Classic Rock 93.9

Ever since The Rolling Stones announced their new album, Hackney Diamonds, fans have been speculating that they’ll be going back out on the road. Well, now it seems the band is teasing just that. 

The Rock & Roll Hall of Famers shared a post on social media, set to the tune “Street Fighting Man.” It featured a variety of images, including a drum with their lips logo on it, a maple leaf and an American flag, which may be hinting at a North American tour.

“Want to be the first to know? Enter your details here,” the caption notes. The post also includes a link that takes you to a sign up page that reads, “The news you have all been waiting for…”

Fans were quick to pick up on the possible tour tease, with one writing, “Can’t wait for the #HackeyDiamondsTour 2024!” Another added, “Sounds like the tour announcement is coming soon!”

The Stones’ post wasn’t the only reason fans think tour news is imminent. Cleveland.com reports that over the weekend, the rockers teased a stop in the city. Their tongue and lips logo flashed on the screen at Terminal Tower and Cleveland Browns Stadium, and was seen on billboards around the city, along with the words “Miss You.” The logo also appeared outside Empower Field at Mile High stadium in Denver and Soldier Field in Chicago.

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On This Day, November 20, 1995…

The Beatles released the 60-track compilation album Anthology 1, featuring rarities, outtakes and live performances recorded from 1958–1964.

It also included the first new Beatles song in 25 years, “Free as a Bird,” which featured audio from a John Lennon demo he recorded in 1977. It was given to Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr by his widow Yoko Ono and the trio then recorded new music that was incorporated into the song.

Anthology 1 reached #1 on the Billboard 200 Albums chart and went on to be certified eight-times Platinum. “Free as a Bird” peaked at #6 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Anthology 1 was the first in a trio of compilations. Anthology 2, which featured the new song “Real Love,” was released in March 1996 and Anthology 3 was released in October 1996.

That same Lennon demo used for the new songs on the Anthology series was used to create the just released song “Now and Then,” which debuted at #7 on the Billboard Hot 100.

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Kurt Cobain‘s Skystang I Fender Mustang, the guitar he played during his final Nirvana show in 1994, has been auctioned off for over $1.5 million.

The winning bid of $1,587,500 came from Japan-based businessman Mitsuru Sato, who plans for the guitar to be a part of an upcoming museum.

“I want to pass on rock to the next generation in a real way,” Sato says. “We would like to use this guitar to support the next generation aiming to pursue music.”

A portion of the proceeds will benefit the Kicking the Stigma mental health initiative.

The Skystang was sold during an event held by Julien’s Auctions, which also included other Cobain memorabilia. Among them were an unopened pack of American Spirit cigarettes belonging to the late rocker, which went for $5,200, as well as a sheet of handwritten “Smells Like Teen Spirit” lyrics, which brought in $91,000.

Additionally, a pair of Levi’s jeans that Cobain wore in the “Heart-Shaped Box” video sold for $412,750, which set a new record for the most expensive Levi’s sold at auction.

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Rare Fleetwood Mac memorabilia is set to go up for auction later this week in England. The items were previously owned by the band’s former manager and agent, Clifford Adams, also known as Clifford Davis, and many document the early rise of the band.

There will be hundreds of items up for auction, including a personal letter Fleetwood Mac founder Peter Green wrote to Adams, which he has had for 50 years. In it Green explains why he walked away from the band and decided to give away his possessions, writing, “I am convinced I will be much happier knowing I have helped relieve suffering in the world and steering clear of big money.”

There’s also a postcard bassist John McVie sent to Adams back in 1974, as well as Green’s driver’s license, which was given to Adams in 1981. Plus there’s Gold and Platinum discs, tour and radio contracts, and more.

“My archive is unique. There has never been anything like this available to buy in the band’s history,” Adams tells The London Evening Standard. “It’s the ultimate archive to own if you’re a Fleetwood Mac fan or considering writing a book about them.”

The auction is set to take place at Hansons Auctioneers in Kent, England, on Tuesday, November 21.

“This is an incredible, unique historical archive of one of the greatest bands of all time,” says Robin Fletcher, manager of Hansons. “Its comprehensive nature will stun and delight fans around the world. It’s priceless in terms of the wealth of information it offers.” 

More info on the items up for auction can be found at the-saleroom.com.

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Items that once belonged to Genesis frontman Phil Collins are going up for auction, The New York Post reports.

Collins’ ex-wife Orianne Cevey is selling $4 million worth of items, including the rocker’s personal Yamaha piano, which is expected to sell for between $50,000 and $100,000. There’s also a Wurlitzer jukebox, which was a gift to the couple from Collins’ manager when they got married in 1999. She’s also auctioning off her jewelry, purses and more. 

“It pains me to part with these cherished items, but I recently downsized homes and simply do not have room for many of the items,” she tells the paper. “These are some of our most prized family possessions.”

The Post notes Orianne had to downsize after her $6 million Florida home was foreclosed on in June.

Miami-based auction house Kodner Auction Gallery is handling the sale, which kicks off December 6 at 6 p.m. ET. Online bidding begins November 24. 

Collins and Cevey were married from 1999 to 2006. They have two sons, Nicholas and Matthew. Nicholas played drums on Genesis’ The Last Domino Tour, which kicked off in 2021 and was the band’s final tour.

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Allman Brothers Band’s classic live album Down in Texas ’71 has just been released as a two-LP “yellow rose of Texas” colored vinyl.

The critically acclaimed album was recorded September 28, 1971, at the Austin Municipal Auditorium in Texas, just two months after the release of the band’s debut live album, At Fillmore East. It features the original Allman Brothers lineup of Duane Allman, who passed away a month later, Gregg Allman, Dickey Betts, Berry Oakley, Butch Trucks and Jaimoe.

The nine-track album features performances of such songs as “Statesboro Blues,” “Trouble No More,” “You Don’t Love Me” and more.

The limited-edition Down in Texas ’71 colored vinyl is available now exclusively through Barnes & Noble.  

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The Beatles have been denied another #1. While early tracking suggested the legendary rockers’ remaster of 1967-1970 (The Blue Album) would land at #1 on the U.K. Official Albums Chart, it turns out they were no match for Taylor Swift.

Swift’s 1989 (Taylor’s Version) wound up at #1 for a third week, with The Blue Album settling for #2 and 1962-1966 (The Red Album) coming in at #3. Interestingly, when both albums were initially released in 1973, they peaked at these same positions.

Had The Beatles topped the chart, it would have been their 16th #1. Instead, they’ll just have to settle for maintaining their record of the most #1 albums in the U.K., with 15.

Meanwhile, The Beatles’ box set of both albums, which was initially expected to debut at #9, is at #33.

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Sting is heading to India in January. The Rock & Roll Hall of Famer is set to headline the 2024 installment of Lollapalooza India, marking his first performance at the iconic festival. 

This is the second time the two-day festival is being held in India. It is happening at Mahalaxmi Race Course in Mumbai, January 27-28, with a bill that also includes Jonas Brothers, Halsey and OneRepublic.

More than 35 acts are on the bill for Lollapalooza India, including U.K. rockers Royal Blood and Keane. The complete lineup can be found at lollaindia.com. Tickets are on sale now.

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Eric Clapton’s iconic “The Fool” guitar has sold for big bucks at auction.

The 1964 Gibson SG electric guitar, which Clapton first played onstage while touring the U.S. with his band Cream, sold at Julien’s Auctions for a whopping $1.27 million, a new world record for a Clapton guitar.  

The famous guitar got its name because of its custom-painted psychedelic finish, courtesy of The Dutch art collective The Fool.

The new owner of the legendary instrument is Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay, whose Jim Irsay Collection already consists of iconic rock memorabilia from artists like Elvis Presley, Jerry Garcia, The Beatles, Bob Dylan, Nirvana’s Kurt Cobain and more.

A portion of the proceeds from the sale will go to the mental health awareness initiative Kicking the Stigma, started by the Colts and the Irsay family.

“The Fool” sale was part of Julien’s Played, Worn, & Torn: Rock ‘N’ Roll Iconic Guitars and Memorabilia auction, which runs through Saturday, November 18. Also sold during the first day of the auction was one of Eddie Van Halen’s stage-played Charvel EVH series electric guitars, which went for $117,000, well above the original estimate of between $40,000 and $60,000. 

More information about the auction can be found at juliensauctions.com.

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Bob Dylan has come out in defense of Rolling Stone co-founder Jann Wenner, who earlier this year was removed from the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame board in response to comments he made in a New York Times interview that were deemed racist and sexist.

The rocker gave a shout-out to Wenner during his show Thursday, November 16, at the Beacon Theatre in New York, saying hello to him in the audience and telling the crowd, “Jann Wenner, surely everybody’s heard of him. Anyway, he just got booted out of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and we don’t think that’s right. We’re trying to get him back in.”

Wenner drew backlash while out promoting his recent book, The Masters. He tried to explain why it didn’t include interviews with any Black or female artists, saying there were no women “articulate enough on this intellectual level.” Regarding Black artists, he acknowledged the genius of Stevie Wonder but noted, “I suppose when you use a word as broad as ‘masters,’ the fault is using that word. Maybe Marvin Gaye, or Curtis Mayfield? I mean, they just didn’t articulate at that level.” 

Wenner did eventually apologize, noting the artists featured in the book — Dylan, John Lennon, Mick Jagger, Pete Townshend, Jerry Garcia, Bono and Bruce Springsteen — “were not meant to represent the whole of music and its diverse and important originators but to reflect the high points of my career and interviews.”

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