Steven Rosen has been a rock journalist for over 40 years. During these past 4+ decades, he has seen his work published in major music magazines and newspapers from all over the globe. His archive of stories, which numbers well over 1,000 articles, have been set in print everywhere from Japan, China, Australia, South America, and Europe to Canada, the U.S. and even Nepal. Included amongst the hundreds of magazines that have printed his stories are Rolling Stone, Creem, Circus, Playboy, Guitar Player, Guitar World, Classic Rock, Mojo, the Los Angeles Times, Musician, Drum! and many, many others.
Rosen has written seven book including biographies about Black Sabbath, Free/Bad Company, Prince, Bruce Springsteen, Jeff Beck and Randy Rhoads. Peripherally, he has been cited and referenced in many different periodicals on everybody from Led Zeppelin, the Who, and Van Halen, to Deep Purple, King Crimson and Frank Zappa.
Besides journalism, the St. Louis native is a published songwriter and has had his songs recorded by Cold Sweat, Autograph, Blackthorne and Sic Vikki. He co-wrote a World Music project called Spirit Nation, which was signed to Richard Branson’s V2 Records label. The self-titled CD sold nearly 40,000 copies, an astonishing number for this type of non-mainstream music.
Rosen’s work can be currently read on www.rockcellarmagazine.com where he writes a monthly piece called Behind the Curtain. Here he sheds light on what it was really like hanging out with Zeppelin on tour for 11 days in 1977 and bringing Billy Gibbons back to his Hollywood Hills guest cottage to check out his massive album collection.
He continues to interview the creatures of rock to this day.
Known as the “Fretless Monster”, Tony Franklin has played alongside some of the greatest names in music history. He got his big break in 1984 as bassist in stellar supergroup The Firm, with guitar legend Jimmy Page, vocalist Paul Rodgers and drummer Chris Slade (AC/ DC, Manfred Mann’s Earth Band). Franklin’s signature fretless growl was a distinctive and instantly recognizable element of the band’s first hit, Radioactive. After two hit albums and substantial touring with The Firm, Franklin subsequently performed with Blue Murder (John Sykes, Carmine Appice), David Gilmour, Kate Bush, Whitesnake, Roy Harper, Pat Travers, Tony McAlpine, Gary Hoey, Donna Lewis, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Vasco Rossi, Eros Ramazzotti and many others. In January 2006, Fender proudly introduced the Tony Franklin Signature Model Fretless Precision Bass, a replica of the instrument Franklin has used throughout his career. Summer 2018 saw the release of Franklin’s Fretless Bass Instructional Course through TrueFire. With a bass solo album nearing completion, Master Classes, counseling, constant writing, touring and recording, Franklin says: “I’ve only just begun!” More info: www.fretlessmonster.com
Aart is best known for his fret work with bands from Boston to London. Bands like L88, Sinful, Cement, Last Man Standing, Ball N Chain, Cooper and most recently Theory 13. Aart has also written, recorded, and performed with the likes of Nuno Bettencourt (Extreme and Drama Gods), Gary Cherone (Extreme & VanHalen), Mach Bell (The Joe Perry Project & Thunder Train), Tim Bradshaw (John Mayer, David Grey, & Cooper), Ed Toth (Vertical Horizon, The Doobie Brothers & Cooper), Kfigg (Extreme & Theory 13) to name a few. Aart is also know as a successful singer-songwriter, producer, and recording engineer. Aart brings 4 decades of song writing, recording, touring & business experience to the hall of fame.