Busy week for us here at hardDriveRadio! Today, will be on the hotLine with Royal Blood’s Mike Kerr. The band just wrapped the first leg of their 2015 U.S. tour and will be back in May. Have you ever seen the animated video for “Out Of The Black”? It’s INSANE! TONIGHT! Falling In Reverse frontman Ronnie Radke will be on the hardDriveRadio AA! Be sure to head over to the Interact Live section to chat with Ronnie starting at 11 PM ET/8 PM PT.…..Over the weekend, I was given a special link to a screening copy of director Brett Morgen‘s documentary “Kurt Cobain: Montage Of Heck.” The 2 hour 14 minute film gives the viewer an intimate look at the troubled rock star and possibly points to what led him to want to commit suicide. It’s an intense watch and one Nirvanafans are NOT going to want to miss. It airs on HBO May 4th. I will be on the hotLine with the director on Thursday…..Pulse Of Radio reports Green Day played a surprise show last Thursday evening (April 16th) at the House of Blues in Cleveland, just prior to the band’s Saturday night (April 18th) induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. According to Consequence Of Sound, the punk trio’s first U.S. show in two years was a nearly three-hour blockbuster featuring a career-spanning 35 songs. The show opened with frontman Billie Joe Armstrong and bassist Mike Dirnt reuniting with original drummer John Kiffmeyer to perform,several rarities under their original band name, Sweet Children, including the song “Green Day.” The Green Day portion of the evening included a number of rarities as well, along with a guest appearance from Rancid‘s Tim Armstrong to cover Operation Ivy’s “Knowledge” and “Minority” as well as Rancid’s “Radio.” Missing from the set were more mainstream hits like “Welcome To Paradise” and “Good Riddance (Time Of Your Life).” Following Saturday night’s Hall of Fame festivities, Green Day is expected to release a new album and hit the road again later this year. Watch the band perform as Sweet Children doing the song “Green Day” and this is Green Day with Tim Armstrong playing “Knowledge” & “Radio”….And on Saturday, according to Consequence Of Sound, Foo Fighters played a nine-song set for a crowd of 150 fans inside the Record Connection, a tiny store in Niles, Ohio, to commemorate Record Store Day. Frontman Dave Grohl told the audience, “I know we’re in a strip mall, (but) let’s pretend this is a stadium!” The Foos also released an EP of rarities for Record Store Day, which was celebrated at independent record stores nationwide..Speaking of the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame, our Pulse Of Radio correspondent filed this report. (Since we can’t watch it on HBO til May 30th, and I wasn’t there, thought I’d share this with everyone!)
It was an emotional night at Cleveland’s Public Hall on Saturday night (April 18th) as the surviving Beatles reunited on stage for the culmination of the 2015 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony. In addition to Ringo Starr, who was inducted by Paul McCartney, this year’s inductees were Joan Jett & The Blackhearts — inducted by Miley Cyrus, Lou Reed — inducted by Patti Smith, Green Day — inducted by Fall Out Boy, Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble — inducted by John Mayer, Bill Withers — inducted by Stevie Wonder, the “5” Royales — inducted by Steve Cropper, and the Paul Butterfield Blues Band — inducted by Peter Wolf.
Ringo Starr and the “5” Royales were chosen by special committees with the former Beatle receiving the Award For Musical Excellence and the “5” Royales earning an Early Influence Award. HBO will broadcast an edited version of the event on May 30th at 8 p.m.
According to inside sources, despite the late hour, after the gala event wrapped, Joan Jett threw a private dinner in the House of Blues Foundations room, with such heavyweights as McCartney, Steven Van Zandt, Tommy James, Alice Cooper, Dave Grohl, and Miley Cyrus in attendance.
Highlights during the night included Tommy James joining Joan Jett & The Blackhearts — plus Miley Cyrus — for “Crimson And Clover”; Tom Morello, Jason Ricci, and Zac Brown tackling the Paul Butterfield Blues Band’s “Born In Chicago”; Jimmie Vaughan, John Mayer, Doyle Bramhall II, and Gary Clark, Jr. joining forces for a set with Double Trouble; Lou Reed’s “Satellite Of Love” performed by Beck, Nate Ruess, and Karen O; Stevie Wonder performing Bill Withers’ “Ain’t No Sunshine,” John Legend singing, “Use Me,” with Withers joining both musicians for “Lean On Me”; Ringo Starr and Green Day performing “Boys,” Joe Walsh joining Ringo for “It Don’t Come Easy,” McCartney hopping on stage for “With A Little Help From My Friends,” and the entire ensemble jamming on the early Beatles classic “I Wanna Be Your Man.”
- Miley Cyrus gave an impassioned, if slightly off color, speech focusing more on the power of Joan Jett’s “gender politics” — rather than any specific songs she ever wrote or albums she released over her 40-year career: “Joan has been an example of what you can achieve and the happiness, which is more important, that you can have. If instead of changing for other people — if you don’t like the way the world is; change it yourself. She made the world evolve. Her life and her success is proof that we can’t stop evolving. And I wanna thank you for fighting for our freedom, Joan, and I love you so much. And it really is my honor to be the one inducting you and the Blackhearts into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Get up here! Come on! (applause)”
- Ricky Byrd, the Blackhearts’ lead guitarist during its glory days 1980’s run spoke about the key influences that turned him into a musician: “In 1965, I watched two bands on The Ed Sullivan Show, that would forever change my life: the Beatles (applause) and the Rolling Stones (applause). Even at the tender age of nine-years-old, I absolutely got it. One — they looked like I felt; two — the girls were screaming; and three — and most importantly — Ed Sullivan looked completely confused and horrified (laughter). The next day I asked my mom for a guitar. About a week later, she brought me home my first acoustic — that guitar now resides in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (applause). So, I would like to thank my mom for bringing home that guitar and for all her support that continues to this day, but mostly, for never asking that dreaded question: ‘Hey kid — when y’gonna go out and find yourself a real job? (laughter)’”
- Joan Jett spoke frankly about the passion and promise of true rock n’ roll: “I come from a place where rock n’ roll means something. It means more than music, it means more than fashion, more than a good pose. It’s a language of a sub-culture that has made eternal teenagers of all who follow it. It’s a sub-culture of integrity, rebellion, frustration, alienation, and the glue that set several generations free of unnatural societal self-suppression. (Applause) Yeah! Rock n’ roll is political! It is a meaningful way to express dissent, upset the status quo, stir up revolution, and fight for human rights! (Applause) Do you think I’m making it sound more important and more serious than it is — it’s only rock n’ roll, right? Rock n’ roll is an idea and an ideal.”
- Joan Jett gave a shout out to Runaways co-founding drummer Sandy West and the band’s infamous Svengali producer/mentor Kim Fowley: “When I was 16, I met Kim Fowley and Sandy West. I took four busses to get to Sandy’s house so we could jam in her rec room. Then we called Kim on the phone and played him some songs and the Runaways were formed that day: August 5th, 1975 (applause). We lost Sandy a few years ago, and Kim a few months ago in January. And if Kim was still with us, he’d be here sitting at my table and probably taking bows on this occasion — rightfully so. Thank you, Kim.”
- Stevie Wonder spoke about the universality of Bill Withers’ most enduring songs: “I think what determines a great songwriter and a singer, who can do both, is when they’re able to let you feel every word that they sing and express, that you can relate to. You see, I’ve always felt that Bill Withers’ songs were songs that were for every single culture there is.”
- Bill Withers, who hasn’t been seen in public in decades, couldn’t resist having a little fun at what was undoubtedly a pretty important night for him: “It’s been a wonderful, odd odyssey, with ups, downs, and sometimes screw-me-arounds (laughter). Ha ha, we know about them (laughter). But I will always remember the good things. Bottom line is, check this out, Stevie Wonder knows my name and the brother just put me in the hall of fame (applause).”
- Just before the ceremony, we caught up with Lou Reed’s sister, Merrill Reed Weiner, and she told us what she thinks her brother would make of such a fuss being made over him and his work: “I think he would be sardonic and I think he would be secretly delighted. Really, really delighted. I think it meant the world to him, and I wish he was here to see it. It’s what I’m. . . I’m crying as I’m, walking around here, y’know, wishing he was here. But, it’s amazing, isn’t it; for him to be recognized in this way? It’s like, I can’t even conceive of it.”
- Patti Smith inducted Reed and spoke of the importance of his post Velvet Underground music: “He gave us, beyond the Velvet Underground, Transformer, ‘Walk On the Wild Side,’ Berlin, meditations in New York, homages to (Edgar Allan) Poe — and his great mentor Andy Warhol — and Magic And Loss. His consciousness infiltrated and illuminated our cultural voice. Lou was a poet able to fold his poetry within his music in the most poignant and plain spoken manner.”
- John Mayer saluted his hero Stevie Ray Vaughan, while perfectly summing up what set him apart from every guitarist that came before and after him: “There’s an intensity to Stevie’s guitar playing that only he could only achieve, still to this day. It’s a rage without the anger, it’s devotional. It’s religious. It was as other-worldly as (Jimi) Hendrix, but where Hendrix was coming down from outer space, Stevie came up from below the ground (applause). He played ‘Voodoo Child’ as if it were forged out of solid steel, instead of beamed like cosmic rays. He took the style of every blues guitar player that ever lived and put it into one perfect, modern day language. He seamlessly melded the supernatural vibe of Jimi Hendrix, the intensity of Albert King, the best of British, Texas, and Chicago blues and the class and the sharp-shooter precision of his older brother Jimmie.“
- Jimmie Vaughan, who accepted the honor for his late brother, explained that when you heard Stevie Ray play guitar, you got all of him: “He could play beautiful, mean, fun and it could be overwhelming and he would. . . he would drag you along when you started listening to him. Our dad used to say, ‘he’s a bad motor scooter’ (laughter) — and he is a bad motor scooter, I’m tellin’ you. But what you really hear when you hear Stevie was his enthusiasm for everything. That’s what he loved. He had enthusiasm. That’s why people love his music, because he loved it so much.”
- Elvin Bishop, who was inducted as a part of the Paul Butterfield Blues Band, spoke about how the group bridged an important gap during a turbulent time in America: “I was kinda on fire for blues, but I was real inexperienced and I got to play. . . I ended up in a band with Paul Butterfield, Michael Bloomfield — and it’s a damn shame that they can’t be here tonight! That was butt-kicking band and we helped blues cross over to the regular public (applause) and we kinda set an example, which was badly need in those days that people of different races can work together and do good (applause).”
- Green Day drummer Tre Cool saluted the band’s past while joking about the absurdity of now being a bona fide Hall of Famer: “We’re all in this room together to celebrate music, and it’s a beautiful thing. It’s overwhelming the amount of talent and love in the room. It’s overwhelming. And when we were on tour in our yellow Econoline, we were playing clubs, squats, backyard parties; we were screen-printing t-shirts on Billie Joe’s guitar case and hangin’ ’em in people’s backyards. Sleepin’ on floors, on couches, wherever we could. I didn’t think then that we’d be here now, in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (applause). I thought it would take at least another year or two (laughter).”
- Green Day bassist Mike Dirnt spoke about one of the most important links between bands and fans: “I’d like to thank radio. I’m a big fan of radio (applause), I like good radio shows (applause). I hate commercials, but I love good radio shows. So, y’know, there’s something about a radio show that when we’re listening to it, we’re all connected. And it’s the human connection I’ve really always resonated with.”
- Billie Joe Armstrong closed out his speech with an impassioned call to arms: “I love rock n’ roll music — I always have. ‘Soon as I opened my eyes and took my first breath. I am a fan. And that’s the one thing that I’m gonna close with, is that I love rock n’ roll (applause) and I love it for the rest of my life. Thank you! (applause)”
- Paul McCartney’s induction of Ringo Starr, touched upon the fact that when the Beatles first met him in 1960, he was far more mature than any of them could ever imagine: “I mean, Ringo was like a ‘professional’ musician — we were just like slamming around, just singing and doing stuff. But he had a beard (laughter). That’s professional. He had a suit (laughter) — very professional. And he would sit at the bar drinking bourbon and seven (laughter). We’d never seen anyone like this (laughter). This was like a grown-up musician (laughter).”
- McCartney recalled the “eureka” moment when all the pieces fit and the Beatles found the missing like that made them the “Fab Four”: “One night, our drummer then, Pete Best, uh, wasn’t available (applause) and, um, so Ringo sat in. And I remember the moment. I mean, Pete was great and we, we had a great time with him, but, me John (Lennon), and George (Harrison), God bless ’em (applause). . . Yeah! Me, John, and George were on the frontline, singing, as we usually were, and now behind us we had this guy that we’d never played with before. And I remember the moment when he started playing and I think it was Ray Charles’ ‘What’d I Say.’ And most of the drummers couldn’t nail the drum part — it was a little difficult to do — but Ringo nailed it. So. . . . (applause) Yeah! (Laughs) Ringo nailed it!!! (Applause) Woo! And I remember the moment just standing there and looking at John and then looking at George, and that was ‘the moment.’ Y’know, that was the beginning, really, of the Beatles. Anyway (applause).“
- Ringo brought the crowd back to the late-’50s when rock was in its most primitive stages: “Ya know, we started off with a radio, it was the first amp we had. Anyway, things got going a lot better an we ended up playing a lot in Liverpool and a lot around Liverpool. We never really made it anywhere else. But while that was going on, I was working in a factory (laughter). Ay, yeah. Yeah, yeah. After the things I’ve sat through tonight!!! (Laughter) Blah, blah, blah!!! I’ve got some stories. Anyway. . . (applause).”
- Ringo spoke about the closeness the four Beatles shared throughout their time on the road: “It’s been an incredible journey for me with these three guys, who, ya know, wrote these songs. We were taking just the other night. Paul would come in and strum some song to us, and that’s the first we’d heard of it and we’d play it and we’d get it done in a really good shape in and hour-and-a-half, it’d be the record. Ya know, we didn’t spend a lot of time. And there was a lot of joy. And he’s talking about, we. . . The Beatles, ya know, they were so big and so famous that shared rooms, ya know? Every hotel — when we got in hotels — when we got to hotels, we always got two rooms. And it didn’t matter who was with who, we were pals, and we hung out. And I’m telling any band in the room, you really get to know your other players. And the other tip I’ve got for all bands who are starting out; if you’re in the van and you fart — own up (laughter), because it’ll cause hell!!! ‘Cause if you don’t own up, everyone’s blamin’ everyone else. So, ya know, we made a pact, in the van: ‘Okay, if we fart, we’ll say it was me.’ (laughter). And that’s what we did and that’s how we get on so well.”
SATURDAY’S SETLIST AT THE ROCK HALL INDUCTION CEREMONY
“Bad Reputation” – Joan Jett & the Blackhearts
“Cherry Bomb” – Joan Jett & the Blackhearts with Dave Grohl – and original Blackhearts drummer Gary Ryan
“Crimson And Clover” – Joan Jett & the Blackhearts, Tommy James, Dave Grohl, and Miley Cyrus
“Born In Chicago” – Tom Morello, Jason Ricci, and Zac Brown
“Pride & Joy” – Doyle Bramhall II, Gary Clark, Jr., Jimmy Vaughan, John Mayer, and Double Trouble
“Texas Flood” – Doyle Bramhall II, Gary Clark, Jr., Jimmy Vaughan, John Mayer, and Double Trouble
“Six Strings Down” – Doyle Bramhall II, Gary Clark, Jr., Jimmy Vaughan, John Mayer, and Double Trouble
“American Idiot” – Green Day
“When I Come Around” – Green Day
“Basket Case” – Green Day
“Dedicated To The One I Love” – Leon Bridges
“When A Man Loves A Woman” – Leon Bridges — in tribute to the recently deceased Hall of Famer Percy Sledge and the others who died this past year
“Vicious” – Karen O and Nick Zinner
“Satellite Of Love” – Beck, Nate Ruess, and Karen O
“Ain’t No Sunshine” – Stevie Wonder
“Use Me” – John Legend
“Lean On Me” – Bill Withers, Stevie Wonder, and John Legend
“Boys” – Ringo Starr and Green Day
“It Don’t Come Easy” – Ringo Starr and Joe Walsh
“With A Little Help From My Friends” – Ringo Starr, Paul McCartney, Joe Walsh, Green Day, Joan Jett, Ricky Byrd, Miley Cyrus, and more
“I Wanna Be Your Man” – Ringo Starr, Paul McCartney, Joe Walsh, Green Day, Joan Jett, Ricky Byrd, Miley Cyrus, John Legend, Stevie Wonder, Beck, and full cast
Nice!….Meanwhile, Metallica’s Kirk Hammett lost his cellphone (or misplaced it for the time being.) Ok, so what? So what?! It had over 250 guitar riffs he planned to use for the new Metallica album! We hope for Kirk’s sake, he can find it like in between the seats of his car or stuck into his favorite chair! I can totally relate!…..Pulse Of Radio also says Godsmack has released a music video for the song “Something Different,” the latest single off the band’s current album, 1000 Horsepower. Singer Sully Erna told us the song’s lyrics were inspired by his thoughts on relationships: “You know, most people in relationships don’t feel heard, you know, they don’t feel understood, and I think that song just reflects on everyday people that are in that relationship that, you know, was once great and now that like, “I see black, you see white — why do we keep missing each other here?’ So it’s just a very generalized kind of statement about being unseen and unheard in a relationship that was once probably really respected and honored.” Erna told a Boston radio station last year “Something Different” was a “really special song, it’s really unique, definitely branching out from what we usually do.” 1000 Horsepower is Godsmack’s sixth album and was released last August, debuting at Number Three on the Billboard album chart. Godsmack kicked off a new round of tour dates this past weekend that includes stops at events like Welcome To Rockville and Rock On The Range as well as solo headlining shows. The band next plays in Fort Myers, Texas this Saturday (April 25th) at the Fort Rock festival. (Wish I was gonna be there! It’s one of the reasons I plan to retire down there. So I can still be able to see all my ole friends at a big rock show! Seriously!)….And this band will also be a Fort Rock on Saturday. Blabbermouth reports Slipknot is working with Zippo to design a collection of exclusive Zippo lighters that will be made available to fans during the band’s upcoming “Summer’s Last Stand” U.S. tour. Frontman Corey Taylor said, “I think Slipknot fans will be into this, as far as us working with Zippo, because they know that when we put our name behind something that it’s gonna mean quality and it’s gonna mean something very cool for them.” The “Summer’s Last Stand” tour kicks off on July 24th in West Palm Beach, Florida, wrapping up on September 5th in Dallas. The lineup also features Lamb Of God, Bullet For My Valentine and Motionless In White…. Have a great day!