Classic Rock 93.9

Queen’s Brian May wants fans to know the band is not responsible for their label, Universal Music, taking down YouTube videos of their recent Rhapsody tour with Adam Lambert. 

The guitarist shared a post from a fan account, which revealed that Universal and YouTube “are now coming for everyone who posts concert videos of Queen and Adam,” noting that most of their concert videos have been deleted. But apparently this was news to May.

“i’ve been watching this for a few days, and I’m very concerned,” May writes, sharing that he’s having management investigate “if there is a reason for Instagram and Universal suddenly becoming so Draconian.” 

“The decision to take these videos down certainly hasn’t come from us, the band,” he explains.

May then offered up Christmas wishes to his fans.

“In common with many of you, I don’t find it easy to come up to the level of frenetic joyfulness that is portrayed in the media as requisite for this time of year,” he writes. “But let’s all look around us, and look for ways to make other people’s Christmases as Jolly as possible. Apart form anything else, it’s good therapy!”

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

The Rolling Stones‘ Keith Richards turned 80 on Monday, December 18, and he received loads of well-wishes from his bandmates.

The official Rolling Stones Instagram account shared a video montage featuring footage of Richards over the years, with the clip kicking off with Mick Jagger singing “Happy Birthday” to the rocker. 

“Happy birthday to the one and only @officialkeef!” reads the post’s caption. “Wishing you the most special of days Keith! Keep on rockin.” 

Mick also posted his own birthday message with a smiling photo of him and Keith and the caption, “Happy birthday @officialkeef ! Love Mick,” while Ron Wood shared several photos of them together, writing, “Happy 80th birthday @officialkeef!”

Keith’s birthday was also acknowledged on the late Charlie Watts’ Instagram page, with several photos of the bandmates together.

“Wishing Keith Richards a very happy 80th birthday today!” reads the caption, which goes on to share a quote Charlie said about Keith, calling him “the most interesting, the most different of us all.”

“He’s a man of vision, and one of the few people who hasn’t really changed over the years,” the post continues. “Wherever he goes, whatever he does, he’s always Keith.”

Meanwhile, Richards used his Instagram page to wish his wife, Patti Hansen, a happy anniversary, sharing a photo from their wedding day and writing, “For Patricia, Happy 40th Anniversary! I love you. Keith.”  

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Bob Dylan quietly released an album of studio outtakes earlier this month, but good luck trying to get your hands on it.

Rolling Stone reports that a limited number of copies of Dylan’s 50th Anniversary Collection 1973 were released to random record stores in Europe, in order to comply with European “use it or lose it” copyright laws, which say that after 50 years, any sound recordings can become public domain if they aren’t used.

The latest album of outtakes is from the Pat Garrett & Billy The Kid soundtrack sessions. While some fans have been searching record stores trying to find a copy, others are heading to eBay, with the few available copies going for as much as $500. 

This isn’t the first time Dylan has released an outtakes album to comply with European copyright laws. He previously released an 18-disc set featuring outtakes from Bringing It All Back Home, Highway 61 Revisited and Blonde on Blonde. He’s also released other limited-edition CDs to European stores without any announcement.

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Fans of Faces should get ready to hear some previously unreleased music next year.

In an interview with Mojo, Faces specialist Rob Caiger reveals that the band — Rod Stewart, Ronnie Wood and Kenney Jones — plans to kick off a reissue campaign next year, with plenty of material from their vaults.

Caiger put together Faces’ recent Record Store Day release, Had Me A Real Good Time… With Faces Live In Session At The BBC 1971-1973. Since 2020 he’s been looking through the surviving members’ personal archives, and working with the estates of the late Ian McLagan and Ronnie Lane. He says there are plenty of photos and songs to include on remasters.

“When I say there’s a wealth of unreleased material – there’s a wealth of unreleased material,” Caiger shares. “You can only fit so much on an LP and singles. There’s rehearsals, outtakes, unreleased songs, session multitracks, you name it. It was a joy and a privilege, really.” 

He adds that Wood actually “has the most incredible, organized archive,” noting that lots of the stuff is on tape so “this stuff has never leaked out and no-one’s heard it, that’s why it’s exciting.”

And it sounds like the surviving members are excited by what’s in store. “The guys are signing off on everything, and it doesn’t come out unless they say so,” Caiger says. “They’re absolutely engaged, enthusiastic and totally into it. If you’re going to do this, this is the one time to do it properly.”

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

On This Day, December 18, 1983…

The Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards celebrated his 40th birthday by marrying 27-year-old model Patti Hansen. The couple first met in 1979.

They have two daughters together, Theodora Dupree, born in 1985, and Alexandra Nicole, born in 1986, and are still together to this day.

Although the marriage was the first for Richards, he had previously been involved with Italian-born actress Anita Pallenberg from 1967-1979. The couple had three children together, son Marlon, born in 1969, daughter Angela, born in 1972, and son Tara Jo Jo Gunne, born in 1976. Tara passed away at a little over two months old from SIDS.

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Nikki Sixx doesn’t seem to be clamoring for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame to induct Mötley Crüe.

In a social media post, the bassist shares that he thinks “people get too worked up” about the Rock Hall.

“If you get in that’s cool and if not, it’s not a big deal,” Sixx writes. “It’s not some elite club that defines you.”

“It’s an award,” he continues. “None of us hopefully make music just for awards. I do like the idea of jamming with other musicians at the ceremony.”

Mötley Crüe’s been eligible for induction since 2006.

While he may not be preparing a Rock Hall acceptance speech anytime soon, Sixx has been working on new music with Mötley, which he recently teased would be released in 2024. The band will close out 2023 with a New Year’s Eve concert in Palm Springs, California.

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

U2 got into the holiday spirit this weekend during their Las Vegas residency, U2: UV Achtung Baby Live At Sphere.

Fan-shot footage posted to YouTube shows the band performing “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)” during their Friday, December 15, show. The performance starts out slow with The Edge on an acoustic guitar, but by the end the rest of the band joins in on the song. 

“Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)” is a cover of the Darlene Love holiday classic; according to setlist.fm, it’s the first time the band has performed the song since 1987. In a recent interview on The View’s Behind the Table, Love revealed that U2’s version of the tune is her favorite cover of the song.

U2 just wrapped U2: UV Achtung Baby Live At Sphere for 2023; they’re set to return to Vegas on Friday, January 26. The residency runs through Saturday, March 2. A complete list of dates can be found at U2.com.

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Mick Jagger is no longer the only octogenarian in The Rolling Stones. Legendary guitarist Keith Richards turns the big 8-0 on December 18, joining his bandmate and songwriting partner, who celebrated the milestone birthday in July.

Born in Dartford, England, Richards attended primary school with Jagger in the ’50s, but they’d lost touch until a chance meeting at a train station led to the musical partnership that went on to become The Rolling Stones.

In their more than 60-year career, The Stones have become one of the bestselling artists of all time and were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2004. They’ve had nine Billboard #1 albums and eight #1 singles, selling over 200 million records; they are still recording to this day, releasing their new album, Hackney Diamonds, in October. They are also known as one of the best live acts in the business and are headed back out on tour in April.

The fact that Richards has not only made it to 80, but is still performing, is something most people can’t believe, considering his reputation for substance abuse in the ’60s and ’70s. He eventually cleaned up his act, recently revealing he’s given up most of his vices, including cigarettes, which he quit in 2020.

Outside of The Stones, Richards has released three solo albums and has also toured with his side project, The X-Pensive Winos. Richards’ mannerisms inspired Johnny Depp‘s Pirates of the Caribbean character, Jack Sparrow, with Richards appearing in three of the films as Sparrow’s dad. 

Richards has been married to model Patti Hansen since 1983, and they have two daughters together. He also has two children with his former partner, Italian actress Anita Pallenberg, whom he was with from 1967 to 1979.

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Original AC/DC drummer Colin Burgess had died. He was 77.

In a Facebook post on Saturday, December 16, the “Back in Black” outfit shared, “Very sad to hear of the passing of Colin Burgess.”

“He was our first drummer and a very respected musician,” the statement continued. “Happy memories, rock in peace Colin.”

Burgess joined AC/DC upon its formation in 1973 by brothers and guitarists Malcolm and Angus Young, and played on the group’s debut single, 1974’s “Can I Sit Next to You Girl.” He was let go from the band that year, and, after a number of short-lived fill-ins, was eventually replaced by Phil Rudd, AC/DC’s current and longest-tenured drummer.

Burgess was also known for playing in the Australian band The Masters Apprentice. The Australian Recording Industry Association inducted The Masters Apprentice into its Hall of Fame in 1998.

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Chicago’s November concerts in Atlantic City, New Jersey, will debut Saturday as a pay per view event. 

Decades Rock Live: Chicago & Friends is a two-hour director’s cut of the November concerts, which featured special guests Steve Vai, Chris Daughtrey, Robert Randolph, Robin Thicke and more. The shows were a celebration of the 55th anniversary of the band’s debut album, Chicago Transit Authority, and has them playing songs from the album, as well as other greatest hits and unplugged versions of classic tunes.

“The Decades shows in Atlantic City were truly magical for Chicago,” founding member Robert Lamm says. “This special is at a whole new level for the band. It’s unlike any prior Chicago production ever filmed and we hope it’s something our fans will enjoy for many years to come.” 

Decades Rock Live: Chicago & Friends debuts Saturday, December 16, at 3 p.m. ET on Fantracks and will be available until December 31. Those who purchase the concert will have unlimited viewing until the end of the year.

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.