Dave Swanson is a writer and musician from Cleveland, Ohio. He has spent a lifetime obsessed with all things Rock & Roll. Dave has written for a variety of publications including Shindig!, Bucketful Of Brains, The Cleveland Scene and The Cleveland Plain Dealer. He hosts his own radio show, has promoted concerts and played in several bands including, but not limited to, Rainy Day Saints, New Salem Witch Hunters, The Cynics, Chamber Strings, Guided By Voices, Death Of Samantha, and Captain Groovy & His Bubblegum Army. Favorite bands-Cheap Trick, The Monkees, Sparks, Motorhead, Beach Boys, Rockpile, XTC,Van Der Graaf Generator, Sweet, Bob Dylan,etc. Favortie color- paisley. Sign-Scorpio. Favorite Movies-Love And Death, Don't Look Back & Beyond The Valley Of The Dolls. Political party-Mod & Rocker. Religion-Rock & Roll. His biggest regret is having no regrets. If not playing, writing, reading about, listening to, or discussing music, he is most likely dead.
Dave Swanson
50 Years Ago: The Doors Record Their First Demo Under a Different Name
No one could have guessed what would come of the combo that wandered into Los Angeles' World Pacific Studios on Sept. 2, 1965.
35 Years Ago: Fleetwood Mac End ‘Tusk’ Tour With Boiling Tensions and Breakup Rumors
On Sept. 1, 1980, Fleetwood Mac wrapped up a grueling tour promoting their 12th LP, the double-album Tusk.
47 Years Ago: Led Zeppelin Play Together for the First Time
On Aug. 12, 1968, in a small space on Gerrard Street in the west end of London, Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, John Paul Jones and John Bonham played together for the very first time.
47 Years Ago: Janis Joplin Becomes a Star With Big Brother & the Holding Company’s ‘Cheap Thrills’
Cheap Thrills was Big Brother's second album, but in a way it's their first real statement.
46 Years Ago: The Stooges’ Debut Sets the Stage for Punk
The Stooges' 1969 self-titled debut album opened the door for everything loud, hard and heavy that followed.
47 Years Ago: The Newport Pop Festival Brings Together Diverse Lineup
The era of the big rock festival is littered with the legendary, the local and the forgotten. Among the ruins of the rock-festival era sits an interesting curiosity known as the Newport Pop Festival.
The Story of Yes’ First Concert
Yes began their live career on a very inauspicious note, as they performed their first gig on Aug. 3, 1968, at the East Mersea Youth Camp in Essex.
How Guns N’ Roses Revitalized Rock ‘n’ Roll With Their Debut Album, ‘Appetite for Destruction’
Before all the drama, Guns N' Roses were a kick-ass little rock 'n' roll band.
The Story of the Grateful Dead’s Experimental, Forward-Looking ‘Anthem of the Sun’
The Grateful Dead released their second album, 'Anthem of the Sun,' on July 18, 1968.
That Time Jimi Hendrix Joined the Monkees Tour
What do you get when you cross a psychedelic guitar genius with one of the world's bestselling pop bands? A frustrated guitarist, a disappointed band and a bewildered and confused audience.
The Story of Rush’s Influence-Exploring ‘Feedback’ EP
Released on June 29, 2004, as part of a celebration of their 30th anniversary, the 'Feedback' EP did a little crate-digging to pay tribute to some of Rush's early influences.
46 Years Ago: The Grateful Dead Hint Toward the Future With ‘Aoxomoxoa’
The Grateful Dead were inching ever closer to capturing something essential in the studio with 'Aoxomoxoa,' which was released on June 20, 1969.