Mick Fleetwood has some sad news for Fleetwood Mac fans. On the red carpet at Sunday’s Grammy Awards, Mick revealed that Fleetwood Mac is “done” following Christine McVie’s death
“I would say the band is done,” he told Access. “The thought of doing things without her right now seems to be very farfetched,” he went on, though he allowed “After a while of healing, who knows what may or may not happen but I would suspect that Fleetwood Mac is put to bed.”
Fleetwood was at the Grammys to take part in a tribute to McVie, with him, Sheryl Crow and Bonnie Raitt performing McVie’s classic “Songbird.”
Asked how McVie would feel about the tribute, Mick told Access, “I think she would be, ‘they’re making that much fuss over me,’” noting, “she was a North Country girl from England and very not glitzy at all so I think she would say ‘oh my god, why are they doing that?’”
He added, “But we are, and you’re going to have to put up with it, Chris.”
Backstage and on the red carpet at the Grammy Awards on Sunday night, artists were grateful for the recognition, though some had a hard time believing that they’d actually won.
Harry Styles’Harry’s House beat out albums by Adele and Beyonce to win the Album of the Year trophy. Backstage, the pop superstar told reporters, “It’s obviously incredibly nice to receive this. I don’t think is the reason that any of us in the room do it. I’m so, so grateful that they thought the album was worthy of it…and I think more than anything, it just kind of feels like validation that you’re on the right path.“
But nobody was more shocked than Bonnie Raitt, whose song “Just Like That” beat out number ones by Harry, Adele, Beyonce, Lizzo and more to win Song of the Year. Backstage, she said it reminded her of when she swept the Grammys in 1990. “I can’t believe this. I just can’t,” she squealed. “It’s like when I won for Nick of Time. I just could not believe that they called my name…get the hell outta of Dodge, yknow?”
Kim Petras became the first transgender woman to win in the Best Pop Vocal Duo/Group Performance category for her duet with Sam Smith, “Unholy.” Backstage, she said, “I never, ever thought I would get this kind of recognition for my music. So it’s really special. And I’ve got to get really, really drunk to process it!” She then joked, “I want to find out if you can do a shot out of a Grammy, so wish me luck!”
Ozzy Osbourne, who recently announced his retirement from touring, won two Grammys for his album Patient Number 9.Andrew Watt, who co-wrote and produced the album and accepted it on Ozzy’s behalf, said on the red carpet that the metal legend is “so overjoyed to be recognized,” adding, “He’s such a humble, amazing guy. And the smile on his face…was just amazing.”
Country solo stars Ashley McBryde and Carly Pearce became the first women ever to win the Grammy for Best Country Duo/Group Performance for their hit “Never Wanted to Be That Girl.” Backstage, Ashley said if she could talk to her 16-year-old self, she’d tell her, “‘I want to tell you what happens, but it’s so cool…You’re going to get a text from Reba [McEntire], but I’m not going to tell you why.’ Which is what happened to me today!
Singer/songwriter Muni Long, who won the Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance for her song “Hrs & Hrs,” told reporters backstage that she hoped her win means that, finally, she won’t be ignored any longer. “Hopefully this means that people will just listen to me the first time when I say something and I don’t have to continue to fight to get my vision across,” she said. “For me, it means that maybe I might know a little bit!”
A highlight of the Grammy telecast was a special 50th anniversary salute to hip-hop featured dozens of notable rap performers, including the man who started it all back in 1973: Grandmaster Flash. On the red carpet, he said he’s most proud of the fact that “people who don’t speak the English language, gravitated to this thing…this thing is not just an American art form. This is a global art form!”
Bonnie Raitt proved once again she’s a Grammy favorite. The 73-year-old Rock and Roll Hall of Famer picked up three trophies Sunday, including the coveted Song of the Year award for “Just Like That,” beating out such big hits as Harry Styles’ “As It Was,” Lizzo’s “About Damn Time,” Beyoncé’s “Break My Soul,” and others.
Earlier in the evening, Bonnie won two other trophies — Best Americana Performance for “Made Up Mind” and Best American Roots Song for “Just Like That” — bringing her career total wins to 13. The two wins for “Just Like That” also mark her first Grammy wins as a songwriter.
While Sunday’s Grammys were filled were great performances, some of the most touching moments came during the In Memoriam segment, which paid tribute to the artists we lost last year.
One of the more emotional moments came during the touching tribute to Fleetwood Mac’s Christine McVie, who passed away in November. The performance of her classic “Songbird” featured Christine’s bandmate Mick Fleetwood on drums and Sheryl Crow on piano and vocals, with help by Raitt on vocals as well.
Jeff Beck, who passed away in January, was also remembered during the segment with a clip of him playing guitar, while a tribute to David Crosby, who also passed away January, featured a clip of his classic Crosby, Stills & Nash tune ‘Guinevere.”
The segment also featured images projected on the screen of others we lost, including Jerry Lee Lewis, The Crickets’ Jerry Allison, The Rascals’ Dino Danelli, Tom Verlaine, Foreigner’s Ian McDonald, The Clash’s Keith Levene, and others.
As per usual, many of this year’s Grammy winners were announced before the actual main show took place Sunday night. Here’s who took home the Grammy gold:
Ozzy Osbourne won two of the four Grammys for which he was nominated: Best Rock Album for Patient Number 9, and Best Metal Performance for the song “Degradation Blues,” featuring Black Sabbath’s Tony Iommi.
Bonnie Raitt also added to her Grammy haul, taking home two wins, this time for Best Americana Performance for “Made Up Mind” and Best American Roots Song for “Just Like That.”
Among the other early winners: an orchestral version of Fleetwood Mac‘s “Songbird” for Best Arrangement, Instruments and Vocals, Edgar Winter’s TaylorHawkins-featuring Brother Johnny for Best Contemporary Blues Album, and The Grateful Dead’sIn and Out of The Garden: Madison Square Garden ’81 ’82 ’83 for Best Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package.
Meanwhile, at the pre-Grammy Special Merit Awards Saturday, Nirvana received the Lifetime Achievement Award. Surviving members Dave Grohl, Krist Novoselic and Pat Smear attended the ceremony to accept the honor. Heart’s Ann and Nancy Wilson were also honored with Lifetime Achievement Award, with Billboard noting that only Nancy was on hand to accept the honor.
There was a Beatles reunion in Los Angeles this week. Ringo Starr shared video of him dancing with his bandmate Paul McCartney at a party thrown by McCartney’s daughter Stella McCartney.
“Man, this beautiful day is getting better and better we were at the Stella McCartney rollerskating party,” Ringo wrote on Twitter next to a clip of him and McCartney dancing to the ’70s disco hit “Young Hearts Run Free” by Candi Staton. “What a time we had go get them, Paul, peace, and love.”
According to TheNewsMarket, the bash, which took place at Henson Recording Studios, celebrated Stella’s 18-year partnership with Adidas. The party also showed off the Spring Summer 23 Adidas by Stella McCartney collection.
REO Speedwagon keyboardist Neal Doughty retired last month after 55 years with the band, and now the group is introducing fans to his replacement, Derek Hillard.
“Hi friends, those of you who have caught any of our 2023 shows may have noticed a new face behind the keyboards,” frontman Kevin Croninwrites on Instagram, introducing Hillard. “Coincidentally Neal and Derek met several years ago when Derek was playing in Iron Butterfly. After that show, Neal approached the young keyboardist and complimented his playing; Derek has never forgotten that encounter.”
Cronin shares that Hillard has previously toured with Whitesnake, Foreigner and most recently Rick Springfield, who he worked with for 15 years. Cronin noted that Rick gave him a glowing recommendation.
“Derek is a bit younger than the rest of us, (who isn’t :), grew up listening to REO Speedwagon, and is a long-time fan of Neal’s keyboard work,” Cronin shares. “He is a perfect fit, and fits right in with our band vibe.”
Finally he writes, “While Neal is certainly irreplaceable, Derek is an extremely gifted keyboardist and a fine singer, who brings renewed enthusiasm to our band. We will carry on, continue to raise the bar musically, and have fun in the process.”
REO Speedwagon is currently on tour and hit Cherokee, North Carolina, on Friday.
The Grammys are finally happening Sunday in Los Angeles and several of your favorite artists are in the running this year.
Ozzy Osbourne is up for four awards for his recent album Patient Number 9, including Best Rock Album, Best Rock Performance and Best Rock Song for the title track. He’s also nominated for Best Metal Performance for “Degradation Rules.” The Best Rock Performance nomination also gives the late Jeff Beck a nomination, since he performed on the tune.
Elvis Costello & The Imposters‘ The Boy Named If will compete against Ozzy for Best Rock Album, while BryanAdams will also compete against Ozzy but in the Best Rock Performance category for “So Happy It Hurts.”
Bonnie Raitt is up for four awards, including Song of the Year for “Just Like That,” which is her first nomination as a songwriter. The tune is also up for Best American Roots Song, while the album Just Like That… is nominated for Best Americana Album and “Made Up Mind” is nominated for Best Americana Performance.
Competing against Raitt for Best Americana Album is Robert Plant and Alison Krauss’ Raise the Roof. The album’s track “High and Lonesome” is in the running for Best American Roots Song, while “Going Where the Lonely Go” is up for Best Country Duo/Group Performance.
The 65th annual Grammy Awards, hosted by TrevorNoah, air Sunday at 8 p.m. ET on CBS.
Steven Van Zandt is teaming up with independent music publisher Primary Wave Music in a new deal that encompasses the E Street Band member’s music publishing and recorded music catalogs.
The multimillion dollar deal includes Little Steven’s name and likeness rights, as well as a stake in producer royalties. That will encompass his work with Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes, like “I Don’t Want To Go Home” and “This Time it’s For Real,” and with Bruce Springsteen on such albums as The River and Born in the U.S.A., and songs like “Hungry Heart” and “Dancing in the Dark.”
“Couldn’t be more excited to explore this partnership,” Van Zandt shares. “They have an incredible track record for being creative and proactive. Looking forward to seeing what kind of fun we can have with these songs I’m still really proud of.”
Van Zandt is currently on tour with Springsteen and the E Street Band. They play Atlanta, Georgia, Friday.
Def Leppard spent last summer on tour with Mötley Crüe, and while you’d think there’d be a lot of partying going on behind the scenes, Def Leppard frontman Joe Elliott says the threat of COVID kept that from being the case.
“The safest way for us to keep that show on the road was just to avoid human beings as best we could,” he tells Classic Rock. “So all of us in Leppard traveled separately, which is the smartest decision we made. I didn’t stay in hotels. I lived on the bus, just me and Dale, my driver, in total isolation.“
He adds, “That’s the price of doing business in 2022. If we cancel a stadium show in Arlington, Texas at four in the afternoon, people will have travelled hundreds of miles and spent hundreds of dollars to get there. So we avoided contact, we tested every day, and it worked. We didn’t lose one gig.”
And for all those who expected backstage to be one big party, Elliott notes, “You know, we act like children on stage but we’re actually quite responsible people when we need to be.”
And Elliott’s getting ready to do it all again. Their tour with Mötley Crüe relaunches February 10 and 11 in Atlantic City, before heading to Mexico City, Mexico, February 18. A complete list of dates can be found at defleppard.com.
Mötley Crüe is ready to start their next chapter. The band just released the first official photo with new band member John 5.
The black-and-white shot, taken by famed photographer Ross Halfin, is captioned “Ready to hit the road…#TheWorldTour 2023.”
Mötley Crüe announced back in October that John 5, guitarist for Marilyn Manson and Rob Zombie, would be taking over for Mick Mars on tour. Mars announced earlier that month he would no longer be touring with the band due to his battle with the inflammatory disease ankylosing spondylitis, or AS.
The Mötley Crüe/Def Leppard tour relaunches February 10 and 11 in Atlantic City, New Jersey, before heading to Mexico City, Mexico, on February 18. A complete list of dates can be found at motley.com.
