RIP

R.I.P. Geoff Nicholls

2017 rolls on like a mini-2016.  The latest casualty is former Black Sabbath keyboardist Geoff Nicholls who was on every Sabbath album from Heaven and Hell (1980) to Forbidden (1995).  He played bass and sang when need be.  For that period of Sabbath’s history, he was the only stable member excluding Tony Iommi himself.  Geoff passed at age 68, after a battle with lung cancer.  He was rarely pictured with the four “main” Sabbath members, but he was more important than most of them.  Rest in Peace.

A Tribute to Paul MacLeod (1970-2016) by Uncle Meat

PAUL

I first met Mac in the early 90s when I was dragged to the Walper by a mutual friend of ours Jeff Marsland (aka Chewie). Not long within the set he played Tori Amos – “Pretty Good Year” and Motorhead – “Ace of Spades” and I was hooked. Then being blown away by Six Months … as well as the re-named Hibakusha. Actually my most memorable Paul moment on stage was when Hibakusha broke into Supertramp’s “School” at the Starlight. One of the greatest covers I have ever seen.

Years after that I was fortunate enough to join the infamous MacLeod poker nights, and this was where we started becoming close friends. Also through him I was fortunate to meet and get to know his great and talented friends. We just seemed to enjoy pretty much exactly the same things… music…sports…darts…and I would say most of all…comedy. Considering how long before this I had admired him as a musician, it was surprisingly quick and easy for me to put that away and just look at him as my friend. A few times Paul brought up the first poker game I went to .. and said this statement that always made me laugh: “I had to be friends with you. You had the balls to tell me to my face, in front of my friends, that Scott Deneau was the the best guy you’ve ever seen with just a guitar and a voice.”  I can still picture the look on his face when he would say it and it still makes me laugh.

One Canada Day at the Boathouse (the year would have been 2011 ish? maybe?) Paul played two full sets of all Canadian tunes. Some of the songs he pulled out of the air that night were classic. They weren’t perfect. Some of the lyrics were wrong. But with every song the crowd just wanted to see what was coming next. His interactions with Kevin Doyle that night were so much fun. This was followed by an after hours set of Who tunes with Paul only singing and Chris Latta on guitar. Totally kicked my ass. Hard to forget moments like these.

A few amazing years of playing darts with the man. Getting my ass thoroughly kicked most of the time. Loved going to war with him for a few years on the same team. His personality shone through every dart venue we played at. What can I say? The man knew how to own a room.

I was lucky enough many times to get the gift of him just picking up his guitar and singing. Sometimes singing along but mostly just soaking it in. And then we would go back to comedy. And lots of it. Every time I would go over to his sister’s place he would be so “on” with the comedy. Relentless. The man loved making people laugh. So, included here is one of his favourite bits from his all-time favourite comedian Norm MacDonald. This is what made the funniest guy I know laugh.

Long live old Harold Delaney.

RIP Sir George Martin

A multi-site collaborative memorial.  

Boppinsblog tribute – Jeff Beck Blow By Blow album review

KeepsMeAlive tribute

1001 Albums tribute

SIR GEORGE

Do you use social media?  If so, you probably know the same sinking feeling that I do.

You wake up in the morning and open your Facebook and/or Twitter.  Your feed is flooded with a certain musical artist.  “This was my favourite song of theirs…”, or “I still remember the first time I heard them.”

I knew this morning was one of those days when I saw Sir George Martin’s face, and heard tons of his music, all over my social media.  Another legend lost.  This time we can say he lived a long, fruitful life.  Sir George was 90.

Music writer Dale Sherman today highlighted that George Martin was the first real “modern” producer.  It was he who learned to push the recording studio to the limits.  He put his stamp on the songs, and was one of the first to do so.  They called him the “Fifth Beatle” and I think that is very true.  He was a collaborator, a teacher, and a genius.  Of course, he produced so many more bands than just the Beatles, but who will he always be identified with?  There is only one correct answer.

My personal favourite non-Beatles recording of his was Aerosmith’s cover of “Come Together”, and for the Beatles it would have to be “Tomorrow Never Knows”.  “Tomorrow Never Knows” was the most brilliant thing the Beatles ever did, sounding as modern today as it did in 1966.  Though it’s not the song that best represents the George/Beatles sound, I think this is their greatest achievement.

RIP, Sir George!

R.I.P. Jimmy Bain

2016, I fucking hate you.

R.I.P. Jimmy Bain, age 68, now the second member of the original Dio to pass.  And yet another Rainbow casualty.

Jimmy rocked.  Listen to some Jimmy today.

R.I.P. The Thin White Duke

Yesterday the world lost David Bowie, to cancer, at age 69.  While I own absolutely no Bowie in my collection (aside from covers of his music and guest appearances on Queen albums) I have always admired the man’s creativity.  He goes to places I don’t even understand, and maybe that’s why I never “got” David Bowie.  While recognizing his genius I was unable to penetrate beyond the singles.  Perhaps I should try again.

In the meantime, plenty of folks far and wide have posted tributes to the man, his music and even his movies.  Rather than pretend I know what I’m talking about, I’ll let these fine writers do it instead.  Rest in Peace, David Bowie.

And fuck you, cancer.

Last and not least,

  • Joe at 1537 – David Bowie R.I.P. (“The planet is, without a doubt, a touch poorer than it was yesterday.”)

 

BOWIE

He always looked so young.

 

RIP Scott Weiland – Thank You

Stonetemplepilotsthankyou

I’m not the right guy to do a Scott Weiland tribute.  My first CD was Thank You, the “best of” album from 2003.  Since I didn’t spend my young adulthood rocking to Stone Temple Pilots, letting them melt away my anxiety and youthful tension, I can’t tell you that Scott had that impact on my life.  However, I can provide links to people who did experience his positive impact.  These writers had some touching words about Scott and his music today.  Please share and enjoy these links.  Rest in Peace Scott, where your demons can never haunt you again.

Boppin’s Bop (Brian) – Scott Weiland & the Roundabouts – Blaster review and tribute

KeepsMeAlive (James) – RIP Scott Weiland

MixolydianBlog (Derek) – Scott Weiland

Resurrection Songs (J) – “I’ve been walking a lonesome highway, I felt as though I had no home”

My favourite STP song

R.I.P. Stephen Huss

PSYCHE

I had a customer at the old store named Stephen.  He used to quietly sell CDs, always in excellent condition.  He didn’t have much to say, but he was about the nicest guy you’d ever run into.  One of our staff realized that Stephen was the former co-founder of an 80’s electronic band called Psyche, with his brother Darrin.  He made several albums with them, starting in 1985.  Nobody ever bugged him about it though.  If he wanted us to know he’d have told us.

But the world is a funny place, and you run into people at the strangest places.  A couple years ago, I was going out with my wife to meet some of her friends for lunch.  She mentioned her friend Steve that was a musician.  Sure enough, it was Stephen, my old customer.  He recognized me, but misremembered me as working at a video store.  He and my wife became friends, since she relocated to Kitchener.  I just had no idea that her friend Steve was my customer Stephen!

She told me today that Stephen has passed away.  She’s just trying to absorb this news now.  I thought it would be nice to post some music for Stephen.  Rest in Peace.

RIP B.B. King (1925-2015)

bbking
Rest in peace Riley B. King  (September 16, 1925 – May 14, 2015).

Yesterday, blues legend B.B. King passed away at age 89, leaving a vacuum in the blues that can never be filled.  I’m not very good at writing these tributes, although my soul aches too.  Rather than write something about B.B., I thought instead I would share some of the memories from the WordPress community.  Please click the links below to see the tributes and memories of B.B. King.  If we try to remember, then the thrill will never be gone.

Aaron at Keeps Me Alive:
“I was fortunate to see B.B. in concert four times, over the years.”

Sarca at Caught Me Gaming:
“Now I must go on without him!”

Derek Kortepeter at MixolydianBlog:
“As a guitarist, I reflect on how he, along with many others like Muddy Waters and Robert Johnson, made my guitar style a possibility.”