Team HC

Quality tone and a wide-array of controls for any situation - rhythm or lead by Brian Johnston Classic in tone with a well thought-out design will have you moving from crunch rhythm to creamy leads effortlessly. Factor in the Voicing and Tone controls and the FR 100 will work with any amp and pickup selection, whether dark and muddy or trebly and bright. If you’re looking for a solid rock machine, this may be just what you're after. What You Need to Know The FR 100 produces incredibly ‘classic’ sounding rock rhythm and lead. Certainly it can sound specific to any number of dirty amp channels, if used to add a bit of dirt, but its character is more translucent when working with clean amp channels. The demo accompanying this review sets the pedal on the Mid Voicing (I cover Voicing later), which matched my gear best – being more mid-rangy rather than muddy or top end trebly. The main Drive (labeled Drive, as opposed to ‘Lead’ for the second channel) has a chunky dirt sound with the knob placed between 10 and 12 o’clock. Dialed back and the Drive is far more modest and cleans up very well; crank it up past 12 noon and it takes on a distortion quality. The second drive section (Lead) stacks with the first Drive. It adds some creamy saturation, remains very clear in the mix and while being slightly louder (a boost of 3-6dB to my ears) than the main Drive section. On its own it sounds very weak, but is meant to push the Drive section harder. You can adjust the loudness of the Lead channel by changing its settings under the chassis, although I find Foxrox dialed this in quite well and I never bothered to experiment. Although there are different combinations of Drive and Lead possible, a simple way to dial in quickly is to set the two controls the same, e.g., 12 noon. Dave Fox, the FR 100 designer and engineer, suggests for basic rock rhythm and lead to set both controls at 2 o’clock and tweak from there. Certainly if you want a bit more or less gain that recommendation would change, but I used the 2 o’clock position for much of the demo when playing a few compositions. The Tone knob has a decent range, although nothing excessive, e.g., no heavy booming bottom end or shrill/biting top end. Some of the gear used in the demo is a bit dark with humbucker guitars; although the guitars are very mid-range in output, the Tone setting sounded best around the 2-3 o’clock range. The sound still was fine with the Tone at 12 noon (a good starting point to discover an appropriate EQ), but I tend to prefer a higher-tone pitch. Regardless, there definitely is value in dialing in more bass and using the Low Voicing when working with bright Stratocasters, an AC30 amp, etc. For most guitars and gear not overly dark or bright, any of the Voicings will work, depending on the sound you’re after. The Mid position is the pedal’s natural sound without any additional tone shaping, while the Low position thickens and warms, whereas the High setting tightens the low end and adds resonance to the mids. The Low position works well for bright or thin-sounding gear and the High setting is ideal for dark-sounding gear. That makes sense, however, if you want a heavy sound for some psychedelic rock the Low setting certainly has its place; and if you want an edgier tone that cuts through the mix better, then the High setting may be your cup of tea. Overall, there’s a lot of experimental enjoyment ahead with the FR 100 since there’s so much possible tone sculpting. The FR 100 measures 122mm(D) × 76mm (W) × 72mm (H at its highest point of the Lead footswitch) or 4.8 (D) x 3.0 (W) x 2.85 (H) inches. It has a rugged steel chassis (635g or 1.4 pounds) powder-coated yellow with black writing. The bottom footswitch (Drive) has a solid click when engaged or disengaged, although silent with no popping in the signal. The top footswitch (Lead) is a silent soft-switch, thus making it easy to turn on and off without having to step heavily. The Lead footswitch sits higher than the other controls, and so there are no concerns about knob damage. The pots for Volume, Tone, Drive and Lead feel very solid and smooth when turned. The Voice toggle switch has a solid click when flipped and is protected by its own metal housing. The input, output and power insert all are located in the back, to prevent any possible cord damage and to save pedalboard real estate. The FR 100 works on a 9V battery or a 9VDC standard power supply (negative tip), operating at either 9v or 18v while utilizing only 24mA of power. Limitations The FR 100 by Foxrox deserves two-thumbs up – it sounds great with clean channels, but when turned low it really makes a dirty channel sparkle and shine. The FR may be slightly larger than the average pedal, although not by much, but its layout still is a space saver. Most other pedals in its category (two footswitch design) tend to have their footswitches parallel or next to one another (thereby taking up the space of two pedals in most instances). Consequently, the only drawbacks to the FR 100 may be its modestly larger size or that you may not like the sound of the drive – or that it is low to moderate gain and is not something used for modern or uber metal. In regard to that last point, there is a huge amount of heavy crunchy gain when both Drive and Lead are on and when playing rhythm in the lower register; this surprised me, since the FR 100 is described as being a moderate-gain pedal. Check out the demo, as I play a few riffs with both Drive and Lead engaged and it sounds pretty huge. Conclusions What makes a great overdrive is one that allows extensive tonal flexibility, to best match your gear, but also being able to work rhythm and lead (or lower-gain + higher-gain rhythm) without having to bend forward and tweak any knobs. The FR 100 merges two drives incredibly well, as the Lead boosts the main Drive just enough – although this can be adjusted under the hood. And although the Tone with Voicing can vary considerably, there is an unmistakable classic crunch and lead sound that sings through the mix. Whether working with a clean channel or used to help push a dirty channel that extra bit, the FR 100 sounds fantastic and certainly is not as well known as it should be. If you're looking for an all-purpose overdrive, the FR 100 is a worthy consideration. -HC- Resources Foxrox Electronics – FR 100 ($199 USD) Foxrox Electronics website - https://www.foxroxelectronics.com/FR100overdrive.html You can purchase the FR 100 direct from Foxrox Electronics, or from Prymaxe in the USA: https://www.prymaxe.com/collections/effects/foxrox-electronics and Axe and You Shall Receive in Canada: https://www.axeandyoushallreceive.com/brands/foxrox-electronics YouTube Demo Video: _________________________________________________________________ Brian Johnston is a Fitness Clinician in Ontario, Canada. His hobby is music composition and playing various instruments, as well as working with and reviewing gear that he likes. His YouTube channel is CoolGuitarGear.

Clearer and tighter tones with this Dual Vitalized Routing Interface By Brian Johnston If you think your tone sounds better with buffers designed within some of your pedals, then you will be even happier with the crisper and clearer tones of the DVI-1M. Your guitar tone and the voicing of your pedals will improve and cut through the mix even better than before. Developed by Providence from Japan, you are guaranteed quality components and sound results with this independent buffering and routing system. What You Need to Know The Dual Vitalized Routing Interface (herein referred to as the DVI-1M) is a multi-connection interface designed to eliminate signal loss and noise by way of its custom buffering electronics. Although the DVI-1M has several features and can be integrated, from simple to advanced (depending on your needs and gear usage), its main feature are the Vitalizer™ buffers, designed to convert high impedance signals that are more likely to degrade the sound of your gear. Sound degradation occurs due to several signal contacts, such as jacks, plugs, switches and long cables – which become more obvious with big pedalboards and guitar cables over 10-feet in length. In essence, the DVI-1M picks up the noise, but also accounts for the loss of higher (and some lower) frequencies degraded through cables, wiring and electric circuits. Another way to look at this is that these Vitalizers™ are ‘active impedance converters’ that preserves the true tone character while reducing ‘active sound’ or noise that is inherent in gear and that can color your sound. Although I can hear (as demonstrated in the demo) differences with nothing more than a guitar running into an amplifier and cab (IR), tone degradation is most apparent with volume and wah pedals, due to the high impedance signal received in those units. A quality buffering system, like the DVI-1M reduces those tonal changes. I did demonstrate a wah in the video, and what’s interesting is that the wah already has a built-in buffer and yet the DVI-1M still improved the clarity and growl of the wah. Other demonstrations in the video involve an overdrive, a modulation pedal (set on fixed wah) and a tremolo/vibrato pedal. In all instances the tone was clearer and the effect/voicing of the pedals more pronounced and lively. Now that the DVI-1M’s function or purpose has been established, let’s consider its other features. First, there is a MUTE function (triggered by an external latch or footswitch). When the DVI-1M is powered, its LED is blue, whereas when the system is muted it flashed red. When engaged it will mute the signal at the end of the effect chain when using the Send-Return, thereby shutting off all sound/noise within the pedalboard system. This is ideal for tuning or whenever you need to cut out the signal (e.g., when changing guitars). Be aware, however, that having a delay or reverb running through the DVI-1M’s FX Loop will cut off any tails and trails if you suddenly mute the system. The Mute circuit also uses a relay contact that does not alter sound quality, and with its ‘pop noise reduction’ you won’t hear any noise when switching on or off. The Tuner feature allows for a separate out, although a flip of a switch under the DVI-1M’s cover allows you to convert the tuner’s out to a parallel out. With two other OUTs (Out to amp and the Send can be used as an ‘out’) this provides upward of three parallel outs for a host of advanced hookups. The Return/Send section of the DVI-1M operates like a usual FX Loop on the back of an amp. I was amazed at how expressive and full-bodied my effects sound going through the DVI-1M, as opposed to an amp’s FX Loop or running before (e.g., overdrive) or after (e.g., modulation) an amp. There are two Thru inputs, structured as a stereo (TRS) signal line. Both are completely isolated and can be used for various hookups, in switching systems, amp channel selecting and to have two signal connections to external devices, e.g., a fuzz or delay pedal. An improvement in sound is desirable if you can use such a device and if it can work with your gear, whether simple or complex. The DVI-1M was designed to accommodate a host of possibilities. In the Resources section below are some sample layouts that incorporate only a few pedals in some instances, to more advanced setups using multi-amp (with or without PA), MIDI, switching systems and effects controllers. Limitations Even if you plug straight into an amp you will hear a difference in sound quality using a buffering circuit – particularly if your guitar cable is more than ten feet in length; the DVI-1M delivers in this regard, but also in its flexibility. It was designed to be implemented in a number of ways and with just about any conceivable setup imagined, and its layout permits its pedalboard placement to be vertical or horizontal (to accommodate preferred cabling from top/bottom or along the sides). And since the Muting option is controlled by an external latch/footswitch) it is possible to mount the DVI-1M under your pedalboard (along with the power supply) to save on board real-estate. Be aware that doing so would not permit you to see the blue or flashing red LED. With all this in mind there are no glaring limitations to the DVI-1M. Conclusions A clearer and truer tone is possible with a quality buffering system. The DVI-1M has two Vitalizer™ buffering circuits located at the In-Out and FX Loop (Send/Return), guaranteeing the elimination of noise and tone degradation in a host of possible hookups and even with switching boards and MIDI controllers. The DVI-1M’s design also allows for stereo amplification and PA (concurrently if desired), a separate Tuner out and a Mute function that is completely popless and that can double as a kill-switch effect. At the price of a typical pedal ($180 USD) it offers a lot in optimizing tone with fantastic flexibility. The DVI-1M can be operated on 9VDC or 18VDC, as well as a standard 9VDC battery (included). -HC- Resources Providence DMI-1M Dual Vitalized Routing Interface ($180 USD) Providence’s web page You can purchase the DMI-1M from: www.GuitarPedalShoppe.com www.PedalGeek.com www.SoundsGreatMusic.com YouTube Demo: Setup Examples: _________________________________________________________________ Brian Johnston is a Fitness Clinician in Ontario, Canada. His hobby is music composition and playing various instruments, as well as working with and reviewing gear that he likes. His YouTube channel is CoolGuitarGear.

Four channel 100 watt tube amp in a compact pedal-style design by Brian Johnston Thomas Blug is a world-class guitarist who has built his own amps and cabinets for several years. His vision was to develop an amp that was portable, lightweight, suitable for pedalboards, and it had to sound great. He hit the nail on the head in every instant, starting with the Amp1 (discontinued and replaced with the Mercury edition), and currently with the new Iridium edition – a 100 watt amp (both pre-amp and power amp) with four channels (clean, vintage, classic, and modern) and a ton of options, including tone sculpting controls (beyond the usual EQ), boost, reverb, noise gate, FX loop and a separate ‘soaker’ master volume so that you can achieve whatever range of sounds you want at any level (for recording, private practice and full-fledged gigs). What You Need to Know Whether considering the Mercury edition or the Iridium edition, you will be hard pressed to find any negative reviews or unhappy users of the AMP1 system. Whatever voice you choose, the tone is clear, well-defined and dynamic; you get authentic tube response based on your playing, whether soft or aggressive. The included demo goes through four different voices (clean, vintage, classic, and modern) and with various tone/gain combinations. Although this is a metal-based amp, dialing back the Gain and easing off on the guitar’s volume produces only modest overdrive for lighter rock compositions. And the ultra clear Clean channel takes pedals very well, so that you can add a low gain OD pedal for that softer touch. I’ll begin with the Clean channel (engaged/disengaged via the left footswitch), which both sparkles and sounds very even in bass, midrange and treble response. Thomas Blug developed and voiced all the channels from his favorite amps in his collection, and you can tell this one has a lot of Fender overtones. Adding Gain to this channel provides only a bit of bite, and so you can get that clean sizzle and light crunch if desired. What impressed me even more is the Boost function; it works equally well with all channels, in that it adds that extra pizzazz, from a clean boost to some extra hair without sounding abrasive or too loud. When adding Boost to the Clean channel the notes thicken and sound fuller, allowing you to go from a slinky clean for funk to well-rounded overtones for blues and jazz. When remaining very clean, humbuckers sound best with the Gain six or lower, whereas single coils shine best with the Gain six and beyond (this range is true of the Gain channels as well, and on average). The Vintage channel has a good amount of dirt with that ‘hard rock’ 1970s vibe and likely modeled from a Marshall Plexi. Ideal for blues to AC/DC, pair it with a metal guitar and you definitely can get something beyond the era. With the Boost turned low you get a very clean, yet woody response; turn the Boost up and the tone gets creamier and more expressive. Both the Clean and Vintage channels work exceptionally well with gain pedals, whether distortion, overdrive or fuzz. The Classic and Modern channels are a bit hairy to add gain pedals (although they sound fantastic with wah), but it can be done if the Gain on the Amp1 Iridium is on the low side and the distortion/OD pedal left at a modest level as well. The Classic channel gives more of that Brown Sound, with its tight, punchy and dynamic responses. When adding Boost you get more overtones, so those pinch harmonics really sing out during leads and snappy rhythms. As well, this channel has a separate Tone knob, so that you can dial in various flavors that span the late 1970s and even into modern rock/metal territory (the harmonics and tone become more aggressive and tight when turning the custom Tone up). The Modern channel produces American high-gain sounds with ultra-tight bass/midrange response and searing highs. You can hear elements of MESA, ENGL and even Diezel to some degree. This channel also is rather diverse, based on its custom Tone knob setting. When turned all the way down you get thick proto-metal riffage and fat lead; but as you turn it up the tone changes more to high-gain rock/metal (midway) to industrial ultra metal (full stop). Let’s look at the various features to this wunderbar amp. There is the typical EQ, of bass, midrange and treble, but what sets this apart is that the same settings for any of the channels coordinate rather well. In effect, the tone controls have been designed for all channels to share and to achieve a balanced outcome, thereby negating the need to tweak the EQ constantly. Perhaps you want a big mid-scoop with the Modern channel and not the Classic channel, and so some tweaking is required, unless saving presets in the three footswitches (I’ll address that later). As mentioned, the Classic and Modern channels have additional custom Tone sculpting controls and they make a difference in what you hear (e.g., the Modern channel can have an ‘older’ high-gain modern sound when turned down, whereas the sound has more ‘bite’ for an ‘industrial’ modern sound when turned up). Those added custom Tone controls are located along the left side of the Amp1 Iridium, together with Volume fine-tuning knobs (to better balance the three gain channels with the Clean channel), a Boost and a Noise Gate. The Boost (engaged via the middle footswitch) is one of the best I’ve used and heard. It adds a modest increase in volume that is audible when wanting heavier rhythms or to make the lead pop, but not a ridiculous amount that likely never would be used (if you’re already loud, who needs another 20dB of volume and with all the added hiss?). The Boost also has different characteristics, in that it acts as a clean boost when dialed down and with progressively more drive when turned up, thereby adding more hair to the original signal. The Noise Gate works exceptionally, although it can be shut off. The ‘Soft’ gate version cuts out a bit of noise and takes longer to taper, which is ideal for lead or when playing some moderate-gain rhythm. The Metal Gate is a hard gate and stops all noise/signal on a dime, perfect for higher-gain and modern metal chugging. In fact, that Gate also works well with lead if you’re not hanging too long on any notes. An added feature to the Metal Gate is that it automatically shuts off the Reverb function (Reverb remains on with the Soft Gate) so that you don’t get an artificial reverb-ending dynamic. The Reverb is a spring-type digital reverb (although it does have some plate overtones to my ears and is not ‘springy’ in the vintage amp sense), activated by the left footswitch. It produces very modest reverb and enough to add dimension and depth to a guitar’s tone. Consequently, even when turned up full it sounds very appropriate, pleasing and non-dominant in the mix. Volume to the Amp is controlled in several ways. As indicated, there are individual Volume control knobs along the side of the unit, so that you can balance the three gain channels with each other and with the Clean channel. The three gain channels then share a Gain and Master, the latter of which enables you to determine how hard and loud the Gain is pushed. And then there’s the Master Volume control, which contains a custom ‘Soaker’ that enables you to get that cranked amp sound quality at any level without sacrificing the quality of tone, ideal for practice, home recording, PA mixing and going to cabinet with wattage ranging from 30 to 100 watts – perfect for small venues and up to big arenas (FYI, the internal fan switches on automatically only when the unit gets hot and needs to cool). The Clean channel has its own dedicated Volume control. Various connections can be made in the back of the Amp1 Iridium. You can connect both 8 Ohm and 16 Ohm speaker cabinets (or go direct to a DI or IR box). Running headphones or a cable direct from the Rec Out utilizes the internal cab sim, whereas connecting via the speaker out bypasses the internal cab sim. There is an FX send/return to add whatever effects you want and you can run these in serial or parallel for different outcomes (using the switch on the left side). There is a remote to add Bluguitar’s Remote 1, for complete control of the Amp1 Iridium (MIDI, patch saving/access and looping), but you also can connect a basic two-switch system to switch from the Clean to the Gain Channels and to turn the Boost on/off. This would be required if you decide to save presets in the three available footswitches, rather than use them to engage clean vs. dirt, boost and reverb. On that note, the Amp1 Iridium does come with three built-in presets that you can access and/or change. If using the double footswitch option, you then have four channels and a switchable boost; three of the channels would be saved in the footswitches and the clean would be accessible via the external footswitch. The saved presets can be any combination or the same gain channel (e.g., Vintage + Vintage + Classic, all Modern, etc.). Some musicians who play a wide variety of music and covers may require more presets (thus the Remote 1), whereas bands that play their own music will do well with four channels since they are dealing with fewer sound variations. Limitations There are a host of features with the Bluguitar Amp1 Iridium and with few limitations. One drawback may be that there is no stereo out, meaning you require two Amp1s if your stereo effects run through the effects loop (as opposed to the end of the chain). Considering this is a high-gain or Metal model, as opposed to a product made for ambient music and wanting delay/reverb coming from opposing speakers, that factor may be a moot point. A second limitation may be that although you can save three presets to each of the footswitches, you lose the Boost and Reverb functions associated with those switches (since you’re reassigning their purposes). If the presets either include or exclude one or both features, then you’re set since all presets either have boost and/or reverb or they do not. Nonetheless, adding a dual-switch (which plugs into the Remote jack) allows you to switch between clean and driven and to engage/disengage the boost. For even more control, a separate footboard (Bluguitar’s Remote 1) allows for the saving of several presets, besides having other functions like looping and MIDI. A third limitation would be the need to have a Bluguitar technician remove and replace the soldered-in nanotube if and when it eventually burns out. This may not be a significant factor, since unlike other tube amps that require more regular attention, repair and tube replacement, the directly-soldered nanotube tube design is meant to last several years (even beyond the life of the user). Conclusions Having a four-channel amp in such a small design made for a pedalboard (or on the floor) is a great step forward for gigging musicians, as well as home/studio-based hobbyists. The tone is super clear, cutting and punchy… and you can achieve metal tones that are based on warmer vintage styles if you’re not into the ultra or industrial metal genres. The Clean channel is an incredible pedal platform, whether working with ambient or OD/distortion/fuzz pedals and the variations among the three gain channels are significant enough that there’s something for everyone. In fact, ease off on the Gain and dial back on your guitar’s volume knob and you get some very subdued crunch tones when you’re not in the metal mood. The Reverb is subtle and complimentary, the EQ is highly responsive and flexible, and the Boost is exceptional in how it helps to carve your tone without excess signal boosting (there’s a difference in loudness when engaged, but nothing boisterous or brazen). Although a true 100-watt amplifier, the Master control has a unique power soak that enables you to dial back to less than a watt without losing tone, perfect for quiet practice (even if you're not wearing headphones). I have used another pedalboard amps with far less satisfaction (cold and almost ‘metallic’ sounding, it did not like pedals and although high-gain it lacked enough gain and balls for my liking), but the Amp1 Iridium is in a league of its own. If you’re shopping around for the latest hi-gain amp, you seriously need to investigate BluGuitar’s offering as it gives you multiple flavors of hi-gain, but also moderate gain (for heavy, hard rock of yesteryear) and a superb clean channel. - HC - Want to discuss the BluGuitar AMP1 Iridium? Then be sure to visit this thread in the Amps forum, right here on Harmony Central. Resources Bluguitar – Amp 1 Iridium Edition ($849.99 USD) Bluguitar web page https://www.bluguitar.com/iridium/ You can purchase the Amp1 Iridium from: Sweetwater (USA) Long & McQuade (Canada) Just Music (Berlin) Demo Video: _________________________________________________________________ Brian Johnston is a Fitness Clinician in Ontario, Canada. His hobby is music composition and playing various instruments, as well as working with and reviewing gear that he likes. His YouTube channel is CoolGuitarGear.

Read on for a look back at other significant moments that shaped rock and roll during this historically eventful month. Events 1961 – The Beach Boys release “Surfin,” their first single, on the tiny label Candix Records. 1960 - Aretha Franklin performs her very first concert. The show is at the Village Vanguard in New York City. 1960 – A 12-year-old James Taylor receives his first guitar as a Christmas present. 1962 - Bob Dylan visited England for the first time. On that same trip, he plays his first show in London at the Troubadour Club. 1963 – Capitol Records releases the first Beatles single in America- “I Want to Hold Your Hand,” along with “I Saw Her Standing There.” 1966 - Jimi Hendrix, now a rising star, makes his first UK TV appearance on  Ready Steady Go. 1967 – The Beatles’ Magical Mystery Tour movie debuts on Great Britain’s BBC television network. 1968 – Graham Nash quits The Hollies. The formation of Crosby, Stills and Nash is announced just a few days later. 1968 – The Miami Pop Festival takes place, marking the first major rock festival held on America’s East Coast. Fleetwood Mac, Chuck Berry, Steppenwolf, Iron Butterfly, the Grateful Dead and more perform. 1968 – Led Zeppelin sets off on their first U.S. tour, opening in Denver, Colorado, for Vanilla Fudge and Spirit. 1969 - John Lennon performs his final live concert ever in the UK. He performs with the Plastic Ono Band at the Lyceum Ballroom in London, and it's a Christmas benefit show with UNICEF. 1969 – Led Zeppelin appear on the U.S. singles chart for the first time, with “Whole Lotta Love.” 1970 – The Rolling Stones film documentary, Gimme Shelter, opens in New York City. 1970 - The Doors perform their final  show with Jim Morrison. It's at the Warehouse in New Orleans. 1971 – Sly and the Family Stone’s “Family Affair” begins a three-week run atop the U.S. singles chart. 1972 – The Moody Blues’ Seventh Sojourn album begins a five-week run atop the U.S. album chart. 1972 - Genesis plays their debut U.S. show at Massachusetts' Brandeis University. 1973 – AC/DC hit the stage for the first time in Sydney, Australia. 1973 – The legendary punk/New Wave club CBGB opens in Manhattan. 1974 – Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham are recruited to become members of Fleetwood Mac. 1974 – Carl Douglass’s “Kung Fu Fighting” tops the U.S. singles chart. 1974 - Mick Taylor announces his his departure from the Rolling Stones. Ronnie Wood replaces him and stays with the Stones permanently. 1975 – The Faces formally call it quits. 1980 – Led Zeppelin formally announce the band will not continue, in the wake of drummer John Bonham’s death. 1980 – U2 stage their first concert in the U.S., performing at The Ritz in New York City. 1981 – The J. Geils Band performs for prisoners at Boston's Norfolk Correctional Center 1984 – Def Leppard drummer Rick Allen loses his left arm after crashing his Corvette. He remains the drummer of Def Leppard. 1985 – Country rocker Rick Nelson is killed, plus six other passengers, when the chartered airplane that they are flying crashes. 1988 – Roy Orbison performs his last concert, staging a show in Cleveland, Ohio. Two days after the performance he dies from heart failure. 1990 - Led Zeppelin IV is certified Diamond, having sold 10 million in America. 1992 – Bassist Bill Wyman quits the Rolling Stones, ending his 30-year-plus run with the band. 1993 – During the making of a video for Travis Tritt’s cover of “Take It Easy,” the Eagles decide to reunite and tour. 1994 – Green Day performs at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Earlier that year, the band was playing small clubs, so this is a major change. 1995 – The Grateful Dead announce their breakup, four months after the death of Jerry Garcia. 1999 – George Harrison is stabbed by a mentally disturbed intruder who breaks into his home. 2007 – Led Zeppelin reunites for a one-off performance at the 02 Arena in London. Jason Bonham handles the drums in place of his late father, John Bonham. 2015 – Carole King is recognized for her lifetime contributions to the arts at the Kennedy Center Honors. 2015 – David Bowie attends the opening night of the Lazarus production at the New York Theatre Workshop in Manhattan. It is to be his last public appearance. 2016 – Bob Dylan accepts the Nobel Prize for Literature. Releases 1964 – The Beatles: Beatles for Sale 1964 - The Beatles: Beatles '65 1965 – The Byrds: Turn! Turn! Turn! 1965 – Rolling Stones: December’s Children (And Everybody’s) 1965 – The Beatles: Rubber Soul 1966 – Buffalo Springfield: Buffalo Springfield 1966 – Cream: Fresh Cream 1967 – Rolling Stones: Their Satanic Majesties Request 1967 – Bob Dylan: John Wesley Harding 1967 – Leonard Cohen: The Songs of Leonard Cohen 1967 - The Who: The Who Sell Out 1967 – Traffic: Mr. Fantasy 1968 – Rolling Stones: Beggars Banquet 1968 – James Taylor: James Taylor 1968 - Blood, Sweat & Tears: Blood, Sweat & Tears 1969 – Grand Funk Railroad: Grand Funk 1969 – Rolling Stones: Let It Bleed 1969 – Blue Cheer: Blue Cheer 1970 – Wishbone Ash: Wishbone Ash 1970 – Credence Clearwater Revival: Pendulum 1970 - John Lennon,  John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band 1971 – America: America 1971 - David Bowie: Hunky Dory 1972 - The Rolling Stones, More Hot Rocks 1972 - Status Quo: Piledriver 1973 – Paul McCartney and Wings: Band on the Run 1973 – Yes: Tales from Topographic Oceans 1974 – George Harrison: Dark Horse 1974 – Yes: Relayer 1974 - Joe Walsh: So What 1975 – Bachman-Turner Overdrive: Head On 1975 – Bob Marley & the Wailers: Live! 1976 – Wings: Wings Over America 1976 – Blondie: Blondie 1976 – Eagles: Hotel California 1977 – Jackson Browne: Running on Empty 1977 – Al Green: The Belle Album 1979 – Todd Rundgren’s Utopia: Adventures in Utopia 1980 - The Clash: Sandinista! 1980 – Steve Winwood: Arc of a Diver 1981 – Black Flag: Damaged 1986 – Joan Jett and the Blackhearts: Good Music 1987 -- Alison Krauss: Too Late to Cry 1987 – Foreigner: Inside Information 1987 - Dinosaur Jr.: You're Living All Over Me 1994 – Pearl Jam: Vitalogy 1994 – Bush: Sixteen Stone 2000 - Tool: Salival (box set) 2001 – No Doubt: Rock Steady 2003 – The Offspring: Splinter 2008 - Fall Out Boy: Folie à Deux 2011 – The Black Keys: El Camino Deaths Leadbelly (Huddie Ledbetter) – Dec. 6, 1949 Sam Cooke - December 11, 1964 Otis Redding – Dec. 10, 1967 Bert Berns (wrote “Hang on Sloopy” and “Twist and Shout”) – Dec. 30, 1967 Magic Sam – Dec. 1, 1969 Gary Thain (Uriah Heep) – Dec. 8, 1975 Tommy Bolin – Dec. 4, 1976 Freddie King – Dec. 28, 1976 Chris Bell (Big Star) – Dec. 27, 1978 John Lennon – Dec. 8, 1980 Tim Hardin – Dec. 29, 1980 Marty Robbins – Dec. 8, 1982 Big Joe Williams (blues musician) - December 17, 1982 Dennis Wilson – Dec. 28, 1983 Rick Nelson – Dec. 31, 1985 Roy Orbison – Dec. 6, 1988 Frank Zappa – Dec. 4, 1993 Doug Hopkins (Gin Blossoms) – Dec. 4, 1993 Dean Martin - Dec. 25, 1995 Clarence “Satch” Satchell (The Ohio Players) – Dec. 30, 1995 Faron Young – Dec. 10, 1996 Floyd Cramer – Dec. 31, 1997 Lynn Strait - December 11, 1998 Rick Danko (The Band) – Dec. 10, 1999 Curtis Mayfield – Dec. 26, 1999 Rufus Thomas - December 14, 2001 Zal Yanovsky (The Lovin' Spoonful) - December 13, 2002 Meri Wilson – Dec. 28, 2002 Dimebag Darrell – Dec. 8, 2004 Hank Garland – Dec. 27, 2004 Odetta – Dec. 2, 2008 Dennis Yost (Classics IV) – Dec. 7, 2008 Delaney Bramlett – Dec. 27, 2008 Captain Beefheart - December 17, 2010 Hubert Sumlin – Dec. 4, 2011 Dobie Gray – Dec. 6, 2011 Dave Brubeck – Dec. 5, 2012 Junior Murvin – Dec. 2, 2013 Tommy Ruger- December 11, 2013 Bobby Keys – Dec. 2, 2014 Ian McLagan (Small Faces, Faces) – Dec. 3, 2014 Dawn Sears- December 11, 2014 Scott Weiland – Dec. 3, 2015 Stevie Wright (The Easybeats) – Dec. 27, 2015 Lemmy Kilmister – Dec. 28, 2015 Greg Lake – Dec. 7, 2016 George Michael - Dec. 25, 2016 Births Ira Gershwin – Dec. 6, 1896 Frank Sinatra - December 12, 1915 Pops Staples – Dec. 28, 1915 Johnny Otis – Dec. 28, 1921 Sammy Davis, Jr. – Dec. 8, 1925 Bo Diddley – Dec. 30, 1928 Odetta – Dec. 31, 1930 Scotty Moore – Dec. 27, 1931 Little Richard – Dec. 5, 1932 Junior Wells – Dec. 9, 1934 Del Shannon – Dec. 30, 1934 Tom Brumley - December 11, 1935 J.J. Cale – Dec. 5, 1938 Jerry Butler – Dec. 8, 1939 Felix Pappalardi (Mountain) – Dec. 30, 1939 Phil Spector – Dec. 26, 1940 Mike Pinder (The Moody Blues) – Dec. 27, 1941 Ray Thomas (The Moody Blues) – Dec. 29, 1941 Chris Hillman (The Flying Burrito Brothers, The Byrds) – Dec. 4, 1942 Bob Mosley (Moby Grape) – Dec. 4, 1942 Harry Chapin – Dec. 7, 1942 Rick Danko (The Band) – Dec. 29, 1942 Michael Nesmith (The Monkees) – Dec. 30, 1942 Mike Smith (The Dave Clark Five) – Dec. 6, 1943 Dickey Betts (The Allman Brothers Band) - December 12, 1943 Jim Morrison – Dec. 8, 1943 Pete Sinfield (King Crimson) – Dec. 27, 1943 John Denver – Dec. 31, 1943 Eric Bloom (Blue Oyster Cult) – Dec. 1, 1944 John Densmore (The Doors) – Dec. 1, 1944 Chris Hillman – Dec. 4, 1944 Dennis Wilson – Dec. 4, 1944 Mick Jones (Foreigner) – Dec. 27, 1944 Noel Redding (bass player for the Jimi Hendrix Experience) - Dec. 25, 1945 Davy Jones (The Monkees) – Dec. 30, 1945 Gilbert O'Sullivan – Dec. 1, 1946 Dennis Dunaway (Alice Cooper) – Dec. 9, 1946 Carmine Appice (Vanilla Fudge) - December 15, 1946 Jimmy Buffett - Dec. 25, 1946 Edgar Winter – Dec. 28, 1946 Marianne Faithfull – Dec. 29, 1946 Patti Smith – Dec. 30, 1946 Jim Messina – Dec. 5, 1947 Gregg Allman – Dec. 8, 1947 Cozy Powell – Dec. 29, 1947 Jeff Lynne – Dec. 30, 1947 Burton Cummings (The Guess Who) – Dec. 31, 1947 Ozzy Osbourne – Dec. 3, 1948 Southside Johnny – Dec. 4, 1948 Jeff "Skunk" Baxter (The Doobie Brothers, Steely Dan) - December 13, 1948 Ted Nugent - December 13, 1948 Donna Summer – Dec. 31, 1948 Mickey Thomas (Jefferson Starship) – Dec. 3, 1949 Tom Waits – Dec. 7, 1949 Cliff Williams (AC/DC) - December 14, 1949 Paul Rodgers (Free) - December 17, 1949 Dan Hartman – Dec. 8, 1950 Billy Gibbons - December 16, 1950 Alex Chilton – Dec. 28, 1950 Jaco Pastorius – Dec. 1, 1951 Gary Rossington – Dec. 4, 1951 Robben Ford - December 16, 1951 David Knopfler (Dire Straits) – Dec. 27, 1951 Tom Hamilton (Aerosmith) – Dec. 31, 1951 Duane Roland (Molly Hatchet) – Dec. 3, 1952 Bruce Kulick (Kiss) - December 12, 1953 Robin Campbell (lead guitarist for UB40) - Dec. 25, 1954 Annie Lennox - Dec. 25, 1954 Randy Rhoads – Dec. 6, 1956 Peter Buck – Dec. 6, 1956 Phil Collen (Def Leppard) – Dec. 8, 1956 Mike Mesaros (The Smithereens) - December 11, 1957 Nikki Sixx (Motley Crue) - December 11, 1958 Mike Mills (R.E.M.) - December 17, 1958 Paul Westerberg – Dec. 31, 1959 Rick Savage (Def Leppard) – Dec. 2, 1960 Jim Reid (The Jesus and Mary Chain) – Dec. 29, 1961 Lars Ulrich – Dec. 26, 1963 Johnny Rzeznik – Dec. 5, 1965 Dexter Holland (The Offspring) – Dec. 29, 1965 Sinead O’Connor – Dec. 8, 1966 Jakob Dylan – Dec. 9, 1969 Noel Hogan (guitarist for the Cranberries) - Dec. 25, 1971 Tom Delonge (Blink 182) - December 13, 1975 Dan Hawkins (The Darkness) - December 12, 1976 Sara Bareilles – Dec. 7, 1979 Amy Lee (Evanescence) - December 13, 1981 ________________________________________________________________- Anne Erickson holds years of bylines in Gannett Media publications, as well as music magazines Premier Guitar, Guitar Edge and more. She also hosts radio shows with iHeartRadio and has been syndicated in Seattle, Dayton, Central Coast California and beyond. Anne is a loyal Spartan and holds a Master’s degree from MSU. She resides in Lansing, Michigan.A

by Anne Erickson Christmas and heavy music make for strange bedfellows. That said, a handful of rock and metal personalities have managed to knock out holiday sets that are actually really good, both placing their muscular stamp on Christmas classics and crafting entirely new yuletide tunes. Read on for 10 hard rock and metal Christmas albums that might prove the perfect fit for background music at Christmas dinner. Okay, maybe that’s a stretch, but, nonetheless, these releases sure rock! 10. The Vandals, Christmas with the Vandals To say The Vandals’ Christmas with the Vandals is not your traditional Christmas album is an understatement. The California punk-rock outfit dish out cynical tracks such as “I Don’t Believe in Santa Claus” and “Thanx for Nothing,” in typical anti-establishment, punk rock tradition. This is a good bet for someone with a sense of humor and love for DIY punk. 9. We Wish You a Hairy Christmas featuring Warrant, L.A. Guns and more Who says hair metal fans can’t have a merry Christmas? We Wish You a Hairy Christmas features glam-rockers Warrant covering The Kinks’ “Father Christmas,” Faster Pussycat putting their spin on “Silent Night,” L.A. Guns doing “Run Run Rudolph” and more amusing arrivals. Have a fan of ’80s metal glory on your Christmas list? This set might do the trick. 8. Smash Mouth, The Gift of Rock Rock is really a wonderful gift, right? That’s the idea behind novelty rock band Smash Mouth’s The Gift of Christmas, which has the California group covering rock holiday classics (“Snoopy’s Christmas,” “Come on Christmas, Christmas Come On; “Zat You, Santa Claus?”) instead of strictly traditional yuletide tunes. Who you expect anything less from the quirky pop band? 7. Psychostick, The Flesh Eating Rollerskate Holiday Joyride With a title like The Flesh Eating Rollerskate Holiday Joyride, it’s no surprise that this Christmas album is packed with flat-out crazy holiday tunes. From the heavy metal to the sardonic, song titles like “Holiday Hate” and “Jingle Bell Metal” get the point across. 6. Twisted Sister, A Twisted Christmas On A Twisted Christmas, Dee Snider and his glam group riddle the cherished Christmas carol through a hair metal lens, putting their mark on traditional songs such as “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” “Oh Come All Ye Faithful,” “White Christmas” and “I’ll Be Home for Christmas.” While the songs no doubt carry Twisted Sister’s heavy metal edge and punk energy, Snider and company keep relatively close to the originals, and that makes this a surprisingly conventional score. 5. The Reverend Horton Heat, We Three Kings We Three Kings is a group of 12 classic Christmas songs, plus one new original, flogged into an edgy lather of twang-y guitar and steady percussion by Jim Heath and posse. Fans of rockabilly, punk and blues will likely find charm in this set, which offers such classics as “What Child is This,” “Jingle Bells” and “Frosty the Snowman.” 4. Scott Weiland, The Most Wonderful Time of the Year Scott Weiland – the same guy behind ’90s grunge bastion Stone Temple Pilots – is doing a Christmas album? Really? That was the reaction when the news hit that Weiland was prepping a set of straight-laced Christmas traditionals! The set, titled The Most Wonderful Time of the Year, arrived this fall, and what’s perhaps more surprising is how Weiland captures the Christmas spirit with ease. His lush tenor proves a perfect fit with jolly, festival tunes like “White Christmas,” “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” and “What Child is This?” We give Weiland props for stepping outside of the grunge rock mold! 3. Halford, Halford III: Winter Songs Heavy metal and Christmas make for unlikely buddies, but Judas Priest frontman Halford makes it work on Halford III: Winter Songs, approaching Christmas songs such as “Come All Ye Faithful” and “We Three Kings” with the same seriousness and conviction that he brings to Priest favorites. While the release still sounds very “metal” and may not be conventional enough for Christmas dinner, it’s a consistent and listenable release, and the metal genre should be happy to claim it under their roster. 2. Black Label Society, Glorious Christmas Songs That Will Make Your Black Label Heart Feel Good Brawny guitarist Zakk Wylde’s Southern-fried metal collective, Black Label Society, show that they have the kind of sensitivity to melody that comes with years of honing their skills with this three-song, instrumental, acoustic Christmas EP. The set – Glorious Christmas Songs That Will Make Your Black Label Heart Feel Good (available on iTunes) – features the yuletide favorites “I’ll Be Home for Christmas,” “Oh Little Town of Bethlehem” and “It’s a Wonderful World.” This one you might actually be able to get by your significant other to play at Christmas dinner! 1. We Wish You A Metal Xmas & A Headbanging New Year featuring ZZ Top’s Billy Gibbons, Dave Grohl and more On We Wish You A Metal Xmas & A Headbanging New Year, a collection of rock and metal greats put their talents together to pay tribute to the merriest time of year. Album highlights are plenty, including Motörhead’s Lemmy Kilmister, Foo Fighters’ Dave Grohl and ZZ Top’s Billy Gibbons rocking out together on “Run Run Rudolph” and Testament‘s Chuck Billy and Anthrax’s Scott Ian putting their spin on “Silent Night.” Further appearances include Alice Cooper, Ratt frontman Stephen Pearcy and Black Sabbath‘s Tony Iommi. It’s safe to call this the definitive heavy music Christmas album! ________________________________________________________________ Anne Erickson holds years of bylines in Gannett Media publications, as well as music magazines Premier Guitar, Guitar Edge and more. She also hosts radio shows with iHeartRadio and has been syndicated in Seattle, Dayton, Central Coast California and beyond. Anne is a loyal Spartan and holds a Master’s degree from MSU. She resides in Lansing, Michigan.A

One of rock’s most important bands made their U.S. television debut, a glam-rock icon staged his own episode of “The Midnight Special,” and Nirvana taped an historic concert. A spate of classic albums was released as well, including landmark records by The Velvet Underground, John Lennon, and U2. Read on for a look back at other significant moments that shaped rock and roll during this historically eventful week. Events 1956 – “Love Me Tender,” the first feature film to star Elvis Presley, premieres at the Paramount Theater in New York. 1955 - RCA Records scoops up Elvis Presley's recording contract from Sun Records for $35,000. It's a move that proves invaluable. 1960 - It's discovered that George Harrison is underage, and the Beatles have to perform at Hamburg's Kaiserkeller Club without their 17-year-old band member. 1960 – Ray Charles’ “Georgia on My Mind” tops the singles chart. 1964 - The UK's first commercial radio station, called Radio Manx, starts broadcasting from the Isle of Man. 1964 - The Who perform their first concert under their new name, after going by The High Numbers, at London's Marquee Club. 1965 - The Jimi Hendrix Experience performs in public in the UK for the first time at the Bag O'Nails Club in London. 1965 – The Rolling Stones make their U.S. national TV debut, performing “Get Off of My Cloud” on NBC’s “Hullabaloo.” 1966 – Jefferson Airplane records “Somebody to Love.” 1966 – The Doors sign a seven-album deal with Electra Records. 1967 – Pink Floyd kick off their first U.K. tour, performing at London’s Royal Albert Hall. The band is part of a package tour that includes The Nice, The Move, and headliner Jimi Hendrix – among others. 1968 – The Beatles’ animated film “Yellow Submarine” makes its New York premiere. 1968 - Eric Clapton, Ginger Baker and Jack Bruce perform their final concert as Cream at London's Royal Albert Hall. 1968 – Led Zeppelin stage their first-ever show, performing at Manchester College of Science & Technology in the U.K. 1970 – Santana release the single, “Black Magic Woman.” 1973 – David Bowie is the featured artist in a special edition of ABC’s “The Midnight Special.” The elaborately staged special is called “The 1980 Floor Show.” 1973 – The Who’s second rock opera, Quadrophenia, enters the U.K. album chart, eventually peaking at Number 2. 1974 – John Lennon’s “Whatever Gets You Through the Night” tops the U.S. singles chart. 1976 - The Band plays their final show at the Winterland Ballroom in San Francisco. 1979 – The Guinness Book of World Records certifies that ABBA is the biggest-selling recording group in music history. 1983 – Michael Jackson’s 14-minute Thriller video makes its debut in a theater in Los Angeles. MTV will begin airing the film the following month. 1984 - Michael Jackson scores a star on Hollywood's Walk of Fame directly in front of Mann's famous Chinese Theatre, creating the largest-ever crowd for such an unveiling. 1993 – Guitarist Ritchie Blackmore quits Deep Purple following a concert in Helsinki. It’s the second time Blackmore has left the band, and this time he does not return. 1993 – Nirvana tapes their MTV Unplugged concert in New York. The show is shot in a single day. 2000 – The Beatles’ launch their first official website. The launch coincides with the release of their compilation album, 1. 2004 – Gwen Stefani makes her television debut as a solo artist, singing at the annual American Music Awards. 2006 – Led Zeppelin is inducted into the U.K. Music Hall of Fame, with Queen’s Roger Taylor performing the honors. 2008 - Roughly 14 years after Axl Rose started working on it, Guns N' Roses' Chinese Democracy is finally unleashed. 2010 – Patti Smith wins the National Book Award for her acclaimed memoir, “Just Kids.” 2013 - Loretta Lynn is honored at the White House with the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Releases 1970 -- Syd Barrett: Barrett 1970 – The Velvet Underground: Loaded 1963 - The Beatles: With the Beatles 1965 - The Kinks: The Kink Controversy 1968 - The Beatles: The Beatles 1968 - The Kinks: The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society 1970 – Grand Funk Railroad: Live 1970 – Three Dog Night: Naturally 1971 – Leon Russell and Marc Benno: Asylum Choir II 1971 – The Byrds: Farther Along 1971 – Grand Funk Railroad: E Pluribus Funk 1971 – Faces: A Nod is as Good as a Wink… to a Blind Horse 1972 – Raspberries: Fresh 1972 – America: Homecoming 1972 – The Moody Blues: Seventh Sojourn 1972 - Elton John: Crocodile Rock (U.S. release) 1973 – John Lennon: Mind Games 1973 – Emerson Lake & Palmer: Brain Salad Surgery 1974 – Roxy Music: Country Life 1974 – Ringo Starr: Goodnight Vienna 1974 – Genesis: The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway 1974 - Johnny Winter: John Dawson Winter III 1975 – The Kinks: Schoolboys in Disgrace 1975 – Tommy Bolin: Teaser 1976 – George Harrison: Thirty Three & 1/3 1977 – Various Artists: Saturday Night Fever: The Original Movie Soundtrack 1977 - Eric Clapton: Slowhand 1979 – Frank Zappa: Joe’s Garage Acts II & III 1979 – Neil Young & Crazy Horse: Live Rust 1980 – John Lennon & Yoko Ono: Double Fantasy 1981 – Joan Jett & the Blackhearts: I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll 1981 - AC/DC: For Those About to Rock We Salute You 1982 – Led Zeppelin: Coda 1983 – Eurythmics: Touch 1983 – Ozzy Osbourne: Back at the Moon 1984 – Don Henley: Building the Perfect Beast 1985 – The Jesus and Mary Chain: Psychocandy 1986 - Eric Clapton: August 1988 – Cowboy Junkies: The Trinity Session 1989 - Rush: Presto 1990 – Tesla: Five Man Acoustical Jam 1990 - Bad Religion: Against the Grain 1991 – U2: Achtung Baby 1991 – Jeff Beck: Beckology 1993 – Heart: Desire Walks On 1993 - Guns N' Roses: "The Spaghetti Incident?" 1995 – The Rolling Stones: Stripped (live) 1995 - Bruce Springsteen: The Ghost of Tom Joad 1998 - Metallica: Garage, Inc. 1996 – Prince: Emancipation 1997 – Metallica: Reload 2000 – The Beatles: 1 2001 – Shelby Lynne: Love, Shelby 2002 – George Harrison: Brainwashed 2002 – Audioslave: Audioslave 2002 - Sum 41: Does This Look Infected? 2003 – The Beatles: Let it Be… Naked 2004 - U2: How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb 2005 – Neil Diamond: 12 Songs 2005 - System of a Down: Hypnotize 2008 – Sammy Hagar: Cosmic Universal Fashion 2008 - Guns N' Roses: Chinese Democracy 2012 – Soundgarden: King Animal Deaths Berry Oakley (The Allman Brothers Band) – Nov. 11, 1972 Danny Whitten (Crazy Horse) – Nov. 18, 1972 Tom Evans (Badfinger) – Nov. 19, 1983 Big Joe Turner - November 23, 1985 Eric Carr (Kiss) - November 24, 1991 Freddie Mercury - November 24, 1991 Ronnie Bond (The Troggs) – Nov. 13, 1992 Albert Collins - November 24, 1993 Peter Grant (Led Zeppelin manager) - November 21, 1995 Michael Hutchence (INXS) - November 22, 1997 R.J. Vealey (Atlanta Rhythm Section) – Nov. 13, 1999 Michael Stewart (We Five) – Nov. 13, 2002 Tony Thompson (Power Station, Chic) – Nov. 12, 2003 Don Gibson – Nov. 16, 2003 Chris Whitley - November 20, 2005 Ruth Brown – Nov. 16, 2006 John Petersen (Beau Brummels) – Nov. 11, 2007 Kevin DuBrow (Quiet Riot) – Nov. 19, 2007 Bob Relf - November 20, 2007 Mitch Mitchell – Nov. 12, 2008 Little Smokey Smothers - November 20, 2010 Mark “Moogy” Klingman (Utopia) – Nov. 15, 2011 Jimmy Ruffin – Nov. 16, 2014 Leon Russell – Nov. 13, 2016 Sharon Jones – Nov. 18, 2016 Births Johnny Mercer – Nov. 18, 1909 Petula Clark – Nov. 15, 1932 Gordon Lightfoot – Nov. 17, 1938 Dr. John (Malcolm John Rebennack) - November 21, 1940 Rick Kemp (Steeleye Span) – Nov. 15, 1941 John Hammond Jr. – Nov. 13, 1942 Booker T. Jones – Nov. 12, 1944 Gene Clark – Nov. 17, 1944 Chris Dreja (The Yardbirds) – Nov. 11, 1945 Neil Young – Nov. 12, 1945 Frida Lyngstad (ABBA) – Nov. 15, 1945 Ray Wylie Hubbard – Nov. 13, 1946 Martin Barre – Nov. 17, 1946 Duane Allman - November 20, 1946 Buck Dharma (Blue Oyster Cult) – Nov. 12, 1947 Toy Caldwell – Nov. 13, 1947 Joe Walsh - November 20, 1947 Terry Reid – Nov. 13, 1949 Roger Steen (The Tubes) – Nov. 13, 1949 James Young (Styx) – Nov. 14, 1949 Jim Peterik – Nov. 11, 1950 Graham Parker – Nov. 18, 1950 Rudy Sarzo (Quiet Riot, Whitesnake) – Nov. 18, 1950 Steven Van Zandt (E Street Band) - November 22, 1950 Stephen Bishop – Nov. 14, 1951 Laurence Juber – Nov. 12, 1952 Andy Partridge – Nov. 11, 1953 Jim Brown (UB40) - November 20, 1957 Kim Wilde – Nov. 18, 1960 Matt Sorum – Nov. 19, 1960 Kirk Hammett – Nov. 18, 1962 John Squire (The Stone Roses) - November 24, 1962 Vic Chesnutt – Nov. 12, 1964 Diana Krall – Nov. 16, 1964 Tony Rombola (Godsmack) - November 24, 1964 Michael Diamond (Mike D of Beastie Boys) - November 20, 1965 Jeff Buckley – Nov. 17, 1966 Alex James (Blur) - November 21, 1968 Chad Taylor (Live) - November 24, 1970 Karen O (Yeah Yeah Yeahs) - November 22, 1978 ________________________________________________________________- Anne Erickson holds years of bylines in Gannett Media publications, as well as music magazines Premier Guitar, Guitar Edge and more. She also hosts radio shows with iHeartRadio and has been syndicated in Seattle, Dayton, Central Coast California and beyond. Anne is a loyal Spartan and holds a Master’s degree from MSU. She resides in Lansing, Michigan.A

Happy Thanksgiving! Why not celebrate by spinning a playlist full of Thanksgiving-appropriate classic rock tunes? From songs about pies to honey rolls, here are 10 classic rock songs for Thanksgiving. AC/DC, 'The Honey Roll' Not everyone has honey rolls at their Thanksgiving dinner, but they’re certainly a good addition. Off 1995’s Ballbreaker, AC/DC serve up a rock ‘n’ roll dish with “The Honey Roll,” packed with red-hot riffing, plodding beats and wacky lyrics. It’s classic AC/DC fare. Warrant, 'Cherry Pie' Well, this was a no-brainer. What’s a Thanksgiving playlist without Warren’s “Cherry Pie?” The song was a huge hit in 1990 with its over-the-top hair metal quality and catchy chorus. The sultry video didn’t hurt, either. So, grab a slice of cherry pie this Thanksgiving. Or two. Judas Priest, ‘Heading Out to the Highway’ Meeting up with family and friends often means traveling, and Judas Priest’s “Heading Out to the Highway” is one of the best driving songs out there. The tune, off 1981’s Point of Entry, features a killer dual guitar solo between K.K. Downing and Glenn Tipton. It should keep you pumped as you drive to and from your Thanksgiving destination. Neil Diamond, 'Red Wine' Thanksgiving is a great occasion to have a glass of red wine. That said, Neil Diamond’s “Red Wine” certainly belongs on this Turkey Day playlist. Of course, if you want to venture into newer territory, you can opt for UB40’s very successful cover of the tune. Either way, “Red Wine” is the perfect to accompany any Thanksgiving meal. Pink Floyd, 'Apples and Oranges' Have your Thanksgiving dinner with a basket of fruit. Pink Floyd’s “Apples and Oranges” is a lesser-known Floyd nugget with a psychedelic edge. It dates back to 1967, and it’s the final single written by founding member Syd Barrett. “Apples and Oranges” will add a fruity musical concoction to your Turkey Day tunes. Van Halen, 'Poundcake' Want a thick slick of pound cake? Van Halen sure does. The band’s track “Poundcake” off 1991’s For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge is a holiday-ready anthem with powerful guitars and pounding rhythms. This, of course, was Sammy Hagar-led Van Halen. Eat up. Mötley Crüe, 'Slice of Your Pie' The guys of Mötley Crüe don’t care if you have apple pie, cherry pie, pumpkin pie, blueberry pie or any other variety. They just want your pie. Off the band’s famed 1989 album Dr. Feelgood, “Slice of Your Pie” is a one-size-fits-all rock anthem. So, watch your back, because the Crüe are coming after your slice of pie. Guns N’ Roses, ‘Bad Apples’ When getting together the goods for the perfect apple pie, you have to make sure you don’t have any “Bad Apples” in there. While you’re chopping, crank up the Guns N’ Roses tune “Bad Apples.” The song, which is off the band’s 1991 release Use Your Illusion I, is a high-powered rock anthem that will make the baking go by in a jiffy. Led Zeppelin, ‘Thank You’ Remembering that this holiday centers on gratitude, Robert Plant’s ode to eternal love on Led Zeppelin II, with its acoustic bedrock and John Paul Jones’ buoyant organ is the perfect song of thanks. And while there’s no blazing guitar solo, the song does feature an exceptional acoustic guitar rhythm performance from Jimmy Page. Bob Dylan, 'One More Cup of Coffee' After you’ve stuffed yourself with turkey, dressing, pie and all the other fixings, it’s time to pour yourself a hot cup of coffee and let all the grub settle. Off 1976’s Desire, Bob Dylan’s “One More Cup of Coffee” is a choice song to wrap up your Thanksgiving celebration. After all, there’s always room for some coffee—and Dylan. -HC- Live photos by Anne Erickson ________________________________________________________________ Anne Erickson holds years of bylines in Gannett Media publications, as well as music magazines Premier Guitar, Guitar Edge and more. She also hosts radio shows with iHeartRadio and has been syndicated in Seattle, Dayton, Central Coast California and beyond. Anne is a loyal Spartan and holds a Master’s degree from MSU. She resides in Lansing, Michigan.A

A Plexi-style pedal, tweaked to Greg’s preferences Author Credit: Brian Johnston Greg Howe, guitarist extraordinaire, was both impressed by and has endorsed Carl Martin’s Plexitone multi-drive pedal. However, Howe wanted a few adjustments to hone in on his signature tone while combining elements of both the Crunch and High-Gain channels. The result became the Greg Howe Lick Box, one of the finest and most amp-like sounding overdrives I have reviewed. What You Need To Know Allow me to qualify the term ‘amp-like.’ I have worked with many overdrive pedals, and they all do a fine job of increasing the gain of an amp. Many tend to over-saturate the signal, which is all right if that’s the result you’re after, but few will sound like an organic extension of the amp while maintaining that high headroom quality. The Lick Box does that exactly. Let’s consider its physical qualities and then get into its sound. Carl Martin is known for making solid and rugged gear and the Lick Box is no exception with its all-steel construction and inputs/outputs located at the back of the chassis (thus taking up less real-estate on most pedal boards). The knobs and pots are of solid construction (both firm and noiseless when turned) and the footswitches produce a solid click (although they’re completely noiseless in the signal during operation). Generally speaking, the sound is very impressive. Both Crunch and High-Gain channels have plenty of headroom (internal charge pump circuitry allows it to run on a 9VDC 150mA supply while maintaining the +/-12V qualities of the Plexitone pedal it’s based on) and will make an amplifier come to life with added definition and harmonics. As stated, you can click the Boost or either Channel on/off and you won’t hear any pops in the signal, thus making it very practical when switching between rhythm and lead, combining channels, etc. The Boost, which can be applied to either or both channels concurrently, offers 12dB of added volume, although it seems to be a lot louder. In the video demo I included the Boost in a few scenarios at its lowest level (a slight turn) and you can hear the difference. Turned up to only 9-o’clock (barely quarter-way), the volume difference is huge. Also, although it’s a fairly ‘clean’ boost, it does add more fullness/meat to the signal, which increases sustain on leads and adds more punch to rhythm parts. Hardly a bad thing for today’s demanding Rock and Metal musician. Both Crunch and High-Gain have different outcomes with a clean vs. driven amp channel, and then you can combine both channels for a lot more tonal options. I’ll address each aspect. The Crunch channel through a clean amp has a fairly thick sound with a lot of midrange, although far from ‘muddy.’ Even with the tone knob all the way toward bass the signal remains pretty clear, and once approaching 12-noon and then to full treble the tone cuts through exceedingly well. With the Crunch’s gain up full there is modest saturation and the tone remains well defined. I added the Greg Howe Lick Box to a few driven preamps – The Sheriff V4 (plexi style) and The Countess V4, both by Victory Amps. With the preamps’ gain at 12-noon, I found the Lick Box’s Crunch between 9 and 11-o’clock sounded best – adding more aggression and note definition without making the signal messy. The most obvious response to my ears is that I could not get the same qualities from the preamps turned full gain (particularly without added saturation/boom and loss of definition) that I could with their gains turned down with the Lick Box in the mix. Adding a hint of Boost produced an even more pronounced result for some intense chugging and rhythm work. When adding the High-Gain channel to a clean amp you get an unmistakable classic Plexi lead tone with plenty of gain on tap and higher end treble (less mid-range than is found with the Crunch channel). With the gain knob set around 1-o’clock there is plenty of headroom and sustain, which makes for some awesome lead tones. And if you want a more modern heavy rhythm tone, then choosing this channel over the Crunch will do it in spades. Added to an already driven amp channel, a little Lick Box gain goes a long way. I kept both the Volume and Gain to about 9-o’clock and the result was significant to say the least. Channel 2 of The Sheriff V4 (plexi-style) preamp sounded as though it was hot-rodded or given a third channel. When adjusting the tone knob toward full bass the sound was a bit muffled, mostly because the Lick Box’s High-Gain channel has more drive. However, a bit of turning really brings out the grain and aggression with 11 to 1-o’clock being the sweet spot to my ears. As with the Crunch channel, adding just a hint of Boost makes a big difference and it makes me wonder who is cranking the Boost up full on his pedal. Now, what makes the Greg Howe Lick Box special and even more diverse is the ability to mix the two Channels (while adding Boost if so desired). Each channel has its own Tone and Level, and so there are dozens of mixing combinations to be had. If you want a thicker lead tone with more midrange, then combine a bit of Crunch with more High-Gain. Or if you want an edgier Crunch, then toss in a touch of High-Gain. Pushing both Channels produces a huge and fat tone that would sit comfortably with Stoner and Proto-Metal genres. Overall, the Greg Howe Lick Box is an excellent option for various uses. If you have a clean amp and want to add both Crunch and Lead while maintaining that high headroom amp quality, then you can do it. Or if you want to improve the aggression and harmonics of a driven amp (thus keeping your amp’s gain turned down for better note clarity and definition), you can have that as well. Limitations And Conclusions Lastly, any good review will list pros and cons, although I cannot think of many cons with this pedal due to my bias for really liking it. However, here are a few considerations. One, some may find it too large for their already cramped pedalboards, although you are getting three pedals in one (Boost, Crunch and High-Gain). Second, the Lick Box is very much Plexi in nature and that may not be the tone you’re after (although I paired this up with a ‘darker’ preamp, The Countess V4, and it gave me more of a MESA tone). And third, perhaps it’s too much pedal for those playing classic country or blues, although you can ease off on the Lick Box’s gain for a hint of added spark to a drab amp. Regardless, you will not see the Greg Howe Lick Box on the used gear market often, because it ROCKS! -HC- Want to discuss the Carl Martin Greg Howe Lick Box? Then be sure to visit this thread in the Effects forum right here on Harmony Central. Resources Carl Martin Greg Howe’s Lick Box ($266.00 "street") Carl Martin product web page You can purchase the Carl Martin Greg Howe’s Lick Box from: Amazon Reverb _________________________________________________________________ Brian Johnston is a guitar gear enthusiast who enjoys developing reviews and demo videos on stuff he likes. His YouTube channel is CoolGuitarGear

A fantastic album cover can leave a mark on your mind and heart just as strongly as the music it encloses, giving a visual idea of what to expect from the music behind the artwork. Oodles of such great album covers are out there, and although it’s seemingly impossible to whittle that down to just 10, we here at Gibson.com have done our best. After careful consideration of popular music throughout the decades, here’s our list, in alphabetical order by the artist, of 10 of the most iconic album covers to ever hit the store shelves. What’s your favorite rock design? Let us know in the dialogue below. The Beatles, Abbey Road This immaculate image of The Beatles crossing the road in harmony was shot right outside the legendary EMI Studios on Abbey Road. This colorful cover art has enticed many fans to travel to the same street, hoping to remake the shot with their own images. At the time, The Beatles had the help of a handy traffic cop stopping traffic in order to give photographer Iain Macmillan the time to capture the perfect shot. The Clash, London Calling The Clash’s London Calling cover is something of a tribute to Elvis Presley’s debut album cover. The art shows Paul Simonon dramatically smashing his bass guitar on stage at the Palladium in New York. Photographer Pennie Smith was concerned the shot was too blurry to use, but what’s more “punk” than an imperfect cover shot, right? This slightly out-of-focus image is easily one of the most recognizable in punk and rock. Green Day, Dookie Green Day had the assistance of illustrator Richie Bucher for the cover of Dookie; an album that became one of punk rock’s biggest warriors in the ’90s. The cloudy, cartoony image was an apt symbol of the influence Green Day would soon have over the U.S. with an album that helped bring pop-punk to the mainstream. Guns N’ Roses, Appetite for Destruction Although it wasn’t the original choice for cover art, this clever illustration portraying the five band members of Guns N’ Roses as skulls on a spine-chilling cross was a great way to cement the GN’R brand into the hearts of the rock contingent. Appetite for Destruction wasn’t just a blockbuster rock album; it was the pinnacle of the GN’R brand that swept the country. Led Zeppelin, Led Zeppelin The cover art for “Led Zeppelin I” not only depicts the Hindenburg disaster, but it also functions as a brainy take on the basis of the band’s moniker. Perhaps the scorching, blazing annihilation featured on the artwork was an apt preface to the blistering, innovative sound inside the tracks. Michael Jackson, Thriller Thriller is the album that helped launched the Michael Jackson entity, and this album cover was the embodiment of all that was cool and hip when it dropped. Jackson’s too-cool-for-school slant in a fresh, white suit is one of the biggest symbols of ’80s pop. Nirvana, Nevermind Thanks to the unexpected, massive success of Nirvana’s Nevermind, Spencer Elden will forever be the most famous baby in rock. This image was envisioned while frontman Kurt Cobain was watching a show about water births with drummer Dave Grohl, and the illustration depicts a baby already corrupted by money and greed. The image remains one of the most famous to ever adorn an album cover. This cover also – in a simple picture – got across the gist of Nirvana’s social commentary. Pearl Jam, Ten The idea behind the celebrated album cover for Pearl Jam’s Ten was to depict Eddie Vedder and company in Three Musketeers style, as in, “All for one, one for all!” Pearl Jam’s Jeff Ament constructed the now-famous cut-out, and the name is something of a tribute to the original band name “Mookie Blaylock,” which the guys had to forego when they signed to Epic Records, due to legal concerns. Pink Floyd, The Dark Side of the Moon Gunning for a slightly “classier, smarter” album design for the artwork for their eighth studio release, the guys of Pink Floyd went with this trippy prism design a la George Hardie. Now, this is one of the most recognizable images in rock, so it seems it was a good pick. U2, War At the time of its release, Bono and U2 were an anomaly in the rock world, putting a child’s face on the cover of their album instead of a flashy band shot. The vulnerable image served to remind fans of the humanity involved in War, instead of simply the battle. The same child, Peter Rowen, was also featured on a few of the group’s other albums: Boy, Three, The Best Of 1980 – 1990 and Early Demos. -HC- ________________________________________________________________ Anne Erickson holds years of bylines in Gannett Media publications, as well as music magazines Premier Guitar, Guitar Edge and more. She also hosts radio shows with iHeartRadio and has been syndicated in Seattle, Dayton, Central Coast California and beyond. Anne is a loyal Spartan and holds a Master’s degree from MSU. She resides in Lansing, Michigan.A

Week of October 28 - November 3 From the release of Led Zeppelin's "Immigrant Song" to the birthdays of U2's Larry Mullen and Red Hot Chili Peppers' Anthony Kiedis, the tail end of October through early November offers memorable moments in rock music history. Read on for some major events, historic record releases and notable births and deaths happening October 28 through November 3. Events 1961 - Bob Dylan rocks Carnegie Chapter Hall in New York City for the first time. 1967 - The Stooges perform live for the first time at a Detroit, Michigan, Halloween bash. 1998 - The original members of Black Sabbath get back together for a special, one-off performance on Late Show with David Letterman. 1997 - Jane's Addiction get back together for a Halloween concert at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York. 1998 – Kiss sets off on their Psycho Circus tour with a Halloween gig in Los Angeles. 2005 - Black Sabbath is inducted into the UK Music Hall of Fame by none other than Queen’s Brian May. 2016 - The Cubs are in the World Series for the first time since 1945, and Eddie Vedder - a major Cubs fan - leads the crowd in "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" during the seventh-inning stretch. Births Denny Laine (The Moody Blues) - October 29, 1944 Grace Slick (Jefferson Airplane), October 30, 1946 Chris Slade, October 30, 1946 Desmond Child (songwriter) - October 28, 1953 Gavin Rossdale, October 30, 1965 Tom Paxton, October 31, 1937 Larry Mullen (U2), October 31, 1961 Johnny Marr (The Smiths), October 31, 1963 Adam Horovitz (Beastie Boys), October 31, 1966 Adam Schlesinger (Fountains of Wayne), October 31, 1967 Vanilla Ice, October 31, 1968 Ben Harper - October 28, 1969 Linn Berggren (Ace of Base), October 31, 1970 Ronald Bell (Kool and the Gang), November 1, 1951 Lyle Lovett, November 1, 1957 Anthony Kiedis (Red Hot Chili Peppers), November 1, 1962 Rick Allen (Def Leppard), November 1, 1963 Alex James (Blur), November 1, 1968 Dave Pegg (Jethro Tull, Fairport Convention), November 2, 1947 Carter Beauford (The Dave Matthews Band), November 2, 1957 Bobby Dall (Poison), November 2, 1963 Reginald Arvizu (KoRn), November 2, 1969 Nick Simper (Johnny Kidd and the Pirates, Deep Purple), November 3, 1946 Adam Ant, November 3, 1954 Scherrie Payne (of The Supremes), November 4, 1944 Van Stephenson (Blackhawk) November 4, 1953 James Honeyman-Scott (The Pretenders) November 4, 1956 Jeff Scott Soto (Journey, Yngwie Malmsteen band) November 4, 1965 Puff Daddy November 4, 1969 Deaths Duane Allman - October 29, 1971 Steve O'Rourke (Pink Floyd manager), October 30, 2003 Bobby Parker, October 31, 2013 Mississippi John Hurt, November 2, 1966 Releases Led Zeppelin, Immigrant Song, 1970 Pink Floyd, Meddle, 1971 Hall & Oates, Abandoned Luncheonette, 1973 Ringo Starr, Ringo, 1973 Queen, Bohemian Rhapsody, 1975 The Police, Outlandos d'Amour, 1978 George Harrison, Wonderwall Music, 1968 Bad Religion, No Control, 1989 Bon Jovi, Keep the Faith, 1992 Nirvana, MTV Unplugged in New York, 1994 The Beach Boys, The Pet Sounds Sessions, 1997 Beck, Mutations, 1998 John Lennon, John Lennon Anthology, 1998 U2, The Best of 1980–1990, 1998 Lenny Kravitz, Lenny, 2001 The Rolling Stones, Live Licks, 2004 The Eagles, Long Road Out of Eden, 2007 Week of November 4 - 10 One of America’s greatest bands staged their first-ever performance, Paul McCartney launched his “post-Beatles” group, and a legendary British heavy metal band announced their reunion. Read on for a look back at other significant moments that shaped rock and roll during this historically eventful week. Events 1955 – The Everly Brothers record their first studio tracks, putting together four songs at Nashville’s Old Tulane Hotel studios. 1965 – The Rolling Stones’ “Get Off of My Cloud” tops the charts in the U.S., knocking The Beatles’ “Yesterday” from the Number One spot. 1967 – The first issue of Rolling Stone magazine is published. A photo of John Lennon is featured on the cover. 1968 – Led Zeppelin perform their first-ever London concert, staging a show at the famed venue The Roundhouse. 1968 – The Monkees’ cult classic film “Head” is released. 1968 – Diana Ross leaves the Supremes to launch her solo career. 1969 – Simon and Garfunkel record “Bridge Over Troubled Water.” Future Bread member Larry Knechtel plays piano on the session. 1970 – Aerosmith stage their debut performance, playing at a high school in Mendon, Massachusetts. 1971 – Cher scores her first Number One single as a solo artist, with “Gypsys, Tramps & Thieves.” 1971 – Paul McCartney launches his new band, Wings, with a party at London’s Empire Ballroom. 1973 – Elton John’s Goodbye Yellow Brick Road album tops the charts in America. 1975 – The Sex Pistols stage their first concert, opening for a band called Bazooka at St. Martin’s School of Art in London. The lead singer for Bazooka will later achieve fame as Adam Ant. 1975 – David Bowie appears on the American TV variety show, “Cher,” performing “Fame” and singing a medley of songs with the show’s host. 1977 – Rocker Suzi Quatro makes her debut appearance on the TV show “Happy Days.” 1986 – Boston’s “Amanda” becomes the band’s only American chart-topper. 1991 – Izzy Stradlin announces his departure from Guns N’ Roses. Gilby Clarke steps in as his replacement. 2008 – AC/DC begin a two-week run atop the U.S. album chart with Black Ice, their 15th studio album. 2011 – The original members of Black Sabbath announce they are reuniting for a new album and tour. Drummer Bill Ward eventually bows out of the projects, but both the album and the tour prove to be a great success. Releases 1967 – The Moody Blues: Days of Future Passed 1967 – Cream: Disraeli Gears 1970 – Badfinger: No Dice 1971 – Led Zeppelin: Led Zeppelin IV 1971 – Genesis: Nursery Cryme 1972 – Lou Reed: Transformer 1973 – Billy Joel: Piano Man 1973 – Santana: Welcome 1974 – Thin Lizzy: Nightlife 1974 – Queen: Sheer Heart Attack 1975 – Neil Young & Crazy Horse: Zuma 1975 – Earth Wind & Fire: Gratitude 1976 – Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers: Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers 1976 – Kiss: Rock and Roll Over 1978 – Bob Marley & The Wailers: Babylon by Bus 1978 – The Clash: Give ‘Em Enough Rope 1978 – Queen: Jazz 1980 -- Motörhead: Ace of Spades 1981 – The Cars: Shake it Up 1981 – Rod Stewart: Tonight I’m Yours 1981 – Ozzy Osbourne: Diary of a Madman 1981 -- Mötley Crüe: Too Fast for Love 1983 – Yes: 90125 1983 – The Rolling Stones: Undercover 1983 – Billy Idol: Rebel Yell 1984 – Robert Plant: The Honeydrippers: Volume One 1985 – Aerosmith: Done with Mirrors 1988 – R.E.M.: Green 1989 – Eric Clapton: Journeyman 1990 – Scorpions: Crazy World 1991 – Genesis: We Can’t Dance 1994 – Eagles: Hell Freezes Over (Live/Studio) 1995 – Aimee Man: I’m with Stupid 1995 – Queen: Made in Heaven 1995 – Alice in Chains: Alice in Chains 1996 – Vic Chesnutt: About to Choke 1997 – Led Zeppelin: BBC Sessions 1999 -- Faith Hill: Breathe 1999 -- Prince: Rave Un2 the Joy Fantastic 2001 – Paul McCartney: Driving Rain 2002 – The Pretenders: Loose Screw 2002 – Pearl Jam: Riot Act 2008 – Taylor Swift: Fearless 2012 – Aerosmith: Music from Another Dimension! Deaths Fred "Sonic" Smith (The Sonics, MC5), November 4, 1994 Johnny Horton, November 5, 1960 Bobby Nunn (The Coasters) November 5, 1986 Fred 'Sonic' Smith (MC5) November 5, 1994 Billy Guy (The Coasters) November 5, 2002 Bobby Hatfield (The Righteous Brothers) November 5, 2003 Billy Murcia (New York Dolls) – Nov. 6, 1972 Epic Soundtracks – Nov. 6, 1997 Tommy Tedesco – Nov. 9, 1997 Hank Thompson – Nov. 6, 2007 Allen Toussaint – Nov. 10, 2015 Leonard Cohen – Nov. 7, 2016 Births Scherrie Payne (of The Supremes), November 4, 1944 Van Stephenson (Blackhawk) November 4, 1953 James Honeyman-Scott (The Pretenders) November 4, 1956 Jeff Scott Soto (Journey, Yngwie Malmsteen band) November 4, 1965 Puff Daddy November 4, 1969 Gram Parsons (The Byrds, The Flying Burrito Brothers), November 5, 1946 Don McDougall (The Guess Who), November 5, 1948 David Moyse (Air Supply), November 5, 1957 David Bryson (Counting Crows), November 5, 1961 Mike Score (A Flock Of Seagulls), November 5, 1967 Jonny Greenwood (Radiohead), November 5, 1971 Ryan Adams, November 5, 1974 Kevin Jonas (The Jonas Brothers), November 5, 1987 Mary Travers (Peter Paul and Mary) – Nov. 9, 1937 Guy Clark – Nov. 6, 1941 Tom Fogerty – Nov. 9, 1941 Johnny Rivers – Nov. 7, 1942 Joni Mitchell – Nov. 7, 1943 Phil May (The Pretty Things) – Nov. 9, 1944 George Young (The Easybeats) – Nov. 6, 1946 Roy Wood – Nov. 8, 1946 Glen Buxton (Alice Cooper) – Nov. 10, 1947 Greg Lake – Nov. 10, 1947 Glenn Frey – Nov. 6, 1948 Bonnie Raitt – Nov. 8, 1949 Rickie Lee Jones – Nov. 8, 1954 Tommy Thayer (Kiss) – Nov. 7, 1960 Cory Glover (Living Color) – Nov. 6, 1964 Paul Gilbert – Nov. 6, 1966 Susan Tedeschi – Nov. 9, 1970 Miranda Lambert – Nov. 10, 1983 ________________________________________________________________- Anne Erickson holds years of bylines in Gannett Media publications, as well as music magazines Premier Guitar, Guitar Edge and more. She also hosts radio shows with iHeartRadio and has been syndicated in Seattle, Dayton, Central Coast California and beyond. Anne is a loyal Spartan and holds a Master’s degree from MSU. She resides in Lansing, Michigan.A

by Anne Erickson U2 frontman Bono and guitarist The Edge are known for much more than just their chart-topping rock anthems: Both are humanitarians who have lent their time and hearts to a variety of causes over the years. We’re taking a closer look at the statesmen of rock ‘n’ roll with profiles of both Bono and The Edge to get to know both a bit better.The stats: Who: David “The Edge” Howell EvansBorn: Aug. 8, 1961Instruments: Guitars, piano, keyboards, vocals/background vocalsBio:U2’s David “The Edge” Howell Evans was born in Barking, Essex, in East London, to Gwenda and Garvin Evans. He met the guys who would eventually make up U2 in school, and formally joined the band in the mid-‘70s, after responding to a notice posted on his school’s bulletin board at Mount Temple appealing for musicians.Right as U2 were getting off their feet, Bono renamed Dave Evans. His new moniker, “The Edge,” is a name he would take with him for his entire career.Following high school graduation, The Edge decided to wait a year to pursue collage and, instead, focused on music and U2. He left U2 at one point in the late-‘70s, but Bono convinced him to follow his heart, and The Edge soon found his way back to the band. The rest is rock ‘n’ roll history.The Edge married Aislinn O'Sullivan in 1983, and the two had three daughters: Hollie, Arran and Blue Angel. The two separated in 1990 and divorced in 1996. He married Morleigh Steinberg, the belly dancer and choreographer from the Zoo TV Tour, in 2002, and the two have two children: Sian and Levi.Sound:The Edge’s guitar work truly defines U2’s sweeping, clean sound. He’s known for his soaring sonic textures and heavily processed, ringing guitars.Causes:All of the members of U2 have been supporters of organizations such as Greenpeace and Amnesty International. In 2005, The Edge took his involvement further and co-founded the charity Music Rising with Bob Ezrin and Gibson’s own Henry Juszkiewicz in response to Hurricane Katrina. The goal of the organization was to restore the Gulf Coast’s musical climate by replacing instruments that had been lost in the tragedy. The Edge also publically supports the New York Food Bank and Mencap Northern Ireland.Source: www.atu2.comQuotes:“Just as a comedian doesn’t want to tell the same jokes over and over, we don’t want to play the same songs the same way. On the other hand, we’ve now come to a place where we’re comfortable admitting we have our own style and we can do what we want with it. It’s our sound. We made it, and we can break it if we want. Of course, we’re the only ones that know how to put it back together again, too. All it takes is lots of arguing,” on U2’s evolving sound, via Guitar World.“ … Jamming is really the most awful, excruciating experience for me, I really don’t enjoy it. First of all, that’s not how I work as a guitar player. I compose using the instrument, I don’t really sit down and play for the sake of playing stuff. So the idea of jamming – endless, directionless noodling around some nondescript chord progression – I really find very boring. Obviously a great song is fun to play, but U2 were never really in that phase of The Beatles in Hamburg or Van Morrison in showbands or Dylan in the folk clubs, of knowing and learning a big collection of classics. We never did that, and at the time we were forming as a band there really wasn’t a large collection of songs that we felt like learning. It was actually a moment where the past was being thrown out the window, so its very much part of our DNA as a band not to be too reverential, as a general rule, and to try and look forward all the time. Invention being what we value most highly as opposed to emulation – which is what a lot of musicians feel is important, being able to play like the greats,” on jamming with other guitarists, via The Telegraph.“I suppose ultimately I’m interested in music. I’m a musician. I’m not a gunslinger. That’s the difference between what I do and what a lot of guitar heroes do,” on resisting rock ‘n’ roll clichés, via www.atu2.com.The stats:Who: Paul David “Bono” HewsonBorn: May 10, 1960Instruments: Vocals, guitarBio:U2 frontman Paul David “Bono” Hewson was born in the north Dublin suburb of Ballymun. His father, Brendan Robert Hewson, was Catholic, and his mother, Iris Elizabeth Rankin, was protestant.At the age of 14, Bono suffered a tragedy when his mother passed away after experiencing a brain hemorrhage at her own father’s funeral.Shortly after losing his mother, Hewson got his nickname. At first, his new name was “Steinhegvanhuysenolegbangbangbang,” but that moniker evolved to “Bonavox of O’Connell Street” (after a hearing aid show in Dublin) to Bono Vox (“good voice” in Latin) and, eventually, to “Bono.” A childhood friend, “Guggi” (Derek Rowan), helped give him the name.As for love, Bono began dating Alison Stewart in 1976, and the two were married on August 21, 1982. The couple has four children: Jordan, Memphis Eve, Elijah Bob Patricius Guggi and John Abraham.Like The Edge, Bono responded to a note on the Mount Temple bulletin board calling for musicians. The band started under the name Feedback, which evolved to Hype and, finally, U2. The band, of course, would become one of the biggest rock bands in the world.Sound: Bono is known for not only his lush, powerful tenor, but also for his moving lyrical themes. U2 have always made faith, hope and love their central motifs, and that’s thanks in no small part to Bono’s spiritual lyrics.Causes:Bono has a long history of dedicating his time to causes both with and outside of U2. His activism started when he traveled to Ethiopia with World Vision to lend a helping hand to a feeding camp with his wife Ali. For decades, Bono has assisted a number of causes and charities, including Greenpeace, the Jubilee 2000 project and beyond. He fought to end AIDS and extreme poverty in Africa by co-founding the lobbying organization DATA (Debt, Aid, Trade, Africa) and combated poverty with the ONE Campaign to Make Poverty History (U.S.) and the Make Poverty History movement (U.K.). Bono also was instrumental, alongside Bob Geldof, in helping to put together the Live 8 concerts in 2005, a collection of events around the world with the goal to increase aid, cancel Third World debt and help better the terms of trade with the world’s poorest countries and regions.In 2006, Bono and Bobby Shriver co-founded the Product (RED) campaign, which aims to sway large companies with global brands to sell a few lines of products from which a part of the revenue will go towards the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and malaria. Bono has helped many other charities over the years, and he’s widely considered one of rock’s biggest humanitarians.Source: www.atu2.com.Quotes:“Our generation will be remembered for the Internet, for the war against terror, and for how we let an entire continent burst into flames while we stood around with watering cans—or not,” regarding the AIDS epidemic, via Oprah.“… I often wonder if religion is the enemy of God. It’s almost like religion is what happens when the Spirit has left the building. God's Spirit moves through us and the world at a pace that can never be constricted by any one religious paradigm. I love that. You know, it says somewhere in the scriptures that the Spirit moves like a wind--no one knows where it's come from or where it's going. The Spirit is described in the Holy Scriptures as much more anarchic than any established religion credits,” on religion, via Beliefnet.com.“We have so many [new] songs, some of our best. But I'm putting some time aside to just go and get lost in the music. I want to take my young boys and my wife and just disappear with my iPod Nano and some books and an acoustic guitar,” on U2’s future, via Rolling Stone. -HC- ________________________________________________________________ Anne Erickson holds years of bylines in Gannett Media publications, as well as music magazines Premier Guitar, Guitar Edge and more. She also hosts radio shows with iHeartRadio and has been syndicated in Seattle, Dayton, Central Coast California and beyond. Anne is a loyal Spartan and holds a Master’s degree from MSU. She resides in Lansing, Michigan.A

by Anne Erickson Week of October 14th - 20th Pop music’s most important band made their television debut, one of rock’s greatest heavy metal bands kicked off their third U.S. tour, and classic rock legends Santana made a spectacular comeback. A spate of classic albums was released as well, including landmark records by David Bowie, Bob Seger and the Rolling Stones. Events 1959 – Paul McCartney makes his debut appearance with The Quarrymen, performing alongside John Lennon and three other band members. 1960 – Roy Orbison scores his first U.K. Number One hit, with “Only the Lonely.” 1962 – The Beatles make their television debut, performing the songs “Some Other Guy” and “Love Me Do” live on a show titled “People and Places,” in Manchester, England. 1966 – The Jimi Hendrix Experience play their first major public show as a band, appearing at the Olympia Theatre in Paris, France. 1969 – Peter Frampton meets singer Steve Marriott. The two begin plans for a new band, which emerges the following April as Humble Pie. 1969 – Led Zeppelin kicks off their third U.S. tour, performing at New York City’s Carnegie Hall. 1969 – Rod Stewart joins The Faces. 1972 – Creedence Clearwater Revival disbands. 1976 – Keith Moon plays his last show with The Who, as the band completes a North American tour in Toronto. The drummer dies two years later in September of 1978. 1977 – The Led Zeppelin film “The Song Remains the Same” premieres in New York City and in London. The band attends the New York premiere. 1977 – In Greenville, S.C., Lynyrd Skynyrd play their last show prior to the plane crash in which three members of the band lost their lives in one of rock’s most devastating tragedies. 1978 – The Police make their U.S. debut, performing at CBGB’s in New York. 1986 – Footage of a tribute concert celebrating Chuck Berry’s 60th birthday is shot in St. Louis, for the 1987 documentary film “Hail! Hail! Rock ‘N’ Roll.” In addition to Berry himself, performers include Keith Richards, Eric Clapton, and Etta James, among others. 1991 – Red Hot Chili Peppers kick off their Blood Sugar Sex Majik tour. Up-and-comers Pearl Jam are one of the opening acts. 1999 – Santana’s Supernatural album tops the charts, giving the group their first Number One album in 28 years. 2001 – Concerts are staged at Madison Square Garden in New York and at RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C., to raise funds for victims of the 9/11 attacks. David Bowie, Paul McCartney, The Who and Eric Clapton are among the performers. 2006 – Legendary punk club CBGB closes after a 33-year run in New York City. 2008 – Guns N’ Roses release their first new material in nearly a decade, issuing the title track from the new album, Chinese Democracy. Singer Axl Rose is the sole original member of the band. Releases 1964 – The Rolling Stones: 12 x 5 1964 – Simon & Garfunkel: Wednesday Morning, 3 A.M. 1964 – Dusty Springfield: Dusty 1968 – Three Dog Night: Three Dog Night 1968 – The Jimi Hendrix Experience: Electric Ladyland 1969 – Led Zeppelin: II 1969 – John Lennon and Yoko Ono: Wedding Album 1970 – Bob Dylan: New Morning 1971 – The Doors: Other Voices 1973 – Montrose: Montrose 1973 – Bob Marley & The Wailers: Burnin’ 1973 – America: Hat Trick 1973 – Peter Frampton: Frampton’s Camel 1973 – David Bowie: Pinups 1973 – Montrose: Montrose 1973 – The Wailers: Burnin’ 1974 – KISS: Hotter Than Hell 1974 – Rolling Stones: It’s Only Rock ‘n Roll 1976 – Frank Zappa: Zoot Allures 1976 – Elton John: Blue Moves 1976 – Led Zeppelin: The Song Remains the Same (live) 1976 – Bob Seger: Night Moves 1977 – Lynyrd Skynyrd: Street Survivors 1977 – Meat Loaf: Bat Out of Hell 1979 -- Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers: Damn the Torpedoes 1979 – Prince: Prince 1980 – U2: Boy 1980 – Bruce Springsteen: The River 1980 – Cheap Trick: All Shook Up 1981 – The Human League: Dare 1981 – Eurythmics: In the Garden 1985 – The Cult: Love 1987 – INXS: Kick 1988 – Steve Earle: Copperhead Road 1988 – Sonic Youth: Daydream Nation 1989 – Nine Inch Nails: Pretty Hate Machine 1989 – Kiss: Hot in the Shade 1990 – Goo Goo Dolls: Hold Me Up 1990 – ZZ Top: Recycler 1990 – Paul Simon: The Rhythm of the Saints 1991 – Matthew Sweet: Girlfriend 1991 – Neil Young: Weld 1992 – Keith Richards: Main Offender 1993 – Pearl Jam: Vs. 1993 – Sarah McLachlan: Fumbling Towards Ecstasy 1995 – Steely Dan: Alive in America 1998 – Black Sabbath: Reunion 1999 – Keith Urban: Keith Urban 2000 – Tony Iommi: Iommi 2001 – Ozzy Osbourne: Down to Earth 2002 – Foo Fighters: One By One 2002 – Santana: Shaman 2003 – Paul Westerberg: Come Feel Me Tremble 2011 – Coldplay: Mylo Xyloto Births Chuck Berry – Oct. 18, 1926 Cliff Richard – Oct. 14, 1940 Justin Hayward (Moody Blues) – Oct. 14, 1946 Thomas Dolby – Oct. 14, 1958 Richard Carpenter – Oct. 15, 1946 Nico – Oct. 16, 1938 Jim Seals (Seals & Croft) – Oct. 17, 1941 Peter Tosh – Oct. 19, 1944 Leslie West – Oct. 22, 1945 Keith Reid (Procol Harum) – Oct. 19, 1946 Bob Weir – Oct. 16, 1947 Laura Nyro – Oct. 18, 1947 Patrick Simmons (Doobie Brothers) – Oct. 19, 1948 Gary Richrath (REO Speedwagon) – Oct. 18, 1949 Tom Petty – Oct. 20, 1950 Alan Greenwood (Foreigner) – Oct. 20, 1951 Keith Knudson (Doobie Brothers) – Oct. 18, 1952 Karl Wallinger (The Waterboys, World Party) – Oct. 19, 1957 Gary Kemp (Spandau Ballet) – Oct. 16, 1959 Bob Mould – Oct. 16, 1960 Norman Black (Teenage Fanclub) – Oct. 20, 1965 Ziggy Marley – Oct. 17, 1968 John Mayer – Oct. 16, 1977 Deaths Cole Porter – Oct. 15, 1964 Leonard Chess – Oct. 16, 1969 Gene Krupa – Oct. 16, 1973 Ronnie Van Zant – Oct. 20, 1977 Steve Gaines – Oct. 20, 1977 Merle Travis – Oct. 20, 1983 Son House – Oct. 19, 1988 Leonard Bernstein – Oct. 14, 1990 Don Cherry – Oct. 19, 1995 Glen Buxton (Alice Cooper) – Oct. 19, 1997 Derek Bell (The Chieftains) – Oct. 17, 2002 Freddie Fender – Oct. 14, 2006 Levi Stubbs (Four Tops) – Oct. 17, 2008 Dee Dee Warwick – Oct. 18, 2008 Raphael Ravenscroft (Sax Player - Pink Floyd and Gerry Rafferty [Bakerstreet]) Week of October 21st - 27th The final week of October brings a bevy of major musical milestones, from the Halloween-appropriate first-ever Ozzfest to the release of The Who's Quadrophenia. Read on for a collection of events, historic record releases and notable births and deaths. Events 1962 - The Beatles give their first radio interview on Radio Clatterbridge near Liverpool. 1962 - The Rolling Stones recorded their first demo, featuring three covers by Bo Diddley, Muddy Waters and Jimmy Reed. 1963 - The Beatles head to Sweden on their first foreign tour. 1964 - The Rolling Stones make their first appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show performing "Around and Around" and "Time is on My Side." Oh, and a riot breaks out. 1970 - Led Zeppelin's Led Zeppelin III reaches No. 1. 1976 - Led Zeppelin perform on American television for the first time when they rock Don Kirshner's Rock Concert. 1996 - The first Ozzfest takes place as a two-day festival in Phoenix, Arizona, and Devore, California. 2001 - R.E.M. performs a surprise gig at Crocodile Cafe in Seattle, owned by guitarist Peter Buck and his wife, Stephanie Dorgan. Releases 1966, The Kinks: Face to Face 1967, Ten Years After: Ten Years After 1969, Johnny Winter: Second Winter 1973, The Who: Quadrophenia 1977, Sex Pistols: Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols 1978, Rush: Hemispheres 1979, Motörhead: Bomber 1982, Prince: 1999 1983, Bob Dylan: Infidels 1984, Deep Purple: Perfect Strangers 1985, ZZ Top: Afterburner 1995, Ozzy Osbourne: Ozzmosis 1995, The Smashing Pumpkins: Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness 1998, R.E.M.: Up 1999, Incubus: Make Yourself 2000, Linkin Park: Hybrid Theory 2001, Bush, Golden State 2007, Eagles: Long Road Out of Eden 2007, Exodus, The Atrocity Exhibition...Exhibit A Deaths Tom Dowd (producer) - October 24, 2002 Alvin Stardust - October 23, 2014 Jack Bruce - October 25, 2014 Shannon Hoon (Blind Melon) – Oct. 21, 1995 Elliott Smith – Oct. 21, 2003 Sandy West (Runaways) – Oct. 21, 2006 Ed Cherney (Engineer/Producer) — Oct. 22, 2019 Paul Barrere (Little Feat) — Oct. 26, 2019 Births Bill Wyman - October 24, 1936 Manfred Mann – Oct. 21, 1940 Steve Cropper – Oct. 21, 1941 Elvin Bishop – Oct. 21, 1942 Bobby Fuller – Oct. 22, 1942 Lux Interior (The Cramps) -- Oct. 21, 1946 Jerry Edmonton (Steppenwolf) - October 24, 1946 Peter Green - October 29, 1946 Glenn Tipton (Judas Priest) - October 25, 1948 Garry Tallent (E Street Band) - October 27, 1949 Bootsy Collins (Parliament) - October 26, 1951 K. Downing (Judas Priest) - October 27, 1951 Desmond Child (songwriter) - October 28, 1953 Stiv Bators – Oct. 22, 1956 Steve Lukather – Oct. 21, 1957 "Weird Al" Yankovic - October 23, 1959 Chad Smith (Red Hot Chili Peppers) - October 25, 1962 Robert Trujillo (Metallica, Suicidal Tendencies), October 23, 1964 Keith Urban - October 26, 1967 Scott Weiland - October 27, 1967 Shelby Lynne – Oct. 22, 1968 Neil Fallon (Clutch) - October 25, 1971 Ben Gillies (Silverchair) - October 24, 1979 ________________________________________________________________- Anne Erickson holds years of bylines in Gannett Media publications, as well as music magazines Premier Guitar, Guitar Edge and more. She also hosts radio shows with iHeartRadio and has been syndicated in Seattle, Dayton, Central Coast California and beyond. Anne is a loyal Spartan and holds a Master’s degree from MSU. She resides in Lansing, Michigan.A

by Anne Erickson From Alice Cooper to Rob Zombie, head-splittingly heavy music has a lengthy history of complimenting all things horrific, and what better time to recognize those menacing musicians than this week? Read on for our list of the Top 10 Halloween Songs of All Time, offering some killer tracks to get you in the mood for Halloween. What are your favorite scary tunes? Give us your picks in the comments area! 10. King Diamond, “Halloween” Who better to craft a Halloween hit than Kim Petersen, a ka King Diamond? “Halloween” is taken from the singer’s debut solo album, Fatal Portrait, and while the track’s music is heavy and dark, the lyrics are what really make the ditty fit on this list. 9. The Misfits, “Halloween” It’s only fitting that the Misfits would unleash a Halloween-themed song, and they did so on Oct. 31, 1981, with “Halloween.” Nobody does Halloween like these guys, and this terrifying track was the band’s fifth and final single to feature guitarist Bobby Steele, making it extra special. 8. The Ramones, “Pet Sematary” The Ramones got it right on this spine-chilling Halloween-appropriate track. Their title track for the Stephen King film is certainly one of the group’s darker sonic endeavors, and it’s a refreshing change from their more well-known sound. 7. Helloween, “Halloween” Our list wouldn’t be complete without adding German metallers Helloween to the mix; the guys who actually named themselves after the holiday. While all of Helloween’s songs would fit the bill, we’re going with the most apparent, “Halloween,” a creepy classic. 6. Iron Maiden, “Fear of the Dark” Man, the lyrics alone in Iron Maiden’s “Fear of the Dark” give us nightmares! The song is a great Halloween track, with its menacing nature and dark textures. 5. Tool, “Sober” Tool’s “Sober” is a classic. The track arrived on the band’s 1993 debut, Undertow, and it took the band from underground metal players to superstars in the mainstream rock contingent. “Sober’s” lingering, wandering beats and Maynard James Keenan’s tortured vocals make this a great fit for any Halloween shindig. 4. Rob Zombie, “Living Dead Girl” Halloween brings zombies and other post-mortem terrors out, and perhaps no rocker is more accustomed to the horror world — and the horror film industry — as Rob Zombie. While many Zombie tracks would fit on this list, we think “Living Dead Girl” is the quintessential Zombie Halloween song. 3. Slayer, “Raining Blood” Are you surprised to see Slayer on this list? We didn’t think so. Aside from its Halloween-appropriate moniker, “Raining Blood” carries one of the most wicked guitar metal riffs of all time. Add to that creepy lyrics and you’ve got a song purpose-made for the Halloween holiday. 2. Pantera, “Cemetery Gates” Metal went through a dark time in the ‘90s, and Pantera’s “Cemetery Gates” is the culmination of all good things metal at the decade’s onset. It’s just the kind of track one would expect to hear on Halloween, with themes revolving around death, inspired by Phil Anselmo losing a loved one to suicide. 1. Alice Cooper, “Welcome to My Nightmare” Any Alice Cooper track could be deemed a Halloween song, but when it comes to the haunting holiday, we have to go with “Welcome to My Nightmare.” With lyrics like “Welcome to my nightmare / Welcome to my breakdown … We sweat and laugh and scream here / 'Cause life is just a dream here” coupled with allusions to Coop’s bloody battles, this classic will always be No. 1 in our book! -HC - ________________________________________________________________ Anne Erickson holds years of bylines in Gannett Media publications, as well as music magazines Premier Guitar, Guitar Edge and more. She also hosts radio shows with iHeartRadio and has been syndicated in Seattle, Dayton, Central Coast California and beyond. Anne is a loyal Spartan and holds a Master’s degree from MSU. She resides in Lansing, Michigan.A

by Anne Erickson Week of September 30 - October 6th Happy October, rockers. The first week in October packs a major punch when it comes to musical milestones, from the release of Led Zeppelin III to the tragic death of Janis Joplin. Events 1962 - "Love Me Do," the debut single from the Beatles, was released in the UK. 1967 - The Beatles start recording "Hello Goodbye." 1969 - The Beatles' Abbey Road album reached number one on the UK charts. 1978 - Gene Simmons has something to celebrate, as his self-titled solo album is certified Platinum. 1985 - Bruce Springsteen closes out his Born in the USA tour with the final of four shows at Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles. 1995 - (What's the Story?) Morning Glory is unleashed and thrusts Oasis into the worldwide spotlight. 2003 - For a third the third year in a row, Radiohead snags the "best act in the world today" award at the Q Awards in London. Releases 1963 - The Beach Boys, Little Deuce Coupe 1968 - Muddy Waters, Electric Mud 1970 - Led Zeppelin, Led Zeppelin III 1973 - Elton John, Goodbye Yellow Brick Road 1975 - The Who, The Who By Numbers 1977 - ELO, Out of the Blue 1978 - Dire Straits, Dire Straits 1979 - The Who, Quadrophenia (soundtrack) 1980 - The Police, Zenyatta Mondatta 1981 - The Police, Ghost in the Machine 1982 - Accept, Restless and Wild 1983 - Genesis, Genesis 1986 - Slayer, Reign in Blood 1988 - Keith Richards, Talk Is Cheap 1992 - R.E.M., Automatic for the People 1992 - Soul Asylum, Grave Dancers Union 1994 - The Cranberries, No Need to Argue 1995 - Oasis, (What's the Story?) Morning Glory 1997 - Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Trouble Is... 1999 - Live, The Distance to Here 2000 - Green Day, Warning 2002 - Bon Jovi, Bounce 2006 - The Killers, Sam's Town Births Johnny Mathis, September 30, 1935 Dewey Martin (Buffalo Springfield), September 30, 1940 Marc Bolan (T. Rex), September 30, 1947 Robby Takac (The Goo Goo Dolls), September 30, 1964 Julie Andrews, October 1, 1935 Jerry Martini (Sly and the Family Stone), October 1, 1943 Donny Hathaway, October 1, 1945 Michael "Cub" Koda (Brownsville Station), October 1, 1948 Kevin Griffin (Better than Ezra), October 1, 1968 Eddie Cochran - October 3, 1938 Chubby Checker - October 3, 1941 Steve Miller - October 5, 1943 Don McLean - October 2, 1945 Brian Connolly (Sweet) - October 5, 1945 Brian Johnson - October 5, 1947 Lindsey Buckingham - October 3, 1949 Eddie Clarke (Motörhead) - October 5, 1950 Mike Rutherford (Genesis) - October 2, 1950 Bob Geldof - October 5, 1951 String - October 2, 1951 Stevie Ray Vaughan - October 3, 1954 Kevin Cronin (REO Speedwagon) - October 6, 1954 Freddie Jackson - October 2, 1956 David Bryson (Counting Crows) - October 5, 1961 Tommy Lee - October 3, 1962 Tommy Stinson (The Replacements) - October 6, 1966 Gwen Stefani - October 3, 1969 Tiffany - October 2, 1971 William Butler (Arcade Fire) - October 6, 1982 Deaths James Dean, September 30, 1955 Al Jackson Jr. (Booker T. & the MG’s), October 1, 1975 Bruce Palmer (Buffalo Springfield), October 1, 2004 Janis Joplin - October 4, 1970 Woody Guthrie - October 3, 1967 Gene Autry dies - October 2, 1998 Benjamin Orr (The Cars) - October 3, 2000 Eddie Kendricks (The Temptations) - October 5, 1992 Mike Gibbins (Badfinger) - October 4, 2005 Tom Petty - October 2, 2017 Geoff Emerick - October 2, 2018 Week of October 7th - 13th The Beatles met one of their heroes for the first time, Rod Stewart said goodbye to a beloved band, and one of rock and roll’s pioneering founders performed his last show. Read on for a look back at other significant moments that shaped rock and roll during this historically eventful week. Events 1902 – Orville Gibson founds the Gibson Mandolin-Guitar Manufacturing Company, based in Kalamazoo, Michigan. 1962 – Little Richard headlines a concert bill in England that includes The Beatles, affording the band the chance to meet one of their heroes for the first time. 1965 – The Beatle’s “Yesterday” begins a four-week run atop the U.S. singles chart. 1965 – The Who record “My Generation” at Pye studios in London. 1966 – Grace Slick makes her debut stage appearance with Jefferson Airplane. 1969 – The Jackson Five make their national television debut, appearing on the ABC show “Hollywood Palace.” 1969 – Muddy Waters suffers severe injuries in an auto accident outside Chicago. Henceforth, the blues legend will generally perform while seated. 1970 – The musical “Jesus Christ Superstar” makes its Broadway debut. 1971 – “Maggie May” becomes the first of six U.K. Number One hits for Rod Stewart. 1975 – Rod Stewart’s longtime affiliation with Faces ends, with the staging of a final concert in New York. 1979 – The mayor of Los Angeles, Tom Bradley, declares October 10 “Fleetwood Mac Day.” The band is honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. 1979 – ABBA perform their first concert in North America, staging a show in Vancouver, Canada. 1990 – Dave Grohl makes his on-stage debut as Nirvana’s drummer, appearing behind the kit at a show in Olympia, Washington. 1996 – At long last, the Rolling Stones release their legendary 1968 BBC television special, The Rolling Stones’ Rock and Roll Circus. 1993 – Nirvana’s third studio album, In Utero, enters the U.S. album chart at Number One. 2000 – The first John Lennon museum opens. Located in Japan, it makes its debut on what would have been Lennon’s 60th birthday. 2012 – The Rolling Stones release a well-received new single titled “Doom and Gloom.” 2013 – Paul McCartney stages a surprise show for New Yorkers, performing a free (albeit brief) concert from the platform of a truck parked in Times Square. 2014 – Chuck Berry performs his final show, staging the last of his long-running monthly gigs at the Blueberry Hill club in St. Louis. 2016 – Rod Stewart is knighted at Buckingham Palace. 2016 – Bob Dylan is awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature, becoming the first American to receive the distinction since Toni Morrison was similarly honored in 1993. Releases 1966 – The Monkees: The Monkees 1969 – The Kinks: Arthur 1969 – King Crimson: In the Court of the Crimson King 1969 – Frank Zappa: Hot Rats 1970 – Pink Floyd: Atom Heart Mother 1972 – Santana: Caravanserai 1973 – Genesis: Selling England by the Pound 1973 – Neil Young: Time Fades Away 1974 – Billy Joel: Streetlife Serenade 1974 – Jethro Tull: War Child 1975 – Deep Purple: Come Taste the Band 1977 – Kiss: Alive II 1977 – David Bowie: “Heroes” 1978 – Toto: Toto 1979 – Fleetwood Mac: Tusk 1981 – U2: October 1981 – Prince: Controversy 1983 – Cyndi Lauper: She’s So Unusual 1984 – Talking Heads: Stop Making Sense 1984 – Julian Lennon: Valotte 1985 – INXS: Listen Like Thieves 1985 – Rush: Power Windows 1986 – Billy Idol: Whiplash Smile 1987 – Bruce Springsteen: Tunnel of Love 1987 – Joe Satriani: Surfing with the Alien 1988 – U2: Rattle and Hum 1989 – The Jesus and Mary Chain: Automatic 1993 – Letters to Cleo: Aurora Gory Alice 1994 – Suede: Dog Man Star 1994 – The Cult: The Cult 1995 – Peter Frampton: Frampton Comes Alive! II 1995 – Green Day: Insomniac 1996 – Counting Crows: Recovering the Satellites 1996 – Donovan: Sutras 1997 – Green Day: Nimrod 2000 – Slash’s Snakepit: Ain’t Life Grand 2001 – The Strokes: Is This It Deaths Johnny Kidd - October 7, 1966 Gene Vincent – Oct. 12, 1971 Ed Sullivan – Oct. 12, 1974 Jacques Brel – Oct. 9, 1978 Ricky Wilson (B-52s) – Oct. 12, 1985 John Denver – Oct. 12, 1997 Dickie Peterson (Blue Cheer) – Oct. 12, 2009 Solomon Burke – Oct. 10, 2010 Larry Willis (Blood, Sweat, and Tears) — Oct. 8, 2019 Molly Duncan (AWB Saxman) — Oct. 8, 2019 Larry McGee (Guitarist Delaney & Bonnie, Kris Kristofferson, the Ventures) — Oct. 12, 2019 Births Thelonious Monk – Oct. 10, 1917 Ennio Morricone – Oct. 10, 1928 Dottie West – Oct. 11, 1932 Sam Moore (Sam & Dave) – Oct. 12, 1935 John Lennon – Oct. 9, 1940 Paul Simon – Oct. 12, 1941 John Entwistle – Oct. 9, 1944 Robert Lamm – Oct. 13, 1944 Alan Cartwright (Procol Harum) – Oct. 10, 1945 John Prine – Oct. 10, 1946 Daryl Hall – Oct. 11, 1946 Sammy Hagar – Oct. 13, 1947 Jackson Browne – Oct. 9, 1948 Tico Torres (Bon Jovi) - October 7, 1953 David Lee Roth – Oct. 10, 1954 Tanya Tucker – Oct. 10, 1958 Bob Mould – Oct. 12, 1960 Martin Kemp (Spandau Ballet) – Oct. 10, 1961 Thom Yorke (Radiohead) - October 7, 1968 Polly Jean Harvey – Oct. 9, 1969 Sean Lennon – Oct. 9, 1975 ________________________________________________________________- Anne Erickson holds years of bylines in Gannett Media publications, as well as music magazines Premier Guitar, Guitar Edge and more. She also hosts radio shows with iHeartRadio and has been syndicated in Seattle, Dayton, Central Coast California and beyond. Anne is a loyal Spartan and holds a Master’s degree from MSU. She resides in Lansing, Michigan.A

by Anne Erickson Week of September 2th - 8th From the release of John Lennon's seminal Imagine album in the U.S. to the births of Freddie Mercury and Roger Waters, early September offers a plentiful amount of historical musical moments. Read on for some major events, historic record releases and notable births and deaths happening September 2 through September 8. Events 1956 - Elvis Presley appears on The Ed Sullivan Show for the first time. 1964 - The Animals rock America for the first time with a gig at New York's Paramount Theatre. 1968 - The members of Led Zeppelin perform their last show as a band, going under the name The New Yardbirds. The show was at a club in a suburb of Copenhagen, Denmark. 1970 - Jimi Hendrix performs his last concert at the Open Air Love & Peace Festival in Fehmarn, Germany on Sept. 6. He passes away Sept. 18 in London. 1976 - Fleetwood Mac's self-titled studio album hits No. 1 a year after its initial release. 1976 - Lynyrd Skynyrd guitarist Gary Rossington hits an oak tree with his Ford Torino and is severely injured. 1995 - Joan Jett sings the National Anthem before the Baltimore Orioles game against the California Angels. 1997 - Elton John performs a new version of "Candle in the Wind" at Princess Diana's funeral. The new version becomes the best-selling single of all time. Releases 1970 - The Rolling Stones: Get Yer Ya-Ya's Out! 1971 - John Lennon: Imagine 1973 - Frank Zappa: Over-Nite Sensation 1974 - Judas Priest: Rocka Rolla 1975 - Kiss: Alive! (live album) 1979 - Siouxsie and the Banshees: Join Hands 1982 - Rush: Signals 1984 - Queensryche: The Warning 1987 - Pink Floyd: A Momentary Lapse of Reason 1989 - Soundgarden: Louder Than Love 1990 - Neil Young and Crazy Horse: Ragged Glory 1990 - Warrant: Cherry Pie 1991 - Guns N' Roses, Use Your Illusion I and Use Your Illusion II 1991 - Nirvana: "Smells Like Teen Spirit" (single) 1992 - Ugly Kid Joe: America's Least Wanted 1995 - Blur: The Great Escape 1996 - R.E.M.: New Adventures in Hi-Fi 1998 - Hole: Celebrity Skin 2005 - The Rolling Stones: A Bigger Bang 2006 - Audioslave: Revelations 2014 - U2: Songs of Innocence Births Rosalind Ashford (Martha and the Vandellas), September 2, 1943 Billy Preston, September 2, 1946 Mik Kaminski (Electric Light Orchestra), September 2, 1951 Fritz McIntyre (Simply Red), September 2, 1956 Steve Porcaro (Toto), September 2, 1957 Freddie King, September 3, 1934 Al Jardine (The Beach Boys), September 3, 1942 George Biondo (Steppenwolf), September 3, 1945 Eric Bell (Thin Lizzy), September 3, 1947 Donald Brewer (Grand Funk Railroad), September 3, 1948 Steve Jones (The Sex Pistols), September 3, 1955 Perry Bamonte (The Cure), September 3, 1960 Jimmy Reed, September 6, 1925 Patsy Cline, September 8, 1932 Buddy Holly, September 7, 1936 Roger Waters, September 6, 1943 Ron McKernan (The Grateful Dead), September 8, 1945 Buddy Miles September 5, 1946 Freddie Mercury, September 5, 1946 Benjamin Orr (The Cars), September 8, 1947 Chrissie Hynde (The Pretenders), September 7, 1951 Benmont Tench (Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers), September 7, 1954 Kim Thayil (lead guitarist for Soundgarden), September 4, 1960 LeRoi Moore (Dave Matthews Band), September 7, 1961 Brad Wilk (Rage Against The Machine) - September 5, 1968 Delores O'Riordan (The Cranberries), September 6, 1971 Deaths Jerry Reed, September 1, 2008 Alan Wilson (Canned Heat), September 3, 1970 Major Lance, September 3, 1994 Keith Moon, September 7, 1978 Tom Fogerty (Creedence Clearwater Revival), September 6, 1990 Nicky Hopkins (session musician), September 6, 1994 Warren Zevon, September 7, 2003 Week of September 9th - 15th During this week in rock history, the Monkees made their debut on American television, a pioneering prog-rock band performed onstage for the first time, and the surviving members of Led Zeppelin made a landmark announcement. Read on for a look back at other significant moments that shaped rock and roll during this historically eventful week. Events 1955 -- Little Richard records “Tutti Frutti” in New Orleans. It’s the last of nine songs he records for his debut album, Here’s Little Richard. 1962 -- The Beatles record their first British singles, “Love Me Do” and “P.S. I Love You.” 1965 – The Ford automobile company begins offering factory-installed 8-track tape players in its Mustang, Thunderbird, and Lincoln models. The tapes, which often get chewed up by the malfunctioning players, are at first available only at auto parts stores or at Ford dealers. 1966 -- The TV show “The Monkees” makes its American broadcast debut on the NBC network. 1967 -- The Beatles begin filming Magical Mystery Tour. 1967 -- Jimi Hendrix's debut album, Are You Experienced?, enters the Billboard Hot 200 album chart, where it remains for more than two years. 1969 -- John Lennon introduces the Plastic Ono Band while in Toronto for the Rock and Roll Revival Show. The group’s performance at the event is later released as the live album, Live Peace in Toronto 1969. 1969 -- Genesis perform onstage for the first time, playing at a cottage owned by frontman Peter Gabriel's former Sunday school teacher. 1972 -- Peter Frampton stages his first solo concert, opening for the J. Geils Band in New York. 1974 -- An AM radio station in Roanoke, Virginia, starts playing the Doobie Brothers’ song “Black Water,” as a nod to a local stream that bears the same name. The response from listeners proves so positive, the label releases the track as a single. The recording goes on to become a #1 hit. 1976 -- KC and the Sunshine Band top the U.S. singles chart with “(Shake Shake Shake), Shake Your Booty.” The track is the band’s third Number One hit in the U.S. 1979 - ABBA kick off their first and only North America tour, performing a show at the Edmonton Sports Arena. 1982 – Pink Floyd's The Wall makes it feature film screen debut. 1996 -- Jack Gillis marries Meg White, thus giving birth to The White Stripes. The couple at first tell journalists they are brother and sister, but the ruse is eventually exposed. 1987 – The TV show “American Bandstand” becomes the longest-running entertainment show in America. 2007 -- Surviving Led Zeppelin members Robert Plant, Jimmy Page, and John Paul Jones announce they will regroup for a tribute concert to honor Atlantic Records founder Ahmet Ertegun, with drummer John Bonham’s son Jason filling in for his late father. The concert is staged on November 26 at the 02 Arena in London. Releases 1967 – The Kinks: Something Else 1969 – Rolling Stones: Through the Past, Darkly (Big Hits Vol. 2) 1971 – The Band: Cahoots 1971 -- Judee Sill: Judee Sill 1972 – Yes: Close to the Edge 1972 – Grand Funk Railroad: Phoenix 1972 – John Denver: Rocky Mountain High 1973 – Bruce Springsteen: The Wild, the Innocent & the E Street Shuffle 1974 -- Raspberries: Starting Over 1975 – Thin Lizzy: Fighting 1975 -- Pink Floyd: Wish You Were Here 1975 – Supertramp: Crisis? What Crisis? 1975 – Foghat: Fool for the City 1976 – Electric Light Orchestra: A New World Record 1976 – Bob Dylan: Hard Rain (Live) 1976 – Lynyrd Skynyrd: One More from the Road 1976 -- Ringo Starr: Ringo's Rotogravure 1977 – Chicago: Chicago XI 1977 – Talking Heads: Talking Heads 77 1979 – Foreigner: Head Games 1979 – Frank Zappa: Joe's Garage Act I 1980 – David Bowie: Scary Monsters (And Super Creeps) 1980 – Doobie Brothers: One Step Closer 1981 – Genesis: Abacab 1981 – Billy Joel: Songs in the Attic 1983 – UB40: Labour of Love 1983 -- Huey Lewis and the News: Sports 1984 – Kiss: Animalize 1984 – Motörhead: No Remorse 1986 -- Elvis Costello and the Attractions: Blood & Chocolate 1986 – Cyndi Lauper: True Colors 1987 – Jethro Tull: Crest of a Knave 1987 -- Public Image Ltd: Happy? 1987 -- Mick Jagger: Primitive Cool 1987 – Ramones: Halfway to Sanity 1987 – Yes: Big Generator 1989 – Aerosmith: Pump 1990 – Warrant: Cherry Pie 1991 -- Ozzy Osbourne: No More Tears 1991 – Hole: Pretty on the Inside 1991 -- Guns N' Roses: Use Your Illusion I - 1991 -- Guns N' Roses: Use Your Illusion II 1992 -- Blind Melon: Blind Melon 1993 – Counting Crows: August and Everything After 1993 – Meat Loaf: Bat Out of Hell II: Back into Hell 1994 -- Eric Clapton: From the Cradle 1995 -- Lenny Kravitz: Circus 1995 -- Red Hot Chili Peppers: One Hot Minute 1996 – ZZ Top: Rhythmeen 1998 -- L.A. Guns: Wasted 1999 -- Iggy Pop: Avenue B 2000 -- Emmylou Harris: Red Dirt Girl 2001 -- Boz Scaggs: Dig 2001 -- Bob Dylan: Love and Theft 2001 -- John Hiatt: The Tiki Bar Is Open 2001 -- Drive-By Truckers: Southern Rock Opera 2001 – Lifehouse: Stanley Climbfall 2003 -- David Bowie: Reality 2004 -- Megadeth: The System Has Failed 2005 -- Paul McCartney: Chaos and Creation in the Backyard 2005 – Queen: Return of the Champions 2005 -- Bonnie Raitt: Souls Alike Deaths Peter Tosh – September 11, 1987 Johnny Cash -- September 12, 2003 Johnny Ramone -- September 15, 2004 Rick Wright -- September 15, 2008 Norman Whitfield – September 16, 2008 Jim Carroll – September 11, 2009 Eddie Money - September 13, 2019 Ric Ocasek (The Cars) - September 15, 2019 Births Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown, September 10, 2005 Robert Young (Primal Scream), September 9, 2014 Bill Monroe – September 13, 1911 George Jones -- September 12, 1931 Otis Redding, September 9, 1941 David Clayton-Thomas – September 13, 1941 Danny Hutton (Three Dog Night), September 10, 1942 Jack Ely – September 11, 1943 Mickey Hart (The Grateful Dead), September 11, 1943 Barry White -- September 12, 1944 Peter Cetera -- September 13, 1944 Dickie Peterson (Blue Cheer) – September 12, 1946 Peter Agnew (Nazareth) – September 14, 1946 Steve Gaines (Lynyrd Skynyrd) -- September 14, 1949 Joe Perry, September 10, 1950 Paul Kossoff -- September 14, 1950 Dave Stewart, September 9, 1952 Neil Peart -- September 12, 1952 Gerry Beckley (America) – September 12, 1952 Don Was – September 13, 1952 Tommy Shaw (Styx) – September 11, 1953 Dave Mustaine -- September 13, 1961 Zak Starkey – September 13, 1965 Ben Folds -- September 12, 1966 Harry Connick, Jr. – September 11, 1967 Richard Ashcroft (The Verve), September 11, 1971 Jennifer Nettles -- September 12, 1974 Jonny Buckland (Coldplay), September 11, 1977 Fiona Apple -- September 13, 1977 Mikey Way (My Chemical Romance), September 10, 1980 Amy Winehouse -- September 14, 1983 Matthew Followill (Kings of Leon), September 10, 1984 ________________________________________________________________- Anne Erickson holds years of bylines in Gannett Media publications, as well as music magazines Premier Guitar, Guitar Edge and more. She also hosts radio shows with iHeartRadio and has been syndicated in Seattle, Dayton, Central Coast California and beyond. Anne is a loyal Spartan and holds a Master’s degree from MSU. She resides in Lansing, Michigan.A

by Anne Erickson Alternative rock is often associated with the ‘90s grunge movement, when Nirvana’s Nevermind took center stage, leaving ‘80s hair metal trends in the dust. But, of course, the alternative music experience really started in the late-‘70s and ‘80s, when college radio embraced pretty much anything that mainstream radio wouldn’t—and that was a lot. In honor of the pioneering bands that helped pave the way for the alternative sound, Gibson.com presents 10 Great Classic Alternative Rock Bands. What were your favorite early noise-makers? Give us your picks in the comments section below! The Cure The Cure ruled college radio in the ‘80s, consistently spitting out a sound so unique and fresh, it was impossible to mistake it for any other band. The group surfaced from the late-‘70s punk rock culture and went onto craft dark, gloomy songs with spacey synths and gothic themes. The band eventually scored big in the U.K. and established itself as a major cult act in the U.S., influencing countless bands along the way. Depeche Mode These guys embraced ‘80s dance-pop music, but in the end, it was Depeche Mode’s dark, theatrical sound that situated them to be one of the biggest alternative bands of the ‘80s. Now, they’re back with a new album, 2013’s Delta Machine, and a major North American tour set for late summer. Dinosaur Jr. Dinosaur Jr. rocked hard, with a blend of loud guitar noise, ear-splitting feedback and free-form noise. The band’s ‘80s records for SST helped pave the way for alternative rock’s mainstream breakthrough in the early ‘90s, although the guys never earned nearly as much visibility as the bands that broke during the Nirvana wave. Duran Duran “Hungry Like the Wolf” hit-makers Duran Duran brought New Wave to the masses, largely thanks to MTV. The band’s supermodel good looks and glamorous fashion made them music video superstars. The band’s rise to the top was quick in the early-to-mid-‘80s, and even though the popularly didn’t last too long, they’re one of the few ‘80s underground bands who were able to achieve such mainstream fanfare. Hüsker Dü Hüsker Dü helped change the sound and style of rock ‘n’ roll music in the ‘80s. The group had a special knack for writing songs with digestible pop structures and catchy melodies, but with a real punk edge. They were also one of the first ‘80s, post-punk bands to sign a deal with a major label and released their Warner Bros. debut, Candy Apple Grey, in 1986. New Order Following the death of Joy Division frontman Ian Curtis in 1980, the rest of the band regrouped to form New Order. The new project kept Joy Division’s post-punk aesthetic, but also incorporated the disco rhythms and electronic influence of the underground club circuit, offering a cool mesh of synth pop that brought New Order an abundance of success in the ‘80s. R.E.M. R.E.M. are often considered the statesmen of the alternative rock movement. The band achieved superstar status and was one of the few underground ‘80s acts embraced by the mainstream. Their guitar pop-driven garage sound garnered them a cult following in the early-‘80s, as they toured incessantly and released a steady stream of albums, and the band went platinum by the late-‘80s. All the while, R.E.M. inspired a stream of ‘90s alternative groups. The Smiths The Smiths were the biggest British alternative rock band of the ‘80s, and they’re often credited for inspiring a new era—one that brought guitar rock into a scene that, at the time, was dominated by synth-driven aesthetics. Musically, the band achieved a cult following with their tight, melodic pop songs that were lively and dynamic. Sonic Youth By the end of the decade, Sonic Youth was a huge influence in the underground alternative world. In fact, the band was reportedly instrumental in getting Nirvana signed by Geffen, ultimately, to release Nevermind. Musically, Sonic Youth rose to the top with a mix of wild noise experimentalism, no wave and post-punk that was inventive and delightfully disordered. Violent Femmes “Blister in the Sun” songsters Violent Femmes garnered a cult following in the ‘80s with an angst-ridden, unrefined post-punk style and delivery. What really made them stand out was the band’s connection with young fans— kids who found comfort in the group’s tart, frustrated songs and coming-of-age themes. -HC- ________________________________________________________________ Anne Erickson holds years of bylines in Gannett Media publications, as well as music magazines Premier Guitar, Guitar Edge and more. She also hosts radio shows with iHeartRadio and has been syndicated in Seattle, Dayton, Central Coast California and beyond. Anne is a loyal Spartan and holds a Master’s degree from MSU. She resides in Lansing, Michigan.A

by Anne Erickson Week of August 19th - 25th This week is a major one for rock anniversaries. From the releases of Pearl Jam's Ten and Metallica: ...And Justice for All to the birthdays of Keith Moon and Rob Halford, it's obvious this week in rock history truly rocks. Keep reading for some major events, historic record releases and notable births and deaths happening Aug. 19 – 25. Events 1965 - The Rolling Stones' record "Out of Our Heads" reaches No. 1 in the U.S. 1965 - During a break on a U.S. tour, the Beatles visited Elvis Presley at his residence in Beverly Hills. 1967 - The great Keith Moon of the Who drove a car in to a hotel swimming pool by accident. He was attempting elude the police who had arrived to shut down his birthday party. While some say the story isn't true, Roger Daltrey stands behind it. 1968 - The final day of recording the Beatles' "Sexy Sadie" takes place. 1970 - The Velvet Underground played their final show with Lou Reed at the Manhattan venue Max's Kansas City. 1970 - Elton John performs in the U.S. for the first time. It's at The Troubadour in Los Angeles. 1982 - Bono of U2 gets married to his high school sweetheart Alison Stewart at the Guinness Church of Ireland. 2016 - The Tragically Hip perform their final concert. Releases 1968 - Fleetwood Mac, Mr. Wonderful 1972 - The Kinks, Everybody's in Show-Biz 1975 - Bruce Springsteen, Born to Run 1976 - Boston, Boston 1976 - Eric Clapton, No Reason to Cry 1979 - The Alan Parsons Project, Eve 1981 - The Rolling Stones, Tattoo You 1982 - Alice Cooper, Zipper Catches Skin 1983 - Rainbow, Bent Out of Shape 1985 - The Cure: The Head on the Door 1986 - Paul McCartney: Press to Play 1987 - The Cars, Door to Door 1988 - Jane's Addiction, Nothing's Shocking 1988 - Metallica, ...And Justice for All 1991 - Pearl Jam, Ten 1996 - Pearl Jam, No Code 1997 - Oasis, Be Here Now 1998 - Rob Zombie, Hellbilly Deluxe 2002 - Coldplay, A Rush of Blood to the Head 2002 - Queens of the Stone Age, Songs for the Deaf 2002 - Stone Sour, Stone Sour 2008 - Slipknot: All Hope Is Gone 2008 - B.B. King, One Kind Favor 2010 - The Pretty Reckless, Light Me Up 2012 - Lynyrd Skynyrd, Last of a Dyin' Breed 2014 - Royal Blood, Royal Blood Deaths Bob Stegmeyer (bassist) - August 25, 1995 Jack Nitzsche (producer) - August 25, 2000 Betty Everett – Aug. 19, 2001 LeRoi Moore (Dave Matthews Band) – Aug. 19, 2008 Sid Bernstein (promoter for the Beatles and manager for various artists) - August 21, 2013 Births Ginger Baker – Aug. 19, 1939 Johnny Nash – Aug. 19, 1940 John Lee Hooker - August 22, 1920 Kenny Rogers - August 21, 1938 Tom Coster (Santana) - August 21, 1941 Isaac Hayes – Aug. 20, 1942 Ian Gillan – Aug. 19, 1945 Ken Hensley (Uriah Heep) - August 24, 1945 Ralf Hutter (Kraftwerk) – Aug. 20, 1946 Keith Moon - August 23, 1946 James Pankow (Chicago) – Aug. 20, 1947 Robert Plant – Aug. 20, 1948 Phil Lynott – Aug. 20, 1949 Rick Springfield - August 23, 1949 Gene Simmons - August 25, 1949 John Deacon – Aug. 19, 1951 Jimi Jamison (Survivor) - August 23, 1951 Rob Halford - August 25, 1951 Glenn Hughes (Deep Purple) - August 21, 1952 John Hiatt – Aug. 20, 1952 Elvis Costello - August 25, 1954 Vernon Reid (Living Colour) - August 22, 1958 Dean DeLeo (Stone Temple Pilots) - August 23, 1961 John Bush (Anthrax) - August 24, 1963 Layne Staley - August 22, 1967 Jeff Tweedy (Wilco) - August 25, 1967 Julian Casablancas (The Strokes) - August 23, 1978 Kacey Musgraves - August 21, 1988 Week of August 26th - September 1st From the birth of pop great Michael Jackson to the Beatles playing their final official public show, the end of August and beginning of September offer many cornerstone musical moments. Read on for some major events, historic record releases and notable births and deaths. Events 1942 - Frank Sinatra began his career as a solo singer. 1958 - George Harrison became part of the group Quarrymen. John Lennon and Paul McCartney were also in the band. 1964 - The Animals performed for the first time in the U.S. in Brooklyn, New York, at the Paramount Theater. 1966 - The Beatles played their fourth American tour at Candlestick Park in San Francisco, California. It ended up being their final proper public concert. 1974 – The final episode of "The Partridge Family" television show aired. 1977 - Blondie inked their first major record company contract with Chrysalis. 1979 - INXS performed for the first time in Sydney, Australia. 1983 - The movie "Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence" opened in U.S. theaters. David Bowie starred in the film. 1986 – What was once the "American Bandstand" studio was positioned on the National Register of Historic Places. 1991 - Dottie West was in a car accident while on her way to perform at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Tennessee. She passed away five days later. 1993 - Billy Joel was the debut musical guest on CBS-TV's "The Late Show with David Letterman" when the show started. 1995 - The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum ribbon cutting ceremony took place in Cleveland, Ohio. Releases Roy Orbison, Oh, Pretty Woman, 1964 Bob Dylan, Highway 61 Revisited, 1965 The Byrds, Sweetheart of the Rodeo, 1968 The Rolling Stones, Get Yer Ya Ya's Out, 1970 The Rolling Stones, Goat's Head Soup, 1974 Styx, Pieces of Eight, 1978 George Strait, Strait Country, 1981 Michael Jackson, Bad, 1987 Alabama, I'm in a Hurry (and Don't Know Why), 1992 Oasis, Definitely Maybe, 1994 Births Alex Lifeson - August 27, 1953 Glen Matlock (Sex Pistols) - August 27, 1956 Dan Vickrey (Counting Crows) - August 26, 1966 Shirley Manson (Garbage) - August 26, 1966 Layne Staley - August 22, 1967 Adrian Young (No Doubt) - August 26, 1969 Tony Kanal (No Doubt) - August 27, 1970 Sterling Morrison (The Velvet Underground), August 29, 1942 Dick Halligan (Blood, Sweat & Tears), August 29, 1943 Rick Downey (Blue Oyster Cult), August 29, 1953 Michael Jackson, August 29, 1958 Kyle Cook (Matchbox Twenty), August 29, 1975 David Desrosiers (Simple Plan), August 29, 1980 “Papa” John Phillips (The Mamas & The Papas), August 30, 1935 Micky Moody (Whitesnake), August 30, 1950 Van Morrison, August 31, 1945 Guitarist Rudolf Schenker (Scorpions), August 31, 1948 Gina Schock (The Go-Go's), August 31, 1957 Jeff Russo (of Tonic), August 31, 1969 Debbie Gibson, August 31, 1970 Greg Errico (Sly and the Family Stone), September 1, 1946 Barry Gibb (The Bee Gees), September 1, 1946 Gloria Estefan, September 1, 1957 Deaths Brian Epstein (manager of the Beatles) - August 27, 1967 Stevie Ray Vaughan - August 27, 1990 Thomas "Papa Dee" Allen (War), August 30 1988 Sterling Morrison (The Velvet Underground), August 30, 1995 Jerry Reed, September 1, 2008 ________________________________________________________________- Anne Erickson holds years of bylines in Gannett Media publications, as well as music magazines Premier Guitar, Guitar Edge and more. She also hosts radio shows with iHeartRadio and has been syndicated in Seattle, Dayton, Central Coast California and beyond. Anne is a loyal Spartan and holds a Master’s degree from MSU. She resides in Lansing, Michigan.A ______________________________________________________ HC's Rock Review is sponsored by Gibson

by Anne Erickson It all started in 1894. Orville Gibson is busy working in his home woodshop in Kalamazoo, Mich., when he stumbles upon a novel instrument. Orville takes the carved, arched top shape of the violin and uses it to transform mandolins. He designs two fresh mandolin shapes: the scroll-body F style and the teardrop-shaped A. From there, the Gibson Mandolin-Guitar Mfg. Co., Ltd. is formed in 1902, and the first electric Gibson guitar is introduced in 1935. The music world has never been the same. Les Pauls, Flying Vs, Explorers, SGs and other styles have forever changed the musical landscape. Here’s a quick look at how a Gibson goes from trees to guitars. 1. Gathering raw wood materials Raw materials that make up the electric guitar include mature hardwoods such as maple and mahogany for the solid body and neck. Wood density and weight have an effect on sustain and tone. Other woods used can include ash or walnut. 2. The rough mill The construction of a Gibson guitar begins at the rough mill, where the wood is kiln dried and tested for moisture content before processing. Workers select and cut the wood into body-sized billets and neck blanks. During this phase and in the factory, a special, overhead irrigation system spritzes water into the air on-and-off to keep the air consistently at the right conditions. This ensures the wood is preserved at the highest quality. 3. Shaping wood into the perfect instrument In the rough mill, a band saw operator selects the graded wood and pre-cuts it to the shape of the guitar whether it is an SG or a Les Paul. Then it is taken to a series of computer numerically controlled (CNC) saws and routers , where billets are cut into finished SGs. For flame top maple, billets are cut down the center and book matched to offer the classic center seam look of the Les Paul Standard. Then it is glued to a mahogany back and off to the CNC saws and routers. 4. The flawless cut Highly trained workers start the neck cutting. During the careful cutting process, long blocks of wood called neck blanks become carefully shaped into the correct sizes depending on the model then a rosewood fingerboard will be added before it can be sanded to the final shape. 5. At the factory While the workers are making necks the fingerboards also move through the factory, and inlays of mother-of-pearl, abalone or acrylic are glued in. Talented workers install the frets, laying the wire into the grooves cut in the fingerboards along with any binding or other special features. 6. A hands-on approach Starting with the body line and neck line each manufacturing department at Gibson USA has its individual quality control staff to ensure that each stop of the guitar-making process is completed to perfection. 7. 24/7 quality control While most of the guitar-building happens during the early shift, many operations are very time consuming and require extra time and staffers are on hand 24 hours a day to ensure the process goes smoothly. In the body line staffers rout a channel along the edge of the guitar to inset the binding, this channel is called a “rabbet” .In the channel we place vinyl stripping inlaid by hand and the guitars are trussed up with cloth strips to hold the binding together. During this process, as with every part of the guitar-making progression, quality control is key, and guitars are checked and tested to ensure the upmost quality. 8. Smoothing it out Overnight, the glue hardens and adheres. After the glue solidifies, it’s time to sand marks out of the guitars. First, a smoothing process takes place via a large belt sander. Experienced staffers smooth out the guitars, paying careful attention how a Les Paul, Firebird, SG, Flying V or other Gibson guitar should look and feel. The sides are smoothed down, and quality control does the final check. Next, the neck is fitted onto the guitar body and hangs about a half-hour to dry. 9. Technology first Technology plays a significant role in routing the guitars’ bodies for tailpiece holes, the bridge and the pickups, as well as fret-filing, with computer-controlled routing and a machine called a PLEK helps to ensure the most consistent results. Then, more handiwork takes over, with the guitars getting a rubdown with 280 grit sandpaper before the coat. Mahogany bodies receive a layer of pore filler, since the wood is porous and needs to have its grain evened for the paint room. After another quality check, the guitars head to the next phase, to get its burst, design or solid-color finish. 10. Finishing the job Next, the guitars head to the paint shop where they receive coatings of hand applied paint. The binding is sprayed over with paint restored to its original look by scrapers. Then it’s on to an electrostatic rod that prompts lacquer to adhere while moving along a conveyor hitched to the ceiling. Hundreds of sparkling guitars hang at the end of the line, each one drying overnight. After drying they are taken down and hand sanded again to level the finish. Following a final coat of lacquer, the guitars dry for four or five days. Lacquer, paint or wood filler that may have gotten onto the frets or fingerboard is taken off by careful sanding and polishing. Buffing gives the guitars their glossy shine. Finally, the guitars get their electronic innards – everything from pickups to wiring to robotic auto tuners – and become complete instruments. As always, quality control is key. Each step of the guitar-making process includes a quality control phase, and that’s especially important at the end. Final quality control has a staff of about a half-dozen people checking the instruments to ensure perfection. Premier Guitar recently published this look at the guitar production process with this tour of the Gibson Guitar factory. They have been kind enough to allow us to share it here: Please be sure to visit Premier Guitar here Anne Erickson holds years of bylines in Gannett Media publications, as well as music magazines Premier Guitar, Guitar Edge and more. She also hosts radio shows with iHeartRadio and has been syndicated in Seattle, Dayton, Central Coast California and beyond. Anne is a loyal Spartan and holds a Master’s degree from MSU. She resides in Lansing, Michigan.A

by Anne Erickson Having an appreciation for the bass guitar, I understand that a having bass player that knows how to move and groove is critical to the sound of any band. Having also served as a bass player, I know that the lower end sometimes gets the shaft when it comes to media coverage. Well, not here! Below, check out 10 Tips for Those Rocking the Bass Guitar from a collection of noteworthy players. Who’s your favorite bass slinger? Add to the conversation below! Duff McKagan from Guns N’ Roses, Velvet Revolver and Jane’s Addiction on recording, as told to Bass Player: “I try not to get caught up in Pro Tools; I’d rather play a song all the way through than sit there and edit parts together. We tracked Velvet Revolver’s Libertad as a live band, and on most of the tunes, we didn’t use a click track. Sure, some of the tracks speed up at the end, but they do so for a reason: because the music and the feeling are getting more intense. I think the listener wants to hear that, too. Most important for me is being in that deep pocket with the drums. To do that, you have to empty your mind. Especially when we’re recording, I empty my mind completely and picture myself literally inside the bass drum. Whenever that thumper hits, I’m just a little behind to create the groove.” Jaco Pastorius on getting his stage sound via BassGuitarBlog.com: “I turn the bass on the amp all the way up because I only use the back pick-up on the bass. I never use the bass pick-up on the front so I have to compensate quite a bit with the amp. I have a sound that’s like an R&B-type sound which is real punchy and hits.” Victor Wooten on getting his bass to sound like a guitar on his album Words and Tones, as told to Premier Guitar: “I’m always looking for new tricks and techniques. I always use a ponytail holder hair band on the neck of my bass, and I found that if I moved it to the 17th or 18th fret, I could make sounds like a guitar player using pinched harmonics. So I put distortion on the instrument and, just like a guitarist, I took a solo on ‘Sword and Stone’ that sounded just like a guitarist would. It was definitely something new for me.” Ozzy Osbourne bass player Blasko on using the overdrive pedal, as told to Bass Player: “I’m not a fan of distortion, because I think it causes you to lose a lot of the roundness of the tone. But I love overdrive. In the way I play, it helps the notes connect to one another. It’s hard for me to get excited when the bass tone is completely dry. I also like to have a lot of bottom end; our stage volume is sometimes so high that I can’t hear myself, so I like to know that I can still feel myself by moving lot of air.” Primus’ Les Claypool on tips for young bass players, as told to Alter the Press: “Play as much as you can and play with as many people as you can. People who just sit in a room and play, are only going to get so good. Playing music is like having a conversation, if you have conversations with the same people over and over again, you're not going to be as loquacious as someone who speaks to different people, from different backgrounds, all the time. Play with as many people as you possibly can, even if they aren't any good.” Red Hot Chili Peppers bass player Flea on how studying music theory can help your playing, as told to Bass Player Magazine: “I took theory, composition and jazz trumpet at the University of Southern California. The main thing I got out of that experience was my theory class, and the big thing was Bach, who blew my mind in a way that Hendrix did to me when I was a kid, or Charlie Parker. I always appreciated classical music, but not to the point where I really delved into it. I took classes with a theory professor, Professor Neal Desby, and I also studied with him privately. I was really getting into Bach…. It’s something to aspire to. It’s just amazing.” Rush’s Geddy Lee on getting the “perfect bass sound” as told to Bass Player: “I’ve always liked my tone to have an edge, but over the years, I’ve been moving the edge higher and I’ve brought in more warmth. When I got my first Wal, it blew me away—the lower mids are so constant and the tone fits so easily into the context of our band on record. I don’t need to use a lot of fancy EQ; the bass just naturally bounces and hangs there. That’s what I’m really after; the bounce of the sound. If I’m playing a lot of notes, I don’t like the tone to get twangy; I like there to be a bit of depth to it…” Nikki Sixx on using the Gibson Thunderbird to get his trademark sound, as told to Guitar Center: “I’ve played Gibson Thunderbirds for my whole career. The Thunderbird is me. It’s become such a part of me that I don’t even look right holding another bass anymore. The Blackbird is my version of the Thunderbird. It’s like a race car. Both of the pickups are wired together, and there are no tone or volume controls. The only control is a toggle switch that turns the pickups on or off. The word ‘finesse’ should never come into play when you’re talking about rock bass. It’s like sex. You’ve just got to do the job. Playing bass isn’t about making love. It’s brutal, nasty, dirty, and raw. That’s what the Blackbird is. There are other basses for other styles of music with volume and tone controls, but I just want to go. It’s not like I’m going to turn the tone control back 25 percent and the volume back 10 percent to play the bridge of ‘Home Sweet Home’ on stage.” Jason Newsted on creating rhythms, as told to Bass Player: “A lot of people who aren’t necessarily musicians visit the studio, and I keep various noise-making devices around—drums, knockers, nose flutes—so they can play along. I love watching instructional videos, so I bought the Santana rhythm-section tape, From Afro-Cuban to Rock [Latin Percussion]. It shows five general rhythms and how you apply them—but once the musicians start doing their thing, I just sit and watch in amazement. I haven’t spent enough hours learning how to play them.” Green Day bass player Mike Dirnt on what advice he would give to an up-and-comer, as told to Guitar Center: “I would say, first of all, play music with friends. Don’t just play with somebody because they happen to have a lot of skills. Play with people you get along with because happiness is a road traveled, not a destination. If you can find it within yourself to be happy with working 40 hours a week and having a gig on the weekend or just having something to look forward to as far as having different shows and playing with friends. If you can be happy with that, if you can be happy with the least, then you’ve already succeeded. Chances are, all it’s going to be is you gigging from weekend to weekend for the rest of your life or until you get going.” -HC- ________________________________________________________________ Anne Erickson holds years of bylines in Gannett Media publications, as well as music magazines Premier Guitar, Guitar Edge and more. She also hosts radio shows with iHeartRadio and has been syndicated in Seattle, Dayton, Central Coast California and beyond. Anne is a loyal Spartan and holds a Master’s degree from MSU. She resides in Lansing, Michigan.A

A look back at the past two weeks in Rock History This week in rock history, Bob Dylan suffered an accident that sent him into seclusion, Mick Jagger made his acting debut, and one of rock’s greatest power trio’s staged their debut performance. Read on for a look back at other significant moments that shaped rock and roll during this historically eventful week. Events 1957 – Jerry Lee Lewis appears on national TV for the first time, performing “Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On” on the NBC program The Steve Allen Show. 1964 – Marvin Gaye records “How Sweet it is To Be Loved By You,” a track penned by the prolific Motown songwriting team of Holland-Dozier-Holland. 1965 – The Beach Boys record “California Girls.” 1965 – The Beatles second movie, Help!, premieres at the Pavilion Theatre in London. 1966 – The Monkees record “Last Train to Clarksville,” a track written by the songwriting team of Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart. 1966 – Bob Dylan is injured in a motorcycle accident. A period of virtual seclusion ensues for roughly nine months following the accident. 1966 – Cream make their concert debut, staging a performance in Manchester, England. 1966 – The Troggs’ version of “Wild Thing” tops the U.S. singles chart. 1968 – The Jackson 5 sign a one-year contract with Motown. 1970 – Mungo Jerry’s “In the Summertime” appears on the US singles chart. 1972 – Gilbert O’Sullivan’s “Alone Again (Naturally)” tops the U.S. singles chart. The ballad will hold go on to hold that spot for six non-consecutive weeks. 1970 – Mick Jagger makes his acting debut in the film Ned Kelly. 1973 – Grand Funk Railroad release “We’re an American Band.” 1974 – Lynyrd Skynyrd release “Sweet Home Alabama.” 1976 – Three Dog Night perform their final concert, staging a show in San Francisco. An attempted 1981 reunion proves to be short-lived. 1980 – Eric Carr makes his debut as new drummer for Kiss. 2006 – The first guitar owned by Paul McCartney is sold at auction for approximately $500,000. 2010 – John Fogerty performs his classic hit “Centerfield” at the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame ceremony. He also donates a guitar shaped like a baseball bat to the Hall. 2015 – The Eagles play the final date of their “History of the Eagles” tour. Sadly, Glenn Frey passes away just six months later. Releases 1966 – The Troggs: From Nowhere 1967 – The Yardbirds: Little Games 1968 – The Moody Blues: In Search of the Lost Chord 1968 – Cream: Wheels of Fire 1968 – Deep Purple: Shades of Deep Purple 1969 – Yes: Yes 1969 – Leslie West: Mountain 1970 – Yes: Time and a Word 1970 – Creedence Clearwater Revival: Cosmo’s Factory 1970 – James Gang: James Gang Rides Again 1972 – Mott the Hoople: All The Young Dudes 1972 – Argent: All Together Now 1972 – Captain Beyond: Captain Beyond 1972 – Van Morrison: Saint Dominic’s Preview 1972 – Curtis Mayfield: Super Fly 1972 – Foghat: Foghat 1972 – Johnny Nash: I Can See Clearly Now 1973 – New York Dolls: New York Dolls 1973 – ZZ Top: Tres Hombres 1973 – Lou Reed: Berlin 1973 – Steely Dan: Countdown to Ecstasy 1974 – Eric Clapton: 461 Ocean Boulevard 1974 – James Gang: Miami 1974 – Sly & the Family Stone: Small Talk 1975 – Black Sabbath: Sabotage 1975 – Poco: Head Over Heels 1976 – Pure Prairie League: Dance 1976 – Graham Parker and the Rumour: Howlin’ Wind 1976 – Al Stewart: Year of the Cat 1979 – AC/DC: Highway to Hell 1979 – Rainbow: Down to Earth 1980 – AC/DC: Back in Black 1981 – Debbie Harry: KooKoo 1981 – Stevie Nicks: Bella Donna 1983 – Metallica: Kill ‘Em All 1984 – Metallica: Ride the Lightning 1986 – R.E.M: Lifes Rich Pageant 1987 – 10,000 Maniacs: In My Tribe 1989 – Alice Cooper: Trash 1991 – Widespread Panic: Widespread Panic 1992 – Morrissey: Your Arsenal 1993 – Smashing Pumpkins: Siamese Dream 1993 -- Steve Vai: Sex & Religion 1996 – Sublime: Sublime 1997 – Teenage Fanclub: Songs from Northern Britain 1999 – Bree Sharp: A Cheap and Evil Girl 1999 – The Verve Pipe: The Verve Pipe 2002 – Linkin Park: Reanimation 2002 – Bruce Springsteen: The Rising 2006 – Tom Petty: Highway Companion 2008 – Alice Cooper: Along Came a Spider 2009 – George Thorogood & the Destroyers: The Dirty Dozen Deaths Cass Elliot – July 29, 1974 Big Mama Thornton – July 25, 1984 Mary Wells – July 26, 1992 Eddie Guzman (Rare Earth) – July 29, 1993 Charlie Rich – July 25, 1995 Eddie Hinton – July 28, 1995 Tal Farlow – July 25, 1998 Jerome Smith (K.C. and the Sunshine Band) – July 28, 2000 Leon Wilkeson (Lynyrd Skynyrd) – July 27, 2001 John Entwistle – July 27, 2002 Erik Braunn (Iron Butterfly) – July 25, 2003 Sam Phillips – July 30, 2003 Amy Winehouse – July 23, 2011 Dan Peek (America) – July 24, 2011 J.J. Cale – July 26, 2013 Dick Wagner – July 30, 2014 Births Buddy Guy – July 30, 1936 George Clinton – July 22, 1940 Manuel Charlton (Nazareth) – July 25, 1941 Darlene Love – July 26, 1941 Paul Anka – July 30, 1941 Dobie Gray – July 26, 1942 Tony Joe White – July 23, 1943 Andy Mackay (Roxy Music) – July 23, 1946 Don Henley – July 22, 1947 David Essex – July 23, 1947 Emily Saliers (Indigo Girls) – July 22, 1963 Slash – July 23, 1965 Alison Krauss – July 23, 1971 Rufus Wainwright – July 22, 1973 Jim McCarty (The Yardbirds) – July 25, 1943 Mick Jagger – July 26, 1943 Mike Bloomfield – July 28, 1943 Bobbie Gentry – July 27, 1944 Rick Wright – July 28, 1945 Jose Chepito Areas (Santana) – July 25, 1946 Jonathan Edwards – July 28, 1946 Steve Goodman – July 25, 1948 Gerald Casale (Devo) – July 28, 1948 Roger Taylor (Queen) – July 26, 1949 Simon Kirke (Free, Bad Company) – July 28, 1949 Verdine White (Earth, Wind & Fire) – July 25, 1951 Steve Morse – July 28, 1954 Thurston Moore (Sonic Youth) – July 25, 1958 Karl Mueller (Soul Asylum) – July 27, 1962 Juliana Hatfield – July 27, 1967 Pete Yorn – July 27, 1974 Week of July 29th - August 4th The first week of August has some major musical milestones, including the release of Def Leppard's mammoth Hysteria and the birthday of Metallica's James Hetfield, and Foo Fighters' Pat Smear, as well as Slash! Events 1962 - Robert Zimmerman legally makes his name Bob Dylan. 1963 - The Beatles performs at the Cavern Club in Liverpool for the final time. 1979 - Led Zeppelin plays the U.K. for the last time. 1980 - The Eagles perform a show in Long Beach, California, that is their last show as a band for fourteen years. 1980 - Def Leppard opens for AC/DC in New York City, and it's the band's first U.S. live show. 1987 - Guns N' Roses being filming their video for “Welcome to the Jungle” in Hollywood, California. 1991 - Pearl Jam performs RKCNDY in Seattle and films the show for the music video for “Alive.” 1995 - Jamaica issues a commemorative series of postage stamps paying tribute to Bob Marley. 1996 - MTV starts MTV2. 2010 - Megadeth main man Dave Mustaine unleashes his autobiography, Mustaine: A Heavy Metal Memoir. Releases 1966 – The Beatles: Revolver 1972 – The Eagles: Witchy Woman 1983 – Alabama: Lady Down on Love 1987 – Def Leppard: Hysteria 1989 – George Clinton: The Cinderella Theory 1995 – Megadeth: Hidden Treasures 1995 – Elliott Smith: Elliott Smith 1996 – The Black Crowes: Three Snakes and One Charm 1996 – Fiona Apple: Tidal 1999 – Robyn Hitchcock: Jewels for Sophia 2003 – Prince: N.E.W.S. 2003 – Cheap Trick: Special One 2006 – Black Stone Cherry: Black Stone Cherry Deaths John Locke (Nazareth, Spirit), August 4, 2006 Luther Perkins (a member of Johnny Cash's backing band), August 5, 1968 Jeff Porcaro (drummer for Toto), August 5, 1992 Births Geddy Lee – July 29, 1953 John Sykes (Whitesnake, Thin Lizzy) – July 29, 1959 Kate Bush – July 30, 1958 Bill Berry (R.E.M.) - July 31, 1958 Fatboy Slim, July 31, 1963 Will Champion (Coldplay) - July 31, 1978 Shadows (Avenged Sevenfold) - July 31, 1981 David Sanborn – July 30, 1945 Jerry Garcia (Grateful Dead), August 1, 1942 Boz Burrell (Bad Company), August 1, 1946 Tommy Bolin (Deep Purple, the James Gang), August 1, 1951 Joe Elliot (Def Leppard), August 1, 1959 Garth Hudson (The Band), August 2, 1937 Pete De Freitas (Echo And The Bunnymen), August 2, 1961 Tony Bennett, August 3, 1926 John Graham (Earth, Wind & Fire), August 3, 1951 Ed Roland (Collective Soul), August 3, 1963 James Hetfield (Metallica), August 3, 1963 Louis Armstrong, August 4, 1901 Robbin Crosby (Ratt), August 4, 1959 -HC- ________________________________________________________________ Anne Erickson holds years of bylines in Gannett Media publications, as well as music magazines Premier Guitar, Guitar Edge and more. She also hosts radio shows with iHeartRadio and has been syndicated in Seattle, Dayton, Central Coast California and beyond. Anne is a loyal Spartan and holds a Master’s degree from MSU. She resides in Lansing, Michigan.A ______________________________________________________ HC's Rock Review is sponsored by Gibson

by Anne Erickson One of rock and roll’s most influential bands signed their first recording contract, a Rolling Stones classic topped the singles charts, and members of The Monkees reunited for the first time in nearly two decades. Read on for a look back at other significant moments that shaped rock and roll during this historically eventful week. Events 1962 – The Rolling Stones make their live debut, performing at London’s legendary Marquee Club. 1962 – The Beach Boys sign their first recording contract, inking a deal with Capitol Records. 1964 – The Beatles film, A Hard Day’s Night, premiers in Liverpool. More than 200,000 fans turn out to celebrate. 1965 – The Rolling Stones’ “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” begins a four-week run at Number One on the U.S. singles charts. The song goes on to become the biggest hit of the year. 1967 – The Who begin their first large-scale U.S. tour, performing as opening act for Herman’s Hermits. 1967 – Arlo Guthrie takes the stage of the Newport Folk Festival and delivers the debut performance of “Alice’s Restaurant Massacree.” 1968 – Eric Clapton announces the breakup of Cream, while the band is in the midst of its final tour. 1969 – Funeral services are held for Rolling Stones co-founder Brian Jones. 1969 – David Bowie’s single, “Space Oddity,” is rush-released to coincide with the first moon landing, which takes place nine days later. 1969 – Blind Faith perform their first show in the U.S., a sellout at Madison Square Garden. 1970 – The soundtrack album for the film, Woodstock, tops the charts. 1972 – Smokey Robinson performs his final show as a member of The Miracles. 1974 – David Bowie plays the first of five shows that will be used in the making of his David Live album. All the shows were staged at the Tower Theatre in Philadelphia. 1978 – The Rolling Stones’ Some Girls album tops the U.S. charts. 1980 – Bob Marley and the Wailers begin what will ultimately be Marley’s final U.K. tour. 1985 – The Live Aid benefit concerts are staged in Philadelphia and London. The array of performers include Paul McCartney, David Bowie, The Who, Elton John, and Queen, among many others. 1989 – The Monkees are honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. All four members of the band reunite for the ceremony. 1996 – A Guinness World Record for the largest-ever jam session is set when more than 2,000 guitarists perform a cover of “Heartbreak Hotel” for 75 minutes. Chet Atkins and Skunk Baxter are among the participants 2007 – Rod Stewart is awarded the CBE Order of the British Empire in a ceremony at Buckingham Palace. 2014 – Johnny Winter plays his last show, staging a performance at the Lovely Days Festival in Wiesen, Austria. 2016 – Joe Perry suffers a cardiac event onstage during a performance with members of The Hollywood Vampires. Perry is rushed to the hospital -- fortunately he makes a full recovery. Releases 1970 – Supertramp: Supertramp 1971 – Funkadelic: Maggot Brain 1972 – Chicago: Chicago V 1972 – Harry Nilsson: Son of Schmilsson 1973 – Queen: Queen 1973 – Bob Dylan: Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid (soundtrack) 1973 – Grand Funk Railroad: We’re an American Band 1974 – Neil Young: On the Beach 1975 – Fleetwood Mac: Fleetwood Mac 1979 – The Kinks: Low Budget 1981 – Def Leppard: High ‘n’ Dry 1983 – Robert Plant: The Principle of Moments 1983 – Big Country: The Crossing 1986 – Bob Dylan: Knocked Out Loaded 1988 – UB40: UB40 1988 – Brian Wilson: Brian Wilson 1990 – Iggy Pop: Brick by Brick 1990 – Poison: Flesh and Blood 1992 – Frank Zappa: You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 5 1993 – Matthew Sweet: Altered Beast 1994 – The Rolling Stones: Voodoo Lounge 1994 – Alice Cooper: The Last Temptation 1997 – Sarah McLachlan: Surfacing 2000 – Motley Crue: New Tattoo 2001 -- Blackmore's Night: Fires at Midnight 2002 – Robert Plant: Dreamland 2002 – The Flaming Lips: Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots 2005 – Tony Iommi: Fused 2009 – The Dead Weather: Horehound Deaths Clarence White (The Byrds) – July 14, 1973 Minnie Riperton – July 12, 1979 Chris Wood (Traffic) – July 12, 1983 Nico (The Velvet Underground), July 8, 1988 Arthur Kane (New York Dolls) – July 13, 2004 Rob Grill (The Grass Roots) – July 11, 2011 Jerry Ragovoy – July 13, 2011 Tommy Ramone – July 11, 2014 Births Jai Johanny Johanson (The Allman Brothers Band), July 8, 1944 Andy Fletcher (Depeche Mode), July 8, 1961 Joan Osborne, July 8, 1963 Beck, July 8, 1970 Bon Scott (AC/DC), July 9, 1946 John "Mitch" Mitchell (Jimi Hendrix Experience), July 9, 1947 Jim Kerr (Simple Minds), July 9, 1959 Courtney Love (Hole), July 9, 1964 Jack White (The White Stripes), July 9, 1975 Woody Guthrie – July 14, 1912 Lowman “Pete” Pauling (The 5 Royales) – July 14, 1926 Mavis Staples – July 10, 1939 Desmond Dekker – July 16, 1941 Ronnie James Dio – July 10, 1942 Roger McGuinn – July 13, 1942 Stephen Bladd (J. Geils Band) – July 13, 1942 Jerry Miller (Moby Grape) – July 10, 1943 Christine McVie – July 12, 1943 Linda Ronstadt – July 15, 1946 Arlo Guthrie – July 10, 1947 Roky Erickson – July 15, 1947 Peter Banks (Yes, Flash) – July 15, 1947 Artimus Pyle (Lynyrd Skynyrd) – July 15, 1948 Dave Smalley (The Raspberries) – July 10, 1949 Greg Kihn – July 10, 1949 Eric Carr (Kiss) – July 12, 1950 Philip Taylor Kramer (Iron Butterfly) – July 12, 1952 Bob Casale (Devo) – July 14, 1952 Johnny Thunders – July 15, 1952 Stewart Copeland – July 16, 1952 Neil Tennant (Pet Shop Boys) – July 10, 1954 Ian Curtis (Joy Division) – July 15, 1956 Marky Ramone – July 15, 1956 Joe Satriani – July 15, 1956 Peter Murphy (Bauhaus) – July 11, 1957 Sandy West (The Runaways) – July 10, 1959 Richie Sambora – July 11, 1959 Suzanne Vega – July 11, 1959 Dan Murphy (Soul Asylum) – July 12, 1962 Tonya Donelly (Belly) – July 14, 1966 Jason Bonham – July 15, 1966 John Petrucci (Dream Theater) – July 12, 1967 Week of July 15th -21nd Elvis Presley made his first-ever studio recordings, Santana celebrated a milestone, and a former Beatle kicked off his debut solo tour. A spate of classic albums was released as well, including landmark records by Rod Stewart, Talking Heads, and Guns N’ Roses. Read on for a look back at other significant moments that shaped rock and roll during this historically eventful week. Events 1953 – Elvis Presley drops into Memphis Recording Service—later renamed Sun Studios—and pays $3.98 to make his first-ever recordings. He records two songs: “My Happiness” and “That’s When Your Heartaches Begin,” as a gift for his mother. 1954 – The Newport Jazz Festival makes its debut at the Newport Casino in Rhode Island. 1955 – Chuck Berry’s debut single, “Maybellene,” is released on Chess Records. 1963 – The first U.S. Beatles album, titled Introducing the Beatles, is pressed up by Vee-Jay Records. The album receives its official release in January of 1964. 1968 – Cream’s Wheels of Fire hits #1 on the U.S. album chart. 1968 – The Beatles’ animated film, Yellow Submarine, makes its premiere in London. In the film, the band members are voiced by professional actors. 1974 – Joey Ramone becomes the lead singer for the Ramones. 1975 – Paul McCartney & Wings’ “Listen to What the Man Said” reaches #1 on the U.S. singles chart. 1975 – Bob Marley and the Wailers’ performance at the Lyceum Theatre in London is recorded using the Rolling Stones Mobile Studio. Later that year, the performance is released as an official album—titled simply Live! 1976 – Classic rock icons Deep Purple split up at the end of a U.K tour. Eight years will pass before the band gets back together. 1978 – Def Leppard make their live debut, performing before an audience of 150 at a school in Sheffield, England. 1981 – “Roy Orbison Day” is declared in Odessa, Texas. 1986 – Santana mark their 20th anniversary with a comprehensive reunion, with all current and former members coming together to stage a concert in San Francisco. 1987 – Keith Richards signs a contract with Virgin Records as a solo artist. 1989 – Ringo Starr kicks off his first tour since The Beatles ceased touring in 1966. He and the first incarnation of his All-Starr Band perform in Dallas, Texas. 1991 – The Lollapalooza Music Festival is staged for the first time. Jane’s Addiction, Nine Inch Nails, and Living Color are among the many participating bands who perform in select locations in North America. 2012 – Surviving Who members Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey announce they’re reviving the band’s 1973 rock opera, Quadrophenia, for a tour. Releases 1964 – The Beatles: Something New 1965 – The Lovin’ Spoonful: Do You Believe in Magic? 1966 – John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers: Blues Breakers with Eric Clapton 1969 – The Doors: The Soft Parade 1971 – Black Sabbath: Master of Reality 1971 – The Moody Blues: Every Good Boy Deserves Favour 1971 – Deep Purple: Fireball 1972 – Rod Stewart: Never a Dull Moment 1972 – T. Rex: The Slider 1972 – Jefferson Airplane: Long John Silver 1973 – Carlos Santana & John McLaughlin: Love Devotion Surrender 1973 – Mott the Hoople: Mott 1977 – Elvis Costello: My Aim is True 1978 – Talking Heads: More Songs about Buildings and Food 1980 – Joy Division: Closer 1981 – ZZ Top: El Loco 1984 – Stryper: The Yellow and Black Attack 1987 – Guns N’ Roses: Appetite for Destruction 1990 – Mother Love Bone: Apple 1991 – Squeeze: Play 1992 – Sonic Youth: Dirty 1995 – Megadeth: Hidden Treasures 1995 – Elliott Smith: Elliott Smith 1996 – The Black Crowes: Three Snakes and One Charm 1996 – Fiona Apple: Tidal 1999 – Robyn Hitchcock: Jewels for Sophia 2003 – Prince: N.E.W.S. 2003 – Cheap Trick: Special One 2006 – Black Stone Cherry: Black Stone Cherry Deaths Danny Cedrone (Bill Haley & His Comets) – July 17, 1954 Billie Holiday – July 17, 1959 Bobby Fuller – July 18, 1966 John Coltrane – July 17, 1967 Lefty Frizzell – July 19, 1975 Harry Chapin – July 16, 1981 Nico – July 18, 1988 Chas Chandler – July 17, 1996 Gus Dudgeon – July 21, 2002 Long John Baldry – July 21, 2005 Gordon Waller (Peter and Gordon) – July 17, 2009 Jon Lord (Deep Purple) – July 16, 2012 Johnny Winter – July 16, 2014 Births Screamin’ Jay Hawkins – July 18, 1929 Ian Stewart (Rolling Stones) – July 18, 1938 Spencer Davis – July 17, 1939 Dion DiMucci – July 18, 1939 Lonnie Mack – July 18, 1941 Martha Reeves – July 18, 1941 John Lodge (Moody Blues) – July 20, 1943 Danny McCulloch (The Animals) – July 18, 1945 Henry McCullough – July 21, 1943 Alan Gorrie (Average White Band) – July 19, 1946 Bernie Leadon (Eagles) – July 19, 1947 Brian May – July 19, 1947 Carlos Santana – July 20, 1947 Ron Asheton (The Stooges) – July 17, 1948 Geezer Butler – July 17, 1949 Wally Bryson (The Raspberries) – July 18, 1949 Nicolette Larson – July 17, 1952 Allen Collins (Lynyrd Skynyrd) – July 19, 1952 Ricky Skaggs – July 18, 1954 Terry Chambers (XTC) – July 18, 1955 Howie Epstein (Tom Petty & Heartbreakers) – July 21, 1955 Paul Cook (Sex Pistols) – July 20, 1956 Keith Levene (The Clash, PIL) – July 18, 1957 Chris Cornell – July 20, 1964 Stone Gossard (Pearl Jam) – July 20, 1966 Andrew Stockdale (Wolfmother) – July 20, 1976 ________________________________________________________________- Anne Erickson holds years of bylines in Gannett Media publications, as well as music magazines Premier Guitar, Guitar Edge and more. She also hosts radio shows with iHeartRadio and has been syndicated in Seattle, Dayton, Central Coast California and beyond. Anne is a loyal Spartan and holds a Master’s degree from MSU. She resides in Lansing, Michigan.A

HC's Rock Rewind A look back at the past two weeks in Rock History by Anne Erickson Week of June 24th - 30th This week, John Lennon and Paul McCartney wrote an early Beatles classic, Deep Purple’s most famous lineup disbanded, and Pink Floyd staged a one-off reunion for a major charity event. A trove of classic albums was released as well, including landmark records by Free, the Doobie Brothers, and Bad Company. Read on for a look back at other noteworthy moments that shaped rock and roll. Events 1956 – Elvis Presley records “Don’t Be Cruel” and “Hound Dog” in New York City. 1962 – Jimi Hendrix receives an honorable discharge from the Army after he fractures his ankle in a parachute jump. 1963 – John Lennon and Paul McCartney write “She Loves You” in a hotel room while on tour in England. 1965 – The Byrds’ cover of Bob Dylan’s “Mr. Tambourine Man” tops the Billboard singles chart. 1970 – The band formerly known as Smile performs under the moniker Queen for the first time. 1971 – New York City’s famous Fillmore East venue stages its last show. The bill includes the Allman Brothers Band, the J. Geils Band, Albert King, and Mountain, among others. 1973 – Brian Eno exits Roxy Music. 1974 – Neal Peart becomes the drummer for Rush, replacing John Rutsey. 1975 – David Bowie releases “Fame.” The single goes on to become Bowie’s first #1 hit in the U.S. 1976 – John Lennon gets his “green card” from the U.S. Department of Naturalization. 1973 – Deep Purple’s most famous lineup disbands, as lead singer Ian Gillan and bassist Roger Glover abruptly leave the group following a show in Osaka, Japan. 1977 – Elvis Presley stages his last concert, performing in Indianapolis, Indiana. 1980 – Paul McCartney’s single “Coming Up” tops the U.S. singles chart. 1985 – David Bowie and Mick Jagger record “Dancing in the Street” at Abbey Road Studios. They also shoot the video for the song on that same day. 1996 – Sammy Hagar is replaced by David Lee Roth as Van Halen’s lead vocalist. Eleven years earlier, Hagar had replaced Roth in that same role. 2004 – The Kinks’ Dave Davies suffers a massive stroke. During a lengthy recovery he re-learns how to play guitar. 2005 – Pink Floyd members Roger Waters, David Gilmour, Nick Mason, and Rick Wright reunite to perform at the Live 8 concert in London. Releases 1966 – The Mothers of Invention: Freak Out! 1967 – The Rolling Stones: Flowers 1968 – Pink Floyd: A Saucerful of Secrets 1968 – Steve Miller Band: Children of the Future 1968 – Fairport Convention: Fairport Convention 1968 – The Band: Music from Big Pink 1970 – Free: Fire and Water 1970 – The Monkees: Changes 1970 – Rare Earth: Ecology 1970 – Rod Stewart: Gasoline Alley 1970 – Todd Rundgren: Runt 1970 – Cactus: Cactus 1971 – The Flying Burrito Brothers: The Flying Burrito Brothers 1972 – Leon Russell: Carney 1972 – Free: Free At Last 1972 – Big Star: #1 Record 1972 – Alice Cooper: School’s Out 1972 – The Doobie Brothers: Toulouse Street 1973 – Sly & the Family Stone: Fresh 1974 – Bad Company: Bad Company 1974 – Elton John: Caribou 1974 – America: Holiday 1974 – Uriah Heep: Wonderworld 1975 – Bob Dylan & The Band: The Basement Tapes 1975 – Average White Band: Cut the Cake 1975 – The Tubes: The Tubes 1976 – Uriah Heep: High and Mighty 1976 – The Marshall Tucker Band: Long Hard Ride 1976 – Jefferson Starship: Spitfire 1977 – Kiss: Love Gun 1977 – James Taylor: JT 1977 – Steve Winwood: Steve Winwood 1979 – Neil Young and Crazy Horse: Rust Never Sleeps 1980 – The Soft Boys: Underwater Moonlight 1980 – Queen: The Game 1982 – Robert Plant: Pictures at Eleven 1982 – Joe Jackson: Night and Day 1982 – Elvis Costello & the Attractions: Imperial Bedroom 1985 – AC/DC: Fly on the Wall 1989 – The B-52’s: Cosmic Thing 1989 – Don Henley: The End of Innocence 1990 – Sonic Youth: Goo 1990 – Cheap Trick: Busted 1990 – Steve Earle: The Hard Way 1991 – Alice Cooper: Hey Stoopid 1991 – Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers: Into the Great Wide Open 1992 – PJ Harvey: Dry 1993 – Ozzy Osbourne: Live & Loud 1993 – Jeff Beck: Crazy Legs 1995 – Gov’t Mule: Gov’t Mule 1995 – Neil Young: Mirror Ball 1998 – Cowboy Junkies: Miles from Our Home 1998 – System of a Down: System of a Down 2002 – Oasis: Heathen Chemistry 2002 – Green Day: Shenanigans 2004 – The Cure: The Cure 2004 – Rush: Feedback 2005 – Fountains of Wayne: Out-of-State Plates Deaths Alan Myers (Devo) – June 24, 2013 Sky Saxon (The Seeds) – June 25, 2009 Boudleaux Bryant – June 25, 1987 Hillel Slovak (Red Hot Chili Peppers) – June 25, 1988 Tim Buckley – June 29, 1975 Lowell George – June 29, 1979 Rushton Moreve (Steppenwolf) – July 1, 1981 Wolfman Jack – July 1, 1995 Dennis Brown – July 1, 1999 Chet Atkins – June 30, 2001 John Entwistle – June 27, 2002 Herbie Mann – July 1, 2003 Luther Vandross – July 1, 2005 George McCorkle (The Marshall Tucker Band) – June 29, 2007 Mel Galley (Whitesnake) – July 1, 2008 Bobby Womack – June 27, 2014 Scotty Moore – June 28, 2016 Births Willie Dixon – July 1, 1915 Lena Horne – June 30, 1917 Doc Pomus – June 27, 1925 Eddie Floyd – June 25, 1937 Billy Davis (The 5th Dimension) – June 26, 1938 Delaney Bramlett – July 1, 1939 Bruce Johnston (The Beach Boys) – June 27, 1942 Bobby Harrison (Procol Harum) – June 28, 1943 Jeff Beck – June 24, 1944 Arthur Brown – June 24, 1944 Glenn Shorrock (Little River Band) – June 30, 1944 Colin Blunstone – June 24, 1945 Carly Simon – June 25, 1945 Deborah Harry – July 1, 1945 Mick Fleetwood – June 24, 1947 Ian Paice (Deep Purple) – June 29, 1948 Andy Scott (The Sweet) – June 30, 1949 Stanley Clarke – June 30, 1951 Allen Lanier (Blue Oyster Cult) – June 25, 1946 Ian McDonald – June 25, 1946 Fred Schneider (The B-52’s) – July 1, 1951 Colin Hay (Men at Work) – June 29, 1953 Mick Jones (The Clash) – June 26, 1955 Chris Isaak – June 26, 1956 Lisa Germano – June 27, 1958 Lorrie Morgan – June 27, 1959 Terri Nunn (Berlin) – June 26, 1961 Yngwie Malmsteen – June 30, 1963 Bobby Bare Jr. – June 28, 1966 Colin Greenwood (Radiohead) – June 26, 1969 Gretchen Wilson – June 26, 1973 Leigh Nash (Sixpence None the Richer) – June 27, 1976 Nathan Followill (Kings of Leon) – June 26, 1979 Week of July 1st - 7th The first week of July brings a bevy of important music events, from the births of Ringo Starr and Jack White to the release of albums from Queen and Styx. Read on for some major events, historic record releases and notable births and deaths happening July 1 – 7. Events 1956 - Johnny Cash plays the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville for the first time. 1968 - The Yardbirds play their final show in Luton, England. Jimmy Page goes on to form Led Zeppelin. 1962 - Jimi Hendrix is honorably discharged from the U.S. Army following breaking his ankle during a parachute jump. 1969 - The band Mountain forms in Long Island. 1969 - The Beatles begin recording their famed song “Here Comes the Sun.” 1972 - David Bowie introduced himself to the world as Ziggy Stardust at a “Save The Whales” benefit show in London. 1980 - Led Zeppelin plays their concert in West Berlin. 1981 - Bruce Springsteen performs the first of six sold-out gigs at the Byrne Arena in New Jersey. 1982 - Ozzy Osbourne and Sharon Arden get married on July 4th. 1995 - The Grateful Dead perform their final concert at Chicago’s Soldier Field. Releases Ray Charles, Ray Charles, 1957 Hootie & the Blowfish, Cracked Rear View, 1994 Queen, Keep Yourself Alive, 1973 Sonny and Cher, I Got You Babe, 1965 Styx, The Grand Illusion, 1977 Dream Theater, Images and Words, 1992 Prince, Chaos and Disorder, 1996 Deaths Brian Jones (The Rolling Stones), July 3, 1969 Louis Armstrong, July 6, 1971 Syd Barrett (Pink Floyd), July 7, 2006 Births Paul Williams (The Temptations), July 2, 1939 John Colla (Huey Louis & the News), July 2, 1952 Stephen Pearcy (Ratt), July 3, 1957 Ray Davies (The Kinks), July 4, 1945 Chris Britton (The Troggs), July 4, 1945 Joey Molland (Badfinger), July 4, 1947 Joey Kramer (Aerosmith), July 4, 1950 Mike Einziger (Incubus), July 4, 1976 Brandon Flowers (The Killers), July 4, 1981 Robbie Robertson (The Band), July 5, 1943 Huey Lewis, born Hugh Anthony Cregg III, July 5, 1950 Michael Monarch (Steppenwolf), July 5, 1950 Robert Fitzgerald Diggs (Wu-Tang Clan), July 5, 1969 Jason Wade (Lifehouse), July 5, 1980 Dave Rowberry (The Animals), July 6, 1940 Mike Shrieve (Santana), July 6, 1949 Ringo Starr (The Beatles), born Richard Starkey, July 7, 1940 Mark White (Spin Doctors), July 7, 1962 -HC- ________________________________________________________________- Anne Erickson holds years of bylines in Gannett Media publications, as well as music magazines Premier Guitar, Guitar Edge and more. She also hosts radio shows with iHeartRadio and has been syndicated in Seattle, Dayton, Central Coast California and beyond. Anne is a loyal Spartan and holds a Master’s degree from MSU. She resides in Lansing, Michigan.A

Social Media - 10 Tips for Bands and Musicians Post! Tweet! Promote! by Anne Erickson While quality music is still the most important characteristic of a great band, social media is an increasingly important part of finding an audience. If your band doesn’t embrace social media, then it will hurt your chance of getting heard. Harmony Central's Chris Loeffler published an article on Harmony Central called, The Social Musician - Get out from under that rock! This article will add some stragegy to the thought process of going social. Read on for some basic principles for bands to successfully promote their music online. your listeners. It’s not always about numbers. Sometimes, having a smaller, more loyal following in your niche is better than simply trying to rack up the Facebook likes and Twitter followers. Often, it’s quality over quantity, so focus on finding a smaller audience that is passionate about your music, and reach out to them. 1. Find your listeners. It’s not always about numbers. Sometimes, having a smaller, more loyal following in your niche is better than simply trying to rack up the Facebook likes and Twitter followers. Often, it’s quality over quantity, so focus on finding a smaller audience that is passionate about your music, and reach out to them. 2. Network with other bands. By now, almost every band is on some form of social media. Scoping out social media websites such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Google+ and music discovery and streaming sites such as Spotify, Reverbnation, Google Play and Last.fm is a great way to find bands in your area and introduce yourself. Connecting with local bands on social media is also a way to get on local concerts and festivals. 3. Be accessible. The old days of having a wall between bands and their fans is gone. Everybody appreciates an honest response. Whether it’s “liking” one of their comments on your Facebook wall or “favoriting” a Tweet, go out of your way to engage with your fans. It’ll make their day and help build that connection between you and your fans. 4. Avoid auto-posting. Just say no to auto-posting. It looks extremely impersonal to follow a band on several channels simply to see the same posts going up on each one. Each social media channel has its own unique appeal, so treat them differently. Besides, by making each account special, you’ll increase the chance of people following you on all channels, instead of only one. 5. Post regularly. Whether it’s a short update or something longer, don’t let your channels go dry for too long. Of course, you don’t need to post constantly during downtime, but going for months and months without any word isn’t good practice. Being engaged helps you build a larger following, too. 6. Plug your accounts on flyers and at shows. Social media can be old fashioned, too. Make sure to include your accounts on any old school flyers you’re printing, and tell fans how to follow you at shows. It’s not always about finding people online. Often times, you’ll find an enthusiastic audience at concerts or local hotspots. 7. Do giveaways. Everyone likes free stuff. Have a new CD coming out? Give away some copies via social media to help build momentum. The same goes for concert tickets to a big show. Giveaways can be fun, easy ways to engage with your audience and give them something cool. 8. Schedule out posts. Say you want to hit your audience at a time when you won’t be by the computer? No worries. Schedule out some posts in advance using social media managing tools such as Hootsuite and Tweetdeck. This allows you to keep a consistent social media presence all week long without having to micro-manage the posting times. 9. Delegate. Does one of your band members really shine on social media? Have that person run your accounts. Simply put, ask the band members who have the most knack and passion for social media head up your account, and let them run with it. 10. Have fun. Bottom line: Social media is about socializing, so go at it like you do in real life. Don’t stress out. If you’re having fun, then your audience will have fun, too. -HC- ________________________________________________________________- Anne Erickson holds years of bylines in Gannett Media publications, as well as music magazines Premier Guitar, Guitar Edge and more. She also hosts radio shows with iHeartRadio and has been syndicated in Seattle, Dayton, Central Coast California and beyond. Anne is a loyal Spartan and holds a Master’s degree from MSU. She resides in Lansing, Michigan.A

HC's Rock Rewind A look back at the past two weeks in Rock History by Anne Erickson Week of June 10th - June 16th From the release of Nirvana's debut Bleach album to the death of Ray Charles. Read on for some major events, historic record releases and births and deaths happening June 10 through 16.  Events 1965 – Sonny and Cher appear on U.S. television for the first time singing "Just You" on ABC-TV's American Bandstand. 1965 – Paul McCartney records “Yesterday,” and a string quartet is added later. The Beatles tune would become the most covered song in music history. 1965 – Bob Dylan records the legendary track “Like a Rolling Stone” in New York City at Columbia Recording Studios. 1967 – The first Monterey International Pop Festival kicks off in Monterey, California, featuring the Who, Jefferson Airplane, Jimi Hendrix, Otis Redding, Janis Joplin and more. 1969 – The Rolling Stones introduce their new guitarist, Mick Taylor, to the world at a press conference in London’s Hyde Park. 1972 – The Rolling Stones’ Exile on Main Street reaches No. 1 on the charts. 1973 – Grand Funk records "We're An American Band." 1980 – Led Zeppelin start what will mark heir final tour with a gig in Dortmund, Germany. 1996 – Producer George Martin is knighted by Queen Elizabeth II. 2002 – Mick Jagger is knighted by Queen Elizabeth II. 2009 – At the Bonnaroo festival, Beastie Boys perform together for the final time. Adam Yauch (MCA) is soon diagnosed with cancer. Releases Chuck Berry, Chuck Berry is on Top, 1959 Iron Butterfly, In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida, 1968 Captain Beefheart, Trout Mask Replica, 1969 Grand Funk Railroad, Closer to Home, 1970 Emerson Lake & Palmer, Tarkus, 1971 Roxy Music, Roxy Music, 1972 Joe Walsh, The Smoker You Drink, The Player You Get, 1973 Steve Miller Band, Abracadabra, 1982 Stevie Ray Vaughan, Texas Flood, 1983 Ringo Starr, Old Wave, 1983 Nirvana, Bleach, 1989 Pete Townshend, Psychoderelict, 1993 Alanis Morissette, Jagged Little Pill, 1995 Rush, Clockwork Angels, 2012 Deaths Ray Charles – June 10, 2004 James Honeyman-Scott – June 16, 1982 Henry Mancini – June 14, 1994 Kristen Pfaff of Hole – June 16, 1994 Rory Gallagher – June 14, 1995 Ella Fitzgerald – June 15, 1996 Bob Bogle of the Ventures – June 14, 2009 Jimmy Dean – June 13, 2010 Clarence Clemons – June 18, 2011 Casey Kasem – June 15, 2014 Births Chester Burnett (aka Howlin' Wolf) – June 10, 1910 Kim Deal (The Pixies) – June 10, 1961 Jimmy Chamberlin (Smashing Pumpkins) – June 10, 1964 John Lawton (Uriah Heep) – June 11, 1946 Frank Beard (ZZ Top) – June 11, 1949 Bun E. Carlos (Cheap Trick) – June 12, 1950 Brad Delp (Boston) – June 12, 1951 Junior Walker – June 14, 1931 Waylon Jennings – June 15, 1937 Harry Nilsson – June 15, 1941 Marv Tarplin – June 13, 1941 Spooner Oldham – June 14, 1943 Chris Spedding – June 17, 1944 Rod Argent – June 14, 1945 Noddy Holder of Slade – June 15, 1946 Greg Rolie of Santana and Journey – June 17, 1947 Alan White of Yes – June 14, 1949 Bun E. Carlos of Cheap Trick – June 12, 1951 Brad Delp of Boston – June 12, 1951  Meredith Brooks – June 12, 1951  Bardi Martin of Candlebox – June 12, 1969 Kenny Wayne Shepherd – June 12, 1977  Nathan Followill of Kings of Leon – June 16, 1979 Week of June 17th - 23th This week in rock music has been marked by an abundance of memorable events. A breakthrough in recording technology was introduced, David Bowie recorded his first big hit, the birth of the one and only Paul McCartney, and a beloved Beatle performed his 3,000 live show. Read on for a look back at other significant moments that shaped rock and roll during this historically eventful week. Events 1948 – The Columbia record label announces a technological breakthrough – specifically, a vinyl “long playing” record that can hold up to 23 minutes of music on each side. 1962 – Nat King Cole records “Ramblin’ Rose.” 1963 – The Sufaris release their classic, “Wipe Out.” 1966 – The Beatles kick off their final world tour, starting in Munich, Germany. 1967 – The Beatles record “All You Need is Love.” 1968 – The Jeff Beck Group, featuring Rod Stewart as lead singer, stage their first show in America, performing at the Fillmore East in New York City. 1969 – David Bowie records “Space Oddity.” Bowie was inspired to write the song after seeing the 1968 classic film, 2001: A Space Odyssey. 1971 – Carole King’s Tapestry album reaches the Number One spot the U.S. album chart, and remains there for the next 15 weeks. 1972 – Smokey Robinson appears onstage with The Miracles for the last time. 1975 – Guitarist Ritchie Blackmore quits Deep Purple in order to form his new band, Rainbow. 1979 – Supertramp’s Breakfast in America album tops the U.S. charts. 1980 – Donna Summer becomes the first artist to be signed to Geffen Records. 1981 – Steely Dan’s Donald Fagen and Walter Becker announce they are splitting up to pursue solo projects. 1987 – Motley Crue kick off their “Girls, Girls, Girls” tour with Whitesnake as opening act. Later in the tour, an up-and-coming band called Guns N’ Roses replace Whitesnake in that slot. 1990 – Little Richards gets a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. 2004 – Paul McCartney performs his 3,000th live show, staging the concert in St. Petersburg, Russia. Releases 1965 – The Byrds: Mr. Tambourine Man 1967 – Small Faces: Small Faces 1968 – John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers: Bare Wires 1969 – The Jeff Beck Group: Beck-Ola 1969 – Johnny Winter: Johnny Winter 1969 – Alice Cooper: Pretties for You 1969 – Procol Harum: A Salty Dog 1971 – Joni Mitchell: Blue 1971 – Todd Rundgren: Runt: The Ballad of Todd Rundgren 1972 – Jethro Tull: Living in the Past 1973 – Chicago: Chicago VI 1974 – The Beach Boys: Endless Summer 1975 – Neil Young & Crazy Horse: Tonight’s the Night 1975 – Frank Zappa and The Mothers of Invention: One Size Fits All 1976 – Alice Cooper: Alice Cooper Goes to Hell 1978 – Foreigner: Double Vision 1980 – The Rolling Stones: Emotional Rescue 1980 – Bob Dylan: Saved 1981 – The Replacements: Sorry Ma, Forgot to Take Out the Trash 1982 – ABC: The Lexicon of Love 1984 – Glenn Frey: The Allnighter 1984 – Prince & The Revolution: Purple Rain 1985 – Motley Crue: Theatre of Pain 1988 – Jimmy Page: Outrider 1988 – Saxon: Destiny 1988 – Iggy Pop: Instinct 1989 – Mr. Big: Mr. Big 1991 – Bonnie Raitt: Luck of the Draw 1993 – Liz Phair: Exile in Guyville 1995 – Michael Jackson: HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book 1 2001 – The Cult: Beyond Good and Evil 2004 – Motorhead: Inferno 2010 – Lynyrd Skynyrd: Live from Freedom Hall 2011 – Bon Iver: Bon Iver 2012 – Fiona Apple: The Idler Wheel Deaths Karl Mueller of Soul Asylum – June 17, 2005 Judy Garland – June 22, 1969 Fred Astaire – June 22, 1987 Jesse Ed Davis – June 22, 1988 John Lee Hooker – June 21, 2001 Duane Roland (Molly Hatchet) – June 19, 2006 Claydes Charles Smith (Kool & The Gang) – June 20, 2006 Slim Whitman – June 19, 2013 Bobby “Blue” Bland – June 23, 2013 Gerry Goffin – June 19, 2014 Ralph Stanley – June 23, 2016 Births Danny Cedrone (Bill Haley & His Comets) – June 20, 1920 Chet Atkins – June 20, 1924 June Carter Cash – June 23, 1929 Mickie Most – June 20, 1936 Kris Kristofferson – June 22, 1936 Stu Sutcliffe – June 23, 1940 Robert Hunter – June 23, 1941 Sir Paul McCartney - June 18, 1942 Elaine “Spanky” McFarlane – June 19, 1942 Brian Wilson – June 20, 1942 Ray Davies – June 21, 1944 Peter Asher – June 22, 1944 Joey Molland (Badfinger) – June 21, 1947 Howard Kaylan (The Turtles) – June 22, 1947 Nick Drake – June 19, 1948 Todd Rundgren – June 22, 1948 Lionel Richie – June 20, 1949 Ann Wilson (Heart) – June 19, 1950 Joey Kramer (Aerosmith) – June 21, 1950 Nils Lofgren – Jun 21, 1951 Cyndi Lauper – June 22, 1953 Michael Anthony (Van Halen) – June 20, 1954 Gary Beers (INXS) – June 22, 1957 Alan Anton (Cowboy Junkies) – June 22, 1959 John Taylor (Duran Duran) – June 20, 1960 Steve Shelley (Sonic Youth) – June 23, 1962 Brandon Flowers (The Killers) – June 21, 1981 -HC- ________________________________________________________________- Anne Erickson holds years of bylines in Gannett Media publications, as well as music magazines Premier Guitar, Guitar Edge and more. She also hosts radio shows with iHeartRadio and has been syndicated in Seattle, Dayton, Central Coast California and beyond. Anne is a loyal Spartan and holds a Master’s degree from MSU. She resides in Lansing, Michigan.A

The World According to...Duane Allman Taken too soon, but a lasting guitar legacy that lives on... by Anne Erickson At 24 years old, the world lost Duane Allman – guitarist and co-founder of the the Allman Brothers Band – far too soon, but his legacy and influence on the guitar lives on. In the following feature, we look through some past interviews with Allman, his friends and family to find out more about this rock ‘n’ roll guitar legend. Duane on developing musical talent, as told to Guitar Player Magazine (via True Fire): “Develop your talent, and leave the world with something. Records are really gifts from people. To think that an artist would love you enough to share his music with anyone is a beautiful thing. That’s fascinated me ever since I piled up my motorcycle. Miles Davis does the best job, to me, of portraying in the innermost, subtlest, softest feelings in the human psyche. He does it beautifully. He’s a fascinating talent, man, a marvelous, marvelous man and a great entertainer. And John Coltrane, probably one of the finest most accomplished players, took his music farther than anybody I believe I ever heard.” Duane’s daughter, Galadrielle Allman, on her father’s playing style, as told to KUNC.org and NPR’s Scott Simon: “He’s unique, you know. He's a slide player who took it into a rock venue, which really hadn't happened before," she says. "He really had a special touch with that and I think people really respond to that sound. It's got sort of a vocal quality — it almost sounds like a horn. And I think it conveys emotion particularly well. ... It just kind of gets inside of you.” Friend and guitar mentor Jim Shepley on Duane’s first vehicle, as told to Jas Obrecht and Guitar Player Magazine: “A motorcycle. It was a Harley Davidson 165. We also rode motors together. That’s another thing we did together quite a bit. The three things we did was get high and be drunk, ride motorcycles, and play guitar. And probably play guitar about 50% of the time, and the other 25% to each one of the other things. Right after the Harley, he got himself a Triumph 500, and he’d race up the street, lifting up the front end at 90 miles an hour. Then after that they moved over to an Oldsmobile wagon, and he kind of got out of motorcycles for a while. They had the Oldsmobile wagon, which they carted all the equipment around in, and that’s what they drove to all these places. They went to St. Louis in it. They had that for quite some time. Then after that, I really don’t know what they got.” Duane on rock music speaking to the times, as told to Guitar Player Magazine (via True Fire): “. . . Yeah! It’s a like a newspaper for people that can’t read. Rock and roll will tell you right where everything’s at. It’s just something to move your feet, man, and move your heart and make you feel good inside–forget about all the bullshit that’s going on for awhile and fill up some of the dead space.” Friend and guitar mentor Jim Shepley on what Duane wanted to do when he grew up, as told to Jas Obrecht and Guitar Player Magazine: “Oh, he only wanted to be one thing – a rock and roll star. He wanted to be that from the first day that I was sitting there with him, showing him Jimmy Reed licks. The first thing he wanted to do was be a rock and roll star. That’s what he said: ‘Hell, I’m quittin’ school, I’m getting’ a job in music, and that’s the end of that.’ If I had that kind of dedication, I’d be president or whatever. I mean, that guy had a lot of nerve. He’d tell somebody off if they bugged him. He had nerves to do anything. He was a little guy with a lot of charisma. He’s was only about 5’7″, 5’8″, at the top, and he was real thin, extremely thin. But he didn’t appear thin and small when you saw him, because he had that charisma and that long red hair. The minute he came in a room, you knew he was there.” Duane’s daughter, Galadrielle Allman, on getting to know her father better, as told to Radio.com: “I’ve learned more about him in the last four years than I ever knew before. I talked to his friends, I spent time with my family and this project really brought it home. I learned that he had a remarkable work ethic. He had a fire in his belly to keep getting better. He loved to be challenged by the people around him. That’s inspiring even if you’re not a musician.” Gregg Allman on Duane’s favorite guitar players, as told to Jas Obrecht and Guitar Player Magazine: “B.B. King – he loved B.B. King! Over the years he loved everybody from Chuck Berry to Kenny Burrell. I mean, you name it. He dug everybody. Back then, Johnny Guitar Watson – he liked him. He got into that real old blues stuff, loved Robert Johnson. He just loved any kind of guitar playing.” Duane’s daughter, Galadrielle Allman, on seeing Derek Trucks perform with Gregg Allman, as told to Radio.com: “I don’t think anyone who sees Derek [playing] can’t help but to think of Duane. Derek was named after Derek & the Dominoes, he’s the inheritor of a huge legacy. In some ways, he’s Duane’s inheritor just as much as I am. That’s a heavy load to carry. But he’s his own person. I think it’s kind of incredible that he s dealt so well under that kind of pressure. He’s his own person. But you see him lean over and talk to Gregg onstage, you see them interacting on stage – it’s moving. They have a special relationship. If he can make Gregg feel like Duane’s there with him, then I think that’s beautiful.” Duane on blues and jazz music being similar, as told to Guitar Player Magazine (via True Fire): “Yeah, it really is, man. It’s just that as human feelings become more complex, as the world gets a little bit more divided and intelligent, complexity is the only difference between blues and jazz. It’s all the portrayal of the feelings and the soul in a medium other than words. You can either complain and say, “Oh man, I really feel bad,” or you can put you sadness into a musical context and make it desirable. Nobody wants to hear anybody bellyache, but everybody want to hear him play the blues. You can say the same thing, but make it to where it’s a little less offensive to your fellow man by playing it with music.” Gregg Allman on whether he and Duane had instruments in their house when they were growing up, as told to Jas Obrecht and Guitar Player Magazine: “No. No, we didn’t. When we started school, we both wanted to get into the band. We went to military school, and we both wanted to play trumpet, and we lost interest in it. My mother always called it her folly, because back then $200 for a trumpet, you know, that was quite a bit.” -HC- ________________________________________________________________- Anne Erickson holds years of bylines in Gannett Media publications, as well as music magazines Premier Guitar, Guitar Edge and more. She also hosts radio shows with iHeartRadio and has been syndicated in Seattle, Dayton, Central Coast California and beyond. Anne is a loyal Spartan and holds a Master’s degree from MSU. She resides in Lansing, Michigan.A