The Non-Rolling Stones Side of My Record Collection (Part 3)

Oh hello there! It has been awhile since I put out a blog post. Here is one which takes a look into my record collection. In the near future have a look out on my blog for a concert review, a guitar review, and a look into The Rolling Stones records I have. 

1. Bon Iver: For Emma, Forever Ago

Bon Iver is an America indie folk band that was formed in 2007. Their band name derived from the french saying bon hiver, meaning good winter. For Emma, Forever Ago was released independently in 2007. Singer/songwriter, Justin Vernon (who founded the band), recorded a majority of this record in a cabin in Northwestern Wisconsin when he was staying there for three months. For Emma, Forever Ago was widely recognized and then later released on the record label, Jagjaguwar, in February 2008. I lay back, close my eyes, and spin this record and it always gets me to relax. My favorite song of this record is "Skinny Love." 

2. Train: Save Me San Francisco 

This record is the first record I bought myself. I was so excited when Train came out with this album because it was a few months after we got a record player in the house and I remember being happy that I could purchase a record from a band that I liked. This is the fifth album from the rock band and it was released on October 27,2009. Pat Monahan said "So our goal with this record was to get back to our San Francisco vibe that we had when we made our first album. I think we're happier tan we've ever been, we're more excited than we've been, and with that I think we're all feeling a lot more at home." On September 9, 2010 this record was certified gold by the Record Industry Association of America. "Hey Soul Sister" was the first single off of this record followed up by "If It's Love" and "Marry Me." My favorite songs off of this album is "Parachute" and "This Ain't Goodbye." 

3. The Beatles: Abbey Road 

Released on Apple Records The Beatles put out Abbey Road as their eleventh studio album. It was released in the UK on 26 September 1969 and in the US on 1 October 1969. The record sessions for this album was the last time that all four members of The Beatles participated in. Abbey Road had mixed reviews when it was released but now it is known as The Beatles' best selling album to date. The album art was taken out side of the studio on Abbey Road where the record was being recorded. This album art is the most imitated album art among Beatles and music fans around the world. My favorite songs on this album are "Octopus's Garden" and  the song George Harrison for this album, "Here Comes the Sun." 

It's Only The Rolling Stones...But I Like It! (Pt. 1)

This is the series of blog posts where I share my Rolling Stones record collection with you. Take the journey with me as I try and collect the whole Rolling Stones discography on vinyl. 

12X5 

Twelve songs done by five guys or as the Rolling Stones would like to call it 12X5. Mick Jagger, Brian Jones, Keith Richards, Charlie Watts, and Bill Wyman recorded this record in 1964 and released it on 17 October of the same year. This was their second American record. 12X5 mostly comprised of covers of songs that the Rolling Stones liked around the time of recording the record. This was because the big phenomena of the Jagger/Richards writing team was still developing. Jerry Ragovoy's song "Time Is On My Side" was covered twice by the Rolling Stones, and the version on this record included an electric organ in the song instead of the electric guitar that everyone is used to hearing. 12X5 sold faster than the Rolling Stones first record, England's Newest Hit Makers. It reached #3 and went gold very fast. 12X5 was reissued in August 2002 including stereo versions of some of the tracks and extended version too. 

*My Favorite Songs on 12X5* 

"Time Is On My Side"

"Grown Up Wrong" 

"Around and Around" 

Between the Buttons

This is one of my top favorite Rolling Stones albums. Released on 20 January 1967 in the United Kingdom and 11 February 1967 in the United States, Between the Buttons, is the fifth United Kingdom and seventh American Album by these five lads. If you take the a listen to this record for the first time you will probably not recognize it as the Rolling Stones. (I know that happen to me) This is because of their sound being different from their popular albums like Let It Bleed and Sticky Fingers. Between the Buttons was the Rolling Stones one of two of their albums in the psychedelia era in their career. On the American release of this record it included hits like "Ruby Tuesday" and "Let's Spend the Night Together". Rolling Stone magazine ranked Between the Buttons #355 on the "500 Greatest Albums of All Time" list in 2003. 

*My Favorite Songs on Between the Buttons* 

"Yesterday Papers" 

"Cool, Calm, and Collected" 

"Something Happen To Me Yesterday" 

Beggar's Banquet 

After releasing two album in their psychedelic era in their career the Rolling Stones returned to the sound of rock 'n roll with Beggar's Banquet. This album was the seventh United Kingdom and ninth American album released on 6 December 1968. The album release date was delayed for months because of the first version of the album art that the Rolling Stones wanted to release. It is said that the Rolling Stones were on tour and they took a picture of this toilet in a rest stop that was gratified (they added to it of course!) and decided to use it as the album art. That was until it was rejected by their record label. The album art that was released depicted an invitation to a banquet. (I know fitting for the album name right?)

When the album was open it showed a picture of Mick, Keith, Charlie, Brian, and Bill dressed in their best banquet attire. During the recording sessions for Beggar's Banquet Mick, Keith, Charlie, and Bill would all show up and be ready and gearing to go to record the album. Brian was the only one that was missing most of the time. Brian would show up whenever he felt like, and when he was in the mood to play music. Mick and Keith would just give Brian parts to record just to keep him busy and they would never use them on the album. On Beggar's Banquet Brian Jones' influence with the band started to dwindle because of the lack of being in the the studio and getting too caught up in drugs. Beggar's Banquet would be the last album Brian Jones would be apart of before his passing on 3 July 1969. In the Rolling Stones documentary titled Crossfire Hurricane Mick Jagger said "You certainly didn't know if he was going to turn up and what state he was going to be in, and then what was he going to be able to do in that state. What job could you give him? And then one time when we sat around on the floor we played in a circle playing "No Expectations", and he picked up the guitar and played very pretty lines on it which you can hear on the record. And that was the last thing I remember him doing that was Brian or the Brian that could contribute something very pretty and sensitive and it made the record sound wonderful." 

*My Favorite Songs on Beggar's Banquet* 
"Sympathy for the Devil"
"No Expectations" 
"Salt of the Earth" 



Stay tuned to my blog for more looks into the Rolling Stones records I have in my collection.

Rain Does Not Dare Fall On The Rolling Stones (Concert Review)

You know how you walk into a Michaels or your local craft store and there are those projects that say the appropriate age for a person to do it is 9 to 99? Well that is how I felt the Rolling Stones concert Saturday night (20 June 2015) at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania was. There were fans that were at their 100th Rolling Stones concert or fans that were at their 1st Rolling Stones concert. I was surprised by the variety in age of the fans, and I liked that.

Hours before the show concert goers set up radios and speakers at their tail gates and had a variety of Rolling Stones songs playing. It could have been Sticky Fingers or the local radio station that was playing Stones songs all day. The rain did not stop anyone to have a good time before the concert. Some where hanging out meeting other Rolling Stones fans were others were playing their favorite tailgate games to get hyped for the concert. The forecast was not looking good for that night and a flood warning came across everyone's phone giving the Rolling Stones fans a little worry if the the concert was still going to happen that night. 

AWOLNATION took the stage as the special guest for the Rolling Stones when the rain was still hanging around. Right at nine o'clock the rain stopped and a rainbow appeared over Heinz Field with the Rolling Stones concert being the pot of gold at the end. (Now that I know that I am going to follow a rainbow to the end every time I see one!) 

Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Charlie Watts, and Ronnie Wood played to a sold out show to around 55,000 fans that put on their best tongue and lips shirt or their best rock 'n roll attire. My favorite Rolling Stones outfit I saw that night was a gentleman that had a button down short sleeve shirt with the cover of The Rolling Stones album, Some Girls. We all packed that stadium to do one thing, and that was to enjoy the Rolling Stones on their 15 date North American tour titled, Zip Code, that was announced earlier this year.

Filling the Pittsburgh air the first chord of "Jumping Jack Flash" made the energy explode in the stadium, and that energy did not lessen one bit the whole night. Mick used the whole stage dancing and getting the crowed involved in each song. Keith and Ronnie were playing their guitar with passion and intensity. The smirks that would show from these two during the song you could tell they still enjoys performing as much as they did when they were younger. Charlie was sat at his drum set wearing the oh so fancy black and gold stripped socks and being the main rhythm for the songs and playing the drums like champion. You could tell that all four of the guys put all their passion in playing their instruments and singing and putting a wonderful show on for the fans. Mick, Keith, Charlie, and Ronnie show on stage that they are not just performing for 50+ and 40 years for a job but because they enjoy it and still want to be a band and experience everything that has to come with being a band. Joining The Rolling Stones on stage was the amazing Lisa Fischer who belted out the vocals with Mick on "Gimme Shelter", Bernard Fowler (backing vocals), Matt Clifford (keyboard and horns), Tim Ries (alto saxophone), Karl Denson (tenor saxophone), Darryl Jones (bass guitar), and Chuck Leavell (keys). On the song "You Can't Always Get What You Want" The Rolling Stones were joined on stage by the Penn State University Choir. 

The Rolling Stones first played in Pittsburgh in 1964 at the West View Park Danceland to about 300 "heckling" Pittsburgers, as Mick said it was worded in the newspaper he had read. Saturday night was the first night that The Rolling Stones played in Heinz Field. "We all were brought up on those beans." Mick said. The last time they played in Pittsburgh was in 2005 at PNC Park.  Mick Jagger brought out his Pittsburgh lingo saying "How yinz guys doing?" after one of the songs, and Keith Richards said after his two songs "That is rock ‘n’ roll! Thank you very much! Gold rings on ya". Perhaps a shout out to the 5 Super Bowl rings that the Steelers have? I think so! 

Mick Jagger gave us a little history lesson about Pittsburgh telling the crowd that the Big Mac was invented in Pittsburgh and so were pull tabs. He went on to say that Pittsburgh is home of Andy Warhol the creator of the album art for Stick Fingers, an album that they rereleased this month and was originally released in 1971 (Read my blog post about Sticky Fingers if you want to know more about this album). 

Setlist

1.   Jumpin' Jack Flash 

2.   It's Only Rock 'n' Roll (But I Like It) 

3.   All Down the Line 

4.   Tumbling Dice 

5.   Doom and Gloom 

6.   Bitch 

7.   Moonlight Mile 

8.   Paint It Black (by request)

9.   Honky Tonk Women (followed by band introductions)

10. Before They Make Me Run (Keith Richards on lead vocals)

11. Happy (Keith Richards on lead vocals)

12.  Midnight Rambler 

13.  Miss You 

14. Gimme Shelter 

15. Start Me Up 

16. Sympathy for the Devil 

17. Brown Sugar

Encore:

18. You Can't Always Get What You Want (with The Penn State University Concert Choir)
19 (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction 

I went into this concert with high expectations from The Rolling Stones 1. because I know they had years and years of doing this and 2. because I watched their Hyde Park concert on DVD a lot to get ready for the concert in Pittsburgh. Let's just say I was not disappointed one bit! The atmosphere in Heinz Field with all The Rolling Stones fans singing along; shredding their air guitar and air drums with Ronnie, Keith, and Charlie; and showing their best Mick Jagger moves made it an amazing night! Like I said before Mick, Keith, Charlie, and Ronnie "Spaghetti Loops" Wood show passion and love for the music and the fans when they perform on stage and that puts the icing on the cake for a great night. I thought all the songs they performed were all phenomenal and it was really hard to choose two that were my favorite, but I would have to say that "Doom and Gloom" and "Midnight Rambler" were my favorite if I was forced to choose. If I got the chance again I would go see The Rolling Stones in concert time and time again.

Have you seen The Rolling Stones in concert or have a vivid memory that involved The Rolling Stones? What is your favorite concert that you went too? How about you share your experience? 

Slide What?

Slide guitar is used in a variety types of music from blues to rock to country to pop. The method of slide guitar is using an object that is placed on one of your fingers on the hand that is playing on the frets of the guitar called the slide. Then the slide is used to slide along the strings to created a smooth transition between pitch and allowing expressive vibrato. 

No matter if you hear people say they are going to play the "slide guitar" or the "bottleneck guitar" they are both the same thing. It is called bottleneck guitar because guitarists would make slides out of beer bottle or wine bottlenecks in the earlier days and they are still made of bottlenecks to this day. Slides can be made out of different material like glass, brass, or anything you can get your hands on. There is even some guitarist that use drumsticks or a hollowed bone as their slide. The different material that you use will produce different sound. A brass slide will produce a more brighter sound where as a glass slide will produce a more of a mellow sound. Also, the thickness of the slide will determine how easy it is to play with a slide. A thick slide will move slide across the strings more easily, where as a thin slide will need to be pressed on the strings more to produce a sound. However, you don't want a slide that is too heavy because it will take more that one finger to steady the slide.

The slide is usually a tube that fits snug around a finger. There is no right finger to place the slide on but the pinky finger,like how Muddy Waters plays, is usually the most common because you still have three other fingers to fret the notes. Me personally I play with the slide on my middle finger because that is the most comfortable. It is just all your preference in which finger you choose to wear it on.  

Slide guitar became the staple in the Blues.Willy Brown, Son House, Johnny Shines and Robert Johnson all played slide on acoustics, but by the 1940's slide guitar was becoming popular on electric guitar by Hound Dog Taylor, Robert Nighthawk, Muddy Waters, and Elmore James. This open the door for a new way to be playing slide in music which would later evolve into rock 'n roll. 

As rock 'n roll was taking off around world a lot of guitarist took up the slide to add a flare to their songs. The Rolling Stones' (You thought I could go a whole blog post and not mention the Rolling Stones did you?) guitarists Brian Jones, Mick Taylor, and Ronnie Wood all played/plays the slide on The Rolling Stones albums and live. When playing slide the guitar is usually tuned to an open tuning like Open G or Open E. However, Mick Taylor is notably for playing the slide in standard tuning, which is more challenging than playing the slide in open tuning. Some of The Rolling Stones songs that contain a slide that I personally like and recommend getting your ears acquainted with them are "No Expectations" from Beggars Banquet, "You Got the Silver" from Let It Bleed,  and "Jigsaw Puzzle" also from Beggars Banquet. 

Whether you choose to listen the artist that played slides or try your hand at playing the slide you will love the sound that comes from the guitar. 

Can of Fingers: A Post About a Rolling Stones Album

On April 23, 1971 the iconic art work done by Andy Warhol emerged into the world as a part of Sticky Fingers by the Rolling Stones. The album art shows a up close and personal shot of a man's zipper area of his pants. There is even a functional zipper and a belt cut out that shows the tighty whities of the man who is on the cover of this Rolling Stones album. There is an alternative album art that was released in Spain, which had a can of fingers, because the original album art was censored. Sticky Fingers is the ninth UK album and the eleventh US album that the Rolling Stones released. However, this album was the first album that was released under their newly formed record label titled Rolling Stones Records. Mick Jagger (Lead Vocals, Guitar), Keith Richards (Guitar, Vocals), Mick Taylor (Guitar), Bill Wyman (Bass Guitar), and Charlie Watts (Drums) are the members of the Rollings Stones that appear on Sticky Fingers.

Sticky Fingers is also the first full appearance on a Rolling Stones album by guitarist, Mick Taylor. Taylor took the place of the late Brian Jones in 1969, and he would stay with the band until 1974. In these five years Mick Taylor toured with the band, and also recorded more albums with the band like Exile On Main St where he was credited with co-writer of the song "Ventilator Blues". 

Considered one of the BEST Rolling Stones album they have ever released, Sticky Fingers, was granted triple platinum certification in the United States. It includes songs like "Brown Sugar", "Wild Horses", "Can't You Hear Me Knocking", and my personal favorite off the album "Moonlight Mile". 

It was late at night and Mick Jagger and Mick Taylor were together with their guitars and that is when "Moonlight Mile" was write. Jagger plays the lead acoustic guitar rift in the song, and Taylor supports that with a reworked guitar piece that was perviously written by Keith Richards ("Japanese Thing"). Taylor also suggested that there be strings added into that songs that is played by Paul Buckmaster. Also, the Rolling Stones usual trumpeter plays piano on "Moonlight Mile", Jim Price. Mick Jagger thought it was easier to write this song with Mick Taylor (Keith Richards was not present). However, when it was time to put it onto Sticky Fingers Taylor was not credited as a co-writer of this song that he said he was promised too. Even though people say this song is about drugs and the rock n roll life Mick Jagger recalls it meaning something different. Jagger said the inspiration for this song was his loneliness, being out on tour, and elation of returning home while the Rolling Stones were on a European Tour in the summer of 1970. Keith Richards and Mick Jagger consider "Moonlight Mile" as one of the most under appreciated of all the Rolling Stone songs. 

Sticky Fingers was reissue on June 9, 2015 with the original track list and unheard/rare songs. The album art is still of the one that Andy Warhol designed for the original in 1970. The reissue coincides with the Rolling Stones North American tour, Zip Code Tour. It also includes reworks of songs that were on the original track list and a couple of live songs by the Rolling Stones. The reissue vinyl format still includes a functional zipper on the cover.

Track Listing of Sticky Fingers (original issue)  

1. Brown Sugar 

2. Sway

3. Wild Horses

4. Can't You Hear Me Knocking 

5. You Gotta Move

6. Bitch 

7. I Got the Blues 

8. Sister Morphine

9. Dead Flowers 

10. Moonlight Mile

*All pictures were taken from The Rolling Stones' Facebook Page.*

Where to find...

The Rolling Stones: 

Twitter: @RollingStones

Facebook: www.facebook.com/therollingstones

Instagram: therollingstones

Website: www.therollingstones.com 

Me:

Twitter: @ATodero 

The Non-Rolling Stones Side of My Record Collection (Part 2)

Hello there! You want to take a look into my record collection again? You are in luck! Here are five  records in my collection that you haven't seen in any other of my blog posts. Enjoy reading a little about each record and what my favorite songs are off that record! 

1. Simon and Garfunkel: Parsley, Sage, Rosemary, and Thyme

Who doesn't love a record that is named after the common herbs used in the kitchen? I discovered Simon and Garfunkel's music through my Mom, and the first song I heard from them was Mrs. Robinson, which was released two years after this album. Parsley, Sage, Rosemary, and Thyme was the third studio album by this American music duo. It was released on October 10,1966 on the Columbia Record Label. My favorite song this album is Homeward Bound. 

2. The Who: TOMMY 

"Listen to TOMMY with a candle burning and you will see your entire future." The 2000 film Almost Famous says. Does this work? I do not know. Why won't you have a go a tell me what happens. I knew of The Who but did not give any of their music a listen until my brother gave me this record because he had two and a half copies in his collection. The Who was a British band that started around the same time as The Rolling Stones, The Beatles, and The Faces. I like to call this the "The" era because it seemed like every Rock and Roll band tagged "The" in front of their band name. TOMMY was the fourth studio album released by The Who on May 23, 1969 on the record label called Track. My favorite songs off of this album are Amazing Journey and Welcome.  

3. James Taylor: JT 

JT is James Taylor eighth studio album, which was released in June 1977. James Taylor did a cover of "Handy Man" by Jimmy Jones, which charted number six on the Billboard Hot 100 charts and won Best Male Pop Vocal Performance in the 1978 Grammy Awards. This record was nominated for Album of the Year but fell short to Fleatwood Mac's Rumours. JT is James Taylor's biggest selling record in his career. My favorite songs off this album are Your Smiling Face and Terra Nova.  

4. Ed Sheeran: + 

Released on September 9, 2011 was the debut studio album for this British singer-songwriter. Before + was released Ed Sheeran independently released five EP's that he would sell out of his rucksack while he was sleeping on friend's couches looking for gigs to play after he dropped out of school at the age of 16. It sold over 42,000 copies within the first week of being release in the United States, which is the highest for a debut album by a British artist since Susan Boyle's I Dreamed a Dream in 2009. The A Team is the well known single that came off of this album. I have a weakness for colored vinyl and clear vinyl so with + being a orange clear vinyl made me very satisfied when I got this record! It is one of my favorite features of this record. My favorite songs on + are You Need Me, I Don't Need You and Give Me Love. Also the hidden track after Give Me Love called Parting Glass, which is a Scottish and Irish traditional song covered by Ed Sheeran. 

5. Muddy Waters: Folk Singer 

I discovered Muddy Waters and started listening to him because of The Rolling Stones. It was when Keith Richards said he saw Mick Jagger carrying Chuck Berry and Muddy Waters records at the train station and that is what started The Rolling Stones. So I thought "hmm maybe I should take a listen to Muddy" and this was the first record I bought of his. This is the fourth studio album released by this amazing Blues artist in April 1964,and is the only all-acoustic album released by Muddy. This album did not chart in any country but was praised by listeners for the high sound quality. However, in 2003 this Muddy Waters album was ranked number 280 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time. My favorite songs off of this album are Long Distance and Cold Weather Blues. 

Concert Review: Ed Sheeran (X Tour) in Philadelphia

Ed Sheeran hit the stage Tuesday night (26 May 2015) for his X(Multiply) Tour at The Mann Center in Philadelphia with his Martin guitar and Loop Station and had everyone on their feet singing and dancing like there was no tomorrow. 

Looking out across the lawn seating at The Mann

Lets talk about The Mann Center a little. This was the first time I have traveled down to Philly to attend a concert at this venue and I was not disappointed at all! The Mann is located in Fairmount Park and was founded in 1935. This was such a beautiful venue. When you first walked into there was a court yard that had lights stringed all above it which made a great atmosphere. Set up around the court yard was the merchandise stand, open bars, and food stands.  The staff at the Mann were really friendly and help you with any questions that you may have like where your seat is located or where the nearest restroom was. (Might I add that the bathrooms were very clean! Because we know that is important to know when you go to a big venue like this) The ceiling of The Mann is made of wood which is not only for the looks but the made acoustics in that venue sound amazing, and just by me explaining it is not going to do it justice. When the first note of the night was played I was impressed on how loud it was and how you can still hear the singing and it was not drowned out by the bass and other instruments. There are two seating areas one under the covering and the lawn seating. If you happen to sit out on the lawn there are still ways to enjoy the concert with the huge video screens and the sound is just as good as it is under the covering. Now lets get on to the musical acts of the night. 

Looking inside of The Mann.

For this show Foy Vance was opening up for Ed Sheeran and this was his second show on the X Tour. Foy Vance is a folk singer from Northern Ireland. I suggest to go on iTunes and buy his newest album Joy of Nothing. This album is one of my go to album so seeing him in concert for me was just as exciting seeing Ed that night. Foy was joined on stage with his guitars and a drummer and that is all he needed to kick off the night. Foy is one of those artists that does not need auto tune when he preforms. His voice is so clean, the instruments blend well with it in each songs. His set list was wonderful, and he even cracked a few jokes for the city of brotherly love. 

Ed Sheeran on the stage during "I'm a Mess"

The British, ginger, tattooed, singer, songwriter, Ed Sheeran was the main act of the night. Ed opened up the gig with I'm a Mess and everyone was on their feet within seconds and remained on their feet for the rest of the night. My favorite thing he said after this song was "Everyone is looking forward. No one is looking at you. So Philly we are going to have a good time. It doesn't matter if you sing out of tune, dance crazy, or clap out of beat because everyone is looking forward." He did not have to tell me twice that I was going to have a good time that night because I knew the moment I bought the tickets I would. Ed was joined on stage by his Martin Guitars and his Loop Station. Ed used the loop stations to build a song up all live right there on the stage. No band to back him up just the Loop Station, the guitars, and two microphones. Watching him loop all of these different beats and guitar licks together was astonishing. A Stevie Wonder song snuck into Ed's set list for the night. He blended Superstition with his song titled Take It Back. Ed did not loose the audience once during songs when he wanted us to sing along, which takes a lot for an artist to do. His stage design was simple just a few video screens behind him that either played pre made videos or him performing in a different video effect. Non of these pyrotechnics or dancing sharks was needed to make Ed's gig a night to remember. My favorite song that Ed sang out of all he sang the whole night was You Need Me, I Don't Need You just because of the build ups and the songs he incorporated within the one song, which were In Da Club by 50 Cent and I'm So Fancy by Iggy Azalea.

Instagram photo taken by Ed Sheeran on stage of the crowd in Philly. 

Overall the concert was fabulous. I would have to say one of the best I have been too. If you ever get a chance to see Ed Sheeran or Foy Vance in concert I highly recommend it! You will not be disappointed. 

*Stay tuned to this blog to see more concert reviews that I will do in the future.*

Where to find...
The Mann
Twitter: @MannCenter
Website: www.manncenter.org/
Foy Vance
Twitter: @foyvance
Website: www.foyvance.com/
YouTube: www.youtube.com/foyvancemusic
Ed Sheeran
Twitter: @edsheeran
Website: www.edsheeran.com
YouTube: www.youtube.com/EdSheeran
Me
Twitter: @ATodero