Monday March 8, 2010

Burn Halo & Seasons After
Double Bill!

We enjoy these type of double-bill, two band shows immensely. When done properly, such as this show is structured, it allows us to bring back one guest and shine the spotlight on another. Burn Halo joined us last year in a no-call, full band concert from our world famous ROCKLINE radio and recording studio. Since, they have continued to enjoy their newfound success and are actively supporting a new single at radio, “Save Me”. For Seasons After this marks their first ever ROCKLINE appearance as they come out of the gate with their debut single, “Cry Little Sister” giving us an opportunity to introduce the band to you.

James Hart from Burn Halo will represent his band and take your calls for the first time on our show. We promised the band we would have them back to do exactly this as their first appearance was that full band, plugged-in live performance, which we recorded live (no retakes!) on a weekday afternoon. Since, the band has been allowed to develop and grow, opening for virtually every band in Rock, but now staking their claim as headliners in their own right. Current information is available at their MySpace and also on their Facebook. You may know James was the vocalist for the successful Orange County, CA based band Eighteen Visions, but he’s already surpassed the high water mark achieved by that band and is now known solely as the vocalist for Burn Halo, not the former vocalist for anyone. The band will be featured at the burgeoning, ever-changing Rocklahoma festival this summer as that venue is now featuring newer bands as well as their staple 80’s hair bands. Burn Halo is en fuego and we’re pleased to welcome them back.

As for Seasons After, well, have you heard their album, “Through Tomorrow”? If you have we certainly don’t need to break out the hyperbole, if not we’ll help get you up to speed by playing a few more songs than their already successful single, “Cry Little Sister” and, of course, let you speak with the band. We’ll catch up with the guys in beautiful Santa Rosa, CA about an hour north of the Golden Gate Bridge just a couple of days before they have a gig with another recent ROCKLINE guest, Janus. Oddly enough, we are within days of recording Janus in a full electric concert just as we did with Burn Halo. We’ll let you know when we’ll broadcast that show. We’d also like to extend the same invitation to Seasons After, next time you’re in the LA area with your gear you guys, we’ll bring you in and record your live show too. Consider this your official invitation, Seasons After!  We’ll do this call in show with you and then capture you in concert when the pieces fall in place. For you, the listener, this gives you two shows, a chance to call in and a chance to kick back and check out a free concert, all in due time. You win, the band wins and our show wins too. We’re playing with house money here, winners only!

And this show is a winner too; join us for Burn Halo immediately followed by Seasons After exclusively on our next ROCKLINE!

Wednesday March 10, 2010

The Knack & Billy Idol
Encore Double Bill!

Doug Fieger, the central figure in The Knack and the man smitten by the considerable charms of a young lady known as Sharona lost his long term battle with cancer on (appropriately) Valentine’s Day. If you knew Doug through his music, you’re aware of his talent, charm, romanticism, charismatic presence and ability to still look good while wearing the skinniest of black Beatlesque neckties, no mean feat. If you knew Doug as a human being, you knew an entirely different person, a man of principle, one of the highest ethic and moral fiber, a husband and brother, the embodiment of Midwestern values and beliefs short on pretense and posturing. Doug was subjected to the unimaginable ravages of a brutal, unforgiving and recurring form of cancer enduring brain surgery to extract tumors and the removal of the part of a lung as well. It was enough to anger anyone, enough to challenge the greatest of spirits, enough to make a man want to call it quits, to say, “Check please” and end the unimaginable suffering the disease subjected him to. It did reveal what many had known for years, that Fieger wasn’t a complainer. He had every right to scream why me, to take it out on those close to him, on those he didn’t know, to bitterly succumb to his circumstances and to blame the heavens and the world. But those who really knew Doug knew that wasn’t his style. His style was grace and caring about those whose lives were affected by his illness. A recent Rockline guest told us that at one point near the end of his life, Fieger was ravaged by no fewer than twenty-two tumors….simultaneously. And still there were no complaints. Sure, he had more than his share of bad days, but he didn’t want to burden others. We feel the need to do something, to salute a good man and to say our goodbyes. So, we have retrieved a rousing, exclusive live performance by The Knack first broadcast on ROCKLINE on October 3, 2001. It was a chance to lighten the nation’s mood less than a month after the 9-11 attacks and to now lighten our mood after saying goodbye to a good guy, the kind of person you want in your corner.

The Knack performance was half of a show; the other half featured Lonnie Jordan from War. But for this night we want to continue the spirit of live playing so we have decided to take another live performance half show from 2001 (March 21), featuring Billy Idol and guitar wizard Steve Stevens. Part of the charm and appeal of this show is that none of us were expecting Steve to attend, let alone perform with Billy. The result is a reflection of the essence of Rock, spontaneity, a dash of danger and the element of surprise. No one expected this, especially the scorching, fingers flying, vocal chord challenging, rip-roaring version of “White Wedding” the two rockers gave to us. It’s two men at their best, a friendly competition of who could outdo the other and they’re both winners, champions of camaraderie and performance. More so, it’s the perfect complement to the supercharged salute to The Knack which will precede it. This is a worthy representation of how powerful Rock can be.

So, Doug, this ROCKLINE is for you, a thank you being who you were and for the music you gave us, including the song of the year in 2001, not opinion, a fact based on sales and airplay and a tip of the hat to a great vocalist and a hugely underrated guitarist, Billy Idol and Steve Stevens. Don’t miss this one and have a glass ready to make a toast to a life well lived and to those still rockin’.