Happy Birthday ADRIAN BELEW (video)

#adrianbelwe #kingcrimson #rockfileradio

Adrian Belew (born Robert Steven Belew, December 23, 1949) is an American guitarist, singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and record producer. He is perhaps best known for his work as a member of the progressive rock group King Crimson (which he fronted from 1981 to 2009) and for his unusual, impressionistic approach to guitar playing which frequently involves sounds more akin to animals and machines than to standard instrumental tones.

Widely recognized as an "incredibly versatile player", Belew has released nearly twenty solo albums for Island Records and Atlantic Records which blend Beatles-inspired pop-rock with more experimental fare. His 2005 single "Beat Box Guitar" was nominated for a Grammy in the Best Rock Instrumental Performance category. In addition to being a member of King Crimson, he is also in the more straightforward pop band The Bears and fronted his own band, "Gaga", in the late 1970s and early 1980s. He has worked extensively as a session and touring musician, most famously with Talking Heads, David Bowie, Frank Zappa, and Nine Inch Nails.

Belew has recently moved into instrument design, collaborating with Parker Guitars to help design his own Parker Fly signature guitar. This guitar is noticeably different from the standard design, containing advanced electronics such as a sustainer pickup and a Line 6 Variax guitar modelling system. It is also MIDI-capable, allowing it to be used with any synthesizer with MIDI connectivity.

source: wikipedia

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Happy Birthday RICK NIELSEN (video)

#ricknielsen #cheaptrick #rockfileradio

Richard Alan "Rick" Nielsen (born December 22, 1948) is the lead guitarist, backing vocalist, and primary songwriter of the rock band Cheap Trick. For the band's first few albums, Nielsen wrote the majority of the material himself. He is well known for having many custom-made guitars from Hamer Guitars, including his famous five-neck guitar.

Nielsen formed Cheap Trick in 1972 with drummer Brad M. Carlson (Bun E. Carlos), a Rockford, Illinois native. Before Cheap Trick, he was in a number of bands, including Nazz (replacing Todd Rundgren on guitar), Grim Reapers, and Fuse. The latter recorded a one-off debut album released on Epic Records which sold poorly. After the record failed to gain any attention, the band moved to Philadelphia and the band changed their name to Sick Man Of Europe.

The group toured Europe unsuccessfully in 1972 and returned to Illinois in late 1972. Upon their return to Rockford, Nielsen and Carlos added bassist Thomas J Petersson and vocalist Randy "Xeno" Hogan. In 1974, Hogan left the band and lead singer Robin Zander joined after his contract with a Wisconsin resort was completed. The band then was renamed Cheap Trick.

Cheap Trick is an American rock band from Rockford, Illinois, formed in 1973. As of 2010, the band currently consists of Robin Zander (vocals, rhythm guitar), Rick Nielsen (lead guitar), Tom Petersson (bass guitar) and Daxx Nielsen (drums), who replaced founding member Bun E. Carlos on drums. Their biggest hits include "Surrender", "I Want You to Want Me", "Dream Police" and "The Flame".

They have often been referred to in the Japanese press as the "American Beatles". In October 2007, the Illinois Senate passed a resolution designating April 1 as Cheap Trick Day in the state. The band was also ranked No. 25 in VH1's list of the 100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock.

On October 17, 2014, Neilsen appeared on CBS's Late Show with David Letterman, playing with the rock band Foo Fighters. Neilsen made a guest appearance on the Foo Fighters' eighth studio album Sonic Highways.

source: wikipedia

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Happy Birthday SHAUN MORGAN (video)

#shaunmorgan #seether #rockfileradio

Shaun Morgan Welgemoed (born 21 December 1978), known publicly as Shaun Morgan, is a South African (Afrikaner) musician and singer for the post-grunge, alternative metal band Seether.

Prior to forming the band, Saron Gas, Morgan was a member of a tribute band, tributing songs of bands such as Korn and Metallica. In May 1999, Morgan became the rhythm guitarist and back-up vocalist of a new band, Saron Gas. There were four other members to the band; a female vocalist, a lead guitarist, bassist and drummer. However, when the singer and guitarist did not turn up to the first practice, the band decided to stay as a three-piece, with Welgemoed on lead vocals and guitar. Saron Gas enjoyed moderate success before the bass player decided to quit in January 2000, causing Welgemoed to get in touch with the only other good bass player he knew, Dale Stewart. The band released an album later that year, entitled Fragile.

In January 2002, the band relocated to the United States to sign with Wind-up Records. During this time the band’s original drummer left to return home to South Africa, whilst the two remaining members were left to think of a new band name, at the request of Wind-up. Eventually they settled on Seether, after the Veruca Salt song of the same name. Around this time, Morgan decided to use his middle name as his last name professionally while performing for Seether because Americans have a hard time pronouncing "Welgemoed". Seether went on to release their debut major-label album, Disclaimer, on 20 August 2002.

Since then, Seether has released three more studio albums; Karma and Effect (2005), Finding Beauty in Negative Spaces (2007), and Holding On To Strings Better Left To Fray (2011). In addition, they released the compilation album Disclaimer II in 2004, and the live CD/DVD One Cold Night in 2006. In 2009, the band released three new songs; one a Seether original entitled "No Shelter", the second being a cover of George Michael’s "Careless Whisper" which Morgan and Dale have said had a special significance to the band and "I've got you under my Skin" a Frank Sinatra cover for Sinatra's tribute album "His Way, Our Way".

In 2013, Morgan collaborated with Hall of Fame Band Lynyrd Skynyrd and guitarist John5 on "Sad Song," a song that appeared in the Deluxe version of Lynyrd Skynyrd's album "Last of A Dyin' Breed."

Bands that have influenced Morgan include Nirvana, Portishead, Silverchair, The Beatles, Stone Temple Pilots, Nine Inch Nails, Rage Against the Machine, Korn, Soundgarden, Alice in Chains, Pearl Jam (mainly the album Vs.) and Deftones.

source: wikipedia

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Happy Birthday BRETT SCALLIONS (video)

#brettscallions #fuel #rockfileradio

Brett Allen Scallions (born on December 21, 1971) is an American musician. He is currently the lead vocalist for the alternative rock band World Fire Brigade and the current vocalist, rhythm guitarist, and lyricist of post-grunge band Fuel.

Scallions was born in Brownsville, Tennessee. He was Fuel's vocalist for the original incarnation of the band from 1993 to 2006. During that time, the band released multiple albums including the double platinum Something Like Human. He left the band because of personal reasons and disagreements in the band, not from a torn ligament in his throat as previously reported.

After Scallions left Fuel, he joined a band called The X's playing bass. The X's released one album before going on "hiatus." He also recently joined Circus Diablo, a Los Angeles-based rock band while simultaneously playing with the X's.

In March 2007, Scallions was selected as the singer for Riders on the Storm, a project featuring former The Doors members Robby Krieger and Ray Manzarek.

On March 9, 2010, the single "Something to Believe" by Hollow featuring Brett Scallions and Ken Wallace was released on iTunes via Koch Records. Scallions contributed the lead vocals.

He is currently married to Abby Gennet, guitarist and lead singer of Slunt. They have two sons together; Jagger Song Scallions (born September 7, 2007), and Sawyer Cruz Scallions (born December 9, 2010) Scallions has been ranked in the Top 100 Heavy Metal Vocalists by Hit Parader (#50).

source: wikipedia

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Happy Birthday CHRIS ROBINSON (video)

#chrisrobinson #theblackcrowes #crb #rockfileradio

Christopher Mark "Chris" Robinson (born December 20, 1966) is the singer of the rock and roll band The Black Crowes and brother of its guitarist Rich Robinson. Robinson is also a successful record producer and fronts his own band, Chris Robinson Brotherhood.

source: wikipedia

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