True North Strong and Free

Rush notwithstanding; there is such a thing as Canadian rock and roll.  The best Canadian bands seem to be able to retain some of that bar band sound even after they’ve made it big.  You know that sound.  When you're digging the band in the bar.  In the bar.  That sound.

The Hip, 54:40, Tom Cochrane, The Northern Pikes, Colin James, The Arkells … even Our Lady Peace and The Guess Who.  They all preserved a bit of their roots, remained true.  

Makes ‘em more approachable, dontcha think?

Partners in Crime

Gibson has a list of 20 Great Rock and Roll Songwriting Partnerships, which includes:

Strummer and Jones from The Clash

Tyler and Perry from Aerosmith

Marr and Morrissey from The Smiths

Page and Plant from Zeppelin

Fagen and Becker from Steely Dan

John and Taupin for Reggie Dwight

Bachman and Cummings from The Guess Who

Chilton and Bell from Big Star

Jagger and Richards from the Stones

Lennon and McCartney – ya, d’ya think?

Nice to see Bachman and Cummings on the list, although The Guess Who had more than a few good songs after Bachman departed.

Why no Holland-Dozier-Holland?  Motown was rock ‘n’ roll, and those guys outsold everyone.  I know the article was tagged ‘dynamic duos’, but it’s really about partnerships.

Otherwise it’s a solid – if predictable – list. 

Or maybe it’s constrained and difficult to populate.  I scrolled through my iTunes library, and had a hard time coming up with any other real partnerships.  Lots of cases where the whole band gets credit.  Cases like CSNY or the Eagles where there were several individuals who each contributed great songs, but not many real partnerships.

Curious, that.  Music is such a collaborative thing.  I would have expected more.

The 45 Masters

Gibson’s 10 Greatest Singles Bands reminds you why radio used to be do darned good.  Here’s the list:

 1.  The Beatles

 2.  The Rolling Stones

 3.  Creedance Clearwater Revival

 4.  The Smiths

 5.  The Who

 6.  The Eagles

 7.  The Kinks

 8.  Oasis

 9.  The Guess Who

10. The Dave Clark Five

The singles from these bands makes for a pretty good playlist and a decent party.  With the exception of The Dave Clark Five, who understood their market and gracefully retired with the advent of FM radio, all these bands were pretty good on the album front too.  A key point, I think.

The article points out that although 45 RPM singles gave way to albums (then CD’s), in this digital age we’re back to buying singles.

Well, the singles were always there and were always the way to get attention and exposure.  So what sends the bands on this list apart?  For me, it’s a combination of volume and balance.  A multitude of hits to distinguish themselves from the one-hit-wonders, plus the ability to appeal beyond the constraints of the 3 minute pop song.  Each album had a few hits on it, plus some great album rock that proved these bands had depth.  That distinguished them from the pop groups who could churn out singles, but disappeared with the next fad.

The music from the bands on this list will not fade away.