RIP Nick Ashford and Jerry Leiber

Posted in Youtube Favs on August 24th, 2011 by Willie

Two songwriting icons passed away yesterday, and ironically, both were halves of legendary songwriting teams.  Nick Ashford, legendary Motown songwriter, who was paired with his wife Valerie Simpson, died at 70 in Manhattan.  Jerry Leiber, partnered with Mike Stoller, co-wrote some of Elvis Presley’s greatest hits, died at 78 in Los Angeles.  Among Ashford’s greatest hits were “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough,” and “Ain’t Nothing Like the Real Thing,” displaying his mastery of the word “ain’t.”  Leiber and Stoller churned out “Hound Dog,” “Yakety Yak,” “Jailhouse Rock,” and “Stand By Me.” Both Ashford and Leiber were beloved geniuses of their craft and produced songs that are etched like concrete in the public’s minds.  It’s a sad day, but on the sunny side, the great  thing about dying a master songwriter is that your music truly lives on, leaving the perfect memorial.  My little memorial comes in the form of Ben E. King’s rendition of “Stand By Me,” and Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell’s version of “Aint No Mountain High Enough.”  Oh, and just a reminder, click here and you can vote for me every day for CBS’s Most Valuable Blogger where I am a finalist!  Thanks!

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George Harrison, Trailer for Martin Scorsese's Living in the Material World Documentary

Posted in George Harrison, The Beatles, Youtube Favs on August 23rd, 2011 by Willie

I normally don’t update twice in one day, but news such as this demands action on my part.  I am a massive George Harrison fan, and when I heard a few years ago that Martin Scorsese was putting together a three and a half hour George Harrison documentary, I started counting down the days.  At last, the film is finished, and will get its premiere on HBO on October 5th and 6th in two parts.  To casual fans of rock and roll, George Harrison is known as the “Quiet Beatle,” but hard core Beatle fans know he was anything but.  In many ways, George was the most radical Beatle, refusing to conform to any traditional system of life living.  He was a rule breaker and a seeker, blazing new frontiers in his own quest to figure out why the world was so miserable, and what he could do about it.  Lastly, he was a beautiful musician, criminally overshadowed by his Beatle friends, who unfairly excluded him from the tight partnership thing that Lennon and McCartney formed in the early Beatle days.  Paul McCartney even admitted that there was nothing stopping him and John from excluding George, other than feeling superior to him via their dominant personalities and older ages.  Also, it is really hard to blame Paul and John because when they were young boys making these decisions, it was impossible for them to know what impact such choices would hold in music history.  Its a silly footnote in rock history, but one made all the more remarkable as George blossomed his own unique musical genius with little help from his friends.  (Zing!)  Anyway, I’m the sure the documentary will cover these issues with greater complexity, so I’ll leave my own historical commentary to a minimum for now.  Enjoy the trailer, and don’t forget you can vote for me to be CBS’s top NY blogger!  Already voted?  Well, don’t let it stop you because you can vote once every day!  Just click these orange words, it only takes a second!

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CBS's Most Valuable Blogger, The Monkees, I'm a Believer, and a New Banner!

Posted in The Monkees, Youtube Favs on August 23rd, 2011 by Willie

Like the new banner?  I sure do.  I might tweak it a bit in the next week, but I think it’s beautiful. I have to give a special thanks to my dear friend Sonia for creating it.  The unfurling of the new banner coincidentally coincides with a cause to celebrate, as this site has been selected by CBS to be a finalist in their Most Valuable New York Blog competition.  For me to win the big prize, you’ll have to vote for me by clicking these orange words.  Not too hard right?  Oh, and if you really want to see me win, you can vote for me once a day until the contest ends.  Do I believe I can win?  Of course, and that’s why I have everybody’s favorite manufactured rock band, the Monkees, singing this Neil Diamond classic, “I’m a Believer,” in support.  The song is a glorious slab of 60s pop rock, sung to perfection by drummer Micky Dolenz.  One fun fact about the song, it’s one of less than 30 singles that have ever sold more than 10 million copies.  Incredible.  And please, I can’t express enough my thanks for everybody who checks out the site, and has helped it grow since I launched it not too long ago.  It means the world to me, and I hope I never have to stop.  All the best, Willie.

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