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Van Morrison- Tupelo Honey
the timeless Van Morrison warm musical blanket, "Tupelo Honey" . This ultra-rare, fascinating interview with the reclusive "Howard Hughes of Rhythm 'n' Blues" is nothing short of a revelation...
Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band- Night Moves
"We did two hundred sixty-five shows that year 1975," says Bob Seger with a mixture of pride and amazement, as explanation on why it was so hard to find the solitary time necessary to write well-crafted songs prior to "Night Moves". The double disc "Live Bullet", recorded in Fall 1975 and released six months later, provided that precious period...by October 1976 with Night Moves containing "Rock and Roll Never Forgets","Main Street","The Fire Down Below","Come to Poppa", and the title song which Bob calls "...a little novelette."
Billy Idol- Don’t Stop
It's the all-important 1981 "Don't Stop" EP by Billy Idol. In the last spasms of the London Punk Rock scene circa 1980, Generation X and their front man Billy Broad had the career arc of a bottle rocket, briefly filling English dance floors with the celebratory single "Dancing with Myself"and a cover of "Mony Mony". But Punk Rock's purpose of being a disruptive force to reset all the tumblers of popular music was practically fulfilled by then, and had no second act, so Billy Idol needed a new start. Billy Idol is my guest In the Studio.
The Police- Ghost in the Machine- Stewart Copeland, Andy Summers
By the time October 1981 's fourth Police album "Ghost in the Machine" was dispatched, the exposed roots and influences shown by the London-based trio founded by Yankee drummer Stewart Copeland, who had emerged from the dying embers of the Punk Rock scene there, were more Miles and Mingus than Johnny Rotten. "Ghost in the Machine" topped the UK sales chart, #2 on Billboard album chart, over three million copies sold in America alone, and Rolling Stone magazine ranking it at #322 on their Top 500 Albums of All Time list. Police commissioner Stewart Copeland and six-string sharpshooter Andy Summers are your personal Ghost...busters with me here In the Studio in this classic rock interview.
Boston- Third Stage- Tom Scholz
"Third Stage" Boston comeback album released in September 1986 put up spectacular numbers in popularity, with three Top 20 hits on Billboard including "Cant'cha Say","We're Ready", and the #1 "Amanda", all helping to blast the album to #1 sales. Boston bandleader Tom Scholz, my guest, also brought free-agency to the music business.
John Mellencamp- Whenever We Wanted
By the time John Mellencamp released October 1991's "Whenever We Wanted" , containing the hits "Get a Leg Up" and "Again Tonight", his record-making not only made him one of the Eighties' most popular singer/ songwriters, he had already influenced the sound of his peers...twice. John Mellencamp is my guest In the Studio.
Loverboy- Get Lucky- Mike Reno, Paul Dean
So when their sophomore effort "Get Lucky" came out in Fall 1981, these Canadian rockers Loverboy were the right band at the right time. North American rock radio was waiting in anticipation for"Working for the Weekend", along with "When It's Over", "Jump" co-written by fellow countryman Bryan Adams, "Gangs in the Street", and "Take Me to the Top". Lead singer Mike Reno and guitarist Paul Dean recall how nice guys don't finish last in this In The Studio classic rock interview.
Bryan Adams- Waking Up the Neighbours
Bryan Adams sold 16,000,000 copies worldwide of "Waking Up the Neighbours" since 1991, it starts to take up some real estate on the page. In this week's classic rock interview, diplomat's son Bryan Adams reminds us that he had a passport before he had a guitar.
Ozzy Osbourne- No More Tears
Ten years prior to the release of "No More Tears" in September 1991, Ozzy Osbourne couldn't get arrested outside England. Particularly in America, the former singer for heavy metal godfathers Black Sabbath was perceived by US record label execs as damaged goods...Then for the whole of the Eighties, Ozzy was constantly in the press, but rarely was it for his music. Ozzy admits here In the Studio that "No More Tears" was the first album he ever recorded sober, and the results were spectacular.
Lynyrd Skynyrd- One More From the Road- the late Gary Rossington
In September 1976, Lynyrd Skynyrd and Atlanta's venerable Fox Theater each needed a minor miracle. Performing over three hundred shows on 1975's notorious "Torture Tour" had original Lynyrd Skynyrd members dropping like flies. Three things were evident: America's hyped bicentennial was entering the history books even as the wrecking ball was heading for the Fox Theater; a live "best of" discounted price double album by Peter Frampton earlier that year was re-writing the record books; and Lynyrd Skynyrd was selling more concert tickets than copies of their diminished ranks studio album "Gimme Back My Bullets". The band needed a stop-gap recording that could capture their lightning in a bottle live show, and the Fox Theater needed a lightning rod which could make saving it a cause celebre. Original co-founder the late guitarist Gary Rossington joined me here In the Studio for the tale behind "One More from the Road".