Currently Booming Podcast: Mojo Rocks with Mojo Moomey (Aired 3-20-19)

Currently Booming: Motley Crue Releases 2 New Songs from 'The Dirt' (Listen)

Currently Booming: NEW The End Machine- Full Album (Listen)

Daily Boom 80's Throwback: Expose`- 'Seasons Change'

But leaves turn brown and fade
Ships sail away
You long to say a thousand words
But seasons change

If you've been reading Daily Boom for awhile then you already know that I'm a really unapologetic fan of many of the 80's girl groups, like Expose`. Today's throwback just so happens to be their very first number one hit, "Seasons Change", which topped Billboard's Hot 100 on this very week back in 1988.

"Seasons Change" was the fifth single off of Expose's Exposure album which was released in January of 1987. Since the girls were primarily marketed as a dance band and are often credited as freestyle artists it seems that maybe the team behind them didn't expect a ballad to chart well. Either that or they knew that they were saving the best for last.

This song drags me right back to that first high school breakup and I bet it takes a lot of you guys to a similar place, right? Nearly 30 years later I love how timeless "Seasons Change" is. The only thing that gives a clue that it might be an 80's track is that now infamous sax. Back then every great song had a sax solo and honestly, it's one of the things that I miss the most from 80's music!

Oh and an interesting nugget of nostalgia from this video. Gioia Bruno had just found out that she was pregnant with her daughter shortly before filming this!

Daily Boom 80's Throwback: Prince- 'When Doves Cry'

This is what it sounds like
When doves cry

I was in 7th grade during the summer of Purple Rain and I remember it well. It was that rated R movie that none of us were allowed to see so we absorbed every possible detail from television, MTV and magazine articles. Back in the 80's (you know, when everything wasn't just the click of a mouse away) we cut everything about our favorites out of the newspaper or any magazine that we could find. My friends and I were divided down the middle, either you loved Prince or you loved Michael Jackson- it couldn't be both. I was a Prince girl and built my magazine cut out scrapbook accordingly. And the music truly did directly influence everything back then. If you loved Prince then you represented with your purple on the daily. Most Prince fans loved Madonna equally, especially when they toured together so it was a mix of purple lace hair bows, crosses and purple jelly bracelets all summer long.

That summer ended up being the very best one of my childhood and the Purple Rain was always part of the soundtrack. My friends and I spent hours at the kitchen table together glued to a boom box waiting for a chance to call in to Q-102 (THE station to listen to) to try and win a copy of the soundtrack. None of us won a Prince album but we did score the Boss, Steve Perry, Chaka Khan and a few others. Music was absolutely everything back then, especially when you were at the mercy of a DJ or MTV to play it for you.

It took me years to really understand that Prince was more than the freaky guy in purple with perfect eyeliner, that he was a musical genius. I had a friend absolutely obsessed with him and he spoon fed me various Prince facts while we worked together. By the time "Batdance" came along I understood what I was really listening to and came to expect nothing short of amazing-ness from him.

In the last 30 years so many other artists have come and gone as my taste has shifted and changed over the years. I can honestly say that I like a little bit of everything (minus country) but so few bring to the table what Prince has. I mean, how many on Billboard's charts can play 27 instruments?  Yeah, none. How many currently rocking in the top ten will be relevant in 30 years? Maybe 1 or 2 right, maybe? Or maybe none at all.

Today's artists aren't built for the kind of longevity like Prince, David Bowie or even Glenn Frey. They don't bring all of those elements to the table and that has only made the loss of these icons feel that much heavier on our hearts. Prince himself confirmed years ago that there really is a vault filled with his unreleased music. There are albums from Prince & the Revolution and also a few with The New Power Generation. Perhaps part of what makes him so iconic is the fact that he was thinking beyond his life here. He was not only making sure that he wouldn't be forgotten, but he left new music behind so that his presence would be felt in a new way after the fact.

If you manage to catch any of Prince's live performance videos on YouTube before they are pulled down, pay attention to the details. Every single second is choreographed and means something. Amazing how we notice all of the details after the fact, isn't it? Like the fact that there is a purple heart behind Prince on the cover of the Purple Rain album. I never noticed that before this week.Hard to believe that it was 33 years ago this week that Prince topped the charts for the very first time with "When Doves Cry".

Currently Booming: NEW Music- Alan Parsons - 'I Can't Get There From Here' (Featuring Jared Mahone)

Daily Boom 80's Throwback: Dokken- 'In My Dreams'

What can I say or do
You won't come back, we're through
I've realized too late
That, baby, your love has turned away
In my dreams--it's still the same
Your love is strong, it still remains
In my dreams--you're still by me
Just the way it used to be

I think that one of the most underrated hard rock bands of the 80's is Dokken. While Guns N' Roses, Skid Row and Motley Crue were steamrolling their way to worldwide music domination Dokken was always there too. In their 37 years of performing they have sold over 10 million records and have had several singles chart well, including "In My Dreams".

Daily Boom 80's Throwback: Asia- 'Only Time Will Tell'

"I see it now
Becomes so clear
Your insincerity
And me all starrey-eyed
You'd think that I would have known by now
Now, sure as the sun will cross the sky
This lie is over
Lost, like the tears that used to tide me over"

If you're a classic rock fan then you absolutely have to own Asia's self-titled debut release from 1982. The band formed in 1981 and in my mind, they are one of my generation's first supergroups, with Steve Howe and Geoff Downes of Yes, John Wetton of King Crimson and Carl Palmer of Emerson, Lake & Palmer all joining forces.  That roster of talent could only lead to more success and that's exactly what Asia found.

Songs like "Heat of the Moment" and "Only Time Will Tell" did very well on the charts and they got tons of radio play.  The album itself went to number one in a handful of countries and it remains their best selling effort. More importantly, it sounded amazing then and it still does now. Asia is one of those progressive groups that has always had a unique sound, the kind that I can still pick out now as soon as I hear it. 

"Only Time Will Tell" has always been the song that jumps out at me the most. Check out the video below!

Exclusive Interview: Jeff Pilson is Bursting with Excitement Ahead of The End Machine's Album Release & Live Shows

(Photo: The End Machine- Facebook)

Foreigner's bass guitarist, Jeff Pilson,  is undoubtedly one of the busiest guys in the business. Aside from traveling 200+ days a year with that classic rock powerhouse machine, he also juggles a few side projects at a time. If you think that supergroups were a thing of the past then you need to pay closer attention because Jeff has a knack for not only combining established rockers but also bringing them to a higher musical level. Later this week, on March 22nd, The End Machine, his project with ex-Dokken bandmates George Lynch and Mick Brown, plus Warrant's Robert Mason on vocals, will release their first studio album. Jeff is always bursting with excitement (a little more than usual right now) and I had a chance to steal a few minutes of his time ahead of this momentous week.

Cate Meighan: So, how are you?

Jeff Pilson: I'm good, busy but good. Foreigner's last Canadian date is tomorrow and then we're down in the states for about a week and a half and then I go home and get ready for The End Machine shows. I'm extremely excited about this. There's a lot of prep work going into this because even though it's only three shows, we're starting a band from scratch. There's rehearsals, hotels and just getting everybody on the same page. Putting the VIP's together and the merchandising ya know? We're starting a band (laughing) and it has been a lot of work, but I think it's going to pay off in the shows and I'm really looking forward to playing. We start rehearsal on the 30th and I'm really just so excited about it. 

CM: How has the fan reaction felt so far? You've got two videos out, obviously, the first two singles have dropped and everything that I've seen has been so positive. You had said that everyone pushed a little bit harder on this project and kind of broke out of who we think they're supposed to be and that's definitely the feeling that I've gotten from what I've heard.

JP: Oh cool! I'm ecstatic at the reaction. I mean, we knew that there would be automatic comparisons to Dokken, of course, that's okay and it's only natural. But what seems to have overwhelmingly been the reaction is that there's Dokken in there and some Lynch Mob in there, but this is its' own thing and that's what excites us the most. The End Machine is recognized as its own being and that is because of the chemistry.  Everyone in the band gets to shine, that's our chemistry. No one is like 'stay in your lane because I've gotta shine', it's that everyone gets to do it. How cool is that (laughing)? It's really an exceptional place to be in. 

One of my favorite quotes is from Vinny Appice who was playing in Last In Line and (he's) from Dio and everything (laughing). When you're working with him and mixing everything he'll say to you, 'Look, everything has got to be the loudest.' (laughing), and he's right, that's what a great mix is at least for this kind of record. Everything is loud and it just pops out at you. I think that's what we've got here and so I'm really excited for it all to come out. 

I'm really looking forward to doing these shows with Robert Mason on vocals and jamming with George is going to be so fun. We've got Will Hunt on drums and he's a really exceptional drummer so we're looking forward to playing live with him. We're going to miss Mick Brown in this, but I'm really looking forward to playing because it's going to be so much fun.

(Photo: Cate Meighan)

CM: Can you guys get together and not play a few Dokken songs? Is it possible to ever leave that behind?

JP: I don't think we should. I suppose we could but we've definitely got some Dokken songs in these shows, either five or six songs are in our set. There's some Dokken, some Lynch Mob and then five songs from the new record so it's really going to be quite a set. 

CM: But no east coast dates!

JP: There's a guy that has been working with Foreigner for thirteen years and he goes back with George even longer than that. His name is Ed and he is our secret weapon truly, he's the secret weapon of the band. Without Ed, I don't think that even these few shows would be possible. He's going to be driving the truck and doing all the crew stuff, he's a superman. He really is and even as Superman, I don't think Ed could logistically get us to the east coast this time (laughing) so as much as I love him, I'd never do that to the poor guy. He is an unsung hero.

CM: So what comes next? The album is out on the 22nd, do we get another single too?

JP: There is another video coming for the song "Leap of Faith".  I'm not sure when it's coming out, to be honest with you. Since there's a lot of momentum with this band I don't think they're going to push it out too fast, but we've already done the video so it's coming at some point.

CM: The last time we talked you told me about another little side project with Robin McAuley and so you know I had to go and talk to him (laughing). He is so excited about working on this with you, can you divulge any more details on that yet?

JP: Oh good, good and you did tell me that you would (laughing), so I can tell you everything but the name at this point, or the title of the record. I can't tell you those things but I can say that the record is done and musically we're really, really happy. It has to be mixed, but the same guy that mixed The End Machine, his name is Alessandro, is gonna mix it and I have a whole lot of faith in him. It's going to be great and I also know that it's probably going to be early 2020 when it comes out. So we have a ways to go but it's going to be worth the wait because once again, everyone just so delivered. It really feels like a band, even now and I'm so excited. Gotta wait until next year but in the meantime, there's going to be plenty of The End Machine to keep you company. 

Follow The End Machine on Facebook, Twitter, & Instagram for updates! 
You can also follow Jeff on Facebook & Twitter for updates including Foreigner tour dates!

Daily Boom 80's Throwback: John Waite - 'Missing You'

Every time I think of you 
I always catch my breath 
And I'm still standing here 
And you're miles away 
And I'm wondering why you left

And there's a storm that's raging
Through my frozen heart tonight

I hear your name in certain circles
And it always makes me smile
I spend my time
Thinking about you
And it's almost driving me wild

And there's a heart that's breaking
Down this long distance line tonight

I ain't missing you at all
Since you've been gone away
I ain't missing you
No matter what I might say

The summer before 8th grade there was one ballad that was constantly on the radio- John Waite's "Missing You". The video stuck in my head too because as a kid I was positive that he was walking down streets in NYC, a place that I was obsessed with. It wasn't until I was much older that I learned that it was actually filmed in LA but on a non-descript street so it could look like any big city at all. 

As for the song itself, it still kinda tugs at my heart strings just a little. It's also timeless and I think it holds up as one of the best ballads to come out f the 80's.

Daily Boom 80's Throwback: Club Nouveau - 'Why You Treat Me So Bad'

Oh, girl, I loved you but you

Turned and you walked away

I would love you more tomorrow

Than I know I do today

Do you remember Club Nouveau? Sure you do if you were raised in the '80s because back in 1987 their remake of "Lean On Me" shot to number one on Billboard's Hot 100 chart, making it one of those songs that stayed stuck in your head. Club Nouveau followed that hit with a song called "Why You Treat Me So Bad" which did really well on the dance charts. The beat resembles Timex Social Club's "Rumours" and for good reason, Jay King formed Nouveau' after leaving Timex Social Club and fully embracing a new jack swing sound.

Lyrically, this song kind of speaks to all of us. Who hasn't realized that they were dating the worst possible person and probably for way too long? "Why You Treat Me So Bad" is a breakup anthem, 1980's style. Check out the video below, do you remember this one?

Daily Boom 90's Nostalgia: Queen - 'The Show Must Go On'

Empty spaces, what are we living for
Abandoned places, I guess we know the score
On and on, does anybody know what we are looking for
Another hero, another mindless crime
Behind the curtain, in the pantomime
Hold the line, does anybody want to take it anymore
The show must go on

"The Show Must Go On" is probably one of my most favorite songs by Queen. It was recorded in 1990 at the height of Freddie Mercury's battle with full blown AIDS and there was concern that he wouldn't be able tp actually hit the necessary high notes. While the rest of the band may have thought that he was too weak to actually perform it Mercury knew better and pulled off the tough vocals in spite of his fading health. The song itself is filled with innuendo about Mercury's health and how change was pretty imminent. 

The press had speculated that the legendary front man was ill but no confirmation of Mercury's HIV-positive status was ever given until the day before his death in 1991. "The Show Must Go On" was also released in 1991 and the video that accompanies it features the band performing together at various gigs over the years. Check out the late, great Freddie Mercury and the rest of Queen below.

Currently Booming Podcast: T-Bone's Prime Cuts (Aired 3-16-19)

The Best of T-Bone's Prime Cuts airs each Saturday 1-3pm EST on Boom Radio found exclusively at DailyBOOM.net. 

Boom Radio is your old school music authority & streams 24/7 with genre-based programs each evening.

Exclusive Interview: Queensryche's Michael Wilton is 'Beyond Words' Over Reaction to New Music from 'The Verdict'

(Official Queensryche Promo Shot)

ICYMI- 

Queensryche's latest release, "Dark Reverie", off of their forthcoming album The Verdict (out March 1) has the band's longtime fans dying to hear more. The buzz on this effort is nothing but positive and the guys are counting down the days until they get to hit the road to support their newest "baby". Steve and I had a chance to chat with Queensryche founder Michael Wilton this week and his excitement is more than a little infectious!

DailyBOOM: The last time we spoke you were finishing up work on the new Queensryche album and you were dying for everyone to hear it. You now have two singles out, "Man The Machine" and "Dark Reverie" and they are just beyond fantastic. How are you feeling now that we're actually hearing the new music?

Michael Wilton: My expectations have been flooded. The response is way more than I could have ever anticipated and it has taken off so much better than I could have ever hoped for. We knew we had something special and it becomes your baby, you just never know how people are going to actually perceive it. So it was released to the press and all of the interviews that I've done have just been filled with positive vibrations, which is just incredible. I'm just beyond words.

DailyBOOM: You said that you guys knew that you had something special, so take us back to the studio. How did this one come together differently?

MW: The whole beginning process was an arduous task because when we started pre-production with our producer Zeus there were only a couple of songs that were in demo form and near completion. Everything else was in scattered bits and pieces of riffs and everything so that in itself was a big challenge. It was also one of the most gratifying experiences that I've had since the early '80s. Going through each song, just pulling the deepest and most creative elements out of each individual and building each song with lots of thought. Getting it to the point where everybody was happy with the sound took probably the first two weeks of pre-production and then the next two weeks were spent learning the songs before finally recording the songs. It was quite a task.

Making things more challenging was the fact that Scott (Rockenfield) couldn't play on this album so we had to get a drummer. Todd LaTorre had to get the rust off his drumsticks and he had to write the album on the drums as well as the lyrics. You can imagine the organizational nightmare (laughing) but you know, we believed in it. Zeus was the guy kind of orchestrating everything and we had to get a midi drum kit into the studio so Todd could play along and learn or write the parts. It was just mind-blowing but during this whole process, the ideas and energy were fantastic. It was all of us at the top of our game just devoting so much of our own creative elements to this album. You don't realize until after you're done that these songs are turning into monsters. We're just so proud of them.

(Official Queensryche Promo Shot)

DailyBOOM: It sounds like Todd has really stepped up his musical game this time out.

MW: Yes! As a musician, he's growing like you would not even believe. He's more comfortable and it shows. Todd has definitely stepped up his game obviously because he had to write drum parts now too. He gets to really let loose (laughing). The writing process with everybody is amazing. I think the band as a whole believes in our own creativity and so we're really giving our all. It's crazy but when all is said and done we can sit back and say, 'Wow! We created that!'

DailyBOOM: Do you foresee Scott returning to the band?

MW: We don't know. He is on a different path right now and raising a child so we'll wait and see. The door is always open. People change and they want to do different things so they need some time and their privacy. Casey Grillo has been on tour with us for the last two years and he actually played drums on two of the extra songs included on our bonus cd. We did acoustic versions of "I Dream in Infrared" and "Open Road" and he did all of the percussion on both those. He's a great drummer, really well-rounded and he has a wide palette in his musical style. He's filling big shoes and he's doing a great job. The fans really love him and he is scheduled to be on the road with us again this year.

DailyBOOM: I have to say, "Dark Reverie" has us really excited. It just seems like every note is so perfectly placed and balanced.

MW: It's the same with everyone that I talk to! I've heard that the flow of the album is great and that listeners can really tell that each song has so much thought that has been put into it. So many different positive comments and it's just mind-blowing to think that we've actually accomplished exactly what we set out to capture with this. I think that on March first when The Verdict is released, it's really going to impact the fans just as it did us last year.

Check out Queensryche's official site for tickets, merch & more!

Exclusive Boom Radio Interview: Jade Starling of Pretty Poison on New Song 'Fired Up' (Rough Cut 3-15-19)

 

Daily Boom 80's Throwback: Bananarama- 'Trick Of The Night'

When the day is over

And the work is done

Well it's a different story

As the darkness comes around

I tried to let you know

You're going the wrong way

And the streets you thought

Would all be paved with gold

But when the wind cuts through

You'd even try to sell your soul

Everywhere you go

It's the long way

Bananarama is easily one of the most popular girl groups of the 80's. Songs like "Cruel Summer", "Venus" and "I Heard A Rumor" kept them near the top of Billboard's Hot 100 charts for a few years in the mid-80's. Their True Confessions album from 1986 is probably one of my all-time favorite pop efforts from that era, with "A Trick of the Night" arguably being one of Bananarama's best songs ever. The album version is basically a ballad but when it was released in December of 1986 as a single extra synthesizers and vocals were added in to give it a dance feel.

"A Trick of the Night" was also included on the Jumpin' Jack Flash movie soundtrack. While the song kind of stalled out on the charts it is still considered by many to be one of the ladies best songs, especially in retrospect. Do you guys remember this one?

Currently Booming: Soul Train Full Episode from 1988 (Watch)

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Currently Booming: NEW Jade Starling of Pretty Poison- 'Fired Up'

Currently Booming: NEW Motley Crue Cover of 'Like a Virgin'

Daily Boom 80's Throwback: Cutting Crew - '(I Just) Died in Your Arms'

I keep looking for something I can't get
Broken hearts lie all around me
And I don't see an easy way
To get out of this
Her diary sits by the bedside table
The curtains are closed, the cat's in her cradle
Who would've thought
That a boy like me could come to this?

I love when an unknown band's very first song goes to number one. It gives me a bit of hope that I can also succeed at things even when it seems very unlikely. That was exactly the case with the Cutting Crew's "I Just Died In Your Arms".They were previously unknown in the states but by May of 1987 the group's first single was sitting at the top of Billboard's Hot 100.

I've heard this song referred to as a power ballad and that doesn't seem to fit for me. When I think of a power ballad I'm envisioning Def Leppard or Whitesnake or some other band with big hair and lots of leather.  I don't know that I'd even consider "I Just Died In Your Arms" a ballad. What it is for me is a really great song that takes me back to high school. The synth kicks in and suddenly I'm in the backseat of my friend's boyfriend's Camaro, driving around the neighborhood.

That's a great memory. Check out the official video below!

Exclusive Interview: Stryper's Michael Sweet Details Solo Project with Joel Hoekstra, Todd LaTorre, a New Documentary & More

ICYMI

When you say the name Michael Sweet in rock circles it's always met with positivity. Some people may choose to hate on Stryper, the band that he co-founded way back in 1983, but they adore the frontman and with good reason. He's calm, gracious and as connected to himself as he is to those around him. Sweet's fellow musicians gush about his talent while hoping for an opportunity to work with him somewhere along the way, which says a lot about the kind of man that he is. 

I was fortunate enough to catch up with Sweet recently and he was excited to spill details on his new solo project, a Stryper documentary, and more!

Cate Meighan: It has been a while since we last spoke. How are you doing?

Michael Sweet:  I'm good! I've been busy, traveling a lot so I'm just trying to catch my breath now, but life is good.

CM: I read recently that you're back in the studio working on a new solo album. How's that going?

MS:  Well,  I went in about a month ago and I was there for about ten days. Then we did three local shows and I left for Japan with Stryper. Then, I went back into the studio for another four days when I returned. I'm a little tired but I prefer to stay busy and to do what I can when I can, because that day may come when I can't do these things. Whether it's voice loss or something physical or whatever.  The project that I do next could tank, I mean who knows (laughing). I just don't want to take what I do for granted and so I try to do as much as I can when I can. We don't know what tomorrow will bring so if I have opportunities that I feel good about to go and sing, record, or perform then I'm going to take them.

CM: How's the new album coming along?

MS:  It's really great. I always go into a project with expectations and sometimes I meet or surpass them, but sometimes I don't. Sometimes a song might be a little bit of a letdown and not what I had hoped for but with this album so far, everything is as I've expected and then some. Now granted, I don't have the lead vocals done yet so the pressure is on me. (laughing) I hope the lead vocals turn out how I hear them in my head and how I would like them to be, but you never know. You just don't know until you get in there and you start singing and you get it done.

So far though the songs all have incredible energy. I've got Will Hunt playing drums on it and John O'Boyle is playing bass. The rhythm section is phenomenal and the guitar tones are great. I'm going to have a different guest guitar player on every song, with a solo of course.  I've got Todd LaTorre of Queensryche joining me on a song and it's just turning out to be a really cool album. I think that it's going to surpass my last solo album and that did really well, but I think this one is going to be even better.

CM:  Todd really seems to be at the top of his game right now. The new Queensryche music is just fantastic.

MS:  Todd is a brilliant singer and he is really finding his place in that group. He stepped into a situation that would be high pressure for anyone and he is coming to the table and then some. I think that he is finding himself and becoming more comfortable in that situation and so he's just killing it, plus he's drumming as well! He's a great guy and such a hard worker that he deserves every bit of the success that he's finding. They don't make em' like that, guys like Todd are few and far between.

CM: The last time we spoke you were working on a project with Joel Hoekstra (Whitesnake). Is that still in the works?

MS:  We were originally trying to put together a Michael Sweet/Joel Hoekstra album with a real classic rock kind of vibe to it. We were ready to move forward and had some meetings about it and to be honest we just weren't able to come to terms with a record company to release it. It's tricky when you need a certain amount of money to do what you need to do. There's a fine line because a lot of musicians go into it with the idea of going and making a record to just have fun. Now that I've got kids and grandkids and a mortgage to pay, I have to be a little more cautious with what I take on. This is what I do for a living, I don't work a 9 to 5 job, so it has to make sense financially and for Joel too because he is in a similar situation. So it's hard when the things that you creatively want to do just don't work out from a business standpoint. What I did was have Joel write a couple tracks that I'm writing lyrics for and those co-written songs will be on my new album. He'll be playing the guitar on those and they're basically all done. One is called "When Love is Hated" and the other is called "Never Alone" and they're killer tracks.

CM: Is there a tentative release date yet?

MS:  I'm still not sure. It's definitely going to be this year. We're talking about a summer release and I'm turning it all in by the end of April and so we're probably looking at a July or August release. It depends on how much set up we need with licensing deals worldwide and those kinds of things, but I would say hopefully July/August.

CM: The business has changed so much over the years and the way that artists make their money just isn't like it used to be. The money's not in record sales at all so you've got to be smart and strategic in order to keep working.

MS: Absolutely. I mean, there are things that I've done for free and I'll do more of those things when I have the time. There are times when I'm offered money to sing a song and then I'll have my agent calling with potential shows where I'll make double that and I'm looking at my bills and I have to choose wisely. It's really hard because you don't ever want the business to outweigh the love of what you do but at the same time, you have to think about the business as well because you've gotta pay your bills.

CM: It almost feels like you have to be very cut and dry with it.

MS:  You do, no question about it. I really try very hard to balance it and not let the money take my love for what I do, because man, I just really love doing it. If I was 18 years old I'd just go and do 100 projects for nothing because I love it so much.

CM: Where does your writing inspiration come from?

MS:  I've got something built inside of me that makes me always want to inspire people. Am I a guy that has it all together or that has all the answers (laughing)? Gosh no. I've got my issues and problems. I've got things that I have to work on and overcome, but I still can make someone smile or give them hope and encourage them. That's something that's built within me and I view it as a waste of time and effort for me to release an album that doesn't have that. What's the point? If people are going to be listening to this stuff for years to come then why not inspire them with a song rather than just singing about sex, drugs, and rock-n-roll?

That's just how I feel and so I get inspiration from life, I get it from the bible, my family and friends. There are so many things that inspire me and so with every album, I just want to help and encourage other people too. It's an important thing, it's every bit as important as the music itself and it's always the message behind the music. It's why we've (Stryper) been throwing out bibles forever. We never start preaching to people and telling them what they should or should not do. We just toss them out with the hopes that maybe they'll check it out. We try to steer people in a good direction, that's what it comes down to and at the end of the day, it's all about love. We're trying to give them hope, grace, and love, instead of hate and despair. If we can play a small little part in giving people what the world needs more of- and that's love, then we've done our jobs.

CM: Do those same gifts then flow back to you?

MS: Oh yeah, we see the stories and it's the old thing of you reap what you sow. We've sown a lot and we continue to reap a lot. We've seen how the lives of some people have been affected by what we do. We've met people who were suicidal or addicts and they've turned their lives around in a positive way. It's so awesome to hear that we've played even a small part in helping them and that lives on far beyond the music. The music is fun and amazing but the message is what changes and transforms lives.

CM: You're always so busy. How is the rest of this year shaping up for you?

MS:  I'll be splitting my time a lot but this summer I'm mostly on the road with Stryper. I think we start rehearsals May 2nd in Nashville and then we'll be touring into late-June. I'll be home for part of July and prepping for another project that I can't talk about (laughing). But I'll be recording vocals for that (laughing), it's just nuts. There's always something to do and if something falls through then I'll try and get some solo shows booked. I'm in that place, thank god, where I'm able to work and stay busy. So many of my peers are brilliant musicians, so successful and they just can't get anything going. Every project falls through and I've been there. I went through that from 1996-2000 where nothing seemed to work out and all I heard was 'no'. Then finally the doors started opening up again, Stryper started touring again and the last fourteen years have been a blur. I don't know where the years have gone.

CM: Do you have any regrets about that 'blur'?

MS:  My biggest regrets would be passing up opportunities with my family and friends. My attitude with the music is that I need to do it while I can, but that does come at a price sometimes. That's the stuff that I may look back on someday and be really brokenhearted about and regret. My son's birthday just passed and I was in Japan at the time. We're going to celebrate and make up for it, but those are the moments that can be a little hard to take. Then at the same time, there were years that I did have at home when I could or should have been out on the road. I left Stryper from 1992-2000 and I did some touring then but I got to spend a lot of time with my kids too. There are always pros and cons and I think it always comes with some built-in regret.

CM: Any other musical tricks up your sleeve right now?

MS: Well (laughing), we're doing a documentary that's not going to be so much about the band, but it's going to be about the people that the band has affected. It's really incredible and I think that it's going to be pretty powerful. We've already started work on that but we've got a long way to go with it. Then we're also going to start work on a new Stryper album at the end of this year into early next year. So there are plenty of things on the horizon and in the near future. It's going to be a great year.

Check out Michael's official site for updates on new music and dates. You can head over to Stryper's official site as well for tour dates, merch & more!

Currently Booming: New Footage- Foreigner - 'Cold As Ice' (Live At The Rainbow '78)

Currently Booming Podcast: Mojo Rocks with Mojo Moomey (3-13-19)

The Best of Mojo Rocks with Mojo Moomey playing the best in hard rock & metal airs each Wednesday at 9pm EST on Boom Radio found exclusively at DailyBOOM.net. 

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Daily Boom 80's Throwback: Warrant - 'Heaven'

"I've got a picture of your house
And you're standing by the door.
It's black and white and faded,
And it's looking pretty worn.
See the factory that I worked
Silhouetted in the back.
The memories are gray but man they're really coming back."

If you were a teen girl back in 1989 then there's a pretty good chance that you were at least mildly obsessed with one of the guys from Warrant. Their first single "Down Boys" made us all pay attention and by the time their power ballad, "Heaven" dropped, well we were all smitten. I was a senior and high school and while my friends were ogling Jani Lane I was paying close attention to Warrant's drummer, Steven Sweet. In a sea of hair bands this one seemed to have a lot more talent than the majority of those around them.



Daily Boom 80's Throwback: Paula Abdul - 'Straight Up'

"Lost in a dream;
I don't know which way to go.
A-let me say if you are all that you seem,
Then baby, I'm movin' way too slow.
I've been fooled before;
Wouldn't like to get my love caught in the slammin' door.
How about some information, please?

Straight up, now tell me ,
Do you really wanna love me forever,
Oh, oh, or am I caught in hit and run?"

I think just about everyone loved Paula Abdul back in the late 80's. She kind of seemed like the girl next door in interviews but once she hit the dance floor it was nothing but fire. My friends and I wanted to dance like her and the guys around us wanted to spend a little time with her as well. What is cool about "Straight Up" is that it sold a million copies the first week that it was out and it shot to the top of Billboard's Hot 100 before a video was even released!

Oh and that video? It was kind of everything. The black and white was a nice departure from the bright colors of the decade and it was memorable. People over the years have claimed that Abdul can't sing but again I need to remind you that she hit number one without a video filled with her sick choreography to bolster the song.

Abdul eventually traded in making music for mentoring and judging others on shows like American Idol. Just when it seemed like her own performing days might be over Abdul started hitting the stage again. You can check out upcoming performance dates on her official site, but in the meantime, check out Abdul at her best below!

Daily Boom 80's Throwback: Robert Plant- 'Tall Cool One'

"Move over mister - step on back in the crowd
'Cause she's a whole lotta sister 'bout to drive me wild
Lotta places I've been, lotta names, lotta words
No one compares to my real gone girl
Lighten up baby, I'm in love with you."

When Robert Plant left Led Zeppelin it kind of seemed like a no-brainer that he would of course go on to have a fantastic solo career. It was his fourth album, Now and Zen that is probably the best remembered, thanks in great part to the success of "Tall Cool One". Ironically, it wasn't the best charting song, landing in Billboard's top 25, but MTV kept the video in heavy rotation. Coca Cola knew a catchy tune when they heard it and started using "Tall Cool One" as part of a commercial campaign. The fact that it samples a medley of Zeppelin hits at the end doesn't hurt either. Check out the video below, do you remember this one?

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Currently Booming: Bon Jovi - Wembley Stadium, London 1995 (Watch)

Daily Boom 90's Nostalgia: LL Cool J - 'Around The Way Girl'

"I want a girl with extensions in her hair
Bamboo earrings
At least two pair
A Fendi bag and a bad attitude
That's all I need to get me in a good mood
She can walk with a switch and talk with street slang
I love it when a woman ain't scared to do her thing
Standing at the bus stop sucking on a lollipop
Once she gets pumping its hard to make the hottie stop
She likes to dance to the rap jam
She sweet as brown sugar with the candied yams
Honey coated complexion
Using Camay
Let's hear it for the girl she's from around the way"


There are some songs that are just so catchy that even if they aren't typically your style of music, you can't help but love them. I think LL Cool J's "Around The Way Girl" really falls into that category. I can't remember ever hearing anyone complain when it comes on the radio and even if rap isn't your thing, I'll bet you know at least some of the lyrics. Don't you?

Of course you do. This is one of the first songs that featured some heavy duty sampling (Mary Jane Girls, The Honey Drippers) and it's an example of how sampling another song can add to the value of another artist's work. I've always had a soft spot for LL and this remains one of my favorite songs by him. Nothing wrong with looking for a streetwise chick, right?