The Long And Winding New McCartney Road

Shooter Jennings, Hank Williams two and three. Wolfgang Van Halen... kids with famous parents bending music to their own twist. The Beatle Children are no different. Zak Starkey has toured with Ringo. You already know what Julian and Sean have done. Gotta love Dhani Harrison for bringing the Fab Four to Wii Now there's James McCartney. Who recently caught a lot of attention when announcing he'd like to form The Beatles The Next Generation. How do you get something like that to happen? James McCartney brought something incredibly special to the stage. Music fans were shocked to see his backup band.... According to the Daily Mail, James played cuts off his upcoming debut album, Me. Although his father started off on the sidelines, Wood hopped onstage with James and accompanied him on guitar. Paul McCartney later joined the party, taking the stage and playing some piano during the set. The younger McCartney kicks off a U.S. tour on April 6th at Portland's McMenamin's White Eagle Saloon, and to prepare, he played a show at London's Ambassadors Theatre. Me is set for a May 21st release. For full tour dates, visit James McCartney's website.

KISS Gets The Kitty

Flat out! My reasons for liking Gene Simmons is based 100% on that fearless, vividly clear, chance taking imagination he's been carrying for sixty plus years. Marketing is his magic. Promotion moves people. Both he and Paul Stanley are unstoppable. Paul says it best, "It's the music business." Keyword business. Simmons has never expected the makers of any product to hand him stuff. He doesn't walk through life expecting special treatment or believes people owe him favors because of who he is. Gene has never shattered the glass that served as the window to American success. To this day he looks through it for opportunity. The hottest band in the world — Kiss — is coming back to television. Simmons and Stanley have teamed up with Hello Kitty for a new animated series on the Hub Network ‘Kiss Hello Kitty’ Instantly! I'm shot back to the 1970's. KISS Meets The Phantom Of The Park. I couldn't sleep for weeks. I was too afraid of missing my Beatles. I was so addicted to their musical drug and cartoon connections that the entire flick was recorded on a Kmart purchased cassette tape recorder. If word hit the Optimist Park region of Billings of KISS being on Don Kirshner's Rock Concert...the teenage keg diving party was put on hold until the show. According to a press release, “This global collection of hugely desirable co-branded products connects Kiss and Hello Kitty followers all over the world with hundreds of licensed items across all categories, including apparel, toys, electronics, stationery, and back to school merchandise, among others.” With the success of that venture, the band have extended the relationship with the announcement of the upcoming show, which will be produced in a joint venture between Kiss Catalogue Ltd. and Sanrio, the makers of Hello Kitty. The show will air on the Hub Network, the fastest-growing children’s cable network. Gene Simmons will serve as one of the show’s producers. “The Hub Network is the perfect home for the TV show, ‘Kiss Hello Kitty,’” Simmons says. “We are incredibly excited about this opportunity and want to make all our millions of fans worldwide proud of a show they can watch with the whole family.” Paul Stanley adds, “Knowing and viewing the Hub as I do daily with my three children, it is the perfect home for us to bring the ‘Kiss Hello Kitty’ juggernaut to yet another generation.” Sanrio’s operating officer, Roberto Lanzi, acknowledges the show seems unlikely on the surface, calling it “for sure the most unexpected” Hello Kitty crossover. “The idea sounded crazy in the beginning,” he admits. “But Gene and Paul are not only rock icons, they are incredible creative minds who were soon able to see a future success.” ‘Kiss Hello Kitty’ is currently in the early stages of development. No air dates have yet been announced.

Rush In The Hall Of Fame But No To Retiring

A couple of days ago Black Crowes drummer Steve Gorman put a lot of pride between his lips when explaining, "No song is ever finished in a recording studio. It's constantly evolving." Look at Stevie Nick with Landslide. Although she first poured it from her soul in the early 1970's...purification didn't manipulate the playing field until the 1990's. Only to be hoisted higher when Dixie Chicks spun it into a classic Country release. Allowing a song to breathe beyond its original vibration is what unlocks desire. Rock n Roll Hall Of Famer's Rush have axed the idea of running the tour bus off the road into retirement. Geddy Lee and the gang have located a new sound....a stringed section. A full orchestra. Rush frontman Geddy Lee says the band aren’t even close to thinking about retirement – and in fact they’re enjoying a new lease of life. The Canadian giants, who next month will be inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, broke the habit of a lifetime when they hired a string section to join them on stage for their Clockwork Angels world tour. The results have even surprised the band – although they were initially concerned that fans might not welcome the move. Lee tells On The Air With Eddie Trunk: “We had orchestration on four or five of the songs, and we thought it would be a little more authentic bringing real strings as opposed to using our technology. “We rehearsed with the technology and we could have done it without the live thing. But we’d always talked about doing it, and it was like, ‘Let’s stop talking and just do it.’ It expanded from those four or five songs to all the songs in the Clockwork Angels part of the set, plus it bled over into some older songs we’d always wanted to do with strings.” The frontman admits Rush were “a little bit nervous in terms of whether fans would like having all those people on stage with us” – but that it’s “turned into quite a positive.” And he’s delighted at how it’s opened up new possibilities for his own live performance, because he doesn’t have to carry out additional duties such as playing keyboards. “At first they were like, ‘Do you want us to sit quietly?’” he recalls. “We said, ‘Knock yourself out – have fun!’ They’ve really taken that to heart. When the band comes in they join in and rock it up. “It’s a big help to me. I have more fun – and that’s the idea. It’s nice to have the freedom. Guitarist Alex Lifeson agrees. “They love the fact they’re on this tour together, playing with more freedom that they normally wouldn’t have,” he reflects. “We connect with them and have a lot of fun.” With a renewed energy alongside fans’ excitement over their Rock Hall induction, Lee says it would be futile for Rush to consider winding down any time soon. He says: “I think it’s foolish to look too far into the future with a band like us. We really dig each other as friends and writing partners. I don’t think I’ve ever seen Neil as happy as he is on this tour. It demeans the whole thing to try to predict the end. Let’s say we’re happy right now and we’ll see how it all goes.”

Springsteen Fans Accept Tom Morello Replacing Little Steven

Not just anyone can be a fill in. Although bosses attempt it every day at work and sometimes we'd like to locate fill in's to replace our kids. Truth is...in the end you'd end up missing their pork n bean surprises around the springtime BBQ. When musicians become fill in's...instantly I'm reminded of my time with Bon Jovi guitarist Richie Sambora who constantly reminded me, "I'm just happy to be a working musician." These truly are some rough times for musicians, producers and writers. The cost of tickets have forced fans to purchase the DVD instead. Being in a seat rarely comes with the total experience. Unless you count the bone head sitting in front of you dumping his mountain sized beer all over the gorgeous blonde sitting next to him. That's when I whip out the Face Book and begin to document. Being a fill in comes with responsibility. Especially if your name is Tom Morello. Bruce Springsteen had asked him three months ago to join the E Street Band during the Australian leg of their Wrecking Ball Tour. Little Steven's off the fast track filming the tv show Lilyhammer. One show later and Morello doesn't regret taking the job. "It's been great. It's been really an honor being onstage with one of my favorite bands – one of the greatest live bands of all time," he said. "I've been to a lot of Bruce Springsteen shows, but I've never been to four consecutive ones. And every show isn't just a different show – a completely different experience." The tour has been one of Sprinsteen's most ambitious ever: shows stretching to four hours with his biggest E Street lineup ever, Springsteen breaking out mega-rarities like "High Hopes," "Bishop Danced" and "Be True." "Our band plays very differently night to night. It's not a repetition, it's a renewal," Springsteen told reporters of the tour in Australia. "If you're doing it right, that's how it feels." Morello faced a challenge stepping into a band that's been playing together for decades. "I learned about 50 songs in three months for the tour, and every night, 90 minutes til soundcheck, Bruce will text me with seven or eight songs we've never played before," he said with a laugh. "And then during the show, he'll call up songs we've never even discussed – some I've never even heard! "Every night, there's six to eight songs I have literally about a nanosecond to prepare for. But it's fun. Now that I know that's the gig I'm like, 'Lets go!' Make it clear: I'm not asking Bruce to stump me. I would love to play 'Thunder Road.' But it's been a really fun challenge." Van Zandt recently admitted he was hesitant to take time off the road. "It's a little uncomfortable, because I've never missed a show, as long as I've been in the band," he said. "I'm very happy they got Tom Morello, 'cause it helps a great deal to know that Bruce is not there up front on his own. I think Tommy, to some extent, will fulfill that function of interacting with the audience a bit, and interacting with Bruce a little bit." How did Morello learn the songs so quickly? "I'm pretty good at test-taking. I have pretty good guessing skills." Then Morello cut the interview short to head to the hotel lobby. "I actually have to go downstairs to do a thing with Mr. Springsteen right now," he said.

Tommy Chong's Rock Star Beatle Wish

Before Comedy Central. Before Youtube. Before the first egg popped out the south side of a northbound chicken. There was Cheech and Chong. 8-Tracks, Albums, cassettes and 45's! From Sister Mary Elephant to summertime parody Bloat On. Cheech Marin and Tommy Chong not Gene Simmons of KISS had the 1970's teenage boys wrapped around their art. The comedy duo was pre-2 Live Crew. They were getting away with un-dinner table type language dealing with subjects not so openly discussed. Tommy Chong has built an entire comedy career out of pot, and Paul McCartney is one of classic rock’s most noted connoisseurs of the stuff — so how is it that the two of them have never indulged together? TMZ recently caught up with Chong and —asked him if there was anyone he’d always wanted to smoke with, but had never gotten the chance. “I have never smoked with Paul McCartney. I smoked with every Beatle except Paul, and he’s the only big pothead! When I was with John, he never really smoked, because he was worried about his immigration. Then I was with Ringo and he was on rehab, gettin’ off his booze.” Chong continued to list the stops on his personal magical mystery tour, adding, “The only guy I literally handed the joint to was George. And the only Beatle I haven’t smoked with is Paul, so Paul — one day, you and I are going to burn one.”

The Eagles Are Going On Tour

I'm not the type of Radio Jock that hits a concert because the station has free tickets.  I can play a tune 4,000 times during a single career but you'll never catch me at a show more than once. 

Unless you're KISS, Paul McCartney, Trans Siberian Orchestra and The Eagles. 

This is the reason why I spend so much time interviewing the Master's of the writing instrument turned music and beyond.  I'm spoiled!  Tell me the story behind the song you just performed live!  Give me the dirt on why the group dropped it from the playlist but radio continues to play it like a new release. 

In an age of IPods and Smart Phones...staying focused on why I'm at a show proves to be more difficult than standing in $10 a cup beer line for nearly an hour.  Bands should pay fans for the time wasted trying to get out of the parking lot.  Quit selling cheap T-shirts and just give them away. 

If you hold a seashell up to your left ear while jamming to I Heart Radio in the right...it's a free concert.   

When word reached me of the Eagles hitting the road this summer...first thing out of my mouth, "Which bank is gonna give me a loan for tickets?"  Does it have to be someone associated with the FDIC?   

If you’ve got the hots for the Eagles too....we're talking fan tour.  You're gonna have to drive.  A limited number of shows for their ‘History of the Eagles’ tour will kick off July 6 in Louisville, Ky. and wrap up in Bethel, N.Y. on July 25.

The famously tight-lipped group recently rolled out a documentary titled ‘History of the Eagles,’ which is slated for release on DVD and Blu-ray on April 30. Their upcoming road trek will continue in that vein, featuring songs from across the broad spectrum of the band’s career, as well as some of the band members’ solo hits.

Singer/drummer Don Henley said in February that the tour “could very well be our last . . . we’re gonna include at least one former band member in this tour and kinda go back to the roots, and how we created some of these songs. We’re gonna break it down to the fundamentals and then take it up to where it is now.”

Though he declined to say which former member he was talking about, rumor has it that the upcoming shows may feature original guitarist Bernie Leadon. A press release announcing the tour did not mention any past members.

Tickets go on sale Thursday, March 28 at 10AM. An exclusive pre-sale for American Express card members goes on sale Saturday, March 23 at 10 AM. The tour news release described the concerts as the “currently announced” tour dates, so more dates may be revealed soon.

The Fingers That Brought Us Hotel California Don Felder Is Back

There was once a time in music history where knowing every member in the band proved you were a fan. Then something went horribly wrong. We could blame it on Steely Dan forfeiting Michael McDonald or Santana setting Neal Schon free. But then we'd be forced to participate with every reason why the Bay City Rollers stuck to playing only Pop Music. The fingers that made Hotel California a classic is back. Don Felder has teamed up with Tommy Shaw of Styx to release a mid-tempo electric-acoustic hybrid titled ‘Wash Away.’ Felder has always gotten credit for architecturally designing the Eagles’ best work, with guitar riffs that ring decades after they've created. But according to critics his vocal range is what's kept him away from being a household name. The former Eagle released a solo album titled ‘Road to Forever,’ and from it comes a single that gets points for being strong with elements. Which makes it a must listen for fans who know his prior work. Don is known for building the track with his signature blend of electric riffing and ringing acoustic chords. That bed provides an ideal setting for Felder’s vocal performance, which is stronger than many fans might have expected; though Felder’s is arguably the least recognizable voice from the Eagles, he’s a strong singer, with a voice that’s actually vaguely reminiscent of that other Don — Henley — in his lower range. The choruses get some help from Styx front man Tommy Shaw, who also co-wrote the song. Shaw (obviously) knows his way around a harmony part, and he’s at home in this kind of music — in fact, it’s probably his strong suit, as anyone who’s heard his work with Jack Blades can attest. His high voice blends with Felder’s mid-range for a nice lift, and a wash of vocal effects also helps distinguish the chorus from the verse and gives the track a modern feel. Felder’s guitar solo displays his trademark deft touch with lyrically melodic playing, with a tinge of chorus that also adds to the overall contemporary feel. The instrumentation, vocals and production are the strengths of the track. It’s a bit weaker lyrically, which isn’t to say that it’s a poorly-written lyric. It’s heartfelt, and certainly in keeping with the theme of the album, which Felder wrote after losing both his band and his long marriage. The lyric reaches for a universal theme of redemption — but there’s a fine line between universal and generic, and this lyric treads that line a little too closely with its payoff, “We go down to the river to wash away the pain.” That said, there’s still far more to like than not about ‘Wash Away.’ For longtime fans of Felder, it’s a piece of work that’s in keeping with what you’d expect, but with just enough of a new slant to make it interesting. And for Eagles fans who might not be familiar with Felder as a solo artist, it’s proof positive that he’s a lot more than just the guy who used to play guitar on Don Henley and Glenn Frey‘s songs. Check out the song

5,000 Copies Of Rare Grateful Dead Coming

Collecting turntables wasn't a hobby in my 1970's northern life and style. Each metal machine with spinning devices connected to a diamond tipped needle had a sound of its own. To get it to come to life was the end result of an extremely positive journey. The first step was to find my face, hands and toes in a local record store. I've published two books featuring major pivotal scenes that took place in record stores. It was a place to connect not just with music but fans of every generation. From Sinatra to Presley, The Beatles to Zeppelin. Disco to Punk. Straight into Madonna and Off the Wall from Michael Jackson right into My Homes In Alabama from Teddy Gentry and the guys of Alabama. When I cued up an album or 45 on KOYN, KXLO or KOOK. I knew someone on the opposite side of those speakers would do the same on a home stereo. I can still hear the click click of an album dropping down that slender silver chunk of metal. My favorite part of Frampton Comes Alive wasn't Show Me The Way or Baby I Love Your Way. It was the anticipation felt after the album dropped and the needle took its sweet ass time to cuddle up to the vinyl. None of it could have happened without a record store. Rhino Records will celebrate Record Store Day with special vinyl releases focusing on the Band, the Grateful Dead and the hits-packed ‘Dazed and Confused’ soundtrack. These limited edition albums will be available at participating independent record stores on April 20. The Band’s in-concert finale ‘The Last Waltz’ sees a limited-edition 3-LP reissue on 180-gram vinyl, with just 5,000 copies to be made available. The 30-track release features a series of special guests who joined Rick Danko, Levon Helm, Hudson, Richard Manuel and Robbie Robertson on Thanksgiving Day 1976 to say farewell — including Eric Clapton, Bob Dylan, Dr. John, Joni Mitchell, Van Morrison, Muddy Waters, and Neil Young, among others. Dead fans can look for ‘Rare Cuts and Oddities 1966,’ a 2-disc offering available on CD as well as 180-gram vinyl that focuses on early live and studio tracks. Produced by Owsley Stanley, the set includes the first-known takes on songs that would become signature elements of the Grateful Dead’s setlists, including ‘Not Fade Away.’ This album was originally issued in 2005, but has long been out of print. Only 6,600 copies will be available on vinyl. Finally, Rhino celebrates the 20th anniversary of ‘Dazed and Confused’ by issuing its original soundtrack on vinyl for the first time. Featuring 14 classic-rock favorites from the likes of Black Sabbath, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Kiss, Alice Cooper and ZZ Top, the soundtrack will be available as a 2-LP, individually numbered set on green vinyl. Only 5,000 will be available. Visit www.recordstoreday.com to find out more.

Billy Idol Returns

I hold onto the moment very closely. Billings, Montana on KOOK radio. A live, the entire show and not just breaks...an on-air performance from the Yellowstone County Fairgrounds. PD Jack Stevens plopped down the weeks newest 45's added to the playlist. On top of the stack was some newcomer with an ego driven name: Billy Idol. Really? Is that what the world of music was coming to? Self proclaimed idols. I mean Michael Jackson wasn't even the King of Pop yet! Madonna who? Without a cue burn to its name the music began to play. From my chair in the center of the fair. I sat watching farmers, cowboys and city slickers get off on Hot in the City. Did the mid-August summer day have anything to do with the mania? After all...102 degrees is pretty normal in south central Montana. The British man had a hook. A tone. A wave in vocal approach. A slur in his smile. More importantly...it wasn't Duran Duran. The 80's bottle job blonde is back! First it's Bonnaroo in Tennessee then the rest of America. Billy Idol, the white haired wedding singer 80's rocker that cradled our love for white weddings...is returning to the live stage this summer. The 2013 U.S. tour includes one date in Ontario, but otherwise goes from coast to coast before spending significant time in the Southeast. Idol and his band will begin on May 24 at the Pechanga Resort and Casino in Temecula, Calif., play two more shows out west and then travel to Port Chester, N.Y. for a May 31 concert. From there he’ll play many shows in the eastern seaboard states, scheduling most gigs at theaters and casinos. After Bonnaroo, he’ll hit Florida, Virginia and North Carolina before turning towards the nation’s heartland for shows in Indiana and Oklahoma. Ticket information is available at the singer’s official website. Billy Idol 2013 US Tour Dates: Go to Pollstar.com to get the constantly changing list. Added recently is Cherokee, NC June 21st 5/24 – Temecula, Calif 5/25 – Las Vegas, Nev. 5/26 – Saratoga, Calif. 5/31 – Port Chester, NY 6/01 – Mashantucket, Conn. 6/02 – Hampton Beach, N.H. 6/04 – Lewiston, N.Y. 6/06 – Rama, Ont. 6/08 – Atlantic City, N.J. 6/09 – Bethlehem, Pa. 6/11 – Atlanta, Ga. 6/12 – St. Augustine, Fla. 6/14 – Cincinnati, Ohio 6/15 – Manchester, Tenn. (Bonnaroo) 6/18 – Clearwater, Fla. 6/20 – Vienna, Va. 6/21 – Cherokee, N.C. 6/22 – Elizabeth, Ind. 6/24 – Concho, Okla. 6/25 – Catoosa, Okla.

The Moody Blues Digitally Reboot Their Projects

In recent years the Moody Blues have evolved into "That band" That band that travels from city to city sporting their music with local philharmonic orchestras. At first... I thought to myself, "I'm such a sucker." After the show the moody blues of my many attitudes was convinced that something extremely brilliant was happening. That sort of marketing has made them a must see performance. The Knights in White Satin are reissuing their classic tunes in a box set blasting with the kind of stuff that once made albums famous. Pictures...a 120-page booklet. DVD live performances. It doesn't end there... Justin Hayward and Company have invited fans on a classic rock cruise that includes Toto, Yes and the group Asia. Back to the music! Justin says they went back revisit their classic albums in 2008, but the reissue project couldn’t compare with the sheer dimension of this one: ‘Timeless Flight: The Voyage Continues,’ set for release on June 3, will include 11 CDs, six DVDs and a host of cool memorabilia including a replica concert poster. Three of the DVDs will feature 5.1 surround sound mixes of Moody Blues albums released between 1967-72 — including ‘Days of Future Passed’ (which featured both ‘Nights in White Satin’ and ‘Tuesday Afternoon’); ‘On the Threshold of a Dream’ (the band’s first U.K. chart-topper); ‘To Our Children’s Children’s Children’ (a No. 2 hit in the band’s native England); ‘A Question of Balance’ (which went Top 5 in both America and the U.K.); ‘Every Good Boy Deserves Favour’ (home to ‘The Story in Your Eyes’); and ‘Seventh Sojourn’ (which included the hit ‘I’m Just a Singer (In a Rock and Roll Band)). Hayward, who just released his first solo album since 1996, oversaw the remastering. The remaining trio of DVDs will focus on rare television appearances by the group, promo clips and a previously unreleased film of a 1970 concert in Paris.

The KISS Concert Unlike Any Other

What happens to a band when the inspiration behind one of their songs is found murdered? Paul Stanley of KISS is just as human as the rest of us. You stop everything...turn off the fire and hot lights and pay tribute. We all grew up loving Classic Rock because it's bad ass... Now it has a new face... Rocker's that aren't afraid to expose their love for true fans. See the video

New Jim Morrison Documentary Seen Through The Experience Of Family

I caught The Doors in concert at the Hollywood Bowl on VH1 Classics. Is there anyone greater than Ray Manzareck? Jim Morrison held his own. While Ray pummeled his fingerprints into those ivory keys Jim allowed life to move through him. Lighting up a cigarette and sucking in two lungs of raw nicotine; the journey to the center of his creative adventure in poetry was completely under the command of a hard playing road warrior. Instantly I hit Face Book and Twitter! When was the last time you saw a modern musician light up while on stage? Jim didn't do it because it was cool. It magnified a legacy. The mystic meeting the manmade clouds then shot out to bewildering fans of his writing. The Doors front man Jim Morrison will be memorialized in a new independent documentary. The production has been dubbed. Before the End: Jim Morrison Comes of Age Classic rock fans will love how Morrison's family and friends, including his brother Andy Morrison will play out in the story sharing. Interesting is a connection with former Doors roadie Gareth Blyth. I can't be the only Rock fan that sits in the seats after the show and watches how the stage designers carefully take history and place it on a truck. The documentary will also feature previously unseen home movies and photographs.

Heart And Jason Bonham: The Greatest Led Zeppelin Tribute

Music critics have always been one up on reality calling Anne Wilson of Heart the female version of Robert Plant. She proved it true in December during the Kennedy Center Honors when she and sister Nancy brought "new life" to the legendary classic Stairway to Heaven. Don't spend your fast food money on fried burgers...there's a bigger fish in the Pond. Rock and Roll Hall of Famers Heart joins forces with Jason Bonham’s Led Zeppelin Experience for a 2013 summer tour. The ends with a 30-minute Led Zeppelin tribute. Wilson says every night will feature awesome rock with miracles happening at any time. The tour kicks off June 17 in West Palm Beach

Eddie Van Halen And LL Cool J?

What a week it's been for the men that make up Van Halen! While new bassist and son of the great Eddie; Wolfgang has been forced to explain his reasons for jamming with other bands. Diamond Dave on Tuesday exposed a fifty city tour which the groups agent instantly downplayed claiming it was the farthest thing from truth. Now there's word that Eddie Van Halen is about to appear on old-school hip-hop icon LL Cool J‘s new album. This story doesn't shock me! Before there was the VH band. Eddie enjoyed kicking up the guitar licks with earth shattering greats. He nearly fit into a pair of KISS leather jeans. Until Simmons was honest enough to tell him, "You need your own thing." Michael Jackson's song Beat It. It's Eddie cranking up those rock vibes. Tone-Loc’s 1988 hit ‘Wild Thing‘ used a sample from Jaime’s Cryin.’ The guitar legend recently teased his fans with a picture of the duo in the studio. “Authentic 4.30.13,” read Van Halen’s tweet that accompanied the picture. A quick check at Amazon reveals that LL Cool J is releasing an album called ‘Authentic’ on April 30. No other information has been given, so this is still mostly speculation. The rapper, best known for hip-hop classics like, ‘I Need Love,’ ‘I Can’t Live Without My Radio,’ ‘Mama Said Knock You Out‘ and ‘Doin’ It,’ posted the same photo to his Facebook page. This officially confirms news that Van Halen News Desk had broken last Monday (March 4), when they posted a picture that appeared to show LL Cool J from behind.

Robert Plant: His Story In Print

The writing side of my published self breaks out in laughter when word gets out about famous people writing books. It's almost like Radio advertisers trying to write their own commercials. There are certain things that shouldn't be allowed. Musicians know how to slice, dice and cut in two...the perfect expression. To write means to make longer. To write requires the author to reach deeper into the pockets of process and whip out The Eagles Hotel California times 1,000. From the pages of the book Why We Write...authors of great magnitude speak of a single line of confession: How do book companies expect to survive in an age when holding a book is nearly dead? E-books are great. But look at the ridiculous cuts in price publishers have been forced to endure. What books are you buying? What if it was time for legendary former Led Zeppelin frontman Robert Plant to step out and blah blah blah? The Hall of Fame Rock Star has given extensive interviews for a forthcoming new biography from HarperCollins, to be called ‘Robert Plant: A Life.’ The book is due for release this October in the U.K. and Canada and then next January in the U.S. According to The Bookseller, author Paul Rees, former editor of Q and Kerrang! magazines, talked to Plant, as well as his key confidants for ’Robert Plant: A Life.’ The book will cover Plant’s career from his pre-Led Zeppelin days through to his celebrated collaboration with Alison Krauss, 2007′s ‘Raising Sand.’ That means fans shouldn’t be expecting any insight into more recent rumors of a possible Zeppelin reunion, in the wake of the band’s release of the ‘Celebration Day’ film. “Robert Plant’s stature as one of the greatest frontmen of all time is without question and as fans of his music from Led Zep to present, we have long waited to publish his story,” Natalie Jerome of Harper Non-Fiction U.K. said in a statement. “This book is as close to Plant telling his own story in his own words as we’ve seen or heard to date.” Plant’s band mate Jimmy Page collaborated with writer Brad Tolinski on a similar project called ‘Light and Shade: Conversations with Jimmy Page,’ released last October. The singer known throughout rock as “Percy” recently announced his first U.S. date for 2013, an appearance at the inaugural JamBase Live Festival in July with his backing band the Sensational Space Shifters.

Alice Cooper Wants To Shine The Lights On Past Greats

Rod Stewart did Big Band. Billy Joel got hooked up with Doo Wop. Queen pulled off an Elvis knock off with Crazy Little Thing Called Love. Why wouldn't Alice Cooper want to cover Jim Hindrix, The Who, Beatles and The Doors? He says, “”There’s a lot of good stuff out there that deserves to be rocked out,” Cooper has never done a cover album. So he and Ezrin are bouncing it around. Cooper said the album, as yet unnamed, would likely feature some of the songs he’s already reinterpreting on stage, which include the Doors‘ ‘Break On Through,’ the Beatles‘ ‘Revolution,’ the Who‘s ‘My Generation’ and Jimi Hendrix‘s ‘Foxey Lady.’ He also mentioned a Harry Nilsson track as a possibility. Cooper has included the odd cover song in the past, both on studio albums and in concert. Hendrix’s ‘Fire’ can be found on 2002′s ‘Hell Is,’ while the Beatles’ ‘Because’ and Spirit’s ‘I Got a Line on You’ both appeared on the 1999 ‘Life and Crimes of Alice Cooper’ box set. He also previously covered ‘My Generation’ on the 2000 concert disc ‘Brutally Live.’ Cooper’s most recent studio effort was 2011′s sequel ‘Welcome 2 My Nightmare.’ He says he expects this new project to arrive some time in 2014. He’s a man on a mission. To prove to the world that Harry Nilsson deserves to be taken to a harder level of rock. Alice Cooper is currently preparing for a hangout with Marilyn Manson. Personally I'd love to see the two of them bang out a Hall and Oats classic. Something tells me that their Pop approach could withstand a little head banging.

Stevie Nicks The Rock-u-Mentry

The digital age of music is a social networking brilliance. While Michael Jackson and Duran Duran heated up MVT in the 1980's. Directors and Producers have stamped their talents into a new age of fan connection: Rock- u-mentrys. They've always been around but nothing like 2013. The Eagles, Metallica and now Stevie Nicks. Ultimate Classic Rock reports the long-awaited Stevie Nicks documentary ‘In Your Dreams’ has finally been scheduled for a theatrical release. The film, which records the making of the Fleetwood Mac singer’s solo album by the same title, will debut in more than 50 theaters in North America on April 2. Nicks collaborated with Dave Stewart of Eurythmics fame for the album, which was released in May 2011. She allowed cameras to follow her around for the documentary, which not only chronicles the creative process for the record, it also offers a fascinating glimpse into Nicks’ private life. The film intersperses shots from the singer’s scrapbook and pictures from her childhood, as well as backstage and performance shots taken over the course of her entire career. Celebrities like Mick Fleetwood and Reese Witherspoon also appear in cameos, and the film shows Nicks in such private settings as dinner parties, costume parties, tap dancing and more. ‘In Your Dreams’ has already played at a number of top film festivals, and it will screen this Thursday (March 14) at the SXSW Film Festival in Austin, and again at the Toronto International Film Festival on April 15. Nicks will be on hand at both of those screenings for question-and-answer sessions. She also kicks off Fleetwood Mac’s summer tour on April 4.

Rod Stewart Impresses Critics In New York City

Rod Stewart is one of few Rock Stars that's been with me the entire way. A new age of FM radio opened my eyes. It wasn't about jocks but dropping needles on the front side of an album and something like 30 minutes later you'd hear it scratch across the backside. Stewarts raspy British rock pre-Disco fed through my neighborhood via hooking his tunes up to a microphone attached to a guitar amp. What he laid out was never loud enough. So it became my game to pour energy into the poster filled bedroom walls. Make them speak a language all its own. The Classic Rocker has been accused of selling out on several occasions. I didn't give up on him. It could been his passion for soccer. Totally effed up crazy a** Rock Star hair or the fact that somehow no matter how bad it came across; a Rock Star singing love songs...he just knew how to pump up the vibe just right to get the girls all soft and ready for some serious amounts of wine and everything else attached to getting upstairs before the night gets old. In the 70's he went disco with Do Ya Think I'm Sexy. At the turn of the millennium Stewart was singing Sinatra. This past Friday night in New York City. Rod reignited Rock critics during a private showcasing of his new cd called Time. It's big, its loud and its Rock. Look for it on I Heart Radio beginning May 7. The album marks the first time Stewart has penned new material for release in more than a decade. He credits longtime collaborator Jim Cregan for inspiring that change. “About a year ago, I was sitting at my house in England, and [Cregan] came around and said, ‘Come on, let’s try to write a song,’” Stewart said last October. “And I said, ‘No, I can’t be bothered. Those days are over.’ But we sat down, I started humming a melody and he took it away and sent it back and said, ‘Listen, this is pretty good,’ so I wrote some words for it and ever since then it’s just been flowing like a river.” According to Billboard, the songs Capitol Records previewed on Thursday were an amalgam of Stewart’s past influences, with one cut reminiscent of his 1988 hit ‘Lost in You.’ Another song featured the type of Celtic instrumentation similar to ‘Maggie May,’ while other tracks called to mind some of his later disco leanings. Five of the seven tracks previewed were up-tempo, with two ballads rounding out the set.

New Music From Robert Plant

Does Robert Plant truly need his past in order to reach the future? Alongside Alyson Krause their music was harmonic storytelling beyond the limits of popularity. If music is written and performed with the very quality both artists bring...the goal should never be to chase fans. Let them find you. Then feel odd for not always being in the know. I kind of latched onto the same vibe checking out Plant's latest works. He's partnered up with live in love Patty Griffin. Three songs on her forthcoming solo album ‘American Kid,’ It's not their first music project. Plant and Griffin toured last summer with a group called the Sensational Shape Shifters. A new band will be announced later this year Video

Peter Criss To Be Honored For His Fight Against Breast Cancer

No matter how many commercials spin out of control on Radio and Television. Forget the number of highway billboards trying to prove a point. Guys getting cancer is still one of the most ineffective campaigns to date. Cuz guys just don't wanna deal. Life can't get any more real than the moment someone is told, "You've got cancer." What next? Treatment then back to a manly man lifestyle? Forgive and forget? Not if your founding Kiss drummer Peter Criss. This cat has passion in that purr. He's been admirably up front about his struggle with breast cancer, working steadily over the last several years to help educate men about the risks and warning signs associated with the disease, and his efforts have not gone unnoticed; in fact, Criss is the recipient of this year’s Humanitarian of the Year Award from the American Cancer Society. Criss will accept the honor on March 9 at the ACS’s annual Hope Lounge gala, to be held at the Encore club in Freehold, N.J. According to a press release, “more than 200 attendees, including corporate sponsors, prominent medical and business professionals as well as social and political leaders, underwriters and guests are expected to attend this exciting event.” UCR spoke with Criss in October 2011 about his battle with cancer, and he stressed the importance of early detection. “Look out for bumps and pain, a kind of pain where you just know — this is a kind of pain I’ve never had before,” he recalled. “I’ve had cysts and I remember them and I remember the doctor taking them out. This was different, it hurt like hell, it got bigger as I screwed around with it. I don’t know why, of all things, cause men just don’t think of breast cancer, we just don’t, but I swear, buddy I just knew that breast cancer had hit me for some reason.” Fortunately, Criss was able to obtain treatment before it spread — and that’s a big part of his message now. “The minute you feel something, I don’t care if it’s under your arm or your leg or your testicles or behind your ear. You must tell someone or go to your doctor immediately,” he stressed. “Just sitting around, you won’t be here next year.”

Alice Cooper and Marilyn Manson Set For Two Shows

Before KISS dominated the lives of nearly ever teen boy in mid-1970's platforms. Alice Cooper had already welcomed a nation of followers to his nightmare. What Cooper did wasn't new. Theatrical Rock had been terrorizing innocence since Arthur Brown punched Radio's reverb meters with, "I am the God of Hell fire!" And even that wasn't the origin of, "Whoa...." Being compared to Alice Cooper is a compliment. Rock is supposed to upset the elders. Sometimes it only seems to cross the line. When in reality you knew the rules before you picked up the rattlesnake. Who but Marilyn Manson would be the right choice for Alice Cooper to do a couple of shows with? Classic Rock Magazine writes about a poster on Alice Cooper‘s official website indicating the singer will be touring with shock-rocker Marilyn Manson this year. Details for two dates have even slipped out since fans and media noticed the artwork for a tour called the Masters of Madness: Shock Therapy Tour. The PRP.com lists a June 4 show in West Valley City, Utah and a June 23 show in PIttsburgh, Pa. as dates fans can look forward to, although it’s not clear where the website got that information. Smith’s Tix shows the June 4 gig going on sale this Friday at 10AM, with tickets very reasonably priced between $34-59. Cooper has been laying low in recent months, but has appeared on stage with Slash and Johnny Depp since the start of December. The tour page at his official website does not list any dates, only details on VIP packages for upcoming shows. He is confirmed to play the Caprices Festival in Switzerland on March 14.

Eddie Van Halen Face Books New Music For VH

I know Radio. I know what it's like to create with extremely creative people. I move through mountains and end up getting my butt kicked by managers after replacing trees with fake limbs purchased at Kmart. Until I stepped into a recording studio to lay down my own tracks. I had no clue how close creative minds. Not in delivery but in the department of "WTF?" RollingStone Magazine's interview with Sammy Hagar came at the right time. Small town or not...writers, performers and musicians need to understand the evils that lurk in the darkness of a producers mind and soul is no fricken different than the best in the biz. AC/DC said, "It's a long way to the top if you wanna Rock n Roll." That includes putting up with some crazy a** creative minds built like a machine to perform at higher levels than someone stuck whistling on a street corner. They say Eddie VH is a tough cookie to meet eye to eye with. Like him or not. David Lee team or just a fan of Classic Rock. Something really positive is coming from the VH camp. Classic Rock Magazine reports all signs point not just to a full recovery and return to the road for Eddie Van Halen, but some forthcoming new music, as well. The guitarist, who was sidelined by a nasty case of diverticulitis last year, has posted a photo to Facebook of himself in the studio. His son Wolfgang is promising fresh material, as well: “Oh, yeah, there’s plenty of other ideas laying around,” the younger Van Halen tells Billboard, “and some new stuff that we’ve been working on, too. You never know what’ll happen.” Wolfgang Van Halen helped spark 2012′s long-awaited reunion between his dad and David Lee Roth by digging out some unreleased material from the Van Halen band‘s earliest days. Together with founding drummer Alex Van Halen, Wolfgang’s uncle, the rejuvenated quartet produced ‘A Different Kind of Truth,’ Van Halen’s first full-length studio project with Roth since ‘1984.’ Wolfgang has been touring with Tremonti, the solo band of Creed’s frontman Mark Tremonti, while Van Halen took some time away. Now that its namesake leader is healthy again, the group is set for appearances at Australia’s Stone Music Festival in April, through Japan in June and then at the Rock USA Festival in Oshkosh, Wisconsin this July.

Tommy Lee Says No More Backstage Meet And Greets

Although it hurt at the time. Nearly a year later I feel pretty good about boycotting last summer's KISS/Motley Crue tour. The cost of tickets being the fade away in the game. Now toss in the latest money crusher: Backstage meet and greets costing several hundred if not thousands in cha-ching. It's hard to be a fan when bands and their support staff charge for everything except the use of the bathroom. I've been backstage as a non-Radio Jock. Loved it more because it meant representing my love for music and not having to live up to station policy. For fans of Classic Rock it pretty much requires a bank loan and credit check to shake a famous hand. Tommy Lee says he's not playing that shape of promotional ripping off any more. Classic Rock Magazine reports the Motley drummer has leaped onto our side of the fence. has always been one to walk to the beat of his own drum, sometimes quite literally, so this latest news should come as no surprise. Yesterday (March 3), Lee personally let his fans know that he’ll no longer be taking part in the meet-and-greet sessions offered up for purchase during their current Australian tour run. “For those of you that are asking why I am not doing anymore meet and greets!!” Lee wrote on the band’s Facebook page.”It’s got nothing to do with me not wanting to meet the fans, I just don’t agree with doing it under the certain given circumstances. I love u all and I’ll gladly high five y’all if I see u out n about – and u won’t have to pay me for that.” Although no direct reason was given regarding the “circumstances” that led to Lee bowing out of the meet and greets, his statement does seem to hint at the high price tag of the packages sold to fans that start with the basic ‘Crue Teaser Package’ at $295 and range all the way up to the $899 price point with the ‘Kickstart My Heart Meet and Greet Package’ which includes the chance to meet the band and take a group photo. Many current touring bands have similar packages available for fans to purchase. Lee’s new outlook on meeting his fans “out and about” may seem like a change of tune from last summer when he wrote an open letter to his fans asking for a little more consideration when being confronted in public for photos. However, quite understandably, It was later revealed that this sentiment stemmed from a very personal moment when he went to pick up his mother’s ashes and was asked by the receptionist for a photo. Fan feedback on Lee sitting out the meet-and-greets has been a very mixed bag with many fans applauding his decision and offering him support while others seem upset about the decision offering opinions like “If we have the money and we choose to pay the money, then what is the problem?” and “If money was really the barrier Tommy could organize a free comp or something in each town. This is just bs lip service.” Whatever the reason, Lee seems pretty steadfast in his decision. In other related Tommy Lee news, he made headlines this past weekend when a Florida man filed a civil suit against him claiming Lee assaulted him on a beach last summer.

Uncut Raw And Totally Jim Norton

The Interview

Sammy Hagar Re-ignites Montrose

Without a doubt! Barely three months deep into 2013 and its proving to be the year of the comebacks. Classic Rockers are fueled up and ready to feed massive amounts of concert fans with the metal that made America. Either that or there's a lot of rent money due. Being that Van Halen just announced their tour and it didn't include Sammy Hagar or Michael Anthony. True fans of Hagar know he ain't sitting around waiting for the sun to set over a bottle of tequila. Critics have always said Sammy doesn’t “record albums” so much as he simply invites some bros over to have fun and get down. Well according to Classic Rock Magazine; it looks like one of his most recent recording sessions has reconnected with some old friends. Hagar broke the news on his Facebook page (via Blabbermouth), posting a snapshot of himself (pictured above) with fellow former Montrose members Bill Church and Denny Carmassi above the caption, “Denny and Bill in town. We recorded some new music last week. It was amazing. We still have that Montrose chemistry. Keep ya all posted.” Both Church and Hagar quit Montrose before the band finally imploded in 1976, and their records were never huge sellers, but they scored a handful of AOR hits that continue to enjoy mainstay status on classic rock stations — and more importantly, they remained friendly over the years, with the once-contentious relationship between Hagar and Montrose leader Ronnie Montrose eventually thawing to the point where they occasionally played together over the last 15 years of Montrose’s life. Given Hagar’s recent comments about recording a new album in 2013, it’s easy to assume that his recent reunion with Church and Carmassi is a sign of what we can expect to hear from his next batch of material — but then again, given how frequently Hagar seems to be in the studio, this could very well be the beginning of yet another band project.

Uncut Raw And Totally Richie Sambora Interview

Richie Sambora of Bon Jovi has earned more than just a paragraph in the chapters of Classic Rock. The lead guitarist is more than a just riff. Those Jersey born fingertips swipe concert fans from reality and place them in whatever state he's made available. The digital evolution of music has turned many Classic Rock writers and performers into out of control fan eating Metal Monsters. Richie Sambora of Bon Jovi separates himself from the pack: How far can a single guitar riff rock before it tumbles from the radio speakers that brought it fans? Richie Sambora of Bon Jovi is still blown away by wanted dead or alive The uncut, keeping it raw, unplugged break it down like it is interview.... The interview

Bob Seger Did Elvis Before Detroit

Bob Seger is back on the road. How much do you already know about Detroit's true Rock n Roll Kid? Kid Rock talks about Seger like a hero. Bob shares his journey through music which includes how it all of sudden became giant jets. The interview

Album or CD. MP3 or Wav The Allman Brother's Band Has New Music On The Way

In an age of music where cutting albums and flopping out compact discs like warped Frisbees seems pointless and disconnected. The proud masters of songwriting and performance use the terms loosely while still funneling out a few of the music terms in physical form. Hell Neil Young throws down album listening parties. If he had his way he'd turn it all back into a vinyl format world. The problem isn't artist. It's based on meeting the demands of fans. When preachers walk into my recording studio hoisting tunes around in an Iphone you know there's no way the industry of music is gonna pick up and start from the beginning. So long live the terms cutting an album, dropping tracks or flat out recording music. Although I feel completely out of tune talking about new albums on the air. It's a way of life. It's a style that set the standard. Plus saying, "Wanna go beat mix an mp3 like David Lee Roth and Bret Michaels" just sounds worn out before it arrives. If you're a backer of some seriously cool stacks of wax then rightfully you should know the Allman Brothers Band‘s most recent studio album will turn 10 next month, which is a long time even for a group of guys that would rather play live than record new music. Fortunately, according to drummer Butch Trucks, another record might be on the horizon. Classic Rock Magazine reports Trucks touched on the topic of new music during a wide-ranging recent interview with Jambase, revealing that Gregg Allman “is in the best shape he’s probably been in for decades” — not only in terms of his health, which was endangered due to complications with his liver, but creatively too. “The word is that he’s got a bunch of new songs ready to go,” said Trucks, “and that right there in itself is something we haven’t had in a few years.” As it turns out, “the word” Trucks is referring to came directly from Allman himself. “I just got an email from Gregg a couple weeks ago — and it’s not something he does very often — so you know something special is going on,” he pointed out. “You could just feel it in the email that he was beaming. He said, ‘I got all these new songs ready to go, I can’t wait. See you guys in New York.’ That just made my day — it made my year and maybe the next three or four years.” Asked if the band might actually start working on a new album in the foreseeable future, he responded, “Yeah, I think we might.” First, though, the band is focused on their annual Beacon Theatre run, where they plan to play some of the new songs, as well as seven new covers. Then, they may finally release the long-overdue 40th anniversary live album, of which he said, “We’ve been pounding on people for four years. We recorded that thing in 2009 and here it’s 2013 and it’s not even out yet.”

AC/DC Beer Is TNT Shook Me All Night Long She's Got Balls Delicious

Beer! Love it or hate it. Beer makes the bed spin. I sat on so many empty kegs as a Montana teen that no man or taste can outperform what once made my heart race. Wait a second. Ten dings on the news maker hotline. While Anheiserbush prepares to rid the world of a few of its flavors of barley and rush...The guys of AC/DC have introduced the perfect brew for the Mancave Keg-a-rator Classic Rock Magazine has poured the perfect glass of drink-for-mation. Having already successfully introduced a line of wines suitable for sipping while headbanging, the guys in AC/DC have moved on to the next logical step: brewing their own beer. Sadly, AC/DC beer isn’t yet available here in the States; it’s currently limited to a select few countries, like Germany — which is why the beverage’s official site is written in German, leaving us with a rough translation of its marketing text. Which is fine, really, because if there’s a beer in the world that deserves to be called “the roadie for the rock group of friends” and advertised with phrases like “Ignites on the tongue like a ton of TNT — and taste every beer lover,” it’s AC/DC’s beer. No word yet on how quickly this stuff will make it to the U.S., but there’s no need to be alarmed just yet — the band’s wine wasn’t originally available on our shelves at first either. And just looking at those cans, which come in tallboy and mini-keg varieties, leaves us fairly certain that some enterprising soul is going to come along and do whatever it takes to import it for our thirsty American gullets as soon as possible. If Keyshawn Johnson can have his own wine, there’s definitely room for this.

New Bob Seger Song Introduced On Stage

Bob Seger. You gotta love a man and his guitar. I just can't figure out which one talks first. The guitar or Bob? Two nights ago The Detroit Kid broke rank and pulled off a stunt he's never done. Picked up his six string and plucked out a new Seger tune. Yes I have the video to prove it. Yes you can watch it right now. The video Bob calls the song ‘All The Roads,’ a mid-tempo guitar fully capable of grabbing the wheel of your ride and driven you home perfectly set for a new weekend. .

Zappa In the Note Of Philharmonic

Growing up in a pair of Montana made cowboy boots placed in fresh cow patties and chicken droppings is probably no place to locate a vinyl album featuring Frank Zappa. Yeah right. Before 2 Live Crew and Gangsta junkin up the lyrics with bent sentences and dirty words; the world of music picked up the street sweetened bliss of Zappa's creative mist. If you weren't pumping up the voltage at Sage 4 Drive In on the west side of Billings then your four on the floor tilted high in the back Nova with wheels wider than your momma's butt was hitting the point downtown. Zappa was and still is raw. There's a side of me that still believes a major part of him has yet to be discovered. Or should I say uncovered? Classic Rock Magazine reports more than 40 years after its initial release, Frank Zappa‘s ’200 Motels’ is scheduled to make its orchestral world premiere thanks to the Los Angeles Philharmonic. The L.A. Philharmonic will perform Zappa’s song suite on Oct. 23 at the Walt Disney Concert Hall, coming full circle with a musical saga that started in 1970, when the Philharmonic bowed songs from the album at UCLA’s Royce Hall. The LP, which accompanied a film with the same name, incorporated a bewildering array of styles to tell the partially autobiographical tale of a band losing its mind on the road. While a fair number of critics (and Zappa fans) weren’t really sure what to make of it at the time, both the music and the film have acquired a cult audience over the years. “I believe in my heart of hearts that someone on the board (of the Philharmonic) said it’s about time,” Frank’s widow Gail Zappa told Billboard. “This music was written before our children were even conceived and they have never had a chance to hear his music in a proper concert hall.” Saying the songs’ arrangements have been refined for the orchestra, she pointed out that the upcoming ‘Motels’ revival underscores how far ahead of his time Zappa often was. “Musicians now are very familiar with the composers of their time, which I am glad about,” she said. “Frank wrote music that challenges your playing ability, and I think musicians embrace that.”