 November 1 - 10, 2006These are the scripts Joe Benson used on the air at 95.5 KLOS in Los Angeles. They all received final editing by Jan Benson, without whom the task would have been far too daunting. Remember to give credit where credit is due, and enjoy! November 1, 2006
Bassist Ric Grech of Blind Faith and Traffic would have been 60. 
On this day in 1969, The Beatles topped the American charts with the "Abbey Road" album. It was so good, it stayed at #1 for 11 weeks! On this day in 1980, John Lennon released his "(Just Like) Starting Over" single. 
Sick Stones ReshuffleMick Jagger has been battling a sore throat and voice problems for the past several days. His condition forced The Rolling Stones to postpone last Friday's concert in Atlantic City, New Jersey just four hours before showtime — a move that has sparked a $51 million class action lawsuit from disgruntled ticket holders. While the band (under the watchful eye of filmmaker Martin Scorsese) played their Sunday night gig at the Beacon Theater in N.Y.C., they postponed last night's Beacon show until tonight to give Mick a break. Now his doctors have advised Sir Mick to take four days off to regain his health, forcing The Stones to once again shuffle tour dates for medical reasons. Foremost in the rearranged itinerary is the boys' Dodger Stadium date, which has been rescheduled from November 18th to Wednesday November 22nd. Stay tuned! Spinning Faster In His GraveAccording to "Forbes" magazine, Nirvana music will soon begin popping up in commercials and TV shows. Since Courtney Love sold a portion of her rights to the band's catalog, big bucks offers have been streaming in. First up: four Nirvana tracks will be heard in an upcoming episode of "CSI: Miami." Did that spinning sound over by Kurt Cobain's grave just grow louder? Floydians In The NewsPink Floyd drummer Nick Mason will take part in the 73rd Annual London to Brighton Veteran Car Run this weekend, driving a vehicle worth more than some third world countries. Meanwhile, former Floyd singer/bassist Roger Waters has joined a group of investors — including pop star Shakira — who are buying Bonds Cay, a 700-acre island in the Bahamas. The group plans to build an artists' retreat on the island, along with luxury homes and condominiums. Vertigo In 3-DU2 will release their Vertigo world tour concert film next year in 3-D! The project is being compiled from more than 700 hours of footage shot during the tour's South American leg in February and March of this year. Filmmaker Mark Pellington, who got his start helming U2's acclaimed "One" video, is overseeing the movie along with Catherine Owens, a creative director on several U2 world tours. The soundtrack is being produced by Carl Glanville, who produced the concert DVD "Vertigo 2005/U2 Live From Chicago." The resulting film will be screened using the Real D technology currently being showcased in theaters showing the new 3-D version of "Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas." Real D is also hoping to stage a live 3-D concert next fall that would be projected in theaters nationwide, and it's possible that U2 might star in that as well. Just gimme those 3-D glasses, momma! Swinging RockersNo surprise that "Golf Digest" ranks Alice Cooper as rock's top golfer. The Top 100 list of musician golfers was based on their handicap and Cooper, who typically shoots at five over par, is tied with bluegrass performer Dan Tyminski for 11th place. Other rockers in the Top 25 include Yes drummer Alan White in 14th place and Doors guitarist Robby Krieger, who ranks 22nd. Alice, who calls golf "the crack of sports," admits he "traded one addiction for another" when he set down the bottle and picked up a club. Both he and Krieger credit golf for helping them survive in the wake of kicking some destructive habits. The Moody Blues' John Lodge, Pink Floyd's Roger Waters, Eagle Glenn Frey, Bob Dylan and CSNY's Stephen Stills, Graham Nash and Neil Young are some of the others on the Top 100 list.  Quote Of The WeekIt was violinist Ruggiero Ricci who said, "A specialist is someone who does everything else worse." Early November FactoidsBuying carnations or roses is a prerequisite for a first date in Russia, but they must be given in odd numbers. Flowers given in even numbers are reserved for funerals. An old English tradition dictates that a bride stands to the groom's left at their wedding so that his sword hand is free. Apparently Anglo-Saxon brides were often kidnapped before a wedding and brawls were common at the ceremonies. That's also why the best man stands with the groom; the tribe's best warrior was there to help the groom defend the bride. November 2, 2006
Keyboard whiz Keith Emerson of Emerson, Lake & Palmer is 62.
On this day in 1974, George Harrison opened his North American tour in Vancouver. It was the first-ever solo tour by a Beatle and the first time Harrison himself had hit the road since 1966. On this day in 1976, in an interview with the BBC program The Old Grey Whistle Test, Led Zeppelin singer Robert Plant and manager Peter Grant explained that they got the idea to make "The Song Remains the Same" after using large TV screens at their 1975 Earl's Court concerts. Unfortunately, they forgot about writing a simple screenplay so that the film would make some sense.  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 TonightPeter Frampton will be rocking the Canyon Club in Augora Hills tonight. Scorsese's Filming/Stones Are RockingParamount Pictures has acquired North American rights to Martin Scorsese's long-planned Rolling Stones feature documentary, due late next year. Scorsese started filming the untitled project this past Sunday in New York during the Stones' performance at President Clinton's celebrity-packed birthday bash at New York's Beacon Theatre, and he also filmed at the Beacon last night. Both Beacon shows featured White Stripes guitarist/singer Jack White guesting on "Loving Cup," Christina Aguilera joining in on "Live With Me" and Buddy Guy playing guitar on "Champagne & Reefer." Let's just hope that Sir Mick's voice was up to par for both shows and Keef behaved himself. Clinton's on-stage remarks are expected to be included in the film, which will also include historical and contemporary behind-the-scenes footage and interviews. Reviews by longtime fans say last night's show was one of the best the band has ever performed in the States. Stay tuned for more! John's Piano Goes To TexasThe piano on which John Lennon wrote "Imagine" will be part of a special antiwar photography exhibition that begins on December 5th in Dallas. The instrument is being loaned by singer George Michael, who paid $2.1 million for it in 2000. No word if the piano will actually tour — yet. Mikey/Sammy/New Year's EveIt's official! Van Halen bassist Michael Anthony will be joining Sammy Hagar for a series of New Year's gigs at the Red Rocker's Cabo Wabo Cantina in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. Mikey says, "I'm usually in the snow for the holidays, so this will be quite a change... We'll be playing on New Year's Eve, and if I recover, a few more times afterwards." New Shaw/BladesStyx's Tommy Shaw and Night Ranger's Jack Blades will release a new album called "Influence" on February 20th. The Shaw/Blades follow-up to their 1995 record, "Hallucinations," contains 11 covers of Sixties and Seventies hits like Orleans' "Dance With Me," Steely Dan's "Dirty Work" and Seals & Crofts' "Summer Breeze" as well as songs by The Mamas & Papas, Emerson, Lake & Palmer and others. No word on live dates, but stay tuned! November 3, 2006
On this day in 1967, The Beatles completed filming for their TV special "Magical Mystery Tour" at Ringo's country house in Weybridge, Surrey. The day's work was mainly done in the backyard, where each Beatle was filmed pretending to play a white cello. On this day in 1977, Elton John announced another of his "100% total retirements from performing live." This time the hiatus lasted almost 15 months. On this day in 1988, the U2 documentary "Rattle and Hum" was released. On this day in 1998, U2's "Best of 1980-1990/The B-Sides" was released.
On Stage TonightLindsey Buckingham will be rocking the Grove in Anaheim. On Stage SaturdayThe Who will be rocking the Hollywood Bowl as Peter Frampton is playing the Cerritos Performing Arts Center. On Stage SundayThe Who will be finishing their two-night stand at the Hollywood Bowl. Stones Will Do Your PartyIt really shouldn't surprise anyone to find out that oil barons and international multi-millionaire businessmen will fork out whopping fees to have their favorite performers entertain them. The Rolling Stones charge $5 million for a private show — making them the most expensive music act per performance ever. The Eagles come a close second in the price-per-performance stakes charging $4.8 million. Celine Dion can pull in $4.2 million for a private show, and Elton John was recently paid $1.2 million to play at a wedding reception. A Russian billionaire once paid $2.3 million to hear Christina Aguilera perform just three songs at his wedding, and he paid an extra $765, 000 for Whitney Houston to follow her on stage (doing God knows what). Further down the scale, Aerosmith will entertain you for a mere $700,000. Aerosmith/NASCARAerosmith is collaborating with ESPN/ABC on the networks' NASCAR coverage next year. The band will be filmed performing "Back in the Saddle" during Saturday's concert at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. NASCAR reps haven't revealed any details on how the Aerosmith material will be used or how much the band is being paid, but it sure looks like a perfect fit. As Steven Tyler so eloquently said, "Other than being an astronaut, there are two things I can think of that can give you the same rush as sitting on a rocket: driving down the straightaway at Talladega at 200 miles an hour, and being the lead singer in Aerosmith." Now that's Rock & Roll! Genesis Announcement TuesdayJust remember to look surprised when the upcoming Genesis reunion is officially announced on Tuesday. You can expect singer/drummer Phil Collins, guitarist Mike Rutherford and keyboardist Tony Banks to play some shows and (maybe) record some songs. Original frontman Peter Gabriel won't be taking part in the reunion at this time, but he left the door open for future collaborations. Original guitarist Steve Hackett also won't be involved this time around. The fact that no one's even mentioned guitarist Anthony Phillips speaks volumes about his status. Rabbit Will Be MissingThe Who's longtime keyboardist, John "Rabbit" Bundrick, will sit out the next leg of the band's North American tour to spend time with his wife, Sue, who is critically ill. Guitarist/singer Pete Townshend says, "Rabbit cannot leave her at such a time, so we are going to continue the tour without him." Rather than replace him, The Who will have someone from their existing "team" fill in where necessary. Pete added: "No one can play rock piano and Hammond like Rabbit and I will miss his many moments of stratospheric brilliance." Former Crowe Joins Rock Star SupernovaFormer Black Crowes bassist Johnny Colt has been tapped by reality-show supergroup Rock Star Supernova to temporarily replace Jason Newsted, who seriously injured his arm and shoulder recently. Another Drummer For G&RGuns N' Roses has confirmed that Frank Ferrer will replace regular drummer Bryan "Brain" Mantia for the group's entire North American tour. Brain asked if he could sit this one out so he could be with his newborn baby. There's no word on when he will return to the group full-time, nor does anyone know when G&R's new "Chinese Democracy" album will be out. Thank you for your attention — you may now return to your regularly scheduled lives. Monday at Lowe'sNext Monday (November 6th), 11am - 1pm: Unc will be hanging at the KLOS Cool Patrol booth at the brand new Lowe's Home Improvement Center at 2390 South Grove Avenue in Ontario. Here's what his last Lowe's event looked like! November 4, 2006
American humorist Will Rogers would have been 127. (See News Of Note below.)
On this day in 1961, Bob Dylan played at New York's Carnegie Chapter Hall to an audience of 43 people. Ten times that many bootlegs of the show have since appeared. On this day in 1963, The Beatles performed for Queen Elizabeth II, the Queen Mother, Princess Margaret and Lord Snowdon at the Royal Variety Performance in London. That was the gig where John Lennon quipped "Will the people in the cheaper seats clap your hands. All the rest of you, rattle your jewelry." On this day in 1972, The Moody Blues' "Nights In White Satin" peaked at #2 on the charts as The Doobie Brothers' "Listen To The Music" topped out at #11. On this day in 1978, The Who's song "Who Are You" peaked at #14 on the charts. On this day in 1980, R.E.O. Speedwagon released the song "Keep On Loving You." On this day in 1983, The Rolling Stones released their "Undercover" album. .On this day in 1989, Tom Petty's "Free Fallin'" entered the singles chart. The Wisdom Of Will RogersLettin' the cat outta the bag is a whole lot easier 'n puttin' it back in. If you're ridin' ahead of the herd, take a look back every now and then to make sure it's still there. If you get to thinking you're a person of some influence, try ordering somebody else's dog around. There's two theories to arguing with a woman. Neither one works. If you find yourself in a hole, the first thing to do is stop digging. It don't take a genius to spot a goat in a flock of sheep. The quickest way to double your money is to fold it over and put it back in your pocket. Don't squat with your spurs on. Good judgment comes from experience, and a lot of that comes from bad judgment. Never miss a good chance to shut up. November 5, 2006
Singing sensation Art Garfunkle is 66.
On this day in 1965, The Who released "My Generation," and the music world was changed forever. On this day in 1982, Phil Collins released his "Hello, I Must Be Going" album. On this day in 1983, Yes' "Owner Of A Lonely Heart" entered the singles charts as "One Thing Leads To Another" by The Fixx peaked at #4. On this day in 1994, R.E.M.'s song "What's The Frequency, Kenneth?" — inspired by CBS newsman Dan Rather's bizarre N.Y.C. experience — peaked at #21 on the charts. On this day in 1999, Van Halen parted ways with their third lead singer, Gary Cherone after one mediocre album. November 6, 2006
Singer/songwriter Glenn Frey of the Eagles is 58.
On this day in 1965, The Rolling Stones' song "Get Off Of My Cloud" hit #1, Bob Dylan's "Positively Fourth Street" peaked at #7 and The Animals released the song "It's My Life." Not a bad day at all! On this day in 1965, legendary concert promoter Bill Graham presented his first show when he rented out the Fillmore Auditorium in San Francisco for $60. The show, a benefit concert for the city's mime troupe, featured the Grateful Dead and Jefferson Airplane, who were anything but mimes. On this day in 1971, The Who released their song "Behind Blue Eyes" as Cat Stevens' "Peace Train" peaked at #7 on the charts. On this day in 1976, Steve Miller's "Rock 'N Me" hit #1, Heart's "Magic Man" peaked at #9, and Blue Oyster Cult's "(Don't Fear) The Reaper" topped out at #12 on the charts. On this day in 1989, Phil Collins released his "But Seriously" album. On this day in 1993, R.E.M.'s classic "Everybody Hurts" peaked at #29 on the charts.
Eddie's Growing His Own (Band)In the grand tradition of the Osmonds and the Jacksons, Eddie Van Halen has hired his 15-year-old son, Wolfgang, to play bass in Van Halen IV. The youngest Van Halen takes the place of founding member Michael Anthony, who is not related by blood to Edward or Alex and has recently been touring with Van Halen II singer Sammy Hagar. No news on who will sing with Van Halen, although word has it that original frontman David Lee Roth may return to the fold if no other V.H. family members surface. You may now return to your regularly scheduled life. Must Of Been Billed By His LawyersSeems a little late in the game, but former Beatle Paul McCartney is urging everyone connected with his divorce from Heather Mills to behave with dignity. In an interview with the BBC, Macca says it's a private affair and acting in a dignified manner will put less noses out of joint (clever way with words, there Sir Paulie). Damaging allegations have been made about both parties in the couple's divorce, which has been played out in the British tabloids before it reaches the courts. However, Sir Paul says he's optimistic the situation surrounding the divorce will eventually improve. Guess he figures that money has a way of quieting nasty little noisemakers. Genesis Jumps The SharkRemember that I told you to act surprised. Sometime today in London, the mega-selling pop trio version of Genesis will announce a reunion for its first tour with Phil Collins since the Summer of '92. Genesis actually hasn't toured since 1998, when Ray Wilson briefly replaced Collins on lead vocals alongside keyboardist Tony Banks and guitarist Mike Rutherford. We'll wait until tomorrow for the whole story, so remember to act surprised when they say that they'll play the Southland! Alice (In Chains) Plays Football (Sort Of)In a move that should have taken place years ago, Alice In Chains will perform the national anthem prior to the Minnesota Vikings/Green Bay Packers game next Sunday at the Minneapolis Metrodome. No matter the horrifying acoustics, it about time someone rocked an NFL game! Meanwhile, Alice In Chains filmed their Halloween night concert in Providence, Rhode Island for a possible DVD release. The boys played for two hours and 40 minutes that night, adding additional songs for the filming. Do you think the DVD will be released in time for the Holidays? Sir Elty Helps CheeseheadsElton John has thrown his support to a Wisconsin group that opposes tomorrow's ballot measure to ban gay marriage in the dairy state by waiving a $20,000 fee to allow Fair Wisconsin to use "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" in a campaign ad. Monday at Lowe'sToday! Today! from 11am - 1pm: Unc will be hanging at the KLOS Cool Patrol booth at the brand new Lowe's Home Improvement Center at 2390 South Grove Avenue in Ontario. Here's what his last Lowe's event looked like! Quote Of The WeekIt was Oscar Wilde who said, "One should always play fairly when one has the winning cards." November 7, 2006
Singer/songwriter Joni Mitchell is 63.
On this day in 1970, Chicago released the song "Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?" On this day in 1974, Ted Nugent won the National Squirrel Shooting Archery Contest, nailing 27 of the furry rodents and even picking off one at a distance of 150 yards. No wonder chicks dig the Nuge! On this day in 1981, Bob Seger's "Tryin' To Live My Life Without You" peaked at #5 as "Centerfold" by The J. Geils Band entered the singles chart. On this day in 1986, the giant "Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band Live 1975 - '85" box set was released. It went on to become one of the biggest-selling box sets of all time. On this day in 1987, Fleetwood Mac's "Little Lies" peaked at #4 as U2's "Where The Streets Have No Name" topped out at #13 on the charts.
On Stage TonightAerosmith and Motley Crue will be rocking the Hollywood Bowl tonight. Genesis Jumps Back InRemember that I told you to act surprised. Having sold over 130 million albums and taken significant time off from each other, Tony Banks, Phil Collins and Mike Rutherford of the iconic group Genesis will begin their first tour in 15 years on June 11th. The Turn It On Again tour will start with a month-long series of European stadium concerts running through mid-July. The following Stateside tour — at least 20 dates — will be announced shortly. The boys will be joined on stage by long time Genesis sidemen, Chester Thompson on drums and Daryl Steurmer on guitar. Two of the world's greatest show technicians, award-winning lighting designer Patrick Woodroffe and acclaimed set designer Mark Fisher (of Pink Floyd fame) are working on the staging. Word is that the tour came about when discussions for a reunion with original vocalist Peter Gabriel and guitarist Steve Hackett based around the classic "The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway" album broke down. In conjunction with the reunion, 14 Genesis studio albums will be reissued as SACD/DVD double-disc sets in three phases next year. The band says it has no plans to make a new record. Cool! Now remember to act surprised when they announce the 30 to 40 U.S. dates and a new album. Zep Says No To The DLed Zeppelin won't be included in the upcoming film "Tenacious D in the Pick of Destiny." Word is that the surviving Zep members initially gave approval to the Jack Black project to include the title of their tune "Stairway to Heaven," but after seeing the scene featuring the song the British rockers withdrew their permission. The plan was to use the name in a sequence about a fake Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame, during which Tenacious D's Black and Kyle Gass walk up a massive set of stairs identified with the Zeppelin song title in flashing neon lights. With the Zeppelin pulling out of the project, the staircase was renamed Guitarway to Heaven, which Black says, "sounded a little dumber, which made me happy." The movie will hit theaters on November 22nd. Macca Buying Silence?Sounds like Paul McCartney is going to keep information in some audio tapes of his late first wife, Linda, private. Word out of London says literary agent Peter Cox had the recordings, which date back to the late Eighties. They're said to include the first Mrs. McCartney confessing to problems in her marriage and admitting that she sometimes wanted to leave Paul. The tapes were made during meetings between Cox and Linda while they worked on the 1989 vegetarian cookbook, "Home Cooking." The former Beatle reportedly met Cox last Wednesday at a cafe in London and gave him about $380,000 for the tapes. A confidentiality agreement was already in place that prevents Cox from copying or replaying the tapes, however it's still possible that the recorded material could be used as evidence supporting some of the allegations Heather Mills has leveled against McCartney in divorce documents.  NHRA Finals Drag RacesThis Saturday and Sunday: This weekend's Automobile Club of Southern California NHRA Finals in Pomona is the last big drag race of the year. 2004 NHRA Division 7 Super Gas Champ Randy Balough will be racing the Uncle Joe's Racing Super Gas Corvette, and Saturday and Sunday's Uncle Joe's Meet & Greets with the KLOS Cool Patrol will be huge! Here are a few photos of last year's event. November 8, 2006
Bram Stoker, the author of "Dracula," would have been 159.
On this day in 1969, on the second gig of their first U.S. tour in three years, The Rolling Stones broke a California concert record set three years earlier by The Beatles. Although Keith didn't remember the gig the next day, fans paid a total of $150,000 to see the Stones play at the L.A. Forum. On this day in 1971, Led Zeppelin released their fourth album, variously called "IV" or "ZOSO" for the Viking-like runes on its cover. Considered by many to be the greatest rock album ever, it somehow failed to reach the #1 spot while charting for a record 158 weeks.
Doors Partying TonightSurviving members of The Doors are marking the 40th anniversary of the group by taking part in a trio of events happening along Sunset Boulevard tonight in West Hollywood. Guitarist Robby Krieger will be stationed at The Whiskey-A-Go-Go, the famed venue where the band established a following. He'll host a listening party previewing the upcoming six-CD, six-DVD box set "Perception." Keyboardist Ray Manzarek will be next door at The Cat Club, formerly The London Fog where The Doors played their first gig. He'll welcome fans to check out a mini-display of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame's upcoming exhibit on The Doors. Drummer John Densmore will be stationed at Book Soup, the building where Jim Morrison conducted poetry readings. Krieger, Manzarek and Densmore will also autograph copies of the new book "The Doors by The Doors" at their respective locations, and our own Jim Ladd will be broadcasting live from the event. And just like the old days, Cynthia Fox's mom won't let her go hang out with the hippies. Right so, Mom! Perry Gets Bonked/Plays OnAerosmith guitarist Joe Perry took the stage last night at the Hollywood Bowl with a black eye and a concussion. In the midst of performing "Back In The Saddle" Saturday night in Las Vegas, Joe was smacked on the head by one of the 14 cameras filming the band. The concert was being taped for NASCAR's 2007 telecasts on ESPN. He managed to finish the 15-song, 90-minute set, but did black out and sustained a concussion. Afterward he commented, "It was a scary moment for me, but you just say to yourself, 'To hell with it, play the song, there's 15,000 fans depending on you to not screw up.' Besides it's going to take more than a camera boom to take me out." Right so! Axl Ditches Another ShowGosh — who would have guessed Guns N' Roses would blow off another concert?!? Well actually, anyone familiar with the band. Axl pulled the plug on this one two-and-a-half hours before Monday night's show in Portland, Maine. A statement issued by the band claimed they were being persecuted by local officials, but there was no mention of what rules and regulations were at issue. Meanwhile, local news reports claimed that only about 3,400 of a possible 6,500 tickets for the Portland gig had been sold. Sweet! Bob's On The RoadBob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band return to the road tonight in Saginaw, Michigan to support "Face the Promise," his first collection of new studio material in 12 years. So far, Bob has confirmed 25 dates for his first set of live shows in a decade. He should be hitting the Southland early next Spring. Roddy Sets His TourRod Stewart will be away from home for quite a stretch next year. The former Faces frontman/heartthrob has a 56-date tour booked from January through May. Roddy says he won't be performing any of the pop standards from his "Great American Songbook" collection, nor is he going to overload his sets with material from his latest release, "Still the Same...Great Rock Classics of Our Time." He says he's structuring his sets to incorporate songs spanning his 30+ year "rock" catalog. In addition, for the first time in over a decade, Rod's stage will be designed in the round, giving fans an intimate 360 degree view of the concert (or his butt). You can expect him to announce a March 20th date at the Staples Center real soon. Eight Lessons Of Maturity
1. Whatever hits the fan will not be evenly distributed. November 9, 2006
Guitarist Tom Fogerty of Creedence Clearwater Revival would have been 65.
On this day in 1963, the Oregon band The Kingsmen released the Rock & Roll classic "Louie, Louie." Many radio stations banned the song when they decided the indecipherable lyrics must be obscene. That, of course, helped sell a lot more records. On this day in 1966, John Lennon and Yoko Ono met for the first time. She claimed not to know who he was... and he believed her. On this day in 1966, Roger McGuinn booted David Crosby out of The Byrds, replacing with original band member Gene Clark. On this day in 1967, "Rolling Stone," the first rock oriented magazine, published its first issue. The magazine featured a picture of John Lennon on the cover and included a free "roach clip." On this day in 1999, the Recording Industry Association of America (R.I.A.A.) declared the Eagles' "Greatest Hits 1971-1975" the best-selling album of the century. The 20th century's biggest single was Elton John's "Candle in the Wind 1997." This Sunday night at 9 on 95.5 KLOS, OFF THE RECORD with Joe Benson will feature the music of The Who as well as more of Joe's conversation with guitarist Pete Townshend, bassist John Entwistle and singer Roger Daltrey.
Touring AwardsSir Elton John will be recognized for his career achievements on the road with the Legend Of Live Award at the Billboard Touring Conference & Awards tonight in New York. The Rolling Stones are contenders for the Top Tour and Top Draw awards while Billy Joel is in the running for Top Boxscore for his extended engagement at Madison Square Garden. Journey's a nominee for Top Package for the group's collaborative road trip with Def Leppard (too bad there is no award for Most Lead Singer Replacements on a tour). Winners are based on box office figures. Dylan Show ClosesThe Broadway show based on the music of Bob Dylan didn't last long — "The Times They Are A-Changin'" will close next week, less than a month after it opened. The musical, developed by Tony Award-winning choreographer Twyla Tharpe, incorporated Dylan's music to tell the story of a circus performer who wants to leave the big top. Tharpe previously worked with Billy Joel on a similar type of project, creating a fictional story based on song characters for the hit production "Movin' Out." However, "The Times They Are A-Changin'" was met with poor reviews and will come to an end on November 19th after only 28 performances. More Brit AwardsQueen and Whitesnake each took home two trophies at the second annual Classic Rock Roll of Honour ceremony, held Monday in London. Queen was recognized in the Best Reissue and Classic Songwriter categories, while Whitesnake won the DVD of the Year and Band Of The Year awards. Alice Cooper collected the Living Legend trophy, presented by Queen's Brian May and Roger Taylor. Def Leppard, Ronnie James Dio and late Thin Lizzy frontman Phil Lynott were among the night's other winners. Johnson's Racin'AC/DC singer Brian Johnson, who has raced sports cars on and off over the years, is one of 10 celebrities competing in a new U.K. reality TV show called The Race. The show, which premiered Monday, pits male and female teams against each other in a series of racing challenges guided by famed U.K. Formula One drivers. In the first go-round, Johnson lost to Sabrina the Teenage Witch star Melissa Joan Hart, but has since emerged as a favorite to win the finale "Grand Prix" event. Nice gig, Brian! Who Chart LargeThe Who's new album, "Endless Wire," debuted #7 on the Billboard 200 chart. The band's first full-length studio effort since 1982's "It's Hard" sold about 81,000 copies in its initial week of release. Strummer Film/Sundance"The Future Is Unwritten," Julien Temple's new film on the life and career of late Clash frontman Joe Strummer, will have its U.S. premiere at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah in mid-January. The film includes interviews with Bono, Johnny Depp and John Cusack as well as members of the Red Hot Chili Peppers and the Clash and old friends who squatted with him in condemned buildings in London before the Clash took off. The film is slated to debut in U.S. theaters by early Summer, followed by a DVD and soundtrack release. November 10, 2006
Singer/bassist/guitarist Greg Lake of Emerson, Lake & Palmer is 58.
On this day in 1961, Brian Epstein, the manager of several record shops in Liverpool, paid a noontime visit to the Cavern Club to see The Beatles, whom he heard about from a teenage customer. Impressed by the performance, he introduced himself to George Harrison and Paul McCartney. By the end of the month, Brian had persuaded the group that he should be their manager. On January 24, 1962, a contract was signed and history would never be the same. On this day in 1963, The Kingsmen released their classic single "Louie Louie." The songs inaudible lyrics caused a true national scandal, inspiring thousands of young Rock & Rollers to pick up a guitar. On this day in 1973, British actor David Essex released "Rock On," his self-penned, one and only U.S. hit single. On this day in 1975, 29 crewmen died when the ore carrier "Edmund Fitzgerald" plunged to the floor of Lake Superior during a nasty storm. Canadian singer Gordon Lightfoot was so moved, he wrote the 14-verse "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald," which went on to become the most unlikely #2 charting hit record in history. On this day in 1979, the Eagles' song "Heartache Tonight" hit #1. On this day in 1984, Bruce Springsteen released his "Born In The U.S.A." single as Don Henley released his "Boys of Summer" single. On this day in 1997, The Rolling Stones played the first of two nights at Dodger Stadium. Many consider that 2.5 hour show to be one of the highlights of their "Bridges To Babylon" tour.
On Stage TonightLindsey Buckingham will be playing the Wiltern LG tonight. On Stage SaturdayAerosmith and Motley Crue will be rocking the Hyundai Pavilion as Johnny Winter hits the Canyon Club. Touring AwardsThe Rolling Stones' "Bigger Bang" tour was a big winner at the Billboard Touring Awards, which were given out Thursday night at the Roosevelt Hotel in New York. The Stones' tour was recognized as the Top Tour, based on gross dollars, and Top Draw, based on ticket sales (that's $230 million and nearly 2 million tickets all over the world). Sir Elton John was honored as Billboard's 2006 Legend of Live. Music Rising, the instrument replacement fund for Gulf Coast musicians founded by Gibson CEO Henry Juszkiewicz, producer Bob Ezrin and U2's the Edge, received Billboard's Humanitarian Award. Another Big Buck AuctionPaul McCartney's handwritten lyrics to The Beatles song "Maxwell's Silver Hammer" is among the items up for sale in a December 4th Christie's auction in New York. The lyrics are expected to fetch at least $200,000. Memorabilia associated with The Rolling Stones, The Doors, Neil Young, Jimi Hendrix, Cream, Elton John and Bob Dylan, among others, also will be up for bid. One Rich Aussie DutchmanAC/DC guitarist Angus Young has been identified as among the richest people in the Netherlands. Technically, Young was born in Scotland and raised in Australia, but he has lived in the Netherlands since the Eighties. Strangely enough, this is the first year he made the Quote magazine Quote 500 annual list of the richest people in the Netherlands with a personal worth of approximately $93 million. Now that's some power chording! New Pretenders?When The Pretenders were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, group leader Chrissie Hynde was talking about retirement. But a little further down the road, she's reconsidering, saying: "Recently, I thought maybe I'd had enough, but I think you go through that periodically... I feel that I need to sort of tie some loose ends together and to go out with a good record and everything, so I'm thinking of making a record next year." To that end, she and her band will begin opening a few shows for The Who tonight in Las Vegas. Rock on, Chrissie! The Mickster Will ProduceWord is that Mick Jagger will produce a remake of the 1939 movie "The Woman" with Meg Ryan in the starring role. Meg would play a contemporary Martha Stewart-style TV personality who, as in the original, discovers her husband is cheating on her. The Rolling Stones frontman's company, Jagged Films, has set a budget in the $18 million range. Production is slated to begin in March in New York and Connecticut for release late next year. Happy B-day Abbey RoadAbbey Road Studios celebrated its 75th anniversary yesterday. The famous London studio complex where The Beatles, Pink Floyd and U2 have recorded was set to have a huge star-studded party last night. Veterans DayVeterans Day is the national holiday set aside to honor the men and women who served the United States in wars during the past century. Initially known as "Armistice Day," it was established in 1926 to recognize the end of fighting in World War I at 11am, November 11, 1918 (the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month). It was renamed "Veterans Day" after World War II, and has always centered on special memorials at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldiers. At some point this weekend, take a moment to remember those who fought to protect our freedom, especially those who paid the ultimate price, from the fields in France to the deserts of Iraq. |
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