Classic Rock 93.9

Journey’s Neal Schon is once again speaking out against his bandmate Jonathan Cain after Cain filed a lawsuit detailing what he claims is Schon’s overspending. 

“I find Cain’s slanderous allegations are very disruptive and damaging with intent to try to harm me, the band, crew, promoter and the tour,” he writes on Facebook. “Truly disturbing to hear of Mr Cains filing in the middle of Journey’s very successful Stadium Tour with our good friends Def Leppard.”

He accuses Schon of creating “a very hostile work environment” for himself and their fellow bandmates, maintaining “the allegations are false and I intend to prove it in court.” 

“My focus is, as it always has been, and will be, the music and fans since when I began Journey in 1972,” he says. “51 years now for me, I will continue to always do what’s right for Journey in protecting and making good decisions for the band, crew, music and fans. I will let the music do the talking.”

Cain filed a lawsuit against Schon on July 24, detailing what he claimed was Schon’s overspending, although in a statement he insisted the aim of the suit was to get the court to appoint a third, independent director to serve on the band’s Freedom 2020 board in order to deal with “growing issues” between him and Schon.

Schon previously responded to the allegations via social media, calling them “absolute rubbish.”

In the meantime, Schon and Cain are currently sharing a stage on Journey’s Summer Stadium tour with Def Leppard. The tour hits Houston on Wednesday. A complete list of dates can be found at journeymusic.com.

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Last year a group of artists paid tribute to Bruce Springsteen’s classic solo album Nebraska at a show in Nashville, and if you weren’t able to catch it, you now have a chance to see what you missed.

Bruce Springsteen’s Nebraska: A Celebration in Words and Music is now streaming on PBS Passport, giving fans a chance to experience the Sept. 19, 2023, concert that features performances of the album’s songs and spoken word storytelling. Artists who took part in the concert included Emmylou Harris, Lyle Lovett, The Lumineers, Eric Church, Lucinda Williams and Noah Kahan.

Warren Zanes, who wrote the book about the album, Deliver Me from Nowhere: The Making of Bruce Springsteen’s Nebraska, hosted the event. His book is now being turned into a movie, which will star The Bear’s Jeremy Allen White as The Boss. 

Released Sept. 30, 1982, Nebraska featured 10 acoustic songs that Springsteen originally recorded as demos on a four-track recorder. Those songs include “Atlantic City,” “Reason to Believe” and “Johnny 99.” Springsteen had planned to rerecord the songs with the E Street Band but instead opted to release them as a solo acoustic record.

Nebraska was a critical darling, was a top-10 hit for The Boss and has been included on several lists of the greatest albums of all time.

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Two Ian Hunter solo albums are set to be reissued this fall.

The records, 1979’s You’re Never Alone with a Schizophrenic and 1980’s Short Back n’ Sides, will both be remastered and reissued on Oct. 25, featuring bonus material.

You’re Never Alone With A Schizophrenic, produced by Mick Ronson, features two Hunter classics, “Just Another Night” and “Cleveland Rocks.” The expanded edition will include seven archival rarities, made up of early demos and outtakes. It will be released on CD and on green vinyl, marking the record’s first-ever vinyl release. 

Short Back n’ Sides, which features such guest musicians as The Clash’s Mick Jones and Topper Headon, as well as Todd Rundgren, will have an expanded edition with 12 archival rarities, and will be released on CD and double vinyl, with an eight-page lyric booklet.

You’re Never Alone With A Schizophrenic and Short Back n’ Sides are available for preorder now.

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With summer almost over, former President Barack Obama is letting us know what he’s listening to this season.

Obama just released his 2024 summer playlist and it features a diverse group of songs, including The Rolling Stones‘ “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction,” Sting’s “If You Love Someone Set Them Free” and Bob Dylan’s “Silvio.” 

“With summer winding down, I wanted to share some songs that I’ve been listening to lately – and it wouldn’t be my playlist if it didn’t include an eclectic mix,” Obama writes. “I hope you find something new to listen to!”

Other songs on the list include The Miracles‘ “You Really Got A Hold On Me,” Billie Elish’s “Chihiro,” WILLOW’s “Symptom of Life,” The Supremes‘ “Where Did Our Love Go,” and Bob Marley and The Wailers‘ “Them Belly Full (But We Hungry),” along with songs by Beyoncé, Norah Jones, Etta James and Charli XCX.

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Heart’s Nancy Wilson has posted a tribute to author Charles R. Cross, a prominent figure of the Seattle grunge scene who also co-authored the 2012 biography Kicking & Dreaming: A Story of Heart, Soul, and Rock & Roll with Nancy and her sister and bandmate Ann Wilson.

“Whadda one of a kind guy. His passion and purpose was to make it his life’s work to celebrate and chronicle the beautiful global renaissance that started with our local Seattle music scene,” Nancy wrote on Instagram. “Charley was the coolest rock litterati bookworm to ever be lucky enough to know. And all us cool rock people got to feel even cooler to know him and call him a friend.”

Calling Cross “the cutest bespeckled nerd at the dance,” Nancy shared that he was “our trusty biographer and implicitly trusted friend. Never selatious never invasive always impeccably appropriate and always brought that sharp worldly humor with him.” 

Finally, she shared, “I truly loved Charley Cross. One of a kind class act. Rest in wit and wisdom dear fine feathered friend.”

Cross’ family shared news of his death in a statement, saying he “died peacefully of natural causes in his sleep on August 9th, 2024.” He was 67.

In addition to the Heart biography, Cross chronicled the rise of grunge in Seattle and wrote a biography of the late Kurt Cobain, Heavier than Heaven, in 2001. He also founded the Bruce Springsteen fanzine Backstreets, which shut down in 2023.

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Billy Joel has added a new show to his schedule.

The rocker, who in July wrapped his 10-year residency at New York’s Madison Square Garden, will be headlining Hard Rock Live in Hollywood, Florida, on Nov. 23. 

A Citi presale kicks off Wednesday at 10 a.m., with tickets going on sale to the general public Friday at 10 a.m.

Joel has only a handful of shows booked for the rest of 2024. His next concert is a co-headlining gig with Rod Stewart, happening Sept. 13 in Cleveland. A complete list of dates can be found at billyjoel.com.

In other Billy news, the Rock & Roll Hall of Famer took to Instagram Monday to wish his daughter Della Rae a happy 9th birthday. He shared a carousel of photos of Della, along with the caption, “Watching you grow and shine, keeps us all in awe. We love you.” 

Della is the eldest child of Billy and wife Alexis Roderick. Their younger daughter, Remy Anne, turns 7 in October.

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Billy Corgan wants to make sure you know there’s a new Smashing Pumpkins album out, and he’s using AI to do it.

In a series of videos, Corgan encourages you to listen to the record, titled Aghori Mhori Mei, in eight different languages — first in English and then translated via AI to Spanish, German, French, Portuguese, Italian, Greek and Japanese.

“Don’t worry, before AI destroys everything, including all culture, please know The Smashing Pumpkins have a new album out,” Corgan says.

Corgan goes on to describe Aghori Mhori Mei as a “return to our old-school roots.”

“We had a lot of fun making this record and we really want to share it with you,” he says.

The Smashing Pumpkins are currently touring the U.S. playing headlining shows in between dates opening for Green Day.

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The Doobie Brothers have added some new dates to their 2024 tour.

The Rock & Roll Hall of Famers have announced four additional East Coast shows: two nights at The Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, New York, as well as a show at the Borgata Event Center in Atlantic City, New Jersey, and at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut.

Tickets for all four shows go on sale Friday at 10 a.m. ET.

The Doobie Brothers — consisting of Tom Johnston, Michael McDonald, Pat Simmons and John McFee — kicked off their 2024 tour in June. The trek hits Boston on Monday. A complete list of dates can be found at thedoobiebrothers.com.

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Charles R. Cross, author and prominent figure of the Seattle grunge scene, has died at age 67.

In a statement, Cross’ family shares that he “died peacefully of natural causes in his sleep on August 9th, 2024.”

“We are all grief-stricken and trying to get through this difficult process of dealing with the next steps,” the statement continues.

Cross edited the Seattle-based magazine The Rocket starting in the mid-’80s, which chronicled the rise of grunge. He was particularly known for his coverage of Nirvana and released a biography of the late Kurt Cobain, Heavier than Heaven, in 2001.

ABC Audio spoke with Cross in 2019 in remembrance of Cobain and the 25th anniversary of his death.

“Nirvana’s music was about the internal dialogue of Kurt Cobain: depression, angst, alienation,” Cross said. “Those suddenly became themes that rock songs could be about. And that has stretched over to rap and to other things. Music has never really been the same since Nirvana broke.”

Cross also founded the Bruce Springsteen fanzine Backstreets.

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