Etched in rock history, Soundgarden grew from the Pacific Northwest to act as a catalyst in the massive musical and cultural shift of the 90s. This musical era, later labelled as grunge in the industry, turned its back on the big budget, big attitude approach of the 80s. Soundgarden’s unique classic rock and metal delivery coupled with its early punk influence are once again bringing fans close to its musical and emotional intricacies.

The Emerald City

Upon its formation in 1984, Soundgarden quickly began to hone their art amongst other early Seattle area groups of the time. Bands such as The Melvins, Green River, Skin Yard, and Malfunkshun were all early incarnations of the later popularized grunge style. Soundgarden’s first 1987 EP release Screaming Life featured the single “Hunted Down” and was released on the now famous Sub Pop label. At this time two other infamous Seattle groups were formed — Nirvana and Alice in Chains.

Soundgarden’s first full-length 1988 release Ultramega OK featured Kim Thayil on guitar, Hiro Yamamoto on bass, Matt Cameron (Pearl Jam) on drums, and Chris Cornell on vocals.

“Maybe it’s a northwestern thing, maybe its part of the scene I came up through. We always insisted that we would conduct our lives and musical careers as everyone is created equal. There is no qualifying or quantifying my value over yours,” says Cornell.

Although the album scored Soundgarden a Grammy nomination for best metal performance in 1990, its production and independent release under the SST label might have inhibited its wider success.

By 1989, the band had signed a major label deal with A&M records. The release of Louder Than Love that year saw Soundgarden moving heavily toward their twisted classic approach. After further international touring, the hard rock classic Badmotorfinger was released in 1991. Creatively, it was a more cohesive effort.  The band was further injected with life through contributions from their new bassist Ben Shepherd.

Soundgarden delved further into use of odd time signatures and psychedelic departures, while also incorporating the Sabbath- and Zeppelin-inspired downtuned sludge from guitarist Thayil. Working as an outstanding contrast to the precision wail of singer Chris Cornell, this deep and often dark musical landscape became what Soundgarden is known for.

The release of Badmotorfinger in 1991 also brought the release of some landmark albums from fellow Seattle rockers, including Pearl Jam’s Ten and Nirvana’s Nevermind. Of the Seattle boom, Nirvana would be the first to break into the mainstream, popularizing the alternative Seattle rock scene dubbed as grunge.

Alive In The Superunknown

Recognized as the most successful and defining Soundgarden album, 1994’s Superunknown acted as the final blow to the wall between the band and the mainstream. Formed through emotional desperation and personal isolation, the album takes the listener fearlessly into the dark. Yet Superunknown contains a core strength through a variety of tension-building riffs, stylistic experimentation and soaring melodies.

Superunknown contains some of the band’s most refined and developed songs to date, including the five singles “Black Hole Sun”, “Spoonman”, “My Wave”, “Fell On Black Days” and “The Day I Tried To Live”. After a 1994 number one debut on the Billboard chart, the album went on to garner the band two Grammys in addition to multi-platinum sales.

Chris Cornell

After the widespread success of Superunknown, vocalist Chris Cornell solidified himself as one of the greatest rock singers.

“You have to walk out there like you believe you should be out in front of people, but not walk out there like you think you’re better than the person that bought the ticket who’s listening to you,” says Cornell.

Successes aside, his immense talent could  be seen early in his career through the outstanding heartfelt side-project, Temple of The Dog. After the release of Soundgarden’s final album, Down On The Upside, and subsequent breakup, Cornell went on to pursue a solo career in addition to fronting the hard rock powerhouse Audioslave.

Telephantasm

In early 2010, Cornell announced via Twitter that Soundgarden would reunite. “The 12 year break is over & school is back in session. Sign up now. Knights of the Soundtable ride again,” he wrote.

Since its reformation, the Soundgarden have played a select number of shows including their first since 1997 at Seattle’s Showbox and a headlining gig in August at Lollapalooza. Rumours of further touring and appearances continue to swirl on the internet from eagerly awaiting fans.

With the reformation also come efforts to move Soundgarden’s art from the past to the present. Partly due to having their former record company and staff dissolved, Soundgarden have done very little in terms of commercial or online presence. The recent release of Telephantasm marks a triumphant return and reintroduction to loyal admirers while also engaging new generations of rock fans.

The title Telephantasm is described by guitarist Thayil as “an illusion at a distance, or a ghost from afar,” capturing a retrospective of a non-existent band in over a decade.

Partly released in a unique combination with the latest Guitar Hero: Warriors Of Rock video game, one million copies of a condensed Telephantasm went out in late September 2010. Three expanded versions were also released, one of which containing a vinyl copy as part of a limited edition box set.

Recommended Recordings

To experience some of Soundgarden’s music, seek out and have a listen to these select tracks which are standouts in an extraordinary career. These songs are an excellent starting point for new listeners and they are are also familiar classics for fans. Below that, you will find two excellent videos for your viewing pleasure. Enjoy!

“Rusty Cage” on Badmotorfinger

“Outshined” on Badmotorfinger

“Superunknown” on Superunknown

“Spoonman” on Superunknown

“Burden in My Hand” on Down on the Upside

Soundgarden On Video

href='http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wEuRvYp1-44

href='http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XmIqIVxUuKs

Additional Reading

Soundgarden website

Chris Cornell website

Audioslave website

What Do You Think?

Please feel free to comment and share your thoughts on the music of Soundgarden. What are some of your favorite songs or albums? How have they affected you? If you have seen Soundgarden in concert, please share some of your comments about the shows.

Photo Credits

Soundgarden  musicisentropy @ Flickr.com. Creative Commons. Some Rights Reserved.

Soundgarden  Fuzzy Gerdes @ Flickr.com. Creative Commons. Some Rights Reserved.

Soundgarden  joshc @ Flickr.com. Creative Commons. Some Rights Reserved.

Soundgarden Reindertot@ Flickr.com. Creative Commons. Some Rights Reserved.

Wait, don’t laugh.

It was the soundtrack of my childhood until I became a teenager and latched on to the likes of Queen, Zep, U2, The Police. But even then I listened to country music secretly when my friends weren’t around because amongst my peers country music was not socially acceptable.

But I couldn’t help it. It was in my blood. I loved it when Kris Kristofferson sang in his gravelly, sorrowful voice “Loving Her Was Easier” or “Help Me Make It Through the Night”…

Take the ribbon from your hair.
Shake it loose and let it fall.
Layin’ soft against my skin.
Like the shadows on the wall

Or when “outlaw” Waylon Jennings crooned about the hard life of a woman who loved a man in a hillbilly band:

Amanda, light of my life,
They should have made you
A gentleman’s wife.

Surrounded by the massive snow-covered peaks of the Rockies, walking in the spring by the Elk River as it raged toward the U.S. border, carrying with it the whispers and songs from the mining town where I was born, I listened to the songs from Johnny Cash, Glen Campbell, Loretta Lynne, Waylon Jennings, Ray Charles and Willie. These artists spoke to the experience of growing up in the mountains in a way no rock artist could quite capture.

The deep music, the real country music that emerged from the sons and daughters of sharecroppers and miners, from Acadian fiddlers and steel guitar pickers, was far from sappy. It contained the sorrows of early death, the sharp crack of hearts breaking, the lonely wails of trains running through the mountains, and a sense of hope because, even though life was hard, there was love.

In my hometown, we had one radio station and so I never knew about the great rock revolution rolling over the Western world until I was about eight and we first visited Vancouver with its hippies, Hare Krishnas and psychedelic mini skirts.

Over the years my tastes have broadened to include classical, blues, a wee bit of opera and, yes, rock but I have a special place inside for country music, especially the lyrics of the great Jimmy Webb whose many masterpieces were sung by Glen Campbell.

One of his greatest classics, written in ’69, is about a soldier going into battle and thinking about the woman and city he loves. It’s called “Galveston.”

Galveston, oh Galveston,
I am so afraid of dying
Before I dry the tears she’s crying
Before I watch your sea birds flying in the sun
At Galveston, at Galveston

Webb said he wasn’t thinking about Vietnam when he penned the song. He had imagined it taking place during a battle of the Spanish-American War. Yet like all great songs, it had the ability to transcend time and space. The song could as easily have been written about a soldier in Vietnam. I used to lie on my bed and listen, imaging a soldier standing on the beach with the waves washing over his army-issued boots and seagulls crying on the wind.

Another Webb classic sung by Campbell is “Witchita Lineman,” a song about a guy just doing his job and thinking about his life and the woman he loves.

I am a lineman for the county.
And I drive the main road.
Lookin’ in the sun for another overload.

This song contains four of the greatest lines ever written in a country song:

And I need you more than want you,
and I want you for all time,
and the Witchita lineman,
is still on the line.

Then there’s Johnny Cash, the Man in Black, the ferryman of the human spirit.

Every time I listen to a Johnny Cash song, I hear something new in his lyrics and I remember the sound of the train at night slinking through the mountains like a hard-breathing animal. I hear the train a-comin’, it’s rollin’ round the bend…

This son of a dirt-poor sharecropper, with his mournful eyes and deep, resonant voice, became a voice for the downtrodden, the dispirited, the prisoner, the American Indian. He was the antithesis to the phony but false image of country music as squeaky clean. He famously performed at Folsom Prison  and was never a prisoner himself despite singing I shot a man in Reno, just to watch him die.

One country singer who was the darling of my coal mining family was Loretta Lynn, who grew up in Butcher Holler, near a mining community in Kentucky. Like Johnny Cash, she grew up in poverty but with her rich voice, long dresses and beehive hair, she captured the heart of the Grand Ole Opry.

Yeah I’m proud to be a coal miner’s daughter
I remember well the well where I drew water

Country music blends traditional and popular musical forms found in the Southern U.S. and Canada’s Maritime region. People began calling it country music when the term hillbilly music was deemed an insult. It evolved as people when people from different ethnic groups came together with their instruments to create the music of the people. They brought Scottish and Irish fiddles, German dulcimers, Italian mandolins, Spanish guitars, West African banjoes, Southern guitars, accordions and even washboard, old saws and hair combs.

Some people tell me country music is sappy. Some of it is. But so is some music in other genres. In the rock genre, for instance, how do you compare REO Speedwagon to Led Zeppelin, though they both are often played on the same Oldies stations?

Real country is a poem of survival, an ode to the human spirit and the people who get up no matter how many times they are kicked, to love again no matter how many times their hearts have broken. In the Jimmy Webb classic “Gentle on Mind,” sung by Glenn Campbell, is the story of a hobo, a wanderer, thinking of a woman:

I dip my cup of soup back from the gurglin’
Cracklin’ caldron in some train yard
My beard a roughning coal pile and
A dirty hat pulled low across my face
Through cupped hands ’round a tin can
I pretend I hold you to my breast and find
That you’re waving from the backroads
By the rivers of my mem’ry
Ever smilin’ ever gentle on my mind.

And it’s a funny thing. The older I get the more I think about those old country songs and wonder how much they shaped me. Because the heart of a girl who has lived in the city for many years now — and loves her high heels and bling — is still steeped in the values shaped by country roads, waking up each morning to look at my mountain, and hearing in my mind the soundtrack of a simpler time, before life got so “danged” complicated.

When I hear that sappy old song “Take Me Home Country Roads”, I still see my grandma hanging wash on the line in the mining town where women raced the coal dust to keep their homes clean.

All my memories gathered round her
Miner’s lady, stranger to blue water…

…or my grandfather fishing in the creek for rainbow trout, casting as if to heaven… or my beautiful mom singing Tammy Wynette or Patsy Cline as she drove along the highway in her old blue Maverick.

I hear her voice in the morning hours
she calls me
the radio reminds me of my home
far away
and drivin’ down the road I get a feeling
that I should have been home yesterday
yesterday

Videos Worth Watching…

Johnny Cash and Kris Kristofferson singing “Sunday Morning Coming Down”

Waylon Jennings singing “Goodhearted Woman

Loretta Lynn performs “Coal Miner’s Daughter” at the Grand Ole Opry

Glen Campbell sings “Witchita Lineman”

Kris Kristofferson and Willie Nelson performing “Loving Her Was Easier”

Photo Credits

“Fly My Guitar” The Rocketeer @ Flickr.com. Creative Commons. Some Rights Reserved.

Notorious for playing rural towns as well as big cities, Johnson saw years of commercial success in Canada and abroad with Big Sugar.  However, during the mid-2000s Johnson grabbed the reigns in all facets of his career.

Drawn to the lifestyle and music of the Southern United States, Johnson set up shop in rural Texas while using Austin as home for his power trio Grady.

Getting the Rush

Johnson was originally born in Winnipeg, Manitoba and grew up between Alberta and Ontario. As  a youth in the border town of Windsor, Ontario, Johnson absorbed a balance of Canadian and American culture. “I can remember as a teenager going to see Rush in Detroit in ’77 and I remember thinking ‘THIS is what I want to do!'”  Ironically, years later it would  be Alex Lifeson of Rush who would give Johnson his first double neck Gibson guitar.

Big Sugar

In its early incarnations, Big Sugar played as a back-up band for many Toronto jazz musicians, including singer Molly Johnson. She would eventually help the band secure a record deal. Big Sugar’s self-titled debut was released in 1991 as Johnson and the band began to establish themselves by consistently delivering powerful live shows. The band’s is its delivery of sound was also remarkably consistent.

“We play way too loud. You shouldn’t be able to hear yourself think. I don’t want people thinking. I want them focused on what’s going on up on stage,” says Johnson.  While most guitarist opt for a single pick, Johnson’s weapons of choice are several finger picks to combine with his signature slide guitar style.

As the bandleader and key songwriter of Big Sugar, Johnson tried many line-up changes with the band. By the 1996 release of Hemi-Vision, which included tracks recorded in English and French, he had acquired the r&b and blues touch of harmonica and saxophone player Kelly Hoppe.

Rastaman Garry Lowe had also became an official member on bass, solidifying the reggae and dub ingredients.

The band’s next release Heated went on to platinum success in Canada, firmly establishing the unique reggae roots rock sound that is Big Sugar.

Music Man

Johnson is not only diverse when its comes to his own projects. His diversity is also evident in his collaborative efforts as producer, mixer, songwriter, and session player, keeping him extremely active in both Canadian and American scenes.  He has had a hand in producing and creating with some of Canada’s most notable rock artists including Joel Plaskett and The Trews. He is also currently working with Canadian blues rockers Wide Mouth Mason on their new record.

South of the border, Johnson’s studio of choice is Willie Nelson’s Perdenales Studios just outside of Austin. In addition to recording his Grady records there, he has also invited other Canadian artists down to record. Since moving to Austin, Johnson has worked with many other artists including Taj Mahal, The Black Crowes, and Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top. Through his work with Warren Haynes (Allman Brothers, Gov’t Mule) he produced the most recent Gov’t Mule record.

The Loudest Canadian band in Texas

With a desire to start from scratch, a do–it-yourself mentality and love of rock and roll, Johnson and former Big Sugar bassist “Big” Ben Richardson set their sights South in 2003. After words of encouragement from Chris Layton (Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble) to settle in Austin, Texas, the duo would ultimately bring him in as the first drummer in Grady.

Southern lifestyle and eclectic musical immersion have inspired the truthful sounds coming from Grady. Austin, Texas exists as a melting pot of all varieties of music. While blues, country, folk, and rock were already elements in Johnson’s sound, a chance to live it and breathe it nightly was the gravitational force.

“Regionally where we live and where the music is coming from, there are a lot of influences that never would have probably reached my ears living in downtown Toronto. I live out in the country in a little town in Texas so I hear Mexican radio stations and heavy metal bands coming through San Antonio and Austin. There’s lots of blues and country. I work out of Willie Nelson’s studio so a lot of that music drifts across my plate too,” says Johnson.

The influence works both ways. “We did a song a while back called “I’m Bad, I’m Nationwide”… it could have very well been about Grady and Big Sugar, especially since Canada is so big,” says Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top.

Good As Dead

Fans north of the border were met with a sharp departure from the Big Sugar’s familiar sound when Grady toured Canada. Grady is straight-ahead, heavy, gut-bucket rock and roll with Southern sensibilities.

After holding auditions for a new drummer in 2007 in Austin, Grady acquired Nina Singh for duties on drums. Once welcomed as an official member, it would ironically turn out that Singh was also Canadian.

The trio’s latest effort, Good As Dead, is a streamlined Southern rock gem. Grady has cut a unique sound, described by the British press as “Cowboy Metal.”  This is music made for dark, sweaty  bars and nightclubs where inside you’ll find the good and the bad. Grady resonates at a low frequency with sounds of Southern hard rock laced with traditional folk and blues melodies.

Good As Dead captures the dry darkness and heat of the American Southwest. Reminiscent of Black Sabbath and Motorhead, Johnson delivers an utterly crushing Gibson double-neck and SG guitar sound. Throughout, Johnson’s strengths as a songwriter, guitarist, and vocalist shine.

On The Road Again

In the spring of 2010, Gordie “Grady” Johnson reunited Big Sugar. In addition to his work with Grady and Big Sugar, Johnson is also on call for touring bass duties with The Trews and Wide Mouth Mason (who Johnson played with this summer opening for ZZ Top’s Canadian dates.)

Recommended Recordings

To experience some of Gordie Johnson’s music, seek out and have a listen to these select tracks which are standouts in an extraordinary career. These songs are an excellent starting point for new listeners and a glimpse at Johnson’s large body of work. Below that, you will find two excellent videos for your viewing pleasure. Enjoy!

“Diggin A Hole” on Hemi-Vision (Big Sugar)

“If I Had My Way” on Hemi-Vision (Big Sugar)

“Groundhog Day” on Big Sugar

“If I Was King” on Good As Dead (Grady)

“Good As Dead” on Good As Dead (Grady)

Gordie “Grady” Johnson On Video

href='http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZWB8RrGmfyQ

href='http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ykEpCbQ7cAM

Additional Reading

http://shadygrady.net/

http://www.bigsugar.com

What Do You Think?

Please feel free to comment and share your thoughts on the music of Gordie Johnson. What are some of your favorite songs or albums? How have they affected you? If you have seen Grady or Big Sugar in concert, please share some of your comments about the shows.

Photo Credits

“Gordie Johnson Main” Shayne Kaye @ Flickr.com Creative Commons. Some Rights Reserved.

“Gordie Johnson 1”      Kashmera @ Flickr.com Creative Commons. Some Rights Reserved.

“Gordie Johnson 2”     Scott Penner @ Flickr.com Creative Commons. Some Rights Reserved.

“Gordie Johnson 3”      Shayne Kaye @ Flickr.com Creative Commons. Some Rights Reserved.

“I had never felt the way I do now, seeing New Orleans and the state of Louisiana disappearing. We’ve given the world jazz, our kind of blues, a lot of great food, a lot of great things. It’s so confusing to look at things these days.” — Dr. John, March 2009

With a masterful boogie woogie piano touch and a voice brimming with Southern crackle, the infamous Dr. John is a genuine original. He is a living testament to the heritage of incredible cultural and musical diversity in the city of New Orleans. With triumph comes tragedy, and Dr. John, along with  countless other artists and citizens, continues to search for balance in the ongoing struggles of coastal Louisiana.

Good People

Malcolm John “Mac” Rebennack was born in November 21, 1940 in New Orleans, Louisiana. Exposure to a rich variety of musical styles including blues, rhythm and blues, jazz, and gospel, initially came through his fathers record store. Still known as Mac Rebennack at the time, he learned the guitar as a young teen and quickly became part of the music scene in New Orleans.

This early musical and spiritual development was a result of the love and knowledge of music being passed down. “Spiritually, I was taught by good people,” he says. “Whether it was Alvin ‘Red’ Taylor, Earl King, or Joe Tex, all of these people gave me something as a writer.”

The Crescent City

Growing up in New Orleans provided not only diverse musical exposure for Rebennack, it allowed him to absorb and internalize the traditions and heritage of the city. New Orleans itself sits at the southernmost point of Highway 61, also regarded as The Blues Highway. Its junctions in Tennessee and Mississippi remain some of the most musically significant regions of America.

New Orleans has an outstanding culturally diverse history with its French, Spanish, Italian, African, and Native American makeup. French Creole architecture, Cajun cuisine, and Mardi Gras are all part of life there. With the musical mixing of African rhythms and European instruments came the creation of jazz music.

New Orleans is also the birthplace of other music legends such as Fats Domino and Louis Armstrong among many others. Its unique style of rhythm and blues was a foundation factor toward the development of rock ‘n roll. Due in part to Rebennack’s contributions, New Orleans also boasted a thriving funk scene in the 60s and 70s.

Rebennack’s introduction to the piano came after playing guitar in countless bottom-of-the-barrel nightclubs throughout the south. Gang fights and gun fire weren’t uncommon. After a show in Florida, Rebennack severely injured his left ring finger when he was shot while attempting to protect a bandmate. This prompted a shift to the piano through which he gained deep inspiration from boogie woogie piano legend Professor Longhair.

Movin’ Out West

In 1963, Rebennack moved to Los Angeles for greater exposure, leading to the development of his Dr. John character. Harold Battiste was a friend of his at the time and also the musical director for Sonny & Cher. Once in LA, Dr. John would become a part of the duo’s backing band. Further encouragement from Battiste pushed Rebennack to work on the Dr. John character. At this point, Rebennack was heavily steeped in the the LA scene and had become a first-call session musician for legendary producer Phil Spector.

Rebennack’s early live shows drew heavily from New Orleans culture. He built on a foundation of r&b and uniquely included elements of psychedelic rock and voodoo chants.  “We would wear large snakeskins, there was a boa constrictor, an anaconda, a lot of plumes from Mardi Gras Indians,” he recalls.

Mac Rebennack would now be billed at live shows as Dr. John The Night Tripper. The name Dr. John was borrowed from a 19^th Century New Orleans voodoo practitioner named Dr. John Montaine.

The Good Doctor

By his 1968 debut Gris Gris, Rebennack had simply became known as Dr. John. This album featured his early New Orleans and voodoo influences and was recorded from studio time gifted to him from Sonny & Cher. Through the late 60s to early 70s, Dr. John created a series of definitive albums in a variety of styles. By his 1971 release Moon, Sun, and Herbs, Dr. John had developed a star-studded following which included Eric Clapton and Mick Jagger, who also contributed to the album.

The 1972 release o f Dr. John’s Gumbo featured a more traditional r&b approach of New Orleans standards of the 40s and 50s.  The single “Iko Iko” broke the Billboard Top 40. The album remains a landmark recording in New Orleans music.

The following year, his s hift into funk music dawned the outstanding In The Right Place. With their r&b roots, the backing of The Meters helped Dr. John to create an upbeat funky dance feel. The singles “Right Place Wrong Time” and  “Such a Night” both hit the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Dr. John had established himself as a key player in the style of New Orleans funk.

Since becoming a solo artist, Dr John has collaborated with many outstanding musicians. His piano skills were offered on The Rolling Stones’ song “Let It Loose.” He has also been part of several major studio collaborations with a variety artists such as Eric Clapton,Van Morrison, Aretha Franklin, James Taylor, Mike Bloomfield, Carly Simon, and Lou Reed.

However, the collaborations in his hometown have offered him the most artistically. Some of the finest drummers in music have come from New Orleans. Dr. John has had the opportunity to work with them. When asked about collaborating with Dr. John, legendary drummer Earl Palmer reflects, “We have a musical connection of our own. He never lost that New Orleans feel, that New Orleans thing was always there with Mac. The minute you were in his company, you felt right at home.”

Sippiana Hericane

No matter your place of origin, a sense of home is something that everyone carries with them. Some people desire to erase and escape memories of their hometown, while others become deeply ingrained with the pulse of their city. In terms of creating music, place can establish what you play and how you play it. A powerful potential of art is that it can create deep social networks and a sense of community. I feel that no matter where one resides, a sense of community and true social interaction is as important as ever.

Like many others, I can only begin to comprehend the loss in New Orleans through the unimaginable devastation of Hurricane Katrina. Thousands of families scattered across the US, and a home was forever changed. Many are unable to return.

“I can just see so many miles, and miles, and miles of where friends of mine lived, and there’s nothing. And nobody’s about to do anything. And I just pray that something will happen that will put a balance back in it all,” says Dr. John.

It was Dr. John who closed Shelter from the Storm: A Concert for the Gulf Coast telethon with a version of Fats Domino’s “Walkin’ to New Orleans.” Shortly after, in November 2005, Dr. John released a four-song record called Sippiana Hericane as a benefit for the New Orleans Musicians Clinic, Salvation Army, and the Jazz Foundation of America.

“Our culture is getting hit from so many directions, like the oil companies cutting salt water canals that are destroying the wetlands in South Louisiana. Seeing that makes me feel horrible. There is more and more offshore oil drilling, and just so many stands of dead cypress trees. I’m just trying to tell the truth about stuff that nobody seems to want to talk about. Really it gets me a little crazy,” says Dr. John, who shared his thoughts about oil companies many months prior to the recent oil spill off the Louisiana coast.

In this recent environmental tragedy, we are witnessing a release of toxicity by the hands of man at an incomprehensible level. Due to our unquenchable thirst for economic growth we are part of an increasing dependency on the resources provided by our planet. I feel that because of this dependency, current and future, natural and man-made disasters will have a much stronger impact on mankind.

Through preparedness and education we must realize and respect our limitations. Similar to our relationships and sense of community, it requires significant effort to respect our planet and uphold our heritage as we continue to push forward.

Legacy

Dr. John’s 2008 release of the Grammy winning The City That Care Forgot further points to his determination in continuing to shed light on post-Katrina New Orleans. His 2008 induction into the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame also serves as a testament to his musical and personal contributions toward New Orleans. Furthermore, Dr. John will be taking his live show on the road for the 2010 summer with dates in Europe and the US.

Recommended Recordings

To experience some of Dr. John’s music, seek out and have a listen to these select tracks which are standouts in an extraordinary career. These songs are an excellent starting point for new listeners and a glimpse at his large body of work. Below that, you will find two excellent videos for your viewing pleasure. Enjoy!

“Such a Night ” on In The Right Place

“Right Place Wrong Time” on In The Right Place

“Iko Iko” on Dr. John’s Gumbo

“How Come My Dog Don’t Bark (When You Come Around) ” on Goin’ Back To New Orleans (Written by Cousin Joe)

“Time For A Change (feat. Eric Clapton)” on City That Care Forgot

Dr. John On Video

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dr._John

What Do You Think?

Please feel free to comment and share your thoughts on the music of Dr. John. What are some of your favorite songs or albums? How have they affected you? If you have seen Dr. John in concert, please share some of your comments about the shows.

Photo Credits

“Dr. John” wpopp, Wikimedia Commons

“Dr. John” Derek Bridges, Wikimedia Commons

“Dr. John” Guus  Krol @ Flickr.com Creative Commons. Some Rights Reserved

“DSC-5812” Guus  Krol @ Flickr.com Creative Commons. Some Rights Reserved.

“The only way that you can really stay innovative in music is to be in love with life. You have to live life to be innovative in music.” — Stevie Wonder

Stevie Wonder is easily one of the most naturally gifted musicians in modern music. In a career spanning five decades as a singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, Wonder has drastically altered the landscape of popular music.

His art transcends boundaries of all kinds as his influence continues to be seen in modern rock, r&b and hip-hop. Wonders music combines the highest level of musicianship and songwriting with the lyrical substance of self exploration and activist to create a body of work that is timeliness in nature.

At Home in Motown

Born Stevland Hardaway Judkins, Stevie Wonder was born on May 13, 1950 in Saginaw, Michigan. Blind from birth, Wonder has strongly exceeded any limitations placed upon him. His surname was changed to Morris at age four upon his mother’s remarriage.

Wonder’s introduction to music came with a family move to inner-city Detroit where he initially sang in a gospel choir. He quickly learned to adapt and overcome his blindness while growing up in the rough Detroit neighborhoods.

“I was known as the blind boy who was always making noise, beating on walls, hitting on boxes, singing, and playing the bongos from morning till sunset on the front porch,” says Wonder. “People were like, ‘Give us a break.’”

At age seven, he began to learn the piano, and by age nine was fluent on both harmonica and drums.

At this point it was evident that little Stevie Wonder had a musical gift. By tuning into local radio, he received strong inspiration by rhythm and blues artists such as Ray Charles. Motown R&B combined with a gospel foundation led Wonder’s own musical voice to rapidly emerge.

Ronnie White, a founding member of the Motown group The Miracles was a neighbor of Wonder at the time. Upon a recommendation from his brother Gerald, Ronnie visited  the eleven year old Wonder and was taken aback by his talent. White would introduce Wonder to Berry Gordy Jr., founder of the legendary Motown Records. Gordy was immediately impressed — and upon being signed to Motown, Steveland Hardaway Morrois became known as Little Stevie Wonder.

Soul Dedication

Stevie Wonder first recorded with Motown at the age of 12. The following year, he had his first number one hit on the pop and R&B charts with the single “Fingertips (Part 2)”. The track was recorded live at the Regal Theater in Chicago in 1963. While it showed Wonder’s natural vocal capability and harmonica prowess, it also featured a young Marvin Gaye on drums.

The 60s were a period of musical and personal growth for Wonder. Through the recording and release of over 10 albums, Wonder’s musical ability soared as he became fluent on the drums, piano, organ, and harmonica. However, most of the material on these albums was decided by Motown record executives.

Toward the late 60s, Wonder’s compositional strengths began to surface through writing for other Motown artists such as Smokey Robinson. The beginnings of his social consciousness were also evident in choosing covers such as Bob Dylan’s “Blowin’ in the Wind”.

As Wonder approached his 21st birthday in 1971, his first recording contract with Motown was nearing its end. This would ultimately provide the freedom for him to create the music which proved to resonate powerfully. Wonder would change the face of modern music by creating songs which encompassed his musical and compositional gifts with social awareness and spiritual substance.

Definitive Wonder

Anticipating the expiry of his contract with Motown, Wonder began to create music independently. Royalties from his previous work allowed him to finance the creation of his own recording studio. This provided the grounds for him to write and produce the album Where I’m Coming From. This album was the final album released in his first contract with Motown.

During this time Wonder also tactfully created his own production company Black Bull Music, giving him publishing rights over his future songs.

His newly recorded music gave Wonder leverage in negotiating a fresh contract with Motown. The contract gave Wonder not only more royalties but, more importantly, control over the songwriting, album themes, and production. Wonder was the first Motown artist to sign a deal with this level of creative control.

The art of Stevie Wonder is abundant in truth and substance in several aspects. The basis is, of course, the music. What makes Wonder’s music so contagious is his ability to play soulfully without fear.

The fear of failure, self-doubt, and how people will react to it, can cloud music and one’s ability to create it. Ego can either balance the art or, as certain popular music displays, can be severely detracting, leaving it void of substance.

On a personal and fundamental level, we all need to overcome either physical or mental obstacles to reach greater heights. Wonder is an extreme example of someone who has overcome a disability to connect with millions of people. With this connection he has also used his powerful music as a platform for philanthropic efforts.

Arguments will always fly as to why vintage music artists are still relevant.There are a certain group of artists who are. Artists such as Bob Dylan, Jimi Hendrix, and Stevie Wonder, to name a few, have transformed culture through their sounds and words to defy the limitations of genre and time. Music and art have the power to change our existence.

In songs such as “Higher Ground”, Wonder began to do just that by incorporating uplifting and socially conscious themes:

People keep on learnin’
Soldiers keep on warrin’
World keep on turnin’
Cause it won’t be too long

Powers keep on lyin’
While your people keep on dyin’
World keep on turnin’
Cause it won’t be too long

I’m so darn glad he let me try it again
Cause my last time on earth I lived a whole world of sin
I’m so glad that I know more than I knew then
Gonna keep on tryin’
Till I reach the highest ground

Music Of My Mind was Wonder’s first release under his new contract with Motown. It also marked the beginning of what is known as his “classic period”. The seventies were definitive for Wonder which saw the release of Music of My Mind, Talking Book, Fulfillingness’ First Finale, Innervisions, and the magnificent Songs in the Key of Life.

The Legacy

The series of releases in Wonder’s “classic period” were, and continue to be, highly influential musically and socially. His experimentation and inclusion of electric instruments, particularly synthesizers, made him a pioneer of new sounds in popular music. Wonder remains as one of the most sampled artists in pop and hip-hop.

“I’m a lover of music, constantly curious about the sounds I hear. I’m always thinking about how I can take my music to the next level,” he says. His futuristic approach has led to more than 30 top ten hits on the US charts, landing him in both the Songwriters and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He is also the recipient of 25 Grammy awards, including a lifetime achievement award.

Throughout his lengthy career, Wonder has used his musical gift as a means of initiating positive change. His involvement in charitable organizations concerning civil and human rights is far reaching.

In the mid-80s, Wonder became a part of civil rights history by spearheading a campaign to celebrate the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King as a US national holiday. The first of King’s birthdays was celebrated in 1986 after being but into place by President Reagan.

In 1999, Wonder was the youngest recipient of the Kenny Center Honors for his contribution to arts and culture. In 2009, he was named a UN Messenger of Peace for longstanding involvement with organizations such as the Children’s Diabetes Foundation, Employment of People with Disabilities, and Junior Blind of America.

Signed, Sealed, and Delivered

Currently, Wonder is set to release his most complete biography to date. The release of Signed, Sealed, and Delivered will coincide with his 60th birthday, as the book reflects on his 50-year career in music.

Wonder will also be playing several highly anticipated shows in Europe this summer, including a headlining spot at Glastonbury Festival in England. He will also headline the Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival in the U.S.

Recommended Recordings

To experience some of Stevie Wonder’s music, seek out and have a listen to these select tracks which are standouts in an extraordinary career. These songs are an excellent starting point for new listeners and a glimpse at his large body of work. Below that, you will find two excellent videos for your viewing pleasure. Enjoy!

“Superstition” on Talking Book

“Higher Ground” on Innervisions

“Sir Duke” on Songs in the Key of Life

“Love’s In Need Of Love Today” on Songs in the Key of Life

“Master Blaster (Jammin’) ” on Hotter Than July

Stevie Wonder On Video

href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JeMfwUN5z_4">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JeMfwUN5z_4

href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wDZFf0pm0SE">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wDZFf0pm0SE

Additional Reading

Visit the Stevie Wonder Web Site

More on Stevie Wonder from Wikipedia

What Do You Think?

Please feel free to comment and share your thoughts on the music of Stevie Wonder. What are some of your favorite songs or albums? How have they affected you? If you have seen Stevie Wonder in concert, please share some of your comments about the shows.

Photo Credits

“Stevie Wonder” Photo by Pete Souza, Wikimedia Commons

“Stevie Wonder” Cliff1066 @ flickr.com

“Songs in the Key of Life” StimpsonJCat @ flickr.com

“Stevie Wonder” Photo by Antonio Cruz/ABr Wikimedia Commons

“We are capable of creating miracles ourselves, and the greatest miracle is to create a masterpiece of joy out of your life with no excuses.”

Carlos Santana is one of the few guitarists whose sound is instantly identifiable, even after just a single note.

From Tijuana to San Francisco, from playing guitar in venues with dirt floors to some of the finest stages in the world, Santana has lived a life of extremes that have drawn him down a deep spiritual path that helped him to balance the dark and light. Forever a student of his own musical heroes, Santana’s graciousness  pours forth in his music and his efforts toward creating global change through the power of positive thought.

Music Maker in Mexico

Born in Autlán de Navarro, Mexico, Santana initially followed in the footsteps of his musical father, a mariachi violinist. In fact, Santana’s first memory is of the joy his father’s music brought to local people. By age five, Santana began learning the violin.

New-found hope was in the air as the Santana family moved north to the border town of Tijuana. There, at age eight,  Santana began playing guitar by learning Mexican folk songs. But the harsh reality of poverty meant he also sold Chiclets gum on the streets.

Eventually, he began playing with his father in various clubs around Tijuana, in some of the dirtiest, most undesirable music venues in town. By his early teens, Santana had landed a gig playing in a local strip bar. He played for nine dollars a day, working from late afternoon until early the following morning, a child working in an adult world to help support his family.

American Dreams

Santana’s hard earned money helped finance his family’s move to San Francisco in the early 60s while he remained behind in Tijuana. After a year apart, his mother and older brother made the trip back to Tijuana for him. They returned with him to San Francisco’s Latin district where the family had a small home, and the seven siblings shared two rooms.

In the US, prospects of junior high school did not bode well for Santana. He had become accustomed to life in the clubs, enjoying the freedom of making money and spending time with adults. Although he did attend high school, Santana’s true education would come from exposure to many of his favorite musicians.

San Francisco was the ideal place for Santana to immerse himself in the multicultural arts and music scene. Through the mid to late 60s, he saw some of the most influential musical acts in rock history, including BB King, John Lee Hooker, Jimi Hendrix, Cream, and The Doors. He finished high school amidst the height of the civil rights movement.

There’s no doubt that the move from Tijuana to San Francisco provided the fertile environment for his musical gift to fully take form. He found himself surrounded by musical minds, which as many musicians know, can be extremely motivational, leading to collaboration, creation and performance.

The rich cultural exposure offered by San Francisco planted the seeds of Santana’s lifelong love of music and exploration of the human spirit. Santana refers to San Francisco as “the Atlantis of today” and lives in the Bay Area region in the city of San Rafael.

Soul Sacrifice

To make ends meet, Santana worked at a local diner, waiting tables and washing dishes. A chance visit from some customers of note who showed up in a limo was the tipping point for Santana. Those customers were the The Grateful Dead and the encounter fueled Santana’s choice to become a full-time musician, and put his heart and focus into the formation and rise of The Santana Blues Band.

By his early 20s, Santana had already etched into history his signature sound of Afro-Latin influenced blues rock.

“You have to learn how to tell a story,” he says. “You have to learn to carry a melody. You have to learn to access the intangible at will. These things will make you a different kind of musician.”

The June 1968 debut of Santana at The Fillmore West was pivotal. The band’s stellar performance and unique sound led to Santana’s historic inclusion at Woodstock in 1969.

One month later, the band, which became known simply as Santana, released its self-titled debut record, followed one year later by the 1970 release of Abraxsas. Widely considered as Santana’s greatest effort, Abraxas brought the band to a new level of success, solidifying the soulfully unique and versatile guitar sound of Carlos Santana.

Spirituality and Jazz

The 70s were an experimental period for Santana in several areas of his life. As he progressed on his musical journey, he received inspiration from jazz greats such as Miles Davis and John Coltrane. He also collaborated on an album called Love, Devotion, Surrender with guitar great John McLaughlin.

Santana discovered an interest in Eastern mysticism and philosophy, eventually studying with Guru Sri Chinmoy. Although Santana found himself opened spiritually, his music began to suffer because of it. At the same time, although Santana managed to sustain his career through loyal fan support and touring, the rapid success of the early albums led the band to deteriorate.

The intensely strict lifestyle imposed on Santana by the teachings of Sri Chinmoy led to his departure from the guru in the early 80s. As it did for many artists, the 80s for Santana proved to be an uninspiring period. Disillusioned by the death of friend Miles Davis, and by Stevie Ray Vaughn’s death in the early 90s, Santana became increasingly frustrated.

Supernatural Salvation

The 90s brought Santana full circle in certain respects — issues surrounding his past and his difficult childhood in Tijuana began to surface.

“You have to, like a snake, shed skin,” says Santana. “The skin is guilt, shame, judgment, condemnation, fear. That’s the skin. The new skin is beauty, elegance, excellence, grace, dignity.”

Through Santana’s spiritual trials and tribulations, his inner voice and will pushed him to record his 1999 release, Supernatural. This concept album transpired through the work of Santana and legendary producer Clive Davis at Columbia Records. Since its release, Supernatural has gone on to sell over 25 million albums worldwide. It won nine Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year and Record of the Year. As further testament to his talent, Santana was named by Rolling Stone magazine as #15 on its list of the 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time in 2003.

Architects Of A New Dawn

In 1998, Santana and his wife Deborah (they were divorced in 2007 after 34 years together) launched the nonprofit group The Milagro Foundation as an effort “to support underserved children and youth in the areas of arts, education and health.” Appropriately, milagro means “miracle.”

Recently, Santana formed the media company Architects Of A New Dawn to create a place where positive media can exist.

“It’s the most important thing that you can do on this planet, to elevate, transform and illumine your own consciousness,” Santana says of his philanthropic efforts, which he pursues in hopes of creating global change through inspiration, creativity, love and forgiveness.

Universal Tone

Santana is currently finishing a new album due to be released this summer.  He is also beginning the Universal Tone Tour in June 2010 with opening act Steve Winwood.

Recommended Recordings

To experience some of Carlos Santana’s music, seek out and have a listen to these select tracks which are standouts in an extraordinary career. These songs are an excellent starting point for new listeners and a glimpse of his large body of work. Below this list, you will find two excellent videos for your viewing pleasure. Enjoy!

“Black Magic Woman/Gypsy Queen” on Abraxas

“Samba Pa Ti” on Abraxas

“Oye Como Va” on Abraxas

“Evil Ways” on Santana

“Jingo” on Santana

Santana On Video

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8JryQXilMj4

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TEMz2WUmnig"

Additional Reading

Visit the Carlos Santana Web Site

More on Carlos Santana From Wikipedia

Architects Of A New Dawn

What Do You Think?

Please feel free to comment and share your thoughts on the music of Carlos Santana. What are some of your favorite songs or albums? How have they affected you? If you have seen Santana in concert, please share some of your comments about the shows.

Photo Credits

Wikimedia Commons

Stoned59 @ flickr.com

eyeofeinstein @ flickr.com

globalcitizenexperiment @ flickr.com

And since you already know about Chuck Berry, Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page, and other famous and undeniable players, I thought I’d focus on 16 of the lesser known (by the general pop-music listening populace that is) players that have enriched the musical landscape widely, uniquely, or both.

Here they are, in no particular order.

1. Memphis Minnie

One of the first blues musicians to take up the electric guitar and use it regularly on her long recording career, Memphis Minnie (born Lizzy Douglas in 1897), was an early pioneer who brought the blues out of a rural, acoustic setting and into an electric, urban one much to the edification of people like Muddy Waters and Howlin’ Wolf, and laterally nearly every rock player currently plugging in. In 1929, she recorded what is probably her most celebrated song “When the Levee Breaks”, recorded and made even more famous by Led Zeppelin in 1971.

Recommended listening: “When the Levee Breaks”

2. Wes Montgomery

A late bloomer to the guitar, learning the instrument at the advanced age of 20, Wes Montgomery soon became a giant in the field of jazz guitar, for all time. His claim to fame, besides his supernatural improvisational abilities, was his unique playing style, using his thumb and eschewing a guitar pick, a practice leftover from the evenings of late night practices without wanting to disturb his sleeping family. The effect is much like the flight of a bumblebee — seemingly impossible, and yet highly efficient.

Recommended listening: “Impressions“

3. Wanda Jackson

The undisputed Queen of Rockabilly, Wanda Jackson is to Oklahoma City to what Elvis is to Memphis. In fact, the two were a brief romantic item in the mid-50s, recording some of the same songs, including “Hard-Headed Woman” and “Let’s Have a Party”. Wanda’s approach comes out of country music traditions, with the grit of R&B mixed right in. She’s an active performer today, still keeping the flame of proto-rock ‘n’ roll and rockabilly alive.

Recommended Listening: “Money Honey“

4. Link Wray

A largely uncelebrated figure to many, Link Wray was a key player in the development of instrumental rock. Link Wray and the Ray Men can be credited for the early use of distortion, and perhaps more famously, the earliest use of the power chord. His 1958 instrumental hit “Rumble” looms large , with a clear influence on surf-rock bands into the 60s, and in more recent times on soundtracks — including that of the movie Pulp Fiction.

Recommended listening: “Rumble“

5. Les Paul

A musician, and inventor, Les Paul’s name is borne on the guitar he invented, and the first solid body guitar in the world; the Gibson Les Paul. In addition to this, he invented the studio of multitrack recording, something we take for granted today. He took his own jazz influenced country-pop guitar licks, and created the first overdubs, filling out the sound in an unprecedented manner for the time. Along with a choir of overdubbed harmonies from then-wife Mary Ford, he managed to be innovative and have hits. His importance to the guitar, and to modern recording cannot be underestimated.

Recommended Listening: “The World is Waiting For A Sunrise“

6. Albert King

Albert King was a singular figure in blues and soul playing. A left-handed player, King learned to play the guitar upside down on right-handed guitars, with the low E-string on the bottom, and all of his chord-shapes inverted. Further, King employed open tunings, that made his approach to the instrument a singular one. Among the many players he influenced, the most high profile may be Stevie Ray Vaughn, with whom he duetted in the early 80s.

Recommended Listening: “Born Under A Bad Sign“

7. Steve Cropper

If you’re a fan of 60s soul music, chances are you’ve heard Steve Cropper play. He was a key member of the Stax/Voltz family, and the guitar-slinger in Booker T. & The MGS, the label’s house band who backed soul greats Otis Redding, Sam, Dave, and Wilson Pickett, among many others. His playing is razor sharp, making any song he plays on exceptional, and epitomizing the “Memphis guitar” sound. Cropper is the co-writer on a tune you may have heard: “(Sitting on the) Dock of the Bay”.

Recommended listening: “Green Onions“

8. Jerry Reed

Jerry Reed’s  playing was unorthodox, confounding early attempts at formal training, with keen abilities on the instrument that made him a standout during the development of the cosmopolitan country sound. His trademark use of a nylon-stringed guitar can be heard on his 1967 hit “Guitar Man”, later recorded by Elvis Presley. When the King needed the “Jerry Reed sound” on his version, Jerry Reed submitted that the best way to get it was to have Jerry Reed play on the track. He did, and he was right.

Recommended listening: “Guitar Man“

9. James Burton

A master of the Fender Telecaster, and yet another Elvis Presley sideman, James Burton brought something of the swamp into his playing, thanks to his Louisiana upbringing. Burton backed Elvis on his early comeback period in Las Vegas, along with later stints with Emmylou Harris’ ‘Hot Band’, among with many other appearances. Never has rockabilly and country sounded so funky as when James Burton was playing it.

Recommended Listening: “Mystery Train“

10. Richard Thompson

A national treasure in his native Britain, and a founding father in late 60s British folk-rock starting with his time in Fairport Convention, Richard Thompson’s skill with the guitar is only rivaled by his abilities as a songwriter. Thompson forged an impressive career even after leaving the Fairports, creating classic albums with his then-wife Linda Thompson (neé Peters), and as a solo artist up until the present.

Recommended Listening: “1952 Vincent Black Lightning“

11. Peter Green

Former John Mayall Bluesbreakers lead guitarist, and founder/leader of Fleetwood Mac by the end of the 60s, Peter Green is an electric blues innovator, adding psychedelic flourishes, and pure rock muscle into the mix before his departure from the band by the early 70s. Among his many admirers, Eric Clapton, Carlos Santana (who recorded Green’s “Black Magic Woman”), and Jimmy Page have all acknowledged his skills with a guitar, known for a distinctive style in its use of vibrato and sustain before these techniques were widely used.

Recommended listening: “The Supernatural“

12. Michael Bloomfield

Bob Dylan, who hired him in 1965 to play on Highway 61 Revisited, called Michael Bloomfield “the best guitar player I’d ever heard”, and he was not alone in that opinion. Bloomfield grew up in Chicago and learning his craft at the feet of his heroes in sweaty, crowded blues clubs along with his compatriot and musical partner, blues-harp master Paul Butterfield. Bloomfield’s flammable licks with Paul Butterfield Blues band revitalized the American blues scene, and his work on Dylan’s “Like A Rolling Stone” alone makes him a legend.

Recommended listening:  “Born in Chicago“

13. Steve Hackett

When Steve Hackett joined Genesis in 1971, he added important texture to the complicated, yet lyrical, progressive rock the band was known for. And in terms of technique, he introduced important innovation to the guitar. The tapping technique he used in pieces like “The Musical Box” and “Supper’s Ready” while with Genesis were later employed and more widely popularized by Eddie Van Halen. His solo career continued to bridge the gaps between rock, folk, and classical guitar playing.

Recommended Listening: “Horizons“

14. Alison Robertson (AKA ‘Donna R’)

When it comes to amalgamating the attack of punk rock and the muscle of blues-rock and heavy metal, Alison Robertson of the Donnas (and billed as Donna R) is a skillful alchemist. Taking cues from both the Ramones, and from Angus &  Malcolm Young, Robertson’s ability to build riffs around which to construct extremely hook-laden pop songs in a rock vein makes her an indispensable element to her band. And a further ability to do this without getting in the way of the songs is also an important, and undeniable example to all rock players.

Recommended listening: “It Takes One To Know One“

15. Bonnie Raitt

Although she’s pretty well known for her radio hits, not many people realize what a dexterous, lyrical, and versatile a guitar player she is. Easily integrating the blues, country, and pop, Raitt’s signature slide guitar is like a second voice to her lead vocal. But, her intuition with the subtleties of the blues  as well as its living spirit is a true standout skill. This is an influence she’s passed on to newer players in the same vein.

Recommended listening: “Sugar Mama“

16. Charlie Hunter

The Charlie Hunter Trio  is comprised of guitar, sax, a drummer — and no bassist — exploring jazz, psychedelic rock, and everything in between. But doing without a bass player is easy when you can play guitar and bass parts yourself. In Charlie Hunter’s case, his eight-stringed guitar gets him there quite ably, with his own almost supernatural ability with balancing melody and countermelody.

Recommended listening:  “Come As You Are“

There are so many other names I could have talked about here, so many unsung heroes and heroines — David Rhodes, Andy Summers, Curtis Mayfield, Ollie Halsall, Robbie Robertson, Bruce Cockburn, Susan Tedeschi, Marc Ribot are also among my personal favourites. What are some of yours? Who should have made this list? Tell me all about it in the comments section, good people!

Photo Credits

“Memphis Minnie” Source Unknown

“Electric Guitar” Jsome1 @ flickr.com. Creative Commons. Some Rights Reserved.

“Link Wray” by Anthony Pepitone

“Albert King” Wikipedia

“James Burton by Scott Dudelson” Wikipedia

“Steve Hackett” Wikipedia

“Bonnie Raitt” Wikipedia

“The high harmonics on the Fender Stratocaster have this otherworldly sound. A Fender guitar with a Fender amp is a marvelous thing. And it’s also a marvelous thing with a Marshall amp, they both bring out different qualities.”

Regarded as one the most innovative guitarists in rock history, Jeff Beck is the highly revered pioneer of instrumental rock, known for his emotive approach and free form. Beck has achieved legendary status while mostly remaining out of the media spotlight. With most artists tirelessly promoting themselves throughout their entire careers, Beck’s approach is largely unorthodox by rock and roll standards.

Beck has provided me with immense inspiration as a guitarist. His exceptional gift introduced me to channeling melody and soul through the modern sonic capabilities of wire and wood.

London Fog

Born on June 24, 1944, Beck grew up in Wallington, England, a suburb of London. As a child, he was surrounded by music through his parent’s eclectic record collection. Initially he sang in a choir, but as he grew into his teens and heard jazz and rock and roll on the radio, he began playing guitar.

After a short stint at Wimbledon’s College of Art in London, Beck fully committed to pursuing music. Soon he was playing throughout London, eventually landing gigs as a session musician. However, it was a chance introduction from Beck’s sister to the young Jimmy Page that proved pivotal in the progression of Beck’s career.

Clapton, Beck and Page in the Yardbirds

During the mid 60s, as Page and Beck were working as session musicians, Page received an offer to replace Eric Clapton on lead guitar in the psychedelic R&B band The Yardbirds. However, Page decided to continue earning a steady income as a session player so it was Beck who would replace Clapton.

“No one has ever equaled what Jeff has done,” says Page, who would later play in The Yardbirds on bass. Eventually he shifted back to the guitar, sharing twin leads with Beck.

These legendary guitarists each had their own time in The Yardbirds, and the band, in turn, provided them with an opportunity to experiment, improvise, and learn.

For Page, much of this improvisation became the foundation of the mighty Led Zeppelin. Clapton went on to join John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers, eventually forming Cream, then reaching even greater heights as a solo artist.

“I could see they were getting, with Jeff, at something beyond what I was capable of. His thing was so advanced,”  says Clapton.

Beck would only record one album with The Yardbirds  — Roger the Engineer —before exiting the band. His time in The Yardbirds allowed him to establish many connections in the London scene. This would lead to the formation of his own band The Jeff Beck Group, featuring Rod Stuart, Ronnie Wood and Nicky Hopkins.

The Jeff Beck Group

The Jeff Beck Group was the culmination of Beck’s years of experimenting with sounds and technique. As such, it was a platform for him to truly be heard. The band’s first two albums, Truth and Beck-Ola, were well received. The originality coupled with Beck’s aggressive style proved to be influential towards the development of hard rock.

Beck’s unique use of amplifier distortion and feedback in a saturated, but controlled way would set him apart stylistically. However, after various line-up changes, he finally decided to go solo in 1974.

He embarked on a ten-year journey that would see him playing and recording with some of the finest musicians in London. He continually surrounded himself with amazing musicians, which fueled his creative output. While he has achieved definitive creative success, commercial success was secondary.

“A lot of people think I’m a multi-millionaire, but I’m not. Not at all, not in any way. Not compared with some people you could name,” says Beck who, in a 40-year career, continues to create out of want and need.

Solo Success and Instrumental Rock

Beck’s choice to become a solo artist would spawn a series of groundbreaking instrumental guitar albums, rocketing Beck and the instrumental rock genre into the mainstream.

The first solo release from Jeff Beck was the masterpiece Blow by Blow in 1975. With this album, Beck incorporated elements of jazz, funk, and rock to form a style know as jazz fusion. Blow by Blow, along with Wired in 1976, exemplify the refined, hands-on melodic approach to the guitar for which Beck is known.

Through emulating vocalists and saxophone players, Beck uses a combination of fingers, slide and whammy bar to evoke an incredibly rich and vocal sound. “You reach people with the night notes in the right way,”  he says.

Beck is one of  few guitarists who can brilliantly capture the emotional essence of a song and fully gift it to his audience.

Early Days

My first introduction to Jeff Beck came at an early point in my musical journey. I was taking lessons at the time with Gil Namur. It was an extremely inspiring and exciting time for me. Each week, Gil would send me home with a new album to explore. There was Al Di Meola, King Crimson and Pat Metheny, to name a few. I remember Gil putting Beck’s Blow By Blow on his living room stereo one evening after a lesson.

The sounds that came through were like none I had ever heard on the  electric guitar. Early on, I realized Beck was a musical risk taker, but also a very reserved player. He never lets his technical ability overshadow the soulful and melodic elements of his vocal-like playing.

I’m grateful that I was exposed to Beck in my important formative years as a guitarist. I had — and still have — a hunger for knowledge and new sounds. A great deal of inspiration came from being immersed in these groundbreaking guitar records. Being surrounded by inspired musicians early on also served me a great deal. I look back at my guitar lessons with Gil as the best I’ve ever had.

Hot Rod Heaven

For a pioneering guitar legend, the interesting irony of Jeff Beck is that practicing his instrument isn’t always a focus. After the success of his early solo albums, he began to embrace his love of vintage hot rods. While Beck continued through the 80s to release the Grammy-winning records, Flash and Jeff Beck’s Guitar Shop, he also took time away from the music.

When he isn’t writing, recording or touring, Beck puts his creative efforts towards restoring and building vintage hot rods. Over the years he has built more than 14 cars  from the ground up. “I like the studio because it’s delicate; you’re working for sound,” he says. “I like the garage because chopping up lumps of steel is the exact opposite of delicate.”

However, his love of cars has had its consequences. A crash in the late sixties left Beck with a concussion and broken jaw. Several injuries to his hands have also resulted from hours underneath the hood.

Modern Times

As Beck grew into the 90s, he began to embrace electronic music and the intricate Middle Eastern melodies he’d been emulating since the sixties. The series of albums including Who Else, You Had It Coming and Jeff brought two more Grammys through his artistic fusion of rock, jazz, Indian, and electronic music. In recognition of his achievements and contributions, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2009. Upon his introduction, Beck graciously became part of a select group of musicians who have profoundly impacted the music world.

Emotion & Commotion

In February 2010, Beck co-headlined selected tour dates in London, New York, Toronto, and Montreal with fellow guitar legend Eric Clapton. “It was a bit like I’ve got to get my old blues cap on now, because that’s where I came from,” says Beck. The duo will also be working together again this summer as Beck is returning to the stage at Eric Clapton’s Crossroads Guitar Festival in Chicago on June 26, 2010.

Currently, Beck is gearing up for the April 13, 2010 release of his first studio album in seven years, Emotion and Commotion. This release sees Beck playing with a 64-piece orchestra on selected tracks along with guest vocals from the likes of Imelda May and Joss Stone. With instrumental tracks such as “Somewhere Over The Rainbow”, the album will be sure to include Beck’s signature guitar mastery.

Recommended Recordings

To experience some of Jeff Beck’s music, seek out and have a listen to these select tracks which are standouts in an extraordinary career. These songs are an excellent starting point for new listeners and a glimpse at his large body of work. Below that, you will find two excellent videos for your viewing pleasure. Enjoy!

“Cause We’ve Ended As Lovers” on Blow By Blow (Written by Stevie Wonder)

“A Day In The Life” on  In My Life by George Martin (Written by The Beatles)

“Led Boots” on Wired

“The Pump” on  There and Back

“Delcan” on Who Else! (Written by Donal Lunny)

Beck on Video

href='http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=drAv2FoYji8

href='http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Ej3BdMpgZw

Additional Reading

Visit the Jeff Beck Web Site

More on Jeff Beck from Wikipedia

What Do You Think?

Please feel free to comment and share your thoughts on the music of Jeff Beck. What are some of your favorite songs or albums? How have they affected you? If you have seen Jeff Beck in concert, please share some of your comments about the shows.

Photo Credits

“Jeff Beck – Ottawa Bluesfest” bouche @ flickr.com. Creative Commons. Some Rights Reserved.

“Jeff Beck” jlapco @ flickr.com. Creative Commons. Some Rights Reserved.

“Jeff Beck” MandyHallMedia @ flickr.com. Creative Commons. Some Rights Reserved.

“Jeff Beck’s Guitar Shop” Geoff B. @ flickr.com. Creative Commons. Some Right Reserved.

Daniel Lanois is a multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, and record producer who has helped create some of the most memorable and significant albums of the last 30 years. His music has had a profound effect on my own relationship to music.

In his world travels, Lanois has sought inspiration for his art through culture and connecting to the emotional openness of the human spirit. His craft is born out of experiencing melody, harmony and rhythm by constantly surrounding himself with musicians.

Lanois has offered unparalleled contributions to modern music through linking the musical roots of the past with his desire to forge ambient sounds of the future.

Music has always been a part of Lanois’ life. Born on September 13, 1951 in Hull, Quebec, Canada, he spoke only French until the age of ten. Music was a strong presence in his community and household; both his father and grandfather were fiddlers.

The melodies of French-Canadian folk songs were a part of Lanois’ childhood and provided the musical foundation for the many melodies he would later create.

Psychedelia and Soul

A move to Hamilton, Ontario in his teens set Lanois amidst the psychedelic explosion of the 60s. “The first time I heard Hendrix, I was in school and it made me want to quit school,” he says.

Now focused on the guitar, he began playing with some of his first bands in an abandoned YMCA building. Radio of the 60s was a transformative force for Lanois. Fueled by the radio waves emitting from nearby Detroit, Lanois was hooked by sounds of southern R&B and soul music.

“I think there is a quality that has never gone out of fashion or has been given stylistic boundaries, and that is having soul,” says Lanois.

Lanois and his brother Bob also began to experiment with recording and production tools in a makeshift studio in their mother’s basement. The duo started recording local bands and the international choirs that traveled through Hamilton.

Recording these choirs, Lanois found himself surrounded by musicians from around the globe and learned the importance of complimenting the essential musical elements of melody and harmony.

Enter Brian Eno

With local success came the need for a larger recording space. A move to a new facility, which Lanois named Grant Avenue Studios, paved the path for the life-altering steps to come. His early production work for Canadian artists such as Bernie LaBarge and Martha and the Muffins caught the attention of British producer and musician Brian Eno.

Originally a keyboardist for the 70s art rock group Roxy Music, Eno shared the musical and production sensibilities of Lanois. This common ground would lead Eno to work with Lanois at his Grant Avenue Studios.

The work that transpired included some of Eno’s groundbreaking 80s ambient recordings. Eno would act as a mentor for Lanois, providing him with the opportunity to hone his skills in sound manipulation and recording. The collaborative efforts of Lanois, Eno, and Harold Budd yielded the album The Pearl in 1984.

This creative process saw Lanois experimenting with sound treatments on instruments such as the piano. Through hours of turning knobs and innovating in the studio, Lanois was blending the borders between melody and sound texture.

A Call to Ireland

Eno eventually returned to the UK after a few years of work with Lanois in Hamilton. Upon his return, he began receiving calls from major artists who wanted to collaborate. David Bowie was one of these artists.

However, it was a call from the rock band U2 that would lead to an invitation for Lanois to join Eno on a co-production effort for U2’s fourth album, The Unforgettable Fire. U2 was seeking a more modern sound — and Eno and Lanois were on the cutting edge.

A few years later, Lanois produced the defining So album by Peter Gabriel. The following year, a second invitation from U2 led to Eno and Lanois producing what would become one of the most successful albums of all time, The Joshua Tree.

One of Lanois’ many unique strengths as a producer is his ability to connect on several levels with the artist he is recording. In a broad sense, the role of a producer is to guide and manage the creation of a record. Lanois pours himself into every project in which he is involved, drastically exceeding the standard role of a producer. Because he is a musician as well as a producer, he can freely communicate musical ideas, often joining in the creative process.

By keeping his instruments plugged in at the studio, Lanois’ prepared approach provides a fertile environment for musical spontaneity and creation. Coupled with his open and caring nature, a large part of his creative process is an exchange of ideas, be it emotional or philosophical, with his artists.

“I think the emotional makeup of people is actually what gets on records and it’s what people like about records,” he says.

Lanois has proven that he can capture emotional truth, whether working on his solo or collaborative efforts, or portraying that truth sonically through a rich musical landscape of the past and future.

Southern Heat in New Orleans

Soon after the success of The Joshua Tree, Lanois set his sights on moving south. With a desire to absorb the blues and funk rhythms of the southern United States, he established himself in New Orleans.

“I’ve always had an appreciation for the south. In fact, some years back I took a train from Canada to New Orleans to be in the environment where a lot of the music I love comes from. When I got there, I noticed the music comes from the neighborhoods, churches, people’s houses, parades, it was all part of the culture.”

By the early 90s, he had created Kingsway Studio in an old mansion he purchased. This proved to be a very fruitful period for Lanois as his extensive production list continued to grow. During his time in New Orleans, he produced records for artists such as The Neville Brothers, Emmylou Harris, and Bob Dylan. Lanois helped create two Bob Dylan records, Oh Mercy and Time Out of Mind.

In 1997, Time Out of Mind went on to win Album of the Year at the Grammys, essentially re-kindling Dylan’s career. Lanois was intrigued and honored to work with Dylan and cherishes fond memories of that time. That sentiment was shared by Dylan who, in his 2004 memoir, Chronicles Volume One, describes the challenging but rewarding process with Lanois.

The Solo Artist

During his incredible journey of creation and collaboration, Lanois has also released six solo albums. When I was first introduced to Lanois’ music as a solo artist, he was touring in support of his Shine record in 2003. At the time, I had heard very little of his music directly.

The show I attended was in a church sanctuary that had been converted into a performance hall. Lanois’ rich guitar tones and vocals were accompanied by the unbelievable rhythms of jazz drummer Brian Blade. I was also treated to Lanois’ pedal steel guitar work, which beautifully filled the room.

“The pedal steel guitar is my favorite instrument,” he says. “It takes me to a sacred place. It’s like my little church in a suitcase.”

Although my seat was in the upper level of the venue, I could hear everything. I could hear footsteps on the maple hardwood floor and scraping of the guitar pick across the strings. The show was so personal, it was like having the band in my living room.

When I walked out of that venue that evening, I felt incredibly inspired. After years of reflecting on the show, I now realize it was a gift. It provided me the chance to feel a new kind of music in a way I’d never experienced. The soulful simplicity and sonic magnificence in Lanois’ art changed the way I absorb and create music.

Black Dub

Daniel Lanois currently shares his creative time between his Toronto and Los Angeles studios. His latest release is the documentary and album Here Is What Is. In the film, viewers get a glimpse over Lanois’ shoulder in the studio and through his creative travels across five cities.

Currently, Lanois is working with his new group Black Dub. Their debut album is slated for a May 2010 release, followed by a summer tour. With drummer Brian Blade and soul singer Trixie Whitley at his side, this release is expected to deliver soulful rhythms accented by the stringed and vocal mastery for which Daniel Lanois is so well known.

Please feel free to comment and share your thoughts on the music of Daniel Lanois. What are some of your favorite songs or albums? How have they affected you? If you have seen Daniel Lanois in concert, please share some of your comments about the shows.

Recommended Recordings

To experience some of Daniel Lanois’ music, seek out and have a listen to these select tracks, which are standouts in an extraordinary career. These songs are an excellent starting point for new listeners and a glimpse at his large body of work. Below that, you will find 2 excellent videos for your viewing pleasure. Enjoy!

1. “The Maker” on Acadie

2. “The Messenger” on For The Beauty of Wynona

3. “JJ Leaves LA” on Shine

4. “Duo Glide” on Here Is What Is

5. “Man In The Long Black Coat” on Oh Mercy (Written by Bob Dylan – Production and Doboro Guitar by Daniel Lanois)

*Written by Bob Dylan – Production and Doboro Guitar by Daniel Lanois

Videos

href='http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Er1d2MtglWw

href='http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=10uMDXRqLAI

Photo Credits

“Daniel Lanois Main” 3Li55 @ flickr.com    http://www.flickr.com/photos/melissa/2367790481

“Daniel Lanois 1” Kmeron@flickr.com    http://www.flickr.com/photos/frf_kmeron/3928356197/

“Daniel Lanois 2”  cinetech@flickr.com    http://www.flickr.com/photos/cinetech/1431154012/

“Daniel Lanois 3” AJ @ flickr.com     http://www.flickr.com/photos/u2wanderer/3005102241/

Peter Gabriel is an extremely passionate musician and songwriter who has earned international acclaim, not only for his music but also for his human rights work and his promotion of world music.

Born on February 13, 1950, Gabriel grew up on a farm in Woking, Surrey, England. His childhood was full of outdoor exploration, which greatly fueled his creative imagination. Gabriel’s father had an electrical degree and a love of technology, while his mother was a talented pianist. This early exposure to technology and music would form the foundation of his lifelong passions.

From an early age, he was also influenced by nature and this fascination with the natural elements – Earth, Air, Fire and Water – became pillars in his creative journey. In particular, his connection with water can found as a theme in his art.

“I think there is a deep urge for humans to live by water,” says Gabriel whose home in the English countryside is surrounded by water. These themes come through clearly in songs like “Washing of the Water” with its evocative lyrics:

River, oh river, river running deep
Bring me something that will let me get to sleep
In the washing of the water will you take it all away
Bring me something to take this pain away.

In fact, what originally engaged me with Gabriel’s work was his instinctual use of the four elements as a creative influence and his lyrical ability to brilliantly weave his physical and emotional connection with nature through his personal stories.

Music is the audio foundation and environment through which Gabriel’s stories exist. “Songwriting is what drew me into music,” he says. “The craft and the process of putting together a good song seemed both exciting and magical.”

The Magical Musical Journey

Gabriel’s musical journey began when he first picked up a clarinet as a child. Piano and dance lessons were also a part of his childhood. At age 12, he was already experimenting creatively with music, playing various instruments and writing songs. At 13, he began four years of study at Charterhouse, a prestigious boarding school in Godalming, Surrey, England, considered a prep school for England’s elite universities.

During his time at Charterhouse, Gabriel used music as an emotional and creative outlet, playing drums and piano, and singing. There, he met his future bandmates Mike Rutherford, Anthony Phillips, Chris Stewart and Tony Banks. At the young age of 17, he formed the legendary progressive rock band Genesis.

In 1967, Genesis began creating pop songs that reflected the influence of The Beatles and soul music. However, by 1970 their musical abilities developed further as they grew into a progressive rock band. The band’s lineup was further strengthened with the addition of guitarist Steve Hackett and drummer Phil Collins.

With its focus on musicianship and songwriting, Genesis drew a following. Their theatrical stage shows — including a compelling stage design accented by Gabriel’s flamboyant presence and his penchant for costumes that reflected the lyrical and musical ideas of the songs — garnered international attention. Genesis shows often featured a white backdrop with black lights to accentuate Gabriel and his costumes, and silhouette the band.

The years 1970 to 1975 were defining ones for Genesis. An unparalleled use of acoustic and electric instruments coupled with the theatrics of a brilliant frontman set them apart. In 1973, the band released Selling England by the Pound, which included the hit songs  “I Know What I Like (In Your Wardrobe)” and “The Cinema Show”.  The 70s also heralded the band’s concept album The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway, with story and lyrics created entirely by Gabriel. To this day, Genesis remains one of the most popular rock bands in history, selling in excess of 150 million albums.

Going Solo

Despite the band’s success, Gabriel left Genesis in 1975, apparently due to creative tensions. His sudden exit from the band brought many questions from fans. Overall, the creative process within the band had become too constricting through the attempts of each member to have equal input. Furthermore, Gabriel’s growing interest in film and other side projects was not welcomed. The process of writing all of the lyrics for The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway gave Gabriel a glimpse of solo life, which ultimately fueled his decision to leave Genesis.

Most musicians can relate to the allure of going solo. Creating music in a group can be a whirlwind learning experience and extremely rewarding. However, any musician can attest that the prospect of total creative control can be the tipping point towards striking out on his or her own. With that comes the realization that the drive to move forward and create rests solely on your own shoulders. I believe that the decision to “go solo” takes an immense amount of courage .

Since becoming a solo artist, Gabriel has released eight solo studio albums, along with several compilations and live albums. His 1977 self-titled debut included the song “Solsbury Hill”, which explored his exit from Genesis and newfound freedom. By his third self-titled release, Gabriel had produced some of his most famous songs. In 1986, he worked with the brilliant Canadian Producer Daniel Lanois on the album So. With hits such as “Red Rain”, “Sledgehammer”, “Big Time”, and “Mercy Street”, this quickly became his most successful album.

Recently, Gabriel released his first album in eight years, Scratch My Back. It features a distinct collection of cover songs written by artists ranging from David Bowie, Paul Simon and Neil Young to Radiohead and Arcade Fire.

“Peter surprises me because he seems to have heard everything, but you never catch him listening,” says studio director Mike Large. “He’ll have heard all kinds of music but I’ll have never been able to work out when he’s heard it.” Gabriel’s concept for the album is for the featured artists to exchange the favor by covering one his songs in return.

He has also composed several soundtracks for films, including Birdy (1984) and Passion (1989).  He has contributed songs for films such as Philadelphia (1994), City of Angels (1998) and, recently, the Oscar-nominated song “Down to Earth” written for the film Wall-E (2008).

World Music, World Hope

Gabriel launched own high-tech recording studio in the early 80s, created as an environment for him to record his own material and that of world musicians. In fact, Gabriel’s love of world music has inspired him to work with musicians from all parts of the globe. He created the world music festival WOMAD (World of Music Arts and Dance) in Europe and the record label Real World Records, two projects that have helped showcase world musicians to a mainstream audience.

In 1986, Gabriel participated in the Conspiracy of Hope concert tour for Amnesty International. This was a distinct turning point in his life, heightening his global perspective and leading to his passionate and ongoing work for human rights. Four years later, he co-founded WITNESS, a program that uses online and video technologies to shed light on global human rights violations. Recently, along with Nelson Mandela, Gabriel co-founded the international group The Elders, which aims to help with major global problems such as climate change, poverty and HIV/AIDS in Africa.

Gabriel has been awarded numerous Grammys throughout the years. In 2007, he was given the Ivor Novello Award for lifetime achievement for his music and video work. He has also been awarded the Man of Peace award of the Nobel Peace Laureates, as well as being named a Chevalier dans l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres for his philanthropic efforts.

Peter Gabriel is one of a few select artists who, over the course of more than four decades, has used music as an inspirational tool to connect people and help those in need. He has always defined himself as an artist who creates from a genuine place. Throughout his career, music has been his ultimate means of communication in bridging the emotional and natural differences between our many cultures.

Please feel free to comment and share your thoughts on the music of Peter Gabriel. What are some of your favorite songs or albums? How have they affected you? If you have seen Peter Gabriel in concert, please share some of your comments about the shows. To experience some of Peter Gabriel’s music, seek out and have a listen to these select tracks which are standouts in an extraordinary career. These songs are an excellent starting point for new listeners and a glimpse at his large body of work. Below that, you will find 2 excellent videos for your viewing pleasure. Enjoy!

1. “Solsbury Hill” on Peter Gabriel 1 or Car
2. “Games Without Frontiers” on Peter Gabriel 3 or Melt
3. “Supper’s Ready”  on Foxtrot (Genesis)
4. “Digging In The Dirt” on Us
5. “Red Rain” on So

href='http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NX7zIypE2FE

href='http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zcvjVM0xG6s

Visit Peter Gabriel’s Web Site:

Photo Credits

“Peter Gabriel Tour 2002”, Romeoanita, Wikipedia, GNU Free Documentation License

“Peter Gabriel, Chateau Neuf, Oslo, Norway, Aug 31, 1978”, http://www.helgeoveras.com/gabriel.shtml, Wikimedia, GNU Free Documentation License

“Peter Gabriel” Joi @ Flickr.com. Creative Commons. Some rights reserved.