New Music: Neal Schon, Rod Stewart and John Waite

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303If you’re a classic rock fan there’s a lot of good music that was recently released or is going to be released soon. Three of my favorites include a double-album by Journey guitarist Neal Schon, an album of all-new material by Rod Stewart and a remastered deluxe edition of a live album by John Waite.

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The Babys Go Head First In PA

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Last weekend I had the pleasure of seeing one of my favorite classic rock bands perform live: The Babys. No, this lineup doesn’t include John Waite, Jonathan Cain or Ricky Phillips, but that’s OK. All of these former members of The Babys are flourishing in their musical journeys and the current lineup of The Babys is doing the same. With Tony Brock on the drums, Wally Stocker and Joey Sykes on guitar and John Bisaha on lead vocals and bass, The Babys’ know how to bring it live.

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A Conversation With Harlan Coben

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I’ve interviewed many authors over the past few years, but it wasn’t until recently that I got to interview my all-time favorite: Harlan Coben. With over 60 million books in print and his last seven consecutive novels debuting at #1 on The New York Times bestseller list, you could say Harlan is a favorite among many readers, and with good reason. His thrillers are unpredictable and compelling, and they feature fully-realized characters that stay with you after the final page has been turned.

Harlan’s newest novel, The Stranger, is being released in the U.S. on March 24. Stay tuned for my review of the book, which I’m sure is fantastic. Until then, check out my interview with Harlan below, where we discuss everything from Governor Chris Christie to driving in the fog with your headlights on. Enjoy!

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A Conversation With Deen Castronovo

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Revolution Saints: Doug Aldrich (left), Deen Castronovo (center) and Jack Blades (right).

Today, I interviewed one of my all-time favorite drummers, Deen Castronovo of Revolution Saints, Journey and formerly Bad English. Deen was a pleasure to speak with and we covered a lot of ground, everything from his drumming as a child to his current project with Revolution Saints. Speaking of which, make sure you pick up a copy of their debut album when it’s released on February 24. It’s the greatest melodic rock album I’ve heard in years – stay tuned for my review of it. Until then, enjoy my interview with Deen.

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What I’m Listening To: Wooden Heart by John Waite

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During my interview with John Waite last year he mentioned wanting his next album to be an acoustic one. And less than a year later it’s here: Wooden Heart: Acoustic Volume 1. While it’s not a full-length album, the four songs on this EP, two of which were penned by Richard Thompson, are excellent. What makes these songs so enjoyable is the stripped-down arrangement, brilliant lyrics and heartfelt vocals. If I had to pick a favorite track, it would be “The One Who Got Away,” a Waite original that sounds both classic and modern. Autographed copies of this new release are available on John’s site and digital copies can be found on iTunes. If you love music as much as I do, make sure to pick up a copy of this brilliant EP.

A Conversation With The Babys’ John Bisaha

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One of my all-time favorite classic rock bands is The Babys. Well, I’ve got good news! The Babys are back with a new lineup and a new album – I’ll Have Some Of That! – which features some killer material that all classic rock fans must check out.

The lead singer of The Babys, John Bisaha, was kind enough to speak with me about his interesting musical journey, including his influences, what it was like auditioning to be The Babys’ new lead vocalist and how he used to hang out with Karen Carpenter as a kid. It’s a great interview and I think you’re going to really enjoy it.

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

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This 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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A Conversation With Jonathan Cain – Part 1

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I 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 one of my interview with Jonathan Cain. Part two can be read here.

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A Conversation With Ricky Phillips

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I 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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The Babys Are Back with I’ll Have Some of That!

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The Babys – the popular ’70s and ’80s rock band that topped the charts with hits like “Every Time I Think of You,” “Back On My Feet Again” and “Isn’t It Time” – are back. The band is releasing its first studio album since 1980’s On The Edge. However, there’s been a change in personnel since the last time we heard from this iconic band. John Waite, Jonathan Cain and Ricky Phillips are not part of the current lineup, and neither is founding member Michael Corby. Waite is enjoying his solo career, Cain is selling out arenas with Journey, Ricky Phillips is rocking out as the bass player for Styx, and Michael Corby hasn’t done anything of note since being fired from the band in 1978.

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