Happy Birthday JIM KERR (video)

#jimkerr #simpleminds #rockfile

James "Jim" Kerr (born 9 July 1959) is a Scottish musician and singer-songwriter, best known for his work with the band Simple Minds who achieved five UK No. 1 albums and a No. 1 single "Ballad of the Streets EP". He released his first solo album, Lostboy! AKA Jim Kerr, on 27 May 2010.

Born in Toryglen, Glasgow to Irish parents, Kerr attended Holyrood R.C. Secondary School there. In 1977, he was one of the founding members of the 6-piece punk rock band Johnny and the Self Abusers. Calling himself Pripton Weird, he played keyboards and shared vocals with John Milarky. Allan McNeill was also involved with the band, and went on to be the manager of the Pop band Hue and Cry. The band lasted 8 months, during which time Kerr emerged as one of the main songwriters. In November 1977 they changed their name to Simple Minds, quickly reduced to 4 members, then increased to 5, then 6, then back to 5 before a period of stability ensued.

He continues to record and tour with Simple Minds, who released their latest album Graffiti Soul in May 2009. He currently lives in Taormina, Sicily, where he runs a hotel, Villa Angela.

source: wikipedia

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Happy Birthday DANNY ELFMAN (video)

#dannyelfman #oingoboingo #rockfile

Daniel Robert "Danny" Elfman (born May 29, 1953) is an American composer, record producer, and actor. He is known as the lead singer and songwriter for the rock band Oingo Boingo, from 1976 to 1995 and later for scoring music for television and film and creating The Simpsons main title theme as well as the 1989 Batman movie theme. He has scored the majority of his long-time friend Tim Burton's movies.

Elfman re-entered the film industry in 1976, initially as an actor. He made his film scoring debut in 1980 for the film Forbidden Zone directed by his older brother Richard Elfman. He has since been nominated for four Academy Awards and won a Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Composition Written for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media for Tim Burton's Batman and an Emmy Award for his Desperate Housewives theme. Elfman was honored with the Richard Kirk Award at the 2002 BMI Film and TV Awards. The award is given annually to a composer who has made significant contributions to film and television music.

source: wikipedia

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BILLY SHEEHAN Interview (audio)

#billysheehan #thewinerydogs #rockfile

Last night (May 14, 2014), I had the privilege of spending time with a lifelong hero, Billy Sheehan. Considered one of the world's greatest bassists, his resume reads like rock royalty. (Partial discography below.)

Billy is currently touring the world with his new band, The Winery Dogs, which includes Richie Kotzen and Mike Portnoy. But, he has some other projects coming up, too, as you will find out in this interview:

My pictures from last night's show are HERE.

Visit Billy at BillySheehan.com

Visit The Winery Dogs: TheWineryDogs.com

Hear music from all of his bands (well, most) at RockfileRadio.com

Some of Billy's extensive work:

Talas

1979: Talas

1982: Sink Your Teeth Into That

1983: Live Speed On Ice (live album)

1990: Talas Years

1998: If We Only Knew Then What We Know Now

1998: Live In Buffalo

Thrasher

1985: Burning at the Speed of Light

Tony MacAlpine

1986: Edge of Insanity

KUNI

1986: MASQUE

David Lee Roth

1986: Eat 'Em and Smile

1988: Skyscraper

Greg Howe

1988: Greg Howe

Mr. Big

1989: Mr. Big

1991: Lean Into It

1993: Bump Ahead

1996: Hey Man

2000: Get Over It

2001: Actual Size

2011: What If...

Niacin

1996: Niacin

1997: Live

1998: High Bias

2000: Deep

2001: Time Crunch

2003: Live! Blood, Sweat & Beers

2005: Organik

2013: Krush (released April 2, 2013 on Prosthetic Records)

With Explorer's Club

1998: Age of Impact

Solo

2001: Compression

2005: Cosmic Troubadour

2006: Prime Cuts

2009: Holy Cow

Terry Bozzio and Billy Sheehan

2002: Nine Short Film

Richie Kotzen

1998: What Is...

2003: Change

2006: Ai Senshi Z×R

The Winery Dogs

2013: The Winery Dogs

Discography from wikipedia

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Happy Birthday DAVE GAHAN (video)

#davegahan #depechemode #rockfile

David "Dave" Gahan (born 9 May 1962) is an English singer-songwriter, best known as the baritone lead singer for the British electronic music band Depeche Mode since their debut in 1980. He is also an accomplished solo artist, releasing albums in 2003 (Paper Monsters) and 2007 (Hourglass). Though his bandmate Martin Gore continues to be the main Depeche Mode songwriter, Gahan has contributed a number of songs to the band's most recent albums, Playing the Angel (2005), Sounds of the Universe (2009) and Delta Machine (2013). Three of these songs were released as singles, including "Suffer Well" in 2006, "Hole to Feed" in 2009 and "Should Be Higher" in 2013. In 2012, he also contributed lyrics and sang lead vocals on the Soulsavers album The Light the Dead See. Q magazine ranked Gahan no. 73 on the list of the "100 Greatest Singers" and no. 27 on "The 100 Greatest Frontmen".

source: wikipedia

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Happy Birthday IAN MCCULLOCH (video)

#ianmcculloch #echoandthebunnymen #rockfile

Ian Stephen McCulloch (born 5 May 1959) is an English musician and singer-songwriter, born in Liverpool and best known as the frontman for the rock group Echo & the Bunnymen.

In October 1978 McCulloch founded Echo & the Bunnymen with Will Sergeant (guitar), Les Pattinson (bass), and a drum machine (allegedly named Echo), making their live début at Eric's in November that year. In October 1979 the Bunnymen exchanged the drum machine for Pete de Freitas on drums. With their line up solidified, the Bunnymen played in the late 1970s and early 1980s, culminating with the release of Ocean Rain in 1984. Shortly before the album was released, McCulloch described "Ocean Rain" as "the greatest album ever made". McCulloch later said: "When I sing 'The Killing Moon' I know there isn't a band in the world who's got a song anywhere near that."

In 1988, McCulloch left the group to pursue a solo career under the impression the Bunnymen would be laid to rest, if only temporarily. When the remaining Bunnymen continued using the name with new singer Noel Burke, the split became permanent with McCulloch referring to the band as "Echo & the Bogusmen".

In 1997, Echo & the Bunnymen reformed and released the album Evergreen to positive reviews and chart success. Evergreen made the Top 10 of the UK Albums Chart and the single Nothing Lasts Forever reached No. 8 on the UK Singles Chart. The reformed Bunnymen have since released four further albums, the most recent being The Fountain which was released in late 2009.

source: wikipedia

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