Classic Rock News

On This Day, April 23, 1976….

New York punk pioneers the Ramones released their self-titled debut on Sire Records. The iconic cover featured the four members of the band leaning against a brick wall in New York City. 

The album, which was recorded in one week, opened with what would become a Ramones classic: “Blitzkrieg Bop.” That song was the first single released from the record, with the second being “I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend.”

While Ramones wasn’t a commercial success, only making it to #111 on the Billboard charts, it was a hit with critics and went on to be considered one of the most influential punk records in the U.S. It has also landed on several best-of lists, including Rolling Stone’s list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.

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Mötley Crüe is debuting new music.

The “Kickstart My Heart” rockers will be dropping a song called “Dogs of War” on Friday, April 26. In a Facebook post, Mötley calls the track the “start of a brand new chapter.”

Mötley teased “Dogs of War” way back in June ahead of playing a surprise London club show under that name.

“Dogs of War” will mark the first new Mötley music in five years; they previously recorded four fresh tracks for the soundtrack to their 2019 biopic, The Dirt, including the Machine Gun Kelly collaboration, “The Dirt (Est. 1981).” It also marks the first release since guitarist John 5 joined the band following the retirement of Mick Mars.

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An upcoming auction is set to revive the old rivalry between The Beatles and The Rolling Stones. 

Nate A. Sanders Auctions is auctioning off an instrument from each band, both of which were important in crafting each band’s sound.

The Stones’ instrument is one of Keith Richards’ custom-made guitars. It was used during the Some Girls recording sessions, tour and music video. The guitar is signed by Richards and has a maple neck with a rosewood fretboard, Schecter bridge and original equipment tuners. It comes with a letter of authenticity written by music historian Andy Babiuk.

The Beatles’ instrument is George Harrison’s first sitar, which he used during the recording sessions for “Norwegian Wood” and would lead to his further involvement in Indian music, culture and the Hindu religion. During Harrison’s January 1966 honeymoon with Pattie Boyd, he gifted the sitar to his friend George Drummond. The sitar is accompanied by two letters of authenticity, one from Boyd and one from Drummond. 

“These instruments are not just rare collectibles; they’re symbols of the Beatles and the Rolling Stones’ rivalry and mutual respect,” Auction owner Nate Sanders shares. “Each band pushed the other to greatness, and these pieces are a testament to their shared history and the music that still resonates with fans today.”

The auction opens at 5 p.m. PT on Thursday, April 25. The Richards guitar is listed with a minimum bid of $400,000, and the sitar has a minimum bid of $25,000. More info can be found at natesanders.com.

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Eddie Vedder‘s never been one to shy away from his political opinions, and that continues with Pearl Jam‘s latest album, Dark Matter.

In an interview with the U.K.’s The Sunday Times, Vedder shares that the song “Wreckage” deals with his feelings on former president Donald Trump.

“There is a guy in the United States who is still saying he didn’t lose an election, and people are reverberating and amplifying that message as if it is true,” Vedder says. “Trump is desperate. I don’t think there has ever been a candidate more desperate to win, just to keep himself out of prison and to avoid bankruptcy.”

Referring to the various legal cases against Trump, Vedder adds, “It is all on the line, and he’s out there playing the victim — at least they’re doing this to me, because if not they would be doing it to you — but you haven’t falsified your tax records.”

“You don’t have classified information in your basement,” he continues. “So the song is saying, let’s not be driven apart by one person, especially not a person without any worthy causes.”

Dark Matter is out now. Pearl Jam will launch a U.S. tour in May.

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Musician Duane Betts has taken to social media to thank fans for their support following the April 18 death of his father, Allman Brothers Band co-founder Dickey Betts, at the age of 80.

“Wow. I’m so grateful for you all. The outpouring of support has been incredible and helped me and my family so much,” he wrote on Instagram. “I’m flooded with pride to see dad getting the credit he deserves. So again, I thank each and everyone of you from the bottom of my heart.”

Duane also shares that he’s canceling some shows as he deals with his grief, noting, “I need a little more time to get my head together so I will not be in Oklahoma and Texas this week but I will resume as scheduled In New Orleans at @jazzfest.”

He adds, “Look forward to playing with so many friends there and of course, seeing your smiling faces. I think dad would want me to get back out there with my guitar.” A complete list of Duane Betts dates can be found at duanebetts.com.

Over the weekend, Duane shared a tribute to his dad. “Oh dad, I miss you so much. You are the brightest light. I have looked up to you for the 46 + years we have shared on this planet together,” he wrote, adding, “I am filled with gratitude to the deepest depths of my soul for what you taught me and the values you instilled in me.” 

He shared, “At his core he was just an extremely sweet and sensitive soul. He left us an amazing body of work to enjoy, laugh, cry and dance to that will never die. I am so proud of what he accomplished in his lifetime.”

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Neil Young has added more dates to his upcoming Love Earth tour.

The two-time Rock & Roll Hall of Famer has added five new shows to the trek: July 25 in Bend, Oregon, July 26 in Gorge, Washington, July 28 in Boise, Idaho, July 29 in Salt Lake City, Utah, and July 31 in Denver, Colorado.

A presale for the new shows begins Tuesday, April 23, at 10 a.m. local time, with tickets available to general public starting Friday, April 26, at 10 a.m. local time. 

Young’s Love Earth tour, with his band Crazy Horse, is set to kick off with a two-night stand in San Diego, April 24 and 25. A complete list of dates can be found at NeilYoungArchives.com.

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Sammy Hagar is the latest rocker being honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

The former Van Halen frontman will receive his star in the Recording category on Tuesday, April 30. The star, the 2,779th on the Walk of Fame, will be located at 6212 Hollywood Boulevard adjacent to Amoeba Music. 

Food Network star Guy Fieri will serve as emcee for the ceremony, with John Mayer and Hagar’s manager Tom Consolo on board as guest speakers.

“The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce is thrilled to honor rock legend Sammy Hagar for his contributions to the world of Rock & Roll music, ” Ana Martinez, producer of the Hollywood Walk of Fame, shares. “From his humble beginnings in Fontana, California to strolling the Hollywood Walk of Fame as a young boy, he has truly come a long way!”

Sammy is also getting ready to celebrate the opening of Sammy’s Island, a tropical poolside restaurant and bar at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas. The grand opening is set for Friday, May 17, with Hagar and his band The Circle hosting. Tickets are on sale now.

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Noah Weiland has released a new song called “Time Will Tell” featuring guest vocals from his late father, Stone Temple Pilots and Velvet Revolver frontman Scott Weiland, amid a threat from an alleged leaker.

In an Instagram post, Noah writes, “Can’t believe I’m saying this right now but basically [I’ve] been getting blackmailed by a random number that somehow has a very old version of a song I have with my father.”

“Because of that I am basically forced to release a song I had no intentions of releasing until way further into my career cause this coward [really] thinks I’m about to send them $2k to not leak it,” he continues. “Sooo, I beat em to the punch.”

Noah also includes screenshots of the alleged extortion attempt in the post.

“Funny enough, I saw ‘TIME WILL TELL’ written on a bathroom wall the day I got that [text],” Noah adds. “Maybe my dad thought it was time?”

You can listen to “Time Will Tell” streaming now on YouTube.

Scott Weiland died in 2015 at age 48.

(Video contains uncensored profanity.) 

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Among the many accolades Jon Bon Jovi has received throughout his career, one of the more out of the ordinary ones is having a rest stop in New Jersey named after him — and he’s totally OK with that.

“You know, like George Washington slept everywhere. This is going to sound a little disgusting: I’ve peed everywhere,” he tells The Wall Street Journal. “From the man who’s overly hydrated, when they said, ‘We’re going to name the rest stop after you,’ I laughed. I said, ‘I think that’s a great idea.’ I think it’s hysterical.”

Jon isn’t the first New Jersey native to have a rest stop named after him, which makes him even more OK with the honor.

“But actually, when you’re in the company of Frank Sinatra and Vince Lombardi and Alexander Hamilton …It’s actually a very New Jersey thing,” he says. “We’re often surrounded by backhanded compliments. That’s what New Jersey is—we are a shadow of New York City, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. We had to work very hard, and we carry that with us where we go.”

Bon Jovi is about to give fans some insight into his career and his band with the new four-part docuseries Thank You, Goodnight: The Bon Jovi Story, which debuts Friday, April 26, on Hulu.

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British comedian Ted Robbins is related to The Beatles‘ Paul McCartney, and in a recent interview he suggested that the rocker’s success may have taken a toll on some members of the family. 

Robbins’ late mother was McCartney’s first cousin, and he reveals on the Chatabix podcast that while the rocker is close to his relatives, having such a huge star in the family hasn’t been easy for everyone.

“Paul and my mum are first cousins. You know, when people do that ‘who’s the most famous person on your phone?’ Well, that’s Mr. McCartney,” he says.

“In some ways it’s a great thing, and for some members of our family, I won’t name names, it’s kind of screwed their lives up a bit,” he says. “Because you’s be compared, you know what I mean? Paul McCartney and all that. You become a dentist, great, you know.”

Robbins thinks that’s particularly true for McCartney’s younger brother Mike, who is a musician himself, and goes by the name Mike McGear.

“I think Mike, his brother, who’s the loveliest of men and talented, but his fear is on his gravestone, ‘Here lies Paul McCartney’s brother,’” he says.

Robbins also claims the song “Teddy Boy” from McCartney’s 1970 solo album was written about him.

“You know he wrote a song called ‘Teddy Boy,’ which is on his first (solo) album, called McCartney,” he says. “And, you know, it goes, ‘This is the story of a boy named Ted’ and it was sort of inspired [by me].”

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