The 3rd Annual Charity Car Classic was held on July 3rd at the B.R. Cohn Winery in Glen Ellen.  Our live broadcast was sponsored by Santa Rosa Auto Body.  We had a great time.  Wine, Music, Food and Fun on a sun-filled day.  Almost 100 Classic Cars were on display in this benefit exhibit for the Redwood Empire Food Bank.  The Classic Car Sundays will continue on the first Sunday of the month through October, and we have a Weber Gas Grill you can enter to win, courtesy of our program’s co-sponsor, Friedman’s Home Improvement.  Check out the brief (under 5 minutes) video.

For our first Fresh and Frozen feature on June 5th, your friendly neighborhood Crustacean / DJ will play a track from the new Neil Young release A Treasure, recorded with the International Harvester band in the ’80s.  During the decade leading up to his 1989 timely Freedom album (propelled by “Rockin’ in the Free World” which he penned while the world witnessed the fall of the Berlin Wall) Neil put out a series of albums with divergent musical styles: Synth-Pop, Rockabilly, Country and Blues releases.  Short “Lobster Tale” – The blues contingent, The Bluenotes, with Crazy Horse’s Frank “Pancho” Sampedro switching from Guitar to Hammond B-3 Organ and a horn section.  For their tour of Northern California nightclubs, Neil asked me to be the on-stage announcer who brings the band on stage.  As the 11th Bluenote, I had a new appreciation for Neil’s guitar playing.  There was an entire movie plot around the band and it’s manager selling out the tour to “Zonk Cola” without the musicians knowing.  Sadly, it never became a Shakey Pictures release.  Would have given more context to the song “This Note’s For You,” which had the lyric “Ain’t singing for Pepsi, Ain’t singing for Coke.”  Keep in mind, Neil Young is among a handful of artists in our generation who have never sold their songs for commercial endorsements.  Tom Petty and Bruce Springsteen are also in that truly exclusive club.  “Shakey” was also Neil’s bluesman persona, and on that tour, no known Neil Young songs were played.  Just THE BLUES.  Funniest incident on the tour was a club in Salinas where a fan in front of the stage kept demanding “Play Cinnamon Girl, Man!” At one point, Neil as Shakey asked; “How much did you pay to get in here?”  “Ten dollars” the patron replied (remember, this was 1987).  At that point, Shakey fished a $10 bill out of his black jacket’s pocket and said “Here’s your money, there’s the door.  We’re The Bluenotes, and we don’t play those songs!”  The guy took the money and headed towards the exit, but later in the set, I saw him happily dancing around the front of the stage again.  But, I digress.  This is about the International Harvester band tour.  That country-tinged group had some of the finest players to ever grace a stage in Nashville.  One of them, the late great Ben Keith, passed away last year.  He was an extraordinary person and musician in Neil and Pegi Young’s extended musical family.  I always enjoyed being around him.  Occasionally I return to the Redwoods above Woodside, where I first lived after moving West from NYC.  Last time we saw each other was at the bar of The Mountain House on Skyline Boulevard, up the road from his Broken Arrow ranch home.  Damn, Ben will be missed.  Glad I got to raise a glass with him one last time.  Let’s let Neil tells the story in the video. http://www.neilyoung.com/treasure-technotesvideo.html

It’s been quite an adventure…and over 18,000 miles in weekly round trips from San Francisco to Santa Rosa.  May 1st, we broadcast live from the B.R. Cohn Winery and Olive Oil Company in Glen Ellen, the presenting sponsor since show #1 on May 19th, 2008.  Friedman’s Home Improvement joined as co-sponsor to begin our second year.   A big THANK YOU to these family owned and operated, local businesses for their advertising support.  Please support our advertisers in return.  Their websites can be visited by clicking the logos to the right.

With gratitude to all listeners of The River, those tuned in to 97.7 FM in and around Santa Rosa (including those who catch the signal in surprising places from Clear Lake to Orinda to the San Mateo coast) and everywhere else on the Internet, Lobster’s Sunday Brunch is dedicated to having fun with music, and celebrating the San Francisco Bay Area Music scene.

Appreciate being included in Sam Whiting’s “Catching Up” column recently.  The interview that appeared on the front page of the Arts and Entertainment (Datebook) section in the San Francisco Chronicle, and the heart-warming comments from readers, can be viewed at this link to SF Gate

YOU make it all worthwhile.

Cheers!

Lobster

As the weather warms up, and the rainy season slows to a trickle, we will return to the B.R. Cohn Winery, 15000 Sonoma Highway 12 in Glen Ellen on Sunday, May 1st to broadcast live from 10am – 3pm.

The event is FREE and Lobster’s show that day will give away prizes and having fun hanging out in the patio, surrounded by the great collection of classic cars on display around us and the tasting room. This will include beautifully restored vehicles of the Rolls Royce Classic Car Club. Also, local artisans will have their crafts on display including jewelry, sculpture and gourmet food products you can sample and purchase.

Our Sunday May 1st live broadcast is brought to you by Santa Rosa Auto Body. They also specialize in Classic Car restoration. Please visit their website by clicking their logo on the right, below the logos for B.R. Cohn and our co-presenting sponsor, Friedman’s Home Improvement.  Come on by and enjoy a beautiful day on the Olive Hill Estate with us and see some of the most beautiful rides around.

The event is a benefit for the Redwood Empire Food Bank. Admission is FREE! Lunch is complimentary, with your donation. For more information, and to register and show off your classic car on display at the B.R. Cohn Winery, please click here: The Classic Car Cruise-Ins happen the first Sunday of every month, 11am – 4pm,  now thru October.

Sammy Hagar’s Red: My Uncensored Life In Rock, debuted as the #1 Best Selling Non-Fiction book on the New York Times list for April 3rd.  We got in a few words while he swiftly handed the long line of fans waiting to get their copies of the book signed.  Shot a short video of the event. Love the part where the security guy tries to enforce the “only sign books” rule of the event, and Sam obliges the fan anyway. I also posted this video on YouTube, but this version is a bit more high resolution and may take a few moments to load in after you click to play.

It’s not just a question for guitarists.

My “claws” are too thick to press down six strings…Must be why, as a teenager, after I had traded my accordion (started playing that torturous sideways piano at age 10) for an acoustic guitar, in complete frustration, I got myself a Bass. It was a cherrywood Gibson EB3, that looked like an Gibson SG. But, that wasn’t my favorite guitar. It was the one I couldn’t play, but admired in the hands of others who could. A Les Paul Custom, black with cream trim. When I was 19, still living in NYC, I managed a band called Garfield Place with a guitarist who played one. Ellery MacDonald Bowne. Mac is a gifted player who reminded me of George Harrison in his ability. Mac is part of the story of how I got the name “Lobster,” he was in the car with me and three other friends, listening to Robin Trower’s guitar playing on a live tape of a Procol Harum show that sounded like a lobster to my friend David riding shotgun.

Mac Bowne went on to be a studio engineer, but he did play lead guitar for Elephants Memory. They fired him right before I left New York…they wanted a rhythm player, and didn’t know that they were about to get one of the greatest rhythm guitarists in the world and become his back-up band. You see, this was just before John and Yoko Ono Lennon moved to NYC and Elephants Memory became John Lennon’s back-up band. Before I headed west in my Volvo (which came with a tool kit that had a wrench that said “New Lobster” as it’s brand…another clue…) I went to Greenwich Village to see Shawn Phillips play at the Gaslight at the Au Go-Go, two tiny basement nightclubs that dated back to the beatnik days that had merged into the same small space.

There was this big guy, hunched over a Les Paul just like Mac’s. His fingers were flying, and he was missing a tip on one, like Jerry Garcia. Being a college radio kid and seeing how he was playing my favorite guitar, I went backstage after the show and introduced myself. He and the other musicians were all getting together after the show, so I gave him a ride to the Hotel and hung out with them till nearly dawn. It was the day, going home to our Bronx apartment shortly before the sun came up, I announced to my parents (who were waiting up for me) that I was going to move to California. Oh, the Guitarist? Charlie Daniels. Been friends ever since.

We saw each other next at a nightclub in Palo Alto, California called “In Your Ear.” This was before his hit “Uneasy Rider” and he had a band with Jerry Corbett of the Youngbloods, a band he had produced. Yes, Charlie D has an SF Bay Radio connection, too. The band was going back to NYC after the gig, so I gave them my maps…yeah, maps, to follow the yellow line on Interstate 80 which I had marked with gas stations and restaurants a tankful away from each other. Because of that show, I got a job at that nightclub running it’s restaurant as “The Eggplant Hero.” More on that nickname and era later. I’ll save it for the book and movie.

Join us on January 22, 2011 for the Celebration of Love and Joy, a party and auction supporting the Joy Nordenstrom Medical Fund.  That’s THIS SATURDAY NIGHT at The beautiful Payne Mansion, 1409 Sutter Street in San Francisco, CA 8p – 11:30p

How many times do we attend fundraiser where we have no idea who will benefit and when?  Attendees can …dance, shop and celebrate with JOY!

Joy Nordenstrom, a local entrepreneur and owner of Joy of Romance, Inc., has several medical challenges this year, including a brain tumor that required a life-altering 10-hour surgery. Happy to be on the other side of the stress of 2010, Joy has survived and after three months of recouping she will be ready to celebrate her physical ability to smile, an ability that was threatened by the removal of the tumor. In the business of helping individuals create passionate and thriving relationships, Joy works to make the world a more loving place. She is now asking for the love and support of her friends and colleagues to tackle some looming medical expenses.  To buy tickets or make donations, please click here for advance tickets or to make donations. Tickets will also be available Saturday Night at the door of the Payne Mansion.

There was magic inside AT&T Park for The Giants in the 2010 season to carry San Francisco to it’s first World Series championship, and there’s been magic inside the white, ten story big-top tent across China Basin throughout the Holiday season with this spectacular show.  Created by co-founder of Cirque Du Solei, Normand Latourelle, this elaborately staged fantasy outdoes it’s legendary predecessor in focusing specifically on the relationship between man and horse without overwhelming the senses with too much action to take in all at once.   The description of  “dream-like” is not hyperbole.  The virtual settings captivate and transport you.  The horses interplay with the riders, acrobats, aerialists and each other in truly enchanting ways.  Was fortunate to have caught the show last Thursday night and was captivated by the staging, the music and the talented cast on two and four legs.  There is an added performance tonight at 7pm and Monday at 8pm, with the final show on Tuesday January 4th at 8pm.  The next stop is Burbank.  For more information and to purchase tickets and VIP Packages, visit cavalia.net or call 1-866-999-8111.

Join us for some special Holiday Fun at the B.R. Cohn Winery Tasting Room, 15000 Sonoma Highway 12 in Glen Ellen, Sunday December 19th for live broadcast of Lobster’s Sunday Brunch, 10a-3p on 97.7 The River