-
Superman (2025) Movie Review
The 2025 movie “Superman” was released July 11th.
Directed by James Gunn, this movie once again tells the story of The Last Son of Krypton, although this time, he’s already Superman and trying to fight evil doers and be a hero to everyone.
A few changes this time, though. You see his dog, Krypto, his real parents may not have been so great after all (see the movie and you’ll see what I mean), other characters like The Green Lantern, Hawkgirl and Mister Terrific appear, and other things happen too that I don’t want to spoil.
Is it the greatest superhero movie ever? No.
But is it really good and a fun superhero movie? Yes.
It’s very much a comic book movie and brings some humor in, which is welcomed.
Everyone was cast perfectly for this.
David Corenswet does a great job playing Superman/Clark Kent, as does Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane, Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor, Nathan Fillion as Green Lantern, Isabela Merced as Hawkgirl, Edi Gathegi as Mister Terrific, Skyler Gisondo as Jimmy Olsen, and everyone else is great too.
Check out this version of Superman. It’s worth it.
-
Jimmy Page And The Black Crowes Live At The Greek Album Review
Jimmy Page and The Black Crowes released a live album called Live At The Greek in 2000, and re-released it in 2025 with many bonus tracks.
This was recorded in 1999 when Jimmy played with The Black Crowes for a little bit.
They played a bunch of Led Zeppelin (Jimmy’s band) songs, covers, and songs by The Black Crowes.
However, for some reason, The Black Crowes songs they performed were never released.
This 2025 reissue corrects that.
It also includes a soundcheck too, which is really cool.
The original I played a bunch when it was released so I was excited to know it was being re-released with so many more songs too.
It’s a great set of tunes played by phenomenal musicians.
You’ve got to check this out.
It ROCKS!!
I just wish they would’ve done more together and I’ll always wish Jimmy especially would do more.
But either way, thank goodness they did this much and gave this an even more proper release.
Rock on everyone.
-
Two Brian Wilson Autobiographies?
The late, great Brian Wilson (June 20, 1942-June 11, 2025) released two autobiographies.
The first, called “Wouldn’t It Be Nice: My Own Story”, was released in October of 1991.
The second, called “I Am Brian Wilson”, was released in October of 2016.
Both are very much worth reading, but both are very different too.
The first one is quite detailed and frankly wild at times.
I believed most of it when I read it, but as it went on, I began to wonder.
I say this because Brian was still under the care of a Dr. Eugene Landy at the time this book was being written.
Also, this book is controversial because Todd Gold, who “Brian” (I put his name in quotes because Dr. Landy supposedly had a big hand in this book too.) told his story to, supposedly plagiarized other sources of biographical information and Brian even disowned the book at one point.
That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t read it if you’re a fan and/or just want to know more about Brian.
I truly believe a lot of it is true, but again, did Brian really tell all of this and was Dr. Landy basically telling it instead?
You be the judge.
Now, the second book, which Brian told his story to Ben Greenman, is a lot more positive and still tells the story that is in the first book, but nowhere near as much detail.
However, I believe the second book is really coming more from Brian or he just put more of a filter on himself for this book.
Also, though, since this book was released many years later, Brian tells more of his story about what happened after being under Dr. Landy’s care and about his later albums that he made.
In fact, in this book, he bad mouths Dr. Landy quite a bit, which he did not in the first book.
I think both books are very good and worth reading, but the second book I think gets my vote ultimately as the best one, although the first one has more detail. But I question some of it.
Either way, check them both out and see what you think.
Rest In Peace Brian Wilson. A phenomenal talent.
-
Jefferson Starship Rocked Charleston, WV!!
- Date of Concert: Sunday, July 6, 2025
- Location of Concert: Schoenbaum Stage at Haddad Riverfront Park in Charleston, WV
- Opener: Of The Dell
I had seen singer Mickey Thomas (Jefferson Starship, Starship) do his version of Starship in concert (review here), but I had not seen Jefferson Starship in concert.
For anyone who is confused, here is some history: the band was first Jefferson Airplane in the 1960s and early 1970s. Then the band morphed into Jefferson Starship in the mid 1970s. Then in the mid 1980s, the band morphed into just Starship. Then the band briefly was Jefferson Airplane again in 1989. Then the band became Jefferson Starship again in the 1990s and has remained that way ever since, although as I said, singer Mickey Thomas has Starship too.
Fascinating, but all very cool.
Anyway, I saw Jefferson Starship do a free concert in Charleston, WV and wow were they great.
As you can imagine with so many band name changes, there is probably personnel changes too? Yes indeed.
Sadly, some have passed away (Paul Kantner and Marty Balin), others have retired (Grace Slick), but this band keeps on trucking, playing the Jefferson Starship, Starship, and even some Jefferson Airplane songs too to all the fans who come to see them.
This band really cooks. Classic members David Freiberg (vocals (PHENOMENAL singer at almost 87 years of age) and guitar, who was also in Quicksilver Messenger Service before he briefly joined Airplane and joined Jefferson Starship) and Donny Baldwin (drums, who also in the Elvin Bishop Band, playing on the hit “Fooled Around And Fell In Love”) are in this lineup. The rest of the band includes singer/guitarist Cathy Richardson, who has been in the band for 18 years and is a PHENOMENAL singer, Jude Gold on lead guitar, and Chris Smith keyboards.
As I said, this band really cooks.
If you are a fan, you have to go see this band. Yes it’s not the complete original lineup anymore, but they really deliver the goods.
This was a very stressful week for me, and this concert was very much needed for me and I loved every second of it.
Thank you Jefferson Starship for all the great music and please keep bringing the music to the people because we need you.
Opening band, Of The Dell, from Huntington, WV, were very good too. Lots of great vocals and catchy songs.
Thank you all for the great night.
Jefferson Starship Set List:
- Find Your Way Back
- Stranger
- Call On Me
- Runaway
- With Your Love
- Sara
- Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now
- Miracles
- Embryonic Journey
- White Rabbit
- We Built This City
- Jane
- Fooled Around And Fell In Love (snippet)
- Somebody To Love
- God Bless America
- Volunteers
Photo Gallery (click on thumbnail to view larger image)
Video Gallery (click on thumbnail to play video)
-
The Doobie Brothers Walk This Road Album Review
The Doobie Brothers are one of my favorite bands ever.
I’ve seen them in concert three times and have their albums.
They released their latest album, Walk This Road, on June 6 of this year.
It features original members Tom Johnston and Pat Simmons, as well as long time members Michael McDonald and John McFee.
If you are a fan of The Doobie Brothers, you will enjoy this album.
Lots of rocking and soulful songs, great singing and playing, everything you want in an album by The Doobie Brothers.
I’m really glad Michael McDonald is back in the band, having rejoined them for their 50th Anniversary tour a few years ago.
What can I say? The Doobie Brothers rule!!!!! And thanks guys for signing the album booklet too!!!
-
Giuffria Discography
Giuffria was a rock band formed in the 1980s by keyboardist Greg Giuffria after leaving the band Angel (another favorite of mine).
Giuffria released two studio albums (Giuffria and Silk + Steel) and a live album/video called Live In Japan 1985.
They also appeared on the soundtrack to the movie Gotcha!
They were working on a third album but only got to the demo stage.
That album of demos, surprisingly, was released this year as The Unreleased Remastered Demos (Greg signed the CDs and Vinyl).
I still need to buy the live album and hopefully I’ll get that soundtrack someday, but I have everything else.
Like Greg’s previous band, Angel, Giuffria are another band I think should have been so much bigger.
Giuffria did have a couple of minor hit singles with the songs “Call To The Heart” and “Lonely In Love”, both from their first album.
Giuffria opened for some big bands, including Deep Purple and Foreigner, but unfortunately, they just never quite got to the top level of success.
They had all the tools. Great musicianship and songwriting, their singer David Glen Eisley was incredible as well as their guitarist on their first album Craig Goldy (later in the band Dio) and all the musicians really. And I really think the albums are really good, especially the first one.
Giuffria kind of sound of like Journey, but with a bit more edge.
So, if you are into catchy hard rock with great singing and playing, Giuffria is the band for you.
Greg later went on to form the band House Of Lords and ultimately became a multimillionaire because he invented a chip that’s in many of the slot machines you see and maybe play. I’m serious.
Anyway, check out Giuffria. They are awesome and should be more well known.
-
Waxing On: The Karate Kid And Me Book Review
Ralph Macchio (The Karate Kid 1, 2, and 3, The Outsiders, My Cousin Vinny, Cobra Kai, Karate Kid: Legends and more) released his biography Waxing On: The Karate Kid And Me in 2022.
It’s definitely a biography, but it is not a full on autobiography because even though he touches on his life a fair amount, the majority of the book is about his experiences making the first The Karate Kid movie.
If you are a fan of The Karate Kid, you must read this book.
Ralph tells you everything you want to know about the making of the movie.
He also talks about the other movies and Cobra Kai quite a bit and some of this other movies and shows.
Like I said, it is definitely a biography, but it’s not a full on one.
But it is an amazing and quick read and I love it.
And thank you Ralph for signing it (via Talk Shop Live).
-
Karate Kid: Legends Movie Review
Karate Kid: Legends was released on May 30 of 2025.
It is set a few years after the series Cobra Kai and stars Jackie Chan, reprising his role as Mr. Han from The Karate Kid 2010 movie, Ralph Macchio reprising his role as Daniel LaRusso from most of The Karate Kid movies and Cobra Kai, and Ben Wang as the new Karate Kid and is Jackie’s character’s nephew in the movie.
If you are a fan of The Karate Kid movies and of Cobra Kai, there is nothing not to like in Karate Kid: Legends.
Ben Wang’s character, like Larusso’s character in the original movie, moves from his home to a new home and has to get acclimated. Along the way, he gets a girlfriend, who has a mean ex who is also a martial artist and bully.
Both Jackie and Ralph’s characters end up helping Ben’s character become an even better martial artist and prepares him for this tournament.
And of course, he ends up facing his girlfriend’s ex in the tournament.
For some, it may be business as usual, but if you want to have some fun, watch Karate Kid: Legends.
I’m not saying everything about it here, but trust me, it is a lot of fun.
And stick around for the end credits because there is a fun Easter egg.
-
The Queen Of The Ring Book Review
I saw the movie Queen Of The Ring and enjoyed it, but it made me want to read the book about it.
Called Queen Of The Ring: Sex, Muscles, Diamonds, and the Making of an American Legend (released in 2009, author Jeff Leen went into a lot more detail about the life and times of wrestler Mildred Burke.
This book talks about how Burke got into wrestling and her relationship with her manager Billy Wolfe, both good and bad.
It talks about various wrestlers Burke faced and knew over the years, holding the women’s championship for many years, eventually getting away from Wolfe and training wrestlers, and so much more.
The movie is very good, but as usual, books cover a lot more, and this book is no different.
I highly recommend it. Even if you are not a wrestling fan, that’s OK. This is a book about a person who wanted to achieve something and she achieved more than she could have ever imagined.
Seek out this book.
-
Ric Flair To Be The Man Book Review
Two time WWE Hall of Famer and 16 time (I think 21 time) world champion Ric Flair released his book, To Be The Man, in 2004.
Written by Flair and Keith Elliott Greenberg (and edited by Mark Madden), To Be The Man tells Ric’s story from birth, getting into wrestling, the 1975 plane crash he was in, recuperating from the crash and returning to wrestling, many of the feuds he had with many different wrestlers, title wins, and so much more.
If you are a fan of Ric Flair, you must read this book.
I got my copy signed by Ric when I met him in 2009.
WOOOOOOO!!!!!
