Dave Schwensen's Blog, page 14

#228 – Under My Wheels

#228 – Under My Wheels by Alice Cooper

– “Are you a boy or a girl?”

I’m sure that question has been thrown at musicians long before Elvis first walked out of his house wearing a pink shirt. But it went into heavy quiz rotation in 1964 when the unenlightenedcomplained about The Beatles‘ mop tops making them look more than a bit feminine. It’s funny to think about now, isn’t it? But at the timesome parents, most rednecks and all crew-cut gym teachers would use that question to make life misera...

#229 – Alfred Hitchcock Presents TV Theme Song

#229 – Theme Song from Alfred Hitchcock Presents

– This is the tune that accompanied creepiness into our living rooms every Sunday night during the late 1950’s. The black and white broadcast would open with a round face and round belly silhouettethat would be filled in by the human shadow of the king of creepiness, legendary film director Alfred Hitchcock.

For Boomers born in the 50’s, the show’s 9:30 pm airtime meant it was for a mature viewing audience. “Responsible” parents were expected t...

A Natural Woman: A Memoir

The Classic Rocker Featured Book Review

A Natural Woman: A Memoirby Carole King

Rating: FIVE Classic Rock Stars

The Woman Behind The Music

– If you’re a fan of popular music, you’re a fan of Carole King. For almost six decades dozens of artists includingThe Shirelles,Aretha FranklinandJames Taylor, toThe Beatles,The MonkeesandGrand Funk, have performed her songs. Her 1971 solo albumTapestryis a classic and she’s a deserving member of The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Songwriters Hall of Fame and...

#230 – 98.6

#230 – 98.6 by Keith

– We were still coasting along on a pop music high in December 1966. For thousands of us (and yes, I’m included) it had only been four months since we saw The Beatles in concert. We still didn’t know it would be their final summer trek across North America because the mania was still alive and well. But with the advantage that decades of hindsight has given us, their album Revolver released in August ’66 was taking our music scene in a different direction. Just like we th...

#231 – If I Only Had A Brain

#231 – If I Only Had A Brain from the movie The Wizard of Oz

I know what you’re thinking!

– Once again, the unpredictable has happened. Then again, not really. If you’re part of the baby boomer generation and therefore by birth right also a classic rocker, this song should be embedded in your brain. The classic film The Wizard of Oz may have been made as entertainment for our parents and grandparents, but thanks to the boomer babysitter – television – we own it.

It’s ours. Just like The Three...

#232 – Stayin’ Alive

#232 – Stayin’ Alive by the Bee Gees

Barry, Robin and Maurice Gibb

– This was late 1977 and some of us might have felt we were crossing over to the other side of the generation gap. Though I was still years away from the 1960’s rallying cry of “Don’t trust anyone over the age of 30” there was a new music scene happening with the younger segment of baby boomers that divided us like a line drawn in the sand. FM radio stations and advertisers caught on and suddenly the music we grew up listening...

#233 – Elusive Butterfly

#233 – Elusive Butterfly by Bob Lind

– The divisions between folk and rock were getting more than a little blurred by the end of 1965. It was a new trend evolving out of the pop music brought to us by The British Invasion and homegrownBob Dylan’s acoustic folk roots. The sound is what really gave folk-rock its own genrewith good harmonies, electric guitars and a beat we could dance to.

The first time I ever heard the term folk-rockwas as a description for The Byrds. The individual members had...

#234 – Folsom Prison Blues

#234 – Folsom Prison Blues by Johnny Cash

In the slammer 1968

– What do you do when you’re in the presence of a legend? In my encounter with Johnny Cash, I just tried to act cool. In reality I was being paid to act. And if I hadn’t been cool about the entire situation, I might have lost the job.

But for cryin’ out loud, I was hanging out with Johnny Cash. If that wasn’t cool, I don’t know what is.

Of course we all know Cash is a legend in both country and rock and roll music. The Man In Black...

#235 – Good Golly Miss Molly

#235 – Good Golly Miss Molly by Little Richard

Good Golly!!

– I don’t know if this was happening anywhere else, but in the late 1960’s and early 70’s Public Hall in downtown Cleveland Ohio would be the site of a Christmas rock concert. Yeah, there always have been and will be big-name performers touring over the holidays, but this was different. Instead of one major headlining band playing for a couple hours with (or without) opening acts, this would start around 4:30 in the afternoon and run...

Good Golly Miss Molly

#235 – Good Golly Miss Molly by Little Richard

Good Golly!!

– I don’t know if this was happening anywhere else, but in the late 1960’s and early 70’s Public Hall in downtown Cleveland Ohio would be the site of a Christmas rock concert. Yeah, there always have been and will be big-name performers touring over the holidays, but this was different. Instead of one major headlining band playing for a couple hours with (or without) opening acts, this would start around 4:30 in the afternoon and run...