BY MIKE METTLER — OCTOBER 10, 2014
“Souls, having touched, are forever entwined.” It’s a lyric penned by Deep Purple’s Ian Gillan in honor of his dear friend and late bandmate Jon Lord, the original keyboardist for Deep Purple who pioneered merging rock music with classical themes when he composed the material played jointly by […]
BY MIKE METTLER — SEPTEMBER 25, 2014
And then there were… five? The photo above is no trick of the tale, for you’re indeed seeing the five key members of Genesis — from the top of the stairs down, Phil Collins, Tony Banks, Steve Hackett, Peter Gabriel, and Mike Rutherford — together again for the […]
BY MIKE METTLER — SEPTEMBER 3, 2014
From the smallest of triggers come great things. I was sitting in the dressing room at Pearl at The Palms in Las Vegas on April 14, 2012 with Garbage drummer and co-producer Butch Vig before soundcheck, and we were looking at an album cover from his lesser-known ’80s […]
BY MIKE METTLER — AUGUST 6, 2014
Sagacity, definition: Exhibiting acute perception, foresight, wisdom, and sound judgment. Tenacity, definition: Holding together tough and firm, with a tendency to stick or adhere. Two words could not better describe Saga, the longstanding Canadian progressive collective that continues to up its game with every release. To wit: Sagacity (earMusic/Eagle […]
BY MIKE METTLER — AUGUST 1, 2014
“This band is so efficient, it’s scary.” It was November 16, 2012, and Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers were already hard at work on the follow-up to 2010’s muscular Mojo. Petty was calling from an office adjacent to the control room at The Clubhouse, the longtime Los Angeles rehearsal space […]
BY MIKE METTLER — JULY 23, 2014
“Our music has stood the test of time,” observes Toto guitarist/vocalist Steve Lukather. “We’ve had this long ride, and now it’s starting all over again.” Luke, as he’s known to his friends, has an excellent point. Toto, whose members past and present honed their impressive chops as studio musicians, have […]
BY MIKE METTLER — JULY 9, 2014
“We don’t want to shut the door, we want to open it.” John Hiatt has just described the up-close and personal vibe that’s spread all across his new album Terms of My Surrender, out July 15 on New West. Surrender was cut live with Hiatt and his bandmates ensconced around […]
BY MIKE METTLER — JUNE 25, 2014
“I’m just into the ethos of having great sound,” says Giles Martin, describing his surround sound mixing philosophy. “The intention of what we do is to make the journey as seamless as possible. I want people to enjoy what they’re listening to without thinking about it.” Martin’s “natural […]
BY MIKE METTLER — JUNE 11, 2014
There are blues legends and there are blues masters, and then there’s John Mayall. Long acknowledged as the father of the British blues scene that emerged in the heyday of the ’60s and the man who helped school the guitarslinging likes of Eric Clapton, Peter Green, Mick Taylor, Coco […]
BY MIKE METTLER — APRIL 30, 2014
“Yes likes challenges.” So says Yes guitarist Steve Howe, and the proof is in the output. The band has been out on the boards in the U.S. and Canada playing a set comprised of three full albums: The Yes Album, Close to the Edge, and Going for the One. On their July and […]
