Keith's Music Box

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers are one of the great rock bands of all time, but they might not have ever achieved the same level of success if not for record promo man Jon Scott. As an early believer in Tom’s talent, Jon put his career on the line to champion the young band in 1977. The rest is history, as Jon writes in his book, “Tom Petty and Me.” I chat with Jon about his 40-year relationship with Tom in this debut episode of season three of KMB.

The days are getting shorter, the nights colder here in Southern California. We’ve even had a few days of rain! All of which means fall is here and the weather is changing. Luckily, there’s a lot of great rock music celebrating the change of season, and we’ll sample some of the best on this week’s KMB. Check it out to hear an eclectic mix from artists including the Bob Dylan, Red Hot Chili Peppers, the Beatles, Crowded House, White Stripes, Zeppelin and Garbage.

By any measure, Phil Jones has had an amazing career as a rock n’ roll drummer, percussionist and producer. You’ve almost certainly heard his playing on a number of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers hits, as well as on “Free Fallin’” and “Runnin’ Down a Dream” from Tom’s biggest solo album, “Full Moon Fever.” He was a member of the ‘70s band Crabby Appleton, and has also recorded and played with the Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, Joe Walsh, Roy Orbison, Waddy Wachtel, Marc Ford and a host of other elite artists. Hear my chat with Phil on this week’s KMB.

From beyond the grave comes a special KMB playlist for all ghouls and goblins this Halloween. Party to horrifically killer tunes from AC/DC, Oingo Boingo, Talking Heads, Donovan, The Cranberries, Warren Zevon and many others. And don’t leave before the bitter end, or you will be very, very sorry.

Put three great musicians together and magic can happen. We’ve seen it throughout music history, with trios turning out some of the most iconic tunes in rock. Bands like Cream, the Jimi Hendrix Experience and CSN set the table in the ‘60s, followed in the ‘70s by ZZ Top, Rush and the Police. Nirvana and Green Day carried the torch into the ‘90s and beyond, as we’ll hear on this week’s rockin’ episode of KMB.

Get ready for an epic battle of rock superstars! Peter Gabriel was the original lead singer in Genesis, one of prog rock's greatest bands. When he went solo in 1975,  the band's drummer, Phil Collins, took over the microphone, leading Genesis into an incredible run of success through the '80s and '90s. Both singer-songwriters have also had epic solo careers, so it's only fitting that they face off head to head to see who's music truly rules. Will it be Mr. Gabriel or Mr. Collins? Stream today to find out... and hear some killer tunes.

1971 was a banner year for pop, soul and R&B, with many of the songs released that year becoming bona fide classics. There were also some memorable novelty songs, as we’ll hear on Part II of our exploration of the music of 1971. Tune in to this week’s KMB to relive music’s greatest year with tunes from the likes of Carole King, James Taylor, Al Green, Marvin Gaye, Harry Nilsson, Don McLean and others.

Each year during the Rock Era delivered songs that took folks’ breath away — classics that still resonate today. But perhaps no year measures up to 1971, when many of rock’s greatest artists put out their masterpiece. Led Zeppelin IV. Who’s Next. Aqualung. Imagine. The list goes on, and we’ll sample a handful of rock songs from that amazing year in this week’s episode of KMB. And, because one week is not enough to cover all of the killer music from 1971, we’ll be back next week with 1971: Part II, an exploration of pop, soul and R&B from music's greatest year.

Neo-folk has been a force on the music charts for years now, with bands like the Head and the Heart and the Lumineers leading the charge. The Riverside, a rising indie folk band out of Santa Barbara, Calif., is working hard to reach those same heights, taking a decidedly unique approach to get there. Hear their story and music on this week’s KMB, along with a stellar lineup of classic and contemporary folk artists, including Fleet Foxes, Caamp, Bob Dylan and Arlo Guthrie.

The great Charlie Watts, who always introduced himself as “drummer for the Rolling Stones” (as if we didn’t know), passed away this week at the age of 80. The news hit hard, and not just because it reminds us of our own mortality. For many of us Charlie’s steady beat has always been there, providing the backbone for many of the songs in the soundtrack of our life. It doesn’t compute that he’s gone. We’ll celebrate Charlie’s nearly 60-year legacy with the Stones on this week’s KMB.