7/24: TED NUGENT, QUEEN, NIGHT RANGER PODCAST, SACRAMENTO THIS WEEKEND, MORE
Getting ready to fly to Sacramento for the first time ever in a few hours with Don & Jim. Thunder Valley Casino is putting on a concert tomorrow night we are hosting with Anthrax, Living Colour, Corey Taylor and Burn Halo. I’ll also be selling and signing both books on site and will have merch available at the band merch booths. We will also be there hanging Saturday. If you are in the area and coming out or would like to meet and grab a book just follow on Twitter and I’ll post specific places and times I’ll be available. I would assume during most of the concert there may be time as well while the bands are playing. Should be a fun weekend.
Saw Ted Nugent in NJ on Tuesday night. I realize Ted is a polarizing figure to many. When we had him on TMS had a massive amount of equal love and hate for him being on. My position on Ted is that I love his music and his guitar playing. That’s all it’s about for me. On some of his other stuff I have mixed feelings, but the guy is still a machine on stage and his band kicked ass. Derek St Holmes still sings amazing and Mick Brown and Greg Smith were locked in strong. Really fun show. I appreciate Ted’s very vocal support of TMS as well which he expressed from the stage. That support from the fans and the artists is so cool and important to what we do. Me, Don & Jim hung with him some pre show (pics on my Twitter and Instagram) and he was as entertaining as always. There were a few protesters in front of the gig. One interviewed Don. He told them he was also protesting….that Rob Grange wasn’t in the band. Seeing this guy try to figure out what Don was talking about was hysterical. Like I said, for us it’s about MUSIC above all and Ted rocked!
Caught Queen with Adam Lambert last night in NJ. Pretty remarkable that for the most part Queen are filling arenas (sold out MSG and The Forum in LA) with no opening act against all the competition out there this Summer. Speaks to the power and timelessness of their music. I have seen the band with Freddie, Paul Rodgers and now Adam Lambert. Stating the obvious, nobody is Freddie. But I liked Paul very much in the gig and Lambert was totally different, but also very strong. Lambert is way more flamboyant and really gets into the Freddie pageantry of the frontman role. His voice is pretty remarkable and he was clearly moved to be able to sing Freddie’s songs (as he stated) and play in a band that was important to him and so many around the globe. Queen are MASSIVE outside of the US. Here they are an arena act, everywhere else stadiums. As a matter of fact they recently did a gig in front of 500,000! Queen in 2014 is more a celebration of the music and a tribute to Freddie. Lambert is very much his own guy in the role, careful not to impersonate (no half mic stand or similar clothes, etc), but also very much about doing the material as close to Mercury as possible. Different from Rodgers who put more of a bluesy spin on it. I interviewed Brian May before the show and he told me they wanted to get back to being a little heavier and more classic Queen. The show had a little bit of a too long middle of ballads and solos, but with the two key guys being in their mid 60’s, and playing over two hours, it gave others a break. Highlights for me were “Now I’m Here”, “Stone Cold Crazy”, “Fat Bottom Girls”, and many others. Just amazing songs! Brian is one of a kind in his playing and sound and Roger sings and plays very well, especially for his age. He had an assist from his son at a few points in the show as well. Brian told me he is unsure how long he and Roger can keep doing it and where it goes from here, but loves Adam and said he thinks Freddie would have also. The demand is there for more shows and maybe even an album but seems nothing is set yet. Had a great hang after with Roger and Brian and they are just class gentlemen as well as rock icons. You will hear the complete Brian May interview in my podcast very soon as well as clips of it in both radio shows. In the short time I had with him we got into some great stuff.
Speaking of my podcast episode 3 is up now on Itunes and at www.podcastone.com with Brad, Kelly and Jack from Night Ranger. This is all new and has not aired elsewhere. We discuss lots of stuff including Brad’s time in Ozzy. It is free worldwide so download it now and be sure to subscribe to hear it each week. Thanks.
Eddie, your review of Queen here on the Trunk Report is great. Have fun in Sac. If you’re staying at Thunder Valley in Lincoln take a short hop over to Roseville and go to Johnny Garlic’s (Guy Fieri’s place) for some good food and drink.
While it’s true, no one is Freddy… I’m a much bigger Paul Rodgers fan. It was an interesting experiment that many Queen fans hated, but it took a lot of guts for the guys to try.
Lambert is the real deal. No doubt he fits in Queen better than Rodgers for pure Queen. Personally, I’d rather listen to the “Voice” (the man not the show) anytime. Rock on #TMS
Great update Eddie. Will you hook up with anyone from Tesla while in Sacramento?
They are away when I’m there. But I packed a Tesla T shirt haha
Hi Eddie, I can’t believe it took me this long to find out about Airbourne! I usually ignore newer bands because IMO most suck, but thanks to Dana, I decided to check them out, and I’m so F’N glad I did! Airbourne gets it, and gives it, just straight-up in your face ass-kicking Rock ‘N’ Roll! Their all about partying, drinking, and having a good time, no wonder why I like these guys so much! Songs like “Back In The Game”, and “Live It Up”, which I think should be played on radio everyday! I just can’t believe they haven’t exploded over here in the states. If they got a chance to open for JP or AC/DC, someday, I think they might be as big as them. I know it might sound unreal, but I haven’t heard a newer band that sounded this F’N awesome in a LONG time! AC/DC must be so proud, and with good reason. I’m on a mission, an AIRBOURNE crusade! Come on Eddie, we got to get these guys over here! Yes, they sound like AC/DC, but that’s a good thing, who better to sound like? Airbourne keeps the Rock ‘N’ Roll party rolling! The sound remains the same, after all, Rock ‘N’ Roll is the name of the game!
Doug, I have played the band several times on my radio shows. Dana who does news on the site is a big fan FYI.
Yes, and I can hear why, I myself am a big fan now as well. I just can’t believe a band this good has never played here in the states, I wonder why? I know they got some dates coming up in Canada, but nothing here, that sucks! Airbourne fans, let’s get these guys over here, OR let’s all take a road trip to Canada! 🙂
You’re right Doug,
Airbourne needs to play here too. Darn it 😉
D 🙂
My opinion: the Runnin’ Wild album is a classic album that just hasn’t been acknowledged as a classic, not yet. All great songs on that album, like Cheap Wine & Cheaper Women, Diamond In The Rough, the title track…that album hooked me from the beginning. Great bar room, drinking music.
Agreed James. I also love the fact that they have no ballads. Runnin’ Wild is amazing album. Fat City is a good one 😉
D 🙂
Thank you so much for Queen + Adam mention. .they are phenomenal. Audiences love them, they just announced New Zealand shows recently, tickets went on sale & was sold out in minutes like every other shows did..yes demand is very high. They are perfection together.