Listening Room Blog

It seems we’ve been doing a lot of these obituary posts lately. But the truth is we’ve lost some great music legends recently, from Davy Jones and Earl Scruggs, to Ronnie Montrose and Dick Clark. Now comes word that Levon Helm died at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center after a long bout with the disease.

Helm is as legendary a musician as you will find. He made his name as drummer and vocalist for The Band, but remained immersed in music in later years, including with the Levon Helm Band. I saw him briefly with Ringo Starr a few years back, and he still sounded pretty good. His death leaves Robbie Robertson and Garth Hudson as the only surviving members of The Band, one of rock’s most heralded groups.

Anyway, our sister paper, The Poughkeepsie Journal, did a great job in their tribute piece today. Here’s their article on Helm’s death:

Musician Levon Helm of Woodstock, a Grammy-winning member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame who played Madison Square Garden, Radio City Music Hall and Wembley Stadium in London, but found some of his biggest success staging house concerts in his Hudson Valley home, has died. He was 71.

“He went peacefully,” said Larry Campbell, a part-time Hudson Valley resident who was music director of the Levon Helm Band. “He was surrounded by friends and band mates and family.”

Helm died of cancer at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in Manhattan.

“Levon Helm passed peacefully this afternoon,” read a message posted on www.levonhelm.com. ” He was surrounded by family, friends and band mates and will be remembered by all he touched as a brilliant musician and a beautiful soul.”

His family announced Tuesday that he was “in the final stages of his battle with cancer.”

“I don’t think,” said musician David Kraai of Gardiner, who saw Helm perform dozens of times, “I’ve ever seen anyone happier when they’re playing music than Levon Helm.”

Helm’s compelling and inspiring life story, in addition to the music he made, likely lied at the heart of his appeal for average, everyday folks. Though Helm was a rock star, many likely found a kindred soul in the 71-year-old, who overcame problems that can affect anybody — bankruptcy and throat cancer. Helm in 1998 underwent surgery and 28 radiation treatments for throat cancer.

‘’Music is food for the soul, food for the heart,’’ Helm told the Journal in 2005. ‘’You’ve got to have a happy heart. Without music, your soul goes suffering.’‘

Born Mark Lavon Helm May 26, 1940, Helm helped redefine rock ‘n’ roll during the 1960s and 1970s as vocalist, drummer and mandolin player for The Band.

He carved out a musical legacy that will live on through signature singing on timeless Band songs like “The Weight” and “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down.” He will also be remembered for performances with his fellow members of rock music’s elite: Bob Dylan, Ringo Starr, Clarence Clemons of the E Street Band and Joe Walsh of The Eagles, among countless other notable names.

As new technology left the recording industry struggling to find its footing in recent years, Helm’s emphasis on family, friends and home at his Midnight Ramble house concerts in Woodstock allowed him to create his own live performance venue and release records on his own terms.

The Midnight Rambles built a steady audience and fueled a monster comeback that earned Helm three consecutive solo Grammys.

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Dick Clark once told me that one of his fondest musical memories growing up was listening to the jukebox at “Itchum’s,” a corner hangout in his hometown of Mount Vernon, where kids – including a young Clark – would flock after school to hear the latest tunes.

That was 1992, when I spoke to Clark about Mount Vernon on the city’s centennial. He reminisced about the ritzy Bailey estate, where his mom worked, and how those memories carried over to his more successful years in Hollywood, when he moved into an estate of his own.

“I got a big iron fence to put up around the house in California,” Clark told me. “I wasn’t sure why I wanted this thing. It was like this Orson Welles ‘Rosebud’ thing.  I finally realized that I had bought a replacement for the fence at the Bailey estate.”

The man was good with happy memories. He was good at nostalgia. He was good about hanging on to fond memories and sharing them with millions of fans. It was, essentially, his life’s work and his legacy.

I’m old enough to remember American Bandstand, the launching pad for Clark’s career. Back then, well before MTV and VH1, it was one of the few places on TV where you could listen to new music. Even then, Clark had been doing it for decades, helping inspire Soul Train and giving more than a few artists a new audience. As a growing young boy, the girls dancing wildly certainly didn’t hurt the eyes.

Despite stints as a game show host and, in recent years, as the annual host of Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve, he was always the American Bandstand guy to me, the man who devoted his life to the industry and to expanding its audience. Today comes word that Clark, who was in poor health since suffering a stroke several years ago, died from a massive heart attack at age 82.

It’s a shame that younger audiences might not appreciate his contribution. I hope now they take the time to delve into it a bit. That a man who was a pioneer in the music industry will ultimately be remembered for all that he did long before ill health overtook what was a brilliant career.

Thanks for the memories, Dick. Rest in peace.

Here’s a brief Associated Press story we ran in The Journal News:

Dick Clark, the television host who helped bring rock ‘n’ roll into the mainstream on “American Bandstand,” has died. He was 82.

Spokesman Paul Shefrin says Clark, a Mount Vernon native, died but did not provide further details. Clark had continued performing even after he suffered a stroke in 2004 that affected his ability to speak and walk.

Long dubbed “the world’s oldest teenager” because of his boyish appearance, Clark also was a successful businessman. He hosted an annual New Year’s Eve special and supplied a variety of game shows and music specials to TV, including and the American Music Awards.

The original “American Bandstand” was one of network TV’s longest-running series as part of ABC’s daytime lineup from 1957 to 1987. Over the years, it introduced stars ranging from Buddy Holly to Michael Jackson to Madonna.

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It’s not as if “Oh Pretty Woman” needed to be covered. I mean, the song had some legs on its own after the late, great Roy Orbison released it in 1964 – a tune he co-wrote.

But give pop rockers Van Halen credit for not only doing it justice, but turning it into a hit as well nearly 20 years later.

Yeah, I know we’re going back a few years in both regards, but with Van Halen reunited – for better or worse – music fans are pretty much assured there’ll be live versions of the band’s rendition soon enough. Besides, it’s a fun cover.

Orbison, who died in 1988, is kind of a forgotten musical genius. Known for his unique vocals and innovative song construction for the time, he scored with other hits that include “Only the Lonely” and “Crying,” both of which have been covered plenty over the years. But I have to admit I’ve always been drawn to “Oh Pretty Woman.”

Al Green and Connie Francis did versions of the song before Van Halen came along, as did a number of other performers since, including stage versions by Bon Jovi and Green Day, who have a knack for surprising covers during their live performances. (They covered the Who’s long-forgotten mini-mini-opera, “A Quick One While He’s Away,” when I caught them at the Garden a while back.)

But Van Halen’s version, off of their Diver Down album, probably had the most airplay – and the longest running success since Orbison’s original. The band’s dynamic of Eddie Van Halen riffs and trademark backup vocals by Van Halen and then-bassist Michael Anthony gave their version the band’s unique imprint, while paying homage to the original.

So, if you’re not familiar with one or both of these renditions of “Oh Pretty Woman,” give us a shout and share your thoughts on it. If you know these tunes, then just enjoy live versions of them.

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There’s something silly about tribute bands.

I mean, I’m all for nostalgia, but the concept of it can all too easily seem like a sad attempt to hang on to younger, better days that are long gone and won’t be coming back.

Certainly, a handful of bands have successfuly pulled off the tribute thing. Think of Dark Star Orchestra. The Beatles have to be rock’s most covered band and has to lead the list of tribute bands, from Beatlemania on down. That’s not counting the dozens of rock performers who made a career out of Beatle-esque music, from ELO to Oasis.

But there’s most certainly something special about what The Fab Faux do. Something quite impressive – and incredibly engaging and entertaining.

The success of The Fab Faux – they’ve developed a loyal following in the New York metro area in their 15 years together – is based on two significant facts: First, they don’t make the mistake of attempting to look like the Beatles. This is all, in fact, about the music, not an attempt at an off-Broadway production complete with Beatle boots and Cuban heels.

Secondly, these guys are all top-knotch musicians, and some of the best session players in the country. They were well-estabished well before they set out to do the Beatles thing. Led by bassist Will Lee from David Letterman’s band and Conan’s bandleader, Jimmy Vivino, Fab Faux is impressive for it’s musicianship if nothing else. And they clearly love these tunes.

I should interject that I’m far from a Beatles nut. But these are tunes I grew up with, and you can’t get it out of your head that this is remarkably close to what these songs would sound like live had the Beatles ever performed them on stage. Most of these, as fans know, are tunes that the Beatles released after giving up on live shows.

On to the Wellmont Theater, an aging but impressive venue in Montclair, N.J., where The Fab Faux took the stage Saturday. I approached it with some interest and no small amount of dread. For this show, the band was performing the entire “Revolver” album, one of my favorite Beatles recordings for it’s significance – “Revolver” and “Rubber Soul” marked the Beatle’s evolution from a hit pop band to legendary musicians who reshaped the industry.

The Fab Faux pulled off the album, with enough variation that you knew you were hearing a live version of these songs, not entirely a note-for-note rendition of the studio version. A horn section, the Hogshead Horns, and string section, the Creme Tangerine Strings, allow them to pull off tunes like Eleanor Rigby and Yellow Submarine.

The second half of the show consists of a string of Beatles hits, which, of course, never run out. Through it all, including an impressive rendition of “Oh Darling,” the Fab Faux nail one of the most difficult things about covering the Beatles – the vocals. That, in fact, is what allows them to pull this all off so successfully.

So, is this a must see band? They’ll be at the Beacon Theater in October, when they will perform the entire “White Album.” Well, that’s kind of up to you. This isn’t a band performing new, experimental music. But they are impressive for their obvious musical talent, and their devotion to this music. Some of us grew up with this and it’s a heck of a kick to see it performed live.

The Fab Faux won’t change the course of music – even as they’ve mastered the music of a band that did. Yes, it’s something of a fantasy, but the performances are amazing and the vocals are hauntingly good.

It was just a lot of fun. Yeah, I’d definitely say to go see these guys.

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Nationally acclaimed guitarist Tim Palmieri, of the band Kung Fu, will make a rare Westchester appearance at the Thornwood Ale House tonight. Heavy recommendation on this show from those of us at the Listening Room.

If you’ve never heard Palmieri you’re in for a treat. He’s truly one of the most talented guitarists in the area, and one of our earlier features in the Listening Room’s “Guitar Players You Should Know” series. His versatility is quite remarkable.

Whether playing classic hits from The Beatles, experimental jams from Frank Zappa, funky favorites from the Red Hot Chili Peppers, or his own original material, Tim is able to tap into the collective consciousness and enrapture fans with his distinctive style of rhythmic looping. He also brings hundreds of songs to choose from, so listeners can help direct the set list and dance to their favorite tunes.

Of course no night of music is complete without some fresh craft beer or expertly poured cocktails. The Thornwood Ale House has quickly established a reputation for the best of both, with more than 60 beers from around the world as well as a full cocktail menu, delicious wines, and sangria to please any palate. The friendly staff is eager to serve, and the kitchen is open until 2 a.m., so come hungry!

Thornwood Ale House is located at 665 Commerce Street, Thornwood, N.Y. Tim Palmieri plays two long sets starting at 9 p.m. Admission is free. For more information, call 914-263-1537 or visit http://ThornwoodAleHouse.com.

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How did we forget this guy?

Yes, it’s been a long time since John McLaughlin formed the Mahavishnu Orchestra. Heck, younger music fans have trouble remembering Beatles tunes, let alone a progressive rock band that gained limited mainstream acclaim after it formed in 1970.

But we at the Listening Room believe that music – and talent – are ageless. So, give it a chance.

After all, those in the know will tell you that McLaughlin was one of the greatest ever in his genre.

The remarkable thing about the Mahavishnu Orchestra isn’t just McLaughlin’s composing and guitar playing skills. It’s in the chemistry of an amazing all-star lineup, a group that included keyboard legend Jan Hammer, jazz drummer Billy Cobham, bassist Rick Laird, violinist Jerry Goodman and McLaughlin. But the band’s best moments were generally driven by McLaughlin’s guitar.

Born in England, McLaughlin proved a natural musician at a young age, although he didn’t pick up guitar until 11. He played local music circuits in his teen years, eventually backing noted British performer Brian Auger and others. Moving to the U.S., he continued to perform on stage and in the studio, including a gig with Miles Davis, a collaboration with Carlos Santana, and a legendary jam session with Jimi Hendrix in 1969.

McLaughlin, who had trained in classical, flamenco and jazz guitar, had developed an impressive fusion and progressive jazz style. Mahavishnu would take the genre and give it a worldwide audience. The band’s music merged fusion jazz and rock and sprinkled it with Eastern influences. All told, they released 10 albums, starting with the 1971 debut, An Inner Mounting Flame.

The recordings spanned several decades and featured varying lineups, most recently with a collection of tunes released in 1996. But McLaughlin has hardly been idle. Exploring differing styles of music and culture, he has spend periods immersed in Eastern music, acoustic guitar work and more traditional jazz.

One high-profile venture teamed McLaughlin with jazz guitarist Al Di Meola and Spanish classical guitarist Paco De Lucia, a trio that released a couple of albums, including the studio classic “Passion, Grace and Fire.”

Still experimenting, McLaughlin even reunited with former Mahavishnu drummer Billy Cobham in 2010.

In all, there have been dozens of albums and recordings, spanning genres and musical style with dizzying frequency. McLaughlin, however, has always been about the music above the fame. The downside is that it’s kept him out of the mainstream spotlight for the better part of his career.

Still, all these years later, much of his material still has weight. There are still a few Mahavishnu tunes on my iPod.

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There’s no off season in the music biz, but summer is clearly playoff time. This summer will be no exception.

While the lineups are still being put in order, the 2012 summer tour circuit will be a good one, with a usual mix of hot ticket concerts and a few surprises, including a few reunion tours which may or may not be big draws. We thought we’d highlight a few.

One tip: We’re not in the habit of listing tour dates unless they officially come from the  bands themselves. So, where we haven’t included dates you can easily google and find out when the shows are coming to your town from any number of bloggers and music writers. Anyway, here’s what’s coming up:

Radiohead – This is always one of the hottest tickets around. The band is scheduled to hit the stage in St. Louis today and will then embark on a world tour that will bring them to the New York metro area in June. If you’re a fan I don’t have to tell you that the time to start trying to score tickets was last month.

Dave Matthews Band – Dave and the band is another big draw. Matthews’ legion of followers make these tickets a commodity as well, so move fast. DMB hits the road in May, and will play a few shows in upstate New York and at the Jones Beach Theater.

Pearl Jam – Eddie Vedder and the boys will be on the road this summer, starting with two shows in Las Vegas in early April. The current list of tour dates don’t include shows in the New York metro areas – at least not yet. Fingers crossed.

Beach Boys – This one should be interesting. The Beach Boys reunion tour will feature three original members in Brian Wilson, Mike Love and Al Jardine. The tour marks the band’s 50th anniversary, and it will include two shows at the Beacon Theater in May. We’ll see.

Red Hot Chili Peppers – Another reunion tour of sorts will see Red Hot Chili Peppers back on the road. I haven’t seen these guys in some time, but reports from the road is that they’re putting together a pretty solid show. They should be at the Prudential Center in Jersey in early May.

Coldplay – The U2-ish hit rockers will kick off their tour in Boston in mid April, and will work their way to the Izod Center in Jersey in August. Hard to argue with the band’s success, and their shows always bring out huge crowds.

Those aren’t the only tours coming up this summer, obviously. Here are a few others, including bands that have been on the road, some rumored to be going back on the road, and some who’ve been dormant for a while and are getting back in gear.

Pink Floyd – Roger Waters has had great success with his The Wall tour. Look for more shows this summer, even as rumors persist that a reunion with David Gilmour and Nick Mason may be in the offing. Last year we kept hearing that Gilmour was going to join Waters’ tour full time. We’ll see.

The Rolling Stones – The Hall of Fame rockers are expected to go on the road this summer, but have been pretty coy about confirming it. This would be a 50th anniversary tour, so it stands to reason that the Stones – never shy about promotion – will jump at the chance any way. Any one hear tour dates?

Aerosmith – Tickets for Aerosmith’s next tour are expected to go on sale this month, with the band reportedly hitting the road in June. No official word on what venues the band will be visiting, but much of it is on hold until Steve Tyler finishes his “American Idol” gig.

Alice in Chains – The Seattle grunge pioneers, who’ve had plenty of high profile tragedy in their careers, are rumored to be hitting the road this year. The thing is we don’t have tour dates nor official confirmation from the band. So keep your ears peeled.

Rage Against the Machine – This could be my favorite. They reunited a while back after a long hiatus. Now they’re headlining Bonnaroo. Definitely keep an ear out for other dates. We just couldn’t pin them down.

As I said, this is hardly a complete list. Honorable mention summer shows also include The Strokes, Guns N Roses, Tool, Rush and a reunited Van Halen.

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I can’t count how many years ago it was that my older brother came home with a debut album from a band called Montrose.

The band, headed by session musician and guitar wiz Ronnie Montrose, featured a young Sammy Hagar on vocals and Bill Church – who later backed Hagar in his solo career – on bass. It was rocking stuff from Montrose, who had emerged as a legit axe man from his work with Edgar Winter and Van Morrison.

So it was a sad day at the Listening Room when Montrose died on Saturday at age 64. Rolling Stone did a good piece on his death.

There’s a strange dynamic involved in something like this. We had all essentially forgotten Davey Jones until he died last week. Then the Monkees are all over the place. It’s a sort of nostalgic rediscovery. For me, Montrose’s death has brought some of those tunes back. Montrose still played gigs in recent years, and some of the band’s material got some stage time from Hagar after he went solo. Heck, Van Halen played a few during Hagar’s time with them.

But Montrose was a pretty unique talent who didn’t always get the acclaim he deserved. A few years ago, when we started profiling underrated guitar players, Montrose was the second musician we featured.

I’m afraid he won’t get the fanfare that Davey Jones got – only because Montrose never got the acclaim.

Well, he did in my house.

Here’s our earlier profile of Montrose. Rest in peace, Ronnie.

Guitar players you should know: Ronnie Montrose

Posted by: Jorge Fitz-Gibbon – Posted in Uncategorized on Mar 01, 2009 Edit

In 1973, Patti Smith was asked by Creem magazine to review Edgar Winter’s After Dark album. She did, and took specific note of a young guitar player in Winter’s band named Ronnie Montrose.

“Ronnie’s got some appetite,” Smith wrote. “He’ll play forever. The kid is no da Vinci. He’s no jack of all trades. He’s complete guitar.”

Although he didn’t actually start playing until he was 17, Montrose has indeed been all guitar since. By his mid-20s he was playing with Van Morrison on St. Dominic’s Preview and the classic 1971 release, Tupelo Honey. Then he joined Winter’s band, and was with the group for their 1972 hit album, They Only Come Out At Night, which featured the ageless tracks “Free Ride” and “Frankenstein.”

Ronnie Montrose had arrived. He never left.

In an interview with photographer, videographer and writer John Wardlaw, Montrose recalled that he was too poor as a teenager to own a guitar, so he had to rely on borrowed instruments.

“I shared guitars before I actually got one of my own and played a guy’s Silver tone and played another guys Danelectro 12 string and it was at about age 17 that I actually started playing,” Montrose told Wardlaw. “I don’t recall the specific guitar that was mine. I was too broke to buy a guitar so I more borrowed guitars from friends. I’ll tell you what, if you don’t think it’s rough playing lead on a 12 string… bloody fingers, man!”

Montrose’s early session work also included Gary Wright’s hit, “Dream Weaver.” But it was his solo work that defined his career. His first album, a self-titled debut put out in 1973, featured a young unknown singer named Sammy Hagar, who also sang on the follow-up album, Paper Money, before striking out on his own.

In all, Montrose went on to release six albums with the band Montrose, most recently 1987’s Mean. In 1979, he formed a new band, Gamma, which disbanded after three albums but reunited for a 2000 release, Gamma 4, and also put out a “best of” album.

Over the years, Montrose also put out 11 solo albums, including some acoustic work. Now 61, he continues to work with other artists as a musician and a producer while enjoying family life.

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Long title, great song.

Nick Lowe first recorded “What’s So Funny ‘Bout Peace, Love & Understanding” in 1974. But the song didn’t take off until an up-and-coming Brit named Elvis Costello covered it in 1979. Originally, Costello’s version was on the B-side of a Lowe single. If some of our readers don’t know what a “B-side” is then the Listening Room will have to accept that it is indeed staffed by old-timers.

Regardless, Costello’s version was released as hits like “Oliver’s Army” were climbing the charts and helping establish Costello as a force to be reckoned with. His version of the Lowe tune, which came while Lowe was producing Costello and his band, the Attractions, helped solidify his rise in the music biz.

Lowe himself is one of popular music’s most accomplished performers, songwriters and producers – and one of the most overlooked.

He wrote a number of other hits, including “Cruel to be Kind,” “So It Goes” and “I Love the Sound of Breaking Glass.” He’s had a long-running collaborative relationship with friend and one-time Rockpile bandmate Dave Edmunds, whom Lowe has also produced. A number of Lowe’s songs have been covered by other bands, but “What’s So Funny…” is noteworthy for two primary reasons:

First, it helped catapult Costello’s career – and it’s hard to argue it didn’t evolve into a legendary one.

Secondly, the different approaches to the song that the two performers take makes for more interesting listening. There are covers that simply imitate the original. Consider the hair band Quiet Riot’s obsession with the earlier rock hits of British rockers Slade, MTV hits like “Mama We’re All Crazee Now” and “Come On Feel The Noise.”

But, personally, I prefer covers that offer a different take on a song. The clips below include a recent Lowe rendition heavy on acoustic guitar and with a mellower feel. Costello’s classic cover is closer to an explosion of sound that helped define the post-punk, New Wave sound that was evolving at the time. See what you think:

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I have to confess that, before this week, I hadn’t thought of this song for years. Now that Jones has died of a heart attack at age 66, I’ve heard it a half dozen times. Not surprising, since Jones and The Monkees touched a lot of hearts for quite a few folks a while back.

Monkees classics aside, one of Jones’ biggest solo singles was “Girl,” a song he performed on “The Brady Bunch” after the group disbanded. And through all the talk and nostalgia that his death inspired, I found myself with this pop tune in my head.

So, I’m putting it in your head in honor of the man who made Marsha Brady’s day way back when.

There was a brief time when the Monkees outsold the Beatles in the U.S., and Davey Jones was the face of the band.

Now comes word that Jones, 66, has died of a heart attack in Florida while on a solo tour. Granted, the band is a thing of the past for modern-day music fans, many of whom don’t realize that the Smashmouth song “I’m a Believer” on the Shrek soundtrack was a cover of one of the Monkees’ biggest hits. They’re on the oldies stations, and few remember that Marsha Brady was a huge fan and president of the Davey Jones fan club on the hit show “The Brady Bunch” – another baby boomer sensation.

But give Jones and the Monkees credit for the impact they had in their day.

The Monkees’ TV show lasted three years, but they recorded their music for two more years, until 1970. They started as a promotional gimmick, hired in 1965 for the cast of a TV show about a mischievous but well-intentioned rock band. It was cast with four hand-picked performers from varying backgrounds. Band member Peter Tork, for instance, was a legitimate musician, and reportedly interviewed for the gig after his friend Stephen Still was turned down. Jones was a child actor from Manchester, England, when he was hired to join the band – the boyishly handsome frontman who was the Monkees’ most recognizable face.

But the band wasn’t just a musical sensation – albeit briefly. They were a marketing jackpot well before Kiss perfected it. Their TV show, which borrowed liberally from the Beatles “Help” flick, was a hit and continued to be so on re-runs. Their merchandise included action figures, lunch boxes and more. And their music – much of it written by producer Don Kirshner and others at the outset – included catchy pop tunes like “Daydream Believer,” “Stepping Stone” and “Last Train to Clarksville,” all of which became hits.

After the group disbanded Jones continued to enjoy celebrity status, both in cameos like the one in “The Brady Bunch” and in solo appearances. He remained a recognizable face at oldies shows, and continued to tour, as he was doing at the time of his death. Last year the Monkees even reunited briefly, although a full-fledged reunion seemed unlikely – nor was there a guarantee that there was enough of a fan base left to make it lucrative.

Still, Jones continued to find an audience. And in a little-known bit of trivia, Jones is also responsible for the stage name of one of rock’s most accomplished songwriters and performers. Jones and the Monkees were in their prime when an up-and-coming British performer named David Jones was hitting the scene and appeared destined for musical fame in his own right. Fearing he would be confused with the Monkees’ singer, he changed his name to David Bowie.

So, we here at the Listening Room pay our respects to Davey Jones, for his contribution to pop music and all else he contributed to rock and roll. We can only guess that somewhere in TV land Marsha Brady has shed a tear. Rest in peace Davey.

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Alternative rockers Radiohead long ago established themselves as one of the world’s premier bands, with a crazed and loyal following that makes tickets to their live shows a precious commodity.

It all began with “Creep.”

The song, reportedly written by singer/songwriter Thom Yorke years before it was recorded, was the band’s first single in 1992, and later made its way onto their debut album “Pablo Honey.” Initially overlooked by mainstream fans, the song’s re-release in 1993 made it an international hit. The song became so popular at Radiohead shows that Yorke and the band, whose music rapidly progressed into more groundbreaking styles, stopped performing it.

Despite the self-imposed boycott of “Creep” – which ended in part at the end of the last decade – it remains one of Radiohead’s signature songs for many of the band’s more casual fans, and continues to get significant airplay on rock stations. Like any great tune, it has also been covered a few times.

Artists like Prince, who did a live version of the song at the Coachella festival several years ago, have done covers of “Creep.” But one of my favorite and lesser-known versions was done by The Pretenders, who recorded a mellower acoustic version. I like the alternate feel of it. See what you think.

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Fun feature from Rolling Stone magazine, which has posted a quiz to test fans on their Van Halen trivia skills.

Check for the link to the quiz farther down below.

But just a few quick notes. The hit rockers recently reunited, with David Lee Roth and brothers Eddie and Alex Van Halen, and are hitting the road this year for their first tour in years. So, it seemed like an appropriate time to throw something out there for the band’s fan base.

The one change in the band’s original lineup is on bass. Wolfgang Van Halen, Eddie’s son with actress Valerie Bertinelli, is again taking over for original bassist Michael Anthony. This will hardly be Wolfgang’s first stint on bass, but it’s worth nothing that fans won’t see the entire original band if they catch the shows.

Anyway, enough delay. Follow this link to Rolling Stone’s Van Halen quiz.

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J.J. Cale has long been one of the most overlooked musicians and songwriters in the country. But while mainstream music fans may not be familiar with the Oklahoma-born guitarist, other artists certainly are.

Cale is a Grammy Award winner, and his work has been covered by some of the biggest names in the business, including Carlos Santana, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Kansas and Widespread Panic.

But no Cale song has gotten more acclaim than “Cocaine,” a song he wrote and recorded, and which was later covered with great success by Eric Clapton. Clapton, by the way, also covered Cale’s tune “After Midnight” and others. Clapton once described his attachment to the song, noting that it is typically misunderstood by fans – it’s actually an anti-drug song.

Cale himself said he started writing the song as a jazz tune, but later changed gears and gave it more of a rock/country feel which was the foundation for Clapton’s later version.

As with any great song, Clapton has hardly been the only one to cover it. In fact, one of my favorite versions comes from the Scottish rock band Nazareth, probably best known for their hit version of “Love Hurts” and, to hard rock fans, for their tune “Hair of the Dog.” They take a very different approach to “Cocaine” than Cale and Clapton did.

So, check out the three versions below.

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Truly tragic news today that music pioneer Don Cornelius was found dead in his California home early this morning, apparently from a self-inflicted gunshot.

Cornelius, 75, was the founder and host of Soul Train, a long-running television dance show that revolutionized the music industry by providing the first national TV venue for R&B music. The show, which ran from 1971 to 2006, provided scores of black musicians and artists their first national exposure in an era when American Bandstand was doing so for traditionally white rock and pop performers. It changed the musical landscape.

(photo courtesy of the Associated Press)

Cornelius started as a radio DJ, and first launched Soul Train as a local show in Chicago in 1970, taking it to a nationwide audience the following year.

Recent years provided some controversy for Cornelius, who was arrested on domestic violence charges in 2008 and eventually was sentenced to three-years of probation.

Los Angeles police haven’t released any further details on Cornelius’ death. Authorities said officers were dispatched to his Mulholland Home mansion at 4 a.m. today and found Cornelius suffering from an apparent gunshot wound. He was rushed to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead at 4:56 a.m., police said.

His legacy, however, lives on, as well it should. Rest in peace, Don.

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