| Rock stinks? No, but for Geils, jazz and blues smell sweeter
He's gone from J. to Jay and from rock to jazz and blues. Smoky bars and concert arenas have transformed into jazz haunts and clubs, and leather and jeans have been replaced by a jacket and tie. For Jay Geils, the days of rocking with frontman Peter Wolf and the J. Geils Band are a universe away. These days, it's jazz, blues and swing from the likes of Count Basie and Duke Ellington that make his guitar sing. So, don't expect to hear "Centerfold," "Love Stinks" or "Freeze Frame" - a few of J. Geils' '70s and '80s hits - when the now 60-year-old ex-rock 'n' roller takes the stage tomorrow to kick off the season at Maudslay Arts Center in Newburyport. The reinvented Geils will be flanked by Gerry Beaudoin and their quintet for an evening of seminal jazz in the outdoor amphitheater.
Budda Amplification Performs on "Rock Star: Supernova" Reality Show
Budda Amplification announced today that their award winning Superdrive Series II amplifier was chosen as the official guitar amplifier for contestants on Tommy Lee's "Rock Star: Supernova" Reality Show. It's frequently said, "every overnight sensation has been ten years in the making," and while the name Budda Amplification might seem new to some, those in the know have been watching Budda become the essential link to the new voice of rock and roll. "Rock Star" Musical Director, Clyde Lieberman, selected the Budda Superdrive Series II amplifier for its versatility, simplicity, modern look, and exceptional rock tone. With the many diverse styles the performers bring to the stage, the show demands an amp that can faithfully re-create those sounds and still allow the performers an opportunity to express their own individuality.
'Hillbilly rock stars' party in Tampa
The band launched into a full-throttle version of "Rock and Roll," the propulsive second track on Led Zeppelin's untitled fourth album. The instantly recognizable guitar riff echoed across Raymond James Stadium in Tampa and the crowd of about 45,000 erupted in approval with decibel-defying screams. However, it wasn't Robert Plant singing the sex-crazed lyrics and offering the overheated panting in between verses - like he did in front of a record-setting Tampa Stadium crowd in 1973. No, it was good ol' girl Gretchen Wilson singing "I don't know what I've been told / But big-legged woman ain't got no soul" to the delight of thousands last Saturday. Before channeling Plant, Wilson offered an equally faithful and effective cover of Heart's roaring, classic rock staple "Barracuda." Wilson ended her set with an amps-turned-to-11 run through of her trailer girl anthem "Redneck Woman," which in terms of sound and style, owed more to the Heart and Zeppelin covers than anything recorded by Loretta Lynn or Patsy Cline.
Motion City Soundtrack: 'We Are Evolving'
Since guitarist Josh Cain and his bandmates in Motion City Soundtrack made their way into the national music scene with 2003's I Am The Movie, life has been moving along at a lightening speed. In the past couple of years, MCS has found a cozy spot in Vans Warped Tour and worked with a producer whose name carries plenty of weight in today's music world - Mark Hoppus of Blink 182. Even with Hoppus at the helm of the band's latest CD Commit This To Memory (a deluxe edition with bonus DVD was released on June 20, 2006), the band is open to the possibility of working with new producers for future releases. But for now, the band is currently on a whirlwind trip, playing at all the dates on Warped Tour rather than just a portion as in year's past. While the band is not quite ready to start recording another full album just yet, Cain has gotten the ball rolling by setting up shop in the back of his tour bus.
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