The 3 Best Irish Rebel Songs of All Time

Most countries in the world have their own particular type of folk music but the Irish are possibly the best when it comes to rebel songs. I was asked recently why our band was called Keltic Jam as we played such an eclectic mix of music. It is mainly because we grew up hearing and loving all genres of music but it got me thinking about the best Irish rebel songs of all time and I came up with the following list.
I suggest that the top 3 are:
1. Kevin Barry
At the age of 18, Kevin Barry was hanged for being a member of the Irish Republican Army (IRA). The author is unknown and likely would not want to be known as the song became an anthem for IRA members and Kevin Barry became a martyr, one of "The Forgotten Ten." There are numerous versions of the song ranging anywhere from 3 verses to 4 with a chorus, making it quite long. It became popular among British troops in Ireland as well as the Irish rebels. The endearing melody and the patriotic lyrics, make this a common Irish pub song as well as a "call to action."
2. Four Green Fields
Written by Tommy Makem and released in 1967 this song was an analogy of the Irish republican Army struggle to free Northern Ireland from British rule. The four green fields represent the provinces of Ireland with Ulster remaining a part of Britain after the partition resulting in the rest of Ireland forming a Republic. It is the most commonly covered song in the repertoire of Tommy Makem and would be unlikely to be left out of any extended set by a performer of Irish traditional folk songs.
3. The Patriot Game
The song memorializes the death of Fergal O'Hanlon from wounds suffered against an attack on the British outside Brookeborough in Northern Ireland. The song was written by Dominic Behan and references other betrayals in warfare such as that of Quisling, a Norwegian, who betrayed the Allies to the Germans in World War Two. Bob Dylan used the melody on his track "With God on Our Side" released on his third album "The Times They Are A'Changin'" released in 1964. Dominic Behan was a famous Irish songwriter, short-story writer, novelist and playwright. He is probably the best known Irish songwriter of the 20th century and this song, in my opinion, his best.

How the Foo Fighters Band Was Formed

Dave Grohl started his musical career, when he was a teenager, he wrote songs and played guitar. He also performed, with other popular hardcore punk groups. He joined a popular band in the 80s, known as hardcore band scream and became the drummer of the band. In his final days, as a drummer in hardcore band scream, he started to write his own material at the basement studio of his close friend Barrett Jones. Some of the songs, which Grohl wrote were featured on the hardcore band scream last album. After hardcore band scream tour in 1990, Dave Grohl decided to quit from the band and joined Nirvana. This forced Grohl to shift to Seattle.
Grohl decided to go back to D.C, after Nirvana produced and recorded "Never mind". He went to D.C and recorded a few singles, which were featured on Pocket watch, a cassette which was released by simple machines. In 1992, Grohl was very busy with Nirvana but when the group was not performing or recording any songs, he used to record his own songs with Jones. They recorded a few songs until 1993, when Grohl decided to go back to Nirvana band. He was planning to release another independent cassette in 1993, but he was not successful. After the death of Kurt Cobain, Grohl decided to be silent.
After a few months, Grohl and Jones recorded an album, which became Foo fighter's debut album. On the album, Grohl played all the instruments. He produced more than eight copies of the tape and gave out the tapes to friends. Instead of Grohl, moving on as a solo artist, he formed a band. The band was called Foo fighters. It was established after World War II. After the band was formed, they signed a record deal with Capitol records. Foo Fighters released their debut album in 1995 and became successful in United States.
In 1996, the band toured extensively, to support the album. Towards the end of 1996, the band went back to studio and recorded their second album. Foo Fighters band worked with a good producer known as Gil Norton.
When they were recording their second album, the band suffered a huge blow after William Goldsmith, decided to leave the group. William left the group because of creative tension, within the band and this made Grohl, to play drums in all the songs. Before, Foo Fighters band, released their second album in 1997, the band replaced William with Taylor Hawkins. Despite Foo fighters being successful in the 90s, the band members were facing a lot of challenges, like when the band released their first album they were criticized because of coping heavily, the music style of Nirvana band

Bob Dylan Chronicles: The Confession Of An Artist

Bob Dylan: Chronicles - Volume 1, is supposed to be the first part of a 3 volumes memoir. Published in 2004, there have been countless rumors about the release of a second volume. The author has just confirmed in a recent interview to Rolling Stone dated September 2012 that he was indeed working on it. This is the second book written by the songwriter since his experiment with Tarantula (1971), and apart from the following three collections of his drawings Drawn Blank (1994), The Brazil Series (2009) and Man Gave Names To All The Animals (2009).
This first volume of Bob Dylan's Chronicles covers the year he arrived in New York, back in 1961, and the events surrounding two of his albums: New Morning and Oh, Mercy. Therefore, it avoids the times and recordings that turned the man into a legend. This may be an attempt to reestablish his relationship with journalists on another level, as he explains: "Most people who write about music, they have no idea what it feels like to play it. But with the book I wrote, I thought, 'The people who are writing reviews of this book, man, they know what the hell they're talking about.'
This musician's autobiography is one of the few written by an artist himself, without the help of a journalist, and it's also well written. Up to the point where attacks have been made against the book using the same charges that have targeted his songs recently. Indeed, a lot of sentences from Chronicles seem to be reassembled phrases taken from other books. But maybe that's why his memoir is so good: it was written like a song, so that the book itself reflects its own subject, and that the form underlines the content.
Furthermore, the book acknowledges the way Bob Dylan built his entire body of work. Charges of plagiarism fall flat the minute you realize what Chronicles is: not the list of events that made B. Dylan famous, but a collection of situations that have inspired the artist. The book actually lays down the foundation of his art, within the form of the work itself.
Because the book is not a biography, but a true chronicle. It's not the account of a person's life but "an extended account [... ] of historical events, sometimes including legendary material, presented in chronological order and without authorial interpretation or comment", as defined by the free online dictionary. Long after Bob Dylan was labeled the "voice of a generation", people keep scrutinizing his lyrics and building up theories, when the guy keeps repeating that he only wants to write songs and play them live. And this book says nothing more...

Bob Dylan uses the same template for memoir and for his songs, giving the book the coherence and genuine quality that lacks so many other musical autobiographies. This is just another way to say that what matters is the music, and the music only.

The 5 Best Bob Dylan Songs Of All Time

Bob Dylan is possibly the greatest singer-songwriter ever, considering the number of the songs he has written and their quality, the mark he has left in music history or the legend he has built around his persona. It seems that today no journalist would think of challenging his supremacy, and all of his last productions seem to leave them all in awe. But which are the man's best songs? Let's give this tricky exercise a try, and select what in our opinion are the best Bob Dylan songs.

• "Like A Rolling Stone". You can't get around this one. The lyrics, the flow... Here, Bob Dylan invents "modern rock" with the help of his thin, wild mercury sound. The chaotic instrumentation of the track underlines this story of the decline of a model. Just listen to that incredible organ that ponders through the choruses.


• "Mr. Tambourine Man". In this one, Bob Dylan creates a whole new image for himself: after having been considered as a protest singer, he evolves into the Arthur Rimbaud of American Folk Music and changes the focus of his lyrics from the outside to the inside. "I'm ready to go anywhere, I'm ready for to fade, into my own parade, cast your dancing spell my way, I promise to go under it."


• "Not Dark Yet". Bob Dylan is getting old, with a "sense of humanity [that] has gone down the drain." But he is not dead yet. This song is from what is considered to be the album that sealed his comeback to the forefront of music: Time Out Of Mind. The latter's warm reception actually gives the following line tremendous depth and irony: "I can't even remember what it was I came here to get away from."


• "Love Minus Zero/No Limit". This is the perfect example to remind us that Dylan is not just a fantastic writer of lyrics, but also a great composer of tunes. And that one of the foundations of his art is rhythm. This song gives us one of his career defining quotes: "There's no success like failure, and [... ] failure's no success at all."


• "If You Ever Go To Houston". This song captures what Bob Dylan has always been since he changed the course of popular music: a musician trying to embody the heart of American music. The best line of the song being: "If you ever go to Austin, Fort Worth or San Antone, find the bar rooms I got lost in, and send my memories home."

While most consider that the best Bob Dylan songs belong to the sixties, I think it is clear that the songwriter still has a lot to offer. Keep in mind that his latest album is not entitled"The Tempest" but just "Tempest"...

How to Make a Living As a Rapper

Rapping is no easy job. And unlike a regular job where you are guaranteed a paycheck every month, in rap there are times when there is no paycheck. And in all likely hood that's gonna probably be the case. But do not be discouraged, because today we have something called the internet. Were there are millions of hungry listeners dying to hear your music. You just have to know how to get to them.
There are many websites such as Facebook and Twitter were you could set up a page and you can constantly update fans on the latest news and music. Some rappers such as Mac Miller have built up a large fan base just off of the internet. You just have be patient and consistent, and since you are reading this article you are already making a major step in the right direction.
And now that you have a moderate fan base and a decent amount of music, you may ask yourself, how can I start to make a living off of it? Well the first thing is to make sure your fans are familiar with you, cause in most cases they wouldn't purchase your music unless they felt comfortably enough in doing so. So you would have to release a series of free music (better known as mix tapes) until fans become so familiar with your work that when you do release a song or album on I tunes they will most likely purchase it.
Another way to make a living as a rapper is to do shows. Shows are a great way to promote your brand and to make some decent money on the side. Call up rappers who are going to perform in your area and ask if they need an opening act. Or look up on the web and find places that need rappers, there are many ways to find shows you just have to work hard and keep looking.
So, now that you have just enough knowledge in making a living in the rap industry all you have to do now is to go work hard to make a name for yourself. And always remember, never be discouraged by what others may say to, because you will have the last laugh when your out there making millions of dollars off of what you love. Now get out there and start making a living off of your music!

4 Steps to Buying Hip Hop Beats

Buying beats in today's day and age is easier than ever. Back in the day you had to do extensive research to find a hip hop producer, but now a days you can just turn on your Google search engine and type in ''buy beats'' and you'll get thousands of website results in seconds. Sounds pretty easy right? It is, but there are 4 major mistakes that most people who are looking for beats make. So this article is here to help you avoid those mistakes.
1. Make sure that the website that you are purchasing beats from has a leasing and exclusive contract. Leasing basically means that you have the rights to use the beat but you do not have the rights to fully own it. And exclusive means you have full 100% rights to the beat and you can use it for whatever that you choose. Every website has there own agreements so make sure that you do proper research before you buy.
2. Listen closely to the beat that you are interested in buying and make sure that it is mixed properly. A lot of times people who are interested in buying beats are not familiar with the term mixing. A properly mixed track means that the tracks over all sound is fresh and clean as opposed to dirty and distorted, A lot of people look over this step but I am telling you now that it is extremely vital. So be sure to ask a friend who is familiar with this field to listen to the track and make sure it is mixed properly.
3. Check if the website that you want to buy beats from isn't over charging you. The average beat leases vary from 10 to 20 dollars, and depending on how big the website is it could be more. Unless this isn't a major producer then I wouldn't recommend paying more then that, but it really all depends on your overall budget.
4. Ask the producer if the beat is sample free. Unless you only plan on using the beat for a non profit album or mix tape then it would be fine, But if you plan on using it for a major or independent album then I would strongly recommend that the instrumentals that you use do not have samples. Other wise you run a big chance of being sued.
So there you have it, and although these steps may seem simple they are extremely important in your career, good luck!

Choosing the Correct Wedding Band for Your Special Day

We have all been to certain events where the act or band that is entertaining just doesn't cut it. Perhaps it's the wrong music, the wrong look, or the wrong attitude. Perhaps they are performing their own original music! (not exactly right for a wedding or bar mitzvah, people want to hear catchy, familiar songs they can sing along to).
If you are getting married, you will soon realise that there is a lot of different types of entertainment out there to choose from, and you will have to make an informed decision. After all it is your special day!
You should choose an act that performs music that you and your partner really enjoy, but that equally won't be offensive to the wider age range of people that will most likely be attending your wedding. Usually for a wedding, a band is the most popular option and if they are a high quality act, they can really be 'the clincher' as to the success of the night overall.
Finding The Right Band
The first step is to look around. Use social networking sites like Facebook or Google Plus to ask your friends for recommendations. Recommendations are the most popular way that bands are chosen for weddings but not necessarily the best way. If the band has a website, you will be able to have a look at their song list. So look at it!

• Is it varied?
• Is it upbeat?
• Are there some slow tracks in there for later on in the evening?

Don't forget about who's going to be there, it is unlikely that your guests will all be the same age, you will most likely have all ages there from screaming babies to your great grand parents. If you do however know for a fact that your guests will all be younger, then try to choose modern dance or chart songs. If your guests are all going to be older, than perhaps think about a jazz or swing band.
As well as performing all over the country at weddings and corporate events, most wedding bands will also play around their home town in pubs and clubs. Go for a night out and see them in action before you make any decisions!

• How was the audiences reaction to them?
• How was their language on stage? Any swearing?
• Were they playing too loud for the size of the venue?

Your guests will see the wedding reception as a time to talk to family members and friends that they haven't seen for a while and the last thing they are going to want is a 'wall of sound' making it difficult for them to even think, let alone talk!.
Sometimes a wedding band can be a much better option than a DJ as people generally seem to get more involved. Some bands even supply a DJ service in between and after their sets at a little extra cost if you really feel you need one.
Certain bands will even learn your first dance song if you give them enough notice. This will add a nice personal touch to your wedding.
Although there is more expense involved, a wedding band will make your event more memorable than a DJ alone. Just make sure you choose one that is right for you!

Learning How to Play a Musical Instrument

There are a number of benefits that have become a major appeal for those that want to learn a musical instrument such as discipline, relaxation, boosting confidence and improving your sense of achievement. If you want to feel the satisfaction of playing your instrument, then learning is a great way of reaping those benefits.
All About Strings
Whether you want to play cello, violin, double bass or viola, choose a string instrument that appeals to you. Although many violinists sound very accomplished, it took a lot of hard work for them to get to that stage and learning the right technique with a string instrument requires dedication and lots of practice.
Choose an instrument you are interested in and take a few lessons at least to teach you the basics of having fun while learning how to play.
Percussion
Great for anyone with a good sense of rhythm, the percussion instrument group has a wide variety of instruments to choose from. These include a variety of drums, bells, cymbals, or other items that create a beat. Generally, each nation also has their own variety of drums too and Yoruba drumming (from Nigeria) or Taiko drumming (from Japan) are very popular types of percussion instruments.
Woodwind
A woodwind instrument can create a beautiful sound but again may require plenty of practice if there is a certain mouth or finger technique that you need to be taught. Taking lessons with a woodwind teacher will help you perfect your technique and create the beautiful sound that you are after.
Flutes are included in the woodwind family although they are made out of metal and these instruments have a very specific mouth shape and blowing technique that help you create the sound.
Similarly, the oboe, a double reed instrument is a complicated instrument to play if you don't know the proper mouth technique required.
Brass
The brass instrument is popular with many people because of the powerful sound that most of the instruments produce. Whether you want to learn trumpet, trombone, French horn or tuba, a lot of breath is required to push out the powerful sound.
Each brass instrument produces its own unique sound, from a low vibration of a tuba to the mellow softness of the French horn.
If you want to know how to play an instrument, learn music theory, book some lessons, find a teacher and begin your musical journey!

Developing a Powerful Vocal

Amateur singers will have to spend time doing some exercises if they would like to develop a powerful vocal. It is also necessary for them to learn how to do the exercises correctly so that they do not end up injuring their vocal cords. The right vocal exercises should supplement the training program that amateur singers are undergoing. However, they should be guided by professional voice teachers so that they may attain their goals as singers. Aside from doing the proper exercises, there are other things that they have to take note of.
It is vital that amateur singers keep their bodies healthy through proper food, enough rest and regular exercises. Those who are able to do this will strengthen their immune system and they may not be affected by health problems. They are also able to avoid colds as well as other infections of the mouth and throat which could affect the sound of their voice. Singers also need energy and they need their bodies to be able to sustain their voices especially during practices and performances. Regular aerobic exercises will also contribute in their lungs' capacity to take in air and hold it for a little longer. They would need this especially when they are singing high notes or high pitched songs.
Another important thing that amateur singers have to learn is to hydrate their bodies every day. It is advisable that they drink warm water or at least room-temperature water in between rehearsals or performances. Cold water will not be good on the vocal cords especially after a voice work-out as it tends to make a numbing effect that hinders the singers to give a powerful vocal sound after. Amateur singers also have to learn to make use of correct singing methods so that they are able to preserve the health of their voices for a long time. While they are singing, they should not feel any pain. They may be using the wrong technique when they feel some discomfort in doing it.
If the pain does not go away, amateur singers may have to see an otolaryngologist or an ENT for proper diagnosis as they might have damaged their vocal cords. Some amateur singers may not feel any pain that would indicate damage or injury but at times their voice quality changes. They may also have to consult with their doctors if they experience hoarseness, fatigue, voice range limitation and other problems. Overworking the vocal cords to the point of straining them will not produce the powerful vocal sound that singers are aiming for. Amateur singers have to rest and to take care of themselves in order for them to develop powerful vocals without causing damage.

Tips For Beginners Who Are Taking Basic Guitar Lessons

Are you interested in taking up basic guitar lessons? Don't go rushing to register for any course yet. I have some important tips for you and I believe you need to know them first. By the end of this article you should have a better understanding of guitar classes and what is expected of you.
Now I know you want to look for basic guitar lessons, but do you know that there are different types of lessons available? Well, I am actually referring to the class size. You could opt for private lessons or group lessons. Group lessons tend to be cheaper but you may not get as much attention as you would if you signed up for private classes. In the case of the latter, some guitar teachers do not mind traveling to your home to teach you, so that gives you the added advantage of being able to learn the guitar from the comfort of your own home. Of course, group lessons have their advantages as well. You get to meet other people who share the same interest (wanting to learn to play the guitar) as you and you can learn together with them (you get to meet other people in the same boat as you). Whatever your preference is, go for it.
Whichever type of lesson you picked, this next point is equally vital, especially for beginners who are taking basic guitar lessons. Let me put it real bluntly. Every good student should ask questions. If you have any doubts, be sure to ask you guitar teacher. Make sure you understand what is going on during your lessons. By asking questions, you not only show your teacher and peers that you are serious about learning or interested to learn more, but you may even help another peer (if you are in a group) have his or her doubt clarified. Asking also opens the door to more learning. Anyway, there is no harm in asking questions so long as it will benefit you and the rest of the class (if you are in a group).
Lastly, you need to set aside time to practice on your guitar daily. The learning does not stop once the class ends. Your learning continues even when you are not with your teacher. I recommend that you spend at least an hour a day practicing on your guitar. It is also good to review what you have learnt during past lessons.
With that, I hope you have a better understanding of what's expected of you when taking basic guitar lessons. Go ahead and sign up for guitar classes, and while you are learning, I hope you have fun as well

One Direction Inspired MerchandiseOne Direction Inspired Merchandise

The rapidly increasing popularity of the group One Direction is continuing to grow, which has resulted in more and more promotional gifts and branded merchandise hitting the shelves. In what has been a relatively short time, no one can deny that the five piece boy band have done extremely well for themselves, not only in the United Kingdom, but also in the United States, where they are equally adored by friends.
It has become clear that 1D is without doubt the biggest group act to emerge from the UK version of The X Factor. After coming third in the 2010 series of The X Factor, One Direction is now a global act that have enjoyed great success with their first album, "Up All Night", which has achieved great acclaim and number one hits in many countries across the globe. The groups headlining tours have also being highly successful and sold out at every venue. Although the group has done well from selling their album, a significant proportion of their money was earned through touring and the wide range of merchandise products. Multi-million dollar merchandising and endorsement deals have been signed with such large companies as Hasbro toys, Pokémon, and Nokia.
Branded promotional gifts and merchandise includes such popular items as bags, lanyards, clothes (T-shirts, hoodies, shoes, etc), pens, mugs, bedding, and much more. Merchandise in general is a highly effective way to advertise, as it is often in sight, and therefore constantly working to promote a particular place or person. For instance, at the One Direction arena tours, the fans will buy a varied assortment of merchandise in support of their favorite band, which is often used or worn long after the concert has finished. Some of the popular merchandise items, such as the lanyards, t-shirts, and hoodies, are of course highly visible, and therefore able to maximize on the bands exposure.
Most of the One Direction merchandise is designed and manufactured to a very high standard, which is often available at affordable prices to enable the well-equipped 1D fan to show their devotion to the band. It has become easier to find the wide-ranging merchandise products, not only online but in the general retail stores. Although, if interested in the 1D merchandise, it often benefits if you're able to take the necessary step to make sure you're shopping for the official product range. This will guarantee you are just purchasing high quality items.

Review: Angel Witch (UK) - As Above, So Below (2012)

Angel Witch is widely regarded as one of the biggest bands that are credited for building up Nwobhm-genre (or movement, what ever you want to call it). Nwobhm stands for "The New Wave Of British Heavy Metal", and was first discovered and named in 1979 in The Great Britain, where bands such as Angel Witch, Iron Maiden, Samson, and Saxon were recognized by having their own new authentic style by media. Geoff Barton of "Sounds" magazine was actually first person to use term Nwobhm. The sound that adapted itself from classic rock and punk rock, taking best of both worlds.
Angel Witch were one of the more epic and instrumentally more skilled bands of the Nwobhm movement, releasing their first debut album in 1980 "Angel Witch. Much praised epic Nwobhm opus with magical compositions, being same time doomy, melancholic, mysterious and drawing influences from 70's progressive rock. After this they came out with two more full length releases: "Screamin' n' Bleedin'" in 1985 and "Frontal Assault" in 1986. But at the time of the latter two releases Angel Witch had seemed to lose that special atmosphere that made the debut so epic, so highly praised, and so unique. The compositions got more straight forward, tad more mainstream, heavier, more standard heavy metal. They kept their "dramatic " and "melancholic" influences in their melodies, but lost complexity of it.
Review
Now it's year 2012 and Angel Witch have returned with a brand new "reunion" album called "As Above, So Below", first one in 26 years. That's a damn long time. The band has had some activity throughout the years between actual recordings though.. so I got a feeling that musical compositions have been living and forming in Kevin Heybourne's head, who's only original member left of any lineup since the 80's. Not to worry though, Heybourne has been the driving force behind the Angel Witch's wheel before. Alongside him he has recruited two newer talens without any mention worthy career in any known heavy metal bands before.
The new album comes with FANTASTIC cover-art, released by Rise Above Records, containing decent amount of tracks (eight), and running respectable 50 minutes plus. After a long break between releases you're sure to ask two questions: it's so long break that is the album half-hearted release that lacks the original power? And have they sticked with either of the former styles or modernized their sound? Well I got good news for you. The very basis of this album, the body of it, is of a right sort. First of all this is not half-hearted release.. Heybourne is in a good shape as a writer, guitarist, and singer. No signs of tiredness. Secondly a great thing is that this album is rooted perhaps the most to their sound from times of the "self titled debut album"! Well it's a mixture of that and some of the "Screamin' n' Bleedin'" era in my opinion. It hangs there in between but is definitely closer to the debut by sound and compositions.
The reason to this may well be that Angel Witch have used several old compositions here to re-record old songs. In fact "Dead Sea Scrolls" and "Witching Hour" are from around 1983-1984 originally, a time between the debut and it's sequel, while "Into The Dark" and "Guillotine" (which was later used in "Frontal Assault" under different name: "Rendezvous With the Blade") date from times before aforementioned. Rest of the tracks are new. This at least supports the album's sound rooted to early 80's times of the band.
So song compositions sound like mixture of selt titled debut and the second album. How about the general sound of album? The sound itself is very damn good! The rhythm guitars are sort of a very slightly muddy, deep and still sort of crisp with very light distortion. They're sort of a "doomy" which is cool. While lead guitars themselves are crisp, clean, and very audible. Bass is sort of a dry, fuzzy, not stealing the show but can be heard well and adds doomy atmosphere. Soaring lead guitar melodies combined with doomy rhythm guitars takes you on a trip to late 70's / early 80's for sure. And in addition to comparison to earlier Angel Witch, the band also sounds like Witchfinder General with their "Death Penalty" album - sound wise. They did not overproduce the album which gives it natural born raw power and roughness to their beautiful compositions. I should also mention that drumwork is very nice. The drummer focuses to complexity perhaps more than "straight forward thundering", but his use of the hi-hats and cymbals as "fills" sounds great! It Brings Iain Finlay (ex-Running Wild) from "Death or Glory" album to my mind. Heybourne's gloomy middle pitched clean vocals are still strong as before. While he may not be the most original vocalist around, with not having those high pitched piercing screams, or cool rough bluesy edge on his voice, he knows how to sing Nwobhm style stuff with emotion.
This albums has it's share of those progressive rock elements that were there in early Angel Witch compositions. It lives in songs like "Into The Dark", which is a mind trip itself. It's one of the best songs in the album. It starts as laid back progressive/doomy track mixing mellow melodies with melancholic and mysterious ones, while lead guitars build labyrinth-like patterns taking listener to a journey to the other side, and then ending with aggression and speed. Another my favorite would be melancholic and epic "Dead Sea Scrolls" with crisp Nwobhm style rhythm riffage at it's finest, and soaring lead guitars crying on top of that. "Brainwashed" would be third favorite to mention with that gruesome and eerie lead guitar prelude, leading into even old era Megadeth-like rhythm guitar lines, while chorus is definitely as Angel Witch as it gets and the track features some nice progressive-like shredding parts. On the other hand "Gebura" could be straight off the Screamin' n' Bleedin' album, and "Guillotine" sounds like Frontal Assault-material, where it was later on used.
Lyrics are sort of a poetic, riddling, mysterious and epic on other songs, while there's certainly that more philosophical and meaningful side the lyrics too like in "Brainwashed":
"Maybe the story's true for believers
A victim's story of deception
A god alone, and we start with soldiers, a simple man
A lie to be made for the power of control
To scare them for the guilt
Wash yourself, start with their blood
To wear the symbol to what made the pain
To what made the death
Look into your own eyes
Your reflection shows you' re brainwashed
Restrain yourself inside
Stop yourself from being brainwashed"
Lyrics as well as those that makes us think - sort of lyrics that makes us recognize things in ourselves and around us - are always cool.
Summary
The downsides of this albums are not many. Dramatic, melancholic, and gloomy atmosphere - with those eerie moments - that I love in old Angel Witch records is to be found in "As Above, So Below" with surprisingly old school rooted sound mix that has it's rough edges, but with updated quality. While this album honors classic Angel Witch, it fails to capture quite the same greatness and atmosphere than the debut. The basics of the album are straight on the right tracks. Old school style sound and production is there, just bit perfected. Debut style progressive / doomy compositions are partly there, with some of the bit newer sounding more straight forward mid-80's material combined. In my opinion the band are at their best when wandering into progressive / doomy waters with bit more complex and unique tracks such as "Into The Dark" which guarantees to take your mind into an adventure.
Perhaps this record overall is still not quite as complex, vibrant and varying than the debut was. It feels tad watered down in comparison. Not that much, but a bit, enough to not reach classic status. It's hard to recognize the actual faults here.. perhaps "The Horla", "Upon This Cord", and "Guillotine" drag a bit. "As Above, So Below" lacks perhaps a bit of a "finesse" although it has several great songs. Compositions just fail to match the debut - but they're good nevertheless! It's nice to see this album honor the band's original roots and sound.
I'd say that Angel Witch runs here with energy level on 7.5/10 and material is perhaps about the same, some great, some decently good, but the overall presentation of album - this album sounding perhaps as close to the early 80's as possible - deserves 9/10. It's greatness will grow slowly on you. As Above, So Below is very welcomed comeback that leaves you wanting more.. perhaps next time they manage to crank out eight quality songs that are even more epic! Recommended bargain for anyone loving heavy metal from early 70's to the 80's - but even more essential to the Nwobhm fanatics and fans of the band.

Pondering the Mystery of Cat Stevens Moonshadow

One of the biggest hits on the charts back in the day of its release was Cat Stevens Moonshadow. I loved the song as I did all of Cat Stevens' songs. Yet, I remember thinking even back then in my high school days that this particular lyric was a bit odd; I would say even hauntingly weird. First of all, what the heck is a "moonshadow"? Well, I think I got that. That's the shadow cast from oneself at night if the moon is shining bright. O.K. That was easy! But then he goes on about losing his hands, his legs, his eyes, his mouth and everybody I knew could sing this lyric of dismemberment like they were singing "Happy Birthday." It was a lyric slightly reminiscent of "Three Blind Mice." You remember that one! "She cut off their tails with a carving knife"? No Problem. A woman is mutilating handicapped mice and we teach children to sing about it.
But Cat Stevens is a poet and one must always listen intently to the words of a great poet for the deeper meaning. There is a philosophical and theological message embedded in these mystical lyrics. "And if I ever lose my hands... I won't have to work... if I ever lose my eyes... I won't have to cry... if I ever lose my legs... I won't have to walk... if I ever lose my mouth... I won't have to talk." O.K. Still weird, but is this poet speaking about life on a deeper level? I hear a vague connection to the words in The Bible that life is more than raiment and more than riches and the true worth of a man is not something physically perceived. We are who we are from within. No one can take away the true worth of a man. The unexplainable essence is spiritual, not physical. Perhaps Cat Stevens Moonshadow is a reference to his true self. Like an alter ego that is always there even through the darkness of night. The shadow of a man is like his soul. The real you is intangible, like a moonshadow. The physicality of man exists in a three dimensional world, but the shadow of a man is in a sense outside of those dimensions. I might be way off base here. This is only my personal attempt to understanding one of the oddest lyrics of any song that Cat Stevens has ever written.

What's the Difference - Rap vs Hip-Hop?

The differences in the rap and hip-hop music scene aren't rigidly defined. In many cases, a lot of people are likely to agree that rap is more a style of spoken rhythmic music, whereas hip-hop is more of a cultural phenomenon, which includes trends and fashions. Each of these genres has been able to establish a significant impact on our society and popular media. Originating in the 70s, the this music scene first established itself in New York City, and was influence at that time by the African-American community. By the late 90s, this type of music and cultural influences started to become more accepted, and became more widespread in mass media, including the increasing prevalence of rap and hip hop videos.
In general, it is often agreed that there are three mayor differences between the two types of music genres, which relate to the community message, the musical features, and the culture. It is these aspects that are often referred to in helping to separate the rap and hip-hop music scene from any other popular form of music. The influence of the hip-hop and rap scene, on politics to commercials, has significantly impacted many areas in our everyday lives.
In regards to the musical features, hip-hop is often cited as having a more rhythm and blues (R&B) feel, which generally has a more noticeable groove, and offers more in regards to crossover appeal. In relation to rap, this is often noted to have more hardcore edge to the lyrics, although either music type tends to deal with similar issues. Lyrically, the issues rapped about have changed quite considerably over the course of time, with rappers in the 70s and 80s often focusing on social issues, which were typically not popular in the media. While the more modern rap scene is often seen to focus on issues relating to relationships or consumer commercialism. And in relation to visual art, according to many the best rap music videos are those shot in black and white in the 90s.
Both of these music scenes are vastly popular in the music industry. In general, the rap artists are often seen to be predominately male, whereas in the hip-hop music scene, the artists are often seen to be more of a mixture of male and female. It is also the case that rap groups tended to be quite rare, with most artists performing as soloists.

Get To Know Some Information About Dubstep Music

Dubstep is a genre of music and to be more specific it is a genre of electronic music. Conventionally, the genre is known for its hard-hitting and slow baselines and the vocals were not previously audible to the listeners due to the wobbly bass sound. However, in the North American style of this genre, vocals are more common. It was known to have been introduced in the United Kingdom in the early 1990s and initially the disk jockeys were experimenting with bass and drum. Recently, a new form of dubstep music was introduced in the North America; however traditionalists are commenting that this new form is aggressive and it has a glitch sound, which is far away from its original form.
This new form still has hard-hitting bass and drops, which is much more aggressive and slightly faster than the original. Many artists create great music and because of their great creation, they have obtained a position among top ten dubstep artists. Some of these professional artists have a large number of fans and followers in social networking sites and they are known for their best creations thereby attracting more and more followers. One of the important reasons for popularity of this form of music is the websites offering the facility to music lovers to listen to different songs under different genres.
These websites not only stream music of top ten dubstep artists, but they are also streaming house music and other genres of music like jazz, rap, etc... Above all, for different albums streamed in these websites, the listeners are offered with the facility to write their comments and the more the producers gets positive comments, higher will be his chances to attain better popularity.
Music always possesses the ability to relax the minds of listeners and particularly when people listen to their favorite genre of music, they will get more exited in such a way that they will forget all the worries in their life. Above all, it offers the right kind of boost to the people, who are feeling tired due to their heavy work pressure. If a person is in heavy work pressure, he can visit a website streaming house music and can listen to his favorite artist and can make himself refreshed. This will offer him the required energy for further concentrating on the remaining day's work. So, visit the best website with the help of your favorite search engine and begin your enjoyment now.

The 3 Best English Classic Rock Songs of All Time

I suggest that the top 3 are:

· Stairway to Heaven

Led Zepplin, originally formed as The Yardbirds, became one of the greatest of all English rock bands and "Stairway to Heaven" was their crowning achievement. The song anchored their 4th album which was one of the greatest selling albums in rock history. Never released as a single, "Stairway to Heaven" is still one of the most heavily requested of all rock FM stations in the world. Jimmy Page eclipsed every other solo he had performed as a member of The Yardbirds or led Zeppelin with the brilliant guitar work in this song. The song is over 8 minutes long, thus no AM radio release, begins as a slow acoustic style folk ballad and climaxes as a driving, electric, uptempo, rock classic. It would be difficult to find another rock song as intricately woven and musically complex as this one. It rises above them all!

· Comfortably Numb

David Gilmour and Roger Waters agonized over the chord progression for this song. Waters wanted the (Bm) (A) (G) (Em) progression and Gilmour wanted the (D) (A) (C) (G) progression. The result is one of the greatest compromises of rock history co-writing. The verses are in the (Bm) progression and chechorus is in the (D) progression. "Comfortably Numb" is the anchor of the epic "The Wall" album, the crowning achievement for Pink Floyd. The guitar solos of David Gilmour on this song are the best ever delivered by the band and makes it the most memorable of dozens of great Pink Floyd songs.

· Imagine

John Lennon wrote or co-wrote many songs with Paul McCartney as a member of The Beatles. This song, at the epitamy of his solo career, is without doubt, the best of his illustrious career as a songwriter and performer. It was the best selling single of his solo career. The song challenged the listener to imagine a world without organized religion, without a focus on possessions, without war, with a brotherhood of man, living for today. Lennon's humanism and view of a utopian world was all revealed at its best in this classic song. It earned a Grammy Hall of Fame Award and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's list of "500 Hundred Songs That Shaped rock and Roll."

The 3 Best English Classic Rock Songs of All Time

I suggest that the top 3 are:

· Stairway to Heaven

Led Zepplin, originally formed as The Yardbirds, became one of the greatest of all English rock bands and "Stairway to Heaven" was their crowning achievement. The song anchored their 4th album which was one of the greatest selling albums in rock history. Never released as a single, "Stairway to Heaven" is still one of the most heavily requested of all rock FM stations in the world. Jimmy Page eclipsed every other solo he had performed as a member of The Yardbirds or led Zeppelin with the brilliant guitar work in this song. The song is over 8 minutes long, thus no AM radio release, begins as a slow acoustic style folk ballad and climaxes as a driving, electric, uptempo, rock classic. It would be difficult to find another rock song as intricately woven and musically complex as this one. It rises above them all!

· Comfortably Numb

David Gilmour and Roger Waters agonized over the chord progression for this song. Waters wanted the (Bm) (A) (G) (Em) progression and Gilmour wanted the (D) (A) (C) (G) progression. The result is one of the greatest compromises of rock history co-writing. The verses are in the (Bm) progression and chechorus is in the (D) progression. "Comfortably Numb" is the anchor of the epic "The Wall" album, the crowning achievement for Pink Floyd. The guitar solos of David Gilmour on this song are the best ever delivered by the band and makes it the most memorable of dozens of great Pink Floyd songs.

· Imagine

John Lennon wrote or co-wrote many songs with Paul McCartney as a member of The Beatles. This song, at the epitamy of his solo career, is without doubt, the best of his illustrious career as a songwriter and performer. It was the best selling single of his solo career. The song challenged the listener to imagine a world without organized religion, without a focus on possessions, without war, with a brotherhood of man, living for today. Lennon's humanism and view of a utopian world was all revealed at its best in this classic song. It earned a Grammy Hall of Fame Award and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's list of "500 Hundred Songs That Shaped rock and Roll."

The 3 Best Traditional Blues Songs of All Time

I suggest that the top 3 are:

· Hellhound on My Trail

Robert Johnson is considered by some to be the greatest bluesman of all time. It is hard to choose which of his songs is the best as there are so many great ones. It is reported that Johnson "sold his soul to the devil" for the ability to play the blues. This song is representative of his life as Johnson never permanently settled down and is rumoured to have been poisoned to death by a jealous juke joint owner. Robert had a habit of consuming alcohol and picking out a female patron and staring at her during his performances. In this case, the female was the wife of the bar owner and he was pouring the drinks. A bad match for Robert! This song was the first song on Robert's second and last recording session and was released as a single. Eric Clapton has travelled to the locations of borh of Johnson's recording sessions and has tried to replicate his sound. It proved impossible but the 2 Cd's and the DVD that resulted from these sessions are worth the price of acquisition for any lover of the blues.

· I'm a King Bee

Written by Slim Harpo and released in 1957, this song contains all of the elements of the form of blues found in many negro clubs in America. That style of blues was highly suggestive and this song is loaded with double entendre. Recorded by many artists including the Rolling Stones on their 1964 debut album, the song is probably Slim's best and most recognized recording. Slim received a Grammy Hall of Fame Award in 2008

· Midnight Special

Huddie Ledbetter aka "Lead Belly" was convicted of carrying a pistol for his first offense, of murder for his second offense - was pardoned by the Governor - and for attempted murder for stabbing a man in a fight as a third offense. Although both a folk singer and a bluesman, this song is one of his most memorable and certainly resonates with elements of Leadbelly's colourful life. This song was really rocked up by the American band Credence Clearwater Revival and introduced to a whole new audience, many of whom had never heard of Leadbelly. Had it not been for folklorists John Lomax and his son Alan, Huddie would most certainly have remained in jail for the remainder of his life. The author is unknown and is likely to have been learned by Leadbelly during his time in prison. It has been recorded by numerous bluesmen.

Classic Metal and Hard Rock - The Best Shock Rock Bands

It's safe to say that for once Alice Cooper borrowed some ideas from somebody else; case in point, Arthur Brown. Arthur Bown is most well known for the single "Fire" which is vindictive of the Arthur Brown experience. Brown extensively used fire to cause a stir in the audience while the whole band resembled some kind of medieval satanic cult. Brown himself was one of the first to use face paint/makeup to create a stage persona along with the music. His incendiary stage act was so controversial that he was even kicked off a tour with Jimi Hendrix. On one tour Brown descended on the stage wearing a suit and helmet welded from sheet metal that was doused in lighter fluid and set a flame. The band never saw huge success because of an unstable line-up and was therefore unable to gain the notoriety they deserve in the Rock world.

Motley Crue (Early Years 81-85)- Nikki Lights his legs on fire


What most people aren't aware of when it comes to Motley Crue is the fact that they pretty much started as a shock rock band. Other than being the kings of 80's rock and metal, Motley Crue started off with elaborate stage antics inspired by Kiss and Alice. During The Too Fast for Love era live performances The Crue aimed to shock and entertain the audience with Fire, Blood, Crazy Hair, 'Scary' Makeup, and outrageous outfits.

Nikki Sixx adopted the technique (from Blackie Lawless) of setting his leather pants and boots on fire during live performances which can be seen in the "Live wire" video. Also in "Live Wire", the Kiss inspired blood dripping from the mouth technique is used by Mr Mars. Crazy thigh high boots, leather and studs, pale-face makeup, and larger-than-life hair were all used to initially shock audiences with such an extreme and wild image. Motley also experimented with the controversy of satanic symbols, not to mention pushing violent and sexual lyrics and imagery into the forefront. Perhaps Motley Crue are not usually paired with other shock rock acts because outrageous androgyny in 81-84 became the norm for the rest of the 80's with the arrival of other Hair Metal acts. As well, the Crue toned down their image by 87. There always was a fine line between Shock Rock and Glam.

W.A.S.P. - Torture Rack

WASP, just like Motley Crue came from the sunset strip glam metal movement. Considering the fact the members of WASP and Crue played together in a band at some point (Sister), it comes as no surprise to see the similarities of these two bands in their early days. WASP is of course synonymous with the shock rock genre. They mixed Alice Cooper's horror show with aggressive but catchy heavy metal tunes. Blackie is known for using raw meat in his performance and throwing it into the audience, as well as eating live worms on stage (although this was before WASP), dangerous fire use, and blood to get a reaction out of the audience.

WASP's most well known 'gimmick' was the use of the torture rack in which they hung a naked woman and proceeded to mutilate her body (all showmanship of course). Randy Piper borrows some ideas from Ace Frehley's bag of tricks with his smoking guitar. Stage antics considered, WASP got much of their shock rock credit from the PMRC's filthy fifteen with the violent and sexual lyrics/image in songs such as Animal (Fuck Like A Beast).

Other techniques include: Chainsaw cod piece, pyro, and exploding cod piece (fireworks)

Alice Cooper - Beheading Himself

Credited as the godfather of Shock Rock, Alice Cooper was every parent's worst nightmare in the 60's and 70's. Alice Cooper is a full on Macbeth Rock and Roll play. He coined pretty much every technique that has ever been used by any Shock Rock acts to follow. Snakes, makeup, guillotines, nooses, blood, thigh high boots, straight-jackets, etc... Alice Cooper explored the fears of Americans by experimenting with imagery and lyrics. Alice's is one of the first to make concept albums. His lyrics ranged from tales inspiring youth rebellion to the clinically insane.

Alice Cooper's wild stage shows inspired gossip and fear to spread among conservative America. One of the most prominent incidents during a live performance was the fiasco of a live chicken being ripped to shreds by a hostile Toronto crowd. Newspapers and media empowered the eerie Alice Cooper aura with reports of Alice beheading himself night after night. Alice Cooper is a combination of Bloody Tragedies, Houdini, and Rock and Roll.

Lizzy Borden

Here is another shock rock band that was yet again influenced by Kiss and Alice Cooper. The band's name is inspired from a woman accused and acquitted of murder in the 19th century. Clearly borrowing from Alice Cooper, the lead singer is also named Lizzy Borden. The band's music was pure metal influenced from bands such as Maiden (especially vocally), Sabbath, Priest, Kiss, and Alice Cooper. They are most well known for their video "Me Against The World" which showcases their outrageous glam androgyny used to shock audiences. In the early days they borrowed many tricks from Alice Cooper lyrically and visually including hacking up a woman on stage with an axe. In the 80s Lizzy Borden was an example of a heavier Glam metal band that garnered a huge underground following.

Kiss - Gene Simmons breathing Fire

Kiss is recognized as another pioneer in the Shock Rock genre. Alice Cooper was yet another influence on Kiss very early on. Kiss started as a Glam Rock band but after seeing Alice Cooper decided they would have 4 Alice Cooper's on stage and drastically changed their image. Of course we are all well aware of Gene Simmons breathing fire and spitting blood. Kiss became one of the major targets of religious and parental organizations as well as influencing decades of bands to follow. Their stage show is constantly cited as one of the biggest around and Kiss is considered entertainment both musically and visually. Ace Frehley plays guitar with smoke spewing from his pickups, while Gene Simmons flies to the highest peak in an arena (with wires of course).

Their face paint and outfits are synonymous with Hard Rock and Heavy Metal style. Although their antics may seem more like pure entertainment versus shock value it's important to consider the impact they had in the 70's. The make-up never came off till the 80's so Kiss surrounded themselves with controversy and mysticism that garnered the band even more attention. The band caused a stir with their sexual lyrics and their logo was accused of being racist (The SS in the word Kiss looked similar to the Nazi SS symbol). Like most/all shock rock bands, presently, Kiss' antics are more just a simple form of entertainment and hardly shock most audiences but they continue to thrive due to great music.

King Diamond

King Diamond is Gene Simmons' Demon meets Alice Cooper. Originating from Denmark, the band came to prominence in the 80's with their blend of Heavy Metal Riffing and ghostly falsetto vocals. Diamond created a satanic stage persona in the vein of previous shock rock pioneers but unlike the rest was not using Satanism only for shock value. Diamond follows LaVeyan Satanism which he considers more of a philosophy than a religion.

Classic Metal and Hard Rock - The Best Shock Rock Bands

It's safe to say that for once Alice Cooper borrowed some ideas from somebody else; case in point, Arthur Brown. Arthur Bown is most well known for the single "Fire" which is vindictive of the Arthur Brown experience. Brown extensively used fire to cause a stir in the audience while the whole band resembled some kind of medieval satanic cult. Brown himself was one of the first to use face paint/makeup to create a stage persona along with the music. His incendiary stage act was so controversial that he was even kicked off a tour with Jimi Hendrix. On one tour Brown descended on the stage wearing a suit and helmet welded from sheet metal that was doused in lighter fluid and set a flame. The band never saw huge success because of an unstable line-up and was therefore unable to gain the notoriety they deserve in the Rock world.

Motley Crue (Early Years 81-85)- Nikki Lights his legs on fire


What most people aren't aware of when it comes to Motley Crue is the fact that they pretty much started as a shock rock band. Other than being the kings of 80's rock and metal, Motley Crue started off with elaborate stage antics inspired by Kiss and Alice. During The Too Fast for Love era live performances The Crue aimed to shock and entertain the audience with Fire, Blood, Crazy Hair, 'Scary' Makeup, and outrageous outfits.

Nikki Sixx adopted the technique (from Blackie Lawless) of setting his leather pants and boots on fire during live performances which can be seen in the "Live wire" video. Also in "Live Wire", the Kiss inspired blood dripping from the mouth technique is used by Mr Mars. Crazy thigh high boots, leather and studs, pale-face makeup, and larger-than-life hair were all used to initially shock audiences with such an extreme and wild image. Motley also experimented with the controversy of satanic symbols, not to mention pushing violent and sexual lyrics and imagery into the forefront. Perhaps Motley Crue are not usually paired with other shock rock acts because outrageous androgyny in 81-84 became the norm for the rest of the 80's with the arrival of other Hair Metal acts. As well, the Crue toned down their image by 87. There always was a fine line between Shock Rock and Glam.

W.A.S.P. - Torture Rack

WASP, just like Motley Crue came from the sunset strip glam metal movement. Considering the fact the members of WASP and Crue played together in a band at some point (Sister), it comes as no surprise to see the similarities of these two bands in their early days. WASP is of course synonymous with the shock rock genre. They mixed Alice Cooper's horror show with aggressive but catchy heavy metal tunes. Blackie is known for using raw meat in his performance and throwing it into the audience, as well as eating live worms on stage (although this was before WASP), dangerous fire use, and blood to get a reaction out of the audience.

WASP's most well known 'gimmick' was the use of the torture rack in which they hung a naked woman and proceeded to mutilate her body (all showmanship of course). Randy Piper borrows some ideas from Ace Frehley's bag of tricks with his smoking guitar. Stage antics considered, WASP got much of their shock rock credit from the PMRC's filthy fifteen with the violent and sexual lyrics/image in songs such as Animal (Fuck Like A Beast).

Other techniques include: Chainsaw cod piece, pyro, and exploding cod piece (fireworks)

Alice Cooper - Beheading Himself

Credited as the godfather of Shock Rock, Alice Cooper was every parent's worst nightmare in the 60's and 70's. Alice Cooper is a full on Macbeth Rock and Roll play. He coined pretty much every technique that has ever been used by any Shock Rock acts to follow. Snakes, makeup, guillotines, nooses, blood, thigh high boots, straight-jackets, etc... Alice Cooper explored the fears of Americans by experimenting with imagery and lyrics. Alice's is one of the first to make concept albums. His lyrics ranged from tales inspiring youth rebellion to the clinically insane.

Alice Cooper's wild stage shows inspired gossip and fear to spread among conservative America. One of the most prominent incidents during a live performance was the fiasco of a live chicken being ripped to shreds by a hostile Toronto crowd. Newspapers and media empowered the eerie Alice Cooper aura with reports of Alice beheading himself night after night. Alice Cooper is a combination of Bloody Tragedies, Houdini, and Rock and Roll.

Lizzy Borden

Here is another shock rock band that was yet again influenced by Kiss and Alice Cooper. The band's name is inspired from a woman accused and acquitted of murder in the 19th century. Clearly borrowing from Alice Cooper, the lead singer is also named Lizzy Borden. The band's music was pure metal influenced from bands such as Maiden (especially vocally), Sabbath, Priest, Kiss, and Alice Cooper. They are most well known for their video "Me Against The World" which showcases their outrageous glam androgyny used to shock audiences. In the early days they borrowed many tricks from Alice Cooper lyrically and visually including hacking up a woman on stage with an axe. In the 80s Lizzy Borden was an example of a heavier Glam metal band that garnered a huge underground following.

Kiss - Gene Simmons breathing Fire

Kiss is recognized as another pioneer in the Shock Rock genre. Alice Cooper was yet another influence on Kiss very early on. Kiss started as a Glam Rock band but after seeing Alice Cooper decided they would have 4 Alice Cooper's on stage and drastically changed their image. Of course we are all well aware of Gene Simmons breathing fire and spitting blood. Kiss became one of the major targets of religious and parental organizations as well as influencing decades of bands to follow. Their stage show is constantly cited as one of the biggest around and Kiss is considered entertainment both musically and visually. Ace Frehley plays guitar with smoke spewing from his pickups, while Gene Simmons flies to the highest peak in an arena (with wires of course).

Their face paint and outfits are synonymous with Hard Rock and Heavy Metal style. Although their antics may seem more like pure entertainment versus shock value it's important to consider the impact they had in the 70's. The make-up never came off till the 80's so Kiss surrounded themselves with controversy and mysticism that garnered the band even more attention. The band caused a stir with their sexual lyrics and their logo was accused of being racist (The SS in the word Kiss looked similar to the Nazi SS symbol). Like most/all shock rock bands, presently, Kiss' antics are more just a simple form of entertainment and hardly shock most audiences but they continue to thrive due to great music.

King Diamond

King Diamond is Gene Simmons' Demon meets Alice Cooper. Originating from Denmark, the band came to prominence in the 80's with their blend of Heavy Metal Riffing and ghostly falsetto vocals. Diamond created a satanic stage persona in the vein of previous shock rock pioneers but unlike the rest was not using Satanism only for shock value. Diamond follows LaVeyan Satanism which he considers more of a philosophy than a religion.

6 Benefits Of Music - How Music Can Help

Everywhere you look, (or I guess listen), music is all around us. It's on the television we watch, the commercials trying to sell us something and in all forms of entertainment you can think of. The use of music to infuse a particular feeling or emotion is abundant and effective everywhere.

Music as a sales tool is well known and powerful, but what about using music as a form of therapy? If commercials and television can project a certain feeling with it, then why can't we use it to invoke the same response for ourselves in a positive manner?

When going through a divorce, music played a large role in helping me feel better. At the time, it didn't matter how, but playing music made me feel better, so that's what I did. I listened to it, which encouraged me to learn it. The more I practiced, the more it helped me feel better.

There are many different ways in which music can assist in getting through difficult times. And many of those qualities can help anyone struggling with change.

Reduces Stress: Some music when listened to can help reduce stress and anxiety. Listening to soft, soothing music is often used in the practice of meditation to help calm the mind.

Helps With Depression: Depression can be a very debilitating stage we go through when recovering from some loss. Listening to music can release endorphins, making us feel better, even if it's just a little, it can help bring you up.

Builds Confidence: When taking music to the next level, like learning how to play the guitar, the benefits of music become more intense. Learning something new can do great things for your confidence, very useful when times are tough.

Teaches Discipline: Once again, when taking on an activity like learning the guitar, discipline is needed in order to advance with it. In order to get better at playing an instrument, you need to practice and discipline assists in keeping you motivated to practice.

Promotes Teamwork: If you enjoy playing and become confident with it, you may start looking at joining a band. When joining to play with others, teamwork is essential in having a successful partnership.

Social Outlet: Music has always been the center of social gatherings. It's an opportunity for people to have something to discuss and share experiences with. From the big arena to the small venue down the street, music brings people together socially.

Music plays a critical role in our lives, from how we feel about ourselves to being around others with the same interest. When looking for something to help bring some interest back into your life, music can be an excellent opportunity to learn and discover more about yourself.

Music and Pain Relief

We can never deny the fact that music touches people's lives. It heals the sick soul of a human being. Through music, a crying child is silenced to sleep, the troubled mind of a sad housewife is calmed, bringing back the lost moments of romance between her and husband when they have their sweetest episodes of love. Somehow, the music played made her realize to give him another chance.

Funny as it is, sometimes, but music has an intense effect on anyone. Strange, but it is true; it can even affect plants and animals. It is indeed one of nature's greatest gifts to humanity.

Yes, singing songs really has a way of curing a condition. It is a tool used to transform a state of the mind of a sick individual. It creates a certain kind of tranquility bringing serenity and calmness that only a hymn can explain.

Scientifically, many medical practitioners wonder how a hum of a mother can put her baby to sleep. Or the old favorite song of an octogenarian played into her ears put on a smile to her wrinkled face.

At first, I wondered why people turn to music, even to that loud rock music among crazy kids, in order to take a break from the monotony of their respective lives. We all know that melody brings impact to the human brain. That while others find it noisy as rockers pound their drums, we cannot deny that through these loud noise they call music, it actually brings in a joyous celebration and connection among them.

Yes, life is like a musical piece too. It has its own tempo, its own harmony and effect to the listeners. But whatever the classification of music, somehow, we still admire because it is unique in itself, just like every human being, with its own peculiarity to gaze upon.

Today, many medical studies reveal that music is a treatment. It is used and acknowledged to have positive effects to patients. Music is said to lower high blood pressure in patients. In fact many cancer victims claimed that they use music to set their minds into a state of acceptance through music.

Or have you ever wondered why patients who undergo major operations wake up after several hours in the operating room with a soft, beautiful music in the background? It is actually a way of consoling them, telling them through soft music that everything will be finding and that he is surrounded by people who love him. Soft music is food to the heart. It gently whispers the human heart without directly telling him that we care and love him and will never leave him alone in his pain.

Likewise, medical studies reveal that patients suffering from depression and anxiety respond positively to music therapy. Even the mentally challenged kids showed positive and major developments in their treatment through music. Yes, the anger, insecurities, fear and other negative feelings of a person are minimized when the right choice of music is applied to these patients.

Music is a very important channel in order to penetrate the inner core of a human being. Through music, an angry and bothered person changes his mood and he can now accept suggestions.

Indeed, the miracle of music can hardly be analyzed. It is so mysterious that even the most intelligent and wealthy persons cannot actually explain the effect of a soft love song to a mind of a criminal.

When I was then a budding investigative reporter, I have seen a murderer shed tears when he listened to an old love song. I couldn't believe what I saw, a convicted killer crying over a song? It was only then that I fully understood that his tears were the tears of a father missing his kids. The song brought memories of his family whom he defended from a drunken neighbor who tried to harm his loved ones. It was only then that I realized that music touches not only our listening sense, but our hearts and souls as well.

Yes, definitely, music cures the ill. Maybe not in the medical way that doctors understood treatment, but somehow in a condition where music reminds the old, the sick and the dying that they cared and loved by their loved ones.

Truly, I have witnessed this moment when I saw the mysterious but contented smile of my 92 year old aunt who died two years ago. I took good care of her until her last breath. We all know her time was about to come, and she graciously accept and wait for her time. I simply noticed the change in her when her time came nearer each day. She loved to hum and listen to the old love songs played in the radio. The love songs she and her late husband loved to listen together when they were still together. Somehow, I understand now, it brought her back to the memories of love and comfort spent with her husband. I understood then that she was waiting to be fetched by her late husband. Yes, through soft music, her time wasn't spent so much in pain, but in happy and loving thoughts through music, while waiting her moment.

The 3 Best Jimi Hendrix Rock Songs of All Time

The proof of the greatness of the music of Jimi Hendrix and classic rock can be found in any music store where re-releases of albums from the past with the label "digital re-master" drives the collector to purchase this great music - one more time! I have often been involved in discussions about what songs were the greatest. The question is; which are the 3 best Jimi Hendrix rock songs of all time? Here is my list.

I suggest that the top 3 are:

· Voodoo Child

I have already written about this song in another article for EzineArticles under the title "The 3 Best American Classic Rock Songs of All Time." it is impossible to write an article on Jimi Hendrix songs without including this on as number one on the list. The song contains two versions on the album Electric Ladyland. This song is the last song on the album, the shorter version and was released as a single.

· All Along the Watchtower

Written by Bob Dylan and released on his John Wesley Harding album, Hendrix was captivated by the possibilities of the song. A phone call to Bob Dylan and permission was granted for Hendrix to record what became one of his greatest songs. The guitar solo is second to none and the version arranged for Hendrix is the greatest version of what might have been a little known Dylan song. The Hendrix version is one of Rolling Stone magazine's "500 Greatest Songs of all Time." Dylan, himself, was so dazzled by Hendrix's interpretation of the song that he has subsequently always performed the Hendrix version as opposed to his own original version.

· The Star Spangled Banner

Scheduled to be the last performer at the famous Woodstock festival, Jimi had no way of knowing his performance would be to about 150,000 of the 500,000 who attended. Bad weather and delays ran the concert into the morning of the 4th day and that is when Jimi performed. Fortunately the cameras were rolling and the sounds and images of Hendrix performing the Star Spangled Banner at a festival designed for music and peace resonate today as the greatest single performance of the American national Anthem by any performer in rock history. It was breathtaking in its reach and power. If anyone can listen, and not hear the "bombs bursting in air," they are not listening to the right version. This iconic version will remain forever, one of the indelible images of Jimi Hendrix as a "guitar god."

Blues Guitar Lesson: 3 Note Blues Chords

Traditionally guitarists learn chords in one of two ways; either they learn generic chord shapes from a chord book or pick up the garden variety chord forms from watching a friend play.

This entrance into the world of harmony is fine if the player only wants to dabble in guitar and remain a musical "fringe dweller" but once the guitarist wants to get serious and stylize their playing the "standard" chord shapes fall short of the mark.

The authentic blues sound is created by using chords that have been stripped down to their basic chord sound, the concept is to leave out all the unnecessary notes so that the essential notes can "speak".

When blues guitarists play these "lean" voiced chords the music can "breath", the listener can clearly hear all the instruments in the recording or live performance; everybody in the band has their own musical "space".

The problem is that the majority of guitarists unintentionally play far too many notes in their chords and because they do not know how to pare their chords back they clog up the sonic landscape.

How To Create "Lean" 3 Note Blues Chords

Step 1 - Use Dominant 7th chords as substitute for major chords.

In many instances blues chords progressions are written as major chords whereas blues players generally prefer the sound of dominant seventh chords to create a "restless", wandering sound.

Written as...

BLUES: Key of G (typical version)

G /// |G /// | G /// |G ///
C /// |C /// | G /// |G ///
D /// |D /// | G /// |G ///

Played as...

BLUES: Key of G (dominant 7th version)

G7 /// |G7 /// | G7 /// |G7 ///
C7 /// |C7 /// | G7 /// |G7 ///
D7 /// |D7 /// | G7 /// |G7 ///

Step 2 - Look at the "spelling" for each chord.

Music is a language, a universal language, and just as in our English language where we communicate our ideas with others by selecting certain letters from our alphabet then combine these letters to form words that are in turn connected together to create sentences our music language has an equivalent system...

English language = music equivalent
---------------- ---------------
alphabet = scale

word = chord

sentence = chord progression

Each chord has it's own unique spelling; here is the spelling of the chords used in our blues in "G"

G7 = G - B - D - F

C7 = C - E - G - Bb

D7 = D - F# - A - C

The formula for spelling dominant 7th chords is: 1 - 3 - 5 - b7

By that we mean that if we were to take the first, third, fifth and flattened seventh notes of a scale we would arrive at the correct spelling.

Example

Key of G major = G - A - B - C - D - E - F# - G

If we select the first - G

Third - B

Fifth - D

and Flatten the seventh note - F

We would have the spelling for G7 = G - B - D - F

Step 3 - Drop the 5th.

Now that you know the notes of each chord leave the fifth of each chord out.

Every chord contains certain "essential" notes, these notes contain the essence of the chord, you can leave other notes out and just play these "essential" notes and everyone will still hear the flavor of the chord, in fact dropping the non-essential notes the chord will sound better!

The three note version of our chords would now contain only these notes...

G7 = G - B - F

C7 = C - E - Bb

D7 = D - F# - C

And look like this on the guitar...

G7
-x--
-x--
-4--B (3)
-3--F (b7)
-x--
-3--G (1)

C7
-x--
-x--
-3--Bb(b7)
-2--E (3)
-3--C (1)
-x--

D7
-x--
-x--
-5--C (b7)
-4--F# (3)
-5--D (1)
-x--

If you are playing with a bass player you can even leave the root note out and thereby create 2 note blues chords by playing only the 3rd and 7th notes in each chord.

The 3 Best Jimi Hendrix Rock Songs of All Time

The proof of the greatness of the music of Jimi Hendrix and classic rock can be found in any music store where re-releases of albums from the past with the label "digital re-master" drives the collector to purchase this great music - one more time! I have often been involved in discussions about what songs were the greatest. The question is; which are the 3 best Jimi Hendrix rock songs of all time? Here is my list.

I suggest that the top 3 are:

· Voodoo Child

I have already written about this song in another article for EzineArticles under the title "The 3 Best American Classic Rock Songs of All Time." it is impossible to write an article on Jimi Hendrix songs without including this on as number one on the list. The song contains two versions on the album Electric Ladyland. This song is the last song on the album, the shorter version and was released as a single.

· All Along the Watchtower

Written by Bob Dylan and released on his John Wesley Harding album, Hendrix was captivated by the possibilities of the song. A phone call to Bob Dylan and permission was granted for Hendrix to record what became one of his greatest songs. The guitar solo is second to none and the version arranged for Hendrix is the greatest version of what might have been a little known Dylan song. The Hendrix version is one of Rolling Stone magazine's "500 Greatest Songs of all Time." Dylan, himself, was so dazzled by Hendrix's interpretation of the song that he has subsequently always performed the Hendrix version as opposed to his own original version.

· The Star Spangled Banner

Scheduled to be the last performer at the famous Woodstock festival, Jimi had no way of knowing his performance would be to about 150,000 of the 500,000 who attended. Bad weather and delays ran the concert into the morning of the 4th day and that is when Jimi performed. Fortunately the cameras were rolling and the sounds and images of Hendrix performing the Star Spangled Banner at a festival designed for music and peace resonate today as the greatest single performance of the American national Anthem by any performer in rock history. It was breathtaking in its reach and power. If anyone can listen, and not hear the "bombs bursting in air," they are not listening to the right version. This iconic version will remain forever, one of the indelible images of Jimi Hendrix as a "guitar god."

Your Quality Steinway

When you are considering buying a new piano for your child to learn how to play on, it is important that you get the best piano that you can afford. One of the best on the market today is a Steinway and there are several different options are price ranges to choose from. Each instrument has over 12,000 different parts that have been put together by hand by over 300 different people.

One of these important components of your Steinway piano is the case. A case of a piano made by this well known manufacturer consists of 18 layers which are glued together into one piece with specially made wood bending tools. It also has strong beams either in the bottom or back, depending on the style of piano to help support the rest of the instrument. This special manufacturing process is still being used today by the famous piano manufacturer.

Two other important parts of your piano is the plate and soundboard. The plate is typically made of cast iron and is usually placed right above the soundboard. This is also where you will find the manufacturer's logo. The soundboard, probably one of the most important part of your piano, amplifies and transmits sounds. It is composed of wooden ribs from spruce taken from the forests of British Columbia and Alaska because of the natural acoustic quality in the wood. The patented diaphragmatic design of Steinway's pianos allows for greater movement and amazing tonal sound.

No piano is complete without bridges and strings. The bridges are on top of the soundboard to help transmit the sound from the strings and are bent so that you can get one specific sound. The strings are banged by the hammer and come in two different clefs, the treble and the bass. The strings on the treble clef are made from steel, while the bass strings are steel wound with copper. These are wrapped around the tuning pins and put into the instrument's pinblock.

You can't play the instrument without the keys, so those are pretty important pieces of a piano. Each piano contains 88 total that are connected to a wooden hammer, covered with felt which strikes the strings to play a note. They can quickly be reset so that the key can be played again immediately. Along with the keys are the pedals, which raise the dampers, making a prolonged sound.

If your piano is made by Steinway, all these pieces will be premium, so you do not have to be concerned about a lower quality piano. These do not come without a cost, but you will be buying a piano that will assure a lifetime of piano playing enjoyment for your entire family.

The 3 Best Jimi Hendrix Rock Songs of All Time

The proof of the greatness of the music of Jimi Hendrix and classic rock can be found in any music store where re-releases of albums from the past with the label "digital re-master" drives the collector to purchase this great music - one more time! I have often been involved in discussions about what songs were the greatest. The question is; which are the 3 best Jimi Hendrix rock songs of all time? Here is my list.

I suggest that the top 3 are:

· Voodoo Child

I have already written about this song in another article for EzineArticles under the title "The 3 Best American Classic Rock Songs of All Time." it is impossible to write an article on Jimi Hendrix songs without including this on as number one on the list. The song contains two versions on the album Electric Ladyland. This song is the last song on the album, the shorter version and was released as a single.

· All Along the Watchtower

Written by Bob Dylan and released on his John Wesley Harding album, Hendrix was captivated by the possibilities of the song. A phone call to Bob Dylan and permission was granted for Hendrix to record what became one of his greatest songs. The guitar solo is second to none and the version arranged for Hendrix is the greatest version of what might have been a little known Dylan song. The Hendrix version is one of Rolling Stone magazine's "500 Greatest Songs of all Time." Dylan, himself, was so dazzled by Hendrix's interpretation of the song that he has subsequently always performed the Hendrix version as opposed to his own original version.

· The Star Spangled Banner

Scheduled to be the last performer at the famous Woodstock festival, Jimi had no way of knowing his performance would be to about 150,000 of the 500,000 who attended. Bad weather and delays ran the concert into the morning of the 4th day and that is when Jimi performed. Fortunately the cameras were rolling and the sounds and images of Hendrix performing the Star Spangled Banner at a festival designed for music and peace resonate today as the greatest single performance of the American national Anthem by any performer in rock history. It was breathtaking in its reach and power. If anyone can listen, and not hear the "bombs bursting in air," they are not listening to the right version. This iconic version will remain forever, one of the indelible images of Jimi Hendrix as a "guitar god."

Your Quality Steinway

When you are considering buying a new piano for your child to learn how to play on, it is important that you get the best piano that you can afford. One of the best on the market today is a Steinway and there are several different options are price ranges to choose from. Each instrument has over 12,000 different parts that have been put together by hand by over 300 different people.

One of these important components of your Steinway piano is the case. A case of a piano made by this well known manufacturer consists of 18 layers which are glued together into one piece with specially made wood bending tools. It also has strong beams either in the bottom or back, depending on the style of piano to help support the rest of the instrument. This special manufacturing process is still being used today by the famous piano manufacturer.

Two other important parts of your piano is the plate and soundboard. The plate is typically made of cast iron and is usually placed right above the soundboard. This is also where you will find the manufacturer's logo. The soundboard, probably one of the most important part of your piano, amplifies and transmits sounds. It is composed of wooden ribs from spruce taken from the forests of British Columbia and Alaska because of the natural acoustic quality in the wood. The patented diaphragmatic design of Steinway's pianos allows for greater movement and amazing tonal sound.

No piano is complete without bridges and strings. The bridges are on top of the soundboard to help transmit the sound from the strings and are bent so that you can get one specific sound. The strings are banged by the hammer and come in two different clefs, the treble and the bass. The strings on the treble clef are made from steel, while the bass strings are steel wound with copper. These are wrapped around the tuning pins and put into the instrument's pinblock.

You can't play the instrument without the keys, so those are pretty important pieces of a piano. Each piano contains 88 total that are connected to a wooden hammer, covered with felt which strikes the strings to play a note. They can quickly be reset so that the key can be played again immediately. Along with the keys are the pedals, which raise the dampers, making a prolonged sound.

If your piano is made by Steinway, all these pieces will be premium, so you do not have to be concerned about a lower quality piano. These do not come without a cost, but you will be buying a piano that will assure a lifetime of piano playing enjoyment for your entire family.

The 3 Best Jimi Hendrix Rock Songs of All Time

The proof of the greatness of the music of Jimi Hendrix and classic rock can be found in any music store where re-releases of albums from the past with the label "digital re-master" drives the collector to purchase this great music - one more time! I have often been involved in discussions about what songs were the greatest. The question is; which are the 3 best Jimi Hendrix rock songs of all time? Here is my list.

I suggest that the top 3 are:

· Voodoo Child

I have already written about this song in another article for EzineArticles under the title "The 3 Best American Classic Rock Songs of All Time." it is impossible to write an article on Jimi Hendrix songs without including this on as number one on the list. The song contains two versions on the album Electric Ladyland. This song is the last song on the album, the shorter version and was released as a single.

· All Along the Watchtower

Written by Bob Dylan and released on his John Wesley Harding album, Hendrix was captivated by the possibilities of the song. A phone call to Bob Dylan and permission was granted for Hendrix to record what became one of his greatest songs. The guitar solo is second to none and the version arranged for Hendrix is the greatest version of what might have been a little known Dylan song. The Hendrix version is one of Rolling Stone magazine's "500 Greatest Songs of all Time." Dylan, himself, was so dazzled by Hendrix's interpretation of the song that he has subsequently always performed the Hendrix version as opposed to his own original version.

· The Star Spangled Banner

Scheduled to be the last performer at the famous Woodstock festival, Jimi had no way of knowing his performance would be to about 150,000 of the 500,000 who attended. Bad weather and delays ran the concert into the morning of the 4th day and that is when Jimi performed. Fortunately the cameras were rolling and the sounds and images of Hendrix performing the Star Spangled Banner at a festival designed for music and peace resonate today as the greatest single performance of the American national Anthem by any performer in rock history. It was breathtaking in its reach and power. If anyone can listen, and not hear the "bombs bursting in air," they are not listening to the right version. This iconic version will remain forever, one of the indelible images of Jimi Hendrix as a "guitar god."

The 3 Best Jimi Hendrix Rock Songs of All Time

The proof of the greatness of the music of Jimi Hendrix and classic rock can be found in any music store where re-releases of albums from the past with the label "digital re-master" drives the collector to purchase this great music - one more time! I have often been involved in discussions about what songs were the greatest. The question is; which are the 3 best Jimi Hendrix rock songs of all time? Here is my list.

I suggest that the top 3 are:

· Voodoo Child

I have already written about this song in another article for EzineArticles under the title "The 3 Best American Classic Rock Songs of All Time." it is impossible to write an article on Jimi Hendrix songs without including this on as number one on the list. The song contains two versions on the album Electric Ladyland. This song is the last song on the album, the shorter version and was released as a single.

· All Along the Watchtower

Written by Bob Dylan and released on his John Wesley Harding album, Hendrix was captivated by the possibilities of the song. A phone call to Bob Dylan and permission was granted for Hendrix to record what became one of his greatest songs. The guitar solo is second to none and the version arranged for Hendrix is the greatest version of what might have been a little known Dylan song. The Hendrix version is one of Rolling Stone magazine's "500 Greatest Songs of all Time." Dylan, himself, was so dazzled by Hendrix's interpretation of the song that he has subsequently always performed the Hendrix version as opposed to his own original version.

· The Star Spangled Banner

Scheduled to be the last performer at the famous Woodstock festival, Jimi had no way of knowing his performance would be to about 150,000 of the 500,000 who attended. Bad weather and delays ran the concert into the morning of the 4th day and that is when Jimi performed. Fortunately the cameras were rolling and the sounds and images of Hendrix performing the Star Spangled Banner at a festival designed for music and peace resonate today as the greatest single performance of the American national Anthem by any performer in rock history. It was breathtaking in its reach and power. If anyone can listen, and not hear the "bombs bursting in air," they are not listening to the right version. This iconic version will remain forever, one of the indelible images of Jimi Hendrix as a "guitar god."

The 3 Best Jimi Hendrix Rock Songs of All Time

The proof of the greatness of the music of Jimi Hendrix and classic rock can be found in any music store where re-releases of albums from the past with the label "digital re-master" drives the collector to purchase this great music - one more time! I have often been involved in discussions about what songs were the greatest. The question is; which are the 3 best Jimi Hendrix rock songs of all time? Here is my list.

I suggest that the top 3 are:

· Voodoo Child

I have already written about this song in another article for EzineArticles under the title "The 3 Best American Classic Rock Songs of All Time." it is impossible to write an article on Jimi Hendrix songs without including this on as number one on the list. The song contains two versions on the album Electric Ladyland. This song is the last song on the album, the shorter version and was released as a single.

· All Along the Watchtower

Written by Bob Dylan and released on his John Wesley Harding album, Hendrix was captivated by the possibilities of the song. A phone call to Bob Dylan and permission was granted for Hendrix to record what became one of his greatest songs. The guitar solo is second to none and the version arranged for Hendrix is the greatest version of what might have been a little known Dylan song. The Hendrix version is one of Rolling Stone magazine's "500 Greatest Songs of all Time." Dylan, himself, was so dazzled by Hendrix's interpretation of the song that he has subsequently always performed the Hendrix version as opposed to his own original version.

· The Star Spangled Banner

Scheduled to be the last performer at the famous Woodstock festival, Jimi had no way of knowing his performance would be to about 150,000 of the 500,000 who attended. Bad weather and delays ran the concert into the morning of the 4th day and that is when Jimi performed. Fortunately the cameras were rolling and the sounds and images of Hendrix performing the Star Spangled Banner at a festival designed for music and peace resonate today as the greatest single performance of the American national Anthem by any performer in rock history. It was breathtaking in its reach and power. If anyone can listen, and not hear the "bombs bursting in air," they are not listening to the right version. This iconic version will remain forever, one of the indelible images of Jimi Hendrix as a "guitar god."

The 3 Best Canadian Classic Rock Songs of All Time

I have often been involved in discussions about what rock songs, from which country, were the greatest. The question of this article is; which are the 3 best Canadian classic rock songs of all time? Here is my list.

I suggest that the top 3 are:

· American Woman

It is so quintessentially Canadian, given the notion that we live next door to an elephant, that my first pick would be about an American woman. Released in January of 1970, the song, "American Woman" made its way to the top of the Billboard 100 by March. The Guess Who performed and released the song, written by two of its members, Burton Cummings and Jim Hale, on the album of the same name, and as a single. The song created quite a stir in the United States as The Guess Who toured, and more and more audiences became aware they were a Canadian rather than an American band. The song was viewed by many as being anti-American. The band was anything, but political, as a perusal of their extensive library of music would quickly reveal. They were lovers and not fighters.

· Takin' Care of Business

Released as a single by Bachman Turner Overdrive in 1973 and was written by band leader Randy Bachman, formerly of The Guess Who. Bachman Turner Overdrive were forever linked to this song and its signature riff with echoes of the George Harrison riff in The Beatles song Paperback Writer. According to Randy Bachman, it was the most licensed song in Sony Music's publishing catalogue. Randy is recognized as one of Canada's premiere guitar players and many of the BTO releases are empowered by Bachman's superior guitar skills.

· Needle and the Damage Done

Neil Young continues to rock away after decades of fabulous music, this song still resonates as one of his best. The imagery of the damage done by the needle and the idea that "every junkie's like a setting sun" caught the folk-rock world by surprise. The song was written about one of the members of Neil's band Crazy Horse who was an addict. Neil released Danny Whitten from the band because of his heroin addiction and Danny died of an overdose shortly after. Neil went on to play in some legendary bands including Buffalo Springfield and Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young. Neil is a legend of rock and roll and folk-rock in particular. His songs and albums are legendary in the genre of Classic Rock.