Who's to say the way a man should spend his days. Do you let them smolder like paper in fire?

Quick Hit

“Paper In Fire” by John Cougar Mellencamp (1987)

I remember the first time I saw the “American Fool” album. It was in the form of an ‘8-track’ tape kicking around on the floor of this guy’s truck who was giving me a ride. He was a self professed country music nut so I was curious why he had John Cougar. I asked him and he said “Because it is country music”. I thought “ Huh, I didn’t really think so....well, wait a minute, definitely influenced.”

John Mellencamp a.k.a. John Cougar Mellencamp a.k.a. John Cougar came straight out of the heartland of America with a dream and an attitude – sort of a rebel, ...I guess.

I don't bother chasing mice around I slink down the alley looking for a fight howling to the moonlight on a hot summer night

Quick Hit

“Stray Cat Strut”, Stray Cats (1981/82)

Brian Setzer was not following the fads in the early eighties – well maybe the looks a bit, but the music he liked, some thought was out of style. Rockabilly was a late fifties and early sixties phenomena that had long lost its momentum when Setzer, his bass player, Lee Rocker, and drummer Slim Jim Phantom, thrust it back into the spotlight.

Well, you're dirty and sweet clad in black, don't look back, and I love you

Songs Everyone Should Know

“Get It On (Bang-a-Gong)”, T-Rex, (1972) 

There are certain artists that died early that leave us wondering what they might have done and evolved into, had they only lived. Marc Bolan is one of them.

Bolan was killed in a car accident in 1977 after taking his glam-rock band ‘T-Rex’ to commercial success.  Although his fame was waning at the point he died, he is considered the father of glam rock by many.