SORRY I HAVEN’T BLOGGED IN LIKE FOREVER

today’s blog post will be about steve miller.

“WHO DAT?” you say?

(click play button for the answer…)

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you love steve miller, and you don’t even know who he is. he made “fly like an eagle.” he made “jet airliner.” he made “rock’n me.” and, yes, he made “abracadabra”.

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i’ve been on a bit of a steve miller trip over the last fortnight or so, culminating on the weekend when a friend and i DJed a steve miller tribute night, under the secret DJ names “J Milla and Ghostface Milla.” i suggested we call ourselves “DJs Flylike & Eagle” but was vetoed by my stupid friend.

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ladies and gentlemen. steve miller. we’re going to “fly like an eagle” – through time. dig this evolution of a classic song. we’re gonna travel through FOUR DECADES OF FLY LIKE AN EAGLE. starting in the 60s. please note this is just a sample of the literally hundreds of songs that sample/ripoff/are inspired by steve miller band and “fly like an eagle.”

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MP3: Steve Miller Band – My Dark Hour (1968)
the iconic guitar riff from “fly like an eagle” first appeared on a 1969 steve miller band record called “brave new world.” thats a good eight years before the song we all know and love was recorded and released. this song features paul mccartney on bass (credited as “Paul Ramon” – cheeky macca, bless you) and god damn if that isn’t him on vocals too. gotta be. this song is rock.

Video: Steve Miller Band – Fly Like an Eagle (1976)
flash forward eight years. here it is. i want to fly like an eagle! but unless you’re down with the “fly like an eagle” LP – steve miller band’s ninth (!) record – you won’t realise that this pop smash is actually preceded by a cosmic introduction that is required listening:

and then BAM:

Video: Dennis Parker – Like an Eagle (1979)
i’d like to think this was inspired by steve miller. probably not. but its fucking awesome. NEXT: ROBIN WILLIAMS. 10:00EDT.

MP3: Biz Markie – Nobody Beats the Biz (1987)
flash-forward another eight years. we’re in the 80s now. biz markie’s debut record goin’ off drops, and on it, this inspired “fly like an eagle”-sampling piece of self-aggrandisement.

MP3: The Neville Brothers – Fly Like an Eagle (1992)
lastly, we end up with the nevilles. it always ends with the nevilles. they released a cover on a 12″ that contained no less than 5 different dubs courtesy of masters at work. i have no idea which one this is, because i found it on the internet.

but its the best one. and probably the best cover of “fly like an eagle” i’ve heard. and i’ve heard a lot now.

listen:

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i couldn’t find a video for that particular mix, but if you’re desperate to see the nevilles at their worst, here’s a music video for the original version, which stank like the dog’s bollocks. wait, actually… i’ve got no idea if this is the original. youtube dates it as 2004. but it looks and sounds like 1992. so confused. and what is a vevo anyway … http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iZhV2tqPH54

Video: Seal – Fly Like an Eagle (1996)
perhaps inspired by the neville brothers’ tepid re-imagining, we get rising superstar seal’s take on the classic. we are now a LONG LONG way from steve miller’s vision. this cover bears a mention for two reasons. one: its from the soundtrack to “space jam.” two: – no shit – seal starts jamming the lyrics from his hit ‘crazy’ into the proceedings towards the end. shameless, absolutely shameless. that is totally something that sting would do.

ok. thats “fly like an eagle.” there’s more steve miller where that came from. but are you ready for it?