The VVN Music Interviews

Our guest this episode is L.J. Reynolds of the classic R&B group the Dramatics.

In 2012, we wrote about Reynolds being dismissed as lead singer and manager of the group. What we didn't know is that, just weeks later, Reynolds was able to legally obtain the Dramatics name in a court ruling. He recently contacted us about the situation and we asked him to guest on our program.

Our guest this episode is Marky Ramone.

Marky's memoir, "Punk Rock Blitzkrieg" was just published in paperback. We talk about his time with the heavy metal band Dust, Richard Hell and the Voidoids and, of course, the Ramones.

Book: Punk Rock Blitzkrieg

VVN Music Radio

This is the second time we've had the honor to talk with Nils Lofgren (our previous interview). He has recently released his new live album, UK2015 Face the Music Tour, one of a long line of solo releases from throughout his almost fifty year career.

Lofgren released his first album with his group Grin in 1971 and began a solo career four years later. He has also been a member of Crazy Horse and recorded during the 70's with Neil Young.

Nils has also been a member of Bruce Springsteen's E-Street Band since 1984, appearing on seven of his studio albums and participating in eleven Springsteen tours including the upcoming trek in support of the expanded version of The River.

Album: UK2015 Face The Music Tour

VVN Music Radio

Our guest today is Steve Hackett who was the guitarist for Genesis from 1970 to 1976, later recording numerous solo albums along with playing in the band GTR with Steve Howe.

This year alone, Steve has released his solo album, Wolflight, a deluxe version of his album with GTR, a multi-disc retrospective of his early albums on Premonitions: The Early Years 1975 to 1983, and a documentary on his life, The Man, The Music.

Album: Wolflight Album: Premonitions: Charisma Recordings 1975-83 Album: GTR: 2-CD Deluxe Expanded Edition DVD: The Man, The Music

VVN Music Radio

Our guest is Jon Anderson who is best known as the guitarist and singer for Yes with whom he played almost constantly from 1968 to 2008. Today, he is exploring other avenues for his music including the new Anderson Ponty Band with French violinist Jon Luc Ponty. Their first album, Better Late Than Never, was recently released via Liaison Music and includes reworkings of both Yes and Ponty songs along with a couple of new tunes.

Album: Better Late Than Never by the Anderson Ponty Band (CD with DVD)

VVN Music Radio

Our guest is singer/songwriter, musician and radio personality Michael Stanley started his career in the late 60's with his band Silk who released one album on ABC before Stanley went solo, recording two classic country tinged solo albums. In 1975, he premiered The Michael Stanley Band, moving into the rock mainstream with a series of albums that charted through the mid-80's and produced songs like He Can't Love You, one of the first songs played on a fledgling MTV, and My Town. After the breakup of the band, Stanley's career took a turn with him becoming the host of a show on Cleveland's WJW television and, in 1990, taking over the afternoon drive slot on the classic rock station WNCX, a show that he still does to this day. That didn't keep him away from music, though. In 2003, he started his own Line Level Records and has released ten albums over the last twelve years including his brand new one, And Then. Album: And Then - Michael Stanley Audacity Trial Membership: AudibleTrial.com/VVN

Our guest is Lloyd Price whose 1952 hit Lawdy Miss Clawdy set the tone for the upcoming Rock and Roll explosion and became one of the first big crossover hits from R&B to white audiences. Clawdy kicked off a career that would see Price climb into the R&B top ten a total of fourteen times and into the Pop top three with Stagger Lee, Personality and I'm Gonna Get Married but that is only one side to Price's story. Over the course of his life, Lloyd was a record company owner, got the careers started of such artists as Little Richard and Wilson Pickett, bought out New York's Birdland and made it the first uptown R&B club, promoted prize fights with Don King including the Rumble in the Jungle, worked in food distribution, spent a decade in Africa and, now, has become an author. And he did all of this while being a black man in a racially charged America. Lloyd's new book, Sumdumhonky, tells his story through vignettes from throughout his life, from growing up in the deep south during the 30's and 40's through his breakout in music and all of the challenges he faced by being a minority in a prejudiced society. I was honored to talk to Mr. Price from his home north of New York. Book: sumdumhonky by Lloyd Price Audacity Trial Membership: AudibleTrial.com/VVN

Probably best known as the drummer for David Letterman's World's Most Dangerous Band and, when he changed networks, the CBS Orchestra, Anton Fig has also worked with a long list of artists since the 70's. Fig was born and raised in South Africa but moved to Boston in his late teens to study at the New England Conservatory of Music. After graduation in 1976, he moved to New York where he started a career as a freelance musician. In 1978, he played drums on Ace Frehley's solo album and, later, was a member of Frehley's Comet. He was also a "ghost drummer" for KISS, playing on all but one track on the album Dynasty and all of the tracks on Unmasked. Outside of his KISS and Ace Frehley work, he played with a long line of artists including Bob Dylan, B.B. King, Warren Zevon, Peter Frampton and many more along with being a member of the group Spider. In 1986, Anton joined the Paul Shaffer led band for David Letterman's late night show, a position he would hold for 29 years. Over that time, Fig would have the opportunity to play with practically every artist of the time and, between his Letterman gig and his history of studio work, he was able to assemble an amazing lineup of guest stars for his first album, Figments. The album was re-released on Friday, August 14 after having a limited run of copies in 2002. Joining Fig on the album are such artists as Brian Wilson, Ace Frehley, Blondie Chaplin, Ivan Neville, the late Richie Havens, Sebastian Bach, Al Kooper, Chip Taylor, Chris Spedding, Donald Duck Dunn and Booker T. and the M.G.'s. Album: Figments by Anton Fig Audacity Trial Membership: AudibleTrial.com/VVN

In the first of our archive shows, we go back to last year when we interviewed Susan Cowsill and Vicki Peterson as the Psycho Sisters, who were releasing an album 20 years in the making, "Up On the Chair, Beatrice".

The duos great senses of humor and love for the project made this one of the most entertaining interviews that we've ever done at VVN Music.

Album: "Up On The Chair, Beatrice" by the Psycho Sisters

Album: "Drifted: In The Beginning & Beyond" - Continental Drifters

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The VVN Music Podcast Episode 4 with Guest Ted Kalo of the Music First Coalition.

If you listen to any episode of the VVN Music Podcast, this is the one.

Veteran music artists are looking at a future where they could receive no income for the music that they've recorded. Currently, most of these musicians are paid when one of their recordings is sold but, as we transition from sales of music to streaming, that revenue could go away. Currently, most major on-line services do not pay royalties to the performers for any record made before February of 1972. AM and FM radio stations pay no royalties no matter when the music was recorded.

The Music First Coalition is spearheading legislation currently in congress to do away with these inequities.

00:00 - Introduction

00:55 - Interview with Ted Kalo of the Music First Coalition.

To write your congressperson, go to musicfirst-coalition.rallycongress.com/17671/support-fair-play-fair-pay-act/

30:25 - The top records of June 29, 1963