Redbeard’s Blog

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.

Jerry Lee Lewis- Lucille- Memphis mid-’80s

Calling veteran bass player David Cochran and rousing drummer Chad Cromwell out of bed, Jerry Lee Lewis met the two bewildered musicians for the first time and laid down this incredible version of "Lucille" in one take, straight off the studio floor. This is proof positive that he indeed was The Killer.
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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".

Edgar Winter Group- They Only Come Out at Night

the Edgar Winter Group's "They Only Come Out at Night". Edgar shares songs including "Tobacco Road","Keep Playing That Rock'n'Roll",; "Dying to Live"; "Easy Street" from 1974's "Shock Treatment";  and three hits from "They Only Come Out at Night",  "Free Ride","Hangin' Around", and the #1 song in 1973, "Frankenstein". The late Ronnie Montrose also is interviewed.
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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.

Queen- We Will Rock You- London 10-28-77

Like a cosmic rarity, here is an aural snapshot of  a star going into the white-hot state of supernova: Queen in a London studio performing live for the BBC with a then-new song, "We Will Rock You". Equal parts promise and serving notice, this stuff is historic, essential, and bloody epic!
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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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Meat Loaf- Bat Out of Hell

Meeting Meat Loaf head on in the narrow hallway at midnight "on a hot summer night" in 1978 left an unforgettable memory. His debut album "Bat Out of Hell"  had been building slowly over the ten months since release, and now the bombastic, passionate, outrageously funny music of composer Jim Steinman as performed by Meat Loaf was one of the hottest new things in American music then. The late Meat Loaf is here In the Studio for the story of "Bat Out of Hell".

Tom Cochrane- Lunatic Fringe- Dallas 1989

From its release in 1979 on the Red Rider album As Far as Siam ,"Lunatic Fringe " was always a popular song on North American rock radio . However , in a post-9/11 world , Tom Cochrane's lyrics are now even more chilling . This performance in a Dallas Mexican restaurant- January 1989 . No stage , no P.A. , no monitors , just Corona beer & the radio feeding back . That's a lot of intense music just by two very talented guys .-Redbeard
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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".