Def Leppard drummer Rick Allen lost his left arm in a car crash in Sheffield, England.
After trying to pass a driver who had been taunting him on the road, Allen lost control of his vehicle, hitting a wall. His arm wound up getting caught in the seat belt and was severed.
While doctors initially tried to reattach the arm, it later had to be amputated due to infection.
Allen’s career as a drummer looked in doubt, but he eventually learned to play again on a specially designed electronic drum kit.
Allen and Def Leppard returned to the stage for his first concert following the accident on Aug. 16, 1986, at the Monsters of Rock Festival in Castle Donington, England.
He continues to perform with Def Leppard, with the band’s next show scheduled for Jan. 11 at the Harvest Nights Festival in Immokalee, Florida.
For years music fans have wondered when Foreigner and Peter Frampton were going to get recognized by the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, and this year they got their answer.
Both Foreigner, which has been eligible since 2002, and Frampton, who’s been eligible since 1997, finally got chosen for induction, thanks to not only fan support but the backing of some big-name artists — especially in the case of Foreigner.
That was evident when producer Mark Ronson, stepson of Foreigner founder Mick Jones, put together a star-studded video pushing for the band’s induction, with Foo Fighters’ Dave Grohl, Queens of the Stone Age’s Josh Homme, GunsN’ Roses guitarist Slash, Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith and even Paul McCartney among the artists featured in the clip.
At the induction, which took place in October in Cleveland, Sammy Hagar welcomed Foreigner into the Rock Hall and performed in their honor, with Slash,Smith and Demi Lovato performing, as well. Foreigner’s original frontman, Lou Gramm, also performed, teaming with Kelly Clarkson for “I Want To Know What Love Is,” although prior to the show he made it publicly known he wasn’t happy with the song choice.
And while the night certainly was a celebration for Gramm, Al Green and Rick Wills, absent from the festivities were original members Mick Jones and Dennis Elliott. While Jones skipped the event because of his health — he revealed in 2024 that he has Parkinson’s disease — Elliott claimed he didn’t go because he received the schedule too late. However, Billboard claimed it was because his wife wasn’t allowed to walk the red carpet.
As for Frampton, he was inducted by The Who’s Roger Daltrey and performed two songs, “Something’s Happening” and a particularly shred-heavy version of “Do You Feel Like We Do” alongside Keith Urban.
This year’s other inductees were Ozzy Osbourne, Cher, Kool & The Gang, Dave Matthews Band and Mary J. Blige. The late Jimmy Buffett, Dionne Warwick, MC5 and Motown producer/songwriter Norman Whitfield were inducted in the Music Excellence category. R&B singer Big Mama Thornton, as well as British blues musicians John Mayall and the late Alexis Korner, got in for Musical Influence.
The entire event aired live on Disney+, but if you missed the celebration you can catch a highlight show, 2024 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, Jan. 1 on ABC.
The Pretenders’Chrissie Hynde is sharing some of her favorite things about 2024.
“My end of ’24 good wishes to all. I always look forward to a new beginning and here we go. Thanks again to all of you who came to see us on tour,” she wrote in a post on social media. “In case anybody is interested – here’s my personal highlights of ’24.”
Like a lot of folks this year, Chrissie says Taylor Swift gave one of her favorite live performances of 2024, noting the singer’s show at Wembley Stadium in London was “….. Beautiful and inspiring. Timeless music…..(she’s the girl with the guitar).”
As for her favorite movie, that was Conclave, with Chrissie sharing, “I’ve seen it in the cinema 3 times already. Gorgeous thriller. Definitely one for the big screen. Breathtaking visuals and much more,” while her favorite TV show is BBC 2’s Wolf Hall, noting it’s “seriously mind blowing in every way.”
Her favorite documentary was James Brown Mr. Dynamite, saying James Brown “in my opinion, was globally the most influential artist ever.”
She also shared that the favorite show she was involved in this year was the tribute concert to the late Screaming Trees frontman Mark Lanegan, which happened in early December at the Roundhouse in London. She called it, “A heartfelt celebration of the late artist’s music featuring a superb band … and glorious vocalists.”
A Complete Unknown director James Mangold has said in interviews that Bob Dylan gave his input on the film before it began production, and according to one of the film’s producers, Peter Jaysen, that included acting out the film with the director before signing off on the project.
“Bob Dylan had approval over the script. He had meaningful input. He met with Jim Mangold multiple times,” Jaysen revealed during an episode of The Town podcast. “At one point they sat there and they read the entire script out loud, with Jim Mangold reading every part and stage direction, and Bob Dylan only reading lines of dialogue for himself.”
He adds, “Through that process, [Dylan] sat there writing notes on the script. At the end of the last session with Jim Mangold, he signed the script and said, ‘Go with God.’”
But while Jaysen shared how important Dylan’s input was, he also noted that the Rock & Roll Hall of Famer “did not have final cut” on the film.
Dylan has since shared his approval of the film on social media, and Jaysen notes, “The Bob Dylan that everyone is seeing interact with the press through a few tweets about A Complete Unknown is essentially the same Bob Dylan that our movie focuses on.”
“He’s an artist who cares more about authenticity and individuality and is not caught up in the hoopla of fame, fortune and all the trappings of success,” he adds.
A Complete Unknown, starring Timothée Chalamet as Dylan, is in theaters now.
Gov’t Mule is once again set to ring in the new year at New York’s Beacon Theatre, with shows set for Dec. 30 and Dec. 31, and the venue is certainly one place frontman Warren Haynes is familiar with.
“The Beacon Theater is the place that I played more than any place on the planet,” he tells ABC Audio. “I think I’ve played there over 300 times now, which is absolutely crazy.”
Haynes notes that he loves playing there because the Beacon has “a great vibe,” adding that “the New York audience is fantastic.”
“It’s just a fantastic place to play,” he says. “We just always wind up having great shows there.”
Gov’t Mule has been celebrating New Year’s at the Beacon for over 20 years. “It’s kind of become tradition,” Haynes says.
And whether fans come out New Year’s Eve or the night before, it’s always special for him.
“I love the challenge of trying to figure out something crazy every New Year’s,” says Haynes, who released the new solo album Million Voices Whisper in October. “But it’s also nice the night before to just go to relax and not have to think about all this new material that we’re learning.”
Following the New Year’s shows, Haynes has a busy schedule for 2025. Gov’t Mule’s Island Exodus 15 is taking place in Runaway Bay, Jamaica, from Jan. 19 to Jan. 23, and then he’ll kick off a Warren Haynes Band tour on Feb. 7 in Knoxville, Tennessee. A complete list of dates can be found at warrenhaynes.net.
Neil Young has treated fans to another performance of a song he rarely plays live.
Following a recent fireside session, in which he shared a performance of “Silver and Gold,” a song he hadn’t played live since 2007, the Rock & Roll Hall of Famer has now shared a second fireside session. This time he featured a performance of “Pardon My Heart,” a track from his 1975 album, Zuma.
The latest performance was posted to the Neil Young Archives site, with a message that read, “Hello again folks, Pretty laid back version here. This is our second fireside of the season,” signing off with “Love to all of you, Peace” and “Love Earth, Be well, Neil and Daryl,” the latter being Young’s wife, actress Daryl Hannah.
According to Rolling Stone, Young hasn’t performed “Pardon My Heart” live in 50 years. In fact, he’s only performed the song live two other times: in May 1974, during a surprise set at the Bottom Line in New York, and in August 1974, at a Uniondale, New York, stop on Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young’s reunion tour.
The Beatles‘ George Harrison and his wife, OliviaHarrison, were attacked in their Friar Park estate by a 34-year-old mentally ill intruder named Michael Abram.
Abram punctured George’s lung with a kitchen knife and stabbed him more than 40 times. Abram was finally stopped by Olivia, who repeatedly struck him with a fireplace poker and a lamp.
In the hospital, George had to have part of his punctured lung removed.
Abrams was tried and found not guilty by reason of insanity and was sent to a mental health facility. He was released in 2002 and apologized to the Harrisons.
George died in 2001 after a battle with cancer. He was 58.
There certainly were a lot of big things happening in music in 2024. Here’s a roundup of some of the other music stories that made headlines this year:
– The four members of R.E.M. – Michael Stipe, Mike Mills, Peter Buck and Bill Berry – reunited for a performance of their 1991 hit “Losing My Religion” at their induction into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in New York. It was the first time all four members performed together since 1995. Also inducted into the Hall of Fame that night was Steely Dan’s Donald Fagen and the late Walter Becker.
– After postponing their 2023 Peace Out tour when frontman Steven Tyler fractured his larynx onstage, Aerosmith rescheduled the tour — only to cancel it in August, one month before it was to start up again. Not only that, they announced their retirement from the road for good, citing Tyler’s continued vocal issues.
– Also announcing their retirement were Jeff Lynne’s ELO, noting their 2023 Over and Out Tour would be their last, and REO Speedwagon, who cited “irreconcilable differences” between the band’s only two remaining original members, frontman Kevin Cronin and bassist and vocalist Bruce Hall.
– There were a lot of big catalog sales this year, including KISS, who made a deal with Pophouse, the Swedish company behind ABBA’s London hologram show, Voyage. Reports claimed the deal was worth $300 million. Queen also reportedly sold their catalog to Sony, in a deal said to be worth $1.27 billion.
– Speaking of Queen, in September guitarist Brian May revealed he was recovering from a “minor stroke” that left him without the use of his left arm, putting his ability to play guitar in doubt. By the time he made his announcement he had already been improving.
– The Zombies’ Rod Argent announced his retirement from touring after suffering a stroke. It prompted the band to cancel all their planned shows for 2024.
– Journey members Neal Schon and Jonathan Cain were in a court battle over the band’s finances. Cain sued over what he claimed was Schon’s overspending and requested the court appoint a third party to the board of their company to settle their disagreements. Schon called the accusations “absolute rubbish.” In the end they settled the dispute and agreed to hire a third director of their company.
– The Guess Who founding singer Burton Cummings and guitarist Randy Bachman settled the lawsuit they filed against original members Jim Kale and Garry Peterson in October 2023, accusing them of tricking fans into thinking Cummings and Bachman were still performing with the group, when they were actually getting a “cover band.” The settlement resulted in Cummings and Bachman acquiring the trademark for the name The Guess Who.
– Don Henley took the stand in the trial of three men charged with conspiracy involving nearly 100 pages of his handwritten notes and lyrics for the Eagles album Hotel California. In the end, the case was dismissed by a judge due to Henley’s lawyers’ “jarringly late” disclosure of thousands of pages of material.
– Speaking of the Eagles, they wrapped the Long Goodbye tour but it didn’t keep them off the stage. They kicked off a residency at the Las Vegas Sphere in September. Also launching a residency at the Sphere was Dead & Company, who just announced a second residency in 2025.
– And Lenny Kravitz, who dropped the new album Blue Electric Light this year, went viral with a video of him lifting weights in boots, a mesh shirt, leather pants and sunglasses.
Elton John‘s first official year off from touring the world didn’t leave the Rocket Man any less busy, but he had to deal with some major ups and downs throughout 2024. Thankfully, there seemed to be more highs than lows — here’s a rundown.
The highs:
In January, Elton became the 19th entertainer to become an EGOT winner when his Disney+ special Elton John Live: Farewell From Dodger Stadium won an Emmy for Outstanding Variety Special (Live). His tally now includes six Grammys, two Oscars, one Tony and one Emmy.
In February, Elton auctioned off the contents of his home in Atlanta for more than $20 million. In March, he hosted his annual Oscar Viewing Party and raised nearly $11 million for his AIDS Foundation.
Also in March, Elton and his songwriting partner, Bernie Taupin, were honored with the prestigious Gershwin Prize for Popular Music. Among the acts paying tribute to them at the ceremony with live performances were Metallica, Joni Mitchell, Annie Lennox, Garth Brooks, Charlie Puth and Brandi Carlile.
In the fall, the documentary Elton John: Never Too Late, detailing his career and complicated personal life, premiered at multiple film festivals worldwide. A new song Elton and Bernie co-wrote for the project with Brandi Carlile and producer Andrew Watt, also called “Never Too Late,” won a Hollywood Music In Media Award for Best Song from a Documentary Film. It’s also eligible for Oscar consideration.
Elton’s new musical based on The Devil Wears Prada opened in London’s West End with Vanessa Williams starring as fearsome fashion editor Miranda Priestley; so far it appears to be doing well.
In December, Time named Elton its 2024 Icon of the Year.
The lows:
In November 2023, Elton told the crowed at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony that he and Bernie had just completed a new album. In his end-of-year message to fans in December, Elton promised a new album would be released in 2024. In May, Bernie said, “Elton and I have an album coming out soon … it’s all written and recorded.” But the album never appeared, and Elton hinted it was because of a major medical issue he dealt with in 2024.
In early September, Elton told fans he was dealing with a “severe eye infection” that had left him with “only limited vision in one eye.” Elton told ABC News’Robin Roberts in November, “I unfortunately lost my eyesight in my right eye … and it’s been four months now since I haven’t been able to see. And my left eye’s not the greatest.” Asked for an update on the album, Elton said, “I don’t know … going into the studio and recording, I don’t know, because I can’t see a lyric, for start.”
Elton went on to say, “I can’t see anything. I can’t read anything, I can’t watch anything.”
Not long after that, Elton appeared at a charity performance of The Devil Wears Prada and told the audience, “Now I have lost my sight. I haven’t been able to see the performance but I have enjoyed listening to it.”
Meanwhile, Elton’s other musical, Tammy Faye — based on the life of the late televangelist Tammy Faye Bakker — opened on Broadway Nov. 14 but closed on Dec. 8 after just 29 regular performances. According to The New York Times, the show, which cost $25 million, won awards in London but was poorly received once it moved to Broadway. Indeed, The Times called it “strangely bland” and said the box office receipts were “disastrous.”
A building that once housed the Morrison Hotel, made famous on the cover of The Doors‘ fifth studio albumof the same name, was destroyed by fire on Thursday, Variety reports.
According to the outlet, 17 fire companies responded to the blaze at the building, which housed a transient hotel when it was immortalized in a 1969 photo by rock photographer Henry Diltz and was used for the album’s cover. It took 30 minutes for flames to be controlled.
Prior to the fire breaking out, plans were in the works to turn the building, on the corner of Pico Boulevard and Hope Street in Los Angeles, into affordable housing. It has now been red-tagged, meaning it is unsafe to be occupied.
Released in February 1970, Morrison Hotel peaked at #4 in the U.S. and featured the single “Roadhouse Blues,” which was a Hot 100 hit for the band and became a staple at their live shows.
