Tag Archive for: classic rock interview

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ZZ TOP- drummer Frank Beard dies, 77

The all-important breakthrough third ZZ Top album, "Tres Hombres", will focus on the all-around improvements in recording quality and songwriting reflected in such perennials as "Waitin’ for the Bus”, “Jesus Just Left Chicago”, and “Lagrange” plus the introduction of "the squank" to guitar vernacular. Squankmaster Billy Gibbons, deceased drummer Frank Beard, and the dearly missed Dusty Hill tell the colorful tales of the earliest days of ZZ Top here In the Studio for  the breakthrough 1973 third album, "Tres Hombres".
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Bon Jovi- Slippery When Wet 40th- Jon Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora

Bon Jovi's third album "Slippery When Wet" has a worldwide sales estimate since release forty years ago : 28,000,000 copies. It is impossible to overstate how massively popular Bon Jovi's third album, "Slippery When Wet", was...Jon Bon Jovi and original guitarist/co-writer Richie Sambora are my guests.

Julian Lennon- Help Yourself 35th Anniversary

...prior to "Help Yourself". A peculiar and confounding thing happened with the reception to that fourth Julian Lennon album and its brilliant eco-ballad "Saltwater". The song went to #6 in the UK and straight to #1 in Australia, but failed to even chart in America. Julian Lennon is my guest In the Studio.

Ten Years After- A Space in Time 55th- the late Alvin Lee, Leo Lyons

"When things get put onto celluloid, they tend to get bigger than life," the late guitarist/ singer Alvin Lee told me by way of explanation as to how Ten Years After was catapulted from the second tier of English boogie and blues by their prime spot in the Woodstock Festival   movie documentary. The band utilized that momentum to deliver their most popular album ever in late Summer 1971, " A Space in Time",  which included "One of These Days", "Baby Won't You Let Me Rock'n'Roll You", and what turned out to be their biggest hit, "I'd Love to Change the World".
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Metallica- Black Album 35th Anniversary- James Hetfield, Kirk Hammett

"Metallica" (affectionately known as "The Black Album" in the same way The Beatles had been dubbed "The White Album"), Metallica's lead guitarist Kirk Hammett and lead throat James Hetfield show how the band sits atop the family tree of hard rock/heavy metal evolution.

Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers- She’s the One/Angel Dream 30th anniversary

On the thirtieth anniversary of the original motion picture soundtrack by Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers comes "Angel Dream", the film soundtrack recordings remixed and remastered, which are integrated here into my original North American radio broadcast classic rock interview, where the late Tom Petty explains unequivocally his reasons for doing them.
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The Who- Who’s Next 55th- Pete Townshend

"Who's Next" by The Who, ranked by Rolling Stone  magazine as the #77 rock album of all time, this August 1971 absolute musical masterpiece is mated with an incredibly illuminating classic rock interview with its composer, Pete Townshend, here In the Studio including the songs "Baba O'Riley","Bargain","Going Mobile","Behind Blue Eyes","Getting in Tune", and "Won't Get Fooled Again"...
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Stevie Nicks- Bella Donna 45th Anniversary

In July 1981, Stevie Nicks already was in arguably America's most popular band, Fleetwood Mac, but her first solo album then, "Bella Donna", took her career to another level entirely, a fact that was by no means guaranteed and which came at some cost.  Stevie spells it all out quite candidly In the Studio while revealing the stories and characters behind "Edge of Seventeen", "Leather and Lace" with Don Henley, and the timeless duet with Tom Petty on his "Stop Draggin' My Heart Around".

Al Stewart- Year of the Cat 50th Anniversary

Al Stewart joins me In the Studio in a rare interview about his breakout 1976 album "Year of the Cat". But being witness repeatedly to rock history apparently accounted for nothing when Al Stewart's seventh album, "Year of the Cat", was unceremoniously turned down by every major UK record label 50 years ago.
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Journey- Escape @45- Neal Schon- Jonathan Cain- Steve Perry

Hard-charging San Francisco juggernaut Journey unveiled a defining album for the decade with "Escape"  in July 1981, containing "Don't Stop Believin' ","Stone in Love", "Who's Crying Now","Open Arms", and "Mother, Father". For the forty-fifth anniversary of this timeless effort, the Journey songwriting triumvirate of Steve Perry, founding guitarist Neal Schon, and new recruit then Jonathan Cain all recall their daring "Escape".