AC/DC Get Ready for the Road!

AC/DC are going to tour - so count me in for sure! According to Blabbermouth, the big tour starts in October.  The tour will coincide with the release of the new album Black Ice. 

I'm not sure it's possible to top Back in Black, but I hope Black Ice is just as good. Back in Black was released in 1980 and has since sold something like 22 million copies. That makes Back in Black one of the best selling albums of all time.   It's even still a top seller on Amazon.com when it comes to classic rock.

I can't really listen to "You Shook Me All Night Long" anymore because radio ruined it for me, but every other track on Back in Black is still golden. My favorite song on Back in Black is "Rock and Roll  Ain't Noise Pollution."

I wonder how long AC/DC will play during the Black Ice tour? Even more pressing - who will get the honor of being the opening act? I imagine that opening for AC/DC could be a career defining moment for an up and coming band. Hell, it could be big for an established band.

Since this is a full fledged world tour, I'm hoping AC/DC play at least two shows in Ohio. I like traveling to other states to see shows, but the money well is just about dry. Of course, AC/DC won't be hitting the U.S.A. for quite a few months, so there is time to save.

Here's AC/DC performing "Rock and Roll Ain't Noise Pollution" live in 1996.

Experience(s) of a Lifetime

How do you define an experience of a lifetime?

I suppose there are different categories: weddings, births, landing a career- defining role. There are special events like proms and concerts. Sometimes "experience of a lifetime" is just a phrase. If you checked-in to Bring Back Glam! over the weekend, then you probably know that I was in Philadelphia to see George Michael. That concert was 13 years in the making for me - and yes, it was an experience of a lifetime.

You notice I didn't use the quantifier "the." After all, there is no way any of us can possibly know the single event that will define an entire lifetime. That's decided by someone else, much older, much wiser, much more important.

Thirteen years is a long time to wait for anything, let alone a concert.

My love for George Michael is pretty bizarre considering I spend 99% of my time listening to Glam or Metal. That other 1% is reserved for George. I don't like much pop music and I can't stand rap but I've listened to George for years and years. I can remember listening to his music while writing papers when I was an undergraduate. I did the same when I was a graduate student. I've listened to George through my headphones at each of my frustrating, "real-world" jobs.

Finally seeing George Michael in concert Saturday night was an experience of a lifetime - a truly magical experience. Perhaps one of the best concerts I've ever seen. I was actually *nervous * for George before the concert. Yes, I'm one of the few that still get a stomach flutter when the lights gown down and the band starts to play, signaling the start of the show. All those years of expectations are a lot for anyone to live up to - how could George be as good as I imagined? I don't have an answer, but he was - and that's the point. Sometimes, things we wait the better part of a lifetime for disappoint us - then, in rare instances, our expectations are met - and surpassed.

I love concerts where my expectations are exceeded. Quite frankly, it doesn't happen very often. Van Halen met (but did not exceed) my expectations on the recent reunion tour. Kix more than exceeded my expectations at Rocklahoma. I love that rare moment when the artist and crowd become one.

Now that I've achieved my goal of seeing George Michael in concert, I need to look ahead to other life experiences. Top of the list is (naturally) Sweden Rock Festival as well as catching AC/DC live. I imagine watching AC/DC live is sort of like talking directly into the ear of God - if she exists.

**Tell me: what is the longest you've waited to see an artist/band in concert?

One Meeting, One Chance

Right now, MasterCard is running a promotion called "Roots of Rock." Maybe you've seen the commercials that feature the music of Bon Jovi, Eric Clapton and Kenny Chesney. Anyway, the crux of the matter is that MasterCard is offering a chance to travel to the places where either Jon Bon Jovi, Eric Clapton or Kenny Chesney got their musical start. You'll also get to meet your selected rocker...which brings me to today's article: if you could meet anyone in the music industry - and yes, they must be alive - who would it be, and why?

Talk about a complicated question. First let me say that of the above choices for the MasterCard promotion, I would select Eric Clapton. I mean, he was in Cream. 

Back to my question.

Heather and I had a debate about this last night. It's hard to choose just one person, so you don't want to make a mistake with your meeting of a lifetime. A lot of musicians are very open to meeting fans, so I'd want someone completely obtuse. Someone so famous it makes my head spin just thinking about the possibility of a meeting. At first, I threw out names like Paul McCartney and Robert Plant. I mean, when you mention those names, you're talking about musicians in a league of their own. Problem is, they are not Glam. 

There's no rule in the book that says my meeting of a lifetime must be Glam  - I just think it makes more sense. After all, I know a lot of people might get excited to meet Yo Yo Ma or Miley Cryus or Garth Brooks. It's all relative and what you love I suppose.

So, the debate continues and Heather says she might want to meet Slash. No, I don't just choose Nikki Sixx by default. I'm pretty confident Nikki and I will have a face to face meeting someday soon. After all, we've already spoke over telephone so I'm almost there! Then, as if the clouds parted and skies turned blue, it dawns on Heather that the perfect person to meet is Axl Rose.

Of course the meeting must be with Axl Rose.

Can you imagine the material I could glean from just ten minutes in a room alone with Axl? I could drill him on all things Guns n' Roses - and demand to know when the real lineup will (if ever) play together again. I'd ask him if he feels any responsibility toward Steven Adler's addictions and demons. I'd also want to know if he really is best friends forever with Sebastian Bach. Oh, can you imagine? I get excited just thinking about it all. Of course, I probably have a better chance getting struck by lightning than meeting Axl. Talk about a recluse. Still, a girl can dream.

Breaking News: Kix added to Rock the Bayou

My new favorite band Kix have just been added to Rock the Bayou. The festival takes place next month in Houston, Texas.

Kix will play Monday, September 1  right before Twisted Sister and Bret Michaels. The band was confirmed less than 24 hours ago.

Remember, I'll be at this festival, so stop by and say hello if you're also in the crowd. Go to www.rockthebayou.com for more information.

Keep On, Keeping On

Today is Mick Jagger's birthday. It suddenly dawned on me that he was born in 1943 - and that means he's in his mid sixties! Moreover, he's still rocking with the Rolling Stones.

Truth be told, I'm not a giant Rolling Stones fan but I appreciate and respect their position - and importance - in the rock world. This article isn't about the Rolling Stones or even Jagger himself - it is about longevity.

How long will our favorite Glam bands tour?

I've had a lot of people (recently) say to me "I'll spend the money on these shows now because I don't know how much longer these bands will be around." Point taken. I love Motley Crue. You know this. I didn't see their debut at the Starwood in the early 80s. You also know this. Nikki Sixx is old enough to basically be my dad. Ok, you know this too - so, how long will our favorites keep on, keeping on?

I've written before that I hate fake farewell tours. KISS is a great example of the faux goodbye. In life, you're either in or you're out. That pretty much applies to every scenario you could encounter. So, how long will Motley Crue (or Poison, Aerosmith, Kix, L.A. Guns...) keep performing live.

Some bands face different situations. Tracii Guns' new version of LA Guns features members in a broad range of ages. Poison is all original members, as is Motley Crue. When you start a career in 1981 and the year is 2008, you're probably starting to look toward retirement.

Will my life end when my favorites retire? It's possible.

The issue isn't necessarily the end of live shows or the possibility of new music - it's the ending of an era - but would the music end? I don't think so. I would argue that Glam will remain relevant ten, twenty - even thirty years from now.

Think about that: you, listening to Glam in the year 2030. Will we have personal flying machines by then? I doubt it, but who knows. One thing I can guarantee: diehard music fans like you and me will  remain...and we'll still be debating the merits of Girls, Girls, Girls versus Look What the Cat Dragged In.

Whoa, what a ramble. You can tell I'm tired. I spent the day wandering the streets of Philadelphia  and I'm worn out.  Yes,  Eric, Heather and I saw the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall and took a carriage ride to see the sights. I'll have pictures on Myspace soon.

Going to Philly...

I'm off to Philadelphia today. Yes, the city of brotherly love. The Liberty Bell. Cinderella...and tomorrow night - George Michael.

It's finally (well, almost) time for my George Michael concert. I feel like I've had the tickets for months (OK, I have).

Traveling to Philadelphia makes me think about Cinderella. It's truly devastating that Tom Keifer blew a vocal chord, thus canceling the summer tour with Warrant. I always thought Cinderella's unique sound was directly correlated to their home city. The eastern grit added an element to their Glam tunes, truly unmatched by any other band of the classic era.

I've always believed that cities have lives of their own - the streets are living entities. You can tell a lot about a person by their hometown - and no, it's not all stereotypical. Yes, New Yorkers tend to like life a little quicker and goodness knows the pace is slow in southern Ohio.

Musicians can - and often - reflect their hometowns in their songs. Twisted Sister have always proudly waved the flag of New York and we all know that Sunset Strip Glam bands are proud of both Los Angeles and California. There are other bands: just the other day, Jason McMaster proved he's still a proud Texan.

Back to Philadelphia. This long weekend will be my fist visit to the historic city. I love American history, so I'm really looking forward to seeing the sights. I plan to stand on line for the Liberty Bell tour and to see Independence Hall.

While I travel, watch this Cinderella video: "Heartbreak Station" live in Detroit, Michigan. Happy Friday Glam fans!

Tonight You Rock

Obviously, I'm all about the Glam. I mean, I spend a giant portion of my life listening to classic Glam bands and searching for new talent. Sometimes, talent comes knocking at your door - or website.

Glam fans, I want to point out something very important here: never ever discount the power of the Internet. Sure, there are some creeps out there - but through the Internet, I've met some really great and talented people. Thanks to this website, forums, Myspace and more, I've made some actual friends that I can lean on in life.

Back to talent (and friendship). If you come here often, you probably know the poster named Valentine (or, Joel Valenti). Well, Valentine can sing. Really sing. He's got some pipes. He also fronted the San Fransciso Glam band Tonight You Rock (T.Y.R. for short). I've referenced Tonight You Rock in the past - but now, you seriously need to pay attention. The reason? T.Y.R. are about to (re)release some classic cuts through Retrospect Records.

You'll be able to read the first full length album review here. Valentine has promised me a copy of the advanced disc. Better yet, he's already passed along a lot of the songs to me and I swear, they are fabulous.

Regular readers know I don't just hand out praise to any band. I write about bands I truly enjoy - and Tonight You Rock is one of those bands. You can preview one of the songs below. My husband helped me create the video for "Are You Lonely" by taking classic Tonight You Rock pictures and setting them to music. Wasn't our Valentine hot? (hint: he's the blond guy!)

By the way, a band is not defined by a lead singer alone. The classic lineup of TYR: Gregg Michaels (guitar), Kevin St. James (drums) and Dave Hayes (bass).

Read a little more about the band on their official Myspace. *Note: it doesn't seem that Valentine has posted the remastered cuts yet on the Myspace page. That will happen soon I'm sure.