Medium Rare Interviews

In January 1967 when John Densmore's snare drum cracked like a rifle shot before Ray Manzarek's nimble fingers made their intricate run of baroque-sounding notes on that reedy Farfisa organ, all on the introduction to jazz/flamenco guitarist Robbie Krieger's composition "Light My Fire", it clearly and boldly announced a unique approach to rock and roll that really has no peer. And all of that before Jim Morrison stepped up to the microphone to introduce one of the greatest voices and hedonistic personalities in rock history. Not unlike Creedence Clearwater Revival from the same period, no other American bands put out more albums in less time which were more influential in the last 50+ years. And like CCR, no one ever sounded like The Doors ever since. Here is Doors co-founder the late Ray Manzarek with me In the Studio to mark The Doors anniversary. -Redbeard

This interview with Jackson Browne features highlights"Doctor My Eyes","Jamaica Say You Will", and "Rock Me on the Water" from his 1972 debut; "Late for the Sky" 's  title song as well as "Fountain of Sorrow" from 1974; his commercial breakthrough and multi-million seller "The Pretender" in November 1976 with "Here Come Those Tears Again" and the timeless title song; and a 2010 live acoustic version of the 1977  Jackson Browne mega-hit "Running on Empty".

Ted Nugent's " Free for All"  changed the national  radio reception and overamped its way to #24 on the Billboard album chart in Fall 1976, becoming his second consecutive multi-platinum seller. Tyrannosaurus Ted is my guest In the Studio.

The Cars' "Shake It Up" was their first album to contain a Top Ten Billboard  hit in the title song, so 1981's "Shake It Up", with its peak at #9 on Billboard  album sales chart as well as #34 for the entire year, was seen by many  as a return to high performance by the Boston band. Keyboard player Greg Hawkes joins me In the Studio with archival interview by Cars bandleader the late Ric Ocasek on "Shake It Up" fortieth anniversary.