Episodes

If you're thinking that the debut album from Wolfgang Van Halen, the son of Eddie Van Halen, is going to be the second coming of Van Halen, think again.

Wolfie says, "I'm not trying to be my father, I'm trying to be me."

Playing all the instruments on the album, he also goes onto say, "I cannot stress this enough. It’s just me. This isn’t me baiting you, and then all of the sudden Dave [Lee Roth] is singing a song, or Al [Van Halen] is drumming on one song, or Pop is doing a solo. It wouldn’t be a solo album then. It’s not a Van Halen album. It’s a Wolfgang Van Halen album."

As for what we can expect, he says, "Rock. It may venture into some Pop-y places, and may venture into some Metal-y places, but it’s centered in Rock. I view it as a Rock record."

While the album is not done yet, nor has a release date, it's already been endorsed by Sammy Hagar, who posted a note to Wolfgang. He writes, "The only way you will ever be happy and satisfied is doing your own thing the way you hear it in your head and feel it in your heart! You inherited genetically enough talent for 10 lifetimes. Use it the way you want. P.S. I've heard a couple snippets and they are bad ass!!! Hope I run into you someplace once we all get out of prison ha ha. Stay safe. Love to your mom & dad."

And Wolfgang responded with, "Thanks so much for the kind words, Sam! Can't wait for you to hear it. Much love to you and yours."

And, in Van Hagar-era news, Scandal singer Patty Smyth, who Eddie Van Halen had interest in replacing David Lee Roth before going with Sammy Hagar, says she declined the offer because, "They were heavy drinkers. I don't drink. I never saw myself living in L.A. I was, like, 'I'm from New York. We don't move to L.A.'

"It's all semantics because if [Eddie] had said to me, 'Let's make a record,' then I would have said yes to that. But joining the band — to me then, 'Oh god, they fight all the time, him and his brother, and I don't want to get into a volatile situation.' And I was probably heavily hormoned out because I was eight months pregnant, so there was a state of mind that I was in of how I need to take care of myself. But I regretted turning him down. For a long time, I regretted it. When you start to have regrets, I was, like, 'Oh, man. I would've made so much money.'"

While we wait to see if Van Halen will ever work again, it's never too late as Patty will release her first album in 28 years, It's About Time, on October 9th.

The Rolling Stones have provided a preview of "Scarlet," the unreleased song that's part of the September 4th deluxe reissue of their 13th studio album in America, Goats Head Soup.

Keith Richards cut the song with Jimmy Page, Stones piano player Ian Stewart, Blind Faith bassist Ric Grech, and Joe Cocker and Fairport Convention drummer Bruce Rowland in October 1974 at Island Studios in London.

In 1975, Page told Rolling Stone magazine, "It was great, really good. We stayed up all night and went down to Island Studios where Keith put some reggae guitars over one section. I just put some solos on it, but it was eight in the morning of the next day before I did that. He took the tapes to Switzerland and someone found out about them. Keith told people that it was a track from my album."

While Keith was joking about a Page solo album, it was named after Page's daughter, Scarlet, who was born in 1971.

In addition to "Scarlet," the multi-format deluxe reissue of Goats Head Soup also includes two other previously unreleased tracks -- "Criss Cross" and "All the Rage."

Page is no stranger to working with the Stones, having laid down guitar on their demo of "Heart of Stone," as well as the solo on "One Hit (To the Body)."

And, the aforementioned Ian Stewart played piano on Led Zeppelin's "Rock and Roll" "Boogie With Stu," a tribute of sorts to the keyboardist.

Former Skid Row singer Sebastian Bach definitely has too much time on his hands as he continues to go after Fozzy frontman Chris Jericho.

It all started when Bach said Jericho lip syncs in concert.

Jericho naturally disputed that claim saying, "I've never mimed anything ever! I will sing in your face anytime, anyplace dude. I've been a fan & a defender of u since day one... But don't u ever question my rock abilities!"

Bach couldn't keep his mouth shut and told the wrestler that, "Wrestling is not rock and roll. I will show you rock and roll."

Then, on Saturday during his Saturday Night Special YouTube show, Jericho sang the chorus to Skid Row's "Youth Gone Wild."

Bach followed up by badgering Jericho with nasty text messages, but Jericho didn't respond. Bach then posted a photo of his text messages, but has since taken it down.

Moody Blues bassist and singer John Lodge was born on July 20th, 1945. Their song "The Story in Your Eyes" was written on acoustic guitar and recorded on eight-track in an old London church. It was on the album Every Good Boy Deserves Favour which peaked at number-23 on the Billboard Hot 100. One of The Moody Blues' most fondly remembered songs. Here is Justin Hayward, who wrote and sings it saying how it came about.

Ozzy Osbourne is making yet another reality series with his family.

The Osbournes Want to Believe will feature son Jack trying to convince Ozzy and Sharon that various videos of paranormal activity are real. The series premieres August 2nd on the Travel Channel. It will be the first time since the original MTV series that Ozzy, Sharon and Jack have been on a show together. Kelly is not taking part in this series.

Jack tells Variety that being in lockdown freed up time so his parents could do the series, which is being shot mostly in their home. He says, "It’s actually going to be a lot of fun." Ozzy and Jack had their own reality show, Ozzy and Jack's World Detour, for three seasons from 2016 to 2018.

Ozzy Osbourne hasn't thrown his hat into the Presidential race like Kanye West says he's doing, but he has launched a line of "Ozzy For President" merchandise.

In a short clip promoting the line, quotes from Ozzy appear saying:

• "Out of everything I've lost, I miss my mind the most!"
• "It could be worse... I could be Sting."
• "Maybe it's not too late to learn how to love and forget how to hate."

Among the items available are t-shirts, hoodies, lithographs, bumper stickers and buttons. They are available in Ozzy's online store.

The Osbournes are no stranger to President Trump as Sharon was a contestant on Trump's Celebrity Apprentice in 2010. But that doesn't mean they support him.

Last year they called him out for using Ozzy's music without permission.

And, Sharon has also criticized his Presidency.

"It's kind of fearful. I know a lot of my friends are fearful. We kind of wake up every day and go, 'What's gonna happen now?' You don't feel secure that everything will be smooth and people are in control of what they should be in control of. … For me, I wake up afraid of what on Earth is going to happen and who he's going to insult today."

Richard Starkey...Ringo Star turns 80 today.  He wrote The Beatles' song "Octopus's Garden" on a trip to Sardinia, Italy after a chat with the captain of his boat about how octopuses build gardens. The popular album track was the second song Ringo wrote for The Beatles and the last song he sang for them.

THE BEATLES almost got back together in 1976 . . . six years after they broke up . . . but their reunion was prevented by a GREAT WHITE SHARK. According to RINGO STARR, a promoter offered them the equivalent of about $250 million in today's money, and the four of them talked about it.

 "We called each other to see what we think.  We decided not to do it because the opening act was a guy [fighting] a shark.  So we thought no."

It sounds crazy, but there might be some truth to this.  According to an old "People" magazine article from 1976, a promoter named Bill Sargent made the offer.

But after the Beatles turned him down, he decided to concentrate on his next project, in which an Australian diver named Wally Gibbins would, quote, "fight to the death with a 14-foot, 2,500-pound killer shark in a lagoon off Western Samoa."

Happy birthday to Roy Bittan, E Street Band keyboards.  He's 71 today.  Born to Run was the first Bruce Springsteen album to feature pianist Roy Bittan and drummer Max Weinberg as members of the E Street Band. Bittan recalls that even though it was his debut with the band, Bruce was open to his input when it came to arranging "Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out."Bruce Springsteen: "Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out"