Classic Rock 93.9

A tour van used by the Melvins and decorated with original artwork by Kurt Cobain is going on display to the public for the first time.

In connection with Record Store Day, the van will be parked outside two Seattle record stores on Saturday: Easy Street Records from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. local time and Silver Platters from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. local time.

Sections of the van will then be cut off to be auctioned in the upcoming Music Icons sale hosted by Julien’s Auctions, taking place May 30-31. The area including Cobain’s artwork will be included in the auction.

“Seattle is the birthplace of so many defining moments in rock history,” says Julien’s CEO and President Darren Julien. “We’re thrilled to partner with Record Store Day and these beloved local record stores to give fans a front-row seat to this one-of-a-kind piece of music memorabilia before it goes to auction.”

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Aerosmith announced their retirement from touring back in August due to frontman Steven Tyler’s vocal issues, but one of their producers isn’t writing them off just yet.

In an interview with the New York Post, Jack Douglas, who produced several of the band’s albums, including Toys in the Attic, says he hopes to see the band return one day.

“I don’t know, I hear rumors,” he says. “But I’m sure that they would love to, you know?”

Douglas says that despite the retirement, guitarist Joe Perry “is gonna keep rocking.” He notes that bassist Tom Hamilton’s already got a new band, Close Enemies, sharing, “I mean, these guys want to keep playing.”

Of course, an Aerosmith return would all depend on Tyler getting his voice back.

“There is no Aerosmith without Steven,” Douglas says. “So if Steven can sing, believe me, he’ll want to be out there.”

Meanwhile, Aerosmith marked the 50th anniversary of Toys in the Attic on social media, sharing a video featuring performance clips of various songs from the album, including the title track, “Walk This Way” and “Sweet Emotion.”

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Jackson Browne is coming to New York in August.

The Rock & Roll Hall of Famer just announced a four-night residency at Manhattan’s Beacon Theatre, scheduled for Aug. 12, Aug. 13, Aug. 15 and Aug. 16.

A presale on Browne’s website begins Wednesday at 10 a.m. ET, with tickets going on sale to the general public Friday 10 a.m. ET.

Browne has also been announced as one of the headliners for the fourth edition of Jason Isbell’s ShoalsFest, taking place Oct. 11 and Oct. 12 at McFarland Park in Muscle Shoals, Alabama.

Browne will headline on Oct. 11, which will also feature a solo Isbell performance. The Oct. 12 show will be headlined by Isbell and his band The 400 Unit.

Other artists on the lineup include Waxahatchee, MJ Lenderman, Dan Penn and Spooner Oldham.

Tickets for the festival go on sale Friday at 10 a.m. local time. More info can be found at shoalsfest.net.

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Metallica has announced a new film called Metallica Saved My Life, dedicated to the band’s legions of fans.

The doc “explores our world through the lives of fans who have supported each other through highs, lows, trials, and triumphs for over four decades,” the metal legends say.

“And yeah, we’re in it a little bit too,” they add.

Metallica Saved My Life, directed by prolific music video director Jonas Åkerlund, will be shown alongside stops on Metallica’s upcoming North American tour, launching April 19 in Syracuse, New York. Metallica notes that the film is “not quite finished yet, but we can’t wait for you to see it and let us know what you think.”

For all screening and ticket info, visit FathomEntertainment.com.

The official, finished version of Metallica Saved My Life is set to premiere later in 2025.

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Def Leppard fans have chosen their favorite song.

To coincide with March Madness, the band launched the On Through The Music Bracket Challenge, where 64 of their tracks went head-to-head in a fan vote until one was crowned the “greatest Def Leppard anthem of all time.”

After narrowing it down to two tracks, “Hysteria” and “Photograph,” a winner has been chosen.

“After weeks of fierce matchups, fan votes, and rock ‘n’ roll glory, one track stands tall,” the band shared on Instagram. “The people have spoken and Hysteria has been crowned as the winner.”

The fourth single and title track off Def Leppard’s fourth studio album, “Hysteria” peaked at #10 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming Def Leppard’s first top-10 hit.

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The Eagles have added even more shows to their Las Vegas residency at the Sphere.

The Rock & Roll Hall of Famers have added eight new shows in October and November, which will be their final Vegas concerts for 2025. The new dates are Oct. 3, Oct. 4, Oct. 10, Oct. 11, Oct. 31, Nov. 1, Nov. 7 and Nov. 8.

Registration is now open for a presale that kicks off April 15 at 10 a.m. local time, with tickets going on sale to the general public on April 18 at 10 a.m. local time.

The Eagles launched their Sphere residency in September 2024, and the new dates bring their total to 44 shows over 22 weekends.

The residency has them treating fans to a set filled with classic tunes including “Hotel California,” “Lyin’ Eyes,” “New Kid in Town,” “Take it to the Limit,” “Life’s Been Good,” “Take It Easy” and “Heartache Tonight.”

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On This Day, April 8, 1975…

Aerosmith released their breakthrough album, Toys in the Attic, which featured future Aerosmith classics “Walk This Way,” “Sweet Emotion” and the album’s title track.

The album was the band’s third studio release, and it peaked at #11 on the Billboard Albums chart, their highest charting album at that time.

Toys in the Attic went on to be certified nine-times Platinum by the RIAA.

“Walk This Way” was the second single from the album; it peaked at #10 on the chart in 1977 but saw renewed popularity when it was covered by Run-DMC for their 1986 album, Raising Hell. Aerosmith’s appearance on the cover helped the song hit #4 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming the first hip-hop single to reach the top five.

Both versions of the song have been inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.

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Sting previously announced the release of a new live album, STING 3.0 Live, as a limited-edition deluxe vinyl for Record Store Day on Saturday. Well, now folks who can’t make it to their local indie store will have a chance to hear it.

The former Police frontman is now set to release the album worldwide on April 25. It will come out digitally, on CD and on 180g vinyl.

Sting 3.0 Live was recorded live during the rocker’s Sting. 3.0 tour, which has him backed by longtime guitarist Dominic Miller and drummer Chris Maas. It features nine live performances, including the first-ever live recording of the Nothing Like The Sun track “Be Still My Beating Heart.” The Record Store Day version features 17 tracks, with first-ever live recordings of “I Wrote Your Name (Upon My Heart),” “Never Coming Home” and “Can’t Stand Losing You.”

“The band is essentially a live band, and so I want to put it out on record so you can hear exactly what we’re doing as a three-piece band,” Sting tells ABC Audio about his decision to release the record. “I have some experience with three-piece bands, as you may know,” a reference to The Police.

He adds, “So this is just an extension of that, and audiences are loving it. It’s very clear, it’s very precise and fun.” 

Sting 3.0 Live is available for preorder now.

The Sting 3.0 tour returns to the U.S. with a three-night stand at the Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison, Colorado, May 19, May 20 and May 22. A complete list of dates can be found at sting.com.

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John Lennon’s half sister Julia Baird has some opinions about the casting of Sam Mendes’ upcoming films about The Beatles.

Although the band originated in Liverpool, none of the actors cast in the film — including Babygirl actor Harris Dickinson, who’ll play Lennon — are from the area. And Baird thinks that’s a mistake.

When asked by The Telegraph if Mendes should have cast actors from Liverpool, she replied, “Yes, of course. No one else can get that Liverpool intonation. Nobody.”

But Baird doesn’t think her opinions will matter regarding the films. Asked what advice she’d give Mendes to help with the project, she insisted, “He’s never going to ask me. I’m the last person he would want to talk to because then he can’t make it up.”

Mendes’ Beatles films — The Beatles – A Four-Film Cinematic Event — are set to open in April 2028. In addition to Dickinson, the cast includes Paul Mescal as Paul McCartney, Barry Keoghan as Ringo Starr and Joseph Quinn as George Harrison.

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Joan Jett, Steve Van Zandt and Duran Duran are among the artists paying tribute to Blondie drummer Clem Burke, who died following a private battle with cancer. He was 70.

“So sad to hear of Clem’s passing. He was an awesome musician who was such a part of my early musical life,” Jett wrote on Instagram, next to a picture of the two of them together. “Rest in peace my friend.”

E Street Band guitarist Van Zandt shared that Burke was a “great friend to me and everybody,” noting that he “Brought his great drumming and enthusiasm to a dozen bands beginning with the amazing Blondie.” He added, “Why is it the best of us leave too soon.”

Duran Duran’s Nick Rhodes and John Taylor both shared tributes to Burke, with Rhodes calling him “one of the greatest drummers in one of the greatest band’s [sic] of his generation.”

“A drum roll rarely sounded better, his beats were solid as a rock and he always played with great panache,” he wrote. “A truly special person, bursting with positive energy.”

Taylor called Burke a “phenomenal” drummer. “Really everything he played had tight dynamic energy,” he said, adding that Burke was “the loveliest of guys.”

Others paying tribute to Burke include The Kinks’ Dave Davies, Nancy Sinatra, Bryan Adams and Devo’s Jerry Casale.

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