Category: Rock

Benny Mardones is certainly no stranger to Syracuse, N.Y. In fact, you could almost say that Syracuse is Benny’s adopted hometown. His popularity here is nothing short of phenomenal! He’s performed in just about every venue you could think of, including the Landmark Theatre, Longbranch Park, Le moyne Manor, Mac Arthur Stadium (now known as P and C Stadium), and the Turning Stone Casino. For those who don’t know, let’s review a little of Benny’s past. He was born in Cleveland Ohio, but spent a great deal of his time…

There aren’t many groups worth raving about lately, except if you’re talking about Detroit’s ” Alliance”. With a debut album out on Handshake Records titled ” Alliance”, these guys are definitely “hot”. We spoke with ” Alliance” lead guitarist Pat Hand. Q – Before you guys got this record deal, you were a Top 40 group in Detroit. Now, did you play the Holiday Inn, Sheraton Inn, Ramada Inn circuit? A – Well, actually, we weren’t that much of a laid-back group. We were playing the hipper nightclubs in Detroit.…

It was 20 years ago that the Doors first topped the charts with “Light My Fire.” That was the Summer of Love. Today, the Doors are as hot as ever. Elektral Asylum Records has just released “The Best of the Doors” (two-record set) and a six-song EP titled “Live At the Hollywood Bowl.” MCA Home Video has also released “The Doors ‘Live’ at the Hollywood Bowl.” The Doors have sold 12 million albums in the last 20 years, and most of those sales occurred long after the band stopped performing.…

One of the more unusual acts to surface in rock today, is a group from Long Island, called “Twisted Sister.” Recording for Atlantic Records, the group is out on tour in support of their album, “You Can’t Stop Rock ‘n Roll.” Making a stop over here in Syracuse at The Lost Horizon, we talked with lead singer Dee Snider and guitarist Jay Jay French. Q – Were you guys influenced by Alice Cooper at all? Dee – Cooper was a very strong influence, particularly on me as a songwriter and…

James Young, or “J.Y.” as he is sometimes called, has a new album out. It’s titled “City Slicker” (Absolute Records -distributed by Jem/Passport) and its J. Y.’s first solo album. For those who don’t know, James plays guitar for one of America’s most successful rock groups – ” Styx.” To date, ” Styx” has sold over 20 million records worldwide. Q – Are you in a position, financially speaking, where you’re well off, and don’t really need to engage in projects outside of ” Styx?” A – I’m in a…

Grand and Darby Slick began The Great Society at the start of the San Francisco music explosion in the summer of 1965. The group played dances at Longshoreman’s Hall, the Fillmore Auditorium, Mother’s, the Avalon Ballroom, and the Matrix. The Great Society never enjoyed any real success and disbanded in 1967. Their singer, Grace Slick, did go on to bigger and better things with Jefferson Airplane, which later became Jefferson Starship. As lead guitarist for The Great Society, Darby Slick was in a rare and unique position to observe one…

Together only two years, L.A. rockers “Ratt” are taking the world of metal by storm. With their own brand of “Ratt and Roll,” Ratt managed to sell over 50,000 copies of a debut EP. In Southern California, their name means big business at the box office, as they headline sold out shows at major venues, like the Santa Monica Civic and the Hollywood Palladium. Of course, it doesn’t hurt to have Milton Berle in your video and his nephew Marshall (former manager of Van Halen) as your manager. “Kerrang” Magazine,…

Fronted by the Wilson Sisters (Ann and Nancy), Heart has been a mainstay on the music scene, since the mid 70’s. They’ve toured the world, graced the covers of all the leading music magazines, and sold millions of records. While the Wilson Sisters always get the most attention, just as important to the group, is the musicians behind them. Howard Leese is one such musician. He plays lead guitar for “Heart.” Howard has been with the group from the very earliest of days. We spoke to Howard Leese about “Heart.”…