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This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Memphis Travel. All opinions are 100% mine.

Ever since the premiere of Jason Lee’s detective-dramedy Memphis Beat on TNT, I’ve been hankering for a roadtrip down to the town where Elvis Presley used to call home. There’s so much music history ingrained into Memphis. Besides Elvis and his Graceland home, Memphis is also known for both Johnny Cash and B.B. King starting their careers there. And don’t get me started on the many songs that have been written about the town. “Walking in Memphis” by Marc Cohn, “Wrong Side of Memphis” by Trisha Yearwood and “Graceland” by Paul Simon are just a few of many.

But when I often visit a town or city that I’m unfamiliar with, I find myself not really knowing where to start, you know what I mean? Thankfully there’s a Memphis-savvy travel guide where you can custom build an itinerary with all the important places to visit and experience. I really like the fact that you can click on the types of attractions you’re most interested in such as “Music & Memphis History”, “Outdoor Activity”, “Family Fun”, or “a bit of Everything” and the website instantly lists out relevant attractions. For instance, my custom 3 night itinerary includes – the Memphis Rock ‘n’ Soul Museum, Graceland (of course), Beale Street, the birthplace of Rock n Roll – Sun Studios. But say you’re interested in some “Family Fun”, the site suggests places like – The Memphis Zoo, a Carriage Ride through the historic downtown district, Mud Island River Park and a stop to enjoy some finger-licking Memphis style BBQ. The Memphis travel site is very well done and a great place to start when planning a visit to the “Home of the Blues”. While you’re on the website be sure to enter to win a trip package courtesy of the Memphis Convention & Visitors Bureau. They are giving away a trip every week so be sure to enter your name in the drawing. I personally picked the “Single & Friends” package since it includes an “American Dream Safari Tour”, tickets to the Rock n Soul Museum and dinner at BB Kings.

Come on, remember what resulted when Bono and the rest of U2 visited Memphis back in the 80′s. The power and history that’s found in Memphis, re-energized the irish band which led to some fantastic tracks on their album “Rattle and Hum”. If Bono found some much needed inspiration just by visiting Memphis, maybe you will too. Why not go and see?

I’ve been meaning to post about this ol’ boot, August Outtakes & Different Mixes, for a while now. The amount of enjoyment one would get from this 2-disc set largely depends on how one feels about Eric Clapton’s August album from 1986. I personally have a soft spot for the Phil Collins produced album. But I can definitely see how someone would get bored to tears from these “alternate mixes” when not having a strong connection with the source material. Frankly there aren’t major revelations here in this bootleg. Mainly you’ll find early takes of songs from the album that aren’t all that much different from the final product. “Lady From Verona” is the only song that I wasn’t familiar with but it’s essentially a throwaway with cringeworthy lyrics. “Wanna Make Love to You” is another outtake but most fans are familiar with this one since it ended up on the Crossroads box set. The rest of the boot is made up of alternate takes. I don’t know about other fans but I get a kick out of hearing demos and work-in-progress versions of familiar songs. It sort of gives you a glimpse of the creative process that went into the final versions.

Two highlights for me are the guide vocals done by Nathan East and Greg Phillinganes on “Grand Illusion” and “Miss You”. I’m not exactly sure why their vocals were recorded other than for an early run-through of the songs. Nevertheless, it’s a hoot listening to them singing along (presumably without the lyric sheet) filling in nonsense words to fit the melody. fun stuff. The second disc ends with subpar audio from Clapton’s live appearance on the TV show NightLife. Those two tracks aren’t really necessary since there are superior sounding live boots from Clapton’s 1986/87 tour.

So, is this an essential Clapton boot? not really. But if you’ve got a fondness for mid-80′s Clapton (plus the heavy-handed production style of Phil Collins), this boot is worth seeking out.

retroGrade: B

Eric Clapton
August Outtakes & Different Mixes
Duffy Records
recorded at Sunset Sound Studios in Los Angeles April/May 1986
sound quality : B+ (cassette tape quality)
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This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Charter. All opinions are 100% mine.

With the economy still struggling to recover, no one is spared from the effects of those ubiquitous budget cuts. Even our kids’ schools are having to let a portion of their staff go while class sizes continue to increase. It never ceases to amaze me how many students they can manage to fit in those small classrooms. yikes!

So it’s nice to see a company like Charter give back to the community. With their current laptop-a-day giveaway, Charter plans to provide 50 laptops to 2 schools. All you have to do is register online and nominate your favorite school by August 12. Be sure to proofread your entries because Charter will then choose 50 of the best nominations and open them up to a vote. The two schools with the most votes by September 20th will win 50 laptops each. Now, these aren’t just old hand-me-down laptops. Charter will be giving away Lenovo G555 brand laptops featuring 15.6″ screens, 160GB hard drives and 3GB of RAM. So it’s safe to say that these computers will be able to handle the demands of multimedia projects with ease. And besides winning these laptops for your favorite school, you can even win one for yourself.

As you may know, Charter Communications is the 4th largest cable operator in the U.S. and a leader in ultra high speed internet service. In select markets, they are currently offering internet speeds up to 60 Mbps. Now that’s what I’d call FAST. If you’re in need of cable TV, digital phone or internet service, Charter is offering some great online deals. As a matter of fact, if you order any of their services from Charter at this time, you’ll automatically be entered for a chance to win a laptop plus get $300 cash back. And as I mentioned earlier, you can also register to win on their website with no purchase necessary. So there’s no reason for you NOT to go over to their site to nominate your school in need. You can learn more about the back to school giveaway either by going to http://www.charter.com/laptop or by finding Charter on Facebook. Their customer service staff are very responsive on the facebook page so be sure to “Like” them to get in touch with their reps.

Eagle Rock Entertainment recently announced that they’ll be releasing Roy Orbison’s Last Concert on CD on August 10th, 2010. The December 4, 1988 show at the Front Row Theater in Highland Heights, Ohio was sadly the last for this legendary performer. Orbison died of a heart attack two days after the concert at the age of 52. Orbison was in the midst of a comeback at the time due to the popularity of his work with producer Jeff Lynne and The Traveling Wilburys.

Here’s the official press release:
ROY ORBISON: THE LAST CONCERT
An Intimate Experience – Live, Untouched, In Concert for the Last Time
Instantly recognizable in vocals, songwriting and style, Roy Orbison was a musical pioneer. One of the few artists to have worldwide recognition in all forms of music – pop, rock ‘n’ roll, spoken word, and country – he received Grammys in all categories, as well as a Lifetime Achievement Award. On August 10, Eagle Rock Entertainment will pay homage to Roy Orbison upon the release of The Last Concert CD [MSRP $13.98].

Originally released as a limited run via iTunes in 2008 to commemorate the 20th anniversary of his passing, The Last Concert is now available on CD for the first time. Recorded on December 4, 1988 just two days before his sudden death, this was the last time Roy ever performed. This collection of fourteen songs, including seven top ten singles, is the exact order of his show that evening. This includes one of the most loved Rock ‘n Roll songs ever, “Oh, Pretty Woman,” as well as his Grammy-Award Winning “Crying” and “Dream Baby.” This historic performance is untouched by mixing and enhancements – it’s pure, honest, unmistakable Roy.

Following Roy’s induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987, in 1989, Roy became the second singer to ever simultaneously have two posthumous Top 5 albums (King of Hearts, Mystery Girl) on the Billboard charts (the first was Elvis Presley). In addition to his inductions into the Nashville Songwriter’s Hall of Fame and Nashville Walk Of Fame, Orbison was recently honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. In 2008, the Library of Congress added “Oh, Pretty Woman” to the National Recording Registry.

The Last Concert CD is a rarity in these days and times because it is historically correct—it is a trip down memory lane, capturing one of the best rock ‘n roll singers of all time. You don’t really get to know an artist until you go to a live performance, and this particular concert, on December 4th, 1988 was the very last time that Roy Orbison performed. It is an incredible example of Roy’s on-stage presentation, in which he always gave stellar, near-chilling performances. It is a must-have in any record collection.
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This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of iNetVideo. All opinions are 100% mine.

With writer/director Robert Rodriguez’s reboot of the Predator series out in theaters now, I’ve had the urge of revisiting some of his other movies on DVD and blu-ray. Rodriguez is truly a Renaissance man in the film industry. Not only does he direct, write, edit and produce movies, he’s also a musician AND he can make a mean “puerco pibil” as chronicled in the extras section of the “Once Upon a Time in Mexico” DVD. Anyway, I’ve recently purchased some blu-ray movies from online retailer iNetVideo to help complete my Robert Rodriguez collection. I know there are better known retailers for DVDs but I’ve encountered some great prices lately at iNetVideo. They’ve got a great selection of blu-ray discs priced at $13.99 and lower. In addition, I’ve found some bargains in their DVD boxset clearance sale including “Heroes Season 3″ boxset for just $13.88. As for the Rodriguez titles, I snagged “Grindhouse – Planet Terror” on blu-ray for only $9.99 and the “Desperado” widescreen edition for just $5.49. now those are some great deals, I have to say. iNetVideo is definitely worth bookmarking for not just DVD purchases but also for video games and audio CDs as well. Oh and their blog, which can be found at http://blog.inetvideo.com, is a fun read for movie buffs and even features a monthly blu-ray player giveaway.

Even though I’m a long time fan of Trevor Horn’s work, I never took the time to seek out the second album by The Buggles, Adventures in Modern Recording. I guess I assumed that it was simply a throwaway album filled with leftover tracks after keyboardist Geoff Downes left the band in 1981. Well, recently I had the chance to listen to the new re-issue put out by Salvo/ZTT and I have to say that I’m pleasantly surprised by the material on the album. It’s actually very good. In fact, I prefer this Buggles album over their more well known debut, Age of Plastic.

It’s got Trevor Horn’s signature production touches all over it. The sounds and production techniques that Horn achieved here on this album obviously carried over to his subsequent production work with ABC, Yes (90125) and Frankie Goes to Hollywood. There are also precursors to his work with the Art Of Noise in the song “Vermillion Sands”. Just listen for the samples of a car crashing and the car engine turning over. very AON. Horn also does a “left turn” at the end of “Vermillion Sands” with an upbeat pseudo-big-band like instrumental which would fit right in on an AON album. definitely fun to view all of this in hindsight knowing what he achieved as a producer after his start in the Buggles.

10 bonus tracks are also included here on this release. Notables include “We Can Fly From Here” (which was considered for Yes’ Drama album), the 12″ mix of “I Am a Camera”

Yes, there isn’t another song as catchy as “Video Killed a Radio Star” here but taken as a whole, this album is far more satisfying than their first album. Definitely worth seeking out. Highlights include: Adventures in Modern Recording, Vermillion Sands, I Am A Camera, Lenny.

retroGrade: A

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This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of ampm. All opinions are 100% mine.

It’s always interesting to see the new and different ways businesses try to grab the attention of the modern day, tech-savvy consumer. It’s a monumental task to say the least since we’re all inundated with ads on a daily basis and have become a bit jaded toward these types of attention grabbing campaigns. Take for example the secret menu feature on ampm‘s facebook page. For those that don’t have a local ampm, they’re a convenience store that offer late night dining for those that get the munchies at 2 in the morning. Their sandwich offerings are basically self-serve so you’re free to be creative with your creations.
Now back to the facebook page – I’m all for “Liking” your favorites places and such but I hate those extra applications that ask for authorization to access your personal info. And unfortunately, ampm‘s secret menu tab is one of those privacy invading applications. Not a smart way to build trust among your fanbase. It’s a big “fail” in my book. Plus the secret menu app is just a fancy recipe book that simply lists some tasty sandwich creations. Take the Chili Conquistador for instance, which I do admit, looks pretty good. The Chili Conquistador includes a burger, chili and Spicy Funyuns. I think the Spicy Funyuns would actually go great with a burger. I would love to try it the next time I’m at ampm.
But as for the secret menu app on facebook? I like the whole concept of a secret menu but ampm needs to rethink the way the want to collect info on their customers.
For those that are curious about the secret menu, just head on over to their facebook fan page to check it out. Also, they’re unveiling five more secret menu items on the following dates: 7/26, 8/2, 8/9, 8/16, 8/30. And then on August 2nd, fans of ampm will be able to create their own versions of their favorites right on their facebook page.
Anyway, let me know what you think of the new secret menu app. got a favorite menu item? post ‘em in the comment section of this blog post!

You know, I wasn’t aware of this but apparently Axl Rose and his updated version of Guns N’ Roses are STILL out on the road supporting their 2008 album Chinese Democracy. I guess since most of the tour dates have been outside the U.S., I personally haven’t seen much buzz about them. But now the folks over at Rock ‘N Rev Festival have announced that GNR are headlining their five day festival. This is a big deal since GNR haven’t performed in the U.S. in four years. And so far, this is the only U.S. date on their current tour.

Here’s the official press release:
Los Angeles July 20, 2010 – Making their first U.S. concert appearance in four years – and playing their only U.S. show in 2010 – Guns N’ Roses has been officially recruited with Daughtry to join the inaugural Rock ‘N Rev Festival and cement its assault on the legendary Sturgis Rally’s 70th Anniversary celebration in Sturgis, SD, at the newly constructed Rock N’ Rev Amphitheater at Monkey Rock USA.
Guns N’ Roses will headline the fifth and final night of the festival, as it moves to the Brand New Rock ‘N Rev Amphitheater at Monkey Rock USA in Sturgis, adjacent to its original location. L.A.’s notorious rock ‘n’ roll bad boys – one of Q magazine’s “50 Bands to See Before You Die” – have combined forces with HDlogix and DC3 Global for this rare and very special appearance on home soil to bring the “full-out rock ‘n’ roll spectacle” (Spin) of their 2010 “Chinese Democracy World Tour” to Sturgis and finish off the hijacking of the world’s biggest, baddest biker event, Monday, Aug. 9 through Friday, Aug. 13, 2010.
Guns N’ Roses’ final night performance, immediately following previously announced Aug. 13 headliner Alice in Chains, is the ultimate climax to five full nights of undeniable rock ‘n’ roll bedlam, and now gives the Rock ‘N Rev Festival six of the most explosive, multi-platinum AMERICAN Active Rock Bands of 2010. Daughtry, supporting its second consecutive #1 album, will join 3 Doors Down, Hinder and others on Aug. 12, the 4th night of the Rock N’ Rev Festival.
In order to welcome Guns N’ Roses and Daughtry to the Rock ‘N Rev Festival, new festival owners HDlogix and its producers, DC3 Global, are starting construction immediately on the Rock N’ Rev Amphitheater at Monkey Rock USA, a new custom-built amphitheater on a 25-acre site at Monkey Rock designed to maximize logistical opportunities while enhancing the overall experience for everyone attending – from the bands to the fans.
“We are truly blessed to be able to announce the addition of Guns N’ Roses at this historic moment in the band’s history, along with Daughtry, just as we relocate the Rock ‘N Rev Festival to our own Amphitheater at Monkey Rock USA,” said DC3′s co-founder, Daniel E. Catullo III. “Monkey Rock’s vision to create a nationally recognized brand among the world’s top motorcycle rallies is a perfect fit for us, and we couldn’t be more excited to welcome them as our partners.”
Raising the insanity level to previously unimaginable heights, Guns N’ Roses and Daughtry are just the latest high octane multi-platinum rockers to join the growing list of bands at the Rock ‘N Rev Festival. They unite with fellow headliners Stone Temple Pilots, Godsmack, Creed, Alice in Chains and 3 Doors Down to establish the Rock ‘N Rev Festival as “The Home of Rock’s Hardest New Chart Toppers” – a different one topping each night’s lineup.
Tickets for the Rock ‘N Rev Festival are $45 per day, general admission ($150 for a five-day pass), and On Sale Now through Ticketmaster.com and rocknrevfestival.com and at all Ticketmaster locations, or by calling Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets also will be available in person beginning August 5, 2010 on location at the Festival’s on-site box office. For more information on exclusive VIP packages ($150 for a single day, $300 for all five days or $1,000 5 day platinum packages), including backstage access to a VIP area to special, air-conditioned tents with private bars, motorcycle parking, luxury bathroom facilities and more, go to rocknrevfestival.com.

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I had a chance to watch the new Doors’ DVD When You’re Strange: A Film About the Doors over the weekend and I have to say that I really enjoyed the Tom DiCillo-directed documentary. Like most music fans, I’m so accustomed to “VH1: Behind the Music”-style music documentaries that DiCillo’s choice of using only archival footage was a refreshing change of pace. “When You’re Strange” is essentially an overview of the band’s short time together with Johnny Depp doing the narrating. DiCillo assembled a great variety of riveting footage from Jim Morrison’s onstage antics to the surreal clips from the unreleased film “HWY”. The vintage clips have been cleaned up and restored for this release and the quality of the footage definitely adds to the enjoyment of this documentary. One of the more memorable scenes is when Morrison is simply hanging out in the crowd before “The Who” gig and fans are just in awe of his presence, some just wanting to touch his hair. Another great clip is of the band recording “Wild Child” in the studio with Morrison being a bit self-conscious with his vocals.

As expected, Morrison gets the bulk of the screentime here but the other band members (Robby Krieger, Ray Manzarek and John Densmore) make their mark by their notable instrumental performances.

I’m sure longtime fans will gripe about DiCillo not going into more detail about certain events or songs but my guess is that it would take a multi-volume set to get into the real “nitty-gritty” which simply can’t be accomplished in 86 minutes.

The bonus material on the DVD features an interview with Morrison’s dad, Admiral George Stephen Morrison, before he passed away in 2008. From what I heard, it’s the only interview he has done on camera concerning his famous son.

Title: When You’re Strange: A Film About the Doors
DVD released by: Eagle Rock Entertainment/Rhino
Directed by: Tom DiCillo
runtime: 86 minutes
released in the U.S.: July 2010

OK, as for the DVD giveaway, here’s the scoop. One lucky retroblog reader will be receiving a new DVD of “When You’re Strange: A Film About the Doors”. To enter in the drawing all you have to do is post your favorite Doors’ album in the comment section of this blog post. This will count as ONE ENTRY in the drawing. Please be sure to leave a legitimate email address or else I won’t have a way of contacting you if you’re selected as the winner.

For those that want a better chance of winning, you can also join the retroblog facebook page (which is essentially hitting the LIKE button on that page). And by “LIKING” us on facebook, you’ll get the equivalent of TWO ENTRIES in the DVD drawing. I hope that makes sense. Let me know if I’m confusing you.
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so, it seems that I wasted the whole evening last night thanks to Walmart. yup, good ol’ wally world. Apparently you can’t trust their “in-store availability” info on their website. I know, I know, what do I expect from a place like walmart where customer service is virtually nil. But against my better judgement I believed what the site was telling me. And it was telling me that a store way out in the boonies (approximately 40 minutes away from my house) had an item that I’ve been searching for the last couple days. yeah, I know, why am I even purchasing anything of value at wally world anyway. groceries and mundane stuff, yes. more expensive stuff, no. anyway, the website indicated that one store out of a dozen in my area had this one item in stock and it was in a place I’ve never driven to before.

so, after dinner I dragged my wife and kids in the van and searched for the holy grail, somewhere out in the great beyond. first problem was google maps. OK, scratch that. the first problem was of course trusting walmart. enough said. second problem was google maps. it gave me misleading directions to this place. apparently google isn’t that familiar with the boonies either. So, I overshot my destination by ten miles or so and by that time, I was extremely low on gas. so there we were in the middle of nowhere at night searching for a gas station. I was literally riding on fumes by the time I found a station in a small no-name town. I swear I heard dueling banjos ala “Deliverance” playing in the background as I tried to fill up the tank as quickly and as unobtrusively as possible so that I wouldn’t disturb the natives. and just my luck the automatic trigger to stop the pump when full was busted so I spewed gas over the van and my shoes. great!!

anyway, after cussing at myself for getting all of us into this mess, I got back on the road and restarted the search for this godforsaken walmart. after a few turns here and there on dark, lonely roads and with a little help from “The Force”, we eventually stumbled onto the damn place. It was getting pretty late in the evening at this point and I just wanted to grab what I was there for and get the hell home.

And you guessed it!! after all that driving and me smelling of gas, Walmart did not even have the damn thing even though the website says it does. nice!

Thank you for a lovely evening Walmart. never again, my friend. never again.