B-Sides

Today's Stories


Top Rock Songs of 2011
(Banana 101.5) With the end of 2011 right around the corner, Banana1015.com decided to round up the songs that made the biggest splash at rock radio this year. Here are a couple from both ends of the list:
10) Volbeat's 'Fallen': The Danish hard rockers finally made a name for themselves in the United States after years of mega-popularity in their homeland. Volbeat's first single from 'Beyond Hell/Above Heaven' introduced the band's unique blend of rock, blues, metal, and rockabilly.We get the feeling that Volbeat will be a lot higher up on 'Best of the Year' lists in the future.

1) Seether's 'Country Song': The undisputed champion of 2011 is Seether's 'Country Song' — which was the most played song of the year by a landslide. A country fried hard rock song is probably the furthest thing from a safe bet, but pushing it as their lead single was probably the best move the South African post grungers could've made. 'Holding on to String Better Left to Fray' debuted at #2 on the Billboard Albums Chart, and continues to sell thanks to the powerful chart topping follow up single 'Tonight.' Who would've imagined the #1 rock song of the year would be called 'Country Song?' See what other songs made the list.

Experience Jimi Hendrix With New App
(Gibson) Say you're ready for the Jimi Hendrix experience for your phone? Now, the Hendrix-obsessed can get their hands on the Jimi Hendrix, "The Complete Experience" app for the iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch, available on the iTunes App Store. The app arrives just in time to celebrate Hendrix's birthday on November 27.

The app features information about albums, live performances, documentaries, images and offers the option to purchase anything found on the app from the iTunes store. Users may also go one step further and take the "experience" into the living room by streaming video to their TVs using AirPlay and their Apple TVs or streaming music to their AirPlay-enabled speakers. That's a lot of Hendrix!

The app also notifies users when there are near areas of importance to the Hendrix legacy, such as Electric Lady Studios or the Experience Music Project Museum. In other words, the app acts almost like a Jimi Hendrix-enabled GPS. more on this story



Megadeth Dave Mustaine's Favorite Things
(Banana 101.5) Dave Mustaine recently showed off his 10 most prized possessions which included an AC/DC record, some sort of Jewish ram's horn that wards off evil spirits, and a real live miniature horse named Rocky.

The Megadeth frontman sat down with Spin Magazine to list his 10 favorite things, during the video portion of the discussion Dave openly talks about his Messianic Jewish heritage, past career as a pot dealer, and openly admits to freebasing cocaine.

The video only focuses on a few of the items he listed, the others include a miniature horse named Rocky he found in a junkyard, an honorary Kentucky Colonel certificate, an unpainted Dean guitar body, a Finnish coat of arms his wife had made, a 'Troy' replica sword, and an autographed Raiders helmet. Dave explains the rest in the video which you can watch here.

Cream and The Firm Among Top Supergroups
(Gibson) The notion of the "supergroup" has always held a special fascination for rock fans, who relish the prospect of hearing what top tier artists can achieve when they join forces. True, superstar egos often clash, but when talent and chemistry come together in the right way, the results can be pure magic. Recently, the supergroup concept has taken on a new life – witness the latest entry, SuperHeavy – but through the years many major artists have attempted such projects. Gibson has picked 10 supergroups who have done proper justice to the concept. Here are a couple:

Cream: In contrast to their relatively brief period together – the group disbanded after a little more than two years – Cream's influence and enduring legacy have been monumental. Formed in 1966, the power trio of Eric Clapton, Jack Bruce and Ginger Baker journeyed through incendiary blues, searing hard rock and melody-driven (though still hard-hitting) psychedelia. Tracks such as "Sunshine of Your Love" and "White Room" helped pave the way for Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple and similarly heavy bands that emerged at the dawn of the '70s.

The Firm: Founded in 1984, The Firm centered on Led Zeppelin's Jimmy Page and ex-Free singer Paul Rodgers, with bassist Tony Franklin and drummer Chris Slade (formerly of Uriah Heep) rounding out the lineup. Released in 1985, the band's self-titled debut album failed to light up the charts, but The Firm's music has aged well and fits comfortably alongside the varied accomplishments of both Page and Rodgers. A second album, Mean Business, was released in 1986, before The Firm closed its doors. Subsequently, Page said the group was never meant to last for more than two albums. See who else made the list here



Kyng Offer Up Free Download
(Banana 101.5) Kyng continues climbing the charts with their single 'Falling Down' and are now offering up a stripped down acoustic version for free download exclusively at Banana1015.com — get yours now!

Los Angeles hard rock band Kyng have been making a name for themselves with their debut album 'Trampled Sun' which was released earlier this year via REALID Records.

The first single 'Falling Down' showcases the band's influences like Black Sabbath and Soundgarden, and is currently on the rise on the active rock charts. Grab the download here.

Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds Rock Jools Holland
(hennemusic) Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds continue the rounds promoting their new self-titled debut album.

Tuesday, the former Oasis leader and his new band stopped by to perform on the season finale of the BBC's Later With Jools Holland, where the former Squeeze keyboardist asked Gallagher what he thought was more fun: being a solo artist or being in a band?

"Well, being in a big band," says Noel, "is the greatest trip in the world…but, it's different: it's like ice cream or jelly – which one would you prefer? You can't do both: you can't really be a solo artist and be in a band. It's been tried before." Check it out here.

Anniversary of Tommy Boyce's Suicide
(Gibson) One of rock and roll and pop music's most prolific and successful songwriters committed suicide in Nashville on this day in 1994. Tommy Boyce was 55. Boyce's wife, Caroline, found him dead in the living room of their Nashville condo, where he had shot himself.

One of the most successful songwriters of the'60s, Tommy and his writing partner Bobby Hart played a major role in The Monkees TV show, writing many of the group's early hits.

But the writing success had begun back in the pre-Beatles rock and roll era when the young Boyce, only recently moved to Los Angeles from Arizona, pestered Fats Domino enough for the star to listen to his song "Be My Guest." Fats recorded it and Boyce saw it rise to the top of the charts. Teaming up with Hart in 1959, Boyce and his new pal would pen hits for numerous acts – notably "Come a Little Bit Closer" for Jay and the Americans in 1964.

But it was a TV project that would bring them to mass attention. In 1965, The Monkees TV show producers hired Tin Pan Alley hit man Don Kirshner to oversee the soundtrack for a Beatles-inspirited sitcom. He, in turn, brought in the young and hip Boyce and Hart to produce and pen tracks for the TV series. First they wrote the infectious theme tune and then saw their song, and the group's debut single, "Last Train to Clarksville" become a #1 hit in the U.S. more on this story



Josh Kracjik Sings Rolling Stones Classic on X Factor
(hennemusic) Josh Kracjik is gaining momentum on The X Factor at just the right time. The series is down to the final nine contestants, who faced off Tuesday knowing that two of them will be cut on the results show Wednesday evening.

As for Josh, the singer nailed a Foo Fighters track last week, and he brought the house down Tuesday, again, with another rock classic.

Krajcik performed a solemn, solo piano rendition of The Rolling Stones' "Wild Horses," and you could have heard a pin drop in the studio