Posts

Ten Years After- A Space in Time 50th- 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 30th- James Hetfield, Kirk Hammett

For its thirtieth anniversary, "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.
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The Who- Who’s Next 50th Anniversary- Pete Townshend

For the golden anniversary of "Who's Next" by The Who, ranked by Rolling Stone  magazine as the #28 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"...

Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers- She’s the One/Angel Dream 25th anniversary

On the twenty-fifth anniversary of the"She's the One" original motion picture soundtrack by Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers comes "Angel Dream", the film soundtrack recordings remixed and remastered, which are integrated here into the original North American radio broadcast classic rock interview, where the late Tom Petty explains unequivocally his reasons for doing them.
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Journey- Escape 40th Anniversary- 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 fortieth 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". 

ZZ TOP- El Loco 40th Anniversary- Billy Gibbons, Frank Beard

ZZ Top "El Loco" fortieth anniversary interview with Billy Gibbons, Dusty Hill, & Frank Beard "In the Studio".
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Stevie Nicks- Bella Donna 40th 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 45th Anniversary

Al Stewart joins me In the Studio in a rare interview on the 45th anniversary of his breakout 1976 album "Year of the Cat". Stewart might seem to be name-dropping big time, except it's all true: sneaking backstage during a 1963 Beatles concert and talking with John Lennon; rooming in London next to Paul Simon; befriended by an unknown Cat Stevens; mc'ing at a London nightclub when another unknown, an American named Jimi Hendrix, decided to play his guitar with his teeth. 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.
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Foreigner- 4- 40th- Mick Jones, Lou Gramm, Kelly Hansen

Foreigner "4" fortieth anniversary interview includes band founder/ guitarist Mick Jones, original singer Lou Gramm, and current singer Kelly Hansen.
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Tom Petty- Into the Great Wide Open 30th Anniversary

My interview with the late Tom Petty thirty years ago, two significant events informed the songwriting on 1991's "Into the Great Wide Open" , Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers' first post-Traveling Wilburys/ "Full Moon Fever"   effort with his own band.