Author Archives: Bob Ruggiero
Michael McDonald and the Sound of His Voice
Note: This interview was conducted some months prior to the recent announcements of the Doobie Brothers being inducted into the 2020 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and their upcoming 50th anniversary tour and reunion with Michael McDonald. On “Hail … Continue reading
Tom Johnston & His Brothers Doobie Revisit Their Classics
Note: This interview was conducted some months prior to the recent announcements of the Doobies making the ballot for the 2020 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and their upcooming 50th anniversary tour and reunion with Michael McDonald. When most … Continue reading
Nils Lofgren Talks Solo Record and Time with Lou, Bruce, and Neil
Even in terms of rock and roll pairings, they seemed like a truly odd couple of musical collaborators. But more than 40 years ago, singer/guitarists Lou Reed and Nils Lofgren worked on a baker’s dozen of tunes, and nearly half … Continue reading
Boz Scaggs’s Got the Blues…But That’s Good!
On the surface, actor Matthew McConaughey, writer Stephen Harrigan, photographer Mark Seliger, actress Jennifer Holliday, and musician Boz Scaggs may not have a lot in common. But as of this year, they’ve all got the same thing to display in … Continue reading
Robin Wilson of the Gin Blossoms Talks His “Miserable” Legacy
To certain musically-inclined Gen Xers, one of the most formative and beloved albums of the early ‘90s was New Miserable Experience, the second studio effort that became the breakthrough album for the Gin Blossoms. The Tempe, Arizona-based alt-pop-rockers spawned four … Continue reading
Funk Brother Dennis Coffey’s Scorpio Rises Again
It sounded like the greatest theme song to a gritty ‘70s cops-and-drugs movie that never came out. But in 1971, guitarist Dennis Coffey’s funky, rocking, slashing instrumental “Scorpio” was a million seller, hitting #6 on the Top 40. And it’s … Continue reading
Dave Mason’s Rock ‘n Soul Revue
In his decades-long career, Dave Mason has been a lot of things. Founding member of the seminal band Traffic (which punched his ticket into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame), hit-producing solo artist in the ‘70s, and collaborator and … Continue reading
Another Sip of the Lovin’ Spoonful with Steve Boone
It was the evening of August 26, 1966. In the bowels of New York’s Shea Stadium – though only they knew it – the Beatles were preparing for what would likely be one of their final concerts in front of … Continue reading
Gary Lewis is the Real King of the Playboys
It’s fairly unusual for a band to hit #1 on the charts with their very first single – and especially considering they had never even gone on a tour before. But that’s exactly what happened in February 1965 when the … Continue reading
