Dave Schwensen's Blog, page 20

#276 – Baby, I Love You

#276 – Baby, I Love You by The Ronettes

Nedra, Ronnie & Estelle

Rock’n roll is about the music and the attitude. Combine that with a look and you might be tempted to call it a formula for success. Of course nothing is written in stone in the rock biz (sorry for the amateur wordplay) and some artists with only one or two of those attributes have scored a few hits and could qualify as a brief fad. But nothing long-lasting.

The flash-in-the-pans weren’t built for the long run.

Elvis, The Beatles, Th...

#277 – Listen People

#277 – Listen People by Herman’s Hermits

It’s amazing that within two years of The British Invasion there was already a dividing line being drawn between the “mature” and “teenybopper” pop groups. I’ve mentioned numerous times The Beatles led the way with February 9, 1964 signaling ground zero for boomer classic rockers. But numerous other Invasion acts from across the Atlantic were hot on their heels churning out Top 10 hits, primetime television appearances, and tours that left waves of scre...

#278 – Ben

#278 – Ben by Michael Jackson

Here’s a show business policy that shouldn’t surprise anyone. When a project is successful – do it again. Pop culture is full of trends, fads, copies and sequels. If everyone is into dancing The Twist, there’s no reason why we can’t Twist Again (Like We Did Last Summer).

Rocky won an Academy Award for Best Movie. You know what that means – right?Rocky II, III, IV, V and Rocky Balboa (unofficially Rocky VI).

Didn’t you love The Godfather? Of course, that’s why we got...

#279 – Riders On The Storm

#279 – Riders On The Storm by The Doors

This was it Doors fans. The last one.

“This is the end, beautiful friend. This is the end, my only friend, the end…“

Yeah, I know those are not the lyrics to Riders On The Storm, but with 20/20 hindsight mojo they’re very descriptive of what this song represents.

Mr. Mojo Risin’ had laid down the vocal track for Riders On The Storm and vacated his bar stool at Barney’s Beanery in Hollywood for The City of Light. And just so we don’t confuse Jim Morrison’s...

Rod: The Autobiography

Ooh-la-la!

The Classic Rocker Featured Book Review

Rod: The Autobiography by Rod Stewart

Rating: FIVE Classic Rock Stars

Rod Stewart proves it’s true – blondes have more fun.

This book was a very fun read and I couldn’t ask for a more insightful journey through the life of a superstar music legend. Unlike unauthorized bios or watered down versions written by ghost writers to smooth out a performer’s image and hide the wrinkles,Rod The Modgives us the full scoop in a funny, candid and honest manner...

#280 – Sweet Pea

#281 – Sweet Pea by Tommy Roe

This is one of those bouncy, cheerful and fluffy light songs that has gone down in music genres as bubblegum. The problem is I don’t remember anyone using that term – bubblegum – to describe this type of song when it was released in January, 1966. It was eitherpoporrock’n roll. I doubt anyone would mistake this song for Motown or R&B, so that’s it as far as descriptions went forSweet Pea.

But pop and rock’n roll weren’t that far apart from each other in the winter...

Prince: Inside the Music and the Masks

A Look Into The Purple One’s Haze

The Classic Rocker Featured Book Review

Prince: Inside the Music and the Masks by Ronin Ro

Rating: FOUR AND A HALF Classic Rock Stars

Here’s an understatement: Prince has always remained a bit of a mystery even to his most loyal fans. For those of us on the more casual side of fandom, he’s almost an unknown. Of course we know his hit songs, the mega successful rock filmPurple Rain, and his penchant for being different. For example, not every male rock or R&B star...

#281 – I’ll Never Fall In Love Again

#281 – I’ll Never Fall In Love Again by Dionne Warwick

Dionne has The Voice

I’ll just go ahead and state the obvious. No one sounds like Dionne Warwick.

If The Voice had been on television half a century ago, she would’ve been the winner and break-out star. The next season they would’ve begged her to come back as a coach. It might have been a higher profile gig than The Psychic Friends Network (transport your mind back to Ms. Warwick as the TV informercial host in the 90’s) but no matter how muc...

#282 – I’m A Believer

#282 – I’m A Believer by The Monkees

Believe it – they was fab!

This song marks the pinnacle of Monkeemania in the U.S. and still survives on classic rock playlists as one of the best pop music recordings from the mid-1960’s. Backed with the almost as infectious (I’m Not Your) Steppin’ Stone, the single was a pre-holiday smash hit in December 1966 and continued The Monkees’ rise to fill a void left by the – suddenly and mysteriously – absent Beatles from the music charts.

And in case you weren’t...

Careless Love

An American Dream Turns Into The American Tragedy

The Classic Rocker Featured Book Review

Careless Love: The Unmaking of Elvis Presley by Peter Guralnick

Rating: FIVE Classic Rock Stars

The second part of this two volume definitive look at the life of Elvis Presley slams the brakes on one of the most famous and notorious tales of living The American Dream. Whereas the author’s earlier book,Last Train to Memphis, brought home the story of a young boy from a poor family who was blessed with unnatur...