Win Dinner With Bret Michaels

Just saw this press release in my email and had to share. Honestly, it would be cool to win dinner with Bret Michaels!

Los Angeles, CA: On April 1, iconic singer/songwriter Bret Michaels released "A Beautiful Soul," a heartfelt new solo single, to a worldwide audience. Celebrating the release on the April 2 edition of "Oprah's Lifeclass," a groundbreaking program on the Oprah Winfrey Network, Michaels performed "A Beautiful Soul," making an instant splash around the globe as millions of viewers from various countries were tuned in to this interactive TV show. The full 75-minute episode is available on demand at http://www.oprah.com/oprahs-lifeclass/Full-Episode-Lifeclass-with-Bret-Michaels-Video and the digital single is available at all digital retailers and streaming services.

In the accompanying music video for "A Beautiful Soul," rich vivid colors add poignancy to the emotional sincerity of the Michaels' lyrics about love and loss. It's a powerful combination of sentiment and imagery that resonates immediately, and deeply, to all those encounter it. Evidence of its cultural impact has been swift and pronounced as the video has generated over 2 million views in its first three weeks.

To shine a further light on Bret's eloquent transcendence, a two-round contest is running from April 12, 2014 to May 16, 2014 with one Grand Prize winner receiving a dinner for two with Michaels on his personal bus at a secret location. During round one from April 12, 2014 to April 30, 2014 at 12 PM EST, contestants will accumulate entries into the giveaway by sharing the video for "A Beautiful Soul," via Facebook and Twitter, while simultaneously gathering votes from views of the video on their personal profile page at the official contest web site. From there, the Top 24 contestants ("Soulstars") with the most votes and shares, combined, from round one will move on to round two, which runs from April 30, 2014 at 3 PM EST to May 16, 2014 at 12 PM EST. The Grand Prize winner will be determined by the user who gets the most votes and social shares. A 2nd Place winner will receive an iPod Touch pre-loaded with Bret's music. Full details and rules are available at http://www.dinnerwithbret.com.
 

'All Bad Things Must Come To An End'

Motley Crue are working on their final song ever as a band to go with their farewell tour. The track is being produced by James Michael (also in SIXX: AM) and is apparently called "All Bad Things Must Come To An End."

I honestly don't know how I feel about this. I guess I was half expecting Motley to do one more full album, but if they don't feel like putting in the work, then there's no point in releasing a mediocre record, right? In some respects, I think it would have been fine for the band to not release anything new period, but at least this way they'll have a new song to promote while on the road this summer. Discuss.

Take the Fight

I'm moved into my new house, buried under a pile of boxes. Posts this week will be short because I don't have a proper Internet connection yet -- I called the cable company two weeks before my move and still couldn't manage a fast install after my closing. At any rate, Happy Monday to us all I guess!

London's own Damn Dice just released a video for their track "Take the Fight." Damn Dice is a modern band I think all of you (okay, most of you!) will enjoy!

Extreme Live at M3 Rock Festival

The videos of the M3 Rock Festival are rolling in. I look forward to going through YouTube and checking out highlights from this year's event. If you went to M3, tell me how it was -- I've already heard Friday was great and packed despite the rain.

View on YouTube

Nelson Celebrate 25 Years Of Their Debut

Slag if you will, but After the Rain is an amazing album. If I lived closer, I'd go to this show!

Stephen Pearcy Quits RATT

I had a pretty chaotic Thursday so I wasn't online at all... and when I did jump on a computer to update this website, I learned that Stephen Pearcy quit RATT. So I guess some shit went down. Pearcy released a statement regarding his decision to quit the band and here's what he said:

"After 30 years creating the band RATT and losing a real brother, Robbin, it's time that I personally part ways with the band.

I am officially done with having anything to do with them due to the constant turmoil, unresolved business, personal attacks/threats in the public forum, and most of all, the disrespect to the fans.

I'm very content and proud of the legacy and the music I’ve created. This music will live well beyond any of our lifetimes.

I owe no one anything but a huge heartfelt thank you for coming to the party for the last 30 years.

With much respect, life goes on and the music I created will continue to be heard for years to come despite the dark clouds that have lingered for far too long.

I will personally continue to make music and perform live shows.

See you out there."

 So, what do we think of this? I have to say, I'm not surprised. Bobby Blotzer has made some less than happy remarks about RATT on his Facebook in the last few months. Then the band had to pull out of the Monsters of Rock cruise because Pearcy's sister died... but I felt like something else was going on behind the scenes then too. Guess my gut was right. 

Foreigner and Styx To Release Album Together

April 23, 2014 – Responsible for some of Rock’s most indelible summer anthems, legendary groups FOREIGNER and STYX will release THE SOUNDTRACK OF SUMMER on May 6 to coincide with their highly anticipated tour of the same name, which also features very special guest DON FELDER, former guitarist of The Eagles.  The album, which features 16 classics by both bands, will be available exclusively at Walmart. Pre-orders are available on Walmart’s website.

 

THE SOUNDTRACK OF SUMMER package includes FOREIGNER hits “Cold As Ice,” “Juke Box Hero” and “I Want To  Know What Love Is,” and STYX hits “The Grand Illusion,” “Blue Collar Man” and “Renegade” (see below for a complete track listing).  The collection finishes with the spectacular highlight, a brand new interpretation of one of Classic Rock’s most successful songs ever, “Hotel California.”  Original songwriter DON FELDER teamed up with STYX and FOREIGNER for this very special collaboration, as well as a stunning new version of FOREIGNER’s massive hit, “I Want To Know What Love Is,” which will only be available as a limited edition vinyl disc and on iTunes.

 

 

STYX is one of the most beloved rock bands on the planet, with more than 30 million records sold in North America alone.  Spawned from a Chicago basement in the early ‘70s, STYX would eventually transform into the virtual arena rock prototype by the late '70s and early '80s, due to a fondness for big rockers and soaring power ballads.  Over the course of their 38-year career they’ve released 15 studio albums, six best-of compilations and four live albums, garnering eight Top Ten singles.  Tommy Shaw, James “JY” Young, Chuck Panozzo, Lawrence Gowan, Ricky Phillips and Todd Sucherman have been together longer than any other lineup in the band’s 40-year existence.

 

With ten multi-platinum albums and sixteen Top 30 hits, FOREIGNER is universally hailed as one of the most popular rock acts in the world with a formidable musical arsenal that continues to propel sold-out tours and album sales, now exceeding 75 million. Responsible for some of rock and roll’s most enduring anthems, FOREIGNER continues to rock the charts more than thirty years into the game, Foreigner is led by founding member Mick Jones (guitar), and Kelly Hansen (lead vocals), Jeff Pilson (bass, vocals), Michael Bluestein (keyboards), Tom Gimbel (rhythm guitar, sax, vocals), Bruce Watson (guitar) and Chris Frazier (drums).

 

DON FELDER--former guitarist of the Eagles, New York Times best-selling author and four-time Grammy® Award winner—released his second solo album (and first since 1983), “Road To Forever” in October 9, 2012 and has been on tour throughout the U.S. ever since.  The album has recently been re-released with four additional songs, “Road To Forever: Extended Edition,” on March 4 via INGrooves Music Group.  The album’s latest single, “You Don’t Have Me,” is currently bulleted at #3 on the Mediabase Classic Rock chart.  “Road To Forever” originally debuted on Billboard’s “Heatseekers” chart at #27.  "Girls In Black," the album’s first single, reached the Top 30 on the Mediabase Rock chart while the second single, “Wash Away,” co-written by FELDER and STYX’s Tommy Shaw and featuring Shaw’s signature vocal sound, quickly jumped to #4 on the Mediabase Classic Rock chart. 

 

Here’s the complete track listing of THE SOUNDTRACK OF SUMMER:

 

1. Feels Like The First Time

2. Cold As Ice

3. Hot Blooded

4. Double Vision

5. Urgent

6. Waiting For A Girl Like You

7. I Want To Know What Love Is

8. Juke Box Hero

9. The Grand Illusion

10. Fooling Yourself (The Angry Young Man)

11. Lorelei

12. Crystal Ball

13. Blue Collar Man (Long Nights)

14. Miss America

15. Renegade

16. Too Much Time On My Hands

17. Hotel California

Dates for The Soundtrack of Summer tour follow:

May

14 - Intrust Bank Arena, Wichita
16 - Zoo Amphitheatre, Oklahoma City
17 - Verizon Theatre, Grand Prairie, Texas
18 - Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, Houston
20 - Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater, Fla.
22 - Germain Arena, Estero, Fla.
23 - St. Augustine Amphitheatre, St. Augustine, Fla.
24 - Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre, Atlanta
25 - The Wharf, Orange Beach, Ala.
29 - Tuscaloosa Amphitheatre, Tuscaloosa, Ala.
30 - Charter Amphitheatre, Simpsonville, S.C.
31 - PNC Music Pavilion, Charlotte

June

1 - Farm Bureau Amphitheatre, Virginia Beach
5 - Horseshoe Casino, Cincinnati
6 - FirstMerit Bank Pavilion, Chicago
7 - Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre, Maryland Heights, Mo.
8 - Starlight Theatre, Kansas City, Mo.
19 - Blue Hills Bank Pavilion, Boston
20 - Jiffy Lube Live, Bristow, Va.
21 - Summer Stage, Big Flats, N.Y.
23 - Turning Stone Casino, Verona, N.Y.
26 - Prudential Center, Newark
28 - Nikon Jones Beach Theater, Wantagh, N.Y.
29 - Foxwoods Resort Casino, Mashantucket, Conn.

July

3 - Susquehanna Bank Center, Camden, N.J.
4 - Toyota Pavilion, Scranton, Pa.
5 - Darlings Waterfront, Bangor, Me.
6 - Bank of NH Pavilion, Gilford, N.H.
9 - Marvin Sands Performing Arts Center, Canandaigua, N.Y.
10 - Freedom Hill Amphitheater, Detroit
17 - Target Center, Minneapolis,
18 - Moondance Jam, Walker, Minn.
19 - Winnavegas Casino, Sloan, Iowa
22 - Fiddler's Green Amphitheatre, Denver
23 - USANA Amphitheatre, Salt Lake City
25 - Orleans Arena, Las Vegas
26 - Greek Theatre, Los Angeles
27 - Santa Barbara Bowl, Santa Barbara, Calif.

August

1 - Marymoor Park Concerts, Redmond, Wash. (Styx & Foreigner only)
2 - Maryhill Winery, Goldendale, Wash. (Styx & Foreigner only)
15 - Kentucky State Fair, Louisville (Styx & Foreigner only)
17 - Iowa State Fair, Des Moines (Styx & Foreigner only)