Bon Jovi #1 Single 25 Years - Thanksgiving 1986

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It was 25 years ago that Bon Jovi had their first number one single the week of Thanksgiving 1986. "You Give Love A Bad Name" hit number one November 29, 1986.  Raised in New Jersey I had all of Bon Jovi's albums going back to 1984. I have seen Bon Jovi in concert 3 times, most recently on their Circle Tour 2010. Read the post on this blog "Bon Jovi Circle Rocks" posted March 10, 2010.

"You Give Love A Bad Name" is a song written by Jon Bon Jovi, Desmond Child and Richie Sambora about a woman who has jilted her lover. Although originally written for the band Loverboy, the song was recorded by Bon Jovi. The track was released as the first single from the album "Slippery When Wet" and hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 on November 29, 1986, Bon Jovi's first number one hit. The song reentered the charts at #29 after Blake Lewis performed it on American Idol. In 2009 it was named the 20th-greatest hard rock song of all time by VH1. 

"Slipper When Wet" Bon Jovi's third studio album; of which "You Give Love A Bad Name" was Bon Jovi's first single from the album in August 1986. It is Bon Jovi's best selling album to date with 12 million copies in the U.S. and 28 million copies worldwide. Billboard named "Slippery When Wet" the best selling album of 1987 and the 21st best selling studio album of all time. The album spent eight weeks at #1 on the Billboard 200 and was the top selling album 0f 1987.

Below is the original Music Video of Bon Jovi's "You Give Love A Bad Name" singing in concert in 1986.  I have also listed "You Give Love A Bad Name"  Lyrics below, which is published on many websites today. Also, check out  "You Give Love A Bad Name" Facts and Rumors that is included in this post. Congratulations to Bon Jovi on their 25th anniversary of their first number one single! Happy Thanksgiving to everyone! - Kenny Leibow

There are 100s of sources confirming the facts mentioned throughout this post. I will name a few: Billboard, Rolling Stone, m.songfacts.com, lyrics007.com,  Deniz and Kenny Original Songs, Official and Non-Official Bon Jovi websites.

Bon Jovi - You Give Love A Bad Name 1986 

You Give Love A Bad Name lyrics

Songwriters: Bon Jovi, Jon; Sambora, Richard S.; Child, Desmond

Shot through the heart and you're to blame

Darlin' you give love a bad name

An angel's smile is what you sell

You promise me heaven then put me through hell

Chains of love got a hold on me

When passion's a prison you can't break free

Oh! You're a loaded gun, yeah

Oh! There's nowhere to run

No one can save me

The damage is done

Shot through the heart and you're to blame

You give love a bad name

(Bad name)

I play my part and you play your game

You give love a bad name

(Bad name)

Hey, you give love a bad name

Paint your smile on your lips

Blood red nails on your fingertips

A school boy's dream, you act so shy

Your very first kiss was your first kiss goodbye

Whoa! You're a loaded gun

Whoa! There's nowhere to run

No one can save me

The damage is done

Shot through the heart and you're to blame

You give love a bad name

(Bad name)

I play my part and you play your game

You give love a bad name

(Bad name)

You give love, oh!

Oh! Shot through the heart and you're to blame

You give love a bad name

I play my part and you play your game

You give love a bad name

(Bad name)

Shot through the heart and you're to blame

You give love a bad name

(Bad name)

I play my part and you play your game

You give love a bad name

(Bad name)

You give love

You give love

(Bad name)

You give love

You give love

(Bad name)

You give love

You give love

(Bad name)

You give love

You give love

© DESMOBILE MUSIC COMPANY; POLYGRAM INT. PUBL., INC; AGGRESSIVE MUSIC; SONY/ATV TUNES LLC; BON JOVI PUBLISHING

You Give Love a Bad Name - Facts and Rumors

1.  Desmond Child helped write this along with Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora. He was brought in by the record company to give Bon Jovi a more commercial sound. Among others, Child has written hits for Cher, Aerosmith, and Ricky Martin.

2.  This was the first time Child worked with Jon and Richie. He came to New Jersey, where they worked on this in the basement of Sambora's mother's house. Child came up with the title, and Jon immediately thought up the first line ("Shot through the heart..."). From there, they put the rest of the song together, with "Shot Through The Heart" as the working title.

3.  This song is about a guy whose girlfriend is extremely bad for him.

4.  Jon Bon Jovi dated actress Diane Lane in the mid-'80s, and there are rumors that she was the inspiration for this song. We haven't found anything to confirm this.

5.  This was the first big hit for Bon Jovi, but they did have a minor hit 2 years earlier. In 1984, "Runaway," from their first album, became popular in New Jersey and hit #39 in the US.

6.  At one point, this was intended for the group Loverboy. Bon Jovi and Sambora started out writing it for them, but liked it so much they kept it for themselves.

7.  This was the first Bon Jovi song to get played on MTV. Lead singer Jon Bon Jovi had big hair at the time.

8.  The follow-up single, "Livin' On A Prayer", was also a #1 hit. Desmond Child also helped write and produce that one.

9.  The album was recorded in Vancouver. They got the idea for the album title at a strip club they went to after recording sessions. "Slippery When Wet" is also a common road sign in America, but they were probably more inspired by the girls who danced in a shower at the club.

10. In 2005, this became a #1 hit in Poland when the Polish singer Mandaryna recorded it.

11. Blake Lewis performed this in 2007 on season 6 of American Idol, incorporating beatboxing into the song. The judges loved it, and Lewis performed it again on the season finale. Lewis came in second to Jordin Sparks. (thanks, Donovan Berry - El Dorado, AR, for above 2)

W.A.S.P. I Wanna Be Somebody

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W.A.S.P. is a shock metal band that I first heard in 1989; however they had been around most of the 1980s. The song that caught my attention from their 1989 "Headless Children" album was "MEAN MAN". This album featured ex-Quiet Riot drummer Frankie Banali. The song "Mean Man" had the coolest lyrics I had every heard at that time: "Chewbacca in the rye, the water of fire, A terror in the flesh, a killer for hire". Awsome! Below is a YouTube video/audio with the lyrics to Mean Man. W.A.S.P. had to be one of the most successful shock metal bands of their time selling over 12 million albums worldwide.

Below is a biography, or more like a summary, of W.A.S.P. This bio is from Starpulse.com, so it is opinionated with the successes and failures of the band. W.A.S.P. released an album as recent as 2009, "Babylon". I have also included live videos of early hits "I Wanna be Somebody" and "L.O.V.E. Machine". It's fitting that W.A.S.P.'s first single "I Wanna Be Somebody" is ranked #84 in WH1's 100 Greatest Hard Rock Songs. - Kenny Leibow












Warning: Videos below contain profanity


W.A.S.P. - L.O.V.E. Machine (LIVE)

W.A.S.P. Mean Man with Lyrics







W.A.S.P. I Wanna Be Somebody (1984)







W.A.S.P. Biography

Source: Starpulse.com

One of the heavier bands to come out of the early-'80s L.A. metal scene, W.A.S.P. quickly rose to national infamy thanks to their shock rock image, lyrics, and live concerts. Unfortunately, once the novelty and scandal began to wear off, the band found it difficult to expand, or even maintain, their audience by relying only on their music. 

Leader Blackie Lawless (bass/vocals) was already a rock & roll veteran when he relocated to the West Coast and founded W.A.S.P. with guitarists Chris Holmes and Randy Piper and drummer Tony Richards. The band soon established a reputation as a ferocious live act, thanks in large part to Lawless' habits of tying a semi-naked model to a torture rack and throwing raw meat into the audience. And with the release of their self-explanatory independent EP, Animal (F**k Like a Beast), W.A.S.P. became impossible to ignore. 

They signed to Capitol Records, and with songs like "I Wanna Be Somebody" (an absolute anthem to blind ambition) and "L.O.V.E. Machine" leading the way, their self-titled 1984 debut was an instant success. W.A.S.P. took their horror show on the road, and their momentum continued to build with the following year's The Last Command, which featured new drummer Steven Riley and the band's biggest hit, "Blind in Texas." Later that year, the band gained even more prominence as one of the biggest targets of Tipper Gore and the P.M.R.C. (Parents' Music Resource Center), a group of Washington housewives leading a crusade against violent, sexist song lyrics. Though the incident (which included Senate hearings on the issue with guest speakers as disparate as Frank Zappa, John Denver, and Dee Snider from Twisted Sister) would cause more publicity than actual results, it served to make W.A.S.P. a household name -- for good and for worse. 

Ironically, the band toned down their act for 1986's Inside the Electric Circus, a lackluster, repetitive album which saw Lawless switch to guitar (replacing the departed Piper) and the hiring of bassist Johnny Rod. The blood and guts were largely gone (as were the good songs), and despite releasing a strong live album entitled Live...In the Raw the following year, the band's popularity began to plummet. The all-time low arrived with the release of Penelope Spheeris' heavy metal "rockumentary" The Decline of Western Civilization 2: The Metal Years. An expose about the L.A. metal scene, the film's most dramatic and depressing sequence showed an inebriated Chris Holmes drinking himself into a stupor in full stage gear while lying on a float in his mom's swimming pool. In a movie filled with debauchery and decadence, this scene was by far the scariest. 

1989's Headless Children (featuring ex-Quiet Riot sticksman Frankie Banali) was a return to form, but it couldn't revert the band's slump and W.A.S.P. disbanded soon after. Lawless eventually returned as a one-man show for 1993's The Crimson Idol, an ambitious rock opera/concept album billed as Blackie Lawless & W.A.S.P. Resurrecting the band's old shock rock antics, but alas, not fame and fortune, the album flopped, and the following year's greatest-hits set, First Blood...Last Cuts, seemed like their last chapter. 

But the resilient Lawless returned once again, luring guitarist Chris Holmes back into the fold and recruiting bassist Mike Duda and drummer Stet Howland for 1996's Still Not Black Enough. This lineup has continued to tour and record for a number of independent labels, with their albums including 1997's K.F.D., 1999's Helldorado, and 2001's Unholy Terror. The band released Dying for the World in 2002, an exceptional collection of unusually serious material inspired by the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. It was followed in 2004 by the conceptual Neon God, Pt. 1 and Pt. 2, with Dominator arriving in 2006. Eduardo Rivadavia, Rovi

Greatest Albums Sold Over 10 Million

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Led Zeppelin IV album sold more than 20 million copies in the U.S.A. It was not a greatest hits album; and the hard rock genre was not even mainstream even in it's time, which makes it even more incredible. Six Led Zeppelin albums made the list. Another interesting fact is that Def Lepard's early album "Pyromania" sold more than 10 million copies but was overshadowed by Michael Jackson's "Thriller" album in 1983. Please add your comments regarding the list of the Greatest Albums Sold. - Kenny Leibow

The list below is from www.digitaldreamdoor.com. It represents the top selling record albums of all time. It is based in U.S. sales only through 2006. The numbers are approximate used to illustrate great artists and albums categorized by number of millions.

29 Million Albums Sold
Their Greatest Hits 1971-1975 - Eagles (Elektra)

27 Million Albums Sold
Thriller - Michael Jackson (Epic)

23 Million Albums Sold
Led Zeppelin IV - Led Zeppelin (Swan Song)
The Wall- Pink Floyd (Columbia)

21 Million Albums Sold
Back in Black - AC/DC (Elektra)
Greatest Hits Volumes I & II - Billy Joel (Columbia)

20 Million Albums Sold
Double Live - Garth Brooks (Capitol Nashville)
Come On Over - Shania Twain (Mercury Nashville)

19 Million Albums Sold
The Beatles - The Beatles (Capitol)
Rumours - Fleetwood Mac (Warner Bros.)

17 Million Albums Sold
Boston - Boston (Epic)
The Bodyguard (Soundtrack) - Whitney Houston

16 Million Albums Sold
The Beatles 1967-1970 - The Beatles (Capitol)
No Fences - Garth Brooks (Capitol Nashville)
Hotel California - Eagles (Elektra)
Cracked Rear View - Hootie & the Blowfish (Atlantic)
Greatest Hits - Elton John (MCA)
Physical Graffiti - Led Zeppelin (Swan Song)
Jagged Little Pill - Alanis Morissette (Maverick)

15 Million Albums Sold
The Beatles 1962-1966 - The Beatles (Capitol)
Saturday Night Fever (Soundtrack) - Bee Gees (Polydor/Atlas)
Appetite for Destruction - Guns 'N Roses (Geffen)
Dark Side of the Moon - Pink Floyd (Capitol)
Supernatural - Santana (Arista)
Born in the U.S.A. - Bruce Springsteen (Columbia)

14 Million Albums Sold
Backstreet Boys - Backstreet Boys (Jive)
Ropin' the Wind - Garth Brooks (Capitol Nashville)
Greatest Hits - Journey (Columbia)
Bat Out of Hell - Meat Loaf (Cleveland Intl.)
Metallica - Metallica (Elektra)
Simon & Garfunkel's Greatest Hits - Simon & Garfunkel (Columbia)
...Baby One More Time - Britney Spears (Jive)

13 Million Albums Sold
Millennium - Backstreet Boys (Jive)
Whitney Houston - Whitney Houston (Arista)
Greatest Hits 1974-1978 - Steve Miller Band (Capitol)
Purple Rain (Soundtrack) - Prince and the Revolution (Warner Bros.)
Bruce Springsteen & E St. Band Live 1975-1985 (Box set) - Bruce Springsteen (Columbia)

12 Million Albums Sold
Abbey Road - The Beatles (Apple)
Slippery When Wet - Bon Jovi (Mercury)
II - Boyz II Men (Motown)
No Jacket Required - Phil Collins (Atlantic)
Hysteria - Def Leppard (Mercury)
Wide Open Spaces - Dixie Chicks (Monument)
Pieces of You - Jewel (Atlantic)
Breathless - Kenny G (Arista)
Led Zeppelin II - Led Zeppelin (Atlantic)
Yourself or Someone Like You - matchbox twenty (Atlantic)
Ten - Pearl Jam (Epic)
Kenny Rogers' Greatest Hits - Kenny Rogers (Liberty)
Hot Rocks - The Rolling Stones (London)
The Woman in Me - Shania Twain (Mercury Nashville)
Forrest Gump (Soundtrack) - Various Artists (Epic)

11 Million Albums Sold
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band - The Beatles (Capitol)
Human Clay - Creed (Wind-Up Records)
Falling Into You - Celine Dion (550 Music)
Eagles Greatest Hits, Vol. II - Eagles (Asylum)
Devil Without a Cause - Kid Rock (Lava)
Houses of the Holy - Led Zeppelin (Atlantic)
No Strings Attached - 'N Sync (Jive)
Speakerboxxx/the Love Below - Outkast (So So Def)
Dirty Dancing (Soundtrack) - Various Artists (RCA)
James Taylor's Greatest Hits - James Taylor (Warner Bros.)
CrazySexyCool - TLC (LaFace)
Up - Shania Twain (Mercury Nashville)
Titanic (Soundtrack) - Various Artists (Sony Classical)

10 Million Albums Sold
Aerosmith's Greatest Hits - Aerosmith (Columbia)
1 - The Beatles (Capitol)
The Hits - Garth Brooks (Capitol Nashville)
Daydream - Mariah Carey (Columbia)
Music Box - Mariah Carey (Columbia)
Unplugged - Eric Clapton (Reprise)
Greatest Hits - Patsy Cline (MCA Nashville)
Pyromania - Def Leppard (Mercury)
Let's Talk About Love - Celine Dion (550 Music/Epic)
Fly - Dixie Chicks (Monument)
Best of the Doobies - Doobie Brothers (Warner Bros.)
Dookie - Green Day (Reprise)
Please Hammer Don't Hurt 'Em - Hammer (Capitol)
The Stranger - Billy Joel (Columbia)
Come Away With Me - Norah Jones (Blue Note)
Tapestry - Carole King (Ode)
Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin (Atlantic)
Hybrid Theory - Linkin Park (Warner Bros.)
Like a Virgin - Madonna (Sire)
The Immaculate Collection - Madonna (Warner Bros.)
Legend - Bob Marley & the Wailers (Island)
Faith - George Michael (Columbia)
'N Sync - 'N Sync (RCA)
Nevermind - Nirvana (DGC)
Tragic Kingdom - No Doubt (Trauma/Interscope)
Life After Death - Notorious B.I.G. (Bad Boy/Arista)
Greatest Hits - Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers (MCA)
Can't Slow Down - Lionel Richie (Motown)
The Lion King (Soundtrack) - (Walt Disney)
Oops! . . .I Did It Again - Britney Spears. (Jive)
The Joshua Tree - U2 (Island)
1984 (MCMLXXXIV) - Van Halen (Warner Bros.)
Van Halen - Van Halen (Warner Bros.)
Songs In The Key Of Life - Stevie Wonder (Motown)
Eliminator - ZZ Top (Warner Bros.)

9 Million Albums Sold
All Eyez on Me - 2 Pac (Death Row/Interscope)
Greatest Hits - 2 Pac (Interscope)
The Sign - Ace Of Base (Arista)
Licensed To Ill - Beastie Boys (Colombia)
Cooleyhighharmony - Boyz II Men (Motown)
Garth Brooks - Garth Brooks (Capitol)
Sevens - Garth Brooks (Capitol Nashville)
Mariah Carey - Mariah Carey (Columbia)
Some Gave All - Billy Ray Cyrus (Mercury)
John Denver's Greatest Hits - John Denver (RCA)
Brothers in Arms - Dire Straits (Warner Bros.)
The Best Of The Doors - The Doors (Elaktra)
The Marshall Mathers LP - Eminem (Interscope)
Whitney - Whitney Houston (Arista)
Escape - Journey (Columbia)
Country Grammer - Nelly (Universal Records)
Elvis' Christmas Album - Elvis Presley (RCA Records)
Hi Infidelity - R.E.O. Speedwagon (Epic)
Mellon Collie And The Infinite Sadness - Smashing Pumpkins (Virgin Records)
Big Willie Style - Will Smith (Columbia)
Confessions- Usher (So So Def)
Footloose (Soundtrack) - Various Artists (Columbia)
Top Gun (Soundtrack) - Various Artists (Columbia)
Great Band Era - Various Artists (Reader's Digest Music)

8 Million Albums Sold
Toys In The Attic - Aerosmith (Columbia)
Christina Aguilera - Christina Aguilera (RCA)
Black & Blue - Backstreet Boys (Jive)
The Beatles Anthology, Vol 1 - The Beatles (Capitol)
Time, Love & Tenderness - Michael Bolton (Columbia)
Toni Braxton - Toni Braxton (Laface)
Secrets - Toni Braxton (Laface)
The Chase - Garth Brooks (Liberty)
In Pieces - Garth Brooks (Capitol Nashville)
The Writing's On The Wall - Destiny's Child (Columbia)
Hell Freezes Over - Eagles (Geffen)
The Eminem Show - Eminem (Interscope)
Greatest Hits - Fleetwood Mac (Warner Bros.)
Breathe - Faith Hill (Warner Bros.)
The Miseducation Of Lauryn Hill - Lauryn Hill (Ruffhouse/Columbia)
Bad - Michael Jackson (Epic)
R. - R. Kelly (Jive)
Miracles: The Holiday Album - Kenny G (Arista)
Led Zeppelin I - Led Zeppelin (Atlantic)
Throwing Copper - Live (Radioactive)
Surfacing - Sarah McLachlan (Arista)
And Justice For All - Metallica (Elektra)
Hangin' Tough - New Kids On The Block (Columbia)
Synchronicity - The Police (A&M)
Greatest Hits - Queen (Elektra)
Greatest Hits - Bob Seger and the Silver Bullett Band (Capitol)
Bridge Over Troubled Water - Simon & Garfunkel (Columbia)
Grease (Soundtrack) - Various Artists (RSO)
Core - Stone Temple Pilots (Atlantic)
Strait Out Of The Box - George Strait (MCA Nashville)
Achtung Baby - U2 (Island)
Whitesnake - Whitesnake (Geffen)

7 Million Albums Sold
Forever Your Girl - Paula Abdul (Virgin)
Highway To Hell - AC/DC (Epic)
Get A Grip - Aerosmith (Geffen)
Pump - Aerosmith (Geffen)
New Jersey - Bon Jovi (Mercury)
Don't Look Back- BOSTON (Epic)
Don't Be Cruel - Bobby Brown (MCA)
Running On Empty - Jackson Browne (Asylum)
Songs You Know By Heart - Jimmy Buffett (MCA)
The Singles 1969 - 1973 - The Carpenters (A&M)
TimePieces/Best Of Eric Clapton - Eric Clapton (RSO)
Unforgettable With Love Natalie Cole - Natalie Cole (Electra)
August & Everything After - Counting Crows (Geffen)
No Need To Argue - The Cranberries (Island)
Deja Vu - Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young (Atlantic)
Tuesday Night Music Club - Sheryl Crow (A&M)
No Way Out - P. Diddy and the Family (Bad Boy/Arista)
All The Way...A Decade Of Song - Celine Dion (550 Music/Epic)
The Long Run - Eagles (Asylum)
Live - Eagles (Asylum)
A Day Without Rain - Enya (Reprise)
Records - Foreigner (Atlantic)
Double Vision - Foreigner (Atlantic)
Use Your Illusion II - Guns 'n Roses (Geffen)
Use Your Illusion I - Guns 'n Roses (Geffen)
Off The Wall - Michael Jackson (Epic)
History: Past, Present & Future Book I - Michael Jackson (Epic)
Dangerous - Michael Jackson (Epic)
52nd Street - Billy Joel (Columbia)
An Innocent Man - Billy Joel (Columbia)
Glass Houses - Billy Joel (Columbia)
Goodbye Yellow Brick Road - Elton John (MCA)
Janis Joplin's Greatest Hits - Janis Joplin (Columbia)
Sports - Huey Lewis & The News (Chrysalis)
Significant Other - Limp Bizkit (Interscope)
True Blue - Madonna (Sire)
Ricky Martin - Ricky Martin (C2/Columbia)
Crash - Dave Matthews Band (RCA Records)
Vs. - Pearl Jam (Epic)
Luck Of The Draw - Bonnie Raitt (Capitol)
Blood Sugar Sex Magik - Red Hot Chili Peppers (Warner Bros.)
Greatest Hits - Linda Ronstadt (Asylum)
Santana's Greatest Hits - Santana (Columbia)
Savage Garden - Savage Garden (Columbia)
Waiting To Exhale (Soundtrack) - Various Artists (Arista)
O Brother, Where Art Thou? (Soundtrack) - Various Artists (Lost Highway)
Spice - Spice Girls (Virgin)
To The Extreme - Vanilla Ice (SBK)



Disclaimer: There is nothing 'Official' about these lists. They are compiled by the 'editor' using the stated criteria, and revised considering the competent suggestions of visitors to this website only.

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Whitesnake - Here I Go Again

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Here I go again, no pun intended. You can't mention hard rock bands from 1987 without including Whitesnake. We know that David Coverdale goes back to the 1970s during the Deep Purple Days; however it was Whitesnake's huge album in 1987 that put them on the 80s classic rock map. With hits like "Still of the Night", "Is This Love", and "Here I Go Again" that attracted the big audiences fueled by the music videos featuring the HOT Tawny Kitaen.  I remember watching Whitesnake music videos on MTV in Deniz' apartment in Miami Springs with friends. But I first saw Tawny in Tom Hank's classic movie - comedy "Bachelor Party".  The 1987 album was the only Whitesnake album I ever purchased. The following year when I dated my wife; I played her the Whitesnake cassette and she loved the group.

Below are three music videos. Of course the first two are the famed original videos "Here I Go Again" and "Is This Love". I also included from WhiteSnake's "Slide It In" album in 1984 the song "Slow An' Easy", which shows a little more of the hard rock side of Whitesnake. There is also a list of all the tracks from the Whitesnake album in 1987 that sold millions of copies and hit number 1 on the Billboard top 200. I found a very good bio of Whitesnake at 100XR Rock Web Station, which you can read below. Enjoy the trip to the past with Whitesnake. - Kenny Leibow


Whitesnake - Here I Go Again




Whitesnake - Is This Love

Whitesnake - Is This Love by jpdc11


Whitesnake - Slow An' Easy

Track listing

All songs written by David Coverdale and John Sykes except where noted.

North American version
1.  Crying in the Rain
2.  Bad Boys
3.  Still of the Night
4.  Here I Go Again
5.  Give Me All Your Love
6.  Is This Love
7.  Children of the Night
8.  Straight for the Heart
9.  Don't Turn Away

BIOGRAPHY

Formed in 1977 in North Yorkshire, ENGLAND and steered by the legendary ex-Deep Purple vocalist David Coverdale, Whitesnake carry a rightful reputation as one of the world's leading Hard-Rock bands. During the early years, a remarkably diverse array of musicians, among them Roger Glover, Tim Hinkley, Simon Phillips, Bernie Marsden, Neil Murray, joined Coverdale on his new venture.
The group began touring throughout Europe and Japan and eventually Coverdale teamed-up with guitarists Mick Moody and Bernie Marsden, keyboardist Peter Solley, bassist Neil Murray and drummer David Dowell to record 1978's "Snakebite".


Over the next two years the group released two albums, "Trouble" and "Lovehunter"; both the LPs, recorded with Deep Purple keyboardist Jon Lord, were mid-chart success in Britain.


In the spring of 1980 arrived "Ready An' Willing" which marked the recording debut of another Deep Purple founding member, drummer Ian Paice. The album quickly bulleted into the top 10 in U.K. and peaked at #90 on The Billboard 200; opener "Fool For Your Lovin'" was their first U.K. top 20 hit single; with its clever combination of hit-savvy chorus and authentic bluesy resignation; the single also entered The Billboard Hot 100 in U.S. where it leapt to #53.


One year later, the band's fourth offering, "Come An' Get It", shot up to #2 on the U.K. Albums chart spawning two bluesy rockers top 20 hits "Don't Break My Heart Again" and "Would I Lie To You". Staside, the album failed to rise above #151 on the Billboard's Top 200 LPs & Tapes chart.


"Saints & Sinners" followed in late 1982, it climbed into the U.K. top 10 and produced the top 40 hit "Here I Go Again"; most Americans only came to know this song five years later as the group's fifth album was largely ignored in the States.


Whitesnake returned in 1984 with the new line-up that included Coverdale, Lord, Moody and the newcomers guitarist Mel Galley, bass player Colin Hodgkinson and drummer Cozy Powell. The sextet released "Slide It In" which cracked The Billboard 200 chart at #42 and subsequently went platinum on the back of the Mainstream Rock top 40 hits "Love Ain't No Stranger" and "Slow An' Easy". "Slide It In" took Coverdale and company to #1 on the British Albums chart for the first time; the disc included two U.K. sizeable hit singles "Guilty Of Love" and "Give Me More Time".
On a quirky historical note, Coverdale fired most of the band soon after the album's release, replacing them with younger, prettier faces with which to better conquer America; there were several personnel changes and finally he enlisted guitarists Adrian Vandenberg and Vivian Campbell, bassist Rudy Sarzo and drummer Tommy Aldridge.
In April 1987 Whitesnake released an explosive eponymous album, which rocketed to #2 on The Billboard Top 200, to #5 on the Top Canadian Albums chart, to #8 in U.K. selling over six million copies; it generated two British top 10 hit singles: the quiet ballad "Is This Love" and the remix version of "Here I Go Again", both these singles stormed The Billboard Hot 100 peaking at the #2 and #1 spots, respectively; two more singles appeared in the top 30 of The Mainstream Rock chart: "Still Of The Night" and the re-recorded version of "Give Me All Your Love".


Once again Coverdale changed the line-up and issued "Slip Of The Tongue" in February of 1989; the album crashed into the top 10 of the Billboard Top 200 chart and eventually was certified platinum for sales of one million copies. The new version of "Fool For Your Loving" soared to #2 on The Mainstream Rock Tracks and was followed by "The Deeper The Love", #4 and "Now You're Gone", #15, on that same chart.


In early 1991, David Coverdale disbanded Whitesnake “indefinitely” only to be re-born in 1993 with the release of the platinum selling album "Coverdale Page", recorded in collaboration with former Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page.


After full nine years Coverdale resurrected the Whitesnake name and recorded "Restless Heart" with Adrian Vandenberg on guitar, Brett Tuggle on keyboards, Guy Pratt on bass and Denny Carmassi on drums. The album, credited to David Coverdale & Whitesnake, was released only in Europe to relatively little attention.


April 2008 saw Whitesnake return with "Good To Be Bad", their tenth studio album and first in over a decade. This time the line-up included Coverdale, obviously, on vocals, guitarists Doug Aldrich and Reb Beach, keyboardist Timothy Drury, bass player Uriah Duffy and drummer Chris Frazier. The disc debuted at #62 on The Billboard 200, hit #23 on the Top Canadian Albums charts and also made it into the top 5 in Great Britain.


Whitesnake's new album "Forevermore" is scheduled to be released at the end of March 2011 by Frontiers Records. It includes the single "Love Will Set You Free".

Home Brew Guitar Jams - Willie Vega

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I met Willie Vega back in 1987 in Miami Springs. Willie and Deniz were good friends, which is how I was introduced. Deniz recorded one of his first tracks back in 1986 with Willie playing guitar. The song is called Tall Tales; you can listen on the original songs list in the music player on this blog. Willie now lives in New York City. We have connected again through social media. A lot of soul bleeds out when Willie Vega plays guitar. Check out his YouTube channel with videos of Willie Vega playing guitar at http://www.youtube.com/user/willievega.  I have embedded some of his latest videos and quotes below. Yes, I have to mention that Willie Vega is a huge guitar Gear-Head! For you gear-heads out there, make sure you also visit www.ThatGuitarShow.tv.

Good friend and good times! - Kenny Leibow

 Tweak Fuzz and Modtone Wah

"I did this video for my brother Rob 'Mr. Scumbag', cause he really digs this style.

The Tweak Fuzz is a Wah friendly pedal (not all fuzzes are).

Since I used a Seymour Duncan, Tweak Fuzz and a Modtone Wah, I am calling it a demo."

HBE (Home Brew Electronic) Power Screamer Blues

"Shot this little improv with no preparation. I'm a rambunctious bastard!"

Collage of Gear demos

Greatest Rock Keyboard Players - Pianists

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Rock keyboard players in bands don't get as much recognition for songwriting and performing as lead singers and guitar players do. Below is the complete list of the 100 Greatest Rock Keyboard players. Before you freak out about missing names; there is also a list below of the Greatest Rock Pianists. This list comes from the site, of which I have reposted other lists from before, www.digitaldreamdoor.com.  Where is Foreigner? Foreigner has specialized in Synthesisers; and this is one of the reasons the band broke up in the late 1980s because of disagreements between Mick Jones and Lou Grahm regarding synthesisers verses a heavy rock guitar style. I didn't see any of the keyboard players from Foreigner like Ian McDonald or Mick Jones listed. Also, I believe David Bryan from Bon Jovi is underrated, but he at least received an honorable mention on the list below. My number one vote for greatest rock keyboardist is Jonathan Cain from Journey.  I will not disclose my vote for greatest pianists because I am sure that there are more deep heated debates over that list. Please comment who you would vote for as the Greatest Rock Keyboardist and Pianist. - Kenny Leibow

Greatest Rock Keyboard Players
1. Keith Emerson (ELP)
2. Rick Wakeman (Yes)
3. Jon Lord (Deep Purple)
4. Ray Manzarek (The Doors)
5. Richard Wright (Pink Floyd)
6. Tony Banks (Genesis)
7. Billy Preston
8. Rod Argent (Zombies, Argent)
9. Steve Winwood (Traffic)
10. Al Kooper (Blood Sweat & Tears)
11. Matthew Fisher (Procol Harum, Solo)
12. Booker T. Jones
13. Ian Underwood (The Mothers Of Invention)
14. Gregg Allman (Allman Brothers Band)
15. Tony Hymas (Jeff Beck)
16. Jan Hammer
17. Nicky Hopkins (Rolling Stones, Jeff Beck)
18. Gregg Rolie (Santana, Journey)
19. Brian Eno
20. Jordan Rudess (Dream Theater, The Dregs)
21. Richard Tandy (ELO)
22. Dennis De Young (Styx)
23. Jens Johansen (Yngwie Malmsteen)
24. Kerry Livgren (Kansas)
25. Kevin Moore (Dream Theater)
26. T. Lavitz (The Dregs)
27. Don Airey (Rainbow, Ozzy, Deep Purple)
28. Garth Hudson (The Band)
29. David Sancious (Springsteen, Santana, Sting)
30. Ian Mclagan (Rolling Stones, Faces)
31. George Duke (Frank Zappa/Solo)
32. Allan Zavod (Frank Zappa)
33. Steve Nieve (Elvis Costello)
34. Max Middleton (Jeff Beck)
35. Billy Powell (Lynyrd Skynyrd)
36. Derek Sherinian (Dream Theater)
37. Jimmy Greenspoon (Three Dog Night)
38. Jon Carin (Pink Floyd, Roger Waters)
39. Tony MacAlpine
40. Ken Hensley (Uriah Heep)
41. Benmont Tench (The Heartbreakers)
42. Isaac Hayes
43. Stevie Wonder
44. Amos Milburn
45. Jonathan Cain (Journey, Solo)
46. Geoff Downes (Yes, Asia)
47. Allen Ravenstine (Pere Ubu)
48. Roy Bittan (E Street Band)
49. Patrick Moraz (Moody Blues, Yes, Solo)
50. Matt Bellamy (Muse) 51. Alan Price (The Animals)
52. Leon Russell
53. Michael Mcdonald (Doobie Borothers)
54. John Paul Jones (Led Zeppelin)
55. Bob Mayo (Frampton)
56. Mike Pinder (Moody Blues)
57. Tony Kaye (Yes)
58. Bill Payne (Little Feat)
59. Richard Tee (Paul Simon, Peter Gabriel, James Brown)
60. Claudio Simonetti (Goblin)
61. Bernie Worrell (Talking Heads, Funkadelic)
62. David Rosenthal (Rainbow)
63. Roddy Bottum (Faith No More)
64. Robert Lamm (Chicago)
65. Michael Pinella (Symphony X)
66. Ron "Pigpen" McKernan (Grateful Dead)
67. Chuck Leavell (Allman Brothers, Rolling Stones)
68. Michael Brown (Left Banke, Stories, Montage)
69. Peter Bardens
70. Jools Holland (Squeeze)
71. Bobby Whitlock (Derek & The Dominos)
72. Mike Ratledge (Soft Machine)
73. Neal Doughty (REO Speedwagon)
74. Mike Garson (David Bowie)
75. Larry Knechtel (Bread, Smith)
76. Trent Reznor (Nine Inch Nails)
77. Burton Cummings (Guess Who)
78. Gary Wright
79. Lee Michaels
80. Jeff Chimenti (Rat Dog, The Dead)
81. John Evan (Jethro Tull)
82. Chris Stainton (Joe Cocker's Grease Band)
83. Dick Sims (Eric Clapton, Bob Seger)
84. Rick Davies (Supertramp)
85. Paul "Wix" Wickens (Paul McCartney)
86. Roger Powell (Todd Rundgren, David Bowie)
87. Mark Mancina (Yes)
88. Mark Stein (Vanilla Fudge)
89. Felix Cavaliere (Rascals)
90. Page McConnell (Phish)
91. Edgar Winter
92. Art Neville
93. Vincent Crane (Arthur Brown)
94. Roger O'Donnell (The Cure)
95. Mark Kelly (Marillion)
96. Eric Drew Feldman (Captain Beefheart)
97. Janne Warman (Children of Bodom, Warmen)
98. Goldy McJohn (Steppenwolf)
99. Kerry Minnear (Gentle Giant)
100. Manfred Mann


Doug Ingle (Iron Butterfly)
Geddy Lee (Rush)
Howard Jones
David Greenfield (The Stranglers)
John "Rabbit" Bundrick (The Who)
Tony Carey (Rainbow)
Steve Walsh (Kansas)
Brent Mydland (Grateful Dead)
Barry Goldberg (Electric Flag)
Donald Fagen (Steely Dan)
Stephen Stills
Eddie Jobson (UK, Roxy Music)
Greg Hawkes (Cars) Reese Wynans (Double Trouble)
Gene Taylor (Fabulous Thunderbirds)
Pete Townshend (The Who)
Eddie Van Halen
John "Jojo" Herman (Widespread Panic)
Keith Tippett (King Crimson)
David Bryan (Bon Jovi)
Andrew Fletcher (Depeche Mode)
Moby
John Herndon (Tortoise)
Alan Fitzgerald (Night Ranger)
Simon House (Hawkwind)
Alan Pasqua (sessions-Damn Yankees)


1. Jerry Lee Lewis
2. Professor Longhair
3. Ray Charles
4. Elton John
5. Billy Joel
6. Little Richard
7. Fats Domino
8. Randy Newman
9. Keith Emerson
10. Rick Wakeman
11. Dr. John
12. Huey "Piano" Smith
13. Tony Banks (Genesis, Solo)
14. Leon Russell
15. Bruce Hornsby
16. Ian McLagan (Small Faces)
17. Stevie Wonder
18. Nicky Hopkins (Rolling Stones, Jeff Beck)
19. Esquerita
20. Ben Folds
21. Gary Brooker (Procol Harum)
22. Ian Stewart (Rolling Stones)
23. Spooner Oldham
24. Roy Bittan (E-Street Band)
25. Freddie Mercury (Queen)
26. Carole King
27. Joe Jackson
28. Steve Nieve (Elvis Costello)
29. Paul McCartney
30. Laura Nyro
31. Neil Sedaka
32. Tori Amos 33. Jack Nitzsche
34. Alan Price (The Animals)
35. David Sancious (Springsteen, Santana, Sting)
36. Jools Holland (Squeeze)
37. David Foster
38. Larry Knechte (Bread, Smith)
39. John Cale (The Velvet Underground)
40. Warren Zevon
41. Ian Hunter (Mott the Hoople)
42. Paul Carrack (Squeeze)
43. Jim Dickinson
44. Tom Waits
45. Brian Wilson (The Beach Boys)
46. Carly Simon
47. John Legend
48. Mark "Moogy" Klingman (Utopia)
49. Christine McVie (Fleetwood Mac)
50. Van Dyke Parks
51. Chris Martin (Coldplay)
52. Pete Wingfield (The Olympic Runners)
53. Matt Rollings
54. John Ondrasik (Five for Fighting)
55. Russ Conway
56. Tim Rice-Oxley (Keane)
57. Sarah McLachlan
58. Dan Fogelberg
59. Ed Harcourt
60. Sheldon Miller (This Is Me Smiling)
61. Delta Goodrem
62. Alicia Keys
63. Brenda Russell
64. Rufus Wainwright

David Lee Roth – Van Halen to Diamond Dave

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David Lee Roth is one of the greatest Frontmen of all time; and it didn’t hurt that Diamond Dave was in one of the greatest rock bands of all time, Van Halen. Even though Van Halen was never as great after David Lee Roth left the band in 1985, Diamond Dave quickly was back on top with a solo career performing sold-out tours. David Lee Roth’s success was largely attributed to his unique music videos like “California Girls”. Just as they said in the “Hot For Teacher” music video, “David Lee Roth went on to Hollywood to become America’s favorite game show host”; well almost, he took over Howard Stern’s radio show in 2005. You can read Diamond Dave’s bio below. Also, check out some of the greatest Quotes from David Lee Roth over the years and some song facts. Of course, I have also included classic videos, Jump, Hot For Teacher, California Girls, and a not-so-well known classic video from 1981 “So This is Love” Van Halen live. – Kenny Leibow

David Lee Roth Discography

Van Halen 1976-1985

1978 Van Halen

1979 Van Halen II

1980 Women and Children First

1981 Fair Warning

1982 Diver Down

1983 1984

1996 Best of Van Halen

Solo Career 1985-Present

1985 Crazy From the Heat

1986 Eat 'Em and Smile

1988 Skyscraper

1991 A Little Ain't Enough

1994 Your Filthy Little Mouth

1997 Best of David Lee Roth

1998 DLR Band

2003 Diamond Dave

David Lee Roth - California Girls

Van Halen - So This Is Love 81 HQ

Van Halen - Hot For Teacher (HQ music video)

Van Halen - Jump (HQ music video)

David Lee Roth quotes

Source: http://thinkexist.com/quotes/david_lee_roth/

“Money can't buy you happiness, but it can buy you a yacht big enough to pull up right alongside it.”

“I used to have a drug problem, now I make enough money.”

“I used to jog but the ice cubes kept falling out of my glass.”

“Music is like girlfriends to me; I'm continually astonished by the choices other people make.”

“The world's a stage, and I want the brightest spot.”

“He who knows how will always work for he who knows why.”

“The problem with self-improvement is knowing when to quit.”

“It doesn't get better, it doesn't get worse, but it sure gets different!”

“You stick your head above the crowd and attract attention, and sometime, maybe somebody, will throw a rock at you. That's the territory. You buy the land, you get the Indians.”

“People ask me how far I've come. And I tell them twelve feet: from the audience to the stage.”

“A lot of rock bands are truly a legend in their own minds.”

“The light you see at the end of the tunnel is the front of an oncoming train.”

“I AM NOT THIS WAY, THE WAY I AM, BECAUSE I'M IN A BAND. I'M IN A BAND BECAUSE I'M THIS WAY.”

“When you get something like MTV, it's like regular television. You get it, and at first it's novel and brand new and then you watch every channel, every show. And then you become a little more selective and more selective, until ultimately... you wind up with a radio.”

“They want me to copy Howard [Stern]. But I refuse to regiment this show. ... I told them I would quit if they will not let me do what I was hired to do, which is create something unique.”

“Howard took his old audience. We're after a new one.”

“I'm going to give it a try. I've invested too much in this show not to.”

“I didn't know what I was doing. I asked for rehearsal, and they didn't give it to me.”

“I was booted, tossed, and it's going to cost somebody.”

“It's a huge disappointment and I love doing radio. We got canned 20 minutes before the hour.”

“[Roth — whose announcement ends months of rumors over just who'd be filling Stern's immense kicks — will take over in New York, Boston, Cleveland, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Dallas and West Palm Beach, Florida.] You've built quite an empire here, and I'd like to think that they've saved it for the best guy, ... It will be a very interesting adventure.”

“You've done an extraordinary job and I hope I can honor it,”

“It requires someone of your stature to make [the medium successful].”

“EVERYBODY NEED BEER, EVEN DAVE ROTH.”

“I talked to the drummer [Alex Van Halen] about a week ago. And I think, eventually, the inevitable will happen.”

David Lee Roth - Panama Song Facts

Panama is a country in Central America famous for its canal, but it has nothing to do with the song. The lyrics are about a stripper David Lee Roth met in Arizona. As he explained on The Howard Stern Show, the song came about after an interview Roth gave in the early '80s; the interviewer accused him of only writing lyrics about sex, drugs, and fast cars. Allegedly, sometime either during or after the interview, Diamond Dave realized he'd never actually written a song about fast cars, so he started working on the lyrics to "Panama," which he later admitted in another interview that, as it turns out, he had been writing about a stripper he knew without realizing it. (thanks, Ryan - Eaton, IN)

- Source: http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=444

David Lee Roth Biography

In the eyes of countless hard rock fans,David Lee Roth is the prototypical frontman. With a flamboyant, larger than life stage presence and a party-hearty surfer dude persona (not to mention his acrobatic leaps, long mane of blond hair, and skintight spandex outfits), Roth was an integral part ofVan Halen's meteoric rise to global dominance from 1978 through 1984. Born on October 10, 1955, in Bloomington, IN, Rothwas introduced to music at an early age, via his father's affinity for Al Jolson, Ray Charles,Frank Sinatra, and Louis Prima. By the dawn of his teenage years, his family had relocated to California, and by the early '70s,Roth had become a major rock fan (Led Zeppelin, Black Oak Arkansas, Grand Funk,ZZ Top, Alice Cooper, etc.). Roth was soon singing in local bands, including the Red Ball Jets, who would play shows along with another up-and-coming rock band from Pasadena, CA -- Mammoth.

The members of Mammoth, including brothers Eddie and Alex Van Halen on guitar and drums, respectively, would often borrowRoth's PA system for their gigs, and a friendship was struck up. Soon after, Rothwas asked to join forces with the Van Halenbrothers, who had enlisted a new bassist as well, Michael Anthony. The new quartet decided on a name change by the mid-'70s as they played the Sunset Strip -- Van Halen(reportedly Roth's idea). By 1977, the quartet was signed to Warner Bros., and 1978 saw the release of their landmark self-titled debut, one of rock's all-time great recordings. Mixing heavy metal riffs with punk's fury, Van Halen were onto a whole new sound, which resulted in the band taking the world by storm. The band issued a string of classic mega-selling albums (1979's Van Halen II, 1980's Women and Children First, 1981's Fair Warning, 1982's Diver Down, and two years later, 1984), while becoming a major arena-headlining concert draw in the process.

Just as Van Halen had hit their peak and appeared they could do no wrong, Rothissued a four-track solo EP in 1985, Crazy from the Heat, with rumors swirling that the bandmembers were bickering behind the scenes and that the singer was going to make a major motion picture. Still, it was a shock to rock fans everywhere whenRoth left Van Halen later that year (Van Halen would soldier on with Sammy Hagarfilling Roth's spot) -- leading to a war of words in the press. When his plans for the movie proved to be a bust, Roth immediately formed a top-notch solo band, consisting of ex-Talas bassist Billy Sheehan (often called "the Eddie Van Halen of bass"), ex-Frank Zappa guitarist Steve Vai, and ex-Maynard Ferguson drummerGregg Bissonette. In 1986, Roth issued his first full-length solo effort, Eat 'Em and Smile, which was another hit and gave way to another sold-out tour.

Roth had also become a master of creating hilarious and highly original music videos (featuring a wide assortment of wacky characters), especially Van Halen's "Hot for Teacher" and Roth's solo clips "California Girls," "Just a Gigolo," "Yankee Rose," and "Goin' Crazy." But while Roth's new solo band seemed to be on the way to a very promising future, the lineup began to splinter with each subsequent release (1988's Skyscraper, 1991's A Little Ain't Enough), until Roth was the only remaining member. With interest waning, Roth attempted to branch out musically on his experimental 1994 release, Your Filthy Little Mouth (produced by Nile Rodgers), but it was met with a cool reception, as was his attempt to break into the Vegas circuit around the same time.

By 1996, Van Halen had parted ways with Hagar, leading to an onslaught of rumors that a Roth/Van Halen reunion was in the works. The rumor appeared to become reality on September 4, 1996, when Van Halen and Roth appeared together at the MTV Video Music Awards in New York to present an award. Despite the fact that they had recorded several new songs the previous summer (two of which would appear on their forthcoming Best Of: Vol. 1 collection), the reunion was short-lived --Eddie and Roth got into a near fistfight backstage on the night of the awards show, as relations soured once again when it became known that Van Halen tricked Rothinto thinking that he was back in the band (meanwhile, they had secretly hired ex-Extreme singer Gary Cherone a few months prior).

Undeterred, Roth penned a tell-all biography, 1997's Crazy from the Heat, and issued his best solo album in years, 1998's back-to-basics DLR Band. WhenCherone was dismissed from Van Halen in 1999 after only a single album (the horrific Van Halen III), rumors began swirling once again about a possible Roth/Van Halen reunion. With both camps keeping things very hush-hush, Roth finally broke the silence in April of 2001, issuing a statement on his website that he and his former Van Halen bandmates had indeed regrouped the previous year in the recording studio, but that he hadn't heard back from them in months. Barely a week later, Eddie Van Halen went public with the fact that he was diagnosed with cancer; in May of 2002 he reported on his website that his cancer treatments had been successful and he had "just gotten a 100 percent clean bill of health -- from head to toe."

Meanwhile, the good news from Eddie Van Halen did not apparently coincide with a return of Roth to the Van Halen fold, as the singer's Diamond Dave, a 14-track collection of mostly covers that echoed the 1982 Van Halen classic Diver Down, was released in 2003. In 2005, Roth took over FM "Shock Jock" duties for the satellite radio-bound Howard Stern, and the following year he gathered friends for the tongue-in-cheek Strummin with the Devil: The Southern Side of Van Halen. ~ Greg Prato, Rovi