KIX Names Matt Starr As Temporary Drummer

KIX drummer Jimmy Chalfant continues to recover from heart issues. He collapsed on stage back in November and was saved by bass player Mark Schenker via CPR. Jimmy had heart issues before that incident as well.

Last night, Jimmy explaining that his recovery is taking longer than expected and the band will continue with all booked shows as planned. KIX has named Matt Starr as a temporary drummer while Jimmy continues to rehab. This includes on the Monsters of Rock Cruise at the end of next month.

Matt Starr has played with lots of acts including Mr. Big and Joe Lynn Turner. He is an accomplished session musician, too. Glad to see KIX will continue on with their shows. I hope Jimmy gets well soon.

Winger Release Full 'Proud Desperado' Music Video

I shared the teaser of the new Winger video for "Proud Desperado" the other day and now the full clip is available! The band will release Seven on May 5 via Frontiers.

Here's the official video:

'All That And More'

Steel Panther has a new lyric video for their track "All That And More" from the new album On The Prowl. Reading comments online, it seems like folks list "All That And More" as a top track off the new release, with an authentic 80s sound. What do you think?

Winger Teases New Song (It Comes Out Friday)

Winger will release the song "Proud Desperado" this Friday. The band teases a little snippet of the song on social media yesterday. The song will be on Winger's upcoming album Seven.

I am really looking forward to seeing Winger live again this summer when they tour with Tom Keifer and John Corabi.

Mr. Big Announce Retirement Tour; Drummer

Mr. Big will put a cap on their career as a band. "The Big Finish" tour will kick off in Asia this summer and will hit Europe and the U.S. early next year.

Original Mr. Big drummer Pat Torpey died of Parkinson's disease in 2018. The band has just announced Nick D'Virgilio will serve as the touring drummer. He has worked with Mr. Big in the past. I've never seen Mr. Big live, so maybe I will get the chance if the tour comes near me next year.

‼️BIG ANNOUNCEMENT ‼️
We are announcing our world tour, “The Big Finish” 🎸🎸🎸
The Asian tour will kick off in Japan on July 20th 2023, with shows in South America, Europe, U.K, and the U.S starting in the new year! pic.twitter.com/f8CGRhRU0F

— Mr. Big (@mrbigmusic) March 6, 2023

Rocklahoma 2023 Lineup Announced

No longer a strictly Glam festival, Rocklahoma announced its lineup today. The annual fest is held Labor Day weekend in Pryor, Oklahoma. Headliners include Godsmack and Pantera, but there are plenty of our favorites on the bill like Warrant, Skid Row and KIX.

Tickets go on sale Friday.

Sunday Spins: 12" WHAM! Double-Single Edition

Please believe that weeks ago - when I was trolling the used record racks - I audibly gasped when I found the 12" double-single of  WHAM! hits "Everything She Wants (Remix)" / "Last Christmas (Pudding Mix)." These are the best-known versions of each track and I snatched the record so fast out of the bin. I was nervous the record would be beat up, but it is not. My copy is pristine and plays beautifully. It cost me $20 bucks and was well worth it for two songs so important to me.

There are a few different versions of this double-single available on vinyl with varying covers. The cover to my version is shown at left.

Folks know of my love for George Michael and of course his pre-solo duo WHAM! Michael and Andrew Ridgeley had a very successful recording career together before Michael went solo. Two of their most famous songs are "Everything She Wants" and "Last Christmas." Both are tracks that Michael wrote and recorded on his own, which was not typical of the WHAM! days.

The double-A side vinyl is extra special because the Pudding Mix of "Last Christmas" is a longer version of the track with extended intro and outros. Both are cut for radio play and the vinyl version gives the song a little different feel. The true intro is a bit dark and sad - not what you would expect for a pop Christmas tune.

Finding the 12" WHAM! single of two songs I adore was really special and I spin both sides pretty frequently when I need a little endorphin boost.