May 29, 2009

UPDATE! 70's Rockers, T-Shirt Give-Away

Once again the cool, groovy people over at The Chop Shop have some new shirts out. They have been kind enough to DONATE one for me to GIVE AWAY to you! IF, you are the person that comes up with the most correct answers!

Last time we did this it took quite some time to get the list correct. I don't have the answers yet either so I will be guessing along with you!

Hint: all of these people were at the height of their fame from 72 - 82.



Click here for larger view!

We have one person who seems to have kicked some ass in this contest and has got so many right that he is, in fact the WINNER. Congrats to my favorite rock star of all time (and I mean it) SEANO BARRY of the entertaining and controversial blog, Circle of Fits!!!!

But not all his answers were correct so please keep guessing. I don't have the answers either, I have to consult with the talented shirt designer to verify who's who.

Here's what's been confirmed far:

1.
2.
3. Sly Stone
4.
5. Iggy Pop
6.
7. Debbie Harry
8. Joni Mitchell
9. Stevie Wonder
10.
11. Joe Strummer
12.
13. Elvis Costello
14. Alice Cooper
15. Bob Dylan/Tom Waits (not Bob)
16. Joe Jackson
17. bob Marley
18. Mark Knofler( dire straits)
19. Mark Mothersbaugh(devo)
20. Joey Ramone
21. John Lydon (PIL)
22. Jeff Lynne(ELO)
23. Neil Peart
24. Sid Vicious
25. Bruce Springsteen
26.
27. Billy Joel
28.
29. Ozzy
30.
31.

May 28, 2009

Davy Knowles and Back Door Slam "Coming Up for Air" Review


YES! My new favorite rockin blues band has a new CD coming out on June 16. Got my review copy today (thank you, Sharon Weiss, at W3 PR!) I've been listening to it for the last couple of hours and its great. Produced by none other than the talented Mr. Peter Frampton.

Right now "Hear Me Lord" is playing - written by George Harrison. I believe its the only song on the CD that is not an original. "Amber's Song" is so pretty and sad. The whole CD is great. I am not disappointed. I think there first one will remain my favorite but they came through again the second time around.

"After a brief break from two years of non-stop touring, Davy Knowles and Back Door Slam is back with a new album produced by Peter Frampton and mixed by Bob Clearmountain. Coming Up For Air, a smorgasbord of rockers and acoustic ballads, includes Davy s and Peter s dueling guitar solos on George Harrison s anthem, Hear Me Lord, and an extraordinary bonus track duet with Jonatha Brooke of her Taste of Danger. The album is built around nine Davy originals (two co-written with Peter Frampton). Highlights include rockers Tear Down The Walls and Riverbed and the soulful Can t Take This Back. After a three week solo stint opening for Jeff Beck in April, Davy and the band are hitting the road again in support of this album."



Geez, I really don't want to give this copy away - you're gonna have to buy your own this time, its worth it!!!!

I hope to maybe catch these guys this summer....my fingers are crossed.

Elvis Costello, "Secret, Profane and Sugarcane" Review


Elvis Costello, launches a new album on June 2: Secret, Profane & Sugarcane. It's produced by T-Bone Burnett, which, imo, is always a good thing. Accordingt to his website, Elivis is joined on the new album by "some of the most highly regarded recording artists and musicians in traditional American country music, bluegrass and beyond".

I personally fell in love with Elvis Costello's music when I first heard My Aim Is True back in 1977. The band I was in covered several songs off the album - all unique stories and different from each other. One thing about Elvis, he is very adventurous musically. I have quite a few of his albums and they are all hard to put into a category. Is it rock, jazz, country, Bluegrass? Its hard to say with him!

The new album is accoustic and kind of country-ish. I think its worth giving a listen to but is not my favorite. I still like the older stuff and loved last years Momofuku because it was more rockin.

If you'd like to check out this CD, let me know, I have one to give away (please see note below)

Secret, Profane & Sugarcane

1. Down Among the Wine and Spirits
2. Complicated Shadows
3. I Felt the Chill
4. My All Time Doll
5. Hidden Shame
6. She Handed Me a Mirror
7. I Dreamed of My Old Lover
8. How Deep is the Red
9. She Was No Good
10. Sulfur to Sugarcane
11. Red Cotton
12. The Crooked Line
13. Changing Partners


This kills me: I hate to do this, but I am going to ask you to help me out a bit until I am employed again. IF I MAIL YOU A CD, can you please donate a couple of bucks to pay postage? A CD sent media mail is usually around $2.00. It sounds pretty sad, but I am making every penny count until I have an income again :) Thanks. I'll send it either way, so if you're in the same boat financially - no worries!!!

Paypal donate button in sidebar

May 27, 2009


In Sept. 2007 I got my hands on this book the day it came out in the stores. I had been waiting for it because I have a deep respect for Nikki Sixx (and he was always my favorite in the Crue).

I had no idea how personally this book would eventually affect my life. At that time I would never have believed you if you told me, "Your son will be a heroin addict one day". I simply would have thought, "you're crazy, that will NEVER happen!" I was wrong.

If you have not read this book, I recommend it highly, but have to warn you, its not for the faint of heart or the easily offended. Its raw, its hardcore sex, drugs and rock and roll. But mostly its deeply personal and gives an inside view into the life of an addict. Nikki doesn't hold back, he shares his soul here.

During my own journey as the parent of an addict I have met many other parents, I dedicate this post to them. Its one of those things you can't possibly comprehend unless you experience it yourself, and I hope and pray none of you ever have to. I have learned so much from those other parents and don't know how I would get through this without them. And also to two guys that either know what its like to love an addict (Syd) or to be one (Shane) that have encouraged me and shared hope with me.

This video was made in response to the book to express gratitude to Nikki for writing it and shedding some light to others. I have to wonder - if I would have shared this book with Keven before he picked up the needle for the first time - would it have stopped him? I will never know.

----------------
Now playing: Sixx: A.M. - Tomorrow
via FoxyTunes

(thanks, Amber, for posting this today!)


Permission - Sixx AM


p.s. I just watched this again and cried. To see the arms of your child covered in bruises and track marks, to look into their once innocent eyes and see vacancy, to wonder "where did I go wrong as a parent?". But mostly to lie in bed all night with your stomach in knots wondering if he will come home...or is tonight the OD? Jail? An accident? Is he ever coming home?

Thank you, Nikki, if it weren't for your book I would not have been prepared to understand how it can own you after the first try. Thank you for showing the addicts that they can have their lives back. I love you.

stay tuned...I have a very cool post coming up this weekend!

May 26, 2009

Band Names....

Its always interesting to hear how a band came up with their name. Here's a few:

The Eagles
- Originally named Teen King And The Emergencies , they liked the American sound of Eagles and the way it was aligned with The Byrds who had a great influence on them. (good move on the name change!, Teen King?)

E Street Band — Bruce Springsteen's band was named after E Street (E, not East) in Belmar, New Jersey, because the band used to practice at the E Street home of pianist David Sancious' mother. (of course everyone already knew this one, right!)

Foo Fighters - A term used by World War II pilots to describe strange flying fireballs they sometimes saw. (unique...never knew this one before)

Kings of Leon - Three of the band members are brothers and one of their cousins joined them. They chose the name "Kings of Leon" because their grandfather's name is Leon. (how sweet! and it sounds good too)

Mötley Crüe - From a friend's comment, "What a motley-looking crew." Motley means "of great variety" and once described the appearance of a court jester. The re-spelling was their own invention; using the umlauts came to them while they were partying and drinking Lowenbrau beer. (yep, it fits)

Nine Inch Nails — sole constant member Trent Reznor chose the name because it "could be abbreviated easily" and denied any "literal meaning" to the name. (ok)

Procol Harum
— The band was named after the pedigree name of a Siamese
cat that belonged to a friend of Guy Stevens, the band's manager. The name was Procul Harun, which is Latin for "Beyond these things", but was written down incorrectly by Keith Reid. The band would say in interviews that the cat was a Burmese Blue, though all cats with the name are the Devon Rex breed. (this kind of ruined the name for me. a cat breed?)

Queen - Were originally called Smile. Singer Freddie Mercury came up with the new name for the band, later saying: "Years ago I thought up the name 'Queen' … It’s just a name, but it’s very regal obviously, and it sounds splendid … It’s a strong name, very universal and immediate. It had a lot of visual potential and was open to all sorts of interpretations. I was certainly aware of gay connotations, but that was just one face of it." (another great name change...Smile? Can you imagine them being called SMILE?)

Soundgarden - A garden of kinetic sculptures that makes music when wind blows through them... a sculpture in Seattle called "Sound Garden". (I want to go there, in fact I've always felt like maybe I should live in Oregon or Washington)

U2 - the U2 was an unemployment form in Ireland. (I could use one of those forms right about now!)

White Snake - From a white albino ball python snake owned by David Coverdale while in Deep Purple. (I have to admit...I really like snakes)

taken from Wikipedia

one of my favorites:

One soft infested summer me and Terry became friends
Trying in vain to breathe the fire we was born in
Catching rides to the outskirts tying faith between our teeth
Sleeping in that old abandoned beach house getting wasted in the heat
And hiding on the backstreets, hiding on the backstreets
With a love so hard and filled with defeat
Running for our lives at night on them backstreets

Slow dancing in the dark on the beach at Stockton's Wing
Where desperate lovers park we sat with the last of the Duke Street Kings
Huddled in our cars waiting for the bells that ring
In the deep heart of the night we cut loose from everything
to go running on the backstreets, running on the backstreets
Terry, we swore we'd live forever, takin' on them backstreets together.

Endless juke joints and Valentino drag where dancers scraped the tears up off the streets dressed down in rags
Running into the darkness, some hurt bad, some really dying
At night sometimes it seemed you could hear the whole damn city crying
Blame it on the lies that killed us
Blame it on the truth that ran us down
You can blame it all on me Terry
It don't matter to me now
When the breakdown hit at midnight
There was nothing left to say but I hated him and I hated you when you went away

Laying here in the dark you're like an angel on my chest
Just another tramp of hearts crying tears of faithlessness
Remember all the movies, Terry, we'd go see
Trying to learn how to walk like heroes we thought we had to be
And after all this time to find we're just like all the rest
Stranded in the park and forced to confess
To hiding on the backstreets, hiding on the backstreets
We swore forever friends on the backstreets until the end.
Hiding on the backstreets, hiding on the backstreets

~bruce springsteen

May 24, 2009

Anvil and Adam

I feel bad that I've been slacking at reading your blogs, my evenings have been spent doing something else these days (she smiles as she types this).

ANYHOW....I did make the rounds this evening and hit some of your sites. I was surprised at how often two topics came up, so I will share them here, just so I can be cool too:

1. The movie, "Anvil! The Story of Anvil" is out and sounds like a great film. Bob Vinyl gave it a 10/10 and Vicky summarized her review by saying "its a must see film for any music lovers".

2. Adam Lambert. If you don't know who he is you obviously don't watch TV or read much out there. I admit...I didn't know who he was till very recently. When I saw/heard him perform I was an immediate fan. I love this kid! He has raw talent and I think he should have won but....they picked the nice clean cut kid instead, he was great. I'm just saying...Adam has more than talent, he also has a unique style that sets him apart. His interpretations of some of the songs he covers are incredibly unique.

So the rumor that's floating around: He will be the new frontman for QUEEN??? Normally I would be appalled at anyone stepping in to try and sing Freddie's songs, but I think this kid just might be able to pull it off. We'll see. No one can ever replace Freddie, but I as I said in a comment, I think he would approve of Adam Lambert.

Just watch this - you don't see this kind of talent often:

Summer Concert Memory


Charlie at Bloggerythms left a comment to the last post and triggered a great memory:

Anyone familiar with Laguna Beach will be able to picture this beautiful setting, about 1/4 mile from the ocean in what is known as Laguna Canyon.

It was summer 1980 (or 81, 82?) and I was living out "the  Canyon",  one block east of The Sawdust Festival. Across the street from Sawdust was the Laguna Bowl (home of the world famous Pageant of the Masters*) and back then they also held concerts.

The Laguna Bowl was just a block from the beach. It was a warm summer day and POCO was playing there! Living so close (and being totally broke) we decided to enjoy the concert from our roof!

We carried up chairs, ice chests, food and of course beer! The way the Canyon is situated the acoustics were phenomenal, it was as if we had the best seats in the house (we couldn't see but we sure could hear).

By the last song most of our neighbors had caught on and were on their roofs too, people could drive by on Laguna Canyon Road and wave at all of us.

I can still here them playing Rose of Cimaron and Crazy Love. What a GREAT band, and a great memory. Thanks, Charlie :)

*I've lived here all my life and have only been to the Pageant of the Masters ONCE.  Its something you have to see with your own eyes to appreciate - I recommend it to anyone but get tickets early - like a  year in advance!

May 23, 2009

Summer Concert Plans??

I love getting Dave White's email every Friday, its always full of good info. This week he highlighted a few classic rock bands that will be touring this summer.

Do you have summer concert plans? So far I have "wants" but have not purchased tickets. I do, however, have my tickets to U2 for October :)

Took this right from Dave, so stop by his site and tell him he' doing a great job over there at About.com :)

AC/DC

AC/DC's Brian Johnson and Angus YoungPhoto by Kevin Mazur / Getty Images
AC/DC will spend the month of June touring Europe, followed by 16 North American dates (July 28-September 9) then a few months' rest before playing a half dozen dates "at home" in Australia in early 2010. The set list will be a mixture of classics and new material from the 2008 Black Ice album.

Aerosmith and ZZ Top

Aerosmith photo by Frank Micelotta / Getty Images
Aerosmith's North American tour runs from mid-June through mid-September with 41 arena gigs scheduled. The tour was originally planned to support a new album, which has been delayed by various band members' health issues. In the absence of new material, the band is looking to liven things up by performing some of their earliest albums in their entirety. It'll be North meets South as the Boston-based rockers are joined on the tour by fellow veteran arena rockers ZZ Top, self-styled "little ol' band from Texas."

Clapton & Winwood

Photo by Tasos Katopodis / Getty Images
During the month of June, Eric Clapton and Steve Winwood will work their way from east coast to west, with a 14-date reprise of their sellout three-night stand at Madison Square Garden in 2008. The May 19 release of a two-disc (CD/DVD) set recorded during the MSG performances sets the mood. Watch video of "After Midnight" from the new release, Live From Madison Square Garden.

Def Leppard - Poison - Cheap Trick

Def Leppard photo by Kevin Winter / Getty Images
Def Leppard, Poison, and Cheap Trick will set out together for a late June through early September tour of 40 cities. This will be Leppard's fifth straight U.S. summer tour, and vocalist Joe Elliot hints that it may be the last one for a while. "I seriously do think that it's time for us to not do it next year," Elliot said, "because I'm a firm believer in you don't want to do it too much — people start taking you for granted."

Bob Dylan, John Mellencamp, Willie Nelson

Bob Dylan photo by Dave Hogan / Getty ImagesBob Dylan photo by Dave Hogan / Getty Images
What could be more America's Heartland than Bob Dylan, John Mellencamp and Willie Nelson performing at (wait for it ...) minor league baseball parks. Dylan and Nelson did similar small town tours in 2004 and 2005. Between July 2 and August 15 the trio will play 22 ballpark concerts, some in cities as large as Louisville, Kentucky and Durham, North Carolina but mostly in places like Round Rock, Texas and Sevierville, Tennessee.

Fleetwood Mac

Photo by Kevin Winter / Getty Images
We now join the Fleetwood Mac tour, already in progress (and continuing through June 17.) There's no new album to promote, so the set list is strictly the Mac's classics. Reversing the usual order, there's talk that the tour may be followed by a new album. Says guitarist/vocalist Lindsey Buckingham to London's VIP News, "I think maybe there was ... a sense that we would make a better album if we went out and hung out together first on the road ... maybe even sowing some seeds musically that would get us more prepared to go in the studio rather than just going in cold."

Kid Rock and Lynyrd Skynyrd

Lynyrd Skynyrd and Kid Rock, photo by Stephen Lovekin / Getty ImagesLynyrd Skynyrd and Kid Rock, photo by Stephen Lovekin / Getty Images
For the second summer in a row, the Kid and Skynyrd will be tour buds. This time around, however, rather than sharing the stage, they'll each do full sets. It'll be a busy summer, with 24 dates between early July and early August.

Metallica

Metallica photo by Michael Loccisano / Getty ImagesMetallica photo by Michael Loccisano / Getty Images
Metallica will actually spend most of the summer on the European leg of their world tour, but from September through December will play 30 North American dates. The band are including classics, new material and rarities (their own, and some covers) -- an eclectic mix attributable to what drummer Lars Ulrich describes to Rolling Stone this way: "On this tour, for some reason, we've got this wild hair up our ass."

Styx, REO Speedwagon, .38 Special

Styx photo courtesy i.e. marketing
Styx, REO Speedwagon and .38 Special are tripling up for a 30-date tour which began May 13 in Albuquerque and ends in St. Louis on July 11. The best part? Ticket prices that will be as low as $13.50, as part of what Styx's Tommy Shaw calls "our own personal rock ‘n’ roll stimulus package."
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