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I mean, how cool is it that I get to talk to a guy like Alice Cooper. Pretty Cool! The Rock City Music Company event with Alice is sold out, but that doesn't mean you can't buy his latest book Devil On My Shoulder. He told me about the idea behind the book and the process that made it happen. "It's unbelievable", Alice said about the popularity of the book a couple weeks after its release. "It's me writing the book, but Alice who I play on stage keeps interrupting me" Of course, he had to shout out some of the local sports teams like the Lions and Tigers. Being a native Detroiter, he's got lots of roots here. Including family in Royal Oak. We also talked about local Detroit rock, including how he dated Ted Nugent's high school girlfriend, Cindy. He said he did, but it obviously didn't work out. "All of the Detroit bands were best friends," Alice said. He talked about partying with all the bands back in the day. "Detroit bands really stayed together." "The Detroit rock scene was by far strongest family rock scene of anybody," he would tell me. "Detroit bands were all buddies." I asked him about his Las Vegas shows with magician Criss Angel. He said the show is fantastic. I asked him if he's taken anything from the show to incorporate into his rock show. He told me Criss started his magic after seeing Welcome to my Nightmare and spurred the interest in becoming a rocker magician. We also discussed the similarities with Boston and Detroit's music scene. "We were influenced by the same bands." he told me. Guitar driven, in your face rock n' roll is how the bands are built. We'll see you at Rock City Music Company on November 5th if you've got your ticket to meet the legendary Alice Cooper! A huge Thank You to Nick over at RCMC for the hookup! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

I love talking to Gil Moore from Triumph. As a kid who grew up in Buffalo, N.Y. I was inundated with Triumph music from an early age through local radio. All these years later, it's always a thrill to talk to anyone in the band. As you know, the band reformed with the help of Phil X, Brent Fitz, and Todd Kerns to bring the music to the people. How did it go? "The response was so powerful from the audience" is just one comment of positivity from Gil. "The band is having a blast. The crowd is having a blast. It's a lovefest." "A piece of cake" is how Gil felt about his vocals and drumming and getting back on tour after decades off. "Just getting on there and doing it." He said everyone got their sleep, no drinking, just laughs and fun times on the road. "It's like a family vacation. It couldn't be more fun." As far as stage production goes, he said they're bringing out lasers on the next tour. "We were always a go big or go home kind of more." He also alluded to bringing out more pyro. Yes!! He also talked about the lack of Mike Levine on tour. He said his health hasn't allowed him to hit the road, but he's there in spirit and on the screens in the arenas. That's for starters, talking with Gil.... As I mentioned, it's always great to chat with Gil. I cannot wait to see him and the band this fall. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Mark Kendall is back to talk about his improving health, his upcoming book, and more. Mark's been fighting a cancer battle and, by all counts, winning! Great to hear the news as he keeps the fans updated on his fight. He's been working on an autobiography, Soul of a Man. He worked on it with a ghostwriter for 16 months. After shopping it around to several different publishing companies, he landed on a company, and now the book will be available next fall. We talked about some of the stories in the book, including his relationship with former singer Jack Russell. I've spoken with Mark many times about Jack and him, and I can say, with certainty, he's never said a bad word about him to me. "It was more than the music; it was one big family", Mark told me. He even told me how they came about the name, Great White. "It wasn't a name like Slayer, where every song has to be kill your parents," he told me with a laugh. "They're going to learn a lot," Mark told me when I asked him about his kids and grandchildren reading the book. He told me he didn't know that much about his parents, so this was a chance to tell them, which is pretty cool, he said. We also talked about classic Great White songs and what legendary producer he'd wished they would've had a chance to work with. Again, another fascinating conversation with Mark. Enjoy! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Dirty Honey is dropping a new album to start off 2027. Catch My Butterfly is coming out on January 15th. Marc LaBelle was kind enough to join me and talk about the album, two songs of which have been released. "Lights Out" and "Butterfly" are out now. Marc talked about the very personal nature of "Butterfly", a song he was somewhat afriad to share with his bandmates. We discussed the album artwork, their upcoming tour plans, and, of course, NHL hockey. Listen to find out who he thinks will hoist the Stanley Cup at the end of the season. To wrap up this ep., it's Jack Underkofler of Dead Poets Society. They also have a new album coming out. Monarch drops on October 2nd. He tells me about the thought process for the videos he directed. They have a certain feel that he talks about. We discuss his upbringing in Boston and Virginia, his time at the Berklee College of Music, and much more. Thanks for listening! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Three great guests and one mediocre host are on this episode of Talkin' Rock. Joel Hoekstra is up first. Since he's a sports fan, could he become the G.M. for the Red Wings? All joking aside, we discuss TSO hitting the road again and the production they may bring with them. We talk about Whitesnake, with a great question from fellow guitarist Bumblefoot. That's for starters, with Joel. Don Jamieson and his friend Jim Florentine have dropped Terrorizing Telemarketers 8. Don's also put out his latest album, Comedy is Killing Me, a take on a Type O Negative classic. Of course, we talk rock, his podcast, and more hilarity. Then it's Jake from the band O.N.I. to wrap up the ep. They've got a cover of R.E.M.'s Losing My Religion out right now, and it's heavy! Jake talks about his upbringing, sobriety, musical influences, and much more. Thanks for listening! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Two monstrous metal/rock musicians are on Talkin' Rock. Wolf Hoffman is up first. The new Accept tribute album is out now. Teutonic Titans 1976-2026 has 50 guest artists covering 19 classic Accept songs. We talk about the process of starting this project, the massive rockers on it, whether any former members were a part of the album, and more. What's in Accept's future? Does he see an end to the legendary band? These questions and more will be answered. Davud Ellefson is next. The bassist is now part of Metal Church, a band he's loved for years and is happy to be a part of. David says his focus has been on the band and not so much on other ventures as he's done in the past. We discuss his favorite Megadeth album, whether he'll stick around to see his former band play when they share the stage at Louder Than Life next week, and much more. David's been a friend for years, and I'm glad to see him loving what he's doing on and off the stage. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

I spoke with Rik Emmett earlier today and thought it was so good I didn't want to wait to post it. Yes, I know I posted an interview already today (with Gene Simmons), but it's my podcast, and I make the rules! Obviously, I had to ask Rik about the tour and putting the band back together with some help from Phil X, Brent Fitz, and Todd Kerns. He was all about talking about that, Mike Levin not playing any of the shows, and the "Summer of Canadian Rock Trios" with Rush getting back on the road in 2026. Then, it's a classic interview with Fred Durst and Wes Borland from Limp Bizkit from 2010. This interview aired on WRIF but was never posted online, so here it is. It's cool to go back and listen to how the guys split and got back together. There are also some other cultural references, including a social media interaction with Neil Diamond. You may or may not recall that. Enjoy these two interviews. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It's always a thrill to talk with "The Demon" Gene Simmons of KISS. The dude is a rock icon, and he's coming to UWM Field in Utica on September 20th, along with Derek St Holmes and Kaliedo. Gene was gracious with his time as we spoke for thirty minutes about his upbringing, recently turning 77 years old, his solo band and KISS, and lots more. What's the best non-musical financial decision he ever made? How have he and Paul Stanley remained so tight over all these years? How much unreleased KISS material remains in the vault? Those are some of the questions Gene answered along with his thoughts on his son's band, Stanley/Simmons, touring with RUSH, and much more. Give the interview a listen, then grab your tickets to see Gene at the USPBL Fall Music Classic at UWM Field in Utica, Michigan. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Battle Axes: A Hard Rockin' History Of Pointy Guitars is the book out now by Canadian author/musician Sean Kelly. Talking with Sean was a blast! I'm not a guitar player, but I've seen a few in my life. Many with "pointy" guitars. Sean briefly dug into the history of how guitars got pointy and who played them. He showed off some of his own (the video will be posted next week) and his favorites. Sean is a Canadian musician who's played with the likes of Nelly Furtado, Cooney Hatch, Honemoon Suite, and many more. He's been around a guitar or six, and tells great stories of getting some meg-rock stars to contribute to the book, some misses, and everything in between. This is a fun conversation. Go grab the book wherever you buy books; it's out now! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Great to reconnect with Phil Collen of Def Leppard. If you didn't know, he has some other projects outside of his main band. One of them is a band called Man Raze. Back in May, they dropped their Lock, Stock & Barrel (Complete Recordings 2008-2011) Phil tells me about that, along with another project he's in called Crossbone Skully with Tommy Henriksen of Alice Cooper, and the great Mutt Lange. As he brought that up, I had to ask him about the impact that Mutt had on Def Leppard. Let's just say that Phil gave Mutt a LOT of credit for their success. We talked about new music, upcoming tours, residencies, and lots more. Thanks to Phil for the time and to you for listening. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Legendary drummer Matt Sorum joins me to promote the live album honoring Paul Rodgers and Geezer Butler. Here's the list of rockers on the record, Corey Taylor (Slipknot), Lzzy Hale (Halestorm), Glenn Hughes (Deep Purple), Nuno Bettencourt (Extreme), Charlie Starr (BlackBerry Smoke), Phil X (Bon Jovi), Steve Stevens (Billy Idol), Matt Sorum (Guns N' Roses, Velvet Revolver), Robert DeLeo (Stone Temple Pilots), Stevie Salas (Mick Jagger), Mike Mangan (The Cult), and Paul Ill (Alicia Keys). And let me say, the record sounds as good as this line-up! Matt told me about forming the Adopt the Arts Foundation and what it's meant to him. He was thrilled putting the musicians on stage, and more excited after hearing the finished product. So much so that he decided to put it out on vinyl. You can pre-order the album now with the info below. In the intro, I accidentally said the album is available for pre-order on the 13th. That's false; it started on the 3rd. Get yours today!  PRE-ORDER ALBUM HERE Title: Sound & Vision Live Format: Limited-edition all-star double vinyl album Pressing: Limited to 2,000 copies Price: $99.98 Pre-Sale Begins: August 3, 2026 Record Release Celebration: September 13, 2026 Online Availability: Exclusively through Experience Vinyl Beneficiary: Adopt the Arts Foundation For album information and online ordering, visit Experience Vinyl. For event and foundation information, please visit Adopt the Arts. We did talk about his time in Velvet Revolver, GNR, and The Cult as well. Matt's an open book as we discussed many topics, and he's very easy to talk to. Go grab a copy of this killer album...let's sell it out for the kids! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Tyler Connolly and his band Theory of a Deadman are hitting the road for the Dead/Seven tour, touching down in southeast Michigan at the Fillmore on August 23rd. First, though, Tyler and I have a fun conversation about all things Theory. The boys are releasing an E.P. titled Part 1: Funeral Songs. Three songs have been released from the album already, with three unreleased so far. He told me about the plan to drop the second part next year. We talked about Abby Road, early NHL predictions, navigating today's crazy music listening habits of the fans, and lots more. One thing I found fascinating that I'd never heard before was how the song Bad Girlfriend became a single. After all these years of knowing the guys, I learned something new. That's just for starters on this episode of Talkin' Rock! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Great to speak with Rikki for the first time. He and his band Rockett Mafia are coming to the Token Lounge on August 29th to play your favorite Poison songs, including the entire Look What The Cat Dragged In album for its 40th anniversary. I didn't know it, but Rikki is a big paranormal fan, as am I. We talked about that as he has a YouTube series called Legend Tripping, where he takes you to scary places across the country. We discussed his upbringing in mid-Pennsylvania, the beginning of Poison, moving to Hollywood, and the early days. He told me about times in the band when the grunge movement took over, as well. He's got a new book coming out in September called Ghost Notes-My Life In Poison. Rikki told me about that and that fact that publishers wanted them to write a book similar to The Dirt from Motley Crue. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Wow! This is a fun interview. As a matter of fact, we had so much fun that we're going to do it again because we barely broke the surface of the band's rise to fame. Bones tells great stories of gigging around the metro Detroit area. How did Jimmie get started, and what influenced his love of music? "Well, way, way, way, way back, man, long before you were born, I saw this band on the Ed Sullivan show debut, and they were called the Beatles. And I kind of, I think I was maybe five years old. And I can't say it blew my wig back, because my mom used to shave my head back then, like this really 60s brush cut. But it kind of, yeah, did that to me, you know. And then later on, I saw the Rolling Stones on there and a lot of the other British invasion bands. So that had an impact on me." That was just the beginning. From there, Bones told me about his path through the Detroit ranks to meeting Kid Rock. The White Room Studios is where their paths crossed, and they've been bandmates ever since. That's the extremely short version; listen for the full version of events. As I said, there's too much to post here. This is a fun listen down the musical Detroit rabbit hole. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

As Night Ranger gets set to play the Motor City Casino Soundboard, drummer/singer Kelly Keagy was cool enough to take some time to talk about the band's history and what they have going on now. I had to comment on his resemblance to our very own Chad Smith, who looks a lot like Will Ferrell. "See, all those guys, they're younger, so they look like me." Too Funny! He told me about playing the famous Harpos Concert Theater years ago when they were first starting. An experience for any young band. They're dropping a new greatest hits album, which we also discussed. As the press release reads: The tour also arrives as NIGHT RANGER prepares to release their upcoming ‘Best Of’ album on August 28th via Frontiers Music Srl. The collection features newly remixed and remastered versions of classic hits spanning the band’s legendary career, alongside standout tracks from their acclaimed output over the last 20 years, celebrating both their legacy and continued evolution as one of rock’s most enduring acts. He tells great stories of meeting Ozzy, Brad Gillis joining the Prince of Darkness on tour, their very first video, and tons more. What a fun interview! See you at the show! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.