Copper
Disciples of sound
Deko Entertainment: Moving Rock's Legacy Forwar...
When Gene Simmons of the band KISS said that “Rock is dead” in 2014, it sent shock waves throughout the industry. He later clarified his comments by saying that new...
Deko Entertainment: Moving Rock's Legacy Forward
When Gene Simmons of the band KISS said that “Rock is dead” in 2014, it sent shock waves throughout the industry. He later clarified his comments by saying that new...
Juliana Hatfield Sings ELO: Illuminating the Mu...
Five years ago, singer/songwriter Juliana Hatfield embarked on a project that she had thought would be a one-off. She did a tribute record, covering the music of Olivia Newton-John. After...
Monster Mike Welch: Playing the Blues With Noth...
If at the age of 13, you are so good at guitar that actor/”Blues Brother” Dan Aykroyd gives you the nickname “Monster Mike,” it must mean that musical fame is...
The Midnight Callers: A New York City Call to Rock
If Steve Van Zandt didn’t have his own record label you would swear that he was directly involved in curating Jem Records’ current roster of artists. All of them present...
Singer/Songwriter Parker Millsap Explores the W...
With all the attention given to the legacy of Elvis Presley over the last few years, it’s no surprise that some of that has spilled over to artists who in...
Ivan Neville: Carrying on the Family Musical Torch
It’s safe to say that the Nevilles are probably New Orleans’ first family of music. Art “Poppa Funk” Neville was vocalist and keyboardist with the Meters, the seminal New Orleans...
Eric D. Johnson of Fruit Bats: Pushing the Musi...
I recently received a CD in the mail from an established artist who wanted me to review it for another outlet I contribute to. What struck me as I popped...
Kenny Wayne Shepherd: Revisiting His Landmark B...
The most impactful blues artists have always been able to transcend the genre by seamlessly ushering in outside influences that add colors and texture to a foundation that is timeless...
NRBQ: Not Playing Around With Tiddlywinks
NRBQ has always been a band that rock insiders considered to be the best in the game. Founded in 1966 as the New Rhythm and Blues Quartet, they have had...
An Interview with Kelly Hansen of Foreigner: Fe...
Foreigner burst onto the rock scene in 1976 with songs and a sound that were unlike anything else. There was an energy to the music and a depth of production...
Ryan Hamilton: A Wicked Cool Rocker
When Huey Lewis and The News sang “the heart of rock n roll is still beating” back in 1984, rock was arguably in its strongest position ever. FM rock radio...
The Cowsills: The Family That Plays Together, S...
Few bands became part of the fabric of American music more quickly than The Cowsills. Discovered in their home town of Newport, Rhode Island in 1967 by a producer for...
Eric Gales: A Blues Guitar Force of Nature
The only people who don’t think being nominated for a Grammy is still a big deal are those not being nominated for a Grammy. This is particularly true when you...
John Lodge: Days of Future Passed and Present
When the Moody Blues released their follow-up to their 1965 debut album, the cover song-centric The Magnificent Moodies (released in the US as Go Now – The Moody Blues #1),...
Glen Phillips of Toad the Wet Sprocket: There I...
When Toad The Wet Sprocket released their 1994 masterpiece, Dulcinea, the band’s front man and songwriter Glen Phillips was considered to be one of those voices that would carry rock...
Dave Mason: Timeless Music in a World of Changes
One of the first albums that my older brother Brian handed down to me was Dave Mason’s 1970 solo debut, Alone Together. It was a remarkable record both musically and...
Steven Page (Formerly of Barenaked Ladies): Soa...
Barenaked Ladies (BNL) is a Canadian rock band that helped define the 1990s. As a rock outfit they found a way to marry musicianship and humor in a manner that...
Simple Minds’ Jim Kerr: Following the Direction...
Some music sounds as fresh today as it did the moment it was first released. This has always been the case with Simple Minds. Their sound has always had muscle...
David Libert: A Rock and Roll Warrior Tells All...
When it comes to rock and roll excess, tales from the rock tours of the 1970s rarely disappoint. It was an era defined as much by the music and live...
Collective Soul: Rocking On With Limitless Passion
Collective Soul burst on to the rock scene in 1993 with the single “Shine” from their debut album Hints Allegations and Things Left Unsaid. It was a remarkable record from...
Duncan Sheik: From Barely Breathing to Broadway...
Some of the most interesting paths in music (and in life for that matter) come with winding turns and heading into peaks and valleys. Few know that better than Duncan...
Tommy Emmanuel: Casting a Spell on Guitar
When guitar great Chet Atkins names you as one of only five guitarists he considers a “Certified Guitar Player,” you know that you have reached the top of your game....
The Harlequins: A Cincinnati Band Has Plenty to...
In 1984, On July 4th weekend, Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band made their second stop on the “Born in the U.S.A.” tour. It had begun with three dates...
Richie Furay: Buffalo Springfield and Poco Foun...
In the promotional trailer for the forthcoming documentary on the life of musician Richie Furay, narrator Cameron Crowe says, “unlike his bandmates and those he influenced who attained international stardom...
A Visit to Legendary Jazz Club Arthur’s Tavern
Arthur’s Tavern is one of those New York City gems that have always been among the city’s best-kept secrets. It opened in 1937 as a speakeasy just after the end of...
The Zombies: As Alive as Ever
In 2019 when the Zombies took the stage at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame to accept their induction and then perform a few of their biggest hits, they did so with an absolute joy that...
Styx: 50 Years and Still Going Strong
Last summer rock legends Styx came to Connecticut and headlined on a bill with REO Speedwagon, and opened a brand-new venue, the Hartford HealthCare Amphitheater in Bridgeport. It was a popular pairing...
The Muffs’ Ronnie Barnett: Really Really Happy ...
You probably know the Muffs from their 1995 cover of the song “Kids in America,” originally done by Kim Wilde in 1982. It added a bit of roar to the Clueless soundtrack,...
Jack Tempchin: Songwriter to the Stars
There are a thousand reasons why Jack Tempchin is in the Songwriters Hall of Fame. Of course, some of these reasons are tied to the timeless tunes he has written...
Like a Picasso: Bonnie Pointer’s Lost Album, Re...
The Pointer Sisters were a musical force of nature. Across 20 years beginning in the 1970s they released fifteen albums, delivered 13 top twenty hits, and won three Grammys. Songs...
The Handcuffs: This Band Just Might Save Rock A...
The lead single off of The Kinks’ 1978 album Misfits was “Rock ‘N’ Roll Fantasy.” In the song Ray Davies sings, “The King is dead, rock is done. You might be through,...
Still Got the Knack: Rock Bassist Prescott Niles
The Knack officially arrived on the scene in June of 1979 and set the music world on fire with their mesmerizing rocker “My Sharona.” It was Capitol Records’ fastest Gold record debut...
Ann Wilson: From Heart to Fierce Bliss
It is sometimes rare to find established artists who have something new to say, something new to prove, or some new creative impulse they simply have to share. Ann Wilson...
The Beatles and India: the Documentary
This year The Beatles: Get Back documentary caught the eye of even casual fans. Over last year’s holiday break I found myself interrupting so many people who were watching it...
Duke Robillard: Rhythm and Blues Master
The Rhode Island blues scene has been remarkably vibrant for decades, with a rich history rooted in jazz, folk, and swing. At the center of that modern day universe is...
Gideon King & City Blog: Fusing Rock, Jazz,...
Rock’s great guitarists have often been renaissance men; artists who allow their creative spirit to be expressed across a variety of platforms and endeavors. Jeff Beck and the late Danny...
Eddie Berman: Broken English Puts it All Together
When Van Morrison released Veedon Fleece in 1974 he introduced the world to something quite new. Fresh off his divorce from first wife Janet Rigsbee and onto a new relationship with fiancé...
Marshall Crenshaw: Songwriting Mastery Revisite...
Marshall Crenshaw’s career began in perhaps the most poetic of fashion – he played John Lennon in the Broadway musical Beatlemania. From there his career was propelled with a steady stream of...
Hollis Brown’s In the Aftermath: A New Take on...
My friend Ed and I have talked often about how the Rolling Stones have been able to tour for almost fifty years largely on the backs of four albums: Exile on...
Richrath Project 3:13: Bringing Back REO Speedw...
For some time now I’ve felt that Gary Richrath has been largely overlooked by the rock guitar universe for the contributions he made to modern music. As a founding member...
The Case of the Return of NRBQ
I first caught “the Q” in college on a whim. It was a last-minute thing in 1987 and my buddy Matt who was from Hartford was a rabid fan. He...
Joe Grushecky: Still Rocking the House
Pittsburgh’s own Joe Grushecky is one of the most genuine, authentic artists in rock and roll. He is also arguably the most honest. Grushecky first became known in the late...
Al Staehely: Spirit and the Letter of the Law
In rock and roll you always take the wins where you find them. Al Staehely is the only person who has both played Carnegie Hall and provided legal services for...
Dar Williams: Writing Songs That Matter
The folk community is quite a bit like the jazz world. You earn respect over time and across a strong body of work. For Dar Williams, the path from debut...
Joshua Radin, The Ghost And The Wall: No Bounda...
Singer-songwriter Joshua Radin has recently released “Goodbye,” a single from his new record The Ghost And The Wall, which came out on July 23. This gold-selling singer-songwriter’s ninth studio album explores the...
The Immediate Family: Studio Legends, Together ...
Back in the 1980s when I was a teenager, I spent countless nights with headphones on, playing the music of artists like Jackson Browne, James Taylor, and Warren Zevon. While...
The Allman Brothers and the Making of the 50th ...
When Jaimoe, one of the last surviving original members of the Allman Brothers Band reached out to his former bandmates early last year, no one could possibly have imagined how...
The Montreux Years: Documenting The Legendary J...
The Montreux Jazz Festival has been home to some of modern music’s most memorable live performances. Across its fifty-year history, what has really set the festival apart has been its commitment to...
Marc Ribler: Musical Director and Solo Artist E...
The late Joe Guercio was the musical director and conductor for Elvis Presley from the summer of 1970 until the summer of 1977 when Elvis made his last concert appearance....