Rock

Rock historian Ed Ward tells us about the great lost British band, the Soft Boys.

1960's Pop singer Bobby Vee has released a new tribute recording to the late Buddy Holly. This February 3rd marks the 40th Anniversary of Holly's death. Vee was chosen at the last minute to perform at the show Holly was scheduled to appear at. His tribute is "Down The Line" on Rock House Productions. Also a new re-issue on EMI records features his greatest hits.

Vee, who died Monday, had 38 hit singles including, "Take Good Care of My Baby." During a 1999 Fresh Air interview, Vee explained how the plane crash that killed Buddy Holly got him started in music.

Guitarist Salman Ahmad (Sol-MAHN AH-MAHD) and bassist Brian O'Connell, from the Pakistani rock band Junoon (Ju-NOON). They are Pakistani's best-selling band, with four albums, and 2-million sales. They've gained an international following thanks to the Internet and MTV. The band also includes lead singer, Ali Azmat. The group is currently on tour.

Rock critic Ken Tucker reviews Beck's new CD "Mutations." Bong Load records.

Music writer Peter Guralnick has written volume two of his biography of Elvis Presley. "Careless Love: The Unmaking of Elvis Presley." (Little, Brown and Company). Part One of his biography is, "Last Train to Memphis."

Rock critic Ken Tucker reviews "Fool's Parade" by Peter Wolf.

Musician and singer Peter Wolf. He's the former lead singer with the J. Geils Band which he was with for 17 years. He's been a solo artist for a while. On his latest CD "Fool's Parade" (Mercury) he's incorporated the Memphis sound.

The Fresh Air rock critic gives his picks for the best albums of the year. Tucker is critic-at-large for Entertainment Weekly.

Cooper helped popularize the Hammond B3 organ as part of rock music, performing on recordings of Bob Dylan, Jimi Hendrix, The Rolling Stones, and The Who. He was a member of the legendary Blues Project, and later founded the group Blood Sweat & Tears. Now he teaches at The Berklee College of Music in Boston, and writes a monthly column for EQ Magazine. His autobiography, "Backstage Passes & Backstabbing Bastards: Memoirs of a Rock 'n Roll Survivor" (Billboard Books) which was first published in 1977 has just been updated and reissued.

Fulks has one foot in the singer/songwriter scene and one in country music. He spent three years writing songs in Nashville, but no one opted to record his songs. So he's recently come out with a new CD of his own music, "Let's Kill Saturday Night" (Geffen Records). Fulks began his career as a regular at the same fabled Greenwich Village hole in the wall where Bob Dylan made a name for himself. He joins Fresh Air to talk about his career and sing some of his songs.

Pop critic Ken Tucker reviews "Is This Desire" the latest release by the English singer, songwriter and guitarist Polly Jean Harvey.

Rock critic Ken Tucker reviews Alanis Morrissette's new release "Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie" (Maverick/Reprise)

Critic Milo Miles has a retrospective of British blues guitarist Peter Green who founded the group Fleetwood Mac, then dropped out and stopped performing. Now Green has a new album, "Robert Johnson Songbook" (Artisan label). Two earlier Green albums are: "Then Play On" (Reprise) and "Green and Guitar" (Music Club label).

Film critic John Powers reviews "Velvet Goldmine" the new film written and directed by Todd Haynes. The film looks at the early 70's "glam rock" scene. Haynes earlier film was "Safe" about a suburban house-wife who becomes allergic to nearly everything.

Rock critic Ken Tucker reviews Sheryl Crow's newest CD "The Globe Sessions" on A&M Records.

Nelson is best known for her work leading the Mother Earth band from the 1960s and 70s. Her hits included "Down So Low" and "Mother Earth." A collection of her hits "The Best of Tracy Nelson/Mother Earth" (Reprise) came out in 1996. She has a number of albums on Rounder: "Homemade Songs/Come See About Me," "In the Here and Now," "I Feel So Good" and "Move On." She's also got a new recording in which she teams up with Marcia Ball and Irma Thomas, "Sing it!" (Rounder).

Rock critic Ken Tucker reviews Belle and Sebastian's record "The Boy with the Arab Strap."

Patti Smith's guitarist Lenny Kaye talks about the new four-CD collection called Nuggets. (Rhino) It showcases some of the most influential garage rock bands in the late 60's following the British Invasion. Kaye compiled the first volume which was released in 1972. He has collaborated with Gary Stewart to expand the collection to a box-set.

Music critic Milo Mile reviews an expanded edition of "Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First Psychedelic Era."