2120 South Michigan Avenue, home of Chicago's Chess Records, may be the most important address in the bloodline of the blues and rock 'n' roll.

That address - immortalized in the Rolling Stones' like-named instrumental, recorded at an epochal session at Chess in June 1964 and included on the band's album 12 X 5 - serves as the title to George Thorogood's electrifying Capitol/EMI salute to the Chess label and its immortal artists.

Thorogood has been essaying the Chess repertoire since his 1977 debut album, which included songs by Elmore James and Bo Diddley that originated on the label. He has cut 18 Chess covers over the years; three appeared on his last studio release, 2009's The Dirty Dozen. On 2120 South Michigan Avenue, he offers a full-length homage to the label that bred his style with interpretations of 10 Chess classics.

The album also includes original tributes to the Windy City and Chess' crucial songwriter-producer-bassist Willie Dixon, penned by Thorogood, producer Tom Hambridge, and Richard Fleming, plus a cranked-up version of the Stones' titular instrumental.

Chess Records had been making musical history for a decade before it moved into its offices on Michigan Avenue, in the heart of the Windy City's record business district, in 1957. Leonard and Phil Chess, sons of a Polish immigrant family and South Side nightclub operators, bought into a new independent label called Aristocrat Records in 1947. The brothers bought out their partners in 1950 and gave the label the family name; by that time, they had racked up blues hits by Muddy Waters, Sunnyland Slim, Robert Nighthawk, and St. Louis Jimmy.

Chess' studio spawned timeless '50s and '60s recordings by Waters, Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley, and Howlin' Wolf, which served as inspiration for the Stones and their blues-rocking brethren, and then lit a fire under their successors George Thorogood and the Destroyers.

Thorogood recalls, "I remember as a teenager reading about Mick Jagger meeting Keith Richards on a train. Jagger had a Chuck Berry record, and he said he wrote to Chess Records and got a catalog sent to him. Just out of curiosity, I took out one of my Chess records, got the address, and I wrote to Chess Records. And they sent me a catalog of the complete Chess library, and I started buying up these Chess records. I bought every single one of them I could possibly get.

"And I remember reading the backs of those Chess records and seeing the address, 2120 South Michigan Avenue, and I said, 'That's the same address as the Rolling Stones' instrumental!' And I started putting one and one together and coming up with a big two."

Over time, Chess' catalog and artists became the sources of Thorogood's higher education in music. "That was my school, the college that I had to learn my trade in," he says. "I had to figure out how these people did these things."

The new album also celebrates the performers who shared stages with Thorogood and the Destroyers and encouraged them when they were just coming up on the East Coast blues scene.

He says, "The people who helped me out were all the guys in Muddy Waters' band, all the guys in Howlin' Wolf's band. They were wonderful to me, and they wanted to help me. They saw what I was trying to do."

2120 South Michigan Avenue isn't just Thorogood's salute to a great record label - it also pays homage to the tough, larger-than-life men who made the music.

"It was a lifestyle as well as an art form, as far as music goes," Thorogood notes. "They were singing about what their life was like on a daily basis. Sonny Boy Williamson and Wolf and Muddy Waters - they didn't think they were the baddest cats in the world, they knew they were the baddest cats in the world. They had to be, or they wouldn't have survived. There's nothing glamorous in it - that's just the facts. They had to fight their way through on a daily basis just to keep their heads above water. That's very clear in a lot of their songs."

Some of the songs from the Chess catalog heard on 2120 South Michigan Avenue were staples of the Destroyers' live repertoire; Thorogood says, "A lot of the things I recorded I was doing 25 or 30 years ago, and I had stopped doing them."

He adds that since many Chess recordings have become linchpins of the rock and blues repertoire, both on record and in concert, some careful winnowing had to be done for the album: "We did a lot of research and said, 'Wait a minute, the Rolling Stones did that song, John Hammond did that song.'"

Producer Tom Hambridge is the ideal collaborator for 2120 South Michigan Avenue. A veteran of tours with Chuck Berry, Roy Buchanan, the Drifters, and other stars, Hambridge won a 2010 Grammy for his work on Buddy Guy's Living Proof, and wrote the album's Guy-B.B. King duet "Stay Around a Little Longer." He received Grammy nominations for Guy's Skin Deep (2008), Johnny Winter's I'm a Bluesman (2004), and Susan Tedeschi's Just Won't Burn (1998). He also fronts his own band, Tom Hambridge & the Rattlesnakes.

The special guests on 2120 South Michigan Avenue sport direct connections to Chess and Chicago's blues scene. Guitarist Buddy Guy made his Chess label debut 51 years ago.

Thorogood remembers, "I went to [the Austin blues club] Antone's for the first time in 1977, and I saw Buddy Guy play. It was the first time I saw him, and I never forgot that he led off with [Chess artist Tommy Tucker's] 'High Heeled Sneakers.' I thought that was just unbelievable. Buddy just tore it apart, like he does everything - that's his style."

Harmonica master Charlie Musselwhite is heard on two of the album's tracks, a cover of Little Walter's hit "My Babe" and the Stones' "2120." "Memphis Charlie" haunted Chicago's South Side clubs in the '60s, learning at the feet of Chess titans like Little Walter Jacobs and Sonny Boy Williamson and hanging out with such like-minded contemporaries as Paul Butterfield, Mike Bloomfield, and Elvin Bishop of the pathfinding Paul Butterfield Blues Band.

Thorogood says, "I don't play harmonica. Little Walter plays harp, and Sonny Boy Williamson plays harp, and Howlin' Wolf plays harp. So I said, 'Well, what am I gonna do about this?' It's an easy choice. I said, 'There's only one cat we can get to play 'My Babe' by Little Walter, and that's Charlie.' He's the last cat!"

Through the entire project, Thorogood and the Destroyers attempted to put their own distinctive spin on the Chess material while maintaining fidelity to the originals' attack.

"When you do Chuck Berry and Bo Diddley, when you play Muddy Waters and Howlin' Wolf, there's no experimenting," Thorogood explains. "That's a religion, and you've gotta do it right."

The historic music heard on 2120 South Michigan Avenue didn't merely change George Thorogood's life, as he himself notes.

"It's not a musical phenomenon, it's a social phenomenon. The man who created rock 'n' roll was Chuck Berry, and he listened to Muddy Waters. Bo Diddley went to the same school and listened to the same people. Rock 'n' roll changed the whole world. That never would have happened if it hadn't been for Chess Records. It's the source of the whole thing."

Time of My Life is an exhilarating, pivotal album from a band bred to exceed expectations every time they step in to the studio. Aptly titled, 3 Doors Down's fifth career studio effort soars on the collective ethos of a dedicated band doing what they were destined to do. And then some...

"We're a solid, no frills rock band with deep friendships and a good understanding of what it takes to keep the fire going," declares bassist Todd Harrell. Translation: They answer only to their fans...and each other.

Front man, Brad Arnold wouldn't have it any other way. "Friends, road warriors, band of brothers, call us whatever you want," says the lead vocalist and lyricist, "What makes me so proud of this album is how it seems to put a stamp on all the years, all the ups and downs we've been through, and cuts some new ground for us. No matter where we're at or how we come at you, at our core is still the burning desire to give our fans the best we can give." And it's a pact that the core founding-brothers of this Mississippi quintet - Brad Arnold, lead guitarist Matt Roberts, bassist Todd Harrell and guitarist Chris Henderson made way back in grade school. Back when life was still a 'pick-up' game of fast but loyal friends nurturing just a glint of the dream that would eventually make them one of the world's most respected and enduring rock bands. With the 3 Doors Down shingle hanging 16 years and counting, joined by firebrand drummer Greg Upchurch in 2005, 3 Doors Down remains as true to the inspiring roots forged in those breakout days back in Escatawpa, Mississippi as the day they launched.

The proof is in the multiple new signature songs overflowing on this 2011 treasure chest. Test ride the searing title track "Time Of My Life," the full-throttled 'band favorite,' "Round And Round," or the powerful ballad, "Back to Me.". The album's initial offering to fans and radio, "When You're Young," sent online followers searching for adjectives that accurately reflected that magical 3 Doors Down territory, noting the band's colorful past and their take-no-prisoners attitude toward the future. The group is also joined this time round by world-class record producer Howard Benson (Daughtry, Theory Of A Deadman, Apocolyptica).

"It's an album from the heart and the soul," says Brad. "There's a song on the album called 'Race For The Sun,' that kind of sums it all up for me. I wrote it about those earliest days when we'd gig in Biloxi, and we'd be walking back from a show with the sun just coming up - I couldn't wait for the day to come so I could hear what our friends and fans had to say about last night's show, about what we meant as a band, even then, to our fans and each other."

Only 32 years old, Brad calculates he and most of '3 Doors' have been playing music for, amazingly, nearly twenty years, and are recognized as one of rock's pinnacle touring and recording entities for a decade-plus.

From that first explosive burst of "Kryptonite" which ignited their storied career at the top of last decade, to subsequent multi-platinum albums, and a non-stop touring regimen that finds them still notching shows around the world at a record pace, the group has also earned a hard-fought pedigree as one of Rock's most exciting and authentic radio icons. Their impressive and steady ascension up the ladder has seen them score multiple #1 hits, snag several Billboard and other awards, and log scores of sold-out shows over a growing global terrain that is nearing forty countries.

Their most recent self-titled 2008 album, 3 Doors Down, debuted at the #1 spot on Billboard's Top 200, as did 2005's Seventeen Days, cementing them as one of this generation's battle-tested Rock bands. Secure with their growing and genre-expanding song catalogue, bolstered by one of the decade's sturdiest live Rock legacies, has not only garnered them kudos from fans and critics, but turned heads of much sought-after producers like Benson. A 3 Doors Down admirer, he stepped up to produce Time Of My Life out of sheer passion for the southern fivesome and the high-stakes day-in-day-out craftsmanship they bring to the Rock pantheon.

"We had quite an interview process with more than a few producers," says Chris. "We knew about Howard's reputation, his great work ethic, but the turning point for us was how thoroughly he did his homework. And how his vision for this album was so compatible with ours."

Guitarist Matt Roberts also credits the songwriting mojo between band members as playing a large part in the group's ability to 'hit the ground running'. "The songs 'Round And Round,' and 'On The Run,' were among the first songs we wrote.", says Matt. "Fresh, up-tempo songs that kind of grab you. If you listen, there is something inherent in them that nails that '3 Doors Down quality.' It's hard to get that 'right off,' but we knew immediately we were letting loose with some sparks that might ignite the rest of the process.".

It's precisely the intersecting nature of each member's contribution that resonates the most on Time Of My Life; the relative ease with which this band, full-tilt into the middle of its second decade, methodically keeps it's working parts in order.

Drummer Greg admits that achieving rock n' roll longevity also requires learning some new disciplines. "I tend to crack open my first beer after the encore, now," he laughs.

"I know a lot of bands burn out when they get to our level and workload," says Matt. "But at the end of the day, everyone in this group recognizes we get the most out of each other when we work closely side by side as a unit. We felt that every step of the way during the making of this album, and it's something we don't take for granted."

That same goodwill has spread to works outside of the band's musical infrastructure. 3 Doors Down's acclaimed charity, The Better Life Foundation, is currently nearing the 3 million dollar mark in donations raised for various children's organizations along the Mississippi Coast and beyond. The band was among the first music artists to step in to aid Hurricane Katrina victims. A disaster that hit home.

"We love the hands-on stuff," says Brad. "We consider all the great work done in the name of the foundation as an extension of our family. We have the greatest fans in the world who really care about their neighbors, and we have a great staff and team who go above and beyond what is necessary to touch the lives of kids and others who may really need a helping hand."

Brad emphasizes that the close relationship the band has with their fans enables him to keep all connections open during the cycle of creating a new album, from the early songwriting phase thru their most rigorous live performances. "I truly look at it like we're all in this together," he says. "I was just telling an audience the other night - it's easy sometimes to keep going further down a road than you are meant to. You kind of get lost, you get away from yourself.". 'Heaven' is a song about just that. The good news is there's always someone to pull you back.

Echoes Chris: "When it comes down to it, we let things happen organically. It may sound simple - but we do what we have to do.".

• Scott Anderson: Lead vocals
• James Black: Lead guitar
• Rick Jackett: Rhythm guitar
• Sean Anderson: Bass guitar
• Rick Beddoe: Drums, percussion

After five albums and countless tours, Finger Eleven have made their big rock record. It's loud, powerful and fast. It's the album they've waited their entire career to make.

Life Turns Electric is the sound of Finger Eleven's pedal to the proverbial metal. They fly past state troopers and speed traps. They barrel headlong into the future but take a scenic route through the dusty roads of the '70s to get there. There's nothing retro about it, but you can hear how they've inhaled the fumes of Classic Rock. This is the sound of a band blasting forward and having a blast while doing so. The guitars are back, the melodies are strong and instantly memorable, branding the lyrics on your brain the very first time you hear them.

"Some bands get confident and coast," says Scott. "They might put out the first 10 ideas they think of and that isn't what happened here. " It's true. Finger Eleven grew confident through fan support and belief in their music and instead of coasting, they're simply more confident with their craft. On Life Turns Electric, that fact is clear. They didn't just put out the first ten jams they came up with - they put out ten of the best songs they've ever written.

Finger Eleven earned this confidence album by album, tour by tour and song by song. Since signing to Wind-Up records in 1998, the band have worked the road non-stop and released successful albums such as their debut Tip and its follow-up, The Greyest of Blue Skies. By the time they released their third, self-titled album, Finger Eleven had built a solid career. They didn't know that a little acoustic tune, written unassumingly under a tree somewhere, would be the one to crack the charts open and let them onto roads once closed to them. "One Thing," with its powerful chorus and acoustics, became a sensation.

The band's new success gave them the confidence to write Them vs You vs Me, the Gold-certified album that won Rock Album of the Year at the 2007 Junos. Them vs You vs Me, which also went Gold, was even more musically varied than Finger Eleven. Them vs You vs Me also featured "Paralyzer," a monster slab of backbone slide that became the band's biggest crossover hit. It's all funk and swagger with no best-before date, and it blasts out of car windows and club doors to this very day.

Their albums were going gold in the U.S., platinum in Canada. Their songs were on Guitar Hero and Rock Band and other video games and soundtracks. Finger Eleven's hits proved the band could be a hard rock band, an acoustic band, a funk rock band, all of these -or none of these. All they had to do was be true to themselves as Finger Eleven and both casual and hardcore fans would approve. They knew they were ready to make Life Turns Electric.

First, though, the band took some time apart to recharge - although Finger Eleven never shut down completely. Ideas continually evolve and revolve inside their heads. Eventually they brought their ideas to a cabin in the Canadian north to pull them out, lay them down and hammer them into properly righteous shape.

"When we're together, it's almost like we're a machine," says James. "Someone just drops a token in and everyone's gears start moving."

They emerged from the wilderness with their best batch of songs to date, and headed down to Wind-Up's own Quad Studios in New York City. They had something new in mind - a new attitude and a new method. After years in studios learning the ropes, they were ready to self-produce. They had honed their skills with home recordings and pitched in ideas with past producers. With the other band members at their side, Rick and James knew they could guide Finger Eleven through the making of their fifth album.

They took their first test run with "Living In A Dream," the lead single with the mad groove and the crazy-memorable chorus. The result? A smash single already following "Paralyzer" up the Hot 100. "Living In A Dream" gave them the go-ahead to make the album they saw fit to make.

The band moved to New York City to live and breathe the music. The crackle and buzz of that city's streets is audible on Life Turns Electric. They turned up guitars and sped up the tempo; great songs with less juice were put aside for future use. Life Turns Electric was going to be about the rock.

"We chose to just rock this out," says Rick. "We concentrated on the chords and the melodies." New York helped them do that, supercharging the already-electrified grooves, powering the melodies, pushing the band forward.

"We'd leave the studio at night and go out to the Whiskey Rebel," explains Sean. "They had a juke box there, and the songs we picked were straight-up Classic Rock standards." It was here that the band tweaked just by talking about them, exchanging ideas at 3 a.m. It was just five guys, a juke box, and the excitement of talking about music. By the time they hit the studio the next day, they were ready to play with renewed energy.

"For younger bands, that red studio light going on can be frightening," says Rich. "For us, at this point, all the red light means is go."

As producers, Rick and James mediated the recording process, but through the sessions, everyone had their say. The sessions were a team effort, and the results were sifted through no filters, refracted through no prisms, and compromised by nothing. In an era when records are divided into 'singles' and 'the rest of it,' Life Turns Electric is the full package; the songs are even stronger side by side.

Life Turns Electric sounds exactly the way the band wanted it to sound - like pure, uncut Finger Eleven.