the Rock Report

SPECIAL UPDATE: Michael Jackson’s final rehearsal — done the day prior to his death — is being considered for publication as a “tribute DVD”.  His gig list for his first appearance has just been released, and was to include:

• the opener, Wanna Be Startin’ Something.
• a crystal orb floating around Jackson that glowed as it made its way over the audience. The orb was to return and “light” on Michael’s hand.
• have all the fans’ favorites, as he said, ending with the hits Thriller, with a cemetery backdrop and Billie Jean (with spiders and other strange creatures).

Sadly, this amazing set will never take place. All the fans are left with are his fantastic songs, moves … and the vids:

The most impactive video that Michael released is one from his HIStory album.  It’s my personal favorite and though, yes, I’ve included it as a memorial on another of my blogs, this song is so deep and important that I had to include it here. Granted, parts are a bit hard to watch, but, people, this has the most powerful message I’ve seen on any video!

So, if you believe in saving this earth from the ravages of man’s butchery of nature and its wonder, please watch this …
It’s simply called “Earth Song”:

Watch it … listen to the words …

See ya on the flip side …

Who hasn’t heard the news by now??

I remember turning on the news and hearing that the “King of Rock is dead, the victim of an apparent heart failure. He was found collapsed at his mansion earlier today, and rushed to a nearby hospital, where efforts to revive him failed.”
Almost immediately, radios around the country were filled with what seemed to be his entire library of hits, and fans began flocking to both hospital and his mansion, tears of disbelief streaming down their shocked faces.

Michael Jackson?? No — that’s the news report and reaction on the passing of Elvis Presley, some thirty-two years ago.

Still, the rite-of-passage has been the same for both legends: the cause of death (as known at the time of their demise, anyway), the fans’ reactions, the constant back-to-back hits peppered with thoughts and memories, and more …

Now, there’s no doubt that Jacko was a true icon of the genre.  He went from young “soul” singer with his brothers (I Want You Back, ABC) to rock (Beat It, Bad), theater (Thriller), crooner (You Are Not Alone), collaborator (The Girl Is Mine, w. Paul McCartney), soul (The Way You Make Me Feel) and, to a degree, spiritual (Man In The Mirror).
And his death does leave a void in this genre we call “rock”.  But, over the next year or so, we’re gonna be seeing and hearing a lot of the same noize we heard shortly after Presley’s death:

His albums (even with the Jackson Five) are gonna sell like crazy … and back on the charts in the high-numbers!  As with Elvis, there’ll undoubtedly be a number of “Michael” sightings.  Tabloids will first come out with mostly-concocted, sensational “discoveries” about him … then claim that he’s still alive!

As far as the 02 concert series goes:  Obviously, it’s cancelled, so there’s going to be a fervent call for refunds by most of the fans who’ve already bought tickets.  But there are gonna be some who’ll want to keep theirs as “momentos”, much like those who bought tix for the Presley concert that never would be played …

Nonetheless — as tributes and homages come in from around the world — all of this shows an undeniable truth: That, although he had his ups and downs and his eccentricity was fodder for many comedians and writers (yes, including this one), the man was a true mortal “icon” …

and now an eternal “legend” of rock …

See ya on the flip side, when we get back to bizness as unusual …

Seems like everybody’s talkin’ about Optimus Prime (no, not the current lending rate by U.S. banks! Get with the program!!) and the new Transformers™ movie these days.

But do you remember the old TV cartoon series, and the cartoon movie that came out of it?? Yeah … that one! Well, it had a fabulistic song during its climactic scene called You’ve Got The Touch and, quite honestly, I’ve never had a tune hit me between-the-eyes like that one!
Bottom line: It tells how you’ve got the power within you to overcome the odds (and you never give in when your back’s to the wall/gonna fight to the end and you’re takin’ it all).

What a song to describe rock-n-roll, yardbirds! I mean, look — you’ve got so many legends, from singers like Ron Ryan, Moulty Moulton, Rick Allen, James Hetfield, Pete Dintino to acts as varied as The Merseybeats, Metallica, Badfinger, Skynyrd and others, proving those lyrics with every appearance!

We’ve even seen the genre revitalized … and its largely due to the growing popularity of classic rock, oldies and the Mersey beat! THE FORE is a magnificent catalyst toward this — as one of their fans put it to me just yesterday, “They pull both ends of rock together — yesterday’s and today’s — and builds sort of a musical “bridge” that’s great to cross!”

NOW … FOR THE NEWS:

YOU LIGHT UP MY WHAT?? Remember the song (recorded by Debby Boone [Pat’s daughter]) and, later, the movie of that name? Well, the song’s writer (as well as writer/director of the movie), Joseph Brooks, was arraigned this past Tuesday in New York on charges that he lured 11 actresses to his home last year, promising them movie roles … and then raping them! He’s pled ‘not guilty’ to the … 91-count indictment and has until Thursday to put up $500,000 bond (or a $250,000 cash bail). Oh … for you moviegoers, he also composed music for the movie “The Lords of Flatbush” and co-produced the film “Eddie And The Cruisers.”

FRANKIE GOES TO … REUNION? Right … the Liverpudlian ’80s legends, Frankie Goes To Hollywood, is planning a reunion tour, thanks, in part, to their hit, Relax, was used to promote Virgin Airways.
For obvious reasons, their tour is tipped to be a complete sell-out.

NO OASIS IN TROUBLED TIMES! The band Oasis was forced to leave the stage when they played Manchester’s Heaton Park earlier this month — and all because of a power fault!
Then they went on to play a full set but (being the good-hearted lads they are,) concertgoers were offered their ticket money back.
Guitarist Noel Gallagher wasn’t too pleased with the idea, though. He told fans: “We’re not getting paid for this so buy a t-shirt on the way out. Credit crunch and that, keep my kids in sweets. Kind of regret offering you your money back now.”
Geez … what a kind soul he is, huh??

Well, that’s all for now, so I’ll see ya tomorrow … er, today … er, wellll, in less than 24, okay? (heh-heh … forgot the time difference!)
See ya on the flip side.

There are rock bands … then there’s THE FORE!

I’m tellin’ ya, yardbirds: there’s no stopping these lads as they climb the musical stairs to superstardom. Already, they’re driving fans wild throughout the UK and Europe with their pure, raw, Mersey/Hamburg-style rock. Their latest CD, Run and Hide, is destined to become one of the most popular indie albums of 2009!

And this Sunday, on Calon-FM, the Unsigned Chart Show will feature their hit Little Louisa, where they’re currently holding the #1 position on the charts! The show’s gonna be at 2:00 PM GMT (meaning 9:00 AM for us Eastern statesiders, so be sure to set yer clock!), so don’t miss it!

Remember: You (yes, you!) can vote to keep this song at the top! All ya gotta do is click here to do it (just be sure it’s by Sunday morning!) and type (in the appropriate boxes) The Fore, Little Louisa, why you dig the song, and your email address. Then click submit, and yer done!).

The song’s already one of the most-requested songs in their tours, and (Huh? What do you MEAN you haven’t heard it yet?? Ooookay then … just click this link and get ready to rock [btw, yer gonna love the savage beat]!) Sheesh … ya cut me off mid-sentence! Ahhh, well … while Little Lou’s playin’ in the background, let’s move on:

FROM UK TO US AND BEYOND

The lads are really starting to heat up the circuit! From radio stations in the UK and US are coming offers for interviews; the famous Beatles-A-Rama also want them for airplay — and they’re headin’ for Cardiff, Wales, for the premiere of A Very British Coverup, the new British comedy movie that features their music!

Now, I don’t have enough space on this post (snif!) to get to everything, but, people, if you haven’t taken in Spencer, Si, Matt and Nathan yet, you’ve just gotta hear for yourselves! First, hit their site at TheForeBand.com or, to get the very latest from the lads themselves, be sure to bookmark their blog!
Second, ya just gotta dig these guys when they’re in concert! If yer around ANY gig featuring The Fore, then drive, get a ride, take a bus or cab or walk if ya haveta — but GO!
Trust me … you’ll be leavin’ the venue with an enjoyable, unshakable case of Fore Fever!

Okay … that’s it for this edition, but stay tuned … there’s more to come!  (By the way, I’ll be including dates, times and stations for every Fore interview, so … keep yer dial right here!)

See ya on the flip side …

I know … but my fershluggin’ computer went down again yesterday and I hadta reinstall it. That’s why it’s late.
Now … on to bizness:

Speakin’ of Yesterday, the verdict’s in (according to Rolling Stone™ mag, who polled its readers): They asked What was Sir Paul McCartney’s silliest love song? (Man, talk about a ? with a strong hint!)

But both readers (???) said it was Hey, Jude, followed by Penny Lane or Maybe I’m Amazed.
Question: Are they nutz??  Obviously, the top of the “silly love songs” was the one that was named that!  I mean, Macca actually meant to play off that phrase when he wrote it!!  (Geez … leave it to Wenner and RS to make things complicated … [MERCY!!!])

The song Hey, Jude was meant for John’s son, Julian, who wuz down about his dad and mum (not “silly” there, right?). Penny Lane was in tribute to a lovely area of Liverpool. (Silly?? No. Hey, it wasn’t Podunk …)
But there’s another thing about his “silly love songs” that the high muckamucks seem to forget: When Paul was out “on his own”, so to speak (ie, solo or with Wings), his ls’s were dedicated to his lovely Linda. That includes Maybe I’m Amazed.

CHER-ING HERSELF

And pop diva/tabloid toast Cher has just signed to appear in a movie called Burlesque along with actress/singer Christina Aquilera. The former Mrs. Bono (for you young’uns: I mean Sonny, not the U2 fronter.  Awww, just Google® ‘em, okay??) will be playing a former dancer who owns a neo-burlesque club employing Christina (somehow, this doesn’t seem too far from reality, does it?).

Both artists will sing in the film, by the way (and, while we’re on the subject, can anybody tell me why Cher needs to use the Auto-Tune?? Like her or not, she does have a fantastic voice on her own!) Anyway, filming begins in November.

FRY-ING IN THE HOUSE??

There’s been some speculation that the head honchos of the TV series, House, are trying to get Stephen Fry on-board as a psychologist — one that’ll certainly play off Hugh Laurie’s lead character.
Okay … so what’s the big deal?  I mean, don’t they have new blood written in every so-often, anyway??
WHOAAA, beloved yardbirds of the Eagle cloth:  this isn’t yer everyday, run-of-the-mill casting call here!  Y’see, Hugh and Stephen were centerstage in one of the UK’s greatest comedy television shows, A Bit Of Fry and Laurie.
Take a look at this episode, and you’ll seewhutImean:

With that …
see ya on the flip side!

Man, no matter what ya think about folk-singer Yusuf (formerly known as Cat Stevens), you’ve gotta give the man credit for his honor and humility …

As you know, he recently accused Chris Martin and the band Coldplay of using part of his song Foreigner Suite in their Grammy-winning single Viva La Vida.
Today, though, he insists that he harbors no hard feelings toward the band.

“I stand by what I said.” he recently told the UK Daily Express. “They did copy my song but I don’t think they did it on purpose.”

Yusuf said that he himself had done the same thing in the past, and to suddenly point the finger of blame at someone else would be … well, hypocritical.

“I have even copied myself without even knowing I’ve done it,” he said. “I’ll write down what I think is a good melody and realize it’s the same as something I’ve already done.”

He even extended an invitation to Coldplay in the hopes of bringing an end to the brouhaha.
“I don’t want them to think I’m angry with them,” he said. “I’d love to sit down and have a cup of tea with them and let them know it’s okay.”

Now, Joe Satriani, on the other hand, has taken his case to YouTube®, since he also accused the band of plagiarism. He’d do well to take a page from Yusuf’s book and realize (1) it happens sometimes — and often by accident, and (2) it’s just a song! But, if Joe’s in the game for the money rather than the music, he might as well hang up the mic, ’cause he’s miss the whole point of rock!

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

(These questions came from honest-to-whatever emails I’ve received over the past week):

What caused The Who’s Pete Townshend to start bashing his guitar at the end of their sets?
Actually, it started when Pete and the band were playing at a venue with a low ceiling. During one of his histrionics, he hoisted his guitar too high, and the neck broke on the ceiling. After that, he incorporated the guitar-bashing in The Who’s gigs …

Did John Lennon actually write the song, A Day In The Life about how Paul McCartney’s supposedly “died”?
Nope. He was inspired strictly from articles in the Daily Mail! For example, the “death” was of a notable (not McCartney) who “blew his mind out in a car” (an actual auto accident).
Another line: “… four thousand holes in Blackburn Lancashire” was about a plan to fill 4,000 potholes in the roads of the NW English town of Blackburn.

Is Chuck Berry still alive and, if he is, is he still performing?
To both questions: Yep! The rock legend (who’ll be 83 come October) recently played a gig in New Orleans with groundbreakers Little Richard and Fats Domino.
By the way, didja know that Chuck originally wanted to be a professional photographer, and began performing to make enough money for cameras and other photo equipment??

Settle this once and for all.  Was Yoko Ono really the one who broke up the Beatles?  If not, who or what did?  And will there ever be another group that’ll be as popular as them?
Oooo … KAY!!  Here we go:
The reason for the breakup had nothing to actually do with Yoko.  Y’see, three of the Fab Four — John, George and Ringo — had already decided they were tired of it all and wanted to stop the band.  Paul, on the other hand, wanted them to stay together.
There’ve been bands to come and go that were nearly as popular … but the one that’s most likely to assend to that height is the band you’ll see in this vid (a different look at their Liverpool IPO gig):

Okay … that’s it for now. Until later this evening, keep your eyes on the skies, your feet on the ground and your heart with the music!
See ya on the flip side …

Hey … have ya ever watched KISS front man Gene Simmon’s Family Jewels” on the A&E channel? It covers the daily lives (okay … allegedly) of Gene, his lovely lady Shannon Tweed and their kids, Sophie and Nick.

Already a smash here in the states, the show’s new season kicks off on Fathers’ Day (this Sunday, for you who don’t have young’uns yet), and, to promote it, the network placed (ready??) urinal cakes with Simmons’ picture in washrooms all around the nation!.
And get this — some of them even talk! (Hmph … probably sayin’ HEY! Cut it out! What the hell are you DOIN’?)

Gene is telling any fans who see ‘em (ummm … presumably … male fans??) and want to take ‘em home to please wash them off first!

And guitar legend Les Paul is having to cancel his weekly sets at the Iridium Club in New York due to unspecified health issues. While José Feliciano (an acoustic Light My Fire, California Dreaming and the Christmas now-classic Feliz Navidad) is filling in for Les, the club says he will be “back soon.”
Les Paul is a very active and spry … 94 years old!

IMAGINE PEACE

Y’know, we talk about shortages in the economy: jobs, income, resources, businesses, and that’s all true But there’s one shortage that we don’t talk about enough:
the shortage of peace …
Right now, North Korea’s leader, Kim Jung Il, has all but declared war on America — and is threatening us with his nuclear missiles. There are still twin wars going on in Iraq and Afghanistan. Here at home, we’re seeing an increase in violence and death, whether drug-related, crimes of passion and retaliation, or whatever. In places as diverse as Darfur and Pakistan, turmoil looms.
If there’s any time when we need to yell, GIVE PEACE A CHANCE!, it’s now!
And now you can have a significant voice in creating that peace:
There are two organizations that I’ve joined recently, and would highly recommend to anyone who believes in peace:

One is Yoko Ono’s Imagine Peace site. I’ve become an avid admirer of this woman, not because she was John Lennon’s wife per se but, because she’s truly a staunch supporter of peace, equality, outreach programs such as assistance for needy children, HIV/AIDS understanding, autism research and more. She honestly continues the quest for universal unification for the cause of peace that she and her husband began four decades ago.

The other is a site that was started by Carlos Santana to bring people together to help create a new dawning for this world — one that can bring the light of peace and brotherhood to terra firma!

Called, in fact, Architects of A New Dawn, it’s set up somewhat like MySpace but with the higher goal of peace, love, light and inspiration. It’s definitely one of the most enlightening webside neighborhoods you could ever imagine!

I’m honored to be part of both these endeavors, and hope you’ll click the links and tell me what you think! The lines are always open here, just by leaving a comment or emailing me (hey … save a stamp, use my inbox, folks!).

Now … until tomorrow, remember to 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 …

Ahhh, the stars are finally getting their due!

Roy Orbison, Ringo Starr, Van Morrison, Chaka Khan, ZZ Top and Randy Newman were among the 28 honorees for 2010 named today to receive stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

This is long overdue for both Top and Roy. On the one hand, Billy Gibbons & Co. have made Southern Rock a trademark in the rock world. On the other, Orbison had one of the most distinctive voices in the business and wrote/sang songs that, to this day, can turn the hearts of millions!

AHHH, BUT ON THE OTHER SIDE …

A few stars have fallen … at least in the world of Billy Joel and wife, Katie Lee.
They’re separating …
Though it was the first marriage for 27-year-old Katie (who was from West Virginia and not too far from this Eagle’s nest), it was the third for Joel, 60. They say they’re gonna remain friends, though, with “admiration and respect for each other.”

Actually (between you and me), I think they’re still gonna stay in-touch because Katie’s one helluva cook, and Billy’s always got an appetite for good food! ‘Course, I could be wrong about that, so don’t quote me …

THE FORE LISTED IN WIKIPEDIA!

I’m tellin’ ya, yardbirds, there’s no stopping this band! Spencer, Matt, Si and Nathan are now listed with the famed internet encyclopedia, Wikipedia (click the link to read their article!).
You’ve gotta have some substance and accomplishments to be listed in this global reference haven … and the lads have both of those in spades!

Remember, you’ll be able to catch the band at the Beatles Day celeb in Liverpool on 10 July! As their itinerary widens and more show are announced, you’ll be the first to know … so keep yer internet dial right here on The Rock Report!

Meanwhile, I’ll see ya in about 12 or so … on the flip side!

Okay, I’ll admit it:  I’m part-country freak!!  And, with acts like Keith Urban, Brad Paisley, Rascal Flatts and Martina McBride heating up stages around the world, today’s country (UNH-unh … no longer is it called “Country and Western”!  Get with the times, people …) is definitely exciting!

But the lady who’s winning everybody’s heart is 19-year-old Taylor Swift (btw, she’s not wearin’ her makeup in the pic up there.  Doesn’t need it to look purty, does she??). 
And last night’s Country Music Television Video Awards (i.e., “The Buckles”) proved, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that she’s got what it takes to make it big in either rock or country genre.

First, she did a tune, built around a skit that was so reminiscent of Debbie Reynolds or Annette Funicello in their teen movies that it was uncanny!
But the real electricity of the night was at the end of the show, when — after winning awardafteraward — she joined Def Leppard (yes, that “Def Leppard”!) for the blasting classic, Pour A Little Sugar On Me.

At that point, the lady showed she could rock with the best!

Natch, you can get all the news and views of the show from CMT.com, so I’m not gonna get into it all here.  All told, though, it was a great show (btw, didja see that gentle grizzly they call Trace Adkins?  Great man as well as singer, but … wouldja really wanna cross a giant like that?).

One side note:  I’ve gotten some emails from viewers who were really stunned by Rick Allen’s performance behind the Leppard drumkit!  Y’see, they weren’t savvy about his accident … or his triumph over it (and, have ya noticed?  From Rick to Moulty Moulton to Pete Dintino, it seems that some of our most inspirational superstars are drummers!).
The emails were from country fans … who are now fans of Def Leppard!! 

Okay … that’s it for this post.  See ya tonight with more from the world of classic rock and beyond …

Man, this is too good to pass up:

‘Til this evening,
see ya on the flip side!