Taiwanese Chaz Bono Will Always Love You

Rube Goldberg Machine

Led Zepplin Steals from the Blues. Hear the Originals

Did Led Zepplin Steal Stairway to Heaven? You Decide.

Menthol Box: 2004 Commentary

    At the close of the summer of 2004 my wife I took a trip to Montclair New Jersey to visit her friend.  The first night we had an incredible mexican dinner with the best tasting margaritas that have ever crossed my lips.   I had to supply the silver patron tequila since in this particular town you have to bring your own alcohol to restaurants.  After dinner the ladies headed back home while myself and Gilbert (name changed to protect the innocent) headed to a bar called Jakes for some after dinner drinks.

    When we first arrived the bar was fairly empty.  After a couple of beers and a shot of sambucca the young crowd started filling in.  Montclair State is the local college, the same college that Carmela Soprano attended.  I learned of this fact later on from a rerun episode where the dean from Meadows college was hitting them up for a $50,000 donation.  Tony finally caved in and made the donation.  I am getting off track here.  After a bathroom break I noticed a band was setting up for the evening's entertainment.  I was a little apprehensive about the band.  You see here I am at 35 years of age sitting in a college town bar.  Thoughts raced my mind, would I know any of the songs that they are going to play or would I be able to relate to the type of music they would play.

    If you have ever gone to a nightclub to see a band you know they  never start playing before midnight.  So finally midnight rolls around and the band starts to play.  Wow, to my surprise I know this song it's Rush from the 2112 album.  Second song is a classic from Led Zepplin, which is followed up by an Alice in Chains song titled the Rooster.  To my surprise this goes on all night long.  I know every single song and the college crowd 16 years my junior loves it.  Chicago, Chili Peppers, Neil Young, Smiths, Metallica Usher, U2, Dr. Dre and the list goes on and on.

    It just goes to prove my point that there is a lack of quality talent being promoted today.  The college crowd isn't buying it and the bands from the past are standing the test of time.  Let's find some new artist that invoke the passion that bands from 10 to 20 years ago possessed.  And let's give a round of applause to bands like Mentol Box for giving the crowd young and old something worth listening to.    

Is Lynyrd Skynyrd still Lynyrd Skynyrd?

Can Lynyrd Skynyrd still call themselves Lynyrd Skynyrd.  The legendary rock band named their band after their high school gym coach, became famous in the early 1970's.  Famous for hits such as Gimme Three Steps, Sweet Home Alabama and what song is it you want to hear?  Free Bird.
Three members were killed in a plane crash in 1977 taking the lead singer and song writer of the bands life, Ronnie Van Zant.  The band reformed in 1987 and has been touring ever since.

Today their is only one living member from the original lineup still in the band.Gary Rossington.  Over the years there has been a total of 25 members part of the band.  Can a band still be the same band with only one member remaining?  When Def Leppard's drummer lost his arm in a car accident, they didn't just replace him with another drummer.  Wouldn't it be safe to say that Lynyrd Skynyrd is today more of a tribute band.  The question is at what point is a band no longer a band or that original band.  If the Beatles lost two members could they still be the Beatles.  Can Ringo (Peace & Love) go out and start a band today and call themselves the Beatles?
I think not.  It is about time that Lynyrd Skynyrd retired the name.  They need to pay respects to the original members and to all the fans of Skynyrd and put it to rest.

Pop Quiz!

  Which picture is the band Lynyrd Skynyrd as seen in concert today?

Original Band Members on First Album

1972–1973

• Ronnie Van Zant – lead vocals
• Gary Rossington – guitars
• Allen Collins – guitars
• Ed King – guitars
• Leon Wilkeson – bass, backing vocals
• Billy Powell – keyboards