The list of musicians who have sold all or part of their song catalogs is lengthy and varied. Bruce Springsteen, David Bowie, Bob Dylan and the guys in ZZ Top are just a few of the artists who decided to cash in while the getting was good. Now it has been announced that Helen Grant, the daughter of late Led Zeppelin manager Peter Grant, has put her 10 percent interest in the Zep catalog (inherited from her father) on the market.
So how would that work? Led Zeppelin released just over 100 songs, so does that mean the 10 percent holder would own 10 songs or a small portion of all songs? Talk about bragging rights. “The ‘bustle in your hedgerow’ thing? Yeah, that’s mine.”
Ticket Alert
There are plenty of tickets available for Zeppelinesque neo-classic rockers Greta Van Fleet, who will play at Toyota Center on Friday, July 28. The band is on tour in support of its latest record, Starcatcher. Same story for the Stevie Nicks show at Toyota Center on Saturday, August 12.
The pickings are a bit more slim for Jackson Browne’s concert at the Smart Financial Centre on Friday, July 21. The selection is good for Daryl Hall, who will play the Smart Centre on Wednesday, August 9, backed by the band from his television series “Live at Daryl’s House.” Todd Rundgren opens.
Concerts This Week
In 1975, when Kiss Alive was released, I had things all figured out (as 8th graders tend to do). Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons may have been the lead singers and front men, but the cool guy in the band was guitarist Ace Frehley. It was true then, and it’s true now. Sure, Simmons did a few movies and starred in his own reality television show. Stanley starred in the musical Phantom of the Opera and established a career as a painter. But Frehley never lost his rock and roll edge. He probably lost a few houses and a car or two along the way, but not his edge. Check out the spaceman on Friday at the House of Blues.
The Continental Club has become such an institution on the Houston music scene that it seems as if it’s been there forever. Well, not quite forever, but a damn long time. As a matter of fact, the venerable venue on Main has been hosting musicians of all stripes for 23 years, which means a lot of things, among them that it’s time for a party. The jams will be kicked out on Saturday, when the Continental Club (along with Shoeshine Charley’s Big Top Lounge) will throw open its doors for a customer appreciation shindig featuring a bevy of bands and no cover. And, speaking of the Continental Club, don’t forget about the El Orbits reunion show on Monday.
It seems like just about every band that was big on MTV in the ‘80s is back on tour, so that makes it right about time for Tears for Fears to roll through Houston. Say what you will, “Everybody Wants to Rule the World” is a catchy tune. How catchy? It’s been covered over 100 times since its release in 1985, by artists ranging from Gloria Gaynor to Patti Smith. Get ready to “Shout” Sunday night at the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion.
There are many reasons that we are fortunate to live in Houston. Among them is the fact that Samantha Fish and Jesse Dayton play here frequently. The two guitar titans will visit the Heights Theater once again on Sunday, in support of their recent duet CD Death Wish Blues, produced by the always intriguing Jon Spencer. Why haven’t these two been performing together for years?
This article appears in Jan 1 – Dec 31, 2023.
