The Who launches giveaway for new book, ‘Their Generation: The Who In America 1967-69’

May 2, 2025 by Classic Rock 93.9

A new book focused on The Who’s early tours of America has just been released, and the rockers are giving one lucky fan a chance to win a copy, along with an exclusive giclée print of the band.

Their Generation: The Who In America 1967-69 features photos from Tom Wright, the band’s official photographer and U.S. tour manager, with a foreword by Pete Townshend. According to the description, Wright’s collection “captures The Who on and off stage, from their raw energy at the Fillmore to quiet moments on the road.”

The print that comes with the book is individually stamped with Tom’s signature and embossed with his estate’s official mark.

Fans have until May 16 to enter the contest, and they’ll need to follow @omnibuspress and @officialthewho on Instagram to be eligible. One winner will be chosen at random.

Bruce Springsteen on how he really feels about his nickname, The Boss

May 2, 2025 by Classic Rock 93.9

Bruce Springsteen is apparently not the biggest fan of his famous nickname.

“‘The Boss’, which dogged me my whole life, still does,” he shared on The Hollywood Reporter’s Awards Chatter podcast. “I’ve gotten used to it. I’ve given up and gotten used to it, I suppose.”

Bruce added that he got the name after someone heard his crew calling him that when they got paid.

“‘Hey, boss.’ You know? ‘Are we getting paid this week?’ ‘Sure,'” he recalled. “And then some DJ heard it and started using it on the radio and it, you know, went viral, as they say. And so there it is.”

During the discussion, Springsteen also talked about the history of mental illness in his family.

Springsteen said his childhood had been “difficult,” noting it was “exacerbated by the fact that my father was plagued by mental illness most of his life.”

He said he also had a “pretty good breakdown” when he was 32, explaining, “By the time I came out of Born in the U.S.A., I’d been in two years of analysis.”

“And my family was filled with mental illness, my aunts, my uncles, my pop, and it just was in our blood, so I had to deal with it, too,” he shared. “And thankfully, (his manager) Mr. [Jon] Landau had some experience with it and directed me in to get some help, which I did.”

Neil Young and The Chrome Hearts announce new album, ‘Talkin To The Trees’

May 2, 2025 by Classic Rock 93.9

Neil Young has finally announced details of his new album with The Chrome Hearts.

The rocker and his new band will release Talkin To The Trees on June 13. The album is Young’s first with The Chrome Hearts — organist Spooner Oldham, guitarist Micah Nelson, bassist Corey McCormick and drummer Anthony LoGerfo.

Young released the first single from the record, “Big Change,” back in January and now they’ve shared the second single, “Let’s Roll Again.” This one is a protest song that has Young calling out American car companies Ford and GM, while also taking a dig at Elon Musk by singing “if you’re a fascist, then get a Tesla.”

The title of the song may sound a bit familiar to Young fans. He had a song on his 2002 album Are You Passionate? titled “Let’s Roll,” which was written about the Sept. 11 attacks and the bravery of the passengers on United Flight 93.

Next up, Neil Young and The Chrome Hearts will set out on a world tour, starting June 18 in Rättvik, Sweden. It hits the U.S. Aug. 8 in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Talkin To The Trees is available for preorder now. Here is the track list:
“Family Life”
“Dark Mirage”
“First Fire Of Winter”
“Silver Eagle”
“Let’s Roll Again”
“Big Change”
“Talkin To The Trees”
“Movin Ahead”
“Bottle Of Love”
“Thankful”

Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler and Joe Perry reunite for Janie’s Fund show

May 2, 2025 by Classic Rock 93.9

Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler and Joe Perry were back onstage together Wednesday night for a San Francisco show benefiting Tyler’s organization Janie’s Fund.

Photos from the evening were posted to Aerosmith’s Instagram with the caption, “The #ToxicTwins back in the saddle for a great night benefitting Janie’s Fund in San Francisco!”

The post also thanked the night’s other performers: Cheap Trick’s Robin Zanders, The Black Crowes’ Chris Robinson, drummer Matt Sorum, guitarist Nuno Bettencourt, bassist James Lomenzo, guitarist Phil X, singer Suzie McNeil and keyboardist Buck Johnson.

According to the set list shared on Aerosmith’s Instagram Story, Tyler and Perry teamed up for Aerosmith classics “Toys in the Attic,” “Same Old Song And Dance,” “Sweet Emotion,” “Dream On” and “Walk This Way,” with all of the performers joining for the encores of “Train Kept A Rollin’” and The Beatles classic “Come Together.”

This marks the first time Tyler and Perry have performed together since September 2023, when Tyler fractured his larynx onstage during Aerosmith’s Peace Out tour. After rescheduling the dates, Aerosmith canceled the tour in 2024 and announced their retirement from the road.

Soundgarden members, Steven Tyler added to Black Sabbath reunion/farewell concert

May 2, 2025 by Classic Rock 93.9

The lineup for the upcoming Black Sabbath reunion/farewell concert keeps getting larger.

In an article about the show that includes interviews with Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne for The Guardian, the writer notes, “[W]hen I speak to Sharon, she informs me that Soundgarden and Aerosmith‘s Steven Tyler are the latest additions.”

Presumably, Sharon is referring to surviving Soundgarden members Kim Thayil, Matt Cameron and Ben Shepherd. The trio has performed together multiple times since the 2017 death of frontman Chris Cornell, including at the 2019 Cornell tribute concert and most recently in December with guest vocalist Shaina Shepherd.

Soundgarden was also just announced as an inductee into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

The Black Sabbath concert, dubbed Back to the Beginning, will take place July 5 in the band’s hometown of Birmingham, England. It will be headlined by original Sabbath members Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward, and will also feature an Ozzy solo set, all of which will mark the Prince of Darkness’ last-ever live performance.

Ozzy, who’s been dealing with various health issues that have kept him from performing a full live show for nearly seven years, tells The Guardian that he and Sabbath will be “only playing a couple of songs each.”

The rest of the lineup includes Metallica, Guns N’ Roses, Tool, Slayer, Alice in Chains, Pantera and Halestorm.

Flea’s Silverlake Conservatory of Music releases Pretenders tribute EP

May 2, 2025 by Classic Rock 93.9

The Silverlake Conservatory of Music, the music education organization co-founded by Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea, has released an EP paying tribute to Pretenders.

The set includes recordings of the Pretenders songs “The Wait,” “Show Me” and “Talk of the Town” performed by the SCM All-Stars, described in a press release as “an ensemble of the Conservatory’s exceptional youth musicians.”

“Music education! From the lesson room, to the practice at home, to the band rehearsal, to letting it all out in the recording studio. And now, to your earholes!” says Flea, who executive produced the EP. “The kids at the Silverlake Conservatory of Music have recorded something incredible, and the first three songs, an homage to The Pretenders, are out today.”

Flea adds, “Please support the kids, support music education, listen to it and cheer them on. Thank youuuuuuuu!”

You can listen to the EP now via digital outlets. All proceeds will benefit the Silverlake Conservatory, as will Pretenders frontwoman Chrissie Hynde‘s mechanical royalties.

The Silverlake Conservatory also plans to release Neil Young and Red Hot Chili Peppers tribute EPs in July and September, respectively.

R.E.M. releases ‘Radio Free Europe 2025’ EP to coincide with World Press Freedom Day

May 2, 2025 by Classic Rock 93.9

R.E.M. has released a new EP to help support a free press.

The Athens rockers, who broke up in 2011, just released the five-track benefit EP Radio Free Europe 2025. The release coincides with World Press Freedom Day, which is Saturday.

The EP includes a never-before-released 2025 remix of the title track from the band’s longtime collaborator Jacknife Lee, as well as the original 1981 mix of the song and one other mix by producer Mitch Easter. It also features the never-before-released demo “Wh. Tornado” and the B-side “Sitting Still.”

The release also celebrates the 75th anniversary of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, which currently broadcasts news and information in 27 languages to 23 countries.

“Whether it’s music or a free press – censorship anywhere is a threat to the truth everywhere,” frontman Michael Stipe says. “On World Press Freedom Day, I’m sending a shout-out to the brave journalists at Radio Free Europe.”

“Radio Free Europe’s journalists have been pissing off dictators for 75 years. You know you’re doing your job when you make the right enemies,” bassist Mike Mills adds. “Happy World Press Freedom Day to the ‘OG’ Radio Free Europe.”

Radio Free Europe 2025 is available now via digital outlets. It will also be released as a limited-edition orange vinyl on Sept. 12 via the band’s official store and at independent record stores. Proceeds from the vinyl sales will benefit RFE/RL.

Released in July 1981, “Radio Free Europe” was the first single released by R.E.M. It eventually appeared on their 1983 debut album, Murmur.

Ozzy Osbourne promises to ‘do the best I can’ at Black Sabbath reunion concert: ‘All I can do is turn up’

May 2, 2025 by Classic Rock 93.9

Black Sabbath‘s giant reunion/farewell concert will also mark Ozzy Osbourne‘s last-ever performance. As the big day approaches, the Prince of Darkness remains focused on making sure he’ll be physically ready.

“I’ll be there, and I’ll do the best I can,” Ozzy tells The Guardian. “So all I can do is turn up.”

Since he last performed a full live set on New Year’s Eve 2018, Osbourne has dealt with a myriad of health issues, including suffered a fall in his home in 2019, which required multiple surgeries. In preparing for the concert, Ozzy says he’s been lifting weights and bike riding with help from “a guy living at my house who’s working with me.”

“It’s tough – I’ve been laid up for such a long time,” Ozzy says. “I’ve been lying on my back doing nothing and the first thing to go is your strength. It’s like starting all over again. I’ve got a vocal coach coming round four days a week to keep my voice going.”

“I have problems walking,” he continues. “I also get blood pressure issues, from blood clots on my legs. I’m used to doing two hours on stage, jumping and running around. I don’t think I’ll be doing much jumping or running around this time. I may be sitting down.”

Ozzy adds that both he and Sabbath are “only playing a couple of songs each.”

“I don’t want people thinking ‘we’re getting ripped off,’ because it’s just going to be … what’s the word? … a sample,” he says. “You’re going to get a few songs each by Ozzy and Sabbath.”

The concert takes place July 5 in Sabbath’s hometown of Birmingham, England. The bill also includes Metallica, Slayer, Pantera, Halestorm and Alice in Chains.

Bryan Adams is rolling out tickets for Roll with the Punches tour: ‘We got a great show’

May 2, 2025 by Classic Rock 93.9

Tickets go on sale to the general public Friday, May 2, at 10 a.m. local time for Bryan Adams‘ Roll with the Punches Tour, named after his upcoming album. It’ll travel across North America starting Sept. 11 in Kamloops, British Columbia, in Bryan’s native Canada. And while Bryan is always playing somewhere in the world, he shares why he’s stoked for this particular tour.

“I’m excited for a bunch of reasons,” he tells ABC Audio. “First of all, it’s my umpteenth tour of America, and I’m always happy to be back there. [And] it’s my 17th album coming out this August. So, you know, the tour is sort of based around that, but it’s also a greatest hits tour.”

And finally, he says, “I’m excited because the band’s better than ever, and we got a great show for everybody.”

Bryan has so far released two songs from the new album: “Make Up Your Mind” and the title track. You’ll likely hear those songs on tour, but not at the expense of hits like “Summer of ’69” and “(Everything I Do) I Do It For You.”

“Yeah, I mean, I don’t put too many in the show,” Bryan says of his new songs. “We put in a couple and see how it goes. And as the album gets more popular and people get to know the songs, we add more. But right now we’re only adding in two.”

The tour officially begins in the U.K. on May 8 and will travel through Europe before it gets to North America in September. Opening acts for the U.S. dates will be Pat Benatar and her husband and musical partner Neil Giraldo. You can get tickets at BryanAdams.com.

Jason Bonham on celebrating Led Zeppelin’s ‘Physical Graffiti’: ‘I do it for passion and the love of the music’

May 2, 2025 by Classic Rock 93.9

Jason Bonham’s Led Zeppelin Evening is celebrating the 50th anniversary of Led Zeppelin’s classic album Physical Graffiti with a new tour.

Jason, son of Zeppelin drummer John Bonham, who died in 1980, launched his JBLZE tours in 2010 and tells ABC Audio there’s a good reason why he keeps doing them.

“It would have stopped many years ago if we didn’t feel that people liked it, for one, and if I didn’t enjoy it,” Jason says. “It just says something about the music … that’s the main thing.”

For this tour, Jason and the band will play Physical Graffiti in its entirety, along with other classic Zeppelin tracks. Since this is the first time they’ve performed a complete album, Jason says it helps keep things fresh.

He adds that Physical Graffiti is his “favorite album” from Zeppelin, and one of the main reasons is because “it’s got ‘Kashmir’ on it.” He suggests the song is where the band “went to another level.”

“Now no band can put any kind of Eastern promise in any riff or anything without people going, ‘Oh it sounds like Zeppelin,'” he adds.

And although Jason has had plenty of other projects he’s worked on, there’s a simple reason why he keeps coming back to play Led Zeppelin.

“I do it for passion and the love of the music and the people that come to see it,” he says. “You know, once they stop coming, then we’ll stop playing it, I guess.”

Jason Bonham’s Led Zeppelin Evening Celebrating 50 Years of Physical Graffiti kicks off Saturday in Wallingford, Connecticut, and wraps May 21 in Los Angeles. A complete list of dates can be found at jasonbonham.net.

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