April 1 - 10, 2008

These 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!

April 1, 2008

John Barbata, drummer with the Jefferson Airplane and Starship, is 63.

The legendary Ronnie Lane, bassist with the Small Faces and owner of one of the first major mobile recording studios, would have been 62.

Toto drummer Jeff Porcaro would have been 54.

On this day in 1985, David Lee Roth officially left Van Halen to pursue a solo career. He was, of course, replaced by Sammy Hagar, who was then replaced some years later by Gary Cherone, who was then replaced by Sammy Hagar, who was then replaced by David Lee Roth, who was then replaced again by Sammy Hagar, who was then replaced again by David Lee Roth. Sounds like someone has a problem holding onto lead singers, doesn't it?

On this day in 1985, the We Are The World album was released after three million copies of the single with the same name had been sold. The album was bolstered by the inclusion of previously unreleased material donated by eight rock stars (including Bruce Springsteen).

U2 Sign Large (Real Large)

Guess they all plan on being around for a while! U2 has agreed to a 12-year global contract with Live Nation to handle their merchandising and digital and branding rights, as well as their touring. It's actually not a new relationship: Live Nation or its predecessors have produced and promoted every worldwide U2 tour since 1997, and a Live Nation subsidiary already manages the band's website. And since the contract has not been officially signed yet, no official dollar amount has been named. But as a point of reference, U2's 2005 to 2007 Elevation tour was the second highest grossing tour of all time, making $389 million. And the Irish lads can sell records, too. To date, U2's 11 studio albums have sold in excess of 140 million copies worldwide and garnered 22 GRAMMY Awards. Although Live Nation wanted a piece of that action as well, the boys will maintain their longtime recording and publishing relationship with the Universal Music Group. Currently, the band is working in Dublin on a new album which is expected out later this year. And you can bet there'll be a big-ass world tour rolling next year!

Just Another AC/DC Rumor

It's not that they are lazy, but AC/DC just haven't released a new album since 2000. And they really haven't felt compelled to tour for quite a while either. So people talk. Currently there's a rumor rolling around that the Australian quintet will do a "farewell" tour once the recording sessions for their new album have been completed later this year. Never mind that they haven't started writing or recording yet. And wasn't it just this past January that those same "informed sources" said that the band was nearly finished recording its next album which would be released this Spring? Yeah, sure. There's only one thing you can count on: Whenever AC/DC release the follow-up to their "Stiff Upper Lip" album, they're going to sell a boatload of copies. And then we'll all pay whatever is necessary to see them play live. Whenever that may be.

STP Reunion Grows

Looks like the Stone Temple Pilots have reunited with a vengeance. They're in the process of booking a full-fledged amphitheater tour of over 50 dates through this Summer and into the Fall. No Southland gigs have been announced yet, but STP will be playing at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on May 23rd as part of the Indy 500. More details will be announced during an April 7th press conference at the Harry Houdini Estate here in Los Angeles. This will be STP's first tour since the quartet imploded in 2002.

New/Old Neil Material

Back in 2000, Neil Young & Crazy Horse spent a number of weeks recording in a famous old rundown San Francisco jazz studio called Toast. But not much ever came of those sessions — until now. John Hanlon, who co-produced the original recordings, is busy mixing and prepping those previously unreleased tracks for release this Summer. The new album, titled "Toast," will include some earlier versions of songs that appear on Neil's 2002 "Are You Passionate?" album.

April Fool's Day

As you know, today is April Fool's Day — another of the Cynthia Fox Holy Days of Obligation! Personally, I live by Mark Twain's observation, "Without fools, the rest of us could not succeed." Just the same, here's a primer on this weird little 'Holiday.'

In sixteenth-century France, the start of the New Year was observed on April 1st much the same way as it is today with parties and dancing into the late hours of the night. But in 1562, Pope Gregory introduced a new calendar for the Christian world, and his New Year began on January 1st. Communications being what they were in the days when news traveled by foot, many people didn't receive the word on the new calendar for several years. As for the more obstinate French folks, they continued to celebrate the New Year on April 1st. Eventually, the general populace labeled these people as "fools." They were subject to ridicule, and were often sent on "fools errands" or were made the butt of other practical jokes. Over time, this kind of harassment evolved into a tradition of prank playing on the first day of April. By the eighteenth century, the tradition had spread to England and Scotland, and was later introduced to the American colonies of both the English and French. April Fool's Day thus developed into an international funfest, so to speak, with different nationalities specializing in their own brand of humor at the expense of their friends and families.

Around the world these days, April Fool's Day is a "for-fun-only" observance. Nobody is expected to buy gifts or to take their "significant other" out to eat in a fancy restaurant. Nobody gets off work or school. It's simply a fun little holiday, but one on which we must remain forever vigilant. Now come on mate, pull my finger.

April 2, 2008

Keyboardist Leon Russell is 67.
Drummer David Robinson of The Cars (the guy who came up with the band's name and image) is 57.
Bassist Leon Wilkeson of Lynyrd Skynyrd would have been 56.

On this day in 1967, The Beatles finished recording the "Sgt. Pepper" album.

On this day in 1967, vocalist/guitarist/keyboardist Steve Winwood left the Spencer Davis Group to form Traffic with singer/drummer Jim Capaldi, multi-instrumentalist Chris Wood and singer/guitarist Dave Mason.

On this day in 1977, Fleetwood Mac's "Rumours" album hit #1 for the first of 37 weeks! (It eventually went on to sell over 17 million copies.)

On this day in 1977, "Maybe I'm Amazed" by Paul McCartney & Wings peaked at #10 on the charts, "Carry On My Wayward Son" by Kansas topped out at #11, and "Do Ya" by the Electric Light Orchestra peaked at #24 on the charts.

On Stage

Chicago will be performing at the Thousand Oaks Civic Plaza tonight.

April Fool's Cheap Trick

Not only was yesterday April Fools' Day, it was also the first state-sanctioned Cheap Trick Day in Illinois! Somehow Trick guitarist Rick Nielsen and drummer Bun E. Carlos rolled out of bed in time to attend the news conference celebrating the event in their hometown of Rockford. In his unique manner, Nielsen revealed that the Trick "have a different couple of CDs coming out. We're also working on a video game." Unstated was that, other than goofing around playing music and video games, there's really nothing much to do in Rockford.

Weiland's Wish

No surprise that Velvet Revolver/Stone Temple Pilots frontman Scott Weiland got what he was wishing for. After feuding publicly with his bandmates for the past two weeks, Scott has now officially parted ways with Velvet Revolver's Slash, Duff McKagan, Matt Sorum and Dave Kushner. One day after Weiland's reunion tour with the Stone Temple Pilots was announced, a slightly ticked-off Slash said: "This band is all about its fans and its music and Scott Weiland isn't 100% committed to either. Among other things, his increasingly erratic onstage behavior and personal problems have forced us to move on." Weiland's parting shot included a hilarious recommendation for Velvet Revolver's new lead singer: "Good hunting lads, I think Sebastian Bach would be a fantastic choice." Seems like there might be inspiration for a good song or two in this split!

Why We Love Gene & Sharon

Since the beginning of time (or at least Rock & Roll), musicians grubbing for publicity by grabbing headlines has been a (cheap/sleazy) type of art form. So when the top two mouthing-off practitioners of our times were both in Australia last month, Sharon Osbourne's anti-Gene Simmons outburst really wasn't a surprise. Her exact words were: "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." Gene's reaction: "Oh, she's terrific. Sharon is terrific... I've known Sharon and Ozzy for 30 or more years, and some of it... well, you know Sharon. Some of it is bluster. Because it makes great copy. Ozzy was touring at the same time as KISS. He was playing the Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne, and the night before or the night after we played outdoors at the Formula One car-racing grand prix. I was quite cool with what Sharon said. I mean, part of it was that there was so much media attention for KISS... I honestly didn't know Ozzy was in town. Until Sharon delivered that sound bite, that is. That was the first I knew about it. 'He's a twat, he wears women's clothing,' whatever it was she said. That's cool. It's edgy. I love that." Please note that in this round, Gene got three times as many words published as Sharon. Right so!

Acoustic Who

This should be good! The Who's Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend will play a special acoustic set during the final night (April 13th) of the Teenage Cancer Trust's 2008 concert series at London's Royal Albert Hall. "I was really thrilled when Pete called up and offered to do this," says Daltrey, who is a longtime patron of the charity. The duo will headline several singer/songwriters at the show, which is being dubbed TCT Sessions. Sorry punters, it's doubtful Pete will be destroying any equipment on stage this time.

Quote Of The Day

It was Abraham Lincoln who said: "And in the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years."

Americans Recycling

Americans are saving more trees than ever. The American Forest & Paper Association says 56% of the paper consumed in the U.S. last year was recovered for recycling. That 54.3 million tons of recycled paper adds up to more than 360 pounds for every American man, woman and child. It's also enough to fill more than 14,000 railroad cars and over 25 million tons more paper than was recycled in 1990. The goal is for 60% of paper consumed in the U.S. to be recovered for recycling by 2012. Right so!

April 3, 2008

Dee Murray, Elton John's long time bassist, would have been 62.
Grand Funk bassist Mel Schacher is 57.
KLOS' own Cynthia Fox is 29.

On this day in 1965, Bob Dylan appeared on the music charts for the first time with the song "Subterranean Homesick Blues."

On this day in 1971, "Oye Como Va" by Santana peaked at #13 on the charts.

On this day in 1976, David Bowie's "Golden Years" peaked at #10 on the charts.

On this day in 1982, "Juke Box Hero" by Foreigner peaked at #26 on the charts.

On this day in 1991, Paul McCartney did an acoustic performance for "MTV Unplugged," and then became the first artist to release an "Unplugged" performance as an album.

On Stage

Kansas will be rocking The Grove of Anaheim tonight.

More Plant/Krauss

As expected, Led Zeppelin singer/rock god Robert Plant and bluegrass superstar/angel Alison Krauss have announced the third leg of their U.S. tour. The new gigs run from July 7th through the 19th... well after the duo's June 23rd and 24th dates here at the Greek Theatre. Krauss and Plant hit the road on April 19th in Louisville to support their million-selling collaborative album, "Raising Sand." They'll be performing songs from that T Bone Burnett-produced album as well as a few selections from each artist's discography. Can't wait!

T Bone/Who/Covers

Who knew? The Who are going to record a collection of vintage R&B covers, similar to the Motown and James Brown songs they performed early on in their career, with one of America's top producers. T Bone Burnett, who'll begin recording in London with the boys this Fall, says "We're digging through lots of material and seeing what will work. There's an incredible treasury of songs in the mode of what they used to play. Not 'Heat Wave' [an early favorite of the band], but ones that people probably haven't heard of." Pete Townshend says he may also write a new song or two for the project.

Mickster The Jokester

A gloomy, drizzly London night provided the backdro for a bit of Mick Jagger's classic dry humor at the European premiere of Martin Scorsese's The Rolling Stones concert film "Shine A Light." Mick, Keith Richards, Charlie Watts and Ronnie Wood were all present last night as the film was beamed by satellite to over 100 U.K. cinemas. In thanking Scorsese, who "directed the picture in a really wonderful way," Jagger described the Oscar-winning director as "a very interesting and good guy to work with." Referring to Marty's normally heavy films, Mick went on to say, "In this movie, there are no deaths. There is no violence... but there is a very tragic ending, so get your hankies out."

Sir Elty & Elvis

How cool is this? It turns out that Elton John is one of the executive producers of the upcoming "Spectacle: Elvis Costello With..." TV series. The hour-long show debuting later this year on the Sundance Channel will feature Elvis Costello's interviews and performances with an eclectic variety of musicians. His description of the program is a delight: "I'm not interested in extracting some dark secret. I'd rather hear about a bright secret, a deep love or a curiosity that might be otherwise obscured by fame. This is a wonderful opportunity to talk in complete thoughts about music, movies, art or even vaudeville, then frame it with unique and illustrative performances." A portion of the show's income will be donated to the Global Funds work on AIDS relief in Africa.

Rush's Tease

You should expect some different songs when Rush hits the Nokia Theatre L.A. Live next month. Guitarist Alex Lifeson says, "We thought we should maybe revisit some older songs we're not playing currently or haven't been in the last little while." Last year's tour featured a number of rarities that were captured for the upcoming "Snakes & Arrows Live" album due out on April 15th. A DVD of that same show will be out later this Summer. Alex says that he and bandmates Geddy Lee and Neil Peart have also been thinking about recording their next studio album, most likely with "Snakes & Arrows" co-producer Nick Raskulinecz. "I'm guessing that we're probably going to take a little bit of the break at the end of this tour... I don't see us really doing much in the way of any new material probably until the Spring of next year, and then we'll see where we go. We generally prefer to just start on that first day and sit down and start jamming; it's such an exciting moment, and it becomes it's own living thing. We seem to be much more balanced and a lot happier working that way." And a balanced and happy Canadian trio is a good thing for all of us!

Quote Of The Day

It was skating superstar/cancer survivor Scott Hamilton who said: "The only disability in life is a bad attitude."

Toddlers Banned From Marriage

An Arkansas law that allowed anyone — even toddlers — to marry with parental permission was finally repealed on Wednesday, ending months of embarrassment for the state and confusion for county clerks. Lawmakers didn't realize (until after the end of last year's regular session) that a law they approved intending to establish 18 as the minimum age for marriage, completely removed the minimum age to marry instead. An extraneous "not" in the bill's wording allowed anyone who was not pregnant to marry at any age with permission. Authorities said there hadn't been any reports of young children attempting to marry under the 2007 law. But you know how long it takes news to filter out into those backwoods!

April 4, 2008

Blues great Muddy Waters would have been 93.
Original Allman Brothers bassist Berry Oakley would have been 59.

On this day in 1964, The Beatles held the Top 5 slots on the American singles charts with "Can't Buy Me Love," "Twist and Shout," "She Loves You," "I Want To Hold Your Hand" and "Please, Please Me." Pretty good for a boy band from Liverpool.

On this day in 1964, The Rolling Stones released their first, self-titled album. It initially sold dozens.

On this day in 1981, Styx's "Paradise Theater" album hit #1.

On this day in 1987, Genesis' "Tonight, Tonight, Tonight" peaked at #3 on the U.S. singles chart.

On this day in 1987, U2's incredible "The Joshua Tree" album entered the U.S. album chart at #7, the highest new entry on the chart since 1980.

On this day in 1996, Grateful Dead guitarist Jerry Garcia's ashes were spread over the river Ganges in India by his widow and bandmate Bob Weir. However, Jerry's ex-wife and four daughters said he actually wanted to be sprinkled over the Pacific. Don't you just hate when that happens?

This Sunday night at 9 on 95.5 KLOS, OFF THE RECORD with Joe Benson will feature the music of Queen as well as conversation with guitarist Brian May, drummer Roger Taylor, bassist John Deacon and singer Freddie Mercury.

On Stage

Bon Jovi will be rocking the Honda Center in Anaheim this evening and tomorrow night.

New Crue For You

The first Motley Crue album in over a decade to feature all four original members is due out on July 8th. Bassist/group leader Nikki Sixx says that the finished "The Dirt" album "has the vibe of "Dr. Feelgood," "Girls Girls Girls" and "Shout At The Devil." There's also a lot of humor because, let's face it, we're ridiculously funny." As for the band's "colossal" announcement on April 15th, the boys deny it will be about a festival-type Cruefest tour. Like most observers, I don't believe any part of that denial, but if that's what they want to say, then so be it.

Unique Green Packaging

Wal-Mart is selling various Universal Music Enterprises releases in unique packaging as part of a joint Earth Month campaign. The compilations by Eric Clapton, the Eagles, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Jimi Hendrix, Bon Jovi, Def Leppard, Styx and KISS are encased in plastic-free, recycled materials. The packaging also features a special insert that contains details on how to access free downloads, and is made of "seed paper" that can be planted to grow wildflowers. Now if they could only dial long distance...

Joe & Tim Presenting

Look for Eagles guitarist Joe Walsh and bassist Timothy B. Schmit to dress up real pretty when they serve as presenters at the 2008 CMT Music Awards on April 14th. Sure, the Eagles are in the running for the Wide Open Country Video of the Year trophy at the Nashville event, but you know Joe and Timothy will both say that they were honored just to be invited to the show. Of course we all know it would be much more fun to win!

Even More Awards

Led Zeppelin's 2007 reunion show will vie for the Live Performance Of The Year honor at the 7th Annual Jammy Awards on May 7th in New York. Additional nominees in the category include a pair of collaborative jams from last year's Bonnaroo festival that each featured Zep bassist John Paul Jones. Among the other artists logically receiving various nominations are the Allman Brothers Band, Neil Young, the Grateful Dead and the Black Crowes' Chris and Rich Robinson.

iTunes Tops Wal-Mart

It turns out that it finally happened back in February. Apple's iTunes online music store vaulted past Wal-Mart Stores to become the top overall American music retailer. Best Buy was ranked third, with Amazon.com and Target tied for the fourth spot. iTunes has sold more than 4 billion tracks since its launch in 2003, thanks in part to the popularity of its iPod portable music players. The music store sold around 25 million tracks in 2003. Three years later, it surpassed the 1 billion mark, and by this past July, it had sold more than 3 billion tracks.

Six of Steven Wright's Best For The Weekend

1. I almost had a psychic girlfriend but she left me before we met.
2. Do infants enjoy infancy as much as adults enjoy adultery?
3. If a parsley farmer is sued, can they garnish his wages?
4. If a turtle doesn't have a shell, is he homeless or naked?
5. Is Santa so jolly because he knows where all the bad girls live?

April 5, 2008

Mike McCready, Pearl Jam's blazing lead guitarist, is 42.

On this day in 1969, The Who's "Pinball Wizard" entered the singles charts.

On this day in 1980, R.E.M. played their first public gig at a private party in an old Athens, Georgia church.

On this day in 1986, John Mellencamp's "R.O.C.K. in the U.S.A." peaked at #2 on the singles chart.

On this day in 1994, Kurt Cobain, the guitarist behind the groundbreaking band Nirvana, committed suicide at the age of 27 in his Seattle home.

On this day in 1998, legendary drummer Cozy Powell died at the age of 50 in a high-speed car crash near Bristol, England. Cozy had played with Rainbow, Black Sabbath, Jeff Beck and Whitesnake, among others.

April 6, 2008

Allman Brothers/Govt. Mule guitarist Warren Haynes is 48.

On this day in 1974, the Eagles, Deep Purple, Emerson, Lake & Palmer and Black Sabbath played at the first Cal Jam at the Ontario Motor Speedway (about where you'll find the Ontario Mills outlet mall today). If you have any friends born in January '75... well, that Cal Jam parking lot was a wild, wild place!

On this day in 1984, guitarist "Little" Steven Van Zandt announced that he was leaving The E Street Band to pursue solo projects.

On this day in 1991, R.E.M.'s "Losing My Religion" entered the singles charts.

April 7, 2008

Drummer Spencer Dryden, who most notably played with the Jefferson Airplane, would have been 70.
Original Jethro Tull guitarist Mick Abrahams is 65.
Grateful Dead drummer Bill Kreutzmann is 62.
John Oates, of Hall & Oates, is 59.
Bruce Gary, the original drummer for The Knack and an ace session man, would have been 57.

On this day in 1962, at London's Ealing Blues Club, Mick Jagger and Keith Richards first met Brian Jones. Within the year, they formed The Rolling Stones.

On this day in 1973, David Bowie's "Space Oddity" peaked at #15 on the U.S. singles chart.

On this day in 1979, "Sultans Of Swing" by Dire Straits peaked at #4 on the charts.

On this day in 1987, after preacher Oral Roberts told his TV congregation that God would kill him if he didn't raise $1 million in donations, Ozzy Osbourne sent him a dollar to be put toward psychiatric treatment.

On this day in 1998, pop star George Michael was arrested for lewd conduct in a public restroom in a Beverly Hills park.

On Stage

Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band will be rocking the Honda Center in Anaheim tonight and again tomorrow.

A Procol Take Back

Congratulations, you've won the cash! Oops, now you haven't! In 2006, London's High Court awarded former Procol Harum keyboard player Matthew Fisher 40% of the copyright to the band's hit "A Whiter Shade of Pale," which has sold an estimated 10+ million copies since its 1967 release. At that point, the court agreed with Fisher that he wrote and arranged the song's key organ music. However, on this past Friday a British appeal court gave everything back to Procol Harum's founder/singer Gary Brooker, saying that, while Fisher should be credited with co-authorship of the seminal track, the fact that it took him 38 years to take the case to court meant he should not benefit financially. The judgment specifically said, "Matthew Fisher is guilty of excessive and inexcusable delay in his claim to assert joint title to a joint interest in the work." With the understatement of a stoic Brit, Fisher described the appeal court's ruling as "peculiar."

Genesis To Speak

To promote the release of their live DVD of last year's reunion tour, "When In Rome 2007," Genesis will take part in a Q&A session to be beamed via satellite live into 20 movie theaters across Britain. They say that the group will take questions from the audience, but won't be performing. We say why not here? May 20th is the trio's date with destiny, leading up to the release of the DVD Stateside on May 27th. The disc documents a July, 2007 concert at Circo Massimo that drew an estimated 500,000 fans. The DVD digipak will contain a 28-page booklet and feature over five hours of content on two concert discs and a documentary DVD.

Sammy Does Phoenix

Warning: Part of this story is a little scary! Sammy Hagar will be an honorary pace car driver at Friday night's Bashas' Supermarkets 200 NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Phoenix International Raceway. But don't worry for the crowd's safety, Sammy will be surrounded by walls. The former Van Halen frontman will also be an honorary race official before the Subway Fresh Fit 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race Saturday night, and he may even get to wave the checkered flag. Wow. Actually, it will be quite interesting to compare his performance with Eddie Val Halen's at that same race a couple years back.

Quote Of The Day

It was G. K. Chesterton who said: "There are some desires that are not desirable."

Topless/Lapless

Frustrated by distracted plugged-in workers tuning out in the middle of meetings, a growing number of companies are going "topless" — as in no laptops allowed. Bans are also hitting BlackBerrys, iPhones and other devices. Over the years, companies have come up with innovative ways to keep meetings from sucking up time including getting everyone to drink a glass of water beforehand. But as laptops have gotten lighter and smart phones smarter, people have discovered a new diversion. Let's just hope this whole problem gets solved before "lapless" meetings become necessary!

April 8, 2008

Yes guitarist Steve Howe is 61.
John Lennon's eldest son Julian is 45.

On Stage

Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band will be rocking the Honda Center in Anaheim again tonight.

Bob's Pulitzer

Bob Dylan, the most acclaimed and influential songwriter of the past half century, has been awarded a special honorary Pulitzer Prize for his songwriting contributions. The Pulitzer honor officially recognizes the folk rock icon's "profound impact on popular music and American culture, marked by lyrical compositions of extraordinary poetic power." This marks the first time Pulitzer judges, who have long favored classical music, have acknowledged Rock & Roll, much less awarded the art form once dismissed as barbaric. Oh course, long after his contemporaries either died, left the business or held on by the ties of nostalgia, Dylan continues to tour almost continuously and release highly regarded albums, most recently 2006's "Modern Times." Not that his speech is any easier to understand these days, but congrats on the honor just the same!

Jimmy's Big Rug Didn't Sell

While many items at Sotheby's largest-ever auction of 19th and 20th century British design went for really big bucks, Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page's 24-foot long tapestry didn't meet its reserve price and will remain in Pagey's personal collection. He bought the Burne-Jones piece, "The Quest For The Holy Grail: The Achievement" in 1978 and is only the third person to ever own it. They say that Mr. Page wanted to sell it because it's too heavy to hang on the oak walls of his new home. And no doubt it's too long to fit in his motorhome.

Tull's 40th

Hard to believe, but Jethro Tull released their debut album, "This Was," 40 years ago this Fall. To celebrate the anniversary, a double-disc collector's edition has been re-mastered and expanded. The anniversary special features — for the first time ever on CD — the album's original mono mix as well as a new stereo mix. But wait — there's more! The set also boasts nine related 1968 recordings for a BBC Radio program, plus four rare 1968 U.K. singles including the original version of Tull's classic "Christmas Song." You can scarf one up on June 10th, and watch the boys perform at the Greek Theater on August 17th.

Making Money Off Bon

A cultural facility in Bon Scott's boyhood hometown of Fremantle, Australia, is planning an upcoming series of multimedia events to honor the late AC/DC frontman. The Bon Scott Project, which will run at the Fremantle Arts Centre from May 17th through June 29th, will feature a collection of Scott's personal letters, as well as sculpture, paintings, photography and installations that address the singer's career and legacy. Any way to make a buck off the dead guy, eh mate?

Quote Of The Day

It was Mark Twain who said: "Part of the secret of success in life is to eat what you like and let the food fight it out inside."

April 9, 2008

Hall of Famer Carl "Blue Suede Shoes" Perkins would have been 76.

On this day in 1977, less than an hour into a Led Zeppelin concert in the Chicago Stadium, guitar god Jimmy Page collapsed onstage with stomach cramps. I was there and saw him drink that entire bottle of J&B scotch whiskey. It was the last time the Zep ever played the Windy City (and they really weren't very good for that 40 minutes!).

On Stage

Bon Jovi will be rocking the Staples Center tonight.

Heart/Bono/Idol Tonight

You want to see Ann and Nancy Wilson of Heart perform their hit song "Barracuda" with Fergie tonight on the "Idol Gives Back" charity fundraiser special on the Fox TV network. U2's Bono also appears on the show, but not to perform. Fergie, who asked the Wilson sisters to join her on the gala, also does "Barracuda" at her own shows, and word is that she capped this performance with some impromptu one-handed cartwheels. Sounds like it's Tivo time!

All Hail Steve & Lionel

Steve Miller and Lionel Richie will be recognized by ASCAP as the co-recipients of the organization's Golden Note Award. The honor, given to songwriters, composers and performers, acknowledges their extraordinary career achievements. The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers will present the award during the 25th Annual ASCAP Pop Music Awards ceremony tonight at the Kodak Theatre. Previous honorees include Tom Petty, Stevie Wonder and Quincy Jones.

Morello Joins Bruce

Famed guitar god Tom Morello of Rage Against The Machine joined Bruce Springsteen on stage during Monday night's Honda Center concert. The guitarist performed "Ghost of Tom Joad" with the Boss and his E Street Band at the show, and his extended guitar solo on the song "built to a stunning climax."

Bare Naked Geddy For The Kids

Rush frontman Geddy Lee has added his vocals to the hilarious new Barenaked Ladies children's album, "Snacktime." Lyle Lovett, Sarah McLachlan and Gordon Lightfoot also contributed their voices to the wacky Canadian's album. As of May 6th, you'll be able to buy "Snacktime" at BNLMusic.com.

T.P.'s A Happy Guy

Tom Petty says he is totally thrilled to be working again with his pre-Heartbreakers band Mudcrutch — as well he should! The band's forthcoming self-titled debut is due out on April 29th and they've just added two more shows — May 1st and 2nd — to their sold-out 4-night run at the Troubadour.

STP's Return

The reunited Stone Temple Pilots officially announced their Summer reunion tour plans Monday night with a brief performance at the former estate of magician Harry Houdini, tucked away in the Hollywood Hills. The group's 30-minute set was its first since disbanding in 2002. STP will embark on a full-fledged summer amphitheater tour of North America, beginning on May 17th in Columbus, Ohio. The upcoming 65-date trek will include a June 24th stop at the Hollywood Bowl. Guitarist Dean DeLeo also predicted that, if things go smoothly, the band would start work on a new album, their first since 2001's "Shangri-La Dee Da."

Saying Goodbye To Neil

Neil Aspinall, the former head of Apple Corps who was known as the "fifth Beatle," was laid to rest this week.  Among the hundreds at the English funeral were John Lennon's widow Yoko Ono, as well as Paul McCartney's daughter Stella. Others in attendance included producer George Martin, original Beatle Pete Best, Ringo Starr's wife Barbara Bach and Pete Townshend of The Who, who performed "Mr. Tambourine Man" as well as George Harrison's "My Sweet Lord" on his guitar at the service. While neither Ringo nor McCartney were at the funeral, Sir Paul, who was out of the country, was able to see Aspinall in a New York hospital just before the producer died of lung cancer two weeks ago.

Quote Of The Day

It was Dudley Moore who said: "The best car safety device is a rearview mirror with a cop in it."

Five Quick Verbiage Factoids

1. A goldfish has a memory span of three seconds.
2. A 'jiffy' is an actual unit of time for 1/100th of a second.
3. Women blink nearly twice as much as men.
4. In the last 4,000 years, no new animals have been domesticated.
5. An ostrich's eye is bigger than its brain. (Bet you work with someone like that too!)

April 10, 2008

Guitarist/singer Brian Setzer of Stray Cats fame is 49.

On this day in 1956, Leo Fender patented the Stratocaster guitar — THE Rock & Roll guitar!

On this day in 1962, Stu Sutcliffe — The Beatles' original bass player — died of a brain hemorrhage at the age of 22. He had actually left the group several months earlier, suffering from chronic headaches. He also originated the "Beatles haircut," pioneering the look of shaggy, brushed forward hair.

On this day in 1968, Mickey Hart joined the Grateful Dead at the invitation of drummer Bill Kreutzmann.

On this day in 1970, newspapers around the world carried Paul McCartney's statement that he was quitting The Beatles and that the group would never work together again. He cited personal differences with John Lennon and disapproval of John's wife, Yoko, and the Beatles' financial advisor, Allen Klein, as his reason for the split. The next week, he released his debut solo album. But 30 years later, this week in 2000, the story came out that McCartney was most reluctant to have the group dissolve. It was actually John Lennon who had walked away a couple of months earlier.

On this day in 1971, The Doors' "Love Her Madly" entered the singles charts.

On this day in 1974, Eric Clapton began the recording sessions for what became his "461 Ocean Boulevard" album. Although the album was named for the home that he was staying in, the music was actually recorded at Criteria Studios in Miami.

On this day in 1976, Aerosmith's "Dream On" peaked at #6 on the singles chart.

On this day in 1976, Peter Frampton's "Comes Alive" album began 10 weeks at #1 on the charts.

On this day in 1982, The J. Geils Band's song "Freeze-Frame" topped out at #4 on the singles chart.

This Sunday night at 9 on 95.5 KLOS, OFF THE RECORD with Joe Benson will feature the music of The Rolling Stones, as well as conversation with Keith Richards, Mick Jagger and Martin Scorsese.

Idol For A Great Cause

No matter how wonderful or cheesy you find Fox's "American Idol," last night's "Idol Gives Back" featured some of the most stunning musical moments seen in years. The focus of the two-and-a-half-hour special was vignettes of a diverse group of artists, athletes, politicians and celebrities showcasing people in Africa and the U.S. facing tough times interspersed with excellent performances taped at the Kodak Theatre on Sunday. Bono and Annie Lennox's segments with HIV/Aids orphans from Africa were extremely moving. Annie's emotional performance of Jimmy Cliff's "Many Rivers To Cross" was one of the most stunning you'll ever see, while Fergie's rockin' duet with Ann and Nancy Wilson of Heart was one of the most kick ass. Last year, "Idol Gives Back" raised $75 million dollars for the various charities. This year, organizers hope to raise nearly $100 million. Right so!

U2 Be Working

Confirmation from the U2 camp that the band is back in the studio in Dublin working on its next album with producers Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois. With a release targeted for later this year, the as-yet-untitled disc will be followed by a 2009 tour. Meanwhile, guitarist The Edge has overseen the remastering of the Irish lads' 1980 album "Boy," their 1981 "October" and it's 1983 follow-up, "War." Due out on July 22, the reissues will include double-CD packages featuring B-sides, rare tracks and live material.

Liverpool Chop Job

Some idiot has cut off Ringo Starr's head. Liverpool's topiary tribute to The Beatles, which was proudly unveiled last month in the Fab Four's hometown, took 18 months to cultivate and less than a minute to vandalize. Because the other three band members' likenesses remained undamaged, authorities suspect that the chop job was a response to Ringo's opening remarks at the European Capital of Culture events in which he stated he didn't miss anything about Liverpool. Guess they pretty much proved why!

R.E.M. Sells Large

R.E.M.'s new "Accelerate" album has entered the Billboard 200 at #2 in its first week out. Van Morrison's "Keep It Simple" debuted at #10 and The Rolling Stones' "Shine a Light" soundtrack scored a #11 debut. R.E.M.'s "Accelerate" also opened strong globally, topping charts in the United Kingdom, Canada, Ireland, Denmark, Norway, Switzerland and the Czech Republic.

Howe's Motif

Yes/Asia guitarist Steve Howe has put together a new solo CD titled "Motif" that includes a variety of reworked versions of songs from his previous recordings as well as several new compositions and a Chet Atkins cover. He's currently selling the album exclusively at Asia concerts, but will eventually make it available through other outlets.

Quote Of The Day

It was G. K. Chesterton who said: "The reformer is always right about what is wrong. He is generally wrong about what is right."