Welcome to one of the trillions of amateur music blogs available on the internet. Congratulations on finding me! That ugly bastard in the above picture is me, the creator and currently only blogger here on the 13th Floor of Hell. I’d like to state up front that I am not a musician, nor am I a professional writer. I’m just another asshole going to concerts, collecting records and obsessing over this thing called rock ‘n’ roll. I need a place where I can freely write about the music that has led me to my life as a slave to the sound of guitar, bass and drums.

Rock n roll, or if you prefer, rock music, is no longer the cultural force it once was. Our current musical climate is now dominated by hip hop, pop and EDM. I’m not against this. This blog is not going to be a home of rockist screeds bemoaning the current state of music. I’m aware that rock n roll, like jazz before it, had it’s time. Now it’s time for new innovators to express themselves through the music that speaks to them. While I respect and applaud those who are currently making waves in the music world; it would be disingenuous of me to post a review of the latest Kanye West or Drake album. Maybe someday, this page will become widely read and I’ll have the resources to pay some young whipper snapper to write about all of the great stuff happening in the world of hip hop and electronic music, but for now you’re stuck with me and my musical obsessions. Here, for now at least, on the 13th Floor of Hell, my focus will be on rock, blues, soul and a touch of country (not pop country).

The glory days of rock, blues, and soul music may be past, but that doesn’t mean that this blog will only focus on past glories. While rock is no longer at the forefront of the culture, there is still a vibrant scene of young rock musicians around the world who both respect the past and want to bring the sounds of rock n roll into the future. My posts will include thoughts and reviews of classic albums, songs and artists, as well as those who are currently creating this music that I love.

For many of you, the word “rock ‘n’ roll” likely conjures up images of 1950’s era greasers with pompadour hair styles and leather jackets. You probably imagine piano pounding singers belting out the wonderful nonsense of “bop bopa-a-lu a whop bam boo.” You aren’t wrong. People like Elvis, Little Richard, Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Buddy Holly were the inventors of rock ‘n’ roll. Their contributions can’t be ignored. However the music they invented spawned dozens of sub genres. Psychedelic rock, heavy metal, punk rock, progressive rock, new wave, surf rock, grunge, garage rock, shoegaze, goth rock, and indie rock, just to name a few. It’s my hope that I can touch on the many faces of rock ‘n’ roll. Of course I have my favorites. This blog will be heavily weighted toward the classic rock sounds of the 1960s and 70s, the peak era of rock ‘n’ roll innovation. However, I am dedicated to giving a complete picture of rock music’s rich history and variety, so I will also spend time talking about my favorite artists from before and after that exciting time period.

Lastly, I’d also like to mention, that no true lover of rock ‘n’ roll can fully appreciate rock music without also understanding the roots of it; the music that inspired the earliest rockers to pick up their guitars and fucking play. This is a website that will also talk about the blues, soul, r & b, and country music that were all ingredients in the stew that became rock ‘n’ roll. I hope you enjoy what you find here on the 13th Floor of Hell. Read it, share it, discuss it, and most importantly fucking rock it!