He has recorded with a Beatle, he has won a Grammy, he has been a member of not one, but two bands, that will be inducted into the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame, AND he had a role in a Muppets movie. Dave Grohl is living the life, and here is one more thing that he can say he did, that we will never be able to do!
"Ray Manzarek, Founding Member of The Doors, Passes Away at 74
Ray Manzarek, keyboardist and founding member of The Doors, passed away today at 12:31PM PT at the RoMed Clinic in Rosenheim, Germany after a lengthy battle with bile duct cancer. He was 74. At the time of his passing, he was surrounded by his wife Dorothy Manzarek, and his brothers Rick and James Manczarek.
Manzarek is best known for his work with The Doors who formed in 1965 when Manzarek had a chance encounter on Venice Beach with poet Jim Morrison. The Doors went on to become one of the most controversial rock acts of the 1960s, selling more than 100-million albums worldwide, and receiving 19 Gold, 14 Platinum and five multi-Platinum albums in the U.S. alone. "L.A.Woman," "Break On Through to the Other Side," "The End," "Hello, I Love You," and "Light My Fire" were just some of the band's iconic and ground-breaking songs. After Morrison's death in 1971, Manzarek went on to become a best-selling author, and a Grammy-nominated recording artist in his own right. In 2002, he revitalized his touring career with Doors' guitarist and long-time collaborator, Robby Krieger.
"I was deeply saddened to hear about the passing of my friend and bandmate Ray Manzarek today," said Krieger. "I'm just glad to have been able to have played Doors songs with him for the last decade. Ray was a huge part of my life and I will always miss him."
Manzarek is survived by his wife Dorothy, brothers Rick and James Manczarek, son Pablo Manzarek, Pablo's wife Sharmin and their three children Noah, Apollo and Camille. Funeral arrangements are pending. The family asks that their privacy be respected at this difficult time. In lieu of flowers, please make a memoriam donation in Ray Manzarek's name at www.standup2cancer.org"
I had to pass this along to all of my other fellow Beatles fanatics!
According to a recent press release...
“Paul McCartney: Carry that Weight” the new comic book out today. The comic takes a snapshot of the afternoon Paul McCartney made the final decision to quit the most beloved band of all time, and imagines the thoughts and feelings behind it. The comic is inspired by the famously frank press release that came with his debut solo album and confirmed the end of The Beatles, and the end of his partnership with John Lennon.
“Paul McCartney: Carry that Weight” is written by Richard Elms and art by Orlando Maro. The new comic features two covers, one by Alberto Pessoa and the other by Graham Hill.
“Only the Beatles themselves will ever really understand what happened at the end, but as a Fan of the Fab Four and their various solo projects, I have spent many an hour imagining those troubled times. Now with 'Carry that weight' I get to present my spin on Paul's feelings at the time, Fed up, tired and in love. This comic is not the truth, it is just a few scenes that could have happened in real life, and have happened in my imagination many times.,” said writer Richard Elms.
To order all the comic books exclusively at Comic Flea Market in print for $3.99 please click here: http://bit.ly/XKXzyo
Bluewater already released a comic book and graphic novels on the Beatles. “The Beatle Experience” is a 270-page graphic novel and “Orbit: John Lennon” is a 32-page comic book. Both are available on Amazon as well as Nook, Kindle & ITunes.
Digital copies will also be available for $1.99. Download the comic to your e-reader from iTunes, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Kobo, ComiXology, Google Books, DriveThru Comics, Wowio, iVerse, and more.
Well, if the new Rolling Stones video, is any indication of what is going on inside Mick Jaggers mind, it's a scary and perverted place.
No surprise there!
The new song from GRRR!, is called Doom and Gloom and the video... let's just say...
Zombies, puking chicks, boobies, war footage, miniskirts, blood, boobies, chicks roling around in garbage, chicks rolling around in cash, cigarettes, baseball bats, dreadlocks, dirty toilets, boobies, and at the end... Mick turns into a girl!
Between 1970-1972 Aerosmith called 1325 Commonwealth Ave home. If the neighborhood didn't know that before, they sure learned that fact today. Thousands of Aerosmith fans stood out in the cold from very early this morning to celebrate the release of Music From Another Dimension, the new album from the "Bad Boys of Boston", which comes out tomorrow. A plaque will be installed on the building, and the bands handprints will be permanently embedded in the sidewalk.
To say Thank You to their adoring, and loyal fans, the band belted out new and classic songs for free, closing Comm. Ave, and shutting down the Green Line this afternoon! That fact didn't go unnoticed by Steven Tyler, as he introduced "Train Kepta Rollin". Also included in the set, "Walkin The Dog", "Mama Kin", "Lover Alot", "Sweet Emotion", "Walk This Way", and "Oh Yeah".
The event brought out the big guns today, with Bob Kraft, Robert Kraft, Tom Brady, and Gerard Mayo introducing the band on stage!
We've been keeping this whole thing a secret for a couple of weeks, and it was nice to finally be able to talk about it! I hate keeping secrets from you!
The day started at the TD Garden, where I hopped onboard a Duck Boat to ride through the streets of Boston with the band. It was crazy to have hundreds of police blocking traffic for us, as we rode through town. That must be what it feels like to win a championship in this town! I guess that's as close as I'll ever get! Thanks Aerosmith!
The band sounded amazing, and they looked like they were having a blast!
Axl Rose stepped out of his house, and showed up ON TIME for a sit down interview with Jimmy Kimmel last night. He talked about his tardiness, voting for Obama, Halloween decorations, dressing up like corn with corn rows, and how members of G'N'R used to work at Tower Records on Sunset where Axl was a manager. Check out the videos below.
Aerosmith released Legendary Child as a single from Music From Another Dimension (11/6) a few months back, and now they've reworked the song for the Patriots! As part of the Pepsi Anthems series.
The guys from Aerosmith have been hard at work on their new album, Music From Another Dimension for what seems like forever. It's their 15th studio album, and the first featuring original material since 2001. There is a lot riding on this album, to say the least. The date was pushed back to November 6, 2012 after the GI Joe movie was postponed until 2013. Aerosmith was supposed to be a huge part of the marketing for the film. The good news is, it gave the Bad Boys from Boston more time to perfect the new music... and that's exactly what they have been doing in the studio. Check out the first 3 episodes of the behind the scenes making of the new album.
Over the next 6 months, the RHCP will be releasing 18 B-sides from the I'm With You sessions. If you're a vinyl guy like Mike Hsu, you can get them all on 7" with custom artwork from surfer artist Kelsey Brookes.
Yeah, that's what really happens. Even Slash has to go through security. Yesterday, the halls of the offices here were alive with excitement. It takes a pretty HUGE rock star to get the secretaries and accountants excited, and Slash is the very definition of a rock star!
I fetched him some coffee, (see what I mean? I haven't fetched someone coffee since I was Hill-Man's intern in 1993) and escorted him into our video studio, for an extended interview for the website. He complimented me on my hair, and my Harley riding boots, and I told him that his black leather Converse were the perfect choice for Boston, since they were made here. He tipped me off, that reps from Converse were headed to the HOB later on that night, to hook him up with the latest Chuck T styles...
Before the mics and cameras were turned on, he asked me if I planned to ask him any 'uncomfortable' Axl questions. I told him that I had to bring it up at some point, but that I wouldn't be an asshole about it. I know he's sick of the questions, but on Facebook and Twitter our listeners OVERWHELMINGLY told me to ask about it, so I have to!
We talked about everything... How he likes his coffee, everything in his career, the Hollywood star, the Hall of Fame induction, Guitar Hero, his kids, his autobiography, and all of the amazing people that he has crossed paths with over the years. He had great stories about Lemmy, Ozzy, Joe Perry, Fergie, Quentin Tarantino, and even Betty Betty White!
The first of many videos from this interview is below!
Then it was into the WAAF studio, for the live, on-air interview before he rushed back to sound check for the show. He couldn't have been nicer to everyone in the halls. He's a quiet guy, and you can tell that crowds of people freak him out. I guess after years of screaming fans trying to get a glimpse of you, touch you, talk your ears off, you get to be a little nervous. He had someone watching his back every step, until it was time to 'work'... Then, we were left alone to talk.
Below, you can listen to the on air breaks that we did live.
After the interview, we snapped a few pictures, and right before the first was taken, Slash yelled out "Say Herpes". It was hilarious!
That explains the stupid grin on my face. And just like that... he was gone. Headed to 'work'.
Later on that night, I headed to the House of Blues to watch Slash do what he does best... play live.
I was asked to go up on stage and say a few things. For a guy that doesn't like crowds, I can tell you, that the view from a packed stage, is pretty intimidating, and he is in his element up there. I'm used to sitting by myself in the sometimes stinky WAAF studio.
When Slash hit the stage, it had to have been 150* in there. The place was packed! The band was tight, loud, and awesome. The setlist (that Slash worked on in our studio) was packed with new and old songs alike. GNR classics sounded amazing, and the crowd sang along to every word. Lemmy even showed up to do a song with the band!
Thanks to Slash, for a great day and an awesome night!
Do you remember where you were the first time that you heard Guns 'N' Roses? I do...
I was sitting in my parents basement, watching Headbangers Ball on MTV when the video for Welcome to the Jungle came on. Hearing just 5 seconds of the opening riff, it was obvious to me that Rock music had changed forever!
It was loud, and in your face. In 1987 I was really into the 80's hair bands that were all the rage at the time... But GNR was different. They weren't pretty, they weren't polished, they were in your face and if you didn't like it F*CK OFF!
I remember reading about them in Metal Edge magazine, and learning all of their names. I thought maybe these guys are in hiding from the law, because none of them use their real names... Axl, Slash, Izzy, Duff, and Popcorn (Steven Adlers nickname).
Shortly after that night in my parents basement, the stories about GNR and their crazy behavior on and off stage were in every magazine, on MTV news, and it seemed everyone was talking about them. Even the album cover pissed people off, and they had to change it.
My Mom heard about it and said 'That's disgusting"... She still says that about a lot of the things that I do, say, buy, and watch. Some things never change.
I wish that I bought the album on vinyl, and I really wish that I had the original version on vinyl... I bet it's worth a TON of money... But, my first and second copies were on cassette. I think I played the first one so much that I wore out the tape.
For a teenage girl in the New England suburbs, GNR taught me a lot about life... I learned what Mr. Brownstone was referring to. What riding the Nightrain was. How romantic guys could be, "turn around bitch I've got a use for you, besides you ain't got nuthin' better to do, and I'm bored". See? Real life lessons... No wonder my Mom said "That's disgusting", she was right, it was... and it was awesome!
Appetite for Destruction was the best selling debut album of the 80's, and one of the best selling Rock albums of all time. Why? Because it's still loud, and it's still in your face. Other bands have tried to do what GNR did. Hell, even GNR themselves have tried to do what Appetite did, and everyone including themselves have failed. No matter the fueds, lineup changes, solo projects, rehab stints, and future attempts at relaunching the band, GNR will always be 5 pissed off guys, holding up a cracked mirror to the world, saying F*CK OFF. Like Marilyn Monroe will always be beautiful, GNR will always be badass.
Everyone has their favorite song off of Appetite, and there is always a story that goes along with it. I would have to say (and yes I am aware that my answer is boring) that Welcome to the Jungle is my favorite. Why? Because every time I hear it, I remember being in my parents basement, watching in wonder, unaware of the world, unsure of my own future and what it would bring. A time when everything was in front of me, and the possibilities were endless. I can't believe it was 25 years ago!
