ARCHIVE: Liner Notes & Packaging

DAVID LEE ROTH Crazy From The Heat (softcover, 1998)
**Back Cover text



FAITH NO MORE This Is It: The Best Of (2003)
**Liner Notes



L.A. GUNS Shrinking Violet (1999)
**CD booklet photo



MEGADETH Rude Awakening DVD (2002)
**Special Feature: Paul Gargano on Megadeth



POISON Power to the People (2000)
**Back Cover photograph



QUEENSRYCHE Live Evolution CD/DVD (2001)
**CD Liner Notes; DVD Special Feature: Biography



QUEENSRYCHE Sign of the Times (2007)
**Liner Notes



STRAIT UP Tribute to Lynn Strait (2000)
**CD booklet photo (Lynn Strait and Max Cavalera)



STUCK MOJO Violate This (2001)
**Liner Notes



TYPE O NEGATIVE Symphony for the Devil DVD (2006)
**Special Feature: Band Member Bios



VH1 CLASSIC: Metal Mania Stripped, Vol. 2 (2005)
**Liner Notes

ARCHIVE: Artist Bio Links

Alphabetized list of links to select artist bios archived online:




ANTHRAX reunion (2005)






BIGELF (2008)






GEOFF TATE (2002)









GIRLICIOUS (2008)







HATEBREED (2002)







JOURNEY (2005)








MUDVAYNE (2008)






PAPA ROACH (2006)







PRIMA J (2008)







SHAW BLADES (2006)










SHWAYZE (2008)







STAIND (2008)

ARCHIVE: Interview Links

Alphabetized list of links to select interviews archived online:

A Perfect Circle (Apr '04) Maximum Ink

American Headcharge (Oct '01) Maximum Ink

Arlo Guthrie (Mar '07) Citysearch

Beautiful Creatures (Sep '01) Maximum Ink

Black Sabbath (Dec '98) Maximum Ink

Calvin Harris (Apr '08) ARTISTdirect

Coal Chamber (Feb '98) Maximum Ink

Days of the New (Aug '98) Maximum Ink

Drain S.T.H. (Jun '97) Maximum Ink

Drown (Apr '99) Maximum Ink

Drowning Pool (Nov '01) Maximum Ink

Eagles of Death Metal (May '06) Maximum Ink

Godsmack (Feb '99) Maximum Ink

Goo Goo Dolls (Jun '06) Maximum Ink

Iron Maiden (Aug '05) Maximum Ink

Kid Rock (Dec '99) Maximum Ink

Korn (Mar '06) Maximum Ink

Life of Agony (May '98) Maximum Ink

Man... or Astro-Man? (Oct '96) Maximum Ink

Marilyn Manson (Nov '00) Maximum Ink

Megadeth (Nov '06) Citysearch

Ministry (Mar '96) Maximum Ink

Ozzy Osbourne (Dec '01) Maximum Ink

Papa Roach (Nov '06) liveDaily

Papa Roach (Nov '06) Citysearch

Paul Oakenfold (Oct '06) Citysearch

Paul Stanley (Nov '06) liveDaily

Puddle of Mudd (Aug '01) Maximum Ink

Queensryche (Feb'07) Citysearch

Rammstein (Nov '98) Maximum Ink

Second Coming (May '99) Maximum Ink

Sevendust (Feb '06) Maximum Ink

Sevendust (Aug' 99) Maximum Ink

Sevendust (Apr '97) Maximum Ink

Slayer (Jan '07) liveDaily

Slipknot (May '00) Maximum Ink

Stone Sour (Aug '06) Maximum Ink

Stone Temple Pilots (Oct '00) Maximum Ink

Stuck Mojo (Apr '98) Maximum Ink

System of a Down (Nov '99) Maximum Ink

Tesla (Jul '07) Maximum Ink

Tommy Lee (Jun '02) Maximum Ink

Tool (Sep '06) Maximum Ink

Tiesto (Aug '07) Reuters

Tiesto (Aug '07) liveDaily

Trans-Siberian Orchestra (Dec '05) Maximum Ink

Ultraspank (Jul '98) Maximum Ink

Zakk Wylde (Jul '00) Maximum Ink

ARCHIVE: Live Review Links

Alphabetized list of links to select concert reviews archived online:

Arlo Guthrie (Nov '05) The Hollywood Reporter

Be Your Own Pet (Jun '06) The Hollywood Reporter

Bob Seger (Mar '07) liveDaily

Bon Jovi (Apr '08) The Hollywood Reporter

Buckcherry/Nonpoint (Jun '06) The Hollywood Reporter

Cheap Trick (Nov '06) liveDaily

Coachella (May '08) ARTISTdirect

Coachella (May '07) liveDaily

Dave Matthews Band (Aug '06) The Hollywood Reporter

George Michael (Jun '08) ARTISTdirect

Goo Goo Dolls (May '06) The Hollywood Reporter

Guns 'N Roses (Sep '06) The Hollywood Reporter

Guns 'N Roses (Dec '06) liveDaily

Heaven and Hell (Apr '07) liveDaily

Iron Maiden (Feb '08) ARTISTdirect

Iron Maiden (Oct '06) Reuters

James Blunt (Sep '07) ARTISTdirect

Joan Jett (Nov '06) liveDaily

John Mayer (Jun '07) liveDaily

John Mayer (Sep '06) The Hollywood Reporter

Justin Timberlake (Jan '07) Reuters

Kelly Clarkson (Aug '06) The Hollywood Reporter

KROQ Weenie Roast (May '08) Reuters

Linkin Park (Mar '08) Reuters

Massive Attack (Sep '06) The Hollywood Reporter

Mayhem Tour (Jul '08) The Hollywood Reporter

Metallica (Oct '08) The Hollywood Reporter

My Chemical Romance (Oct '06) Reuters

Neil Young (Oct '07) Reuters

New Found Glory (Oct '06) liveDaily

OZZfest (Jul '06) The Hollywood Reporter

Poison (Aug '07) liveDaily

Rod Stewart (Mar '07) liveDaily

Roger Waters (Jun '07) liveDaily

Rush (Jul '07) liveDaily

Sevendust (Feb '06) Reuters

Shooter Jennings (Dec '06) The Hollywood Reporter

Steely Dan (Jul '06) liveDaily

Stereolab (Mar '06) The Hollywood Reporter

Stevie Nicks (May '07) liveDaily

Stone Temple Pilots (Jun '08) ARTISTdirect

Suicidal Tendencies (Oct '05) The Hollywood Reporter

Ted Nugent (Jun '08) ARTISTdirect

The Beatles "Love" (Nov '06) liveDaily

Tony Bennett (Aug '07) liveDaily

Trans-Siberian Orchestra (Dec '06) liveDaily

Type O Negative (Apr '07) liveDaily

ARCHIVE: Album Review Links

Alphabetized list of links to select album reviews archived online:

3 Doors Down 3 Doors Down (2008)

Barry Manilow Greatest Songs of the Sixties (2006)

Black Light Burns Cruel Melody (2007)

Disturbed Indestructible (2008)

Disturbed The Sickness (2000)

Gavin Rossdale Wanderlust (2008)

Goldfrapp Seventh Tree (2008)

Goon Moon Licker's Last Leg (2007)

Gwen Stefani The Sweet Escape (2006)

Kittie Funeral for Yesterday (2007)

Megadeth United Abominations (2007)

Mudcrutch Mudcrutch (2008)

Neil Diamond Home Before Dark (2008)

Queens of the Stone Age Era Vulgaris (2007)

Taylor Hicks Taylor Hicks (2006)

The B-52s Funplex (2008)

The Exies A Modern Way of Living with the Truth (2007)

The Offspring Rise and Fall, Rage and Grace (2008)

Type O Negative Dead Again (2007)

Whitesnake Good to be Bad (2008)

Yusuf Islam An Other Cup (2006)

Paul McCartney, The Killers and The Cure to headline 2009 Coachella Festival

Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival
April 17-19, 2009

The lineup for this year's Coachella (as of 1/30) is as follows:

FRIDAY APRIL 17
Paul McCartney, Morrissey, Franz Ferdinand, Leonard Cohen,
Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band, Beirut, The Black Keys,
Girl Talk, Silversun Pickups, The Ting Tings, The Crystal Method,
Ghostland Observatory, Crystal Castles, The Airborne Toxic Event,
We Are Scientists, N.A.S.A., Patton & Rahzel, M. Ward, The Presets,
The Hold Steady, A Place to Bury Strangers, Felix da Housecat,
Buraka Som Sistema, Ryan Bingham, Bajofondo, Peanut Butter Wolf,
Noah & the Whale, White Lies, The Bug, Los Campesinos!,
Alberta Cross, Craze & Klever, Molotov, Switch, Gui Boratto,
Steve Aoki, The Aggrolites, People Under the Stairs,
The Courteeners, Cage the Elephant, Dear and the Headlights.

SATURDAY, APRIL 18
The Killers, Amy Winehouse, Thievery Corporation, TV on the Radio,
Band of Horses, Fleet Foxes, MSTRKRFT, Mastodon, TRAV$DJ-AM,
Michael Franti & Spearhead, Atmosphere, Henry Rollins, Crookers,
Turbonegro, Hercules and Love Affair, Superchunk, Glasvegas,
Dr. Dog, Drive-By Truckers, Booker T & the DBT’s, Amanda Palmer,
The Bloody Beetroots, Surkin, Para One (Live), Calexico, Liars,
Bob Mould Band, Zane Lowe, Electric Touch, Blitzen Trapper,
James Morrison, Drop the Lime, Glass Candy, Thenewno2,
Gang Gang Dance, Billy Talent, Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti,
Ida Maria, Zizek, Cloud Cult, Tinariwen.

SUNDAY, APRIL 19
The Cure, My Bloody Valentine, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Throbbing Gristle,
Lupe Fiasco, Paul Weller, Peter Bjorn and John, X, Public Enemy,
Antony & the Johnsons, Roni Size, Jenny Lewis, Groove Armada,
Paolo Nutini, Christopher Lawrence, Lykke Li, Okkervil River,
The Kills, M.A.N.D.Y., Clipse, Sebastien Tellier, Fucked Up,
Perry Farrell, The Horrors, Late of the Pier, K’naan, Junior Boys,
Brian Jonestown Massacre, Supermayer, No Age, Vivian Girls,
Shepard Fairey, Themselves, Gaslight Anthem, The Knux,
Mexican Institute of Sound, The Night Marchers, Marshall Barnes.

Official Coachella Website

# # #

Click here for an archived preview of Coachella 2008.

Click here for an archived review of Coachella 2008.

Click here for an archived review of Coachella 2007.

Rock of Love Bus (On A Steel Horse They Ride)

That ain't a pistol, it's my... Rock of Love Bus! Season 3 of Poison frontman Bret Michaels' search for love - we'll use that word loosely, with an emphasis on loose - is a rip-roaring calamity of absurd implants and sub-zero intellects so mind-numbing, it turns your gray matter into silicone (that's a good thing, I swear). If you haven't heard, for this go round (surprisingly, Michaels' first two "Rock of Love" attempts to find the woman of his dreams didn't seem to pan out) he's brought his groupie menagerie on the road, packing the girls in pink and light blue tour buses as they follow him from city to city on a solo concert tour. It is laugh-out-loud television that is so bad, it's brilliant, serving up an endless array of VH1-sponsored idiocy that takes guilty pleasures to all new lows. Yup, it just doesn't get any better than this! I lost 20 IQ points watching the first episode, but since I figure that's 18 more than most of the girls on the show had to start with, I'd risk another 20 and watch again. This time, I'm only watching for the dialogue, I swear! They say a picture can tell a thousand words. Here are about a thousand words from the season premier that just don't need pictures...

"After two seasons of coming up empty handed, I had to ask myself, 'What the hell am I doing wrong?'" -Bret Michaels, who's scored more than his share of handfuls throughout the first two seasons, so I don't know what the hell he's talking about

"I'm everything I think a guy would want, actually - I'm different, I'm cool, I'm fun, I'm a little bit not too smart, but that's okay!" -Brittanya, who's got to score some points for at least knowing exactly where she stands

"What the blonde bimbo hell have I walked into?" -Mindy (not blonde)

"I am a DJ and I am also known for doing graffiti, but then I got six months of, like, jail time, so I was like, okay, if I get my boobs done then I'm not going to climb the buildings, I might pop one, or I'm not going to climb the freeways because it's hard, so I decided to get my boobs done for that reason." -Nikki, who then rapped lyrics she wrote for Brett off sheets of paper that had information about genital herpes and gonorrhea printed on the back of them. "I'm not exactly sure what his impression might have been," she said, "but hopefully he heard the lyrics and knew a little bit more about me, at least..." Yeah, we'll see how much Bret is turned on by the fact that you recycle paper, sweetheart!

"I'm starting an escort agency out of Canada - Hi, I'm Natasha, an aspiring madam." -Natasha, an aspiring madam

"I get a man's attention with... I usually just push my boobs up - just kidding..." -Farrah, who I really don't think is kidding

"I actually get really carsick, though, that's the only thing I'm afraid of. Limos get me sick, taxi cabs get me sick, buses get me sick - so I think I would like to sit in the front of the bus." -Samantha, who apparently doesn't know the difference between a tour bus and a Greyhound. They'll be putting the drama in Dramamine this season.

"I don't want to be the first naked girl... How about I just show you my ass?" -Taya, a Penthouse Pet cover girl/centerfold who doesn't want to seem one-dimensional

"Mass chaos, it's a like a stampede of stripper heels." -Samantha, describing the scene as the girls pack their luggage on the buses

"I packed very lightly, just my Luis Vuitton bag. It's a carry-on, and all my clothes are really small and I could pretty-much fit six weeks of clothes in there." -Nikki, who saved space by not packing underwear

"I'm gonna tell you straight out, I do no illegal drugs. Everything I've ever taken and am on is legal and (burp) - excuse me, I've been drinking a little..." -Nikki, a veritable quote machine

"So we're up onstage trying to have a good time and I look over and see Farrah and Gia making out, basically swapping diseases. It was very disgusting to watch. Are you guys here for Bret, or are you putting on a show for these hillbillies?" -Natasha, who offends pretty easily for an aspiring madam, don't you think?

"If Farrah wants to lick my boobs, she can lick my boobs anytime she wants..." -Gia, who later places a test tube of liquor in a place for Nikki to, well, do something Bret says he hasn't seen done in all his years of touring. Having been on the road with Poison before,I highly doubt that, but I digress... Nikki was (surprise) all too happy to oblige: "I'm freaking horny right now because for three months I haven't been with a guy because I had a girlfriend and I thought this girlfriend thing was going to work out, whatever..." Says Bret, "All's I know is, thank God alcohol kills 99.9 percent of all germs."

"Your boobs are saggy, that's cute." -Ashley, to Beverly, who then tosses her shot glass and hits Gia, who throws a drink back at Beverly from about three feet away, but misses her by a foot

"I'm not a lesbian or totally bisexual, but if that's what you want, and I love you, then I would do that for you..." -Brittaney, the former porn star who's apparently only partially bisexual

"I was so angry at her, I pushed her on the couch and I choked her - you do not waste alcohol like that, that is not cool!" -Marcia, the Brazilian, after Ashley poured a beer on her

"I just specifically asked you guys not to be slutty..." -Big John, Bret's best friend and head of security, in the season previews

I know, it's just not the same without pictures! To check out the girls of "Rock of Love Bus," click here. God I love this show!

# # #

Click here for an archived liveDaily review of Poison's 08.12.07 performance at the Verizon Amphitheater in Irvine, CA.

Album of the Year

My album of the year for 2008? Chinese Democracy.

Musically, I give a slight edge to Death Magnetic, Metallica's sprawling return to their epic metal roots. That album is to heavy metal what Coldplay's Viva La Vida is to alterna-pop. Where the latter soothes the savage beast, the other grabs it by the balls and twists until the beast sees red. Then the beast is unleashed. Without a question of doubt, Metallica have reclaimed the metal throne that many thought they'd relinquished over the past decade.

The release of Guns N' Roses' Chinese Democracy, on the other hand, was met by nothing but questions and doubt. The album's "pending" release has been an industry joke since the turn of the millennium. Half the album has been floating around the internet, and many of those songs have already been unveiled live on any number of Axl Rose and band's scattered tours over the past few years. The album's budget has received more press than former guitarist Slash's subsequent releases - with more alleged release dates than KISS has had farewell tours - and Axl Rose has been about as visible in the media as those weapons of mass destruction were in Iraq.

Then it was announced that the album would not only come out Nov. 22, but it would be available exclusively in Best Buy stores, much like the Eagles, Journey and AC/DC released albums exclusively through Wal-Mart. When Metallica debuted with first-week sales in excess of 800,000, and AC/DC followed suit with sales just short of 900,000 (in Wal-Mart alone, no less), the general consensus (myself included) was that GNR would splash somewhere around the gold mark. But they fell very short, with first-week sales less than a third that of their metallic brethren.

In this day-and-age of instant gratification and snap judgements, many were quick to let album sales dictate that the album was a failure. And those figures gave credence to the people who didn't need to listen to the album to argue, "It's not Guns N' Roses without Slash," or "It sounds disjointed, like it was recorded over 15 years. There's no continuity..." But those arguments don't hold water when you give the album a few serious listens. No, Slash is nowhere to be found, but lead guitarists Robin Finck, Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal and Buckethead leave their own signatures. Solos abound, and while they don't always bleed with a blues-rock squeal, the sound is unmistakably Guns N' Roses. Yes, the punk rock audacity of their legendary Appetite for Destruction debut is gone, but it was gone on their two Use Your Illusion releases, so that should come as no surprise. Just as UYI I & II took Guns N' Roses a step beyond their 1987 debut, Chinese Democracy takes yet another step - albeit more than a decade later. Was it worth the wait? Maybe not, but what in life is worth waiting 15 years for? Plain and simple, it's a fantastic record that not only holds up with repeated listens, but gets stronger.

As I said earlier, by musical merits alone, I'd place the album a hair's length behind Metallica's Death Magnetic, but I don't judge an Album of the Year by music alone. Obviously, I also don't judge an album by its sales. No, with Chinese Democracy, I'm hailing an album that not only rose to the occasion musically, but also spoke to the time and era in which it was released.

With a reported budget of more than $15.0 million, there seemed no chance of label Interscope/Geffen recouping their expenses. But they found their bailout in Best Buy, whose guaranteed payout for the exclusive rights to the release was said to be substantial enough to recoup the vast majority, if not all, of the label's investment in the album (it is reported that the retailer purchased a non-returnable 1.3 million copies of the album). With only a fraction of the retail presence of Wal-Mart (less than a fifth, to be exact - according to the company websites, Best Buy have nearly 1,300 stores to Wal-Mart's 7,400), marketing would have to be at a premium to compete with the numbers Metallica and AC/DC reported in first-week sales. And there was no marketing. At all. In fact, the album was all but lost on the shelves in many Best Buys for fans who went looking.

Guns N' Roses apologists blame Interscope, but is it fair to blame the label? Metallica were everywhere in the months preceding the release of Death Magnetic, from radio festivals to magazine covers, and nearly every website in between. Axl Rose was nowhere to be seen. Wal-Mart built a store-within-a-store to promote AC/DC's Black Ice, and Chinese Democracy was lucky to have end-cap space in Best Buy. The argument has been made that Rose has lost credibility in the eyes of many fans, but credibility is nothing more than a marketing guru away. Just ask Britney Spears. Or Tom Cruise. Or Bret Michaels. I'm not saying Axl Rose needed to star in his own "Rock of Love," but a little media presence can go a long way - Axl didn't pick the best time to go back into hiding.

Did Interscope drop the ball by not making the most of their Best Buy deal, or were they never even handed the ball to run with? You can only work with what you're given, and it doesn't seem like they were given anything more than a damn-good album, and little means by which to promote it. Welcome to the music industry in the 21st Century. It's a jungle, baby. It's not enough to have a great album, you need a machine behind that album. And in order for the machine to work, it needs fuel. The dollars and cents of the label's deal with Best Buy represented everything brilliant about the big business side of the music industry. The way that deal was handled, represented everything that's wrong with the industry today.

Bands need to work with their labels, not against them. That didn't happen with Chinese Democracy. But it's not too late. In December, Axl promised that a video for lead single "Better" would arrive soon. We're still waiting. Similarly, a tour is being talked about in Spring. That, too, will do a lot to promote sales. It's no secret that Axl Rose does things differently. And some might argue that is part of his mystique. Couple that mystique with the marketing machine responsible for more record sales than any other major label last year, and there's still a lot of potential for Chinese Democracy to show substantial legs.

Make up for the album's ill-presence at its release with a blockbuster Best Buy promotion to coincide with the tour. How about an in-store or two? It's totally anti-Axl, which is exactly what would make it so brilliant. Grant a few high-profile interviews. Make a few television appearances. Take hold of the opportunities that are made available to only someone of Axl Rose's stature, and watch how fast cynics turn tail and believe in Chinese Democracy. The sales will follow.

Once that happens, Guns N' Roses may have the Album of the Year in 2009, as well.

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Click here for an archived Hollywood Reporter review of Guns N' Roses' 09.23.06 performance at the Hyundai Pavilion in Devore, CA, and here for an archived LiveDaily.com review of their 12.17.06 performance at the Gibson Amphitheater in Universal City, CA.

I Want You To Want Me

CHEAP TRICK
House of Blues
West Hollywood, CA
12.16.08

Setlist:
1. Hello There
2. That '70s Song
3. California Man
4. High Roller
5. Oh, Candy
6. If You Want My Love
7. She's Tight
8. Heaven Tonight
9. Magical Mystery Tour
10. I Want You To Want Me
11. Voices
12. Downed
13. Ghost Town
14. Surrender
15. Goodnight
ENCORE
16. Dream Police
17. Just Got Back

I just got off the phone with a friend of mine, a veteran music journalist whose time in the biz makes mine seem like that of a greenhorn, and he lit up when I told him I saw Cheap Trick last night. "One of the great rock and roll bands..." he chimed, his voice humming as he said 'rock and roll,' "I'd love to see Cheap Trick." To which I replied, "I wish more people felt that way... They've got to be one of the most underrated bands in music."

He didn't agree that they're underrated, and asked me to explain... Well, AC/DC just played two sold-out nights at the Forum here in Los Angeles, filling more than 30,000 seats for the two shows. Cheap Trick performed two nights at the House of Blues, the second night having pre-sales well under 300 even though the magic of last-minute marketing/papering made the room look pretty decent by the time the Rockford, IL, quartet took the stage. Sure, tickets were $70 (that's nearly $1/minute for the 75-minute set) in an economy where $70 can go a long way heading into the holiday season, and it probably doesn't help that the shows went on-sale months ago, when gas in the So-Cal netherworld was flirting with $5/gallon. But this is still Cheap Trick we're talking about, not some gangly crew of flavor-of-the-week teenagers selling out at half that price! AC/DC can sell 30,000 tickets, and Cheap Trick bustle in at just over 1,000 - Not to knock AC/DC, but what's up with that?

In a word, perception. While Cheap Trick have the edge in hits, they lose their edge in image. AC/DC are a heavy metal monster truck, spitting flames from their ass and blowing smoke through their nostrils. It might not be the car you want to drive cross country, but hot-damn it's one fun place to hitch a ride. Cheap Trick are the dependable family wagon with wood paneling on the side and luggage tied to the rooftop and covered by a waterproof tarp. AC/DC are formulaic and kitsch, inviting audiences to get lost in their world of camp. Cheap Trick could also be accused of being formulaic - in as much as three decades of rock-solid songwriting, killer hooks and lush melodies can make someone formulaic - but despite themselves remain credibly fashionable. Both bands are fun as hell and could share a stage in a heartbeat, yet remain as different as night and day.

AC/DC release an album, tour their asses off, then disappear for a presidential term or two. Cheap Trick tour their asses off, only stopping long enough to record an album in between jaunts before returning to the road. When AC/DC tours it is an event; when Cheap Trick tours it's another chance to see one of the greatest bands of all time. If Cheap Trick toured twice a decade, they'd be packing arenas, but that's not the way they roll. They're road dogs, and they love to perform. They love their music, whether it's in front of 20,000 fans opening for Journey and Heart, or in front of 500 fans at a criminally under-attended L.A. club show. That said, one might say that a $70 tickets for a 75-minute show is criminal, as well. A friend we were watching the show with commented on how cool it is to see Cheap Trick in such a small venue. Another friend retorted that it would be a lot cooler if they didn't do it so often. Touche.

A little math: Two tickets to see Cheap Trick at the House of Blues: $140. Valet parking at House of Blues, including tip: $17. Dinner at House of Blues (two entrees, two desserts, two drinks, tip): $75. Four drinks during show (two each, including tips): $38. All things considered, it's a $275 night. And if you need a babysitter? You've topped the $300 mark. Even without the bells and whistles of a grown-up night out, Cheap Trick have still priced themselves out of the range of the casual fan. AC/DC, meanwhile, offer a ticket for half the price, with ten times the spectacle. In a world where people want bang for their buck, AC/DC shake you all night long and Cheap Trick want you to want them. A little bit of shaking goes a long way, and you can't always get what you want. 'Nuff said about that.

The joy is, none of this truly matters to Cheap Trick. At least, it doesn't seem to. AC/DC might out-gross them, but it's all shades of gray, because both bands are massively successful, both bands have had legendary careers, and both bands deliver everything they promise, and more, every time out there. Yeah, if Cheap Trick did things differently they might have more teenagers at their shows, but the argument can be made that while AC/DC grab them when they're young, lose them in the middle, and bring 'em back for some nostalgia when their older, Cheap Trick grab 'em when they're old enough to truly appreciate great music, and never lose 'em at all.

I didn't catch AC/DC this go-round. It's their first tour I missed in 20 years, and I didn't feel a tinge of regret. Everyone who saw the show confirmed my suspicion - It was a decent show, but if you've seen them before, you've been there, done that. Cheap Trick, on the other hand? I've seen them at least three times in the last two years. That may not be much next to the fans that flew cross-country to see their House of Blues twin-bill, but it's enough to know that as many times as I see them, I won't grow tired of their seamless musicianship, razor-sharp wit and rich musical history.

Whether they're dishing out their classics, covering the Beatles or the Move, or digging into KISS bassist Gene Simmons (enjoying the show from the VIP balcony) with some tongue-in-cheek barbs about firing fellow band members before an impromptu tear into "Love Gun," every Cheap Trick show offers something special to make it memorable. In a day-and-age where bands change musicians like most of us change light bulbs, to see the same four guys still delivering, better than ever, in their fourth decade, says a lot... And it doesn't even start to tell the story of the Cheap Trick.

That is why Cheap Trick are one of the most underrated bands in music.

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Click here for an archived LiveDaily.com review of Cheap Trick's 11.02.06 performance at the Wiltern Theater in Los Angeles.