Classic Rock 93.9

The Scorpions have given fans a taste of one of the new songs that’s expected to appear on the band’s upcoming studio album. A video clip of the veteran German rockers rehearsing a tune, apparently called “Seventh Son,” has been posted on the official social media sites of the group and of drummer Mikkey Dee.

Commenting about the song, Dee writes in an Instagram post, “Scorpions — rehearsing new songs for [upcoming] Tour. Pretty damn heavy.”

There’s been no official announcement about when the album will be released or what its title is, although frontman Klaus Meine revealed in a video message posted on May 29 that The Scorpions “were in the mixing process,” adding, “We can’t wait to get the album out for you guys to hear it.”

Then, on June 7, Meine and guitarists Rudolf Schenker and Matthias Jabs appeared in another video clip from The Scorpions’ Peppermint Park studio in Hanover, Germany, and played a snippet of one of the new tracks.

The Scorpions’ most recent studio album, Return to Forever, was released in 2015. According to The-Scorpions.com, the band’s next scheduled shows will be part of a nine-date Las Vegas residency next year at The Zappos Theater at Planet Hollywood that runs from March 26 through April 16.

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Earlier this year, Milwaukee’s all-genre Summerfest announced its return in September of 2021, featuring a lineup of over 100 performers, including such well-known veteran acts as ZZ Top, Styx, REO Speedwagon, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, Guns N’ Roses, George Thorogood and the Destroyers, Mötley Crüe‘s Vince Neil, Night Ranger and former Talking Heads member Jerry Harrison.

Now, the festival has announced new COVID-19 safety protocols in place for attendees. Those coming to the concerts will need to show proof of either COVID-19 vaccination or a current negative COVID-19 test in order to enter the festival grounds and American Family Insurance Amphitheater.

More information is available at the festival’s website. Additionally, those not fully vaccinated can find information on local testing availability before they head to the event.

The new protocol comes on the heels of an announcement from Live Nation, which recently decided that it will allow the touring artists it works with to require proof of vaccination or a negative test from event attendees.

Summerfest 2021 is scheduled to take place September 2-4, 9-11 and 16-18.

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Of all the many songs you might hear playing from church bells, you probably wouldn’t expect Motörhead‘s “Ace of Spades” would be one of them. Well, neither did the attendees of the Torenfestival in The Netherlands.

On July 17, residents of the Dutch town of Weert hear none other than “Ace of Spades” ringing out from their local church. The music was provided by guitarist Jitse Zonneveld and keyboardist/bell-ringer Frank Steijns.

The performance became a local phenomenon and was covered by the national Dutch news. Now, you can experience it for yourself streaming via the Motörhead YouTube channel.

As for how Lemmy might’ve felt about his ode to gambling playing on church bells, a press release posits that the late frontman would likely be “a little perplexed,” but also “delighted to know that Motörmusic had forced its way into such rarified air and received such an overwhelmingly positive amount of support.”

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Foo Fighters have announced a pair of Northeast concerts taking place next month.

The shows will be held September 15 in Syracuse, New York, and September 17 in Bridgeport, Connecticut. Tickets will go on sale this Friday, August 13, at 10 a.m. ET via FooFighters.com.

Attendees must be either full vaccinated against COVID-19 or receive a negative diagnostic test within 48 hours of entering the venue.

Foo Fighters have been playing concerts this summer while celebrating their 26th anniversary after their 25th anniversary plans for 2020 were scrapped due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The outing will continue August 17 with the band’s first ever show in Alaska.

Meanwhile, you can also catch the Foos at the Bonnaroo and BottleRock Napa Valley festival in September.

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Paul McCartney‘s new Hulu docuseries McCartney 3, 2, 1 is the latest installment of what’s shaping up to be a huge year for Beatles and Beatles-adjacent material.  That includes the pending release of Peter Jackson‘s Get Back, to the just-released 50th anniversary edition of George Harrison‘s All Things Must Pass, to McCartney’s own album, McCartney III Reimagined.  But McCartney thinks there will always be a demand for Beatles material, because there’s always going to be someone out there who’s yet to discover them.

“There’s so much stuff out there. But I think that’s one of the reasons The Beatles keep going — because you keep discovering another little thing,” Paul tells Rolling Stone in a new interview featuring him and his 3,2,1 co-star Rick Rubin. “I always think everyone’s heard all the stories. As you get older, you think, “Am I just repeating all my stories?”

Paul Continues, “But I rationalize, well, there’s only one answer to the question, ‘How did you meet John [Lennon]?’ I can’t make another meeting up. I can maybe try and explain how we met in a slightly different way. But I’ll still talk to someone and they say, ‘What? You dreamed [the melody of] “Yesterday”?’ And so I’ll tell the story again, but it’s like, ‘You sure you haven’t heard this?’ But not everyone has.”

And, as Paul points out, “As we go on and the young people come onboard, there’s a lot of stuff they haven’t heard.”

You can hear Paul tell a lot of those stories in McCartney 3, 2, 1. Rubin believes the the docuseries is a hit because “it doesn’t come across as product.” Or, as Paul notes, “People feel like they’re watching us talk. Which is exactly what’s happening.”

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Romantics lead guitarist Mike Skill recently released a new version of his band’s classic 1980 tune “What I Like About You.” It’s available now via streaming services and will be included on Skill’s debut solo album Skill…Mike Skill, due out on September 10.

Skill tells ABC Audio that he thinks his new version “kicks a**.”

Mike co-wrote “What I Like About You” with founding Romantics drummer Jimmy Marinos, who sang lead on the original track.  But since frontman Wally Palmar handled lead vocal duties on most of The Romantics’ tunes, Skill says his solo project gives him the chance to make it “known that I’m able to get out there and sing songs as well.”

The updated rendition of “What I Like About You” features Skill on both lead and backing vocals, guitars and bass, with current Romantics member Brad Elvis on drums.

Mike reveals that he began recording the new version so the The Romantics could offer it for use in movies, TV shows and commercials, but that plan fell through.  Then, when the COVID pandemic last year quashed plans for the band to celebrate their 40th anniversary, Skill found himself with extra time on his hands.

He began gathering songs for his first solo album, and decided to include his new version of “What I Like About You” in the project, and release it as a single to mark its 41st anniversary.

To record his updated version, Skill says, “I brought out the old Hiwatts, the same amps I used on the original song. The Rickenbacker [guitars]…I wanted to make sure it had that really crisp, raw energy — a real…thump to it. And it came out that way. [It] turned out really good.”

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In 2019, Grammy-winning singer/songwriter Brandi Carlile performed Joni Mitchell’s classic album Blue in its entirety at Los Angeles’ Disney Hall.  Now she’s set to do it again in New York City.

Carlile will sing Blue, which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, at Carnegie Hall on November 6. On Instagram, she wrote, “Am I really crazy enough to do this again?… Absolutely.” 

Tickets for the show go on sale to the general public Thursday at 11 a.m ET.

As Variety notes, Mitchell herself is friendly with Carlile and attended the LA gig in 2019.  At the time, Variety reported that Carlile explained from the stage why she decided to take on such a monumental performance.

“I’m gonna ask the question that you’re all wondering: Why the hell did I decide to do this?” she said. “None of us get the chance to see Blue live. So I’m listening right alongside you tonight and enjoying this classic and amazing album, just like you are…So tonight isn’t about me; it’s not about ego: It’s about you getting to hear Blue live.”

Blue, released on June 22, 1971, featured contributions by Stephen Stills and James Taylor, and is widely regarded as Mitchell’s masterpiece, not to mention a landmark in the confessional singer/songwriter genre. In the latest edition of Rolling Stone magazine’s list of “The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time,” Blue was ranked #3.

Mitchell is among the stars who’ll receive the prestigious Kennedy Center Honors medal on December 5 in Washington, D.C.

 

 

 

 

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The Eagles have added a new date to their current touring schedule, but there are different parameters for attending this particular concert.

All attendees of the November 5 show at Seattle’s Climate Pledge Arena will need to provide proof of vaccination in order to attend. Children under the age of 12 will be allowed to attend if they provide proof of a negative PCR COVID-19 test within 48 hours of the show. 

More details about this requirement are available at ClimatePledgeArena.com.  The website notes, “This is a decision taken by the band supported by the Climate Pledge Arena team to ensure they, along with fans and staff, feel safe.”  As of now, no other concerts scheduled for the arena will require fans to be vaccinated.

Tickets go on sale this Friday, August 13 at 10 a.m. local time via Ticketmaster. VIP Packages will be available starting Thursday, August 12 at 10 a.m. PDT.

The Eagles concert is part of the Rock and Roll Hall of Famers’ upcoming tour, which kicks off August 22 with two shows at New York’s Madison Square Garden.  It will feature the band performing its classic album Hotel California in full, accompanied by an orchestra and a choir, followed by a set of the band’s greatest hits.  Right now, the November 5 date is the final one on the tour.

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Elton John was super-happy about this year’s just-concluded Olympics — and it’s not just because he likes to watch sports.

Among the Rocket Man’s business interests is a sports management firm he co-founded called Rocket Sports Management. Turns out several of the firm’s clients did quite well in Tokyo, scooping up medals left and right.

Among them: Charlotte Worthington, the first-ever Olympic BMX Freestyle champion; cyclist Laura Kenny, the first British woman to win gold at three consecutive Olympic Games; and Kenny’s husband, cyclist Jason Kenny, who is now Great Britain’s most decorated Olympian of all time.

As if that weren’t enough, a song Elton recorded with the U.K. singer/songwriter Rina Sawayama, “Chosen Family,” was used at the closing ceremony.

“What a remarkable Olympics and I couldn’t be prouder!” Elton wrote on Instagram. “Not only have the athletes @rocketsportsmanagement won medals, broken British records and made Olympic history but it means so much for mine and @rinasonline’s song, Chosen Family, to be played at the closing ceremony. Congratulations to all the athletes and to Tokyo.”

 

 

 

 

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Primus‘ Les Claypool will be quite prepared for the band’s upcoming Rush tribute tour.

Apparently, the “My Name Is Mud” singer has been jamming with none other than Geddy Lee ahead of the outing.

Over the weekend, Claypool posted a photo on his Instagram of him alongside the Rush legend, with each bass luminary holding their signature instrument.

“Learning from the master…” the caption reads.

Should you wish to see the result of Lee’s imparting wisdom to Claypool, Primus’ tour launches August 10 in Boise, Idaho. The band will be playing Rush’s 1977 album, A Farewell to Kings, in its entirety.

 

 

 

 

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