Taking a Break from Football.

Tonight it is time to take a break for the world of college sports in football and talk about another American pastime, Rock and Roll.  Here is my selection for the members of the best band of all time.  I am interested in knowing who our readers think I left off the list and who belongs in their place.  I included a You Tube sample from all of my selections.


Drums--John Bonham* of Led Zeppelin
Sample: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RlNhD0oS5pk

Led Zeppelin had some pretty intense stuff, and needed a rock-solid rhythm section to pull it off.  Without Bonham, it never would have worked so well.

Bass--John Entwistle of The Who
Sample:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rp6-wG5LLqE

The Who is another band that would not have worked so well without s rock-solid bass player and drummer.  Listen to this song with a good bass setting on your stereo and enjoy the bass in the background.

Piano/Keyboards--Ray Manzarek of The Doors
Sample: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_yWyBjDEaU

Mazarek just does not get his proper due because his career never found footing after Jim Morrison's death and the end of The Doors.  He did what other keyboardists did before the synthesizer came out, just without the tape loops.

Lead Guitar--Jimmy Hendrix*
Sample:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l6Z7LR8Z9_o&feature=related

I bet you will find very few who would not want Hendrix as the lead guitarist in their fantasy band.  Although there are quite a few other guitarists who could make the cut.  Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page, Chuck Berry, Duane Allman, David Gilmoure, Carlos Santan to name a few.  Perhaps a good rock band could use them all.

Rhythm Guitar--Eddie Van Halen of Van Halen
Sample: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w-NshzYK9y0

OK, time for someone a little more modern as a second guitarist.

Saxophone--Clarence Clemmons*** of the E Street Band
Sample: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9wgnTU31z7s

Most bands do not have winds, and so you do not find a lot of wind players in the Rock and Roll hall of fame.  At least Clarance Clemmons belongs to a band that is enshrined.  This man can do things with a saxophone that most sax players can't even dream of.  I am sorry that I was unable to find a live version of Born to Run, but Clemmons' sax solo is wicked.  Clemmons deserves the Hall of Fame in his own right.  He has been a session player for a lot of talent from Aretha Franklin to Lady Gaga.  He also lent his voice to the Simpsons as the narrator of a Christmas episode that also had Gary Coleman as a guest.

Trumpet--Lew Soloff** of Blood Sweat and Tears.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qi9sLkyhhlE

The trumpet in BS&T is one of the best in Rock, in the short-lived fusion era.  Soloff has moved on to the Manhattan Jazz Quintet, but has also worked with Frank Sinatra and Barbara Streisand.  There are only two trumpeters in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Lewis Armstrong and Herb Alpert, where there are at least a half-dozen others who deserve the honor.  This was a tough choice, however.

Trombone--James Pankow** of Chicago
Sample: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sLVKd1lhgOQ
(Skip ahead to 3:45)

The unique horn arrangements that have made the band Chicago famous were dreamed up by Pankow.  Not only can you hear his work with Chicago, but he has also shown up working for Toto, the Bee Gees and the Beach Boys.  If you saw St. Elmo's Fire, you've heard his work there, too.

Vocals--Steve Perry
Sample: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H0RFpXrPv2g

There are so many good choices, but I love vocal harmonies.  Some solo artists like Ray Charles and Elvis belong as their own acts.  My choice for lead vocal Steve Perry who fronted Journey for many years.  I included the video for those who think that Journey was all about Perry, it wasn't, but Perry made the band better.

*Indicates a pothumous selection
**Not in the Rock and Roll hall of fame.
***Clemons was still living when I wrote this article.