The Allan Handelman Show deals with all issues relevant to the Rock Culture, not just music. Rock Stars, newsmakers, pop culture icons and always the most amazing people in the world.
Hear all sides of the story and listen to a variety of media. Then, make up your own mind.
Some of the guests we are working on in the weeks ahead include, Ted Nugent, Def Leppard, Lewis Black, Riley Martin, Disturbed, John Stossel, Leo Leporte, David Icke, Ben Stein, Al Franken and Bill Krystal. Not to mention great authors like Bill Carter and Brad Steiger.
Sunday night, Allan welcomes back Ben Fong-Torres. His latest book, Becoming Almost Famous, collects many of the best articles from veteran Rolling Stone writer Ben Fong-Torres. While many people will recognize Ben as he was portrayed in Cameron Crowe's hit film Almost Famous, his thoughtful and engaging stories have been providing a backstage view for over 30 years.
We'll have lots of enlightening music and pop-culture stories on legendary musicians and topics such as groupies of the '80s and the "Summer of Love." Featured artists include Paul McCartney, Emmylou Harris, the Grateful Dead, The Band with Bob Dylan, and more. Alongside Rock & Roll, Fong-Torres' subjects include Cheech and Chong, Steve Martin, and Frank Sinatra.
"Ben Fong-Torres was out there in the thick of it and brought his stories home with love, wit, and elegance." —Rolling Stone Publisher/Editor Jann Wenner
Amazon:
Where rock scribes are concerned, you've got provocateurs of the Lester Bangs school, academics of the Greil Marcus variety, and the nuts-and-bolts sorts who, while perhaps less colorful wordsmiths, excel at capturing their subjects by putting them at ease. Early Rolling Stone contributor/editor Ben Fong-Torres may be the best known and most durable member of that third school.
From Library Journal:
Fong-Torres, who is best known as a writer and editor for Rolling Stone and whose most recent books include The Rice Room: Growing Up Chinese-AmericanAFrom Number Two Son to Rock 'n' Roll and The Hits Just Keep On Coming: The History of Top 40 Radio, is one of the few rock journalists whose work deserves to be anthologized. This book collects 34 of his higher-profile pieces, drawn mostly from work he did for Rolling Stone in the 1970sAincluding profiles of and interviews with Bob Dylan, Ray Charles, Paul McCartney, Tom Hanks, and Rodney Dangerfield.
He contextualizes the chronologically arranged stories with bits of information about his personal background, the growth of Rolling Stone, and pop culture. At times he picks on "unhip" easy targets like Three Dog Night and Dick Clark, but mostly his rapport with his subjects and eye for detail provide intimate and complex portraits. Recommended for most popular music collections. Lloyd Jansen, Stockton-San Joaquin Cty. P.L., CA
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Also Sunday, Allan welcomes back the legendary comedy duo Cheech & Chong. Cheech & Chong were the pioneers of comedy specifically designed to serve the Rock culture and it's Tommy who continues to carrying on this tradition. In addition to the classic Cheech & Chong movies we've all seen, he also starred in the rental favorites, Best Buds, Half Baked, National Lampoon's Senior Trip & Far Out Man. Tommy's forthcoming book is called, The I Chong: Meditations From the Joint.
Tommy and Shelby Chong are coming to NC, Jun. 22 - Jun. 24, 2006 in Charlotte at The Comedy Zone.
Grammy Award-winning comedian Tommy Chong is legendary for his invaluable contribution to American counterculture as part of the comedy team Cheech & Chong. During their reign, the twosome recorded six gold comedy albums, including the 1974 Grammy winner Los Cochinos, and starred in seven films, most of which Chong co-wrote and directed.
Comedian Shelby Chong is known as Tommy Chong's favorite co-star from the big screen to live stage performances. Fans remember her as the sexy French Fifi in Things Are Tough All Over, the Princess in The Corsican Brothers, and the blonde body builder that Cheech got choked up over in Nice Dreams, with associate producer credits from several Cheech & Chong movies.
Tommy Chong & Shelby are currently on tour, traveling the country as a comedy duo. Their shows are filled with the type of humor that made them famous during their Cheech & Chong reign.
