Classic Rock 93.9

REO Speedwagon frontman Kevin Cronin wants fans to know he didn’t want the band to end.

The group announced in September that after 2024 they would cease touring; in a new interview with Billboard, Cronin says ending the group wasn’t his decision.

“Never in my wildest dreams did I ever see this coming,” he told the mag. “I didn’t want to end REO Speedwagon. This is sad, and I would do anything in my power to continue (as) REO Speedwagon. I never quit the band; I never will quit the band. I just got outvoted and … have to stop calling it REO Speedwagon at the end of this year.”

The vote he’s referring to was between the three members with controlling interesting in REO Speedwagon — Cronin; founding member Neal Doughty, who retired from touring in 2023; and bassist Bruce Hall, who joined the band in 1977 and who hasn’t toured with them since November 2023.  

Cronin is also upset Hall made comments on social media suggesting he was responsible for the end of the band. 

“It’s kind of like a divorce of sorts and during a divorce things get a little muddy and things get a little sticky,” he says. “It’s never thrilling when things are said that are inaccurate and hurtful.”

He adds, “My hope is that there will come a time where the dust will have settled. My intention is to ask forgiveness for anything that I’ve done or any hurt that I have caused Bruce. I don’t like to have grudges with people. I like to forgive and be forgiven.”

REO Speedwagon plays their final show Dec. 21 in Las Vegas. Cronin will head out on the Brotherhood of Rock tour with Styx starting May 28 in Greenville, South Carolina.

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Metallica headlined their 2024 Helping Hands benefit Friday at the YouTube Theater in Inglewood, California, treating fans to two sets — one acoustic, one electric — filled with live debuts, covers, rarities and more.

According to setlist.fm, the acoustic set included the first performance of the Reload track “Low Man’s Lyric” since 1998, as well as the Diamond Head cover “Helpless.” It also featured live debuts of a cover of Bachman-Turner Overdrive’s “Away From Home” and the 72 Sessions track “If Darkness Had a Son,” with the set ending with an acoustic version of “Nothing Else Matters.” 

The seven-song electric set featured the first performance of “The Unforgiven II” since 2015, along with a new arrangement of “Fuel,” off their album Reload, and the Kill ‘Em All track “Hit The Lights,” featuring a guest appearance by Pearl Jam bassist Jeff Ament. 

The concert was hosted by Jimmy Kimmel and also featured performances by Sammy Hagar with his The Best of All Worlds tour band, and musical duo SistaStrings. It is set to premiere on YouTube Thursday at 3 p.m. ET. 

“Thank you to everyone who made #HelpingHands2024 a night to remember!” Metallica shared on Instagram, shouting out all the performers, as well as the sponsors. 

“But most of all, massive thanks to the #MetallicaFamily– each one of you who filled @youtubetheater with your love and energy,” they added. “We can’t wait to bring the show to the rest of the world next week!”

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AC/DC’s Brian Johnson makes a surprise appearance in a special holiday edition of Apple TV+ and Apple Music’s Carpool Karaoke.

A Carpool Karaoke Christmas, with Zane Lowe behind the wheel instead of James Corden, focuses on three pop stars — Lady Gaga, Dua Lipa and Chappell Roan. Johnson turns up during Gaga’s segment.

“You know what, I got you something for Christmas,” Lowe says, before stopping and picking up Johnson, which comes as a complete surprise to Gaga. 

The rocker then takes over behind the wheel, with Lowe asking, “You guys ready to rock?” Johnson responds to Gaga, “You were born ready.”

That leads to them all singing AC/DC’s classic “Highway to Hell.” At one point Johnson takes his hands off the wheel, shocking Gaga, who jokes, “We’re all gonna die and go to hell.”

Gaga then reveals a special connection she has to AC/DC, sharing that she was an extra in their “Stiff Upper Lip” video when she was 17. 

“I was head banging and they were like, ‘Um, don’t head bang, we want it to be modern,’” Gaga says, “and I was like, ‘No, there’s only one move that I can do.’”

Johnson ends his ride by wishing Gaga a Merry Christmas and joking, “I should have told you I don’t have a license.”

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On This Day, Dec. 16, 1984 …

ZZ Top bassist Dusty Hill accidentally shot himself in the stomach when, while taking off his boots, his gun fell out and went off. Hill was able to drive himself to the hospital and made a full recovery.

In a 2010 interview with Classic Rock magazine, Hill said of the accident, “I couldn’t believe I’d done something so stupid. To this day, I don’t know how I could do it.”

Hill went on to play with ZZ Top until his death on July 28, 2021. The band continued on, with Hill replaced by Elwood Francis, the band’s longtime guitar tech, who was Hill’s pick to take his spot.

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Under the name Nudedragons, the surviving members of Soundgarden reunited Dec. 14 at a Seattle benefit concert.

The show, dubbed SMooCH — Seattle Musicians for Children’s Hospital — was the 13th annual benefit for Seattle Children’s Hospital. Kim Thayil, Matt Cameron and Ben Shepherd performed, with guest vocals from Seattle musician Shaina Shepherd. Frontman Chris Cornell died in 2017.

Also on the bill for the event, which raised more than $2 million for the hospital’s Uncompensated Care Fund, were Guns N’ Roses bass player Duff McKagen, Sebadoh and Doug Martsch of Built to Spill.

According to fan-shot video, the songs performed by Nudedragons included “Outshined,” “Hunted Down,” “Flower,” “Beyond the Wheel,” “Kickstand” — sung as a duet with McKagen joining Shepherd on vocals — and a cover of MC5‘s “Kick Out the Jams,” with McKagen joining on bass and vocals.

Soundgarden last performed as Nudedragons in 2010; it was their first reunion show since breaking up in 1997.

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The Who‘s Roger Daltrey, Pearl Jam‘s Eddie Vedder, Iggy Pop and Billy Idol were among the A-list talent who played a holiday party in New York on Friday.

According to setlist.fm, the bash for Eldridge Industries took place at the Capitol Theatre in Port Chester and also featured Gov’t Mule’s Warren Haynes, Elvis Costello and Lisa Fischer, backed by Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith, music producer Andrew Watt, legendary guitarist G.E. Smith and more. 

Partygoers got to hear Daltrey perform several The Who classics, including “Pinball Wizard,” “The Real Me,” “I Can’t Explain,” “I’m One,” “The Seeker,” “Baba O’Reily” and “My Generation,” while Vedder treated the crowd to Pearl Jam tunes “Corduroy” and “Better Man,” as well as a covers of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers‘ “The Waiting,” The Beat’s “Save It For Later” and The Mono Men’s “Watch Outside.” He also fronted an ensemble performance of Neil Young’s “Rockin’ In The Free World.”

Costello performed his classic “Pump It Up,” as well as The Clash’s “Should I Stay Or Should I Go,” while Haynes took part in a performance of The Allman Brothers Band‘s “Whipping Post.” Idol sang “Dancing with Myself” and “Mony Mony,” as well as the Sex Pistol’s “Pretty Vacant.”

Among the night’s other performances, Iggy performed “The Passenger” and “Search and Destroy,” Fisher and Idol teamed up for The Rolling Stones’ “Gimme Shelter,” and Watt fronted covers of Prince’s “Purple Rain” and Led Zeppelin’s “Whole Lotta Love.”

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A happy birthday goes out to ZZ Top guitarist Billy F. Gibbons, who turns 75 on Monday.

Gibbons, known for his signature long beard, formed ZZ Top in 1969, recruiting Dusty Hil on bass and vocals, and drummer Frank “Rube” Beard. The trio released their debut album, ZZ Top’s First Album, in 1971, incorporating a variety of musical genres, including blues, hard rock and Southern rock. They went on to release 15 albums over the course of their career, selling an estimated 50 million records.  

ZZ Top’s most commercially successful album is 1984’s Eliminator, which peaked at #9 on the Billboard Album chart and sold over 11 million copies in the U.S. The album included four hit singles: “Legs,” “Gimme All Your Lovin’,” “Sharped Dressed Man” and “TV Dinners.”

Gibbons was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame with ZZ Top in 2015. 

In addition to the band, Gibbons has had a successful solo career, releasing his debut solo album, Perfectamundo, under the name Billy Gibbons and the BFG’s in 2015. He’s also spent his career collaborating with other artists and has even dabbled in acting, playing Angela’s rock star dad on the hit Fox series Bones.

Known for his live performing, it’s no surprise Gibbons will be celebrating his 75th onstage. He’s set to kick off his three-night Birthday Jam at the Troubadour in Los Angeles on Wednesday, where he’ll be joined by a group of special guests, including Guns N’ Roses guitarist Slash, Joe Bonamassa and The Doors’ Robby Krieger.

He’s also set to launch a solo tour with a two-night stand in Austin, Texas, Dec. 27 and Dec. 28, with a ZZ Top tour kicking off March 5 in Dotham, Alabama.

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Art Garfunkel has shared more details about his recent reunion with singing partner Paul Simon.

Back in November, the musician shared that he and Simon had an emotional lunch together, noting he cried when Simon told him how much he had hurt him with comments he made in an old interview. Those comments led to their yearslong estrangement.

In a new interview with NME, Garfunkel admits he likely said the things he said intentionally to hurt Simon. 

“Paul said to me, ‘Arty, it’s not that you spoke to the British press and that you didn’t do it well. I know you said you wanted to put spice into the image of Simon & Garfunkel. I know you felt that we were too conservative,'” Garfunkel said. “Well, my idea of spice meant a certain candor that must have hurt Paul’s feelings. I realized; I did hurt his feelings.”

“He said, ‘I felt you wanted to hurt me. That’s what got me.’ And I thought, ‘That’s true.’ I wanted to hurt him,” Garfunkel added. “The next thing I knew, I burst into tears.”

“The admission of the truth is psychological. You give it up and admit that you wanted to hurt somebody. You’re touched by your own confession. And then there were hugs,” he said. “It was a wonderful moment for Simon & Garfunkel. It basically ended the years of detachment.” 

Garfunkel also had some great things to say about his former singing partner.

“Paul’s very funny. The basis of the Simon & Garfunkel relationship is laughter and jokes – even more than music,” he said. “Right from the beginning, we laughed all the time, and it was the source of our connection.”

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Bruce Springsteen and The Rolling Stones were among the top worldwide touring acts of 2024, according to a new report by Pollstar.

While Taylor Swift topped the list with her Eras tour grossing over $1 billion, Springsteen & The E Street Band landed at #5, bringing in over $250 million from 44 shows worldwide, while The Stones are at #6, grossing over $235 mil. 

Other acts making the worldwide list include Metallica at #9 and Madonna at #10.

Meanwhile, The Stones had the top North American tour for 2024, with their over $235 million coming from 18 Hackney Diamonds shows in just the U.S. and Canada.

The Pollstar report also notes that the Las Vegas Sphere, which this year hosted shows by U2, Dead & Company, Eagles and Phish, was the highest-grossing arena for 2024, bringing in $367.2 million from 70 shows.

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Fans of The Beatles were out in full force for Record Store Day Black Friday.

Billboard reports that the Fab Four’s “I Want To Hold Your Hand”/”I Saw Her Standing There” 7-inch vinyl was the top-selling single on Record Store Day Black Friday, while the 3-inch vinyl release of “All My Loving” came in at #5.

Stevie Nicks also had one of the bestselling singles, with the white-colored 7-inch vinyl of her latest single, “The Lighthouse,” landing at #3 behind Pearl Jam‘s “Waiting for Stevie (Live)”/”Wreckage (Live)” vinyl. 

U2 was also a big draw at independent record stores, with the How to Re-Assemble an Atomic Bomb black and red colored vinyl the sixth-bestselling album on Record Store Day. Van Halen’s Live in Dallas 1981 on red colored double vinyl was #8, the Ramones’ Greatest Hits on red colored vinyl was #9 and the Grateful Dead’s four-vinyl LP set, Veterans Memorial Coliseum, New Haven, CT 5/5/77, was #10.

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