This guy is new to me, but judging by the amount of views he has on Youtube, he’s been around for a long time. His name is James, and he is of Led Zeppelin cover band “Virtual Zeppelin”. This dude has an amazing voice, and he covers Led Zeppelin songs in a way I’ve never heard before. Most of the stuff is played on an acoustic Guitar but not all of it. He also does other bands like Alice In Chains and The Beatles. The video below is of James covering Hey Hey What Can I Do. If you liked this, you absolutely must listed to his version of The Rain Song. It is truly unbelievable and so accurate!
For older Led Zeppelin related posts click Here.
If you were around during the short lived Grunge era, this video is a must! During a Pearl Jam concert in L.A. on October 6, Chris Cornell suddenly came on stage, and together with the band performed one of Temple Of The Dog’s classics, Hunger Strike:
To cover a Led Zeppelin song is like turning a Stephen King’s book into a movie- many have tried, but only a few have succeeded to have the same impact as the original. Godsmack (what a horrible name,) a hard rock band from Massachusetts just released a cover version to Good Times Bad Times, the 1969 Zepp hit. And (with the words of my dear wife,) I have to say, they are doing a pretty good job. Not since Minimal Compact gave their on interpretation to Immigrant Song in the mid 80’s, that I’ve heard a good Led Zeppelin cover version. And don’t talk to me about Tori Amos, cause her covers all sounds just the same!
Hope that it’s Suzanne Vega. At 48, the fiery chanteuse, is just as much a force as she ever was. Back with her new album Beauty & Crime, the subject matter, 9-11, focuses on the sadness and the rebuild of New York in the time since September 11. The album plays more like an ode to New York. Its single, “Frank & Ava” true to its title is a happy tune about New Jersey native and NY icon Frank Sinatra and his lover, actress Ava Gardner. The SF Gate gave the album a thumbs down, but I like to give Suzanne the benefit of the doubt. As a native New Yorker who’s spend the good part of her life there, I think that Vega’s emotional IQ and intelligence naturally lend herself to this project. In an effort to celebrate Suzanne’s legacy, listen to the song that made her a star, or a name to contend with, at the very least.
by Scott Register
I love Kim Richey. Freaking love her. Love her engaging personality, her witty demeanor, her talent as a songwriter and that voice, oh that voice. Few things sooth my ears and soul like the sound of Richey’s voice. It brings a peace to me like the sound of listening to my two little boys breath as they sleep. Her ability to capture a moment in time and tell an epic tale in three and a half minutes is second to none. For all those reasons, I am incredibly happy that she is back with her latest offering (the first in many years mind you), Chinese Boxes (Vanguard).
This past Sunday, Kim came down to the studio from Nashville armed with her guitar, wit and voice and I sat across the console from her with a shit-eating grin on my face that I believe still hasn’t been wiped off. If you would like to check out her performance, go here and click on her link. You will not be disappointed.
While you are there, be sure to give a listen to Adam Hood’s set from the same Reg’s Coffee House program. Adam is one of my favorite Alabama artists, hailing from Auburn/Opelika, and his music makes me want to pull out my shit-kickers, pack a fat cat in my lip and suck down ice cold Buds while I shoot pool with my runnin’ buddies. He is a honky tonker’s honkey tonker and a damn good cat to boot. His debut CD, Different Groove was recently released on Pete Anderson’s Little Dog Records and Anderson even produced it. If you want to hear the sound of the road, and the roadhouse for that matter, give it a listen.
Alright, so I just got back from a whirlwind 10-day tour – 24 hours with the family back in Bama, a couple of days at a little festival in Tennessee, 32 label meetings over the course of 5 days in NYC. And a chance meeting with Mickey Dolenz at a private party for Duran Duran.
What new stuff did we learn this time? Not a damn thing – everyone that still has a job is still kickin’ it, albeit with more challenges and smaller budgets. Sure, there was plenty of gossip, rumors, and speculation, but I’ll leave it up to Billboard to report the facts. However, talk of chain retailers behaving badly and trying to demand – not negotiate, but basically EXTORT fatter margins and better dating terms from the distributors – deserves some Woodward & Bernstein-style investigative reporting. Ugly stuff.
But while listening on the plane home to two of my top 10’s for 2007 from THE SHINS and WHITE STRIPES -– both incredible albums, signs of true artists at the top of their game — I suddenly realized that both of these bands started up exactly TEN YEARS AGO. Then I thought, “Hmm, that’s an odd coincidence. Is this true with other bands?” So I looked it up, and it holds true with a lot of modern musicians – Metallica by METALLICA? Ten years. OK Computer by RADIOHEAD? Ten years. Out of Time by R.E.M.? Ten years. Play by MOBY? Ten years. Blood Sugar Sex Magik by RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS? Ten years (alright, closer to nine). Hell, even All the Right Reasons by NICKELBACK – ten years! Read More…
How was Bonarroo? You went didn’t you? Oh, if I had a dime for every time I have been asked that question I would be adding on to my house next week. But alas, I did not go this year. As a matter of fact, I didn’t go last year. Don’t get me wrong, I love The Roo and I miss it dearly but since they moved their dates to the same weekend as my beloved hometown festival City Stages (www.citystages.org).
City Stages is no Bonarroo, it doesn’t pretend to be. At the same time, City Stages is something Bonarroo isn’t, it is a celebration of civic pride and a way for a town plagued by it’s ghosts and the sins of our fathers, to show the world that this isn’t the city some in our country think it is. While I missed seeing the incredible music at The Roo (Except for The Police. I have talked to a few dozen folks who attended and inevitably the first thing out of their mouth’s is “The Police sucked!” That’s a shame. I will just keep my memories of the Ghost In The Machine tour and avoid their latest incarnation.). I did get to see a city rally to show how much it cares about a festival that in its 19 year history has had its ups and downs but continues to prove its relevance to Birmingham. Read More…
“Once” Soundtrack (Canvasback Records) – Glen Hansard (front man for Irish rockers The Frames) and Marketa Irglova have put together what will easily be my Soundtrack of the year and as emotionally invigorating and inspiring a collection of songs as I have heard in some time. As good as the Soundtrack is, it is even more compelling after you view the film. I highly recommend checking out both. Standout tracks include “When Your Mind’s Made Up”, “Falling Slowly”, “Trying To Pull Myself Away”, “If You Want Me”, and “Once”. In a world of pre-packaged corporate bullshit and hype, this music and film cleanse the pallet and quince the purist’s thirst.
Rocky Votolato “The Brag and Cuss” (Barsuk) – Between this CD and Willy Mason’s “If The Ocean Gets Rough” (Astralwerks), modern folk music is alive and well. Votolato continues to impress me with his old soul, thought provoking lyrics, and ease on down the road melodies and this is by far his greatest collection of songs.
Amy Winehouse “Back To Black” (Universal Republic) – Yes, I am still enamored with this CD and if you haven’t noticed, Winehouse is creating a quiet storm by selling a whole lot of CDs every week under the radar. Sure, there is some hype, but I don’t think there is enough and I kind of like it that way. While everyone else is “STILL” worried about and obsessed with first week sales numbers, Winehouse steadily is selling 30K to 50K a week and the momentum doesn’t appear to be slowing. Gotta love an artist development story like this one. Isn’t that what music
is supposed to be about?
John Doe –“A Year In The Wilderness” (Yep Roc) – Like a fine Cabernet, Doe just gets better and better with age and this is his BEST solo record to date. Throw in duets with Kathleen Edwards ( “The Golden State” is a perfect song), Jill Sobule and Amie Mann, and X is alive an well and sounding as fresh as ever. I love cheering for this guy and nothing makes me happier than when a new CD from him shows up on my desk. Go John Doe Go!
I’m From Barcelona “Let Me Introduce My Friends” (Mute) – I might have mentioned before that I was late coming to the party on this one as it got lost in a sea of promos but better late than never in this case as it is going to be one of my favorite releases of the year. I’m a sucker for great pop music and this Swedish collective has made one of the smartest, infectious, rollicking pop records of the decade. If you can sit still while listening to this CD and not sing along and shake your ass then I feel for ya. Pure pop goodness as its finest. Don’t miss out on this one.
By DJ Scott Register aka Reg of Reg’s Coffeehouse.
Last weekend I spent another wonderful 3 days at the Non-Commvention. This is the last time it will be held in lovely Louisville (Seriously, if you have never spent time in this town, it is a must. Our entire country could learn a thing from Louisville about enjoying life and taking time to stop a sniff the Cabernet.) before it moves to its new permanent home in Philadelphia, PA. The conference will miss Louisville and the Brown Hotel but I’m sure the City Of Brotherly Love will be up to the challenge.
What is the Non-Commvention you ask? Well, I could give you the technical answer but I would rather put it in my own words. Non-Comm is a gathering of people who not only love music as an art form, they love getting excited about it, relishing in it, wallowing in it and turning on as many folks as they can to it. It is a music lover’s paradise. I have made so many new friends over the past few years at NonComm and because we share this love of music, there is always a common bond, always a starting point for conversation and mutual admiration flows freely.
Highlights of my Louisville weekend include but are not limited to:
Ryan Adams dark, strange, eerie, freak show of a set at the Brown Theater: OK, I heard Ryan’s set pissed off a lot of folks. To them I say, get over it.
Vietnam – If this band ever finds a way to go out with My Morning Jacket, I am quitting everything and going on tour. Rock ‘n Roll is alive and well my friends.
Augie March – This Australian band just might make it here in the States. Infectious pop jewels, poetical lyrics and a powerful presentation. I’m pulling for this band.
Dangerbird Records Showcase – The little label that can! Eulogies, Sea Wolf, One AM Radio…if the only band on
this label that you are familiar with is Silversun Pickups, you are missing out. This indie label is home to some of the finest alternative music being made today.
Sarah Borges and the Broken Singles – Hell Yeah!!! If The Replacements had been an Alt-Country-Rock band, this is what they would have sounded like. If you can see this band and not have fun, you might want to check your pulse.
Alison Krauss & Robert Plant – Watching the look on a room full of folks faces when they learned the song they had just heard was a duet by Alison Krauss and former Led Zeppelin lead Robert Plant. This record, due in October, is going to shake up the music world. STUNNING!
And last but not least…
Ingrid Michaelson – The “Grey’s Anatomy” IT girl has the songs and the voice to live up to the hype and the expectations. She’s about to become the voice of the “nerdy chic” set.
We think “nerdy” might be messing with some Amaldo.com coolness quotient, but we’ll mesh with it for now. We’re like Lisa Loeb cat-eye glasses cool like that.
Kim Richey – Jack And Jill
Paolo Nutini – Last Request
Ryan Bingham – Southside Of Heaven Patti Smith – Here I Dreamt I Was An Architect
Tori Amos – Beauty Of Speed
Josh Rouse – Sweetie
Kings Of Leon – Knocked Up
Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova – Falling Slowly
Sara Bareilles – Gravity
Joan As Police Woman – Eternal Flame
Ian Hunter – Words (Big Mouth)
Eleni Mandell – Girls
Jason Isbell – Dress Blues
John Doe with Kathleen Edwards – The Golden State
Wilco – Impossible Germany
Rodrigo Y Gabriela – Stairway To Heaven
Ben Harper – Fool For A Lonesome Train Feist – So Sorry
Amaldo.Com is very excited to announce our partnership with Reg’s Coffeehouse. For those of you who haven’t heard of Scott Register, he’s that little DJ in Alabama who discovered the likes of Dido and John Mayer (you might have heard of them) and Reg’s Coffeehouse is his site.
Anyways, every week I eagerly (like a giddy school girl, “eager”) head over to Reg’s Coffehouse.com to hear his weekly show which he broadcasts every Sunday and uploads every Wednesday. He also posts a playlist for this show in case you don’t have time to actually listen but still want to see what’s hip in the way of indie, alt-folk acoustic music out there.
So how does this translate to Amaldo.Com? Well, weekly I’ll be posting Reg’s playlists (on the blog and on our homepage) and his blog content on this site and from what I can see, you can’t access that content on his site anymore. So if you want to know what Reg is thinking in the way of his current music picks and crushes (musically speaking of course) then you’ll have to come here.
Did I mention we’re so totally musically geeked out to have Reg on board? Even if his logo does remind us a bit of the Starbucks logo… Be sure to keep checking back here throughout the day to see this week’s playlist. We promise it’s that good.
Courtney Love is either in dire financial straits (needs more money to fund another face lift or liposuction) or severely emotionally damaged because she is holding an auction at Christie’s and auctioning off her former husband, Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain’s skivvies.
Ok, so maybe it’s just his flannels, but still. In an interview with Spinner, Courtney Love said:
“My daughter doesn’t need to inherit a giant … bag full of flannel … shirts,” says Love, former frontwoman of the rock band Hole. “A sweater, a guitar and the lyrics to `(Smells Like) Teen Spirit’ — that’s what my daughter gets. And the rest of it we’ll just … sell.”
Perhaps Courtney isn’t seeing much financial promise in her upcoming album, Nobody’s Daughter.We’re just hoping that the title’s reference is not her own daughter. One damaged celebrity teen crisis as the product of really bad parental figures is about all we can handle at the moment.
I’m learning to like Chris Cornell (former Soundgarden frontman/AudioSlave lead singer) more. He doesn’t have a very catchy voice, but once you learn to appreciate his voice, well it’s a little like my husband’s love for classic rock. You start to get it. I wish I could say the same for his love of soccer and new found desire to watch the Red Sox, but I’m more on the “Desperate Housewives”/”Sopranos” wavelength.
Ok, so having shvitzed about Cornell, I’m not digging his cover of Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean,” but curious to see just how good his new solo album out May 1 will be. Since I dig acoustic solos, I might just have to explore Cornell just a little more. While on the subject of promoting forthcoming albums, my husband noticed that Bjork (who was on “SNL” last night) and her new album Volta slated for release May 7 are sounding a lot like Laurie Anderson these days. Try something new much, Bjork?
Cease to resist, giving my goodbye
drive my car into the ocean
you’ll think I’m dead, but I sail away
on a wave of mutilation
I don’t know if I can say that the Pixies invented Alternative Rock, but one thing is sure, the band has a major part in the evolution of Rock music in the late 80’s early 90’s.In April 1989, the Pixies released their second studio album, Doolittle. The rough sound, the hard, almost out-of-tune melodies, the uncompromising biting lyrics and everything that is signature Pixies is in the album. Some of the band’s best songs are in the album, including “Hey”, “Monkey Gone To Heaven”, “Gouge Away”, “There Goes My Gun”, and more. No disrespect to Surfer Rosa, but I think that Doolittle is the Pixies best album.
Hope that it’s Suzanne Vega. At 48, the fiery chanteuse, is just as much a force as she ever was. Back with her new album Beauty & Crime, the subject matter, 9-11, focuses on the sadness and the rebuild of New York in the time since September 11. The album plays more like an ode to New York. Its single, “Frank & Ava” true to its title is a happy tune about New Jersey native and NY icon Frank Sinatra and his lover, actress Ava Gardner. The SF Gate gave the album a thumbs down, but I like to give Suzanne the benefit of the doubt. As a native New Yorker who’s spend the good part of her life there, I think that Vega’s emotional IQ and intelligence naturally lend herself to this project. In an effort to celebrate Suzanne’s legacy, listen to the song that made her a star, or a name to contend with, at the very least.
by Scott Register
by 
How was Bonarroo? You went didn’t you? Oh, if I had a dime for every time I have been asked that question I would be adding on to my house next week. But alas, I did not go this year. As a matter of fact, I didn’t go last year. Don’t get me wrong, I love The Roo and I miss it dearly but since they moved their dates to the same weekend as my beloved hometown festival City Stages (
By DJ Scott Register aka Reg of 
By DJ Scott Register aka Reg of 
Amaldo.Com is very excited to announce our partnership with 
Courtney Love is either in dire financial straits (needs more money to fund another face lift or liposuction) or severely emotionally damaged because 
I’m learning to like Chris Cornell (former Soundgarden frontman/
Cease to resist, giving my goodbye