Reba McEntire Ditches Politics – Focuses On Unity While Hosting The ‎CMAs Alongside Darius Rucker

 

These days, the vast majority of entertainment awards shows are all about politics. That’s why it was so refreshing when Reba McEntire ditched politics altogether as she hosted the Country Music Awards (CMAs) alongside Darius Rucker.

“In 2020, it’s great to be anywhere,” said McEntire, according to Fox News. “Tonight’s a wonderful evening to sing together, stand together and be together at the end of a year when too much in this world has been pulling us apart, sometimes more than six feet.”

“So true,” Rucker added in agreement.

 Rucker went on to point out that this was his first time hosting, which was a stark contrast to McEntire, who had hosted “many times.” He then asked McEntire if it felt “strange” to be six feet away from him onstage, to which she replied with a resounding no.

“Listen, I hosted with Dolly Parton last year,” McEntire explained, with Rucker joking, “Those are two big reasons to socially-distance.”

Eric Church ended up taking home the top prize of the night, winning the coveted entertainer of the year award.

“If there was ever a year not to win this award…,” Church said. “This award this year, at least for me has been about the loss of this year, loss of life, loss of playing shows, loss of freedom, loss of kids being in school. And you know what the win is? The win is we all were here tonight, together as country music. In-person live, not on Zoom.”

He then also talked about the need to set politics aside, as it only serves to divide us.

“I really believe this: it’s going to be music that brings us out of this. That is the one thing that is going to save the entire world,” Church said. “Politicians are about division and music is about unity. And I promise you, it’s going to take everybody in this room to unite.”

Other big winners from last night were Maren Morris and Luke Combs, who won best female vocalist of the year and best male vocalist of the year, respectively. While the awards show was filmed in Nashville, Tennessee as usual, it was not broadcast at its typical home at Bridgestone Arena. Instead, it took place across the street at the more intimate Music City Center.

Samra Amaru Shakur - Samra compares himself to Tupac

For many rap fans, Tupac Shakur is probably the greatest and most important rapper in all of history. And not only because he delivered musically with tracks like “California Love”, but above all because of his intellectual nature, which, thanks to his unique charisma, was well received in both problem areas and the middle class of America.

Even in today's comparison, many of the rapper's thoughts, who died at the young age of 25 and still had a great deal of experience, are still progressive and indicate his great foresight, especially with regard to the current situation in the USA. Nowadays songs like “Changes” seem more relevant than ever.

Given this background, it is difficult for many fans to accept today's rappers comparing themselves to Tupac. At least one cannot choose a larger legend for a comparison. In his latest audio sample, Samra dared to tackle this topic anyway and openly compares himself to Tupac. To underline this he even calls himself "Samra Amaru Shakur":

"Rraah, a few years ago I still ticked degrees / I took the sharp with me and pulled the trigger in daylight / They say 'Samra, Mashallah how talented you are' / you know me - if I fall I'll take everyone with me / Don't think about tomorrow / I've died 6 times in these 25 years /

Today there are deaths, Kafa overdose / if I overtake a patrol car again / Cashmere sweater, freezing outside '/ We always stay real, because money is just paper / Kill the brandy, I'm so hoarse / I race and I drive in the streets of Milan /

95BPM and I shoot / shot in a projector like Tupac and I bleed to death / Samra Amaru Shakur / we walk over snow, but leave no trace / "

Here you hear the part

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by DEUTSCHRAP STORIES (@deutschrap_stories)

ABT album: Nicki Minaj sends sweet message to Davido Read

- Nigerian singer, Davido, recently released his highly anticipated album, A Better Time, to the excitement of his fans - Both local and international artistes were featured on the 16-track album - Davido’s collaboration with Nicki Minaj titled Holy Ground celebrated love as they praised their partners on the track PAY ATTENTION: Win a prize of N115,000, N75000 or N38000: participate in Big Naija Independence contest by Legit.ng Nigerian artiste, David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, is the man of the moment as he recently dropped his highly anticipated album, A Better Time, intended for initial release last month. The 16-track album featured both local and international artistes like Tiwa Savage, Mayorkun, Lil Baby, Nas, and Chris Brown.

American rapper Nicki was one of the foreign artistes featured on the album and she has joined the list of those who have reached out to Davido after the album dropped on November 13. She sent a message to the Nigerian singer, congratulating him.

Nicki Minaj featured on A Better Time album Photo credit: @davido/@nickiminaj Source: Instagram She wrote: "Congratulations @davido!!! #HolyGround #ABetterTime #Naija to the WORLD!!!! " See post below:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Barbie (@nickiminaj)

One of the early highlights of the album was his Holy Ground track with Nicki, which celebrated and honoured love. The track was one fans anticipated for quite some time after Davido confirmed its existence earlier this year. Davido previously spoke about the Nicki Minaj collaboration and revealed it came after he sent a drunk DM to the rapper while he was at a party. In an interview with W magazine, he revealed: “I woke up the next morning and I forgot that I had messaged her the night before. I was like, ‘Oh sh*t, I was drunk.’ Nothing was really planned on this album—Nicki be charging people $500,000 for verses. And she did it for me for free.” PAY ATTENTION: Click “See First” under the “Following” tab to see Legit.ng News on your Facebook News Feed!

Meanwhile, Legit.ng earlier reported that Davido said he was not expecting Wizkid to respond after he showed support for his MIL album.

The FEM crooner said he was not really thinking when he shared the congratulatory post on social media. Davido also stated that he knew Wizkid would not respond or acknowledge the post but it didn’t stop him from sharing it anyway.

Luke Combs Faces Backlash For Resurfaced 'Nasty' Tweets About Miley Cyrus And Other Stars

If you think you have even the slightest chance of becoming famous one day, you better watch what you say online! Unless, of course, you want to become famous for being a sassy person with opinions online (ahem, ahem), at which point, go ahead, but be aware that everything you put out on the internet is on there forever, and people WILL find it.

Especially if what you put on the internet is some trash talk.

Luke tweeted that Miley Cyrus was the reason he would be spanking his future children.

While some of the backlash was as simple as one fan tweeting "you're nasty," some went a bit further, with one Miley fan responding, "I'm so sorry for your future children."

Honestly, this tweet seems a little bit uncalled for, and that's coming from me.

He also offered some fashion advice.           

Luke tweeted at Katy Perry and Nicki Minaj in 2011 that they should "stop dressing like Lady Gaga."

Now, I tend to not take a lot of fashion advice from men I don't know, but something tells me Katy and Nicki aren't turning to Luke Combs for their style inspiration.

Kanye West receives thousands of votes from SoCal residents

As the nation watches a tight presidential race and agonizes over the future of American democracy, Kim Kardashian’s husband received thousands of votes from Orange County residents.

West was listed as a vice presidential candidate in California on the American Independent Party ticket headed by Roque “Rocky” De La Fuente Guerra. As of noon Wednesday, the ticket had received 3,641 votes from Orange County residents.

It won’t be good enough to put the man who called himself “the greatest artist that God has ever created” in the Oval Office.

West, who said he was listed on the California ballot by the American Independent Party without his knowledge, had separately mounted an independent campaign for president. He appeared on the ballot in 12 states and asked for write-in votes in others, but he conceded defeat late Tuesday after falling behind Joe Biden and Donald Trump by tens of millions of votes.

West ran on a platform that included restoration of prayer in schools, expansion of education opportunities, investment in renewable energy, and criminal justice reform. “In our future, we will H.E.A.L.,” his campaign website reads. “Hold Everyone Accountable to Love.”

West could not be reached for comment.

In Los Angeles County, the American Independent Party ticket of West and De La Fuente Guerra received more than 10,000 votes.

A few people voiced their dismay on Twitter at West’s vote totals.

One Twitter account read, “2623 adults in #OrangeCounty voted for Kanye! Post election task: Find ALL and cancel their voting rights!”

“Oh lord,” another user commented.

How Music Therapy Is Easing Anxiety and Isolation

Therapists say there are psychological benefits associated with music. Singing and listening to songs is helping people cope with emotional hurdles while COVID-19 quarantining.

When Tom Sweitzer tested positive for COVID-19 over the summer, he ended up in the hospital for a week with a case of pneumonia. After two or three days, he did what he would tell any of his clients to do: He put on a song, listened, and breathed along to the music.

Sweitzer is the co-founder and creative director of A Place to Be, a non-profit organization in Middleburg, Virginia that supports people struggling from a wide variety of emotional, physical, behavioral or mental problems through music therapy. The employees of the organization are all certified therapists carrying many of the same responsibilities as they would in traditional therapy, holding private counseling sessions or group programs. But they also use music as a method to help their clients improve their well-being. This mode of therapy seems especially relevant during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I always say that music keeps you company. We are all in a place right now where isolation and loneliness is pretty much a way of life for many people,” Sweitzer says. “Music can fill in those gaps.”      

Your Brain on Music

Jesse Dollimont, a clinician who works for Canadian practice JB Music Therapy, says that when a person listens to a song, the music simultaneously engages with regions of the brain involved in memory, emotion, physical movement and communication. Two brain areas that respond most strongly to music are the amygdala and the hippocampus, core parts of the limbic system which controls emotional processing and memory. As a result, music has a strong ability to help people tune into their feelings quickly and help them express those emotions to others. Through the application of music, therapists can help patients build confidence, relieve stress or anxiety, process trauma or deal with other mental health issues.

“On a really fundamental level, in terms of how it interacts with our brain, [music] anchors us to the present,” Dollimont says. “It can allow us to move through and remember and come to terms with the past. And it can be a way to express our fears of the future, and have that validated.”

 

Read more: Why Lo-Fi Music Draws Listeners In

Dollimont says that in the pandemic, JB Music Therapy has begun conducting virtual music therapy sessions for the first time. Many of her patients have been struggling with increased depression, social isolation and uncertainty for the future. Video call sessions work to address these issues, despite a slight decrease in the impact for patients when compared to in-person sessions.

When listening to a song you like, the musical interaction releases dopamine, serotonin and endorphins in the brain, helping to alleviate depression. In addition, the act of listening to or playing music with someone has been shown to strengthen social bonds, which has been valuable for people self-quarantining. Videos from early in the pandemic captured this with Italians in quarantine singing together from their balconies. Being able to control the music you listen to also helps people who have had their circumstances disrupted from the pandemic to feel a sense of stability at a very uncertain time.

Dollimont says music also helps to validate emotional experiences. When people are sad or angry, they tend to gravitate toward sad or angry songs. Rather than increasing those emotions, however, listening to the music helps to stabilize the person and helps them feel like the issues they are going through are universal rather than personal. As such, listening to sad music can be extremely useful for people struggling in the pandemic because it can help validate their emotional reaction to their situation.

“Music plays a profound role in helping folks navigate tough times,” Dollimont says. “It gives us a tangible experience of ‘I’m not alone in this. Someone else has experienced this.’”

Just Keep Breathing

Sweitzer says that one common mode of music therapy is to help people relax through breathing techniques. In sessions, the music therapist plays a song, and leads the patients in breathing in and out with phrases. Afterwards, the therapist leads a discussion where they break apart the lyrics of the song and talk about how it made the patient feel, using the music as a platform to discuss further issues or feelings.

Sweitzer currently runs a therapy group via Zoom for COVID-19 survivors and says that playing music has helped patients open up about their struggles with the virus. In one meeting, he played the song “Beautiful” by Christina Aguilera, and during the discussion afterwards, the song prompted one patient to open up about her insecurities about her hair falling out after struggling with COVID.

“That song right there, 'Beautiful,' prompted an entire discussion in a therapeutic, grounded, safe place,” Sweitzer says. “And that's what makes us different than just musicians. We are trained as therapists. So I know how to make a safe place. I know how to surround the clients we're working with music, but we have the ability to work out therapeutically with them.”

Sweitzer notes that even outside of music therapy sessions, playing and listening to music can be a stress reliever for people struggling during the pandemic. For one of his recent clients — a mom who felt overwhelmed taking care of her kids at home — he recommended she find time in the day to take breaks and listen to music she enjoys. For one of his therapy groups, consisting of elderly patients who haven’t left their house since March, he recommends that they make playlists of songs they find soothing, to help them during particularly stressful days.

“It doesn’t even really have to be powerfully emotional music. It can be music from your past, music that makes you dance, music that makes you laugh,” Sweitzer says. “Something that lifts that mental depression for a little bit, so you might be able to breathe or think differently.”

WHY MUSICIANS HAVE HEALTHIER BRAINS

 If you want evidence of how music affects the brain, it makes sense to look at the brains of those who play a lot of music — professional musicians.

Brain scans show that their brains are different than those of non-musicians.

Musicians have bigger, better connected, more sensitive brains. (3)

Musicians have superior working memory, auditory skills, and cognitive flexibility. (4, 5)

Their brains are physically more symmetrical and they respond more symmetrically when listening to music. (6)

Areas of the brain responsible for motor control, auditory processing, and spatial coordination are larger. (7)

Musicians also have a larger corpus callosum. (8)

This is the band of nerve fibers that transfers information between the two hemispheres of the brain.

This increase in size indicates that the two sides of musicians’ brains are better at communicating with each other.

While most of us aren’t professional musicians, we still listen to a lot of music — on average of 32 hours per week. (9)

This is enough time for music to have an effect on the brains of non-musicians as well.

The Powerful Effect of Music on the Brain

 Music has been scientifically proven to have a powerful effect on the brain. Recent research shows that music can help in many aspects of the brain, including pain reduction, stress relief, memory, and brain injuries. In the book The Power of Music, Elena Mannes says, “Scientists have found that music stimulates more parts of the brain than any other human function.” Let’s look at some of the ways music can aid in the healing and stimulation of the human brain.

Pain Reduction

“I think music in itself is healing. It’s an explosive expression of humanity. It’s something we are all touched by. No matter what culture we’re from, everyone loves music.” —Billy Joel

A 2014 study found that music was helpful for patients with fibromyalgia. The study showed that listening to relaxing music of the patient’s choice “reduced pain and increased functional mobility significantly.” Researchers believe that music eases pain because listening to it triggers opioids—the body’s natural pain relievers. In a 2013 study, people given the opioid blocking drug Naltrexone experienced less pleasure while listening to their favorite song, suggesting music activates the release of pain-relieving opioids. 

Stress Relief

Depending on the type of music you listen to, relaxing music can alleviate stress by lowering cortisol levels, which is the hormone released in response to stress.

A 2013 study demonstrates a link between music and decreased stress in pediatric emergency room patients. “In the trial with 42 children ages 3 to 11, University of Alberta researchers found that patients who listened to relaxing music while getting an IV inserted reported significantly less pain, and some demonstrated significantly less distress, compared with patients who did not listen to music,” according to the American Psychological Association.

Memory

Studies linking music to memory recall have increased since the early 20th century, when the research first emerged. Listening to certain music can take your mind back decades in an instant. In a previous blog post we published, titled “Studies Prove Music Boosts Brain Activity in Alzheimer’s Patients,” we cited the documentary Alive Inside, which chronicled how music awakened patients suffering from memory loss. Neurologist Oliver Sacks said, “Music evokes emotion, and emotion can bring with it memory. … It brings back the feeling of life when nothing else can.”

A 2014 study was conducted on 89 patients with dementia, where the patient and caregivers were randomly assigned either a 10-week music listening coaching group, a 10-week singing coaching group, or regular care. The results showed that “compared with usual care, both singing and music listening improved mood, orientation, and remote episodic memory and to a lesser extent, also attention and executive function and general cognition. Singing also enhanced short-term and working memory and caregiver well-being, whereas music listening had a positive effect on quality of life.”

Seizure, Brain Injury, or Stroke

It has been reported that the brains of patients with epilepsy respond differently to music than people who do not have epilepsy. “Persons with epilepsy synchronize before a seizure. However, in our study, patients with epilepsy synchronized to the music without having a seizure,” said Christine Charyton, of The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. Charyton explained that stress causes seizures to occur and added, “By listening to the music, many patients reported that they felt relaxed.”

Stroke patients who listened to music in the early stages after a stroke showed an improvement in recovery according to a 2008 study. Author of the study, Teppo Särkämö, suggested that patients start listening to music soon after the stroke, as many changes occur during the first weeks and months of recovery. “We found that three months after the stroke, verbal memory improved from the first week post-stroke by 60 percent in music listeners,” said Särkämö.

In 1973 a music-based treatment called Melodic Intonation Therapy was developed to help stroke survivors or people who suffer with aphasia to be able to communicate again. The purpose of the therapy is to convert singing into speech. According to Research and Hope, even though these patients aren’t able to speak, “they are often able to sing, sometimes with the same fluency and clarity they had before the onset of illness.”

"Burn" by Deep Purple, the rebirth of the band

On February 15, 1974, when "Burn" finally hits record stores, there is a lot of anticipation among hard rock fans. The work is in fact the first recorded by the new formation - called Mark III - and marks the rebirth of a band now given up for dead.

But how did that come about? Deep Purple were not new to lineup changes, so much so that the Mk III acronym makes it clear that we were already on the third reshuffle. Born in 1968 with Rod Evans on vocals and Nick Simper on bass, the Mk I had lasted the space of an album, “Shades of Deep Purple”, a good work but still immature. The addition of Ian Gillan, frontman with a powerful and flexible voice and indisputable stage presence, and bassist Roger Glover, had brought the hoped-for fruit; after some time of adjustment the legendary masterpieces of the group had arrived: "In Rock", "Fireball", "Machine Head" and the fiery live "Made in Japan". Blackmore's blazing riffs and his extremely personal soloism, Gillan's screams, Jon Lord's rides between rock and baroque on the organ and a rhythm section (with Glover and Ian Paice) of unprecedented power, had imposed the five boys English as one of the vertices of the hard rock triangle composed with Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath.

But one thing that line-up could do even better than rock: fight.

Between endless tours and all the excesses typical of a rock star's life, contrasts were the order of the day, especially between Ritchie Blackmore and Ian Gillan, musicians with as much talent as their huge ego. At the end of June 1973, the news that has been in the air for some time finally arrives: Ian Gillan, followed by Roger Glover, leaves Deep Purple.

At that point the chances of the band moving forward are really slim; obviously it will not. Ian Paice and Jon Lord attend a concert one evening by Trapeze, a band of some success in the rock cauldron of the early 1970s, which features an exuberantly talented singer and bassist: Glenn Hughes.

Lord and Paice make two and two: the solution to move forward is at hand and to replace the two resigning ones, it is enough to convince Hughes who - obviously - accepts on the fly.

Who gets in the way is the management of the band: Deep Purple have established themselves as quintet and quintet must remain. Then we continue to search and the story here acquires the contours of the legend. David Coverdale, a boy in his early twenties with long blonde hair and the cavernous voice of a bluesman, sings in an amateur way with some bands and works as a shop assistant in Redcar to support himself; one day he publishes an ad on "Melody Maker" looking for a real band and records a demo in which - clearly tipsy - he sings some covers. Incredibly, he was chosen and, overnight, he found himself from clerk to frontman of one of the most important rock bands in the world.

On paper, the new line-up has everything to amaze and to worthily continue the history of Deep Purple, there is only to deal with the public, fond of the Mk II line-up; the perfect amalgamation between the voices of Coverdale and Hughes, however, is miraculous and bodes well. So dark and perfect for the lower registers that of the blond David, so ductile and excellent in the upper parts that of Glenn; their voices are perfectly complementary, so as to allow daring vocal harmonies and a swerve towards territories veined with funk and soul, as will certainly be more evident in the following “Stormbringer”. The enthusiasm, then, is typical of new beginnings.

However, not everything works properly and “Burn”, it must be said immediately, has not only positive sides; if, up to at least "Machine Head", the evolution of Deep Purple had been constant and almost miraculous, giving each time to the press works that are always different from each other and with a precise musical direction, the process with "Burn" is a little 'less.

As much of the critics point out, despite "Burn" is a good record, with very strong songs and with the novelty of the double singer that is well exploited, Deep Purple inevitably begin to be a bit of a representation of themselves, proposing a formula that from then on - also thanks to the end of the golden age of rock - will always be the same, net of the great quality.

A separate note for the cover, with the faces of the musicians transformed into candles in a rather questionable way; the artwork - it must be said - has never been the highlight of the complex.

Let's see how this “Burn” sounds, analyzing the tracks.

We start with the titletrack, and we are immediately faced with one of the most exciting moments of the disc.

The song attacks with a typically Blackmore-style killer riff, immediately making it clear that - as in the famous phrase of “Il Gattopardo” - “If we want everything to stay as it is, everything must change”. The riff - and we have a nice surprise right away - is incredibly shaped

on “Fascinating Rhythm”, a song composed by George Gershwin in 1924, while the lyrics are written by David Coverdale and discuss, at the kind request of Blackmore, on witches and demonology. The blond singer immediately had the opportunity to show everyone his talent, hitherto unknown, while Hughes’s equally precious uvula was immediately exploited in bridge and for harmonization. For the rest, the song is a long ride in perfect Mk II style, with incandescent duels between Ritchie's six-string and Lord's organ, as always suspended between hard rock and classical music. We can only imagine the enthusiasm of the fans at the time, in finding an even more cohesive band despite the change of line-up, and a piece that in the Mk III live will replace the legendary "Speed ​​King".

It goes on with "Might Just Take Your Life", the song that was chosen as the album's first single. Here too we are in the presence of a piece that is based on a masterful riff, this time guided more by Lord's organ, but with a decidedly more sedate rhythm than "Burn". Coverdale and Hughes share the vocals equally and harmonize properly. However, Glenn has ample opportunity to show off his undoubted singing qualities. The song closes with a long organ solo.

“Lay Down, Stay Down” opens with a saloon piano that quickly gives way to a nice almost Hendrix-like riff and voices that alternate singing in staccato; here the song seems to lend itself more to Coverdale's powerful vocality, even if it is perhaps the piece where the lack of Ian Gillan becomes heavier. Ian Paice's drum shot is deadly as always and Blackmore's solo is pulled at supersonic speed; however, Ritchie’s inspiration does not seem at the top.

"Sail Away" is a not too celebrated song from our songbook, however it is - in the opinion of the writer - one of the most inspired passages of the work, and one of the few in which you really hear a musical direction that strives to be new . The riff of Blackmore's Stratocaster shines for groove - it almost sounds like a Stevie Wonder piece - and Coverdale's singing is quite right: here too the good David seems more at ease than Hughes, especially in the beautiful chorus that ends with the harmony of the two voices. Lord opens the instrumental section with a slow and suggestive keyboard part, while the coda is up to Blackmore with an alienating slide guitar part. A very successful song and finally something that sounds different from the past.

Even "You Fool No One" has a very particular structure, with a base still at the limits of funk and - curiously - the verse sung by the two harmonized voices that separate to intone the chorus; it usually happens the other way around, not that it's a written rule though. In the middle of the piece, the usual instrumental break starts with Blackmore's guitar solo; once again a flood of almost Hendrixian notes, yet good Ritchie seems slightly less sparkling than in the past. However, a piece in front of which you can not help but bow.

"What’s Going On Here" is a curious song, a nice bluesy boogie quite dissonant in the Deep Purple production; Blackmore's guitar lazily blues and Lord's piano evokes the famous “Roadhouse Blues” by the Doors several times; the inspiration that however seems to come out most, very bizarrely, is that of the first ZZ Tops, especially in the blues-like solo by Ritchie Blackmore, very much indebted to certain passages by Billy Gibbons. A good breath of fresh air, although perhaps fans of the typical Mk II sound might find themselves blown away.

The following “Mistreated” is another of the big hits of “Burn”, an overwhelming and painful slow blues, where David Coverdale finally takes the spotlight by himself, giving the best of his abilities. The song had been written by Ritchie Blackmore a couple of years earlier and already considered for "Machine Head". The strong black component of the ensemble, however, was deemed unsuitable for Gillan's vocal characteristics, and "Mistreated" had ended up in a drawer.

The song opens with the heavy gait of Blackmore's riff that heralds Coverdale's painful scream. David and Glenn Hughes initially recorded very structured backing vocals for the lead part of the guitar, however Blackmore - who certainly didn't mind doing and undoing - felt that the sound of his Stratocaster was not so prominent. Years later David Coverdale, initially disappointed by the wasted experimental work, nevertheless agreed with the official version of the arrangement. However, the song remains a worthy masterpiece in the band's discography, a miraculous balance between blues and melody, between melancholy caress and hard rock. Lord's contribution, as in much of the work, is less than in the past.

"Burn" closes c or the most bizarre and unsettling song, “A 200”, a sort of bolero split between Blackmore's guitar and Jon Lord's synthesizers that the keyboardist had started experimenting at that time. The rhythm refers a lot to some instrumental parts of the first album, the "Shades Of" that every now and then came back to peek out from the scores of the ensemble. The synthesizer part winks at the prog but also at the famous soundtrack of "A Clockwork Orange" by Walter Carlos. The guitar part is quite inspired, with Ritchie playing with putting as many notes as possible into each bar. Lord's synthesizer regains possession and carries out this bizarre experiment, perhaps not very consistent with the rest of the record but which effectively testifies to the last gasps of an era full of experimentation.

"Burn" ends like this, perhaps leaving the listeners a bit stunned, but with the satisfaction of an album that - while certainly not the band's masterpiece - worthily continues the history of Deep Purple. The road seems to be paved for other great successes, and instead the following “Stormbringer”, with its turn towards warmer and less hard sounds, will so dissatisfy Ritchie Blackmore that the guitarist will say enough is enough and will go to form Rainbow.

The future of Deep Purple will be marked by continuous line-up changes - which from 2002 will settle with the Mark VIII - and there will be room for many returns and as many departures.

"Stormbringer", Deep Purple's funk twist and Blackmore's farewell

The addition of the new bassist Glenn Hughes, coming from Trapeze and endowed with a voice with high registers and a ductile and clean timbre, and of David Coverdale, a vocalist with complementary characteristics to those of Glenn and with an important stage presence, had brought a breath of freshness.

“Burn” had sold very well, carrying on the hard rock and proto metal style that had rightly made the band legendary, net of some soul and blues streak brought by the new singers. However, Blackmore and especially Lord seemed slightly weakened compared to their contributions and the usual rate of innovation for which Deep Purple moved the bar a little higher with each record, seemed to be less. “Burn” was an excellent record, made up of some great songs and with the novelty of the double voice, however it marked a certain stasis under the compositional profile.

We arrive in November 1974: a few months after "Burn" comes the sequel, "Stormbringer". The tensions in the compositional phase and in the recording studio - especially between the bizarre guitarist Ritchie Blackmore and David Coverdale - are important; the first pushes to maintain a high rate of epicity in the lyrics and atmospheres, as well as insisting on the hard sound that has made the history of the group. Coverdale often keeps his head on the issue of writing lyrics and - also supported by Hughes - would like to point the direction towards a sound strongly oriented towards soul, funky and black music in general.

The sparks lead to a compromise that is not too productive: divided between traditionally hard pieces and heavily funk passages, “Stormbringer” is a poorly cohesive record and the victim of a design dichotomy that jeopardizes its complete success.

Mind you, taken one by one, the pieces are almost all valid, apart from some obvious slips, however the band lacks a real artistic direction, divided between almost metal songs - the title track - and pieces at the edge of the American AOR (" Hold On ”), which wink at overseas radio airplay.

The result is not long in coming: taking as a pretext the failure to insert a cover of the prog group of Quatermass, Blackmore slams the door and leaves. He will found Rainbow, a band where he will finally be able to dominate as he sees fit and which will get good results, at least initially. The market is also showing itself rather tepid and “Stormbringer” will not completely renew Deep Purple's previous hits.

However, the group decides to go ahead on the funk road and replace the charismatic Blackmore with the young and talented Tommy Bolin; plagued by chronic drug addiction problems, the guitarist will have time to fire the discreet “Come Taste the Band”, before dying of an overdose, ending the first part of Deep Purple's career with his tragedy.

So let's see how this “Stormbringer” sounds.

The record is produced by the famous Martin Birch, a sound engineer who had cut his teeth with the first blues rock - Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac in particular - and who will become number one among metal producers.

The long plain opens with the piece that gives the collection its title, “Stormbringer”, and which is perhaps the most successful piece. Let's imagine the reaction of the Deep Purple fan who found himself putting vinyl on the plate in that November 1974: probably the reaction would have been that of the most genuine enthusiasm. “Stormbringer” is in fact a piece in perfect Deep Purple style, worthy of the best pages. A tight rhythm section that anticipates metal, on which Coverdale dictates with his powerful vocalism and with Blackmore who gets in with the right guitar fills and with a solo that perhaps represents his swan song within the formation; the sound is distorted and the phrasing is tight without reaching paroxysm. The only drawback is perhaps the too subtle contribution of Jon Lord, who punctuates the piece here and there with synthesizers. A flawless opening.

Unfortunately, already with the subsequent "Love Don't Mean a Thing", our hypothetical 70's listener risks getting the inevitable metalhead beer wrong; driven by a rather light organ riff, the piece sports a trend between pop and funky and an over-the-top performance by Coverdale, all of groans and screams, is not enough to raise the tenor of the piece; when Hughes' turn comes the situation becomes even more bleak, a lopsided cross between Stevie Wonder and Traffic. Not surprisingly, Blackmore's contribution is limited to the instrumental coda, resolved with a very clean sound and some blues phrasing: certainly not what fans expect from the pyrotechnic guitarist, certainly subdued in this piece.

The next “Holy Man” opens with Beatlesian suggestions and Blackmore's slide guitar that quotes Harrison's. The vocal part is the prerogative of Hughes, who demanded more space and not to deal only with bass and vocal harmonies. The result is not despicable and is placed among the almost melodic ballads of the band, not disfiguring but certainly not even doing anything memorable; the almost country refrain sounds peculiar and the instrumental contribution of Blackmore and Lord is nuanced. Gone are the days of guitar - organ duels resolved in endless rides.

"Hold On" continues showing perhaps too much lightness and still the voice of Hughes to be the master; in the chorus one almost seems to hear bands like Electric Light Orchestra hybridized with ZZ Top at the beginning of their most commercial period. Blackmore's solo, with unexpected melodic overtones, sounds much like the homework done in an excellent way but without any momentum; Lord's short organ part only increases the regret for the past: we are more on the side of Steely Dan than on the wild rides of Manzarek and the Doors; times are changing, but a bit of nostalgia also comes now.

"Lady Double Dealer", after three pieces with a high glycemic rate, lifts the morale of the most rockers a bit; it is a robust hard rock with a fast and sustained performance. The refrain with the choirs and the strong melody is a counterbalance but is pleasant. Blackmore, evidently more at ease, plays a solo of his own, complete with a kitschy use of the vibrato lever as in the good old days of the Mk II. A beautiful sustained piece that in “Stormbringer” almost looks like a workhorse: in “Machine Head” it would probably have been a filler.

The next "You Can't Do It Right (With the One You Love)" returns to stepping on the accelerator pedal on the funk. The voices of Coverdale and Hughes alternate effectively and harmonize in the choruses of the chorus, the rhythm is sustained and the result is good. The missing Jon Lord returns to peep with a solo on the synthesizer that certainly does not leave its mark, while Blackmore - as in almost all funk episodes - is definitely out of sight.

"Highball Shooter" opens with a nice blues riff - a bit "Lazy" - and goes on sustained offering a fairly in-tone rehearsal with the more traditional Deep Purple and with the voices of Hughes and Coverdale alternating as always with effectiveness. In the middle of the piece, Lord's organ solo starts, heralded by Ian Paice's drum cut, and it really seems to be back in the good old days. Blackmore's guitar is in hiding a bit this time, however the piece is very successful.

The disc closes by regaining altitude with two beautiful ballads. The first is "The Gypsy", supported by a nice riff and a rocky rhythm that is the basis of an epic melody that recalls certain things from the early days of the band (the beautiful and unrecognized "Hallelujah").

The solo offers a rare Blackmore performance on the slide, where the guitarist doubles himself in overdub; nothing transcendental but evocative enough.

The closing of the disc is up to "Soldier of Fortune", a melancholy ballad with epic themes, unusual in the band's repertoire but curiously risen to a true cult object, covered by various bands, including Opeth and Whitesnake of Coverdale himself.

Opened by Blackmore's classical guitar, the song is sung in a painful and flawless way by Coverdale and perhaps owes something in terms of structure to the beautiful “Waiting Around to Die” by the great Townes Van Zandt, underrated folk artist.

The electric guitar part is very measured and perhaps leaves some regret for what could have been another "Child in Time", if not Deep Purple's "Stairway to Heaven".

In short, "Stormbringer" is a decent record, with some excellent songs and others that are decidedly forgettable, recorded by a group that by now could no longer make up for the too discordant yearnings of the various components with technique and craft. In the mid-seventies the English hard rock triangle, consisting of Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath, was practically dismantled. Page and Plant's group had moved on to increasingly complex and experimental records, perhaps unable to replicate the first four masterpieces; Black Sabbath were definitely turning to heavy metal.

Deep Purple - slaves to chronic internal problems - tried the key to funk, but the facts proved him wrong and, despite the good records, the band - after Bolin's death - will return to the studio only in 1984.

Andrea La Rovere - Musical Wave

Rod Stewart concert screening delights care home residents

STAFF and residents at a York care home have been rocking out to the greatest hits of Rod Stewart, in a specially planned concert that was particularly close to one resident’s heart.

Staff at Ebor Court discovered that 88-year-old resident, Dot Hudson, is a self-proclaimed super fan of the British rocker, but despite having all his records and being an avid collector of his memorabilia, she had never attended a concert.

Staff organised a concert for Mrs Hudson using a large cinema TV to screen one of Rod's performances at the Royal Albert Hall. Staff brought snacks and drinks including some of her favourite fizz to mark the special occasion.

Mrs Hudson said: "The staff here are absolutely fantastic and always go above and beyond to make residents dreams come true! I used to regret never going to a concert but now I can tick that off my list thanks to the team here at Ebor Court. I had a wonderful evening."

Rod Stewart in Celtic recovery roar as he writes off Rangers defeat with rousing Hotline return

Fraser Wilson takes your calls with Sir Rod first in line to have his say on the derby

Rod Stewart once sang I Don’t Want to Talk About It but the Celtic -daft rocker was only too keen to mull over his side’s derby disaster on a Hotline special.

Sir Rod is becoming a bit of a regular on the blower after big games and he was back yesterday to defend the Hoops despite Neil Lennon failing to get a tune out his depleted side on Saturday.

The Rock and Roll Hall of Famer still has Reason to Believe the champions will be back. But after Lennon fumed about his team being leaked ahead of kick off in the 2-0 defeat to Rangers it’ll be very much ‘You’re in my Heart, dig out the Mole’ at Parkhead this week.

Sir Rod was gracious as always in defeat when he said: “To my dear Rangers fans, top marks to the Gers on Saturday as you were by far the better team.

“But can you imagine your boys without Ryan Kent, Alfredo Morelos, Scott Arfield, Steve Davis, Connor Goldson and Glen Kamara? We were decimated. It’s not an excuse, just a fact. We’ll be back. Sir Rod.”

And just like that the great man was gone.

Which opened the door for one of the most heated Hotlines since … well the last Old Firm.

Robert Montgomery, Kirkconnel, kicked us off: “So Lennon thinks he has a double agent in his dressing room leaking his team sheet. All I can say to that is ‘ma mole’! Lennon picked that horrendous team so the blame lies directly with him and his backroom staff. Well done to Stevie Gerrard and his team who outplayed Celtic in every position except in goals where Allan McGregor could have put in for a rest day as he wasn't required.”

Jimmy Murray, Edinburgh, said: “Lennon now has his agent defending him on social media. Pathetic. He was totally outclassed by an under 19 year old coach is his first management job. Even Deila was man enough to put his hands up and admit he couldn’t do the job. Lennon is a total embarrassment to the club. But sadly when he is emptied he will be replaced by a guy who doesn’t have a clue and has crawled his way through the ranks since his 28-match career came to an end through injury.”

Roy Graham fumed: “There will be no 10 in a row as long as Lennon remains the manager at Celtic, he has to be removed now, supporters are going to have to act and protest to get him and his puppet master Lawwell out of the club. They are both taking Celtic backwards. Barkas is one of the worst goalkeepers ever at the club and bringing Duffy in on loan is proving to be a mistake, he cost Celtic against a poor Rangers team. But the all round Celtic performance should have Lennon hanging his head in shame.”

Gordon Ashley, Ayr, followed-up with: “As much as I love Lennon, I can’t argue with the fans who say he should go anymore. They have been proved right as he has had his pants pulled down three times by a rookie manager with a much smaller budget. Peter Lawell took a gamble with 10 in a row and he must now make the hard decision or the blame will lie with him.”

Eddie Easson, Ballingry, said: “Well done to Rangers, they wanted it more than Celtic. There is something seriously wrong at Celtic and it all goes back to earlier in the season when Lennon publicly slaughtered the team. He keeps on saying everything is rosy but obviously it is not. The supporters are starting to pick up on this and so too Dermot Desmond.”

And Stevie Delaney, St Andrews, mused: “Celtic were outmuscled, out thought and well beaten. Patryk Klimala is an imposter and Callum McGregor had his worst game in a Celtic jersey. The only positive for me was derby debutant Stephen Welsh.”

Dr Robert Pender took aim at the big guns in Hoops shirts. He slammed: “Celtic’s biggest problem is how Scott Brown slows the team down. His aggression is all mouth and Duffy the same. He played the occasion and not the game, shouting all week how he would be a leader but slow and ineffective.”

John Caw emailed: “It hurts me but well done Rangers. They beat the most lacklustre Celtic team I have ever had the misfortune to watch. No pace, nothing! And as for Ntcham, how this character gets a game is beyond me.”

Jack Armstrong, Bathgate, said: “Rangers played us off the park. The coaching at Celtic has never been the same since Damien Duffy left. I’ve never seen so many disjointed Celtic sides than I have in the past few months. Hopefully we get our mojo back as leagues aren't won in October.

Lewis Doyle, Limerick, added: “Again the Old Firm game showed the Celtic weakness. They lack creativeness and if the rest of the league get their teams to just sit in I’m afraid Celtic will be struggling for third spot unless there is a dramatic change in personnel at the club. Guys it pains me to say this: 10 will be gone.”

Lance Little, Erskine, isn’t concerned though. He said: “Here we go again. Rangers win at Parkhead and all of a sudden they are world beaters and will stop the 10. It'll be another false dawn and the pressure will be too much. They will start dropping points even earlier this season and league will be over by Christmas. This is how the story ends....again.”

But James Wilkie, Glenrothes, said: “Apparently Celtic were yet to find top gear - they found REVERSE at home and natural order was restored. Know your place 55 is coming and the bookies are rarely wrong.”

Andrew Lamb, Fraserburgh, added: “Looks like Lennon’s Invincibles aren't so invincible after all. Well done Rangers, especially big Connor Goldson, a colossus.”