Rocklahoma 2007 Coffee Table Book

Bumping to the top of the page due to heavy interest. Click down for today's article.  

By all accounts, Rocklahoma 2007 was a great success. If you went to the inaugural festival, you probably had a great time and have a lot of fond memories of the event.

Now you can relive those memories in vivid color. The Rocklahoma 2007 coffee table book is now available for pre order by clicking HERE.

Let me tell you about the book. The hardback work has 132 pages of color photos. Each band is represented and provides a special quote. Oh yeah, yours truly wrote the narrative, explaining the entire Rocklahoma 2007 experience!

The above photo is an example of what you'll see inside the book. Some photos have copy, others are clear. The book is a good mix of crowd and stage shots. Many shots come from backstage, side stage or a crowd perspective.

The Rocklahoma 2007 book is $42 bucks. Go ahead and reserve a copy. I feel O.K. pushing the product because I don't get a dime of the proceeds.

Every Mother's Nightmare

It's been a very long time since I've listened to Every Mother's Nightmare. I don't write about them much here and I was surprised to hear them added to the Rocklahoma 2008 bill.

So, let's talk about this Tennessee band. Who knew good Metal could come from Bluegrass country?

The band formed in 1987, but I am going to call them a 90s act. For some reason, I always picture flannel when I think of Every Mother's Nightmare, but maybe that isn't the correct memory.

Rick Ruhl (vocals), Steve Malone (guitarist), Mark McMurty (bass) and Jim Phipps (drummer) are the original members of the band. EMN released their self-titled debut in 1990 and followed that with Wake Up Screaming in 1993. The band was on Arista - that is the label made famous by Whitney Houston! Today the band is on Perris Records.

These days, EMN is Rick Ruhl, Jim Phipps, Travis Hall, Jeff Caughron and Troy Fleming.

Every Mother's Nightmare doesn't have any tour dates listed on their official Myspace page, so I guess the best chance to see them really is at Rocklahoma. According to the press conference, the band is playing Saturday, July 12.

Here are a few EMN videos. The first is "Love Can Make You Blind."

Here's "Walls Come Down."

So, what do you think about Every Mother's Nightmare?

Check out Every Mother's Nightmare on Myspace

Rocklahoma Bands Revealed

Eddie Trunk and a gaggle of Glam Metal stars just helped the Catch the Fever organizers announce this year's Rocklahoma line-up.

Here are your performers (so far):

Thursday:

LA Guns (Tracii's version)
Enuff Z' Nuff
Jetboy
VAIN
House of Lords
Sebastian Bach
Bret Michaels (headline)

Friday:

Triumph (headline)
Extreme
Night Ranger
Kingdom Come
Armored Saint
XYZ

Saturday:

Pretty Boy Floyd
Every Mother’s Nightmare
Tora Tora
Black N Blue
Trixter
Kix
Warrant (with Jani Lane)
Cinderella (headline)

Sunday:

Axe
Beautiful Creatures
Zebra
Lynch Mob
Living Colour

UFO
Tesla
Headline TBA

Side Stage 1:

Thursday: 

Jester
Harlow
Sidekicks
Frontrunner
Paradice
Tommy Had a Vision
Bobby Mesano from Stars

Friday: 

Gypsy Blue
White Fox
Heavens Edge
Blue Tiger
Wild August
Valin
Paul Shortino from Quiet Riot
Mariah

Saturday:

Warrior
Bad Candy
Loraine
Nasty Nasty
Compass
MASS
Viper
Roughcon

Sunday:

Oney
Strikeforce
Parazz
Reckless
Heartless
Ron Keel

Side Stage 2:

Deathriders
Dario
Jani Lane's Band
Odin
Order of nine
Jackyls
Krucible
Sacred Dawn
Mindfield
Lipstick Magazine
Seet F.A.
Pownd
Shadow Side
War machine
Dirty Penny (Saturday headline)
Gypsy Pistoleros (Friday headline)
Asphalt Valentine
Exit 27
Cockpit

 

Rocklahoma Announcement - Today!

It's finally time to learn just who will be playing Rocklahoma 2008. The announcement is set for 1 p.m. (Pacific) at the Whisky a Go-Go in Los Angeles - right on the Sunset Strip. Jetboy, Bret Michaels, Jani Lane and the rest of Warrant will be on hand for the announcement. DJ Eddie Trunk will host the conference and it will stream live on XM satellite radio channel 41 The Boneyard.

There isn't much point in me writing anything else. I'll be back right after the announcement with the list of performers and my thoughts on the selection.

Ok, I will say this: It's just after midnight. I still don't think Motley Crue is playing Rocklahoma. Perhaps I'll get a nice surprise come this afternoon?!?

While we wait, watch this video: Motley Crue "Shout at the Devil '97." More proof that it's always a bad idea to mess with an original.

Van Halen - Shows Postponed

VAN HALEN

March 5, 2008

U.S. Bank Arena - Cincinnati

POSTPONED

CINCINNATI , OH – The Van Halen concerts in Dallas, Cincinnati, Raleigh, and Baltimore have been postponed. According to Eddie Van Halen’s physician, he is undergoing a battery of comprehensive medical tests to determine a defined diagnosis and recommended medical procedures.

The March 5^th concert at U.S. Bank Arena in Cincinnati has been rescheduled for Tuesday, April 22^nd.

Fans should retain their tickets as they will be honored at the rescheduled concerts or ticket refunds will be issued at the original point of purchase.

Van Halen Tour Over?

Everyone said it was too good to be true. Heck, even I said the tour wouldn't last. Now, entertainment website TMZ.com is reporting the remaining dates of the Van Halen reunion tour are over. The issue is not bickering with David Lee Roth, but Eddie Van Halen and his uncontrollable urge to hit the sauce.

Talk about a shame.

I have tickets to the Wednesday show in Cincinnati. If this news turns out to be true, there are going to be thousands of angry rock fans all up and down the east coast. I guess it was a wise move I  saw the band back in October.

Back to Eddie.

How much money does it take to get someone sober? I know that money can buy the best rehab but cash alone can't drive sobriety. I thought the lynchpin for Eddie would be touring the States alongside his son Wolfgang. Surely Wolfgang would keep him on the straight and narrow.

Apparently not.

Like I said, I am not sure if TMZ is correct, but the site has become a powerhouse of celebrity gossip. My guess is that someone knows someone and that this much-hyped reunion tour has just imploded. It wasn't but days ago that the VH camp cancelled a couple of gigs and rescheduled them for a much later date.

The band is scheduled to play tonight in Dallas. I'll be checking Live Nation and Ticketmaster to see if the show is actually on or not.

Let's be honest. Who thought the tour would last to the bitter end? I sure didn't - but I was optimistic enough to pull out my credit card for a second round. I guess I might need plans for Wednesday night...

In the meantime, watch a video from earlier in this tour.

Here's a reunited Van Halen performing "You Really Got Me" in Detroit.

Update on Monday, March 3, 2008 at 10:07AM by Allyson B. Crawford

I put in a call to Ticketmaster at 10 this morning. Computers were still showing the scheduled concerts are a go and tickets are still available. Yay! Me and Van Halen Wednesday night.

Metal Edge Goes Top 25

In the April issue of Metal Edge, various contributors list their choices for the top 25 Glam (they say "Hair Metal) albums of all time.

Here are the choices:

25. The Darkness - Permission to Land (2003)
24. Pretty Boy Floyd - Leather Boyz with Electric Toyz (1989)
23. Slaughter - Stick It To Ya (1990)
22. Winger -Winger (1988)
21. Europe - The Final Countdown (1986)
20. Bulletboys - Bulletboys (1988)
19. Whitesnake - Whitesnake (1987)
18. Lita Ford - Lita (1987)
17. W.A.S.P. - W.A.S.P. (1984)
16. Faster Pussycat - Faster Pussycat (1987)
15. Guns n' Roses - Appetite for Destruction (1987)
14. Dokken - Tooth and Nail (1984)
13. Twisted Sister - Stay Hungry (1984)
12. Def Leppard - Hysteria (1987)
11. White Lion - Pride (1987)
10. Cinderella - Night Songs (1986)
09. Warrant - Dirty Rotten Stinking Filthy Rich (1989)
08. RATT - Out of the Cellar (1984)
07.Poison - Look What the Cat Dragged In (1986)
06. Def Leppard - Pyromania (1983)
05. Bon Jovi - Slippery When Wet (1986)
04. L.A. Guns - Cocked & Loaded (1989)
03. Skid Row - Skid Row (1989)
02. Quiet Riot - Metal Health (1983)
01. Motley Crue - Shout At The Devil (1983)

Now, I will agree that most of these albums deserve a spot in the top 25 - my main problem here is the number placement, and also the commentary that goes with each selection.

My friend Cheryl A. Hoaning did a great job introducing this special feature - her authorial voice is lively and positive. I can't say the same for the other writers involved in the piece.

Let's tackle the album selection and numerical placement first. I don't agree with The Darkness earning a spot on this list. If the editors wanted to chose a modern band and album, then the only option is Crashdiet Rest in Sleaze. As a matter of fact, I would put Rest in Sleaze in the top 10.

I also don't necessarily think Lita Ford deserves a spot on this list. I'll agree, Lita is a good effort, but not one of the best. I would think Poison's Open Up and Say...Ah! deserves a mention, considering many of their live staples come from this album. 

I don't think anyone will dispute me here that Appetite for Destruction deserves a spot in the top 10. Really, I don't know what the editors were thinking when they gave Guns n' Roses the 15th spot. After all, Appetite for Destruction is one of the best Metal releases of all time.

Speaking of mistakes, I think not adding Hanoi Rocks to the list is a grave oversight. Two Steps from the Move is a Glam classic and the band would be a lot bigger today if not for fate getting in the way.

Metal Edge got it right by placing Motley Crue's Shout At The Devil in the top spot. This album sums up and entire genre and Motley always takes the prize for reigning the Sunset Strip during the 1980s.

Now, we'll tackle the editorial content. Some of the contributors are genuine in their responses, others less so. Many write comments like "aging rocker dude," and, when talking about GnR "...Tonsorial choices and power ballads aside, though, one thing set Appetite for Destruction apart from the rest of the L.A. hairspray-and-spandex crowd: it absolutely didn't suck."  

What a glowing endorsement.

As for the photos, we finally get a glimpse at the glory days of Metal Edge. The photos are from the classic period, taken by veteran rock photog Eddie Malluk.

Thoughts on this list? Thoughts on my thoughts?