The Mikey and Micky Show of the Summer, aka The Monkees is now history and Micky Dolenz is the last standing Monkee after Mike Nesmith passed away Thursday of natural causes. Nesmith was the best singer songwriter of that band, tho his recordings for the First National Band signaled in a new era of California soft rock that The Eagles would take credit for. Nesmith wrote Different Drum and gave it to Linda Ronstadt when Don Kirshner said it was not a Monkees song. Nesmith also pioneered the music video to which MTV would become famous for. And he did shy away at any Monkees reunions, tho he looked at that band with pride and did come back into the fold after the passing of Davy Jones to give us Good Times! a album that was co produced by the late great Adam Scheslinger. It boggles the mind of the past few years that whoever survived the 60s would eventually pass on. In the case of Scheslinger, he died way too soon. But as we celebrate the ones who are still with us, the John Mayalls, Willie Nelson and of course Mick and Keith, we also know that turning 80 would be the end hour for Charlie Watts or Grahame Edge. Still Nesmith is the one that pushed for the Monkees to do their own music and away from the Kirshner' produced made for hits by other songswriters, but in Kirshner's defense, he did get some great songs from Neil Diamond, Gerry Goffin/Carole King, and Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart to name a few. Nesmith was the creative force.
Robby Shakespeare, the bass monster to Sly Dunbar wicked beats, passed from kidney failure at age 68 on Tuesday. Considered one of the most influential bass players ever in music, it was Sly and Robby that gave new meaning to the dub sound of Black Uhuru and funky beats to Grace Jones' 1980s album for Island. He and Sly contributed to Bob Dylan's Infidels 1983 album. Anthem, the 1984 Black Uhuru album won the GRAMMY TM for best reggae album.
Stonewall Jackson, one of the last links to 1950s country music with Waterloo passed away December 4 from Demetria, he was 89 years old. Jackson had a minor hit with Me and You And A Dog Name Boo in 1971, tho he claimed that the label made him do that song.
Steve Bronski of the Bronski Beat band died at age 61 on Monday.
Gil Bridges, the last original member of Rare Earth to play in that band died from COVID. He was 80. Randy Burghdof, our very own bass player was part of the Bridges led Rare Earth band that did made a live album earlier in the 2010s.
David Bigham, the last link to Buddy Holly and Roy Orbinson and sang on their recordings as part of The Roses, (Norman Petty's vocal band) died from pneumonia on Wednesday. He was 84.
Les Emmerson, main songwriter of the Five Man Electrical Band, who gave us the song Signs, passed away Friday from COVID, he was 77.
Phil Chen, bass player for the likes of Manzarek/Kruger, Rod Stewart, Jeff Beck and Dion died Tuesday at age 75 due to a long illness.
In the sports side of things, Tyler Goodson bypassed playing in the Citrus Bowl in favor of declaring for the NFL draft. We will him well.
The first major winter storm of the year turned out to be a tornado terror, unleashing a major tornado was on the ground for 200 miles and ripped up Edwardsville Illinois and Earlingham Kentucky, derailing a train. The Quad State Tornado, ripped up 4 states and went 200 miles on the ground. If the NWS confirms this, this will be even longer than the 1925 Tri State Tornado. There were indications that this storm would be a major one, when dewpoints were over the top in the Missouri area, to which a friend of mine had to deal with a tornado like storm that came by around 7 PM, which is worse at this time since we are in the dark and tornadoes are hard to see. Whatever the case may be, this is one for the record book. Meanwhile, up north in this area, it was basically a wind and rain event, with most of the snow falling on the IA/MN borderline with 3 to 6 inches of snow. Thankfully, this storm spared us.
In my life of living and checking on Tornadoes of the past, we have major ones that ripped up the area. The May 15 1968, Oelwein/Charles City Tornado, The Parkersburg Tornado, The Rolla Tornado, The Twi State Tornado of 1925 was before our time, but we never ever had a tornado that was 290 miles on the ground such as the Mayfield Tornado. By far, this is the biggest nastiest tornado on record. It compares to the Aug 2020 Shitstorm in this area. but the Mayfield/Quad State Tornado is the end all of heavy weather.
(Jennifer Autry took this shot of the infamous Quad State Tornado, just beginning to venture out of Arkansas on its way to destruction) (You Tube has the five hour marathon reporting of this tornado as it unfolded)
The last album reviewed for 2021 is Neil Young/Crazy Horse Barn (Reprise) which is a bit more lively than Colorado but I don't expect Neil and company to give us anymore half hour songs that lead nowhere. Which is where Nicko Bolas faded a few songs out in order to preserve their usefulness. Frank Stampedo's retirement and Nils Loftgrin more polished sound continue to make Neil's music still viable over the years. Whether or not we'll remember this over Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere or even RE AC TOR is too early to tell but as Neil is now 77 years onto this world, let's cherish whatever he puts out. Neil says he is ready to start a new Crazy Horse album. Geez Neil, can you at least wait awhile before we truly EXP this record.
There have been complaints about Barn, but for me, it will probably be one of the better albums of 2021. But probably not in my top 10. I don't review a lot of new music anymore, the crappy digipack, softpacks and lack of memorable music might be the cause of this. But to be honest, I don't notice much of anything that isn't rock and roll related. Florida Georgia Line has managed to turn new country into crap rap and Kane Brown didn't help either. Billboard doesn't chart rock albums unless they are greatest hits or classics from the 70s or 60s. This might be the first year I haven't submitted a reissue best of. But then again, I had great luck in finding cheap music in the dollar bins.
With Tad throwing in the towel of Blogging here and trying his luck at Facebook, I tend to agree with him that this doesn't serve much of a purpose outside of bragging what was found and of course finding 45s of note. To take 20 years of this life and spending a 1/3rd of this digging up forgotten favorites has been a labor love and an idiot's holiday. You write new stuff and the only thing Blogspot puts up as most read is a 2011 post that really is a period piece. Unless you do miss Junior Seau or the Dirt Drifters, whose Warner Music album is a sought out collector's item. If and when, if I ever throw in the towel, this site won't be remembered much, but at least we managed to get a few bands noticed that should have been bigger. In a perfect world Swinging Steaks would be better known than Dave Matthews Band.
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