Icon Fetch

Edgar Winter wrote one of the greatest instrumentals in all of rock in “Frankenstein.” He’s back out on the road as part of the Classic Rock n’ Blues Tour, which also features his brother, Johnny Winter, along with Rick Derringer, Leslie West of Mountain, and Kim Simmonds of Savoy Brown. Icon Fetch sits down with the multi-talented younger brother to find out why he never picked up the guitar (but did pick up just about everything else). He also tells us the great story behind “Frankenstein.”

Beatles’ expert Robert Rodriguez’s latest book, Revolver: How the Beatles Reimagined Rock n’ Roll, delves into the classic album, which always seems to play second fiddle to the record that followed it, Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. In addition to covering the writing and recording process, he delves into the band’s decision to stop touring, and the controversy surrounding John Lennon’s claim that the Beatles were “more popular than Jesus” – two items that lessened the album’s impact at the time. He debunks several myths surrounding the Revolver, and uncovers some interesting tidbits – including how Paul McCartney actually quit the band during the recording of “She Said, She Said.”

Joe Deninzon has been called the Jimi Hendrix of the electric violin, and is the world’s expert on alternative violin technique. He’s just released a book through Mel Bay called Plugging In – A Guide to Gear and New Techniques for the 21st Century Violinist. Joe’s band Stratospheerius also has a new record out – their first in five years called The Next World. A blend of progressive rock, metal, jazz, funk, and maybe even the kitchen sink thrown in for good measure.

Omar Dykes is celebrating 50 years in the music business with the release of a brand new album, his first with his band, the Howlers in eight years, I’m Gone. We talk with the blues survivor about hooking back up with many of the musicians that’ve played with him over the years, his unique recording technique (no rehearsing allowed!), and the release of his first-ever career retrospective, Omar & the Howlers Essential Collection. He also tells a great story about sneaking “across the tracks” to hear the music of the blues.

Sam Phillips has released eight critically-acclaimed studio records, she’s scored the music for the Gilmore Girls TV series, and she acted alongside Bruce Willis in Die Hard With a Vengeance. But, of all the great work she’s put out, many people continue to gravitate toward her 1994 album Martinis & Bikinis, which earned a Grammy nomination for Best Female Rock Performance. Produced by then-husband T-Bone Burnett, the album is a mix of gritty guitars, muscled drums, and Beatle-soaked harmonies.

Although not a commercial smash, it regularly makes critics’ “Best of the Nineties” lists. Omnivore Records has just reissued the classic album, making the record even better with the inclusion of four bonus tracks, including a newly recorded version of her song “Strawberry Road.” Icon Fetch sits down with Phillips, who gives us the background on that great album. She also talks about the circumstances that led to her role in Die Hard. She also talks her fan subscription series and upcoming projects

Ian Anderson is one of the most-recognizable figures in rock. For over 40 years, the wild-eyed flautist has led Jethro Tull through a string of classic albums, including Aqualung, Songs From the Wood, and Thick as a Brick. Anderson’s latest project is a sequel to that last album, Thick as a Brick 2, in which he entertains several possibilities of what happened to main character Gerald Bostock (who was only eight years old in the original album).

For the project, Anderson has returned to the progressive rock stylings which were so much a part of the original release. We also talk his band’s most-famous album, Aqualung, and the problems they had in the studio.

The Last Summer on Earth tour, featuring four of the best bands to emerge from the Nineties, is coming to a city near you. Featuring Barenaked Ladies, Blues Traveler, Big Head Todd & the Monsters, and Cracker, the tour is sure to be a highlight of the summer concert series. Icon Fetch talks with Chan Kinchla, guitarist for Blues Traveler, about the bands on the tour, the release of their brand new album, Suzie Cracks the Whip, and how they keep things fresh after spending 25 years together. We also chat again with Todd Park Mohr of Big Head Todd. In addition to talking up the new tour, he gives us the scoop on the Ride Festival, a concert they’re headlining in Colorado in August, and details on two new albums from Big Head Todd.

Dave Alvin’s 30-plus year career has had a lot of twists and turns. He helped form roots rock pioneers the Blasters with his brother Phil, he joined the punk band X near the end of their existence, and has led an acclaimed solo career. Many of his songs have become hits for other people, most notably “Long White Cadillac,” later a hit for Dwight Yoakam.

In 2011, Alvin released Eleven Eleven, which made Icon Fetch’s Sweet Sixteen year-end wrapup. Now, his record label has reissued the album in a deluxe edition – featuring a disc of live performances, another featuring several unreleased songs from the sessions, and a live DVD. Icon Fetch talks with the man whom Rolling Stone called “an under recognized guitar hero” about some of the great stories behind the songs on the record, and the origin of some of the unreleased material.

Steve Barton helped lead the San Francisco band Translator to such underground hits as “Everywhere That I’m Not,” and “Come With Me,” before calling it quits near the end of the Eighties. He’s since gone on to release several solo albums. His latest, Projector, is his most personal – Barton sings and plays all the instruments on the record, which deals in large part with the recent passing of his father. Barton talks with Icon Fetch about recording the album on 2-inch tape with the help of friend (and former member of Lone Justice) Marvin Etzioni, and the recent reformation of his old band Translator.

The dB’s released four critically-acclaimed albums throughout the Eighties, jam packed with melodic hooks. But for some strange reason, the band never achieved the commercial success they deserved, breaking up near the end of the decade. Then, a funny thing happened – word began to spread about how good those albums really were, and they started fetching high bids on Ebay. To meet the demand, Collector’s Choice music reissued the band’s first two albums in 2002.

Now, the band is back with a brand new record, their first with the original lineup in some 30 years, called Falling Off the Sky . Icon Fetch talks with singer/guitarist Peter Holsapple about what brought the band back together in the first place, why the recording process took so long, and how the band is joined by several young musicians from the North Carolina scene for the new record.