The Slacker Morning Show

From The Black Crowes to The Magpie Salute: The Art of Transcendence

THE MAGPIE SALUTE is an exciting new band that features musicians who have played together for decades throughout various projects and share a musical bond. The band brings Rich Robinson, the guitarist and co-founding member of The Black Crowes, together with two key members of Crowes fame - guitarist Marc Ford and bassist Sven Pipien - alongside drummer Joe Magistro and guitarist Nico Bereciartua. The Magpie Salute also boasts a fine cast of vocalists, including lead singer John Hogg (Hookah Brown, Moke), former Crowes singer Charity White and background singers, Adrien Reju and Katrine Ottosen.

Embraced by music fans as soon as show dates were announced in October 2016, the band instantly sold out its first performance scheduled for January 19, 2017 at the Gramercy Theatre in New York. Driven by popular demand, three more dates were scheduled, each of which sold out within minutes! Responding to fan interest, Rich notes, “it’s been a better welcome than we could have hoped for. We are humbled by the outpouring of support. It feels powerful.”

Marc Ford underscored Rich’s comments, noting the fan’s enthusiasm about The Magpie Salute. “The fans seems to be very excited. I’m just starting to see how much this music means to people”. Building on this excitement, The Magpie Salute, will look past these shows for a possibility of more touring.

The Magpie Salute marks the reunion of the Robinson and Ford guitar team which ended back in 1997 when Ford left The Black Crowes. Reflecting on his past, Rich stated, “I feel Marc and I have a deep musical connection... As I get older, I realize what a gift it is to play with people with whom you share that language of music.” Reiterating Rich’s point about musical rapport, Marc added, “it’s one of those things that was there before we met. Musically, we were already family.”

Asked about The Magpie Salute’s artistic vision and musical approach, Rich stated, " I, and everyone involved, love playing music. Not only on our own, in The Crowes and in my band, but playing music in general. We want to make music again together with a fresh perspective. To present this music I wrote in a different light with these amazing players is going to be really special to me.” To create this new sound, Rich and his ensemble have called upon their collective influences, from R&B, country and spirituals, to artists such as Sly Stone, Neil Young, and The Small Faces - a vast musical landscape which, at its core, is pure Rock n Roll. “It's also deeper than that”, Rich goes on to say. “It's freedom, it's love, it's loss, it's pure joy. It’s misery, it's simultaneously arrogance and vulnerability. It is life.”

Rich explains how the band members’ past experiences connect to the band’s moniker, The Magpie Salute. The term references a British superstition about the imperative to salute a Magpie anytime you see one in order to ward off negativity, or to have a good day; it is like saying, I am unarmed or I come in peace. Rich says, “The magpie falls within the crow umbrella of species, figuratively and literally. Magpies can be black and white, which for me represents the dark and the light. "The way to salute a magpie, is to say Good Morning Captain. I felt this had too many coincidences to ignore. He adds, “This touches on many aspects of my life and experiences.”

The band’s genesis began in Woodstock, New York, at Applehead Studios where Rich had recorded his last three albums. Sven had been playing with him on his current tour and Rich thought it might be a bit of fun to invite Marc, as well as Eddie Harsch from the original Crowes lineup, to join. “It turned out to be a cool, cathartic and inspirational experience for all of us. We had a strong musical connection from that band”, said Rich. The fact that the former Crowes members had traveled the world together and shared a life’s worth of family experiences drew them back to one another. They found themselves bonded, Rich states, “by a lot of far out experiences, performing with our heroes, emotional ups and downs, all wrapped up in a very unique life experience, which is the thread that has always kept the connection together.” Eddie will be sorely missed from the new band’s lineup: he passed away in November of 2016, but he too was a part of the energy that lead to The Magpie Salute. Speaking on his connection with Eddie, both musically and emotionally, Rich said, “It's a very intimate and abstract way to communicate, but when you have that with someone it is a true creative gift. Eddie was a brilliant musician. He was funny as hell. He was a good person with a great heart. I'll miss him dearly.”

The Magpie Salute intends to perform the songs and the unique improvisational flights that characterized The Black Crowes body of work. Marc said, “That’s what we do when we get together.” He adds that the vocals will obviously be different, but that in turn will lead to a huge range of possibility and other places to go with different singers. “The bottom line for me,” say Marc, “is that we love playing together; we have respect for what we have done together and for all the people who want to hear it.”

According to Rich, the set list for the upcoming NYC performances will vary from show to show, keeping the music fresh for the musicians and the audience. “We will continue in the long line of digging deep into my old Crowes’ catalogue, some great covers, some we’ve done before, some we have never played, songs from my solo records and some of Marc’s songs off of his new record.” Marc believes that this variety in set list “keeps everything interesting to us” and asks, “If we weren’t into it, how could the listeners be?”

Clearly, The Magpie Salute intends to mix it up, breathing new life into musical bonds, rooted in tradition and the universal language of Rock and Roll.

@richsrobinson

#TheMagpieSaluteBand

#theBlackCrowes

#theSlackerMorningShow101theFox

It's a tall order, but the newly opened InterContinental on the Country Club Plaza has managed to check all of the boxes. As part of its $16 million update, the hotel recently transformed its outdated and somewhat stuffy Oak Room into the cheery and cheeky new American Slang Modern Brasserie.

True to its name, the menu offers classic French brasserie dishes with an American accent. Classic French steak and frites, for instance, feature locally sourced and aged beef. A chef’s daily cheese board happily serves a French triple crème brie next to Missouri cheese from Green Dirt Farm. The wine list speaks both old world and new world equally well.

Executive chef Drue Kennedy was brought in to help create a menu that executes classic French dishes faithfully while rethinking them in a way that brings them closer to our Midwestern roots. And Kennedy certainly knows how Kansas City likes to eat; he's been cooking here over a decade. He's cooked at restaurants including Grand Street Café, the Eldridge Hotel in Lawrence and, most recently, Seasons 52 on the Plaza.

#AmericanSlangBrasserie

#SlackerMorningShow101theFox

Immediately after the attacks on September 11, 2001, the United States government initiated a secret war against Afghanistan, deploying fewer than one hundred Special Forces troops to fight back. Building a coalition with the rebels of the Northern Alliance, the US troops faced off against the Taliban and the terrorist organization al-Qaeda. They succeeded in driving both out of power by the end of 2001 with minimal casualties and without conventional, large-scale military operations. Despite this victory, the U.S. and its allies soon became mired in a seemingly never-ending war. This untold story features unprecedented access to the Green Berets who played pivotal roles in these covert missions. Reflecting on their experiences and on the brothers-in-arms they lost, these elite soldiers offer a riveting celebration of valor and a sobering, cautionary tale. LEGION OF BROTHERS is produced by CNN films and directed by Greg Barker (“Manhunt”).

#LegionofBrothers

#SlackerMorningShow101theFox

Poison who started as a street level independent band has remained one of the music industry’s top acts, with multi-platinum album sales and sold out tours since first bursting onto the music scene. They have sold over 50 million records and DVDs worldwide, and have charted twelve Top 10 hits and are set to perform some of their greatest hits including "Nothin’ But A Good Time," "Every Rose Has Its Thorn," "Talk Dirty To Me," "Unskinny Bop" and "Something To Believe In."

Since their debut in 1986, they have released seven studio albums, four live albums, five compilation albums, and have issued 28 singles to radio. This year marks the 30th Anniversary, and Drummer, Rikki Rockett chats with Slacker!

#Poison

#RikkiRockett

#SlackerMorningShow101theFox

Rob Magee got hooked on cooking at an early age and took his skills to the highest level with a degree from the acclaimed Culinary Institute of America. Working his trade in some of the finest kitchens across the country, he would always make it a point to honor the tastes of whatever region he was in. So when he moved to Kansas City, he naturally became obsessed with mastering the glories of KC barbeque.

While still working as executive chef for Hilton, he assembled a competition team in his spare time called the Munchin Hogs. They didn’t just enter contests for fun, they ascended to the highest level of competitive barbeque in events across the country against the toughest teams — the real major leagues. Over a ten-year span they won a whole array of competitions and national championships. And Rob never tired of learning, honing his skill as an explorer of tastes and flavors, devising original sauces and rubs, always experimenting further and always using only the finest scratch ingredients. Competition barbeque is distinctive in that it’s all about serving food to finicky judges at its optimal window of perfection. Techniques for maintaining moisture, for example, had to be mastered that go far beyond the capabilities of most barbeque joints.

Throughout his career of working for others, Rob had a habit of jotting down ideas for that dream restaurant he would open one day. After awhile, he realized he was having such joy and success with his obsessive hobby why not bring his award-winning, major league competition barbeque to the public in a restaurant concept he would totally control? There was lots of barbeque in Kansas City but there was nothing like this — the pursuit of perfection from a classically trained chef with an entire menu created from scratch in an open kitchen designed just for the purpose.

#Q39KC

#kcBBQ

#eatlocal

#SlackerMorningShowKC101theFox

We think of Red Door Grill as an “upscale neighborhood joint.“ Whether you’re coming to us straight from work for burgers with friends, enjoying a romantic night out for drinks or entertaining a business associate, you’re always welcomed here.

We promise a great experience every time you visit. Since we opened in 2013 we’ve provided our customers with the freshest, most flavorful food and great service at a good value. Whether it’s your first time dining with us or you’re a regular, you’ll have a great time at Red Door Grill.

We’ve always been eager to bring Red Door Grill to Kansas City and in December 2016, we crossed the state line and opened our second location in Brookside.

We’re Committed To Local

Not only is Red Door Grill locally owned and operated, we strive to consistently serve the best local ingredients to your table. We’re proud of the partnerships we’ve developed with local and regional providers. Their level of pride and care matches our own and, we think, makes for better food.

So, stop into Red Door Grill with friends and family, or let us host your next business lunch. You’ll be welcomed with a selection of woodfired favorites like burgers, flatbreads, and fish specials, all while being made to feel right at home.

#RedDoorGrillKC

#SlackerMorningShowKC101theFox

Welcome one and all to THE MISSION, STYX’s sonically sweet 16th studio album and its most ambitious, most challenging, and most rewarding release to date. Please take note of the official stardate, as THE MISSION has duly been set for liftoff June 16 on the band’s label, Alpha Dog 2T/UMe. Fans can pre-order the album at any of these online retail outlets and Styxworld.com.

The first single, “Gone Gone Gone,” was released today at radio and online retail outlets. A video premiered on Billboard.com and can be seen here.

“The planets truly aligned for THE MISSION, and I couldn’t be prouder,” says vocalist/guitarist Tommy Shaw, who co-wrote the album’s storyline with longtime collaborator Will Evankovich (Shaw/Blades, The Guess Who). “It’s our boldest, most emblematic album since PIECES OF EIGHT.”

As founding guitarist James “JY” Young continues, “In the 40th anniversary year of our release of our biggest selling album of all time, GRAND ILLUSION, it just seemed truly appropriate to save our new studio album until this year. Needless to say, I’m very excited.”

“THE MISSION is a deep, conceptual, and cinematic epic that offers listeners a thrilling emotional journey — and all ‘cast’ with impassioned guitar parts and those textured, ‘chill-inducing’ Styx vocals. Guitarists Tommy Shaw and James Young sound like they’re energetic upstarts with something to prove, rather than members of a band with decades of history. This is a truly brilliant soundscape, as well as a tribute to the evocative power of the guitar.” — Michael Molenda, Editor-in-Chief, Guitar Player

“A throwback to the styles of classic Styx records like THE GRAND ILLUSION and PIECES OF EIGHT, THE MISSION is a wonderful mix of knotty, '70s-era progressive rock madness alongside the melodic power pop the band does so well. Todd Sucherman might be the baby of the group, but he’s an old soul when it comes to finding the right flavor for the new material—and he’s not shy to provide a healthy slab of blazing hand technique, elevating parts to a whole other level of excitement.”

-- Ilya Stemkovsky, Modern Drummer

“Styx have really delivered a welcome addition to their catalog with the arrival of THE MISSION, which wraps in all of the important elements of their much loved classic sound, with a wealth of big hooks, anthemic choruses and most importantly, an album’s worth of really good Styx music.”

--Matt Wardlaw, UltimateClassicRock.com

Indeed, THE MISSION is an aurally adventurous 43-minute thrill ride that chronicles the trials, tribulations, and ultimate triumphs of the first manned mission to Mars in the year 2033. From the hopeful drive of “Gone Gone Gone” to the stargazing machinations of “Locomotive” to the rough-riding blaze of glory that permeates the hard-charging “Red Storm” to the elegiac optimism of the closing track “Mission to Mars,” the album succeeds in delivering the greater good from a band that continues to fire on all cylinders, 45 years after signing its first recording contract.

In fact, THE MISSION--which was recorded over a two-year period at Blackbird Studios, The Shop, and 6 Studio Amontillado in Nashville--displays the best aspects of the ongoing in-harmony musical intersection of the six-man STYX team: the aforementioned guitarist/vocalist Tommy Shaw, co-founding guitarist/vocalist James “JY” Young, keyboardist/vocalist Lawrence Gowan, original bassist Chuck Panozzo, drummer/percussionist Todd Sucherman, and bassist Ricky Phillips.

The new music was created to reflect the viewpoint of the six-person crew enlisted for the maiden voyage of Khedive, the first entry in a new fleet of nuclear-powered interplanetary spacecraft underwritten by the Global Space Exploration Program (or GSEP, for short). The Khedive team consists of The Pilot, a fully hands-on, seat-of-the-pants born leader; a First Officer who serves as the team’s big-brother figure; an Engineer who is skeptical of every phase of the mission but remains confident in his own abilities to make the best of any technical situation; and a Top-Shelf Trio of science, astrophysics, and survivalist experts.

“The album feels simultaneously comfortable and new,” observes Gowan. “It’s both entertaining and charming, and a natural progression of our sound.” Concludes Panozzo, “THE MISSION is a sincere and honest representation of how STYX built upon where we were in the 20th century in order to go somewhere new in the 21st century.” And that’s the gist of THE MISSION, STYX’s bold sonic voyage into an exciting new frontier with the goal of discovering how the universe’s mysteries unfold—and then creating the perfect soundtrack to accompany it.

Light it up, let’s get this show on the road!

Here’s the track listing for THE MISSION:

CD/Digital:

1. Overture

2.  Gone Gone Gone

3.  Hundred Million Miles from Home

4.  Trouble at the Big Show

5.  Locomotive

6.  Radio Silence

7.  The Greater Good

8.  Time May Bend

9.  Ten Thousand Ways to Be Wrong

10.  Red Storm

11.  All Systems Stable

12.  Khedive

13.  The Outpost

14. Mission to Mars

#STYXtheband

#SlackerMorningShow101theFox

Westport Café and Bar – a Kansas City French restaurant offers fresh and innovative twists on culinary classics. Rather than recreating classic dishes, WCB serves the same incredible food you could find at a modern café in Paris. The food is complemented by the carefully selected wine list and one of the best craft cocktail menus in Kansas City.

While every hour is enjoyable at Westport Café and Bar, our happy hour is truly something special. The wide array of food and drink specials includes something to please everyone in your group. From mussels to martinis, our happy hour menu will quickly confirm why we have been named the best happy hour in Kansas City. Can’t make it to the restaurant before 6pm? Our reverse happy hour provides the same deal to night owls by keeping the restaurant open late and offering happy hour specials from 10pm to close.

On the weekends, we open early to serve the best brunch in Kansas City. Our traditional Sunday brunch was so well received that we now serve our brunch menu on Saturday as well. Whether you are looking for a new culinary spin on traditional breakfast items or our legendary bar burger, you will leave satisfied. Our entire brunch menu is complemented by a traditional mimosa or one of our modern craft cocktails.

Westport Café and Bar is proud to be a locally owned Kansas City restaurant and part of the culinary renaissance that is happening in Westport. Whether we are considered a casual restaurant or an upscale bar, we are simply proud of the food and drinks we serve to our guests. We welcome you to visit Westport Café and Bar to find out for yourself why so many Kansas City foodies are among our loyal guests and hope that you will join them.

#WestportCB

#Slackermorningshow101thefox

Don Henley anchored the Eagles as the band's drummer, frequent frontman, and co-leader. He wrote and sang many of their biggest songs -- "Hotel California," "Desperado," "The Long Run," "Best of My Love," "Life in the Fast Lane," "One of These Nights" were among his signatures, classic rock staples all -- but he also found considerable success on his own in the '80s following the group's disbandment. He established a distinctive, flinty voice right out the gate with "Dirty Laundry," the Top 10 hit from his 1982 solo debut I Can't Stand Still, but 1984's Building the Perfect Beast was a blockbuster, aided by the chilly, stylish MTV hit "Boys of Summer." Three other singles were pulled from the record -- the Top 10 "All She Wants to Do Is Dance," followed by the Top 40 "Not Enough Love in the World" and "Sunset Grill," all arriving in 1985 -- and he then labored on his third record, 1989's The End of the Innocence. Although this didn't have as many Top 40 hits -- the title track reached eight, followed by "The Last Worthless Evening" and "The Heart of the Matter," both peaking at 21 -- it was a bigger hit, going platinum six times, but after it ran its cycle, Henley decided to turn his attention to reuniting the Eagles in 1994, a project that kept him busy off and on for the next two years. His solo albums slowed -- he released Inside Job in 2000, 11 years after The End of the Innocence, and then took 15 years to record Cass County, his return to country-rock roots -- but he was never out of the spotlight thanks to ongoing work from the Eagles. He is out this Summer touring Solo and two weekends in July, with the Eagles adding Glen's son, Deacon to the band line up!

#Eagles

#DonHenley

#EaglesFans

#SlackerMorningShow101theFox

#CassCounty