A Favorite Of 2023: Kenny Wayne Shepherd, 'Dirt on My Diamonds Vol. 1'

Be careful tonight if you are going out to celebrate the new year!

One of my favorite albums of 2023 is Kenny Wayne Shepherd's Dirt on My Diamonds Vol. 1. The album hit the top spot on the Billboard Blues chart and #7 on rock.

I've loved Kenny Wayne Shepherd since "Blue On Black" was a hit more than 25 years ago. I've always been drawn to his masterful guitar playing and soul feeling. Plus I really dig Noah Hunt's vocals. Interestingly, Kenny seems to be singing more vocals on the new album. Basically, Dirt on My Diamonds Vol. 1. just continues that legacy of awesome blues guitar rock.

Also, Dirt doesn't feature a zillion filler songs. There are eight tracks of solid music, which seems about right these days. The title track is below:

Insanity: Vinnie Vincent Facebook Group Edition

According to Sleaze Roxx, guitarist Vinnie Vincent will start charging $200 to access his Facebook fan group! The charge goes into effect February 1, 2024 and the $200 provides a year of access.

Holy moly, this is nuts! Is this where we are now? Is a monthly (or yearly) subscription required for everything these days? Also, who is going to pay $200 to access a freaking Facebook group? Please don't do this - I beg of you. Even to the biggest Vinnie or KISS fans: if you have the spare $200, just donate it to a worthy cause instead or something. Or put it in your IRA. Or toward a vacation. Or home improvement project. Or a million other things... but please. Don't. Pay. To. Access. A. Facebook. Group! #Insanity

That One Time 'Forbes' Covered Dirty Honey

Congrats to Dirty Honey for being featured in Forbes as "best of 2023." I agree! The new album Can’t Find The Brakes is fantastic and I really hope I can see them live sometime in 2024. They are still on my list to see live and it just hasn't worked out yet.

Aerosmith Tour In Summer 2024?

Aerosmith's final tour is on pause because of Steven Tyler's throat issues. Now, guitarist Joe Perry has shared some news with the Boston Globe. Apparently, Perry is hopeful Aerosmith will be able to resume their tour sometime in the summer or early fall of 2024. That is a *long* time from now.

I have tickets for the originally scheduled show in Cincinnati on January 4. Refunds were offered, but I decided to just keep my tickets for when the show is eventually rescheduled. If it is ultimately canceled, I will get my money back anyway. I do hope Aerosmith finish their tour and have a proper goodbye. The members of the band are not getting any younger!

Johnny Crash - 'Hey Kid'

Thanks to YouTube, I was just reminded of a classic gem of an obscure Glam band. The album Neighbourhood Threat came out in 1990. It featured the track "Hey Kid" which got some play on MTV. The band never hit big, but future Guns n' Roses members Dizzy Reed and Matt Sorum were members in a later incarnation of Johnny Crash.

My guess is Neighbourhood Threat came out just a bit too late to make a real impact, but I'm glad the band popped up in my YouTube suggestions today. I always love being reminded of these "long lost" tracks.

The Best Gift Of All

I am blessed and received many nice gifts from my family and friends this year. One of the coolest gifts I've received in a long time came from my buddy Jim. He got me a bottle of Def Leppard gin! It's one called "Animal" of course. I have to have the liquor to drink while listening to my favorite tune of the same name, right? Jim also got me a vinyl copy of Badlands for my birthday back in August. Needless to say, he won gifting this year for sure. He gets me and my love for all things Glam and vinyl.

In kind, I found him a 1969 original UK pressing of the Pink Floyd album Ummagumma. Floyd is his favorite band and nothing makes me happier than to find original runs of special albums.

I hope Santa was good to you too, and that you got lots of nice rock n' roll gifts.

Here's a photo of what the beautiful Def Leppard gin bottles look like:

DEF LEPPARD Celebrate Their 45th Anniversary With Two New Premium Gin Products https://t.co/PLTAW9anMC pic.twitter.com/e7d6l0jrIX

— Hair Metal Is Sexy (@HairMetalIsSexy) June 13, 2022

'Merry Axe-Mas' -- It Never Gets Old!

Merry Christmas, Ice Nine Kills style! If you're not rocking this on your holiday playlist, do you even metal bro?!?

See you all tomorrow when we can put the merry commercialization behind us once again!