Clapton's Return Is Part Of Rocks Evolution

My love for music can easily be traced back to a deeply entrenched fascination with the way of the Greatest of Greats. Not everybody was born to be a Rock Star and those that have tried aren't erased but temporarily replaced by a truer underground river of onboard passion and drive. Let me give you an example: John Mayer. Take him or leave him. A billion times he's been labeled the next Dave Matthews who just like John is a hit or miss in the out of tune public acceptance department. When that occurs the industry of Rock doesn't erase the artist but holds the door open for the Masters to pick a lick while chanting new lyrics. Led Zeppelins most recent hangout re-mastered for your car and backyard, the 2013 return of David Bowie, Fleetwood Mac back on tour. Def Leppard in Vegas for a month. Are you gripping the full vibe? You don't have to believe in evolution to fall witness to the front row changes of Rock's minute by minute survival. No Marshall Amp is created to be turned off. Just stick another guitar chord into the hole and bang that thing until your fingers get tired. When accomplished give no ego only respect to the keepers of the print left on the strap still clutching the back and chest of the conductor dressed up in nothing more than realities bite. With that being said...Classic Rock Magazine reports guitar legend Eric Clapton is back in action, both on the road and in the record stores. “Slowhand” will release a new album, titled ‘Old Sock,’ March 12 on his own label, Bushbranch Records. The label is distributed by Surfdog. The 12 song set will be Clapton’s 21st album in a nearly 50 year career. The announcement was made on the Surfdog website, which very simply said “Surfdog is thrilled to announce the signing of a deal with Eric Clapton for his forthcoming album.” Like many older artists, Clapton has left the major labels for smaller, more ‘artist friendly’ terrain. Clapton makes an interesting, and high profile, addition to the small label, whose roster includes a wide variety of acts including Glen Campbell, Brian Setzer and Dave Stewart. ‘Old Sock’ will be available on CD and as a 2-LP set. Surfdog lists the March 12 release date as “tentative,” but it is already being pre-sold via online stores. Clapton’s US tour begins March 14 in Phoenix, Ariz.

40 Years Of KISS Without A One Night Stand

Video of their first show We've all played the game: If I could go back in time what would I change. I know one thing I wouldn't change....spending unheard amounts of teen time totally focused on every frickin KISS poster Tiger Beat Magazine stuffed into their paperback bindings. The album covers poisoned the Rock n Roll stew while the introduction of comic books kept me from being acceptably normal. I fail to hold the correct number of fingers required to count the number of times Montana made Baptist preachers and missionaries commanded, "Stopped listening to Kings In Satin Service!" It forced me to buy paint. Oh hell yes and it burned when spread across this perfectly ripe Radio face. I swear to God I didn't get a single crud poppin pimple due to my special mix of Noxzema cream with acrylic blacks, reds, bright whites and grays. I didn't want to be. I was the fifth member of KISS. Gene Simmons proved it backstage December 1985 when he didn't order bodyguards and unforgettably dressed women to escort me out the back door. My biggest regret was staying for the show. I still remember Ace Frehley replacement Bruce Kulick asking me why I was headed for the exit. My only response was, "Are you kidding me? Missing the show will cause pain. I have to go feel something because being back here with you guys tonight has made me effing numb." My greatest KISS moment had nothing to do with the band. Artist to artist Paul and I stood together discussing the texture of paint on a canvas after its been mixed with Mont Blanc ink. I wasn't there to speak with or about the man behind the star. From the canvas we did speak. Offering technique rather than guitar picks and lyrics. Brush strokes that peaked the paint versus fingertips adding curve to a faded evaluation seemingly attractive enough to invite wanderers to believe in a communication of expression. As for Simmons have sex with a billion plus women. I flat out don't believe it. The men of KISS were and still are comic book heroes designed to influence the mindset of teenage boys. The greatest marketing idea Gene ever came up with was the idea of convincing our organs that it's possible to be everything to everybody and have a lot of fun in the sheets. Just make sure you put on a raincoat. January 30th, 1973 proved to be a pivotal day in many teen boys lives. According to Classic Rock Magazine, less than 10 people witnessed the first live performances by Kiss at the Popcorn Club (soon to be renamed the Coventry) in Queens, N.Y. According to bassist Gene Simmons, the group was paid $50 for performing two sets that evening. Simmons and guitarist / co-frontman Paul Stanley had recently left their previous group, Wicked Lester, recruiting drummer Peter Criss and lead guitarist Ace Frehley for their new outfit. Their goal, as Simmons explains in a series of anniversary posts on the band’s official site, was to “put together the band we never saw on stage.” After their first manager quit, declaring the new band’s music “the worst crap he ever heard,” Simmons took over, cold-calling the Popcorn and convincing them to hire the band for a three-night stand for $150. As you can see in this photograph from that era, the band’s trademark facepaint and costumes were still in an embryonic phase, but those first shows featured many of the songs on which the group would build their reputation in the coming years: ‘Deuce,’ ‘Black Diamond,’ ‘Watchin’ You’ and many more. Since those humble beginnings, of course, Kiss rose in relatively quick fashion to the top of the music industry. By the end of the decade they were arguably the biggest rock band in the world, and to date the group has released 20 studio albums and pioneered the merchandising of rock music. Frehley and Criss would leave the group in the early ’80s (returning for a few years in the late ’90s), but Stanley and Simmons endured several career ups and downs to earn the group its current place among rock’s most enduring and popular bands. They recently dominated the fan-voted 2012 Ultimate Classic Rock Awards, winning in six categories largely on the strength of their most recent album, ‘Monster.‘

Jason Bonham Didn't Want To Grow Up To Be A Rock Drummer

Although it's been nearly two months since Led Zeppelin's Kennedy Center honoring; multitudes of emails have been received over who was trapped behind the set during Ann and Nancy Wilson's cover of Stairway To Heaven. Music fans unfamiliar with Classic Rock and its deeply woven roots barely spotted the center line of the colors spinning around the core of his eyes. It was Jason Bonham! Son of John who helped level the mountains of Beatle's shaped hysteria late 60's into the prime of Carpenter and John Denver ridden Heaven. Hold on now... Jason isn't the typical my daddy was a Rock Star so I'll be one too. His big dream was the farthest thing from large concert stages and out of shape groupies. It was to become a motorsport star. He tells Noisecreep: “Growing up, my heroes were American motocross riders. I didn’t want to be a drummer – I wanted to me a motocross rider.” Those plans never came to fruition, and Bonham settled into a career behind the drumkit, playing with his own bands along with Led Zep and Black Country Communion. Now sober for 14 years, he admits it was a challenge to prove himself against his father’s reputation. “At some point I got sick of people calling me Bonzo junior,” he explains. “But now I’m older and wiser, I’m just honoured to be mentioned in the same breath.” After Zep’s 2007 reunion show – released last year as Celebration Day – the drummer started work on his touring show Jason Bonham’s Led Zeppelin Experience. It was planned to be a one-off set of gigs but has continued into 2013 to positive reviews. But he says he’d never have taken part if Robert Plant hadn’t given his consent. “When I started I had a big discussion with Robert. He said, ‘Do it because you want to, not because you have to.’ As long as you do it well and do it with a smile on your face, you have my blessing.” During the shows he performs the band’s classic tracks, interspersed with family home video from his childhood years. One of his aims is to hint at the person John Bonham really was: “Everyone knows these stories about a wild and crazy guy,” he says. “But at home he was just like any other father. He might have been in Led Zeppelin – but to me he was just Dad.”

Duane Allman In A Box Set? Whose Buying CD's?

A couple weeks back I found myself rummaging through an old beat up junk store that specializes in the fine art of "Passing it Forward." They pay you money for junk then jump the price to make a profit. The vinyl album collection was the largest I had seen since Ernie's in Park Road Shopping Center was the biggest baddest music store in Charlotte. (1985) Never did I dream of one day standing at a crate slowly sifting through un-alphabetized material collecting memories that lasted barely three seconds. Every album cover had a story. Every reason why I quit collecting them instantly overshadowed the process of music pleasure. Then I saw what I've always dubbed the ugliest mistake the industry has ever pushed itself into: Box sets. Hordes of creatively designed eye catchers that barely had enough wind to say, "Hey um, wanna play me like a southern fiddle?" Maybe it's because I've been a radio jock since 1979 but box sets have never been anything but in the way. The music is brilliant. The price the record pimps stamped onto the outside basically asked, "Any suckers in the crowd? There's one born every minute." I'm not gonna lie to you. My KISS collection didn't start at album number one. Detroyer earned my virginity. A few months down the pipe the label put out a three record set. Hell yes I had to have it! It was KISS! Except it never made it to the turntable but once. Seriously! Once you've been bitten by Alive 1 then Destoyer...everything before it was a practice. Then came the IPod and every shape of MP3 and Wav file. Smart Phones were bangin and your Grandma could hoist in Charlie Pride at the flick of a button. Knowing where the music industry has gone...I ask, "Why has Rounder Records assembled and fine-tuned a massive box set of Duane Allman highlights for ‘Skydog: The Duane Allman Retrospective?" I TOTALLY grasp the importance of his presence this side of the radio speaker but a box set? Has someone advised Best Buy and Wal Mart who've slashed their music selections up like fresh trout? Wait! Like a classic info-merical on late night television. There's more! The seven-disc box set will be available on March 5. It features 129 songs from his early days as a garage rocker through his time with the Allman Brothers Band. Stop! For some reason when I think of Classic Rock Box Sets I instantly picture John Hancock from WBT. I can still remember when he got his IPod and how it physically changed his life. Who is going to buy a box set? Have they set up shop in a local flea market? The term Box Set went out with MTV's unplugged. But wait! There's more! According to Rolling Stone, studio sessions with Aretha Franklin, Wilson Pickett and Boz Scaggs are amongst the treats one will find on ‘Skydog: The Duane Allman Retrospective.’ It begins with his time with the Allman Joys and then the Hour Glass. Also included is is Allman’s work with Derek and the Dominoes. The ‘Skydog’ box set will be the second to come from the Allmans in 2013. Earlier this week the band announced they’d be releasing a four-disc set of two live shows from 1972 and 1973. Both the Macon, Ga. and Uniondale, N.Y. show were recorded after Duane Allman’s death in 1971. Note to creative minds wanting to make it big. Adele has been the number one selling artist in the world two years in a row not selling compact discs. Selling cd's is calling your audience old. If you truly want to reach an Allman Brothers fan go vinyl. Wait! Who's got a turntable capable of pumping up the volume so loud you feel like you're in the studio?

Timothy B Schmidt Cancer Update Is Positive

The chances of truly getting to know the writers, producers and performers that pump volumes of creative flow into our heads and hearts is nearly next to never and yet their writing, music and stage presentation has a way of shaping the way we talk, walk, live and breathe. Then word hits the street of something not so sweet. Not our maker but shaper has slipped into a pair of normal everyday shoes. A date with reality. Not just Classic Rock but all fans of music are endless with their support. That being said an Eagle has come under attack. Classic Rock Magazine reports bassist Timothy B. Schmit's battle with cancer appears to be over. We learned of Schmit’s cancer diagnosis last month, when his assistant told a fan site that he’d undergone surgery for throat and neck cancer following the band’s show on Nov. 12, 2012. Fortunately, that seemed to take care of the problem — as his assistant put it, “He does not need to have chemo or radiation. Now he just has to keep an eye on things every month for about a year to be sure it stays away, and then not so often.” Last week, Schmit followed up with an update of his own at his official website, calling himself “way past due in expressing my sincere gratitude for the outpouring of get well wishes I’ve received.” Of course, he’s been a little distracted with what he called his “disheartening” health problems; fortunately, after a three-night hospital stay, he was back on his feet and on the mend. “My voice is coming along nicely, and as many of you know, I was able to perform with the Eagles just before the new year,” Schmit pointed out. “So … All is good. The brief synopsis is: I discovered a problem and took care of it; simple as that.” In fact, he’s already looking toward the future. “I love my work, and plan on doing it for as long as possible,” Schmit assured fans. “I’m chipping away at a new solo album, and I wouldn’t be surprised if you hear of more Eagles action in the near future.”

Def Leppard Isn't Just Another Las Vegas Cover Band

One of the best Rock scenes recently spotted on primetime weekend TV was during the hot new TBS show Wedding Band. A Def Leppard cover group meets up with a client, "We're writing new songs. We've played the original band's music so much that we think before they think. " Then I bump into a Charleston, SC story about a former AC/DC cover band lead vocalist being chosen to play Bon Scott. Copycat cover bands aren't new. I spent all of 2012 writing and producing commercials for Radio parties featuring the next best thing. One of my favorite nights in Los Angeles was at the House of Blues which featured a group called Diamond; all night they did it right: Neal Diamond. I was convinced the smooth crooner was standing on that stage. But away from it do cover bands return to a normal life and style? Or...do the Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley look-a-like's physically believe they're the second coming. With so many cover bands flooding bars and clubs (because they're affordable) when the real players stand up and make noise not a cheer is risen therefore nothing is given and all that once was returns to a land of "We used to be." Thank God we've still got Las Vegas. Popping their heads up inside the realms of Sin City is Def Leppard. Who wants fans to know they're aiming to write new material. Absolutely I started laughing out loud. Did they consult the cover band on the TV show Wedding Band first? Classic Rock Magazine reports that fans should expect a new album. Frontman Joe Elliott hopes to hire an extra hotel room and set it up as a recording studio in between concerts. First, however, the band have to complete preparations for performing classic album Hysteria in full – including songs they haven’t played in decades. Elliott tells Rolling Stone: “It’ll not be too hard; we’re not changing arrangements like Bowie or Tom Waits might do. We’re going to play the songs as they are on the record. We’re going to revert back to the original versions.” He admits delivering Pour Some Sugar On Me partway through a show, when it’s usually reserved for encores, will be “a bit of a head trip” but he adds: “I think it’s okay. It’s going to be weird, but people are going to be expecting it.” With the Vegas shows during March and April based on a schedule of three days on, four days off, the band should find time to concentrate on writing material. “I don’t know if we’ll do an album,” Elliott says. “Maybe the way to go is put one or two tracks out at a time and see how it goes – almost like a seven-inch single.” That’s not the priority at the moment. “We’ve got a golden opportunity,” the singer reflects. “We’ve got ample opportunity to look each other in the eye and go, ‘What you got?’” Meanwhile, he’s marked the 30th anniversary of the release of Def Lep’s third album Pyromania, which saw guitarist Phil Collen replace Pete Willis. “It had been a labour of love to make,” he recalls. “Little did we know, in comparison to Hysteria it was a piece of cake.” His memories include “multiple studios in London, one guitarist out, one guitarist in, equipment breakdowns, tapes turning transparent because of the thousands of times they were rewound and fast forwarded for multiple overdubs.” But he continues: “We found our sound on this record, with the help of a great producer in Mutt Lange, the new studio technology that we eagerly embraced – unlike many of our peers – and an incredible enthusiasm to make a record no one else had ever made. “Whether we did or didn’t isn’t important. What is, is that we made the record we wanted to make. We finally sounded like the us we wanted to be.”

Stealing Music Proves To Be Good For Business

Is it wrong to say that we've grown seriously out of control with an addiction to finger pointing? Or can we just agree to disagree that the current generation to which we live has too many blood sucking lawyers with nothing better to do but stir up trouble? For extremely selfish reasons I've never locked onto the idea of ripping songs from the internet. I voice radio commercials worldwide; nothing pisses me off faster than jamming to a favorite station like a teenage boy with his car stereo cranked beyond live concert acceptability only to be interrupted by your voice, your commercial that wasn't paid for. The MP3/YouTube era has injured a lot different performers in several unassociated careers. Don't expect anything to change. Classic Rock Magazine reports a public survey sponsored by Google suggests that peer-to-peer filesharers spend 30% more money on legal music purchases than those who don’t join peer-to-peer networks. And while 80% of the public think it’s acceptable to share copyrighted material with family, and 60% believe the same about passing it onto friends, around 85% say it’s unacceptable to upload content for general consumption. Columbia University’s American Assembly conducted the survey with support from internet search giant Google. Responses were sought from the USA and Germany in order to establish whether cultural differences existed. In the US, median P2P users have a music collection of 2000 tracks, of which 760 were purchased legally. Non-network users’ digital collections contain around 1300 songs, of which 580 were sourced legitimately. The figures suggest that, while filesharers possess more stolen content, they also buy more legal content. Technology site Ars Technica notes: “There is a perennial debate about whether peer-to-peer file sharing reduces the market for music and other creative content. “It’s obvious why those who download pirated files from peer-to-peer networks might purchase less content through legitimate channels. But some scholars argue file sharing can make it easier for fans to find new content they like, broadening their tastes and causing them to buy more music in the long run.” Ars Technica says of the survey results: “It’s an important reminder: heavy P2P users are also heavy consumers of music from legitimate channels.” The survey also suggests that the vast majority of people – 69% in the US and 71% in Germany – are against internet monitoring as a means of enforcing the law. Researchers also found that, in general, Germans are more supportive of other efforts to protect copyright: 59% felt that illegal downloading should result in some form of punishment, compared to 52% of Americans.

The 70's Didn't Suck. Classic Rock Shaped The Way We Play In 2013

No matter how many fans Justin Bieber and Taylor Swift stuff into worldwide arenas. No matter how many Voices Adam Levine and Blake Shelton toss onto the planet from a ship called NBC. It truly doesn't matter if Adele goes all out and sells the most compact discs a third straight year. There'll never be another time in music history like the Classic Rock 70's. For two decades every radio station program director that tried to shape me sang the same song, "You came along to play along at the wrong time." Radio has never loved the 1970's. It was the boring decade. Music was all over the place. People listening to their car radio felt no need to carry notes when asked to sing their favorite song. The Carpenters, John Denver, Disco, Grease and Cher singing Gypsies Tramps and Thieves turned everything plastic, candy coated and too sweet to fit on the back of Alphabet Cereal. The junk in the trunk once identified as AOR (Album Oriented Rock) restocked its shelves by downloading availability. Our Rock became the 80's generations Rock whose kids grew up loving the very Rock that once stomped our eardrums into a thin piece of nearly next to absolutely nothing. The mid 2012 arrival of Mumford and Sons, the Lumineers and Phillip Phillips is nothing more than a long awaited heavily welcomed spinoff of the greatest of the greats The Eagles. No other band in music history has sold as many collections of music. Not Michael Jackson not even John Lennon and his one time friends. Henley and Frey own whatever's grown then attached it Timothy B and Joe Walsh. And they keep on creating. RollingStone Magazine reports after remaining notoriously mum for the majority of their career, the Eagles let the world in on the Sundance Film Festival premiere of The History of the Eagles Part 1. 
"We were very private," Don Henley said at a press conference for the movie. (Glenn Frey, Joe Walsh and Timothy B. Schmit were also present for the premiere.) 
"We didn't allow access. We tried to keep it in-house. But we had the foresight to film some backstage stuff. And that's in the film." The rockumentary, directed by Alison Ellwood and produced by Alex Gibney (Taxi to the Dark Side), uncovers the band's personal Super 8 footage, photographs and tape from a never-finished Haskell Wexler documentary. Featuring interviews with Jackson Browne, Linda Ronstadt and David Geffen, the film follows the band from its Troubadour-filled beginnings in Southern California to its beer-bottle-throwing end in 1980. Acquired by Showtime, Part 1 will air on February 15th at 8 p.m. EST, and Part 2 – which picks up with the band's 1994 reunion – will premiere February 16th at 8 p.m. EST. Rolling Stone sat down with Don Henley on the eve of the film's Sundance debut. He talked about why they finally made the film (someone might die), what type of movie he wanted to see (an honest one) and how his bandmates still drive him nuts (but he's learned to live with it). How did the movie come about? Did Glenn approach you on this? I don’t know who brought it up first, probably our manager. Probably Irving Azoff said it’s time for you guys to do a documentary. We'd been kicking it around for a few years but we finally decided that the time had come and, after 42 years had passed, it was probably a good time to get it done, because we said it was a three-year process. We knew it was going to be time consuming so we thought we’d better get started. You know, at our age people keel over, and so we wanted to get it done. What did you learn about yourself in pulling this project together and digging back into your life? Some of it was painful – you know, the self-destructive behavior that a lot of young people go through. The insecurities, the fear, the feelings of unworthiness, we don't deserve this, and the feeling that it's all going to disappear up in smoke tomorrow. It's a dream I'm having and it's all going away. That sort of thing. And it was sort of painful to relive all of that. And of course the substance abuse was part of it, and of course all the time that was wasted that could have been more productive time. But hey, it was all a learning experience that made us the people who we are today. And the fact we survived it is a small miracle in and of itself. Nobody in this band has died. This is the web and the chances of you still being here zippo. More RS interviews still ahead or visit http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/q-a-don-henley-opens-up-about-the-history-of-the-eagles-at-sundance-20130120#ixzz2IjtHNV7J

I Love My Dad But Can't Become Him

Maybe it's just me. I never see a movie more than once. If I spot a primetime sitcom locked on rerun instantly its erased from the DVR. I'm so convinced that we live too much in a past that can't be changed therefore my hourly goals are to constantly discover where I've never been. Music is my weakness. Easily its compared to that cup of hot coffee the heart doctor keeps screaming at me to give up but what's a sip or six here and there gonna hurt? I love my Classic Rock but find being with it the first step toward becoming my damn Dad. I love the man to pieces. But his addiction to a musical fix has kept him locked in a box of 45's, albums and 8-track tapes. How then is one supposed to feel when news of the legendary group Genesis surfaces? I feel horribly ill that fans of the band are rejoicing! According to Classic Rock Magazine EMI is re-issuing five of this legendary prog-rock band’s first six studio albums (leaving out their rightfully despised debut, 1969′s ’From Genesis to Revelations’), all in fancy “180 Gram Audiophile Virgin Vinyl” format. This five-album spread covers the British band’s incredible early ’70s run with Peter Gabriel as singer, Steve Hackett as guitarist, and Phil Collins still firmly behind the drum kit: 1970′s ‘Trespass,’ 1971′s ‘Nursery Cryme,’ 1972′s ‘Foxtrot’ (home to the 25-minute anthem ‘Supper’s Ready’), 1973′s ‘Selling England by the Pound,’ and their 1974 double-album epic ‘The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway.’ Each reissue is available for pre-order at SoundStageDIrect (No release date info is available yet). They’re all listed at $39.99 a pop — except for ‘Lamb,’ which will run you $49.99. All five albums constitute one of the most acclaimed streaks in prog-rock history, and all were collected several years ago for the remastered 1970-1975 box set (both in CD and vinyl formats). But these? These are ‘Audiophile’ versions, which means EMI probably had help from NASA. In case you’re not familiar with the ‘Audiophile’ language, here’s a definition from SoundStageDirect: “These vinyl records are produced with 180 or 200 grams of high definition premium grade virgin vinyl. This is a higher quality audiophile pressing than the typical vinyl record of 100-120 grams. These limited edition LP’s are manufactured with the hi-fi enthusiast in mind. A 180 or 200 gram LP is sometimes also referred to as an audiophile pressing, there is a higher bass response and an even warmer High Fidelity sound.”

RollingStone Magazine's Top Ten Rock Concert Fan Generated Problems

Since the beginning of time there's always been "Countdowns." Way before Dick Clark's New Years Rock n Eve. Even before the official kickoff of how the West was won, the Biggest Baddest Band Leader of all took six endless days and nights to whip out an everlasting stage and light show. Casey Kasum did American Top 40. David Letterman can't do a night without his Top 10. The Travel Channel constantly counts down the biggest amusement parks, craziest RV's, best tour buses, hottest cupcakes and blah blah blah. RollingStone Magazine is just as guilty. If it's not a list of the greatest Springsteen moments or the most mind melting albums of all time. The big sticks typing pieces are methodically conjuring up maddening ideas to fill our addiction to always being hoisted or compared to whatever fits onto a Top 10 list. This latest one from writer Andy Greene is a brilliant move toward relating with every walk of life, hair color and style. Going to rock concerts has always meant dealing with a bunch of unruly people, many of them very drunk – but it seems like lately things have been worse than ever. Attention spans are at an all-time low, and the ubiquity of smartphones has resulted in a huge percentage of the audience at any given show barely paying attention to the action onstage. Here are the 10 most annoying behaviors at rock concerts: 1. Taking pictures the entire freaking show. I get it. You want to show all your friends on Facebook and Twitter that you saw a cool concert. Fine. Take a photo. Take five if you want! But please, don't take 77. You always manage to hold your camera right in my line of sight. You don't even look like you're enjoying the show while you're doing this. All your attention is on the photos. And you know what? Those photos are all going to look like shit. Every single one of them. You're too far away. You'll probably never even look at them. Also, you see those guys right in front of the stage with the giant cameras? They're taking great professional pictures. There's really no need for yours. 2. Checking e-mail, Facebook and Twitter every couple of minutes. Unless you're a surgeon or a firefighter, everything can wait. Live in the moment. Enjoy the show. You paid good money to be here. You can e-mail your friends when you get home. Also, that cellphone emits a very harsh and distracting glow. For the love of God, just turn it off. On Daily Beast: Technology's Awkward Bathroom Invasion 3. Incessantly talking to your friends. You might not like whatever song is playing. You may be bored with the show in general. You may have been dragged here against your will. But you've been chattering the entire show, and I can hear every word. It's driving me crazy. Please shut up. Please. I can't tell you how many shows I attend where the two people in front of me are yelling in each others' ears the entire night. Not only is my sightline blocked when their heads come together, but I can hear them. Maybe go to a coffee shop when the show is done. Lie under an oak tree and talk until the sun comes up. I don't care. Just quiet down so I can enjoy the show. 4. Yelling out requests. Look, I hope Morrissey plays "There Is A Light That Never Goes Out" also. That would be cool – but stop screaming for it. Most of the time the set list is pre-determined, and you're screaming in my ear. They're going to play what they're going to play. Go along for the ride. And to the guy screaming for a super obscure B-side from 15 years ago? Nobody thinks you're cool. 5. Yelling out "Freebird!" This request deserves its own subcategory of irritation. This joke has never been funny. Not once. Just stop. It was lame in 1981. Now it's just infuriating. 6. Pushing your way to the front. If a concert is general admission, the people in front earned their spots. They got there early and laid claim to their space. The people all the way in front might have even spent all day camped out by the doors, so when the lights go off and you shove your way to the front, you're being a huge asshole. Don't do that. If you show up late and there's only room in the back, you've just gotta deal with it. 7. Getting so drunk you puke. At pretty much any big concert, you'll see a janitor emerge after a couple of songs with a big broom and a bucket of sawdust. It means somebody puked. It's a bummer for the puker, but the people all around have to deal with the aftermath. Don't be the vomit guy. There's no worse kind of person to be at the concert. 8. Loudly complaining after the show because the band didn't play your favorite song. Not all artists take the Rod Stewart/Billy Joel/Tom Petty approach of "nothing but the hits." Performers like Neil Young or Van Morrison are unpredictable. This is actually a good thing. Try to enjoy the show you're getting as opposed the one you wish you were seeing. Besides, haven't you heard "Brown Eyed Girl" and "Southern Man" enough? 9. Filming the entire show on your iPhone. This distracts people even worse than taking pictures, and usually results in an equally horrid product. The sad irony is that people tend to film their favorite songs, but the smiles on their faces are gone when all their concentration goes into capturing these moments on film. Tomorrow morning, YouTube will be cluttered with crappy cellphone videos of every song from whatever show you're seeing. There's no need to add to that. You paid good money to see a show, and you're joylessly watching it through a tiny screen on your iPhone. It just doesn't make any sense. 10. Yelling "Sit down!" at people who are standing up. This is a real problem at theater and arena shows that attract fans over the age of, say, 40. Nobody can quite agree when to stand or when to sit down. Inevitably, there are some people standing right in front of people that wish to remain seated. Between songs, someone will scream "Sit down!" The stander either obliges, or yells back something like "Go fuck yourself." The person in the seat just seethes with rage, and the tension seeps through the whole section. Often the person is standing only because someone in front of them is standing. It leads to chaos, and grumpy old people spending the entire show miserable. This has to stop. Here's a simple rule of thumb: If you can't see, stand up. It's very easy. Inversely, if everyone in front of you is seated, sit down. Go with the flow and just relax. We're all in this concert together.

Evil Knievel Didn't Jump Over Generation Gap

For weeks I've bummed around the radio station snagging conversations about Rock music and into the center of the verbal exchange I toss in, "Paul McCartney and Dave Grohl. Which one was more excited about collaborating on a new song?" Talk about the river that runs through Generation Gap. Classic Rocker's versus New Rock Bangers. I can't shake a Blog free from my fingertips before being chastised by either party. It's a ligament Hatfield and McCoys. A fight between the separated sides of Rock, "Quit puttin up stuff about Nirvana and the Foo Fighters. We don't care about Metallica and Tom Morello. They aren't Classic Rock!" Then Paul McCartney walks out from behind the curtain with Dave Grohl at his side. I'm not so f***ed up after all. Ultimate Classic Rock Magazine reports; if it seemed ‘Cut Me Some Slack,’ Paul McCartney‘s collaboration with the surviving members of Nirvana that was unveiled during the 12-12-12 benefit, came out of nowhere, don’t feel like you’re out of the loop — according to Dave Grohl, that’s really the way it happened. Describing McCartney as “just the sweetest, nicest, most awesome person,” Grohl delved into the story behind the song during a recent interview with KROQ (via the NME), saying it came together after the pair jammed for Grohl’s upcoming ‘Sound City‘ documentary. “We walked in; we jammed the song. It just came out of nowhere. The best songs happen that way,” said Grohl. “We recorded it live and put a vocal over it and that was it. It was three hours and it was perfect.” ‘Cut Me Some Slack’ wouldn’t make its public debut for another eight months, but Grohl was clearly still buzzing on the experience. “You have to understand, one of the great things about playing with Paul McCartney or playing with Neil Young is that that generation of musicians, they cherish and respect and value the practice of just going into a room and coming up with something and jamming and making it a song,” he pointed out. “There’s not like seven songwriters and seven producers and digital technology or whatever. It’s like people getting in a room.”

Unheard of Collaborations On Tour

Country Music and Hip Hop have always done it. Looks like the world of Rock has taken a liking to the old motto: Leave your ego at the door. Paul McCartney and Dave Grohl of Foo Fighters and Nirvana fame got together a few weeks back and now seems to be a running theme as two shocking collaborations have been blended into the final mix.

Bob Seger and Kid Rock will appear on the same ticket Classic Rock Magazine reports the Detroit based pair will do two shows in March. The rockers have been friends since 2000. Kid Rock was on hand to induct Seger into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2004, and he also made a guest appearance on his 2006 ‘Face the Promise’ album. Seger returned the favor by playing piano on ‘Collide,’ Kid Rock’s duet with Sheryl Crow. They’re both from Michigan and share an interest in classic cars, and Seger and his Silver Bullet Band often rehearse at Kid Rock’s rehearsal space. The friends have been talking about doing shows together for years, and it turned out they were able to make two dates of their respective spring tours coincide. Seger and the Silver Bullet Band will perform with Kid Rock and the Twisted Brown Trucker Band in Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minn. on March 15, and again in Fargo, ND on March 16. Seger has also been working on a new album, and he recently admitted that his ‘Rock & Roll Never Forgets‘ tour could comprise the final shows of his career. Tickets for the Bob Seger / Kid Rock dates go on sale January 26th at 10 AM. Bob Seger and Kid Rock fan club members will have early access to tickets. Visit www.bobseger.com and www.kidrock.com for more information.

And now there's word of Bruce Springsteen having to be without Steven Van Zandt for a few this summer. Little Steven's a busy man outside the ranks of E Street which has forced him to live up to previous commitments. Who did the Boss run with? Springsteen announced that Tom Morello of Rage Against the Machine will take over for Van Zandt when Springsteen tours Australia in March. Morello appeared on two tracks on Springsteen’s ‘Wrecking Ball’ album and has sat in with the E Street Band on many occasions over the past five years, including an appearance on NBC’s ‘Late Night with Jimmy Fallon‘ and two nights at Wrigley Field in Morello’s hometown of Chicago. Morello will also honor Springsteen at the 2013 MusiCares benefit next month. The lineup also includes Sting, Jackson Browne and gospel/soul legend Mavis Staples. Van Zandt will be in Norway filming the second season of ‘Lillyhammer,’ in which he stars as an American mobster living in Norway. He will re-join the E Street Band when the band begins its European tour on April 29 in – not coincidentally – Oslo. This will mark the second time Van Zandt has left the E Street Band since joining in 1975. In 1984, he quit during the recording of ‘Born in the U.S.A.’ for a solo career and was replaced by Nils Lofgren. Van Zandt rejoined the band when Springsteen re-formed the group in 1995 for the recording of new songs for the ‘Greatest Hits’ compilation.

I'm Back!

Preteen boys are designed to discover sports and girls. My addiction was the soft breath of a diamond tipped needle laid to rest on the severed edges of black vinyl. Born to Rock. But for this Montana bread hell raiser it wouldn't be the mastering of strings, picks, sticks and stage presence. The performance of a lifetime: Radio

I sold my soul and hit the road. If carefully crafting a Radio studio capable of Broadcasting nearly two blocks from a poster laced bedroom counts as a career; then I've been here for 38 years.

Not just a jock. Being "Arroe" was permission enough to untangle the handwritten liner cards and four songs in a row without talk. The 70's bumped while the 90's thumped. The 80's introduced CD's while the new millennium welded the door closed forever on hundreds of thousands of brilliant Radio shows.

Then came the internet. I could say, play and make waves without over touted Radio research shutting me off. Ten taps onto the keyboard leaping toward a computer screen connected my passion for Rock Radio to Russia, Sweden, The Netherlands, UK, South Korea, Canada and more. Within minutes ten more taps adds to instant hits with numbers in the high thirty and forty thousand range.

February 4, 2013 I return to Radio. Except this time the total focus falls into the core of the diamond tipped needle. If but for one second I can convince your IPod carrying ass to hit replay my job is done. Relationship with music and those who make it is nearly extinct. I'm the bastard that's about to give you a little more cutting edge in your search for why you were planted on this planet.

Memories begin with music. But you don't know the stars effing the ears that brought you here. That's nothing more than legal prostitution. If you aren't puking Rock when I'm done then blame your lack of music love on Radio's construction of destruction. More to come

KISS My Trophy

First there's Hollywood's Golden Globe Awards then the Oscars of Classic Rock. While the prettiest of pretty parade down a bright red carpet and the mouthiest of dry humor driven actors and actresses attempt to entertain a worldly television population in the billions with protests and campy experiences...the fingerprints connected to hard plastic guitar picks receive their honors via a website hidden somewhere between free downloads and porn. The 2012 presentations have made their way into the history book. Wait! I should've tapped into the face of this computer KISS-tory book. Kiss were the clear champs of our reader-selected 2012 Ultimate Classic Rock Awards, taking home trophies in six of the 11 categories — including Album and Artist of the Year. It was a very busy year for the greasepaint-wearing legends, who released a “resurrected” version of their classic ‘Destroyer’ album in addition to the brand-new record ‘Monster.’ The former won Best Reissue or Archival Release honors by nearly a four-to-one margin (48% to 13%) over the nearest competitor, Pink Floyd‘s massive ‘The Wall: Experience Edition’ box set. Meanwhile, ‘Monster’ earned 44% of the vote in the Album of the Year race, easily outpacing Van Halen‘s ‘A Different Kind of Truth’ (14%) and Rush‘s ‘Clockwork Angels’ (10%). The album’s second single, ‘Long Way Down,’ took home the Song of the Year prize with 35% of the vote, with Journey‘s ‘Resonate’ (11%) and Motley Crue‘s ‘Sex’ (10%) also earning medals. As you can imagine, racking up wins in all those big categories also made it pretty clear that Kiss was the Artist of the Year in the eyes of our readers, and indeed they beat Van Halen (14%) and Aerosmith (10%) out for that honor by capturing 42% of the vote. The makeup-wearing marvels also took home prizes for Commercial of the Year (although we wonder if even they might agree Rush and Eddie Money got robbed there) and Photo of the Year, for a series of shots unveiling the latest versions of their famous stage costumes. Together with summer tour mates Motley Crue, Kiss also came in second place in the Tour of the Year category.

Own A Piece Of The Beatles Legally

Somewhere along the lines of creative flow I was easily convinced when "Art" falls from the tips of your fingerprints it belongs to the maker. he or she that was willing to share with the world. Performers with their producers have fought endlessly to protect what little is left. Like baseball cards the universe keeps delivering babies vowing to become Rock Stars. Each one delivered is a little weaker therefore mountains of talent are beginning to look like stone rubble from a collapsed relic. I've been involved in many verbal disputes fed by ITunes fans demanding new rules of ownership based on what happens after the purchase. While collecting 45's and albums in the 1970's...if I didn't want the music anymore I gave it away. It was mine to do so right? Not really. It kills me to fall witness to flea market and antique store boxes packed with tossed out vibrations. The physical site stings but the true pain is knowing the people involved with creating the music are getting nothing. And it doesn't end there. Classic Rock Magazine reports that if you'd like to own a first pressing of the Beatles‘ ‘Love Me Do,’ but don’t have thousands of dollars in the bank? Good news: Thanks to European copyright law, the Fab Four’s first single is now part of the public domain, meaning anyone can issue new copies for sale. As VVN Music reports, a number of labels have already been quick to take advantage of the copyright’s expiry, with two companies — Digital Remasterings and Pristine Classical — leading the charge. Digital Remasterings has apparently included ‘Love Me Do’ (and its b-side, ‘P.S. I Love You’) on a new compilation of early Beatles cuts, including the perennially reissued Hamburg Star Club live performances, while Pristine Classical is said to be releasing its own version of the single as a protest of sorts. As detailed in the VVN Music report, European copyright limits are shorter than those in the States, where intense lobbying by media companies has increased American copyright length repeatedly over the last several decades (it currently stands at 95 years). But it appears that the European Union is following America’s lead; the law “may be changed before the end of this year, moving the threshold to 70 years” — good news for anyone who makes a living from royalties, but a setback for labels like Pristine Classical, whose catalog consists entirely of recordings in the public domain. It’s a fascinating fight for copyright scholars — and for Beatles fans, well, it’s something of an opportunity to purchase more memorabilia.

Bob Seger's Detroit Roots Are About To Set Fire To America's Rock n Roll Addiction

Discovering Bob Seger didn't suddenly happen. Although AM radio stations in Po-dunk USA basked in his glory; all that static stuffed into a battery operated transistor device led a nation of good Rock lovin fans of music straight to the nearest record store to hoist all they made on albums and 8-track tapes. Like a blood transfusion Seger was pumped into your system via a high school kegger or while re-mastering a car sound system erection caused by being noticed cruising downtown anywhere America on a Friday or Saturday night. We were skinny dipping at the Gravel Pits south of Billings, Montana the first time I heard Bob hop out of the front seat connected to an ugly white Ford Rambler's dashboard. It wasn't Zeppelin, ZZ Top or Bad Company. It was far from KISS, Alice Cooper and Frampton. There was something bombastically Rock that cut through the night ripping from me every desire to swim closer to girls. I had to know who was doing some frickin song called Still The Same. Don't tell a Seger fan that he or she has been attached to his umbilical guitar chord for forty years because at no time during a Seger piece to do you feeling anything sweeter than being a teen destine to piss off parents while out thinking the local cop shop's addiction to digging up private places of party. The Detroit Rocker hasn't pulled off a final performance nor does he intend to. Classic Rock Magazine reports Seger and his Silver Bullet Band will hit the road this spring for the first leg of their Rock & Roll Never Forgets Tour. It starts in Toledo, Ohio, on February 27th, then rolls through the Midwest, West Coast and Canada. Seger took a long break from music after wrapping up a tour in support of his 1995 LP, It's a Mystery. He returned 11 years later with a new album, Face the Promise, and an American tour. He did another tour in 2011 and has been slowly chipping away at a new album, though it's unclear when that will come out. Generally, Seger's shows focus on his deep catalog of hits, including "Night Moves," "Hollywood Nights," "Turn the Page," "Rock & Roll Never Forgets," "Roll Me Away" and "Old Time Rock & Roll." In a 2011 interview with Rolling Stone, Seger said he didn't know how much longer he was going to remain active. "My career's winding down," he said. "What can I say? I can't do this much longer. My manager is 70. We've been together for 45 years now and we need to stop pretty soon and turn it over to the Kid Rocks and Eminems. I guess we're in the final stages here." Tickets for most shows will go on sale on January 19th, and Bob Seger fan club members will have early access to tickets at the rocker's website. A full list of dates are below, and more will be announced soon. 2/27 Toledo, OH - The Huntington Center 3/5 Grand Rapids, MI - Van Andel Arena 3/7 Green Bay, WI - Resch Center 3/12 Winnipeg, MB - MTS Centre 3/19 Calgary, AB - Scotiabank Saddledome 3/21 Edmonton, AB - Rexall Place 3/23 Saskatoon, SK - Credit Union Centre 3/27 Vancouver, BC - Rogers Arena 3/29 Seattle, WA - Tacoma Dome 3/30 Portland, OR - Rose Garden 4/2 - Denver, CO - Pepsi Center

Can Paradise Theater Survive When Performed By Just Dennis DeYoung

"Theatrical Rock" caused multitudes of disjointed storms by way of making waves in the 1970's. Freddie Mercury and Queen weren't an overnight success and what about this thing, it, creation called Alice Cooper? It's been written a few hundred times by critics more famous than your mother that "Theatrical Rock" took root in the backwoods connected to The World of Arthur Brown whose off the beaten path psychedelic song Fire ignited newer reasons to explore un-invented avenues that would one day lead the world of music to Ziggy Stardust and KISS and Styx. Tommy Shaw and company didn't have to wear paint...their only requirement was Dennis Deyoung's ability to write in ways that shared stories. I caught the heavily produced Paradise Theater and Kilroy Was Here on stage and happily admit have never been the same since. It always seemed boring to watch Marshall Tucker, Van Halen and Jethro Tull to bang out a tune only to stand on a dark stage while my sister Susan screamed at the top of her lungs for more. Paradise Theater was a production. Pre-Michael Jackson Thriller and Madonna chorographically maintaining a plan to endlessly reinvent. Word from the front of the stage is Former Styx front man Dennis DeYoung is about to get a little dramatic again. Although he hasn’t been an active member of the group he helped found since 1999, Ultimate Classic Rock Magazine reports he still makes his living by playing their greatest hits. DeYoung’s current solo band is geared toward recreating the classic Styx sound as closely as possible, and the singer, songwriter and keyboardist has revealed that he is hoping to re-stage the superstar rock group’s most successful tour for an upcoming DVD release. Styx released ‘Paradise Theatre’ in January of 1981. Featuring DeYoung’s hit ballad ‘The Best of Times’ and guitarist Tommy Shaw’s ‘Too Much Time on My Hands,’ it became Styx’ only No. 1 album, and the conceptual road show in support of the record was one of the most successful tours in rock music history to that point. Shaw left the group during their next tour in support of 1983′s ‘Kilroy Was Here,’ but reunited with his former bandmates in 1996 for the Return to Paradise tour, which re-staged the original show almost note-for-note and spawned a hit live album and home video. DeYoung’s current solo act is geared toward Styx’s greatest hits, which has proven so popular that he is planning to incorporate his current band into a re-staging of the ‘Paradise Theatre’ tour, with an eye toward putting out a DVD. This would be the third time the show has been staged in its entirety, which DeYoung acknowledged in the following humorous posting to his official website: I’ve toyed with the idea of recreating the Paradise theater tour one more time, janitor, back drops, simulated marquee and all but I’ll have to get permission from the United Tour Association of That Again. Possible tour names are Paradise Now and Forever, Return to the Return of the Return of Paradise or simply Tonights The Night We’ll Repeat History. We did recreate the scenic elements for a show in Montrreal in I think ’08 but without some of the songs we currently perform. I have a copy of the original setlist from 1981 and It could be great with this band. I’ve already ordered one blond wig, an afro wig, a tux, a fake Tom Selleck moustache a space suit and a Shakey’s Pizza uniform. Nothing like red satin pants on a 65 year old.Seriously I think this show will make a great DVD. Or maybe will just do The Serpent Is Rising start to finish including Handel’s Messiah done with the Moron Tabernacle Choir. They’re not as good as the Mormons but their cheaper. I believe I just heard the sound of no tickets being sold. Good grief get this guy a shot at open mic night at Zanies Comedy Club. Of course, DeYoung is not the first classic rocker to re-stage his older work for a new tour. In fact, his former Styx bandmates performed both ‘The Grand Illusion’ and ‘Pieces of Eight’ live in their entirety for a tour in 2010, releasing a DVD of the show in January of 2012.

Lost: Fleetwood Mac. Found: Chrstine McVie

Awesome...is when the ink from your writing instrument influences three other corners of the world. In the old days of radio when listener connection was based on snail mail and 1-800 studio lines; getting an honest reaction to a vocal blurb often came four days too late. By the time a listener's reaction made it to the radio studio the program director had already hot lined you calling the band mention or stunt the most idiotic intro talk over he'd heard in fifteen years. Which always made me laugh because the lips still hooked to that studio microphone wanted to ask, "Am I performing to you or those who've taken the time out of their busy life to suck in a few vibes of their favorite song?" Which is why I immediately gravitated to the Social Network. From this writing instrument ink has swelled...questions from you, "Where the hell is Christine McVie in all this revamping of the Mac?"

Paging back to a separate chapter we learn she truly enjoyed a wild ride as a member of Fleetwood Mac, but nowadays the retired rocker prefers a quiet life out of the spotlight. In a new interview with Ultimate Classic Rock, the legendary singer and songwriter shares her fond and not-so-fond memories of the past, and says she has no problem with her former bandmates moving on without her. McVie looks back on the landmark album ‘Rumours’ in a rare public interview with Mojo magazine. Released in February of 1977, the album spawned a string of commercial hits including ‘Don’t Stop,’ ‘The Chain’ and ‘Dreams.’ McVie contributed ‘You Make Loving Fun,’ ‘Don’t Stop,’ ‘Oh Daddy’ and ‘Songbird,’ but she recalls that her rocky relationship with ex-husband John McVie, as well as the strain between Lindsey Buckingham and Steve Nicks, made for a stressful situation. “John and I have long since made friends, and I’m sure Stevie and Lindsey have as well. But I am often still flabbergasted at how the hell we managed to make [the album] in the first place,” McVie says incredulously. “But that was what tied us together — we knew that the music was good. The chemistry was such that we brought the best out in each other.” Still, McVie acknowledges that the group’s crazy, drug-fueled antics impacted the recording sessions. “They were wild days,” she admits. “I can’t deny there was a lot of lunacy in the studio. But Stevie and I rented a condominium in Sausalito to get away from all of that. It was the boys who all stayed at the Record Plant house. So that’s where all the madness was happening.” The musician still enjoys the music on ‘Rumours’ after all these years. “It was a real pleasure to listen to it again,” she states. “I’ve had it lying around but not listened to it for years. It’s like if you live next door to Buckingham Palace, you don’t go and look at it every day.” McVie departed Fleetwood Mac in 1998, returned to her native England and has since kept a very low profile. She has seen her old band in concert a few times since, though she has steadfastly not joined them onstage. “I have a really good time when I go. I can stand at the sound board and watch them sweat,” she says with a laugh. “They do my songs, ‘Don’t Stop’ and ‘World Turning,’ but they are limited to what they can do of mine. I think they tried ‘You Make Loving Fun,’ but I don’t think the sound of their vocals were right. But I wish them well.” McVie appears to have no future plan to return to music, and she says she has shelved any plans she once had of opening a restaurant, which was part of her intent when she left the group. “I didn’t open a restaurant but I did go to a few cooking schools,” she says, adding, “It was too much like hard work!”

The Golden Rule: Don't Piss Off A British Rocker

Nothing cranks me up louder than a quality driven behind the scenes Rock n Roll surge of energy designed to knock decision makers off their pedestals. Too much of today's success is credited to the wrong front office. Jumping on the true "Working Man" wagon is Joe Elliott from Def Leppard who loudly exclaims that his former record label, Universal, should treat the band with more respect because “we built their penthouse sushi bar”. Leppard are re-recording as much of their back catalogue as possible after failing to reach an agreement with Universal over digital releases. And last month the band cut five acoustic songs performed during their Rock Of Ages tour for a medley released to iTunes. “We’re trying to wrestle back our career and ownership of these songs,” said Elliott in an interview in the latest issue of Classic Rock. “They [Universal] own the originals, we’re at loggerheads with them over the digital rights. And as long as they’re playing silly buggers we’ll just keep recording them again.” The singer continued: “Until we can come to some kind of humane conclusion to this ridiculous stand-off, we’re going to say: ‘F*** you!’ We were offered a great deal two years ago and shook hands on it. And then some other twat at the label put a stop to it. It’s our life and our music and we’re not going to let them exploit us to the extent that they’re trying to.” Elliott said Uiversal wouldn’t be the major player it is today without the help of Leppard’s multi-million-selling releases. “Between us and Bon Jovi we built that company,” he insisted. “We built their penthouse sushi bar, wherever it may be, and they just treated us like ****. We can either roll over like little dandelions or we can stand up and punch them in the bollocks. And that’s exactly what we’re doing.”

What's Better Than Double D? Matallica In 3D

Why is there so much Lasik eye surgery in America when this nations obsession with 3-D means putting on what you're trying to take off? As of late, no matter how great the picture...the winner is the patron but the movie company. 3-D glasses are horribly uncomfortable, the lens can't be touched by buttery popcorn figures and God forbid the fat a** in front of you refuses to remove their hat. Outside of that...the movie theater 3-D experience is mind blowing, extremely close to the right depth of perception and turns cranky fathers with screaming kids back into a monkey the same age. Even better? The world of Rock continues to hop on board the true to life adventure without having to secure six different bank loans, sell off the cat while promising your neighbor you'll clean up their dog poop for a month just to score a single concert ticket. Classic Rock Magazine reports Drummer Lars Ulrich says Metallica’s forthcoming 3D movie project could be regarded as their answer to Led Zeppelin’s The Song Remains The Same. Zep’s 1976 film The Song Remains The Same, a companion to the live album of the same name, is based on performance footage from New York’s Madison Square Garden. But it also features several out-of-concert “fantasy sequences” for each of the band members, as well as for manager Peter Grant and tour manager Richard Cole. “There are similarities [to The Song Remains The Same],” Ulrich reveals in the latest issue of Classic Rock. “There are four members in Led Zeppelin, four members in Metallica, it’s a full-length movie, and there’s a lot in this film that does not take place onstage. “The major difference is that the stuff that takes place offstage in the Metallica movie does not feature any members of Metallica. It’s two separate worlds – a Metallica show and a story that unfolds in a parallel universe – and at some point they intertwine.” Metallica are working with director Nimrod Antal on the 3D movie and filmed their August 24, 2012 concert in Vancouver, Canada, as part of the project. The film is likely to be released this summer. Metallica are working on new material while they put the finishing touches to the 3D movie. The songs are said to pick up where 2008′s Death Magnetic album left off. “Death Magnetic is one motherfucker of a record,” said Ulrich. “There aren’t many Metallica records that sound as good as Death Magnetic four years after they were made. With a lot of the other records, there were questions: ‘Why did we do that?’ or ‘What was going on there?’ or ‘Why didn’t somebody say to turn the snare on?’ I don’t feel like that with Death Magnetic. What we’re doing now certainly sounds like a continuation.” Rick Rubin produced Death Magnetic but it’s uncertain whether he’ll be involved with the new record’s sonics. Ulrich commented: “I love Rick. We all love Rick. We’re in touch with Rick constantly. We’ll see where it goes. It would stun me if the record came out in 2013. We’ve got to finish this 3D movie, which is what we’re doing right now.”

John Lennon Inspired Film Ready For Hollywood Production

I've always believed Classic Rock is more than just a generational sound. More than just men over the age of 50 are clinging to its presence. C.R. is a way of life and you never get tired of hearing some ballsy radio entertainer ordering you to rip the knob off. Without a doubt the louder it gets the more it fuels the engines of the masters behind the gears that continue to move not a nation but an entire foundation of music fans young and a little older than young forward. Guess who's hot on the trail of the same scent? Hollywood! Ultimate Classic Rock reports the drama mechanics that make the machines designed to thrust your rockers into overdrive are featuring quite a bit in the plots of movies these days. Last month, ‘Not Fade Away,’ a film about New Jersey teenagers inspired by the Rolling Stones to form a band, opened in theaters. This spring will see the beginning of production on ‘Imagine,’ in which a musician receives a letter of encouragement from John Lennon. The story is based on the real-life tale of Steve Tilston who, in 1971, was a British musician worried about succumbing to the trappings of fame. Lennon read an interview with the young artist and reached out to Tilston via a letter, which offered advice and encouragement, with his home phone number. Unfortunately, Tilston never received the letter, and had no idea of its existence until 2005, when a collector who purchased the letter tracked down Tilston. ‘Imagine’ takes that premise but, instead of Tilston being a musician whose career never amounted to anything, screenwriter Dan Fogelman created Danny Collins, a rock legend who turned into exactly what Tilston was worried he would become, a decadent rock star content to go through the motions playing the hits in sold-out arenas. But receiving the letter from Lennon after all those years reminds him of who he once was and decides to turn his life around, both by reconnecting both with his son and his artistic vision. The move stars Al Pacino as Collins, which probably means lots of scene-chewing tantrums in the movie’s early-going, before he decides to turn his life around. Jeremy Renner plays the estranged son, and Julianne Moore is the manager of the hotel Collins moves into as part of his quest for redemption.

No Bridge Over Troubled Waters. No PInk Floyd Reunion Ever

George Lucas didn't fall out of love with Star Wars. He just wanted to move forward. So he sold it to Disney, a company with very large pockets and multitudes of parks willing enough to grab what little air was left and shove it back into the soul of character. Star Wars fans are ecstatic! Just like Star Trekkies, Hulk-a-maniacs, 1990's Eagles junkies and everybody else associated with chunks of a kids life and style that seemed to have drifted from sight until one days said, "Let's give it one more shot." Looks like The Beatles and Pink Floyd will go down in history as being the no so interested. Classic Rock Magazine reports Roger Waters has emphatically ruled out a Pink Floyd reunion once and for all – saying the band “was over” in 1985 when he left. In recent years relations between him and surviving members David GIlmour and Nick Mason have thawed to the point where all three appeared during a performance of Waters’ The Wall in 2011. But that’s as far as it goes, says the former mainman. He tells the Sun: “I can’t. I left Pink Floyd for very good reasons, and it was the right and proper thing to do. It was over in in 1985 – and it’s still over.” But he admits: “I’m having dinner with Nick tonight. He’d jump back in a heartbeat.” Despite thinking about retiring after the first round of The Wall shows, Waters has found himself staging more and more performances, with a series of massive open-air editions due this year. But he admits the idea came from his wife – and he didn’t like it when she suggested it. “I started to get itchy feet,” he recalls. “Laurie said, ‘You should go out on tour again, but if you do, there’s only one thing you can do: The Wall. “I said, ‘Be quiet – you don’t understand!’ Then I started figuring out whether it was possible. Eventually I told her, ‘You know what? You were right.’” The focus in the storyline has moved since Waters first delivered it as a “frightened youngish man.” He says: “I’m much less frightened and much more comfortable with audiences. “I was determined that this show should not just tell the story of miserable little Roger Waters, but make it a much broader and theatrical piece about the walls that divide us – north and south, rich and poor, Christians and Muslims.” He promises his concert at Wembley Stadium on September 14 will offer plenty for those who have seen previous performances. “We’re going from 28 projectors to 49,” he explains. “There will be a lot more detailed information, close-ups of me, the band – you won’t quite be sure of what’s going on.”

Peter Frampton Credits David Bowie For Saving The Music

I've spent an entire Rock Jock's life accusing Casey Kasum for my addiction to collecting music's story. Trapped in a teens body the best way to set it free was to generate enough cash from keeping score at a bowling alley to finance a bedroom radio station that reached nearly a block from the needle making love with a vinyl 45. But even that didn't calm the hunger. I forced myself to stop being a kid and landed my first on-air performance at 14 and have regretted it ever since. An addiction when made public is judged and that's what radio maker's do. A long song intro begs to be fed while masterminds behind rivers of research command what I've always called "The Disconnection." "Just tell em we play a trunk load of their favorite songs. Nothing more nothing less." Relationship best describes why the car stereo is cranked and your vocal chords crack. Video didn't kill the radio star. Radio killed the radio star. Instantly I become enthralled, completely fascinated and taken back when a radio listener shares their music relationship with me. What's captivating are the expressions in their eyes. The emotions released when something as simple as a song lyric found reason for them to hold onto to it longer than expected. Rarely do I find Ipod carriers grasping onto the same strings. Is it because "The Next" button makes mood building too easy to formulate? I remember when sipping on the entire first side of Boston was the journey. Not the initial 2.3 seconds which for some reason always has to start off with drums. Tom Sholtz and Brad Delp of Boston made the guitar my guardian angel. Relationship! Which is why I fricken dig this Blogging crap! There's no better feeling than whipping out the necessary tools to scratch the itch. I believe music is more than just having a great beat you can dance to. The stories generated before and after the song are my porn. Relationship is everywhere in Classic Rock! If you've gotta click out that's ok but the rest of us are gonna find out how Peter Frampton credits David Bowie with saving his career as he struggled to escape the shadow of his iconic Frampton Comes Alive! album. The guitarist admits it’s taken until now to feel capable of moving on. But now that he does, he’s at peace with the legacy of his 1976 live record. And one of the first steps on the long road to emotional freedom was taken when old schoolfriend Bowie invited him to join his band for 1987′s Glass Spider tour. Frampton tells M and Classic Rock Magazine: “The 80s were a difficult period for me. My dear friend David got me out on the road, and on his Never Let Me Down record, and reintroduced me as a guitar player around the world. “I can never thank him enough for believing in me, and seeing past the image of the satin pants and big hair to the guitar player he first met when we played together in school.” The experience of working with Bowie rekindled Frampton’s love of playing. “I enjoyed touring with David so much I just wanted to go back out and play,” the guitarist says. “I hadn’t really played that much in the 80s.” Last year the former Humble Pie member released a live DVD based on his FCA! 35 anniversary tour. That’s also helped him come to terms with the massive success of the original record. He recalls: “There was a fear factor that kicked in when the thing got so damned big that it didn’t matter who you were or how clever or talented you were, you just weren’t going to follow it up. “It’s something that I grew to appreciate for what it is. It went from being an albatross to something that I’m very at peace with and proud of. “The day Frampton drops dead, the first sentence is going to be: ‘Peter Frampton, who was most famous for his album Frampton Comes Alive!…’ There’s no getting away from it, no matter what I do. “If that’s the record I’m remembered for, I’m fine with that, for all sorts of reasons.”

KISS Solo Collects Praise

The several shades of gray connected to Rock KISS-tory have begun to glow but not under the limelight of Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley. Music critics have sent high praises out to guitarist Tommy Thayer's current solo adventure. The greatest thing about KISS is their brutal approach to honesty. A like it or leave approach to making Rock hard and ready to perform. It's never been hidden away from fans that Thayer was an active part of their line up while Ace Frehley made a comeback. According to Classic Rock Magazine Tommy had been kitted out with his own Spaceman garb in case the changeover took place while the band were touring. Thayer had been a member of the Kiss entourage for nearly two decades before he finally hit the stage with them following Frehley’s departure in 2002. He first met mainmen Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley in the mid-80s as he tried to find fame with his band Black’n'Blue. Thayer tells Epiphone.com: “We had just released our second album and somehow we landed the opening slot on the Kiss Asylum tour. They knew we were fans and they took interest and gave us some help, especially Gene. “He eventually began working with us, producing our third and fourth albums. Things evolved and soon I began working for Kiss, first behind the scenes, then later directly with the band.” He admits he’d never imagined actually appearing on stage – but says: “I think Paul and Gene had almost made me the heir apparent for several years before it happened. “Because of the volatility in the band from 1998 on, I was literally on standby backstage for several tours to take over on guitar if necessary. “Behind the scenes, I had my own Kiss outfit, boots and makeup kit in case of an emergency situation. “By the time they asked me to be the new lead guitarist over 10 years ago, the writing had been on the wall for a long while.” Thayer, alongside returned drummer Eric Singer, has been credited by Stanley and Simmons for having re-energised the band. But the guitarist admits it took a while before he could exert his musical creativity. “With 30 years of Kisstory preceding me, you needed to be faithful and support where the band had come from,” he says. “It wasn’t the time to reinvent the wheel with a new style of guitar playing or a new character or personality.” With latest album Monster receiving acclaim from fans, Thayer reflects: “Over the course of the last 10 or 11 years Kiss has slowly built to new heights. “The success of our tours, particularly since 2008, have been astounding. Going back into the studio in 2009 to record Sonic Boom and then again with Monster has been an incredible growing experience. “With the support and encouragement of Paul, Gene, and Eric I’ve been able to take my guitar playing to a whole other level. It’s a great feeling.”

A Remake Of The Beatles Yellow Submarine Has Sunk

The trouble with Hollywood is their mind blowing addiction to movie remakes. How many ticket buyers forked out the bucks for Total Recall in 2012? Did you slam the kids into the seats for the official rerelease of Monsters Inc? Footloose? It's not over yet! 50 films are slated to be refurbished with modern attempts at acting. They include: Dirty Dancing, Robo Cop, A Star is Born, The Crow, Barbarella, The Birdsw, Escape from New York, Heavy Metal, Lethal Weapon, My Fair Lady and Short Circuit. Guess what movies been taken off the books? The Beatles classic Yellow Submarine. According to RollingStone Magazine Robert Zemeckis has dropped his planned remake because it would put him behind the eight ball. Zemeckis has latched onto a fair share of Hollywood fame with Back to the Future and Forrest Gump but believes remaking Yellow Submarine isn't worth the investment of time, money or space. Zemeckis and Disney had been planning the remake of the Beatles' 1968 film since 2009 and even found a cast of voice actors and a Beatles tribute band in 2010. But Disney left the project last year and, though Zemeckis would have been able to take the film to other studios, it seems he's focusing his attention elsewhere. His latest film, Flight, opened last month.

The World Of Rock Is The New Abe Lincoln

It's 2013! American Culture is sick of the term: Fiscal Cliff... Yo! Restring your guitar with a better hotter method of madness: Bro-fessional. Former Metallica bassist Jason Newsted gets total credit for masterminding the best definition of what needs to take place when whipping our productive mindsets back into place. Office buildings, banks, restaurants and specialty shops constantly drop the weight of guilt on the shoulders of their employees claiming, "The end is near! We need you to step up your game or I'll find someone else to meet my demands." Who needs a dictator in the White House when its completely legal to set them free inside factories, giant warehouse sized religious outlets and highway construction sites? Gone with the early 1990's is what once made America thee place to race off to: Family atmosphere. Dismantled and tossed into box is belief not in the system but human generated ambition. Wait! Wait! Before you double click your flat screen off this page let me demonstrate how the world of music portrays the way we lay outside the walls of a Marshall amp. Jason Newsted says he'd consider returning to Metallica if they were “bro fessional” about it. He comments: “If they came as my brothers and they were professional, and they’re sitting there and looking me in the eye and the managers aren’t around; if it was like that again and the money was crazy, then I would consider it. Think about it! How long did it take The United States Government to agree on the key issues that would keep millions of middle class Americans from forking out money we don't have? They waited until the last minute and beyond. Now tell me how many of us truly believe the lyrics to their song is about us and not about the managers and money givers that elected them into office? Cam Newton of the Carolina Panther's was fined $21,000 for doing exactly what most young parents tell their kids, "Use your words." Yeah? Such verbal expressions or lack of bro fessionalism led to the NFL gifting the quarterback with a solid accusation dubbed abusive conduct to an official. Gene Simmons of KISS has always stated in a calm professional manner his reasons for terminating the relationship with Ace and Peter. Their rebuttal not so peaceful. I love how Paul McCartney has chosen his golden years as being the hanging place of the hat worn while the rest of world accused Yoko of breaking up The Beatles. Maybe if Career Builder's dot com had been around in 1968 one of them could've stepped away for a little while to regenerate some of that bro-fessionalism. Take up the term! Use it but don't abuse it! Creative hearts and minds are easily injured. Imagine how strong the country could become and how better the music on the radio would be if a shade of Jason's bro-fessional thinking was put into play.