I Had No Idea Bon Jovi Covered 'The Boys Are Back In Town'

Picture it: Saturday night and I'm on my way home from the grocery. Yeah, that's how I roll. Saturday night and the grocery. So my groceries are loaded, I'm back in the car and Hair Nation is on my radio. On pops Bon Jovi's "The Boys Are Back In Town." I was just floored! I knew the band did the song live in concerts occasionally back in the day, but I had no idea it was an official recording.

So many bands have covered the Thin Lizzy track, I don't know why I'm surprised when I run across another... but this Bon Jovi find really threw me for a loop! A little research and I learn the song was included on the 1989 compilation album Stairway to Heaven/Highway to Hell. That album was comprised of all the bands that played the Moscow Music Peace Festival. The Bon Jovi cover of "The Boys Are Back In Town" is also featured on the soundtrack to the movie Navy Seals (which I've never seen or even heard of by the way).

What is your opinion of this Bon Jovi cover?

Lee Pistolero Goes Elvis

Lee Pistolero, formally of the Gypsy Pistoleros, has branched out on his own... and he's channeling his inner Elvis. Since there are many Gypsy Pistoleros fans that read this site, I thought I would pass along this press release:

Gypsy Lee Pistolero has unveiled his new 'Elvis' retro rocker look, to go with his upcoming new album The Good, The Mad and The Beautiful. The ex-Gypsy Pistoleros founder, frontman and songwriter has promised a punkier, retro rock n' roll, Latin sound this time around. Ritchie Valens meets Hanoi Rocks in a drunken revved up party!

His Pledge album project is well on course, standing at 76% with 46 days left http://www.pledgemusic.com/artists/gypsyleepistolero with many package choices (including 30 song downloads, limited red vinyl albums,artwork specials) out September 18th.

The 14 track Pledge album will be trimmed to 10, remixed and mastered for the commercial release on Heavy Metal records in November. Free tracks as a taster are available.

L.A. Guns, 'Araña Negra' -- New Video

L.A. Guns (Phil Lewis version) has released a new video for "Araña Negra" from the upcoming album Hollywood Forever, which is due out June 5 via Cleopatra. The song is a cover from the Bicicletas. After watching this clip three times I have to say... I just don't like this song very much. I won't hold it against L.A. Guns since the song is a cover. I still have high hopes for the new record. Do you like "Araña Negra?"

From The Insane File: VXN Members Change Band Name

Ok, so we all knew that VXN - the "other" version of Vixen - would likely be forced into a name change. Fine. So what did original Vixen members Janet Gardner, Roxy Petrucci and Share Ross change their band name to, exactly? Well, the answer is JANETSHAREROXYGINA... otherwise known as the worst band name in rock history.

Seriously.

Between scab versions, bad name choices, commercials pimping carpet cleaning and rockers acting like political commentators, I just don't know what to think of our beloved Glam musicians anymore. I mean, it's getting out of hand. Don't any of these people just want to make music and use sound judgement anymore? Bloody hell! Like I wrote before, I don't think the world needs two versions of Vixen, but I'd still give VXN, er, JANETSHAREROXYGINA a go if they came to town. And I support glam musicians making money 100% -- but man. This isn't a game. Music is a business. A little bit of creativity and planning goes a long way.

Oh, and in case you are wondering, the Vixen name is owned by original guitarist Jan Kuehnemund.

Rock N' Roll Carpet

Yeah. This happened. Dee Snider made a commercial promoting carpet cleaning. I seriously have nothing else to add.

Do We Need New Versions of 'Pour Some Sugar On Me' and 'Rock of Ages?'

Def Leppard is re-releasing "Pour Some Sugar On Me" and "Rock of Ages" as re-recorded singles. The band is doing this to capitalize off the film Rock of Ages which hits theaters June 15. The re-recorded songs hit digital outlets June 4. Personally, I think this is completely unnecessary.

Obviously the band wants digital options of the songs so people can download after catching the movie. But why not just allow the real songs -- the ones we've loved for decades now -- to go up on iTunes? I don't get why the guys in Def Leppard won't release their catalog on iTunes, but so be it. (Ok, I know the reason: it is money. It has to be). I would think a couple of singles is better than none... and surely better than a re-recorded version, right?

Def Leppard will hit the road with Poison and Lita Ford on the Rock of Ages 2012 tour, which kicks off starting June 20 in Salt Lake City, Utah.

A Special Documentary About the US Festival Is Coming

Happy Memorial Day, Americans!

Way back when, I wrote a little blog about wishing I had a time machine to go back to the 1979 US Festival. Well, there's no time machine... but a new documentary about the US Festival is coming soon! Here's some info:

ICON Television Music, the UNUSON (Unite Us In Song) Corporation and Plum Moving Media are proud to announce the definitive 1982 'US' Festival documentary titled US Festival 1982: The 'US' Generation. Regarded as the Woodstock of the 80s, the 'US' Festival captured the mindset of a culture on the cusp of a technology transformation. The documentary reveals the bands, fans and organizers who brought Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak's rock festival to life. Headliners at the '82 Festival included Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Fleetwood Mac and The Police among others.

Here's a clip: