Music N' Other Drugs

As a member of The Happenings from 1961-1970, David Libert scored nine Billboard Hot 100 singles and carved out a nice little career for himself within the sunshine pop scene. What happened next, however, is what the meat of his memoir, “Rock and Roll Warrior: My Misadventures with Alice Cooper, Prince, George Clinton, Living Colour, … Continue reading ‘Rock and Roll Warrior’ David Libert recalls working with Alice Cooper, Prince, and George Clinton in new memoir

When the news of Todd Rundgren’s acute laryngitis dropped Friday afternoon, social media was set ablaze by fairweather concertgoers asking how they could go about getting a refund for a show that never hinged on his participation to begin with. They appeared to be miffed as to how the band could carry on without a … Continue reading All-star lineup honors the legacy of David Bowie in style at Town Ballroom

Today is the fifth anniversary of Gord Downie’s death and I can still count on one hand the number of acts that were/are capable of shaking my soul in a live setting. Whenever The Tragically Hip came to town, Downie, Rob Baker, Paul Langlois, Gord Sinclair, and Johnny Fay transcended the space in such a … Continue reading In the Ulcerating Silence: Reflecting on five years of life without Gord Downie and The Tragically Hip

Jim Crean prides himself on being one of the hardest working musicians in Buffalo and his latest project, Scream Taker, already has what it takes to be a memorable addition to his resumé. Rounded out by French guitarist Steph Honde and legendary drummer Vinny Appice, the trio released an album from Deko Entertainment titled “Kill … Continue reading Scream Taker: Buffalo Music Hall of Famer Jim Crean discusses his new collaboration with Vinny Appice and Steph Honde

January 1, 1983 is considered the official birthday of the Internet, but I didn’t get online until 1997. In fact, it was December of 1997, because I remember having my universe altered by a 90-second clip of Kate Winslet discussing how she prepared for her role as Rose DeWitt Bukater in “Titanic.” While I loved … Continue reading Please Could You Stop the Noise: Reflecting on 25 years of life on the Internet

If you’re reading this and have never heard of King’s X before, what can I say except you’re welcome. You now have an opportunity to familiarize yourself with one of the most criminally overlooked bands of the last 35 years and I’m honored to be your guide. Founded by singer/bassist dUg Pinnick, guitarist Ty Tabor, … Continue reading Three Sides of One: A conversation with King’s X singer/bassist dUg Pinnick

Lynyrd Skynyrd’s legacy in 2022 is defined as much by death as it is the everlasting life of the music, as 10 members, original or otherwise, have died since the group’s inception in 1964. That fact was solidified on Saturday night when the names of the departed were shown on screen near the end of … Continue reading Lynyrd Skynyrd makes Saturday night special at Seneca Niagara

As a 15-year-old aspiring guitarist in 2003, hearing the tones summoned by Pat Travers and Pat Thrall on 1979’s “Live! Go For What You Know” for the first time was transformative. I spent hours poring over every inch of that album in hopes of incorporating their techniques into my own playing, and, while I was … Continue reading Canadian guitar legend Pat Travers brings ‘The Art of Time Travel’ to The Stage on Aug. 31

I’ve interviewed artists on both sides of the metal vs. grunge debate throughout the years, but no one has ever offered a take as sensible as Steve Blaze. As the lead guitarist/songwriter for Lillian Axe since 1983, he’s been through it all and doesn’t buy into the prevailing mainstream position that both genres couldn’t have … Continue reading Guitarist Steve Blaze breaks down Lillian Axe’s return to the studio on “From Womb to Tomb”

Ghost is a band that has never seized my attention the way others have, but I’m finding the latest release from former bassist Mercury’s new project, Priest, to be a little hard to resist. From the opening banger “A Signal in the Noise” to the closing groove of “Keep on Burning,” the trio evokes the … Continue reading Swedish synth-pop trio Priest embraces the darkness on “Body Machine”