Influential bassist, rocker, writer and musician Pete Way has passed. I am most familiar with his work with UFO, a popular British hard rock act from the “70’s to the ’90’s. Way wrote some of their most beloved songs and was a relentless stalker of the stage and theatrical performer. Way went on to found Fastway and Waysted and his Pete Way Band. Ways’ boisterous antics are the stuff of rock legend, and there are many tales, but his playing and writing have inspired a lot of people. We will all miss yet another larger than life character of Rock and Roll who is no longer with us. Pete Way, R.I.P.
Tag Archives: rock and roll
Happy Birthday, Bruce Springsteen!
Today is Bruce Springsteen’s birthday and we wish him many, many more. The evergreen rocker turns 71. We look forward to seeing him on the road again whenever we get a grip on this freaking pandemic. Vintage “The River” material is performed in the video. We need his live concert experience energy now!!!
Little Richard, Rock Legend, Passes Away
It is a good thing for us that Little Richard lived to the ripe old age of 87. We have been able to enjoy his talent and wit all these years! A rock and roll trailblazer and influential icon, Little Richard was a one of a kind personality and energy source. We have been blessed with his presence. Thank you, Sir.
THE KINKS – “FATHER CHRISTMAS” – SOMETIME IN THE 1970’s
“Father Christmas” is the great rock band, The Kinks, hamming it up and clowning in their Christmas getups in this satirical music video. The Kinks’ main songwriter, Ray Davies, wrote this Christmas song in 1977 and its theme and attitude fits the times. Punk rock had basically broken out over the airwaves and this song talks about angry, annoyed kids demanding cash money and no toys for Christmas and beating up and mugging department store Santas and generally behaving very badly. Punk rock was antiestablishment and Christmas is based on long standing traditions, and, you get the idea. The music is very spirited and aggressive and chugs along at a good pace.
It is a shame that the video posted here is a bit damaged and indistinct. There is a lot of color shifting and video breakups and the focus is a little soft. Oh, well. What you can make out reflects a fine, humorous romp and “Father Christmas” has become a holiday standard on classic rock stations. It has become part of the tradition of Christmas.
Well done Kinks!!!
LEMMY KILMISTER LIVES ON!!!
We have lost another Great One. We now live in a world now without Lemmy Kilmister and that void will never be filled. Lemmy was a well known, larger than life personality. He played a very distorted, loud, bass guitar with his rock and roll band, Motorhead. He was also a key figure for many years in the space rock outfit, Hawkwind. In the distant past, Lemmy was renowned for his large drug intake. It probably is amazing that he lasted this long! He was outspoken, crude, hilarious. Lemmy was a true believer in the spirit and power of rock and roll. He made a great career in rock music. His unique guttural growl singing voice and his bass guitar sonic barrage were one of a kind and will be missed. Have a good rest, Sir.
THE HORROR OF PARTY BEACH (1964)
After watching this trailer, you may well surmise that I added this as an example of one of the worst movies ever made. On the contrary, this movie once had a major impact on my life. Yes. There are a lot of surf bands playing and kids dancing and carrying on and there is a story line about a leaky, radioactive waste filled barrel in the ocean which interacts with a human skeleton and other sea debris and somehow mutates into one of many absurd, rubber suited sea monsters which walk on two legs. It is the scenes involving the marauding monsters chasing after humans in the dark that terrified me as a child of 9 or 10. Anything can be out there lurking in the dark ready to grab you. This thing gave me nightmares. I’m just saying. A late entry in the cycle of 1950’s monster movies which blamed atomic power related contamination as the culprit in the creation of horrific monster mutations. See “Godzilla”, “Tarantula”, “The Amazing Colossal Man”, etc. Precursor to the equally campy “Humanoids From The Deep” and its reboot.