Rock Of Ages

Benjy says...

Hi Rock of Ages subscribers

There is an eternal argument that rages amongst lovers of quality rock music - which decade was the best for rock ... 60's?, 70's?, 80's?, 90's? or heaven forbid the new millenium? I suppose it's academic really, each decade has it's highs and lows although I must admit to a strong personal leaning for what I call the 'golden age' - 1968 to 1974. For me that was when rock was at it's most creative, challenging, progressive and revolutionary ..... Jimi, The Who, Led Zep, Jethro Tull, Cream, Rare Earth, Creedence, Deep Purple, Santana, etc, etc. After that, according to many fans, it became bloated and complacent seeming to have lost it's momentum and vision. In 1976 Punk grabbed it by the short and curlies and shook it up for about 5 minutes but as rock music lurched drunkenly into the next decade it looked like something radical was needed to keep the rock flag flying high. Despite it's many failings and embarrassments the 80's still managed to produce some great rock music from both a handful of new bands and key albums from some established 70's artists.

So this coming Thursday the special will be Rockin' the 80's - a look at the sound and artists of the decade including Rainbow, Guns 'n Roses, Queen, Pat Travers, Van Halen, Scorpions, UFO, Cinderella, Y&T, Motley Crue, Iron Maiden, Echo & the Bunnymen, REM, Pixies and many more ..... email me your suggestions and I'll try and include them in the show.

Don't forget to enter The Doors online competition to win one of five limited edition 3 CD Best of the Doors cd/dvd sets - go to www.rock.co.za/rockofages and click on the Doors banner at the top of the page. Be sure to switch your computer speakers on and listen to the Rock of Ages jukebox whilst you are navigating the site - there are 24 Doors tracks on rotation.

Rock Of Ages Recommendations

The Best Of Acoustic Jethro Tull

For nearly 40 years Jethro Tull have been at the forefront of melodic prog rock. Blending together elements of blues, folk, hard rock, classical and even medieval influences they have without doubt created a sound that is uniquely 'Tull. Just released this month is "The Best of Acoustic Jethro Tull" ****, a 24 track compilation which gathers together for the first time on one album the band's most loved acoustic songs. Starting in chronological order with 1968's "Fat Man", Ian Anderson and his merry band of minstrels weave a magical tapestry throughout with flutes, lutes, mandolins, pianos, bouzoukis and other assorted exotic instruments. "Mother Goose", "Wond'ring aloud", "Thick as a brick", "Jack in the green" - they're all there, handpicked by Ian Anderson and newly remastered. Although I have heard these songs zillions of times over the years I had forgotten just what great acoustic players both Ian and his perennial guitarist Martin Barre are ..... a must for Jethro Tull fans ..........

Clutch - From Beale Street to oblivion

One of the great joys of hosting Rock of Ages is showcasing some of the newer bands whom, to many listeners, are largely unknown. Over the past four years I have been playing, from time to time, tracks by a band called Clutch. Their first couple of albums were somewhat patchy affairs with some great classic rock influenced songs sitting alongside some metallic grunge/post punk efforts that didnt quite hit the groove. However with their last album "Robot Hive: Exodus" they really hit their stride with a more focused rock sound bringing in a subtle Southern hard rock influence. Their new album "From Beale Street to oblivion" **** builds on that success: from the opening roar of "You can't stop progress" it's full steam ahead as the band pull out all the stops with possibly their best album to date. Fusing a gritty, hard rock sound with elements of soulful voodoo blues Clutch have delivered one of the best albums of the year. If you are a fan of Gov't Mule and the like then check this album out.

Ratings:
***** Volcanic....not to be missed.
**** Seismic....highly recommended...buy it!
*** Aftershock....solid effort.
** Damp squib really!
* Do I need to explain this?

Rock Of Ages News

Amnesty for top rockers
Aerosmith, Ozzy, Green Day, Deftones and Big & Rich are among those names contributing tracks, either on CD or digitally, to the upcoming John Lennon charity tribute record 'Instant Karma: The Amnesty International Campaign To Save Darfur'. All proceeds will go to Amnesty International.

Emo's for charity
Fall Out Boy are going to Uganda. Their visit is intended to highlight the plight of displaced children in the war-torn African region.

Short Cuts ..... Pixies frontman Frank Black is to release a double CD compilation called 'Frank Black 93-03'. Due out in mid-June, this covers his solo career .... Steve Vai will release a double CD live album in June through Epic. It's to be called 'Sound Theory Vols. 1 & 2'...

Rock of Ages presents "Footstompin' Music"

"Footstompin' Music" is ready for release through Universal Music, it should be in the stores by the middle of May. Here is a pic of the front cover for you to drool over as well as the final tracklisting:

Rock Of Ages Presents Footstompin' Music

Grand Funk Railroad - Footstompin' Music
Deep Purple - Burn
Uriah Heep - Look at yourself
Black Sabbath - Sweat Leaf
Thin Lizzy - Chinatown
Robin Trower - Too rolling stoned
Mountain - Never in my life
Wishbone Ash - Blowin' free
Foghat - I just wanna make love to you
Budgie - Baby, please don't go
Santana - Toussaint l'Overture
Alice Cooper - Muscle of love
Nazareth - Go down fighting
Blue Oyster Cult - The Red & the Black
Lynyrd Skynyrd - Gimme back my bullets
Free - The Hunter
Taste - What's goin' on

Keep the rock real...

Benjy

Contact Rock of Ages

Email:
Website: www.rock.co.za/rockofages
Snail mail:
PO Box 53585, Kenilworth, 7745
Studio phones: 021-4342523 / 4342525

Disclaimer:
The views, opinions, rants, raves and ramblings expressed on this website are the author's own and in no way reflect the views of Radio 2000 or the SABC.

Latest Playlist

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Live Gigs

Boulevard Blues Band
For more info visit www.boulevardblues.co.za

Jack Hammer
11th Steak 'n Ale,Pretoria
25th/26th STRAB Festival, Mozambique

Dan Patlansky
26th STRAB Festival, Mozambique

Mochines
6th Hidden Cellar, Stellenbosch
11th Horror Café, JHB
12th Zanzibar, Pretoria

Josie Field
17th May Café Barcelona (with Laurie Levine)
18th Die Koffiehuis, Linden
19th May Radium Beerhall, Orange Grove

Jim Neversink
11th May Die Koffiehuis, Linden

The Rudimentals
27th Tempos, Randburg
Snap Wine Bar, Durban
8th Private Republic and Gonzo Republic

You say it's your birthday...

May 4
Ronnie Bond - Troggs - 1943
George Wadenius - Blood, Sweat & Tears - 1945
Ed Cassidy - Spirit - 1923

May 5
Bill Ward - Black Sabbath - 1948
Doug Gray - Marshall Tucker Band

May 6
Bob Seger - 1945
Colin Earl - Foghat, Mungo Jerry - 1942

May 7
Prairie Prince - Tubes, Journey, New Cars - 1950
Ray Monette - Rare Earth, Funkadelic - 1946

May 8
Paul Samwell-Smith - Yardbirds - 1943
Alex Van Halen - Van Halen - 1953
Rick Nelson - 1940
Gary Glitter - 1944

May 9
Billy Joel - 1949
Tom Petersson - Cheap Trick - 1950
Richie Furay - Buffalo Springfield, Poco, Souther Hillman Furay Band - 1944

May 10
Donovan - 1946
Jay Ferguson - Spirit, Jo Jo Gunne - 1947
Sid Vicious - Sex Pistols - 1957
Bono - U2 - 1960
Dave Mason - Traffic - 1946

May 11
Eric Burdon - Animals, War - 1941
Butch Trucks - Allman Brothers Band - 1947

May 12
Steve Winwood - Traffic, Blind Faith, Spencer Davis Group - 1948
Billy Squier - 1950
Ian McLagan - Faces/Small Faces - 1945

May 13
Danny Kirwan - Fleetwood Mac - 1950
Ritchie Valens - 1941
Pete "Overend" Watts - Mott the Hoople - 1947
Stevie Wonder - 1950

May 14
Jack Bruce - Cream, Manfred Mann, John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers - 1943
David Byrne - Talking Heads - 1952
Gene Cornish - Rascals - 1945
Bobby Darin - 1936

Courtesy of
About ClassicRock

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Your Host

Benjy Mudie

Then	Now

Benjy Mudie is a self confessed 'rockaholic' with little chance of recovery... a music obsessive whose entire life has been spent in search of the lost chord... from discovering Jimi's "Are you experienced" at 13, he has constantly devoured music through lp's, singles, tapes, cds, dvds, books, magazines, film, concerts, radio, tv and the internet. His entire working life has also been music related: from running a record store and later joining WEA Records in the mid 70's through to his 21 year A&R/Marketing stint at Tusk Music where he signed some of the biggest names in South African rock and pop. The last 8 years have been spent nurturing new talent at his indie label Fresh Music and reissuing classic albums as part of it's ongoing Retro series.... To say that 'music is his first love' (to paraphrase John Miles's classic song) is somewhat understated.

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