June 21 - 30, 2011
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!
June 21, 2011
The Kinks leader Ray Davies is 67.
Guitarist Joey Molland of Badfinger is 64.
Aerosmith drummer Joey Kramer turns 61.
Guitarist Nils Lofgren of the E-Street Band hits 60.
On this day in 1966, Britain's top session guitarist, Jimmy Page, made his live debut with The Yardbirds at a show at the Marquee Club in London. His transformation of that group into Led Zeppelin was just two years away.
On this day in 1975, guitarist Ritchie Blackmore left Deep Purple, the band he had carefully formed seven years earlier. Soon his next band, Rainbow, was up and running with Ronnie James Dio on vocals.
On this day in 1981, Walter Becker and Donald Fagen put Steely Dan on a hiatus that lasted 13 years.
On this day in 2001, blues legend John Lee Hooker died in his sleep in his Los Altos, California home at the age of 83. Hooker was perhaps the most influential of all the old bluesmen, with songs covered by Led Zeppelin, The Rolling Stones, ZZ Top, The Doors and many more.
The Return Of M.U.S.E.
Crosby, Stills & Nash, Jackson Browne, Tom Morello and The Doobie Brothers (plus special guests yet to be announced!) will play an August 7th benefit at the Shoreline Amphitheater in Mountain View for Musicians United For Safe Energy to support Japan disaster relief and anti-nuclear energy organizations worldwide. Browne, Nash, Bonnie Raitt and John Hall founded M.U.S.E. in 1979 and held five "No Nukes" concerts at Madison Square Garden in September 1979. Line-ups for those shows included Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band, James Taylor, Carly Simon and Tom Petty, among many others. The proceeds from this year's gig will be distributed to support disaster relief efforts. Lawn tickets will be just $15, and the entire show will be run by solar power, bio-diesel and wind.
Macca Clears Late August
Why do you suppose Paul McCartney has scratched two of the "unofficial" dates of his "On The Run" tour — Regina, Canada in late August and Minneapolis on September 1st? Could it be that he plans to wed his fiance Nancy Shevell in late August? Stay tuned!
Soundgarden Recording/Touring
With Soundgarden kicking off their month-long North American Summer tour on July 2nd, the reunited band is still working on new music. Guitarist Kim Thayil says, "We have about 14 songs in various stages of completion. Previously, we'd just block out a bunch of time and go and track everything at once, but we can't really do that right now. Matt [Cameron] has commitments to Pearl Jam, Chris [Cornell] has a solo tour happening and Soundgarden is touring in July. So we do the studio thing around those other engagements, which actually is turning out to be a lot better for us. It takes the pressure off in some ways."
It was Fred Allen who said: "A celebrity is a person who works hard all his life to become well known, then wears dark glasses to avoid being recognized."
It was H. L. Mencken who said: "A celebrity is one who is known to many persons he is glad he doesn't know."
It was William Shakespeare who said [in "As You Like It"]:
"All the world's a stage,
And all the men and women merely players.
They have their exits and their entrances;
And one man in his time plays many parts..."
Summertime!
"Summertime, and the livin' is easy." Southern California will be celebrating the Summer Solstice at 10:16am this morning. Both the longest day and shortest night of the year, this marks the official changing of the seasons. "Solstice" is derived from two words: "sol" meaning "sun," and "sistere," meaning "to stand still." On the day of the solstice, the sun rises an imperceptible amount, in a sense, it "stands still" — what an excuse to party! And when it comes to partying, who knew more than the ancients. An utterly astounding array of ancient cultures built their greatest architectural masterpieces specifically to align with the solstices and equinoxes. Stonehenge is a perfect marker of both winter and summer solstices. Native Americans created countless stone structures linked to equinoxes and solstices, including the 20-acre amphitheatre in Vermont called Calendar One and the Bighorn Medicine Wheel in Wyoming. Since the time of the ancients, this time of year — between the planting and harvesting of the crops — has also been the traditional period for weddings. Besides fertility, planting seeds, gathering of herbs, pagan rituals and partying in Santa Barbara, Summer Solstice means so much more here in Southern California. OK, it primarily means bikini waxing and sunscreen, but it is meaningful none-the-less. Just be wary of that fertility thing!
June 22, 2011
Todd Rundgren is 63.
38 Special bassist Larry Junstrom is 62.
INXS bassist Garry Gary Beers is 54.
On this day in 1847, the doughnut was invented.
On this day in 1968, The Jeff Beck Group debuted in New York City. Their lead singer, Rod Stewart, was so nervous he hid behind the speakers for the first few songs. No, there wasn't a young blonde back there with him, but we all know how he likes his doughnuts.
On this day in 2008, George Carlin, the iconic, acerbic, GRAMMY-winning comedian/actor/author whose career spanned more than 50 years, died of heart failure in Santa Monica at the age of 71.
Allman's For Hep C
The Allman Brothers Band will return to New York's Beacon Theater on July 27th — way before their annual residency next March. The reason is a one-off benefit show on the eve of World Hepatitis Day, with the proceeds going to community-based organizations that provide education and support services to people with chronic hepatitis C. A year ago, Gregg Allman underwent a liver transplant after his own liver was damaged due to his Hepatitis C. Knowing that about 3.2-million Americans have chronic Hepatitis C, we say right so to Gregg and the boys for their support!
There Goes Jon's Knee!
After suffering a serious knee strain on stage Friday in Helsinki, Finland, Jon Bon Jovi wore a large black leg brace during Sunday's Bon Jovi concert in Denmark. While the temporary fix is working, the injury is so bad that he'll need surgery to repair a ligament after the tour ends next month.
Chickenfoot's Latest Finished
Original Van Halen bassist Michael Anthony has confirmed that the new Chickenfoot album is now finished. He says, "It's a lot heavier than the first record and I can't wait to get it out there! The first single should hit the airwaves sometime this Summer with the full enchilada to follow in the Fall." Michael, guitar god Joe Satriani and Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith had recorded the basic tracks at singer Sammy Hagar's Foot Locker Studios in Marin County in January. The project was completed when Chad was on a short break from finishing the Red Hot Chili Peppers new album (which will be out in August).
Leslie Looses A Leg
In a life-saving operation related to his type 2 diabetes, Mountain guitarist Leslie West had his lower right leg amputated last Saturday. The 65-year-old underwent the emergency surgery in Biloxi, Mississippi after his leg began to swell and his foot went septic. Doctors tried to save the leg, but were forced to sever the limb to avoid the risk of having the infection spread to the rest of his body. Leslie is expected to recover from the surgery, but will face an extensive rehabilitation period. His new album, "The Unusual Suspects," which features appearances by Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top and Slash among others, probably won't be released until after West has completed his physical therapy.
It was Satchel Paige who said: "Age is a question of mind over matter. If you don't mind, it doesn't matter."
It was Hank Ketcham who said: "Flattery is like chewing gum. Enjoy it, but don't swallow it."
It was Mitch Ratcliffe who said: "Computers have enabled people to make more mistakes faster than almost any invention in history, with the possible exception of tequila and hand guns."
This Saturday, 11a - 1p: You can check out some incredible rides and join J.B. at the Barrett-Jackson collector car auction at the O.C. Fair & Event Center in Costa Mesa! This is one of the world's most well known collector car sales, where you'll see vehicles ranging in price from a few thousand to a few hundred thousand dollars being snapped up like candy!
June 23, 2011
Original Beatle bassist Stuart Sutcliffe would have been 71.
Grateful Dead lyricist Robert Hunter is 70.
On this day in 1976, Paul McCartney & Wings wrapped up their "Wings Over America" tour at The Fabulous Forum in Inglewood. Macca didn't tour the States for another 13 years — do you think somebody ticked him off?
On this day in 1979, Supertramp's "Breakfast In America" album hit #1 just as The Knack's "My Sharona" entered the singles charts on its way to #1.
On this day in 1984, Bruce Springsteen's "Born In The U.S.A." album entered the charts on its way to seven weeks at #1.
On this day in 1984, Van Halen's all-time driving classic "Panama" entered the singles charts.
Top LP Almost Finished
Before heading over to Europe for a series of concert dates, ZZ Top's Billy F. Gibbons announced that the Texas trio have almost finished their first studio album since 2003's "Mescalero." And it sure sounds like super-producer Rick Rubin is still involved with the as-yet-untitled album, which awaits its final mixing and artwork approval before it's released later this Fall. How's Billy feel about it? "We're having a blast. It's loud, it's fast… streamlined right on down the line. ZZ Top is just what it is."
Massive Nevermind Rerelease
One of those albums that changed the face and sound of Rock & Roll, Nirvana's "Nevermind," will be reissued on September 20th as a deluxe five-disc expanded set. Having sold over 30 million copies and considered to be the top album of the Nineties, the massive 20th anniversary Super Deluxe Edition will include a ton of previously unheard recordings, rarities, B-sides, radio sessions, live performances and an unreleased concert presented in its entirety on DVD. Produced by Butch Vig, "Nevermind" was Nirvana's second studio album and the first recorded by the iconic trio of the late Kurt Cobain, bassist Krist Novoselic and drummer Dave Grohl (now better known as the Foo Fighters frontman).
Queen/A&E
If you haven't seen the Queen documentary "Days Of Our Lives" yet, you really need to get with it. Fortunately, it will air on the A&E network on Monday!
Services For Clarence
A memorial service was held for E Street Band saxophonist Clarence Clemons in Palm Beach yesterday. Word is that Bruce Springsteen delivered an emotional eulogy for his longtime friend after performing a special solo version of "Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out." The service ended with a performance by Springsteen, the E Street Band and Jackson Browne, who played "You're A Friend of Mine" — Browne's 1985 hit with Clemons. The Big Man's fifth wife and widow, Victoria, said that he asked her to scatter his ashes at a cherished spot in Hawaii with "all of the special women in his life," including his previous wives — three of whom were at the ceremony.
It was Coach John Wooden who said: "Practice doesn't make perfect; perfect practice does."
It was Katherine Whitehorn who said: "Outside every thin woman is a fat man trying to get in."
It was Douglas Adams who said: "I love deadlines. I like the whooshing sound they make as they fly by."
June 24, 2011
Guitar god Jeff Beck is 67.
Singer Colin Blunstone of The Zombies is 66.
Drummer/rock icon Mick Fleetwood is 64.
Former Yes and Moody Blues keyboardist Patrick Moraz is 63.
Dire Straits bassist John Illsley is 61.
On this day in 1965, John Lennon released the follow-up to his first book, "In His Own Write." The book's title, "A Spaniard In The Works," was a play on the phrase "A Spanner In The Works." However, because we Americans didn't know "spanner" was another name for a "wrench," the joke was completely lost on us. Oh well...
On this day in 1978, The Rolling Stones' classic album "Some Girls" entered the charts on its way to #1.
On this day in 1984, Talking Heads premiered their classic concert movie "Stop Making Sense" directed by Jonathan Demme.
On this day in 1996, Van Halen announced that Sammy Hagar had left the band, and that David Lee Roth had returned as a (very) temporary replacement.
On this day in 1999, Eric Clapton auctioned off 100 of his guitars to raise money for his Crossroads Clinic in Antigua. The 1956 Fender Stratocaster on which he composed "Layla" fetched a (then) record price of $497,500.
On this day in 2000, KISS began auctioning off costumes and props from their 25 years in show business. Last we checked, they still haven't left the building.
On this day in 2010, Pete Quaife, The Kinks original bassist, died of kidney failure Wednesday in Denmark at the age of 66.
This weekend, over 90 stations will air OFF THE RECORD with Joe Benson featuring the music of INXS and Unc's brand new conversation with Andrew, Jon and Tim Farriss. Here's the promo... Stream on!
Achtung!
This Fall, once U2's extraordinarily successful "360° Tour" has been put to rest, the band will celebrate the 20th anniversary of "Achtung Baby." That landmark album and its ground-breaking "Zoo TV" tour, totally rebooted the Irish superstars' sound as it kicked modern rock in the ass. In addition to separate reissues (filled with bonus tracks) of "Achtung Baby" and its follow-up, "Zooropa," a deluxe box set will incorporate both albums as well as more rare video and/or audio from "Zoo TV." The Edge says, "I was blown away listening to some of the rough mixes and the outtakes... There's some very interesting alternative versions that we discovered of songs that wouldn't have seen the light of day... alternative lyrics, different arrangement styles — it's like "Achtung Baby" out of focus." If that weren't enough, the group recently filmed a new performance of songs from the period for use in a documentary directed by Davis Guggenheim, who worked with The Edge on the guitar doc "It Might Get Loud."
Focusing On Nikki's Photos
This may be the most interesting presentation of the year. Motley Crue bassist Nikki Sixx will be delivering a high profile lecture at the Annenberg Space for Photography in Century City on August 25th. Tied in with his new book, "This Is Gonna Hurt: Photography And Life Through The Distorted Lens Of Nikki Sixx," the Crue's main songwriter and driving force will focus on his photographic art form.
Come Taste The Vintage Purple
Surprise, surprise! Next Tuesday, Deep Purple will release a 90-minute documentary focusing on the band's short-lived "Mark 4" line-up — the group that recorded the hard rocking "Come Taste The Band" album. Featuring singer David Coverdale, bassist Glenn Hughes and guitarist Tommy Bolin, in addition to original members Ian Paice on drums and John Lord on keyboards, the "Phoenix Rising" DVD will also include "Rises Over Japan," 30 minutes of onstage footage that's so rare that even the bootleg community hasn't seen it.
It was Yogi Berra who said: "Half the lies they tell about me aren't true."
It was Woody Allen who said: "Life doesn't imitate art, it imitates bad television."
It was Kurt Vonnegut who said: "The telling of jokes is an art of its own, and it always rises from some emotional threat. The best jokes are dangerous, and dangerous because they are in some way truthful."
June 25, 2011
Original Moody Blues bassist Clint Warwick is 69.
Eternal babe and occasional singer Carly Simon is 66.
Multi-instrumentalist Ian McDonald of Foreigner and King Crimson fame is 65.
Toto keyboardist/singer David Paich is 57.
On this day in 1966, The Troggs' "Wild Thing" entered the American Top 40, scaring the bejesus out of melodic pop combos everywhere. It eventually peaked at #1.
On this day in 1967, The Beatles performed "All You Need Is Love" live on the first worldwide satellite television broadcast. Mick Jagger, Eric Clapton and Keith Moon, among others, were on hand to help (or be seen).
On this day in 1969, guitarist Mick Taylor played his first gig as Brian Jones' replacement in The Rolling Stones. The Colosseum in Rome was the venue.
On this day in 1984, Patti Scialfa joined Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band as a back-up singer, four days before the "Born In The U.S.A." world tour began.
On this day in 1994, Boston's fourth album, "Walk On," entered the charts a mere eight years after the band's "Third Stage."
On this day in 1994, Chet Helms, who founded and managed Big Brother & The Holding Company with Janis Joplin, died in San Francisco of complications from a stroke at age 62. It was Helms who staged the free concerts at Golden Gate Park that became the backdrop for 1967's Summer of Love. He also helped the Grateful Dead, Jefferson Airplane, Country Joe & The Fish and others develop the "San Francisco Sound."
June 26, 2011
Chicago blues pioneer Big Bill Broonzy would have been 118.
Guitarist Mick Jones of The Clash is 56.
Crooner Chris Isaak is 55.
On this day in 1963, John Lennon and Paul McCartney wrote "She Loves You" in a hotel room in Newcastle, England.
On this day in 1964, The Beatles released their "A Hard Day's Night" album, which was sold in either a stereo or mono mix. But in fact, only the instrumental tracks were issued in stereo or mono — The Beatles' songs were all mixed in mono on both versions of the album!
On this day in 1973, British police raided Keith Richards' London home, where they discovered guns, ammunition and Chinese heroin. The Rolling Stones guitarist was immediately arrested with his girlfriend Anita Pallenberg.
On this day in 1973, singer Marsha Hunt named Mick Jagger in a paternity suit in London. Hunt claimed the Rolling Stone was the father of her then-two-year-old daughter. A blood test proved otherwise and the lawsuit against Jagger was dismissed.
June 27, 2011
Captain Kangaroo, Bob Keeshan, would have been 84.
On this day in 1949, Gene Autry recorded "Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer."
On this day in 1964, The Rolling Stones' self-titled debut album entered the British charts, two months after it was released.
On this day in 1970, seven weeks after the Kent State Massacre that it was written about, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young's blistering "Ohio" was released.
On this day in 1970, the English band Smile made its performance debut under its new name, Queen. A superior name indeed!
On this day in 1971, the legendary Fillmore East in New York City closed. Performers on the last night included The Allman Brothers Band, The Beach Boys, J. Geils Band and Mountain.
On this day in 1976, John Lennon finally received his green card.
On this day in 1977, Led Zeppelin played the last of seven legendary nights at the Forum in Los Angeles.
On this day in 1978, at a special ceremony, UNICEF named Kansas as its first musical ambassadors of goodwill. Not having been told anything about the honor, the band was extremely surprised!
On this day in 1989, occasional Eagle Don Henley released his classic "The End Of The Innocence" solo album.
On this day in 1989, The Who performed the rock opera, "Tommy" in its entirety for the first time in 19 years at New York's Radio City Music Hall. The revived show raised money for a children's charity as well as the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame.
On this day in 1993, Lyle Lovett married Julia Roberts — you go boy!
On this day in 2002, rock's greatest bass player, John Entwistle of The Who, died in his sleep from a heart attack in Las Vegas on the eve of the band's North American tour. He was only 57 years of age.
Johnny Joins Alice (For A Night)
You may recall that a concerted effort by big time musical celebrities like Paul McCartney and Ron Wood saved Britain's historic 100 Club last year. This past Sunday night, it was Alice Cooper who played the intimate 200 seat London venue, and he brought along Johnny Depp and his Fender Telecaster guitar! Word is that Johnny — who's in England to film Tim Burton's "Dark Shadows" — jumped at the chance to play with his old friend Alice. Cooper also made a point of covering songs by some of the British greats who got their start in the hole-in-the-wall 100 Club — folks like The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Yardbirds, The Animals and Jimi Hendrix. What a night!
U2/Glastonbury
In its fifth decade, this year's huge Glastonbury festival featured hundreds of bands performing across the 900-acre site for three days this past weekend. Friday night, over 100,000 people braved serious rain, cold and mud to see U2 rock the main stage. The Irish band was supposed to headline the U.K. festival last year in the midst of their record-breaking 360° Tour, but Bono's back injuries put the prestigious Glastonbury gig on hold. With that in mind, Friday night the singer opened with, "I'm sorry to have called in sick last year... This is a very, very great occasion for us — we don't do this very often." (In fact, U2 has only rarely performed at festivals.) And the Glastonbury crowd, most of whom wore rubber rain boots to cope with fields of deep, sticky mud, went absolutely bananas!
Mick's SuperHeavy
The yet-to-be-titled debut album by SuperHeavy — Mick Jagger's new supergroup — will be released in September. The band sprang from an idea Jagger and Eurythmics founder Dave Stewart had to jam with artists from a variety of musical genres. Hooking up with singer Joss Stone, reggae artist Damian Marley (and his rhythm section) and Indian composer A.R. Rahman, they reportedly wrote 22 songs during their first six days together. Most of the tracks for the album were cut in L.A. during a three-week period this Spring. And if you were wondering, the name SuperHeavy was inspired by Muhammad Ali.
Fresh/Old Queen On TV
Haven't heard of any parties being scheduled (yet), but the celebration of Queen's 40th anniversary rolls on Stateside with the two-hour "Queen: Days of Our Lives" documentary airing on the Bio Channel tonight. In addition to new interviews with guitarist Brian May and drummer Roger Taylor, the new British program features archival interviews with the Hall Of Famers frontman Freddie Mercury and retired bassist John Deacon, among others. The show also features the band's long lost first TV appearance as well as the last known video of Mercury, who died of AIDS in 1991.
Nicks Heading Out
Guess she didn't want to spend the Summer just hanging out. Stevie Nicks will be promoting her latest solo record, "In Your Dreams," with a brand new 15-date Summer tour that will run from August 9th through September 4th. Sorry, no Southland dates this time.
It was Yogi Berra who said: "Half the lies they tell about me aren't true."
It was Woody Allen who said: "Life doesn't imitate art, it imitates bad television."
It was Kurt Vonnegut who said: "The telling of jokes is an art of its own, and it always rises from some emotional threat. The best jokes are dangerous, and dangerous because they are in some way truthful."
Random Thoughts For An Early Summer Day
* If you think nobody cares, try missing a couple of payments.
* What happens if you get scared half to death twice?
* Inside every older person is a younger person wondering what happened.
June 28, 2011
On this day in 1969, Crosby, Stills & Nash's debut album entered the charts as Stephen Stills was reconnecting with his Buffalo Springfield bandmate, Neil Young. Neil was, of course, talked into joining CSN shortly thereafter.
On this day in 1975, The Eagles' "One Of These Nights" album entered the charts on its way to five weeks at #1.
On this day in 1975, David Bowie released the song he cowrote with John Lennon, "Fame." It finally hit #1 on the charts on September 20th (real fame took a lot longer back in those days).
On this day in 1992, Eric Clapton and Elton John co-headlined a concert at London's Wembley Stadium. The event marked Elton's first public outing since undergoing painful hair transplants. Oh, the courage he demonstrated!
Sly & The Guys
While it's only been 29 years since Sly Stone released a new album (and that last one really wasn't very good), you're rightfully surprised to hear that Sly's brand new "I'm Back! Family & Friends" LP will be released on August 16th. Among the special guests joining the funk master on remakes of his hits are Heart singer Ann Wilson, guitar god Jeff Beck, Doors keyboardist Ray Manzarek, famed drummer Carmine Appice and Johnny Winter. Now how many of those people were actually still in the studio when Sly finally showed up for the gig, well... that would be a whole 'nother story!
Dufus Disses Berry's Statue
From the sheer stupidity in Missouri file comes this story of a former suburban St. Louis politician trying to halt next month's dedication of a statue honoring Chuck Berry. Elsie Glickert, who served 11 years on the city council of University City, Missouri before her son took over her position, calls Berry "a felon and not a friend of women. It is a misuse of tax dollars to honor him on public property." Too bad for her that the statue was privately funded by a campaign led by the University City businessman whose Blueberry Hill club has hosted Berry's monthly performances since the Eighties.
Rock & Roll Cricket
As former Rolling Stones bassist Bill Wyman participated in another of his celebrity cricket matches this past Sunday in Carlton, England, The Who's frontman Roger Daltrey was involved in the event's charity auction. Roger actually sold the microphone he'd used when The Who played at the 2007 Glastonbury Festival. The proceeds were split between Daltrey's Teenage Cancer Trust and the English Schools Cricket Association.
It was Kin Hubbard who said: "When a fellow says, "It ain't the money but the principle of the thing," it's the money."
It was Coach John Wooden who said: "Great leaders give credit to others, but accept the blame themselves."
It was Woody Allen who said: "You can live to be a hundred if you give up all the things that make you want to live to be a hundred."
June 29, 2011
Deep Purple's drummer, Ian Paice, is 63.
On this day in 1967, Mick Jagger and Keith Richards were found guilty of trumped-up drug charges in London. The British music scene would never be the same.
On this day in 1968, Pink Floyd's second album, "A Saucerful Of Secrets," was released as they headlined at the first-ever large scale free rock concert in London's Hyde Park. Jethro Tull and T-Rex were also in the show's line-up.
On this day in 1969, The Jimi Hendrix Experience played its last concert together on the final day of the three-day Denver Pop Festival at Mile High Stadium (an appropriate name indeed).
On this day in 1974, Neal Peart replaced original Rush drummer John Rutsey as the band was about to leave on their first big tour.
On this day in 1975, bassist/lyricist Roger Waters spit on the audience during a Pink Floyd show. He later said that experience inspired the multi-million selling "The Wall" album. Maybe good manners don't really matter after all.
On this day in 1978, Peter Frampton survived a very nasty Bahamian car crash, although his career took a pretty severe hit.
On this day in 1979, Little Feat leader (and master musician) Lowell George died of a heart attack at the age of 34.
On this day in 1998, George Harrison announced that he had been receiving radiation treatment for throat cancer caused by smoking.
Michele Ticks Off T.P.
If it wasn't bad enough that Minnesota congresswoman Michele Bachmann kicked off her presidential campaign by confusing the iconic John Wayne with serial killer John Wayne Gacy, next she pissed off Tom Petty! Using his "American Girl" as her theme/entrance song at a rally earned Michele her first cease and desist letter from Petty's management. You may recall that Tom forced George W. Bush's campaign to stop playing "I Won't Back Down" at campaign rallies in 2000. And at various points during the last presidential campaign, John Mellencamp, Jackson Browne, Heart and Talking Heads frontman David Byrne all filed legal action against candidates for unauthorized use of their songs. Evidently some Republican politicians have a sense of musical entitlement or just don't care about copyright laws.
Another Ozzy Book
Don't know how many books Ozzy Osbourne has read in the last few years, but he's releasing his own second tome in October. After a fine run as an entertaining (as well as useful) health columnist for the U.K.'s "Sunday Times," the Prince of Darkness is set to unleash "Trust Me, I'm Dr. Ozzy — Advice From Rock's Ultimate Survivor." The collection of Ozzy's most popular articles was co-written with biographer Chris Ayres, who also co-wrote the immensely successful "I Am Ozzy." Let's just hope there aren't any personal Osbourne photos accompanying the stories!
Pagey's Boathouse
A boathouse once owned by Led Zeppelin mastermind Jimmy Page is up for sale. The ultimate Zep collectible is the River Thames boathouse in Pangbourne, U.K. where the band first came together and rehearsed. Having bought the residential property for about $12,000 in 1967, Pagey owned it until 1973. The current owner bought it for around $150,000 in 1984. After refurbishing and adding on to the property over the years, he's now looking for somewhere north of $1.5 million. Interested? Check it out at http://www.thethamesboathouse.com/
It was Yogi Berra who said: "It ain't the heat, it's the humility."
It was Thomas Jefferson who said: "The most valuable of talents is that of never using two words when one will do."
It was Albert Einstein who said: "Put your hand on a hot stove for a minute, and it seems like an hour. Sit with a pretty girl for an hour, and it seems like a minute. THAT'S relativity."
A Few Somewhat Disturbing Factoids
On average, a disposable diaper can hold up to seven pounds (approximately one gallon) of liquid.
On average, an American home has three-to-ten gallons of hazardous materials.
The height of the 984-foot-tall Eiffel Tower varies, depending on the temperature, by as much as 6 inches. And yes ma'am, that's a real 6 inches, not some French guy's estimate.
June 30, 2011
Former Dire Straits rhythm guitarist Hal Lindes is 61.
Sweet guitarist Andy Scott is 60.
On this day in 1956, Chuck Berry's classic "Roll Over Beethoven" entered the singles chart for the first time.
On this day in 1975, Gregg Allman married Cher four days after she divorced Sonny Bono. Ten days later, she divorced Allman too.
On this day in 1984, Bruce Springsteen kicked off his "Born In The U.S.A." tour in Minnesota as "Dancing in the Dark" peaked at #2 on the singles charts.
On this day in 1989, the surviving Beatles sued for an injunction against Dave Clark, formerly of The Dave Clark Five, banning him from selling copies of the old Ready Steady Go! TV show featuring The Beatles. The case was eventually settled out of court.
On this day in 2001, guitar god Chet Atkins died at the age of 77 in Nashville from complications of cancer. Chet was THE most recorded solo instrumentalist in history, with more than 75 albums of guitar instrumentals to his credit and more than 75 million albums sold worldwide. He played on hundreds of hit records, including those of Elvis Presley and Hank Williams Sr.. He collaborated with a wide range of artists including Sir Paul McCartney. His business acumen and guitar style influenced generations of country and rock musicians alike. Remember the first time you ever saw a picture of The Beatles performing? That was a Chet Atkins model Gretsch guitar George Harrison was playing.
This weekend, over 90 stations will air OFF THE RECORD with Joe Benson featuring the music of The Doobie Brothers as well as more of Joe's conversation with guitarist/singers Tom Johnston, Patrick Simmons, John McFee and Michael McDonald. Here's the promo... Stream on!
Three Used Claws For Sale
Bet you've been wondering what, after U2 performs their final 360° Tour show on July 30th, will happen to their famously high-tech stage structure, "The Claw!" U2's tour director, Craig Evans, reports, "It's certainly our intention to see these things recycled into permanent and usable ventures... It represents too great an engineering feat to just use for [the tour] and then put away in a warehouse somewhere." The plan is to sell three of the four alien-like behemoths, which will then be installed as permanent venues. Indeed, most of the potential buyers are discussing turning the "claws" into full interior pavilions and amphitheaters. "Having been part of the biggest tour of all time, they're pretty well tried and tested," Evans said. "They can carry weights no other structure can consider."
No Surprise/Tyler For '12 Idol
Steven Tyler and Randy Jackson will return to the judges' table for the next season of Fox's "American Idol." No word on the status of Jennifer Lopez, the highest paid of this year's judges — so let's keep our fingers crossed!
More Wall!
While U2 may be retiring their high-tech stage structure "The Claw," Roger Waters is going to keep his "The Wall" show rolling on down the road. Early next year you can see Roger perform the classic Pink Floyd album with all of his humungous, brilliant staging in Perth, Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney, Australia.
Roger's A Bit Nervous
You really can't blame him. Roger Daltrey, the iconic frontman of The Who, admits he's apprehensive about his bandmate Pete Townshend's memoir that's due out next Fall. "When I look back to some of his interviews, he's said some weird things. I wonder, who's writing this book?" The singer says, "All I know is that whatever happens on the public stage, behind the scenes we're the best of friends. We're like brothers. Not to say we get on with each other all the time, but if we were ever in trouble, you know that we'd both be there for each other. That's all that matters." As for his solo "Tommy"-based concerts this Fall, Daltrey says, "We're in the last bits of our career. I feel that we owe it to the public that supported us all these years to go down with us. I had a real scare with my voice a couple of years ago, but now I'm singing better than ever. And it made me just want to use it 'til the day I can't." Keep it going, say we!
It was Benjamin Franklin who said: "All would live long, but none would be old."
It was jazz great Thelonius Monk who said: "Sometimes it's to your advantage for people to think you're crazy."
It was Charles Chaplin who said: "One of the beautiful things about stupid people is, they can't keep it to themselves."
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