Saturday, May 14, 2011

Chiron Radio Show 3 featuring Jeff Beck, KT Turnstall, T-Bone Walker and more!

Hello and Thanks for tuning into the latest episode of Chiron Radio! Once again, I've collected a ripping assortment of videos, some classic performances and some yummy "ear candy". Pull up a chair, pour a favorite beverage and enjoy the show!

By the time, The Beatles, burst onto the scene, they were so polished they practically gleamed. In 1964, they performed on the Ed Sullivan show to an estimated 73 million viewers. However, before they cleaned up their image (courtesy of Brian Epstein) and began churning out a steady stream of hits, the boys were dedicated rock-n-rollers. Many aren't familiar with the searing rock tunes the band recorded early on. Here's one of my Top Picks.

Written by Larry Williams, with John's gritty lead vocals and George's irresistible double-tracked lead guitar and presented with a seriously fine video (superb editing here).

Check out, "Bad Boy":


While we've got the energy high, let's feast on a little early Jeff Beck, performing with the Yardbirds.

"Train Kept A Rollin":



Eric Clapton (who would go on to form Cream with bassist Jack Bruce and drummer, Ginger Baker). One of the blues guitarists who influenced Clapton (along with Stevie Ray Vaughn and Keith Richards) is the one and only Freddie King. Last week, I uncovered a vintage performance to share.

Here's the classic blues song "Ain't Nobody's Business" performed by Freddie King:



Another blues guitarist whose style held great influence (Chuck Berry, B.B. King and Jimmy Hendrix, among others) is T-Bone Walker. Here he performs his very own "Stormy Monday":



Man, this music just rocks my soul. ♫♫♫ How about you? Makes me feel like dancing. To do the honors for me, here's a Very Cool Sam Rockwell, showing Jimmy Fallon exactly How It Is Done:



Have you seen KT Turnstall? This woman really rocks. Here's two to enjoy.

First, a live cover of the Jackson Five's "I Want You Back":



Following with one of my favorite tunes, "Suddenly I See":



This next find is not only a fabulous tune but also an amazing video. Shades of Annie Lennox, anyone? Check out the band, Oh Land, performing "Son of A Gun":



Seems only right that every show should have at least one guilty pleasure, right? I think you know what I mean. THE video that is hilarious or mind-blowing and you just can't tear your eyes away. This week's Guilty Pleasure is the very entertaining "Jack Sparrow" by The Lonely Island (featuring Michael Bolton):



One of my buddies, Kathy Holmes, shares my hunger for lush tunes. Her most recent book, The Tom Jones Club, features a cabaret singer which reminded me of Jeff Beck's recent collaboration with Imelda May. To finish up our show, I have cued up a recent video of one of my very favorite guitar heroes and the delicious Imelda, with a song guaranteed to give you chills.

"Walking in the Sand":



Hope you enjoyed this week's show as much as me. Stay tuned for more and be sure and share which videos you liked the best. Become a follower if you're so inclined. Your comments and support is much appreciated. Until next time, Keep Rocking!

"Dance like nobody's watching; love like you've never been hurt. Sing like nobody's listening; live like it's heaven on earth" ~~Mark Twain

Tunefully Yours,
Chiron

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Saturday, April 30, 2011

Chiron Radio—Show 2: Featuring Joan Jett

Welcome to the Chiron Radio show! It's been a blast researching tonight's featured performers, and selecting just the right videos for our second show.

♪♪♪ Hope you like the picks, keep on rocking!! ♫♫♫






Thanks to the comments on last week's debut, tonight's show celebrates one of my all-time favorite Rockers, Joan Jett.

Like many dedicated rock and roll artists, Joan snagged her first guitar early on, at age thirteen. She's scored eight platinum and gold albums and nine top-forty singles. She was one of only two women named to Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 100 greatest guitar players of all time.




In 1975, Jett and drummer Sandy West met and together formed the all-girl teenage rock band, The Runaways.




2010 witnessed the release of the biographical film, The Runaways, starring Kristen Stewart and Dakota Fanning. Cherie's distinctive make-up is inspired by David Bowie, while Joan Jett strove for combination of her early musical idol, Suzi Quatro (Suzi sings 48 Crash: Click HERE. and the original pirate rocker, Keith Richards.




By request, let's open this week's show with their hard-hitting smash, "Cherry Bomb"—starring The Runaways, with Cherie Currie, Joan Jett, Lita Ford, Jackie Fox.





After the Runaways, Joan Jett soared on but not without facing a glass ceiling of her own. After the group broke up in 1979, she formed Joan Jett and the Blackhearts with long-time collaborator and producer Kenny Laguna, a former member of the hit-making group, The Shondells.



Joan's solo album was rejected by a record 23 companies, forcing them to create their own company: Blackheart Records. Joan was the first female recording artist to found her own label. Yes! They ended up carting boxes of albums in Laguna's trunk, hawking their wares to concert-goers and record stores. Their journey from rejection to unbelievable success is chronicled in one of the most entertaining "neener-neener" videos ever produced. Check out Joan's "Bad Reputation":






As promised, here is the video that introduced me to Joan Jett. A sizzling cover of "Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap":





Still rocking the night away, Jett's been performing now for over thirty years.



Here, Joan Jett sings her own version of "Cherry Bomb" at Hollywood Park, CA on 4-23-10






I love Rock and Roll (live 1998):
Original video of Joan's "Crimson and Clover":




Thanks for stopping by for a little Rock and Roll on Chiron Radio. Be sure and stop by each week, we'll try to post a new show every Saturday. Soon I'll be posting reviews of music and DVDs. If you like the show, become a follower! And remember, requests are always welcome. I love to hear what inspires YOU. Until next week, Keep On Rocking!

Tunefully yours,
♪♪♪ Chiron

Monday, April 11, 2011

Top Seven Videos on Chiron Radio 1


Chiron Radio 1 by Chiron O'Keefe

At the tender age of fifteen, my fingers formed their first guitar chord. It took time to master the fingering but my passion fueled perseverance and my burning desire to play and sing has escalated with each added year. My husband and I work up tunes and jam each Saturday night until our fingers can't take anymore, at which point we usually end up in front of my big-screen computer drinking in music videos until the wee hours of the morn.

This week's installment is the usual blend of past and present, intense and amazing. Ready to rock? Here's the Top Seven Videos playing this week on Chiron Radio:

Beginning with my favorite rocker, Joan Jett
performing "Crimson and Clover" live in NY.


Now let's jump into the Way-Back Machine and check out the incomparable Janis Joplin
"To Love Somebody" live on the Dick Cavett show.



With a soulful voice that resonates deep within, Adele
just sweeps me away. Here's one of the official videos for "Rolling in the Deep":



Speaking of soulful voices, Jonny Lang
first picked up a guitar at age twelve and recorded his first album at fourteen. Here's a killer song by the blues master, "Lie to Me".



Back into the Way-Back machine for a timeless classic song by the group called, ? and The Mysterians . "96 Tears" was first released in the sixties. Here they are thirty years later performing for a special. Sometimes you just can't tear your eyes away!




Two more that I couldn't stop watching to wrap up our show. First off, a nifty blend of original song and parody masterfully blended. For your amusement and entertainment, here's "Poker Faces by Half Mast/Hat (Lady Gaga vs. Christopher Walken vs. Cartman)".



And for our closing number, an astonishing feat of multi-tracking and a pretty darn cool video of Pomplamoose
performing "Mister Sandman":



Did you enjoy the first show of Chiron Radio? Stay tuned for new shows featuring the best videos I can find. And please speak up and share what videos you like or what you might want me to search out for future shows. Become a follower if you love music!

Until the next show,

Tunefully Yours,

Chiron O'Keefe

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