**Rock and Roll Reminiscing - SSSS**

Tour2ma

Rock and Roll Reminiscing

18 May 2003 --- Letter Of The Week is “S”

For what this is about and some guidelines please click on the following link:

http://clubpolk.polkaudio.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=7234

Yes, it’s a long post, but please read, if you participate.

This week we are only discussing artists whose last name, and groups whose name begin with the letter “S”.

Note: The word “The” doesn’t count, so for example “The Allman Brothers Band” belongs in the "A's" discussion and not in the “T’s” (guideline #5).

When possible, please supply complete title, format, company, year and catalog number when posting recordings.

And so our 26-week odyssey continues…

Hope you come along for the ride…

danger boy

I'll start this out with none other than Santana - Supernatural.

Wow! This CD brought Santana back into the mainstream again. He's always been around... but the younger folks never really knew what broad appeal he had till this CD won him several awards.

The companion DVD of Supernatural is great too.

Get this CD is you don't already have it.

Al

danger boy

Stray Cats

Built for Speed (vinyl) EMI AMERICA ST 517070

Stray Cats brought back rockabilly to the masses. I remember in the early 80's listening to them. Like nothing I had ever heard before. I was still a teen back then.

Who doesn't like Stray Cat Strut?

danger boy

Simply Red

Greatest Hits CD (Original Release Date: October 22, 1996)

Although not exactly rock. it does have some soul... some pop, funk all mixed together to make them a rockin fun band.. with catchy songs.


1. Holding Back the Years
2. Money's Too Tight (To Mention)
3. Right Thing
4. It's Only Love
5. New Flame
6. You've Got It
7. If You Don't Know Me by Now
8. Stars
9. Something Got Me Started
10. Thrill Me
11. Your Mirror
12. For Your Babies
13. So Beautiful
14. Angel
15. Fairground

George Grand

Sly and the Family Stone.

No text required, just more hits than you can shake a stick at. Sly Stewart? The poster boy for self-destructing by way of cocaine.

George Grand (of the Jersey Grand's)

jgido759

Cannot do the letter "S" without mention of New Jersey's own, Bruce Springsteen, although Paul could do this man's music much more justice that I.

"Greetings From Asbury Park, NJ"
"The Wild, The Innocent, & The E Street Shuffle"
"Born To Run"
"Darkness On The Edge Of Town"
"The River",

The list goes on and on...

Tour2ma

db,
Let’s keep it to two per day M-F, OK?

That said, Santana, as in Carlos, is one of the legendary guitarists of our time. Supernaural was great, if only for one reason, it alerted a new generation to his existence. Old farts, like me, have known him since the late 60’s starting with his band’s 1969 self-titled debut, through Abraxas, …III, Caravanserai, and on and off since then. He’s also released albums with Buddy Miles and John McLaughlin.

Saw him is ’71 in Cleveland (where else) and they rocked the old Public Auditorium. Extended jams on all the material they’d released to that point. Only time I can remember people boogieing their asses off standing on the backs of the floor seating. For a bit of the energy they could produce, check out “Woodstock”. Their performance of “Soul Sacrifice” was perhaps the ultimate showstopper of that fabled concert. At the time they featured a 17-year old, whiz-kid drummer, Michael Shrieve…. Awesome power and speed on a standard kit.

A few Carl Perkins fans might take issue with your Stray Cats comment…

Simply Red – Good one. Quite a few of their “hits” are off of the debut, Picture Book. It’s very soulful stuff, with beautiful lead vocals by Mick Hucknall.

GG,
Sly Stone… Yassir, great, early funk that bridged the musical rock vs. soul racial barrier that sprouted after the great Motown works of the early 60’s began to fade from memory. But what was up with the Doris Day thing? Que Sera, Sera????

My first “S” offering.
Spirit
Twelve Dreams of Dr. Sardonicus – CD (1973 Epic – EK 30267)
Spirit’s 4th release is the only one owned here. I’d be interested in hearing recommendations on their first three. This is a flat-out, great album, another of the 20 or so in Tour’s Top Ten, both the album and album side lists. So, of course, it is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

College roomie put me onto this group as he did may others including Dave Mason, Poco, Pure Prairie League, Jackson Browne and many others… (I owe you “Rook”}. Spirit’s line-up included Jay Ferguson, who has been mentioned a couple times previously in this string of threads, and co-founders, Randy (Wolfe) “California”, who was given his name by Jimi Hendrix, and Ed “Mr. Skin” Cassidy. Cassidy, an early head shaver, came from a solid jazz background and a career that included playing with greats Thelonious Monk and Art Pepper.

Side one’s line-up, my favorite is: “Prelude – Nothing to Hide”, “Nature’s Way”, “Animal Zoo”, “Love Has Found a Way”, “Why Can’t I be Free”, “Mr. Skin”. “Mr. Skin” was the AM near hit; “Nature’s Way” was an FM favorite.
Rook always favored side two, which included: “Space Child”, “When I Touch You”, “Street Worm”, “Life Has Just Begun”, “ Morning Will Come”, and “Soldier”.

I always enjoyed our debates about which side of the album was better. I think you owe it to yourself to own the CD and join in. It is available as a reissue that adds four bonus tracks.

TroyD

Springsteen....

See my other posts on the subject, however, IMO, a strong case could be made that Born to Run is close to being the perfect rock album (albeit poorly recorded) and Jungleland is close to being the perfect rock song.

The Rising is also an outstanding and inspiring album. I have been listening to it everyday for almost two months and am still finding new things in it daily..

BDT

paxil

What?? No one mentioned Rod Stewart and one of the finest albums from the 70's...I believe 1971. "Every Picture Tells A Story" Polygram Records. Really stunning record. I love the Small Faces/ early Rod Stewart sloppy, messy, bluesy stuff. I tried to get the album cover for the post but dang it, couldn't do it.

1. Every Picture Tells a Story (5:58)
2. Seems Like a Long Time (4:00)
3. That's All Right (6:00)
4. Tomorrow Is a Long Time (3:44)
5. Maggie May (5:46)
6. Mandolin Wind (5:32)
7. (I Know) I'm Losing You (5:21)
8. Reason to Believe (4:10)

danger boy

Originally posted by Tour2ma
db,
Let’s keep it to two per day M-F, OK?
A few Carl Perkins fans might take issue with your Stray Cats comment…

OK agreed.. two comments/posts per day on this topic. i'm game..

Carl Perkins yes... but for my slightly younger generation.. it would have to be the Stray Cats.

I'm a product of the 80's what can I say?

shack

Steely Dan - I don't know if you can find a group that put out as many quality albums in the 70s. The Eagles were close and may have sold more and Led Zeppelin did a lot of their work in the 60s, but Steely Dan's albums were considered classics by many.

1972 Can't Buy a Thrill
1973 Countdown to Ecstasy
1974 Pretzel Logic
1975 Katy Lied
1976 The Royal Scam
1977 Aja
1980 Gaucho

Each is very good in its own way but I will just mention my favorite which just happens to be the first on the list.

Can't Buy a Thrill - 1972 - I have used this album as a demo for as long as I can remember. The opening cut of "Do It Again" may have one of the most recognizable lead-in of any song. The rest of the first half of the album with "Dirty Work", "Kings" and "Midnight Cruiser" is just excellent. The entire album flows easily from cut to cut. I like the entire album with the songs I've mentioned and "Reelin' In The Years" standing out.

My next favorite song was not on any of the above albums. In fact it was not on any Steely Dan album other than a "best of" or compilation album. It is the title track from a soundtrack.

"FM" from the soundtrack FM.

If you have never heard this album....you should find it. It is one of the best collection of 70s music around besides being a great soundtrack. Here is a list of the songs and artists:

FM - Steely Dan
Night Moves - Bob Seger
Fly Like an Eagle - Steve Miller
Cold as Ice - Foreigner
Breakdown - Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers
Bad Man - Randy Meisner
Life in the Fast Lane - The Eagles
Do It Again - Steely Dan
Lido Shuffle - Boz Scaggs
More Than a Feeling - Boston
Tumbling Dice - Linda Ronstadt
Poor, Poor Pitiful Me - Linda Ronstadt
Livingston Saturday Night - Jimmy Buffett
There's a Place in the World for a Gambler - Dan Fogelberg
Just the Way You Are - Billy Joel
It Keeps You Runnin' - by Doobie Brothers
Your Smiling Face - James Taylor
Life's Been Good - Joe Walsh
We Will Rock You - Queen
FM (Reprise) - Steely Dan

Lots of good stuff here!

shack

An artist that falls in the same genre as Steely Dan is Boz Skaggs who just happens to have a cut on the FM soundtrack. That song came from:

Silk Degrees - 1976 - This may have been Boz' best and certainly most commercially successful effort. "What Can I Say", "Harbor Lights", "Lowdown", "Lido Shuffle" and "We're All Alone" are very nice tracks. It's been a while since I've listened to this one. I have it on vinyl. I think I'll bring it out tonight for a spin.

paxil

Thinking back to my "I'm 18 and want to worry my parents phase" .....I'm mixing it up some and throwing the Sex Pistols in the pile. "Never Mind the Bollocks" Warner Bros. October 1977

I don't think the song list is important. Much more of an impact band vs. any memorable tunes other than "God Save the Queen" and "Anarchy in the UK". Most limited talent, loud, offensive bands fall under a label of impact and most don't last very long for sundry reasons.....traumatic death and overdose among them. But , boy howdy, I thought I was some kind of rebel with my Clash, Sex Pistols, Dead Boys, NY Dolls, Ramones, Stooges blaring thru my Jensen car speakers.

Tour2ma

First, let me say welcome to paxil… nice little write-up there. Iggy got shortchanged back in the I’s (or was it the P’s?)… anyway, if you like to cover him and the Stooges, the threads are around somewhere.

Shack, please excuse me while I amplify your Boz a bit.. I mean after all he is another Ohio boy so... There’s a very, very nice two-disc anthology of his work that Columbia/ Sony put out in 1997. The release includes great liner notes by Ben Fong-Torres of Rolling Stone Magazine and “Almost Famous” fame.

While the anthology is heavy on his Silk Degrees and later stuff, his earlier, and IMO, indispensable stuff is well represented. At the top of this list is “Loan Me a Dime”. At 13:04 it’s the longest “too short” song I have ever heard.
“Somebody loan me a dime… I’ve got to call my one-time used to be”
Wonderful stuff, that included great work by Duane Allman, off of Boz Scaggs. It and his other early work, Boz Scaggs & Band, Moments, and My Time, are all Blues albums. Slow Dancer is kind of a transition album that immediately preceded Silk Degrees.

Boz was with Steve Miller back when Steve played the blues, before he Flew Like An Eagle. I saw Boz once sandwiched in between James Cotton and Steve Miller. He was fantastic.

Tour2ma

paxil,
Missed your earlier post. Agreed, Rod rocked on Every Pic....
"(I Know) I'm Losing You" was the first track played on the first "decent" rig I owned.

This is for your contributions...

danger boy

shack,

nice one with Steely Dan

their entire catalog is great stuff. One of my faves from way back when.

F1nut

Great stuff, everybody.

Side note, Steely Dan has also toured as the New York Rock and Soul Review, caught that act a few years back....effn awesome.

On the plate tonight....

SUPER SESSION (Mike Bloomfield, Al Kooper & Steve Stills)
1995 Sony/Columbia CK64611 Gold CD

This is one of those albums that has "IT." I enjoy it no matter what mood I'm in and I always feel better after listening to it, even if I felt great to begin with. Their cover of "Season Of The Witch" jams. Highly recommended.

SIMON AND GARFUNKEL - BRIDGE OVER TROUBLED WATER
1994 Sony/Columbia CK64421 Gold CD

Perhaps the crowning glory in their partnership with the title song as one of the most moving songs I know. Hell, the whole album will move you. More folk than rock, but they deserve to be in here. As great as it is, the making of this piece of art destroyed the partnership and their friendship, sad.

shack

Stephen Stills - I covered what I consider some of his best work under Manassas (outside of Buffalo Springfield and CSN&Y). Prior to that he put out two pretty good solo albums titled Stephen Stills - 1970 - and Stephen Stills 2 - 1971 - (the man had a flair for album titles didn't he?).

The first album is the better of the two with "Love The One You're With", "Old Times Good Times", "Go Back Home", "Sit Yourself Down", "To A Flame" and "Black Queen". There is a nice mix of styles with Blues being a very stong influence. A lot of his band on this album went on to record with him under the Manassas name. As I mentioned in that thread I think they made one of the best albums of the 70s. This album is not quite up to that level but it is very, very good. He also had some friends to help on a few tracks like Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, David Crosby, Graham Nash, John Sebastian, Rita Coolidge and Cass Elliot. This one is definitely worth a listen.

The second album Stephen Stills 2 is not as good but is still an album worth having especially if you are a Stills fan. The best tracks are "Change Partners", "Sugar Babe" and "Marianne". His knack for getting good musicians extends to this album. In addition to Clapton, Crosby, he was helped by Dr. John, Nils Lofgren and Billy Preston.

Next came the two Manassas albums and then a string of very uninspired work.

One exception is Stills Alone - 1991 - In direct contrast to his star ladden first albums this one is as the title indicates. Stephen Stills....all by himself. Singing and playing guitar. The best tracks are "The Ballard Of Hollis Brown" and "Blind Fiddler Medley". Not for everyone...but if you like Stephen Stills, you will like this one.

paxil

Lest we forget....one of the very best "S" bands representing everything laudable and laughable about our beloved rock n roll......Spinal Tap-- 1984. Just bought the DVD and it still makes me laugh so hard after ....can it really be 19 years???. I heartily recommend www.spinaltap.com as they have clips to watch.

joe6pak

Some great names mentioned so far.

F1. Simon & Garfunkel. One of my favorites at the time. I still have the lp's of, "Wednesday Morning 3 AM", "Sounds Of Silence", "Parsley, Sage, Rosmary and Thyme." and "Bookends". Good stuff.

Shack. Steely Dan. "Can't Buy A Thrill." I have that on lp. What a work that was. I have the 4 cd set called "Citzen Steely Dan, 1972-1980." This is remastered and has very good sound quality. This set is worth checking out if you like Steely Dan. FM is on it.

O.K. How about Steppenwolf.

"Born To Be Wild"! "Hey Lawdy Mama", "The Pusher", and my favorite 'Wolf song "Magic Carpet Ride." Any bikers out there?

shack. Willian Shatner cut a album. Do you know anybody that could give us a review of that one?

joe

Tour2ma

Joe, give shack a break…. I don’t know of anybody that could listen to that one…
But Steppenwolf nice 70's band there. Saw them in my Cleveland days as well. John Kay, who did some decent solo stuff later, was high energy. "Sookie Sookie Sookie Sookie Sookie Sookie Sue" Unfortunately the group that preceded them in the concert, Dan Hicks and His Hot Licks was anything but high energy.... got booed off the stage.

Favorite Spinal Tap moment… http://www.spinaltap.com/video/11_bg.mov
Thanks for the link, paxil.

Tonite I’d like to unveil another obscure little gem that I truly love…
Seatrain
Seatrain – Vinyl (1970 Capitol/ EMI – SMAS-659)
Marblehead Messenger – C-90 (1971)
Seatrain/ Marblehead Messenger – Dbl CD Import (1999 BGO – BGOCD465)
Seatrain is another of my many music gifts from my college friend, “Rook”.

Spawned from the demise of The Blues Project, an early Al Kooper group, Seatrain’s first effort was actually released under the previous group’s name. To add to the confusion their first release under the new group name was Sea Train. I guess a space makes all the difference. After this, the first of their two “self-titled debuts”, the group did a bit of realigning and found a new producer, of whom you may have heard, George Martin, and traveled to UK to record their 3rd release.

Seatrain is a phenomenal piece of Country Rock with Blues and even Bluegrass influences. I doubt any of the members names will mean anything to you. The line-up starts with the standard guitar, bass, keyboard, drums and adds violin, viola, and flute. They even credit the group lyricist, who did not perform, but rates a back cover shot and a place in the cover photo.

The album starts off with an up tempo cover of “Willin’”, by our old friend Lowell George (again), and continues with seven originals, “Song of Job”, “Broken Morning”, “Home to You”, “Out Where the Hills”, “Waiting for Elijah”, “13 Questions” and “Oh My Love”. The album wraps with medley of an uncredited, traditional song, “Sally Goodin’”, a cover of “Creepin’ Midnight” by Jerry Goffin and Carol King and “Orange Blossom Special”. It’s a wonderful line-up. Personal favorites are “13 Questions” and “Oh My Love”, but they are all very good and fit together very, very well.

Gotta say it…. Seatrain is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED and another in the Tour Top Ten list…

Marblehead Messenger, the group’s final album, is not bad either. Many actually prefer it, but for me it takes a backseat. But you can decide for yourself as the double CD import is about the only way to nab Seatrain, and is fairly economical at $15 at amazon.com.

It’s late, but I think I’ll spin it one more time before bed…

abmarsh

Supertramp
- Even in the Quietest Moments
- Crime of the Century
- Breakfast in America

Good songs and slick production

Scorpions
- Lovedrive
- Animal Magnetism
- Blackout
- Love at First Sting

One of the ultimate party bands

Joe Satriani
- Surfing with the Alien
- Flying in a Blue Dream
- The Extremist

One of the very few guitar pyro-technicians to figure out that it doesn't matter how good you are if the songs suck, Slick production, too

shack

Ok...I guess much like The Police...Sting doesn't have a big following here. Since I like his work I will run through what I have. Yes...I know he is a pompus, pretentious, self indulgent, over-opinionated, egotistical, tree-hugger that actually believes that people give a **** about his views on anything and everthing besides music...In otherwords...A Rock Star!

Besides...he is not the first artist that I enjoy in spite of the message they are trying to convey. Jackson Browne falls in this category and he is one of my favorites.

What I like about Sting is that he takes musical chances and is constantly changing his style. His first two solo studio albums are very much jazz oriented (it would be hard not to be since his entire band was made up of jazz muscians including Branford Marsalis). He also has reggae and classical influences mixed in.

Dream Of The Blue Turtle - 1985 - "If You Love Somebody Set Them Free" was the big hit, but it is not among my favorites on the album. They would include "Russians", "Children's Crusade", "We Work The Black Seam" and "Fortress Around Your Heart". The first three are very political but are also very nice pieces of music.

Nothing Like The Sun - 1987 - "We'll Be Together" is the best cut IMO followed closely by "Be Still My Beating Heart". These are the most up-tempo tracks on this album. "Fragile" and "Sister Moon" are more more laid back but also very good. "Enlishman In New York" is musically very intersting and thats why I like it. "History Will Teach Us Nothing" goes back to Sting's reggae influences. And lastly, I didn't think I would like it, but his cover of Hendrix's "Little Wing" is a good listen.

The Soul Cages - 1991 - Even though his band was basically the same as the previous album this on takes on a completely different feel. There seems to be almost a Celtic or Irish undertone to his music. Maybe becase this is sort of a tibute to his parents. The album is a nice change of pace with the best cuts being "All This Time" and "The Soul Cages".

Ten Summoner's Tales - 1993 - While the jazz influence is still evident this one takes on more of a Funk/R&B feel...especially on cuts like "Heavy Clouds No Rain". "Fields Of Gold" and "Shape Of My Heart" are very nice ballads. "If I Ever Lose My Faith In You" and "She's Too Good For Me" are definitely Pop/R&B influenced. This is his most diverse album with several different musical styles.

Sting is an artist that is immediately recognizable and there are common traits throughout his work. But he is also very diverse in his approach to his music. His work is not as important as he would like to think it is...but I like his music (at least on these four albums) because it doesn't bore me after a listen or two. I need to pick up his last two albums and see if he has been able to keep it interesting. I seems like the few cuts I heard had lost some of the originality and I passed.

F1nut

SADE

STRONGER THAN PRIDE - 1988 Epic EK 44210 CD

LOVE DELUXE - 1992 Epic EK 53178 CD


Sweet, sultry, sexy and as smooth as silk with some sort of gun obsession. An incredible voice, with powerful lyrics and solid bass tracks make her works a must have. I think her words sum up how I felt the first time I heard her music, "It hit me like a slow bullet."

jeff biggs

Squeeze, These guys have been around a while. "Tempted" and "Some Americans" are two of their best.

The Style Council, Not much substance with these guys but Paul Weller went on to make some critically acclaimed music after they broke up. "You're the Best Thing" was a stand out song in a catalog of mediocrity.

The Smiths, I could go on for days posting about this band but I think that their body of work speaks for itself.

The Specials, One of the alltime ugliest bands ever, even for musicians I don't know if these guys ever got laid. Having said that, The Specials were one of the first and possibly the best of the Two Tone English Ska Bands. Two Tone referring to the fact that they were and integrated band. Memorable songs, "Free Nelson Mandela" "Rudi, A Message To You" and "Guns of Navarone"

Simple Minds, Jim Kerr wrote some really great songs in the early eighties. Who can forget Judd Nelson walking across that football field at the end of The Breakfast Club with "Don't You (Forget About Me)" playing in the background

Holy $#!t I need to buy some NEW music!!!

shack

Well...since the week is about over I thought I would go through my stacks of CDs and LPs and see if there were any **SSSS**s I had forgotten. Turns out there were quite a few. Some good...and some just ok. I will keep it short since there are several...but add to it if you like.

Seals and Croft - Diamond Girl - 1973 - This one is a little dated. "Diamond Girl' and "We Will Never Pass This Way Again" were the songs that got the most airplay and are probably the best cuts.


Savoy Brown - Hellbound Train - 1972 - This blues/rock group was pretty good. Best tracks on this album are "Lost And Lonely Child", "Troubled By These Days And Times" and "Hellbound Train".


Carly Simon - No Secrets - 1972 - "You're So Vain" alone is worth the price of the album. The rest is typical Carly Simon and is a good album.


Rick Springfield - Working Class Dog - 1981 - Success Hasn't Spoiled Me Yet - 1982 - Ok...I actually like a lot of the music of this Australian Singer/Actor/Soap Star, epecially "Jessie's Girl". What I really like are the album covers:





Spooky Tooth - You Broke My Heart, So I Busted Your Jaw - 1973 - I had actually forgoten that I had this LP. It was a pleasant supprise. A notable of this group is the keyboard player and singer...Gary Wright (Dreamweaver). Blues Rock. Side 2 is very good and "Cotton Growing Man" from side 1 is a good track.


The Spin Doctors - Pocket Full Of Kryptonite - 1991 - "Little Miss Can't Be Wrong" was the big song from this CD.

Patty Smyth/Scandal - Greatest Hits - Featuring Scandal - 1998 - "Warrior" and "Goodbye To You" are notable tracks. BTW she is now Mrs. John McEnroe.

A few others that someone might want to discuss are The Smithereens, Sonny and Cher, Bob Seger (George already gave a sort-of review in an earlier thread - some may disagree), Styx or The Spencer Davis Group(early Steve Winwood).

No need to discuss her music:
Britney Spears

Tour2ma

shack... the announcement of your Saturday dump list popped in as I was nearly the end of mine… Was afraid you’d scooped me out of a two-hour effort, but not much overlap as it turned out…
BTW, I was waiting on your earlier Sting post ... BION, I do like Sting's work for many of the reasons you state. He reaches and succeeds more times than not.

Jeff, Squeeze’s sweets from a stranger wasn’t too bad either as I recall.

Have to comment on ab’s Supertramp mention. I’ve been waiting on a boxed set by them for a long time. Have all three he lists on vinyl, but only Even in the Quietest Moments on CD. “Fools Overture” is a great track IMO. When folks take issue with me about whether rock can be considered compositions, I play this track for them.

Well, it’s the weekend so it’s time for tour to take a RnR dump….

Joe Sun – A former co-worker put me onto this “country” artist. One of those country “outlaws” that crosses over whenever he feels like it. A little surprise joe6 didn’t post him. Anyway I ended up with three late 70’s albums by Joe, Livin’ on Honky Tonk Time, Out of Your Mind, and Old Flames (Can’t Hold a Candle to You) . Been a long, long time, but pretty good stuff as best I can recall.

Styx – may have made the thread earlier, but if it did I missed it. I’ve got Kilroy was Here – 1983 which includes Mr. Roboto. It was their attempt at a concept album, but it’s no Tommy. The group did have their share of hits. While I liked some of them, I was never really a big fan

Strider – Exposed (1973 – One of the tracks got some airplay, but I’ll be damned if I can remember which one.

Cat Stevens – “OOOh Baby baby it’s a wild world…. And it’s hard to get by just upon a smile… ” Monster artist in the early 70’s then he did go Muslim and there was that whole Salmon Rushdi bounty thing… :rolleyes: … Two biggest albums were Tea for the Tillerman and Teaser and the Firecat. Subsequent releases, Catch a Bull at Four and Foreigner fell off some, but were still quite good. Best I know there is really not a good hits collection to be had… pity cause he had plenty of them. Somebody call Rhino…

Michael Stanley Band – As much as I’ll hate myself for slighting a true fellow Clevelander, the week’s run out on me. Do yourself a favor and get hold of a copy of Stagepass. Recorded live in ’77 it’s covers most of his best stuff and damn good stuff it is. For his studio versions there’s a very good 1992 compilation, Right Back at Ya. A local legend, Michael ended up in Cleveland broadcasting and then became Mayor of a major suburb. GOOD STUFF HERE FOLKS…

Special AKA was an 80’s British ska band that struck a chord with the track, "Free Nelson Mandela", off of their album in the studio. Pretty good listen with a message to boot.

Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes – The Jukes (1979) Always in Bruce’s NJ wake, this group included Steven van Zandt in the original line-up. And although he was gone by this release, he still worked on their albums’ production. Decent stuff.

Southern Pacific is a collection of former rockers that went country-ish. Members came from the Doobies, CCR and even Pablo Cruise. The vinyl I have is Killbilly Hill. It has its moments.

Phoebe Snow has one of the more distinctive female voices I have heard. Her ’76 release, Second Childhood, is very strong, but her self-titled, first release produced her biggest hit, "Poetry Man". She’s still recording today.

The Smithereens – Especially for You (1986) When I first heard this group I thought they were British, just had that sound. But fooled me unless NJ is still part of the UK. This is a strong effort with several good tracks.

The Patti Smith Group – Patti was near the front of the stateside punk movement pack in the mid-70’s. Horses was the group’s '75 debut and is very raw. Wave, produced in 1979 by Todd Rundgren, was the group’s last effort and was too polished for many’s taste, but it is more accessible. They played SNL while at the height of their popularity.

Sugarloaf – Pretty much a one hit wonder with “Green-Eyed Lady”, but it was a big one.

John Sebastian – in John we have a pure, 100% dyed in the wool hippie here. He played Woodstock and actually said, “Far out,” more than once in his screen time. After his Lovin’ Spoonful days John craved out a decent solo career, but was always best known for his Lovin’ Spoonful songs… that is until he wrote “Welcome Back” for the TV show, “Welcome Back, Kotter.”

Sad Café – Kinda bluesy, but will never be confused with in your face blues rockers in spite of the lead singer often imitating Mick. This is soft rock. I have two albums here, Misplaced Ideals and Facades. Although Façades is pretty good, Misplaced… is the better of the two and is quite listenable, if you’re in one of those moods.