WOODSTOCK 1969!!

                                          

That's right!  BobDylan turned down performing at Woodstock because of all the damn hippies hanging around his apartment.  I'm not going to lie, this makes me giggle..

                                   

Woodstock of 1969 took place in Bethel, New York for a 3 day festival of music and peace.  From Friday, August 15 to early morning of Monday, August 18th a concert filled with sex, drugs and rock n' roll took place.  When I was younger and first discovered classic rock I considered being born in the wrong decade.  When I heard about Woodstock '69, I was confident there had been a mistake.

Named the "Aquarian Exposition" over 500,000 people gathered to what has become the most famous music festival ever.  Woodstock was about peace, happiness and freedom to do, act and feel how ever they wanted.  There were naked people, people tripping on acid, smoking pot and having sex freely and openly.  

My favorites that were at this concert are: Janis Joplin, The Grateful Dead, The Who, Jefferson Airplane, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Crosby Stills Nash & Young and Jimi Hendrix.  Jimi ended the epic concert with the infamous electric The Star Spangled Banner...

Like a Rolling Stone...

"Bob freed the mind the way Elvis freed the body.  He invented a new way a pop singer could sound, broke through the limitations of what a recording artist could achieve, and changed the face of rock and roll forever." -Bruce Springstein about Bob Dylan when he was inducted in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Born on May 24, 1941 in Duluth, Minneosota one of the greatest "folk/rock" singer and songwriter was born.  Robert Allen Zimmerman, Bob Dylan, has forever changed the world with his controversial and very truthful lyrics and incredibly memorable voice.  His influences are, similar to Jimi Hendrix, Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis and Little Richard. 

In 1960, Dylan dropped out of college and moved to New York City.  He became a regular at the coffee shops in Greenwich Village and started writing songs.  In 1961 after one of his performances, The New York Times wrote a rave review which essentially led Columbia Records to sign him.  

Bob Dylan was released early in 1962 and was the record that made Dylan's profound and original voice known worldwide with traditional folk songs and covers of some blues songs.  Along with singer and songwriter, Dylan was also known as a poet and his music was significantly different because of this.  His music was important for a number of reasons.  One of these was because of the protest movements taking place throughout the 60's.  He was one of the most iconic poeple in this movement.  His lyrics inspired many because of the truths he acknowledged with his music.  

However, by 1964 Dylan grew tired of his reputation of the folk singer/songwriter of the protest movement and made the album, Another Side of Bob Dylan.  This album included songs: All I Really Want to Do, Black Crow Blues, It Ain't Me Babe and many others...This album was a successful attempt to break away from the political aspect of his music and focus more on his personal side.

Another album of Dylan's, my favorite,  was released in 1966 and named Blonde on Blonde. In my opinion, this album was his most groundbreaking and creative.  My two favorite songs on this album are  Rainy Day Women #12 & 35 and Just Like A Woman.  His voice is simply unmistakable and his lyrics unforgettable.  Through his music he was able to combine literature and music in a way that had never been done before.  

Well I have to go, but before I leave here is a link that will lead you to a site where you can read his lyrics.  I know it might sound weird, but trust me, he wouldn't be so famous if they weren't as incredible as they're known to be.

http://www.bobdylan.com/#/songs

Keep checking my blog to see the answer to this question:

  What concert did Bob Dylan decline to perform because he was "sick of all the hippies hanging around his apartment?"

We Will Rock You

"I thought up the name Queen. It's just a name, but it's very regal obviously, and it sounds splendid, It's a strong name, very universal and immediate. It had a lot of visual potential and was open to all sorts of interpretations. I was certainly aware of gay connotations, but that was just one facet of it." -Freddie Mercury

I'm driving on the road, I am the only one in the car, there's nothing but the road in front of me and the time it takes to get to my destination. My ipod is the only source of sound, so I make sure it's consuming and loud. Whenever I'm driving, almost always a song from Queen bursts through the speakers. Personally, I love belting the words along side Freddie pretending I am part of the English rock band.

Bohemian Rhpasody. Is there really anything else I have to say? If you don't know what these two words mean I feel utter sympathy for you. Just in case, here's a link and a warning...prepare to have your mind blown:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=irp8CNj9qBI

Other favorites of mine that are great to get pumped up, have stuck in your head for days or just to dance around to: We Will Rock You, We Are the Champions, Under Pressure, Somebody to Love, Killer Queen, Fat Bottomed Girls, Don't Stop Me Now and Bicycle Race. They are all wonderful in their own way, each making your body move to the beats blasting through the speakers. The vocals, the rhythm, the intensity all work together to create something all its own.

Freddie Mercury real name (Farookh Bulsara): vocals, piano, guitar and keyboards
Brian May: guitar, synths and vocals
Roger Taylor: drums, percussion, synths and vocals
John Deacon: bass guitar, double bass and keyboards

If you know of them, but have never listened to them..I highly suggest you change that. If you don't like them...well, whatever. And if you love them like I do... hell yeaaa!

The love of my life...

So this is my first blog and though I was struggling at first to decide what to do.  I realized I should dedicate it my first to my true love...Mr. Jimi Hendrix.  Born Johnny (later changed to James) Allen Hendrix on Novemeber 27, 1942 in Seattle, Washington.  He is known as a guitarist, singer and songwriter.  Though Jimi never learned how to read music, he single-handedly created a new form of music with his  electric guitar.  His music is classified as classic rock, pschyadelic rock and blue-rock.  His inspirations came through a variety of musicians such as Elvis Presley, Bob Dylan, Little Richard and blues music by Muddy Waters and B.B. King.

Jimi got his first guitar at age 15 which replaced the broomstick he used to pretend was a guitar.   Well, at least I'm not the only one who used to do that...

Hey Joe was Jimi's first hit single and what made his manager, Chas Chandler (bassist of The Animals), fall in love with this never before heard music.  Soon after in London, The Jimi Hendrix Experience was formed with bassist Noel Redding and drummer Mitch Mitchell.  Are You Experienced was the bands first album and my personal favorite.  There are multiple earth-shattering songs and many of my favorites: Foxy Lady, Manic Depression, Love or Confusion, Are You Experienced?, Purple Haze and The Wind Cries Mary. 

His second album, Axis: Bold As Love which featured songs most would know like: Castles Made of Sand, If 6 Was 9, Little Wing and Bold As Love.  And third album, Electric Ladyland with four sides of the track.  Voodoo Chile, All Along the Watchtower, Gypsy Eyes and Have You Ever Been (to Electric Ladyland) are my personal favorites from this album.  

Along with his music, Hendrix's unconventional and enticing personality made his music more contagious in the infamous 1960s lifestyle and hippie movement.  Below are pictures where you can see how his fashion is detailed with scarves, rings, brooches and medallions.  It is said that while he was touring the UK, one of the few possessions he carried throughout the tour were hair curlers to emulate Bob Dylan's hairstyle.

    

In my opinion the music Jimi Hendrix made with Redding and Mitchell will never be forgotten, no matter.  I think that only a handful of musicians will ever have that reputation, Elvis Presley and The Beatles are among them.  

Well, I hope you enjoyed my first post...I'll leave you with a link that will lead you to a video of one of my favorite songs.  I wish I was there!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=5hSW67ySCio