Music Bender

Scott Weiland is launching his very own clothing label with Rock & Roll Religion designer and owner Christopher Wicks.

Wicks, who’s designer and owner of English Laundry, Fender: The Clothing Collection, and The Jimi Hendrix Experience, has teamed with Weiland to create a collection that captures the style of the Stone Temple Pilots front man.

“From early on, I was inspired by rock icons like David Bowie and Keith Richards who helped in molding my personal sense of style,” said Weiland. “I am really looking forward to launching this line with Christopher Wicks and English Laundry.”

“I have the utmost respect for Scott Weiland, both as an artist and as a designer,” Wicks said. “He is truly one of the last great rock stars, and his impact on style and music is undeniable. I am proud to be joining forces with him for this collaboration.”

The overall concept is derived from the rock decadence of the 1960s, and inspirations were taken from Savile Row circa 1965 and renowned bands such as The Kinks, The Beatles, and The Rolling Stones. Eclectic combinations of fabrics, patterns and color have been reformulated to replicate the rich rock culture that defined that era.

The collection includes a variety of wovens, vests, t-shirts, pants, hats, ties and scarves. All fabrics are based on original vintage patterns circa 1965 through 1979 and have been reproduced for modern-day wear. Pants have a tailored narrow fit with flat fronts, and wovens feature bold chalk stripes, Prince of Wales plaids and tonic two-tone solids.

Retail prices range from $40 to $120 with a targeted distribution to better department and specialty stores.

Well, that’s it for this session, but stay tuned … I’ll have more in less than 24.
Until then, see ya on the flip side

Former Bee Gee Robin Gibb has announced that he will headline the Heritage Foundation’s annual Awards and Summer Ball in June.

The singer will perform with Bill Wyman and The Rhythm Kings at the event, to be held at the Millenium Hotel in London on June 20.

Robin’s a longtime supporter of the Heritage Foundation, an organization that combines paying tribute to all the UK talent that’s thrilled millions through their performances (or technical skills) with raising funds for good causes.
He’s also the 2009 president of the organization — a position that in the past has been held by John Inman (”Are You Being Served?”> and Phil Collins (”Genesis”).

As part of his duties, Gibb attended a special plaque unveiling yesterday (Sunday), to honor legendary The Who drummer Keith Moon. Keith’s former bandmates Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend were there for the unveiling.

Tickets to the Summer Ball in June cost £110. More information can be found at the Heritage Foundation website (see above link for more).

GOIN’ PHISHIN’

Phish heads headed for Hampton, Virginia for the band’s first show since their breakup in 2004.
Guitarist Trey Anastasio, bassist Mike Gordon, keyboardist Page McConnell and drummer Jon Fishman played three dynamite shows at the Hampton Coliseum starting this past Friday.

When the reunion concerts were announced last fall, the band’s intensely devoted fans (some liken them to the Deadheads, who followed The Grateful Dead for years) snapped up tickets immediately, and seats for the opening show were being resold for as high as $1,000 the day before the show. The summer tour dates have also sold out.

“For me it’s the willingness of the band to essentially play without a script; it’s an improvisational show,” fan Jason Bishop said. “No two shows are the same. You could have a song, but no two versions of a song are the same.”

Phish’s four-hour Saturday set was dappled with killer stretched-out jams, including a soaring “Reba,” an amped-up “Birds of a Feather” and lots of rarities (”It’s Ice,” “Hayley’s Comet” and “Gumbo”).

Details on their summer tour comin’ up soon … so stay tuned …
and I’ll see ya on the flip side.

Two Monty Python stars are set to attend the first ever screening of one of their classic films– and in a town in which it was banned 30 years ago.

Michael Palin and Terry Jones will travel to Aberystwyth, Wales, on March 28 for the town’s first ever screening of The Life Of Brian. Proceeds from the screening will go to the British Heart Foundation and to Truthout, a website for ethical news.

The screening is being made possible by Sue Jones-Davies, who played Brian’s girlfriend in the cult movie and is now mayor of the Welsh town!

“It was actually a journalist who pointed out to me that the film had never been shown in Aberystwyth because of the ban,” Jones-Davies says. “We decided that we might as well go on with it and see if we could arrange a screening in Aberystwyth.“

The film was first banned because of its comical portrayal of Jesus and alleged blasphemy. It has since gone on to be voted the greatest comedy film of all time by Channel 4, Total Film magazine, Rotten Tomatoes, The Guardian and many other publications.

“I’m pretty sure the event is already a sell-out. Aberystwyth Arts Centre is a beautiful venue and there are only 120 places,” said Jones-Davies. “It will be a great evening and it is about time the film was shown anyway.”

DALLAS HOTELS

One of the finest and most event-filled, history-laced cities in America is Dallas, Texas. Not only are there literally hundreds of wonderful sites in the area, but the climate is generally one of the most comfortable in the nation!
Having been there, I can tell ya that it also has some of the best hotels you’d ever want to “hang your hat in for a spell”.  Many of them are near the bustling downtown area while others allow you to take in the natural splendor of the region.
And the cost is easy on the wallet, too — if you click on the link I’m about to share with you!
These folks will give you a list of the hotels, then compare them against five others for price!  They’ll also list the amenities, whether they allow smoking or not (eliminates “guess-work”!),  and all by the dates and times you’re planning to be there!
So why not save yourself some money (you’ll wanna use it when you’re out-and-about in this magnificent town!) and visit the people who’ll help you find the best Dallas Texas hotels for your vacation or business trip?

Okay … that’s all for this edition. But stay tuned … there’s more comin’ up in just a few hours! With that,
I’ll see ya on the flip side!

They’ve certainly had their differences in the past year, but it looks like Def Leppard and Poison (pictured) will be goin’ out together for a full-fledged U.S. tour.
Seems they’ve ‘made up’ after their war-of-words — but, just to be on the safe side, Cheap Trick will also be on the bill.

If you remember, Leppard’s  Joe Elliot said that bands like Poison and Motley Crue had ‘no substance in their music’ at the Sweden Rocks festival.

Well, today he says: “The supposed fight that we had with Poison wasn’t a fight at all. It was taken out of context by a foreign journalist. I’ve spoken with Bret Michaels, and he totally gets that it was taken totally out of context, and we don’t have a problem with any of these guys, never have been.”

Um, grammer aside, last year Bret Michaels had the following to say about Def Leppard:
“We have not sold out, and continuously, for 20 years every arena because we care about just our appearance. The music comes first. (They) shouldn’t be knocking anyone about their music since they just did a show called ‘Dancing With The Stars’ in the U.S. and they got crucified because they fucking lip-synched the entire show, so before they bust anyone’s balls, I’ve never lip-synched a f—–g thing in my life — ever! It’s the pot calling the kettle black.”
But now, Poison drummer Rikki Rocket has said: “Folks keep askin’ me, ‘Are you really touring with Def Leppard this summer?’ The answer is, Yes! Not only that, Cheap Trick is on the bill as well! Now, some of you are wondering things like, ‘I thought Poison and Joe Elliott hated each other?’ Well, not at all. Bret [Michaels, Poison singer], Joe and myself got a little carried away last summer takin’ the p–s outta each other. The fact is, I think there is a real mutual respect between us. After all, both of our bands have withstood the test of time. Life is short, let’s get rocked!”
Ahh, it’s amazing what 12 months and a big offer can do for a relationship …

Anyway, here are the dates for the tour:

June 23: Camden, N.J.
June 25: Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio
June 26: Darien Center, N.Y.
June 28: Scranton, Pa.
June 30: Mansfield, Mass.
July 1: Holmdel, N.J.
July 3: Saratoga Springs, N.Y.
July 4: Toronto, Ontario
July 7: Hartford, Conn.
July 8: Wantagh, N.Y.
July 10: Burgettstown, Penn.
July 11: Virginia Beach, Va.
July 12: Bristow, Va.
July 15: Cincinnati, Ohio
July 17: Tinley Park, Ill.
July 18: Milwaukee, Wis.
July 20: Maryland Heights, Mo.
July 21: Kansas City, Mo.
July 23: Noblesville, Ind.
July 24: Clarkston, Mich.
Aug. 7: Raleigh, N.C.
Aug. 8: Charlotte, N.C.
Aug. 10: Nashville
Aug. 11: Birmingham, Al.
Aug. 13: West Palm Beach, Fla.
Aug. 14: Tampa, Fla.
Aug. 15: Atlanta
Aug. 18: New Orleans
Aug. 19: Houston
Aug. 21: Dallas
Aug. 22: Tulsa, Ok.
Aug. 24: Englewood, Colo.
Aug. 25: Salt Lake City
Aug. 28: Albuquerque, N.M.
Aug. 29: Phoenix
Aug. 30: Irvine, Calif.
Sept. 2: Mountain View, Calif.
Sept. 3: Sacramento, Calif.
Sept. 5: Las Vegas
Sept. 7: San Bernadino, Calif.

So, if you’re in any one of those areas, grab a ticket, a seat … and hold on! It’s gonna be an interesting ride; you’re gonna get some great music … and, who knows?  Maybe a little friction to boot?

Okay … gonna take a quick break here for some zzzz’s, but stay tuned … I’ll have more in less than 24!  Until then …

see ya on the flip side!

The band Oasis has said it’s “bewildered” by China’s decision to cancel their two concerts (scheduled to take place next month) after calling the group “unsuitable”.

Liam and the lads were to play in Beijing on April 3 and Shanghai two days later.

The band released a statement that said, “Representatives from the Chinese government have revoked the performance licenses already issued for the band and ordered their shows in both Beijing and Shanghai to be immediately canceled. The Chinese authorities’ action in cancelling these shows marks a reversal of their decision regarding the band which has left both Oasis and the promoters bewildered.”

Apparently, the snub is the result of Oasis’ Noel Gallagher appeared at a “Free Tibet” concert in the states twelve years ago.

SIMMONS SET TO SELL SOLO SET

KISS bassist/vocalist/resident tongue Gene Simmons’ long-awaited box set of previously unreleased solo material is finally gonna be released this year, according to Simmons himself.

This all came to light after Gene responded to a fan’s letter on his website. He writes, “I’ve always written ‘outside’ stuff, but Kiss is Kiss. And that means the outside stuff winds up on solo albums, or I keep it in the drawer. This year, I plan on releasing ‘Alter Ego’, a box set of unreleased songs…about 150 of ‘em. You’ll hear more ‘outside’ stuff. ”

Over the years, Gene’s considered different titles for the planned set, including “Monster” and “100″, until he finally settled on ‘Alter Ego’.

Now, the boxed set’s due for release sometime later this year and, considering that (a) Gene has had a lot of mainstream TV exposure lately, and (b) KISS is recording a brand new album, the solo set is expected to be a tremendous seller.

And that’s it for this edition, but stay tuned; there’s more comin’ up in less than 24!  So, until then, remember to …
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!

One of my (and many rock fans’) fave bands, Green Day, is back, with a new album and some seriously rockin’ music. Their new album cover (seen on yer left) has been compared favorably to their hit CD, dookie.

“21st Century Breakdown” is the new set’s title track, and it sets out this LP’s design: rebellion and the disintegration of America by way of rock opera, strange piano intros and all.

So, while this one clocks in at five minutes, really it’s three discrete movements: the first imagines Green Day as a blue colllar NJ band with a taste for big statements and stuck on Lennon (”My generation is zero / I never made it as a working class hero”); next is the Meat Loaf-like hairpin turn into a pop-punky gallop, with baby boomer-hate (”the bastards of 1969!”) and a new key that screams “set change!”; and finally a bombastic half-time coda that’s all Queen or My Chemical Romance, depending on how old you are.

There’s no doubt about it: Billie Joe Armstrong is one of the most animated and insightful songwriters to come down the pike in years — and this album proves it. We’ve seen him grow and progress over the past decade … and the band shows no signs of wearing-down or stopping!

Here’s the title track from the album:

“Breakdown,” 2009:

Now, I’m gonna get a little shut-eye if possible, but stay tuned, ’cause I’ll have more in less than 24!

See ya on the flip side …

I was going over a number of old charts the other day when I found a really amazing little list: It was of all the banned records that were trashed by radio stations over the years.
Now, if you remember we’re at the top-end of the 09, and these vinyls seem tame to what the FM dial’s regularly playing these days! Here … let me give ya some examples. Ready to laugh? Here we go:

Satisfaction — allegedly, sexually suggestive lyrics.
Double Shot of My Baby’s Love — The Swinging Medallions had to re-record it. The original was supposedly dirty!
Eve of Destruction – too “doomsdayish”.
How Would You Feel? — Hendrix’s hit was banned in many areas because it told of … the plight of African-Americans!
Gloria – (the Them version) too suggestive. The Shadows of Knight’s cover changed “she comes to my room just about midnight” to “she comes down here …”
Rhapsody In The Rain – too sexual.
A Day In The Life – stations thought The Beatles’ lyrics “I’d love to turn you on” were about drug use.

One novelty song that was banned from most airwaves during the late ’60s was Jerry Samuels’ They’re Coming To Take Me Away, Ha-Haaaa! (aka the story of my last marriage). Recorded under the name Napoleon XIV, Samuels added a twist to the product by recording the same song on the flip side of the record – backward!
Anyway, many record execs thought it was demeaning to patients with mental disorders.

Brown-Eyed Girl was banned in some markets because the original dealt with teenaged pregnancy. So Van Morrison recorded an alternate version to please the stations.
Listen to this: In El Paso, a radio station stopped playing all records by Bob Dylan because … they couldn’t understand his lyrics! (hey … what’s so hard about understanding peace??)
Pictures of Lily by The Who was banned in most markets because execs said it referred to … er, “self-stimulation”? Funny … years later, those same execs freely played Imaginary Lover by the Atlanta Rhythm Section. What’s the diff?

Record mogul Mike Curb, who was president MGM records in 1970, cancelled the recording contracts of 18 of the label’s acts because he believed they promoted hard drugs in their songs. Among them: Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gorme! (sure … and I guess his hit, Don’t Be Afraid, Little Darlin’, was a tempting lure into the psychedelic world! L-O-L!!)
In the aftermath of the Kent State shootings in 1970, the Ohio governor banned Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young’s Ohio from being played. He was afraid it’d cause more violence (ummm … wasn’t it … the National … Guard … that brought on the shootings?).

Now, I’ll have more of these in another post. Until then, lemme ask you something: Why, after all the crazy censorship of the late ’60s and early ’70s, did the execs not say anything My Ding-A-Ling? (no … I meant the song! Chuck Berry recorded it!)
Wear My Ring (Around Your Neck) — Elvis’ song was panned and banned by many Catholics because — it promoted “going steady”!
D. O. A. Bloodrock’s 1971 (and only) hit was banned almost across-the-board, because it not only described the death of a teenaged girl in a crash (plane?), but, due to its music and tempo, gave many people nightmares! It was considered “too gory” for radio (however, Last Kiss was alright, right?).

ROCK MUSIC The BBC banned the whole genre from its airwaves until 1966 (partly. 1971, fully). Part of the reason: Promoters Jack Good and Larry Parnes promoted a stable of performers whose stage names were based on their … ahem! … sexual performance!
BAD BOY The Beatles’ rocker (from Beatles ‘65 here in the States) was banned from AOR stations because it promoted “juvenile delinquency.”
As I said, we’ll continue this in another post soon. But, for now …

DIDJA KNOW?

As you know, the great Beatles classic, I Am The Walrus (which is copied and performed to perfection these days by Will Lee’s group, The Fab Faux), has lyrics in it that are pretty much … well, weird! It’s hard to figure out what they mean.
Well, that’s exactly what John Lennon wanted! He knew that so many fans were beginning to look for hidden meanings (for example, about Paul’s supposed “death”, drug references, etc.) that he purposely scrambled the lyrics, using the first words and idea-flights that came to mind!
And on Strawberry Fields Forever, you’re actually hearing two versions of the song in one! Producer George Martin took both takes of the song (one a tiny bit faster and at a different tempo) and mixed them together!

HAVE YOU BEEN FRAMED?

If you’ve ever wanted a really good night’s sleep (and, c’mon … who hasn’t?), then you know how important a good, sturdy bed frame is.
Now, they can be a little pricey — that is, unless ya click on the link you’re about to see. When you do, you’ll find a site that not only has the sturdiest and most practical frames in all sizes, but even those with risers, low profiles — even the classic headboard/footboard models.
And you’ll find wallet-friendly prices as well!
So, for that good night’s sleep you’ve been wanting, just click on this link for the best, most affordable quality bed frames you’d ever dream of!

Well, that’s it for now … but stay tuned for more in less than 24! Until next time,
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 …

It’s just been inked: after announcing that he’ll be rocking Hyde Park this summer, Bruce Springsteen has now finally been confirmed as a headliner at this year’s Glastonbury.

“I’m so pleased that Bruce Springsteen has agreed to come to Worthy Farm for the first time,” said Glastonbury festival organizer Michael Eavis.
“He’s one of the all-time rock legends and I’m confident that this will be one of our best shows ever. He’s also a Barack Obama supporter, which makes two headliners in a row who’ve backed the new President.”
Eavis’s daughter Emily Eavis also added: “I’m knocked out that we’ve managed to get Bruce to play. It’s the icing on the cake of this year’s bill, which I’m sure will take everyone’s breath away when we announce the full details.”
btw. It’s still heavily rumored that Neil Young will be joining The Boss at this year’s Glastonbury festival.

Thin Lizzy, Alice In Chains and a whole host more added to the bill of the Metallica & Linkin Park headlined Sonicsphere event coming up.
Thin Lizzy, Avenged Sevenfold, Alice In Chains, Machine Head and The Sword have been added to the bill of the first-ever festival.
“The best is yet to come,” said a Sonisphere press release. “The first nine bands are in place, further announcements in the coming weeks will include some VERY special guests.”

They join Metallica, Linkin Park, Mastodon & Lamb Of God at the Knebworth, England-based festival on August 1st-2nd.

A PAIN IN THE –?

If you’re one of the many who’ve had arthroscopic shoulder surgery, you’re probably familiar with the shoulder-pain pumps.  These devices administer the medications necessary to alleviate post-op pain, and are popular because they don’t cause the unpleasant side-effects of narcotics.

But did you know they can also cause something called PAGCL? It’s “Postarthroscopic Glenohumeral Chondrolysis”, and symptoms can show up within three to twelve months after your surgery.
Those symptoms include: Shoulder pain whether in motion or at rest, clicking, popping or grinding of the shoulder, shoulder stiffness or weakness and decreased range of motion.
Now, if you use the shoulder pain pump and have experienced any of those questions, just click on the link you just passed and find out what your rights are.

Okay … that’s it for now. But we’ll have more this evening. Until then, see on the flip side