Having had its share of success in the rock-pop realm - selling some 20 million albums - the group sought to make this latest offering all about attitude. "This album won't get labeled as the pop record of the year," frontman DONNIE VAN ZANT says with a hearty laugh, noting that, to him, Drivetrain is the ultimate 38 Special album: "It really personifies what rock and roll is all about. It's greasy, it's loud and it's proud." And the name just seemed to fit.

"The drivetrain on any motorized machine - from giant earth-movers to Indy cars - is what keeps the wheels on the road and in the game," Van Zant states, "This music keeps our wheels on the road. We've always been a band that tried to stay honest with what has driven us over the years. And it's the greatest validation just to endure, to reach that longevity."

The often-bombastic blues-rock tracks compiling Drivetrain owe their rawness to a more natural production approach favored by Barnes and fellow guitarist/vocalist DANNY CHAUNCEY, who produced the disc together.

Barnes says, "In the past, we had assumed that recordings needed to be sonically clean and compressed with no ambient noise, you know... everything in its place and nice. But our goal this time was to make it not so nice. The actual sound pressure in the room is part of the track." And no other track on the album reveals their edge and horsepower like the lead radio single, "Hurts Like Love."

Danny Chauncey offers his take on the production. "Sometimes controlled chaos can be a good thing, so we cranked up the amps and kept the room mics open to get the ambient noise from the bashing drums and bass. We wanted to capture that explosive attitude, what we sound like LIVE with a 50-foot-tall P.A. system."

Drivetrain's southern-rock-tinged, big chorus-laden tracks cover issues as diverse as love, hope, politics, and rampant passion. But mostly, it shows the heart of a seasoned band after decades of intense roadwork.

"Something I Need," "Quick Fix," as well as the first single from the album, "Hurts Like Love," focuses on extreme desire to the point of obsession.

"Jam On," like many of the cuts on the disc, came from an idea that 38 had been kicking around for a couple of years. After Barnes saw U2 frontman Bono waving an American flag on the cover of Time magazine, they were inspired to finish the track. The song became sort of a reaction to the war-torn world we now live in, with an idealized solution.

"That one was kind of our little political commentary. The rest of 'em are about cars and girls," Barnes says with a laugh.

On "Haley's Got a Harley," Van Zant gets more expressive and dynamic than ever: "As a vocalist, I really wanted to get outside of myself on that," he says. "It's good to push your boundaries."

Van Zant is a unique driving force for the band, with an unending spirit that propels the rest to always take it up a notch.

His name is synonymous with Southern rock royalty, being the younger brother of icon and Rock and Roll Hall of Famer, the late Ronnie Van Zant, singer and founder of Lynyrd Skynyrd.

While it's been a few years since the last full 38 Special studio record, it's not as if the band has been dormant. Far from it.

The group also wrote the complete score and performed music for Searchlight Films' "Super Troopers." (the Drivetrain song, "Trooper With an Attitude," first appeared in the film). It was a first for an entire band to provide a soundtrack and score sequential scenes. The boys in 38 enjoyed doing the work, finding it "musically liberating," and are presently reviewing offers for more.

A complete live 38 Special show was filmed in 1999 and is available on DVD - Live at Sturgis - filmed and recorded at the legendary annual motorcycle rally in Sturgis, South Dakota. (available on Sanctuary Records as a DVD and companion CD). - filmed and recorded at the legendary annual motorcycle rally in Sturgis, South Dakota. (available on Sanctuary Records as a DVD and companion CD).

In addition to cutting a spirited holiday album, "A Wild-Eyed Christmas Night," and contributing a track to a Hank Williams Jr. tribute disc, the band recently joined with country superstar Trace Adkins in filming the CMT televised series, "Crossroads."

Trace Adkins and 38 Special onstage together, performing their classic songs, rocked country music television like never before.

(In interview segments, Trace re-emphasized 38's influence and impact on many new artists. The telecast has been one of CMT's top requested re-aired segments among fans nationwide.)

For 38 Special onstage, rounded out by bassist LARRY "L.J." JUNSTROM, drummer GARY MOFFATT and keyboardist/vocalist BOBBY CAPPS, it's a celebration of camaraderie and brotherhood unmatched. A precision team of seasoned veterans bringing the dedication and honesty to a long history of classic, timeless songs, as well as surprisingly fresh new material.

Since 1976, the band has released more than 15 albums, and from the start, they've toured relentlessly, bringing their signature brand of 'muscle and melody' to fans worldwide. While attending to this year's rigorous touring schedule, 2011 will see the band deliver an explosive live set, 38 Special - Live From Texas.

The entire history of hits are there with some new surprises, including songs from their movie soundtracks, as well as a 38 Special version of the Top-10 country radio hit, "Help Somebody," recorded by Donnie and his brother Johnny on their debut as Van Zant. Live From Texas, recorded at various outdoor festivals across the state, captures the rowdy party-atmosphere attitude and approach that fans have long associated with the band. "And the magic's still there," says Van Zant. "It's a high I can't describe. It's like being strapped in a rocket. When I walk up those steps to that stage and hear that audience roar, sometimes I feel like Don and I don't even have to sing, because the crowds are so vocal! And it just takes off from there." Says Barnes, "We've always carried an attitude that we're going out there to win, no matter who shares the stage with us. Call it a competitive edge or whatever. It's just that we've never taken a backseat to anyone. We try to move the crowd, sort of take 'em for a ride, you know?"

Van Zant adds, "And since we've had the good fortune to have a lot of well-known songs over the years, each show is a victory for us. We just line 'em up and shoot 'em down. More bang for the buck, I say. By the end of the show, the crowds are so amped up, they're completely exhausted," laughs Van Zant..."along with us!"

LOVERBOY's inception began in Calgary, Canada, when Mike Reno was introduced to Paul Dean at The Refinery Night Club, which at the time was owned by their manager Lou Blair.   Dean was rehearsing a new band out back in a warehouse with a friend of Reno's and Mike stopped by to jam. Dean heard him sing a couple of songs and that was that!  Over the next few weeks, Dean and Reno began writing songs on guitar and drums.  Doug Johnson who at the time was in another Canadian recording band began to hang out and jam with Dean and Reno.  It was during one of those jam sessions with Reno on drums and Dean on bass that Turn Me Loose and LOVERBOYwas born. 

After being rejected by all the major U.S. record companies LOVERBOY signed with Columbia Records Canada.  On March the 20^th, 1980,  LOVERBOY went into the studio with producer Bruce Fairbairn and engineer Bob Rock to record  their self-titled debut album -- LOVERBOY.  The summer of 1980 saw the record fly out of the stores setting record sales for a debut album -- over 700,000 records in Canada.  ColumbiaU.S. had no choice but recognize that 700,000 people could not be wrong.  The U.S. released the album in November 1980 and by April 1981, it had gone GOLD.  LOVERBOY's debut album went on to sell more than 2 million albums in the U.S. and 4 million worldwide.

Soon the band found themselves playing on mega tours with Journey, Bob Seger, Cheap Trick, ZZ Top, Kansas and Def Leppard, to name a few;  they quickly became MTV darlings, being one of the first bands ever featured on the music channel.

Between dates,( over 200 shows in 1981) the band wrote and recorded their second multi-platinum selling album.  In 1981, GET LUCKY was released.  It featured Working For The Weekend, When It's Over, Take Me To The Top,Only The Lucky Ones, Jump, etc.  GET LUCKY, and the band's enormous touring success, led LOVERBOYin 1982, to an unprecedented six Juno Awards, Canada's highest music award.  This record still stands today.

In 1983, LOVERBOYreleased their third album KEEP IT UP, and launched another extensive eight-month world tour.  With Hot Girls In Love and Queen Of The BrokenHearts burning up the airwaves they were soon recognized as one of the hardest working bands with a must-see live show.

LOVIN' EVERY MINUTE OF IT, the band's fourth album it hit the airwaves, and landed them as one of the Top Five grossing touring acts, performing in over 100 cities across the U.S. and Canada.  Their success earned them the title of becoming the first Canadian group to earn Columbia Records' exclusive Crystal Glove Award, celebrating the sale of over five million albums outside their native country.

In 1986LOVERBOY recorded Heaven In Your Eyes, for the soon to be blockbuster movie - TOP GUN.  The single went Top 5 on Billboard's chart.  This was followed by the 1987 release of WILDSIDE -- LOVERBOY's  last studio album of the 1980's.

After nine years of being ruled by LOVERBOY's agenda of recording, touring, television appearances, videos, and  hoards of interviews Paul, Mike, Matt, Doug and Scott decided to take a rest from the band and each other.  The year was 1989.

In the late fall of 1992, LOVERBOYre-united to join Bryan Adams, Bon Jovi and other stars to help raise money for cancer-stricken friend and fellow recording artist Brian 'Too Loud' McLeod.  Unrehearsed, and three years since their last performance, the band hit the stage running.  The music industry-dominated crowd loved what they saw and were reminded of why LOVERBOY was such a great live band.  Mike, Matt, Doug, Scott and Paul felt they this was the most fun they had had in years.  They wanted to do it again.

This time LOVERBOY decided to have some fun.  They got into their own cars and drove around Western Canada doing selected dates.  They were back doing what they loved -- performing live.

In 1993 the band decided to go back into the U.S. with some trepidation --  LOVERBOY  did 64 concert dates.  There was no reason to be nervous.  The fans came back out and brought new ones with them.

Sony/Legacyreleased a new greatest hits album entitled, LOVERBOY - CLASSICS.  By now, the band had been touring every year since 1993 doing shows with old friends such as Foreigner, REO Speedwagon, Cheap Trick, Night Ranger, Eddie Money.  In 1998 they performed over 95 concerts in the U.S. alone.  Old habits die-hard -- still relentlessly touring. A direct result of touring was that in the U.S. in 1998 LOVERBOY - CLASSICS  went GOLD.

Buoyed by their new GOLD record, LOVERBOY management and Sony/Legacy started to exchange ideas on a live album.  Having never released a live record it was decided it was time.  Live recordings had to be relocated.  They had to be carefully handled because most of the live concert recordings had being lying dormant for over 15 years.  Members of the band worked with Al Quaglieri [Sony Producer] to refurbish the recordings.  Finally, after two years of work, in the summer of 2001, Sony/Legacy released the first ever live greatest hit's cd from LOVERBOY's intense touring years of 1982 - 1986 titled " LIVE, LOUD & LOOSE". Joining Sony/Legacy's best-selling "Live from the Vaults" series that has unearthed live recordings by Janis Joplin, The Byrds, Cheap Trick, Carole King, Ted Nugent, Santana and others, LOVERBOY's"LIVE, LOUD & LOOSE" is a collection of live recordings captured on tape from some of their most exciting concerts. 

Recorded for Westwood One's syndicated radio series at concerts in Pittsburg, La Crosse and their hometown of Vancouver, the cd contains 14 previously unreleased live concert recordings featuring LOVERBOY's mega hits which include:  Working For The Weekend, Lucky Ones, Lady Of The 80's, Take Me To The Top, Jump, This Could Be The Night, Dangerous, Lead A Double Life, When It's Over, Queen Of The Broken Hearts, Lovin' Every Minute Of It, Hot Girls In Love, Turn Me Loose and The Kid Is Hot Tonite.

In conjunction with the release of "LIVE LOUD & LOOSE"LOVERBOY  toured the US and Canada in 2001/2002 in the support of their latest collection.  The tour was dedicated to the memory of their friend and late bassist Scott Smith, who was declared lost at sea on November 30^th 2000.  With the cd also dedicated to Smith," LIVE LOUD & LOOSE"  serves as a special memory for the band that has been together for the last 24 years.

As the late Scott Smith told former MTV founding VJ Nina Blackwood for the liner notes of the CD, "Enough of the long-winded reminisces!  Slap this baby in your CD player and crank it up.  If it takes you back to a certain show and good memories, then you've made us happy."

LOVERBOY continues to perform selected dates throughout the US and Canada.

In the last 25 years HEAD EAST has appeared in more than 5000 concerts. From Sf. Louis to Seattle and Dallas to Detroit, HEAD EAST has performed in every major city and market in North America. Stadiums such as the L.A. Coliseum, Arrowhead and Royals in Kansas City, Bush in Sf. Louis, County Stadium in Milwaukee and the Cotton Bowl in Dallas, Texas have all reverberated to the exciting sounds of HEAD EAST! With the keys to the cities of Sf. Louis and Milwaukee and the all time biggest selling album in the history of Sf. Louis, you know that with HEAD EASTyou are in for an incredible show.

Led by founding member, keyboardist, and producer Roger Boyd. HEAD EAST brings an overwhelming amount of talent and experience to the stage! Roger has assembled some of the best musicians & singers in the country to keep HEAD EAST one of the hottest and energetic live shows touring today!

Make sure that you don't miss your chance to catch "HEAD EAST LIVE" and help them celebrate over two decades of performing the best Rock and Roll all over the country. 

Though St. Louis is often mentioned as Head East's hometown, the original members grew up insouth central Illinois. Originally known as the TimeAtions, the band adopted the name Head East at the suggestion of Baxter Forrest Twilight, who was a technician/stage hand for the band. August 6, 1969 is recognized as the date the band officially became Head East and they played their first gig in Carbondale, Illinois about 100 miles southeast of St. Louis.

The band, originally comprised of brothers Roger and Larry Boyd, Steve Huston, John Schlitt, and Dan Piper, would see many members come and go over the next four years. Lead singer John Schlitt and drummer Steve Huston soon left the band to concentrate on their studies and several members performed in their place until John and Steve returned as full time members in 1973. Interim vocalists and drummers included Annie Williams, Joel Motel, Betsy Kreuger, Dale Innes, and Jean Mullin on vocals, and Tony Juodis and Dan Odum on drums.

The line-up that would take them through their first six albums began to take shape in Champaign/Urbana, Illinois in 1973 where Roger Boyd and John Schlitt had been students at the University of Illinois (Steve Huston had attended Eastern Illinois University in Charleston, Illinois less than an hour south of Champaign/Urbana). Guitarist Dan Piper had left in 1972, and after both Greg Williams and Brad Flota did short stints on guitar, the band held auditions for a new guitarist. Mike Somerville was selected over numerous others who auditioned to be the new Head East lead guitarist. Shortly thereafter, Roger Boyd who had left a few months earlier, rejoined the band replacing Dickie Harney who had filled in on keyboards. By the summer of 1974 Dan Birney had replaced Larry Boyd on bass guitar, joining Roger Boyd, Steve Huston, John Schlitt, and Mike Somerville as members of Head East. Birney had previously played in a band with Mike Somerville's brother Scott.

They entered Golden Voice studios in Pekin, Illinois that summer and recorded the tracks to their first album, Flat As A Pancake, which they released on their own label, Pyramid Records. A&M Records soon took note of the bands popularity, and the airplay and record sales of the Pyramid release and signed Head East to the A&M label. Flat As A Pancake was rereleased on A&M in 1975 and was certified Gold (representing 500,000 in record sales) in 1978. Single releases of Never Been Any Reason and Love Me Tonight both charted on Billboard's Hot 100 singles chart. Never Been Any Reason has since become a staple of classic rock radio and is one of the most frequently played classic rock anthems in many parts of the country.

In 1976, Head East released Get Yourself Up, followed by Getting' Lucky in 1977, the selftitled Head East in 1978, and Head East Live! and A Different Kind of Crazy in 1979. During this time the band was a huge concert draw, regularly playing to large crowds at major venues as the headlining act. But this popularity did not show on the charts, with Since You Been Gone from the self-titled Head East album being the only single during this time frame to crack Billboard's Hot 100.

On 20 April, 1980, the line-up of Roger Boyd, Dan Birney, Steve Huston, John Schlitt, and Mike Somerville played their last concert at Kearney State University in Kearney, Nebraska. The band had ceased to be a cohesive unit and the decision to discontinue playing together had actually been made prior to the completion of the tour that ended in Kearney. John Schlitt left the band due to substance abuse problems and attempted to front his own band Johnny for several months, but soon dropped out of the music business. John overcame his problems with drugs and alcohol and in 1985 embarked on a career in contemporary christian music as lead singer of the band Petra. Dan Birney and Mike Somerville also left, choosing not to continue on with Head East. Mike would return to Head East in 1994 after participating in numerous other musical projects including the Somerville-Scorfina Band in the early 80's with former Pavlov's Dog guitarist Stephen Scorfina. Dan Birney left to work in radio in Washington state and Iowa before relocating to Arizona in the mid-80's.

Remaining original members Roger Boyd and Steve Huston quickly enlisted Mark Boatman (bass), Tony Gross (guitar), and former member Dan Odum (vocals), and recorded the U.S. 1 album, which was released later that same year. This would be the last studio album that Head East would record on A&M Records.

Head East released Onward And Upward in 1982 on Allegiance Records. Robbie Robinson joined the band on bass for this release, having replaced Mark Boatman. Over the next few years, Tony Gross, Steve Huston, Dan Odum, and Robbie Robinson would all depart and several new members would join the ranks of Head East. Ricky Lynn Gregg, Brian Kelly, Joel Parks, J. Jaye Steele, and Matt Stewart (formerly of Starcastle) Kurt Hansen and Donnie Dobbins would join during this same period as well and Tony Gross would eventually return in 1987 after a three years absence.

Choice Of Weapons, released in 1988 on Dark Heart Records. This album took a departure from the traditional Head East sound and featured a more modern synthesized sound reminiscent of other popular groups of the late 80's. Several former Head East members are credited on this release Dan Birney, Ricky Lynn Gregg, Brian Kelly, and Joel Parks.

Head East has been regaining it's popularity over the last few years, no doubt due to the resurgence of classic rock music. This rise in popularity has resulted in the issuance of three CD's, Concert Classics Vol. 7 on Renaissance Records in 1999, Live On Stage on Universal!A&M in 2000, and 20th Century Masters - The Best of Head East - The Millennium Collection which was released by Universal!A&M on 25 September, 2001. A fourth release tentatively titled Flying By Night (import re-issue of Concert Classics Vol VII under a new name) was pulled from production by NMC Music of London England prior to any copies being issued.

Head East has brought more than three decades of rock to their fans, a tradition that is destined to continue for many years. Roger Boyd, keyboardist and leader of Head East, has stated that Head East will continue to rock as long as he can lift his synthesizer over his head and play. And that he looks forward to bringing another decade or two of music to the fans.

Head East currently performs about 40 to 60 shows each year throughout the country. They put on a high-energy show that is true to their original sound. In their show are such songs as City Of Gold/Fly By Night Lady, Love Me Tonight, Raise A Little Hell, Jefftown Creek, Gettin'Lucky, Get Up & Enjoy Yourself, Elijah, Wrong Time, Since & You Been Gone, and Never Been Any Reason, as well as the traditional blues favorite, Stormy Monday.

The nucleus of the band originated in Phoenix, Arizona in the late '60s, where Bill Spooner (guitar), Vince Welnick (keyboards) and Rick Anderson  (bass) formed 'The Beans' (alternately billing themselves as the Radar Men from Uranus).  The aspiring trio eventually relocated to the post-psychedelic haze of San Francisco in 1972.  Once there, the Beans recruited guitarist Roger Steen (guitar) Prairie Prince (drums) from 'The Red, White & Blues Band'.  The first real incarnation of 'The Tubes' was born when the original members recruited Michael Cotten (keyboards) and former roadie Fee Waybill (lead vocals). 

From 1972-1975 the band toured continuously before A&M Records signed them to a major recording contract.  Prior to the signing, the band earned devoted cult following on the strength of Spooner's parodic songs and the group's surreal live show extravaganzas that took in everything from rock, pop, heavy metal, country and disco. Word of mouth about the electrifying live experience of the concerts travelled fast, and soon the Tubes earned the reputation as the must-see rock'n'roll band of all time.

Their debut album 'The Tubes' (1975), produced by Al Kooper, was critically acclaimed, and included the classic tracks 'White Punks On Dope' and  'What Do You Want From Life',  followed by 'Young And Rich' (1976), which featured the song 'Slipped My Disco'. Both albums introduced audiences to some of the most scathing; satirical songs that ridiculed the hypocrisy of white trash America.  The hilarious quiz show parody 'What Do You Want From Life', and the ever-controversial anti-drug anthem 'White Punks On Dope', helped to form an integral part of the band's historic 1977 blockbuster concerts.

By the time the band's third album, 'Now' was released, the Tubes met British exile and former promoter of the Isle of Wight Festival, Rikki Farr. A fan of the band, Farr was convinced the UK was ready for the Tubes, and shrewdly persuaded them to tour there and record a live album.  The Tubes went on to sell out an amazing five-night engagement at the Hammersmith Odeon in London.  During the recording of the live concert album, 'What Do You Want From Live', Waybill accidentally broke his leg onstage while acting out his punk character Johnny Bugger; the remainder of the tour was cancelled.

After returning to America, they recruited producer Todd Rundgren and recorded what was to be their fourth and final album for A&M; 1979's excellent 'Remote Control', a unique concept album that explored the impact that television and the media had on society.  Stand out tracks included 'Turn Me On', 'TV Is King', and 'Prime Time'.

By 1981 the Tubes signed to Capitol Records and released the David Foster produced 'Completion Backwards Principle'; an album based on an actual sales training instruction manual.  Both 'Talk to Ya Later' and 'Don't Want to Wait Anymore' finally earned them significant airplay on American radio, while the album became the Tubes' first Top 40 chart entry.  Two years later, in 1983, the single 'She's a Beauty' reached the Top Ten, and pushed the Tubes' sixth studio album, 'Outside/Inside' into the U.S. Top 20. 

By 1985, the band released their seventh studio album, 'Love Bomb'; the second Tubes album to be produced by Todd Rundgren.  'Love Bomb' scored a minor hit single with 'Piece By Piece', however, later the same year the original Tubes line-up disbanded.   Vince Welnick went on to join the Grateful Dead, while Fee Waybill went on to pursue a solo career and dabbled in acting and played the role of Dr. Frank N Furter, the mad scientist from Transylvania, in the Michigan stage version of 'The Rocky Horror Show'.

In 1992, Capital Records released 'The Best of The Tubes' which became a popular seller throughout Europe.  The band reunited; consisting of Waybill, Steen, Anderson, Prince recruited new keyboardist Gary Cambra, and due to the popularity of the greatest hits album, embarked on a European tour.  Eleven years after the original line-up split, the reunited Tubes released what was to become their eighth studio album, 'Genius Of America'.   Four years later, in 2000, the Tubes embarked on an extensive tour of America and Europe to support the release of their second official live album, 'Tubes World Tour 2001'. 

At their best, The Tubes has the uncanny ability to highlight the absurdity of everyday American life, occasionally shocking audiences along the way, but more importantly, always making them think twice.  Perceived by fans and media alike as the 'Marshall McLuhans of rock'n'roll', the Tubes became both the medium and the message, stimulating the senses through their dynamic, controversial and politically incorrect audio visual live spectacles.  The Tubes have always managed to expose, enlighten and entertain audiences worldwide by combining art with trash, comedy with tragedy, and innovative rock theatre with consummate musicianship.