Unfortunately, in this day and age, these situations just keep on coming, as those musical heroes that we grew up with pass away. This week, it is Eddie Van Halen, the powerhouse lead guitarist of the classic rock band Van Halen. He passed away from throat cancer, which he had been battling for five years. He was 65 years old.
You might wonder from the title of this week's blog that he was rather underrated and yelling out "WTF?", especially true since I think a record number of friends had posted either the news, or one of his songs. My thoughts probably were stemming from the fact that every time there is a post regarding "who is the best rock 'n' roll guitarist of all time", you never see his name. It's usually Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Carlos Santana, Jimmy Page or Jeff Beck. Granted those were from the golden age of classic rock, but even in the 1980's, during Van Halen's heyday, it was usually Stevie Ray Vaughan, Steve Vai, or some others. I think it's pretty obvious now that EVH is one of the greats. In fact, checking out a website of rock guitarists, there he is at #3, behind Hendrix and Jeff Beck and ahead of Clapton and Page.
His band, Van Halen, formed in the early-to-mid 1970's on the West Coast was comprised of Eddie, his brother Alex on drums, plus lead singer David Lee Roth and bassist Mark Stone (quickly replaced by Michael Anthony). It was the lineup of Roth, Anthony and the two Van Halen brothers (originally born in the Netherlands) that broke through in a big way in 1978 with their self titled debut. It was a rather rough start on life for both Eddie and Alex, being of half Dutch, half Indonesian background and facing being bullied as kids starting out in a new country where English was not a first language for them. But the love for music took over and pretty much, the rest in history.
While we pretty much think of Van Halen as "just another rock band", when you think about it, they pretty much transcended (and bucked) many of the trends from the late seventies and on thru the nineties. Disco, punk and new wave were ascending the airwaves in 1978, yet two bands, The Cars (which had new wave overtones), and the straight-ahead hard rock of Van Halen, broken through. Now-classic tracks such as "Jamie's Cryin'", "Runnin' With the Devil" and the first single, a cover of The Kinks' "You Really Got Me", were standout tracks. Van Halen II (1979) produced their first bona fide hit, "Dance the Night Away". Popular at the start of summer 1979, it invaded the charts that was heavily occupied by disco at the time.
Forget the new wave, Van Halen rocked the early 1980's with Women and Children First, Fair Warning, and Diver Down, continued the mastery. The latter spawned two top 40 hits, both remakes: "Oh Pretty Woman" and "Dancing In the Street". Eddie Van Halen gained much notoriety by playing on Michael Jackson's landmark "Beat It" from M.J.'s all time best seller Thriller. The rock edge enabled it to get airplay on MTV, the music video channel which had specialized in album-oriented rock, but had for the most part neglected songs by black artists. The combination of Jackson's record label Epic threatening to boycott the channel with videos from other artists on its roster unless it played the prior song "Billie Jean", and the presence of Eddie Van Halen playing the solo in the song, all but assured a presence on the channel (and a number one song).
 |
| The classic line-up of Van Halen. (L to R): Alex Van Halen, Eddie Van Halen, David Lee Roth, and Michael Anthony. |
While the airwaves were dominated by "new romantics', "synth-pop" and the burgeoning "hair metal" trend, Van Halen hit pay dirt with its 1984 set, which included their first and only number one song "Jump". Three other hits from that album, followed: "I'll Wait", "Panama" and 'Hot For Teacher". But by then, there was dissention with the band, especially between Roth and Eddie, and Roth would soon leave the band.
But perhaps because of Eddie's awesome guitar work, the band carried on, replacing Roth with veteran Sammy Hagar, originally from Montrose, solo work and a few one-off projects. It was pretty much a new band with Hagar, who had more of a serious work ethic as opposed to the flamboyant showmanship of David Lee Roth. But VH didn't miss a beat, and they remained successful, bucking "hair metal" and even grunge and churning out pure rock. While some may label the band as "heavy metal" or even "hair metal" (also known as glam metal), to me, they had a straight-ahead rock feel to it.
Though in reading accounts of his life, there was one aspect that I never saw, and that was his "involvement" in one of my favorite movies, Back to the Future. You may remember the scene where Marty McFly, in 1955, goes into his future dad George's room, in a ploy to get him to pursue his future mom, in a space suit, hooking earphones from his Walkman into George's ears, and playing a cassette tape of "Edward Van Halen". While the band didn't grant permission to use any of Van Halen's music in the film, Eddie did actually do that guitar solo as a favor to the producers. So that, indeed is him playing.
Sammy Hagar left after 1995's Balance and was replaced by Gary Cherone who was with the band Extreme. That combination didn't work out, and pretty much signaled the end of classic Van Halen. The band did labor on, with various reunions between Roth and Hagar, and there were frequent fallings out between Eddie and them. Eventually Roth rejoined, and Eddie replaced Anthony with his son Wolfgang (from his marriage with actress Valerie Bertinelli of One Day at a Time and Hot in Cleveland fame). 2012's A Different Kind of Truth, featuring Roth and the three Van Halens, would be the last studio album recorded.
So, how did Van Halen's music fare on my year-end song lists? Here is a list of those songs making my year end list
1979: "Dance the Night Away", #26, from Van Halen II
1982: "Pretty Woman", #74; "Dancing in the Street", #47, both from Diver Down
1984: "Jump", #17; "I'll Wait", #46, both from 1984
1986: "Why Can't This Be Love", #144, "Dreams", #108, both from 5150
Looking back at these lists, while I think nowadays that I prefer Hagar's stint with the band, most of the songs listed above were from the David Lee Roth era (and even his post-VH solo stuff ranked higher than Hagar's band songs)...interesting. Of course by the late 80's, I was more into alternative then, thus interest in the band began to wane, although I did like songs like "Right Now" and "Can't Stop Loving You".
Getting back to Eddie Van Halen, many have thought of him as a "guitar god", but he was always modest in response to that assessment. He said he played guitar "out of default" and "out of necessity". His performances were often done on instinct, and improvisation. He can be mellow if needed, and could rock out when it was called for. He deserves all the accolades that he has been getting. Underrated? Maybe he wasn't after all. Perhaps taken for granted by some that weren't paying attention to the hard rock or metal scene, but he was a gem, a diamond in the rough.
Rock lost another guitar legend earlier this week. Thankfully, his four decades of work will l be preserved forever to listen to.
R.I.P. Eddie Van Halen
'CLEARLY' IN HEAVEN: No sooner that hearing about the lost of EVH, we also lost Johnny Nash, a pop-R&B singer who also pioneered reggae to the pop music audience. From Houston, Texas, he was one of the first singers to explore reggae that wasn't from Jamaica. He died at age 80 form natural causes. He had recorded since 1957, and his third release, "A Very Special Love" hit the top 30. Unlike his later songs, this was straight from the Johnny Mathis song style. But it was his reggae-inspired 1968 hit, "Hold Me Tight" (#5) that sparked a trend. Much noted is a take-off on that song a month or so later by "The Four Jets" (Bake Turner, Jim Turner, Don Maynard and Matt Snell), right after that New York football team won Super Bowl III, for Score hair cream.
But by far his biggest hit was 1972's "I Can't See Clearly Now", which hit #1 in November 1972 and stayed there for four weeks. It was covered twenty-one years later by Jimmy Cliff who hit the top 20 with it, from the movie Cool Runnings, about the Jamaican bobsled team.
Nash's death marked the third by an artist who had hit number one in the last four months of 1972, following Helen Reddy ("I Am Woman") and Mac Davis ("Baby Don't Get Hooked on Me"), both who passed last week. Interestingly, a look at all number one songs from that period between Mac's hit and the end of 1972, are by artists that have all passed: Michael Jackson ("Ben") passed in 2009; Chuck Berry ("My Ding-a-Ling") in 2017, Billy Paul ("Me and Mrs. Jones"), in 2016, and four of The Temptations who performed and alternated leads on "Papa Was a Rolling Stone" (Dennis Edwards, Melvin Franklin, Richard Street, Damon Harris), all passed. Only Otis Williams who provided background vocals on that hit, is still alive from that era of that group.
SWEET STYLINGS: This past weekend (Oct 2-4) I took a road trip for the first time since my New England winter trek back in February. The trip was two-fold: One to grab some geocaches in areas I hadn't been to before (and new ones to places that I had been), and more importantly, to cache a favorite indie artist Shannon Marsyada. This marks the third time in four weeks that I have seen a local blog favorite perform, following The Outcrops and last week, Elise Farnsworth.
 |
| Shannon Marsyada (L) performs a duet with Lisa Welch Knecht at The Monfort Lounge in Sheppton PA. Lisa was/is a member of The Shannon Marsyada Trio. |
When I got to the very small town of Sheppton, PA (about half an hour outside of Hazelton), and into the Monfort Lounge around 5 PM, there was Shannon, playing her keyboards and singing up a storm. Nobody was in the lounge area as of yet (others were in the bar area but were able to see her). While I was a bit leery in this age of COVID-19 (I pretty much social distanced where I was sitting), Shannon recognized me right away, from being Facebook friends.
It should be noted that I had see her play once before, back in the fall of 2013 at the Jim Thorpe Fall Festival, as she performed with her group, the Shannon Marsyada Trio. But, unlike that performance, this was on the intimate, acoustic side. This woman has one big set of pipes!
When I came in, she had asked me what I wanted to hear. While she was pretty much playing covers, I had requested "Oceans", the title track from her most recent album. Initially hesitant to play since she hadn't performed it in quite awhile, perhaps since before COVID, she knocked it out of the park. The song came back to her very quickly. By then, others started filing in, in particular a couple who apparently she knows very well. In fact, many of those who came to see her had seen her play before and were all in out fans.
She took other requests, including "Set Fire to the Rain", by Adele, an artist who she has pretty much emulated. Other songs included "That's Life" by Frank Sinatra, "At Last" by Etta James, and everything from Leonard Cohen and Amy Winehouse (another artist who has obviously influenced her) to Heart ("Alone"), as well as some original material past and present. And future as well.
In the audience was her Trio bandmate, Lisa Welch Knecht, who got up and performed a duet with Shannon. Her husband Scott (who had also done a number at the 2013 Jim Thorpe gig) also did a song with Shannon.
 |
| Yours truly with Shannon, during a break in her Oct. 2 gig at Montford Lounge. She had taken selfies with various attendees that evening. |
Shannon has indicated that this was her next-to-last performance and is going on hiatus. She has one more gig this weekend, at Via Nouva in McAoo, PA before calling it "quits". With the pandemic pretty much stifling live performances, and Shannon accepting a full time job, performing is on the back burner for now. But, she is not going away anytime soon!
A Christmas album is in the works, which should be released sometime next month. She also has another project with a German producer, planned as a gospel-themed outing. A forthcoming song, "Willow" was performed and most likely will be included.
After three hours, I had left, to head back to my hotel in West Hazelton, but not after hearing a great performance. Shannon has one awesome voice, always in key and a pleasure to listen to, and more important, she's become a friend. Hopefully when she gets back to performing again, it'll be another excuse to make the trip out there. Thanks, Shannon!
JERSEY BREAKER: Winnetka Bowling League grabs its third number one song on my blog playlist as "Come to the Beach" reaches the top spot. After my stint in Pennsylvania, I literally did come to the beach, as in Cape May and Wildwood. So it does make sense that this endless-summer themed song, from the band's new EP Congratulations, hit the top spot. The song also breaks the 8-week stretch of songs by New Jersey artists, which included four acts from the Garden State. Moving into the runner-up spot is Michael Kiwanuka's "You Ain't the Problem", followed by David F. Porfirio's "Driving at Dusk" in the number three spot. Elise Farnsworth's "In the Morning Light", last week's chart topper, is at number 4. Shannon Marsyada's "In the Morning Light" advances to the fifth spot. Karen Wallo, another artist from Jersey enters the top 10 with "Rain Away My Sorrow".
TAKING THE TOLL: The Top Debut, by far, is the new song by Christina Alessi, with her band The Toll Collectors, which just came out. Long awaited, at least for me, as the band has been together for several years now. In the meantime, I had been featuring a couple tracks off of her self-titled 2018 EP, the most recent of which, "So In Love With You", is at 18, down from its peak of 12.
 |
| Christina Alessi (center) and The Toll Collectors' new single "Whatever Gets You Through" is this week's top debut at #44. |
The new single is "Whatever Gets You Through" is an awesome effort, a country-rock excursion, with a soul-ish flair to it as well. The harmonies are very much apparent throughout the song. Alessi sings with much feeling, and it's a very pleasant listen. The song dropped on October 9 (today as I was writing this), and it enters my playlist at a lofty #41. Her band has live gigs lined up this month, which includes a stint at Finnegan's Irish Pub in Hoboken on October 17, where the Collectors will play a mix of originals and covers of favorites. The band then starts a residency at Maxwells, also in Hoboken, on October 20. Sounds like a very ambitious time for Christina and the band, and nice to also have a song of theirs on my playlist.
\
Also debuting high is another of my favorite bands, the new one from Fleet Foxes, "Can I Believe You" from their just-released fourth full length album, Shore. It's their first release since 2017's "Crack-Up", which yielded the song "Third of May", which reached #11 on my blog. The band hasn't missed a beat. Their style of ambience rock is intact, although still different from other faves of mine such as "Grown Ocean" and "Mykanos". I've loved this band since their 2009 debut and glad to see they still got it.
Rounding out the adds are 'Mariana Trench" by Bright Eyes, from Omaha, Nebraska; the latest from The Strokes, "Brooklyn Bridge to Chorus", Canadian indie-rock band Walk off the Earth, with "Farther We Go", and the current #1 alternative song "Monster" by All Time Low featuring Black Bear.
FINALLY: It looks like AJR's "Bang" is going to be the next token alt-rock crossover to the Hot 100, as it currently sits at #31 on that Billboard Chart.....Country singer Morgan Wallen is doing well on my playlist with "7 Summers", moving 53-43....he was slated to appear on Saturday Night Live on October 10, but was removed because of a recent concert and interaction with fans while not wearing a mask. In his place will be Jack White of White Stripes, The Raconteurs and Dead Weather fame.
Now THAT's an underrated guitarist...
Scenes ‘n’ Soundwaves 100 Playlist
October 4, 2020
|
This Week |
Last
Week |
ARTIST-Title |
Weeks
on List |
|
1 |
2 |
NUMBER ONE:  Album: Congratulations (EP) |
9 |
|
2 |
3 |
8 |
|
|
3 |
5 |
8 |
|
|
4 |
1 |
12 |
|
|
5 |
7 |
10 |
|
|
6 |
6 |
8 |
|
|
7 |
4 |
21 |
|
|
8 |
8 |
14 |
|
|
9 |
9 |
11 |
|
|
10 |
13 |
8 |
|
|
11 |
14 |
13 |
|
|
12 |
11 |
14 |
|
|
13 |
21 |
TOP 20 IMPACT OF THE WEEK:  Album: She Is Miley Cyrus |
4 |
|
14 |
10 |
12 |
|
|
15 |
18 |
7 |
|
|
16 |
15 |
19 |
|
|
17 |
20 |
5 |
|
|
18 |
12 |
13 |
|
|
19 |
16 |
20 |
|
|
20 |
30 |
5 |
|
|
21 |
24 |
6 |
|
|
22 |
29 |
5 |
|
|
23 |
23 |
11 |
|
|
24 |
17 |
24 |
|
|
25 |
22 |
10 |
|
|
26 |
31 |
6 |
|
|
27 |
28 |
7 |
|
|
28 |
19 |
23 |
|
|
29 |
36 |
5 |
|
|
30 |
26 |
8 |
|
|
31 |
35 |
5 |
|
|
32 |
41 |
4 |
|
|
33 |
38 |
6 |
|
|
34 |
39 |
12 |
|
|
35 |
40 |
9 |
|
|
36 |
25 |
17 |
|
|
37 |
32 |
25 |
|
|
38 |
27 |
18 |
|
|
39 |
33 |
15 |
|
|
40 |
34 |
16 |
|
|
41 |
--- |
TOP DEBUT:  CHRISTINA ALESSI AND THE TOLL COLLECTORS (Single Only) |
1 |
|
42 |
37 |
10 |
|
|
43 |
53 |
3 |
|
|
44 |
51 |
3 |
|
|
45 |
43 |
12 |
|
|
46 |
56 |
3 |
|
|
47 |
42 |
16 |
|
|
48 |
44 |
18 |
|
|
49 |
52 |
6 |
|
|
50 |
65 |
4 |
|
|
51 |
--- |
1 |
|
|
52 |
46 |
24 |
|
|
53 |
82 |
2 |
|
|
54 |
67 |
4 |
|
|
55 |
45 |
28 |
|
|
56 |
55 |
7 |
|
|
57 |
69 |
3 |
|
|
58 |
85 |
MOVER OF THE WEEK:  Album: Letter To You |
2 |
|
59 |
48 |
18 |
|
|
60 |
86 |
2 |
|
|
61 |
64 |
6 |
|
|
62 |
71 |
3 |
|
|
63 |
57 |
23 |
|
|
64 |
84 |
2 |
|
|
65 |
58 |
6 |
|
|
66 |
47 |
18 |
|
|
67 |
49 |
19 |
|
|
68 |
76 |
3 |
|
|
69 |
59 |
15 |
|
|
70 |
50 |
9 |
|
|
71 |
63 |
12 |
|
|
72 |
81 |
21 |
|
|
73 |
60 |
16 |
|
|
74 |
54 |
9 |
|
|
75 |
75 |
7 |
|
|
76 |
61 |
13 |
|
|
77 |
72 |
12 |
|
|
78 |
--- |
1 |
|
|
79 |
62 |
13 |
|
|
80 |
83 |
5 |
|
|
81 |
--- |
1 |
|
|
82 |
--- |
1 |
|
|
83 |
66 |
9 |
|
|
84 |
78 |
17 |
|
|
85 |
89 |
3 |
|
|
86 |
--- |
1 |
|
|
87 |
70 |
15 |
|
|
88 |
68 |
19 |
|
|
89 |
79 |
9 |
|
|
90 |
92 |
2 |
|
|
91 |
90 |
4 |
|
|
92 |
74 |
9 |
|
|
93 |
73 |
7 |
|
|
94 |
77 |
18 |
|
|
95 |
80 |
10 |
|
|
96 |
87 |
17 |
|
|
97 |
91 |
6 |
|
|
98 |
88 |
4 |
|
|
99 |
93 |
15 |
|
|
100 |
94 |
8 |
|
|
Songs with the greatest increase in
favorite points over the prior week. ●
Songs with
25 or more plays on iTunes/iPods ▲ Songs with 50 or more plays.
No comments:
Post a Comment