May 9, 2008

Guitarist Richie Furay of Buffalo Springfield and Poco fame is 64.
Piano Man Billy Joel is 59.
Bassist Tom Petersson of Cheap Trick is 58.

On this day in 1785, Joseph Bramah patented the beer-pump handle, thus assuring the eventual existence of bar bands.

On this day in 1962, The Beatles signed their first recording contract with EMI Records, beginning one of the most famous and successful careers in recording history.

On this day in 1970, The Guess Who's "American Woman/No Sugar Tonight" hit #1 as "Woodstock" by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young peaked at #11 on the charts.

On this day in 1974, Bruce Springsteen opened for Bonnie Raitt in Boston, and Bonnie allowed Bruce to perform his traditional two-hour set in its entirety. In the audience was critic and future Bruce manager Jon Landau, who wrote the next day, "I saw rock & roll's future and its name is Bruce Springsteen." Though true, it took Springsteen years to live that quote down.

This Sunday night at 9 on 95.5 KLOS, OFF THE RECORD with Joe Benson will feature the music of Bad Company as well as more of Joe's conversation with singer Paul Rodgers and drummer Simon Kirke.

On Stage Sunday

Rush will be rocking the Verizon Amphitheater while Phil Lesh & Friends hit the Greek Theatre on Sunday night!

Night Of A Thousand Stevies

From the "A hilarious idea but I wouldn't want to be there" file, 26 Stevie Nicks imitators will perform tonight (Friday) at the 18th annual Night Of A Thousand Stevies. The tribute show features all types of people — men and women — paying homage to Nicks, traditionally ending in a twirling Battle Of The Stevies. For more info, head to http://www.mothernyc.com/stevie.

All Hail Alice

After 26 years of sobriety, rocker Alice Cooper has some advice to pass along to the younger generation: "I don't think you need to die for your art... All you need is for one guy to drop dead next to you until you get a real clear picture of it." For his ongoing support of the MusiCares MAP Fund and devotion to helping other addicts with the recovery process, Alice will receive the Stevie Ray Vaughan Award at the fourth annual MusiCares MAP Fund benefit concert tonight at the Music Box at The Fonda in Hollywood. Velvet Revolver guitarist Slash will also be honored with the From The Heart Award. The alcohol-free event will feature performances by Cooper, Slash, Blind Melon and the all-star group Camp Freddy, featuring Aerosmith's Steven Tyler and Cheap Trick's Robin Zander, among others. Right so!

New/Old Stones Photos

Granted the title is ridiculously long, but the Beggars To Exiles: Unseen Photographs Of The Rolling Stones, 1966-1971 exhibit should be amazing! The display of 55 to 60 pictures — including a number of previously unseen images — will open July 12th at the San Francisco Art Exchange. Michael Cooper and Dominique Tarle are the featured photographers. Cooper documented The Stones' wild late-Sixties life in London, while Tarle captured the band's drugged stay in Southern France during the creation of 1971's "Exile On Main Street" album. No word on a Southland exhibit — yet.

Much More Purple

How much Deep Purple do you think you (or your sound system) can handle? The new "Around The World Live" four-DVD set will be out on June 17th. It will feature full performances from a 1995 concert in India, a 1999 Australian gig and a 2002 English show, along with highlights from a 1995 South Korea show. Of course there'll also be interviews with bandmembers and the mandatory previously unreleased documentary feature.

Thought For The Weekend

It was Agatha Christie who said: "A mother's love for her child is like nothing else in the world. It knows no law, no pity, it dares all things and crushes down remorselessly all that stands in its path."

Mom's Day

Mother's Day celebrations date back at least as far as ancient Greece, where worshipers observed a Spring day in honor of Rhea, the Mother of the gods. In 17th century England, Christians celebrated "Mothering Sunday," the fourth Sunday in Lent, to honor the Virgin Mary and other faithful moms. In the United States, Julia Ward Howe, (who wrote the lyrics to the "Battle Hymn of the Republic"), suggested the idea of Mother's Day in 1872. But it wasn't until 1908 that a state (West Virginia) declared an official Mother's Day celebration. The idea took off from there, and in 1914, President Woodrow Wilson declared the second Sunday of May to be the official Mother's Day. But enough of the history! Get out and get your mom something as nice as she deserves!