Music Artist Review- Jimi Hendrix A Legend

When I think of Jimi Hendrix the phase "The Man, The Myth, The Legend comes too mind because he truly embodied each stage of the saying. The man being realizing the love he had for music and noticing the different ways he could manipulate the guitar to create a sound that nobody had ever imagined. As for the myth once he gained a following and became a rockstar he developed a mysterious air about him which all rockstars have. Now the legend comes into play because the man was such a force in the 60's as a pop culture icon of the era as well being strong contender in the music industry because he created a sound that was so unique that his music has lived on for forty six years after his untimely death in 1970.


Through my love for all types of rock music I'd hear a Hendrix's song every once in awhile and be like "Oh that's a pretty cool sounding song I like the hazy vibe I get from this" little did I not know that the hazy vibe was what made him become a superstar. Once again while in my music history class he was one of the major talking points in the 60's era the first song my professor played was "All Along On The Watchtower" and it blew my mind and I instantly fell in love with the sheer genius that was Jimi Hendrix. It's that slow, stoner induced hazy guitar playing gave me goosebumps alone. The slides he'd do all up and down the neck of the guitar really put me in a trance. His singing is interesting because it's almost not singing it's more like spoken-word poetry. Before going on to the next song I just wanna say he was also one of the first guitar players to play left handed which is very cool especially sense I'm also a lefty as well. Next up on the fave tracks list goes to "Purple Haze" there is just an effortless cool to this song it's one of those songs that I love playing when getting ready I throw one of my many leather jackets and feel like a sexy powerful women :) I also love that he let his guitar work speak for itself by doing like an 8 minute solo on a song it showed the magic he brought. The way he'd play with the strings to make loads of distortion which is one of my favorite things in a guitar player it shows they aren't scared to try something different! Lastly my third favorite track is "Voodoo Child" its pure badass it reminds me of a really dark and twisted version of Alice and Wonderland cause it transport you into another world that I'd imagine is a dimly lighted club filled with a haze of smoke circling around you. Smells of dark whiskey and bourbon floating in the air as you arrive to the front of the stage to witness the great Jimi jamming out to this very song. Yes I know it's very dream-like ;) probably because I'd would have killed to see him live such a sad thing that he left us so early on in his career but thankfully his music and his name still live on today and is an influence on people's minds and their taste in music.

Love, Tay

Album Review-Hot Rocks by The Rolling Stones

 The Rolling Stones are one of the biggest names in rock n roll also one of the greatest selling artists of all time. Funny thing is for some reason I didn't like their music until recently. I've always been a music listener that wanted to understand the lyrics behind the song itself with rolling stone songs I think it takes a certain age to be able to get their music and mine happened to be 20 years old the age I am currently. It's also a big deal that all these guys are in there 70's but still touring with the original line up of course without Brian Jones who passed away in 1969. Within this album there are so many amazing songs but my top five would include
1. You Can't Always Get What You Want- 1969 I I love this track because it's acoustic it shows the real musicianship of the guys playing their instruments and Mick's voice lightly floating over it. I always imagine hearing this song when it's pouring rain outside something very homey and comforting about this too me. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EM_p1Az05Jo < best performance

2. Brown Sugar- 1971
This track is classic stones because it's filled with attitude and a pinch of filth which is the perfect brew for a good rock song. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3B0Y3LUqr1Q < great live performance!

3. Gimme Shelter- 1970
As for this track it's the background vocals that I love so much that powerful soul/R&B vibe. It slowly began as a signature sound for there band therefore many new up and coming bands after them also wanted black backing vocals for their recordings/live shows. Something flows about having the soulful sound mixing with Mick's vocals and Keith's blues guitar playing it creates magic. The lyrics are also very dark because of talking about murder and rape it's almost acts as a PSA because they speak about very real and raw issues that the world faces each and every day. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yPJXEMKtTLE < Wonderful live performance!
                                                                                   4. Honky Tonk Woman- 1969
                                                                                       The thought of The Rolling Stones doing country would make any rock n roll fan laugh themselves sick but something worked in their favor because it's one of the best songs they have ever created. It's that southern rock feel before the genre was even created but then also a surprise because they are British so it kept fans always guessing! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=In0vatNH-k8< I like this video because it's one of those amazing live concert DVD's that people still watch to this very day it also shows how much both men and women liked the band it's great music history :)
                                                                                 5. Ruby Tuesday- 1967
                                                                                      Of course this isn't one of their classic hits but it's one of mine for a very special reason and it always makes me smile. The first time I heard this was back in October of this year while I was seeing this guy let's call him "A" he was unique because he was as into music as I am he was even a musician he played guitar and bass and even sang a little bit but only to me which was the sweetest thing I'd ever heard up to that moment. He would sing this song just to make me laugh whenever I'd walk into class. Sadly nothing came out of us hanging out together but now whenever I hear this song I think of how much fun I had with him. I think that's one of the best things about sharing music that you love with somebody because no matter how that relationship ended you always have a beautiful memory of the time you two spent together. :) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fvp6gseKJS8 < Something so broadway about this particular performance of the song.

Song Of The Day- (Oh) Pretty Women/ Van Halen version!

If someone asked me what decade is most of the music I listen too from I'd have to say 80's because I love this party vibe that you get from many of the popular bands of the 80's. Now yes I know Van Halen started in 1974 but they became very big in the 80's after being introduced to this amazing band by one of my best friends who I will call "D" I'd come over in the summer to pick her up to go some where and I would always hear a Van Halen song playing in the background. Of course I got curious and started doing some research and soon I realized that "Pretty Women" is my all time favorite song by them. The feel is just so summer like like a bunch of girls who are super good friends walking around just hanging out in the sunshine it's just a feel good kind of track. Within the track David Lee Roth's voice is unique because when he sings his voice has dips and valley's as from it's running up and down a hill plus the fact that he didn't use falsetto in time where guys were covered in make up and spandex trying to hit unimaginable high notes they totally brought something different to the music game. Funny enough the first thing to draw me in was the drumming patterns that Alex Halen created instead of just hearing huge ear shuddering drums it was a calculated pattern he made for every song. Of course being drawn to guitarists I think Eddie Van Halen is one of the very best out there the things he could do always amazed me the speed that man could play at watching his fingers work magic on those strings is a level that tons of musicians have to work towards too. Then Michael Anthony's bass playing is out of this world often in 80's bands the only things you'd hear is Drums, Guitar, and The singer but he really worked hard for his work to be heard and appreciated. It's crazy to think at the amount of headway the made into the music biz from 78' to 84' they sure did kill it back in the day. Totally wish I could have seen them in their prime because now you can see they just don't want to be on stage together that's really sad for those die-hard fans but maybe it's better for them to just retire and bask in the good old day's memories.  

Song Of The Day- Five To One

< Link to the song

As a lover of most rock music I'd always hear about the doors and how much of an influence their made on music in such a short amount on time till the untimely passing of lead singer Jim Morrison. My first taste of their music was in a class that I took at my college called Music Appreciate. The professor was this really cool guy who had a wicked taste in music and also gave a great history on the music itself it's one of those classes I'll always remember. So one day we started working on the Acid Rock genre and my professor asked who was the lead singer of the doors? I raised my hand and said "Jim Morrison" now in 2015 not many kids my age know who he was but I did and he was impressed! The first song he played was Five To One and I fell under Jim's spell ;) There was something so primal about his voice the way he growled, he moaned, his stage prescience.  


There is this hazy, drunk, out of you're mind feeling to their music which I also think is something to reflect that era the 60's or the environment of being an musician. It's a wonderful band to use as an escape because the lyrics really make you think that's a sign of a real artist if their music makes you think. What fun is it if an artist explains what every song really means? Everyone who listens to it makes their own story and that's what they did.

The 1975- Falling For You

This song for me has a lot of meaning because the band the 1975 has helped me through very tough and emotional times in my life. Mostly last summer because it was the first summer I couldn't spend with friends and that shook me to the core because I realized I often depended on my friends for happiness because don't get me wrong I love my family I'm lucky to have them but sometimes it's just so much easier to talk to a friend than a family member and know that the convo you just had will only be between you and that friend. Family tends to get other family involved when most of the time it doesn't need that. It was really hard because I had so much to say to my friends even just the mindless chatter I missed so much I felt very alone and honestly not wanted anymore. It was a mixture of getting left-behind because my closet friends went to actually Uni's and I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life because for so long my thought was "Just Get Through High school!" and once I did it's like everything just stopped and I was confused and scared so it was a critical point in my life where I could have really needed a support system. After both of my parents encouraged me to enroll in a community college to just get started and be back into the social system of taking classes I began to stop depending on my friends less because I not only matured but also understand not having the time to catch up with each other because I had tons of homework or projects to get done. Although I still made the effort and time to be there for my friends if they did need me because I know how lonely it feels when nobody seems to have the time for you. All I ask is for my friends to make the effort make me feel wanted and that our friendship has value.

The picture above is a lyric from the song itself and I just wanted to say I relate to it so much because

the number of times I have been friends with a guy then I develop feelings for them and it always 

seems like I'm never good enough to be the "Girlfriend" it sucks because it's made me sad cause I now think what is wrong with me that I can't make the transition from friend too girlfriend? 

UGH< how I feel towards that! lol 

Imagine-John Lennon

Album Cover 

 I'd always have been a true Beatles because the philosophy of music itself is based on love and peace which is what the world needs more of. Their contributions paved the way for many new artists and ways to listen and see music. John Lennon was a musical genius through and through. I do believe that if their wasn't the Beatles that music would be completely different today than we ever thought. Most of my favorite songs are on side 1 which include "Real Love", " Twist and Shout", "HELP!", "In My Life", "Strawberry Fields Forever", "A Day In The Life".  All of this music transports me into a different world or different era. Listening to all of these songs brings a certain sense of calm and healing to me almost as if by hearing his voice is washing away all of the problems in your life.