Zeppelin or Revelation ?

Last Friday I was in drive through lane at the ATM machine and as I was waiting for my turn the Led Zeppelin song "Going to California" came on the radio. As I was listening to this song (which I have heard plenty of times) I was struck by the lyrics which seemed very apocalyptic. I started thinking that this sounded a lot like the Book of Revelation the last book of the Bible in which John reveals the visions given to him of the second coming of Jesus Christ and the judgement of earth. Being curious I started doing some research after I got home.

I read through the entire Book of Revelation (NRSV online) and the lyrics to about 25 Led Zeppeling songs. Here I will present to you my findings in part. Below are quotes from Zeppelin tunes and from the book of revelation. You are to try and guess which is which. Some are easy to figure out and some aren't. I think you may be surprised as I was at exactly how similar these two things are.

There are too many to try and guess so just read them and try and figure out yourself. I would love to hear your thoughts and comments though. I will post the correct answers this afternoon so come back and check them out.

Here goes...... Zeppelin or Revelation:

The sea was red and the sky was grey,I wondered how tomorrow could ever follow.

sun became black as sackcloth, the full moon became like blood

The drums will shake the castle wall, the ring wraiths ride in black

The mountains and the canyons started to tremble and shake as the children of the sun began to awake

And every island fled away, and no mountains were to be found

behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering

Ride a white mare in the footsteps of dawn Try to find a woman who's never been born

And there went out another horse that was red: and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the Earth

To sit with elders of the gentle race, this world has seldom seen They talk of days for which they sit and wait, all will be revealed

And my eyes fill with sand, as I scan this wasted land

From the houses of the holy, we can watch the white doves go From the door comes Satan's daughter

There's an angel on my shoulder, In my hand a sword of gold

The Prince of Peace embraced the gloom and walked the night alone

The Dark Lord rides in force tonight, and time will tell us all

you have given them blood to drink. It is what they deserve

I hear the horses thunder down in the valley below I'm waiting for the angels of Avalon

all the angels stood - In waiting. Round about the throne

It's a friendship so pure, Angels singing all around

The pain of war cannot exceed the woe of aftermath

No comfort has the fire at night that lights the face so cold

Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life

Oh, Lord, deliver me All the wrong I've done You can deliver me, Lord

Into the sun the south the north, at last the birds have flown The shackles of commitment fell, in pieces on the ground

I was dead, and behold, I am alive for evermore, and I have the keys of death

Walking side by side with death The devil mocks their every step

By the fire and smoke and sulfur coming out of their mouths.

The nations raged, but your wrath has come, and is the time for judging the dead

a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet

it had two horns like a lamb and it spoke like a dragon

The snow drives back the foot that's slow The dogs of doom are howling

Then the dragon took his stand on the sand of the seashore

With flames from the dragon of darkness, the sunlight blinds.

Then the dragon was angry with the woman, and went off to make war

Queen of Light took her plow, And then she turned to go

I rule as a queen, and I will never see grief

The Prince of Peace embraced the gloom, And walked the night alone.

The woman clothed in purple and scarlet, adorned with gold and jewels and pearls

and the light of a lamp will shine in you no more

You are the sunlight in my growing so little warmth I've felt before

So what do you think? Pretty similar aren't they? I would love to hear your thoughts on this. Check back here this afternoon and I will post a link to the "answers"

OK HERE IS THE LINK TO THE ANSWERS

-Doc

Day Dreamin'

I noticed that Doc hasn't posted, so I thought I would jump in and guest blog today. Last week there was a garage sale in my neighborhood. As a way to meet the neighbors down the street and get a look at their junk I found some CDs that I didn't own for $2 each and in almost new condition:

Nirvana - Nevermind
Jesus Jones - Doubt
The Traveling Wilburys - Vol.1
U2 - War
U2- Joshua Tree
U2 - Achtung Baby
The Mighty Mighty Bosstones - Let's Face It
The Best of Bob Marley and the Wailers - Legend

I listen to a variety of music and usually can appreciate most of it. However, when Nevermind came out I had moved to a town that the only radio you could get was country and there was not MTV or VH-1 because that might cause pregnancy. Uh, that town had a lot of knocked-up teens. I began liking Elton John then. People would inform me he was gay. My thought was how does that effect me - the guys brillant with the piano?

Late yesterday and this morning I've been listening to the Bob Marley CD and I'm really enjoying it. This gets me to wonder what out is out there that I should listen to that I really hadn't taken the time to? What have you discovered recently that you wish you could have been a fan of all along?

Anyway I'm sitting at the desk in the other office and I'm listening to the island rhythms wishing I just got back from a SCUBA dive and time to just chill on the beach. Why is my home landlocked?

Our Most Influential Albums

Last week I went to my two best friends and blog contributors AbsolutGator and Mt. Cat and gave a little assignment. Each of us was to come up with a list of our Top 10 most influential albums. Each of us is a huge music fan and although we have some similar tastes we also have very different tastes as well. The rules to the list are that this is not a "favorite" list but the music that has influenced us. Also it must be a studio album and not a compilation or Greatest Hits collection or a Live performance. It's interesting to see how there are some parallels because none of us knew what the other was listing. Here goes so give a read and Tell us what you think:

Here is the AbsolutGator's list of influential albums. I made this list based on the album influencing me personally to not only listen to the band, but open my musical tastes to listen to other bands like them. These are not in any particular order:
Metallica: Master of Puppets - This is the best of Metallica and, arguably, the best metal album of all time. RIP - Cliff Burton
Jimmy Buffett: Fruitcakes - I always liked Brother Jimmy, but this was the album that got me to really become a fan.
Guns N' Roses: Appetite for Destruction - In the late '80s, you didn't go out after the Friday night football game without listening to this! Playing Def Leopard's Hysteria before GN'R was considered bad form.
The Clash: London Calling - This album hit on all types of genres and made punk something worth listening to.
AC/DC: Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap - C'mon, what 3rd grade boy isn't gonna love singing about his balls?
Motley Crue: Shout at the Devil - Glam rock that kicked major ass.
Eagles: One of These Nights - The first album I can ever remember listening to as a kid with my Dad using the Aiwa reel-to-reel.
The Cure: Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me - I knew a girl in high school that said she did interesting things when Shiver and Shake would play. Unfortunately, I could only dream as she dated a friend of mine.
Beastie Boys: Licensed to Ill - Rap w/ classic rock riffs...that I can get into.
Jane's Addiction: Nothing's Shocking - This was the album that got me interested in and started alt-rock to me, making Grunge possible.

The next ten:
Herb Albert - Rise
Van Halen - Diver Down
Depeche Mode: Music for the Masses
RHCP - Freaky Styley
Huey Lewis & The News - Sports
Green Day - Dookie
John Cougar (Mellencamp) - My 1st CD!
The Police - Zenyatta Mondatta
The Smiths - Meat Is Murder
Social Distortion - Social Distortion

Here is the Mt. Cat's list. Below are my top ten. A few on the list can be higher or lower depending on my mood. Also, I listed about 45 other big albums in my life. Surprise by any of them? - TMC


1. Dark Side of the Moon – Pink Floyd (I think I listened to the album more than any other. Their Wish You Were Here album isn't far behind either).
2. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road – Elton John (Greatest pop-rock album of all-time).
3. Led Zeppelin I - Led Zeppelin (Greatest raw hard rock album ever made).
4. Thriller – Michael Jackson (The King of Pop got me into music as a ten year old [insert Jesus Juice joke here]. Who is not influenced by the album??)
5. Who’s Next – The Who (This album as well as Quadrophenia are mind-blowing. Keith Moon makes the hair on my arms stand up).
6. The Stranger - Billy Joel (This album sweats the five boroughs of NYC).
7. Violator - Depeche Mode (I never liked them before this album. I've been mesmerized ever since. Their 2009 Sounds of the Universe album is equally great).
8. Invisible Touch – Genesis (My theme album for my grammar school graduation).
9. Play - Moby (First big album of the new millennium for me and when first I became a proud, successful Manhattanite).
10. The Fat of the Land - Prodigy (A disturbing album to listen to but it reminds me how strong I've become from hard times in my life).


Almost made the list:
Quadrophenia – The Who Wish You Were Here – Pink Floyd Led Zeppelin II Led Zeppelin IV Physical Graffiti - Led Zeppelin Abby Road - The Beatles Sgt. Pepper - The Beatles Jagged Little Pill – Alanis Morissette So - Peter Gabriel No Jacket Required - Phil Collins Jimmy Buffett - Songs You Know By Heart The Doors – The Doors L.A. Woman - The Doors Joshua Tree - U2 Achtung Baby- U2 Metallica – Metallica Master of Puppets – Metallica Ride the Lightning – Metallica Sounds of the Universe - Depeche Mode Synchronicity – The Police Van Halen I – Van Halen For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge – Van Halen 1984 – Van Halen The Living Years – Mike + The Mechanics Ray of Light – Madonna London Calling - The Clash R - Queens of the Stone Age Hysteria – Def Leppard Hybrid Theory - Linkin Park (What's the Story) Morning Glory? – Oasis Purple Rain – Prince Empire – Queensrÿche Rage Against the Machine - Rage Against the Machine OK Computer – Radiohead Dr. Feelgood - Mötley Crüe Pretty Hate Machine – Nine Inch Nails You've Come a Long Way, Baby – Fat Boy Slim Meantime – Helmet Oranges & Lemons – XTC Throwing Copper – Live Dream of the Blue Turtles – Sting Please - The Pet Shop Boys Very – Pet Shop Boys Presto – Rush Moving Pictures - Rush Storm Front - Billy Joel Nevermind – Nirvana Back in Black – AC/DC

Here's Doc's Top 10 list. Mine was really hard to crop down so I also included some that almost made the list. I did mine in reverse order David Letterman style.

10. Everything to Everyone - Barenaked Ladies - One of the greatest albums of the last 10 years. A great listen beginning to end. Also gave me a new kind of hope during a difficult transition time in my life.
9. License to Ill - Beastie Boys - My soundtrack for 9th grade in my life. I moved to Charlotte from a smaller town and found this album about the same time. Listened to it every day on the hour long school bus ride to and from. Probably still know every word by heart. Funny thing is my least favorite song is the "hit" Fight for your Right.
8. Purple Rain - Prince - Wow talk about an eye opening album for a young almost teenager!
7. The Long Run - Eagles - Still a great listen and another one you can listen to from start to end. One of the first records I ever bought with my own money.
6. Synchronicity - The Police - When this album came along it marked my introduction to more complex lyrical music. Wow what is this? Imagery? You mean the words can mean something else? I wore out this cassette tape in a summer and had to buy another copy.
5. Cracked Rear View - Hootie and the Blowfish - Another transition album in my life. I really liked this album and then was given the opportunity to move to Columbia SC during it's heyday. I even ran into Darius Rucker right after I moved there and ended up attending the release party for their second album.

4. Sports - Huey Lewis and the News - Super Pop Rock album and the first CD I ever owned.
3. Automatic for the People - REM - An anthem album for me in college and after. I also picked it up again a few years ago after not listening for a decade and it still speaks to me just like it did back then.
2. Appetite For Destruction - Guns-n-Roses - Hard driving and my introduction to gritty tough Rock-n-Roll. Grabbed me from the opening note and never let go.
1. Slippery When Wet - Bon Jovi - Im my opinion the best Rock album of all time. Probably the album I have listened to the most times in my life. Great music and 2 separate and distinct parts to the album. Even though it served as a high school anthem the 1st part still rings true today. Timeless and I still listen from time to time.

Almost made the list: (no particular order)
1984 - Van Halen
Please - The Pet Shop Boys
Jagged Little Pill - Alanis Morisette
Thriller - Michael Jackson
Fruitcakes - Jimmy Buffett
Storm Front - Billy Joel
The Stranger - Billy Joel
Boston - Boston
Dark Side of the Moon - Pink Floyd

So there they are. We would love to hear what you think... Feel free to make a list of your own most influential albums and share it with us.

-Doc, Mt. Cat and Absolutgator

American Idol is Coming Back

Next week American Idol comes back. The show that no matter how much it goes against my love of true music and not prepackaged fluff It seems to draw me in every year. Despite one of the blogs that I follow being called 'Real Men Don't Watch American Idol' (Check it out. Christine is snarky greatness) I do consider myself not only a real man but also an Idol fan. I like the good singers, I like the bad singers. I like the crazy production they do on the quirky little sad "Wanna be on TV" rejects. I like the drama of who will make the cut in Hollywood and who won't. My wife and I even annually have a competition where we draft the finalists and see whose team wins.
Every year I think that Idol has gone downhill but I am usually surprised at the level of talent they come up with for the competition. This year should prove interesting as well now that Paula Abdul has been given the boot and will be replaced with Ellen Degeneres. I think that I am going to blog about AI this year in some form or fashion. Not sure exactly how just yet, maybe in a weekly recap or something. So Christine, Real men do occasionally watch American Idol.
So tell me do you watch American Idol? What do you think? Do you even care? Are you easily hooked in? Tell me what you think.
-Doc

Contemporary Christmas Songs

I'm taking a week off from the poll due to the holiday week but still figured I would post something. So in the spirit of Christmas I figured I would put a little twist on the typical favorite Christmas music post. There are so many classic Christmas songs from the likes of Bing Crosby and Johny Mathis. That's not what I am looking for here. I want rock and roll or at least more contemporary stuff. Just off the top of my head I came up with a list of my favorites:
(I can't promise that the links work since youtube is blocked at work)

The Eagles - Please Come Home for Christmas

The Waitresses - Christmas Wrapping


Bruce Springsteen - Santa Claus is Coming to Town

Billy Squier - Christmas is a Time to Say I love You

Adam Sandler - The Hanukkah Song (Not Christmas obviously but still a great tune)

Josh Groban - O Holy Night

and my favorite:

Barenaked Ladies w/ Sarah McLachlan - God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen

So tell me what are your favorite rock or more contemporary Christmas songs? Lets make a list!

-Doc

Queen Quiz

Please read the following article and please let me know who you think 'The Queen' is:

Who has bigger ego? Aretha Franklin says it's Tina Turner By Edna Gundersen, USA TODAY

The Queen of Soul is in high dudgeon. Aretha Franklin, who expressed her displeasure in February after Beyoncé referred to Tina Turner as "the queen" during a salute on the Grammy Awards, is now fuming over remarks by her royal rival.

Turner, currently on tour, was silent when Franklin dubbed Beyoncé's remark "a cheap shot for controversy." Asked to comment in a USA TODAY interview last week, Turner said, "She's the queen of soul, and I'm the queen of rock 'n' roll. There were so many kings and queens there that night. Her ego must be so big to think she was the only one." She joked, "That's how queens are!"

One queen wasn't laughing. In a statement to USA TODAY, Franklin says Turner "clearly was talking about herself" in terms of ego.

"I never figured her to resort to tacky press just to sell a few tickets," says Franklin, who adds she has never met Turner. "I really had put her in a different class — higher than that.

"No one has been more gracious … to their peers than I have, and I am confident and secure enough to do so, unlike some others." Turner did not respond to requests for comment.

- TMC

My 20 Essential Albums

I was thinking the other day that I needed to compile a list that Vin asked me about years ago. To really sit down and come up with my Top 20 essential albums. The 20 albums I would take with me to that fictional "desert island." So I sat down and thought about it and I have to admit it was tough. I have so many. Probably enough to do 100 but at least 50 essential "must have" albums. My criteria was that the album had to be produced and purchased from the artist not a compilation (or playlist - cause I don't do the I-pod thing) burned from other sources. This includes double albums, live recordings, and greatest hits too of course. I would love to hear your comments as well as your top 20 list as well. So here goes the 20 albums I cannot live without In order:

20. Pink Floyd - Dark Side of the Moon

19. Men at Work - Contraband

18. The Commodores - The Best of the Commodores The Millennium Collection

17. AC/DC - Live

16. The Essential Lynyrd Skynyrd

15. The Rolling Stones - Some Girls

14. Prince - The Hits / The B Sides

13. Harry Chapin - Gold Medal Collection

12. Jimmy Buffett - Meet Me in Margaritaville

11. Eagles - Hell Freezes Over

10. The Best of the Doors

9. Boston - Greatest Hits

8. Bon Jovi - One Wild Night

7. Billy Joel - Greatest Hits Volume I and II

6. REM - Automatic for the People

5. Led Zeppelin IV

4. Barenaked Ladies - Play Everywhere for Everyone - Live in Charlotte 3/7/2004

3. The Who - The Ultimate Collection

2. Jimmy Buffett - Feeding Frenzy

And the most essential album for me of all time is

1. Bon Jovi - Slippery When Wet

I would love to hear what do you think...

-Doc

Pink Floyd member Richard Wright dies at age 65

LONDON (AP) — A Pink Floyd spokesman says founding member Richard Wright has died. He was 65.

Wright died Monday after a battle with cancer at his home in Britain. His family did not want to give more details about his death. The spokesman is Doug Wright, who is not related to the artist.

Richard Wright met Pink Floyd members Roger Waters and Nick Mason at college and joined their early band Sigma 6.

Sigma 6 eventually became Pink Floyd and Wright wrote and sang some of the band's key songs. He wrote "The Great Gig In The Sky" and "Us And Them" from Pink Floyd's 1973 "The Dark Side Of The Moon."

***

I am sad. Pink Floyd is my favorite band. Richard Wright is at the right of the above photo.

- The Mountain Cat

Do you know this woman? You Will...

In a little bit of breaking news I have a question for you all. Has anyone ever heard of Kara DioGuardi ?? I suppose very few have. However you soon will know exactly who she is because she is joining American Idol. To tell you the truth I had no idea who she was until I read this. It seems that Ms. DioGuardi has been tabbed to "save" AI from whatever it lacked last season that made it lose so many viewers. (I guess they didn't like my idea that the reason the show sucked was David Archuletta) She is joining the judging panel. No Paula Abdul isn't getting sacked. (even though that prospect seemed good to me) There will be four judges starting next season. Randy, Paula, Simon, and Kara.
What is your take AI fans? What do you think? Is this a change that is needed? I will tell you my take. I think they are paving the way to get rid of Paula altogether. Tell me what you think?

-Doc

Bass!

Good afternoon. Previously we discussed our favorite drummers and lead guitarists.
What about our favorite rock bass guitarists?

Here are mine:


1. John Entwistle – The Who
2. Michael "Flea" Balzary – Red Hot Chili Peppers
3. Geddy Lee - Rush
4. John Paul Jones – Led Zeppelin
Tie 5. Bootsy Collins – Parliament Funkadelic;
Les Claypool – Primus

I know there are a lot more folks?
Have a great day.

- The Mountain Cat

Careful With that Axe, David.

Last week we discussed our favorite rock drummers.
So today lets move to our favorite rock guitarists.
This will be be fun as there are so many great guitar players over several genres. So lets debate. Here are my favorites:

1. David Gilmour - Pink Floyd (Best guitar solos ever).
2. Jimi Hendrix - (The God of riffs!)
3. Jimmy Page - Led Zeppelin (His Holiness rocks).
4. Eric Clapton - (Slowhand can do it all).
5. Eddie Van Halen - (He changed hard rock forever).

- The Mountain Cat

Percussion This!

I love rock and roll but I can't play a lick! But I do prefer to become astute on rock history. I love to learn about the origin of bands, how their songs were written, all their crazy 'escapades' and so on and so forth. Often times, among rock fans, there are arguments as to who the best musicians are. So today I'd like to start a debate on rock drummers. Who are the best rock drummers?

Here is my top 5:

1. Keith Moon - The Who (Wild and insane. Just listen to Quadrophenia. There has never been better drumming on any rock album as far as I am concerned.)

2. Neil Peart - Rush (He drums like a calculus equation. Extremely technical.)

3. John Bonham - Led Zeppelin (No one slammed a snare harder than Bonzo.)

4. Lars Ulrich - Metallica (Fast and furious or slow and steady.)

5. Vinnie Paul Abbott- Pantera (Double bass metal madness!)

There are plenty more that I like too so lets discuss. Who are your favorite drummers?

- The Mountain Cat