Classic Rock Round-Up

Rush On Tour In Europe

It’s been a while since I’ve covered any Rush news, so it may be interesting to some fans that the band has started the European leg of their Snakes And Arrows tour.

Someone posted some photos from the show in Milan, Italy. Some of them are a bit blurry due to lighting conditions but there are some good ones in the mix as well.

Bon Jovi Takes On World Tour

Beginning with 10 shows in their home state of New Jersey, Bon Jovi begins their world tour which will take them to countries that include Japan, New Zealand, England, Ireland, Scotland, Germany, Holland and Austria and a few others.

In addition to the New Jersey shows, the North American leg of the Lost Highway tour will include cities in Canada as well as more in The States.

More On The Eagles New Album

If you can’t get enough news regarding the Eagles’ New Album, Long Road Out of Eden, click over to this article from an Aussie news site for more comments from Don Henley.

I should be getting a copy of the new album in the near future and will probably have a few comments after I get to hear it through a few times.

Monster Pink Floyd 40th Anniversary Box Set To Be Released

Wow, a 16-disk box set is one hell of a box set. Pink Floyd’s Oh By The Way covers the band’s entire studio album history which reaches all the way back to 1967’s Piper At The Gates of Dawn.

I suppose this kind of thing might be a temptation for someone who has just discovered the band and has recently become a Pink Floyd  mega-fan or something, but I sure would be hesitant to part with the reported $250 price tag that this box set boasts if I already had a bunch of those albums in my collection already.

Since there are only 10,000 being produced and they will be available in the U.S. only as an import, it may be difficult for hard-core American fans to get their hands on one of these. The new box set is due to be released on December 4.

More Predictions About Post-show Led Zeppelin Reunion

This time veteran rock journalist Ritchie Yorke checks in with his reasons that we should not be expecting any kind of tour or reunion after Led Zep’s London O2 show next month.

Yorke has been covering the band for a considerable amount of time. Enough time to have been selected as the MC introducing the band’s Toronto shows back in the day. Yorke is also the author of Led Zeppelin: The Definitive Biography. Obviously, the guy’s got some history with the band.

Ritchie Yorke is sounding quite sure that there is no reason for Zeppelin fans to expect much beyond the show next month. Among his reasons are that the guys do not need the money, which is certainly quite easy to believe. As one of the best-known rock bands of all time, these guys have raked in a lot of cash and are probably still raking it in from the albums and other stuff that is still being sold. How much money does a guy need?

His other point is that the guys “value far too deeply the extent of their creative contributions to rock ‘n’ roll to jeopardise it.” I guess only those who know the guys personally will know how true that is, but it certainly sounds reasonable.

Robert Plant joked not long ago about the number of doctors that would be required if a reunited Led Zeppelin were to embark on a world tour. It’s no secret that it is a lot harder to rock at age 60 that it is when you are 30-something and perhaps they feel they might not be able to hold up well enough on tour to live up to the standard set back in the old days.

You’ve got to admit, if your quite wealthy and 60 years old, the thought of flying around the world performing rock music on stage might not be very appealing.

On the plus side, bassist John Paul Jones reports during his interview with Yorke that he is very pleased with the sound of the band during rehearsal and described it as “tight.” He goes on to assure Yorke that the band is very committed to making the upcoming show a good one and that they are taking it very seriously.

Sounds like there is a good deal of confidence on the part of the performers about this show and those lucky few with tickets may be set to witness quite an event. Perhaps the last time these guys will perform together on stage. We’ll just have to wait and see.

Jon Bon Jovi And LeAnn Rimes Team Up For New Single

The headlines screamed “Jon Bon Jovi And LeAnn Rimes Caught In Bed Together!” Technically, it was true, but they were probably not having as much fun as the headline might suggest. They were actually shooting a video for a new single they have been working on called “Stranger.”

This news came at an interesting time for me because I’ve been listening to some new LeAnn Rimes music lately. Classic rock, as we all know, is my first love of course. However, that does not mean I don’t listen to other stuff once in a while and sometimes even (gasp!) country!

I’m extraordinarily picky about the country music I do listen to and it amounts to just a small handful of country artists that have a rock-style edge to at least some of their material. I really don’t listen to any “old school” country music because I just don’t like it.

Anyway, I was watching the Letterman show a week or so ago and the musical guest was LeAnn Rimes. I always give Letterman’s musical guests at least a few seconds just to see if it is something I might like (except if it is rap). I’d say about 95% of the time it is not.

LeAnn was doing a song called “Nothin’ Better To Do,” and although it might be a bit more country than I usually like, I was getting into it. So much so that I decided that I had to hear the rest of this new album she was promoting called Family.

I’ve listened to the whole album a number of times and I have to say I really like it. There are a few tracks I can live without, but my favorites have to be “Upper Hand,” “Doesn’t Everybody,” “Something I Can Feel,” “Nothin’ Better To Do” and the title track, “Family,” which would have to be my number one favorite of the album.

I remember hearing LeAnn Rimes back when she first hit the airwaves with her single “Blue.”She was obviously an impressive talent then and remains so today.

My taste in country music heavily favors female vocalists. There is some material from both Faith Hill and Carrie Underwood I really like. If your taste runs in that direction at all, I would recommend you seriously consider checking out LeAnn Rimes’ latest offering.

Technical Glitch Haunts Van Halen’s Greensboro Show

Glitches like this have to be the kind of thing that makes a performer want to “jump” off the stage when they rear their ugly heads. This can be kind of painful to watch if you are the type that will feel for people that end up in a situation such as this.

From the very start it does not sound too bad and it is not obvious to many folks that something is wrong. Listening to Eddie Van Halen hunt and peck for the right notes on his guitar is what really calls attention to what has gone terribly wrong when the band launches into “Jump,” one of their best-known hits.

Aerosmith In Legal Hot Seat Over Canceled Hawaii Show

This is the first time I can remember hearing about something like this, but with lawsuits over spilled coffee that was “too hot” and $67 Million Pants, I guess I should really not be surprised.

In this particular case, a bunch of fans have joined forces to sue Aerosmith for canceling a concert in Maui that was scheduled for September 26. The angry fans are claiming that they lost money on hotels, car rentals and other travel-related expenses.

According to a news report, some disgruntled fans could be in line to receive triple the amount of their losses in this case — if they are over the age of 62. It is hard for me to picture too many fans over 60 at an Aerosmith concert, so perhaps it will not be as damaging as it could have been for the boys in the band.

I don’t doubt there were some fans over 50 holding tickets for that show, but over 62? If the snubbed concert goers end up winning, I don’t think Aerosmith will be shelling out too many triple-damage amounts.

I have a hard time imagining any judge or jury ruling in favor of something like this, but I guess weird stuff does happen from time to time, so who knows?

You would think all the lawyers associated with a big-name group like Aerosmith, as well as those aligned with the promotion and record companies would have their bases well covered in anticipation of events like this, and they probably do. Aren’t there disclaimers printed on tickets that warn the buyer of cancellations?

I also wonder if there isn’t insurance for things like this and perhaps Aerosmith or their promoters would be covered under these circumstances.

Makes me wonder if Aerosmith will ever plan to do another show in Maui after this. I would not blame them if they turned up their noses at playing there again if they are ever touring down that way again.

Who says classic rock news is all about new albums and celebrity interviews?

Eagle Don Henley Chats With Billboard

Sounds a bit like Don Henley might just be the kind of guy that likes to tell it like it is. In a recent interview with Billboard Magazine, Henley says “We’ve just been sort of waiting for some of this bad music to die down, for certain trends to go away, so we can get out there on the dance floor again.” Boy, I bet I’m not the only classic rock fan that knows what he’s talking about!

Much of the talk during this interview, as expected, is about the Eagles’ forthcoming new album, Long Road Out of Eden, which will hit Wal-Mart shelves on October 30. Apparently, Wal-Mart will be the only place to get this new album since they have some kind of exclusive deal on it.

I must admit a little bit of a “Huh?” feeling came over me when I heard about the Wal-Mart deal, since I guess I am not such a big fan of that particular retailer. However, Henley makes a good point about them not being any worse than a major record label. Hard to argue with that.

As previously mentioned here, The Eagles are scheduled to perform at the CMA (Country Music Awards) ceremony next month.

New Brad Delp-Barry Goudreau Song Hits Airwaves

Over the past week or so, a brand-new track by late Boston singer Brad Delp and former Boston guitarist Barry Goudreau. The new track, “Rockin’ Away” has been getting some airplay on Boston area radio stations.

“Rockin’ Away” was the last song that Delp and Goudreau worked on together before Delp’s death in March. The song was recorded last summer to commemorate the 30th Anniversary of Boston’s first album, which I recall very well and was happy to spend a few bucks on at the time.

Goudreau reports that the new song is something that sounds like it might have come from the original Boston album. I have not personally heard it myself, but word is that it will be available as a download on iTunes in the near future.

I suppose it might be time to dust off an FM radio here and tune in to one of the Boston area’s classic rock stations and see if I can catch this one.

Led Zeppelin News

I’ve been seeing quite a bit of Zeppelin news coming out in recent days so here’s a summary of some of the news items that seem to be getting some attention lately.

Known as one of the holdouts who continued to resist the ways of the digital era, the band has finally said “Uncle” and will be releasing their music for digital distribution. I guess they may have finally realized that their stuff has been downloaded for years via file-sharing networks and figured they may as well be able to sell the downloads to the fans who are willing to cough up a few bucks for their Led Zep downloads, which are supposed to become available starting next month.

Word from the boys in the band with regard to their upcoming U.K. show at the O2 arena should give lucky ticket holders some reason to expect a good show. After a secret trial rehearsal earlier this year, bass player John Paul Jones is reported to have said that the rehearsal sounded as if the group has been playing together every night for the last three weeks. Sounds promising!

Asked recently about a set list for the O2 show, Jones did not give much up, but did say that they will be throwing in some of the bands lesser-known songs along with the hits that everyone is expecting to hear. He also added that they may throw in an acoustic song or two.

There’s been some recent talk that the band, whilst they just happen to be playing together, may come up with some new material. The band seems to be playing it down a bit at this point and making it sounds as if it would not be a big deal if they happen to write some new material, or even come out with a new album. Naturally, any talk of new material is bound to fuel the speculation about a reunion that lasts beyond the final note of the O2 show.

Album Review: Kim Mitchell’s ‘Ain’t Life Amazing’

I’ve been a big fan of Kim Mitchell’s stuff since the Max Webster days. I don’t think I’ve ever heard a single track from Kim that I did not like. I guess the intro to “Acrimony” of his Itch album comes closest to something I don’t care for, but I think that was kind of tongue-in-cheek on his part.

With that said, I must admit I was a little disappointed when I had my first listen to Kim’s new album, Ain’t Life Amazing. Before you get yourself all prepared for a crappy review, hold on just a second and let me tell you what happened next.

Well, I listened to it again. And again. And Again. And guess what. Did this album ever grow on me. I’m not sure I am ready to say I like it better than his previous stuff, but the more I listen to this new album, the more I like it.

I’ve always been the kind of guy that often has to listen to a new song or new album a number of times before I can decide if I like it or not. And that is exactly why I usually wait awhile before I pass judgment on anything new.

Now in the past, the “listen to it ten times” rule has not applied when it came to listening to Kim’s stuff and I’ve been on board the first time around. However, when compared to his older stuff, this album is different.

What’s different about this new album? If I had to describe in one word what makes this different from his other stuff, I would have to say “raw.” That’s the way it strikes me.

If you’ve read some of my other recent reviews, you know I am not a fan of live albums. I’m a sound freak and I want to hear the music as pure and as controlled as it can be. Studio conditions, everything mic’d up perfect and engineered to audio perfection. That’s what I like.

And that’s where this album kind of departs from the kind of studio-quality sound I love. No, it’s not that the sound on this album is bad. However, it has an almost “live” sound to it — minus the screaming crowds and lousy acoustics.

That’s probably a big reason that I was turned off a bit after my first run-through with this album, but I’ll tell you, I’ve adapted to it and now I’m really getting into it. Might I prefer it done in a more traditional studio quality way? Maybe, but it’s not something I am worrying about.

My personal favorite tracks from this album are: “In The Stars Tonight,” “N’Awlin Nights,” “Ain’t Life Amazing” and… Oh hell, I think I’m about to list just about every damn song on the album, so why bother?

To sum it up: It’s Kim Mitchell, it’s a bit more raw than his previous stuff and it rocks. What more can I say? I just hope he keeps on writing and keeps on recording because he’s still got it.

Neil Peart: Rock’s 2nd Worst Lyricist?

You have got to be kidding me! I don’t know who reads “Blender” magazine, or more to the point, who responds to their surveys, but whoever they may be, I might suggest that they dedicate some effort towards extracting their heads from their rear ends.

With groups out there for decades writing lyrics that revolve around getting stoned, getting drunk, getting laid or “dis’n ho’s,” how anyone could put Rush lyricist Neil Peart on the list as the 2nd worst lyricist of all time is beyond me. It was Sting who occupied the list at number 1, by the way, and quite frankly, I can’t think of anything he ever wrote that I found particularly bad. At least not that I can think of right now.

Sure, we can look back to some of Peart’s early sci-fi-ish stuff like the lyrics on 2112 or Farewell To Kings or even Hemispheres, and realize they may not be the best lyrics of all time and probably not Peart’s best work, but give me a break! At least some serious thought and effort went into their creation. A lot more than a masterpiece like Clapton’s “Cocaine,” for example.

“She don’t lie, she don’t lie, she don’t lie; cocaine.” Yeah, that line will have me awake half the night trying to decipher the real meaning behind it. Sure, lyrics don’t always have to be inspiring or particularly thought-provoking, but fans like myself appreciate it when they are.

I could have come up with about a million other good examples of bad lyrics, but for some reason, that one just sprang to mind.

You know what I’d really like to see now? I’d love it if this “Blender” magazine would conduct another survey and ask their readers who rock’s best lyricists are. They have told us who sucks, so now I’d like them to let us know whose lyrics are worth listening to.

Should I ring up Ozzy Osbourne and alert him to the possibility of coming in first?