Redbeard’s Blog

Alice Cooper- School’s Out: Best Of pt 2

When it came exploding out of the dashboard radio in May 1972, "School's Out" by Alice Cooper was louder, brasher, with more swagger than anything we'd ever heard on the Top 40. But with the Woodstock Generation inheriting a world of endless Viet Nam War escalation, Richard Nixon landslide re-election, while astronauts golfed on the moon, "School's Out" ominously was a sobering reality check for millions as well. Alice Cooper is my guest In the Studio on the golden anniversary.

Little Feat- Sailin’ Shoes- Ultrasonic Studio 1974

This storied, much-bootlegged live-in-studio Little Feat performance from 1974 is actually the title song from their second album, "Sailin' Shoes", from the master tape and should get your behind in the proper frame of mind for our fiftieth anniversary interview coming here In the Studio the first week in May.

38 Special- Back Door Stranger- New Years Eve 1982- Memphis

Performed live and broadcast nationwide New Year's Eve 1982 from Memphis' MidSouth Coliseum , which I was thrilled to host from radio station ROCK 103 ,here's a smokin' version of 38 Special's "Back Door Stranger" .-Redbeard

Supertramp- Even in the Quietest Moments- Roger Hodgson

The wonderful music on Supertramp's "Even in the Quietest Moments", peaking at #16 on Billboard and #12 in their native UK, sounds to my ear as vital today as ever, somehow frozen in time like the snow atop the grand piano on the album's cover. One of the Supertramp singer/ songwriters, guitarist Roger Hodgson joins me here In the Studio for a rare classic rock interview while sharing spectacular live performances from transitional album “Crisis? What Crisis? “ plus sublime songs "Give a Little Bit","From Now On","Downstream" and "Even in the Quietest Moments".

Aimee Mann- Put Me on Top- Ft Worth 4-92

Aimee Mann, almost unplugged, performs "Put Me on Top" from her solo debut "Whatever" atop (literally) Ft.Worth club Caravan of Dreams overlooking Sundance Square in April 1992 .-Redbeard

Scorpions- Blackout- Klaus Meine, Rudolph Schenker

‘Blackout”, the March 1982 big breakthrough in the US for the irrepressible Scorpions. Over the decades I've had countless famous musicians claim that rock & roll had become their life, but only John Kay of Steppenwolf and the members of The Scorpions knew that playing rock music could COST them their lives...

John Mellencamp- Seventh Son- Chess Studio, Chicago 5-’89

John Mellencamp and his wonderfully talented band left his garage in Central Indiana back in early May 1989 and headed north by northwest to  legendary Chicago Chess Studio and cut this live version of the Willie Dixon song made famous by Johnny…
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Joe Cocker- Heart and Soul

No less than four of Joe Cocker's many albums have significant anniversaries: "Joe Cocker (1972)","Sheffield Steel"('82),"Unchain My Heart"('87), & "Night Calls" in 1992...By way of a "best of" these, here is my 2004 interview with the late Joe Cocker at the time of his excellent "Heart and Soul" release.

Jo Jo Gunne 50th Anniversary- Jay Ferguson

When artist manager-turned-media mogul David Geffen started his first Los Angeles-based record label Asylum Records, his first signing was Jackson Browne and his third deal was with the Eagles. Who was Geffen's second signing? Hometown heroes Jo Jo Gunne. singer/songwrite/pianist Jay Ferguson reveals all kinds of influences when he told me, "If Sly and the Family Stone and Little Feat had a love child, it would have been Jo Jo Gunne!" Here In the Studio Jay tells the innocent tale of "Run Run Run","Shake That Fat","Babylon"," 99 Days","Barstow Blue Eyes", and"Take It Easy".

John Mellencamp- Jack and Diane 12-91 garage

Just a few days prior to Christmas 1991, John Mellencamp was rehearsing his band in his garage, literally, in the snow-covered hills of Central Indiana, in preparation for their upcoming 1992 tour. I was invited to interview him and record the band in rehearsal , thus this performance of "Jack and Diane" is absolutely live, no overdubs. In memory of accordion/keyboard player John Cascella.-Redbeard