Ropeadope

A longing and soulful track from Greg hester's upcoming release, written by Chris Unck of The Black Roses. Greg sings it like he means it and I for one believe it.

My favorite track from the new release... a beautiful and longing song.

The best love songs are about love lost. I rediscovered this gem recently; when I was 18 it was a good song. Now it's true. LOVE commands our lives when we have it, and even more so when we don't. In that way LOVE is never far from us. Happy V Day everyone.

Not too many bands can pull this off, and even fewer vocalists. Pearl Jam's cover of The Who song stays true to the original and makes it relevant to the sound of their era. Powerful.

Love Is Real. Real Is Love. A stripped down track reveals John's heart. I forever thank him for sharing his heart with the wiorld.

'People carry roses, and make promises by the hours... My Love she laughs like the flowers, Valentines can't buy her'

Dylan delivers nuggets like this and then confuses us in the next verse. He always leaves me thinking I am part of something better than myself. Genius.

Like the greats before him, Tupac Amaru Shakur connects LOVE as the solution to all suffering. Thise who know, know... But for those that don't know Tupac (that would be me) start here and understand.

Something about grey winter days makes me dust of the DJ Klock Vinyl and disappear into his world of musical exploration. Read all about Kato Ryo here, pick up the vinyl here.

Turn this one WAY up. A bit muddy in the mix, but just about the strongest song I've heard in a long time. I do believe he means it.

My first introduction to the glorious songwriting of Townes Van Zandt. Such an uplifiting song from a man who we view as tragic. This one sung beautifully by Margo Timmins of The Cowboy Junkies. 'We've all got holes to fill, and those holes are all that's real' Ain't that the truth?

This one is a dream for me - I've been a Bill Laswell fan forever, and to hear him work his magic on DJ logic's work is pure heaven. Good for those times when I need to depart the world and take a little vacation in my mind.

One of my favorite Sun Ra tracks. recorded in 1974, it sounds like it could be recorded at some distant date in the future. Sun Ra is still ahead of our time.

Man, what can you say about this. The Seventies have a sound, and this is not it. Yet I remember the day this record came out. David Bowie producing Lou Reed! We were flipping out. Get the record, sit down with your friends and let the needle hit the crackly groove. See what the world has to offer outside our home town. And oh what a groove. we didn't need to …

It's been a long time coming. Though it seems overdone to introduce a blues song with strings, Sam Cooke's voice and the beautifully written lyrics make this track shine. When you have the blues, the only place to look is up.

I was a big Dylan fan in the Seventies. Started listening in 1973 at the age of 12, so it's really strange when I miss a gem like this one. A quickly written song to address the issue, this track stands out for two reasons. First, it is straightforward with none of the quirky Dylan signatures, and second because it foreshadows the epic song 'Hurricane' and tells us for REAL …

Mickey and Sylvia had a great hit with this song, originally written by the incomparable Bo Diddley. I love the raw guitar and sexy vocals. The shocker for me is that Sylvia is none other than the founder of Sugar Hill Records, the spot in Jersey where Big Bank Hank brought the rhymes he stole from Grandmaster Caz. That track became 'Rappers Delight', and Hip Hop begain its rise based on …

In one track, Chrissie Hynde defines what rock should, no MUST be. Unabashed sexuality, raucous and yet perfectly in time. If this song does not make you move, I guarantee you are deceased. sorry about that, and good luck with the rivers of honey and the 72 virgins.

ahh, The Clash - what can you say about a band that forced their record label to put out a 3 LP set for $ 5.00? Fucking Brilliant.

In the ongoing war between rich and poor, the voice of the intelligent pauper is the strongest. I appreciate the Pete Seegers and Billy Braggs of the world, but you can feel their intellectual background at every turn. Not so with The Clash. …

Amen, Brother - the track responsible for what is now know as 'drum and bass' was a B side. This was the A side, and it was, is, and will forever be a hit in my book. To all the Dads out there who hold their real stories close and do what has to be done every day - thanks from Ropeadope, you embody the term 'Stand Strong'.

because they'll try anything. of course, as long as they can do a good drum or lead guitar intro to set the mood. Mick will sing any song, any genre, he just has no shame at all. and that's a good thing, because he knows what the fuck he is doing. this one is a seventies classic - they just had to have a go at the style i guess. sure, …

Feeling pretty sad today. looking at this broken world, the pieces of a life that doesn't make much sense anymore. What were those dreams, just illusions? Oil in the water, humans crying for revenge while sucking up energy with their big cars and little gadgets. I cue up this track - 'the birds they sing, at the break of day. Start again, I seem to hear them say'. And I pull …

"I know everyone would want me to say that I'm not afraid to be alone/ I'm gonna live I'm alright, I'm gonna die it's alright I'm okay".  Everyone keeps talking about this album and it is for good reason.  I hold a special place in my heart for these guys, growing up listening to them when I was 14 or 15, they grew up in the town down the …

When the 'Some Girls' Record came out, The Stones were under great pressure to perform. Sid and Johnny had proclaimed them dead - 'your Dad's rock & roll' was the derogatory term used. Well, Keith and Mick not only kicked ass and took names - they released an album of all singles. Seriously, almost every track on the record makes you think - 'this one is the hit!'. But this track …

From the first note you are hooked. The recording is perfect; space, contrast, a beat that won't quit. The vocals have the edge that pop music so desperately needed to sound legit. And the words, the words! The expression of confidence and rejection of love that defined The Stones for then and for ever. Every man wants to be singing this song. This is The Rolling Stones in 1967, as pure …

Well, not yet. but it's gonna be hot this weekend on the east coast USA and we are more than ready for it. It's been a beautiful spring, and we all need to know that in the cosmic timeline, it's summertime.