Super groups aren’t a new phenomenon. Recently, I can think of a couple, Chickenfoot and Them Crooked Vultures. In the past, I can think of The Firm, Phenomenon, Power Station, just to name a few. A muscular Against All Will gives us their version of a super group with the release of  A Rhyme & Reason on the Subsonic Industries label.

Against All Will is powered by Jimmy Allen on guitars (Puddle of Mudd), Jeff Current on vocals (7 Story Drop), Steve Wilson on drums (Dead Kennedys), and Cello Dias on bass (Soulfly). I’m a strong proponent of super groups, especially when the chemistry comes together like it has for Against All Will. The sum of their parts is greater than the individual player.

These four rock and rollers deliver on the promise of rock and roll with A Rhyme & Reason.  Sex, drugs and rock n’ roll tied up in seemingly simple songs and classic hooks delivering a philosophical exposition for those interested. Rock music should be honest (we don’t see much of that these days), powerful, empathetic, with a little poetry thrown in for good measure. Against All Will give us that with plenty more to boot.

Check out Against All Will at www.againstallwill.com. You can see the HD music video for “All About You” here. You can pick up the album at all the usually places (iTunes, Amazon, etc.)

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Is it that the songs are so good? Is it that the band is so good? Is it that, lead singer, Erin’s voice is so textured and powerful? Is it the quality of the production? Is it the X factor that is undefinable? I say all the above!

Did I mention that this band is led by a sultry female singer and a badass female guitar player (see photos below).  If the guy’s in the band read this, I’m sorry. You guys are cool and all, but who can ignore talented rock n roll girls?

Believe me? Check out these hd music videos for “Burnt Around the Edges” and “Dead“. Or head over to Fools for Rowan’s website and learn more about the band and pick up their music.

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The band lasted from 1975 until 1979. Despite their short lifespan, they have left a mark on music and popular culture. Take note of the movie in theaters now. (See the Runaways move trailer over here.) This photo gallery celebrates them.

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I will say this:  The 70′s had the Watkins Glen Festival. The 80′s had the Us Festival. The 90′s had Lollapalooza. The 00′s have Bonnaroo. (I’m sure someone could argue those. Live Aid was cool, but was it a Festival?) None of those even came close to Woodstock. I’m not talking about just numbers here, even though, Woodstock had a half a million people show up. Woodstock was so much more than that. While it was important to rock n’ roll, it was much more important than even that. It was a manifestation of the counter culture. It is something that is now ingrained in our culture.

We should look to Woodstock for its ideals, not just the music. Forget about the drugs. Forget about the acid rock. Remember, Woodstock was about tolerance and individuality. The music wasn’t too bad either.

Here are some photos to remind you of those times and a moment in time that will forever be immortalized.

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One of the many reasons to seeing live concerts or going to the bars is to see the girls that show up as well and seeing the bands. They like to get their socks rocked off. The first time, I made it out to a heavy metal show when I was a kid, the thing that amazed me the most was the girls. I had never seen so many girls in my life in the same building and they they were interested in  me. Rock n’ roll shows soon became my haven/heaven.

The first time I took a girlfriend to a rock concert (not even a “hair band”), I saw a complete different side of her. Before the show was amazing! During the show was awesome! After the show, I was all the envy of my pals! And she wasn’t even a rocker girl. At least not before that.

So for your pleasure, here are photos of rocker girls and heavy metal chicks.

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The first time I saw her was on PBS playing at one of those Eric Clapton festivals with Jeff Beck. I’ve been a Jeff Beck fan for many years and I’ve collected quite a few of his albums. One thing is for sure about Jeff Beck, he always plays with superb musicians. My first thought was that he has brought his daughter into the band. I thought, “Wow, he taught her well,” then she continued to blow my mind. I thought further, “This girl plays to well to be the daughter of a 70′s rock icon.” I did a little research after the show was over and confirmed that sure enough, Tal Wilkenfeld is a musical prodigy.

Here’s a quick run down of this 22 year old bass player from Australia:

• Dropped out of high school at 16 to come to the US to start her musical career.
• Records the awesome fusion album Transformation
• Plays with the Allman Brothers in 2006
• Tours with Chick Corea
• Tours with Jeff Beck

Have a look at her in high definition in this music video of her playing with Jeff Beck.

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Bonnaroo came to be in 2002 as a music festival on a 700 acre farm in Manchester, TN. In the beginning, the festival featured mostly jam bands, but has grown & diversified to feature many types of performers and artists. Still, the main feature is rock music with all sorts of genres represented. The Police, Tool, Metallica, The Allman Brothers Band have headlined along with the standard Widespread Panic. Without question, Bonnaroo is one of the most important events in rock music every year.

Of course with a four day music festival in the summer there comes the rock chicks. Here are the girls of Bonnaroo.

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The Independents were founded in the early ’90s by Willy B on guitars and Evil Presly on vocals in the swamps of South Carolina. Their purpose was to combine the influences of Iron Maiden, Conway Twitty, the Ramones, and Etta James into a weapon to lay waste to bands playing on the then local music scene in South Carolina. Since then they have pumped out the albums and live shows with the intention of scaring the shit out of you.

From their web site:

Hearsay has it that the only thing scarier to sprout from the muck and mire of South Carolina’s swampland than guitarist Willy B is his partner-in-grime Evil Presly. Whereas Mr. B has that gentlemanly Southern smarm and a drawl that simply drips with “git th’ shovel”, Mr. Presly – a leather ‘n leopard wrapped mass of mange, canines and charisma that’s charmed the pants off more than one chimpanzee – is a brash, one-man avalanche. Put simply, put the two together on a stage, in a van or bar tab and somebody’s gonna end up hurt and bawlin’.

You can learn more about the Independents at their site: The Indepentents

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I first heard her on TV when some company was hawking her CD that she recorded when she was just a girl. I remember her voice being captivating and beautiful. I think they were comparing her to an angel in the commercial. Maybe someone can update me on what she sounds like these days.

(Note: If you own any of these photos and do not want them here, please let us know.)

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This rock n’ roll beauty, Grace Potter, deserves a photo gallery. She takes a great photo. Every little thing I can do to help the rockers who read this site know about her, that’s what I will do. I did find out later that she and her band are not from the south at all. She’s from Vermont. I suppose soul isn’t just a southern thing. Head on over to Amazon and check her out. I have every CD, and I enjoy them. I think you will too.

Grace Potter and the Nocturnals Site.

(Note: If you own one of these photos of Grace Potter and you do not want your photo on Rock n’ Roll View, use the contact us form to let us know.)

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