Classic Rock News

Rod Stewart‘s scheduled tour of Australia is the latest casualty of the COVID-19 Omicron variant.

Sir Rod, who turned 77 on Monday, was to have performed nine shows Down Under in March and April, but now those shows have been canceled “due to the ongoing surge of COVID in Australia and the reimposition of indoor entertainment venue capacity limits,” reads a statement announcing the news.

Rod, meanwhile, said, “My dear friends, once again I feel we’ve all been cheated by this evil disease…My thoughts are with all your families at this difficult time as we come out of the joyous and hopefully safe holiday season and I look forward to returning to Australia as soon as the health situation permits.”

He added, “I’m absolutely gutted with disappointment and when I do eventually get there we‘ll have the party to end all parties. Guaranteed!”  All ticketholders will get automatic refunds.

Billboard reports that the Australian state of Victoria has temporarily banned indoor dancefloors, while the state of New South Wales has instituted a “no singing, no dancing” policy in entertainment venues.  Meanwhile, the state of Queensland recorded its largest number of COVID deaths in a single day on Thursday.

At the moment, Rod is still scheduled to perform two shows in Hollywood, FL on February 14 and 15, and to resume his residency at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace in May.

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John Fogerty has started lining shows for 2022, including a new series of Las Vegas residency dates at the Wynn resort’s Encore Theater.

The former Creedence Clearwater Revival frontman’s latest Vegas engagement at the venue is a six-date stand scheduled for February 23, 25 and 26, and March 2, 4 and 5.

Prior to the Sin City residency, Fogerty will play two shows later this month in Southern California — taking place January 21 in Valley Center and January 22 in Rancho Mirage.

The 76-year-old Rock & Roll Hall of Famer also has a one-off East Coast concert scheduled for April 14 in Red Bank, New Jersey.

In addition, in May, Fogerty will head to Los Cabos, Mexico, for the Roxfest Classic festival. The four-day event, scheduled for May 11-14, also will feature performances by Pat Benatar & Neil Giraldo, The Beach Boys and Heart‘s Ann Wilson. Visit MusicGetaways.com for more info.

Lastly, Fogerty has a brief European tour leg that runs from a June 3 concert in Kvaerndrup, Denmark, through a June 12 gig in Sankt Goarshausen, Germany.

Check out John’s full itinerary at JohnFogerty.com.

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Alice in Chains‘ Jerry Cantrell has released a new live video for his song “Brighten,” the title track off his new solo album.

The clip, which was filmed at the Grammy Museum in Los Angeles, showcases the bluesy tune in action. You can watch the performance streaming now on YouTube.

Cantrell released the album Brighten, his first solo effort in nearly 20 years, this past October. The record features Duff McKagan of Guns N’ Roses on bass.

You can catch Cantrell live yourself on his upcoming headlining solo tour, kicking off March 24 in St. Paul, Minnesota.

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Jethro Tull has premiered a music video for a third advance track from its forthcoming studio album, The Zealot Gene, the record’s ominous title track.

The animated clip, which was directed by Iranian filmmaker Sam Chegini, can be viewed at the band’s official YouTube channel. The video features a variety of enigmatic scenes and images that help depict the flute-driven song’s theme of the potential danger of fanatically following polarizing leaders and philosophies.

The clip includes scenes depicting a swimming sperm whose tail becomes the fuse of a bomb, falling eggs that crack open to reveal curled-up people, a human figure with a television instead of a head, and a cartoon version of frontman Ian Anderson.

Anderson explains of “The Zealot Gene,” “The title track offers many allusions to the radical, politically-charged world of populism in leadership. As a song lyric, it sums up, for me, the divisive nature of societal relationships and the extreme views which fuel the fires of hate and prejudice, more so today perhaps, than at any time in history. Perhaps you think you know who I might have been thinking about here but, in reality, there are probably right now at least five prominent, dictatorial national figures who could fit the bill.”

“The Zealot Gene” is available now as a digital download and via steaming services. Its release was preceded by “Sad City Sisters” and “Shoshana Sleeping,” which also were accompanied by music videos.

Anderson also has been posting a series of videos featuring him discussing the album on the band’s YouTube channel.

As previously reported, The Zealot Gene will be released on January 28. The 12-track collection, which can be pre-ordered now, is Jethro Tull’s first new studio album in more than 18 years.

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Rush guitarist Alex Lifeson has formed a new band called Envy of None that will release its self-titled debut album on April 8.

Envy of None also features bassist Andy Curran of the veteran Canadian group Coney Hatch, guitarist/keyboardist Alfio Annibalini and singer-songwriter Maiah Wynne.

The 11-track collection offers up a wide sonic palette, with influences including alternative rock, synth rock and experimental rock mixed with melodic pop.

Lifeson has been working on the Envy of None material for several years, but he says the project really took off when Wynne got involved.

“Maiah became my muse,” Alex maintains. “She was able to bring this whole new ethereal thing through her sense of melody on tracks like ‘Liar’ and ‘Look Inside.’…I’ve never had that kind of inspiration working with another musician.”

The band has released “Liar” as an advance digital track, and a companion lyric video has premiered at the Kscope label’s YouTube channel.

The album ends with a song titled “Western Sunset,” which Alex wrote as a tribute to late Rush drummer Neil Peart.

“I visited Neil when he was ill,” says Lifeson. “I was on his balcony watching the sunset and found inspiration. There’s a finality about a sunset that kinda stayed with me throughout the whole process. It had meaning. It was the perfect mood to decompress after all these different textures…a nice way to close the book.”

The album is available for pre-order now, and will be issued digitally, on CD, on LP — in black vinyl and colored-vinyl variants — and as a deluxe limited-edition package. The latter collection features a blue-vinyl LP, a two-CD set offering five bonus tracks, and a 28-page booklet.

Here’s the full Envy of None track list:

“Never Said I Love You”
“Shadow”
“Look Inside”
“Liar”
“Spy House”
“Dog’s Life”
“Kabul Blues”
“Old Strings”
“Dumb”
“Enemy”
“Western Sunset”

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The Marshall Tucker Band are set to launch a 2022 U.S. tour celebrating their 50th anniversary with a concert tonight in The Woodlands, Texas.

The Southern rockers’ trek currently features more than 40 shows, and is mapped out through a June 24 performance in Riverside, Iowa.

A variety of guest artists will be supporting the group on its anniversary outing, including ex-Traffic singer/guitarist Dave Mason, who will open 17 of the shows in February and March.

Other support acts joining The Marshall Tucker Band on select dates include Firefall, The Atlanta Rhythm Section, The Kentucky Headhunters, The Outlaws and Pure Prairie League.

Meanwhile, two of the concerts will see Marshall Tucker serving as the opening band, a January 22 show in Tallahassee, Florida, headlined by Alabama, and a January 29 gig in Miami headlined by Kansas.

The Marshall Tucker Band also will be bringing some Southern rock to the Carolina Country Music Fest, which takes place June 9-12 in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and featuring such major country stars as Luke Bryan, Jason Aldean and Keith Urban.

The Marshall Tucker Band, which formed in 1972, is best known for their top-40 hits “Heard It in a Love Song” and “Fire on the Mountain,” as well as their memorable tune “Can’t You See.” Founding lead singer Doug Gray is the only original member still in the group.

Check out the band’s full tour schedule at MarshallTucker.com.

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Judas Priest is preparing to relaunch their 50 Heavy Metal Years tour in March, and the legendary British rockers have now revealed that they’re planning to perform as a quartet rather than a five-piece outfit moving forward.

In a new Facebook message, the band says, “We are chomping at the British Steel bit to return to World touring…celebrating 50 Years of Judas Priest as an even more powerful, relentless four piece Heavy Metal band.”

In 2018, longtime Priest guitarist Glenn Tipton announced that he’d been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease and would no longer be able to tour regularly with the group. The band’s recent co-producer Andy Sneap was then tapped to take Tipton’s place on the road, although Glenn has frequently made guest appearances at select concerts.

Now, Sneap is stepping away from the Judas Priest touring lineup, although the band notes that Tipton will be “coming out on stage with us here and there as before.”

In the Facebook post, Priest thanks Sneap “for all you’ve done and continuing to be in the production team for our new album.”

As previously reported, Judas Priest was forced to postpone most of its 2021 North American tour dates after guitarist Richie Faulkner suffered an aortic aneurysm onstage during the band’s set at the Louder than Life festival in Kentucky in September.

Thankfully, Faulkner announced in November that his recovery was going well, and he’s expected to be back out with the band when the tour kicks off March 4 in Peoria, Illinois.

You can check out the band’s full itinerary at JudasPriest.com.

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The Rolling Stones, in conjunction with Universal Music Group’s merch company Bravado, have officially sanctioned a new line of high-quality headphones produced in partnership by the high-fidelity audio-device company V-MODA and musical-instrument manufacturers Roland.

The Crossfade 2 Wireless: Rolling Stones Edition over-ear headphones are available in three versions, each featuring a different variation of the band’s famous tongue-and-lips logo on the ear pieces — “Classic Licks,” “No Filter” and “Tattoo You.”

The headphones offer multi-device paring ability, and can be used with both analog and digital devices, including smartphones, computers, turntables, CD players and more. Features of the headphones include large memory foam ear cushions, a sturdy but flexible headband, and the ability to be folded into a small case.

A fourth design will be available in early 2022 exclusively at The Rolling Stones’ RS No.9 Carnaby store in London, and will feature the shop’s updated variant of the band’s logo.

The headphones are being sold for a list price of $279. For more info, visit V-MODA.com.

“We are thrilled for the Rolling Stones to partner with V-MODA and Roland in this category as their world-renowned premium product aligns with the world’s most recognized rock and roll band,” says Bravado executive Frank Bartolotta.

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Elvis Costello has announced that he’ll no longer perform his biggest U.K. hit, 1979’s “Oliver’s Army,” because the song contains a racial slur, and he’s also asking radio stations to stop playing the track.

Costello wrote “Oliver’s Army” about the historic violent conflicts in Northern Ireland, and the song includes the lyric, “Only takes one itchy trigger/ One more widow, one less white [n-word],” a reference to what British soldiers were called by some who opposed U.K. rule in the area.

“That’s what my grandfather was called in the British army — it’s historically a fact,” Elvis tells U.K. newspaper The Telegraph. “But people hear that word…and accuse me of something that I didn’t intend.”

While it wasn’t a hit in the U.S., “Oliver’s Army” is Costello’s highest-charting song in his home country, peaking at #2 on the U.K. singles tally. It appeared on Armed Forces, Elvis Costello’s 1979 studio album with his then-backing group The Attractions.

The tune was played unedited for many years on the radio, but eventually many stations began bleeping the slur.

Costello told The Telegraph that he feels that radio stations that bleep the word are “making it worse…[b]ecause they’re highlighting it then.” He adds, “Just don’t play the record!”

News of Costello retiring “Oliver’s Army” comes a few months after reports that The Rolling Stones had decided to stop performing their chart-topping 1971 hit “Brown Sugar” because of the song’s potentially racially and culturally insensitive subject matter and lyrics.

Costello and his longtime backing band The Imposters will be releasing a new studio album called The Boy Named If this Friday.

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