Talkin' Rock With Meltdown Podcast

Honored to have drummer extraordinaire, and fellow Detroiter, Tommy Clufetos on Talkin' Rock. He's playing the Token Lounge coming up on Thursday, March 28th. Having seen him play there before, this is a show you're not going to want to miss. He said that was the only time he'd played there and he "Loved it!" His drumming is insane. Just check out some of the clips below.

In the conversation we talked about his career playing with everyone from, Ted Nugent, to Rob Zombie, to Black Sabbath, John 5, and lots more.

Tommy is Detroit through and through. "Detroit is such a big part of my life, you can't get it out of me". Tommy credits his upbringing here in the Motor City with giving him his work ethic. Now he's made home in the music capitol of America, Nashville, Tenn. 

He told me how he's managed to get so many high-profile gigs, starting with Mitch Rider. We talked about how he was hooked up with Ted Nugent through Alto Reed from Bob Seger's band. "I'm so spoiled because I love Detroit music so much," he told me. 

Ozzy Osbourne recently picked him as his drummer in a hypothetical dream band. "That makes me feel really good." He went on to talk about playing with Ozzy "When I'm behind Ozzy, we go to war together". He said he's learned so much from guys like Ozzy and Nugent. 

He talked about playing some gigs with Motley Crue, while Tommy Lee was injured and couldn't perform full shows. 

How badly did he want to play on Black Sabbath's 13 album? What was it like playing Sabbath's last gig? He answers those questions and lots more. 

Great to have Tommy on the show for the first time, and I cannot wait to see the show at the Token on March 28th. I'll see you guys there!

Such an honor to have Mick Mars on the show. His new album "The Other Side Of Mars" drops on February 23rd, and it's a killer record.

The album really shows off different sides to Mick's musicality. It really takes you on a roller coaster ride. "Yeah, I wanted to see what happens. Lots of different styles, different things." He went on "I intentionally wanted it to be very diverse." 

What's also different about this record is that Mick is more upfront than he ever was in the Crue. This is his project and he's the face of it. From the video treatments which are primarily black and white. "When I was in Motley I wrote for Motley. But with this, it's for me." He jokingly calls it "Mars"ley.

He told me his heart is in the blues, but he didn't want to put out a blues album. He explained why that is. Mick also told me the moment he fell in love with music. He was very young!

There are some musical heavyweights on this album. Starting with the producer, Micheal Wagener. This guy worked with Mick back on the very first Motley album. Then, he's got Korn's Ray Luzier on drums. He is an incredible talent. Mick described him with one word - awesome!

I also asked him about collaborating with other artists. "Oh, yeah. I'm not sure with whom. I like to keep things fresh." He said he's already working on his next album. "I've already got, like, four really, really solid songs." As far as guests for his next album, he said he's pretty sure he'll have some on it.

As far as albums he's credited on, I had to ask him about the Hear 'N Aid project he was part of in the 80s. From what he recalls it was fun. LOL He goes into that a little deeper.

Days after his birthday, Sully Erna from Godsmack called in to discuss what the band has going on, along with his "I Stand Alone - The Sully Erna Story", which you can watch now. 

He told me how the documentary started, after writing manuscripts for his book "The Paths We Choose". He says his story is about perseverance....that's an understatement. "So many times I could've easily ended up dead or in jail." He told me how music really saved his life.

He said he was nervous watching it, but he thinks it came out good. I watched it in one sitting. There was stuff in there that surprised me, and some stories that were, as he said, hard to believe. He's a guy who literally had to fight to achieve his success. "There really is a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, it's just a mother f&#$#er getting there."

People may or may not know, Godsmack was a late-blooming band. Most rock bands get their start in their 20s. Godsmack started to break in their 30s. That's unheard of in our business. He said after years of trying to make it as a musician for so long, he put the band together to just scratch an itch. 

He also talked about how drummer Shannon Larkin joined the band. He said they didn't even do auditions for drummers when he came aboard. Suly went on to explain how he joined the band and how the "drum battle" started. That's a highlight of any Godsmack show. 

As far as what the band has going on this year, he said they probably won't be working on any new music, but touring with an intimate night of music and storytelling. 

You can watch the documentary on Apple TV, Amazon Prime, and other streaming services. 

Sebastian Bach is my latest guest on Talkin' Rock with Meltdown. He's dropping a new album, in his words, sooner than you think. "It's coming very, very soon." He talks about the first single "What Have I Got To Lose?" which you can see below. That song is co-written with Myles Kennedy from Alter Bridge/Slash. He talked about joining up with him.

Detroit's own John 5 is also on the album, along with others. He reminded me that this is the third album he's collaborated with 5. 

He also spoke about the fact that he wouldn't mind getting back with the original members of Skid Row. "Us five musicians haven't been in the same room together since 1996, and I barely remember the year 1996." He went on to say that he's over whatever happened in 1996. "I'm over it." He talked more about that, including the fact that he owns all sorts of demos and unreleased tracks from the early days of the band. 

Sebastian also talked about the Skid Row tour with a very young Soundgarden on the Slave To The Grind tour. When asked if he could see that band blow up like they did, he talked about the darker vibe of the grunge movement at the time. "I come from a time where rock and roll was nothing but fun." He elaborated "I didn't get into rock and roll to be depressed. I got into rock and roll to escape depression." He spoke of hanging with Chris Cornell after the shows and the ultimate demise of the legendary singer. 

We had to talk about KISS. He's a huge fan and told me the story of seeing the final show in New York. He also spoke highly of the KISS reunion show at Tiger Stadium in 1996. He called the show the "biggest rush" when they came on the stage that night. A moment he said he'd never forget. "Probably the most exciting concert moment of my life."

Rob DeLuca from Spread Eagle playing with Sebastian for many years. He gave me some fun tour stories to ask him about. Those are crazy stories. 

Chris Robertson from Black Stone Cherry joins me on Talkin' Rock. They'll be hoping on the ShipRocked cruise starting February 4 through the 10th. 

Their latest album, their eighth, dropped last fall called Screamin' At The Sky. He tells me that he feels fortunate that they can put out new music and people still care, "You can't really ask for much more than that" 

Chris told me about growing up in the middle of nowhere, in Edmonton, Kentucky. He said growing up he was surrounded by country music, as his father and grandfather were both bluegrass/country musicians. He said music videos helped craft his love of music. "I was a kid in the MTV generation, so all through the 90s you had great rock and roll being playing on TV." He told me about the first video he recalls watching. 

Being from Kentucky, I'm surprised it took this long, but they've got their own bourbon now. They've teamed up with Three Chord Bourbon to develop their bourbon. He said management approached them with the idea. "It was a no-brainer for us."

Chris just came back from Los Angeles for NAMM, and he told me about his new signature guitar called The Sarge. He said that way of life is ok for a few days, but he's a country boy through and through. 

Black Stone Cherry is also playing Zakk Wylde's Berzurkus concert in mid-September in Pennsylvania. As far as playing live and touring, it's something he still loves to do. "I love it because it's new faces all the time, it continues to build." Yes, BSC is a road-dog band and that's ok with Chris. "We love it. We truly love playing music."

He surprised me with a band he named as far as a "massive" influence on his band with roots in the Detroit area. That was a shocker. 

My guest on this episode of Talkin' Rock is Blue Oyster Cult's Eric Bloom. This is the first time we've talked and I found him to be very easy to speak with. 

For those of you in the southeast Michigan area, B.O.C is playing the Royal Oak Music Theater on February 25th. Eric is looking forward to the show, but he seemed happier to be coming to Detroit for a slice or two of Detroit-style pizza. LOL

I asked Eric to recall something about the famed "Black and Blue" tour with Black Sabbath in the early 80s. He fondly spoke about the tour, playing Madison Square Garden, and more. 

We also talked about the cultural impact that the band had. From the "Cowbell" scene on SNL, to use in horror movies. He spoke to not being aware of the use of "Don't Fear The Reaper" in the original Halloween movie. Speaking of movies, yes, Eric is a Godzilla fan! "Buck wrote the song, but we used to make Godzilla jokes in the band house."

He also told me about some new live vinyl albums that are dropping this year. They recorded some special shows last year and they're dropping them throughout the year. He also let the cat out of the bag that they're going to be releasing some unheard B.O.C before the summertime. This is going to have to satisfy the diehard fans because he doesn't see them making any new music anytime soon. 

A few weeks back while talking to David Ellefson, he brought up GHOST and said they reminded him of Blue Oyster Cult. Eric doesn't see it "I don't sorta get it, but other people might think so."

We also talked about Metallica, his video game addiction, Spinal Tap, and more.

Fun conversation with Eric on Talkin' Rock!

Mac Saturn singer, Carson Macc joins me today, as their "Hard To Sell" record finally drops this Friday, January 26th, with a show to celebrate that night at the Fillmore Detroit. 

The process of making this record began long ago. Working with Al Sutton at Rust Belt Studios, they brought what they thought were solid songs, but they weren't. "We brought them so many songs that we thought were it!" Carson said that although they didn't use those songs, they learned much about their songwriting process. More on Al and others who helped them in a minute. 

As far as pegging this band's sound, that's a tough one. Carson describes it like this "We're from Detroit. We're Rock and Roll, but we're from Detroit so we got a little bit of funk and soul" He said people always compare them to so many different bands. "We like to do things authentically"

This band does not shy away from being from Detroit. "You gotta say it. You've got to wear that on your sleeve, because why wouldn't you?" They want to be part of the musical fabric that's so strong from years gone by. They are the future of that sound.  

As far as singers he's been influenced by, that's another one you just can't point to. He says he takes elements from all of his inspirations "...and be completely free on top of this band, that has some serious players in it." Yes, the band is very tight. 

As far as the tour is concerned, Mac Saturn is hopping right into it. They're going all over the country from January 26 at the Fillmore, right through until St. Patrick's Day. 

Carson was never at a loss to talk about working with Al Sutton at Rust Belt Studios in Royal Oak. "He was always pushing us to see how far we could take this sound." Kid Rock guitarist and backup singer, Marlon Young and Hershell Boone were all on board in the creation of this album. He sang their praises and spoke to how much he learned from all of them. 

You can watch the video for "Mint Julep" here. 

It was great to talk to Carson. Wishing nothing but the best for him and the band as they start out on this trek. You can meet the band on Thursday at Dearborn Music in Dearborn starting at 6 pm for a listening/meet & greet party. 

Always great to talk with David Ellefson. He has so much going on, as always! This guy has to be one of the busiest musicians in the country.

He talked about spending his birthday here in Detroit to see Metallica in early November. He talked as to why he was here, and seeing Metallica was only one part of it. 

One of his many bands, Metal Alliegence turns 10 this year. He talked about how that project started and the guests that have joined him onstage throughout the years. They'll be celebrating with a concert at the House of Blues in Anaheim, California on January 25th. 

He also told me about the upcoming Nick Menza documentary "This Is My Life". Will that see the light of day this year? David has an answer....sorta. You can see more about that project, here. 

Speaking of Metallica, the topic of Lars Ulrich taking on Napster in the mid-90s was brought up. I asked him what he thought about that now, almost 30 years later. David had a lot to say about that moment in music history. 

I recently saw an article where David picked the top five albums that changed his life. The funny thing is, four of them were from the late 70s/early 80s, and one from 2015, which kinda came out of left field. He told me why he picked that odd one for his list. I'll be honest, it's a band I really love as well!

Up next, it's Gavin Rossdale from Bush. He was nice enough to call in to promote the upcoming Loaded: Greatest Hits Tour he's embarking on with his band, Bush, along with Jerry Cantrell from Alice In Chains, and Candlebox. That show touches down here in Michigan at the Michigan Lottery Amphitheater on August 16th. Of course, keep it locked on the RIFF for your chance to win your way in.

I had to start out by sending condolences to his dog, Chewy. I actually met that little guy a couple of times backstage. He was a cute little dog that always had his backstage pass on. Gavin spoke to that and the funny reason why he wore it. He said that dog had seen more Bush concerts than his own children.

Gavin told me he didn't tour with either one of these bands back in the day, although he has played with them recently. He said that Jerry is a bit of a gambler so that may be a win/loss for him. That lead us into talking about what they do to fill the time on tour.

Gavin was on the TODAY show Wednesday, and he talked about that with me. During that appearance, he spoke highly of his kids and their love of American football. Is he watching the playoffs? He answered that as well as his relationship with soccer legend, David Beckham, being that he's a huge soccer fan.

Sounds like this is going to be another not-miss tour this summer. A big thank you to Gavin for the time, it's always a pleasure to speak with him.

Guitarist Richie Faulkner joins me today on Talkin' Rock. We started by talking about his latest birthday celebration on January 1st. 

We talked about his relationship with his father-in-law, guitar legend George Lynch. "George is an incredible player....not only incredible but a unique player," he said. I asked him if he's floated him any tracks off upcoming projects.  He said he hadn't, but "He's a great resource....he's great to get information and experiences from."

As far as the new Judas Priest album is concerned, Richie talked a lot about it. He mentioned that following up on a record like "Firepower" that did so well, it's a healthy challenge. 

He talks about the song "Panic Attack". That song includes two solos on that one track. He talks about the complexity of that song, along with other ones on the albums. He said the album is somewhat more "progressive", but not really in the way you might think. "The record takes on its own character by itself." 

As far as input Richie has on the writing and recording, he said everyone chips in. There are 11 tracks on the album, with three bonus tracks on available copies. He said there's no real moment of any sort of ballad on "Invisible Shield", which drops on March 8th. 

He also spoke to respecting the band's vast history, and the fanship they have. "You have to produce to 1,000% of your ability." He said he never takes it for granted and what an honor it is to be in the band. 

He also gave an update as far as guitarist Glenn Tipton with his Parkinsons. "We had his mind involved, we had his creative mind involved and that's part of the reason it makes it Judas Priest."

We also discussed songs he loves to play on stage nightly, the first albums he bought, and, his health much more. 

It's always great to talk with Richie, and this time was no different. 

Tim Montana is making 2024 the year of rock for his career. He'll be dropping a rock album, and going out on tour with Staind and Seether.

I had a chance to talk with him about this upcoming year, the bar he co-owns with ZZ Top's Billy Gibbons, and lots more.

Growing up very poor, Tim says he's had the good fortune to meet most of the people on the posters on his trailer wall. His first shot at stardom was on David Letterman's show in 2008. He talks about the experience of going to New York City for the first time.

"It hits hard" is how he describes his upcoming rock album. There are no featured guests on the record. "If this is going to be my first rock statement, I kinda want to make it on my own."

As far as his upbringing in music, he tells me about the full-circle moment he recently went back to his high school

We also talked about his huge support for the veterans. In four years of the <a href="https://www.americanthreadshoot.com/">American Thread Shoot</a>, they've raised $1.4 million. Tim spoke about meeting and playing for the troops in the past.

The Wise River Club is the bar he has in Wise River, Montana. He tells me about the history of the place and some of the famous people who've swung by. Is it haunted? "We have heard stories...." he said, but as of now, he says they haven't seen anything yet. He tells a crazy story of a legendary daredevil who has a history in the place with a wild animal.

It was great to talk with Tim for a few minutes. I can't wait to check out the new record when it drops, sometime this spring according to him.

It's always great to talk with Scott Stapp. It's even better when he has a new solo album about to drop and a tour with the reunited Creed! We talk about all of this and lots more on this episode of Talkin' Rock with Meltdown.

His new album is called Higher Power and comes out on March 15th. He told me about the album, how personal it is to him, and working with guitarist Yiannis Papadopoulos and singer, Dorothy Martin. Dorothy is on a song called "If These Walls Could Talk". Scott told me about getting her on the track. He said after watching her set one night, that he knew immediately that he wanted her on the song. He said she was in tears when she heard the song for the first time. "I'm really excited to share that song with everybody in the world," he said. 

We also talked about the reformation of Creed. He said they haven't rehearsed yet, but they have a lot of "secrets" that the year will unveil as far as the band is concerned. "We can't wait to rock out!" The show here is just about sold out in Detroit. "It appears we've connected with a whole new generation of fans" through social media. 

He said getting the band back together was very organic. "I think we all knew it was going to happen at some point, we just didn't know when." He's happy that his kids will be able to see him on stage with Creed. "They really haven't seen what their dad had done earlier in their life"

He said he went through a lot of stuff publicly and privately, that he says changed him in a positive way. He takes things one day at a time and wants to remain positive about everything that's going on in his life. He's excited to play the solo dates on tour with Daughtry coming up, as well as the massive Creed tour later this year. 

Scott's a good guy and I'm happy for him and the band, as well as the fans! It's going to be a huge year for him and I wish him all the best...

The new album from Saxon, "Hell, Fire and Damnation" drops on January 19th, and frontman Biff Byford was nice enough to join me to discuss it, and lots more. 

"It's a monster title, isn't it?" Biff asked when I brought up the title. That it is! He told me what the title meant, it goes back a long way. "I don't know why we didn't use it before". He spoke about bringing back the 80s on some aspects of the album, even going back to the beginning of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal. 

Biff talked about how fast this album came together and why they're releasing it to start the new year, as opposed to releasing it near the end of 2024. There's a reason they decided to get it out earlier, as Biff explained. "It all came together pretty quickly" as far as the album is concerned. Biff said,  "The Metal Gods were looking down on us" He spoke about the process of writing and recording the album. 

This album is also mixed and produced by Andy Sneap, who has worked with the band several times. "It's everything, new music. It's lifeblood." is how he responded to the question of what new music means to Saxon. He said they're always on a quest to write the perfect song/album. 

He also told me about the song he did with Amon Amarth, "Saxons and Vikings". He talked about meeting the guys and becoming friends with them. "I do like the song, actually...it's a great song". The style of his voice along with Johan Hegg's makes for an interesting sound.

Always fun talking with Biff, a great way to close out the year! 

Steve Richards from Taproot was kind enough to join me to talk to all things Taproot. 

I opened up the conversation by asking him what it's been like to be back out on tour with the band. "It's been really cool" Steve replied. He explained how their tour isn't a grueling grind, but one where they meet up on weekends. He also spoke to touring with new music under his belt. He's known these songs for years, but he had to teach them to the other guys. "Playing the new songs is really cool because it's something I never planned on."

He also told me about shooting the video for "Favuorite Song" at the Buffalo Bill house, which you can see below. He explained how they decided to shoot it there. 

"Not so much. At this point it's me literally trying to remember words" was his response to the question about how much pressure is on him, being the creative force, spokesperson, and face of the band. "I don't feel too much pressure. I love being out there." 

As far as touring is concerned, Steve now has a family that he gets to see and take to some shows. 

He told me about guesting on a song for someone that he's working on now. "I've got some really cool harmonies. The topic is really dark and creepy" He said he really likes working on other stuff for people. 

Of course, I couldn't let him go without asking his thoughts on Patrick Kane playing for the Detroit Red Wings. We're big hockey fans, so this is close to our hearts. 

Steve and the guys are great people! Really looking forward to seeing them again this weekend at District 142 in Wyandotte, Michigan.

A few weeks back, I took a trek to Buffalo, New York to hang with my friend Don Jamieson from That Metal Show. He hosted the night at the Showplace Theater with Jack Russell's Great White. It was great to reconnect with Jack afterward. I asked Jack if he'd like to come on the podcast and he didn't hesitate. 

Jack spoke of his current state of health. He had back fusion earlier this year and he's still healing up from that. He sounds a lot better these days, and his singing is still spot on. 

His Great White is working on a new album that Jack says sounds amazing. That's being worked on at guitarist Robby Lochner's studio. He told me the band is clicking. "We play real well together, we all enjoy each other's company." He told me how he approaches the studio. He goes in very prepared. He also talked about what is inspiring his writing nowadays. He said it's stuff that's close to him and what he's been through. "

I asked him about recording cover songs, and that led us to talk about "Once Bitten, Twice Shy" by Ian Hunter. Come to find out, he's only met the rock legend once....many years ago. He had some funny things to say about that. 

He and Tracii Guns have an album dropping on December 12th called Medusa. Jack talked about wanting to record something with him for several years. He said the songs were written by some Italian producers and songwriters. He said he had to change some of the lyrics because the translation didn't work. 

He and Dee Snider jammed a few weeks back at a resort in Cancun. He talked about that, and their time there. 

Check out the full interview below, and a bonus conversation as well..and a big thanks to Jack for the time. 

Here's my two-part conversation with Robert from Metallica. This is condensed into one part for your listening pleasure!

Part one.....

We talked about the latest album, 72 Seasons. He said it was great to get back into a room and play with the guys after the pandemic. "You forget about those things and take them for granted, it was pretty special."

He also spoke about his time in Detroit this week. "It's a great city with a lot of history, a lot of history of music." While he was walking around the city a couple of days ago, he walked by the Fox Theater. He talked about playing at that venue with Ozzy and his band Infectious Grooves. 

I was lucky enough to visit the Motown Museum earlier in the day with Charlie Benante from Pantera/Anthrax, and he told me a story of someone throwing a bottle on stage at the band at a show in Europe. Robert was hit in the head as he waiting behind an amp. He recalled the story about what happened, and how it bonded his friendship with Anthrax to this day. 

Part two included this...

We started off the conversation this time talking about the impact that Motown had on him. "That was 100% in my wheelhouse." He told me about growing up listening to that music, and then being turned onto rock and metal. "There isn't a bass player in rock, in metal, and sort of in modern music, that's serious about their instrument that doesn't respect those bass lines coming out of Detroit". That led us to more bass talk and guys who inspired him.

Robert talked about Detroit's "swagger" and all the history and music from here. "There's a soulfulness to it." He also talked about his love for Houdini and everything he did in the Motor City.

I had to ask him about the upcoming project he has coming out with the legendary RUSH bass player, Geddy Lee. He spoke to really getting a chance to hang with Geddy. "He wanted to know what it's like in the world of Robert Trujillo". Robert was fired up about the whole experience "It was really, really cool." He told a story about Geddy watching his son play at a local bar. He said people were blown away that the Canadian legend was there.

I asked him about re-recording the Ozzy Osbourne album Diary of a Madman. "That's an interesting story," he said, and he was off and running about that project. He said he's always there for Ozzy and Sharon, commenting "Ozzy is my hero".

2003 was a monumental year for Robert. He called it the year that changed his life. "So many things happened." He spoke about joining the band and the work ethic that playing in Metallica brings. "That's the thing about this band, it's always 100%". He said when he joined the band, it was about fitting in and not bothering the other guys, but just trying to learn as he went.

Enjoy!

Andy Summers of The Police is about to embark on his The Cracked Lens and A Missing String tour, and he's here to tell me about it. 

He told me about when his love of photography started. He said it was many decades ago between female photographers when the band started around 1979 and as a teenager seeing arthouse films in England. "I loved them, it was actually an education for me." He said he shot black and white film to start. 

I also asked him about what it feels like to be in the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame. I got the feeling he's not a huge fan. "I have no feeling for it at all. It doesn't mean anything to me." He said as a band, they got a lot of awards, and this was another one on the list. As far as who he thinks should get in there he replied "I'm not really interested in things like that." He went on to give more thoughts on the Rock Hall. 

I have all the Police albums on vinyl, so I thought I'd ask him which album he'd tell someone to listen to first out of their five. Pretty much without hesitation, he said "The second one, "Zenyatta Mondatta", yeah." He said the band was clicking together. "It was the early days, we sorta learned how to play together. We played all the time. The wind of success was really with us early" He went on "That's where I felt we hadn't gotten too polished. We hadn't gotten too bored with being so successful. " He spoke to the third album and how it was recorded much differently. 

"It's amazing we made five whole albums, to get that far, without really repeating anything." He said some bands get caught in ruts and repeat themselves on other albums they make. 

-Meltdown-

Gavin Rossdale of Bush joins me to discuss many things in his world, including the Greatest Hits: Loaded 1994-2023. He told me why now, and how it was something he didn't really want to do. 

He spoke to the latest single and video, "Nowhere To Go But Everywhere". In the video, he goes back in time to 30 years. I asked him if going back to the start of Bush was done on purpose "It was absolutely on-the-nose intentional." See the video below. 

He also talked about being in a band that's sold 24 million albums. "I would've died of shock" had he'd known he'd go on to sell so many records. 

How did they pick the songs for the greatest hit album? How will the band celebrate the 30th anniversary of the debut album, Sixteen Stone, next year? Gavin gives some answers to those questions. 

"I love it!" he responded when asked about his music appearing in movies. Does he have any acting projects in the works right now? "Not really, my plate is really full." He's got his foot into other projects including a cooking show, which he's been working on for years, and other stuff. 

We got into the writing process of the band. He's pretty much the guy. "Yeah, you only need one idiot in the band like me." 

One of the most interesting things we talked about was what influences him now. He mentioned metal-core and specifically Bad Omens. "They're really crafting stuff well and making songs interesting."

We wrapped things up with Gavin giving props to the Detroit crowds. He loves playing here. 

-Meltdown-

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It's always a pleasure to talk with the Triumph front man. Rik Emmett's new book is out and it's a great read for any Triumph fan, or any music fan in general. "Lay It On The Line: A Backstage Pass to Rock Star Adventure, Conflict and TRIUMPH" is out now. 

Rik was, well, like an open book when I spoke with him. He told me that writing this book had it's challenges. He told me the reason he wrote the book, was to learn about himself. Of course there was an aspect of "setting the record straight" from his point of view, but overall he wanted to see what made him tick. He called it a "Journey of self discovery." "How can I be a better me?" was another way he looked at it. 

Yes, there's Triumph stories in the book, and he told me some, but it's much more than that. He said he wasn't so interested in the "Sex and Drugs" part of the Sex, Drugs and Rock N' Roll, but more about keeping his own self in shape. 

We discussed his leaving the band. That took a long time, because as he put it, the time was never right. Some may or may not know, but Rik wanted to leave Triumph for several years before he finally did. He credited his brother, who had since passed, for getting him back with the guys to play some shows in the early 2000s. 

As a band from Canada, the band really broke out of San Antonio, Texas. He said the radio made their careers early on. Also, their stage show was over the top as well. He said drummer, Gil Moore, was really the brains behind all the stage production. Rik gave me some funny instances about Gil working up some 

He answered the question as to why he referred to Gil and Mike Levine as "partners", as opposed to bandmates, he said that it was a business from the beginning. "They are friends, but they're not close friends." He said they do have Christmas dinner each year, but that's about it. And, yes, he did send them a copy of the book. 

He went into all the Michigan connections he has, including his son who played baseball at Central Michigan on a baseball scholarship. Speaking of Michigan, I had to get a question from guitarist John 5. He answered that question and talked about his admiration for the local guitar hero. 

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https://wrif.com/podcasts/talkin-rock-with-meltdown-2/

Joe Bonamassa was nice enough to join me last week to talk about his latest albums/projects, plus, his upcoming show at the historic Fox Theater on November 18th. He told me how much he loves that place. I actually made a separate story just for his comments on the Fox. 

Joe told me about his latest live album, Tales Of Time, which he recorded at the legendary Red Rocks concert venue in Colorado. He said that the weather was an issue with the two shows he played there to capture his live show. He said the weather was much better the second night, and that's where most of the tracks come from. 

Speaking of live albums, he already has another recorded and ready to drop next year. This one though is completely different. That one was recorded at the Hollywood Bowl with an orchestra. He told me about the challenges of making that album, and how proud he is of it since he's lived out in southern California for a couple of decades. "It makes them completely different" was his response when I asked him if the orchestra breathed new life into these songs. 

Blues Deluxe Vol. 2 is out, twenty years after the first Vol. 1. He spoke to the making of that album as well. 

Does he still have the fire he had as a younger guitar player? "Yeah...the minute the fire goes away is when you got to hang it up." He said he's not there yet. 

What about any legendary guitar players he hasn't played with yet? He's played with so many, there's not many he hasn't played with. He told me, which I've heard before, the bigger the star, the nicer the person. 

I wrapped it up by asking about the late Jeff Beck. "To me, he was the greatest rock guitar player of all time. For six decades he was reinventing himself."  He spoke to seeing Jeff before the shows, playing his guitar in his dressing room. He said it was the most incredible thing. "He lives in rarified air."

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It's always great to talk with my friend, Jesse James Dupree from Jackyl. He's got a new album coming out on November 10th called, "Breathing Fire". He told me about the idea of the record, which was born out of good old fashioned Rock N' Roll. 

Brian Johnson from AC/DC helped to write some of the material. He said Brian called him out of the blue, while Jesse was contemplating and putting thoughts together for new music. "Next thing I know, I'm writing songs with Brian Johnson of AC/DC." Jesse talked about the entire process of how the songs came together with his son, Nigel and Jackyl bassist, Roman Glick. He talked how the cadence of the latest single "Never Gets Old"  had a Marine cadence to it. That's out now and you can see the video here, which is the lyric video with 32 different fonts from some of your favorite bands. You can win cash and more if you can name all the bands. Punch up Jesse's site to find out how to win. 

We also talked about working with his son, Nigel. He tells a funny story about how it's different to get into an argument with a band member as opposed to your son. LOL

I also asked him about the use of "The Lumberjack" in the Foo Fighter's Studio 666 movie. It's one of the most brutal death scenes I've ever seen in a horror movie. He went on to tell me a story about Nirvana almost getting kicked out of a Jackyl show in Seattle back in the day. 

As some of you may or may not know, Jesse works heavily with Harley-Davidson. We talked about that as well. 

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https://www.jessejamesdupree.com/