The next "Friday Night Live!" stop will be this Friday night (September 21st) from 7pm - 12midnight at Tom Kelley's Chophouse and Pub (www.tomkellys.com) at 495 DeGroate Road in New Lenox. Join me as I broadcast my show live with lots of cool Loop prizes to give away, a preview demonstration of the killer new video game "Rock Band" (www.rockband.com), and of course Bud Light (Always Worth It) specials. Come join the party!

Led Zeppelin has indeed confirmed that they will be reuniting for an Ahmet Ertegun tribute show in November.

Led Zeppelin will reunite for a charity concert in honor of the late Atlantic Records founder and chairman Ahmet Etergun on November 26th at the O-2 Arena in London. Robert Plant tells the B-B-C they decided to reunite because of their love for Ertegun, who signed the band. "We wanted to pay tribute to the effect that he had on our careers. We said, 'Let's see if we can do it.'" Plant, Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones will be joined by Jason Bonham, son of late Zep drummer John Bonham. This will be Led Zep's first public performance since Atlantic Records' 40th anniversary party in 1988 and their first performance of any kind since they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1995. Ertegun died last year at the age of 83 after falling backstage at a Rolling Stones concert in New York.Promoter Harvey Goldsmith asked the band to do a 30- or 40-minute set, but they didn't make a final decision until rehearsing for a week. They were comfortable with the sound and came back to say they would play at least two hours.The show will also feature Pete Townshend, Bill Wyman and the Rhythm Kings, Foreigner (also with Jason Bonham on drums) and Paolo Nutini. Additional guests will be announced. Profits from the show will go to the Ahmet Ertegun Education Fund, which gives scholarships to universities in the U-K, U-S and Turkey.Tickets will be sold through a lottery system, but within minutes of the announcement, an estimated 20-million fans around the world rushed to register at AhmetTribute-dot-com, which crashed the site. According to service provider Pipex, around 80-thousand fans a minute have attempted to register at the site. All successful applicants will be entered into a random drawing for tickets.

And this update just in...

The deadline to register for tickets to Led Zeppelin's reunion concert on November 26th at the O-2 Arena in London has been extended to 7:00 a-m [ET] on Wednesday, September 19th. Upwards of 80-thousand people per minute (five-million per hour) have been attempting to register for tickets at www.AhmetTribute.com. In a 12-hour period yesterday (Thursday), there were 89-point-five million attempts to register at the site. The website has now been moved to its own server and is running smoothly. You should only register your name once, as the system is designed to pick out names at random and remove multiple entries. Successful applicants will be limited to a pair of tickets per household.

Beginning Friday (and for the next 3 successive Friday's after that), I will be bringing my show live out on the road to a neighborhood near you. Dubbed "Friday Night Live!" (get it?), my first stop will be this Friday (September 14th) at Cullinan's Stadium Club at 116th & S. Western (11610 S. Western) on the south side from 7pm - 12midnight. I will have Steve Vai concert tickets, Blackhawks tickets, premiere movie passes and lots of Loop gear to give away. The folks at Budweiser (who are sponsoring the tour) will have lots of drink specials, and you can of course then make your requests live from the bar! Come on out, bring your friends and join the party. Hope to see you there!

Took in some more great Loop shows lately. Cheap Trick played Naperville's Last Fling celebration, and it was a blast. Some 10,000 Loop listeners packed the hill near the riverfront on a beautiful evening for an energetic headline set from Robin, Rick, Tom and Bun E. Somewhat miraculously, Robin Zander's voice has survived years of road work perfectly intact as he tackled their new songs as well as their classics with equal aplomb. After I brought them on stage and checked out the show, a cocktail party-like atmosphere ensued afterwards. Tom Petersson and I shared some laughs about dating the same girl (not at the same time, though!) and I had a chance to catch up with the rest of the guys as well in the casual atmosphere. Great fun, contagious show. Cheap Trick is still a rush.

(See Cheap Trick perform "Surrender" here: http://youtube.com/watch?v=pD8ymBR2Ufo)

(See Cheap Trick perform "Ain't That A Shame" here: http://youtube.com/watch?v=_E5L4MwMzzM)

Speaking of which, Rush stepped on stage after an introduction from me to a deafening roar from the 20,000 + Loop listeners at the First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre this past Saturday night. Another crown jewel in the Loop's 30th Anniversary Concert Series, Rush was welcomed in a near delirious fashion. The band played many rarely-heard-in-concert gems like "Circumstances" as well as a healthy dose of numbers from their latest effort "Snakes & Arrows", just as Geddy Lee had promised they would on my show the previous week. The guys were uber excited to be playing Chicago again, and it showed. Geddy filmed some shots of the audience from the stage with his personal camcorder "for the folks back home", and Alex Lifeson was bouncing around like a pogo-stick on caffeine. Even the usually all-business Neil Peart was pulling faces and grinning from ear-to-ear as he furiously pounded out the best licks heard on drums since John Bonham and Buddy Rich. As they have on recent tours, the visual gags were in ample evidence this time around too, with big-screen song introductions from SCTV's "Bob & Doug"and "South Park" and three chicken rotisserie's (complete with attending chef) where Geddy's bass amps usually would be. All-in-all, it was a brilliantly delivered "evening with Rush" (no opening act needed), with great sound AND fun sights. Give 'er! Beauty, eh!

(See Geddy Lee of Rush clown around here: http://youtube.com/watch?v=gwpGXfHmY-A)

(See a fan's terrific home-made video for Rush's latest "Far Cry" here: http://youtube.com/watch?v=G-6SZZv91_w)

Led Zeppelin reunion rumors are heating up again with a press conference scheduled for Wednesday September 12th. Expect the surviving members of Led Zeppelin to announce a reunion gig in honor of the man who signed them to a record deal (Ahmet Ertegun) at London's new O2 arena on November 26th with Jason Bonham sitting in for his late father on drums. Whether this one-off gig will translate into a possible tour remains to be seen. Led Zeppelin has reunited only sporadically in the ensuing years since Bonzo's death. In 1985 they played at Live Aid, played together at their Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame induction in 1995, at the Atlantic Records 40th anniversary celebrations and jammed at Jason Bonham's wedding reception. Unfortunately, none of these resulted in a full-scale reunion or tour, so the pattern doesn't look good for anything more at this point. In the meantime, several "new" Led Zeppelin releases are planned for November. A new 24 track "best of" entitled "Mothership" November 13th, and the re-release (remastered with bonus tracks) of "The Song Remains The Same" concert on CD and DVD November 20th.

(See Led Zeppelin perform "Kashmir" with an introduction from Ahmet Ertegun here: http://youtube.com/watch?v=5pLEXy71Fxs)

Lead singer/bassist Geddy Lee of Rush checked in with me on the show this week. I've been friends with the band since their early days, so it was great to catch up and have a few laughs. Geddy told me the band is particularly looking forward to playing Chicago, because of the rabid following the band has in this area. He indicated to me that they would be playing more obscure tracks from their catalogue than in recent tours and several from the new disc "Snakes & Arrows." Rush fans are familiar with their very dry/silly, non-sequitor type of humor, which Geddy assured me would be on full display again this time around. I took Geddy by surprise when I asked him if they would perchance be performing the song "Liquor & Whores" (a comedy side-project they have recently been involved in back home in Canada) as an encore, sending him into fits of laughter. Upon containing himself, he replied that unfortunately they would not, but perhaps on a future tour. If you have not seen Rush before, do yourself a favor and take this opportunity to see a one-of-a-kind band.

(See Rush perform their classic "Finding My Way" here: http://youtube.com/watch?v=D0DfWlgLByg)

Mattias Jabs, lead guitarist of the Scorpions also made an appearance on my show this past week. We chatted about their phenomenal new album "Humanity Hour 1" and the anticipation they also feel at getting to play in Chicago again. Mattias said to expect a fall or early next year stop here in town. Keep it locked on the Loop for the latest info and a chance to win tickets when the show date is officially announced.

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

This past week I was invited by Playboy magazine to drop by their offices on Lakeshore Drive to observe a photo shoot for an upcoming cover. I am constantly amazed and impressed at the professionalism of their operation and the respect and kindness which they extend to their models. Unlike some others in their field (who show little respect towards women), Playboy treats their models with the utmost in dignity and class. It amply explains why even 50 years later, they are still the benchmark by which all others are measured. They are an artful, class act which Chicagoans are justifiable proud of.

Had a chance to hang with legendary British theatre and movie actor/writer/producer Victor Spinetti this past week as well. Victor has appeared in over 30 films (including three Beatle movies "A Hard Day's Night" "Help" and "Magical Mystery Tour"), won a Tony award, directed "Jesus Christ Superstar" and "Hair" and is a fixture on Broadway and London's West End. Victor is an uproariously funny and very down-to-earth man who regaled me with tales of working with the likes of Peter Sellers, Elizabeth Taylor and of course, the Beatles. In October, the Beatles classic action/adventure spoof movie "Help" (in which Victor played the mad scientist) will be re-released on DVD. Newly restored and now with plenty of extras, it's a very funny and influential movie (Mike Myers has cited it as an inspiration for his "Austin Powers" series) that is definitely worth picking up for your collection.

(See Victor Spinetti in "Help" here: http://youtube.com/watch?v=1VTmllNMkZM&mode=related&search=)

(See Victor Spinetti in "Magical Mystery Tour" here: http://youtube.com/watch?v=KaBDBpzuYjo&mode=related&search=)

As the Loop continues to celebrate it's 30th anniversary, our legendary sister rock station in St. Louis KSHE 95, is celebrating it's 40th anniversary. During the '90's, I was the morning show personality/anchor at KSHE. You will soon be able to hear/see/check out some of my past work there via the 40th anniversary museum on their website www.kshe95.com.

They vowed it would never happen, but Bloomington, IN native David Lee Roth and Eddie Van Halen have indeed finally patched up their relationship. DLR has officially rejoined Van Halen as their front man, confirming nearly a year of rumblings and persistent rumors that just such a move was in the works. Van Halen will be hitting not one, but two venues here in Chicagoland during the reunion tour. See them October 16th at the Allstate Arena and October 18th at the United Center as part of the Loop's 30th Anniversary Concert Series.

(See the Van Halen press conference here: http://youtube.com/watch?v=kxwjRJwAGQA)

In a related note, original Van Halen bassist (and Chicago native) Michael Anthony phoned me during my show to comment on the Van Halen tour and his upcoming Chicago gig with Sammy Hagar. While Michael expressed disappointment at not being asked to participate in the reunion, he stated emphatically that he would love to be a part of it if Eddie Van Halen invited him to, and that Sammy had encouraged him to accept if the call came. In the meantime, catch Michael and Sammy November 10th at the infamous Chicago Theatre.

Ozzfest 2007 was a smash success, bringing the annual "rock circus" to the area in two separate shows recently. As usual, Ozzy Osbourne rocked the house and displayed his hilarious non-PC sense of humor.

(See Ozzy's intro video here: http://youtube.com/watch?v=qDUpg3VQ7KA&mode=related&search=)

Look for Ozzy to return to our area December 16th at the Allstate Arena. Keep it locked on the Loop for more information and to win tickets.

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.

Chicago really ought to be re-named "The City That ROCKS!" Lollapalooza 2007 was even bigger and better attended and organized than previous years were, becoming the modern day successor of Woodstock in the process. After a warm-up gig at The Vic on Friday where they played such gems as KISS' "Black Diamond", Pearl Jam took the stage at 8:10pm at Grant Park launching into a 2 hour plus set with "Why Go" from their debut album. Eddie Vedder was particularly happy to be back home, commenting on the Chicago skyline, reminiscing about riding the "L" and taking BP Amoco to task over their dumping toxins into Lake Michigan. Mixing their classics with lesser known gems, serendipity kicked in when the museum campus fireworks coincided with Matt Cameron's fiery drum solo. Pearl Jam capped off the 3-day event with a rousing, guest-laden encore cover of Neil Young's "Rockin' In The Free World."

(See Pearl Jam perform "Daughter" at Lollapalooza here: http://www.pearljam.com/news/index.php?what=News#195)

(See Pearl Jam's video for "World Wide Suicide" here: http://youtube.com/watch?v=XLJ7C6-bYKg)

After Lollapalooza concluded, I attended a special, by invite only post-party at The House Of Blues "Back Porch" (the restaurant/bar on the main floor), where Lollapalooza founder and Jane's Addiction front man Perry Farrell thanked the organizers and the city with a buoyant set that included Jane's Addiction classics "Stop!" and "Been Caught Stealin'."

Once again, a phenomenal 3-day destination event that made Chicago look great to the music world. Lollapalooza 2007... bravissimo!

Ted Nugent swept through town with a trio of shows in the area in the last week or so, and he once again found some down-time to check in with me during my show. During his formative years, Ted lived in Arlington Heights, so coming back to Chicago is like "coming home." Ted was in an unusually sentimental mood this time, since a statue of his late mother (affectionately known as "Ma Nuge" in the Chicago area) was being dedicated on the grounds of Durty Nellie's nightclub in Palatine. Ted fondly remembered his mother's loving career/life advice (how many of the rest of us can say we were wise enough to listen to the advice we were given?) with which he credits his enduring success. Look for Ted's first studio album in five years, "Love Grenade" to hit stores September 4th.

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!!!