the Rock Report

Yep … producers are boastin’ about a new movie dealin’ with John Lennon’s early days (before he met Macca).
Though it’s still on-the-board, Nowhere Boy will be directed by Sam Taylor-Wood. And get this: one newspaper is actually reporting that Kate Winslet will play John’s mother.

Now, whoever plays in this movie, there’s one thing they’re not likely to do; change the style of John. I mean, he was lively, impulsive and curious even then. I dunno how they’re gonna portray Julia and Freddie (his mum and absent dad), but the movie’s bound to attract thousands of fans wherever it plays.

Oh … if ya want a rare look inside the youngster, just go to this site and read the memories of his older cousin, Stanley Parkes. It’s a glimpse of the icon as you’ve never seen him!

ONE DAY AT A TIME, MacKENZIE!

Well, it looks like it’s how MacKenzie Phillips is gonna have to handle life for awhile. Y’see, she’s been busted on heroin and cocaine charges at L. A. International. She does have a history of drug abuse, but was released Thursday on $10,000 bail. Her hearing was postponed until Tuesday and, chances are, she’ll have to spend at least some time in jail.

BUCKINGHAM PALATE

Yesterday, a member of the My-Generation group sent an email wanting to know more about Chicago band The Buckinghams. But, as I was respondin’ to his request, anotherone (from someone not affiliated with the M-G) came in and wanted to know if they’re still A&K (alive and kicking) today. Wellll …

The Buckinghams (originally The Pulsations until a security guard came up with a ‘British-sounding’ name) actually had five big hits here in the states: Kind Of A Drag was known more for its background hook than its lyrics; Hey, Baby (They’re Playing Our Song) which was about a guy hearing “their” song played after he and his girl broke up; Susan was just a fairly good “in-love” song; Don’t You Care was a plea from a guy who was losing his girl; Mercy, Mercy, Mercy was a very soulish tune with a great bridge (for the time).

Today, Carl Giammerese and the band are still alive and playing (in fact, they’ve just released a new CD on Fuel Records!). I’ve heard them and, though, of course, they’re a bit older, they still have an amazingly-tight sound.

SOMETIMES IT HAPPENS …

OUCH!! I can’t believe that I actually fell asleep-at-the-wheel here!!!!! (I’d only been awake something like 46 hours! Geez …) So I’ll close ‘er off until this evening and get some needed Serta-side zzzzz’s for now.
Until then, though, remember:

Keep your eyes on the skies, your feet on the ground, your heart with the music …

and I’ll see ya on the (more-awake) flip side!

Hey … remember when we were talkin’ about Johnny Otis and how he mimicked the “Diddley Beat” on Willie and the Hand Jive? Well, an interesting article came in the RelicMail today, claiming to know how Elias McDaniel’s stage name came about.

Y’see, according to the writer, he got the moniker c/o the “diddley bow”, a one-stringed, guitar-like contraption played in Africa.
Yeah, I thought it was a bit far-fetched, too … so The Relic did some heavy research and found out that it actually came from an old (I mean, old!) slang term that was used both for lazy guys as well as young male children (at that time, it was generally used by older African-Americans).

I also discovered that, while Ponds was modifying the Beatles’ All You Need Is Love to fit one of their ads, the folks who put out Cornsilk (some kinda hair stuff, I think) used Bo’s Beat to pump up their ads a bit.

And one more little item:  The term “Bo Diddley” actually began back in the mid 19th Century in America!  Now, the “diddley bow” was actually called that because it was so easy to play that even the laziest of guys could do it!

CHEECH and CHONG:  THE MADNESS CONTINUES …

A few clicks back, when I told everyone about Cheech and Chong gettin’ it back together for their Light Up, America/Canada tours, it seemed that every rocker wanted to know more about America’s favorite toke’n'joke twins.
Well, the jury’s in, and they’re sayin’ that, while a bit of age has hit both these hipsters, they haven’t lost a beat!  In fact,  everyone’s lookin’ for the re-ish of their DVDs and CDs.
But why are these two still on top of their game?  Well, it’s because we’re “right back where we started from” (forgive me, Maxine.  I know it was your song!) in politics, war, prices etc.  We need a relief from our worries, and these two have picked up on that.  One fan I spoke with said (and, I believe, quite rightly) that they’ve taken up where George Carlin left off when he left us.
If ya get a chance to see these two in action, take it!  They’re just as fresh and funny as they were thirty years ago!

THE BEATLES’ REHEARSAL

In this rare vid (actually, music.  All you’ll see on yer screen is a shot of JPG&Pete Best at the Cavern.), you’ll hear the lads rehearsing I Saw Her Standing There.  See whatcha think …

It was a classic that fooled us into thinkin’ “Bo Diddley” …

But the song, Willie and The Hand Jive, was a tremendous hit (and, really, the only big one) by the late Johnny Otis. The beat, the clapping, the catchy hook … it all fit together to make one of the best rock songs of all time!
From Clapton to Thorogood to so many others, this song was passed down from venue to recorded tracks and, personally, I think this thang’z gonna last as long as rock and roll is alive!

But, gee, Uncle Relic … what is a “Hand Jive”??

Well, first of all, lemme tell ya it’s not what some would-be “rock historians” say (hey … trust yer Uncle. He knows the real deal!!). They’ll tell ya it’s a thinly-disguised term for … er, let’s say “self-gratification” , okay?
But it’s not.
Ask any old-time, deep Southern-fried friend:

The hand jive was what many of us called the “ham-bone” (do any of ya remember the old tune, “Hambone, hambone, where ya been? Been around the world and I’m goin’ again”? Remember the quick hand-thigh-hand movements to make the sound that goes with it??
Okay … then, you’re doin’ the hand-jive!! (Oh … gettin’ back to that little tune: If you remember it, have ya noticed how the beat sounds exactly like the one Otis used?)

Try it out yourselves! I mean, if even Ronald McDonald® can do it, so can you!

ANOTHER PRESLEY PROBLEM??

As if the Presley dynasty doesn’t have enough trouble:
Kristopher Presley (a minor “hip-hop” artist who calls himself Thug Presley and whose great-grandfather was actually Elvis’ dad’s cousin) struck a man with his SUV back in 2004 and then fled like a spineless coward. Natch, he was later caught but (get this!) claimed the hit was in “self defense”!
Well, he pled guilty to involuntary manslaughter in a Vegas courtroom Wednesday, was sentenced to serve up to four-years in jail but will be released soon! Y’see, he’s already been there nearly four years anyway so, technically, he’s almost served that sentence!

THE EAGLE FLIES AGAIN!

As I told y’all a number of clicks ago, The Relic started his columnizin’ as the syndicated columnist of Coffee Talk, and was known as The Eagle.
Well, so many folks have been askin’ about that column (many of the old readers) that I’ve put ‘er back in circ! Only, this time, it’s on the web for everybody to read (and contribute their own material to)!
So, for Coffee Talk™ all ya gotta do is click that link! I’ll be there … as my alter-ego, The Eagle …

Well, that’s it for this go-’round. So, until next time, remember:
Keep your eyes on the skies, your feet on the ground, your heart with the music …
and I’ll see ya on the flip side!

Whenever someone thinks about The Fab Four, they’re either likely to conjure up images of four moptops behind guitars and a drumkit, Twisting and Shouting their music into the hearts of screaming young fans.
Others, though, come up with one or two basic images: John Lennon and Paul McCartney. And, more likely than not, it’ll be the “Working Class Hero” Lennon they envision.

So it’s no wonder that the three most influential rock songs of all-time, as I tabbed from results of your voting a few months ago, were by these two, either as a team or separately. They were:

All You Need Is Love This song was the banner of thousands of young people during the last two years of the Sixties. And, while most of us remember the chorus, it’s the lyrics that hold one of the most motivating lessons of life: that there’s nothing we want to accomplish that can’t be done.
When they add the title of the song, they don’t necessarily mean the love of a person, or of an end to war or whatever; they mean love your goal! Love your dream! They make it easier by sayin’, in effect, it has been done before, so you do it, too!
(Incidentally, didja know that this song was modified a few years later to be used in a Pond’s Cold Cream commercial? It was finally pulled after thousands of irate Lennon fans complained!)

Give Peace A Chance Now, it seemed that every prime-time TV show used this line in one form or another — and, of course, it became the standard response to everyone who was confronted with the issue of Vietnam.
(By the way, didja know that The Everly Brothers used Give Peace A Chance as the last line of the closing number (Let It Be Me) in their concerts, instead of repeating their song’s title, for awhile after Peace was released?)
Today, we need to give peace a chance more than ever! Just as the quick-rhyming lyrics that John scribbled inferred, we talk about everything but peace!
For you who are interested, here are the lyrics as John wrote them:

Of all the songs that John wrote independently, Imagine was probably the most powerful. This tune, originally meant as a children’s song, evoked thoughts of a peaceful, communal planet. While he admitted to being a dreamer, he was spot-on when he said he wasn’t the only one.
Peace. Imagine …

With this election comin’ to a head over the next coupla months, let’s all hope that these cats who are runnin’ for the Big House will finally give peace a chance. After all, all you need is love!

Well, that’s it for this edition. Until tomorrow, remember:
Keep your eyes on the skies, your feet on the ground, your heart with the music …
and I’ll see ya on the flip side!

Ummmm … anybody for a slightly-used guitar?

Remember how the great Jimi Hendrix usedta set fire to his guitars onstage from time-to-time? Well, the first time he did it was at the Finsbury Astoria in 1967, when he burned a ‘65 Fender Stratocaster.
And now that very same guitar (well, what’s left of it, anyway!) is goin’ on the auction block in London on 4 September! The Fame Bureau is expectin’ to get about £500,000 for the axe!
Oh … didja know that Jimi played his final concert in the UK at the Isle of Wight this month 38 years ago? A month later, he overdosed, and … well, you know the rest of the sad story.

THE BEATLES’ FIRST AND LAST

Now, this little room was where The Quarrymen had their first paying performance in 1959. It was known as The Casbah Club and was in the basement of a lady named Mrs. Mona Best (sound familiar? Yep … Pete’s mum!). But John, Paul, George and guitarist Ken Brown (no drummer) shared one microphone connected to the house PA system and played six Saturday night gigs for 15 shillings each per night.
It’s a far cry from their last paid performance at San Francisco’s Candlestick Park seven years later (1966). As I mentioned a coupla posts ago, the combo of the “Jesus” statement, the Philippine incident and the cherry-bomb in Memphis had much to do with the band retiring from the stage.

But the interesting connection between the two dates above (Quarrymen and Beatles) is that they began their paid concerting on August 29, 1959 and ended it seven years’ later to the day: August 29, 1966!

MORE INTERESTING AUGUST NOTES

This month in 1990, Canadian singer/songwriter Paul Anka finally became an American citizen! But, while he was taking the oath inside, his car was towed off outside for illegal parking!

In 1993, the Late Show with David Letterman debuted on CBS. His first musical guest was Billy Joel.
In August, 2003, Rolling Stone Magazine named Jimi Hendrix the best guitarist of all time!

Now … it’s 4:28 AM EST, and the time has come (seems there’s a song in those words … ‘course if my time were to come, I’d wonder why it took so long. I mean, after all, I subscribed to the magazine three years ago!) to get some shut-eye.
So, until tomorrow, remember:
Keep your eyes on the skies, your feet on the ground, your heart with the music …
and I’ll see ya on the flip side!

Alright … which of you Rockaholics don’t know what this blog’s all about (hint: look at the picture)?
From Animals to Zombies (or, for you late-boomers, Aerosmith to ZZ Top) it covers the music, moods and mayhem of yesterday and how it affects us today (with a generous helping of Rock News, to boot!).
But didja know the genre actually had a tremendous effect of another entertainment field?
Yup … just as the title said: Professional Wrestling!

Now (if you’ll only stop laughing for a minute and listen … geez …), the similarities between the two are very close:

Look — do the math: Both get excited fans “in the door” and ready to cut loose. Both have workers who know how to turn on a crowd and play the gig to perfection at the same time. Both have the music — one in performance, the other at the top and bottom of the show and in entrance themes. Both have “warm-ups”; at rock gigs, mostly warm-up acts like new groups or comedians, while at wrestling cards you’ve got announcers.

People, it’s all good — and when you’ve got highly-popular newcomers like Mason Raige (left) – a fan-friendly, well-built dude who knows how to put the Rock with the Roll and make it work in the squared circle – you’ve got the best in entertainment and sports, guaranteed!

A quick reminder: If and when ya take in a wrestling show (and, c’mon, give it a shot; it ain’t all like that junk ya see on TV!), make sure it’s a family-friendly show, okay? Back-in-the-day, a lotta kids hung out at Beatles, Byrds and beards shows. They were rated PG-13 at best.  And there are shows that don’t have the blood, skimpiness or vulgar stuff – and they’re the ones that have the best entertainment value!  

Now, before closin’ this section off, lemme give ya Mason’s site (yeah, he and the Relic are mutual friends):  http://www.masonraige.com.   The man (who, btw, has a BA and MA in teaching and, in fact, was a respected English teacher before going into wrestling) can tell ya a lot more about it than The Relic can!

MORE ABOUT DOLLY

I was really pleased with what Katie Anne over at http://opinionatednews.today.com/ had to say on the subject of Dolly.  She writes:

“Saw Dolly perform in Stockholm (Sweden) in June and she was fabulous. Sure she’s getting older but hey aren’t we all. The “tabs and razzis” are so full of rubbish these days that I don’t know why people buy them. It’s a shame they have to create these imaginary deaths and false illnesses in order to have people buy their product - they ought to rely on reporting fact in an interesting readable manner …”

That’s so spot-on … nobody coulda said it better!  For you longstanding Rockaholics:  remember awhile back when I toldja about Slim Whitman’s “death” (yeah … think you were surprised?  Imagine how he felt!)?  It’d been reported like Dolly’s … same newswolves, same writers … same result, fortunately:  He’s still alive, too!

Listen … I’ve got a client to yak at in just a few, so I’ll be back on later this evening.  Until then, you can write me at therockrelic@yahoo.com  if ya want, or just comment me onsite (just be gentle …). 
And, if ya get a chance, check out Katie Anne’s site!  You’ll really enjoy her outspoken views (and especially her “Barbie” post!).

So, until later, remember:

Keep your eyes on the skies, your feet on the ground, your heart with the music …

and I’ll see ya on the flip side!

Yeah, I know the pic shows Pamela Anderson, too — and that’s comin’ up in just a minute. But first …

A lotta readers around the world are writin’ in, wonderin’ if the news they heard is true: That country superstar Dolly Parton has died of congestive heart failure (this was reported by a number of online newsgroups, and a couple of hard-copy news orgs as well!).
Well, stop lookin’ so sad, ’cause it isn’t true at all! In fact, Dolly played a show at her theme park (Dollywood) just a week ago! She’s actually just takin’ a coupla months off before she gets on the road again on Oct. 18.
The reason for this “report” (it’s actually a bogus one that’s been reported twice over the past two years)? The lady’s lost quite a few pounds — and, of course, the tabs and ‘razzis take that and say it’s because “she’s dying,” or “has an incurable disease” or something.
Trust me — she’s doin’ fine at this writing.

Now … about Pamela Anderson. Since her “career” seems to be stagnant right now, she went lookin’ for a decent manager. So who came to the rescue? A fellow that Courtney Love recommended: A guy named … Peter Asher! (That’s right … the one of “______ and Gordon” fame.)
And why not?? I mean, sure, Courtney Love isn’t exactly on top of the charts, but Pete did produce legends like James Taylor, Linda Ronstadt and others! Who knows what he’ll do for Pamela? Just give it a little time, and we’ll find out. (incidentally, P & G are still performing! Ya just can’t beat quality!)

The word on the Wire is that recently non-retired superdiva Cher is in talks to become the new Catwoman in the next Batman movie! She’s not sayin’ yes or no, but — hey, anything’s possible, right?
Suuuuure … we all remember Catwoman bein’ played so well (on the TV Batman) by Eartha Kitt. And, yes, Cher does have a slim, sorta sexy figure after all these years.
But does that give the producers a right to trade Kitt for her kaboodle? Ahhhh, well …

HEY! Here’s some interesting news: GQ Magazine has just named Tony Bennett as one of their famous “Men Of The Year”!. He’s gonna be honored on September 3 at a tribute to him in London. (Listen, Tony deserves it! This crooner/artist is one of the nicest and most sincere of the “pop” bunch!) So CONGRATS, Tony on a prop well-deserved.

THE “GROUPLY” SCAM

Well, The Relic said he’d get to the bottom of this unusual scam, and he has! Seems that there is a “Bob Steed” aka “Bob Postie”, and, according to him, someone had stolen his identity.
He apologizes to everyone who fell prey to this scheme!
I know that can happen, so apology accepted, Bob! As soon as we can find out who this thief is, we oughtta barbecue his as I said a coupla posts ago, be sure to change your password if you’ve sent it out to this “Grouply” thing. That’ll stop him dead-in-his-tracks!

Well, until next time, remember:
Keep your eyes on the skies, your feet on the ground, your heart with the music …
and I’ll see ya on the flip side!

It was July 3, 1966. John, Paul, George and Ringo were slated to perform in the Philippines. Already, they’d sweated it out in Caverns, Kaiserkellers and Stars. They’d gone through hectic touring schedules, entertained thousands of fans live and millions by their recordings.
Then, in March of 1966, a simple (and true) statement, uttered by John Lennon to a reporter, turned the entire whirlwind of fame into a tornado of trouble. Five months later, in Memphis, one of their last-ever tour performances was punctuated by what sounded like a gunshot — but was only a cherry-bomb thrown onstage by an idiot.
But before that came the Philippine incident:

WHen they landed in Manila on July 3 of that year, they became separated from their entourage and taken to a yacht owned by a local millionaire. Now, somewhere during that time, they were sent (via their “crew”) an invite to join First Lady Imelda Marcos for a morning reception at the Malancanang Palace. Now, no one knows if the crew turned it down or not, but The Beatles didn’t know anything about it. That didn’t change the fact that Mrs. Marcos was expecting them. “They weren’t allowed off that yacht until about 4am, so do you really think they’re going to rush off to have breakfast with Mrs Marcos?” says Robert Whitaker, who was their official photographer. WHile in Manila the band rehearsed for their show in a small, hot room, then put on their best face as they played for tens of thousands of fans with sweat trickling down their faces.

According to Whittaker, it was extremely humid and they weren’t happy (their previous gig, in Japan, was quite different). Still, they performed to Beatle perfection.

When they awoke on the next day, they quickly learned that the Filipino media had made the group public enemy #1 for “snubbing” the First Lady. “At the airport we were all jostled, shoved, pushed, and it was ‘Carry your own bags – there’s no porters for you! ’ It upset the Beatles a great deal,” recalls Whitaker. “When we were on the plane waiting to take off, there was complete silence in the first-class cabin. We didn’t know whether we were all going to be dragged off and slung into prison. When the engines started up and we were finally in the air, there was such elation among all of us to get out of that (place)!”

Now, they went on to fulfill their American dates, but called it quits afterwards. One of the main reasons, historians write, was the way they were treated by Mrs. Marcos and others in the Philippine leg of their tour.

Still, it gives us something to think about: Suppose everything went well on that tour? Would they have extended their live performances for another year or two? If so, would there have been a Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely-Hearts Club Band (considered by many to be their best album ever!)? Or Let It Be or Abbey Road?

Wherever you are, you’re there. Everything you’ve done before has brought you there. It was one of John’s beliefs … and it’s true. So, perhaps the Filipino leg turned out to be a bust, but, along with the incident in Memphis, the Fab Four’s subsequent departure from the stage led to some of the greatest rock albums and music in history!

Now, we’re gonna get back on track with vids and more news in our next segment. So, until then, remember:
Keep your eyes on the skies, your feet on the ground, your heart with the music … and
I’ll see ya on the flip side!

Well, this is the last segment of the innerview with Spencer Hannabuss (bass, vocals, songwriter, founding member), Luke Bentley (rhythm, vocals), Simon Thompson (drums, vocals) and Matt Hardy (lead, vocals) — collectively, THE FORE! (no, it’s not a misspelling! You’re reading the “interview” that gives you an “inner view” of the popular lads!)
Now, The Relic’s got some catchup to do with the RockNews that’s comin’ in and the lads are busy layin’ tracks for their new CD, Run and Hide. But don’t worry, oh faithful Foreheads … there’ll be more, ’cause you’re still sendin’ in your questions! So here we go with Pt. 3 of The Fab FORE Interview!

(Now, one more time, troops: remember … I printed the questions out exactly as you wrote ‘em! No changes; didn’t wanna leave anything out! And, like I said before, Matt couldn’t make it to the “meeting of the minds” for this, but he had the others answer on his behalf).

The lads’ answers are in bold type:

“My son Chris wants to start a rock band he hopes will be sucessful (sic). Since the fore is so good and sucessful (sic) can you give him some advice on what he will have to do and what he needs to look out for?”

SIMON: A good drummer!! I’m sure Spencer will fill in the rest — he’s been there! lol

DAVID (co-manager): Well crafted songs are your biggest asset, along with practice, practice and then more practice! Play everywhere, one minute the Fore are playing with the Bootleg Beatles or at the Cavern and the next they are pushing trolleys full of equipment to play in the High Street! Keep moving forward and never give in. Be positive! Oh … and did I mention practice?

SPENCER: I’ll add to that - The first thing is to enjoy what you’re doing. Full stop. It sounds simple but if you’re playing music in a band that isn’t what you’re looking to do it’ll never work. We all love playing the style of music that we do and that’s so important - in the past we have had musicians in the band who weren’t 100% into the sound. It’s that love for what you do that gets you through the ‘dark’ times - it’s that that gets you by when you’re playing at gig miles from home, waiting 4 hours to play and then it’s only to a handful of people. The good times will come - but it’s often a long, long road (as the Hollies would say!)

“I know you played a big tv show for bbc. Is playing on tv any different than paying (sic) for a live show in front of fans? If so how?”"

SPENCER: Very different. This is mainly because at a live show you can interact with the audience. The audience applause tends to ‘book-end’ a song whereas on TV there was … nothing!! We had to make sure we were speaking straight after the last chord was ringing to avoid those uncomfortable silences.
The BBC experience was unlike anything we had been through before. We were filmed constantly for 6 hours and the pressure to always be ‘performing’ was immense. We were pretty much presenting our own show which was something that we’ve never done before. Actually, by the end of the second, I think we had gotten a lot better at it and whilst I don’t know whether I’d like to do that particular show again, I think we’d all like to get more exposure on TV. We had a great time!

SIMON: When you play in front of an audience you feed off their energy, but, when it’s just us 4 and a camera man, we have to learn to feed off each other’s which is totally different. The BBC show we did was playing constant for 6 hours so, by the second day, there wasn’t much energy left.

“Have any of u ever met the beatles i mean paul or ringo? u sound so much like them and some even better.”

SIMON: I personally haven’t, though I’ve done the Liverpool tour and visited their original houses.

SPENCER: Well it’s an honour to be even compared to The Beatles, let alone someone saying we sound BETTER than them! Thank you!!!!
I’ve been fortunate enough to meet Paul McCartney in person. A good friend of mine worked as a radio reporter, working specifically on entertainment. He managed to get me an access to all areas pass at one of Paul’s ‘Back In The World’ tour in 2003. I was lucky enough to watch his sound check and then sit in on his interview with my friend. I even gave him a copy of 3 of my songs on CD!! He seemed a genuine kind of guy and I was really pleased to meet him!

“Do you ever get butterflys (sic) before going on stage?”

SPENCER: Not all that often these days, although there’s always a keenness to just get on stage and play. I’m often pacing around before a gig, just ‘cos I get impatient from not getting up there and doing what we do best!

SIMON: I think I did on my first gig but since then being on stage in front of people just feel right it’s where I belong.

“Do any of you have brothers or sisters who play too. I mean not with the fore but play.”

SPENCER: My sister is more arty than musical. Some of her drawings are amazing. My dad used to play semi-professionally years back, in the late 60s, so I guess that’s where I get my musical talent from. His guitar and bass were the first instruments I picked up.

SIMON: I have 2 older sisters but neither of them play — though my nephew has started to play drums now …don’t think his mum ever forgive me for that! lol

 “A question for Simon if he doesntmind. I heard your song “Someone New” and LOVE it. How do you get the drum sound like the triple tom in there? Ive tried and tried because Im adrummer too.”

SIMON: During my little solo I’m playing the kick and both toms pretty much at the same time on different beats. But then I do the triple beat on just the floor tom and quickly move back to the original beat. Its difficult to explain but I’ll try and get a close up video of it to show you. (Rockiteers, if he can do it, I promise to put it on the very next post [and send a copy to you, Eric!])

SPENCER: I remember the first time that Si put the triplet in the drum fill. We were rehearsing in Croydon, Surrey (just me and him actually) and we were running over material for Black & White. It’s a great song, particularly live, and Si’s not really given credit for the part he plays in it, or many of our other songs. Good ol’ Si!!

Okay … now, remember, troops: The Fore will be answerin’ more of your questions soon; they’re still comin’ in (just found a couple in the RelicMail while I was busy gettin’ all this on the site!).
I wanna thank all 4 (and Neil and David) of The Fore for taking a few minutes of their time to answer your questions! I gotta tell ya that, in thirty+ years in the biz of rockin’, this is the best band I’ve ever had the pleasure to promote! And this is proof that you won’t find a more “fan-oriented”, harder-workin’ band in the known world than these FORE!!

Now, before I sign off for this particular episode, I’ve gotta WARN all you dudes and dudettes:

There’s a cat out there that calls himself “Bob Postie” and offers a chance to join some kinda confab called “Grouply”.  He’ll send ya to a site that’ll ask for yer “Yahoo!” username and password!  Yeah, it looks legit … but, take it from ol’ nimble-fingers here, who “joined” (and THEN was cued about its scamminess and changed his Y! password …):  IT’S ALL BOGUS!!  Steer clear from that “Postie” jerk.
Just a “heads-up”; don’t get stung …

Okay … now I’m gonna flip off the RockStation and the lights and get …

ummm … w-wait! Ah can’t see what I’m writin’!! Where’s the friggin’ switch? Hmmm …

Well … better sign off first, then get ready for bed. Hmph … been in Kentucky tooooooo lonnnnnnnng! lol

So, until tomorrow’s edition, remember:

Keep your eyes on the skies, your feet on the ground, your heart with the music … and I’ll see ya on the flip side!

Okay, Rockiteers … here’s Part 2 of the interview that’s got rockers around the globe buzzin’ — and anxious to hear the rest of the story from Spencer Hannabuss (bass, vocals, songwriter, founding member), Luke Bentley (rhythm, vocals), Simon Thompson (drums, vocals) and Matt Hardy (lead, vocals) — collectively, THE FORE!
(I was told that waitin’ for Pt. 2 is like waiting for the conclusion of a popular old TV series’ two-parter. Well, I might be a batty man, but I ain’t gonna be robbin’ ya of this part –unless some joker at IP Central disconnects me!) So, without further ado, I (oh? I didn’t use gotham? Mebbe ’cause it’s made up of two separate words that can make me very hungry …) give you Pt. 2 of The Fab FORE Interview!

(Now, remember … I printed the questions out exactly as you wrote ‘em! No changes; didn’t wanna leave anything out! And Matt couldn’t make it to the “meeting of the minds” for this, but he had the others answer on his behalf).

The lads’ answers are in bold type:

“Is that song Man of Few Words really about Simon the drummer? He sounds o much like Buddy Holley its (sic) gives me goose bumps. U should let him sing more sometimes.”

SPENCER: MOFW’s was originally written with Matt in mind (which funnily enough matches up with the last question about him!) but I think Matt saw it as a slight on his personality and wasn’t comfortable with singing it. Simon then joined the band and took to the song like a fish to water (again, can you really imagine anyone singing MOFWs other than Si?).
We do have another song that I’m keen to give to Simon to sing, called It Doesn’t Matter which is very Buddy Holly! I think Simon will do the song proud. Hopefully one day we’ll record it.
SIMON: I wouldn’t class myself as a “man of few words.” If I had a mic all the time you’d probably hear me joking with the guys in-between songs.

“How often does the band rehearse their songs and how do they pick the ones they do in concert?”

SPENCER: Rehearsal time is at a bit of a premium really since we’re so busy on the road all the time. Songs will often be learnt individually and then rehearsed in sound checks before being given a chance in a set.
Funnily enough, we’re talking at the moment about doing more rehearsals so that we can learn the new material for the next (second) album!
The set list for a concert is usually picked by me. I will take into account the audience that we are playing to and the time that we’re playing for. I try to ensure that the set is balanced in terms of who sings and also a varied amount of slow/medium and fast-paced numbers in it.

“I’d like to ask Neil and David got to be managers. Do they have anybody to help them like secretarys (sic) or promoters? As good as the band is, they could have managed the Beatles!”

NEIL WHITE (co-manager): No, no one to help us in the UK (could do with a secretary, though!) but The Relic is doing an awesome job across the pond. Dave and I just work it out between us. We don’t mind what we do, from being roadies, publishing the website and Fore-um to booking gigs and talking to promoters. To be honest, we just do as much as time allows with help from the band. It’s all enjoyable and, of course, the aim being to get these guys signed! (not sure we deserve the Beatles compliment though, but thanks! lol)

SPENCER: Both Neil and David have made a huge impact on our lives. Music aside, we all feel that N&D are good, trustworthy friends and I wouldn’t swap them for anyone. I’m sure they’d be the first to admit that a lot of the good work that goes on behind the scenes wouldn’t happen if it weren’t for our satellite helpers across the world whom, without their help, we wouldn’t have the presence outside of our own country.
We will always encourage outside help from anyone and are always happy to talk to people wanting to lend a hand in our push for that record contract!

“When will we see the new CD come out? If its half as good as your other one its going to go platnum (sic).”

SPENCER: Well, who knows? We have just booked up our first session in the studio for 6th September through to 12th September. We may need a second session, which is likely to be in October. I’d like to record around 20 songs and then choose an album of 14-15 songs from that. Maybe the other songs could be release at a later date!
SIMON: It’ll be the ”must-have’ Christmas present!

“What do the band members like to do on their days off from performing?”

SPENCER: You mean … there are days that we aren’t performing?? At the moment, time off is very scarce. I’ve just adopted a couple of fluffy cats so they’re taking up quite a bit of time at the moment. Their names are “Womble” and “Muffin.”
SIMON: If I’m not banging my drums onstage, you’ll probably hear me banging my Roland kit at home, or crashing out in front of my big TV in my new apartment watching American TV shows.
LUKE: Well, we all work full-time so we don’t get much time off at all! But if we do, we like to have a beer and chill out.

“What is each band member’s favorite color?”

SPENCER: Always liked Red (I’ve only owned red cars), but black and brown are two of my favorite colours to wear.
LUKE: Blue!! I love the blue!!
SIMON: You’ve probably guessed already (that) it’s black. I like the old style Beatles look so I wear it when I can onstage.

“When will we see them in the US? I hope soon. They are the best thing to hapen (sic) to rock and roll music since the Beatles and we sure need their music over here.”

SPENCER: Well, we want to come over, too. We need to get more exposure over in the states, and, when the time is right and that breakthrough happens, we’ll be over like a shot!
SIMON: Well, I’ll be in North Carolina & Virginia this month attending a wedding but that doesn’t count. But I hope soon as well! As soon as we get the call I’ll pack my bags and jet off to all you lovely American Foreheads!

“I like the acting they did on Love For Sale on youtube. The dog was precious. Was he any one of theirs? They could go into movies they are all so good looking.”

SPENCER: “Flea” belongs to Matt’s brother-in-law (who’s also called Matt!). Some might say that the dog out-performed the band …
SIMON: Gee shocks, thank you! “Flea” is owned by Matt’s brother-in-law who was the brains behind the video and scripting.”

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Now, the lads and I will complete the interview in the next blog. I’ll also be bringin’ you new updates and rockin’ news. So, until next time, remember:

Keep your eyes on the skies, yer feet on the ground, your heart with the music”

… and I’ll see ya on the flip side!