The Slacker Morning Show

Vocalist, musician and producer, Greg Lake is one of the most prominent and popular musicians in the world and has often been described as having the voice of a generation.

He first won worldwide acclaim as lead vocalist, bass guitarist and producer when together with Robert Fripp he formed King Crimson. Their first album, In Court of the Crimson King, co-produced by Greg, featured the iconic song "21st Century Schizoid Man." King Crimson pioneered progressive rock and paved the way for famous bands that followed, including Yes and Genesis all the way through to bands such as The Red Hot Chilli Peppers and countless others.

Fripp and Lake met when they shared the same Dorset guitar teacher who taught an expansive range of music including classical pieces by Paganini and post war classics. Lake also listened to early American rock and roll and was inspired by everything he heard, from Elvis to classical.

Greg says "There is a common thread throughout all the music. The forms may be different, but each one to some degree draws upon inspiration from the past. I am as proud to have been as influenced by people like Elvis and Little Richard as I am by composers like Copeland and Prokofiev and I'm honoured when other musicians regard me as one of their inspirations." Slacker chats about the new, Anthology.

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Giles Martin is a music producer, composer and arranger. His studio recordings, stage shows, TV and film works have been critically acclaimed and commercially successful across the globe. He lives in London and to date has been awarded 2 Grammys. Giles chats about Live: At The Holly Bowl.

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Few artists can claim to have made a bigger impact on popular music than Randy Bachman, widely regarded as the “architect of Canadian rock ‘n’ roll.” His renowned songwriting acumen produced “You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet,” “American Woman,” “Let it Ride, “Taking Care of Business,” “Looking Out for #1,” “No Sugar Tonight” and “These Eyes,” tracks that have become pop‐culture touchstones.

One of the Great White North’s favourite musical sons, Bachman co-founded iconic bands The Guess Who and Bachman‐Turner Overdrive, earning over 120 gold and platinum albums/singles around the world as a performer and producer, and amassing more than 40 million in record sales. He’s also no stranger to garnering coveted #1 spots on radio playlists, having done so in over 20 countries.

His accomplishments haven’t gone unrecognized, of course. In addition to his induction into the Musicians Hall of Fame in Nashville, Bachman has the distinction of being the only one of his countrymen to be inducted twice into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame, most recently alongside his fellow original Bachman‐Turner Overdrive members in 2014. A recipient of the Order of Canada, Bachman’s overwhelming international influence and popularity was acknowledged in 2011 by the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP), in the form of the Global Impact Award.

Despite all of his success, Bachman was determined to move forward musically, and in order to do so, he had to look backward, and revisit the glorious days of the ‘60s British blues boom. Using the amplified blues‐rock of Cream, Led Zeppelin and The Who as his blueprints, Bachman and a newly formed power trio envisioned his new album, Heavy Blues, as an explosive, raw reinterpretation of that music with a distorted, modern edge. We catch up with Randy Bachman

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Apart from being a founding member and lead guitarist of the band TESLA, Frank Hannon is also a singer / songwriter as well as a producer. Having a passion for all genres of music, he produces many solo albums and recordings for other artists in his RedHawk Records recording studio in Northern California.

Playing Electric and Acoustic guitar, Piano, B3 organ, Bass and just about any instrument he can get in his hands, Frank loves to experiment with Blues, Country, Folk and Jamming improvising styles beyond what he is most famous for in the “Rock” genre. His mother introduced him to to psychedelic sounds of Jimi Hendrix, Grateful Dead, and others from the San Francisco era as a child, then he developed his loved for hard rock throughout high school in the 80’s. In recent times, Frank and company have come full circle as TESLA is touring with their pals Def Leppard again some 30 years later, and Frank is tapping into the influences of his childhood roots with his solo music.

“What I love about music is you can always learn something new..especially from the roots of old music…I will be 50 years old this year and musically it is the best time of my life!” ~ Frank Hannon

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Ireland’s Folk Band of the year, The High Kings, are Finbarr Clancy, Brian Dunphy, Martin Furey and Darren Holden. Coming from accomplished Musical pedigrees, The High Kings grew up in households soaked in the Irish Musical tradition and each member of the band witnessed first hand the power of well crafted Irish music on an audience.

Since The High Kings started in 2008, they have sold out hundreds of shows, in Ireland and the US, made numerous TV appearances, recorded 3 studio albums and 1 live album and achieved platinum status with their 1st two albums.

2013 is the start of an exciting time for The High Kings having signed to Sony International and releasing their 4th album “Friends for Life” which is out in Europe in September 2013. This impressive album features tracks written by the lads and some old favourites.

The High Kings showcase their incredible versatility and skills as multi-instrumentalists, playing 13 instruments between them bringing a rousing acoustic flavour to brand new songs as well as some old favourites. The High Kings are continuing to live up to their reputation as a phenomenal live band, serving up laughter, good times and even the odd sing along. Brian and Darren join Slacker in studio!

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This year, 2016, marks the 46th Anniversary of perennial classic-rock favorite, America. Founding members, Gerry Beckley and Dewey Bunnell (along with former band mate, the late, Dan Peek) met in high school in London in the late 1960s and quickly harmonized their way to the top of the charts on the strength of their signature song "A Horse With No Name." America became a global household name and paved the way with an impressive string of hits following the success of their first #1 single. Forty plus years later, these friends are still making music together, touring the world and thrilling audiences with their timeless sound.

America's journey has found them exploring a wide variety of musical terrain. Their best-known tunes, which also include "I Need You," "Ventura Highway," "Don't Cross The River," "Tin Man," "Lonely People," and "Sister Golden Hair" were cornerstones of 1970's Top 40 and FM rock radio. Yet beyond their impressive catalog of hits, listeners would discover there was always much more to America than surface perceptions. The combination of Gerry Beckley's melodic pop rock and Dewey Bunnell's use of folk-jazz elements, slinky Latin-leaning rhythms and impressionistic lyric imagery contrasted well with Dan Peek's more traditional country-rock leanings and highly personal lyrics.

America's albums--six certified gold and/or platinum, with their first greatest hits collection, History, hitting four plus million in sales--displayed a fuller range of the trio's talents than did their singles. Their material encompassed an ambitious artistic swath; from effects-laden rockers to oddball medleys to soul-bearing ballads, America displayed a flawless blend of disparate genres and styles as wide-open as the great American plains.

Enjoying massive success early in their career, America earned their stripes as musical soldiers on the battlefield amidst the excess, craziness and chaos of the 70's. The trio won the Grammy for Best New Artist in 1972 and began working with George Martin and Geoff Emerick in 1974. This successful team went on to record seven albums and several Top Ten hits, including "Tin Man," "Sister Golden Hair" and "Lonely People."

By the mid-70s, inter-band conflicts combined with an exhaustive touring and recording schedule exacted its toll on the group. With Peek's departure from the fold in 1977, Gerry Beckley & Dewey Bunnell rose to the challenge and carried on as a duo. Shifts in sound and direction, changes in producers and managers, and a renewed dedication to the craft of songwriting helped rocket America to the upper reaches of the pop charts in 1982 with their smash single, "You Can Do Magic." During this tumultuous time in their career, Beckley and Bunnell immersed themselves in their craft, infusing a newfound maturity into their rich body of work. Their growth as singers, songwriters and musicians has continued into the present day as illustrated by landmark releases such as 2000's Highway 3-disc box set, 2002's Holiday Harmony, an album comprised of seasonal classics and live showcases, 2007's Here & Now, 2009's Live In Concert: Wildwood Springs, 2011's Back Pages, and 2015's Lost And Found and America: Archives Vol. 1.

From their formative years, America has been a band capable of transcending borders with its uplifting music and positive message. Embracing a rainbow of divergent cultures, America's audiences continue to grow, comprising a loyal legion of first, second and third generation fans, all bearing testament to the group's enduring appeal. "I think that the ingredients of the America sound are the basic fundamentals that translate internationally," explains Beckley. "The Italians are huge fans of dance music, but they also love a ballad--they're romantic at heart. It's the same in the Far East. A lot of times in these countries, we see people singing along, and they don't really know what the words mean. Music is truly the international language."

Gerry has a new solo release, Carousel. He talks about it and life with America!

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It’s just so right-with-the-universe that Gary Hoey’s 20th album, Dust & Bones [Mascot Label Group], is an exuberant fusion of blues and rock. After all, this accomplished and diverse guitarist has explored several styles in his career—hard rock, rock, surf, and prog, to name a few—and he came home to the blues with 2013’s Deja Blues.

Now, Hoey has forged his deep blues and rock roots into a fiery, organic, and thrilling mix that should delight and astound lovers of the guitar and guitar music.

“Looking back from my first album in 1992, it sure seems like I’m musically schizophrenic,” says Hoey. “But I truly believed in every style I played. I still do. I wanted to master everything—or at least try to—and every lick from every style I’ve absorbed informs everything I do today. And I love that, because all of that diversity helps me come up with riffs, licks, and melodies that are perhaps deeper and more unique than if I had stayed exclusively with one style.”

One thing that always stays consistent, however, is Hoey’s impassioned command of the guitar. He’s one of those guitarists who can attack his instrument with feral intensity, and then play something very soft and almost achingly beautiful. This ability to devise phrasing, technique, and tone in the service of feeling the music has not gone unnoticed.

In 1987, the Boston-born guitarist caught the ear of Ozzy Osbourne—no slouch at picking great guitar players—and almost ended up in his band. (The gig ultimately went to Zakk Wylde.) But Ozzy thought enough of Hoey to implore him to move where the action was—Los Angeles. The relocation paid off big time in 1992, when Hoey scored a major-label record deal with Reprise for his band, Heavy Bones. Sadly, the group was dropped in 1993, but Hoey’s determination won the day. He convinced the label to let him record a low-budget instrumental-guitar album, Animal Instinct, and his version of Focus’ “Hocus Pocus” brought Hoey chart success and a successful solo career. Since then, the gigs and accolades have never stopped. Here are some highlights…

• He scored the soundtrack to Endless Summer II (1994).

• He recorded “Miserlou ’97” with surf-guitar icon Dick Dale in 1997.

• He has provided music for several film and television companies, including Walt Disney, New Line Cinema, and ESPN.

• He scored the music to the awesome roller-coaster ride California Screaming at Disney’s California Adventure.

• He produced metal legend Lita Ford’s Living Like a Runaway album.

• He is a frequent coach and musical director at Rock ‘n’ Roll Fantasy Camp.

• In 2015, he celebrated the 20th anniversary of his holiday CDs and tours under the Ho! Ho! Hoey banner. (Hallmark musical greeting cards feature two of his Ho! Ho! Hoey songs.)

• He recently completed filming an instructional blues-guitar video for TrueFire online guitar lessons.

“I love playing guitar, and, these days, it takes a creative and administrative commitment to keep a career evolving and growing,” says Hoey. “I’ve learned how to make records, how to manage social-networking campaigns, how to put a tour together, how to sell merchandise, and everything about how to survive in the music business as it exists right now. But it’s all worth it when I hang out with the audience at my shows and talk about music. The human interaction is critical, and having that relationship with my fans is what keeps me writing music and practicing like a demon. I never want to let those people down.” Gary chats with Slacker about his new CD!

Brad Whitford has been in Aerosmith for 45 years, except for a short break in 1981 when he released an album with then ex-Ted Nugent guitarist Derek St. Holmes. Thirty-five years later, they're back with a great new album, Reunion, and just kicked off a national tour that runs through the summer.

I talked with Brad about music, the music business, and working on a project, Whitford/St. Holmes, that is much more like a startup than the corporate behemoth that is Aerosmith!

Dennis DeYoung, after more than two decades away from Styx, is at peace — with their legacy together and with his own. “At 68, I don’t feel that cool,” he admits, but the same can’t be said for his rock-focused new DVD, ‘Dennis DeYoung and the Music of Styx: Live in Los Angeles,’ a concert that reminds anyone who may have forgotten that DeYoung was much more than just a sweet-voiced balladeer.

We caught up with him for a wide-ranging discussion that began with ‘Live in Los Angeles,’ a project that he took weeks to get just right, before touching on his career with Styx, dealing with misconception about his craft and the prospect of a new solo studio album:

It’s great to have this new package out with all of these songs in one place. It’s a good watch and listen.

AXS TV came to me last summer and asked if I would like to be part of a show called ‘Live At The Grammy Museum.’ Essentially, they play acoustically in this little room in the Grammy Museum. I thought about it and, my manager and I, we decided that since I already had a DVD with me playing the music of Styx with a fifty-piece orchestra, if I did the acoustic show, I wouldn’t really be doing what I really wanted to do all along — which was to show this rock band that I’d put together, and dispel any sort of mythology that’s developed about whether or not I was dedicated to rock and roll. It is the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard in my life, but these tales are told enough times and people start to believe them. I thought it was imperative that people got a chance to see this band and to see me in that setting. I didn’t think an acoustic show would really do that. So, we talked to them and they said that they had done John Fogerty at the El Rey, and they did a thing there with Ringo [Starr] and I said, “I don’t know the El Rey, but I’m all for it as long as we can do the rock show.” So that’s how it came about. Then Frontiers Records, who was initially interested in doing the acoustic Blu-ray and CD package, was thrilled to be able to do this one.

You know, I’m very happy with the way it came out. I spent two and a half months almost, mixing the thing myself. You know, I’ve had this board for 17 years and it’s been a great board and I love it, because it’s an analog/digital board — both — but it was just crapping out on me and causing me all kinds of fits and stops and starts. They don’t make it anymore, and it’s so hard to get repaired. So, it took some extra time, but now that I finally listened to it, you know … I exhaled, because I said, “Hey man, that doesn’t suck!” I like the sound. So many live DVDs, they just don’t look and sound live and I can’t watch them. After the first five minutes, I look at it and I think, “That’s not a performance — that’s something else!” I was bound and determined to have this thing feel immediate, and just have the feeling that you’re seeing some sort of documentation of a performance. That’s really what I was shooting for.

Dennis DeYoung on Ignoring the Naysayers and Moving on Without Styx!