Wow. Where have you been?

What the hell?? Where did the G.O.T. go?? Don't know. Think he found himself in a Tiajuana jail after bad tequila, worse tattoos, and saying something in spanish he didn't understand to a bad ass Mexican who DID.

Anyway, he's back for the time being.

Who's great? Robert Plant.

Who sucks? Roger Daltry (get it?)

Discuss. You're lame if you disagree.

Go in peace.

G.O.T.

It's good to keep Bad Company....

Good afternoon Rawkers. Maybe we should spend a lazy Sunday afternoon talking about one of rock's classic supergroups, one of the coolest bands to come out of the 70s, none other than Bad Company. And yeah Rawkers, these boys is bad ass!

Comprised of former Free members Paul Rodgers and Simon Kirke, Mott the Hoople guitarist Mick Ralphs and King Crimson bassist Boz Burrell, Bad Company made rock the way god intended -- massive guitars, great hooks and killer vocals.

Pick up the Original Bad Company Anthology (two-disc collection) for one of the most amazing greatest hits packages you'll ever hear. Flat out rocks from front to back. Tired of classic radio cuts like "Can't Get Enough" or "Feel like Makin' Love"? Give a listen to the following powerhouse blues jams:

Burnin' Sky

Smokin 45

Too Bad

Whiskey Bottle

Deal with the Preacher

Good Lovin' Gone Bad

Some of the best combinations of gritty vocals and crunchy guitar you'll ever hear in rock.

Bad Company -- one of the reasons classic rock has staying power.

Go in peace....

G.O.T.

Get Stoned....

Good morning Rawkers. Not much needs be said... The Stones.

Let's hear your favorite cuts -- Mine include "Paint it Black", "Midnight Rambler", "You Can't Always Get What You Want", "Doo Doo Doo Doo Doo (Heartbreaker)" and "Gimme Shelter".

Oh, and best album? Without a doubt, Let it Bleed. Critics always love Exile on Mainstreet, but Bleed's the better offering.

Go in Peace....

G.O.T.

When Elton rawked....

Good evening Rawkers. Good to be with you after a semi-long new year's absence. So how best to celebrate a return than by celebrating one of the best rockers, musicians and songwriters (along with Bernie Taupin) -- Sir Elton John.

The guy is flat-out a genius. You don't like him? Jump off the wuss cliff. You are dead to the G.O.T. You don't have to like the new stuff, i.e. anything after 1974s Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy (Elton's last great album). God knows i don't. The nearly 30 albums released since that date are mostly suckage, excluding greatest hits combinations and the rare song that is great (tell me you don't get warm and fuzzy to "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" from the Lion King....).

But if you haven't listened to the early stuff, shame on you. The material transcends most of the superlatives you can offer. Consider these consecutive albums:

Elton John

Tumbleweed Connection

11-17-70

Madman Across the Water

Honkey Chateau

Don't Shoot Me....

Goodbye Yellowbrick Road

Caribou

Captain Fantastic....

If you're ANY kind of fan, there's way more than one favorite on every album. And if you're not, then your taste is rock leaves something to be desired.

And his band....Nigel Olsson on drums, Dee Murray on bass and Davey Johnstone on guitar, along with Elton, made up one of the best rock outfits ever to lay grooves on vinyl.

This stuff rawks, people. Don't get hung up on duets with Kiki Dee, donald duck costumes, homosexuality or any other light-weight, worthless drivel. Elton -- in his day -- was one of the best rockers on the planet and wrote some of the best material of all time.

I -- for one -- celebrate, honor, respect and thoroughly enjoy this one-of-a-kind rock superstar. Long live Sir Elton.

Go in peace....

G.O.T.

Always trust a "carny" -- Leon Russell

Good evening Rawkers. Let's spend a minute or two celebrating an artist often overlooked but universally respected by fellow musicians -- Leon Russell.

Like Bob Dylan, Neil Young and other troubadours with unusual singing styles, Leon Russell is not often appreciated by the average listener. His vocal quality and phrasing is definitely out of the ordinary. But a closer, extended listen reveals an artist who grows on you -- and the Lawton, OK native's offerings come to be enjoyed as much as a fine, aged bourbon.

Tough to peg, Russell made a name for himself as a sought-after session man and as a solo artist in rock, gospel, R&B, folk and county. In fact, he's probably recorded with musicians of just about every genre you can name.

Word is, he's currently working on an album with Elton John (someone with whom Leon has recorded before....).

The essential listen is his 1970 album, titled simply "Leon Russell" (the blue album). But "Carny" (1972) represents his most successful solo effort, having reached No. 2 on the charts.

The G.O.T. encourages you to get your hands on some quality vinyl from this great artist and to discover what some of your favorite artists aleady know -- Leon Russell is one in a million.

Go in peace....

G.O.T.

GOT's Best of the Decade.....

Where's the Rawk, people!!!!!

Ok, Rolling Stone mostly fumbled this month by ignoring much of the decade's real rock and roll in favor of the banal, the bland and the basically boring (for my REO-loving friends out there, "banal" means trite and predictable. Terms you should be totally familiar with).

But after slagging several of the mag's top picks (good call on Bruce, btw) it's only right to offer up my own opinions for public ridicule.

Whaddya think, rawkers -- condone or condemn (the following offered in random order).

AC/DC -- Black Ice (2008). The aging school-yard bullies offer up a fresh, hard punch in the face, bloodying the nose of today's wimpy wuss crap. And I'm cheering 'em on. Nice work, fellas. Let's see the tour.

U2 -- While i know many of you can't stand the band, i happen to think they are great. And they did the decade well by sprinkling it with three great rock albums that feature some wonderful stuff: All That You Can't Leave Behind (2000), How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb (2004) and No Line on the Horizon (2009). Really fantastic material here and i can't wait to see them in Seattle June 20. Yeah, Bono is a turd who's opinion of himself is a bit over the top, but i can ignore that. A LOT of credit goes to ANY band who has made a ton of music but keeps putting out interesting music.

Bruce Springsteen -- Five fine offerings: The Rising (2002), Devils & Dust (2005), We Shall Overcome -- the Pete Seeger Sessions (2006), Magic (2007) and Working On a Dream (2009). Major props for output and variety alone by a rawk legend. Never really been a Born to Run fan, but Bruce won me over during the 00's. Beyonce indeed....

Green Day -- These guys are the real deal and carry rawk's banner aloft loudly and proudly. Happy to say i'm a fan. I LOVED American Idiot (2004), and think 21st Century Breakdown (2009) is a great album as well.

Metallica -- Shoved metal up your @$$ with Death Magnetic (2008) and ensured that the heavy stuff would remain alive and well late into the decade and beyond. Was kinda uncomfortable with Some Kind of Monster video though..... metal masters getting touchy-feely make me a bit uncomfortable.

The Beatles -- Let it Be....Naked. Finally fixed the mistakes made in 1969 by producer Phil Spector. The release allows the music to be heard as it was intended. Hear it again for the first time.... The title track alone is worth the price by itself.

You'll probably disagree, and i can't wait to hear it.

Go in peace....

G.O.T.

Good evening Rawkers. So. Rolling Stone is beyond lame. You kidding me? Best artists of the decade include Beyonce, Radiohead, Kanye West, Arcade Fire and MIA?

WTF????

Top album of the decade is Radiohead, followed by the Strokes, Wilco and Jay-Z?

What has happened to rock and roll? That is all so lame it hurts. They all should be shoved off the wuss cliff. Think the GOT is gonna puke....

Damn....

Go in peace.... if you can.

G.O.T.