 November 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! November 11, 2007
Yardbirds guitarist Chris Dreja is 61. 
On this day in 1972, The Allman Brothers 24-year-old bass player, Berry Oakley, was killed when he plowed his motorcycle into a bus in Macon, Georgia. Ironically, the accident happened just three blocks from the spot where Allman Brothers' guitarist Duane Allman died in a motorcycle accident 13 months earlier. On this day in 1978, The Rolling Stones' "Beast Of Burden" peaked at #8 on the singles chart. On this day in 1983, the album "90125" by Yes was released. On this day in 1986, Pink Floyd issued a statement saying that although Roger Waters was no longer with the band they would continue using the name. Of course, that made Roger even more angry.  Veterans DayVeterans Day is the national holiday set aside to honor the men and women who served the United States in war. 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 today, 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.
Keyboard great Booker T. Jones of Booker T. & the MG's is 63.
On this day in 1966, the Hollywood Sunset Strip Riot took place, providing the lyrical inspiration for Stephen Stills to write Buffalo Springfield's "For What It's Worth." On this day in 1970, The Doors performed live for the last time with Jim Morrison. Drummer John Densmore later said that Morrison seemed to lose "all his energy" when the show ended. On this day in 1973, Queen began their first tour of Britain at Leeds Town Hall in Yorkshire, opening for Mott the Hoople. On this day in 1980, Bruce Springsteen hit the top of the charts with his double album "The River." On this day in 1983, David Bowie's "Modern Love" peaked at #14 on the charts. 
Tommy Still InHope you weren't too disturbed when you heard the rumors about drummer Tommy Lee ditching Motley Crue. Crue frontman Vince Neil says the rumors weren't true — Tommy "was never out of the band... and we're going to go into the studio in January and hopefully have a single out by March and a tour in June." So far, the working title for the album is "The Dirt," just like the Crue's collaborative autobiography. I think the whole world is a little bit better now, don't you? Ozzy's Doc SkatesIs there a person alive who didn't think that Ozzy Osbourne looked a little disoriented at times on his hit reality show "The Osbournes"? The singer later attributed his behavior to being over-medicated — and indeed the doctor who prescribed pills to Osbourne has been reprimanded by the Medical Board of California. Dr. David A. Kipper, who prescribed massive quantities of addictive drugs to other celebrities, was first accused of gross negligence in 2004. However, since Ozzy never showed for any interviews with investigators, Kipper was able to settle with the medical board and save his medical license. Whew! Waters Writing A Love SongRoger Waters is writing a new song for his upcoming stage musical version of Pink Floyd's "The Wall." In a very hard to believe description, the bassist/singer says, "[It's] a love song with a bit of romance in it." In addition to other tracks from the 1979 album, the production will include other well known Floyd numbers like "Have a Cigar" and "Money" — neither of which could be considered "a love song with a bit of romance in it." Roger is hoping for a late-2009 premiere. Vote For People's ChoiceGenesis, The Police and Van Halen are among the nominees for the Reunion Tour honor at the upcoming 34th Annual People's Choice Awards. You personally can vote for the Awards at http://PCAVote.com and see how your favorites fair when the show airs on CBS on January 8th. Musicians Hall Of FameLast I checked, there wasn't a Musicians Hall Of Fame. But there must be one now because Peter Frampton and Chicago drummer Danny Seraphine will be taking part in the first Musicians Hall Of Fame Awards Show on November 26th in Nashville. The institution's inaugural class of inductees, which includes musicians who have played with stars like Bob Dylan and George Harrison, will perform during the ceremony. You may now return to your regularly scheduled life. November 13, 2007
On this day in 1965, The Who's "My Generation" entered the British charts. The music world would never be the same. On this day in 1968, The Beatles' animated feature "Yellow Submarine" premiered in the U.S. The movie was the fourth film to be made by or about The Fab Four, although the other three were live-action and not animated. On this day in 1976, Rod Stewart hit #1 with "Tonight's the Night" as "Do You Feel Like We Do" by Peter Frampton peaked at #10 on the charts. On this day in 1982, Tom Petty released his "You Got Lucky" single.
The Song Remains RevivedThis is the day that Led Zeppelin's highly anticipated double-CD/24-track "Mothership" compilation — featuring songs selected by Jimmy Page, Robert Plant and John Paul Jones — is being released. But wait — there's more! The long awaited remastered edition of the "Song Remains The Same" is also out with some serious bonus material including the complete set (in the proper order!) as played at Madison Square Garden. The most amazing result of the restoration of the live material is how the incredibly talented rhythm section of drummer John Bonham and bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones stands out in full glory — outstanding! Zep Reunion Tix AvailableAs KLOS' Cynthia Fox first reported yesterday, Led Zeppelin is auctioning off three pairs of tickets for their December 10th reunion show. With a starting price of $10,000, the tickets also include invites to the after-party. As you'd expect, all of the proceeds will benefit the Brazil's Children Trust, a charity set-up many years ago in partnership with Jimmy Page. You'll find the auction at Seatwave.com. Little Steven's Massive School ProjectE Street Band guitarist Steven Van Zandt is teaming up with MENC: The National Association for Music Education and Scholastic magazine to bring Rock & Roll and music appreciation back to the classroom. Launching in middle and high schools in 2008/2009, the Little Steven's Rock & Roll High School will highlight the impact that Rock & Roll had on historic events in this country and around the world. The content for the program will be created by educators and some of the most prominent rock music historians and writers in the country, and each lesson will feature a DVD component with relevant musicians and celebrities contributing. The materials will be delivered to schools free of charge. Van Zandt says, "The support by MENC of this unique middle and high school program and our relationship with Scholastic is the proudest achievement of my life." Right so! Documenting RushWord is out that a film on the history of Rush is in pre-production. "Rush: The Documentary" will combine new interviews and performance footage from the 2007 Snakes & Arrows tour as well as material from the band's massive visual archive. The film will offer Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson and Neil Peart's own perspective on their achievements as well as conversations with members of Tool, Metallica and Nirvana, among others. The filmmakers are also reaching out to fans for good quality video of the boys performing. If you have such material, contact Rush@MetalHistory.com. At this point, the producers are hoping for a late 2008 release. Return Of The MoodiesIt's been awhile since they played across the land, so it comes as no surprise that The Moody Blues will tour the U.S. next Spring. The tour will kick off in San Francisco on March 4th, and is currently scheduled to run through a Rhode Island gig on April 27th.
Quote Of The DayIt was Steven Wright who said: "There's a fine line between fishing and just standing on the shore like an idiot." Blowing The Resume
A recent survey by The Creative Group found that one-third of advertising and marketing executives said typos and grammatical errors are the most common mistakes professionals make on their resume. The second most prevalent error was providing too much information. The Top 6 biggest mistakes: November 14, 2007
Styx guitarist James "J.Y." Young is 58.
On this day in 1969, Led Zeppelin began recording their third album at Olympic Studios with a run-through of "Since I've Been Loving You," live to tape. That recording turned out so well, they included it on the album. Robert Plant later described it as "the closest thing ever to a Led Zeppelin live concert." On this day in 1970, "Cry Me A River" by Joe Cocker peaked at #11 as Van Morrison's "Domino" entered the singles chart and Santana released "Black Magic Woman." On this day in 1973, Billy Joel released his breakthrough "Piano Man" album as Bruce Springsteen released his classic "The Wild, The Innocent, & The E Street Shuffle" album. On this day in 1975, Queen released the "A Night At The Opera" album, which contained their signature song, "Bohemian Rhapsody." On this day in 1978, Led Zeppelin began recording their "In Through the Out Door" album in Abba's Polar Studios.
Bruce/Veterans DayMonday was officially Veterans Day, and — unlike President Bush — Bruce Springsteen spent a good portion of the day visiting patients at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C. Some of those injured military personnel then attended Bruce's show that evening. Springsteen dedicated "The Promised Land" to them, to "honor their service and their sacrifice. Let's hear it for them!" Bruce was also a guest performer with Billy Crystal and Bob Costas last Friday in New York for the 5th Annual Joe Torre Safe At Home Foundation, which aids victims of domestic abuse. At one point during his 30-minute acoustic set at that event, the Boss jammed with former Yankees player Bernie Williams (who is quite the jazz guitarist!). Pagey's Old InterviewWhile Led Zeppelin's Robert Plant has repeatedly said that the group's upcoming reunion show is a one-off event to cap off the legendary band's legacy, Jimmy Page is again being quoted as discussing a full reunion tour. Sure, he told "Guitar World" magazine that it would be "a bit silly" if the band's performance at the December 10th Ahmet Ertegun Tribute concert in London didn't lead to further reunion gigs. "There is such massive demand... It's a bit selfish to do just one show. If that's it, we probably shouldn't have taken the genie out of the bottle." But he said that three months ago when he did the interview, not more recently after rehearsing with Plant and the other boys. Ah, but that Pagey sure knows how to get press for his band, doesn't he? Nirvana Unplugged (At Last)Nearly 14 years to the day of the filming of Nirvana's landmark "MTV Unplugged" performance, that raw, gripping acoustic concert will be available for the first time on DVD. "Unplugged In New York," featuring the complete, unedited 66-minute concert including two songs not aired during the original 44-minute broadcast, will be released on November 20th. The new DVD will also include five previously unreleased rehearsal performances as well as interviews with the band and audience members. When released on CD in November 1994, "MTV Unplugged In New York" debuted at #1, won the GRAMMY Award for Best Alternative Music Album and was quickly certified five times platinum. Why did the DVD release take so long? Perhaps you've heard of Kurt Cobain's widow, Courtney Love... Edge HelpsU2's The Edge has contributed to an initiative that aims to provide new XO laptop computers to children in developing countries. The Give One, Get One campaign will send, for $399, one laptop to a donator's own child and one to a young person overseas. In addition to everything else he's done for the cause, The Edge also created the sound that's heard when the specially designed computer is switched on.
Robby Gordon/Baja 1000
Along with several other Southern Californians, Southland racing legend Robby Gordon is running the 40th Annual Baja 1000, which for some reason is about 1,400 miles in length this year. Here are some interesting links to track Robby throughout the Baja 1000. If everything goes well, the lead racers will finish about noon on Wednesday. Quote Of The DayIt was Coach John Wooden who said: "Consider the rights of others before your own feelings, and the feelings of others before your own rights." November 15, 2007
Singer Chad Kroeger of Nickelback is 33
On this day in 1992 at the Pacific Amphitheatre in Costa Mesa, Ozzy Osbourne swore he was playing his last concert ever. Then he was joined in an emotional reunion onstage by Black Sabbath's Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward. No matter if it was clever marketing or happenstance, the Ozz-man has toured continuously ever since.  This Sunday night at 9 on 95.5 KLOS, OFF THE RECORD with Joe Benson will feature the music of The Grateful Dead as well as conversation with Mickey Hart and Jerry Garcia.
Digital Beatles Next YearAs he rolls out a new DVD and expanded edition of his latest album, Paul McCartney confirms that The Beatles' catalog will make its long-awaited arrival in the digital realm next year. Macca says, "it's all happening soon. Most of us are all sort of ready. The whole thing is primed, ready to go — there's just maybe one little sticking point left, and I think it's being cleared up as we speak, so it shouldn't be too long. It's down to fine-tuning, but I'm pretty sure it'll be happening next year, 2008." In the meantime, Sir Paulie's new triple-DVD set "The McCartney Years" — featuring videos, concert footage, newly recorded commentary tracks and a wealth of rare and unreleased material — is out in tandem with an expanded edition of his latest album, "Memory Almost Full." Jovi Says No To PoliticsThank the Lord that Jon Bon Jovi has denied rumors that he plans to run for governor of New Jersey! Sure the singer regularly performs at political fundraisers for the likes of Senator John Kerry and former Vice President Al Gore, plus, he has kept a home in Red Bank, New Jersey despite moving his family to New York City. And yes, he's hired the former chief-of-staff for former New York Mayor David Dinkins. But as Jon says, his day job is going too well. And just imagine what kind of things from his past Mr. Jovi wouldn't want to revisit in the press. Doobies ReflectingDoobie Brothers guitarist Patrick Simmons and the group's longtime manager, Bruce Cohn, are putting together a retrospective DVD about the band. They say that the project will focus on "the band's wild and crazy history from 1970 to the present" — and that covers a lot of territory, my friends! Looking to the future, the Doobies are also "beginning to look at songwriting and recording a new album." And a lot of touring, I'd guess, as well. Decades In WaitingNeil Young says his long-long-long-delayed "Archives Volume 1" collection will be worth the wait. "When people see it, they'll understand why it took so long," he says of the 10-disc box set which is now scheduled for a March release. Meanwhile, a program covering performances from the 2007 Farm Aid concert — which featured Neil, Dave Matthews, John Mellencamp, the Allman Brothers Band and many others — will premiere November 25th on HDNet. New Alice In Chains Is BrewingAlice In Chains, with William DuVall taking on the late Layne Staley's lead vocals, are hoping to release an album of new music in the latter half of 2008, even though no complete songs have been written. The band's last album of new material was 1995's "Alice In Chains."
 Let's Go To The Auto Show!This Friday & Next Tuesday, 3pm - 7pm: Vroom! New dates — new cars! Like a kid in a candy shop, J.B. will be playing on the air from the newly rescheduled and revamped L.A. Auto Show!! Quote Of The DayIt was William Feather who said: "Success seems to be largely a matter of hanging on after others have let go." Mid-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 16, 2007
On this day in 1978, in their usual flamboyant style, Queen spiced up their Madison Square Garden concert with a group of mostly naked women riding bicycles onto the stage during the performance of "Fat Bottomed Girls." Oh, the glory! On this day in 1978, the film version of "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" opened, starring Peter Frampton, the Bee Gees, Earth Wind & Fire, Alice Cooper, Steve Martin and a lot of other people at the lowest point in their careers. On this day in 1979, Pink Floyd released their single "Another Brick in the Wall, Part 2" in the U.K., where it went directly to #1. On this day in 1985, Stevie Nicks' "Talk To Me" entered the singles chart.
On Stage This WeekendThe Marshall Tucker Band will be rocking the Coach House in San Juan Capistrano on Saturday night. Eagles/60 MinutesCBS' 60 Minutes will focus on the Eagles for an entire segment of the show's November 25th broadcast. The band was interviewed by correspondent Steve Kroft last month during their run at the Nokia Theatre L.A. Live. Meanwhile, singer/guitarist Glenn Frey is one of the celebrities who will hit the links at the 2008 Pebble Beach National Pro-Am golf tournament, which will take place February 4th through the 10th in Monterey. Big Fan/Really Big BucksA big Led Zeppelin fan from Glasgow, Scotland paid about $173,000 for two tickets to see the Zep reunion at the December 10th Ahmet Ertegun Tribute Concert. For the price he also scored tickets watch to watch the foursome rehearse prior to the show. Kenneth Donell paid the really big bucks as part of a charity auction to benefit Children In Need. The extremely hard to get tickets for the event sold out in seconds in October for $250 dollars each. Chicago InstalledThe Chicago History Museum will be opening an installation on Chicago (the band) on December 4th. "Chicago@40: The Band And Its City" will commemorate the group's 40th anniversary and to do so, the boys have opened up their archive for the museum to choose what they feel will best represent the band's musical history. The exhibition will run through March 30th. Stairway Charts/Film DebutsIn conjunction with the release of Led Zeppelin's digitally remastered greatest hits album, "Mothership," "Stairway to Heaven" will make its debut on the U.K. singles charts this week, 36 years after first appearing on the Zep's fourth album. Until now, the track had never been released as a single. The digitally remastered/re-edited version of Led Zeppelin's 1976 concert film "The Song Remains the Same" won't be out until Tuesday, but it will premiere Monday night on VH1 Classic.
Jimmie Johnson in California Speedway's Victory Lane A Real Sports HeroLet the others bemoan their precious Barry Bonds and Michael Vick. An extremely talented 32-year-old Southern Californian is making real history. El Cajon native Jimmie Johnson was raised to be sportsman-like in everything he does, with a strong sense of fair play and respect. The result is a well-spoken individual who is a true champion both on track and off. It is no accident that he is one of NASCAR's cleanest drivers — and its winningest since he entered the Cup series in 2002. * As a rookie, he sat on the pole for NASCAR's biggest race, the Daytona 500. * He became the first rookie ever to sweep at a track, winning both races at Dover. * He was the first — and to this day, the only — rookie to lead the point standings. * He is the first driver ever to finish in the Top 5 in all six of his first years. * With 32 victories, he's the winningest NASCAR Nextel Cup driver of the past six years (Jeff Gordon has 28 and Tony Stewart has 23 in that same time period). * After coming as close as eight points in previous years, he won his first NASCAR Nextel Cup Championship in 2006. * So far this year, he's won an amazing 10 races (the most since Jeff Gordon's 13 victories in 1998), including the most recent four in the Championship Chase (which tied the modern record for consecutive wins). * He now has 11 victories in the four-year history of the NASCAR Nextel Cup Championship Chase — the driver of the No. 48 has won more than 25% of the first 39 Chase events. No other Chase competitor has won more than three. * If he finishes 18th or better in Sunday's race, he'll win his second consecutive Championship. The last driver to win two consecutive Championships was his teammate/car owner Jeff Gordon in 1997 and 1998. * No matter whether or not he wins the Championship on Sunday, the first thing you'll hear him say is how great his team is and how lucky he is to be working with them. He's not only a champion, he's an ideal role model... which is certainly more than you can say for most of the other athletes in the news these days. Good luck, Jimmie!
http://www.jimmiejohnson.com November 17, 2007
Gordon Lightfoot is 69 and glad to be alive.
On this day in 1967, The Beatles completed the recording sessions for their "The Magical Mystery Tour" soundtrack album. On this day in 1969, The Rolling Stones released their classic "Let It Bleed" album. On this day in 1970, Elton John recorded his "11-17-70" album live in a New York studio in front of an invited audience of 100 people. On this day in 1978, Led Zeppelin recorded their song "All My Love" in just two takes. On this day in 1979, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers' "Don't Do Me Like That" entered the singles chart. On this day in 1979, Jethro Tull bassist John Glascock died of a heart attack at the age of 28. On this day in 1987, during a concert in the Los Angeles Sports Arena, U2's Bono pulled a fan from the audience up on stage to sing along to "People Get Ready." Once he got into the spotlight, the aspiring star handed Bono a demo tape. No, he never got signed. November 18, 2007
Mickey Mouse, occasional banjo player and fulltime icon, is 79.
On this day in 1968, The Rolling Stones classic album "Beggars Banquet" was released. On this day in 1972, Steely Dan released the song "Do It Again," and no one could figure out who this Dan guy was. On this day in 1978, "Double Vision" by Foreigner peaked at #2 as "Blue Collar Man (Long Nights)" by Styx topped out at #21 on the charts. On this day in 1987, U2, while performing a second night in the L.A. Coliseum, decided to support themselves as a fictional country group called the Dalton Brothers. Good thing it was supposed to be a joke, because they really, really sucked. On this day in 1988, Pink Floyd released the "Delicate Sound Of Thunder" album. November 19, 2007
Drummer Matt Sorum of Velvet Revolver and Gun N' Roses fame is 47.
On this day in 1954, Sammy Davis, Jr. was involved in a serious auto accident in San Bernardino. Three days later, he lost sight in his left eye, which was then replaced with a glass eye. And now you know. On this day in 1965, Kellogg's Pop Tarts were created. Many historians mark that day as the very moment modern civilization began to implode. On this day in 1973, Led Zeppelin began sessions for their sixth album by recording a demo called "Driving to Kashmir." The song title would later be shortened to just plain "Kashmir." On this day in 1977, Steely Dan released the song "Peg." On this day in 1983, "Suddenly Last Summer" by The Motels peaked at #9 as Journey's "Send Her My Love" topped out at #23 on the charts. On this day in 1983, Badfinger bassist Tom Evans took his own life just as Badfinger singer Pete Ham had done eight years earlier. Evans was only 36. On this day in 1984, Don Henley released his classic "Building The Perfect Beast" album.
John's Spec's Gone AgainThe seven-foot, six-inch tall bronze statue of former Beatle John Lennon at the John Lennon Airport in his hometown of Liverpool is missing something. For the second time in the past few years, some fool has stolen the oversized eye glasses from John's statue! Temporary specs have been perched on Lennon's nose while artist Tom Murphy prepares a new pair so he can fix the statue. The Police Made The MostThe big winner at the 4th Annual Billboard Touring Awards, held last Thursday in New York: The Police reunion tour! The surprise reunion/global tour by the threesome took home awards for the Top Grossing Tour and Top Draw (most tickets sold). The tour's management company was also named Top Manager (grammatically challenged, but an honor just the same). The 2007 Billboard Touring Awards were determined by actual box office performance from January 1, 2007, to September 30, 2007. Now, perhaps the children of the three Police bandmates will announce their retirement from the workforce forever. KISS Is KomingAfter playing a handful of shows in 2007, KISS bassist/vocalist Gene Simmons says the band will be back in action next year for a series of "KISS festivals around the Indy Car racing series." He proclaims that you can plan on around 15 dates, "but nothing comprehensive until we feel like it." Simmons also says fans shouldn't hold their breath for another new KISS album, even though it's been nine years since the bands' last studio effort. "There is nothing in me that wants to go in there and do new music," he says. "How are you going to deliver it? How are you going to get paid for it if people can just get it for free?" Maybe they could call the new album "Art for art's sake, money for God's sake!"
Quote Of The DayIt was William Arthur Ward who said: "It is wise to direct your anger towards problems, not people; to focus your energies on answers, not excuses." A Real Sports HeroLet the others bemoan their precious Barry Bonds and Michael Vick. An extremely talented 32-year-old Southern Californian has just made real history. El Cajon native Jimmie Johnson has capped one of the strongest seasons for a NASCAR driver in the sport's modern era with his second consecutive Championship. Jimmie was raised to be sportsman-like in everything he does, with a strong sense of fair play and respect. He is one of the most unpretentious and grounded professional athletes that I've ever met, a well-spoken individual who is a true champion both on track and off. * As a rookie in 2002, he sat on the pole for NASCAR's biggest race, the Daytona 500. * He became the first rookie ever to sweep at a track, winning both races at Dover. * He was the first — and to this day, the only — rookie to lead the point standings. * He is the first driver ever to finish in the Top 5 in all six of his first years. * With 32 victories, he's the winningest NASCAR Nextel Cup driver since he entered the Cup series in 2002 (Jeff Gordon has 28 wins and Tony Stewart 23 in that same time period). * In 2007, he won an amazing 10 races (the most since Jeff Gordon's 13 victories in 1998), including four of the last five in the Championship Chase (tying the modern record for consecutive wins). True, a few others have won four-in-a-row before, but never in the final races of the season with the championship coming down to its final laps. * He has 11 victories in the four-year history of the NASCAR Nextel Cup Championship Chase — the driver of the No. 48 has won more than 25% of the first 40 Chase events. No other Chase competitor has won more than three. * By finishing 7th in Sunday's race, he won his second consecutive Championship. The last driver to do that was his teammate/car owner Jeff Gordon in 1997 and 1998. * As expected, the first thing Johnson said after he won the Championship was how great his team is and how lucky he is to be working with them. He's not only a champion, he's an ideal role model... which is certainly more than you can say for most of the other athletes in the news these days. Congratulations, Jimmie!
http://www.jimmiejohnson.com November 20, 2007
Blues legend Leadbelly would have been 119.
On this day in 1961, Bob Dylan recorded his first album. One of the best known songs on the album was his cover of "House of the Rising Sun," which the Animals turned into a huge hit three years later. On this day in 1965, Simon & Garfunkel's "The Sounds of Silence" was released in a much different mix than they'd recorded it. Surprise! On this day in 1970, "Lola" became The Kinks' first Top 10 single in the U.S. in five years. On this day in 1973, drummer Keith Moon collapsed twice during the first date of The Who's U.S. tour in San Francisco after someone spiked his drink with horse tranquilizer. After guitarist Pete Townshend solicited a volunteer from the crowd, 19-year-old Scott Halpin got up on stage and drummed like a maniac for the last three songs of the set. Despite that shining moment in the limelight, Scott has never been heard from again. On this day in 1976, Manfred Mann's Earth Band released their cover of the Bruce Springsteen song "Blinded By The Light." On this day in 1994, David Crosby got the liver transplant that saved his life.
On Stage TonightThe semi-reunion of the original Van Halen line-up makes their Southern California return tonight at the Staples Center while the Trans Siberian Orchestra is playing the Honda Center in Anaheim. Doctor/Chancellor/Queen (Sort Of)Queen guitarist Brian May has been appointed chancellor of England's Liverpool John Moores University, making him the ceremonial head of the school. "This is a great honor and a great new challenge for me," says May, who in August earned a PhD in astrophysics at Britain's Imperial College. Brian was chosen unanimously by the institution's board of directors in recognition of his contribution to the arts and promotion of science education. He succeeds Cherie Booth, wife of former U.K. Prime Minister Tony Blair. Aerosmith Mac & CheeseAs we've known for several months, Aerosmith is going to release an album with new material and some re-recorded tracks left off earlier records. Guitarist Joe Perry says, "We're gonna be getting back together in the first of December... and pull some of those old tracks apart. We set aside nothing else but to make a new studio record starting in December." Perry says he's hoping it's complete by March so the band can get behind it with a tour next Spring. Meanwhile, Joe is working on another food product besides his Rock Your World Hot Sauces. He says, "The hot sauce is still going strong, but we're doing a macaroni and cheese that's going to be coming out within the next month or two." Hot & Spicy Mac & Cheese for Christmas? Simmons/Trump/PromotingKISS bassist/singer Gene Simmons will be one of 14 contestants on NBC's "The Celebrity Apprentice," which will premiere on January 3rd. Gene says he wants to use Donald Trump's signature show to promote his own various commercial interests. In his usual understated manner, the extremely successful businessman proclaimed, "I'm in the Gene Simmons business... Everything helps everything." Jackson & Bonnie For EdwardsJackson Browne and Bonnie Raitt are accompanying Democratic presidential hopeful John Edwards at five political rallies in Iowa this week. The two musicians performed at community meetings in Davenport, Iowa City and Cedar Rapids yesterday, and will hit Grinnell and Des Moines today. The singers have been opposing nuclear power for decades, and Edwards has said he wants safer, renewable fuels instead of more nuclear power plants. As for campaigning, Browne explains that like average Americans, "celebrities are concerned about the future of our country, our role in the world and finding the answers to problems this country faces." Right so!
 Let's Go To The Auto Show!Today! Today!, 3pm - 7pm: Vroom! Vroom! Vroom! New dates — new cars! Like a kid in a candy shop, J.B. will return to the air from the newly rescheduled and revamped L.A. Auto Show!! Tis The Season For... Heartburn!More than 60 million Americans suffer from heartburn each month — but it's far more prevalent during the holiday season. A recent survey by Synovate found that 66% of respondents experience heartburn during the holidays. The poll found that 94% cited overeating as the main reason for holiday heartburn, 18% said eating at non-meal times caused them heartburn and 16% pointed the finger at stress. Nearly 95% of respondents said they would enjoy the season a lot more if they didn't experience heartburn. Turkey TimeAs Americans get ready for a big day of Thanksgiving feasting, the University of Illinois Extension Program at Urbana has some interesting information regarding turkeys. On average, Americans consume 675 million pounds of turkey — that's 45 million birds — every Thanksgiving. They figure that 22 million turkeys are eaten in the U.S.A. each Christmas. |
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