Author Archives: Bob Ruggiero

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About Bob Ruggiero

I am a passionate fan of classic rock (and related music) with 35 years experience writing about it for daily/weekly newspapers and magazines. I am also the author of the interview anthology "The Classic Rock Bob Reader" and "Slippin' Out of Darkness: The Story of WAR." Both available on Amazon!

Hendrix: A Voodoo Child’s Not-So-Slight Return

Posted on March 16, 2023 by Bob Ruggiero

There are a lot of estate organizers, trusts and conglomerations that look after the posthumous interests and product of rock stars. But Experience Hendrix, LLC, is the gold standard in terms of how it should be done, for the artist … Continue reading →

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The Hard Road and Hot Music of Sly Stone

Posted on March 13, 2023 by Bob Ruggiero

Maybe things started to get out of hand when the cocaine magically appeared on every possible spare bathroom countertop or mirror. Or when the huge amounts of cash arrived in suitcases. Or when the heavy dudes with gangster vibes and … Continue reading →

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Reelin’ in the Years (and Peeling Back the Layers) of Steely Dan’s Donald Fagen

Posted on March 3, 2023 by Bob Ruggiero

By picking Donald Fagen as the subject of a biography, Peter Jones certainly didn’t make things easy on himself. The Steely Dan co-founder has long been wary of the press and gave relatively few interviews during the band’s prime. And … Continue reading →

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Toto’s David Paich is a Boy with His Toys

Posted on February 25, 2023 by Bob Ruggiero

In this new era of Zoom journalism interviews, it’s sometimes jarring to be instantly face-to-face (albeit via computer) with a live musician who for decades you’ve only seen on stage, in videos, or photographs. But there’s Toto’s co-founding singer/keyboardist/songwriter David … Continue reading →

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Rick Springfield Leads Tour of “Wall to Wall Hits”

Posted on February 9, 2023 by Bob Ruggiero

Note: This interview was done for the Rick Springfield-Men at Work-John Waite tour from 2022. It’s a myth-busting notion that, outside of the 90 minutes or so they’re onstage performing, the reality of a successful touring rock musician is often … Continue reading →

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REO Speedwagon’s Bruce Hall Talks Licks and Links

Posted on January 26, 2023 by Bob Ruggiero

Note: This interview was done in conjunction with the band’s summer 2022 tour. When we recently spoke with Ricky Phillips of Styx, the bass player told us that he and his fellow four-string thumpers and the current Live and Unzoomed … Continue reading →

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Stephen Bishop’s Separate Lives Come Together in Autobiography

Posted on January 21, 2023 by Bob Ruggiero

In those long-ago pre-online days before TikTok, YouTube, or Bandcamp, if an aspiring songwriter wanted to get their work out there for more established artists to possibly record, he or she would cut a demo tape that would hopefully be … Continue reading →

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Heart by Heart: Of Magic Men and Barracudas

Posted on December 27, 2022 by Bob Ruggiero

Asked to name any members of the band Heart, most casual listeners would be able to mentally cough up sisters Ann and Nancy Wilson. After all, the vocalist and guitarist/vocalist have been the “faces” and most photographed of the group … Continue reading →

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Kenny Loggins is Still Alright

Posted on December 22, 2022 by Bob Ruggiero

Tom Cruise and Kenny Loggins are forever intertwined in pop culture by the 1986 high-flying action flick Top Gun. The actor as the star and driving onscreen force, and the musician for his hard-edged performance of the film’s theme song, … Continue reading →

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A Fab Five Pay Tribute to Beatles on Hits-Laden Tour

Posted on December 8, 2022 by Bob Ruggiero

Note: This article originally appeared in May 2022. This tour is no longer ongoing. Glancing at his jam-packed concert schedule for 2022, it’s easy to assume that Todd Rundgren is looking to make up for stage time lost to the … Continue reading →

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