 July 21 - 31, 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! July 21, 2007
Yusuf Islam aka Cat Stevens is 59. 
On this day in 1979, Robert Palmer released "Bad Case Of Loving You" and The Knack's "My Sharona" entered the charts as "I Want You To Want Me" by Cheap Trick peaked at #7. On this day in 1980, AC/DC's "Back In Black" album was released. On this day in 1986, The Police began trying to record an album that they never came close to finishing. When Sting opted for his solo career instead of working with Stewart Copeland and Andy Summers, the trio released a greatest hits package called "Every Breath You Take," then called it a day.  This Sunday night at 9 on 95.5 KLOS, OFF THE RECORD with Joe Benson will feature the music of The Doors as well as more of Joe's conversations with engineer Bruce Botnick, drummer John Densmore, guitarist Robby Krieger and keyboardist Ray Manzarek. 
On StageIs it Saturday yet? OzzFest will be rocking the Hyundai Pavilion. Congrats to all the KLOS winners — you rock! GN'R Rumor #793I have absolutely no idea how much (if any) of this story is based on fact, but it is a pretty cool story! Four-fifths of Guns N' Roses' original lineup may be on hand to celebrate the 20th anniversary of "Appetite For Destruction" at a Key Club show on July 28th. Founding GN'R drummer Steven Adler's band Adler's Appetite is scheduled to perform at the gig, and Adler is telling everyone that "Slash, Izzy [Stradlin] and Duff [McKagan] will be there, too. It's gonna be great." Steven also says he believes "there's a chance" for a full Gunners reunion after having recently met with frontman Axl Rose. And if he can't fill the club with this kind of a rumor, then he needs to go back to gardening! Jovi Not Very JovialLawyers for Jon Bon Jovi have sent a cease-and-desist letter to the manufacturer of a new coffee-based energy drink called Mijovi, partly because Jon feels that the beverage's name is too similar to his own. Mijovi founder Marcos Carrington has vowed to continue marketing his product, arguing that it is named after his girlfriend, Jovita Saenz. Wonder if he's considered the brand name Saenz Sauce? More Mods & RockersThe Mods & Rockers Festival continues tonight at The Egyptian theater in Hollywood with a special presentation of filmmaker D.A. Pennebaker's "Bob Dylan Revisited." That movie was created from the outtakes of Pennebaker's classic "Don't Look Back" documentary of Dylan's 1965 U.K. tour. Famed singer/songwriter Donovan, who was also part of that tour, will join Pennebaker for a question-and-answer session at the screening. Brit Series To AirThis should be interesting. The Rolling Stones' Keith Richards, Queen's Roger Taylor, The Police's Stewart Copeland, David Bowie and former Pink Floyd leader Roger Waters were among the many artists interviewed for the seven-part British Seven Ages of Rock series. The documentary about the history of rock, which recently aired on British television, will air on VH1 Classic in December. 
A Thought For The WeekendWhy is it that at class reunions you feel younger than everyone else looks? The Best Place To Live"Money" magazine has named a small town near Madison, Wisconsin as the "Best Place To Live" in America. Middleton, Wisconsin tops the list this year. The magazine says Middleton has small town charm, a booming economy, extensive parks and bike trails. A hellish-nothing-going-on-small-burg when my band played there (37 years ago), the town of 17,000 is also praised for its beer garden and good restaurants. The downside is what the magazine calls its "tough" winter. Duh! Second place went to Hanover, New Hampshire, while Louisville, Colorado came in third. July 23, 2007
British movie star David "Rock On" Essex is 60.
On this day in 1977, Foreigner released the song "Cold As Ice" as Fleetwood Mac's "Don't Stop" entered the charts. On this day in 1977, Led Zeppelin's manager and drummer, Peter Grant and John Bonham, as well as three of their security guards were arrested in Oakland, California for severely beating three of promoter Bill Graham's employees after a concert in that city. On this day in 1979, keyboard player Keith Godchaux of the Grateful Dead died of complications from head injuries suffered in a car accident two days earlier. Keith and his wife Donna had played with the Dead since 1972.
On StageRush will be rocking the Hollywood Bowl tonight! Mega Macca MoneyWord out of England says that Paul McCartney is reportedly close to agreeing to a divorce settlement that would pay his estranged wife, Heather Mills, around $142 million. According to the British tabloid press (a special group of scoundrels indeed), Mills will receive an initial payout of about $31 million, plus roughly $7.2 million per year until the pair's 3-year-old daughter, Beatrice, is 18. The agreement also apparently will stipulate that Mills must not discuss the breakdown of the couple's marriage. Legal details of the settlement may not be finalized before 2008. Macca is reported to have a net worth of more than a billion dollars, and if the couple doesn't reach a settlement, they'll go to trial in February. Page/Beck/YardbirdsSince everyone has become enabled to blog on the InterNet, have you noticed that reunion rumors keep getting stranger and stranger? No idea who came up with this one, but some wacky Brit announced that guitar gods Jimmy Page and Jeff Beck were going to tour together as part of a Yardbirds reunion with the band's original bassist and drummer, Chris Dreja and Jim McCarty. Eric Clapton, the group's first superstar guitarist, wasn't part of the rumored reunion. No surprise here that Beck's manager immediately announced that the guitarist has no plans to tour with those guys. Beck will play Eric Clapton's Crossroads Guitar Festival in Chicago this Saturday, but has no other touring on his schedule for the rest of the year. Page and Beck both played in the Yardbirds for about six months in 1966, and Pagey eventually evolved the band into Led Zeppelin. The Yardbirds' original lead singer, Keith Relf, was electrocuted to death in 1976. The core group has only played once since the late Sixties, at their 1992 Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame induction ceremony. Edgar & Robbie Join EricJohnny Winter and The Band's Robbie Robertson have joined the throng of top guitarists who are going to play at Eric Clapton's Crossroads Guitar Festival in Chicago this Saturday. The cross-genre fundraising event will feature over 20 big name guitarists, including Jeff Beck, Steve Winwood, Jimmie Vaughan, Derek Trucks, Buddy Guy, B.B. King, Vince Gill, Willie Nelson, John Mayer and Sheryl Crow. Clapton is hosting the event to support his Crossroads Centre rehab facility in Antigua. Jackson's Israeli SurpriseWord is that Jackson Browne has just performed a sunrise concert in Masada, Israel with Israeli guitarist/singer David Broz for an upcoming PBS special. The one-hour special, which will also feature an appearance by singer Shawn Colvin, will air in December.
Quote Of The DayIt was Dave Barry who said: "Dogs feel very strongly that they should always go with you in the car, in case the need should arise for them to bark violently at nothing right in your ear." Amazing Mid-Summer FactoidsThe average person's left hand does 56 percent of the typing. The Boston University Bridge (on Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts) is the only place in the world where a boat can sail under a train driving under a car driving under an airplane. The Eisenhower Interstate system requires that one mile in every five must be straight. These straight sections are usable as airstrips in times of war or other emergencies. July 24, 2007
On this day in 1971, "Wild Horses" by The Rolling Stones peaked at #28 on the charts. On this day in 1976, "Take The Money And Run" by the Steve Miller Band peaked at #11 as Thin Lizzy's "The Boys Are Back In Town" topped out at #12 on the charts. On this day in 1982, Fleetwood Mac's "Hold Me" peaked at #4 on the charts. On this day in 1987, The Grateful Dead's "Touch Of Grey" entered the charts.
On StageLynyrd Skynyrd will be rocking the Pacific Amphitheatre tonight! GN'R Rumor #793Many people have asked me to repeat this story, so remember that I have absolutely no idea how much (if any) of this story is based on fact. Four-fifths of Guns N' Roses' original lineup may be on hand to celebrate the 20th anniversary of "Appetite For Destruction" at a Key Club show this Saturday. Founding GN'R drummer Steven Adler's band Adler's Appetite is scheduled to perform, and Adler is telling everyone that "Slash, Izzy [Stradlin] and Duff [McKagan] will be there, too." Steven also says he believes "there's a chance" for a full Gunners reunion after having recently met with frontman Axl Rose. Like I said, if he can't fill the club with this kind of a rumor, then he needs to go back to gardening! Police Extending?True, The Police haven't announced any new Southland dates in their reunion tour cycle — but things are brewing! In his most recent interview with the British press, guitarist Andy Summers says that he was initially worried what the response would be to their reunion after so many years from playing. The truth is that the whole project has gone way beyond what they had initially hoped — the band actually has huge shows booked until next February! Andy says it's likely they'll take a break after that, then return to the road next Summer if the demand keeps up. Pagey For The ProsecutionFormer Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page is expected to take the stand this week in Scotland's Glasgow Sheriff Court to testify for the prosecution in a CD and DVD pirating case. The defendant has been accused of trying to sell more than 2,400 bootleg albums and videos at a fair in Glasgow in 2005. Pagey was chosen as a witness because many of the pirated discs include unreleased Led Zeppelin material. A Key For KISSMy how things change! There once was a time when all KISS wanted from a city was its money and its daughters. But on this past Friday, the members of KISS were presented with the Key to the City of Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. In addition, Sault Ste. Marie mayor Tony Bosbous declared it KISS Appreciation Day. After the ceremony, the band (in make-up) played a 20-tune set that included "All American Man," which frontman Paul Stanley described as "a song we never, ever played before [live] and we may never, ever play [again]." Following the performance, the group took their money and split — leaving no broken hearts but plenty of ringing ears in their wake. May In Canary IslandsNot quite standard stuff for a Hall Of Fame guitarist, but Queen's Brian May will spend two days at an observatory in the Canary Islands this week. He'll be observing zodiacal dust clouds in pursuit of his doctoral thesis. Brian personally selected the Observatory of the Roque de Los Muchachos on the island of La Palma, where conditions are excellent for stargazing with the facility's high-powered telescope. May, who bailed on finishing his doctorate to join Queen in 1971, is supposed to submit his thesis to professors at Britain's Imperial College within the next two weeks. If his thesis is accepted, he will be awarded his PhD at Imperial College's graduation ceremony next Spring.
Quote Of The DayIt was Ingrid Bergman who said: "Happiness is good health and a bad memory." July 25, 2007
Drummer Jim McCarty of The Yardbirds is 64.
On this day in 1964, The Beatles' album "A Hard Day's Night hit #1 on the charts. On this day in 1965, Bob Dylan went electric at the Newport Folk Festival and played a few tunes he had just recorded. Outraged folkies booed him off the stage and accused him of becoming a "sellout." There was so much to be outraged by in 1965. On this day in 1966, The Rolling Stones played their last American concert with founding guitarist Brian Jones. Although Brian didn't really know where he was, San Francisco was the scene. On this day in 1966, Eric Clapton played the lead guitar on his friend George Harrison's song "While My Guitar Gently Weeps." The song — a true classic — was eventually released on The Beatles "White Album." On this day in 1969 at Bill Graham's Fillmore East, Neil Young appeared onstage with Crosby, Stills & Nash for the first time. On this same day in 1969, Led Zeppelin played in Milwaukee at the cleverly named Midwest Rock Festival. Guitar god Eric Clapton, who performed with Blind Faith the next day, caught the set by fellow former-Yardbird guitarist Jimmy Page's new band. Eric's observation: "They were very loud. I thought it was unnecessarily loud. I liked some of it; I really did like some of it. But a lot of it was just too much. They overemphasized whatever point they were making, I thought." Being a member of Cream, E.C. evidently never saw the original "overemphasized" band. On this day in 1970, Chicago released the song "25 Or 6 To 4" as Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young's "Teach Your Children" peaked at #16 and Neil Young & Crazy Horse's "Cinnamon Girl" topped out at #55 on the charts. Neil was a busy guy back in 1970. On this day in 1981, Stevie Nicks released "Stop Draggin' My Heart Around."
On StageRush will be rocking the Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre tonight! Joni Joins PaulieJoni Mitchell, who has been largely retired from the music business since 2002, just joined Paul McCartney on the roster of Starbucks Entertainment's Hear Music label. Mitchell's new album, "Shine," will be released on September 25th through the coffee retailer's stores as well as traditional outlets. Hear Music launched in June with the release of McCartney's "Memory Almost Full," which has already sold 448,000 copies in the United States. While Sir Paulie is expected to hit the road next year, there's no word if Joni will ever tour again. Bryan's In His RoomBryan Adams will release a new album this Fall, even though it doesn't have a title or a label deal in the United States. Adams has been working on the 12-song set "for a couple of years, and it's coming out really well." Like his last studio release, 2004's "Room Service," Bryan has been recording his new songs in hotel rooms and other locales while he's on the road. "I bring out an engineer, everything fits into a suitcase and we just record," says Adams. "I have so much spare time during that day that it makes sense to utilize it to do something creative like that, as opposed to just sitting around the hotel and sightseeing or something." Adams will be bringing the music to the U.S. in early August and October, via a pair of short runs co-headlining with George Thorogood & The Destroyers. Stones Pay TributeThe Rolling Stones will donate part of the proceeds from tonight's concert in Warsaw, Poland to the families of 26 Poles killed in a bus crash Sunday in France. The Stones' show will also include a minute of silence to remember the victims. Poland has been holding a three-day mourning period for the victims which led Rod Stewart to postpone his Tuesday concert in Gdansk. New Bruce Story #38Remember how we've been talking about a new Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band album set for release this Fall? Patti Scialfa, Bruce's wife as well as a member of his group, has confirmed with Italy's "Corriere Della Sera" that The Boss is doing the final tweaking on the project. This will be the first studio project from Springsteen and company since 2002's "The Rising." Scialfa is overseas promoting her solo album, "Play It As It Lays," which is scheduled to hit stores on September 4th. Don Arden R.I.P.Infamous rock entrepreneur Don Arden, Ozzy Osbourne's father-in-law, died Saturday in Los Angeles at age 81. Arden — known for his tough-guy approach to business — managed Black Sabbath, the Small Faces and Electric Light Orchestra, among others. The hard nosed mogul fell out with his daughter, Sharon, in 1979 after she took control of her future husband's solo career, but they reconciled in 2002 after he was diagnosed with Alzheimer's.
Quote Of The DayIt was Coach John Wooden who said: "Ability is a poor man's wealth." Desiring Jessica Alba
Glamour.com asked its readers to vote for the celebrity whose body you would like to have. Here are the results: July 26, 2007
Bugs Bunny is 67.
On this day in 1990, Brent Mydland became the third consecutive keyboardist to die while working with the Grateful Dead. He was 37. This Sunday night at 9 on 95.5 KLOS, OFF THE RECORD with Joe Benson will feature the music of Styx as well as Joe's brand new conversation with bassist Chuck Panozzo.
On StageBob Dylan will be playing at the Pacific Amphitheatre at the same time that Lyle Lovette is performing at the Greek Theater tonight. See Crossroads Live (Sort Of)The show may have sold out in less than 10 minutes, but you can watch the Eric Clapton Crossroads Festival live and free on MSN this Saturday at http://music.msn.com/Crossroads. Performers will include Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton, Sheryl Crow, Vince Gill, Buddy Guy, B.B. King, Albert Lee, Los Lobos, John Mayer, John McLaughlin, Willie Nelson, Hubert Sumlin, The Derek Trucks Band, Johnny Winter and Steve Winwood, among many others. The event is a fund raiser to help support the Crossroads Center in Antigua, founded in 1997 by Clapton as a treatment and education center for people struggling with chemical dependency. Daltrey Is Ticked OffRock icon/ticked off singer Roger Daltrey is the latest to speak out against the current U.K. copyright laws. British performers can receive royalties for 50 years after the date of a recording. U.S. performers retain their copyrights for 95 years, while Australian copyrights run for 70 years. So far the British government has refused to change the law, and the issue is expected to go before the public and members of the recording industry in the Fall. The Who singer says that most recording artists don't have a pension plan, and he sees royalties as a retirement income. Roger says that in seeking an extension to the copyright, musicians "are not asking for a handout, just a fair reward for their creative endeavors." Right so! Skynyrd Finally HelpAfter finally being inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame last year, Lynyrd Skynyrd will do a benefit for the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame and Museum's education programs on September 13th. The band will help bring music into classrooms by donating a percentage of the gate from their Blossom Music Center show near Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio (home of The Pretenders' Chrissie Hynde). "Anything we can do to help raise awareness of music and the power of music, we are all for it," says guitarist Gary Rossington. The boys will be rocking our Greek Theater tomorrow night. Honoring Tedly's MomEven though her son has been cartoonish throughout his career, Ted Nugent's mom was always cool. For many years, Marion "Ma" Nugent wrote a witty advice column in the Illinois Entertainer, and was extremely supportive of Midwest bands. She died in 1989 at the age of 61. Word is that Tedly will attend a dedication ceremony for a memorial to his mother on August 1st in her home town of Palatine, Illinois. A 4-ton stone with a bronze plaque will be unveiled outside a downtown bar and eatery to signify her love of "Rock." The only questions are why did it take so long and why didn't Ted spearhead the movement? Roddy's Lawyers ScoreRod Stewart's lawyers and agents have won a California appeals court ruling concerning a suit brought against them by concert promoters over an aborted 2002 Latin America tour. In 2004, the defendants were ordered to return a $780,000 advance paid out by the promoters, who also were granted $1.6 million in punitive damages. The new judgment says that Stewart's attorneys and agents aren't liable for the punitive sum, although they still have to pay back $780,000 and $470,000 in legal fees.
Quote Of The DayIt was Winston Churchill who said: "For a nation to try to tax itself into prosperity is like a man standing in a bucket and trying to lift himself up by the handle." July 27, 2007
On this day in 1974, Lynyrd Skynyrd released "Sweet Home Alabama," a response to Neil Young's dissing of their home state in the song "Southern Man." On this day in 1976, after a four-year court battle, John Lennon received his green card and was granted permanent residency status in the States. On this day in 1977, Led Zeppelin called off the remainder of their '77 North American Tour after Robert Plant's 6-year-old son Karac died of a respiratory ailment. On this day in 2001, Lynyrd Skynyrd bassist Leon Wilkeson died of heart failure in his Florida home. He was 49. This Sunday night at 9 on 95.5 KLOS, OFF THE RECORD with Joe Benson will feature the music of Styx as well as Joe's brand new conversation with bassist Chuck Panozzo.
On StageHeart will be playing at the Pacific Amphitheatre tonight just as Lynyrd Skynyrd is performing at the Greek Theater. The Mighty Zep Unleashes (Product)Stand by for multiple configurations of new Led Zeppelin product just in time for Christmas! First up on November 13th, a two-disc, 24-track compilation called "Mothership," featuring songs personally selected by Robert Plant, Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones from all eight of the band's studio albums. In addition, "Mothership" will be available in both "deluxe" and "collector's" editions with a DVD featuring varied live content from the previously released "Led Zeppelin DVD." But wait — there's more! A 4-LP vinyl package will also be sold! Then on November 20th, the long awaited deluxe reissue of the soundtrack to the 1976 concert film "The Song Remains the Same" with six songs not included on the original album, PLUS a new, remastered DVD edition of the movie. Now what about a reunion tour with the late John Bonham's son Jason filling in on drums? Bad Bad BuddyNow that was one unusual press release that Eric Clapton's people put out yesterday. Barely mentioning E.C.'s Crossroads Guitar Festival tomorrow in Chicago, the first thing the press release said was: "There is a rumor going around that Eric is playing Buddy Guy's Legends club tonight. This is completely NOT TRUE. Eric is not playing at Buddy Guy's club in Chicago tonight or any other night. There is absolutely no truth to the rumor." Then, as an afterthought, it said: "Clapton is releasing an autobiography and a greatest hits double CD titled "Complete Clapton" on October 9th." Hmm... wonder if Eric will be doing a book signing at Buddy Guy's Legends? Summer Of Love Update #543You are correct — the ongoing Monterey Pop Festival/Summer Of Love anniversary party has lasted much, much longer than the original Summer Of Love. The final two-day Monterey Summer Of Love Festival 40th anniversary concert saluting the famed 1967 event rolls through this weekend at the Monterey County Fairgrounds in Monterey, California — the site of the original 1967 Monterey International Pop Festival. The Jefferson Starship (who were merely an Airplane in 1967) will be Saturday's headliner, with Quicksilver Messenger Service, Big Brother & The Holding Company, It's A Beautiful Day's David LaFlamme and Barry "Eve Of Destruction" McGuire also performing. Sunday, a version of the Electric Flag as well as Moby Grape's Jerry Miller will take the stage, and the reunited Doors — formally known as Riders on the Storm — will close out the show. The festival will also feature tribute bands honoring The Mamas and the Papas, The Who, Jimi Hendrix, The Byrds, as well as The Beatles' 1967 album "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" and the musical "Hair." Sounds like the event t-shirts will have one hell of a lot of writing on them! Fran's Throat/Delp's Family FeudingThe August 19th tribute concert to Boston singer Brad Delp will be missing a key voice. The tribute's highlight will be performances (for the first time in 20+ years) by the original members of Boston — leader Tom Scholz, guitarist Barry Goudreau, drummer Sib Hashian and bassist Fran Sheehan — along with special guests and Fran Cosmo, the man who sang along side Delp since the early Nineties. But Cosmo has just suffered a ruptured blood vessel in his throat. He's expected to fully recover his voice after laser surgery, but won't be able to perform his trademark soaring vocals at the tribute. Meanwhile, the Delp intra-family relations aren't going well. By not updating his will, Brad left his New Hampshire home to a long-in-the-past girlfriend. Delp's fiancee, who is still living in the house, has teamed up with his ex-wife to fight the will. Word is that Brad's two children asked the old G.F. to sign over the residence, but she refused — basically offering to sell them their father's house and everything in it at fair-market value. There's no indication if she's still on the market or what her personal fair market value is. Keef's Big Ass Book DealA bidding war between two major book publishers for the advance rights to Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards' autobiography reportedly has reached $7.3 million — exceeding Keef's goal of receiving a bigger advance than Eric Clapton received for his memoirs. Clapton's autobiography will hit stores on October 9th. Richards' book, which he's writing with author and longtime friend James Fox, doesn't have any projected publication date yet. But (assuming he can remember anything that happened) Keith's stories should be more colorful! Cobain Biopic Coming"Kurt Cobain: About A Son", director A. J. Schnack's documentary about the late Nirvana frontman, will open in New York City on October 3rd, at the Nuart Theatre in Los Angeles on October 5th and in Seattle on October 10th. The select screenings will allow the film to meet Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences requirements to be considered for the upcoming Oscar nominations. The film consists of footage of the three Washington state towns where Cobain lived, overlaid with recordings of his voice. The recordings are from a series of interviews done by journalist Michael Azerrad for his excellent book "Come As You Are."
A Thought For The WeekendA good time to keep your mouth shut is when you're in deep water. Three Quickies
* The first toilet ever seen on television was on "Leave It To Beaver." July 28, 2007
Keyboardist Richard Wright of Pink Floyd is 64.
On this day in 1973, The Grateful Dead, The Band and the Allman Brothers Band played for some 600,000 at the world's largest rock festival at Watkins Glen Raceway in upstate New York. All the mud counteracted the nudity, and in May 1974, the birth rate barely showed an increase. Trust me, this was a good thing. On this day in 1973, Deep Purple's "Smoke On The Water" peaked at #4 as "Money" by Pink Floyd peaked at #13 and "Over The Hills And Far Away" by Led Zeppelin peaked at #51 on the charts. Grand Funk's "We're An American Band" also entered the singles chart, but it took the world a couple more weeks to notice. On this day in 1995, James Al Hendrix, the father of legendary rocker Jimi Hendrix, won back the rights to his son's name, likeness, image and music. In the two decades between Jimi's death and this decision, countless businesses made profits off of Jimi. Now, it's his family that's raking it in. July 29, 2007
Keyboardist Neil Doughty of REO Speedwagon is 61.
On this day in 1966, Bob Dylan crashed his motorcycle in Woodstock, NY. The legendary accident (which many still don't think really happened) allowed Dylan to disappear from public life at the height of his popularity. He reportedly suffered a concussion, a broken neck vertebrae, and suffered from paralysis and mild amnesia for the next month. For the record, he was riding a Triumph 55 motorcycle, which in 1966 was one hot machine. On this day in 1966, The Beatles' second film, "Help," premiered in London. The event created chaos by attracting thousands of excited fans to the location, and even Queen Elizabeth herself was in attendance. No, she didn't stand in line. On this day in 1966, Cream kicked off their first tour with a concert in Manchester, England. July 30, 2007
Blues legend Buddy Guy is 71.
On this day in 1966, "Wild Thing" by The Troggs hit #1 as Bob Dylan's "I Want You" peaked at #20 on the charts. On this day in 1983, Talking Heads' "Burning Down The House" entered the singles chart. On this day in 2003, Sam Phillips, the founder of Sun Records and the man credited with discovering Elvis Presley, died of respiratory failure in Memphis. He was 80. On this day in 2003, the largest paid-admission concert in history came off without a hitch when over 450,000 fans gathered for the Molson Canadian Rocks For Toronto (SARS-stock) concert headlined by The Rolling Stones. The 11-hour show featured 15 acts, including AC/DC, The Guess Who and Rush.
Ozzy DownThis past Saturday night — following his OzzFest performance in Greenwood Village, Colorado — Ozzy Osbourne underwent surgery to treat a blood clot in one of his legs at a Denver hospital. The lovable heavy metal lunkhead was discharged from the hospital the next day. No word if tonight's OzzFest in Bonner Springs, Kansas will be affected by the Ozzman's operation, but we hope he doesn't hit the stage until he's fully recovered! Stanley OutKISS is only doing three or four gigs this Summer, but singer/guitarist Paul Stanley missed the band's Friday night concert in San Jacinto after he experienced an irregular heartbeat before the gig. Paul's statement says, "During sound check... my heart spontaneously jumped to 190-plus beats per minute where it stayed for over an hour. Paramedics [had] to start an IV and give me a shot to momentarily stop my heart and get it into a normal pattern." The band took the matter to the crowd, who overwhelmingly agreed to see KISS as a trio (for the first time ever). Paul was out of the hospital on Saturday, and we sure wish him a speedy recovery! Ray Missed It (Again)Guess he must be a busy guy, but wouldn't you think that Kinks frontman Ray Davies would pay someone to coordinate his schedule? Evidently he doesn't. Prosecutors have once again dropped charges against the accused gunman in the January 2004 attempted robbery of Davies and a friend on a busy New Orleans street. The accused is off the hook because Davies missed another court appearance last Thursday. In May of this year, the judge, prosecutors and defense lawyers set July 26th as the trial date. But Ray claims he was notified only two days in advance, making it impossible for him to travel from London to New Orleans in time for the trial. The first trial was postponed 13 times before it was finally set to start in April 2005, and then was dismissed when Davies missed that trial date. Stevie's SellingStevie Nicks is unloading her longtime Phoenix-area home as well as her house in Los Angeles. The singer/songwriter says that she wants a place where she can concentrate on her work and not, "worry about if the pool is taken care of and the grass is right." To that end, she's moving into "a Rock & Roll penthouse" in Santa Monica. Word is that Stevie wants to focus on developing a film drawn from the same source that inspired the hit "Rhiannon" and a cartoon based on her song "The Ladybug and the Goldfish," as well as her charitable efforts to help bolster the spirits of war veterans wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan with donations of special iPods. Big Ass Metal BoxBrace yourself for a four-CD compilation called Heavy Metal Box due out on October 2nd. Among the many artists featured on the 70-track collection are Black Sabbath, Alice Cooper, Rush, Deep Purple, KISS, Ted Nugent, Blue Öyster Cult, the Scorpions, Judas Priest and Rainbow. The packaging will resemble a Marshall guitar amp, and the set's liner notes will offer plenty of pics, plus track commentary and interviews with Ronnie James Dio and Lita Ford. Shaw-Blades AgainShaw-Blades, featuring Styx's Tommy Shaw and Night Ranger's Jack Blades, will return to the road this Fall. The two have booked eight shows, beginning with two nights (November 8th and 9th) at the Coach House in San Juan Capistrano and a November 10th gig at the Canyon Club in Agoura Hills. They promise that more dates will be added.
Quote Of The DayIt was Helen Keller who said: "The most pathetic person in the world is someone who has sight, but has no vision." More Mid-Summer FactoidsMore females than males have been depicted in the nude by painters and sculptors in every society except that of ancient Greece. Every cat on Chatham Island in the Pacific — and there are thousands — is black. The rule of thumb to calculate the weight of a blue whale is a ton and a half per foot. July 31, 2007
Singer/guitarist Bob Welch of Fleetwood Mac fame is 61.
On this day in 1965, The Yardbirds released the song "Heart Full of Soul," which featured Jeff Beck's groundbreaking guitar work. On this day in 1971, James Taylor hit #1 with "You've Got A Friend" as Lee Michaels released "Do You Know What I Mean." On this day in 1976, Blue Oyster Cult released "Don't Fear The Reaper" as Gary Wright's "Love Is Alive" hit #2 and "You're My Best Friend" by Queen peaked at #16 on the charts. On this day in 1985, John Mellencamp released his classic "Scarecrow" album.
The Best Crossroads EverEric Clapton's 11-hour Crossroads Guitar Festival in Chicago was a massive hit on Saturday. The concert, held before a sell-out crowd of 28,000, showcased a broad reach of styles, from rock gods such as Clapton and Jeff Beck to bluesmen like B.B. King, Buddy Guy and Hubert Sumlin and young guns Derek Trucks, John Mayer and Robert Randolph. Mahavishnu Orchestra founder John McLaughlin brought electric fusion jazz to the party, while Vince Gill and Alison Krauss & Union Station made sure Crossroads had some twang. Clapton started the day on guitar, completing emcee Bill Murray's comic attempt to play "Gloria." Eric's own 95-minute set started off with a blast of Derek & The Dominos material, then paid homage to the late George Harrison and saluted Bo Diddley's recovery from a recent stroke with a version of his "Who Do You Love." Steve Winwood, who Clapton said he'd been "waiting to play with for 25 years," joined the troupe to recreate three Blind Faith favorites (including "Presence of the Lord" and "Can't Find My Way Home") as well as Traffic's "Pearly Queen" and "Dear Mr. Fantasy." Jeff Beck's quartet dazzled the crowd with 50 minutes of instrumental genius, including a work-up of The Beatles' "A Day in the Life." Murray kept the show moving with quick one-liners (he referred to McLaughlin's early band as the Mahi Mahi Orchestra) and outfits — complete with wigs and guitars — that mimicked Clapton at the different stages of his career. The goal was to raise money for Clapton's Crossroads Centre rehabilitation facility in Antigua. No word on a DVD of the show, but details on the money raised (especially from the auctions of memorabilia) will be forthcoming. G&R Reunion (Not Really)Folks are tripping over themselves to honor/hype the release of the Guns N' Roses "Appetite For Destruction" album 20 years ago this month. The new "Rolling Stone" magazine is among the more notable efforts while last Saturday night's jam by three original G&R members at the Key Club was not. Former G&R guitarist Izzy Stradlin and bassist Duff McKagan joined drummer Steven Adler's new band, Adler's Appetite, for two songs on stage: "Mr. Brownstone" and "Paradise City." Slash was there at some point, but didn't perform — and maybe didn't even stick around for the jam. Buy Jerry's Kitchen SinkLast year, the guy who bought Jerry Garcia's old house sold a ton of items including the rose-colored toilet for $2,500. This year, you can buy everything that was left after the most recent remodel — including the kitchen sink! The week-long eBay auction of Garcia's kitchen sink, Jacuzzi, stereo speakers and several other items will begin August 12th, and will again benefit The Sophia Foundation, a San Francisco organization that aids children and families during marital separations and divorces. Design Ziggie's CoverTo celebrate the 35th anniversary of his "Ziggy Stardust" album, David Bowie is offering fans a chance to design the cover for the special-edition release of his breakthrough album. The 45 finalists have all incorporated elements of the original cover — including the iconic red telephone booth, the darkened alley and yellow "K. West" sign. While my fave is entry #4, others have replaced Bowie with Jessica Rabbit, George Washington, a giant bunny and even Captain Morgan from the famous rum bottle. Cast your vote at: http://DavidBowie.com. Pistols Still Selling OutThis is just SO WRONG! On October 29th, Virgin Records will re-issue a special 30th anniversary edition of The Sex Pistols' debut album, "Never Mind The Bollocks... Here's the Sex Pistols." The commercial packaging of the most anti-commercial band ever will include a heavyweight vinyl disc with a 7" insert of "Submission" and a poster — just like the original released on October 29th, 1977. "God Save the Queen" indeed!
Quote Of The DayIt was Coach John Wooden who said: "Don't measure yourself by what you have accomplished, but by what you should have accomplished with your ability." |
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