Legendary guitarist Elvin Bishop has returned with a brand-new live CD called Live on the Legendary Blues Cruise, featuring performances by many of Bishop’s friends including John Nemeth, Finis Tasby, Kid Anderson, and Terry Hanck. Icon Fetch talks with the Oklahoma native about what it’s like playing this cruise year after year and gives us background on each member of his “Raisin’ Hell Revue.” Plus, we discuss his early days in the Paul Butterfield Blues Band, and the story behind his smash hit from 1976, “Fooled Around and Fell in Love.”
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#96 – Calhoun – Heavy Sugar
The Fort-Worth band Calhoun has just released their third album called Heavy Sugar. It’s an appropriate title for a CD filled with shimmering melodies that linger long after you’re done playing the album. Icon Fetch talks with both vocalist / guitarist Tim Locke and guitarist / keyboardist Jordan Roberts about how the band actually broke up for a while, the reformed. We also find out what is was like working with James Barber, who’s recently produced Ryan Adams, and how they feel about fans being able to pick and choose their songs on iTunes.
#95 – Peter Parcek – Pledging My Time
Peter Parcek was nominated for “Best New Artist” at this year’s Blues Music Awards. He’s returned with a brand-new 4-song EP of Bob Dylan interpretations called Pledging My Time. We talk to the New England guitarist about choosing which Dylan songs to cover, the sparse production of the album, and the unique “Name Your Price” approach he took to distributing his new music.
#94 – Carmine Appice – King Kobra
Carmine Appice, with his heavy-hitting style and showmanship, set the standard for rock drumming. His first taste of success came with the proto-metal band Vanilla Fudge and their 1967 Supremes’ reworking “You Keep Me Hanging’ On.” He’s since played with a wide array of artists, including Jeff Beck, Rod Stewart, Ted Nugent and Rick Derringer. In the mid-Eighties he fronted a hard rock band, King Kobra, that received heavy airplay on MTV, before calling it quits at the end of the decade. Now, they are back with a new record simply titled King Kobra. Icon Fetch talks with the influential drummer about the reunion of King Kobra, why he began hitting the drums so hard, and the early days of Vanilla Fudge.
#93 – Peter Zaremba of the Fleshtones – Brooklyn Sound Solution
The Fleshtones have been spreading their brand of SUPER ROCK to the four corners of the universe for over 35 years now. They’ve just released a brand new album called Brooklyn Sound Solution – a collaboration with equally legendary guitarist Lenny Kaye. Icon Fetch talks with singer / organist Peter Zaremba about the project, recording with the great Ivan Julian, and we also touch on his days as host of the MTV show IRS’s the Cutting Edge.
#92 – Ernie Rideout – Keyboard Presents: Synth Gods
Ernie Rideout, the former editor for Keyboard magazine, has just put together a new book, Keyboard Presents: Synth Gods, which profiles 20 of the most influential keyboard pioneers in music. From the early inventions of Robert Moog to the trailblazing sounds of Brian Eno, Rideout shows how each artist would take the ideas from the past and give them their own personal touch. Icon Fetch talks to the author about meeting many of the musicians in the book, including getting to hang out and play basketball with the reclusive Prince.
#91 – Curt Kirkwood of Meat Puppets – Lollipop
Veterans of the underground, the Meat Puppets scored a rok radio hit in 1995 with “Backwater.” They were also prominently featured in Nirvana’s MTV Unplugged, with Kurt Cobain and company performing three of their songs from Meat Puppets II. Now, they are back with a brand-new CD called Lollipop. Icon Fetch had a chance to catch up with singer / guitarist Curt Kirkwood about the spontaneous recording process, how they got hooked up with Nirvana, and the surprise success the band received following the death of Cobain.
#90 – David Lemieux of the Grateful Dead – Europe ’72
David Lemieux is the official audio and video tape archivist for the Grateful Dead. He’s overseen countless live CD and DVD releases since 1999, when he took over the position after the passing of Dick Latvala, the original Dead archivist. He also hosts a daily segment called Today in Grateful Dead History on Siruius/XM radio. Lemieux chats with Icon Fetch about the band’s most ambitious project yet, Europe ’72 – The Complete Recordings, a SEVENTY TWO disc box set chronicling what many believe to be the Grateful Dead’s finest tour. He also talks about how he came to be in charge of these most-hallowed recordings, and how much is really left unheard in the vaults.
#89 – Damon Johnson – Release
Guitarist Damon Johnson fronted Brother Cane, who were a staple on rock radio in the mid Nineties with tracks like “Got No Shame,” and “And Fools Shine On.” Since the band’s breakup in 1998, Johnson has concentrated on various projects, including playing guitar in Alice Cooper’s band, as well as the hard rock outfit Slave to the System and country band Whiskey Falls. He’s also co-written hit songs for Stevie Nicks and Santana featuring Steven Tyler. Now, he’s recently released his second solo record called Release. Icon Fetch talks with the Alabama native about Brother Cane’s success, singing with his daughter on his new album, and watching Stevie Nicks sing his song on national television.
#88 – Glen Phillips – Toad the Wet Sprocket
Singer / guitarist Glen Phillips led Toad the Wet Sprocket through five albums throughout the Nineties. Starting out on the underground college radio scene, the band would eventually score hit singles like “All I Want,” “Walk on the Ocean,” and “Good Intentions.” After the band called it quits at the end of the decade, Phillips would embark on a solo career that would see him tackle many different styles. Icon Fetch talks to the Toad frontman about the reunion of his old band, the strange Top 40 success they had, and re-recording their old hits to reclaim their catalog.