Mixtape – New Classic Rock Songs for Summer

Lesser-Known, Fun Songs by Popular Rock and Roll Bands of the 1970s

May 12, 2009

While cruising around in the summer to classic rock radio is both familiar and fun, hearing the same songs repeatedly can become tiresome.

AC/DC. Neil Young. Aerosmith. All of these names are instantly recognizable by fans of rock music, and with summer approaching, there will be days at the beach, road trips with friends, and hours spent outside with nothing but some music. As an alternative to sitting through “Smoke On the Water” or “Rock and Roll All Nite” multiple times a day, listed below is a dozen familiar names and fresh songs from the 1970s. Mix them up on a CD and hit the road.

Black Sabbath would go on to become the father’s of heavy metal from the first evil notes of their namesake song. However, with roots largely in blues and jazz, their self-titled debut album contains the boogie rock of “Wicked World” and a solo guitar breakdown that may have been the impetus for shred.

Everyone knows “Tiny Dancer,” but on side two of the same album (Madman Across the Water) is Elton’s ode to the doldrums of the road. It wasn’t in Almost Famous, but it’s what the movie was about: hotel to hotel, girl to girl, and what to do with life for the 23 hours a day not spent on stage.

“True Blue” by Rod Stewart (1972)

After he met Maggie May, before he cared if anyone thought he was sexy, and way before he started pandering to housewives, Rod Stewart was the coolest rockstar alive. As lead-singer of the Faces, he practically invented blue-eyed soul (for better or worse), and right from the snare-hit opening of “True Blue” he lets the world know what it’s like to be young, sad, and rockin’.

An unfortunate one-hit-wonder in the states (1971’s “Bang A Gong”), Marc Bolan’s T. Rex were stars overseas. Glam-rock pioneers, T. Rex released the album The Slider, reaching a personal highpoint in feel-good rock and roll.

“Stealer” by Bob Seger (1973)

Bob Seger’s Back In ’72 has “Turn the Page” and “Rosalie,” but it also has this Free cover. The original is good, but Seger gives it some Detroit grit. The fire hadn’t gone below yet, and “Stealer” finds Seger singing with tons of it.

“Walk On” by Neil Young (1974)

Following Neil’s mellow Harvest-period in the early 1970s, he journeyed into much darker territory. His On the Beach album is bleak and pensive, but opening track “Walk On” is a biting attack to the critics, with a snarky vocal and guitar line to accompany it.

Once future Whitesnake lead-singer David Coverdale joined Deep Purple in 1973 (simultaneously joining the entrance of hard rock legend Glenn Hughes on bass), the Purple started laying down some seriously heavy blues. “Lay Down, Stay Down” has a riff doubled on guitar and organ, suggestive lyrics, and attitude to spare.

Though known for their ridiculous arena-ready 1980’s metal, the Scorpions were a psychedelic hard rock band from their inception in the late 1960s and throughout much of the 1970s. On In Trance, Uli Roth and Rudolf Schenker start the album off right with a three-and-a-half minute psych-rock tune featuring twin guitar harmonies and a driving riff.

By far the heaviest Aerosmith song, it’s difficult to imagine that the same band played songs such as “I Don’t Want To Miss a Thing” and “Pink” later in their career. With a meaty bassline and ripping guitar solos, what’s not difficult to imagine is why bands like L.A. Guns and Testament recorded cover version of this song.

Another one-hit-wonder that should have been huge, Thin Lizzy released Bad Reputation and failed to attract fans of “The Boys Are Back In Town.” With “Opium Trail” pushing the gas pedal in, Lizzy delivers an unsung rock classic.

Aside from Ace’s version of “New York Groove,” the KISS solo albums were an artistic collapse and the beginning of the end for the hottest band in the land. This lead-off track from Ace’s solo album stands out amongst the best KISS songs and, undoubtedly, any bonehead rock and roll.

“Back In Black” may be groovier, and “Highway to Hell” may be a stronger anthem, but “Touch Too Much” swings with some of AC/DC’s most dynamic moves: drum builds, start/stop rhythms, and four chords instead of three!

Using therse songs as a summer soundtrack can break up the monotony of "the hits" over and over. It's the favorites of yesteryear all polished up and brand new, ready for a night on the town. It'd be wise to take them out.

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