Leslie Michele Derrough, Author at Glide Magazine

Neil Giraldo Remains Pat Benatar’s Musical Voice (INTERVIEW)

Leslie Michele Derrough May 28, 2013 No Comments

But how much do we actually know about Neil Giraldo? Often overshadowed by the powerful spotlight shining on his wife, the man with the still-rocking pompadour certainly knows how to rip out a roaring solo on guitar, as proven in their Biloxi set on “So Sincere,” “Hell Is For Children,” “Everybody Lay Down” and during a climatic encore finale of their “Heartbreaker,” Johnny Cash’s “Ring Of Fire,” into Zeppelin’s “Heartbreaker” riffs and a little bit of “The Godfather.” It’s strange how some guitar players get so overlooked.

Dave Shaw of The Revivalists: New Orleans’ Newest Hitmaker (INTERVIEW)

Leslie Michele Derrough May 20, 2013 No Comments

A year ago last spring, the Revivalists released their strongest album to date: City Of Sound. With more attention to the actual sound of the music, they have grown by leaps and bounds into a solid hornet’s nest buzzing with funk, horns and rock & roll while retaining their kicking foal spirit. Shaw, not one to stand behind a microphone and emote, herks and jerks with a spasmodic, almost Iggy Pop versatility that attracts the youth gone wild members of their audience to jump up and down with him, singing along, like the band has been around a lot longer than they actually have. It takes a certain vivaciousness to be the next big thing – and the Revivalists are certainly on their way.

Carl Palmer Drums Up A Legacy (INTERVIEW)

Leslie Michele Derrough May 13, 2013 No Comments

Carl Palmer is not known to sit still for very long. He transitioned into the music video fueled 80’s with Asia, featuring Yes’ Steve Howe and Geoff Downes, and hit #1 with their debut self-titled album and spurning a top 5 single with “Heat Of The Moment.” Palmer has toured and recorded with his solo band and just recently was involved with a project labeled the Carl Palmer Legacy. I spoke with Palmer about his recent endeavors, ELP and what it takes to make a drum solo spectacular.

New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival 2013- Weekend 2: The Fair Grounds Race Course, New Orleans, LA, 5/2-5/5/13

Leslie Michele Derrough May 10, 2013 No Comments

Drummers were high-energy beat keepers all weekend: Mutemath’s Darren King with his duct-taped-on headphones, Cowboy Mouth’s Fred LeBlanc’s always animated hard-hitting antics, Patrick Carney whipping his sticks into a frenzy during the Black Keys’ Sunday set, the lanky legendary Mick Fleetwood, Stanton Moore of Galactic coming off his seat as the adrenalin pumps him up and Joey Peebles tearing the absolute skin off his drums during Trombone Shorty’s Fest closing performance.

Lou Gramm Remains A Jukebox Hero (INTERVIEW)

Leslie Michele Derrough May 6, 2013 No Comments

Today, Lou Gramm is healthy and feeling good. He fronts the Lou Gramm Band, that also includes his brother Ben, and they are currently touring. Plus, he has his autobiography just hitting shelves. An entertaining read, with fun stories and interesting tidbits about life in a super-successful rock band at the height of its popularity, Gramm has left the dirt and gossip to other rockers and has instead provided a Dorothy-like skip through the land of Oz. Juke Box Hero is a delightful memoir and one that Gramm recently took some time out on his birthday last week to talk with us about.

New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival – Weekend One Highlights: The Fair Grounds Race Course, New Orleans, LA, 4/26-28/13

Leslie Michele Derrough May 2, 2013 No Comments

The thunder rolled, the rain poured down and the fans danced and sang, bringing the first weekend of the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival to a joyously muddy conclusion. For the past few years, the Fest has lucked out with decent weather; and for the most part, the three day weekend was lavished with partly-sunny skies, some late afternoon breezes and typical sweat-conjuring humidity. So the raindrops were long overdue and not unexpected, if you paid attention to local forecasters all week.

Dennis Dunaway of Original Alice Cooper Band (INTERVIEW)

Leslie Michele Derrough April 29, 2013 No Comments

Dennis Dunaway was there at the beginning and co-wrote some of Alice Cooper's most notable songs, including "I'm Eighteen" and "School's Out". He ran track with pre-Alice Vince Furnier in high school and prodded him to start a band after seeing the great guitar slinger Duane Eddy. And it is Dunaway who is the keeper of the memories, a title that makes him laugh when I call him this during our interview earlier this year. But his stories of days-gone-by belie his denial as they are vividly clear, told with surprising detail and in such a way that the listener is kept spellbound as if the event happened yesterday, as if you were actually there with bass player Dunaway, drummer Neal Smith, guitarists Michael Bruce and Glen Buxton (who passed away in 1997) and ringleader Cooper.

Meat Puppets – At The Rat Farm With Curt Kirkwood

Leslie Michele Derrough April 23, 2013 No Comments

With Cris Kirkwood's return to health and the addition of Shandon Sahm on drums, the Meat Puppets have only grown stronger over the years. But Curt Kirkwood still remains nonchalant – about how he creates music, how he lives his life and his dogs that are barking in the background during our interview last month. It is what is.

Howard Leese – Formerly of Heart- 2013 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inductee (INTERVIEW)

Leslie Michele Derrough April 22, 2013 No Comments

They call Howard Leese a lucky man: he has had a brilliant career, playing guitar for Heart from 1975 to 1997; he has played with Paul Rodgers in Bad Company and Rodgers’ solo band for over a decade; he released a great solo album in 2009; has his own signature guitar at PRS; got to see The Doors performing live on the Strip; is currently a member of the new Vegas show Raiding The Rock Vault; and last week was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame with Heart. How much more can one man be blessed with in a career?

Jeff Pilson of Foreigner (INTERVIEW)

Leslie Michele Derrough April 14, 2013 No Comments

There is no one in the music business with more energy and enthusiasm for their job than Jeff Pilson. The man is always happy, always smiling, always involved in something; whether it be traveling around the country as the bass player for Foreigner, producing records for bands like Adler and Kill Devil Hill, or recording his own music with T&N or War & Peace. He never stops. Even though he tells me, “When I’m done at the end of the day, I like to just relax and veg,” he breaks into a big laugh like even he doesn’t believe that ever happens.

Leslie Michele Derrough

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