I wondered for a few days. Should I write this? I know that I've already gone on about a group of people "pretending" to be a band and surely known as tribute bands. There's really no fraud being perpetrated there against the fan as it's all there in writing. But what if the band in question is being touted as "the band," when in fact, they're really not and yet get away with it? Is it a forgiveable offense or is it a fraudulent representation of a band that truly no longer exists? Or if it does exist, how do we respond to the version that is making the rounds?

On Sunday, I attended the Blue Oyster Cult/Foghat show at the OC County Fair. Now, I already know that Lonesome Dave is gone, lost to kidney cancer, and that Rod Price is gone as well, lost by heart attack. I also know that Tony Stevens is "on again-off again." In addition, I'm well aware that Roger Earl, the original drummer and current keeper of the light, has chosen to continue with the band's legacy. Ok, I can hang with all of that. If I disagree with the situation, I can choose to not go to any shows, etc. However, what if you get to a show and find that even Roger Earl is NOT pounding the skins? What you have even remotely close to originality is Craig MacGregor, who came in much later in the band's history and during a period of decline.

Here's the problem (for me, at least). The short set, which was played, was played by three inconsequential members that do not even register on the legacy meter for Foghat. Earl was nowhere in sight but instead was replaced by another drummer. (I did some searching later to see if I could find out why he wasn't playing and located a recovery from surgery.) Still, the band that took the stage, playing very familiar hits of a band that defined the '70s, was nothing more than a tribute band. Yes, MacGregor played in a later version of Foghat (and he gets a bit of a pass here) but the whole thing left me feeling quite depressed over the fact that everyone was listening to band that had little to do with the songs they were hearing, and many likely didn't know that the band playing were not really the true 'boogie men' of Foghat, Just a band borrowing the name.

Perhaps I am being foolish. The audience did enjoy the show. But many would enjoy a show with pretend members of a band that are not original in most aspects. Should we be concerned that such fraud exists? I am concerned regardless because I see an erosion of a solid legacy when such a thing happens. I see unknown people carrying on with a legacy name to earn a living when the truth is they should let the legacy lie dormant when the originals cannot participate in a viable way.

Yes, Blue Oyster Cult is also but a shadow if its former glories, but at least the remaining original members on tour were/are the band's strong points being the band's voices, primary song-writers, and familiar guitars. While I found their set-list and jam-heavy moments to be geared toward the true fan, I'm very sure that few, very few attending, were serious BOC fans. This set was not for them. The set was short and left the audience wanting and grumbling.

And so - once again - I leave you with a complaint of bands being who they are not. I already know that some of you do not have trouble with tribute bands. But how do you feel about bands being touted as the real thing when the fact is they are far away from being the real thing. Would you characterize this as fraud? Should the "Foghat" that took the stage on Sunday at the OC Fair, and other nearby dates, be allowed to hang that revered logo over the drum kit duping people into believing that they are getting the real thing?

I'm saying no.

How about you?

I have finally found some time to write up a review. Today, I have one posted of Gateway, the latest, and most excellent multi-hued ambient album by the Norwegian ambient composer, Erik Wøllo. I hope that you enjoy the music as much as I have.

I want to alert TAP readers to the fact that I have finally put together a FaceBook fan page that you can access and join by clicking on the badge below.  What this offers is the exact same thing as my Twitter feeds provide and that is first buzz on upcoming releases and free offered downloads, many announcements  that beat our main post, sometimes by days.  We also provide a Google BUZZ page that expands on most of the Twitter/FB feeds. On Buzz, you can even hear the music stream if a stream is offered.  There are still things that I'm working on in the FB page, like calender notes as well as links to great sites like The Second Disc.  I invite you to join us at our FB page and bookmark it.  Visit it daily and you'll be rewarded with much news and info.  Of course, you'll still want to come to the main MusicTAP page for our noisy commentaries.  Remember, with our Twitter feeds, you can elect to receive the news bursts as text on your mobile phone keeping you effortlessly up to date with stuff.  Lots of choices.  Find one, or two, that fits.

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Time/Life has a plan to release a 3DVD set called The 25th Anniversary Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Concerts featuring Various Artists inductees throughout that 25 year period. The set is scheduled for October 5 and does not have a BD (Blu-ray) set listed on the calendar (at least not yet).

Atlantic Records will have a 2DVD set of Crossroads Guitar Festival 2004, and a 2DVD set of Crossroads Guitar Festival 2007, both with Eric Clapton, available on September 14. Both 2DVD sets will be stored in a Super Jewel Case housing.

Roadrunner Records will release a 2DVD and a 2DVD/3CD Deluxe Edition Live Opeth set called In Live Concert From The Royal Albert Hall. This set is planned for release on September 21.

Roadrunner Records have also annouced the intended release of A Public Disservice Announcement by Methods of Mayhem, scheduled for September 21 on CD.

Roadrunner Records will also release a Live set by Dragonforce called Twilight Dementia.

Atlantic Records will release a CD and a Deluxe Edition CD by the Zac Brown Band on September 21. The album is called You Get What You Give.

Nonesuch Records have a Steve Reich title on the calendar called Double Sextet/2x5, which is planned for release on September 14.

Thanks to The Second Disc for alerting all to the upcoming Iconoclassic releases that include Youngblood (1983) by Carl Wilson (The Beach Boys), and Artificial Paradise (1973) by The Guess Who, both on September 21.

Maverick Records plan a vinyl reissue of White Pony (2000) by The Deftones. The 2LP set is scheduled for September 14.

BarlowGirl will have a 15-track collection released by Fervent Records on September 14 called The Journey...So Far.

The new Serj Tankian album called Imperfect Harmonies, which releases on September 7 on CD, will have its LP version arriving slightly later, scheduled for September 21.

Photo Finish Records along with Atlantic Records will release Race You To The Bottom by New Medicine (hailing from Minneapolis, MN). Check out their music on their MySpace page. It's laced with a '70s arena rock sound but they don't hesitate to throw a more modern sound in there at times.

Mana has a reissued DVD coming out, MTV Unplugged (1999), scheduled for September 14 via Warner Music Latina.

And finally, we close down with a Holidays title (yep, here they come. I've actually failed to mention others but this one bears noting for those "christmas the year 'round" folks), Saguaro Road Records will release Christmas With The O'Jays on CD with a release date of September 14.