Classic Rock 93.9

Former Yes frontman Jon Anderson recently revealed to ABC Audio that plans were in the works for him to tour with a talented cover group called The Band Geeks, and now official details have been announced about a spring 2023 U.S. trek with the collective.

The tour, dubbed “Yes Epics & Classics featuring Jon Anderson and The Band Geeks,” kicks off April 14 in Westbury, New York, and runs through a May 16 show in North Tonawanda, New York. Twelve dates have been confirmed, with more concerts expected.

The shows will feature performances of an eclectic selections of Yes songs, including epic pieces like “Close to the Edge,” “waken” and “Gates of Delirium,” and popular tunes “And You and I,” “Roundabout” and “Your Move/All Good People.”

The Band Geeks came together as the house band of Blue Öyster Cult bassist Richie Castellano‘s Band Geek podcast internet show. The group gained attention thanks to the YouTube videos they posted of their detailed performances of songs by Queen, Toto, Black Sabbath and, of course, Yes.

Anderson says, “The first time I heard the BAND GEEKS I truly freaked out — they sound just like the classic YES of the seventies, the YES that I know and love … AND THAT’S WHAT I’M WANTING TO BRING TO YOU ON THIS TOUR … YES MUSIC IS FOREVER!!!!!!”

In addition to Castellano, who plays bass and guitar in The Band Geeks, the group features former John Entwistle Band keyboardist Chris Clark, drummer Andy Ascolese, guitarist/keyboardist Robert Kipp and guitarist/bassist Andy Graziano.

For more details about the tour, visit JonAndersonYesEpicsandClassics.com.

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A new interactive exhibition celebrating the Rock & Roll Hall of Famers who graced the Ryman Auditorium stage over the years is set to open at the historic Nashville venue on November 2.

The Rock Hall at the Ryman exhibit is part of a multiyear partnership between the Ryman and Cleveland’s Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

While the Ryman is one of the world’s most famous country-music venues, it’s also been the site of performances by over 100 Rock Hall inductees. The non-country artists who are acknowledged in the exhibit include Eric Clapton, Foo Fighters, Joan Jett, James Brown, The Byrds, The Who‘s Roger Daltrey, James Brown and Joni Mitchell.

The exhibit includes a display featuring Clapton’s famous “Blackie” model Fender Stratocaster guitar, which he played on tour during the 1990s; an outfit that late Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins wore during the 2013 Rock Hall ceremony while helping to induct Rush; a red latex halter bra top Jett wore during the 2006 Vans Warped Tour; and a belted suede coat Elvis Presley wore around 1970.

The Rock Hall at the Ryman exhibit will be located at the Ryman’s recently transformed 5th Avenue vestibule.

Entry into the exhibition will be included in all of Ryman’s daytime tour tickets. For more information, visit Ryman.com.

Earlier in 2022, the Ryman Auditorium was named an official Rock Hall landmark, joining 11 other famous rock-related sites around the U.S., including Austin City Limits in Austin, Texas, and the Whisky a Go Go club in West Hollywood, California.

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Wolfgang Van Halen has opened up about his decision to play Van Halen songs at the two tribute concerts to late Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins.

The son of late Eddie Van Halen previously said he wasn’t interested in performing Van Halen tunes, but he made an exception in honor of Hawkins. However, as Wolf tells Guitar World, the decision wasn’t an easy one though he did get some help from Dave Grohl.

“I didn’t even know if I could do it,” Wolf shares. “I had a lot of conversations with Dave. What a kind sweetheart of a man he is. We talked a lot about [it].”

“Initially [Grohl] was like, ‘What do you think? Would you be comfortable doing this?'” Wolf recalls. “Initially, I didn’t wanna disappoint Dave Grohl. And I was like, ‘Sure.'”  

As Wolf continued to consider Grohl’s proposal, he realized he could do it if the Foo frontman was onstage with him.

“I was like, ‘I don’t know if I could do this, but if I do I need your support. I need you up there with me,'” Wolf recalls telling Grohl. “I was like, ‘Whatever the incarnation of what it becomes, I need you there with me,’ and he was like, ‘Absolutely.'”

For both concerts, which took place in London and Los Angeles, Wolf was joined by Grohl on bass, acclaimed session drummer Josh Freese and The Darkness frontman Justin Hawkins. They played “On Fire” in London, “Panama” in Los Angeles and “Hot for Teacher” at both shows.

“It was really special, man,” Wolf says. “I’m super happy and proud with how everything came to be.”

Today, October 6, marks the two-year anniversary of Eddie’s death.

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Last month, Dead & Company announced that they were planning to launch a 2023 tour that would be their last trek ever, and now, the Grateful Dead spinoff group has unveiled the dates for the outing.

The 27-date U.S. outing, appropriately dubbed The Final Tour, will kick off with a May 19-20 stand at the Kia Forum near Los Angeles and is plotted out through a July 14-15 engagement at San Francisco’s Oracle Park. The band also will play multiple shows in several other cities, including Saratoga Springs, New York; New York City; Boulder, Colorado; and George, Washington.

Each concert will feature Dead & Company performing two sets of music from the Grateful Dead’s expansive catalog.

Tickets for the shows go on sale to the general public Friday, October 14 at 10 a.m. local time via DeadandCompany.com. A fan presale will begin Wednesday, October 12 at 12 p.m. local time. Advanced presale registration is available now at Seated.com.

Special VIP and travel packages will also go on sale on October 12 and can be purchased at DeadandCompany.100xhospitality.com.

While on the farewell trek, the band will continue its sustainability partnership with the nonprofit organization REVERB. They’ve committed to a comprehensive carbon offset program while also encouraging fans to take action to help the environment.

Formed in 2015, Dead & Company features Grateful Dead alums Bob Weir, Mickey Hart and Bill Kreutzmann, along with popular singer/guitarist John Mayer, ex-Allman Brothers Band bassist Oteil Burbridge and RatDog keyboardist Jeff Chimenti. Their most recent tour was last year.

A 2023 edition of the band’s Playing in the Sand destination festival is set to take place in Riviera Cancún, Mexico from January 14 to January 17.

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Sir Elton John has filed suit against Associated Newspapers — publishers of the U.K. papers Daily Mail, The Mail on Sunday and the Mail Online — under accusations of breach of privacy.

The legendary singer isn’t the only person bringing forth the suit, which was filed October 6, per a press release.  Among those who have brought forth the lawsuit include Elton’s husband David Furnish, Prince Harry, Baroness Doreen Lawrence, Sadie Frost and Elizabeth Hurley. They are not just accusing the publishers of gross breaches of privacy, they also claim they are victims of abhorrent criminal activity.

They allege that Associated Newspapers hired private investigators to place surveillance equipment in their cars and homes so they could unknowingly eavesdrop and also record their private phone calls and conversations. 

Sir Elton and company also claim the publishers bribed police officials to grant their private investigators access to sensitive information. Furthermore, they claim Associated Newspapers had their employees impersonate officials to obtain private medical information from the institutions that either saw or treated them.

Associated Newspaper were also accused of illegally accessing their private banking information and credit history.

Sir Elton and his group claim they have more alleged evidence of more wrongdoing and that there are more unknowing victims of these alleged crimes. They aim not only to hold those who allegedly wronged them accountable, but to help dissuade journalists from further engaging in such tactics to procure sensitive and private information.

It is unknown how much they are seeking in damages at this time.

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A stake in late legendary Ramones singer Joey Ramone‘s music catalog has been acquired by the Primary Wave Music publishing company.

The agreement includes non-exclusive rights to license Ramone’s name and likeness as well as income from many songs from the pioneering punk band’s catalog.

Among the many classic Ramones tunes included in the deal are “Do You Remember Rock ‘n’ Roll Radio,” “Sheena Is a Punk Rocker,” “I Wanna Be Sedated” and “Rockaway Beach.”

Mitchel Hyman a.k.a. Mickey Leigh, Joey’s brother and only heir, says of the agreement, “I’m happy to welcome Primary Wave as partners in my brother’s interests in Ramones. I’m thoroughly convinced of their eagerness to perpetuate his legacy, and their sincerity about doing it in a way that will never compromise his credibility. I, very much, am looking forward to working with them.”

Adds Primary executive Lexi Todd, “Joey Ramone was a total original — his songwriting, style, and voice are all undeniably unique and immediately recognizable still today. A counterculture icon and prime mover of punk rock, Ramones demonstrated first-hand the power of music in influencing culture and built a foundation that has influenced decades of musicians. We’re thrilled to have the opportunity to continue the legacy of Joey Ramone and Ramones catalog.

Born Jeffrey Hyman, Joey co-founded the Ramones in 1974 and served as the group’s lead singer and one of its main songwriters throughout the band’s 20-plus-year history. He died of cancer in April 2001, a month before his 50th birthday. Joey was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame with the Ramones in 2002.

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Ex-Dire Straits frontman Mark Knopfler is one of the well-known musicians who are sharing their support for a new initiative to raise awareness and funds for music-mentoring programs, particularly for schools attended by students from lower-income backgrounds.

The initiative, dubbed the Immersive Music Challenge, was launched Wednesday by the D’Addario Foundation in response to a new UCLA study that suggests intensive music mentoring helps improve reading and math scores. The study, which was published in June in the Journal of Youth Development, also observed that those who received music mentoring during the COVID-19 pandemic experienced a decrease in anxiety.

The campaign follows alarming revelations that reading and math scores have been persistently low throughout the U.S. in recent years, and have worsened during the pandemic.

Established in 1981, the D’Addario Foundation offers financial support to music instruction and mentoring programs in under-resourced communities around the U.S.

“Learning a musical instrument will give you a friend for life,” says Knopfler in a statement. “Now the latest research has demonstrated how vital music education is in schools. It has positive effects in all areas of learning and development: makes us smarter and makes a better world.”

He adds, “Supporting the D’Addario Foundation is a key to this approach. The foundation is growing — on a journey to becoming a global influence. I hope you can help, however you can.”

Other musicians lending their voices in support of the initiative include Chic‘s Nile Rodgers and Yeah Yeah Yeahs frontwoman Karen O.

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Fleetwood Mac‘s Christine McVie, John McVie and Mick Fleetwood have cleared out their closets and are putting some of their most iconic memorabilia on the auction block.

Julien’s Auctions is handling the sale, which will take place live over two days — December 3 and December 4 — in Beverly Hills, as well as online at juliensauctions.com. A portion of the proceeds will benefit MusiCares, the charitable arm of the Recording Academy, which named Fleetwood Mac its Person of the Year in 2018.  

Among the goodies up for grabs:

The “hanging balls” that Mick Fleetwood wore on the cover of Rumours, along with a signed art print. Estimated to bring between $100 and $200,000, the wooden balls are attached to leather cords and come with a cloth drawstring case. The balls were originally pull chains from a toilet in a club where Fleetwood Mac played back in the day. 

Among Fleetwood’s other items are various drums and percussion instruments, the suit he wore in the ad campaign for Harry Styles‘ Pleasing lifestyle brand and a drumhead signed by President Bill Clinton from a private performance the band did before he left office. That’s expected to fetch between 80 and 100 grand.

Christine McVie’s items include the dress she wore on the back cover of Rumours, the baby grand piano which she used onstage to perform “Songbird,” additional keyboards and a variety of stage-worn clothes, including the boots she wore to the band’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony.

John McVie is selling a number of his bass guitars, including the one he used to record “The Chain,” and a surfboard that Stevie Nicks gave him when he moved to Hawaii, despite the fact that he doesn’t surf.

Visit juliensauctions.com to find out how to bid.

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Wednesday, October 5, marked the 30th anniversary of the release of R.E.M.‘s eighth studio album, Automatic for the People.

A follow-up to the influential alternative-rock band’s chart-topping 1991 album, Out of Time, Automatic for the People was similarly successful, peaking at #2 on the Billboard 200 and #1 in the U.K., and going on to be certified four-times Platinum by the RIAA.

The album yielded three singles that reached the top 30 of the Billboard Hot 100 chart — “Drive,” “Everybody Hurts” and “Man on the Moon,” which peaked at #28, #29 and #30, respectively.

Led Zeppelin bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones created string arrangements for four tracks — “Drive,” “The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonite,” “Everybody Hurts” and “Nightswimming.”

“Man on the Moon” was a tribute to late comedian Andy Kaufman, and the song’s title was later used for the title of director Milos Forman‘s 1999 Kaufman biopic, which starred Jim Carrey. The tune also appeared in the movie.

In an April 2022 episode of the Broken Record podcast, singer Michael Stipe noted about Automatic for the People, “Song by song … the whole album is referencing the 1970s.” He also pointed out that “Drive” was an homage to David Essex‘s “Rock On,” and that “Everybody Hurts” was inspired by Nazareth‘s cover of the Everly Brothers hit “Love Hurts.”

The album’s title is a reference to the motto of Weaver D’s Delicious Fine Foods, a soul-food restaurant in R.E.M.’s hometown of Athens, Georgia.

Here’s the full track list of Automatic for the People:

“Drive” Side
“Drive”
“Try Not to Breathe”
“The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonite”
“Everybody Hurts”
“New Orleans Instrumental No. 1”
“Sweetness Follows”

“Ride” Side
“Monty Got a Raw Deal”
“Ignoreland”
“Star Me Kitten”
“Man on the Moon”
“Nightswimming”
“Find the River”

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An expanded 50th anniversary reissue of Grateful Dead singer/guitarist Bob Weir‘s 1972 debut solo album, Ace, will be released on January 13, 2023 in multiple formats.

The deluxe reissue will be available digitally and as a two-CD set, and will feature a newly remastered version of the original album as well as Weir and his side group Wolf Bros‘ full live performance of Ace at New York’s Radio City Music Hall back in April.

In addition, custom vinyl LP featuring the new Ace remaster will be available exclusively at Dead.net; a pearl-white vinyl will drop on January 13 and a black vinyl on February 3.

Released on May 1, 1972, Ace featured all of Weir’s Grateful Dead bandmates, except for keyboardist Rod “Pigpen” McKernan, as his backing group. The eight-track collection included a number songs that the Grateful Dead also performed and recorded, such as “Playing in the Band,” “Mexicali Blues” and “One More Saturday Night.”

The Radio City Music Hall show featured Weir and Wolf Bros augmented by string and brass quintet and pedal-steel player Barry Sless as well as special guests Tyler Childers and Brittney Spencer.

Weir and Wolf Bros’ performance of “Black-Throated Wind” from the show will be included in the recently announced charity compilation Good Music to Ensure Safe Abortion Access to All. The album will be released this Friday, October 7, exclusively on Bandcamp; it will only be available for 24 hours.

The remastered mix of the Ace song “Cassidy” is available now as an advance digital single from the forthcoming reissue.

You can preorder the Ace: 50th Anniversary Deluxe Edition now.

Here’s the full track list:

Disc One: Original Album (2023 Remaster)
“Greatest Story Ever Told”
“Black-Throated Wind”
“Walk in the Sunshine”
“Playing in the Band”
“Looks Like Rain”
“Mexicali Blues”
“One More Saturday Night”
“Cassidy”

Disc Two: Live at Radio City Music Hall, New York NY (4/3/22)
“Greatest Story Ever Told” — featuring Tyler Childers
“Black-Throated Wind”
“Walk in the Sunshine” — featuring Brittney Spencer
“Playing in the Band”
“Looks Like Rain” — featuring Brittney Spencer
“Mexicali Blues” (Intro)
“Mexicali Blues”
“One More Saturday Night”
“Cassidy”

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