Exploring REGGAETON Music and Dances

Photo  by ElNene2k13 

Reggaeton is a type of urban music that has become widespread in popularity among young music lovers in Latin America, North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia. Reggaeton music originated in Panama and caters to Hispanic youth, with rapping and singing often in Spanish. The music is a blend of Jamaican style music such as dancehall and reggae and Latin America style music such as salsa, bomba, plena, merengue, bachata, hip hop, bolero, R&B, and Latin pop.

Reggaeton music boasts its own specific rhythm and beat. The rhythm of reggaeton is often referred to as "Dem Bow." The name Dem Bow references the title of a dancehall song from the 1990s by Shabba Ranks. Though the music genre of reggaeton is mostly associated with Puerto Rico (where this style of music was popularized and became famous), the lyrics are more hip-hop type lyrics than dancehall. 

The Beat of Reggaeton

It's the reggaeton beat, or Dem Bow, that drives the music and dances. The beat is described as a drum-machine track that originated with Jamaican dancehall rhythm. Reggaeton combines a syncopated snare and steady kick drum to create an unusual rhythm. There's a 4/4 beat emphasized by the kick drum, and the snare starts with the "and" of the 3rd 8th note and right on the 4th 8th note. There are about 95 beats per minute, and the result is a magnified "boom-ch-boom-chick" sounding beat.

Reggaeton beat sounds are usually synthesized electronically. There are also simple melodies created with electronic instruments, keyboards, and electric guitars. The beats are versatile and can be based on the bolero, hip-hop, salsa, merengue, bachata, or other similar beats. 

The Reggaeton Dance

Sensual (and controversial) dancing can often be seen in reggaeton clubs or on music videos. The perreo type dance is a form of grinding dance derived from Puerto Rico. The dance puts women in control of the dance and is very provocative in its nature. Perreo moves are popular in dancehall, rhythm and blues, and hip-hop music as well. A slightly calmer form of reggaeton dancing is cumbia, which was originally a folk dance and music from Colombia. Like perreo, the cumbia dance is flirtatious in nature with the women luring the men toward them and then pushing them away.

Some of the leading artists in reggaeton include CandyMan, Esko, Fito Blanko, Nicky Jam, La Fabrica, Don Miguelo, Daddy Yankee, De la Ghetto, DJ Blass, Baby Rasta & Gringo, Don Chezina, Lito & Polaco, Eddie Dee, Adassa, El Chombo, and Tony Touch. Some popular producers of reggaeton music are Eliel, Luny Tunes, and Noriega.

With the widespread popularity of reggaeton music, there are now many radio stations specializing in this type of music. There are also online radio venues where fans can download music, listen online, or watch the reggaeton music video of choice. The major benefit of online radio is fans can listen to their favorite music or watch their favorite videos around the clock.

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BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN - Magic

Springsteen performing on the Tunnel of Love Express at the Radrennbahn Weißensee in East Berlin on July 19, 1988. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The embodiment of the American dream

Bruce Springsteen, an influential American singer-songwriter, and guitarist was born in 1949 in a small New-Jersean town. He made up his mind to be a musician at 7, having seen Elvis Presley’s concert on TV. His parents were rather poor, and Bruce’s mother had to take a loan to buy him a good guitar. That is why the main themes of Springsteen’s music are people living from hand to mouth and politics. Bruce started making performances in 1965, in 1972 he gathered the E Street Band, though for a couple of years it was not called so.

Springsteen and the E Street Band worked together for many years, though parted in 1989. Bruce Springsteen is best known for his albums Born To Run and Born In The U.S.A. He has multiple Grammies and an Oscar for the Philadelphia soundtrack. He is also the inventor of lo-fi music that became the cult genre now among indie-rockers. In the early 2000s, Springsteen reunited with the E Street Band. In 2007 the artist recorded Magic, his long-awaited and first in about 5 years album with the E Street Band.

Magic: magically good

Magic contains 10 brand new songs by Springsteen and one already heard, Long Walk Home. The first single from the album, Radio Nowhere, is a very touching composition with deep lyrics. Girls In Their Summer Clothes is a very good rock song with the E Street Band have done their best. A very beautiful work is for sure Gypsy Byker, it has an upbeat romantic melody reminding of traveling at high speeds on the American highways.

Magic, the title track of the album, can boast of a wonderful arrangement and meditative melody, creating magical atmosphere thanks to the rhythmic tinkling of the tambourine. The final track on Magic, Devil’s Arcade, is the only one that deals with politics. It has a very strong lyrics and powerful images that are sure to leave no one calm. This song gives a perfect insight into Springsteen’s origination and his political views. Moreover, after listening to it leaves everyone with a clear own view on these questions even if you are far from it all.

New masterpiece of the American rock-idol

Magic is the less politically oriented album by Springsteen in the last decade. The several previous albums (both with the E Street Band and without) were dedicated to the protests against George W. Bush as a candidate at the presidential elections, the Iraq War and the tragedy of September 11, 2001. The reason for such change is not commented by the musician. Maybe he just got tired of politics. Moreover, Magic was recorded in an extremely amusing way - during two months the E Street Band recorded on weekends, while Springsteen and his producer Brendan O’Brien worked over the vocals and made the dubbing on weekdays.

It can be said about the result that this album is also the most guitar accentuated of all Springsteen’s creativity. And as for the sound, there are more romantic and pop moments on Magic that were not typical of Bruce recently, though were very usual on his very first records. Anyway, it is an extremely good rock record by Springsteen and his friends from the E Street Band that has great moments and for sure features, some of the best songs Bruce has ever written.

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CHORD SPELLING

Dominant thirteenth chord in C major (minor) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Understanding Chord Symbols 

With the growing interest in Jazz and other forms of music, I find more and more people asking about chord symbols and chord construction. While there are many books out there on the market, there is very little explanation of how chords symbols are interpreted. I’d like to share some of my insight with all you music enthusiasts. In many song sheets, chords are given for guitar or keyboard players. Functional names are not used for this purpose. Instead, the root and quality of the chord are given in what may be termed lead-sheet notation (for example, Amaj and F#dim7).

Chord symbols are made up of 3 component parts:

1. The ROOT

The alphabetical name of a chord.

i.e. A, Bb, G F# etc.

2. The Chord Type

Indicating either Major, minor, dominant, augmented or diminished.

3. The extension:

Tones added to the basic three note chord (triad) that changes its sound but not its type. Extensions are represented by scale step numbers i.e. 9, 11, 13 

Here are the basic chord types:

MAJOR indicated by GMaj., GMa, GM or just G (Note: the capital “M” is used to designate Major chords.) Major chords are sometimes written without chord type designation. Symbols are also used to designate Major chords i.e.,.

Minor Indicated by Gmin., Gmi, Gm or G- (NOTE: The lower case “m” is used to designate minor chords).

Dominant 7 Indicated with only the root and extension numbers. Since some major chords and all dominant 7 chords can be written without chord type designations, the following will help you to distinguish between a major chord and a dominant chord: If the FIRST extension number following the root or letter name of the chord is 7 or greater, and it does not specifically state major or minor then it is a dominant chord.

EXAMPLE: C7b5, C13, C9, and C7sus4 are all dominant chords, but Cm11 is a minor chord and CMaj.9 is a major chord.

If the FIRST extension number following the root or letter name of the chord is 6 or under, it is a major chord.

EXAMPLE: C6/9, C2, Csus4 are all major chords

Augmented These are 3 note chords indicated by G aug, G+, or G#5

EXCEPTION: G+7 is always a dominant chord as is G7#5

Diminished  Indicated by G dim, Gdim7, or Gº, or Gº7

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BLACK SABBATH - My Opinions

Sabbath Bloody Sabbath (song) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

My Opinion

It is my pleasure to voice my comments about the mighty Black Sabbath. I count black Sabbath among the most influential musical acts in the rock genre and particularly hard rock.At the time when Sabbath was developing their activities leading up to 1970 album Black Sabbath, there was nothing in that time frame that could be characterized as really heavy music.

Led Zeppelin at that period was heavier than most. Sabbath was tackling some of the same occult subjects that were loosely covered in some of Zeppelin’s earlier stuff. Sabbath was also adding a musical heaviness to match the dark subject matter they were writing about. When it comes to the members of the band, I don’t think anyone would say Ozzy was the best singer when Sabbath was first on the scene, but Tony Iommi’s down-tuned Gibson SG riffs were innovative in their heaviness. When you compare Ironman, one of Sabbath’s premiere tunes, with any other song from that year there is no denying it was the heavier than anything. It was the beginning of heavy metal.

If you like Sabbath

If you like Sabbath and are trying to find similar bands, you can see Sabbath’s inspiration in any heavy band in the last 30 years. More recently High on Fire and their album Blessed Black Wings. If you are really into Sabbath and haven’t heard anything by Motorhead you need do not go another day without listening to them. There’s no denying if you are really into Black Sabbath then you will like Motorhead.

Cream of the Crop

Some of my personal favorite Black Sabbath songs are War Pigs and a lesser known song of Sabbath which I think everyone should check out is Supernaut off Black Sabbath Vol. 4. Other classics are Iron Man and Paranoid.

The members of Black Sabbath include Tony Iommi (guitar), John "Ozzy" Osbourne (vocals), Terry "Geezer" Butler (bass) and Bill Ward (drums). They were originally known as Earth but changed their name to Black Sabbath in 1969. Their albums include Black Sabbath, Paranoid, Master of Reality, Black Sabbath Vol. 4 Victor, Sabbath Bloody Sabbath, Sabotage Castle, Technical Ecstasy, and Never Say Die!.

And more Information on Wikipedia ...

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INDIE Music

The indie music project is known as BOBBY. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Indie music is a type of alternative rock which exists in the independent music world. The word is periodically used to refer to all underground music and is the opposite of indie pop music. Indie rock music places an emphasis on electric instruments such guitars and drums. Musicians in the genre are also known for using abstract sounds. The term indie rock is used because musicians work under smaller record labels instead of the major record companies.

Though indie rock isn't technically a genre, it is considered to represent the underground culture in many aspects. Indie artists are known for demanding a large amount of creative control over their music, and this is something which often alienates them from larger companies. Indie artists will strictly rely on word of mouth, tours, and independent radio stations in order to promote their music. Many of the popular artists will end up becoming popular with mainstream audiences and may be signed by large record labels.

In the US indie music is considered to be a spin-off from alternative rock. The movement is believed to have been started during the 1970s or 1980s. The indie rock music of the 1980s had sounds which were described as being heavy and distorted. By the 1990s, indie music groups such as Nirvana and Pearl Jam became mainstream, and the genre became more widespread. Once the genre became popular, major record companies begin investing large amounts of money in it.

Once this happened, the term "alternative rock" became more of a misnomer. Traditionally, many musicians who have signed with major record companies were considered to be "sell-outs" by their hardcore fans. My Original Music is an indie music site located in myoriginalmusic.com. Here you can find music by independent artists from all over the world. Today, indie rock is a term which has come to describe a wide variety of music. The term indie rock has been applied to psychedelic folk, synth-pop, and post-punk.

Sometimes the term indie rock becomes blurred, and some believe that the word will soon disappear much like alternative rock did. Mainstream artists such as Britney Spears and the Backstreet Boys have been known to reach high levels on the indie music charts, especially in the United Kingdom.  Some mainstream artists have even been signed to independent record labels. Much popular indie music artist becomes mainstream, and once this happens, they are no longer independent.

Despite the fact that many indie artists become mainstream, this is not always the case. In fact, most independent artists are not mainstream and do not wish to be. Money may be a motivating factor, but many artists play their music for the passion and not the money. Many major record labels exert a large amount of control over their artists, and the music which is sold is more often the product of the record companies than the artists themselves. Because of this, many artists have fought with the major record labels over creative control of their music.

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AEROSMITH - The Story of the Bands Epic Three Decade Rise to Rock God Status

Steven Tyler and Joe Perry performing live in concert
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Music critics in the 70s widely described Aerosmith as a vulgar, cheap imitation of the Rolling Stones. Steven Tyler was often nastily referred to as a "Mick Jagger Look-alike". Even with all that criticism and negativity being hurled their way, Aerosmith kept pushing ahead. Despite the critic's ill-informed opinions, Aerosmith turned out to be one of the most popular acts of the decade.

Aerosmith's band roots were planted back in 1970 when Joe Perry and Tom Hamilton met Steven Tyler. Perry and Hamilton were already playing in a band called The Jam Band. Drummer Joey Cramer and guitarist Ray Tabano were the next members added to the band. By 1971 though, changes were already happening in the band and Tabano was replaced by Brad Whitford.

By '72 Aerosmith had developed a loyal following of fans in the Boston area. They were gaining attention from recording studios as well and landed a deal with Columbia Records. It took three years for the band to finally break into the mainstream, but the album 'Toys In The Attic' was the break they needed. Aerosmith assured their place in rock and roll history with their next album titled, 'Rocks'.

Fame and fortune, as it often does in rock and roll, brought addiction to the band in the mid 70's. Steven Tyler and Joe Perry were dubbed rocks "Toxic Twins" due to their excessive drug and alcohol use. Their drug troubles and the internal conflicts between members nearly destroyed what the band had built in the late 70's. The music they produced during these troubled times wasn't nearly as good either.

From 1977 to 1979, Aerosmith put out the 'Draw The Line' and 'Live! Bootleg' albums. Neither garnered much commercial success for the band though. Whether it was the drugs or the tension between Joe Perry and Steven Tyler, things were not good in the Aerosmith camp. After recording the studio album entitled, 'Night In The Ruts', Perry left the band to start the Joe Perry Project. Perry was replaced and the band set out on a tour to promote the new album.

The early 80's brought challenge after challenge to the Aerosmith band members. The music wasn't the same and the band's commercial success was in a serious rut. Despite several album and tour attempts, Aerosmith was in danger of losing its mega-rock band status. Steven Tyler is reported to have been so high that he passed out on-stage at least twice during this time. The negative publicity and downward spiral seemed to be putting a halt any future Aerosmith had.

By 1984, Joe Perry and Brad Whitmore had rejoined Aerosmith and the band was signed under a new record label. Their reunion tour dubbed "The Back In The Saddle Tour" brought in crowds of fans. Still, Tyler and the others hadn't changed their partying habits much and old problems began to resurface.

Finally, in '86, Steven Tyler was nearly forced into drug rehab. Tim Collins, Aerosmith's manager was certain that if Tyler didn't clean up his act, the band would be in serious trouble. Over the next couple of years, Joe Perry and the rest of the band followed Tyler's lead and entered rehab. Collins supposedly made the band a promise that if they completed rehab, he could make Aerosmith the biggest rock band in the world by 1990.

With rehab behind them, Aerosmith set to work on an album that would once again get them the attention they deserved. Their comeback album, 'Done With Mirrors' did moderately well, but it wasn't a blockbuster. It wasn't until Tyler and Perry teamed up with Run DMC for a remake of "Walk This Way" that Aerosmith got the attention of the younger generation. While that single was peaking on the charts, Aerosmith released their 'Permanent Vacation' album.

'Permanent Vacation' was the monster album Aerosmith had been trying to create. It spawned three top 20 singles and videos. 'Dude Looks Like A Lady' topped the charts at number 14, 'Angel' soared to number 3 and 'Rag Doll' made it up to the number 17 spot. By all accounts, Aerosmith was back in their groove.

Aerosmith proved that they were back in a big way when they followed up 'Permanent Vacation' with 'Pump'. Settling in at the number 5 spot on the charts, 'Pump' went quadruple-platinum. "Janies Got A Gun", one of the singles from the album, earned Aerosmith a Best Rock Performance Grammy in 1990.

With their mega-rockstar status fully restored, Aerosmith spent the rest of the nineties doing what they do best. They produced several hit albums including 'Get a Grip' which hit Number One. In 1994 Aerosmith's greatest-hits package, Big Ones made it up to number six. Three years later, 'Nine Lives' entered the charts at number one.

In 2001, Aerosmith was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall Of fame. There's no doubt that these hard-core rockstars have earned it in every way possible. The coveted award was received just as Aerosmith's album 'Just Push Play' and the number 7 single, 'Pink' were released.

These days, Aerosmith has been doing what they always do, but with a twist. They're featured in one of the hottest new video games out there. And yes, they've still got their issues with addictions. Recently, Steven Tyler checked himself into rehab once again. Some habits die hard, but a great rock band like Aerosmith will live on forever.

Click here for more up-to-date information

By Vin Hayes  - Article Source: EzineArticles

 

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JIMI HENDRIX - A Vibrant Artist

Jimi Hendrix NEW (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

On November 27, 1942, the US saw the birth of an amazingly talented musician and artist in the persona of Jimi Hendrix. Born as Johnny Allen Hendrix, he had his name changed to James Marshall and eventually took the nickname "Jimmy" from his father, James Al Hendrix. His father recalls the small Jimmy using their broomstick as a guitar. This prompted him to give little Jimmy a ukulele. The boy's passion for playing guitar never dwindled since then.

Although he has no formal education in this field as he was not even able to write or read musical pieces, in just four years after starting his career, he was already recognized that time by his unique and moving style. With such expertise, he was able to render vibrant and creative rock music through the distortion of sounds and feedback with a combination of fuzz and other styles in a fascinating way.

During the Woodstock Music and Art Fair Festival in 1969, people who witnessed him play a renegade rendition of the "Star Spangled Banner" in his own musical jive, may still smile until this moment whenever they look at the USA flag as they sing The American National Anthem.

Other than his unnerving music, he was also famous for his sense of fashion. He would always be spotted wearing medallions, scarves, and rings, and, of course, his signature hairstyle.

Even in his untimely death in 1970 -- with some details still remain a mystery -- his artistry did not die. This electric guitarist and popular 1960s icon even transcended this era as until now, his effects on the new generation is still revived every time they listen to his youthful and raving music, which has captured the kind of energy trapped in the young and will continue to hold sway for more generations to come.

By Pollux Parker - Article Source: EzineArticles

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FATBOY SLIM - Norman Cook biography

Photo Wikimedia Commons.

Norman Cook has experienced an exceptionally diverse musical career. He's produced or played on records covering a multitude of genres, including indie pop, hip-hop, house and big beat, and is also one of the most famous DJs in the world under his Fatboy Slim moniker.

Fatboy was born Quentin Cook in Bromley in 1983 and grew up in Reigate in Surrey.

He was heavily into music at an early age, producing a punk fanzine as a teenager before meeting Paul Heaton at 6th form college. He went to the University of Brighton (he studied English, Sociology, and Politics) and began to DJ around the town where the club scene was thriving at that time.

In 1985 he received a call from Heaton asking him to join up with The Housemartins to replace their recently departed bassist. The group was based in Hull, and Norman (as he was now known) moved north to be with them. They soon had a hit with "Happy Hour", and eventually had a number one single in 1986 with a cover of "Caravan Of Love".

The group broke up in 1988 and Cook returned to Brighton to re-invigorate his love for the club scene. He teamed up with Lindy Layton to produce a dub house classic in "Dub Be Good To Me" (a mashup of the bassline from The Clash's "The Guns Of Brixton" and vocals inspired by SOS band's "Love Be Good To me") which went to number one.

Beats International had 2 albums before disbanding. Norman went on to form Freakpower with vocalist and brass-player Ashley Slater and had a massive hit with when it was picked up by Levi's to be used in a commercial.

The following year the band had a hit with "Rush", and the single also contained a remix by Pizzaman - another Cook alias. He went on to produce some massive club hits in the next couple of years under the Pizzaman alias - "Trippin On Sunshine", "Sex On The Streets" and "Happiness" being particularly popular.

Freakpower continued to record albums together, and in 1996 had a hit with "New Direction". This track was appropriately titled as Norman had just released a record under what was to become his most famous alias yet - that of Fatboy Slim.

Norman had teamed up with Damien Harris to create a new record label in Brighton, and Fatboy Slim's "Santa Cruz" was to be its first release. They called the label Skint Records and set themselves a mission to release music with massive beats big and basslines that would be equally popular in-house and indie clubs alike.

Fatboy had a further hit in 1996 with "Everybody Loves A 303", an homage to the classic Roland synth that still sounds fresh today. He went on to release his debut album "Better Living Through Chemistry", an album that spawned two further singles in "Going Out Of My Head" and "Punk To Funk" and helped to create the Big Beat genre.

Fatboy's hugely anticipated second album, You've Come a Long Way, Baby, followed in 1998. The album displayed huge international appeal, and went platinum in the U.S. and included two massive hits, "The Rockafeller Skank" and "Praise You", which also boasted a Spike Jonze-directed video that earned three MTV Video Music Awards as well as two Grammy nominations.

The next Fatboy Slim album, 2000's "Halfway Between The Gutter And The Stars", showed a bit more diversity and contained tracks with R&B, hip-hop and hard house influences. The big single from the album, "Star 69" contained a big sweary vocal and a huge kick drum to send the crowd mental.

Fatboy went on to release another album, 2004's Palookaville, and a compilation album and is still one of the biggest DJs and producers in the world.

Aliases: Pizzaman, Freakpower, Beats International, Mighty Dub Kats

More to Fatboy slim: Wikipedia

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Classic ROCK Performers Who Have Had A Lasting Influence On Music

Classic rock is a fundamental part of American history. Many of today's leading bands can trace their styles back to the influence of certain musicians. While every song made available to the world has had an impact on the music industry, there are certain performers who will eternally stand at the forefront of music.

From folk rock to psychedelic rock, there have been many groundbreaking sounds and voices. Here are the top ten most influential classic rock bands in history.

Elvis Presley

Photo  by cliff1066™ 

While Elvis is not traditionally viewed in the classic rock genre, it is impossible to ignore his influence on the world of Rock-n-Roll. As the first to expose mainstream America to something other than traditional family music, he faced a tremendous amount of opposition from the mainstream.

Despite the extreme racism exhibited during the 1950's, Elvis never hesitated to give appropriate credit to his inspirations. Mainly African-American performers influenced Elvis' sound and style. Southern radio disc jockeys originally refused to play Elvis' singles, because they sounded "too Negro" for white stations to air.

It was not just Elvis' sound, but also his performance, that drew controversy. The movement of his hips in a suggestive manner sparked an entire decade of debate.

Despite the firestorm of criticism that surrounded Elvis' reign, his continuing popularity has ensured that Elvis' crown as the King of Rock and Roll would remain valid for decades, even decades after his death.

The Beatles

As the best selling musical act of all-time, it is hard to deny the influence of the Beatles, not only on the musical culture of America but also on every aspect of human life. The Beatles included John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Ringo Star, and George Harrison.

Their innovative style defined the music of the 1960's -- twice. They began their career in England, and when they came to America, they were already a huge success in the United States. In their early years, they had defined pop music for a new generation.

As the hippy days of the late 1960's began to take hold of America's young people, the Beatles redefined their music again, with another new style of music lauded by the masses. Their very loud stance on drug use and war made them a controversial group, but their popularity never wavered. Although the Beatles retained the loyalty and admiration of their late 1960's audiences until the group broke up, the touring days of the Beatles ended in 1966 when John Lennon proclaimed, "The Beatles were more popular than Jesus Christ."

Bob Dylan

Dylan has one of the most easily recognizable voices in the world. Raspy and full of passion, Bob Dylan's sound is distinctive. His songs are amazing and defined a generation obsessed with the themes of social unrest, an anti-war stance, and encouragement for the civil rights movement.

A traditional folk singer, Dylan's works transcended all genres and appealed to countless young Americans. His sincere lyrics spoke to many and made it possible to empathize with his many causes.

Jimi Hendrix

Photo  by franela  

As the undisputed master of the electric guitar, Jimi Hendrix is a classic rock foundation. The self-taught guitar player refused to be limited by many of the conventional views of guitar players.

Prior to Jimi Hendrix's development as a guitar player, the electric guitar was considered to merely be a louder version of the acoustic guitar. Hendrix embraced the uniqueness of the electric guitar and showed his appreciation for it to the rest of the world.

Pink Floyd

Easily considered the greatest band of all time, Pink Floyd's unique style and showmanship defined psychedelic rock. Their concept albums were thematic masterpieces that appealed to countless audiences. The Dark Side Of The Moon, Animals, and The Wall each still stand out today as great Rock masterpieces.

The Who

Also known for their thematic records, The Who pioneered the idea of rock opera. Most famous for their collaborative efforts with every major musical figure of their time, Tommy The Rock Opera ensured the longevity of the band into the future.

Their success and fame were not limited to their unique approach to concept albums. Their musical skills are still highly regarded in both mainstream circles and in the entertainment industry. Their music is currently being used as the theme song for at least three of the most popular show on TV on the air today.

The Rolling Stones

The Rolling Stones have easily maintained their position as one of the longest lasting bands in recording history. Like most popular rock bands of the age, they were an England-based band that was more than happy to take on America.

Their grungy unkempt image became so popular; many artists are still attempting to master it. Their unique sound and high quality lyrics have kept them at the top of the charts for almost 40 years.

Cream

Cream, featuring guitarist Eric Clapton, was one of the most technically advanced music groups of their time. Their instrumental techniques became legendary and paved the way for other bands to focus on developing their instrument techniques, in addition to their lyrics.

The Doors

The Doors have always been one of the most controversial bands that had ever existed. Jim Morrison's wild behavior set the tone for the countless musical bad boys that would follow in his footsteps.

The poetic lyrics of The Doors, as well as their outrageous behavior, made them a crowd favorite.

Led Zeppelin

Photo  by DerekVelasquez 

The road to heavy metal was paved by Led Zeppelin. Their first album was pivotal in its inclusion of distorted amplification techniques. Over the years, their experimentation included mixing acoustic and electric sounds, with the addition of synthesized melodies. The success of Led Zeppelin helped establish a strong base for the development of metal music.

Few people of their generation or the current generation realize that like Elvis, Led Zeppelin took most of their inspiration from African-American performers. As a lifelong fan of Led Zeppelin, it is was oddly fascinating to listen to some of the not-so-famous African-American rhythm-and-blues performers of the 1930's, and to be able to hear the Led Zeppelin songs we have loved for years in a whole new way.

Final Thoughts

Clearly, these ten bands had a significant impact on the evolution of Rock-n-Roll music through the generations, but it is more difficult to put them into an ordered list of important groups. Let's just agree that most of us love all ten bands on this list.

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RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS Hold the Most No. 1 Modern Rock Hits

"Anthony Kiedis (lead singer).
Red Hot Chilli Pepper in concert at
The Forum, Inglewood,
California. Stadium Arcadium Tour."
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The Red Hot Chili Peppers are a popular rock band formed in 1983, based out of California.  Current band members include: Anthony Kiedis (lead vocals), Michael Balzary, or Flea (Bass), John Frusciante (Guitar/Backing vocals), and Chad Smith (Drums).  While the rock band has gone through several line-up changes and personal conflicts, the band has managed to consistently create very diverse music that combines elements of funk, punk, metal, psychedelic rock, rap, and even pop rock.  The band holds the record for the most #1 Modern Rock hits with nine under their belt, having sold a combined estimate of 50 million copies of their nine studio albums over the past 23 years.  (2006)

The band was originally formed for what was going to be a one-time performance in 1983, but would later land a record deal with EMI.  1987’s The Uplift Mofo Party Plan was the group’s first album to enter the Billboard Top 200, but it was not until the band moved to Warner Brothers Records did the group achieve major success.  In 1991, the band released their fifth album, Blood Sugar Sex Magik, which would go on to sell seven million copies in the U.S.  A year after its debut, the album still managed to climb to the #3 spot on the U.S. album charts.  The band would win a Grammy award for Best Hard Rock Performance with Vocal in 1992 for the album’s single, Give it Away.

Dave Navarro made his first appearance with the band at Woodstock 1994 and would again appear on the band’s album One Hot Minute, released in 1995.  The album turned out to be another commercial success, achieving double-platinum status in the U.S. and selling five million copies outside the U.S.  The band would later part ways with Navarro in 1998.  That same year, the band would come out with another album, Californication, which went on to become an even bigger success than Blood Sugar Sex Magik.  The album climbed to #3 in U.S. album charts and several of its songs became major hits, including: the Grammy award-winning Scar Tissue, Otherside, Californication, Around the World, Road Trippin, and Parallel Universe.

In 2001, the band released By The Way, which entered the charts at #2 and produced hit singles, including: By The Way, The Zephyr Song, Can’t Stop, Dosed, and Universally Speaking.  The group would later release their Greatest Hits album and also their first ever live album, Live in Hyde Park.  In May 2006, the band released their ninth studio album, Stadium Arcadium.  The 28-track double album garnered the band their first ever chart topper, debuting at #1 on U.S. album charts and remaining there for two weeks.   

More Information about Red Hot Chili Peppers (Wikipedia)

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HIP HOP Slang, Knowing What It’s All About

Bling Bling Bling! (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Okay, now you may be a hip hop fan that is just not with it enough.  Or, you may be new to it.  Or, you may even be a parent trying to figure out what the hip hop slang is all about.  Hey, no problem!  Let’s talk about it here.  If you are not sure what the words you are hearing mean, take a minute to check them out.  We’ll get you in touch with a few here, but know that there are some awesome websites out there that can keep you together as well.  So, don’t pretend to know what bling bling means get with it and learn the hip hop slang!

So, what is it that you do not know?  Perhaps you are not sure what all the “izzle” words are standing for?  This form of hip hop was started by Frankie Smith but has been largely popularized by Snoop Dog, a very popular hip hop artist in the current time.  These words are often just changed to add the “izzle” onto them without changing their meaning.

As for bling bling, this term is used to mean something of high worth.  Usually, it refers to expensive jewelry.  Flashy, highly valuable jewelry is very commonly considered part of the hip hop culture.  Bling bling can also be a term used for those who have a lifestyle built on excess spending and accruing wealth.  Having bling bling isn’t a bad thing!

Okay, so this is nowhere near all the information you need about hip hop slang.  So, what do you do to get what you need to know?  Translating songs or just knowing what the artists are talking about on their videos can be somewhat hard when you can’t figure out the words.  But, it isn’t meant for everyone.  If you are determined to learn what hip hop slang means, check out some of the pretty cool websites that talk about it.  Some are even in dictionary form to help you easily converse in hip hop anytime you want to.  So, get with it and learn your hip hop slang!

Author: Brent Wilson - Source: Articlecity

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THE BEATLES Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band is the Most Overrated Album of All Time

The Beatles Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band album has been universally acclaimed by critics and fans alike as one of the best albums ever made, if not THE best album ever made. Rolling Stone magazine gave the record top honors on their list of best albums of all time. Clearly the album was a breakthrough at the time it was released, due to the Beatles' use of major advancements in recording technology. But was it really the best album of all time?

Front cover of Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, "probably the most famous album cover in popular musical history"Ashplant Smyth 2001, p. 185. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The main knock on Sgt Pepper is that it is overproduced and underwritten, and contains several other flaws that do not exist on other Beatles records. Yes, I said it. There is something wrong with Sgt Pepper, and it is by far the most overrated album in the Beatles catalog, and possibly the most overrated album of all time. Here are the arguments:

1) Overproduced: The stereo effects are way too exaggerated, with vocals or other sounds panned all the way to the left or right, indicating a wild overuse of the Beatles newfound opportunity to mix a record in multitrack stereo. Albums since then, even Beatles albums subsequently produced, do not make use of such gimmicky stereo panning unless the effect is designed to be extreme. In the case of some of the tunes on Sgt Pepper, the extreme panning serves as a distraction instead of an enhancement.

2) Underwritten: Since Sgt Pepper has some of the Beatles best work, in the form of "With a Little Help From My Friends", "Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds", and the magical wonder of "Being For the Benefit of Mr. Kite", it is often overlooked that these remarkable tunes sit right next to some of the Beatles' most mediocre songwriting. Compare the songs on Sgt Pepper to other Beatles records that came before (Revolver, Rubber Soul) or after (the White Album, Abbey Road), and you'll notice that there are several tracks that don't appear as polished as the Beatles' best work.

Take "She's Leaving Home", for example, which paints a melancholy portrait of a girl's troubled life, using a string section in the background to emphasize the drama. It is reasonably effective, but compare it to "Eleanor Rigby", the standout track from Revolver, which accomplished a very similar theme with far superior results, both melodically and lyrically, and in the memorable quality of the string arrangements. If a recording of that caliber had been on Sgt Pepper in place of "She's Leaving Home", it would have improved the album immeasurably.

Next, take a look at "Lovely Rita", "Getting Better", and "Good Morning, Good Morning", the last of which John Lennon himself even dismissed as forgettable filler years later when distancing himself from the idea that Sgt Pepper was a "concept album". These tunes are rarely cited by fans as favorites, are not considered hits or classic Beatles songs, and frankly are a bit silly and lacking in prestige compared to the Beatles best work. There is nothing wrong with having them on a Beatles album, but their presence detracts from the idea that Sgt Pepper is a musical masterpiece.

3) Paul ruined "A Day in the Life": This dreamy album finale, whose primary structure was composed by John Lennon, has an unfortunate middle section written apparently too quickly by Paul McCartney. An honest listener will cringe just slightly when Paul stumbles through the awkward phrasing of the line "went upstairs and had a smoke, then somebody spoke and I went into a dream", which has too many syllables for the melody and lacks the usual careful semantics of Paul's typical songwriting. It's clear that the idea was to present a contrasting "day in the life" to the hazy meanderings of John's verses, but it just doesn't hold up, and sits as a wart on the record - a decent idea poorly executed.

4) They left out the two best songs: As many fans know, the recording sessions that spawned Sgt Pepper were actually started with the recording of two of the Beatles' undeniably finest tracks, "Penny Lane" and "Strawberry Fields Forever", which were released months before Sgt Pepper as a double A-sided single. Sir George Martin has said since that one of his biggest regrets was not holding onto those songs to include them on Sgt Pepper, where they almost certainly would have displaced weaker material like "Lovely Rita" or "She's Leaving Home". If they had been included, both tunes would have also bolstered the "concept" album theme, which is supposed to include childhood memories, explored within a circus atmosphere, as performed by a fictitious band. As it stands, this theme is not served at all by the weaker tunes, and the album does not hold up in hindsight as any kind of a concept album, especially when compared to later rock masterpieces like The Who's Tommy, which maintains, expands, and nurtures its theme all the way through.

As a hardcore Beatles fanatic, I love Sgt Pepper, as I love every Beatles album, but I think it is an accurate statement to say that the album is overrated when it is hailed as the Beatles finest work. Another record like Revolver, Abbey Road, or even Rubber Soul holds up much better on a song-by-song basis, and deserves that honor.

The new remastered albums came out this year (2010 !) , and have received rave reviews, so Beatles fans can now appreciate the music in an improved format vs anything that has been previously released. In fact, the Beatles recently released the stereo box set in the form of a Beatles USB apple, and the reviews of that product include the fact that it has an audio format called 24-bit FLAC which is superior to CDs, so fans and real audiophiles can revisit all the albums in a higher quality audio format, and have the whole Beatles collection on one USB drive.

By James Magary Article Source: EzineArticles

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The Best Method to Play PINK FLOYD Music on Your Guitar and to Prepare Well!

Obtain an effective quality guitar 

Obviously you have to own a guitar. The best ones are Fender because that is what David Gilmour uses (Pink Floyd guitarist). David Gilmour uses a Fender Stratocaster which are quite expensive but you can buy a Fender Strat which are cheaper, over £100 or $200.

Before you start to play, tune your guitar strings. Electronic tuners are inexpensive. Get one.
Get some guitar effects, Gilmour does why not you!

The four members of Pink Floyd. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

It is best to obtain some extra effects such as reverb, distortion or gain and maybe some chorus or delay. Your playing will sound more pleasing to the ear, fun and professional.
Get hold of Pink Floyd Guitar tablature

Find some Pink Floyd Guitar tabs or sheet music by searching online. Pick your Pink Floyd guitar tab for your chosen song and try and pick a simpler song to start off.

Get the feel for the music
Listen to the Pink Floyd song the one that you hope to play. Hear how it sounds and get the feel for it. Concentrate on different layers of music provided by the different instruments, however, you are playing the guitar parts.

Play your Pink Floyd guitar tab
Play slowly at first, gradually improving your speed. Listen to the solo slowly and learn to play along. Some media players allow you to digitally slow down the tempo of a song without changing the pitch. Start learning the tablature. Learn one measure at a time, one line at a time. You do not need to learn an entire song on your first try. Play for a minimum of 10-15 minutes per day with one day off each week.

Allow time to improve. Don't get discouraged if you play poorly on certain days. Everyone has bad days. Start simple and gradually move to complex.
Play against a backing track

Play your Pink Floyd guitar tab over a backing track. These are available from monthly guitar magazines. Also maybe online somewhere.

Record yourself playing the Pink Floyd guitar tab

You do this by downloading or purchasing music software or just use the recorder on you pc but you would need a mic, however, they are very cheap.
Why not play it in a band!! Have fun.

Author: Ameen Jabbar

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DADDY YANKEE

Daddy Yankee is one of the best reggaeton artist today. He has won a grammy and has sold over one million albums and has traveled around the world. He was born in Puerto Rico and raised there. He once got shot for being with a gruops of people that were bad but he recoverd and left that life to follow his dream of being a great reggaeton artist and he made it.

Daddy Yankee - Photo  by     conexionmusic

Daddy Yankee is now very successful and he says he has much more to accomplish in his life and is working in lots of projects. He did a album with other new artist called Sangre Nueva and it is selling very well.

Now he is going to to make a album that is called Barrio Fino En Directo which has the older songs from Barrio Fino and five new ones which one of them is Rompe and it is already very popular and coming in December.

Another album he is working hard is Cartel Which he is making with other great artist and he says he is very proud of this album that is going to come out very soon.

Daddy Yankee is one very successful artist and has many more dreams to accomplish. More  information at Daddy-Yankee

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