Posts

, ,

ZZ TOP- Eliminator 40th- Billy Gibbons,Frank Beard,the late Dusty Hill

And yes, the series of clever, campy videos on the upstart MTV video channel in America undoubtedly had much to do with that staggering (15 million just in US) level of popularity for "Eliminator" (truly ironic, since manager Bill Ham had steadfastly kept ZZ Top off of U.S. television until then). But the songwriting, musicianship, modern arranging, and state-of-the-art recording on "Eliminator" which I heard that day was truly extraordinary. Billy Gibbons, Frank Bread, & the late Dusty Hill are my guests In the Studio.

ZZ Top- Sharp Dressed Man- Los Angeles

ZZ Top with the incredibly durable original tres hombres of the late bass player Dusty Hill, drummer Frank Beard, and squankmaster Billy Gibbons taking a turn on the Hollywood red carpet with "Sharp Dressed Man" in concert in the City of Angels.
,

John Mellencamp- American Fool

When JohnMellencamp’s fourth album American Fool yielded three Top Twenty hits in April 1982, including “Hurt So Good” (#2) followed by his first #1, “Jack and Diane”, only two entities were as equally relieved as John: his ambitious English manager and his long suffering US record company. The former had negotiated John’s record deal as “Johnny Cougar”...in a move which would cause the musician considerable chagrin for the better part of ten years. John Mellencamp joins me In the Studio for this classic rock interview fof his breakthrough multi-million seller "American Fool". 

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.

Roxy Music- Take a Chance with Me- Radio City Music Hall 5-26-83

the ad agency for a big brokerage house  switched to Roxy Music's "Take a Chance with Me" in the latest tv spot. Here is Roxy Music and singer Bryan Ferry performing it live back in May 1983 during a broadcast from Radio City Music Hall.

ACDC- Guns for Hire- Detroit 11-83

The worldwide success of AC/DC Back in Black  , released forty years ago this month, made the follow-up album and North American tour in Fall 1983 a must-see event. Here are the Aussie maulers thundering through "Guns for Hire" live in the Motor City...

The Fixx- Reach the Beach

Cy Curnin and Adam Woods In the Studio for The Fixx "Shuttered Room" & "Reach the Beach" !

John Mellencamp- Pink Houses- Dallas 10-91

Here is John Mellencamp's live acoustic performance of  "Pink Houses" on my Dallas/ Ft.Worth Q102 radio show 10-1-91 with Mike Wanchic on acoustic guitar & harmonies and the great Kenny Aronoff on tambourine. It came out so good that John…
,

YES- 90125- Jon Anderson, Trevor Rabin, Alan White, Tony Kaye

Then something remarkable happened. It resulted in more than eight million copies selling from a musical entity thought to be extinct, but with the songs "It Can Happen","Hold On","Leave It","Changes", and the #1 hit "Owner of a Lonely Heart", YES could rise like a musical phoenix from the ashes of the progressive rock Seventies with the comeback album of the Eighties in "90125".
,

Jimi Hendrix Experience- Electric Ladyland pt2- Mitch Mitchell, author John McDermott

Jimi Hendrix and his British trio the Experience created a landmark double album in 1968 called "Electric Ladyland",  but this deep into the 21st century it may be difficult for many to fully understand the context in which it was made and the world into which it was subsequently released.