Tom Petty's New Wave Of Changes Coming To His Concerts

An old neighborhood friend asks, "Yo...why do you run from Rock concerts?" The natural normal reaction would be, "I hate getting out of the parking lot. I can't stand forking out half the checking account for nose bleeds seats. Love people but can't stand hitting the men's room like a herd of cattle searching for feed." The real answer, "With so many performers laying out their vocals and guitar riffs on VH1, Public Television and other music enforced outlets...the show never changes." Guess who just caught on? Tom Petty is mending his heartbreakers. He learned a valuable lesson at the Bonnaroo Music Festival. Stop playing the same songs at every show. Petty is dropping the juke box and replacing it with deeper classic rock “I was feeling that [our show was getting stale],” Petty recently told Rolling Stone. “We felt kind of obligated to play all the most popular songs, because people pay so much for tickets. But I want to play some of these other songs, rather just get trapped into what people expect.” Instead of all the usual hits, expect Petty to bust out some of his favorite, lesser-known jams. “I’ve written a lot of good songs that weren’t released as singles,” he said, citing ‘Nightwatchman’ and ‘When the Time Comes’ as a couple of the songs that may find their way into the set lists. ‘I’d rather be known for that then for making lots of hits.” In other words, Petty said he’s not onstage to serve as a human jukebox. “I could be a jukebox, but I don’t want to be,” he said. “I just feel like we have more to offer.”

Alice Cooper On Top Of Mount Everest

More than most times. Way often then one expects or assumes. Autograph seekers truly are fans of the music maker that set it free to skip about the world like a second grader on the playground. There was once a time when collecting signatures was a fun sport. But in radio...when music moves toward us at the speed of light and road manager's can sometimes be the biggest butt. You know...holding onto such things no longer carries importance. Each time I'd look at the squiggly letters I'd think of the hateful moment caused by everybody but the artist. So I stopped standing in line and began the process of talking human speak with the pencil pushers. I love me some Rock Talk! I ain't no People Magazine. But when you leave me...you're gonna know the questions were driven by someone vowing to never stop working for Radio listeners. Rock Star signatures are a hot item for a lot of fans. I totally get it! Especially when those supporting the creative system...take the autograph beyond selfish behavior. Van Halen sang it, "Standing on top of the world." Alice Cooper is living it. A guitar signed by the Classic Rocker has arrived at the summit of Mount Everest. Instead of walking for charity. Firefighter Todd Pendleton climbed. Raising nearly $25,000 for the Leukaemia And Lymphoma Society. Once on top...his prize possession Alice Cooper autographed guitar was taken out and played. He says: It’s hard to put into words how difficult the journey has been. Death was palpable every time we put our crampons on. You had to focus on what you were doing, not what could happen, but it was always in the back of your mind. I haven’t been able to put into words what happened on summit day yet, but it tested my soul. It was terrifying and beautiful. I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone though.” Donate now.

John Fogerty Doesn't Want The Coach To Put Him In This Game

Just the other day I was talking with the drummer of The Rascals. His memories flooded with the events of music. How each member brought separate flavors. Without a doubt or bent guitar string the essence of their presentation couldn't have been if each who played didn't bring their own brand of music. Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham have openly expressed how their journeys as musicians have been bright as solo artists but nothing compares to what they catch in the corner of their eyes while playing live with Mick and John McVie. How do Classic Rocker's who've shattered their creative paths continue to pour sauce onto their fans backyard grill? More times than McDonald's sells burger...music makers who've gained access to your record collection have vamped up their own version of the band then hit the road. Is Styx just as good without Dennis De Young? Can Tom Sholtz truly re-grip his lasting imprint without the high tenor harmonies once dominated by Brad Delp? I'm not gonna bring up KISS. We've talked way too much about Van Halen. Guess who is in the Guess Who? How do you feel about CCR? Without John's brother Tom...would it be just a concept or could there still be that sound? The best news is that John Fogerty has teamed up with an all-star cast for his new album ‘Wrote a Song for Everyone,’ on which he re-visits a number of the hits he wrote for Creedence Clearwater Revival in new recordings with guest appearances from Foo Fighters, Kid Rock and Bob Seger, as well as country stars like Miranda Lambert and Alan Jackson. In an interview to promote the new album, Fogerty clarified his position on the longstanding tensions between he and his former CCR band mates, and why he feels he can never reunite with them. “When the band broke up, I never had any problem not trying to abscond with the name Creedence as a solo artist,” Fogerty tells Classic Rock Revisited. “I just figured that you have to move on and try to write new songs. I just think that thing is from a certain time and it is untouchable, unless everybody is there. You can’t do it unless everyone says it is okay to do it; that is how I approached it. It didn’t look like that was ever going to happen.” CCR ended rancorously after a relatively brief, buy spectacular run of success that yielded hits including ‘Proud Mary,’ ‘Fortunate Son,’ ‘Who’ll Stop the Rain,’ ‘Bad Moon Rising’ and many more. Fogerty became entangled in lawsuits with the band’s record label that stretched on for decades, and the fallout from that also caused a longstanding estrangement between him and the other members. That feud was so bitter that it didn’t even end with the death of Fogerty’s brother (and CCR rhythm guitarist) Tom in 1990, and in 1993 Fogerty refused to play with bassist Stu Cook and drummer Doug “Cosmo” Clifford when CCR were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In 1995 Cook and Clifford formed a new group called Creedence Clearwater Revisited, performing the classic CCR hits to audiences all over the world every year since. Fogerty unsuccessfully sued to stop the band from going forward. “At the time, you have to understand, we had an agreement when we were in the band that nothing would ever happen concerning Creedence, unless we all four agreed; it took unanimous consent. It was honorable,” the singer-songwriter explains. Fogerty goes on to add, “I always considered that was sort of my protection, meaning that I was throwing everything that I had into this and I don’t need somebody running off and going, ‘Hey, look what I did.’ I am actually the guy who wrote all of the songs. That was our agreement and it was an honorable agreement among gentleman.” It’s ended up in a situation where both he and his former band mates are asked about reuniting all the time. since all of them are still actively working. But Fogerty says he just doesn’t see that happening. “George Harrison had an interesting statement about reunions,” he observes. “The same statement works for me: There can be no reunion as long as Tom is dead.”

Tommy Lee's Roller Coaster Drum Kit Hits The Scrap Yard...

I have a blast sitting on the sidelines of Rock. Making it, playing it live then reinventing it continuously proves to be the visionaries promise land. I wish I could say my first concert experience was elaborate and mind melting. I'm from Montana where Charlie Pride coming home for a one night stand sold more tickets than the south has churches. While Rock was moving in Denver, Seattle and the King Biscuit Flower Hour on long distant AM transistor radio stations...we were able to envision rather than vision. What we saw in our imaginations made the sky look like a one room apartment. Creem and RollingStone Magazines provided the truth. From those pages the rumble of giant trucks lit up the hot asphalt stretching from larger cities and lifestyles to that itty bitty cowboy town and the rest you could say was a totally effed up, crank it up, earth moving Rock quake. The METRA flooded our veins with the makings of KISS, Fleetwood Mac, Jethro Tull, ZZ Top, BTO, Boston, Foreigner and more. Torn up then tossed out to dry like hides from wild untamable animals were those teens from the 1970's raised in Montana. Because we were forced to use our imaginations...then create. Everything seemed to change once set free to roam the planet. Concert stages once shaped a nation of believers. Then it got all pretty featuring lots of dancing. Two weeks ago Simmons and Stanley of KISS guaranteed concert fans a larger more vibrant up to date bigger stage. Complete with a spider that shoots fireballs into the audience. Another band that's been known for their elaborate stage presence is Motley Crue who announced over the weekend that drummer Tommy Lee's roller coaster drummer kit... is headed for the scrap yard. Tommy Lee's tweet Saturday night: "Man we’ve given so many people the thrill of a lifetime. On to design the next Spectacular!” Not seeing Tommy Lee’s drum solo is one of the biggest mistakes of your life. It's always been the hottest highlight of Crue’s live performance. The roller coaster rig allowed him to take it to the next level, often performing upside down as a part of his turn in the spotlight. With all the rumors of Motley walking away...is this just another sign? Fear not, Crue fans — it doesn’t sound like Lee is planning to sit calmly behind the drums at future shows. “Dont you all worry! Just wait til ya see what crazy I got for ya next!” he added in another Twitter post. The Crue will perform two festival shows in July before returning to Las Vegas to kick off their second residency there in September.

The Poet And Keyboardist Back Together Again...

A lot is going to be written. I have one sentence, "The Poet's of the past five decades thank you for believing in Jim's writing." Ray Manzarek wasn't just a keyboardist. He was the gateway to letting what we write have a stage set to music. Arroe Collins 5/21/13 The words of Ray Manzarek

Stephen Stills Reincarnated Again

About five years ago I'd sit at backyard BBQ's and Pool Parties pissed off at Rock for not bridging the gaps between competition. The speakers were flooded with new sounds. It was killing me that Hip Hop and Country was creating huge waves sharing microphone space. Artist's appearing with other Artists. The greatest thing about the Great Recession of 2008. Rock's ego has been dropped at the door. As much as I want to give Dave Grohl of Foo Fighter's and Nirvana all the credit. You can't. McCartney's been recording studio hopping as well. The Stones can't keep the world's biggest of their live performance stage. Sammy Hagar is having a brilliant time revamping his multiple camps. A master at the game of microphone swapping is Stephen Stills. I'd try and paint his resume on your computer screen but end up losing you at hello. His new band, a three-piece blues-rock outfit called the Rides, presents one of the more intriguing team-ups of the year. The longtime Crosby, Stills & Nash member works alongside Electric Flag keyboard player Barry Goldberg and blues guitarist Kenny Wayne Shepherd on the Rides’ first album, ‘Can’t Get Enough,’ which comes out on July 30. Fortunately, we don’t have to wait that long to enjoy a taste of the record. ‘Rolling Stone’ has posted an exclusive premiere of the song ‘Word Game,’ which Shepherd enthusiastically described as “Classic Stephen: conveying the type of message about the world that he is so well known for. He’s just calling people on their hypocritical bulls–t.” Stills offered somewhat less effusive praise, saying that “It probably could have used an extra day of practice, but because [drummer] Chris [Layton's] groove is so good, we chose to go with what we had.” As it turns out, what they had was a roiling, guitar-fueled take on a vintage Stills song that had been performed live but never recorded, and a track that, while decidedly short on the spine-tingling harmonies that his other trio is known for, offers emphatic proof that he can still work up a sweat.

Is Sting Headed To Broadway

Classic Rock Stars on Broadway. Ticket taker's would have a field day leading fans of David Bowie to their seats. Sebastian Bach of the 1980's hair band Skid Row knows the vibe. He's pulled a diddy or two and found a golden ribbon. Robert Plant on Broadway. Vocally brilliant. Meatloaf rocked off his career on an acting stage. But Broadway? Multiple amounts of Hollywood actors find such a place extremely beyond difficult. But what about Sting? The former front man of The Police! Three feet out of the radio station studio and voices on deck shouted, "Sting as a solo performer doesn't fall under the category of Classic Rock!" The former front man of the Police. Sting could be headed to the NYC. But only if he locates willing investors. Millions of dollars are needed to put his musical The Last Ship on a Broadway stage. Although Sting's voice has been silent from the music scene for the past ten years...his physical presence hasn't been. He's been in New York vowing to light up the most energetic stage on earth. The price tag to get it there... just 15 million dollars According to Michael Riedel’s ‘Broadway Matinee’ column in the New York Post, the reason Sting and his longtime spouse, Trudie Styler, have been in attendance for the openings of several new Broadway musicals over the course of the past few weeks is that Sting has been working on his own musical—’The Last Ship,’ inspired by his 1991 album, ‘The Soul Cages’—and has been making the rounds with his co-producer, Jeffrey Seller, in an effort to drum up the reported $15 million it will take to bring the production to the Great White Way. Riedel reports that a staged reading of the musical — music and lyrics by Sting, book originally by Brian Yorkey but now by John Logan — was held last Friday for possible investors. Directed by Joe Mantello and starring Louise Pitre, Fred Applegate, Aaron Lazar, Jill Paice and Matthew Stocke, ‘The Last Ship’ found more praise than criticism from Riedel’s anonymous “spies,” earning comparisons with ‘Billy Elliot’ and compliments on the score, which was described by one individual as “moody and reflective” with “several haunting themes.” Based on Riedel’s column, the biggest concern seems to be whether the project will have sufficient mainstream appeal, with one potential investor quoted as saying, “It’s a very good art musical, but I think it belongs at the Public Theater.” Although he has rarely been out of the public eye for any significant length of time, September 2013 will serve as the 10-year anniversary of the last time the former Police frontman released a new album featuring all-original material (‘Sacred Love’).