Established in 1974, Rock Scene was a rock culture magazine that served as the “alternative to the alternatives,” offering an inside look at all that rocked, from the music to the bands to the lifestyle and beyond. The all-new Rock Scene podcast looks at the historic music moments and artists of the last 40 years, going deep with your favorite musicians about their own personal “rock scenes” that helped shape their careers. Come with us as we celebrate the artists, writers, editors, photographers and fans that gave life to yours and our Rock Scene.
Carl Palmer started playing drums at the age of 11 years old. He comes from a long line of musicians in his family going all the way back to his great grandmother who was a classical guitar player. While in school, he left school played in numerous orchestras. He could read music very well & found too easy. He desired a path more exciting and was invited to join a rhythm and blues band called the King Bees, which he did and he never looked back. While playing with the King Bees, he was spotted by Chris Farlowe who had a #1 single in England called “Out of Time” which was written by Keith Richards & Mick Jagger. Chris told Carl that if he ever needed the work, he would have a job with him. When the K.B.'s finished their obligations, it was a week before Carl finished school; which ended on a Friday. He left home that Sunday and auditioned for Chris on Wednesday. He was now in Chris Farlowe and the Thunderbirds. He stayed with them until he was 17. Carl then started playing sessions and met Arthur Brown. He joined the Crazy World of Arthur Brown and before long, had a #1 album and single which brought Carl to America for the first time. He eventually left Arthur Brown to form Atomic Rooster. While recording (a #1 single “Tomorrow Night”) he got a call fromGregg Lake and Keith Emerson, who were looking for a drummer. Carl went to see what Gregg & Keith were doing, at which time they made him an offer that he couldn't refuse. Just like that, we had Emerson, Lake and Palmer. They amazed audiences and sold millions of records until disbanding in 1978. Carl took a few years off. When he reemerged, in 1981, he joined one of the first “super-groups” called Asia. They rocked their way through the 80's until disbanding in 1991. Carl rejoined E.L.P. and played until 1998. Carl then formed a prog. rock power trio which he still plays with until today called Carl Palmer's E.L.P. Legacy.
Anthony Corder of Tora Tora talks about his ROCK SCENE
Troy Luccketta of Tesla talks about his ROCK SCENE. April 2019
Clem Burke talks about his ROCK SCENE, career, and time with Blondie, Debbie Harry originally recorded February 2013
MEATLOAF talks about his "ROCK SCENE" Originally recored June 2011
Carmine Appice in NYC Originally recorded September 14, 2010 talks about his Rock Scene
Zakk Wylde of BLACK LABEL SOCIETY and Ozzy Osbourne at Convention Hall Asbury Park, NJ on October 8, 2010
Snake Sabo of SKID ROW Shares his "ROCK SCENE" recorded August 2014
As a young child, Lita was more drawn to the guitar rather than her Barbie dolls, which she soon rejected after receiving her first guitar.
Steven Van Zandt talks about his Rock Scene originally recorded April 2018
Punky Meadows guitarist from Angel talks about his ROCK SCENE growing up.
Englebert Humperdinck Talks about his ROCK SCENE originally recorded Feb 2012
David Ellefson of Megadeth talks about his ROCK SCENE.
The first music Adam Slack's of The Struts remembers is Oasis in the car in England during the 90's. When he was 10 he got into Michael Jackson and bought his album BAD. His friend turned him onto Green Day right before American Idiot came out. When he saw the video “Minority” he knew what he wanted to do and started a band with a lot of Green Day influences. Watching videos, he learned how to play guitar. At age 15 his mom exposed him to 70's bands that she listened to in the 70's, which were more glam and he started listening to Slade, Mott The Hoople and T Rex. A couple years later he got away from the punk and went more glam retro for inspiration. That's when he met singer Luke Spiller in 2009 through his manager who found Luke on MySpace. Adam talks about opening for the Stones. The gig that changed everything was the first Rolling Stones gig. We managed to get that in Paris. We went over there and opened up for them in France which was insane playing in front of 80,000 people. Adam reached out to a random guy who was a YouTube guitar teacher in LA and sent him a photo in front of the stadium crowd from the Stones show who hooked him up with a guy who he knew and eventually got new management which got them going in the states. Listen more to this exclusive Rock Scene interview here where “All that Rock Lives”. OCT 2018
Jeff Keith of Tesla was first exposed to music by his father, who played guitar for a local bar band in Georgetown, CA. After graduating high school, Jeff bought a guitar chord book and learned his favorite Beatles & Rolling Stones songs to play at campfires. He later auditioned & got the gig for the band City Kidd, and they played Top 40 hits with a few of their own songs mixed in. City Kidd was eventually renamed Tesla. Tesla went on tour with Mötley Crüe in 1990, and Nikki Sixx “in a loving, joking way” described Tesla as “a bunch of tomato farmers from Sacramento.” “We were proud to be tomato famers from Sacramento.” Jeff says. Some of his biggest influences are Steven Tyler, Bon Scott, and his favorite band, Foghat. “Foghat, early ZZ Top; all that good stuff. I'm stuck in the 60's and 70's.
John Gallagher of Raven talks about his ROCK SCENE.
Dave Wyndorf - Monster Magnet talks about his "Rock Scene" Originally recorded November 2010
Gary US BONDS at Count Basie Theatre in Red Bank, NJ originally recorded on Oct 1, 2010
Tommy Aldridge got his musical taste from his mother at a very young age. His mom was into all different artists including Dave Brubeck, Elvis Presley, & The Everly Brothers. He first came in contact with drums when he was six years old. His first real band was a trio that consisted of drums, guitar, & keyboard. Tommy has drummed for some of the biggest names in rock music, including Whitesnake, Gary Moore, Black Oak Arkansas, Pat Travers, & Ozzy Osbourne. He continues to tour with Whitesnake to this day. “We've managed to still be out here and still be viable to this day. I'm really thankful and blessed to still be a part of that.”
FRANKIE BANLI OF QUIET RIOT. ORIGINALLY RECORDED MAY 10TH, 2016
Sammy Hagar, who has fronted bands including Van Halen, Montrose, and Chicken Foot, was introduced to music at a young age. When he was four years old he saw Elvis Presley on TV. He first saw a guitar at his uncle's house and it quickly peaked his curiosity. He fell in love with music and started playing guitar. He saw The Rolling Stones in concert when he was a teenager and immediately knew he wanted to be like them.
Jason Bonham was the first-born child of Led Zeppelin drummer John Bonham. During Jason's childhood, having guests like Paul Rodgers, Jeff Beck & Bev Bevan over was the norm. “They were just friends of dad” he says. Growing up in the Led Zeppelin family “wasn't as wild as one would think,” he says, with the exception of when Ozzy would visit to hang out with John, and one day resulted in “two drunken men with shot guns shooting trees.” When he was 17 years old, his band Air Race went on tour opening up for Queen. Since his father died when he was so young, the members of Queen took him under their wings and took on the role of introducing him to the world of rock & roll. “They taught me so much about those days of rock & roll; of excess and debauchery.” In 2007, he was asked by Robert Plant to join Led Zeppelin for a one night only reunion, which he described as an “out of body experience.” He continues to honor his father's legacy by touring as Jason Bonham's Led Zeppelin Evening.
Mike Portnoy of Dream Theater in NJ ORIGINALLY RECORDED on July 11, 2010
Glenn Tipton of JUDAS PRIEST talks about his "ROCK SCENE" originally recorded Feb 2012
George Thorogood and the Destroyers offered their wisdom and insight to young musicians from the Rockit Live Foundation on September 27, 2019 at The Count Basie Center in New Jersey. This is an ongoing event for the Foundation and George as he and the band met teens who are interested in the music industry.
Rickey Medlocke of LYNYRD SKYNYRD & BLACKFOOT talks about his ROCK SCENE
Jimmy from Trash and Vaudeville at Saint Marks place Originally recorded on September 15, 2010. "My Rock Scene is in the streets of New York. I just live Rock & Roll..Rock and Roll is in my heart, it's in my spirit it's forever it always it was there probably since the day I was born you know then we just come to New York where it's all happening and it's just so real and authentic . Whether you're dancing at Studio 54 or being at CBGB's it's just their the spirit of rock and roll's in the soul. Whether it's right out here in st. Mark's Place buying a pair of tight pants and trash and vaudeville in 1975 or selling them in 2010. I can talk about nightclubbing when I was 17 and getting dressed to go to studio 54 a punk rock boy they would wave right in. I can talk about what it was like to be laying under Iggy nearly naked last week last Friday night at Don Hills covered in spit sweat and water and whatever other fluids were on that floor. I think Michael Monroe wins best hair I just got to meet him he was in here somehow we just never met in the day in the streets of New York or maybe we danced together I just don't remember I don't know I'm Michael Monroe best hair and I think hair is just hair I've had the same hair since 1975 I'm not someone that copies hair or does hair I kind of get when I went to see Michael Monroe I kind of left because everyone had his hair, so the best hair is when it's your own hair whatever's inside just comes out. Dirty hair I love dirt hair, I know who's got awesome air Debbie fuckin' Harry , fuckin roots and blonde fuckin' that's this shit some good old hooker hair on a hot blonde is awesome metal hair I don't know Michael Monroe had amazing hair and everyone from Cinderella to Stryper they were here too, to like Motley Crue yeah it's like you know hairs hair / I love slashes hair and he still got the same hair he's the shit. I think certain ones are a part of the history of culture of rock and roll. Everyone adds a little hopefully you leave Earth hoping you added a little we didn't add a little there's a lot of flashes in the pans but it's not me to judge use a flash in the pan like I've been the stores been here 35 years I work here and I mean I've had the same hair since 1975. I shaved it bald a few times but shave that shit right off. I'm Jimmy from Trash and Vaudeville thanks for listening right here come back”. –JIMMY WEBB
Stix Zadninia drummer from Steel Panther Originally recorded at the House of Blues in House of Blues in Hollywood, CA on June 1, 2010
Johnny Winter talks about his "Rock Scene" June 21, 2012 at the Count Basie Theatre Red Bank, NJ
Wolf Hoffmann guitarist from ACCEPT at Vintage Vinyl in Fords, NJ originally recored on August 27,2010
Jean Beauvoir of the Plasmatics talks about his ROCK SCENE.
Cynthia Plaster Caster talks about her Rock Scene molding body parts of rock stars including Jimi Hendrix and more.
Pat Travers talks about his journey to becoming a guitar great!
Simon Wright - AC/DC & DIO talks about his "ROCK SCENE" Originally recorded October 2011
Ross the Boss of Man O War talks about his "Rock Scene" August 10, 2012 at Brighton Bar Long Branch NJ
Stephen Pearcy of Ratt talks about his "ROCK SCENE ORIGINALLY RECORDED APRIL 2016
Scott Holiday of Rival Sons Talks about his "ROCK SCENE Originally recorded Aug 2016
Dave Meniketti from Y&T talks about his early ROCK SCENE days.
Frank Hannon of Tesla talks about his ROCK SCENE. July 2016
Bernard Fowler background singer of the Rolling Stones talks about his ROCK SCENE