Ramble On: The WTTS Blog

When you were a kid did you dream of becoming a rock star? Billy Corgan of Smashing Pumpkins is giving hopeful musicians the chance of a lifetime. He is holding open auditions for a new bassist and keyboardist to replace Ginger Pooley. It’s not the first time Corgan has found a new member this way and in case you’re wondering, he is very much an equal opportunity employer as he’s stated that age, race and background are of course not an issue.

Does John Lennon belong in a car commercial? His son Sean thinks so. When Yoko Ono came under fire for licensing her late husband’s film clip to Citroen, her son took to Twitter to defend her. His tweet read:

“She did not do it for money. Has to do w hoping to keep dad in public consciousness. No new LPs, so TV ad is exposure to young.”

What do you think?

Paul talked to Susannah Gora on the WTTS Morning Show. She’s the author of You Couldn’t Ignore Me If You Tried: The Brat Pack, John Hughes, And Their Impact on a Generation. Susannah scored interviews with a lot of key players of the era including actors Molly Ringwald and John Cusack as she explores the complete history of the making of some of the classic movies of the 80’s.

Jane’s Addiction’s reunion in 2008 was not the first since their 1991 break up. It was however, the first time the original line up had reunited in 17 years. It was in 2008 that bassist Eric Avery agreed to join the rest of the band in getting back together. Almost as quickly as it occurred, Dave Navarro and Avery have announced via their Twitter accounts that Avery is calling it quits. Duff McKagen of Velvet Revolver and Guns’n’Roses will be taking Avery’s place just as Jane’s Addiction heads back to the studio to record their 4^th studio album.

Record Store Day is just a little over a month away. On April 16th, all kinds of musical artists will offer special vinyl and CD releases exclusively through independent record retailers. Indiana’s own Jagjaguwar records is on board with a special 7” single tied to Peter Gabriel’s recent Scratch My Back covers project. The label’s Bon Iver takes the A-side with their cover of “Come Talk to Me.” Gabriel returns the favor on the B-side with his version of the band’s “Flume.”

Blind Melon’s career began in 1989 and was cut short in 1995 by the untimely death of lead singer and Indiana native, Shannon Hoon. October 21st will mark the 15th anniversary of Hoon’s death. As a tribute, the surviving members of Blind Melon are releasing a documentary later this year about the early days of the band. The film will include footage of the band’s tour with the Rolling Stones and Neil Young, as well as home video shot by Shannon Hoon himself. And if you’re interested in joining the band, they are accepting mp3’s and YouTube video links from potential lead singers.

What would it be like to hear Ben Harper’s version of INXS’ “Devil Inside?” How about Rob Thomas doing “Original Sin?” Or Brandon Flowers covering “Beautiful Girl?” We’ll hear those artists and more on a “reimagining” INXS album due out in May. But if a covers album just doesn’t cut it for you, INXS drummer Jon Farris says fans can expect new material sometime in the future.

While delivering thousands of songs alphabetically during World Class Rock A to Z, memories are sparked and thoughts engaged.   Today, a song played while in the “T”s.  The song “Talk To Ya Later” by The Tubes presented itself as we progressed through the letters.  While sitting (with headphones on) and listening to the song, I was taken back to 1983.  That was the year that I actually met Fee Waybill, lead vocalist of The Tubes.  I attended a celebrity softball game between a local radio station and members of the band.  I remember saying to myself  “why has nobody turned out to see this band disguised as softball players?  Don’t they know that these are THE TUBES playing in our own backyard?”.  With no thought of the band actually hating the experience and just wanting to get it over with, I approached Fee Waybill for an autograph.  He was kind, but less than enthusiastic about having to stop forward motion and the tick of the clock to honor my request of his signature.  I was not prepared.  I asked for the autograph, but had no marker and NOTHING for him to sign.  Instead of completely embarrassing me, Fee grabbed a softball that had been in play, and signed it.  He then passed it to the other members of the band who nodded, signed the ball, then moved on.  I have kept this signed, dirty softball for 25+ years in my collection of “all things musical”.  At first, the softball was displayed prominently in the center of every room in every apartment in every city.  Then, the band’s fame slowed down, my taste in music improved and my collection grew to new heights.  The softball went from the center of every room, to the end of my mantle, to the shelf in the bathroom, to the open door cabinet in the mudroom, to a shelf in the attic.  It’s not that I am ungrateful to the band for generously contributing to my collection, it’s just that the older I get, the more my prize looks  like…well, just a dirty ball.  After listening to the tubes earlier today, I think I will “break out the ball” once again.  Maybe I could clean it up without smudging the autographs.  After all, I realize that ANY contribution to my musical memories and innocent youth should be proudly displayed.

Thanks for listening to 92.3 WTTS.  I truly appreciate you.

Laura Duncan

OK..so maybe I got the dunce cap back this morning but nobody wants to hear about that, right?

Now this is interesting. Sadly we lost Doug Fieger, the Knack’s lead singer to lung cancer on Valentine’s Day. He was only 57.  The woman who inspired Doug to write his biggest hit, “My Sharona” was a girl Doug had a huge “thing” for although she was dangerously young at the time.

Sharona Alperin is now a realtor to the stars in California and quite successful. The “then and now” shots are below.

Although the two had a relationship for awhile they were not involved at the time of Doug’s death but remained close.-PM

Pete Townshend hears that. In an interview with Rolling Stone he reveled that his tinnitus has returned. One possible solution: hooking Townshend up to an in-ear monitoring system which they will test during the Who’s March 30^th Teenage Cancer Trust show. If the gig does not go well, The Who may cancel their upcoming concerts.