We Will Rock You

This is the second and final part of my recent interview with Night Ranger front man Jack Blades. In this installment we talk about whether there will ever be a Damn Yankees reunion and what has been the hold up; how Blades has maintained a 32-year marriage in the music business; raising kids and seeing them enter into the music business; whether the wife of a star has to put aside her own identity to make room for his career; ‘Rock of Ages’ and how unexpected it is for him to have his music on Broadway; and his plans for the future.

Thanks once again to Carol Kaye for arranging this interview, and to Jack Blades.

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FROM WWW.ROLLINGSTONE.COM:

Rush drummer and Blue Cheer fan Neil Peart wrote the following in memory of singer/bassist Dickie Peterson, who died after a battle with liver cancer on October 12th:

In the summer of 1968, I was going on 16, living in a small Canadian city (St. Catharines, Ontario), and had been playing drums for a couple of years. I owned a small set of Rogers drums, a plastic AM radio that I played along to, a tiny mono record player, and 12 LPs. On the bookshelf in my room, facing my drums, I stacked those LPs with the covers facing outward, rotating different ones to the front.

Both fans and haters of my future work with Rush would find those LPs telling, and nod their heads or roll their eyes accordingly: The Who’s My Generation, Happy Jack and The Who Sell Out; Are You Experienced? and Axis: Bold as Love by the Jimi Hendrix Experience; the Grateful Dead’s and Moby Grape’s eponymous debuts; Jefferson Airplane’s Surrealistic Pillow; Fresh Cream and Disraeli Gears; the first album by Traffic (called Reaping, in a Canadian-only variation, the cover showing the band posing on a Massey Ferguson combine); and Vincebus Eruptum, the first album by “the world’s loudest band,” Blue Cheer.

Tiny articles in early rock magazines said Blue Cheer were so loud they had to record outdoors — part of their second album, Outsideinside, was recorded on a San Francisco pier — and the drummer, Paul Whaley, played so hard he had to wear golf gloves. Blue Cheer had a fortress of amplifiers, cannonades of drums, forests of hair, were managed by a former Hells Angel named Gut (who described the band’s sound as: “They turn the air into cottage cheese”), and they were hated by grownups and rock critics alike. Of course I loved them!

Blue Cheer’s version of “Summertime Blues” was a good-sized hit that summer of 1968, and their two albums that year, Vincebus Eruptum and Outsideinside, galvanized my friends and me. When TV Guide listed Blue Cheer as guests on Steve Allen’s late-night TV show, I was wildly excited (rock bands on TV were rare in those days). I tuned in to watch what I remember as a comical period-piece: Steve Allen, in his black suit and tie, thick-rimmed glasses, and Brylcreemed hairdo, sitting at his desk and saying something like, “the loud noise you are hearing is just the hum of their amplifiers.” Then, “Blue Cheer — run for your lives!”

Cut to a wall of Marshalls, a massive set of Rogers drums, and three long-haired guys crashing into “Summertime Blues.” I had our family TV turned down low, trying not to disturb Mom and Dad, but the speaker was still overwhelmed with static and distortion. Drummer Paul Whaley thrashed at the cymbals with both arms, Leigh Stephens was a dark-haired menace grinding out thick guitar riffs, and Dickie Peterson wailed through a pyramid of blond hair with his bass guitar hanging low.

I loved those first two Blue Cheer albums, and even the third, New! Improved!, though it was a major departure (not as loud). In 2004, my bandmates and I celebrated our thirtieth anniversary by recording an album of covers, Feedback, to pay tribute to our early influences. We combined the Who’s and Blue Cheer’s versions of “Summertime Blues,” and ended with me playing the innovative drum pattern from Blue Cheer’s “Just a Little Bit,” from Outsideinside, which I had never forgotten.

So Blue Cheer made an enduring impression on this once-young drummer, and definitely played their part in shaping Rush’s beginnings — a loud power trio with a fortress of amps, cannonades of drums, and a bass player’s high voice trying to pierce the darkness. That would be my bandmate Geddy, who remarked that Blue Cheer might well have been the first heavy metal band.

Dickie Peterson was present at the creation — stood at the roaring heart of the creation, a primal scream through wild hair, bass hung low, in an aural apocalypse of defiant energy. His music left deafening echoes in a thousand other bands in the following decades, thrilling some, angering others, and disturbing everything — like art is supposed to do.

A later anthology of Blue Cheer songs was hilariously titled Louder Than God, and whatever your beliefs, it is certain that death, alas, is louder than God. Given a little ironic licence, perhaps it becomes a fitting epitaph for Dickie Peterson.

Because it sure would look cool chiseled in granite . . .

FROM WWW.SPINNER.COM:

Paul McCartney has announced a new tour of Europe, his first since 2004.

The ex-Beatle’s European jaunt begins in Hamburg, Germany on Dec. 2, before five other dates in Germany, Holland, France and Ireland. The tour ends on Dec. 22 at London’s O2 Arena.

The ‘Good Evening Europe’ tour follows McCartney’s recent jaunt around the US. Tickets for the seven-date tour are on sale on Monday, Oct. 26.

Sir Paul said, “This is my chance to bring our current show home to where it all began. Starting in Hamburg, ending in London and rocking everywhere in between. I’m very much looking forward to ending the year on a high.”

The London date will be McCartney’s only UK show of 2009, while the Berlin show on Dec. 3 will be Sir Paul’s first concert in the German capital since 1993.

There is speculation the tour could be his last, though no details have been forthcoming from his camp.

FROM WWW.SPINNER.COM:

In ‘Fleetwood Mac — Unbroken Chain,’ the band’s full legacy is explored with fans, peers and former members all weighing in. Starting with founder Peter Green’s origins in Jack Mayall and the Bluesbreakers (where he replaced a young Eric Clapton) to the band’s post-’Rumours’ turmoil and eventual reconciliation, the documentary is the ultimate guide to the fab five’s past, present and possible future. To get a better sense of the complete Fleetwood Mac history, check out the documentary after the jump, courtesy of our friends at SnagFilms.

FROM WWW.CLASSICROCKMAGAZINE.COM:

Metallica seem to be gathering a crew of major names to guest with them at Madison Square Garden on October 30.

Kinks legend Ray Davies is now confirmed to play with the band during their set as part of the Rock And Hall Of Fame 25^th anniversary celebrations. Ozzy Osbourne was previously announced as getting up and doing a song with Metallica.

For further info, go to www.metallica.com

FROM WWW.CLASSICROCKMAGAZINE.COM:

Ace Frehley would have no problems in joining his former Kiss bandmates on stage, if the band are inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame next year.

The Space Ace told Artisan News Agency: “I really had to let all the negative energy go years ago — for my own sanity and personal health. I don’t have a problem with those guys and I don’t see a problem accepting an award with them.”

Watch a video of Ace’s interview here.

Kiss are among 12 artists nominated for induction on March 15 in New York. Five will be chosen from this short list.

The full list is:

Abba
LL Cool J
The Red Hot Chili Peppers
Kiss
Darlene Love
Jimmy Cliff
Donna Summer
Laura Nyro
The Chantels
The Stooges
Genesis
The Hollies

For further info, go to www.kissonline.com

Hollywood, California - On November 3rd 2009 Gentle Giant will be digitally releasing seven of their best-known albums and tracks in digital form for the very first time via their own Alucard label through EMI Music’s Label Services unit.

This progressive rock band, which was active from 1970 through 1980, was made up of multi-instrumentalists, and lived to expand the frontiers of contemporary popular music at the risk of becoming very unpopular.” The group’s dozen albums combine a range of musical styles-jazz, pop, classical, British soul, rock, blues, medieval, pop, blues, Gentle Giant’s legacy has become influential to a range of artists from the arena rock, jam band, virtuoso players, and chamber pop genres.

In a Glass House, The Power & The Glory, Freehand, Interview, Playing The Fool-The Official Live, The Missing Piece and Giant For a Day will become available through all digital channels.

The digital releases will also include previously unheard bonus tracks and artwork.

The band has chosen favorite live versions of songs from each album and some obscure radio sessions. Two of the bonus tracks “Intro 74” and “Intro 76” have been partially re-recorded, embellished and remixed by Kerry Minnear of the group.

Minnear, plus Gentle Giant bandmates Ray Shulman, Gary Green, John Weathers, and Derek Shulman are available for interviews. Other promotion includes radio, print, Internet, and mobile phone outreach. Digital listening parties are being set up on line, and will include competitions to win special Gentle Giant gift sets.

More Gentle Giant music will be available in a variety of formats in 2010, starting with the January release of the seven CDs Re-Mastered from the original 1⁄4 inch tapes through Hi-Resolution (24bit 96k) transfer. First quarter of 2010 will also find box sets and Limited Edition Vinyl LPs.

GENTLE GIANT DIGITAL RELEASES

TRACK LISTINGS

IN A GLASS HOUSE - 1973
1.The Runaway
2. An Inmates Lullaby
3. Way Of Life
4. Experience
5. A Reunion
6. In A Glass House

Digital Bonus Tracks:
The Runaway/Experience Live 1975
Way Of Life - Radio Session 1973

THE POWER AND THE GLORY - 1974
1. Proclamation
2. So Sincere
3. Aspirations
4. Playing the Game
5. Cogs in Cogs
6. No God’s A Man
7. Valedictory
8. (The Power And The Glory)

Digital Bonus Tracks:
Intro ‘74
Proclamation - Live 1975
Aspirations - Radio Session 1974
Cogs In Cogs - Live 1975

FREE HAND - 1975
1. Just The Same
2. On Reflection
3. Free Hand
4. Time To Kill
5. His Last Voyage
6. Talybont
7. Mobile

Digital Bonus Tracks:
Just The Same - Live 1975
On Reflection - Radio Session 1975
Free Hand - Live 1975

INTERVIEW - 1976
1. Interview
2. Give it Back
3. Design
4. Another Show
5. Empty City
6. Timing
7. I Lost My Head

Digital Bonus Tracks:
Intro ‘76
Interview - Live 1976
Give It Back - Live 1976

PLAYING THE FOOL - THE OFFICIAL LIVE - 1977
1. Just the Same
2. Proclamation
3. On Reflection
4. Excerpts from Octopus
5. Funny Ways
6. The Runaway
7. Experience
8. So Sincere
9. Free Hand
10. Sweet Georgia Brown (Breakdown in Brussels)
11. Peel the Paint / I Lost My Head

Digital Bonus Tracks:
Just The Same - Radio Session 1975
Excerpts From Octopus - Radio Session 1973

THE MISSING PIECE - 1977
1. Two Weeks In Spain
2. I’m Turning Around
3. Betcha Thought We Couldn’t Do It
4. Who Do You Think You Are?
5. Mountain Time
6. As Old As You’re Young
7. Memories of Old Days
8. Winning
9. For Nobody

Digital Bonus Tracks:
Two Weeks In Spain - Live 1978
I’m Turning Around - Live 1978
For Nobody - Live 1978

GIANT FOR A DAY - 1978
1. Words from the Wise
2. Thank You
3. Giant For A Day
4. Spooky Boogie
5. Take Me
6. Little Brown Bag
7. Friends
8. No Stranger
9. It’s Only Goodbye
10. Rock Climber

Digital Bonus Track:
Giant For A Day - Live 1980