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.