Dick Wagner, The Maestro of Rock

He had a nondescript name. His work however, was anything but.

Today word came down of the death of Dick Wagner. Trying to place the name? A true rock & roll guitarist, Dick Wagner was first known for his Michigan based band The Frost. But it would be his collaborations with Alice Cooper and Lou Reed where Wagner would find lasting recognition.

Wagner and Cooper wrote a lot of songs together, and in 1975 Alice Cooper released a song which he co-wrote with Wagner, about a subject only talked about in quiet hushes at that time... domestic violence and living in an abusive marriage. "Only Women Bleed" went on to be covered by: Tina Turner, Tori Amos, Slash, Lita Ford, Etta James and Favorite Angel, to name a few.

Another Dick Wagner song, "Remember The Child," dealt with child abuse. But beyond the songwriting, mostly he let his guitar do the talking. His recording credits read like a Who's Who of the music industry. His musical accolades include his songs or guitar work included on over 350 albums, of which over 35 have been certified Gold or Platinum.

Heart attacks, a stroke, brain surgeries, diabetes, kidney failure, and other health issues plagued him for years. He worked back from a paralyzed arm and played guitar on the road until his most recent hospitalization a few weeks ago. Sadly, another recovery was not to be.

In 2013, Dick Wagner said "Love is in the air. Breathe deep." He did, and when he exhaled, music filled the air.

Easy Journey Maestro.

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Dark Sunglasses: Don't Leave Home Without Them

Nothing is worse after a late night than a beautiful sunny morning. That observation, and the prompt from Linda, who chose the Chrissie Hynde song "Dark Sunglasses" for Lance's 100 Word Song, made this week's entry relatively easy to put together.

So... when we last heard from the partners-in-crime...

As she lay on the bed lost in memories of the night before, the dark sunglasses shaded her eyes from the morning sun beaming through the hotel room window. Damn that was fun. 

Rock & Roll always is. 

Just the right ratio of music and booze. Not enough to make bad decisions, but enough for a good time.

Almost time for a shower, breakfast and the trip back to the place called Reality. A lot of shows, a lot of road trips, and a lot of laughs, over a lot of years. Wouldn't change a thing.

No retreat. No surrender.

Count Words, Count Stars... Whatever

So look at me. I'm back again. Don't lie, I know half of you didn't even miss me. But here I am because I felt bad I haven't played in Lance's sandbox for a while.

For newbies around here Lance, my fellow Sprocket and author of myblogcanbeatupyourblog runs a little party every week where someone picks a song and the rest of us take it as a prompt to write exactly 100 words about it. No, I don't know if he counts the words. I try not to cheat.

Anyway, it doesn't matter what you write: poetry, prose, a shopping list... just write something. It makes him happy. Oh and by the way, he just published his second book. The first is about sex and drugs and rock & roll... very cool. The second is about love and death and shit like that. Go to his website and see where to BUY THE BOOK. Else he is not happy.

So the song pick for the week is from a band that has been together for about a decade, had some nice success and have a new album out now. The band is OneRepublic and the song of the week is "Counting Stars." For the most part they are a little too Pop for regular rotation in my playlist, but this is a good song.

A little story in 100 words. Go ahead, count 'em.

"Counting Stars"

It almost felt like the past sixteen years were an unending episode of The Honeymooners. Just like Ralph and Norton’s plans, there was always a get rich scheme. I can still hear him say “it’s gonna be so big baby, we won’t be counting dollars, we’ll be counting stars.”

Sure there were almosts, and I fed off of those moments.

But too often, failure brought the icy chill of depression to engulf me.

Until I was choking.

And still, I threw my arms open wide, time after time.

It seems everything that drowns me makes me want to fly.

Almost.

It's Only Rock and Roll, But I Like It

Driving up to the weekend house, I was thinking that I was in need of some serious Rock & Roll. And because my mind easily wanders, I started to list in my mind, songs that have Rock & Roll in the title. There's a shitload for sure.

So for today's exercise, I thought I'd post some Rock & Roll videos. Some are pretty obvious, some are not. Check out a few if you're not familiar with them, or if it's a song you haven't heard in a while, take a listen, smile and just rock.

Up first, let's start with the lowest common denominator.

Rock & Roll - Led Zeppelin

Getting hungry for more? How about a little....

Rock & Roll Stew - Traffic

"She started shakin' to that fine, fine music. You know her life was saved by rock & roll".  Yeah, that.

Rock & Roll - Velvet Underground

Originally recorded by The Byrds, how about a little TP.

So You Want To Be A Rock & Roll Star - Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers

Had a dose of Robert Plant... bring on Paul Rogers.

Rock & Roll Fantasy - Bad Company

Just had to put this on the list because, well...

Rock & Roll Hoochie Koo - Rick Derringer

This list could go on forever, Off the top of my head I had another twenty songs: Joan Jett, Kiss, Huey Lewis, Billy Joel, The Ramones, Bob Seger and ELO to name a few artists I've omitted. But the last on this list is one artist who had to be here. Because, as Bob Seger sang "all of Chuck's children are out there playing his licks."

Rock And Roll Music - Chuck Berry

"You can come back baby, rock and roll never forgets."

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When the Water Gets Muddy, It's Time for Some Blues

It's been a long, cold week. Dear lord, I am in need of some serious blues. Serious blues.

McKinley Morganfield died April 30, 1983 at approximately 70 years of age. His date of birth has long been in question but his impact on the American blues scene has not. He has been ranked as one of the top 100 musicians of all time, and influenced virtually every American and British rock or blues group from the 60's. Zeppelin, Cream, Hendrix, the Stones.. Hendrix is quoted as saying about him "I first heard him as a little boy and it scared me to death." The Rolling Stones got their name from one of his songs.

The king of Chicago Blues, a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the Blues Foundation Hall of Fame and recipient of the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. Hell, they even issued a postage stamp in his honor.

Still can't place the name? How about what his friends called him: Muddy Waters.

Let's just taste a few of his best tunes. They are bound to warm you from the inside out.

Mr. Muddy Waters

"Hoochie Coochie Man"
"Got My Mojo Working"
"Baby Please Don't Go"
"They Call Me Muddy Waters"

ah yes.
I know I'm feeling much, much better.

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I Only Wanna Rock and Roll: Uh Yeah

Let's just have some fun today.

It's Friday, the weekend is here and I for one need it.

Out of Pittsburgh, today's taste has just signed with Frontiers Records and maybe that will help to get the word out. I love the video for this song, so very 80's MTV.

Play it loud.


Gene the Werewolf  "I Only Wanna Rock and Roll."



yeah, don't we all.

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A Night With The Outlaws

I'm sorry, but there is nothing better to get you into a great mood than a little lot of good old southern rock. There's just something about a band wearing cowboy hats and playing kick ass music, that sends me to a much finer place. Last night, I was lucky enough to enjoy a double dose.

Wednesday August 1, Bergen Performing Arts Center: Crawdaddy and The Outlaws. Sweet.

This show was kind of a last minute deal, having only decided on Sunday to attend. That was a good job by us.

"We'll never know what could have been. 

We can only look back and imagine."

That quote appears on a sign hung on the piano of the night's opening act: Crawdaddy.

Crawdaddy is a Lynyrd Skynrd tribute band. This night we were treated with the drumming of Artimus Pyle, original member of Skynrd and a survivor of the horrific plane crash which killed six people including three members of the band. Artimus Pyle was one of three men who crawled out from the wreckage and walked through swampy woods in search of help, nearly ending up a victim of a local farmer who thought the men were escapees from a nearby prison.

Back to the music. When I think southern rock, I think lots of guitars, a few backup singers and a big drum kit. Check. Oh, and it needs to be loud and rockin'. Double check.

From "Gimme Two Steps" to "The Breeze" the joint was jumping. Throwing in a little "old fashioned honky tonk," "I Know a Little About Love" and of course a spot-on version of "Sweet Home Alabama," Crawdaddy set the tone for one great night of rock.

This is why you should always check out the opening act.  Otherwise you would just miss too much fun.

The Outlaws

Now in April, I did a blog post on The Outlaws called "Time To Kick It Up: Outlaw Style."  At that time, I had no idea I would be seeing them a few months later. So here are a few thoughts on seeing them live.

Thought #1: Yeah
Thought #2 Hell Yeah.

I lost count at the number of standing ovations The Outlaws received last night. The first was three songs in, after a killer rendition of "Hurry Sundown." And, that was after a wicked version of "There Goes Another Love Song."  It was hard to find anyone without a smile of their face.

This night, the band mixed in a lot of newer material along with the old classics and you know what...it was all good. It's a shame that even Sirius radio does not have a channel where classic rockers can get their newer music played (though they might be moving in that direction). Their new album "Its About Pride" will be released this September.  The title song, which they played last night, reflects what has been their reason for pushing on all these years. Pride in being in a band that has endured, and pride in the product they have produced.

I'll say one thing, these boys are having a real good time. Unlike so many bands today, where interaction between the members is limited to a nod or a glare...every member from original lead vocalist Henry Paul, original drummer Monte Yoho to veteran guitarists Billy Crain and Chris Anderson to bass player Randy Threet and Keyboardist Dave Robbins...these guys really seem to like each other. In a business where that is not always the case...it was real nice to see. No southern rock band is complete without a trio of backup singers, and these girls rocked it out all night.

At one point Henry talked about playing the old Capitol Theatre in Passaic, something like a hundred years ago. That is where this girl grew her rock & roll teeth. For me, that was a nice trip down memory lane and was much appreciated by a friendly crowd, many of whom had most likely been there too.

The set ended with a full length version of "Green Grass and High Tides." I think this was when I tweeted a picture with one word...wow.  Encore was "Ghost Riders in the Sky," Kick ass, smokin' and still a great vocal.

A killer night of music. yippee-ki-yay.


More pictures on Kat's Theory FaceBook page.

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A Legend is Born: That's All Right

Growing up, I was not a huge Elvis fan. It wasn't that I didn't enjoy the music..it was more that he wasn't the Beatles.

I was really young when the Beatles literally, opened up a world I barely knew existed. That world was rock and roll. Elvis was already having an impact, but I was just a little too young and missed those early years. As the years went by, I'd watch him on TV, hear him on the radio and finally appreciate the man and his music.

Fifty eight years ago today, Elvis released his first single, and this boy from Memphis was on his way to becoming a legend.

A quick taste today of that song which started it all. Written by Arthur Crudup in 1946...

"That's All Right"  Elvis Presley

And that's how you do it son.

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Wandering Back To Where It Started

Going back to some roots today.

As with virtually everything when we were growing up, my brother and I had vastly different tastes when it came to music.  He hated everything I liked and for the most part I felt the same about what he liked. But there were a few exceptions. Today's taste is one of those. Dion.

Dion DiMucci brought the tail end of Doo Wop into the rock and roll arena. And, he did it with attitude. Even in the old videos of Dion in the suit with the styled hair, he showed the swagger that would be his trademark...New York City all the way.

My brother had a 45 rpm of  "Runaround Sue" which I would play when he wasn't around. Back then, you had to sneak certain things so you didn't get your ass kicked (but that's a story for another day).  Backed up by The Belmonts, this song was so fun and lively, you couldn't help singing along.

Dion had a string of hits early on, faded then came back huge in the late 60s with "Abraham. Martin and John."


"I'm the type of guy that likes to roam around
I'm never in one place I roam from town to town
And when I find myself a-fallin' for some girl
I hop right into that car of mine and ride around the world
Yeah I'm the wanderer yeah the wanderer
I roam around around around."



Still rockin' it today...a clip from back then and another with Dion showing how you do it...with years of practice.

"The Wanderer" circa 1961
"The Wanderer"  around 50 years later, damn he can still kick ass


"If your feet ain't tappin', baby you're dead."


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Rock Til You Drop: Bruce Is Back

You can take the girl out of Jersey, but you can't take Jersey out of the girl.  Bruce 2012, first leg of the tour...and he's coming home.  That's what I'm talkin' about.

Now, as I've gotten older, I've been told perhaps I'm getting a little long in the tooth for all this rock & roll stuff.   Sorry, just got a new pair of dancin' boots and the foot is still tapping...I ain't dead baby.

So today, in anticipation of Bruce, I give you my own personal national anthem, "I'm A Rocker." from Madison Square Garden 2009.

"I'm a rocker, baby, I'm a rocker - every day
I'm a rocker, baby, I'm a rocker"

No surrender.