You know I am always on the hunt for melodic rock treasures since this is the type of rock music I am mostly fond of. Some people still believe that the era of AOR is long gone and that this used to be a big thing in the ‘80s, however I gotta say, those people don’t even have a slightest clue of how the genre have evolved and spread in the past few years. So many outstanding young artists are responsible for the AOR boom in recent years and great pioneers of AOR are launching spectacular comebacks so it’s safe to say, we are entering a new AOR era!
Discovering bands that bring back the faith in me and make me feel alive again is basically what I live for. Sometime ago, through the power of social media, the amazing guys from the Swedish AOR band, Age of Reflection(love what they did with the name), reached out to me and introduced me to their music. I didn’t need much convincing or extra effort to understand that this band will most certainly fall under the category of “great new AOR bands you must hear now”. I am already familiar with the magic of Swedish rock musicians, so it was not such a big surprise for me to discover yet another Swedish treasure that deserves all the praises. Anyways, we are here today to talk about Age of Reflection and their “In the Heat of the Night” album which I firmly believe needs to reach out to as many fans out there as possible. I want to introduce their music and hopefully bring to the table something new to people who are hungry for something fresh and of high quality.
First of all, let me provoke you and restore that faith in you, guys with this song…
With me, as you know, when it comes to music is all about discovering more in a song than just a bunch of well-written lines, melodies and good riffs. With me, it’s about the emotions, substance, the soul of the music and its ability to quickly deliver it to your senses. That’s not all I am looking for in a melodic rock album. I am deeply connected to the ‘80s rock music values and when I see bands these days that are not just incorporating them in their music but are adding something more, that’s when I know I have a real gem in front of my eyes. All this and more I found in Age of Reflection and their “In the Heat of the Night” album.
I want to present my sincere adoration for the great vocals by Lars Nygren who is certainly one of the most vocally-attractive musicians on the current revived Swedish melodic rock scene. “Blame it on My Heart”, “Borderline” and “The Mirror Never Lies” for instance (which happen to be three of my favorite songs on the release) probably wouldn’t have had the same effect on me if it wasn’t for the captivating vocals. Speaking of songs, I should probably mention that “Dying for Your Love” brought out a certain fire in my heart which doesn’t happen as often as you might think. Watch out for it – it’s unforgettable. It’s time to give the high fives also to Carl Berglund, who is not just the main reason for the existence of this band in the first place, but is also one of the masters of the guitar and keyboards. He, along with the bassist Jan Skärming, gave birth to an exciting project which you didn’t know you need in your life, till you hear it!
“In The Heat of the Night” came out last year and it’s a little bit of a shame that I just discovered it but better late than never. I want to heavily emphasize to my readers that this is a band with a musical significance and their songs carry a meaning and strength which, at least to me, is the most essential component on the road to success. Spread the love and enjoy! Let me know your thoughts in the comment section below. I hope I brought something great to you with my humble publication.
Cheers to more!
Here is me, happily holding a great new addition to my beloved collection. I can’t wait to see what’s next for those talented guys.
“The Mirror Never Lies”
“Dying for Your Love”
Age of Reflection
BAND MEMBERS:
Lars Nygren – lead vocals Carl Berglund – guitar, backing vocals Jonas Nordqvist – guitar, backing vocals Jens Rüttgeroth – keyboards, backing vocals Jan Skärming – bass, backing vocals Peppe Vikman – drums, backing vocals
I don’t own any audio or visual material used in this publication. All the rights and credits go to the owners and/publishers.
The publication expresses my personal opinion and in no way is trying to make a generalized statement. Please be kind and considerate when you read and/or comment.
Cheers~
I was fortunate enough to be born in 1992 – a year in which LP/CD/Audiocasette stores were everywhere and people were still enthusiastically buying music. On top of it all, I come from a family of musicians, so you can imagine the kind of musical collections I grew up with. By 1992, the CD had already established itself as a major music format and its importance in people’s lives was unquestionable. I remember asking my parents for CDs every time there was an occasion – birthdays, name days, Christmas, I would always get tons of CDs or audiocassettes of my favorite ‘90s artists as gifts from my parents. I was (and still do it by the way) giving CDs to my friends too.
I guess the CD mania didn’t really allow me to appreciate or look for any other music format when I was a kid. I remember my parents’ vinyl collections but it never really made much sense to get into the whole thing myself. Most of the LPs we had were Russian pressings and it just looked so weird to me. Like, what do I do with that black round thing? How do I play it? I better just go back to the cool stereo and play my CDs. I should’ve known better…
I’ve never really thought about the true value of a vinyl mostly because I was too young and basically moving along with the trend. The technological advancements in sound quality and proliferation and affordability of HiFi stereos made it even easier for people to enjoy music and purchase CDs (and audio-cassettes till early 2000s actually).
As I was getting into music more and more with each second, it was only natural for me to discover the magic of a vinyl record. I guess it all fell into place when I became a die-hard fan of old-school rock music. When this whole new world opened up in front of me, all of a sudden I had tons of exceptional ‘60s, ‘70s and ‘80s rock bands settling in my heart and they brought so much more than mind-blowing rock&roll in my life. These great artists brought with them the old ways of music which eventually became a staple for me. Of course, growing up with artists like Eric Clapton, The Beatles, Chicago, Toto, Tina Turner, Foreigner and similar, had a lot to do with my natural progression towards becoming the ultimate classic rock enthusiast. When you reach the next level of fandom, listening to Led Zeppelin or The Beatles on a CD might not be satisfying enough. I’m not sure I can fully explain it but as I was growing up and my level of music expertise and knowledge of rock music history expanded, my preference for musical formats changed too. I still buy CDs all the time but it’s the LP records that excite me and make my heart jump the moment I come across a LP store.
Some of you may know this but I live in Seoul at the moment, though I come from Bulgaria. Just like in my other countries around the world, in Korea too record stores keep on disappearing as we speak. Korean pop is still a massive force and the market for idol merchandise, including CDs, is still going strong. For a moment, if we forget about Kpop and focus on the international music market, there aren’t actually that many places that offer a wide selection of past and current releases. Moreover, my adoration for second-hand LP record shopping had to be satisfied sooner or later. After my favorite little local record store closed (because of course it had to) I felt quite lost for a little while. I had this routine and the owners knew me not just because I was the only foreigner who would come every week but because I would spend a long time there, browsing and listening to music and trying to find comfort. Eventually, I was fortunate enough to be brought to this underground shopping area, located in Myeong-dong (명동), Seoul. I’ve been to Myeong-dong area plenty of times but never knew that there was this second-hand vinyl heaven right beneath my feet. First time I went it was quite late and I couldn’t really make the best of it. I promised myself to devote at least one day and go through each and every LP that was there! I kept my promise….multiple times Ha!
I wanted to share this meaningful experience with you, guys and emphasize once again on how magical it can be to dive into this world of old-school music, put into a vinyl record so many years ago. I am well aware of the fact that most of my readers are probably from previous generations and grew up with LP records so they keep on buying and collecting them. However, it’s not just the older rock fans that know a thing or two about records. Believe it or not, there are many younger people, like myself, out there who are devoted LP collectors and appreciate this format. With this publication, I wanted to not only share what it is like to go record shopping in Seoul, Korea, but also to emphasize and remind everyone that records are the real deal and no other format can ever replace the value and the spirit, this vinyl carries within itself. I truly hope you enjoy the photos!
…This is Myeong-dong – a shopping district, located in the heart and soul of SEOUL, South Korea. There are thousands of tourists who can enjoy all kinds of stores, restaurants, malls and tourist attractions. It is always extremely crowded and it looks something like this:
…But this is where we are heading for! Myeong-dong underground shopping center – that’s where the real music is!
After a couple of minutes this breathtaking view welcomes you to paradise! There are plenty of music stores in that underground area but this one is the biggest and offers the widest selection of records. On top of it all, it’s not just this one wall – the owner has little record displays everywhere. I love going there because they have the best ’80s hard rock LPs and in the greatest condition (I am convinced he is a huge classic rock fan)! Don’t even get me started on how awesome the prices are!
Of course, there are plenty of other genres offered – you can spot classic music, jazz music, pop music, ’90s music and many other subsections!
…In addition to vinyl records, they also offer CDs (second hand, of course). Here, it says that you can get 4 CDs for 10.000Won, which is around 10$.
Sometimes you can come across real treasures! That wasn’t what I came for, though…
My favorite section – the place where all the great things happen is this one – this little shelf that contains mostly Korean (or Japanese) pressings of LPs from the good old days of hard rock (a.k.a the ’80s). The prices vary from 5.000Won (5$) to 15.000Won (15$), depending on the condition or popularity of the LP. I’ve been going there for quite some time now and what truly impresses me is that there are new (old) ones every time! Some even quite rare, actually! There is a little chair provided for the people (like me) who just have to go through every single record and make sure nothing is left unseen. Time flies so fast when you are looking for your next big discovery!
These are just some of the treasures I found…
Some of them I do have, some of them I don’t! I am still working on my rock collection and have a lifetime to do it! I wasn’t really sure what to get till I saw those two albums…
It’s amazing how the things we want so much, always find a way to come to us! I have been record shopping for ages and this is the first time I see those two albums in any music format. Bonham’s “The Disregard of Timekeeping” has been on my “list” for so long! It was almost unbelievable that it was there, just waiting for me…
Fortune’s self-titled debut album is one rare-gem! I have never came across it and knowing how rare it is, I just had to buy it!
The prices of both were 7.000Won (7$ each). It’s crazy, right? Excellent condition, still with their lyric and promo sheets inside! This is what I’m talking about – I don’t know about you, guys but the thrill of browsing through records and all of a sudden finding one that you wanted so much can be such an emotional moment. Moreover, the most amazing thing is that these kinds of experiences can make you feel so much closer to the music. I didn’t have the chance to be born during the time these albums were released. I never attended their concert or passionately discussed such records with my friends. For someone like me, this is the most genuine way to feel that ’80s rock vibe. For a second there I feel like I was part of it all and it feels so good! Just like that, by holding an old-school second-hand record, I was brought back to the late ’80s and time didn’t matter anymore, it was all about my favorite music and me.
Bonham – The Disregard of Timekeeping (1989)
Fortune – Fortune (1985)
Moving on to the big wall of records… I just had to browse through them all.
Def Leppard
Other interesting records I thought I’d never see in Korea!
I wasn’t the only one on a hunt…
The kings!
Another separate CD section for the enthusiastic collectors.
There were a couple of more stores which I had to visit before I leave. Though this one was the biggest and definitely the best, sometimes you never know what will jump out of the old vinyl boxes. Interestingly, there were plenty of people who were browsing and looking around. Korean people haven’t fully given up on LPs and that’s great!
One of the other little stores always offers the best deals! In front of it, you can spot a couple of boxes, full of records, all for 5.000Won each (5$). I always find pretty interesting things there! Last time I went, I purchased Europe’s “The Final Countdown” and TNT’s “Tell No Tales” so with the hopes of finding new treasures, I went back…
& let the browsing begin…
I don’t have Guns N’ Roses’ “Use Your Illusion I” and it was such an amazing deal that I just had to buy it!
Guns N’ Roses – Use Your Illusion (1991)
There are plenty of LP stores all over the underground shopping center but some of them were closed as it was too early when I went there.
Of course, there are stores that offer the suitable sound equipment for listening to those LPs you just bought.
…and there’s me at the end of my record shopping journey all happy and full of smiles, holding my three new LPs.
I hope by my words and photos you can tell how exciting and joyful this whole experience was for me. I do that quite often but this time I decided to photograph it all step by step with the hopes of triggering pleasant emotions to my readers and create a sweet memory. I am leaving Korea for good pretty soon but this habit of mine will keep on existing wherever I go. I hope that people out there don’t forget the many benefits of purchasing a record and don’t stop doing it. As I said, that’s one of the most beautiful ways of going back in time. Imagine – this LP was made 30+ years ago and somehow it found its way to your arms. To me that’s just so extraordinary.
When I went back home I had the chance to take a closer look at my new LPs. Ain’t they amazing?
P.S. All the photos are taken by me. Please make sure that you don’t just save and use them without my permission! Rock on!
The publication expresses my personal opinion and in no way is trying to make a generalized statement. Please be kind and considerate when you read and/or comment. Cheers~
What a life, what a career… I cannot believe those guys have been rocking for 50 years! In honor of their 50th anniversary, Scorpions went on a grandiose one of a kind world tour that begun last year and will end this December. They performed all over Asia, South America, North America and of course, Europe. On the 17th of July, it was time for Bulgaria to celebrate the long and productive career of those rock legends and welcome them on the stage of Arena Armeets in the capital – Sofia. The news about them including Bulgaria in their world tour came as no surprise, as the band is quite fond of the country and Bulgarian people have a very special relationship with Scorpions. Fun fact, Scorpions is actually one of the bands drawing the hugest crowds at their concerts among all the other rock bands that come to perform in Bulgaria. This time, around 15,000 people came to listen and rock with their favorite band, for probably the last time.
I was extremely excited and have been looking forward to this event since the day I bought my ticket in March. The anticipation and the idea of seeing them perform live for the first time in my life, kept me alive for my entire spring semester abroad – I simply couldn’t wait to come back to my home country and attend their concert. Finally, the day came! The whole experience took me a couple of days since I don’t live in the capital, however it was totally worth it! I was so happy to see people of all ages and all generations coming together, all wearing rock band T-shirts, smiling and ready to rock! This is the kind of atmosphere I really thrive in! Anyhow, huge kudos to the team who organized the event and made sure that given the current events, the security was at its finest and we could all enjoy ourselves, without worrying. I was very impressed by how easy and fast we were able to safely get inside and find our seats and by how smooth and distressful, 15 000 people managed to get out of the arena when the concert finished! There were no unpleasant scenes or people who wanted to darken the bright moment. Once again, it was all thought of brilliantly.
Now, let’s talk about the concert itself and the great Scorpions! With no “warm up” bands, no further dues and not much talk, Scorpions came out on the stage and rocked as hard as ever, right from the beginning with “Going Out With a Bang”. Needless to say, the crowd went wild! Klaus Meine, the frontman, then greeted the fans in Bulgarian. He said “Добър вечер, София! Как сте?“, which means “Good evening, Sofia! How are you?” Of course, the crowd went absolutely wild after this respectful gesture of the band! After that, we went on memory lane with Scorpions and listened to the superb performance of some of their greatest hits from the 70s and 80s, such as “Make it Real” and “The Zoo”. I was mostly touched by their gentle, yet empowering performance of “Send Me an Angel”. I felt like at that point, the soul of each and every person of the audience was filled with so much warmth, hope and happiness that the whole arena became one huge bright star, shining on that dark night sky. One more thing I would like to point out was the fantastic, out-of-this-world drum playing of Mikkey Dee from Motorhead. His violent drum beats, which by the way made the whole arena shake as if there was a crazy earthquake, left us completely speechless. I am glad there were so many young people and even children among the audience so that they could truly feel and appreciate the precision and skills needed to become a drummer. Not many people actually realize or have the chance to hear a storm like the one we witnessed yesterday, in the face of Mikkey! After that, the band went on with “Blackout”, “No One Like You” and “Big City Nights”.
The concert ended with the timeless classics “Still Loving You” and “Rock You Like a Hurricane”, which was actually quite predictable and we were totally ready for the splash! I honestly had the time of my life! I do hope I have the chance to see them again! Their spirit, attitude and dedication inspired me and I can only wish to achieve as much as they did and be as awesome as they are at that age! Thank you, Scorpions!
Check out some photos from the event!
The arena from the outside
2. Me (because of course I would put on a Def Leppard T-shirt, regardless of the band whose concert I was about to see)
3. When we got inside, there was this merchandise shop, where you could buy T-shirts and other things, such as drinks and food.
4. We found our seats! I cannot really stand up for such a long time so I decided to buy tickets for the seating areas. It was maybe a bit far but I still loved it and the view from above was just perfect! As you can see the arena was a bit empty since it was still quite early.
5. However, soon after, everyone started coming!
6. The concert begun…
7. And after one hour and a half of heavy rocking and rolling, it’s over… 😦
Thank you, Scorpions!
That’s me with a Scorpions headband I bought at the concert!
P.S. All the photos are mine. Please be kind and make sure that you don’t just save and use them without my permission! Rock on!
I have been collecting CDs, audiocassettes and vinyl for as long as I can remember. I grew up among the records of my parents till eventually I became a collector myself. There was always something so real and thrilling about holding a CD or an audiocassette, opening it, admiring the photobook inside, and playing it on your Panasonic player which was probably older than your parents. Then, it’s your birthday and you get the latest album of your favorite artist as a gift from your parents! I swear, these were the best times! I have never begged for toys or any other stuff – all I wanted were more and more records. It was the ‘90s after all – music was everywhere, MTV was at its finest, new and interesting pop stars were coming out each and every second. Along with that technology was developing and we got the chance to purchase and enjoy music systems, producing a sound with a much higher quality than before. It was essential for every household to have a stereo and a shelf with a long line of CDs or audiocassettes. I guess it was a sign of being cool and trendy. People were obsessed with music, were devoted fans and were still passionately buying the latest albums of their favorite or not-so-favorite but currently popular artist.
The ‘90s are long gone, however. Along with them, numerous practices, trends and values in music disappear. Then, there was this little thing called the Internet, which completely changed the face of the music industry. I cannot just blame the Internet for the fact that the industry changed on a worldwide level or for the fact that people stopped buying CDs. However, we can’t but think about it for a little bit. Yes, technology did reach unthinkable highs and now, in 2016 we even have the whole world in our pockets. What is the direct consequence of such technological advancements on the music industry and record sales? –Well, it’s pretty obvious, I think. Everyone went digital –downloading, online streaming, online everything… I’m not saying it’s a bad thing; I’m just trying to analyze the factors that led to people stop purchasing CDs. In addition to that, people and their attitude to music changed a little bit, I think. I cannot say why but I do believe that people don’t really value music the same way as before. Yes, we do have favorite artists, we do have our favorite songs and we do quote our favorite lyrics but everything is so temporary. Music nowadays is not “timeless” or memorable. Music nowadays is seasonal and people do enjoy and love it but for a limited amount of time. On top of that, there are so many genres, so many artists, so many trends, so many websites and so many ways to be exposed to music. Sometimes I feel like the general public cannot really establish a strong relationship with an artist that may lead to picking up your keys and wallet, going to the nearest record store and buying their CD. But how can you establish a strong relationship with the artists nowadays? Maybe it’s just me but I cannot relate with pop artists nowadays, I just can’t… they are too many and their music sounds the same so NO, I’m not going to buy Beyoncé or Katy Perry’s latest CD.
However, old-school rock’n’rollers like myself somehow still keep on purchasing records and CDs. Numerous classic rockers are also releasing or re-mastering their previous works from the ‘70s and ‘80s and people keep on buying them. Why? It’s generational. We grew up with a different mindset and a different way of thinking when it comes to music and its value. We have outstanding bands and artists such as Eric Clapton, Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd, Van Halen, Def Leppard, Led Zeppelin, etc. and they still mean a lot to us so we still support them and still try to find that last piece of the puzzle needed to complete our record/CD collection…We still get excited and amazed when they release a new album, simply because they are this dying breed of musicians that still carry something so special in them – something that reminds us of times when music was good and even though it was still all about the money, artists knew how to create timeless classics. Same goes with other artists from other non-rock genres – Pop/RnB/Blues, etc.
Overall, CDs can offer so many things – quality of sound, durability, variety, longevity, a chance to support your favorite artists, etc. However, the reason why I believe that people should buy CDs is to basically feed their “musical soul”. I’m telling you – if you love music and are not just the regular “I listen to what’s trendy nowadays” person, there’s nothing more satisfying than opening a brand new CD, looking though the photobook, reading through the stories till you finally take out the CD and play it. You feel so good – it’s like part of the artist’s soul is there with you and it took a physical form.
What I’m trying to say here is that based on my observations, conversations and interviews with many of my fellow college students and friends, I did conclude that nowadays people don’t buy CDs because they cannot establish a strong relationship with the artists. Is it because the music and the musicians are too many and don’t know how to create meaningful music or it’s because people don’t feel the need to give money for CDs when they can download it for free, I cannot be sure. All I want to say is that CDs is the type of physical media that can bring so much to you and your day. On top of that it’s not just about the CD – it’s about the whole experience and feeling you get from it. You go to the record store, spend some time looking, listening to and observing through the numerous records, till you finally make a choice. A CD is so much more than just a physical object – it’s a way to experience music on a much higher level and with a much stronger emotion. Keep on buying CDs if you are a true music lover!
P.S. These are just my views and opinions I quickly wrote down. Don’t take it too hard and don’t think of it as the ultimate truth. Feel free to express your reasons why you buy/don’t buy CDs! I will be more than happy to read them!
AC/DC’S ROCK OR BUST WORLD TOUR RESUMES WITH AXL ROSE ON VOCALS
AC/DC band members would like to thank Brian Johnson for his contributions and dedication to the band throughout the years. We wish him all the best with his hearing issues and future ventures. As much as we want this tour to end as it started, we understand, respect and support Brian’s decision to stop touring and save his hearing. We are dedicated to fulfilling the remainder of our touring commitments to everyone that has supported us over the years, and are fortunate that Axl Rose has kindly offered his support to help us fulfill this commitment. AC/DC will resume their Rock Or Bust World Tour with Axl Rose joining on vocals. The European stadium tour dates begin on May 7 in Lisbon, Portugal and run through June 12 in Aarhus, Denmark as previously announced (see below for full itinerary). Following this European run of dates with AC/DC, Axl Rose will head out on his Guns N Roses, Not In This Lifetime Summer Stadium Tour. The 10 postponed U.S shows will be rescheduled and announced imminently, also with Axl Rose.
AC/DC European tour dates:
May 7 Lisbon, Portugal Passeio Maritimo De Alges
May 10 Seville, Spain Estadio De La Cartuja
May 13 Marseille, France Stade Velodrome
May 16 Werchter, Belgium Werchter Site
May 19 Vienna, Austria Erns-Happel Stadium
May 22 Prague, Czech Republic Letnany Airport
May 26 Hamburg, Germany Volksparkstadion
May 29 Berne, Switzerland Stade De Suisse
June 1 Leipzig, Germany Red Bull Arena
June 4 London, England The Stadium, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park
There were tons of rumors and numerous speculations on whether or not Axl Rose will be chosen as AC/DC’s new lead singer for the rest of their 2016 tour. The speculations ended today, when AC/DC made an official statement on their website, as well as Facebook page. As announced, Axl Rose will in fact be filling in for Brian Johnson on their “Roc or Bust” tour. The European tour dates kick off on May 7 in Lisabon, Portugal and will run through June 12 in Aarhus, Denmark. The U.S. summer dates that were postponed will be rescheduled with Axl Rose as frontman. After completing his engagements with AC / DC, Axl will be focusing on the reunion of his own band – Guns N’ Roses for their ‘Not In This Lifetime’ summer North American tour.
The statement was made and now everything is official and in order. However, I wanted to ask you guys what do you really think about it? Are you supporting AC/DC’s decision to replace Brian Johnson with Axl Rose or you think it’s a big mistake? Well, I wanted to share my own opinion regarding the situation ….
First of all, I would like to say that I’m a huge fan of AC/DC and even though I won’t be attending their European tour, I am (will be) keeping close track on what it happening during the concerts. The health issues of Brian Johnson came as a huge shock to most fans, including myself, because it’s so difficult to imagine the band without him – they simply go together and that’s it. Now, all of a sudden, the complete image and legacy of the band were threatened and fans became so concerned with its future. Then, all of a sudden, we get these paparazzi photos of Axl, leaving a rehearsing studio with AC/DC and everyone was like….What? No, that cannot be true!!! The majority of fans were just rejecting any possibility of this being true – to many, including myself, it just seemed too ridiculous. Now, however, we finally know – it’s true and it’s happening! I was expecting it, to be honest but that doesn’t mean that I have accepted it! My personal belief is that instead of going with Axl Rose, AC/DC should’ve just cancelled the tour, supported Brian in his recovery and basically gone out with dignity and respect. Instead, they chose to continue the journey with a frontman, whose singing abilities are quite questionable and extremely unsuitable for any AC/DC song. AC/DC were, are and always will be true legends in rock music. As such, I believe they should’ve made a better decision – fans will never stop loving you or listen to your songs if you just choose to retire. I am trying to understand and support their decision but I just can’t. I feel like this whole thing was made for one reason one – marketing and of course money. Everyone on the internet is going nuts over the news but at the end of the day it’s going to be a historical moment. After all, collaboration between those exact rockstars was never even thought of before. Naturally, everyone is going to be so curious and believe me, people might be angry but they will buy the tickets! I also think that it’s a little bit disrespectful towards Brian Johnson who basically helped turn the band into what it is now – one of the best (if not the best) rock bands in history! After so many years of hard work and dozens of breath-taking concerts, I think Brian deserves better…
Also, I wanted to say that the press release, announcing the news was extremely cold and superficial – I was not expecting it to be like that. Brian Johnson is AC/DC and there’s no AC/DC without Brian Johnson. He did so much for the band and he can never be replaced. Fans love him, adore him and respect him with all their hearts. I think he deserves so much more than 2 trivial sentences and a “best of luck in your future endeavors”, don’t you think? Well, all I can say is THANK YOU, Brian for everything you did – We salute you!
Anyhow, I will be waiting with extreme anticipation… I don’t have high hopes but I’m curious and ready to experience this “one of a kind” event… Let me know what you think??
Greetings! For today’s publication I decided to take a different approach and go to another direction, rather than talking about music or songs like I usually do. As a person who specializes in media industry and PR, I would like to emphasize on the extreme importance of the logotype – or logo (which is the abbreviation) when it comes to promotion, establishing individuality and gaining recognition and respect from the public. Every major organization or commercial enterprise has a unique and distinctive logodesign, which people can almost instantly identify. In addition, individuals can also use a logo to boost their image and embody their character and individuality. Coming up with a logo design can be a very challenging task since this little graphic or word mark image is supposed to be special, easy to remember and at the same time represent an identity and differentiate the brand. Moreover, the logo of an organization or a person usually appears or numerous platforms – it turns into a signature and a face. As I already said designing a logo or even coming with an idea of a cool and rather unique logo can be a very difficult task. However, numerous rock bands managed to create a distinctive logo which carries their spirit and tells something about them to the fans. I am sure that many of you guys are already thinking or have a rock band logo in mind – they are that memorable! Band logos are used in numerous ways – mostly on T-Shirts, albums, mugs and all kinds of merchandise. It is rare to see a picture of the band or the musician on a T-Shirt for example – usually we see the logo of the band. Thus, when we, the fans, wear it we experience the satisfaction of identifying with the band and being part of them. To me personally, the 70s and the 80s was the golden age of band logos – I believe back then, musicians (especially hard rock/glam rock/heavy metal bands) were putting much more effort into creating beautiful and memorable logos for their band, compared to today. Bottom line is, every band is different and has an image. Thus, the way this distinctive image is crafted, packaged and delivered is beyond important! I came up with the idea of this publication a few days ago when I was looking at Led Zeppelin’s logo design and wondered if people really know what those symbols mean. I believe people have seen and are aware of such iconic rock band logos but may not be so familiar with the meaning behind them. That’s why I decided to make this post – it is going to be rather informative but I still will analyze and give my opinions. I hope you’ll enjoy and learn something new! So here there are – some of the most famous rock band logos!
The Rolling Stones
I just had to start with Rolling Stones – the big red mouth is probably the most memorable and widely recognizable band logos ever! The “Tongue and Lips” logo, which some have shortened to just “Hot Lips”, was created in 1970 by British graphic designer John Pasche. Interesting fact – the 24 year old (back then) John accepted only £50 (about $77) to come up with a design for the band. Originally, Mick Jagger wanted a logo resembling Kali – the Hindu goddess of energy. The goddess is usually portrayed with a large mouth and her tongue sticking out, however Pasche found a much bigger inspiration in Jagger himself. “I went into this sort of wood-paneled boardroom and there he was,” Pasche said. “Face-to-face with him, the first thing you were aware of was the size of his lips and mouth.” So at the end, it was purposefully created to resemble Mick Jagger’s mouth! So cool, right?
Led Zeppelin
“After all this crap that we’d had with the critics, I put it to everybody else that it’d be a good idea to put out something totally anonymous. At first I wanted just one symbol on it, but then it was decided that since it was our fourth album and there were four of us, we could each choose our own symbol. I designed mine and everyone else had their own reasons for using the symbols that they used,” – Jimmy Paige. I specifically chose the logo with the symbols from the epic Led Zeppelin IV album, because many people don’t really know what they stand for or at least why where they placed there. Drummer John Bonham’s symbol consists of three interlocking rings, which represent the mother, the father and the child. The symbol was chosen from Rudolf Koch’s Book of Signs. Bassist John Paul Jones’ symbol was also chosen from the same book. It resembles a circle intersecting 3 vesica pisces (a triquetra) and it symbolizes a person who has confidence and competence. Singer Robert Plant’s symbol is a feather inside a circle and was designed by him. The feather is an emblem of a writer (ie song lyrics) and also it is based on the lost civilizations and continent of Mu.
Jimmy Paige designed his own symbol and it is often referred as “ZoSo”. He never publically explained or stated what the true meaning behind the symbol is, however it was discovered that it dates back to at least 1557 and it represents Saturn. There is also a fifth and smaller symbol, chose by vocalist Sandy Denny for her contribution to the “The Battle of Evermore“ song. It is an old Christian symbol for the Godhead.
Guns n Roses
One of the most recognizable logos in history! To me, personally, this is also one of the most beautiful rock band logos ever! That is why I will just focus on this one for now and won’t talk about the skull logo (which is also very famous by the way). It has poetic, sensitive and romantic side, as well as a violent and a bad one. The logo itself consists of two revolvers and roses with thorns wrapped around the guns. Many people also miss the fact that the back view – the brass ring with the silver primer in the middle, behind the guns and the roses is actually a bullet casing. Pretty interesting, right? Also, for those of you who don’t know why exactly guns and roses – the name of the band is a combination of the last names of Tracii Guns and Axl Rose. It is also a reference to their previous bands – Hollywood Rose and LA Guns.
The Ramones
Ah, the Ramones! This is probably one of my most favourite band logos (and bands as a matter of fact) of all time! It was designed by Arturo Vega and many people say that he basically “put the seal on their success”. Interesting fact – he was not only their “creative director” and archivist but also their very good friend – he is sometimes considered as the “fifth ramone”. Instead of trying to explain it with my own words, I would rather quote the designer himself talking about his ideas and motive behind the infamous seal logo. “I saw them as the ultimate all-American band. To me, they reflected the American character in general. I thought the great seal of the president of the United States would be perfect for the Ramones, with the eagle holding arrows – to symbolise strength and the aggression that would be used against whoever dares to attack us – and an olive branch, offered to those who want to be friendly. But we decided to change it a little bit. Instead of the olive branch, we had an apple tree branch, since the Ramones were American as apple pie. And since Johnny was such a baseball fanatic, we had the eagle hold a baseball bat instead of the arrows,” said Arturo Vega.
Queen
Queen! The infamous band logo was designed by Freddie Mercury shortly before the official release of their debut album. The logo illustrates the zodiac signs of all four members of the band – two lions for Leo (Deacon and Taylor), a crab for Cancer (May), and two fairies for Virgo (Mercury). The two lions are embracing the letter Q which also has a crown inside of it. The logo itself has a very strong resemblance to the Royal coat of arms of the United Kingdom. It is very pictorial and colourful – that’s the beauty of it! Honestly to me it is a bit too much for a logo – but then again – it’s Freddie and Queen we are talking about! The logo has to be as majestic and pompous as possible!
Van Halen
It is because I love Van Halen so much that I decided to show the two distinctive logos of the band – from the David and Sammy period. Interesting fact, before the first logo they had a few not so good ones and definitely not worth mentioning. These logos – and especially the second one, are topping my list for most favourite band logos. I like simple but powerful and memorable designs and I feel like this one delivered it in the best way possible. The logos consist of the initials of the band name – V and H. The first logo was introduced in 1978 and the second one in 1986 when Sammy Hagar became the new lead vocalist of the band. With the new frontman, the logo changed just a little – it became more 3D-ish and the wings on both sides of the initials were transformed into rings to show the notable change in Van Halen’s lineup. The iconic winged Van Halen logo was designed by Dave Bhang in 1978. He also drew up a new cover for their first album (since the initial proposal from Warner Brothers was declined by the members).
AC/DC
In my opinion this is also one of the greatest examples of how a logo can become such an important part of a band’s identity! I am sure there’s not a single rock fan in the world who doesn’t know or haven’t seen this logo at least once in their lives. This is not a publication dedicated to the meaning behind band’s names, however in this case I need to mention the relationship between the logo and the name of the band. AC/DC is an abbreviation meaning “alternating current/direct current” electricity. Malcolm and Angus Young came up with the idea after their sister (Margaret Young) saw the initials on a sewing machine. It somehow suited perfectly to their raw energy and powerful live performances –that is also the reason why there’s a lightning bolt between AC and DC. The logo was designed in 1977 by Gerard Huerta and it first appeared on the international version of their album Let There Be Rock.
Bon Jovi
Just like Guns n Roses’ logo – I think this is also one of the most beautiful rock band logos of all time. Once again, we see a combination of two distinctive elements – a heart and a dagger. It is also a famous design for tattoos. There is no specific information about what exactly is the true meaning behind the logo, however once thing is for sure – when people are in love, they feel pain. It focuses on sensitivity, heartbreak and romance and has some gothic elements which make it even more remarkable and loved by many rock fans. The logo was first introduced for the band’s “New Jersey” tour merchandise and after that it just stuck and became one of the most memorable logos ever.
Aerosmith
It is a very beautiful logo perfectly suited for rockstars such as Aerosmith. It was designed by Ray Tabano, who was a member of the original Aerosmith lineup before being replaced by Brad Whitford. The logo first appeared in 1974 on the album “Get your wings”. It is very stylish, black and white logo with a large letter “A” that spreads its wings on the background. There are also other important elements such as a little star and the wings – which symbolize freedom and movement. Also, there’s a circle around the letter “A”, which sort of reminds us about the famous anarchy symbol.
The Doors
This logo just screams “60s”! It is very simple and it includes only the name of the band. I think it is one of the perfect logos to use on T-shirts or other kinds of merchandise – it stands out and it is very easy to read. Firstly, there is a tiny but very essential “the” on top of the name which uses the typical psychedelic typeface of the 60s. Also, the two “O”s are split in the middle and resemble pills – hmm…I wonder why…? The logo itself was designed by an Elektra Records assistant and it first appeared on their 1967 debut album. This is a perfect example of how sometimes the simple logos are the best.
P.S. I don’t own any audio or visual material used in this publication. All the rights and credits go to the owners and/publishers. The publication expresses my personal opinion and in no way is trying to make a generalized statement. Please be kind and considerate when you read and/or comment. Cheers~
Some people say that the era of the CDs is long gone. However believe it or not, there are people like me out there who still purchase and collect CDs. I have this little CD shop near the place I live (I have to take a picture next time) and I just love spending hours and hours there. They have these huge wooden shelves with tons and tons of CDs and even vinyl records. The whole atmosphere just screams my name!
Anyhow, a few days ago I went there to look for some albums and spend some quality “me” time. After hours of literally checking every single album on the shelves and a huge struggle not to buy all the albums I saw, I ended up buying the debut album of one of my most favorite rock bands – Rainbow. The title of the album is “Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow” and it was released on the 4th of August, 1975. Can you believe this? It has been 40 years since this album hit the shelves. It turned out I bought it on its 40th year anniversary – such a pleasant coincidence. Originally I was hoping to come across and buy their “The Very Best of Rainbow” album that came out in 1997, however I couldn’t find it (still not giving up, though). Then, the lady from the CD shop was kind enough to find me the debut album from the storage. The album itself was imported from the USA and of course, it’s a remaster. I just had to buy it – it is such a rare precious and a must for every Rainbow or Ritchie Blackmore or Ronnie James Dio fan. In the following post I would briefly present the album and its songs. This is not a band profile publication, so I would like to focus on the album itself, rather than the members. I decided to dedicate my first publication to this debut album because it is the most recent CD I purchased and because it is the debut of my blog
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Album Title : Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow Released: 1975 (Vinyl Record) ; 1999 (CD in remastered form) Genre: Hard Rock, Progressive Rock, Heavy Metal Record Label: Oyster (UK) ; Polydor (Worldwide) Members: Ronnie James Dio – lead vocals; Ritchie Blackmore – guitar; Micky Lee Soule – piano, mellotron, clavinet, organ; Craig Gruber – bass; Gary Driscoll – drums Singles: “Man On The Silver Mountain” ; “Snake Charmer” (October 1975) Produced by: Ritchie Blackmore, Martin Birch and Ronnie James Dio Interesting fact: The album was recorded in Germany. It is the first ever project of Ritchie Blackmore after his departure from Deep Purple. Vocalist Ronnie James Dio, consider this album as the best Rainbow album.
Tracklist:
1.Man on the Silver Mountain
2.Self Portrait
3.Black Sheep of the Family
4.Catch the Rainbow
5.Snake Charmer
6.Temple of the King
7.If You Don’t Like Rock n’ Roll
8.Sixteenth Century Greensleeves
9.Still I’m Sad (The Yardbirds cover)
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Firstly, I would like to start with the album cover. It was made by American fine artist David Willardson. Honestly speaking, I am not such a huge fan of cartoon-style album covers. Realistic album covers (photographs) or simplistic designs have always been more striking to me. On the cover we see a castle which also happens to be a guitar and there’s a rainbow behind it. It is very colorful and too Disney-like I would say. It’s only natural since the artist worked for Disney at that time, but still…The trend of putting unique and rather strange, surrealistic art on an album cover was very strong at that time – especially the second part of the 70s. For instance artists such as Roger Dean and Storm Thorgerson were extremely popular with bands like Pink Floyd, YES and Asia. Back to Rainbow’s cover, I do really like it – why? – because it is very distinctive and easy to remember. Also, there’s something very magical and mysterious in the painting itself – I just want to enter into the rock castle and never go out…
Real-life picture of the album cover ~ That’s how it looks; Very distinctive, right?
Secondly, I would like to talk more about the songs from the album. I am not going to comment on each and every song; rather than that I will focus on the overall picture, as well as on two songs in particular – my favorite songs from the album.
Bottom line is, if you like the combination of hard rock and poetic, fantasy-oriented lyrics – this is the album for you. Most of the songs are a bit gloomy in terms of lyrics, except “If You Don’t Like Rock ‘N’ Roll” which is very upbeat and in my opinion is the perfect 60s rock’n’roll nostalgia song! In terms of vocal and guitar delivery I would say that the album is rather simplistic, not as progressive and innovative as some people would like it to be. However, to me that is exactly why the album is so good! Ritchie’s riffs are not as complicated and aggressive as they used to be back when he was with DP and that is the beauty of it! Ronnie, on the other hand is just perfect – in my book of the greatest male rock vocals of all time, he is definitely in top 10. I don’t think anyone can sing those highs the way he does – just play “Black Sheep Of The Family” or “Sixteenth Century Greensleeves” and you will see what am I talking about!
The two songs I wanted to talk about are “Man On The Silver Mountain” and “Catch The Rainbow”, which in my opinion are the best songs of the album.
One of the most memorable song intros ever (at least to me)! Ronnie said that it’s “a semi-religious song, the man on the silver mountain is a kind of God figure everyone is crying out to.” – rather interesting right? It was co-written by Dio and Blackmore. When Ronnie died in 2010, the words “The man on the silver mountain Ronnie James Dio” were put on his grave. The song is a classic and it defines an era – I don’t have to say more. It’s memorable, catchy and very powerful – the greatest thing is that it delivers that power to the listeners. Ronnie’s vocals are beyond perfect! Personally, my favorite part of the song, as well as lyrics is when Ronnie sings : “Come down with fire Lift my spirit higher Someone’s screaming my name Come and make me holy again” ….and then we hear the memorable guitar riff! ❤
“Catch The Rainbow” is probably the gloomiest song from the album. However, I don’t think it is that type of song that brings out sad emotions and feelings (at least to me). The song itself was not released as a single, however it remains one of their most famous works. The song is loved that much probably because it is often connected with “Little Wing” by “The Jimmy Hendrix Experience”. To me personally, its strongest point is the simplistic yet powerful guitar riff and the background choirs that create a very mysterious and a bit psychedelic vibe. Lyrically speaking, the song is very poetic and beautiful. I especially love the chorus: “We believed we’d catch the rainbow Ride the wind to the sun Sail away on ships of wonder”
A real life picture of the CD with the tracklist and the covers of each and every song on the right part of the case. Very well-packaged, indeed!
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Finally, I just want to say that to me, this is one of the most expected and successful debut albums of all time. Ritchie and Ronnie are an amazing team and I wish Ronnie was still with us to continue working together… I am very glad I bought the album and I would recommend it to everyone who enjoy rock music from the 70s. The album possesses an essence…a special and unique atmosphere which is no longer present in today’s music; not to mention quality songwriting and brilliant musicianship… Catch the rainbow!
Me, enjoying the newest addition to my CD collection!
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