Jingle Jangle Jungle

Auld Lang Syne  is traditionally sung at midnight when horns are blown, confetti is thrown, and a general party atmosphere is created to ring in the New Year with happiness and hope for a bright and prosperous year. The outgoing year is often represented by an elderly man known as Father Time and the new year is represented by a baby known as Baby New Year. Auld Lang Syne Robert Burns (circa 1700) Should auld acquaintance be forgot, and never brought to mind? Should auld acquaintance be forgot and days of auld lang syne? For auld lang syne, my dear, For auld lang syne, We'll take a cup o' kindness yet For auld lang syne We twa hae run aboot the braes And pou'd the gowans fine; we've wander'd mony a weary foot Sin' auld lang syne We two hae paidled i' the burn, Frae mornin' sun till dine; But seas between us braid hae roar'd Sin' auld lang syne And here's a hand, my trusty friend, And gie's a hand o' t

Continuing on with the Cowboy Song theme for this week... This particular song stands out as one that I was fascinated with. I loved it whenever it played on the 8-track. "(Ghost) Riders in the Sky: A Cowboy Legend" was written in 1948 by Stan Jones. A number of versions were crossover hits on the pop charts in 1949. The ASCAP database lists the song as "Riders in the Sky", but the title has been written as "Ghost Riders", "Ghost Riders in the Sky", and "A Cowboy Legend". The song tells a folk tale of a cowboy who has a vision of red-eyed, steel-hooved cattle thundering across the sky, being chased by the spirits of damned cowboys. One warns him that if he does not change his ways, he will be doomed to join them, forever "trying to catch the Devil's herd across these endless skies". Jones said that he had been told the story when he was 12 years old by an old cowboy friend. More than 50 performers have recorded ve

One of my longer-known friends (notice I didn't say 'OLD') challenged me recently to blog about Old School Country Music. He had a specific artist in mind. This particular artist is one that I have enjoyed listening to in my much much younger days. (I think we wore out the record) But before I can write about this specific artist, I need to go back even further in Country Music, back to a time when it was simply called "Western Music" or "Cowboy Songs" So, apologies to my dear friend, Arnold, but please indulge me while I take us back in time before I talk about you know who ;) 1949 My Dad and Grandfather Fort Owen Ranch, Stevensville, Montana You know how some songs just take you to a favorite memory? Well, I was listening to some tunes from the 'mystery' artist referred to in the above paragraph, and I was transported to a place in time. Life was so much simpler when I was younger. We weren't really farmers, per se. But my parents

This week I've been blogging about Dave Grohl and the various bands/projects that he was/is involved with.  Today we wrap up the week with  -  Taylor Hawkins Okay, sure. Taylor isn't Dave. But He's on topic, as he is a Foo Fighter . But did you also know this about Taylor? Prior to joining the Foo Fighters in 1997, he was the touring drummer for Alanis Morissette on her Jagged Little Pill and Can't Not Tour, as well as the drummer in a progressive experimental band called Sylvia. His cousin, Kevin Harrell, introduced him to Dave Grohl after camping with him for several weeks in the Ozarks.  He was voted "Best Rock Drummer" in 2005 by the UK drumming magazine Rhythm. In 2004, Hawkins formed his own side project, Taylor Hawkins and the Coattail Riders, in which he plays drums and sings. He occasionally plays with a Police cover band alternately called "The Cops" and "Fallout." At Live Earth in 2007, Hawkins was part of SOS

This week I've been blogging about Dave Grohl and the various bands/projects that he was/is involved with. On today's docket  -  Foo Fighters After the death of Kurt Cobain and dissolution of Nirvana in 1994, Dave Grohl set out to do a one-man project. The group got its name from the UFOs and various aerial phenomena that were reported by Allied aircraft pilots in World War II, which were known collectively as foo fighters. The debut album is unique in that Dave Grohl played and recorded each of the instruments for the entire album. Before the album was released, Grohl recruited bassist Nate Mendel and drummer William Goldsmith (both formerly of Sunny Day Real Estate), as well as guitartist Pat Smear (who formerly toured as a bandmate with Nirvana ) As a band, they began performances in Portland, Oregon. Goldsmith quit during the recording of the group's second album, The Colour and the Shape (1997) when most of the drum parts were re-recorded by Grohl himself. Sme

Merry Christmas everyone!  Taking the day off to enjoy the holiday. Regular postings will return tomorrow.  Stay Tuned and keep Rockin' !  http://youtu.be/teSuDu84kMc Just a little fun for the day :) http://youtu.be/ysIzPF3BfpQ Home Free is an American a cappella group of five vocalists, Austin Brown, Rob Lundquist, Chris Rupp, Tim Foust and Adam Rupp. Starting as a show group, they toured around 200 shows a year across the United States. The group competed in and won the fourth season of The Sing-Off on NBC in 2013; singing an arrangement of Hunter Hayes' "I Want Crazy," as their final competitive song; earning the group $100,000 and a recording contract with Sony. Home Free released their first album "Crazy Life" on February 18, 2014. It was released digitally on January 14, 2014.

This week I'll be blogging about Dave Grohl and the various bands/projects that he was/is involved with. Next up on the docket  -  Them Crooked Vultures .  Dave Grohl is the drummer and co-founder of the rock supergroup Them Crooked Vultures . Formed together with John Paul Jones (former member of Led Zeppelin ) and Josh Homme (of Queens Of the Stone Age and Kyuss), and guitarist Alain Johannes (joins during live performances) The band began recording in February 2009, and performed their first gig on August 9, 2009, in Chicago, followed by a European debut on August 19. On October 1 the group embarked on a worldwide tour titled Deserve the Future with dates going into 2010. The band's first single "New Fang" was released in October 2009, followed by the group's self-titled debut album the following month, debuting at number 12 on the Billboard 200. The group won the 2011 Grammy Award for Best Hard Rock Performance for "New Fang" . In Decembe

This week I'll be blogging about Dave Grohl and the various bands/projects that he was/is involved with. Next up on the docket  -  Queens of the Stone Age. Queens of the Stone Age began with Josh Homme in 1996. After the breakup of Kyuss in 1995, Homme had briefly joined Screaming Trees as a touring guitarist, before deciding to form a new band of his own. Originally naming his new project 'Gamma Ray', Homme changed the name in 1997, as German power metal band Gamma Ray, who have been around since 1989, was threatening to sue. The band's second album "Rated R" garnered positive reviews and received a lot more attention than their debut, despite the fact that the lyrics to "Feel Good Hit of the Summer" were deemed by mega-retailer Wal-Mart to promote drug use, almost causing the record to get pulled from store shelves. The success of the record also earned the band notable opening slots with The Smashing Pumpkins , Foo Fighters, Hole, and a p

This week I'll be blogging about Dave Grohl and the various bands/projects that he was/is involved with. First up on the docket  -  Nirvana. I can't say for certain, but I'm pretty sure if there were no Nirvana, Dave Grohl may or may not have become the person he is today.  Nirvana literally means "blown out", as in a candle. It is most commonly associated with Buddhism. In Indian religions, the attainment of nirvana is moksha, liberation from the repeating cycle of birth, life and death (reincarnation). In the Buddhist context nirvana refers to the imperturbable stillness of mind after the fires of desire, aversion, and delusion have been finally extinguished. In Hindu philosophy, it is the union with the divine ground of existence Brahman (Supreme Being) and the experience of blissful egolessness. Nirvana was an American rock band that was formed by singer/guitarist Kurt Cobain and bassist Krist Novoselic in Aberdeen, Washington. Nirvana went through a

If you are just joining us...I'm tackling the bands/artists that everyone loves to hate - justified or not. Taylor Swift This one I have mixed feelings about. Taylor first came to mind due to her collection of songs based on her past relationships. It became a running joke - Don't date Taylor Swift or you'll end up being her next song! But let's face it. Taylor started out as a pop/country music artist, and what country music artist hasnt written about love gone wrong? To that, I give her credit.  What I don't understand is why she pulled all of her music from Spotify. A quick Bio... Swift moved to Nashville, Tennessee at the age of 14 to pursue a career in country music. She signed with the independent label Big Machine Records and became the youngest songwriter ever hired by the Sony/ATV Music publishing house. The release of Swift's self-titled debut album in 2006 established her as a country music star. " Our Song ", her third single, ma

If you are just joining us...  this week I'm tackling the bands/artists that everyone loves to hate - justified or not. Justin Bieber Oh my... Another one that I can completely understand. So many reasons to dislike this dude. And frankly, I just dont have the time to list them all. Let's just say he is an ego-centric self-righteous elitist.  What I will do, is leave you with this article found at guardianlv.com Justin Bieber seems to be hated by everybody. He was punched by none other than the Lord of the Rings star, Orlando Bloom, when Bieber went to taunt him about his alleged affair with Bloom’s ex-wife. Orlando is said to have shot from his seat and gone straight for the uber-brat before anybody could stop him — not that anybody tried very hard. It has been reported that there were and still are more celebrities applauding Orlando’s punches, directed at Bieber, than those who are opposed to Bloom’s actions. This drama was played out at Ibiza where most celebri

Hello fans of Jingle Jangle Jungle! I'm writing this note because in just a few hours I will be having majory surgery. Don't worry, you wont miss out on any posts. I've pre-written them and they are scheduled to post daily. It would be most helpful to me if you could continue to comment and share the blog with your friends and social medias. If you have stopped by the blog lately, you will see that I've made some changes. I de-cluttered the main page, and added a tab that lists the artists & bands that I have written about in alphabetical order. So if you missed any previous posts - be sure to check that out. Thank you for your continued support. I'll be back in a day or two to respond to your comments.

If you are just joining us...  I'm tackling the bands/artists that everyone loves to hate - justified or not. Lady Gaga This one I understand. Her style is so far-fetched and over the top that it is overly distracting. Her meat dress and other outlandish outfits leave anyone with any kind of fashion sense wanting to scratch their eyes out. Unfortunately for her, once seen has destroyed all abilities to listen to the music, even with the eyes closed. Lady Gaga is the stage name for Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta. Gaga rose to prominence with her debut album The Fame (2008), a critical and commercial success which produced global chart-topping singles such as " Just Dance " and " Poker Face ". A follow-up EP, The Fame Monster (2009), was met with similar reception and released the successful singles " Bad Romance ", " Telephone ", and " Alejandro ". Her second full-length album Born This Way was released in 2011, to

If you are just tuning in... I'm tackling the bands/artists that everyone loves to hate - justified or not. Hoobastank is best known for their hit "The Reason" , which peaked at #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2004. They formed in 1994 in Agoura Hills, California, with singer Doug Robb, guitarist Dan Estrin, drummer Chris Hesse, and original bassist Markku Lappalainen. They were signed to Island Records from 2001 to 2012 and have released five albums and one extended play to date. Their sixth studio album, Fight or Flight, was released on September 11, 2012. They have sold 10 million albums worldwide. Hoobastank is also another band that I just dont understand the hate toward, and again, I needed to hit up my social media to find out why. Here are the reasons (no pun intended): They cant sing live. The music is ok but the vocals suck! They are bland and have nothing different to offer the world of music. They're very generic and dull.  They don't really

This week I'm tackling the bands/artists that everyone loves to hate - justified or not. Nickelback Personally, I've never understood the hate for Nickelback. I actually like them (don't stone me!) I've always thought of their music as 'Angry White Girl Music' and I don't mean this in a racist way, either.  It's the kind that you listen to when you are mad at the world. Because I just don't understand why everyone loves to hate on Nickelback, I took my question to various groups of social media. The response was interesting. While many were like me, and didn't quite understand the hate, I did get these responses: All their music sounds the same and is formula (Yes, but so does Rihanna, Linkin Park, Katy Perry, Disturbed and MOST artists today) Chad Kroeger is a douche (So is Kanye West, but... okay, I'll give you this one) Chad Kroeger looks like a rapist. His goatee looks like even it’s embarrassed to be stuck to his chin, and

This week I'm going to tackle the bands/artists that everyone loves to hate - justified or not . Let's start with Metallica Metallica was probably one of the first successful underground bands. They became well known by their underground marketing methods - their music shared by others without the means of mainstream marketing. Copies of cassettes were made and passed around with a wink and a nod. It was everybody's secret.  This is how Metallica literally became a household name among music lovers, especially those who enjoy the metal genre. AND THEN...   Napster Happened   In 2000, Metallica discovered that a demo of its song "I Disappear", which was supposed to be released in combination with the Mission: Impossible II soundtrack, was receiving radio airplay. Tracing the source of the leak, the band found the file on the Napster peer-to-peer file-sharing network, and also found that the band's entire catalog was freely availab

Wrapping up the week of Reggae/Hip Hop/Ska... Who are the Mighty Mighty BossToneS? Since their inception in 1984, The Mighty Mighty BossToneS have been one of rock music’s most prolific touring and recording bands. During their 27 year career they have played thousands of shows all over the world and released a slew of ground breaking albums. The BossToneS formed when Cambridge, Massachusetts high school chums Joe Gittleman, Nate Albert and Ben Carr approached Dicky Barrett about fronting their new band. Barrett agreed and brought in his pals Tim Bridwell and Tim Burton on horns. They were joined by drummer Josh Dalsimer. In early 1984 the band played its first gigs in several clubs and barrooms around Boston. Barrett, Gittleman, Burton and Carr have remained constant members. The current line-up also includes drummer Joe Sirois, who replaced Dalsimer in 1991, Saxaphonist Kevin Lenear, an early member who left the band in 1998 and returned in 2008, and guitarist Lawrence Katz a

Continuing the theme of  Reggae/Hip Hop/Ska... With the return of the punks in the mid-'90s came a resurgence of their slightly more commercial rivals, new wave bands. No Doubt found a niche as a new wave/ska band, on the strength of vocalist Gwen Stefani's persona -- alternately an embrace of little-girl-lost innocence and riot grrrl feminism -- exemplified on the band's break-out single, " Just a Girl ." Formed in early 1987 as a ska band inspired by Madness, the lineup of No Doubt initially comprised John Spence, Gwen Stefani, and her brother Eric. While playing the party-band circuit around Anaheim, the trio picked up bassist Tony Kanal, born in India but raised in Great Britain and the U.S. Hardened by the suicide of Spence in December 1987, No Doubt nevertheless continued; Gwen became the lone vocalist and the group added guitarist Tom Dumont and drummer Adrian Young. The Beacon Street Collection No Doubt's live act began to attract regional int

UB40 are a British reggae/pop band formed in 1978 in Birmingham, England. The band has had more than 50 singles in the UK Singles Chart, and has also achieved considerable international success. They have been nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album four times, and in 1984 were nominated for the Brit Award for Best British Group. Their hit singles include their debut " Food for Thought " and two U.S. Billboard Hot 100 number ones with " Red Red Wine " and " Can't Help Falling in Love ". Both of these also topped the UK Singles Chart, as did the band's version of " I Got You Babe ". The ethnic makeup of the band's original lineup was diverse, with musicians of English, Scottish, Irish, Yemeni and Jamaican parentage. Ali Campbell left the band in 2008 after 30 years with the band, and has since released four reggae-themed solo collections, along with Virtue, who left UB40 soon after Ali, joining him on keyboards. As

One can not simply have a reggae/hip hop/ska week and not mention this guy! I had a hard time paring down his biography, so please let me indulge you with what is written on his website www.bobmarley.com The Bob Marley biography provides testament to the unparalleled influence of his artistry upon global culture. Since his passing on May 11, 1981, Bob Marley’s legend looms larger than ever, as evidenced by an ever-lengthening list of accomplishments attributable to his music, which identified oppressors and agitated for social change while simultaneously allowing listeners to forget their troubles and dance. Bob Marley was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994; in December 1999, his 1977 album “ Exodus ” was named Album of the Century by Time Magazine and his song “ One Love ” was designated Song of the Millennium by the BBC. Since its release in 1984, Marley’s “ Legend ” compilation has annually sold over 250,000 copies according to Nielsen Sound