Akira Takasaki...

"Happy 51st Birthday"

Akira Takasaki...

Founding member of the Japanese heavy metal band, Loudness.
He started his career as a guitarist, winning a TV contest for young music talents at the age of 14. He was rapidly put under contract to be part of the pop-rock band Lazy, of which drummer Munetaka Higuchi was also a member. Lazy produced five successful albums at the end of the 70s, but Takasaki's musical style, oriented towards hard rock and heavy metal, did not gel with the band and in 1981 he decided to make his original band, Loudness, alongside bandmate Higuchi. The many heavy metal albums produced by Loudness brought him international fame and vast critical acclaim. He is the only member of Loudness that has been in the band since its inception, producing more than 20 studio albums in 25 years. Takasaki has also continued the production of solo works, starting with Tusk of Jaguar in 1982 and is now committed to a new side project called Ji-Zo. In 1998 and in 2002, he was also directly involved in the reunion of Lazy for the release of two new studio albums and for a tour. Takasaki found enough time to start Killer Guitars, a company co-founded and managed with fellow guitarist George Azuma. He is responsible for several of the guitar designs. -Wikipedia.com

Ratt...

Ratt

"Body Talk"

The song is primarily written by Ratt's bassist Juan Croucier. Ratt's guitarist Warren DeMartini had the song's opening riffs for years. However, no one was able to develop it into a song. Under a very tight deadline (one day to be exact), Ratt bassist Juan Croucier stepped in. He wrote all the vocal melodies and lyrics, adding additional chord progressions to the one riff that had been around for years. The song title was apparenly conceived of by Ratt producer Beau Hill or vocalist Stephen Pearcy."

It appears as the fifth track of their third full-length album Dancing Undercover and the eleventh track of their compilation album Ratt & Roll 81-91. It was also used as a soundtrack for Eddie Murphy's film The Golden Child. The video was added on MTV, in late '86, while "Dance" was still in heavy rotation. The song was written by Ratt vocalist Stephen Pearcy, bassist Juan Croucier and guitarist Warren DeMartini. -Wikipedia.com

My Thoughts: Ratt-n-Roll Baby, What can I say I was among many female fans who loved these guys & YES, They sounded good too...Was such a tragedy when Robbin Crosby died from a heroin overdose in 2002. Ratt's music was influenced by 1970s hard rock and heavy metal bands..Although they later incorporated more of a blues-rock sound into their music..The band was one of the first glam metal style groups that appeared in the early 1980s in California. Their image bore similarities to that of Rough Cutt, which had several members who were previously in Mickey Ratt the former band that Stephen P. was In. Glad they dropped the "Mickey"~

This day in rock history...

February 21-1987:  Bon Jovi held off everyone for a seventh week at #1 on the album chart with their breakthrough album Slippery When Wet... 

"Wild In The Streets" I have to say was one of my top songs on the Album, I Remember listening to this cassette tape (Yes I'm that old, lol) over & over again, Until literally I think I wore it out...I also remember sitting in front of our t.v..Hoping to see Jon's gorgeousness on Mtv with their music video, It was one of my top after school activities, Of course after my Newspaper Route, haha !!! Wow was he hot, Still is in my book~

What was you favorite song on the Album ??

Happy Mardi Gras & Fat Tuesday...

Bring on the Beads...

Rocker Bret Michaels and Grammy-winning singer Cyndi Lauper were expected to usher in Mardi Gras with musical performances in the wee hours of the morning Tuesday.

Michaels, the bandana-wearing Poison frontman, and Lauper were the celebrity riders in Orpheus, the parade club founded in 1993 by New Orleans native actor and crooner Harry Connick Jr.

Just as the Orpheus ball was to wind down early Tuesday, revelers were gearing up for the Fat Tuesday parades rolling shortly after daybreak. Some revelers would party through the night.

Clarinetist Pete Fountain will be leading his marching band from the city's Garden District to the French Quarter. The float parades follow Fountain and his "Half Fast Marching Club" — first the African-American Krewe of Zulu, the group known for the decorated coconuts it hands out to revelers, and the parade of Rex, King of Carnival.

Lent follows Fat Tuesday. It is the period of fasting and repentance before Easter Sunday.  

photos.nola.com

Andy Taylor...

"Happy 51st Birthday"

Andy Taylor...

Encouraged by his father, Andy Taylor took lessons in playing the guitar from a jazz guitarist who lived across the road from him and started to play the instrument seriously from the age of 11. He left school in 1976 and joined a punk band called The Gigolos. They became Motorway and released a single that didn't chart. He had played nearly 600 gigs in a variety of working men's clubs, strip joints and military bases before responding to an advert in Melody Maker placed by a band needing a guitarist. The band was Duran Duran, he successfully auditioned and the group went on to become one of the most successful acts of Britain's early 1980s' "New Romantic" movement, scoring many big hits, including two British number one singles, "Is There Something I Should Know?" and "The Reflex". They were also Princess Diana's favourite band.

Andy Taylor married Tracey Wilson, the band's hair stylist and opened a wine bar, Rio, in Whitley Bay. He left Duran Duran in 1985 and since then has worked with Robert Palmer in Power Station, Rod Stewart and Thunder. -IMBd.com



My Thoughts: 
Of course I was among one of the many fans of Duran Duran back in the days.
Since then Andy has did some solo work. The song that comes to mind when I think of Andy Taylor is "Take it easy" for the Movie, American Anthem"...One of my 80's favs~

The Pretty Reckless...

The Pretty Reckless...

"Make Me Wanna Die"

Reckless. The song was written by Taylor Momsen, Kato Khandwala, Ben Phillips, and produced by Khandwala for their debut studio album, Light Me Up (2010). It was released on March 30, 2010 in the United States, as the band's debut single. The intro of the song features a reworked sample of Abba's song Lay All Your Love On Me. -Wikipedia.com

My Thoughts: What a nice surprise, This band took me off guard as far as Taylor Momsen being the singer in a rock band at the age of 18 she can really sing !!!

Actress/Model... Did ya know that she stared as Cindy Lou Who in the How The Grinch Stole Christmas, Wow what a deference a few years makes, Rock Chick to the extreme & I'm not complaining~

Jake E Lee...

"Happy 54th Birthday"

Jake E Lee

Jake E. Lee was encouraged by his mother to take classical piano lessons as a child. With a lack of interest in piano, 13 year old Lee found that he enjoyed playing his older sister's guitar. His older sister influenced his desire to play by introducing him to some old Jimi Hendrix, Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin records. The first song he learned was "No Time" by The Guess Who. From there, he used what formal training he had from piano, along with a Mel Bay guitar method book and concentrated on becoming a self taught, rock guitarist. Obviously catching on and quickly developing a talent for the guitar, Lee played in several high school bands. And so, teenaged Jake E. Lee was already turning heads and wowing fellow San Diego musicians with his impressive style of playing. -Wikipedia.com

My Thoughts: A legend in his own right, Jake E Lee is one of the greats.

From playing with Ozzy Osbourne in the late 1980's to the forming of his own band 'Badlands" with former singer Ray Gillen from the band Black Sabbath...Jake in my eyes has an amazing talent and will be remembered for his awesome guitar work for many many years to come. Keep on Rocking man~