Classic Rock 93.9

Peter Gabriel has unveiled the final track from his upcoming album, i/o, which drops Friday, December 1. The latest is the song “Live and Let Live,” which has Gabriel singing about “forgiveness, tolerance and optimism.”

“Now, I know if we look at what’s happening in the Middle East now or in Ukraine, all sorts of places around the world where there’s still violence and brutality, to walk around with a bunch of flowers, preaching forgiveness seems trite and pathetic, maybe,” Gabriel shares. “But in the long run, I think people have to find a way.”

He adds, “‘Peace only happens when you respect the rights of others’ is a quote from the Peace University in Costa Rica and I think that’s a really important message for me and for my life. You either belong to that hurt or you free yourself and forgiveness is clearly a super effective way of freeing yourself.”

As he’s done with all the other songs he’s released from i/o, Gabriel is sharing several different remixes of “Live and Let Live.” All three remixes — Tchad Blake‘s (Dark-Side Mix), Mark “Spike” Stent‘s (Bright-Side Mix) and Hans-Martin Buff’s Atmos mix (In-Side Mix) — will be released simultaneously.

You can listen to “Live and Let Live” now via streaming services.

i/o, Gabriel’s first album of new material since 2010’s Scratch My Back, is available for preorder now.

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For a band that’s played a show in Antarctica, it’s hard to believe that there are still parts of the world where Metallica hasn’t performed. Saudi Arabia is one such place, but that will no longer be the case in just a few weeks.

The metal legends have joined the lineup for the 2023 Soundstorm Festival. Their set, scheduled for December 14, will mark Metallica’s first concert in Saudi Arabia and the first time a hard rock band has played Soundstorm.

“We’re not done with 2023 just yet,” Metallica says. “An amazing opportunity has just come our way to perform at a major festival that we have never played in a part of the world we rarely get to visit.”

For more info, visit Metallica.com.

In other Metallica news, the band has been honored by music tech organization SoundExchange with the SoundExchange Hall of Fame Award. The title recognizes the “Enter Sandman” outfit as one of the most streamed acts in SoundExchange’s 20-year history.

“Metallica is considered one of the greatest rock bands of all time, and for good reason,” says Michael Huppe, president and CEO of SoundExchange. “They have built and rebuilt themselves, continually honing their epic sound with each album and constantly expanding their appeal without abandoning their roots. Metallica is a once-in-a-lifetime success story. Recognizing Metallica with a SoundExchange Hall of Fame Award is an honor.”

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After three postponed shows due to Paul Stanley’s bout with the flu, KISS returned to the stage in Indianapolis on Saturday, November 25, and Stanley sure was glad to be back. 

Footage of a Q&A with fans during soundcheck was posted to social media, showing Stanley joking, “It’s good to be standing up.”

“I’ve done shows with cracked ribs, I’ve done shows with a 102 fever,” he told the crowd, adding of his recent illness, “I was wondering if it was my time.” 

Stanley’s flu forced KISS to cancel shows in Canada, as well as Knoxville, Tennessee. Their next show is happening Monday, November 27, in Rosemont, Illinois, with the tour set to wrap with two nights at New York’s Madison Square Garden on December 1 and 2. A complete list of dates can be found at kissonline.com.

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Dolly Parton’s first rock album, Rockstar, had a great debut on the charts.

The album, which features guest appearances by Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Steven Tyler, Stevie Nicks, Sting, Steve Perry, Joan Jett and The Blackhearts and more, debuted at #3 on the Billboard 200 Album chart.

Rockstar is now Dolly’s highest-charting album and her third career top 10, following 2014’s Blue Smoke and 1987’s Trio with Linda Ronstadt and Emmylou Harris; both albums debuted at #6.

Not only that, Rockstar also debuted at #1 on Billboard’s Top Album Sales chart, selling 118,500 copies. Her previous bestselling album was 1993’s Slow Dancing with the Moon, which sold 50,500 copies in its second week in release.

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Queen discusses their approach to encores in the latest episode of their weekly YouTube series, Queen the Greatest Live.

“I think audiences these days are aware the encore isn’t really the old-fashioned kind, which was, ‘Oh, that was so wonderful, we actually want more,’” Roger Taylor shares. “It’s built into the show. You’re expecting to play it. They’re expecting to hear it.”

But even though fans expect it, Brian May says the encore is necessary for the band to continue to give fans what they expect.

“You have to go off and refresh at that point because you’ve given everything and you’re like a wet rag at the end of what we’ve done after 2 1/2 hours,” he says. “You know, you need to go off, change your clothes and take a deep breath for that final push.” 

Taylor notes that there’s no question the encore will always be a fan favorite. “It would feel quite weird if they’d come to a show and we hadn’t played them. So it’s not a secret,” he says.

Early in their career, encores included “Jailhouse Rock” and “In the Lap of the Gods…Revisited,” but since 1977, the go-to songs have been “We Will Rock You” and “We Are the Champions.” 

“It’s a big question, which we do ask ourselves. You know, what do you want to have in people’s heads as they go out?” May says. “And I think it’s fulfillment. It’s like good sex. You know, you want to come out of it thinking, ‘Yeah, that was everything it should have been.’”

Next week on Queen the Greatest Live: “Jailhouse Rock.”

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If you’ve ever heard Dave Grohl talk, you may have noticed that he uses the f-word like others might use “um.” That presented a problem when Foo Fighters performed on Sunday, November 26, in Abu Dhabi, which has strict laws prohibiting profanity.

To remind himself of said laws, Grohl taped a sign to his microphone stand reading “no cursing” twice. Photos of the sign were shared by the @FooFightersLive fan account.

Foo Fighters played Abu Dhabi as part of the Formula 1 Grand Prix. They were originally set to perform at the event in 2021, but ended up canceling their set.

Next up on the Foos’ schedule is a trip to Australia to close out the year. They’ll launch a U.S. stadium tour in July 2024.

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Ringo Starr and his All Starr Band are headed out on tour again next year.

Starr has announced a set of spring 2024 dates, where he’ll be joined by Steve Lukather, Edgar Winter, Colin Hay, Warren Ham, Hamish Stuart and Gregg Bissonette.

“I’ve always said I’m my happiest when I’m playing with great musicians – and this band is one of the very best,” Ringo shares. “But even so, sometime during and just after every tour I think ok that’s it – I’m going to stop touring. My family don’t believe me anymore and so it comes as no surprise to them that once again, I’m taking the All Starr Band back on the road!” 

The 12-date trek will kick off May 22, with a six-night stand at The Venetian in Las Vegas, followed by two shows in Mexico City, Mexico, June 5 and 6. Four additional shows will be announced at a later date. A complete list of dates can be found at ringostarr.com.

In other Ringo news … new book Beats and Threads chronicles the rocker’s career through his legendary drum kits and his fashion. It features 300 photos, many of which have never been seen before. The book is being published through Julien’s Auctions and is available for preorder now, with proceeds going to The Lotus Foundation.

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As previously reported, The Smashing Pumpkins are performing on two ABC holiday specials, the first of which, The Wonderful World of Disney: Magical Holiday Celebration, premiered over Thanksgiving weekend. While that kind of show may not be an expected venue to see the “Bullet with Butterfly Wings” rockers, Billy Corgan is actually a big Disney fan.

Actually, “big” might be underselling it. Speaking with ABC’s On the Red Carpet, Corgan shares, “I collect old Disneyland items, I have stuff from as far back as the opening day in 1955.”

“When they called me to come play Disney, I was like, ‘Whatever you need. Do I need to play in the middle of the moat on a float singing upside down?'” Corgan laughs. “I’m very happy to be here, we come here all the time with our family, so it’s a real honor and pleasure to be here.”

On The Wonderful World of Disney: Magical Holiday Celebration, the Pumpkins covered the holiday classic “Silver Bells.” They’ll play an original holiday tune, “Evergreen,” on Disney Parks Magical Christmas Day Parade, airing December 25.

Disney is the parent company of ABC News.

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On This Day, November, 27 1991 …

Funeral services were held for the late Queen frontman Freddie Mercury in London.

The rocker had passed away at his home in Kensington on November 24. The cause of death was bronchial pneumonia resulting from AIDS. About 24 hours prior to his death Mercury confirmed in a statement that he had tested positive for HIV and had AIDS, although reports had suggested he was diagnosed as early as 1987.

He was 45.

Mercury’s Queen bandmates were in attendance for the funeral, as was musician Elton John, with Mercury’s cremated remains given to his friend Mary Austin, who buried them at an undisclosed location.

Five months later, the surviving members of Queen celebrated Mercury’s life with The Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert for AIDS Awareness at Wembley Stadium in London, featuring appearances by such artists as John, Roger Daltrey, David Bowie, George Michael and Annie Lennox.

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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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