Fergie...

"Happy 37th Birthday"

Fergie...

Stacy Ann Ferguson began her career in 1983 as the voice of Sally Brown in the children's cartoon series Charlie Brown. Shortly afterwards, at the age of eight, she made her first appearance on the variety television program Kids Incorporated. During the following five years, Ferguson appeared on over 100 episodes of Kids Incorporated, some of which alongside Renee Sands, with whom she would later reunite in the band Wild Orchid. -Tv.com

Five years after forming the girl group Wild Orchid with fellow Kids Incorporated alum Renee Sandstrom and childhood friend Stefanie Ridel, Fergie and her bandmates release their self-titled debut album. "We were non-categorizable," she tells EW. "Too urban for pop radio and too pop for urban radio." In 1998, the group opens for 'N Sync on a string of tour dates, where Fergie briefly dates Justin Timberlake. "He was 16 and I was 23," she recalls to Australia's Courier Mail. "It was before he got real heavy with Britney." Wild Orchid releases another album two years later before calling it quits in 2001.

After experimenting with drugs in L.A.'s underground music scene, Fergie becomes a crystal meth addict. She shrinks to 90 lbs. and admits to friends and family that she has a problem. "I wasn't liking who I was," she tells PEOPLE in 2006. "So I stopped cold turkey and came clean with everybody." That May, she approaches the Black Eyed Peas's will.i.am and asks him to work on her proposed solo album. He does one better, getting her to sing on the band's upcoming single "Shut Up." -People.com

A few years after the group's split, Ferguson joined the Black Eyed Peas in time to record 2003's Elephunk. She became central to the group's mainstream success ("Let's Get It Started," "My Humps") and released her first solo album, The Dutchess, during September 2006. -Music.aol.com

Ferguson's debut solo album, The Dutchess, was released in September 2006. The Dutchess spawned six hits for Ferguson, beginning with "London Bridge", then "Fergalicious", "Glamorous", "Big Girls Don't Cry", "Clumsy", and "Finally". Ferguson scored her fifth consecutive Top 5 hit from The Dutchess after "Clumsy" reached a peak position of number five on the Billboard Hot 100. On November 18, 2007, Ferguson won the Pop or Rock "Favorite Female Artist" at the American Music Awards. In addition, her song "Big Girls Don't Cry" also earned Ferguson a Grammy nomination for "Best Female Pop Vocal Performance". In December 2007, Blender picked Ferguson as their woman of the year. In 2007, The Black Eyed Peas embarked on the Black Blue & You World Tour, visiting more than 20 countries.

Ferguson returned to acting in 2006, appearing as a lounge singer in the Poseidon remake and later had supporting roles in 2007's Grindhouse and the 2009 musical film Nine filmed in 2008. -Wikipedia.com

In addition to her music, Fergie has recognized for her good looks. She was selected as one of People magazine’s “50 Most Beautiful People in the World” in 2004. In 2007, Fergie was featured in a series of advertisements for Candies, a shoes, clothing, and accessories company. A big fan of fashion, Fergie has done more than just model. She also inked a deal to design two handbag collections for Kipling North America. Returning to acting roots. -Biography.com

Ferguson is currently married to actor Josh Duhamel who appears on the television show Las Vegas. Ferguson actually partook in an episode of Las Vegas titled "Montecito Lancers". -Lyricsmania.com

On August 27, 2010, it was announced that Slash was filming a music video for the song. Slash stated that "[The] concept is twisted; Fergie's idea." The video for "Beautiful Dangerous" premiered on Vevo on October 28, 2010. The video first depicts Slash at a strip bar. Fergie - apperently, a stripper herself - seems to take an interest and flirts with him. After secretly dropping a drug into his drink, they leave the bar and head to a hotel. Slash, having been drugged, is held captive by Fergie and tied to a bed. Fergie mounts, kisses, and threatens him with a knife. In the end, she stabs Slash, killing him. 

During an interview, where Slash goes through each of his album tracks, he stated:

“

I got hip to Fergie being probably as good or better a rock singer than she is a pop singer. I heard her do Barracuda, the old Heart song, and I was like, fuckin’ wow! I ended up doing a couple of shows with her where she sang Barracuda and Sweet Child O’ Mine. She’s one of the most phenomenal fucking rock ‘n’ roll singers, male or female, I’ve ever heard.'

”

Slash told The sun: "The track began as a piece of music I'd written as a score for a strip bar scene and it made me think of [Fergie]. I'm a guy and there's nothing sexier than seeing a cute girl sing rock 'n' roll." -Wikipedia.com

Shinedown New Album..."Amaryllis"

Music Video for today in honor of

Shinedown's New Album Release...

"Bully"

How do you follow up a hit? Or, rather, how do you follow up an album that spawned six No. 1 singles and spent 120 consecutive weeks on the Billboard 200? For Shinedown, whose third album, 2008's "The Sound of Madness," achieved that exact success, the best method was to just move forward. 

"You go into it with the idea that you're not going to copy what you've already done," Shinedown singer Brent Smith says of the rock band's new effort, "Amaryllis," which arrives March 27 on Atlantic. "It's the next step. You raise the bar higher. And ultimately we're quite a fearless band when it comes to making albums and songwriting."

The band -- Smith, drummer Barry Kerch, guitarist Zach Myers and bassist Eric Bass -- toured for more than two years for "The Sound of Madness," propelled by its continual sales growth and consistent radio play. It has sold 1.3 million copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan, and of its six No. 1 singles, "Second Chance" reached the top five on Billboard's Active, Alternative, Rock, Adult Top 40 and Top 40 charts and "If You Only Knew" hit the top 10 on Active, Alternative, Rock and Adult Top 40. 

Following the Carnival of Madness outing, for which it toured 10,000-capacity venues, Shinedown went out on an acoustic trek of 3,000-capacity venues called Everything and Anything. Before hitting the road for the final leg of the Carnival tour in 2010, the group penned two songs: "Her Name Is Alice," for the "Almost Alice" compilation of music inspired by the film "Alice in Wonderland," and "Diamond Eyes (Boom-Lay Boom-Lay Boom)," for the soundtrack to "The Expendables." Then, in February 2011, the band began writing songs for another album, and its time on the road inspired new material fairly quickly. 

"It was the first time I brought the guys into the actual lyric writing," Smith says, "because a lot of the subject matter was about the situations we were in during the two years we toured."

During the first half of 2011, the band wrote and demoed 33 songs, with the intention of creating something different from previous work. "I wasn't even thinking about any of the material on 'The Sound of Madness,'" Smith says, "because we'd already toured it, and it's forever-it's out there . . . It was time to write a brand-new record. There were way more things to talk about." 

There is a link between the two discs, however. "Amaryllis" was recorded in Los Angeles with producer and Warner Bros. chairman Rob Cavallo, who also helmed "The Sound of Madness." "If it's not broke, don't fix it," Smith says. 

The making of "Amaryllis," which was finished in February, has been chronicled in an e-book that'll be released the same day as the album. "For Your Sake: Inside the Making of Shinedown's Amaryllis" comprises nearly 40 interactive pages meant to supplement the album, and for now is only available for the iPad. For the label, the book is an opportunity to jump onboard with a new technology as well as engage fans. "It's going to be a new trend," Atlantic VP of rock marketing and A&R Anthony Delia says. "This is a very important initiative for Atlantic." 

First single "Bully" arrived Jan. 2 as part of a "phase-one plan to reinvigorate the core Shinedown fans," according to Delia. It's No. 12 on Alternative. A video for follow-up "Unity" bowed online March 12 on AOL Music/Noisecreep, while the song will go to radio later this spring. On March 26 the group plays "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" 

"'The Sound of Madness' set the stage both domestically and internationally for us to really solidify Shinedown as a household name with 'Amaryllis,'" Delia says. "The overall intention with Shinedown is to satiate our core audience while finding ways to get to new potential fans-it's all-inclusive. We did it very successfully with The Sound of Madness and plan to do it again, even bigger." 

Part of this expanded plan involves releasing Amaryllis in nearly 30 countries simultaneously. Shinedown, managed by Bill McGathy and Gwyther Bultman of Indegoot Entertainment, recently signed an international deal with Roadrunner Records, which will release the album in territories outside the United States. Even the touring plan for Shinedown (@Shinedown) leans heavily global. The band, currently on a U.S. promotional radio tour, will head overseas after its headlining spring run in North America. Destinations include India, New Zealand, South America, Mexico and Australia, and the trek is expected to carry the band into 2013. 

"It's going to be an international year," Smith says. "We spend so long making albums because we want to tour on them for a long time. We take into consideration the live aspect [while recording], and we pull it off live. We know what we're doing." -Billboard.com

Steven Tyler...

"Happy 64th Birthday"

Steven Tyler...

Steven's Bio~

Many would agree that one of rock's all-time charismatic and entertaining frontman would have to be Aerosmith's Steven Tyler. Born Steven Victor Tallarico on March 26, 1948 (just outside New York City in Yonkers), he began playing drums at an early age, but eventually switched to vocals after discovering the Beatles, as well as the tougher blues rock of the Rolling Stones and the Yardbirds. After moving to Boston in the late '60s, Tallarico hooked up with two members of an up-and-coming outfit called the Jam Band, guitarist Joe Perry and bassist Tom Hamilton, and after finding drummer Joey Kramer and second guitarist Ray Tabano (who was eventually replaced with Brad Whitford), renamed themselves Aerosmith. The band became a regional sensation, combining the blues sleaze of the Stones/Yardbirds, as well as the power of such hard rock acts as Led Zeppelin and Deep Purple, as Steven (who by now had changed his name to "Steven Tyler") proved to have a flair for the outrageous -- his stage outfits resembled a rock & roll gypsy look, while long scarves dangled from his microphone stand. 


By 1973, Aerosmith was signed to Columbia Records and as soon as the quintet issued their self-titled debut that year, the band was besieged with non-stop comparisons to their idols, the Rolling Stones (or more concisely, Tyler and Perry's resemblance both musically and visually to Jagger and Richards). Although the debut didn't set the world on fire, word of mouth and constant touring built the band a hardcore following and due to such all-time hard rock classics as 1974's "Get Your Wings," 1975's "Toys in the Attic," and 1976's "Rocks," Aerosmith became a sensation, selling out arenas and scoring big-time hit albums and singles (the proto-power ballad "Dream On" and the funky rocker "Walk This Way"). But with fame came hardcore drug abuse for the band, which also created constant bickering between the band's two leaders. With the rock & roll lifestyle taking its toll on the band (their albums grew increasingly more and more unfocused), Perry quit the band to pursue a solo career in 1979, with Whitford following a year later. 

Refusing to admit that Aerosmith's best days were behind them, Tyler soldiered on with replacement members, as his whole life centered around where and when he would score his next fix (all the sordid details are recounted first hand by Tyler in Aerosmith's excellent 1999 autobiography, "Walk This Way"). With the band in disarray, fast approaching bankruptcy and reduced to headlining theaters as opposed to the enormous football stadiums during their heyday, Tyler and Perry patched up their differences in 1983, leading to a reunion of all the original members a year later. It took a while for the bandmembers to clean up their act, but by 1987 all were clean and sober and promptly reclaimed their title as one of the United States' finest rock & roll bands, on the strength of sold out arena tours and such mega-hit albums as Permanent Vacation and Pump. In the process Tyler became one of the most influential frontmen in rock & roll history, as a plethora of singers in '80s hard rock bands (Guns N' Roses' Axl Rose, Cinderella's Tom Keifer, Motley Crue's Vince Neil, the Black Crowes' Chris Robinson, etc.) all resembled Tyler circa 1976 with their look and vocal delivery. By the '90s, Tyler and co. had reinvented themselves as an MTV band, focusing on more pop-oriented material (such as the soppy number one hit ballad "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing" from the movie Armageddon. -Starpulse.com

After moving to Boston in the late 1960s, Tyler eventually met up the musicians that would form the rock group Aerosmith. He reportedly met up with guitarist Joe Perry and bassist Tom Hamilton while they were playing in different bands in the Sunapee, New Hampshire area. Guitarist Ray Tabano (who was later replaced by Brad Whitford) and drummer Joey Kramer joined up with the others to form Aerosmith. The band played its first gig together in 1970 and shared an apartment in Boston.

Commercial Success

In 1972, Aerosmith signed a contract with Columbia Records. The following year their self-titled debut album was released. It featured the song “Dream On,” which was a minor hit. In the early days of the group many comparisons were drawn with the Rolling Stones because their similar bluesy sound and the physical resemblance between Mick Jagger and Steven Tyler. But with their third album,Toys in the Attic (1975), the band emerged as a leading rock group in its own right. Showcasing their talent for creating hard rock, Aerosmith scored with such songs as "Sweet Emotion" and "Walk This Way."

Personal Problems

Their follow-up album Rocks (1976) also had strong sales despite the lack of a breakout single as did Draw the Line (1977). But by the end of the decade, the band was coming apart at the seams. Perry and Whitford eventually left the group while Tyler became heavily involved with drugs. Tyler kept going the group going by adding new members, but his personal problems affected his creative abilities and Aerosmith was only a shadow of its former self.

Comeback after Rehab

By the mid-1980s, Tyler had gotten his act together after going through a rehabilitation program. The original members of Aerosmith reformed and made a remarkable comeback with 1987's Permanent Vacation, which featured the hits "Dude (Looks Like a Lady)" and "Rag Doll." The revitalized rock supergroup had more commercial success with its next effort, Pump (1989). It featured such songs as "Love in an Elevator" and "Janie's Got a Gun." With the rise of the cable music channel MTV, the band's videos helped them win over a new generation of fans.

Aerosmith's winning streak continued with 1993's Get a Grip, driven in part by such singles as "Livin' on the Edge," "Cryin'," and "Crazy." By the end of 1990s, the group was unable to maintain its chart momentum with later albums. Tyler and his bandmates were still a big draw for concerts with droves of their fans turning out to see the group play live.

Health Issues

Health problems have also cropped up for the famed performer in recent years. He underwent throat surgery in 2006 that could have ended his singing career. Fortunately the procedure was a success, but Aerosmith had to cancel half of its North American tour for that year. Also in 2006, Tyler announced that he had been treated for Hepatitis C, a liver disease. In 2008, Tyler checked into Las Encinas Hospital rehabilitation clinic in Pasadena, California, to recover from multiple leg surgeries to repair damage to his feet. Then in 2009, during an Aerosmith performance, Tyler fell off a stage in South Dakota, breaking his shoulder. The band was forced to cancel yet another tour.

After his fall in 2009, it was reported that Tyler planned not to return to Aerosmith. A month later, Joe Perry confirmed that Tyler quit Aerosmith to pursue a solo career, but shortly after Tyler assured fans that he was not quitting the band. In 2010, the frontman headed off on the Cocked, Locked, Ready to Rock Tour with Aerosmith, performing in more than 18 countries.

Despite numerous challenges in 2009 and 2010, Steven Tyler returned to the studio in 2011 with Aerosmith. He and the group are still trying to finish up the songs for a new album, which has yet to be scheduled for release. -Biography.com

Other Projects

His much anticipated autobiography entitled Does The Noise In My Head Bother You? was released in 2011. A best seller, the book provides an inside look to Tyler's many wild exploits with some critics comparing it to Rolling Stone Keith Richard's graphic memoirLife. Not afraid to joke at his own expense, Tyler indicated that he suffers from "Lead Singer Disease."

Tyler scored another hit earlier that year, signing on to judge contestants on the popular reality singing competition American Idol. He, along with Jennifer Lopez and Randy Johnson, signed on for another season at the judges' table in 2012.

In January 2012, however, Tyler found himself under fire from the public and the media. His less-than-stellar performance of the national anthem at the NFL playoff game produced a wave of criticism; many objected to the "pitchy" way in which he sang "The Star-Spangled Banner." Tyler did not publicly respond to his critics' remarks.

Personal Life

Tyler is the father of four children. In 1976, he had a relationship with model Bebe Buell; they have a daughter, actress Liv Tyler. He was married to model Cyrinda Foxe from 1978 to 1988; they have a daughter, model Mia Tyler. He married Teresa Barrick in 1988, with whom he has two children, Chelsea and Taj Monroe. The couple divorced in 2006. Tyler and model Erin Brady announced their engagement in 2011. -Biography.com

"Dream On"....

This was the first single Aerosmith released. Their manager had them share a house and concentrate on writing songs for their first album. Steven Tyler had been working on the song on and off for about 6 years, and was able to complete it with the help of the rest of the band.

Regarding the meaning of this song, Tyler explained: "It's about the hunger to be somebody: Dream until your dreams come true." He added, "This song sums up the s--t you put up with when you're in a new band. Most of the critics panned our first album, and said we were ripping off the Stones. That's a good barometer of my anger at the press, which I still have. 'Dream On' came of me playing the piano when I was about 17 or 18, and I didn't know anything about writing a song. It was just this little sonnet that I started playing one day. I never thought that it would end up being a real song." -Songfacts.com

Thunder...

Thunder

"Love Walked In"

Music Video for Today...

Lyrics~

So tired of waiting I walked an empty land
I was looking for something to help me understand
But bad luck kept turning my dreams into sand
I didn't want pity, I had my share of friends
I wanted somebody more special than the rest
I was aching inside like I was approaching the end
Just about that moment the timing was so right
You appeared like a vision sent down to my life
I thought I was dreaming when I saw you that night

That's when love walked in through my door
That familiar feeling I had once before
love walked in through my door
And it felt so strange

It's hard to remember being on my own
That kind of loving makes a hard man lose control
But I sleep so much better now I'm not alone
So promise me baby you're always gonna stay
I don't think I could take it seeing you walk away
You don't need to doubt it, I remember that day

That's when love walked in through my door
That familiar feeling I had once before
love walked in through my door
And it felt so strange
Like a long lost friend that hadn't changed
Giving me hope again

Love walked in
Love walked in

Just about that moment the timing was so right
You appeared like a vision sent down to my life
I thought I was dreaming when I saw you that night 

Biography~

UK hard rock quintet heavily influenced by Bad Company and the Rolling Stones. Thunder evolved from the ashes of Terraplane, with the surviving nucleus of Danny Bowes (14 April 1960, England; vocals), Luke Morley (b. 19 June 1960, England; guitar) and Gary James (b. 19 June 1960, England; drums) recruiting Mark Luckhurst (bass) and Ben Matthews (b. 21 July 1963, England; guitar/keyboards) to complete the line-up. Moving away from the melodic power pop of their former incarnation, they teamed up with producer Andy Taylor (ex-Duran Duran) to record Back Street Symphony, a stunning album of bluesy rockers and atmospheric ballads, which received widespread critical acclaim for their dual guitar attack of alternating riffs and lead breaks, with Bowes’ gritty and emotional vocals adding charisma and distinction. Live, the icing on the cake was drummer Gary James’ erratic behaviour, which included appearing in a tutu or offering impromptu Frank Sinatra impersonations.

Thunder landed the opening slot at the Donington Festival in 1990 and were the surprise success of the day. In 1991, they concentrated on the American market, touring extensively in an attempt to make the all-important breakthrough. However, though another strong collection, Laughing On Judgement Day was not the album to do it. Luckhurst (who would go on to join the David Coverdale / Jimmy Page touring band) departed in acrimony in 1993 to be replaced by Mikael Hoglund (b. 15 May 1962; ex-Great King Rat). The title of the band’s excellent third album, Behind Closed Doors, proved appropriate as the band had spent over 12 months recording the set in the USA with the aid of Aerosmith / AC/DC producer Mike Fraser. Hoglund departed prior to the release of The Thrill Of It All, which was released on the band’s B. Lucky Music imprint.

By the turn of the new millennium it appeared that Thunder had run its course, much to the disappointment of their still quite substantial following. The band was given a warm reception when, against the odds, they returned in 2003 with a new studio album, Shooting At The Sun. Even more successful was 2005’s The Magnificent Seventh, which spawned the UK Top 30 hit ‘I Love You More Than Rock ‘N’ Roll’. Thunder retain the spirit of great hard rock and blues rock bands of the 60s and 70s (Free, Bad Company) without sounding remotely dated. -Oldies.com

In August 1992, Thunder appeared at the 13th annual Monsters Of Rock at Castle Donnington. On the eve of the Festival they were interviewed by DJ Tommy Vance for The Friday Rock Show on BBC Radio One, where they played a short acoustic set live. Asked about the inspiration for the song, writer Luke Morley said it was based on personal experience; in particular a visit to New York where he had seen people living rough on the streets, sights you didn't see in Catford (South London) adding "unfortunately now you do." As they began playing, he, or one of the band, said "hope you're listening John Major;" this was a dig at the then Prime Minister. John Major replaced Margaret Thatcher in November 1990, after she was forced to resign by a Cabinet rebellion. -Songfacts.com

Slash Shoots Down Guns N' Roses Rock Hall Reunion Hopes...

Slash: Guns N’ Roses not playing Rock Hall induction

Slash has confirmed the rumours surrounding the possibility of Guns N’ Roses performing at their induction into to Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame next month.

“We’re not playing,” the guitarist tells the Toronto Sun. “I would imagine that they asked us to play but I know that we’re not playing.”

A staff member at Envision Radio Networks leaked the news recently while posting under musical director Paul Shaffer’s twitter account; an Envision management type called the tweet “inadvertent” while not denying its accuracy. 

Calling the music industry recognition “an honour,” Slash added, “Either it hasn’t hit me yet or maybe it’s been so long since I had anything to do with Guns N’ Roses that I just don’t really get it.”

Still, Slash, 46, said he’s definitely attending the event in Cleveland, despite no fondness for dressing up. “It’s a formal, I hate formals,” he said.

The guitarist also expects former GNR drummer Steven Adler, with whom he recently played with on a ballad off Adler’s new band’s upcoming album, to be there too. “I could be positive Steven will be there. Steven wouldn’t miss it,” said Slash.

He just couldn’t speak to the attendance of the rest of the GNR classic lineup, specifically GNR lead singer Axl Rose. “I don’t know. I would assume so but we haven’t talked about it,” he said.

The GNR situation has been talked about since the band’s Rock Hall nomination last fall, with former band members hesitant to commit to anything, not unusual in the GNR universe…even moreso since they are no longer a part of the current lineup. -

Hennemusic.com

Here are some interesting facts about Guns N' Roses

Origins:

Guns N' Roses has gone through many members. Current members are: Axl Rose, Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal, DJ Ashba, Richard Fortus, Tommy Stinson, Frank Ferrer, Dizzy Reed, and Chris Pitman. Past members include: Ole Beich, Rob Gardner, Tracii Guns, Steven Adler, Izzy Stadlin, Gilby Clarke, Slash, Matt Sorum, Duff Mckagan, Josh Freese, Paul Tobias, and Buckethead.

Guns N’ Roses formed in Los Angeles, CA, in 1985

The band was formed by Axl Rose’s band, Hollywood Rose, and Tracii Guns’s band, L.A. Guns. The Name Guns N’ Roses formed by combining the two names.

Their first performance was on March 26th, 1985

The first tour the band went on was titled the “Hell Tour,” which toured from LA to Seattle, where the band really gelled together.

Tom Zutaut, a Geffen Records A&R executive first saw them play at the Troubadour, which is the same club that The Eagles played at. Zutaut went on to tell other label scouts that GNR sucked, just so he would have more time to sign them.

Press/Music:

Axl Rose wrote “Sweet Child O’ Mine” about his girlfriend and soon-to-be wife, Erin Everly, whom he would eventually divorce. He did not have any kids at the time

Gene Simmons of KISS originally tried to produce the album “Appetite for Destruction.” However, Mike Clink ended up producing it.

Slash’s disinterest in the band began in 1994 when the band was recording a song by The Rolling Stones called “Sympathy for the Devil.” Axl wanted Slash to copy Keith Richards' playing, while Slash wanted an original Guns N’ Roses recording to be done. When Slash discovered that the recently hired guitarist, Gilby Clarke, had copied Slash’s solo and was putting it into the final mixing, he was infuriated. That would be the last recording by the band for about 5 years. Slash then drifted in and out of the band while starting his own project called “Slash’s Snakepit,” named for his extensive collection of snakes.

The album “Appetite for Destruction” underwent an artwork change after the original Robert Williams cover design. William’s cover, a surrealist scene in which a dagger-toothed monster attacks a robot rapist, spawned complaints from many religious groups, and caused some record stores to brown bag, obscure, or refuse to sell the album. This did not appear to impact sales all that much.

Controversies/Trouble:

During the spring of 1988, Guns N’ Roses was invited to the Monsters of Rock festival at Castle Donington in Leicestershire, England. The band would play onstage with Iron Maiden and KISS. During the show, the crowd of over 100,000 people began to jump around and push towards the stage. Consequently, 2 people were trampled to death. The media blamed the band for the tragedy, claiming that the band kept playing even when the crowd became dangerous. This gave the band the title of “The world’s most dangerous band.”

Members of Guns N' Roses were often seen intoxicated on and off stage. While at the American Music Awards, the band was intoxicated and were using many profanities. The members of the band eventually found ways to stop their addictions after Axl threatened to end the band if the heavy drug use did not stop.

During the recording session of Civil War, after 30 takes, drummer Steven Adler was fired due to problems caused by heroin and cocaine addiction. He was then replaced by Matt Sorum.

Performances during the Use Your Illusion World Tour were often filled with riots, late starts, and outspoken rants by Rose. While the band's previous drug and alcohol issues were for the most part under control, Axl was often agitated by lack of security, sound problems, and unwanted filming or recording of the band's performances. He also used the time in between songs to fire off political statements against music critics or celebrity rivals. -Carlini.suite101.com

Tesla...

Music Video of the Day
Tesla
"Love Song"

A power ballad by the band Tesla, from the album The Great Radio Controversy, released in 1989. When the video was placed in heavy rotation on MTV, the song rocketed to number ten on the U.S. charts, becoming one of the group's biggest hits.

The music video was filmed in the band's home town of Sacramento at the former Cal Expo amphitheater. Old 93 Rock banners can be seen hanging in the back ground.

The single and video version removes the classical guitar intro, reducing the song length to about 4:09. -Wikipedia.com

"Love Song" was written by vocalist/ front man Jeff Keith and guitarist/keyboardist Frank Hannon. It is Tesla's greatest success, widely considered to be their signature song, and still getting heavy airplay today. However, it is not their highest-charting single: That would be "Signs," their cover of a Five Man Electrical Band song, which got to #8 on the Hot 100... but only after being re-released. -Songfacts.com

For the Record …

Members include Frank Hannon , guitar; Jeff Keith (born in Texarkana, OK), vocals; Troy Luccketta , drums; Tommy Skeoch , guitar; and Brian Wheat , bass.

Band formed in Sacramento, CA, 1984; originally named City Kidd; signed with Geffen Records, c. 1985; released debut album, Mechanical Resonance, 1986.

Awards: Platinum records for Mechanical Resonance, The Great Radio Controversy, Five Man Acoustical Jam, and Psychotic Supper; gold record for Bust a Nut.

Addresses: Record company—Geffen Records, 9130 Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90069.

the encore game with audiences in which performers run offstage until enough applause brings them back out; lead singer Jeff Keith simply tells the audience: “We’re not going to hide behind the amplifiers,” and asks, “Do you want to hear another?”

Breaking the mold has brought Tesla longevity in a genre in which bands either rise rapidly then fade away with similar speed, or become such icons that expectations for them are impossible to meet. “Falling prey to neither the glam image of the early ‘80s, nor the angstdriven grunge trend of the ‘90s, Tesla carved out a niche for themselves as ‘every person’s’ band,” declared RIP magazine. “Performing equally well on their aggressive, power-rock tunes as on their emotionally resonant acoustic ones, the band pleased a growing following who stood by them no matter what was in vogue musically.” -Encyclopedia.com

KISS, Mötley Crüe Announce Tour 2012...

Music News

KISS, Motley Crue Announce Summer 2012 Tour, Gene Simmons Disses Rihanna...


Iconic rock bands KISS and Motley Crue announced their 40-date North American summer 2012 tour on Tuesday -- conveniently titled "The Tour" -- but they caused an even bigger stir when KISS frontman Gene Simmons dissed pop star Rihanna.


"We're sick and tired of girls getting up there with dancers and karaoke tapes in back of them," Simmons told the crowd at the press conference, reports Billboard.com. "No fake bull***t. Leave that to the Rihanna, Shmianna and anyone who ends their name with an 'A.'"


Motley Crue's Tommy Lee seconded Simmons' strong opinions, explaining that he's frustrated by the quality of performances -- and artists -- he now sees at award shows. 


"No disrespect to Rihanna, she's a great singer, but we're in a slump for some s**t that has some personality and appeal beyond a bunch of pop stuff that's floating around out there," he told Billboard.com. "I'm glad he said that actually because I don't think I can bear watching another f**king award show that is just a little bit better than 'American Idol.' It's f**king pathetic to watch people go out and f**king karaoke with a bunch of lights and video. It's all completely watered down."


This isn't the first time the KISS frontman has dissed modern pop music. Simmons was not impressed with Madonna's Super Bowl halftime show and publicly claimed that it would be better off with a "real band."


For more information on KISS and Motley Crue's "The Tour," including tour dates and interviews with the rockers, head to Billboard.com.
-Huffingtonpost.com

The rockers will embark on a 40-plus city jaunt simply dubbed “THE TOUR” on July 20 in Manassas, Va., and visit Aaron’s Amphitheatre at Lakewood three dates later on July 24.

While the apparently never-retiring KISS (currently Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons, Tommy Thayer and Eric Singer) has toured in the past with fellow longhairs Poison (in 2003) and Skid Row (in 2001 for the, ahem, KISS “Farewell Tour”) and the original lineup of the Crue has also rocked stages with Poison (2011) and Aerosmith (2006), this unholy matrimony of fist-pumping glam rock is seen by many ‘80s rock fans as the ultimate pairing.

KISS and Motley Crue did share a stage in 1982 for the “Creatures of the Night Tour,” when the Crue was in its infancy and KISS was dealing with the departure of Ace Frehley and arrival of Vinnie Vincent. -Blogs.ajc.com