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Five Fave: 2022 Classic Rock Albums

Johnnie Crow — Wed, 18 Jan 2023 17:07:25 +0000

2022 saw the return to full time touring and consistent album release cycles. With many artists forced off the road for 2 years, creativity flourished and a ton of great music was released in 2022. Some of our all time favorite acts came back with stellar material. Kudos to any artist who isn’t satisfied playing only the old hits and keeps creating. Here are our Five Fave: 2022 Classic Rock Albums.

#5 – Skid Row – The Gang’s All Here

Skid Row has been searching for a suitable replacement for Sebastian Bach since 1996. They have finally found their lead singer in Erik Grönwall, who spent the last decade fronting Swedish glam band H.E.A.T, after winning Swedish Idol in 2009. His vocal range and showmanship are the perfect complement to the riffs and pop rock beats of Dave ‘The Snake” Sabo, Rachel Bolan, Scotti Hill and Rob Hammersmith. “The Gang’s All Here” is a catchy, fun ride reminiscent of the band’s mega-hit debut album.

Standout Tracks: Time Bomb, Not Dead Yet, Tear It Down

#4 – Sammy Hagar & The Circle – Crazy Times

Sammy Hagar never slows down. He just keeps on starting businesses, writing music and performing live. This time around, his bandmates are known as “The Circle”, with his old buddy Michael Anthony on bass, Jason Bonham on drums and Vic Johnson on lead guitar. This is their second album of mostly new material, born out of their lockdown sessions. Some feature Sammy on acoustic guitar, while others are full band productions.

Standout Tracks: Be Still, Crazy Times, Father Time

Sammy Hagar © Johnnie Crow Photos

#3 – Ann Wilson – Fierce Bliss

Ann Wilson, legendary voice of Heart, released her first solo album with original material, “Fierce Bliss”. It shows that her incredible vocal range and passionate performance has not dropped off a bit after 5 decades on the stage. There are a few covers sprinkled in, and few can cover a song the way Ann Wilson can. The originals are heartfelt and well done.

Standout Tracks: Greed, Black Wing, A Moment In Heaven

#2 – Journey – Freedom

“Freedom” is the 15th studio album from Journey and the first in over a decade. Arnel Pineda delivers outstanding vocals on his third effort with the legendary band. Randy Jackson returned to slap the bass (yes, that Randy Jackson dawg) but has since left the group. Drummer and producer Narada Michael Walden helped write most of the album, along with mainstays Neil Schon and Jonathan Cain, and has also departed. The album itself is long and full of songs similar to ones from throughout their entire career. The emotions run deep and that is why we all love Journey.

Standout Tracks: You Got The Best Of Me, Still Believe In Love, United We Stand

#1 – Queensrÿche – Digital Noise Alliance

Queensrÿche version 2.0 is a band that has earned its continued relevance and demands your attention. Despite the lineup changes and retirements, they continue to press on, through sheer effort and talent, by playing shows and writing songs. Michael Wilton and Eddie Jackson are the heart and soul of this band, and they are the thread that lets you know which band you are listening to. Todd LaTorre excels on vocals, Casey Grillo is dynamic on drums and Mike Stone returns to add soulful guitar to the mix. “Digital Noise Alliance” is the most complete album of Queensrÿche’s modern era. Each song brings a different vibe and every experiment works.

Standout Tracks: In Extremis, Hold On, Behind The Walls

Five Fave: 2022 Classic Rock Albums first appeared on Game On Media.

Heart Return With Love Alive Tour Featuring Sheryl Crow, Joan Jett, Brandi Carlile

Johnnie Crow — Mon, 18 Feb 2019 20:29:08 +0000

HEART

RETURN TO THE ROAD IN 2019

FOR MASSIVE “LOVE ALIVE” SUMMER TOUR

JOAN JETT & THE BLACKHEARTS, SHERYL CROW AND

BRANDI CARLILE SET TO JOIN HEART FOR SELECT DATES

ELLE KING TO OPEN MOST SHOWS

TICKETS ON SALE FEBRUARY 15

HEART—ANN and NANCY WILSON—will return to the road in 2019 for the first time in three years with their massive “Love Alive” cross-country summer tour. Produced by Live Nation, the expansive 39-city outing by the trend-setting, multiple-platinum Rock & Roll Hall of Fame legends kicks off Tuesday, July 9 at the Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre in St. Louis, MO and will make stops in Chicago, Atlanta, Houston, Denver and more, before wrapping September 9 at the famous Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, CA.

HEART is excited to be joined by Joan Jett & The Blackhearts, Sheryl Crow and Brandi Carlile on the road with them this summer. Along with the stellar line-up, also appearing are Elle King and Lucie Silvas. See full itinerary and details below for a breakdown of which shows these artists will be appearing on with HEART.

HEART will partner with REVERB for this tour, to reduce the environmental footprint of the events while also engaging fans in local and national causes each night in the concourse. For more information, visit REVERB.org.

Q&A WITH

ANN AND NANCY WILSON OF HEART, 2019

Congratulations on the news of the upcoming tour. What inspired you to name it “Love Alive”?

ANN: “Love Alive” is a song and a sentiment that goes back a long way with us. It goes forward too. It is a hopeful, positive and universal vibe like we feel this tour will be.

NANCY: Yes! I think the tour will spark some positive new energy as we rediscover some of our iconic songs and also some fan favorites. Calling the tour “Love Alive” was something Ann and I felt instantly good about. We have always had many love-themed mottos along the way like “Love Rules,” “Love Wins,” “Love is IT”–and of course it’s a very cool song as well.

This will mark Heart’s first tour in three years. During this time, you both released your own projects. Do you feel your time apart will inject Heart with a new energy?

NANCY:Yes, I could see it was time for Heart to have a break. We’d been slogging through tour after tour fairly nonstop and were starting to burn out a little bit. Things had just reached a heavy climax. Working with my other new band Roadcase Royale was a life-saver. Writing brand new songs playing shows and delivering a new album with them was the medicine my soul needed. Ryan Waters (who with Liv Warfield worked in Prince’s band) will be joining me on the Heart stage and I know that will inject a wonderful magic into the Heart equation.

ANN: Absolutely! Both Nancy and I have stretched our wings in life these last three years. We’ve both lived and loved. We have breathed and traveled and experienced life. We come to this tour with fresh energy and oxygen.

Might this year’s tour be different in any way than the 2016 tour?

ANN: It will be unlike any other Heart tour that has been. Some of the songs will be classic of course, but this tour will be a new animal.

NANCY: I think this tour should look feel and sound bigger than other Heart tours so far.

What is the connective tissue between Heart and the other artists you’ve invited to tour with you?

NANCY: I think this year is a good year to show the collective impact of some powerful women in music. We would usually steer clear of the female-centric concept, but in the light of current events it seems like the right statement at the right time.”

ANN: Sheryl and Joan we have known for a long time. We have hung out and appreciated each other’s music onstage and off. Brandi Carlile is a fresh and authentic artist that we both love….and Elle King is my favorite new artist. She has so much soul and attitude! We are so thrilled to host all these artists on the “Love Alive” tour.

Heart has created a meaningful body of work with songs that are deeply woven into the culture. Can you describe the feeling of what it’s like to perform these songs in front of longtime fans as well as new ones?

ANN: It feels good to see people’s eyes light up when we play one of the classic songs they know and love. I always wonder how a song like “Crazy On You” hits the mind and soul of a 17-year-old in 2019…they seem to be as into it live as everyone else. When I think of the connection we continue to have with our very diverse audience, I am deeply grateful and always amazed!

NANCY: It’s an incredible feeling and a great compliment to see our loyal fans and the new generation of Heart fans at the shows. It speaks to the songs as well as giving a bigger sense of history to the younger ones. It’s authentic live music with no added prerecorded or auto tuned vocals or tracks blended in. No bells or whistles, smoke or mirrors. I think in many ways that’s a whole new thing for young kids who love music and they know the difference and appreciate it. It’s completely real.

HEART “LOVE ALIVE” 2019 TOUR DATES

DATE		CITY	VENUE
Tue	7/9	St. Louis, MO +&	Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre
Thu	7/11	Chicago, IL +&	Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre
Sun	7/14	Toronto, ON +#	Budweiser Stage
Tue	7/16	Montreal, QC +#	Centre Bell
Wed	7/17	Mansfield, MA +#	Xfinity Center
Sat	7/20	Hartford, CT +#	Xfinity Theatre
Sun	7/21	Saratoga Springs, NY +&	Saratoga Performing Arts Center
Tue	7/23	Bangor, ME +#	Darling’s Waterfront Pavilion
Wed	7/24	Gilford, NH +#	Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion
Fri	7/26	Darien Center, NY ^#	Darien Lake Amphitheater
Sat	7/27	Cincinnati, OH #	Riverbend Music Theater
Mon	7/29	Bethel, NY +#	Bethel Woods Center for the Arts
Tue	7/30	Syracuse, NY +#	St. Joseph’s Health Amphitheater at Lakeview
Thu	8/1	Burgettstown, PA ^#	KeyBank Pavilion
Fri	8/2	Camden, NJ ^#	BB&T Pavilion
Sun	8/4	Cleveland, OH ^#	Blossom Music Theater
Mon	8/5	Detroit, MI ^#	DTE Energy Music Pavilion
Wed	8/7	Indianapolis, IN ^#	Ruoff Home Mortgage Music Center
Thu	8/8	Nashville, TN ^#	Ascend Amphitheater
Sat	8/10	Raleigh, NC ^#	Coastal Credit Union Music Park
Sun	8/11	Virginia Beach, VA ^#	Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater
Tue	8/13	Columbia, MD ^#	Merriweather Post Pavilion
Wed	8/14	Charlotte, NC ^#	PNC Music Pavilion
Fri	8/16	West Palm Beach, FL #	Coral Sky Amphitheater
Sat	8/17	Tampa, FL ^#	MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheater
Mon	8/19	Atlanta, GA %#	Ameris Bank Amphitheatre
Tue	8/20	Birmingham, AL %#	Oak Mountain Amphitheatre
Thu	8/22	Houston, TX ^#	Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
Fri	8/23	Dallas, TX #	Dos Equis Pavilion
Sun	8/25	Albuquerque, NM ^#	Isleta Amphitheater
Tue	8/27	Chula Vista, CA ^#	North Island Credit Union Amphitheater
Wed	8/28	Phoenix, AZ ^#	Ak-Chin Pavilion
Thu	8/30	Salt Lake City, UT	USANA Amphitheater
Sat	8/31	Denver, CO ^#	Pepsi Center
Tue	9/3	Portland, OR ^#	Sunlight Supply Amphitheater
Wed	9/4	Tacoma, WA ^#	Tacoma Dome
Fri	9/6	Concord, CA ^#	Concord Pavilion
Sun	9/8	Las Vegas, NV ^	Pearl Concert Theater at Palms Casino Resort
Mon	9/9	Hollywood, CA ^#	Hollywood Bowl
		+with Sheryl Crow
		^with Joan Jett & the Blackhearts
		&Lucie Silvas opening
		#Elle King opening
		%with Brandi Carlile

###

About HEART:

When Ann and Nancy Wilson formed HEART, the idea of two women leading a rock band was still groundbreaking. From the moment 1976‘s Dreamboat Annie was released, they became stars. With hits like “Magic Man,” “Crazy On You,” “Barracuda,” “Alone,” “What About Love,” and “These Dreams,” the band became one of the biggest hit-makers in the seventies and eighties selling more than 35 million records. In 2012, their memoir Kicking & Dreaming: A Story of Heart, Soul and Rock & Roll became a New York Times bestseller, and in 2013 the group was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

About JOAN JETT & THE BLACKHEARTS:

Joan Jett is an originator, an innovator, and a visionary. As the leader of the hard-rocking Blackhearts, with whom she has become a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee, she’s had eight platinum and gold albums and nine Top 40 singles, including the classics “Bad Reputation,” “I Love Rock ‘N’ Roll,” “I Hate Myself For Loving You,” and “Crimson and Clover.” Her independent record label, Blackheart Records, was founded in 1980 after she was rejected by no less than 23 labels. Blackheart is one of the longest running indie labels and continues to give voice to new bands. Jett has acted in movies and television, including 1987’s Light Of Day, and in a Tony-nominated Broadway musical, The Rocky Horror Show. She has appeared on such acclaimed television shows as Oprah (the last season) and Law and Order.

As a producer, she has overseen albums by Bikini Kill, Circus Lupus, as well as the Germs’ LA punk masterpiece, GI.

Her music has become a permanent force in mainstream culture. A version of “I Hate Myself for Loving You” was reworked for NBC’s Sunday Night Football theme song, “Waiting All Day for Sunday Night”, and was performed for 9 seasons by the likes of Pink, Faith Hill and Carrie Underwood. Her music is heard in countless films and TV shows including Easy – A, Kick Ass, The Runaways, Shrek, Baby Mama, and many more.

Since co-founding the Runaways, the pioneering all-girl punk quintet, at age 15, Jett’s determination and drive have kept her in the public eye. Jett was able to see her story told in The Runaways, the film based on (lead singer of The Runaways) Cherie Currie’s book Neon Angel starring Kristen Stewart as Jett, and her fellow A-lister Dakota Fanning as Currie. Jett was close to the project: She served as an executive producer. Jett and the Blackhearts released their latest record, ‘Unvarnished,’ in 2013 and continue touring the globe to throngs of adoring fans.

Joan Jett has spent her lifetime breaking barriers and challenging expectations – this is, after all, a woman who is both a spokesperson for PETA and a devoted supporter of the US Military. She’s fought hard for all of her historic accomplishments, yet she remains humble and appreciative.

“I’ve had a blessed career,” she says. “I consider myself so lucky to have been able to do things my own way.”

About SHERYL CROW:

A nine-time GRAMMY AWARD recipient, Sheryl Crow is an American music icon. Her nine studio albums have sold 35 million copies worldwide; seven of them charted in the Top 10 and five were certified for Multi-Platinum sales. In addition to such No. 1 hits as “All I Wanna Do,” “Soak Up the Sun” and “The First Cut Is the Deepest,” Crow has lofted 40 singles into the Billboard Hot 100, Adult Top 40, Adult Contemporary, Mainstream Top 40 and Hot Country Songs charts, with more No. 1 singles in the Triple A listings than any other female artist. Many artists have collaborated with her on special projects, including the Rolling Stones, Eric Clapton, Smokey Robinson and Tony Bennett. She is known as well for her passionate support of multiple charities, including City Of Hope, Stand Up To Cancer, The World Food Program, Feeding America, ADOPT A CLASSROOM, the TJ Martell Foundation, the Elton John AIDS Foundation, MusiCares, the Special Olympics and many other worthy causes. Her most recent studio album, Be Myself, was released in 2017, followed by the live Blu-Ray/CD Live At The Capitol Theater in fall 2018. A brand-new full length studio album featuring collaborations with a stunning array of Crow’s musical heroes is scheduled for release in 2019. For more information, visit www.SherylCrow.com

About BRANDI CARLILE:

The most nominated woman at the 61st GRAMMY Awards, Brandi Carlile is currently celebrating a monumental year following the release of her breakthrough album, By The Way, I Forgive You. Nominated for Album Of The Year as well as Best Americana Album, the record features the stand out single, “The Joke,” which is nominated in four categories: Record Of The Year, Song Of The Year, Best American Roots Song and Best American Roots Performance. Carlile performed during the live GRAMMY broadcast (Sunday, February 10).

Produced by GRAMMY-Award winning producer Dave Cobb and Shooter Jenningsand recorded at Nashville’s historic RCA Studio A, By The Way, I Forgive You includes ten new songs written by Carlile and longtime collaborators and bandmates Tim and Phil Hanseroth.

Beloved by fans and critics alike, Carlile has performed sold-out concerts across the world and has appeared on various TV shows including The Ellen DeGeneres Show, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, The Tonight Show, etc. She will continue her extensive tour through 2019 including a special birthday performance at Quincy, WA’s The Gorge Amphitheater on June 1 as well as a debut headline performance at New York City’s Madison Square Garden on September 14. Full tour details available at www.brandicarlile.com.

About ELLE KING:

Multi-platinum and multi-Grammy-nominated recording artist Elle King recently released her critically-acclaimed second album, Shake The Spirit, the follow up to her debut album Love Stuff, a sultry, badass mix of rock and roll, blues, and country, with a twinge of pop. Her breakthrough single “Ex’s & Oh’s,” earned her two GRAMMY nominations and was certified double platinum. The track, about leaving behind a string of brokenhearted exes, hit No. 1 on Billboard‘s Hot Rock Songs Chart, and topped the AAA, Hot AC, and Alternative Radio charts, leading King to become the second female artist in 18 years to reach No. 1 at the latter format. She was also featured on Dierks Bentley‘s GRAMMY-nominated No. 1 Country Airplay hit “Different For Girls” (she performed it with Bentley at the CMA Awards and took home an award for “Musical Event of the Year”). King also performed for President Obama in honor of Mavis Staples at the 2016 Kennedy Center Honors.

Shake The Spirit features lead single “Shame,” which became her fourth radio #1 single and led Elle to become the only act in history to have scored number 1 singles on the Adult Pop Songs, Adult Alternative Songs, Alternative Songs and Country Airplay charts. Her new single “Baby Outlaw,” is currently Top 15 at AAA Radio. Rolling Stone wrote of her Austin City Limits live set: “Elle King is a little bit country, a little bit rock n’ roll, but ultimately, she’s punk as fuck.” Variety wrote of her Philadelphia Shake The Spirit tour date “…King churned the clotted cream of punkish country, raw R&B, crotchety rock and deep blues into rich, buttery musical drama with her band, The Brethren.. (she) belted, crooned, purred, sauntered and swaggered her way through a tautly rocking set…one thing became very clear: nearly every song that came before (the finale) was equally contagious, catty-cool, and hit-worthy.”

Elle King has appeared on Good Morning America, Late Show With Stephen Colbert, Live with Kelly and Ryan, and The Late Late Show with James Corden in support of her new album Shake The Spirit. Visit www.elleking.com for more.

About LIVE NATION ENTERTAINMENT:

Live Nation Entertainment (NYSE: LYV) is the world’s leading live entertainment company comprised of global market leaders: Ticketmaster, Live Nation Concerts, and Live Nation Sponsorship. For additional information, visit www.livenationentertainment.com.

http://www.heart-music.com/

https://www.facebook.com/heart

https://twitter.com/officialheart

https://www.instagram.com/heartofficial/

Heart Return With Love Alive Tour Featuring Sheryl Crow, Joan Jett, Brandi Carlile first appeared on Game On Media.