The music of the 1980s withstood a lot of mocking. Hair bands and synthesizers, all pushed in our faces by cheesy music videos. But as last Thursday night proved, there were some really great songs that have passed the test of time. …
I know I’ve thrown back to this before. I can’t help it. It was such a spontaneous and wonderful moment. Five years ago, it looked like I wasn’t going to be able to meet one of my rock heroes, Tommy Shaw. Free-FM was presenting the band as part of a great line-up at Rock the Park, but no meet-and-greet was planned. The band had things to do. We got to meet and get photos with Toto and Grand Funk but Styx couldn’t make it happen. …
I posted this tribute to Skip Prokop in June of 2016 as he stepped down from performing. Skip died this past week and I noticed some new comments on this post, so I thought I would share it with you again. Skip was a genuinely nice man whose talent was under-appreciated, I think. He will be missed.
The name Skip Prokop has been part of my consciousness since I started choosing my own music to listen to. The founder of Lighthouse and Canadian rock icon has come in and out of my life over the years, although I doubt he’d recall my name if I saw him this week. In other words, his brief cameos in my life have been much more memorable than mine in his. Skip recently announced his retirement from performing. His son, Jamie, has been behind the drum kit for Lighthouse since 2014, but now it’s official. Jamie is also working on his Dad’s biography. Skip suffers from a long list of health problems including diabetes, heart issues – including surgery and having to be revived twice following major heart attacks – recovery from alcohol abuse and other fallout from a hard rock life.
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Repost – Throwback Thursday – Skip Calls it a DayRead More »
We had some good times on the Free-FM morning show, The Big Show with Botten, Blair and Brandt. It only lasted a couple of years, but we worked our tails off and had big fun. …
In my formative years, Styx was huge. So were Aerosmith, Boston, Supertramp and all of those bands that now form the backbone of the classic rock music genre. …
I am officially off duty this week and as such, I leave you with a gallery of photos from Rock the Park. Nothing will match the 2013 version when I met and had a lovely chat with Tommy Shaw of Styx, but it was big  fun nonetheless. …
As I write this, I wonder how I’ll ever talk on the radio this week! My throat is shot, my neck is killing me, my feet are swollen and I’m grinning like an idiot. Rock the Park 11 was a huge success as one of London’s most-beloved annual events and a fundraiser for an important charity founded by two of the most wonderful people I’ve ever been lucky enough to meet.
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This is Rock the Park weekend here in London. For those of us on The Big Show on Free-FM it means a five-hour live broadcast from Harris Park followed by band intros, meets and greets and such.  We have appointment with Huey Lewis & the News, Burton Cummings and the band whose big win in our contest got them the right to open the day, Highway Jones. …
I’m so proud of my colleagues at Free-FM for the way we handled our night at the 10th annual Rock the Park. We came, we saw, we rocked and I did get to do the one thing I wanted most – meet Tommy Shaw. But it was only because of sheer luck. The band did not submit to a meet-and-greet with us or our contest winners. If not for Toto keeping us waiting for 40 minutes, Mr. Shaw and I never would have had a moment. …
I’m giddy at the thought of tonight. I’ve been very lucky to be able to meet so many of the musical heroes of my youth. Â And one of them is coming to London to perform at the 10th annual Rock the Park and because Free-FM is presenting tonight’s entertainment, there’s a very good chance I’ll get to spend a little time fumbling for words in front of him! Â …