Redbeard’s Blog

Styx- Equinox 50th- James Young, Tommy Shaw, Dennis DeYoung

there was high drama and great music before with the third-time's-the-charm "Lady", then 1975's strong Equinox  album containing "Light Up", "Lorelei", and the timeless "Suite: Madame Blue". Band leaders even today James "JY" Young and Tommy Shaw look back on the Equinox  along with the original former co-founding member who wrote and sang all of those songs, Dennis DeYoung

Foghat- Fool for the City- late Lonesome Dave Peverett & Rod Price

British blues-rock foursome Foghat's "Fool for the City" album, with the title song plus "Slow Ride", dominated American FM airplay from its release in September 1975 all through the following year (#20 Billboard). Foghat were four British electric bluesmen who comprised the most successful  limb of the sprawling Savoy Brown musical family tree, albeit that success almost exclusively in North America. This is a bittersweet edition of In the Studio as both of my guests in this classic rock interview, Foghat co-founding guitarist/singer/songwriter Lonesome Dave Peverett and slide guitarist/songwriter Rod Price, have since passed away.
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Ozzy Osbourne- Blizzard of Ozz

The late Ozzy Osbourne In the Studio for the making of 1980's "Blizzard of Ozz" .

Allman Brothers Band- Idlewild South- the late Gregg Allman

...for me in Autumn 1970 with discovering the Allman Brothers Band, as it was their second album, "Idlewild South" , which was my gateway drug to a five decade musical high for what turned out to be, as legendary producer Tom Dowd put it it, "the greatest musical fusion I've ever witnessed."
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Black Sabbath- Paranoid- Ozzy Osbourne

On the 55th anniversary of "Paranoid", original Black Sabbath singer / lyricist the late Ozzy Osbourne has fond memories of those days when he and his  mates from the working-class neighborhood Aston decided to ditch their trendy blues music, cut the band down from a 6-piece to four, and started doing what Ozzy characterizes in this classic rock interview as "spooky music".

Neil Young and Crazy Horse- Ragged Glory 35th Anniversary

Fall 2019 when I made what felt like a pilgrimage to a suburban Dallas movie theater with very dear friends to see Neil Young and Crazy Horse's film of making their album, "Colorado" , I could not resist the comparisons to "Ragged Glory" three decades earlier. Neil Young joins me In the Studio.

Jethro Tull- Best pt 2- Ian Anderson

Selecting the fifty songs over the twenty-one studio offerings for the "50 for 50" massive undertaking proved a challenge for Ian Anderson to curate, not simply for fan expectations. If there ever was a lyrical wordsmith who learned his songwriting trade in the widescreen cinematic tradition of the album format, and who is ill-suited for the one-song You Tube world he found himself in fifty years hence, it would be Ian Anderson.
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Pink Floyd- Wish You Were Here- Roger Waters, David Gilmour, Nick Mason

"YOU try following up 'Dark Side of the Moon'. Go on, just try it!" playfully admonishes Pink Floyd guitarist/singer David Gilmour. "We've been trying to do it ever since!", laughs drummer Nick Mason. Gilmour and Mason are my guests, Roger Waters makes a cameo, and we include archive comments from the late keyboard player Richard Wright to round out the definitive classic rock interview regarding "Wish You Were Here" on its fiftieth anniversary.

The Band- Stage Fright- Robbie Robertson

Widely viewed along with Bob Dylan, The Byrds, and Gram Parsons as  fathers of  the Americana musical movement, The Band also may have  been one of rock's first alternative groups. In part one of this classic rock interview, main songwriter Robbie Robertson ("The Weight","The Night They Drove Ol'Dixie Down","Up on Cripple Creek","The Shape I'm In") helps me make that case on the 55th anniversary of "Stage Fright".

Rolling Stones- Jumping Jack Flash- NYC 2023

Here are the Rolling Stones in a New York City club as recently as 2023 with a stiletto-sharp performance of "Jumping Jack Flash".