Thursday September 6th 2007

Guess Who's Back Back Again...Captain Jack's Back Again

Holidays are great. They help to revive the mind, settle the soul, refresh the old bone's etc etc. But there is nothing like coming home to a brand spanking new Karaoke Disc with Thin Lizzy and Thunder on it! So what has happened since I was last blogged up! Well of course I was away on me hols to sunny Newquay. It was my first wedding anniversary as well, so the wife was suitably over excited! (So was I but I won't let on!) We also got back and went to see the brilliant Chris Cornell as well at the Birmingham Carling Arena. For the unknowing amongst you Chris Cornell is the former Soundgarden and Audioslave front man, who now has a solo album out. We first saw at Hyde Park Calling back in June and were hooked, and with this smaller venue we could not resist seeing him and his new band live in more intimate surroundings. Anyway here is a little glimpse of the gig courtesy of YouTube.






So apart from that not a lot has happened worth blogging about. As soon as I sort my pictures out of the holiday (There are some crackers) and of the Chris Cornell gig I will blog those, but at the moment I just don't have the time. Ha Ha the busy life of a pirate! So much pillaging to do and not enough time to write about it all!
Anyway on to the triumphant return to the Karaoke at the Hotel this week. Not much has changed in a week. Shaun informed me that last week was a bit of a quiet, sorry dead night. In fact I think the rotation was only four singers. Must of all known I was away! It was a little busier this week. And it was an opportunity to sing another four new songs yippee! So with the new Sunfly Disc at hand thanks to Shaunio my song choices were hand picked at least a week before I got down to the pub (By the way Shaun I'll be singing the New Foo Fighters and The Queen track off the next Sunfly Set!!!!)
So tonight's songs were as follows. 1. Waiting For An Alibi by Thin Lizzy 2. Satisfaction by The Rolling Stones 3. Low Life In High Places by Thunder and finally 4. Bleed It Out by Linkin Park.

Waiting For An Alibi by Thin Lizzy link to video

Well its taken bloody long enough but finally there is another Thin Lizzy track on Karaoke. Thanks to Sunfly, and a bit of persuasion from Captain Jack and his Campaign for Brit Rock crew, that's two new ones in a couple of months. Well this one is a belter. This is a great example of just how good the band were, and what a genius Phil Lynott was. It was taken from Black Rose: A Rock Legend, and was the ninth studio album by the band, released in 1979. The album debuted at its Number 2 peak in the UK album charts and is the band's most successful studio album to date. For the first time rock/blues guitarist Gary Moore stayed in the band long enough to record an album having had previous stints in 74 and 77 as well as working with Lynott in the rock band Skid Row in the late 60s and early 70s. Around this time Moore recorded the album Back on the Streets with Lynott, spawning the UK top 10 single "Parisienne Walkways" (with Lynott on vocals). He left Lizzy that year following a dispute but worked with Phil Lynott again on his tours in 1984 and 1985 and on the top 5 single "Out in the Fields" and accompanying album Run for Cover, on what were to be Lynott's final performances before his untimely death in January 1986. Of course I fell in love with most of Thin Lizzy's song's like this one while watching Guns & Oatcakes, who do a brilliant live version. Love this one tonight and I think did it justice. On The Night Rating 8/10

Satisfaction by The Rolling Stones link to video

Well I suppose it's about time I got around to singing this one. I can't believe it's taken me this long to get around to it. It is without doubt the greatest guitar riff in the world. When you see the band perform this live sends shivers down your spine. Little treat time... Here is my first YouTube uploaded video of the boy's performing Satisfaction live at the O2 in August this year, shot by me. Only a short clip but I am still learning folks enjoy......



Now as for the song during the Rolling Stones fourth tour of the United States in 1965, Keith Richards came up with the guitar riff for the song. The Stones were staying at the Fort Harrison Hotel in Clearwater, Florida for part of their tour, and one night Richards suddenly woke up, turned on a tape recorder, and promptly played on his guitar the riff that opened "Satisfaction" before returning to bed. Richards later described his first opinion of the song: "It was just a riff. … I woke up in the middle of the night, put it down on a cassette. I thought it was great then. Went to sleep and when I woke up, it appeared to be as useful as another album track. It was the same when it was with Mick too at the time, you know. It goes da-da, da-da-da… and the words I'd written for that riff were "I can't get no satisfaction". But it could just as well have been "Auntie Millie's Caught Her Left Tit in the Mangle" Thank god they stuck with Satisfaction as it soon became one of the greatest songs ever recorded. Rolling Stone magazine ranks the song as Number 2 on its 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. It also made Number 1 on VH1's 100 Greatest Rock and Roll Songs of All Time. In my opinion this song epitomises all that is good about The Stones, a great riff, great lyrics and an all round good vibe when you hear it being played. on the night rating 10/10

Low Life In High Places by Thunder link to video

A change of direction now with this song. This is proper Brit Rock at its finest. Thunder are not the most well known band out of rock circle's, but the band and writing team of Danny Bowes and Luke Morley, formally both from a band called Terraplane. Thunder were signed with EMI after performing a demo audition in 1989, and soon began recording their first album Backstreet Symphony. With their producer, Andy Taylor (of Duran Duran) they created many blues-rock and atmospheric ballads, steering away from the melodic power pop of their previous band. The album was a huge success in the UK, and led to a prestigious appearance at the 1990 Monsters of Rock festival at Donington Park, where I first saw them live. The band split in 2000, much to the dismay of the bands loyal fan base, many of which had been following them from the early days of Terraplane. But the fans didn't have too long to wait for the band to reform. Thunder were tempted back into action by a slot on the touring Monsters of Rock UK arena shows in late 2002, which then prompted a follow up album in 2003. In 2005 they released another album The Magnificent Seventh. The band also took part in the triumphant return of the Monsters of Rock festival in 2006 at Milton Keynes, sharing the bill with Deep Purple, Alice Cooper, Journey, Queensrÿche, Ted Nugent and Roadstar. Hailed as one of the stars of the show Thunder justified their reputation as one of the best British live acts. The band released their eighth studio album on 30 October 2006, entitled Robert Johnson's Tombstone. It follows Thunder's traditions of good honest blues rock albums, with big riffs and big sing-along choruses. The band has just come of the back of a European Tour, their first in nearly 12 years, and later this year they embark on a U.K. tour in November and December, where I shall see them again at the Wolverhampton Civic Hall (Wifey get tickets) on the night rating 7/10

Bleed It Out by Linkin Park link to video

Last one tonight. A very excited Shaun text me earlier today to tell me he had the Karaoke version of this great song by LP. So I think I can safely say that as with the Biffy Clyro track a few weeks ago, this is probably a world premier! Now I'm not going to do a huge write up on this one, as I have written quite a lot about Linkin Park this year so far, but I will say I at least enjoyed it, although Shaun did find it wasn't our best effort on a Linkin Park song, but for a first time shot, and beer affected vocals, I'm sure our next effort will improve dramatically. on the night rating 5/10

So another zany week ends at the pub with me and Shaun screaming our heads off, nothing new there then. A good all round night I felt, eased back into the Karaoke with no problems, and a renewed zest for singing after my short, but well deserved break. Now barring a full scale mutiny I will endeavour to blog my holiday exploits and the Chris Cornell gig later in the week, so for now folks bye bye!!!!

" Homer: Aw, twenty dollars! I wanted a peanut!
Homer's Brain: Twenty dollars can buy many peanuts!
Homer: Explain how!
Homer's Brain: Money can be exchanged for goods and services!
Homer: Woo-hoo!
[Gust Of Wind Blows Twenty Dollar Bill Out Of Open Window]
Homer: D'oh "