Hurricane Sandy benefit confirmed for Madison Square Garden

The biggest concert venue in New York City has thrown its weight behind New York City biggest cause.

Madison Square Garden will host 12-12-12, a benefit concert for hurricane relief, on Dec. 12. No artists have been announced for the show yet, but promoters are promising to release the lineup soon.

12-12-12: A Concert for Sandy Relief is being organized by the same team that put together the Concert for New York City, the Oct. 20, 2001 charity show held in response to the 9/11 attacks. It is reasonable to assume that 12-12-12 will be a similarly star-driven event. The Concert for New York City drew many established names to the Garden, including the Who, Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, Jay-Z, Billy Joel, Bon Jovi, and Destiny's Child. Notably (and probably not coincidentally) both the Who and the Rolling Stones have concerts in the New York metropolitan area that week.

Tickets for the show — which are not available yet — will be sold to create a pool of money that will be administered by the Robin Hood Relief Fund, the active arm of the Robin Hood Foundation. Formed in 1988 by a team of corporate executives drawn mostly from the financial services industry, the Robin Hood Foundation has contributed to hundreds of New York City nonprofits over the past three decades. The foundation's Relief Fund was established in the wake of the 9/11 attacks, and has once again become active in the wake of the storm. The Fund promises that 100 per cent of the money raised by the concert will go directly to hurricane relief.

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As the lineup comes together and gets announced, I'll get it posted here.

! Hath

Richie on TMZ

(11/6/2012)

Richie talks about being a Mama's Boy :) and a Dad. He also talks about his mother's house in Point Pleasant and Ava's new movie, as well as his music stuff.



~ Hath

Stand Up Guys - Sountrack Preview

Thanks, Kiwi, for this!!

01. Hard Times - Baby Huey & The Baby Sitters 0:00-0:30
02. Old Habits Die Hard - Jon Bon Jovi 0:30-1:00
03. Bright Lights - Gary Clark Jr. 1:00-1:30
04. Not Running Anymore - Jon Bon Jovi 1:30-2:00
05. Get Down With It - Wayne Cochran 2:00-2:30
06. How Long - Charles Bradley featuring Menahan Street Band 2:30-3:00
07. Fooled Around and Fell In Love - Elvin Bishop 3:00-3:30
08. Stand Up Guys -- Lyle Workman 3:30-4:00
09. Give It Back - Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings 4:00-4:30
10. (I'm Your) Hoochie Coochie Man - Muddy Waters 4:30-5:00
11. When Something Is Wrong With My Baby - Sam and Dave 5:00-5:30
12. I Was Painting You -- Lyle Workman 5:30-6:00
13. Love From Above - Leroy Reynolds 6:00-6:30
14. Sock It To 'Em JB (Pt. 1) - Rex Garvin and The Mighty Cravers 6:30-7:00
15. Chew Gum Or Kick Ass -- Lyle Workman 7:00-7:30

~ Hath

One of the True 'Stand Up Guys'

From The Hollywood Reporter
(Scott Feinberg)

Not many musicians have stood before audiences of tens -- sometimes hundreds -- of thousands of people and heard words that they had written recited back to them by heart. Not many have inspired hundreds of cover bands, drunken karaoke exhibitions, and the undying affection of an entire state (amongst many others). And not many have had the same wife, same band, and same record deal, or sustained their popularity, relevance, and output, for 30-plus years. Suffice it to say, Jon Bon Jovi is not like many other musicians. Recently, I had the opportunity to pick Bon Jovi's brain over dinner following the Chicago International Film Festival world premiere screening of Stand-Up Guys -- the first film for which he has composed original songs in 22 years -- and then again the following morning during an exclusive 35-minute on-camera interview.

Not many people remember this, but 22 years ago Bon Jovi -- the man, not the band -- wrote the song "Blaze of Glory" specifically for the 1990 western Young Guns II. The song was part of his first solo album (of the same title), and it became a phenomenal success, placing #1 on the Billboard charts, winning the best original song Golden Globe, and earning a nomination for the best original song Oscar. It lost at the Academy Awards to Stephen Sondheim's "Sooner or Later (I Always Get My Man)" from the film Dick Tracy.

In the time since, Bon Jovi has done only one other solo project, largely because he has been so busy with his band. But, during his "streak of writing" over the past year-plus, it occurred to him that he might attempt another if the right project came along. He recalls, "I called my manager and I said, 'I'd forgotten, but a long time ago I wrote this movie soundtrack. Do you have any great scripts out there?' And he mentioned one called Stand Up Guys, and he said that it hadn't begun shooting yet, but they had high hopes for the picture [which recounts the story of several former partners in crime -- played by Pacino, Walken, and Arkin -- who reunite for one last night together years later], and he thought that, thematically, it was something that would like an original song and that I could feel comfortable writing. And so he sent it to me. That was a Monday that I called him. I received the script on a Tuesday. Wednesday I wrote it [the end-title song 'Old Habits Die Hard']. And Thursday he had it to play for the director Fisher Stevens and for [producer] Tom Rosenberg -- I sung it into my iPhone on my acoustic guitar." Stevens and Rosenberg, who were still over a month-and-a-half away from commencing production on the film, were ecstatic.

The article's a great read. You can read the whole thing here.

~ Hath

Hurricane Sandy ~ Bergman for Charity

Photographer David Bergman is donating his profit from the sale of these images to the American Red Cross for Sandy relief efforts in New York and New Jersey. Photographed on November 2, 2012 backstage during the NBC telethon "Hurricane Sandy: Coming Together."

11x14 matte print ~ $100.00
20x30 matte print ~ $300.00

You can see the available images here.

~ Hath

Jon on Katie Couric

Jon was on Katie Couric Monday (11/5).

Jon Bon Jovi cut his European tour short when he heard the news about Hurricane Sandy’s devastating impact. The New Jersey native rushed back to his home state and rolled up his sleeves to help those who needed it most.

 A Jersey boy at heart, Jon Bon Jovi spent his summers on the beaches of the Jersey Shore, an area hit hard by Sandy. The rocker talks to Katie about the destruction there and what it will take to rebuild.

After the show, Jon went to the "Katie" Green Room to meet and console the other guests who were victimized by Sandy.

 

 There are other heart-breaking and heart-warming stories -- definitely have the Kleenex on hand. You can watch those here.

  

  

  

Hurricane Sandy ~ Coming Together

As everyone knows, Jon was a big part of the Coming Together benefit that raised nearly 23 million dollars for the Red Cross.

Friday's hour-long telethon included performances by artists native to the areas hardest-hit by Sandy, including New Jersey natives Bruce Springsteen and Jon Bon Jovi and Billy Joel of New York's Long Island. Others who took part in the special included Sting, Christina Aguilera, Mary J. Blige, Tina Fey and Jon Stewart.

New Jersey's Jon Bon Jovi gave extra meaning to "Who Says You Can't Go Home." Billy Joel worked in a reference to Staten Island, the devastated New York City borough. The hourlong event, hosted by Matt Lauer, was heavy on stars and lyrics identified with New Jersey and the New York metropolitan area, which took the brunt of this week's deadly storm. The telethon was a mix of music, storm footage and calls for donations from Jon Stewart, Tina Fey, Whoopi Goldberg and others.

The mood was somber but hopeful, from Christina Aguilera's "Beautiful" to Bon Jovi's "Livin' on a Prayer" and a tearful Mary J. Blige's "The Living Proof," her ballad of resilience with the timely declaration that "the worst is over/I can start living now." Joel rocked out with "Miami 2017 (Seen the Lights Go Out on Broadway)," a song born from crisis, New York City's near bankruptcy in the 1970s, while Jimmy Fallon endured a faulty microphone and gamely led an all-star performance of the Drifters' "Under the Boardwalk" that featured Joel, Bruce Springsteen and Steven Tyler. The Aerosmith frontman then sat behind a piano and gave his all on a strained but deeply emotional "Dream On." Sting was equally passionate during an acoustic, muscular version of The Police hit "Message In a Bottle" and its promise to "send an SOS to the world."

The show ended, as it only could, with Springsteen and the E Street Band, tearing into "Land Of Hope and Dreams."

"God bless New York," Springsteen, New Jersey's ageless native son, said in conclusion. "God bless the Jersey shore."

source

As the NorthEast gets hammered again by frigid temperatures, snow, and rain, more than 60,000 households who just regained power have lost it again.  The pros from NYC's New York Cares, Red Cross, and The Salvation Army have put together some tips for what to do and what not to do when volunteering and donating.

As Jon said, "cash is King" -- money is the best donation you can make.

Hurricane Sandy Benefit / Coming Together / November 2, 2012

Set List:

1. Beautiful (Christina Aguilera)
2. Who Says / Living on a Prayer (Jon Bon Jovi)
3. Miami 2017 (Seen the Lights Go Out on Broadway) Billy Joel
4. Under the Boardwalk (Jimmy Fallon, Steven Tyler, Billy Joel, Bruce Springsteen, others) 
5. Dream On (Steven Tyler, Joe Perry and Brad Whitford)
6. Message in a Bottle (Sting)
7. The Living Proof (Mary J. Blige)
8. Land of Hope and Dreams (Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band)

  

Before the event, Jon visited Sayreville,

and was snapped leaving Serafina restaurant on the Upper East Side.

  

  

  

  

~ Hath

Soraia: WMMR's Spotlight Artist of the Month

Soraia is the November Spotlight Artist of the Month at WMMR Radio! Visit MMR's website and stream five songs from their upcoming album. Then be sure to go to Soraia's Facebook Page to let them know what you think!

Join the Soraia Following:
Official site: www.soraia.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/soraia.music
Twitter: @Soraiarocks
GaragePunkHideout: http://garagepunk.ning.com/profile/Soraia
Reverbnation: http://www.reverbnation.com/soraia

Upcoming Shows:

• November 15th at 10:30pm - Rebel Rock Bar
• November 23rd at 10pm - Upstairs @ Club Risque (South Philly)
• November 30th at 8pm - Bus Stop Music Cafe (Pitman, NJ)

Cheap Seats

(October 30, 2012)

Bon Jovi have looked to assist cash-strapped fan by offering them cut-price tickets to their concerts during their 2013 Because We Can world tour.

These gigs will showcase the latest tracks from the band’s newest album, What About Now, which is set to be released in spring 2013. Bon Jovi’s request to devaluate his performances comes after fans had to spend between $160 and $640 to watch The Rolling Stones for their 50th anniversary dates at London’s O2 Arena.

Rob Hallet, Bon Jovi’s UK tour promotor said,”I was delighted when they came to me insisting on ticket prices for the Because We Can Tour next year that enabled all to attend.”

“If we are to survive as an industry we need to move away from the elitist image of high prices and even higher secondary prices. After all rock and roll always was and always should be the music of the people and that means everyone.”

Sources close to the band also echoed these sentiments stating, “We are in the middle of a recession and that’s why the band £12.50 is perfect.”

Bon Jovi in their various incarnations have now been playing for 30 years at over 2,700 concerts in 50 different countries with 35 million people paying to watch their shows.

The Rolling Stones decision to charge over $160 just for the cheapest seat to their 2012 tour has caused uproar throughout the industry amongst fans and promoters alike. Fox News declared it “The most overpriced gig ever” whilst fans also found them priced out of the concert as the only tickets left available to purchase were in the hundreds and hundreds.

source

~ Hath

From Pain to Slane

(October 31, 2012)

From pain to Slane, how Irish doctors helped Jon Bon Jovi keep on rocking

ROCK star Jon Bon Jovi has thanked Irish doctors for career-saving surgery that kept his million-selling rock band on the road.

The 50-year-old landed by helicopter at Slane Castle to announce a monster concert next June 15, when he will play to 80,000 fans.

However, Bon Jovi, real name John Francis Bongiovi Jr, said the high point of the Because We Can world tour would not be going ahead had Irish surgeons not operated on him last year.

The singer was performing in a brace with a locked knee when he suffered the injury during a date in Finland on their world tour last year.

"A doctor in Helsinki told me: 'That's it. The tour is over'. I was devastated; I didn't want to cancel all those dates. So I rang my doctor in New York for a second opinion and he advised me the best surgeons for this sort of surgery were in Ireland, which was great as our next date was in Dublin."

Consultant orthopedic surgeon Ray Moran at the Sports Surgery Clinic in Santry, north Dublin, was chosen to operate on the rock star and successfully repaired the damage.

The operation took place after Bon Jovi played two sell-out concerts at the RDS. "I had a lot of pain but that ended the afternoon I had my surgery.

"The surgeon really put my wheels backs on. I had a week off to recover before we started the tour again and my knee has been perfect ever since."

Mr Moran, a brother of football great Kevin Moran, was delighted with the rock singer's comments.

"Jon was the perfect patient. I remember the first thing he said to me when we met: 'I'm playing in Athens in eight days.'

"But we got the job done, and its very kind of Jon to thank us again now."

The surgeon hopes he will be able to attend Bon Jovi's concert next year.

Another Irish figure to whom the frontman owes a debt is Crumlin man Phil Lynott of Thin Lizzy.

Bon Jovi credits Lynott with being a huge influence on his hugely successful brand of stadium rock.

"Our whole electric guitar cowboy theme came from Thin Lizzy. We got away with it because Phil and Thin Lizzy really aren't that well known in America and only had one Top 10 hit."

He said his band may play a Thin Lizzy cover in tribute on the site the Irish band played August 1981, the very first Slane.

Slane owner Henry Mountcharles saluted the live appeal of Bon Jovi, describing them as "one of the most successful touring acts in rock'n'roll history" having sold 130 million albums since forming in 1983.

The rocking aristocrat was later presented with an acoustic guitar by Bon Jovi before the pair celebrated the announcement of their big date with a pint in local Slane pub Cassidy's, which opened early for the occasion.

Tickets are priced from €79.50 inclusive of booking fee and will go on sale at 8am on Thursday, November 8, from Ticketmaster.


source

~ Hath

Richie Sambora on Les Paul

(October 8, 2012)

From Gibson.com:

From June, 1995
Photo by Larry Busacca© WireImage.com

Twenty-three years ago, a feature article in Guitar World began with these words: “On a humid New Jersey night in early July, Bon Jovi’s Richie Sambora sat on an empty dock on the Manasquan River chatting with guitar legend Les Paul. It was well after midnight, and while a party was in full swing just a hundred yards away, Sambora and Paul were left to themselves as they talked about music, the industry and guitars.”

That night marked the beginning of an extraordinary friendship, a near father-son relationship between Paul and Sambora that continued to deepen right up until Paul’s death in 2009. In the following interview, the Bon Jovi guitarist talks about what he learned from Paul, and how much the legendary innovator meant to him. The chat concludes with a question about Sambora’s remarkable new album, Aftermath of the Lowdown, and the latest news about Bon Jovi.

Was Les Paul the same in private as he was in public?

To me he seemed the same, yes. I happened to have an extremely close relationship with Les. We talked all the time, from the time I met him in 1988. A dear friend of mine brought Les over to my house, as a surprise, for a birthday party I was having. Les brought this beautiful white Les Paul guitar for me as a gift, that evening. We became fast friends that day, and that friendship never stopped.

Did you play together often, privately and in public?

I jammed with him everywhere from Fat Tuesday’s to The Iridium, in New York, many times. And of course I spent lots of time at his house. Russ, his son, said Les looked at me more as a family member than as a peer. Oftentimes, whenever we spoke on the phone, the last thing we would talk about was music. We would talk for hours. It was an amazing relationship. He asked me to induct him into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, and we played together that night. We remained very close right up to his death.

What sort of advice did he give you, about music or other matters?

His life was a model. It was almost a fatherly role. We did talk a lot about business. A lot of the advice he gave me was business advice, and a lot was about staying young, staying creative. That was the essence of his life. He stressed the importance of always keeping busy, of having things to do, and keeping your mind flexible and nimble. Of course he also stressed the importance of continuing to play. The guy played those Monday night shows until he was 93.

You can read the rest of the interview here.

~ Hath

Get Out And Vote!

If you're in the US, you know today is election day. Take part in democracy. Get out and vote.

Then rejoice in the knowledge that all those political commercials will be OFF the radio and television.

Seriously, I get it. Every candidate is terrible, every one of them lies, but they're all awesome and will do great things for the country.  The commercials are useless, in my opinion, and I for one will be glad to see them go.

~ Hath

Richie on FaceCulture

From September 10, 2012.

Video interview with Richie Sambora. FaceCulture spoke to the Bon Jovi guitarist about his third solo album Aftermath Of The Lowdown, personal albums, Bon Jovi, creative freedom, a new start in his personal life, letting things go, connecting with people, the business side of music, releasing the album by a independent record label, his earlier albums, feeling 16 again and more.











~ Hath

Resplendent Randomness: Barefoot