Podcast Episode 0008

Hello Everyone and welcome back to the Rand D Music Podcast.  This is Episode 8 and today we're going to hit on the Sub-genre of Country-Western music known as Bluegrass.

Now before anything else...I screwed up and it couldn't be corrected before the show went to final mix so, oh well.  Infamous Stringdusters, not legendary.  Infamous.  Infamous-infamous-infamous.  Okay, now that THAT is cleared up...

Bluegrass is a distinctive American style of music whose name was coined by the late Bill Monroe and his Blue Grass Boys in the mid-1950's.  The blend of folk and country western evolved slowly in local communities and only reached national audiences after the popularity of audio recordings.

Today the music style is recognized by the Grammy awards, holds its own charts on Billboard, and is welcomed around the world.

First up we have Ricky Skaggs playing 'Brand New Strings.'

http://www.rickyskaggs.com/

Next is Tony Furtado with 'The Knave's Bane' from the album 'Roll My Blues Away'.

http://www.tonyfurtado.com/

Hayseed Dixie...This was an awesome crossover song from the album 'A Hillbilly Tribute to AC/DC'.

http://www.hayseed-dixie.com/

'Jack Of The Wood' from the Kruger Brothers album 'Between The Notes'.

http://www.krugerbrothers.com/

Yes, the INFAMOUS Stringdusters are next with 'No More To Leave You Behind' from the album 'Fork In The Road'.

http://www.thestringdusters.com/

The originator himself Bill Monroe and his Bluegrass Boys bring us 'Uncle Pen' from the 20th Century Masters album.

http://www.billmonroe.com/

Carrie Hassler and Hard Rain perform 'Sensabaugh Tunnel' from their self-title album.

http://www.carriehassler.com/

Another legend in the genre, Alison Krauss and Union Station with 'Rain PLease Go Away' from 'Lonely Runs Both Ways'.

http://www.alisonkrauss.com/

Mountain Heart performs 'Deadwood' from their album 'Wide Open'.

http://www.mountainheart.com/

'Blues On Blues' from Blue Highway on the album 'Through The Windows Of A Train'.

http://www.bluehighwayband.com/

And last but certainly not least is the Pickin' On Series who brings us 'Kryptonite' from the album 'Pickin' On 3 Doors Down: A Bluegrass Tribute'.

No website was available for these guys...no, really, I looked for an hour and the best I could do was get the discography from the record label.  If anyone finds a link, lemme know and I'll update this portion of the blog!

 

The R and D podcast is available through the blog under the Podcast tab, iTunes, and Stitcher.  Feel free to leave a comment below or email us at www.RumandDrumMusic@gmail.com

Podcast Episode 0007

Hello everyone and welcome back to the Rum And Drum Music Podcast.  In episode 7 we're going to start to get into the nuts and bolts of what it is that makes an album 'Great' by looking back to an era that unearthed massive changes to the music industry.

The 1980's brought us the mainstream acceptance of punk music, the emergence of Speed Metal and Thrash.  It showed us the limits of recording equipment and shattered them.  From Motown to Metal, it was a very busy decade.

The charting rules changed, the reporting rules changed, and the era of vinyl came to an end.  (Well, almost).

For me, the 80's were a time of musical discovery.  I listened to everything from Hooked on Classics to Willie Nelson.  The Fat Boys to Foreigner.  The proliferation of music across all spectrums was immense.  At the same time, although a bit above my head, the P.M.R.C. was heating up its war against 'profane and indecent' records.  There were record burnings and campaigns within Washington D.C. to have warning labels added to musical works. 

Now in todays information age, that wouldn't be much of a big deal.  It might even be a recipe for greater internet sales.  But back then when every millimeter of shelf space was priced and accounted for, a label that put you out of reach may well have put you out of business, too.

So without further delay, lets break out the hairspray and bullet belts.  It's time to dust off the denim jackets...



W.A.S.P. was one of the bands in the forefront of the music censorship debate.  The band's early gimmick was throwing raw meat at the audience, I mean, what's not to love there!  Their track 'Blind In Texas' is also among my favorites of the age.

http://www.waspnation.com/

I first heard of David Lee Roth through Van Halen and early on I couldn't tell the difference between his solo work and the songs from the Van Halen collection.  'Yankee Rose' is also where I first heard of guitar legend Steve Vai.  I still think of the line in DLR's MTV music video when I see the 'Eat 'Em And Smile' album cover.  "Gimme a bottle of anything, and a glazed donut.  To go!"

http://www.davidleeroth.com/

A staple of any 80's rock/metal discussion is Quiet Riot's album 'Metal Health'.  The chant "Bang your head" is such a classic line that its easy to define the early 80's rock/metal scene with that chorus alone.

http://www.officialquietriot.com/

Dee Snider, the singer of the band Twisted Sister came out of the 80's music machine with a radio show based out of L.A.  Their 25th anniversary edition of 'Stay Hungry' gives us another look at 'I Wanna Rock'.

http://www.twistedsister.com/

Whitesnake has also released a 25th Anniversary album.  'Slide It In' was a top 40 hit and paved the way for their later albums.

http://www.whitesnake.com/

Aerosmith was not a product of the 80's.  I'm not even sure where they came from truth be told.   I think they always existed, and probable always will.  I first noticed them on the mash-up with NYC rappers Run DMC when they performed 'Walk This Way.  By the time 'Rag Doll' was aired on MTV it was like they were already a permanant fixture in my music world.  'Permanant Vacation' earned them 5 platinum records and they peaked at #11 on the top 200.

http://www.aerosmith.com/

Guns N' Roses is such a bittersweet memory for me.  Their appearance on the rock/metal scene was just as my personal tastes were leaning toward Iron Maiden and a journey a thousand times darker.  Their songs were catchy, had memorable hooks, but their commercial success was starting to look bad for my 'Hardcore' image.  I'm over all that now, and 'Mr. Brownstone' from 'Appetite For Destruction' ranks high on my 80's hit list.

http://www.gunsnroses.com/

Another staple of my formative years was Motley Crue.  They were the first rock/metal band I could listen to at home that my older brother wouldn't chastize me for having on the stereo.  The 1989 album 'Dr. Feelgood' went platnum for the sixth time in May of 1997.  The track 'Kickstart My Heart' is among my favorites even today.

http://www.motley.com/

I first heard 'Halestorm' while I was attending class.  The instructor would have his laptop on the corner of his desk and a kind of rock n' roll elevator music would always be playing in the background.  The song 'I Get Off' repeated a few times and I couldn't get enough of it.  The Music video was a complete waste of time because it just made no damn sense, but the song rocked.

http://www.halestormrocks.com/

As always, everything you find here at the Rum And Drum Music Podcast is available through online retailers like http://www.amazon.com/ and http://www.itunes.com/. 

And of course the Podcast is available here for free under the Podcast tab, at http://www.itunes.com/ and on http://www.stitcher.com/.  Feel free to leave us a comment or messege or screaming-rabid rant below or in our Email

Podcast Episode 0006

Hello everyone and welcome back to The Rum And Drum Music Podcast.  This week marks episode 6 and we're going to touch on some songs that have been around for 25 years or more.  We're also talking a bit about re-mastering and what that means to us, the average consumer.

Starting things off is Joan Jett with the title track from her remastered solo debut album 'Bad Reputation'.

www.JoanJett.com

Next is The Who from the self-titled remastered album, Who Are You'.  (Yes, the Who, not to be confused with the what, the where, or the why.) 

www.TheWho.com

From the Hot Rocks 1964-1971 compilation album, here's the Rolling Stones trying to get a little 'Sympathy For The Devil'.

www.RollingStones.com

The first song on the Rand D to not actually have any D.  Here's Janis Joplin from the 18 Essential Hits album with the song 'Mercedes Benz'.

www.JanisJoplin.net

Stealers Wheel didn't have an official webpage, but the wikipedia file was a veritble treasure trove of information.  Here's their title track from the remastered release 'Stuck In The Middle With You' .

www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stealers_Wheel

The Animals was another band who didn't have an official site.  From the Best Of The Animals cd, here's 'House Of The Rising Sun'.

www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Animals

The Grateful Dead are probable most noted for their legions of loyal fans wearing army uniforms of swirling multicolored patterns, but the 1987 album 'In The Dark' took a sober attempt at mainstream audiences and achieved the most commercial success of their careers.  Here's 'Throwing Stones'.

www.Dead.net

From one legend to the next here on the R and D.  Next up is Led Zepplin's 'Led Zepplin III remastered' album that takes us out to the 'Gallows Pole'.

  www.LedZepplin.com

And the final call of episode 6 is an Australian singer/songwriter Lenka.  Her song 'Everything At Once' from her album 'Two'.

www.LenkaMusic.com

As always, everything you hear on the Rum And Drum Music Podcast is available through online retailers like http://www.itunes.com/ and http://www.amazon.com/.

The RandD podcast is available here under the podcast page, on http://www.itunes.com/, and on www.Stitcher.com.  You can contact us by leaving a messege below or by email at RumAndDrumMusic@Gmail.com

Rock On,

J

Podcast Episode 0005

Hello everyone and welcome back to The Rum And Drum Music Podcast.  This is a special week here at the R and D for two reasons:  First because Episode 5 is a day early this week to make sure it broadcasts on the 40th anniversary of Fathers Day and second is because we're now available for download at www.Stitcher.com and on www.iTunes.com.  All you have to do is type 'Rum And Drum Music Podcast' into the search bar of either site!

There has always been music in our house.  Always.  Silence was something other people did.  Mealtimes, while doing housework, playing mechanic in the garage, and especially while cooking.  Music was a part of us.

Now that I'm all grown up (cough), I've taken that concept further by dedicating a healthy amount of time each week to discovering new music and revisiting songs that I've already grown to love.  Music of all kinds moves me, and if you're reading this or have subscribed to this blog, it moves you too.

Now this Father's Day I wanted to do something I have never been able to do before, and that was dedicate a podcast episode to my Dad.  It's through him and his musical tastes that I'm the music-lover that I am today and that this show even exists.  So lets take it from the top maestro:


First up is Billy Strange performing the James Bond theme from the 1964 album 'Walk,Don't Run'

.

www.BillyStrangeMusic.ning.com

Credence Clearwater Revival's 'Green River' comes up next.

www.Creedence-Online.net

From the debut album of The Eagles, here's Witchy Woman'.

www.EaglesBand.com

Folk singer Gordon Lightfoot teaches history class in his song 'Wreck of the Edmond Fitzgerald' from the album 'Summertime Dream'.

www.Myspace.com/GordonLightfootOfficial

"Make it louder!"  Here's Jan Hammer's theme to the T.V. show Miami Vice.

www.JanHammer.com

Next up is the title track from the Boss' seventh studio album 'Born In The USA'.

www.BruceSpringsteen.net

The hit Kenny Loggins song 'Danger Zone' is from the movie soundtrack to 'Top Gun'.

www.KennyLoggins.com

'Ol Blue Eyes...here's 'Fly Me To The Moon' from the album 'ItMight As Well Be Swing'.

www.Sinatra.com

Willie Nelson's 'On The Road Again' was originally part of a movie soundtrack, but lucky for us its also on his '16 Biggest Hits' collection as well.

www.WillieNelson.com

Jimmy Buffet has been synonymous with kicking back and having a few since as long as I can remember.  Here's 'Margaritaville' from his album 'Boats, Beaches, and Ballads'.

www.Margaritaville.com

The Looking Glass song 'Brandy, You're A Fine Girl' was picked up as part of a 'One Hit Wonders' album, and unfortunately there wasn't a website to link to them.

(No Website Available.)

Booker-T and the MG's could possibly be the solitary musical band that I remember growing up that I never heard anywhere else. Here's 'Time Is Tight' from their album 'Best Of Booker-T And The MG's'.

www.BookerT.com

As always, everything you hear on the Rum And Drum Music Podcast is available through online retailers like www.iTunes.com and www.Amazon.com.  Feel free to write us here at the R and D ( RumAndDrumMusic@gmail.com ) with any comments or questions you might have.

Happy Father's Day,
Rock On,
J

Podcast Episode 0004

Hello everyone and welcome back to the Rum And Drum Music Podcast.  In episode 4 we're exploring the music hybrid of rock and blues.

The true origins of this musical genre may never be known, but it's solidification happened in the 1960's and 70's.  And unlike some musical fads that seemed to pop up and fade (ie grunge and ska), the fusion of blues and rock never did.

The first track by Wolfgang Parker is a fantastic introduction to the style and feel of this podcast.  It hits on almost every aspect I look for in rock-blues.  It's a little crazy, has an easy groove and makes me want to sing along.  The song is called 'The Mice, The Demons, And Piggies' from the album 'Room Ninteen'.

www.Myspace.com/WolfgangParker

Three Bad Jakes brings us 'Harry and Betty' from the album 'Pictures and Memories'.

www.ThreeBadJacks.com

Joanne Shaw Taylor is a talent to watch from England.  Her age defying sound and guitar style are tremendous.  Her track 'Going Home' is from her debut album 'White Sugar'.

www.JoanneShawTaylor.Wordpress.com

I'm dedicating this song to several ladies I know, and the lyrics describe a little bit of each of them.  Lee Rocker knows what I mean.  'Crazy When She Drinks' is from the album 'Black Cat Bone'.

www.LeeRocker.com

The Hillbilly Hellcats are a southern-sounding mix of rock-blues.  The track is called 'Tom Gray's Dream' from their album 'Rev It Up With Taz'.

www.Myspace.com/HillbillyHellcats

T-Bone Burnett came to my attention quite by accident.  The ablum was gifted to me, and it sat on my shelf for nearly a year before I listened to it.  Once I did, it sat for another year before I actually added it to my ipod playlist.  Its been there ever since.  From the album 'Tooth Of Crime', here is the first track 'Anything I say Can And Will Be Used Against You'.

www.TBoneBurnett.com

Maggie Pierce, And E.J. are an unsigned Philadelphia music act who has color-coded eight albums to thier credit.  Their track 'Jaded' is off of their 'Gold' album.

www.MPEBand.com

The band Black Cat Bone wasn't easy to link to.  The search results for the title returned no less than a dozen different bands and numerous albums and song titles that all seemed to share the moniker.  Here's 'Bye Bye Baby' from the album 'What A Way To Make A Living'.

www.Myspace.com/BlackCatBoneMusic

The passing of Amy Winehouse in July of 2011 certainly didn't hurt her album sales.  In the U.K. her album 'Back To Black' became the country's best selling recording selling more than 3.26 million copies.  The last shot today is 'Rehab'.

www.AmyWinehouse.com

As always, everything you hear on the Rum And Drum Music Podcast is available through online retailers like www.iTunes.com and www.Amazon.com.  Feel free to write us here at the R and D with any comments or questions you might have.

Rock on,

J \m/



Podcast Episode 0003

Welcome back to The Rum And Drum Music Podcast:  In Episode 3 we're going to delve a bit into what may be uncharted territory for some of you.

Music is as widespread and varied as the people who create it.  There are influences around the globe that conspire through their creativity to transform a genre into something that has never existed before.  Some of my favorite artists are those who defy convention and branch out onto their own, for better or worse.

We'll start things off with a pair of brothers from Jamaica, Queens NYC.  Damien and Tourie Escobar are Juilliard educated violinists who blend classical, hip-hop, jazz, and R+B influences together on their album 'Struggle From The Subway To The Charts'.

(No Website Available)

From NYC we skip over to Finland where Apocalyptica was created by four cello players who play what has been dubbed 'Symphonic Metal'.  The track '2010' lends the talents of heavy metal drummer Dave Lombardo to an awesome selection from the album '&th Symphony Deluxe'.  

http://www.apocalyptica.com/

From Texas we have Cowboy Troy whose country-western blend with hip-hop has crafted a self-proclaimed style he calls 'Hick-Hop'.  The track 'I Play Chicken With A Train' is on the album 'Black In The Saddle'. 

http://www.cowboytroy.com/

The Yoshida Brothers, Ryoichiro and Kenichi, play the shamisen guitars in the Tsugaru-jamisen style.  Backed with a pop-rock band, the song 'Rising' from their 'Best of Yoshida Brothers' delivers a classic feel mixed with a modern rock anthem.



 

WWW.DomoMusicGroup.Com/YoshidaBrothers/index.PHP



Sepultura started in 1984 in Minas Gerais, Brazil.   Originally a hardcore deth metal band, their lyrics shifted toward a more social-activist theme beginning with the album 'Chaos A.D.' and even more so on the album this track was taken from, 'Roots'.  'Ratamahatta' is easily one of the most tribal forms of metal music that exists today.

WWW.Sepultura.Com

The Vitamin String Quartet has released more than fifty albums making the Los Angelos based musicians some of the most prolific I've ever heard of.  Their genres are widespread and cover nearly every notable performer in the modern age.  The album 'The Evil You Dread: The String Quartet Tribute To Slayer' showcases only a fraction of their immense talents.

WWW.VitaminRecords.Com

Trans-Siberian Orchestra is known widely for its Christmas-themed music and concert performances.  With more than eight million records sold its no doubt that they are a world phenomenon.  What most people don't know is that they also have two non-Christmas studio releases.  'Beethoven's Last Night' was released in 2000, and in 2009, 'Night Castle'.  These albums blend rock, symphony, blues, and jazz in ways unimagined before Paul O'Neal created TSO in 1993.  The Instrumental track 'Requiem: the 5th' is a prime example of classic-meets-metal .

I first heard of Gogol Bordello shortly before the first Podcast was created and was blown away by their eccentricity, style, and energy.  After hearing the heavily european influence I was surprised yet again by learning that their origins were from the Lower East Side of Manhattan NYC in 1999.  Going back through their work has also revealed a trove of hidden gems.  'American Wedding' from the album 'Super Taranta' is a perfect example of their gypsy-punk sound.

WWW.GogolBordello.Com

Sonny John Moore, also known as Skrillex, released his first album in 2010 and at the 54th Grammy Awards he took home three honors:  Best Dance/Electronica Album, Best Dance Recording, and Best Remixed Recording (Non-Classical).  The Song 'Rock And Roll (Will Take You To The Mountain)' from the album 'Scary Montsters And Nice Sprites' is an awesome dance mix with an explosion of electronic energy.

WWW.Skrillex.Com

As always, everything presented on the Blog and Podcast is available through online retailers like http://www.amazon.com/ and through http://www.itunes.com/.  If there's something you'd like to hear or have any questions or comments feel free to leave soem feedback or email us here at RumAndDrumMusic@Gmail.Com

Rock On,

J  \m/