The documentary John Waite: The Hard Way came out today, and it takes an intimate and nuanced look at the career of John Waite, the man behind the microphone, and the passion that drives him forward. Read on for my review of this documentary.
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Photo: Song Seven Photography
Rod Stewart is the first concert I ever attended and I’m a big fan of The Babys, so it was a pleasure to speak with Tony Brock. He is a founding member of The Babys and the band’s drummer, and he spent 12 years drumming for Rod Stewart, starting with the 1981 album Tonight I’m Yours.
The Babys have a new album coming out, Timeless: Anthology II, and you can be a part of it. Check out the band’s Pledge campaign for all of the great reward and benefits you can get by support this effort. It’s going to be a fantastic record, and I highly recommend that all music fans check it out.
This past Tuesday night John Waite kicked off his acoustic “Wooden Heart” tour in New Hope, PA and I was fortunate enough to be front row for the show. As with the three previous times I saw John live, this concert was excellent. However, it being an acoustic performance made for a much different atmosphere. This time around the performance was more intimate and the softer guitars placed John’s voice front and center, which is a good thing because the first time he sang a note it blew my mind how good he still sounds. The man is 63, yet his voice barely sounds any different than it did back in the 1980s. His tone is perfect and he emotes in a way few of his peers can. It’s really something to marvel. But I’m getting ahead of myself. Let’s start at the beginning.
Joey Sykes, guitarist for The Babys, has released his new solo album, Classic New Rock, and it’s a killer collection of music that fans of old-school rock and roll will immediately enjoy.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.