 February 11 - 20, 2007These 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! February 11, 2007
Rock & Roll pioneer Gene Vincent would have been 71. 
On this day in 1963, The Beatles recorded 11 songs for their first album, "Please Please Me," in one amazing 10-hour session at Abbey Road studios. Suffering from a cold and totally thrashed from the marathon session, John Lennon nailed "Twist and Shout" in one take at the end of the session. The next day, it was decided to make that song the final one on the album. On this day in 1964, The Beatles performed their first American concert at Washington, D.C.'s Washington Coliseum. With all of the fans screaming, the Fab Four couldn't even hear themselves perform. On this day in 1984, "That's All" by Genesis hit #6, "Pink Houses" by John Mellencamp peaked at #8 and "Middle Of The Road" by the Pretenders topped out at #19 on the charts. On this day in 1989, "Angel Of Harlem" by U2 peaked at #14 on the charts.  This Sunday night at 9 on 95.5 KLOS, OFF THE RECORD with Joe Benson will feature the music of The Kinks as well as conversation with Ray and Dave Davies. 
On Stage TonightZZ Top will be rocking the House Of Blues on Sunset tonight. It's GRAMMY TimeBob Dylan and Neil Young are the top classic rock nominees heading into Sunday's 49th Annual GRAMMY Awards. Tom Petty, Bruce Springsteen and Peter Frampton have two shots each, while Paul McCartney, David Gilmour and Bruce Hornsby are among the veterans with one chance each. Joan Baez is among those who'll receive the Lifetime Achievement Award, as are The Doors, the Grateful Dead and Booker T & the MGs. That honorary GRAMMY allows the Recording Academy to acknowledge the work of innovative and influential artists who were overlooked in their heyday. Live Petty Collection ComingTom Petty has confirmed that a collection of live performances from his most recent tour with The Heartbreakers is slated for a November release. Heartbreakers guitarist Mike Campbell is handling the production. Petty has also confirmed that his next album will be recorded with The Heartbreakers, but flat-out says, "I haven't started to write it." Gosh — do you think he'll have it done before Peter Bogdanovich's upcoming documentary on the band is released? Stay tuned! Mary Bounces Heather Right OutAll Paul McCartney's 37-year old daughter Mary did was ask PETA to get rid of her ex-step-mom, Heather Mills. So they did. According to the Hindustan Times, the animal rights organization wanted to continue working with the renowned photographer/Macca offspring. She said she'd agreed to — but only if Mills would no longer be involved. The resulting official PETA announcement said: "We have no further plans to work with Heather Mills. We are very grateful for Mary McCartney's involvement on the new "I would rather go naked than wear fur" campaign." And that's the way it works! U2 Update #315It's hard to believe that it's been 20 years since U2 released their breakthrough album "The Joshua Tree." To celebrate the album that catapulted the band into superstardom, Britain's Q Magazine has released a special edition with a 25-page spread on the album. This one's a keeper! .
Quote Of The DayIt was Woody Allen who said: "Dying is one of the few things that can be done as easily lying down."  NHRA WinternationalsThis Saturday & Sunday, February 10th & 11th: The NHRA CARQUEST Winternationals Drag Races at the Auto Club Raceway in Pomona is the first big drag meet of the year. J.B. will be rocking with the KLOS Cool Patrol and NHRA Division 7 Super Gas Champion Randy Balough, driver of the Uncle Joe's Racing Super Gas Corvette! And yes, there will be another Harley giveaway on Sunday! Here are some action shots from last year. February 12, 2007
Ray Manzarek of The Doors is 68.
On this day in 1964, Beatlemania hit New York as the Fab Four played two shows at Carnegie Hall. In Washington, D.C., President Lyndon Johnson met with British Prime Minister Alec Douglas-Home and told him, "I like your advance guard. But don't you think they need haircuts?" On this day in 1967, Rolling Stone guitarist Keith Richards' mansion was raided by 15 policemen, who discovered "various substances of a suspicious nature." Richards, Mick Jagger and his girlfriend Marianne Faithfull were arrested, then later acquitted on drug charges. On this day in 1968, Jimi Hendrix returned to his hometown of Seattle to receive the key to the city and an honorary high school diploma (he had dropped out at the age of 14). Jimi also did a show for the students of his old high school, and spent some time boinking Seattle maidens — a true homecoming. On this day in 1972, Yes' "Roundabout" entered the charts, "Black Dog" by Led Zeppelin peaked at #15 and "Feeling Alright" by Joe Cocker topped out at #33. On this day in 1977, Paul McCartney released the live version of his song "Maybe I'm Amazed." On this day in 2001, former Eagle guitarist Don Felder sued founding members Don Henley and Glenn Frey, claiming he was wrongly fired. The associated lawyers still haven't split the cash or future royalties, but you can be sure they're working feverishly on it.
It's GRAMMY TimeLast night's 49th Annual GRAMMY Awards belonged to the Dixie Chicks and The Red Hot Chili Peppers. The Chicks won all five GRAMMYS they were nominated for, including the Album Of The Year, Song Of The Year and Record Of The Year — a hat trick last pulled off by Eric Clapton in 1993. The Peppers won four GRAMMY Awards: Best Rock Song, Best Rock Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal, Best Rock Album and Best Limited Edition Package. Bob Dylan won two of the three trophies for which he was nominated: Best Solo Rock Vocal Performance and Best Contemporary Folk/Americana Album categories. Bruce Springsteen scored two more: Best Traditional Folk Album and Best Long Form Music Video honors. Other victorious Classic Rockers included Peter Frampton (Best Pop Instrumental Album), Bon Jovi (Best Country Collaboration With Vocals) and Steely Dan frontman Donald Fagen (Best Surround Sound Album). Check out all the GRAMMY winners at http://grammy.com Police Reunion Update #650Performing in public for just the second time since 1986, The Police kicked off the 49th Annual GRAMMY Awards last night with a kick ass performance of "Roxanne" with elements of "Driven to Tears" thrown in. "Ladies and gentlemen, we are The Police and we're back," was Sting's full hearted intro to the song. He, guitarist Andy Summers and drummer Stewart Copeland will announce a full Summer reunion tour later this morning during a media event in Hollywood. Stay tuned! Massimo Genesis ShowGenesis will wrap the European leg of their "Turn It On Again" reunion tour by playing to the biggest audience of their career. Over 400,000 are expected to attend the trio's July 14th free concert in Rome's ancient Circo Massimo hippodrome. As a reference point on the venue, the Circo Massimo has hosted many huge concerts in modern times, including Live8. To date, the Genesis reunion tour has sold over 800,000 tickets — and the U.S. leg of the tour is yet to be announced! And The Kids Will RockAn album featuring the children of well-known musicians performing their dads' hits will be available exclusively in Target stores starting on February 25th. "Song for My Father" will include Salvador Santana's rendition of Carlos' "Evil Ways" and Devon Allman's version of his dad Gregg's "Midnight Rider."
 DISNEYLAND!Today, 3p - 7p: With his voice front and center in the new Rockin' Space Mountain, it only makes sense that Uncle Joe would broadcast live on KLOS from Disneyland and California Adventure — stay tuned for details! Here are a few fotos from his last visit. February 13, 2007
Monkee bassist Peter Tork is 65. Producer Bill Szymczyk, who discovered Joe Walsh & the James Gang and produced several of the Eagles' greatest albums, is 64. Former Genesis frontman, the patron saint of world music, and "Sledgehammer" singer Peter Gabriel is 57. Original Foreigner bassist Ed Gagliardi is 57.
On this day in 1966, The Rolling Stones made their first U.S. TV show appearance, performing on "The Ed Sullivan Show." On this day in 1972, Led Zeppelin was forced to cancel a show in Singapore when officials wouldn't let the band and crew disembark the airplane because their hair was too long. On this day in 1974, Bob Dylan finished his famous tour with The Band at the Forum here in Los Angeles. It was at that show that Bob recorded most of the songs for his live album, "Before The Flood." On this day in 1982, the 300 pound headstone on the grave of Lynyrd Skynyrd singer Ronnie Van Zant was stolen from a Florida cemetery. Police found it two weeks later, abandoned in a dry river bed.
Police Reunion Update #652Yesterday's media event in Hollywood to announce the The Police's long anticipated 30th Anniversary reunion tour came off without a hitch. Sting, guitarist Andy Summers and drummer Stewart Copeland opened with "Message In A Bottle," played around with "Voices Inside My Head" and "When The World Is Running You Down," and closed with "Can't Stand Losing You" and "Roxanne." As expected, Sting said the tour is "gonna be 3 guys onstage every night. That's all. No backup singers, no horns, just 3 guys onstage." Starting on May 28th, the group will play arenas and stadiums worldwide throughout the rest of this year. They will headline the famous Bonnaroo Festival in Tennessee on June 16th, and will definitely play Boston's Fenway Park on July 28th. You can expect them to tour North America (including two or three Southland gigs) through the first week of August, take a break, then play the U.K. and Europe before returning to North America in late October. There are also plans to play in Mexico, South America, Japan and possibly Australia and New Zealand, with a total of about 80 dates. Some proceeds raised by the tour will benefit the WaterAid charity. In an honest aside, Sting said that this tour will be a "healing process" for him — since he's "run away" from that part of his life for "the last 25 years." This is going to be good! Guitar God PhotosA photography exhibition featuring images of Gibson Guitars held by dozens of iconic rockers, including members of The Rolling Stones, The Beatles, The Who and Led Zeppelin, will open March 1st in London. Gibson Through the Lens will run for three weeks at the famed Blink Gallery, which will be selling limited-edition prints of some of the pictures autographed by the photographers who took them. The exhibit will move to New York and Los Angeles later this year. Jovi Soap OperaOh, what a tangled web... Word is that Jon Bon Jovi does not approve of bandmate Richie Sambora's relationship with actress Denise Richards. The latest report in the "New York Daily News" says that Bon Jovi not only dislikes the media attention Richards' presence has brought to the band, but he also thinks she is "really annoying." Of course Richards and Sambora began dating last year, following her split with then husband, actor Charlie Sheen, and his split with then wife, actress Heather Locklear. You have to agree when the "Daily News" says that it would be wise for Sambora to listen to Bon Jovi, since the frontman is the star of the group, and everyone else in the band is treated like an employee. So what's new? Lindsey Adds MoreAfter not doing a solo tour for a couple of decades, Lindsey Buckingham has announced another round of solo U.S. dates to support his latest album, "Under The Skin." The next leg of Lindsey's tour will run from March 7th through April 9th with nary a gig near the Southland. Meanwhile, the Fleetwood Mac singer/guitarist's recent concert in Fort Worth was filmed by HDNet and will air on that channel at a later date.
Quote Of The DayIt was Jay Leno, the extremely successful talk show host and avid car collector, who said: "Race-car driving is a little like sex. All men think they're good at it... and when you are out there by yourself, you actually are good at it — until somebody else comes on the track." Valentine's Day By The NumbersThe average American consumer will spend approximately $120 on Valentine's Day this year — up from $101 last year. The new BIGresearch survey, which polled nearly 8,000 adults, found that 63% planned to celebrate Valentine's Day, most between the ages of 25 and 34. Among the other highlights: 1. 29% of men and 18% of women think giving a gift counts as foreplay. 2. On average, men will spend $154 on their loved one while the average female will spend $85. 3. 38% will celebrate the holiday by going to a restaurant, while 12% dine at home. Evidently the rest just go hungry. 4. The most popular gifts men plan to purchase are flowers (over 58%), candy (43%) and jewelry (28%). 5. 1-800-Flowers.com says that the holiday accounts for 10% of its annual sales. 6. The Hershey Company estimates it will sell 1.5 billion chocolate kisses. 7. The most popular gifts on Valentine's Day are traditional, paper-based greeting cards. 8. 11% of love letters and 20% of flowers received on Valentine's Day are sent by people to themselves. February 14, 2007
Roger Fisher, Heart's original lead guitarist, is 57.
On this day in 1843, a small English circus staged a performance for the benefit of a Mr. Kite. Just 124 years later, the circus poster inspired John Lennon to write "Being For The Benefit Of Mr. Kite" for The Beatles' classic "Sgt. Pepper's" album. On this day in 1967, Aretha Franklin recorded her definitive version of Otis Redding's "Respect." On this day in 1970, The Who recorded their concert at Leeds University in Northern England. The performance was immortalized as "Live At Leeds," one of the greatest live albums ever, and was released as a pseudo bootleg just three months later. The CD has now been reissued with all of the additional tracks (including the rock opera "Tommy") that were left off the original album. You must own it! On this day in 1973, David Bowie collapsed at the end of his Valentine's Day Show at New York's Radio City Music Hall. A spokesperson said, "It was total exhaustion." Whew — we were afraid the reason for his collapse was his legendary lifestyle: staying up for days on end and partying his brains out. On this day in 1976, E.L.O.'s "Evil Woman" peaked at #10 as The Who's "Squeeze Box" topped out at #16. On this day in 1978, Dire Straits began recording sessions in London for the group's first album. On this day in 1981, Steely Dan's "Hey 19" peaked at #10 on the charts. On this day in 1987, Bon Jovi's "Livin' On A Prayer" hit #1 as "We're Ready" by Boston peaked at #9 and Genesis' "Tonight, Tonight, Tonight" broke into the Top 40. On this day in 2000, KISS announced that the group was going on a farewell tour — a tour that still hasn't ended. On this day in 2002, Mick Tucker, drummer for the Sweet, lost his 5-year battle with Leukemia at the age of 54.
Digital Beatles At LastAll of The Beatles' songs will be offered for downloading soon. Neil Aspinall — the head of Apple Corps Ltd. and the man who's protected The Beatles legacy for the last 40 years — says: "All 13 core albums, the ones originally released on CD in 1987, have been remastered. At some point they will all be released, probably at the same time." And they will be available from all the online music providers... the band isn't looking to make an exclusive deal with just one service. Unfortunately, the film "Let It Be" remains in DVD purgatory. Aspinall says, "When we got halfway through restoring it, we looked at the outtakes and realized: this stuff is still too controversial. It raised a lot of old issues." Documenting the band breaking up had to be one nasty affair. Police Reunion Update #652While The Police's Monday morning announcement of their worldwide reunion tour didn't mention it, word is that they'll headline the American Live 8, Part 2 concert. What's being called 07-07-07 — seven concerts in seven cities on seven continents — is being organized to bring awareness of global warming. The international event is tied to former Vice President Al Gore's participation and is being produced by Harvey Goldsmith, who put together Live Aid in 1985 and Live 8 in 2005. Organizers are currently attempting to secure the Washington, D.C. mall for a mega concert. If the mall is unavailable, second choice would be Shea Stadium, scene of the Police's great success in 1983. GRAMMYS Be MovingAs you heard Rita Wilde mention in her Rock Report on KLOS, the overwhelming music industry opinion is that the GRAMMY Awards will return to New York next year for a 50th anniversary celebration. Madison Square Garden sounds like a logical location, don't you think? Gilmour's DVD/Etc.David Gilmour's upcoming DVD of highlights from his May 2006 Royal Albert Hall concerts will be titled "Remember That Night." Both Pink Floyd drummer Nick Mason and David Bowie's guest spots will be included, as well as three bonus documentaries, behind-the-scenes tour action and studio footage. The package is expected to be released this Spring. Meanwhile, a CD and DVD documenting the Pink Floyd singer/guitarist's recent appearance on the Live From Abbey Road TV show is due this Summer. Scorps Name ItWord is that The Scorpions have chosen "Humanity – Hour 1" as the title for their next album, which will be released in mid-May. The boys are reportedly tracking vocals and lead guitars in a Malibu studio at this very moment! Chrissie Hits DubaiPretenders frontwoman Chrissie Hynde was in Dubai on Saturday to stage a protest against the treatment of sheep being imported from Australia. Hynde, whose trip was sponsored by animal rights organization PETA, charged that the animals suffer widespread illness and malnourishment during their lengthy journey to the Middle East. The Aussie livestock-export group LiveCorp countered those allegations by noting that the shipping of sheep creates many jobs and that the creatures are treated in accordance with rules approved by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
Quote Of The DayIt was Gypsy Rose Lee who said: "She's descended from a long line her mother listened to." Why Is It Valentine's and Not Pagan's Day?For 800 years, prior to the establishment of Valentine's Day in the 5th century, the Romans practiced a pagan celebration every mid-February. It featured a lottery in which young men drew the names of teenage girls, each of whom would be his sexual companion for the next year. In an effort to do away with that darn pagan festival, Pope Gelasius established Valentine's Day as a tribute to St. Valentine, who had been stoned and beheaded by Roman Emperor Claudius II, also known as Claudius the Cruel. Before he was taken to his death, St. Valentine signed a farewell love note to the blind daughter of his jailer, "From your Valentine." According to legend, Valentine was beheaded on February 14th in approximately 270 A.D. Although the party-pooping Pope banned the lottery for young hotties, Roman men continued to use the mid-February holiday to seek the affection of women. It became a tradition for men to give the ones they admired handwritten messages of affection, containing Valentine's name. I'd venture a guess that if they were successful in their quest, the young men would then (figuratively) lose their head. February 15, 2007
Glyn Johns, who produced albums for The Who, The Rolling Stones, Van Halen and the Eagles, is 65 and just a bit cranky.
On this day in 1964, "Meet the Beatles" became the #1 album in America for the first of 11 weeks. On this day in 1969, The Doors' "Touch Me" peaked at #3 as Bob Seger's "Ramblin' Gamblin' Man" topped out at #17 on the pop singles chart. On this day in 1981, famed blues guitarist Michael Bloomfield died of a drug overdose in San Francisco at the age of 37. On this day in 1985, Phil Collins released his classic "No Jacket Required" album. On this day in 1998, The Rolling Stones performed the final show of their "Bridges to Babylon" North American tour at Las Vegas' Hard Rock Hotel. Always the master of understatement, Mick Jagger called the crowd, which included Brad Pitt, Johnny Depp and Sting, "the best-dressed audience I've ever seen in my life." This Sunday night at 9 on 95.5 KLOS, OFF THE RECORD with Joe Benson will feature the music of Bob Seger and Joe's brand new conversation with Bob.
On Stage TonightThe Moody Blues are playing at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium tonight. Police Reunion Update #653Actually, there's no new news on the The Police's worldwide reunion tour today. But a day without an update just didn't seem right... Return Of The CultThe Cult will make its first live appearance of 2007 at next weekend's California Speedway NASCAR race in Fontana. The Saturday night concert, hosted by yer Uncle Joe, will be part of NASCAR's highly successful Rock 'n Racing series. Tickets include admission to the racetrack for that afternoon's Stater Brothers 300 NASCAR Busch Series race as well as The Cult's post-race performance. The band's current touring line-up includes principals Ian Astbury on vocals and Billy Duffy on guitar alongside bassist Chris Wyse, drummer John Tempesta and rhythm guitarist Mike Dimkich. Roger's Coming BackRoger Waters will follow up last Fall's North American tour, where he performed "Dark Side of the Moon" in its entirety, with a Spring run which kicks off in mid-May. Once again, the Pink Floyd bassist will be backed by a six-piece band, which includes his son Harry on Hammond organ, and three vocalists. Each concert's first set will consist of other Floyd songs plus Waters' solo material, and conclude with his performance of "Dark Side." You can expect to see Roger's show at the Hollywood Bowl on June 13th and the Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre in Irvine on June 15th. Stay tuned for ticket on-sale dates! Aerosmith DelayedSorry to report that Aerosmith won't release a new album by mid-year as planned. Bassist Tom Hamilton explains, "We've got a busy year coming up. After the European tour... we take a short break and then go back into the studio." With European shows currently lined up through the end of June, as well as a couple of Canadian dates pencilled in for mid-July, a release before Christmas seems more likely. Racin' StonesThe Rolling Stones have unveiled a line of auto-racing-themed merchandise in time for Sunday's Daytona 500 — NASCAR's biggest race. The new products sport a variation on the band's famous tongue-and-lips logo, with the red of the tongue replaced by a checkered-flag design. Badges, T-shirts and caps sporting the checkered-flag tongue insignia are now available at the Stones' online shop. Heather May DanceWill Paul McCartney's estranged wife use reality TV to revive her image? Rumors say Heather Mills, who split with the former Beatle last year, is considering joining the cast of ABC's "Dancing with the Stars." Mills has not officially signed on for the show yet, but talks are said to be "ongoing." For "Dancing with the Stars," celebrities — who are known for something other than their two-stepping ability — are matched with professional ballroom dancers to learn various moves and routines. Each week the pairs hit the floor in a competition to win the judges' approval and viewers' votes. Mills' inclusion would add a new dimension to the show, since she's an amputee and would be dancing with a prosthetic leg. The cast for the fourth season of "Dancing with the Stars" will be revealed on February 21st. The show will return to the airwaves on March 19th.
Quote Of The DayIt was Garry Shandling who said: "They should put expiration dates on clothes so we would know when they go out of style." So You Think You Had A Rough Valentine's DayPeter the Great had his wife's lover executed, then had the dude's head put into a jar of alcohol which he forced his wife to keep in her bedroom. What a romantic joker. Cleopatra married two of her brothers and was the mistress of both Caesar and Mark Antony. Then, on an off day, she killed herself with a snake. Go figure! February 16, 2007
Former Def Leppard guitarist Pete Willis is 47.
On this day in 1964, The Beatles performed on "The Ed Sullivan Show" for a second time, live from the Deauville Hotel in Miami. It was the first time a musical act ever appeared twice on the variety show, and we hope the last time anyone ever performed at the crummy old Deauville Hotel. On this day in 1968, John and Cynthia Lennon and George and Patti Harrison all flew to India to spend two months studying with transcendental meditation advocate Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. Ringo and Maureen Starr, Paul McCartney, Jane Asher, Mia Farrow and Donovan soon joined them. Shortly after arriving, Ringo left because he didn't like the food. Then McCartney split and Lennon became disillusioned when the Maharishi started coming on to Farrow. Listen to The Beatles song "Sexy Sadie" for more sordid details. On this day in 1974, Elton John released the single "Bennie and the Jets." On this day in 1980, Led Zeppelin's "Fool in the Rain" peaked at #21 on the singles chart.
On Stage TonightThe Smithereens are playing at the Coach House in San Juan Capistrano tonight. 07/07/07 – Live Earth ConcertsFormer Vice President Al Gore and a host of celebrities gathered yesterday in Los Angeles to announce plans for Live Earth — The Concert For A Climate in Crisis. The series of seven concerts will take place across the globe on July 7th. Among the first 25 of 100 performers are the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Bon Jovi and the Foo Fighters. The Police and U2 are among those expected to be announced shortly. Organizers said the shows will be bigger than 1985's Live Aid concerts and will take place on July 7th — 07/07/07 — in seven cities on seven continents: London; Shanghai, China; Sydney, Australia; Johannesburg, South Africa; and cities to be determined in Brazil, Japan and the United States. The events, which will combine film, music and televised material, are expected to reach an audience of more than two-billion people. The initiative is part of the Save Our Selves (SOS) campaign, designed to raise awareness of global climate control. Kevin Wall is producing Live Earth as he did Live8. Stay tuned for details! Rush Be Comin'Rush will release for its 18th studio album, "Snakes & Arrows," on May 1st. The first single, "Far Cry," will hit U.S. rock radio in mid-March. The disc, produced by GRAMMY-winner Nick Raskulinecz, is the trio's first studio effort in five years. The band will also return to the road for the first time in three years in early Summer. Aero CredibilityAt first they were going to release an album this Summer, then decided not to. Then Aerosmith declared they would tour the world instead of North America in '07. Well they've just been confirmed to perform at the California Mid-State Fair on July 25th, so don't be bothering them with any questions about credibility! But to see what they look like these days, check out the music-themed 2007 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition. The band is pictured posing with model Bar Refaeli (she's the real good looking person in the picture). Dylan/Cold CaseSunday's edition of the CBS drama "Cold Case" will exclusively feature the music of Bob Dylan. The "Blood on the Tracks" episode will have a plot loosely based on the eight Dylan songs featured on the show, including "Like a Rolling Stone," "Positively 4th Street," "The Times They Are A-Changin'," "Knockin' on Heaven's Door" and "All Along the Watchtower." Sounds killer to me! Carlos' Cooking"Genuine yet modern, flavorful Mexican cuisine" will be on the menu at Maria Maria, a new series of restaurants backed by Carlos Santana and his wife Deborah. Locations in Walnut Creek, Mill Valley and Santa Rosa will open over the next few months, with more to come further down the road. An eatery simply called Santana's is also in the works. Purple To Rock FestThis year's Rock Fest, in the podunk town of Cadott, Wisconsin, has just signed Deep Purple. Ian Gillan and the boys will be joining The Mick Fleetwood Band, Boston, Grand Funk Railroad, Chicago and many more during the four-day event that will run from July 19th to July 22nd.
Quote Of The WeekIt was Carl Zwanzig who said: "Duct tape is like the Force. It has a dark side, it has a light side, and it holds the Universe together." Cheese CamWebcams are in place for watching the movements of baby pandas and corn growing in Iowa fields. So why not show the fascinating process of how cheese ages? The West Country Farmhouse Cheesemakers in England are now giving cheese lovers the ability to watch the process of mold growth over the course of a year. Officials with the company say staying glued to http://www.cheddarvision.tv puts watching paint drying to shame. So far, 49,000 have tuned in just for the sake of cheese. Coffee Time!1. Coffee is the most popular beverage worldwide with over 400 billion cups consumed each year. 2. Coffee, as a world commodity, is second only to oil. 3. Coffee is graded according to three criteria: bean quality, quality of preparation and size of bean. Kind of like radio personalities. February 17, 2007
On this day in 1973, Lou Reed's "Walk On The Wild Side" entered the charts. February 18, 2007
Yoko Ono is 73.
On this day in 1965, The Beatles recorded "Tell Me What You See" and "You've Got to Hide Your Love Away" for their "Help!" album. The latter was a Dylan-influenced John Lennon composition which featured tenor and alto flute work by Johnnie Scott — the first session musician brought in by the Fab Four to augment their recordings. On this day in 1968, guitarist Dave Gilmour officially replaced founder Syd Barrett in Pink Floyd. The highly psychedelicized Syd was soon checked into a psychiatric hospital, and later slipped into seclusion. On this day in 1978, "Love Is Like Oxygen" by Sweet entered the charts. On this day in 1980, bassist Bill Wyman announced he was leaving The Rolling Stones in 1983. Never one to waffle on a decision, Bill finally left the band in 1992. February 19, 2007
Guitarist Tony Iommi of Black Sabbath is 59.
On this day in 1972, America's "A Horse With No Name" entered the singles charts. On this day in 1977, Fleetwood Mac released their classic "Rumours" album, which stayed at #1 on the charts for 31 weeks, and sold over 18 million copies! On this day in 1977, Manfred Mann's Earth Band's remake of Bruce Springsteen's "Blinded By The Light" hit #1 on the singles charts. Ironically, Springsteen himself hadn't even scored a Top 20 single yet. On this day in 1980, Bon Scott, the hard living lead singer of AC/DC, died of drunken "misadventure" in London at the age of 33. On this day in 1995, Baywatch eye candy Pamela Anderson married Motley Crue drummer Tommy Lee on a Cancun beach. The bride wore a white bikini (for a brief period of time) and their "honeymoon" video became very, very popular. President's DayAmerica is the kind of place where you need a license to drive, hunt, fish, cut hair or own a dog, but anyone over 35 can run for President. President's Day originated on February 22, 1796 in commemoration of George Washington's birthday during the last full year of his presidency. The first formal observance of President Abraham Lincoln's birthday took place on February 12, 1865 — the year after his assassination — when both houses of Congress gathered for a memorial in his honor. While Lincoln's Birthday did not become a federal holiday, as Washington's had, it eventually become a legal holiday in several states. In 1968, legislation was passed that affected several federal holidays including Washington's Birthday, the observation of which was shifted to the third Monday in February each year whether or not it fell on the 22nd. This act, which took effect in 1971, was designed to simplify the yearly calendar of holidays and give federal employees some standard three-day weekends in the process. While the holiday is still officially known as Washington's Birthday, it has become popularly known as "President's Day," a time for honoring Washington and Lincoln, as well as the other men who have served as President. Presidential FactoidsWhile George W. Bush is our 43rd president, there have actually been only 42 presidents: Grover Cleveland was elected for two nonconsecutive terms and is counted twice, as our 22nd and 24th president. Eight presidents were actually born British Subjects: George Washington, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, James Monroe, John Quincy Adams, Andrew Jackson and William Henry Harrison. Nine presidents never attended college: George Washington, Andrew Jackson, Martin Van Buren, Zachary Taylor, Millard Fillmore, Abraham Lincoln, Andrew Johnson, Grover Cleveland and Harry Truman. Episcopalian is the most common religious affiliation among presidents, followed by Presbyterian. The oldest president inaugurated was Ronald Reagan (age 69); the youngest was John F. Kennedy (age 43). Theodore Roosevelt, however, was the youngest man to become president — he was 42 when he succeeded William McKinley, who had been assassinated. The tallest president was Abraham Lincoln at 6'4". At 5'4", James Madison was the shortest. The term "First Lady" was first used in 1877 in reference to Lucy Ware Webb Hayes. Most First Ladies, including Jackie Kennedy, are said to have hated the label. James Buchanan was the only "single" president never to get married while in office. Five presidents remarried after the death of their first wives, two of which — John Tyler and Thomas Woodrow Wilson — remarried while serving in the White House. Ronald Reagan was the only divorced president. Six presidents had no children, while John Tyler — father of 15 — had the most. A busy man, that President John Tyler! February 20, 2007
Guitarist J. (Jerome) Geils is 61.
On this day 1958, George Harrison joined John Lennon and Paul McCartney onstage as a member of the pre-Beatles group The Quarry Men (sometimes listed as The Quarrymen). On this day in 1965, The Beatles' "Eight Days A Week" broke into the American Top 40. On this day in 1971, Santana released "Oye Como Va," and Alice Cooper released "Eighteen." On this day in 1974, Yes played the first of two sold out concerts at New York's Madison Square Garden. The most remarkable thing about those concerts: more than 40,000 tickets were sold by word-of-mouth alone — not one cent was spent on advertising! On this day in 1982, Stevie Nicks released "Edge Of 17" and the J. Geils Band released the song "Freeze Frame." On this day in 1982, Pat Benatar married her guitarist and producer, Neil Geraldo on Maui, just four days before she won her second GRAMMY Award.
 Anybody Smiling?Here is the latest version of Van Halen as seen on the cover of the new edition of Rolling Stone magazine. Sure are pretty, aren't they? Sorry, no Southland concert dates — yet. Sammy Will Rock FontanaSammy Hagar will serve as Grand Marshal of the Stater Bros. 300 NASCAR Busch Series race this Saturday afternoon at the California Speedway. The Red Rocker will perform Thursday night at the free Fontana Racefest at the track, then he'll play again on Sunday prior to the Auto Club 500 NASCAR Nextel Cup Series race live on FOX. Yer Uncle Joe will also be on hand MCing events and announcing during the races, just as he has at all the major races since the track opened in 1997, . Police Be SellingTo no one's surprise, the first Police reunion concerts to go on sale were immediate sell-outs in Toronto (two shows), Boston, Montreal and Vancouver. But wait — there's more! As expected, second shows were added in Montreal and Vancouver and at Boston's Fenway Park. You can expect more tour dates, including two or three in the Southland, to be announced shortly. Crosby's Still IllDavid Crosby's continued ill health has forced him to postpone his month-long tour with Graham Nash. Last month's Crosby, Stills & Nash Australian tour was cancelled because of Crosby's "medical issues." The 65-year-old Hall Of Famer, who has written two books about his years of drug use, had a liver transplant in 1995 and has also battled hepatitis C for years. Word is that the U.S. concerts will likely be rescheduled for Autumn. Until then, David get well! Randy/Kenny/Richie/Tin Pan SouthFounding Guess Who guitarist/singer Randy Bachman, famed singer Kenny Loggins and Bon Jovi guitarist Richie Sambora will be among over 250 artists participating in next month's 15th Annual Tin Pan South Songwriters Festival in Nashville. The five-day event, running from March 27th through the 31st at various venues across Music City, is organized by the Nashville Songwriters Association International.
Quote Of The DayIt was Dr. Seuss who said: "Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind." Top 10 Mid-Winter Factoids1. 75% of Americans want to change their bodies in some way, while only 13% say they'd want to change their intelligence. 2. Americans eat almost one million tons of potato chips each year. 3. The can opener was invented 44 years after canned food. In fact, until they came along, the thick-walled metal storage canisters had to be busted open with a hammer and chisel or bayonet. 4. If you pour a tiny amount of liquor on a scorpion, it will instantly go mad and sting itself to death. 5. The 'spot' on 7UP comes from its inventor who had red eyes. He was an albino. 6. A raisin dropped in a glass of fresh champagne will bounce up and down continuously from the bottom of the glass to the top. 7. The 57 on Heinz ketchup bottles represents the varieties of pickles the company once had. 8. Coffee is the world's second largest item of international commerce. Petroleum is the first. 9. M&Ms are named after Frank Mars, the candy maker, and his business associate, Bruce Murrie. 10. The original lollypop (lollipop) was named after a racehorse, Lolly Pop, in the early 1900's. |
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