The first selection in this year's Rocktober is a reminder that, even though '90s rock was generally defined by grunge, alternative rock, and rap metal, there was still some pretty damn good straightforward rock and roll that was being released.
Lenny Kravitz had a huge hit with "It Ain't Over 'til It's Over" in 1991, as the song went to #2 on the Billboard Hot 100, making it his highest-charting single in the U.S. to this day. For whatever reason, I don't really remember that song when it came out. What I do remember is the first time I heard "Are You Gonna Go My Way." I didn't have cable growing up, so when I would go to friends' houses or babysit, I'd go straight for MTV. I saw the video for this, and I thought, Good Lord, this guy's the reincarnation of Jimi Hendrix!
The song is a ball-busting hard rock song, from the great opening riff until the last note. Hell, in the video -- which won the MTV VMW for Best Male Artist -- save for the bassist, the others in the band even looked like The Jimi Hendrix Experience, with the other guitarist, Craig Ross, resembling Experience bassist Noel Redding, and drummer Cindy Blackman resembling Experience drummer Mitch Mitchell, round bug-eye sunglasses and all -- though I just learned that it was Kravitz who actually played the drums on the track, and Blackman was brought in for the video.
The song wasn't released as a single in the U.S., so it wasn't eligible for the Billboard Hot 100, but it topped the Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart and went to #2 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart. It was also a huge hit internationally, topping the Australian pop chart for six weeks and reaching the Top 10 on the pop charts in eight other countries. All in all, it's a great song to kick off this most rockingest of months.
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