Jennifer Tyler
Released in 1977 on the Street Survivors album, Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “That Smell” remains one of the band’s darkest and most sobering tracks. Written by Ronnie Van Zant and Allen Collins, the song was born out of frustration and fear as the band spiraled deeper into heavy drinking, drugs, and reckless behavior. At the center of […]
Released in 1984 on Foreigner’s massively successful album Agent Provocateur, ‘That Was Yesterday’ emerged during a pivotal moment in the band’s evolution. Coming off the global success of ‘Waiting for a Girl Like You’ and preparing for what would become their biggest hit, ‘I Want to Know What Love Is,’ the band was shifting toward […]
When Foreigner entered the studio to record their 1981 album 4, the band was ready to evolve. After dominating rock radio throughout the late ’70s, guitarist and songwriter Mick Jones felt their fourth album needed a bolder, more modern sound. With producer Mutt Lange on board, the band began experimenting with tighter production, electronic textures, […]
When Lynyrd Skynyrd stepped into Studio One in Doraville, Georgia in early 1973 to record their debut album, Pronounced ’Lĕh-’nérd ’Skin-’nérd, the band was still young but already fiercely disciplined. Years of performing six nights a week in the sweaty Jacksonville club circuit had sharpened their musicianship, and the studio sessions for the album reflected […]
Lynyrd Skynyrd’s ‘Call Me the Breeze’ remains one of the most exhilarating tracks in the band’s catalog, a high-velocity boogie that showcases everything fans loved about the group—gutsy vocals, fiery guitars, and a rhythm section built for the open road. Though many listeners consider it a quintessential Skynyrd song, its roots reach back to J.J. […]
Foreigner’s ‘Cold as Ice’ stands as one of the band’s most recognizable hits—a crisp, melodic rock track fueled by sharp lyrics and a chilling emotional punch. Written by Mick Jones and Lou Gramm, the song emerged during the creation of the band’s 1977 self-titled debut album. At the time, Foreigner was still defining its identity, […]
Lynyrd Skynyrd’s ‘Saturday Night Special’ is one of the band’s most forceful and socially charged recordings, emerging from a time when the group was pushing its sound—and its stamina—to the limit. The track appeared on the band’s 1975 album Nuthin’ Fancy, a record created under intense pressure. Skynyrd had exploded onto the national scene only […]
Milk crates full of vinyl, a box or 27 full of cassette tapes and more CD’s than anyone could imagine. Bands of so many genres. One of my favorites for decades, a band that I always want to see live when they come to town is Foreigner. One of my favorite albums is Head Games. […]
Billy Squier’s ‘In the Dark’ remains one of the most memorable rock tracks of the early ’80s, a song that helped define his rise to stardom. Released in 1981 on the breakthrough album Don’t Say No, the song blended hard-edged guitar work with sleek, modern production courtesy of Reinhold Mack, whose work with Queen and […]
Elton John’s ‘Someone Saved My Life Tonight‘ stands as one of the most personal and revealing songs in his catalog—a sweeping, emotional anthem born out of a moment of crisis that nearly altered the course of his life. Written for the 1975 album Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy, the track dives deeply into […]
Robert Palmer’s “I Didn’t Mean to Turn You On’ stands as one of the sleekest, most irresistible tracks of the 1980s—a song that perfectly captured his mix of style, sophistication, and musical daring. While many fans associate it with Palmer’s smooth vocals and the iconic, fashion-forward video, the song’s story actually began a few years […]
Joan Jett’s 1988 hit I Hate Myself for Loving You’ wasn’t just a chart success — it was the powerhouse centerpiece of her comeback album, Up Your Alley. After a few quieter years in the mid-1980s, Jett was determined to return with something bolder, louder, and more refined than anything she’d done before. Recorded primarily […]