Sir Paul McCartney wants to retire with a huge farewell world tour next year.

The 67-year-old Beatles legend is planning to play at a host of “unusual” locations before walking away from performing large scale shows.

A source said: “Paul wants to go out with a bang. He’s played countless stadiums over his 50-year career and is on the hunt for the most unusual locations he can find.

“He realizes the older he gets, the less his body will be able to cope with the demands of extended periods on the road. He might play the odd benefit concert – but other than that he’ll be putting his feet up and enjoying retirement.”

Discussions about which cities Paul will play at are already underway and a host of landmark locations have already been earmarked.

McCartney is keen to perform at China’s Tiananmen Square and Checkpoint Charlie – the name given to the best known crossing point at the Berlin Wall, which was torn down in 1989 – while several dates in Brazil have been penciled in for next April.

The source added to Britain’s The Sun newspaper: “The tour in 2010 is likely to last well over a year, by which time Paul will be getting close to 70. He’s making inquiries about a number of special locations and he’s keen to play in China and Checkpoint Charlie.”

As an original co – founder of supergroups Santana and Journey, keyboardist/vocalist Gregg Rolie disproved the old adage that lightning never strikes twice.

First off, as a founding member and important contributor and architect of the original Santana sound via his exemplary musicianship, vocals and songwriting abilities Rolie, along with master guitarist Carlos Santana, rhythm guitarist Tom Fraser, bassist Gus Rodriguez, drummer Rod Harper and percussionist Michael Carabello forged an original, unique sound which had never been heard before.

True, there had been Latin rock, all the way back to Ritchie Valens in the late 1950’s, but it was the groundbreaking vision which melded the ethnic sounds with a British blues sensibility, jazz-like improv and heavy rock that captured the world’s attention with the release of the band’s debut self-titled album in 1969. Buoyed by the band’s historic appearance at the Woodstock Festival in August, a performance immortalized by the inclusion of “Soul Sacrifice” in the 1970 award-winning documentary, it sent them on a stratospheric journey to stardom.

It was Rolie’s vocals which were at the forefront of the band’s early classics. With hits such as “Evil Ways”, “Black Magic Woman”, “Hope You’re Feeling Better” and “No One To Depend On”, it’s safe to say his voice and stellar Hammond B-3 keyboard work are heard on a daily basis world – wide on Classic Rock radio to this very day.

Success of that magnitude would be more than enough for 99% of all musicians. For Rolie, though, his musical path was just beginning. After leaving Santana in 1972 after the ‘Caravansarai’ album, and subsequent to some time spent in his birthplace of Seattle, he rejoined former bandmate Neal Schon in San Francisco. and together they formed Journey, for whom his lead vocals graced the band’s first three albums. Although they didn’t sell enough at the time to preclude the acquisition of Steve Perry as frontman at the insistence of Columbia Records execs in the fall of 1977, the releases have over the course of the past three decades increased in stature as prime examples of progressive hard rock of the 70’s.

After several more albums with Perry at the vocal helm, a shift to a more pop vocal sound saw the band shoot to mega superstardom, going multi – platinum and becoming the AOR icons they are today. Ultimately, following the release of the prophetically named ‘Departure’ album in 1980, Rolie, exhausted from extensive touring, left the band and recommended pianist Jonathan Cain of The Babys as his permanent replacement.

Post Journey he released two solo albums in the 80’s before forming The Storm in 1991 with Steve Smith, Ross Valory, Josh Ramos and Kevin Chalfant. Hitting #3 on Billboard’s Album Charts with their self-titled album, which spawned the Top Ten single “I’ve Got A Lot To Learn About Love” , the changing musical climate and the popularity of grunge caused their follow-up to be shelved until 1996. After reuniting with guitarist Neal Schon in Abraxas Pool for an album, he returned to solo work with the release of ‘Roots’ in 2001. In the midst of all the recording, Rolie was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame as a member of Santana in 1998.

Now Rolie is back with a brand new live CD and DVD, ‘Live From Sturgis’. A storming set recorded in 2007 at the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in Sturgis, South Dakota, the hour plus show is chock full of early Santana classics. With a band featuring fellow original Santana band founding member Michael Carabello and another ex member in bassist Alphonso Johnson, the album is a must have for fans of the orginal sound. In fact, it’s so close it’s highly debatable that Carlos himself could do better these days.

Recently I had the wonderful opportunity to sit down with Rolie during a break in his touring schedule to discuss the new releases, the history of the early Santana and Journey bands, the Woodstock festival, a close encounter with Jimi Hendrix and much, much more. Read on as we have an exclusive conversation with one of rock’s true legends – Gregg Rolie…..click here to access the interview.

Love lingers after every note on Kate McGarry’s cover of Sting’s “Sister Moon.”

Gary Versace on accordion and Keith Ganz on guitar add to the romantic mood with their gypsy jazz instrumentals, but McGarry’s lush vocals are the real aphrodisiac. Just be careful who you’re with when you listen to it, lest you end up at the chapel of love in Vegas with a new spouse you can’t stand.

If that happens, you’re covered, though. “The Target” also includes one of the sexiest versions of “The Meaning of the Blues” I’ve ever heard.

The daily mix:

1) Grady Champion: “Lady Luck”
2) Johnny Rawls: “Sometimes”
3) Zac Harmon: “Smile on Your Face”
4) O.V. Wright: “You’re Gonna Make Me Cry”
5) Phil Guy: “Where Can I Go”
6) Curtis Mayfield: “Another Fool in Love”
7) Marvin Gaye: “Pride and Joy”
Tyrone Davis: “I Wake Up Crying”
9) Jimmy Jones: “Yesterday’s Mistakes”
10) Eldridge Holmes: “Little Girl”

Here we are, the the end of my top 25 hard rock/metal guitarist countdown. Number one is of course…

Jimi Hendrix

Hendrix was an insanely brilliant player in tone and technical ability. He made it look so easy and did so much in a short period time. There were good players before him, but the guitar has not been the same since Jimi got ahold of it.

There you go.

Not your typical indie-folk band, the principals in the Horse’s Ha, James Elkington of The Zincs and Janet Beveridge Bean of Eleventh Dream Day have far more in common with duos like Nina Nastasia/Jim White and Mark Lanegan/Isobel Campbell than the dominant strain of modern folk — That of the pastoral, Pacific Northwest. Whereas bands like Fleet Foxes and their ilk concern themselves with tone, texture and atmosphere, to a sometimes sleepwalking effect, The Horse’s Ha are keen on bringing rhythmic diversity to a genre not normally known for such a thing, exuding such un-folk traits like movement, vitality, and verve.

MP3: The Horse’s Ha – Asleep in a Waterfall
MP3: The Horse’s Ha – The Piss Choir

The Horse’s Ha will be in Cleveland this Sunday, August 2nd, for a show at the Beachland Tavern with Golden Ox, and Lowly the Tree Ghost.

The Horse’s Ha
Hidden Agenda Records

I like Wilco’s and Son Volt’s new albums … at least I think I do. I haven’t listened to them much since I picked up “I Think This Is” by The Young Fresh Fellows and “Killingsworth” by The Minus 5.

Needless to say, Scott McCaughey, the leader of both groups, had a great month.

“Killingsworth,” is a great record, but I imagine it’ll get a lot of press because the album features Colin Meloy and some of his pals from The Decemberists. The Young Fresh Fellows, on the other hand, have never received as much attention as they deserve. If rock critics at newspapers and magazines (are there any left?) and bloggers have any sense, that’ll change with “I Think This Is.”

It’s been 25 years since I fell in love with the Young Fresh Fellows’ delightfully ragged instrumentals and outrageously funny lyrics. These days, the instrumentals are more cohesive. Credit (or blame, depending on your perspective) the production of Robyn Hitchcock, the 12-string guitar work of R.E.M. member Peter Buck, and the maturity of McCaughey and his bandmates, bassist Jim Sangster and drummer Tad Hutchison. The instrumentals are hardly sterile, though. They just sound like garage rock licks played through a power pop prism.

The Young Fresh Fellows’ lyrics are still funny, perhaps just not quite as wicked. The Fellows are no longer begging Amy Grant (or anyone else) to take off her pants. Maybe that’s because there don’t seem to be any good girls left in the entertainment industry. Urging Paris Hilton to be slutty wouldn’t yield many yucks, would it?

Still, the music all seems energetic and spontaneous. And the lyrics are mighty pretty.

I wonder whether I’ll still be listening to Wilco’s and Son Volt’s latest albums in 25 years. If my ears hold out, I’m pretty sure tunes from “I Think This Is” will still be in my listening rotation.

The daily mix:

1) Ron Wood: “Chain of Fools”
2) Little Esther: “Saturday Night Daddy”
3) Brook Benton: “Hotel Happiness”
4) Chuck Prophet: “Pin a Rose on Me”
5) Doyle Bramhall: “That’s How Strong My Love Is”
6) Skyla Burrell Blues Band: “Don’t Let Me Go”
7) Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble: “Ain’t Gone Give Up On Love”
Katie Webster: “Those Lonely, Lonely Nights”
9) Fats Domino: “What a Price”
10) Lou Ann Barton: “Maybe”

The kids and have been watching a lot of episodes of the Dukes of Hazzard this week. I remember when my brother and I used to watch this show back when it was first on. We really looked forward to it each week. Okay, it was corny and pretty much the same thing every week, but we loved it.
As for music I still have a Blaze Bayley review to post and hope to have that out soon.
Here is what I hope to have out this week.

Reviews of…
At War-Infidel
Hysterica-Metal War
Freestone-The temple of humanity

Interview with Admiral Browning (that’s a band not a military dude)

Numbers 3 down to 1 of my top guitarist countdown. After I reveal number one I’ll stick up the whole list of the top 25 together.

Clash of the album covers

***Have a great week!

Can you say internet buzz? Yes, these dudes have it. Now, can you say, holy mother of the most heavenly scuzz? Oh, f*ck yes. Fans of The Jesus Lizard, The Melvins, Clockcleaner, Pissed Jeans, and all things scuzz and fuzz, meet your new favorite band. They’re Mayyors and they’re from Sacramento and they’re about to unleash some of the most primal scuzz your ears have heard in years. Unfortunately, for you, you’re going to have a hard time meeting Mayyors, in the internet sense. They have no web presence and no available releases. Everything they’ve put out has been very limited edition and has sold out right quick. Even if this post had been dated a month ago, the day of their latest release, the 12″ EP, Deads, chances are your internet clicking wouldn’t have been swift enough to score a copy. So, you can either head to eBay, pray that some bigger label has caught on to the early buzz and will re-issue Deads, or, gulp, hit the dark corners of the internet. For scuzz this good, it’s worth the effort.

MP3: Mayyors – Clicks