The Alphanumerics Of Modern Music: The Kace Era

Kace-1 · 1,000 or More Posts Joined: 24 Dec 2011 Posts: 1092

I is for INXS.

One of the bands that helped shape the last two decades of the 20th Century when it comes to popular music is INXS. Between 1980 and 1997, the Michael Hutchence fronted Australian rock band found success and admiration throughout the world. They were obviously beloved in Australia, but would soon find themselves becoming more popular in other countries as well. When Michael died, there was lots of mourning, from INXS itself as well as its fandom. It would be decided to solider on with a new frontman. There was Jon Stevens for a few years and then JD Fortune, who got the gig by winning a contest on TV. In 2011, Ciaran Gribbin was pegged as the new lead singer. Michael will always be the voice best remembered though when it comes to INXS.

"Need You Tonight/Mediate" is the video of choice and it's a medley of two songs back to back. The first part, "Need You Tonight" would, on its own become a Billboard #1 in the United States while the "Mediate" portion would pay homage to Bob Dylan's "Subterranean Homesick Blues." It's arguably their best known video, but they have some other really good ones like, "What You Need" and "The Gift."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Si2ZdcBz8Q
"Need You Tonight/Mediate" by INXS
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Kace-1 · 1,000 or More Posts Joined: 24 Dec 2011 Posts: 1092

I is for Iron Maiden.

Wrapping up the letter I is Iron Maiden. I can still see my brother's Iron Maiden posters hanging on the walls of the bedroom. The Aces High one. The really big The Number Of The Beast one with a giant Eddie The Head in the background. With Music being Art, Iron Maiden was always willing to take that notion to a new level with artist Derek Riggs and his creation of the iconic metal mascot, Eddie. In metal, it's not just enough to have a great album. Great artwork also helps as any Manowar fan I'm sure can attest to.

But there's more to Iron Maiden than their excellent album covers. They have been a personification of Heavy Metal since their inception with memorable albums and songs. It's almost impossible to fathom Heavy Metal music existing without Iron Maiden or Bruce Dickinson's voice screaming out. For anyone growing up in the 1980's, Iron Maiden was a great rebellious escape from the normal structuring. I can see that being maintained for future generations as well.

"Flight Of Icarus" is the music video of choice and is a tale of rebellion, based in part on the mythological character Icarus himself. Come to think of it, the 1980's wasn't a bad decade for Icarus. There was this song and then came Kid Icarus for the Nintendo which led to being in that Captain N cartoon that maybe a few people still remember.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JKHku19fQck
"Flight Of Icarus" by Iron Maiden
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Kace-1 · 1,000 or More Posts Joined: 24 Dec 2011 Posts: 1092

J is for the J. Geils Band.

Kicking off the letter J is the J. Geils Band and by 1977, the, "Bad Boys of Boston," were established as 1970's Blues Rock for the masses. The late 1970's were spent being known as a favorite for Album Rock stations. In 1980, the direction started to change a bit as J. Geils, Peter Wolf and the rest of the group began to embrace the coming decade and its change of direction.

Their album, Love Stinks and its resident title track served as a harbinger. In 1981, "Centerfold" was unleashed upon the world and thus, the J. Geils Band would become forever intertwined in the memory of the first half of the 1980's. Then came 1985 and the end of the party. Lead singer Peter Wolf embarked on a solo career and that was that. The mainstream popularity may have been brief, but it's hard to think about the music of the early 1980's without thinking of the J. Geils Band. On top of that, they had a harmonica player named Magic Dick, which has to be one of the greatest stage names ever.

"Love Stinks" is the music video of choice. "Centerfold" and "Freeze-Frame" are more well known and were bigger hits, but "Love Stinks" is the song that really set things up. As far as their Pre-1977 stuff, "Give It To Me" is a great song. Just wanted to throw that out there.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E0LAs7X5ybE&ob=av2e
"Love Stinks" by the J. Geils Band
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Kace-1 · 1,000 or More Posts Joined: 24 Dec 2011 Posts: 1092

J is for the Jacksons.

The Jacksons started off as the continuation and offshoot of the Jackson 5. By leaving Motown, the Jacksons were willing to leave their old identity behind and would simply be the Jacksons by the time 1977 rolled around. Eventually, the Jacksons would incorporate practically every sibling at one point or another. Yes, even LaToya.

It should be noted that in the late 1970's, the Jacksons were beginning to modify its main lineup, bringing in some of the other brothers. Both Michael and Jermaine were establishing themselves as solo artists and one of their sisters, Janet was being her adorable young self in TV Sitcom Land. Funk and Disco were also popular and songs like "Blame It On The Boogie" and "Shake Your Body (To The Ground)" were two notable tunes from that time. Triumph changed everything, though.

Their album, Triumph was a game changer. It showed once and for all that the Jacksons didn't necessarily need Jermaine (staying behind at Motown at the time) and that Michael was about to embark on quite the journey of his own, artistically. "Can You Feel It" was basically Michael's baby for the music video and was a sign of things to come as far as music videos with Michael Jackson involved went. Then there was Victory which had Jermaine return to the fold, thus giving us the Jackson 6. The album cover for Victory was done by Michael Whelan, which is epic in itself. They teamed up with Mick Jagger and had a hit with "State Of Shock" though there was also an alternate version where Freddie Mercury would sing those vocals instead of Mick. And there was "Torture" and its freaky music video. The end however, was near for the Jacksons as far as recording as a group goes.

So in 1989, they went out with a bang for their final album, 2300 Jackson Street. Every sibling except LaToya was involved in the title track and that was that for the Jacksons. As any music fan knows though, the story was far from over. Michael became the, "King of Pop." Jermaine had a successful solo career. Janet became one of the more successful artists of the last thirty years in her own right. Rebbie managed to score a one hit wonder. Jackie, Marlon and Randy helped handle family business while Tito continued to ooze Awesome with his mere existence. And LaToya...well, she was in The Celebrity Apprentice! That counts for something.

In fairness, the Jacksons as a group will always be best remembered for their Pre-1977 Motown years as the Jackson 5. Don't let that bit of reality stop one from appreciating what the Jacksons were able to accomplish with Epic Records as there was some quality stuff there.

"Can You Feel It" is the music video of choice and it's given to you longform here. It was Michael's baby, artistically. And if it kicked any more butt, it would have to be renamed "Chuck Norris."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GRNkZS0oXHs
"Can You Feel It" by the Jacksons
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Kace-1 · 1,000 or More Posts Joined: 24 Dec 2011 Posts: 1092

J is for Janet Jackson.

Few, if any have ever been so meticulous in choreography as Janet Jackson. Her attention to detail and making sure every little motion was accounted for to her exact specification. It's easy to understand the perfectionism of Janet. Growing up in the Jackson family and having brothers who were famed singers and sisters who had recorded music as well, the talent was everywhere. The push to be the best was all around her and being the youngest sibling, Janet knew the pressure was on as she was always looking up at her other brothers and sisters and their respective pushes to be the best. It was the Jackson way. It was the only way.

Early on, it was in acting for Janet. A recurring role on Good Times followed by other shows. It was all part of her growing up. Like the rest of her siblings, she wanted to sing and dance. During those first few years as a singer, her siblings were there guiding. Eventually, Janet would want to break free. She had lead vocals for a Herb Alpert song, "Diamonds," but she wanted the world to know that she could be just fine on her own. Without the other famous names and without other Jacksons around. She wanted Control.

What followed were five consecutive albums reaching #1 on the Billboard 200, then two at #2 and finally another at #1. Needless to say, Janet had an audience of her own. She would hit #1 on various singles charts with those albums. People can say what they want about the changing face of music and while the 1990's decade could be argued as belonging to a revolution and evolution in the industry, 1990 belonged to Janet. Her Rhythm Nation 1814 album conquered Earth and maybe even some neighboring planets. Her next album, Janet would also prove highly successful.

In 1995, Janet decided it was okay to do something cool with a family member again and it was her brother, Michael. Together, the brother-sister duo unleashed the song, "Scream," and the music video would become the Most Expensive made at that point. As the years passed, Janet's career would continue on. The success would continue and while she's certainly done her famous family proud, Janet is probably just fine knowing that she was able to do herself proud with her career.

"Rhythm Nation" is the music video of choice and shows Janet and her attention to dance choreography. Videos like this were one of the reasons they were fun to watch. Sure, there could be cheesy acting and some sort of social commentary. And there could be the generic, "here we are singing and playing instruments," which is fine. With Janet, music videos were an artform and she was determined to make her works of art on camera into dancing masterpieces. This particular video is one.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OAwaNWGLM0c&ob=av2e
"Rhythm Nation" by Janet Jackson
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Kace-1 · 1,000 or More Posts Joined: 24 Dec 2011 Posts: 1092

J is for Jars Of Clay.

I don't mind admitting certain ignorances and Jars Of Clay represents one that still amuses me. In the late 1990's, I just saw them as some quirky modern rock band with one or two nice songs. It wasn't until 2001 when I found myself board-opping and feeding into an on-air system just what kind of group Jars Of Clay was.

As it turned out, Jars Of Clay was kinda popular with the Christian Rock crowd which also meant learning of there being an actual Christian Rock crowd. I was familiar with Christian-themed Pop like DC Talk (who, by the way I care nothing for and yes, that's factoring in their cover of Nirvana's "All Apologies" where the word, "gay," was too much for their minds to comprehend), Michael W. Smith and some of Amy Grant's stuff that I never cared for. I guess that's the problem with that stuff...I never cared for it. Jars Of Clay had some alright stuff in that realm and in turn would lead to me noticing other songs like "Epidermis Girl" by Bleach and yes, Rebecca St. James. Jars Of Clay has been in the thick of the whole Christian Pop/Rock/Modern deal since the mid-1990's and I'm guessing that aficionados of that stuff will remember Jars Of Clay before most of the other artists from the past twenty years. Of course I could be wrong.

"Crazy Times" is the music video of choice. Yes, "Flood" was the song that pretty much got the ball rolling on their popularity, but I've always loved "Crazy Times." Great song, great video and tends to remind me of too many things that aren't necessarily related all at once. There's late 1997 and watching this video play on MTV2 quite a bit. There's my time working at a radio cluster and uploading these Christian pop shows into the system and hearing Jars Of Clay a lot there. And it kinda reminds me of those days where I was a pain in the neck at whatever wrestling efed I participated in (I wonder if anybody even remembers those things?). A great song that can trigger a bunch of different memories all at once yet doesn't prompt me to lose total faith in humanity can't be all that bad.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VXzMNCkduy4&ob=av2e
"Crazy Times" by Jars Of Clay
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Kace-1 · 1,000 or More Posts Joined: 24 Dec 2011 Posts: 1092

J is for Jay-Z.

In 1997, it became apparent that Rap was going to need a new leader for the mainstream audience. Dr. Dre was busy doing whatever. Snoop Dogg didn't need to have that kind of appeal so he didn't bother much. 2Pac and The Notorious B.I.G. were dead and a world where Puff Daddy was the leading name in Rap was too frightening a prospect. Someone had to step up. Among those that did was Jay-Z, who went from Rap Sensation to Entrepreneur. He's known for relationships and businesses outside of his recordings, but it's those recordings that get him on this list.

It's not that I'm necessarily a big Jay-Z fan. There are some songs by him I like, definitely, but to refer to me as a big fan of his would be an insult to big fans of his. All that considered, his track record is quite impressive. Since bursting onto the scene in 1995, Jay-Z has been a mainstay on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip Hop and R&B charts as well as the Hot 100, or the main Billboard chart itself. In 2009, already established as one of the top names for this generation of Hip Hop, Jay-Z took things further with "Empire State Of Mind," where he teamed up with Alicia Keys to deliver a trifecta of #1's on the three charts previously mentioned. He has teamed up with everyone from Kanye West to Linkin Park. He had a memorable rivalry with another rapper, Nas who's become well respected in his own right. His reach has extended to the NBA and politics along with other business ventures. One way or another, Jay-Z has made sure he is among the most remembered names of the Early 21st Century. The full extent of his impact will be felt in the coming years.

"(Always Be My) Sunshine" is the music video of choice and has Jay-Z teaming up with Foxy Brown and Babyface. Inspired by an Alexander O'Neal song, "Sunshine" and sampling everyone from MC Lyte to Kraftwerk (and really, most everyone lifts from Kraftwerk at this point), it's the song that made me first take notice of Jay-Z. He's had other hits and obviously bigger hits. This is still the song I tend to think of first with him. In 1997, Jay-Z still has the future ahead of him and judging from the confidence in his smile, it shouldn't be a surprise to anyone that he's become as successful as he has.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rq0FrCdFd9U
"(Always Be My) Sunshine" by Jay-Z f/ Foxy Brown & Babyface
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Kace-1 · 1,000 or More Posts Joined: 24 Dec 2011 Posts: 1092

J is for Jem.

No. Not that Jem. This Jem has nothing to do with cartoons (that I know of). She doesn't fight off the bad guys with wild pink hair while in animated form. This Jem is just a nice young Welsh lady who's constantly at work achieving goals and mastering dreams. She's kinda flown under the radar in the United States despite having numerous songs pop up in various television shows. During the 2000's, she was able to enjoy some success in her native United Kingdom.

While I could have went with "They," I'm instead going with "Just A Ride" as the video of choice. Instead of going into some sort of detail as to why I went with this song and why I like it so much, I'll instead defer to one of the all-time greats of any stage.

"The world is like a ride at an amusement park, and when you choose to go on it, you think it's real because that's how powerful our minds are. And the ride goes up and down and round and round. It has thrills and chills and it's very brightly colored and it's very loud and it's fun...for a while. Some people have been on the ride for a long time, and they begin to question, 'Is this real, or is this just a ride?' And other people have remembered, and they come back to us, and they say, 'Hey! Don't worry, don't be afraid, EVER! Because, this is just a ride.' And we...kill those people, hahaha! 'Shut him up! We have a lot invested in this ride. Look at my furrows of worry! Look at my big bank account, and my family! This just HAS to be real!'... It's just a ride."
-Bill Hicks

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=23ago3NmsVQ
"Just A Ride" by Jem
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Kace-1 · 1,000 or More Posts Joined: 24 Dec 2011 Posts: 1092

J is for Jewel.

Jewel just sorta quietly snuck up on everybody in the mid-1990's. In Early 1996, she started getting a little more attention on the radio and MTV as "Who Will Save Your Soul" was making the rounds. From there, Jewel would continue strumming her guitar and singing. Sometimes, the songs were folksy, maybe a tad bluesy at times, but melancholy definitely. There were songs like "You Were Meant For Me" and "Foolish Games" that dealt with heartbreak. There was "Hands" which was inspirational. There was "Standing Still" which showed she also had the capacity for upbeat tempo.

Then came 2003. When I first heard "Intuition," I thought it was a remix of one of her songs that I might not have noticed as much before. Turns out, that was the actual song. "Intuition" was a left hook out of nowhere, but once again it showed Jewel being able to adapt. Whether this particular adaptation was popular I'll leave up to the hardcore Jewel fans to decide. Heading into the 2010's, her musical focus has been geared more toward Children's Pop, but that's to be expected when one signs with Fisher-Price Records. I also can't help but wonder if they still make 45's for the old Fisher-Price record player.

"Who Will Save Your Soul" is the music video of choice and served as an introduction to many of us for Jewel's sound. I remember hearing this song on different radio stations in Bakersfield (where I was hanging out at the time), varying from Adult Contemporary to Pop to Modern Rock. It's as if the music world was trying to get a handle on what to appropriately label Jewel. Eventually, Jewel would just be Jewel.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0wBDDAZkNtk&ob=av2n
"Who Will Save Your Soul" by Jewel
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Kace-1 · 1,000 or More Posts Joined: 24 Dec 2011 Posts: 1092

J is for Jill Sobule.

Long before Katy Perry was singing songs about kissing girls, Jill Sobule was a thorn in the side of the self righteous when singing about the same subject. 1995 Earth was a little different from 2008 Earth and so instead of dealing with a bunch of people laughing and singing along, it was Jill Sobule bringing about the end of existence, cats and dogs living together, mass hysteria and so on. And then everyone calmed down, because it turns out there was more to Jill than just that song.

Jill had been around for a few years by the time she was unsettling the homophobic types. She had songs like "Too Cool To Fall In Love" and even managed to have Todd Rundgren play guitar for her. Then she kissed a girl. Fabio wound up in the video. A few people laughed and a few more were sure that the world was gonna go to the rainbows or whatever. And Jill soldiered on, recording music and giving people more stuff to listen to. She also managed to get some recognition for film Soundtrack work, contributing "Supermodel" to Clueless and "The Secretive Life" to Harriet The Spy. I've never been interested in either film, but the songs are nice. In the years since, Jill has settled in with her career, still doing her thing. And without as much people getting all crazy as much. That's not such a bad thing.

"The Secretive Life" is the music video of choice and while I realize, "I Kissed A Girl" is what she's best known for, much like Katy Perry there's more to Jill than just that song. "The Secretive Life" for whatever reason never quite caught on, but then the Summer of 1996 was a funny time in Pop Culture anyway and somehow the song got lost in the shuffle. I still remember watching the music video at about 3 or 4-ish AM on MTV back then and usually at a friend's house. I remember those times. Those were days of being around couples and beholding the spectacle of someone being online. Keep in mind, this was 1996 so it was AOL and it was Dial Up, complete with mideval themed chat rooms and people cyberly rolling dice in their text battles. I wonder if people still do that? ...Nevermind. I have a feeling I'd rather not find out.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UiSOkqCCJ6I
"The Secretive Life" by Jill Sobule
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Kace-1 · 1,000 or More Posts Joined: 24 Dec 2011 Posts: 1092

J is for Jim Quick.

There are people that I'm thankful for and various reasons for that thankfulness. Among them is Jim Quick and his band, Coastline. And really, that's the main reason I wanted to include Jim on this list. It's not so much the fact that "Down South" is a great song and that he's turned the Carolina Beach Music Awards into his yearly reminder of how awesome he is (I've lost count on how many he and the Coastline Band have won). For me, it's thinking back to Early 1999 and those first few weeks of having a nice job where I talked on a mic and played songs for people.

It was a Saturday Overnight Shift and I prided myself on making that Midnight to 6 AM a party for anyone willing to listen. At about 2-something AM, I get a call from Johnathan Layton, who at the time was drummer. They had a song called "It's Gonna Rain" which was an old gospel tune re-tuned for the Carolina Beach Music crowd. It was also incredibly popular. Johnathan was a pretty cool guy and eventually I would get the invite to check out the band at a place called Club Faces. I used to dig going to Club Faces on some of those Saturday Nights. I still remember Wendy and the staff. Nice people. In any event, watching those guys play and watching Jim's ability to lead an audience was something to behold. I became a big fan.

For the next few years, a nice relationship was built. I had the honor of introducing them on stage and on occasion, was invited to sing on stage with them. That's something I'll always be thankful for, though audiences at those shows may disagree. It's a real confidence booster being able to perform on stage like that with those people. It eventually got to the point where everyone had some sort of wrestling inspired nickname. Jim "Lightning" Quick, Vince "Vinnie Mac" MacDougald, Greg "The Hammer" Elkins, "Crusher" Chris Fore, Shannon "The Sheik" Kinlaw and "The Innovator Of Percussion, Mr. J.L.," Johnathan Layton. Jim retroactively referred to that time as the Garage Band years. As polished and well oiled a machine the current incarnation of Coastline is, I'll always consider that period to be my favorite when it comes to that band. It was always a party.

Into the 2010's, Jim Quick cannot be stopped. He is a juggernaut in an industry that while regional is still remarkable. For Beach Music fans, Jim and Coastline have become among those who are synonymous with the genre for the early 21st Century.

"Down South" is the music video featured. In another entry, I bemoaned the lack of Coastline Band videos and the considerable lack of music videos by Beach Music acts in general. "Down South" is definitely a step in the right direction.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jEplAr9MH5Y
"Down South" by Jim Quick
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Kace-1 · 1,000 or More Posts Joined: 24 Dec 2011 Posts: 1092

J is for Joan Jett & The Blackhearts.

Long before one of her songs became perverted by NBC's lust for a Sunday Night Football theme, Joan Jett was the angry rebel of early 1980's Rock. Kathleen Hanna may have helped bring about the term, "Riot Grrrl," into consciousness, but Joan Jett was already there in her own right. Only for Joan Jett it was simply being Joan Jett.

Prior to striking out on her own and having her own band, the Blackhearts, Joan was part of another group called the Runaways, who among their membership also included Lita Ford. Joan kept busy with the Runaways and in the punk scene in general, even producing for the Germs (featuring a young Pat Smear). Eventually, it would just be Joan Jett & The Blackhearts. They would record an anthem for their time, "I Love Rock & Roll" and things took off from there, leading to more musical success and some acting gigs, both in film and on Broadway. Joan exudes confidence and rebellion, serving as an inspiration for other would-be rockers and in terms of attitude, an inspiration for people in general.

"Bad Reputation" is the video of choice. "I Love Rock & Roll" would be the more obvious one to go with as it's her signature song. But "Bad Reputation" is a little more personal. It's a self-reminder and realization of me being a lot of different things to a lot of different people and I cannot help the disapproval of others who in all likelihood are just upset that I never bothered to adhere to their way of thinking. But that's why bridges are built, so they can get over it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GFnZygGyrUE
"Bad Reputation" by Joan Jett & The Blackhearts
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Kace-1 · 1,000 or More Posts Joined: 24 Dec 2011 Posts: 1092

J is for Joe Cocker.

For the people who are maybe a few years older than I, Joe Cocker will probably be best remembered for the Woodstock Era, covering a Beatles song that would become the theme for some TV show from my childhood. For me, the first recollection of Joe isn't a pleasant one. It came in the form of a song that haunted my childhood. That song was "Up Where We Belong" which featured Joe Cocker teaming up with Jennifer Warnes. It would be the big love song from some Richard Gere film the Simpsons paid homage to in one of their episodes.

That song really annoyed me for the longest time. I couldn't stand to hear it as a child and now in adulthood, "Up Where We Belong" has improved its status to Tolerable Here And There. Thankfully, there are other songs to remember Mr. Cocker for. There was his cover of "You Can Leave Your Hat On" which I can remember playing in Second Life a lot, especially at Blackhearts. And there's "When The Night Comes," a song that just doesn't get enough love. Over the years, Joe has continued with his recording career, including a bunch of covers. He has covered songs by everyone from the Animals to U2. Either way, there is no mistaking that voice.

"When The Night Comes" is the music video of choice and while it allows me to point out Aldo Nova, who plays lead guitar on this, it also allows me to talk about how awesome Bryan Adams is. Bryan was one of the co-writers for this song, along with Dianne Warren and Jim Vallance. I've always loved this song and really, it's worth a few minutes to look up Bryan's concert version of this song.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=egaMwsb-TlI&ob=av2e
"When The Night Comes" by Joe Cocker
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Kace-1 · 1,000 or More Posts Joined: 24 Dec 2011 Posts: 1092

J is for John Cougar Mellencamp.

John Cougar. John Cougar Mellencamp. Eventually just John Mellencamp. Whatever the name, it's still the same. From the music to the socio-political stances, to family life, John's kept himself rather busy over the years. In a time of decadence, there was Farm Aid starting up with John as one of the co-founders. He hasn't been one to shy from a narrative or an opinion. However, the one thing to consider when it comes to John being on this list is the music.

Maybe he's one of those guys where people don't realize how good he's been over the years unless they have a chance to think about it. From 1978 to 2008, he had singles chart from all over the world and all under three different monikers. At the height of his popularity and success, Cougar was the record company induced middle name, which is why I still tend to remember him mainly as, "John Cougar Mellencamp."

"Authority Song" is the music video of choice and I wanted to spotlight a song from his John Cougar Mellencamp years. Otherwise, it would be "Jack And Diane" which is pretty much his signature song, but also from his days as John Cougar. As for "Authority Song," it's a song I've always liked a lot.

"Growing up leads to growing old and then to dying. And dying to me don't sound like all that much fun."

That also might have something to do with it. At least a little.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wsEwK69LXjQ&ob=av2n
"Authority Song" by John Cougar Mellencamp
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Kace-1 · 1,000 or More Posts Joined: 24 Dec 2011 Posts: 1092

J is for John Fogerty.

John Fogerty is probably best remembered for his days with Creedence Clearwater Revival. By 1977, he was already ex-CCR and eventually John and the CCR guys would have their issues with one another. Between 1977 and 1984, John was practically off the radar as far as new music goes, but then came his album, Centerfield, featuring three Mainstream Rock Top 10's, "The Old Man Down The Road," "Rock And Roll Girls" and "Centerfield." The first of those would not only reach #1 on that chart, it would also lead to John winding up in court in the infamous Fogerty Vs. Fantasy, Inc. trial. In that trial, John, playing guitar in the courtroom was able to successfully argue "The Old Man Down The Road" being distinct from an earlier CCR song, "Run Through The Jungle." Rock & Roll...serious business.

Since the mid to late 1980's, John Fogerty has settled in, catering to his audience and maintaining a busy schedule, be it recording in the studio or touring. In terms of good ol' Southern Rock, it's hard to think of that genre without John Fogerty.

"Blueboy" is the video of choice and at first, that might seem like an odd choice since "The Old Man Down The Road" or "Centerfield" might like seem like the obvious choice. "Blueboy" I think's been underrated a bit, though appreciated just fine in Carolina Beach Music circles. The song and really, the video is a great representation of John's solo sound. It reminds me of when MTV2 was a good channel to watch and if I went with "Centerfield," I'd feel the urge to look up, "The Curly Shuffle" by the Jump 'N The Saddle Band. And I don't wanna do that.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3CueTPJompA
"Blueboy" by John Fogerty
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