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March 9, 2010
Foreigner, Jethro Tull, Kansas and Styx Prep For Summer Tours
As the Sun begins to banish the bitter winter chill and eat away at the snow here in the northeast, the newswire continues to deliver word of more classic rock groups who are set to offer their U.S. fans another opportunity to catch them live.
Three classic rock powerhouses – Foreigner, Kansas, and Styx have teamed up for something they are calling the “United We Rock” tour. All three groups are well-known for their fair share of hit singles that blared from countless car stereos during the 1970’s and 1980’s.
Today, classic rock radio stations continue to pump out those same hits, keeping those classic favorites alive, and bringing a new generation of fans into the classic rock fold. Although the crowds at these up-coming shows will likely feature a good number of graying heads (for those of us who still have hair!), there are sure to be many fans who were not yet born when these groups were at the top of their game, and packing stadium-sized venues full of screaming fans.
Although only a handful of dates have been announced so far, the summer tour dubbed “United We Rock” is set to open on June 3rd in Kansas City. This one should be one of the top classic rock tickets of the summer. The tour heads west after the debut show to finish out the month of June, and more dates will be announced soon, including stops in Boston and Chicago.
A press release from the tour quotes Styx guitarist James “JY” Young as saying “These three bands represent the more rocking side of the classic rock genre. With the countless great rock songs each band will be performing, this is going to be a guitars-a-blazin’ good time had by all.”
British rock veterans Jethro Tull are said to be planning a new album in addition to a summer U.S. tour. Starting on June 11th in Miami, the tour will then take the group north to Boston, Chicago and Toronto, among others.
Tull’s plans for a new album will end an 11-year drought for the group, one that is remembered for iconic hits such as “Aqualung,” “Locomotive Breath,” and “Living In The Past.”
Regarding the new album, enduring frontman Ian Anderson says, “I have sent material over to America where the band are working on it. That’s kind of how it works these days but they seem to like what I am doing.”
No release date for the new material has yet been announced, but it is probably a bit too early in the process. Perhaps there’s a chance they will showcase a taste of their new work while on tour.
So far it looks like the summer of 2010 is looking pretty good for classic rock fans. It is probably reasonable to assume that more tour news is on the way. The market is obviously still hungry for the genre, and other recent reunion plans are bound to translate into more live shows for classic rock fans across North America.
More on these tours is available at Live Daily.
March 4, 2010
A Journey Into The Mind of Meat Loaf
Well, that’s how the man is describing it himself – not in so many words, but when the Bat Out of Hell rocker talks about his new album, Hang Cool Teddy Bear, he reveals that, “It’s the one that tells you the most about me. It tells you about how my mind works.”
For that opportunity, he credits producer Rob Cavallo, who reportedly allowed Meat Loaf to be the “the captain” during the process of creating the new album. Whether or not that was a wise choice will be revealed by the numbers that follow the April 23rd release.
The new album is not without controversy, even before hitting store shelves. A certain track that revolves around the story of a man that falls for a prostitute is comprised partly of lyrics that are not likely to be well-received by some. The passage in question is on a track entitled “California Isn’t Big Enough,” and it makes reference to the size of a certain part of the male anatomy. Not too tough to figure that one out.
The 62-year-old rocker sounds as if he had some reservations about going ahead with the controversial lyrics, but in the end, he decided that it really was something that was important to convey the message in that particular song.
He makes an interesting point as he compares the lyrics to the content one might be exposed to while watching an R-rated movie. Certainly a thought-provoking viewpoint, considering that, technically, the language used on “California Isn’t Big Enough” does not even include any profanity. It’s more a contextual thing, I suppose, but there are bound to be very strong opinions on both sides of the argument.
Joining Meat Loaf on the new album are some other well-known names – some surprising and some not so much. Jack Black duets on a track called “Like A Rose,” while British actor Hugh Laurie of House fame plays piano on “Can’t Have You.” Not long ago, Meat Loaf was a guest star on an episode of House, and the two struck up a friendship, which led to an invitation to play on the new album.
Meat Loaf, like a lot of other rockers in his age group, has no plans to slow down. “I’m like the Energizer rabbit right now. I don’t even need to be plugged in. I need to be unplugged,” he says.
There’s more to be read regarding Meat Loaf and his new album at MSN.
March 2, 2010
CD Review: Craig Maher’s Propel
Craig who? It’s not a name as recognizable as Led Zeppelin or Aerosmith, and technically, he’s not even a classic rock act. However, I’m including a review of this CD here not because I was paid (I wasn’t) and not because I got the CD for free (I did). It’s because it actually sounds pretty good.
I get promotional CDs and DVDs in the mail from time to time, and unfortunately, most of them are either completely unrelated to classic rock, or just something I don’t care for. In fact, it’s rare for me to get any more than 30 seconds or so into each song on most CDs I receive before they wind up in “the pile.”
That’s why I was pleasantly surprised to pop Craig Maher’s new CD, Propel, into my player and have it play from beginning to end. Was I jumping up and down about it? Not quite, but it’s a lot better than most of the other stuff that shows up. Heck, it’s actually pretty good.
Interestingly, Maher describes his music as “Cosmic Contemporary” and cites influences as “the best of the 60’s and the early 70’s rock scene and its ties to Eastern music, Mysticism, and spirituality.” He also credits artists such as U2, David Bowie and Lenny Kravitz as influences.
Certainly, some of the lyrics seem true to Maher’s notion of “Cosmic Contemporary,” but at the same time, there is little doubt that you are listening to a rock album.
Maher covers quite a bit of territory even though the CD might be considered a bit on the short side with just 8 tracks. From the hard-driving rhythm of the title track to the more flowing and laid-back tempo of “Ten Thousand Dreams.”
The eastern influence mentioned earlier makes its presence known in “Where I belong,” although not in sufficient quantity to detract from the track’s rock edge. It’s a passage that reminds me of what Max Webster did with the intro on “Beyond The Moon” from Mutiny Up My Sleeve.
Yeah, I know – a lot of you are thinking, “Huh?” (See the Broaden Your Classic Rock Horizons for more on Max Webster)
It’s clear that Maher has assembled a seasoned group of musicians and engineers to back him on this album. The performances are tight, and I find the mix and engineering to my liking.
Your best bet is to simply go to Maher’s MySpace page and get a taste of his music for yourself. The sample tracks should give anyone enough to make a decision on whether or not Propel should be part of their collection.
December 3, 2009
Back To The Future With The Women of Heart
Classic rock powerhouse Heart is embracing their roots. In this case, that means plans for their next album are taking them back to the days before all-things-digital became the norm.
Although the group has been touring for a while, they have also been logging some studio time in between dates to work on a new album, which is being produced by Ben Mink. Mink also worked with lead singer Ann Wilson on her solo album Hope & Glory.
Little is known about the new album beyond what Nancy Wilson recently revealed to Spinner. There are said to be ten songs pretty well finished up, with a couple more to work out before the album is completed. The group hopes to release it in the spring, but what’s most interesting is Wilson’s statement revealing that “We’ve been approaching it on a really human level. There’s not a digital construct anywhere.”
In addition, the recording is a return to a more old school methodology where all of the musicians are playing at the same time in the same space. “We are putting up baffles and playing together at the same time: drums, bass and guitars, all at once, in the same room, looking at each other and jiving off each other, so that it’s really a conversation in process,” Wilson adds.
Hearing this news can really raise expectations for fans like myself who consider Heart’s debut album, Dreamboat Annie one of the greatest rock albums of all time. That’s due, in part, to the quality of the recording, which, needless to say was 100% analog back on the mid-1970’s. It was recorded on an old Ampex MM1000 16-track tape machine (for the engineering geeks out there), which the technical crew somehow coaxed an astoundingly beautiful mix from.
For my money, it’s one of the best recordings I have ever heard, and I’m hoping that the folks in the control room can at least come close to the exemplary work done by Patrick Collins and Rofl Henneman, who are credited for the mastering and engineering on Dreamboat Annie.
If I may borrow some terminology from the world of sports, I envision my Heart “fantasy band” in the studio with some or all of the original musicians from the early days, with the result being something that really sounds like material from the 1970’s version of the group.
That may be the sound they are shooting for with this new album, and I’d love for them to hit the bull’s-eye, but as other enduring groups have discovered, the old magic can be very elusive. That is especially true when only two original members remain in the group.
I don’t want to come across as a wet blanket, but even though this analog-only thing sounds like a cool idea, for this fan, Heart will always be that group that blew my mind with Dreamboat Annie; not the band I’ve seen and heard more recently which the enormously talented Wilson sisters have been fronting.
I’m content to leave it at that. I know there are still legions of loyal fans out there who still love the group in its current form, so I will give them the benefit of the doubt and wrap this up by saying I will let the new album speak for itself when it is released.
December 2, 2009
Planned BTO Reunion Will Only Go Half-way
Randy Bachman and Fred Turner seem anxious to get back to work. While the two rockers have planned a tour sometime next year and have been working together on material for a new album, not everyone is happy about the notion of them teaming up as Bachman-Turner Overdrive.
Bachman’s younger brother and former BTO drummer, Rob Bachman, has teamed up with someone himself, although don’t expect any new albums from this duo. He has joined with former BTO guitarist Blair Thornton in a bid to prevent the name Bachman-Turner Overdrive being used. Their side of the argument is that Randy Bachman gave up any right to use that name when he embarked on a solo career way back in 1977.
It’s not often that we hear of brothers facing off in a lawsuit, but there are obviously strong feelings on the part of the younger Bachman and Thornton about resurrecting the BTO name when it involves a guy they might see as someone who walked away from the group over thirty years ago.
Still, Turner and the elder Bachman sound excited about the prospects of their new project, and are talking about some new material that, according to them, sounds like they’re in their 20’s again. That’s a pretty bold statement coming from a 66-year-old, but fans will judge for themselves when their planned album, Rock ‘n’ Roll is the Only Way Out, is released.
The album, which the duo hopes to finish up by next fall, is something that seems to have surprised even Bachman himself. Following the recording of the title track, the recording engineers in the studio were said to have called Bachman and reported that, “We can’t believe this. This is the greatest thing ever.”
When Bachman got to hear the track himself, there was little doubt about his opinion on how it turned out. “Holy cow, no one has heard anything like this since the ’70s. It’s amazing,” he is quoted as saying.
Well, between “This is the greatest thing ever” and “It’s amazing,” this better be one hot album. That’s not to suggest it’s impossible, but capturing that old BTO magic from the 1970’s would be an impressive achievement.
Suggesting that they prefer to steer clear of any lawsuit trouble, Bachman and Turner have been tossing some other names around, including Bachman-Turner or Bachman-Turner United, which is technically true but has kind of a half-way-there feel to it since, after all, there will be a Bachman missing.
Part of the motivation to form up as much of BTO as he could muster seems driven by Randy Bachman’s feeling that he might be missing out. Having been asked on various occasions by contemporaries like Don Henley, Joe Walsh and Mick Jagger over the past six years whether he planned to do anything with BTO again, Bachman has obviously decided the time was right to have a go at turning back the clock and rocking like a twenty-something again.
Billboard has more on this story.
