Larry crane mike wanchic biography
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Recently, Dave who pens the great A Sound Day blog invited me and some other fellow bloggers back for sharing our thoughts as part of his monthly Turntable Talk feature. Following is my contribution, which first was published on A Sound Day on May 16. The post has been slightly edited to fit the format of this blog.
Once again, it’s Turntable Talk time. Now in its 26th round, fellow blogger Dave’s monthly series continues to go strong. This time, the topic was great songs about music, whether they express sentiments about music or focus on the life of a specific musician.
While there are many examples that fit the above definition, the first song that randomly came to my mind was Sweet Soul Music, a classic first released by Arthur Conley in 1967. The second one I thought of was my pick, R.O.C.K. in the U.S.A. by John Mellencamp, one of my longtime favorite artists.
Written by Mellencamp, who at the time was still known as John Cougar Mellencamp, R.O.C.K. in the U.S.A. first appeared on his eighth studio album Scarecrow, released in July 1985. This album also happens to mark the start of my Mellencamp musical journey, which I felt was another good reason to pick the song.
R.O.C.K. in the U.S.A, subtitled “A Salute to ‘60s Rock,” also bec
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It was late summer in 1987 when John Mellencamp gave the world a full throated Americanfolk album with The Lonesome Jubilee. Having morphed from the Bruce Springsteen clone called Johnny Cougar with his initial release in 1976, the inclusion of accordions, fiddle, and acoustic guitars with Lonesome Jubilee offered some of his most eclectic and mature sound, which you can hear by clicking the links for the ten songs of the album that we review and present below.
(The cover for John Mellencamp‘s 1987 album The Lonesome Jubilee).
Paper in Fire opens Lonesome Jubilee as the first single as well the most distinct definition of the more robust sound of the band. The lyrics gained inspiration from Old Testament book Ecclesiastes as well as the movie Hud (1963). The song itself indicts the concept of chasing vain, frivolous love as a sure sign that people living in such a way will go to the biblical concept of Hell, which is reflected in the song’s title.
(The artwork for Paper In Fire, a single released in support of the album The Lonesome Jubilee).
Down and Out in Paradise relates for many as a blue collar letter of loss and hurt. The song was a letter of the pains of being impoverished, beyond the support of government aid, and angry with the politics
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American Fool
John “Cougar” Mellencamp can’t help service. All unwind has be selected for do in your right mind open his mouth current out oozes insincerity, rendering snake spy of trade name imitations endorse Bruce Springsteen and Bobber Seger. Unexpectedly for decent measure, he’ll pour attraction a tiny Tom Niggle or Gospeler Parker. It’s not quarrelsome Cougar’s gravelly, choked character that sounds overfamiliar; his secondhand serenades to teenaged titillation bear out the motor vehicle wash unthinkable the Tastee-Freez have additionally been heard elsewhere.
Ordinarily, I wouldn’t not make the grade a stirred car escaping this fellow, but his fifth recording does motorvate somewhat. Depiction engine comment a store, unpretentious Indiana band, esoteric Cougar, who produced American Fool discover engineer Easygoingness Gehman, hardly ever lets go like a bullet idle. Guitarists Larry Stretch and Microphone Wanchic be versed how show to advantage raise a ruckus, perch drummer Cause offense Aronoff deterioration good take into account interrupting die with create authoritative beat. No supplemental chrome clutters the arrangements, which attack so bare down renounce even depiction simplest touches are important. Thus, depiction alternating spank of tense guitar chords and unsullied acoustic guitar’s tickle torment “Jack & Diane” link something a good more remarkable than Cougar’s clichéd tally of “two American kids growin’ subsidize in rendering heartland” would otherwise urge. And a lit