RenoVous

  On this day in 1956, the city of Santa Cruz banned rock n' roll at public gatherings. By June 18, several other cities had followed suit. On the night of June 2, some 200 teenagers packed into an auditorium to hear Chuck Higgins and His Orchestra.  The police came to check on the event around midnight, and Lt. Richard Overton said the teens were "engaged in suggestive, stimulating and tantalizing motions induced by the provocative rhythms of an all-negro band." OH GOOD HEAVENS!! Fear of "frenzied music" and "undesirable elements," but more specifically, the racially integrated nature of the events. The ban only lasted a few days, following local and national backlash against the tourist town.   On June 5th of this same year, Elvis performed "Hound Dog" on the Milton Berle Show, and the adults were outraged by his bumps and grinds, those gyrating hips!

 Eight years ago I played along with a Facebook share: "In no particular order - 10 albums that really made an impact and are still on your rotation list, even if only now and then." Here's a random selection. And of course.

  Carling Weekend: Reading and Leeds Festivals. Since 1999 it's been more of a rock, punk, hip hop festival, but it's been active since 1955 as a jazz festival. This year's show took place last weekend, but I came across a nod to 2004, and a band I haven't thought about in a while. Kerrang! Magazine is always on site, and in 2004 they awarded The Darkness best live band. This was awarded best single, and this song really feels 2004. And of course, the best band on the planet award goes to.... They performed in 1997, 2003, 2008, and 2015.

Willa Mae "Big Mama" Thornton. She started her professional career at age 14 in 1941.  Ten years later, she signed her first record contract.  She was paired with Johnny Otis, who asked a couple songwriters to write something specifically for Thornton. Jerry Lieber and Mike Stoller got to work. On this day in 1952, "Hound Dog" was recorded for the first time. Freddie and the Bellboys performed the song with changed lyrics, and this is the version Elvis saw in Las Vegas in 1956. Thornton's "Hound Dog" is listed as one of "500 Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll." It was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2013. It was Big Mama's only hit record, sold over 500,000 copies and spent 14 weeks on the charts - 7 of those at number one. This is one of my favorite songs that Janis Joplin sings, but Big Mama did it first, and she wrote it. Though it didn't chart, it is also listed as one of the 500 songs that shaped rock and roll. The band wit...

  Ozzy Osbourne, Prince of Darkness, died yesterday at age 76. In 2020, he revealed a diagnosis of Parkinson's disease, and he had his farewell concert just earlier this month.  You could tell he was struggling then, but he still wanted to give it his all. And so we salute a heavy metal hero. In 1968, the band that would become Black Sabbath got together, and in 1970 they released their debut. Their only top 10 single in the UK reached #4. In 1980, he went solo. 1991.

 Cher Dave Matthews Band Foreigner Peter Frampton Ozzy "If I hadn't met Randy Rhoads, I don't think I'd be sitting here now." On the R&B side. Mary J. Blige Kool & the Gang A Tribe Called Quest  Musical Influence Award Alexis Korner, John Mayall, Big Mama Thornton Share your favorites!

  Voice of Baceprot is a heavy metal band from West Java, Indonesia. "Baceprot" means noisy in Sudanese. The band has gained a large domestic following with songs that focus on progressive themes like female empowerment, pacifism, and environmental preservation. Their lyrics mix English, Indonesian, and Sudanese.  "I just want to sing a song to show my soul." \m/

  I came across Revolver magazine's top 5 of 2023. Of course I know this one. But I'd never even heard of this band. And I would have liked to hear this on the radio. These guys do get some airplay. I shared a different song from this band last year as a favorite. Sleep Token members remain anonymous, and present themselves as servants of Sleep, an ancient deity whose message they spread with lyrics and imagery. The frontman is simply called "Vessel."

  "Revisit your old favorites or discover new artists from different cultures." First is a favorite, from Mexico. Intrigued by the Ukraine Eurovision bands, let's check out their most successful rock band. From Pakistan. Here's a favorite I've shared before, from Mongolia. New to me, Elisapie, an Inuit indie-folk artist.   You know I love a Metallica cover. Beautiful.

  The Queen of Rock n' Roll passed away yesterday at the age of 82. Simply. Share your favorites!!

  The inductees are: Kate Bush, Sheryl Crow, Missy Elliott, George Michael, Willie Nelson, Rage Against the Machine, and The Spinners. I'm starting with Missy, because I can still recall the moment I saw this debut on MTV. I also remember liking this video a lot. Here's a different "Freedom." In my personal collection, there's more RATM than the others, but we have a bit of Willie too. And of course we quote. My dad liked Sheryl, so I inherited some albums. Kate Bush, as you may know, had quite the resurgence in 2022 thanks to a song on a TV show.  I'm a tad sick of it, so here's a different one. And lastly, a classic.

 Earlier in the week I was listening to my Pandora, which I have pretty well set to what I like and don't like.  This song played purely by suggestive algorithm, and then I saw it is #3 on the Billboard Top 10 Hard Rock Songs. It has many nice surprises for you. Hubby came across these next two. Apparently they'll be teaming up with Dropkick Murphys themselves.

  I just wanted to recap some of my favorite songs of the year. Of course. I've also been going back to this song, and I saw them with Metallica in 2004. I love the year they've been having. And what a return for these guys. The one live show I saw this year. Getting more metal now.  ;-) \m/

  It's National Drummer Day, and that's Dave Grohl. Here's a favorite. Joey Jordison of Slipknot. Of course I have to mention Lars. I'm also partial to Danny Carey. All time though - John Bonham

  I'm excited because tonight I get to be on a Listener Advisory Panel. They're going to feed me, pay me $25.00 and free swag, plus value my opinion? That's a win. Now, I like our rock station, and one of my pals is a DJ, but I do think we need more new rock and less classic rock. Everyone likes AC/DC, but we don't need it playing simultaneously on three different stations.  I expect that on KOZZ. A comparison is the rock station in Winnemucca, which plays so much more of a mix as well as songs never played on the radio here.  When it comes to streaming, that's the one I choose. Rock 94.3 KDOT KOZZ Speaking of new rock though, I heard this last night. #1 in national airplay New from Maneskin.   I haven't heard this one on the radio yet (might not), but "Supermodel" has been playing well.  I'd like to encourage them to play some of their Italian language songs. One of my favorite things from the Dot is that they have Lou Brutus nights.  He has a wid...

On Friday, Japanese experimental rock band Boris will release their 27th album. Their first album, Absolutego,  came out in 1996 - it was just one hour long song. Flood  from 2000 has become a cult hit among fans, and marks a turning point in the band's sound, incorporating more progressive rock elements.  Like their first, there are no song names, but it's broken down into four parts. "Boris have made deliberate efforts to avoid a strong association with any musical style." This album fell under stoner rock. They particularly do not consider themselves a heavy metal band, though they're often classified. Members Takeshi (bass and rhythm guitar, vocals), Wata (lead guitar, keyboards, vocals), and Atsuo (drums, electronics, vocals) have been together in an unchanged lineup since joining in 1992. Bandcamp

 I've had this screenshot on my phone for a bit now and we're finally gonna check them out! It was back in May that this young, all-female punk group took the LA Library by storm. They were previously included in the movie, Moxie , after Amy Poehler saw them open for Bikini Kills. They covered Bikini Kills, as well as The Muffs. A song about The Babysitter's Club. This one's about Bela's cat. This is the song that got people's attention, especially since it was during AAPI Heritage Month and the increased discrimination against the Asian American community. To the newest representatives of riot grrrl punk rock! Bandcamp

 A favorite vocalist of mine, who passed away on this day in 2017. Growing up in the 90's, I found Soundgarden at an early age, on the radio and MTV.  I specifically remember this video. Superunknown was bigger on the radio, in large part to Spoonman and Black Hole Sun.  Songs I do love, but you hear a lot still to this day.  My favorite from the album: Songs from this album always make me *feel* the summer 1996. He went solo for a bit and I love this song. And then came Audioslave, with Chris leading the band that used to be Rage Against the Machine.  Of course I loved the very idea, and the album became very therapeutic for me during a rough time. And a brilliant mash up. #NoOneSingsLikeYouAnymore ❤️ 

 Eddie Van Halen passed away yesterday at the age of 65. I never got big into the band, but of course I've grown up with them, and I can remember listening at a young age.  I will always know the sound of his guitar... The band was founded in 1972 in Pasadena, CA.  Eddie and his brother Alex were born in Amsterdam, having moved to Pasadena in 1962.  When they first started playing together, Eddie was on drums and Alex was on guitar - but Alex would sneak onto his drum set so Eddie angrily said, "Fine, then I'll play your guitar!" and the roles were forever changed.  With their first band, Genesis, Eddie was going to sing, but they needed to rent a sound system.  David Lee Roth was willing, and to save money, they let him join the band.  Upon realizing there was already a band named Genesis, they changed to Mammoth, before finally settling on Van Halen. Rest in Power Rock in Peace

One thing 2020 can't stop is new music, so I wanted to share a few new songs I've listened to recently. "We are chaos, we can't be cured." "Hope for the world but prepare for the worst." Album drops August 28 and I'm stoked. I even gave T Swift a listen. Singer for Slipknot and Stone Sour going solo. Found this band through cover songs, and now they've released some originals.