Classic Rock 93.9

The Kinks are set to drop the second part of their 60-year celebration, The Journey – Part 2, on November 17, and they’ve just released a new track from it.

The rockers have shared a new Ray Davies mix of their 1974 song “Money Talks,” which Davies says is about “moral decline.” The original version appeared on the band’s 1974 concept album, Preservation Act 2.

“Always amused me when we did it live. An exceptional song I think,” Dave Davies says of the tune. Drummer Mick Avory adds, “I have memories of playing this song on the US tours in the 70s. It’s a good old stomper for the stage.”

You can listen to “Money Talks (2023 Mix)” now via digital outlets and watch the video on YouTube.

The follow up to the March release The Journey – Part 1, Part 2 features songs handpicked by members of the band and includes singles, B-sides and album tracks along with three previously unreleased live performances from a 1975 concert at the New Victoria Theatre in London.

The Journey – Part 2 is being released as a two-CD or two-LP set, which come with a booklet of band photos and track-by-track notes from the Davies brothers and Avory. There will also be digital and HD digital versions of the compilation. All formats are available for preorder now.

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Considering he’s a member of one of the biggest hard rock bands in the world, you might find Duff McKagan‘s new solo album, Lighthouse, to be a surprisingly quieter affair.

Lighthouse, which is out now, continues down the acoustic-paved road of the Guns N’ Roses bassist’s last solo effort, 2019’s Tenderness. While it’s a sound he’s not particularly known for, McKagan tells ABC Audio that the acoustic guitar is the root of his whole musical journey.

“I remember a band I was in, all we had was one Spanish guitar, acoustic guitar,” McKagan recalls. “It was somebody’s dad’s, and that was our guitar, and that’s how we wrote all of our songs.”

“When I moved to LA and we formed Guns, we wrote a lot of those songs on acoustic guitar,” he continues. “So the genesis of a lot of the stuff I’ve done throughout all these years is that.”

Even if the music on Lighthouse isn’t as heavy, the emotions sure are. A number of songs, including the title track, were inspired by McKagan’s wife, Susan; the cut “I Just Don’t Know,” which features Alice of Chains‘ Jerry Cantrell, is very personal, as well.

“We’re the same age, we’ve been through a lot of the same stuff,” McKagan says of Cantrell, his longtime friend. “The song is about life. And it’s about what’s next, and who better to do that with than your buddy? We’re both survivors, in our way.”

McKagan also dedicates Lighthouse to a pair of artistic heroes who’ve passed recently: author Cormac McCarthy and Screaming Trees frontman Mark Lanegan.

“[Lanegan’s] got one of the greatest American voices, greatest singing voices ever, if you ask me. Ever,” McKagan says. “I can never be Mark Lanegan, but I can learn from that.”

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It’s safe to say that Billy Joel is one of the most famous musicians ever to hail from Long Island, New York, so it’s only right that he be celebrated with a special exhibit dedicated to him at the Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame.

Billy Joel — My Life: A Piano Man’s Journey opens November 24 at the museum, located in Stony Brook, New York. It’ll showcase over 50 years of Billy Joel memorabilia, including awards, rare audio and video recordings, instruments, behind-the-scenes footage and photos, many of which were donated by Billy. 

Also included in the exhibit are special sections highlighting Billy’s musical influences, such as Paul McCartney, Ray Charles, Otis Redding and Beethoven. The plans and designs for the exhibit have been presented to the Piano Man several times over the past year, and he’s given his input, which has been incorporated into the final product.

Ernie Canadeo, the chairman of the Hall of Fame, says in a statement, “Billy has been very cordial and involved in the planning, and it is appropriate the exhibit is on Long Island, where he has long been identified, written so many songs and lived most of his life. It is a fitting tribute to Long Island’s most successful entertainer and is guaranteed to thrill his legions of fans.”

This is only the second exhibit the museum has mounted since it opened in November 2022. Tickets are available at TheBillyJoelExhibit.com.

In other Billy Joel news, he’s just announced one of the final two shows of his residency at Madison Square Garden. Tickets for the June 8 performance go on sale October 27 at 10 a.m.

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It looks like John Mellencamp is getting ready to “R.O.C.K. in the U.S.A.” again.

The Rock & Roll Hall of Famer is teasing fans with new tour news. “We are coming to YOUR town soon!” he shared on Instagram, promising an official announcement on Monday, October 30.

While no other details were offered, Mellencamp did clue fans in on where the tour will hit, posting a map of the United States with stops marked out with red dots. All of those dots appear to be located in the eastern half of the U.S. 

The tour will be Mellencamp’s first since last year’s Live and In Person tour, which had him playing smaller theaters as opposed to arenas. It launched in February and wrapped June 27 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. His next scheduled performance is happening November 6 at Stand Up For Heroes in New York City, which benefits the Bob Woodruff Foundation.

In other Mellencamp news, fans in New York will be able to check out his artwork next month. The rocker’s art will be available for viewing at the DTR Modern Gallery Soho starting November 5.

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In a September interview with WSJ Magazine, The Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger revealed that he would be open to the band living on with a hologram tour after they’re all gone. Now his bandmate Keith Richards has weighed in on the idea.

“Well, I certainly wouldn’t rule it out. I’m pretty sure that it is bound to happen,” he told Apple Music 1’s Matt Wilkinson. “Do I want it? Now, that’s another thing. But I don’t know if I want to hang around that long enough, man. But at the same time, it won’t be up to me, will it?”

Richards also talked about the band’s new album, Hackney Diamonds, which features Paul McCartney on the song “Bite My Head Off.” Keith says “it was about bloody time” McCartney recorded a tune with them.  

“I’ve known Paul for 60 years, just about. Although him and John (Lennon) did do a few backup vocals with us in the ’60s,” he says. “Great fun to play with. At the end of it, I just said, ’Well, that’s just like the old days.’”

In a previous interview with The Telegraph, Richards revealed he’s not a big fan of contemporary music — and he explained why in an interview with The Independent. 

“The only way to cut a band is to put the boys in a room and play, and look in each other’s eyeballs,” he says. “Don’t get me going on modern-day music. Push-button drums and everything synthesized. Digital recording is a one-way toilet.”

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Metallica‘s James Hetfield will be signing copies of the new book Messengers: The Guitars of James Hetfield during an event at St. Louis’ Left Bank Books on November 4.

The signing will take place in between ‘Tallica’s two shows at St. Louis’ The Dome at America’s Center on November 3 and 5.

Messengers is set to be officially released on November 21. The 400-page book includes photos of Hetfield’s personal guitar collection alongside passages on what each instrument means to him.

For more info, visit Metallica.com.

The St. Louis concerts are part of Metallica’s M72 world tour supporting the band’s new album, 72 Seasons.

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If you’re a ZZ Top fan, now’s your chance to get your hands on something previously owned by the band’s late bassist, Dusty Hill, who passed away in 2021. 

Julien’s Auctions just announced a new three-day auction, The Collection Of Dusty Hill Of ZZ Top, featuring Hill’s instruments, wardrobe pieces, memorabilia and more. 

The auction, taking place December 7–9, will feature close to 1,200 lots, with the highlight being the famous fur bass guitar that Hill played in ZZ Top’s “Legs” video. The 1983 Dean Explorer bass is expected to sell for between $80,000 and $120,000. 

Other items up for grabs include: Hill’s most played instrument, his signature 1953 Fender Precision bass guitar, with an estimated price tag of $80,000 to $120,000; Hill’s bald eagle jacket with talons and feather accents, estimated to go for $6,000 to $8,000; and a black leather motorcycle jacket with custom painted skeletons and silver spikes, with “Streek Landslide” written on the back, which is estimated to sell for $1,500 to $2,500.

The auction will happen online and in person in Dallas, Texas. The auction venue will also feature a “Duzzty’s Stash” pop-up store, selling T-shirts, posters and more memorabilia.

A portion of the auction proceeds will be donated to the Recording Academy’s charitable foundation, MusiCares.

And fans will also get a chance to check out the items up for bid during special Juliens’ exhibitions, happening at the Hard Rock Cafe in New York’s Times Square November 20-26 and in Dallas November 29-December 7. 

More information on the items up for auction can be found at julienslive.com.

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Dave Grohl guests on the latest episode of Norah Jones‘ podcast, Norah Jones Is Playing Along.

The show features a long conversation between the two, from which they’d occasionally take a break to perform together. The songs they played included “Everlong,” as well as the deeper Foo Fighters cuts “Statues,” “Razor” and “Virginia Moon,” which featured Jones.

Additionally, Grohl hopped on drums during Jones’ rendition of her song “Flame Twin.” Toward the end, he started playing the beat to Nirvana‘s “In Bloom.”

You can listen to Norah Jones Is Playing Along now via all podcast platforms.

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Billy Idol’s April concerts at the Hoover Dam are coming to theaters next month. Billy Idol: State Line will premiere in U.S. theaters on November 15 and in the U.K. November 14.

The concert film will feature performances from both of Idol’s shows at the iconic site on the Nevada/Arizona state line. One was a full band show, which took place at sunset and featured guest appearances by Sex Pistol’s Steve Jones, No Doubt’s Tony Kanal and Alison Mosshart of The Dead Weather. The second was an acoustic performance with just guitarist Steve Stevens on the roof of the Hoover Dam.

A just-released trailer for the film features archival footage of the building of the dam along with clips of Billy performing “Dancing with Myself,” “Eyes Without a Face,” “Mony Mony,” “Rebel Yell” and “White Wedding.”

Tickets for the U.S. screenings go on sale Friday, October 27. More info on theaters and tickets can be found at bilyidolstateline.com.

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Mott the Hoople is ready to celebrate the 50th anniversary of their classic album All The Young Dudes. 

The band will release a limited edition 50th anniversary box set December 8, featuring the remastered album on LP and CD, both of which will be accompanied by a separate album of rare mixes and session tracks. There will also be a 12-inch single featuring “All the Young Dudes” and “One of the Boys,” plus a 72-page hardcover book, three art prints, a numbered certificate and more. 

The remastered album will also be released on limited edition double orange vinyl.

All The Young Dudes was Mott the Hoople’s fifth studio album and was recorded on the verge of the band’s breakup. The title track, written by David Bowie, who also produced the album, was a huge commercial success for the group, peaking at #3 in the U.K. and becoming a Top 40 hit in the U.S. The album also featured a cover of the Velvet Underground’s “Sweet Jane.” 

Both the box set and the double orange vinyl are available for preorder now.

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