• Album Reviews,  Blog

    Two Wolf Album Review

    The band Two Wolf (featuring Blackfoot/early Lynyrd Skynyrd bassist Greg T. Walker) released their first album in June of 2025.

    Titled Two Wolf, what can I say other than it rocks!!

    The band features Greg on bass and vocals, Lance Lopez on guitar and vocals, Chris Bell on guitar and vocals, and Rusty Valentine on drums and backing vocals.

    The album features many originals and several re-recorded Blackfoot songs.

    This whole album is really good and I cannot recommend it enough for any rock/hard rock/southern rock music fan.

    And please go see the band live (review here).

    They are just as good live as they are on album.

    Keep on rocking guys and thanks Greg for signing it for me when I met you at the show!!

  • Blog,  Concerts

    I Got To See and Meet Another Member of Blackfoot!!

    I knew that Blackfoot/early Lynyrd Skynyrd bassist Greg T. Walker had a band called Two Wolf for the last several years, but I recently discovered they finally released a new album.

    Called Two Wolf, it is a really good hard rock/southern rock album.

    The whole band, consisting of Greg on bass and vocals, Lance Lopez on guitar and vocals, Chris Bell on guitar and vocals, and Rusty Valentine on drums and backing vocals, are a very tight and rocking band.

    The album has lots of original songs, but also has Blackfoot songs too, which are all great re-records of the band Greg co-founded and was in for many years.

    I found out Two Wolf were going to play at a charity concert (called Southern Rock Woodstock) a little more than an hour from my house.

    I could not resist.

    I’m not big on being outside for a festival type of show, which this was, for 12 hours, so I went much later in the day.

    In fact, I didn’t get there until after 7 PM, although it was perfect timing because the sun was trying to go down, temperature wasn’t as hot, and the band that played before Two Wolf, a cover band called Southern Mules, was playing.

    They did a great job playing many covers, including songs by Molly Hatchet, Styx, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and others.  Even a Blackfoot classic, which Greg played with them on.

    The song was Highway Song, which I consider Blackfoot’s Free Bird.

    I saw Greg was walking towards a beer stand, so I followed him over, but another fan was talking to him.  Soon afterwards, I was able to ask him if he would sign my Two Wolf CD, and he said he would, but to just give him a minute.  I waited and then he motioned me towards the band’s merchandise tent.  

    I told him how much I loved the Two Wolf album and that I bought a band shirt at the show and he said “Good!”.  I then asked him if he could sign the CD and he did with my sharpie.

    I then asked if I could take some pictures with him, and he said yes.

    I got some nice pictures of us, I must say.

    I then got a fist bump from him and let him be after that.

    Thank you sir for allowing me that moment of meeting you!!!!

    Later, Greg and his band Two Wolf played and they really rocked.

    They’re just as good live as they are on album.

    They played most of the album, and some other Blackfoot songs.

    Really good set and they were really loud and rocked!!

    Thank you guys for the great album and show.

    Keep on rocking!!

     

    Two Wolf Set List:

    1. Highway Song (Southern Mules played this with Greg earlier in the night so I’m including it here.)
    2. Keep On Movin’
    3. Too Hard To Handle
    4. Wishing Well
    5. Wild Country
    6. Wrong Road
    7. Tell The Truth
    8. Diary Of A Working Man
    9. Fox Chase
    10. Left Turn On A Red Light
    11. Will I Believe
    12. Great Spirit
    13. El Paso Sugar
    14. Romeo
    15. The Blessed And The Cursed
    16. Train Train

    Photo Gallery (click on thumbnail to view larger image)

    Video Gallery (click on thumbnail to play video)

  • Blog,  Concerts

    38 Special Still Rocks!!

    I’ve been wanting to see the band 38 Special for a long time, but have just not gotten around to it.

    I finally rectified that when I saw them in Mt. Vernon, KY at a really cool venue called New Barn Theatre at Renfro Valley Entertainment Center.

    38 Special still consists of lead singer/guitarist/songwriter Don Barnes (who still sings amazingly well) and the band also consists of Bobby Capps (keyboards/vocals), Gary Moffatt (drums), Barry Dunaway (bass/vocals), and Jerry Riggs (guitar).

    38 Special are on their 50 Year Legacy Tour and have a new album coming out September 19th called Milestone, which I have preordered.

    What can I say?  They really rock live!!

    Loud, but clean.  You can hear everyone and all the vocals, especially from Don, are just phenomenal.

    Keep on rocking guys.  I can’t wait to hear the new album. 

    They are playing the first single from it now in concert “All I Haven’t Said”, which is a good first start to the album.

    Opener Kolby Oakley and his band were solid and started the night off well.

    Another great concert for me.

    Next up is Two-Wolf (Blackfoot/Lynyrd Skynyrd bassist Greg T. Walker’s band) on August 16.

    Rock on everyone.

    38 Special Set List:

    1. Rockin’ Into The Night
    2. Wild-Eyed Southern Boys
    3. Back Where You Belong
    4. The Sound Of Your Voice
    5. Back To Paradise
    6. Honky Tonk Dancer
    7. Rough-Housin;
    8. All I Haven’t Said (New Song)
    9. Teacher Teacher
    10. Somebody Like You
    11. Second Chance
    12. Like No Other Night
    13. Heart’s On Fire
    14. Radar Radar (Riggs cover song)
    15. If I’d Been The One
    16. Fantasy Girl
    17. Good Times (The Easybeats cover song)
    18. Caught Up In You
    19. Chain Lightnin’
    20. Encore:  Hold On Loosely

    Kolby Oakley Set List:

    1. Who Do You Love
    2. He’s A High Roller
    3. I’m Better Left Alone
    4. If That Ain’t Country
    5. Instrumental Medley:  Welcome To The Jungle/Man In The Box/Sad But True/Fire/Immigrant Song/Crazy On You/The Boys Are Back In Town/Tom Sawyer/Bohemian Rhapsody
    6. Sober Side Of Me

    Photo Gallery (click on thumbnail to view larger image)

    Video Gallery (click on thumbnail to play video)

  • Blog,  Movie Reviews

    Freakier Friday Movie Review

    Freakier Friday, released August 8th of 2025, was a movie I was not going to miss in the theater.

    It is the sequel to Freaky Friday, released in 2003.

    Once again starring Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan, this movie is quite similar to the first movie, in which both of them end up going into another body.

    Although unlike the first movie, Lindsay goes into her daughter’s body and Jamie goes into Lindsay’s daughter’s rival’s (soon to be step-sister’s) body.

    If you like or love the first movie, you will like or love this one too.

    It’s a lot of fun and I had a great time watching it.

    Check it out.

    Great job to everyone who made it.

    Fun movie!!

  • Blog,  Movie Reviews

    The Naked Gun (2025) Movie Review

    My girlfriend Mariah and I went to see the 2025 version of The Naked Gun on Friday, August 1.

    For anyone who doesn’t know, The Naked Gun is a sequel to The Naked Gun movies starring Leslie Nielsen from the late 1980s/early 1990s, which are followups to the show Police Squad, also starring Nielsen.

    These movies are spoofs, so they are not meant to be taken seriously and they’re strictly meant to be fun and funny.

    They are and this one is no different.

    Liam Neeson plays Frank Drebin Jr. (Leslie Nielsen’s Frank Drebin’s son), an L.A.P.D. detective who is very good at his job, but also bends and breaks the rules big time to get the job done.

    In this movie, he ends up helping Pamela Anderson (who plays a detective novelist and does a very good job in this movie) solve the murder of her brother.

    Let’s just say a lot of funny things happen throughout and you will laugh a lot watching this movie.

    We need more laughs these days, and this movie certainly delivers on that.

    It’s very funny and it’s just fun.

    Go see it.

    You won’t regret it.

    And also stick around for all the end credits because there is more that goes on all the way to the end.

    And there are funny references in the credits too.

    See if you can find them.

    Mariah and I loved it and I think you will too.

  • Blog,  Concerts

    Pat Travers Band Rocked Columbus, Ohio!!

    Pat Travers Band rocked Columbus, OH.

    The Pat Travers Band consists of Pat Travers on vocals/guitar, David Pastorius (Bassist Jaco Pastorius’ nephew) on bass (also phenomenal), and Alex Petrosky on drums.

    What a great rock trio.

    I really don’t have much more to say on this show, except it rocked and to quote Pat Travers “I’m Pat Travers, and this is my band!  And we’re gonna kick your ass!”.

    And they did!!

    Also the opener, Columbus favorites Terry Davidson & The Gears, started the show nicely.

    Pat Travers Band Set List:

    1. Rock N Roll Susie
    2. Life In London
    3. Crash And Burn
    4. Off Beat Ride
    5. I’ve Got News For You
    6. Ronnie
    7. Gettin’ Betta
    8. Born Under A Bad Sign
    9. Spinning Wheel
    10. Makes No Difference
    11. Racing The Storm
    12. Snortin’ Whiskey
    13. Boom Boom Out Goes The Lights
    14. Encore:  Drum Solo
    15. Bass/Drums Jam
    16. Come On Pt. 1

    Photo Gallery (click on thumbnail to view larger image)

    Video Gallery (click on thumbnail to play video)

  • Blog,  Book Reviews,  Concerts,  Movie Reviews

    My Tribute to My Favorite Wrestler Hulk Hogan (August 11, 1953-July 24, 2025)

    As I type this, I’m still processing the passing of Ozzy Osbourne (December 3, 1948-July 22, 2025).

    Two days after Ozzy’s passing, my favorite wrestler ever, Hulk Hogan, passed away too.

    I had heard for about a month that his health was not well, but I honestly did not believe it.

    In the last several years, Hulk Hogan has become someone everyone loves to hate, and fair enough.

    I’ve not loved everything he’s done and said by any means.

    Having said that, I became a fan of his when I was six or seven years old and he was the reason why I became a wrestling fan.

    From 1989-1992, when I first watched wrestling (I sadly went away from it for many years but did get back into it and will forever be a wrestling fan.), Hulk Hogan was everything to me.

    I bought into his whole character and he was one of my biggest heroes.

    Even when I went away from watching wrestling, I never stopped being a Hogan fan.

    And even when I got back into wrestling years later, he was the reason.

    Many will forever argue who the “greatest wrestler of all time is”.  I have many favorites, but for me, it’s Hulk Hogan.

    He was the biggest star, sold sooooooooo much merchandise, and really put his name out there and professional wrestling out there too.

    Wrestling was popular wayyyyy before he came along, but when he got really popular, wrestling definitely kicked into a new gear of popularity.

    He wasn’t the only reason, but the biggest reason why because again, he put his name out there and put professional wrestling even more into the mainstream.

    From 1984-1992 or 93, Hulk Hogan was IT!!

    He went into a slight slump in the mid 90s, but when he teamed with Scott Hall (RIP) and Kevin Nash and formed the bad guy wrestling faction New World Order (NWO), Hogan’s popularity soared again.

    In 2002, when the NWO attempted to make a comeback, the fans really wanted Hogan to be a good guy again, and that’s what he did.

    His popularity, even in 2002, was off the charts.

    Some years later, family/domestic issues became forever tabloid news, even to this day.

    Like all of us, he was flawed and made mistakes, but for me, the good he did still outweighs the bad.

    If you don’t agree, fair enough.

    But no matter what, Hulk Hogan, for me, will always be my favorite wrestler and I will be forever grateful and thankful to him.

    I sadly never got to see him wrestle in person or meet him (although I did get his autograph a few times via online and at a wrestling show), but I did get to see him at a wrestling pay-per-view in 2011 in Cincinnati.

    I’m glad I at least got to see him.

    I feel like I need to say so much more, but I’m at a loss.

    All I can say is I’ll always be a Hulkamaniac and again, I’ll always love him for all the good that he brought to my life, and especially childhood.

    I love you Hulkster!!!!

    Rest In Peace and all the best to your family, friends, and fans all over the world.

    Hulkamania/NWO 4 Life!!!

    All the pictures I’ve included in this post are from my collection of magazines, books, DVDs, toys, and pics of the show I saw him at.

    I have pictures that I took from the show, but I can’t find them.  If I do, I’ll post them too.  But until then, I included pics from the DVD of the show I was at.

    This is not everything that I have of Hogan, but you get the idea that I’m a Hulkamaniac.

    Again, I love you Hulk Hogan (Terry Bollea)!!!!!

    Thank you for making my childhood and life in general better.

  • Album Reviews,  Blog,  Concerts

    Ozzy Osbourne (December 3, 1948-July 22, 2025)

    When I was in high school, I got into a lot of music that I’m still a fan of and forever will be.

    Thanks to an old friend Robbie Frasher, I got into the music of Black Sabbath and Ozzy Osbourne.

    He let me borrow his copy of Ozzy’s albums Blizzard Of Ozz and The Ozzman Cometh compilation, which also featured some Sabbath songs.

    Those were the first true Heavy Metal songs I heard and boy what a way to start.

    Because Sabbath invented the whole genre and ultimately all of it’s subgenres!!

    Thank you Robbie for getting me into their music.

    I sadly only saw Ozzy once, but it was with Sabbath on Ozzfest in 2004.

    They were soooooo great (review here).

    I love all of Sabbath’s and Ozzy’s albums.

    I will forever be a fan.

    I just never thought of Ozzy passing away.

    Yes, we’re all going to die someday, but you just try not to think about it.

    I knew Ozzy’s health had not been well for about six years, but I just thought he would carry on.

    He literally just did his final show with Sabbath and as a solo artist on July 5 and even though he had to sit, he sang great and seemed very happy.

    I know he wanted that last show and now that he’s gone, I know he willed that show to happen and hung on for that show.

    No I did not know him and he’s not a family member, but it doesn’t mean this is not a big loss for me.  Because it is.

    I’ve really been feeling this and will continue to for some time.

    All my best to his family, friends, band mates, and fans all over the world.

    He truly was an original.

    His music is phenomenal.

    He was a great singer and performer.

    He was a huge personality that beamed sooooooo bright.

    He made a lot of people happy and will continue to forever with his body of work.

    I love you Ozzy soooooooo much!!!!

    I’m glad you were here as long as you were and I’m glad I was alive the same time you were to enjoy the music and got to see you once.

    God Bless Ozzy Osbourne!!!!!!!!!!!

  • Blog,  Concerts

    I Finally Saw Pantera, But This Night Was More Than a Tribute to Dimebag and Vinnie, but to Ozzy Too!! Great Show, Sad Day.

    Pantera has been a favorite band of mine since high school.

    Sadly, I never saw them.

    I probably could have in 2001 when they played in Huntington, WV, about 30 minutes from my house at the time.

    But I stupidly didn’t go, which will forever be my biggest concert regret.

    Three years after Pantera ended, guitarist Dimebag Darrell was assassinated on stage in Columbus, OH while performing with his and his brother Vinnie Paul’s (also from Pantera) band Damageplan.

    Vinnie later on was in the band Hellyeah, who I did see.

    Sadly, Vinnie also passed away in his sleep in 2018.

    During all of this time, Pantera did not exist anymore and there is never a possibility of a reunion or reformation.

    However, in 2022 that changed when Pantera members Phil Anselmo (vocals) and Rex Brown (bass) started touring under the Pantera name again with Zakk Wylde (guitar, also of Black Label Society, Zakk Sabbath, Pride And Glory, and Ozzy Osbourne, who I will get to later in this post) and Charlie Benante (drums, also of Anthrax and S.O.D.).

    Some call this a cash grab, and I actually did feel a bit weird about it too at first.

    However, I never begrudged Phil and Rex doing it.

    I saw some of the live clips and thought they sounded great and hoped at some point I would be able to go see them.

    Well, that date came on Tuesday, July 22nd of 2025.

    I was looking forward to the show, but a few hours before I left the house to go to the show, I found out that one of my favorite singers and musical heroes ever, Ozzy Osbourne (of the first Heavy Metal band ever Black Sabbath, as well as a super successful solo career and TV personality) passed away at the age of 76.

    Ozzy had performed his last show ever as part of Black Sabbath and as a solo artist on July 5th, just a few weeks before this day.

    It was a charity concert to raise funds for Parkinson’s, which Ozzy had, as well as some other local charities in the area of the show, Birmingham, England, where Ozzy and Sabbath are from.

    Many bands/artists performed, including Pantera.  All were there to honor Ozzy and Sabbath for being the originators of Heavy Metal music.

    The day went so well and Ozzy was in good form and did well.

    He had been wanting to do one more show ever since his health really declined in about 2019.

    I’m very glad he got his wish.

    But who knew a few weeks later he would be gone?!

    Once I heard the news, I knew this day/night was going to be different and it was.

    Yes, Pantera rocked and played a lot of awesome Pantera songs and the openers, Amon Amarth, who I had seen once before, and S.N.A.F.U., who is a band on Phil Anselmo’s record label Housecore Records, were both solid.

    But on top of all of it, the weight was heavy on all of us there this night of Ozzy’s passing.

    We all felt it.

    The venue played Ozzy/Sabbath music constantly over the PA whenever any bands were not playing.

    Each band gave shout outs to Ozzy.

    But Pantera especially did.

    Phil wanted everyone to chant “Ozzy” and we did a lot.

    Phil wore a Sabbath shirt, and Rex did too.

    I can’t even imagine how Zakk felt.  Zakk joined Ozzy’s band in the late 1980s and was in Ozzy’s band on and off until his last show.  Ozzy is one of Zakk’s kids’ Godfather.  He’s always called Ozzy “the boss” or “the boss man” and Ozzy’s wife Sharon “Mom”.  So Ozzy is really family to Zakk. 

    Zakk, as always, played his heart out, but I know he was and is grieving and I’m so sorry for his loss.

    We all lost a hero in Ozzy.

    Like anyone, he was not everyone’s cup of tea, but for many of us, he was and always will be an inspiration and a hero.

    Well, Pantera, like I said, played their awesome songs and Phil, as he does every night now, said that what they do each night is for “Dime and Vince”, but on this night, Phil also said that for the foreseeable future will be for Ozzy too.

    Pantera did play a Sabbath song, Planet Caravan, which they also played at Ozzy’s final show a few weeks before.

    They originally recorded it in 1994 for their amazing Far Beyond Driven album.

    It was very fitting hearing this song on this night.

    The big screens had images and videos of Ozzy, some of which included Zakk and Pantera in over the years.

    It was a great tribute and hearing the Ozzy chants were amazing.

    People can say Pantera now is a cash grab, but I disagree.

    No, it’s not what it used to be and it never will be.

    Dimebag and Vinnie are always missed and I wish they were still with us, but they’re not.

    But Phil and Rex are still here, and they have every right, in my opinion, to use the Pantera name and play those songs that so many people still love and are still getting into that weren’t even born when Pantera were around and were the second biggest Metal band in the world in the 1990s and early 2000s (after Metallica).

    So, I’m glad they’re doing this, and they’re doing it with friends and collaborators of the band, Zakk and Charlie.

    This band does the songs justice and like Charlie has said in interviews, just give them a shot if you doubt them.  I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.

    Oh and Phil singing the last line of the Led Zeppelin song “Stairway To Heaven” was a nice touch too, in honor of Ozzy.

    Anyway, God Bless Pantera (they still kick butt and I support them) and God Bless Ozzy Osbourne!!!!!!!!!!

    Pantera Band Members:

    Amon Amarth Band Members:

    S.N.A.F.U. Band Members:

    Pantera Setlist:

    1. Hellbound
    2. 5 Minutes Alone
    3. Strength Beyond Strength
    4. Mouth For War
    5. Goddamn Electric
    6. Becoming
    7. I’m Broken
    8. 10s
    9. I’ll Cast A Shadow
    10. This Love
    11. Cowboys From Hell
    12. Encore:  Planet Caravan (Black Sabbath cover.  R.I.P. Ozzy Osbourne)
    13. A New Level
    14. Walk
    15. Domination/Hollow

    Amon Amarth Set List:

    1. Guardians Of Asgaard
    2. Shield Wall
    3. Crack The Sky
    4. Deceiver Of The Gods
    5. Put Your Back Into The Oar
    6. We Rule The Waves (New Song)
    7. The Way Of Vikings
    8. Raise Your Horns
    9. Twilight Of The Thunder God

    SNAFU Set List:

    1. Choking Game
    2. Bring Suffering
    3. The Pear Of Anguish
    4. Zenith
    5. Napalm In The Morning
    6. Bloodletter

    Photo Gallery (click on thumbnail to view larger image)

    Video Gallery (click on thumbnail to play video)

  • Blog,  Movie Reviews

    Superman (2025) Movie Review

    The 2025 movie “Superman” was released July 11th.

    Directed by James Gunn, this movie once again tells the story of The Last Son of Krypton, although this time, he’s already Superman and trying to fight evil doers and be a hero to everyone.

    A few changes this time, though.  You see his dog, Krypto, his real parents may not have been so great after all (see the movie and you’ll see what I mean), other characters like The Green Lantern, Hawkgirl and Mister Terrific appear, and other things happen too that I don’t want to spoil.

    Is it the greatest superhero movie ever?  No.

    But is it really good and a fun superhero movie?  Yes.

    It’s very much a comic book movie and brings some humor in, which is welcomed.

    Everyone was cast perfectly for this.  

    David Corenswet does a great job playing Superman/Clark Kent, as does Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane, Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor, Nathan Fillion as Green Lantern, Isabela Merced as Hawkgirl, Edi Gathegi as Mister Terrific, Skyler Gisondo as Jimmy Olsen, and everyone else is great too.

    Check out this version of Superman.  It’s worth it.