Badlands of Indiana (October 6, 2020) - British rock band Led Zeppelin on Monday effectively won a long running legal battle over claims it stole the opening guitar riff from its signature 1971 song, “Stairway to Heaven.”
The band, one of the best-selling rock acts of all time, was handed victory after the U.S. Supreme Court declined to take up the case, meaning that a March 2020 decision by a U.S. appeals court in Led Zeppelin’s favor will stand.
Lead singer Robert Plant and guitarist Jimmy Page had been accused in the six-year long case of lifting the riff - one of the best-known openings in rock music - from a song called “Taurus”, written by the late Randy Wolfe of the U.S. band Spirit.
Wolfe, who performed as Randy California, drowned in 1997, and the case was brought by a trustee for his estate. It has been one of the music industry’s most closely watched copyright cases, potentially exposing Plant and Page to millions of dollars in damages.
Led Zeppelin was the opening act for Spirit on a U.S. tour in 1968, but Page testified in a 2016 jury trial in Los Angeles that he had not heard “Taurus” until recently.
The Los Angeles jury found the riff they were accused of stealing was not intrinsically similar to the opening chords of “Stairway to Heaven.”
Lawyers for Wolfe’s estate and for Led Zeppelin could not immediately be reached for comment on Monday.
Santa Monica, California, USA (October 6, 2020) - The iconic guitarist and founder of his eponymous rock band lost his battle with throat cancer. Van Halen’s son Wolfgang shared a touching memorial to his father on Tuesday, confirming the heartbreaking news.
Iconic guitarist Eddie Van Halen rockin' it
“I can’t believe I’m having to write this, but my father, Edward Lodewijk Van Halen, has lost his long and arduous battle with cancer this morning."
He was the best father I could ever ask for. Every moment I’ve shared with him on and off stage was a gift,” said Wolfgang, 29, who was the band’s bassist since 2006." “My heart is broken and I don’t think I’ll ever fully recover from this loss. I love you so much, Pop.”
His wife Janie was by his side as the cancer spread throughout his body. He passed away in Santa Monica on Tuesday. The rocker experienced several health difficulties over the years following his cancer diagnosis. In 2019, he was hospitalized after suffering a bad reaction to his cancer medication.
Eddie was born in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, and came to the US in 1962. Ten years later, he and his brother formed the band along with vocalist David Lee Roth and bassist Michael Anthony.
They went on to break barriers in rock music, selling 80 million records worldwide and joining the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2007.
Badlands of Indiana (September 12, 2020) - A previously unreleased song by Tom Petty has been released in anticipation of his upcoming Wildflowers & All the Rest box set.
“Confusion Wheel” was written by Petty in 1994 and has remained on the shelf ever since. The tune begins with the late rocker singing over a jangly acoustic guitar part. From there, the song slowly expands, as drums, vocal harmonies and electric guitar add extra layers to the poignant track.
Lyrically, Petty explores internal fears, searching for safety in a chaotic existence. “So much confusion has entered my life / So much confusion has torn me apart / So much confusion has made me afraid / And I don’t know how to love / And I don’t know who to trust / And I don’t know what I did,” he sings on the song’s chorus. Still, Petty tries to maintain a positive outlook, noting that “One of these days we’ll drive away / Drive away singing a brand-new song / We’ll wake up singing a brand-new song.”
You can listen to “Confusion Wheel” below.
The song is one of 10 tracks that make up the All the Rest portion of the upcoming set. The box will also feature the original Wildflowers LP, a collection of 15 Petty home demos, live versions of 14 songs recorded between 1995 and 2017 and 16 alternate studio versions of Wildflowers tracks.
Deluxe, Super Deluxe and Ultra Deluxe editions will offer the set in various forms, with varying bonus material, including a lithograph, tour-program replica, reproductions of handwritten lyrics and specially commissioned illustrations accompanying some of the versions.
Wildflowers & All the Rest will be released on Oct. 16; it's available for pre-order now.
Badlands of Indiana, USA (March 29, 2020) WHR - The music show must go on and at the School of Rock, nearly 40,000 students worldwide will keep jamming with remote music lessons.
Currently, there are a growing number of families being asked to remain in their homes or limit travel. At School of Rock, the health and safety of our students is their top priority. As part of this commitment, they have launched a virtual, one-on-one music education program that allows students to take music lessons remotely.
School of Rock Remote will further your child’s musical journey in a way that prioritizes well-being through social distancing. Weekly one-on-one instruction is conducted by their expert School of Rock instructors in a safe virtual lesson room.
Students will receive their training using their proprietary education program, The School of Rock Method™, which couples virtual lessons with our proprietary Method App™, SongFirst Approach™ and Method Books™. This new offering results in a comprehensive music experience that is fun, educational and safe.
School of Rock uses a performance-based approach to provide students of all ages guitar, drums, bass, keyboard, and singing lessons.
“At School of Rock, the health and safety of our students is our top priority, which is why we have rapidly adapted our operations in order to meet students’ needs,” said Rob Price, CEO of School of Rock.
“School of Rock Remote along with our School of Rock Method App is a fantastic way to provide continuity and connection. Our instructors are gigging musicians, and they have shown their flexibility to make sure the music goes on.”
ABOUT:
All of their music programs for kids, teens, and adults are designed to help students gain amazing musical proficiency. School of Rock Remote is no exception. Students in the Remote program have access to all major elements of their industry-leading education approach, but are able to take lessons from home.
Online guitar lessons, online piano lessons, online drum lessons, online singing lessons, and online bass guitar lessons are all offered through the School of Rock Remote online music lesson program.
Badlands of Indiana, USA (February 1, 2020) WHR — A tribute to a legend that has passed too soon, we take a look back at Prince’s iconic Super Bowl XLI Halftime Show through a rain and wind storm.
It had not rained during the Super Bowl in over 40-years, but when Prince took to the stage to showcase the Halftime Show, it was pouring. The rain and wind didn’t stop Prince from putting on one of the best Halftime Show’s in the history of the Super Bowl.
While the electrifying performance seemed effortless and even fitting in the rain — because, honestly, what’s cooler than “Purple Rain” in the rain? — Hayes revealed that it was extremely slippery to perform in the rain and that he and some of the other performers almost fell during the show.
In fact, Hayes revealed that it was raining so hard that while the musical equipment worked during the show, the instruments wouldn’t turn on again after the performance.
‘It was as though Prince ordered the rain’.
Prince’s incredible showmanship and talent shined through the rain and when he closed out his set playing ‘Purple Rain’, the moment could not have been any more perfect.
This was truly one of the best, true performances from an artist who was not looking to promote himself, but share his incredible talent with the entire world.
Los Angeles, California, USA (January 22, 2020) WHR — A Massachusetts judge has denied founding Aerosmith drummer Joey Kramer a chance to perform with the Rock Hall of Fame band at two Grammy-related events this weekend.
Because he was injured, Kramer was forced to recently “audition” for his own job of 50 years, and he apparently failed. So, Aerosmith plans to use a temporary replacement.
Superior Court Mark Gildea denied Kramer’s request to order the band to let him participate in Friday’s MusiCares benefit honoring Aerosmith and on Sunday’s Grammy Awards when the band is expected to perform its 1986 hit “Walk This Way” with Run D.M.C.
Kramer issued a statement late Wednesday:
“Although I’m extremely disappointed by the Judge’s ruling today, I respect it. I knew filing a lawsuit was a bit of an uphill battle considering that the corporate documents don’t reference any process for a band member returning from an injury or illness. However, the band waited until Jan. 15 to tell me that they weren’t letting me play at the awards ceremonies this week. I can hold my head high knowing that I did the right thing.
“The truth speaks for itself. Ever since I injured my foot last August and went through many hours of physical therapy to heal, not once did the band in its entirety offer to rehearse with me. That is a fact. I was also sent the full rehearsal schedule on Jan. 18 and flew to LA the next day to rehearse and have many texts and emails stating the band can’t wait for my return…. When I showed up to rehearse, I was greeted by two security guards who prohibited me from entering.”
When Kramer injured his shoulder last year, his drum tech filled in for a few gigs during Aerosmith’s residency in Las Vegas in April. Kramer did, however, perform in July at the Twin Cities Summer Jam in Shakopee.
Joey Kramer's kick ass drum solo & Aerosmith performing "Rag Doll" at the famous Hollywood Bowl on August 6, 2012.
On Tuesday, the other four members of Aerosmith – Steven Tyler, Joe Perry, Tom Hamilton and Brad Whitford – issued a statement, that said, in part:
"Joey Kramer is our brother; his well-being is of paramount importance to us. However, he has not been emotionally and physically able to perform with the band, by his own admission, for the last 6 months. We have missed him and have encouraged him to rejoin us to play many times but apparently he has not felt ready to do so…. We are bonded together by much more than our time on stage."
Santa Monica, California, USA (January 10, 2019) WHR — Neil Peart, drummer and lyricist for groundbreaking Canadian prog-rock band Rush, died Tuesday at age 67, according to a statement issued by a family spokesperson.
The statement said Peart died in Santa Monica, Calif., from brain cancer, “from which he suffered” for three and a half years. Born in Hamilton, Peart joined Rush in 1974, after the band’s first album, replacing original drummer John Rutsey.
Over a career that spanned four decades, Rush enjoyed considerable success in both the U.S. and Canada. Several of their albums — “2112,’’ “Moving Pictures,’’ “All the World’s a Stage’’ and “Exit ... Stage Left’’ — have sold more than one million copies each in the U.S. alone.
Peart was known for his proficiency at playing an almost impossibly elaborate drum kit, which in addition to the traditional kick, snare, and tom drums could at any given time also include bells, chimes, symbols, gongs and electronic elements.
“Neil Peart was, in fact, one of the greatest drummers the universe has ever seen. He ranks up there with all the best,” said Alan Cross, a broadcaster and music historian. “We have lost one of the most important musicians this country has ever produced.”
Cross said Peart used his diverse collection of percussion instruments in innovative ways that went far beyond merely keeping the beat.
There could be a “very melodic sense of what he was doing, every bit as much as a guitar player,” Cross said. “Nobody sounded like him.”
Knowing that a local band could make it big on the world stage was a major source of inspiration for musicians in the city, said Dave Bidini, a member of the Toronto band the Rheostatics, who grew up listening to Rush in the 1980s.
Bidini, who wrote the 2016 documentary about Rush called “Time Stands Still,” said a turning point for the band came in 1976, when they played Massey Hall for three straight nights.
“That was a big deal in Toronto musical culture, having a band from Toronto achieve that measure of success. There weren’t a lot really before them,” Bidini said.
Rush’s career was particularly impressive, he said, because it was proof bands could achieve commercial success while pursuing their own musical vision. The band’s songs were idiosyncratic, often containing key changes and running far longer than typical pop tunes made for the radio.
“I don’t know if it was fearlessness or stubbornness or whatever, but they were really good at being themselves,” Bidini said.
Although a member of one of the most famous bands Canada ever produced, Peart famously eschewed the spotlight. He was reluctant to indulge in the typical trappings of rock stardom and often avoided meet-and-greets with fans and interviews with the media.
“Even as a kid, I never wanted to be famous; I wanted to be good,” he told the Star in 2015, a few months before Rush embarked on its 40th-anniversary tour, which would be the band’s last.
An avid motorcyclist, while on the road with Rush, Peart would ride to shows on his motorcycle rather than travel with the rest of the band and its entourage.
His travels fuelled one of his passions outside of music — writing. He wrote seven non-fiction books and co-authored a science-fiction novelization of Rush’s 2012 album “Clockwork Angels.”
In his 2002 book “Ghost Rider: Travels on the Healing Road,” Peart recounted the motorcycle trip he took across North America to cope with the grief of losing both his daughter and wife in the span of 10 months.
Badlands of Indiana (November 14, 2019) WHR — On December 13th, 2019, TRIUMPH’s 13-track Classics will once again hit the racks (via Round Hill/Triumph Catalog), and all of the expected gems are included - “Lay It on the Line”, “Magic Power”, “A World of Fantasy”, “Fight the Good Fight” and “Hold On”.
Also featured are two special live recordings that close the set - “Never Surrender” (live at the US Festival) and “Blinding Light Show"/"Moon Child" (live at Sweden Rock).
“We are excited to showcase our career on the Classics reissue,” says the band. “It’s a beautiful package and sounds awesome!”
Comprised of drummer/vocalist Gil Moore, bassist/keyboardist Mike Levine, and guitarist/vocalist Rik Emmett, TRIUMPH formed in 1975 (hailing from Mississauga, Ontario, Canada).
With their unique blend of progressive rock, heavy metal and soaring melodies, the band enjoyed a string of rock radio and MTV hits, in the process scoring a string of gold and platinum-certified albums and selling out arenas, thrilling fans with their award-winning live shows.
And in December, rock fans will be reminded once again about the power that TRIUMPH possessed - deep in the grooves of Classics.
TRIUMPH: CLASSICS TRACK LISTING:
"Tears In The Rain"
"Lay It On The Line"
"I Live For The Weekend"
"Magic Power"
"Somebody’s Out There"
"Spellbound"
"A World of Fantasy"
"Follow Your Heart"
"Fight The Good Fight"
"Rock & Roll Machine"
"Hold On"
"Never Surrender" (Live at the US Festival)
"Blinding Light Show"/"Moon Child" (Live at Sweden Rock)
Badlands of Indiana (July 14, 2019) WHR — The year was 1988 and in Indianapolis, Indiana, the musicians Steven David De Leong (vocals), Jon Huffman (guitar), James Thunder (guitar), Jim Quick (bass) and Tricky Lane (drums) joined forces to form the American hard rock band SWEET F.A. These Midwestern boys played their first gig on November 21, 1988, and had a major label deal a mere eleven months later.
In late 1990 Sweet F.A. left MCA Records to immediately sign their second recording contract with Virgin Records subsidiary label, Charisma Records and released their second worldwide release, Temptation which was not successful.
After a several years on hiatus, the band with all original members released their third CD on Upward Records entitled, The Lost Tapes. A very straight forward and energetic bluesy hard rock record. This release is an actual compilation of songs recorded intended for release but never were back in the early days.
The group holed up with producer Howard Benson in Atlanta, Georgia to record the debut album Stick To Your Guns. It would prove to be an excellent release, with singles such as "Prince Of The City" and "Rhythm Of Action", but would stall at #161 on the Billboard charts. Disappointed with sales, MCA released the band from their roster in late 1990, as the band themselves released Quiggins.
With a new label, the band set to record the follow-up album with session bassist Frank Coglitore. Released in 1991, Temptation was a more mature album, but failed to do much business in recession-hit America. The band hit the road with new bassist Mark Matthews, but with the musical tides changing in the early nineties, the end had arrived for Sweet F.A.
Badlands of Indiana (July 8, 2019) WHR — The Allman Brothers Band revolutionized the music industry. Although the band was actually formed in Jacksonville, Florida, their ties to Macon made the city a recording hot spot in the years that followed and cemented the city’s place in music history. It’s a step back in time for visitors at 2321 Vineville Avenue in Macon.
“The old house has a unique aroma about it. It smells like an old home that had a lot of love in it and a lot of caring," said Richard Brent, director of The Big House Museum.
The house was for rent in 1969. By 1970, it became a place where band members, friends and family would stay for the next few years. The home’s location even influenced some of the band's lyrics.
"Rolling down Highway 41 and the song Ramblin' Man—to look out the window there and you see Highway 41. The song Blue Sky, 'good ole’ Sunday morning bells are ringing everywhere' and there’s church bells right behind you," said Brent.
Brent said The Big House is now the ultimate Allman Brothers Band experience. Memorabilia and artifacts line the walls from each decade the band performed. It’s an attraction that draws people to middle Georgia from all over the world—including fans who’ve followed the band since the beginning.
“They were the best band in the Unites States at that time. There’s no question about that. They played every single night somewhere, said James Devine, a fan of the band who was visiting from Daytona Beach.
“Seen them as individual players. We’ve seen them with Gregg Allman by himself," said Moira O'Leary, who was visiting with friends from New Jersey.
The band’s distinct style and sound changed the course of music forever. Southern Rock became a household name and the band consistently had success on the charts. But they did have their fair share of challenges. Band members Duane Allman and Berry Oakley both died in motorcycle crashes a year apart. The band also experienced personnel changes over the years, and even broke up and got back together more than once.
"They were just so super talented, genius musicians. That’s the only way I can describe their music," said Devine.
Nowadays, The Big House continues to thrive—about 20,000 visitors a year—double the number from just two years ago, according to Brent. The artifacts and the experience still excites fans to this day.
“It’s just been a thrill. This is like one of these where I’ve got to pinch myself that actually I’m here and seeing all of this memorabilia. It’s just been so wonderful," said O'Leary.
Duane Allman, Berry Oakley and Gregg Allman are all buried in Rose Hill Cemetery, which is about two miles from The Big House.
March 26th was the actual 50th anniversary of the band.
Marshall, Virginia (March 21, 2019) WHR — It’s tough to say when it began, perhaps in the 1970s. Its progression grew quietly. Then, one day the American male arose from his hirsute slumber and realized most traditional barber shops had morphed into hair salons.
Guys had lost another battle to the increasing influence of the gentler persuasion.
But still. There is something nostalgic about guys chatting away among themselves as their locks are shorn.
To their benefit, there is a shop reviving the old-time haircut, but with a modern twist.
“I started cutting hair at a salon near Akron, Ohio back in 2001. I don’t know why, but I picked up a really strong male following. I enjoy cutting men’s hair. I don’t like coloring, permanents and all that,” said Kristy Haase, owner of Rock-N-Barbers in the Marshall Center in Marshall.
“I always thought it would be neat to combine the best of a hairstylist and a barber.”
But the idea had to incubate for a few years. In the interim, Haase moved to D.C. and cut hair at a high-end male-only hair salon. “They offered a full spa with massages and adult beverages.
It was very much what I wanted to do and I spent several years researching the idea without success,” she said.
But there is more than one way to trim a head. Haase took a modified approach to her barbershop dream when she moved to Front Royal seven years ago.
Realizing a full-blown shop (pun intended) would take considerable financial investment, Haase elected to start where everything does: at the beginning.
“I said, ‘You know, I’m just gonna start small. I don’t have all this money to get a huge, fancy place with fancy chairs so I’m just going to start somewhere.’ I knew had the experience and talent and there was no one that could do what I could do.”
Confidence is what someone is looking for when they make a decision to place their hair in scissor-powered hands. It’s also why Haase’s shop has been a success from the first hairs that hit the floor.
What she has created is a traditional barbershop, catering to men but also serving women. “About 90 percent of my customers are guys. But the men will tell their wives what we do. When the women come in, they don’t see old barbers in overalls cutting hair,” she said laughing.
What they do see is a shop staffed with experienced women hair stylists who know hair from the roots up. At any given time, you’ll see Haase and one or two of her staff of four cutting or shaving while chatting away with their clients.
Rock music plays in the background and friendly banter echoes around the shop.
“I wanted a shop that was modern, but with a relaxed atmosphere. That’s why I went with a rock music theme. I’m originally from Cleveland, which is the home of rock and roll and I just thought it was a cool idea,” to create a shop called Rock-N’-Barbers.
In addition to custom haircuts, the guys get to choose their favorite rock genre if they like. Amazon’s Alexa stands at the ready to play classic rock or whatever generation of rock is desired.
“There might be Pink Floyd or Guns N Roses playing, but a customer can ask Alexa what they want to hear,” said Haase.
Clients and services
So, are the loyal customers who drop by for a trim the edgy clientele she served at the high-end D.C. shop? Not quite. Haase explains her customers range across all age groups from the very young to seniors. “I’ve had customers where it was their first haircut and, unfortunately, where it was their last one,” she said.
There are a lot of businessmen and farmers who frequent the shop along with high schoolers, reflecting the demographics of a rural location. And the dream of serving adult refreshments has been put on hold for now. Instead, there is a Keurig machine at the ready, serving coffee, tea or hot chocolate.
For a full description of the shop’s services and personal profiles of Haase and her four stylists visit www.rock-n-barbers.com
Prescott, AZ (January 2, 2019) WHR — Daryl Dragon—the musician best known as the
Captain of 1970's duo Captain & Tennille—has died at age 76. According to a family spokesman, Dragon died today of renal
failure at a hospice in Prescott, Arizona.
Dragon’s longtime musical
collaborator and former wife Toni Tennille was reportedly by his side.
“[Dragon] was a brilliant musician with many friends who loved him greatly,”
Tennille said in a statement. “I was at my most creative in my life when I was
with him.”
Before joining forces with Tennille in the mid ’70s, Dragon
performed with the Beach Boys from 1967 to 1972. As Captain & Tennille,
Dragon and Tennille topped the charts with hits like “The Way I Want to Touch
You,” “Love Will Keep Us Together,” “Muskrat Love,” “Do That One More Time,”
and more. Dragon and Tennille were married for 39 years before divorcing in
2014, though they reportedly remained close until Dragon’s passing.
Cleveland, Ohio (January 1, 2019) WHR — When it comes to music in the 1970's, no band
epitomized rock and roll that decade more than Grand Funk Railroad. The band,
which was formed in Flint, Michigan by Brewer, guitarist/vocalist Mark Farner
and bassist Max Schacher; scored hits with songs like "Some Kind of
Wonderful," "The Locomotion" and "We're an American
Band." Songs that have stood the test of time and been featured in
commercials, movies and beyond.
Unfortunately Farner would split from the group
in 1976, leaving the others in limbo before Brewer and Schacher would reform
Grand Funk without their founding guitarist.
Don Brewer of Grand Funk Railroad
As the band nears its 50th anniversary, they are out on the
road opening up for Bob Seger's farewell tour and will be at The Q Thursday
night. I caught up with Brewer to talk about Grand Funk's plans for their
anniversary, what it means to have created songs that still resonate today and
the time the band has to disappoint Cleveland fans by canceling minutes before
they were supposed to take the stage.
When he thinks back to how it all began, Brewer says he
never would have imagined Grand Funk lasting as long as it has. "I was 19
years old when this started. I looked at 40 years old as death. When you're
young, you don't think about being 70. Here I am, still out there doing what I
love. I love to get up on stage and make a fool out of myself. It's pretty
amazing. I never dreamed that we'd be going 50 years and that I'd be 70 years
old and still doing rock and roll."
And still doing it, they are. Grand Funk has been touring
steadily since the mid-90's and routinely plays to sold out crowds at venues
like the Hard Rock Rocksino. A big part of that draw are songs Grand Funk
recorded that have become staples for classic rock radio and cover bands across
the country. Brewer is especially, and understandably, proud of the rock
classic, "We're an American Band," which he wrote.
"I never wrote it to be an American anthem. I wasn't
trying to wave the flag. I was just trying to come up with a line that made sense.
Radio had changed from being FM underground to hit radio, so you had to write
songs that were three minutes long and had commercial value. I thought I'd take
a stab at it and as we're flying into these towns, the thought came to mind
'We're coming to your town, we'll help you party it down.' And I wrote the song
around that. All the little stories in there were things that were going on on
the road. And that's where the song came from. I stumbled across 'we're an
American band.' It just sang well. To have it be used in movies and car
commercials and stuff now, it's an amazing feeling."
Mention Cleveland to Brewer and you can tell he has an
affinity for fans and the area, but he does lament the one night he and his
band mates let local concert goers down.
"Mel, our bass player, was having some sort of attack,
a medical emergency. We had to cancel that show last minute. He was actually in
a bathtub filled with ice and water. They were trying to bring his temperature
down. Mark and I had to walk out on stage in front of a sold-out Public
Auditorium and tell the audience that we weren't going to play. It was a little
dicey. They got a little upset."
He recalls saying "'Sorry guys, We can't play. Mel's
having an emergency." and the crowd's reaction was "Well, you guys,
you two play then!" At that point, he and Farner got off the stage as
quickly as possible.
You can catch Grand Funk Railroad throughout the States by finding a location near you. For more information, visit MidwestMusicEvents.net for tour dates, or their website at: GrandFunkRailroad.com
If you can't make it to the show, enjoy this Grand Funk
Railroad greatest hits album.
Singapore (January 1, 2019) WHR — As one of the most recognizable
members in American hard rock icon Guns N' Roses, guitarist Slash played a
vital role in rock music's heady years in the 1980's and early 1990's. The genre has since seen better days, he says.
"As far as rock n roll is concerned, it's sort of
struggling over these past ten years," the musician and songwriter, who
will be back in Singapore to stage a concert with singer Myles Kennedy and
their band The Conspirators at The Coliseum on Tuesday (Jan 8), says in an
e-mail interview.
"I think rock music has been going through a lot of
ebbs and flows. Since, say, the middle of the millennium, it's been pretty
quiet. You have a couple great artists that come out here and there, but
there's not, like, a big movement where you've got a ton of new music, all very
inspiring."
Slash performing in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates on Nov 25, 2018.
While he feels that there is too much focus on Top 40 music
these days, the 53-year-old, whose real name is Saul Hudson, is optimistic that
the style of music that he plays will make a comeback in a big way in the near
future.
"I do definitely feel like there's a renaissance
coming, like a rock n roll revolution with all these kids that are doing it
right now. There's definitely an energy there so I'm excited to see where it's
going to be in the next few years."
And while Guns N' Roses are currently riding high on its
worldwide Not In This Lifetime tour, reported by Billboard as one of the top
five grossing tours of all time, Slash has also been busy making new music with
The Conspirators.
In September (2018), the band released their third album,
Living The Dream. It topped Billboard's Hard Rock Albums charts and peaked at
No. 4 in the British charts.
He is enjoying the change of pace that he gets with The
Conspirators, compared to Guns N' Roses, which he describes as a "behemoth
onslaught". He has performed in Singapore three times - with Kennedy at
Fort Canning in 2010 and the Singapore Indoor Stadium in 2011, and with Guns N'
Roses at Changi Exhibition Centre in 2017.
Of The Conspirators' shows, he says: "It's more of a
stripped down, very simple rock n roll band that plays in smaller, more
intimate venues and what not. So it's really different."
The upcoming set will feature a lot of new songs from Living
The Dream, which he says was influenced by the blues and old rock n roll music
that he was listening to at home and in his car. Most of the songs comprise
guitar riffs that he recorded on his phone while in hotel rooms and dressing
rooms around the world.
He speaks highly of Kennedy, who also sings with rock band
Alter Bridge.
"He has a very natural ability. He doesn't try to be
something that he's not, which, in this day and age, is very hard to find
somebody who's not trying to sing like somebody else or trying to force a
square peg through a round hole stylistically with their capabilities."
Daytona Beach, Fla. (December 31, 2018) WHR — Dr. Hook & The Medicine Show star Ray
Sawyer has died at 81.The singer, famous for his cowboy hat and eye-patch, passed
away in Florida on Monday morning after suffering a brief illness.
Ray Sawyer with his cowboy hat and eye patch
Sawyer, perhaps best known for singing lead vocal on “Cover
of Rolling Stone,” passed away in Daytona Beach, Fla., according to his
publicist. No cause of death was given, but we’re told that Sawyer suffered a brief illness from which he didn’t recover.
“Ray Sawyer, an original member of Dr. Hook from 1969-1981,
passed away this morning,” the statement read. “We send our condolences to his
family at this difficult time.”
Born in Alabama in 1937, Sawyer was working as a logger in
Oregon when he lost of his right eye in a car crash. His trademark eyepatch
reminded his bandmates of Peter Pan’s nemesis Captain Hook and they named their
act Dr. Hook & the Medicine Show. The band released its first album in
1972.
With Sawyer in the band, the abbreviated Dr. Hook scored
hits with songs like Sylvia’s Mother, When You’re in Love With a Beautiful
Woman, and Cover of the Rolling Stone. He was inducted into the Alabama Music
Hall of Fame in 2005.
Nashville, TN (October 25, 2018) WHR —A record label representative says Tony Joe White, the country bluesman and hit songwriter behind such successes as "Polk Salad Annie" and "Rainy Night in Georgia," has died. He was 75.
Tony Joe White performing
A statement released Thursday from the record label Yep Roc Music Group said White's family confirmed the rocker died Wednesday in Nashville, Tennessee. The label did not have any details on his cause of death. Yep Roc released his last album in September called "Bad Mouthin,'" a collection of blues classics.
White, originally from Louisiana, had a hit in 1969 with "Polk Salad Annie" and his songs were covered by Elvis Presley, Hank Williams Jr., Tina Turner, Ray Charles, Waylon Jennings and many more.
In his five decades as a singer-songwriter, White was best known for his swamp rock style mixing blues, country and rock 'n' roll, which earned him the nickname the Swamp Fox especially with his fans overseas.
With his deep growling voice, his song about the Southern greens wasn't an immediate hit, but months after its release it eventually became a pop hit.
White told The Associated Press in 2006 that in the late '60s many people thought he was singing about something else.
"Back then, people thought polk salad was grass," White said. "They'd bring me bags of grass backstage and say, 'Hey, we brought you a little polk.'"
Presley often covered the song in the 1970s and performed it with relish, waving his arms over his head and dancing throughout the song.
He would later record more of White's songs, including "I've Got a Thing About You Baby."
Raised on a cotton farm in Goodwill, Louisiana, about 20 miles west of the Mississippi River, he became infatuated with the hypnotic sound of Lightnin' Hopkins and has often cited hearing the song "Ode to Billie Joe" by Bobbie Gentry as his inspiration for songwriting.
After the success of "Polk Salad Annie," R&B artist Brook Benton had a hit in 1970 with White's song "Rainy Night in Georgia," which also became a song often covered by other artists.
Jennings and White also wrote "Trouble Man," which Jennings recorded in 1989. White worked with Turner on her critically acclaimed and popular "Foreign Affair" album in 1989, contributing four songs and playing guitar and harmonica.
White said also in 2006 that Turner was taken aback when they first met.
"She turned around and looked at me and started hysterically laughing and couldn't get her breath," he recalled. "She was doubling over and I thought, 'Are my pants unzipped or something?' Finally she got her breath and came over to me and gave me a big hug and said, 'I'm sorry, man. Ever since 'Polk Salad Annie' I always thought you were a black man.'"
Turner recorded his song "Steamy Windows," which was later recorded by John Anderson and Kenny Chesney.
Tanya Tucker, who recorded his song "Gospel Singer," said in a statement that White's writing and voice were both raw and pure.
"A big part of the South is quiet now with his passing," she said. "Reckon God wanted a little polk salad!"
Shooter Jennings, Waylon's son, wrote on Twitter that his father would often record White's songs or have White play on his records.
"He was always the Swamp King living in a modern world," Jennings wrote. "His shows and his style were one of a kind and untouched by anybody else."
San Francisco, California (September 28, 2018) WHR — A U.S. appeals
court on Friday ordered a new trial in a lawsuit accusing Led Zeppelin of
copying an obscure 1960s instrumental for the intro to its classic 1971 rock
anthem "Stairway to Heaven."
A federal court jury in Los Angeles two years ago found Led
Zeppelin did not copy the famous riff from the song "Taurus" by the
band Spirit. But the three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals
ruled unanimously that the lower court judge provided erroneous jury
instructions. It sent the case back to the court for another trial.
Led Zeppelin aboard the Starship 2 in 1975
Michael Skidmore, a trustee for the estate of late Spirit
guitarist Randy Wolfe, filed the law suit against Led Zeppelin in 2015.
Jurors returned their verdict for Led Zeppelin after a
five-day trial at which band members Jimmy Page and Robert Plant testified.
Page and Plant, who wrote the "Stairway" lyrics, said their creation
was an original.
The jury found "Stairway to Heaven" and
"Taurus" were not substantially similar, according the 9th Circuit
ruling.
But U.S. District Judge R. Gary Klausner failed to advise
jurors that while individual elements of a song such as its notes or scale may
not qualify for copyright protection, a combination of those elements may if it
is sufficiently original, 9th Circuit Judge Richard Paez said.
Led Zeppelin performing 'Stairway to Heaven' live in 1975
Klausner also wrongly told jurors that copyright does not
protect chromatic scales, arpeggios or short sequences of three notes, the 9th
Circuit panel found.
"This error was not harmless as it undercut testimony
by Skidmore's expert that Led Zeppelin copied a chromatic scale that had been
used in an original manner," Paez said.
The panel also found another jury instruction misleading.
The trial took jurors and lucky observers who managed to
pack into the courtroom on a musical journey through the late 1960s and early
1970s, when Spirit, a California psychedelic group that blended jazz and rock
was achieving stardom as the hard-rocking British band was being founded.
Asheville, North Carolina (September 23, 2018) WHR — In early May this year, at a gig in Asheville,
North Carolina, the Devon Allman Project were 33 minutes into their set list
when Duane Betts joined them on stage as a surprise guest. Betts, skinny and
long-haired, sat on a stool with his guitar, as the band launched into Friend
Of The Devil, the well-known Grateful Dead song from 1970. Betts didn’t play
the first solo riff that came up after the first verse; it was the band’s full-time
guitarist Jackson Stokes who did that honour. But when Betts’ guitar finally
kicked in a couple of minutes later, the crowd erupted.
His licks were
incredibly sweet sounding and subtle but you could tell right away that this
was a master rock guitarist. When Devon Allman, lead singer, guitarist and
frontman of the band finished singing the last verse of the song, Betts
launched into a concluding riff before raising his guitar over his head to the
crowd and quietly stepping off stage.
Allman, Betts, and Duane...these are dear names for rock
fans, especially those who were weaned on a diet that was heavy with the sound
of southern rock. For many music fans like me, the Allman Brothers Band, formed
in 1969, rank very high on their list of all-time favourites. That band had its
share of tragedies: its leader and ace guitarist Duane Allman was killed in a
motorcycle accident just two years after the band was established; and months
later, bassist Berry Oakley died in similar circumstances.
The band carried on
though with the other founding members, including Gregg Allman and the second
guitarist Dickey Betts. Later, and not amicably, Betts was replaced with other
guitarists, including Warren Haynes, Derek Trucks and Jimmy Herring, and the
Allman Brothers Band toured and recorded till they disbanded in 2014, three
years before Gregg died.
Devon, 46, is Gregg’s son; and Duane Betts, around 35, is
Dickey’s son. After that guest appearance on the Devon Allman Project in May,
he’s now touring with the band on its journey to keep southern rock’s legacy,
and especially that of their fathers’ storied band, alive. Devon, older and
more seasoned of the two, is already a veteran of two other bands: Honeytribe,
a blues-rock band that he leads; and Royal Southern Brotherhood, a sort of
blues-rock super group. But with the new Devon Allman Project, he is reviving
the legacy of the Allman Brothers.
That, however, doesn’t mean that his new
band only does covers of Allman Brothers’ songs. True, they do versions of some
of them but their repertoire has mainly original compositions that recall the
southern rock genre that Allman Brothers pioneered: Electric guitars and vocals
play a central role; and long jams are typical, especially during live
performances.
Devon’s musical evolution has been interesting. His parents
divorced when he was an infant and Devon finally met his father for the first
time only in his late teens. He grew up liking heavy metal and, in an interview
with Rolling Stone magazine, says that among the bands he liked were The Cure
and The Smiths—whose proximity to southern rock of the type his father’s band
played was remote. But when he picked up the guitar at 13, he also explored the
blues for which his inspiration was stars such as B.B. King and Buddy Guy. He
has at least nine albums (from solo and collaborative projects) out and a
distinct guitar-driven blues-rock sound but with influences also of heavier
genres, including metal.
Duane Betts, who has played with his father Dickey’s band
(Dickey Betts and the Great Southern) and with Dawes, a folk rock band from Los
Angeles, has a style and sound that is closer to early southern rock—more
bluesy and folksy. On his debut solo EP, Sketches Of American Music, which came
out this May, his guitar-playing style evokes those of his father’s as well as
his namesake, the late Duane Allman. Sketches is a superb first album that
provides a glimpse of the huge potential that he has. Two songs, Taking Time
and Downtown Runaround, are standouts that every blues-rock fan should check
out.
Devon and Duane are believed to be working on an album that
they’re writing together but it will be out only in 2019. Till then there are
the shows from the tour that they’ve embarked upon from July this year. Besides
the US, they’ve played in Europe and Britain, drawing audiences that include
ageing southern rock fans as well as younger converts. Then there are their
albums to check out. Allman’s most recent solo is the full-length Ride Or Die
whose 12 songs also include a cover of The Cure’s A Night Like This.
Devon has
looks that are similar to his father—Gregg’s dirty blond hair—and in his
distinctive voice you can discern elements of the senior Allman’s vocal style,
yet there is a hard rock dimension to his singing and guitar-playing that works
rather well in his quest to further the legacy of southern rock but also bring
to it something more contemporary.
Just before Allman Brothers disbanded, they had a stunning
line-up at live shows with star guitarists such as Warren Haynes and Derek
Trucks. If you were lucky to catch some of their gigs during those last years,
it always was a treat. I caught one on a rainy night in 2011 at New York’s
Beacon Theatre and was mesmerized. When they decided to stop touring or
recording, fans worldwide were disappointed and saddened further when Gregg
died. But with their new project, the second-gen combination of an Allman and a
Betts promises to bring back some joy.
Sturgis, SD (November 16, 2017) — Rock the Holidays Sweepstakes winner to receive “Bad to the Bone” prize: a George Thorogood-autographed guitar and a $200 Hot Leathers shopping spree!
The Sturgis Buffalo Chip has teamed up with one of the biggest names in music and the hottest name in apparel to offer fans the chance to win a unique holiday prize.
Rock the Holidays Sweepstakes
The winner of the 2017 Buffalo Chip Rock the Holidays Sweepstakes will receive a sleek Epiphone Les Paul Special II guitar signed by none other than the legendary George Thorogood, and a $200 Hot Leathers shopping spree.
The guitar features a solid mahogany body with gloss black finish, a slim taper mahogany neck and a smooth rosewood fingerboard with dot overlays. George Thorogood signed the guitar while performing at the Chip last August, instantly turning it into a highly sought-after collectible.
“This is the chance for someone to own a piece of rock history,” said Rod Woodruff, president of the Sturgis Buffalo Chip. “This guitar should hang in a museum, but we are excited to offer it to one lucky fan for the holidays instead.
And the bonus $200 Hot Leathers shopping spree it comes with will ensure the winner looks just as cool as George Thorogood did when he played on our stage last August!”
Registration closes Dec. 14, 2017 at 5 p.m. MST.
The winner will be announced Dec. 15. The participating partners who made the Sturgis Buffalo Chip’s Rock the Holidays Sweepstakes possible include George Thorogood, Rock 106.7 in Salt Lake City and Hot Leathers.
JACKSONVILLE, FL. (October 20, 1977) — Three days after Lynyrd Skynyrd released its its fifth album, "Street Survivors," lead singer Ronnie Van Zant, guitarist Steve Gaines, vocalist Cassie Gaines, their assistant tour manager and two pilots died and dozens of others were hurt when their twin-engine plane went down in a wooded area in Gillsburg, Mississippi.
The Jacksonville-based band that named itself as a mocking tribute to Robert E. Lee High School physical education teacher Leonard Skinnerd, who hassled guitarist Gary Rossington about his long hair, is widely credited as the first band to bring Southern rock music to an international audience.
Skynyrd was on the most ambitious headlining tour of their career, traveling between concert dates in Greenville, South Carolina, and a date at LSU in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, when their Convair CV-300 ran out of fuel, clipped some trees and went down in a remote forest.
Lynyrd Skynyrd in happier times
According to reports, drummer Artimus Pyle and two crew members crawled from the wreckage and hiked through swampy woods until they finally flagged down a local farmer, who sent for help.
Band members Rossington, Allen Collins, Leon Wilkeson and Billy Powell were hospitalized with serious injuries. Skynyrd disbanded after the accident, leaving the survivors to try to make their own way with varying degrees of success and failure.
News Cast of Crash
Remaining members of the band reunited in 1987 for a tour. Rossington, Billy Powell, Leon Wilkeson, Artimus Pyle and guitarist Ed King, who had left the band two years before the crash, were joined by Ronnie Van Zant's younger brother, Johnny, as their new lead singer. The band stayed together and has produced nine more albums. In March 2006, members of Lynyrd Skynyrd were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio.
Despite the deaths of Collins in 1990, Wilkeson in 2001, Powell in 2009, and the band's first drummer, Robert Burns Jr. in 2015, Skynyrd continues to tour extensively, performing last Friday at the St. Augustine Amphitheater.
