MOUNTAIN DRUMMER CORKY LAING WINS BONZO BASH LEGEND AWARD

Drum Legend Corky Laing Is Presented The 'Bonzo Bash Legend Award' 

At John Bonham's Bonzo Bash By Kiss's Peter Criss!

“As the drummer for Mountain, Corky Laing shares the title as one of the best players of his genre. He's also the same good guy he used to be.” – Levon Helm

NYC - Much to the excitement of drummers worldwide, one of rock's icons, drum legend Corky Laing, recently received the prestigious 'Bonzo Bash Legend Award' at the Bergen PAC in New Jersey on May 31st. The award was presented by original Kiss drummer Peter Criss!

Corky & Peter Criss

Corky says, “It was a tremendous honor and a total surprise when Peter Criss (from Kiss) presented the 'Legend Award' to me at the John Bonham 'Bonzo Bash'. And to receive the award in front of all these brilliant drummers was a real rush. There seems to be a kind of 'magical crazy glue' that keeps the drumming community tightly wrapped. It's not like the 'Super Bowl of drumming', there is no competition.

Every drummer has his/her own uniqueness. We aspire to reach out while digging deep with a passion to become the very best. I humbly believe in receiving this award I'm being recognized for doing just that. Every day for me is another downbeat, and what a joy it is to live and breath it. It may sound a bit out there, but that's exactly how I feel when I play. I am sincerely in love with my 'all consuming mistress', my beautiful drum kit!”

As well as Mountain, Laing has recorded with a long list of legendary artists including Eric Clapton, Mick Jagger, Bo Diddley and Ozzy Osbourne. He has performed with Meat Loaf, Gov’t Mule, the Allman Brothers, Voivod, Teenage Head and dozens of others. And according to Modern Drummer magazine, Corky Laing “has done as much as anyone in Western culture to turn the cowbell into a rock ’n roll staple”.

This prolific artist is busier than ever. His latest project, 'Playing God', a rock opera created with Matti Häyry and Tuija Takala from Finland, premiered in Basel, Switzerland, and Paris, France in 2013. Recently, in the early spring of 2014, the rock opera was performed in Helsinki, Finland. Laing wrote the music for the album, and is the Musical Director in the stage performances where he also performs a key role, LUKE, who plays drums and sings. The 'Playing God' CD was released on GONZO Multimedia on July 15, 2013.

Check out Corky's upcoming appearance!

Corky Laing “Under The Rock”

Friday June 27 2014 at 8pm

Guild Hall- East Hampton, NY

Corky Laing flies solo… recounting his rock ’n roll life in words and music.

Montreal native Corky Laing, co-founder of iconic supergroups Mountain and West, Bruce & Laing, comes out from behind the drums and spills all about the Golden Age of Rock, which wasn’t always quite so golden… An era when rock stars were bigger than life, in spite of the fact that many of their lives spun out of control.

Laing, who wrote the platinum-selling rock anthem, “Mississippi Queen”, chronicles his life from his innocent early days on the Montreal sock-hop circuit (Bartholomew Plus 3 and Energy) to the pinnacle of rock 'n roll.

On June 27, 2014, Laing, whose skills on the skins are matched only by his wit and candour, will relate how he climbed up and fell down with some of the rock world's most prominent luminaries… but it's not all talk. Corky will show us exactly how and why he is one of the most acclaimed drummers in the music business. And he took it all in from UNDER THE ROCK!

When: June 27, 2014
Where: Guild Hall - East Hampton, NY (in The John Drew Theatre in the Dina Merrill Pavilion at Guild Hall)
158 Main Street
East Hampton, New York 11937
631-324-0806
Tickets online at GuildHall.org or at Box Office 631-324-4050; theatermania.com; or 866-811-4111

LIGHT MY FIRE: A CLASSIC ROCK SALUTE TO THE DOORS

First off readers let me say that I do not like cover bands, cover albums, tribute albums and compilation albums. I have always felt they should be considered a separate genre and that they usually do a disservice to the original composers and bands. After listening to “A Classic Rock Salute To The Doors” though I am rethinking those thoughts. It is hard to cover every song here, there are 16 of their greatest hits, so I will try to give an over view of what I think is important. I will leave the final decision up to you as to how good it really is after you listen to it.

I was fortunate enough to see ‘The Doors’, 3 times, once at Cobo Hall in Detroit. They were a very unassuming band with almost no equipment. They used no special effects, fireworks, light shows or anything other than themselves, a few instruments and only a couple amps and speakers. The stage was pretty empty even by the standards of the 1960’s. What they lacked in equipment they made up by how tight and cohesive they were as a group when they were all in sync with each other and halfway sober. Jim Morrison usually took all eyes off the other 3 members but make no mistake that without them Jim Morrison would probably have become another undiscovered rock star.

Several of the guests on this album most likely knew ‘The Doors’ back in the day and are by all rights are ‘Superstars’ themselves. More than 42 of rock's greatest classic ‘Superstars’ showed up to play on this album. That’s a lot of “tribute” to any person or group and shows the love and respect they all had for ‘The Doors’ and their music. By my count there are at least 7 tribute albums out there for ‘The Doors’ but from where I sit this is probably the only one that should matter.

The biggest names in classic rock 

gather together to pay homage 

to the original riders on the storm, 

The Doors!

The 16 well done tracks on this album are:

1. L.A. Woman - Jimi Jamison (Survivor), Ted Turner (Wishbone Ash) & Patrick Moraz (Moody Blues)

2. Love Me Two Times - Lou Gramm (Foreigner), Thijs van Leer (Focus) & Larry Coryell

3. Roadhouse Blues - Leslie West (Mountain), Brian Auger & Rod Piazza

4. Love Her Madly - Mark Stein (Vanilla Fudge) & Mick Box (Uriah Heep)

5. Riders On The Storm - Joe Lynn Turner (Rainbow), Tony Kaye (Yes) & Steve Cropper (Booker T. & The M.G. s)

6. The Crystal Ship - Edgar Winter & Chris Spedding

7. Intro (People Are Strange) - Keith Emerson, Jeff Skunk Baxter & Joel Druckman (John Fahey)

8. People Are Strange - David Johansen (NY Dolls) & Billy Sherwood (Yes)

9. Touch Me - Robert Gordon, Jordan Rudess (Dream Theater), Steve Morse & Nik Turner (Hawkwind)

10. The Soft Parade - Graham Bonnet (Rainbow), Christopher North (Ambrosia) & Steve Hillage (Gong)

11. Hello, I Love You - Ken Hensley (Uriah Heep) & Roye Albrighton (Nektar)

12. Spanish Caravan - Eric Martin (Mr. Big) & Elliot Easton (The Cars)

13. Alabama Song (Whiskey Bar) - Todd Rundgren & Geoff Downes (Yes / Asia) & Zoot Horn Rollo (Captain Beefheart)

14. Break On Through (To The Other Side) - Mark Farner (Grand Funk Railroad) & Chick Churchill (Ten Years After)

15. Light My Fire - Ian Gillan (Deep Purple), Rick Wakeman (Yes) & Steve Howe (Yes)

16. The End - Pat Travers & Jimmy Greenspoon (Three Dog Night)

SOUND SAMPLER  HERE

The album starts off with one of my favorites, ‘LA Woman’. From their 6th, album released in 1971, ‘LA Woman’. Jami Jamison, Ted Turner and Patrick Moraz do an admirable job of covering this tune. The guitar work, Ted Turner I am assuming, gives an old favorite a different twist.

I could go into much more detail on more songs off this album but since space is limited I will just give some observations here. This is certainly an album to help introduce anyone who has never heard ‘The Doors’ before to their greatness. After listening to it I guarantee they will hunger for the original music just to hear who these 4 guys, who cut out a slice of rock history for themselves, really were.

The guitar work on every song is clean, precise and shredded, something that Robby Kriegers “fingerstyle” guitar playing did not allow him to do. Not that Robby Krieger wasn't great, he was just not as technical since “fingerstyle“ playing is better suited to Flamenco and Folk Music. It’s probably the most notable difference in all of the tunes here.

Conspicuous by its absence here though is ‘The Unknown Soldier’ which could have easily replaced the version of ‘People Are Strange’ with David Johansen and Billy Sherwood. This is the only song I really felt did not belong among the 16 cuts on this album.

The closing song is my all time favorite and appropriately is, ‘The End’, featuring Pat Travers and Jimmy Greenspoon. Listening to this version gave me goose bumps and almost brought tears to my eyes. The depth is so different but not nearly as dark as the original. I think you'll find yourself listening to it over and over again!

“Electric Mike” Langford

TEN FOOT POLE BACK WITH TOUR DATES AND NEW ALBUM !

"I never doubted that I'd get back into it at some point – I just needed a break," explains TEN FOOT POLE frontman and founding member Dennis Jagard. "Once you've experienced a crowd singing along to the songs you wrote, it's hard to imagine just walking away from the chance to do it again."

Influential SoCal punk rock staple Ten Foot Pole will be releasing their first album in ten years on Cyber Tracks in 2015. But first, they're getting back into the swing of things by doing what they do best – perform. Their US and Canadian mini headline tour kicks off at Reggie's in Chicago, IL on July 15th then circles around the American Midwest and Northeast concluding at The Brighton Bar in Long Branch, NJ (dates below).

"It's too early in the process to limit or define what's going to come out, but I think it's safe to say that fans can expect candid, sincere, honest and outrageous lyrics matched with some aggressive music, a few well-placed stops, and generous helpings of pick slides and feedback," describes Jagard. "I think a good song works regardless of genre, so I just try to write whatever comes to mind." Jagard has teamed up with drummer Chris Dalley (Pulley, Implants), bassist Chris Del Rio (Implants), and guitarist Keith "DJ" Divel (Swindle, Red Devil Squadron) to help create their newest collection of punk rock sing-alongs.

Ten Foot Pole was founded in 1983 and got their start under the moniker Scared Straight releasing an album and a 7-inch. Ten Foot Pole self-released their debut album Swill in 1993, which would eventually lead to a record deal with Epitaph Records.

Their discography includes six albums (Swill, Rev, Unleashed, Insider – Epitaph Records, Bad Mother Trucker – Victory Records, Subliminable Messages – Go-Kart Records), a split EP with Satanic Surfers, and numerous appearances on compilations. Past members include vocalist and Major League Baseball pitching ace Scott Radinsky and drummers Jordan Burns (Strung Out, Pulley) and Tony Palermo (Papa Roach, Pulley, Unwritten Law). Their seventh studio album will be released in 2015 via Los Angeles-based Cyber Tracks, which is owned and operated by El Hefe of NOFX and his wife Jen. Catch them on tour this summer!

TOUR DATES

July 15 Reggie's – Chicago, IL

July 16 Agora Theatre – Cleveland, OH

July 17 Hard Luck Bar – Toronto, ON

July 18 Belle Pub – Belleville, ON

July 19 Rockaganza! Festival – Drummondville, QC

July 20 The Dover Brickhouse – Dover, NH

July 22 Bogies – Albany, NY

July 23 The Legendary Dobbs – Philadelphia, PA

July 24 The Middle East – Cambridge, MA

July 25 The Grand Victory – Brooklyn, NY

July 26 The Brighton Bar – Long Branch, NJ

JACK WHITE'S LAZARETTO #1 ALBUM IN THE US!!

THE BEATLES GET BACK TO MONO

The Beatles in Mono: 180-Gram LPs Available September 8, Individually and in a Limited 14-LP Boxed Edition with Hardbound Book.

London – June 12, 2014 – The Beatles in mono: this is how most listeners first heard the group in the 1960s, when mono was the predominant audio format. Up until 1968, each Beatles album was given a unique mono and stereo mix, but the group always regarded the mono as primary. On September 8 (September 9 in North America), The Beatles’ nine U.K. albums, the American-compiled Magical Mystery Tour, and the Mono Masters collection of non-album tracks will be released in mono on 180-gram vinyl LPs with faithfully replicated artwork.

Newly mastered from the analogue master tapes, each album will be available both individually and within a lavish, limited 14-LP boxed edition, The Beatles In Mono, which also includes a 108-page hardbound book.

In an audiophile-minded undertaking, The Beatles' acclaimed mono albums have been newly mastered for vinyl from quarter-inch master tapes at Abbey Road Studios by GRAMMY®-winning engineer Sean Magee and GRAMMY®-winning mastering supervisor Steve Berkowitz. 

While The Beatles In Mono CD boxed set released in 2009 was created from digital remasters, for this new vinyl project, Magee and Berkowitz cut the records without using any digital technology. Instead, they employed the same procedures used in the 1960s, guided by the original albums and by detailed transfer notes made by the original cutting engineers.

Working in the same room at Abbey Road where most of The Beatles' albums were initially cut, the pair first dedicated weeks to concentrated listening, fastidiously comparing the master tapes with first pressings of the mono records made in the 1960s. Using a rigorously tested Studer A80 machine to play back the precious tapes, the new vinyl was cut on a 1980s-era VMS80 lathe.

*NEW VIDEO* TRIBUTE TO BOOTSEY X AND THE LOVEMASTERS!!

In memory of the legendary Bob (Bootsey X) Mulrooney, this music video was edited from 30 years of Bootsey X and the Lovemasters concert footage. It follows the band (in its various line-ups) from some of their earliest filmed shows in 1984 through their memorial show for Bootsey in 2014.

One of their most iconic songs, The Lovemasters recorded multiple versions of Genius from the Waist Down over the years. This version is the one that was released as a single on the 1986 Tremor Records compilation End of the World A Go-Go.

T.M. CALDWELL'S RARE FILM SCREENING AT THE PAINTED LADY JUNE 26!

Detroit artist/archivist T.M. Caldwell will be the programmer for an exclusive night of rare 16mm films at the Painted Lady Lounge (formerly Lilli's 21).

Thursday June 26th 2014

in Hamtramck. 9:30 to 11:30 p.m.

The Painted Lady Lounge

2930 Jacob St. off Joseph Campau Ave.

Hamtramck,MI 313 874-2991

www.facebook.com/paintedlady.hamtramck

A night of genuine ol' school style audio/visual tech geek for celluloid purists. These will be in actual motion picture film reels shown on former public school 16mm A.V. projection equipment onto a linen screen.

Jump

1969-71 (?)

An anti-recreational drug film by William Dear and Robert Dyke w/ legendary Detroit music afficianado Anthony 'Tony' Fusco in a cameo role. Great fuzzed out garage/psychedelic score, rag top sports car, dope-in with dum-dum boys and gals, sporting classic beat ray bans & wrap around shades,

late '60's hip stoner hair and clothes. A twisted, scared-straight, moralistic tale.

WXYZ Detroit Radio Promo Film

1969-70

With revered local disc jockey personalities Dick Purtan 

(post CKLW & Keener & pre- mustache)and Tom Shannon.

Phone pranks, near subliminal shot of John Sinclair, many scenes of Detroit. All to the sounds of musicians from

Johnny Cash to Thunderclap Newman.

Good Life

1968-70

A hippie outsider nature retreat (Alaska/California./Washington commune?),back-to-the-wilderness getaway,

documentary.Gorgeous forest nature imagery,

blue grass banjo pickin',skinny dippin',good clean (?) fun.

 

Untitled

1965-70 (?)

Unidentified jazz ensemble performing several numbers

with commentary by leader of group. B&W kinescope film shot by Jam Handy Studio of E. Grand Blvd. Detroit.

Javelin

1970-72 

Classic Detroit muscle/sports car, action packed, auto racing promo film. Vehicle is painted red,white and blue

in patriotic manner of Evel Knievel's bike & MC5’s Brother Wayne Kramer's axe.

PONY SHOW!! WITH THE FEATURES AND PALACES PJ LAGER HOUSE JUNE 17

 

 PONY SHOW

Donny has pale skin and slender, foolish legs. His preferred method of travel is by horseback across the dusky plains. Jason has never touched a drop of water in his life, yet he will sometimes claim otherwise. He can often be found stretched out on the floor, sleeping in a shaft of sunlight, like a cat.

 Leann Banks, Don Blum, Jason Stollsteimer  photo:Richard Blondy

The two share a healthy fear of cloven-hooved animals. This fear manifests itself physically in sweaty palms and piteous, uncontrollable mewling. Leann has long, silky hair. When braided, it can suspend a bench upon which six men are sleeping. In the top left drawer of her bedroom bureau lies a small, oaken box.

Inside this box is a smaller box, this one carved from hickory and inlaid with human bone. Inside this box is yet another box. No one has ever learned what lies in this last box, perhaps not even she. A more merry trio whirling and dancing upon their musical instruments you will never find.

TICKETS, DIRECTIONS, INFORMATION

DON DAVIS DETROIT MUSIC AND BANKING LEGEND DIED AT 75

 

Don Davis

Photo Credit: John Urbanek

Sad news tonight....Don "The Don" Davis perhaps the most successful business mogul in Detroit history passed away yesterday at 75.

DETROIT (June 6, 2014) – The Wilmore Agency regrets to announce the passing of Detroit native Mr. Don Davis after a brief illness on Thursday, June 5th.

Don Davis was CEO and chairman of First Independence Bank, Michigan’s only African-American owned and operated commercial bank, with multiple branches around the City of Detroit. A notably, successful endeavor, Mr. Davis led First Independence Bank with $204 million in assets (as of December 31, 2013), and was ranked as one of the top ranked African American owned bank in the United States, according to Black Enterprise Magazine.

Don Davis famous for his early work as a pioneering Motown session guitarist, then his historic work at United Sound Systems. He produced and/or played on numerous soul hits with the greatest soul artists of the 1960's and 1970s. Don left USS in Detroit and went to work at STAX in Memphis.He produced hits too numerous to list here...but you can see them on BlackRadioNetwork

Don was also a well known philanthropist, Davis partnered with the Lawrence P. Doss Scholarship Foundation to launch The Don Davis Composition Scholarship Award, which assists Detroit's underprivileged students in their educational goals.

Our friend John Neff who worked for Don back in the day has shared many stories about the amazing accomplishments of Don Davis... Read more here

Don passed away after a brief illness yesterday...and more details will be released soon. Our thoughts and prayers are with Don's lovely wife Kiko and his three wonderful children.

TOM GUERRA'S VINTAGE GUITARS USED ON NEW CD "ALL OF THE ABOVE"

Here are some of the guitars used in the making of "All of the Above," 

pic (c) 2014 Joe Lemieux

Tom Guerra L-R: 1959 Stratocaster, 1955 Les Paul TV Special, 1970-1 Fender Stratocaster (solid maple neck), 1960 Stratocaster, 1963 Stratocaster.

GET TOM'S NEW CD "ALL OF THE ABOVE" TODAY!

STEVE KING GRAMMY WINNING DETROIT RECORDING ENGINEER DIED AT 56

Friends of Steve King wrote me last night to say, the Grammy-winning recording engineer best known for his work with Eminem, died Tuesday at Harper University Hospital in Detroit. He was 56. Steve a very well liked in the Detroit Music Business...Sad loss to the music world..Steve died way too young....our thoughts and prayers to his family and many friends and colleagues.

Steve worked with all the legends, Eminem, Aretha Franklin, Patti Smith, George Clinton,  50 Cent and members of G-Unit. He died on Tuesday in a Harper University hospital not long after being diagnosed with liver disease.

In a statement, Eminem said that, "I'm very sad to hear about Steve King's passing. I had the honor and pleasure of working with Steve on many projects in my earlier years and he was a greatly talented engineer, musician and friend. I will miss Steve's friendly way and sense of humor the most. My condolences go out to his family and all that knew Steve."

NYC ROCK BAND RICKITY NEW DEBUT ALBUM "GREATEST HITS"

NYC – Highly anticipated debut album by “super group” Rickity, a New York City, classic rock 'n' soul band performing great original songs, is now available! Featuring bassist/harpist Randy Pratt, best known for his work with The Lizards, Cactus and Vanilla Fudge, the new album titled 'Greatest Hits' has been released on Hyperspace records. The band members have played, toured the world and recorded with Vanilla Fudge, Cactus, The Funky Knights, Seven Turns and The Lizards.

In Rickity they have found their ultimate vehicle of expression. The seasoned rockers have added highly respected R&B vocalist Perrita Kitson and the combination is thrilling. Lead guitarist Jesse Berlin has the chops, soul and imagination to be at the top of the heavy rock universe. His solos are jaw dropping adventures.

Says Randy Pratt, “Our goal is to combine R&B, soul and blues with classic heavy riff rock. Perrita is the real deal. She spent her whole career in R&B, Soul and Jazz..this is her FIRST rock band!”

Perrita adds, “Rickity’s Recipe is take some hard core classic rock, add some funk, and divvy up some really colorful lyrical lines and you have ….. RICKITY. I hope the Rickity band will be appreciated and admired in representing classic rock.. all the way baby!”

The combination of heavy, classic riff rock, world class R&B, catchy hooks and a fearlessly sexy stance makes Rickity special. A Rickity concert has the feel of a “greatest hits” show...every song memorable. Perrita and percussionist/sampler Paul Gifford share lead vocals and do strong harmonies, insuring there is never a dull moment.

Says Randy, “The band formed in my basement, as usual...lol! Our new guitarist, Jesse Berlin, did his first gig with us on his 21st birthday! He's spectacular! The two Pauls and I (Paul Latimer on guitar and keys, Paul Gifford on vocals, percussion and samples) have played together for decades. We can read each other's minds and complete each other's sentences. Neil Cicione is the engine of the band...a total badass on the drums.”

Rickity has shared stages with the likes of The Doobie Brothers, Billy Squier, Rare Earth and headlining as their star continues to rise. The band will be performing at the Sellersville Theater in Sellersville, PA opening for Black Oak Arkansas on July 3, 2014!

Says Randy, “We can duplicate everything you hear on our CD live. We have two great singers and we're tight as hell! We are a no B.S., muscular, classic rock band...accent on the HEAVY. We broke some rules with our combining of styles, but it feels natural and intense. Our songs are mostly about sex, so I guess our message is...ENJOY!”
http://cdbaby.com/cd/rickity

IGGY POP: GIMME SOME SKIN BOX SET

Los Angeles, CA - Iggy Pop fans rejoice! Cleopatra Records will be releasing a special limited edition 7-inch singles box set from the undisputed king of modern punk rock, Iggy Pop! The release includes 7 individual 45s featuring exclusive new tracks as well as classic recordings from 1972-73 with the Stooges - all packaged with a full-color booklet, detailed liner notes, a custom 7-inch vinyl adaptor, and collectible patch!

Track List:
(1) I Can’t Explain / Lonely Boy
(2) Cock In My Pocket / Tight Pants
(3) I Got A Right / White Christmas (Guitar Stooge Mix)
(4) Money (That’s What I Want) / Open Up And Bleed (Single Edit)
(5) I Wanna Be Your Dog (Fast Version) / Johanna
(6) Gimme Some Skin / I’m So Glad
(7) Louie Louie / Scene Of The Crime

Seven singles, fourteen sides. The Stooges in their prime, Iggy in his pomp. And all sufficiently sharp and shapely that, even if you’ve never heard the performers in your life, you’ll know that it couldn’t be anybody else.

THE BOYS: BACK WITH A BANG

The Boys – Back with a Bang

On June 20 2014 THE BOYS release their long-requested first new studio album since 1981 on Wolverine Records. Featuring the original founder members and creative core of Matt Dangerfield, Casino Steel and Honest John Plain, the new album “Punk Rock Menopause” is packed with 13 iconic new songs bearing the band’s classic trademark blistering guitars, hard-edged melodies, killer hooks and layered harmonies. It will be released as CD/LP and Digital Download!

www.theboys.co.uk

The Boys Story

Along with the Sex Pistols, Clash and The Damned, The Boys were part of the first wave of the mid-1970’s UK punk explosion. Armed with an arsenal of killer Steel/Dangerfield songs The Boys became the first UK punk band to sign an album deal in January 1977. Highly regarded by the music press and their contemporaries, their well-crafted songs, together with Steel and Dangerfield’s love of harmonies, led to them being described as ‘The Beatles of Punk’ but they could (and should) just as deservedly have been compared to the Ramones – fast, alternately brattish and tongue-in-cheek, and gloriously anthemic.

As Last FM puts it: “The Boys made arguably one of the best LPs of the 70s with their self-titled first album and provided the template for superior Pop Punk before even the Buzzcocks had got out of first gear”.

The Boys were born in September 1975 when singer/guitarist Matt Dangerfield left Mick Jones and Tony James’s fledgling punk band London SS to form a new band with ex-Hollywood Brats songwriter/keyboard player Casino Steel. Dangerfield’s art college pal, guitarist Honest John Plain, was quickly recruited. The following year they held auditions for the bass and drum roles with Kid Reid and Jack Black completing the line-up.

Matt Dangerfield had converted the tiny disused coal cellar of his rented basement flat in Maida Vale into a home recording studio/rehearsal room and as a consequence, 47A Warrington Crescent became extremely important in the development of the UK punk scene in the mid seventies. Mick Jones, Glen Matlock, Tony James, Rat Scabies, Brian James, Gene October, Sid Vicious and Billy Idol were regular visitors. Amongst others, The Sex Pistols, The Damned, London SS, Clash, Chelsea, Generation X and of course, The Boys, made their first recordings there. In this hotbed of creativity Steel and Dangerfield quickly forged a prolific songwriting partnership.

The Boys made their live debut at London’s Hope and Anchor in September 1976. Mick Jones, Billy Idol, Joe Strummer, Tony James and Gene October were in attendance for The Boys first performance. A mere handful of gigs later, they became the first UK punk band to sign an album deal when NEMS Records snapped them up in January 1977.

Having released two albums and three singles with NEMS, they moved to Safari Records in 1979 where two further albums and five more singles followed.

Over the years countless bands have covered The Boys’ back catalogue – from Argentina to Germany and Japan to the USA – and even more artists have cited The Boys as a major influence. According to the privileged few to have heard it in advance, the new album is right up there with its predecessors and destined to add a handful of new ‘Boys Classics’ to the band’s legacy.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JOHNNY BEE BADANJEK!!

 HAPPY BIRTHDAY JOHNNY BEE BADANJEK!!

Johnny Bee Badanjek has done more for rock n roll than anyone. His discography is just off the planet. As I was researching different bands to showcase recently...I discovered that damn near everyone one of these groups had a "BEE" connection... Mitch Ryder, The Rockets, Michael Katon, Huck Johns, Edgar Winter, Alice Cooper, Broken Toys, Nils Lofgren, Max Weinberg, The Detroit Cobras, Brownsville Station, The Romantics, The Look, The Howling Diablos, Dr. John, Albert King and many many more.... Take a look at Bee's Complete Discography

WE ALL LOVE YOU BEE! xxooK

YPSI FUNKY TOWN BLOW OUT/AARON'S BIRTHDAY!

Had a great time hanging in my home town with old friends....the music was distinctively Detroit Funk.....Love meeting some of my heroes from P FUNK Tony and Mike....more stories to come featuring them.

Muruga & the Cosmic Hoedown Band, Benjamin Piner, Tony Strat P-Funk Thomas, Hiawatha Bailey, Muruga Booker, Michael Hampton, Ralph Koziarski Doug Weaver and Pat Sarniak at The Crossroad's Bar & Grill.

 

Good to see my pal Leann Lavern with her lemon water pitcher!