Leonard Skinner

Where would Southern Rock be with Lynyrd Skynyrd? Hard to say. The bigger question is, Where would the band have been without Leonard Skinner, the man who inspired their name? Sadly, Skinner has passed away in his sleep in North Florida at the age of 77.

Leonard Skinner, a gym teacher and coach at the Robert E Lee High School in Jacksonville, Florida in the late ’60s, was a by-the-books sort who had zero tolerance for students disregarding the school’s policy against males having long hair.

Coach Skinner sent numerous students to the principal’s office for violating dress code rules, two of them being aspiring musicians Gary Rossington and Ronnie Van Zant. Van Zant, who was later suspended from the school, decided to get back at Skinner by changing the name of his fledgling rock band One Percent to Lynyrd Skynyrd.

Lynyrd Skynyrd went on the multi-platinum success in the ’70s with hits such as Sweet Home Alabama and Free Bird before an October 1977 plane crash in Mississippi killed Van Zant; guitarist Steve Gaines; Gaines’s sister, vocalist Cassie Gaines; an assistant road manager; and the pilot and copilot.

Surprisingly, Skinner bore no ill will towards the band who mangled and immortalized his name. In fact, he even gave the group permission to use a picture of his Leonard Skinner Realty sign in the sleeve of their third album, 1975′s Nuthin’ Fancy – a move which endeared him to Lynyrd Skynyrd fans.

The band announced his death on their website: “Coach Skinner had such a profound impact on our youth that ultimately led us to naming the band, which you know as Lynyrd Skynyrd, after him,” wrote Gary Rossington. “Looking back, I cannot imagine it any other way. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family at this time.”

Source www.musicradar.com

Cover Story – Endless Wire

 

Endless Wire was released by The Who on 30 October 2006, through Polydor Records it was their first new album of original material in twenty-four years following the release of It’s Hard in 1982 it debuted at #7 on the Billboard album chart and #9 in the UK.

This album together with the theme from The Who’s “Pure and Easy” track provide the inspiration for this blogs title “Endless Note”.

Many songs by The Who have been covered by other artists however this great cover of “Endless Wire” is the first I have come across from this album.

“Endless Wire” – Wreckless Eric & Amy Rigby

To buy the music of Wreckless Eric and Amy Rigby click HERE

This is my favourite song from the album…… “Tea & Theatre”

Dylan – The Witmark Demos

The Witmark Demos, features 47 Bob Dylan songs recorded by the artist – accompanied only by his acoustic guitar, harmonica and occasionally piano – for his first music publisher, Leeds Music, in January 1962, and for his second publisher, M. Witmark & Sons, between 1962 and 1964. Listening to these recordings, one can trace Dylan’s dramatic growth as a songwriter from early traditionally-styled songs like “Man On The Street” and “Ramblin’ Gamblin’ Willie” through the social commentary of “Blowin’ In The Wind, “The Times They Are A Changin’” and “Masters Of War”, and the groundbreaking lyrical genius of “Mr. Tambourine Man.” All of these songs, and all the others on The Witmark Demos, were written – and their subsequent demos recorded – before Bob Dylan turned 24 years old.

Among the many gems found on The Witmark Demos are 15 Bob Dylan songs that were recorded by the artist only for these sessions, and which have never been officially released to the public until now. These include the plaintive“Ballad For A Friend,” the civil rights era-inspired “Long Ago, Far Away” and “The Death Of Emmett Till,” and the poignant “Guess I’m Doing Fine.”

The Witmark Demos also features a deluxe booklet featuring in-depth liner notes by noted music historian Colin Escott, as well as rare photographs of Bob Dylan captured during the same period as these early recordings.

Available 18th October 2010

Track Listings

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Disc: 1
1. Man On The Street (Fragment)
2. Hard Times In New York Town
3. Poor Boy Blues
4. Ballad For A Friend
5. Rambling, Gambling Willie
6. Talking Bear Mountain Picnic Massacre Blues
7. Standing On The Highway
8. Man On The Street
9. Blowin’ In The Wind
10. Long Ago, Far Away
11. A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall
12. Tomorrow Is A Long Time
13. The Death of Emmett Till
14. Let Me Die In My Footsteps
15. Ballad Of Hollis Brown
16. Quit Your Low Down Ways
17. Baby, I’m In The Mood For You
18. Bound To Lose, Bound To Win
19. All Over You
20. I’d Hate To Be You On That Dreadful Day
21. Long Time Gone
22. Talkin’ John Birch Paranoid Blues
23. Masters Of War
24. Oxford Town
25. Farewell
Disc: 2
1. Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right
2. Walkin’ Down The Line
3. I Shall Be Free
4. Bob Dylan’s Blues
5. Bob Dylan’s Dream
6. Boots Of Spanish Leather
7. Walls of Red Wing
8. Girl From The North Country
9. Seven Curses
10. Hero Blues
11. Whatcha Gonna Do?
12. Gypsy Lou
13. Ain’t Gonna Grieve
14. John Brown
15. Only A Hobo
16. When The Ship Comes In
17. The Times They Are A-Changin’
18. Paths Of Victory
19. Guess I’m Doing Fine
20. Baby Let Me Follow You Down
21. Mama, You Been On My Mind
22. Mr. Tambourine Man
23. I’ll Keep It With Mine

 

To buy the music of Bob Dylan click HERE

Pretty Vacant…no Pretty Unbelievable…yes

The Sex Pistols have launched their own perfume range.

The unisex scent sees the band collaborating with Paris perfume company Etat Libre d’Orange, who have licensed the group’s name via their promoter Live Nation Merchandise, reports Billboard.com.

The Sex Pistols scent, which comes in packaging based on their ‘God Save The Queen’ single artwork, is currently available in France. It launches in selected shops in the US on September 10, though it is not clear yet when it will reach the UK.

The band have not commented on their latest release, but Live Nation Merchandise insisted they were “closely involved” with the launch.

There are also plans to launch a ‘Never Mind The Bollocks’ soap later this year.

Band On The Run

Paul McCartney‘s seminal Wings album ‘Band On The Run’ is set to be reissued.

The 1973 LP has been remastered in five different formats, including a special four-disc box-set which includes a hardbound book containing many unseen and unpublished photos by Linda McCartney and Clive Arrowsmith and a special ‘Band On The Run’ audio documentary.

Other formats include a standard single digitally remastered disc, a three-disc set featuring nine bonus audio tracks including hit single ‘Helen Wheels’ and a two-disc audiophile vinyl edition which comes with an MP3 download of 18 tracks.

Finally, the standard and deluxe versions of ‘Band On The Run’ will be made available digitally worldwide when it is released on November 1.

Source www.uncut.co.uk

Jimi Hendrix 40 Years Gone

A London hotel, famed as the last known address of Jimi Hendrix, will open up a shrine to the guitar guru today to mark the 40th anniversary of his death.

The Cumberland Hotel – off London’s Park Lane – has revamped a room favoured by the star to pay homage to Hendrix, and allow fans to stay the night.

Hendrix was a regular guest at the property during the 1960s and he conducted what was to be his last ever interview, with music journalist Keith Altham, in one of the hotel’s fifth-floor suites just days before his untimely death in 1970.

To mark today’s 40th anniversary of Hendrix’s death, the hotel, operated by the Guoman group, has created a Hendrix-inspired suite.

Along with psychedelic stylised patterns, the room features an original 60s printed panel by Mariji Isola, along with a wall of framed originals of NME covers from the 1960s featuring the rock legend.

The centrepiece of the room is a flaming three-metre Hendrix mural by graphic designer Andie Airfix, who has worked for Sir Paul McCartney.

Hotel bosses are donating £10 from the cost of each night’s stay in the room to The Hendrix Foundation, an organisation helping deprived children to learn to play  instruments.

Oh You Silly Thing!

…………..she’s “Something Else”

Le Noise – Neil Young

 

1. “Walk With Me”

2. “Sign Of Love”

3. “Someone’s Gonna Rescue “You”

4. “Love And War”

5. “Angry World”

6. “Hitchhiker”

7. “Peaceful Valley Boulevard”

8. “Rumblin”

 

In a press release for Neil Young’s upcoming studio album, Le Noise, producer Daniel Lanois discusses the experience of recording with the Canadian songwriting legend. The album is a collaboration between Young, on acoustic and electric guitars, and Lanois, who adds his distinctive atmospheric musical touches.

“Neil was so appreciative of the sonics that we presented to him,” Lanois says. “He walked in the door and I put an acoustic guitar into his hands — one that I had been working on to build a new sound. That’s the multi-layered acoustic sound that you hear on the songs ‘Love and War’ and ‘Peaceful Valley Boulevard.’ I wanted him to understand that I’ve spent years dedicated to the sonics in my home and that I wanted to give him something he’d never heard before. He picked up that instrument, which had everything — an acoustic sound, electronica, bass sounds — and he knew as soon as he played it that we had taken the acoustic guitar to a new level. It’s hard to come up with a new sound at the back end of 50 years of rock and roll, but I think we did it.”

The album, due September 27 on Reprise Records, will be available in digital and vinyl formats, and will also be released as a deluxe CD/DVD and on Blu-Ray. The Blu-Ray and DVD will contain eight black and white videos of Young performing the album’s tracks in the studio, shot by cinematographer Adam Vollick, who filmed the 2007 Daniel Lanois documentary Here Is What Is

Source www.americansongwriter.com

To buy the music of Neil Young click HERE

Empty Glass

“Empty Glass” – Pete Townshend

Why was I born today
Life is useless like Ecclesiastes say
I never had a chance
But opportunity’s now in my hands

I stand with my guitar
All I need’s a mirror
Then I’m a star
I’m so sick of dud TV
Next time you switch on
You might see me…oh.what a thrill for you

I’ve been there and gone there
I’ve lived there and bummed there
I’ve spinned there, I gave there
I drank there and I slaved there

I’ve had enough of the way things been done
Every man on a razors edge
Someone has used us to kill with the same gun
Killing each other by driving a wedge

My life’s a mess I wait for you to pass
I stand here at the bar, I hold an empty glass

Why was I born today
Life is useless like Ecclesiastes say
I didn’t get a chance
Opportunity’s in my hand

I stand with my guitar
All I need’s a mirror
Then I’m a star
I’m so sick of dud TV
Next time you switch on
You might see me…

I’ve been there and gone there
I’ve lived there and bummed there
I’ve spinned there, I gave there
I drank there and I slaved there

I’ve had enough of the way things have been done
Every man on a razors edge
Someone has used us to shoot with the same gun
We where killing each other by driving a wedge

My life’s a mess I wait for you to pass
I stand here at the bar, I hold an empty glass

Don’t worry smile and dance
You just can work life out
Don’t let down moods entrance you
Take the wine and shout

My life’s a mess I wait for you to pass
I stand here at the bar, I hold an empty glass

To buy the music of Pete Townshend click HERE

Empty Glass was released in 1980 as the first “real” Pete Townshend solo album (Who Came First was a collection of demo recordings and Meher Baba-inspired songs, while Rough Mix was written and recorded with Ronnie Lane) and was his most successful.

The album deals with a plethora of issues that Townshend was struggling with, including alcoholism, drug abuse, marital problems and deceased friends, and as such echoes on several fronts my current mood.

 Empty Glass also contained the devotional love song, “Let My Love Open the Door”, which became a top ten hit single in the United States, a remixed version featured o the soundtrack album from the film Grosse Point Blank”, here is a rare solo performance of the song.

Also included are two other (modestly successful) singles, “Rough Boys” and “A Little Is Enough”.

The album was rated #57 on Rolling Stone’s list of 100 Greatest Albums of the 1980′s

“In A Rut” and “Gotta Gettaway”

“In A Rut” – The Ruts

I can’t concentrate, I’m in a state
I don’t feel straight, I can’t love or hate
I can’t feel nothing, can’t feel no sting
Only just learning, I ain’t a king
You’re in a rut,
You gotta get out of it – out of it – out of it – out of it – out of it
You’re in a rut,
You gotta get out of it – out of it – out of it……out of it!
Ain’t no use, you ain’t that sloose
Don’t tie that noose, it’s just abuse
Don’t take that ride, it’s suicide
You cut your wrist, You tried and missed.
You’re in a rut
You gotta get out of it – out of it – out of it – out of it – out of it.
You’re in a rut,
You gotta get out of it, out of it – out of it…..out of it!
I can’t concentrate, I’m in a state
I don’t feel straight, I can’t love or hate
I can’t feel nothing, can’t feel no sting
Only just learning, I ain’t a king
You’re in a rut
You gotta get out of it – out of it – out of it – out of it – out of it
You’re in a rut
You gotta get out of it – out of it – out of it – out of it…OUT OF IT!
Ain’t no use, you ain’t that sluiced
Don’t tie that noose, it’s just abuse
Don’t take that ride, it’s suicide
You cut your wrist, You tried and missed

You’re in a rut
You gotta get out of it – out of it – out of it – out of it – out of it
You’re in a rut
You gotta get out of it – out of it – out of it..

You’re in a rut
You gotta get out of it – out of it – out of it – out of it – out of it
You’re in a rut
You gotta get out of it – out of it – out of it…..

You’re in a rut
You gotta get out of it – out of it – out of it – out of it – out of it
You’re in a rut
You gotta get out of it – out of it – out of it – out of it
You’re in a rut
You gotta get out of it – out of it – out of it – out of it…….

 To buy the music of The Ruts click HERE

You know there ain’t no street like home
To make you feel so all alone
Plenty of folk to tell you what to do
But they don’t speak the same language as you

[Chorus:]
They wanna have me here
Have me and hold me near
Hold me down fasten and tie
But the cars are all flashing me
Bright lights are passing me
I feel life passing me by

The fuss is buzzing in my head
My father argued and my mother begged
It’s not their words ain’t tugging at me
But gotta stretch them break them get myself free

[Chorus]
Gotta gotta gettaway
Gotta gotta gettaway
I’m leaving home

To buy the music of Stiff Little Fingers click HERE