The Riverside Times

Blue Oyster Cult - Take Me Away RANDOM THOUGHTS ... Great song. In fact, I think I like this one more than any of their other, more well-known singles like "(Don't Fear) The Reaper" and "Burnin' For You". The guitar riff (0:11) is amazing. The chorus is great. A lot of really cool guitar stuff going on here.  ...  The song was released in 1983, as the first track on BOC's ninth studio album,  The Revolution By Night . The album may not have been a massive success, but this song is a keeper.  ... This tune was written by Aldo Nova and Eric Bloom, who sings lead vocals on it. Aldo Nova also plays guitar and synthesizers on this one, and the mere fact that he's involved here makes me like the song even more.  

Collective Soul - Hollywood (Live) RANDOM THOUGHTS ... Awesome performance by Collective Soul on Leno in 2007. "Hollywood" is my favorite CS song of the post- Disciplined Breakdown era, but only when I hear it like this: Loud, and with guitars. The album version features keyboards more and doesn't pack the same punch as this live version. I like this version much better. ... Top notch stage show by the band, too. The guys are moving all around and being visually interesting. I saw these guys play a show in Milwaukee back in 2001, and they rocked. Great live band. Long live Collective Soul.