Kevin Cronin, Ian Anderson, Ted Lange
November 17, 2016
Audio of interviews posted below (Scroll down)
Iconic Lead Singer of REO Speedwagon Kevin Cronin guests on Las Vegas Backstage Talk radio show with Comedian Michele LaFong.
“Keep On Loving You” rockers REO Speedwagon will bring nearly 40 years of hits to the Orleans Showroom November 19-20.
Loosely formed in 1967 playing frat parties at the University of Illinois, REO Speedwagon signed with Epic Records in 1971. The band released nine albums throughout the ‘70s, culminating with the twice-platinum “You Can Tune a Piano but You Can’t Tuna Fish” in 1978.
REO Speedwagon exploded to the top of the charts, setting the bar for other rock bands with their 1980 release “Hi Infidelity.” The colossal hit spent 15 weeks at #1 on the Billboard 200, selling more than 10 million copies. The group’s most commercially successful album, it remained on the charts for 65 weeks and spawned the #1 single “Keep On Loving You” as well as hits “Take It on the Run,” “In Your Letter” and “Don’t Let Him Go.”
The band continued releasing hit albums into the ‘80s, including 1984’s “Wheels Are Turnin’” and its #1 single “Can’t Fight This Feeling.” REO Speedwagon released “Find Your Own Way Home,” their 15th studio album, in 2007. Two years later, they teamed up with fellow Midwestern rockers Styx for the single “Can’t Stop Rockin’,” which became the title track for the groups’ hit summer tour with .38 Special.
The current lineup includes founding member Neal Doughty, iconic lead singer Kevin Cronin, longtime bass player Bruce Hall, former Ted Nugent guitarist Dave Amato and former Wang Chung drummer Bryan Hitt.
Ian Anderson (Jethro Tull)
Legendary Prog Pioneer Ian Anderson guests on Las Vegas Backstage Talk.
A sequel to Thick as a Brick (1972), entitled Thick as a Brick 2, was released on 3 April 2012. It is billed as being performed by Jethro Tull’s Ian Anderson instead of being a Tull album proper. Anderson is currently on tour performing both albums in their entirety. A trailer for the newer TAAB album is posted on YouTube.
Anderson played the flute on the track “Cannonball” by The Darkness on their 2012 album, Hot Cakes.
Congratulations on your new album release Homo Erraticus.-a concept album blending rock, folk, and metal music.
Ted Lange
Actor/Director Ted Lange guests on LVBST radio show with Comedian Michele LaFong.
Comedian Jeff Wayne, will be performing his one-man show, “Big Daddy’s Barbeque,” for one day only at the Starbright Theater, 2215 Thomas Ryan Blvd., Summerlin, Sunday, Sept. 21.
The Los Angeles Times says this show is “Ferociously funny.” Variety dubbed the show “a one-man riot.” NPR says, “Jeff Wayne has an attitude like Al Bundy, this guy is laughs plus!” Wayne spent many hours researching barbeques, as he began writing the show. Once it was on paper he went to his friend, Ted Lange, who is best remembered as, Isaac (the bartender) on the television series, “The Love Boat,” and asked him if he would direct the show. Lange has kept busy since the “Boat” years directing movies. He just completed filming 26 episodes of “Mr. Box Office,” starring Jon Lovitz, and will be on the “Love Boat” float in the annual Rose Bowl Parade.
The plot of the show is simple: Jeff plays a letter carrier on his day off. He has his weekly barbeque, where he invites his friends over (the audience), and as he cooks Wayne pontificates and opines. “They say you should cut down on red meat, I stopped using Ketchup.” And he tells his audience about the lady we never see but her presence permeates, his XX-wife Phyllis. “Yes we were married, divorced and then I remarried, I wanted my house back!” There is a problem at today’s barbeque, Phyllis has been given tickets to the opera, and she wants to go. Big Daddy doesn’t. Many critics have had the same response, “it’s like watching Ralph and Alice Kramden in the “Honeymooners,” as Big Daddy tries to laugh, sing and dance his way out of going to the opera.
Wayne was always a funny kid, and as soon as he was able to leave Kentucky, Jeff traveled west to learn how to make people laugh, eventually landing at the world famous Comedy Store in Hollywood. A seasoned veteran today, Wayne continues to perform his stand-up comedy at clubs, colleges, cruise lines, and on all the top television shows such as HBO, Showtime, A&E, Fox, and Comedy Central. The late Joe Delaney, of The Las Vegas Sun, tagged him as a “blue collar Lenny Bruce.”
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Comedian Anjelah Johnson, Comedian Jeff Wayne
Nov. 20, 2014 6pm-7pm PST 1230AM in LV & Web
Audio of interviews posted below (Scroll down)
Comedian Anjelah Johnson guests on Las Vegas Backstage Talk radio show with Comedian Michele LaFong.
Known best for her work on MADtv, comedian Anjelah Johnson returns to the Orleans Showroom November 21 and 22.
A video of Johnson’s bit “Nail Salon” skyrocketed her into online stardom around the same time she earned a recurring role on the sketch comedy series MADtv in 2007 and 2008. Her infamous MADtv character Bon Qui Qui, a disgruntled fast food employee with no filter, has been watched by more than
55 million YouTube viewers.
In 2009, Johnson recorded her first one-hour special for Comedy Central and Warner Brothers Records titled “That’s How We Do It.” Her second one-hour special, “The Homecoming Show,” aired on NUVOtv in July 2013 and is currently available on DVD.
As an actress, Johnson has starred in and lent her voice to numerous films including “The Box,” “Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel,” “Marmaduke” and “Our Family Wedding.” On TV, Johnson has guest starred on “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” “On the Up” and “Ugly Betty.”
Johnson began her career as a professional cheerleader for the Oakland Raiders. As an Oakland Raiderette, she was named Rookie of the Year in 2002 and performed in Super Bowl XXXVII. She credits cheering on the Raiders for helping her make the transition to stand-up comedy.
Comedian Jeff Wayne
Comedian Jeff Wayne guests on LV Backstage Talk with Comedian Michele LaFong.
If you are one of those millions of radio listeners who follow the comedy channels on, Sirius/XM, Slacker, Pandora’s Box, or any of the other myriad of outlets broadcasting stand-up comedy, you have heard of Jeff “Big Daddy” Wayne. Well he’s back beginning Monday through Sunday (11/17/2014), at the Comedy Club inside the Riviera Hotel & Casino.
A seasoned veteran of comedy clubs, concerts, luxury cruise ships, and television, Wayne is perhaps best known for his one-man show, “Big Daddy’s Barbeque,” (Grilling Food, Sex and Marriage), which had its Las Vegas premiere a couple of months ago in the Starbright Theater in Summerlin. “I am truly internationally unknown, and I love it!” he said. Originally, Wayne followed the one-man show, “Defending the Caveman,” for three years on the Improv Comedy Circuit, with the special “Barbeque” show. Originally a native of Kentucky, he now makes his home in Los Angeles, which he calls, “That big plastic taco out west.”
Kevin Cronin, Ian Anderson, Ted Lange
Sept. 18, 2014- 6-7pm PST 1230AM KLAV in LV & The Web
Audio of interviews posted below (Scroll down)
Iconic Lead Singer of REO Speedwagon Kevin Cronin guests on Las Vegas Backstage Talk with Comedian Michele LaFong.
“Keep On Loving You” rockers REO Speedwagon will bring nearly 40 years of hits to the Orleans Showroom September 19-20.
Loosely formed in 1967 playing frat parties at the University of Illinois, REO Speedwagon signed with Epic Records in 1971. The band released nine albums throughout the ‘70s, culminating with the twice-platinum “You Can Tune a Piano but You Can’t Tuna Fish” in 1978.
REO Speedwagon exploded to the top of the charts, setting the bar for other rock bands with their 1980 release “Hi Infidelity.” The colossal hit spent 15 weeks at #1 on the Billboard 200, selling more than 10 million copies. The group’s most commercially successful album, it remained on the charts for 65 weeks and spawned the #1 single “Keep On Loving You” as well as hits “Take It on the Run,” “In Your Letter” and “Don’t Let Him Go.”
The band continued releasing hit albums into the ‘80s, including 1984’s “Wheels Are Turnin’” and its #1 single “Can’t Fight This Feeling.” REO Speedwagon released “Find Your Own Way Home,” their 15th studio album, in 2007. Two years later, they teamed up with fellow Midwestern rockers Styx for the single “Can’t Stop Rockin’,” which became the title track for the groups’ hit summer tour with .38 Special.
The current lineup includes founding member Neal Doughty, iconic lead singer Kevin Cronin, longtime bass player Bruce Hall, former Ted Nugent guitarist Dave Amato and former Wang Chung drummer Bryan Hitt.
Ian Anderson (Jethro Tull)
Legendary Prog Pioneer Ian Anderson guests on Las Vegas Backstage Talk.
A sequel to Thick as a Brick (1972), entitled Thick as a Brick 2, was released on 3 April 2012. It is billed as being performed by Jethro Tull’s Ian Anderson instead of being a Tull album proper. Anderson is currently on tour performing both albums in their entirety. A trailer for the newer TAAB album is posted on YouTube.
Anderson played the flute on the track “Cannonball” by The Darkness on their 2012 album, Hot Cakes.
Congratulations on your new album release Homo Erraticus.-a concept album blending rock, folk, and metal music.
Ian Anderson at at Palms Sept. 19.
Ted Lange
Actor/Director Ted Lange guests on LVBST with Comedian Michele LaFong.
Comedian Jeff Wayne, will be performing his one-man show, “Big Daddy’s Barbeque,” for one day only at the Starbright Theater, 2215 Thomas Ryan Blvd., Summerlin, Sunday, Sept. 21.
The Los Angeles Times says this show is “Ferociously funny.” Variety dubbed the show “a one-man riot.” NPR says, “Jeff Wayne has an attitude like Al Bundy, this guy is laughs plus!” Wayne spent many hours researching barbeques, as he began writing the show. Once it was on paper he went to his friend, Ted Lange, who is best remembered as, Isaac (the bartender) on the television series, “The Love Boat,” and asked him if he would direct the show. Lange has kept busy since the “Boat” years directing movies. He just completed filming 26 episodes of “Mr. Box Office,” starring Jon Lovitz, and will be on the “Love Boat” float in the annual Rose Bowl Parade.
The plot of the show is simple: Jeff plays a letter carrier on his day off. He has his weekly barbeque, where he invites his friends over (the audience), and as he cooks Wayne pontificates and opines. “They say you should cut down on red meat, I stopped using Ketchup.” And he tells his audience about the lady we never see but her presence permeates, his XX-wife Phyllis. “Yes we were married, divorced and then I remarried, I wanted my house back!” There is a problem at today’s barbeque, Phyllis has been given tickets to the opera, and she wants to go. Big Daddy doesn’t. Many critics have had the same response, “it’s like watching Ralph and Alice Kramden in the “Honeymooners,” as Big Daddy tries to laugh, sing and dance his way out of going to the opera.
Wayne was always a funny kid, and as soon as he was able to leave Kentucky, Jeff traveled west to learn how to make people laugh, eventually landing at the world famous Comedy Store in Hollywood. A seasoned veteran today, Wayne continues to perform his stand-up comedy at clubs, colleges, cruise lines, and on all the top television shows such as HBO, Showtime, A&E, Fox, and Comedy Central. The late Joe Delaney, of The Las Vegas Sun, tagged him as a “blue collar Lenny Bruce.”
Show time will be at 3:00 p.m., Sunday Sept. 21.call the theater box-office at 702-240-1301.
