Sammy Hagar speculates on why Alex Van Halen won’t talk to him

April 29, 2025 by Classic Rock 93.9

Sammy Hagar has said his new song “Encore, Thank You, Good Night,” was inspired by a dream he had about Eddie Van Halen, but it turns out Eddie’s not the only Van Halen he’s been dreaming about.

“I hate to say it, but I dreamt about Alex the other night, man,” Sammy tells Rolling Stone. “It was crazy. And it was so friggin’ real. I was saying, ‘What are you pissed off at me about, man? What the f***? Now just tell me what your problem is. What did I do? Just tell me.'”

Hagar says Alex laughed and asked “You really don’t know, do you?”

Alex and Sammy haven’t spoken in 21 years, and in the interview Sammy suggests the animosity could be over several things, including the success of his Cabo Wabo franchise, which Van Halen bailed on when it was losing money, only for Sammy to turn it around. Another is Sammy’s memoir, Red: My Uncensored Life in Rock, in which he was honest about a bad period of Eddie’s life.

But Sammy says he really thinks Alex is mad “because I’m out doing it … and he can’t,” noting that Alex is not a singer, doesn’t play guitar and doesn’t really play drums anymore.

“I would feel bad. If I put myself in his shoes, I would feel terrible if I couldn’t do it anymore,” he adds, “But I’m the happiest guy out of all of them. That pisses people off in itself. Being too happy, people don’t like that.”

“And I’m okay with it,” Sammy says. “Al, you’re fine. Just leave me alone. I’ll leave you alone. Everything’s good. I’m making you money, by the way, Al … I’m out there selling Van Halen records and keeping the name alive, keeping the music alive.”

Billy Joel’s ‘Piano Man’ hits a billion streams; ex-wife recounts Billy story she ‘hesitated’ to put in new memoir

April 29, 2025 by Classic Rock 93.9

Billy Joel‘s signature song is the newest member of the Spotify Billions Club.

“Piano Man,” the title track from Billy’s 1973 breakthrough album, has hit 1 billion streams on the music streaming platform. While far from his biggest hit — it only reached #25 on the Hot 100 — it became Billy’s nickname, his signature song and a permanent fixture in his concert set list.

The only other Billy song to hit 1 billion streams on Spotify is “Uptown Girl,” which is also the title of the new memoir by Christie Brinkley, his wife from 1985 to 1994. The book explains that Christie filed for divorce due to Billy’s drinking problem, which she was afraid to reveal due to the negative publicity she felt it would attract.

“I loved him and I wanted to make it work,” she tells the Los Angeles Times. “I was 100% dedicated to Billy, but I never told anyone about our issues, not even my friends. It was very difficult in that way, but we had a child together and I was trying to protect the family.”

The Times article then notes that Billy’s issues “began to shade into psychosis.” At one point, Christie writes in the book how a drunken Billy ate spaghetti directly from a pan on the stove and then accused everyone in the house of eating his spaghetti and kicked them out of the house.

She tells the Los Angeles Times, “I hesitated to put that scene in the book. But at the same time, it demonstrates what I was up against.”

While it’s been reported that Billy also cheated on Christie, according to People, she writes in the book, “To this day, Billy continues to deny ever having had affairs, and I’ve always believed him.”

The Alarm frontman Mike Peters dies after 30-year battle with cancer

April 29, 2025 by Classic Rock 93.9

Mike Peters, frontman for the ’80s rock band The Alarm, has died after a 30-year battle with cancer. He was 66.

Peters’ death was confirmed on the band’s Instagram, with a post that simply read, “Michael Peters 25 February 1959 29 April 2025 Totally Free.”

Peters was first diagnosed with cancer in 1995. In 2005, he was diagnosed with chronic lymphocytic leukemia, and later went into remission. He suffered a relapse in 2022 and in April of 2024 announced that he had been diagnosed with an aggressive form of blood cancer known as Richter’s syndrome. In September he announced he was awaiting a stem cell transplant, but then in December he announced he had not achieved complete remission.

As of January, Peters was still hopeful for a recovery, announcing he was undergoing a new and hopefully lifesaving transplant known as CAR-T Therapy at The Christie NHS Foundation Hospital in Manchester, England.

In 2003, during his cancer fight, he founded the cancer charity Love Hope Strength Foundation with wife and breast cancer survivor Jules Peters, to raise funds and awareness of cancer treatments.

The Alarm formed in Wales in 1981. While bigger in the U.K., they did have a string of mainstream rock radio hits in the U.S., including “Strength,” the title track of their 1985 sophomore album, “The Stand,” “Rain in the Summertime,” “Sold Me Down The River,” “Sixty Eight Guns,” and “Spirit of ‘76.”

The Alarm released their last album, Music Television, digitally in August. It featured covers of songs made famous in MTV’s heyday. It was supposed to coincide with their Live Today Love Tomorrow tour, but the trek was postponed after Peters’ cancer returned.

John Mellencamp to perform at 2025 Grammy Hall of Fame Gala

April 29, 2025 by Classic Rock 93.9

John Mellencamp is confirmed to perform at the Recording Academy and Grammy Museum’s 2025 Grammy Hall of Fame Gala, happening May 16 at the Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles.

Mellencamp will be part of a special tribute to label Republic Records, which will also feature singer/songwriter Conan Gray.

In addition to the Republic Records tribute, the 2025 Grammy Hall of Fame Gala will celebrate this year’s inducted recordings, including Santana’s Supernatural and Cat Stevens’ Tea for the Tillerman.

Additional performers at the event include Carlos Santana’s wife, percussionist Cindy Blackman; Emmylou Harris with producer Daniel Lanois and jazz drummer Brian Blade; bandleader Jon Batiste, who’s receiving the inaugural Ray Charles “Architect of Sound” Award; guitarist Orianthi; and Hamilton star Leslie Odom, Jr.

The Grammy Hall of Fame gala serves as a fundraiser to support the Grammy Museum’s national education programs. Tickets for the event are on sale now.

Mellencamp’s appearance will be his first performance of 2025. His last live performance was in October when he performed at the unveiling of the John Mellencamp statue at Indiana University in Bloomington.

Ex-Judas Priest guitarist K.K. Downing shares tribute to late drummer Les Binks

April 28, 2025 by Classic Rock 93.9

Ex-Judas Priest guitarist K.K. Downing has shared a statement in remembrance of the band’s former drummer, Les Binks, who died earlier in April.

Binks drummed in Priest between 1977 and 1979, and played on the albums Stained Class and Killing Machine, otherwise known as Hell Bent for Leather.

“We had many great tours with Les,” Downing writes in an Instagram post. “He recorded with us throughout a very critical part of the band’s career.”

Binks reunited with Priest to perform with them for the first time in over 40 years when the band was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2022. Downing, who’d parted ways with Priest in 2011 after playing on every one of their albums since their 1974 debut, also took part in the Rock Hall set.

“Myself and Les flew out to Los Angeles and were able to spend quite a lot of time together talking about the old days over a few beers,” Downing recalls of his Rock Hall experience. “We played the gig and it was pretty sensational, but I have to say that the time and days we spent together turning back the clock to when we were just young men aspiring and hoping to one day achieve success, was far more valuable to me than any award or prestigious accolade.”

Zak Starkey on working with The Who: ‘It’s not a job, it’s a calling’

April 28, 2025 by Classic Rock 93.9

Zak Starkey is happy to have his job with The Who back.

The drummer, son of Ringo Starr, was briefly let go by Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend, before eventually being rehired, and he tells the U.K. outlet The Times why the gig is so important to him.

“I couldn’t bear to watch someone doing it and ruin it,” he says. “It’s not a job, it’s a calling. It’s a bit like being a nurse or a nun. It’s a calling to protect the music of The Who, that’s how I feel about it.”

The dispute between the trio stemmed from the band’s Teenage Cancer Trust shows at London’s Royal Albert Hall, and Starkey described the disagreement as “just business as usual.”

“Look at The Who’s history. It’s been going on for years, this kind of thing,” he says. “It was just a miscommunication, basically. It really was.”

He adds, “The Who’s a family you know. It was a stupid thing that got blown out of proportion and got too much oxygen and three days later we’re all back to normal again.”

Starkey will be back playing with The Who this summer. They have two shows coming up, both in Italy: July 20 in Padua and July 22 in Milan.

Joe Cocker’s family ‘thrilled’ by Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction

April 28, 2025 by Classic Rock 93.9

The late Joe Cocker was one of the artists chosen for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame this year, and his family is happy to see him finally recognized.

Cocker, who passed away in 2014, has been eligible for the Rock Hall for over 30 years and got in on his first nomination. His widow Pam Cocker tells Billboard his induction is something the family has been waiting for.

“I voted every day and watched his standing on the fan vote,” she says. “‘Long overdue’ — those were my daughter’s first words when we heard the news.”

She adds that the “Up Where We Belong” singer, “wasn’t obsessed with the fact he wasn’t in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, he did want it. But he didn’t prioritize it,” adding, “He was always surprised at what other people were not in it more than himself.’

Cocker’s brother Victor adds that he was “quite thrilled” that his brother has gotten in.

“It’s an important piece of recognition for Joe, I think. I think he would have been really delighted about it, so I’m really pleased,” he says. “And of course he grew up in that age where the first generation of members of the Hall of Fame were his heroes; he was part of the second wave, so to be recognized there with his heroes and those of the second wave — like the Beatles, who he knew, and so on — would’ve delighted him.”

The 2025 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction is happening Nov. 8 at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles and will stream live on Disney+. A highlights special will air on ABC at a later date and stream on Hulu the next day.

Disney is the parent company of ABC News.

Bruce Springsteen performs with John Fogerty, Tom Morello & more at the third annual American Music Honors

April 28, 2025 by Classic Rock 93.9

The Bruce Springsteen Archives Center for American Music held its third annual American Music Honors on Saturday in New Jersey, and the night featured some all-star collaborations.

This year’s honorees included John Fogerty, Smokey Robinson, Rage Against The Machine’s Tom Morello, Emmylou Harris and Joe Ely, and Springsteen himself joined in on several of the night’s performances.

Fan-shot footage shows Springsteen and Fogerty, backed by Little Steven Van Zandt‘s band the Disciples of Soul, teaming for three of Fogerty’s Creedence Clearwater Revival classics: “Bad Moon Rising,” “Proud Mary” and “Fortunate Son.”

Other highlights of the night included Springsteen teaming with Smokey and Little Steven on the Miracles‘ hit “Going to a Go Go;” with Morello, Jackson Browne and Nils Lofgren on “Take it Easy” — co-written by Browne and recorded by the Eagles — and with Morello for Bruce’s “The Ghost of Tom Joad,” which was covered by Rage Against the Machine.

In addition, Springsteen performed the Born to Run track “Tenth Avenue Freeze Out” with Morello and Lofgren, and all of the artists came together to perform the Woody Guthrie classic “This Land Is Your Land.”

The American Music Honors are handed out each year to artists “who have demonstrated artistic excellence, creative integrity, and a longstanding commitment to the value of music in our national consciousness.” Previous honorees include Browne, John Mellencamp, Mavis Staples, Van Zandt, Darlene Love and others.

Soundgarden’s Kim Thayil feels Chris Cornell would be ‘appreciative and thankful’ for Rock Hall induction

April 28, 2025 by Classic Rock 93.9

Soundgarden guitarist Kim Thayil has responded to the band’s induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

In an interview with Billboard, Thayil shares that in Soundgarden’s early days he “had an aversion to the idea” of the Rock Hall, but started to warm up to it after frontman Chris Cornell inducted Heart during the 2013 ceremony and seeing fellow grunge bands Nirvana and Pearl Jam get in.

“Chris lived the experience and said the enthusiasm of the fans was eye-opening for him, and understanding how important that was — and [drummer] Matt [Cameron] seconded it,” Thayil explains. “In so many ways the fans got some kind of validation by having a band that was important to their heart and that they championed get [the honor]. I know I felt that way about bands I believed in, whether the MC5 or the Ramones or KISS.”

Sadly, the late Cornell, who died in 2017, will not get to experience that enthusiasm for Soundgarden’s induction himself.

“I think he’d be very appreciative and thankful to all the people who have believed in him and believed in the work he did and the work that we all did, collectively.”

Cornell, Thayil and Cameron, who’s already in the Rock Hall as a member of Pearl Jam, will all be inducted together as Soundgarden, alongside classic lineup bassist Ben Shepherd and original bass player Hiro Yamamoto.

Regarding a potential performance during the induction ceremony, which takes place Nov. 8, Thayil says “some suggestions have come out.”

“I’m not prepared to share that,” Thayil says. “But I’ll just say it’s a higher bar than the usual composite of guitarists and drummers or singers.”

Sammy Hagar pays homage to Eddie Van Halen in video for ‘Encore, Thank You, Good Night’

April 28, 2025 by Classic Rock 93.9

Sammy Hagar has said that his newly released single, “Encore, Thank You, Good Night,” was inspired by a dream he had about Eddie Van Halen, and that’s exactly what he depicts in the video for the song.

In the clip, Sammy wakes up from a dream and starts writing the song on a pad beside his bed, with the video cutting to old home video footage of him and Eddie. There’s also someone who looks like Eddie carrying his signature red Frankenstrat guitar, walking off towards a bright light.

The video then becomes a performance clip with Sammy backed by his current band, Joe Satriani on guitar, Van Halen’s Michael Anthony on bass and Kenny Aronoff on drums. In another homage to Van Halen, during the performance you can hear crowd chants of “Eddie.”

The video ends with an old home video clip of Sammy simply saying, “Thank you.”

“This song is my final bow to that part of my life,” Sammy has said, referring to his time with Van Halen. “It’s not meant to be anything more than a thank-you — with love, with respect, and with one hell of a guitar solo.”

Sammy is set to launch his Las Vegas residency, The Best of All Worlds Tour Stays in Vegas – The Residency, on Wednesday at Dolby Live at Park MGM, where he’s expected to perform the song live for the first time. A complete list of dates can be found at RedRocker.com.

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