Detroit Rock City

Legendary rock group KISS is coming back to Detroit tomorrow and Saturday for a homecoming to the city that made them famous to open their current tour dubbed “KISS Alive 35” to show their appreciation to the city as well as to pay homage to their playground, the Cobo Arena which is now bound for demolition.

Gene Simmons in an interview with the press was quoted to have said when asked about their return to city, “We’re saluting the place that gave us a shot. Yes, it’s a concert but for us it means something more.”

You see, before they hit the big time they were just a struggling band from the Big Apple playing in every place and corner without some sort of direction and following until they found their way to Detroit’s Cobo Arena where they recorded majority of the songs in their landmark LP “Alive” in 1975 which went on to become their first ever certified gold- selling album. And to repeat the time-worn cliché, after Detroit, “the rest was history.”

Their love affair with the Motor City continued through the years after that as they kept on coming back every now and then wherein some highlights where when they jumpstarted their reunion tour at the now demolished Tiger Stadium in 1996. The love affair with the city also produced one of the best known rock anthems in “Detroit Rock City.”

It will be great to see them live because throughout its history KISS is famous err notorious for its live performances. I wouldn’t mind seeing this old hags of rock and roll doing their thing onstage complete with their outrageous costumes and make- ups and trying to relive their golden days. They earned their keep, they deserved it and they are legends.


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The Man in the Mirror

This Is It...

Let's moonwalk once again with the King of Pop on October 28.

Apple Bite: The Beatles Remasters

Apple Records finally succumbed to the temptation as they agreed to release a huge catalogue of the Beatles music in digital format this year in an attempt to have a bite of the lucrative market.

Although the Beatles had made it clear in one of their songs that money can’t really buy them love, surely Apple and Sir Paul and Ringo and the surviving widows of John and George will have a lot of love and moolah as they once again reap the fruits of the Fab Four’s labor.

But this Beatlemaniac really ‘don’t care much for money’ that he may have to shell out, if mediocre bands and singers can get away with it, why not the Beatles?






Review: 'Beatles: Rock Band' fun for jamming in groups


Revolution: Beatles leap into digital age


'The Beatles: Rock Band' -- Revolution 09/09/09


The Beatles remasters: The long and winding road

Eternal Flame: Oh! Susanna

Yesterday, I was surfing YouTube when I stumbled upon a video of Susanna Hoffs singing Eternal Flame which was taken in Yokohama, Japan in ‘96. I played the video and some wonderful memories came back of the good ol’ days. In spite of her somewhat odd fashion sense in the video which was obviously dated; the clothes, bad hair day and all, still I came out enamored with her.

The first time I saw her was on MTV singing Eternal Flame in the early 90s. Of course, to people growing up in the 80s Susanna Hoffs is widely known as one of the vocalists of the all- female band The Bangles who first broke out into the music scene with their version of Simon & Garfunkel’s A Hazy Shade of Winter as part of the soundtrack of the movie Less Than Zero which featured a young Robert Downey, Jr among others.

Also, a very good friend of mine loved them to death and was part of the Bangle-mania that swept the teenage girls population in the Philippines in the 80s to the early 90s. In fact, she used to cajole me to play my acoustic guitar for her while she sings Eternal Flame ala Susanna while we pass the time on the banks of the lazy Yawa River in Legaspi during our college days.

It has been 20 years since to the day that I have seen her sing on MTV and yet I can honestly say that-

I am still a fan of the song, I still like her voice and I still love those beautiful bedroom eyes.

Oh! Susanna.

Susanna Hoffs: Eternal Flame from Andy Cafa on Vimeo.

Come see Journey for FREE in NYC!

Exclusive performance in the heart of NYC!

Come see Journey for FREE when they perform at the CBS Early Show. Information about this event can be found below:

Where - CBS The Early Show Plaza 767 Fifth Avenue (corner of 59th and 5th next to the Apple Store)

When - Friday August 28th

Arrival time - no later than 11AM, performance begins at noon

So if you are in New York on the 28th come on down. Hope to see you there!!!!!

The Wizard of Mahwah is Dead

Les Paul (1915-2009)

Come Together

Dear Abbey,

“You say it’s your birthday. Well, Happy Birthday to You!”

Yes, the iconic cover of The Beatles’ "final" album Abbey Road wherein the Fab Four were seen crossing the zebra-striped asphalt on Abbey Road turns 40 today.

No album cover in the history of music has been scrutinized like the Abbey Road photo. What with rumors then that Paul McCartney had died in a car accident earlier and that the plate number of the VW Beetle parked on the left side of the road was actually a code that confirms his death.

Abbey Road went on to become one of the most successful albums in the Fab Four’s short but great career as a group. It was not only laden with beautiful songs written by the most prolific songwriters of all time but also a revolutionary one not only in their approach and arrangement but the use of technology that was available at that time that set the bar high for other bands to imitate or follow.

Hundreds of Beatlemaniacs trooped to Abbey Road today to celebrate the iconic photo’s 40th anniversary and if we are to believe the saying that life really begins at 40, we can be sure then that the legendary status of the Beatles as a pop culture icon will continue to grow in years to come…


If you want to see a live video of the famous Abbey Road Crossing in real time, click
HERE


Here's a rockin' treat from my fave Beatle, John-