By Clarence Yu

MR. Big, the hard rock supergroup that formed in the 1980’s and yielded the hits “To Be With You” and “Green Tinted Sixties Mind” has reunited.

The band is comprised of bassist Billy Sheehan (of Talas and David Lee Roth Band fame), guitarist Paul Gilbert (formerly Racer X), drummer Pat Torpey (formerly of The Knack) and singer Eric Martin.

The group debuted with their eponymous album in 1989. This album laid the groundwork for their distinct sound: crunching, shredding guitars, precision-pounded drums, booming bass and raspy melodic vocals. Soaring choruses combined with crunch delighted fans of the band the world over.

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By Clarence Yu

AS reported on Rolling Stone Magazine, the long-awaited new album from Aerosmith has been delayed yet again. The band is citing several “health problems” as the reason for this delay.

In lieu of releasing the new album, the Bad Boys from Boston are gearing up for a US summer tour with fellow veteran rockers ZZ Top, after which the band will either resume production or release the album.

Hardcore Aerosmith fans might be disappointed at these turn of events, as the band has not released a full album of new material since 2001’s Just Push Play. However, they may be in for a treat, as the prospect of seeing them co-headline with the great ZZ Top is quite exciting. Both bands straddle the same rock/bluesy genre, and have always been respected for both their image and their musical output and creativity.

Similarly, both rock bands have touched on the disco/rap genre, with “Legs” from ZZ Top and “Walk This Way” from Aerosmith scoring big on the contemporary scene. Wouldn’t it be great to see both bands on stage jamming both songs as an encore? One can only hope.

The good news is that Aerosmith is still keeping Brendan O’ Brien on board for producing duties. O’ Brien has proven to be the en vogue rock producer of the moment, and it’s not just a fad: he’s worked his way up the hard way, producing Pearl Jam in the 90’s and serving as engineer on several landmark records such as, coincidentally, Aerosmith’s 1994 release Get A Grip. Currently, his work on AC/DC’s Black Ice and Bruce Springsteen’s Working On A Dream has reinvigorated both artists and have put them back on top at the cream of the crop.

It almost seems that O’ Brien has somehow replaced the late, great Bruce Fairbairn as THE eminent rock producer (Bon Jovi, Van Halen, Aerosmith).

At any rate, whenever Aerosmith releases the new album, it should be worth the wait, and should usher in a new era in the band’s long and storied career. Eight years without any new release is the longest dormant time that Aerosmith has ever had now.

YOU might be wondering how that blog title relates to music.

But that was the same question posed by band members of this new Supergroup, called Chickenfoot.

A side project of former Van Halen members Sammy Hagar, Michael Anthony, Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith and (okay I didn’t believe this until I read it), guitar god Joe Satriani.

I’ve already heard two songs from their still unreleased album. Verdict? Imagine Hagar’s familiar falsetto screams and wails amid the rockin’ riffs of Joesat, Michael Anthony and Smith. (Okay, I must admit I thought I was listening to a VH song). I’ve heard “Soap on a Rope” and “Down the Drain.” The “uuuhs” and the melodies do remind me of Van Halen, perhaps especially with Hagar on vocals.

Now, how do you take a band whose name sounds like a joke, seriously? 

Well, they’re not. 

It’s a silly name for a band — and album — that kicks a donkey’s a^& six ways to Sunday and back again. Maybe that’s because long before the four men who comprise Chickenfoot came together they already filled the pages of rock history with enough individual mind-blowing chapters to boggle the mind.

The news that they’ve pooled their inordinate talents to one collective whole quickly spread across the Internet last year (and perhaps that crazy name helped just a little). The fact that they’ve succeeded artistically beyond anyone’s wildest dreams (except perhaps their own) is all the more reason to celebrate.

In any case, this is a band that you wouldn’t want to miss.

By Marjorie Gorospe
INQUIRER.net

THEY describe their music as “rebellious, live and organic.”

An indie garage-rock/post-punk band (yes a mouthful) with influences from the Beatles, the Libertines, The Strokes, Arctic Monkeys, Muse, among others, the Charmes believes they have what it takes to stand out.

Formed in 2006, the Charmes is now working on an album. It was formed by long-time friends Brian Josef (vocals and guitars), JB Bulan (lead), Jerome Abello (drums) and Jino Manalo (bass later replaced by Jiggers Vergel de Dios). They all went to the same high school.

The Charmes disbanded but later reunited.

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FILIPINO rock band Hale holds a recent a gig meant to raise funds for some charitable organizations. Watch this video report by INQUIRER.net production specialist Janie Octia.