by Dave “The Flash” Grove
 Hello again! Thanks for taking the time to flip through the pages of Midwest BEAT, and for dropping by to see what’s new in the way of albums this month. Summer is here, and so are some great new releases. Let’s get to it…
JUNE 1... To lead off the month of June, I’d like to mention an album that has something that this column usually lacks. Class. Dino: The Essential Dean Martin is a career-spanning retrospective of the late Rat Pack legend. The album features 30 chart topping hits from “the king of cool” that should be a staple in music collections of young and old alike… Blues-great James Cotton returns with a fantastic new effort, Baby, Don’t You Tear My Clothes… Katey Sagal, star of TV’s “Married With Children” and “8 Simple Rules”, will flaunt her vocal abilities on a new record called Room this month. The album features the talents of Don Was and Ivan Neville as well… There are also two tributes worth mentioning that pay homage to Black Sabbath, as well as recent Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee, Bob Segar… To finish things off for the first Tuesday of the month, Hollywood Rose, which if you remember features the likes of Axl Rose, Izzy Stradlin and Tracii Guns, will have material surface for the first time in nearly 20 years on, The Roots of Guns ‘N Roses. JUNE 8... With a tour in full swing, and loads of media hype behind it, the much-anticipated release from Velvet Revolver –– Contraband, –– will arrive on June 8. The band features ex-Stone Temple Pilots frontman Scott Weiland, former Guns ‘N Roses members Slash, Duff McKagan and Matt Sorum, and ex-Suicidal Tendencies guitarist Dave Kusher. Funk-legend Bootsy Collins will unveil Play With Bootsy, featuring many special guests… .38 Special’s new one, Drive Train, ships today. Catch the world debut broadcast of a .38 song on the three-hour long Tom Lounges’ Birthday Show being aired June 6th on Night Rock Radio (6pm on X-ROCK/103.9fm). Tom’s in-studio guest for this show is Chicago music icon, Jim Peterik (who co-wrote 8 of the 12 songs on Drive Train). Bad Religion proves that The Empire Strikes First… The Dave Matthews Band goes Live At The Gorge… and Queensryche will release The Art of Live... JUNE 15... After a six-year wait, the Beastie Boys finally have new material to serve up. To the 5 Boroughs is no doubt a tribute to their native New York, and was produced entirely by the band… a set that includes 2 DVD’s as well as audio, Fleetwood Mac will release Live In Boston… Cheap Trick sends their love From Tokyo to You on a new DVD… Blues guitar legend Johnny Winter returns with I’m A Bluesman after a near eight-year absence… and Phish will deliver their last one, Undermind. JUNE 22... Red Hot Chili Peppers’ guitarist John Frusciante has his solo effort ready. The Will to Death arrives on the 22nd… ‘80s arena metal giants the Scorpions will prove to be Unbreakable… Lynyrd Skynyrd goes Lyve on two CD’s… The first new round of studio material from The BoDeans -- Resolution -- is about to drop… Former Beach Boy godhead, Brian Wilson says he’s Getting In Over My Head… Just before press time, Jim Hillegonds called me up to inform me that the soundtrack to the 4th season of Showtime’s original series Queer As Folk is coming out. Thanks Jim. JUNE 29... Just a few for the 29th… The Cure has a self-titled effort on the way… The Reverend Horton Heat will triumphantly return with Revival… and Uncle Kracker gives us 72 and Sunny, featuring a guest spot from country singer Kenny Chesney. That’s all folks… I’m spent. Thanks again for dropping by. Happy Birthday to my stepdaughter Ashley this month as well… the big 13! See you all back here next month! |
