Your Sound Choice
Bios and stories about the artists we feature
No, that is not a typo. When I cracked open the July 2025 issue of Guitar World (Vol. 46, Issue No. 7), I initially read the headline as ‘Brian May’ and thought, “Wow, he has been getting a lot of press lately.” Upon closer inspection, I realized it actually said ‘McCartney’s Brian Ray’. It […]
The Doors were the hottest band in the summer of 1967. Like a lot of bands who record a massive breakout album, people assume they spontaneously appeared on the radio without really knowing their backstory. To me, a band’s backstory is key to how they get on the radio and become ‘the next big […]
Late in May, I got a sonic treat of epic proportions when Gary Tanin, our friend at Daystorm Music in Milwaukee, sent us an early copy of Peggy James’ new album. First the disclaimer – I have had the opportunity to preview several of Peggy’s albums. With each and every one of them, I […]
On February 28, 1980, AC/DC played the last date of the tour that introduced both their album Back in Black and their new singer, Brian Johnson, to the world. It had been one year and a day since they played their last show with singer Bon Scott. The concert a few nights earlier, (February […]
From the Vaults: Knockdown Gigs When my high school band, The Twig, broke up the summer after graduation, I made the conscious decision to not get into another band until after my freshman year at Northern Michigan University. After working at the Huron Mountain Club in the summer of 1971, I knew working there […]
The Bangles had a lot going for them when they broke into the big time in the 1980s. One burden they did not have to carry was that of being the first all female rock band (see Vixen, The Runaways, The Go-Gos, etc). Earlier all-female rock bands were viewed as a novelty and most […]
For the record, I hate ‘no shows’. You know, when a band decides to cancel a show for some reason. I have no problem if it happens because someone falls ill or is having a family emergency. Canceling a show due to a hangnail or slow ticket sales is another thing altogether. While a […]
FYI to our listeners – we have our new tower elements tested and they will be in transit soon. We expect to have them installed ASAP in June so we can test them out. If all goes well (and I have confidence in Jim and Al that it will), we will return to the air […]
REO Speedwagon came charging out of Southern Illinois and made a national name for themselves in the 1970s and 1980s. With the band’s name pretty much retired as of December of 2024, it seems a fitting time to chart the ups and downs of the band. The REO story, from its inception in 1967 […]
Quick, when you think of the Rolling Stones, whose name(s) come to mind? Mick Jagger and Keith Richard(s), aka Mick and Keef or the Glimmer Twins, of course. The second ‘(s)’ is present for Keith because early on, Keef was just plain ‘Keith Richard’. Along the way, the adoring press and/or fans added […]