Jimi Hendrix's Greatest Blues Song: new Papa Roach, Guiffria, Jettblack

 "RED HOUSE"  (Extended)    THE JIMI HENDRIX EXPERIENCE

Meg Ryan played a heart surgeon in the movie, City Of Angels, and needed to concentrate on a delicate medical procedure in the surgery room.  To focus, she asked her nurse to put on "Red House" by Jimi Hendrix.   The ultimate electric guitar blues jam, you can close your eyes, and FEEL Jimi digging deep into his soul with this slow burning classic.   This extended version appears on his "Valleys Of Neptune" CD.   Jimi played this at Woodstock but the song was left out of the movie.  The lyrics describe an army veteran coming home from war looking for his girl, but she's not there.  But we all know the focus of  "Red House" is Jimi's blues solo.

DAILY MUSIC TRIVIA QUESTION:  One of the worst music pairings of all-time, what 60's boy band had Jimi Hendrix as their opening act for a few shows in the 60's?   Yesterday: St Petersburg's Angela Bissett

"STILL SWINGING"  PAPA ROACH
Jacoby Shaddix and Papa Roach debuted their new single, "Still Swinging" at the MLB All-Star game on ESPN this summer.   The group who said "cut my life into pieces, this is my last resort" has grown up with this hopeful nu-metal anthem.  The chorus here:  “We are a beacon in the dark / A lighthouse risen from the heart / We’ve been here from the start / We are the ones still swingin’.    Their new CD called "Connection" is set to be released in October.  Jacoby has gotten sober and I anticipate more positive messages on the new CD.

 
"CALL TO THE HEART"  GUIFFRIA

Gregg Guiffria's self named 80's hard rock band lives up the often-used label, One Hit Wonder.   Their debut single, "Call To The Heart" steals a page from Steve Perry and Journey with the big arena filling chorus, sensitive love song lyrics masked with synthesizers and electric guitar.  Guiffria had the traditional big blonde hair and the spandex but appeared softer than their hard rock counterparts and perhaps this cut into their fan base?   "Call To The Heart" is an often-overlooked but epic 80's rock track.

"PRISON OF LOVE"  JETTBLACK
From "Raining Rock", the 2nd Jettblack CD just released in June, my favorite track is the stadium anthem, "Prison Of Love".  Jettblack turn up the amps and I love the retro 80's hard rock guitar starting at :18.    You can see the influence of bands like Firehouse, Trixter, and the L.A. Guns on Jettblack's sound.   The first single, Raising Rock, has an outrageous new video you may also want to check out on YouTube.  

Heavy Metal Mount Rushmore: Judas Priest, Papa Roach, Damn Yankees (Ted Nugent)

"SCARS"                                    PAPA ROACH

Jacoby Shaddix, lead singer of Papa Roach, says this song saved his life.   The message behind "Scars" is trying to help someone who doesn't want to be helped.    The video tells the story well but it's the power of the lyrics that really moves me.


I tear my heart open, I sew myself shut
My weakness is that I care too much
And our scars remind us that the past is real
I tear my heart open just to feel


I tried to help you once
Against my own advice
I saw you going down
But you never realized
That you're drowning in the water
So I offered you my hand
Compassions in my nature
Tonight is our last stand

"DON'T GO"                                     JUDAS PRIEST

Rob Halford is the Metal God and if you made a Mount Rushmore out of Heavy Metal vocalists, he'd be there with Ozzy, Robert Plant, and ????     His vocal range and his powerful stage presence is in full glory on his video from the 80's.   "Don't Go" is from 1981's Point of Entry and it has one of the best rhythm sections of any song in the Judas Priest catalog.  

"COME AGAIN"                            DAMN YANKEES

Take the lead singer from Styx, the lead singer from Night Ranger, and add in the Motor City Madman, Ted Nugent, and you get one Super Group that released two great CD's in the 80's.    "Come Again" is sexual, flirty, and a power ballad supreme.   Lead vocals go to Tommy Shaw on this one, it features a great guitar solo, and filming the video in black and white gives it a classic feel.   I've always loved the song but I don't remember ever seeing the video before.