Redbeard’s Blog
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Todd Rundgren- Best pt 1

...In part one of this classic rock interview I make the case that no one waiting in the wings of the Rock Hall has done more for rock music over the last half century, in more ways, than Todd Rundgren.

Lindsey Buckingham- Best Of

For two days, the quicksilver singer/songwriter/guitarist/producer Lindsey Buckingham and I sat in a small windowless room serving as his confessional, his therapeutic safe space, and we did not leave until Lindsey told me his truth about playing the role of Vincent in the real-life Van Gogh soap opera that has been his life and musical career for nearly fifty years.

Todd Rundgren- Can We Still Be Friends?- Ridgefield CT 2015

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee-to-be Todd Rundgren performed a concert in Connecticut in 2015 that was breathtaking in it's career overview, from the Nazz to Utopia, and including almost five decades of brilliant solo songs such as "Can We Still Be Friends?".
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J Geils Band- Freeze Frame- Peter Wolf

Prior to the Fall 1981 release Freeze Frame , Boston's J Geils Band had released ten albums while touring relentlessly. Yet the hard-driving jump'n'jiving lead singer Peter Wolf admits that all they really had to show for the effort was half a million dollars in debt....(more)

Todd Rundgren- Black Mariah- Ridgefield CT 2015

Todd Rundgren performed a stunning version of "Black Mariah", one of my all-time TR faves (originally found "when the kid gets heavy..." on Something/ Anything?  almost fifty years ago ) when he played Ridgefield CT back in 2015, and this high…
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Kansas- Leftoverture 50th- Kerry Livgren, Phil Ehart, Steve Walsh, Richard Williams, the late Robbie Steinhardt

By 1976, it was go big or go home for Kansas, the intrepid six-man Progressive Rock band from Topeka, Kansas. Because of the hit "Carry On Wayward Son" ( submitted by the prolific Kerry Livgren even as the band was packing up to leave rehearsals ) and radio hits "Miracles Out of Nowhere","The Wall", "Cheyenne Anthem", and "What's On My Mind ", "Leftoverture"  gave Kansas rock statehood to the tune of over four million sold. Livgren is joined by Richard Williams, Phil Ehart, Steve Walsh, & the late original Kansas violinist/singer Robbie Steinhardt here In the Studio.

Jethro Tull- Steel Monkey- Philadelphia 11-25-87

This Jethro Tull concert performance is outstanding, from both the standpoints of the band's tight performance and the stellar live broadcast mix from Philadelphia's Tower Theater back in late November 1987. Here is a blistering concert version of "Steel Monkey".

Metallica- Fade to Black- San Francisco 9-16-21

Metallica wisely emerged from the pandemic lockdown on live concert performances with a much scaled-down pop up appearance in the 400-capacity San Francisco club The Independent on September 16. Here is "Fade to Black" from that Metallica show.

John Mellencamp- Whenever We Wanted 35th Anniversary

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.

John Mellencamp- Get a Leg Up- garage 12-91

Before arenas and stadiums, even the most popular bands in history started in someone's garage, carport, or basement. Some of today's biggest Hall of Famers, such as John Mellencamp and his excellent band, still rehearse there, as I found out one snowy Christmas season in 1991. "Get a Leg Up" comes straight off the garage floor, no overdubs.