Both Geoff Tate of Queensryche and Alice Cooper called in on my show this week to say hello and to catch up a bit. Even if Queensryche weren't such a highly regarded crowd-pleaser in Chicago, they would still find plenty of reasons to keep coming back here. Geoff's wife Susan is from here and so is guitarist Mike Stone. So with obvious delight, Geoff and the band will be part of a great triple bill featuring Heaven & Hell, Alice Cooper and Queensryche, September 22nd at the Sears Centre in Hoffman Estates. Since Ronnie James Dio will be fronting H&H, this will afford him the unique-to-this-bill opportunity to reprise his duet with Geoff from Queensryche's latest disc "Operation Mindcrime 2" and their new live DVD "Mindcrime At The Moore."

(See Queensryche and Dio perform together here: http://youtube.com/watch?v=HmfN7Fu2d6A)

(See Queensryche perform "Jet City Woman" here: http://youtube.com/watch?v=fHZlfTPJdKw&mode=related&search=)

Geoff told me his first concert experience was seeing Alice Cooper when he was younger and that it had a very profound effect on him. He went on to explain that the theatrical nature of Alice's performances set the template in his head that he would later explore with his own band. Needless to say, Geoff is thrilled about this upcoming Chicago show!

Alice Cooper has been on a creative tear the last few years, churning out two magnificent new albums, "The Eyes Of Alice Cooper" and "Dirty Diamonds." Alice told me there is yet another one on the way soon and that he too is looking forward to coming back to the Chicago area, since he lived here at Lake Point Towers for some time. Alice and I shared a few stories and laughs about Alice's former producer Bob Ezrin who also produced KISS and the legendary Pink Floyd double-disc "The Wall." A few years ago, Bob was producing an album by a friend of mine and asked me to sing on the chorus of a song they were currently working on. I tried in vain to explain to Bob that I didn't think I had a very good singing voice, but he was having none of it. He was so intent on having "those balls!" (in reference to my baritone voice) on the record that he literally shoved me into the recording booth with the other members of the band to give it a go. About ten minutes and ten takes later... he had to agree with me. I was out, although I still got a credit on the album. Alice gave much credit to Bob for finding and crystallizing "our sound" as he put it, so don't be surprised if Alice works with Bob again in some capacity on the next album.

(See Alice Cooper perform "School's Out" here: http://youtube.com/watch?v=Ib84GZVz2g4&mode=related&search=)

(See Alice Cooper perform "Man Of The Year" here: http://youtube.com/watch?v=4z288_yi9Ig)

In addition to the bill with Heaven & Hell and Queensryche, you can catch Alice at the Star Plaza Theatre in Merrillville on August 24th.

Tickets for all Loop shows can of course be had through www.wlup.com.