Classic Rock News

Led Zeppelin bassist John Paul Jones, ex-Allman Brothers Band guitarist Derek Trucks and Trucks’ wife and Tedeschi Trucks Band mate Susan Tedeschi are among the latest musicians to join the lineup for Peace Through Music: A Global Event for the Environment, a virtual concert event scheduled to premiere December 15 at 9 p.m. ET at the Playing for Change YouTube channel.

The streaming event, produced by the Playing for Change organization and the United Nations Population Fund, will focus on raising funds and awareness for environmental issues.

More than 200 artists from over 35 countries will take part in the presentation, along with world leaders and influencers. Documentaries also will be shown displaying the beauty of the planet and looking at its vulnerability to pollution and other environmental hazards.

Previously announced performers include Slash, Yusuf/Cat Stevens, The Grateful Dead‘s Mickey Hart, No Doubt bassist Tony Kanal, Taj Mahal, Rosanne Cash, Jack Johnson, Jane’s Addiction drummer Stephen Perkins, Ben Harper, Sara Bareilles, The Lumineers and Keb’ Mo’. Additionally, The Band‘s Robbie Robertson will be making a “special appearance” during the stream.

Peace Through Music previously raised $1 million for social justice charities with its 2020 stream, which featured artists including Ringo Starr, Gary Clark Jr., and Carlos and Cindy Blackman Santana.

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A charity fundraiser turned into a veritable Lollpalooza in Malibu, California, over the weekend.

Rockers including Taylor Hawkins of Foo Fighters, Chad Smith of Red Hot Chili Peppers, Tool‘s Danny Carey, and Queens of the Stone Age‘s Josh Homme and Troy Van Leeuwen all jammed together during the event, which raised money for the Malibu Elementary School arts program.

The all-star band also included Jane’s Addiction bassist Chris Chaney, and Ozzy Osbourne producer Andrew Watt on guitar. You can check out footage from the concert via an attendee’s Instagram.

While you probably didn’t get the attend the show, you can still listen to Hawkins and Chaney play together in the group NHC with the bassist’s Jane’s band mate, Dave Navarro. Chaney is also part of Pearl Jam frontman Eddie Vedder‘s solo band The Earthlings, alongside Smith and Watt.

 

 

 

 

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Instruments signed by Paul McCartney, Keith Richards and the late Tom Petty are among the interesting items that have been added to a recently announced memorabilia auction benefiting the MusiCares charity scheduled to take place January 30, one day before the 64th annual Grammy Awards ceremony.

The former Beatles icon has donated a signed Hofner violin bass guitar to the auction, which is estimated to fetch from $4,000 to $6,000.

The Rolling Stones legend has contributed an autographed ebony Gibson ES-335 electric guitar to the auction, while an NFT featuring a digital video of Richards signing the instruments also is included. The lot is estimated to bring in between $6,000 and $8,000.

A Gibson ES-355 Bigsby electric/acoustic guitar that Petty signed at the 2017 gala honoring him as MusiCares Person of the Year also is up for bid, along with a copy of the Ultra Deluxe version of Tom’s Wildflowers & All the Rest box set. The lot also is expected to sell for between $6,000 and $8,000.

Also added to the auction is U2 singer Bono‘s handwritten lyrics to his band’s new tune “Your Song Saved My Life,” which will be featured in the upcoming animated film Sing 2 that features Bono voicing one of the characters. The document is expected to sell for between $4,000 and $6,000.

In addition, a signed proof print of an oil painting of Jimi Hendrix by legendary singer/songwriter and 2022 MusiCares Person of the Year Joni Mitchell will be up for bid, valued at $2,000 to $4,000.

MusiCares provides medical, financial and personal assistance to in-need members of the music community. The sale, which is being hosted by Julien’s Auctions, will take place online and in Beverly Hills, California.

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Today, December 7, marks the 50th anniversary of the release of Wild Life, Paul McCartney‘s first album with his backing band Wings,  To mark the milestone, the record will be reissued on February 4, 2022, as a limited-edition, half-speed-mastered vinyl LP.

Wild Life was Sir Paul’s third post-Beatles album, following his 1970 solo debut, McCartney, and RAM, which was released in May 1971 and was co-credited to him and his wife, Linda.

Wild Life was recorded in just eight days at Abbey Road Studios in London, and more than half its songs were captured in just one take. No singles were released from the album, which peaked at #10 on the Billboard 200 and went on to sell over 500,000 copies in the U.S.

Joining McCartney in the original Wings lineup were Linda on keyboards and backing vocals; former Moody Blues frontman Denny Laine on guitar, bass, keyboards and backing vocals; and Denny Seiwell on drums and percussion. Seiwell also had played on RAM.

Wild Life kicks off with the quirky, upbeat rocker “Mumbo,” while other noteworthy tracks include a reggae-flavored cover of Mickey & Sylvia‘s 1956 hit “Love Is Strange,” and the melancholy ballad “Dear Friend,” which is believed to be McCartney’s attempt to reconcile with John Lennon after the conflicts the former Beatles band mates had been having around that time.

The Wild Life vinyl reissue can be pre-ordered now at McCartney’s online store.

Here’s the album’s full track list:

Side One
“Mumbo”
“Bip Bop”
“Love Is Strange”
“Wild Life”

Side Two
“Some People Never Know”
“I Am Your Singer”
“Bip Bop (Link)”
“Tomorrow”
“Dear Friend”
“Mumbo (Link)”

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Doors drummer John Densmore recently published a paperback version of his 2020 book The Seekers: Meetings with Remarkable Musicians (and Other Artists), and to promote the new release, Densmore will take part in a Zoom Q&A event tonight at 7 p.m. ET that will be streamed live via Dice.fm.

During the event, which is presented by Rough Trade NYC, the 77-year-old Rock & Roll Hall of Famer will chat with Jonathan Cohen, author of the 2011 New York Times best-seller Pearl Jam 20, an authorized biography of the Seattle grunge legends. Densmore also will answer questions submitted by audience members.

Tickets for the Q&A can be purchased at Dice.fm for $29.88, and the price includes a copy of The Seekers along with a bookplate signed by Densmore.

The Seekers features John’s reflections and stories about various creative people he has encountered over the years, including music legends like his late Doors band mates Jim Morrison and Ray Manzarek, Janis Joplin, Van Morrison, Bob Marley, Lou Reed, Patti Smith and others. The book also includes John’s musings about his own creative journey.

In other news, Densmore discusses his book in detail in a new episode of Emmy-winning TV host Barry Kibrick‘s Between the Lines podcast, which you can check out at BuzzSprout.com.

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Ringo Starr has been confirmed as a guest performer on the recently announced fifth annual edition of his brother-in-law Joe Walsh‘s VetsAid charity concert, which will be held virtually on December 18.

This year’s fundraiser, dubbed VetsAid 2021: The Basement Show, will be streamed live from Walsh’s basement studio starting at 8 p.m. ET via the Veeps.com platform. Tickets for the event, and special VIP merch bundles, are available now at VetsAid.Veeps.com. All proceeds will benefit veterans services charities.

As previously reported, the event will feature Walsh performing live with Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers keyboardist Benmont Tench and three legendary session musicians — guitarist Waddy Wachtel, bassist Lee Sklar and drummer Russ Kunkel — as well as surprise guests. Joe is expected to premiere some brand-new music during the performance.

In addition, unaired footage from the four previous VetsAid events will be shown as part of this year’s presentation, as will recently shot footage of a visit that Walsh paid to the US VETS facility in Long Beach, California. During his excursion to the facility, Joe treated veterans in attendance to a performance of his solo hit “Life’s Been Good” and a storytelling session.

The VetsAid show also will feature a tour of the Eagles guitarist’s studio and some of his personal guitar collection, as well as a Q&A session moderated by Joe’s wife, Marjorie, and stepson Christian Quilici, during which Walsh will answer fan-submitted questions.

“[W]hile we couldn’t be together in Columbus [Ohio] as originally planned, I thought I’d do something special and invite everybody over to my house instead!” Joe says about the virtual benefit. “So c’mon and join us for some great music and a glimpse of how I live, work, play and make music with my friends!”

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Santana released its latest studio album, the star-studded Blessings and Miracles, in October, and now the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame band led by guitar legend Carlos Santana has announced dates for a spring 2022 North American tour in support of the record.

The Blessings and Miracles Tour gets underway on March 25 in Kennewick, Washington, and currently is mapped out through an April 16 concert in Mount Pleasant, Michigan.

The shows will feature Santana performing hits and other memorable tunes from throughout the group’s 50-plus-year career, as well as selections from Blessings and Miracles.

Tickets for some shows go on sale to the general public this Friday, December 10, at 10 a.m. local time, while pre-sale tickets to select concerts will be available starting on Tuesday, December 7, at 10 a.m. local time. Visit Santana.com for more information.

News of the new 2022 tour dates comes just a few days after Carlos canceled his planned December concerts in Las Vegas because he had to undergo what was described as an “unscheduled heart procedure.” “I’m gonna be taking time out for a little bit to make sure that I replenish and I rest….so that when I play for you, I will play the way I’m used to and give you 150%,” Carlos said in a video statement. “I wouldn’t show up unless I can do that.”

As previously reported, Blessings and Miracles features collaborations with Steve Winwood, Matchbox Twenty‘s Rob Thomas, Diane Warren, G-Eazy, Living Colour‘s Corey Glover, Metallica‘s Kirk Hammett and late jazz great Chick Corea.

Besides the Blessings and Miracles tour, Santana’s 2022 schedule also includes Las Vegas residency performances in January, February and May, and a North American co-headlining tour with Earth, Wind & Fire running from June to August.

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Sting and acclaimed soul/gospel singer Merry Clayton are among the artists who perform at a pair of concerts celebrating legendary music executive Jerry Moss on February 11 and 12 at The Music Center’s Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles.

The shows, dubbed Live at The Music Center: Concerts Celebrating Jerry Moss, Co-Founder of A&M Records, will feature performances by various music artists from the label’s roster.

Besides Sting and Clayton — the latter of whom famously sang backing vocals on The Rolling Stones‘ “Gimme Shelter” and Lynyrd Skynyrd‘s “Sweet Home Alabama” — the events will include musical tributes from Moss’ A&M co-founder Herb Alpert, as well as from Burt Bacharach, Sérgio Mendes and others. In addition, actor Tim Curry and other celebs will be on hand to pay homage to Moss.

The concerts will showcase some of the most famous songs produced by A&M Records artists, and also will feature stories and video presentations celebrating “the spirit and legacy of” the label under Moss’ and Alpert’s guidance.

Tickets for the concerts can be purchased now at MusicCenter.org/Moss. Money raised by the events will go toward The Music Center’s initiatives to provide free and affordable arts experiences to people in the Los Angeles area.

“I met Mr. M in 1978 on my first trip to Los Angeles and was proud to induct him and Mr. A[lpert] into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2006. He is one of the finest gentlemen I have ever met,” says Sting. “He was sensitive to our needs, respected the creative process and understood the freedom artists must have to let the art speak for itself.”

Adds Alpert, “My success as a recording artist is greatly due to my dear friend and A&M partner Jerry Moss.”

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So, how close did Elton John come to being accidentally killed by Ed Sheeran when filming their “Merry Christmas” music video? According to the behind-the-scenes footage, pretty darn close.

Sir Elton took to Instagram on Monday to share the harrowing moment when Sheeran kicks at a bunch of presents and sends a Christmas bell sailing through the air. Thankfully, Elton is looking down at the time because he’s too busy playing the piano — so the shiny gold bell narrowly misses his head.

The moment is even slowed down to show just how close it came, with the bell whizzing past the singer’s left ear and temple.

As Elton looks up after that heavy prop clatters across his grand piano, Ed steps into frame while sheepishly rubbing the back of his neck.

“Better luck next time, @teddysphotos,” Elton captioned the video and threw in the crying laughing emoji.

Sheeran previously revealed that he nearly took out the 74-year-old pop-rock legend when speaking to Apple Music’s Zane Lowe about the “Merry Christmas” music video.

“I kick a present, but the present had a big metal bell on top of it…the bell flew past his head and would’ve cracked him in the head,” Ed admitted, saying that it almost “killed him.”

Better luck next time, @edsheeran 😂#MerryChristmas pic.twitter.com/jMBZwf6thh

— Elton John (@eltonofficial) December 6, 2021

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A new surfing-themed music video for the recent remix of Paul McCartney‘s 2020 song “Slidin'” by Radiohead‘s Ed O’Brien has debuted at McCartney’s official YouTube channel.

The clip was directed by filmmaker Jack McCoy and is dedicated to the ocean charity Surfrider Foundation Australia and the organization’s work spreading awareness about the importance of protecting the coastlines from pollution and other environmental disruptions.

The video features thrilling slow-motion footage of acclaimed free surfer Craig Anderson and other surfers riding giant waves.

McCartney, who previously has collaborated with McCoy on other videos with ocean-conservation themes, contacted Jack about making a clip for “Slidin’,” a song from his 2020 solo album McCartney III that he felt lent itself to be accompanied by surfing and ocean scenes.

“As soon as I heard the song I said to myself ‘Craig Anderson’,” McCoy explained. “I called on some of Craig’s friends to provide me with some amazing footage and made what became the official video for the track.”

He added, “With Paul’s blessing, Craig and I chose to dedicate the video to Surfrider Foundation to help beat the drum with their ongoing fight for our coastline, in particular the current fight to STOP PEP11, a proposal to drill for oil and gas off [Australia’s New South Wales] coastline.”

McCoy ended up making another “Slidin'” video using O’Brien’s remix for the song, which Ed created for the recent McCartney III Imagined compilation.

O’Brien noted that creating the McCartney remix “was a lot of fun,” recalling, “The winter was dark and a second lockdown was imminent, but working on this track with [producer] Paul Epworth was a moment of light.”

McCoy also is working on a new video project with McCartney in support of Surfrider Foundation Australia that features nine world-class free surfers.

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