Reflections On...New Jersey

In 1988 Ryo Vie was an inexperienced romantic in bloom who also had an obsession with music. Music had been my life since the age of 3. It was always a part of my world, always there for me, and never let me down. Music was something that always made me feel fantastic and was around whenever I needed a pick me up. No matter how hard times were, I had music to fall back on.

Then in junior high school I discovered girls. Girls were everything that music was not. They weren’t there for me. They always let me down, and when things sucked in my young pre-teen life, it was usually because of girls. They were a necessary evil. Well, necessary only in the fact that I was overly attracted to them and could not stop myself from doing stupid things around them.

By the time I entered high school, I thought I had them figured out. And then my freshman obsession showed me otherwise. I had not even begun to scratch the surface of the opposite sex and I honestly began to think that I never would. And yet as freshman summer gave way to sophomore fall, I overcame my earlier crush and started focusing on a new beauty. However, new beauties meant new complications. The problem this time around was that Lisa, my new obsession, had a boyfriend and we all worked together at Roy Rogers fast food restaurant. Oh the drama!

In the fall of that year, a hard rocking band from New Jersey released the follow up to their multi-platinum, insanely successful, smash album Slippery When Wet. The record was titled New Jersey, and I bought the cassette as soon as it was released. At the time I was a huge Bon Jovi fan and even identified with him as New Jersey’s musical son over Bruce Springsteen.

I’ve always felt that the slow building intro of “Lay Your Hands On Me” is one of the coolest album openings ever. It is definitely the best opening to any Bon Jovi record; and hearing it for the first time as a 15 year old with wild rock star dreams only made it that much more exciting. New Jersey as a whole is a masterpiece and it still holds up some 27 years after its initial release. “Lay Your Hands On Me” got everything off to a stupendous start. The banging of drums bleeding into the growling guitars, and then the spoken intro by Jon himself; they all mesh into a killer hard rock song. “Lay Your Hands On Me” hits hard and fast. The album never lets up after that. “Lay Your Hands On Me” is a song that went through my head almost any time I was around Lisa that fall.

I think my crush for Lisa really began on my first day of work. I was scheduled to work for a whopping three hours at the agreed upon wage of $3.35. Yep, I was working in a fast food restaurant for minimum wage. Those three hours would net me less than $9 after taxes. Looking back on it now, I must have been insane. But, my parents insisted that if I wanted spending money, then I had to work. And as previously mentioned, I had discovered two of the most expensive things in life by that time; music and women. There was a hefty price to be paid for both.  

So on my very first day of a new job, after watching some lame orientation video, I was to be trained on the register by Lisa. One look at her and I was smitten. She was beautiful! Possibly the most beautiful girl I had ever set eyes on. The Love Gods were smiling on me that day. This was opportunity! I had 2 hours to spend next to this girl and while she trained me on register I was going to smooth talk her into a date. Yep, suave, debonair, smooth talking, 15 year old Ryo Vie…right! Unfortunately I had about as much game as the 1988 Dallas Cowboys (they were 3-13 that year). Not that my game, or lack thereof, mattered, because Lisa had a boyfriend and that was made evident within our first hour of working together. I don’t remember who brought it up, but I know that it was clearly communicated.

As autumn progressed two things happened. I spent more and more time listening to New Jersey and my attraction to Lisa grew 100-fold. She and I happened to work quite a number of the same shifts and the more we talked, the more we got to know each other, and the more we realized how much we liked each other. Now, from her perspective, I was probably placed into the dreaded “friend” category, but from my perspective, it was hubba-hubba-ville.  No friends here. And as I listened to New Jersey more and more, one particular song grew on me more and more.

“I’ll Be There For You” was one of the huge power ballads that New Jersey produced. Being a young romantic at heart, the song spoke to me from first listen. And since I was listening to this album around the same time I was crushing on Lisa, it immediately became my song to her. Not that I ever told her that, but in my mind, it was my dedication to her. I would sit and listen to that song on many chilled autumn evenings, thinking of Lisa and wondering what I had to do to get us to be together.

Being young and obsessed is never a good combination. It usually leads to some pretty stupid things. In the case of Lisa and Ryo, it definitely did. What could I do? I was obsessed. I thought I was in love, but the reality is that I was in lust. I was just too young and stupid to know the difference. And so as “I’ll Be There For You” played over and over on my little boom box, I plotted and schemed and rationalized. If I was in love with this girl, shouldn’t we be together? Didn’t I deserve some happiness in romance?

“Bad Medicine” was a huge hit for Bon Jovi that year. It was the first single the band released and the video was all over MTV. Any self respecting, music loving teenager knew this. Between MTV and my non-stop playing of the cassette, I must have heard “Bad Medicine” hundreds of times. The theme of the song felt appropriate for my life. A love sick male obsessing over his muse but knowing that it was bad for him was exactly how I felt with Lisa. I couldn’t stop thinking about her, and it was affecting my life in strange ways.

I also paid attention to the interactions between her and her boyfriend and noticed they weren’t very warm and inviting. Her boyfriend was always checking out other girls and making snide comments to and/or about Lisa. They may have been teasing comments meant in jest, but I viewed each one as a grueling blow and determined that he was not the right boy for her. I was. No one would treat her as well as I would. How could I make that clear to her?

During those dark, cold evenings alone in my room, I wrote in my journal about Lisa a lot. And I also listened to New Jersey a lot. Songs like “Wild Is The Wind,” “Born To Be My Baby,” and “Living In Sin” filled my head with fantasies about a life we could share. Looking back now it’s surprising that I didn’t become a stalker. My obsession was unhealthy and these days it could lead to incarceration. And like any obsession that can’t be overcome, it led to action. Unfortunately, my action was a cowardly one that led to a lot of mayhem in my young life.

In high school, I didn’t have many friends, but the ones I did have were true friends in every sense of the word. Tommy was my best friend and he was always willing to do things for me, no matter how crazy they seemed. He was with me the day I delivered the rose to Laurie, and he had heard my compulsions over Lisa endlessly. I don’t know if I could have listened to me as much as he did. Tommy was a great friend (and still is).

And so since young Ryo did not have much bravado he asked his friend to help him out. I had secured Lisa’s phone number thanks to the number board at work. In the manager’s office, a list of employee phone numbers was kept in case there was a need to cover a shift. I casually jotted Lisa’s phone number down once and then contemplated calling her for days. Then one night while talking to Tommy, I asked if he would do me a favor.

Tommy was always up for a task like that. Growing up I thought this kid had balls the size of Texas. He never backed down from a challenge, he always encouraged me to push myself harder, and he was always willing to tackle tough odds. On that particular evening I asked if he would call Lisa and state my feelings for her. He took the challenge without pause. Within minutes we had hung up and he was dialing Lisa’s number.

While I sat there waiting with expectations of her falling into my arms, I played “Stick To Your Guns.” I thought it was a nice song to put in the soundtrack of my teenage life. The lyrics of the song start out: so you want to be a cowboy/well you know it’s more than just a ride… The song itself is about being true to who you are and knowing that in the ride of life, there is no one you can count on more than yourself. I felt a connection with those words. I felt that if I was going to be the big time, Lisa had to know my feelings for her.

Yes, I should have manned up and told her myself, but as already mentioned, young Ryo didn’t have any guts. I wouldn’t learn how to use fear and excitement to my advantage until my 20s. At 15, I still had quite the yellow streak down my spine. That’s part of the reason that most of my heroes were rock stars. They had the courage to overcome and succeed. I wanted to be like that, I just didn’t know how.

When Tommy called me back a few minutes later, my heart was pounding and my head raced with questions. “I’ll Be There For You” was playing in the background and I took that as a good sign. This was our song! She must have told Tommy that she felt the same way and that she was overjoyed by his call. She must have been trying to call me so that she could confess her true feelings as well! Or she thought I was some kind of creeper.

I immediately asked what had happened and told him to give me all of the details. Tommy had called Lisa, told her that he was a friend of mine and that I had asked him to call her. He then told her that I had a huge crush on her and was hoping that we could somehow be together. He gave her my phone number and asked her to call me. Lisa was apparently speechless, didn’t quite know what to say, and quickly got off the phone. She did take my number though. I thanked Tommy for what he had done and hung up. Then I sat in my room breathless, anxious, and confused.

I stared at the phone. Was she going to call me? Was she overwhelmed? Did she hate me? Not knowing the answers to any questions was driving me insane. I rewound my cassette tape and played “I’ll Be There For You” again. And I waited. I waited for a while and nothing happened. The phone didn’t ring. The clock slowly ticked off minutes and nothing happened. I was pulling my hair out.

When the phone finally rang some thirty minutes later (which felt like hours), I jumped. My heart raced and my body tingled. Was this Lisa calling me? Was this the moment I had been waiting for? I picked up the phone in a panic. “He---Hello?” I trembled.

It was Lisa and I was overjoyed! She had called! Unfortunately, she had called to share some bad news. After Tommy called her, she thought it was a trick that her boyfriend was playing on her, so she called him and asked who Tommy was. Joe, her boyfriend, said he had no idea, and that was when Lisa realized it wasn’t a joke. She then told Joe everything. Hearing those words left me speechless. Joe knew. That was not good.

I don’t remember much of our conversation after that. I know that I confirmed my feelings for her and that what Tommy had told her was true. I know that she said we couldn’t be together because she had a boyfriend. I know she said that she liked me as a friend. And I know that I hated being put into the “friend” zone. I also know that our conversation was cut short, because Joe did an emergency breakthrough on her phone. It was one of the last times that I would speak to her.

Needless to say, my relationship with Joe took a turn for the worse. The first time he saw me at work after the incident, he didn’t say a word to me. I didn’t know if that was good or bad. The next time he saw me, he did speak. “If you ever call my girlfriend again, or have your friend call my girlfriend again, I will kick your ass.” My only response was a curt nod. There really wasn’t much I could say.

Lisa had also stopped talking to me at that point. It was sad. We had created a fun relationship as friends and I threw all of that away by trying to move our relationship to the next level when I knew she had a boyfriend. What was wrong with me? I wallowed in misery for a few days after the call and spent a lot of time listening to New Jersey in its entirety. It helped get me through the rough time and overcome some of my anxiety. It also helped me realize that there would be another day, another girl, and another chance.

The next few weeks were a whirlwind of weirdness. Joe and I got into a few verbal arguments, and we even got into a shoving match that was quickly broken up by our manager. All of it stemmed from my desire for Lisa and his dislike of that desire. Lisa and Joe broke up not long after the shoving match and she quit working at Roy Rogers. I don’t know if I ultimately factored into any of those decisions, but at the time, I felt that I did.

Joe changed his shifts shortly after that and he and I rarely worked the same schedule. After he and Lisa split up, we just didn’t talk much at all. If I recall correctly, he quit Roy Rogers a month or two later. As for me, I spent a solid two weeks listening to “I’ll Be There For You” over and over and over again while thinking of Lisa. I often wondered what would have happened if I had approached things just a little differently. Alas, I would never know. I remained at Roy Rogers for several years, on and off, and would have several more adventures with women and ultimately make some lifelong friendships. However, those adventures are stories for another day.

I’ll be there for you/these five words I swear to you

When you breathe/I want to be the air for you

I’ll be there for you

I’d live and I’d die for you/I’d steal sun from the sky for you

Words can’t say what love can do

I’ll be there for you

Bon Jovi - July 27, 2001

For those of you who may not know, long before Cousin Ryo was the author of The Rock And Roll Guru blog, I was a soundman/DJ for a comedy show in Northern New Jersey. I spent several years working for The Mickey Who? Comedy Show and had a lot of fun doing it. Mickey (the producer and host of the show) was a close friend and we were both huge Bon Jovi fans. So on a cold February night, I talked Mickey into getting tickets to see Bon Jovi at Giants Stadium that July. It would be the first time I witnessed the beloved boys from the Garden State live in concert.

Mickey had concerns that he would end up sitting next to a big burly guy instead of some hot babe, which is actually quite funny. If you factor in that more than 70% of Bon Jovi concert attendees are female, then it’s obvious that percentages were on Mickey’s side for sitting next to a babe. However, if you knew Mickey well, you’d know that he had a better chance of sitting next to the burly bouncer guy, because that’s just Mick’s luck. I assured him that if a burly biker dude ended up cramping his style, he and I could switch seats. I think that finally sold him on getting a ticket.

On a hot summer afternoon in July, we packed up my car and headed over to Giants Stadium for some afternoon tailgating complete with Nerf football, cold drinks, and grilled pizzas. Have you ever grilled a Mama Celeste pizza for one? If not, I highly recommend it. Mickey, a pizza connoisseur, loves them. We hung out in the warm summer sun, enjoyed good food and good company. There were not many concerns about what time we went into the show, neither of us cared if we missed Eve 6, but we both wanted to see Sugar Ray prior to Bon Jovi taking the stage for the night.

As we entered Giants Stadium, we caught the very tail end of Eve 6’s set. I don’t even remember what song it was. It’s possible that they were performing Inside Out, but I can’t be certain. Mickey and I were more interested in the t-shirt stands then the band. It’s not that I don’t like Eve 6, because I do, I just wasn’t overly excited to see them perform a condensed set.

Sugar Ray was up next and while I don’t recall which songs they performed, I know they were good. By the time Sugar Ray took the stage, Mickey and I had already found our seats and settled in. Sugar Ray played a tight, 45 minute set that was a lot of fun. They performed all of their hits and I think the closer was Fly, which is a great song. By the time Sugar Ray’s set ended, no one had shown up to sit next to Mickey. We were still wondering if he would get the babes or the bikers.

On my left was a 12 year old girl dressed in a Superman T-Shirt. She was a cute kid, attending the concert with her parents. The excitement was written all over her face and it was obvious that she was a huge Bon Jovi fan. What I didn’t realize was how huge of a fan she was.

The night wore on and we waited for the headliners to take the stage. As the sun started to settle over the western horizon, the lights for the stadium went out and the roar of the crowd exploded. Bon Jovi walked onto the stage and tore into their opening number, One Wild Night. What a great way to start the show!

As the song played on, the burly dudes arrived, just as Mickey had predicted. Cramming into the aisle next to him were about 6 dudes, all hugging and humping one another. They weren’t gay, just obviously intoxicated, and of course they started moving into Mickey’s space. I looked over at him with a laugh and asked if he needed to switch seats. He was ok at the time. He was willing to give the dudes the benefit of the doubt that they would shuffle off to their own seats after the first song.

Raise Your Hands came next, one of my favorite Bon Jovi tunes ever, and I went nuts. Singing and clapping along, I was euphoric in the moment. Mick was enjoying it as well, but the dudes had not left and I noticed that he kept glancing in their direction. When You Give Love A Bad Name was performed and the dudes still hadn’t left, I knew it was time to intervene.

“Do you want me to take care of this?” I asked.

Mickey looked at the guys again and I could see him contemplating. I know he wanted to be a nice guy, but was also torn over the fact that the dudes might try to hump him next. No heterosexual male wants to be humped by some drunk guy at a Bon Jovi concert – that’s a fact. Mick nodded, putting the nice guy inside him away, and I moved immediately. I approached the dudes and politely asked them to move away from us. When my request was denied (by the actions of them not moving) I sought a higher power. Security came in and finally had the drunks find their seats. Now we could enjoy the rest of the night hump free.

Bon Jovi just continued to roll with the hits. Jon was a superior frontman on stage, getting the crowd into it, and singing with the power that he can bring. He made sure the fans were getting their money’s worth and having a great time. After a spectacular rendition of Bed Of Roses, it was Richie Sambora’s turn to take the microphone. That’s when I would find out just what a huge fan the 12-year old girl sitting next to me was.

Not only had she sung every word to every song thus far, but when Richie took the lead vocals for Stranger In This Town she sang along with that song too! While most folks were heading for the rest rooms, this girl was singing like the band was playing Living On A Prayer. Now that was a real fan!

The hits continued after Richie’s solo spot. It’s My Life, Keep The Faith, Blaze of Glory, Lay Your Hands On Me, and Bad Medicine were all performed with a ferocity. It was Saturday night in New Jersey and Bon Jovi was rocking the hometown crowd. Their performance was legendary and though I had seen a lot of concerts up until that point, this show was fighting for one of the best I ever witnessed. I sat in wonder as to why I had never seen the band live before that night.



The encore was exceptional with Always, Someday I’ll Be Saturday Night, Wanted Dead Or Alive, and a great version of Twist and Shout. Bon Jovi proved to be everything that I had hoped for and more. The band was amazing and their concert was incredible.



This would also be the last concert that I ever saw before 9/11. The world changed after that, becoming a darker place, and perhaps that is why I remember this concert so fondly. It was the last carefree rock moment that I had.

Setlist
One Wild Night
Raise Your Hands
You Give Love A Bad Name
Born To Be My Baby
Livin’ On A Prayer
Bed of Roses
Stranger In This Town
It’s My Life
I Got The Girl
Just Older
Keep The Faith
Blaze Of Glory
Wild In The Streets
Lay Your Hands On Me
I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead
Bad Medicine
Encore
Always
Someday I’ll Be Saturday Night
Wanted Dead Or Alive
Twist & Shout

Friday's Rockin' Roundup - Halloween Edition

This Sunday is Halloween here in the US. It’s a time when people dress in costumes, kids walk around to earn free candy, and people try to scare one another. It’s also a time when some people attempt to dress up their pets in costume.

For those of you who weren’t aware, your cousin Ryo is the proud owner of multiple cats. I’ve always wanted to dress my cats in some cool costumes. The thought of seeing them prance around in KISS outfits to the sounds of Love Gun is an immensely pleasing fantasy to me. Of course, Mrs. Vie, my wiser half, never lets me actually go through with it.

I’m hoping that one year, I can sneak the kitties into costume when she’s not around. If I get to pull it off this weekend, you can guarantee that you will see pictures. However, I think that the cats are safe until next year. I’m just not sure that I have the time to put the costumes together.

Here’s what rocked this week:

Bon Jovi Announces 2011 Tour
Did you miss Bon Jovi during their summer outing? Do you want to see them in an arena environment? Well, this spring, in North America, you will get that chance. The band just announced 2011 tour dates that included 2 nights at Madison Square Garden and a summer trip to Europe. It’s good to be a rock star!

Pearl Jam Radio Is On Sirius/XM
The best thing I ever did was to get satellite radio. And now, Pearl Jam has their very own station that plays nothing but Pearl Jam 24/7. From full concerts, to rare b-sides, to the classics that we’ve come to know and love, it’s all on the radio, all the time. It is a die-hard fan’s dream come true.

To Walkman No More
I didn’t even realize that the cassette walkman was still even being made. So, to hear that Sony was going to stop making it greeted me with mixed reactions. On the one hand, it’s sad to see a classic go and take a part of my childhood with it. On the other hand, who knew that they were still selling the Walkman?

Krist Novoselic To Play Bass On The Next Foo Fighters Album
This is interesting news. Novoselic will only be guesting on bass, and it’s not certain how many tracks he will play on, but it’s still pretty darned cool to see Dave Grohl and Krist making music together again. I wonder if they have any old, unreleased tracks of Kurt’s vocals that they could add to a song?

For more fun, games, trivia, nonsense, and deep, mindful, music insight, you should follow me on twitter. www.twitter.com/ryovie

Friday's Rockin' Roundup - National Football League Edition

Although the season opened last night with a game between the New Orleans Saints and the Minnesota Vikings, the rest of the season kicks off this Sunday with a plethora of football games for all to enjoy. As usual, I will be sitting at my local watering hole, eating hot wings, drinking beer, and watching the games. Football in September is an excellent experience of enjoyment and I am really looking forward to it this year.

Between college and the pros, there are a lot of good games to watch this weekend. This even spills into Monday night when the Jets open their season against the Baltimore Ravens. It’s going to be a great kick-off weekend and hopefully that will lead into a great season of fun football. And if not, there’s always hot wings and beer!

Here’s what rocked this week:

New Bon-Jovi Single Streaming On Their Website
Bon Jovi has a greatest hits album coming out this fall. The hits album will contain four brand new songs that were written specifically for this album. You can hear the first single, What Do You Got at their website now. Just click on the link above to be whisked away!

Aaron Lewis Is On The Road This Fall
Staind’s frontman is out on the road performing solo acoustic shows. The short tour kicks off in Massachusetts on October 7th and runs through November 2nd. No word on whether more dates will be added.

Guitar Center Announces Winner In Their 4th Annual King Of The Blues Contest
Thousands entered. One won. Congratulations to Randy Scott, who made his dream of being the King of the Blues guitarist come true.

Spears Former Bodyguard Files a Sexual Harassment Claim
What? Oh no! Britney Spears walked around me naked. Boo Hoo! Is this guy some kind of mental case? You’re her bodyguard and you can’t handle seeing her naked? This is why the world hates lawyers and their frivolous lawsuits. If this guy wins, I’m going to be sick. In the meantime, if Spears needs a new bodyguard, cousin Ryo is available.

For more insights, opinions, sarcastic wit, and true charm, you should follow me on twitter. www.twitter.com/ryovie

Memorial Day Concert Setlists

This past Memorial Day Weekend saw some pretty excellent concerts performed here in the Northeast. And although I did not attend any of them, I was planning on going to two until family plans got in the way.

Originally, I wanted to travel to Hartford, Connecticut, with my cousin to see two nights of Dave Matthews Band as they launched their 2010 summer tour. Unfortunately, his parents decided to schedule his college graduation party right in the middle of that two day concert blast, thus rendering it near impossible for us to go. Even if we went to the Friday night show, it was questionable if we would be back in time for his party on Saturday. Thus, no DMB for me.

After viewing the setlist, I am severely disappointed with myself. Check out the two nights they did in Hartford! If this is any indication of how this summer tour is going to be, well, then cousin Ryo has to get to a couple of these shows.

May 28, 2010
JTR
Seven
Hello Again
Spaceman
Proudest Monkey
Satellite
Funny The Way It Is
Rye Whiskey
Shake Me Like a Monkey
Busted Stuff
Kit Kat Jam
#41
Grey Street
You and Me
Dancing Nancies
Too Much
Ants Marching
Encore
Break For It
You Might Die Trying

May 29, 2010
Big Eyed Fish
Bartender
Why I Am
So Damn Lucky
Lying In the Hands of God
So Right
Everyday
Sweet Up and Down
Jimi Thing
Crash (Into Me)
Corn Bread
Stand Up
Needle And The Damage Done
Don’t Drink the Water
Shake Me Like a Monkey
Two Step
Encore
Baby Blue
All Along The Watchtower

The second concert that I was going to attend was at the New Meadowlands Stadium, featuring New Jersey’s other son, Bon Jovi. I really wanted to see the new stadium and I really wanted to hear songs from the new album performed live. However, my friend Mark was throwing his annual Memorial Day BBQ bash on Saturday (yes, I had to do two parties in one day). So back in March when he confirmed that it was happening on that date, I nixed any plans to see Bon Jovi. Once again, I am a tad disappointed in myself. Look at the setlist Bon Jovi performed on Saturday night in New Jersey. Wow!

May 29, 2010
Who Says You Can’t Go Home
We Weren’t Born To Follow
You Give Love A Bad Name
In These Arms
Born To Be My Baby
Just Older
We Got It Goin On
Raise Your Hands
When We Were Beautiful
Superman Tonight
Captain Crash & The Beauty Queen From Mars
Bad Medicine
It’s My Life
Love’s The Only Rule
Lay Your Hands On Me
Living In Sin
I’ll Be There For You
Something For The Pain
Diamond Ring
I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead
I’d Die For You
Work For The Working Man
Someday I’ll Be Saturday Night
Keep The Faith
Encore
Dry County
Wanted Dead Or Alive
Livin’ On A Prayer

Now don’t get me wrong, I am very thankful for the time that I had with friends and family. Family is always a priority for me, and it was great to see Mark’s family and his young son. That along with all the memory-laning we did when we got together made it a fantastic evening. But, that was some setilist! I’ll need to remember that in July when Bon Jovi returns.

What concerts did you enjoy over the Memorial Day weekend? What concerts are you set to enjoy this summer? Comments are open. Feel free to post some.

Want To Open For Bon Jovi?

Bon Jovi is offering a unique experience for those in a band.

Bon Jovi is Giving You the Chance to Open for the Band on "The Circle Tour"

The band that has played more than 3,000 concerts to over 32 million fans in 50-plus countries is looking to share the stage with the best emerging talents on OurStage. Find out how YOU can open for Bon Jovi and win tickets to see the band live on The Circle Tour this summer:

Artists – Rock, pop and country artists are invited to enter their best original songs in one of the "Bon Jovi Wanted: A Superband Tonight!" channels. Artists who reach the Top 30 will be eligible for opening slot consideration. Winners will be picked to perform at each of the selected tour stops by Bon Jovi. Band entries are accepted on Bon Jovi’s website and Facebook pages and OurStage’s website.

Fans - Judge the "Bon Jovi Wanted: A Superband Tonight!" channels starting April 6 to help the best talent rise to the top of the charts. The fans named Best Predictor for each Regional Music Channel will win tickets to see Bon Jovi on The Circle Tour.

In partnership with OurStage, the online community-powered, new music discovery site, “Bon Jovi Wanted: A SuperBAND Tonight!” is sponsored by VH1. “Wanted: A SuperBAND Tonight!” will be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for new acts to make their dreams come true -- opening for Bon Jovi in front of tens of thousands of cheering fans. Emerging artists will be invited to open for Bon Jovi on each one of the selected tour dates below.

May 19,Hershey, PA Hersheypark Stadium
May 26, 27 & 29East Rutherford, NJ New Meadowlands Stadium
July 24Foxboro, MA Gillette Stadium
July 30Chicago, IL Soldier Field

For more information and complete details visit: http://www.bonjovi.com

The Summer Tours 2010

Ahhhh! Spring has finally (officially) arrived and everyone is gearing up for the most wonderful time of the year. No, not baseball season (although that is close), but the spring/summer concert season. Yes, another year of concerts is upon us and there are some great bands going out on tour for 2010.

Your cousin Ryo has the scoop on the confirmed tours, some rumored tours, and of course the tour dates and prices for all. Please note, the ticket prices are all before fees. Read on, music lovers, read on.

Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers
Supporting Acts: Multiple, including My Morning Jacket, Buddy Guy, and Crosby, Stills and Nash
Tour Page: http://www.tompetty.com/tour
Ticket Prices: $50 - $125

Going out on tour in support of their brand new album, Mojo, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers will be on the road for most of the summer. The tour kicks off May 6th in North Carolina and is currently scheduled to end August 27th in Saratoga Springs, New York. The prices are a little higher than I would have expected, but $50 for the upper level seats isn’t too bad, especially when you see some of the support acts that are touring with Petty. With a new album to perform, it remains to be seen how many classic Petty tunes will get their time in the spotlight, but if you’ve never seen Petty live before, then this is a great time to start.

Iron Maiden
Supporting Act: Dream Theater
Tour Page: http://www.ironmaiden.com/index.php?categoryid=15
Ticket Prices: $26.50 - $125

The announcement of a brand new album (The Final Frontier) came last week coupled with announcing a North American tour this summer. Both announcements made cousin Ryo extremely giddy. I love Iron Maiden and their concert performances are legendary. While it’s going to be difficult to top their Somewhere Back In Time tour, I’m looking forward to new songs and I’m curious what the setlist will be. No matter what, this is going to be one of the must see concerts of the summer. Up the Irons!

Dave Matthews Band
Supporting Act: Multiple, including Yonder Mountain String Band, Zac Brown Band, and Govt Mule
Tour Page: http://www.davematthewsband.com/#/tour
Ticket Prices: $40 - $90

Launching on May 28th in Connecticut and wrapping on September 15th in Minnesota, Dave Matthews Band is hitting the road again for their annual summer tour. While this is always a great show, what concerns me most this year are the ticket prices. Usually the tickets are in the somewhat affordable range, but this year the prices seem to have gone up dramatically. Tickets start in the $40 range and go up to $100 depending on location. The average price is $75. I can’t recall paying that much to see the band in the past. It’s frustrating, because this is the year that I wanted to see them at several locations.

Nickelback
Supporting Act: Breaking Benjamin, Sick Puppies
Tour Page: http://www.nickelback.com/index2.html
Ticket Prices: $43 – 83

Still touring behind the incredible Dark Horse, Nickelback will be on the road this spring, hitting many of the spots that they missed over the past year. I’ve seen Nickleback in concert three times and each time was an incredible experience. They really know how to interact with their fans and provide an evening of excellent entertainment. A Nickelback concert is guaranteed fun and if you have the chance to catch them this spring, you really should.

U2
Supporting Act: Multiple, including Lenny Kravits, The Fray, and a lot of TBD
Tour Page: http://www.u2.com/tour/index
Ticket Prices: $30 - $250

U2 is still out in support of their latest disc No Line On The Horizon. Playing in stadiums with a unique 360 stage setting, this is one of their most ambitious tours yet. U2 have given many memorable concerts and if you have never seen them in concert, it’s worth the price. However, it’s hard to justify paying $250 to see anyone and that includes U2. Personally, I am going to miss this tour, because the cheaper tickets sold in a matter of seconds, and all that are left (in my area) are the $95 and above. That’s just too much money for a band that I have seen several times.

Bon Jovi
Supporting Act: TBD
Tour Page: http://www.bonjovi.com/tour
Ticket Prices: $36.50 - $150

Another band that used to not charge a lot for their concerts but lately have jacked up the ticket prices is Bon Jovi. I love this band (growing up in New Jersey, you almost have to be a fan), but I am not willing to shell out the kind of money that they are asking. Once again, the cheaper tickets were gone in a heartbeat and all that were left were the 3 digit priced tickets. The new Bon Jovi album is excellent, and I am sure the new songs sound great live, but I’ve heard there are no deep cuts on this tour, and since I’ve seen these guys live more than once, I can miss out on this one.

Papa Roach
Supporting Act: TBD
Tour Page: http://www.paparoach.com/events
Ticket Prices: $25

Papa Roach is a great live band with affordable ticket prices. What more needs to be said? These guys rock like many bands wish they could. Every time I’ve seen Papa Roach, it’s been a concert experience. If they are coming to your town, go see them.

The Eagles
Supporting Act: The Dixie Chicks, Keith Urban
Tour Page: http://www.eaglesband.com/tour.php
Ticket Prices: $55 - $180

Still out in support of Long Road Out Of Eden The Eagles will be bringing two big acts with them, The Dixie Chicks and Keith Urban. Seeing as I am not a fan of either of those bands, nor am I fan of their new album, I will be missing this concert. However, The Eagles are one of those legendary bands and the one time I saw them in concert, it was amazing. If you like the new album and/or the supporting acts, you should think about attending this show.

The Scorpions
Supporting Act: TBD
Tour Page: http://www.the-scorpions.com/english
Ticket Prices: TBD

Touring in support of a new album which is supposed to be their last, The Scorpions are heading out on their farewell tour. While I will be seeing them at M3 this year, the Scorpions will be touring everywhere. As of this writing, tour details are still being worked out, so there is no information on the ticket prices or the support acts yet. However, keep checking their webpage, as information is going to be up soon.

Cinderella
Supporting Act: TBD
Tour Page: Coming Soon
Ticket Prices: TBD

According to their webpage, Cinderella will be touring in 2010. They are already scheduled to appear at the M3 Festival in Columbia, Maryland. An announcement regarding other tour dates is expected in the coming weeks. I’m hopeful that they will team up with other great metal acts of the 80s (Winger, Trixter, or Poison would be nice), but details remain to be seen.

And there you have it. The hot, anticipated tours for this coming summer. Are you going to see any of them? Looking forward to certain ones? Drop a line and let the Guru know.

Comments are open. Feel free to post some.

Labels: Tickets, ticket prices, concerts, Iron Maiden, The Eagles, Cinderella, The Scorpions, Tom Petty, Dave Matthews Band, Papa Roach, U2, Nickelback, Bon Jovi

2010 Grammy Performances

The Grammy Awards are this Sunday night. There appears to be another solid lineup of performers scheduled to entertain the masses. Who are you looking forward to seeing perform at this year’s Grammy Awards? Cousin Ryo has his favorites, of course, along with a couple that I have no desire to see, but I’ll watch anyway, because this is what I do every year.

I really want to see Dave Matthews Band and have high hopes for their performance. Obviously they are going to play something off of Big Whiskey, but what is still the question. Funny The Way It Is would be nice, but Seven or Alligator Pie would be nicer. Either way, I think that DMB is going to be incredible and give an amazing performance.

Bon Jovi is having the fans select their song through online voting. It’s a neat way to connect the fans with the show and give them a stronger feeling of inclusion. The choices are Livin’ On A Prayer, Bed of Roses, It’s My Life, Always, Wanted Dead Or Alive, or Have A Nice Day. I personally would love to hear Bed of Roses, but I have a feeling it’s either going to be Livin’ On A Prayer, or Wanted Dead Or Alive. Those are total fan favorites.

Black Eyed Peas should entertain well. Their New Year’s Eve appearance was decent and I’ve always liked this band. I’m looking forward to seeing their live selection. Green Day will also be interesting. I’m guessing their going to perform 21 Guns off of their latest album, but I could be off on that. They could perform a completely different song.

Taylor Swift is probably the act that I least want to see. I might take a popcorn break when she comes on. There’s something about her that I just don’t like. She’s not my kind of performer and I feel that she’s a little too fake. I know she’s had a rough year with the whole Kanye incident and all, but still, she’s not someone that I particularly want to see.

What about you? Who are you looking forward to seeing? Which band are you dying to hear the most? Comments are open. Feel free to post some.

Here’s the confirmed list of performers:
Beyonce
Black Eyed Peas
Bon Jovi
Dave Matthews Band
Green Day
Lady Antebellum
Lady Gaga
Maxwell
Pink
Taylor Swift
Zac Brown Band

The Grammy’s are this Sunday at 8PM Eastern. I’ll be tweeting all during the show over on Twitter. You should follow me and join in the fun. www.twitter.com/ryovie

Bon Jovi - The Circle

Every Sunday, The Rock and Roll Guru reviews a new or classic music CD, DVD, or a rocking book.

New Jersey’s most beloved sons (after The Boss, of course) are back with a brand new album and the announcement of a world tour starting in 2010. The Circle is Bon Jovi’s latest release, the follow up to their country-tinged, experimental album, Lost Highway. So, does The Circle return the band to their rock and roll roots? Will this album wash away the memory of the country experiment? Let’s spin the disc and find out!

The first noticeable thing about The Circle is the decided departure this record takes from Bon Jovi’s previous album. Straying away from the country tinged themes of Lost Highway, The Circle is a return to the heavier rock and smooth power ballads that catapulted the band into superstardom. With no guest stars (like Big and Rich, or Jennifer Nettles), and almost no outside influences or collaborators, The Circle is a pure Bon Jovi record. Desmond Child was called in to round out some of the lyrics and songs, but considering he co-wrote the classics from the 80s, Desmond is practically the 6th man of the band.

The Circle can best be described as a pessimist’s optimism. Covering real world issues of unemployment, middle age, the desire to reflect fondly on days gone by while still having the impulse to move forward, The Circle is Bon Jovi’s deepest work to date. The lyrics tackle modern day issues and present ways to help someone deal with the challenges of everyday life. The songs present the darkness that is currently out there, most notably on Work For The Working Man, but they also show there is hope for the future and that you should never give up, there’s always tomorrow.

Notable tracks include the lead single, We Weren’t Born To Follow, Thorn In My Side, Happy Now, and the absolutely stunning When We Were Beautiful. This could be one of the greatest songs in Bon Jovi’s illustrious history. The melody is breathtaking, the guitar solos are so rich and deep they make your eyes moist, and the song is layered in excellence. Fondly reflecting on the glory days of innocence and naivety, When We Were Beautiful is a cry out to yesterday. It is a call to examine your past and recapture a portion of it in order to guide your future. I found myself playing this song several times over before I even got through the rest of the album. It is that good and if you decide not to purchase the entire CD, you must buy this song.

The Circle is hands down Bon Jovi’s best record since Crush. Ripe with beautiful Richie Sambora guitar solos and harmonies, Jon Bon Jovi’s deep luscious vocals, and great music filled out by the talented Tico Torres and David Bryant, The Circle isn’t just 12 songs that you are bound to enjoy endlessly over the years, The Circle is 12 gifts given to us, the fans, by the band that works hard to keep their fans satisfied. The Circle is an incredible album that every fan of the band and every fan of rock and roll should add to their collection.

Ryo’s Rating: 9 (out of 10)

Track Listing
We Weren’t Born To Follow
When We Were Beautiful
Work For The Working Man
Superman Tonight
Bullet
Thorn In My Side
Live Before You Die
Brokenpromiseland
Love’s The Only Rule
Fast Cars
Happy Now
Learn To Love

Changing of the Guard - Part Two

In this three part series, I’m examining the bands that are on their way out, the bands that are in their prime, and the bands that are ready to take over the spotlight. Part One: Bands Near Retirement can be found here: http://rockandrollguru.blogspot.com/2009/11/changing-of-guards-part-one.html

Part Two: Bands In Their Prime

Pearl Jam
By rock and roll standards, Pearl Jam is a young band. They’ve only been together for 20 years, which seems like a lot, but when you compare them with bands like The Rolling Stones, The Who, or KISS, they are still in their adolescence. Pearl Jam is primed to be around for another 20 years or more. Pearl Jam will definitely be able to fill the shoes left behind by Bruce Springsteen & The E-Street Band. Their concerts are all near marathon length, they couldn’t care less about curfews, and they enjoy playing their asses off. All critical elements to take the crown for greatest live band around. Will they be better than the E-Street Band? That’s hard to say? But know this. They can keep up with them, and they will be one of the last bands standing and still rocking 20 years from now. Of this I’m sure.



Iron Maiden
Fully reunited with Bruce Dickinson back at the helm and 3 guitarists in tow, Iron Maiden have been re-conquering the world for the last 8 years. They show no signs of slowing down and with their pyrotechnics, theatrical antics, and travelling mascot (Eddie), they will take the spotlight from KISS as the loudest, most explosive live act left. Maiden is an incredible vision live, with a deep catalog of hits, and new material released every few years. They are poised to go for another 15 – 20 years, which would only put Bruce Dickinson in his mid 60s, where the Stones are currently at today. Iron Maiden can bring the heat, and with Steve Harris continuing to write amazing songs with intense, deep, thought provoking lyrics, there’s no reason to think that they would be hanging up their touring shoes anytime soon. With a rabid, worldwide fanbase to please, Maiden will be entertaining the masses for many years on.



Dave Matthews Band
One of the greatest live bands in existence, Dave Matthews Band is the quintessential jam band. Constantly touring, always on the road and moving from city to city and country to country, DMB is going to be around for a long, long while. They may tour longer than I’m alive. With members ages ranging from late 30s to late 50s, there’s no denying that they have the age and the energy to go on forever. Their live show is incredible and almost every concert they announce sells out. Hugely popular in Europe, the USA, and the rest of the world, Dave Matthews Band has plenty of time, desire, and devotion left to continue on their grueling touring pace. They could be out performing for another 30 years easily. Unless something tragic happens, I don’t expect this band to stop anytime soon. They do their best to keep ticket prices low, hit every market that they can, and always give the fans their money’s worth during every performance.



Bon Jovi
Having been around since the early 80s, one would think there isn’t much left for the boys from New Jersey. However, Bon Jovi recently announced a world tour that will kick off in 2010 behind their new album, The Circle. With a rabid fan base (the likes of Bruce or DMB), an incredible array of hits, and their passion for music, Bon Jovi could be out on the road (on and off) for 20 years or more. They show no signs of slowing down, and fans who saw their last tour claim that it was one of the band’s best in their storybook career. In 2010 they will open the New Meadowlands Stadium in their home state of New Jersey and be on the road for at least 2 years. While they may take a couple of years off after that, I expect that these guys will be performing together for a long time to come. They are in their prime and ready to take over any void left behind by those illustrious acts that are near retirement.



Incubus
Incubus may seem like an odd inclusion for bands in their prime, but after seeing them live this past summer, I can’t get over how exceptional they are in concert. They’ve been together since the early 90s, which makes them just young lads in the world of rock and roll. They’ve released 5 massive albums and an incredible greatest hits set, they’ve stayed together with all original members for that length of time, and they are still having fun on the road. In concert, the band sounds like a well oiled machine and they deliver a performance that puts them in the same category as the greats that have been mentioned already. They are an incredible live spectacle and they can only get better from here, having just hit their stride in the world of rock and roll touring. I expect that Incubus is a band my grandkids and I will be able to see together. That would be the experience of a lifetime.



Comments are open. Feel free to post some.

Tomorrow: Part Three – Bands Ready To Take The Limelight

Friday's Rockin' Roundup - New Music Samples Edition

As mentioned in my post on Wednesday, there is a lot of new music coming out this fall. So much so, that your cousin Ryo will be spending quite a pretty penny on it. And with my (9 to 5) job situation worsening, that’s probably not the best idea. However, there’s no way I’m going to miss out on new Kiss, or new Bon Jovi. I’ll just have to eat Ramen Noodle for a week or two.

With new music comes the opportunity to sample the new songs without having to wait all day to hear it on the radio! Below are links to brand new singles from some of this fall’s most highly anticipated releases. Enjoy them! And if you like or hate them, leave a comment and let me know.

Hear The New Kiss Single
Want to hear the new Kiss single, Modern Day Delilah in its entirety? Well, you could always call your local radio station and demand it, or you could mosey on over to their website and listen to it on your computer. It’s a decent song, Paul’s vocals sound great, and Tommy’s guitar solo is shockingly fantastic. It makes me yearn for October.

Hear The New Bon Jovi Single
New Kiss isn’t enough new music for you? You’d like some more new music? Well, you can hear the new Bon Jovi single, We Weren’t Born To Follow by clicking the link above. This is another great song that makes me hopeful for the new album in November. With new Kiss and new Bon Jovi CDs to anticipate, I feel like I’m in high school again.

Hear The New Ace Frehley Single
Still need more? You can hear the new Ace Frehley single, Outer Space, on his website (or just click the link above). This song is ok. Not terrific, didn’t blow me away, just average. The guitars are good, but the lyrics are a little repetitive and Ace’s voice sounds slightly off. I’ll have to wait to hear the rest of the album before rendering a final decision.

The New Pearl Jam Single
Here’s another new single for ya! This one is from Pearl Jam’s forthcoming release, Backspacer. The Fixer is the name of their first single, and in typical Pearl Jam fashion, this song doesn’t hit me right away. It’s decent, but not exceptional. Most Pearl Jam songs and albums have affected me that way since Vitalogy. When I first heard Pearl Jam (their last album), I thought it was just OK. Now, after many, many listens, I think it’s one of the greatest albums ever. Click the link to hear the single and then give me your opinion.

Phish Too
All right, last new single for you. This is Phish’s Backwards Down The Number Line, and I can’t stop listening to it. It’s a catchy song, with a great hook, and the total Phish vibe to it. I absolutely love it and hope you will too.

Worst Album Covers Ever
And finally, to end with something completely different, we have this little gem. The worst album covers ever, complete with commentary. Some of the comments got a chuckle, but others got me to laugh out loud, one in particular, for a long time. I always loved sarcasm. Enjoy!

Comments are open. Feel free to post some.