Why is it so moving to witness a child with rare natural talent? Whether it’s singing, problem-solving, memory recall, or visual art, a young person with innate ability seems almost celestial. Think of Michael Jackson performing at five, commanding audiences with ease. Some kids are just born with “it.” That’s how I feel watching this […]

“Dream On” may have been one of the first power ballads and set the standard for many, if not all, that would follow it, but it would be one of many that Aerosmith released in their over 50-year career. Nearly 25 years later, they’d release a song on the soundtrack for the movie Armageddon that

Isn’t it wild when there’s an event where an aging rocker or group of rockers come out and play with the most unexpected hodgepodge group of other famous musicians? You can look to practically any performance at any of the Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame inductions of the last 20 years for numerous examples.

By 1992, power ballads weren’t cutting edge by any means, but hard rock bands were still pumping them out, and fans were eating them up. Think “Mama I’m Coming Home,” by Ozzy, or “Wind of Change,” by the Scorpions. Metalheads at proms had plenty of songs to nustle up to their lil’ boo thangs and

With Florence and the Machine set to release a new album, for the first time in a few years, at the end of this month, I decided to explore some of their older videos and performances online. I came across a video of them performing at Glastonbury Festival in 2010, arguably at the height of

“Landslide” by Fleetwood Mac was written by Stevie Nicks and her partner, Lindsey Buckingham, before the fame and fortune that came with the release of the self-titled album in 1975.  It holds an authenticity that comes from a place of hopelessness and coming to a crossroads in life, and I think that’s why it stands

It’s always a treat to see one legend pay tribute to another, whether it’s Jimi Hendrix covering Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band just two days after its release, or Whitney covering Dolly Parton’s “I Will Always Love You.” Experiencing another artist’s take is special, whether they reinterpret the song or pay homage closely to

The guitar line in Led Zeppelin’s “Kashmir” is one of Jimmy Page’s most iconic riffs. Only the opening of “Stairway to Heaven” rivals its memorability. It grabs you instantly and holds your attention throughout the song. The kind of riff that instantly grabs you and keeps your attention for he rest of the song.  The

Many of Deep Purple’s songs are overshadowed by the popularity of “Smoke on the Water,” but they were a formative band, specifically for early Heavy Metal in England. The simple riff for “Smoke on the Water,” being the first thing thousands of young guitar players learn when they pick up the instrument for the first

“Free Bird” by Lynyrd Skynyrd, America’s Stairway to Heaven, is a long, sprawling southern rock epic. Spanning eleven minutes and some change, it leaves us room to wade the cool waters of a southern creek on a hot southern summer day, then into the night when the real party starts. It’s one long build-up that

If there’s one thing that supports the idea that music holds some sort of ununderstood magic, it’s watching a baby react to it. It elicits some natural response, free of the social conditions and constructs that come with growing up.  Life lessons, both good and bad, shape our perception of the world and those around

When we think of the album “Dizzy Up the Girl,” what songs first come to mind? You’re probably thinking, “Iris, duh,” or maybe you’re more of a “Black Balloon” sad-girlie, heck, you might be looking to bounce around a bit more to a song like “Slide.”  These aren’t the only bangers on the album, though.