The Loudini Rock and Roll Circus

LRRC EP868; Chris Buck, Neur DSP, Epiphone, Joey Landreth Dirt Box, Bending in Tune, Teaching Barre Chords

On this week's podcast... Bending in tune, how to learn/teach barre chords, a different use for barre chords, Martin Miller

 

NAMM 2026, 10 Highlights: Neural DSP, Laney Billy Corgan, Chris Buck Yamaha Revstar, Epiphone "inspired by Gibson” series, Revv Dirt Dog Joey Landreth drive, Gator x Vertex, Dunlop Iron Maiden Wah

Pittsburgh Kevin: Lionel Richie and Richard marx,Talk Box not triple pick up Les Paul, Norm’s Rare Guitars sold  Carters

Film Corner: Age of Disclosure, Kidnapped Elizabeth Smart, Sling Blade, Catherine O’Hare,

LRRC EP867: Quirky Bands, Bending In Tune, The "Right" Way to Hold The Pick, Brian Adams, Journey

On This Week's Podcast: is there a “right” way to hold the pick? Bending in tune (your audience will thank you!), my metronome journey (so far), famous guitarists that don’t deserve it!

 

Featured Topic: The birth of quirk! The Quirkiest bands/artists from the 70’s 80’s and 90’s

Lou Reed

Devo

Captain Beefhart

Funkadelic

REM (80s)

King Crimson (80s Era)

Weezer

Klaus Nomi

Robert Hazard

Howard Jones

Oingo Boingo

Primus

Dead Kennedys

They Might Be Giants

Moxie Fruvous

Roger Miller

Daniel Johnston

 

Lily: michael winslow, Toto, Brian Adams, Journey, 

Film Corner: Prince of Egypt, Harlem Nights, Wicked for Good, land man, high potential, the gilded age, the new frazier,

LRRC EP866: The Triumphant Return of Triumph!

🚨 Big News: Triumph Is Back

• Canadian classic-rock legends Triumph have announced their first full North American tour in over 30 years — celebrating the band’s 50th anniversary. (Live Nation Newsroom)
  
  
• The trek is called the “Triumph 50th Anniversary Tour” and is produced by Live Nation. (Live Nation Newsroom)
  
  
• This marks a historic reunion of the trio — Rik Emmett (guitar/vocals), Gil Moore (drums/vocals), and Mike Levine (bass/keyboards) — back on the road together. (BLABBERMOUTH.NET)
  
  

👉 Official tour info and dates: https://www.triumphmusic.com/ (Tour dates section) (Triumph Music)

👥 Expanded Touring Lineup

• The classic lineup will be joined by:
  
  
  • Phil X — Guitarist (known from Bon Jovi; previously filled in with Triumph) (Loudwire)
    
    
  • Brent Fitz — Drummer/keyboardist (Slash Featuring Myles Kennedy & The Conspirators) (Loudwire)
    
    
  • Todd Kerns — Bassist (Slash Featuring Myles Kennedy & The Conspirators) (Loudwire)
    
    
• This results in a six-piece live band bringing added power and depth to the reunion shows. (Loudwire)
  
  

📆 2026 Triumph 50th Anniversary Tour Dates

Canada

• Apr 22 — Sault Ste. Marie, ON @ GFL Memorial Gardens
  
  
• Apr 24 — Toronto, ON @ Scotiabank Arena
  
  
• Apr 25 — Hamilton, ON @ TD Coliseum
  
  
• Apr 28 — Halifax, NS @ Scotiabank Centre
  
  
• Apr 29 — Moncton, NB @ Avenir Centre
  
  
• May 1 — Laval, QC @ Place Bell (Montreal)
  
  
• May 2 — Ottawa, ON @ Canadian Tire Centre
  
  
• May 5 — Winnipeg, MB @ Canada Life Centre
  
  
• May 7 — Edmonton, AB @ Rogers Place
  
  
• May 8 — Calgary, AB @ Scotiabank Saddledome (RTTNews)
  
  

United States

• May 13 — Rosemont, IL @ Rosemont Theatre (Chicago)
  
  
• May 14 — Milwaukee, WI @ Miller High Life Theatre
  
  
• May 16 — Kansas City, MO @ Starlight Theatre
  
  
• May 17 — St. Louis, MO @ Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre
  
  
• May 20 — Irving, TX @ The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory (Dallas)
  
  
• May 21 — San Antonio, TX @ Frost Bank Center
  
  
• May 22 — Houston, TX @ Smart Financial Center at Sugar Land
  
  
• May 24 — Tampa, FL @ MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre
  
  
• May 26 — Atlanta, GA @ Synovus Bank Amphitheater at Chastain Park
  
  
• May 28 — Camden, NJ @ Freedom Mortgage Pavilion (Philadelphia)
  
  
• May 30 — Sterling Heights, MI @ Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre at Freedom Hill (Detroit)
  
  
• Jun 3 — Darien Center, NY @ Darien Lake Amphitheater
  
  
• Jun 5 — Wantagh, NY @ Northwell at Jones Beach Theater (New York)
  
  
• Jun 6 — Boston, MA @ Leader Bank Pavilion (RTTNews)
  
  

📍 That’s 10 Canadian shows + 14 U.S. stops between April and June 2026. (Live Nation Newsroom)

🎟 Tickets + Sales Info

• General on-sale: Tickets went on sale Dec 12, 2025 (with presales earlier in the week). (Live Nation Newsroom)
  
  
• Produced by Live Nation (so tickets are available via LiveNation.com and associated partners like Ticketmaster). (Live Nation Newsroom)
  
  

🔥 Background + Reunion Context

• The tour celebrates 50 years of Triumph, a band known for arena-rock hits like Lay It On the Line, Magic Power, and Fight the Good Fight. (Classic Rock 93.9)
  
  
• 2025 was a big year for the band’s legacy — including:
  
  
  • A tribute album, Magic Power: All-Star Tribute to Triumph (featuring artists like Slash, Sebastian Bach, Nancy Wilson, and more). (Noise11.com)
    
    
  • Triumph was inducted into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame — cementing their influence. (BLABBERMOUTH.NET)
    
    

🌐 Helpful Links

• 🎸 Triumph Official Tour Info: https://www.triumphmusic.com/ (Triumph Music)
  
  
• 📣 Live Nation Announcement: https://newsroom.livenation.com/news/triumph-announces-first-tour-in-30-years-with-50th-anniversary-north-american-tour (Live Nation Newsroom)
  
  
• 🗓 Tour Dates & Details: https://www.rttnews.com/3603593/triumph-announce-2026-reunion-tour.aspx (RTTNews)
  
  

 

🧠 Key Triumph Albums & Discography Highlights

Studio Albums

1. Triumph (1976)
   
   
2. Rock & Roll Machine (1977)
   
   
3. Just a Game (1979)
   
   
4. Progressions of Power (1980)
   
   
5. Allied Forces (1981) — certified platinum and one of their most beloved releases.
   
   
6. Never Surrender (1982)
   
   
7. Thunder Seven (1984)
   
   
8. The Sport of Kings (1986)
   
   
9. Surveillance (1987)
   
   
10. Edge of Excess (1992)
    
    

Notable Songs / Fan Favorites

• “Lay It on the Line”
  
  
• “Magic Power”
  
  
• “Fight the Good Fight”
  
  
• “Allied Forces”
  
  
• “World of Fantasy”
  
  

Triumph has also released multiple live albums and compilations, with their music remaining staples on classic rock radio and streaming playlists. 

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You want to get on stage? NEVER DO THIS!, You should own at least one “vintage” guitar, one of the fastest ways to improve your skills as a guitarist

Kevin: spinal tap moment, neal schon NS6 guitar

Film Corner: Don’t Come Upstairs, Hot Fuzz, Hunt For Red October

LRRC EP865: Brian Jones, Mick Taylor, Wayne Perkins, KT Tungstall, Bo Diddley, Learning The fret board, Soloing "on the spot"

This Week's Show: how to come up with a solo “on the spot”, learning the fret board… some simple tips, left hand faster than right hand, weak pinky, the stones struggle to find their soul brother after Brian Jones, KT Tungstall and the bo diddley beat, my show at Moondogs

Pittsburgh Kevin: so bad it’s good, alex van halen and steve lukather

Film Corner: The Burbs

LRRC EP864: Robben Ford's Advice, Breaking Out Of The Pentatonic Box, Fixing your Timing, Stop Breaking STrings!

 On this week's show: 

Fixing Your Timing, Breaking out of the Pentatonic rut (one way), why am i constantly breaking strings? Barre chord frustraion,   Robben Ford’s admission that helped me… and will help you too, 11:55:05 

Pittsburgh Kevin: tiktok’s effed up, tornado, missing the sports gene, kevin myspace page

Film Corner: The Wilhelm Scream, 2005 King Kong, Beverly Hill Billys movie, party, Die Hard, Christmas Vacation, Rudolph The Red Nosed Raindeer

LRRC EP863: James Hetfield, Heart, Suhr Guitars, Leon Todd, A Praire Home Companion

On this week's Show: banned one hit wonders from the 70s and 80s (flashback america), James Hetfield CBS Sunday Morning, people talkin smak about Ozzy (rock feed), Heart’s weird ass history( flashback america) Featured topic: are Suhr guitars all that? Leon Todd Gushing over his Suhr Modern, melting spatulas, gig, prairie home companion

Pittsburgh Kevin: jammin on tiktok, 

 

Film Corner: Ed Wood, Alien, 2025: the worst year in history for movies

LRRC EP862: The Last Waltz, Alice's Restaurant, Neil Peart vs Anika Nilles & John Rutsey, Kurt Cobain's Mustang,

 Silent stages; pro & con (John Wesley YouTube), why bother releasing new music? Greg Bisonnette tells stories about Steve on the Skyscraper sessions (drum channel), why you cannot compare Anika Nilles, John Rutsey to Neil Peart, It was 49 years ago today; The Last Waltz, Alice’s Restaurant

Pittsburgh Kevin: am i being punked, adulting is tough, kurt cobain’s mustang, large maragie

Film Corner: The Soviet Sleep Experiment, Full Metal Jacket, The Descendant, flesh of the unforgiven, girl upstairs, ilsa she wolf of the ss,

LRRC EP861: Neal Schon, Paul McCartney, Jimmy Page vs The Kinks, K-Tel Albums

 Paul McCartney Silent Protest Song WTF???, Marty5150 @ Nashville Parthenon, Jimmy Page and The Kinks Controversy, 

 

Featured Topic: Neal Schon

 

Neal Schon Career & Bio: Podcast Outline

General Biography

• Full Name: Neal Joseph Schon (born February 27, 1954, Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma).wikipedia+1​
  
  
• Parents: Both were musicians — his father a jazz saxophonist and arranger, mother a singer.ultimatesantana+1​
  
  
• Early music education: Started with saxophone and oboe before switching to guitar at age 10.ultimatesantana​
  
  
• Dropped out of high school at 15 to join Santana.imdb+1​
  
  
• Co-founded Journey in 1973 with Gregg Rolie.wikipedia+1​
  
  
• Only original member to appear on every Journey album and tour.globalmusicrights​
  
  

Career Highlights

• Santana membership at age 15, invited after Carlos Santana outbid Eric Clapton's invitation for Neal to join Derek and the Dominos.ultimatesantana​
  
  
• Key band involvements:
  
  
  • Santana (early 1970s).ultimatesantana​
    
    
  • Journey (founder, 1973–present).globalmusicrights+1​
    
    
  • HSAS (with Sammy Hagar, 1984).imdb​
    
    
  • Bad English (late 1980s).imdb+1​
    
    
  • Hardline (1990s+).globalmusicrights​
    
    
• 10 solo albums, including collaborations with artists like Jan Hammer.globalmusicrights​
  
  

Little Known & Entertaining Facts

• Was courted by both Santana and Derek and the Dominos at just 15.ultimatesantana​
  
  
• Played on Betty Davis’s influential funk album (Miles Davis’ then-wife).kcrw​
  
  
• Performed with fusion keyboardist Jan Hammer, releasing “Here To Stay” (1982).imdb+1​
  
  
• Released a number of solo projects and played with numerous side bands during Journey hiatus years.imdb+1​
  
  
• Has a significant collection of vintage guitars.kcrw​
  
  
• Auctioned off part of his guitar collection in 2021.kcrw​
  
  
• In addition to guitar, can play reeds and oboe, which shaped his phrasing.ultimatesantana​
  
  
• Journey’s name came from a roadie suggestion; originally called the Golden Gate Rhythm Section.wikipedia​
  
  

Guitar Technique & Musical Education

• Self-taught early on, practiced intensely as a child, could learn intricate solos by ear.ultimatesantana​
  
  
• Influences: B.B. King, Albert King, Robert Johnson, Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker, Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton, Carlos Santana, Jimmy Page, Peter Green.wikipedia​
  
  
• Known for:
  
  
  • Fast, clean alternate picking and sweep picking.reddit​
    
    
  • Strong melodic phrasing, blending blues with rock and jazz.reddit+1​
    
    
  • Use of technique “chunking,” breaking parts into manageable runs.reddit​
    
    
• Signature melodic solos featuring sustain, phrasing, and expressive bends.
  
  
• Often integrates fusion and jazz concepts from his father’s lessons.ultimatesantana​
  
  

Guitars, Amps & Effects (Gear)

• Early guitars: Acoustic Stella, then Gibson ES-335, then a ’56 Les Paul Goldtop.wikipedia​
  
  
• Main guitars:
  
  
  • Gibson Les Pauls (notably in the late ’70s and ’80s).musicstrive+1​
    
    
  • Fender guitars, especially Aerodyne Stratocaster for ’80s/’90s tones.musicstrive​
    
    
  • Also used Ovation in the live setting.wikipedia​
    
    
• Pickups: Favors Seymour Duncan SH-11 humbuckers for a powerful, expressive response.musicstrive​
  
  
• Amp settings (classic Journey sound):
  
  
  • Volume: 7
    
    
  • Bass: 5
    
    
  • Mids: 9 (heavy midrange for classic rock punch)
    
    
  • Treble: 7–8 (tight, articulate top end)
    
    
  • Presence: 10 (strong pick attack and clarity).musicstrive​
    
    
• Effects: Uses effects for sustain and flair, but tone is mostly amp-driven with subtle use of pedals, sometimes utilizing tremolo effects for solos.musicstrive​
  
  
• Blends classic tube amp drive with modern clarity for lead work.musicstrive​
  
  

Collaborations (Deep Cuts)

• Jan Hammer: Fusion/rock albums like “Here To Stay”; showcased his improvisation skills and love for jazz.globalmusicrights+1​
  
  
• Betty Davis: Groundbreaking funk rock.kcrw​
  
  
• Side projects: HSAS with Sammy Hagar, Hardline, Bad English.imdb+1​
  
  
• Studio work for diverse acts outside mainstream rock, showing his range.
  
  

 

Here are 10 little-known Neal Schon anecdotes, each crafted for compelling audio storytelling, that reach beyond typical rock trivia and showcase his unique experiences, humor, and quirks:

Ten Little Known Neal Schon Anecdotes

1. The 15-Year-Old Prodigy Decision

• When he was just 15, both Carlos Santana and Eric Clapton wanted Neal in their bands—he chose Santana, turning down the chance to play with Derek and the Dominos, even though Clapton personally invited him.nndb+1​

Moonlighting with a Funk Legend

• After Santana but before Journey, Neal played guitar on a wild, groundbreaking funk album by Betty Davis, Miles Davis’s then-wife, bringing his rock chops to a hard-grooving session among funk’s originators.kcrw​

Vintage Guitar Auction Shock

• Schon owned a reported 800-plus guitars at one point and shocked collectors in 2021 by auctioning off some his most prized, rare instruments, thinning his legendary stash to the disbelief of gear-heads everywhere.kcrw​

The Ice-Cold Guitar Solo

• During the filming of a Journey video, a drenched and exhausted Schon had to perform a solo while ice-cold water poured on him—for authenticity and drama, but also to help him wake up after a long, draining shoot.youtube​

Journey’s Band-Naming Oddball Moment

• The name “Journey” actually came from a roadie’s suggestion—a random, last-minute choice after hours of the band throwing around names and getting nowhere.wikipedia​

Epic Pedalboard Adventures

• Neal's custom pedalboard, built for his evolving sound, reportedly spanned nearly 10 feet and was sometimes so complex that even other guitarists were intimidated to try using it.youtube​

A Most Unusual Studio Engineer

• During early recording days, Journey had an English engineer famed for taping together master reels—sometimes while high and holding razor blades dangerously close to precious tapes, raising everyone’s blood pressure in the studio.youtube​

A Guitarist’s Respect for the Reeds

• Few know that Neal started out not on guitar, but playing saxophone and oboe—those wind instrument roots shaped his unusually lyrical guitar phrasing, inspiring his signature sound.ultimatesantana​

The “Wheel In The Sky” Feud

• In a notorious backstage feud, Neal once prohibited fellow bandmate Jonathan Cain from playing rhythm guitar on “Wheel in the Sky,” right in the middle of an ongoing lawsuit, just to make a point.avoidablecontact​

Rock’n’Roll Romance Lawsuit

• Schon was at the center of a sensational real-life drama, sued by a reality TV star after eloping with the man’s wife—an incident capped by a shockingly blunt email from Schon that was entered as evidence in court.avoidablecontact​

Neal Schon played several guitars during his early years with Santana, most notably a 1969 Gibson Les Paul Goldtop, which he used extensively on the 1971 Santana III album and various live performances during that era. This guitar was his main instrument and was known for its rich tone that helped define his early sound with the band. He started on acoustic Stella and Gibson ES-335 earlier but the Les Paul Goldtop became synonymous with his Santana years.intelligentcollector+1​

Regarding Woodstock, Neal Schon did not play with Santana at the 1969 Woodstock festival. At that time, he was only 15 and had not yet joined the band. Santana’s Woodstock performance came before Neal joined, so he was not part of that historic show.reddit​

In summary:

• Early Santana guitar: 1969 Gibson Les Paul Goldtop primarily.intelligentcollector​
  
  
• Did not play Woodstock with Santana—joined after that iconic performance.reddit​
  
  

Michaele Salahi and Neal Schon eloped in 2013 following a highly public and tumultuous relationship. Michaele disappeared from her then-husband Tareq Salahi, prompting him to file a missing-persons report, only for it to be discovered that she had left to be with Neal Schon, with whom she had a previous friendship. Their rapid public engagement soon followed, with Neal proposing on stage during a concert.

The motivation behind their elopement included a desire to celebrate their friendship-turned-romance in their own way—eschewing traditional wedding norms for a pay-per-view live event in San Francisco. This allowed fans to take part and also funneled proceeds to typhoon relief, while emphasizing the couple's aim for authenticity and a celebration of enduring friendship and love, especially after their headline-making, dramatic departures from previous relationships.

Pittsburgh Kevin: k-tel, new tiktok guitarist,

 

Film Corner: Playdate, Phantom Menace (Hal9000 edit), Flight vs Sully

LRRC EP860: Graham Bonnet, Naylor Amps, The Boss Plug Out, The Rock Hall Is a Joke

Graham Bonnet lip synching all along?(full in bloom w/ Jimmy Waldo), $15000 Amp Worth It?(Michael Nielson, Naylor Amp History ) The Rock Hall is a Joke (Rock ‘N Roll True Stories), (Ozzy, Steve Miller, Paul Stanley Gene Simmons, Phish, hard rock & metal are shunned, Judas Priest “musical excellence award”, confusing definition of rock and roll,Dolly Parton records rock album to justify her induction, Steve Miller $10,000/ticket, no tickets for your band members, artists treated like shit, Happy Birthday Billy Price!, Boss Plug Out, How to convert people to RUSH(robert’s record corner)

Pittsburgh Kevin: back 2 the future, G&L Guitars, 

Film Corner: Should disney unban song of the south?(THE MATTYAM VAULT), Black Phone 2, Kong; Skull Island, Godzilla(2014), Good boy(2025), River’s Edge, Designated Survivor,

LRRC EP859: EVH in Back to the Future, Kentucky Head Hunters, The Great Pumpkin

Did Van Halen have a song (music) in Back to the Future?  Ever wonder how  The Kentucky Head Hunters road a unique line between country and southern rock? All this and the story behind "The Great Pumpkin" on this week's Loudini Rock & Roll Circus!

 

Loudini: Eddie Van Halen’s Back to the Future “solo” (stageleftsounds), 

 

the great pumpkin charlie brown(the village vault), kids sent candy, first halloween special, music recorded in one (8 hour) day, premiered in canada one day earlier, 2 emmy nominations, hijacked by appleTV 2020, fits in with peanuts canon from the daily strip including great pumpkin, 25 minutes long,TV-G, linus actually believes in the great pumpkin, 

 

The story of the Kentucky Headhunters( rock ‘n roll true stories), The Plasmatics(guitar meets science), The CIA Using Music w/ Mike Benz(danny jones clips), 

 

Riff of the Week: do you know the notes

Pittsburgh Kevin: tiktok blooper, michael berryman, the universe hates me, lemon and the landlord

Film Corner: The Stairs, The Fifth Element, Why Little Anakin?(star wars theory)