Classic Rock 93.9

Pink Floyd’s David Gilmour is getting ready to hit the road on his Luck and Strange tour, but a few lucky fans in England will get to see a preview of what he’s planning.

Gilmour just announced he’s headlining two special rehearsal concerts, an evening show on Sept. 20 and a matinee on Sept. 21, at the Brighton Centre in Brighton, England. 

Fans who either order or have already purchased Gilmour’s recent solo album, Luck and Strange, through his website get first shot at tickets, which cost less than $40 each.

Gilmour’s Luck and Strange tour kicks off Sept. 27 in Rome, Italy. He hits the States Oct. 25 in Los Angeles, with shows in New York to follow. A complete list of dates can be found at davidgilmour.com.

And speaking of concert tickets, Gilmour just weighed in on the controversy over the high price of tickets to the upcoming Oasis reunion shows, specifically the practice of dynamic pricing, where tickets go up in price based on demand.

After sharing in a new ITV interview that a Pink Floyd reunion wasn’t likely to happen because the three surviving members — Gilmour, Roger Waters and Nick Mason — aren’t on speaking terms, Gilmour was asked about the Gallagher brothers’ reunion.

“Oasis should do what’s right for them,” he said, but noted about the ticket controversy, “Chose a ticket price and stick to it.”

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Kansas has announced a replacement for their bassist and co-lead vocalist Billy Greer, who recently announced his retirement after close to 40 years with the band.

The rockers announced on social media that Dan McGowan, who has already filled in for Greer at shows in 2024, will be taking on the gig full time.

“I am thrilled and honored to be joining KANSAS,” McGowan shares. “I am also deeply aware of the gigantic shoes that I will be filling … I want the fans to know that I love the music of KANSAS, and I hold it in highest reverence.”

He adds, “I am committed to doing justice to the band’s incredible legacy, and I am so grateful for this unbelievable opportunity!”

McGowan’s resume includes being the singer and guitarist for the progressive rock band The Tea Club, who are set to release their sixth album this year. He also played with Kansas keyboardist Tom Brislin in his band Gold Rotation.

Greer has been a member of Kansas since 1985 and appeared on seven of the band’s studio albums.

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On This Day, Sept. 11, 1982…

John Mellencamp, then known as John Cougar, had the #1 album in the country, with his fifth studio album American Fool. It was his first and only #1 record.

The album spent nine weeks at #1, and produced the #1 single, “Jack and Diane,” which spent four weeks in the top spot.

Another single, “Hurt So Good,” spent four weeks at #2 and 16 weeks in the top 10, while a third, “Hand to Hold On To,” peaked at #19.

“Hurts So Good” went on to win Mellencamp a Grammy for Best Male Rock Vocal Performance.

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Queen fans will soon be able to experience their 1973 debut album in a whole new way.

The Rock & Roll Hall of Famers are set to release a remixed and remastered version of the self-titled album on Oct. 25, with an expanded collector’s edition that comes with six CDs and one LP, featuring 63 tracks with 43 brand new mixes.

The set, now titled Queen I, will include the original album with a new track listing, along with its originally intended running order, and the addition of “Mad the Swine,” a song that was absent from the 1973 release. There are also alternative takes, demos and rare live tracks, along with “fly-on-the-wall audio” that gives fans a behind-the-scenes look at Queen in the studio. 

It also comes with a 108-page book featuring handwritten lyrics and memorabilia.

“Queen I is the debut album we always dreamed of bringing to you,” guitarist Brian May and drummer Roger Taylor share.

In the new liner notes, May adds, “This is not just a remaster, this is a brand new 2024 rebuild of the entire Queen debut album, which, with the benefit of hindsight, we have re-titled Queen I.”  

And Queen is offering up the first preview of the set with the Oct. 4 release of a 7-inch single of the new mix of “The Night Comes Down.” The track will also be available immediately to anyone who preorders the digital version of the album.

In addition to the box set, Queen I will be released as a single CD and two-CD deluxe edition, as well as on vinyl, picture disc and cassette. 

All formats are available for preorder now.

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Bonnie Raitt has a lot of songs in her catalog that fans will want to hear when she’s out on tour, and she doesn’t see that as a bad thing.

“I’m lucky enough to have songs that people will be mad if they don’t hear; that’s not a drag, it’s an honor,” she tells the Los Angeles Times for an article about creating a concert set list. “I’m still invested every time.”

Bonnie says that while some artists like Bob Dylan will completely change up their set from show to show, it isn’t as easy for her to do since she’s constantly switching instruments during her concert. But, she says, she still likes to swap out songs when she can, sometimes making the decision in the middle of a performance.

“I’ll have my guitar guy standing there with two instruments and I’ll point to the one I want,” she says.

And while playing the same songs every night can get boring, Raitt says she’ll change things up in order to keep things fresh, although that doesn’t always work. For instance, on one tour she performed her hit “Something to Talk About” with a ska beat, which may not have gone over that well.

“We had fun doing it, but I couldn’t tell what the audience thought and you can’t interview them about whether they liked it or not,” she says. “I think you’ve got to keep those iconic songs pretty close to what people came to hear since they’re paying for the tour bus.” 

Raitt is currently on the latest leg of her Just Like That… tour. She plays San Diego on Wednesday. A complete list of dates can be found at bonnieraitt.com.

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Dave Grohl has revealed that he’s had a baby with someone other than his wife.

In an Instagram post, the Foo Fighters frontman writes, “I’ve recently become the father of a new baby daughter, born outside of my marriage.”

“I plan to be a loving and supportive parent to her,” Grohl continues. “I love my wife and my children, and I am doing everything I can to regain their trust and earn their forgiveness. We’re grateful for your consideration toward all the children involved, as we move forward together.”

A rep for Foo Fighters confirms to ABC Audio that the post is authentic.

Grohl and his wife, Jordyn Blum, have been married since 2003. They have three daughters.

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Judas Priest is set to reissue their debut album, Rocka Rolla, in celebration of its 50th anniversary. 

A new remixed and remastered version of the album will be released digitally on Friday, with the CD and vinyl versions coming out Nov. 22.

“It’s great to look back and see our future unfurl — from little metal acorns mighty metal oaks do grow,” Judas Priest frontman Rob Halford shares. “One small step for metal, one giant leap for metalkind — a lifelong metal journey began with these songs. This album lit the eternal metal flame — as real and fresh as ever five decades on.”

Released in 1974, Rocka Rolla was produced by Roger Bain, who had previously produced Black Sabbath. Up until now, the band had no say in the sound of the record or other rereleases, and Halford admits at first listen he and the band were “disappointed” by how it sounded. 

But in 2022, when their original label, Gull Records, decided to sell the masters and publishing rights for Rocka Rolla and its follow-up, Sad Wings of Destiny, Judas Priest bought it back. Now Tom Allom, who produced Priest albums British Steel, Screaming For Vengeance and others, has remixed and restored it. 

“I’m just thrilled … because it just goes to show you when you get an expert involved in a project, it’s likely that you have a second chance,” Halford notes, with guitarist K.K. Downing adding, “At last! This! The first Judas Priest album can be listened to and enjoyed in the way it was always intended to be!” 

The 50th anniversary reissue of Rocka Rolla is available for preorder now.

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Green Day is headlining the 2025 edition of Lollapalooza India, held March 8-9 in Mumbai.

The festival will mark the “American Idiot” trio’s debut performance in India. The bill also includes Glass Animals, Nothing but Thieves and headliners Shawn Mendes and Louis Tomlinson.

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

The inaugural Lollapalooza India was held in 2023, making it the latest international version of the festival. Lollapaloozas have also been held in Brazil, Chile, Argentina, Germany, Sweden and France.

The U.S. Lolla takes place in Chicago’s Grant Park after beginning as a touring festival in the ’90s. The 2024 festival took place in August and featured headliners including blink-182, The Killers and Hozier. The 2025 dates and lineup have yet to be announced.

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Pink Floyd’s David Gilmour surprised patrons at bar in East Sussex, England, getting up on stage to join his daughter Romany Gilmour for an impromptu performance.

David shared a clip of the performance on social media, which shows him walking into Neptune Live Music Bar and his daughter asking, “Would you like to come and upstage me?” When David says “yeah,” she replies, “OK, great.”

The clip then shows a snippet of the pair performing the Pink Floyd classic “Wish You Were Here.”

David captioned the post, “Very much enjoyed crashing @romanygilmour’s gig at the Neptune in Hove this evening after finishing tour rehearsals.”

Those rehearsals are for David’s upcoming live shows in support of his recently released solo album, Luck and Strange. The shows kick off Sept. 27 in Rome, Italy. He hits the States starting Oct. 25 in Los Angeles, with shows in New York to follow. A complete list of dates can be found at davidgilmour.com.

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Back in April, Neil Young revealed in a post on his Neil Young Archives site that a live album featuring an early concert by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young was in the works, and now we have more details about the release.

Live At The Fillmore East, 1969 will be released Oct. 25, featuring a newly discovered multiple-track recording of CSNY’s Sept. 20, 1969, show at the Fillmore East in New York. The concert took place a month after their second-ever show together at Woodstock. It includes performances of future CSNY classics “Suite: Judy Blue Eyes,” “Guinnevere” and “Our House,” as well as the Young track “Down By The River.”

The first performance released from the album is a previously unreleased live recording of “Helplessly Hoping,” which is available now via digital outlets.

The album was produced from the original eight-track concert recordings of the show, with Young and Stephen Stills working with Jay Hanlon at Sunset Sound Studios in Los Angeles on the final product. 

Live At The Fillmore East, 1969 will be released on two-LP vinyl and CD and is available for preorder now. There will also be a special clear vinyl edition, sold exclusively at retailers.

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