Music

Ringo Rocks

Nearly 60 years after appearing on Ed Sullivan, Ringo finally made it on the cover of Rolling…. AARP Magazine.  At 83 years young, he’s still rockin’.  Being sober helps.  His Buzz comes from exercise and music!!

– Jet Cannon

Photo: AARP

Live Classical Rock

We’ve written about vinyl parties where you invite friends over, select a classic album to play beginning-to-end, and serve a cocktail that fits the mood.  There’s even a book called Booze and Vinyl which makes suggestions for the album, accompanying beverage for both sides A and B, plus appetizer ideas to go with.  For example, the Eagles Hotel California calls for a Beachcomber Cocktail for side A and a Mojito for side B.  Now take that concept to a live show.  The Black Jacket Symphony has spent the last 15 years performing 40-some classic albums, note-for-note.  We just saw them perform Hotel California before adding Eagles hits following intermission.  The cast included four excellent guitarists nailing guitar harmonies while the vocal harmonies were spot-on.  Several songs included a violinist and a viola. They take their covers seriously. The venue was a perfect 700-seat acoustically-excellent setting complete with cocktail bars in the lobby.  Next year Black Jacket will take on Dark Side of the Moon and we would expect it will be note-for-note stunning.  Here’s their website.  If you have the opportunity and enjoy live classic album rock as we used to consume it, check out their tour schedule. 

– Jet Cannon 

“If there’s a heaven for me, I’m sure it has a beach attached”

Our favorite skipper, Captain Tony, like many Jimmy Buffett fans, is continuing to mourn the passing of the legendary musician.  So the Captain shared with us Jimmy’s recipe for a Margaritaville Signature Margarita.

1 oz. Margaritaville Tequila Gold

1/2 oz. Margaritaville Tequila Silver

1/2 oz. Triple sec

1/2 oz. Orange curacao

1/2 oz. Lime juice

2 lime wedges

1. Rim margarita glass with salt

2. Combine ingredients in a shaker filled with ice.  Squeeze lime on top, then drop wedges in

3. Cover, shake vigorously, and pour.

Put some Jimmy vinyl on the turntable, kick back, and enjoy!

– Jet Cannon

Photo: Allrecipes.com

Buffet’s Wealth Secrets

Warren Buffett?  No.  Jimmy.  Rest In Peace, you “lazy” beach bum.  While music critics were often unenthusiastic, Jimmy Buffett sold over 20 million albums, wrote three #1 best sellers, acted in Hawaii 5-0, led 40 concert tours and built a merchandise/hotel/restaurant empire.  Guest members of the Coral Reefer Band included Paul McCartney, Brian Wilson, Sheryl Crow, and Roy Orbison.  His activities amazed an estimated net worth of $1 billion.  His secret?  Buffet told the Arizona Republic, “You’ve got to get away from the whatever you do to make a living or other parts of your life that stress you out.  I try to make it at least 50/50 fun to work, and so far it’s worked out.”  One of the kindest and most generous people, Jimmy Buffett, perhaps the ultimate Buzzed Boomer, brought people together and made millions of people happy.  You earned 100% fun in Margaritaville.

– Jet Cannon

 

Photo: jimmybuffett.com

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Java Jive

Neuroscience News reports that engaging with music or consuming coffee is linked to peak cognitive performance. AI-generated music, in particular, showed significant performance boosts, opening new avenues for exploration.  That sounds scary to us so what about just listening to music about coffee while enjoying a cup??

The Coffee Song – Frank Sinatra

Cup of Coffee – Johnny Cash

Coffee Shop – Red Hot Chili Peppers

One Cup of Coffee – Bob Marley and the Wailers

One MORE Cup of Coffee – Bob Dylan

Java Jive – The Ink Spots

Cigarettes and Coffee – Otis Redding

 

We believe more research, coffee, and music is warranted.  Meanwhile, click here to read the article.

– Jet Cannon

Ten Essential Boomer Albums

Just in case you haven’t listened to these albums, or any complete albums lately, AARP suggests we revisit these classics:

Bob Dylan – Highway 61 Revisited

The Beatles – Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band

Marvin Gaye – What’s Going On

Carole King – Tapestry

Led Zeppelin – IV (Ruins)

The Rolling Stones – Exile on Main St.

Stevie Wonder – Innervisions

Eagles – The Greatest Hits

Bob Marley & The Wailers – Exodus

Saturday Night Fever

Happy listening!

  • Jet Cannon
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Feelin’ Stronger Every Day

Finally, a useful study. Loudwire.com reports, “Your favorite music shouldn’t just sound good, it should also make you feel good. A new study by WithinHealth has revealed which rock and metal bands make people feel the most confident about themselves and their bodies. The five rock artists that make people have the most confident are Queen, Guns N’ Roses, Led Zeppelin, The Beatles and Pink Floyd, according to the study, and the five metal artists that make people feel the best are Metallica, Tool, Nirvana, Five Finger Death Punch and Avenged Sevenfold.”

Read the article here for more on the study.  Go forth and conquer!  

– Jet Cannon

This Crown Can Be Yours!

(CNN) — Around 1,500 items that once belonged to the late British rock star Freddie Mercury are going up for auction, including never-before-seen handwritten draft lyrics to “We Are the Champions,” one of the band Queen’s most famous songs.

The objects are being offered for sale by Mary Austin, a close friend of Mercury, who inherited his estate.

In addition to draft song lyrics. the items in the sale will include: pink, star-shaped glasses similar to the dark pair Mercury wore in the music video for his band’s 1977 hit “We Will Rock You”; his tiny Tiffany & Co. mustache comb; his guitar, believed to have been used to write and record “Crazy Little Thing Called Love”; the waistcoat Mercury wore in his final music video, “These Are the Days of Our Lives,” in 1991; and a Pablo Picasso linocut titled “Jacqueline au chapeau noir.”

Mercury’s famous crown — thought to be loosely modeled on the crown King Charles III will wear at his coronation on May 6 — and his accompanying cloak are expected to sell for up to £80,000 ($100,000). The singer wore both for his rendition of “God Save The Queen” during his last tour with Queen, in 1986.

The items will then be displayed at Sotheby’s in London between August 4 and September 5.

The collection will be offered in live auctions on September 6, 7, and 8, supplemented by online auctions starting on August 31.

Photo: Change.org

Get The Kinks Out

Per their Twitter, “60 years ago, a group of North London lads got a band together…today they’re one of the greatest bands in British history. The Kinks are launching a 60th Anniversary Celebration of their vital importance to popular music.”

Rolling Stone adds, “The Kinks — then the Davies brothers and the late bassist Pete Quaife — were founded in 1963, with drummer Mick Avory joining soon after. The following year, the band released their first-ever Number One single “You Really Got Me,” which was followed by “All Day and All of the Night” and another Number One, “Tired of Waiting for You,” quickly establishing the Kinks as one of the preeminent acts of the British Invasion.”

The Journey – Part 1 — due out March 24 on 2LP and 2CD — spans from those first singles to similarly iconic tracks plucked from Kinks classics like The Village Green Preservation Society, Face to Face, Arthur and Lola Versus Powerman. The anthology also includes personal track-by-track notes about the songs penned by the Davies and Avory, who happens to be celebrating his 78th birthday today.”

“A second volume of The Journey, likely focusing on the back half of the Kinks’ immense catalog, is due out later this year. “A host of global events and activities” are also planned over the course of 2023 and 2024 to mark the Kinks’ 60th anniversary, with those plans to be announced at a later date.”

  • Jet Cannon

Photo: Variety

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British Invasion

On February 7, 1964 the Beatles landed in the USA.  Two days later, they performed on The Ed Sullivan Show.

Reporter: What will you do when Beatlemania subsides?
John Lennon: Count the money.

– Jet Cannon

Harmony

David Van Cortlandt Crosby. Rest In Peace.  

The fact is, we’re losing more and more of our rock heroes.  Thankfully, we will always have the fantastic music they made.

– Jet Cannon

Photo:  Guitar Player

Jeff Beck

So sad to see them go.  Especially one of the most skilled, admired and influential guitarists in the history of rock and roll.  Jeff Beck played with Eric Clapton, Rod Stewart, Ron Wood, Tom Bogart, Carmine Appice, Jimmy Page, Nicky Hopkins, Keith Moon, John Paul Jones, Cozy Powell, Jon Hammer, Jon Bon Jovi, Roger Waters, Kate Bush, Tina Turner, Johnny Depp, Ozzie Osbourne and many, many more.  RIP.

– Jet Cannon

Phono:  MusicRadar