Personal A-Z of Rock and Roll john.a.alexander@bt.com - July 31, 2006 Please feel free to submit your own version of the following which I hope you will find thought provoking and maybe even amusing. A - Has to be for Arthur 'Guitar Boogie' Smith, for me his Guitar Boogie is one of the tracks that started it all. B -Boogie Woogie, Rock and Roll could not have happened without it. C - So many options - Chess records, Chuck Berry, Charlie Bop Trio to name but three. My pick is Charles Hardin Holley. D - Dave Bartholomew? Dance? Duane Eddy? How about Dick Clark on the basis that he has to be one of the biggest dicks to be associated with the music we love? E - Echo, be it from a proper chamber or a tape machine the music would be been the same without it. F - Freddie Fingers Lee? NO! I think I will go for Fender my favourite guitar sound. G - Gee by the Crows, another key recording. H - OK I have already mentioned Charles Hardin Holley so Haley as in Bill (and his Comets) get his turn here. I - All the Independent labels that recorded artists that were not just key to the music we love, but whose outpourings many of us have invested so much in. J - Jive could be an option, but for me J is for Jungle Rock, the success of that track when reissued on Charly is a personal high point for me. K - The Killer maybe, but I opt for King. OK I know many other labels deserve a mention, but there is only one option per letter and lets face it King did issue some great stuff. L - Lewis (Smiley or Jerry Lee)? Maybe, but for me and many other Brits I think London should be the choice here. The label did so much to make the US recordings available here and of course there is the cachet of those nice black labels, triangular centres and gold lettering. M - Moon Mulligan is a possible because he has two Ms, but I will go for Money - like it or not most of the key players in the history of R'n'R were motivated by the mighty dollar. (See also S) N - Ricky Nelson, the bastard not only looked good and sang well - he had a couple of great guitarists in his band. Jealous? Me?? Well.... O - Orleans as in the new version. A great city, home of great music and great musicians. P - Suppose it has to be Presley. Q - Oh Susie. R - Little or Cliff Richard? In an unusual show of patriotism I will opt for Cliff even though I know it is not his real name. S - My first choice here was for Sun, then I recalled what Rock and Roll is all about, so it is S for Sex. T - Telecaster? Triangular Centres? Tits? (I just had to get them in somewhere) - no, I will go for Turner as in Big Joe. U - Unconventional, need I say more. V - Vincent? rca Victor? Sorry but another plug for an old friend - Vince Taylor W - Wild Wax Show - I did say that this was a personal A-Z :-) X - As in the rating of many important recordings, especially in the eyes (ears?) of most Americans. As if singing about a "big 10 inch" could be anything other than a reference to a 78 RPM record. Y - Youth - ah, those were the days. Z - Well it ain't Zimmerman. Rave On! John Back to the "Take Note" Main Page HIGHLY RECOMMENDED: CHECK ON THIS FINE PRINTING COMPANY: Promotional Products, Discount Labels, Post-it Notes, Rubber Stamps, etc.