Remembering Sir George Martin, 1926-2016: Producer Way Beyond Compare

BY MIKE METTLER – UPDATED JUNE 14, 2016 / ORIGINALLY POSTED APRIL 10, 2016

Sir George Martin passed away at the age of 90 in Wiltshire, England on March 8, 2016. Best known for his indelible, enduring, and daringly innovative studio work with The Beatles from 1962–70, Martin also produced a wide swath of artists including […]

By |June 14th, 2016|The SoundBard Interview|Comments Off on Remembering Sir George Martin, 1926-2016: Producer Way Beyond Compare

38 Special Co-Founders Don Barnes & Donnie Van Zant Continue Rockin’ Into the Night, Onstage and Off

BY MIKE METTLER — MAY 19, 2016

Rock is rock, no matter where it comes from and who’s playing it. Sure, certain sounds and styles will always get some kind of genre label attached to them, but it all really boils down to one thing: Does the music move you? “Obviously, we’re from the South […]

By |May 19th, 2016|The SoundBard Interview|Comments Off on 38 Special Co-Founders Don Barnes & Donnie Van Zant Continue Rockin’ Into the Night, Onstage and Off

What a Nice Revise: Don Felder, Styx, and Foreigner Discuss Remaking “Hotel California”

BY MIKE METTLER — MAY 29, 2014

“The moment that song came out, it captured the mythology of California,” observes Styx’s James “JY” Young of the iconic title track to the Eagles’ forever classic 1976 album Hotel California. “I’m really proud of it,” says Don Felder, who wrote the song with former Eagles bandmates Don […]

Welcome to The Soundtrack of Summer Tour: Styx, Foreigner, and Don Felder Talk About Their Sweet Summer Sets

BY MIKE METTLER — MAY 27, 2014

“We’re all here for a common reason, which is the love of music.” That’s Jeff Pilson of Foreigner, succinctly assessing the manifesto of The Soundtrack of Summer tour, which features three powerhouse classic rock artists at the top of their respective games: Don Felder, formerly of the Eagles, […]

Holiday Gift Guide Special: 108 Rock Star Guitars to Riff & Roll on Your Coffee Table

BY MIKE METTLER — DECEMBER 12, 2013

“Nothing moves me like the sound of a guitar.” It’s the opening sentence to author Lisa S. Johnson’s passionate introduction to 108 Rock Star Guitars (Glitterati Incorporated), her lavishly photographed and beautifully bound ode to a score of axes ‘n planks that have created some of the most […]

The Vinyl Brothers, Session 1: Tommy Shaw & The SoundBard on Eric Clapton’s Underrated Clapton LP

BY MIKE METTLER — OCTOBER 21, 2013

Get Tommy Shaw and me, Mr. SoundBard, in a room talking about music, and chances are you’ll have to drag us out by our respective ears to get us on the way to our next destinations. (Just ask Styx’s ever-patient, ever-gracious tour manager and assistant tour manager.) Tommy […]

By |October 21st, 2013|The SoundBard Interview|Comments Off on The Vinyl Brothers, Session 1: Tommy Shaw & The SoundBard on Eric Clapton’s Underrated Clapton LP