Joe Elliott spent most of the Mötley Crüe/Def Leppard tour in isolation

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Def Leppard spent last summer on tour with Mötley Crüe, and while you’d think there’d be a lot of partying going on behind the scenes, Def Leppard frontman Joe Elliott says the threat of COVID kept that from being the case. 

“The safest way for us to keep that show on the road was just to avoid human beings as best we could,” he tells Classic Rock. “So all of us in Leppard traveled separately, which is the smartest decision we made. I didn’t stay in hotels. I lived on the bus, just me and Dale, my driver, in total isolation.“ 

He adds, “That’s the price of doing business in 2022. If we cancel a stadium show in Arlington, Texas at four in the afternoon, people will have travelled hundreds of miles and spent hundreds of dollars to get there. So we avoided contact, we tested every day, and it worked. We didn’t lose one gig.” 

And for all those who expected backstage to be one big party, Elliott notes, “You know, we act like children on stage but we’re actually quite responsible people when we need to be.”

And Elliott’s getting ready to do it all again. Their tour with Mötley Crüe relaunches February 10 and 11 in Atlantic City, before heading to Mexico City, Mexico, February 18. A complete list of dates can be found at defleppard.com.

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Mötley Crüe shares first photo with new band member John 5

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Mötley Crüe is ready to start their next chapter. The band just released the first official photo with new band member John 5

The black-and-white shot, taken by famed photographer Ross Halfin, is captioned “Ready to hit the road…#TheWorldTour 2023.” 

Mötley Crüe announced back in October that John 5, guitarist for Marilyn Manson and Rob Zombie, would be taking over for Mick Mars on tour. Mars announced earlier that month he would no longer be touring with the band due to his battle with the inflammatory disease ankylosing spondylitis, or AS.

The Mötley Crüe/Def Leppard tour relaunches February 10 and 11 in Atlantic City, New Jersey, before heading to Mexico City, Mexico, on February 18. A complete list of dates can be found at motley.com.

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‘Queen The Greatest Live’ episode three gives sneak peek at The Magic Tour rehearsals

Queen Production Ltd.

Queen is out with the latest installment of their yearlong YouTube series Queen The Greatest Live. This week’s episode focuses on rehearsals for 1986’s The Magic Tour.

The 26-date Magic Tour, which hit stadiums in the United Kingdom and Europe, wound up being frontman Freddie Mercury’s final shows and had the band playing a set list that featured almost 30 songs. The episode gives fans a behind-the-scenes look at rehearsals for the songs “Tear It Up,” “I Want To Break Free” and “Now I’m Here.”

According to the band’s multimedia collaborator Simon Lupton, it’s apparent the video featured in the episode wasn’t official and the band probably didn’t know it was being recorded. He notes, “Although it would have been very much frowned upon at the time, it now gives us a rare and fascinating insight into the rehearsal process,” calling the video footage a “rare gem.”

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New Bob Marley limited edition vinyl coming next month

Photo by Adrian Boot

Monday, February 6, would have been Bob Marley’s 78th birthday, and to celebrate the milestone the Marley Family is giving fans a present – new vinyl. 

The Marley Family, along with Tuff Gong and UME, will release 12 limited-edition Bob Marley vinyl LPs on March 24. Each release will be numbered and pressed at Tuff Gong International headquarters in Kingston, Jamaica.

The releases will include nine original studio albums, including Uprising, Burnin’ and Natty Dread, along with two live albums and the reggae compilation Legend. The album Catch A Fire is being released in its original Jamaica-recorded version, without the overdubs and mix added by Island founder Chris Blackwell. The vinyl will have two extra tracks from the Jamaica sessions.

All albums are available for preorder now.

But that’s not all. The latest edition of the web series Fashion Icon focuses on Marley’s influence on the fashion world and the evolution of his style throughout his career. The episode, which is out now, is narrated by Cedella Marley and talks with members of the Marley family, including Ky-Mani Marley, Rohan Marley and Skip Marley, as well as Chuck D and others.

Finally, the Bob Marley birthday celebration will be held at the Bob Marley Museum in Kingston, Jamaica, Monday and will be streamed live on the Tuff Gong TV YouTube channel. It’s set to feature several Jamaican entertainers, along with tributes from Tyrone Downie and Jo Mersa Marley of The Wailers.

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Gary Glitter released from jail after serving half his sentence for sexual abuse

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Former British rock star Gary Glitter is a free man. The BBC reports that Glitter, best known for his hit “Rock & Roll (Part 2),” was released from prison on Friday. He’d been serving a 16-year sentence for various sexual offenses against minors.

Glitter was released after serving only half of his sentence at a prison on the Isle of Portland in Dorset, England. His fixed-term sentence meant he’d automatically be freed halfway through.

Glitter, born Paul Gadd, was sentenced back in 2015 on charges involving three young girls between the ages of 10 and 13. Those charges included attempted rape, unlawful sexual intercourse with a girl under 13 and four counts of indecent assault.

But while Glitter’s out of jail, he isn’t completely free. He will be monitored by probation officers, with a Ministry of Justice spokesperson noting he’ll “face some of the strictest license conditions.” He will also have to wear a GPS tracker.

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Iggy & the Stooges’ ‘Raw Power’ remastered for album’s 50th anniversary

Columbia Records/Legacy Recordings

The iconic 1973 Iggy & the Stooges album Raw Power has been reissued in honor of its upcoming 50th anniversary.

The digital-only package includes newly remastered editions of the album’s original mix, done by the late David Bowie, as well as Iggy Pop‘s updated 1997 mix. You’ll also find the Georgia Peaches live album, recorded during a 1973 show in Atlanta, as well as the digital premiere of the Rare Power collection of outtakes, alternate mixes and rehearsal audio.

Additionally, the reissue will be accompanied by a Dolby Atmos mix of “Search and Destroy,” which Iggy declares, “Sounds like you’re standing on stage with the Stooges, being a part of things.”

Originally released on February 7, 1973, the highly influential Raw Power is a seminal album of proto-punk and helped pioneer the burgeoning punk scene.

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On This Day – February 3, 2008: Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers headline the Super Bowl halftime show

On This Day February 3, 2008…

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers headlined the halftime show at Super Bowl XLII in Phoenix, Arizona, which saw the New York Giants take on the New England Patriots. 

In just over three minutes, the band rocked crowd at University of Phoenix Stadium with a set that included such classics as “American Girl,” “I Won’t Back Down,” “Free Fallin’,” and “Runnin’ Down a Dream.” The show was a warmup to the band’s world tour, which kicked off later that year.

The Giants won the game 17 to 14.

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Foo Fighters headlining Japan’s Fuji Rock Festival

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Foo Fighters have added another festival set to their 2023 schedule.

Dave Grohl and company will headline Japan’s Fuji Rock Festival, taking place July 28-30. The bill also includes The Strokes, Weezer, Alanis Morissette and Yeah Yeah Yeahs.

For the full lineup and all ticket info, visit FujiRockFestival.com.

Foo Fighters are headlining a number of festivals this year, including Bonnaroo, Boston Calling and Sonic Temple, as part of their live comeback following the death of drummer Taylor Hawkins last March. There’s no word yet on who will play drums with the Foos for the shows.

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Bonnie Raitt on her first Grammy nomination for songwriting

Redwing Records

Bonnie Raitt is no stranger to Grammy Awards. Not only has she won 10, she’s been nominated 30 times, including four nominations this year. But surprisingly, this year she’s received her first nomination as a songwriter, with her tune “Just Like That” up for Song of the Year.

“I was never expecting this song of the year nomination. But I was very proud of the song, especially since it was so inspired by John Prine, and we lost him,” she tells the New York Times. “I put my heart and soul into every record, and I never know which ones are going to resonate. But I can tell people are really moved, looking out there in the audience.” 

Raitt will be in attendance at this Sunday’s Grammys, where she’ll perform in the tribute to Fleetwood Mac‘s Christine McVie, and it sounds like for many artists Grammy night is about way more than trophies.

“I think all of us are like a kid in a candy store backstage,” she shares. “My favorite story about the Grammys was going through the metal detector at the Staples Center, at the afternoon ceremony. I was in the line between two guys in Slipknot, and the guy behind me is like in a Hannibal Lecter kind of a mask, and he goes, ‘I really dig your music!’”

She says, “I wouldn’t have expected Slipknot guys to know me. You know, maybe a ‘My mom loves you’ kind of thing, but he was clearly a fan. And I just never expected the number of people that come up and tell each other that. I got to tell Dave Grohl what a fan I am of the Foo Fighters, and he was so surprised on the red carpet.”

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Vicky Cornell comments on Soundgarden’s Rock Hall nomination: “I know that Chris would be so proud”

Courtesy Rock & Roll Hall of Fame

Chris Cornell‘s widow, Vicky Cornell, has shared a statement regarding Soundgarden‘s nomination to be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

In an Instagram post, Vicky writes, “Thank you Rock & Roll Hall of Fame for nominating Soundgarden for induction in 2023!”

“I know that Chris would be so proud and his fans will be so happy to see his band recognized and honored,” she continues. “On Chris’s behalf, I want to thank every one of you in advance for your love and support for his music and legacy.”

Soundgarden is on the ballot for the second time, following their first nod in 2020. Both nominations have come after Chris’ death in 2017.

Guitarist Kim Thayil previously told Billboard that the latest nomination is a “pleasant surprise.”

The 2023 Rock Hall inductees will be announced in May.

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