I had a great time talking with songwriter Steve Bonino on what makes him tick and the new RED32 album "Cryogenic Dreams" on my Interview Show. https://youtu.be/_TXYFF6KHNc?si=e9Sa35cmyW45QYBf via @YouTube
11/25/25
New Vinyl from Tom Ciurczak, RED32, and Bruce Wojick and the Struggle
Vinyl Advisory
Three of my artists are celebrating releases of their albums on vinyl. They’re available to send the vinyl for media people that will cover them and/or play them on their radio shows, podcasts, and TV. They’re doing interviews. A
Tom Ciurczak “YORICK”
Americana and Contemporary Classic Rocker Tom Ciurczak’s “YORICK”
is made of180 G, translucent turquoise vinyl.
Ciurczak studied songwriting, in part, from Americana
artist Steve Earle at his Camp Copperhead, is also inspired by classic rock,
Warren Zevon, Bruce Springsteen, the Who, Eagles, progressive rockers such as
Gentle Giant.
Listen to and watch the album’s title cut “Yorick” at www.youtube.com/watch?v=9K5dcdI1Z18 .
Also, listen to “The Watcher,” which is about alien left behind on Earth.
Wrinkly Rockers Club
nominated Ciurczak’s “The Watcher” as one of their 6 Sunday tracks of the week
and wrote “a melodic blend of powerful storytelling, energetic rhythms and
heartland Rock and Roll”
Order Tom’s music at tomciurczak.com/album/3419593/yorick
Bruce Wojick and the Struggle “The Hard Way”
Bruce says, "’The Hard Way’ is the culmination of every lesson learned on stage, in the studio, and on the road, and made by musicians who've lived it. Each song was written on the same acoustic guitar my mom bought me as a kid which might tell you everything you need to know. So, we keep writing, plowing through, and still in the Struggle.
Finding airplay on Buffalo and British radio, listen to his
interview with Jeff Collins at 29 minutes into the broadcast at https://hardrockhellradio.com/2025/11/21/the-rock-jukebox-with-jeff-collins-56/
Order “The Hard Way” at
www.segnorecords.com/bruce-wojick-the-struggle-vinyl
RED32
RED32’s “Cryogenic Dreams” is out now on Red Vinyl. The
group is the collaboration of Steve Bonino (lyrics, bass, vocals), Tony
Romero (Synth, spoken word), Robeone (keyboards, synthesizers), and the late
Eric Confer (guitars). Jimmy Keegan guests on drums throughout “Cryogenic
Dreams.”
Anna Carlini praises, “on what is more than just a follow
up to the debut album—as it’s an exploration of how to creatively write and
record music.”
Listen to my interview with the group’s main lyricist Steve
Bonino at https://youtu.be/_TXYFF6KHNc?si=yGKajTNaqM6sYfyW
Order “Cryogenic Dreams” at thebandwagonusa.com/collections/red32/products/red32-cryogenic-dreams-red-lp-new-release
10/28/25
Damn Tall Buildings on the Anne Leighton Inclusion Interview Show
Brooklyn's Damn Tall Buildings on the Anne Leighton Inclusion Interview Show. They write, tour, sing, teach, and are part of the Crown Heights Community. These Americana/country rockers are playing Drom, NYC on Thursday, Nov. 6. Other dates this year:
Nov 7 Fri Groton Hill Music Center, Groton, MA
Nov 14 Fri Grand Theatre, Frankfort, KY
Nov 15 Sat Jasper Arts Center, Jasper, IN
Nov 21 Fri Come On In House Concerts, Fort Collins, CO
Nov 22 Sat Chautauqua Community House, Boulder, CO
Nov 23 Sun Swallow Hill Music, Denver, CO
10/27/25
Refestramus return with the dance single "Zombie Love 2025"
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10/21/25
Anne Leighton To Speak About Her Cats and Musicians She’s Worked with at The First Music and Cats Symposium on Thanksgiving Weekend
Leighton Selfie of Anne and Arnold (or Arnie).
Cat Lover/Public
Speaker/Poet/Publicist Anne Leighton is grateful for the opportunity to deliver
a speech about some of her “Successful Musicians Because of
Their “Mewses” online on
Thanksgiving Weekend. She will join a range of over 40 music and cat lovers
including from the world of Academia to speak at Leuphana Universität Lüneburg
in Germany's first ever "Music and Cats" Symposium on Nov. 28 and 29
from 11 till 7 pm Germany time, which is 5 AM till 1 PM ET.
Most of Anne’s
cats and classic rock stories focus on Jethro Tull, Renaissance, Grand Funk
Railroad, classic rock artists that she publicized. Anne shares how her clients
found ways to help cats and other animals through their music.
Anne will be
telling her stories on November 29 at 15:15 CET/9:15 AM ET.
“My research embraces cat folklore and science. In comparing notes about my cats with musicians I work with, they’d speak passionately of the many ways they love cats. These stories are more about ways working on animal—especially cat—welfare have changed their lives.” Anne observes, “In knowing them, these artists have much in common with animals.” Anne’s cat book, “Paws for Thought: How to Understand What Your Cat is Thinking” (Rockwell Books, UK) and other writings are available for mail order at her website anneleighton.com/store.
The Music
and Cats Symposium is the first ever dedicated to the intersection of music and
cats, bringing together research from various fields, including music history
and theory, popular music studies, human-animal studies, psychology, behavioral
biology, media and cultural studies, literary studies, and artistic practice,
among others.
Those
interested in attending this two day free symposium of speeches about Music and
Cats can register at www.eventbrite.de/e/music-and-cats-online-symposium-tickets-1595714708649?aff=oddtdtcreator
photo by Holly Van Voast
10/19/25
Mark Andes w/ guest interviewer Tom Ciurczak on The Anne Leighton Inclus...
After Technical Difficulties, I'm reposting Tom Ciurczak's and my interview with Mark Andes. https://youtu.be/-X0rCFxYgKk?si=29xze4pS9ggwySeS
10/7/25
Renaissance's Annie Haslam on the Anne Leighton Inclusion Interview Show
Renaissance's Annie Haslam on the Anne Leighton Inclusion Interview Show. I’m excited to have spoken with Annie Haslam, who has co-created “The History of Renaissance” tour with the band’s co-founder Jim McCarty, who you know from the Yardbirds. Annie’s also going to be at ProgStock this weekend. This interview has no boundaries--we talk about many of her passions. It’s a pleasure, also, to work with her these days.
10/5/25
Lisa Wright on the Anne Leighton Inclusion Interview Show
Lisa Wright is a marketing person that wrote to Hit Parader about writing an article on Cheap Trick. I wrote back and explained what we were looking for. My response meant the world to her, and we recently connected. We have a lot in common. I was on her interview show and now she's on mine!
10/1/25
Elliott Murphy’s “Night Surfing” Music Video
Filmed along the Beach and City of Le Havre, France |
Elliott Murphy’s stunning video “Night Surfing” from his current “Infinity” album (2025), is now available on YouTube: https://youtu.be/UpCeqz00zHE?si=SXhHhbhnCy4z_T7D
Directed by acclaimed French cinematographer Matthieu Hiebel (Résistance), this evocative black and white video was filmed entirely in and around the French port of “Le Havre.” Elliott calls the city of Le Havre “The Liverpool of France” due to its historical role introducing American rock‘n’roll, blues and jazz to the French public, as sailors would often disembark with records bought in the USA.
Le Havre is also the hometown of Elliott’s long-time musical partner and virtuoso guitarist Olivier Durand, a relationship that began twenty-nine years ago and continues to this day. With Olivier by his side Elliott has performed thousands of shows all over Europe and the USA and recorded dozens of albums.
“Let’s go down to the beach – where everything is slightly out of reach.” Catch a spiritual wave and go “Night Surfing” with Elliott Murphy.
“Infinity,” the 52nd album by internationally acclaimed American rock singer-songwriter (and long-time Paris resident) Elliott Murphy, contains nine musically eclectic songs with the kind of provocative lyrics long associated with Elliott since his ground-breaking debut album “Aquashow” (1973). “Night Surfing” and the album “Infinity” were produced by Gaspard Murphy, son of Elliott and a gold record winning producer in the French pop music world, at Murmure Studio in Paris with Olivier along with Murphy stalwarts Melissa Cox (violin) and Alan Fatras (cajon and percussion). |
NIGHT SURFING (Elliott Murphy)
Let’s go down to the beach Everything is slightly out of reach We’ll be riding high tonight Underneath that sad starry light
And there ain’t nothing you can do anyhow There ain’t nothing you can do
Bring your sleeping bag along While you listen to my song You’ll find it so satisfying You just won’t think about dying
And there ain’t nothing you can do anyhow There ain’t nothing you can do
Let’s go swimming in the rain Even if you don’t feel the same I don’t feel anything at all Bouncing like a bouncing beach ball
And there ain’t nothing you can do anyhow There ain’t nothing you can do
Night surfing my life is flying by Night surfing my life is flying by Night surfing my life is flying by Night surfing under moonlit skies
Something’s pushing me along A power that’s very very strong It’s a force I can’t describe Just a ride on a good vibe
C 2025 Elliott Murphy/Murphyland SACEM/BMI |
9/23/25
Mark Andes w/ guest interviewer Tom Ciurczak on The Anne Leighton Inclus...
Mark Andes w/ guest interviewer Tom Ciurczak on The Anne Leighton Inclusion Interview Show.
Tom Ciurczak does most of the heavy lifting in this interview with Mark Andes, who I met when working with Firefall during the Pandemic. I was thrilled when Tom mentioned Spirit and JoJo Gunne as favorites, and said, “I’ll hook you up with Mark. Thanks, Mark, for a good time...
9/20/25
The History of Renaissance w/ Annie Haslam and Jim McCarty
Symphonic Rock Pioneers Annie Haslam and Jim McCarty will present the History of Renaissance on November 21st and 22nd at the Wildey Theatre, Edwardsville, Illinois (St. Louis), on November 28th at the Newton Theatre, NJ, and on November 29th at the Lansdowne Theatre, PA, in Lansdowne, PA.
Annie and Jim will share an intimate
discussion and visual presentation of the band’s extraordinary history followed
by a Renaissance performance featuring, for the first time, members of both
eras of the band performing their classic songs together.
selfie from Annie
Renaissance had their farewell tour last October 2024 and did not expect to perform live again. Annie, who’s been at the forefront of the group’s story for 50 years, recently was approached by an Edwardsville/St Louis promoter to return to the Wildey Theatre for a ‘one woman” show! After much deliberation, the idea grew into something bigger when Annie contacted Jim McCarty to be a part of the show and--then—return to the full Renaissance lineup, the band he—initially—co-founded.
A stupendous evening of Symphonic Rock
at its finest! "All
Renaissance and McCarty fans are invited to experience our coming full circle,"
Annie says enthusiastically, “that
was destined to happen one day!"
Rising from the ashes of the Yardbirds, Jim McCarty and long-time musical
partner Keith Relf envisioned a Renaissance as fusing folk and classical
influences with the bluesy rock they'd been playing and giving birth to a new
musical direction. When Annie Haslam joined the band in 1971 to sing
with her ethereal 5-octave voice, the group became more popular, especially
with the progressive rock scene. After Jim left, the line up continued notably
with Annie, this combined the poetic emotional words of Betty Thatcher and the
timeless musical masterpieces that were created by Michael Dunford, John Tout,
Jon Camp and Terry Sullivan.
Renaissance was reborn in 2009 with Annie and Michael Dunford at the helm,
along with keyboard player/musical director Rave Tesar, and a new generation of
musicians.
Renaissance has
toured throughout the world and has performed at Carnegie Hall with the New
York Philharmonic Orchestra and at the Royal Albert Hall with the Royal
Philharmonic Orchestra and the Royal Chorale Society. Renaissance had a top ten
hit in the UK with their song “Northern Lights” that still demands
airplay to this day.
Annie is “looking forward to singing 'Face of Yesterday' from Jim's band
Illusion, which I last performed on a tour of Germany in the early ‘70s. Such a
gorgeous song! I’m also excited to be performing with Jim,” who is equally
thrilled, stating, “I’ll be talking with Annie about how
the band formed and got that sound. Also very pleased to be singing some of my
own songs.”
Renaissance is Annie Haslam (lead vocals), Jim
McCarty (acoustic guitar and lead vocals), Rave Tesar (keyboards), Mark Lambert
(guitars, vocals), Geoffrey Langley (keyboards, vocals), John Galgano
(bass, vocals), and Frank Pagano (drums, percussion, vocals).
Left to Right: Frank, Rave, Geoffrey, Mark, and John. Photo by Brian Bortnik
Row 2: Annie
Jim McCarty and Annie Haslam will be presenting the History of Renaissance Fall 2025 in Conversation and in Concert. Friday, Nov. 21 The Wildey Theatre, Edwardsville, IL (St. Louis) www.cityofedwardsville.com/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=672 Saturday, Nov. 22 The Wildey Theatre, Edwardsville, IL (St. Louis) www.cityofedwardsville.com/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=673 Friday, Nov. 28 The Newton Theatre, Newton, NJ https://skypac.org/the-history-of-renaissance/ November 29 Lansdowne Theatre, Lansdowne, NJ http://www.etix.com/ticket/p/81373625/the-history-of-renaissance-featuring-annie-haslam-and-jim-mccarty-lansdowne-lansdowne-theate
9/15/25
ProgStock 2025 - October 9-12, 2025 International Progressive Rock Festival The Williams Center, Rutherford, NJ
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8/28/25
“The Big Win” – Ready to Read Yacht Rock
"Getting kids into reading and yacht rock is a noble quest!"
-Adam Bernard, Adam’s World Blog
The song, “The Big Win” is a gift for Yacht Rock lovers and their children. Appearing on both the digital release, “Leenie’s Library” and a new album, “Arise Together-Songs to Inspire,” now streaming on all major platforms,“The Big Win” might lay claim as the first Yacht Rock song written and recorded for children.
Featuring
a smooth melody, soft rock vibes, breezy lyrics, and the lucid tenor voice of
Ricky Persaud Jr., the empowering song’s history dates back to the 1980s. Composer
Gail Bluestone and her lyricist sister Eileen Bluestone-Sherman were hot off an
Emmy-win of “The Odd Potato” for Chicago TV, and wrote "The Big Win"
as the opening production number for a children's musical about robots and A.I.
Hence the song’s opening outer space
vibe of zoning into the music!
Gail, who loves timeless R&B and Motown classics including her favorites Ray Charles and Stevie Wonder, as well as the Temptations, the Four Tops, Sly and The Family Stone, plus soulful women artists notably Laura Nyro, Carole King, and the 5th Dimension, used their sensibilities to compose the song’s melody.
Then came the future—the second decade of the 21st Century when both A.I. became a reality and the Bluestone Sisters began work on “Leenie’s Library” with the mission of inspiring the Next Generation of New Readers. They wrote and chose songs from their catalogue with catchy tunes and literacy-building content. Eileen and Gail knew that singer/arranger/multi-instrumentalist Ricky Persaud Jr. was the man for the job. His rhythmic tribute “Selena” to the slain Latina pop star was played on regional and indie radio, and a favorite among Eileen, Gail, and their friends. Gail said, “Ricky is a gifted musician with a great thirst for learning, a great ear for listening, and great creativity with sound. He is a perfect collaborator and a true perfectionist.” Ricky is “The Big Win’s” sole instrumentalist, playing all the instruments and singing the song! Instrumentation on the piece includes keyboards, bass guitar, drums, glockenspiel/percussion. Ricky’s influences are like other musicians in the Yacht Rock community, including Prince, Jimi Hendrix, The Beatles, Nirvana, Bob Marley and—of course-- Selena Quintanilla 2.
“Leenie’s Library” is designed to promote literacy through repetition, rhyme, and engaging visuals. The recordings and videos are available for free on YouTube, making it accessible to families and educators everywhere.
“Arise Together-Songs to Inspire” benefits Pickleberry Pie, an organization that provides live entertainment in children’s hospital wards around the nation, comforting ailing children and their parents at the most difficult of times.
A.I., the initial inspiration of “The Big Win” before the technology came to be, states these immortal words about the song, “If this is the beginning of a new genre—Yacht Rock for Kids—it might be ‘The Big Win’ is a simple part of musical history!”
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