Posts

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Meat Loaf Dead at 74

Meat Loaf has died at age 74. If you think the songs of composer Jim Steinman are populated by fantastic people and places right out of central casting, they ain't got nothin' on the real life sojourn of the 300 pound interior lineman dressed in a prom tuxedo named Marvin Lee Aday from Dallas Texas, aka Meat Loaf. Here is a rare colorful classic rock conversation with the man.
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Pink Floyd- Animals- Roger Waters, David Gilmour, Nick Mason

How did Pink Floyd evolve from the sublime introspection of "Dark Side of the Moon" in 1973 to the madness and despair of "The Wall" six years later? David Gilmour, Nick Mason, and  Roger Waters explore the dark, ominous, yet vitally important transitional musical missing link, January 1977's Animals here in my classic rock interview, an album that was highly anticipated.
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The Doors- Ray Manzarek

In January 1967 when John Densmore's snare drum cracked like a rifle shot before Ray Manzarek's nimble fingers made their intricate run of baroque-sounding notes on that reedy Farfisa organ, all on the introduction to jazz/flamenco guitarist Robbie Krieger's composition "Light My Fire", it clearly and boldly announced a unique approach to rock and roll that really has no peer. And all of that before Jim Morrison stepped up to the microphone to introduce one of the greatest voices and hedonistic personalities in rock history. Not unlike Creedence Clearwater Revival from the same period, no other American bands put out more albums in less time which were more influential in the last 50+ years. And like CCR, no one ever sounded like The Doors ever since. Here is Doors co-founder the late Ray Manzarek with me In the Studio to mark The Doors anniversary. -Redbeard
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Sammy Hagar- Standing Hampton 40th Anniversary

It is the 40th anniversary of the pivotal album in Sammy Hagar's long career, "Standing Hampton"...

Badfinger- Straight Up 50th- Joey Molland,the late Mike Gibbins

It was fifty years ago that US audiences were introduced through a Paul McCartney song,"Come and Get It", to a little-known English band The Iveys, soon to be rechristened Badfinger and to become second only to The Beatles in sales on the Apple Records label.
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Genesis- Wind and Wuthering 45th anniversary- Mike Rutherford, Phil Collins

Progressive rock band Genesis flirted perilously close to the mainstream for the first time in December 1976 with "Your Own Special Way" on the album Wind and Wuthering, yet there are no reports of any permanent injury. Mike Rutherford and Phil Collins join me In the Studio. -Redbeard
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Eddie Money- Can’t Hold Back 35th anniversary

The late Eddie Money's sojourn with his most popular album "Can't Hold Back" took him from the top of the charts with "Take Me Home Tonight" back to the hospital where his drug overdose six years earlier had paralyzed his leg. "The first time I heard 'Take Me Home Tonight' on the radio I was doing the dishes in rehab," Eddie tells us incredulously. "I said to myself, 'What's wrong with this picture?' "
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Jackson Browne- The Pretender 45th anniversary

This interview with Jackson Browne features highlights"Doctor My Eyes","Jamaica Say You Will", and "Rock Me on the Water" from his 1972 debut; "Late for the Sky" 's  title song as well as "Fountain of Sorrow" from 1974; his commercial breakthrough and multi-million seller "The Pretender" in November 1976 with "Here Come Those Tears Again" and the timeless title song; and a 2010 live acoustic version of the 1977  Jackson Browne mega-hit "Running on Empty".
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David Bowie- Hunky Dory 50th- David Bowie, Mick Ronson

On the golden anniversary of "Hunky Dory", David Bowie's December 1971 fourth album, hard to believe when reading all of the revisionist raves now, that "Hunky Dory"  was a commercial flop, so much so that it failed to even make the Billboard Top 200 sales chart. The late great David Bowie joined me here In the Studio  for the tale, as did his original wingman, guitarist Mick Ronson, for the scoop on "Changes","Andy Warhol", and "Life on Mars?"
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Traffic- Low Spark of High Heeled Boys 50th anniversary- Steve Winwood,the late Jim Capaldi

Not always considered a Progressive Rock band, nevertheless the title song to Traffic's most popular album, November 1971's Low Spark of High Heeled Boys  fits easily high atop any list of the most popular and creative songs of the Progressive…