Classic Rock 93.9

Billy Joel‘s record-breaking residency at New York’s Madison Square Garden will end in July 2024, a little more than 10 years after it began in January 2014. And Billy says he’s still amazed the gig has been going on that long.

“After 10 years, we’ve done it,” Billy told People magazine. “I mean, I didn’t realize it would last 10 years. And I don’t know how many shows it is, I’m sure somebody’s keeping track of it somewhere, but I’m amazed that we went this far, and I’m honored.”

Billy’s final show of the residency, scheduled for July 25, 2024, will be his 150th career show at the Garden.

Meanwhile, the Piano Man is being celebrated with his very own exhibit at the Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame. Billy Joel — My Life, A Piano Man’s Journey features 50 years’ worth of rare memorabilia from his own archives. 

“I didn’t even remember I had stuff like this. I don’t know where they got it all from, but they did a nice job,” Billy told People. “It’s very, very much an honor.”

But all those achievements pale in comparison to what Billy was able to pull off earlier this year: He took his daughters Della, 8, and Remy, 6, to see Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour show in Tampa, Florida, and also arranged for them to meet the singer.

Billy told People he “got very cool Dad points” for that, and said of Taylor, “She’s great. She’s really very good. We’re going to probably go see her again.”

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Ozzy Osbourne says that his former Black Sabbath bandmate Geezer Butler hasn’t reached out to him as he’s battled various health issues over the years, though the bassist insists that he’s tried to make contact.

Speaking with Rolling Stone UK, which recently honored the Prince of Darkness with its inaugural Icon Award, Ozzy shares, “You do find out who’s a genuine friend when you’ve been through what I’ve had … Geezer Butler hasn’t given me one f****** phone call. Not one f****** call.”

Ozzy notes that he even heard from ex-Sabbath drummer Bill Ward, who acrimoniously parted ways with the band shortly after their 2011 reunion.

“I said some things about Bill, and I don’t know why I said it, but when I came through my illness, he contacted me,” Ozzy says.

“I’m not in shock, I’m just very f****** sad that [Butler] can’t just call me after all this time and say, ‘How you doing?'” he adds. “F****** a*******.”

After the interview was published, Butler took to Instagram to refute Ozzy’s comments.

“Rumour has it; Ozzy is upset, saying he never received my get well messages,” Butler writes. “I made 2 different attempts at getting in touch during his illnesses.”

Butler says he reached out in February 2019 and January 2020, both times through Ozzy’s wife, Sharon Osbourne.

“I don’t want to engage in a tit for tat,” Butler says. “Having made 2 attempts to wish Ozzy well, without a reply, I figured it best to privately keep him in my thoughts.”

Elsewhere in the Rolling Stone UK interview, Ozzy talks about his retirement from touring.

“I’m taking it one day at a time, and if I can perform again, I will,” he says. “But it’s been like saying farewell to the best relationship of my life.”

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Back in September, Bruce Springsteen was forced to postpone the remainder of his shows with the E Street Band until 2024 to recover from peptic ulcer disease. While it certainly disappointed fans, guitarist Steven Van Zandt thinks the break actually came at the right time.

“This has been the most intense tour maybe we’ve ever done,” Van Zandt, who celebrated his 73rd birthday on November 22, told ABC Audio.

“The enthusiasm level, I mean, we’ve always had the greatest audience in the world. It went to some new level this time, you know?” he explained. “And so, you know, I must say, it wasn’t a bad time for a break because the first six months was so intense.” 

With the tour set to pick up again in March, Van Zandt has no doubt fans will be happy with what they see.

He notes, “We’ll be ready, man. We’ll be ready when we come back for sure.” 

Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band will return to the road to make up for the postponed dates starting March 19 in Phoenix, Arizona. He’ll then hit the U.K. and Europe before returning for more U.S. and Canadian dates. The tour is set to wrap November 22 in Vancouver. A complete list of dates can be found at brucespringsteen.net.

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Sammy Hagar seems to have commented on David Lee Roth accepting his invitation to perform on his upcoming The Best of All Worlds tour, where he plans to focus mostly on Van Halen tunes.

After Roth told the Van Halen News Desk website, “I’m ready to go. Let’s do this,” in regards to the Hagar tour, a fan asked Sammy about it in a comment on his most recent Instagram post. “Diamond says he’s ready to go on tour with you! What do you think about that?” the fan asked, to which Hagar clarified the invitation wasn’t for the whole tour. 

“He can come out and sing a song on a show or two if he can remember the words,” Hagar responded.

Replying to another fan on the subject, Hagar noted, “He’s not invited on the tour NOOOO F;()$(.g way. it was to sing a song with us somewhere like a lot of singers guitarist etc are going to do on this tour.” He added, “I know better than to have him on tour again. been there done that.”

The Best of All Worlds tour kicks off July 13 in West Palm Beach, Florida. A complete list of dates can be found at redrocker.com.

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KISS has canceled another concert, revealing that lead singer Paul Stanley is sick with the flu.

The rocker took to Instagram to announce the cancellation of their show Wednesday, November 22, at Toronto’s Scotiabank Arena. The news comes one day after they canceled their concert at Ottawa’s Canadian Tire Centre.

“I’ve done everything possible to get onstage and be a part of the incredible 2 1/2 hour celebration we planned but this flu has made it impossible,” Stanley shares on Instagram, alongside a picture of him in bed with an IV. He adds that he and the rest of the band are disappointed in having to cancel, and sent along their “deepest apologies.”

With the tour winding down, neither show will be rescheduled, and refunds will be available to all ticket holders.

KISS is next scheduled to play Knoxville, Tennessee, on Friday, November 24. They’ll wrap the tour with two nights at New York’s Madison Square Garden on December 1 and 2. For those who can’t make it to the final night, it will be available to stream live worldwide exclusively on PPV.COM starting at 8 p.m. ET.

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Billy Joel made an appearance Tuesday, November 21, at a preview of Billy Joel — My Life: A Piano Man’s Journey, a new exhibit at the Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame.

“This is a little overwhelming. Did you ever find yourself surrounded by you?” Joel told the VIP crowd, according to Newsday. “I always wondered, did I pick this life or did it pick me? ‘Cause I really didn’t think I had much of a choice. I was going to do this no matter what because I love music.”

The exhibit showcases over 50 years of Billy Joel memorabilia, including awards, rare audio and video recordings, instruments and behind-the-scenes footage and photos, many of which Billy donated from his archives.

“Where did they get all this junk? I didn’t know where they were storing all these things,” he said. “This is quite an honor. I didn’t expect it to be that extensive. I’ve had a life.” 

One of the instruments on display is the 9-foot piano Joel used on his Face to Face Tour with Elton John. There’s also a selfie station where fans can insert themselves into the covers of the rocker’s hit albums, including 52 Street and Glass Houses.

As for whether he hopes the exhibit will inspire future musicians, Joel noted, “I hope they are encouraged to stay with it because that’s what it takes. Don’t give up and don’t let people talk you out of it. Follow your dream.” 

The Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame is located in Stony Brook, New York. The exhibit officially opens Friday, November 24. Tickets are available at TheBillyJoelExhibit.com.

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Guns N’ Roses frontman Axl Rose is denying accusations made in a lawsuit filed by former model Sheila Kennedy, who claims she was sexually assaulted by the rocker back in 1989.

“Simply put, this incident never happened,” read a statement issued by Rose’s attorney Alan Gutman. “Notably, these fictional claims were filed the day before the New York State filing deadline expires,” he adds, referring to the New York Adult Survivors Act, which allows adult survivors of sexual abuse to sue their abusers. The deadline to file cases is Friday, November 24.

“Though he doesn’t deny the possibility of a fan photo taken in passing, Mr. Rose has no recollection of ever meeting or speaking to the Plaintiff, and has never heard about these fictional allegations prior to today,” the statement continues. “Mr. Rose is confident this case will be resolved in his favor.”

Kennedy filed a lawsuit in New York Supreme Court on Wednesday, November 22, accusing the rocker of sexually assaulting her in his hotel room after they met at a New York nightclub. She is seeking unspecified damages.

“We expect that Sheila Kennedy’s decision to file this suit will be an important turning point for the music industry. Her account is unfortunately all too typical of a culture of violence and sexual misconduct that has been allowed to exist in plain sight for decades,” read a statement from Dr. Ann Olivarius of McAllister Olivarius Law, the firm representing Kennedy. “It’s not just individual musicians stepping out of line, but an industrial system of enabling them and then covering up their misconduct and crimes, silencing survivors and normalizing sexual assault. We hope Sheila’s bravery helps other victims find their voice.”

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The Black Crowes‘ Chris Robinson made a surprise appearance during Dirty Honey‘s concert in Los Angeles on Monday, November 20.

The “She Talks to Angels” singer joined the “When I’m Gone” rockers for a collaborative rendition of the AC/DC song “Rock ‘n’ Roll Damnation.”

Dirty Honey previously opened for The Black Crowes on their 2021 reunion tour. In introducing Robinson to the stage at the LA show, Dirty Honey frontman Marc LaBelle told the crowd, “He’s been teaching me since before he knew me.”

Dirty Honey is currently on tour in support of their new album, Can’t Find the Brakes, which includes the single “Won’t Take Me Alive.”

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The Rolling Stones just announced dates for their 2024 tour in support of their new album, Hackney Diamonds. And while fans are excited, many are also having a field day poking fun at the fact that the trek is sponsored by AARP, the organization for the over-50 crowd previously known as the American Association for Retired Persons.

Plenty of folks have taken to social media to crack jokes about the pairing, given the age of the band and the age of their fans.

“Wait WAIT the new Rolling Stones tour is being sponsored by *AARP*? really leaning in to it huh,” one person wrote, with another commenting, “Rolling Stones tour presented by AARP is painfully on brand.” 

And another wondered whether the band would be catering to their older fans, writing, “Rolling Stones Tour in 2024 is sponsored by AARP… Oh, the irony… does that mean they’ll serve fibre drinks.. and the doors will open at 3pm and end by 7pm so everyone can be home and in bed by 9pm?”

The Stones Tour ’24 Hackney Diamonds kicks off Sunday, April 28, in Houston, Texas, and wraps Wednesday, July 17, in Santa Clara, California. A presale for AARP members runs from Wednesday, November 29, to Thursday, November 30, with tickets going on sale to the general public Friday, December 1, at 10 a.m. local time.

A complete list of dates can be found at therollingstones.com.

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Guns N’ Roses frontman Axl Rose is being sued by a former model who claims he sexually assaulted her back in 1989. 

Sheila Kennedy, who was Penthouse Pet of the Year in 1983, filed a lawsuit in New York Supreme Court on Wednesday, November 22, accusing the rocker of sexually assaulting her in his hotel room after meeting him at a New York nightclub.

The suit says the rocker “made no attempt to ask for or check that Kennedy was consenting” and “treated her like property used solely for his sexual pleasure.” It added that “she felt she had no escape or exit and was compelled to acquiesce.”

The lawsuit claims that as a result of the assault, Kennedy “suffered severe emotional, physical, financial and psychological distress,” as well as having “issues with physical and emotional intimacy.” She is seeking unspecified damages.

ABC Audio has reached out to Rose’s rep for a statement.

Kennedy has opened up about the alleged incident with Rose in the past. She recounted her claims in Look Away, a 2021 British documentary about sexual abuse in the rock industry.

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