Rare classic rock interviews by Redbeard from the vast In the Studio archive

Billy Idol- Don’t Stop

It's the all-important 1981 "Don't Stop"  EP by Billy Idol. In the last spasms of the London Punk Rock scene circa 1980, Generation X and their front man Billy Broad had the career arc of a bottle rocket, briefly filling English dance floors with the celebratory single "Dancing with Myself"and a cover of "Mony Mony". But Punk Rock's purpose of being a disruptive force to reset all the tumblers of popular music was practically fulfilled by then, and had no second act, so Billy Idol needed a new start. Billy Idol is my guest In the Studio.

John Mellencamp- Whenever We Wanted

By the time John Mellencamp released October 1991's "Whenever We Wanted" , containing the hits "Get a Leg Up" and "Again Tonight", his record-making not only made him one of the Eighties' most popular singer/ songwriters, he had already influenced the sound of his peers...twice. John Mellencamp is my guest In the Studio.

Loverboy 45th- Get Lucky- Mike Reno, Paul Dean

So when their sophomore effort "Get Lucky"  came out in Fall 1981, these Canadian rockers Loverboy were the right band at the right time. North American rock radio was waiting in anticipation for"Working for the Weekend", along with "When It's Over", "Jump" co-written by fellow countryman Bryan Adams, "Gangs in the Street", and "Take Me to the Top". Lead singer Mike Reno and guitarist Paul Dean recall how nice guys don't finish last in this  In The Studio  classic rock interview.

Triumph- Allied Forces- Rik Emmett, Gil Moore, Mike Levine

If you've ever been in a band, you need to listen to this honest, heartwarming, hysterically funny interview with Triumph ... 1979 breakthrough "Just a Gam"e with the songs "Hold On" and "Lay It on the Line", plus the even bigger seller "Allied Forces" forty years ago with "Magic Power" and "Fight the Good Fight".

Kansas- The Prelude Implicit- Phil Ehart, Rich Williams, Ronnie Platt, David Ragsdale

Five years ago the first new original studio album in sixteen years, "The Prelude Implicit",  from all-American progressive rockers Kansas, was one of the most pleasant musical surprises in 2016...like discovering the "lost"  album which would have fit naturally between early mid-Seventies efforts "Song for America"  and "Masque". Lifers drummer Phil Ehart and guitarist Richard Williams are joined here In the Studio  by violinist David Ragsdale and impressive veteran lead singer Ronnie Platt.

Ten Years After- A Space in Time- the late Alvin Lee, Leo Lyons

"When things get put onto celluloid, they tend to get bigger than life," the late guitarist/ singer Alvin Lee told me by way of explanation as to how Ten Years After was catapulted from the second tier of English boogie and blues by their prime spot in the Woodstock Festival   movie documentary. The band utilized that momentum to deliver their most popular album ever in late Summer 1971, " A Space in Time",  which included "One of These Days", "Baby Won't You Let Me Rock'n'Roll You", and what turned out to be their biggest hit, "I'd Love to Change the World".

Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers- She’s the One/Angel Dream 25th anniversary

On the twenty-fifth anniversary of the"She's the One" original motion picture soundtrack by Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers comes "Angel Dream", the film soundtrack recordings remixed and remastered, which are integrated here into the original North American radio broadcast classic rock interview, where the late Tom Petty explains unequivocally his reasons for doing them.

Moody Blues- Every Good Boy Deserves Favour- Justin Hayward, John Lodge, the late Graeme Edge

"Every Good Boy Deserves Favour" was the Moody Blues' seventh album in a string of commercially and critically popular efforts including "Days of Future Passed", "On the Threshold of a Dream", and "A Question of Balance". Singer/ lead guitarist Justin Hayward, singer/ bass player John Lodge, and drummer Graeme Edge take "Every Good Boy Deserves Favour" to share here In the Studio insights into some of the Moody Blues' best of those early years.

ZZ TOP- El Loco 40th Anniversary- Billy Gibbons, Frank Beard

ZZ Top "El Loco" fortieth anniversary interview with Billy Gibbons, Dusty Hill, & Frank Beard "In the Studio".

Al Stewart- Year of the Cat

Al Stewart joins me In the Studio in a rare interview about his breakout 1976 album "Year of the Cat". Stewart might seem to be name-dropping big time, except it's all true: sneaking backstage during a 1963 Beatles concert and talking with John Lennon; rooming in London next to Paul Simon; befriended by an unknown Cat Stevens; mc'ing at a London nightclub when another unknown, an American named Jimi Hendrix, decided to play his guitar with his teeth. But being witness repeatedly to rock history apparently accounted for nothing when Al Stewart's seventh album, "Year of the Cat", was unceremoniously turned down  by every major UK record label.

Van Halen- For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge- Eddie, Alex, Michael, Sammy

For Van Halen " For Unlawful Carnal  Knowledge" , we present an ultra-rare "fly on the wall" listen to the biggest hard rock band in America in 1991. The late Eddie Van Halen, brother Alex, Michael Anthony, and Sammy Hagar had the #1-selling album on the Billboard  chart containing "Poundcake","Judgment Day, "Runaround", "Right Now", and "Top of the World" when we had this lively conversation. This complete interview with all four members has never been heard, & it is now quite historic with the leaving of Sammy Hagar about five years later, & the passing of Eddie Van Halen in 2020.

Pat Benatar- Precious Time

" It went platinum (1,000,000 sales ) in thirteen days," Pat Benatar states matter-of-factly while she and hubby/ musical director Neil Giraldo reminisce In the Studio about the explosive third album,"Precious Time", as it headed rapidly to the top-selling perch in America in Summer 1981...

20 More Rock Hall Snubs

20 More Rock Hall Snubs

Bryan Adams- 18 ‘Til I Die

Bryan Adams joins me for his seventh studio album, “18 'Til I Die”, a #1 seller in the UK and Top Five sales in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Finland, Germany, Sweden, and Switzerland. The international popularity was driven by hits "The Only Thing That Looks Good on You is Me", "Have You Ever Really Loved a Woman", and the title song.

Bonnie Raitt- Nick of Time/ Luck of the Draw

When "Nick of Time"  rose steadily, eventually becoming the #1-selling album in the US a year after release it's Spring 1989 release, no one was more surprised than Bonnie Raitt. When it also won three Grammy Awards including the coveted Album of the Year Grammy in 1990, no one was more appreciative. Then in May 1991, she released "Luck of the Draw", her biggest album ever. Bonnie Raiitt is my guest In the Studio.