About.com Classic Rock

In Concert: Buddy Guy and B.B. King

Sat, 06 Feb 2010 08:58:07 +0000

Spend even a little time researching the history of classic rock, and you'll keep bumping into the names of two blues giants, Buddy Guy and B.B. King. There are few classic rock guitarists who don't cite one or both as primary influences.

Take Eric Clapton, for example. He usually says only a few words during a live gig, and then only reluctantly. But just ask him about his influences. "Buddy Guy is by far and without a doubt the best guitar player alive. [I]f you see him in person, the way he plays is beyond anyone. He really changed the course of rock and roll blues." And in 2000, Clapton recorded Riding With The King with another of his major creative muses, B.B. King.

One of the many South Florida events this week sandwiched between the Pro Bowl and the Super Bowl was a major Blues Bowl, featuring Guy and King. Jim Smith reviews this gathering of guitar gods.

^{Photo by Scott Gries / Getty Images}

In Concert: Buddy Guy and B.B. King originally appeared on About.com Classic Rock on Saturday, February 6th, 2010 at 08:58:07.

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New Album Updates

Fri, 05 Feb 2010 06:28:02 +0000

New from Asia
Asia have announced an April release for their upcoming studio album, Omega. They have also added European and Japanese dates to their 2010 tour. Add all of this to their 2008 Phoenix release, and it looks like they (Carl Palmer, Steve Howe, Geoff Downes, John Welton) are really serious about this reunion thing.

Oz Plays Album Name Game
A lot of fans really didn't like the name Ozzy Osbourne chose for his new album (Soul Sucka) so now Oz is going to let his fans bloody well name it themselves. He tells VH1 Radio Network that he's going to post a list of possible names on his website and put it to a vote. The album is due in June.

Fripp, Jones Talk Continuing Collaboration
Progressive rock guitarists Robert Fripp (King Crimson) and Adam Jones (Tool) may be on the verge of finishing an album they started several years ago but have never finished. Fripp writes that he and Jones discussed the project over lunch recently, specifically the possibility of getting back to it.

New Album Updates originally appeared on About.com Classic Rock on Friday, February 5th, 2010 at 06:28:02.

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Live Gig Updates

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 16:09:05 +0000

Black History Month at The White House
John Mellencamp, Bob Dylan and Smokey Robinson will be among the headliners for a Black History Month concert at the White House. PBS will televise it on February 11.

Allmans Add NYC Dates
The Allman Brothers Band have added more dates to their two week residency in March at New York City's United Palace Theatre, for a total of 13 shows. Here's the full schedule.

Jeff Beck Blooms in April
The U.S. leg of Jeff Beck's Emotion and Commotion tour begins in April with 22 U.S. dates confirmed through June. Here are full schedule details.

Heaven and Hell Booked for Bloodstock Festival
Heaven and Hell are betting that their ailing members (Ronny James Dio, Tony Iommi and Vinny Appice) will be healthy enough to join Geezer Butler on stage for the final day of the Bloodstock Open Air Festival in Derbyshire, England on August 15.

Robert Plant Sings for a Cause
The Sound & Vision show at London's Abbey Road Studios on February 25 will feature ex Led Zepper Robert Plant. Couple of interesting twists: Plant will be performing with singer-songwriter Beth Nielsen Chapman and the London Oriana Choir, and tickets are only available via bidding on eBay. Proceeds go to Cancer Research UK.

Live Gig Updates originally appeared on About.com Classic Rock on Thursday, February 4th, 2010 at 16:09:05.

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Satch Just Wanna Rock

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 08:01:45 +0000

You want a real treat? Give Joe Satriani a live audience, then just stand back and turn it up to eleven. Now more than 35 years into a career of teaching and shredding, he is still at his best in live performance, where he always manages to add new twists even to his most often played material.

Live In Paris: I Just Wanna Rock is Satch's fourth live solo album, recorded during his 2008 world tour. The onetime Deep Purple (and current Chickenfoot) lead guitarist was promoting his most recent studio album release, but he also found room for plenty of his familiar standards in this Paris performance.

Here's my review of the new double-disc CD / MP3 / DVD of Joe Satriani's Live In Paris: I Just Wanna Rock.

^{Album cover image courtesy Epic / Sony Music Entertainment}

Satch Just Wanna Rock originally appeared on About.com Classic Rock on Thursday, February 4th, 2010 at 08:01:45.

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New Music: Bruce Kulick - BK3

Wed, 03 Feb 2010 09:01:46 +0000

Bruce Kulick got his classic rock cred the old fashioned way. He earned it.

Kulick started playing professionally in 1975, and two years later went on the road with Meat Loaf on the original Bat Out Of Hell tour. In the '80s he recorded albums with Billy Squier and Michael Bolton. By 1984, he was lead guitarist for KISS, a job he held longer than anyone else has, more than ten years. Since 2001, he has been lead guitarist for Grand Funk Railroad.

Kulick has released three solo albums, the most recent of which (released 2/2/10) serves as a showcase for his guitar, vocal and songwriting skills. Here's my review of Bruce Kulick's BK3.

^{Album cover image courtesy Rocket Science/Twenty4Records}

New Music: Bruce Kulick - BK3 originally appeared on About.com Classic Rock on Wednesday, February 3rd, 2010 at 09:01:46.

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All of Grammy's Best Rock Albums

Mon, 01 Feb 2010 09:54:03 +0000

Classic rockers were well represented in the 52nd Annual Grammy Awards nominations and winners. AC/DC, Bruce Springsteen, Jeff Beck and Judas Priest took home trophies from Sunday (1/31) night's ceremony.

Green Day took home the Best Rock Album award for 21st Century Breakdown. Trivia Pop Quiz: How many artists have won the Best Rock Album award more than once? Who are they? You'll find the answers below, in our recap of all the winners in the category since it was created in 1995.

• Grammy Best Rock Albums 1995-present

• 52nd Annual Grammy Rock Award Winners and Nominees

All of Grammy's Best Rock Albums originally appeared on About.com Classic Rock on Monday, February 1st, 2010 at 09:54:03.

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Steven Tyler: It Just Gets Weirder

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 04:21:36 +0000

You may recall that in our last episode, our intrepid fallen idol, Aerosmith's onetime lead singer Steven Tyler was showing off his karaoke skills in a California pub. Apparently not wanting to get into an artistic rut, he has now taken his new act on the road. To Home Depot.

No, seriously. TMZ is reporting that Tyler surfaced this week at a Home Depot in Rancho Mirage, California, not to pick up plumbing supplies but to belt out a few tunes on the store's PA system. No, I swear I'm not making this up. Store employees say he also signed autographs and took a toke off of the store's helium tank. Honest.

And thus the sad saga continues, as does the band's search for a lead singer who can handle venues other than hardware stores and karaoke bars.

^{Photo by Ethan Miller / Getty Images}

Steven Tyler: It Just Gets Weirder originally appeared on About.com Classic Rock on Wednesday, January 27th, 2010 at 04:21:36.

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Review: David Bowie - A Reality Tour

Tue, 26 Jan 2010 16:25:28 +0000

It has been just shy of seven years since David Bowie's last studio album release, Reality. A live performance DVD from the subsequent tour was released on DVD in 2004. Today (01/26/10) a double album (CD and MP3) version of A Reality Tour dropped.

Although the tour was in support of the 2003 album, the performance set list turned out to be a Bowie career retrospective. But far from your usual "Greatest Hits" package, the artist turns in surprisingly fresh versions of some of his most memorable standards.

Here's my review of David Bowie's A Reality Tour.

^{Album cover image courtesy Epic / Sony Music Entertainment}

Review: David Bowie - A Reality Tour originally appeared on About.com Classic Rock on Tuesday, January 26th, 2010 at 16:25:28.

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Halftime with The Who

Mon, 25 Jan 2010 16:31:56 +0000

When you only have about 12 minutes for a performance, you're kind of limited in what you can do. At last year's Super Bowl, Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band opted for a medley of four of their best known, highest energy songs.

It appears that The Who will use a similar formula for their upcoming (2/7) Super Bowl halftime show. In an exclusive interview with Billboard, Pete Townshend promises "a mashup of stuff" (actually five of their signature songs) and a high energy level. "[W]e've always tried to make music that allows the audience to go a bit wild if they want to," says Townshend.

The Who are the latest in a series of classic rockers (Springsteen, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Paul McCartney, Rolling Stones) to occupy midfield at the Super Bowl at halftime.

^{The Who photo by Bradley Kanaris / Getty Images; Paul McCartney at Super Bowl XXXIX photo by Frank Micelotta / Getty Images}

Halftime with The Who originally appeared on About.com Classic Rock on Monday, January 25th, 2010 at 16:31:56.

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Scorpions to Bid Long Farewell

Mon, 25 Jan 2010 05:58:14 +0000

Germany's best known hard rockers, Scorpions, are closing the book on a 45-year career with the release of their 18th studio album, Sting of the Tail in March, and a farewell tour that will begin in May.

"We finish our career with an album we consider to be one of the best we have ever recorded and with a tour that will start in our home country Germany and take us to five different continents over the next few years," says the band's official announcement.

Best known in the U.S. for "Rock You Like A Hurricane," "Wind Of Change" and "Send Me An Angel," Scorpions have racked up worldwide album sales of more than 75-million since the release of Lonesome Crow in 1972.

"We are extremely grateful for the fact that we still have the same passion for music we've always had since the beginning," the band's statement continues. "We want to end ... on a high note."

• Scorpions concert review
• Scorpions Humanity Hour 1 album review

^{Photo by Jo Hale / Getty Images}

Scorpions to Bid Long Farewell originally appeared on About.com Classic Rock on Monday, January 25th, 2010 at 05:58:14.

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