GoatersLeftShin
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- 3 Jan 2019
- Messages
- 1,987
- Team supported
- MCFC
My nomination is for an old timer who along with Elvis, Chuck Berry, Little Richard and others created the genre we'd know today as rock'n'roll.
Not only did they help to create the genre, they were one of the first to create the idea that a rock front men is wild, dangerous and out of control. And quite honestly, they don't come more dangerous than this man. Multiple marriages, wives dying in controversial circumstances, marrying his 13-year old cousin, drink problems, drug problems, prison and shootings. Not many could match this wildman of rock and back in the 50s it must have been absolutely shocking! However, on stage he was utterly electric with a powerful, outrageous performance style that influenced anyone who played a piano.
It's "Live at the Star Club" by Jerry Lee Lewis.
I'm not a huge fan of live albums as a rule as you never quite seem to get the same experience from listening to it as to when you are there yourself. However, I'm making an exception for this album. It's a musical masterpiece by one of the greatest performers who's ever lived. I find it quite odd really as when you listen to his records, they sound quite tame nowadays and whilst the songs are good, they just don't have much "umph" about them. It captures the atmosphere and sheer, raw, physical power of his performance and makes you feel like you're sat on the front row. I get the distinct feeling that he was a very different person when playing live to the studio recordings!
It's said that he played the piano and got his band to play with the same phrenetic energy of what we'd see in a thrash metal band today and you get a real feel for that with the opening track "High School Confidential". It's absolute pure, undiluted rock n roll. If you don't like your rock'n'roll raw and primitive then the good news is that the Spotify doesn't have all the tracks on and he rattles through 8 songs in just 22 minutes!
The pace drops with his version of Money before it picks up with Great Balls Of Fire. It just gets you tapping along and you can't help but think what this must've been like watching it live.
"Good Golly Miss Molly" needs no introduction, it's a masterpiece and a great cover. No one will ever touch Little Richard's version, but this must've been absolutely sensational watching it live.
"Your cheating heart" hints at the country direction he would take later in his career. And he did that phenomenally well. He wasn't just a piano-hammering maniac, he was a seriously good musician.
"Long Tall Sally" ramps it back up to thrash-metal levels again. The recording just jumps out and you just feel like you're sat there. I can imagine people just being blown away by this. Finally it ends with his masterpiece "Whole lotta shaking goin on".
"The Killer" passed away last year and I rediscovered this album again. When I first listened to the songs on this album as a mid-teenager at the height of Acid House and The Stone Roses etc and just thinking 'wow', I couldn't help but be amazed at just how good these songs were. As much as I love The Roses and Acid House, there's just something you can't put your finger on when it comes to a band kicking the living shit out of their instruments!
I know every man and his dog who wants to be in a rock/indie/whatever band starts with a guitar but this album shows reminds you that rock has it's roots in piano too.
Every time I hear it I think I'd rather be better on the piano than guitar! I've not picked up my Fender for a few months now and try as I might, I'll never come anywhere close to being able to play like he does. He was a controversial character and I'm sure he's not up in heaven despite his religious leanings! But the way he hammers, kicks, punches and slams that piano makes you whether he's reuninted with Satan!
I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.
Not only did they help to create the genre, they were one of the first to create the idea that a rock front men is wild, dangerous and out of control. And quite honestly, they don't come more dangerous than this man. Multiple marriages, wives dying in controversial circumstances, marrying his 13-year old cousin, drink problems, drug problems, prison and shootings. Not many could match this wildman of rock and back in the 50s it must have been absolutely shocking! However, on stage he was utterly electric with a powerful, outrageous performance style that influenced anyone who played a piano.
It's "Live at the Star Club" by Jerry Lee Lewis.
I'm not a huge fan of live albums as a rule as you never quite seem to get the same experience from listening to it as to when you are there yourself. However, I'm making an exception for this album. It's a musical masterpiece by one of the greatest performers who's ever lived. I find it quite odd really as when you listen to his records, they sound quite tame nowadays and whilst the songs are good, they just don't have much "umph" about them. It captures the atmosphere and sheer, raw, physical power of his performance and makes you feel like you're sat on the front row. I get the distinct feeling that he was a very different person when playing live to the studio recordings!
It's said that he played the piano and got his band to play with the same phrenetic energy of what we'd see in a thrash metal band today and you get a real feel for that with the opening track "High School Confidential". It's absolute pure, undiluted rock n roll. If you don't like your rock'n'roll raw and primitive then the good news is that the Spotify doesn't have all the tracks on and he rattles through 8 songs in just 22 minutes!
The pace drops with his version of Money before it picks up with Great Balls Of Fire. It just gets you tapping along and you can't help but think what this must've been like watching it live.
"Good Golly Miss Molly" needs no introduction, it's a masterpiece and a great cover. No one will ever touch Little Richard's version, but this must've been absolutely sensational watching it live.
"Your cheating heart" hints at the country direction he would take later in his career. And he did that phenomenally well. He wasn't just a piano-hammering maniac, he was a seriously good musician.
"Long Tall Sally" ramps it back up to thrash-metal levels again. The recording just jumps out and you just feel like you're sat there. I can imagine people just being blown away by this. Finally it ends with his masterpiece "Whole lotta shaking goin on".
"The Killer" passed away last year and I rediscovered this album again. When I first listened to the songs on this album as a mid-teenager at the height of Acid House and The Stone Roses etc and just thinking 'wow', I couldn't help but be amazed at just how good these songs were. As much as I love The Roses and Acid House, there's just something you can't put your finger on when it comes to a band kicking the living shit out of their instruments!
I know every man and his dog who wants to be in a rock/indie/whatever band starts with a guitar but this album shows reminds you that rock has it's roots in piano too.
Every time I hear it I think I'd rather be better on the piano than guitar! I've not picked up my Fender for a few months now and try as I might, I'll never come anywhere close to being able to play like he does. He was a controversial character and I'm sure he's not up in heaven despite his religious leanings! But the way he hammers, kicks, punches and slams that piano makes you whether he's reuninted with Satan!
I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.
