Classic Rock 93.9

A new docuseries focusing on artists from the ’80s hair metal scene is set to premiere on Paramount+.

I Wanna Rock: The ‘80s Metal Dream will focus on five bands — Skid Row, Winger, Twisted Sister, Vixen and the Scream — all of whom found some success during the decade but struggled to keep it going. The trailer features interviews from Twisted Sister’s Dee Snider, Winger’s Kip Winger, Skid Row’s Snake Sabo and more.

The docuseries will be broken into three parts: “I Wanna Be Somebody,” which focuses on the early days of the bands’ careers; “Headed for Heartbreak,” which focuses on the struggles they faced as their careers took off; and “Smells Like Change,” which delves into hair metal’s demise as other genres, like grunge, began to gain popularity.

I Wanna Rock: The ‘80s Metal Dream will debut July 18 on Paramount+.

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Dave Mustaine has shared an Instagram post remembering late Megadeth drummer Lee Rauch.

“One of Megadeth’s very first drummers, Lee Rauch, has passed away,” Mustaine writes. “He played on the recording of our Last Rites demo tape in early 1984, and I can remember the good times during our rehearsals at Curly Joe’s studio in LA.”

He adds, “Farewell, my friend, till we meet again someday.”

During his one-year tenure in Megadeth, Rauch was also part of the rare live lineup that included Slayer guitarist Kerry King alongside Mustaine and bassist David Ellefson.

Rauch’s brother, Chris Rauch, announced on Friday, June 23, that Lee had died, writing, “He was an awesome drummer, who helped launch one of the biggest metal names in history.”

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Rolling Stones fans will soon have a new way to enjoy their classic hits compilation Forty Licks. The record is set for its first digital release on Wednesday, July 26, and will be released in Dolby Atmos — but that’s not all. Forty Licks will also come out on limited edition four-disc, 180-gram black vinyl on Friday, July 28. 

Released in September 2002 to mark the band’s 40th anniversary, Forty Licks featured three dozen of the Stones’ biggest hits, including “[I Can’t Get No] Satisfaction,” “Brown Sugar,” Paint It, Black,” “Honky Tonk Woman,” “Jumpin’ Jack Flash” and more, as well as four then-new tracks. It went on to sell seven million copies worldwide.

After releasing the album, The Stones launched a successful 14-month Licks tour, which at the time became the second most successful tour ever.

The Forty Licks vinyl is now available for preorder.

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On This Day, June 28, 1980… 

Paul McCartney landed a new number one when “Coming Up (Live at Glasgow)” topped the Billboard Hot 100, his first solo track to top the charts since 1971.

The studio version of the song appeared on McCartney’s 1980 solo album McCartney II. It was actually the one released as a single, with the live version as the B-side, but Columbia Records promoted the live version, and radio stations played it, helping it to rise to #1.

“Coming Up (Live at Glasgow)” is one of nine solo number ones for McCartney. That doesn’t include the number ones he had with The Beatles.

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Paul McCartney’s new photo exhibit, Paul McCartney Photographs 1963-64: Eyes of the Storm, is set to open at London’s National Portrait Gallery on Wednesday, June 28, and he hosted a special preview Monday that brought out many of his superstar friends.

Photos posted to Instagram show that guests at the celebration included Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl, Rolling Stones guitarist Ron Wood, Pretenders frontwoman Chrissie Hynde, John Lennon’s son Julian Lennon and even former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg. 

Photos also show McCartney posing with wife Nancy Shevell, and daughters Stella and Mary McCartney.

Paul McCartney Photographs 1963-64: Eyes of the Storm is set to run until October 1 and feature more than 250 never-before-seen photographs taken by McCartney. The portraits on display are from McCartney’s own archive, and were taken between December 1963 and February 1964, giving fans an insight into his point of view as The Beatles were becoming international superstars.

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Neal Schon is paying tribute to legendary guitarist Eddie Van Halen. The Journey guitarist shared a video of him shredding on his EVH Striped Series guitar, which resembles Eddie’s red striped guitar, but in white.

“A little tribute to Ed. It was so amazing to be on Van Halen’s 1st tour with him,” Schon writes in the Instagram post, referring to Journey’s 1978 tour, which featured Van Halen as openers. “I watched him annihilate every single night and was grateful I didn’t have to follow him.” 

Journey doesn’t currently have any tours on the books but they do have one show scheduled for July 1 in Provo, Utah. They wrapped their 50th anniversary Freedom tour in April. 

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ZZ Top’s Billy Gibbons is giving fans an update on the band’s next album and says the late Dusty Hill will be represented on the record.

Gibbons tells Classic Rock that the band is “currently reviewing the tracks that deserve completion” for the next record, noting that both Dusty, who passed away in 2021, and his replacement, Elwood Francis, are on it.

“What’s fascinating is that we have three or four tracks with them both, they’re trading off,” he says. “The only tell-tale difference is that Dusty, playing with his fingers, sounds a little warmer.“ 

Gibbons says they “hope” to have the album out sometime this year, but notes, “We’ve got lots of road work ahead,” referring to ZZ Top’s upcoming Sharped Dressed Simple Man Tour with Lynyrd Skynyrd. The trek kicks off July 21 in West Palm Beach, Florida. A complete list of dates can be found at zztop.com.

In the same article, Gibbons also reveals he has an unfinished song with the late Jeff Beck, inspired by Beck’s love of chocolate and the time he mistook a box of chocolate malt balls for chocolate meatballs.  

“We had a big laugh, and I suggested we write a song called ‘Chocolate Meatballs,'” he explains. “We got a half of it done. You’ve reminded me that it needs to be finished.”

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Judas Priest‘s Richie Faulkner has announced a new signature guitar in collaboration with Gibson.

The Richie Faulkner Flying V Custom is a personalized take on the famed model, complete with a falcon inlay on the 12th fret in reference to the guitarist’s nickname.

You can order your own now via Gibson.com, provided you have $6,999. Faulkner, who underwent lifesaving emergency open-heart surgery in 2021, will be donating proceeds from the Flying V Custom to the John Ritter Foundation for Aortic Health and the American Heart Association.

Faulkner’s been a member of Judas Priest since 2011. In 2023, he launched his new band Elegant Weapons.

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The Ronnie James Dio documentary, Dreamers Never Die, will be released on Blu-ray and DVD on September 29.

The film follows the late metal icon’s life, from his early bands and his stint with Black Sabbath in place of Ozzy Osbourne to the formation of his namesake band Dio and his death in 2010 of stomach cancer. It first premiered at the 2022 South by Southwest festival and was shown in theaters later that year.

Among those interviewed for the doc include Sabbath’s Tony Iommi and Geezer Butler, Lita Ford, Judas Priest‘s Rob Halford and Tenacious D‘s Jack Black.

“I wanted this documentary to be authentic, for the fans to see the roller coaster ride that was Ronnie’s life — the good times, the bad times and everything in between, especially including events that even the most diehard fans would not have known about,” says Ronnie’s widow and longtime manager, Wendy Dio. “It’s all in there, right up to the very end.”

The Blu-ray and DVD release will also include 20 minutes of bonus footage.

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R.E.M.’s 1995 single “Strange Currencies” is gaining renewed interest thanks to its appearance on season 2 of The Bear, and now, the band has released a new video to capitalize on that.

The video for “Strange Currencies (Remix)” features clips and behind-the-scenes footage from the hit FX series, starring Jeremy Allen White. It also includes footage from Road Movie, a documentary about R.E.M.’s 1995 tour.

Several versions of “Strange Currencies” appear throughout season 2 of The Bear, including the original, the remix — which was part of the 2019 remix of Monster — and a never-before-heard demo, making its debut on the series. The original, the remix and a live version of the track, featured in Road Movie, are part of a new digital EP on streaming services now.

“The Bear is hands down my favorite show of last year – I cannot wait to dive into episodes for season 2. Having incorporated R.E.M. songs into their universe makes it even sweeter,” R.E.M. frontman Michael Stipe shares. Bassist Mike Mills adds, “I’m so glad The Bear exists. It has become one of my favorite TV shows, and I can’t wait to watch more of it.”

The Bear’s creator Christopher Storer and Executive Producer Josh Senior are both big R.E.M. fans, and they’ve included the band’s music on the show in the past, with season 1 featuring the Collapse Into Now track “Oh My Heart.” Season 2’s finale also includes the Out of Time tune “Half A World Away.” 

The Bear is currently streaming on Hulu.

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