Concert Review: Dave Mason

Review of Dave Mason, Granada Theatre, Santa Barbara, 3/9/13.

Interview: Micky Dolenz

Micky Dolenz is best known as the lead singer and drummer for The Monkees, a group whose music and television show offered a fun, zany, and sanitized take on the emerging youth culture in the 1960′s. Although the television show lasted only two years, it has remained popular and influential to the present day. Dolenz’ vocals can be heard on songs such as “Last Train to Clarksville”, “I’m A Believer”, “(I’m Not Your) Steppin’ Stone”, “Pleasant Valley Sunday”, and “Porpoise Song”. Altogether, four of The Monkees’ albums and three of their singles hit Number 1 in the U.S. charts.

The following is from a phone interview with Dolenz on 7/5/12, for a preview article for the Happy Together Tour visit to the Chumash Casino on 7/12/12.

Interview: Greg Lake

Greg Lake first made his mark as a founding member of King Crimson, for which he was lead singer and bass player. During Lake’s tenure, King Crimson released their debut album In the Court of the Crimson King, which is regularly hailed as one of the pioneering works of progressive rock, and included “21st Century Schizoid Man” and the title track. When this original line-up broke up, Lake joined with Keith Emerson and Carl Palmer to form the prog rock supergroup Emerson, Lake & Palmer (often abbreviated ELP), which became one of top bands in the genre. ELP’s albums included Tarkus and Brain Salad Surgery, and their best known songs include “Lucky Man”, “From The Beginning”, and “Karn Evil 9″, all of which were written or co-written by Lake. ELP broke up in 1978, but reunited in the 1990′s and beyond, most recently for a one-off 40th anniversary concert in London in 2010.

Lake is currently on a solo tour called “Songs of a Lifetime”, in which he performs songs and tells stories about his life in music. The following interview took place on 4/24/12 as Lake was on his way to a gig in Alexandria, Virginia, and served as the basis for a preview article for his 5/17/12 concert in Ventura, California.

Photo: Lee Millward

Interview: Jack Casady

Jack Casady played bass guitar for the Sixties band Jefferson Airplane, which is best known for the hits “Somebody To Love” and “White Rabbit”. Their albums Surrealistic Pillow, After Bathing At Baxter’s, Crown of Creation, and Volunteers are amongst the best of the psychedelic rock genre. Casady also played on “Voodoo Chile” with Jimi Hendrix, and “Song With No Words (Tree With No Leaves)” from David Crosby’s first solo album. As the Sixties wound down, Casady and Jefferson Airplane lead guitarist Jorma Kaukonen’s attention shifted to their new band Hot Tuna, which focused on acoustic and electric folk- and blues-based music. (L. Paul Mann photo)

Photos: Experience Hendrix

Photos of Experience Hendrix concert, Arlington Theatre, Santa Barbara on 3/4/10. (L. Paul Mann photos)

Here is a link to my review of this concert.

Concert Review: Experience Hendrix

Review of Experience Hendrix concert at Arlington Theatre, Santa Barbara on 3/4/10.

You’ve got email, from Dick Dale

I emailed Dick Dale the link to my review of his concert at the Ventrua Majestic Theater on 6/14/09. Here is his response, by email:

Advice From Musicians

Songwriters and musicians answer the question: What advice would you give to an aspiring songwriter/musician? Responses from:

Pete Seeger
Sir George Martin
Steve Reich
Jeff Barry
David Crosby
Graham Nash
Fats Domino
Willie Nelson
George Clinton
Wanda Jackson
Ian Anderson
Jon Anderson
Jeff Mangum
Greg Lake
Geoff Emerick
Bonnie Bramlett
Chuck D
Eddie Izzard
Rickie Lee Jones
Todd Rundgren
Alan Parsons
Laurie Anderson
Glen Matlock
Danny Seraphine
Clem Burke
Stephen Perkins
Holly Near
Will Jennings
Kinky Friedman
Yanni
Mark Volman
Howard Kaylan
Richie Furay
Ted Nugent
Billy Corgan
Peter Buck
Bryan Adams
Maceo Parker
“Weird Al” Yankovic
Billy Duffy
Chris Shiflett
Kronos Quartet: David Harrington, John Sherba, Hank Dutt
Abdul “Duke” Fakir
Annie Haslam
David “Honeyboy” Edwards
Jimmy Carter
Ray Manzarek
John Densmore
Paul Kantner
Jorma Kaukonen
Jack Casady
Martin Gore
John McEuen
Fred Tackett
Steve Hillage
Robben Ford
Hale Milgrim
Bones Howe
Don Randi
Bob Cowsill
John Cowsill
David Pack
David Lindley
Rosemary Butler
Tata Vega
T-Bone Burnett
Johnny Rivers
Gary Brooker
Robin Trower
Garland Jeffreys
Airto Moreira
Seun Kuti
June Millington
Jean Millington
Jake Shimabukuro
Country Joe McDonald
Jonathan Richman
Van Dyke Parks
Steve Wynn
Steve Diggle
Pete Shelley
Andy Shernoff
James Stevenson
Gary Twinn
Tony Kaye
Glen Phillips
Larry Ramos
Jim Yester
Gary Lucas
Charlie Musselwhite
Carl Giammarese
Carl Graves
Martha High
Steve Vai
Thurston Moore
Bob Mould
Lou Barlow
Cris Kirkwood
Mike Watt
Will Oldham
Bill Callahan
Buzz Osborne
Dale Crover
Jim Heath
Neil Hagerty
Bob Bert
Don Fleming
Jason Lytle
Parry Gripp
Jonathan Wilson
Ritzy Bryan
Kim Manning
Linnea Vedder
James Jackson Toth
John Doe
Dave Alvin
Henry Rollins
Victor Krummenacher
David Lowery
Jonathan Segel
Greg Lisher
Jack Grisham
Ron Emory
Rick Wilder
Scott Franklin
Michael Livingston
Paul Mars
Michael Andrews
Joey Burns
Dallas Good
Michael Chapman
Russell Ferrante
Jimmy Haslip
Eddie Tuduri
Brute Force
Mark Tulin
Ian Underwood
Billy Cox
Jim Kweskin
Geoff Muldaur
Will Cullen Hart
Scott Spillane
Julian Koster
Bert Lams
Paul Richards
John Kadlecik
Seymour Duncan
Daniel Levitin
David Freiberg
Steve Young
Justin Roberts
Taylor Goldsmith
Nolan Wheeler
Charles Bradley
Thomas Brenneck
Mike Deller
Larkin Grimm
Jason Reeves
Buddy Miller
Black Francis
Alex Ebert
Al Kooper
Jeff Hanneman
Ira Kaplan