Dave Schwensen's Blog, page 13

#221 – The Waiting

#221 – The Waiting by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers

Waiting around & breaking hearts

– My apartment in New York City was eight blocks away from The Palladium on East 14th Street. It used to be named The Academy of Music and one of the venues promoter Sid Bernstein– yeah, the same Sid Bernsteinwho put The Beatles on stage in the middle of Shea Stadium in August 1965 – showcased many first wave acts of The British Invasion. Included in a long list are The Dave Clark Five, The Animals, The Kin...

#222 – Happiness Is A Warm Gun

#222 – Happiness Is A Warm Gun by The Beatles

– In 1968 FM radio was still a relatively new way to hear rock music. Before it was considered mainly talk/news radio and boomers had their ears glued to AM Top 40 local stations for the pop hits. Listening to FM was considered “progressive” and the first time we could hear deep album tracks over the airwaves.As a Midwestern teenager I wanted to hear the edgy new songs that I imagined were normal listening over the radio dials in San Francisco, Ne...

Muhammad Ali 1942 – 2016

Our last conversation was about iconic albums. Muhammad Ali was a bigger icon than any album. Classic Rockers and baby boomers already know this. For everyone else here are a few memorable quotes to prove it…

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Floated like a butterfly

“He who is not courageous enough to take risks will accomplish nothing in life.”

“Hating people because of their color is wrong. And it doesn’t matter which color does the hating. It’s just plain wrong.”

“Impossible is just a big word thrown around by small men...

#223 – Walking Back To Waterloo

#223 – Walking Back To Waterloo by the Bee Gees

Barry, Robin and Maurice

– What is it that makes an album iconic? Is it only the music or as a “time stamp” that forever keeps the album relevant to the era it defines?

Or… does the era define the music on the album?

I did a quick research to clarify the word iconic. Basically, it means a defining characteristic of an image, emblem, idol or hero. So in our case as classic rockers, an iconic album represents the best of the music genre and/or the...

Allen Klein: The Man Who Bailed Out the Beatles, Made the Stones, and Transformed Rock & Roll

The Classic Rocker Featured Book Review

Allen Klein: The Man Who Bailed Out the Beatles, Made the Stones, and Transformed Rock & Rollby Fred Goodman

Rating: FIVE Classic Rock Stars

Sympathy For The Devil

I’ve been looking forward to reading this book because Allen Klein has been depicted for so long as a sinister character in the history ofThe BeatlesandThe Rolling Stones. His name will forever be associated with the darker aspects of these bands, such as the breakup of the Beatles and control...

#224 – At the Zoo

#224 – At the Zoo by Simon & Garfunkel

– Things were getting really weird around this time in February 1967. On second thought, it had been that way since summer of ’66. The Beatles had lead the way moving from personal song messages to fans (“I” want to hold your hand, and “I” love her, yadda-yadda-yadda) and were now singing about authors of paperback books, submarines painted yellow, their doctor (hello Robert!) and the weather (“When the rain comes…“).

Suddenly pop music was painting more...

#225 – Money For Nothing

#225 – Money For Nothing by Dire Straits

Working for a living

Sometimes it’s all about coincidenceand timing. Being in the right place at the right – or wrong – time.

I was in a fast food joint in Southern Ohio last week. I won’t mention the name of the town since I’m hoping a majority of the residents are not operating on low battery (mental) mode. It wouldn’t be fair of me to send out a sweeping general accusation about “The dumbing of America” at the town’s entire population simply because...

Prince: Inside the Music and the Masks

The Classic Rocker Featured Book Review

Prince: Inside the Music and the Masksby Ronin Ro

Rating: FOUR AND A HALF Classic Rock Stars

A look into the purple one’s haze

I haven’t stopped listening to Prince since hearing the sad news of his death on Thursday, April 21st. This book review first appeared in The Classic Rocker in 2014 and I just felt like running it again. In brief, it doesn’t live up to the talent Prince shared with the world, but it gave me some insights into him as an artist and...

#226 – Red Roses for a Blue Lady

#226 – Red Roses for a Blue Lady by Vic Dana

– This is not a song that jumps out at anyone hooked on classic rock, but it fits into the classic pop era of the mid 1960’s. We were still in the midst of The British Invasion and American pop groups like The Byrds, The Lovin’ Spoonful and Sonny & Cher were scoring big on the music charts.

By 1965 many of the pre-Beatles U.S. crooners like Bobby Rydell, Bobby Vinton and whatever other “Bobby’s” with neatly combed hair, sweaters and parental approv...

#227 – Tainted Love

#227 – Tainted Love by Soft Cell

– I’m totally confused. So far this list has included songs I love and songs I can’t stand. Some I’ve heard recently and with others it’s been years or even decades. But at least the songs bring back a few memories or experiences that give them some kind of valid reason for being on this list.

But Tainted Love by Soft Cell? I’ve got nothing…

At least it shares one thing with all the songs that have appeared so far. It has a catchy tune. It starts with a “Bink,...