 March 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! March 11, 2008
On this day in 1992, Eric Clapton recorded an episode of "MTV Unplugged." The resulting album, released over Slowhand's objection, became the best-selling album of his career. Lesson learned: Don't expect your guitar gods to know retail. On this day in 1997, former Beatle Paul McCartney became Sir Paul McCartney at the hand of his Queen. Shortly afterward, Ringo Starr and George Harrison began referring to their former bandmate as "His Holiness." 
On Stage TonightThe Moody Blues will be performing at the Nokia Theatre L.A. Live tonight. Hall Of Fame '08No idea how much they'll edit out of Billy Joel's Hall Of Fame induction speech for John Mellencamp, but the full length version was a classic right up there with Bruce Springsteen and U2's mutual exchanges! That — and John's acceptance speech/performance — is reason enough to search out a rebroadcast of the program. Oh yeah, Tom Hanks gave The Dave Clark Five a rousing, personal introduction, Justin Timberlake (a clever lad indeed!) inducted Madonna, who chose Iggy Pop & The Stooges to perform in her place. John Fogerty deftly handled The Ventures' induction, and Lou Reed proudly presented Leonard Cohen. The program closed with a jam on the DC5's "Glad All Over" featuring Mellencamp, Joel, Fogerty and Joan Jett. VH1 Classics will rebroadcast the induction ceremony this afternoon, while VH1 will air a highlights special of the event on March 22nd. Halen Extends HiatusVan Halen's current U.S. tour will remain on hold for another five weeks as guitarist Eddie Van Halen continues his unspecified treatment. That said, I'm sure that the band will make their April 19th appearance at the 2008 Tiger Jam in Las Vegas. An updated itinerary covering the rescheduled dates is expected to be announced shortly. Good luck Edward! Def Leppard Rocks NBARemember when yer Uncle Joe did the world premiere of "Nine Lives," the first single from Def Leppard's forthcoming "Songs From the Sparkle Lounge" album? Evidently someone from the NBA heard it as well because the song is now being featured in a special video airing at the beginning of NBA games shown on ABC and ESPN. The clip — which stars the band and the song's collaborator/co-writer Tim McGraw — will be shown throughout the league's regular season and into the playoffs. Right so! New Journey ComingSounds like Journey's 13th studio album — their first with new lead singer Arnel Pineda — will arrive in June. Word has it "Revelations" will be available exclusively via Wal-Mart stores (Journey shares management with the Eagles who pioneered the Wal-Mart connection), and will be packaged with a live DVD that was filmed Saturday in Las Vegas. A rumored third disc featuring re-recordings of classic Journey hits may also be included with the release. 
Quote Of The DayIt was Harry S. Truman who said: "It is amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit." Dysfunction At The U.S. JunctionAccording to the new Durex Sexual Wellbeing Global Survey of 26,000 people in 26 countries, just 53% of U.S. residents have regular, weekly sex. That ties America with Nigeria for the second to last spot on the list. Humping in at number one is Greece, where 87% of respondents claim to get regular sex at least once a week. Greece is followed at the top by Brazil, Russia and China. Last on the list is Japan, where just 34% said they have sex regularly. Considering that 60% of the worldwide respondents consider sex to be a "fun, enjoyable, and a vital part of life," it's no wonder that 40% of all Americans are grumpy! March 12, 2008
Paul Kantner of the Jefferson Airplane/Starship is 67.
On this day in 1969, Beatle Paul McCartney married Linda Eastman. At 9:30pm E.S.T. on this day in 1971, the Allman Brothers Band began recording their legendary "At the Fillmore East" album. On this day in 1974, John Lennon and fellow songwriter Harry Nilsson were thrown out of the Troubadour in West Hollywood for being far, far, far too drunk. The stories and photos in the press brought to a head Lennon's troubled life when he and Yoko Ono were separated. On this day in 1977, Steve Miller's "Fly Like An Eagle" peaked at #2, Bob Seger's "Night Moves" peaked at #4, and Fleetwood Mac's "Go Your Own Way" topped out at #10. On this day in 2007, Van Halen, R.E.M. and Patti Smith were among the inductees into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
Officially Yes AgainYes have finally confirmed that their 40th anniversary world tour will roll this Summer. While keyboardist Rick Wakeman won't make the trek, his son Oliver will fill in for him. The North American dates will stretch over July and August with the boys playing at least one Southland gig — August 22nd at the Gibson Amphitheatre. Stay tuned for more details! A Fake DoobieA gray-bearded man reportedly has been passing himself off as Doobie Brothers drummer Michael Hossack in order to scam unsuspecting people in Las Vegas. The con artist has been using the alias as a means of collecting money for a bogus Doobies car giveaway. Las Vegas police suspect the suspect may have skipped town in recent days, so be wary of anyone claiming to be a Doobie! Perry Blows Out KneeYou'd be surprised at how many rock musicians eventually suffer from sports injuries from all of their jumping around on stage. Aerosmith guitarist Joe Perry is the latest. For the last two years he's been tolerating an increasingly more painful chronic knee problem. It finally blew out and a surgical procedure became an immediate necessity following the Joe's recent gig with his sons' group, TAB The Band. The surgery has been set for next Tuesday, and we wish him a speedy recovery! Axl's Inspiration Returns (Sort Of)Turns out that Axl Rose's inspiration for the classic Guns N' Roses "November Rain" video was a book called "The Language of Fear." The Del James-penned short story collection has just been reprinted — with an introduction by Mr. Rose — after being out of print for 10 years. One of the 15 terrifying tales included in the book is "Without You," the story that inspired the "November Rain" clip. How much did Axl like Del James' writing? He also gave Del co-writing credits on Guns N' Roses GRAMMY-nominated album "Use Your Illusion I." Tico's Bad BackAnyone who has ever endured searing back pain will identify with this. Bon Jovi drummer Tico Torres appeared onstage at Monday's show at Toronto's Air Canada Centre wearing a back brace. Jon Bon Jovi even informed the crowd that Tico is taking medication for his injury, which apparently is extremely painful. (Insert your favorite drummers and pharmaceutical jokes here.) Despite the discomfort, Torres soldiered on to complete the two-and-a-half-hour set. Hope you're better soon, Tico!
Quote Of The DayIt was Henry Ford who said: "Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again more intelligently." Naming Remorse
Yes, there is such a thing as baby-naming remorse. A new poll by the BabyCenter.com shows that 3% of parents would change their child's given name if they could. And the naming stress is too much for 9% of new and expectant parents, who say they would pay someone to help them pick a baby name. According to the same poll, here are the Top 3 most popular baby names for 2007: March 13, 2008
Bassist Adam Clayton of U2 is a well-dressed 48.
On this day in 1852, Uncle Sam first appeared in a political cartoon. On this day in 1935, Donald Duck made his crotchety debut. On this day in 1965, Eric Clapton left The Yardbirds to play the blues with John Mayall. (Six months later he left Mayall's band.) On this day in 1965, The Kinks' "Tired of Waiting For You" entered the U.S. singles charts as The Beatles hit #1 with "Eight Days A Week." On this day in 1966, Pink Floyd played their first gig at London's legendary Marquee Club (previous home to The Rolling Stones, The Yardbirds and The Who). Remember how I mentioned yesterday that in 1970, the Allman Brothers Band began recording the gig that became their live "At the Fillmore East" album? It was around 3am on this day in 1970 that they finished playing. On this day in 1971, Emerson, Lake & Palmer's song "Lucky Man" entered the charts where, a few weeks later, it peaked at #48. On this day in 1976, the Eagles' "Take It To The Limit" peaked at #4 as "Love Hurts" by Nazareth topped out at #8 and Foghat's "Slow Ride" charted at #20.
Crowes Coming In BigThe Black Crowes' new album, "Warpaint," debuted at #5 on the Billboard 200 chart this week. That marks the group's highest chart debut since their incredible "The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion came in at #1 in 1992. Meanwhile, the Crowes' sold-out March 20th Avalon show has been moved to the larger Wiltern Theatre to accommodate the overflow of fans desperate for tickets. Now will the boys do the right thing and add another date to their mini "Warpaint" tour? Multiple Hendrix ScreeningsSeven special screenings of the 2002 concert DVD "Blue Wild Angel: Jimi Hendrix Live At The Isle Of Wight" will be held in Seattle this month, and then it will play once again in Boston on April 20th. The film of Hendrix's performance at the 1970 British festival, will be shown alongside the 2007 documentary "The Other Side of the Mirror: Bob Dylan Live At The Newport Folk Festival." The films' director, Murray Lerner, will answer questions at the events including "Why aren't you doing this in Los Angeles?" Martha's Eclectic FriendsTalk about an eclectic gathering of musicians! The Who's Pete Townshend, former Band keyboardist Garth Hudson and Steely Dan's Donald Fagen all make guest appearances on Martha Wainwright's second album, "I Know You're Married But I Have Feelings Too." Members of Martha's über-talented family — including brother Rufus, mother Kate McGarrigle and aunt Anna McGarrigle — also lent a hand in recording the 12 originals plus unique takes on the early Pink Floyd classic "See Emily Play" and the Eurythmics' "Love is A Stranger." It's a shame we'll have to wait until June 10th to hear the album! Rock The CradleThe new MTV reality show Rock The Cradle will feature the children of famous music artists showing off their singing talents. Nine contestants — including the daughters of Eddie Money, Joe Walsh and the Doobie Brothers' Tom Johnston — will compete against one another in live weekly competitions. (Sorry, no mud pit wrestling for the losers.) The eight-episode series will premiere on April 3rd.
Quote Of The DayIt was G. K. Chesterton who said: "The past is not what it was." March 14, 2008
Railroad engineer Casey Jones would have been 145 today — and the Grateful Dead song would have had a completely different ending!
On this day in 1964, as The Beatles' cover of "Twist And Shout" entered the charts, Billboard magazine reported that the Fab Four's records made up 60% of the singles market. On this day in 1981, Genesis singer/drummer Phil Collins' first solo album, "Face Value," entered the charts. It eventually sold over four million copies — more than any Genesis album to that date! On this day in 1981, Eric Clapton was admitted to a St. Paul, Minnesota hospital after a serious attack of bleeding ulcers. He was forced to cancel a 60-date U.S. tour and eventually quit drinking.  This Sunday night at 9 on 95.5 KLOS, OFF THE RECORD with Joe Benson will feature the music of John Mellencamp and conversation with John and drummer Kenny Aronoff.
Sharon Calls Gene A Prat!!Apparently Australia isn't big enough for the Osbournes and Gene Simmons. The Prince of Darkness and KISS are both playing Down Under right now, and Ozzy's wife/manager, Sharon, told the press, "Gene's a prat... He's just a silly man in a silly wig. He's just a prat. He's his own worst enemy by being in the public eye." Meanwhile, guitarist/singer Paul Stanley thinks his days with KISS are numbered. He told the Aussie press, "I really, firmly believe there will come a time when the band will continue without me." And he thinks KISS will live on after this original incarnation. "We don't follow the same rules as other bands. I can't live within the boundaries people set for me. I believe KISS is founded on something so solid that it will continue to live on, the way a football team continues... There have been great players, but there will always be other players." Just not any named Osbourne, I'm guessing... Dickinson Flying Into Cannes"Chemical Wedding," the horror movie that Iron Maiden frontman Bruce Dickinson co-wrote with director Julian Doyle, has been selected to screen at the 2008 Cannes Film Festival. The supernatural thriller stars Simon Callow as a reincarnation of British occultist Aleister Crowley. Dickinson, a trained pilot, will be flying invited guests to Cannes on the band's own Boeing 757 jet for the premiere on May 17th. Horton Hears A REOWhen you see the new "Horton Hears A Who!" movie this weekend, you'll be hearing some REO Speedwagon. "Horton" and his pals sing their own rendition of "Can't Fight This Feeling" in the animated Dr. Seuss flick that's out today. New/Old KansasA remastered version of Kansas' 1978 live album "Two For The Show" will be released in May. In related news, founding Kansas guitarist/songwriter Kerry Livgren's Proto Kaw project has finally begun recording their third album.
Hot Rods in Costa Mesa This Saturday, 10am - Noon: Look for your Uncle Joe to be right in the middle of the 2nd Annual Orange County Get Together Hot Rod Show, chatting with fans and admiring the best Hot Rods the O.C. has to offer! Here's what it looked like last year. March 15, 2008
The Ides Of March Rock & Roll B-day Boys
Blues guitar legend Lightnin' Hopkins would have been 96.
On this day in 1975, The Doobie Brothers' "Black Water" hit #1 and ELO's "Can't Get It Out Of My Head" peaked at #9 as Kraftwerk's "Autobahn" broke into the Top 100 singles chart. On this day in 1980, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers' "Refugee" peaked at #15 on the singles chart. On this day in 1986, The Rolling Stones' "Harlem Shuffle" and Van Halen's "Why Can't This Be Love" both broke into the Top 40. On this day in 1999, Paul McCartney, Bruce Springsteen and Billy Joel were among those inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. On this day in 2004, the late George Harrison, Traffic, ZZ Top, Bob Seger and Jackson Browne were among the inductees into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. March 16, 2008
Nancy Wilson of Heart is 54.
On this day in 1967, Pink Floyd began recording their debut album, "Piper at the Gates of Dawn," at Abbey Road studios. On this day in 1968, Otis Redding's "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay" hit #1 on the singles chart just over three months after his death in a plane crash. On this day in 1991, Van Halen's Eddie Van Halen and wife Valerie Bertinelli became parents to son Wolfgang. On this day in 1991, Styx's "Show Me The Way" peaked at #3 on the singles chart. March 17, 2008Where Is He?There's nothing wrong with your radio (or computer if you're streaming). Joe's just taking some well-deserved time off this week.
Jefferson Airplane/Starship founding member/guitarist Paul Kantner is 67. Guitarist Scott Gorham of Thin Lizzy is 57. (Note: Although the band was Irish, Scott was from Santa Monica.) Guitarist/pseudo-singer Billy Corgan of Smashing Pumpkins fame is 41.
On this day in 1967, The Grateful Dead released its self-titled debut album but no one outside of San Francisco knew what to do with it. On this day in 1973, Pink Floyd's "The Dark Side Of The Moon" album entered the American charts. Little did anyone know of the impact it would have. On this day in 1973, The Moody Blues' "I'm Just A Singer (In A Rock and Roll Band)" peaked at #12 on the pop singles chart. On this day in 1974, Bachman Turner Overdrive released the "Bachman Turner Overdrive 2" album featuring "Let It Roll" and "Takin' Care of Business." On this day in 1979, Bad Company released the song "Rock & Roll Fantasy" and Styx released "Renegade." On this day in 1990, former Traffic and Blind Faith bassist Rick Grech died of a drug overdose at the age of 43.
Key To The Next Fleetwood MacRemember when Stevie Nicks told me that she expected Fleetwood Mac to tour next year? I think we just found out who'll be filling in for Christine McVie, the now-retired Mac singer/keyboardist. Sheryl Crow says that, "We definitely have plans for collaborating... I think that's going to be next year." Crow, who is good friends with Stevie, also said, "There's so many great songs that I absolutely love, and just to get to sing harmonies on them is going to be a thrill." And you know what a kick that will give the Mac's show! Crowes In ControlWant to relive a Black Crowes concert? LiveBlackCrowes.com will sell CDs and digital recordings of all the gigs on the group's 2008 tour, and right now several previous Crowes shows already are available. Free streams of select individual tracks are also offered, and the first 10,000 people to register at the site will receive free MP3s of tunes from the Crowes' current dates showcasing their new album "Warpaint." I tell you these boys have got a grip on marketing their wares!
St. Pat FactsIn 461 A.D., St. Patrick, the Patron Saint of Ireland, died. He was originally a pig farmer in England who was carried off to Ireland as a slave. Once there, he introduced Christianity to Ireland. The actual date of his death was uncertain. Historians knew it was either March 8th or 9th, so as a compromise, they added the dates together, making the 17th the official holiday date. Legend has it that Saint Patrick was responsible for driving out all the snakes from Ireland by beating on his drum, thereby banishing snakes forever from the country. Of course, since the snake was an important symbol of paganism, this might be a more figurative tale than what actually transpired, symbolizing Saint Patrick's mission of ridding Ireland of paganism. The truth is, St. Patrick wasn't Irish, he was British. And his color wasn't green, it was blue. Some historians think that there actually might have been TWO Saint Patricks, but neither of them looked like Bono or wore sunglasses like his. As they say in Dublin, right so and slainte (slan-cha)! March 18, 2008
Drummer John Hartman of the Doobie Brothers is 58.
On this day in 1965, a British gas station owner refused to let The Rolling Stones use his facilities. So the long-haired hooligans took the matter into their own hands, and were arrested for urinating in public. Well after the publicity died down, Mick Jagger, guitarist Keith Richards and bassist Bill Wyman were fined $8 each. On this day in 1972, Neil Young topped the charts with "Heart of Gold," his only solo single to break into the Top 30. On this day in 1978, California Jam 2 drew an estimated 250,000 fans to the Ontario Motor Speedway (the site were the Ontario Mills Outlet Mall is now located). Santana, Aerosmith, Ted Nugent and Foreigner headlined, and a live double album was issued later that Fall. To further commemorate the event, the Inland Empire birth rate spiked in December 1978.
Mucho Macca Mula For MuccaThe divorce saga between Paul McCartney and his estranged wife Heather Mills has finally come to an end with Mucca (as the Brit press lovingly nick named her) whining on the courthouse steps. The 40-year-old Mills originally sought $250 million of Macca's supposed $1.6 billion fortune for performing wifely duties and bearing his child. The court ruled she'll receive a mere $48.7 million. In addition, the 65-year-old McCartney will also pay $70,000 a year in alimony for the couple's four-year-old daughter, as well as school and nanny fees. McCartney met Mills in 1999, the year after the death of his first wife, Linda, from breast cancer. Much to the dismay of the former Beatle's children, he famously laughed off the thought of a prenuptial agreement with Heather when they were married in 2002. Perhaps with this mess behind him, now Sir Paulie will go forward with the rumored $400 million deal with Apple and iTunes to release The Beatles catalog digitally. Boston Tour Is OfficialBoston's Tom Scholz has scheduled his band's first tour since the tragic suicide of singer Brad Delp last year. Boston's Greatest Hits Tour kicks off on June 6th in Thunder Bay, Canada, stops at our Gibson Amphitheater on July 2nd, and currently runs through an August 17th Atlanta gig. The group's touring line-up will feature two new members: Stryper singer/songwriter/guitarist Michael Sweet and the surprise MySpace singing phenom, Tommy DeCarlo, will be covering most of the vocals. With over 30 million albums sold worldwide, the band will be performing hits from all five studio albums, including many of their classics, and some fan favorites that have not been played live for many years. Stay tuned for ticket info! New/Old DoorsA DVD documentary about The Doors' 1967 self-titled debut album will be out on April 22nd. Part of the ongoing Classic Albums series, the DVD will include new interviews with the group's surviving members and other notable music figures. The Doors alumni also are featured performing instrumental demonstrations of some of the album's tunes.
Taking A BreakYer Uncle Joe is on vacation this week — no doubt doing all of his Spring cleaning! Do not fear and don't despair, he'll return next Monday whether the clean-up is done or not. Quote Of The DayIt was baseball legend Joe Garagiola who said: "Oh well, half of one, six dozen of the other." Four Late Winter Factoids
1. No piece of paper can be folded more than seven times. March 19, 2008
On this day in 1974, the revamped Jefferson Airplane began their first tour under the name Jefferson Starship. The line-up included singer/guitarist Paul Kantner, singer Grace Slick, drummer Johnny Barbata, keyboardist David Freiberg, bassist Peter Kaukonen, guitarist Craig Chaquico and violinist Papa John Creach. On this day in 1976, Free guitarist Paul Kossoff died on a London-to-New York plane flight of a heart attack. The 26-year-old had been troubled with heart disease most of his life. On this day in 1982, 25-year-old Southern California guitar legend Randy Rhoads was killed in a plane crash while touring with Ozzy Osbourne. On this day in 1983, U2's album "War" made its first appearance on the American charts. But the Irish band had to wait until 1987 to score a major hit song in the U.S., when "With Or Without You" reached #1. 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.
Mucca Mucca MuccaWe were all hoping that the divorce drama between Paul McCartney and his estranged wife Heather Mills would finally end on Monday with Mucca collecting $48.7 million (of the $250 million she sought) for doing Macca in a timely manner. Sure, Heather poured a glass of water on the head of McCartney's attorney during the proceedings, and then spent 10 minutes whining to the press on the court house steps, but that was it — we hoped. Then yesterday the High Court judge who presided over the divorce released his 58-page judgment, calling her "a serial fantasist" with a "warped perception" of the world who "indulged in make-believe." He said Mills' evidence was "not just inconsistent and inaccurate but also less than candid." He also criticized her "explosive and volatile character", saying she was "her own worst enemy." Justice Bennett's High Court summation: "If, as she has done, a litigant flagrantly over-eggs the pudding and thus deprives the court of any sensible assistance, then he or she is likely to find that the court takes a robust view and drastically prunes the proposed budget." A real sweetie indeed! Exclusive Bruce VideosIf you really, really wanted to see what Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band's shows in Hartford or Montreal were like a few weeks ago, here's your chance. Bruce (or someone working for him) has posted exclusive video clips from the concerts at http://BruceSpringsteen.net. Included is the opening song of the entire tour, an ultra-rare performance of "So Young and In Love," which had only been played live once before. Others include Nils Lofgren's incredible guitar work on "Because the Night" — he is a guitar god! Just don't take too long to check them out, this is a limited time offer. E.C. WritesDarned if Eric Clapton didn't write two new songs for Soul music superstar Solomon Burke's new album, "Like A Fire" While you'll have to wait until June to hear the tunes, Clapton wrote the album's title track and co-wrote the song "Thank You" with Burke. Lots Of New/Old DeadDoesn't seem like it was 25 years ago that the Grateful Dead played three nights at San Francisco's Winterland Arena, does it? Well a quarter century after the fact, you can own a nine-disc boxed set featuring every note from each of those shows re-mastered in HDCD. "Winterland 1973: The Complete Recordings" includes 72 previously unreleased tracks as well as a 28-page, full color booklet with rare photos all for just $99.99 exclusively at http://Dead.net. But wait — there's more! If you pre-order the box set, you'll also receive a bonus disc featuring a rare compilation of unreleased tunes from a December 1973 Cincinnati Gardens show! We can only hope to live long enough to absorb all of that music in a timely fashion! Idol At WorkBilly Idol's longtime guitarist, Steve Stevens, says they have a number of projects underway. This Spring we can expect a Greatest Hits collection with a few new tracks, followed by a Summer tour. And Steve says, "We are writing for the new album right now." Sounds like an '09 release on that one.
Taking A BreakYer Uncle Joe is on vacation this week — no doubt doing all of his Spring cleaning! Do not fear and don't despair, he'll return next Monday whether the clean-up is done or not. Quote Of The DayIt was Susan Richman who said: "The trouble with dawn is that it comes too early in the day." March 20, 2008
Drumming legend Carl Palmer of Emerson, Lake & Palmer is 58.
On this day in 1964, John Lennon's first book, "In His Own Write," was published. On this day in 1968, Neil Young, Eric Clapton, Richie Furay and Jim Messina were arrested at a private residence in Los Angeles and charged with "being in a place where it is suspected marijuana is being used." While the others had to pay small fines for the misdemeanor, Clapton (the world's reigning guitar god), was found innocent. On this day in 1969, John Lennon and Yoko Ono were married at the Rock of Gibraltar. On this day in 1971, Janis Joplin's "Me And Bobby McGee" hit #1 on the pop singles chart. On this day in 1972, T. Rex released the "Electric Warrior" album, which included the hit "Bang A Gong (Get It On.)" On this day in 1982, Joan Jett & The Blackhearts' "I Love Rock 'N Roll" hit #1 on the pop singles charts for the first of seven weeks. On this day in 1991, Eric Clapton's four-year-old son, Conor, fell to his death from a 53rd story window in midtown Manhattan. The song "Tears in Heaven" was written in his memory. 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 Stage TonightThe Black Crowes will be rocking The Wiltern tonight! Ride The EaglesAn Eagles-themed roller coaster is the latest attraction to be unveiled at the soon-to-open Hard Rock Park in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. The 2,234-foot-long coaster will feature a specially re-recorded version of the band's 1977 hit "Life In The Fast Lane" as its soundtrack. A wild two-minute-long journey, Eagles Life In The Fast Lane features a double lift with lift heights of 39 feet and 46 feet, respectively. Wonder which band member inspired those? Boston's Remastered Greatest HitsBoston's mastermind, Tom Scholz, has finished the remastering to his liking, so look for a new "Greatest Hits" compilation to be released in conjunction with their upcoming tour, which kicks off June 6th. Remastered versions of the lead singles from all five of the band's studio albums will be included on the collection, which also will feature rare photos and fresh liner notes. Queen + Paul Rodgers On The RoadAs Queen + Paul Rodgers put the final touches on Queen's first new studio album in 13 years, they've announced "The Cosmos Rocks Over Europe" 28-date/14 country arena tour. The current line-up runs from a September 16th Moscow gig through a November 1st show in Vienna, Austria. The second leg of the tour will wrap in December with a visit to South America. U.S. dates will follow next year. Paul, guitarist Brian May and drummer Roger Taylor will release their as-yet-untitled album on September 1st, two weeks before the tour begins. Stay tuned for more details! Busy Busy ZZ TopZZ Top is revving up for a busy year. Guitarist Billy Gibbons was everywhere at this year's South By Southwest Music + Media Conference in Austin, where he performed at Rachael Ray's Feedback party and psychedelic rocker Roky Erickson's annual Ice Cream Social. Meanwhile, his bandmates Dusty Hill and Frank Beard were "supposedly" back in Dallas "in the studio, preparing a new series of sessions of new material" for the Top's first studio set since 2003's "Mescalero." Gibbons says the band plans to finish the album before Summer when a European tour begins. But even before the album is released, we'll see a concert DVD taped last November 1st in Grand Prairie, Texas. Gibbons says the final product is "untouched. It's full of mistakes, and that's the way we like it." Stay tuned for details about some American concert dates! A Steely SoloNot hard to believe it's been 14 years since Steely Dan guitarist/founding member Walter Becker released his first solo album. Evidently the moon and stars have finally aligned properly, resulting in Walter announcing plans to release his new solo album, "Circus Money," later this Spring. The wry musician is asking visitors to WalterBecker.com to vote for the promo strategy they'd most like to see employed to launch the album. Among the options are a stunt such as faking his own death, an Internet assault on his enemies, a complex program of promotional freebies and giveaways, a well-publicized arrest and many others. If only we could package his sense of humor!
Taking A BreakYer Uncle Joe is on vacation this week — no doubt doing all of his Spring cleaning! Do not fear and don't despair, he'll return next Monday whether the clean-up is done or not. Quote Of The DayIt was Wyatt Earp who said: "Fast is fine, but accuracy is everything." Easter MoneyWith Easter falling on March 23rd, the earliest Easter since 1913, consumers will be throwing down the cash. According to the National Retail Federation's 2008 Easter Consumer Intentions and Actions Survey (do you think a committee came up with that name?), consumers are expected to spend a total of $14.44 billion on Easter food, apparel, gifts, flowers, decorations and candy. The average consumer will shell out $135.03 on the holiday, similar to last year's $135.07. |
|