Lynyrd Skynyrd was formed in Jacksonville, Florida in 1964 but was able to release their debut album only in 1973. They became one of the most influential bands from the 70s in the United States and tragically in 1977 the band's airplane crashed killing the band's vocalist Ronnie Van Zant and several other original members. In 1987 the band was activated with the surviving members Gary Rossington (Guitar), Leon Wilkeson (Bass), Artimus Pyle (Drums) and Billy Powell (Keyboards). They were accompanied by the guitarist Ed King and the singer Johnny Van Zant, who is Ronnie's younger brother. The group continued active during the next decades with Rossington being the only constant original member in the line-up. Although the musician passed away in 2023, the band announced the decision to continue without original or classic members. So obviously, there is a lot of criticism of many fans who said they are just a tribute band nowadays. In an interview with Gary Stuckey (Transcribed by Blabbermouth), the guitarist Rickey Medlocke gave his point of view about that and explained why he believes they are not a tribute band. Medlocke was a member of Skynyrd from 1971 to 1972 (Playing the drums) and returned to the line-up in 1996 as a guitarist. Rickey Medlocke explained why Lynyrd Skynyrd is not a tribute band Medlock who also was a famous member of the band Blackfoot, said: "We hear a lot of, 'Oh, it's nothing but a tribute band.' Well, they even said that when Gary was still alive. But here's the way I look at it. You've got the original singer's youngest brother (Johnny) who has been in there for almost 37 years. You've got me." "That's my second go-round with the band, and I was in the original group, the formidable group. And you had Gary, an original founding member. Well, to us, us three guys standing up front, we were, like, 'No, no, no, no, no, no.'" He continued: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3nBrV79KE6g&pp=ygUdbHlueXJkIHNreW55cmQgZnJlZSBiaXJkIDIwMjQ%3D "A tribute band is a band of all strangers that love to play cover songs and decide one day they're gonna be a Lynyrd Skynyrd tribute band. There's a ton of 'em on YouTube. When you come to see Lynyrd Skynyrd, when you come to see us. It's full-on tilt original-sounding, as close as you could ever possibly get." "So the people sitting there behind their little computer keyboards and talking shit, they can talk that shit all they want to. My word is if you can do better than me, step up. You know what I mean? Come on. Come on with it. Because Johnny and I right now promised Gary. Gary made us promise that we would never, ever let the integrity of the band and the music history of the band, never let it be forgotten." "Just all of a sudden, he's gone, the band's gone, and you might hear it on the radio every once in a while. Or people get together for a barbecue and they play the music or whatever. We got so many corresponding comments, letters, notes, e-mails, text messages. The one deciding factor was, 'Please, don't let this be the end of it.' Well, okay," Rickey Medlocke said. The band has many scheduled tour dates in 2024. They even will tour with ZZ Top across the United States.The post Rickey Medlocke explains why Lynyrd Skynyrd is not a tribute band appeared first on Rock And Roll Garage.

Skid Row was formed in 1986 and their classic line-up featuring the vocalist Sebastian Bach stayed together until 1996 when he left the group. Three years later, in 1999, the band was reactivated without him and continued with many other vocalists. Meanwhile Bach built his solo career and released many solo albums. Over the decades the rumors about a possible reunion always appeared but now the vocalist told Eddie Trunk (Transcribed by Blabbermouth) in an interview that there is a good chance that they will reunite. Sebastian Bach said about the possible Skid Row reunion "I found out something at the very last Kiss show that I did not know before the very last Kiss show. And it's a major piece of miscommunication. I need to communicate with (Skid Row) because there's been something that happened that is not accurate." "I can't tell you what it is, but the whole narrative of they don't like me and I'm too crazy is complete bullshit. It's not true. There's been attempts to get us going again.” "I can just tell the world that there's a good chance that'll happen. Because there's no fucking reason not to. Because right now why it hasn't happened is a miscommunication. That's all I can say. There's a miscommunication." "I need to write a thoughtful e-mail clearing up a miscommunication. But I have to make sure it's the perfect fucking e-mail and I don't say anything wrong or make any jokes. I just don't have the energy to do that right now, but I know I need to do that. I've just got a lot on my plate right now," Sebastian Bach said. Skid Row's current line-up has Dave "The Snake" Sabo (Guitar, vocals - Since 1986), Rachel Bolan (Bass - Since 1986), Scotti Hill (Guitar - Since 1987) and Rob Hammersmith (Drums - Since 2010). In 2024 Halestorm's Lzzy Hale will be the band's touring vocalist. The band's most recent album is "The Gang's All Here" released in 2022. Bach is currently promoting his new solo record "Child Within the Man" (2024). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UUchLuszd8w&pp=ygUTc2ViYXN0aWFuIGJhY2ggMjAyNA%3D%3DThe post Sebastian Bach says there is a good chance that Skid Row will reunite appeared first on Rock And Roll Garage.

Formed in London, England in 1963, The Kinks are one of the most important bands of all time, which were fundamental especially in the 60s during the so-called "British Invasion". Famously led by the brothers Ray Davies and Dave Davies, the band had five top 10 singles on the United States Billboard hot 100 and sold an estimated amount of more than 50 million records worldwide. But those numbers really don't represent the impact of the inspiration they were to other artists. Over the years many famous musicians listed The Kinks and Ray Davies' songwriting as a huge influence and some of them were Pete Townshend and David Gilmour. They were covered by other artists multiple times over the decades and in an interview with Jools Holland (Transcribed by Rock and Roll Garage), Ray Davies revealed which are some of his favorite versions of his songs. The 2 covers of The Kinks songs that Ray Davies said he likes Van Halen "You Really Got Me" (1978) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9X6e7uctAww&pp=ygUdVmFuIEhhbGVuICJZb3UgUmVhbGx5IEdvdCBNZSI%3D "'You Really Got Me' started Van Halen's career for better or worse. So it's people who bring something of their own to it. I think that shows that writing can be definitive but leave enough space for interpretation," Ray Davies said. Although Van Halen's debut album had many other famous songs like "Eruption", "Runnin' With The Devil" and "Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love", their Kinks cover really was a big hit. Curiously, as Ray Davies recalled in an interview with Classic Rock in 2010, there were people who would approach them and ask why they were "covering a Van Halen song" in their concerts. So at the time, he showed that he actually had mixed emotions toward that version. “Van Halen’s version was very Middle America. It was like, ‘Hey man, look at me with my tight trousers! Here’s our version of ‘You Really Got Me’!’ There’s the thing: good art isn’t always about having the comfiest technique. I shouldn’t encourage him. But I’m sure Eddie Van Halen played better when he was drunk. But it must be a good record if people like it.” He continued: “We got pissed off though, when we played America. The Kinks had an album out called ‘Low Budget’ (1979). We ended up touring and playing stadiums. Some kid came up to me after one of the gigs. (He) said: ‘I like your cover of Van Halen’s ‘You Really Got Me.’ You have to smile sometimes,” Ray Davies said. The Pretenders "Stop Your Sobbing" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQWk7l8Su2U&pp=ygUiVGhlIFByZXRlbmRlcnMgIlN0b3AgWW91ciBTb2JiaW5nIg%3D%3D "I like The Pretenders 'Stop Your Sobbing', that was great," Ray Davies said. Written by Ray Davies, the track was first featured on The Kinks self-titled debut studio album released in 1964. Then it was covered by The Pretenders 15 years later on their self-titled debut record released in 1979. Davies and the band's guitarist/vocalist Chrissie Hynde curiously dated each other in the early 80s. In an interview featured on the 2015 album "Jive in UK" (Transcribed by Rock and Roll Garage), Davies praised the track too. "I like the Pretenders version of it. I was living with the singer at the time. (So) I heard the backtrack and I think it was hard to make comments on it. It was a girl singing, by the way. (...) It wasn't her version, it was the guitarist Jim Scott, who was a big influence to the band, was involved in a lot of the arrangements in that band. It's good to do a cover and put something of your own in it. That was a nice cover," Ray Davies said. Besides that cover, the album had other famous tracks like "Precious", "Kid", "Private Life" and "Brass In Pocket". At the time the band was formed by Chrissie Hynde, Martin Chambers, Pete Farndon and James Honeyman-Scott. Bonus During the interview with Jools Holland the songwriter Ray Davies did mention another cover. "I like them all. There's a great version by a French singer of 'I'm Not Like Everybody Else' (which appeared) a few years ago in a movie, a Tim Burton movie. I like the covers that bring some of their own to it rather than just copy it," Ray Davies said. But we really couldn't find anything that shows that a version for that song was really featured in a Tim Burton movie neither we were able to find a French version for that song.The post The 2 covers of The Kinks songs that Ray Davies said he likes appeared first on Rock And Roll Garage.

Dozens of protesters from Tzav 9, a far-right Israeli extremist group, vandalized several humanitarian aid trucks bound for Gaza in the southern West Bank on Monday, according to local reports and videos circulating on social media. The incident, which unfolded near the Tarqumiya checkpoint near the occupied city of Hebron, was captured in multiple social media videos and later verified by Israeli reporter Hod Barel of Tel Aviv-based GLZ Radio, one of the country's largest stations. The...

An Army officer assigned to the Defense Intelligence Agency has resigned in protest over the United States’s continued military support for Israel. Maj. Harrison Mann said he resigned from the DIA over the “nearly unqualified [U.S.] support” for Israel, “which has enabled and empowered the killing and starvation of tens of thousands of innocent Palestinians [in Gaza].”  “The past months have presented us with the most horrific and heartbreaking images imaginable — sometimes playing...

New Jersey senator Rob Menendez is to launch a “Finding Your Roots” defense in his federal corruption trial — claiming his Cuban heritage has given him PTSD. The indicted Democrat will claim he suffers from “intergenerational post-traumatic stress disorder” thanks to his parents’ experience in Cuba before he was even born, federal court papers say. The claim will form a key part of his defense once a jury is sworn in at Manhattan federal court, where jury selection began Monday.

President Joe Biden has imposed a “de facto arms embargo” against Israel, Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR) said on Sunday, offering his latest reaction to the commander-in-chief suggesting the United States could halt weapons going to a close ally. Cotton, who has called for Biden to get impeached over the threat to Israel if it launches a full-scale ground operation in the southern Gaza city of Rafah, expounded on his criticism of the president during an interview on CBS News. During a CNN town...