Archive for category: Classic Rock Interviews

These are the interviews from the most recent editions of the weekly national radio broadcast of In The Studio .

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Lou Reed- Transformer

Lou Reed focuses on his second post-Velvet Underground album,"Transformer" containing the Top 20 alterna-hit "Walk on the Wild Side". Rolling Stone magazine writers rank "Transformer"  at #109 now on their Top 500 All Time list.
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Steely Dan- Can’t Buy a Thrill- Donald Fagen, the late Walter Becker

"Can't Buy a Thrill"  in November 1972 from Steely Dan this first varied assortment of smart pop from the songwriters Donald Fagen and Walter Becker sounds the least like any Steely Dan album which would follow, but my guests Donald Fagen & the late Walter Becker explain why that's the case In the Studio.
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George Harrison- Cloud Nine

George Harrison's "Cloud Nine" comeback album in 1987 included "When We Was Fab","Devil's Radio", the #1 cover of "Got My Mind Set on You", & the bluesy title song "Cloud Nine". The late George Harrison is my guest from In the Studio archives.

Cream- Wheels of Fire- Eric Clapton, the late Jack Bruce

Cream's breakthrough album "Disraeli Gears" only nine months earlier tee'd up the English/Scottish trio's June 1968 third release, "Wheels of Fire", for some impressive numbers. It went almost immediately to #3 sales in the UK and a bonafide #1 in the US, becoming the first double album to sell over a million copies. Eric Clapton & the late Jack Bruce are my guests.
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Queen- News of the World- Brian May

With the release of November 1977's "News of the World" , Queen had succeeded as four real "mates" on an international scale, which  would continue only to increase for the next decade. With four writers and vocalists, the band had a surplus of strong songs, while Queen lead singer Freddie Mercury possessed such an operatic voice that it's easy to forget that both Brian May and drummer Roger Taylor also sang lead on select songs. Brian May is my guest In the Studio with "News of the World".
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Kansas- Point of Know Return- Phil Ehart, Richard Williams, Kerry Livgren

With back-to-back quadruple platinum albums "Leftoverture"  in 1976 and "Point of Know Return"  barely eighteen months later, the band Kansas was assured of permanent statehood in rock history.
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INXS- Kick- Andrew & Tim Farriss, Kirk Pengilly, the late Michael Hutchence

Keyboard player/songwriter Andrew Farriss of INXS is joined by multi-instrumentalist Kirk Pengilly & guitarist Tim Farriss here In the Studio to share the backstory behind "New Sensation", "Devil Inside","Never Tear Us Apart","Need You Tonight", and the stunning "Kick" title song. Also we share my interviews with the late INXS singer/lyricist Michael Hutchence about the international blockbuster "Kick".
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R.E.M.- Automatic for the People- Michael Stipe, Peter Buck, Mike Mills

R.E.M. singer/lyricist Michael Stipe, multi-instrumentalist/singer Mike Mills, and guitarist/songwriter Peter Buck all convene with me here In the Studio for "Automatic for the People" by R.E.M., estimated to have sold 18,000,000 copies worldwide because of "Man on the Moon","Everybody Hurts", & "Drive".
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Billy Joel- The Stranger

Billy Joel is certainly not "The Stranger" to spectacular popularity, or the record books documenting same. And it's not as if Billy Joel had not been a prolific recording singer/songwriter or an infrequent touring musician prior to his fifth album, "The Stranger", in Fall 1977. But strangely his album sales were in a decidedly negative trend after "Piano Man". "The Stranger" changed all that, permanently. Billy Joel joins me In the Studio on the album's 45th anniversary.
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Steely Dan- Aja- Donald Fagen, the late Walter Becker

Two purveyors of progressive pop, rock, and jazz in Steely Dan, singer/piano player Fagen and the late guitarist Walter Becker,  discuss  "Aja" with Redbeard In the Studio.