'Dust In the Wind' vs. 'Dust In the Wind'

Perusing my music news, I discovered Kerry Livgren, a founding member of Kansas, suffered a stroke yesterday. He's in serious condition. Reading about him made me think about Kansas.

Kansas recorded "Dust in the Wind" way back in 1977 (about a year after "Carry On Wayward Son"). It became the band's signature song and is still played in heavy rotation on classic rock radio today. "Dust In the Wind" is both melancholy and fabulous. When played live, the song always evokes a positive emotion from the audience. With such a famous song, covers are inevitable. But what happens when the cover is better than the original?

The mighty Scorpions covered the song and included the track on Acoustica.

Todd Rundgren also wrote a song called "Dust in the Wind" for his 1972 solo album Something/Anything? People often confuse the Rundgren and Kansas version as one in the same, and that's a shame. Guns n' Roses performed the Rundgren track fairly often in the early 90s. Slash's solo is awesome here.

So which "Dust In the Wind" is better? Kansas or Rundgren? Scorpions or GnR?

Definitely Maybe

A couple of you have asked me to mention the demise of Oasis. As you may (or may not know, or care) guitarist Noel Gallagher left Oasis a few days ago. Noel, along with his brother Liam, were the backbone of Oasis. On Friday night, Noel announced his plans to leave the band, saying he was "forced to leave" the band and that was he was verbally and violently intimidated.

Now here's my problem with Oasis and the main reason why I never mentioned this split to begin with. 1) Oasis isn't a Glam band. 2) Oasis are awesome, but they are not the biggest band of the past 20 years. 3) Oasis could have been the biggest band since the Beatles, but the constant feuds between the Gallagher brothers got in the way of the music.

I think "Wonderwall" is a brilliant song. I remember watching the video with my mom when Oasis was new on the scene. She was really excited - I guess because she saw a lot of the Beatles in Oasis and was looking to relive that genius. It's sad when any band breaks up or changes members. Is this the end of the world? No. Will Oasis go forward? Perhaps. Will Noel have a successful solo career? Probably.

So, are you sad about Noel's departure from Oasis or do you even care?

Concert Season is Over - How Did You Do?

It's the last day of August, which makes me so sad. The end of August basically means the end of concert season. Sure, I have a few shows in September (American Idols Live, Pop Evil, UFO, Kix) and Shiprocked in November, but the majority of my 2009 concert calendar is behind me.

I don't know about you, but I think I had a pretty strong 2009 season. Sure there were festivals (Rocklahoma, Rock on the Range, M3), one-off shows by bands I've wanted to see for more than a decade (Whitesnake) and a big 'ol flop (Aerosmith).

What was my best festival? That's a tie for Rock on the Range and M3. Two different genres, two different groups of friends! Both blasts and I'm going to each again in 2010.

What was my best "solo" stop show? Probably Britney Spears. Don't hate: Circus is an over-the-top tour. That show officially kicked off concert season for me - no indoor show this year has been able to beat it in my mind.

My biggest bummer? Aerosmtih's tour falling apart, of course. I'm also sad KISS isn't coming anywhere near me. I've never seen them and thought for sure this would be the year - but I don't have money for another concert trip, so I guess it's a no go.

What am I most looking forward to? Shiprocked, of course. The Caribbean when it's cold in Ohio is uber awesome.

So, how did you do, concert-season wise? What was your best show? Your biggest disappointment?

The Rock Life?

I'm doing a little informal research for another article I'm writing and I thought perhaps all of you could help. Tell me, what does it mean to "live the rock life?"

Does it mean dressing a certain way, living in a certain manner, believing certain things? All answers are correct and I suspect we'll get an interesting cross current of information here. Please, feel free to write as much or as little in the comments section. I do thank you for the help.

'10C Billionaire' Is a Great Album!

The Bulletboys just released 10c Billionaire (Chavis). The album is packed with really strong tracks. Gotta admit, I was skeptical that the new album would be this strong - but seriously, you should check it out. The Bulletboys put out a press release earlier this week claiming 10c Billionaire was #6 on the Billboard "Top Internet" chart. I personally can't find the Billboard chart history for this album, but hey, what would it prove for the Bulletboys or Chavis Records to lie? Click here to see the Billboard pop out. Is it a Photoshop job?

Check out one of the album's tracks below. "Girls Kissin' Girls."

Nothin' to Lose

I haven't mentioned Arcade since January of 2007. Last night, one of my Facebook friends posted an Arcade clip on my wall. This friend is sort of obsessed with Stephen Pearcy. (Yes, that Pearcy!) For what it's worth, Arcade is an awesome band and the song "Nothin' to Lose" rules.

As you probably already know, Pearcy formed Arcade after he left RATT in the early nineties. (The band also featured Cinderella drummer Fred Coury). Now, I'm glad Pearcy got back with RATT and I'm excited for the new album, too! Still, Pearcy's time with Arcade shouldn't be completely ignored. These are good tunes and the band did a few albums. You can buy some of the songs on iTunes and I'd imagine original run CDs go for a bomb on eBay.

Arcade's official fourth album was actually released in 2006 and titled Calm After the Storm.

Are there any Arcade fans in the house? Did you ever catch the band live?

'Meet the Meatbats:' Win a Copy Before the Official Release!

Chad Smith is a famous drummer, slamming the kit for both the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Chickenfoot. Now, he's ready to release Meet the Meatbats, the debut from his solo project Chad Smith's Bombastic Meatbats. No, these Meatbats are not Glam - they are more a jazz/funk/rock fusion sort of project - but they rock nonetheless! You can preview some of the smooth sounds by clicking the band's official Myspace.

Meet the Meatbats hits stores September 15, but you can win a copy before the official release date! Just send an email to allyson@bringbackglam.com and write "Meatbat" in the subject line. Please provide your legal name and mailing address so I can send your prize in the event your name is drawn at random. Enter by 11:59 pm EST on Friday, August 28, 2009. Entries received after this time will be discarded. Three readers will win a copy of the debut disc. Good luck.

Here's the official release on the band:

Bombastic, funky, sexy and loud, Chad Smith (Red Hot Chili Peppers & Chickenfoot) is breaking out on his own with guitar star Jeff Kollman, multi-faceted keyboardist Ed Roth, and Motor City bass ace Kevin Chown. Together, they comprise what is easily one of the most interesting and unpredictable instrumental bands to come along in years; Chad Smith's Bombastic Meatbats. Their sound creates a new sonic experience with a cutting edge and a plethora of influences, fusing together styles as diverse as classic rock, old school funk, punk, and 70's R&B.

Look for Chad Smith's Bombastic Meatbats to inspire a new generation of instrumental music fans. Pick up their debut CD, "Meet the Meatbats" released by Warrior Records via Universal Music Group Distribution.

"Oh! I Spilled My Beer"