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Boomerocity.com

 

Watch current interviews with music and entertainment icons and influencers of the baby boomer generation as well as rising stars in music.

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  • Home
  • Interviews
  • BUZZ!
  • News
  • New Releases
  • Concert Reviews
  • Contributors
    • Bob Gruen's Studio
    • Bob Heimall - Cover Stories
    • Jim Kroemer - Album Art
  • About
  • Contact Us
  • 2022.01 Boomerocity Buzz

     

    WKRP in Cincinnati”s ‘Dr. Johnny Fever’ Howard Hesseman Dead

    HowardHessman 31Jan2022

     

    SLASH To Perform On 'Jimmy Kimmel Live!' This Wednesday (February 2nd)

    slashconspiratorsjuly2021 638

     

    Neil Young Couldn’t Remove His Music From Spotify On His Own. Here’s Why.

    Spotify CCO

     

    Steve Vai Postponed Tour Due to ‘Stupid’ Pizza-Making Injury

    attachment Steve Vai

     

    JIMI HENDRIX IN MAUI GETS GLOBAL THEATRICAL RELEASE IN FEBRUARY FROM ABRAMORAMA

    Hendrix Maui

     

    America’s Gerry Beckley recalls band’s “rocket ship” ride that began with debut album’s release 50 years ago

    M AmericaAmerica630 012622

     

    Flashback: Dan Peek’s Last Interview Exclusively On Boomerocity (Two Parts) Here and Here

     

    ‘IRL’ Concert Platform Fever Raises $227 Million in Goldman-Led Round, Touts Demand For ‘Thrilling and Well-Curated’ Events
    Fever, an eight-year-old “global live-entertainment discovery platform,” has officially raised $227 million in a funding round led by Goldman Sachs.

     

    Peter Robbins, Original Charlie Brown Voice Actor, Dead at 65

    charlie brown

     

    Van Morrison Postpones Florida Concerts From February To April Because of COVID Surge

    Van Morrison 26Jan2022

     

    Elvis Costello Inks ‘Exclusive’ Administration Deal With BMG as Catalog Sales Rush Continues

    binary comment

     

    What Happened To The Actors From “Dukes Of Hazzard?”

    dukes 735x413

     

    Flashbock 1: The 1st Boomerocity Interview With John Scheider

     

    Flashbock 2: The 2nd Boomerocity Interview With John Scheider

     

    World Premiere: Hear Bryan Adams’ Punchy New Song ‘Never Gonna Rain’

     

    Randy Travis “More Life” Documentary Sets Premier

     

    Following UMPG Publishing Deal, Bob Dylan Sells Recorded Catalog to Sony Music

     

    2022 State of Music: Is TikTok the New SoundCloud?

     

    VENTURES GUITARIST DON WILSON DEAD AT 88

    attachment wilson

     

    Daryl Hall Announces Spring 2022 U.S. Tour With Todd Rundgren

    attachment daryl hall todd rundgren

     

    Clapton Speaks: The Real Music Observer

     

    KISS’ PAUL STANLEY REFLECTS ON TURNING 70

    attachment paul stanley in front of kiss sign pointing at the camera

     

    A New ‘Guitar Hero’ Video Game Could Be Coming

    attachment guitar hero controller

     

    TikTok Testing Support for Paid Subscriptions to Creators

     

    Queen’s Brian May to Make His Acting Debut on British Children’s Show

    brian may queen 2019

     

    GRETA VAN FLEET's JAKE KISZKA Celebrates 61st Anniversary Of GIBSON's Iconic SG Guitar

    jakekiszkagibson2022 638

     

    World Premiere: Listen to Joe Satriani’s Groovy New Single ‘Sahara’

     

    Garth Brooks Reschedules Gillette Stadium Concert

    GarthBrooks 20Jan2022

     

    The Enduring Mystery of “Magic Alex”

    Magic Alex lennon mccartney alamy

     

    Chris Daughtry Confirms Stepdaughter’s Cause of Death

    Chris Daughtry2jpg

     

    Kenny Chesney sells music catalog to Hipgnosis Song Management

    Chesney 20Jan2022

     

    Sound Credit Unleashes Version 4 — A Quantum Leap for Eliminating $1.4 Billion In Annual Missing Royalties

     

    Marty Roberts of Iconic Los Angeles Lounge Act “Marty & Elayne” at The Dresden Dies at the Age of 89

    marty and elayne the dresden loz feliz marty roberts

     

    DAVID ELLEFSON And JEFF SCOTT SOTO Have 'Something Brewing'

    jeffscottsotodavidellefsonjan2022 638

     

    Who Are the Richest Musicians? Here’s a 2021 Year-End Ranking

    who are the richest musicians in 2021 article

     

    TwinsTheNewTrend Discover Michael Jackson’s Off The Wall ( Acapella with Backing Vocals Complete )

     

    John Mellencamp Likes the Effect Smoking Has Had on His Voice

    attachment mellencamp 18Jan2022

     

    Black Sabbath’s Tony Iommi Mourns the Death of His Longtime Manager Ernest Chapman

    Iommi 18Jan2022

     

    Country Legend Dallas Frazier Dead, Writer of Oak Ridge Boys Hit ‘Elvira’ Was 82

    frazier

     

    World Premiere: “Big Dreams and Faded Jeans” - Now Streaming - Listen to the first track off the companion album to Dolly’s
    upcoming novel co-authored with James Patterson

     

    Boomerocity Coulda Told You This: What Year is It? Nearly a Third of the iTunes Top 100 Taken By Oldies, New Releases Not Catching On

    Creedence Clearwater Revival

     

    55 Years Ago: Hippies ‘Turn on, Tune in, Drop out’ at Human Be-In

    HumanBeIn

     

    World Premiere: New Alex Lifeson Project “Envy Of None” Releases First Single

     

    ROGER TAYLOR DEFENDS ‘BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY’ TIMELINE CHANGE

    attachment taylor

     

    A 1964 Porsche 904 GTS Once Owned by Robert Redford Could Fetch $1.7 Million at Auction
    The gorgeous racer is one of the just 100 road-legal examples ever made

    redford904gts

     

    PIMCO, ONE OF THE WORLD’S BIGGEST INVESTMENT FIRMS, TURNS ITS ATTENTION TO MUSIC RIGHTS

     

    Primary Wave Acquires Stake in America’s (the group) Catalog, ‘Certain Name and Likeness Rights’

    America Main

     

    50 ALBUMS TURNING 50 IN 2022

    attachment 1972 collage

     

    World Premiere: JETHRO TULL Releases Video For Title Track Of First Album In Over 18 Years, 'The Zealot Gene'

     

    Elvis Costello Says He Won’t Perform “Oliver’s Army” Anymore, Tells Radio Stations Not to Play It
    The song contains the line "One more widow, one less white n*****"

    elvis costello wont play olivers army

     

    Releasing Music Is Easy, Marketing Music Is Hard. Here’s How Chartmetric Is Leveraging Data to Make Marketing a Lot Easier

     

    Bob Dylan Fires Back Against Sexual Assault Allegations: ‘A Brazen Shakedown Masquerading As a Lawsuit’

     

    Nita Strauss Makes History as First Active Rock Solo Female Chart-Topper

    attachment attachment nita strauss 2021 1

     

    Calvin Simon, Former Singer for Parliament-Funkadelic, Dead at 79

    calvinsimon

     

    World Premiere: See Previously Unreleased Footage of Rolling Stones at Altamont

    attachment Stones Altamont

     

    Sidney Poitier, Beloved Legend And First Black Best Actor Oscar Winner, Dead At 94

    sidney 4

     

    Catalog Releases Now Account for 75% of U.S. Music Consumption — With 89% of Baby Boomers Streaming Songs

    2021 Report Main

     

    Bon Jovi Announce Spring 2022 North American Tour

    Jon Bon Jovi1

     

    World Premiere: Hear Edgar Winter Cover ‘Johnny B. Goode’ Featuring Joe Walsh

     

    Watch The Beatles’ Rooftop Gig in IMAX Theaters on 1/30 as a Special One-Night-Only Engagement

    the beatles get back imax

     

    Fender CEO Andy Mooney “Not Optimistic” That Guitar And Amp Supply Chain Struggles Will Improve Any Time Soon

    fender supply chain

     

    British Recorded Music Industry Eeks a Modest 2021 Gain as 1,918 Artists Surpass 10 Million Domestic Streams

     

    With Get Back, Paul McCartney Became the Most Interesting TV Character of 2021

    Ringo Starr, Paul McCartney, John Lennon, and George Harrison in THE BEATLES: GET BACK. Photo courtesy of Apple Corps Ltd.

     

    World Premiere: Chuck Berry Live from Blueberry Hill

     

    Cruise Control? The Iconic Porsche 928 From ‘Risky Business’ Can Now Be Yours
    Cruise like Cruise himself in this legendary vehicle-- which was also the star of its own documentary

    Porsche Risky Business4

     

    Spotify CEO Daniel Ek Officially Responds to Neil Young’s Pullout — Here’s His Complete Statement

    Daniel Ek750400

     

    Joni Mitchell Wants Songs Off Spotify In Covid Row

    Joni Mitchell 31Jan2022

     

    Keith Moon Biopic to Start Shooting in Summer

    KeithMoon 31Jan2022

     

    Wayne's World AMC Pacer 'Mirthmobile' Auctioned for Record Amount

    amcpacer

     

    THE BEATLES AND INDIA - DOCUMENTARY TO STREAM EXCLUSIVELY ON BRITBOX IN NORTH AMERICA STARTING FEBRUARY 15, 2022 ~ SILVA SCREEN RECORDS RELEASES COMPANION ALBUM THE BEATLES AND INDIA: SONGS INSPIRED BY THE FILM

    BeatlesandIndia

     

    Young Slash Wouldn’t Have Believed Guns N’ Roses’ Pandemic Tour

    Slash 27Jan2022

     

    The Zombies add North American summer leg to Life Is a Merry-Go-Round Tour

    the zombies 2022 tour

     

    Home of the Week: Inside the Spectacular $85 Million Beverly Hills Mansion That ‘Full House’ Built

    Cielo2

     

    Julian Lennon Is Selling The Beatles Memorabilia As NFTs

    john lennon 01

     

    Brian May Helps Reunite 8-Year-Old Boy With Lost Guitar

    Brian May 25Jan2022

     

    Elton John Postpones Dallas Shows Of Restarted Tour After Testing Positive For Covid

    elton john dallas 25Jan2022

     

    Neil Young Demands Spotify Remove His Music Over ‘False Information About Vaccines’
    “They can have [Joe] Rogan or Young,” Neil Young wrote in a letter to his manager and label. “Not both”

    neil young pulls music from spotify

     

    Is Old Music Killing New Music?
    Old songs now represent 70 percent of the U.S. music market. Even worse: The new-music market is actually shrinking

     

    Find Your Lane as a Musician. Ignore Everything Else.

     

    Meat Loaf’s Daughter Pens Touching Tributes To Late Singer

    meatloaf daughter 02

     

    Adele Cancels Entire Las Vegas Residency Due to COVID

    adele cancels las vegas residency article

     

    Graham Nash Condemns Anti-Vaxxer For Co-opting His Song ‘Chicago’

    attachment nash

     

    Ozzy Osbourne’s CryptoBatz Project Shares Scam Link — Thousands Stolen From Unsuspecting Fans

    ozzy crypto batz scam article

     

    Meat Loaf, Rock Legend and ‘Bat Out of Hell’ Singer, Dead at 74

    meat loaf dead 09

     

    World Premiere: Dee Snider Covers ‘Theme for an Imaginary Western’ for Upcoming Leslie West Tribute Album

     

    Indie Venues Face a Surging Concert No-Show Rate — 50% of Ticketholders Are Staying Home

     

    Steve Vai Postpones 2022 Tour from January to September; Needs Surgical Procedure

    steve vai tour 2022 crop

     

    Jimi Hendrix Experience Estates in Dispute Over Royalties

    Jimi Hendrix Experience

     

    Rocky Dijon: The Spicy Percussion Master

    sticky fingers cover

     

    Ozzy Osbourne Bit the Head Off a Live Bat 40 Years Ago Today
    He’ll never live down the infamous moment, even though the whole thing was a complete accident

    ozzy osbourne 20Jan2022

     

    Catalog Appraiser Massarsky Consulting Sells to Citrin Cooperman as Music IP Sales Rush Continues

     

    ‘Payola Is Illegal’: Lawsuit Revives Pay-for-Play Accusations in Radio Industry
    Independent radio promoter Steve Zap made more than 130 payments totaling over $300,000 to help cover bills for a West Coast radio company, according to court docs

     

    Peloton’s New David Bowie Workouts Include Exclusive Remixes

    david bowie peloton

     

    U2’s Bono Feels “Embarrassed” Hearing His Voice On The Radio

    Bono 19Jan2022

     

    Recording Academy Reschedules the 2022 Grammys For April, Moves Ceremony to Las Vegas

    when are the grammys article

     

    Microsoft Buys Activision in $69 Billion Deal – Will It Revive Guitar Hero?

    microsoft activision who owns guitar hero article

     

    Digital Burnout Fears: ‘It’s a lot we’re asking of artists’

     

    Jewel-Box Heroes: Why the CD Revival Is Finally Here
    Compact discs never had the romance of vinyl or the convenience of MP3s. But they’re still the ideal format for getting lost inside your music collection

     

    World Premiere: Loverboy’s New Song, “Release”

     

    25 Years Ago: John Deacon Plays His Final Queen Show

    attachment John Deacon Brian May Queen

     

    Fred Parris Dies: Singer On ‘In The Still Of The Night’ By The Five Satins Was 85

    Fred Parris

     

    World Premiere: ROLLING STONES UNRELEASED: ‘LOW DOWN’ (alt. version, Keith on vocals, 1997)

     

    MLK Day Finally Arrives As Paid Day Off For Most Hollywood Workers

    Martin Luther King Jr D.C. 1963

     

    40 Years Ago: A Rejected Babys Song Becomes Journey’s Signature Ballad

     

    World Premiere: Slash ft. Myles Kennedy and The Conspirators ‘Call Off the Dogs’ on Red-Hot New Song

     

    How Ronnie Spector Helped Eddie Money Score His Biggest Hit

    attachment ronnie spector eddie money

     

    ROUND HILL MUSIC BUYS CATALOG FROM WHITE SNAKE’S DAVID COVERDALE, STRIKES DEAL WITH NANCY WILSON FROM HEART

    David Coverdale 1 e1642166241596 418x236

     

    He Used Plastic Surgery to Raise Rock Stars From the Dead - Decades before hologram tours, one rogue '70s promoter found another way to put Elvis, Janis, Jim Morrison, and other late icons back onstage

    PlasticSurgeon 14Jan2022

     

    Keith Richards, Paul McCartney, Joni Mitchell Items for Auction

    attachment richards

     

    Ronnie Spector, Rock Icon Behind ‘Be My Baby’ and Ex of Phil Spector, Dead At 78

    ronnie spector

     

    DAVID LEE ROTH Addresses COVID-Related Cancelations In Latest Artwork

    davidleerothmay2021 638

     

    Burke Shelley, Singer and Bassist for Budgie, Dead at 71

    attachment Burke Budgie

     

    World Premiere: Saxon Unmasks New Single, “Remember The Fallen”, From Their Upcoming Album, “Carpe Diem”

     

    Woodstock Organizer Michael Lang Dies At 77

    attachment michael lang woodstock death

     

    World Mourns Death Of Comedy Icon Bob Saget: “Wasn’t A Kinder Person In Hollywood”

    bobsagetdeath

     

    Elton John Guitarist Davey Johnstone Says Elton’s Upcoming Shows Will Feature A Moment “You Wouldn’t Expect”

    DaveyJohnstone 10Jan2022

     

    Google Infringed On Multiple Sonos Patents, U.S. International Trade Commission Rules

     

    Peter Bogdanovich Dies: 'The Last Picture Show', 'Paper Moon' & 'What's Up, Doc?' Director Was 82

    Peter Bogdanovich dies

     

    Lollapalooza Co-Founder Ted Gardner Has Passed Away – Aged 74

    ted gardner lollapalooza founder passes article

     

    The Eagles Announce 2022 Hotel California Extended Tour Dates

    eagles tour additions 07jan2022

     

    TwinsTheNewTrend Discover Chuck Berry's 'Johnny B. Goode'

     

    Live Nation and Ticketmaster Face Class-Action Antitrust Lawsuit Over ‘Blatant, Anti-Consumer Behavior’

     

    Country Songwriter Tom T. Hall’s Death Ruled a Suicide
    The Country Music Hall of Fame member known for songs like “Harper Valley PTA” and “Homecoming” died last summer

    tomthall suicide

     

    David Bowie Estate Sells Icon’s Catalog to Warner Chappell for $250M

    david bowie press 2015

     

    Take A Peek Inside: Adele Gets a ‘Steal’ on Sylvester Stallone’s Beverly Park Mansion

    adele house

     

    The Nirvana ‘Nevermind’ Album Cover Lawsuit Has Been Dismissed By a Judge

    nirvana nevermind crop

     

    DEEN CASTRONOVO's Absence From JOURNEY's New Year's Eve Performance Explained

    deencastronovonov 03jan2022

     

    Steve McQueen’s Beloved Husqvarna Viking 360 Motorcycle Is Heading to Auction
    It's widely considered one of the most important Huskies of the 20th century

    McQueen Viking 360 10

     

     

    Hargus ‘Pig’ Robbins, Legendary Keyboardist Who Played on Albums by Bob Dylan, Dolly Parton, Dead at 84
    Blind after an accident at age 3, Robbins learned to play piano with a distinct sense of feel, which made him a go-to Nashville session musician

    HargusPigRobbins

     

    World Premiere: Listen to Jimi Hendrix Jam Two Days Before His Death

     

    Joe Rogan Officially Responds to Neil Young’s Spotify Pullout — Here’s His Complete Statement

    rogan spotify statement 1200

     

    Burt Reynolds’s Iconic ‘77 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am Is Heading to Auction
    The retro gem will be offered without reserve at Barrett-Jackson’s Scottsdale auction this weekend

    BurtReynolds Pontiac

     

    SiriusXM Relaunches ‘Neil Young Radio’ Following Spotify Takedown

    Neil Young taunts Trump

     

    Beatles’ Full Rooftop Concert Headed to Streaming Services

    attachment beatles rooftop concert

     

    Not To Be: Spotify to Remove Neil Young’s Music Following Ultimatum: ‘We Regret Neil’s Decision’

    neil young spotify 27Jan2022

     

    Lefsetz Says: “Spotify is at the bleeding edge of the civil war.”

     

    Sammy Hagar Teams up With George Thorogood for Summer 2022 Tour

    Haggar Thorogood Tour

     

    To Be or Not To Be: Neil Young Reportedly Fights Spotify Over Rogan and COVID
    In a now-deleted letter, the rocker demanded Spotify pull his music from its platform unless they removed Joe Rogan's podcast, which has spread COVID misinformation

    Neil Young 26Jan2022

     

    Reservoir Acquires Publishing & Recorded Music Catalog of Country Star Travis Tritt

    reservoir travis tritt catalog deal article

     

    Kid Rock Recruits Foreigner and Grand Funk Railroad for U.S. Tour

    attachment kid rock foreigner grand funk railroad tour1

     

    Keith Richards Announces Reissue of ‘Main Offender’ Solo LP

    attachment Keith Richards Box Set

     

    Clapton Speaks, Part 2: The Real Music Observer

     

    The Music Industry Saved Songwriter Hugh Prestwood From Homelessness.

    Is It Also Responsible for His Plight?
    Prestwood wrote hits for Randy Travis and Trisha Yearwood in the Nineties, but at 79 he was forced to launch a GoFundMe campaign when he and his wife could no longer afford rent

    Hugh Prestonwood 25Jan2022

     

    Flashback: The Boomerocity Interview With Pearl Aday

    PearlAday

     

    World Premiere: Listen to Foo Fighters’ New ‘Fraggle Rock’ Theme Song

     

    The Temptations At 60: Still On Cloud 9

    temptations wiki

     

    Quite A . . . Heady Appetite: Ozzy Osbourne Bit a Third Dove’s Head Off on Same Day

    ozzy 3rd dove head

     

    Playboy Bunnies Blast ‘Predator’ Hiugh Hefner’s Bestiality, ‘Cult’ Sex and Worse

    hugh hefner 2

     

    Louie Anderson Dies: Comedian & Emmy Winner Was 68

    louie anderson

     

    John Mellencamp’s New Album, ‘Strictly a One-Eyed Jack,’ Arrives Featuring Three Springsteen Collabs

     

    Bet It Hurt His D String: Man Steals $8,000 Guitar by Stuffing It Down His Pants

    stolen guitar

     

    The New Boomerocity Interview With Steve Vai

    Inviolate final

     

    Elton John Resumes Yellow Brick Road Tour: Set List and Photos

    EltonJohn 20Jan2022

     

    The Funny Way Van Halen, Blackmore and Gary Moore First Met Each Other

    Eddie Van Halen 3

     

    Brittany Aldean Helps a Woman in El Salvador Keep Her House With a $10,000 Gift

    attachment BrittanyAldean1

     

    An Italian Castle That Starred in One of the ‘Godfather’ Movies Just Listed for $6.8 Million
    Make an offer that the owner can't refuse

    ItalySothebysRealtyAcireale3

     

    Neil Young & Crazy Horse ‘Barn’ Documentary Coming To YouTube
    The 73-minute film provides a behind-the-scenes look at the legendary band recording their latest studio album

     

    STAIND's AARON LEWIS Passes Kidney Stone Less Than Week After Having His Appendix Removed

    aaronlewisappendnew 638

     

    Daniel Radcliffe Cast as ‘Weird Al’ Yankovic in Upcoming Biopic

    attachment weird al

     

    Rosa Lee Hawkins, Singer of The Dixie Cups, Dies at 76
    The New Orleans girl group's "Chapel of Love" hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1964

     

    Elvis Costello Thinks Rock Has Lost Its ‘Roll’

    costello1

     

    Prince Estate Valued at $156.4 Million In Settlement of Years-Long IRS Dispute

    prince estate undervalued irs article

     

    Following KKR Catalog Agreement, BMG Partners With Pimco to Buy Additional Music IP

     

    Ralph Emery Dies: Country Music DJ & TV Host Was 88

    Emery Ralph

     

    World Premiere: HEART's ANN WILSON Releases Music Video For Her Cover Version Of ALICE IN CHAINS' 'Rooster'

     

    Joe Walsh to Guest on ‘The Conners’ This Week

    attachment walsh

     

    Flashback: TwinsTheNewTrend Discover Journey’s “Open Arms” (& Talks About Perry’s Tight Jeans)

     

    Jimmy Buffett to Make a Guest Appearance on ‘Blue Bloods’

    attachment jimmy buffett blue blodds

     

    MELISSA ETHERIDGE ANNOUNCES ‘HEARTSTRINGS’ GRAPHIC NOVEL

    attachment Etheridge cover

     

    SIRIUSXM ACQUIRES MUSIC FOR BUSINESS SERVICE CLOUD COVER MEDIA

    sxm 14jan2022

     

    World Premiere: STEVE VAI Releases Visualizer For New Song 'Zeus In Chains'

     

    Music Industry Is ‘Criminal Enterprise’ Says Jay Jay French

    attachment french

     

     

    MAMMOTH WVH And DIRTY HONEY Postpone Launch Of 'Young Guns' Tour

    wolfgangdirtyhoney 638

     

    The Rolling Stones Are Getting Their Own Stamps Courtesy of the U.K.’s Royal Mail

    rolling stones stamps

     

    American Radio Stations Weigh Conditional Settlement Offer From Irving Azoff’s Global Music Rights

     

    World Premiere: Elvis Costello & The Imposters Say Goodbye With New Single, “Farewell, OK”

     

    COVID-Sniffing Dogs Are Keeping Concerts on Track In 2022

    covid sniffing dogs concerts article

     

    Dwayne Hickman Dies: ‘The Many Loves Of Dobie Gillis’ Star Was 87

    DwayneHickman300 e1641751326914

     

    Dick Carson Dies: Director Of ‘The Tonight Show’ And Brother Of Johnny Was 92

    Dick Carson Obituary

     

    China Prohibits All Music Platforms From Inking Exclusive Copyright Deals Following Tencent Music Crackdown

     

    Warner Records CEO Aaron Bay-Schuck, Gene Simmons, Daniel Glass, Others Protest Artist Boycott of Sydney Festival

     

    Hollywood Remembers “Champion Of Cinema” Peter Bogdanovich: Francis Ford Coppola, Jeff Bridges, Barbra Streisand & More Weigh In

     

    The Grammys Are Officially Postponed Due to Omicron — Recording Academy Releases Statement

    grammy awards postponed article

     

    Blues Legend Walter Trout Postpones UK/EU Tour

    walter trout tour cancellation 07jan2022

     

    Valerie Bertinelli Reveals Eddie Van Halen’s Final Words

    EVH Valerie Jan072022

     

    Right on Cue, SiriusXM Launches a Dedicated David Bowie Channel

    sirius xm launches dedicated david bowie channel article

     

    Paul McCartney: The “Unknown Beatle”

    paul mccartney unknown

     

    PRS Confirms Launch Date, Specs of John Mayer Signature SE Silver Sky

    PRS Mayer Sig Guitar

     

    TwinsTheNewTrend Discover Otis Redding's 'Try A Little Tenderness'

     

    Beatles Film Producer Denis O’Dell Dead at 98

    attachment BeatlesMovies

     

    GENE SIMMONS's New Year's Resolutions: 'I'd Like To Be A Better, Kinder, Better-Looking And Richer Guy'

    genesimmonsinvictussept2018 638

     

    Paul McCartney Tells Why Good Things Always Happen After Bad Moments

    Paul McCartney 03jan2022

     

  • Alice Cooper and Salvador Dali 1973

     

    About Bob Gruen

    Baby boomers have seen and admired the work of Bob Gruen ever since his initial work with Ike and Tina Turner back in 1970. Since that time, Bob has not only photographed some of the most iconic people in rock music, many of his photos have become iconic, as well.

    Bob has been a friend to Boomerocity since 2010 when we first interviewed him (here). The interview was so well received that none other than his dear friend, Yoko Ono, posted it on her website (here). It only seems natural to feature some of his work here on Boomerocity. Whether the images are those you have seen countless times or ones that have rarely been seen by the public, Bob’s photos presented here on Boomerocity will bring back memories and smiles.

    You can own your own authorized copy of these and other images by visiting BobGruen.com.

    You can also read our other interviews with Bob here and here as well as read more about his accomplishments here.


    Alice Cooper and Salvador Dali with 'Brain of A Popstar' in NYC. February 25, 1973. © Bob Gruen/www.bobgruen.com Please contact Bob Gruen's studio to purchase a print or license this photo. email: info@bobgruen.com Image #: R-88

    Before Marilyn Manson. Before Slip Knot. Heck, before Kiss, there was Alice Cooper.

    Not since Johnny Cash sang, "A Boy Name Sue," did we hear about a man with a woman's name. One would have thought that that alone would generate enough controversial attention. Yet, that was just the beginning.

    Mascara. Thigh high boots. An electric chair. Gallows. A guillotine. A boa constrictor that was quite long and quite real. All of that and more was integrated into a band - which later became the man - Alice Cooper.

    As Alice's fame grew, so did the size of the crowd of celebrities who wanted to be seen - and get to know - the founder of Shock Rock.

    From the beginning, our friend, Bob Gruen, was there, snapping images of this phenomenon; images that became as iconic as Cooper did.

    In the video on the right of this page, Bob shares exclusively with Boomerocity followers his history with Alice Cooper, his relationship with him, and the story behind this month's featured photo that he shot.

    Watch it. Tell your friends about it. After watching it, please consider ordering your own official copy of this historic photo directly from Bob by clicking here.

    Click On The Video Below To Listen To Bob's Story Behind This Iconic Photo!  

     

    Click On The Lower Right Corner To Enlarge This Video

    You Are At The Right Place With Bob Gruen & Boomerocity!

    rightplacerighttimecoverThe foundation of most successful people is being at the right place at the right time. That is certainly the case with our dear friend and renowned rock photographer, Bob Gruen. For over fifty years he has photographically documented the music scene with photographs that have become as iconic as the legendary artists in them.

    Over the years, Bob has shared his photographs in a variety of books and Boomerocity is proud to have most of them in its own library. Naturally, with word of yet another amazing book being released by Gruen, we are stoked!

    The book is entitled, "Right Place, Right Time: The Life of a Rock & Roll Photographer" (Abrams Press; October 20, 2020). It is Bob’s “first memoir of his winding, adventure-filled journey.” In it he shares with us such stories as his intimate visits to John and Yoko’s apartment in New York City; having backstage access with KISS; being there in the early days with Blondie’s Debbie Harry; being on the bus with the during the ill-fated US tour of the Sex Pistols; being on the road with Ike and Tina Turner; inside CBGB and many other amazing stories.

    Of course, no book by Bob Gruen would be complete without him sharing some of his amazing photographs. He does exactly that with some iconic and never-before-published images that offer a unique peek into the last five decades of the evolution of American music culture.

    Don’t just take our word for it. Check out what some of Bob’s friends have to say about this book:

    “Bob has seen it all, lived the life, and he doesn’t hold back in this book.” —Billie Joe Armstrong

    “Bob catches those explosive, signature moments that every photographer hopes to get.” —Debbie Harry

    “Bob Gruen has been a witness to many of the greatest moments in rock and roll’s history.” —Jakob Dylan

    “Bob is the guy behind the camera who you actually like! He brings out your best cool.” —Iggy Pop

    You can order your copy by clicking on the photo of the book at the top. With the holidays just right around the corner, Right Time: The Life of a Rock & Roll Photographer is the perfect gift for that music nut or photography buff on your gift list so go ahead and order extra copies.

     

     

     

     

     

     Click Below To Order

    SeeHearYoko

      Click Below To Order

    RockSeenCover

     

  • Bob Gruen's Studio - Labelle-1972-and-Vicki-Wickham-OBE

     

    About Bob Gruen

    Baby boomers have seen and admired the work of Bob Gruen ever since his initial work with Ike and Tina Turner back in 1970. Since that time, Bob has not only photographed some of the most iconic people in rock music, many of his photos have become iconic, as well.

    Bob has been a friend to Boomerocity since 2010 when we first interviewed him (here). The interview was so well received that none other than his dear friend, Yoko Ono, posted it on her website (here). It only seems natural to feature some of his work here on Boomerocity. Whether the images are those you have seen countless times or ones that have rarely been seen by the public, Bob’s photos presented here on Boomerocity will bring back memories and smiles.

    You can own your own authorized copy of these and other images by visiting BobGruen.com.

    You can also read our other interviews with Bob here and here as well as read more about his accomplishments here.


    (L-R) Nona Hendryx, Sarah Dash and Patti LaBelle of Labelle on stage at Lincoln Center in New York City. October 6, 1974. © Bob Gruen / www.bobgruen.comPlease contact Bob Gruen's studio to purchase a print or license this photo. email: websitemail01@aol.com phone: 212-691-0391

    As Boomerocity viewers and readers already know, we not only like to cover the icons from back in the days of our youths but the influencers as well. We get a huge kick out of covering the movers and shakers that helped shape the culture of our times. This monthly feature exhibits that thrill by featuring the work of a legendary man behind the camera that shot some of the most iconic photos in rock and roll.

    This month’s featured photo by our friend, Bob Gruen, is about both the artist and the people behind them. In this case, Labelle and their legendary manager, Vicki Wickham.

    I won’t steal Bob’s thunder. You’ll want to hear and see it for yourself by watching the video to the right. I only want to accentuate that Ms. Wickham’s work with the British TV show, Ready Steady Go! is the stuff of legends - ReadySteadyGoCoverClick Above To Order Your Copyespecially in a male-dominated industry. So much so, that Bob speaks glowingly about her in this video as well as provided a link to a playlist tied to the show (here). There’s also a great book about Ready Steady Go! that references Vicki a lot.


    Watch it. Tell your friends about it. After watching it, please consider ordering your own official copy of this historic photo directly from Bob by clicking here.

    Click On The Video Below To Listen To Bob's Story Behind This Iconic Photo!  

     

    Click On The Lower Right Corner To Enlarge This Video

    You Are At The Right Place With Bob Gruen & Boomerocity!

    rightplacerighttimecoverThe foundation of most successful people is being at the right place at the right time. That is certainly the case with our dear friend and renowned rock photographer, Bob Gruen. For over fifty years he has photographically documented the music scene with photographs that have become as iconic as the legendary artists in them.

    Over the years, Bob has shared his photographs in a variety of books and Boomerocity is proud to have most of them in its own library. Naturally, with word of yet another amazing book being released by Gruen, we are stoked!

    The book is entitled, "Right Place, Right Time: The Life of a Rock & Roll Photographer" (Abrams Press; October 20, 2020). It is Bob’s “first memoir of his winding, adventure-filled journey.” In it he shares with us such stories as his intimate visits to John and Yoko’s apartment in New York City; having backstage access with KISS; being there in the early days with Blondie’s Debbie Harry; being on the bus with the during the ill-fated US tour of the Sex Pistols; being on the road with Ike and Tina Turner; inside CBGB and many other amazing stories.

    Of course, no book by Bob Gruen would be complete without him sharing some of his amazing photographs. He does exactly that with some iconic and never-before-published images that offer a unique peek into the last five decades of the evolution of American music culture.

    Don’t just take our word for it. Check out what some of Bob’s friends have to say about this book:

    “Bob has seen it all, lived the life, and he doesn’t hold back in this book.” —Billie Joe Armstrong

    “Bob catches those explosive, signature moments that every photographer hopes to get.” —Debbie Harry

    “Bob Gruen has been a witness to many of the greatest moments in rock and roll’s history.” —Jakob Dylan

    “Bob is the guy behind the camera who you actually like! He brings out your best cool.” —Iggy Pop

    You can order your copy by clicking on the photo of the book at the top. With the holidays just right around the corner, Right Time: The Life of a Rock & Roll Photographer is the perfect gift for that music nut or photography buff on your gift list so go ahead and order extra copies.

     

     

     

     

     

     Click Below To Order

    SeeHearYoko

      Click Below To Order

    RockSeenCover

     

  • Bob Gruen's Studio - New York Dolls - Japan 1973

     

    About Bob Gruen

    Baby boomers have seen and admired the work of Bob Gruen ever since his initial work with Ike and Tina Turner back in 1970. Since that time, Bob has not only photographed some of the most iconic people in rock music, many of his photos have become iconic, as well.

    Bob has been a friend to Boomerocity since 2010 when we first interviewed him (here). The interview was so well received that none other than his dear friend, Yoko Ono, posted it on her website (here). It only seems natural to feature some of his work here on Boomerocity. Whether the images are those you have seen countless times or ones that have rarely been seen by the public, Bob’s photos presented here on Boomerocity will bring back memories and smiles.

    You can own your own authorized copy of these and other images by visiting BobGruen.com.

    You can also read our other interviews with Bob here and here as well as read more about his accomplishments here.


    The New Yorks Dolls photographed at Studio 29, NYC. November 1973. © Bob Gruen / www.bobgruen.comPlease contact Bob Gruen's studio to purchase a print or license this photo. email: info@bobgruen.com Image #: C-53

    Before the punk and glam metal things started in the early ’70s, there were the New York Dolls. Their influence was - and is - far-reaching and phenomenal. According to Wikipedia, “They influenced rock groups such as the Sex Pistols, Kiss, the Ramones, Guns N’ Roses, the Damned, and The Smiths, whose frontman Morrissey organized a reunion show for the New York Dolls’ surviving members in 2004.” (Click here to go to read all that Wikipedia has to say about them).

    As we’ve learned long ago, our friend Bob Gruen was Johnny On The Spot and met the New York Dolls before they developed a cult-like following during their short but influential career. Believe it or not (actually, it is QUITE believable), Bob connected with the New York Dolls via his association with his good friend, John Lennon.

    How cool is that?

    Bob's featured photo for this month is from a photoshoot in Japan that he did with the New York Dolls. In the exclusive video on the right side of this page, Bob tells Boomerocity viewers his story of his relationship with the band and provides some deep insight into the band and Bob’s relationship with them.

    Bob's featured photo for this month is his iconic photo of The Clash with the New York City skyline as their back drop. In the exclusive video on the right side of this page, Bob tells Boomerocity viewers his story of his relationship with The Clash and especially with Joe Strummer as well as the story behind this photo.

    Watch it. Tell your friends about it. After watching it, please consider ordering your own official copy of this historic photo directly from Bob by clicking here.

    Click On The Video Below To Listen To Bob's Story Behind This Iconic Photo!  

    Click On The Lower Right Corner To Enlarge This Video

    You Are At The Right Place With Bob Gruen & Boomerocity!

    rightplacerighttimecoverThe foundation of most successful people is being at the right place at the right time. That is certainly the case with our dear friend and renowned rock photographer, Bob Gruen. For over fifty years he has photographically documented the music scene with photographs that have become as iconic as the legendary artists in them.

    Over the years, Bob has shared his photographs in a variety of books and Boomerocity is proud to have most of them in its own library. Naturally, with word of yet another amazing book being released by Gruen, we are stoked!

    The book is entitled, "Right Place, Right Time: The Life of a Rock & Roll Photographer" (Abrams Press; October 20, 2020). It is Bob’s “first memoir of his winding, adventure-filled journey.” In it he shares with us such stories as his intimate visits to John and Yoko’s apartment in New York City; having backstage access with KISS; being there in the early days with Blondie’s Debbie Harry; being on the bus with the during the ill-fated US tour of the Sex Pistols; being on the road with Ike and Tina Turner; inside CBGB and many other amazing stories.

    Of course, no book by Bob Gruen would be complete without him sharing some of his amazing photographs. He does exactly that with some iconic and never-before-published images that offer a unique peek into the last five decades of the evolution of American music culture.

    Don’t just take our word for it. Check out what some of Bob’s friends have to say about this book:

    “Bob has seen it all, lived the life, and he doesn’t hold back in this book.” —Billie Joe Armstrong

    “Bob catches those explosive, signature moments that every photographer hopes to get.” —Debbie Harry

    “Bob Gruen has been a witness to many of the greatest moments in rock and roll’s history.” —Jakob Dylan

    “Bob is the guy behind the camera who you actually like! He brings out your best cool.” —Iggy Pop

    You can order your copy by clicking on the photo of the book at the top. With the holidays just right around the corner, Right Time: The Life of a Rock & Roll Photographer is the perfect gift for that music nut or photography buff on your gift list so go ahead and order extra copies.

     

     

     

     

     

     Click Below To Order

    SeeHearYoko

      Click Below To Order

    RockSeenCover

     

  • Bob Gruen's Studio - Sly Stone at NYC's Madison Squaare Garden 1973

     

    About Bob Gruen

    Baby boomers have seen and admired the work of Bob Gruen ever since his initial work with Ike and Tina Turner back in 1970. Since that time, Bob has not only photographed some of the most iconic people in rock music, many of his photos have become iconic, as well.

    Bob has been a friend to Boomerocity since 2010 when we first interviewed him (here). The interview was so well received that none other than his dear friend, Yoko Ono, posted it on her website (here). It only seems natural to feature some of his work here on Boomerocity. Whether the images are those you have seen countless times or ones that have rarely been seen by the public, Bob’s photos presented here on Boomerocity will bring back memories and smiles.

    You can own your own authorized copy of these and other images by visiting BobGruen.com.

    You can also read our other interviews with Bob here and here as well as read more about his accomplishments here.


    Sly Stone of Sly and The Family Stone on stage at The Schaefer Festival in Central Park, NYC. August 1, 1973. © Bob Gruen / www.bobgruen.comPlease contact Bob Gruen's studio to purchase a print or license this photo. email: info@bobgruen.comImage #: R-326

    Sly and the Family Stone was - and to a certain extent, still is - a diverse (racially) band who are known for their huge hits like "Dance to the Music" and “Everyday People" in1968; "Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)" and "I Want to Take You Higher" the following year; Family Affair" a couple of years after that, and 1973’s "If You Want Me to Stay.”. The band also made history by performing at the first Woodstock and the Summer of Soul concerts.

    Our friend, legendary rock photographer, Bob Gruen, first saw Sly Stone during that legendary Woodstock performance as a fan and participant. In the years since, Bob photographed him professionally, including the photo featured this month that was taken in 1973 at New York City’s Madison Square Garden. The video to the right is Bob’s story behind this month's picture as well as his history with Sly Stone. it is shared exclusively here on Boomerocity.

    Watch it. Tell your friends about it. After watching it, please consider ordering your own official copy of this historic photo directly from Bob by clicking here.

    Click On The Video Below To Listen To Bob's Story Behind This Iconic Photo!  

     

    Click On The Lower Right Corner To Enlarge This Video

    You Are At The Right Place With Bob Gruen & Boomerocity!

    rightplacerighttimecoverThe foundation of most successful people is being at the right place at the right time. That is certainly the case with our dear friend and renowned rock photographer, Bob Gruen. For over fifty years he has photographically documented the music scene with photographs that have become as iconic as the legendary artists in them.

    Over the years, Bob has shared his photographs in a variety of books and Boomerocity is proud to have most of them in its own library. Naturally, with word of yet another amazing book being released by Gruen, we are stoked!

    The book is entitled, "Right Place, Right Time: The Life of a Rock & Roll Photographer" (Abrams Press; October 20, 2020). It is Bob’s “first memoir of his winding, adventure-filled journey.” In it he shares with us such stories as his intimate visits to John and Yoko’s apartment in New York City; having backstage access with KISS; being there in the early days with Blondie’s Debbie Harry; being on the bus with the during the ill-fated US tour of the Sex Pistols; being on the road with Ike and Tina Turner; inside CBGB and many other amazing stories.

    Of course, no book by Bob Gruen would be complete without him sharing some of his amazing photographs. He does exactly that with some iconic and never-before-published images that offer a unique peek into the last five decades of the evolution of American music culture.

    Don’t just take our word for it. Check out what some of Bob’s friends have to say about this book:

    “Bob has seen it all, lived the life, and he doesn’t hold back in this book.” —Billie Joe Armstrong

    “Bob catches those explosive, signature moments that every photographer hopes to get.” —Debbie Harry

    “Bob Gruen has been a witness to many of the greatest moments in rock and roll’s history.” —Jakob Dylan

    “Bob is the guy behind the camera who you actually like! He brings out your best cool.” —Iggy Pop

    You can order your copy by clicking on the photo of the book at the top. With the holidays just right around the corner, Right Time: The Life of a Rock & Roll Photographer is the perfect gift for that music nut or photography buff on your gift list so go ahead and order extra copies.

     

     

     

     

     

     Click Below To Order

    SeeHearYoko

      Click Below To Order

    RockSeenCover

     

  • Boomerocity Buzz

    Boomerocity Buzz.  The latest news in the music industry.

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  • Chrissie Hynde 1979

     

    About Bob Gruen

    Baby boomers have seen and admired the work of Bob Gruen ever since his initial work with Ike and Tina Turner back in 1970. Since that time, Bob has not only photographed some of the most iconic people in rock music, many of his photos have become iconic, as well.

    Bob has been a friend to Boomerocity since 2010 when we first interviewed him (here). The interview was so well received that none other than his dear friend, Yoko Ono, posted it on her website (here). It only seems natural to feature some of his work here on Boomerocity. Whether the images are those you have seen countless times or ones that have rarely been seen by the public, Bob’s photos presented here on Boomerocity will bring back memories and smiles.

    You can own your own authorized copy of these and other images by visiting BobGruen.com.

    You can also read our other interviews with Bob here and here as well as read more about his accomplishments here.


    Chrissie Hynde of The Pretenders on stage at Hammersmith Odeon in London, England. December 1979. © Bob Gruen / www.bobgruen.comPlease contact Bob Gruen's studio to purchase a print or license this photo. email: websitemail01@aol.com phone: 212-691-0391

    As the seventies were ending, a little band was formed in London. The band’s name was inspired by an R&B hit that Sam Cooke covered titled, “The Great Pretender.” Thus, The Pretenders were born.

    The band went on to record such hits as Brass In Pocket, Back On The Chain Gang, I’ll Stand By You, My City Was Gone (which, oddly enough, was used as the theme song for the Rush Limbaugh Show), Talk of the Town, Precious, Middle of the Road, Don’t Get Me Wrong, 2,000 Miles, and Boots of Chinese Plastic.

    Those hits were the foundation for the band to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2005. The Pretenders are still cranking out music with the band having released their latest album, Hate For Sale, last year.

    Chrissie Hynde, lead singer and front-person for the band, is the only remaining original member of the Pretenders. As has often been the case in his storied career, legendary rock photographer and Boomerocity friend, Bob Gruen, was photographing the band before they were a huge musical influence. This month’s featured photo, a 1979 image of Chrissie Hynde, is evidence of that.

    In the video on the right of this page, Bob shares exclusively with Boomerocity followers his history in following The Pretenders and his relationship with them.

    Watch it. Tell your friends about it. After watching it, please consider ordering your own official copy of this historic photo directly from Bob by clicking here.

    Click On The Video Below To Listen To Bob's Story Behind This Iconic Photo!  

     

    Click On The Lower Right Corner To Enlarge This Video

    You Are At The Right Place With Bob Gruen & Boomerocity!

    rightplacerighttimecoverThe foundation of most successful people is being at the right place at the right time. That is certainly the case with our dear friend and renowned rock photographer, Bob Gruen. For over fifty years he has photographically documented the music scene with photographs that have become as iconic as the legendary artists in them.

    Over the years, Bob has shared his photographs in a variety of books and Boomerocity is proud to have most of them in its own library. Naturally, with word of yet another amazing book being released by Gruen, we are stoked!

    The book is entitled, "Right Place, Right Time: The Life of a Rock & Roll Photographer" (Abrams Press; October 20, 2020). It is Bob’s “first memoir of his winding, adventure-filled journey.” In it he shares with us such stories as his intimate visits to John and Yoko’s apartment in New York City; having backstage access with KISS; being there in the early days with Blondie’s Debbie Harry; being on the bus with the during the ill-fated US tour of the Sex Pistols; being on the road with Ike and Tina Turner; inside CBGB and many other amazing stories.

    Of course, no book by Bob Gruen would be complete without him sharing some of his amazing photographs. He does exactly that with some iconic and never-before-published images that offer a unique peek into the last five decades of the evolution of American music culture.

    Don’t just take our word for it. Check out what some of Bob’s friends have to say about this book:

    “Bob has seen it all, lived the life, and he doesn’t hold back in this book.” —Billie Joe Armstrong

    “Bob catches those explosive, signature moments that every photographer hopes to get.” —Debbie Harry

    “Bob Gruen has been a witness to many of the greatest moments in rock and roll’s history.” —Jakob Dylan

    “Bob is the guy behind the camera who you actually like! He brings out your best cool.” —Iggy Pop

    You can order your copy by clicking on the photo of the book at the top. With the holidays just right around the corner, Right Time: The Life of a Rock & Roll Photographer is the perfect gift for that music nut or photography buff on your gift list so go ahead and order extra copies.

     

     

     

     

     

     Click Below To Order

    SeeHearYoko

      Click Below To Order

    RockSeenCover

     

  • Elvis Costello 1977

     

    About Bob Gruen

    Baby boomers have seen and admired the work of Bob Gruen ever since his initial work with Ike and Tina Turner back in 1970. Since that time, Bob has not only photographed some of the most iconic people in rock music, many of his photos have become iconic, as well.

    Bob has been a friend to Boomerocity since 2010 when we first interviewed him (here). The interview was so well received that none other than his dear friend, Yoko Ono, posted it on her website (here). It only seems natural to feature some of his work here on Boomerocity. Whether the images are those you have seen countless times or ones that have rarely been seen by the public, Bob’s photos presented here on Boomerocity will bring back memories and smiles.

    You can own your own authorized copy of these and other images by visiting BobGruen.com.

    You can also read our other interviews with Bob here and here as well as read more about his accomplishments here.


    Elvis Costello leaning on a pole at the 100 Club in London, England. November 1977. © Bob Gruen / www.bobgruen.comPlease contact Bob Gruen's studio to purchase a print or license this photo. email: info@bobgruen.comImage #: R-146


    Two years ago, when Bob Gruen first started contributing a monthly featured photo of his work, he started with Elvis his iconic photo of Elvis Presley.

    For two years, Bob has shared what he called some of his "greatest hits" of his work over his storied career. This will be the last installment of Bob's contribution to Boomerocity as he would like to give it a rest for now.

    How poetic that he closes his run with Boomerocity with a photo of another Elvis: Elvis Costello.

    As has been the case throughout Bob's career, he was "there" before Costello rocketed to international fame. In Bob's signature style, he spotted the star power in Costello and became a fan of his from the git go.

    In the video on the right of this page, Bob shares exclusively with Boomerocity followers the story behind this month's featured photo that he shot.

    Watch it. Tell your friends about it. After watching it, please consider ordering your own official copy of this historic photo directly from Bob by clicking here.

     

    Click On The Video Below To Listen To Bob's Story Behind This Iconic Photo!  

     

    Click On The Lower Right Corner To Enlarge This Video

    You Are At The Right Place With Bob Gruen & Boomerocity!

    rightplacerighttimecoverThe foundation of most successful people is being at the right place at the right time. That is certainly the case with our dear friend and renowned rock photographer, Bob Gruen. For over fifty years he has photographically documented the music scene with photographs that have become as iconic as the legendary artists in them.

    Over the years, Bob has shared his photographs in a variety of books and Boomerocity is proud to have most of them in its own library. Naturally, with word of yet another amazing book being released by Gruen, we are stoked!

    The book is entitled, "Right Place, Right Time: The Life of a Rock & Roll Photographer" (Abrams Press; October 20, 2020). It is Bob’s “first memoir of his winding, adventure-filled journey.” In it he shares with us such stories as his intimate visits to John and Yoko’s apartment in New York City; having backstage access with KISS; being there in the early days with Blondie’s Debbie Harry; being on the bus with the during the ill-fated US tour of the Sex Pistols; being on the road with Ike and Tina Turner; inside CBGB and many other amazing stories.

    Of course, no book by Bob Gruen would be complete without him sharing some of his amazing photographs. He does exactly that with some iconic and never-before-published images that offer a unique peek into the last five decades of the evolution of American music culture.

    Don’t just take our word for it. Check out what some of Bob’s friends have to say about this book:

    “Bob has seen it all, lived the life, and he doesn’t hold back in this book.” —Billie Joe Armstrong

    “Bob catches those explosive, signature moments that every photographer hopes to get.” —Debbie Harry

    “Bob Gruen has been a witness to many of the greatest moments in rock and roll’s history.” —Jakob Dylan

    “Bob is the guy behind the camera who you actually like! He brings out your best cool.” —Iggy Pop

    You can order your copy by clicking on the photo of the book at the top. With the holidays just right around the corner, Right Time: The Life of a Rock & Roll Photographer is the perfect gift for that music nut or photography buff on your gift list so go ahead and order extra copies.

     

     

     

     

     

     Click Below To Order

    SeeHearYoko

      Click Below To Order

    RockSeenCover

     

  • John Lennon and the Mobster 1976

     

    About Bob Gruen

    Baby boomers have seen and admired the work of Bob Gruen ever since his initial work with Ike and Tina Turner back in 1970. Since that time, Bob has not only photographed some of the most iconic people in rock music, many of his photos have become iconic, as well.

    Bob has been a friend to Boomerocity since 2010 when we first interviewed him (here). The interview was so well received that none other than his dear friend, Yoko Ono, posted it on her website (here). It only seems natural to feature some of his work here on Boomerocity. Whether the images are those you have seen countless times or ones that have rarely been seen by the public, Bob’s photos presented here on Boomerocity will bring back memories and smiles.

    You can own your own authorized copy of these and other images by visiting BobGruen.com.

    You can also read our other interviews with Bob here and here as well as read more about his accomplishments here.


    John Lennon testifying in federal court, NYC. 1976. © Bob Gruen/www.bobgruen.com Please contact Bob Gruen's studio to purchase a print or license this photo. email: websitemail01@aol.com phone: 212-691-0391


    Just when you thought you saw and heard everything to do with the Beatles, we are treated to something – not necessarily new – but just now seeing the light of day in minute detail.

    What on earth could that be?

    It is the story of the court case, Big Seven Music Corp. (who was pretty much the notorious Marvin Levy that took place in 1976 in New York City. That story has now been chronicled in book form by John and Yoko Lennon’s lead attorney, Jay Bergen, in his new book, “Lennon, the Mobster & the Lawyer – The Untold Story.” Jay is good friends with our good friend, Bob Gruen.

    During that trial, Bob was in the gallery and, with his trusty camera under his coat, clandestinely took two photos during the trial.

    Boomerocity interviewed Mr. Bergen (here) and Bob Gruen thought it would be a good idea to photo one of those photos this month.

    In the video on the right of this page, Bob shares exclusively with Boomerocity followers the story behind this month's featured photo that he shot.

    Watch it. Tell your friends about it. After watching it, please consider ordering your own official copy of this historic photo directly from Bob by clicking here.

    While you're at it, watch the interview with Jay Bergen and order his book!

     

    Click On The Video Below To Listen To Bob's Story Behind This Iconic Photo!  

     

    Click On The Lower Right Corner To Enlarge This Video

    You Are At The Right Place With Bob Gruen & Boomerocity!

    rightplacerighttimecoverThe foundation of most successful people is being at the right place at the right time. That is certainly the case with our dear friend and renowned rock photographer, Bob Gruen. For over fifty years he has photographically documented the music scene with photographs that have become as iconic as the legendary artists in them.

    Over the years, Bob has shared his photographs in a variety of books and Boomerocity is proud to have most of them in its own library. Naturally, with word of yet another amazing book being released by Gruen, we are stoked!

    The book is entitled, "Right Place, Right Time: The Life of a Rock & Roll Photographer" (Abrams Press; October 20, 2020). It is Bob’s “first memoir of his winding, adventure-filled journey.” In it he shares with us such stories as his intimate visits to John and Yoko’s apartment in New York City; having backstage access with KISS; being there in the early days with Blondie’s Debbie Harry; being on the bus with the during the ill-fated US tour of the Sex Pistols; being on the road with Ike and Tina Turner; inside CBGB and many other amazing stories.

    Of course, no book by Bob Gruen would be complete without him sharing some of his amazing photographs. He does exactly that with some iconic and never-before-published images that offer a unique peek into the last five decades of the evolution of American music culture.

    Don’t just take our word for it. Check out what some of Bob’s friends have to say about this book:

    “Bob has seen it all, lived the life, and he doesn’t hold back in this book.” —Billie Joe Armstrong

    “Bob catches those explosive, signature moments that every photographer hopes to get.” —Debbie Harry

    “Bob Gruen has been a witness to many of the greatest moments in rock and roll’s history.” —Jakob Dylan

    “Bob is the guy behind the camera who you actually like! He brings out your best cool.” —Iggy Pop

    You can order your copy by clicking on the photo of the book at the top. With the holidays just right around the corner, Right Time: The Life of a Rock & Roll Photographer is the perfect gift for that music nut or photography buff on your gift list so go ahead and order extra copies.

     

     

     

     

     

     Click Below To Order

    SeeHearYoko

      Click Below To Order

    RockSeenCover

     

  • Kiss Dressed To Kill 1974

     

    About Bob Gruen

    Baby boomers have seen and admired the work of Bob Gruen ever since his initial work with Ike and Tina Turner back in 1970. Since that time, Bob has not only photographed some of the most iconic people in rock music, many of his photos have become iconic, as well.

    Bob has been a friend to Boomerocity since 2010 when we first interviewed him (here). The interview was so well received that none other than his dear friend, Yoko Ono, posted it on her website (here). It only seems natural to feature some of his work here on Boomerocity. Whether the images are those you have seen countless times or ones that have rarely been seen by the public, Bob’s photos presented here on Boomerocity will bring back memories and smiles.

    You can own your own authorized copy of these and other images by visiting BobGruen.com.

    You can also read our other interviews with Bob here and here as well as read more about his accomplishments here.


    (L-R) Peter Criss, Ace Frehley, Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons of Kiss 'Dressed To Kill' album cover shoot at West 23rd Street and 8th Avenue in NYC. October 26, 1974. © Bob Gruen / www.bobgruen.comPlease contact Bob Gruen's studio to purchase a print or license this photo. email: info@bobgruen.comImage #: R-181


    Teens in the seventies were hit with some pretty mind blowing rock and roll acts. Our parents had Elvis whose shaking hips were all the scandalous rage. Then, our older siblings as teens in the sixties had the Beatles and the Rolling Stones with their own controversies.

    The seventies had to outdo all of that . . . and it did.

    First, we had the outer-worldliness of David Bowie. Then the shock rock of Alice Cooper. On the heels of those ground-breaking acts came Kiss.

    With the band members' true identity hidden behind kabuki style make up that transformed them into a demon, two space aliens, and a cat, Kiss catapulted to fame. Their looks and music was only part of the band's appeal. Kiss had a stage show unlike anyone with pyrotechnics, fire-breathing, and blood-spitting such the world has never seen. All of that and more allowed the band to ride a perpetual wave of publicity, controversy, and notoriety that has last to this very day.

    While Kiss's music has often been panned by music critics over the years, there is no denying that the band has made their indelible mark of the soundtrack of baby boomers during their youth.

    Case in point: Kiss's anthem, "Rock and Roll All Nite" from the band's third album, Dressed To Kill. The album's iconic cover photo was shot by our dear friend and monthly contributor, Bob Gruen.

    dressedtokillcoverClick Above To Order Your Copy of the Remastered CD

    Not surprisingly, Bob was right there when Kiss began to make the New York City music scene. He's traveled with them and shot lots of photos of them. But it's this "Dressed To Kill" photo that so clearly shows the contrast, mystique, and fun that makes Kiss one of the bands for the ages.

    In the video on the right of this page, Bob shares exclusively with Boomerocity followers the story behind this month's featured photo that he shot.

     

    Watch it. Tell your friends about it. After watching it, please consider ordering your own official copy of this historic photo directly from Bob by clicking here.

     

    Click On The Video Below To Listen To Bob's Story Behind This Iconic Photo!  

     

    Click On The Lower Right Corner To Enlarge This Video

    You Are At The Right Place With Bob Gruen & Boomerocity!

    rightplacerighttimecoverThe foundation of most successful people is being at the right place at the right time. That is certainly the case with our dear friend and renowned rock photographer, Bob Gruen. For over fifty years he has photographically documented the music scene with photographs that have become as iconic as the legendary artists in them.

    Over the years, Bob has shared his photographs in a variety of books and Boomerocity is proud to have most of them in its own library. Naturally, with word of yet another amazing book being released by Gruen, we are stoked!

    The book is entitled, "Right Place, Right Time: The Life of a Rock & Roll Photographer" (Abrams Press; October 20, 2020). It is Bob’s “first memoir of his winding, adventure-filled journey.” In it he shares with us such stories as his intimate visits to John and Yoko’s apartment in New York City; having backstage access with KISS; being there in the early days with Blondie’s Debbie Harry; being on the bus with the during the ill-fated US tour of the Sex Pistols; being on the road with Ike and Tina Turner; inside CBGB and many other amazing stories.

    Of course, no book by Bob Gruen would be complete without him sharing some of his amazing photographs. He does exactly that with some iconic and never-before-published images that offer a unique peek into the last five decades of the evolution of American music culture.

    Don’t just take our word for it. Check out what some of Bob’s friends have to say about this book:

    “Bob has seen it all, lived the life, and he doesn’t hold back in this book.” —Billie Joe Armstrong

    “Bob catches those explosive, signature moments that every photographer hopes to get.” —Debbie Harry

    “Bob Gruen has been a witness to many of the greatest moments in rock and roll’s history.” —Jakob Dylan

    “Bob is the guy behind the camera who you actually like! He brings out your best cool.” —Iggy Pop

    You can order your copy by clicking on the photo of the book at the top. With the holidays just right around the corner, Right Time: The Life of a Rock & Roll Photographer is the perfect gift for that music nut or photography buff on your gift list so go ahead and order extra copies.

     

     

     

     

     

     Click Below To Order

    SeeHearYoko

      Click Below To Order

    RockSeenCover

     

  • Sass Jordan Is Still Alive And Well And Talks About Her New Album And Taylor Hawkins

    Posted May 2022

    89251183 10157228715066219 6907720275819757568 nSass Jordan. Everytime I say her name, her rich and gritty blues voice comes immediately to mind via a myriad of songs from the nine albums over her storied career. Strike that. Make that ten albums thanks to her new release, Bitches Blues.

    You may think that you haven't ever heard her before but I'll betcha a dollar to a donut (I love donuts) that you HAVE heard her. If you remember the hits that came from the soundtrack of the hit movie, The Bodyguard, then you may remember hearing the duet from the movie's soundtrack that Sass sang with Joe Cocker titled, Trust In Me.  That soundtrack went on to sell over forty-five million copies world wide.

    I recently called Sass at her home outside of Toronto, Canada. After catching up with each other, we chatted about her new album and her plans going forward.

    Please give this audio interview your attention. After listening to it, please share it with your friends and order your own copy of Bitches Blues. You can do so by clicking on the album cover further down this page beneath the interview. You can also keep up with Sass on her website, SassJordan.com, as well as on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.

    The Boomerocity Interview With Sass Jordan

    Press Release

    BitchesBluesClick Above To Order Your CopyExamining the visceral emotional territory of a pandemic and the world’s reeling in its rolling aftermath, multi-Platinum-selling and award-winning artist Sass Jordan readies herself to rock the blues once again with the announcement of her new album, Bitches Blues — available June 3rd via Stony Plain Records.

    Following rave reviews of her 2020 all-blues offering, Rebel Moon Blues, the Billboard Best Female Rock Vocalist winner mines even more of her expansive talent in the genre to deliver eight new tracks — including originals “Change Is Coming,” “Still The World Goes Round” and
    more.

    A pioneer of powerful, gritty female-fronted rock, Sass Jordan has worked alongside fellow greats like Aerosmith, the Rolling Stones, AC/DC, and Van Halen, among many more. Born in Britain and raised in Montreal, she launched her solo career with the single, “Tell Somebody,” from her 1988 debut of the same name, garnering national acclaim and Canada’s JUNO Award for Most Promising Female Vocalist. Throughout her career, she’s earned three more nominations for Best Female Vocalist thanks to albums like Racine (1992), Rats (1994), Present (1997), Hot Gossip (2000), Get What You Give (2006), From Dusk Til Dawn (2009) and her side project S.U.N.’;s album, Something Unto Nothing (2011) — along with singles like “Make You A Believer,” “You Don’t Have to Remind Me,” “Sun’s Gonna Rise” and 1992’s “Trust in Me,” a duet with Joe Cocker from the record-selling Bodyguard soundtrack.

    Jordan starred in the off-Broadway Janis Joplin show, “Love Janis,” performed “The Vagina Monologues” in Winnipeg and Toronto, toured the world with “A Bowie Celebration,” guest-starred on NBC-TV’s “Sisters,” weighed in as the only female judge on “Canadian Idol” for all six seasons beginning in 2003, and branded her own line of wine, Kick Ass Sass Wine.

    In 2017, she released Racine Revisited, recreating her sophomore album with an all-star cast for its 25th anniversary, and celebrated the same milestone for Rats in 2020 with a colored-vinyl reissue. With Bitches Blues, Sass returns to a genre that’s long been ingrained in her grasp since the start. “There’s been an undercurrent of blues throughout my whole career - the music that I have mostly been drawn to has always had that gritty, rootsy vein running through it, and that’s why I’m enjoying making these records so much.”

    As such, anticipate piercingly fierce guitar licks and defiantly driving tempos alongside Sass’ soulful signature rasp and the full backing of a glorious assortment of rambling road dogs, the Champagne Hookers — guitarists Chris Caddell and Jimmy Reid, drummer Cass Pereira,
    keyboardist Jesse O’Brien and Steve Marriner on bass and harmonica. Bitches Blues is available June 3 via Stony Plain Records.

    Bitches Blues -Tracklisting
    “Still Alive and Well”
    “Chevrolet”
    “Even”
    “Still The World Goes Round”
    “You Gotta Move”
    “Sailin’ Shoes”
    “Ain’t No Big Deal On You”
    “Change Is Coming”

    TOUR DATES
    04 JUN 2022 WEERT, NDL BOSUIL
    06 JUN 2022 RAALTE, NDL RIBS & BLUES FEST
    08 JUN 2022 HOORN, NDL MANIFESTO
    09 JUN 2022 BREDA, NDL MEZZ
    10 JUN 2022 AMSTELVEEN, NDL P60
    11 JUN 2022 DRACHTEN, NDL IDUNA
    12 JUN 2022 ARNHEM, NDL LUXOR LIVE
    22 JUN 2022 ST. JOHN'S, NF ICEBERG ALLEY
    21 OCT 2022 ANCASTER, ON ANCASTER MEMORIAL ARTS CENTRE
    22 OCT 2022 BUFFALO, NY SHOWPLACE THEATRE

  • Sass Jordan Talks Blues, Booze, and Bowie

    Posted March 2020

     

    sass jordan5 CropIn the first year of Boomerocity, I had the privilege of interviewing an extremely talented artist from Canada, Sass Jordan. She was so much fun to interview, that I just knew that I would be interviewing her a lot more in the future. However, that didn’t happen.

    What the heck happened? Was it something I said?

    I recently got to interview her for the long-coveted second time and it was more fun than it was all those years ago. Incredibly talented. Vivacious. Funny. Smart. Perennially beautiful. All the things that Sass has been known for her entire career. It’s tempting to repeat what all she’s accomplished in that career. However, I do encourage you to read what I originally wrote about her in my first interview with her, here.

    One thing I will say about Sass from the git-go is that she loves to laugh and her laugh is infectious. If we all could learn to laugh as much, as hard, as heartfelt, and as often as she does, we’d all be happier and the world would be a much better and brighter place.

    Because Sass has a new album out entitled “Rebel Moon Blues” (and let me tell you: It’s un-friggin’-believable! Order it now if you haven’t already. It’s a phenomenal disc!), I scheduled a call to chat with her about it. I called Ms. Jordan at her home in a little village outside of Toronto. Her exuberance was immediately evident.

    “I'm in Toronto under five tons of snow. But the good news is in one day I'm going to Barbados and I cannot wait! Oh, my God. I can't wait. I'm like, over this! Wow! I don't exactly live in the town. I make it like a thing to not live in cities anymore. Ha! Ha!

    “I live in a village north of there. If I said the village, nobody about it. It's close enough to Toronto. You know what I mean? When I fly in and out, it's always from the Toronto airport.”

    We dove right into discussing her new album with me asking if I counted correctly that “Moon” is her eighth album to date.

    “I have no idea! Ha! Ha! I guess I need to look at my catalog and count. I'm not kidding. I don't know. Yeah. Maybe that could be right. That's it. Who cares? It doesn't even matter, does it? It doesn't even matter. It certainly means nothing to me. I don't give a crrrrap one way or the other! But, yeah, t's the most recent and for some reason, it really seems to be hitting a nerve with people are just getting the most wonderful feedback from them and making me very, very happy. I had so much fun making it. You know, we made it last June - almost a year ago!

    “It was supposed to come out in September. Then it was October. Then it was November. Then, it was like, forget about it! Maybe next year! It was one of those. So now it's finally coming out in March. And all the people that have been getting it to review or what have you - or interviews - it's just such a powerfully positive response!

    “One of the main things I'm hearing is, ‘Why didn't you do this earlier?’ To which I reply, 'I just didn't.' I didn't think of it. It never occurred to me. And then somebody asked me to do it and I told them to go sit in the field because I wasn't having any part of making a blues record. Like, what do I know about that? And then, these things happened and I - and Derrick, who produced it, said to me, 'Why would you not want to sing a song like Still Got The Blues by Gary Moore? It sounds like a song you would've sung or written anyway.’ I could not argue with that in any way shape. Not to say that I could write such a great song, but I'm just saying it's definitely not a far reach from what I really do right now.

    “Then it was like, okay, so let's get into stuff that I used to listen to. For example, Leaving Trunk by Taj Mahal. When I was 13 years old, I had that Taj Mahal record on repeat. I just played it over and over. I'd turn it over because it was vinyl. Play it over. I turned it over. That's what I did with all my favorite records, including the Bowie stuff - like Ziggy Stardust and all that. This music just found its way into my blood and into my bones and into my cellular memory. And, so, it completely makes sense that, now, 50 or 40 or how many ever years because I can't count. Now that it had this time to sink in or, you know, age like a fine wine, now I'm ready for it to come out of me as a celebration again. Everything I do now - this is my promise to me - is I don't do stuff if I don't really love it and enjoy it and have fun with it and feel uplifted by it and feel like I am expressing the highest part of me. I don't do it anymore unless that's what's happening. And it really made me feel that way. I'm so, so happy that I've had the opportunity to do this and I intend to do more of it.”

    sass jordan6That opened the door to delve into the blues and the state of the blues today. I mentioned that the genre is experiencing a good, strong resurgence wherein people are really appreciating it. I reiterated to Sass that we need people like her who know how to deliver blues. That all said, we also are seeing a deluge of blues being released that is “smooth” – which, while it, too, sounds great, it’s not what the blues was intended to sound like. So, for Sass to have an album like this come out, it’s refreshing. It has the grit and the grind in it to where you can almost smell the whiskey; you can practically hear the creak of the floors in a chitlin joint somewhere. It just the way blues should be played and that's how Sass delivers it in ‘Rebel Moon Blues’.

    When I said all of that to Ms. Jordan, I capped it all off by asking her which song from the disc she would point to as the calling card for the entire album. She replied:

    “First of all, just let me say thank you for what you just said. Because, wow! You SO hit the needle on the head. I’ve heard some stuff from an artist who is enormously well respected and excellent, by the way, at what they do. And they're a blues artist and they've won tons of awards etc., etc., etc.. I was peripherally aware of them. I didn't actually really know who it was but it was mentioned in an article with me that somebody sent and I saw this artist and I was like, ‘Oh, my God, wicked! Let me go look this up. This sounds like this must be really cool!’

    “I found it on YouTube and played it. And although it was really well done, it was exactly what you just said: too clean. It didn't sound like the blues to me, you know? Even though this is a highly respected blues artist, it was clinical, almost. It was the antithesis of what I would consider to be the blues. It's the other thing that you just mentioned that I want to say something about as well. as he was saying that it seems like the blues is having a renaissance in this time and I would say that's actually probably true because people are tired of the bullshit and sick of the complicated, lying, fake nonsense in the news, in music everywhere. And to go back to something so simple and so pure and that taps directly into an emotional state, I think that that's what the appeal of it is.

    “As far as what song on this record, I would consider to be the calling card for this record. I don't really know because each sass jordan live1song - I think you can use any of them, to be honest. But I really don't think one of them was a miss and that's the first time I've felt like that about a record I've made in a long time. Actually, ever.

    Sass Jordan: It's not predicated on image as stuff that's more contemporary now. It's not that all of it's bad. There's a lot of good stuff that's coming out now, as well, as far as I'm concerned, in a newer type of music - hybrid stuff. There's a lot of great stuff out there. It's not all bad. Under no circumstances would I say that. But there's just such a preponderance of this fake news type news. Like it's fake people, fake freak sounds, fake instruments; too paint-by-the-numbers. It's just like, oh, enough already. I was just adding on to what you said there, I guess, you know, but I also wanted to just make the point that I don't think everything is terrible at all. There's a lot of good stuff and a lot of honest, real artists, as well. Blues and non-blues. We can't paint everything with the same brush.”

    In the course of our meandering, music-themed chatter, Sass threw this little aside into the mix:

    “The person I want to work with - but I don't think - I don't even know what the heck they're doing now, and it has nothing to do with any of the kind of music we've been talking about. The person that I would really love to work is D'Angelo. I have no connection that I know of directly into that world, but I would love to do some musical stylings and stuff in that way. I just loved that music. Love, love, love, LOVE!”

    Circling back around to Sass’s new CD, I asked how long it took to make it.

    “Well, really, to record it and everything, it was like three days - four days. There was there was really no overdubbing that happened at all except maybe just one word here. Like I hadn't been close enough to the mic or something, but we just did it live so it was like, boom, boom. And it's my live band that I use, Champagne Hookers. So, we're all on the same page, basically.”

    As for a tour to support it, Sass told me:

    sass jordan4“Absolutely! The first dates that I've got coming up are in May or the beginning of June in the Netherlands. I've got a string of dates in the Netherlands. And, right now, the agents and the management peeps are working on as much as they can, trying to find a blues festival and stuff like that that we can be a part of this time, because, you know, this is gonna stretch on for a couple of years. This is like the very beginning of it all because the record isn't coming out until the 13th of March.

    “When Mike Garson asked me to do this Bowie Celebration thing, I thought, ‘What the heck? Why the heck not? You know, I love Bowie and I adore Mike.’ And you know this will get me into some markets, albeit not doing my own music, but at least showing up so that some people know I'm alive and into to some markets that I haven't been in for 20 years. So, it makes sense, you know, in every way.”

    Then, Ms. Jordan came out of left-field and hit me with this . . . well, “shot”:

    “Well, you know, I have a whiskey coming out. I'm not kidding. I got a whiskey coming out! You'll never believe what it's called: Rebel Moon Whiskey! Ha! Ha! Oh yeah. I'm super excited about that too. It just makes all the sense in the world. And it's funny how it all happened at the same time.”

    I asked Sass about her participation in the Bowie Celebration Tour.

    “It's Mike Garson's thing. Mike Garson played with Bowie for like 40 years. He was in so many of his bands. He was like the one stalwart member that remained throughout most of Bowie's bands. Bowie maybe had a couple of bands without him. His piano playing is such a signature sound on so much of my favorite Bowie stuff when I was 13 rocking out in the living room with my girlfriend, Vickie, parents’ living room. Vickie and I listening to David Live from the Tower Theater in Philadelphia. We knew every single note on that record and it was Mike Garson on keyboards. At 13 years old my first concert I ever saw in my entire life? Diamond Dogs by David Bowie! The opening band was the Edgar Winter Group. Crazy!

    "Anyways, so, what happens is, when they do this show, it's all alumni from different bands that Bowie had over the years - all people that played in them at some point or another, except for the singers, obviously, because he was the singer. The singers are the only ones that were not in Bowie's bands, per se. Some of them might have sung with him. I don't know. So, whenever they go into a new market, they'll often ask somebody who is from that market to come up and do a couple of songs with them as a guest.

    “So, when they were in Toronto. Bernard Fowler was singing with them. And it's Bernard who said to Mike, 'We should get sass jordan live0Sass to come down and do a couple of songs.' It's because of Bernard. Bernard's the one that got me in. For the past two years, when they came to Toronto, they asked me to come and sing a couple of songs with them, which I did, and that was the end of that. I never even thought about it for two more seconds. It was a big thing for me because I loved Bowie and I still do. So, getting to perform some of those songs, it never occurred to me to do any of the songs in my show. You know what I mean? Because, why? But anyways, 'Why not?' is another good question. It just never came up. So, I got to do the songs with these people and it was wonderful.

    “Then, out of the blue, about three months ago, Mike called me and said, 'Sass, we're doing this five-and-a-half-week tour in the states and Canada in March-April and I'd love you to do it with us.' I'm, like, 'What?' I said, 'I really don't know. I don't know if I can do that' You know, 5 1/2 weeks, that's a long time to commit yourself to something that isn't necessarily your thing. 'Okay. Let me see.'

    Anyway, when I found out that the record was coming out March the 13th, I didn't have any other shows booked up until then. Everything just sort of fell into place like it was meant to happen. It just flowed. I said, ‘Sure. I guess I will do it.’ And then at the very last minute, about two weeks before, Mike, calls me and goes, 'Sass, one of the guys that was supposed to be doing Europe and Israel with us has dropped out. They can't do it. Can you do it?' And I'm like are you ****ing kidding me? Like, thanks for the warning. Thanks for the notice, bro!’ But I couldn't say no. Well, I love playing in Europe and I've never been to Israel so, what the heck! Let's go! But it was, oh my god, it was a relentless, intense experience. REALLY intense.

    “But what's so spectacular for me about doing this show is the audiences freak out! (Singing a line from Bowie's 'Moonage Daydream') 'Freak out in a moonage daydream, oh yeah!' They freak out and it is absolutely mind-blowing. It really is and it's just so overwhelmingly moving and touching and it happens every single night, which is a testament to the power of music and his music in particular.

    sass jordan live4“I tell you, it's like you see people of all ages, not just older people my age, that you would think are the ones that know his stuff. No! Like people of all ages and crying, singing every word, dancing, flipping out. It's just intense. Awesome!

    Wrapping up our chat, I asked Sass what she hoped her legacy would be and how she wants to be remembered when she steps off the tour bus of life

    “Well, there's funny saying - and thank you for asking: I don't care. I literally do not care because I won't be here! Anyone and everyone is invited to think or talk or forget about me. I absolutely, 100% just don't care! I won't be here. It's irrelevant to me in every way. It's like, you know. It's like if I manage to amass a fortune by that time, I'd like to leave it to whatever organization or charity that I choose closest to when I make that transition. But other than that, who gives a poop? I don't!

    “I thought about it. I thought about it, too, because, you know, I have been asked stuff like that before. You just think about it, as in your life, you think about it. But I think I don't believe personally much in death, which is a weird thing to say. What I'm saying is it's like you don't die. Your body does. But you go on. I've got no doubt about that. I'm more interested in the adventures I'm gonna be getting into in the future rather than what happens in the past because it's all subjective, anyway. It's somebody else's opinion.”

    Then, with that infectious laugh, she concludes: “It's me pontificating yet again. I appreciate the question.”

    Keep up with all the latest with Sass Jordan at her website, SassJordan.com.

Latest from Bob Gruen's Studio

You’ve seen Bob Gruen’s work in galleries, books, and on the official John Lennon stamp by the U.S. Post Office. You can now see some of his choice work each month here on Boomerocity.com!

Elvis Costello 1977

Elvis Costello 1977

  About Bob Gruen Baby boomers have seen and admired the work of Bob Gruen…
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