Classic Rock 93.9

Ever since Richie Sambora left Bon Jovi in 2013, fans have been wondering if he’d reunite with his old bandmates again. Well, the answer is a definite maybe.

While in London for an awards ceremony, Sambora was asked by Metro if there was a possibility that he and Bon Jovi could possibly set aside their differences and come together for a headlining spot at next year’s Glastonbury Festival, the United Kingdom’s most prestigious music festival.

“It’s a possibility. We’re talking a bit,” Sambora said, with what the publication called “a cheeky smile.”

Bon Jovi is one of the few massive rock bands that has never headlined Glastonbury, though Sambora appeared there in 2014, joining Dolly Parton onstage for her set.

Sambora did reunite with Bon Jovi at their 2018 induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland; so did bass player Alec John Such, who left the band in 1994 and hadn’t played with them since a one-off performance in 2001. Such died last June.

Copyright © 2022, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Neil Peart’s hometown of St. Catharines, Ontario, has commissioned an artist to create two bronze statues in honor of the late Rush drummer. The statues will be placed alongside the Neil Peart Pavilion in the city’s Lakeside Park, which inspired the Rush song of the same name.

Artist Morgan MacDonald has been tapped by the City of St. Catharines’ Neil Peart Commemorative Task Force to create the statues. The larger-than-life sculptures will be connected by a pathway lined with experiential and interpretive features that give insight into Peart’s legacy. The drummer died of an aggressive form of brain cancer on January 7, 2020.

One of the sculptures, which will stand about 12 feet tall, depicts Peart as a young artist and poet in the 1970s, holding a book and drumsticks. The other will show an older Peart, holding a piece of his drum kit and offering his drumsticks to passersby. Some of Peart’s old and damaged cymbals will be melted down and incorporated into the statues.

The creation of the statues is contingent on the task force raising $1 million. Donations toward that goal can now be made at stcatharines.ca/neilpeart. The sooner the million bucks is raised, the sooner the statues will be made and installed.

Copyright © 2022, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Bruce Springsteen is staging a takeover of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.

The Boss will appear on the NBC show four times over the next couple of weeks. From Monday, November 14, to November 16, Bruce will be a lead guest on the show and will perform four songs from his new album, Only the Strong Survive, which is coming out this Friday. Then he’ll appear on November 24 during the show’s special Thanksgiving episode.

While this will be the third time Springsteen has appeared on Fallon’s show, surprisingly, the upcoming appearances will be his first musical performances on it.

As previously reported, Only the Strong Survive features covers of soul classics by the likes of The Four Tops, Ben E. King, The Temptations, The Supremes, Jerry Butler, Jimmy Ruffin and The Commodores.

The Fallon performances may give fans a taste of what they can expect on Bruce’s upcoming tour with The E Street Band — their first trek in six years. It launches February 1 in Tampa, Florida.

Copyright © 2022, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Alice in Chains‘ Jerry Cantrell has announced a 2023 U.S. tour in support of his latest solo album, Brighten.

The headlining outing, described as the “closing leg” of the Brighten tour, will kick off February 21 in Ventura, California and will conclude April 1 in Tacoma, Washington.

Tickets go on sale this Friday, November 11 at 10 a.m. local time. For the full list of dates and all ticket info, visit JerryCantrell.com.

Brighten, Cantrell’s first solo offering in nearly 20 years, was released October 2021.

The most recent AiC effort is 2018’s Rainier Fog. The grunge outfit just got off the road last month after a tour with Breaking Benjamin and Bush.

Copyright © 2022, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

When it comes to casting Ozzy Osbourne for his upcoming biopic, the Prince of Darkness has one request.

“I don’t want to have anyone like Johnny Depp act as me,” Ozzy tells Consequence. “I rather have someone who is relatively unknown.”

The upcoming movie is set to tell Ozzy’s story through the lens of his relationship with wife Sharon Osbourne. It’ll be written by Oscar nominee Lee Hall, who also penned the 2019 Elton John biopic, Rocketman.

Sharon previously described the film as “an adult movie for adults” that won’t present a “squeaky, shiny clean” version of her and Ozzy’s life together. As for how he feels about the perhaps not-so flattering parts of his life being portrayed on the big screen, Ozzy declares, “I don’t give a s***.”

“I mean, if it’s a success, great,” he says. “As long as it’s not too slurpy and bulls***-y, you know?”

Jack Kilmer, son of Val Kilmer, previously played Ozzy in the metal legend’s video for his 2019 single “Under the Graveyard,” which was described as “semi-autobiographical.” Actor Tony Cavalero also portrays the Prince of Darkness in the 2019 Mötley Crüe biopic, The Dirt.

Copyright © 2022, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

The Grateful Dead‘s Dancing Bears can adorn your dancing feet this holiday season, thanks to a new capsule collection the band authorized with eco-conscious shoe brand Sanuk.

The unisex Sanuk X Grateful Dead collection features Puffy Chiller slip-ons and fuzzy Furreal sandals, all featuring the Dead’s Dancing Bears logo. Both feature recycled polyester faux fur, as well as midsoles and outsoles created out of either recycled material or a material made of sugar cane.

The shoes range from $55 to $85, making them the perfect gift for the Deadhead in your life whose feet are perpetually cold.

This is the latest in a string of Sanuk X Grateful Dead footwear collections.

Copyright © 2022, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Lars Ulrich has shared a statement reflecting on Metallica‘s tribute to late Megaforce Records co-founders Jon and Marsha Zazula at their concert in Florida over the weekend.

In an Instagram post, Ulrich calls the show “an absolutely epic, unique, and unforgettable night.”

“Thank you to everyone who came from near and far away to partake,” the drummer writes. “Incredible to see so many familiar faces in the front row, out in the house and backstage.”

The Zazulas launched Megaforce in 1982 and signed a then-unknown Metallica to their first record deal. Marsha passed away in January 2021, followed by Jon in February 2022.

To celebrate the legacy of the Zazulas, Metallica’s tribute set focused entirely on the band’s early days, with performances of songs from the 1983-84 era.

“Special shout out to the three Zazula daughters, Danielle, Rikki & Blaire, our comrades from the Old Bridge Militia and our old school touring partners in Raven for making the trek and joining in the shenanigans,” Ulrich writes. “Mad love to all.”

Metallica’s next scheduled concert is their Helping Hands charity concert, taking place December 16 in Los Angeles. Greta Van Fleet is also on the bill.

Copyright © 2022, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

A new book on Jimi Hendrix is in stores now, while one on Genesis will arrive early next year.

Jimi is written by Hendrix’s stepsister Janie Hendrix and John McDermott of Experience Hendrix L.L.C. It features rare and previously unpublished pictures of the late guitar legend as well as lyrics and personal memorabilia. Quotes from Jimi’s famous fans, from Paul McCartney, Lenny Kravitz and Ron Wood to Jeff Beck and Dave Grohl, are also included.

If this Hendrix book inspires you to write your long-delayed novel, Montblanc has a Jimi Hendrix collection of ballpoint and fountain pens. Each one celebrates a standout year in Hendrix’s career, from 1967 to 1969. But with prices that range from $940 to — no joke — $37,000, you might be better off buying a guitar.

Meanwhile, a unique book on Genesis is due March 17, 2023. Called Play Me My Song – The Music Of Genesis, the 558-page tome is described as “the biggest book ever published on” the Rock & Roll Hall of Famers. But rather than simply being a band biography, it’s made up of extensive essays about every song and album in the band’s entire catalogue. 

According to the publisher, Play Me My Song — named after a line in the Genesis song “The Musical Box” —  “blends song histories, musical analysis, critical reviews, autobiographical tales, the fun of countdowns, and a dash of pure silliness.” You can pre-order it now.

Copyright © 2022, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Joe Walsh has assembled some of Ohio’s finest rock talent for this year’s edition of his VetsAid charity concert, but the lineup also includes one Ohio-born musician that Walsh says he didn’t even invite: Dave Grohl.

Walsh tells Billboard that in the six years since he started VetsAid — which raises awareness and money for veterans and their families — he’s found it “very uncomfortable” to ask bands to participate.  But when it came to Grohl, Walsh says, the Foo Fighters front man simply announced, “I’m gonna come.” When Walsh asked him, “What are you gonna do?” he replied, I don’t know, but I’m coming.”

It’s no surprise that Grohl would want to perform at the show, whose bill this year also includes Nine Inch Nails, The Breeders, The Black Keys, Drew Carey and Walsh’s own James Gang. After all, he and the James Gang performed at the Taylor Hawkins tribute shows in September, and Grohl joined them onstage at both concerts.

Grohl “can do anything he wants,” Walsh said of the drummer’s participation in the show, scheduled for this Sunday at Columbus, Ohio’s Nationwide Arena. He adds. “I’m sure he’ll play ‘Rocky Mountain Way’ with me, probably help sing it.”

Despite the James Gang’s appearance being billed as “one last ride,” Walsh says they may decide to continue. “Glenn Frey used to say never say never, so I’m not,” he tells Billboard, noting that he really enjoyed playing “loud on 11” at the Hawkins concerts. He adds, “I didn’t realize how much I missed it…I can’t wait to play again.”

Since its inception, VetsAid has distributed more than two million dollars in grants from the concerts and other fundraisers. Sunday’s show will be livestreamed via veeps.com: You can buy tickets at vetsaid.veeps.com

Copyright © 2022, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Blackmore’s Night, the group featuring ex-Deep Purple guitarist Ritchie Blackmore and his wife, Candice Night, has been making their brand of traditional medieval and folk rock music for 25 years — and they’re going to mark that milestone with a special release.

On March 10, 2023, a 25th Anniversary Edition of Shadow of the Moon, the debut album by Blackmore’s Night, will arrive. You can listen to the 25th Anniversary mix of the album’s title track now. The package includes two previously unreleased acoustic versions of “Spirit of the Sea” and “Shadow of the Moon,” recorded by Blackmore and Night in 2022. 

The physical copies of the album feature a bonus DVD with a making-of documentary and videos for “Shadow of the Moon,” “No Second Chance” and “Renaissance Faire.”

If you buy the album as a two-LP vinyl set, you may discover a Golden Ticket inside. Only two albums will have this ticket, but if you’re one of those two lucky fans, you’ll win a Fender Ritchie Blackmore Signature Stratocaster guitar.

Copyright © 2022, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.