 June 11 - 20, 2008These are the scripts Joe Benson used on the air at 95.5 KLOS in Los Angeles. They all received final editing by Jan Benson, without whom the task would have been far too daunting. Remember to give credit where credit is due, and enjoy! June 11, 2008
Drummer Frank Beard (the only member of ZZ Top without a beard) is 59. 
On this day in 1966, The Rolling Stones' song "Paint It Black" hit #1. On this day in 1969, David Bowie re-released his single "Space Oddity" to cash in on the Apollo 11 lunar landing. On this day in 1977, "Telephone Line" by E.L.O. entered the charts. On this day in 1983, Bryan Adams released the song "Cuts Like A Knife." 
Miller Sells LargeNot only did Steve Miller's "Live From Chicago" 40th anniversary three-disc set (two DVDs and a 12-song CD) ship Platinum (one million units), it debuted at #1 on the Billboard Top Music Video charts! The concert portion of the DVD, filmed last Summer during a two-night stand at the famous Ravinia in Chicago, is also enjoying a highly successful run as part of the Summer pledge drive on PBS stations nationwide. You'll have a chance to see how good Steve and his band really are when they play the Nokia Theatre LA Live on August 7th. Celeb Rehab 2.0You know what they say about people slowing down to look at a car wreck... well get ready to stare! The second cast of VH1's "Celebrity Rehab" checked into the Pasadena clinic yesterday with cameras covering everybody and everything. Former Guns N' Roses drummer Steven Adler, Altadena's Rodney King and the infamous Tawny Kitaen, former wife of Whitesnake singer David Coverdale among others, are a few of the celebrities that Dr. Drew Pinsky will try to rid of their bad habits. The show will premiere in October. New ForeignerForeigner is about to release their first new single in over 10 years. Guitarist/group founder Mick Jones says that "Too Late," a new track off their upcoming "No End In Sight: The Very Best Of Foreigner" compilation, "definitely has our signature sound, it's immediately recognizable and shows off the great talent in this band." And yes, Foreigner's new singer is Kelly Hansen who first came to our attention in the Eighties Southland band Hurricane. Foreigner's new single will be out next week and the 32-track "No End In Sight" will be in stores on July 15th. The Book On HeartBiographer Jake Brown's new book, "Heart: In The Studio," has just been released. This is actually the first book Heart has ever authorized, and features interviews with Ann and Nancy Wilson as well as assorted band members and producers. With more Top 10 hits than any other female-fronted music group in history, Heart continues as a living, creative, fully functioning band. They plan to release a new album next year and should be right at the top of your "must see live" list! Watching Sir Elty Verrry CloselyThe "Elton John: Me, Myself and I" documentary will premiere on both VH1 Classic and VH1 tomorrow night. The one-hour special will feature a recent interview with the singer/pianist plus archival footage spanning his entire career. Wonder why we're not getting the 90-minute version of the program that was first shown last September in the United Kingdom — too many colorful diva-isms? 
Quote Of The DayIt was Francis Bacon who said: "Men of age object too much, consult too long, adventure too little, repent too soon and seldom drive business home to the full period, but content themselves with a mediocrity of success." Body/Mind75% of Americans say they want to change their bodies in some way, but only 13% want to change their intelligence. June 12, 2008
Singer Brad Delp of Boston would have been 57.
On this day in 1963, The Beach Boys recorded "Little Deuce Coupe" and "Surfer Girl." On this day in 1965, The Beatles were awarded the M.B.E., "Most Excellent Order of the British Empire." On this day in 1965, The Rolling Stones' "Satisfaction" entered the American charts exactly one month after they recorded it in a 30-minute session at RCA Studios in Hollywood. It went on to become the biggest song of the Sixties. On this day in 1982, over 750,000 saw Bruce Springsteen, Jackson Browne, James Taylor and Linda Ronstadt play at the first No Nukes concert in New York's Central Park. On this day in 1982, The Clash's "Combat Rock" album entered the U.S. charts. On this day in 1998, John Fogerty canceled the first date of his U.S. tour (in Chicago) because it conflicted with Game 5 of the NBA Finals (Chicago Bulls vs. Utah Jazz) and he knew everyone wanted to see the game. On this day in 2002, Sir Paul McCartney and former model Heather Mills married in Ireland.  This Sunday night at 9 on 95.5 KLOS, OFF THE RECORD with Joe Benson will feature the music of The Police as well as more of Joe's conversations with drummer Stewart Copeland and guitarist Andy Summers.
On Stage TonightSweet will be rocking the Whiskey and Lou Gramm will be playing with his band at The Coach House. Fake Doobie BustedWord is that Michael Rogers was arrested last week in Las Vegas for impersonating Doobie Brothers drummer Michael Hossack. His scam involved befriending honest citizens while claiming to be Hossack, then conning those folks out of their money. The ironic part of this sad story is that Michael Hossack is one of the mellowest people you'll ever meet — the last person you'd ever think of as a con man. Open Those Archives!EMI and the BBC have struck a deal that should see unreleased material by Pink Floyd, Paul McCartney and Queen — among many others — finally escaping out of the vault. The British broadcasting giant is granting the record label access to thousands of hours of video, audio and radio recordings of live performances for inclusion on upcoming DVDs, CDs and digital downloads. No word yet on when the first batch of material will be available, but you know it's coming! Thorogood/Kareem/BaseballSure George Thorogood aspired to be a professional baseball player in his youth, but Kareem Abdul-Jabbar? Well, both George and Kareem will be playing with over 30 other celebrities in the 50th Annual Hollywood Stars Game shortly after the Los Angeles Dodgers/Cleveland Indians game on June 21st. The Dodgers are selling chances for fans to be an honorary photographer, honorary announcer or honorary coach, among other positions, with all of the proceeds from the auction benefiting the Dodgers Dream Foundation. Full details of each auction package are at http://dodgers.com/ticketauction. Journey SellsJourney's new album, "Revelation," moved about 105,000 units in its debut week to land at #5 on the Billboard 200 chart. The three-disc collection, which includes two CDs and a concert DVD, is being sold via an exclusive deal with Wal-Mart. You'll have a chance to personally judge the latest in a series of Steve Perry replacement singers when the latest version of Journey hits the Verizon Wireless Amphitheater on July 16th. Setting Another New StandardThey've always operated waaaay ahead of other artists in distributing their live recordings, so it's no surprise that Pearl Jam is setting a new standard. They'll be selling complete live concert bootlegs from their Summer tour through their website as MP3 and FLACs two weeks after each show. You can also buy physical CDs of each concert within three weeks of the show date. P.J. will also select three highlights from each concert to be available through Verizon's VCast system — one song as a free download, the rest for sale. Those VCast songs can then be used as ringtones, ringback songs or just for listening. How embarrassing to the record industry that none of them ever figured how to make money like this! Dylan's Art ShowBob Dylan says he isn't trying to make any grand statements with his Drawn Blank Series art exhibit, which opens Saturday at London's Halcyon Gallery. He says, "If it pleases the eye of the beholder...There's no more to it than that, to my mind. Or even if it repels the eye. Either one is fine." I absolutely love another of his quotes concerning his art: "You should always take the best from the past, leave the worst back there and go forward into the future." Right so Bob!
Quote Of The DayIt was Dave Barry who said: "There comes a time when you should stop expecting other people to make a big deal about your birthday. That time is age eleven." Body/Mind75% of Americans say they want to change their bodies in some way, but only 13% want to change their intelligence. June 13, 2008
Original Heart guitarist Howard Leese is 56.
On this day in 1958, Frank Zappa graduated from Antelope Valley High School in Lancaster, California. On this day in 1969, former John Mayall guitarist Mick Taylor officially replaced Brian Jones in The Rolling Stones. On this day in 1970, The Beatles hit #1 for the last time with Paul McCartney's "The Long And Winding Road" on the singles charts and "Let It Be" on the album charts On this day in 1981, "The Waiting" by Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers peaked at #19 on the charts. On this day in 1983, Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble released the album "Texas Flood." On this day in 1987, "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" by U2 entered the charts on its way to #1.
On Stage TonightSweet will be rocking the Canyon Club this evening. On Stage SaturdayFormer Bad Company/The Firm singer Paul Rodgers will be playing a special benefit gig at the Fender Center in Corona as former Foreigner singer Lou Gramm rocks with his band at Canyon Club on Saturday night. On Stage SundayTed Nugent will be ripping it up at the House Of Blues on Sunset this Sunday night. Macca Returns To U.S.S.R.Paul McCartney will play a free show Saturday in Kiev, Ukraine. The former Beatle says that he's looking forward to the "Independence Concert," saying that he and his band are "ready to rock!" Over 100,000 are expected to attend the event organized to promote the freedom, peace, love and unity. Sounds like the perfect reason for the former Beatle's to return "back in the U.S.S.R.!" Selling A Famous OneAnyone who has checked out the photos and video on U2.com of U2 recording in their Dublin studio over the years has noticed a large, rather bizarre painting on the wall. It turns out that the untitled piece was painted by the highly regarded Jean-Michel Basquiat, a New York City graffiti artist who later worked closely with Andy Warhol. The Irish lads bought the piece and hung it in their studio in 1989, about a year after Basquiat died of an overdose. Now, with studio renovations about to launch, the boys have decided to auction off the masterpiece at Sotheby's in London on July 1st. Experts are saying that the work of art should fetch between two and four million dollars. And that much appreciation, my friends, will buy a lot of Guinness Stout! Plant/Krauss Getting It OnLed Zeppelin's Robert Plant and his extremely talented collaborator, Alison Krauss, have scored three nominations for the 2008 Americana Honors & Awards. The duo's "Raising Sand" will vie for the Americana Album Of The Year award and Duo/Group honors, while their "Gone Gone Gone" is up for Song Of The Year at the September 18th ceremonies at Nashville's historic Ryman Auditorium. As for working with Alison instead of reuniting with the Zep, Robert said "I'm in no hurry to go anywhere... I want to stay very close. This is a font of knowledge, and I'm sticking as close to it as I can." While no firm plans are set for a "Raising Sand" sequel, producer T-Bone Burnett, who's also the musical director for the current Plant/Krauss concert tour, said "I feel like we're just starting to know what we can do with it. The two of them are so incredibly good that I would hate to not continue to work with both of them." Plant says performing the duo's rootsy music, as well as revamped versions of some Zeppelin songs, live has "become quite an illumination, really. What has been created with the chemistry between the three of us has its own kind of genre, really. I'm a very fortunate man. I couldn't wish for anything better than this." Burnt Strat ResurfacesIt's doubtful anyone who saw Jimi Hendrix play the old London Astoria in March 1967 would remember many details about the show — except that Jimi set his 1965 Fender Stratocaster on fire. It turns out that very instrument (as charred as ever) has been kept in storage for the past 40 years. When the owner recently found out the guitar could sell for $500,000 or more, he decided to put it up for auction later this Summer Gilmour's Multi-FormatingDavid Gilmour's "Live In Gdansk" album, documenting an August 2006 concert in the Polish city, will be released on September 16th in various formats and configurations. Besides a basic double-CD set, the music will be available in three-, four- and five-disc editions. The extra discs include one DVD containing footage from the Gdansk show, another featuring a 5.1 Surround Sound mix of the Pink Floyd guitarist's "On an Island" album and a CD offering bonus live tracks. But wait — there's more! A vinyl box set will also be released.
Paul Rodgers!This Saturday (June 14th), 6pm: Rockin' for a great cause, Unc will be on-site as former Bad Company singer Paul Rodgers plays a special benefit gig at the Fender Center for the Performing Arts in Corona! TriskaidekaphobiaThe "fear of the number 13," and today is Friday the 13th. Here are some of the factoids and superstitions surrounding both the number 13 and Fridays in general. All months whose first day falls on a Sunday will contain a Friday the 13th. A maximum of three Friday the 13ths can appear in one year, but every year will have at least one. In ancient times, Friday was the day of the pagan goddess Freya, and 13 was her sacred number, because the pagan calendar had 13 months. Christian monks considered anything having to do with goddesses to be unlucky and anything having to do with pagans as being evil. When pagans worshipped Freya on Friday the 13th, the monks accused them of "devil worship." The Bible points to Friday as being the day Eve gave Adam the apple. For some, the number 13 is also considered to be unlucky because Jesus Christ was the 13th guest — in addition to his 12 Apostles — at the Last Supper, which took place on a Friday — the night before he was crucified. Ancient Norsemen used 13 knots in the nooses they used to hang people. In the 19th century, Lloyd's of London refused to insure any ship sailing on Friday the 13th. The U.S. Navy still won't launch ships on that date. Hotels and office buildings often don't have a 13th floor. Many airports skip the 13th gate and airplanes have no 13th aisle. The ill-fated Apollo 13 mission was launched at 13:13 military time, from launch pad #39 (that's 13 X 3), and had to be aborted on April 13, 1970. Father's DayFather's Day is a relatively new institution, which became an official holiday only 34 years ago. While it isn't as widely celebrated as Mother's Day, Father's Day is the fifth-largest card-sending occasion in America, with over 85 million greeting cards exchanged. The first Father's Day was observed on June 19th, 1910. Many famous people supported Father's Day and attempted to secure official recognition for the holiday, but it wasn't until 1966 that President Lyndon Johnson signed a presidential proclamation declaring the third Sunday of June as Father's Day. And in 1972, President Richard Nixon established a permanent national observance of Father's Day to be held on the third Sunday of June. Happy Father's Day! June 14, 2008
Keyboardist Rod Argent of The Zombies and Argent is 63.
On this day in 1965 in London, Paul McCartney recorded "Yesterday." On this day in 1969, The Beatles topped the British charts with their first stereo single, "The Ballad of John and Yoko." Ironically, only Paul McCartney and John Lennon played on the song. On this day in 1981, Bruce Springsteen headlined the No Nukes concert at the Hollywood Bowl. Like its Central Park counterpart two days earlier, there were several guest stars, including Jackson Browne, Graham Nash, Stephen Stills and Bonnie Raitt. On this day in 2005, a life-sized chocolate statue of Elton John was unveiled in London. It had been commissioned by the Cadbury company as part of the chocolatier's 100th anniversary celebration. Please supply your own punchline here. June 15, 2008
Singer Harry Nilsson would have been 67.
On this day in 1956, John Lennon first met Paul McCartney at a church dinner in Liverpool, England. He soon invited Macca to join his group The Quarrymen. On this day in 1966, Capitol Records released The Beatles "Yesterday & Today" album, featuring the band wearing butcher's aprons on the front cover surrounded by decapitated baby dolls. Paul McCartney later said it was the Fab Four's comment on the American record label's mishandling of the music. But when Capitol quickly withdrew the sleeve, it became one of the most valued Beatles collectibles. On this day in 1970, Jimi Hendrix held his first session at his long overdo, way over budget Electric Ladyland Studio in New York. On this day in 1987, the photo shoot for the cover of Pink Floyd's "A Momentary Lapse of Reason" took place in Saunton Sands, England. The project included 800 rented beds, which 30 hired hands moved onto the beach for the image. June 16, 2008
Drummer extraordinaire Doane Perry of Jethro Tull is 54.
On this day in 1965, Bob Dylan recorded "Like a Rolling Stone" for his classic "Highway 61 Revisited" album. Bob and his band — featuring Al Kooper playing an electric organ for the first time in his life and some of blues guitar legend Mike Bloomfield's most understated playing ever — nailed the song on the fourth of 14 takes, the only time they made it all the way through the number. On this day in 1967, at the height of "The Summer of Love," The Monterey Pop Festival kicked off in Monterey, California. The media coverage given to Janis Joplin, The Who and Jimi Hendrix during the three-day festival helped turn them into international stars. On this day in 1979, Bad Company's "Rock 'N' Roll Fantasy" peaked at #13 on the charts. On this day in 1982, guitarist James Honeyman-Scott of The Pretenders died from a cocaine overdose at age 25.
Got That MOJO WorkingBritain's "MOJO" is undeniably one of the best music magazines in the world, and their annual "MOJO Honours Awards" winners will be revealed today. This year, Led Zeppelin singer/rock icon Robert Plant could be a two-time winner. His collaboration with Alison Krauss, "Raising Sand," is up for Best Album, while the Zep's reunion show last December earned the band a nomination for Best Live Act. Neil Young is also a contender in that latter category. Bob Dylan's "Theme Time Radio Hour With Your Host Bob Dylan" has been nominated for Compilation Of The Year. Honorees in those particular categories are chosen by readers (always a wild card in jolly old England), while various "Merit Awards" are picked by the "MOJO" writers to fill in the gaps. Macca Does It Real LargeThat special "Independence Concert" that Paul McCartney played over the weekend turned out to be the biggest concert ever in the Ukraine. The former Beatle drew 350,000 fans to the live show in Kiev on Saturday, while 195,000 more watched the concert in a special six-city simulcast and more than 20 million viewers tuned in to see the concert in a live nation-wide TV broadcast. Right so Sir Macca! Ringo Gets ArtsyJust as his Ringo's All-Starr Band is about to launch their Summer tour, former Beatle Ringo Starr is releasing a book featuring his computer-generated art this Thursday. "Painting Is My Madness," which will be available in a limited run of 3,000 regular and 200 deluxe autographed copies, includes more than 40 artistic reproductions. To help sales, exhibits of his art will be held throughout his 2008 All-Starr Band tour, which kicks off Thursday in Niagara Falls, Canada. Rare Floyd Guitar To Be AuctionedHow's this for a benefit auction item: a special Fender Stratocaster guitar autographed by each member of Pink Floyd and decorated by Gerald Scarfe, the man who designed the infamous pictures on "The Wall." If that weren't enough, the instrument comes with edition number 001 of a 300-limited edition box set of eight prints from "The Wall," each of which is signed by Scarfe. The auction benefits Crisis, a U.K. charity for homeless people. Check it out at http://BuyOnceGiveTwice.co.uk. Farner/Dharma/TurnerFormer Grand Funk Railroad frontman Mark Farner will be joining Blue Öyster Cult guitarist Buck Dharma Roeser and former Deep Purple/Rainbow singer Joe Lynn Turner as well as members of late Who bassist John Entwistle's solo backing band at a September 20th benefit concert in Cary, North Carolina. The show will raise funds for the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame and Museum in Cleveland and the John Entwistle Foundation.
Quote Of The DayIt was Plato who said: "Of all the animals, the boy is the most unmanageable." Who's Counting?
850 peanuts are needed to make an 18 oz. jar of peanut butter. June 17, 2008
Barry Manilow may not be Rock & Roll, but he is 62.
On this day in 1966, Beatle Paul McCartney bought himself a remote farm in Kintyre, Scotland. He later wrote "Mull of Kintyre" about it. On this day in 1966, guitarist Peter Green joined John Mayall's Bluesbreakers. In less than a year, Green, drummer Mick Fleetwood and bassist John McVie left Mayall's band to form Fleetwood Mac. On this day in 1972, David Bowie's landmark "Ziggy Stardust & the Spiders from Mars" album entered the American charts. Although it only peaked at #75, it spent 72 weeks on the charts and influenced the sound of rock albums and songwriting for years to come. On this day in 1978, Bruce Springsteen's "Darkness on the Edge of Town" album, the highly anticipated follow-up to 1975's "Born to Run," entered the charts. On this day in 1980, Led Zeppelin began their final tour in Dortmund, Germany.
On Stage TonightTed Nugent will be ripping it up at the House Of Blues in Anaheim tonight. That MOJO Was Workin'Undeniably one of the best music magazines in the world, Britain's "MOJO" magazine spotlighted three legendary classic rockers at last night's "2008 MOJO Honours Awards." Led Zeppelin's reunion show last December earned the band the Best Live Act Honour, while Genesis captured the mag's Lifetime Achievement award. John Fogerty was acknowledged for his inventiveness with the highly prestigious MOJO Inspiration Honour. Right so and congrats to all! Macca's Final Run?The Brit tabloids are bonkers with reports that Sir Paul McCartney is planning one final tour before calling it quits. The proposed world tour is rumored to run for at least 100 dates across North and South America, Europe, Asia and Australia, and Macca would earn close to $200 million. He's supposedly reluctant to solidify plans for the trek until after his divorce from Heather Mills becomes official next week. Wow, between hustling all of that info and chasing stories about Amy Winehouse smacking the floor again, those tabloid reporters sure are busy little beavers! Maiden Goes SilentIron Maiden's show at Madison Square Garden had an unexpected twist this past weekend. Power to the venue's sound system blew out as the band was blasting through their song "Powerslave." Unable to continue without amplification, Bruce Dickinson and the boys kicked a soccer ball around to entertain the crowd for a full 10 minutes before the power was restored. Bruce then addressed the crowd by saying, "The revenge of Sharon... the 'Wicked Witch of the West rises again," referring to his ongoing spat with Sharon Osbourne. Totally unrelated to the power outage, but interesting just the same, were all the New York City newspaper reports that Lance Armstrong and Kate Hudson were rocking throughout the show. Oh By The WayYes they certainly had been slowly teasing it all of last week, but were you really surprised to hear that the new Metallica album will be called "Death Magnetic?" Be assured that the Rick Rubin-produced album will be out in September, so you may now return to your regularly scheduled life. Spencer's ReturnThe last time I spoke with drummer Mick Fleetwood, he spoke of his desire to see former Fleetwood Mac guitarist Jeremy Spencer play in public again. Lo and behold, the Buddy Holly inspired Spencer (who hasn't played Stateside since mysteriously disappearing in 1972) will be playing a few dates in the middle of next month. Shows have been confirmed for St. Louis as well as Berwyn, Illinois and Belleville, Wisconsin. Very mysterious bookings indeed!
Quote Of The DayIt was Leonardo da Vinci who said: "Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication." Random Thoughts For A Late Spring Day* If you think nobody cares, try missing a couple of payments. * What happens if you get scared half to death twice? * Inside every older person is a younger person wondering what happened. June 18, 2008
Sir Paul McCartney is 66.
On this day in 1967, Big Brother & The Holding Company, featuring Janis Joplin, performed a second set at the Monterey Pop Festival so that D.A. Pennebaker could film them for his documentary. Then, after The Who won a backstage argument with Jimi Hendrix over who would close the festival, Hendrix played an incendiary set that saw him light his guitar on fire. History was made, and The Who's Pete Townshend was even more pissed! On this day in 1977, Fleetwood Mac's song "Dreams" hit #1. On this day in 1980, goofy behavior spread all across the good old U.S. of A. when the "The Blues Brothers" movie premiered, starring Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi.
Stones Just Say NopeThe Rolling Stones have quickly denied a report that the band was on the verge of signing a massive recording deal with Live Nation. The venerable band's spokesman said, "We are not in talks with Live Nation in connection with any record deal." The rumored deal would have seen the Stones not only sign a new contract with Live Nation but also sign over their lucrative back catalog, thus costing EMI an estimated $5.9 million a year. Industry experts ultimately expect the band to leave EMI — they already released the soundtrack to their concert film "Shine A Light" through rival Universal — making them the third major artist to leave the industry giant (following Radiohead and Paul McCartney) since the label was taken over by an equity firm. Getting Into Jimi's PantsIf you were one of the many people who wanted to get in Jimi Hendrix's pants back in the day, your chance has finally come. Almost 40 years down the road, a pair of Jimi's trippy, striped flared trousers will be up for bids in Christie's July 10th rock memorabilia auction. Also on the block that day is a 1966 Marshall amplifier (one of the first built) that Jimi used in concert between 1967 and 1969. If indeed it is the real thing, it's no doubt beat to hell much worse than his pants! Def Lepp's Abbey Road AdventureDef Leppard will be featured in the second season of the Sundance Channel's "Live From Abbey Road" series. The program will focus on the Lepp's process of making music, documenting their rehearsals and discussing their work with them just before they perform. The Def Lepp episode to air on July 31st. Brian's Latest Action On The SideQueen guitarist Brian May sure stays busy! He's just produced and played guitar on a soon-to-be-released EP from theater performer Kerry Ellis, who appeared in the original production of the Queen musical "We Will Rock You." The three-song CD includes two tunes from the Broadway show "Wicked" — in which Ellis currently stars — and one from "We Will Rock You." Crowes In S.D.If you're into making long range plans, know that the Black Crowes will headline the annual San Diego Street Scene festival September 19th and 20th. As usual, four stages will be set up in San Diego's East Village, including Tailgate Park near Petco Park stadium. Remember to watch your parking meters and rock on!
Quote Of The DayIt was Buddy Hackett who said: "As a child my family's menu consisted of two choices: take it or leave it." June 19, 2008
Singer Ann Wilson of Heart is 58.
On this day in 1965, both The Kinks and Moody Blues played their first American gigs at New York's Academy of Music. Bad news for both bands: they were in trouble with the New York City Musicians Union and revoked work visas were right around the corner. On this day in 1976, Blue Oyster Cult's outstanding "Agents of Fortune" album entered the charts as "Don't Fear the Reaper" was about to become their biggest hit. On this day in 1982, Fleetwood Mac's song "Hold Me" entered the charts on its way to #4. On this day in 1997, Bobby Helms, best known for "Jingle Bell Rock," died from emphysema and asthma at the age of 63. This Sunday night at 9 on 95.5 KLOS, OFF THE RECORD with Joe Benson will feature the music of Yes and Joe's brand new conversation with singer Jon Anderson.
G&R Leaked/Or NotAfter weeks without any press, Guns & Roses reappeared yesterday when nine songs "supposedly" from the decades-in-production "Chinese Democracy" were briefly leaked on an Internet site that no longer exists. With all the curious "free Dr. Pepper for everyone if the album's released" publicity stunt a few months back, maybe these songs were "the real thing" (or was that a different soda slogan?). Doobies Be Rockin'Doobie Brothers guitarist Patrick Simmons says that his band recently completed "a couple of sessions" with their longtime producer, Ted Templeman (who also brought Van Halen to us). Next the Doobs plan to do some recording with Metallica's famed producer Bob Rock. One thing is for sure, those Doobies aren't messing around with rookies! Odessey And Oracle AgainThe Zombies spent much of 1967 recording a legendary psychedelic rock album called "Odessey And Oracle." Unfortunately, by the time the album was released, the band had split. Keyboardist/songwriter Rod Argent went on to achieve fame and fortune with his own band, Argent. Ironically, "Time Of The Season" (from "Odessey And Oracle") became a huge hit single a year after the band had broken up! A few years ago, Argent and singer Colin Blunstone finally got back together, and they're releasing a freshly recorded live version of their psychedelic rock album on July 1st, two days before their North American tour begins. You can hear them live on July 19th at the Canyon Club in Agoura Hills. Long Delayed Chicago ReleasedChicago's "lost" "Stone Of Sisyphus" album finally hit stores this week, 15 years after it was recorded. The story goes that in 1993 the group wanted to return to its rock roots after 10+ years of cranking out pop ballads. But their record label refused to release it. So Chicago kept the tapes, fully intending to release the album after leaving their label. Eventually some tracks surfaced on Chicago's 2003 box set, but now the entire "Stone Of Sisyphus" is available just as the band wanted. Wonder if it was worth the wait?
Quote Of The DayIt was Friedrich Nietzsche who said: "What does not destroy me makes me stronger." You're Stressing Us Out!So what gets American employees stressed out? A new survey by the makers of Hormel Compleats meals has found that more than half of U.S. workers say the biggest source of stress at work is not the job itself, but their co-workers. The poll found that the most annoying things about co-workers tend to be those who talk too much, use silly catch phrases or those who are brown nosers. An amazing 53% of the respondents say they can't get away from office gossip because it usually takes place at their's or a neighboring desk (duh!). 22% identified the most annoying office catch phrase as "Think outside the box," followed by "Team Player" and "Shoot me an e-mail." June 20, 2008
Guitar god Chet Atkins would have been 84.
On this day in 1969, the 3-day Newport '69 Festival began in Northridge. An estimated 150,000 made it in to hear Jimi Hendrix, Jethro Tull, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Joe Cocker, Steppenwolf and others. Hendrix received $125,000 for his appearance — the highest fee ever paid to a single rock act for one appearance at that time. Do you know anyone born in the Southland in March 1970? Their folks were probably at the festival! On this day in 1970, Neil Young's "Cinnamon Girl" entered the charts.
On Stage FridayTed Nugent will be ripping it up at the Canyon Club in Agoura Hills tonight. Thorogood To BatA one-time Minor League player, George Thorogood will be batting for charity this weekend. George will join a variety of other celebrities, including actors like Christian Slater, former basketball star Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and comedian Carlos Mencia for the annual Hollywood Stars game tomorrow at Dodger Stadium after the Los Angeles Dodgers/Cleveland Indians game. Money raised through the Hollywood Stars game will go to the Los Angeles Dodgers Dream Foundation. Let's just hope George doesn't pull any of his guitar-playing muscles! Rush To Walk Of FameRush, The Miracles and The Village People are among the 25 celebrities chosen to be inducted into the Hollywood Walk of Fame next year. No word on exactly when the Canadian trio's star will be unveiled, but you know that the boys will be here to enjoy the ceremony. Stay tuned! The Biggest Earning Rock Song EverWhat's the biggest earning rock song of all time? New research says Led Zeppelin's "Stairway to Heaven" is the top dog, having brought in $562 million since it came out in 1971. The eight-minute track remains immensely popular and was even a top download last year after the band put it up on iTunes. It's songwriting royalties from album and DVD sales are figured at about $8.6 million. Radio airplay of an estimated 2.98 million times (that would be 45 years of uninterrupted airtime) should be worth about $2 million in royalties, and another $2 million in royalties should have been collected for ringtones. The song is also reportedly the best-selling piece of sheet music in rock history, earning another million. "Stairway" grossed the most money, however, in DVD and album sales — fans have paid a total of $548 million dollars to buy the discs that feature the track. And since the Zep won't allow the song to be used in commercials, you could say that "Stairway" really isn't living up to its full earning potential. Considering how much this one Led Zeppelin song has earned, do you need to ask why Robert Plant isn't interested in doing a reunion tour for money? Crue Film SidetrackedMotley Crue are back with a new album, a song that's a hit with gamers and their upcoming Crue Fest tour, but the long awaited movie about their lives is going nowhere. Two years ago they announced a deal with MTV Films/Paramount to start production of a biopic based on their best-selling autobiography "The Dirt." But as often happens in Hollywood, the only thing that announcement led to was meetings and more meetings. Now the band is looking for new partners. If you're interested in taking a meeting with them, just know that they'll be on the road until the first of September at the earliest.
Quote Of The DayIt was Katherine Whitehorn who said: "Outside every thin woman is a fat man trying to get in." Summertime!"Summertime, and the livin' is easy." It's an early one! We'll celebrate the Summer Solstice at 4:59pm today — the first time since 1896 that the Summer Solstice in the Northern Hemisphere has occurred before June 21. Both the longest day and shortest night of the year, this marks the official changing of the seasons. "Solstice" is derived from two words: "sol" meaning "sun," and "sistere," meaning "to stand still." On the day of the solstice, the sun rises an imperceptible amount, in a sense, it "stands still." Scary, perhaps, but what an excuse to party! And when it comes to partying, who knew more than the ancients. An utterly astounding array of ancient cultures built their greatest architectural masterpieces specifically to align with the solstices and equinoxes. Stonehenge is a perfect marker of both winter and summer solstices. Native Americans created countless stone structures linked to equinoxes and solstices, including the 20-acre amphitheatre in Vermont called Calendar One and the Bighorn Medicine Wheel in Wyoming. Since the time of the ancients, this time of year — between the planting and harvesting of the crops — has also been the traditional period for weddings. Besides fertility, planting seeds, gathering of herbs, pagan rituals and partying in Santa Barbara, Summer Solstice means so much more here in Southern California. OK, it primarily means bikini waxing and sunscreen, but it is meaningful none-the-less. Just be wary of that fertility thing! |
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