Music Appreciation

mahatmakanejeeves

(60,922 posts) Thu Oct 31, 2024, 09:41 AM Oct 31

On this day, October 31, 1947, Russ Ballard of Argent was born.

Born Today In Music

October 31st

1947 - Russ Ballard
Singer, songwriter and musician Russ Ballard from English rock band Argent who had the 1972 UK No.5 single 'Hold Your Head Up' and the hit and 'God Gave Rock and Roll to You'. Ballard has written songs for many artists including, Roger Daltrey, America, Three Dog Night, Santana and Brian May.

Argent Hold Your Head Up 1972 The Midnight Special

John Howie
406 subscribers

502,335 views Aug 5, 2009
This is Argent live on the American TV show - The Midnight Special

Here's a shorter version.

Argent - Hold your head up

Zoromes
2.05K subscribers

493,538 views May 20, 2009
Taken from the "Classic Rock" Ultimate Anthology. This indeed is classic rock at it's best!
Studio audience..anyone know the venue or date?

Hat tip, Dr. Strange for reminding me of this tune:

Russ Ballard - Voices (Miami Vice OST)

MiamiViceClips
3.95K subscribers

201,584 views Apr 9, 2015
Russ Ballard - Voices, featured in the Miami Vice episode "Calderone's Return (Part II)" (S1E5)

Tue Oct 31, 2023: On this day, October 31, 1947, Russ Ballard of Argent was born.

Mon Oct 31, 2022: On this day, October 31, 1947, Russ Ballard of Argent was born.

4 replies

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On this day, October 31, 1947, Russ Ballard of Argent was born. (Original Post) mahatmakanejeeves Oct 31 OP

I was going to post "Voices" after seeing your headline if you hadn't already. :) TwilightZone Oct 31 #1

Great tune. Per IMDb, the episode in which that was heard was aired on October 26, 1984. mahatmakanejeeves Oct 31 #2

I was watching. TwilightZone Oct 31 #3

That First One Is Midnight Special? ProfessorGAC Oct 31 #4

TwilightZone

(28,833 posts)

1. I was going to post "Voices" after seeing your headline if you hadn't already. :)

Reply to mahatmakanejeeves (Original post)

Thu Oct 31, 2024, 09:45 AM

Oct 31

mahatmakanejeeves

(60,922 posts)

2. Great tune. Per IMDb, the episode in which that was heard was aired on October 26, 1984.

Reply to TwilightZone (Reply #1)

Thu Oct 31, 2024, 10:01 AM

Oct 31

Calderone's Return: Part 2 - Calderone's Demise
Episode aired Oct 26, 1984 * TV-14 * 49m

TwilightZone

(28,833 posts)

3. I was watching.

Reply to mahatmakanejeeves (Reply #2)

Thu Oct 31, 2024, 10:02 AM

Oct 31

And 15 at the time. My style was influenced by MV for a while. Seems funny, in retrospect.

ProfessorGAC

(69,854 posts)

4. That First One Is Midnight Special?

Reply to mahatmakanejeeves (Original post)

Thu Oct 31, 2024, 08:09 PM

Oct 31

Curious. To my recollection, Midnight Special was always actually live. That is clearly the studio version.
A few tells:
1) Rod had a jazz mentality. He didn't play the exact same thing every time & every fill & phrase here is identical to the record.
2) After the breakdown, there are "Hold Your Head Up" lines being subg, but nobody is singing them.
3) It fades out at the end.
I was at the taping of two episodes of Midnight Special & everything was legit live. So, I'm surprised.
Tha e second video reinforces everything I said about the first. Some very different things played & at a higher tempo. And, there's an ending.
And, I really dig the skeletonized guitar Russ is playing.
The story of it is at the link.
https://russballardmusic.com/theguitar

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