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On this day February 20, 1974 @steelydan_official released their third studio album “Pretzel Logic.”

The album was Steely Dan’s last to be made and released while the group was still an active touring band, as well as the final album to feature the band’s full quintet-lineup of Becker, Fagen, Denny Dias, Jim Hodder, and Jeff “Skunk” Baxter (who subsequently left to join the Doobie Brothers), though it also features significant contributions from many prominent Los Angeles-based studio musicians.

A commercial and critical success, the album’s hit single, “Rikki Don’t Lose That Number,” helped restore Steely Dan’s radio presence.

“Pretzel Logic” contains shorter songs and fewer instrumental jams than Steely Dan’s previous album, “Countdown to Ecstasy” (1973),as the group had decided to attempt to produce complete musical statements within the three-minute pop-song format.

Catch the stream at k-zap.org, on the k-zap apps or at 93.3 FM in the metro Sacramento area.
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On This Day @acdc Frontman @bonscott.official Died in London After a Night of Partying

On this day (February 19) in 1980, the rock and roll world lost a legend when AC/DC vocalist Bon Scott (born Ronald Belford Scott) died at the age of 33.

Scott was not AC/DC’s original vocalist. However, he was the first that many fans in Australia and New Zealand heard when the band released their debut album “High Voltage.” Before he joined the band, he was their roadie. Then, in September 1974, he took his place behind the microphone. A few years later, his voice would become the Australian rockers’ trademark.

The band released their first two albums–“High Voltage” and “T.N.T.” exclusively in Australia and New Zealand in 1975. Then, they compiled songs from their first two discs for an international version of “High Voltage” the next year.

With that release, AC/DC introduced Scott to the world. Scott was with the band until he died, with the last album he sang on being “Highway to Hell” (1979).

According to Louder Sound, Scott and a friend of his ex-girlfriend named Alistair Kinnear attended a concert at The Music Machine in London that evening. “I met up with Bon to go to the Music Machine but he was pretty drunk when I picked him up,” Kinnear recalled of his evening with Scott. “When we got there, he was drinking four whiskeys straight in a glass at a time,” he added.

Later that night, Kinnear drove Scott to his flat in Victoria. However, the singer was passed out in the passenger seat. Failing to rouse Scott, Kinnear drove home to 67 Overhill Road, East Dulwich, London. There, he covered the still-unconscious Scott with a blanket, left him a note with directions to Kinnear’s flat, and went inside. The next day, he found Scott’s body in his car.

“He could not find a comfortable position in the small car,” author Clinton Walker wrote in his book about Scott. “His body was curled around the gearstick, his neck twisted, his dental plate dislodged. The bile rose up in his throat and blocked his asthmatic windpipe,” Walker added.

Catch the stream at k-zap.org, on the k-zap apps or at 93.3 FM in the metro Sacramento area.
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Led Zeppelin’s @jimmypage Played on one of the Biggest Pop Hits of the ’60s

The members of Led Zeppelin were influential before they even formed a band.

For example, Led Zeppelin’s Jimmy Page played on one of the biggest songs from the British Invasion.

“All those Petula Clark things, I was on all of those, ‘Downtown,’ all the big hits. ‘Don’t Sleep in the Subway.’ So every now and again, they come around.”

Billboard reports “Downtown” was one of the biggest hits of the 1960s.

During a 2016 interview with The Guardian, Clark herself had no issue remembering Page’s connection to her signature song, “Downtown.” She initially heard an embryonic version of “Downtown” by songwriter Tony Hatch. She fell in love with it, hoping Hatch could create lyrics that lived up to his melody.

The “My Love” singer recalled the beat coming together in the studio. It took 40 musicians to create the proper sound. “They were all top guys — the guitarist was Jimmy Page — and when I first heard the orchestration, it was so great I nearly fell over, even though Tony was still finishing the lyrics in the bathroom,” Clark recalled. Little did she know, Page’s legend was only beginning! 

The fact that Page helped bring “Downtown” to life when it sounds nothing like a Led Zeppelin song shows how much range he has as a musician. Furthermore, the instrumentation is really what makes the song soar. The 1960s gave us a lot of traditional pop songs that were boring and got discarded very quickly.

“Downtown” lives on because its beat has a certain yearning desperation that makes its lyrics and Clark’s vocals sound so much more urgent. Who knows if “Downtown” would be a beloved classic if not for Page’s contributions to the track?

On “Downtown,” Clark and Page shine.

Catch the stream at k-zap.org, on the k-zap apps or at 93.3 FM in the metro Sacramento area.
#kzaporg …

🌈 PRINCE LASER CONCERT TICKET GIVEAWAY! 🌈

K-ZAP Sacramento is thrilled to offer pairs of tickets to The Museum of Science & Curiosity Planetarium for the Laser Concert Series featuring Prince on Saturday, March 1st!

Immerse yourself in the music of Prince with MOSAC`s incredible 25,000 watt Dolby 5.1 Surround Sound System and stunning lasers.

How to Win:
Email free@k-zap.org (mailto:free@k-zap.org)
Subject Line: Prince
Include your name and phone number

⏰ Deadline: Thursday, February 27th. One entry per person.

🎉 Winners will be notified on Thursday. Frequent winners might be excluded.

Secure your chance to experience Prince like never before, courtesy of K-ZAP!

🎟️ Get your tickets: //visitmosac.org/laser-concert-series/

#K_ZAP #Prince #LaserConcert #Sacramento #FreeTickets #MOSAC …

Rev Up Your Giving with K-ZAP`s Vehicle Donation Program!

Got a car that`s more likely to be a lawn ornament than a road warrior? A boat that`s seen more dry dock than the high seas? Or perhaps a truck that`s taken its last haul? Fear not, because Sacramento`s K-ZAP has the perfect solution to turn your vehicular woes into a win for rock `n` roll!

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So, why let your old vehicle rust away when you can rock out and make an impact? Donate to K-ZAP today, because nothing says "I love rock music" like turning your clunker into a classic hit for our station! Let`s keep the blues away from your garage and on the airwaves where they belong! …

@aerosmith rocker @iamstevent, 76, will never tour again after he ‘hurt himself bad’

The 76-year-old stepped back from the spotlight in recent years after he damaged his vocal cords during the band’s Peace Out tour in 2023.

After a rare appearance at the Jam for Janie Grammys Viewing Party at the beginning of February, there had been speculation that he was healthy enough to return to the stage for good.

However, in a new interview, former Guns N’ Roses drummer Matt Sorum shared an update on his pal, and shut down any thoughts of a possible musical comeback.

‘Steven sang for the first time in a year and a half,’ he said on WBAB. ‘He’s such an iconic guy.

‘He got out and sang. It was a really big moment for him because he hurt himself bad.’

Now, is he going to tour again? No, he’s not. Because, and I explained this to people, Steven cannot put himself under the rigors of doing a full worldwide tour because there’s a lot of pressure.’

‘If you’re not a singer, you wouldn’t understand what he goes through, but he’s 76 years old and he’s a perfectionist. And if he doesn’t sing correctly, it bothers him,’ Matt continued.

‘He’s not going to put it on tape like 80% of the people who are out there taking your money. He will not be on tape, and he won’t change the keys to the song. That’s just who he is.
‘He’s like, “I’m an artist. I’m a singer. This is my band. I’ve been doing this for 50 years. And if I can’t do it perfect, I can’t do it.” And I respect that.’

Discussing Steven’s recent performance, he added: ‘I talked to him about it multiple times. I said, “So, just sing four or five songs tops.” He says, “I can do that.”

‘It’s a lot of pressure for a guy like him.
‘To have him on stage, I cried. It was just beautiful. I hope he can do more because It’s in his blood.’

The event supported Janie’s Fund – which helps young women and girls who have suffered abuse.

It also raised funds for the Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation and the Widows, Orphans, and Disabled Firefighter’s Fund.

Catch the stream at k-zap.org, on the k-zap apps or at 93.3 FM in the metro Sacramento area.
#kzaporg …

🌟 WIN TICKETS TO PINK FLOYD`S THE WALL – LASER CONCERT! 🌟

K-ZAP Sacramento is giving away pairs of tickets to The Museum of Science & Curiosity Planetarium for their Laser Concert Series featuring Pink Floyd`s The Wall on Friday, February 28th!

Experience the legendary album in an unforgettable setting with MOSAC’s 25,000 watt Dolby 5.1 Surround Sound System and spectacular lasers.

To Enter:
Email free@k-zap.org (mailto:free@k-zap.org)
Subject Line: Pink Floyd
Include your name and phone number

⏰ Deadline: Wednesday, February 26th at Midnight. One entry per person, please.

🎉 Winners will be notified on Friday. Note that frequent winners might be excluded.

Don`t miss out on this unique auditory and visual journey with K-ZAP!

🎟️ Secure your tickets: //visitmosac.org/laser-concert-series/

#K_ZAP #PinkFloyd #TheWall #LaserConcert #Sacramento #FreeTickets #MOSAC …

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Fall in love with your car all over again with Black Rock Auto this Valentine`s season! 😍🚘 …

Surviving members of @thedoors on the breakdown of the band and life with @jimmorrison

It’s now over half a century since the Doors frontman died in Paris and slipped into rock legend. But his life – and his time in the band – continues to fascinate to this day.

In a wide ranging chat about the Doors songs Robby Krieger and John Densmore explain what it was like on a day to day basis, and if their singer was “a fun guy to hang out with.”

“He could be,” Krieger said. “He could be the greatest guy ever to hang out with. And then, sometimes, he could be the worst.”

Densmore noted that is was booze that caused the deterioration in relations between Morrison and the rest of the band. Apparently, they even had a name for their frontman’s darker side: “Jimbo, we called the other guy.”

“I mean, his real problem was the Oedipus complex. He had the worst Oedipus complex I’ve ever seen,” Krieger added. No surprise really, given the lyrics to “The End.”

Was Morrison “just a normal guy (they) could hang out with,” to which Krieger replied: “Yeah, especially in the beginning. He was great to hang out with, you know?”

“He was provocative,” Densmore chipped in. “He liked pushing buttons. He liked seeing where people’s edges were. But, you know, as his self-destruction increased, we kind of backed away.”

The band’s last gig was in New Orleans in December 1970, and ended in some chaos. “I had been lobbying to Robbie and Ray to pull the live plug because it’s self-destruction,” Densmore explained. “We were so great, and then in New Orleans, he was so drunk, we couldn’t even finish the show, and we took a break.”

Krieger suggested that by this time nobody could talk sense into the wayward singer, not even keyboard player Ray Manzarek, the eldest member of the band. “As time went on, nobody could talk to him.”

To this Densmore added: “And also, we had a hunch we were making some good stuff, and our karma was to have this kamikaze maniac singer, but he had these pipes and these lyrics, and melodies. Oh, my God, this guy’s gifted.”

Catch the stream at k-zap.org, on the k-zap apps or at 93.3 FM in the metro Sacramento area.
#kzaporg …

These talented session musicians helped @steelydan_official become one of the biggest studio-only bands of the 1970s.

Through the years, Steely Dan employed the talents of quite a few session musicians for those studio sessions, and we think the following four performers deserve some credit for making Steely Dan even better.

Denny Dias

When one thinks of Steely Dan, one often thinks of the 1972 hit song “Do It Again.” Denny Dias provided his skills at the electric sitar to the song by launching one of the most memorable solos of any funk rock song to date. Dias also plays the guitar on the song as well. Though, we wouldn’t call Dias a “session musician” in this instance, considering he was a founding member of the band.

Bernard Purdie

Steely Dan session musicians come in all forms with different musical inclinations, and Bernard Purdie stands as one of the best drummers to contribute their talents to the band’s recorded work. Purdie can be heard on the songs “Deacon Blues” and “Home At Last,” which are standout tracks on the 1977 record “Aja.” Purdie’s sense of rhythm was on another level here, we have to hand it to him.

Larry Carlton

Out of all the session musicians to contribute their talents to Steely Dan, Larry Carlton should be considered an honorary member of the outfit. Carlton is a master of the electric guitar, and his work on songs such as “Don’t Take Me Alive” and “Kid Charlemagne” is nothing short of memorable. His solos are elegant, not flashy, and his sense of groove and timing is impeccable.

Elliot Randall

Steely Dan session musicians are often very talented individuals, and Elliot Randall is no exception. Randall was an important part of Steely Dan when the band was still considered a “collective,” and you just can’t beat his contributions to the 1972 hit song “Reelin’ In The Years” from “Can’t Buy A Thrill.” We’d be bold enough to say that Randall is criminally underrated in the world of guitar players.

Catch the stream at k-zap.org, on the k-zap apps or at 93.3 FM in the metro Sacramento area.
#kzaporg …

How @pearljam and @neilyoungarchives came together to make “Mirror Ball”

It was early 1995 and Young was already long-established as rock royalty but for the purposes of the album that would become “Mirror Ball,” he left his status at the city limits.

Young wanted the collaborative record with the grunge rockers to tap into the sound that had made Eddie Vedder’s crew one of the biggest bands of the 90s. He didn’t even bring a roadie.

“I decided rather than adding the complexity of using my own producer, I’d use theirs,” Young explained in the career-spanning opus Pearl Jam Twenty. “We got rid of everything individual on my side and all of my trappings, so it was just me going in there by myself… The whole idea was to do it as fast and fresh as possible. I didn’t want it to drag on.”

Pearl Jam weren’t just big fans who’d already incorporated Young’s classic “Rockin’ In The Free World” into their live set, they were inexperienced newbies trying to work out how to transition from band selling lots of records in the here and now to band who would still be going decades later.

“Mirror Ball” had its roots at a Voters For Choice benefit gig in Washington, DC, in mid-January, 1995. Pearl Jam were also on the bill and having played a version of new song “Act Of Love” with his band Crazy Horse and been displeased with the results, Young asked Pearl Jam to step in and see if they could elevate it.

The result was so good that Young became convinced they should record it together.

The collective put down seven songs over two days, with Vedder, dealing with a stalking problem at the time, missing from the sessions.

The album was finished with another batch of recording in mid-Feb, with Vedder making an appearance and co-writing the expansive rock cut “Peace And Love.”

To save drawn-out back-and-forths between their respective record labels, the two camps had agreed beforehand that Pearl Jam’s name would be absent.

It was a decision we kind of regret,” Vedder later lamented, “because it really was the coming together of both bands.”

Catch the stream at k-zap.org, on the k-zap apps or at 93.3 FM in the metro Sacramento area.
#kzaporg …

@cheechandchong documentary has an April release date

“Up in Smoke,” the first Cheech and Chong movie, came out in 1978. All these years later, the duo remain the go-to reference point for “stoner comedy.”

After the heyday of their comedy team, Cheech Marin became a successful character actor while Tommy Chong, well, kept on being Tommy Chong.

With the two still alive and at “retrospective” age, the time has arrived for a documentary about the two, and that documentary is hitting theaters in 2025.

“Cheech and Chong’s Last Movie,” a title riffing on 1980’s “Cheech and Chong’s Next Movie,” is directed by David Bushnell, who is known more known as a movie producer.

In addition to featuring the titular twosome, it also features uber-successful record producer Lou Adler, who remarkably and arguably inexplicably directed “Up in Smoke.”

If you don’t know who Adler is, he’s that guy who was always sitting next to Jack Nicholson courtside at Lakers games.

Though the movie is not hitting theaters until later in 2025, it had its premiere at Austin’s famed SXSW festival in 2024.

So when will you be able to see “Cheech and Chong’s Last Movie” in theaters? Well, the movie opens nationwide on April 25. However, to the surprise of nobody they have managed to secure a limited number of screenings to premiere the movie on April 20.

If we need to explain to you why they are doing that, well, then you probably aren’t in the market for a Cheech and Chong documentary as is.

Catch the stream at k-zap.org, on the k-zap apps or at 93.3 FM in the metro Sacramento area.
#kzaporg …

@ozzyosbourne Will Only Do ‘Little Bits And Pieces’ With @blacksabbath At Farewell Concert

Ozzy announced his last-ever performance on February 5, revealing that the original members of BLACK SABBATH are reuniting for the first time in 20 years for the show.

Joining them at the concert called “Back To The Beginning”, which will take place on July 5 at at Villa Park in Birmingham, United Kingdom, will be a host of metal bands SABBATH inspired, including METALLICA, SLAYER, LAMB OF GOD, MASTODON, PANTERA and ANTHRAX.

Ozzy — who hasn’t played a full show since late 2018 — said on his SiriusXM show “Ozzy Speaks”: “I’m not planning on doing a set with BLACK SABBATH but I am doing little bits and pieces with them. I am doing what I can, where I feel comfortable.”

The 76-year-old heavy metal singer, who revealed in 2020 that he had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, added that he is doing what he can to get ready for the Villa Park concert.

“I am trying to get back on my feet,” he said. “When you get up in the morning, you just jump out of bed. I have to balance myself, but I’m not dead. I’m still actively doing things.”

Earlier in the month, Ozzy’s wife and manager Sharon Osbourne said that her husband is struggling to walk amid his battle with Parkinsons disease, but that his singing voice is “as good as ever”. She said: “[Ozzy’s] very happy to be coming back and very emotional about this.

Catch the stream at k-zap.org, on the k-zap apps or at 93.3 FM in the metro Sacramento area.
#kzaporg …

What songs should have been cut from @thebeatles White Album’?

By 1968 Lennon/McCartney song’ became more of a business agreement than anything else. Harrison was also building a backlog of great songs, leading to a three-way dance for space on the records. With the friction between them reaching an all-time high, the choice was made to make their new record a double album.

Entire songs are dedicated to experimenting with different genres. When it works, it leads to some of the best music of the entire Beatles back catalogue. ‘Glass Onion,’ ‘Sexy Sadie,’ ‘Helter Skelter,’ ‘While My Guitar Gently Weeps,’ the highs are an embarrassment of riches.

Yet, The Beatles were not perfect. You give three egos that fragile and that much to prove, and God help them, they’ll try, for better and for worse.

Let’s start with Paul’s missteps. Macca was deep into his “granny music” era, which means that yes, we’re going to start with one of his most infamous creations, the loping proto-ska of ‘Ob-La-Di-Ob-La-Da.’

However, it is awkwardly charming. Compare that to the plodding vaudeville pastiche of ‘Honey Pie.’

On a similar note, ‘Revolution 9’ is absolutely noxious. A pretentious, overlong cacophony that that’s there for no other reason than John wanting to prove his counter-culture worth to his new beaux.

Harrison has a precisely 50% hit rate on the record. ‘…Guitar’ and ‘Long, Long, Long’? Classics, couldn’t imagine the record without them.

‘Piggies’ and ‘Savoy Truffle’ on the other hand… come on lad. Harrison was trying to get away from his image as “the mystical Beatle” and write some knockabout songs that weren’t really about anything.

It’s not fair to Ringo to put his songs up for the cut here. He only has two and one of them wasn’t written by him. They’re also both fairly agreeable.

However, going through the album and picking favourites sort of defeats the point of the whole album. The White Album is an album you take for all in all.

Catch the stream at k-zap.org, on the k-zap apps or at 93.3 FM in the metro Sacramento area.
#kzaporg …