This Day in Music History: King Crimson/Beat and Van Halen/For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge (06/18)

Beat is the ninth studio album by the British rock band King Crimson, released on this day in 1982.

The album focused on the 25th anniversary of the publication of the novel On the Road by Jack Kerouac. The album makes several references to the writings of the Beat Generation.

This Day in Music History: Van Halen/OU812 (05/24)

OU812 is the eighth studio album by American hard rock band Van Halen, released in 1988, and the second to feature vocalist Sammy Hagar. It sold over four million copies (quadruple platinum) and reached #1 on the Billboard album charts where it stayed for four weeks.

Friday and the Random 10 (Almost Forgot Edition)

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This Day in Music History: Lynyrd Skynyrd and Van Halen (03/24)

A double dose of classic albums today:

Lynyrd Skynyrd/Nuthin' Fancy (1975) - This was their third studio album, and their first to reach the Top 10, peaking at #9 on the US albums chart. It was certified Platinum on 7/21/1987 by the RIAA. This is the first record with new drummer Artimus Pyle and the last with guitarist Ed King until the reformation of the band in the early 90's.

"Saturday Night Special" was the only single released and reached #27 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100.

Van Halen/5150 (1986) - This is the 7th studio album by the band and was the first of four albums to be recorded with new lead singer Sammy Hagar, who replaced David Lee Roth. It was named after Eddie Van Halen's home studio, 5150, itself named after a California law enforcement term for a mentally disturbed person (a reference to Section 5150 of the California Welfare and Institutions Code). The album hit #1 on the Billboard 200 chart, surpassing the band's previous album, 1984.

The album was notable for a number of love songs and ballads, which were not a feature of the straightforward rock stylings of the Roth-fronted era of the band. Many who had heard the previous incarnation of Van Halen called the new iteration "Van Hagar" either derisively or affectionately, a nickname widespread enough that, as Hagar points out in his book, Warner Bros. asked them to consider renaming the band as such.

The singles released were: "Why Can't This Be Love"(#3), "Summer Nights"(#33), "Best of Both Worlds" (#12), "Love Walks In"(#4) and "Dreams" (#3).

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Friday and the Random 10 (Royalty Edition)

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Friday and the Random 10 (Escape the Voice Edition)

Welcome to a new and improved, simplified and stripped down Random 10! 

Here's a picture.

Friday and the Random 10 (John Snow is Alive Edition)

Oh you knew he was alive. You, just like everyone else, kept staring at that table and expected him to open his eyes or jump up. The question is, was he alive already, or did the red witch actually bring him back? I never read the books so I don't know any future spoilers. #JohnSnowLives #GameOfThrones

Music is coming...

Friday and the Random Ten (College Football Returns Edition)

Well it's about time! College football returns this weekend (actually started last night) and I know millions of people are happy about it. NFL? Whatever. Take you deflated balls and go home. My beloved #3 Alabama Crimson Tide opens up tomorrow night with #20 Wisconsin. Gonna be a slobberknocker! How bout some music to get us fired up? If you're not fired up already something is wrong with you...

Friday and the Random 10 (Disney Chaos Edition)

Well there is certainly a lot going on right now with Christmas coming up. The tree is finally up at the Magic Kingdom (#crooked) since all the parade filming got done this week. Props to my MayKay. I work every single day after today.

There is also the Survivor finale next week, the upcoming Doctor Who Christmas special, and bowl season (#RollTide #SEC) all leading up to New Year's Eve. Disney is the one place you do not, I repeat DO NOT want to go that day. It's chaos I tell you! Chaos!

Friday and the Random 10 (Disney Lingo Edition)

Wow, I am up way too early today. It has been another busy week at work, but at least tonight is another one of those short nights. Not NoJ this time, but MNSSHP. What? You don't speak Disney? That's Night of Joy and Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party. Yes, Halloween. In the middle of September. Bad part is this is already the third one. Third!

Enough of that though, let's get to the music. Looking back at last week, I see that The Beatles got banned, joining RW in being 101. Predictable.

As usual, the rules and whatnot are up there ↑ at the top in the OG.

Who is 102? Let's see...

1) Jethro Tull/Wind-Up - You know what every band needs? A lead singer that plays the flute. This is from the album Aqualung. Sound familiar? Yeah, it's what Ron Burgundy plays on his flute in the Anchorman movies.

2) RW/Slaveman RW/Minas Tirith Frank Zappa/Don't Eat the Yellow Snow - Something new I added this week. Sorry, but it's mostly crap to me. Also:

3) Frank Zappa/Louie Louie - And welcome to being banned. More crap.

4) Porcupine Tree/Blackest Eyes - The album cover winner here describes how I feel when guests ask me a dumb question:

5) Sammy Hagar/Bad Motor Scooter - Back in his days with Montrose.

6) Styx/Put Me On - Back when they seemed to start every album with a JY song. DDY does sing one part though.

7) Daft Punk/Crescendolls - Good. I needed a little credibility. However, this beat is slightly annoying.

8) Starcastle/Forces - Wow, if ever there was a band that wanted to be the American Yes then this is them. I like their music though.

9) Gentle Giant/Alucard - More of that early 70's jazz fusion that seems to be annoying the crap out of me for some reason this morning.

10) Yes/Vevey (Revisited) - A bonus track from the Going for the One re-issue. They were obviously working on a smaller part of a larger song here (probably Awaken) since it is only an organ and harp playing. Yeah, I said harp.

Well there we go for another week. I don't know why I feel irritated by this music today. At least I won't have to listen to Zappa next week because of the banning. I may go back and delete a lot of his inventory. The Beatles are now 102 and able to participate next week. RW has an ROS until September ends.

The STCS is Wendy Carlos/Ending Titles (Tron soundtrack). The original movie where everything had a computer "sound". Makes me want to call DACS.

As always, stay cool and dry wherever you are, and Roll Tide!

Play us out boys!

Friday and the Random 10 is now 10-7 for the week. 

I'll Fall In Love Again

Today's Jam.

Friday and the Random 10

Life seems to be getting to that part of year where everything changes. Kids going back to school, football starting soon, etc. One thing you can always count on is the Random 10. I mean, it's become like an institution for ya'll right? (and by ya'll I mean both of my readers). Anyway, looking back at last week, I see no one got banned. Must have been all that RW I deleted. As usual, the rules and whatnot are over there → to the right.

Let's get this party started!

Friday and the Random 10

Now that I have finished that other wimpy post, it's time for something manly. How about some music? And let's make it random! Yeah, you know the deal. The rules and whatnot are over there → to the right as always. Looking back at last week I see that Chicago and, ummm who would that be, oh yeah Rick Wakeman are banned for this week. On a side note, I deleted a lot of RW last week, only leaving the actual classics. The rest was just...unnecessary.

And now for the manly music!

Friday and the Random 10

Well that time is once again upon us peeps! Time to roll the dice and chance the hands of fate by turning the controls of media player over to the gods of randomness. Will they be kind to us? Or will they make me an object of ridicule? Will I be a man or a mouse? There's only one way to find out, so here we go!

1) Rick Wakeman(!)/Angel Falls - Apparently his album about his tribute to water. He hasn't shown up for quite awhile. If you don't know the joke with him, check out the size of his discography, particularly in the 90's. If there was a topic, he did an album about it.

2) Kansas/I Counted On Love - The follow up album to Power, which had its moments but wasn't as good.

3) The Moody Blues/Meet Me Halfway - Sounds exactly like you think it would.

4) Brittany Spears/Piece of Me - Here, take my man card. Time to break out the new award. Britney, this song has fallen to the Cybermen.

5) Chicago/Prelude to Aire - Little jazzy intro on Chicago VII. Album cover winner for the third time, therefore I think it goes into retirement after this.

6) YES/Roundabout - Finally some redemption! I'm in the middle of covering this album right now. Check out Side 1, which includes this song, right here.

7) The Human League/All I Ever Wanted - So 80's, which makes it awesome by default.

8) Sammy Hagar/Two Sides of Love - Welcome to the party pal! First appearance!

9) The Moody Blues/To Share Our Love - Meh. Almost sounds like it's from the 50's.

10) Fleetwood Mac/Gypsy - Was there ever a more perfect song for Stevie Nicks than this? Classic.

Could have been better I guess. I lost my man card, we broke out a new award, retired an album cover, and welcomed a new artist. That's actually quite a lot for one week. The Spinal Tap Commemorative Song (STCS) is Jon Anderson/Hurry Home (Song for the Pleiades).

Play us out Stevie, while I go see about that man card...

P.S. And do not forget to recommend this blog continues.



Weekend Update

Doctor Who - Working my way into Season 6. From the Pandorica to Demons Run! The River Song thing gets me every time, but I wont ruin it for you if you don't know. Spoilers!

The Walking Dead - Cool episode with Rick and company heading back to his old home town in search of guns/ammo. Pick up the damn hitchhiker already! That was kind of disappointing.

How I Met Your Mother - No new episode this week. Ted needs to meet that woman already, like 4 seasons ago.

Big Bang Theory - Never Google how to excite 12 year old girls...

Community - And now a Thanksgiving episode?

New Girl - Nothing new here either. I am re-watching both seasons though.

Game of Thrones - Started watching this on recommendation from my mom. I'm not sure yet. At least there's no dragons or wizards in it.

A Good Time to Die Hard - I actually went and saw a movie on the big screen this week! Yes, we get it. Bruce Willis is old. And on vacation. They sure crashed alot of cars and trucks for this film. All in all  a good movie that seemed to end too abruptly. All I could think about the whole time they were in Chernobyl was "I remember that from Call of Duty!"

Music - This week I added some good old Sammy Hagar. I'm kind of interested in the late 60's/early 70's jazz fusion rock thing that went on for awhile (think Santana and early Journey before SP), so I've been giving a listen to Return to Forever. The first two albums sounded, well, "baby-fied" but once they went electric with synthesizers it was more what I was looking for. And as always, I am always open for music suggestions. Put your suggestions in the comment boxes below.

Sports

Braves - Rumors of possibly listening to offers for Johnny Venters which has people upset. If you can trade a relief pitcher for a good position player you do it. Every time. Cory Rasmus is trying to make a good impression, which is very cool because I coached him a little in high school.

Bama basketball - Lost Tuesday to Ole Miss. Bubble popped. Not making the Big Dance. Beat Georgia 61-58 to improve to 20-11. SEC tournament is up next where we will be the 4th seed.

P.S. And do not forget to recommend this blog continues.