Elton John receives prestigious honor from Prince Charles: “I’m so lucky”

November 10, 2021 by Classic Rock 93.9

On Wednesday, Elton John, who is already a British knight, received yet another prestigious honor during a ceremony at Windsor Castle. Prince Charles presented him with the Order of the Companions of Honour, which was first established in 1917 to reward for “outstanding achievement.”

As The Evening Standard reports, Elton attended the ceremony walking with the aid of a cane, following the hip surgery that forced him to postpone his European tour. He received his award not just for his 50-year music career, but also for his work with his Elton John AIDS Foundation.

“I was quite taken aback when I got the letter to say that I’d received it because I know…very few people get it,’ he told the press. “I felt very proud to be British. I felt very blessed and very lucky. I’ve had an amazing life. Music has been my life and I got this for music and for work for charity.”

“I may not look as if I’m 100 percent fit…I’m not quite, but I’m still raring to go,” Elton continued. “And I’ve got a lot more work to do as far as my life goes, so this is just a reminder I think that there’s more to do: more work to do for music, more work to do for charity, and life is great. I’m so lucky.”

To that end, Sky News reports that Elton said he feels that ending AIDS by 2030 is “doable,” adding, “We have the medicines, we have the wherewithal…we need to stop the stigma, and so when I stop touring in 2023, I will hopefully be able to devote more time to this than I can at the moment.”

He added, “This is something that I desperately want to finish off.”

Paul McCartney, Judi Dench, Ian McKellan and J.K. Rowling are other celebrities who’ve been honored with the Order.

Big Record: Aerosmith’s 1975 ‘Toys in the Attic’ album now certified 9x Platinum by RIAA

November 10, 2021 by Classic Rock 93.9

Aerosmith must be experiencing some sweet emotion with the news that their 1975 album Toys in the Attic has now been certified nine times Platinum by the RIAA for amassing nine million equivalent album sales in the U.S.

Toys in the Attic is Aerosmith best-selling studio album, eclipsed only by the Boston rockers’ 1980 Greatest Hits compilation, which has been certified 11 times Platinum.

Released in April 1975, Toys in the Attic peaked at #11 on the Billboard 200. It featured two hit singles, “Walk This Way” and “Sweet Emotion,” which reached #10 and #36, respectively, on the Billboard Hot 100. Other memorable tunes on the album include the title track, “Big Ten Inch Record” and “No More No More.”

Meanwhile, five Aerosmith singles also received new certifications from the RIAA, including “Walk This Way” and “Sweet Emotion,” which now are two times Platinum and three times Platinum, respectively.

The other tracks are the band’s 1998 chart-topping hit “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing,” which is five times Platinum, and 1997’s “Pink” and 2000’s “Jaded,” which both have been certified Gold for notching 500,000 equivalent single sales in the U.S.

ZZ Top’s Billy Gibbons releases blues-rock holiday single, “Jingle Bell Blues”

November 9, 2021 by Classic Rock 93.9

ZZ Top frontman Billy Gibbons is bringing fans some early holiday cheer with a new single titled “Jingle Bell Blues,” a 12-bar-blues-infused version of the Christmas classic “Jingle Bells.”

The track is available now as a digital download and via streaming services, while a limited-edition seven-inch vinyl single pressed on red-translucent vinyl will be released on December 10.

The disc, which you can pre-order now at Gibbons’ official online store, comes with an old-school vinyl center hole adapter with “Billy F Gibbons” written on it. The single’s flip side features an etching of a whitewall tire.

Billy recorded “Jingle Bell Blues” in Nashville this past June, with accompaniment from Mike Fiorentino on bass and Miles McPherson on drums.

Gibbons co-produced the track with Fiorentino, who also co-produced Billy’s 2021 solo album, Hardware, with Billy and ex-Guns N’ Roses drummer Matt Sorum.

Commenting about the new track, Gibbons says he hopes it’s worthy to stand alongside some of the classic tunes of the yuletide season.

“Around Christmas, it always seems that there are five to ten holiday selections listed in the lower right corner of a typical juke box in a typical juke joint, the song titles and artist names printed on wreath-bedecked title strips,” Billy reflects. “Our hope is for ‘Jingle Bell Blues’ to be one of those records. Bing Crosby, David Bowie, Elvis, Brenda Lee, Jose Feliciano, Otis Redding, Mariah Carey, Nat King Cole, Gene Autry, and not forgetting Adam Sandler, need some company and we’d be thrilled to provide it in the spirit of the season.”

U2 debuts new “Your Song Saved My Life” music video promoting Education Through Music charity

November 9, 2021 by Classic Rock 93.9

U2 and the upcoming animated film Sing 2 have teamed up with the Education Through Music nonprofit to create a special music video for the Irish rockers’ new tune “Your Song Saved My Life” to promote the organization, which provides music classes to children in under-resourced schools throughout North America.

The video, which premiered today on U2’s YouTube channel, features several students and teachers from the Education Through Music (ETM) program, who, through interviews, voice-overs and subtitles, share why music has had such an important positive impact on their lives. The clip seeks to demonstrate the importance of ETM’s goal of making high-quality music education available to more young people across America.

You can support ETM and find out more about the program by visiting YourSongSavedMyLife.com and www.national.etmonline.org.

As previously reported, “Your Song Saved My Life,” which was released last week, will appear on the soundtrack album for Sing 2, which features Bono making his animated film debut as the voice of a rock-star lion character named Clay Calloway. The flick is scheduled to get its U.S. premiere on December 22.

The album, which will be released on December 17, also features Bono duetting with Sing 2 co-star Scarlett Johansson on a version of U2’s “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For,” as well as Johansson performing renditions of the band’s “Stuck in a Moment You Can’t Get Out Of” and “Where the Streets Have No Name.” On the latter tune, Scarlett is joined by Sing 2 cast members Reese Witherspoon, Nick Kroll and Taron Egerton.

The 21-song soundtrack also includes tunes by Elton John, Whitney Houston, Billie Eilish, Pharrell Williams and more. You can pre-order the album now.

George Harrison’s childhood home near Liverpool to be sold via auction later this month

November 9, 2021 by Classic Rock 93.9

A house in the Liverpool, U.K., suburb of Speke where George Harrison lived while growing up will be auctioned off on November 30 by the Omega Auctions company.

The residence, a three-bedroom council house where Harrison and his family resided from 1950 to 1962, is estimated to sell for between 160,000 and 200,000 pounds, or from about $217,000 to $271,000.

While living at the house, George met Paul McCartney and John Lennon and was asked to join their band The Quarrymen. That group and, later, The Beatles, frequently rehearsed at Harrison’s home.

A number of features dating back to when Harrison lived at the house remain intact, including a bath, a sink, some of the original doors and hanging rails in wardrobes, as well as a kitchen dresser unit found in one of the outbuildings in the property’s backyard.

Omega Auctions points out that the buyer would be able to apply for a blue plaque, which acknowledges that a site is of historic U.K. significance, starting this month.

The home will be available for viewing by appointment during the two weeks leading up to the auction.

A video featuring photos of the house, as well as vintage pics of Harrison taken in and around the home, has been posted on the Omega Auctions’ official YouTube channel.

New Pearl Jam touring member Josh Klinghoffer feels like he’s “known these guys for 30 years already”

November 9, 2021 by Classic Rock 93.9

Josh Klinghoffer is feeling right at home with Pearl Jam.

The former Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist made his debut as the grunge outfit’s newest touring member during their performance at New Jersey’s Sea.Hear.Now. Festival in September. As Klinghoffer tells Consequence, joining up with Eddie Vedder and company feels “enormously gratifying.”

“My bedroom wall when I was like 11, 12, 13 years old was all these people,” Klinghoffer says. “I feel like I’ve known these guys for 30 years already, I don’t know if that will make it work better or not.”

Describing his place in the live Pearl Jam setup, Klinghoffer says he’s “sort of doing a new role,” including providing percussion and background vocals for songs off the band’s new album, 2020’s Gigaton.

“Anything that’s an older song that has a harmony, extra little things that they sort of get by without, I have free range to add if it makes sense to,” Klinghoffer explains. “I generally don’t go up there for one little teeny part, I try to make my being onstage matter instead of just popping in and out for one little word.”

Klinghoffer adds that his new band mates have been “incredibly welcoming and generous.”

“[They] have just sort of let me find my place,” he says.

You’ll also be able to hear Klinghoffer on Vedder’s upcoming solo album, Earthling.

Sammy Hagar & The Circle, REO Speedwagon both performing at Nevada concert in May 2022

November 9, 2021 by Classic Rock 93.9

Sammy Hagar & The Circle will team up with REO Speedwagon next year for a May 7 concert in Laughlin, Nevada, at the Laughlin Event Center.

Opening the show will be Sir, Please, a band featuring REO Speedwagon frontman Kevin Cronin‘s twin sons Josh and Shane.

Tickets go on sale to the general public on Wednesday, November 10, at 10 a.m. PT, while pre-sale tickets will be available starting today at 10 a.m. PT via Ticketmaster.com.

The concert is one of two performances Hagar and his current band have confirmed for 2022, along with a headlining appearance on July 8 at the Lakefront Music Fest in Prior Lake, Minnesota.

First up for Hagar, the Red Rocker will wrap up his 2021 “Sammy Hagar and Friends” residency at The Strat hotel and casino in Las Vegas with concerts this Friday, November 12, and Saturday, November 13.

Sammy’s Vegas gigs have featured various guest musicians joining him, including his friend Bob Weir of The Grateful Dead, who hit the stage with Hagar and his longtime backing group The Wabos this past Friday. They played three songs — covers of Buddy Holly‘s “Not Fade Away,” The Rascals‘ “Good Lovin’,” and Depeche Mode‘s “Personal Jesus.”

Meanwhile, Hagar and The Circle will head to the Lone Star State in December for the “A Toast to Texas” tour, a four-show outing that also will celebrate the recent launch of Sammy’s Beach Bar Cocktail Co., the Red Rocker’s new line of canned sparkling rum cocktails.

The tour will visit Fort Worth on December 3, San Antonio on December 4, Austin on December 6 and Houston on December 8.

Visit RedRocker.com for more details about Hagar’s itinerary.

Go, Go, Go: Graham Nash says he’s recording a new album with ex-Hollies band mate Allan Clarke

November 9, 2021 by Classic Rock 93.9

As Graham Nash prepares for the November 16 release of his new photo book A Life in Focus, which offers a career-spanning look at his photography, the 79-year-old folk-rock legend also has some interesting music projects on the horizon.

Nash tells ABC Audio that one project reunites him with his childhood friend and Hollies co-founder Allan Clarke.

“I’m actually working on an album with Allan Clarke, my friend since I was six years old,” he reveals. “We’ve been remotely recording. We’ve got eight tracks, and it’ll be a really fun album.”

Clarke, who was The Hollies’ lead singer, retired from the group in 1999, partly due to vocal-cord issues, but he returned to the music in 2019 with a new solo album, Resurgence.

“[Allan’s] singing…really, really well,” Nash says. “He’s a very underrated singer. He’s one of the most underrated lead singers in a pop band ever…He’s got a great voice, and it’s back.”

Meanwhile, Graham also reports that he’s continuing to work on a follow-up to his most recent solo album, 2016’s This Path Tonight.

Nash already had reported that he had seven songs left over from writing sessions for This Path Tonight that he plans to include on his next album, and now he tells ABC Audio that he’s continued to write during the COVID-19 pandemic, and has recorded five tracks remotely with his touring musicians.

As Graham explains, he records acoustic guitar and vocal tracks, which he sends to Shane Fontayne, who adds guitar and bass. The recordings are then sent to drummer Toby Caldwell and then Toby’s brother, keyboardist Todd Caldwell. After Todd records keys, he sends all the tracks back to Nash for mixing.

Graham says the process is “an interesting sonic journey.”

Jethro Tull’s first new studio album in 18 years, ‘The Zealot Gene,’ to be released in January

November 8, 2021 by Classic Rock 93.9

Jethro Tull has announced official details about its forthcoming studio album, The Zealot Gene, which will be released on January 28, 2022.

The 12-track collection of the first new studio album from the veteran prog-rock band led by singer/flutist Ian Anderson in more than 18 years.

Coinciding with the announcement, an advance track from the album, “Shoshana Smiling,” has been made available via digital formats, and a companion music video has premiered at the group’s official YouTube channel. The black-and-white clip features enigmatic masked stop-motion animated figures and shadow puppets.

Jethro Tull began work in The Zealot Gene in 2017, and the album includes a number of songs that incorporate biblical imagery while examining religious themes.

“While I have a spot of genuine fondness for the pomp and fairytale story-telling of the Holy Book, I still feel the need to question and draw sometimes unholy parallels from the text,” Anderson explains. “The good, the bad, and the downright ugly rear their heads throughout, but are punctuated with elements of love, respect, and tenderness.”

The Zealot Gene, which you can pre-order now, will be available in multiple formats and configurations, including a CD digipak, a two-LP/CD set, limited-edition two-CD/Blu-ray artbook, and a limited-edition deluxe three-LP/two-CD/Blu-ray artbook.

The limited-edition versions feature a second CD offering demos and recordings of early song ideas, as well as extended liner notes and a new interview with Ian. The deluxe edition’s LPs are pressed on white vinyl and one of the discs features the aforementioned demos.

The Blu-ray features a 5.1 surround sound mix of the album.

Here’s the full track list of The Zealot Gene:

“Mrs. Tibbets”
“Jacob’s Tales”
“Mine Is the Mountain”
“The Zealot Gene”
“Shoshana Sleeping”
“Sad City Sisters”
“Barren Beth, Wild Desert John”
“The Betrayal of Joshua Kynde”
“Where Did Saturday Go?”
“Three Loves, Three”
“In Brief Visitation”
“The Fisherman of Ephesus”

Elton John is now the oldest person ever to top the Australian charts

November 8, 2021 by Classic Rock 93.9

After topping the charts in this native Britain, Elton John’s “Cold Heart” — his collaboration with Dua Lipa and Australia’s Pnau — has now hit number one in Australia, and it’s earned him yet another chart record.

As Billboard notes, Elton is now, at 74 years and seven months, the oldest person ever to top the official Australian singles chart. The previous record-holder was Paul McCartney, who was 72 when he hit number one with the 2015 song “FourFiveSeconds,” a collaboration with Rihanna and Kanye West.

“Cold Heart” is also Elton’s first number-one in Australia since 1997’s “Something About the Way You Look Tonight”/”Candle in the Wind 1997.” He’s had three there overall. Meanwhile, it’s Dua’s first Australian number one, and the first for Pnau as well.

“Cold Heart” is from Elton’s album The Lockdown Sessions, which features collaborations with Stevie Nicks, Stevie Wonder, Miley Cyrus, Nicki Minaj and other artists.

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