Kid Rock, ZZ Top and The Beach Boys are Cruisin' in 2011

By Ray Shasho

CLASSIC ROCK TIDBITS

First, here’s an IMPORTANT UPDATE on the Jethro Tull 40th Anniversary tour of Aqualung. There are only a trifle of U.S. dates scheduled for 2011- then Ian Anderson embarks on a solo European tour for most of the remainder of the year. But hold steady Tull fans because I’ve just been informed by the Tull team that in 2012- the band Jethro Tull will be touring extensively throughout the U.S.A. and will almost certainly include local Florida dates. Whew… that was a close one!

ON A ROCK AND ROLL VACATION NOTE

Classic rock venues have certainly changed these days. Casinos have enticed rock and roll legends into performing for bigger payouts. And then there’s classic rock on the high seas.
Several cruises have been announced featuring your favorite rockers- like “Kid Rock’s Chillin’ The Most Cruise 2011.” The Carnival Triumph cruise ship departs from New Orleans on April 7th. You can find out more about this cruise here.

The “VH1 Best Cruise Ever” will be seducing music fans when it departs Tampa on April 28th on the Carnival Inspiration. The lineup on board will include Train, Lifehouse, Colbie Caillat and others. You can find information about this cruise here.

On October 27th, it’s the “Malt Shop Memories Cruise” with the Beach Boys, Chubby Checker, Little Anthony and the Imperials plus a host of early 60’s rock & rollers leaving from Tampa on the Carnival Inspiration. Find out cruise information here.

Then there’s the “SHIPROCKED” cruise onboard the luxurious MSC Poesia departing Ft Lauderdale on November 14th. The lineup includes Buckcherry, Hinder, Hellyeah, Sevendust, In This Moment, Lynam, Broken Teeth, Rival Sons and more bands TBA.  Find out about this cruise here.

On November 5th the fourth annual “Rick Springfield & Friends Cruise” will launch from Miami. More cruise information here.

Bret Michaels (Poison) rock and roll excursion over water is called 'Rock Your World' Bret Michaels Super Cruise and leaves November 10th from Miami. Click here for more information.

Then prepare to set sail on December 1st from Ft Lauderdale on the “Rock Legends Cruise.” It’s the granddaddy of all rock & rock cruises. I recently mentioned the event in an earlier article but the lineup has grown since. Classic rockers set to take the stage on Davey Jones locker are- ZZ Top, George Thorogood & The Destroyers, Edgar Winter, Artimus Pyle Band, (original Lynyrd Skynyrd- drummer) Devon Allman’s Honeytribe, The Chris Hick’s Band, John Kay & Steppenwolf, The Marshall Tucker Band, Dickey Betts & Great Southern, Foghat, Molly Hatchet, Johnny Winter, The Outlaws, Pat Travers, Blackfoot and Swampdawamp. Additional information about this cruise can be found here.

There’s also a ‘Where the Action Is’ cruise presented by Concerts at Sea starring Paul Revere & the Raiders and many other acts TBA already set for 2012. Check back here to find out information about this cruise.
All cruises include a meet and greet with the bands.

THEN
Classic rock groups going on tour soon while we wait for Florida dates-Steely Dan, (Shuffle Diplomacy Tour)
Bands currently on tour in the U.S. but still no Florida dates yet- Bob Seger &The Silver Bullet Band, The Moody Blues, Neil Young

Recently announced concerts for the Tampa Bay area include- Pure Prairie League & Firefall at the Capitol Theatre in Clearwater on May 20th, Jackson Browne on May 25th at Ruth Eckerd Hall and Goo Goo Dolls post- game show at Tropicana Field on August 6th.

And don’t forget about legendary rock guitarist Jeff Beck on May 7th at Ruth Eckerd. A second show has been added on May 6th.

A FINAL NOTE
Foo Fighters frontman David Grohl recently blasted Glee creator Ryan Murphy. These are some of Grohl’s comments to The Hollywood Reporter...

"It’s every band’s right, you shouldn’t have to do bleepingGlee. And then the guy who created Glee is so offended that we’re not, like, begging to be on his bleeping’ show … bleep that guy for thinking anybody and everybody should want to do Glee. No, we don’t want to be on your show.” 

David Grohl on Glee…yea right! The Foo Fighters are going to tour with Lemmy and Motorhead this spring. Get real!

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New classic rock albums coming your way soon

By Ray Shasho

Pioneers of punk -The New York Dolls will release their third album since reforming in 2004. The new album is called, “Dancing Backward in High Heels” and will be released on March 15th.  Original Dolls frontman- David Johansen and guitarist Sylvain Sylvain are the only surviving members of the group. Blondies ex guitarist Frank Infante and bass player Jason Hill from Louis XIV are also featured on the album.
On July 6th  The New York Dolls will be supporting Motley Crue and Poison at the St. Pete Times Forum. (According to the Dolls- Myspace page)  You can purchase tickets here when available.

The Foo Fighters will release their latest hard- rockin’ masterpiece “Wasting Light” on April 12th.  It’s their most recent album since 2007. The albums first official single called “Rope” has already generated rave reviews by their fans. The Foo Fighters will perform live at the Hangout Music Festival- in Gulf Shores, Alabama on May 21st and at the Sasquatch! Music Festival on May 27th in George, Washington -state before starting their European tour.

Soundgarden will release "Live on I-5" on March 22nd. It’s the bands first- ever live album from their 1996 tour. The bands hope is to create a brand new Soundgarden album this year. Meanwhle, Chris Cornell will embark on his sold out- 28 date -solo acoustic tour on March 25th thru May 6th.

Whitesnake’s newest is their- 11th studio album called “Forevermore” and will be released on March 25th. The ‘snake’ will hit the road to support their latest release for a world-wide tour.

Journey’s “Eclipse” album will be released on May 24th. Journey will launch the “Eclipse Tour” with Foreigner and Night Ranger. They’ll arrive in Tampa on September 17th at the 1-800 Ask-Gary Amphitheatre. Look for tickets here.

Recently released albums earlier this month were R.E.M.’s 15th studio album, "Collapse Into Now." Patti Smith and Eddie Vedder were among the guest artist.

And Asia's "Spirit in the Night", Live in Cambridge 2009. It's the reformation of Steve Howe,Carl Palmer,Geoff Downes and John Wetton.

ON MORE OF A PSYCHEDELIC NOTE
The 2011 Hippiefest lineup has been announced. This year’s flower power event will feature Dave Mason (“Only You Know and I Know,” “We Just Disagree”) Grand Funk’s Mark Farner (“I’m Your Captain,” “We’re an American Band”) Rick Derringer (“Rock and Roll Hoochie Koo”) Felix Cavaliere’s Rascals ("Groovin'," "A Beautiful Morning") and Gary Wright (“Dream Weaver”).  Look out for a peace-lovin’ sit-in at Clearwater’s Ruth Eckerd Hall on Saturday August 27th.

And there’s the 2011 Happy Together Tour starring Flo & Eddie of The Turtles, The Association, The Grass Roots, The Buckinghams and Mark Lindsay former frontman of Paul Revere and The Raiders.  And the concert will also be featured at Ruth Eckerd Hall in Clearwater on July 19th.
Check back here for tickets.

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Phil Collins an entangled farewell

By Ray Shasho

“I look at the MTV Music Awards and I think: 'I can't be in the same business as this', I don't really belong to that world and I don't think anyone's going to miss me. I'm much happier just to write myself out of the script entirely. I'll go on a mysterious biking holiday and never return. That would be a great way to end the story, wouldn't it?" …  These were Phil Collins disheartening remarks in a recent interview with FHM magazine.

The 60 year old classic rocker said he is calling it quits. Phil Collins has hearing problems, a dislocated vertebra and nerve damage in his hands from playing the drums.
Collins also suggested that there was no longer a place for him in today’s music.

He also mentioned that overplaying his music made people “want to strangle” him. "It's hardly surprising that people grew to hate me. I'm sorry that it was all so successful. I honestly didn't mean it to happen like that."

I’m here to say, “You’re wrong Phil!” Your mystical voice on the “A Trick of the Tail “ album resonated through my mind during those complicated high school years, offering calm and hope for the future. Hang in there Phil, we need you. The music world is lacking the talent it needs to deliver power messages like you do. Maybe now is the time to move forward and astonish.

Collins added, "My doctors tell me it's a work in progress that it will take about a year for me to recover. I don't think I'll ever be able to do that again." (Collins is referring to not being able to hold the drumsticks again)

Phil Collins joined Genesis in 1970 after answering an ad in need for a drummer.
Genesis became Peter Gabriel- vocals, Phil Collins- drums, Tony Banks- keyboardist, Steve Hackett- guitar, and Mike Rutherford- bass. The progressive bands elaborate song anatomy complemented their mesmerizing live performances.

Peter Gabriel left Genesis in 1975 to pursue a solo career and Collins almost- inconspicuously replaced his vocals, sounding much-like Gabriel’s.

In 1979, I was very fortunate to meet Genesis at a Peaches record store in Ft Lauderdale where they signed my "A Trick of the Tail"  album.

Phil Collins solo career sales alone exceeded 150 million. He’s won seven Grammy Awards, an Academy Award, and two Golden Globes. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Genesis in 2010. That sounds like a lot of happy fans to me!

In a November 25th, 2010 Rolling Stone interview, Collins revealed, "Everything has added up to a load that I'm getting tired of carrying, It's gotten so complicated. It's the three failed marriages, and having kids that grew up without me, and it's the personal criticism, of being Mr. Nice Guy, or of divorcing my wife by fax, all that stuff, the journalism, some of which I find insulting. I wouldn't say that I have suicidal tendencies over my career or bad press. They're just another chink in the wall. It's cumulative.”

Please hang in there Phil the music world still needs you desperately, and whatever you’re thinking, we still love you man!
The very latest news on Phil Collins can be found here.

IN OTHER CLASSIC ROCK NEWS...

"We'll do it without him if we have to. The music is the issue.”

Those were the sentiments from British Invasion Rocker Ray Davies of The Kinks. Ray Davies and Brother Dave founded the group together in 1964.  Earlier speculation had the brothers and original drummer Mick Avory reuniting for a Kinks- Bash.

But apparently Dave’s not ready to commit to a Kinks comeback, even after Ray Davies made his optimistic comment…"I've had emails both from Mick and Dave about various other subject matters, but I think it will be down to Dave at the end of the day. But he's gradually coming round to it."

The Kinks broke-up in 1996 and the brothers are still in a tizzy.

Ray revealed in a recent interview, "I can understand what Dave's trying to say, I think it's a reference to comebacks in general."

In 2004, Ray Davies was shot in the leg after chasing a purse snatcher. The victim was the girl he was walking with. The shooting happened within blocks of Bourbon Street in New Orleans. In November of 2010, Davies was forced to cancel four shows due to complications from his injuries.

Davies said of the complications, "To put it politely, I don't think the wound was handled very well at the time, Partly because the hospital was busy, and partly due to the nature of the wound.It's been pretty bad, actually, I got quite sick before Christmas from residue that is still in the leg and which formed a clot. It made me quite ill and I was hospitalized for a bit."

Davies recently reported that he plans to tour this year with or without Brother Dave for Ray's version of a Kinks reunion.

The Kinks were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990.

Got a classic rock story you would like to share? Email me at rockraymond.shasho@gmail.com.

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Pat Travers …Boom, Boom, turn those lights back on I want to rock!

By Ray Shasho

“Our band has been through the ringer. We have gone into some bad situations with our heads held high and came out looking good. We’ve had a lot of willpower. I think a lot of others would have given up where we kept going”   …A recent interview with Pat Travers.  

At the impressionable age of 13, Toronto native Pat Travers witnessed Jimi Hendrix perform his guitar-wizardry live on an Ottawa stage. By age 15 Travers was playing in his first rock band.

While playing in a band called Merge, he was recognized by “Mr. Dynamo” Ronnie Hawkins. (“Hey, Bo Didley”, “Marylou”) Hawkins had a reputation for recruiting and grooming noteworthy Canadian talent. Hawkins became a permanent resident of Canada in 1964.  Pat Travers toured with Hawkins as his lead guitar player.

In 1976 Polydor Records signed the guitar virtuoso to his first record deal. His band toured the U.K. in support of his self titled- debut album. The album conceived Travers classic battle-cry and crowd pleaser- “Boom Boom (Out Go the Lights)” 

In ‘77 Pat Travers released the good time rock ‘n roll album “Putting it Straight.”
While in England, Pat Travers performed at the annual Reading Festival. Travers released two more albums before concentrating his efforts on the U.S. music scene.

The best of times for the Canadian-rocker came in 1979 with the release of his first- Live album “Go For What You Know.” The Live album recruited droves of new fans after listening to Travers dynamic- rock and roll performance transpire on stage.

Travers is both an outstanding lead and rhythm guitar player.

The Live album was followed by the 1980 brilliant release “Crash and Burn.”

Some thirty albums later, the monster- guitarist, keyboardist, vocalist, composer, producer and arranger, continues to record and tour with his Paul Reed Smith- Modern Eagle electric guitar.

Pat Travers has certainly ridden a rock and roll rollercoaster through the years, but lately the rocker is having some fun by marketing himself through the electronic media. And why not-what better way is there to get your message out instantly- while networking and attracting new fans? Especially during the contemptible- state of the music business these days. Pat promotes regularly on Twitter and Facebook.

He’s also got a fan club on his website called The Hammerhead Club.
Some of the member perks include- a discussion forum which usually includes the guitar –hero himself, a private- video stash from Pat’s secret vault, participation in live interviews, shows and mini-concerts, and members only- music downloads. Pat would also like to release some of the material that gets recorded but never makes it to a record on the site. (Membership is only $2.95 a month)

But the cleverest offering on the site has got to be the live one-on-one guitar coaching sessions with Pat via Skype. (You can download- Skype on Pat’s website) Learn from the master or as Pat would prefer to be called “Sensei” for guitar players. You see, Pat Travers is also a Black Belt in the style of Isshin- Ryu Karate.
Hammerhead Club Members pay $250 for a 30-minute session and Non- Hammerhead Members pay $300 for a 30-minute session.

Visit Pat Travers official website for more information. http://www.pattravers.com/

Hold on…I haven’t even scratched the surface yet on Pat Travers recent updates. Listen to this, book your next cruise NOW! On December 1st of this year, the fabulous- Liberty of the Seas will set sail for 4 nights on the “Rock Legends Cruise.” It’s a floating rock festival leaving from Fort Lauderdale with a stop at a private beach island and Nassau, Bahamas. The event is sponsored by Sioux Native Americans living on reservations in South Dakota.
Headliners performing on board the ship are- ZZ Top, George Thorogood and The Destroyers, John Kay and Steppenwolf, The Marshall Tucker Band, Dickey Betts & Great Southern, Foghat, Johnny Winter, Molly Hatchet, The Outlaws, Blackfoot, SwampDaWamp and PAT TRAVERS. Each band will be playing multiple sets in an array of ship board venues.  It’s a floating Woodstock!

Visit here for more information on how to book your Rock Legends Cruise- http://rocklegendscruise.com/

And there’s more great news…Floridian- Pat Travers will be performing live on stage- March 17th at “The Local 662” (State Theatre) in St. Petersburg. Tickets go on sale this- Friday March 4th at 10am and are available here or at Ticketmaster outlets. You can call the Local 662 club (Formerly The Garage) for more information.

Travers also announced that he may be playing some shows this year with fellow guitar- whiz Ronnie Montrose.

The Pat Travers Band’s latest power-rock album -Fidelis can be purchased on Amazon.com

Got a classic rock story you’d like to share? Email me at rockraymond.shasho@gmail.com I may feature your story in my next article.

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Grand Funk- Rock Patriot- Mark Farner coming to Clearwater

By Ray Shasho

Famed- classic rock guitarist for Grand Funk Railroad, Mark Farner, has just announced a stop at Ruth Eckerd Hall on August 27th for the upcoming- Hippiefest Tour.

Mark Farner’s world turned upside- down recently after his 22 year old son Jesse’s near fatal- fracture to the C-5 vertebra in his neck. He remains paralyzed but is starting to show improvement by lifting his head off of the pillow. Farner is one of the 44- million Americans who don’t have health insurance and Jesse is faced with long- term medical care.

A Benefit concert was held for Jesse at B.B. King Blues Club in New York City on January 17th, the show featured Roger Daltrey, (the Who) Three Doors Down, (Kryptonite) Cliff Williams, (AC- DC) and Kip Winger (Alice Cooper).
Donations for Mark’s son Jesse can be made at the Sweet Relief Musicians Fund. Sweet Relief provides financial assistance to all types of career musicians who are struggling to make ends meet while facing illness, disability, or age -related problems. http://www.sweetrelief.org/

Mark Farner was the lead guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter of an unsigned- Flint Michigan garage band called Grand Funk Railroad, when they got their first big break performing at the Atlanta International Pop Festival in 1969. On the way to the concert their U-Haul trailer overturned ripping out wiring inside their equipment. The band had to get out their soldering gun and solder the wires back together before their performance.  

After an awe-inspiring performance they achieved instant recognition and were immediately signed to Capitol Records. Some of the big names to play at the Fourth of July weekend festival included, Led Zeppelin, Janis Joplin, Credence Clearwater Revival, Johnny Winter, Chicago Transit Authority, and Joe Cocker. An estimated 180,000 rock fans- jammed the Atlanta International Speedway to watch the two-day event.

Later in 1969 Grand Funk Railroad’s first album “On Time” was released. It was one of the first albums to be labeled “heavy metal.”

Two years later on July 9th, Grand Funk Railroad broke the Beatles attendance record for Shea Stadium by selling out in only- 72 hours. Farner described his helicopter flight to the Shea stadium concert,

“We took off from East River, and we were supposed to land in the parking lot, where a limo was going to pick us up, and when we got over the stadium, with Humble Pie already on stage, we could actually see the building bouncing up and down from the fans so excited from the music.”

The stage was set-up on second base in the infield. Mark’s inspirational- classic “I’m Your Captain” was the highlight of the Shea concert.
In an interview with http://www.classicbands.com/ Farner talked about writing “I’m Your Captain.” (940,034 views on You Tube)

I wrote "I'm Your Captain," that was the first song I wrote lyrics to prior to music. My Mother taught us how to pray - now I lay me down to sleep...I used to do that thinking that in case there is a God, in case there is a Hell, I didn't want to be there, so let me say this. I put a P.S. on the end of my prayer and said "God, would you please give me a song that will reach and touch the hearts of people that you want to touch." I got up in the middle of the night and wrote what I thought was poetry.”

The band became known for refusing individual band interviews (Because their manager- Terry Knight would personally conduct all the band- interviews himself) so they were slammed by critics and radio stations unwillingly gave them air-play.
But the power- trio of Grand Funk Railroad was a people’s band, and they captured a huge following of Funk- fans anyway through persistent touring and achieving platinum awards with five of their eight releases from ‘69 through ‘72. The rest went gold.

Farner wanted to keep the band as a trio but was out-voted in ‘72 and keyboardist Craig Frost was added to the lineup of Mark Farner- vocals and guitar, Don Brewer- vocals and drums and Mel Schacher -bass.

The band officially shortened their name to Grand Funk and hit number #1 status with their huge single “We’re an American Band,” and after they recruited the musical genius of Todd Rundgren as producer. Their next album- Shinin’ On had a 3D cover that could be viewed with special cutout glasses. The album produced yet another number #1 hit song, “Loco-motion” a remake of Little Eva’s classic tune.
In ‘74 they released the album -All The Girls in The World Beware, spawning the top 5- hits “Some Kind of Wonderful” and ”Bad Time.”

Grand Funk disbanded in 1983. The band sold over 50-million records worldwide.

Mark Farner accepted an invitation to play with Ringo Starr’s All Starr Band in 1995. The line-up featured, Mark, Ringo and his son Zak, Randy Bachman, (the Guess Who, BTO) John Entwhistle, (the Who) Felix Caviliere (the Rascals) and Billy Preston.

In ’96 Grand Funk reunited and toured with the original line-up of Mark, Don and Mel. The reunited band produced a 2-CD live, greatest hits package from their sold-out Bosnia benefit concerts. Peter Frampton also joined the band on stage. The show featured the Detroit Symphony Orchestra conducted by David Letterman’s- Paul Shaffer.

In 1999 Mark was forced out of the band and Grand Funk continues to tour without him. But for some ungodly reason rock bands are allowed to dump their major stars and continue doing business with the original brand name.

Mark’s voice is as strong as ever on his most recent release “For the People.”

You can check back here to find out when tickets go on sale for Mark Farner’s show at Ruth Eckerd Hall in Clearwater.

Got a classic rock story you would like to share? Email me at rockraymond.shasho@gmail.com

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Joan Jett and the Blackhearts rock huge crowd In Tampa

By Ray Shasho

Thousands of fans watched an explosive performance by “The Queen of Rock and Roll” Joan Jett, and her band the Blackhearts, on Sunday evening in Busch Gardens. The concert was part of the Bands, Brew & BBQ- entertainment showcase at the Park.

The weather was impeccable, the sound system was perfect, the food was delicious, the crowd ecstatic, and the band was triumphant. It was a flawless late Afternoon/Evening at Busch Gardens.

The ageless Jett looked and sounded as she did in her heyday. It was a fantastic performance that will certainly embed a lasting impression on the exhilarated crowd.

Jett and the Blackhearts smoked the crowd immediately with her 1980- punker “Bad Reputation,” (A song she said was dedicated to the Baltimore Orioles and their 1979 season) and Runaways hit “Cherry Bomb.” 

The 52 year old Jett sang “Light of Day,” a song written especially for her by Bruce Springsteen. The song was also the title for a movie that starred Michael J. Fox and Joan Jett.
It seemed like everyone inside the park was attending the concert. Many of the Joan Jett-faithful came dressed like her and ready to rock-out!

Jett and the Blackhearts played “Androgynous” a Replacements- cover tune and “Change the World,” a song Jett explained to the crowd was, “A song about stability and moving forward in a gentler way.” Both tunes were from the band’s 2006-release “Sinner.”

Other songs played to their perfection on Sunday were “Backlash,” “The French Song,” And Runaways tunes- “You Drive Me Wild,” (which was the first- song that Jett ever wrote) and “I love Playing with Fire.”

The crowd seemed mesmerized by Jett and the Blackhearts performance. It was like Jett was kept in a state of suspended animation since 1982 and brought back to life for a Busch Gardens- Command Performance.

Jett, sometimes referred to as “the girl Elvis” played “Fake Friends” a tune in which she collaborates with longtime- musical partner and friend Kenny Laguna. (Laguna was on stage playing keyboards with the band during their performance)

Jett and Laguna formed the independent Blackheart records together in 1980. The label started after 28- record companies rejected Jett before her smash hit “I Love Rock ‘n Roll.” (Jett was the first woman to start her own record label) Laguna started pressing records and sold them out of the trunk of his car. Six of Joan Jett’s Top40 hits were released on the Blackheart label.

Joan Jett and the Blackhearts gave the audience at Busch Gardens everything they came for and so much more. The show wound down with an explosive ending. A rendition of The Runaways “School Days,” “Fetish,” followed by one of the most successful cover songs in rock history “I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll.” (Ranked #89 in Rolling Stone’s 100- greatest guitar songs of all-time)

Immediately followed by Tommy James and the Shondells classic “Crimson and Clover,” and “I Hate Myself For Loving You.” (The song was nominated for a Grammy Award in 1989, “Best Rock Performance by a Group”)

After a huge standing ovation, the band came rocking- back with “AC- DC” and Sly and the Family Stone’s, “Everyday People.”  

It was truly a magnificent performance by Joan Jett and her tight-rockin’ band, consisting of Dougie Needles on lead guitar, Acey Slade on bass, and Thommy Price playing the drums.

Here are some of the many comments left on Joan Jett and the Blackhearts facebook page right after the concert and then- today.

"Just left your concert at Busch Gardens and you rocked it!!! Awesome!!!!!"
"Thanks for such a great show at Busch Gardens today! I was in the front row, sooo awesome!!!"
"You rocked at Busch Gardens yesterday!! Proud to say you were my first rock concert!!!"
"You are awesome! Sooooo beautiful! You are theQueen of rock!"

The security was extremely tight for the event so I couldn't reach "The Godmother of Punk" for a few comments.
Joan and I had a few things to talk about too. (She and I are only a few months apart in our ages)
Joan's an alumnus of Wheaton High School in Silver Spring, Maryland. (I'm originally from Maryland and bought my very first electric guitar at Chuck Levin's in Wheaton)
Joan dedicated "Bad Reputation" to the Baltimore Orioles for their outstanding 1979 season. (I was a deejay covering the Orioles in the Playoffs and World Series in 1979 for WNAV radio in Annapolis)
Joan Jett played baseball at an Orioles Fantasy Camp in Sarasota called Dream Week in 1991. ( I played at that same Orioles fantasy camp a year before she did in 1990) and I really wanted to ask her how she played during the week?
Because if she played baseball anything like her concert on Sunday, then we're looking at the next Cal Ripken.

"Ironwoman?"
I do want to thank Kelly Heckinger-Marketing Communications for Busch Gardens, and the security by the front of the stage, for allowing me to shoot some unbelievable photos of the band.

http://joanjettbadrep.com/cgi-bin/fullStory.cgi?archive=201102&story=20110225-01examiner.htm  ...

... My article made front page of Joan Jett's Bad Reputation Nation

Got a classic rock story you want to share? Email me at rockraymond.shasho@gmail.com

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Johnny Winter Live at the Capitol Theatre

By Ray Shasho

The Capitol Theatre in downtown Clearwater hosted a sold-out Johnny Winter concert last night.
The atmosphere was reminiscent of Bill Graham’s Fillmore East shows in New York City.

The Capitol first opened its doors in 1921, offering vaudeville and movie shows. Donald Roebling, the inventor of the amtrac (amphibious vehicle) was a frequent visitor there and had a double seat installed in the theater for his comfort.
The theatre was renovated in 1962, and over the years the theatre was owned and managed by various idealists.

 In 2009, the City of Clearwater and Ruth Eckerd Hall joined forces to purchase the Royal Theatre and the adjacent Pat Lokey building after being in foreclosure, renaming it the Capitol Theatre.

The very first show at the new Capitol Theatre was pianist William Joseph. It was supposed to be classic rocker- Todd Rundgren but a city inspector found mold inside the building. Todd Rundgren played outside in front of the building on Cleveland Street instead.

The concert began at 7:30 with Tampa Bay natives- The Mojo Gurus.

After the Guru's finished their rocabilly set, Johnny Winter was escorted to a seat at the middle of the stage.  Winter's appearence looked as good as I had seen in years. He actually gained a few pounds. His voice sounded good too.

But Johnny Winter’s performance reminded me of the great Muhammad Ali in the boxing ring when he was just passed his prime. Ali would be a bit sluggish at first but then after five or six rounds he came to life, bouncing up and down around the ring, shuffling his feet, bobbing and weaving, the crowd would go wild. But later in the fight, Ali reverted into a conservative stance with fleeting moments of attempting to knockout his opponent. The champion still won the fight but not the way he did in his glory days.
And that’s what Johnny Winter was missing in his performance, “The knockout punch.”  He was still the “Champion of rock and roll” up on that stage, but he won by decision and not by a knockout.

His show started with a Freddie King- cover called “Hideaway.”  Then Winter complacently jammed through his setlist until he reached “Johnny B. Goode,” sparking the crowd.
His next song, Ray Charles “Blackjack” was the highlight of the evening. It was Johnny Winter, the champion of rock and roll, Mr. Johnny B. Goode at his finest. And the audience was reminded that there was a legend on stage just a few feet from where they sat.

Another Freddie King- cover called “Tore Down” followed.

Nearing the end of his set, Johnny Winter looked again for the knockout punch with the Jimi Hendrix twelve-bar structure cover- tune called “Red House.” And the crowd was again on their feet.

The show concluded before the encore with “Bony Moronie” from the Saints and Sinners album, and “It’s All Over Now” a Rolling Stones- cover song written by Bobby and Shirley Womack.

After only one encore the show ended with Bob Dylan’s penned- hit “Highway 61.”

Johnny Winter won the show but not with a knockout punch. Perhaps an encore of “Rock and Roll, Hoochie Koo” or a rendition of Muddy Waters blues standard “Mannish Boy” would have knocked- out his audience. Or perhaps Johnny Winter cleverly left his audience wanting more.

Nevertheless, Johnny Winter is a rock and roll icon. There are very few musicians who have kept their roots in place without selling out to record companies and advertisers. And his Texas-sized reputation has kept him busy in the studio and on the road since 1969.

I want to thank the dedicated staff at the Capitol Theatre/Ruth Eckerd Hall for their wonderful hospitality. Katie Pedretty- Public Relations Manager, Pavlo Synadinos –Digital Media & Web Content Editor, James Raulerson- Capitol Theatre Manager, and especially Jeffrey Hartzog- Director of Operations.
Jeff filled me in on the entire history of the theatre and he’s very passionate about it. Jeff has worked for Ruth Eckerd Hall for about 14 years and at the USF Sun Dome in the 80’s. He started working as a stagehand in 1982.

The Capitol Theatre is an intimate venue with awesome acoustics, and if you wish to be transported to the days of Bill Graham's Fillmore- era than this venue is for you.
And Jeff was right; the best seat in the house was up on the balcony.

To buy tickets for upcoming shows at the Capitol Theatre, go to Ruth Eckerd Hall's website at http://www.rutheckerdhall.com/

Got a classic rock story that you would like to share? Email them to me at rockraymond.shasho@gmail.com

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Golden Earring celebrates 50 years of rock and roll

By Ray Shasho

Golden Earring is one of the most enduring bands in classic rock history. They continue to tour in the Netherlands, and the band is the longest existing rock band in the world, as they were founded in 1961- one year before The Rolling Stones.
The Dutch rock group was formed by childhood friends, guitarist- George Kooymans and bassist- Rinus Gerritsen in The Hague Netherlands.
Unlike other popular Dutch bands like The Tee Set, The Bintangs, Focus, Trace, and The Shocking blue, Golden Earring  has kept the same- four- original band members together since 1970.

Barry Hay-vocals, George Kooymans- guitar, Rinus Gerritsen- bass and Cesar Zuiderwijk- on drums.

The band was originally called The Tornados, but they later discovered the name was already taken. The band then came up with the name Golden Earrings from a song originally sung by Marlene Dietrich in 1947, and it eventually became a hit in 1948 with Peggy Lee.

In 1965, “Please Go” was Golden Earrings first hit single reaching #9 on the music charts in the Netherlands.
After “Please Go”, seduced their manager Fred Haayen, believing he had found a Dutch- version of The Beatles, he rushed the Earrings into Pye studios in London to record their debut album "Just Ear-rings".
Lead singer Barry Hay joined The Earrings in 1967.

Their single "That Day", reached #2 on the Dutch charts. The single was beaten out of the #1 spot by The Beatles love ballad “Michelle.”

Golden Earring earned their first #1 hit in the Netherlands with the pop song “Dong- Dong- Diki- Digi -Dong". In 1969 they released a successful psychedelic album called “Eight Miles High,” originally a hit for The Byrds in 1966. The album featured a nineteen-minute version of the title track. Their on- stage version of the song lasted much longer, and was considered one of the most memorable jams on their US tour.

Progressing into hard rock, Golden Earring embarked on their first major US tour in 1969. The band performed with Led Zeppelin. Between 1969 and 1984, Golden Earring completed thirteen US tours. During that period, Golden Earring performed as the opening act for Santana, The Doobie Brothers, Rush and .38 Special.

The band enjoyed international superstardom in the Seventies with the hit single “Radar Love," from their critically acclaimed “Moontan” album. The album was a huge hit in both Europe and the USA.
With “Radar Love” reaching #13 in the US, Golden Earring became an opening act for KISS and Aerosmith.

Golden Earring again secured chart success in 1982 with the release of "Twilight Zone" and “When the Lady Smiles”.

Unfortunately the band would not maintain their popularity in the US so they continued their music efforts in Europe. Golden Earring has recorded over 30 gold and platinum albums and singles.

The bands best- selling albums were Moontan, which sold over 1- million copies worldwide, and the unplugged acoustic live CD/DVD- The Naked Truth in 1992, which sold over 500,000 copies in the Netherlands alone.

Their successful unplugged theater tours started in 1992 and continue to date. The album was followed by Naked II, and the trilogy was completed in 2005 with Naked III Live at The Panama.

Golden Earring's upcoming studio album will be recorded live at the famous Abbey Road Studios London in July this year. In August the Dutch post group TNT Post will honor the band with a Golden Earring commemorative stamp for its 50th anniversary and golden jubilee as a rock band.

Got a classic rock story? Email them to me at rockraymond.shasho@gmail.com

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