Booker T and the MG's--Green Onions (1962)

    The void left as the pillars of Rock and Roll went by the wayside (1960-64) was filled by various different genres. It was the rise of the girl groups, and male singers who were mostly looks a little talent. Folk music rose up to fill the void as did Jazz. Just like in the early/mid 70's, the Billboard charts were full of different kinds of music, and it's in this environment that Booker T and the MG's not only found success, but helped laid the foundations for Memphis soul. 
     The original group consisted of Booker T. Jones (keys...and who was just 17 when the band formed), Steve Cropper (guitar), Lewie Steinberg (bass), and Al Jackson Jr. (drums). Steinberg was replaced by Donald "Duck" Dunn in 1965. The band was assembled to be the house band for the Stax Record company out of Memphis. During the 60's they put down the foundation for much of what you heard from Wilson Pickett, Otis Redding, Sam & Dave, Carla and Rufus Thomas, Johnnie Taylor and many others. 
      One day in 1962 during a break, the band was fooling around with a organ riff by Jones. Jim Stewart who was president of Stax at the time liked what he heard. Enough so that when it was polished up a bit, he recorded and released it as, "Green Onions". The song took off to #3 on the charts, and set the works in motion for a series of soulful instrumentals. They reached the top 40 seven times from 1962-1969. Their sound, not only for themselves, but for a myriad of other artists made Booker T and the MG's (which stands for Memphis Group) one of seminal groups of the 60's.  

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Bon Jovi--Living on a Prayer (1986)

    Arguably, Bon Jovi is the only hair metal group to come out of the 80's with it's artistic and personal dignity in tact.  
     For almost 30 years, they have continued their winning musical formula combined with the good looks of Ritchie and Jon to give them prolonged success. One of the reasons for this is a somewhat businesslike approach to the Bon Jovi brand and do this without looking like total sellouts to the dollar (like KISS does). For instance, if they feel it's time for a break...they take it, such as the early 90's when Sambora and Bon Jovi recorded successful solo albums, or in the late 90's when the entire band took several years off. They stay out of the headlines unless it's for positive things (except for the occasional Sambora excursion into all things blond and busty).
     They are not on the top 100 charts like in the 80's or 90's, but they have a very rabid fan base, they still sell out arenas all over the world and market themselves in a way that always seems to keep them in the headlines in a way that sells the Bon Jovi name.  This during a time where their counterparts are either on an endless quest for love and breast implants (hello Bret?), or still attempting to clean up after decades of excess (calling Dr. Drew!).
     A rock star veteran at the age of 49, Jon and the band seemingly can ride on this wave as long as they choose.  I would have never thought that on seeing the following video 25 years ago...

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