 February 11 - 20, 2008These 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, 2008
Rock & Roll pioneer Gene Vincent would have been 72. 
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. 
GRAMMY GRAMMYTroubled British singer Amy Winehouse, known more for her substance abuse problems than for her work, was the big winner at the 50th Annual Grammy Awards last night. She captured five trophies, including three of the top four awards. While her performance via satellite from London was among the most anticipated at the event, to the general viewing public it served mainly as a vivid reminder that drug addiction isn't pretty. The Album Of The Year went to Herbie Hancock's great "River: The Joni Letters," based on Mitchell's work and featuring guest vocals from Mitchell, Tina Turner and Leonard Cohen. That marked the first time in 44 years that a jazz album (if you don't count Steely Dan) won that award. Bruce Springsteen — who wasn't at the show — won three awards. His "Radio Nowhere" was named Best Rock Song and Best Solo Rock Vocal Performance, even though he recorded the album with The E Street Band. He also got the nod for Best Rock Instrumental Performance with "Once Upon A Time In The West." The Beatles maintained a heavy presence at the ceremony. Ringo Starr joined producers George and Giles Martin to accept the GRAMMY for Best Surround Sound Album and Best Compilation Soundtrack Album For Motion Picture for the soundtrack to the Cirque du Soleil show "LOVE." The Pop Collaboration With Vocals GRAMMY went to Robert Plant & Alison Krauss for their cover of the Page/Plant song "Gone Gone Gone (Done Moved On)." The Eagles won the Country Performance by a Duo or Group With Vocals GRAMMY for their song "How Long," JJ Cale & Eric Clapton won the Contemporary Blues Album GRAMMY for their "The Road To Escondido," and cancer survivor/former Band singer/drummer Levon Helm scored the Traditional Folk Album GRAMMY for his "Dirt Farmer" project. Unc's GRAMMY HighlightWhen Vince Gill's incredible "These Days" won the Best Country Album GRAMMY, Ringo Starr presented him with the award. Obviously blown away by the moment, Vince said, "I just had an award given to me by a Beatle!" Then he looked at multi-GRAMMY winner/occasional sore loser Kanye West in the audience and with perfect timing said, "Have you had that happen yet, Kanye?" To his credit, Kanye laughed along with the audience. Macca/Mucca Divorce UpdatePaul McCartney and his estranged wife, Heather Mills, returned to a London court today for the second round of their high-profile divorce. The fight over the estimated $1.6 billion wealth of the former Beatle could result in Britain's biggest divorce settlement — rumored to be worth up to $200 million. There was no sign of a settlement at the end of the first of the five days that the case is scheduled to last, but the Brit tabloids say that Heather called Macca last week in a panicky 11th hour attempt to settle their divorce out of the public eye — offering to settle for just $20 million if they could just avoid court. Sure, whatever. The High Court hearing this week will not only decide how much money the former nude model/soft porn star is entitled to, but will also hammer out custody and child-support logistics regarding the feuding duo's four-year-old daughter. Winning The Money GameTrue, GRAMMY Awards are nice, but the music "industry" thrives on cash. So all hail The Police for grabbing the Major Tour of the Year honor at the 19th Annual Pollstar Concert Industry Awards! Paul Rodgers, Whitesnake's David Coverdale and Meat Loaf were among the presenters at the ceremony last Thursday in Los Angeles. The mega-successful trio of A-Type personalities will wrap up their current reunion tour leg this Saturday and Sunday in Honolulu, then return to the road in June. Weiland/Rehab AgainFollowing Velvet Revolver's Wednesday night concert last week in Los Angeles, singer Scott Weiland voluntarily entered a rehab facility. The band has an Australia tour scheduled to start this Friday, which really doesn't give Weiland enough time to get clean. How this affects the plans for Stone Temple Pilots' Summer reunion remains to be seen. 
Quote Of The DayIt was Coach John Wooden who said: "It's the little details that are vital. Little things make big things happen." February 12, 2008
Ray Manzarek of The Doors is 69.
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.
Stones (And More) On AmyAmy Winehouse isn't getting a lot of sympathy from older artists regarding her substance abuse problems. Most recently it was former addict Natalie Cole backstage at Sunday's GRAMMY Awards saying that the British star "needs to get her life together first and then get the awards later." Last week, Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards — infamous in his own right for a nasty history of drug abuse — called Winehouse the B-word while suggesting she, "get her act together." Stones frontman Mick Jagger, whose past is also a bit spotty, said that in the Sixties and Seventies they didn't have rehab to overcome addictions. And he also said that he doesn't understand why young people today would be using drugs, since they know the hazards and pitfalls that come with the territory. Is it the pot calling the kettle black, or the voices of those who have been there? Re-Mining The MotherlodeNever mind how many copies of it you already own, U2 are re-releasing their debut album "Boy," with the rest of their back catalog to follow. The album, which failed to chart when it originally came out in 1980, will hit the retail arena again on May 20th with a bonus CD included with the latest re-mastered version of the original album. The Reverend Billy G. Strikes AgainIf you want to see ZZ Top guitarist Billy F Gibbons on Valentine's Day, just head on down to Paul Burgess and Patricia Calmers' wedding in Houston. The lucky couple won a free all-inclusive Valentine's Day wedding ceremony officiated by the Reverend Billy G., courtesy of IKEA. (Billy is actually legally certified to perform weddings in 49 of the 50 states.) One can only hope that he kept a straight face as he said, "I can think of no better way to spend Valentine's Day than to join a loving couple in wedded bliss in the middle of a cool furniture store. Cupid, you've really done your stuff again!" Homeboys To Honor TommyStyx singer/guitarist Tommy Shaw is the most recognizable of this year's Alabama Music Hall Of Fame inductees. As such, Tommy is expected to perform at the ceremony on February 22nd in his hometown of Montgomery. Styx are in the midst of a series of headlining shows leading up to the March 27th kickoff of their arena trek with Def Leppard. Burden/War ReunionFor the first time in 37 years, Animals singer Eric Burdon will reunite with the East L.A. band War. The one-off show on April 21st at London's Royal Albert Hall will be filmed for a forthcoming DVD. Looks like Eric's motivation comes from the release of several of War's albums in the United Kingdom, including the two discs Burdon and the group recorded in the early-Seventies. Mel's IllWord is out that former Whitesnake guitarist Mel Galley is suffering from terminal cancer. "It happens, but I've had a fantastic life," Mel said in a statement. "I have been very lucky. I have seen some great bands, and played with many great musicians. And I have enjoyed some tremendous experiences." The 59-year-old contributed to two Whitesnake albums, 1982's "Saints & Sinners" and 1984's "Slide It In," and was also a longtime member of the group Trapeze.
Stashing The PillsA new Healthcare Professionals Impact Study explored the use of vitamins by doctors and nurses, including where they stored dietary supplements. Turns out that 59% of physicians and 66% of nurses use the kitchen cabinet, while the bathroom cabinet came in second with 25% of doctors and 27% of nurses. Another 13% of doctors and 14% of nurses admitted to storing their vitamins on the kitchen counter. Other answers included the bathroom counter, the refrigerator, office desk, night table, their desk at home and in a purse. February 13, 2008
Monkee bassist Peter Tork is 66. Producer Bill Szymczyk, who discovered Joe Walsh & the James Gang and produced several of the Eagles' greatest albums, is 65. Former Genesis frontman, the patron saint of world music, and "Sledgehammer" singer Peter Gabriel is 58. Original Foreigner bassist Ed Gagliardi is 58.
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.
No Crue Contract/No Jones Chest Hair InsuranceSure that wacky Brit Robin Leach reported to the world that Motley Crue struck a deal with Live Nation for three albums, three world tours and $100 million, but group leader Nikki Sixx says, "Motley Crue has not signed any deals. Any information reported to the contrary is false and misleading." Leach said singer Vince Neil told him about the deal, but Robin should have remembered "what gets made up in Vegas stays in Vegas!" Meanwhile, the iconic Tom Jones has denied British tabloid reports that he insured his chest hair for $7 million. Tom called the "The Daily Mirror" story, "completely fabricated... No such insurance policy exists or has ever been considered." Jones also said that he hopes, "no one takes this kind of 'reporting' seriously." Kinda like Robin Leach's reports. Eagles/Plant/Shiny Belt BucklesSure the Eagles and Led Zeppelin's Robert Plant each have new GRAMMY Awards, but they may also be adding a really fancy belt buckle to their trophy cases! The Eagles' GRAMMY-winning country hit "How Long" is in the running for the 2008 CMT Music Awards Group Video Of The Year and Wide Open Country Video of the Year. Plant's GRAMMY-winning "Gone, Gone, Gone (Done Moved On)" — from his album with bluegrass superstar Alison Krauss — has also been nominated for the Wide Open Country Video of the Year as well as for Collaborative Video Of The Year. But wait — there's more! Huey Lewis is also up for the Collaborative Video award with his remake of "Workin' For A Livin'" with Garth Brooks! Voting is underway at CMT.com to pare the hopefuls down to four in each category, with the finalists to be announced on March 6th. The Nashville 2008 CMT Music Awards ceremony will air on CMT on April 14th. STP Reunion Is OnThe first gig of the Stone Temple Pilots reunion will take place on the first night of the May 17th - 18th Rock On The Range festival in Columbus, Ohio. It will be the band's first show in over seven years, and with frontman Scott Weiland fresh from rehab, he should be in better shape than ever. Weiland, brothers Dean DeLeo (on guitar) and Robert DeLeo (on bass) along with drummer Eric Kretz will be announcing more STP shows (including a Southland gig) shortly. Disputing John's NameLennon Murphy's parents named her after Beatle John Lennon. For the last eight years, she's been performing under her legal first name, Lennon. In 2003, as her career began to grow, she registered her stage name as a trademark (a wise thing for any performer to do). And even though she didn't need to, she consulted Lennon's widow, Yoko Ono, about using the name. Five years down the road, Ono is suing Murphy, claiming the singer "fraudulently" registered the name as a trademark and asserting that she is tarnishing Lennon's name. But John's first son, Julian, feels different about Lennon Murphy's plight. He posted a statement from the singer on his MySpace page, and then above it wrote, "She has my full support." Stay tuned! Eliminator DelayedThe 25th anniversary collector's edition CD/DVD of ZZ Top's "Eliminator" that was scheduled for a March 25th release has been officially delayed until Summer. You don't think that the Reverend Billy Gibbons officiating at Ikea weddings has anything to do with the delay, do you? Benatar/The Young And The RestlessOf course it's a soap opera, but they won't be emoting. Pat Benatar and her guitarist/husband, Neil Giraldo, will appear on this Thursday and Friday's episodes of CBS' The Young And The Restless as themselves. They'll also play an acoustic version of their song "Every Time I Fall Back" as real actors perform in slightly surrealistic mannerisms in the background. No, really — that's what will happen.
Quote Of The DayIt was Albert Einstein who said: "The only thing that interferes with my learning is my education." Pulling Out A WienermobileThere it was, a giant hot dog stuck in a snow bank on the side of the road. On its way to Penn State in a snow storm, the newest, state-of-the-art Oscar Mayer Wienermobile spun out on a Pennsylvania highway last Sunday. The two women on board the vehicle, known as "hotdoggers," were uninjured, but required a tow truck to pull them out of the snow. "Hotdogger" Caylen Goudie said, "The Wienermobile weighs 7,000 pounds, so usually ice and snow isn't much of a problem. It was this time." As for the veteran tow-truck driver who received the call to help rescue the big hot dog, Dave Kurzejewski said, "I've pulled out a lot of vehicles, but that's the first wiener I've ever pulled out." February 14, 2008
Roger Fisher, Heart's original lead guitarist, is 58.
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.
The Reverend Billy G. Strikes AgainIf you want to see ZZ Top guitarist Billy F Gibbons today, just head on down to Paul Burgess and Patricia Calmers' wedding in Houston. The lucky couple won a free all-inclusive Valentine's Day wedding ceremony officiated by the Reverend Billy G., courtesy of IKEA. (Billy is actually legally certified to perform weddings in 49 of the 50 states.) One can only hope that he kept a straight face as he said, "I can think of no better way to spend Valentine's Day than to join a loving couple in wedded bliss in the middle of a cool furniture store. Cupid, you've really done your stuff again!" Final Call For PoliceAs expected, The Police reunion tour will make one more trip through North America harvesting many greenbacks this Summer. Word is that they'll hit the Hollywood Bowl May 27th. When this final jaunt ends, so does the band (or so they say). Unlike 2007's stadium and festival gigs, the group will stick to amphitheaters and arenas during the upcoming 30-odd date trek in May and July (they're hitting Europe in June). Sting, Stewart Copeland and Andy Summers's surprise reunion tour is estimated to be one of the Top Five highest-grossing tours of all-time, with a net profit of $340 million (more or less) when all is said and done. Fantasy CampThe latest edition of Rock & Roll Fantasy Camp will be taking place in the City of Angels (that's L.A., not Anaheim) this weekend. Rock legends like KISS' Bruce Kulick, Bad Company's Simon Kirke, The Monkees' Mickey Dolenz and Pink Floyd's Nick Mason will be imparting hard earned wisdom onto campers with all different musical skills. As Nick told me, "The interesting thing is you're not very conscious of things you know and usually you have to be asked questions before you can actually tell people anything particularly useful." As usual, the camp will culminate with a final show at the House Of Blues on Monday. Eagles Milking The Country AngleThe Eagles will headline a newly added kickoff date for the 2008 Stagecoach Country Music Festival, which will be held May 2nd through the 4th in Indio. John Fogerty and a variety of popular country artists will also be on the bill that day. Also, singer/guitarist Glenn Frey has indicated that the Eagles will head to New York's Madison Square Garden following their four-show May stint in Alpharetta, Georgia. That should be enough advanced warning to score a parking spot now! David & ScarlettIf you weren't already quivering in anticipation over actress Scarlett Johansson's forthcoming debut solo album, "Anywhere I Lay My Head," then check this out: David Bowie sings on two of the 10 Tom Waits songs the stunning beauty has covered. Too bad for Bowie that Johansson wasn't in town when he recorded the vocals during a surprise post-production studio session. "Anywhere..." — featuring (we hope) a beautiful cover photograph — will be released on May 20th. A Jovi Docu In WorksBon Jovi hired Oscar-winning documentary filmmaker Barbara Kopple to direct a movie about the group. "We just realized that [over] all the years, we really didn't document enough stuff," guitarist Richie Sambora explained last week. Kopple has already started work on the project, which Sambora says will "capture the story about our success... and then some of the trials and tribulations." No title or release date has been announced, nor has any specific discussion of the band's treatment of the scads of Jovi women they encountered along the way. AC/DC Lullabies/Japanese Deep PurpleWhat better way to put your baby to sleep than with the sweet, sweet sounds of AC/DC? The Rockabye Baby company transforms rock songs into (semi-recognizable) instrumental lullabies, and they've done exactly that with 10 AC/DC tunes including "Highway to Hell," "You Shook Me All Night Long" and "Back in Black." The sleepy-time album won't be out until March 4th, but you can hear some samples at http://www.RockabyeBabyMusic.com. For something far less sleepy and far more entertaining, check out this Japanese version of "Smoke On The Water": http://www.videofantastica.com/view_video/31903/
Quote Of The DayIt was Dave Barry who said: "On Valentine's Day, millions of men give millions of women flowers, cards and candy as a heartfelt expression of the emotion that also motivates men to observe anniversaries and birthdays: fear." 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, 2008
Glyn Johns, who produced albums for The Who, The Rolling Stones, Van Halen and the Eagles, is 66 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 Yes as well as Joe's conversation with Jon Anderson, Chris Squire and Rick Wakeman
Hey – Stop That!First it was John McCain playing John Mellencamp's songs during campaign events that drew a cease & desist-type of action from the artist. Now it's presidential candidate/amateur bassist Mike Huckabee who has been performing Boston's "More Than a Feeling" at campaign events — sometimes with former Boston guitarist Barry Goudreau. But Boston mastermind Tom Scholz, who wrote and played every guitar part on "More Than a Feeling," is an Obama supporter, and he's righteously pissed. Here's a link to check out Tom's letter to the Governor. Macca/Mucca Divorce UpdatePaul McCartney and Heather Mills' divorce court proceedings are expected to wrap up in London's Family Division of the High Court today. All week long the two former love birds (with no pre-nuptial agreement) have been working on a settlement that — with Sir Paulie's wealth estimated at $1.6 billion — could give Mills the largest divorce settlement in U.K. history. And just think guys, she's available! Beatle Pad For SaleThe only place The Beatles ever lived in together is finally on the market. Their manager, Brian Epstein, rented the third floor, three-bedroom apartment in Fall 1963 to give John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr some privacy just as Beatlemania began to take hold. While the Fab Four only lived (and shagged) there for a few months, one of the group's famous early publicity photos was shot in the building's stairwell. The apartment itself has undergone some serious renovations over the last 45 years, and is currently a two-bedroom flat owned by someone in California (is that you?). They say that the owner knows the apartment's history but has never tried to capitalize on it. The asking price is only $3.4 million — but you'll still have to walk up three flights of stairs! V.H. For TigerTiger Woods has secured Van Halen to play at his Tiger Jam XI benefit on April 19th in Las Vegas. The annual event raises money for the Tiger Woods Foundation, which provides scholarships and funds for youth education, as well as various Vegas-area charities. Tiger is reported to have said, "Van Halen is one of my favorite bands, and I can't wait to see them perform on the Tiger Jam stage." We're still waiting for the ever loquacious David Lee Roth to weigh in with his take on the gig. George Will Be TouringGeorge Thorogood & The Destroyers will kick off a lengthy North American tour (40 dates so far) next Saturday at the California Speedway in Fontana. The rockers' schedule is currently mapped out through an August 19th show in Baltimore, but you can expect more gigs to be added. "[We're] not going to stop until we're run over or left for dead," says Thorogood. New/Old Starship RecordingRemember when the Jefferson Starship played at the House Of Blues on Sunset in 1995? I don't either, but it was the only time singer Grace Slick came out of retirement to perform her old hits alongside her former bandmates Jack Casady, Marty Balin and Paul Kantner as well as Prairie Prince, Mark "Slick" Aguilar, Tim Gorman and Darby Clark. Now, after years of behind-the-scenes hoo-ha, the concert is finally coming out on CD. "Jefferson Starship's Timeless Classics Live" — including Slick's last recorded Starship performances of "White Rabbit," "Somebody to Love" and "Miracles" — will be on store shelves on February 26th.
Thought For The WeekendIt was Roy Scheider, in Steven Spielberg's 1975 film "Jaws," who said: "You're gonna need a bigger boat." 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, 2008
Former Def Leppard guitarist Pete Willis is 48.
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. February 17, 2008
On this day in 1973, Lou Reed's "Walk On The Wild Side" entered the charts. February 18, 2008
Yoko Ono is 74.
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.
Macca/Mucca Divorce/Week TwoNot surprising that, even though the official sources say that the McCartney/Mills divorce trial will continue this week, the Brit tabloids are reporting that Sir Paul McCartney has agreed pay a record U.K. settlement of over $100 million to get away from Heather Mills. That payout by the former Beatle is said to include an up-front lump sum, child support for 4-year-old daughter Beatrice until she reaches 18, and a round-the-clock four man security team to protect both Mucca and little Macca. The catch: Heather may never publicly discuss her four year marriage to Sir Paulie. It's also interesting to note that the former nude model represented herself during last week's proceedings (she still owes millions to her original divorce lawyers), but she did have a make-up artist, personal trainer, sister and court protocol adviser in tow. Vedder's Briefly SoloPearl Jam frontman Eddie Vedder will embark on his first solo tour in April. Focusing on his soundtrack to the acclaimed film "Into The Wild," it's unclear whether Eddie will be playing the shows completely on his own or with help from other musicians. No matter those small details, plan on seeing Mr. Vedder at the Wiltern on April 12th and 13th. The best news of all is that before Eddie hits the road, Pearl Jam is expected to regroup to sketch out material for its next studio album. The band will also assemble to co-headline the Bonnaroo festival in mid-June. Animated Aerosmith (Sort Of)Word is that the new "Guitar Hero: Aerosmith" video game will arrive in stores this Summer. The game will feature about 30 Aerosmith songs as well as others from various acts that have opened for the band. In the "Guitar Hero" games, players try to press colored buttons on a guitar-shaped controller in time with notes cascading down the screen. If the notes are hit, the song plays properly, and the player earns points. To recreate the sense of attending an Aerosmith concert, developers held motion-capture sessions with frontman Steven Tyler and lead guitarist Joe Perry. The main attraction to the bad boys from Boston? Since the original "Guitar Hero" was released in late 2005, the series has gone on to sell more than $1 billion worth of product. Ringo RingoRingo Starr sure has been busy lately. The former Beatle has been heavily promoting his latest album, "Liverpool 8," and on March 4th, he's releasing "Ringo 5.1: The Surround Sound Collection." A 31-date Summer tour with the tenth incarnation of his All Starr Band will launch on June 19th in Niagara Falls, hit our Gibson Amphitheater on June 24th and wrap in Australia in July. And then he'll sleep. Jewels Return Is SetThe third season of KISS bassist/singer Gene Simmons' A&E reality show, "Gene Simmons' Family Jewels," will premiere on March 11th. The latest installment of the series will kick off with the airing of two completely different episodes. Consider yourself well warned!
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 19, 2008
Guitarist Tony Iommi of Black Sabbath is 60.
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.
On Stage TonightIron Maiden will be rocking The Forum in Inglewood like no one has done in years! Macca/Mucca Divorce/On Hold AgainThey couldn't work it out last week in court, so now Paul McCartney and Heather Mills' divorce is in the hands of a judge. After six-days of hearings failed to produce a settlement between the former Beatle and his ex-wife, a High Court judge will now determine the former nude model's financial award. The judge will consider a number of factors in making his decision, including the relatively short duration of the marriage and the fact that McCartney made the bulk of his $1.6 billion fortune well before he ever met Mills. The judge is expected to offer his decision in a few weeks, but the exact wording of his ruling won't be made public unless there is an appeal. $42.5 Million!An auction organized by U2's Bono and artist Damien Hirst raised $42.5 million towards the global fight against Aids last week. Hirst donated seven of his works, including the big ticket "Where There's A Will, There's A Way" — a cabinet filled with antiretroviral drugs for the treatment of HIV — which sold for $7.15 million. The auction broke records for 17 artists, including Banksy, whose "Keep It Spotless" work made $1.8 million — more than six times its pre-sale estimate. The proceeds go to the United Nations Foundation to support HIV/Aids relief programs in Africa, organized by the Global Fund to fight Aids, tuberculosis and malaria. Right so! Petty Super Bowl/Super SalesEveryone knows that the New York Giants won Super Bowl XLII, but halftime show stars Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers also came away big winners. The boys performed four of their best known songs in a well-received 12-minute set with over 97 million viewers tuned in — the most in Super Bowl history. Now comes confirmation that sales of Petty's "Greatest Hits" shot up 196% in the week following the Super Bowl! Sales of the band's "Anthology: Through the Years" jumped 240%! Petty collected his biggest trophy his song "Free Fallin'," which sold 63,000 digital copies, a gain of 305%, and bowed at #10 on Billboard's Hot Digital Songs chart. Sounds like someone earned themselves another payment on the old plantation! Another Asia Cardiac ProblemWorking in the band Asia must be rough on the heart. Back in August, singer/bassist John Wetton learned that his heart disease was so advanced that he needed an immediate triple bypass surgery. That forced Asia to cancel tour plans, but John's since made a full recovery. Now comes word that drummer Carl Palmer (formerly of Emerson, Lake & Palmer) is undergoing an angioplasty procedure in the U.K. this week, just as the band begins to promote their new album. The group is supposed to launch their U.K. tour next month, and release their "Phoenix" album in April as their U.S. tour begins. Good luck Carl! Rainforest Benefit '08The 2008 edition of Sting and wife Trudie Styler's annual concert benefiting the Rainforest Foundation Fund will take place on May 8th at Carnegie Hall. Among the artists joining The Police frontman on stage for the "I Love the Rainforest" concert are Billy Joel, James Taylor and Beach Boys mastermind Brian Wilson.
Quote Of The DayIt was Gypsy Rose Lee who said: "She's descended from a long line her mother listened to." Zippy Language Tips for Doo-Dah PeopleThe word "tip," as in a gratuity, is actually an acronym for "To Insure Promptness." The "sixth sick sheik's sixth sheep's sick" is said to be the toughest tongue twister in the English language. The letters "YKK" on zippers stand for Yoshida Kogyo Kabushibibaisha, the largest zipper manufacturer in the world. The only English word that contains a triple letter is "goddessship." In English pubs, drinks are served in pints and quarts. In old England, bartenders would advise unruly customers to mind their own pints and quarts. It's the origin of the phrase "mind your P's and Q's." "The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog" is commonly believed to be the only English sentence devised to include all the letters of the alphabet. However, for years typesetters have had another such sentence: "Pack my box with five dozen liquor jugs." Once word of this gets out, typing classes may never be the same. February 20, 2008
Guitarist J. (Jerome) Geils is 62.
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. This Sunday night at 9 on 95.5 KLOS, OFF THE RECORD with Joe Benson will feature the music of The Doobie Brothers as well as more of Joe's conversation with guitarist/singers Tom Johnston and Patrick Simmons, and drummer Keith Knudsen.
U2 In StudioU2 are back in their Dublin hometown studios, working on their upcoming album with longtime collaborators Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois. Over the past year, all six have have spent time working on new material in France and Morocco, and Lanois says, "There's so much material" that the sessions could yield two new albums. "When you get Eno and I and those guys in the room, before lunch there's like eight things." No word as to when the album might come out, but the thinking is that it might be late this year at the earliest. All Hail Macca, Etc.Maybe he didn't get the divorce settlement he was looking for on Monday, but Paul McCartney will be honored at tonight's Brit Awards (the British equivalent of our GRAMMY Awards). The former Beatle will receive the honorary Outstanding Contribution to Music award and will close out the ceremony at Earl's Court in London by performing four songs from his latest album, "Memory Almost Full." Meanwhile, the Eagles and Bruce Springsteen have also been nominated for Brits. The Eagles are in the running for the International Group and International Album awards for their "The Long Road Out Of Eden" album. Springsteen has a shot at International Male Solo Artist. REO Memories (Sort Of)No word on when his episode will air, but REO Speedwagon frontman Kevin Cronin is taking part in a celebrity version of the Fox series "Don't Forget The Lyrics." Cronin will be playing the karaoke-style show to raise money for MusiCares, which helps musicians in financial need. "Don't Forget The Lyrics," hosted by comedian Wayne Brady, airs Thursday nights on Fox... if I remember correctly. Knopfler AlertFormer Dire Straits frontman Mark Knopfler has begun announcing North American tour dates for this Summer. His first six Stateside concerts will run from June 24th through July 19th, so you can figure the Southland gig should be after that. Fans buying tickets online will receive a free copy of Mark's 2007 album, "Kill To Get Crimson," for every pair of tickets they purchase. New WhitesnakeWhitesnake's upcoming studio album, "Good To Be Bad," will be released Stateside on April 22nd. A limited-edition, double-CD version of the set including a four-track bonus CD of alternate takes, a poster, a sticker and other extras will also be available. Actually, for the right price even Whitesnake singer David Coverdale will be available! Clash DVDYears after frontman Joe Strummer died, a DVD documenting several performances by the legendary Clash will hit stores on April 15th. "The Clash Live: Revolution Rock" will offer behind-the-scenes footage, television appearances and live shows running from a 1978 gig in London through the band's famous gig opening for The Who at New York's Shea Stadium in 1982. A TV special previewing the disc will premiere on a variety of PBS stations early next month.
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." |
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