Classic Rock 93.9

While it is pretty common to see Lenny Kravitz onstage or on a red carpet, some lucky fans shopping at the popular convenience store Buc-ees got the surprise of their life when the rocker’s tour bus made a pit stop at one of the chain’s locations.

The singer, whose new album Blue Electric Light drops May 24, shared video on social media of him popping into the store where he chatted and posed for pictures with fans. The rocker, dressed in all leather, made a few purchases while there, walking out with a bag of snacks and a drink.

The video is soundtracked by his brand new single, “Human.” “First time at #Bucees… So many smiling faces and warm hearts. We are all #Human,” Kravitz writes in the caption, adding, “See you on the road!”

For those who may not know, Buc-ees is a Texas-based convenience store chain with locations throughout the Southeast. It is known for its variety of snacks and food as well as for the cleanliness of their bathrooms.

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Rod Stewart has had eight children with five women, but unlike many rock stars of his generation, he’s got a relationship with all of them, and the majority of them have a relationship with each other, too.

In a new Instagram post, Rod is seen posing with his son Liam, 29, whose mother is his ex-wife Rachel Hunter. Also in the photo are Rod’s two sons with his current wife, Penny Lancaster: Alastair, 18, and Aiden, 13.

“Proud as a Father could possibly be,” the caption reads. He then goes on to offer congratulations to the Milton Keynes Lightning for winning England’s National Ice Hockey League Cup. Liam is a forward for the Lightning; he’s been with the team since 2019.

In addition to Alastair, Aiden and Liam, Rod is also the father of Sean, 43, and Kimberly, 44, with ex-wife Alana Stewart; daughter Ruby, 36, with ex-girlfriend Kelly Emberg; Liam’s sister Renee, 31; and Sarah, 59. When Rod was 18, he and his then-girlfriend Susannah Boffey put Sarah up for adoption, but he later reconnected with her when she was an adult.

Rod’s latest album, Swing Fever, recently hit #1 in his native U.K. He’s touring Europe starting in May, and in July, he’ll return to the U.S. for the final dates of his residency at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace.

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Jon Bon Jovi knows plenty about rock ‘n’ roll, but it turns out he knows a lot about business, too — and he’s going to share his knowledge during this year’s Tribeca Festival in New York City.

The festival, which takes place from June 5 to June 16, includes a two-day program called Tribeca X, focusing on creative marketing and advertising. Jon and his son Jesse Bongiovi will talk to attendees about their highly rated bestselling rosé wine, Hampton Water, and the brand’s charitable initiatives.

Other stars participating in Tribeca X include Jenna Lyons and Christy Turlington Burns. For more information, visit tribecafilm.com.

Bon Jovi’s new album, Forever, comes out June 7. The documentary Thank you, Goodnight: The Bon Jovi Story streams on Hulu starting April 26.

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Mark Knopfler is giving fans another preview of his upcoming album, One Deep River.

The Dire Straits frontman just released the track “Two Pairs of Hands,” the third single he’s released from the record, following “Watch Me Gone” and “Ahead Of The Game.” 

You can listen to “Two Pairs of Hands” now via digital outlets and on YouTube. 

One Deep River, dropping April 12, is Knopfler’s first album since 2018’s Down The Road Wherever. It will be released digitally and on CD, cassette and as a two-LP set. There’s also a box set featuring the standard CD and two-LP release, along with a bonus CD and bonus vinyl, three guitar picks, a lithograph print and more.

All formats are available for preorder now.

The new song follows Knopfler’s recently released all-star charity single “Going Home (Theme From Local Hero),” to benefit Teenage Cancer Trust. Some of the artists featured on the song include the late Jeff Beck, The Who’s Pete Townshend, Bruce Springsteen, Eric Clapton, Peter Frampton, Queen’s Brian May and Rush’s Alex Lifeson. It does not appear on One Deep River.

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Halestorm‘s Lzzy Hale will be the new lead singer in Skid Row. At least for a couple of shows.

The “18 and Life” outfit has announced that vocalist Erik Grönwall will be leaving the band, and that Hale will be filling in for their four scheduled concerts in May and June. Grönwall, who joined Skid Row in 2022, will be focusing on his health and recovery after being diagnosed with leukemia in 2021.

“I got the opportunity to join this incredible band 6 months after my treatment against leukemia,” Grönwall says in a statement. “And one month after that I was on a world tour with [Skid Row]. Wow! It was a dream come true.”

“However, it proved challenging touring the world with an impaired immune system, which is a result of my bone marrow transplant,” he continues. “I respect and understand that Skid Row is a touring band but since I can’t prioritize my health being in the band, I have decided that it’s better for me to step aside.”

In her own Instagram post, Hale writes, “I’m stepping in for a few dates as the lead singer of Skid Row! What an honor to call them my friends and a privilege to be sharing the stage with them! Erik, I wish you all the magic on your next adventure.

She adds, “Now…which leather pants to wear?!!”

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Two more albums from Pete Townshend‘s solo catalog are set to be reissued on half-speed mastered vinyl.

After releasing half-speed reissues of 1977’s Rough Mix and 1980’s Empty Glass in June, Townshend is now set to drop 1982’s All The Best Cowboys Have Chinese Eyes and 1985’s White City (A Novel) on May 17. 

Like the first two releases, both albums have been mastered on limited-edition black vinyl by noted producer and engineer Jon Astley, who’s also Pete’s former brother-in-law. The half-speed mastering technique produces superior quality vinyl LPs.  

All The Best Cowboys Have Chinese Eyes, Pete’s third solo release, featured such songs as “Uniforms (Corp d’Esprit)” and “Face Dances Part 2.” His fourth solo release, White City (A Novel), was a concept album set in a low income housing estate near where Pete grew up. Songs on the album include “Face The Face,” which was a top 40 hit for Townshend, and “Give Blood,” which features Pink Floyd’s David Gilmour.

Both albums are available for preorder now.

In other Townshend news … the rocker was on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon on Tuesday, March 26, to promote The Who’s Tommy, which is set to open Thursday, March 28, at the Nederlander Theatre on Broadway. Townshend joined the cast for a medley of songs from the show, including “Pinball Wizard,” “See Me, Feel Me” and “Listening To You.”

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Grateful Dead is celebrating the upcoming 50th anniversary of their album From The Mars Hotel with a new deluxe edition of the album.

The new release, dropping June 21, will include a remastered version of the album, along with demos of “China Doll” and “Wave That Flag,” the latter of which eventually became the Mars Hotel track “U.S. Blues.” The set will also come with a previously unreleased concert recorded May 12, 1974, at the University of Nevada-Reno, featuring performances of songs from Mars Hotel, along with classics like “Truckin’” and “Sugar Magnolia.” 

Originally released on June 27, 1974, From The Mars Hotel was the follow-up to Wake of the Flood and was released less than a year after it came out. In addition to “China Doll” and “Wave That Flag,” the album featured such songs as “Scarlett Begonias” and “Ship of Fools,” along with “Pride of Cucamonga” and “Unbroken Chain,” which turned out to be the final two songs with lead vocals by Phil Lesh on a Grateful Dead studio album. Mars Hotel peaked at #16 on the Billboard 200.

From The Mars Hotel (50th Anniversary Deluxe Edition) will be released as a three-CD and digital set. The remastered version of the album will also be released as a single black vinyl; a limited-edition neon pink vinyl; a limited-edition “Ugly Rumors” custom vinyl, sold exclusively on Dead.net; and a specially designed zoetrope picture disc, which when viewed by a camera or strobe appears to animate.

All formats are available for preorder now.

And to celebrate the announcement, the ninth season of the Good Ol’ Grateful Deadcast will premiere Thursday, March 28, with an episode dedicated to From The Mars Hotel.

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On This Day, March 27, 1979…

Eric Clapton married Pattie Boyd, ex-wife of his good friend, The Beatle‘s George Harrison, in Tucson, Arizona. 

The two met while Clapton and Harrison were writing music together in the late ‘60s and Clapton fell in love with Boyd. Songs on the Derek and the Dominos album Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs, including the iconic track Layla, were inspired by his love for Boyd.

Boyd eventually left Harrison in 1974, and she and Clapton subsequently married, all the while remaining good friends with Harrison.

But Clapton and Boyd’s relationship had problems. The rocker was an alcoholic during their time together and he even admitted to abusing her and being unfaithful. Boyd left him in 1987, and they were divorced in 1989.

Earlier this month, Boyd auctioned off several personal items, including love letters written to her by Clapton. She made over $3.6 million from the auction.

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Chad Smith and Lars Ulrich will be turning it up to 11 in the This Is Spinal Tap sequel.

According to Deadline, the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Metallica drummers will make cameos in the upcoming film, which continues the story of the fictional metal band Spinal Tap.

If you’ve seen the original 1984 movie, then you’ll recall that the drummers for Spinal Tap have a history of dying in strange, grisly ways, including by spontaneous combustion and in a “bizarre gardening accident.” So perhaps Smith and Ulrich’s characters will continue that tradition in the sequel.

Smith, by the way, has previously collaborated with actor Harry Shearer on his 2023 album as his Spinal Tap character, Derek Smalls.

Original cast members Shearer, Christopher Guest and Michael McKean will be returning for the sequel, as will director Rob Reiner. Musicians including Paul McCartney and Elton John are also set to appear in the film.

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A planned movie about Bruce Springsteen’s effort to make the 1982 solo album Nebraska may have found the man to play The Boss. 

Deadline was the first to report that The Bear star Jeremy Allen White is the frontrunner to play Springsteen in the movie Deliver Me From Nowhere, an adaptation of Warren Zanes’ 2023 book about the making of the album. 

Crazy Heart writer/director Scott Cooper is writing the film, with plans to direct, and shooting is expected to begin this fall in New Jersey.

Nebraska, released in September 30, 1982, featured 10 acoustic songs that Springsteen originally recorded as demos on a four-track recorder. Springsteen had planned to rerecord the songs with the E Street Band but instead opted to release it as a solo acoustic record.

Nebraska peaked at #3 on the Billboard chart, with its biggest hit being “Atlantic City,” which reached #10.

Some of the songs on the demo that didn’t make it on Nebraska were later rerecorded with the band and wound up on Springsteen’s multi-Platinum #1 record, Born in the U.S.A.

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