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Jack a part of Damn Yankees reunion for ONE NIGHT at The NAMM Show!

The DAMN YANKEES reunited this past weekend at NAMM, the North American Music Merchants Convention in Anaheim.  This marks the first time Ted Nugent, Tommy Shaw, Jack Blades and Michael Cartellone have performed live since 2002.

Right after Night Ranger finished up their set at the Taylor booth at NAMM, Ted Nugent, Tommy Shaw, and Michael Cartellone all joined Jack Blades on stage to play "Coming of Age" and "High Enough."

Check out the video!

Rock Of Ages Battle of the Bands Contest!

DO YOU WANNA ROCK? DO YOU HAVE A BAND?

You can be a part of history in the making, Rock Of Ages style! You're invited to enter the Rock Of Ages Battle Of The Bands challenge, where the winning band will win tickets to see Rock Of Ages on Broadway and meet the real life onstage band, ARSENAL!

It's simple! All you need to do is film your band performing a song from the Rock Of Ages set list and send to ROABANDS@GMAIL.COM to enter, with your completed application forms.

CONTEST DATES: NOVEMBER 23 - JANUARY 25

Visit RockOfAgesMusical.com/battleofthebands for application forms, rules, regulation and more info!

About Rock Of Ages:

In 1987 on the Sunset Strip, a small town girl met a big city dreamer and in LA's most legendary rock club, they fell in love to the greatest songs of the 80s.

It's ROCK OF AGES, a hilarious feel-good love story told through the hit songs of iconic rockers Journey, Night Ranger, STYX, REO Speedwagon, Foreigner, Pat Benatar, Whitesnake and many many more.

Don't miss this awesome good time where big hair meets big dreams and the result totally wails.

Interview with Jack on TriCities.com!

Jack Blades: Touring more important that ‘trying to get hits’

On Nov. 13, Night Ranger opens a show at Bristol’s Viking Hall Civic Center for Styx and REO Speedwagon.

By Joe Tennis, Features Writer, Bristol Herald Courier

November 8, 2009

For Jack Blades, nothing seems as sweet as life on the road.

That’s where the bass player has been since the 1970s, first playing with a funk-rock band called Rubicon in San Francisco and releasing a couple of albums during the disco craze.

Then, after 1979, Blades committed himself to the sounds of Night Ranger, a mainstream melodic rock band with a penchant for being almost – but not quite – a heavy metal act.

Today, after a stint with The Damn Yankees, that is where Blades is again – singing and playing bass for Night Ranger.
On Nov. 13, Night Ranger opens a show at Bristol’s Viking Hall Civic Center for Styx and REO Speedwagon.
And, like his song says, he aims to prove that “You Can Still Rock In America.”

MTV HITMAKERS
Night Ranger got started with the 1982 single “Don’t Tell Me You Love Me.”

Yet, immediately, this group gained fame as the band that had “Ozzy’s guitarist” in it.

Brad Gillis, the lead guitar player for Night Ranger, had played briefly with Ozzy Osbourne, replacing the late, great Randy Rhoads, a guitarist who died in a 1982 plane crash.

Gillis recorded a live album, “Speak of the Devil,” with Osbourne in 1982, but then returned to Night Ranger, Blades said during a recent telephone interview.
Night Ranger’s debut “Dawn Patrol” album made a dent on the Top-40 album charts, climbing to No. 38 in early 1983.

Still, it was 1983’s “Midnight Madness” and the subsequent “7 Wishes” album that put Night Ranger into the mainstream rock zone with lots of radio airplay and heavy video rotation on MTV.

“They started playing our video like 13 or 14 times a day,” Blades said.

‘WHAT HAPPENED?’
For a couple of years, Night Ranger’s hits arrived in rapid succession – “Sister Christian,” “When You Close Your Eyes,” “Sentimental Street,” “Four In the Morning,” “Goodbye.”

But, so it seems, life imitates art.

And “Goodbye” said it all.

“What happened?” Blades said. “We broke up in ’89, and everybody else went their separate ways.”

Yet Blades formed a super-group, The Damn Yankees, teaming himself with legendary guitarist Ted Nugent plus singer/guitarist Tommy Shaw and current Lynyrd Skynyrd drummer Michael Cartellone.

In 1990, The Damn Yan-kees scored a huge hit called “High Enough,” reaching the Top-5 on Billboard’s singles chart.

“That was like Tommy and myself singing at our finest as a duet,” Blades said, “and there was Ted Nugent, just blasting away.”
But the blast didn’t last.

Within a few more years, Blades was back with Night Ranger.

And that’s where he’s been ever since.
“It’s a different era right now for classic rock bands,” Blades said. “I think it’s more important – the touring – than trying to get hits.”

‘DIFFERENT ERA’
Originally from Palm Desert, Calif., the 55-year-old Blades grew up listening to The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Simon & Garfunkel, Deep Purple and The Beach Boys.

At age 8, he played a ukulele. Later, he moved on to a Sears & Roebuck Silvertone guitar that he still owns.

Blades played in his first band, The Nomads, in the late 1960s after his family moved to Scottsdale, Ariz.

Later moving back to California, he made plans to be a doctor. But then he met Gillis, the guitarist, and the musicians released two records with Rubicon, a seven-piece horn band.

After that, they formed a group called “Ranger” that, ultimately, had to be renamed “Night Ranger” because another band – a country group from Kentucky – had claims on the “Ranger” name, Blades said.

Year after year, now, Night Ranger keeps motoring, playing concerts across America.

“These are all the songs that people love and people grew up on,” Blades said. “We’re doing a lot of shows on our own. It’s a lot of fairs, festivals, casinos.”

Still, as Blades said, it’s a “different era.”

“We’re not as severely medicated as we were in the ’80s,” Blades said, laughing.

“We have so much fun,” Blades added. “It’s a fun band to be in, and it’s a real fun band to watch.”

[Source: TriCities.com]

Rockin' Summer for Jack!!

As Jack continues to tear up stages across the country with Night Ranger, there are some very exciting concerts on the horizon as Jack and Night Ranger are set to join fellow rock legends Journey, STYX and REO Speedwagon on their respective tours!!

Night Ranger and Journey collide August 4 at the Century Tel Center in Bossier City, LA, August 5 at the BOK Center in Tulsa, OK, August 26 at the Schottenstein Center in Columbus, OH and then go on an epic 10 show run hitting venues across the eastern US throughout the month of September starting in Baltimore, MD and ending in Oklahoma City, OK!!

As if that wasn't enough, Jack and Night Ranger then climb aboard the Can't Stop Rockin' tour with STYX and REO Speedwagon for shows confirmed for North Charleston, SC, on October 29, Tampa, FL, on October 30 and West Palm Beach, FL on October 31!

Could there be even more on the way?? Quite possibly!! Keep checking Jack's tour page to stay completely up-to-date on the madness!!

Facebook with Jack!!

After an awesome Night Ranger show in Wendover, NV that had everyone in attendance clamoring for more and begging for another visit, Jack checks in while in the midst of working out new tunes with Kelly and drops a little, tiny, teaser about something in the works with Shaw*Blades!

Rumors are certainly IN THE AIR!!

Jack Blades Facebook Page is now LIVE!

The official Jack Blades Facebook music page is here!

Drop by and check out Jack's complete discography or listen to some great Blades tunes now playing in the audio player. You can even write Jack a message on his wall! No matter what it is, if you're looking for more Jack, his Facebook page has you covered, so check it out and become a "fan" today!

A Message from Jack!

Hey everybody, greetings from sunny Florida. Night Ranger just finished some shows down here and I decided to hang in the sun for a few extra days with my buddy Jeff Carlisi from 38 Special.
 
Shaw/Blades shows coming up Dec 4 in Denver at Ogden Theatre (the Fox Christmas party) then Friday Dec. 5 at Green Valley Resort Henderson NV and Saturday Dec. 6 at Aliante Casino in North Las Vegas. We might be recording the Vegas shows for a live CD..... Rock out baby!

I have a radio show (Backstage Pass with Jack Blades) now on in Denver, Co. on 103.5 KRFX Sat. from noon to 2PM and in Phoenix, AZ on 93.3 KDKB Sunday 5 to 7 PM.
 
You can listen on-line at www.thefox.com or www.kdkb.com

I'm having way too much fun telling stories, jamming on guitars, interviewing other musician friends and blasting great music! Check it out.

See Yaaaaaaa,

Jack

Jack Blades Radio Show!

Check out a clip from the Jack Blades Radio Show in our new JackBlades.net radio show player on our homepage!

Jack is Back and Burning a Hole In The Sun!

Jack is making history again!

25 years after it all began and almost a decade since their last studio release, Night Ranger is back with a brand new studio release Hole In The Sun!

If you would like to download Hole In The Sun please visit Musicane.com for the MP3 version of the album care of their magical Musicane widget!

For those looking to pick up a physical copy of the CD, the great people at NewburyComics.com will be more than happy to hook you up with Hole In The Sun; shipped direct to your door!

And remember, Hole In The Sun is also available in stores EVERYWHERE!

Jack and Night Ranger Set for US Release: Hole In The Sun

There are a lot of reasons to celebrate the July 1 release of Night Ranger’s Hole In The Sun, notably that it marks the band’s first studio album in a decade and commemorates the pioneering hard rock outfit’s 25th anniversary as a band. The best reason, as has been the case throughout Night Ranger’s heralded career, is to celebrate the music itself.

“People will hear this record and recognize our dual blazing guitars and vocals, and big choruses and melodic verses, because that’s definitely how you can describe this album,” explains singer/bassist Jack Blades of the self-produced new release, the band’s eighth studio album, and first for VH1 Classic Records. “It’s new Night Ranger, but in a lot of ways it’s classic Night Ranger.”

Guitars grind and swirl through the unrelenting opener “Tell Your Vision,” delivering a progressively-fueled crush that sets the tone for the eleven new tracks that follow, from Keagy’s Jim Morrison-like soft parade of vocals atop the blinding guitars of “Drama Queen” and the blitzing melodic charge of “You’re Gonna Hear From Me,” through the enduring depths of the piano-driven power ballad “There is Life,” and back again. Hole In The Sun rings with the vibrancy of vintage Night Ranger, yet echoes with a modern relevance that endures throughout the album.

“We wanted to sound new, but still keep our roots,” says Keagy of the new release. “We grew up in the ‘70s, when pop music was really starting to thrive. Sometimes it drove you crazy because the songs were so poppy that you couldn’t get them out of your head, but they were still amazing songs. We wanted to portray some of that on this album.”

While there is definitely a pop glisten to Hole In The Sun, there’s also a heavy dynamic that plants the band firmly in the millennium. “Brad brought in a lot of great ideas, some more modern-sounding things, but we were still able to keep that melodic sense in the songs. We wanted a lot of songs like ‘Drama Queen,’ great, gritty songs that reestablish our roots in hard rock,” continues Keagy.

Night Ranger—original members bassist/vocalist Jack Blades, drummer/vocalist Kelly Keagy and guitarist Brad Gillis along with guitarist Joel Hoekstra and keyboardist Christian Cullen—will be on the road throughout 2008, including a stop in Pryor, OK on Friday, July 11 to perform as part of Rocklahoma. They’ll also be doing various shows with Styx & Boston, REO Speedwagon, Foreigner and Cinderella & Warrant.

The band has been touring all over the world the past few months, including a stop at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba to perform for the men and women stationed there. For Night Ranger, it was a life changing experience.

As Keagy described, “There could not have been a more proud moment in my career then when we stepped foot on Guantanamo Bay to play for the troops there. We all had mixed emotions about going and we didn’t really know what they do there. Well, we certainly found out, but the world should know that the people that are being held should be there because they are (I believe) the most dangerous people on this Earth. We heard the facts in a briefing given by one of the highest ranking officers on the base. It was amazing! To the men and women that work so very hard to keep us safe from the kinds of things that happened on 911, I salute you.”

“Going to Guantanamo Bay Cuba to play for the troops is right up there as one of the wildest things Night Ranger has ever done,” Blades continues. “We’ve been all over the world, but never have we sung “You Can Still Rock In America” in a Communist country with armed Cubans watching us in guard towers just a few clicks away. Everyone was so appreciative of us being there, and seeing them rock out was the greatest. We were given a tour of the detention facilities, got the real story first-hand and went face-to-face with the detainees (nice stare-down moment that I shall not soon forget). Saw it all and it made us even more appreciative for what our soldiers, sailors, marines and airman are doing to keep us safe. They’re doing their part, so we’ll keep doing our part. Rock in America baby!”

Says Gillis of the band’s current tour plans: “We started with our classic backline with the American flag and the Night Ranger logo, and then we built it all up from there – bigger lights, bigger sound, bigger everything! We’ve got the ramps, the vintage t-shirts, the old-school Night Ranger antics, and it’s going to be nothing but fun.”

Night Ranger has left an indelible mark on the music world thanks to a number of best-selling albums—starting with their 1982 Dawn Patrol debut--that sold more than 16 million copies worldwide. The band’s popularity has been fueled by an impressive string of instantly recognizable hit singles and signature album tracks, including “Sister Christian,” “(You Can Still) Rock In America,” “When You Close Your Eyes,” “Sentimental Street,” “Goodbye” and “Don’t Tell Me You Love Me.” Harnessing the frenetic drive of heavy metal to hook-laden rock songs, throwing in a stunning twin lead guitar team, and melodious, radio-friendly power ballads, Night Ranger inspired new descriptive phrases such as “melodic metal” and “metal power pop.”

“Music is constantly evolving and changing, and people need to keep evolving in life, spirit, soul and everything, or you might as well pack it in,” notes Blades. “That’s why I’m so proud of Night Ranger, and that’s why we will continue to evolve. With this new album, we’re just going to roll with it, have a blast doing it, and keep playing as long as it’s fun, and as long as people want to come out and hear us play. There are still a lot of people out there that want to get up and sing, ‘motorin’…’ and ‘Don’t Tell Me You Love Me,’ ‘You Can Still Rock in America,’ the list goes on and on…”

Press Release
[Source: ABC Public Relations]

Jack to Invade the Far East with Night Ranger!

Jack and Night Ranger are ready to make their return to the Land of the Rising Sun with a whirlwind tour starting this Saturday, April 19 at the Akasaka Blitz in Tokyo.

The full concert schedule includes:

• April 19 & 20 at the Akasaka Blitz in Tokyo
• April 22 at the Shibuya C.C. Lemon Hall in Shibuya
• April 23 at the Nagoya Aichi Kinro Kaikan in Nagoya
• April 24 at the IMP Hall in Osaka

Japan has long been one of Night Ranger's favorite international concert destinations and Jack and the guys are thrilled to be on their way back to rock with the Japanese Night Ranger faithful.

The JackBlades.net team would like to invite anyone who manages to catch one or more of the performances to please submit a concert review and photos to showreviews@jackblades.net so that we can share the experience with community members from around the world.

Jack on ROCKLINE!

Jack Blades will be the featured guest on the nationally syndicated radio show ROCKLINE with host Bob Coburn on Wednesday January 16 at 8:30pm PT / 11:30pm ET.

Fans are encouraged to call to speak with Jack toll free at 1-800-344-ROCK (7625). For a station near you and for information regarding how to log onto the Internet for the broadcast go to www.RocklineRadio.com

JackBlades.net Lauches New Design!

We are proud to welcome you to the brand new, streamlined and stylin’ JackBlades.net, home of one of rock’s true icons Jack Blades.

Please take some time and check out some of our great features including comprehensive Jack Blades discography, Jack Blades video gallery, band biographies, Jack’s personal blog and more!

Also, be sure to stop by the new JackBlades.net Store, your one stop shop for Jack Blades music, merchandise and exclusive "best seat" concert tickets.
 
And don’t forget to sign up for “Blades,” Jack’s official newsletter and source for the latest Jack Blades news, concert information and Store specials.  With “Blades” you’re sure to stay on the edge of everything that happens in the world of Jack Blades and JackBlades.net, so be sure to signup today!

Thank you for visiting and we look forward to bringing you more content, news and updates in the coming months, so please stay tuned.

Shaw/Blades "At the Top of their Game"

For those of you who may have missed Jack and Tommy's recent US tour this past November and December, our friends at Live-Metal.net have put together a spectacular review of the November 26 gig at the Ram's Head in Annapolis, MD.

A fantastic read that manages to sum up the magic that was created night after night by these two legendary performers as they rolled across America.  Enjoy!

An acoustic evening with Shaw Blades

November 26, 2007
Rams Head Tavern
Annapolis, Maryland

By Jason Price

Well over a decade ago, MTV brought us the acclaimed Unplugged series. VH1 followed suit with the breakthrough series Storytellers. Now seasoned rockers Jack Blades and Tommy Shaw have bottled the magic of these landmark series and taken the show on the road. Shaw Blades has been trekking around the country since the spring in support of their latest release, Influence. (Read Review) The album is the result of their much-discussed idea to pay homage to the artists and songs that had influenced their careers.

The duo rolled into Annapolis, Md., aboard their biodiesel-fuelled bus and arrived at the Rams Head Tavern, which was packed to capacity. The fans that had gathered were ready to take in the songs and off-beat antics of their rock heroes. The band is touring smaller venues across the country, which enhances the more intimate setting. With the fans comfortably seated and the wine and spirits flowing, Shaw Blades hit the stage. Jack and Tommy were all smiles as they took their places on the tiny stage, amid the hoots and hollers of the Styx, Night Ranger and Damn Yankees fans that filled the small club's audience. Will Evankovich (American Drag), providing backing vocals and guitar work for the duo on this tour, was also along for the evenings festivities. Shaw Blades immediately launched into Seals and Crofts' "Summer Breeze" and followed that with the classic Styx jam "Too Much Time on My Hands," which left smiles on the faces of the fans excited abut the evening ahead. The sound and lighting at Rams Head Tavern, for those who haven't experienced this venue, are superb for an act of this sort. The crisp, rich sound pumping through the sound system accentuates the experience, taking acoustic shows to new levels.

Shaw Blades is a band in full command of the stage and their performances. They know how to control the room and present the songs in a fashion that spellbinds the audience. The offerings from Influence came fast and furious. Songs like “Your Move” (Yes), “I Am a Rock” (Simon & Garfunkel) and the Buffalo Springfield classic "For What It’s Worth," had the audience captivated and singing along. That is part of the beauty of the Influence album and the live show. Even if you didn't own the original LPs, we all somehow know the words to the songs and can sing along. Only about 20 minutes into the show, the band had already warmed up the crowd and started coming into its own.

When your band is comprised of two vocalists whose projects, in their heyday, reached staggering heights, you have no shortage of quality material. The duo reached into their personal stashes to pull out hits from both Styx and Night Ranger. During the course of the show, fans clamoured for their favorite songs, occasionally shouting them out by name. No one can ever say Tommy and Jack don't deliver. I honestly can't recall one song the fans called out that wasn't played at some point. "Sister Christian," "CrystalBall," "Coming of Age" and "High Enough" are just a small sampling of what the band offered up. In between the great music, Tommy and Jack shared stories, capturing the essence of what made Storytellers such a success. Never taking themselves too seriously, they even played their now classic rendition of "When I See Beth Smiling," a reworked version of a listener-submitted song they had originally performed during their second appearance on The Howard Stern Show this year. The appearances on Stern have turned a few people onto the band that wouldn't have discovered them on their own. Hopefully, this is just another piece of the puzzle that will fuel the band's success and provide us with another offering from Shaw Blades in the near future.

By the end of the evening, Shaw Blades had laid down a two-hour-plus set and made it look easy. Jack Blades and Tommy Shaw showed once again they are at the top of their game, with their masterful playing and terrific stage presence. There wasn't a single person left in their seat, as they received a standing ovation as they took their final bows for the evening. There is no denying the Shaw Blades experience is something that is captured well on their album but should definitely be taken in in person at a small venue. With a little luck, the boys will soon capture the live show on DVD for fans who are looking for a keepsake and the fans who will surely discover them down the line.

[Source:  Live-Metal.net]

Jack Kicks Off the New Year with Night Ranger

Jack and Night Ranger will be performing at the Ruth Eckerd Hall in Clearwater, Florida on January 19.

Check out the Ruth Eckerd Hall website and get your tickets now!