A Conversation With Neal “Vortex” Schon

303Neal Schon is my favorite guitarist and, in my opinion, the greatest melodic rock guitarist of all time. He’s written classic songs, played legendary riffs and had a prolific solo career that is unparalleled in the music industry.

On the heels of the release of his latest solo album, Vortex, which is terrific, Neal took the time to grant me an interview. Speaking with him was an absolute honor, and we covered a lot of ground in our discussion. We spoke about everything, including his thoughts on working with Steve Perry, John Waite and Deen Castronovo, as well as how his latest masterpiece, Vortex, came to fruition.

I hope you enjoy the interview. And don’t forget to pick up a copy of Vortex. If you’re a classic rock fan, or just someone who appreciates inspired instrumental music, you’ll love it.

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The Babys Go Head First In PA

036Last 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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What I’m Listening To: Revolution Saints

Revolution Saints’ eponymous debut album is the greatest melodic rock record I’ve heard in nearly 15 years. Not since Journey’s Arrival in 2001 have I heard such an infectious, inspired and memorable collection of rock music. It’s an all-killer-no-filler record that grabs the listener by the collar and doesn’t let go until the vestiges of the final chords dissipate.

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A Conversation With Deen Castronovo

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

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: Only to Rise by Sweet & Lynch

Sweet & LynchThis year I enjoyed some amazing new music from artists including Barry Manilow, Billy Idol, Neil Diamond, and Dionne Warwick, among others. But 2015 is shaping up to be even better based on what I’m listening to right now, which is Only to Rise by Sweet & Lynch.

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A Conversation With The Babys’ John Bisaha

img_0931One 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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A Journey Like No Other

303Last Friday I attended my fourth Journey concert. This time I saw them in Atlantic City, New Jersey – and as always, they put on a phenomenal show. The set list was comprised of many of the band’s greatest hits, as well as some newer cuts, including “Faith In The Heartland” from Revelation and “Ritual” from Eclipse.

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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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A Conversation With Jonathan Cain – Part 1

Journey - Jon Cain

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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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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