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".
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Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band- Night Moves 50th Anniversary

"We did two hundred sixty-five shows that year 1975," says Bob Seger with a mixture of pride and amazement, as explanation on why it was so hard to find the solitary time necessary to write well-crafted songs prior to "Night Moves". The double disc "Live Bullet", recorded in Fall 1975 and released six months later, provided that precious period...by October 1976 with Night Moves containing "Rock and Roll Never Forgets","Main Street","The Fire Down Below","Come to Poppa", and the title song which Bob calls "...a little novelette."

Billy Idol- Don’t Stop 45th Anniversary

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.

Fourth Drawer- Edge, Adam pt 2-1992- Austin

DE & AC with Redbeard, Austin  April 1992, part two. For review & demonstration Derek Ham, Fourth Drawer Films only.