Let There Be Rock - AC/DC Talks About New Album and Tour
By admin | April 2, 2008
Once again rumours are circulating regarding the possibility of an upcoming tour for the Australian rock legend AC/DC. Eddie Trunk of XM’s Boneyard/VH1 Classic leaked a rumour on his “Friday Night Rocks” radio show on New York’s Q104.3 FM that AC/DC may be embarking on a “farewell” tour.
Reports of a new album being near complete in January were denied by label, Albert Records. Nevertheless, eight years after the release of the latest AC/DC album “Stiff Upper Lip” bassist Cliff Williams reported that the band would begin recording a new album March 1st.
Although, the prospect of a new album is exciting and a tour is even more so, Williams did not suggest any likelihood of a tour in the near future, however he did suggest that it should happen at some point in time. He explained, “If we go out again or when we go out again, you just never know. We’ve been around a long time, so we’re going to get together and get in the studio and I fully expect we will (tour). I don’t mean to be so negative about that.” - Article
I suppose all we can do is sit and wait.
This day in classic rock:
1966 - Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass have four LP’s in US Top 10, a chart feat never equalled.
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“Shine A Light” on April 4th
By admin | March 31, 2008
Friday April 4th marks the release of the long awaited Rolling Stones documentary “Shine A Light“, directed by Martin Scorsese. The film combines shots of the October 2006 concert at New York’s Beacon Theatre with archival footage and limited contemporary interviews.
Scorsese, an obvious fan, states: “The music has been very important to me over the years. It dealt with aspects of the life that I was growing up around, that I was associated with or saw or was experiencing and trying to make sense of” (Article). Scorsese has also shown his affection for the band by featuring the song “Gimme Shelter” in Casino, The Departed and Good Fellas.
“Shine A Light” consists of 17 songs, which include many of the big hits such as “Jumpin’ Jack Flash“, “Start Me Up” and “Brown Sugar“. The film also has guest appearances by blues legend Buddy Guy, White Stripes guitarist Jack White and singer Christina Aguilera.
Front man Mick Jagger preferred to feature a larger show, however Scorsese won the battle for a more intimate venue. Keith Richards is content with the choice as he is a big fan of the Beacon Theatre and alludes to the appropriateness as the Rolling Stones started off in these types of venues, not stadiums. The intimacy should be well displayed across the IMAX screens this Friday.
Factoid: The Rolling Stone song “Gimme Shelter” has been covered by the Goo Goo Dolls, Grand Funk Railroad, and the Sisters of Mercy (who swapped the locations the words “kiss” and “shot” - “War, children, it’s just a kiss away” and “Love, sister, it’s just a shot away”). Patti Smith recorded it for her 2007 album “Twelve”.
This day in classic rock:
1974 - The Who sell out 80,000 seats in 60 hours for Madison Square Garden - a record.
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“Classic” Rock The Cradle
By admin | March 12, 2008
This April reality TV fanatics and music fans can look forward to a new television series called Rock The Cradle. The show premieres on April 3, 2008. This American Idol knockoff will consist of eight competitors, each having parents that are celebrities in the music industry. Some with classic rock lineage are:
Lucy Walsh, daughter of Joe Walsh from the classic Eagles.
Jesse Money, daughter of Eddie Money who achieved huge success in the 70s and 80s with slew of top 40 hits and platinum albums.
Jesse Blaze Snider, son of Dee Snider who is known for his outrageous hair from the renown 80s hair band Twisted Sister. Dee hosted MTV’s first Heavy Metal show in 1985 called Heavy Metal Mania and he now performs a popular radio show called The House of Hair.
Laura Johnston, daughter of Tom Johnston of the Doobie Brothers’ who recorded hits such as China Grove and Listen to the Music. The band has also sold over 22 million albums since they began in the 70s.
Crosby Loggins, son of Kenny Loggins who is synonymous with Caddyshack and Footloose.
Others include:
Landon Brown, son of Bobby Brown, American R&B singer, songwriter and dancer.
Lil Al B Sure, son of R&B star, Al B Sure, American singer, songwriter and record producer.
Chloe Rose Lattanzi, daughter of Olivia Newton John, the popular Sandra Dee from the hit Grease.
AKeiba Burrell Hammer, daughter of MC Hammer who will always be remembered for his Hammer Pants.
Tune in to see if the torch has been passed on Thursday, April 3rd at 10PM ET/PT.
This day in classic rock:
1965 - Eric Clapton leaves Yardbirds, considering the group to have become ‘too commercial’.
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Rockin’ In The Not So Free World
By admin | February 27, 2008
Rock legend Eric Clapton has been invited by North Korean officials to play in the communist country. Rock music has been virtually shunned there but reportedly the possible reason for his invitation: Kim Jong Il’s son is a Clapton fan. Although Clapton has not agreed to play, should he, it would be a first for North Korea.
“Eric Clapton is a well-known musician and guitarist, famous throughout the world. It will be a good opportunity for Western music to be understood better by Koreans,” an unnamed Korean official said. They hope invitations like this will help improve cultural ties between North Korea and the western world, ties which have been severely strained in the recent past.
The New York Philharmonic played to North Korea’s elite yesterday, the largest American presence in the country since the end of the Korean war in 1953. Playing both the North Korean and American national anthems, after countless standing ovations and three encores some performers were seen moved to tears as they left the stage.
Could music be the international language of understanding needed for North Korea to end nuclear weapons production and possibly even one day embrace peace and freedom? Lets hope so.
This day in classic rock:
1967 - Pink Floyd record Arnold Layne, their first single.
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Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, 60’s Counter Culture Icon Dies
By admin | February 6, 2008
Maharishi Mahesh Yogi passed away Tuesday night at the age of 91. With the likes of Ravi Shankar, The Maharishi helped bring eastern influence to western rock in the 1960’s. Most probably remember him teaching Transcendental Meditation to the Beatles when they took off to India for a much needed break from their fame. Though the Beatles eventually become disillusioned, as evident in the song Everybody’s Got Something To Hide Except For Me And My Monkey. Also the song Sexy Sadie was rumored to be written about The Marharishi making advances towards Mia Farrow. On the positive side, Across the Universe and Mother Nature’s Son were inspired by The Marharishi/Transcendental Meditation.
Other 60’s rock stars including Mike Love, of the Beach Boys and Donovan also were tought the Transcendental Meditation techniques that initially drew the Beatles to the Maharishi. Hurdy Gurdy Man was written shortly after Donovan had returned from India studying under The Marharishi alongside the Beatles in 1968.
By the 1970’s some 5 million were said to be practicing Transcendental Meditation. In the 1980’s with schools set up all over the world he founded the Natural Law Party. His business at that time, was said to be worth multi-millions, which included a property dealership and a company selling Ayurvedic medicine and cosmetics
In the 90’s he became somewhat of a recluse, mostly communicating via video. In 2002, he was mocked by suggesting he could combat terrorism if he could raise 1 billion dollars to train 40,000 expert meditators. His plan to end world poverty through organic farming was also scoffed at when he claimed 10 trillion dollars was needed to fund it.
While he may of not of stopped terrorism or ended world hunger, The Maharishi accomplished many things, sending positive vibes throughout the world, teaching and inspiring others to create. He lived a long and full life, and one that will not be forgotten. A memorial service was held in Vlodrop, Netherlands today before his body is taken to India for a funeral by the Ganges.
This day in classic rock:
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Grateful Dead Come Together For Obama
By admin | February 5, 2008
The Grateful Dead came together last night at the Warfield Theatre before a sold out crowd who gathered to support the aspiring presidential candidate Barack Obama. The three surviving members Bob Weir, Phil Lesh and Mickey Hart sang “Come Together” for the Obama campaign in San Francisco.
The Grateful Dead broke up back in 1995 with the death of Jerry Garcia. And, although it had been almost 4 years since their last performance and many years since they last seen each other, they appear to have been drawn in by instinct for this show. Weir has even expressed his view that there has not been an optimistic prospect like this since Robert Kennedy, who was assassinated the night of his win back in 1968.
The band played to support Obama on the eve of the democratic election. The official, who has never seen the Grateful Dead live, but is said to have some of their songs saved on his iPod may soon be very grateful in the next few hours.
This day in classic rock:
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Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers to Rock Super Bowl
By admin | February 2, 2008
Many rock legends have played the Super Bowl halftime show over the years, notably the Rolling Stones and Paul McCartney. Now Tom Petty and The Hearbreakers will join that list when they play this years show.
It was an easy decision for Petty and his bandmates to agree to entertain the millions who will be watching the game. “It’s mind-blowing. It’s something that I never even dreamed of. It never crossed my mind, but it’s very exciting. We’ve had quite a week already. It’s really something”, Petty said.
Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers have been cranking out the hits since the band formed in 1976. Every kid growing up in North America has at least one Tom Petty song that reminds them of their youth. From An American Girl to Free Fallin’ and I Won’t Back Down, which Johnny Cash amazingly covered before he passed, there are many songs the band has to choose from. Petty said: “We tried to pick the ones that would take you somewhere in that amount of time. It’s a little bit of a challenge and we’ve had to kind of rearrange some things, make some a little bit shorter to fit in. But I think we’ve chosen a good set.”
It will be quite a feat to build the stage in the little amount of time they have to get set up. With the help of 3000 volunteers, 56 carts of equipment must be dragged onto the field. Petty and the band also announced they will be touring the States and Canada this year, so look out for them coming to a venue near you.
This day in classic rock:
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Beatles Beamed Into Space
By admin | February 1, 2008
The Beatles will yet again make history when Across the Universe becomes the first song beamed into space by Nasa on Monday February 4th to anything or out there listening. The event marks several anniversaries, 40 years since the song was recorded, NASA’s 50th and the Deep Space Network’s 45th.
The remaining Beatles are honored, with Paul saying: “Amazing! Well done, Nasa! Send my love to the aliens.” Yoko Ono also supported the idea and said: “I see this as the beginning of the new age in which we will communicate with billions of planets across the universe.”
The song will be aimed at the North Star, Polaris, 431 light years away from Earth, and it will travel across the universe at a speed of 186,000 miles per second, Nasa said. They are also inviting fans to join them and play the song around the world when its transmitted over the space agency’s Deep Space Network at midnight GMT (7pm EST / 5pm PST) on Monday.
Many of those working on the project including Dr Barry Geldzahler, the Deep Space Network’s program executive, are Beatles fans. Dr Geldzahler having been a fan as long as the Deep Space Network has been around also remarked that Across the Universe was his personal favorite Beatles song.
This day in classic rock:
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Queen Keeps Busy With New Album, Tour, and Musical!
By admin | January 31, 2008
Queen guitarist Brian May has revealed that an upcoming tour should take place in the fall of 2008 while speaking with the press after the premiere of We Will Rock You in Vienna on January 24, 2008.
Although he states that the band has almost an album full of tracks, Brian May has reassured that the album with Paul Rodgers is currently in the process of completion. The album is due out before the fall tour, but not before it has been perfected to “Queen album standards”.
The biggest news that Brian has exposed is the early development of another musical. British comedian and author Ben Elton has completed the first draft of his script called We Will Rock You 2, which will continue the adventures of Scaramouche and Galileo.
Altogether, Queen fans can anticipate a new album, an impending tour and a sequel to the hit musical We Will Rock You.
This day in classic rock:
• Mamma Mia by ABBA took over the top spot on the U.K. singles chart in 1976 from “Bohemian Rhapsody
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Led Zeppelin Tour Rumoured For The Fall
By admin | January 30, 2008
Rumours have been soaring for quite some time about a possible Led Zeppelin world tour, but there has never been anything more convincing than recent hints dropped by band members.
Although, Robert Plant has been denying rumours for anything beyond a one-time performance since their show in London this past December, bassist John Paul Jones led Rolling Stone magazine to believe that a tour could be in their future. He even alluded to a scheduled meeting to discuss these future plans, suggesting the likelihood that a world tour is on the horizon.
In addition, Jimmy Page has assured the public that the work the band has put into the single reunion show was equal to that of a world tour, but that Robert Plant is much too preoccupied with the Allison Krauss tour until at least September. Even Robert Plant has been said to have claimed that he’s not sure what might be around the corner.
The possibility seems a lot less bleak, but it seems that we’ll still have to relax until the fall.
This day in classic rock:
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