Looks like the Van Halen reunion tour with David Lee Roth at the helm will indeed be touring this fall. Keep it locked on the Loop for an announcement about a Chicagoland show very soon!

Chicago favorite and Loopfest alumni, Tesla have announced a date at the House Of Blues September 11th in support of their latest CD "Real To Reel."

(See Tesla's video for "Thank You" here: http://youtube.com/watch?v=AiU1lV4YGUU)

On Saturday August 11th the incredible band Powder will be headlining "Market Days" on North Halsted (Addison Stage) at 8pm. Voted LA's "Best Club Show" for many years running now, I can vouch that they are a band/show not to be missed. Guitarist Phil X is a stunning shredder who was tapped to replace Rik Emmett in Triumph in the 90's and has provided the snarling guitar on many a recent release, including Tommy Lee of Motley Crue fame. Fronted by a equally talented Ninette, the show is best described as... well... a psychotic barbie fem-bot, fronting a ferocious hard rock outfit that has collided with Cirque Du Soleil. Sound different? It IS. A highly infectious blend of metal/pop/performance art/fun that is quite difficult to quantify, but completely mesmerizing. The only way to really appreciate how phenomenal and truly unique they are is to see them for yourself in person. I guarantee you it will be the best $5 you ever spent! To get a taste, see below.

(See Powder's videos for "Up Here" and "Adore Me" here: http://powdermusic.com/)

Many thanks to the creative Loyal Loopers who sent in their "My Loop Rock Block" sets for "Loyal Looper Appreciation Week." All week long, 4 song blocks selected by you were played back-to-back. We had so much fun, it has become a nightly feature on my show at 9pm. Not only do you get your block played, you get to introduce your block on the air! Submit your favorite 4 song block through www.wlup.com.

Took in some great Loop shows this weekend. Saturday, Nickelback and Staind packed the house at Alpine Valley. Both bands delivered enthusiastic sets that had concert-goers on their feet for the entire night. Chad Kroeger of Nickelback was particularly polished at making the huge venue feel more like an intimate show in your living room than in a vast amphitheatre. From inviting a fan on-stage to propose to his girlfriend (she accepted setting off a roar of delight from the crowd), to making much light of a flub he made (starting the wrong song) and telling humorous stories, it was a casual and fun atmosphere that is much more difficult a task to achieve than one would imagine. Above all, the sound and performances rocked with Nickeback showing a significantly heavier side in concert than their records would indicate.

(See Nickelback's video for "Figured You Out" here: http://youtube.com/watch?v=XvGnCnWY5nY&mode=related&search=)

(See Nickelback's video for "Rockstar" here: http://youtube.com/watch?v=DmeUuoxyt_E&feature=related)

(See Nickelback perform "Animals" live here: http://youtube.com/watch?v=7OohSKHtPNo&feature=related)

On Sunday Deep Purple played before a capacity crowd at the House Of Blues after a great set by openers Supagroup. As soon as the crowd saw me take the stage to greet them, the excitement was palpable... the legendary Deep Purple were now only minutes away from assaulting their senses. Along with Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath, Deep Purple were responsible for laying down the foundation and blueprint for hard rock and what would become known later as heavy metal. It might be 2007, but Deep Purple sounded every bit as powerful as they did in 1972. Lead singer Ian Gillan was once again the thin, barefoot shaman of his youth, belting out the new songs and classics alike with that remarkable voice and passion we have come to know and love. Chatting with the guys after the show, they were in great spirits and very pleased to be back in Chicago. Roger Glover told me that after the current tour is complete, they will be going back into the studio to work on a brand new CD, which should be out sometime next year.

This past week was another busy one. AC/DC lead singer Brian Johnson, AC/DC bassist Cliff Williams and ex-Rainbow vocalist Joe Lynn Turner stopped by during my show. They were in town to play a charity event named "Classic Rock Cares" at the House Of Blues. Much hilarity and fun were the order of the day with Brian announcing that AC/DC should tentatively have new material ready to go next year, followed by a tour. After my show was over that night, the guys whisked me over to their hotel bar to continue the fun. Over a couple 'o' wobbly pops, Brian confided in me the dollar figures being offered to AC/DC to tour next year... to say the amount was mind-boggling would be an enormous understatement!

Poison and Ratt played the First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre as a part of the Loop's 30th Anniversary Concert Series. Both Bret Michaels of Poison and original Ratt front man Steven Pearcy (now reunited with the band), checked in with me on the show to say hello and have a few laughs. Poison has a brand new CD out entitled "Poison'd" which contains well known classic rock tunes being given the "Poison treatment." Steven Pearcy and Ratt have not yet released any new material since their last reunion in 1999, but Steven indicated that this was part of their plan.

As each concert in our series of shows this summer gets completed, they are replaced by even more! The Red Rocker Sammy Hagar and the Wabos (once again featuring fellow ex-Van Halen alum Michael Anthony) will be back in Chicago for the first time since Loopfest 2006 November 10th at the Chicago Theatre to spread cheer (via tequila) and a rockin' good time for all devoted "Red-Heads." In addition, Sammy and Co. have a brand new DVD out called "Sammy and The Wabos - Livin' It Up! In St. Louis" and a brand new song "Open" which you can only hear on the Loop.

(See Sammy Hagar's video for "Sam I Am" here: http://youtube.com/watch?v=iAYNVDEES6A&mode=related&search=)

Velvet Revolver and Alice In Chains hit the First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre August 28th.

(See Velvet Revolver's video for "She Builds Quick Machines" here: http://youtube.com/watch?v=LuzpeOZI6Fo&mode=related&search=)

Aerosmith and Joan Jett & The Blackhearts will light 'em up September 10th at the Allstate Arena in Rosemont.

(See Aerosmith's video for "Baby Please Don't Go" here: http://youtube.com/watch?v=dL_JdOCDkQA)

Heaven & Hell (Black Sabbath with Ronnie James Dio on lead vocals) will be swinging back through Chicagoland for another show September 22nd at the new Sears Centre in Hoffman Estates with Alice Cooper and Queensryche in tow. This will be undoubtedly be one triple-bill not to be missed!

Tickets for all these Loop shows (among others) can be had through www.wlup.com.

The first volley in the Loop's 30th Anniversary Concert Series with Def Leppard/Styx and Foreigner at the First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre was a resounding success. It was a beautiful day weather-wise and Loyal-Loopers packed the place. Even though I was pretty busy that day broadcasting live from the event, catching-up backstage with the guys and bringing Styx and then in turn Def Leppard on-stage, I caught enough of the show to tell you that all three bands were in top form, performing some of the best shows I've ever seen them play. Everyone left the show that night pretty drained, but with a thoroughly satisfied grin pasted across their faces. Special thanks to all the Loop listeners who stopped to say hello to me. I've said it before, but it bears repeating... you guys and gals are the BEST!

(See Def Leppard's video for "Rock On" here: http://youtube.com/watch?v=pqU9Mu3JSm8)

Fans of KISS will soon want to add a new and special Chicago concert memento to their collection. During the last holiday season, lead vocalist/guitarist and KISS co-founder Paul Stanley played to a rabid, sell-out crowd at the House Of Blues while movie cameras captured every moment. Now that concert film "Paul Stanley - Live To Win... Live!" (along with an accompanying documentary) are being readied for release to theaters and DVD. Several weeks ago, the producers of the movie and KISS management contacted me to ask me to provide the "voice-over" for the movie trailer which will be shown in theaters and will be included on the DVD release. So if that voice sounds familiar... you aren't imagining things. In a related note, KISSOLOGY Vol.2 will be hitting stores at the end of August. Out just over six months, KISSOLOGY Vol.1 has already sold an amazing 6 million copies!

It's been three long years, but Scorpions fans will soon have reason to rejoice. The new Scorpions CD "Humanity - Hour 1" will be hitting store shelves August 28th. Long time friend and Scorpions guitarist Matthias Jabs e-mailed me from his home in Germany the other day to let me know that the Scorpions will be coming to play Chicago in the fall... and they can't wait! In the meantime, you can hear their latest effort exclusively on the Loop. The Loop became the first radio station in North America (debuting on my show) to play the terrific new Scorpions song "Humanity", helping push an official release here. Fitting, since the Loop and Chicago fans were instrumental in "breaking" the band on these shores back in the late '70's courtesy of the Scorpions incendiary live performances at the Loop's Chicagofest. Matthias will be joining me on my show soon to talk about the new disc and tour plans, so make sure you listen for more details.

(See the Scorpion's video for "Humanity" here: http://youtube.com/watch?v=1w9AukcojEc)

Like the Scorpions before them, Buckcherry is quickly becoming a Chicago favorite. They delivered a killer show at the Pier One Pavilion at Northerly Island recently. On the bill with Godsmack, they were easily the night's highlight, delivering a no-nonsense, back-to-basics set. Gibson guitars and Marshall stacks cranked to eleven, catchy-as-hell songs administered by a punishing rhythm section, all topped off with a passionate, wild-eyed, near-madman of a front man in Josh Todd. When it's done right, good 'ole primal rock'n'roll can be simply exhilarating.

(See Buckcherry's video for "Crazy Bitch" here: http://youtube.com/watch?v=Zu3IqpnjfUs&mode=related&search=)
(See Buckcherry's video for "Everything" here: http://youtube.com/watch?v=-whZO06VoQs&mode=related&search=)
(See Buckcherry's video for "Lit Up" here: http://youtube.com/watch?v=xOJNPdc9s2Y&mode=related&search=)

Eddie Van Halen is out rehab and looking very fit and healthy these days. Earlier this year, plans for a Van Halen reunion tour with David Lee Roth were scuttled when Eddie put the brakes on to take care of his personal welfare. Now that Eddie is better, the Van Halen camp has been quietly inquiring about available dates for a fall arena tour. Let's keep our fingers crossed. Now if we could only convince Eddie to include local, original guy (and Van Halen's "secret-weapon") Michael Anthony on bass and background vocals, it would be perfect.

Alas, as the Van Halen tour seems nearer, reported rumors of a Led Zeppelin reunion tour (with Jason Bonham sitting in for his late father on drums) were once again denied by Robert Plant. A British newspaper cited reliable sources close to the band claiming a reunion tour was imminent in 2008, setting off a firestorm of elation with music fans around the globe. Maybe Robert is just being coy, but I suspect not. In the meantime, that newspaper succeeded in selling ALOT of copies that day... perhaps exactly what they had in mind.

While we may never see the day Led Zeppelin re-unites for a full scale tour or new recording, there are nonetheless some terrific newer rock releases from new bands and veterans alike that seriously challenge the notion that "there's no good new music being released anymore."

Here then, in no particular order, are some recent CD's I highly recommend:

Shinedown - Us & Them
Buckcherry - 15
Silvertide - Show & Tell
Red Hot Chili Peppers - Stadium Arcadium
Ozzy Osbourne - Black Rain
Green Day - American Idiot
Def Leppard - Yeah!
Foo Fighters - In Your Honor
Alice Cooper - The Eyes Of Alice Cooper
Velvet Revolver - Libertad
Jet - Get Born
Scorpions - Unbreakable

A few quick, random thoughts and tidbits this time around...

It looks like the tongue-in-cheek prediction I made for the Sox season on CLTV on Opening Day is coming true... the White Sox will indeed go all the way to the end... they'll play every single game of the regular season! D'oh!

Area IndyCar racing phenom Danica Patrick (raised in Roscoe, IL) will be competing at the Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet September 9th. Danica was impressive at the Indy 500, at times occupying the top 3 before torrential downpours called the race prematurely. Had the full race been run, she may very well have won. As it is, her ranking has risen from 12th to 9th to a current 7th place in the overall standings in her first three years as a pro. Danica has taken more than her fair share of guff from the boys in a male-dominated sport, so it's gratifying to see her making some headway. Go get 'em Danica!

Many heartfelt thanks to the Loyal Loopers who took the time to wish me a happy birthday on Friday. You're the best!

As I speculated on in a previous post, Rage Against The Machine will indeed be mounting a reunion tour that will be making a stop in our area. August 24th, RATM will play at Alpine Valley, one of only 5 gigs (at this point) on a quick tour across the country. What's next? Libertyville native and Rage guitarist/founder Tom Morello didn't count out anything when he paid a visit to me a little while back. If things go well, don't be surprised if the songs Tom and singer Zack de la Rocha were working on when they came to town end up on a new RATM record.

A local favorite that does have a new CD out is REO Speedwagon. Entitled "Find Your Own Way Home", it's a throwback and a modern-day spin on the classic REO sound. The always funny Kevin Cronin recently called my show and shared some amusing current/classic REO road-stories. Just like the new album.

On the topic of classic... humor that is, the brilliantly funny Monty Python albums (did you know they made albums, too?) have all been re-mastered and re-issued with bonus tracks. They are simply a must-have. They are guaranteed to make you belly-laugh out loud... and if they don't, they make swell drink coasters. "There, I've run rings 'round you logically!"

Slaughter played for a rabid, sold-out crowd at Austin's in Libertyville this past weekend. Lead singer/songwriter Mark Slaughter and I have been friends for many a year now, so it was great to see them play a rare gig here in Chicagoland. They tore through their many hits with a contagious, enthusiastic fervor, and later in the set debuted a brand new, yet-to-be-released song entitled "Livin' Inside" for those in attendance. For the encore, Mark brought me up on-stage to sing their anthem "Up All Night" with him. Perhaps next time I can convince Mark to do the song in his Donald Duck voice... it's hysterical!

Many thanks to the folks over at Time Out Chicago magazine for the nice plug they gave my show a few weeks ago. Their magazine is an excellent read and a great resource to keep up with the plethora of entertainment options every week here in Chicago. I highly recommend it.

Heads up Ozzy Osbourne fans, this Monday night at 9pm on my show, Ozzy will be playing and discussing select new tracks from his first new studio album in 6 years entitled "Black Rain." On Tuesday night at 10pm, I will once again present a special extended "10 O'Clock News" during which I will spin the new Ozzy disc in it's entirety, start to finish and give you a chance to win a copy for yourself.

(See Ozzy Osbourne's video for "I Don't Wanna Stop" here: http://youtube.com/watch?v=n2My_yOPthg)

The Doors of The 21st Century (now using the moniker "Riders On The Storm") played last week at the Park West with new lead singer Brett Scallions of Fuel fame replacing Ian Astbury who has rejoined his band The Cult. Founding Doors members Robbie Krieger and Ray Manzarek invited me down to the venue prior to the show to catch their private (I was the only one in attendance) rehearsal/sound check and it was mesmerizing. Brett doesn't look like Jim Morrison as Ian does, but his vocal delivery and tone are actually even closer to Morrison's than Astbury. When the band ran through "Indian Summer", "Peace Frog", "Waiting For The Sun" among others with Brett, the hair on the back of my neck stood up. The guys were able to effortlessly render these songs note-for-note live. If you missed their show this time, make sure you go next time around. It is a not-to-be-missed concert! In the meantime, many previously unreleased classic live Doors shows from the band's archives (featuring the original lineup w/Morrison) from New York, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Detroit, San Francisco, Pittsburgh, Bakersfield and now Boston have been made available via their website www.thedoors.com. Robbie tells me that unfortunately no official recordings of their Chicago shows from those historical tours were made, and he is not aware of any bootlegs surfacing, either... and he would probably know since he has admitted to me that HE too collects Doors bootlegs, just like the fans do. Nonetheless, Chicago was certainly on Jim Morrison's mind in the late '60's, as the city was mentioned in the lyrics to the song Peace Frog which Robbie said started as a poem by Morrison called "Abortion." Coming full circle to the present, ever-proud-Chicagoan Ray Manzarek indicated to me that he would like Mayor Daley to know that the current incarnation of the band would be thrilled to add their support (via a live performance here in Chicago, perhaps?) for our 2016 Olympics bid. More of my conversation with Ray and Robbie will be available soon on my main page at www.wlup.com.

After several months of open casting calls and voting by Loyal Loopers, a new Loop Rock Girl has been crowned for the Loop's 30th anniversary. April of Chicago becomes the 2007 Loop Rock Girl, and the first brunette (to date) to hold the title. Congratulations, April!

Vocalist extraordinaire Paul Rodgers of Bad Company, Free, The Firm (with his pal Jimmy Page from Led Zeppelin), The Law and now of Queen fame checked in with me the other night to update me on his recent activities. Paul has been a frequent guest on my show over the years and is a true pleasure to talk to. He and the guys in Queen are busy working up a new studio album and Paul will be releasing his first solo concert DVD shortly as well. He sadly informed me that there would likely be no more Bad Company reunions ever again attempted owing to the sudden passing of bassist Boz Burrell last September, and the recent retirement of guitarist Mick Ralphs from show business. Hopefully you were lucky enough to catch the astounding, but all-too-brief 1999 Bad Company reunion tour. They only played together again for 30 shows, but they were simply incredible performances.

Must be almost summertime in Chicago! How can you tell? The concert announcements are coming thick and fast now. Riders On The Storm (The Doors of the 21st Century) will be appearing at the Park West May 14th, Slaughter will play Austin's in Libertyville Saturday May 19th, Ozzfest 2007 will hit town June 10th at the First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre and June 12th at Alpine Valley, Tool June 27th at the Sears Centre in Hoffman Estates, Def Leppard/Styx/Foreigner will play the FMBA June 30th, , Poison/Ratt/White Lion July 17th at FMBA and Nickelback/Staind at Alpine July 21st. Other shows from Asia, Deep Purple, Ted Nugent, 3 Days Grace, Jethro Tull, Shaw/Blades, Peter Frampton, Roger Waters, Michael Schenker, Pat Benatar and Dream Theatre have all been announced recently. Check the concert calendar at www.wlup.com for the complete info and tickets and keep it locked on the Loop for more breaking news.

Audioslave and Rage Against The Machine guitarist Tom Morello stopped in on my show the other day to catch up a little and update me on the status of Audioslave and Rage. According to Tom, Audioslave has been put on ice for now and it seems likely that we might see a full-scale reunion with Rage Against The Machine in the near future. Tom grew up in Libertyville and shared stories of playing with future Tool guitarist Adam Jones in their high school rock band, being an avid Loop listener/fan and his love of Aerosmith, Led Zeppelin and The Clash. Tom is a very down-to-earth, funny and intelligent guy so it was great to see him again. Look for the posting of our chat soon on my main page at www.wlup.com.
Got a chance to hear the complete new Rush album "Snakes and Arrows" that will be released May 1st and it's quite good. Next Monday night at 9pm on the Loop, Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson of Rush will be chatting about the making of the album and spinning the new tunes on my show. Don't miss it!

(See Rush's video for "Far Cry" here: http://youtube.com/watch?v=7S9uNxUI9ng)

Also next Monday, the debut of a new feature on the show called "Byrd's 11 O'Clock Shocker!" Every night at 11pm, I will dig deep into the archives and my personal music collection and whip out a "shocker"... a song you haven't heard in a long time, or perhaps a song or band you have never heard before that I can turn you on to. Discover (or rediscover) a new "shocker" every week night at 11pm.

Happy belated Easter! Hope you had a chance to spend some time with family or loved ones this past weekend. I took a few days off and visited with friends in Las Vegas and Los Angeles.

Great news announced yesterday that Chicago has won the USOC's nod to represent the United States bid to host the 2016 Summer Olympics. Should we win the IOC's approval, this would be the first time Chicago will host the Olympic games. Technically, Chicago won in 1904, but the games were moved at the last minute to St. Louis instead. Ouch! Even if we ultimately don't win at the international level, the improvements that will be made in the infrastructure of the city over the next couple of years to maximize our bid attempt will benefit Chicago regardless. If we do in fact win the competition, the impact will be enormous locally and on a global scale. If people in the rest of the world didn't know how great a place Chicago was prior to this, they certainly will after we're done showing our stuff!

In the meantime, we here in Chicago have another distinction to add to the stack. Genesis just announced a 3rd Chicago show on October 4th to meet ticket demand. Chicago is the only city on the world-wide reunion tour world to be getting 3 shows. New York, London and Paris will each have one night, Los Angeles, Rome and Philadelphia two each. Just as was with the latest Rolling Stones and Who jaunts (and Led Zeppelin and the Beatles in the past), Chicago music fans appetites are unmatched. This recurring phenomenon says volumes about how important music is to Chicagoans and how supportive we are here of the arts. Salute!

Word has it that former Ratt lead vocalist Stephen Pearcy and the current members of the band have reconciled and will be touring this summer, most likely with Poison. I will post an update as soon as I learn more.

Pearl Jam has indeed been confirmed as the headliner at this year's Lollapalooza festival at Grant Park August 3-5. Over 130 bands will participate and tickets are available now through www.wlup.com.

Sad to hear about the passing of Calvert DeForest several weeks ago, better known as the quirky character Larry "Bud" Melman from the David Letterman show. Calvert visited with me on several occasions on my show, and I found him to be a kind, funny and gentle fellow. "Toast on a stick! Aha, ha, ha, ha!"

As promised, Rush, Eric Clapton, Genesis, the Police and Black Sabbath (with Dio) have announced upcoming concert dates in Chicagoland. Rush will hit the First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre on Saturday September 8th with tickets going on sale April 14th through www.wlup.com. Eric Clapton's "Crossroads Guitar Festival" will occupy the new Toyota Park (the Fire's new stadium) July 28th. Make sure you keep it locked on the Loop all weekend to win free tickets to the show. The Police and Genesis have both added a second show to meet demand. The Police will now play Wrigley July 5 and 6, Genesis at the United Center October 2 and 3. Black Sabbath, who are billing themselves as "Heaven and Hell" to avoid confusion with the Ozzy years, will play the Allstate Arena with Megadeth May 5. Once again, tickets for all these shows are available through www.wlup.com.

The best part? Many more shows will be announced very soon! The best way to get the news first is to sign up as a Loyal Looper and keep your dial glued to the Loop to win free tickets.

Heads up. Numerous concert dates will be announced in the next few days/weeks including Rush, Eric Clapton, and probable second shows from the Police and Genesis.

In the midst of all this, the 2007 Loop Rock Girl Search is set to begin. Keep checking www.wlup.com for pictures, video and the schedule for the voting process as we chose a new Loop Rock Girl for the Loop's 30th anniversary.

We lost one of the all-time greatest vocalists in rock Friday, as Boston lead singer Brad Delp was discovered dead at his home at the shockingly premature age of 55. Brad was gifted with an awe-inspiring voice that he used to great effect with Boston and later with RTZ. Not only did he provide the lead, but also the background AND harmony vocals, too. In other words, those perfect and soaring choruses that made our jaws drop were actually all HIM. All this was done without the studio tricks that are now very commonly used to "sweeten" or "correct" vocal tracks by lesser singers. Even 31 years after the release of the debut album from Boston (which sold an amazing 17 million copies), Brad could still effortlessly hit all those notes live in concert. In addition to his prodigious talent, Brad was one of the nicest people you could ever meet. I hung out with him on several occasions and found him to be a most genuine, gentle soul who quietly went about his business with no airs or ego, just a shy smile. Brad Delp was truly one of the "nice guys." At the time of his death, he was preparing for a summer 2007 Boston tour and to marry his long time girlfriend. The tour was officially scrapped by band leader and guitarist Tom Scholz only hours after the news broke. In the words of Tom, "there can be no Boston without Brad." Indeed. Thanks for the music Brad... you will be missed, but never forgotten.

Sadly... also over the weekend, successful and very funny comedian/actor Richard Jeni died of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head in West Hollywood, CA. Details are sketchy at this point. Richard was only 45 (or 49, depending on the cited source). I fondly remember Richard stopping by on my show many a time over the years to say hello and share a few funny stories. Most times, later that evening I would then bring him on stage at a local comedy venue or theatre. After the show, the joking and laughing continued backstage. I'll miss 'ya Rich. Thanks for all the laughs. "Lord!"

Lollapalooza 2007 is already taking shape, even though the event is still 5 months away. Pearl Jam has signed on to headline this year's edition which will once again be held in Grant Park, August 3-5. It will be a perfect fit since Eddie Vedder of Pearl Jam is a native of Evanston and loves coming back home to play. More acts and ticket information will follow in the next few weeks and months, so keep it locked on the Loop for the scoop.

Another big event of a different sort will be rolled out shortly as well. This month, the Loop celebrates its 30th year of rockin' Chicago! In the process, the Loop has become an uber-legendary station/brand name, synonymous with rock music and its lifestyle and recognized throughout the world. To illustrate the magnitude of this, I was recently asked by German television network ZDF to be their on-camera host of a special anniversary feature they were doing on the Loop for European television, been approached to have my Loop shows re-broadcast in Japan, the rest of Asia, Europe, and Africa and have received e-mail's from Loyal Loopers in just about every civilized nation on the globe. USA Today published a front page article about rock music and its enduring appeal a short time ago and... you guessed it, prominently featured comments from Loyal Loopers. Even the classic TV sitcom about radio, WKRP was based largely on what its writers observed after holing up at the Loop offices for 3 months before the show went into production (ever notice Loni Anderson's character "Jennifer" bore a striking resemblance to Lorelei, our very first Rock Girl?). Wow! Mind-boggling stuff! Many famous names in rock are Loyal Loopers too, and have included Axl Rose of Guns 'n' Roses, Def Leppard, Deep Purple, and countless others. I am personally absolutely thrilled and honored to be a daily part of this ongoing living legacy, one that would not have even been conceivable without YOU and your amazing and continued support! Expect a fun year, full of events that will kick off with a special edition Loop Rock Girl Search for 2007, beginning in just a few short weeks.

Loop XXX is on the launching pad, preparing for lift-off!

Attention Pink Floyd and Metallica fans... Monday night during "Thinks Pink" at 10pm (a weekly one hour focus on Pink Floyd), I will be debuting a new Roger Waters song that sounds as if it would have been very comfortable nestled alongside the other cuts on "The Wall." On Tuesday night at 10pm, I will be debuting a new Metallica track during the "10 O'Clock News."

(See Roger Waters' video for "Hello (I Love You)" here: http://youtube.com/watch?v=1eK6FY4Hykc)

Speaking of news, the Van Halen reunion tour may still happen after all. Last week the tour was postponed, leading many to believe that perhaps old tensions between David Lee Roth and Eddie Van Halen had resurfaced and de-railed the plans. In actuality, it simply appears that several contractual 'i's" and "t's" needed to be dotted and crossed before proceeding. Sources close to the band say the tour WILL happen, but the full details and dates will be delayed until this process is complete.

Potentially one of the most significant historical finds in recent memory came to light this past week. New, previously unseen color footage of former President John F. Kennedy's motorcade through Dealey Plaza in Dallas on November 22, 1963 has just surfaced. Up until now, the most commonly seen film of that fateful day has been the now infamous Abraham Zapruder amateur 8mm film. The new footage is only 39 seconds long and runs out just before the actual assassination itself, but it affords historians a very good quality sweep of the people who were in the crowd that afternoon, and from a different angle than the Zapruder film. Many feel that the official Warren Commission findings of a single gunman, acting alone were incorrect and incomplete. Numerous books, including the excellent "High Treason" (which Oliver Stone consulted during the making of the movie "JFK") make a compelling case for a conspiracy plot and cover-up involving numerous people and/or organizations. We may never know the full truth about that terrible sequence in time, but now there is another possibly important piece of evidence that has emerged that might shed some new light on the case. To see it for yourself, go to www.jfk.org. Other assorted snippets of film from that day can be seen at www.jfk-online.com/films.html. Having been given a DVD copy to view of the digitally restored and enhanced Zapruder film via his surviving family several years ago, it does seems questionable as to whether a solitary gunman could have caused so much damage in such a short span of time. That DVD has now been publicly released and is available through MPI Home Video under the title "Image Of An Assassination." A word of caution is in order though... the footage has been so vastly improved and enhanced, the impact of viewing it is highly disturbing. I personally was very badly shaken for several hours after seeing it. The gruesome realization that you are witnessing a brutal, uncensored murder is quite traumatizing.

Took in the 99th annual Chicago Auto Show this week at McCormick Place. Spread over 1.2 million square feet and containing close to 1,000 new vehicles, it is the largest annual car show in the country. Since I'm a speed and horsepower demon (I have owned and driven exclusively Corvettes since the age of 23), I was particularly interested in what current and future offerings there might be in the sports car vein. As has become tradition at the auto show, several concept cars were on display to judge consumer interest in various tentative models. By far the most interest was generated by the Chevrolet Camaro Convertible concept car. Going retro with it's look (ala the Ford Mustang, T-Bird and numerous others), this Camaro was a definite throwback to the appearance and feel of the 1967-1969 Camaro. If the recently re-styled Mustang's smash success is any indicator, this updated/retro Camaro will sell very well. No horsepower figures were given, but it will surely have a 300 + hp engine lurking under the hood if it indeed gets the green light for production. Other concept cars that were impressive in look and power were the Pontiac Solstice "Weekend Racer" (325 hp), the Dodge Viper "Mopar Concept" (675 hp), the Toyota FT-HS (400 hp) and the Volvo C30 (507 hp).

Below I have compiled a list of the most impressive, currently produced machines seen at the show that you should check out if you are into fast and powerful sports cars like I am.

Audi R8 (420 hp)
Chevrolet Corvette (400 hp)
Chevrolet Corvette Z06 (505 hp)
Dodge Charger SRT8 and SRT8 Super-Bee (425 hp)
Dodge Viper SRT10 (510 hp)
Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 (500 hp)
Jaguar XKR (420 hp)
Lamborghini Murcielago LP640 (640 hp)
Lamborghini Gallardo (520 hp)
Maserati Gransport (400 hp)
Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren (650 hp)
Porsche 911 (325 hp)

Just think about all the fun one could have in any one of these beasts... commute time reduced to say, 3 or 4 minutes! To see them for yourself, visit www.chicagoautoshow.com.

Vroooommmmm!!!

What a year this is shaping up to be for rock fans! New albums and/or tours are expected from The Police, Van Halen, Rush, Smashing Pumpkins, Roger Waters, AC/DC, Eric Clapton, Metallica, Ozzy Osbourne, Green Day, Queen, Genesis, Eagles, Heaven & Hell (Black Sabbath w/Dio), Tom Petty, and the Scorpions. Whew! Keep it locked on the Loop to hear the new material, find out about concert dates in Chicagoland and to win tickets to the shows.

Heartbreaking finish to the Bears otherwise stellar 2006 season. Many seem to want to pin the defeat in Superbowl XLI solely on Rex Grossman, but while this may be convenient, it is in my opinion quite unfair. While Rex clearly didn't have a perfect game, the truth is that the Bears met a seasoned and superior squad down in Miami. Peyton Manning and the Colts have been threatening to win the whole deal for a number of years now, coming very close, but ultimately falling short. Manning is now nearly a 10 year veteran of the NFL and it showed on game day. Cool and poised under the intense pressure that comes with an appearance in the Superbowl, he finally made good on the heavy expectations that were laid upon him with his entry into the league nearly a decade ago. If the Bears were only the second best team this year, imagine what is possible in the coming seasons! Being one of the two teams left to fight it out for top-dog status is more than what 98% of the other teams and cities can claim to have achieved this year. I suspect that if we can keep most of the team intact, we may very well win the whole deal ourselves in the very near future, just like the Colts did. For those who have inquired about getting one of the limited edition commemorative footballs celebrating the Bears great year and NFC championship that I gave away last week on my show, you can order them through www.nikcosports.com or by calling 1-800-345-2868. Priced at $99 (which includes display case), only 5,000 will be made and a portion of the proceeds go to the Make-A-Wish Foundation for kids. I can personally vouch for the quality products these people produce and recommend them highly to you. Grab one before they sell out.

Go Bears in 2007!!!

Rob Halford of Judas Priest checked in with me on the show recently to give an update on the band's activities and share a few laughs. The guys are working on an ambitious follow up to their very successful reunion disc "Angel Of Retribution" and tour of 2005. Rob says it will be a concept disc about the life and predictions of 16th century French Renaissance prophet Nostradamus. Completion of the project is slated for the spring/summer of 2007 with another tour to follow. In the meantime, all of Halford's solo works have been re-mastered and re-released via his website www.robhalford.com, and a terrific 2 CD overview of Judas Priest's career called "The Essential Judas Priest" (also remastered and remixed) has hit store shelves as well.

My long-time friend Rik Emmett (of Triumph fame) played another inspired show at the House of Blues this past Saturday night. As usual, Rik demonstrated his guitar/vocal pyrotechnics and virtuosity for the rabid crowd. Rik and his crack solo band performed plenty of Triumph classics (including the gem "Allied Forces"), solo hits and several instrumental pieces that showed off his grasp of classical, jazz and spanish guitar styles. Rik has never really received his just due as a guitar god as Eddie Van Halen has, but those who have paid attention over the years easily put him in that class of players. Despite his musical prowess, Rik is still a humble and nice guy. It was a real pleasure to get together with him, and I was honored to have him ask me to introduce him on stage once again. By the way, the Chicago-based opening act The Last Vegas are a band to watch. Their enthusiastic super-charged set won over the crowd quickly. They are a five piece original band in the AC/DC, Motley Crue, Black Crowes, Faces vein. Good stuff.

Also attended Soxfest at the Palmer House Hilton this weekend. I was stopped by many very nice Loyal Loopers while I strolled around checking out the scene. Meet and greets with the players and Sox memorabilia galore make this a must-do for White Sox fans. Check it out next year if you can.

Duncan Keith and Patrick Sharp of the Blackhawks stopped in the other night on the show to chat and give away some tickets to the following night's game. Both Duncan and Patrick are rising stars on the Hawks squad and are die-hard rock fans. More of our conversation will be available in podcast form shortly on my page at www.wlup.com.

Lastly... GO BEARS!!!

If Santa didn't bring you a gift you were crazy about at Christmas, here's a few great new items you might like to treat yourself to.

The Doors have just issued a limited edition boxed set entitled "Perception" which includes all 6 of their studio albums. Remastered and remixed, the sound improvement is quite noticeable. Numerous (28) bonus tracks and a dozen rare live concert and music video clips are contained on 6 DVD's which also contain 5.1 Surround Sound mixes of the studio albums. All this is housed in a sharp looking box to commemorate the band's 40th anniversary. Quite a staggering body of quality work, accomplished in only 4 years as a band. As you may know, the best part is that a native Chicagoan (Ray Manzarek) was the founder and keyboardist/bassist in the band. Ray is a great guy and has shared many colorful stories with me about Jim Morrison and the band over the years. Now these stories have been gathered together with other recollections from Robbie Krieger and John Densmore and published along with many never before seen photographs in a new 304 page accompanying coffee table book called "The Doors by The Doors."

Robert Plant of Led Zeppelin also gets the boxed set treatment with all 9 of his solo works in a set called "Nine Lives." Bonus tracks (21) and a DVD with a documentary of Robert's solo career and 20 of his music videos rounds out another great collection.

Speaking of DVD's, the hit spy-spoof television series "Get Smart" created by Mel Brooks and starring the late Don Adams (who also provided the cartoon voices of "Tennessee Tuxedo" and "Inspector Gadget") is now available in single seasons, or as a complete set of all 186 episodes spread over 25 discs. As with the "Gilligan's Island" sets, the picture and sound quality have been boosted here too, and are superb. Many out-takes and special features (including the series pilot) are contained on each disc. This series spawned many catch-phrases that included "Sorry about that, Chief!", "Would you believe...?", "Missed it by THAT much!" among others. The show won 7 Emmy Awards while being nominated for 21 more and 2 Golden Globe's during it's 5 year run. Guess I wasn't the only one who liked it!

Hope you had a chance to go to the Loop's "New Years Eve Rock 'n' Roll Ball" (or at least catch it on ABC7) with Collective Soul and Marty Casey & Lovehammers at the Sheraton. A capacity crowd of 4000 revelers took in the great sights, sounds and libations as we said goodbye to 2006 and welcomed in 2007. Both Collective Soul and Marty Casey & Lovehammers put on spirited, top-shelf performances that whipped the smartly attired crowd into a hell-raisin' frenzy. If you couldn't make it this year, make a special mental note to ensure you are there next year. What a party!

Just a few days prior to the new year, Styx did two shows in the Chicagoland area in support of their excellent new live CD and DVD entitled "One With Everything: Styx With The Cleveland Youth Orchestra." I was able to attend the second show and was asked by the band to MC that night at the Genesee Theatre in Waukegan. Besides the terrific renderings of their many classics, Styx rolled out several of their new songs from the CD and performed a rollicking version of "I Feel Good" in tribute to the late James Brown that brought the house down. In the words of my new pal Steve (who is a major Hollywood film producer... and therefore not all that easy to impress)... "Wow! That was a killer show!" I couldn't agree more. Styx still brings it. In abundance.

Lest I forget... GO BEARS!!!

What a great way to start 2007! As promised, here is the tally for the inaugural "Byrd for Birds" food drive. Together we helped raise over $11,000 in cash donations and collected enough food donations to provide approximately 36,000 people with holiday meals this year! None of this would have been feasible without your kind generosity. Once again, a heartfelt THANK YOU to all the Loyal Loopers who donated and made it all possible!

Caught up with Blackhawks and Hockey Hall of Fame member Bobby Hull again while he was back in town last week. I met Bobby for the first time as a youngster (check out the photo on my wlup.com page), and it was an experience I will never forget that had a profound effect on me. Bobby was very gracious and very kind to my younger brother and me back then, chatting with us, signing autographs and posing for a picture together. He asked us our names and I remember him ruffling our hair. Years later I learned that Bobby had met his hockey hero Gordie Howe as a kid, remarked about how kind Gordie had been to him and... had his hair ruffled by Gordie! To this day, Bobby still greets the children with the same enthusiasm and genuineness that Gordie Howe greeted him with decades ago. I remember how thrilled I was and as a result, take great pleasure and extra care in making the youngsters who ask for my autograph or would like a picture feel special, too. Thanks for the great lesson, Mr. Hull.

The guys in Army of Anyone stopped in to say hello to me on the show the other night before their concert here in town. Army of Anyone is a new "supergroup" if you will, consisting of the DeLeo brothers (Dean and Robert) from Stone Temple Pilots fame, former Filter frontman and Nine Inch Nails member Richard Patrick (who's brother is actor Robert Patrick from Terminator 2 and the X-Files) and session/David Lee Roth Band drummer Ray Luzier. It was great to see them again and we had a good laugh. Their tour runs through February 3rd in Hartford.

I will be taking some time off for Christmas, so I would like to take this opportunity to wish you and your loved ones a happy and joyous holiday season and all the best in 2007. Ho, ho, ho!

The Loop brought Guns 'n' Roses and Sebastian Bach (of Skid Row fame) to the Allstate Arena last week and it proved to be a bombastic show. Both Sebastian Bach's and Axl Rose's voices and chops were in excellent shape for the sold out crowd. Baz and Axl performed all their hits plus their latest material, including several new tracks from the forthcoming G'n'R effort. The latest word is that we may finally see a spring release for the long awaited (well over 15 years) "Chinese Democracy" disc. As an encore, Sebastian jumped up onstage with Axl and performed a duet on "My Michelle" to the great delight of the concert goers. This latest jaunt is part of a long standing association between the two vocalists. The original (mostly) lineup of G'n'R and Skid Row toured together on the "Use Your Illusions" double-bill back in the early 90's. It was personally pleasing for me to see Sebastian back in action, since we have been friends now for the past 20+ years. Baz was a big fan of my show as a teenager struggling in his first band called Kidd Wikkid. One sunny day while I strolled down the boardwalk on the beach in Toronto (where I was working at the time... the city, not the beach), Baz and his girlfriend recognized me. They tore up to me wide-eyed and he breathlessly introduced himself and told me what a big fan he was. We chatted for quite a while, laughed and got to know each other. Afterwards I passed him my business card and encouraged him to send me a tape of his band so I could hear his work. Several weeks later I received the tape and proceeded to listen to it. To say I was blown away would be an understatement. Of particular note was a song called "Take A Look At Me" which I felt was their strongest. Even though it was a home recording and they were an unsigned band, I started playing the song regularly on my show. I vividly remember the moment I got ready to play the tape for my audience for the very first time... I declared that I believed "that the singer in this next band will be a huge star some day, or I will eat my hat! His name is Sebastian Bach and here's his band... Kidd Wikkid!" Later I learned that Baz had been listening at the time, and began to weep with joy when he heard what I had said on the air. With the exposure on my show, the band quickly secured bigger and better gigs and soon gathered a following in the area. Baz's reputation grew and he later joined a then unknown New Jersey outfit named Skid Row who had heard the buzz about him. The rest, as they say, is history. Sebastian became the star I was convinced he would be and he graciously listed me first in his liner note thank-you's on the debut Skid Row record. To this day at gigs he headlines, he will bring me up on stage, tell the audience the story and exclaim "this is the guy who started it all and believed in me. I love this guy!" Incidentally, the girl he was with that day on the beach later became his wife. Sebastian and Maria have two lovely sons now, Paris and London.

The first (of what I hope will be many) "Byrd for Birds" holiday food drive is now complete. The total donations should be calculated and available to me by early next week and I will relay the results to you as soon as they come in. If you were unable to get by the Merchandise Mart on Tuesday with a donation, but would still like to contribute a frozen turkey, non-perishable food item or simply to donate some money to have these items purchased in your name, you can contact the Greater Chicago Food Depository directly at 773-247-FOOD or log onto www.chicagosfoodbank.org. I would like to personally thank the numerous people who assisted me in making "Byrd for Birds" a reality. Much appreciation to my fellow Loop on-air personalities who lent their enthusiasm and support during my fast and live broadcast. Johnny B and his crew, Erin Carmen, Zakk Tyler and Jane, Crazy Ray and Crystal were all invaluable in getting the word out and encouraging me. Many thanks also go out to Tim, Bill, AJ, Jimi, Tommy, Guy, Dan, Kevyn, Phil, Chris, Pat and Lisa from the Loop who helped me set this up and kept it running smoothly. Thanks to Karla from the Merchandise Mart, and Sue and Keith from the GCFB for bringing the Radio City Rockettes and various school choirs and bands to the live broadcast and working out some of the logistics. Kudos to Potbelly Sandwiches and Eli's Cheesecake for treating the donators to free food. Special thanks to Mayor Daley and his office, the Chicago Sun-Times, Fox TV and WGN-TV for their support and coverage of "Byrd for Birds." Last, but not least, a HUGE thank you to all the wonderful Loyal Loopers who made the effort to donate and cheer me on. Loyal Loopers are simply (hands down) the best and most loyal listeners I have ever had the privilege of performing in front of. You guys (and gals) ROCK!

The holiday season is almost upon us... family gatherings, love, laughter, good food, friends, gifts and good times are all ahead for most of us. Under these circumstances, it's pretty easy to forget about those who are less fortunate than you and I. For the many people who have been laid off at work, are single parents struggling to make ends meet, or those who are just having a rough year for whatever reason, even having the traditional holiday meal is a luxury they may not be able to enjoy this year. That just doesn't seem right. If nothing else, THAT is something you and I can do something about. This Tuesday, November 21st from 8am to 7pm, I will be launching "Byrd for Birds" and collecting donations of frozen turkeys and non-perishable food items in the south lobby (facing the Chicago River) of the Merchandise Mart in River North (where the Loop studios are now located) and donate them to the Greater Chicago Food Depository. Each turkey will ensure that an average sized family will at least be able to have that traditional dinner that most people take for granted. In addition, starting at 7pm the previous day (Monday, November 20), I will begin a 24 hour hunger-strike in honor of those we are trying to help. I am asking for your help in spreading the word to your friends, family and co-workers, so that we can make this a joyous holiday for ALL. In my estimation, Thanksgiving should really be two words, instead of just one. Thanks for our good fortune, and Giving to those who are less fortunate than you and I this year. That's what "Byrd for Birds" is all about... and who knows, maybe next year will be OUR time of need. We never know.

Earlier this week, Paul Stanley of KISS played at the House of Blues in support of his new solo disc (only his second, the first being released in the late '70's) "Live To Win." Before the show, I took 10 Loop listeners (who had won the prize during my show) along with me to Paul's sound-check. Paul and his band ran through a private mini-concert of 4 or 5 songs from his new CD for us while the sound and light guys tweaked their settings for the show later that evening. Paul was in a jovial mood, bantering back and forth with us between songs. After the sound-check I brought all the winners around to meet Paul. He signed autographs, posed for pictures and chatted with each excited winner. Their beaming faces said it all. To cap off the evening, each winner and a guest got to attend Paul's concert later that night. If you are a KISS fan (and even if you aren't), I highly recommend picking up the just released "KISSOLOGY Vol. 1 1974-1977" DVD set. Nearly 7 hours worth of previously unreleased live performances from the band's formative years have been restored, remastered and presented in a very handsome package. Gene Simmons is a huge Beatles fan (he saw them on the Ed Sullivan Show in 1964 and it changed his life) and told me he wanted to create a "hard-rock Beatles" with KISS. When you see this early footage, you will be struck with how much he indeed studied and carefully employed the Beatles as a template for their songs and stage presentation. Then they added Japanese Kabuki theatre make-up, wild costuming, lots of pyro and Marshall stacks, and voila! A legend was born. KISSOLOGY Vol. 2 and 3 will follow shortly.

On November 14th, Paul McCartney's new concert DVD "The Space Within Us" hits stores. It's the documentation of Paul's 11 week, 34 show, sold-out 2005 tour of the USA which passed through Chicago last October 18th and 19th. Directed by Cameron Crowe, it was shot using 25 HD cameras and will include 35 minutes of bonus footage not seen in last week's A&E special presentation. Former president Bill Clinton, Evanston native Eddie Vedder of Pearl Jam, Tony Bennett and more all appear in the DVD citing their appreciation for Paul's music and impressions of seeing the tour. Having attended the show on the 19th at the United Center, I can tell you it was a moving experience. Paul played several Beatles songs that had never before been rendered live in front of an audience. He can even still sing them in the same key! This latest tour was not quite as mystical and magical a tour as the previous one was (that one was so incredible, I went three times!), but was amazing in it's own right. Seeing people of all ages (and children, too), races, creeds, cultures and musical genres once again joyously singing along and openly weeping at the show was a sight to behold. The only other performer I have ever seen that could elicit such a powerful emotional reaction from a crowd was Frank Sinatra. We're talking about a very rare caliber of artist that can achieve that. Seen in attendance at various dates on the tour, Steven Tyler, Bono, Lenny Kravitz, Jennifer Aniston, Eva Longoria, Billy Joel, Paul Stanley, Jay Z, Steve Carell, Quincy Jones, Keith Urban, Nicole Kidman , Stevie Wonder, James Taylor , Greg Kinnear, Beyonce, Jack Nicholson, Faith Hill, Ellen DeGeneres, Alec Baldwin, John Cusack, and many more. One of my favorite memories of all time is chatting with Paul about music (in addition to meeting Ringo... his hands are as big as baseball mitts!). I asked Paul if there was any song he wished HE had written, instead of the original artist. His face lit up, he immediately said yes, and he then proceeded to sing a few lines for me of an obscure song he was fond of as a boy. I must admit that when he asked me after he was done if I knew it, I had to say that I was not familiar with it. He grinned and told me that any song from Buddy Holly would also fit the bill. No wonder Paul bought Buddy Holly's catalogue of songs a few years back and holds Buddy Holly appreciation gatherings. Also, on November 21st (one week after Paul's DVD release), a "brand new" Beatles CD will hit the stands. It will be called "Love" in honor of the new Cirque du Soleil Las Vegas show of the same name. The Beatles producer George Martin went back into the Beatles master tapes and has put together a stunning CD of new, experimental mixes of famous Beatles songs. I was given an advance 4 song preview of the new CD, and hearing it blew my mind. The version of "Strawberry Fields Forever" (among others) uses several unreleased studio takes of the song to great effect. George Martin used these pieces to build completely new and different versions of many Beatle classics. In addition to the standard stereo, the CD will also be available in 5.1 surround sound. I was invited to the premiere of "Love" in Las Vegas (where Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, George Harrison's wife Olivia and son Dhani and Yoko Ono were in attendance), but regretfully I could not make it. However, the reviews on it are terrific, so if you are planning a trip to Las Vegas, make an attempt to catch it.

On Saturday November 4th, I will be hosting a charity benefit for Locks of Love, a non-profit organization that provides hair prosthetics to children with medical hair loss (cancer treatments, etc.) at The Colosseum/Pearl Room located at 191st and LaGrange Road in Mokena. We will have lots of entertainment including appearances by Survivor, Randy Jackson of Zebra, Paul Chapman of UFO, Kimberley Dahme of Boston among others. Tickets are $25 and are available at ticketmaster and at the door. Doors open at 6pm, show starts at 7:30pm. It's for a very good cause, so if you can make it by, it would great to see you! For more info see www.locksoflove.org

"It was bitterly cold and windswept as dusk descended on the frozen tundra of..." SOLDIER Field? Usually, those famous words would be attached to a description of a football game at LAMBEAU Field in the dead of winter, not an early October Rolling Stones concert in Chicago... but that is exactly what greeted the Stones and the thousands who braved the record cold to see the band in action this past week. The Stones gamely carried on their intended business despite the weather, and rocked the house with favorites as well as few surprises. Mick Jagger was as energetic as ever on stage (probably as much to fight off the freezing temperatures as to entertain the crowd!) and Keith Richards, Ronnie Wood and Charlie Watts bundled up and somehow managed to play with numb hands and fingers. Then again, Keith's handshake is cold and clammy to begin with, so I suspect he probably didn't even feel the cold! The previous day, the band invited me to come down to Soldier Field to check things out and get a sneak peek of what was to come the following night. Everyone was knowingly laughing about how glad they were that there was to be 470 individual pieces of pyrotechnics fired off during the show "to help keep us warm!" While there, I also chatted with the production crew to learn more specifics. The stage weighs 300 tons and is 204 feet wide, by 100 feet deep, by 92 feet high. The main big-screen is the biggest ever taken on tour, 50 feet by 50 feet. The inflatable lips/tongue logo is 30 feet high by 35 feet wide. In addition, 443 lights, 235 touring personnel, 152 trucks, 36 MILES of cable and enough generators to power a small city are used... and it usually takes a full WEEK (7 days) to set-up and tear-down. Because of the enormity of the production, there are actually THREE complete set-ups leap-frogging across the country to get set up in the next city in time for the next show. Stones ticket prices are near the top of the scale, but with the mind-boggling size (and expense) of a show they bring to town, one can see why. Precisely why the tour is called "A Bigger Bang." While in town, the guys took in the sites (as they usually do... Chicago is one of their favorite places), including Mick taking his son to the Chicago Children's Museum at Navy Pier.

The "Bigger Bang" tour concludes November 22 in Honolulu. Some are again saying this could be the last time... let's hope not... since the Stones "Rock 'n Roll Circus" is a GRAND time. (And a rollin' stone gathers no moss, right?)

Aerosmith and Motley Crue deserve a lot of credit in my book. Their tour is called "The Route Of All Evil", but it might have been more appropriate to have titled it the "Brave-Heart" or "No Pain, No Gain" tour. Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler recently had throat surgery and admitted he has Hepatitis C, drummer Joey Kramer is recovering from major shoulder surgery, bassist Tom Hamilton has throat cancer, is off the road receiving treatment and has a stand-in. Did this stop them (or even hinder them a little) from delivering a spectacular performance for a capacity crowd at Alpine Valley with Motley Crue over the weekend? Not even in the slightest. The show's set-list (opening with "Toys In The Attic") was old-skool Aerosmith (pre-MTV) heavy with very few latter day songs performed. Back to the roots it was ... and it was an superlative example of a classic live Aerosmith show. When one realizes how many medical obstacles have been placed in their way lately, it's even more stunning. Steve Tyler's voice and command of the stage was crackling with kinetic energy, Joe Perry's guitar work was provocative and menacing, and Joey Kramer's work behind the kit was explosive. Having hung out with them in those bad 'ole days before they sobered up, it's a miracle they're even ALIVE, let alone this capable at this stage of the game. Amazing (pun intended)! Motley Crue (who aren't known for their placid lifestyle, either) opened the evening's show with a greatest hits collection that kicked off with "Live Wire" and continued at a breakneck pace with the audience joyously singing every last word with Vince Neil while Tommy Lee furiously pounded away. Motley Crue have their own unique challenges to overcome these days, too. Guitarist Mick Mars has a rare, incurable disease that slowly fuses all of the bones in your body together, until you are virtually a prisoner in your own body, unable to move. Think of eventually being trapped inside a suit of armor. Despite his escalating physical limitations and pain, Mick's guitar playing was note perfect. Impressive. I really admire the guy for going out there and giving it his all, in spite of his situation. Theatre of pain, indeed. It seems like just yesterday that a young guy named Frank Ferranna (Nikki Sixx) came to see me dressed in his suit (hair neatly tied back) and nervously gave me his sales pitch about his then new band called Motley Crue, hoping (pleading, actually) that I would consider playing them on my show. I let him finish his entire rehearsed speech before I smiled mischievously and told him I already knew about the band, liked what I had heard, and was already playing their first (independent) disc regularly. We roared with laughter and he swore he would deny EVER doing it, let alone in a suit! I still tease him about it to this day. He still denies it.

It sure has been a busy time in the Chicago concert scene lately, hasn't it? Eric Clapton, The Who, Tom Petty and Roger Waters have all played recently with Aerosmith/Motley Crue, Bob Seger, The Rolling Stones, Iron Maiden, Steve Miller, and now Guns 'n' Roses amongst others all heading our way. Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend of The Who dropped by the Loop this week while extending their stay in Chicago by several days to soak up our town and hang out. Chicago is a world-class city with a huge musical heritage and a deep appreciation for music that out-of-town musicians delight in absorbing... and returning to. Just as the Stones are coming back, look for The Who to announce a return visit to town in the near future. The first show was a sold out affair (complete with an ice cream bar backstage!) with rave reviews and the debut of new tracks from the first new Who CD ("Endless Wire") in nearly 25 years. Roger, Pete and John Entwistle had been talking about doing a new record for years, and it is finally seeing the light of day. Roger and Pete were jolted by the passing of John Entwistle several years ago, decided that time was short and wanted to get it done in memory of John. I feel fortunate that I had the opportunity to get to know John Entwistle over the years prior to his death in 2002 in Las Vegas. Sadly, the day he passed away, he had scheduled to sit down with me and talk about the then upcoming Who tour over dinner. About 4pm that day, I received the sobering call that John had suddenly died a few hours earlier. Almost immediately, Roger and Pete announced that the tour would continue, which must have been a very difficult and emotional decision to make. Robert Plant confided in me later that he felt that The Who had made the right decision, and indicated that from time to time, he even wonders if Led Zeppelin should perhaps have tried to carry on when John Bonham died. If the reaction at the United Center was any indication, the fans backed the decision of The Who whole-heartedly. The Roger Waters show at the First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre was another slam-dunk success, since Roger and his crack band played the entire "Dark Side Of The Moon" disc, start to finish along with many other Pink Floyd gems. During conversations I had recently with Roger and Nick Mason (also of Floyd), the relations between the members definitely seem to be improving with both Roger and Nick stating that they were in favor of more reunion shows (ala "Live 8") in the future. Perhaps we may yet see a full Pink Floyd reunion tour. Even David Gilmour (the most reluctant of the members) admitted to me recently that more re-union gigs were not out of the question. You can listen to my conversations with them on my main page on the wlup.com website. And finally, if you missed me breaking the news Saturday afternoon on my show, Guns 'n' Roses (Axl Rose + his new backing band) will be playing a Loop show at the Allstate Arena November 27th in support of the still unreleased "Chinese Democracy" CD with my long-time friend Sebastian Bach of Skid Row fame opening up. Tickets go on sale Friday October 13th at 10am through the Allstate Arena box office, Ticketmaster and wlup.com.