CNN asks "Can Led Zeppelin still rock?" Did you have any doubts?

The surviving 3 members of legendary rock group Led Zeppelin reunited for a one-time gig on December 10.

To ask if the founders of the hard rock can still rock, as CNN just did yesterday, shows a lack of understanding of what the music is all about. If you had any doubts, check the BBC coverage of the concert: Zeppelin wow their fans at gig (video).


WSJ video: Song remains the same

"As soon as the tickets went on sale -- for £125 ($253.50) -- fans rushed to get their hands on one. In total 11 million people signed up for the chance to see the reunion gig but only 18,000 were the lucky ones."

"The concert web site exceeded its bandwidth allowance and crashed almost immediately following the announcement, with the promoter predicting that the gig would cause the "largest demand for one show in history", due to the ticket request site receiving one billion page impressions."

For the record, I like Deep Purple better but Led Zeppelin are truly the epitome of a rock band. Here is the link to an interview with Roger Glover, the bassist of Purple.



If you think that this post is off-topic, think again. One of the best orthopedic surgeons at Cleveland Clinic, Viktor Krebs, seems to be the fan of rock music too:



References:
Can Led Zeppelin still rock? CNN.
Legendary Led Zeppelin feels a whole lotta love. USA Today.
Music Review: Led Zeppelin Finds Its Old Power. NYTimes.
Music in the OR? For Cleveland Clinic Surgeons, It's Not Just Mozart.
Zep lover 'will rule Russia.' The Sun, 12/2007.
A day in the life of a touring musician - Roger Glover from Deep Purple http://goo.gl/69yMx

Water: Bulgarian Entry in Eurovision 2007 Song Contest

From Wikipedia:

"Water" is a song by Elitsa Todorova & Stoyan Yankoulov which represents Bulgaria and opened the Eurovision Song Contest on 10th May, 2007. The song has drum beats, and two percussionists sing and play their percussion instruments at the same time. Elitsa's deep-toned voice is telling the dramatic story of Bulgarian folklore.

The singers explain the title: "Our folklore is like water. We've chosen this title "Water", because in Bulgarian folklore there are very slow beautiful songs, which are like a lake. But we also have songs, with very fast rhythm which are like a waterfall. And my wish is this song to be like "Water", a gasp of fresh air, for the human spirit and soul. When we recorded the promo video of this song, they poured lots of rain on us, and I felt purified. I want everyone, who hears this song to feel the same way - liberated. This is a very positive song! I'm sure that people will feel it!"

Elitsa Todorova and Stoyan Yankoulov in 2012:



References:

Voda, from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

James Brown, 'the Godfather of Soul', Died Early Today

From Wikipedia:

"James Joseph (May 3, 1933 – December 25, 2006), also known as The Godfather of Soul, was an African American entertainer who was recognized as one of the most influential figures in 20th century music.

Brown was admitted to the Emory Crawford Long Hospital in Atlanta, Georgia on December 24, 2006 after a dentist visit where he was found to have severe pneumonia. Brown died the next day on December 25, 2006, around 1:45 a.m. at the age of 73.

Frank Copsidas of Intrigue Music said the cause of death was uncertain. "We really don't know at this point what he died of," he said."

According to eMedicine: "Pneumonia is the 6th leading cause of death in the U.S. and is the most common infectious cause of death. The mortality rate is reported to be 1% in the outpatient setting but may increase to up to 25% in those requiring hospital admission."

James Brown "was renowned for his shouting vocals, feverish dancing and unique rhythmic style." (Wkipedia). Many videos showing memorable James Brown's performances during the years are uploaded to YouTube. There are also several hundreds photos on Flickr. Motocchio described what it felt to be at a James Brown concert:

"Tonight turned to be one of the most special nights in my life.... Marco and i went to JB's concert tonight!

he's 73 years old. but he's still damn good, and the concert was one perfect entertainment show. and, his charisma... when he appeared on the stage, everybody got crazy and screamed.... including us. when he was singing "it's a man's man's man's world," i understood very very well why bruce brothers got enlightened by a church minister played by him... his music really touches people's soul. he's truly the king of soul.


James Brown & Pavarotti

References:
James Brown, from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Pneumonia, Bacterial. eMedicine.
James Brown, the 'Godfather of Soul,' dies at 73. CNN.
James Brown RIP: Jump Back, Jack, See You Later, Alligator. Steve Anderson.
Image source: James Brown performs at the Yunfeng Theater in Shanghai. Licensed under Creative Commons.

Updated: 12/01/2007