2021-12-25

♫ “Sleigh Riders”

“Sleigh Riders” – Bah & the Humbugs

More than just an off-season job.

2021-11-05

♫ “Games People Play”

“Games People Play” (live) – Alan Parsons

That feeling when you wish you could take people at face value. New live album out now.

2021-10-29

♫ “Dare to Know”

“Dare to Know” – Yes

Most of what you see in life is a repeat of something. New album this month.

2021-09-17

♫ “Reason to Live”

“Reason to Live” – Rick Aster

Realizing there is more to life than this.

2021-09-11

♫ “Nothing Else Matters”

“Nothing Else Matters” – PG Roxette

Give six musicians from Roxette a Metallica song to play. Tell them it has to sound like Roxette. It turns out nothing else matters.

2021-08-14

♫ “She’s On Fire”

“She’s On Fire” – Billy F. Gibbons

Lighting up the room with that bright red sedan. New album Hardware out now.

2021-07-28

♫ “Shadow Dancing”

“Shadow Dancing” – Dee Gees

When it gets so late that you don’t know whether you’re chasing a person or a shadow.

2021-07-25

♫ “Abracadabra”

“Abracadabra” – Arnel Pineda featuring Joel Hoekstra

Half of a magic spell is intention.

2021-07-23

♫ “The Ice Bridge”

“The Ice Bridge” – Yes

The point of no return was somewhere back there. On into the unknown. From the forthcoming album The Quest, produced by guitarist Steve Howe.

2021-07-22

♫ “Bite the Bullet”

“Bite the Bullet” – Eclipse

Not every social movement spreads like grass. Here’s one that hits with a sense of urgency.

2021-07-19

♫ “Solar Fire”

“Solar Fire” – Smith/Kotzen

An alternative way of playing with fire. Okay, not really “alternative,” it’s as old as the sun.

2021-07-17

♫ “You Should Be Dancing”

“You Should Be Dancing” – Dee Gees

Still going at midnight. Still going at dawn. That’s what a heavy dance groove can do for you.

2021-07-09

♫ “Kingdom Of Desire”

“Kingdom Of Desire” (live) – Toto

What do you want — and where is that kingdom?

2021-06-30

♫ “Alchemist You Know”

“Alchemist You Know” acoustic song demo – Rick Aster

You might fool the public, but you can’t fool the alchemist.

2021-06-25

♫ “With a Little Help From My Friends”

“With a Little Help From My Friends” live – Toto

Toto, I don’t think we’re in Liverpool anymore.

2021-06-24

♫ “The Way We Used to Be”

“The Way We Used to Be” – Journey

Dreaming of the past, then suddenly, a chance to go.

2021-06-03

♫ “Better Without You”

“Better Without You” live – Evanescence

Discovering a better energy out in the big wide world.

2021-05-24

♫ “Breakout”

“Breakout” – Night Ranger

Some days, even a storm-damaged storefront in the desert makes you feel like you got out.

2021-05-22

♫ “Saturday Night (Hallelujah)”

“Saturday Night (Hallelujah)” – Eclipse

Hallelujah for the weekend. If you were waiting for AC/DC to play a Bon Jovi song, try this one. New album later this year.

2021-05-20

♫ “Brave New World”

“Brave New World” – Styx

Change is in the air. A new video for a classic science fiction rock song.

2021-05-17

♫ “Hellfire Thunderbolt”

“Hellfire Thunderbolt” – KK’s Priest

The more electric side of heavy metal, from two former Judas Priest members, K.K. Downing and Tim “Ripper” Owens. Album Sermons of the Sinner coming August 21, 2021.

2021-05-15

♫ “Stand It Up”

“Stand It Up” acoustic song demo – Rick Aster

The transition from being in front of people to working online — it’s not easy for anyone.

2021-05-14

♫ “Alone Too Long”

“Alone Too Long” – John Hall

If you can see it in others, it might be getting to you too.

2021-05-11

♫ “Joyride”

“Joyride” – Roxette

For the 30th anniversary, the Joyride video is reedited and remastered in cinematic high definition. It feels and looks like another world.

2021-05-08

♫ “Crash of the Crown”

“Crash Of The Crown” (drummer video) – Styx

That moment when you have to stop and ask questions. What happened? Where are we? The album of the same name is set for release June 18.

2021-05-07

♫ “The Rising”

“The Rising” – Nancy Wilson

A scaled-up version of the Bruce Springsteen song. Debut album You and Me out now.

2021-04-30

♫ “Who Let You In Here”

“Who Let You In Here” – Rick Aster

That feeling when you were just born yesterday and people want to know what’s up.

2021-04-16

♫ “Better Without You”

“Better Without You” – Evanescence

The pride of being a survivor.

Trigger warning: strobe and lightning effects.

2021-04-14

♫ “Till the End”

“Till the End” (live) – Toto

That moment when the clarity comes through.

2021-04-09

♫ “Quit Waking Me Up”

“Quit Waking Me Up” – Cheap Trick

When it’s a wild time but you don’t want the dream to end. New album out now.

2021-04-02

♫ ”Aqualung”

“Aqualung” – Jethro Tull

Official music videos didn’t exist fifty years ago. They do now.

2021-03-26

♫ “Drifting Through the Galaxies”

“Drifting Through the Galaxies” acoustic song demo – Rick Aster

It’s an all-acoustic disco performance of a song about getting out of here. Because it’s been more than a year and we can’t actually travel yet.

2021-03-12

♫ “I, Oh I”

“I, Oh I” – Paul Stanley’s Soul Station

Five o’clock in the morning and making plans. Album coming soon.

2021-03-05

♫ “Stand It Up”

“Stand It Up” acoustic song demo – Rick Aster

A singer-songwriter with an acoustic guitar is here to tell you why it’s not easy being a rock band during a lockdown.

2021-02-28

♫ “Just In Sight”

“Just In Sight” – Arc of Life

Sometimes all you can do is lay low and await divine guidance.

2021-02-22

♫ “Don’t Put It Down”

“Don’t Put It Down” acoustic song demo – Rick Aster

Now is the time to do that thing.

2021-02-19

♫ “Nature’s Light”

“Nature’s Light” – Blackmore’s Night

Sunshine is the new queen. New album by the same name coming March 12.

2021-02-14

♫ “I Want To Know You Better”

“I Want To Know You Better” – Arc of Life

Life moves at the speed of light, but there’s still time for love.

2021-02-11

♫ “Social Debris”

“Social Debris” – Alice Cooper

The new album, coming this month, is described as an ode to Detroit. That’s the Detroit of half a century ago when it was the haven for “angry hard rock.” With producer Bob Ezrin, the new single sounds like a song from that era.

2021-02-08

♫ “These Photo Tags Are All Wrong”

“These Photo Tags Are All Wrong” – Rick Aster

That feeling when the Internet’s record of your history is different from what you want to remember.

2021-01-31

♫ “Looking for the Light”

“Looking for the Light” – Transatlantic

Get up off that pavement and find the truth. New album The Absolute Universe available worldwide on Friday.

2021-01-22

♫ “Black Swan”

“Black Swan” – Flower Kings

Another black swan. You can’t claim you saw this one coming.

2021-01-20

♫ “Too Late For Love”

“Too Late For Love” – Chez Kane

Can those hot-shot singers really sing like that? Here’s one who has video evidence.

2021-01-01

♫ “Drive It Like You Stole It”

“Drive It Like You Stole It” (live) – Smackbound

New year. New you. You have something important to do. With the sirens on.