Howie Mandel – Expect the Unexpected
Expect the unexpected when Howie Mandel performs live. No one knows what’s going to happen – not even Howie.
Mandel’s unique style of comedy touches a chord with his audience, because he gives his listeners a chance to get a little bit closer to the child inside. He brings us down that road where playfulness and pranks rein supreme, where it’s ok to laugh, even if it’s at ourselves.
“I finally found a place for this humor, this kind of behavior,” he said. “What I once got expelled for, hit for, punished for, I now get paid for.” Taking the stage for Mandel appears effortless. It is-and it isn’t.
While some performers admit to having the jitters before coming out on stage, Mandel said that it’s just part of the ride.
“I love being on stage. The spotlight is like sunshine, it’s where I’m most comfortable.”
Roger McGuinn: Artist, Guitarist and Techie
Roger McGuinn is a bit of a paradox. It’s a rare occurrence when art and technology find a home in one heart, but here it dwells.
The front man, the guitarist, the folk rocker, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee, is best known for being a member of the Byrds, back in the day. Today, as a solo artist, McGuinn is on the road a lot. However, he is not touring solo. His wife Camilla and he are very much partnered on this venture.
One has only to read her blogs to feel a part of this journey. Camilla has blogged their adventures and the people they tour with, as well as strangers met along the way. Her descriptions of the places they go are very much postcards from the road. McGuinn likens it to the On the Road segments with Charles Kuralt.
“We always liked Charles Kuralt. He made it romantic and fun to travel the back roads of America. We prefer to be on the road …it’s more fun, there’s room service, maid service…at home it’s a lot of work.”
Continue reading Roger McGuinn: Artist, Guitarist and Techie…
Lindsey Buckingham – Still Looking Forward
Lindsey Buckingham isn’t looking back too much these days. It could be because the future for him is now.
In the last ten years, he’s married, started a family, and birthed a new album that is as intimate and personal a portrait as any artist may dare to venture.
But for him, taking risks may be his proverbial fountain of youth. After all, he did it with Fleetwood Mac. Following the commercially successful Rumors, which catapulted the band into rock icon status, Buckingham could have followed the same recipe and spoon-fed fans a Rumors II. Instead, he followed it up with the quirky, Tusk, a 180-degree departure from Rumors.True to his word, at 58 he’s still not stopped thinking about tomorrow.
“I think what happens is usually a lot of people are either kind of tapped out with their creativity by the time the get to a certain point, or they’re in a position where they’re willing to rest on the their laurels on the body of work that they have. It’s very important for me to keep fresh. What I think is important goes back to Tusk…it kept me musically honest… I subverted some of the commercialism, that’s what you have to do, otherwise you paint yourself into a corner.”
Continue reading Lindsey Buckingham – Still Looking Forward…
So, What Does Bo Know?
So you think you know Bo?
Bo Diddley, that is, the consummate performer, musician, humanitarian and even actor. As a Founding Father of rock-n-roll, he is known to many as “the Originator” for taking the Blues and infusing it with what he was influenced by-Chicago street music, hambone, the strumming of guitar mixed with the rhythm that comes from slapping the guitar, knee and chest, while soulfully singing the lyrics. Mix that with some harder edge guitar and you’ve got the signature “Bo Diddley beat”-a sound best described as “shave and a haircut, two bits.” Think U2′s “Desire” or Buddy Holly’s “Not Fade Away,” and you’ve got it. Bo was born Ellas Bates on a farm in Mississippi, near the Louisiana border, on December 30, 1928. His cousin, Gussie McDaniel, later adopted him. He took her last name and moved with the family to the South side of Chicago at age five. He got the name Bo Diddley when he became a Golden Gloves boxer.
Bo’s sister gave him his first guitar. He picked it up and taught himself to play. “I started training myself… if somebody else could do it, I could do it too.” What else do we know? Bo is still going, on the road, playing, performing, keeping the legacy alive.
“I’m playing old and new songs…trying to stay outta trouble,” he laughs.
That’s what everyone knows.
Joe Piscopo – Just Your Average Work’n Joe
Going through airport security Joe Piscopo, known best for being a Saturday Night Live alum, is talking on his cell phone, arranging interviews and signing autographs to fans who obviously feel comfortable enough to walk up and ask. Security checks his bag, as he says with a laugh into the phone, “I’m just going through security…I think they’re going to take my toothpaste.” Across two time zones and three states, in one afternoon, he manages to take some time out to catch us up on what he’s been doing.
Piscopo, 55, is going through a divorce. Although he can’t talk about it much, his wife, Kimberly and he have been together for 19 years, married for 9 of them. They have three young children, two daughters Alexandra, 7 and Olivia, 2 and a 4-year old son, Michael. Piscopo has another son, Joey 27, from a previous marriage.
“In my business pain is good, being on stage is cathartic and therapeutic…at this point particularly…Personal turmoil aside,” Piscopo reports, “the kids are doing good.”
Continue reading Joe Piscopo – Just Your Average Work’n Joe…
Dashboard Confessional – Chris Carrabba Lets Us In – A Little Bit
Dashboard Confessional is the band’s name, but don’t ask founder Chris Carraba to give up his sins or reveal too much personal information. If you want him to bare his soul, give a listen, that information is contained in the lyrics of his songs.“I put a lot of myself into my songs,” he confessed.He was willing to give up a little piece of himself, if only maybe accidentally. Mere small talk seems to give way to his deeper self that unfortunately, he couldn’t hide if he tried. As he talks about the band and where they’re going, it’s easy to see that they have now come to that point where through hard work and very little exposure, they’re about to break – big time. “We’ve never been on the radio, we’ve had no radio support…now the song, Stolen, which is about Florida, is burning up the charts,” he said. Continue reading Dashboard Confessional – Chris Carrabba Lets Us In – A Little Bit…
Kathleen Madigan – Irreverent Style in a Small Package
If Kathleen Madigan ever had to go into the witness protection program she could hide in South Florida, no problem. She would blend right in because she drives a Cadillac and you can’t see her head over the steering wheel.
Madigan 40, native of St. Louis and a comedian who gained face recognition on NBC’s reality show, Last Comic Standing, is thinking aloud about her blog that appears on her website — where she writes down exactly what’s on her mind.
For instance, in her blog for November, she’s in Vegas and comments on fellow comedian, Howie Mandel.
Mandel was headlining at the MGM – why????
Who is paying for this???? He’s nice but dear Lord.
“I don’t know that I like the blog… my dad is a lawyer and judge… I don’t know if you should write shit down. What if I get involved in some sort of caper and Howie Mandel was murdered. They would see what I said about him on my web site…I don’t know if it’s the best idea…but it’s fun and people do like reading it.”
That’s how Madigan thinks. She describes her comedy as cynical and sarcastic, but not angry. As
she puts it while laughing, it’s “E Z to understand.”
Continue reading Kathleen Madigan – Irreverent Style in a Small Package…
Memory Lane – Leaves You Aching For More
Don’t go see this band…Ok; you’ve been warned…you’ll be sorry.
The next morning when you rise to find your hips hurting, your shoulders sore, and your body radiating a dull general ache from dancing like a fool – echoes of “I told you so,” will ring in your ears.
When you can barely whisper a “good morning,” because you were singing at the top of your lungs, while you were dancing like a fool, you’ll remember that you had been warned.
Four guys – DJ DC, Popeye, MR (Motivated Radiated) William T and Smoove, yeah, just smooooove, whose harmonies could put the Temptations to shame sing soft, smoldering jazz, ala Nat King Cole, smoky blues from the likes of Muddy Waters and an array of music that ranges from Marvin Gaye to Prince, closing the generation gap.
Mississippi Blues – Ben Prestage
Some might say that Ben Prestage has the muddy waters of the mighty Mississippi Delta coursing through his veins in order for him to suck the pain right out of that guitar and play the blues the way they were meant to be played — from the depths of the soul.
It could be genetic, inherited from his sharecropper grandfather who picked cotton under the hazy Mississippi sky.
Whatever “it” is, Prestage, 27 years young, has a much older soul and it makes its presence known when he plays. The emotion of the music is painted on the face of his audience, who range in age from teens to people well in to their sixty’s. They sit at full attention, drawn to him, coming up to greet him, to introduce themselves, to talk about music and shake hands during his breaks.
Not many area musicians can say that they actually earn a living playing. Most know better than to quit their day job and make their passion their full time gig.
“I love to play for people, it makes me happy…I’m lucky enough that it can be a full time job and I have the freedom to travel around and meet tons of people from all over the country…I get to play little places like this to big blues festivals.”
Tonight Prestage is playing to the hometown crowd at the Exodus Café in Port St. Lucie, it’s standing room only and the atmosphere is comfy. The crowd knows him and he knows his audience.
David Barnes: Uncovering the Hidden Persona of Marlon Brando
We are a culture fascinated with television and movie personalities. Once gossip lived only in the tabloid pages that line the checkout counters in supermarkets. Now our homes are invaded during the serious six-o’clock news.
We no longer question the credibility of broadcasters who open with the birth of a celebrity baby instead of headlines about our economy, politics or an international tragedy. We’d rather hear about Paris Hilton’s mock political rivalry with John McCain.
Before this stalkarazzi culture there lived a celebrity who guarded his privacy like a pit bull. His larger than life image only fueled more curiosity about who he really was, speculation that followed him beyond the grave.
Continue reading David Barnes: Uncovering the Hidden Persona of Marlon Brando…
Yoav on the Brink of his Big Break
Listening to the music of Yoav, it’s hard to believe that the sounds coming from the acoustic guitar are only coming from an acoustic guitar.
If you only heard Yoav, you’d think drums, a synthesizer if not a few other instruments accompanied his guitar, but nope, he goes solo, just a guy and his guitar.
Using a unique picking style, banging the body of the guitar and singing, humming into the pick ups are just some ways that Yoav creates the kind beat music that DJs mix up in clubs. In fact, at one time in his life, Yoav aspired to be just that.
“There was a point when I wanted to be a DJ but I didn’t have money or equipment. I love electronic music.”
Which is just one contradiction of this artist. He loves electronic music and chose to play an acoustic guitar, coaxing the instrument to mimic the electronic beats. As far as writing goes, that’s also different.
“I write to the beat instead of strumming.”
Prescription Death: Medicine for the Soul
Prescription death offers their generation a hard pill to swallow; either stand up and claim your individualism or shut up and take your medicine.
Every generation throws down a band or two that prescribes to the ideals that set each apart from the other. Youth, politics, freedom, independence and raising your voice, these are some prevalent themes in this band’s music.
Taking some elements of 80’s hard-core and 77-style punk rock, Prescription Death takes this concoction and mixes it together to turn
out some high-energy original tunes.
“It’s a mixture of the two styles said Wilhelm F, 21 of Port St, Lucie. “ It’s slower, more rock and roll influence. It’s something more electronically based. I thought electronic was the future.”
Brett Butler – Grace Under Pressure
Southern accents are deceptive, radiating warmth, exuding southern charm and hospitality…that southern drawl drips down your ear like mint juleps down your throat on a hot July afternoon, lulling one into a false sense of security. Comedian, Brett Butler has that ability and just when you think you’re safe, she’s gonna kick your butt right out of the house.
Butler starred in TV’s Grace Under Fire from 1993 to 1998. Her quick wit and dead on take of the human existence should serve her well in her next endeavor when she takes on Moochers, adult children who just can’t seem to get themselves off their parent’s couch, find a job, a place to live and take on the huge responsibility of taking care of themselves. Toss in some mooching friends and relatives for a good measure and, of course, once they’re out of the house – redecorate the room.
This new reality show could be called Grace Under Pressure, but Butler’s been there done that, messed that up, got up and dusted myself off and did it again attitude makes her the ideal lady for the job.
“Reality television…there are some truly horrible moments… no one can avoid.”
The Pink Floyd Experience: Another Mood-Altering Performance
Tom Quinn is an imposter.
Something he readily admits…and it ain’t easy.
As one of the front men for the Pink Floyd Experience, Quinn has to go on stage and try to give the audience something they can’t have, but demand anyway – a performance by the quintessential psychedelic acid band, Pink Floyd. As legend would have it, Floyd could put on a show that was completely mood altering in and of itself – LSD, optional.
Continue reading The Pink Floyd Experience: Another Mood-Altering Performance…
Outlaws: Music That Must Be Illegal
Known for music that is all at once beautiful and brutal, the Outlaws have carved out their musical niche by combining exquisite rich harmonies along with killer axe work that has to be illegal in at least three states.
The Outlaws whose discography has been a mainstay in the classic rock radio repertoire is about to come full circle with their new CD release due out this August aptly entitled, Full Circle.
Fans of the band who honed their skills in local Tampa bars in the 1960′s and 70′s would remember their fist single, There Goes Another Love Song off their debut album, Outlaws, released in 1975. This album hit gold status and topped off the Billboard Album Chart at number 13.
Other memorable songs from this album were: Song for You, Stay with Me and Green Grass and High Tides. Breaker-Breaker, another hit from the album Lady in Waiting, their second release in 1976. Stick Around for Rock & Roll, Prisoner, Hurry Sunset, Ghost Riders In The Sky and Freeborn Man are also fan favorites and may be included in their current tour.
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