I'm a Bonus Feature, Baby: Cheap Trick's 'Sgt. Pepper Live' DVD hits stores

In December 2007, Cheap Trick, the power-popping pride of Rockford, Ill., holed up in NYC’s sparkly Waldorf-Astoria and re-created the Beatles’ 1967 template Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. Big3 Records, the St. Pete label, and Geoff Emerick, the original Pepper engineer, were both there to capture the 40th anniversary show for a DVD. Robin Zander & Co. were fabu; the sights were lush. But something was still missing. You know, something like a loud, hyper interview with all four bandmembers conducted by a spazzy music critic?

I got it! Let’s get Daly!

As a bonus feature on the new Sgt. Pepper Live DVD, which came out last week, you can hear me fire off such hard-hitting queries as “Do you remember the first time you heard Sgt. Pepper?” The paycheck was cool, and the guys were cooler — even though I went “off script” a few times, much to the chagrin of their manager. I don’t think it’s spilling any beans to say I chatted ’em up at Clearwater’s Ruth Eckerd Hall in November 2008. It took about two hours — the feature lasts 12 minutes. Thankfully, the “B roll” reaction shots of me (bad) acting interested, delighted, sweaty were destined for the cutting-room floor. The gents were exhausted from rehearsing for their local Pepper gig, plus bassist Tom Petersson and drummer  Bun E. Carlos had to record their answers TWICE. And yet, they still resisted stabbing me.

Oh, and one more thing: Cheap Trick will perform the Pepper’s tribute at the Las Vegas Hilton Sept. 13-23. (TICKETS) If they make a DVD out of that, too, they know where to find me.

The Hirsute Playlist: Songs about hair

As a former suburban dirtball and a current owner of far too many concert tees with skulls on them, I’m stoked about the weave of hairy rock bands coming to Tampa. The St. Pete Times Forum gets Judas Priest and Whitesnake Aug. 16, then Metallica Oct. 3. Poison, Def Leppard and Cheap Trick come to Ford Amphitheatre Aug. 14.

The way I see it, the amount of fun you have at a concert is directly proportional to the number of concertgoers who desperately need a haircut. Or, for that matter, a bath. Which means, of course, that the Poison brouhaha is going to be the greatest gig in the history of rock! So to celebrate hairy fun and hirsute fans, here’s a playlist to get us in the furry mood. Bang your coifs!

Get a Haircut (and Get a Real Job), George Thorogood
Bar-Ba-Sol, David Cook
Keep It Greasy, Frank Zappa
Pull Your Hair, R. Kelly
I Kissed a Blonde Girl, Lil Wayne
Razor, Foo Fighters
Apple Shampoo, blink-182
Red Headed Woman, Bruce Springsteen
The Curly Shuffle, Jump ’n the Saddle
I Think I’m Going Bald, Rush

From Cheap Trick's 'Latest' album, here's new song 'Sick Man of Europe'

The playfully spastic glam-poppers from Rockford, Ill., haven’t changed much over 15 albums — and that’s a good thing. The quartet’s innate Beatles buzz is even more enhanced on new album The Latest, especially since world-class singer (and Tampa Bay res) Robin Zander & mates have been focused on live re-creations of Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. (CT will play a series of Pepper gigs at the Las Vegas Hilton in September.)

As well as being available digitally, on CD and on vinyl, The Latest can also be had in 8-track form. How cool is that?! That’s a slick marketing ploy, but it makes some artistic sense. The 8-track was a clunky king in the ’60s and ’70s, and first single Sick Man of Europe has a reckless retro feel, multilayered harmonious edge. Zander’s voice hasn’t lost any of that high-reaching sex appeal, Rick Nielsen shreds aplenty and drummer Bun E. Carlos and bassist Tom Petersson can still drive a song hard and fast.

By the way, Cheap Trick rocks Ford Amphitheatre (with Def Leppard and Poison) on Aug. 14. (TICKETS)

Podcast! John Belushi was my guidance counselor (or: Why Chicago is stuck in the '80s)

Hey kids, the newest Stuck in the '80s podcast is up and running. It's loud, it's bawdy, it's co-ed! Cathy Wos has returned to talk about the music and movies of Chicago during that magical decade.

There were a ton of great '80s flicks based in the Windy City; John Hughes and the Belushi bros took care of that. My fave is '81's Continental Divide. If you've never seen it, get thee to Netflix. John B. plays Ernie Souchak, a hardscrabble Metro columnist at the Chicago Sun-Times. After getting roughed up by a shady politico ("Yablonowitz! YABLONOWITZ!"), Souchak is sent to the Rockies to do a fluff piece on "eagle freak" Nell Porter (Blair Brown). Rom-com hijinks ensue, and there's a unique, satisfying finish.

But more than that...the movie forever altered the life of an 11-year-old Massachusetts boy in ill-fitting Toughskins. Yesterday I told you how Rodney Dangerfield influenced my parenting. Today, I'm letting you know that John Belushi, the pride of Chi-Town, dictated my choice in vocation. And you know what? I wouldn't change my role models for anything. ENJOY THE SHOW!