Donovan gets his long-overdue induction in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame on April 14, and one of the best tributes we've found is L.A.- based singer songwriter Raspin's update of legendary artist’s “Hurdy Gurdy Man...
Jim Morrison and The Doors final album, L.A. Woman, from 1971, is being celebrated with a special two-CD release from Rhino Records and a behind-the-scenes DVD/Blu-Ray from our friends at Eagle Rock Entertainment. The album included The Door's signature hits “Love Her Madly,” “Riders On The Storm” and the iconic album title track. The Rhino release features a never before-heard song, “She Smells So Nice.”...
Carlos Santana first broke into the big time at Woodstock in 1969. I wasn't there, but I marveled at his prowess even back then. I'm also struck by how he and his music have remained relevant to this day. To tell you how much of a fan I am, I still have never been able to completely grasp the fact that the song “Black Magic Woman,” was written in 1968 by Peter Green, then a mainstay of Fleetwood Mac. But Santana made it a worldwide hit in 1970....
Musician Adrian Niles had just released his latest album Roll & Move, featuring the sublime single “Skylark," when we last spoke with him. That was a year ago. Now his great songs being recognized, again. Two will be featured next week in the F/X show "Justified," which was just renewed for a fourth season. The episode, titled "Loose Ends," stars Timothy Olyphant....
Famed Monkee Davy Jones unexpectedly passed away last week, touching off a media frenzy for bandmates like Micky Dolenz. “Micky was in New York to rehearse for a projected new play Garage Band,” when he heard the news, according to spokesman David Salidor. In the next 24 hours, Dolenz appeared on CNN’s Piers Morgan, followed up by The Today Show, Access Hollywood, ABC's "Good Morning America" and Good Day New York, with Roseanne Scotto and Greg Kelly....
Bruce Springsteen's performance on Jimmy Fallon's show this week in advance of his new album, Wrecking Ball convinces me that his newest effort is not only his best work yet, but that he has indeed become the voice of a generation. Honestly, no one writes like him anymore; it's pure, unadulterated craftsmanship. And, his rag-tag E Street Band is just totally in sync; they're flawless in their execution....
Are you as jazzed as I am about the fact that Adele went six-for-six at the Grammys? With all the fantastic Brit singers who have hit these shores in the last few years, we are going through a British invasion that rivals the 1960s. Back then, led by the Beatles, the UK produced a wave of top bands from the Rolling Stones to Chad & Jeremy, Peter and Gordon, The Animals, Manfred Mann, Petula Clark, Freddie and the Dreamers, Dusty Springfield and Herman's Hermits, just to name a few....
As a sometime player in the Broadway follies, I was most excited to finally see NBC’s "Smash" debut last week, after a more-than-relentless series of promotional ploys. I mean, I saw promos, adverts and hype, literally, everywhere. There was even a special premiere at the esteemed Museum of Modern Art in New York City. Executive Producer Steven Spielberg didn't show, but everyone else did. The cast, crew, writers, it was quite the scene....
I wasn't the biggest Whitney Houston fan ever, but when she sang, she did take my breath way. Her death at only 48 was a devastating loss for sure. I think more than anything, this is cautionary tale for us all. You play with drugs, eventually you're going to get burned. But, what a gift she did possess....
Cameron Crowe's documentary "The Union," takes a very detailed and superlative look at the recording of the album, The Union, by Elton John and Leon Russell. If you're a fan of Crowe’s style, this was a must-see HBO film for sure....
Owing to an ill-timed session on the stairmaster, I caught Kim Kardashian and clan's reality show, "Kourtney & Kim Take New York," on the E! Entertainment Network and was almost stopped dead in my tracks. Is what passes for entertainment these days?...
Bruce Springsteen’s new single “We Take Care of Our Own” is his best record … ever. Anthemic, moving, emotional, and just plain sensational. It could well be the first great record of this nascent year. I have a funny dynamic with Springsteen. When he first hit, and hit big, I had a real hard time getting beyond all the hype. Remember, he was on the front covers of both Time and Newsweek, on Oct. 27, 1975....
British actor-comedian Russell Brand will interview former Beatles drummer Ringo Starr for the Town Hall show on Sirius XM Radio, Jan. 30. Music producer Don Was will moderate, and Starr will perform. The next day, Starr will release his 17th solo album, Ringo 2012....
Ricky Gervais was roundly criticized at last year’s Golden Globes for crude jokes about closeted Scientologists and other easy targets. He was roundly criticized this year, too, but for different reasons. He flopped....
Bruce Springstein may be the last angry man in rock and roll. While the nation nearly collapsed from financial wrongdoing and unjust war in Iraq, most music artists sang silly little love songs. But not "The Boss."...
