February 3, 2012

Dave Davies, the fist swinging, guitar playing younger brother in The Kinks, is 65.

On this day in 1959, Buddy Holly, the Big Bopper and Ritchie Valens were killed when their small plane crashed in bad weather shortly after take-off from the Mason City, Iowa airfield. They had decided to pay for plane tickets rather than travel by bus to Fargo, North Dakota. At the last minute, Holly's bass player, Waylon Jennings, gave up his seat so that the Big Bopper could make the flight. This tragedy is often referred to "The day the music died."

On this day in 1968, The Beatles recorded "Lady Madonna" in three takes at Abbey Road Studios in London.

On this day in 2004, saxophonist Cornelius Bumpus, who played with the The Doobie Brothers and Steely Dan among many others, died from a heart attack on a commercial flight from New York to California. He was 58.

This weekend, over 80 stations will air OFF THE RECORD with Joe Benson featuring the music of Deep Purple as well as more of Joe's conversation with singer Ian Gillan.

No Glitter At Super Bowl

Disgraced pop legend/convicted pedophile Gary Glitter won't be profiting Sunday when the Patriots will take on the New York Giants at the Super Bowl at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. Every year since 1973 Glitter has collected royalties from the Super Bowl telecast whenever his "Rock & Roll Part II" is played during the game. But this year the National Football League has finally banned the song. As the NFL's Brian McCarthy says, "We will not be playing any version (of) it." About time, say we.

Bruce Is Definitely A GRAMMY Player

It's official! Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band will be performing live at the 54th Annual GRAMMMY Awards at the Staples Center on February 12th. Bruce and his band will be joining an all-star line-up including Adele, Foo Fighters, Paul McCartney and Coldplay, among others.

Bad Sabbath News

Black Sabbath are currently in England working with producer Rick Rubin on a new album, and have a world tour scheduled to start May 18th in Moscow. But now, less than a month after guitarist Tony Iommi announced that he'd been diagnosed with lymphoma, drummer Bill Ward says that he won't participate in the reunion unless he is presented with a "sign-able contract" that "reflects some dignity and respect toward me as an original member of the band." This is not the first time that Ward has publicly battled with Sharon Osbourne, singer Ozzy Osbourne's wife/manager. Let's hope that they can come together this time.

Joined By A Traveling Wilbury & A Beatle

Joe Walsh's Wednesday night Troubadour listening party for his upcoming "Analog Man" album saw a couple of special guests join him on stage. The album's producer/former Electric Light Orchestra frontman, Jeff Lynne, stepped up to play on two songs before Joe's brother-in-law, Ringo Starr, took to the stage for the finale, "Rocky Mountain Way."

It was Rita Rudner who said: "When I eventually met Mr. Right, I had no idea that his first name was Always."

It was Mahatma Gandhi who said: "There is more to life than increasing its speed."

It was Calvin Coolidge who said: "No man ever listened himself out of a job."

February 9th - 12th: Make time for some serious high speed rocking with yer Uncle Joe at the 52nd O'Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Winternationals Drag Races at the Auto Club Raceway in Pomona! You know that Randy Balough will be racing his Uncle Joe's Super Gas Corvette and J.B. and Randy will be doing their Saturday and Sunday Meet & Greets with the KLOS Cool Patrol. Check out these pix from last year — then come and join the fun and excitement!