Icon Fetch

ohn Lennon Tribute Week kicks off with author Ken Sharp, who has just penned "Starting Over: The Making of John Lennon and Yoko Ono's Double Fantasy" (MTV books).  Sharp talks with a wide array of people who were involved with Lennon's comeback album, including Yoko Ono, David Geffen, the session musicians, the producer, engineer and photographer.  All of them paint an interesting picture of what...

In the Art of the LP, author Johnny Morgan explores a time when the vinyl record was king.  Although it wasn't portable and scratched easily, the LP created a great opportunity for visual expression, because of it's large 12 x12 inch size.  Now, of course, no one bothers with clever cover art, since it's only going to be squished into your teeny Ipod viewscreen.  But, as Morgan's book suggests, th...

Australia's Hoodoo Gurus have mixed garage rock, psychedelia, Motown and punk into their own brand of catchy tuneage for the last 30 years.  Some of their alternative-rock hits include "Come Anytime," and "Miss Freelove '69".  They've just released their first new album in six years.  Purity of Essence finds them doing what they do best: rocking out and having fun.  Icon Fetch talks with singer Da...

For twenty years, guitarist Michael Harris has stretched the boundaries with his progressive guitar playing.  His latest effort, Tranz-Fused, adds an element of jazz fusion to his instrumental fretwork.  Icon Fetch talks with the Dayton native about his new CD and his involvement with several other projects, including the legendary Ohio band Arch Rival.

Geoff Tate has led Queensryche through 11 albums that have combined metal with thought-provoking lyrics. The band is celebrating the 20th anniversary edition of their landmark album Empire. Tate talks with us about the direction they decided to take after the previous album, Operation: Mindcrime, and how their smash single “Silent Lucidity” almost didn’t make the album. He also talks about the ban...

Outrageous is his middle name. Mojo Nixon first rose to prominence in the mid Eighties with a string of punkbilly college radio hits like “Stuffin’ Martha’s Muffin,” “Burn Down the Malls,” and his most-famous track, “Elvis is Everywhere.” As his music career waned, Nixon found work as a DJ, first in Cincinnati, and now on Sirius XM Radio, where he hosts a daily afternoon show on the Outlaw Country...

Australian Claude Hay is literally a one-man band, using his custom-made twin neck guitar-bass combination, plus a looping machine, to layer instruments while he plays. He’s just released Deep Fried Satisfied, a collection of songs as greasy and irresistible as the fast-food that inspired them. Icon Fetch talks with Hay about making his own instruments, and his love of both American music and food...

Gary Brooker has led Procol Harum since their 1967 hit “A Whiter Shade of Pale,” which was the first ever song they recorded. His band’s multifaceted output got labeled Prog rock because there was no better name. But, Procol Harum tackled many different styles, oftentimes on the same album; mixing rock with classical, jazz, blues, folk and turn-of-the-century nostalgia. The band’s catalog is getti...

Elijah Wald is the author of a new book, The Blues: A Very Short Introduction. In a little over 100 pages, he explores the history of blues, covering it’s many styles and key pioneers. He also traces its connection to other forms of music, like jazz and country. Wald has written several other music-related books, including the controversial-titled How the Beatles Destroyed Rock n’ Roll. Icon Fetch...

ommy Keene has been making his brand of melodic rock for almost 30 years now. His early independent releases garnered high praise from critics, and when he jumped to a major label, big things were expected. Through a series of industry blunders and bad luck, Keene’s rock star ship never came in. Despite the numerous setbacks, the excellent quality of his songs has never wavered. He’s just released...

Martin Briley, primarily known for his lone hit from ’83 “The Salt in My Tears.” But, what people may not know is that he is a prolific songwriter who has penned songs for a diverse list of artists, including Pat Benatar, Celine Dion, Night Ranger and Barry Manilow. Briley has had a long, interesting career in the music industry, but has shunned the spotlight. He shares some of his experiences wit...

Dwight Twilley is best known for a pair of #16 hits: “I’m On Fire,” from 1975, and “Girls,” from 1984, but he’s been making songs with catchy hooks his entire career. He’s set to release a brand new disc called “Green Blimp.” Icon Fetch talks with the power pop master about his notorious struggles with record companies, and how, with the support of his devoted fans, he’s been able to finance his l...

Solomon Burke was one of the greatest soul singers of all time. Sadly, he passed away in 2010 at the age of 70. Icon Fetch had a chance to talk with Solomon earlier in 2010 about his latest CD, “Nothing’s Impossible,” which was helmed by legendary producer Willie Mitchell. We hear some of that chat, along with artists paying tribute to the "King of Rock n' Soul." Paying respects are music journali...

The Gin Blossoms had one of the biggest albums of the Nineties in New Miserable Experience, which yielded the hits “Hey Jealousy,” and “Found Out About You.” The band has just put the finishing touches on their fourth full-length, No Chocolate Cake, which is full of the jangly, melodic pop that helped them sell over five million records to date.  Icon Fetch talks with guitarist and founding member...

The Doobie Brothers have their first new release in ten years, World Gone Crazy, out now  The album reunites them with longtime producer Ted Templeman, who was behind the console for all their blockbuster albums of the seventies.  The disc’s first single, “Nobody,” is a re-recording of their first-ever 45 from back in 1971.  Amazingly, this new version blows away the one from 40 years earlier.  Th...

The local music shops are a dying breed, but they used to be a part of our everyday life. Record Store Days: From Vinyl to Digital and Back Again is a new book that serves as both a history of retail music and an homage to the mighty few independent stores who are still fighting the good fight. The book is packed full of great photos and testimonials from a wide range of artists, all championing t...

Squeeze has made some of the greatest pop music of the last 30 years, with gems like “Another Nail in My Heart,” “Tempted,” and “Black Coffee in Bed.” These days, there’s a great deal of money in song placement in commercials and films. Problem is, with the lousy contract the boys signed in their teens, they have no say in the placement of old songs, nor do they receive any money for them. Here co...

The Toadies had a monster hit in 1995 with “Possum Kingdom.” The parent album, Rubberneck, sold a million copies…then the band disappeared. Actually, they recorded a follow up, Feeler, which the record company rejected, killing the band’s momentum and sending them back to the drawing board. They eventually broke up in 2001. After a successful reunion album, No Deliverance, in 2006, they’ve decided...

Singer/songwriter Jim Wolf’s debut, Sleeping With Strangers, is a concept album of sorts; it chronicles a relationship, start to finish, from the budding romance, commitment, and finally, breakup and recovery. Wolf used a total of seven different studios in the process, taking several years to complete. The Connecticut native talks with Icon Fetch about the girl behind the songs, the experience of...

She was part of the reality series “America’s Next Top Model” on the CW back in 2007. Chicago native Sarah Vonderhaar is also a singer/songwriter, who has released a brand new digital-only EP called P.D.L. (Pretty Damn Lucky). One of the highlights is “Howling at the Moon” which has a real classic pop sound to it. Vonderhaar talks about the drama that surrounded the TV show, her custom-made Fender...

Richard Barone fronted the new wave band the Bongos in the early eighties, then went on to a critically-acclaimed solo career, which Rolling Stone dubbed “chamber pop.” He took several years off to work on projects for other people. He also wrote a book called Frontman – Surviving the Rock n’ Roll Myth. Now, he’s set to release his first studio album in 16 years, Glow. Icon Fetch talks with Barone...

Teeny Tucker’s dad was the famous bluesman Tommy Tucker, who had a hit with “Hi Heeled Sneakers” back in 1964. Teeny, who stands only 5’1″, is continuing in her father’s tradition with her new release, Keep the Blues Alive. She talks with Icon Fetch about her new CD, her writing process and the true story behind the song “Old Man Magnet.”

She is the youngest daughter of Tony Bennett, Antonia Bennett has just released her debut EP called Natural. Not surprisingly, the material is very reminiscent of her dad’s classic, piano-dominated sound. Yet, she’s also no clone of her parent either. Antonia’s voice is, at times, playful, and others, sultry, showing off a unique, interpretive quality befitting of her pedigree. She’s currently tou...

He is the son of Ray Charles, yet for most of his early life, his dad was not around; constantly out on the road. Ray Charles Jr. has just written the book “You Don’t Know Me,” which delves deeper into the story of his father than the movie “Ray” ever did. He talks candidly about how his dad’s transgressions had a lasting impact on he and his brothers, and how despite seeing firsthand the dangers...

Boogie rockers Foghat, best known for hits “Slow Ride” & “Fool For the City,” have always had their roots in the blues, but they’ve never done an entire album of blues music until now. Last Train Home is a great mix of classics and originals, all featuring the fierce playing of a well-seasoned band. Icon Fetch talks with founding member, drummer Roger Earl about recording the new record, and the c...