Randy Renaud's blog

Big Outdoor Music Fest Coming to Toronto

The spirit of Woodstock lives on, or hopes to be resurrected in Toronto this summer with a huge music and arts event planned by Artie Kornfeld, the music executive and promoter who co-organized the original famed festival back in 1969 at Max Yasgur’s farm in upstate New York. The Florida resident has teamed with Montreal artist David Kam to put together a show unlike anything the city has seen before, combining music with efforts to achieve world peace, fight poverty and raise awareness of climate change.

Like 2003’s “SARS-stock,” the Imagine Music Festival will be at Downsview Park, but this time the crowds would commune for two days, on July 10 and 11.

Brand New Joe Bonamassa song -- Free Download

One of the hottest new guitar talents on the planet, Joe Bonamassa, already has a new cd ready to release on March 23. The album is called "Black Rock" and it is produced by Kevin Shirley, known for his work with Led Zeppelin, Iron Maiden, Aerosmith, and The Black Crowes.

It's going to be a busy summer for the red-hot young bluesman. He not only has a new album and upcoming tour; but he will also be in Chicago for Eric Clapton's 2010 Crossroads Guitar Festival in June. And then he'll be teaming up with Glenn Hughes (Deep Purple) and Jason Bonham (Led Zeppelin) in a new supergroup called Black Country.

Eric Clapton to Host Another Crossroads Guitar Summit

Eric is heading back to Chicago this summer to host another superstar gathering of guitarists. Eric Clapton’s Crossroads Guitar Festival takes place this year on June 26th, in Toyota Park, just outside Chicago, and the line-up  for the one-day event includes B.B. King, Jeff Beck, Joe Bonamassa, Doyle Bramhall II, Buddy Guy, ZZ Top, the Allman Brothers Band, John Mayer, Steve Winwood, Sonny Landreth,  Robert Cray, and Hubert Sumlin.

All profits from the festival will benefit the Clapton-founded addiction treatment and education facility The Crossroads Centre, located on the West Indies island of Antigua.

New Movie About John Lennon's Early Years

There is a new movie about to be released called Nowhere Boy that portrays John Lennon's childhood years growing up in Liverpool, raised by his Aunt Mimi (played by Kristen Scott Thomas) and meeting Paul McCartney, and preparing to shake up the world. Check out the trailer on You Tube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jfU70TFWM3Y

Axl Rose drops the gloves at L.A. Airport

At Los Angeles International Airport, Axl Rose got into a scuffle with a paparazzo that ended up with a few bloodied participants. Even with Rose flying to Taiwan there is still concern about whether he will be in the mood to perform, a question that had been raised earlier in the week when the rest of the band flew to the gig without the singer.

Tommy Stinson, Dizzy Reed, Bumblefoot, Chris Pittman, Frank Ferrer, Richard Fortus and new member DJ Ashba traveled to Taipei earlier in the week and has already done a soundcheck without Rose. As late as Tuesday, with the band in Taiwan, Rose had considered canceling the dates but eventually chose to go forward with the shows.

Just In Time For Christmas: The Worst Xmas Album Covers Ever

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/topics/christmas/6754132/The-25-worst-Christmas-album-covers-of-all-time.html

The Top 20 Guitar Riffs of All Time

On what would have been his 67th birthday, November 27th, Jimi Hendrix's 'Voodoo Child (Slight Return)' has been voted as having the best guitar riff ever in a poll conducted by music website MusicRadar.com.

Jimi Hendrix's 'Voodoo Child (Slight Return)' has been voted as having the best guitar riff of all time.

The 1968 track beat Guns N' Roses classic 'Sweet Child O'Mine' - which topped the poll five years ago - to the top spot in the poll by website MusicRadar,com, with 'Whole Lotta Love' by Led Zeppelin coming third.

Just two songs from the past decade made the list; Muse's 2001 hit 'Plug In Baby' at 11 and The White Stripes' 'Seven Nation Army', which was released in 2003, at 15.

MusicRadar.com's editor-in-chief Mike Goldsmith said: "Nearly 40 years after his untimely death, Jimi Hendrix is still the undisputed heavyweight champion of rock guitar.

"Of the current generation of six-string stars, only Jack White of The White Stripes and Muse frontman Matt Bellamy feature in the higher echelons of our list. No surprise given both Bellamy and White share - or have inherited - Hendrix's unique blend of experimental instincts and white-knuckle showmanship.

"Above all though, our poll seems to indicate one thing - in 2009, classic rock still rules."

Deep Purple's 'Smoke on the Water' and Derek and the Dominos' 'Layla' - which features Eric Clapton on guitar - made up the rest of the top five, with AC/DC, Metallica, The Beatles, Nirvana and The Rolling Stones also featuring in the top ten.

More than 5,000 MusicRadar.com users took part in the poll.

Morrissey Storms Off-Stage

Here's the You Tube clip of Morrissey exiting after getting splashed by a beer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g7VpJRT_7t8

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