KISS: The Best Show On Earth

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On Sunday I had my best concert experience ever when I attended KISS’ 40th Anniversary Tour performance in Camden, NJ. Not only was I front row for this concert, I attended a backstage meet and greet with the band, including an unmasked acoustic set and autograph session. I also did a separate guitar meet and greet with my favorite member of KISS – Paul Stanley – where I had the opportunity to interview him and leave with an autographed guitar that he’s never given away before. And lastly, I got to see Def Leppard perform too. It was an amazing night of epic proportions that may never be topped. Below is a run-through of all the night’s festivities that I took part in.

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John Waite Brings The Best Of What He’s Got To PA

038This past Friday night, John Waite, an iconic rocker known for his work with The Babys, Bad English and as a solo artist, brought 40 years worth of brilliant music to Wilkes-Barre, PA. From start to finish, he had the crowd in the palm of his hand with charismatic stage presence and jaw-dropping vocals. But what he did onstage was made more meaningful by what he did backstage before the show.

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Review: Ace Frehley Returns With Space Invader

Space InvaderFive years after his last album, Anomaly, Ace Frehley, the former lead guitarist of KISS, is back with a brand-new solo record: Space Invader. And I’m happy to report that Ace’s new album should please most fans of the legendary guitarist. What you’ll find here is meat-and-potatoes rock and roll. While it isn’t without its faults, I find this album to be superior to Anomaly and reminiscent of his 1989 album, Trouble Walkin’. With Space Invader, Ace didn’t try to pander to the critics or be something he isn’t. He’s simply set out to create a kick-ass rock and roll record: Mission accomplished.

Space Invader will be released on August 19. Until then, check out my track-by-track review of the album below:

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A Conversation With Paul Stanley

Paul Stanley

I recently took part in an interview with Paul Stanley, the lead singer of KISS. Below are his thoughts on a variety of topics that were covered during the interview.

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Foreigner, Styx & Don Felder Bring The Soundtrack of Summer to NJ

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Meeting Foreigner backstage before their concert.

Foreigner, Styx and Don Felder have been traveling across the country on the Soundtrack of Summer tour and I was in attendance for their July 3rd concert in Camden, NJ. The evening consisted of four hours of 31 classic songs, and the crowd loved every minute of it. People were swaying, singing and dancing in the aisles. It was a fitting way to kick off the celebratory July 4th weekend.

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A Conversation With Jonathan Cain – Part 2

Journey 3I had the distinct pleasure of speaking with one of the greatest singer-songwriters of all time: Jonathan Cain. In addition to having written or co-written more than 100 songs for Journey,  he has penned numerous hits for The Babys and Bad English, while also maintaining a prolific career as a solo artist. In other words, the quantity, and most importantly, the quality of Jonathan Cain’s musical output is astounding.

This summer Journey is on the road with the Steve Miller Band and the Tower of Power, performing for sold-out crowds across North America. I saw them live in Holmdel, NJ and I plan on seeing them again this year. Check out the tour dates on the band’s official website to see when they’re in your area. The current lineup puts on a phenomenal show that shouldn’t be missed.

Below is part two of my interview with Jonathan Cain. Part one can be read here.

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Night Ranger’s Still Rockin’ America

Michael Cavacini and Jack BladesOn Wednesday night I went up to New York City to catch Night Ranger’s concert at B.B. King’s. I was fortunate enough to meet the band backstage, as you can see from the photo above with me and Jack Blades…and Kelly Keagy peering over our shoulders.

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A Conversation With Ricky Phillips

Styx Photo shoot with Ash NewellI recently interviewed Styx’s bassist and former member of The Babys and Bad English, the incredibly talented Ricky Phillips. Styx is currently on the road with Don Felder and Foreigner on the The Soundtrack of Summer Tour and they released a companion album, The Soundtrack of Summer: The Very Best of Foreigner & Styx, featuring a new version of “Hotel California” that’s performed by Felder, Styx and Foreigner. Enjoy the interview and make sure to catch the guys when they come to your area this summer.

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Journey Rocks New Jersey

Arnel Pineda

This past Wednesday, June 11, my cousin and I went to go see one of our favorite bands: Journey. The concert took place at the PNC Bank Arts Center in Holmdel, NJ, and the jam-packed crowd loved every minute of it. After the Tower of Power and the Steve Miller Band warmed up the audience, Journey stormed the stage and kicked off its 16-song set with “Be Good To Yourself,” a fun, upbeat song from their 1986 album Raised on Radio.

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A Conversation With Don Felder – Part 2

Don Felder

I recently had the honor of interviewing one of the greatest guitarists in the history of rock, Don Felder. For 27 years he was a member of one of the most influential and popular rock groups of all time, the Eagles. During his tenure with the band, Felder wrote the music for “Hotel California” and applied his signature sound to countless hits, including “Victim of Love,” “One of These Nights” and “New Kid in Town.”

Felder was inducted with the Eagles into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1998. After parting ways with the band, he went on to become a New York Times best-selling author with his autobiography, Heaven and Hell: My Life in The Eagles, and in 2013 released Road to Forever – Extended Edition.

He is currently touring with Foreigner and Styx on the The Soundtrack of Summer Tourand they released a companion album, The Soundtrack of Summer: The Very Best of Foreigner & Styx, featuring a new version of “Hotel California” that’s performed by Felder, Styx and Foreigner.

Below is part two of my two-part interview with this legendary artist. You can read part one here.

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