Music Bender

A rejuvenated lineup of the popular Australian band Wolfmother has a brand new track available — and you can find it only through their website, wolfmother.com.

Singer/guitarist Andrew Stockdale is the only original member of the band, but now he’s joined by guitarist Aidan Nemeth, bassist/keyboardist Ian Peres and drummer Dave Atkins.

Your first look at new material from the band is a song called Back Round, and it’s being made available as a free download from the bands site!

Although the song is really free, Stockdale is asking fans to be kind and make a donation to the Red Cross Victorian Bushfire Appeal at redcross.org.au.

Listen — it’s a very worthwhile cause — and God knows how many people you’ll help out (remember that devastating brush fire about a month-and-some ago? Imagine how you’d feel, losing everything you’d worked for but the shirt off your back!).

The group is now on its way back to LA to put the finishing touches to their as-yet-untitled new album.

So, for fantastic rock and to help our friends Down-Under to recover from these brush fires, check out their site, okay?

And I’ll see ya on the flip side!

Monty Python: Almost The Truth (The Lawyer’s Cut) is set to mark the 40th anniversary of the first broadcast of the show. The Monty Python’s Flying Circus troupe included John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, Michael Palin and Graham Chapman.

The documentary will be featuring interviews with all of the surviving Python members, along with archive footage of Chapman, who died in 1989.

Terry Jones said: “This is the documentary I always hoped that would be made - something so complete and so faithful to the truth that I don’t need to watch it.”

The documentary will also include guest interviews with Russell Brand, Steve Coogan, Bruce Dickinson, Jeff Bridges, Eddie Izzard, Stephen Merchant, Dan Aykroyd, Tim Roth and Hugh Hefner among others.

The program will be released on DVD and Blu-Ray in October, 40 years since Monty Python’s Flying Circus was broadcast on the BBC in October 1969.

For those who are perhaps too young to remember:  Monty Python’s Flying Circus was a creative — though, sometimes perhaps, a bit bizarre — experiment in humor.  Its catchphrase, And Now for something completely different, caught on in the cultures on both sides of the Atlantic, and the troupe itself provided two of the most comical yet talented actors in the media:  John Cleese and Eric Idle.

Okay … that’s all for this issue, but I’ll be back this evening with more!
That being said, I’ll see ya on the flip side.

Spandau Ballet, 1980s

It’s True! The ’80’s icons, Spandau Ballet, are reuniting for a comeback world tour, ending a very bitter split that took the rock world by surprise.

The five original band members - Tony Hadley, Steve Norman, John Keeble, and brothers Martin and Gary Kemp - chose HMS Belfast on the Thames, the scene of their famous 1980 gig, to announce that they’d “buried the hatchet”.

They’ll make about £12 million for the tour, which starts in October with a string of UK dates before heading to Europe, Asia and Australia. The band’s first comeback performance will be on BBC One show Friday Night With Jonathan Ross in the coming weeks.

The last time fans saw the band together, they were facing off across a court room. Hadley, Norman and Keeble sued Kemp for a £1 million share of the royalties, but lost. Over the following years, they talked exclusively through lawyers.

Spandau Ballet, 2009

“Time is a great healer,” said Hadley. “As you can see, we are back together again and we are very happy boys. We first met in the pub, had a few beers, the stories and the anecdotes acme out and we just realized we are great mates.”

Martin added: “We are like any family - families go through troubled times sometimes and argue and get back together.”

The tour will be a nostalgia trip for fans and the band have promised to play all of their greatest hits. Their run of chart success began in 1980 with To Cut A Long Story Short and lasted for seven years. They sold more than 25 million albums worldwide and their singles included Gold, Only When You Leave and Through The Barricades.

Joking about the flamboyant costumes they wore in their New Romantic heyday, Hadley said: “Before anybody asks - we’re not wearing kilts, frilly shirts, our mums’ blouses or anything else.”

They may be fast approaching their 50th birthdays, but the band said they had no worries about getting in shape for a gruelling world tour. “We’re fitter now. We were too hungover in the Eighties,” Martin said.

‘Nuff said for this issue!  Tune in tonight for more …
See ya on the flip side!

The new album from Heaven And Hell has been given a title, tracklisting and release date (finally!).

The new album from the Black Sabbath spin-off (with Ronnie James Dio, Tony Iommi and Geezer Butler from Sabbath) is to be titled ‘The Devil You Know’ and will be released on 27 April.
The album was recorded at Rockfield Studios in Wales, U.K., where the 1992 Sabbath album ‘Dehumanizer’ was also tracked.

Here’s the track listing for the CD:

01. Atom & Evil
02. Fear
03. Bible Black
04. Double the Pain
05. Rock & Roll Angel
06. The Turn of the Screw
07. Eating the Cannibals
08. Follow the Tears
09. Neverwhere
10. Breaking into Heaven

Already, Bible Black is getting some solid airplay, and becoming increasingly popular.

The band will premiere ‘The Devil You Know’ on the April 29th edition of the U.S radio show “Rockline” at 8:30 p.m. PT / 11:30 p.m. ET. An encore presentation of the show will air on May 4th.

ATTENTION — ALL FANS OF THE FORE

Here’s your chance to hear the band live — no matter where ya live (and I know yer out there, ’cause the RelicMail don’t lie!):

All ya gotta do is tune in to the ArtistFirst Radio Network on Saturday April 11th at TWELVE noon EDT (New York time) for the live interview with THE FORE!
(man, it’s easy to remember: 11 at 12! Now ya can’t forget!).

They’ll be playing cuts from their new, hit album “Run and Hide”, so tune in by clicking this link http://wms.artistfirst.fastserv.com/artistfirst (hey … go on and click there now, and bookmark it for the Big Day!) They’ll be on for the full hour on The ArtistFirst Radio Network.

Oh … and check this out: You can e-mail the station during the show for free CD and T-shirt giveaways! Man, ya can’t do better than that if ya tried …

Okay … that’s it for this go’round.  But stay tuned … there’s more to come in less than 24!  Until then …
keep your eyes on the skies, your feet on the ground, your heart with the music … and I’ll see ya on the flip side!

I JUST FED MY BLOG THIS MORNIN’, A-AN’ … IT … (geewhiz!)… SEEMED HEALTHY ….

Actually, I couldn’t get my blog up and runnin’ for awhile, but I took it to the vet (veteran blog-fixer) who told me it had too much exposure to the secret ingredient in Mozilla, which caused its internal organ (ization) to shut down temporarily. Finally, after a shot of IE8, it’s back to normal!

Since I’d just finished a decent fish dinner at the local Captain D’s, I can truthfully say, COD BLESS THAT VET!

Now … where were we (or were we goin’ anywhere with this?)? OH, yeah …

Gettin’ the gears greased to shift this rascal into overdrive within the next couple/three clicks. That’s right … we’re gonna rollback Prices (as well as the rest of the Animals), turn back the Clarks (Dave’s group), and wish upon a Starr (on fresh Lennon, no less … not to mention those other two guys) when we thunder through the creatively fab years from mid-’50’s to mid-70’s.
(Hey … while we got the music on the burner, why not turn it up a bit, right??)

In the meantime, I’ve got a BIIIIIIIIIIIIIIG quiz for ya.  Let’s see how ya do on this, rockaholics:

Think ya know your rock stars? Oooookay … try this real names quiz:  All are singers, and many are from the 60s (a few are from another space and time).  What are/were their stage names?

1. James Marcus Smith:
2. Concetta Maria Franconero:
3. Virginia Patterson Hensley:
4. Robert Smith:
5. Steveland Judkins:
6. Muriel Deason:
7. Harold Jenkins:
8. Randy Traywick:
9. Sophia Kalish:
10. Annie Mae Bullock:
11. Harold Ragsdale:
12. La Donna Andrea Gaines:
13. Gregory Lenoir:
14. Patricia Andrzejewski:
15. Salvatore Phillip Bono: (ouch! Did I give that one away!)
16. Ernest Evans:
17. Cherilyn Sarkasian:
18. William Board:
19. Frank LoVecchio:
20. Sidney Liebowitz:
21. Brenda Mae Tarpley:
22. Norma Egstrom:
23. Albert George Cernick:
24. Prince Rogers Nelson: (whoops! Another one …)
25. John Henry Ramistella:
26. Martin David Robinson:
27. Alan Caldwell:
28. George Spruce:
29. Edward Taylor:
30. Albert Wycherley:
31. Frederick Fowell:
32. Anthony Bookbinder:
33. Elaine Bookbinder:
34. Lionel Walmsley:
35. Donald Maughn
36. Reginald Dwight: (WHO??)
37. Christopher Hamill:
38. Rita Crudgington:
39. Peter Baker:
40. Leonard Borizoff:
41. Francois Silly:
42. Jape Perry Richardson:
43. Douglas Trendle:
44. John Symon Asher:
45. Don Van Vliet:
46. Lugee Sacco:
47. Philippe Pages:
48. Trevor Stanford:
49. Declan McManus:
50. Vito Rocco Farinola:
51. Charles Wilbury:
52. George O’Dowd:
53. Pauline Matthews:
54. Mary Frances Pennick:
55. Doris Kappelhof:
56. Howard Andrew:
57. Frank Abelson:
58. McKinley Morganfield:

WHEW! Let’s take a break … ahem … and once you’ve figured out who’s who, just leave a message at the beep (or on the “comment” page). Ummmm … what if I said, “please”? Hey … if ya don’t get ‘em all, don’t worry; I’ll tell ya who they were (and give ya some other quiz results) in a week or so (gotta give ya time to answer, don’t I? Geez …). So make some noize, rockers!

And remember, while you’re doing it, keep your eyes to the skies, your feet on the ground, your heart with the music … and I’ll see ya on the flip side!

In a way, the lineup does seem a little odd — Taylor Hanson (of the “MMM-Bop” brothers band), Cheap Trick drummer Bun E. Carlos, Fountains of Wayne’s Adam Schlesinger and former Smashing Pumpkin James Iha.

But Tinted Windows came together for one basic reason: “Lots of guitars, pure songs and simple production. This band is not just a collection of pieces — I can’t wait for people to discover how organic it feels,” according to Hanson.

The whole idea started in thirteen years ago when Hanson’s other band was recording its debut album. He met with Schlesinger about working together on some songs for the album.  No music ever came from it, but a long friendship did.

“Ever since we met, Taylor and I had talked about trying to do something together,” says Schlesinger. Finally, about three years ago, they got together.  “Adam called me and we just started brainstorming about this idea of a very straightforward project, music that we weren’t going to over-think,” says Hanson. “This is about the energy of guitar driven, tight pop songs. It sort of in the tradition of great bands like the Knack and the Buzzcocks and for that matter Cheap Trick.”

Schlesinger was then able to recruit his Smashing Pumpkins friend Iha, and the group’s early demos brought in Carlos (who, Hanson says, “… adds an incredibly cool vibe to the whole project”).

The lineup already has a lot of “pop purists” excited — the exclusive track “Kind of Girl” has inspired hundreds of enthusiastic comments on their Smoking Section blog.

“I think that’s going to be the most fun thing about the whole project, letting people actually discover that this is a band,” says Hanson.

WELDING IT TOGETHER

If you live on a farm with plenty of fencing, have ever tried to repair something by welding, or just know someone who works in an auto-repair shop, you’ll know the importance of having the right equipment.
One of the most invaluable tools, in any of those cases I just mentioned, is the MIG welder (”MIG” stands for “metal inert gas”).  It bonds the metal together by way of an arc, and is one of the most dependable welder types in the world (in fact, most mechanics swear by them!).
But, of course, if you need one of these in your line of work (or at home), you know that there are many places that’ll sell you inferior welders — and those, my friends, can be downright dangerous!
If you’re lookin’ for quality welders at the best prices, then just click the link I’m about to share with you … and you can be completely confident that you’ve got the best and safest! These folks will not only show you the finest (and at the lowest prices), but even show you how to choose the best welder for you!
And all you’ve gotta do is click on this link to find the best mig welder for your specific needs! You’ll like the quality and selection — and love the money you save!

The musical group Liyana has completed its U.S. tour but it’s a bit wary of returning to its native Zimbabwe.
Their great Afro-fusion melody comes from an unlikely source — the small, wheelchair-ridden body of Prudence Mabhena, a woman from Zimbabwe who has overcome her physical disabilities and the hurdles of daily life in her home country.
“Some people don’t even get you and take you as a person,” Mabhena said. “And with us singing right now, we’re not giving up — we’re pushing up.”
Mabhena is the lead singer of Liyana — a group of eight musicians who are all physically disabled and from Zimbabwe.
Their message of hope has been drowned out in their home country, which is suffering from an economic collapse, a cholera outbreak, and a political power struggle that has erupted into violence.

Mabhena was born with arthrogryphosis, a muscle and joint disorder, and had to have parts of her arms and legs amputated as a result. She said her mother was told to kill her rather than have her face life as a physically disabled woman in Zimbabwe!
Zimbabwe was once a center for disability rights after it gained independence in 1980, according to recent report on Public Radio International. It was one of the first countries to recognize the rights of the disabled, who are sometimes shunned by communities in rural Africa who fear they are touched by witchcraft.
But the gains for the disabled in Zimbabwe have been erased by the country’s current crisis, according to Dr. Raymond Lang of the London-based Cheshire Center for Conflict Recovery.

Mabhena said the group is apprehensive about returning to Zimbabwe after its U.S. tour, which wrapped up this month. But none of the members of Liyana dwells on the despair.
“‘Never give up’ – it’s one of our biggest and strongest mottos,” said singer Tapiwa Nyenger, explaining one of the band’s song titles. “We have the capability to go on stage and at the end of the day make people smile. It’s a good feeling.”

All eight band members, who are between the ages of 17 and 23, met at the King George VI school for disabled children in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. The band describes their music as a fusion between “myriad geographic, cultural, and musical genres including gospel, reggae, and traditional Zimbabwean Shona music.”
Liyana means “rain” – a Shona term for good luck.
“Music makes you think of something positive,” Nyenger said. “For me, music is rehabilitation.” Mabhena has said her voice is a gift from god.

The band’s U.S. tour coincided with President Barack Obama’s inauguration, which has also been a source of inspiration for a new song, “Obama.”
“When we heard Obama was going to be the American president, the first black American president, we were so excited,” Mabhena said. “Through that joy that we had, there came a song.”
Liyana is also the subject of a new documentary, iThemba — My Hope – which is scheduled to be released worldwide later this year. The band’s singers perform in seven languages — Shona, Ndebele, English, Dutch, German, Hebrew, and Spanish – allowing them to reach a wider audience.
“We want to leave a message to everyone in the world that no matter what circumstance you are in, you can make it,” singer Marvelous Meulo said.

FOR SAFETY’S SAKE

No matter where we work, there’s a need for safety, right?  Whether it’s fire extinguishers, respirators, safety gloves, fall protection or whatever, it’s vital that we have the tools necessary to keep us safe in our workplace!
Now, the link I’m about to share with you will take you to the business that offers these tools (and many others!) with the lowest quantity pricing anywhere on the internet. It also offers free shipping on purchases over $125 and provides same day shipping on their most popular items.
Since they have warehouses around the nation, it means faster delivery to you as well.  You can also contact them by phone, email — and even by chat!
You can have all this just by clicking this link to the best in safety equipment on the market!  So do it now and feel more secure about your company’s safety!

Well, if ya haven’t heard already, guess I better letcha know so ya won’t be caught offguard:
Keith Richards, guitarist and resident gonzo for the Rolling Bones — er, Stones — is writin’ a “tell-all” book due for publication – possibly as early as next year (geez … I … I wonder if his life is all that interesting to write about??!?)

Actually, his compadre and penpal, James Fox, is doin’ the writing for him (WHAT?!?! Is that a “D-UH!!!” I hear from the audience?? Hey … don’t blame me if they don’t write books in Crayola anymore …), takin’ from the zillions of memories that Keef has unloaded into a tape recorder and tryin’ to make sense out of it all.

Still, you gotta admit that Richards has one hellacious story to tell, and the SuperRead is gonna go #1 with a bullet!

Ron Wood’s got an auto-bio already, btw … and if ya think the youngest Stone doesn’t have a lot to yak about, do yerself a favor and Google his name (But be careful; I understand that, in some religions,it’s a sin …) and you’ll find that the ex-Faces guitarist has more background than my lazy 400-lb Cousin Pearl (she who testdrove the new hybrid Ojit automobile. The car sees her waddling closer and closer and the alarm goes off: “o-JIT! o-JIT!!”).
Seriously: Ron’s gone through some very rough waters (and, if you’ve read the news, he’s still got a coupla waves to tackle; but he’ll do it!)  … and is learning some serious lessons along the way! But as far as the book’s concerned, it’s a dynamite read, 4 sure!

WHY QUIZTIME ANSWERS ARE MISSING… Actually, they’re not … they’re on “hold” while some of you are still lookin’ up names, checkin’ facts and sending in your answers. (Guess some of you are still gettin’ my July, 1994 issue, huh??) But, in a couple more clicks, I’ll start givin’ the answers … and adding a few new touches to RockTown.

SECURITY FIRST

It’s rather obvious that one thing we all look for is security within our own home and workplace.  With break-ins always on the minds of home and business owners, it’s imperative that we have the best security systems in place.
But, sometimes, these systems can be costly … and may need someone to come over and install them for you (which means “labor costs”). Now, that can be a hassle — unless you visit the folks behind the link I’m gonna give you in a moment!
They not only present you with the best selection of security systems, but ones you can easily install yourself — and at prices that are extremely comfortable.
But they do more than that:
They also offer a 60-day 100% moneyback guarantee, free shipping on all orders over $150 (and a flat rate of $8.95 on all others), super deals, secure purchasing and much more!
Listen … it’s worth it for your family’s protection … for your business’ protection … to click here for the best in wireless security systems now!

That being said, Keep your eyes on the skies, your feet on the ground, your heart with the music, and I’ll see ya on the flip side …

Welcome back! Over a few posts, we’ve been talkin’ about some of the U. S. acts that made some noize during the early Invasion years, but we obviously can’t overlook the British contributions to the Top 40 (D-UH!! Why’dja think they called it The _____ Invasion?!?).

Especially the Department of Duos, which gave us some of the best harmonies this side of rock-n-roll heaven. Duos like The Merseys (which was an offshoot of the famous Merseybeats. Recorded “Sorrow”), David and Jonathan (with a cover of “Michelle”), and two of the most famous — and still very active — duos on the scene:

London’s Chad and Jeremy and Liverpool’s Peter and Gordon.

Chad Stuart and Jeremy Clyde recorded such hits as What Do You Want (With Me)?, If I Loved You, and their signature charttopper, Summer Song. They played packed houses in England and America — even did stints on TV’s Batman, The Patty Duke Show, Laredo and The Dick Van Dyke Show.
Their folk-rock harmony was considered the Brit’s answer to our Simon and Garfunkel, though without S&G’s intricate lyrics. After a string of folk/soft-rock hits — and due in part to the success of The Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper — the duo pushed the envelope a bit by introducing psychedelic-folk-rock to audiences. This move resulted in two cult-classic LPs, The Ark and Of Cabbages and Kings.
For the next thirty years the duo had an on-again/off-again musical relationship. But, here in 2009, the duo is back with the same determination and fervor they started with, and are, once again, playing to packed audiences throughout the world.

Peter Asher and Gordon Waller are remembered for hits like World Without Love, Nobody I Know (both written by Lennon & McCartney), Lady Godiva, True Love Ways (the Buddy Holly classic), Woman (written by McCartney under the pseudonym Bernard Webb) and I Go To Pieces (written by Del Shannon expressly for them).
These two were close mates with the Fab Four, and were more ballad-rock than folk. They were more private than C & J, but they certainly knew their craft.
The two parted ways after their last hits in 1967, and Peter (whose sister, Jane, was romantically linked to Paul during the early Invasion years) went on to produce great stars like Linda Ronstadt, James Taylor, Cher and 10,000 Maniacs, often lending his splendid tenor to their backing. Gordon went on to perform solo as well as act in various productions throughout England. Four years ago — during a rock reunion fundraiser for the late Dave Clark Five organist Mike Smith (who, after a brutal fall, became tetraplegic — think Chris Reeve and you’ll know what I mean.  Sadly, Mike left us last year …) — the two got back together and performed for the first time in almost forty years!

The live crowd went wild, prompting Peter & Gordon to resume touring and recording. When Sir Paul (McCartney) heard of their reunion, he told them he was glad they’d decided to do it. So are we all. Although, of course, they’re older, they still sound great!

If you get a chance to see either act, go!! You’re in for a mountain of memories — and some fantastic music!

QUIZ-TIME!! (Didn’t think I’d leave this out, didja?!?) Jeremy Clyde (the taller of the C&J phenoms) had a very famous and direct ancestor whose actions may have changed the face of Europe (€’mon — you heard about him in elementary school!!). Who was this person? First one to get it right gets a mention in the blog. If no one gets it, I’ll run the answer in about a week.

COMPUTING IT ALL

It seems that, today, the cost of everything’s going up while your income goes down a bit.  That really hits home when we’re shopping for a good computer!
Let’s face it — your PC will eventually need replacing.  But, if you shop around for a decent one, it could take days, lots of calls and driving, and the occasional pushy-salesman who may or may not know what you need.
Then there’s the subject of price.  Many of the good ones are getting more and more expensive.
But there’s one place where you can get a great model at a price that’ll make you and your wallet comfortable!  Its four-step process to purchase is easy and free: just register, find the one you’re looking for, make a bid on it, then pay for it.  In about six working days, you’ll be enjoying your new computer in the comfort of your own home!
Of course, this site offers much more, and every transaction is super-safe!  These folks are an accredited business with the BBB, and they’re one of the most trusted merchandise sites on the web!
So do yourself  a favor and click on this link for the best in wholesale computers .  You’ll be glad you did!

Well, that’s it for this session. Til next time, remember: Keep your eyes on the skies, your feet on the ground, your heart with the music and I’ll see ya on the flip side!

A coupla posts ago, we talked about how hip-hop music has gotten a bad rap with some preconceived notions about its sound, purpose and performers.
I got some really tough response from a few readers by Rockmail, so I’ll give ya some more 411. But before we do that, let’s review:

Though many baby-boomers think of it as noise that’s turning our nation’s kids into juvies, our folks (note this is an understood collective pronoun; I’m referring to the general boomer population, and not to just one or two people!) thought the same thing about The Beatles.
If you especially listen to the song Gitarzan, you’ll hear the same basic lyric pattern as used in a rap/hip-hop song — only with the wonderful silliness that became Ray Stevens’ trademark.

The musical instrumentation —  from turntables to synthetic loop – is still valid in most hip-hop arrangements, and found in artists as diverse as 50 Cent, Jay-Z, Beyonce and Ludacris.
The lyrics, at times, may seem harsh to some critics, but even those are being toned down and given a more universal slant in recent actions taken by many of the genre’s producers.

One thing that has to be remembered: Before passing judgement on the hip-hop phenomenon, consider that only a fraction of the hip-hop artists today advocate any kind of violence. The lion’s share of them, while letting their emotions play through their rap, are only venting what all of us feel at one time or another.

Yeah, the profanity should be cut back, if not removed completely. Any great performer is proficient at conveying his/her emotions (including anger) without ‘em – and still go gold with their products. And, listen: Don’t judge the brand by the loudness you hear from car stereos! Sure, it’s noise pollution, but it’s up to the listener to turn the volume down, not the artists!
In fact, if you were to take the same CD that’s blaring out of some heavy-bass-speakered car and listen to it at a sensible volume, then actually study the lyrics, storylines and emotions (beyond any profanity you hear), you’ll see that this is, in fact, music!

Now, the next thing to do is take in a live show. From concept of song to writing, rehearsing, laying tracks, more rehearsing, practicing dance/prance moves, mic arrangements, booking, promotion, travel, roadie set-ups and soundchecks, it takes a lot of time and skill to make a really good one.
On the show itself, you’ll see a lot of excitable movement across the stage, occasional audience interaction, and pure energy in each set. These make for great shows (acts like The Who, The Rolling Stones and others did the same in our day  – and still do!). Nothing more; no hidden agenda or riot incitement or anything.

To close this look into the hip-hop world, remember: If you want to know something a little better, you’ve gotta study, understand and compare it before you pass judgement! The rap/hip-hop genre is here to stay – and (after almost forty years in music, including studying, teaching, performing, DJing, performing, writing and recording) I can tell you it is an indelible part of our musical heritage!

Now … that being said, Keep your eyes on the skies, your feet on the ground, your heart with the music … and I’ll see ya on the flip side.

Celebrity rockers Matthew and Gunnar Nelson announced their rock band NELSON is confirmed to perform at the Third Annual ROCKLAHOMA Music Festival in Pryor, Oklahoma on Thursday, July 9, 2009.

The band recently reunited, touring for the first time in 15 years. VH1 recently ranked NELSON’s “Love and Affection” as one of the “100 Greatest Songs of the ’90s”.

“We’re excited to be back on the road performing with our original rock band, NELSON,” says Gunnar. “And to play at ROCKLAHOMA, which is one of Rock’s premiere festivals, is a wonderful opportunity to reintroduce NELSON to the rock fans”.

“ROCKLAHOMA is the perfect event for NELSON to perform with original drummer Bobby Rock as well as guitar virtuoso Neil Zaza,” adds Matthew. “We’re thrilled to be a part of this premiere rock festival!”

For you who didn’t know (or recognize the name.  Pity …) Matthew and Gunnar Nelson are the identical twin sons of early-rock legend Ricky Nelson, and grandsons of TV’s Ozzie & Harriet Nelson. They comprise the only family in entertainment history with three generations of #1 hitmakers (now, this is according to the Guinness Book of World Records!).

NELSON (the rock band) had five top 40 Billboard hits,  four #1 MTV videos (hmph … back when they were still running videos.  Nowadays, it’s mostly “reality” shows)  and sold over four million albums worldwide!

Okay … it’s short but sweet (had a short power-outage here that kept me offline until about a half-hour ago).  But stay tuned … there’s more comin’ up within the next 12 or so.  That being said, I’ll

see ya on the flip side!

Hip-hop. Rap. To many, the sound conjures up images of street thugs, crime and illicit drugs.
But what, exactly, is this phenomenon all about?
It’s the new “bonga-bonga” music that sends parents into a frenzy, thinking that their kids are going to be “infected” by it and turn into juvenile delinquents.

Ummm … pardon me, but … didn’t we hear something like that from our parents, so many years ago?

A group of rowdy, musical kids calling themselves beetles or something was going to be the ruination of us all! Our folks had surely lost us to the grasp of the devil himself!

But wait a minute:

Is “rap” really something all that new?? I mean, back-in-the-day, we had guys like Ray Stevens rapping in something called Gitarzan, and, before that, there was Sheb Wooley’s That’s My Pa.
Okay, maybe it was pretty much a country thing — this “spoken-word song” — for awhile, but, as far as the style goes, it’s not so new after all.

So let’s move on to the turntable mix. Simple, yes … but, then again, some kids in Liverpool took simple items like washboards, tea chests (they made basses from them), guitars and kazoos to play something called skiffle. CCR has the best description of that “Down On The Corner” music of any song.

And as far as the synthetic loops used to make the background: it comes from the day when they didn’t have the money to pay for big backup, so they had to turn to what was available … and economic.
Our generation would’ve done the same, had it been handy back then. (However, I believe it has been overdone a bit — especially with stars who now can afford more …)

Now … the lyrics.

Of course, this is the sore point for most parents. When you look at what many of these singers had to go through as they were growing up (poverty, prejudice, domestic violence), you can see they needed an outlet for their emotions. Since actual thugging (criminal behavior) had serious legal consequences, they put it all in their music.

People, we can’t say it ain’t true. What’d we do in the late Sixties, with the ‘Nam, race riots, and inequality? We took it to the streets, and the Establishment would haul us into cells.
So guys like Country Joe and the Fish, Electric Flag and others put this angst in their music.
Of course, like in our time, there are some that let that anger out in a hostile way beyond the stage and studios.
That, however, is the exception, when you look at the performers in the genre as a whole.

More on this in the next blog … scheduled for about 24 from now. Until then, remember:
Keep your eyes on the skies, your feet on the ground, your heart with the music … and I’ll see ya on the flip side!

As you already know, we’re in one of the biggest recession in history; prices are up, wages are down (for those of us who have jobs yet!), and, for many of us, our financial future’s in danger. It seems the proverbial “wolf” is already knockin’ on too many on doors … and we need a way to beat him back!

It’s more than a concern these days; it’s a “worry” for all of us — and one that can be eased up tremendously by investing in gold coinage!
Now, the Relic wouldn’t steer ya wrong here — in fact, there’s a little historic validity involved here!

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Kings of Leon, Depeche Mode, the Beastie Boys and Jane’s Addiction will be some of the acts playing Lollapalooza in Chicago’s Grant Park Aug 7-9.

The full Lollapalooza lineup announcement should be made next month  Here are a few stats I’ve found about these heavy-hitters, though:

KOL sold out New York’s Madison Square Garden in January, and has a run of U.S. arena dates scheduled for April and May.

Jane’s Addiction has reunited with its original lineup and will be playin’ the event for the first time. The band will also soon be touring with Nine Inch Nails, a band that played on the first Lollapalooza tour.

The Beastie Boys, who were on the Lollapalooza tour in 1994, are getting ready for the release of a new album — a followup to their instrumental work of two years ago, “The Mix Up” .

Depeche Mode is getting set for the release next month of “Sound of the Universe” and will be going out on a North American tour starting July 24.

Kings of Leon and Jane’s Addiction will get together a little earlier in the season when they both appear as headliners the Sasquatch Festival at the Gorge in Quincy, Washington, on May 23-25.

THE FACES: WILL THEY OR WON’T THEY?

That seems to be the musical question at the moment. Apparently, it’s all comin’ down to what Rod Stewart wants to do. Already, the plans have been changed and re-changed … and Ronnie Wood is expected to be talkin’ with Rod about the possibility of re-forming at least for a filmed gig.
What’s gonna happen? Dunno yet, but I’ll keep ya posted.

See ya on the flip side …

Metallica’s concert at Marlay Park in Dublin, Ireland on August 1st, 2009 is now being described as a ‘mini-festival’. Bands confirmed so far are:
Metallica
Avenged Sevenfold
Alice In Chains
Thin Lizzy
Mastodon
Lamb of God
The Sword
Tickets priced €76.50 go on sale on Tuesday, March 10th.

Nine Inch Nails head the latest additions to this year’s Sonisphere festival.

Also added to the Metallica and Linkin Park headlined festival are:
Anthrax
Airbourne
Killing Joke
Bullet For My Valentine
Avenged Sevenfold
Machine Head
Lamb Of God
Alice In Chains
Mastodon
Thin Lizzy
The Sword

The bash is set to take place on August 1st - 2nd at Knebworth.

Listen … we had a power outage a bit earlier, which is why this post seems just a bit flat. Gotta play “catch-up” now (it threw me behind by about a half-day) … but stay tuned:  We’ll be back up-to-speed later this evening (if the weather man’s right …) .

See ya on the flip side ..