Posts

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Cream- Disraeli Gears @55- Eric Clapton, the late Jack Bruce

In 1967, nothing sounded quite like the songs on Cream's "Disraeli Gears": "Strange Brew","Sunshine of Your Love" (rivaled only by "Purple Haze" that same year as the most subversive single to ever penetrate Top 40 radio ); the elegant romantic falsetto of "Dance the Night Away"; and the psychedelic lyrics of "Tales of Brave Ulysses" absolutely mesmerized me with each repeated playing. Eric Clapton & the late Jack Bruce are my guests.
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Queen- News of the World 45th anniversary- Brian May

With the release of November 1977's "News of the World" , Queen had succeeded as four real "mates" on an international scale, which  would continue only to increase for the next decade. With four writers and vocalists, the band had a surplus of strong songs, while Queen lead singer Freddie Mercury possessed such an operatic voice that it's easy to forget that both Brian May and drummer Roger Taylor also sang lead on select songs. Brian May is my guest In the Studio.

Edgar Winter Group- They Only Come Out at Night 50th anniversary

It's the 50th anniversary of the Edgar Winter Group's "They Only Come Out at Night". Edgar shares songs including "Tobacco Road","Keep Playing That Rock'n'Roll",; "Dying to Live"; "Easy Street" from 1974's "Shock Treatment";  and three hits from "They Only Come Out at Night",  "Free Ride","Hangin' Around", and the #1 song in 1973, "Frankenstein". The late Ronnie Montrose also is interviewed.
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Kansas- Point of Know Return@45- Phil Ehart, Richard Williams, Kerry Livgren

With back-to-back quadruple platinum albums "Leftoverture"  in 1976 and "Point of Know Return"  barely eighteen months later, the band Kansas was assured of permanent statehood in rock history.
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INXS- Kick 35th- Andrew & Tim Farriss, Kirk Pengilly, the late Michael Hutchence

Keyboard player/songwriter Andrew Farriss of INXS is joined by multi-instrumentalist Kirk Pengilly & guitarist Tim Farriss here In the Studio to share the backstory behind "New Sensation", "Devil Inside","Never Tear Us Apart","Need You Tonight", and the stunning "Kick" title song. Also we share my interviews with the late INXS singer/lyricist Michael Hutchence on the thirty-fifth anniversary of the international blockbuster "Kick".
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Meat Loaf- Bat Out of Hell 45th anniversary

Meeting Meat Loaf head on in the narrow hallway at midnight "on a hot summer night" in 1978 left an unforgettable memory. His debut album "Bat Out of Hell"  had been building slowly over the ten months since release, and now the bombastic, passionate, outrageously funny music of composer Jim Steinman as performed by Meat Loaf was one of the hottest new things in American music then. The late Meat Loaf is here In the Studio for the story of "Bat Out of Hell".
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Billy Joel- The Stranger 45th anniversary

Billy Joel is certainly not "The Stranger" to spectacular popularity, or the record books documenting same. And it's not as if Billy Joel had not been a prolific recording singer/songwriter or an infrequent touring musician prior to his fifth album, "The Stranger", in Fall 1977. But strangely his album sales were in a decidedly negative trend after "Piano Man". "The Stranger" changed all that, permanently. Billy Joel joins me In the Studio on the album's 45th anniversary.

Peter Gabriel- Us 30th Anniversary

The various subjects on Peter Gabriel's "Us", like the deep funky grooves, are all killer and no filler, from the pleading divorced parent to his regressing child on "Come Talk to Me". the matter-of-fact demystification of personal therapy in "Digging in the Dirt", to the Biblical allusions in "Blood of Eden", inspired by Gabriel's study of capital punishment. My exclusive classic rock interview with Peter Gabriel in front of a small intimate audience was his first reveal of those songs in September 1992, plus "Love to Be Loved", "Steam", "Kiss That Frog", and "Secret World". Part one of two. 

J Geils Band- Full House 50th anniversary- Peter Wolf

To mark the fiftieth anniversary of their breakout live album "Full House",  it is only fitting that we throw down a J Geils Band house party  hosted by lead singer Peter Wolf In the Studio.
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Steely Dan- Aja 45th anniversary- Donald Fagen,the late Walter Becker

Two purveyors of progressive pop, rock, and jazz in Steely Dan, singer/piano player Fagen and the late guitarist Walter Becker,  discuss  "Aja" with Redbeard In the Studio on the gem's 45th anniversary.