Classic Rock 93.9

Leonard Cohen’s heirs are due in court later this month in their battle with the singer’s former manager over Cohen’s trust, Variety reports.

As previously reported, Cohen’s daughter, Lorca, and son, Adam, are trying to remove Cohen’s former manager Robert Kory as a trustee of the Leonard Cohen Family Trust. They are accusing Kory and his legal representative of forging a document that appointed him as a trustee. In their most recent motion they note that Kory previously admitted to removing a page from the signed trust and switching it out for one that named him a trustee. 

The parties are due in court March 29, and Lorca and Adam are asking a judge to remove Kory as trustee, allowing them to take over control. They also want the court to force Kory to give back any money he earned as trustee, including funds from the 2022 deal that sold the rights to Cohen’s catalog to Hipgnosis Songs, reportedly worth $58 million.

Kory, who previously described the confusion over the documents as “a scrivener’s error,” has since claimed his former attorney Reeve Chudd is to blame for the forgery, noting he didn’t look at Chudd’s document before signing it. He said Chudd had “modified a document unbeknownst to anybody.” The heirs say his excuses “strain credulity.”

Cohen died of cancer in 2016 at the age of 82.

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David Lee Roth is once again sharing his solo take on a Van Halen classic. This time it’s the track “Unchained,” which originally appeared on the band’s fourth album, Fair Warning.

This is the sixth time Roth has shared a solo version of a Van Halen song. Previous releases include “Everybody Wants Some!!,” “You Really Got Me,” “Dance The Night Away,” “Panama” and “Ain’t Talkin’ ‘Bout Love.”

All the tunes were recorded at Henson Studios in Los Angeles in May 2022. They feature Al Estrada on guitar, Ryan Wheeler on bass and Francis Valentino on drums.

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Joni Mitchell was honored in Washington, D.C., Tuesday night with the Library of Congress’ Gershwin Prize for Popular Music.

“It’s just a beautiful event for me,” Mitchell told the invite-only audience, according to USA Today. “So many people that I care about are here tonight from different parts of my life. New friends, old friends. It’s just kind of thrilling.” 

Mitchell treated the crowd to a two-song performance – George and Ira Gershwin’s “Summertime” and “The Circle Game,” in which she was joined by a slew of artists and friends, including James Taylor, Cyndi Lauper, Brandi Carlile, Graham Nash and Annie Lennox.

The night also featured performances celebrating Joni and her music, including “Both Sides Now,” sung by Lennox; “California,” performed by Taylor; “Shine,” performed by Carlile; and “Big Yellow Taxi,” performed by Lauper, Lennox, Carlile and others.

The Gershwin Prize has been handed out since 2007, with Paul Simon the first honoree. Last year Lionel Richie received the award, with Billy Joel, Paul McCartney, Carole King and Stevie Wonder among the previous honorees.

Fans will get to see what went down at the two-hour event when it airs on PBS March 31 at 9 pm ET.

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Metallica has shared the trailer for the band’s upcoming theatrical 72 Seasons listening party, taking place on April 13 in cinemas worldwide.

The clip teases that you’ll be able to experience the much-anticipated album in full in “pummeling surround sound” before its official release on April 14. You’ll also get to see new music videos featuring “exclusive intros” from Metallica.

For a list of participating theaters and all ticket info, visit Metallica.film.

72 Seasons is the follow-up to 2016’s Hardwired…to Self-Destruct. It includes the songs “Lux Æterna,” “Screaming Suicide” and “If Darkness Had a Son.”

Metallica will support 72 Seasons on a massive world tour, which begins in Europe in April before coming to the U.S. in August.

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The Who’s Pete Townshend and Aerosmith’s Joe Perry are just a few of the guest artists who appear on entertainer Ann-Margret’s first new album in over a decade, Born to Be Wild, dropping April 14. 

Townshend appears on the just-released cover of The Everly Brothers’ classic “Bye Bye Love,” which also features T.G. Sheppard.

“Being offered an opportunity to work with Ann-Margret, especially on an Everly Brothers song, was just too romantic to pass,” Townshend shares. “Ann-Margret’s work on the Tommy movie back in 1974 (when she was most certainly not old enough to pretend to be Roger Daltrey’s mother) was a joy from beginning to end.”

He adds, “Her sonorous voice, her Scandinavian beauty, her sense of humor, her stamina and her strength all shone through.”

The album features covers of song like “Rock Around the Clock,” “Son of a Preacher Man” and “Why Do Fools Fall in Love,” with Yes’ Rick Wakeman, Sir Cliff Richard, Pat Boone, Paul Shaffer and the late Mickey Gilley among the other guests on the record.

Born to be Wild is available for preorder now. 

Here’s the track list for Born to Be Wild:

“Rock Around The Clock” feat. Joe Perry & Jim McCarty
“Bye Bye Love” feat. Pete Townshend & T.G Sheppard
“Son Of A Preacher Man” feat. Steve Cropper & Brian Auger
“Earth Angel” feat. The Oak Ridge Boys & Harvey Mandel
“Why Do Fools Fall In Love” feat. Robben Ford & Chip Z’Nuff
“The Great Pretender” feat. Paul Shaffer, Danny B. Harvey & Adam Hamilton
“Can’t Take My Eyes Off You” feat. Cliff Richard & Rick Braun
“Born To Be Wild” feat. The Fuzztones
“Splish Splash” feat. Mickey Gilley, Linda Gail Lewis & The Rockats
“Somebody’s In My Orchard” feat. Don Randi
“Teach Me Tonight” feat Pat Boone, Rick Wakeman & Damiano Della Torre
“Volare” feat. Lee Rocker & Slim Jim Phantom
“Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree” feat. Sonny Landreth

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On this Day, March 2, 1962 …

John Francis Bongiovi Jr. was born in Perth Amboy, New Jersey, later changing his name to Jon Bon Jovi for his musical career.

In 1983 he formed Bon Jovi with keyboardist David Bryan, bassist Alec John Such and drummer Nico Torres; they were later joined by guitarist Richie Sambora. They released their self-titled debut album in 1984, which featured the top-40 hit “Runaway.”

The band has gone on to release 15 records, including 1986’s Slippery When Wet, which spent eight weeks at number one and has been certified 12-times Platinum by the RIAA, and 1988’s New Jersey, which also went to number one and produced five top-10 hits, including two number-one songs: “Bad Medicine” and “I’ll Be There for You.” It was certified seven-times Platinum by the RIAA.

Bon Jovi also released two solo albums. His solo single “Blaze of Glory” from the soundtrack to Young Guns II won a Golden Globe Award and earned him an Academy Award nomination.

In 2018, Jon was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame with Bon Jovi. In 2009, he was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

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Scorpions fans will soon have a new way to enjoy some of their classic albums. BMG is set to reissue 12 albums from the German rock band’s catalog on colored vinyl on May 5.

The Scorpions – Colors of Rock reissues encompass albums from 1974 to 2007. Among the records getting the colored vinyl treatment are 1977’s Taken By Force on white vinyl; 1978’s Tokyo Tapes on yellow vinyl; 1979’s Lovedrive and 1980’s Animal Magnetism, both on red vinyl; 1982’s Blackout on clear vinyl; and 1983’s Love at First Sting, which features the mega hit “Rock You Like A Hurricane,” on silver vinyl.

Four of the albums — 1974’s Fly To The Rainbow, 1975’s In Trance, 1976’s Virgin Killer and 2007’s Humanity (Hour 1) — are all being remastered for the first time from the original master tapes.

Scorpions – Colors of Rock is available for preorder now. The full list of colored vinyl releases include:

Fly To The Rainbow (1974) (transparent violet vinyl)
In Trance (1975) (transparent vinyl)
Virgin Killer (1976) (powder blue vinyl)
Taken By Force (1977) (white vinyl)
Tokyo Tapes (1978) (yellow vinyl)
Lovedrive (1979) (red vinyl)
Animal Magnetism (1980) (red vinyl)
Blackout (1982) (crystal-clear vinyl)
Love at First Sting (1983) (silver vinyl)
World Wide Live (1985) (transparent orange vinyl)
Savage Amusement (1988) (transparent light-blue vinyl)
Humanity (Hour 1) (2007) (gold vinyl)

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The seventh annual Love Rocks NYC benefit concert is happening next week at the Beacon Theatre in New York City, but if you can’t make it to the Big Apple you can still enjoy the show. 

For just $20, fans will be able to stream the concert, which features a lineup that includes James Taylor, Pat Benatar and Neil Geraldo, Sheryl Crow, the John Mayer Trio, Warren Haynes and R&B legend Mavis Staples.

The annual concert is a benefit for God’s Love We Deliver, which delivers meals to New Yorkers who are unable to shop or cook for themselves. That $20 livestream ticket will translate to two meals. To date the concerts have raised more than $25 million. This year the charity expects to deliver more than 3 million meals, which are provided free of charge. 

Tickets for the livestream are available now.

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In celebration of the 50th anniversary of The Dark Side of the Moon, Pink Floyd is releasing a new Blu-ray disc and CD of the classic concert The Dark Side of the Moon — Live at Wembley Empire Pool, London, 1974 — and now they are giving fans a taste of it.

The band just released the album’s live recording of “Breathe (In The Air),” which is the second song on the classic album.

The March 24 release of the album will mark the first time it’s been issued on its own; it will be released on CD and, for the first time, on vinyl. Also on March 24, Pink Floyd will release The Dark Side of the Moon deluxe box set, which also includes the Wembley concert. 

And also in conjunction with the anniversary, Abbey Road Studios, where the album was recorded back when it was EMI Studios, just announced an exclusive 1973 Collection of The Dark Side of the Moon merch, including short and long-sleeve shirts, a hoodie, bucket hat, tote bag and replicated session sheet. The items can be purchased at shop.abbeyroad.com.

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Stephen Stills is revisiting his first solo tour for a new album. Stephen Stills Live at Berkeley 1971 is set to drop April 28, featuring archived songs hand-picked by Stephen.

The 14 previously unreleased live performances on the album were recorded August 20 and 21, 1971, at Berkeley Community Theater in Berkeley, California. It includes two songs with Stills’ Crosby, Stills & Nash bandmate David Crosby. 

“The intimacy of the Berkeley Community Theater seemed to serve as a focal point between the audience and the energy surrounding the social climate of the day,” Stills shares. “It was my first tour as a solo artist and these shows were raucous and unrestrained, captured here in these recordings.” 

Stephen Stills Live at Berkeley 1971 is available now for preorder in a variety of formats, including two-LP, CD, digital and a deluxe package that contains photos by famed photographer Henry Diltz, a numbered limited-edition self-portrait, framed lithograph and more.

Here is the track list for Stephen Stills Live at Berkeley 1971:

“Love The One You’re With”
“Do For The Others”
“Jesus Gave Love Away For Free”
“You Don’t Have To Cry” (with David Crosby)
“The Lee Shore” (with David Crosby)
“Word Game”
“Sugar Babe”
“49 Bye-Byes/For What It’s Worth”
“Black Queen”
“Know You’ve Got To Run”
“Bluebird Revisited”
“Lean On Me”
“Cherokee”
“Band Introductions”
“Ecology Song”

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