Guilty as charged...

It's true that we all have some kind of guilty pleasure in this world. For some, it's a television show or movie that really speaks to them (that goes out to all you Sex in the City and Jersey Shore watchers who aren't proud of it...). For others, it can be food related, be it chocolate, fatty foods, or some other cheap snack food (mmmm, cheese food product...). For me, I have a handful of musical guilty pleasures, some of which I am proud of and others not so much. Today, let's talk about the extremely radio friendly Bryan Adams...

Bryan Adams is one of those artists who seem to have always been around, which is likely because of his radio friendly sound. The Canadian rocker has been spinning chart worthy hits since the very late 70's and has been able to continue this trend until modern times (not an easy feat for many, more publicly accepted acts...). However, I would be willing to speculate that between the mid 80's to early 90's shall be remembered as Mr. Adams heyday. During this time, we received such hits as 'Cuts Like a Knife', 'Run to You', 'Heaven', 'Summer of '69', 'Can't Stop This Thing We Started', and 'Everything I Do (I Do it For You)' (which you may remember from Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves [quite possibly a guilty pleasure as well...]...). While this time period was the greatest success for Bryan, he has still found more than enough work, what with doing movie soundtracks, music collaborations with artists from all stripes, and writing songs that (despite never reaching the top spots...) still receive solid airplay...

I would imagine that a lot of my peers aren't fans of Bryan Adams due to his seemingly corporate sound, the idea that his brand of rock may feel like he 'sold out', and that the sound of his edge is a weak sauce (read: pussy rock...). Bryan has been around as long as many, better regarded (at least among my friend group...) bands, such as ZZ Top, The Eagles, and Heart (more on them later...). This seems contrary to critical reception of Mr. Adams, as he has been nominated (94 times!) and won a great many awards over his 40 years in the business, including a Grammy, an American Music Award, and 18 Juno Awards. Granted, most I know don't give much thought to awards as they can be quite political at times (read: pointless...) and they don't necessarily add up to great musical talent. An indicator sometimes, but never an absolute. Friends of mine would tend to listen to harder contemporaries of Bryan Adams, such a Def Leppard, Aerosmith, and Van Halen and lump Mr. Adams in with lighter bands such as Wham!, Sting, and Journey...

I enjoy myself some Bryan Adams and I won't lie or hide it. I do, however, get a little sheepish if the topic comes up. My music collection is full of a wide variety of song styles; from the poppiest pop to some serious heavy metal and most styles in between (I like to think I appeal to all types...). But, since I am known for enjoying some serious rock, the knowledge of my affection from Bryan Adams' music is a little off-putting. I would imagine most would feel it is beneath me to have most of his albums and public rock it out, but I don't mind (usually...). While I'm not as big a fan of his slow ballads (they feel REALLY long...), I think his faster rock tunes are solid, especially when compared to much of modern pop rock. He's a great guitarist (I do love guitars...) even when his lyrics aren't the deepest. I get very pumped when I hear 'Can't Stop This Thing We Started' and 'Summer of '69'. I can't help; I think they are great songs...

I believe Bryan Adams is the bridge between pop and rock, at least in the context of 80's and 90's rock. He's not as hard as most hard rock and metal bands of the era, but he is by far more solid than the majority of pop music that came out at the same time. Given the choice, I'd listen to Bryan Adams over most of his pop contemporaries (and even some of his rock contemporaries actually...) much of the time. Does that make me a weak rock fan? Nah, it just means I'm diverse in my love of the rock. Tell me; what is your musical guilty pleasure? Go on, it'll be fun...

Double Feature: Flying Objects Attacked and Tilted Carrion Eaters...

I love Dave Grohl. I think he's probably one of, if not the most, talented musician in modern rock today. He's also one of the busiest (check out his wikipedia page...), so we get plenty of Grohl munchies to satisfy our urges. The reason I bring Diamond Dave up is that he's got not one, but two musical updates coming out very soon and they both sound great. While they have different sounds, both releases show that Dave is not a rock musician or an alternative musician or any other label. He's just a musician who loves his craft and enjoys performing for us, the listener...


First up: The Foo Fighters are releasing a greatest hits album November 2 (holla if it's your birthday... [HOLLA!]) and thank goodness. I used to think that a musician or band had to die or disband to warrant a greatest hits album. At the very least, you ought to have an extensive library of songs to warrant a list that isn't just the radio played songs of your few albums (I'm looking at you, Creed...). That being said, I think that Foo Fighters deserve a greatest hits album for a handful of reasons...

As far as modern bands go (read: bands formed in my life time...), FF has stayed around and prosperous while some of there contemporaries have fallen by the wayside (pick your favorite, I have mine...). They've had hugely successful albums, still grab significant airplay, and win awards consistently for their efforts. While they've evolved (who hasn't...), the Foos have managed to derive a sound all of their own, and I'd like to think it's mostly thanks to Mr. Grohl. Not that the band lives or dies because of Dave, but I believe it's his talent that enhances the group's efforts and makes them the rock powerhouse they are today...

I said before that Dave keeps himself busy, so it shouldn't come as a surprise that he has formed yet another ensemble band (he's been in so many, he may have broken the term 'Super Group'...) called Them Crooked Vultures. They've got a QotSA member, Dave, and a Zep member (look 'em up...). Their debut album drops in November and they've released a single called New Fang and it is pretty damn good. Unlike the Foo Fighters, their sound is more like Eagles of Death Metal and their ilk (Tj calls it 'ball-to-the-walls' rock 'n roll...). Definitely not a bad thing at all, however, it does further show how broad Dave Grohl's taste in music reaches to. I'm looking forward to that album and what TCV gives us...

That is all for now. Tune in tomorrow where I shall a thought on Halloween and why I discovered, in my aging, that it is the most disappointing of all the 'government sanctioned' holidays. By the way, the Foo Fighters released a new song off their greatest hits album and it's called Wheels...

Oh, Rick...

Anyone who knows me (and you know who you are) knows that once a song catches my fancy, I tend to play that song obsessively. Unfortunately, this tends to grate on the nerves of those in earshot (Tara has been a good sport). I could list you a whole mess of songs that I've done this to, but I'm not going to do that in the interest of getting to the point. Though if you ask me, or if I'm supremely bored, I may put something like that up...

So, this second post is dedicated to my new favorite song by a talented Rick. Not Rick Astley, the father of Rickrolling...Not Rick Carpenter, male half of the 60's band 'The Carpenters'...Nor is it Rick Wright, the pianist for Pink Floyd. No, it's the hard working Rick Springfield, who is known to the general public for one or two things. The first is his big hit in '81, 'Jessie's Girl'. He is also known (and this is something I found out recently) for playing Dr. Noah Drake on the daytime soap 'General Hospital'...

The new single is called 'What's Victoria's Secret' and it's very catchy, or at least catchy enough to grab my little obsessive quirk. Part of this catchiness can be attributed to its similarities to its predecessor, 'Jessie's Girl'. The guitar part has the same, 'Jun-a jun-a jun' progression as JG, and the vocals bear similar vocal progressions. I've also seen it compared, both favorably and unfavorably, to his old hit. I'm in the camp of favoring it. I'll even call it a tribute to JG and I admire him for taking his styles and reworking it to give it to us again. Further, and this was pointed out by my good friend Jesse, that the vocals also bear some similarities to Eddie Money's 'Take Me Home Tonight'. You decide that one, but my final verdict on the single is 'Really Good' and I'm looking forward to hearing more of the album, 'Venus on High'...



There is one thing left to say on this, though, and it's about the man himself. I happend across the song on internet radio and then Youtubed it, seeing 'ol Rick perform it and saying to myself, 'Man, he's aged really well. He's gotta be like in his 40's.' Wrong. Rick Springfield is a year shy of 60. Everyone I've 'unveiled' this to has had the same reaction as me: Woah. Literally, the man could pass for mid to upper 30's, and does from what I've seen. The fact that he is nearing 60, looks great, and still writes good music, as he has been doing his whole life, shows what doing what you love can do for you. If Rick Springfield reads this, and he won't, this is my thanks to him for the music and here's to more music from the man. Keep it up, Rick...