Lonn Friend
Encyclopedia
Lonn Friend is an American
journalist
and author
. Friend is best known for his work in the late 1980s and '90s as editor of RIP Magazine, which covered the debaucherous world of heavy metal music
and the rock stars who led the movement. Friend began his career in 1982, as associate editor of Hustler Magazine
, the flagship journal of Larry Flynt Publications
(LFP). After rising to senior editor at Hustler, he transitioned to Executive Editor of Chic Magazine
, and then to RIP in the Spring of 1987. RIP was the first non-pornographic publication produced by LFP. After six months on staff, Friend was promoted to editor-in-chief, where he transformed RIP into one of the leading heavy metal magazines of its time. Friend documented his experiences with the heroes of heavy metal in his 2006 memoir, Life on Planet Rock, and released his follow-up, Sweet Demotion, in 2011.
During his tenure at RIP, Friend personally documented the making of Metallica's
The Black Album
, and was given an exclusive monthly invitation to One-on-One studio in North Hollywood to interview and observe the band in a candid environment. Over an 11-month period for the "Metalli-Watch" RIP series, he broke the inside stories surrounding the production of what ultimately became the biggest-selling album of the 1990s.
Friend also appeared in several documentaries profiling the band, including A Year and a Half in the Life of Metallica, Classic Albums: Black, AURAL Amphetamine: Metallica and the Dawn of Thrash, and VH1's
Behind the Music: Metallica. The cover art of The Black Album debuted on his Friend at Large segment for MTV's
Headbangers Ball
in August 1991.
Friend was instrumental in introducing Guns N' Roses
to music fans, a band that went on to become one of the most popular heavy metal acts of all time. RIP was the first magazine to feature a full-cover photo and story on Guns N' Roses, titled "Metal's New Supergroup," which appeared in its June 1988 issue. Guns N' Roses performed their last club gig for the third-anniversary RIP party at the Park Plaza Hotel in October 1989, prior to their four-night opening stint for the Rolling Stones
at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
.
During his time with RIP, Lonn was directly responsible for helping usher in the 'grunge
' movement, a time when bands like Pearl Jam
, Soundgarden
, Alice in Chains
and Nirvana
took over the airwaves from the previous musical giants of heavy metal.
In addition to hosting his spot on Headbanger's Ball, Friend helmed the syndicated Westwood One
radio program, "Pirate Radio Saturday Night." He penned weekly columns for the influential industry tip sheet
s HITS and the Album Network, and co-authored the Rolling Stone
cover story on Slash
from Guns N' Roses (with Jeffrey Ressner). He served as music supervisor for Adam Sandler's
motion picture debut, Airheads
-- starring Brendan Fraser
and Steve Buscemi
-- which dovetailed into a position as vice president, A&R
, West Coast, for Arista Records
, which Friend held from 1994 to 1998.
Friend co-founded Maximum Golf magazine with former Details
/Men's Journal
editor Michael Caruso in 1999. Friend served as the innovative lifestyle publication's consulting editor for its year-long run.
Friend composed the liner notes for Mötley Crüe's
Decade of Decadence
, Bon Jovi's
One Wild Night Live 1985-2001
, Dio's
Stand Up and Shout: The Dio Anthology, The Essential Iron Maiden
, Rhino/Warner Bros.' The Heavy Metal Box
, and most recently, his words open the special-edition collector's box set for Michael Franti & Spearhead's
All Rebel Rockers
(Anti/Epitaph). In the style of a high-school yearbook, Friend wrote the liner notes to the Alice Cooper
box set Alice Cooper "Old School" (1964-1974) (Universal UK).
Friend is a frequent contributor to VH1, having appeared in numerous Behind the Music
documentary episodes, including "Metallica," "Bon Jovi," "The Year 1987," "Red Hot Chili Peppers
Ultimate Albums: Blood, Sugar, Sex, Magik," "Mötley Crüe," "Anthrax," "Top 40 Hair Metal Bands of All Time" and "When Metal Ruled the World." He was featured in the October 2006 E! Entertainment's
two-hour expose, "E!s 20 Acts of Love Gone Wrong," the June 2007 "E! True Hollywood Story
: Steven
and Liv Tyler
," and consulted for and appeared in two new 2009 productions: E!'s "Rock Wives" and VH1's "Do it for the Band: The Women of the Sunset Strip." Friend also consulted on the 2010 documentary Rock Prophecies about rock photographer Robert Knight
, directed by John Chester
.
The U.K.'s Sexy Intellectual Productions featured Friend extensively in their recent DVD releases, Guns N' Roses: 2 Classic Albums Under Review (Use Your Illusion I and II) and AURAL Amphetamine: Metallica and the Dawn of Thrash
.
Friend relocated to Las Vegas
in the fall of 2003, and freelanced for several local publications including Las Vegas Life, Las Vegas Weekly, Vegas Golfer and HRH (Hard Rock Hotel). He returned to Los Angeles in March 2006.
Life on Planet Rock (Morgan Road/Random House) was released domestically on July 11, 2006, and is in its second printing. Planet Rock was published in the U.K. through Piatkus Books.
His second book, Sweet Demotion: How an Almost Famous Rock Journalist Lost Everything and Found Himself (Almost), was published by AuthorHouse in 2011. Picking up at the end of Friend's stint as an executive at Arista Records, Demotion follows his move to Las Vegas and the spiritual pursuits that shaped his further involvement in the music world.
Friend co-edited, with Rob Hill, the coffee table book
Naked Ambition: An R Rated Look at an X Rated Industry
, by notable celebrity photographer Michael Grecco
. Published by San Francisco-based Rock Out Books, Naked Ambition was published in November 2007.
As resident video archivist and board member for the Guitar Center's Hollywood Rock Walk, Friend conducted interviews in 2008 and 2009 with such notable inductees as Michelle Phillips
, Lou Adler
, Keb' Mo'
, George Thorogood
, Zakk Wylde
, Terry Bozzio
, Slash
, Ronnie James Dio
, Debbie Harry
and Chris Stein
of Blondie
, Yngwie Malmsteen, The Germs
, Kenny Loggins
, The Smashing Pumpkins
, Steve Vai
, and others.
In 2008, Friend composed artist bios, and conducted electronic press interviews, for several bands. In this regard, he covered Black Tide
, Rev Theory
, Candlebox
, and the multi-platinum All American Rejects. Friend currently writes the "Soapbox" column for Relix Magazine, and drafted the Metallica cover story for the December 2008 issue of Metal Edge Magazine.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
and author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
. Friend is best known for his work in the late 1980s and '90s as editor of RIP Magazine, which covered the debaucherous world of heavy metal music
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
and the rock stars who led the movement. Friend began his career in 1982, as associate editor of Hustler Magazine
Hustler
Hustler is a monthly pornographic magazine aimed at men and published in the United States. It was first published in 1974 by Larry Flynt. It was a step forward from the Hustler Newsletter which was cheap advertising for his strip club businesses at the time. The magazine grew from a shaky start to...
, the flagship journal of Larry Flynt Publications
Larry Flynt Publications
Larry Flynt Publications, or LFP, Inc., runs the adult entertainment empire founded by Larry Flynt. Founded in 1976, two years after Flynt began publishing Hustler magazine, LFP was originally to serve as the parent company of this magazine....
(LFP). After rising to senior editor at Hustler, he transitioned to Executive Editor of Chic Magazine
Chic Magazine
Chic was a pornographic magazine started by Larry Flynt, of Hustler fame in 1976. The first issue was published in November 1976. In 1979, Flynt went on trial for obscenity charges over eight issues of Hustler and three issues of Chic Magazine. In 1984, a Texas woman, Jeannie Braun, successfully...
, and then to RIP in the Spring of 1987. RIP was the first non-pornographic publication produced by LFP. After six months on staff, Friend was promoted to editor-in-chief, where he transformed RIP into one of the leading heavy metal magazines of its time. Friend documented his experiences with the heroes of heavy metal in his 2006 memoir, Life on Planet Rock, and released his follow-up, Sweet Demotion, in 2011.
During his tenure at RIP, Friend personally documented the making of Metallica's
Metallica
Metallica is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1981 when James Hetfield responded to an advertisement that drummer Lars Ulrich had posted in a local newspaper. The current line-up features long-time lead guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo ...
The Black Album
Metallica (album)
Metallica is the self-titled fifth studio album by the American heavy metal band Metallica. Mainly produced by Bob Rock, it was released on August 12, 1991 through Elektra Records to critical acclaim...
, and was given an exclusive monthly invitation to One-on-One studio in North Hollywood to interview and observe the band in a candid environment. Over an 11-month period for the "Metalli-Watch" RIP series, he broke the inside stories surrounding the production of what ultimately became the biggest-selling album of the 1990s.
Friend also appeared in several documentaries profiling the band, including A Year and a Half in the Life of Metallica, Classic Albums: Black, AURAL Amphetamine: Metallica and the Dawn of Thrash, and VH1's
VH1
VH1 or Vh1 is an American cable television network based in New York City. Launched on January 1, 1985 in the old space of Turner Broadcasting's short-lived Cable Music Channel, the original purpose of the channel was to build on the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slightly...
Behind the Music: Metallica. The cover art of The Black Album debuted on his Friend at Large segment for MTV's
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
Headbangers Ball
Headbangers Ball
Headbangers Ball is a music television program consisting of heavy metal music videos airing on MTV2, MTV Australia, MTV Two , MTV Adria , MTV Brand New, MTV Portugal, MTV Finland, MTV Arabia, MTV Norway, MTV Sweden, MTV Denmark, MTV Greece, MTV Türkiye, MTV...
in August 1991.
Friend was instrumental in introducing Guns N' Roses
Guns N' Roses
Guns N' Roses is an American hard rock band, formed in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, in 1985. The band has released six studio albums, three EPs, and one live album...
to music fans, a band that went on to become one of the most popular heavy metal acts of all time. RIP was the first magazine to feature a full-cover photo and story on Guns N' Roses, titled "Metal's New Supergroup," which appeared in its June 1988 issue. Guns N' Roses performed their last club gig for the third-anniversary RIP party at the Park Plaza Hotel in October 1989, prior to their four-night opening stint for the Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band, formed in London in April 1962 by Brian Jones , Ian Stewart , Mick Jagger , and Keith Richards . Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early line-up...
at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum is a large outdoor sports stadium in the University Park neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, at Exposition Park, that is home to the Pacific-12 Conference's University of Southern California Trojans football team...
.
During his time with RIP, Lonn was directly responsible for helping usher in the 'grunge
Grunge
Grunge is a subgenre of alternative rock that emerged during the mid-1980s in the American state of Washington, particularly in the Seattle area. Inspired by hardcore punk, heavy metal, and indie rock, grunge is generally characterized by heavily distorted electric guitars, contrasting song...
' movement, a time when bands like Pearl Jam
Pearl Jam
Pearl Jam is an American rock band that formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1990. Since its inception, the band's line-up has included Eddie Vedder , Jeff Ament , Stone Gossard , and Mike McCready...
, Soundgarden
Soundgarden
Soundgarden is an American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington in 1984 by singer Chris Cornell, lead guitarist Kim Thayil, and bassist Hiro Yamamoto...
, Alice in Chains
Alice in Chains
Alice in Chains is an American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1987 by guitarist and songwriter Jerry Cantrell and original lead vocalist Layne Staley. The initial lineup was rounded out by drummer Sean Kinney, and bassist Mike Starr...
and Nirvana
Nirvana (band)
Nirvana was an American rock band that was formed by singer/guitarist Kurt Cobain and bassist Krist Novoselic in Aberdeen, Washington in 1987...
took over the airwaves from the previous musical giants of heavy metal.
In addition to hosting his spot on Headbanger's Ball, Friend helmed the syndicated Westwood One
Westwood One
Westwood One was an American radio network and was based in New York City. At one time, it was managed by CBS Radio, the radio arm of CBS Corporation, and Viacom and was later purchased by the private equity firm The Gores Group...
radio program, "Pirate Radio Saturday Night." He penned weekly columns for the influential industry tip sheet
Tip sheet
A tip sheet is a publication containing the latest information, tips or predictions for a particular industry. Tip sheets are commonly published to impart business or stock market information, music industry songwriter leads, and tips on horse racing results....
s HITS and the Album Network, and co-authored the Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
cover story on Slash
Slash (musician)
Saul Hudson , known by his stage name Slash, is a British-American musician and songwriter. He is best known as the former lead guitarist of the American hard rock band Guns N' Roses, with whom he achieved worldwide success in the late 1980s and early 1990s. During his later years with Guns N'...
from Guns N' Roses (with Jeffrey Ressner). He served as music supervisor for Adam Sandler's
Adam Sandler
Adam Richard Sandler is an American actor, comedian, screenwriter, musician, and film producer.After becoming a Saturday Night Live cast member, Sandler went on to star in several Hollywood feature films that grossed over $100 million at the box office...
motion picture debut, Airheads
Airheads
Airheads is a 1994 American comedy film written by Rich Wilkes and directed by Michael Lehmann. It stars Brendan Fraser, Steve Buscemi and Adam Sandler as a band of loser musicians called "The Lone Rangers" who take a radio station hostage, just so that their song would get played on the radio...
-- starring Brendan Fraser
Brendan Fraser
Brendan James Fraser is a Canadian-American film and stage actor. Fraser portrayed Rick O'Connell in the three-part Mummy film series , and is known for his comedic and fantasy film leading roles in major Hollywood films, including Encino Man , George of the Jungle , Dudley Do-Right , Monkeybone ,...
and Steve Buscemi
Steve Buscemi
Steven Vincent "Steve" Buscemi is an American actor, writer and film director. An associate member of the renowned experimental theater company The Wooster Group, Buscemi has starred and supported in successful Hollywood and indie films including New York Stories, Mystery Train, Reservoir Dogs,...
-- which dovetailed into a position as vice president, A&R
A&R
Artists and repertoire is the division of a record label that is responsible for talent scouting and overseeing the artistic development of recording artists. It also acts as a liaison between artists and the record label.- Finding talent :...
, West Coast, for Arista Records
Arista Records
Arista was an American record label. It was a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment and operated under the RCA Music Group. The label was founded in 1974 by Clive Davis, who formerly worked for CBS Records...
, which Friend held from 1994 to 1998.
Friend co-founded Maximum Golf magazine with former Details
Details (magazine)
Details is an American monthly men's magazine published by Condé Nast Publications, founded in 1982. Though primarily a magazine devoted to fashion and lifestyle, Details also features reports on relevant social and political issues.-History:...
/Men's Journal
Men's Journal
Men's Journal is an American men's lifestyle magazine focused on outdoor recreation and comprising editorials on the outdoors, environmental issues, health and fitness, style and fashion, and "gear". It is owned by Jann Wenner of Wenner Media....
editor Michael Caruso in 1999. Friend served as the innovative lifestyle publication's consulting editor for its year-long run.
Friend composed the liner notes for Mötley Crüe's
Mötley Crüe
Mötley Crüe is an American heavy metal band formed in Los Angeles, California in 1981. The group was founded by bass guitarist Nikki Sixx and drummer Tommy Lee, who were later joined by lead guitarist Mick Mars and lead singer Vince Neil...
Decade of Decadence
Decade of Decadence
-Singles:1. Primal Scream2. Home Sweet Home '91- Certifications :-External links:*...
, Bon Jovi's
Bon Jovi
Bon Jovi is an American rock band from Sayreville, New Jersey. Formed in 1983, Bon Jovi consists of lead singer and namesake Jon Bon Jovi , guitarist Richie Sambora, keyboardist David Bryan, drummer Tico Torres, as well as current bassist Hugh McDonald...
One Wild Night Live 1985-2001
One Wild Night Live 1985-2001
One Wild Night Live 1985–2001 is Bon Jovi's only live album, and was released in May 2001. The album includes live covers of Neil Young's "Rockin' in the Free World" and The Boomtown Rats' "I Don't Like Mondays". The album charted at #20 on The Billboard 200.-Track listing:-Australian Exclusive...
, Dio's
Dio (band)
Dio was an American heavy metal band from Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Formed in 1982 and led by vocalist Ronnie James Dio, after he left Black Sabbath with intentions to form a new band with fellow former Black Sabbath member, drummer Vinny Appice. Naming the band Dio made sense from a commercial...
Stand Up and Shout: The Dio Anthology, The Essential Iron Maiden
The Essential Iron Maiden
The Essential Iron Maiden is the fourth greatest hits compilation by the British heavy metal band Iron Maiden, released on 5 July 2005. Released exclusively in North America, it is part of Sony Music Entertainment's The Essential series...
, Rhino/Warner Bros.' The Heavy Metal Box
The Heavy Metal Box
The Heavy Metal Box is a box including 4 CDs with heavy metal / rock music songs from various artists and bands. It was released by Rhino Records in 2007.....
, and most recently, his words open the special-edition collector's box set for Michael Franti & Spearhead's
Michael Franti
Michael Franti is an American poet, musician, and composer. He is the creator and lead vocalist of Michael Franti & Spearhead, a band that blends hip hop with a variety of other styles including funk, reggae, jazz, folk, and rock...
All Rebel Rockers
All Rebel Rockers
All Rebel Rockers is an album by Michael Franti & Spearhead released on September 9, 2008 on Boo Boo Wax Records. It peaked at #37 on the U.S. Billboard 200, making it their most successful album....
(Anti/Epitaph). In the style of a high-school yearbook, Friend wrote the liner notes to the Alice Cooper
Alice Cooper
Alice Cooper is an American rock singer, songwriter and musician whose career spans more than four decades...
box set Alice Cooper "Old School" (1964-1974) (Universal UK).
Friend is a frequent contributor to VH1, having appeared in numerous Behind the Music
Behind the Music
Behind the Music is a television series on VH1. It originally ran from 1997 to 2006, before it was stopped and only aired new episodes sporadically. The series places its generality on documentation of musical artists or groups who are interviewed and profiled, and discuss how their careers became...
documentary episodes, including "Metallica," "Bon Jovi," "The Year 1987," "Red Hot Chili Peppers
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Red Hot Chili Peppers is an American rock band, formed in Los Angeles in 1983. The group's musical style primarily consists of rock with an emphasis on funk, as well as elements from other genres such as punk, hip hop and psychedelic rock...
Ultimate Albums: Blood, Sugar, Sex, Magik," "Mötley Crüe," "Anthrax," "Top 40 Hair Metal Bands of All Time" and "When Metal Ruled the World." He was featured in the October 2006 E! Entertainment's
E!
E! Entertainment Television is an American basic cable and satellite television network, owned by NBCUniversal. It features entertainment-related programming, reality television, feature films and occasionally series and specials unrelated to the entertainment industry.E! has an audience reach of...
two-hour expose, "E!s 20 Acts of Love Gone Wrong," the June 2007 "E! True Hollywood Story
E! True Hollywood Story
E! True Hollywood Story is an American documentary series on E! that deals with famous Hollywood celebrities, movies, TV shows and well-known public figures...
: Steven
Steven Tyler
Steven Tyler is an American singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist, best known as the frontman and lead singer of the Boston-based rock band Aerosmith, in which he also plays the harmonica, and occasional piano and percussion. He is known as the "Demon of Screamin'", due to his high screams...
and Liv Tyler
Liv Tyler
Liv Rundgren Tyler is an American actress and model. She is the daughter of Aerosmith's lead singer, Steven Tyler, and Bebe Buell, model and singer. Tyler began a career in modeling at the age of 14, but after less than a year she decided to focus on acting. She made her film debut in the 1994...
," and consulted for and appeared in two new 2009 productions: E!'s "Rock Wives" and VH1's "Do it for the Band: The Women of the Sunset Strip." Friend also consulted on the 2010 documentary Rock Prophecies about rock photographer Robert Knight
Robert M. Knight
Robert M. Knight has been photographing rock stars for 40 years. One of the first professional photographers to shoot Jimi Hendrix and the last to photograph , Knight has been in the business since 1968, and has quietly created a sprawling archive of classic rock n' roll stills, including the...
, directed by John Chester
John Chester
John Chester is a documentary filmmaker, TV director, and cinematographer. During his high school years he made student films in his hometown, the mainly seasonal resort town of Ocean City, Maryland, USA. but later lived in the Los Angeles area where he worked as a Production assistant on a...
.
The U.K.'s Sexy Intellectual Productions featured Friend extensively in their recent DVD releases, Guns N' Roses: 2 Classic Albums Under Review (Use Your Illusion I and II) and AURAL Amphetamine: Metallica and the Dawn of Thrash
Thrash metal
Thrash metal is a subgenre of heavy metal that is characterized usually by its fast tempo and aggression. Songs of the genre typically use fast percussive and low-register guitar riffs, overlaid with shredding-style lead work...
.
Friend relocated to Las Vegas
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
in the fall of 2003, and freelanced for several local publications including Las Vegas Life, Las Vegas Weekly, Vegas Golfer and HRH (Hard Rock Hotel). He returned to Los Angeles in March 2006.
Life on Planet Rock (Morgan Road/Random House) was released domestically on July 11, 2006, and is in its second printing. Planet Rock was published in the U.K. through Piatkus Books.
His second book, Sweet Demotion: How an Almost Famous Rock Journalist Lost Everything and Found Himself (Almost), was published by AuthorHouse in 2011. Picking up at the end of Friend's stint as an executive at Arista Records, Demotion follows his move to Las Vegas and the spiritual pursuits that shaped his further involvement in the music world.
Friend co-edited, with Rob Hill, the coffee table book
Coffee table book
A coffee table book is a hardcover book that is intended to sit on a coffee table or similar surface in an area where guests sit and are entertained, thus inspiring conversation or alleviating boredom. They tend to be oversized and of heavy construction, since there is no pressing need for...
Naked Ambition: An R Rated Look at an X Rated Industry
Naked Ambition: An R Rated Look at an X Rated Industry
Naked Ambition: An R Rated Look at an X Rated Industry isthe third portrait photography book by American photographer Michael Grecco. It is published by Rock Out Books . The book contains over 200 photographs of actors, filmmakers and personalities in the world of adult entertainment...
, by notable celebrity photographer Michael Grecco
Michael Grecco
Michael Grecco is an American celebrity photographer. While studying filmmaking and photography at Boston University, Grecco began working freelance for the Associated Press as a photojournalist. During that time, he also began his career as a magazine photographer, which has included an extensive...
. Published by San Francisco-based Rock Out Books, Naked Ambition was published in November 2007.
As resident video archivist and board member for the Guitar Center's Hollywood Rock Walk, Friend conducted interviews in 2008 and 2009 with such notable inductees as Michelle Phillips
Michelle Phillips
Michelle Phillips is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. She gained fame as a member of the 1960s group The Mamas & the Papas, and is the last surviving original member of the group.-Early life:...
, Lou Adler
Lou Adler
Lou Adler is an American record producer, manager, and director.-Life and career:Adler was born in Chicago, Illinois in December 1933, and raised in East Los Angeles. In 1964, Adler founded and co-owned Dunhill Records. He was President of the label as well as the chief record producer from 1964...
, Keb' Mo'
Keb' Mo'
Keb' Mo is an American blues singer, guitarist, and songwriter, currently living in Nashville, Tennessee, United States.-Early life:From early on he had an appreciation for the blues and gospel music...
, George Thorogood
George Thorogood
George Thorogood is an American blues rock vocalist/guitarist from Wilmington, Delaware, United States, known for his hit song "Bad to the Bone" as well as for covers of blues standards such as Hank Williams' "Move It On Over" and John Lee Hooker's "House Rent Boogie/One Bourbon, One Scotch, One...
, Zakk Wylde
Zakk Wylde
Zachary Phillip Wylde , best known by the stage name Zakk Wylde, is an American musician, songwriter, and occasional actor who is best known as the former guitarist for Ozzy Osbourne and founder of the heavy metal band Black Label Society. He was the lead guitarist and vocalist in Pride & Glory,...
, Terry Bozzio
Terry Bozzio
Terry John Bozzio is an American drummer best known for his work with Missing Persons and Frank Zappa.-Biography:Terry Bozzio was born December 27, 1950 in San Francisco, California. He started at age 6 playing makeshift drum sets. At the age of 13 he saw The Beatles premier performance on The Ed...
, Slash
Slash (musician)
Saul Hudson , known by his stage name Slash, is a British-American musician and songwriter. He is best known as the former lead guitarist of the American hard rock band Guns N' Roses, with whom he achieved worldwide success in the late 1980s and early 1990s. During his later years with Guns N'...
, Ronnie James Dio
Ronnie James Dio
Ronald James Padavona , better known as Ronnie James Dio, was an American heavy metal vocalist and songwriter. He performed with, amongst others, Elf, Rainbow, Black Sabbath, Heaven & Hell, and his own band Dio, which means God in Italian. Other musical projects include the collective fundraiser...
, Debbie Harry
Debbie Harry
Deborah Ann "Debbie" Harry is an American singer-songwriter and actress, best known for being the lead singer of the punk rock and new wave band Blondie. She has also had success as a solo artist, and in the mid-1990s she performed and recorded as part of The Jazz Passengers...
and Chris Stein
Chris Stein
Christopher "Chris" Stein is co-founder and guitarist in the New Wave band, Blondie. He is also a producer and performer for the classic soundtrack of the hip hop film Wild Style....
of Blondie
Blondie (band)
Blondie is an American rock band, founded by singer Deborah Harry and guitarist Chris Stein. The band was a pioneer in the early American New Wave and punk scenes of the mid-1970s...
, Yngwie Malmsteen, The Germs
The Germs
The Germs are an American punk rock band from Los Angeles, California, originally active from 1977 to 1980. The band's early lineup consisted of singer Darby Crash, guitarist Pat Smear, bassist Lorna Doom, and their most consistent drummer Don Bolles. Germs have since reformed in 2005 with Shane...
, Kenny Loggins
Kenny Loggins
During the next decade, Loggins recorded so many successful songs for film soundtracks that he was referred to as, King of the Movie Soundtrack.He began with "I'm Alright" , "Mr. Night", and "Lead the Way" from Caddyshack...
, The Smashing Pumpkins
The Smashing Pumpkins
The Smashing Pumpkins are an American alternative rock band that formed in Chicago, Illinois in 1988. Formed by Billy Corgan frontman and James Iha , the band has included Jimmy Chamberlin , D'arcy Wretzky , and currently includes Jeff Schroeder Mike Byrne , and Nicole Fiorentino The Smashing...
, Steve Vai
Steve Vai
Steven Siro "Steve" Vai is a three time Grammy Award-winning American guitarist, songwriter and producer who has sold over 15 million albums. Steve Vai is widely known as a flamboyant guitar virtuoso....
, and others.
In 2008, Friend composed artist bios, and conducted electronic press interviews, for several bands. In this regard, he covered Black Tide
Black Tide
Black Tide is an American heavy metal band from Miami, Florida. Formed in 2004, the group is currently signed to Interscope Records and is composed of Gabriel Garcia , Austin Diaz , Zachary Sandler , and Steven Spence...
, Rev Theory
Rev Theory
Rev Theory is an American hard rock band formed in 2002 in North Andover, Massachusetts. The band has released three studio albums: Truth Is Currency , Light It Up , and Justice . The song "Voices" is currently being used for World Wrestling Entertainment star Randy Orton...
, Candlebox
Candlebox
Candlebox is an American alternative rock band from Seattle, Washington. Since their debut, the group has released four studio albums, which have achieved multi-platinum and gold certification, as well as numerous charting singles, a compilation, and a CD+DVD....
, and the multi-platinum All American Rejects. Friend currently writes the "Soapbox" column for Relix Magazine, and drafted the Metallica cover story for the December 2008 issue of Metal Edge Magazine.
External links
- Lonn Friend interview on www.neildaniels.com
- Lonn Friend's social networking site on FacebookFacebookFacebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
- Lonn Friend's social networking site on MySpaceMySpaceMyspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....
- Life on Planet Rock Book review by Matt Cale