Stevie Ray Vaughan

Its been a little over a week since the induction of Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double trouble into the Rock n Roll hall of fame. I believe that Stevie Ray Vuaghan along with Lou Reed and Joan Jett are clearly the most notable and most influential of this year’s inductees. Taking nothing away from Green Day, they are an incredible punk band and have tried to keep Punk rock from dying out and for that i respect them deeply. But that's not what today’s feature is about, the star of today's feature is legendary Texas blues Guitarist Stevie ray Vaughan, a guitarist like no other, a man who’s bluesy guitar playing left legendary Guitarists like the great “Slow Hand,” Eric Clapton, BB king, Buddy Guy in awe, yes he was so good that if being a good guitarist was a crime, he’d have been wanted dead or alive.

Stevie Ray Vaughan wasn’t just great, his guitar playing was what you’d call, exquisite, that many consider him the greatest blues guitarist ever.  His guitar sound was unique that hitherto, no guitarist has been able to recreate his Texas Blues sound. Stevie’s lead guitar playing was nothing short of phenomenal, and i personally believe that his lead guitar playing was second only to that of the great Jimi Hendrix.  Personally speaking, i can’t really think up a random list of the top 10 greatest guitarists of all time that doesn’t have this Texas blues man.

Like all great musicians, Stevie Ray Vaughan had a vice, a drug addiction, but unlike many Rock stars who have tango-ed with Mr Brownstone, Stevie beat the addiction which in itself was a great achievement for the blues man.

Stevie Ray Vaughan was influenced by Jimi Hendrix and a host of other incredible blues guitarists. Speaking of Jimi Hendrix, Stevie ray Vaughan has what are literally the greatest covers of Jimi Hendrix’s “Voodoo child,” and “Little wing.” His rendition of Voodoo child immortalized the song as a blues classic, and im not saying Jimi Hendrix's version wasn’t as good, because believe me, Jimi’s guitar solos on both Voodoo child and little wing are some of the finest solos I've ever listened to. But then again Stevie's take on both songs was just magical.

 I may sound a bit eccentric but I'm sure that if Stevie hadn’t been robbed from us by a fatal helicopter crash, and had continued to grace us with his immaculate guitar playing, we would have achieved world peace by now, because we’d be too busy listening to his great work to be out there fighting one another. 

Stevie didn't just play guitar, he also sang lead, his voice may not have been among finest voices around, but for the blues it was just right. Stevie was also quite the showman, he did some guitar spinning and could also play the guitar behind his head or his back.

These are my top 10 Stevie Ray Vaughan songs

10. couldn’t stand the weather

Awesome rhythm, one of those that get me humming along as the song progresses. once the first few notes go through my ears, i get ready to do a note by note air guitar session with Stevie ray Vaughan.

9. crossfire

A fine display of great guitar playing, Stevie ray Vaughan playing lead like its no body’s business. And that guitar solo at the end is a thing beauty, always has me wondering what would have been if he hadn’t died too soon.

8.Voodoo child

He may not have written the original, but he did justice to it, he totally nailed the riff, i mean for a moment there as you listen to it, you get the impression that maybe his cover is better than Jimi Hendrix's original. It may not be as psychedelic as the original but it’s one awesome blues song.

7.look at little sister

Whenever i think about the term the Texas blues, this song comes to mind. Great rhythm and the overall feel of it has me feeling like i’m in one those Classic cowboy movies, preferably Clint Eastwood's "The unforgiven."

6.little wing

Another cover of a Jimi Hendrix song, and another example of Stevie’s guitar prowess. The guitar playing on this one is nothing short of breath taking. The solo by itself is just beautiful

5. The sky is crying

Like is said if playing the guitar was a sport, stevie would be quite the athlete, probably an MVP on many occasions. This songs gives you a picture of how he could set the mood of a song by using his guitar to compliment the lyrics of the song. In this song, his guitar mourns and cries for the man who’s lost the love of their lover.

 

4.cold shot

The lyrics may depict the situation that precede’s breaking up with a lover, but the mellow and laid back feel of this song is very satisfying, its almost like being in an open field on a sunny day with the wind blowing  your way in a soft and lazy embrace.

3.Change it

Some stevie ray vaughan songs are good not just because of his solos, but because of how the songs are set up and because of how they feel, this one has quite the rythm, makes you wanna break out into song like, “Get away from the blind side of life, honey i want you by my side.” Classic stuff  just.

2. Texas floods

this is one has one of the finest ever guitar solos i’ve ever had the pleasure of  listening to, it still sends chills down my spine. If you have any doubts about his ability, this song will set you on your way to appreciating his greatness and pretty soon you’ll be looking for more and more of his works.

1. Pride and Joy

In the immortal words of the Queen of rock n roll, Tina Turner, this is “Simply the best.”it’s a master piece, with incredible riff and that incredible solo. This one tops my list of the best stevie Ray Vaughan songs. It just doesn’t get better than this.

Those are my favorite Stevie Ray Vaughan songs, you can put your comments below or you could tweet me CortezTheKiller@instantiate2roy

The greatest Frontmen in Rock history

Every band has a face, a voice and persona, and the band member who embodies all of these is usually the front man. The first unique identifier of any band is their front man, that’s if the band actually has a front man and isn’t solely focused on making instrumental music. But let’s not get carried away with this, the front man isn’t always the most important band member, though ideally a band needs to have a good front man. Great front men aren’t always the best vocalists, but having good vocals is a big plus when it comes to creating the band’s sound. For a front man to be considered great they must also be articulate, charismatic, spontaneous, provocative, mysterious, daring, and being a little wild wouldn’t hurt either.  Some great front men are easy on the eyes, others, not so much, but let that not deter us from appreciating their contribution to the genre, because lord knows how many singers and vocalists past and present have been influenced by these great men of rock. 

 

My greatest front men in rock history are:

10. Jim Morrison, The doors

 A Rebel and probably the most rebellious man in rock history, with the number of provocative things he said and did; he was no stranger to the inside of a jail cell. There are rumors of him flashing his penis at fans which of course got him arrested. And of course some people say he was an overrated attention seeker, but Jim Morrison was a great singer and performer, he could sing it soft and slow, but also knew when to turn on the style like a real showman. Jim was a great front man but the sad part is that he died too young.

Check out his vocals on these The doors songs

·         Light my fire

·         Break on through to the other side

·         Riders of the storm

·         Love her madly

9. Roger Daltrey, The who

 .When it comes to hard rocking vocals, this guy is your man, he can sing, scream, and even incorporate the some stuttering where need be, when you read the lyrics of most of the songs by” The who,” you will instantly realize that there is a big difference between just reading them and listening to Roger Daltrey sing them. Yes, he may not have written a lot of the band’s lyrics, but his vocal interpretation of Pete Townsend’s lyrics and the way he articulates the words is what make him a unique specimen. Take for example how he sings the song “my generation,” where he puts a little stutter in the words to make them unique and catchy, he literally turned the song into something anthemic and let’s not forget his vocal delivery on “Baba O’riley.” it’s like his voice captured the struggles of being a teenager back in the day, it’s just captivating. And then there's the thing with his outrageous attire and microphone swinging antics  

Check out his vocals on these The who songs

·         Won’t get fooled again

·         Baba O’riley

·         Behind blue eyes

·         Going mobile

8. David Lee Roth, Van Halen

No 80’s hard rock fan doesn’t know “Diamond Dave,” his musical footprint is littered all over the late 70’s and early 80’s with the band “Van Halen.” Diamond Dave had the voice, the stunts and dance moves to go. Dave’s swagger and style complimented his lyrics, he was a real entertainer. If you don’t believe me, just checkout his legendary live performances with van Halen, you will be astonished at how great he is.

 Check out his vocals on these Van Halen songs

·         Jump

·         Ain’t talking bout love

·         Hot for teacher

·         Panama

 

7. Bono, U2

Talk about captivating voices, listening to Bono sometimes puts me in a trance, I feel like I’m in a place of infinite bliss, i guess it's what the Irish called finding my pot of gold, or so i think. I sort of feel like I’m everywhere and nowhere at the same time. It may not really make sense, but his singing can suck you into the song to the point of feeling like you are one with the lyrics. It’s incredible just like the man himself. Putting his singing qualities aside, Bono knows how to really get the crowd going, he effortlessly gets the fans to participate and singing along to the lyrics, it’s just magical. 

Check out his vocals on these U2 songs

·         Sunday Bloody Sunday

·         Pride (In the name of love)

·         With or without you

·         Where the streets have no name

6.  David Bowie

Forget  lady gaga, Madonna and others, David Bowie was the first and original fame Monster, his visage, character, dressing and ego were ahead of his time and lets not forget, the man can sing, he can really really sing. The level of controversy around him and his career is unlike anything this world has ever seen. I mean from the fact that he created an alter ego called “Ziggy stardust,” went on to make an Album titled 

“ Ziggy stardust and the spiders from Mars,” played guitar on tracks and performing live as Ziggy stardust wearing the most audacious costumes. He literally invented Glam Rock. Now lets not forget  the rumor that he had a gay fling with rolling stones front man Mick Jagger. There’s so much mystery around the name David Bowie but lets leave that for another time. All that aside he turned down being Knighted by Her Royal Highness the Queen of England in act of rebellion, I mean, which is so rockstar-ish because he has a hit song called “rebel rebel,” 

Check out his vocals on these songs

·         changes

·         Space Oddity

·         Rebel Rebel

·         Suffragette City

5. Axl Rose, Guns N Roses

 Fronting a band once termed as the most dangerous band on earth is no easy feat, but if you’re Axl Rose, then yeah it’s a piece of cake. He may have a lot of haters now, probably one of the most hated rock stars in rock history, but Axl had charisma and incredible on stage presence. Axl lived life in the fast lane, like most rock stars, he was no stranger Drugs, alcohol and controversy, from showing up late for gigs, racist lyrics, to inciting violence from fans. I personally think he was more dangerous than Sid Vicious, only that he didn’t kill anyone.  His talent is unquestioned; he has talent by the boat loads. Axl has what is considered the highest vocal range in rock music. Let’s not forget his signature move, “the snake dance.” No one will ever forget how awesome his singing and performances were. 

 Check out his vocals on these Guns n Roses songs

·         Paradise city

·         Sweet child O mine

·         Welcome to the jungle

·         Night train

 4. Steven Tyler, Aerosmith

Not the easiest on the eyes, but he is a great front man. His screaming earned him the name “The Demon of screaming,” his vocals make you want to test out your own scream, though I wouldn’t advise trying to emulate his scream. Steven Tyler’s Stage presence is so immense that his energy is projected onto the audience; his stunts always leave you wanting more and more. Watching him perform live is a thing of rock n roll beauty. Let’s also not forget his flashy attire and wildly colored clothing. 

Check out his vocals on these Aerosmith songs

·         Dream on

·         Sweet emotion

·         You seem crying

·         Don’t wanna miss a thing

3. Freddie Mercury, Queen

He may have died too soon, but Freddie left a legacy unlike any other, a body of work so inspirational that traces of his work still echo in the works of musicians today, he really was rock n roll royalty. Putting all the sentiments aside, Freddie was a fine vocalist with a voice to die for, and if it was only about being able to sing, then yes Freddie would be the greatest front man of all time. Freddie had vocals that could send you to heaven and back. And not to mention he was quite the entertainer. His live performances are still revered to this day.

Check out his vocals on these Queen songs

·         Bohemian rhapsody

·         Love of my life

·         Crazy little thing called love

·         We are champions

2. Mick Jagger, The rolling stones

It’s hard to even come up with words to describe Mick Jagger, he has great vocals, stage presence, energy and aggression, plus he has “The moves like Jagger.” He is above 70 years now but performs with the energy of a teenager, I mean the world is researching alternative energy sources and that stuff, why don’t they just ask Mick Jagger where he gets his energy, I’m sure that energy source could last us a lifetime. Sir Mick Jagger is an honorary knight of England. Yes, knighted by the Queen for his musical achievements and no he didn’t turn it down, he accepted the honor. His singing style maybe unconventional but it’s effective. In short, his performances are nothing short of electric. 

Check out his singing on these rolling stones songs

·         (i can't get no)Satisfaction

·         Wild horses

·         Heart breaker (doo doo doo)

·         You can’t always get what you want

1. Robert Plant, Led Zeppelin

Rock music’s ultimate front man, is a man referred to as a rock god. He sings, whispers, wails and mourns his way into your heart. If at all there was a handbook on how to become the greatest front man ever, I’m sure it would have to be written by Robert plant. His singing and stage presence oozes sex and charisma. I don't want to get carried away here, but then again, this is Robert plant, a man who could probably sing his way into the heart of a deaf person. He can sing the blues, he can sing soft and he can sing heavy. His voice doesn’t just get your attention; it intends to grip onto your soul, not for ever, but at least until the end of the song.  And oh did I mention that Robert Plant was also Knighted, yes he is called Sir Robert Plant.

Some front men have singing talent, some nice dance moves, others acrobatic stunts, but then there’s Robert plant. He just had “it.”

Checkout his singing on these Led zeppelin Songs

·         Immigrant song

·         Stairway to heaven

·         Ramble on

·         Over the hills and far away

The Killers

Formed in 2001, The Killers are an American band led by Brandon Flowers as the lead vocalist, Dave Keuning on the guitars & background vocals, Mark Stoermer on the bass and Ronnie Vannucci Jr on the drums & percussion. The name ‘The Killers’ was derived from a logo on the bass drum of a fictitious band - I should give you all the extras that are given on 'Wikipedia' and all the numerous sites, but that will obviously bore the life out of you. 

We are in this for the music and The Killers delivered exactly that with four studio albums: Hot Fuss, Sam’s Town, Day & Age and Battle Born. All four albums have gone to number one in the UK and Ireland and combined they have sold an estimated 22 million albums worldwide. Should I add their b-sides and rarities compilation, Sawdust or a live album, Live from the Royal Albert Hall and a greatest hits album Direct Hits or their annual Christmas singles like, “Don’t Shoot Me Santa” “Boots” or “Joel the Lump of Coal”?

With their first album, Hot Fuss, the tunes were iridescent, dark and painfully fun; the album put songs about late-night murders and high school crushes back to back. It was strange, and it was not cool at all, and it was so, so cool.

Presenting to you my Top 5 songs by The Killers hoping you will listen to them and probably fall for them like i did. Here it goes

“When You Were Young” (from Sam’s Town, 2006)

There is something inescapably awesome about this song. This maybe the only one of a few times that the killers’ experiment in rugged Americana has actually come out exactly as they had planned. “He doesn’t look a thing like Jesus, but he talks like a gentleman…….”

Under The Gun (from Sawdust, 2007)

If you’re one of the many singing along to the likes of “Mr. Brightside” and “When You Were Young”, you probably aren’t familiar with this little treat, but it is worth your time. Hot and full of youthful energy, this rarity from the Hot Fuss sessions is as sweet as it is seriously sharp.

“Mr. Brightside” (from Hot Fuss, 2004)

This was the dark, dangerous power anthem for most romantically mistreated teens in the mid-2000s. Though it’s not the best example of The Killers’ melodic brand of synthy eccentricity, it is a brilliant case of tying internal angst with expressive, open-air rage.

“Somebody Told Me” (from Hot Fuss, 2004)

This is the killers playing the very best of their theatrical instincts, gravely chugging through the verse, yelping and whining through the bridge. It’s melodic too: Flowers’ voice nimbly works through a classically disco chord progression in a pop vocal line smart enough to compete with his top 10 influences. “Somebody told me you had a boyfriend who looked like a girlfriend that I had in February of last year”

“Human” (from Day & Age, 2008)

I am the weird kind who will listen in to request shows, but never request for anything (aren’t we all?) and I could count the number of people who request for this particular song. It is that popular among people and yes, it is an amazing song. The lyrics “Are we human, or are we dancer?” created much more confusion and debate due to its grammar and ambiguity, with some believing it was “dancers” or “denser” rather than “dancer”. According to Flowers, the line was inspired by a Hunter S. Thompson quote where he stated America was raising “a generation of dancers”. It has been voted by one poll as the most confusing song lyric of all time.

 

Random Picks

Tranquilize
Shot At The Night

Bones (video directed by Tim Burton)

Glamorous Indie Rock and Roll

Smile Like You Mean It

Just Another Girl

You can share your best songs by The Killers using the hashtag, #RockSunday

....................... written by Jo Heath@Joabyxnx