Best of the Outlaws: Green Grass and High Tides CD

Best of the Outlaws: Green Grass and High Tides CD music Detroit has produced more than its share of great music: from jazz stars like Hank, Thad & Elvin Jones; to the Motown stable of vocal artists, and legendary rhythm players Benny Benjamin and James Jamerson. Not to mention a whole lot of hard funk and primal metal, everyone from Funkadelic and Ted Nugent, to Iggy & The Stooges and the MC5--hard driving, rugged rock and roll. Put it all together with a touch of pop, and a lot of soul, and you've got Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band. It's easy to divine Seger's influence on the music of Bruce Springsteen, and draw parallels with the vocal style of Van Morrison. The epic themes of Seger's characters on "Night Moves" certainly parallel those of the folk heroes who populate Springsteen songs (though he began developing his menagerie a good decade before the Boss). The chant-like, testifying cadences of Seger's blowtorch voice, and his predilection for gospelish motifs, puts one in mind of the mighty Celt's visionary flights. And as the fine GREATEST HITS makes clear, Bob Seger's influence on contemporary roots music is enormous. A song such as "Like A Rock" practically defines a roots approach to power pop, while "Old Time Rock & Roll" finds Seger in an upbeat, Little Richard mode. Celebrations notwithstanding, "Still The Same" and "Turn The Page" are dark, unstinting unsentimental looks at the underbelly of the showbiz animal and the road. Includes liner notes by Bob Seger. Engineers include: Shelly Yakus, Brian Christian, Jim Bruzzese. Personnel: Bob Seger (vocals, guitar, acoustic guitar, piano, electric piano, synthesizer, background vocals); Drew Abbott (guitar, electric guitar); Rick Vito (guitar, slide guitar); Ken Bell, Waddy Wachtel (guitar); Dawayne Bailey, Steve Lukather (acoustic guitar); Joe Miquelon (electric guitar); Crystal Taliefero, Alto Reed, Jimmy Romeo (saxophone); Bill Payne (piano, organ, keyboards, synthesizer); Craig Frost, Doug Riley (piano, organ); Randy McCormick, Roy Bittan (piano); Jai Winding (organ); Barry Beckett (keyboards); Michael Boddicker (synthesizer); Roger Hawkins, Russ Kunkel, David Teegarden (drums, percussion); Charlie Allen Martin (drums); Sam Clayton, Bobbye Hall (percussion); Clydie King, Luther Waters, Donny Gerrard, Julie Waters, Rhonda Silver, Glenn Frey, Ginger Blake, Stanley Carter, Izora Armstead, Douglas Kibble, Linda Dillard, Laurel Ward, Laura Creamer, Martha Wash, Rosemary Butler, Shaun Murphy, Venetta Fields, Shirley Matthews (background vocals). Audio Mixers: Ed Cherney ; Greg Edward; Jim Bruzzese; John Arrias; Bill Szymczyk; Bob Seger. Recording information: A & M Studios, Hollywood, California; Ambience Recordings, Farmington Hills, Michigan; Bayshore Studios, Coconut Grove, Florida; Cherokee Studios, Hollywood, California; Cobo Hall, Detroit, MI; Criteria Studios, Mia; Muscle Shoals Sound Studios, Sheffield, AL; Nimbus Nine Studios, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Studio 55, Hollywood, CA; Woodland Digital Sutdios, Nashville, Tennessee. Photographer: Brad Stanley. Personnel includes: Bob Seger (vocals, guitar, piano); Glen Frey (vocals); Joe Miquelon (electric guitar); Steve Lukather, Waddy Wachtel, Drew Abbott (guitar); Rick Vito (slide guitar); Alto Reed (saxophone); Roy Bittan (piano); Bill Payne (piano, organ, synthesizer); Doug Riley (piano, organ); Robyn Robbins (Mellotron, organ); Craig Frost (organ); Michael Boddicker (synthesizer); Chris Campbell, Bob Glaub (bass); Russ Kunkel, Charlie Allen Martin, David Teegarden (drums, percussion). Producers include: Jimmy Iovine, Jack Richardson, Bob Seger, Punch, Bill Szymczyk.

Best of the Outlaws: Green Grass and High Tides album for sale Crosby, Still, and Nash topped their enormously popular self-titled 1969 debut by adding Neil Young to their ranks and expanding their stylistic and sonic range. The result, released in 1970, was an artistic and commercial success, representing the talents of the four primary players to excellent effect. More ambitious and incisive than its CSN predecessor, DEJA VU brings together folk, psychedelia, jazz, African, and Middle Eastern flavors, Tin Pan Alley, and hard rock in a manner that captures the tenor of the era's counterculture without sounding dated. The group's distinctively lush harmonies are spread across the album, notably on the record's two centerpieces--"Carry On," which segues into a chugging, percussion-fueled groove halfway through, and "Woodstock," the band's hard rock re-working of the Joni Mitchell tune. Elsewhere, the songs are stamped by individual personalities, as on David Crosby's driving "Almost Cut My Hair," Graham Nash's quaint "Our House," and Stephen Stills dark, folky "4+20." Young's aching, plaintive "Helpless" is one of the highlights here, as is Crosby's complex title cut (with its intricate rhythms and vocal arrangements). Though their time together was tumultuous and short-lived, CSNY were one of the most successful acts of the era, and DEJA VU finds them at their peak. Recording information: Wally Heiders Studio III, Los Angeles, CA. Photographers: Henry Diltz; Tom Gundelfinger. Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young: David Crosby, Graham Nash, Neil Young, Stephen Stills (various instruments). Personnel: Neil Young (vocals, guitar, harmonica, piano, keyboards); Graham Nash, Stephen Stills (vocals, guitar, keyboards); David Crosby (vocals, guitar); Jerry Garcia (slide guitar, steel guitar); John Sebastian (harmonica); Dallas Taylor (drums, percussion); Greg Reeves (percussion). Additional personnel: John Sebastian (autoharp); Gregory Reeves (bass instrument); Dallas Taylor , Jerry Garcia.

Best of the Outlaws: Green Grass and High Tides buy CD music On its third album, Wishbone Ash doesn't mess with its formula--as before, this long running British rock institution purveys a mix of blues, folk, and Yes- style riffs mated to endearingly cosmic lyrics. The songs here, however, are considerably more focused and well crafted than on the band's previous efforts, and the harmony singing is delightful. As always, the band's basis is the tag team guitars of Andy Powell and Ted Turner. Fans of this duo's mix of Yardbirds- and Allman Brothers- style harmony licks and dueling solos will find much to admire here, particularly "The King Will Come" and "Time Was," a folk-ish epic in several contrasting sections. All in all, ARGUS is one of the best guitar albums of the early '70s. Includes liner notes by Leon Tsilis. Digitally remastered by Erik Kvortek. Additional Tracks Producer: Derek Lawrence. Reissue producers: Andy McKaie, Leon Tsilis. ARGUS: EXPANDED EDITION contains bonus tracks from LIVE IN MEMPHIS, a 1972 promotional EP. Wishbone Ash includes: Ted Turner, Andy Powell (gutiar); Martin Turner (bass); Steve Upton (drums, percussion).

Best of the Outlaws: Green Grass and High Tides songs With the tragic death of several Lynyrd Skynyrd members in 1977 and the band's prompt breakup, there was a huge hole left in the Southern rock genre. Though several bands were hailed as inheritors to the throne, Blackfoot was one of the first Southern rock bands to score a big hit after the tragedy, with 1979's STRIKES. Although Blackfoot's music is slightly harder than Skynyrd's, bordering on heavy metal at times, both groups were clearly unashamed of their Southern roots. After two releases, 1975's NO RESERVATIONS and 1976's FLYIN' HIGH, had come and gone with little success, Blackfoot scored with American rock fans with STRIKES. Highlights include such tough rockers as "Road Fever," "I Got a Line on You," and "Pay My Dues," making STRIKES Blackfoot's best and most popular album of their career. Live Recording Personnel: Rick Medlocke (vocals, guitar, acoustic guitar, 12-string guitar); Greg T. Walker (vocals, bass guitar); Jakson "Thunderfoot" Spires (vocals, drums); Pamela Vincent, Cynthia Douglas, Donna Davis (vocals, background vocals); Charlie Hargrett (guitar, acoustic guitar, 12-string guitar); Cub Koda, Shorty Medlocke (harmonica); Pat McCaffrey (keyboards); Henry Weck (percussion). Recording information: Bee Jay Recording Studio, Orlando, FL; Sound Suite Recording Studios, Detroit, MI; Subterrenean Studios, Ann Arbor, MI.

Best of the Outlaws: Green Grass and High Tides album for sale There's little question that Shout! Factory's double-disc compilation The Marshall Tucker Band Anthology: The First 30 Years is exhuastive. It spans 32 songs, sampling from 20 albums, running more or less in chronological order, and giving a good idea of the group's narrative. While that's a lot of ground, some charting singles are still missing -- 1975's "This Ol' Cowboy," 1978's "Dream Lover," 1980's "It Takes Time," 1983's "A Place I've Never Been," 1987's "Hangin' Out in Smoky Places," and 1993's "Walk Outside of the Lines" are all absent, which is kind of puzzling for a collection of this size, and will certainly be frustrating for listeners who know of MTB primarily from the radio. That said, for the serious fan who wants a thorough overview this is still a pretty good choice, since it does illustrate the arc of the group's career. For less dedicated fans, this will be a bit too much Marshall Tucker Band, and they may be better sticking with the group's definitive eponymous debut, since there is no good single-disc hits compilation on the market. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine The Marshall Tucker Band: Toy Caldwell (vocals, guitar); Ronnie Godfrey (vocals, piano, keyboards); Tommy Caldwell (vocals, bass instrument); Doug Gray (vocals); George McCorkle (guitar); Clay Cook (flute, saxophone, keyboards); Jerry Eubanks (flute, saxophone); Don Cameron (keyboards); Franklin Wilkie, Pat Elwood (bass instrument); Barry "B.B. Queen" Borden, Paul Riddle, Ace Allen (drums). Liner Note Author: Barry Alfonso.

Best of the Outlaws: Green Grass and High Tides CD music After Lynyrd Skynyrd hit it big right with their classic 1973 debut, PRONOUNCED LEH-NERD SKIN-NERD, the floodgates opened for other young Southern rock bands, such as the Outlaws, Molly Hatchet, and of course, Blackfoot. Blackfoot singer/guitarist/leader Rickey Medlocke was actually an early member of Skynyrd, but skipped out on Ronnie Van Zant and his crew well before their aforementioned debut. Although Blackfoot never hit it as big as Skynyrd, it appeared for a brief time as if the band would fill the void left by the latter's tragic demise in 1977. A fine place to start is the 1994 18-track compilation, RATTLESNAKE ROCK N' ROLL. For tough, loud Southern rock, just listen to such tracks as "Train Train," "Left Turn on a Red Light," "Every Man Should Known (Queenie)," "Fox Chase," and "Diary of a Workingman." Includes liner notes by Melanie Schaffner and Jason Elledge. Producers: David Hood, Al Nalli, Henry Weck, Ben Grosse, Rick Medlocke, Jimmy Johnson. Compilation producer: Jason Elledge. Blackfoot: Charlie Hargrett (guitar); Rikki Mayr (bass instrument); Greg T. Walker, Jakson 'Thunderfoot' Spires, Gunner Ross, Neal Casal, Rick Medlocke (background vocals). Personnel: Shorty Medlocke (banjo). Blackfoot: Rick "Rattlesnake" Medlocke (vocals, guitar); Neal Casal (guitar, background vocals); Charlie Hargrett (guitar); Greg T. Walker (bass, background vocals); Rikki Mayr (bass); Jakson "Thunderfoot" Spires, Gunner Ross (drums, percussion, background vocals). Additional personnel: Cub Koda, Shorty Medlocke (harmonica). Additional personnel: Shorty Medlocke (banjo, harmonica); Cub Koda (harmonica).