Category: Music

1980's, Childhood Memories, Life, Music

Utopia

Utopia (noun): Any real or imaginary society, place, or state considered to be perfect or ideal.

What or where is your Utopia? For me, Utopia is the name of a store in downtown Easton that I frequented quite a bit as a teenager in the 1980’s. And not just any store mind you, Utopia was THE place to go if you were a connoisseur of music and someone whose parents had absolutely no intention of driving you across town to the Listening Booth store in the mall. Yes, in an age where record album sales and concert tickets were all the rage, Utopia was the closest place to go to get your music fix if you lived on South Side.

For a melodic rock / hair metal enthusiast like me, it truly was utopia. I still remember the hot summer days of youth walking downtown with a group of kids from the neighborhood with money burning a hole in my pocket. We all knew that what awaited us between those musty smelling walls was pure musical heaven. And unlike some of the more “modern” record stores of the day that allowed you to listen to new music before buying, Utopia was a shopping only experience.

You knew you had arrived at Utopia when you were greeted by the wicker furniture that resided in the store front windows. And once you crossed the threshold and into the store, the smell of cheap burning incense would consume you. Utopia showcased many of the newest albums of the day and even had a ticket counter where you could purchase tickets to the latest concerts coming to the area.

Utopia was the place where I purchased all of my concert tickets for shows at Stabler Arena and The Allentown Fairgrounds, including my first ever concert in 1984: The Scorpions and some new band named Bon Jovi. It was also where I purchased my first Dokken, Ozzy, Night Ranger, REO Speedwagon and Stevie Nicks albums.

Perhaps the only thing I didn’t fully understand about the store were these peculiar objects they peddled in addition to albums and chairs made of sticks. They were oddly shaped, glass bottles that resided behind the counter. I found it strange that these vases were in the same location as the “dirty” men’s magazines and something you would embarrassingly have to ask a clerk to get for you.

I never inquired about them, but occasionally thought about getting my Mom one with flowers in it for Mother’s Day. They looked cool; almost like a genie bottle or glass pipe. My brother even had a blue one in his bedroom that he told me never to touch.

Last night I purchased an album on iTunes and it got me to thinking about the old shop again. It’s been years since I’ve visited Utopia. Perhaps its time to pay a visit and see how much has changed in a quarter of a century. Although I’m sure they still sell wicker furniture and cheap incense, I’m fairly certain that new music and concert tickets are no longer being peddled. I guess I’ll find out. And who knows? I might even get up the nerve to finally ask them about the glass pipes behind the counter.

But I highly doubt it.

Guitar World Interviews, Music

Guitar World Interview: George Lynch Discusses T&N: Slave to The Empire

After tracking songs for what was once to become a new Lynch Mob album, it was drummer Brian Tichy who proposed the idea of bringing together George Lynch, Jeff Pilson and Mick Brown (The “Big 3″ of Dokken) for a project similar to what Heaven & Hell was to Black Sabbath. The result is T&N and a brand new album, Slave to the Empire.

The new album is both melodic and thought provoking music with a purpose. The message being, you don’t have to be a slave to the empire. Featuring seven original songs (with Pilson on vocals) as well as five re-recorded Dokken classics with vocal performances by Tim“Ripper” Owens, Doug Pinnick (Kings X), Sebastian Bach, and Robert Mason (Warrant). Slave To The Empire also adds to the mix the hard hitting, multi-talented drumming of Tichy as well.

A second album of new material and classic remakes of Dokken material is slated for next year that will also coincide with a tour.

I spoke with George Lynch to get his thoughts on Slave to The Empire as well as his other passion: the documentary “Shadow Train”.

Read the rest of my Guitar World interview with George Lynch Here.

A Conversation With, Interview, Music

Lions, Tigers and Guitars: A Conversation With Jim Peterik

Guitarist Jim Peterik still has the Eye of The Tiger. Whether it’s performing, songwriting, mentoring and developing new talent or holding his annual World Stage events, the man who penned the #1 anthem from Rocky III continues to deliver the goods.

Peterik’s resume and collaboration reads like a veritable who’s who of the music industry. His bands have included The Ides Of March, Survivor, Pride of Lions and Lifeforce. He’s written and/or produced songs for artists like 38 Special, Sammy Hagar, Jimi Jamison, Lisa McClowry, Mindi Abair, and his son, Sijay among others. His musical journey knows no boundaries; having ventured into melodic rock, jazz, pop, inspirational and country genres.

Peterik’s latest endeavor is a reunion with vocalist Toby Hitchcock for the new Pride of Lions album, Immortal. Containing the best elements of 80′s melodic rock combined with Peterik’s signature songs and modern-day production, Immortal is an album sure to satisfy.

I spoke with Jim and got his thoughts not only on Immortal, but also on his days with Survivor and the music; including the iconic song he co-wrote thirty years ago that continues to inspire generations of fans all over the world.

goJimmygo (gJg): What made you decide to do another Pride of Lions album?

Jim Peterik (JP): I wanted one and Frontiers Records are such great boosters of the whole 80′s crowd. They actually wanted me to make a new record a few years ago, but I wasn’t ready at the time. I had just completed the “Crossroads Moment” album with Jimi Jamison and my juices were just gone for that direction. I got into doing Lifeforce (my smooth jazz project) just as sort of a respite from melodic rock. Their (Frontiers) initial plan was to have me release a record and then they were going to do a Toby (Hitchcock) album. I asked them to do it the other way around and by that time I’d be ready. That’s what happened.

I was playing on the road with a group called The Fabulous Armadillos. They’re the best players in the St Cloud/Minneapolis area. Every year, they host shows for two weeks where they feature a guest and last year, it was me. That was where I wrote “Coin of The Realm”. I was back in the green room with Pamela McNeil, one of the backup singers and a very good songwriter in her own right. I was jamming a thing in the green room and she started chipping in with some lyrics. Coin of the Realm really started the whole ball rolling. From there, the floodgates just opened. Delusional, Are You The Same Girl and on and on.

gJg: Where do you come up with ideas for your songs?

JP: Everywhere. “Delusional” is a song from the new album that comes from my personal life.  I see too many kids these days being over medicated with Ritalin just to calm them down. It does that but it also makes them walk around almost in a zombie like state. I had that hook in my mind: “Let the boy dream. Let him be different. Let him be delusional.” Even Einstein probably would have been diagnosed ADD if he were alive today. Things like that get me going.

gJg: You’ve also got a song called “Vital Signs” on the Pride of Lions album.

JP: That was actually a song I was trying to finish back in ’84 when we were cutting the record [Survivor: Vital Signs]. A lot of times the songs that were written became the title of the album. Like “Caught in The Game”, “When Seconds Count” and “Too Hot To Sleep”. At the time, I couldn’t quite get that song to work and we ran out of time so I never cut it. Fast forward to now: I was getting material together for the new record, “Immortal”,  found the old tape and said to myself: “I think I know how to finish this now!” [laughs].

gJg:Toby Hitchcock’s voice is so pure on Immortal. At times he sounds like Jimi Jamison and at other times, Dennis DeYoung.

JP: It’s a great voice. One of the best out there right now. I think the vocals on Immortal are his best yet. There’s more depth and dimension to his voice.

gJg: Do you have plans to take it on tour?

JP: We just recently had a great show where we opened up for Styx. At the time, I made a conscious decision that we weren’t going to do any Survivor material, no Ides of March and no 38 Special. We were going to either make or break it. We did five new songs from Immortal plus the cream of the crop: Sound of Home, Unbreakable, Gone and the people loved it. We even had the heroine of our video for Delusional (Maggie) come up on stage with us at the end and sing the last chorus and it was just killer.

gJg: A lot of people know you from primarily being the keyboardist in Survivor. But the truth is, you’re main love is guitar.

JP: Guitar is my passion. Survivor originally started as a twin lead band. You hear a lot of double leads on the demos for the first album. I love keyboards but my heart’s really in guitar. At last count, I think I own 178 and every one of them has a story. And it’s not like they’re in cases. My wife is a saint. They’re all on stands at various parts of the house. I have a wall three racks deep and I use them all. But I don’t begrudge it (playing keyboards in Survivor). Hell, I had two of the best singers in the business (Dave Bickler and Jimi Jamison).

gJg: How must that be for you to write songs with those voices in mind?

JP: My singers inspire me to do my best work. I write different for each singer. I wrote more grittier for Dave because that’s the kind of voice he had. Then Jimi came along and he had this beautiful pop voice. I remember the first thing I showed him when we met was the song ‘Broken Promises’.  He sang it back to me right next to my ear. It was a magic voice! Especially the purity of his upper range.

Jim Talks Survivor

gJg: This year marks the 30th Anniversary of “Eye of The Tiger”.  What’s the origin of that song?

JP: I came home from shopping one day and heard a message on the answering machine from Sylvester Stallone. At first, I thought it was a joke, but I called the number and sure enough, Stallone answered. He told me that he loved the band and had heard “Poor Man’s Son” and “Take You On A Saturday” from our “Premonition” album and wanted that same kind of “street” sound for his new movie, Rocky III.

He sent us a video montage of the movie and Frankie (Sullivan) and I watched it together. There were scenes of Rocky getting a little “soft” (doing the Visa card commercials) and Mr. T “rising up” with his Mohawk. It was electric. The temp music they used to accompany the montage was “Another One Bites The Dust” by Queen. I remember asking Stallone why he just didn’t use that song for the movie and he said it was because they couldn’t get the publishing rights for it.

At that point I just said, “Thank You, Queen!” [laughs]

I had my Les Paul and a small amp that we had set up in the kitchen. I turned down the sound and just started playing the little intro [mimics the intro], just feeling that pulse. Then I added to it when I saw the punches being thrown, trying to score the chords in time with the punches. We couldn’t get any farther because we didn’t have the whole movie. Fortunately, we were able to get a copy of the finished movie with the promise that we’d send it right back the next day. At that point, we had become totally enamored in the movie and when I heard that phrase: “Hey Rocky, you’re losing the eye of the tiger” I remember turning to Frankie and saying, “Well, there’s the name of our song!” Once we had the title, the challenge became telling the story.

I have to give Frankie the credit for coming up with the seed lines. He said, “How bout this: Back on the street, doing time. taking chances?” I said, “Yeah that feels good. How about: Risin’ Up, back on the streets. Did my time, took my chances?” Before we knew it, we had the first verse.

Four days later we gathered the troops, went into the Chicago Recording Company and recorded it. Frankie and I both wanted that big “John Bonham” type of drum sound and I’ll never forget the feeling and the way our drummer, Marc Droubay captured it. As soon as he hit that beat I said, “Oh SHIT – this is going to be HUGE!” And there was the sound of Survivor. It was just magic!

I Can’t Hold Back

JP: One of my favorites. That song and Search is Over are my two favorite Survivor songs (of course, Eye of The Tiger is in a whole different league). We had tracked all of the songs for Vital Signs with Ron Nevison (producer) and were just about ready to pack up the equipment for the day when Frankie started playing that arpeggiated guitar lick. I was in my piano booth when I heard it and said, “Hey, stop! Hold on! what is THAT?” He said “Eh, I don’t know. I was just messing around.”

I started doing the chord changes and it fit so well with that lick. I had already had the pre-chorus part (I can feel you tremble when we touch) and Frankie had the line “There’s a story in my eyes, turn the pages of desire.”

By the time Ron came over and asked us what we were doing, we already had some of the song. He said “Guys, stop the presses! We’ve got to cut this tomorrow. The next day, we came back in and cut it. It was the only thing we did that day and on the fourth take we nailed it and knew we had something really special. Frankie was a perfectionist when it came to overdubs and then Jimi came in and did the final vocal. Ron helped us so much with the arrangement of the song, that’s why it’s stood the test of time.

Here’s my favorite story: The record had just come out but wasn’t really on the radio yet. Jimi (Jamison) and I were in San Diego and I was coming out of my hotel when I noticed someone riding by on a Harley. It was this guy with a really hot chick on the back. They were whizzing by and their radio was blasting and I hear “I can feel you  tremble when we touch…”  [laughs]. To hear it from a Harley going down the street was the shit. That was the last song  we recorded for the record and the first one you hear.

gJg: What’s your greatest memory of your days with Survivor?

JP: There were so many, but I think I’d have to say Japan. When you realize that you’ve made it all the way over there and people are going crazy. We were they’re in ’85 and ’88 and each time the people were screaming our names. All of a sudden, it just hit me that we were worldwide. Both of those tours were great.

Some of the more subtle moments are my favorites as well. When “Eye of the Tiger” was first starting to zoom up the charts, we were out on the road with REO Speedwagon. I remember it was late in the afternoon and I went into a restaurant to get something to eat. While I was there, somebody played Eye Of The Tiger on the jukebox. There was a little girl there with her family. She must have been around four years old or so. When the song started playing, she immediately got up from her family, started spinning around and said, “Mommy! Daddy! That’s MY song! They’re playing MY song! Out of the mouth of babes. You can’t fool them and you can’t hide from them. They either love it or they don’t, and they loved it.

gJg: Have you ever thought about writing a biography?

JP: It’s almost done and should be out by April. It’s called, “Through The Eye of The Tiger: A Survivor’s Tale”.  I’ve been working on it for the better part of a year. I’m really excited about it.

gJg: What other projects are you working on now?

JP: The Ides of March are still very active. We do a Christmas show every year and this year, it’ s on the 8th. 

Lisa McClowry has a song charting on inspirational radio called “Brand New Hallelujah” from the album, “Lisa McClowry Sings Acoustic Alchemy”. Acoustic Alchemy is one of my favorite bands. All instrumental, from Britain. To me, they are the ultimate New Age/Smooth Jazz group.  I’ve always wanted to write lyrics to their music and they told me to have a go at it. I took one song they had called “Overnight Sleeper” and turned it into Sleepless Nights and had Lisa sing it. They fell in love with it and we ended up doing a whole album. It was a labor of love.

Gearing up for World Stage the 19th of January. We’re just putting the line-up together now.

I’m working with Mindy Abair (who is fresh off the Aerosmith tour) on her new album. This time around, Mindi’s going to sing about half of the record.

I’m working with my son Sijay, whose new self-composed album Detroit Club just hit iTunes.

Lisa McClowry and I finished a video for the troops called “Before the Tree Comes Down” . It’s a song about a little boy wishing his father comes home for Christmas before they take the tree down. The reaction for it has been overwhelming.

I’m also working with a young country artist Andrew Salgado, a 23-year-old singer who I’ve been producing. He has a very unique voice.

And, if that’s not enough, [laughs] I’m also working with the kids group Ariel & Zoey & Eli, Too. They have a pop variety show on theCoolTV network. They needed a song about bullying. It was something that was near and dear to my heart so I wrote a song called “Hey Bully”. The video for it went viral.

As a songwriter, I love putting different hats on. It’s an interesting thing.

A Conversation With, Music

Interview: Guitarist Jim Peterik Talks Tiger And the New Pride Of Lions Album, Immortal

Guitarist Jim Peterik still has the Eye of The Tiger. Whether it’s performing, songwriting, mentoring and developing new talent or holding his annual World Stage events, the man who penned the #1 anthem from Rocky III continues to deliver the goods.

Peterik’s resume and collaboration reads like a veritable who’s who of the music industry. His bands have included The Ides Of March, Survivor, Pride of Lions and Lifeforce. He’s written and/or produced songs for artists like 38 Special, Sammy Hagar, Jimi Jamison, Lisa McClowry, Mindi Abair, and his son, Sijay among others. His musical journey knows no boundaries; having ventured into melodic rock, jazz, pop, inspirational and country genres.

Peterik’s latest endeavor is a reunion with vocalist Toby Hitchcock for the new Pride of Lions album, Immortal. Containing the best elements of 80’s melodic rock combined with Peterik’s signature songs and modern-day production, Immortal is an album sure to satisfy.

I spoke with Peterik and got his thoughts not only on Immortal, but also the iconic song he co-wrote thirty years ago. One that continues to inspire generations of fans all over the world.

What made you decide to do another Pride of Lions album?

I wanted one and Frontiers Records are such great boosters of the whole 80’s crowd. They actually wanted me to make a new record a few years ago, but I wasn’t ready at the time. I had just completed the “Crossroads Moment” album with Jimi Jamison and my juices were just gone for that direction. I got into doing Lifeforce (my smooth jazz project) just as sort of a respite from melodic rock. Their (Frontiers) initial plan was to have me release a record and then they were going to do a Toby (Hitchcock) album. I asked them to do it the other way around and by that time I’d be ready. That’s what happened.

Where do you come up with ideas for your songs?

Everywhere. “Delusional” is a song from the new album that comes from my personal life.  I see too many kids these days being over medicated with Ritalin just to calm them down. It does that but it also makes them walk around almost in a zombie like state. I had that hook in my mind: “Let the boy dream. Let him be different. Let him be delusional.” Even Einstein probably would have been diagnosed ADD if he were alive today. Things like that get me going.

Toby Hitchcock’s voice is so pure on Immortal. At times he sounds like Jimi Jamison and at other times, Dennis DeYoung.

It’s a great voice. One of the best out there right now. I think the vocals on Immortal are his best yet. There’s more depth and dimension to his voice.

A lot of people know you from primarily being the keyboardist in Survivor. But the truth is, you’re main love is guitar.

JP: Guitar is my passion. Survivor originally started as a twin lead band. You hear a lot of double leads on the demos for the first album. I love keyboards but my heart’s really in guitar. At last count, I think I own 178 and every one of them has a story. I use them all. 

This year marks the 30th Anniversary of “Eye of The Tiger”.  What’s the origin of that song?

I came home from shopping one day and heard a message on the answering machine from Sylvester Stallone. At first, I thought it was a joke, but I called the number and sure enough, Stallone answered. He told me that he loved the band and had heard “Poor Man’s Son” and “Take You On A Saturday” from our “Premonition” album and wanted that same kind of “street” sound for his new movie, Rocky III.

He sent us a video montage of the movie and Frankie (Sullivan) and I watched it together. There were scenes of Rocky getting a little “soft” (doing the Visa card commercials) and Mr. T “rising up” with his Mohawk. It was electric. The temp music they used to accompany the montage was “Another One Bites The Dust” by Queen. I remember asking Stallone why he just didn’t use that song for the movie and he said it was because they couldn’t get the publishing rights for it.

At that point I just said, “Thank You, Queen!” [laughs]

I had my Les Paul and a small amp that we had set up in the kitchen. I turned down the sound and just started playing the little intro [mimics the intro], just feeling that pulse. Then I added to it when I saw the punches being thrown, trying to score the chords in time with the punches. We couldn’t get any farther because we didn’t have the whole movie. Fortunately, we were able to get a copy of the finished movie with the promise that we’d send it right back the next day. At that point, we had become totally enamored in the movie and when I heard that phrase: “Hey Rocky, you’re losing the eye of the tiger” I remember turning to Frankie and saying, “Well, there’s the name of our song!” Once we had the title, the challenge became telling the story.

Four days later we gathered the troops, went into the Chicago Recording Company and recorded it. Frankie and I both wanted that big “John Bonham” type of drum sound and I’ll never forget the feeling and the way our drummer, Marc Droubay captured it. As soon as he hit that beat I said, “Oh SHIT – this is going to be HUGE!” And there was the sound of Survivor. It was just magic!

What’s your greatest memory of your days with Survivor?

Some of the more subtle moments are my favorites. When “Eye of the Tiger” was first starting to zoom up the charts, we were out on the road with REO Speedwagon. I remember it was late in the afternoon and I went into a restaurant to get something to eat. While I was there, somebody played Eye Of The Tiger on the jukebox. There was a little girl there with her family. She must have been around four years old  or so. When the song started playing, she immediately got up from her family, started spinning around and said, “Mommy! Daddy! That’s MY song! They’re playing MY song! Out of the mouth of babes. You can’t fool them and you can’t hide from them. They either love it or they don’t, and they loved it.

Have you ever thought about writing a biography?

JP: It’s almost done and should be out by April. It’s called, “Through The Eye of The Tiger: A Survivor’s Tale”.  I’ve been working on it for the better part of a year. I’m really excited about it.

A Conversation With, Music

Guitar World Interview: Steve Hackett Discusses His New Album, Genesis Revisited II

As a guitarist and music lover, I take great pride in having been around to experience some of music’s finest moments. From the 80′s success of Van-Halen, Randy Rhoads and Alex Lifeson to the rise of Joe Satriani, Kirk Hammett and Joe Bonamassa.

Although I loved being able to bear witness to the great players from my high school years, I lament not being “around” (or in diapers) during the heyday of some of the influential artists from the 60′s and early 70′s, particularly The Beatles, Jimi Hendrix and Led Zeppelin. Fortunately, I have the opportunity to experience what it was like for one such great, as guitarist Steve Hackett revisits songs from the era that made the band Genesis kings of the progressive rock movement.

Steve’s new album, Genesis Revisited II is two-disc compilation containing nearly 2 1/2 hours of monumental music from his tenure with Genesis in the 1970′s. Monumental newly recorded versions of songs like “Horizons”, “Supper’s Ready” and “The Musical Box” sound as fresh and exciting today as they did 40 years ago. No small undertaking, Genesis Revisited II includes no less than 35 guest musicians and took nearly six months to complete.

I spoke with Steve and discussed Genesis Revisited II as well as his plans to take the “new” music out on the road.

Read the rest of my Guitar World article and interview with Steve Hackett Here.

1980's, A Conversation With, Books, Music

Duran Duran Bassist John Taylor – In The Pleasure Groove
In The Pleasure Groove – by John Taylor

Bassist John Taylor’s autobiography, “In The Pleasure Groove: Love Death and Duran Duran” is an insider’s look into one of the most iconic bands that dominated the charts during the “Second British Invasion” of the 1980’s. To date, Duran Duran has sold more than 100 million records and performed to sold out audiences in countries all over the world.

John’s book goes into great detail about many aspects of his life and career. From his early upbringing to the origin and meteoric rise of Duran Duran as well as its mid 80’s hiatus, when the band split into two hugely successful side projects:The Power Station and Arcadia.

John also pulls no punches in discussing his addictions to sex and drugs. His journey back is a true tale of inspiration.

The chapters are compact and the pages practically turn themselves. Filled with stories and photos from John’s personal collection of memorabilia, “In The Pleasure Groove” is a must-read not only for fans of Duran Duran, but also for connoisseurs of all things 80’s. It’s also a message of hope for those seeking inspiration in the face of their own addictions.

I had the pleasure of speaking with John about his new book and more in this exclusive interview!

What made you decide to write a book at this stage of your career?

I think now is a good time to write a book. I’ve got enough perspective and feel I’m on relatively safe ground emotionally and can go back and dip into those smoking, swirling times and not get caught up in it. I can be objective and speak cleanly about it. Also, there’s still time to come. I don’t feel like the end is near or anything like that. I have huge amounts of memorabilia from the early years of the band and also had a dozen or so really key scenes I thought would make for a perfect book.

I had spoken with someone who had read the book and mentioned how much they loved the scene with Sting where, as a child I went to see The Police perform. You can’t make up stuff like that. What’s written is absolute verbatim; exactly as it happened. It’s the kind of scene that would not have been impactful if I were sitting with Simon (Le Bon) doing an interview on CNN or speaking with you. It would be a total waste for me to try and lay that act out into that kind of an interview. I felt the only way to really give it the full impact was to write it. And it was fun! There were a lot of scenes I had fun writing about.

You mention the influence your Mom had on you quite a bit in this book.

My mom just loved pop music. When I was at a very young age, I really picked up on the way that she related to The Beatles. I also talk in the book about going to church and the Catholic songbook. How incredibly well written those songs were. Ones that appeal to people from the age of 4 to 90. Extraordinarily well put together, especially melodically.

Duran Duran

Have you noticed anything different about the way people try to make it in music today?

I’ve lived in LA almost twenty years and am struck by how many of the musicians I meet tell me how they conceive of becoming successful. They’ll say: “Start by getting a lawyer, then get a deal, write some songs, then put a band together.” Its like, “Yeah but, when are you going to do a gig?” [laughs].

I went to the greatest of schools. I went to The Beatles primary school, the David Bowie secondary school and The Sex Pistols college. By the time I was 18, I already knew how to make a band and a record. It wasn’t arrogance. I really believe that if you want something badly enough and are prepared to really go for it, I see no reason why you won’t have success.

We [Duran Duran] did have extraordinary chemistry but it took time for the band to come together. We had to make some changes along the way and they weren’t always out of choice. Guys left us. Nick (Rhodes) and I were stranded by our first singer, but we didn’t drink over it. We kept moving and made the best of the  situation.

My wife is a real worker who taught me the phrase, “Work Begets Work”. Instinctively, I think I always knew that. You always want to make things happen and I think that’s part of wanting to write the book too.I’m not sure where it’s taking me, but it feels good and I’m glad that I wrote it.

Do you have any regrets?

I don’t honestly believe in regrets. If you’re happy with yourself right here, right now and can feel good about your relationships, then I can also feel good about everything that’s happened to get me here.

Is there a message you’d like people to take from reading In The Pleasure Groove?

The recovery aspect is important. I was exposed to such a powerful, profound method of recovery. I was very fortunate. I was brought back from the dead. It was a few years ago but I wanted to communicate that because there are a lot of people struggling with addiction. I wanted to find a way to put that out there in plain man’s language to let people know that there is hope out there.

Article first published as Duran Duran Bassist John Taylor – In The Pleasure Groove on Technorati.

1980's, Life, Music

Searching For Inspiration

meandlesIf there’s one thing I’ve learned about from being a songwriter it’s this:

Inspiration can be found almost anywhere.

But sometimes though, we as writers tend to get complacent or hit road blocks. Situations where we just can’t seem to find anything to write about or get tired of using the same, dull songwriting formula we’ve grown accustomed to. It’s times like these when the search for inspiration can become almost fruitless.

So what are some of the things you can do to break out of your “comfort zone” and find that inspiration? I’m glad you asked. Using my love of 80’s music (and metal, of course) along with several of my past interviews, I’ve compiled a list of four things to help inspire that creative spark.

So the next time you’re about to hit the wall with songwriting, pick up your guitar (or whatever other instrument you have lying around) and give one of these a try:

Eye Of The Tiger (1982)
Eye Of The Tiger (1982)

1. Watch a movie, read a book or attend a sporting event for inspiration.

Stuck in a rut? Try one of the above mentioned suggestions for instant inspiration. Visual stimulation can sometimes work wonders for a songwriter. You never know when a scene in a movie, a passage from a book or a touchdown toss might awaken something inside you.

Back in 1982, songwriters Frankie Sullivan and Jim Peterik of the band Survivor were given a rough cut of a movie to watch as inspiration for a song. After watching a few minutes of the raw footage, the duo became inspired to write  a song that would not only would go to #1, but would also earn them a Grammy award in the process. The movie was Rocky III and the song? “Eye of The Tiger.”

Frankie Sullivan: “You know, that song was the easiest of them all. I think Jim [Peterik] and I wrote the music for it in about half an hour and it took us three days to write the lyrics, only because we couldn’t come up with the punch line. But we kind of had the whole thing down in half an hour.”

John Parr - Man in Motion (1985)
John Parr – Man in Motion (1985)

2. Give yourself a deadline.

There are times when a deadline can actually be your own best friend. Try giving yourself a time frame to write a song from start to finish and see what happens. You’d be surprised what you might come up with when the pressure is on. Take John Parr’s #1 hit from 1985: St. Elmo’s Fire (Man In Motion):

John Parr: “David Foster and I were working on songs for the soundtrack and were given a day to write it and a day to record it. David wasn’t feeling in the mood to write at the time, but I persuaded him and over the course of an hour we wrote three songs; one of them being “St. Elmo’s Fire.”

White Lion - Pride (1987)
White Lion – Pride (1987)

3. It’s OK to be cliché’.

A lot of music publishers will tell you that when it comes to songwriting, never, EVER write cliché’ lyrics (unless of course you’re Taylor Swift, Katy Perry or any new Bon Jovi song).

But despite the need to avoid the simple and mundane, there’s something to be said for just playing your guitar and writing down whatever comes to mind while you’re in the moment. The worst that could happen is that what you write never goes anywhere beyond the written page. But sometimes, it can lead to things you never would have expected. As was the case with Mike Tramp of White Lion when he co-wrote the band’s hugely popular song, “Wait”.

Mike Tramp: “There’s almost no origin to that song. The story goes, Vito [Bratta, guitarist] started playing the riff and the very first word out of my mouth once I heard it was “Wait.” It’s one of the simplest lyrics I’ve ever written, but it’s also the perfect American FM song.

Lita Ford - Close My Eyes Forever (1988)
Lita Ford – Close My Eyes Forever (1988)

4. Let Life Happen.

Sometimes we just need to put down our guitars for a little bit and let life happen. Conversation and recreational activities can play an important role in subconsciously finding inspiration. Good things can happen when you least expect it.

When Lita Ford was finishing up her hugely successful album “Lita” in 1987, she had also just finished moving into a new home. One night, she received a visit from Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne who brought her a house-warming present. After opening a bottle of wine and playing a few games of billiards, Lita and Ozzy went into a side room where a guitar and amp had been set up.

Lita Ford:  “We just started playing and singing and wound up writing “Close My Eyes Forever”. The song was kind of an accident really.”

You’ll notice that in each of the song examples I’ve mentioned, there was more than one songwriter involved in the process. If you don’t already have a writing partner, consider getting one. Two heads are always better than one as Lennon/McCartney or Elton John/Bernie Taupin would tell you.

Remember, inspiration is everywhere. So give yourself deadlines, be cliché’, experience new things and compose riffs and lyrics you know no one else will ever hear. Life is the open road. So get on it and see where it goes.

A Conversation With, Interview, Music

The Pride of Mike Tramp
White Lion – Pride (1987)

Article Originally Published on Guitar World

Twenty-five years ago, the band White Lion released their breakthrough album, Pride. A record that would feature two top ten hits, peak at #11 on the Billboard charts and sell more than two million copies in the US alone. Pride would become one of the best pop-metal albums of the 1980’s with Vito Bratta’s signature melodic guitar work and the heartfelt lyrics and vocals of Mike Tramp.

From his days in White Lion and Freak of Nature right up to his most recent project, “Stand Your Ground” with Mike Tramp and The Rock ‘n’ Roll Circuz, the man who was the voice of a generation with hits like “Wait”, “Tell Me” and “When The Children Cry” continues to make great music.

But one thing you may not know about Mike Tramp is that his musical roots lie heavily in folk. And this fall, Mike; accompanied only by his guitar, will celebrate those roots by embarking on a vagabond tour of Europe. Mike will be crossing the land performing hits from his catalog and along the way, telling stories that get to the core of his songwriting.

With an arsenal of hits at his disposal and a passion for words, here’s hoping the journeyman brings his tour to the US in 2013.

I was fortunate to catch up with Mike from his home in Denmark and get his thoughts on the milestone anniversary on the Pride album as well as his European tour, a glimpse into his next album and why he thinks the music industry should be run more like a hardware store.

When someone mentions the Pride album, what’s the first thing that comes to your mind?

To me, Pride represents the coming together of White Lion. It’s the band at its core and the purity of the band. It’s the only album where we are the “true” White Lion.

The Pride album everyone is familiar with wasn’t the original version though.

Yes. Back in 1986, shortly after the Fight To Survive album, we recorded a version of Pride over in Germany. But after coming back to America and giving it a listen, we  weren’t satisfied.  So, Vito and I started re-writing, and then went to LA to record it again.

Wait

There’s almost no origin to that song. The story goes: Vito started playing the riff and the very first word out of my mouth was “Wait”.  It’s one of the simplest lyrics I’ve ever written, but it’s also the perfect American, FM song. It’s right up there with Journey, Foreigner and all those other classic songs. “Wait” was just one of those songs that worked really well in the studio and for the video.

When The Children Cry

Even though the words are simple, it has a very powerful lyric. Imagine being a kid from Copenhagen, Denmark sitting there in Staten Island and writing “No more presidents, and all the wars will end…” at the time when Ronald Reagan is the President. But, it was how I felt at the time. That song began by just sitting around and playing. Then Vito changed it to the finger picking style. Even the way I play it now is different; it sounds new to me.

Tell Me

Another classic, radio friendly song. Those three songs together are what made Pride such a strong package and it just proves that the album is timeless. Those songs will live on forever.

Your most recent album with The Rock ‘n’ Roll Circuz, “Stand Your Ground” (2011) is another great record.

My sound is still very much “Americanized”, but there’s no mystery to it; it’s just rock and roll!

The chorus to the song “Straight From The Look in Your Eyes” is one of those ones that give you chills when you listen to it.

I think years ago, that song would have been a massive hit in the States. But now, the music business is more of a bureaucracy. It’s like trying to get an application through fifty offices. The reality is, the music business should be a little bit more like a Home Depot. When you come through the door there’s “plumbing” to the right and “gardening” to the far left and you separate those things. You can have different departments with different things in them. The problem is, when you start having one thing that comes in that completely replaces something else, that’s when everything goes wrong.

Tell me a little about your upcoming record.

The new album was one of those things that I actually hadn’t planned. I had just gone into the studio with the guitar engineer from “Stand Your Ground” and we would up recording an entire album. The songs are very much departed from what most people know me from. But to me, these are my roots. In White Lion, some of the songs came from Vito’s world and others came from mine. I come from the (Bob) Dylan world. I grew up heavily influenced by folk music and that way of playing guitar.

I use high gauge strings because I like to play big chords. I’ve never evolved out from that. I live in the first three frets. My songs all start from there. That’s where I lay the foundation and the main guitar will then come in later and fill it out.

Do you have a release date for the new record?

Not yet. When the time is right, I will announce it.

You’re also about to embark on a new tour.

Yes. I’m going out and touring Europe completely solo. Just me and my acoustic guitar playing more White Lion and more Freak of Nature songs than I’ve ever done before. It’s brought back to my world. But it’s not going to be a guitar exhibition; it’s a singer-songwriter show where I’ll be playing these songs a little differently and talking more about the essence of the core song. I like people to get deeper into the music.

Are you nervous at all about going out alone?

Not at all. I love the fact that I can do anything I want. It’s just going to be me and a few acoustic guitars and it’s actually where I feel the most at home. The further down on the ground I can get, the better.

Keep up with Mike Tramp by visiting his Official Website and Facebook

1980's, Music

Guitar World Interview: Interview: Steve Howe Discusses Asia’s New Album, ‘XXX’

Do you remember exactly when and where you were when you first heard it?

I do. It was June of 1982. I was in seventh grade sitting in, ironically enough, music class during one of the last days before summer vacation…..

Thirty years after that steaming-hot day in seventh-grade music class, I spoke via telephone with Howe, who was home in the UK. In this interview, he shares his thoughts on XXX, the origins of Asia and their groundbreaking debut album. Howe also discusses the short-lived, albeit successful GTR project with Steve Hackett, his affinity for Martin guitars and his latest solo album, Time.

Read my complete article and interview with Steve Howe here

Music

Guitar World Interview: Joel Hoekstra Discusses Night Ranger’s New Live Acoustic Package
Joel Hoekstra and Brad Gillis of Night Ranger

It’s not often that a guitarist grows up listening to one of his favorite bands, and then has the opportunity to become part of that band’s legacy. But Joel Hoekstra is no ordinary guitarist. His guitar wizardry has allowed him to live out his dream and become a driving force with Night Ranger.

Read the rest of my article and interview with Joel Hoekstra on Guitar World!