Influences: Y&T
Bay Area Rockers combine great songwriting with enough showmanship to gain a large audience, and continue to rock well into their late middle age. A true example of living the life!
Today, I am going to dive deep into the annals of rock that really defined my early life. I mentioned before the masters of pentatonic minor scale, many of whom are on pedestals and idolized. Some of my favorites are Michael Schenker, Ronnie Montrose, and now I am adding Dave Meniketti, the guitarist and front-man of the band Y&T. Originally formed in 1972, and on a whim, they needed a name for a gig they were being hired for, and called themselves “Yesterday and Today”. Being a cover band with some original tunes, it made/makes sense. Later in the 70’s they shortened it to Y&T.
The album that caught my ear was “Black Tiger”, released in 1982, and was the beginning of their commercial success. The title track was killer, but the one that really reached out and grabbed me was a simple tune titled “Forever”. It is a fast paced, hard driving tune that gets the blood pumping. From the double bass drumbeat, driving a progression of passages, a meandering guitar solo that is simple, clear and catchy, to simple vocals the song just rocks.
The band got their first big success in 1984’s “In Rock We Trust” that thrust them into the limelight, with flashy videos, and headlining major arena tours, even a couple of my “Day on the Green” events I went to. But that core of their sound, the essence of their being was there, even if it went dormant.
In 2010, I got reacquainted with Y&T when they released the album “Facemelter”, a throwback to their origins, and their initial hard rock roots.
The second song I am going to toss in is a staple in the deep track realms of classic rock, from their 19981 album “Earthshaker”. It starts with an etheric intro that tapers off into a classic riff that just chills my spine. Enjoy this performance from 1985, clearly their video stardom is reflected in their garb.
Dave Meniketti (and the entire band) are local to the SF Bay Area, and played a lot around town before their breakthrough, and as such are local royalty.
Alas, for a band that formed in the early 70’s and with a few lineup changes still had their core group, it is sadness that they are beginning to pass on. But their music lives on, both in my heart, and in my ongoing playing. Rock on dudes!