Frank Hannon of Tesla is up first. The band is about to hop out on tour with Extreme and Motley. As a matter of fact, they're sandwiched right between both bands. A little bit of heavy lifting to be sure. He told me they've never really had the chance to meet or tour with the Extreme guys.

We discussed the debut album, which turns 40 this December. They recorded it in upstate New York. He also told me why the band covered the song "Little Suzi", which some people probably don't know that it's a cover song.

We also talked about his horses and the upcoming covers record called Homage. Yes, they are covering a Bob Seger song.

That's just for starters with Frank....

Jesse James Dupree is up next. The Jackyl frontman talks about the upcoming festivities at Sturgis for the motorcycle rally. Lots of bands playing and lots of riding to be had. Sammy Hagar, Rob Zombie, and, of course, Jackyl playing the Full Throttle Saloon. Oh, there is a Detroit favorite playing that Friday as well!

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Ted Nugent is never at a loss for words, and this episode of Talkin' Rock is no different. He's playing some shows in July, and you don't want to miss the 77-year-old flame-thrower. You can see him in Lexington, Michigan, on July 7th & 8th, then in Sterling Heights at Freedom Hills on the 10th, and in Paw Paw on the 11th.

"How lucky am I?" Ted says to the fact that he's rocked people for seven decades. He brought up the Paw Paw, Michigan show last year. I was there, and the show was something special. "I am so excited...I get so outta control," he says while speaking to the fact that he's back in his home state of Michigan. "Has God blessed me with the greatest musicians in the world?" Yes, he's played with some of the best!

"I'd like to think that my guitar tone has no identity, because I'm constantly playing with the amps," he said of his guitar. "It's fat, it's rich," he went on.

Ted will turn 78 this year, and he's still full-tilt-boogie. "I'm having more fun, and more musical adventure....if the 15-year-old showed up, I'd kick his ass!"

"It's a jazz guitar, but I fixed it," Ted said of his famous Birdland guitar. He said that each Birdland has its own personality because of the way the spruce breathes. Ted expanded on that during our conversation.

He's going to be inducted into the Michigan Outdoor Hall of Fame. That's on Hall he should've been in a long time ago. Yes, he should be in the other one too, but I guess we'll start here. He's also getting Conservationist of the Year in Springfield, Missouri, in August.

We also talked about great places to visit in Michigan. Ted had a lot of say on that. He's like a one-man chamber of commerce. The U.P., Grayling to see the Fred Bear statue, Mackinaw Island (a place he said he's never been to), downtown Detroit to see Hitsville U.S.A., and other places. "Michigan is my beloved birth state," he said. He went on to talk about the quality of people in the Mitten.

His dream from youth: "Spend as much time in the woods and the swamps and the rivers of Michigan and to rock my balls off. It's 78 years later, and that's exactly what I'm doing!" Nicely said.

Go see Ted and watch how it's done!

Up next it's the guy opening up most of these shows, Kurt Diemer. His new album A Grog Is Born dropped a month ago, featuring Josh Todd from Buckcherry and Geoff Tate, formerly of Queensryche. Yes, they covered the iconic "Silent Lucidity". That's a tall task.

Kurt's also in the horror world. His latest movie, Scared To Death, is streaming now on Amazon. It's more of a horror comedy. He's dropping another one coming up in the fall called Hellbilly Hollow, which I really enjoyed.

Kurt's got a lot going on and is a super good dude. Check him out after Ted on this episode, then before Ted at some upcoming shows.

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Rocker Tim Montana has a new record dropping on July 31st. Jam-packed with special guests including Jerry Cantrell, Billy F. Gibbons, Slash. Charlie and Martin Sheen, Royal Lynn, and Robert Patrick. Yes, all those special guests!

The song Break Me Down mentions "Ghosts in the basement", so I had to ask him if he'd ever had a paranormal experience. As with most people, he does. He also told me about a UFO sighting he had. I didn't expect that.

We discussed the new album, Entire State Of Tim Montana. That's a name Charlie Sheen gave him. He tells great stories of hanging and playing with rock stars. Really cool!

Oh, by the way, YES, he did have a meal at Eminem's Mom's Spaghetti downtown when he came here with Alter Bridge.

Enjoy the conversation and thanks for listening!

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Great to get Chris back on the podcast. He's been out of Slipknot since 2019, but he's got a lot to keep him busy.

On this episode, we discuss his relationship with Black Sabbath drummer Bill Ward. "He's like another father to me. That guy's amazing." He said they talk just about every day. He tells me about his friendship with the late Phil Campbell of Motorhead, golfing with Alice Cooper, and his massive baseball card collection.

What was it like playing those earlier Ozzfest gigs as Slipknot was climbing the mountain of metal success? He talks about his favorite SK album and why it's that one. My fave as well! He shares some funny Ozzy stories, drumming with the late Joey Jordison, meeting fans at comic-cons, working with the legendary Rick Rubin, and lots more.

As I said, it's great to have Chris back on the pod.

Enjoy!

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The Brutal Devine is the name of the new Spread Eagle album. It drops on Friday, June 12th, and the guys are here to tell me about it.

The album contains 10 tracks. Produced by Rob, and written over the course of the past few years, the guys love this album. Rob said, "We made a fantastic record that we know our fans are going to like. So far, the reviews are off the charts." Ray chimed in, "It's a really well-written record, and we're really proud of it. It's solid."

1. Flat Earth Vultures

2. Street Noise

3. Gunflower

4. Jail Rat

5. Forbidden Local Honey

6. Pushed to the Limit

7. Ant Farm

8. Scars in Our Eyes (City Kids)

9. Inside a Shrunken Head

10. Makebeliever

"It's just a natural progression of things," Ray mentioned while talking about what the band has in place for 2026.

We also talked about recording their debut album, some 36 years ago. Ray said his frustration with the recording process and using a big-time studio was a lot for the young singer. "As bad as that experience was, it's what had to happen at the time", Rob said.

Rob talked about the backing of the label, Frontiers. "They're doing well. Anything is applicable." He said they seem to get the band. That's important.

That's just for starters on this great conversation with the guys....

Thanks for listening, and go get the album when it comes out!

Enjoy!

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Kenny Wayne Shepherd returns to Talkin' Rock. He's got a validictorian in his household! That led to a conversation about his own school days. He told me his longing to make it in the music business may have taken away from his own academics, but it's turned out OK for him.

Kenny came to Detroit last summer for the Road Kill Nights event. That was a fun day! He's all about the muscle cars, and so am I.

You might notice that there aren't many KWS dates this summer. He explains why they're few and far between.

He also talks about playing for Michigan audiences. He said he loves shredding for the Midwest crowds because they appreciate what he does. He says the "work hard, play hard" crowds are some of his favorite people to play for.

He discussed the Ledbetter Heights 30th anniversary album. He was just a 17-year-old kid, playing with his heroes and touring with legends.

That's for starters....

Enjoy!

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What a privilege to talk with rock royalty like Ian Gillan. Deep Purple's 24th studio album drops on July 3rd, called Splat! Ian and I talk about his love for making new music, working with legendary producer Bob Ezrin, and a newfound energy in the band. That energy? Guitarist Simon McBride. Ian reaped praise on Simon for bringing a new spirit to the fold.

Besides talking about the new "heavier" album, I had to relay a story to Ian about the time brothers Dimebag Darrell and Vinnie Paul told me about the first song they ever played together: Smoke On The Water. They told me that it was a six-minute song, that they stretched out to about six hours!

Up next is Buffalo, New York musician, Ryan Perdz. Ryan is dropping a new record this August and is here to tell me about it. Where did he get his musical influences? Where did he play around Buffalo? How did grunge affect him? He's got a real Chris Cornell sound to his vocals.

He's playing a show at the El Club in Detroit on June 14th.

Enjoy!

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It's always great to talk with John Bush, especially when his band Armored Saint drops a new album! Emotion Factory Reset dropped last week, and, as the kids would say, it's a banger!

He tells me about certain songs on the album. One that was very emotional and personal from a family point of view. I did ask him about a couple that seemed to be aimed at a particular person. He also spoke about the reason the album is fairly short, clocking in at about 48 minutes.

We talked about his career and if he'd change anything over the past 42 years. They have another monstrous tour coming up this fall with the guys from Metal Church. We discussed that and what else is coming up in 2026, including another gig where he will play his Anthrax era songs.

Thanks for listening!

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