Shaw*Blades CyberChat

Max Warner : Welcome to CYBER-TALK! CYBER-TALK (TM) is Warner/Reprise Online's weekly interactive talk show. Each segment of CYBER-TALK (TM) featuresa different music persona.

Rock veterans Tommy Shaw and Jack Blades of SHAW BLADES will be the featured guests on tonight's edition of Cyber-Talk. SHAW BLADES will be available to chat with fans regarding their debut album HALLUCINATION, recently released by Warner Bros. Records.

For the two veterans of megabands like Night Ranger, Styx and Damn Yankees, HALLUCINATION, Shaw/Blades' Warner Bros. debut, confirms the sweeping musical instincts of these two master songwriters and performers. HALLUCINATION recalls the acerbic wit of Blades' work with Night Ranger and the social skepticism from Shaw's tenure with Styx. Yet Shaw/Blades struck out on a new path with this richly melodic collaboration.

Alabama born and bred, Tommy Shaw cut his teeth on local Montgomery R&B bands before moving to Chicago to join MS Funk. There, in 1976, he was asked to join Styx, which had released several prior albums to little fanfare. Shaw's trenchant guitar style and songwriting skills provided the fuel that propelled Styx to international stardom throughout the 80's.

California native Jack Blades took a similar route. In the mid-70's, he had founded a Bay Area funk band called Rubicon, which gained some local notoriety. In time, the band morphed into a new ensemble, Night Ranger, which prominently featured Jack's gritty vocals and sharp-edged songwriting. The band won the support of the late great Bill Graham, and soon Night Ranger was opening for the likes of the Doobie Brothers, Santana and Judas Priest.

Making fine music remains the thrill for Tommy Shaw and Jack Blades. "Between us we've made about 20 albums and sold over 25 million," says Jack. "Eventually, you reach a point where you just want to do something from the heart." And that's no hallucination.

DefJen2 : Hi guys! Jen here - so Jack, Tommy has mentioned that you have computer phobia? Is this true?? And is it possible to get TS away from his powerbook yet? Can't wait for tour time guys.

Shaw/Blades : no, I don't have computer phobia, I just haven't figured out how to do it yet. I guess my time is just around the corner.

Damk : Tommy and Jack, Have you guys finalized any tour plans? And any chance you'll come to the Bay area?

Shaw/Blades : (Jack) we'd love to if they would start playing us on the radio.

Milliways : Does this mean that we have seen an end to Damn Yankees?

Shaw/Blades : Tommy: Nobody said that.

JackMcGro : I always wondered... What exactly does "Girls with Guns" mean?

Shaw/Blades : Tommy: girls with spirit.

Jahiser : how did you and tommy meet each other??

Shaw/Blades : Tommy: at the American Music Awards ten years ago.

Straystar : Tommy, What kind of guitar do you play on stage.

Shaw/Blades : Tommy: I've played Gibson Les Paul's, Hamer, Ovation, mostly Hamer & Ovation with Damn Yankees, we created a new guitar for Hamer called the Duo Sonic that is a combination electric/acoustic guitar. Jack says it's a real bitchen rig.

SHERLOCK5 : Tommy how is your music now different from the Styx/Damn Yankees era

Shaw/Blades : (Tommy) same music, different day.

Shaw/Blades : (Jack) I think you've grown in your lyrics..... naahh.

Orthodoc : Tommy and Jack, Tell us, besides the Beattles, who are your other musical influences. And, what artists do you listen to?

Shaw/Blades : (Jack) I listened to alot of Sly and the Family Stone when I was growing up, Larry Graham was a big influence on me. Now I listen to whatever sounds good, from AC/DC to Green Day.

Shaw/Blades : (Tommy) I listened to anything I could get my hands on when I first started. Jack says now he only listens to CD's he gets for free.

OneMikeyC : I've been a big fan of both of your guys' past bands - just bought your Damn Yankees CD's and have heard a couple tracks off the new album - I can't wait to hit the store to buy it!!!

Shaw/Blades : Thanks.

Patastro : What is your favorite of all the songs you have written?

Shaw/Blades : (Tommy) I couldn't pick one out. They all have their own special meaning.

BDFORDFAL : Jack, still playing the Hamer/Boogie combination?

Shaw/Blades : (Jack) yup, no reason to quit a good thing.$

JM Harbar : Where did you learn to play such good guitar?

Shaw/Blades : (Tommy) it was a great way to communicate and I was kind of a shy kid so I tended to play a lot in my room.

Shaw/Blades : (Jack) I thought it was a great way to meet girls, little did I know I would have it as a career.... p.s. I taught Tommy everything he knows.

OU81Too87 : Tommy, How did you and jack finally come together to form the new band .

Shaw/Blades : (Tommy) Jack was very desperate and needed a helping hand. I felt sorry for him.

Shaw/Blades : (Jack) wait a minute, if I hadn't bailed you out of the critically acclaimed solo career of yours you'd be in a heap o' trouble now.

BDFORDFAL : Jack, what are Kelly, Jeff, and Brad up to?

Shaw/Blades : (Jack) Kelly and Brad are up to no good I supposse. With the reformed Night Ranger, they are touring the country playing clubs, haven't talked to them lateley. I saw Brad at my birthday part last year, we all jammed into the wee hours of the evening, it was pretty fun.

Bct103 : Will there be a tour this Summer?? If so, when will dates be announced??

Shaw/Blades : (Tommy) you bet. Look for the dates to be posted in the Warner tour board.

JLynch747 : So Jack, which Bay Area clubs did Rubicon play in?

Shaw/Blades : (Jack) they played in all the reefer circuit clubs. Although we found early on that being big fish in a small pond really doesn't mean that much. Did he say Rubicon? Wow, that's goin' back.

Shaw/Blades : (Tommy) he must be really old, that was 45 years ago.

Kilroy123 : Tommy -- you seem to have taken to Cyberspace like a fish to water. Do you think "online" is going to change the face of the music industry in the future?

Shaw/Blades : (Tommy) I don't think so. It's all pretty much after the fact, something you do once the music is released.

Kilroy123 : tommy, do you ever see a styx reunion tour? when i was a kid i never missed a show.

Shaw/Blades : (Tommy) Only if someday Jack turns up missing, or winds up in the band.

CBGates : Tommy, I hear you are from Montgomery?

Shaw/Blades : (Tommy) the cradle of the confederacy.

CMarsal : What type of guitars did you use on the album?

Shaw/Blades : (Tommy) any guitar made of wood. And a couple that weren't. Les Pauls, Byrdlands, Teles, '52 P Bass. Rickenbacker, Strats, and an all metal Dobro, etc etc...

MBrown199 : Tommy -- You have an incredible vocal range. Have you done anything to improve it, or does : it just come naturally?

Shaw/Blades : (Tommy) I stopped smoking cigarettes and drinking whiskey many years ago.

Shaw/Blades : (Jack) I like you better the old way.

RacerSnak : What was the inspiration for "Come To Be My Friend?"

Shaw/Blades : (Jack) wait a minute! I wrote that at the end of the project, I had to salvage this album somehow. Actually, it's about people going to therapists and "renting a friend".

Mimilyn1 : Tommy, I just have to tell you that I've loved your work ever since my first Styx concert at age 4. (Paradise Theater). I wish you all the luck and success in the world, and you should know that you've really inspired young singers like myself.

Shaw/Blades : (Tommy) Thanks. Is there a question in there somewhere?...

Shaw/Blades : (Jack) it's great hearing comments like that from 40 year old people.

CBoyle282 : Tommy, During the Girls W/Guns tour you played a song on "Rockline" called "How Do I Rate". Whatever happened to that?

Shaw/Blades : (Tommy) I paid somebody fifty bucks to hit me in the head.

Amollerus : Tommy, who were your early guitar-playing influences? How have they influenced you on this record? Any new influences?

Shaw/Blades : (Tommy) Jimi Hendrix, Wes Montgomery, Robin Trower, George Harrison.

GtrWiz : will transcript be available later?

Max Warner : I got this one.. YES

CHUXE : still raising horse's?

Shaw/Blades : (Tommy) not since I moved from Michigan, thinking about moving out to horse country here in So. Cal.

Fortunj : Tommy - has your hand fully recovered from the time you slammed a window on it back during the Kilroy days?

Shaw/Blades : (Tommy) my right arm is fine, my left hand gives me a little trouble now and then!

LizzyRock : Jack, have you seen the new book of Randy Bachman's photographs yet?

Shaw/Blades : (Jack) Noooo. Is it out?

Max Warner : 2 more questions and we will wrap it up.

Johnny V9 : How was it working with your co-producer, Don Gehman?

Shaw/Blades : (Tommy) he's recuperating in a mental ward near by. But, we hear it's a very nice place.... Sunny, lots of trees. Actually Don is a great guy and good outside ear for us.

Jahiser : Tommy, when did you move to California? Did you move there because of Jack?

Shaw/Blades : (Tommy) I moved here in spite of Jack. The divorce might have had a little bit to do with it too....

Shaw/Blades : (Jack) California was the only state that would take him in, the land of fruits and nuts.

Shaw/Blades : (Jack) we are not responsible for your marriage Shirley....

Max Warner : Last question...

NIMom : Tommy - have you and Jack been writing for any other artist lately?

Shaw/Blades : (Tommy) we wrote with Ozzy last December and last month we spent a week writing with the guys from Aerosmith. Pretty fun. We have a tough life.

Max Warner : Thanks guys. Sorry we could not get to all the questions. Anything you want to say before signing off?

Shaw/Blades : (Jack) looking forward to seeing everyone on tour this summer....

Shaw/Blades : (Tommy) everyone send me a check for five hundred dollars ;-> It's been fun. See you online.

Max Warner : Thanks again. See you all next week. Bye

Copyright (C) 1995 Warner Bros. Records. CYBER-TALK (TM) is produced in house by a Warner Bros. Records staff.

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