10 Bizarre True Stories Behind Famous Band Names

1. Steely dan

Steely Dan were a jazz rock duo popular in the late 70s with people who are probably pretty old by now. When asked to name a single Steely Dan song, the closest any Cracked staffer could come was "the one with the notes."

Despite their under appreciation by snot-nosed punks like us, we can still appreciate the story of how they got their name, because it is solid fucking gold. The phrase is taken from a passage in the William Burrough's book Naked Lunch. Steely Dan is the nickname given to a giant steam-powered dildo. It gets crazier: as explained in the book, there's actually been an entire series of Steely Dans. Notably, the first one was crushed by an evil German bulldyke prostitute using her hoo-ha.

So, until a band becomes famous while calling themselves the Deep Fisting Shit Fiends, or perhaps Elvis Costello's Deep Fisting Shit Fiends, Steely Dan will remain the craziest band name out there. We congratulate the band on their success. If a representative wants to drop by our offices, they can collect their prize: a printscreen of this Webpage folded into a letter-sized envelope.

2. Velvet Underground

More influential than successful, The Velvet Underground are often called one of the most important and influential groups of their era by whoever last updated their Wikipedia page.

The name stems from the title of an S&M book a band member found on a sidewalk in New York. The book itself describes the underground sexual scene in 1960s America. We're not sure what the sexual underground of the 60s looked like, but we're guessing the book was primarily comprised of mustache grooming tips and maps to funky smelling basements.

3. Led Zeppelin

Led Zeppelin was a British rock band who in the 70s repeatedly and flagrantly rocked the world so fucking hard that scientists can still detect residual vibrations in the Earth's mantle to this day.

The phrase "lead balloon" has commonly been used to describe an ill-conceived idea, or one whose failure is both predictable and inevitable. The name then allegedly arose when Keith Moon, after being invited to drum for the band, thought the idea would go over like a "lead zeppelin"--Moon evidently modifying the common phrase after observing that zeppelin's were quite large. Reportedly Jimmy Paige liked the phrase so much, he took it for the band's name. The decision to misspell it was made because they thought Americans would be stupid enough to mispronounce the word "lead." Running a Website with a functioning comments section as we do, Cracked.com officially has a hard time disagreeing with this theory.

4. Cheap Trick

Everyone here at Cracked recognized the name, but we actually had to look up just why exactly we'd heard of Cheap Trick before. Oh that's right. They sang "The Dream Police."And how did they come up with the name? Supposedly they were visiting a psychic's house and asked a Ouija board what they should call their band. Another, better band, Alice Cooper, has a similar story, which makes us wonder how often bands consult the spirits for such a critical decision. And spirits, if you're reading this, have you ever tried fucking with these bands before? Like spell out "Dink Fidgeters" or something?

5. Motorhead

Motörhead is a British rock band whose success in the 70s and 80s helped redefine heavy metal. They have a bit of a reputation, too--Motörhead's founder, Lemmy, has stated that his aim was for the group to be "the dirtiest rock n' roll band in the world." "If Motörhead moved in next to you, your lawn would die."

While it sounds like a pretty straightforward band name, motor-head is actually the equivalent to the American term "speed freak," a slang term for an amphetamine user. Rumors about whether this implied members of Motörhead participated in drug use have dogged the band to this day.

6. Dexys Midnight Runners

Dexys Midnight Runners were that band with the dungarees and the catchy hit "Come on Eilleen," which you'll recall is just about the 80siest song imaginable.

The guys had admitted to naming their band after the drug Dexedrine, the prescription stimulant which is also a semi-popular way to get out of your head for a spell. The "midnight runners" comes from the ability of Dexedrine users to dance all night. Interestingly, the band itself was completely clean and even banned alcohol from concerts. Why a completely clean band would name themselves after the positive effects of a drug is beyond us. If you were anti-drug wouldn't you play up the downsides of drug use? Dexys Freaking Out In The Toilets. Dexys Giving Backrubs to Strange Dudes Again. Dexys Just Barfed All Over my Members-Only Jacket. Etc.

7. Duran Duran

Duran Duran are an English rock band who've made a billion songs in the last 25 years, none more important than the title song to View to a Kill, the most hilarious James Bond ever (it's the one with Christopher Walken attacking things in a blimp).

Duran Duran have acknowledged that they're named after a character in the Jane Fonda movie, Barbarella. For those of you that aren't huge perverts, Barbarella is an erotic science fiction adventure from the 1960s, assuming you'll allow us to use pretty loose definitions of "erotic" and "adventure."

However, if the band had dug a little deeper into the movie, they would have found a character eight billion times better to name themselves after: Dildano.

8. Savage Garden

An Australian pop band, Savage Garden had a brief spell of success in the late 90s when the world's appetite for "weeny, gutless music" was reaching its zenith. While researching this we were surprised to read they managed to sell 25 million records in their time. Really? Twenty-five million Savage Garden albums? You people know they're reusable right?

The name itself is a quote from an Anne Rice novel--Anne Rice being famous for her novels about vampires that were popular with guys that listen to Savage Garden. Taking a name from a literary work is a fine tradition (wait till you see our winner) but an Anne Rice novel? That's a little less rock and roll than calling yourself Goosebumps or The Babysitters Club.

9. Chumbawamba

Chumbawamba are a post-punk anarcho-chipotle-barely-legal-electro-something-or-other band who've been around for decades. But they never bothered anyone until 1997 when they were responsible for a song that was incredibly popular but no one anywhere will admit to liking. Statisticians are still trying to figure it out.

The official explanation for the band name is that it's a meaningless word, a combination of syllables that sort of rhyme. However, in an early interview, band member Danbert Nobacon outlined a slightly more specific origination. In a dream, while needing to take a piss, Nobacon didn't know which door to use in a public toilet because the signs said "Chumba" and "Wamba" instead of "Men" and "Women."

Huh. Gender confusion is kind of an odd thing to base your band name on, or even admit to publicly. This is basically the band name equivalent of one of those noisy conversations at a bar where you're drunkenly confiding something to a friend when the music suddenly stops playing, and the room goes quiet, and you're there yelling "I SIT DOWN WHEN I PEE." And then the stares start.

10. KISS

If you're not familiar with KISS, they are the rock band with the painted faces--sort of like a loud and unsettling circus.

Famously, rumors have circulated that KISS stands for "Knights In Satan's Service." The band has consistently denied this however, rightly pointing out that the band isn't comprised of agents of evil so much as ridiculous, ridiculous men. The true story, according to Paul Stanley, is that they chose the name KISS because it "just sounded dangerous and sexy at the same time." Kissing is generally considered one of the least dangerous activities ever invented (it's right after hand washing) so we're going to question Paul Stanley's explanation here. Kissing people ain't dangerous dude. Unless they're unwilling and either a cop or a karate instructor.

source : cracked.com

5 Musician Who need to Find Something New to Sing About

#1.The Red Hot Chili Peppers

Lyrical Fixation:

Southern California

Example Lyric:

"L.A. is the place, sets my mind ablaze
For me, its a race through a cotton pickin maze"

How It All Started:

Those sample lyrics are from the Red Hot Chili Peppers very first single, "Out In L.A." From that point on, references to California ("Under the Bridge," "Californication," etc.) have occupied almost as much space on RHCP albums as the shitty "rapping" does.

Why It Needs to Stop:

Sure, we all love the place we live in to some degree, or else we'd move. But there isn't all that much you can say about any place before things start to get a little redundant. If Springsteen didn't mix in a little sex music with all of those anthems about impoverished towns, at some point the frustration would overtake you and you'd find yourself at your local homeless shelter with a megaphone imploring people to get a fucking job already.

"Just give me a reason."

But Anthony Kiedis has an uncanny ability to reference Los Angeles no matter what the song is about.

A song about chicks? Best believe those chicks are from L.A. A song about depression? L.A. is super depressing, bro! A tune about drug addiction? Blame it on the City of Angels. A song about absolutely nothing? It's a safe bet that at some point, "wang dang dong bell flay" will be rhymed with "L.A."

It's enough to make a person pray for an earthquake, if not for the inevitable RHCP benefit album to earthquake victims that would surely follow (with a title like "Los Angeles Rocks." )

Too bad Randy Newman already has dibs on "I Love L.A."

Unfortunately, the band's fascination with ham fistedly mentioning California whenever possible shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon. The first single off of their most recent album was called "Dani California."

Hell, at least take a hint from Sufjan Stevens and branch out to another freaking state.

#2.Jimmy Buffett

Lyrical Fixation:

How awesome it is to be Jimmy Buffett

Example Lyric:

"Waistin' away again in Margaritaville
Searchin' for my lost shaker of salt"

How It All Started:

With 1977's "Margaritaville," Jimmy Buffett had a huge hit on his hands. So huge, in fact, that at some point he went from singing about how awesome it is to live on an island to actually living on an island. Not that he stopped singing about it, though. It was just that now he was able to sing about it all while thinking, "Wow, I really do live on an island, fuck yeah."

"Fuck yeah." - Jimmy Buffett

Why It Needs to Stop:

Plenty of musicians write songs about how awesome they are (we're looking at you, every performer in the history of rap music). But the bothersome thing about Jimmy Buffett's boasting is that he isn't boasting at all. He states it all in a plain, matter-of-fact way, as if to say, "yeah, I guess I'm pretty damn awesome." Regardless of the subject matter, Jimmy Buffett will take some time out to remind you that, unlike you, he lives on a goddamn tropical island. Take for example, this excerpt from the song "Jamaica Mistaica":

"Well the word got out
All over the island
Friends, strangers, they were all apologizin'
Some thought me crazy for bein' way too nice
But it's just another shitty day in paradise"

He's singing about his airplane being mistakenly shot at by the Jamaican government! Is this really the time to drop the "paradise" reference?

"Hold your fire! It's just Jimmy Buffett."

While we admire the restraint it must have taken to not mention that Bono was on the plane with him at the time, this basically makes Buffett the equivalent of that obnoxious rich relative who shows up at your family gathering at the trailer park and regales you with tales of his jet-setting life style and the burdens of SUV ownership while you contemplate the ramifications of calling in to your job at Wal-Mart the day after Thanksgiving.

This guy can't even sing about food with reminding you how unspeakably awesome it is to be Jimmy Buffett.

"Not just havanas or bananas or daiquiris
But that American creation on which I feed
Cheeseburger in paradise
Medium rare with mustard be nice
Heaven on earth with an onion slice
I'm just a cheeseburger in paradise"

Nice. Now we hate cheeseburgers. Thanks a fucking lot, Buffett.

Bacon cheeseburgers are still OK, however.

Look, we'd love to tell you all about how Jimmy Buffett has continued this cycle of braggadocio on his most recent album, 2006's Take the Weather With You, but honestly, these are tough economic times. The last thing we want to do is spend an hour listening to Jack Johnson's grandfather piss and moan about tourists sunbathing too close to his satellite television adorned tiki hut. Just understand, it's definitely still happening.

#3.KoRn

Lyrical Fixation:

Getting picked on in high school

Example Lyric:

"Scream at me again, if you like
Throw your hate at me, with all your might
Hit me 'cause I'm strange, hit me
Tell me I'm a pussy and you're harder than me"

How It All Started:

Those lyrics, with their trademark Korn subtlety, are from one of their earliest singles, "Clown." While the song itself isn't technically about being bullied in high school, the video featured lead singer Jonathan Davis curled up in the fetal position in a high school locker room, so that's pretty metal.

METAL!

"Faget," another expertly spelled song from their debut album, did directly speak on the subject of Jonathan Davis being bullied in high school. According to Davis himself, "Everyone thinks I'm bashing gay people in this song, and I'm not. It's really about me going through high school being called 'pussy,' 'queer,' and all that stuff, about getting picked on by all these jocks."

Future rock star.

Basically, Korn's entire first album was about how their lead singer is a total pussy. Somewhere, James Hetfield is rolling in his grave. That guy's dead, right?

Why It Needs to Stop:

Really, there's nothing wrong with writing a song about how high school sucked five years after leaving high school. You gotta let that shit out sometime. Some people go to therapists, others write albums and help kick start horrific music trends. To each his own, you know? But when Davis said in "Faget" that he's "got something to say," nobody expected him to go on and say that exact same thing on every album for the next 10 years.

As late as 2002's Untouchables, arguably the last Korn album anyone gave a shit about, Davis was still whining about his glory days as a high school bullying victim. On the album's first single, "Thoughtless," Davis was still spouting "woe is me" lyrics like these:

"Why are you trying to make fun of me?
You think it's funny
What the fuck you think it's doing to me?
You take your turn lashing out at me
I want you crying, when you're dirty in the front of me"

Somewhere, a 15-year-old LiveJournal user is probably contemplating a plagiarism lawsuit right now. Naturally, the general public's interest in Korn waned after five consecutive albums of teenage angst as expressed by 30-year-old dudes. But the band is still at it and is reportedly working on a new album. School shooters of the world, rejoice!

#4.Bon Jovi

Lyrical Fixation:

Being a cowboy.

Example Lyric:

"I'm a cowboy, on a steel horse I ride
I'm wanted, dead or alive"

How It All Started:

Jon Bon Jovi has been singing about being a cowboy since his days of big hair and songs about Tommy and Gina. Your mom's favorite album, 1986's Slippery When Wet, featured the massive hit "Wanted Dead or Alive," a song that used cowboys as a metaphor for traveling musicians that people wanted to murder. Or something like that.

Maybe it was about robotic, fire-breathing horses.

Then, after Emilio Estevez suggested that "Wanted Dead of Alive" would make a great theme song for Young Guns II, Jon Bon Jovi decided that an entire album of New Jersey cowboy shtick was in order and he recorded Blaze of Glory, his first solo album.

Surely, this would be the last time a band of hair spray abusing New Jersey rockers would drink from that well, right?

Why It Needs to Stop:

Wrong. The band would revisit the cowboy theme several times throughout their career, most notably on the totally-not-innuendo "Ride, Cowboy, Ride" from the New Jersey album. But with 2007's Lost Highway, Bon Jovi stopped singing about cowboys and just decided they were cowboys. JBJ (that's what we call him) described the album as "a Bon Jovi album inspired by Nashville." This is basically a less pathetic way of saying, "Hey, remember that cowboy album we made? Wouldn't you guys love it if we did that again?"

Alternate title: 2 Cowboy 2 Furious

We suppose it makes good business sense. Bon Jovi scored a huge comeback hit in the early part of the decade with "It's My Life," which was basically a cover version of "Livin' On a Prayer," complete with that obnoxious voice box contraption and more lyrics about Tommy and Gina. But you can't rely on those same old tricks forever. Sometimes, a band has to resort to their other set of same old tricks. Nobody knows that better than Bon Jovi.

#5.Eminem

Lyrical Fixation:

Eminem hates his wife and his mother.

Example Lyric:

"I love my daughter more than life n' itself
But I got a wife that's determined to make my life livin' hell
But I handle it well, given the circumstances I'm dealt"

Take my wife, please.

How It All Started:

Eminem has had mommy issues, be it with his mommy or his kid's mommy, since his major label debut, The Slim Shady LP. That album's first single, "My Name Is," was chock full of lyrics about his mom's unfortunate drug habit, but the real kicker was "97 Bonnie and Clyde" (we're not completely sure if that title refers to the year it was recorded or the number of times that goddamned title has been used in rap songs). It was some pretty harrowing shit; Eminem drives to the beach to dispose of the freshly murdered corpse of his ex-wife, Kim. And her new boyfriend. And her boyfriend's kid. All while Kim's daughter, who also happened to be his daughter, was in the car with him.

Kind of hard to top that. But boy, has he tried. And tried, and tried...

Why It Needs to Stop:

It's one thing to call your mom out for being a junkie and threatening your ex-wife on your first album. Antics like those can generally be chalked up to a publicity stunt. But when you follow that up by littering your next three albums with songs about raping your mom ("Kill You") and killing your wife some more ("Kim"), then you're turning into the rap version of Marilyn Manson: a cartoonish figure trying to convert shock value into free advertising.

Like a hip-hop Boo Berry.

When the shock wore off, we kind of just started wishing he'd develop a crippling substance abuse problem like regular folks, rather than rhyming his way through his emotional issues on MTV. Thankfully, that's exactly what he did and the world was blissfully "mommy was mean to me" song-free. For a few years.

Then in 2009, Eminem reemerged with the aptly titled album Relapse. With that album, not only did the world get to hear the innermost turmoil of a man wealthy enough to delve into a four-year drug binge while suffering little to no financial ramifications before being welcomed back to work with open arms, but we also got a whole new round of mommy rhymes.

What rhymes with "ALF shirt"?

On the album's second track (third if you count the intro, which only retards do) Em was back to his old tricks with a song called, what else, "My Mom." She did valium, you know. And lots of drugs. That's why he is how he is. Because of his mom. Fascinating stuff, Mathers. We didn't catch that the first dozen times.

source : cracked.com

6 Musicians Who Predicted Their Own Death in Song

1. Jimi Hendrix - "The Ballad of Jimi"

In 1965, before most people even knew who he was, Jimi Hendrix entered a New York recording studio and probably weirded out everybody in the room by cutting a new tune about how some dude named Jimi was going to be dead in five years. "The Ballad of Jimi" starts with a declaration from Hendrix that the song is dedicated to the memory of his best friend. That the friend's name is a guitar player named Jimi is apparently to be chalked up to coincidence.

Hendrix further confuses matters with the line "that is my story" before ratcheting the creepiness up considerably.

Unfortunate Lyrics:

"Many things he would try, For he knew soon he'd die."
"Now Jimi's gone, he's not alone. His memory still lives on."
"Five years, this he said. He's not gone, he's just dead."

What Happened Next:

"I'm gonna go over there and die, now."

Next, Jimi Hendrix suffocated in the most horrible way imaginable that doesn't involve cock. He choked on his own vomit. Conveniently, for the purpose of this article, he died almost exactly five years after recording "The Ballad of Jimi." "Five years, this he said. He's not gone, he's just dead."

Disturbing as all fuck, isn't it? Probably the only reason he didn't get more specific than that was that nothing rhymes with "choked on vomit."

2. John Lennon - "Borrowed Time"

You may not know this, but most posthumously released songs are indeed recorded before the artist dies. Although "Borrowed Time" wasn't released until four years after the death of John Lennon, it was actually the first song he recorded following a five year exile from the music business. The unnervingly upbeat tune wraps lyrics about the frailty of life around the type of instrumentation you would expect to hear during dinner on a Carnival cruise ship. It was inspired by a Final Destination-like escape from death Lennon pulled off while sailing to Bermuda through an intense storm. An experience like that would probably just inspire us to shit our pants and stop showering. Lennon, on the other hand, was inspired to start rocking again.

Unfortunate Lyrics:

"Living on borrowed time, without a thought for tomorrow"

What Happened Next:

John Lennon was sometimes criticized for not practicing what he preached. Like how he sang about imaging no possessions but lived in a million dollar apartment. You could argue that he totally lived up to the lyrics of "Borrowed Time," but you'd be a fucking prick for doing so. We only mention that criticism because it was Mark David Chapman's main beef with John Lennon.

Speaking of beef, holy shit, right? Mooo, right?

Chapman delicately handled this beef by shooting Lennon to death, about six months after the song was written. Hopefully, Lennon practiced what he preached this time and genuinely didn't have a "thought for tomorrow," because, unless that thought was "be dead," he was guaranteed to be pretty disappointed.

3. Hank Williams - "I'll Never Get Out of this World Alive"

Immediately, there's nothing too shocking or particularly insightful about the title of this song. It's obvious that everyone is going to die at some point. Most of those people, however, won't crank out a comical tune about it right before they go. Released in 1952, "I'll Never Get Out Of This World Alive" was the last single Hank Williams released in his lifetime. The lyrics are your standard down-on-your-luck type of stuff. Troublesome, sure, but nothing life threatening going on. But still, there's that chorus...

Unfortunate Lyrics:

"No matter how I struggle and strive. I'll never get out of this world alive."

What Happened Next:

After reportedly struggling and striving, Hank Williams barely made it out of the rest of the year alive. On the morning of January 1st, 1953, just months after the song was released, he was pronounced dead at the Oak Hill Hospital emergency room.

"Doctor, hurry, he's struggling. And striving! Oh no..."

There is a myth that the song was actually #1 on the Billboard charts at the time of his death, but "I'll Never Get Out Of This World Alive" actually didn't reach the top spot until shortly after his death. Today, Hank Williams is hailed as an innovator in the field of record promotion for being the first to employ the "Die Young and Sell a Ton of Records" technique.

4.Jeff Buckley - "Dream Brother"

Jeff Buckley's "Dream Brother" is said to have been written about a friend who was about to leave his girlfriend and child. In the song, he warns of the sadness to be had by following in the footsteps of Buckley's father, Tim Buckley. The elder Buckley was a promising young musician who had his career cut short by an accidental heroin overdose. He also walked out on Jeff and his mother shortly after Jeff was born. It's that last part Buckley is singing about, but he probably should have considered penning a few lines to himself regarding the "musician gone too soon" part. Or, did he?

Unfortunate Lyrics:

"The dark angel he is shuffling in."
"Don't be like the one who left behind his name."
"Asleep in the sand with the ocean washing over."

What Happened Next:

We've never given relationship advice to a friend that involved any mention of a "dark angel shuffling in," so we're not sure how that first line would apply to a dude leaving his girlfriend, though we will concede that the second one fits. But the third? "Asleep in the sand with the ocean washing over," well, that's just pretty fucking creepy. Less than three years after the release of "Dream Brother" Buckley died. By drowning. This leads us to an obvious question: "Hey, Jeff Buckley, how about taking your own advice?" We're guessing the reply would be something like, "Hey, leave me alone you assholes, I'm dead."

5.Lynyrd Skynyrd - "That Smell"

Have you ever put a curse on somebody? Like if you came home and found that your roommate ate your leftover Chinese food and you got pissed and told them you hoped it gave them explosive diarrhea and then it actually did and you felt really bad because you didn't realize your own powers? Lynyrd Skynyrd's "That Smell" is kind of like that. Except substitute "diarrhea" with "horrible plane crash" (although with a title like "That Smell" it totally could have gone either way).

The song was written to express lead singer Ronnie Van Zant's disappointment with the lifestyle lead and rhythm guitarist Gary Rossington was leading, as his drug and alcohol problems had started to negatively affect the band. After a verse poking fun at a recent alcohol-fueled car accident Rossington had, Van Zant starts pouring on the ominous.

Unfortunate Lyrics:

"Say you'll be alright come tomorrow, but tomorrow might not be here for you."
"Angel of darkness upon you."
"The smell of death surrounds you."

What Happened Next:

On October 20, 1977, just three days after the release of the now unfortunately titled Street Survivors, the plane Lynyrd Skynyrd was traveling in crashed in a forest near Gillsburg, Mississippi. The line "the smell of death surrounds you" took on a whole new ugly meaning after Rossington survived but three bandmates, including Van Zant, perished. As if the song and the album title weren't enough, thanks to the plane crash, Street Survivors now had, quite possibly, the most inappropriate album cover ever.

Yes, that's the band and, yes, they are on fire. In the wake of the plane crash, original copies of the album were recalled and replaced with a cover image of the band standing against the completely non-depressing black background. Of course, the fire cover was restored for the deluxe CD reissue of the album in 2008. Like almost every other crime, there is a statute of limitations on bad taste. Apparently, it's 30 years.

6.Richie Rich feat. Tupac - "Niggas Done Changed"

Let's just get it out of the way: Nobody knows who the hell Richie Rich is. According to the lyrics of this song, he's got a hand full of game. For all we know, that is still true. Maybe even a sack full of game by now. We don't care. The real star of this tune, featured on the Seasoned Veteran album, is Tupac Shakur. His verse on "Niggas Done Changed" is the stuff that conspiracy theories are made of.

This probably isn't the right one.

Unfortunate Lyrics:

"I been shot and murdered, can tell you how it happened word for word,
But best believe niggas gon' get what they deserve."

What Happened Next:

Pac was shot and murdered, just like he said. The shooting happened on the strip in Vegas after a Mike Tyson fight. Obviously, at a time like that not many people were around, so nobody saw the shooter and the case remains unsolved. Unsolved for most people anyway. Some others are convinced they know exactly what happened. Tupac faked his own death! The logic went as follows: Since Italian philosopher Niccolo Machiavelli advocated faking one's own death, and Tupac used Makaveli as a stage name, then he must still be alive. That's shaky reasoning, even before you take into account that the real Machiavelli didn't actually say much of anything about faking your own death.

If he was dead, could he do this?

But when "Niggas Done Changed" was released less than two months following Tupac's death, the "Pac's Still Alive" movement was off and running, and it hasn't let up since. Group psychology experts contacted by Cracked attribute the movement's seeming refusal to die (sorry) to the fact that Tupac Shakur has released at least seventy-three studio albums since his death and also to the fact that he's totally alive, y'all.

from cracked.com

I Gede Dewa Budjana - Best Indonesian Guitarist Ever

I Dewa Gede Budjana or Dewa Budjana (born August 30, 1963 in Waikabubak) is an Indonesian guitarist, songwriter and composer. He is the lead guitarist and songwriter of the band Gigi. Budjana’s style changed dramatically to jazz as he got to know John McLaughlin, Pat Metheny, Jeff Beck, John Abercrombie, Chick Corea and Weather Report. In his early experience, he established a band called "Squirrell" which was popular in the local community. Throughout his musical experience in Indonesia, Dewa Budjana has collaborated with many famous guitarists such as Tohpati, Ridho and Abdee Negara. His ability to combine jazz and rock has put him among the top Indonesian guitarists.


Dewa Budjana’s first teacher was a construction worker lived nearby his house in Klungkung regency, Bali. The passion grew stronger, and was nurtured when the boy moved to big city of Surabaya, where he took a classical music course, performed with a band, and indulged in dozens of music performances.

Initially into pop and rock, Budjana’ s style veered heavily into jazz as he got to know the likes of John Mc Laughlin, Pat Metheny, Jeff Beck, John Abercrombie , Chick Corea , Weather Report , He also established a jazz band called Squirrel, which was pretty popular in the local scene. Budjana’s song Nusa Damai (Peaceful Island) earned the band an award at the prestigious Light Music Contest in 1984.

After graduation, off he went to Jakarta to pursue a career as professional musician. He came across jazz maestro, the late Jack Lesmana -- father of former jazz whiz kid Indra Lesmana, who taught Budjana the philosophy of jazz.

After a period of club performances, Bud Jana’s skill later attracted many artists to collaborate with. He joined several bands, including Spirit and Java Jazz, as well as working for noted musicians like Erwin Gutawa, Elfa Secioria and Addie MS, making him quite a household name.

Despite growing reputation as a top-notch guitarist, Budjana’s personal taste is actually pretty eclectic, which brought him to establish pop group GIGI in 1994, along with guitarist Baron Arafat, bassist Thomas Ramdhan, drummer Ronald and singer Armand Maulana. The group survives until now, still hailed as one of the biggest pop bands in the country.

Budjana’s current influences from pianists Keith Jarret, Alex de Grassi and Bill Evans, Bill Frissell as well as those from saxophonists Jan Garbarek, are also reflected in the latest album.

He also manages to release four solo albums whose music is an amalgamation of jazz, pop and traditional music. His debut in 1997, Nusa Damai, was a collection of compositions he wrote ever since he knew how to play the instrument. With the title taken from the book by Balinese noted author Ktut Tantri Revolt in Paradise, there was a song called Ruang Dialisis (Dialisis Room), which contained Budjana’s grandmother’s singing.

The sophomore effort Gitarku (My Guitar) was released 2000, a purely instrumental album with therapeutic and meditative sound. Samsara followed three years later, an album highlighted with traditional Kalimantan flute and Japanese Shamisen, for instance. The album was a reflection of his journey and experience of working with international musicians, such

as Peter Erskine from legendary jazz-fusion group Weather Report, and bassist Dave Carpenter.

It was Erskine again who urged Budjana to release another album when they crossed their path again in the early 2005. The result was Home, a tribute album Budjana dedicates for the victims of tsunami disaster, which scheduled to release on December 2005.

Top 5 Best Rock Band

1. Queen

Queen are a British rock band. Formed in London in 1970 following the demise of the band Smile, Queen originally consisted of vocalist Freddie Mercury, guitarist Brian May, bassist John Deacon and drummer Roger Taylor. The band became popular with audiences via their hit singles, live performances, originality and showmanship, being voted the greatest British band of all time in a national BBC poll.^[1][2] Their 1985 Live Aid performance was voted the best live rock performance of all time in an industry poll. According to the BBC, Queen have sold more than 300 million albums as of 2009.

Queen enjoyed success in the UK in the early to mid-1970s with the albums Queen and Queen II, but it was with the release of Sheer Heart Attack in 1974 and A Night at the Opera the following year that the band gained international success. They have released fifteen studio albums, five live albums and numerous compilation albums. Since Mercury's death and Deacon's retirement, May and Taylor have performed infrequently together at special events and programmes as members of other ensembles. Between 2004 to 2009 the duo collaborated with Paul Rodgers under the moniker Queen + Paul Rodgers.

2. Dream Theater

Dream Theater is an American progressive metal band formed in 1985 under the name Majesty by John Myung, John Petrucci, and Mike Portnoy while they attended Berklee College of Music in Boston, before they dropped o

ut to support the band. Though a number of lineup changes followed, the three original members remain today along with James LaBrie and Jordan Rudess.

Dream Theater has become a successful progressive metal band. Although the band has had one successful hit ("Pull Me Under" in 1992, which received extensive MTV rotation), they have remained relatively out of the mainstream.

The band is well known for the technical proficiency of its instrumentalists, who have won many awards from music instruction magazines. Dream Theater's members have collaborated with many other notable musicians. Guitarist John Petrucci has been named as the third player on the G3 tour six times, more than any other invited guitarist, following in the foot

steps of Eric Johnson and Robert Fripp.

The band's highest selling album is the gold selling Images and Words (1992), which reached #61 on the Billboard 200 charts. Both the 1994 release Awake and their 2002 release Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence also entered the charts at #32 and #46 respectively and received mostly positive reviews. Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence also led to Dream Theater becoming the initial band reviewed in the Music Section of Entertainment Weekly during its opening week of release, despite the magazine generally preferring more mainstream music. In 2007, Systematic Chaos entered US Billboard 200 at #19. Dream Theater has sold over two million albums in the U.S. and over 8 million records worldwide. The band's tenth studio album, Black Clouds & Silver Linings, was released on June 23, 2009. It entered the US Billboard 200 at #6 and Eurochart Hot 100 at #1, marking their highest entry on either chart.

3. Led Zeppelin

Led Zeppelin were an English rock band formed in 1968 by Jimmy Page (guitar), Robert Plant (vocals, harmonica), John Paul Jones (bass guitar, keyboards, mandolin) and John Bonham (drums). With their heavy, g

uitar-driven sound, Led Zeppelin are regarded as one of the first heavy metal bands, helping to pioneer the genre. However, the band's individualistic style drew from many sources and transcends any one genre. Their rock-infused interpretation of the blues and folk genres also incorporated rockabilly, reggae, soul, funk, classical, Celtic, Indian, Arabic, pop, Latin and country. The band did not release the popular songs from their albums as singles in the UK, as they preferred to develop the concept of "album-oriented rock".

Close to 30 years after disbanding following Bonham's death in 1980, the band continues to be held in high regard for their artistic achievements, commercial success, and broad influence. The band has sold an estimated 200 million albums worldwide, including 111.5 million certified units in the United States and they have had all of their original studio albums

reach the top 10 of the Billboard album chart in the U.S., with six reaching the number one spot. Led Zeppelin are ranked #1 on VH1's 100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock. Rolling Stone magazine has described Led Zeppelin as "the heaviest band of all time", "the biggest band of the '70s" and "unquestionably one of the most enduring bands in rock history".Similarly, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame describes Led Zeppelin being "as influential in that decade (70s) as the Beatles were in the prior one".

On 10 December 2007 the surviving members of Led Zeppelin reunited (along with deceased drummer John Bonham's son, Jason) for the Ahmet Ertegün Tribute Concert at The O₂ Arena in London.

4. Rolling Stones

The Rolling Stones are an English rock band formed in 1962 in London w

hen multi-instrumentalist Brian Jones and pianist Ian Stewart were joined by vocalist Mick Jagger and guitarist Keith Richards. Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early lineup. Stewart, deemed unsuitable as a teen idol, was removed from the official lineup in 1963 but continued to work with the band as road manager and keyboardist until his death in 1985.

Early in the band's history Jagger and Richards formed a songwritin

g partnership and gradually took over leadership of the band from the increasingly troubled and erratic Jones. At first the group recorded mainly covers of American blues and R&B songs, but since the 1966 album Aftermath, their releases have mainly featured Jagger/Richards songs. Mick Taylor replaced an incapacitated Jones shortly before Jones's death in 1969. Taylor quit in 1974, and was replaced in 1975 by Faces guitarist Ronnie Wood, who has remained with the band ever since. Wyman left the Rolling Stones in 1992; bassist Darryl Jones, who is not an official band member, has worked with the group since 1994.

First popular in the UK and Europe, The Rolling Stones came to the US during the early 1960s "British Invasion". The Rolling Stones have released 22 studio albums in the UK (24 in the US), eight concert albums (nine in the US) and numerous compilations; a

nd have album sales estimated at more than 200 million worldwide. Sticky Fingers (1971) began a string of eight consecutive studio albums that charted at number one in the United States. Their latest album, A Bigger Bang, was released in 2005. In 1989 The Rolling Stones were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and in 2004 they were ranked number 4 in Rolling Stone magazine's 100 Greatest Artists of All Time. In 2008, Billboard magazine ranked The Rolling Stones at number ten on "The Billboard Hot 100 Top All-Time Artists", making them as the second most successful group in the history of Billboard Hot 100 chart.

5 The Beatles

The Beatles were an English rock band, formed in Liverpool in 1960, who became one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music.^[1] In their heyday the group consisted of John Lennon (rhythm guitar, vocals), Paul McCartney (bass guitar, vocals), George Harrison (lead guitar, vocals) and Ringo Starr (drums, vocals). Rooted in skiffle and 1950s rock and roll, the group later worked in many genres ranging from folk rock to psychedelic pop, often incorporating classical and other elements in innovative ways. The nature of their enormous popularity, which first emerged as the "Beatlemania" fad, transformed as their songwriting grew in sophistication. The group came to be perceived as the embodiment of progressive ideals, seeing their influence extend into the social and cultural revolutions of the 1960s.

With an early five-piece line-up of Lennon, McCartney, Harrison, Stuart Sutcliffe (bass) and Pete Best (drums), The Beatles built their reputation in Liverpool and Hamburg clubs over a three-year period from 1960. Sutcliffe left the group in 1961, and Best was replaced by Starr the following year. Moulded into a professional outfit by music store owner Brian Epstein after he offered to act as the group's manager, and with their musical potential enhanced by the hands-on creativity of producer George Martin, The Beatles achieved UK mainstream success in late 1962 with their first single, "Love Me Do". Gaining international popularity over the course of the next year, they toured extensively until 1966, then retreated to the recording studio until their breakup in 1970. Each then found success in an independent musical career. McCartney and Starr remain active; Lennon was shot and killed in 1980, and Harrison died of cancer in 2001.

During their studio years, The Beatles produced what critics consider some of their finest material including the album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967), widely regarded as a masterpiece. Nearly four decades after their breakup, The Beatles' music continues to be popular. The Beatles have had more number one albums on the UK charts, and held down the top spot longer, than any other musical act. According to RIAA certifications, they have sold more albums in the US than any other artist. In 2008, Billboard magazine released a list of the all-time top-selling Hot 100 artists to celebrate the US singles chart's fiftieth anniversary, with The Beatles at number one. They have been honoured with 7 Grammy Awards^, and they have received 15 Ivor Novello Awards from the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors. The Beatles were collectively included in Time magazine's compilation of the 20th century's 100 most important and influential people.

source : wikipedia.org