Classic Rock 93.9

Van Halen is revisiting the Sammy Hagar years with a new box set.

The Collection II, dropping October 6, will feature newly remastered versions of the band’s four #1 albums with Hagar – 1986’s 5150, 1988’s OU812, 1991’s For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge and 1995’s Balance.

It will also include a fifth album, Studio Rarities 1989-2004, featuring eight non-album Hagar-era tracks, including “Crossing Over,” the B-side to the Balance tune “Can’t Stop Lovin’ You,” and their two songs from the Twister soundtrack: “Humans Being” and “Respect The Wind.”

You listen to the newly remastered version of “Humans Being” now via digital outlets and watch the accompanying video streaming now on YouTube.

“This stuff sounds so good,” Sammy shared on social media about the remastered set. “You know how long we’ve been waiting for this. I know you’re gonna enjoy it.” 

The Collection II is the follow-up to Van Halen’s first box set, The Collection, which was released in 2015 and featured the band’s six studio albums with David Lee Roth. It  will be released as a five-LP or five-CD set, both of which are available for preorder now.

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

On This day, August 9, 1995…

The original KISS lineup — Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons, Ace Frehley and Peter Criss — reunited at Sony Music Studios in New York to record MTV Unplugged.

The show was the first and only time all original members performed together without wearing their iconic stage makeup. The performance also included Eric Singer and Bruce Kulick, making it the first time Frehley and Criss had shared a stage with the musicians who replaced them in the band.

Songs performed during the show included “Comin’ Home,” “Beth,” “Rock and Roll All Nite” and more.

The recording was such a success that in 1996, the original four members teamed for a new tour, the first time they’d hit the road together since 1979.

KISS Unplugged was released on CD in March of 1996, along with a standalone VHS and DVD documentary. 

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

One of James Taylor’s classic albums is getting a new vinyl reissue. The singer’s 1979 studio album, Flag, will be getting a limited-edition reissue by Music on Vinyl.

Only 1,000 copies of the new pink-colored vinyl will be available on September 1 courtesy of Music on Vinyl. It will be released on 180-gram audiophile vinyl, with a gatefold sleeve with linen laminate finish.

Released in May 1979, Flag was Taylor’s ninth studio album and featured such songs as “Millworker,” “Brother Trucker” and a cover of “Up On The Roof,” which was his final top-40 hit as a solo artist.

The limited-edition vinyl Flag is available for preorder now.

Music on Vinyl has already released several James Taylor albums on limited-edition vinyl. Previous releases include 1985’s That’s Why I’m Here, 1977’s JT, 2002’s October Road and 1993’s James Taylor Live.

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Freddie Mercury will soon receive another prestigious honor. The late Queen frontman will be posthumously inducted into the Asian Hall of Fame later this year.

“Inductees and Artist Ambassadors inspire courage, character, and service for the betterment of our country and humanity,” Grammy member Maki Hsieh, president and CEO of the Asian Hall of Fame and CEO of the organization’s founder, the Robert Chin Foundation, shares.

Mercury was born in Zanzibar, but both his parents were Asian, from the Parsi community of western India.

The Asian Hall of Fame Class of 2023 will be celebrated at a fundraiser taking place at the Biltmore in Los Angeles on October 21. Tickets for the gala are on sale now.

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Pearl Jam guitarist Mike McCready is putting together a one-off supergroup for an upcoming benefit show.

Mike McCready and The Casual Acquaintances will feature Beck, St. Vincent, Keanu Reeves‘ band Dogstar, Tenacious D‘s Jack Black, Dave Matthew Band bassist Stefan Lessard, Cindy Blackman Santana and Fred Armisen.

The event, dubbed Best Night of Your Life, will be hosted by Will Ferrell and will support the organization Cancer for College, which provides college scholarships to cancer survivors. It’ll take place October 21 at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles.

Along with the performance by McCready and company, Best Night of Your Life will feature comedians Jon Stewart, Hasan Minhaj, Jo Koy, Patti Harrison, Roy Wood Jr. and Rory Scovel, as well as actors and SmartLess podcast hosts Jason Bateman, Sean Hayes and Will Arnett. Additionally, Maya Rudolph will perform with her Prince cover band Princess.

For more info, visit CancerforCollege.org.

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

The music of Gregg Allman and Dickey Betts will once again be celebrated with the 2023 Allman Betts Family Revival, a 16-date tour kicking off in November.

The trek will feature performances by Gregg’s son Devon Allman, Dickey’s son Duane Betts and The Allman Betts Band featuring Tal Wilkenfeld on bass. Anders Osborne, and North Mississippi Allstars’ Luther and Cody Dickinson are also part of the lineup, with special guests in select cities. The tour will also feature visuals from The Brotherhood of Light, known for their previous work with the Allman Brothers.

The tour, which will feature two full sets of Allman and Betts music, kicks off November 25 in St. Louis, Missouri, stopping in cities like Nashville, Boston, New York and Charleston before wrapping December 17 in Austin, Texas.

This is the seventh year of the Revival tour. It was started by Devon in 2017 as a one-off concert in San Francisco, marking what would have been his father’s 70th birthday. It has now been rebranded to reflect the celebration of Gregg, who passed away in 2017, and Dickey. 

Tickets for all shows go on sale Friday, August 11. A full list of artists and ticket information can be found at allmanbettsfamilyrevival.com.

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Stone Temple Pilots and Collective Soul are playing the Green Bay Packers’ Kickoff Weekend festival.

The free event will be held September 23 outside of the Packers’ famed Lambeau Field stadium. It celebrates the team’s opening home game of the 2023 NFL season, taking place September 24.

For more info, visit Packers.com.

While STP isn’t from Green Bay, or anywhere in Wisconsin, they may be looking for a new football team after the Chargers left their hometown of San Diego for Los Angeles. Collective Soul, meanwhile, hail from Georgia, home of the Atlanta Falcons.

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Nikki Sixx may be busy on tour with Mötley Crüe, but it sounds like the rocker’s finding some time to pursue one of his other creative interests: writing.

“Started on my 5th book. If things go smoothly we should be able to release it next year,” Sixx shared on Facebook, adding, “If it connects it will be my 5th time on the New York Times best seller list….”

Those bestsellers Sixx is referring to include the 2001 Crüe memoir, The Dirt: Confessions of the World’s Most Notorious Band, as well as 2007’s The Heroin Diaries, 2011’s This Is Gonna Hurt and 2021’s The First 21.

“It’s an honor to write books. I’ll keep you in the loop……,” he adds, before noting, “Thank you for always supporting my addiction to words.”

The book is one of many projects Sixx is working on. In the caption, he also mentioned another book, “an animated show that includes music” and “new Motley,” referring to the rumored new music that’s on the way. He shares, “Creative times ahead- SOBRIETY ROCKS.”

In the meantime, Mötley Crüe is currently on their stadium tour with Def Leppard. They play Columbus, Ohio, on Tuesday, August 8. A complete list of dates can be found at motley.com.

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Steely Dan has announced the latest album in their vinyl reissue program, which will likely excite fans. 

The band’s classic Aja will be reissued on vinyl September 29, the first time the album has been released on vinyl in more than 40 years. The reissue is remastered from an analog tape copy of the album and will be released on 180-gram black vinyl, along with a premium 45 RPM version on Ultra High-Quality vinyl.

Released in September 1977, Aja was Steely Dan’s sixth studio album. The record peaked at #3 on the album charts, becoming the band’s highest-charting album. It featured such hit singles as “Peg,” “Deacon Blues” and “Josie” and was nominated for Album of the Year at the Grammys. It was also inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2003 and added to the Library of Congress’ National Recording Registry in 2010.

This is the fourth Steely Dan record to get a vinyl reissue. The reissue program, which Donald Fagen has overseen, started with their 1972 debut, Can’t Buy A Thrill, reissued in November 2022. It was then followed by 1973’s Countdown to Ecstasy, which dropped in May, and 1974’s Pretzel Logic, which dropped that July.

The program plans to reissue three more albums — 1975’s Katy Lied, 1976’s The Royal Scam and 1980’s Gaucho —over the next year.

Aja is available for preorder now.

Next up, Steely Dan is set to open for the Eagles on their Long Goodbye Tour. It kicks off September 7 at New York’s Madison Square Garden. A complete list of dates can be found at steelydan.com.

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.