The Cars - Bye Bye Love - Guitar Cover

A cover version of "Bye Bye Love'" by The Cars featuring a backing track with vocals, keyboards, bass guitar, and drums provided by http://guitarbackingtrack.com. The video includes two guitars, with the second guitar entering for the guitar solo towards the end of the song. Both guitars are recorded and played by Alexander Schwartz. All lyrics and music written by Ric Ocasek.

"Bye Bye Love" is the seventh track from The Cars' self-titled debut studio album, which was released on June 6, 1978. The album reached #18 on the "U.S. Billboard 200 Chart," and has been certified 6x Platinum in the United States by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).

Please note that the song cover is not intended to be exactly note for note. These videos are recorded for fun and personal artistic expression. Both videos were recorded via a Nady SP-5 USB Microphone plugged into a MacBook Pro and edited with iMovie. The guitar featured in both videos are a Samick Avion AV6 Greg Bennett Design Electric Guitar played through a Marshall DSL15H/MX-212 Tube Amplifier.

via (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8DcAzKWaXhk)

The Best Rock Albums of 2010

Today's post in 50 Years of Music, a section of my blog devoted to the best rock albums of the past fifty years, will include the best albums of 2010. I have covered 44 years of music in other posts (1965-2009), which can be found by typing the year into the search bar at the top of my blog. Each post in 50 Years of Music is updated frequently, with new albums recommended by readers added to the posts. What's your favorite?

• Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers- Mojo
• Ringo Starr- Y Not
• Foghat- Last Train Home
• Kings of Leon- Come Around Sundown
• Linkin Park- A Thousand Suns
• Papa Roach- Time for Annihilation
• John Mellencamp- No Better Than This
• Kid Rock- Born Free
• Neil Young- Le Noise
• Stone Temple Pilots- Stone Temple Pilots
• Disturbed- Asylum

Avenged Sevenfold- Nightmare

Nightmare is the fifth studio album by the American heavy metal group Avenged Sevenfold released on July 27, 2010. The album reached #1 on the U.S. Billboard 200 Chart and #5 on the UK Albums Chart, and has been certified Gold in the United States by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).

 

Nightmare includes four singles-- "Nightmare," "Welcome to the Family," "So Far Away," and "Buried Alive." Other notable songs on the album include: "Danger Line," "Victim," "Fiction," and "Save Me."

 

Notable of the album is that it is the first Avenged Sevenfold album without drummer James "The Rev" Sullivan, who died in December 2009. Sullivan wrote parts for Nightmare that were used in the final recordings, making it the final album to feature Sullivan's works.  

 

Former Dream Theater drummer Mike Portnoy was hired to play drums for Nightmare and the band's tour supporting the album, due to Portnoy's separation at the time with Dream Theater. Following the departure of Mike Portnoy, Arin Ilejay became Avenged Sevenfold's new drummer. Ilejay remained with the group for four years until his dismissal in 2015, and is featured on the group's sixth studio album Hail to the King, which was released in 2013.  

 

Nightmare has sold 818,000 copies in the United States as of May 2014 according to the RIAA.

 

Alexander Schwartz - JPageFan71

The Antagonists

 

http://jpagefan71.blogspot.com 

http://www.youtube.com/user/JPageFan71 

The Best Rock Albums of 2009

Today's post in 50 Years of Music, a section of my blog devoted to the best rock albums of the past fifty years, will include the best albums of 2009. I have covered 43 years of music in other posts (1965-2008), which can be found by typing the year into the search bar at the top of my blog. Each post in 50 Years of Music is updated frequently, with new albums recommended by readers added to the posts. What's your favorite?

• KISS- Sonic Boom
• Tom Petty- The Live Anthology
• Megadeth- Endgame
• Pearl Jam- Backspacer
• Chevelle- Sci-Fi Crimes
• Them Crooked Vultures- Them Crooked Vultures
• The Black Crowes- Before the Frost...Until the Freeze
• Alice in Chains- Black Gives Way to Blue
• U2- No Line on the Horizon
• Green Day- 21st Century Breakdown
• Bon Jovi- The Circle

Chickenfoot- Chickenfoot (2009)

Chickenfoot is the debut studio album by the American Rock super-group Chickenfoot released on June 5, 2009. The album reached #4 on the U.S. Billboard 200 Chart, as well as charting again in 2011 after Chickenfoot's second album, Chickenfoot III, was released. Chickenfoot charted at #112 on the U.S. Billboard 200 Chart in 2011. The album has been certified Gold in both the United States and Canada.

The album includes three singles-- "Oh Yeah," "Soap on a Rope," and "Down the Drain." Other notable songs from the album include: "Sexy Little Thing," "Runnin' Out," "Get It Up," and "My Kinda Girl." The first two singles-- "Oh Yeah" and "Soap on a Rope," were commercial hits for the band and received much radio airplay on United States radio stations.

Notable of the album is that it was released by a super-group, meaning that the members of Chickenfoot had gained substantial popularity with other bands before joining Chickenfoot. Sammy Hagar (lead vocals and rhythm guitar) was formerly of the bands Montrose and Van Halen, as well as having a successful solo career of his own. Michael Anthony (bass guitar and backing vocals) is formerly of Van Halen as well. Joe Satriani (lead guitar and keyboards) is known for his successful solo career, and drummer Chad Smith was formerly the drummer for the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

Also notable of the album is that the first pressing of the album was packaged with "heat-sensitive" artwork that reveals an image when touched or exposed to heat above 84 degrees Farenheit (approximately 29 degrees Celsius). When below 84 degrees Farenheit, the album cover appears as shown above. When above 84 degrees, the album cover shows the logo with four square zones, with each band member in each square zone.

Alexander Schwartz - JPageFan71

The Antagonists

http://jpagefan71.blogspot.com

http://www.youtube.com/user/JPageFan71

The Best Rock Albums of 2008

Today's post in 50 Years of Music, a section of my blog devoted to the best Rock albums of the past fifty years, will include the best albums of 2008. I have covered 42 years of music in other posts (1965-2007), and the posts can be found by typing the year into the search bar at the top of my blog. Each post in 50 Years of Music is updated frequently, with new albums recommended by readers added to the posts. What's your favorite?

• Metallica- Death Magnetic
• Mudcrutch- Mudcrutch
• Guns N' Roses- Chinese Democracy
• Airbourne- Airbourne
• The Black Crowes- Warpaint
• Alice Cooper- Along Came a Spider
• Mötley Crüe- Saints of Los Angeles
• Queen & Paul Rodgers- The Cosmos Rocks
• Motorhead- Motorizer
• John Mellencamp- Life, Death, Love, & Freedom
• Bob Dylan- Tell Tale Signs: The Bootleg Series Vol. 8
• Coldplay- Viva la Viva or Death and All His Friends
• The Dandy Warhols- ...Earth to the Dandy Warhols...
• Def Leppard- Songs from the Sparkle Lounge
• The B-52's- Funplex
• Ringo Starr- Liverpool 8 
• Todd Rundgren- Arena 
• Dokken- Lightning Strikes Again

AC/DC- Black Ice (2008)

Black Ice is the fourteenth internationally released studio album by the Australian rock group AC/DC, which was released on October 17, 2008. The album reached #1 in multiple countries, including: the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, and Canada. The album has been certified 2x Platinum in the United States (2,000,000 units sold), Platinum in the United Kingdom, and 5x Platinum in Canada.

Black Ice includes four singles-- "Rock 'n' Roll Train," "Big Jack," "Anything Goes," and Money Made." Other notable songs on the album include: "Skies on Fire," "War Machine," and "Rock 'n' Roll Dream."

Notable of the album is that it is the final AC/DC studio album to feature Rhythm guitarist Malcolm Young, Lead guitarist Angus Young's brother, who left the band in September 2014 after being diagnosed with dementia. Recording for the album began five years before its release in 2008, but was delayed due to the band's record label change to Columbia Records, and because of an injury to bassist Cliff Williams' hand, which prevented Williams from playing bass guitar for 18 months.

The song "War Machine" from the album won the Best Hard Rock Performance category Award at the 2008 Grammys. Also, Black Ice was the second best album of 2008 after Coldplay's Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends.

Alexander Schwartz - JPageFan71

The Antagonists

https://jpagefan71.blogspot.com

https://www.youtube.com/user/JPageFan71

The Best Rock Albums of 2007

Today's post in 50 Years of Music, a section of my blog devoted to the best rock albums of the past fifty years, will include the best albums of 2007. I have covered 41 years of music in other posts (1965-2006), which can be found by typing the year into the search bar at the top of my blog. Each post in 50 Years of Music is updated frequently, with new albums recommended by readers added to the posts. What's your favorite?

• Avenged Sevenfold- Avenged Sevenfold
• Foo Fighters- Echoes, Silence, Patience, & Grace
• Robert Plant & Alison Krauss- Raising Sand
• Paul McCartney- Memory Almost Full
• John Fogerty- Revival
• Eagles- Long Road Out of Eden
• Linkin Park- Minutes to Midnight
• Bruce Springsteen- Magic
• Kings of Leon- Because of the Times
• The White Stripes- Icky Thump
• Foghat- Live II (Live Album)
• Arcade Fire- Neon Bible
• Kid Rock- Rock n Roll Jesus 
• Ted Nugent- Love Grenade 
• Bon Jovi- Lost Highway

Rush- Snakes & Arrows (2007)

Snakes & Arrows is the nineteenth studio album by the Canadian rock group Rush released on May 1, 2007. The album reached #3 on the U.S. Billboard 200 Chart and has been certified Gold in Canada.

Snakes & Arrows includes four singles-- "Far Cry," "Spindrift," "The Larger Bowl," and "Workin' Them Angels." The first single, "Far Cry," reached #22 on the U.S. Mainstream Rock Chart, and "Workin' Them Angels" charted at #30 on the same chart.

Notable of the album is that David Gilmour, guitarist and vocalist for Pink Floyd, is credited in the album's liner notes because he influenced Rush guitarist Alex Lifeson to write much of the guitar parts on the album on an acoustic guitar first instead of on an electric guitar, according to a September 2007 interview with Lifeson in Guitar Player Magazine. 

Also, much of the inspiration for the lyrics and lyrical themes found in the album were largely written during Rush drummer Neil Peart's cross-country trip on motorcycle across the United States, who has been the main song lyric writer on previous Rush albums. Much of the music found on the album was written at jam sessions with bassist/vocalist Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson, with Peart collaborating over the internet for some of the writing and recording of the album from his home in California. Many Rush albums both past and present have been largely written musically using the "jamming" method between Lee and Lifeson, where the two would get together in their homes in Toronto, Canada, and start jamming and piecing their individual pieces of compositions together to form songs.

Alexander Schwartz - JPageFan71

The Antagonists

https://jpagefan71.blogspot.com

https://www.youtube.com/user/JPageFan71

The Best Rock Albums of 2006

Today's post in 50 Years of Music, a section of my blog devoted to the best rock albums of the past fifty years, will include the best albums of 2006. I have covered 40 years of music in other posts (1965-2005), which can be found by typing the year into the search bar at the top of my blog. Each post in 50 Years of Music is updated frequently, with new albums recommended by readers added to the posts. What's your favorite?

• Tool- 10,000 Days
• Bob Dylan- Modern Times
• Arctic Monkeys- Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not
• Mastodon- Blood Mountain
• Muse- Black Holes and Revelations
• Def Leppard- Yeah!
• Sonic Youth- Rather Ripped
• Red Hot Chili Peppers- Stadium Arcadium
• Phoenix- It's Never Been Like That
• Wolfmother- Dimensions
• The Killers- Sam's Town
• John Mayer- Continuum
• Snow Patrol- Eyes Open

The Beatles- Love

Love is a soundtrack remix album of music recorded by The Beatles released on November 20, 2006. The album reached #4 on the U.S. Billboard 200 Chart and #3 on the UK Albums Chart. The album has been certified 2x Platinum in both the United Kingdom and the United States.

Since Love is a remix album, no singles of original content were released from the album. However, the album contains 26 songs of popular Beatles' tunes produced by The Beatles' original producer George Martin and his son, Giles Martin. George Martin assembled over 100 clips to be used for Love, which altogether contains elements from approximately 130 commercially released and demo recordings of The Beatles. Many of the songs on the album are a mashup-- a complex remix and polymix of multiple elements of different songs in one song.

Notable of the album is that the idea for Love being used as a Cirque du Soleil production had originated from Beatles' guitarist George Harrison, who died in 2001, through his friendship with the theater company's founder, Guy Laliberté. George Martin and his son began work on the album after obtaining permission Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Yoko Ono, and Olivia Harrison (the latter two being the representatives of John Lennon and George Harrison's estates). 

Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr, the two surviving members of The Beatles, have commented very positively on the album since its release. In previous interviews, McCartney and Starr have made the following statements: "This album puts The Beatles back together again, because there's suddenly John and George with me and Ringo again" (McCartney). "[This album] is really powerful for me and I even heard things I'd forgotten we recorded" (Starr).

Alexander Schwartz - JPageFan71

The Antagonists

https://jpagefan71.blogspot.com

https://www.youtube.com/user/JPageFan71

New Album Update [The Antagonists - Eclipse]

In 2009 I recorded two guitar instrumental albums under the nickname Zander Schwartz, which can be found on my YouTube channel by clicking the link to the channel in the signature of any blog post. Over the past couple of months, I have been recording and writing my first new album to be released in six years and under a new band name-- The Antagonists.

The Antagonists, a British and American-influenced one-man Rock band from Kentucky, are the sounds of Alexander Schwartz who writes, plays, and produces the music. The Antagonists' debut album, titled Eclipse, is scheduled for release in full by the end of 2016, with several instrumental versions of the songs anticipated for release before then that will be uploaded to JPageFan71's YouTube channel. The album will be the first album by Alexander Schwartz to include a full band of vocals, guitars, bass guitar, and drums.

The Antagonists' first instrumental single, titled "Stone Cold Rock," is now available on YouTube, and you can watch it by clicking the link below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPUm8LZ2XtI 


Recently, I have been working on writing and recording new songs for Eclipse, as well the writing of new song lyrics for the album. One new song, titled "Space Trippin'," has been finalized in its instrumental form and will be uploaded to YouTube within the next couple of weeks. Another song, titled "Lunar Supported Design," is currently in the writing and recording stages, and will be uploaded shortly after "Space Trippin'."

The video for "Space Trippin'" will include two videos in one video, similar to my previous YouTube uploads. One video will display the lead guitar, and the PIP (picture-in-picture) will show the bass guitar for the song. Two additional guitar audio tracks and a drum track will also be provided as audio tracks.

"Lunar Supported Design" will also include two videos in one video, with one video displaying the lead guitar and the PIP showing the bass guitar. Two additional guitar audio tracks and a drum track will be provided for "Lunar Supported Design" as well.

Make sure to check back soon for more album-related updates and posts in 50 Years Of Music, a section of my blog devoted to the best rock albums of the past fifty years. 40 years of great music (1965-2005) are currently available through previous posts, and can be found by simply using the search bar at the top of my Blog.

This is one band that won't be breaking up anytime soon. As always, thank you for reading and watching!


Alexander Schwartz - JPageFan71
The Antagonists

https://jpagefan71.blogspot.com 
https://www.youtube.com/user/JPageFan71

The Best Rock Albums of 2005

Today's post in 50 Years of Music, a section of my blog devoted to the best rock albums of the past fifty years, will include the best albums of 2005. I have covered 39 years of music in other posts (1965-2004), which can be found by typing the year into the search bar at the top of my blog. Each post in 50 Years of Music is updated frequently, with new albums recommended by readers added to the posts. What's your favorite?

• Avenged Sevenfold- City of Evil
• Buckcherry- 15
• Theory of a Deadman- Gasoline
• Foo Fighters- In Your Honor
• Coldplay- X&Y
• The White Stripes- Get Behind Me Satan
• Bon Jovi- Have a Nice Day
• Weezer- Make Believe
• The Rolling Stones- A Bigger Bang
• The Dandy Warhols- Odditorium or Warlords of Mars
• Oasis- Don't Believe the Truth
• Bob Dylan- The Bootleg Series, Volume 7: No Direction Home: The Soundtrack
• Paul McCartney- Chaos and Creation in the Backyard 
• Ringo Starr- Choose Love
• Nickelback- All the Right Reasons 

3 Doors Down- Seventeen Days (2005)

Seventeen Days is the third studio album by the American rock group 3 Doors Down released on February 8, 2005. The album reached #1 on the U.S. Billboard 200 Chart and was released exactly five years after the group's debut studio album titled The Better Life, which was released on February 8, 2000. The album has been certified Platinum in the United States by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).

Seventeen Days includes five singles-- "Let Me Go," "Behind Those Eyes," "Live for Today," "Here by Me," and "Landing in London." Other notable songs on the album include: "Right Where I Belong," "The Real Life," and "It's Not Me."

Notable of the album is that rock musician Bob Seger is featured in the song "Landing in London," on which Seger sings a duet with lead singer Brad Arnold of 3 Doors Down. Also, many fans believe that the album titled was chosen because Seventeen Days was recorded in just 17 days, but this is not the case. According to the band, the group only had 17 days off from the end of their Away from the Sun tour before they were back in the studio to work on their third album. Seventeen Days is also the last 3 Doors Down album to feature drummer Daniel Adair, who left the band to join the American rock group Nickelback.

Alexander Schwartz - JPageFan71

 The Antagonists

https://jpagefan71.blogspot.com 

https://www.youtube.com/user/JPageFan71 

KISS - Christine Sixteen - Guitar Cover

Provided below is a guitar cover video of the rock song "Christine Sixteen" by Kiss, from the band's 1977 album titled Love Gun. The video features two guitars-- the rhythm guitar is the PIP (picture-in-picture), and the lead guitar is the main video. An audio backing track with vocals, bass guitar, and drums is also provided via http://guitarbackingtrack.com

Check it out and subscribe to my channel on YouTube for new song covers and original songs posted every week!

via (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sOLFGE7ileY)

KISS - Calling Dr. Love - Guitar Cover

Provided below is a guitar cover video of the rock song "Calling Dr. Love" by Kiss, from the 1976 album titled Rock and Roll Over. The video features two guitars-- the rhythm guitar is the PIP (picture-in-picture), and the lead guitar is the main video which also includes the guitar solo. An audio backing track with vocals, bass guitar, and drums is also provided via http://guitarbackingtrack.com

Check it out and subscribe to my channel on YouTube for new song covers and original songs posted every week!

via (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CtqZXUJ1flA)

The Best Rock Albums of 2004

Today's post in 50 Years of Music, a section of my blog devoted to the best Rock albums of the past fifty years, will include the best albums of 2004. I have covered 38 years of music in other posts (1965-2003), and the posts can be found by typing the year into the search bar at the top of my blog. Each post in 50 Years of Music is updated frequently, with new albums recommended by readers added to the posts. What's your favorite?

• U2- How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb
• Rush- Feedback
• Green Day- American Idiot
• Jimmy Page- No Quarter (Live Album)
• Arcade Fire- Funeral
• The Killers- Hot Fuss
• Franz Ferdinand- Franz Ferdinand
• Kings of Leon- Aha Shake Heartbreak
• The Black Keys- Rubber Factory
• Jimmy Eat World- Futures
• Slipknot- Vol 3: (The Subliminal Verses)
• Todd Rundgren- Liars

Velvet Revolver- Contraband (2004)

Contraband is the debut studio album by American rock super-group Velvet Revolver released on June 8, 2004. The album was a commercial success, reaching #1 on the U.S. Billboard 200 Chart. The album has also been certified 4x Platinum in the United States by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).

The album includes three singles-- "Slither," "Fall to Pieces," and "Dirty Little Thing." The first two singles charted in the top 100 of the Billboard Hot 100 Charts, as well as reaching #1 and #2 on the Mainstream Rock Charts, which calculates ranking of songs based on radio airplay. Other notable songs on the album include: "Sucker Train Blues," "Big Machine," "Superhuman," and "You Got No Right."

Notable of the album is that it was released by a super-group, meaning that the members of the band had already gained substantial popularity due to their association with other rock groups. Scott Weiland, formerly of Stone Temple Pilots, is credited for lead vocals on Contraband. Also, three former members from Guns 'N Roses are featured on the album-- lead guitarist Slash; bassist Duff McKagan; and drummer Matt Sorum, who became Steven Alder's replacement in Guns 'N Roses and recorded three albums with the group. 

Dave Kushner, who plays rhythm guitar on Contraband, is most known as a former member of Wasted Youth, Electric Love Hogs, Danzig, Loaded, and side projects with members from Jane's Addiction and Scars on Broadway. Kushner is also known for writing and composing music for film and television, most notably the theme song of the American TV series Sons of Anarchy, titled "This Life," of which he received an Emmy Award for in 2009.

Alexander Schwartz - JPageFan71

The Antagonists

https://jpagefan71.blogspot.com

https://www.youtube.com/user/JPageFan71

Check out a New Original Song!

The Antagonists, a British and American-influenced Rock band from Kentucky, are the sounds of Alexander Schwartz, who writes, plays, and produces the music. 

Provided below is an instrumental version of "Stone Cold Rock," which is the first song by The Antagonists. Alexander Schwartz formerly released two guitar instrumental albums in 2009, under the nickname Zander Schwartz. The albums are titled Official Schwartz and The Man, The Myth, The Legend, and can be found on JPageFan71's YouTube channel.

"Stone Cold Rock" is to be included in the release of The Antagonists' debut album Eclipse, with the addition of vocals. Eclipse will be made available for download by the end of 2016, with several instrumental versions of songs from the album scheduled for release before then.

The video includes two instruments in one video, similar to my previous song cover uploads with a PIP (picture-in-picture). The main video is the lead guitar, the PIP is the bass guitar, and drums are provided through an audio track.


Check it out and let me know what you think!

via (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPUm8LZ2XtI)

The Best Rock Albums of 2003

Today's post in 50 Years of Music, a section of my blog devoted to the best rock albums of the past fifty years, will include the best albums of 2003. I have covered 37 years of music in other posts (1965-2002), which can be found by typing the year into the search bar at the top of my blog. Each post in 50 Years of Music is updated frequently, with new albums recommended by readers added to the posts. What's your favorite?

• The Dandy Warhols- Welcome to the Monkey House
• Avenged Sevenfold- Waking the Fallen
• The White Stripes- Elephant
• Muse- Absolution
• Radiohead- Hail to the Thief
• Kings of Leon- Youth & Young Manhood
• Blink-182- Blink-182
• Evanesence- Fallen
• Switchfoot- The Beautiful Letdown
• The Black Keys- Thickfreakness
• The Beatles- Let It Be... Naked
• Led Zeppelin- How the West was Won (Live Album) 
• Ringo Starr- Ringo Rama
• Foghat- Family Joules 
• Nickelback- The Long Road 

Linkin Park- Meteora (2003)

Meteora is the second studio by American rock group Linkin Park released on March 25, 2003. The album reached #1 on both the U.S. Billboard 200 Chart and the UK Albums Chart, and was a commercial success for the band internationally. The album has been certified 6x Platinum in the United States, 4x Platinum in Canada, and 2x Platinum in the United Kingdom.

Meteora includes five singles-- "Somewhere I Belong," "Faint," "Numb," "From the Inside," and "Breaking the Habit." All singles except "From the Inside" charted in the top 50 on the U.S. Billboard 200 Chart. "Somewhere I Belong" reached #32 on the Billboard, "Faint" reached #48, "Numb" climbed to #11, and "Breaking the Habit" made it to #20 on the chart.

Notable of the album is that it is the most successful album in the history of the U.S. Alternative Songs Chart, a chart that specializes in radio play of alternative songs. Also notable of Meteora is that it has sold 20 million copies internationally, and the song "Session" from the album was nominated for the 2004 Grammy Award for Best Rock Instrumental Performance, only to lose to Jeff Beck's "Plan B." Linkin Park retained a similar sound on Meteora as they did on their debut studio album released in 2000, titled Hybrid Theory, which helped to build an even larger fan-base for the group not only in the United States, but around the world.

Alexander Schwartz - JPageFan71

The Antagonists

https://jpagefan71.blogspot.com

https://www.youtube.com/user/JPageFan71

Suggestions and Feedback - Your Opinion Matters!

Welcome to the Blog of JPageFan71. This is a British and American-influenced Blog about Guitar and Music featuring the best albums of the past fifty years for Rock music; original songs, lyrics, and compositions; song covers; YouTube videos; and more!

Two months ago, I started this Blog and have been uploading new videos to YouTube since, as well as participating on various social media platforms, such as: Google+, Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, Reddit, Digg, Scoop.it, Triberr, and more. Forgive me if anything I post seems of amateur quality, I am still relatively new to all of this and slowly getting better with time (hopefully).

A big thank you goes to all new and returning viewers! Without you, none of this would be possible. You all are the people who have helped me to reach over 7,000 views on Blogger, 12,000 on Google+, and who have helped me to achieve a steadily rising fan-base on YouTube with almost 1,000 Channel Views and 17 Subscribers.

I would like your suggestions and input for future Blog posts and YouTube video uploads! Check out the bulleted list below for a good starting point. Of course, the suggestions do not have to be limited to what is listed below-- the list is merely a starting point to help you all decide.

• What are some topics you would like me to cover on my Blog for future posts? How can I improve what I am doing on either Blogger/YouTube, or both? What are some song covers that you would like to see uploaded to my YouTube in the future?

To leave your suggestions and input, you can leave a comment below or send an e-mail to:

alexanderschwartz94@gmail.com

Thank you for taking the time to read and I hope to hear from you all soon to make things more viewer-friendly.


Alexander Schwartz - JPageFan71
The Antagonists

http://jpagefan71.blogspot.com
https://www.youtube.com/user/JPageFan71

The Best Rock Albums of 2002

Today's post in 50 Years of Music, a section of my blog devoted to the best rock albums of the past fifty years, will include the best albums of 2002. I have covered 36 years of music in other posts (1965-2001), which can be found by typing the year into the search bar at the top of my blog. Each post in 50 Years of Music is updated frequently, with new albums recommended by readers added to the posts. What's your favorite?

• Foo Fighters- One by One
• 3 Doors Down- Away From the Sun
• Red Hot Chili Peppers- By the Way
• Rush- Vapor Trails 
• George Harrison- Brainwashed 
• Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers- The Last DJ 
• Def Leppard- X
• The Flaming Lips- Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots
• Coldplay- A Rush of Blood to the Head
• Bruce Springsteen- The Rising
• Bon Jovi- Bounce
• Audioslave- Audioslave
• Oasis- Heathen Chemistry
• The Rolling Stones- Forty Licks (Compilation)
• David Bowie- Heathen
• System of a Down- Steal This Album!
• Ted Nugent- Craveman

Queens of the Stone Age- Songs for the Deaf (2002)

Songs for the Deaf is the third studio album by American rock group Queens of the Stone Age released on August 27, 2002. The album has been certified Gold in the United States and charted at #17 on the U.S. Billboard 200 Charts, as well as reaching #4 on the UK Albums Chart.

Songs for the Deaf includes three singles-- "No One Knows," "Go With the Flow," and "First It Giveth." The first two singles both charted on the U.S. Mainstream Rock Chart at #5 and #24, respectively, becoming big hits for the band. "First It Giveth" failed to chart in the United States, but was a success in the United Kingdom where it reached #33 on the UK Singles Chart.

Notable of the album is that it features Foo Fighters and former Nirvana member Dave Grohl as a guest drummer. Also, the album has been loosely considered a concept album-- taking the listener for a drive through the California desert from Los Angeles to Joshua Tree while listening to radio stations from towns along the way. Songs for the Deaf also includes a significantly large number of other guests musicians besides Dave Grohl, as the group had done on their two previous studio albums.

Alexander Schwartz - JPageFan71

The Antagonists

http://jpagefan71.blogspot.com

http://www.youtube.com/user/JPageFan71

New Album Update and Band Name

For anyone who has visited my YouTube channel, I have previously released and uploaded two guitar instrumental albums in 2009 under the band name Zander Schwartz, titled Official Schwartz and The Man, The Myth, The Legend. I will admit, these are amateur quality albums that were written and recorded within my first year of guitar playing. I also re-mastered one of the songs from The Man, The Myth, The Legend in 2011, with the inclusion of drums and bass guitar. I have not released any new material in four years.

However, I have taught myself how to customize and program drum tracks in GarageBand, which I will be using extensively with the new album for a much more high quality and diverse sound. I have also changed my band name permanently from Zander Schwartz to The Antagonists (not to be confused with the American metal-core band Antagonist).

All future original songs and compositions will be released under the name The Antagonists. My first original song released in four years will be uploaded to YouTube sometime this week, titled "Stone Cold Rock."

"Stone Cold Rock" will include a video featuring lead guitar, bass guitar, and drums, similar to my previous uploads on YouTube where I have used a PIP (picture-in-picture) to show two instruments in one video. "Stone Cold Rock" will also feature an original guitar solo where I will use a Wah Pedal for the first time in a YouTube video, and it will be my first video where I show the Bass Guitar.

In the meantime, check out some of my guitar covers and original compositions on YouTube, with two uploaded over the weekend. This is one band that won't be breaking up anytime soon!


Alexander Schwartz
The Antagonists

https://jpagefan71.blogspot.com 
https://www.youtube.com/user/JPageFan71

Billy Squier - The Stroke - Guitar Cover HQ

A guitar cover of "The Stroke" by Billy Squier, from his 1981 album titled Don't Say No. Check it out and Subscribe to my channel on YouTube if you haven't already for new videos every week, including a new original song titled "Stone Cold Rock" that will be made available soon!

via (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0yXmFTu867Y)

The Best Rock Albums of 2001

Today's post in 50 Years of Music, a section of my blog devoted to the best rock albums of the past fifty years, will include the best albums of 2001. I have covered 35 years of music in other posts (1965-2000), which can be found by typing the year into the search bar at the top of my blog. Each post in 50 Years of Music is updated frequently, with new albums recommended by readers added to the posts. What's your favorite?

• R.E.M.- Reveal
• P.O.D.- Satellite
• Avenged Sevenfold- Sounding the Seventh Trumpet
• Weezer- Weezer 
• Buckcherry- Time Bomb
• The Strokes- Is This It
• Paul McCartney- Driving Rain
• System Of A Down- Toxicity
• The Go-Go's- God Bless the Go-Go's 
• Jimmy Eat World- Bleed American
• Gorillaz- Gorillaz
• Radiohead- Amnesiac
• John Mayer- Room for Squares
• Buddy Guy- Sweet Tea
• Kid Rock- Cocky
• Nickelback- Silver Side Up

Bob Dylan- "Love and Theft" (2001)

"Love and Theft" is the thirty-first studio album by American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan released on September 11, 2001. The album has been certified Gold in the United States and reached #5 on the U.S. Billboard 200 Chart.

The album included no singles upon its release, but contains popular tracks including: "Tweedle Dee & Tweedle Dum," "Mississippi," "Bye and Bye," "Sugar Baby," and "High Water (For Charley Patton)." Also, the deluxe edition of the album includes a previously unreleased track recorded in 1961, titled "I Was Young When I Left Home," as well as an alternate version of the 1963 song "The Times They Are a-Changin'."

Notable of "Love and Theft" is that it was produced entirely by Bob Dylan, under the pseudonym Jack Frost, and all twelve songs on the album were written and composed by Dylan himself. The album itself was almost lengthy enough for a double album-- with a total running time of 57-58 minutes (excluding the two songs found in the deluxe edition) and some songs 5-6 minutes in length or more. "Love and Theft" also happened to coincidentally be released on 9/11 (9/11/2001), which is an important and tragic historical event in American history.

Alexander Schwartz - JPageFan71
The Antagonists

https://jpagefan71.blogspot.com

https://www.youtube.com/user/JPageFan71

The Rolling Stones - Sympathy For The Devil Cover

Check out a new guitar cover video of "Sympathy For The Devil" by The Rolling Stones, from the band's 1968 album Beggars Banquet. The video includes lead and rhythm guitars, and a backing track with vocals, bass guitar, and drums.

via (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_8MI0YtxCSc)

The Best Rock Albums of 2000

Today's post in 50 Years of Music, a section of my blog devoted to the best rock albums of the past fifty years, will include the best albums of 2000. I have covered 34 years of music in other posts (1965-99), which can be found by typing the year into the search bar at the top of my blog. Each post in 50 Years of Music is updated frequently, with new albums recommended by readers added to the posts. What's your favorite?

• Linkin Park- Hybrid Theory
• Limp Bizkit- Chocolate Starfish and the Hot Dog Flavored Water
• The Dandy Warhols- Thirteen Tales from Urban Bohemia
• The Beatles- 1 (Compilation)
• AC/DC- Stiff Upper Lip
• Jimmy Page & the Black Crowes- Live at the Greek 
• 3 Doors Down- The Better Life
• Bon Jovi- Crush
• U2- All That You Can't Leave Behind 
• Queens of the Stone Age- Rated R
• The Hives- Veni Vidi Vicious
• Chuck Berry- Live! (Live Album)
• Radiohead- Kid A
• Todd Rundgren- One Long Year

                                                                 Papa Roach- Infest (2000)

Infest is the second studio album by the American nu-metal group Papa Roach released on April 25, 2000. The album has been certified 3x Platinum in the United States and reached #5 on the U.S. Billboard 200 Chart. Infest has sold 3 million copies to date in the United States and 7 million internationally.

Papa Roach's second album includes four singles-- "Last Resort," "Broken Home," "Between Angels and Insects," and "Dead Cell." The first single became one of the band's most popular hits, reaching #1 on the U.S. Modern Rock Tracks Chart. "Last Resort," although commercially successful, sparked controversy among many critics who criticized the song's 'violent and suicidal lyrics.' "Broken Home" and "Between Angels and Insects" also charted on the U.S. Modern Rock Tracks Chart after the release of Infest. Other notable songs on the album include: "Infest," "Revenge," "Blood Brothers," and "Binge."

Notable of Infest is that it is the first album by Papa Roach to secure the group a record deal, as their debut studio album released in 1997, titled Old Friends from Young Years, failed to gain the band much attention apart from their underground fan-base from the band's home-state of California. However, Papa Roach released new demos in 1999 including several songs from Infest that caught the attention of DreamWorks Records, who signed the band to a record deal. 

Also notable of Papa Roach's second album is that it was recorded in Hollywood, California, at NRG Studios, and was given an alternate album cover in some territories upon its release, with a photo of the band members replacing the roach.

Alexander Schwartz - JPageFan71
The Antagonists

https://jpagefan71.blogspot.com

https://www.youtube.com/user/JPageFan71