Ask 411 Music 04.25.08: Saving Your Life

Posted by Blake Lauderback on 04.25.2008

This week we take a look at a Nirvana vs. Guns and Roses feud, t-shirt messages, Boston (the band, not the city), the true meaning of "Stone Temple Pilots," and I finish out my greatest instrumentalist list by taking on the top seven guitar players in history!



Welcome back kids, it is that time of week again. Time for you to sit back, relax, and absorb some crucial information that could one day save your life…maybe… if you are stuck in a Trivial Pursuit Death Match.

To all of you that have joined us here before, I am glad you are back. If you are a rookie in these parts, nice to have you as well, but you've got a lot of catching up to do.

Last week I counted down the greatest movies about rock music, and surprisingly not a single person objected to "Almost Famous coming in at number one. I made up for my lack of hate mail for that by upsetting fans of Vanilla Fudge and Grand Funk Railroad by telling them that I think they are both good. Somehow I did not manage to give ENOUGH credit to these two bands. You would think that I had kicked someone's new puppy with the anger that was sent my way. Oh well, some people are just beyond pleasing.

I suppose I should get around to finishing my series of top seven lists of different instrumentalists. Lets see here… I did bass, drums, vocals, and keyboards. I guess I got them all finished already after all. OH YEAH… the guitar players! How could I possibly have forgotten them? Let's see if a few more feathers get ruffled this time around.

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Before we advance on to the informative goodness that is the questions section, I'd like to borrow a few moments of your time to talk about one of my favorite causes, the fight to keep music in the public school system.

As many of you are already aware, many school districts around the country are continuing to withdraw funding from their arts programs in hopes of saving a buck or two. I will resist the urge to rant about the misuse of funds in our country, that it is ridiculous that congress was able to spend time investigating Major League Baseball and the NFL, but that they have yet to get around to fixing our deteriorating educational system, or that it is idiotic that for all that we pay into the government by way of our taxes, they can't seem to find a way to pay the teachers that shape the minds of our very children enough so that they don't need a second job to survive. All of that fun can wait for another day.

My goal today is simply to bring this issue to the front of your mind so that perhaps the next time a local bill comes up for vote, or you get word that your Alma matter is planning a move like this that you might stand up and be heard.

I will say that I was fortunate enough to be brought up in a school district that still valued the arts. In fact, my mom was the high school art teacher up until her passing. My high school years were filled with music. I spent much of my time in choir over the years, after passing on what I am sure would have been an amazing future in the athletic world. (I was a beast in middle school football. Not really, I sucked.) Since I was not running with the "in crowd" due to my lack of athletic abilities, I needed a niche. Music provided not only a place for me to go and stay out of trouble, but it allowed me to bond with those around me in order to create friendships that continue to endure to this day.

While I am greatly appreciative of the bonds that I have made through music, it would be a disservice to art and to music if I did not remind you that countless studies have concluded that a student that is well versed in the arts performs much better in the basics. That means that perhaps instead of cutting music classes in order to cram in more math and more English and more science, we should just learn to incorporate the arts better. Why must it be one or the other? Why can't we use both in order to create well-rounded students?

Now, don't get me wrong here, I am not saying that today's students do not need an athletic program. As I am sure we are all aware, America is in the middle of an obesity epidemic. I do however think it is ridiculous that money for the arts is being cut here in Texas, but that school districts can drop a few million dollars to build bigger and badder football stadiums.

My biggest fear is that America won't realize what a horrible effect that these budget cuts will have, not only on the next generation of students, but on our country's contribution to the artistic community, until it is too late to undo the damage.

So should the opportunity present itself, I urge you to stand up for the arts, or before long the music that we have all come to love may no longer exist.

All right… enough of that. Let's get on with the show.

Class is in Session

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"I look at the world and I notice it's turning / While my guitar gently weeps. / With every mistake we must surely be learning / Still my guitar gently weeps." – While My Guitar Gently Weeps

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Q: hey Blake, frequent reader of this column and I've actually got a question this time.
I heard that at the 1992 MTV Music Awards Kurt Cobain and Axl Rose got into a fight over
something Kurt said to Axl. I also heard that Kurt hated Axl because he said he was "ordinary" or something along those lines. Although ,Axl had actually been a Nirvana fan and wanted them to open for GNR. Can you enlighten me on this situation? it be interesting to know. Thanks. - Justin G.

A: You are on the right track. Axl Rose was actually a fan of Nirvana's work, offering them their top opening slot on their upcoming tour. Keep in mind that Nirvana, while a huge act at the time, was relatively new to the scene, and Guns and Roses had been the big dog for nearly a decade. Kurt turned down Axl's offer, and this pissed off Rose. Some point the finger at Rose for being so arrogant at asking one of the hottest bands on the rise to open for his "over the hill" band. Other's blamed Cobain saying that one, he should have taken the gig as an honor, and two, that instead of simply turning down Axl's offer, he felt the need to insult him.

The supposed quote goes as follows…

"His role has been played for years. Ever since the beginning of rock and roll, there's been an Axl Rose. And it's just boring. It's totally boring to me. Why it's such a fresh and new thing in his eyes is obviously because it's happening to him personally and he's such an egotistical person that he thinks that the whole world owes him something." – Kurt Cobain on Axl Rose

Tempers began to flare later that year at a Guns and Roses concert in Florida when Rose took the stage with Guns and Roses and went on a tirade bashing Kurt and his wife, Courtney Love.

At the 1992 MTV Music Video Awards, the two front men confronted one another publicly. Love started off by mockingly suggesting that Axl should be the godfather for her and Kurt's newborn daughter, Frances Bean. Axl turned to Cobain and replied, "If you don't shut your woman up, I am going to take her down to the pavement."

Model Stephanie Seymour, (which is a hilarious last name for a model) a friend of Axl's, then exchanged barbs with the always-charming Courtney Love.

Basically, all involved acted like rock stars, which in this case, is code for spoiled little five-year-old brats.



VS.



Q: Hi. I have really enjoyed your work. Nice to see you resurrect the Top 5 too. I have a question for you.

I know that Floyd's Dark Side hold the record for the longest time spent in the top 100, but how long is it? And who are the runners up? – Marshal P.

A: Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon does in fact still hold the record for most consecutive weeks in the Billboard Top 200 charts with an absurd 741 weeks on the chart. That is (hold on… digging for a calculator…) 14 YEARS AND 3 MONTHS! If the album could have held out 9 months longer they could have gotten a freaking learner's permit to drive a car. Here are the rest of the Top 10 longest charting albums for you Marshal.

Most Weeks on the Billboard 200 Chart:

1. The Dark Side of the Moon — Pink Floyd (741 weeks)
2. Johnny's Greatest Hits — Johnny Mathis (490 weeks)
3. My Fair Lady — Original Cast (480 weeks)
4. Highlights from the Phantom of the Opera — Original Cast (331 weeks)
5. Tapestry - Carole King (302 weeks)
6. Heavenly — Johnny Mathis (295 weeks)
7. Oklahoma! — Soundtrack (283 weeks)
8. MCMXC a.D. — Enigma (282 weeks)
9. Metallica – Metallica (281 weeks)
10. The King and I – Soundtrack (277 weeks)

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This week's list…(Insert mental drum roll here)

The Top 7 Guitar Players in Rock History

Honorable Mention - Eddie Van Halen (Van Halen) David Gilmour (Pink Floyd, Solo Artist) Tony Iommi (Black Sabbath) Kirk Hammett (Metallica) Steve Vai (Solo artist) Joe Walsh (The Eagles, James Gang, Solo Artist) B.B. King (Solo Artist) Chuck Berry (Solo Artist) Carl Perkins (Solo Artist) Jeff Beck (The Yardbirds, Solo Artist) Tom Petty (Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Solo Artist)

7.Pete Townsend (The Who) – Pete helped bridge the gap between the British Invasion and the dawn of hard rock, and he also introduced us to the angry rock star image that we know today with guitar smashing, cannons exploding, and the legendary "windmill." He has served as The Who's primary songwriter through out their career, and has blessed us with brilliant songs like "Who Are You," "My Generation," and "Pinball Wizard."

6. George Harrison (The Beatles, Solo Artist) – The quiet Beatle, George was much more than just a guitar player. He managed to sneak in some of the best songs in the Beatles' catalogue despite having to battle the Lennon/McCartney team for room on every album. He also took the early influences like Chuck Berry and Carl Perkins and transformed the sound of the rock guitar by adding effects like distortion and introducing new chord structures and sounds to the genre. The introduction of the sitar to Western music can also be attributed to George, and supposedly there is even a George Harrison chord that Harrison invented when he could not find a chord dissonant enough for what he was looking for.

5. Duane Allman (The Allman Brothers Band, Blind Faith) – Somehow Allman's early passing had the opposite effect on his career as compared to Hendrix, Janis Joplin, or Buddy Holly. He was on top of the musical world before his death, and in the years since, his contributions seem to have been forgotten by many. As a member of The Allman Brothers Band, Duane helped create the genre of southern rock with his blues and country infused rock riffs. Songs like "Ramblin' Man" and "Jessica" show Allman at his best, but are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to his incredible work.

4. Stevie Ray Vaughn (Solo Artist) – Vaughn revived the blues genre in the 70's and 80's, bringing it back to the forefront of the music world and introducing it to an entirely new generation of musicians. He bridged seamlessly into rock music with his covers of some of Hendrix's biggest hits like "Little Wing," and contributed his own amazing songs like "Texas Flood," "Pride and Joy," and "Little Sister." He was an amazing talents who's positive effect the music industry will feel for decades to come, but like too many other names on this list, he was taken way before his time.

3. Eric Clapton (Cream, Blind Faith, The Yardbirds, Derek and the Dominos, John Mayall's Bluesbreakers, Solo Artist) – Always a student of music history, Clapton pioneered the instrument by combining rock and roll with traditional blues and R&B. Clapton, as you can see, has played with multiple bands and collaborated with countless musicians over his four decades or so in the industry, resulting in some of the biggest hits in classic rock including tracks like "Cocaine," "White Room," "Tears in Heaven," and "Layla" just to name a few. Here's hoping that he doesn't stop any time soon.

2. Jimmy Page (Led Zeppelin, The Yardbirds, Solo Artist) – Jimmy Page is a truly unique entity in rock. He played with such brilliance that it was almost impossible not to acknowledge his ability, and the rawness of his style made the occasional sour note seem like it was part of his perfect plan. One of the father's of hard rock, Page's place in the annals of rock history is quite secure, and how can we not honor the man that gave the world "Stairway to Heaven," not to mention Zeppelin's other classics like "Rock and Roll" and "Black Dog"

1. Jimi Hendrix (The Jimi Hendrix Experience, Jimi Hendrix and His Band of Gypsies) – What, like there was any doubt who would be atop the list? While Hendrix had a very abbreviated career, he changed everything about the guitar's role in rock and roll. Almost every other name on this list owes something to Jimi, and the fact that he has left such an undeniable mark on the world of music despite his short amount of time in the spotlight speaks to the mans true ability. In my eyes there is no denying that Jimi Hendrix is the greatest guitar player in the history of rock.

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Forgotten Classic

Since I made mention in Duane Allman's entry above about the lack of respect for The Allman Brothers Band, I decided to give them a little in the "Forgotten Classic" segment. With that said, this week's honored album is The Allman Brothers Band's Idlewild South. Idlewild South is often considered to be the band's best studio album, and was also the last record before Duane's tragic death. Filled with quality tracks like "Midnight Rider" and "Revival," (not to mention a brilliant cover of "Hoochie Coochie Man, originally by Willie Dixon,) this album has earned its place as a classic record. If you have never had the pleasure, check it out ASAP.

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Q: Hey Blake,

I have a quick question about your greatest rock movie ever selection. First of all, I agree completely, it is one of my favorite movies ever. But there is one thing I have always wondered.

I understand that one of the characters is obsessed with Led Zeppelin, but I have never understood the shirt that he wears that says "Has Anybody Seen the Bridge?" on the back of it. Does it relate to anything or is it just random? I would appreciate the help. – Carl M.

A: You are exactly correct the line does have meaning. The character in question is Vic Munoz, played by actor Jay Baruchel, who you might recognize from the movie Knocked Up. Vic is a Led Zeppelin crazed fan, and in the scene in question he is wearing a T-Shirt that displays two different messages. The front says "To Be a Rock and Not to Roll," which is a line from the infamous "Stairway To Heaven." The back quote is the one you asked about, "Has Anybody Seen The Bridge?" which is a quote from the song "The Crunge" off of Led Zeppelin's album Houses of the Holy

Your question has sparked a renewed interest in the symbolism of Almost Famous, so next week's column will be kicked off with a list of all of the rock and roll references found in the film.



Q: Thanks for responding to my question Blake. It was great to see your opinion on Grand Funk and Vanilla Fudge. While I would have loved to see you praise them uncontrollably, I totally agree with your statements. I wanted to know if you could impart your thoughts on one other band… Boston. They are another classic rock band that I don't think get half the credit that they should. Just wanted to see what you think. Thanks man, keep it up. – Steve W.

A: Thanks Steve. I am very glad that I did not alienate you bud. Let me see here… where to start. How about a little history for the uninformed?

Boston really begins with Tom Scholz who, after graduating from MIT with a masters degree and starting a promising career with Polaroid, decided it was time to start up a good old fashioned rock and roll band, so he joined up with future Boston guitar player Barry Goudreau. Scholz started off as the keyboard player, but before long he was the guitar player.

Scholz use the money he had made with his "real job" to build a home recording studio. He then teamed up with Goudreau and vocalist Brad Delp to record a demo. The demos were very well received and the band was signed to a recording contract.

By the time their first full-length album was completed, (which still consisted of a lot of the home recordings), the band had added a bass player (Fran Sheehan) and a drummer (John "Sib" Hashian).

Their debut album, the self-titled Boston, sky rocketed to the top of the charts on the back of three huge hits, "More Than a Feeling," "Piece of Mind." And "Foreplay/Long Time," soon becoming the best selling debut album of all time. They held that title until 1986, when Whitney Houston's debut album surpassed theirs.

It was after their debut album that the issues began to occur. It took Scholz two years to put out the band's sophomore effort, Don't Look Back in 1978, which become a number one album. He was rushed to release the record by Epic, who was outraged at the amount of time Scholz was taking to make it. Scholz was never happy with the finished product, so being a perfectionist, he decided to take his time on Boston's next record, 1986's Third Stage. For those scoring at home that is an eight-year lay off. (Maybe Chinese Democracy still has a glimmer of hope.)

All in all, the band managed to release five albums in approximately twenty-six years, which, is just a little slow for my taste. (I know, last week I complained that Grand Funk Railroad put out too many albums too quickly, and now I am saying that Boston releases albums way too slowly. I swear I am not THAT hard to please.) While many of their albums have been solid, I don't think that any of them can touch that first record.

Despite their lack of major releases, I still think that Boston is a very good band that is often lost in the shuffle with all of the great bands of the 70's and 80's.



All right kids, let's wrap this baby up…

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This week's drop of band name knowledge is…

Stone Temple Pilots - Are you ready for this one? Here goes… Scott Weiland and Robert DeLeo formed a band together after they discovered at a Black Flag concert that they were dating the same girl. The girl moved away, Scott and Robert took over her apartment and started a band, Mighty Joe Young. Soon after they started using the name they were informed that there was a bluesman out there that had already laid claim to that name. After adding Eric Kretz and Dean DeLeo to the group they decided a new name was in order. They opted for Shirley Temple's Pussy. (Classy, eh?) As one should expect, the record label that signed them was a little worried about the name, so Scott and company changed it to Stereo Temple Pirates so that they could keep the STP abbreviation. After playing for a while in San Diego, the label protested again, and at last, Stone Temple Pilots was born. Get all that did ya?

See you all back here next week… and send me some freaking questions.

Class Dismissed.