Chuck Berry - No Particular Place to Go

This is a live performance by American rock 'n' roll artist Chuck Berry playing the song "No Particular Place to Go" live on a French TV show. I don't know exactly when it's from, but the footage is in black and white, so I'd guess about the 1960's.
The song was initially released in 1964 through the Chess Records record label.
It's a great classic rock 'n' roll song, and a great piece of performance footage of Berry. It's black and white, but they get a lot of close-ups and semi close-ups of Berry's playing and expressive animated face during the performance. A great little piece of performance footage of one of the best rock 'n' roll artists of all time.

Enjoy ; )

Chuck Berry - Roll Over Beethoven

This is a live performance by classic rock 'n' roll act Chuck Berry playing his classic song "Roll Over Beethoven". The performance is from 1972.
The song was originally released in 1956 on Chess Records. The lyrics of the song are basically about rock 'n' roll and the desire for rhythm and blues to replace classical music.
The song came about as a response to Berry's sister Lucy who always wanted to use the family piano playing classical music while Berry wanted to play contemporary popular music.
The song has been covered by a large number of artists, including: Jerry Lee Lewis, The Beatles, Mountain, Leon Russel, The Rolling Stones, and Iron Maiden, to name a few.
It's a great song, classic rock 'n' roll. Can't go wrong with that!

Enjoy ; )

Foo Fighters - White Limo

This is a live performance by American rock band Foo Fighters performing their new song "White Limo" live at the Ed Sullivan theatre.
The song is off their recently released "Wasting Light" album. It is the band's seventh studio album and it debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 which just goes to show that rock acts can still rule the charts. It has mainly gotten positive reviews commenting on the good song writing and the nice production work done on the album's sound. "White Limo" is the fourth track on the album and was also the first song to get a music video. The video features the band members being driven around in a white limousine. The driver of this limousine is none other than rock legend Lemmy Kilmister. This marks, from my knowledge, his second cameo in a music video as a driver as he also drove the truck in Australian band Airbourne's video to their song "Runnin' Wild". Click here for the music video of White Limo.
I really love Foo Fighters' performance of this song. I love how the band are wearing suits to resemble The Beatles. I also love Dave Grohl's mini guitar solo towards the end of the song, especially how he opens it with a little Chuck Berry riff thus reminding us that all rock music really stems from the same well of inspiration, if that makes any sense.
But a great performance of a really good song.

Enjoy ; )

Chuck Berry & Keith Richards - Carol

This is a live performance by Rock 'n' Roll legend Chuck Berry performing his classic song "Carol" which he also has writing credit for. Keith Richards is sitting in as this is the rehearsal footage prior to the main performance celebrating Berry's 60th birthday in the film "Hail! Hail! Rock N' Roll" from 1987.
The song "Carol" was first released by Berry in 1958. It was later covered by a long list of artists, including: The Beatles, Charlie Daniels, The Doors, and of course also by The Rolling Stones.
I really love this piece of post concert footage. I love the tension that is between Berry and Richards, it is very entertaining to watch. Berry's solos on this are amazing, Richard's not so much as he screws up a bit on a lick or two and also has a hard time getting the intro down. But Berry's solos and Johnnie Johnson's piano solo makes for a really good performance- When they finally get through it.
A great little piece of footage from Berry when he was in his prime performing-wise. A great performance and very entertaining as well.

Enjoy ; )

George Thorogood and the Destroyers – Bad to the Bone

This is a live performance by George Thorogood and his band the Destroyers performing his infamous song “Bad to the Bone”.
The song originally appeared on Thorogood’s album of the same name released in 1982. Upon the songs original release it wasn’t a big hit, but it later became a big hit due to it being featured in various films, TV-shows and commercials.
The songs structure borrows from that of traditional blues and early rock ‘n’ roll. Songs like “I’m a Man” by Bo Diddley that is very similar. (Bo Diddley famously appeared in the music video for the song, he’s playing a game of pool in the video) Also Muddy Waters’ songs “Mannish Boy” and “She Moves Me” have similar chord structured. The riff is also very similar to that off Chuck Berry’s song “No Money Down”.
This is a great way of taking old blues references and taking them into new territory with a great song like this.

Enjoy ;-)

AC/DC - Highway to Hell

This is a live performance by Australian hard rock band AC/DC playing their classic song "Highway to Hell" live at Donnington '91.
The song is the title track of the album and the album was released in 1979. This was band's sixth studio album (It was the 5th international release by the band). This was also the last album to feature singer Bon Scott, at this performance Brian Johnson who replaced Scott is singing. The album is one of the band's best selling ending at 7x platinum which was very very good, though they outdid these numbers with their following releases.
It's a great song and it's all that rock 'n' roll and hard rock is supposed to be. The lyrics reflect the hard life style of being on the road and Angus Young does a solo where he borrows heavily from Chuck Berry. Doesn't get much better than that.

Enjoy ; )

Chuck Berry - Reelin' And Rockin

This is a live performance from the source of rock 'n' roll: Chuck Berry playing the song "Reelin' And Rockin". The performance is from 1972 in London and it was released on the album "The London Chuck Berry Sessions". The first side was recorded in the studio and the second side was recorded live. The footage is from this recording.
I really think this is an awesome live performance. Berry is very energetic and his playing is that classic Berry style done very well. Dave Kafinetti also delivers a very good piano solo on the track. A very good performance and song, Berry doing stage moves and having that humorous look in his eye. A very good performance.

Enjoy ; )

Joe Satriani - Summer Song

This is a live performance by guitarist Joe Satriani. He plays his 1992 song "Summer Song" live, the performance in this video is from 2006. The song was released on the album "The Extremist" which got quite a lot of radio play and helped Satriani getting his solo career of the ground.
It's a great up-tempo rock song with a happy vibe that just brings good vibrations to the air particles it's moving. It really is a hard rock/rock 'n' roll song in the style of Satriani. He uses a wide combo of licks and techniques, but they aren't all difficult techniques and if you listen carefully you'll hear that he even throws in a Chuck Berry riff at one point.
I also love the ending where Satriani literally sustains a note where it pretty much seems like he could sustain it forever, if he wanted to. As Nigel Tufnel would say; "The sustain, listen to it.[...]you can just hold it and you can go have a bite, you'll still be hearing that one". Spinal Tap joke, gotta love that film!!
This is a great song, and an awesome performance.

Enjoy ; )

Brian Setzer - Run Rudolph Run

The song "Run Rudolph Run" has become a Christmas classic, and is one of the most recognizable rock 'n' roll Christmas songs. The song was popularized by Chuck Berry, and it was originally released in 1958 as a b-side to Berry's version of "Merry Christmas, Baby".
The song has been covered by an endless list of performers, including: Lynrd Skynrd, Sheryl Crow, Keith Richards, Foghat, Billy Idol, Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem and a supergroup consisting of Lemmy Kilmister, Billy Gibbons and Dave Grohl, to only name a few.
I think that Brian Setzer and his orchestra do a fantastic job with the song, they play it like straight forward happy 50's rock 'n' roll which fits the song very well.
Below is the Lemmy, Gibbons and Grohl version embeded, it's a good version too, but I still prefer Setzer's version, but they're both good.


Enjoy ; )

Ray Charles - Merry Christmas Baby

This is a performance from Ray Charles performing the R & B Christmas standard "Merry Christmas Baby", originally composed and written by Lou Baxter and Johnny Moore in 1947. It has been covered by many different artists, including; Chuck Berry, B.B. King, Otis Redding, Elvis Presley, Bonnie Raitt and Bruce Springsteen.
It's a nice little soulful tune for the Holiday season.
Below is a version by Christina Aguilera and B.B. King. It's a very good version, but a bit short, and not as soulful as Ray's version.


Enjoy, and Happy Holidays

Chuck Berry - Let It Rock

This is a live performance by Chuck Berry, he performs the rock 'n' roll classic "Let It Rock". The song was originally released in 1960 on Berry's alum "Rockin' at the Hops", and it was only a b-side to the single "Too Pooped to Pop".
This however became more famous than the a-side. Probably thanks to other artists covering it, and its resemblance to Berry's most famous tune "Johnny B. Goode". It has been covered by The Rolling Stones, The Yardbirds, Bob Seger and Motörhead to name a few. It is perhaps one of Berry's most covered songs, next to "Johnny B. Goode".
I've included a performance by Motörhead from The Late Show with David Letterman beneath, because I think they do a pretty well job with it.
It's a great song, and a great performance by both acts.


Enjoy ; )

Stevie Ray Vaughan - The Things That I Used To Do

This is a video of Stevie performing his version of this classic blues song. It was first recorded by blues artist Guitar Slim, and after a long time on Southern rural radio stations, it was picked up nation wide and became somewhat of a hit.
The song was produced and arranged by a young Ray Charles, and took several takes to get just right.
It has become a legendary song, and it has been covered by a lot of artists including; Muddy Waters, Jimi Hendrix, Freddie King, Chuck Berry, Buddy Guy and John Mayer. (click links to go to artist's version)
It's a great song, and a great performance. The camera angels are a little weird, and it's not the most well shot video, but the audio is descent and it's an enjoyable watch.

Enjoy ; )

Chuck Berry - Nadine (incl. Rory Gallagher version)

Ok, so the first clip is of Chuck Berry performing his classic hit "Nadine". The performance is from the film "Hail! Hail! Rock 'n' Roll" which is a film from 1987 celebrating Chuck's 60th birthday by having a concert featuring different artists who feel inspired by Chuck. On this performance we also have Keith Richards, Robert Cray and Bobby Keys. It's a great performance, the song is up-tempo and it's a good rock 'n' roll song performed by a Chuck Berry in the prime of his still continuing venue playing years.

Another artist who has played this song on numerous occasions is rock and blues guitarist Rory Gallagher. This performance is from 1982. It's a little slower than Chuck's original song, and it's an extended jam on the tune running into a time of approximately 9 minutes. The great thing about this version, besides Rory's excellent playing, is the horn section, and the work they put into it. This is Rory in a bigger set-up than usual, with a horn section and the whole thing, it's great, and Rory leaves plenty of room for the horns to do their part.
A great song, in two great performances. It's such a good song.

Previous posts from the film "Hail! Hail! Rock 'n' Roll"

Wee Wee Hours - Chuck Berry ft. Eric Clapton
Hoochie Coochie Gal - Etta James
 
Enjoy ; ) 

Stevie Ray Vaughan - The House Is Rockin'

This is the music video for the song "The House Is Rockin'" by Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble. It's a single of their "In Step" album from 1989. The album was a big success for the band and was made after Stevie sobered up after years of alcohol and drug abuse. This is also the theme of many of the songs, and there are many songs co-written and composed by Stevie himself. It's a personal album.
The album won a Grammy for best blues album and the album also had a no. 1 single on the North American Billboard Charts, very impressive.
It's a great up-tempo rock 'n' roll song with a classic rock solo. Clearly heavily inspired by Chuck Berry who basically invented that genre. It's a great song, and it really gets you going.

Enjoy ; )

Chuck Berry - Maybellene

This is a clip from a live performance by Chuck Berry, I think it's from France (the announcer's accent). It's a great song, adapted from the traditional fiddle tune "Ida Red".
It was recorded by Berry and released in 1955, and is a classic example of early rock 'n' roll, guitar driven, youthful subject matter. Truly a great tune.

Enjoy ; )

Sugar Blue - Hoochie Coochie Man

I knew at some point I would be posting different versions of the same song. I previously posted this in a version from the rock 'n' roll film about Chuck Berry featuring Keith Richards, Robert Cray and Etta James singing the song. Click here to go to that post.

This is another version of the same song. It's by blues musician Sugar Blue. He plays the harmonica, and plays it better than anyone I've heard. He truly pushes the limitations of what that instrument is capable of. And he's so cool wearing his military belt with harmonicas in different keys. Truly a great player, just thought I'd share his talent with the world.


Enjoy ; )

Johnny Copeland & Johnnie Johnson - Down Home Blues

This is a performance from New York in 1991, it features Texas blues man Johnny Copeland and piano player Johnnie Johnson who is most famous for playing with rock 'n' roll legend Chuck Berry.
Copeland isn't the most famous blues artist and he's probably most famous for playing with Stevie Ray Vaughan on several songs at Vaughan's 1985 Montreux concert.
The song "Down Home Blues" was originally recorded by blues artist Z.Z. Hill. Z.Z. isn't the most famous blues artist, but Down Home Blues has become quite a classic song and is probably his most famous song.
The song has also been covered by Etta James and many other artists.

Enjoy ; )

Wee Wee Hours - Chuck Berry with Eric Clapton

This is a performance from the documentary "Hail! Hail! Rock 'n' Roll". It's a documentary about Chuck Berry, and the influence his playing has had on more contemporary players. The film was made in celebration of Chuck's 60th birthday, and he looks better than ever in the film, energetic and young. He performs on stage with a long list of artists including; Eric Clapton, Robert Cray, Etta James, Johnnie Johnson, Bobby Keys and Keith Richards to name a few.
This is a great performance, love it when Clapton goes off and does two solos in a row, as Chuck says "...Eric Clapton; man of the blues", and that's true.

Enjoy ; )

Etta James - Hoochie Coochie Gal

This video is from the Chuck Berry documentary 'Hail Hail Rock 'n' Roll'. It features a performance of the classic Willie Dixon blues tune 'Hoochie Coochie Man'. It was made famous and performed by Muddy Waters, and have been covered by numerous artists including; Eric Clapton, Steppenwolf and Buddy Guy. I love this version, because Etta really brings something to the table, she sings amazingly on it. She is truly versatile, can do both ballads, blues and rock 'n' roll.
The song also features a smokin' piano solo by Johnnie Johnson who was a regular with Chuck on the road. On guitar is Keith Richards and Robert Cray, and we get some sweet reaction shots from Chuck who is simply stunned by the performance.
Enjoy ; )