Kevin Winter/Getty Images for Global Citizen VAX LIVE
Former Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist Josh Klinghoffer rang in the New Year with a cover of The Golden Girls theme song, “Thank You for Being a Friend.”
“There has been a lot of loss lately, a lot of endings,” Klinghoffer wrote in an Instagram post alongside a video of the cover. “It’s happening all the time everywhere, but these past few weeks have seen the loss of a few important people in my life.”
While Klinghoffer’s post doesn’t specifically mention her by name, the cover is also undoubtedly a tribute to late Golden Girls star and TV icon Betty White, who passed away New Year’s Eve at 99 years old.
Klinghoffer’s 2022 plans include hitting the road with Eddie Vedder as part of the Pearl Jam frontman’s solo band, The Earthlings. He’s also a member of Pearl Jam’s touring lineup.
In case you missed it, Journey has shared a video of their two-song performance on ABC’s Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest special on its socialmedia pages.
The veteran rockers performed their classic hits “Any Way You Want It” and “Don’t Stop Believin'” live in New York City’s Times Square on Friday night at about 11:30 p.m. ET shortly before the ball dropped to ring in 2022.
Fans may have noticed that Journey drummer Deen Castronovo wasn’t performing with the band that night, and Castronovo revealed that was because he’d tested positive for COVID-19 before the event.
“Well yes it’s true! Tested positive for ‘The thing,'” Deen wrote on his Twitter feed. “I feel fine. Asymptomatic but the show must go on.” Castronovo also noted that Journey drum tech Steve Toomey was filling in for him at the Times Square gig.
Deen, whose substance-abuse issues were a factor in him being fired from Journey in 2015, subsequently worked on his sobriety and rejoined the band’s lineup in July of 2021.
He added in his message, “Hey at least I feel great and it wasn’t cuz I was high on drugs and alcohol right!! Love you all and stay safe out there!!”
Castrovono also posted a follow-up message on Twitter over the weekend that reads, “HAPPY NEW YEARS!! Sending you all peace, health & happiness! Thank you for all the well wishes and support! God bless you all! CYA out on the road with [Journey] in 2022!”
Journey’s Freedom Tour 2022, with opening act Billy Idol, kicks off on February 22 in Pittsburgh.
Twenty-seven years after Elton John received the honor, his long-term musical partner Bernie Taupin has been made a CBE — Commander of the Order of the British Empire — as part of Queen Elizabeth II‘s annual New Year’s honors list.
Taupin received the honor in recognition of his “exceptional services to music.” A CBE is one step below a knighthood. Elton was made a CBE in 1995, and was subsequently knighted in 1998, which is why he’s now called Sir Elton John.
“Congratulations to my lyricist extraordinaire on his C.B.E that was announced today!” Elton wrote on Instagram. “I love you and you so deserve this recognition.” In the comments, Bernie replied, “Thanks my darling friend. It’s all a bit ironic isn’t it.”
Other music legends who are CBEs include Queen‘s Brian May, Led Zeppelin‘s Robert Plant, Sting, and the Bee Gees.
Meanwhile, Melanie Brown, aka Mel B, aka Scary Spice of the Spice Girls, was made an MBE — a Member of the Order of the British Empire. However, she wasn’t honored for her music, but for her work with Women’s Aid, a charity that helps “vulnerable women,” specifically victims of domestic violence.
Seems like the trend of legendary artists selling their catalogs for millions is continuing into 2022.
Warner Chappell Music and the estate of David Bowie announced Monday that WCM has purchased the music publishing rights to Bowie’s entire catalog. That includes all of the songs from the 26 studio albums released during his lifetime, plus his posthumous release, Toy, due out on Friday.
The catalog includes such timeless classics as “Heroes,” Ziggy Stardust,” “Let’s Dance,” “Changes,” “A Space Oddity,” “Rebel Rebel” and more. Bowie’s two studio albums with the band Tin Machine are also included in the deal, as are songs he recorded for soundtracks and other projects, like his Queen collaboration “Under Pressure.”
Variety puts the price of the catalog at $250 million.
In a statement, WCM CEO and Co-Chair Guy Moot said, “These are not only extraordinary songs, but milestones that have changed the course of modern music forever…We are looking forward to tending his unparalleled body of songs with passion and care as we strive to build on the legacy of this most extraordinary human being.”
What would have been Bowie’s 75th birthday is this Saturday, amid a campaign that includes pop-up stores in New York City and London, the release of the Brilliant Adventure (1992-2001) box set, and a virtual charity tribute concert that will feature performances by Def Leppard, Duran Duran‘s Simon Le Bon and John Taylor, Living Colour, Rob Thomas, WALK THE MOON, and actors Gary Oldman and Evan Rachel Wood, among others.
Republic Records; InsideOut Music; Spinefarm Records
With 2021 now in the rear-view mirror, it’s a good time to look ahead at some of the artists planning to release new music in the new year.
January alone will see the arrival of new studio efforts by John Mellencamp, Jethro Tull and Elvis Costello and the Imposters.
Mellencamp’s new album, Strictly a One-Eyed Jack, will be released on January 21, and will include three collaborations with Bruce Springsteen.
Jethro Tull’s first new studio album in 18 years, The Zealot Gene, will be issued a week later, on January 28, while Costello his longtime backing group’s latest, The Boy Named If, will hit stores on January 14.
Releases scheduled for February include Slash featuring Myles Kennedy & The Conspirators‘ 4 on February 4; Pearl Jam frontman Eddie Vedder‘s Earthling on February 11; and Scorpions‘ Rock Believer and Guns N’ Roses‘ Hard Skool EP on February 25. The Hard Skool EP will include two recent GN’R singles — the title track and “Absurd” — as well as recent live versions of “Don’t Cry” and “You’re Crazy.”
The following month, Bryan Adams has a new album called So Happy It Hurts scheduled for a March 11 release.
Other artists who are expected to release albums this year include Journey, Todd Rundgren, Ozzy Osbourne, Joe Walsh and, possibly, Springsteen, who revealed in May 2021 that he had “a record coming out soon that’s set largely in the West.”
Rundgren’s previously announced album, Space Force, features Todd collaborating with a variety of musicians. Osbourne’s as-yet-untitled album, which is expected out around springtime, will include contributions from his Black Sabbath band mate Tony Iommi, Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck and other guest stars.
Here’s a list of notable confirmed and expected releases for 2022, by month:
1/7:
David Bowie, TOY (TOY:BOX) (box set focusing on unreleased 2000 album)
1/14:
Elvis Costello & The Imposters, The Boy Named If
1/21:
John Mellencamp, Strictly a One-Eyed Jack
1/28:
Jethro Tull, The Zealot Gene
Steve Vai, Inviolate
2/4:
Slash featuring Myles Kennedy & The Conspirators, 4
2/11:
Eddie Vedder, Earthling
2/25:
Scorpions, Rock Believer
Guns N’ Roses, Hard Skool EP
3/11:
Bryan Adams, So Happy It Hurts
3/25:
Various Artists, Legacy: A Tribute to Leslie West (featuring Slash, Zakk Wylde, Dee Snider, Martin Barre, Joe Lynn Turner, Elliot Easton, Robby Krieger & others)
4/29:
Ted Nugent, Detroit Muscle
Unconfirmed or details not yet announced:
Megadeth, The Sick, the Dying and the Dead
Todd Rundgren, Space Force
Journey — TBA
Ozzy Osbourne — TBA
Bruce Springsteen — TBA
Joe Walsh — TBA
The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has led to the cancellation of many New Year’s Eve concerts and events, but you’ll still be able to see some of your favorite artists performing Friday night on select TV specials.
Among the veteran stars who will be featured performing to help ring in 2022 are Journey, Duran Duran, and Green Day frontman Billie Joe Armstrong.
Journey is one of the artists set to perform on 50th annual installment of ABC’s Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest, which airs at 8 p.m. ET. The Rock & Roll Hall of of Famers are among several acts that will appear live in New York City’s Times Square, along with award-winning Colombian singer Karol G.
Other performers on the special include Avril Lavigne with Travis Barker, AJR with Daisy the Great, Måneskin, Macklemore and Ryan Lewis, Billy Porter, OneRepublic, French Montana and Daddy Yankee.
Armstrong is slated to to perform on Miley’s New Year’s Eve Party, an NBC special hosted by pop star Miley Cyrus and Saturday Night Live cast member Pete Davidson. The lineup also includes Brandi Carlile, Saweetie, 24kGoldn and others. Miley’s New Year’s Eve Party airs at 10:30 p.m. ET.
Duran Duran will perform on CNN’s New Year’s Eve Live, hosted by Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen, which will be broadcast at 8 p.m. ET. Other artists who will perform or appear on the special include Katy Perry, Patti LaBelle and Earth, Wind & Fire.
Jim Dyson/Getty Images; Phillip Massey/Getty Images
The music world said goodbye to many influential and beloved artists in 2021, including two Rock & Roll Hall Fame inductees who both spent more than a half century with their respective bands.
On August 24, Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts died at the age of 80. Watts played his first show with the band in February 1963 and went on to keep the beat for the British rock legends for more than 58 years. Shortly before his death, it was announced that Watts had undergone a medical procedure that would likely force him to miss the Stones planned 2021 U.S. tour. Veteran session drummer Steve Jordan was handpicked by Charlie to step in for him on the trek.
Less than a month before Watts’ death, on July 28, ZZ Top bassist Dusty Hill passed away at his home in Houston at age 72. Hill joined the legendary Texas trio in 1970, shortly after the band’s formation. At the time of his death, Hill was forced to take a break from the band’s 50th anniversary tour to attend to a medical issue with his hip. ZZ Top’s longtime guitar tech, Elwood Francis, had been tapped to fill in for Dusty, and he’s has continued to play bass with the group.
Here are many of the music figures who died in 2021, in chronological order:
Gerry Marsden — January 3 — Frontman of popular Liverpool, U.K., band Gerry and the Pacemakers. Died of a heart infection at age 78.
Michael Fonfara — January 8 — Keyboardist for The Electric Flag and Rhinoceros, also played on many Lou Reed albums. Died after a long battle with cancer at age 74.
Sylvain Sylvain — January 13 — Guitarist with the influential glam-punk band The New York Dolls. Died of cancer at age 69.
Tim Bogert — January 13 — Bassist with Vanilla Fudge, Cactus and the supergroup Beck, Bogert & Appice. Died of cancer at age 76.
Phil Spector — January 16 — Influential producer known for his “Wall of Sound” recording technique. Convicted of shooting and killing actress Lana Clarkson at his California mansion in 2003. Died of natural causes at age 81 while serving a 19-year prison sentence.
Hilton Valentine — January 29 — Founding guitarist of British Invasion group The Animals. Died at age 77.
Mary Wilson — February 8 — Founding member of legendary Motown group The Supremes. Died of cardiovascular disease at age 76.
Chick Corea — February 9 — Acclaimed jazz keyboardist. Died of cancer at age 79.
Gene Taylor — February 20 — Boogie-woogie piano player who played with Canned Heat, The Blasters, The Fabulous Thunderbirds and other artists. Died at age 68.
Bunny Wailer — March 2 — Reggae singer, last surviving founding member of the late Bob Marley‘s band The Wailers. Died of a stroke at age 73.
Alan Cartwright — March 4 — Bassist for Procol Harum from 1971 to 1976. Died of stomach cancer at age 75.
Michael Stanley — March 5 — popular heartland rocker from Cleveland. Died of lung cancer at age 72.
Morris “B.B.” Dickerson — April 2 — Original bassist of War. Died after a long illness at age 71.
Ralph Schuckett — April 4 — Former keyboardist with Todd Rungren’s Utopia, also played with the ’60s psychedelic groups Clear Light and The Peanut Butter Conspiracy, and on some of Carole King‘s early albums. Died at age 73.
Rusty Young — April 14 — Co-founder, singer and lap-steel guitarist with pioneering country-rock group Poco. Died of a heart attack at age 75.
Mike Mitchell — April 16 — Founding lead guitarist of legendary garage-rock band The Kingsmen, known for their classic cover of “Louie Louie.” Died on his 77th birthday.
Jim Steinman — April 19 — Songwriter known for his long association with Meat Loaf, also wrote memorable hits for Bonnie Tyler, Air Supply and Celine Dion. Died at age 73.
Les McKeown — April 20 — Lead singer of 1970s Scottish pop band The Bay City Rollers. Died suddenly at age 65.
Al Schmitt — April 26 — Grammy-winning studio engineer who worked on memorable albums by Steely Dan, Toto, Natalie Cole, Ray Charles, Paul McCartney and many others. Died at age 91.
John Hinch — April 29 — Drummer who played on Judas Priest‘s 1974 debut album, Rocka Rolla. Died at age 73.
Roger Hawkins — May 20 — Drummer for famed Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section collective of session musicians, a.k.a. The Swampers, contributed to recordings by dozens of famous artists. Also co-founded Muscle Shoals Sound Studio. Died after a long illness at age 75.
Johnny Solinger — June 26 — Lead singer of heavy metal band Skid Row from 1999 to 2015. Died of liver failure at age 55.
John Lawton — June 29 — Lead singer of Uriah Heep from 1976 to 1979. Died suddenly at age 74.
Rick Laird — July 4 — Original bassist of jazz-fusion band Mahavishnu Orchestra. Died at age 80.
Jeff LaBar — July 14 — Longtime guitarist for glam-metal band Cinderella. Died at age 58.
Gary Corbett — July 14 — Keyboardist and songwriter who toured with KISS and Cinderella, co-wrote the Cyndi Lauper hit “She Bop.” Died of lung cancer.
Robby Steinhardt — July 17 — Longtime violinist and singer with Kansas. Died of acute pancreatitis at age 71.
John “Hutch” Hutchinson — July 25 — British guitarist who played with David Bowie during the early years of Bowie’s career. Died after a long illness.
Joey Jordison — July 26 — Founding drummer of Slipknot and co-writer of many of the popular metal band’s best-known songs. Died in his sleep at age 46.
Dusty Hill — July 28 — Bassist, singer and songwriter for Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees ZZ Top for more than 50 years. Died at his home in Houston at age 72.
Paul Cotton — August 1 — Former singer, guitarist and songwriter for influential country-rock band Poco. Passed away unexpectedly at age 78.
Mike Finnigan — August 11 — Session keyboardist who played on recordings by Jimi Hendrix, Dave Mason, Peter Frampton, Cher, Crosby, Stills & Nash and many others. Died of liver cancer at age 76.
Don Everly — August 21 — With his brother Phil, one half of the pioneering rock ‘n’ roll duo The Everly Brothers, among the first artists to be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Died at his home in Nashville at age 84.
Charlie Watts — August 24 –Drummer for the iconic British rock band The Rolling Stones from February 1963 until his passing. Died at age 80.
Lee “Scratch” Perry — August 29 — Jamaican singer and producer hailed for breaking boundaries for reggae and dub music during the ’60s and ’70s. Died of an unspecified illness at age 85.
Ron Bushy — August 29 — Longtime drummer of psychedelic band Iron Butterfly. Died at age 79.
John Drake — August 29 — Original lead singer of Michigan psychedelic band The Amboy Dukes, which was led by guitarist Ted Nugent. Died from complications of cancer at age 74.
Pee Wee Ellis — September 23 — Saxophonist, composer and arranger who played and collaborated with James Brown, Van Morrison, Ginger Baker and many others. Died from complications with his heart at age 80.
George Frayne IV, a.k.a. Commander Cody — September 26 — Veteran country-rock musician who led the group Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen. Died of cancer at age 77.
Alan Lancaster — September 26 — Founding bassist for popular U.K. rock band Status Quo. Died of multiple sclerosis at age 72.
Everett Morton — October 8 — Drummer for the British ska band The Beat, known as The English Beat in the U.S. Died at age 71.
Paddy Moloney — October 11 — Founder, leader and multi-instrumentalist of the popular traditional Irish band The Chieftains. Died suddenly at age 83.
Ron Tutt — October 16 — Drummer with Elvis Presley‘s TCB Band, also played on recordings by Billy Joel, the Jerry Garcia Band, Neil Diamond and many others. Died at age 83.
Graeme Edge — November 11 — Founding drummer of The Moody Blues, also wrote poetic interludes for the band, including “Late Lament.” Died of cancer at age 80.
Billy Hinsche — November 20 — One-third of the 1960s boy band Dino, Desi and Billy and longtime member of The Beach Boys‘ touring band. Died of cancer at age 70.
Robbie Shakespeare — December 8 — acclaimed reggae bassist who with Sly Dunbar made up the influential and prolific rhythm section and production team Sly and Robbie. Died following kidney surgery at age 68.
Gil Bridges — December 10 — Founding woodwind player and singer for the rock and soul band Rare Earth. Died of COVID-19 at age 80.
Michael Nesmith — December 10 — Member of The Monkees, also pioneered country-rock as a solo artist and with his backing group The First National Band. Died of natural causes at age 78.
Les Emmersmith — December 10 — Frontman of Canadian rock group Five Man Electrical Band, best known for their 1971 hit “Signs.” Died of complications of COVID-19 at age 77.
Ken Kragen — December 14 — Music manager and producer who helped organize the recording of “We Are the World.” Died of natural causes at age 85.
Phil Chen — December 14 — Veteran bassist who worked with Rod Stewart, Jeff Beck, members of The Doors and many others. Died at age 75 after a long battle with cancer.
Foo Fighters have released a full playback stream of their show at New York City’s Madison Square Garden this past June.
The nearly three-hour set, which marked MSG’s first full-capacity concert since the COVID-19 pandemic began in March 2020, included a particularly emotional opening rendition of “Times Like These,” as well as a cover of Radiohead‘s “Creep” with comedian Dave Chappelle on lead vocals, and the live debut of the Dee Gees, the Foos’ Bee Gees tribute act.
You can watch the show in its entirety streaming now on YouTube.
Along with the MSG show, Foo Fighters returned to the road in 2021 to celebrate their 26th anniversary after scrapping all of their 25th anniversary plans in 2020 due to the pandemic. They’ll be touring again in 2022 beginning in February at the Arizona Innings Festival.
Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest airs on ABC Friday night, but on Wednesday, two of the stars scheduled to perform in New York’s Times Square — LL Cool J and Chloe — pulled out, LL due to a positive COVID test. Ryan Seacrest, however, says the show must go on.
“In our minds, the show is always going to happen. There’s always going to be a ball that drops, whether there are people there or not. I think we learned that last year!” he tells ABC Audio.
And while there will only be a quarter of the usual crowd in Times Square, Ryan notes, “Over these years…we’ve faced real challenges and we still turn the page and a new year still starts.”
As for the loss of two marquee performers, Ryan explains, “Over the years, there have been situations where we thought…a performer couldn’t make it in or they weren’t going to be able to get there to perform. So we are trained to know how to react to last-minute changes.”
“We’re going to pivot — we’re going to put Journey” — a previously announced Time Square performer — “in [LL Cool J’s] spot,” Ryan adds. “We have enough performers and enough different moving parts that the show will always fill any gap.”
This year marks the show’s 50th anniversary, and first-time co-host Liza Koshy says the show will “commend the incredibleness that Dick Clark began.”
“There are so many clips that we have that we’re playing back from the ’80s, ’90s, 2000s…it’s been an incredible journey,” she says. And with additional performances in L.A., Puerto Rico and New Orleans, Liza notes, “People are going to be tuning in to just layers of performance and entertainment the whole night!”
As for why New Year’s Rockin’ Eve is still rockin’ 50 years later, Ryan says, “There’s a mixture of nostalgia and relevance…[It’s] a part of our DNA as kids…and also an extreme relevance when you look at the artists that are performing.”
This year, those artists include Ciara, Billy Porter, Måneskin, Avril Lavigne, AJR, Travis Barker, Polo G, Walker Hayes, Daddy Yankee, OneRepublic and many more.
Those things, he adds, will “hopefully continue to make this the franchise that it is for another 50 years!”
Perhaps the most memorable moment of the funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales on September 6, 1997 was Elton John‘s emotional performance of his rewritten version of “Candle in the Wind,” in which he sang, “Goodbye England’s Rose.” Now, new files released from the British National Archives reveal that the head of Westminster Abbey, where the funeral took place, made a personal plea to Buckingham Palace to have Elton included in the service.
According to the BBC, the files reveal that the Very Rev. Wesley Carr, Dean of Westminster at the time, wrote to the Palace and pointed out that having Elton sing at the service would be “imaginative and generous,” and would help the millions of people who felt “personally bereaved” by the Princess’ tragic death.
Carr urged “boldness” and the “inclusion of something of the modern world that the princess represented” in the service. If Elton was a no-go, the files show that the backup plan was to have a saxophone player perform a solo.
In his autobiography ME, Elton writes that a few days after Diana’s death, Richard Branson called him and told him that many people were signing the book of condolence at St. James’s Palace by quoting from the original “Candle in the Wind,” and that radio stations were playing it a lot as well. According to Elton, it was Branson who then asked Elton to rewrite the lyrics and sing it at the funeral, and he surmised that Branson had been contacted by Diana’s family to make the request.
After singing the song at the funeral, Elton went straight into the studio and recorded “Candle in the Wind 1997” as a charity single. It went on to became the best-selling single in both U.K. and U.S. history. But Elton has never performed the song since and says he never will, unless Princes William and Harry ask him to.
