After writing the last post, I had the privilege of getting a response from Matt at Axebay.com (definitely a cool site! I’d recommend it to anyone who digs guitars!!) that “Rock N Roll really started with the blues.
And he’s 100% right!! Though we were talkin’ about how rock-and-roll got its name, let me take a second to tie it in with what Matt said:
From the Mississippi Delta to the streets of Chi-Town (Chicago), the hard, mournful chords of a plain “box” (acoustic) guitar served as a backdrop to the plaintive, soulful wails of streetcorner blues artists. Their songs would echo the sadness, sweat, strain — and sometimes tragicomedy — of a hard-workin’ life.
A few decades ago, I had a friend who played with legendary bluesman Big Bill Broonzy, and asked him what the basic blues chords were.
He looked at me like “I don’t believe you just asked that!” then burst out in a booming laugh.
“Chuck, there ain’t no “basic chords” in the blues, man!” He picked up an old Kay guitar he was using and continued,
“Look a-here … you feel kinda good, ya might do a little sweet stuff, like this!” And he played some soft, almost angelic chords.
“But,” Sammy continued, “let’s us say yer wife done left ya for some UHHH-gly man. Whatcha gonna do?” He immediately hit the chords like he was gonna break ‘em! A “G”, an “A”, a “C” …
Then he put the guitar down, pulled out a toothpick to suck on, and said, “If they’s any ‘chords’ you could call ‘blues’, jus’ stick with them ‘big three’. Yep … ‘A, D, E’ or … ‘C, F an’ G’. Ever’thang starts from there!“
Now, I know this is sorta gettin’ away from our continuing posts about rock roots, but Matt’s comment triggered this memory. Sammy died shortly after I talked with him that afternoon, but he knew the blues like “maple” knows “syrup”.
And it was just as smooth …
Where do you think rock’n'roll first began?Some say it was with Elvis, while others say Beatles — and even a few still say Chuck Berry.
But the truth of the matter is that it all started in the African-American spiritual churches at the turn of the 19th-2oth Century! Here’s what I’m talkin’ about:
Y’see, the congregations of these churches loved to move and sway to the energetic gospel sounds emanating from their choirs. Meanwhile, over in the Atlantic, African-American sailors would take note of their ships’ swaying and rocking on unsteady seas. They’d eventually describe those movements as the ships’ rockin’ and rollin’.
So, when they got back home and settled back into their churches, they’d see the choirs and congregations swaying and moving to the music, caught up in the “spirit”, as such. These same sailors would remember their high-seas escapades and say the people were rockin’ and rollin’, too! And the music would be nicknamed … rock and roll music!
Now, according to some records of the ’20s, a few of the deacons would be … well, more than, er, “spiritual guidance” to some of the prettier ladies of the congregations and start some “rockin’ and rollin’ of their own!”
Okay … we’ve got the name, and we’ve got the association to, let’s say, secular pleasure …
Soon, the word “rock” became used in country and rhythm-and-blues songs as a synonym for sexual or romantic intimacy. As these two forces produced the next steps toward rock music — the “hoy-hoy” era from rhythm and blues and rockabilly from country — we came closer and closer to what we now know as rock and roll!
We’re gonna pick it up here and elaborate on this in Part 2, later this evening.
See ya on the flip side!
When we do get back, though, we’ll be starting an in-depth (and fun) look at the roots of this thing we call Rock and Roll!
So be sure to have yer paper and pencils handy … you’ll wanna take some notes!
Until then, here are some oldies I’ve run across:
http://docrockonline.net/music/alternateabbey.ZIP
(This .zip file has the alternate takes to the Beatles’ popular “Abbey Road” … some not even found on “Anthology”!)
http://docrockonline.net/music/paramounts.mp3
(This is the supergroup PROCOL HARUM as “The Paramounts”… back in 1963! Yep … same lineup and everything!)
http://docrockonline.net/music/nightriders.mp3
(This is THE root of ELO … before the Move, before Idle Race … they were part of “Mike Sheridan and The Nightriders”)
It’s inevitable:Almost every week, I either get email or someone stopping me to ask how a band got a specific beat. Last week, it was about I Want Candy. Just this morning, someone wrote in and said the Deep Purple hit, Hush, had a familiar beat. Who orginated(sic) that type of beat? they asked.
Well, the famed Bo Diddley Beat came from the artist himself, blues legend Bo Diddley (Elias McDaniel), who passed away in June of last year.
Many of his signature songs were known by their jungle-like rhythm pattern. And, since his song, Bo Diddley introduced that rhythm in 1955, it seemed hundreds of artists (in many musical genres) began patterning some of their material after this man and his beat.
HERE’S HOW HE GOT IT: The style actually stems from early forms of latin and afro-cuban rhythms (clave) derived from their respective countries.
It’s important to note that this rhythm was also used for years as the
playful music knock, “Shave and a Haircut”,… “Two Bits”.
How to play it:
Another simple beat to learn but important to make it swing!
Play singles from hand to hand on the floor tom accentuating the clave (top line) below. Bass drum can match the clave or play “4 on the floor” (bottom line). Guitarist and/or bass player will play simultaneous lines so it is important to keep a steady tempo to be in sync with them.
Use the afro-cuban son clave below as your foundation. For those that don’t read, it’s:
1 (2) and (3) 4 - (1) 2 3 (4)
Variations:
Many drummers play this beat on the floor tom as mentioned above.
Others play it as a rudimental snare groove (New Orleans style) and still
others play the Bo Diddley beat within a standard, syncopated rock groove on drums.
Examples (Songs)
Not Fade Away - Buddy Holly, Rolling Stones
Willie & the Hand Jive - Johnny Otis Show
I Want Candy - Strangeloves
Women are Smarter - Grateful Dead
Magic Bus - The Who
She’s the One - Bruce Springsteen
Faith - George Michael
Desire - U2
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Deep Purple have announced they’ll begin recording a new studio album next February — and for DP fans young and old (this writer included), that’s great news (hey … you listen to this band from their early days on and see if you don’t become one yourself! Man, it’s guaranteed!!)
Anyway, here’s what Purple frontman Ian Gillan recently told Metalunderground.com:
“I think we are ready to make another album. We’ve been talking about it for some time already. I think we’ll start to work on it next February.
“We go into the studio with absolutely nothing, no music or lyrics whatsoever. We sit in the kitchen, having some cup of tea, talk about families and football… Then we go into the room and play; six hours a day.
“After three days, some ideas begin to shape and we start to turn them into songs. 
To prepare the main lines takes about three weeks, to deal with lyrics, recording process and mixing also take two weeks.
“Since there have been many technological developments recently and we use them by recording the music in analog and mix it in digital to achieve the best result.”
Now, when Deep Purple’s name is mentioned, many of us think one of three things: Ritchie Blackmore (with the original lineup), Hush! (which had one of the most awesome backbeats in rock!) or Smoke On The Water (which every budding guitarist wants to try at least once).
But didja know that the band was actually the brainchild of Chris Curtis — the original drummer for The Searchers?
Yup … ’tis true!
Anyway we look at it, though, the album’s gonna be fantastic … cause this Deep Purple’s gonna keep its colour and depth for a long time to come!
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Hey … pretty soon, you be able pretend to be your favorite local band when you play the popular interactive vid, Rock Band!Harmonix is planning to add tools for bands and game developers to turn their songs into tracks for the game, according to Billboard Magazine.
At first, game tracks built by outside developers will only be available to Xbox 360 users, but the company wants to add these tools so they can be used by all consoles.
Now, tracks that are developed by other parties won’t be available through the actual ‘Rock Band’ store, but they’ll be put up for sale in other areas (I’m sure they’ll tell you where you can find ‘em!).
It’ll give local bands the chance to have a piece of the game pie while it’ll give Harmonix a way to build and expand both its platform and catalog without having to invest any extra time and effort into actually developing the tracks themselves.
Bottom line? Inventiveness, initiative and inclusion … and who knows? It could mean one serious upward thrust by local acts that are really wanting to get ahead in this world of rock …
Stay tuned … I’ll bring more on this story as it develops …
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This one’s gonna be a bit short due to the time-sensitivity of it.
The best thing I can tell ya is to follow this link: the Rock Report, and see why we’re askin’ prayers and healing thoughts to go out for Billy “Faron” Ruffley tomorrow morning.
The man is a legend in and around Liverpool, having worked with two of the greatest non-Invasion bands in England! First, his Faron’s Flamingos, then the famous Big Three.
Again, just asking yer prayers during the 11 AM operation tomorrow (that’s GMT. Here, it’d be 6 AM EST).
So click on that link to the Rock Report, say a quick prayer on Faron’s behalf … and thanks …
First of all: remember when I introduced you to the fab new UK band who’s really makin’ headlines around the music world? Many of you have already become fans of THE FORE — but now they’re in the running to become the best independent artist of 2009!And you can vote for them! Just click this link and read how to do it!
Then, scroll down til you see the band (The Fore) and click! You’ll be given a chance to hear the music and vote (and, for you who haven’t done it yet, we hope you’ll become a fan!). That’s all there is to it! I’ll be repeating this in another post soon, btw … so be sure to tell yer friends …
Y’know, over the past few years, it’s looked as if rock has lost itself in noisier rhythm, heavy riffs and drum fills; it’s shouted, screamed, broke tempo, synthed itself and, largely, has become a bizarre emo imitation-rock. As records gave way to CDs, amps and PAs began surrendering to synthesizers and computerized loops, and “gigs” were “performed” by way of YouTubes and MySpaces, it would seem that true rock had been all but forgotten …
UNTIL …
Here it is, 2009. In music stores, we’re starting to find turntables again … on televised talent showcases, we find more acts who’ve just put out a new 33 1/3 RPM record instead of CD …
in studios, more bands are pluggin’ into PAs and amps rather than a computer …
written, hard-copy pubs are coming back, highlighting the return of rock rather than teched-out, overlooped stuff!
Rolling Stone and USA Today have both articled that today’s teen would rather hear the Sixties-style music than the metal, alt, synth, etc.
THE FORE’s popularity is spreading like wildfire! Their music is not only raw, original rock in the vein of their FOREfathers, but they’ve paid their dues in much the same way as the Beatles and other acts of the period! The biggest similarity, though, is that these lads have come up in the same way; gigging wherever they can (whether on High Street in London, The Cavern in Liverpool or in front of thousands at festivals or other shows), and actually absorbing the same energy that the earlier bands had! And they’re getting the attention of A&R reps for large record labels now!
What I’m saying is that the best of rock-n-roll is returning to mainstream big time!! And, just as the original rock soothed the worries and sadness after November 22, 1963, this time it’s soothing the same for a world needing relief from war worries, recessions, violence, etc.
And I’ve got a feelin’ that, this time, it’s gonna stay in the FOREfront of music for a lonnnnnnng, lonnnnnnng time to come!!
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Y’know, in the world of rock-n-roll … in fact, in the music world itself … there seems to be a lack of the one thing that can turn people on, get endorphins rushin’, and make life a little easier to bear.It’s called humor.
Now, there’s no doubt that Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention had it. Their tongue-in-cheek music was a cult hit, though some of their songs were considered to “risque” in one form or another to be considered “Top 40″ material.
But there were those who could get their humor onto the radio, and with great results: From the Trashmen’s Surfin’ Bird (which, incidentally, was about a dance, but became a popular voiceunder for some of the craziest bits on television) to the most humorous songwriter of the Sixties, Roger Miller, at one point in time humor was popular.
Miller always seemed to be smiling while singing his signature hits like Dang Me, Chug-A-Lug, England Swings, You Can’t Roller Skate (in a Buffalo Herd) – even more pensive songs like One Dyin’ and A Buryin’ and Husbands and Wives. The man was one of the most likeable guys off-camera as well, and he’s sorely missed.
Another performer not only set the stage for some megafunny hits but also developed sort of a “prototype” for rap! Ray Stevens, of Ahab the Arab fame, could belt out some hilarious stuff (including Gidget the Midget, Along Came Jones and The Streak) as well as some amazing story songs like Have A Little Talk With Myself (which was covered by Sammy Davis. Jr.) and, of course, Everything Is Beautiful.
But when it came to rhyme, meter and phrasing — all in spoken-word verses — nothing could beat 1969’s Gitarzan. If you listen to rap and hip-hop today, you’ll hear exactly the same meter, the same timing … but Ray did it years before! Of course, today’s laughlord is “Weird” Al Yankovic, whose parodies of the hits-of-the-day have gone platinum!
Now, there’s one other, if you can find it (it’s on the soundtrack of Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure). Primus (with legendary bassist Les Claypool) did a song that’d come right out of a radical comic strip or cartoon. It’s called Tommy the Cat, and, when you visualize the graphics, it’s totally cool! Anyway … in this day and age, we really need a few laughs … even in our music! It’s just a matter of time before someone steps up to the plate and decides to hit with one …
Well, that’s it for this edition. Until next time, remember: Keep your eyes on the skies, your feet on the ground, don’t walk into any telephone poles, though, keep your heart with the music … and I’ll see ya on the flip side!
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It’s one of the hottest radio stations on the Internet!Express FM 93.7 is a mix of everything that’s right in the radio business!
Not only do they have some dynamite shows (I’ll get to one in particular in a moment), but they do great work for youth around the UK and the world!
Causes like their Amplify Show (sponsored by the National Youth Agency) give kids a voice. As it says on their web page:
“If you are aged between 13 & 19 then get in touch with Express FM for the opportunity to get people talking about…..whatever you want!”
And their vinvolved project (sponsored by vinspired.com) helps “to inspire, recruit and deliver hundreds of volunteer opportunities within radio for 16 – 25 year olds over the next 3 years.”
But they also rock! The famous Geoff and Andy Show (now including DJ legend Gary Jackson [see pic]) has interviewed greats like Genesis, The Drifters, Snow Patrol and Andy Fairweather Low.
Their banter, superb interview skills — and the music — all make for a dynamite show (hey … recommend these guys to a station in your area! It’ll really give a boost to their ratings!).
Recently, I had the pleasure of arranging an interview with the band that I’m proud to promote here in the states, England’s wildly popular Mersey/Hamburg-style rockers, The Fore. From top to bottom, this interview was fantastic — and fans tuned in from across the planet!
Now, I wouldn’t be fair to talk about it without givin’ you the chance to hear it, would I?? So just click here to download or listen!
So, whenever you’re lookin’ for good radio, I’m sure you can find it somewhere on the web.
But if you’re lookin’ for great radio, just click the Express FM 97 link, click on “What’s On”, then hit their “On-Air” button (to the right, top of main page).
Your ears are gonna be thrilled …
Just learned about Ozzy Osbourne’s dog — and, being a pooch-owner myself, I really feel for the guy.
Y’see, the Black Sabbath front man is in shock after finding out that his favorite bowwow, Little Bit, was eaten by a coyote!
His daughter Kelly was the one who broke the news that the pet had been taken out by the (mostly) Western dog/wolf.
She said her dad was heartbroken.
On Twitter, she said: “:( My dad’s dog Little Bit was eaten by a coyete (sic) last night in LA and he is devastated. She was his other women (sic)!”
Ozzy and wife Sharon rescued Little Bit when she (the dog) was a puppy. She soon captured the hearts of all the Osbournes. She was saved from a puppy ranch following an investigation on National Geographic’s The Dog Whisperer (the one with Cesar Milan) and an animal welfare organization here in the states.
Earlier this year, Ozzy said that he and Sharon had eighteen dogs. He said: “We get them from the pound now. When I get home it’s like I’ve got four new dogs.”
And Sharon added: “Word’s got out in Los Angeles: ‘Anybody (who) finds a stray dog, call the Osbournes, they’ll take the dog.’”
There’s no animal that’s more likely to truly capture your heart than a dog (unless it’s a cat. I’ve got both, and haveta be fair … especially when there’s a hungry 20-pound Bombay sittin’ on my desk, watching every word I type!). So, to Ozzy, Sharon, Kelly and Jack (and no matter how strange you might think this sounds. Pet owners will understand …), my condolences …
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Remember The Eagles’ 1990s reunion tour, Hell Freezes Over, which was given that name to recognize their spite for each other?Well, it apparently hasn’t yet …
On a recent gig in Hampden Park, Glasgow, Scotland, the band showed that, while it’s still got the musical tightness and vocal blend that made it famous, the members themselves are as distant as L.A. is to Liverpool.
They changed guitars often … perhaps as a way to keep from looking at each other … and performed songs from their Long Road Out Of Eden album with the warmth and life of a piece of cardboard.
Fortunately, the band still has Joe Walsh, who seemed to be the only one really interested in the gig and its audience!
He used the slide guitar to embellish In the City, soloing with an energy the rest of the band apparently has forgotten.
Two songs later, he tore up the stage to Life’s Been Good, his 1978 reggae-influenced musical satire. The fans finally got into the groove, rocking and laughing to Joe’s humorous take on life as a “star” (he always cuts up a bit when he does the tune).
Then he broke into the boogie-woogie rhythm of the James Gang’s Funk #49 (he had been with that band prior to his stint with The Eagles), and, for a moment, the band’s mood seemed to change!
But, overall, it was business as usual for the foursome: Glenn Frey could be a bit charming but had a knack to suddenly drift into the background. You couldn’t hear Timothy Schmidt’s bass, and Don Henley just seemed more like a robot.
Their biggest hits, including Hotel California, Life in the Fast Lane and, of course, Take It Easy – were pretty much “by-the-book” but didn’t have the spark they once did. But when Walsh took to his set, it woke the crowd up and got a great response.
Bottom line: Joe still remembers how to rock … and play to the fans at the same time. He truly seems to enjoy it!
Would that the rest of the band could pick up on that.
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You’ve noticed that, with every post, I always try to include a pic or two here in the Notebook. It sorta gives the blog a little more color, and you’ll know what I’m gonna be jawjackin’ about.
But, sometimes, those pics can be so humongous that I have to re-size ‘em to fit the post size.
Awww, I know you may have the same problem … and that’s why I wanna share this free app with ya. Y’see, you can avoid the hassle by downloading a little gadget called Irfanview!
Here’s how it works: Whenever I haveta send band pics to a station or A&R, and they’re too large to send by email (rule of thumb: The larger the pic you send, the more memory it uses on the recipient’s computer. Sometimes, it keeps the pic from downloading), I’ll re-size them by using this little wonder!
So I pull up the pic using Irfanview (when ya first use it, go to “Options” then “File Associations” and click the normal formats [.jpg, .gif, .bmp, .png] to be sure the files open with the app).
Then, I’ll click on “Image”, followed by “Resize/Resample”. Here, ya wanna be sure your “preserve aspect ratio” box is checked. If it is, then type in your width for a comfortable “200″ or “300″; the “height” box will automatically re-size that part for you!
After that, just click “File” and “Save” as you normally would, and it’s ready to send!
BTW, I used the Irfanview app to resize this promo pic of the famous UK indie band, THE FORE. It was originally 425×283.
So I’d really recommend gettin’ this for your PC now! Then go ahead and take all the pics you want …
Of course, there are many more things you can do with this free app, like enhancing colors, changing the pic to black-and-white and even more!
Okay … normally I’d be jawjackin’ about the latest happenings or doohickies in rock music, right?
But, y’know, sometimes yer PC just doesn’t wanna behave when you’re doin’ the Last Writes (meaning, finally posting your finished copy)! It becomes so S*L*O*W* that you can only hope it’ll be published sometime before Barack Obama leaves office …
There’s good news though, campers! I’ve found a little app that’ll clean your computer and get rid of all the junk you’ve got layin’ around yer C: drive.
Best of all: It’s free!
It’s called “CCleaner” (short [honestly!] for Crap Cleaner!) and, when ya run it, you’ll be able to clean your files, registry and manage your startups (those applications that start when your computer does).
And it does it all with 100% efficiency!
Now, the best way to run it is to close all your browsers first (whether IE, Firefox, Opera or one yer mama made for you at Christmas). That way, you can get maximum cleaning!
Before ya know it, your PC/laptop/whatever will be running a lot more smoothly!
CCleaner™ is a product of Piriform, Ltd.® and is available by download from this site.
It’s high-school reunion time throughout America and, wherever you’re having yours, you know the routine:
It usually starts with an advance notice, which then builds curiosity. Then, as the day comes closer and closer, we sorta back away from it a bit because someone … somewhere in that crowd of formerly-familiar faces … might be “better” or “richer” or “better-looking” than us. And (heaven forbid!) what … what if we ran into our old high-school sweetheart?? You know … the one who “got away” from us and married and is so in love with her new, fancy hubby?
Then, as the day draws to within shoutin’ distance, we start to feel a bit of panic … “butterflies” set in as we start our drive to the club/wherever-it’s-held.
Hey … go on in and enjoy, though — and remember: this wing-ding only happens once every ten years! If you’re skittish, just dig the good times and “bow out” at yer leisure …
But there’s another reunion that’s goin’ on … and this one oughtta be a doozy (okay … old word, I know, but oughtta be used at least once-in-awhile, right?).
Imagine bein’ behind the Pearly Gates right now and hearing an ageless Jimi Hendrix on lead, John Lennon on rhythm, Billy Powell on piano, Keith Moon on drums, Sky Saxon on bass and Michael Jackson singing! And that’s just one of the many bands at this continuing, ageless jam session!
On others, you’ll have Bobby Hatfield singing harmony, Ronnie Van Zandt or Stevie Ray Vaughan playin’ lead or rhythm, Mike Smith on piano, Mitch Mitchell drumming … or “Bonzo” Bonham, Otis Redding, James Brown or Jim Morrison singing, or even Roy Orbison … or Elvis … or, for the feminine touch, Janis Joplin. Sometimes, Buddy Holly will sit in …
And, still, there are others …
Reunions … while we look at ‘em down here with a bit of envy and (yes) even a little dread, look at what we’ve got to look forward to on the other side of the spectrum!!
Still … for your tenth, twentieth or fiftieth HS reunion, I say GO!! It’s a once-in-a-decade gig … and who knows? By the time the next one rolls around, some of the ones you see this time might already be enjoying the Big Jam Session in the Sky!!
Count yer blessings, yardbirds … and have a great time!! And always be thankful for the legacy we rockers have been left with …
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Y’know, we’ve talked a lot about how to start a rock band, get its first gigs and into the ears of those who can help move it forward.
But there’s one thing that every band should do … and that’s make the act non-offensive in its presentation. Make your band and music acceptable to fans in general, and you’ll have very little problem growing one helluva fan-base (which, btw, buys the CDs, attends paying concerts, etc.).
But, for the sake of “getting noticed”, some will take the opposite (read: dumb) approach. For example: there are a few bands on a limited 
(very limited) circuit that have the “F-word” in their names.
While they might think it’s radical or sends a statement, don’t kid yourself: They’re doing it because it’s the only way they can get noticed! Their sound’s just not that good to begin with!
And they seem to forget the number of legal issues surrounding the use of their “name”, which include various decency and incitement ordinances.
In other words, the sound you’re hearing from their sets isn’t a snare’s rimshot … it’s the sound of them shooting themselves in their musical feet!
They won’t be heard on radio; most TV gigs will be out-of-the-question; and larger venue managers will, for the most part, avoid them like the plague!
Remember … whatever you begin to play now, the way you carry that act onstage, even down to the band name you choose … can typecast you, not only now but all through your entire musical career!
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Michael Jackson’s death yesterday has brought a looming question to thousands of fans who’d already bought tickets to his O2 This Is It shows:
Are we gonna get a refund?
So far, the answer is yes … “in due course”, according to AEG Live, who was sponsoring the gigs.
As with the rest of the world, the suits-behind-the-show are still in shock after learning of the self-proclaimed “King of Pop’s” demise and, with everything else to be handled about the eternal cancellation, they’re just not ready to handle the heavy refund load.
At present, there’s $82 million to be refunded off 750,000 ticket sales. It’s one of the biggest refund efforts in the history of the concert industry, and one concert executive said it’s also the “biggest mess in the history of our business.”
Ticketmaster’s customer service line played a recorded message advising customers to “await communication” from the company regarding refunds.
It continued: “We understand this is an upsetting time for all Michael Jackson fans and we want to thank you for your patience in this matter.”
And secondary ticket service Seatwave also told fans that they’d get a full refund.
“We are all saddened by the news of Michael Jackson’s death,” said CEO and founder Joe Cohen in a statement.
“All customers who purchased tickets for his O2 shows from Seatwave are covered by our TicketCover guarantee and will get a full refund.
Full information on how to do this is on our Web site at www.seatwave.com. We advise customers to use the Web site rather than our phone lines to obtain this information.”
Look … the world needs to take time to mourn Michael’s passing, as we’d need if we’d lost a loved one. After all, he was a member of the rock family!
Paperwork (and ticket refunds) can come when that’s done. Agreed?? …
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The new KISS album “rocks big time”, according to their guitarist Paul Stanley.
For anyone who follows the painted legends, there can be no doubt!
According to Paul’s statement on their site, www.kissonline.com:
“We’re about four days from finishing the new Kiss album. Eleven tracks, and it is everything I’ve told you. It is classic. It is all written within the band. And it rocks big time!
“Tommy [Thayer, guitar] and Eric (Singer, drums] both handle lead vocals. The songs, sound and playing will knock your socks off. You will all be as proud and excited as we all are. Oh…and WAIT till you see the cover!
We ARE just getting started!”
The KISS armies around the world are pleased, of course … but also amazed! I mean, here’s a band who’s been around for decades but, while others from 20-years-back are drying out, these guys refresh, reinvent, or whatever, themselves to bounce back to the top again and again!
Stanley’s hyperbole was matched by bassist “Demon” Gene Simmons’s comments earlier this month:
“This might be the best new record we’ve done since [1976 album] Destroyer. In fact, it has a similar sound – Rock And Roll Over-meets-Love Gun kind of a record.”
The album, by the way, is due for release in September/October.
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They’ve introduced new shoes (including a vegan line). They’ve been the subject of books. They’ve inspired a new style of punk — and are the premier band of that genre in the world.
Now Green Day takes a giant step closer to Broadway on September 4th when the Berkeley Repertory Theater in Berkeley, California — close to the 924 Gilman Street Project, the hardcore club where Green Day debuted — premieres American Idiot, a (ready?) musical-theater adaptation of the band’s hit 2004 album!
I’m told the production’s directed by the famed Michael Mayer, who won a Tony Award for the Broadway rock-musical hit Spring Awakening, and runs through October 9th.
Incidentally, front man Billy Joe Armstrong admits that the two characters (Gloria and Christian) in their newest album, 21st Century Breakdown, are actually … him! Uh-huh … both of them!
Billie Joe implied, to Boston.com, that he’s a little concerned about his mental state due to this:
“I think the people on the album are 100 per cent me. It’s just different names … there’s a yin/yang element to them - it’s a little bit schizophrenic in a lot of ways.”
Okay … that’s all from here for now. Whatcha think about it there?
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When Nine Inch Nails front man Trent Reznor asked fans for help, they answered to the tune of $260,000+ in just two days to help a man in dire need of a heart transplant. As of this writing, it’s reached $850,000+!
Trent asked for donations, via his Twitter page and a special donation page on the NIN website, to help 27 year-old Eric De La Cruz, who urgently needs a new heart but can’t get medical insurance. While Cruz’s family struggles to raise the estimated $780,000 to complete the operation, NIN fans are stepping up to help – and earning some incredible benefits.
According to the band’s website, fans who donate $1,000 to help Cruz will get an actual Tony Hawk skateboard, autographed by Reznor as well as “a signed-by-me copy of NIN’s rarest CD release, STILL - along with CDs of The Slip and the deluxe version of Ghosts I-IV (all signed and numbered by me for this donation).
Eric’s situation shines a bright light on a broken health care system, and his particular set of problems are being addressed on the political front, aiming for reform in addition to the need for immediate financial help to keep him alive TODAY. I think we can help with the latter,’” he wrote.
Listen — if there’s any proof that rockaholics have the biggest heart of any genre, it’s this! As Reznor says on-site, “we’re showing the WORLD the power of a strong and committed community, and we’re quite possibly saving a life in the process.”
Hey … wanna get involved? Just go to their site today, okay??
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He’ll be one of the last acts to ever play Giants Stadium.
And now you’ve got a chance to bid on tickets to Bruce Springsteen’s concert — and the proceeds will go to help charity!
Springsteen and the E Street Band are gonna hit the stage at the stadium on October 3, and tickets sold out in just minutes! But “The Boss” is giving you the chance to get some special tickets (in some of the best seating areas!).
Now, proceeds from the auction will go to World Hunger Year (WHY), which is an organization formed in 1975 by radio talk-show host Bill Ayres and singer/songwriter Harry Chapin (he did Cat’s In The Cradle, Taxi and W*O*L*D).
Chapin saw hunger and poverty as an insult to America, and many of his concerts were benefit shows for the charities he was known to support (82 in all!). Also, the sales of all his concert merchandise were donated directly to WHY.
At the time of his death in 1981, it was found that Chapin had donated almost all of his personal fortune to charity!
Today, WHY is an international non-profit organization that connects grass roots charities with funding expertise and publicity.
Auction winners will also receive a WHY-Hard Rock Born In The USA 25th Anniversary Limited Edition Tee-shirt, Lapel Pin and Hat.
Now, the auction is gonna run until June 29, so time’s runnin’ out, yardbirds! If you wanna bid on the tix, they can be accessed here.
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Man, talk about an “idea whose time has come”:There’ve been many words in the English language that have been banned due to their offensive nature (such as the “n” word, “f*g”, “sp*c”, etc.) … but there’s one that should, by all means, be removed –
The word is “retarded”.
Recently, the Special Olympics gathered a group of the finest actors and performers in America to launch a campaign to “Ban The ‘R’ Word”. It’s definitely a degrading, blasphemous label that can harm a person for years after he or she’s first labeled as such.
I know from firsthand experience: From a troubled birth to today, I have lived with mild cerebral palsy. Though, through the early tutellage of an older and patient sister and my involvement in the rock world as (early-on) performer and, now, journalist and promoter (btw, this music should be called the music of survivors, as so many have overcome their adversity through its energy! It’s TRUE!), I was still considered, during my youth, a r*tard*te by some.
The word does spread, yardbirds … and, no matter whether you’re called that because you’re slower, not as coordinated, have a verifiable disorder or whatever … it’ll haunt you (in an extremely hateful way), cost you jobs, love … the overall right to a happy life!
So I join with people like Joe Mantegna, John Ratzenberger, Kristy Swanson, Matthew Gray Gubler, Victor Alfieri, Yvette Nicole Brown, Maureen McCormick, Jeremy Ratchford, Brandon Molale, Jimmy Jean Louis, Sunny Mabrey, Jason Dolley, Ethan Embry, AJ Michalka, Anthony Anderson, Jillian Claire, Marta McGonagle, Danielle Petty, Nancy LaScala, DB Freeman, Andrea Freedman, Lloyd Eisler and Anya Monzikova (and these are just a few) in asking you to BAN THE R-WORD!!
For more information on how you can help, go to The “R” Word.org
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Sir Paul McCartney — who’s due to play at the opening of Citi Field (the new home of the NY Mets) has added a third concert set for Tuesday, 21 July. The first two shows (on 17 & 18 July) sold out in just under five minutes!
Tickets for the additional show are on sale now, exclusively online at www.507TIXX.com or by phone at 718-507-TIXX. I’m told that all performances will be held rain or shine!
Of course, the gigs will feature classics from Macca’s extensive catalog, including Beatles, Wings and his solo career hits. He’ll also include selections from his most recent album, Electric Arguments, released under his alias of The Fireman.
These shows are gonna mark the latest in a series of shows that link the former Beatle with NYC and the home of the Mets. Beginning with The Beatles’ legendary appearance at the opening of Shea Stadium in 1965 to his special appearance at Billy Joel’s “Last Play at Shea” show that closed the stadium last year, Sir Paul’s summer shows at Citi Field will once again mark a momentous occasion in the history of New York — and for rock n’ roll itself.
Okay … that’s it for now, but stay tuned … there’s more to come in less than 24!
See ya on the flip side ….
Gotta admit: I’m a tremendous fan of the Fox drama “House”, with actor/comedian Hugh Laurie as unconventional doc Gregory House. Not only is he an accomplished actor and pianist, but his character’s probably the closest that series-TV has come to rock.
And get this: according to ratings agency Eurodata TV Worldwide, the team of House gathered more than 81.8 million viewers last year — making it the most-watched fictional TV show in the world.
Now, when ya figure his show beat out, “CSI” (the original), and its spin-off “CSI: Miami”.
Here’s how they came up with the numbers: They collected data from 66 countries around the world (including the U.S.) — countries that represent a potential audience of 1.6 billion couch potatoes.
The runner-up? Desperate Housewives (though I’ve never known any personally!)
And, in case ya haven’t heard, Chastity Bono — daughter of Cher and the late Sonny Bono and gay rights activist in her own right — is undergoing a (wellll, here’s how media put it) gender transitioning from female to male (ummm, are there any other “genders”?).
That doesn’t mean she’s getting “the operation”. Instead, it means, for her, a social change — where she wants to be viewed and thought of as a man!
As her spokesman, Howard Bragman says, “He is proud of his decision and grateful for the support and respect that has already been shown by his loved ones. It is Chaz’s (what she wants to be called now) hope that his choice to transition will open the hearts and minds of the public regarding this issue, just as his ‘coming out’ did nearly 20 years ago.”
Sorry, dude … or dudette: I’m not buyin’ it! If ya wanna be a “man”, then get the friggin’ operation to MAKE it so! If ya don’t, then stay yer own gender!
It didn’t hurt Melissa Etheridge, Ellen DeGeneres or kd lang, right?? So why should you be any different??
‘Nuff said for now. Until later this evening (when the PC’s due back from the repair. Right now, I’m usin’ a borrowed one) …
see ya on the flip side!
Well, looks like someone’s finally decided to study it:
According to new research by extra-marital dating site IllicitEncounters.co.uk (geez … they’ll have anything on this internet!) sex and rock’n’roll really do go hand in hand.
Basically, it says that rock fans are more likely to … er, “step out” on their partners (somehow, I’m faintly hearin’ the strains of Paul Revere and the Raiders’ Steppin’ Out .. although the warning on The Beatles’ Run For Your Life don’t seem too far behind …).
A poll of their 310,000 strong membership showed that 37% of their male and female members called rock their favorite genre of music.
In comparison, 20% of them dig Pop and R&B, 19% favor dance music (how could you if Lawrence Welk is runnin’ through yer mind? You’d be asleep before ya even tried …) and 17% are fans of blues and jazz.
And (get this!) three percent said their favorite was … Christian or Gospel music! (what is this?? Try it before ya buy it??)
“This shouldn’t come as a surprise, really.” says site representative Sarah Hartley. “Rock music has been associated with sex since the 50s. Lots of prominent rock stars - Mick Jagger, Debbie Harry - oozed sex appeal.
“Many of our members in in their late 30s/early 40s, so would have grown up listening to pioneering bands like Aerosmith, Blondie, AC/DC and Fleetwood Mac. This may explain why so many of them are rock music fans.”
Suuuuuuuure … blame it on the music, why dontcha? Anyone ever hear of that little word hormones? Hey … get some married dudes with money in a dimly-lit bar late at night, half-crocked, with some very well-built young women who are equally drunk, and it wouldn’t matter if they were listenin’ to cats farting — someone’s gonna end up … er, wellll … you know the answer …
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