…in case you ever want to test your subwoofers:
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Ten years ago today two of the three main singers in Jefferson Airplane passed away at the age of 74. Signe Toly Anderson died just a few hours after Paul Kantner. They were both co-founding members of Jefferson Airplane and they were both born in 1941, just four months apart. Talk about having your destinies weaved together.
Now Signe Anderson left Airplane after the band’s debut album and was replaced by Grace Slick, who took the band to another level. But that is another story. Today it is about Signe and Paul. Here they are, together with Airplane’s third main vocalist Marty Balin (1942-2018), singing a song with a message the world of today is in dire need of. To the memory of Signe and Paul, and Marty too of course 
Jefferson Airplane - Let’s Get Together (1966)
Paul Kantner and Signe Toly Anderson (1941-2016)
If anyone’s interested in a little more extensive look at Signe and Paul career and life, you can check out my excellent post from a year ago.
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Happy Birthday to the English guitarist Dick Taylor, who is turning 83 today. In 1962 he played guitar in a band called The Little Boy Blue & The Blue Boys, along with two other aspiring musicians by the name of Mick Jagger and Keith Richards. In July that year they joined up with Brian Jones and Ian Stewart in another young and aspiring band. Dick Taylor left in November, but still he was actually a member of Rolling Stones for five months. He is even considered by some to be one of the founders of the Stones.
Then in 1963, Dick Taylor formed The Pretty Things, the band he is best for. He played with them from their formation until 1969, and then again from 1978 until the band finally split in 2018. The Pretty Things were one of the best bands from the British Blue Boom era in the 1960’s.
The Pretty Things - Roadrunner (1966)
Dick Taylor is on the left side of the screen to singer Phil May (1944-2020)
Dick Taylor is still active. In later years he’s been playing with a band called The Hillmans, a local band from Isle of Wight in England. The band is still at it, they have upcoming gigs scheduled. I found this cool clip of them from a couple of years ago. Dick Taylor on the left of the screen is still standing up playng his guitar, 80 years old here. Happy Birthday to him 
The Hillmans - Suzy Q (live 2023)
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Bruce Springsteen’s right-wing fans aren’t gonna be happy about this one, but fuck them: They don’t really listen to him. They thought “Born in the USA” was all about flag-waving patriotism, missing the, you know, lyrics.
A couple of listens through “Streets of Minneapolis” and I consider it to be the 21st century equivalent to Neil Young’s “Ohio,” which CSN&Y turned out very quickly after the Kent State shootings by the National Guard. Not “tin soldiers and Nixon’s coming” but “Trump” and “ICE’ and “Miller and Noem’s dirty lies” those killed named, Renee Good and Alex Pretti.
“I wrote this song on Saturday, recorded it yesterday and released it to you today in response to the state terror being visited on the city of Minneapolis,” Springsteen writes to fans, responding to the ICE
Billy Bragg would be proud. 60s Bob Dylan would be proud.
I’m gonna print the lyrics here and the song link in comments, cos FB tends to defeat the spread of posts that take you elsewhere. But please, go to the song. The melody makes it work. The song’s got hooks, passion, vehemence, anger.
Bruce Springsteen, ‘Streets of Minneapolis’
Through the winter’s ice and cold
Down Nicollet Avenue
A city aflame fought fire and ice
‘Neath an occupier’s boots
King Trump’s private army from the DHS
Guns belted to their coats
Came to Minneapolis to enforce the law
Or so their story goes
Against smoke and rubber bullets
By the dawn’s early light
Citizens stood for justice
Their voices ringing through the night
And there were bloody footprints
Where mercy should have stood
And two dead left to die on snow-filled streets
Alex Pretti and Renee Good
Oh our Minneapolis, I hear your voice
Singing through the bloody mist
We’ll take our stand for this land
And the stranger in our midst
Here in our home they killed and roamed
In the winter of ’26
We’ll remember the names of those who died
On the streets of Minneapolis
Trump’s federal thugs beat up on
His face and his chest
Then we heard the gunshots
And Alex Pretti lay in the snow, dead
Their claim was self defense, sir
Just don’t believe your eyes
It’s our blood and bones
And these whistles and phones
Against Miller and Noem’s dirty lies
Oh our Minneapolis, I hear your voice
Crying through the bloody mist
We’ll remember the names of those who died
On the streets of Minneapolis
Now they say they’re here to uphold the law
But they trample on our rights
If your skin is black or brown my friend
You can be questioned or deported on sight
In chants of ICE out now
Our city’s heart and soul persists
Through broken glass and bloody tears
On the streets of Minneapolis
Oh our Minneapolis, I hear your voice
Singing through the bloody mist
Here in our home they killed and roamed
In the winter of ’26
We’ll take our stand for this land
And the stranger in our midst
We’ll remember the names of those who died
On the streets of Minneapolis
We’ll remember the names of those who died
On the streets of Minneapolis
Bruce Springsteen - Streets Of Minneapolis
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It’s bass time again, because 90 years ago today the American bass player James Jamerson was born. Yet another of the musicians you may never have heard of, still you most probably have heard him.
James Jamerson played bass in the Tamla Motown house band from 1959 to 1973. So he played on songs by The Temptations, Marvin Gaye, The Supremes, The Four Tops, The Miracles, Stevie Wonder and practically all of the other Motown acts back then.
It is said that between 1963 and 1968 James Jamerson was the bass player on nearly every Motown recording, including over 60 songs that made the top 15 in the US charts. 23 of these made number 1. The only other bass player who surpasses this number is a certain Paul McCartney.
After Motwon James Jamerson continued to do session work, appearing on records by among others Aretha Franklin, Robert Palmer and Dennis Wilson. Sadly enough, in addition to being an influential bass player, James Jamerson also struggled with alkoholism for most of his adult life. This was to be the end of him, and he passed away in 1983 at the age of 47. He has a well deserved mention in our music topic now.
To James Jamerson’s memory I’ve picked a Marvin Gaye classic, which unfortunately is just as relevant today 55 years after it was released, perhaps even more so.
Marvin Gaye - What’s Going On (1971, official video from 2019)
Let me end this post on a positive note. We can only hope. Here’s another classic feauturing James Jamerson on bass.
Martha & The Vandellas - Dancin’ In the Streets (1964)
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there are allready a lot of songs from the Allman brothers in here, but this one is surely missing untill now
Allman Brothers - Melissa
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now a few posts on one song which has been performed by a lot of artists
I start with the original
Dee Dee Warwick - You’re No Good
The country version by Dolly
Dolly Parton - You’re No Good
The most wellknown version
Linda Ronstadt - You’re No Good
and finally the hard version from Van Halen
Van Halen - You’re No Good
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Happy Birthday to Phil Collins, who is turning 75 today! He is one of the biggest solo artist for the past 45 years or so. Then there’s Genesis of course, where he went from drummer to front man in 1975, making them one of the biggest bands in the world for the past…45 years or so. Happy Birthday to Phil
Genesis - The Carpet Crawlers (live 2007)
It seems that most younger Genesis fans are not aware of the fact that Phil Collins was a very skilled drummer back in his prime. Besides being a full time member of Genesis; from 1976 to 1982 he sat in with the English jazz-rock band Brand X. He mostly played on the six albums the band released in this period, but occasionally he did appear live with them too. Phil Collins on drums 
Brand X - And So To F (live 1979)
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Yes, Marty too of course. Marty Balin (1942-2018) was the third of the main vocalists in Jefferson Airplane/Starship. He was born 84 years ago today. To his memory, I might as well slip in a couple of old favourites of mine here, both written by Marty. A toast to Marty Balin
Jefferson Airplane - If You Feel (live in Germany 1968)
Jefferson Starship - Miracles (1975)
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The American guitarist Terry Kath is often considered to be one of the greatest “lost” guitar players in the history of rock music. Some have even argued that he is the GOAT, better than Hendrix and all the other ususal suspects who always show up at the top when guitarists are being ranked. This actually includes Hendrix himself, who is said to have named Terry Kath one of his favourite guitar players, and the best “in the universe”.
Terry Kath co-founded the band Chicago Transit Authority in 1968. Due to there being a transport company with the same name, the band had to shorten their name to Chicago. During the 1970’s and 80’s Chicago went on to become one of the biggest bands in the world, with numerous hit singles in sevareal countries, many at number 1. In the US Chicago is ranked at number 13 of the artists/bands who’ve had most singles in the top 100.
As both guitarist and occasional singer, Terry Kath was part of this success up until 1978, when he tragically passed away in a bizarre manner. Believing it was empty, he put a gun to his head and pulled the trigger. The gun was not empty and he died instantly, only eight days short of turning 32.
Terry Kath would have turned 80 today. Here’s a song to his memory, with some excellent guitar from him. Whether he was the best “in the universe” may be up for debate. Only one thing is sure. Terry Kath was a damn fine guitar player
Chicago - 25 or 6 to 4 (live 1970)
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Happy Birthday to the English singer John Lydon, who is turning 70 today. He’s been a contoversial figure in rock for the last 50 years, for good or bad. I don’t think he would have wanted it any other way. Anyway, some great music has come from it all. First with the Sex Pistols and their iconic debut album, and then with Public Image Ltd, who are still going strong, with a tour in South America and Europe scheduled from April to June later this year
Sex Pistols - Anarchy In the UK (1976)
Public Image Ltd - Disappointed (1989)
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Lindisfarne - January Song (1971)
I got an idea for a challenge for myself, and everyone else for that matter. I’ll try to get every month of 2026 into this topic. I almost missed with my idea, but it is still January 
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Joy Division - New Dawn Fades (1979)
Grumpy already posted this song in 2023, but for me it’s the best song I’ve heard today – so I feel free for posting it again. (This song is the closing song in one of my absolute favorite movies: ‘The Equalizer’).
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