Classic Rock 93.9

Carlos Santana‘s reunion single with “Smooth” collaborator Rob Thomas, “Move,” was released back in August of 2021, but now the song has made it into the top 10 on the Adult Contemporary airplay chart. The Matchbox Twenty frontman says he’s happy about the success of the single — which also features American Authors — simply because he would’ve hated to see something he likes so much get ignored.

“At some point you get old enough where…you don’t live and die by things doing well,” he tells ABC Audio. “But obviously, when you write music, you want to know that people are getting to hear it.”

He adds, “That’s the worst thing ever…when you put out something and them for some reason or another, signals get crossed, it just doesn’t quite land and you realize that it just means that a lot of people don’t get to hear something you worked really hard on.”

Thomas goes on to say that in that respect, the success of “Move” is “kind of amazing.”

He explains, “It’s great that something that Carlos and I really love and care about and…all the American Authors guys, we did something that meant a lot to us, and it can mean something to somebody else.”

“Move” is on Santana‘s album Blessings and Miracles. Rob plans to put out new music with Matchbox Twenty ahead of their upcoming tour, and he also has a solo album ready to go at some future date.

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Eddie Vedder seemingly shot back at Mötley Crüe during a recent live show after Nikki Sixx called Pearl Jam “one of the most boring bands in history.”

As captured by fan-shot footage posted to YouTube, Vedder appeared to be making fun of Crüe drummer Tommy Lee while introducing the drummer in his solo band, Chad Smith of Red Hot Chili Peppers.

“That drum kit, that silver, beautiful machine…does not need to elevate or rotate to do its job,” Vedder said to a cheering crowd.

Lee, of course, played on an elaborate drum roller coaster during the Crüe’s later tours, including their 2014-2015 “farewell” run.

As previously reported, this whole thing started when Vedder told The New York Times Magazine that he “despised” Mötley Crüe and bands of their ilk.

“I hated it,” Vedder said. “I hated how it made the fellas look. I hated how it made the women look. It felt so vacuous.”

Sixx then fired back at Vedder with a tweet reading, “Made me laugh today reading how much the singer in Pearl Jam hated @MotleyCrue. Now considering that they’re one of the most boring bands in history it’s kind of a compliment isn’t it?”

The Pearl Jam Twitter account then responded with a video of a crowd going crazy during one of the grunge band’s shows along with the caption, “We [heart emoji] our bored fans.”

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Heart frontwoman Ann Wilson will release a new solo album titled Fierce Bliss on April 29.

The 11-track collection was recorded at various sessions in Nashville, Seattle, Connecticut and Muscle Shoals, Alabama. The album features mostly new originals co-written by Wilson, while also including covers of Queen‘s “Love of My Life” and Robin Trower‘s “Bridge of Sighs.” “Love of My Life” features guest vocals by country star and current Eagles touring member Vince Gill, while acclaimed blues-rocker Kenny Wayne Shepherd plays guitar on “Bridge of Sighs” and an original song called “Missionary Man.”

Wilson recorded two tracks — “Gladiator” and “Angel’s Blues” — with Gov’t Mule, the group led by former Allman Brothers Band singer/guitarist Warren Haynes, who also co-wrote the tunes with Ann.

Wilson was accompanied on most tracks by a group of session musicians who now serve as her solo touring band, The Amazing Dawgs.

Fierce Bliss also includes Ann’s 2021 single “Black Wing,” which she recorded with some Seattle-based musicians, including recent Heart touring bassist Andy Stoller and keyboardist Dan Walker.

Ann has released the album’s first track, “Greed,” as an advance digital single, while a music video for the tune has debuted at her official YouTube channel.

“‘Greed’ is that thing in our animal nature that makes us want MORE,” Wilson explains about the song’s theme. “Whether it be money, sex, power or ecstasy, it fires our craving! It happens with all of us. When you turn around and catch yourself making decisions because you want the money, or because you’re caught in the headlights of glory, well, those are greedy moments.”

Wilson is lining up 2022 tour dates with The Amazing Dawgs. Visit AnnWilson.com for her current schedule.

You can pre-order Fierce Bliss now. Here’s the full track list:

“Greed”
“Black Wing”
“Bridge of Sighs”
“Fighten for Life”
“Love of My Life” — featuring Vince Gill
“Missionary Man”
“Gladiator”
“Forget Her”
“A Moment in Heaven”
“Angel’s Blues”*
“As the World Turns”

* = on CD and digital formats only.

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Metallica guitarist Kirk Hammett has announced his debut solo EP.

Titled Portals, the set consists of four original, instrumental pieces co-written by conductor Edwin Outwater, who previously collaborated with Metallica for their 2019 S&M2 concerts.

“This music was created with what I describe as an ‘Audio-Cinematic’ approach,” Hammett says. “They’re soundtracks to the movies in your mind.”

Hammett himself produced Portals, which also features contributions from past Metallica producers Bob Rock and Greg Fidelman, and The Mars Volta and Queens of the Stone Age drummer Jon Theodore.

Portals will be released April 23. A special edition ocean blue vinyl variant will released exclusively in independent record stores for this year’s Record Store Day.

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The nominations for the 2022 Oscars was announced this morning Oscar and among the nominees in the Best Original Song category is Van Morrison.

Morrison’s “Down to Joy,” from the film Belfast, will compete against “Be Alive” from King Richard, co-written by Beyoncé and singer, songwriter and producer Darius Scott, aka DIXSON; “Dos Oruguitas,” from Encanto, composed by Lin-Manuel Miranda; the title track of the James Bond film No Time to Die, co-written by Billie Eilish and and her brother and collaborator, FINNEAS; and “Somehow You Do,” from Four Good Days, written by Diane Warren.

Meanwhile, a number of noteworthy songs from 2021 films that had been shortlisted for an Oscar nod were passed over. They include U2‘s Sing 2 track “Your Song Saved My Life”; and “Right Where I Belong,” from the Brian Wilson documentary Long Promised Road, which the Beach Boys legend co-wrote with My Morning Jacket frontman Jim James.

The 2022 Oscars will air live March 27 on ABC.

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Iggy Pop has been named the winner of the 2022 Polar Music Prize.

The prestigious Swedish award, often referred to as the “Nobel Prize of Music,” will be presented to the Godfather of Punk during a ceremony in Stockholm taking place May 24.

“I was aware of the very fine range of people that had gotten the Polar Music Prize…so it’s a nice step for me,” Pop says in a statement. “I respect it and I’m honored by it…I’m looking forward to coming to Stockholm in May to receive the Prize.”

Among those who’ve previously won the Polar Music Prize are Metallica, Paul McCartney, Led Zeppelin, Bruce Springsteen, Pink Floyd, Bob Dylan, Peter Gabriel, Sting, Elton John, Chuck Berry, Joni Mitchell, Paul Simon, Patti Smith and Bjork.

The Polar Music Prize comes with a monetary award of one million Swedish kronor, or about $110,000.

For more info, visit PolarMusicPrize.org.

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Lynyrd Skynyrd will headline the first day of of the Let’s Go! Music Festival, scheduled for June 3-5 in the Annapolis, Maryland, suburb of Crownsville.

Joining Skynyrd on the event’s June 3 bill is another veteran Southern rock band that emerged during the 1970s — The Outlaws.

The festival’s other headliners include country star Billy Currington and pop-rockers the Goo Goo Dolls, who will perform on June 4 and 5, respectively.

Single-day and three-day passes for the festival are available now at Etix.com. Visit LetsGoFest.com for more information.

Lynyrd Skynyrd currently only has a few other confirmed 2022 performances on their schedule. On April 9, the Rock & Roll Hall of Famers will be performing in Scottsdale, Arizona, at the RockYard venue as part of the 25th anniversary Arizona Bike Week event. On May 13, the band will headline a concert at the LA County Fair in Pomona, California. Lastly, on September 23, Skynyrd will be playing a show at the Nugget Resort Casino in Sparks, Nevada.

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The recently announced auction of six one-of-a-kind Beatles– and John Lennon-themed NFTs focusing on memorabilia from the personal collection of Lennon’s son, Julian, took place today, bringing in an impressive $158,720.

Among the audio/visual digital tokens sold was one that featured the animated image of Paul McCartney‘s handwritten studio notes for “Hey Jude,” which fetched $76,800 — the highest price ever paid for a Beatles-related NFT at an auction.

In addition, NFTs of a Gibson 1959 guitar that John gave to Julian as a gift, as well as an Afghan coat that Julian’s dad wore during the filming of the Magical Mystery Tour special, both sold for $22,400, while NFTs of a black cape that John wore in the Beatles film Help! and a Gibson Les Paul copy guitar that he gave to Julian as a Christmas present in 1973 brought $12,800 each.

The sixth NFT, which focuses on a Gibson Les Paul 25/50 guitar that John gifted to Julian, sold for $11,520.

A portion of the proceeds raised by the “Lennon Connection: The NFT Collection” auction will benefit Julian’s White Feather Foundation, and will be used to support the charity’s efforts to help reduce global carbon emissions. You can check out full details of the auction at JuliensLive.com.

The sale was organized by Julien’s Auctions in partnership with the YellowHeart NFT marketplace.

Julien’s Auctions president and CEO Darren Julien says, “It’s been an honor partnering with Julian Lennon and YellowHeart in this first-ever event which confirms the growing interest and value of Beatles memorabilia as one-of-a-kind NFT collectibles.”

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Billy Joel has always been a huge supporter of the arts, as well as a huge supporter of his home base of Long Island, New York. Now, he’s shown once again why these two things are near and dear to his heart.

Long Island’s Newsday reports that Billy and his charitable foundation have pledged $1.5 million to the Long Island High School for the Arts, which provides programs in music and theater, as well as game design, audio and video production and digital film making.

“We are incredibly proud of LIHSA’s momentum and positive impact on the next generation of artists from Long Island,” Billy and his wife, Alexis, said in a statement.

When the school, founded in 1973, was on the verge of closing six years ago, Billy’s foundation kicked in a million dollars to save it.  In 2017, the building that houses the music and theater programs was renamed in honor of Billy’s mother, Rosalind Joel.

Graduates of the school, which is located in the town of Syosset, have gone on to careers on Broadway, nationally recognized arts organizations and more.

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