Music N' Other Drugs

I was 14 when I first heard Genesis’s 1973 opus, “Selling England by the Pound,” on vinyl. The year was 2002, and, as an intellectual introvert for whom attracting female attention already felt like a Sisyphean struggle, the fact that I was becoming obsessed with an English progressive rock band while everyone else was losing … Continue reading In the Red Ochre Corridor: A Dive Into the Past, Present, and Future of Genesis

Despite being labeled a “legacy band” in certain circles, there is nothing about Styx’s 17th studio album, “Crash of the Crown,” to suggest that they’re content to coast on the multi-platinum wings of decades past. It’s a timely and timeless manifestation of everything that fans have come to expect from the band, and, in a … Continue reading Lawrence Gowan talks “Crash of the Crown” and how Styx adapted to life in the time of COVID-19

If you weren’t at The Backlot last month, you missed an opportunity to catch two of the greatest hard rock/metal drummers of all time in what was essentially a private setting. Carmine and Vinny Appice’s Drum Wars culled from each of the brother’s esteemed catalogs while giving WNY’s own Jim Crean an opportunity to show … Continue reading Energy Overload: Drum Legend Carmine Appice on his latest project with guitarist Fernando Perdomo, his time with Ozzy, and more

Mama’s Boys were a hard rock trio formed in Northern Ireland at a time when international success wasn’t easily attainable. A lot of hard work and dedication would be required to follow in the footsteps of Rory Gallagher and Thin Lizzy, but, luckily for Pat McManus, he and his brothers never lacked the drive to … Continue reading Legendary guitarist Pat ‘The Professor’ McManus returns with ‘Full Service Resumed’

The Dead Daisies have had multiple configurations since forming in 2013, but the lineup we’ll be seeing in Buffalo tonight is arguably the best one yet. Led by guitarist and licensed aviator David Lowy, the band is rounded out by singer/bassist Glenn Hughes, lead guitarist Doug Aldrich, and drummer Tommy Clufetos, all of whom bring … Continue reading Guitarist Doug Aldrich talks Dead Daisies, Dio, and Whitesnake ahead of Buffalo gig

According to the Internet Movie Database (IMDb), there have been 60 films made using Stephen King’s literary source material. What that means is that for every four-star masterpiece there exists a slew of projects whose straight-to-DVD quality doomed them from the start. While King has been the face of horror for decades, it’s actually his … Continue reading Some Birds Aren’t Meant to Be Caged: The Top 10 Stephen King Film Adaptations

When it comes to the ’70s progressive rock scene, Nektar was always a band that inexplicably flew under the radar in America despite a string of albums from 1971-1977 that deserve to be mentioned among the greats of the genre. The playing was fiery, the sound was ambitious, and Mick Brockett’s visual presentation deepened the … Continue reading Bassist Derek “Mo” Moore discusses Nektar’s upcoming return to the Hamburg Palace Theatre

Experiencing King Crimson live in 2021 is the musical equivalent of traveling to Mexico City to see the cloak enshrined in the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Both are sights to behold and both appear to defy articulation regardless of how hard you try to make someone who wasn’t there feel exactly the way … Continue reading King Crimson and Artpark make for the perfect summer night

For as much as Puddle of Mudd (POM) leader and lone original member Wes Scantlin was dying to know how the crowd at Batavia Downs was doing last Friday night, he didn’t appear interested in going the extra mile to ensure that they were doing as splendidly as he wanted them to be. His stage … Continue reading Puddle of Mudd pulls a disappearing act after 65 minutes at Batavia Downs

As a founding member of ’80s hard rock outfit Alcatrazz, keyboardist Jimmy Waldo crossed paths with some of the most unique personalities in the genre. He played with Graham Bonnet and Yngwie Malmsteen, shared bills with Ted Nugent and Mercyful Fate, and later started a supergroup called Blackthorne with Bob Kulick and Frankie Banali. While … Continue reading Keyboardist Jimmy Waldo discusses the history of Blackthorne and Alcatrazz