Classic Rock 93.9

Paul McCartney is opening up about one of his most embarrassing moments as a musician in the latest episode of his podcast, Paul McCartney: A Life in Lyrics.

In discussing his early guitar playing, McCartney shared that originally he thought he was good, noting he even had to teach John Lennon guitar chords. John was more familiar with the banjo chords, since he was taught to play guitar by his mom, who only knew how to play banjo. But during an early show at Conservative Club in Liverpool McCartney realized he wasn’t the right person to play guitar in the band.  

“We had this gig and it was like, the first thing I ever played, and I was lead guitar player. John was rhythm,” he shared. “And I had a solo and I totally froze. Could not move my fingers. … It was, like, just so embarrassing.” 

He added, “My lead-guitar-playing career melted at that moment and I said, ‘Well, I’m not doing this again. I’m not cut out for this. I’m no good.’”

It all seemed to work out, though. With McCartney on the bass, George Harrison on lead guitar, Lennon on rhythm guitar and Ringo Starr on drums, The Beatles went on to be one of the biggest bands in the history of music.

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A new Grateful Dead book penned by late songwriter Robert Hunter is due for release later this year.

Hunter wrote The Silver Snarling Trumpet: The Birth of the Grateful Dead—The Lost Manuscript of Robert Hunter in the early ’60s, and its existence has been the subject of a lot of speculation amongst Deadheads. The book had been in Hunter’s attic for years, but it’s finally going to see the light of day.

Hachette Books is set to release The Silver Snarling Trumpet on October 8, giving fans insight into the origin story of the band and Hunter’s partnership with Jerry Garcia. It will feature a foreword by Dead & Company’s John Mayer, with an introduction by author and former Dead publicist Dennis McNally and an afterword by Hunter’s close friend Brigid Meier.

Hunter is best known for writing such Grateful Dead classics as “Dark Star,” “Ripple,” “Truckin’,” “Uncle John’s Band” and more. He passed away in September 2019 at the age of 78.

The book is available for preorder now.

In addition to the book, Hunter’s 1974 debut solo album, Tales of the Great Rum Runners, is getting a deluxe reissue on June 7. It will feature a newly remastered version of the album along with 16 previously unreleased recordings. The first track released from the record is a remastered version of “Standing at Your Door.”

You can listen to “Standing at Your Door” now via digital outlets and YouTube.

Tales Of the Great Rum Runners (Deluxe Edition) be released as a two-CD and two-LP set, and will also get its first-ever digital release. It is available for preorder now.

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Iron Maiden frontman Bruce Dickinson has announced an intimate solo show in Los Angeles.

The performance takes place Friday, April 12, at the famed Whisky a Go Go club, which holds about 500 people. Tickets will only be available in person at the venue’s box office, beginning Friday at 10 a.m. local time.

“When you turn up at the box office, you never know who you might meet,” Dickinson teases.

Following the Whiskey concert, Dickinson will play another California show, taking place April 15 in Santa Ana, before launching international tours of Mexico, Brazil and Europe.

Dickinson released a new solo album, The Mandrake Project, in March.

Maiden, meanwhile, will launch a U.S. tour in October.

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Ever wonder what Lenny Kravitz does to get those chiseled abs? Well, he just gave us all a peek into his workout, and it’s very Lenny Kravitz. 

The rocker, who turns 60 on May 26, shared a video on Instagram of him at the gym doing situps while holding a barbell over his head. While that may seem normal, what is out of the ordinary is his workout gear: leather pants, a mesh shirt and boots.

“Thank God for today! Grateful. Never been better,” he captioned the video. “There are no shortcuts so seize your day. It is all possible. Love!” 

The clip got quite the reaction from Kravitz’s fans, many of whom commented on his unconventional gym attire.

“My man never breaks character. Full time rockstar!” one person commented, while another added, “Man! Boots and leather pants while working out is crazy! Always on brand!” 

And another joked, “Only Lenny can work out in that and nobody bats an eye.”

Lenny and those leather pants are getting ready to drop the new album Blue Electric Light on May 24. It is available for preorder now.

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Slash has announced a new signature guitar with Gibson inspired by his beloved “Jessica” Les Paul guitar.

The Guns N’ Roses and Velvet Revolver shredder first got Jessica in 1988, and he’s used it as his main live guitar ever since.

“I take a lot of guitars out on the road, but this still has a very specific sound compared to all the other Les Pauls I have out there,” Slash says.

The Slash Jessica Les Paul Standard can be yours for $3,199. For more info, visit Gibson.com.

Meanwhile, Slash is prepping his new blues covers album, Orgy of the Damned, due out May 17. He’ll launch a U.S. tour in July.

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Aerosmith is finally ready to return to the road.

The Rock & Roll Hall of Famers just announced the rescheduled dates for their Peace Out tour, which was put on hold last September after frontman Steven Tyler fractured his larynx.

The tour is set to resume on September 20 in Pittsburgh and wrap February 26 in Buffalo, New York. Just like the original plan, the new dates include a New Year’s Eve show in their hometown of Boston. Aerosmith has also added three new shows to the trek: the opening date in Pittsburgh as well as shows in Philadelphia and Orlando.

The Black Crowes will once again join Aerosmith as special guests on the tour, with the exception of the opening night, where Teddy Swims will open.

Tickets purchased for the original run will be honored for the rescheduled dates. Tickets for the new shows go on sale Friday, April 12, at 10 a.m. A complete list of dates can be found at aerosmith.com.

Aerosmith announced in May that the Peace Out tour would be their goodbye to the road. They launched the trek on September 2 in Philadelphia before halting the tour on September 29. At the time, Tyler said he was “heartbroken” by having to postpone and added, “I promise we will be back as soon as we can!”

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On This Day, April 10, 2014…

Peter Gabriel, KISS and Nirvana were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame at a ceremony held at the Barclay’s Center in Brooklyn, New York.

Gabriel had previously been inducted in 2010 as a member of Genesis and was now being inducted for his solo career, with Coldplay’s Chris Martin on hand to do the honors. Gabriel also performed at the ceremony, treating the crowd to “Digging in the Dirt,” “Wash on the Water” with Martin and “In Your Eyes” with Youssou N’Dour.

KISS was inducted by Rage Against the Machine‘s Tom Morello. All four original members — Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley, Peter Criss and Ace Frehley — attended, although they did not perform.

Nirvana’s induction was handled by R.E.M.’s Michael Stipe, with surviving members, Dave Grohl and Krist Novoselic, and guitarist Pat Smear, performing four tracks with guest vocalists, including St. Vincent, Lorde, Sonic Youth‘s Kim Gordon and Joan Jett.

Other inductees that evening included Hall & Oates, Linda Ronstadt and Cat Stevens, as well as Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band, who were inducted into the Musical Excellence category.

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Alice in Chains‘ Jerry Cantrell is seeking help in locating a missing guitar.

A post to Cantrell’s Facebook on Tuesday, April 9, reads, “Unfortunately over this past weekend we believe Jerry Cantrell’s original Blue Dress G&L guitar was stolen from his car in either [Los Angeles] or San Bernardino/Highland.”

The post also includes a picture of the guitar and its serial number. Those with information can email info@velvethammer.net.

“We’re offering a reward to anyone who can help us locate the guitar,” the post reads. “We sincerely appreciate your help.”

Cantrell’s previously said that the Blue Dress guitar, which he’s had since 1985, has “been on everything I’ve ever recorded, pretty much.”

The guitar is named after the pinup picture on the front. It also has a Soundgarden sticker on the back.

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The Rolling Stones are looking back at their first performance in China with a new video set to premiere on YouTube April 11 at 8 a.m. ET.

The band just shared a trailer for From London to Shanghai – The Rolling Stones’ Historic Concert to the Other Side of the World, which appears to document what it took to put on their April 2006 concert at the Shanghai Grand Theatre.  

The video will feature interviews with The Stones’ longtime production manager Dale “Opie” Skjerseth, as well as the godfather of Chinese rock, Cui Juan, who opened the show and joined the band for “Wild Horses.”

The trailer notes that ahead of the show the band was given a list of songs they couldn’t play, including “Brown Sugar” and “Honky Tonk Woman,” with Mick Jagger noting that “Beast of Burden” and “Let’s Spend The Night Together” were also on the list. They were, however, allowed to play “B****,” with the video showing a clip of the performance. 

The Stones’ first concert in China was part of their A Bigger Bang tour. They had originally planned to play China three years earlier, but those shows didn’t happen because of the SARS epidemic. They have since returned to China, playing the Shanghai Mercedes-Benz Arena in 2014. 

And speaking of The Rolling Stones on tour, the band will kick off the Hackney Diamonds tour on April 28 in Houston, Texas. A complete list of dates can be found at rollingstones.com.

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The company Super7 is paying tribute to Lemmy Kilmister with a new action figure modeled after the late Motörhead frontman.

Standing 7 inches tall, the figure recreates Lemmy’s look from Motörhead’s 1981 European tour, right down to his signature mutton chops. It comes with three interchangeable heads, each featuring a different expression, as well as accessories including a small plastic bass, microphone stand and whiskey bottle.

Preorders are open now via Super7.com.

Super7 has previously released action figures inspired by Ghost, Beastie Boys, Mötley Crüe and Ronnie James Dio.

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