP3 player.

I'm a fan of Bob Mould's work with Husker Du, Sugar, and as a solo artist. He has a great catalog of music for people who love rock, hard rock, and punk. Mould is also a great acoustic performer as well and I encourage people to see him perform acoustically because he is amazing.

Some Mould fans have been critical of his solo efforts because they claim the work is not as good as anything he did with Husker Du and Sugar. I disagree. Mould's solo work is very good and 'Best Thing' is a fine example of a great Mould solo song. If you are looking for an upbeat rocker with some pop goodness then you've come to the right place.

Mould's also a songwriter who loves to drop a few relationship tunes on his albums. Some are pretty depressing, but 'Best Thing' is a great "f--k you" song for people who have tried and tried to show someone that they are a damn good catch, but they go off and date a total tool. Enjoy!



TonyDoug Wright is The Lost Soul of Rock and Roll.

Wednesday, September 4, 2013

Song #32 On My MP3 Player - Bad Luck by Social Distortion

'Bad Luck' is the second track on Social Distortion's 1992 album Somewhere Between Heaven and Hell, which was a great follow-up to the band's 1990 album titled Social Distortion. Social Distortion is a band from Southern California and their career has spanned four decades.

Music is a great stress reliever and 'Bad Luck' is a song I need to hear when I'm having one of those days when nothing is going according to plan. This is one of those songs that I liked back in the day, but somehow forgot about it for some reason. I heard it on the radio circa 2003 and I realized that I forgot that I actually liked Social Distortion. 'Ball and Chain' and 'Story of My Life' are cool songs, but 'Bad Luck' is my jam.

I teach a class on rock and roll history, and my students have a weekly assignment where they review ten random songs. Last year I asked the students to review 'Bad Luck' and a majority of them ripped the song to shreds. I recall a few reviews said the song was "bad 90's music". That's straight up hatin', folks. This is a good song! Enjoy!



TonyDoug Wright is The Lost Soul of Rock and Roll.

Tuesday, September 3, 2013

Song #31 On My MP3 Player - Back To The Lake by Guided by Voices

Guided by Voices' (GBV's) 'Back To The Lake' is the song of the day at The Lost Soul of Rock and Roll. 'Back To The Lake' is the seventh track on the 2002 release Universal Truths and Cycles.

GBV was active from 1983 until 2004, but they should have called it quits in 2002 when they released Universal Truths and Cycles. It would have allowed the band to ride off into the sunset on a high note, but they stayed active for a few more years and released two forgettable albums, Earthquake Glue and Half Smiles of the Decomposed. I'm a diehard fan of GBV, and I thought Universal Truths and Cycles was their best album since 1997's Mag Earwhig!

'Back to the Lake' is one of my favorites from Universal Truths and Cycles because it was a song that made me believe in a band that I saw as an act on cruise control collecting checks. Mag Earwhig! ushered in an era of a studio version of GBV. The days of 4-tracks and lo-fi experimental rock was gone. While I enjoyed the big studio version at times, I felt that I was following a band desperate for a top 40 hit or an alternative rock radio hot rotation hit.

Do The Collapse (1999) and Isolation Drills (2001) showed moments of brilliance, but something didn't seem right in my opinion. The two aforementioned albums lacked something honest. My interest in GBV was on the decline in 2000, but they captured my attention once again with Universal Truths and Cycles. It is interesting to note that the album that brought me back to GBV was the album that was one of the best selling releases for GBV. Greatness had returned and all was well in the universe.




TonyDoug Wright is The Lost Soul of Rock and Roll.

Monday, September 2, 2013

Happy Labor Day!

The Lost Soul of Rock and Roll will not be updated today, but we will return tomorrow with a new song of the day. Thanks!

Friday, August 30, 2013

Song #30 On My MP3 Player - Back Of A Car by Big Star

Song #30 on my MP3 player is 'Back Of A Car' by Big Star, which is the seventh track on the band's 1974 album Radio City.

Big Star was a band that formed circa 1971 with a lineup that featured Alex Chilton, Chris Bell, Jody Stephens, and Andy Hummel. Alex Chilton was the lead singer of The Box Tops, a band that had hits during the 1960's with 'The Letter' and 'Cry Like A Baby'. Big Star released three albums from 1971 to 1974: #1 Record, Radio City, and Third/Sister Lovers. The music was good, but their record labels were either poorly managed or just not interested in distributing their albums. The history of Big Star is very interesting, and take some time to read Need A Big Star Primer? by Mark Hinson for a more complete history.

The first time I heard Big Star was during the summer of '95 or '96 when my good friend Ryan Dellwood played 'September Gurls' when he was a guest DJ with me at a college radio station in Ohio. I really liked the song, but Dellwood informed me that their music was hard to find. A few weeks later I found #1 Record and Radio City on the same CD at a local music store. Dellwood was thrilled I found their music.

Big Star is loved by the hipsters, indie rockers, and this Lost Soul of Rock & Roll. They have some damn good songs, but they also have some songs that have me hitting the fast forward button on my cd player. When they're good, they are on fire. Big Star is classified as power pop, which means they are inspired by bands like The Beatles and The Kinks, but they also have a nice touch of early 70's rock. What's nice about Big Star is that they can produce and absolute rocker or make a beautiful ballad.

'Back Of A Car' is one of my favorite Big Star songs because there are great harmonies, cool lyrics, and a wonderful guitar sound. Big Star has some songs that really connect with young people, and the story of 'Back of A Car' is pure teen angst. This is one of those songs that should have been a hit, but wasn't. It did inspire a bunch of musicians to form their own bands and maybe that's better than having a hit. Enjoy.  



TonyDoug Wright is the Lost Soul of Rock and Roll. 

Thursday, August 29, 2013

Song #29 On My MP3 Player - Babe I'm Gonna Leave You by Led Zeppelin

'Babe I'm Gonna Leave You' is song #29 on my MP3 player and it is the second track on Led Zeppelin's 1969 eponymous debut album. This song is a cover and it was originally recorded by Anne Bredon. Joan Baez covered the song before Zeppelin, which may have inspired the version developed by Jimmy Page and Robert Plant. Zeppelin did initially not give Bredon credit for 'Babe I'm Gonna Leave You' and the issue was not discovered by Bredon until the 1980's. Bredon is now credited on the song plus she received royalties.

I'm not a big fan of the Led Zeppelin album, but 'Babe I'm Gonna Leave You' is one of Zeppelin's finest moments. Zeppelin is a band that I've liked since '86 or '87, but it took me about four or five years to truly appreciate this song. I was taking guitar lessons during the early 90's and my guitar instructor asked if I wanted to learn this song. At first I wasn't thrilled, but it's a fun song to learn for the guitar. You get to do some pretty stuff and then you get to kick out the jams. Enjoy.



TonyDoug Wright is the Lost Soul of Rock and Roll. He's never gonna leave you.

Wednesday, August 28, 2013

Song #28 On My MP3 Player - Baba O'Riley by The Who

'Baba O'Riley' is song #28 on my MP3 player. This is the opening track to The Who's 1971 album Who's Next.  Not only is 'Baba O'Riley' a candidate for the best song in rock and roll history, but Who's Next is also a contender for the greatest rock and roll album of all time.

I discovered The Who during the fall of 1988, which was my freshman year of high school. A fellow student brought a "best of" tape of The Who to study hall and he asked if I liked their music. I told him that I didn't know any of their songs and he was absolutely flabbergasted.  He said they were one of the best rock bands of all time, so I went out and bought my own "best of" tape by The Who to see if he was right.

It didn't take long for me to be a fan and I am still a fan today. The Who is fantastic and it should be a criminal act to hate this band. 'Baba O'Riley' is pure rock and roll gold. I've added a live version so you can see these guys rock the house. Enjoy.



TonyDoug Wright is the Lost Soul of Rock and Roll.

Tuesday, August 27, 2013

Song #27 On My MP3 Player - Awkward Age by Joe Jackson

'Awkward Age' is song #27 on my MP3 player and I have the live version from the 2004 album AfterLife. The studio version of 'Awkward Age' is on the 2003 album, Volume 4 by the Joe Jackson Band.

Joe Jackson is a great singer, songwriter, musician, and author. Look Sharp! was his 1979 debut and since then he has released sixteen studio albums, two soundtrack albums, and nine live albums. His songs vary in style from pop to rock to punk to new wave to jazz. Joe is the man and my MP3 player has some of my personal favorites from Mr. Jackson.

'Awkward Age' is on my MP3 player because no matter your age there are parties you are not invited to and cliques you really want to avoid. As an adult I believe I am wiser than I was when I was a teen, but I find myself making the same mistakes I did when I was younger. 'Awkward Age' is one of those songs I play when I am having one of those days and it is fitting that this is my song of the day.

Earlier today I read a post on Facebook about the death of Neil Armstrong, and I was surprised to learn of his death. Why wasn't it on the news? Only one person was upset over Armstrong's death? I posted something on Facebook about his death only to find out that Armstrong died last year. It was embarrassing because I thought he recently died and my wife was one of the first people to inform me of my gaffe. 'Awkward Age' indeed.

However, this article proves that I am not the only one confused about Armstrong's death.

I do not have the AfterLife version of 'Awkward Age' available for today's post, but I found a live version that is very good. Enjoy.



TonyDoug Wright is The Lost Soul of Rock and Roll. He is a little bit wiser about dead astronauts.

Monday, August 26, 2013

Song #26 On My MP3 Player - At The Hundredth Meridian by The Tragically Hip

'At The Hundredth Meridian' is song by The Tragically Hip and it's song #26 on my MP3 player. This song is the third track on the band's 1992 album Fully Completely. 'At The Hundredth Meridian' is about the 100th meridian west, which is the line of longitude where the great plains begin.

I went to college in the Dayton, Ohio area and I would stop by a local CD store on weekends to see if I could find some cool new music. The store had a nice selection of free music publications and I would always grab a few for some weekend reading. The Dayton Voice, an alternative newspaper, was a must read, and from time to time they would have a page dedicated to concerts that were in cities like Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati, Indianapolis, and Detroit. The Tragically Hip were regulars in the Detroit area for shows and I wondered if they were some local band that was big in Michigan because I had never heard anything from them on the radio or on 120 Minutes.

I later discovered that The Tragically Hip were a Canadian rock band. I first heard their music in the movie The Sweet Hereafter and was hooked. Fully Completely is the only album I own by The Tragically Hip, which is a very good alternative rock album, plus I have a few songs from it on my MP3 player. A few people have referred to them as an REM wannabe band, but I disagree. The Tragically Hip has at times a folk rock sound blended with college rock, so I understand why people would compare the two bands, but there are plenty of bands that followed that formula. The Tragically Hip have a catalog that is fairly solid.

'At The Hundredth Meridian' is the song of the day at The Lost Soul of Rock and Roll. Enjoy.




TonyDoug Wright is The Lost Soul of Rock and Roll.

Friday, August 23, 2013

Song #25 On My MP3 Player - Answering Machine by The Replacements

Song #25 on my MP3 player is 'Answering Machine', which is the final track on The Replacements' 1984 release Let it Be. The Replacements were an American rock band from Minneapolis, Minnesota, and I consider them to be one of the greatest rock bands of all time. Their songs are magnificent and their history is filled with numerous tales which might be nothing more than rock and roll mythology.

Ryan Dellwood was a friend from high school that was totally annoyed by the fact that I was in love with classic rock. He tried to get me to like The Smiths and The Cure, but I refused to give those bands a chance. It was the summer of 1992 and I had just graduated from high school. I was getting ready for college. Dellwood showed up at my house one evening unannounced with a box full of cassette tapes. He was staging a rock and roll intervention.

I was pissed that Dellwood thought I listened to musical garbage. Who was he to stage an intervention? What was wrong with liking Led Zeppelin, The Who, Aerosmith, and Lynyrd Skynyrd? My evening was going to be ruined by Dellwood playing some god awful garbage by some British band with a moody lead singer accompanied by a bunch of buffoons playing synthesizers.

Dellwood didn't even try with The Smiths or The Cure. He was loaded for bear. Instead of trying to win me over with British bands, he tried to win me over with rock and roll from the US of A. One of the tapes he brought over was Let it Be by The Replacements.

At the time I was reading Musician magazine and they were big fans of The Replacements. They praised the band, especially lead singer and songwriter Paul Westerberg. It was one of those instances where I knew the name of the band, but none of their material.

Dellwood started playing some selections from Let it Be and the one that caught my attention was 'Tommy Gets His Tonsils Out'. There must have been some joy Dellwoodville that day. I had a great time listening to new music and that night put me on the right path to discovering some fantastic artists. Dellwood decided to make a mix tape that night for me and I was really impressed by The Replacements.

A few weeks later I decided to buy Let it Be. I was impressed. It's still one of my favorite albums of all time, and it's tied with Tim as the best album by The Replacements.

'Answering Machine' is on my MP3 player because it is a song that's brilliant in my opinion. Paul Westerberg created an angst driven song about the frustrations we face when it comes to relationships. Some of us have had the experience of being in a relationship and it somehow ends without anyone telling you that it's over. I had experienced that a few months before I listened to 'Answering Machine'.

When I heard 'Answering Machine' for the first time, I was hooked, plus I was blown away by how the song incorporated the loop of the operators voice saying "If you need help...If you need help". There is this slow progression where the operators voice becomes more distorted. Damn, that's good. Also, the musical minimalism of this song adds to the greatness. I hope you enjoy this song of the day and have a great weekend.




TonyDoug Wright is The Lost Soul of Rock and Roll. He will not hang up and dial the operator.

Thursday, August 22, 2013

Song #24 On My MP3 Player - Annie Get Your Gun by Squeeze

Don't shoot that singer! 'Annie Get Your Gun' is song #24 on my MP3 player and it is the song of the day at The Lost Soul of Rock and Roll. This song was released in 1982 as a single and is featured on Singles - 45's and Under, a compilation album released that same year.

Squeeze is a band that has an impressive catalog that in my opinion has been overlooked here in the USA. They fall into that late 70's and early 80's category of new wave and power pop, but Squeeze has released some brilliant pop driven music. Singles - 45's and Under is worth checking out because it is loaded with pop goodness. I've been a fan of this British band for ages, and one day I'll be able to remember all of  their various personnel changes.

I'm pretty certain I first heard Squeeze on MTV back in the early 80's when they had a hit with 'Black Coffee in Bed'. My appreciation of Squeeze didn't occur until 1994 or 1995 when I borrowed a copy of Singles - 45's and Under. I was absolutely impressed and purchased my own copy on CD. Squeeze has a place in my pop loving heart, and shame on you for not appreciating their music.

'Annie Get Your Gun' is on my MP3 player because it's a fun acoustic driven pop song. Glenn Tilbrook is a great vocalist and I really enjoyed his work with Squeeze. I hope you enjoy 'Annie Get Your Gun' and have a great day!




TonyDoug Wright is The Lost Soul of Rock and Roll

Wednesday, August 21, 2013

Song #23 On My MP3 Player - And She Was by the Talking Heads

'And She Was' by the Talking Heads is song #23 on my MP3 player and it is the song of the day at the Lost Soul of Rock and Roll. This song was released in 1985 and is the opening track on Little Creatures.

I'm a "greatest hits" fan when it comes to the Talking Heads. I've listened to some of their albums, but a greatest hits albums will suffice for my collection. This is a relationship I have with many artists.

My freshman year of college was perhaps my biggest year of music appreciation. It's hard to explain what happened, but I discovered a bunch of new bands, plus I gained a greater respect for artists that I didn't fully appreciate in high school. 'And She Was' is one of those songs that caught my attention my freshman year in college. The video was playing on MTV or VH1 and I was hooked. It's a bouncy little pop song that will make you feel great.

For the longest time I did not know this song was about a girl on an acid trip. Apparently, David Byrne, the lead singer and songwriter for the Talking Heads, knew a girl that used to drop acid near a Yoo-Hoo factory in Baltimore. Knowing is half the battle, boys and girls. Enjoy.



TonyDoug Wright is The Lost Soul of Rock and Roll. He has never tried Yoo-Hoo.

Tuesday, August 20, 2013

Song #22 On My MP3 Player - Anarchy In The U.K. by the Sex Pistols

The twenty-second song on my MP3 player is a punk rock anthem. 'Anarchy in the U.K.' was released as a debut single in 1976 and was also featured on their 1977 album Never Mind The Bollocks, Here's The Sex Pistols.

Danger is a key ingredient for rock and roll. Sadly, some artists have forgotten that rock and roll needs to do its duty from time to time and flip authority the middle finger. When the industry becomes complacent then someone emerges to raise some hell. Do we have any hell raisers in rock and roll today? I know there are people who view themselves as edgy, but I really can not think of anyone who is holding that torch.

People either love or hate 'Anarchy in the U.K.'. I love the song because it's the kind of danger that's needed in the world of rock and roll. When I was a teenager I worked at a restaurant and I recall a lady complaining about rock music and she went off on the Sex Pistols. She said they were "disgusting" and "garbage".  That lady was always bitching about something.

I liked the Sex Pistols at the time - and I still do- because they are one of a few bands that were truly dangerous. Some bands put on a costume or makeup and pretend to be dangerous. Some bands label themselves as a dangerous band but are nothing more than paper tigers. The Sex Pistols were dangerous in my opinion because they put a mirror in front of the face of the people and forced them to look hard at what was going on at the time. People hate it when they have to look in the mirror and see all the ugliness.

'Anarchy in the U.K.' is on my MP3 player. It's not "disgusting" and it's not "garbage". Enjoy.



TonyDoug Wright is the Lost Soul of Rock and Roll

Monday, August 19, 2013

Song #21 On My MP3 Player - American Music by the Violent Femmes

I like American music. The twenty first song on my MP3 player is 'American Music' by the Violent Femmes. This song was released in 1991 and is the opening track for the album Why Do Birds Sing?. 

My appreciation of the Violent Femmes was a slow process. Their eponymous debut album was praised endlessly during my high school years by some of the most obnoxious cliques. Sadly the Violent Femmes were one of many bands to suffer that fate. My appreciation for many bands changed after I graduated from high school.

When I was in college, I would make mix tapes for friends and for my own listening pleasure. One Saturday I was really bored and wanted to make a mix tape to listen to while doing homework. All of my roommates were gone, so I raided their collections for good tunes. Sebastian Daniels was a roommate and he had a collection of techno, punk, alt rock, and industrial music. Why Do Birds Sing? caught my attention, so I sampled the CD for something mix tape worthy. 'American Music' was the opening track and I was hooked. It went on to the mix tape. The rest of the album was forgettable.

What I like about 'American Music' is that it has a Jonathan Richman quality. Richman was the lead singer and founder of The Modern Lovers, an early 1970's Boston band that inspired many punk acts of the 1970's. Richman's music has a quirky quality and that can be heard on 'American Music'. The Violent Femmes have a great catalog and I'm glad that I took the time to appreciate their music.




TonyDoug Wright is the Lost Soul of Rock and Roll.
  

Friday, August 16, 2013

Song #20 On My MP3 Player - All Right Now by Free

It's classic rock time, boys and girls. 'All Right Now' was a 1970 hit for Free, a UK band featuring Paul Rodgers and Simon Kirke who would later go on a form Bad Company. This is the twentieth song on my MP3 player and it is the song of the day at The Lost Soul of Rock and Roll.

Ryan Dellwood was a friend of mine in high school and he was annoyed that I was a major fan of classic rock. Dellwood truly hated the album oriented rock sounds of the 1970s', so it must have boiled his blood when I jotted down some of the lyrics to Free's 'All Right Now' on his folder. Little did I know at the time that I had started Dellwood's musical crusade to save my soul from 1970's album oriented rock.

I had the same homeroom with Dellwood during my senior year of high school. A few days after the Free notebook incident he asked me to borrow his copy of Rank by The Smiths. Rank was a live album released in 1988 and it was one of Dellwoods favorite albums at the time. This casual request was nothing more than Dellwood's way of introducing me to music he viewed as superior to classic rock. I was annoyed that Dellwood was giving me a tape of crummy college music. Dellwood liked The Smiths, The Cure, and The Cocteau Twins. I liked bands that rocked like Aerosmith, Led Zeppelin, Sabbath, and Floyd. I politely took the tape and placed it in my backpack where it stayed for a week or two.

As the week or two passed, Dellwood asked for his tape. I returned it during homeroom and he asked me what songs I liked on Rank. I didn't listen to the damn tape. I didn't want to hear some music I viewed as whiny and pretentious. For some reason I told Dellwood that the tape was "OK", but he really wanted to know what songs I liked. Dellwood wouldn't shut up about that damn album, so I fed him some bullshit answers.

There are times when I play 'All Right Now' and think of Dellwood. We're still friends and from time to time he'll give me grief for liking classic rock. How can you not like 'All Right Now'? It's a little funk, a little bluesy, and it totally rocks.



TonyDoug Wright is the Lost Soul of Rock and Roll. He is currently a fan of The Smiths.

Thursday, August 15, 2013

Song #19 On My MP3 Player - All I Want by Toad The Wet Sprocket

'All I Want' was one of two Billboard top 100 hits from Toad The Wet Sprocket's 1991 album titled Fear. Dismissing Fear as a forgettable two-hit wonder album is a total mistake. Fear is one of my favorite's from the 1990's because it is a great pop record with equally great songwriting. 'All I Want' is the nineteenth song on my MP3 player and it is the song of the day at The Lost Soul of Rock and Roll.

The dude with the curly hair and the John Lennon shades titled his head down, looked at me, and said, "Are you the dude with the Toad The Wet Sprocket tape?" I had no idea what he was talking about, plus I had no idea who he was either. It was a nice June day in 1992 and I was at a lake with some of my classmates to celebrate our graduation from high school.

The lake was a small resort of sorts that was owned or managed by the parents of a girl in my class. She invited everyone to the lake for a party and said it would start at 1:00 PM. I went with two friends from school and we showed up at 1:00 PM. When we arrived, the girl was surprised to see us and said something like, "What are you doing here?" It's nice to get that kind of greeting from your host.

A few more people showed up, but the majority of the class showed up three to four hours later.

It was a decent party. I had fun, but the guy that drove us to the lake didn't want to stay much longer because he had somewhere else to be that evening. For some reason, I had to get something out of that guy's car and that's when I encountered the curly haired dude with the John Lennon sunglasses. He was not in our class, and he seemed kinda drunk and sorta high. He was desperately looking for a tape from a band called Toad The Wet Sprocket.

For a split second I thought that I should play along and be the guy with the tape. It was tempting, but I told him no and he seemed disappointed. At the time I thought Toad The Wet Sprocket sounded like some crappy hippie jam band. I was wrong.

A few weeks after the party I saw the video for 'All I Want' by Toad The Wet Sprocket. It was a good song, and I later found out a friend a copy of Fear on tape. They made a copy for me and I immediately fell in love with the album. I went out and got the album on CD and it is still an album I listen to frequently.

'All I Want' is one of the better 90's mainstream alternative rock hits. It's not the only song from Fear on my MP3 player. Oh yes, there is more. I'm not a fan of the video because it looks like someone watched REM's 'Losing My Religion' video and thought, "I'll just copy the shit out of this video for that Toad The Wet Sprocket band." You can't tell me this video has an REM vibe. Come on.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy this video and I can not believe it has been 22 years since this album was released.




TonyDoug Wright is The Lost Soul of Rock and Roll.

Wednesday, August 14, 2013

Song #18 On My MP3 Player - Ain't That A Lot Of Love by Taj Mahal

The eighteenth song on my MP3 player is a track from The Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus, which was a 1968 concert that featured acts such as The Rolling Stones, John Lennon, Yoko Ono, The Who, Taj Mahal, and Jethro Tull. Mick Jagger wanted this project to be filmed for the BBC, but Mick wasn't happy with the Stones' performance, so the concert was shelved for decades. The Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus was released in 1996 as an album and as a video.

I was subscribed to a Guided by Voices (GBV) mailing list during the 90's and I met many wonderful people via that group. We had some get-togethers before shows and many of those events were memorable. GBV was scheduled to play a show in Newport, Kentucky in '96 or '97, but the show was cancelled. Unfortunately, some people from out of town purchased tickets, hotel rooms, and flights to get to the show. Bob Pollard, the lead singer of GBV, agreed to have a get-together with the out of town fans.

Toledo Tuxedo was one of the out-of-towners and he asked me if I was going to the event. I was living in the Dayton, Ohio area, which was the hometown of GBV, so I was under the impression I would not be invited. I had purchased a ticket for the Kentucky show, but I didn't lose a ton of money. Toledo Tuxedo was able to talk to some people who organized the event and I was invited because I agreed to to have some of the out-of-towners stay at my apartment for free.

The fans were to meet Bob on a Saturday afternoon at a bar in Dayton, so Toledo Tuxedo showed up at my apartment that morning. He got up early that day to drive to my place was ready to rock. Toledo asked for a beer, it was 10:30 AM, and being the young college student I was, I thought 10:30 AM was a legit time for a beer.

After a solid hour of drinking beer and listening to music, Toledo Tuxedo wanted to stop by a record store, so I took him to Trader Vic's. Trader Vic was a friend of Bob's and his store had an impressive collection of GBV material. Some of Vic's employees hated GBV, and I recall one Oasis looking douche bag who worked there tried to explain to me how all of GBV's songs were written in the same musical pattern.

Fortunately, Oasis had the day off and Vic was working. He had The Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus playing and it caught my attention. 'A Quick One' by The Who was the song and Vic had it blasting in the store. I was hooked. I had to buy the album, but Toledo Tuxedo wanted to do the same and purchased the last copy Vic had in the store.

I didn't purchase The Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus that day, but five years later I finally picked up a copy at a store. Overall it's a good album that has some incredible performances like 'A Quick One, While He's Away' by The Who and 'Ain't That A Lot Of Love' by Taj Mahal. As I type this post I am uncertain why I don't have 'A Quick One, While He's Away' on my MP3 player. I'm going to get it uploaded this week.

'Ain't That A Lot Of Love' is a great blues number by Taj Mahal. It's guaranteed to get you in a good mood. Enjoy!



TonyDoug Wright is the Lost Soul of Rock and Roll. Follow him on Twitter @TonyDougWright

Tuesday, August 13, 2013

Song #17 On My MP3 Player - Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love by Van Halen

Van Halen's 1978 eponymous debut is required listening for anyone who claims to be a fan of hard rock and heavy metal. The album is solid from start to finish, and you really can't go wrong with the Diamond Dave era of Van Halen. 'Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love' is the seventeenth song on my MP3 player and it is my favorite Van Halen song of all time.

I moved to Southwest Michigan in 2000 and did not know a single person in my community. A few months before moving to Michigan, I quit the band I was playing in, and decided to get together with some local musicians to see if I could get another band together. Flyers were placed in music stores and I received a few phone calls from interested musicians. The first to call was a guy named Ron, and he played guitar. Stu called and he was a bass player, plus he even offered for us to jam in his basement. Harry was a drummer and it seemed that I had a band in the making.

We were to meet at Stu's house on a Saturday night. I arrived first and then Ron arrived. Stu was very laid back while Ron was a tornado of energy. We set up our equipment to jam, and then Harry arrived. I was ready to rock.

When I played in my previous band, the drummer did not need that much time to take down his kit and take it to a gig. I expected the same from Harry, but that was not the case because Harry had every piece of his drum set in individual cases. I'm talking about the bass, toms, snare, and cymbals. Even the hardware needed to put the set together was in cases. The sticks were in a carrying case. It took Harry forever and a day to set up that damn drum kit. I was pissed. This did not go over well with Ron because Ron had been ready to rock since he woke up that morning. Ron was on the edge of a nervous breakdown.

We finally were ready to jam and we needed a song. Ron suggested 'Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love'. Harry knew the song but Stu and me were not familiar. Ron wanted to play lead guitar, so he showed me the rhythm, which was easy. Stu felt confident with improvising the bass lines. We kicked out the song and it rocked.

The night went well, and we played 'Waiting For The Man' by The Velvet Underground. A couple of blues jams were played and cheap beer was enjoyed by all.

That was the only time we got together as a band. Stu told me after we jammed that he didn't want us to use his house as our practice studio. He also decided he didn't want to jam with us anymore. I don't know what happened, but Stu's initial laid-back attitude was replaced by Captain Jackass. Harry seemed interested in jamming again, but Ron told me we'd have to call Harry a week in advance so he'd have plenty of time to set up his drum kit.

I spent a few months jamming with Ron. We'd always play 'Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love' and we'd shout out the "HEY HEY HEY!" part of the song, which was very cool. Ron got himself a woman, and then he disappeared. I have no idea what happened to Ron, but we'll always have Van Halen.





TonyDoug Wright is The Lost Soul of Rock and Roll.

Monday, August 12, 2013

Song #16 On My MP3 Player - Ah! Leah! by Donnie Iris

'Ah! Leah!' was a top 40 hit in 1980 for Donnie Iris. Prior to his success with 'Ah! Leah!', Iris was a member of The Jaggerz, a band he had a top 10 hit with 'The Rapper'. Iris also spent time with Wild Cherry during their post 'Play That Funky Music' days. Iris is still in the music business and usually performs shows in Ohio and Pennsylvania.

I'm an unapologetic fan of classic rock. My MP3 player is loaded for bear with classic rock, so let this serve as a warning or as an awesome announcement. Haters can hate all they want, but 'Ah! Leah!' is a jam. You can't go wrong with Iris' amazing vocals mixed with that sweet power chord driven sound. When I first heard this song, I could not make out the 'Ah! Leah!' chorus. I thought the name of the song was something like 'Allyah', which sounded like an odd name. I had to embed the cheesy 80's video for your viewing pleasure. Enjoy.





TonyDoug Wright is the Lost Soul of Rock and Roll. He does not like Mondays.

Friday, August 9, 2013

Song #15 On My MP3 Player - A Salty Salute by Guided by Voices



The club is open, boys and girls. 'A Salty Salute' is the fifteenth song on my MP3 player. This song is the opening track on Guided by Voices' 1995 lo-fi rock album Alien Lanes.

Fans of Guided by Voices (GBV) have debated and will debate what's the best opening track on a GBV album. 'A Salty Salute' is a strong contender for the #1 spot because it is a drinking anthem from a hard-drinking band that has a large following of big-time drinkers. It's a marriage made in heaven. It's also catchy as hell and it is hard not to yell "The club is open!" while listening to this song.

'A Salty Salute' is not only a great opening track, but it is something that you have to experience at a GBV show. The band has a neon sign that says THE CLUB IS OPEN and when you hear that bass line at a show, then you know it's rock and roll time. I've experienced 30 to 35 GBV shows from 1995 to 2012, and I don't think I've ever attended a show where they didn't play this song. The crowd goes wild when the bass starts off the song, and the band kicks out the song in amazing fashion.

'A Salty Salute' is on my MP3 player because it's a killer song from my favorite band. This song was played at my wedding as the introduction song for my best man. He's a GBV fan as well and was thrilled to hear the song as his introduction. We all need drinking anthems and I hope you dig 'A Salty Salute'





TonyDoug Wright is the Lost Soul of Rock & Roll. He's going to eat meatloaf for lunch.

Thursday, August 8, 2013

Song #14 On My MP3 Player - A Life of Possibilities by The Dismemberment Plan

The Dismemberment Plan is a band from Washington, D.C. that formed in 1993 and gained critical acclaim for their 1999 album Emergency & I. This album was well received by critics and is considered one of the best indie rock albums of the past twenty years. 'A Life of Possibilities' is the opening track to Emergency & I and it is the fourteenth song on my MP3 player.

I moved to Southwest Michigan in 2000 and a few months later I discovered the awesome college rock radio station WIDR. One day they played a track from Emergency & I and I had to call the station to find out the name of the band. The disc jockey said they were called The Dismemberment Plan, so I went to Flipside Records in Kalamazoo, MI (RIP) and purchased a copy of Emergency & I.

'A Life of Possibilities' is one of many great tracks on Emergency & I . The album is a wonderful blend of punk, hip-hop, dance music, and R&B. 'A Life of Possibilities' starts off with a bouncy beat and then someone finds the distortion pedal and then everything accelerates into an all out rocker. I highly recommend this album and I hope you enjoy the song of the day.





TonyDoug Wright is the Lost Soul of Rock and Roll. He made some awesome no-bake cookies last night.

Wednesday, August 7, 2013

Song #13 On My MP3 Player - A Good Idea by Sugar

The thirteenth song on my MP3 player is 'A Good Idea' which is featured on Sugar's 1992 debut album Copper Blue. Sugar was a Bob Mould project that featured Mould on guitar, David Barbe on bass, and Malcolm Travis on drums. The band was together from 1992 to 1995 and they released four albums and one EP.

We have back-to-back songs that are interesting stories. 'A Boy Named Sue' by Johnny Cash is a tale of a boy with a feminine name seeking revenge on his father while 'A Good Idea' is a tale of two lovers who go down to the river and nothing goes as planned. I hope you are not in the mood for a light and lovely tale.

Copper Blue is one of my top five albums of all time. I purchased this album in 1992 and Copper Blue is a timeless album. Husker Du fans can whine all they want about Mould not sounding as punk as he once did, but in my opinion this is one of Mould's best albums. From start to finish Copper Blue is an alternative rock masterpiece. 'A Good Idea' is the second track on the album which features a bass line and lyrics that are unmistakably inspired by the Pixies. Enjoy.




TonyDoug Wright is the Lost Soul of Rock and Roll.

Tuesday, August 6, 2013

Song #12 On My MP3 Player - A Boy Named Sue by Johnny Cash

At San Quentin and At Folsom Prison are two great live albums by Johnny Cash and I highly recommend you listen to both albums at least one time in your lifetime. 'A Boy Named Sue' is the twelfth song my on MP3 player and it was recorded in 1969 at the San Quentin State Prison in California. This is a popular Cash song and it was originally a poem by Shel Silverstein.

'A Boy Named Sue' might be one of the best stories told in a song. Some poor kid gets named 'Sue' by a deadbeat dad and spends most of his life getting into fights with guys that make fun of his name. Sue reaches a breaking point and goes on a mission to kill his dad. Sue finds his father in Gatlinburg, Tennessee and the two have an epic battle.

I've never understood how people can not like the music of Johnny Cash.I understand that people do not like goofy mainstream country music, but Johnny Cash is the man. The guy has a great catalog of music and 'A Boy Named Sue' is a classic. Any artist that can make a room full of prisoners laugh is a damn good performer.




TonyDoug Wright is The Lost Soul of Rock and Roll. He is also the writer of two exciting webcomics titled The Red Devil and Day 165.

Monday, August 5, 2013

Song #11 On My MP3 Player - 99 Problems by Jay-Z (Explicit Lyrics)

Jay-Z's '99 Problems' is the eleventh song on my MP3 player and was featured on the 2004 release The Black Album. If you know the song then you are familiar with the line, "If you're having girl problems, I feel bad for you son/I've got 99 problems and a bitch ain't one." For years I thought Jay-Z was referring to a woman as a "bitch", but his book titled Decoded states that the "bitch" he's talking about is a female police dog.

If you listen to '99 Problems' then you know that Jay-Z has beef with the industry, some dude who is pissing him off, and the police. Jay-Z mentions an instance in the song where he's pulled over by the cops with a car full of drugs. You might think Jay-Z is giving you some valuable legal advice in the song, but you are wrong. This article from the St. Louis University School of Law breaks down that part of '99 Problems' to show you what Jay-Z got right and wrong in the song.

'99 Problems' is on my MP3 player because it's one of those songs you need to hear to get you through a stressful situation. Also, it helps out when you are having a crummy day. I'm a hip-hop fan and '99 Problems' is one of the best hip-hop tracks of all time. I've got more hip-hop on my MP3 player, but I want you to check out Jay-Z's '99 problems' below. Enjoy.


Friday, August 2, 2013

Song #10 On My MP3 Player - 867-5309/Jenny by Tommy Tutone

Tommy Tutone had a top ten hit in 1982 with '867-5309/Jenny', which was one of two Top 40 hits for the California band. Tommy Tutone is the name of the band and not the name of the lead singer. Tommy Heath is the lead singer and the original name of the band was Tommy and The Tu-Tones.

The band and the songwriters have provided some conflicting stories about the history of '867-5309/Jenny'. Tommy Heath said the number belonged to a girl he knew, but Heath did not write the song. Alex Call and Jim Keller were the writers, but both men offer different histories. Call said the song was a number they created, but Keller said it was a number of a girl he knew at the time. There were some legal issues with the band and writers using an actual phone number in the song, so perhaps the band and writers were trying to find ways of avoid legal troubles. Who knows. Heath, Call, and Keller all agree that Jenny is fictional.

Although Jenny was not real, the phone number was real. There are stories of people in various U.S. area codes with the number 867-5309 getting bombarded with calls asking for Jenny. One of those numbers apparently belonged to the daughter of the police chief for Buffalo, New York. My wife grew up in Pennsylvania and said 867 was a number option in State College.

'867-5309/Jenny' is on my MP3 player because I grew up in the 80's and this is one of my favorite Top 40 songs from the decade. I think this is a fun song and '867-5309/Jenny' doesn't get old despite the fact that it gets played to death during 80's lunch time radio programming. This is also a fun song to play on the acoustic guitar when you are with a bunch of friends enjoying some beers. Enjoy.



TonyDoug Wright is the Lost Soul of Rock and Roll and he's ready for the weekend.

Thursday, August 1, 2013

Song #9 On My MP3 Player - 30 Gallon Tank by Spoon

Spoon is a band from Austin, Texas that formed in 1993 and they have released seven albums. '30 Gallon Tank' is the fifth track on their 1998 album A Series of Sneaks and it was also released as an EP. This is the first of a few tracks on my MP3 player from Spoon.

My first Spoon experience was when I purchased the What's Up Matador CD. It was a compilation CD of various artists from the Matador label. What's Up Matador featured two songs by Spoon, 'Don't Buy The Realistic' and 'Telamon Bridge'. I was hooked by Spoon and had to check out their albums. I've been a fan of Spoon for years and they are one of a handful of bands that have not disappointed me as a listener.

It's hard to describe the sound of Spoon to someone who has never heard their music. They can be a noisy rock band, they can crank out a nice acoustic jam, or they can also deliver a slick pop influenced song. '30 Gallon Tank' is one of Spoon's best and it is one of their noisy rockers. If you like The Pixies, Sonic Youth, or Nirvana then give '30 Gallon Tank' a listen. Enjoy.





TonyDoug Wright is the Lost Soul of Rock and Roll. Follow him on Twitter @TonyDougWright.

Wednesday, July 31, 2013

Song #8 On My MP3 Player - 18 Wheels by The Murder City Devils (Explicit Lyrics)

Someone sent me a copy of The Murder City Devil's 1998 album Empty Bottles, Broken Hearts as a gift years ago for some reason. '18 Wheels' is the third track on the album and it is the eighth song on my MP3 player. The Murder City Devils are a rock band from Seattle, Washington that has released two EPs and four LPs.

'18 Wheels' is on my MP3 player because it is a kick ass rock song that gets me motivated to do things like mow the lawn or move boxes at work. This song is what the kids refer to as garage punk because it has the 60's garage sound mixed with Spencer Moody's angry as hell vocals. You can't go wrong with a track like '18 Wheels'. Give it a listen, but this song does drop the f-bomb at times, so don't blast this one at your cubicle at work.  



TonyDoug Wright is the Lost Soul of Rock and Roll. Check out his webcomic The Red Devil because it is totally awesome
.

Tuesday, July 30, 2013

Song #7 On My MP3 Player - 16 Days by Whiskeytown

'16 Days' by Whiskeytown is the seventh song on my MP3 player and is featured on Whiskeytown's 1997 major label debut titled Strangers Almanac. Whiskeytown was an alternative country band from Raleigh, North Carolina that featured Ryan Adams on vocals.

Alternative country is a term used to describe bands that are influenced by country music but produce a style of music that has the country sound mixed with other genres like rockabilly, hard rock, or punk. Uncle Tupelo is a good example of alternative country. I'm a fan of this genre and you can't go wrong with Whiskeytown's Strangers Almanac.

'16 Days' is on my MP3 player because it is a damn good song. Ryan Adams and Caitlin Cary do a great job on vocals. If you like songs that tell a story then '16 Days' is right up your alley. However '16 Days' is a story of a relationship that's falling apart. Maybe it's over. Who knows. All I can tell you is that '16 Days' is awesome, and I've included a live performance below, so enjoy today's song.



TonyDoug Wright is the Lost Soul of Rock and Roll. He has eaten too many donuts over the past four days.

Monday, July 29, 2013

Song #6 On My MP3 Player: Evergreen Memorial Drive by Nova Mob

Yes, it's another Nova Mob track. If you have not been following this MP3 series then click here to get a brief history of Nova Mob. This song is listed as '13 - Evergreen Memorial Drive' on my MP3 player and is one of two hidden tracks from the 1991 album The Last Days of Pompeii. 'Evergreen Memorial Drive' is an amazing song and it is a shame that this is a hidden track because it is another great effort by this Grant Hart project.

'Evergreen Memorial Drive' is a great example of a song that ends an album on a high note. The tempo for this song is somewhat slow, but everything builds up to a great moment where the listener is given a great rock song. Take a listen and enjoy.

Friday, July 26, 2013

Song #5 On My MP3 Player: Overkill by Colin Hay

Listed as '03- Overkill' on my MP3 player, this acoustic version by Colin Hay was released in 2003 on his Man @ Work album. Colin Hay was the lead singer of Men at Work, an Australian 80's pop band that won the 1983 Grammy for Best New Artist. 'Overkill' was originally released in 1983 on their album Cargo.

I'm a big fan of Men at Work and I believe one should not write them off as a goofy 80's band. Their catalog is pretty damn good and Colin Hay can really craft a fine pop song. 'Overkill' is my favorite Men at Work song, and I really love the stripped down acoustic version. The true test of any song is to see if it sounds good acoustically. If you write a song and it doesn't sound good on an acoustic guitar then it sucks. 'Overkill' doesn't suck.

"Overkill' is on my MP3 player because it is a good song for me to hear when I feel stressed out or overwhelmed because I'm sweating the small stuff. Music is what I use to get through some tough times, and 'Overkill' definitely gets me back on track. I think this is a wonderful song and I hope you enjoy it as well.





TonyDoug Wright is the Lost Soul of Rock & Roll. He's excited to visit family in Ohio and to eat Schuler's donuts.

Thursday, July 25, 2013

Song #4 On My MP3 Player: Shoot Your Way To Freedom by Nova Mob

Listed as '02 - Shoot Your Way To Freedom', this track by Nova Mob is the fourth song on my MP3 player. Yesterday's song was 'Old Empire', which is the opening track to Nova Mob's eponymous 1994 album. I promise that my MP3 song list gets more organized as we go on in this series.

Nova Mob is a great rock album, and 'Shoot Your Way To Freedom' keeps the listener rockin' following a killer opening track. 'Shoot Your Way To Freedom' was added to my MP3 player because it's a damn good song that rocks. I'm not always in the mood for something flashy and songs like 'Shoot Your Way To Freedom' keep it simple, plus it has that catchy as hell chant of 'Shoot, shoot, shoot' added in for good measure.



TonyDoug Wright is the Lost Soul of Rock and Roll. He is also the author of two webcomics titled The Red Devil and Day 165. Be cool and check them out.

Wednesday, July 24, 2013

Song #3 On My MP3 Player: Old Empire by Nova Mob

I have a feeling that my less than stellar alphabetizing and organization of my MP3 player is driving my OCD and anal retentive readers nuts. Listed as '01-Old Empire' on my MP3 player, this song was the opening track to Nova Mob's 1994 eponymous release. Nova Mob was formed in 1989 by Grant Hart who was the drummer and co-lead singer of the post-punk band Husker Du until the late 80's when they disbanded.

Grant Hart and Bob Mould shared the lead vocals in Husker Du and there have been many debates regarding who was the better singer-songwriter. After the breakup there were debates regarding who had the better solo career. Mould's solo career has overshadowed Hart's, but Hart had some amazing solo work that has been ignored.

I'm a fan of Husker Du and of Mould and Hart's solo careers. Hart in my opinion has the ability to write some great pop-rock songs and that's why I have 'Old Empire' on my MP3 player. The Nova Mob album is very good, and 'Old Empire' will appeal to fans of alternative rock, especially fans of the Foo Fighters. Enjoy.



TonyDoug Wright is the Lost Soul of Rock and Roll. He is also the author of two webcomics titled The Red Devil and Day 165. Be cool and check them out.

Tuesday, July 23, 2013

Song #2 On My MP3 Player: (You Gotta) Fight For Your Right (To Party!) by the Beastie Boys

Due to the parentheses, '(You Gotta) Fight For Your Right (To Party!)' is the second song listed alphabetically on my MP3 player. It was supposed to be a goof on party music, but '(You Gotta) Fight For Your Right (To Party!)' became a 1987 top ten single on the Billboard 100 for the Beastie Boys. If you are a member of Generation X or Y in denial about your age then you'll be pleased to know that Licensed to Ill was released 26 years ago.

I have had the opportunity to teach classes on the history of rock and roll at a local community college. My students would have weekly assignments where I would ask them to review ten songs. One week I asked students to review '(You Gotta) Fight For Your Right (To Party!)' and one student stated in his review that this was the perfect song to play on a day when you are stressed out and pissed off at the world.

The Beastie Boys have a great catalog full of music to get you movin' and groovin'. Their music is a must on my MP3 player because songs like '(You Gotta) Fight For Your Right (To Party!)'  help me out when I'm stressed and/or pissed off at the world. This song is timeless and even though it was meant as a goof on party music it still is one of the best teen angst party anthems. Don't act too cool for school with this song because you still shout "BUSTED" after they say "Now your mom threw away your best porno mag."

The video is embedded below for your viewing and listening pleasure. I recently read an oral history of MTV titled I Want My MTV: An Uncensored History of the Music Video Revolution and there's a funny story about the making of this video. There's a young Tabitha Soren in this video, plus all of the whipped cream used for the pies were taken from containers found in a waste bin outside of a supermarket. In the book Tabitha Soren said that there was no money for the video and that's why they had to get them out of a waste bin. She also added that the whipped cream had turned rancid and the room where they shot the video reeked of rotten eggs. Lovely.




TonyDoug Wright is the Lost Soul of Rock and Roll. He is also the author of two webcomics titled The Red Devil and Day 165. Be a pal and check them out.

Monday, July 22, 2013

Songs On My MP3 Player: (I'll Name You) The Flame That Cries by Guided by Voices



The Lost Soul of Rock and Roll is back in business. It has been five months since I last posted and I am glad to be back blogging about rock and roll. It was sometime last week when I decided to share with the Lost Soul faithful every song that is stored on my MP3 player which is a Philips GoGear Vibe 4G model.  All posts will be in alphabetical order.

'(I'll Name You) The Flame That Cries' by Guided by Voices (GBV) is the first song listed on my MP3 player because of the parentheses. '(I'll Name You) The Flame That Cries' is featured on the 'I Am A Tree' single that was released in 1997 by Matador Records.

GBV is a band that was formed in Dayton, Ohio during the early 1980's, and they became a favorite of music critics and alternative rock bands during the early 1990's following the release of the albums Propeller and Bee Thousand. The band has a sound that is influenced by various genres including The British Invasion, punk rock, post-punk, psychedelic rock, and progressive rock. Their lead singer is a former fourth grade teacher named Robert Pollard and he is quite possibly one of the most prolific songwriters of the past thirty years. Many of the GBV's releases are considered lo-fi due to the use of inexpensive recording devices to record their releases, but they would venture into the studio to produce some polished rock albums. The history of GBV includes numerous personnel changes and their career came to end in 2004 when Pollard decided to retire the band. GBV's retirement ended in 2010 when pollard got the band back together to tour and to release new music.

I became a fan of GBV in 1994 and saw my first show in Dayton, Ohio a year later. This was the time of the lo-fi era GBV and the lineup was Bob Pollard on vocals, Jim Greer on bass, Tobin Sprout on guitar and vocals, Mitch Mitchell on guitar, and Kevin Fennell on drums. Greg Demos would replace Greer on bass and this lineup from 1992 to 1996 was known as the "classic lineup".

What I've always liked about this band, especially the "classic lineup", was that on stage they looked like a bunch of regular guys playing solid rock and roll. The sets were long, the energy was high, and the band always played a great show. The "classic lineup" had a run featuring some incredibly amazing albums including Bee Thousand, Alien Lanes, and Under The Bushes, Under The Stars.

Everything seemed to be going well from my point of view as a fan during the mid to late 90's, but Pollard made a decision that shocked me in 1997 when he announced some major personnel changes. Pollard had the entire band replaced by members of Cobra Verde, a Cleveland rock band. I was on a GBV mailing list for fans and from what I was told on the list was that Pollard wanted a more savvy group of musicians to join him for a big studio album project. Doug Gillard was lead guitar player, John Petkovic was the rhythm guitar player, Don Depew was on bass, and Dave Swanson was on drums. The sound went from lo-fi to studio rock and the end result was a 1997 concept album titled Mag Earwhig!

Mag Earwhig! is a good album overall, but it was a clear statement from Pollard that the lo-fi era was over. The Cobra Verde lineup did not disappoint fans at shows, but for some reason, Pollard decided to keep Gillard and replace the remaining band members with new musicians less than one year after disbanding the "classic lineup".

'(I'll Name You) The Flame That Cries' is the first song in this MP3 series and it opens with a lovely acoustic sound that builds up to a great progressive rock explosion. It seems to me that it is a crime that this song was placed on the 'I Am A Tree' single instead of Mag Earwhig! because '(I'll Name You) The Flame That Cries' is quite possibly one of GBV's strongest songs from this Cobra Verde era. I've always been of the opinion that Pollard really wanted a hit at this point in his career and Mag Earwhig! could have been the album to take him to radio hitsville. For some reason, it did not happen. '(I'll Name You) The Flame That cries' has everything that a band needs for a radio hit, so it has been a myestery to me why this didn't make the album.

Progressive rock or prog rock is not something I want to listen to on a daily basis, but '(I'll Name You) The Flame That Cries' is an exception that deserves to be on my MP3 player because it is that kind of rock song that will get your head bobbing and your fist pumping in the air. For those of you that have not converted to the rock awesomeness of GBV then give this song a listen because it is definitely a gateway song one can use to get new converts to join the Church of GBV. The club is open.




TonyDoug Wright is the Lost Soul of Rock and Roll. Follow him on Twitter @TonyDougWright or join The Lost Soul of Rock and Roll page on Facebook.


Thursday, July 18, 2013

The Lost Soul of Rock and Roll Returns Monday, July 22, 2013

I stepped away from this site months ago to focus on some comic book projects, and I am pleased to announce that this site will return on Monday, July 22, 2013. There will be a song of the day feature, but I am going to have a theme for the next 365 days of posts. Yes, you read that correctly. See you on Monday!

Thursday, February 28, 2013

The Smashing Pumpkins: Cherub Rock - Song of the Day for February 28, 2013

The Song: 'Cherub Rock'

The Artist: The Smashing Pumpkins

Song Info: 'Cherub Rock' is the first track on The Smashing Pumpkins 1993 album Siamese Dream.

Artist History: The Smashing Pumpkins were formed in Chicago, IL in 1988, and earned mainstream success in 1993 due to the success of the album Siamese Dream.They disbanded in 2000, but over the past decade The Smashing Pumpkins have reunited and been reformed under the direction of lead singer Billy Corgan.

Why I Picked This Song: I was waiting at the bus stop this morning listening to my mp3 player when 'Cherub Rock' started playing. The song took me back to 1993 when I was hanging out at the mall in Springfield, Ohio. Casanova Manilla, a friend from high school, was working at a mall department store as a warehouse clerk, so I decided to stop by and say hello. He had a cool warehouse job that allowed him to listen to music while working. There was a stack of CDs by his stereo and he had a copy of Siamese Dream by The Smashing Pumpkins. I knew the band by name only because another friend, Ryan Dellwood, was a major fan of their debut album, Gish.Casanova Manilla said the album was awesome and played 'Cherub Rock' for me. I was very impressed and purchased the album. 'Cherub Rock' is my favorite song from The Smashing Pumpkins, so I hope you enjoy the song of the day.

Download the Song: Click here to get the song from Amazon.com.


TonyDoug Wright is The Lost Soul of Rock and Roll and is also the head writer and owner of Champion City Comics. Follow him @TonyDougWright on Twitter.


Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Mogwai: I'm Jim Morrison, I'm Dead - Song of the Day for February 27, 2013

The Song: 'I'm Jim Morrison, I'm Dead'

The Artist: Mogwai

Song Info: 'I'm Jim Morrison, I'm Dead' is featured on the 2008 album The Hawk is Howling.

Artist History: This Glasgow band has been stamped with various tags like math rock, post-rock, and instrumental rock, but Mogwai has been producing some fantastic music during their 18 year career.

Why I Picked This Song: There were four or five song of the day candidates in my head this morning as I was shoveling the snow. Then I went to work and all of those song choices got deleted. I couldn't decide on a song of the day, so I went over to YouTube to find something cool to post to The Lost Soul of Rock and Roll. For some reason I did a search for Mogwai and found the song 'I'm Jim Morrison, I'm Dead'. This is a really nice instrumental and Mogwai is the right kind of music for me when I'm doing work at the computer. Mogwai is a band that I first heard back in '98 or '99 and I thought they were terrible. Don't ask me why. I've grown to like Mogwai and I hope you enjoy today's song.

Download The Song: Click here to download the song from Amazon.com!



TonyDoug Wright is The Lost Soul of Rock and Roll and is also the head writer and owner of Champion City Comics. Follow him @TonyDougWright on Twitter.

Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Fugazi: Waiting Room - Song of the Day for February 26, 2013

The Song: Waiting Room

The Artist: Fugazi

Song Info: 'Waiting Room'is featured on the 1989 album 13 Songs.

Artist History: Ian MacKaye, Guy Picciotto, Joe Lally, and Brendan Canty are Fugazi. This Washington DC based band formed in 1987 and have released seven studio albums. Fugazi is currently on hiatus, but this do-it-yourself quartet is the finest example of a band that gained success without any assistance from major record labels, MTV, major music magazines, and corporate radio. The success of Fugazi has been based on an extensive touring schedule and a word of mouth reputation. Fugazi has been labeled punk, but they are a rock band with what I describe as a funky punk sound filled with an intensity equal to a hurricane. If you want to know more about Fugazi then click here and get educated.

Why I Picked This Song: 'Waiting Room' is in my opinion the gateway song for Fugazi. It's one of their best songs, but please note that Fugazi never releases weak material. The driving bass and the wonderful blend of vocals from Ian MacKaye and Guy Piccotto makes 'Waiting Room' one of the best rock songs of all time. That's right, I said all time. I'm like Kanye jumping on stage at the VMAs and interrupting Taylor Swift. "I'm gonna let you finish, Taylor, but Fugazi had one of the greatest songs of all time" I really needed a musical kick of motivation this morning because I tweaked a muscle in my shoulder yesterday, which led to an evening of major pain. My wife decided to take me to the ER where we faced a two to three hour wait in a waiting room full of characters. There was a guy with a bandaged finger with blood all over his shirt. His wife or girlfriend was holding something in a plastic bag, so if that dude was waiting then there was no way in hell I was getting in to see anyone. Click on the video below and enjoy the music.

Download The Song: Get your Fugazi fix from Dischord Records, so click here for some great music.



TonyDoug Wright is The Lost Soul of Rock and Roll and is also the head writer and owner of Champion City Comics. Follow him @TonyDougWright on Twitter.

Monday, February 25, 2013

Grant Hart: 2541 - Song of the Day for February 25, 2013

 Then I put down the money
And I picked up the keys
We had to keep the stove on all night long
So the mice wouldn't freeze


The Song: '2541'

The Artist: Grant Hart

Song Info: '2541' was featured on Grant Hart's 2541 EP which was released in 1988 on SST Records.The song is also featured on Hart's 1989 solo album debut, Intolerance.

Artist History: Grant Hart was the drummer for Hüsker Dü, a Minneapolis trio that started off as a hardcore punk band but blossomed into a fantastic rock band. Hüsker Dü was a college rock darling that did not gain major fame during their nine year career (1979 - 1988), but they did influence many alternative rock bands like Green Day. Hart was the drummer and shared songwriting and singing duties with guitar player Bob Mould. Tensions and drug use broke up the band, so Hart and Mould went their separate ways. Mould went on to a great solo career that included the formation of a new band called Sugar. Hart has been in Mould's shadow since the break up of Hüsker Dü, but Hart has had produced some incredible music as a solo artist.

Why I Picked This Song:There are times when songs pop into my head and they stay there for an entire weekend. '2541' popped into my head on Saturday morning and it was refreshing to have a great song stuck in my head instead of some god awful racket from Barney and Friends. I have kids. I'm a fan of Hart and Mould's solo efforts, and one of my favorite songs by Hart is '2541', a tale of a struggling rock band living in a crummy house. This is a really catchy acoustic rock song that will get you singing "2541, big windows to let in the sun". Enjoy.

Download The Song: Click here to get the song from Amazon.com.



TonyDoug Wright is The Lost Soul of Rock and Roll and is also the head writer and owner of Champion City Comics. Follow him @TonyDougWright on Twitter.

Friday, February 22, 2013

60's Live: Hold On, I'm Comin' - Sam and Dave

I saved the best for last for 60's Live. Hendrix setting his guitar on fire at Monterey Pop was cool, The Who blowing up their drum kit (note: start that link from the 3:18 mark) while on the Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour was wild, and Hendrix playing the Star Spangled Banner at Woodstock is pretty damn awesome. Today I'd like to share something that I feel is criminally overlooked and that was Sam and Dave's killer performance of 'Hold On, I'm Comin' during the 1967 Stax European Tour.It is important to note that the backing band was none other than Booker T and The M.G.'s.

The reason I picked this performance is simply due to the fact that it is absolutely amazing to watch. Sam and Dave end their set brilliantly by delivering a hot rendition of 'Hold On, I'm Comin' and add some audience participation which leaves the crowd in a frenzy. This is how it's done, so all of you wanna be rockers take a cue from Sam and Dave. Enjoy.




TonyDoug Wright is The Lost Soul of Rock and Roll and is also the head writer and owner of Champion City Comics. Follow him @TonyDougWright on Twitter.

Thursday, February 21, 2013

60's Live: I've Been Loving You Too Long (To Stop Now) - Otis Redding

The 60's live series continues at The Lost Soul of Rock and Roll. My song selection for today is Otis Redding's live performance of 'I've Been Loving You Too Long (To Stop Now)'. If you follow the site then you know I used this song last year, but I made an executive decision to post it again because it is one of the best live performances of the 1960's.

People talk about the greatness of Woodstock, and while I agree it was an important cultural experience, it doesn't compare musically to the 1967 Monterey Pop Festival. One of the biggest highlights of Redding's career was his performance at the 1967 Monterey Pop Festival. This is the event where the world discovered Janis Joplin, where The Who smashed their equipment for an American audience, and where Jimi Hendrix set his guitar on fire. Backed by Booker T. and The M.G.'s, Redding made a splash on a predominately white audience, which made him a bigger star. He died six months later and the video below shows a one-of-a-kind artist that left us too soon.  



TonyDoug Wright is The Lost Soul of Rock and Roll and is also the head writer and owner of Champion City Comics. Follow him @TonyDougWright on Twitter.

Wednesday, February 20, 2013

60's Live: Dazed and Confused by Led Zeppelin

It's time to get the Led out, boys and girls. Led Zeppelin's live version of 'Dazed and Confused' is today's selection for 60's live. This song was part of their 1969 in-studio concert for Danish TV.

Zeppelin's released two amazing albums in 1969, Led Zeppelin and Led Zeppelin II. 'Dazed and Confused' is featured on the first album and the band really knocks it out of the park with their 1969 Danish TV performance. John Paul Jones is cool as ever on the bass, Jimmy Page pulls off using the violin bow, and John Bonham is a beast on the drums.

I recall that there is a rather interesting story with this appearance on Danish TV. The history hounds of the internet will need to find the supporting documentation. However, I do recall watching an interview with Robert Plant back in the late 80's or early 90's and he said that backstage there was a woman who screamed loudly when shown the cover for the first Led Zeppelin album. Apparently, she had a relative die in the infamous 1937 Hindenburg accident. Help me out here, kids. Am I the only one who remembers this interview?

I don't know what else to say, so watch Zeppelin rock for the next nine minutes.



TonyDoug Wright is The Lost Soul of Rock and Roll and is also the head writer and owner of Champion City Comics. Follow him @TonyDougWright on Twitter.

Tuesday, February 19, 2013

60's Live: Please, Please, Please by James Brown and The Famous Flames

James Brown, Soul Brother Number One, is the featured artist for today's edition of 60's Live. Choosing a great live performance by Brown was not easy because the man ALWAYS put on a great show. I've decided to share with you James Brown and The Famous Flames' 1964 live performance of 'Please, Please, Please' at the Teenage Awards Music International/Teen Age Music International a.k.a. The T.A.M.I. Show.

James Brown was The Hardest Working Man in Show Business and his catalog was a powerhouse of soul and R&B music. Brown helped develop funk and was an inspiration for hip-hop music. To learn more about his amazing career then check out his bio at The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Why did I choose 'Please, Please, Please'? I wanted a James Brown performance that could be seen and heard. Live at The Apollo which was recorded in 1962 is a fantastic album, but I wanted the readers to see how James Brown commanded the stage with his Famous Flames. In my opinion, one of his best live moments was in 1964 when he gave an amazing performance at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium for the T.A.M.I. Show.

The T.A.M.I. Show was a popular music event that featured the best acts in rock and roll and R&B. James Brown, The Rolling Stones, Marvin Gaye, Smoky Robinson, and The Supremes were a few of the artists that rocked the house for the T.A.M.I. Show. James Brown and The Famous Flames gave the performance of a lifetime and the poor Rolling Stones, the show's closing act, had to go onstage following Brown's performance. Keith Richards would later say that closing the show ahead of Brown was a major mistake.



TonyDoug Wright is The Lost Soul of Rock and Roll and is also the head writer and owner of Champion City Comics. Follow him @TonyDougWright on Twitter.

Monday, February 18, 2013

60's Live: A Quick One While He's Away by The Who

The 1960's was a fantastic time for rock and roll music and this week I am selecting some of the best live performances from this amazing decade. I'm going to start this week off right with The Who's 1968 live version of 'A Quick One While He's Away' from The Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus.  The Who's show stealing live performance was rumored to be the reason why the event, which was recorded in 1968, wasn't released until the late 1990's.

The Rock and Roll Circus was a 1968 show created by The Rolling Stones for the BBC. The Stones invited John Lennon, The Who, Jethro Tull, Taj Mahal, and Marianne Faithfull, and recording started on the afternoon of December 11, 1968. A series of technical delays caused the filming of The Rock and Roll Circus to be a ten to twelve hour ordeal. When The Stones closed the show, they were exhausted and Mick Jagger decided to shelve the entire project due to their poor performance. The film was not seen again until 1989 when someone found it in a cellar.

There are a few instances in rock and roll where a live performance of a song is light years better than the studio version. Cheap Trick's Live at Budokan version of 'I Want You To Want Me' is much better than the slower and less memorable version on In Color. Have you listened to a Peter Frampton song from any album other than Frampton Comes Alive?

'A Quick One While He's Away' is another example of a song where the live version is far superior. The studio version first appeared on the 1966 album A Quick One. Guitarist and songwriter Pete Townshend created a nine minute rock opera which is one of their best tunes. I've embedded the album version below. Just listen to two or three minutes of the original so you can compare it to the Rock and Roll Circus version.



 Here is a clip of The Who's performance of 'A Quick One for The Rock and Roll Circus. The audio is not great, but you do have the opportunity to see The Who show the rest of the bands who was the best. In my opinion, this is an amazing liver performance and it is hands down the best live performance from The Who. The energy and power from the four lads is second to none and the video below will show you why The Who is better than The Beatles and The Stones when it comes to live shows. 


For those of you looking for a better Rock and Roll Circus audio quality then I've embedded a clip below for you to enjoy.



TonyDoug Wright is The Lost Soul of Rock and Roll and is also the head writer and owner of Champion City Comics. Follow him @TonyDougWright on Twitter.

Friday, February 15, 2013

My Super 70's: Roadrunner by The Modern Lovers

My Super 70's has come to an end and there is no better act to close this week than The Modern Lovers. This Boston, Massachusetts band was led by the eccentric Jonathan Richman and were active during the 1970's and 1980's. 'Roadrunner' is the opening track to their 1976 classic pre-punk masterpiece The Modern Lovers.

Simplicity in rock and roll should be appreciated. Some bands can create complex masterpieces, and I truly appreciate those works, but a teenage Jonathan Richman took three chords and created a punk anthem about the joys of driving in your car and listening to some great rock music. 'Roadrunner' is in my opinion one of the greatest songs in the history of rock and roll.

Released in 1976, The Modern Lovers debut was an influential rock and roll album that spent some four or five years in development hell. The Modern Lovers were pursued by various record companies in the early 70's, but tensions in the band and some other issues delayed the release. By 1976, Richman was essentially a solo artist that used a variety of backing musicians that were labeled 'The Modern Lovers'.

I don't think there is a better song to open an album than 'Roadrunner'. Richman's count to six leads into a true rock and roll experience that is second to none. It might not hit you at first, but 'Roadrunner' takes the listener to a time when rock and roll was fun and kids could jump on the stage with a band that had a handful of songs that used a couple of chords.

On a side note, a lawmaker in Massachusetts is trying to make 'Roadrunner' the official state song. Enjoy!





TonyDoug Wright is The Lost Soul of Rock and Roll and is also the head writer and owner of Champion City Comics. Follow him @TonyDougWright on Twitter.

Thursday, February 14, 2013

My Super 70's: I'd Really Love To See You Tonight by England Dan and John Ford Coley

Happy Valentine's Day. The Lost Soul of Rock and Roll has a special treat for you today because I'm giving you some England Dan and John Ford Coley. They had a hit in 1976 with 'I'd Really Love To See You Tonight', which is quite possibly the most polite booty call song in the history of rock and roll.

Take a listen to the song and then join me for some deep thoughts:



Are you with me on that being the most polite booty call song? England Dan and John Ford Coley are struggling to get a lady to stop by for the evening. If you break down the lyrics you have something that goes like this, "Excuse me, I'm having strong feelings for you and I would be most pleased if you joined me for an evening of coitus. It's completely up to you, my dear. I apologize for being very forward." My friend described this as "Booty calling a 1970's feminist". Don't get all uptight with me because the 70's was by no means a conservative decade. Studio 54 anyone?

The 70's had plenty of sexy jams, and they were more direct than 'I'd Love To See You Tonight'. For example, the master himself, Marvin Gaye, sent millions of women into a sexual frenzy with his 1973 hit 'Let's Get It On'. When this song played on the radio, some women underwent a miraculous moment where they instantly became pregnant. Marvin had magic powers.I'm going to test my Marvin theory out and embed his hit below. WARNING: I AM NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY IMMACULATE CONCEPTIONS.


Happy Valentine's Day and stay sexy.

TonyDoug Wright is The Lost Soul of Rock and Roll and is also the head writer and owner of Champion City Comics. Follow him @TonyDougWright on Twitter.

Wednesday, February 13, 2013

My Super 70's: Hard Times by Baby Huey

My Super 70's week is going strong. The song that I have selected for today is 'Hard Times' by Baby Huey. This song was featured on Baby Huey's 1971 cult classic album The Baby Huey Story: The Living Legend.

Baby Huey was a 400 pound mountain of soul music that died before his first album was released. Born James Ramey, he was given the nickname Baby Huey due to his resemblance to the cartoon character. He helped form Baby Huey and The Babysitters, a R&B group that gained a reputation as an exciting act. By the late 1960's Baby Huey and The Babysitters caught the eye of Curtis Mayfield who wanted to sign Huey, sans the band, to his label Curtom Records. However, members of The Babysitters were asked to help record Baby Huey's debut album in 1970, which led to a tense recording session.

Baby Huey never saw the release of his debut. An addiction to heroin and a drinking problem led to his death at the age of twenty-six. The Baby Huey Story: The Living Legend is something of a Velvet Underground and Nico album for the hip-hop world. The album sold poorly, but inspired a hip-hop generation.

I discovered this album last year during one of my various internet searches for long lost albums. The first song I heard was 'Hard Times' and it was a pretty catchy tune despite the fact that it dealt with inner city misery. I've checked out the entire album The Baby Huey Story: The Living Legend online and it was a great debut that showed a great deal of promise for the young singer. We'll never know what could have been but enjoy the song below.




TonyDoug Wright is The Lost Soul of Rock and Roll and is also the head writer and owner of Champion City Comics. Follow him @TonyDougWright on Twitter.