Classic Rock News

Queen continues to take a deep dive into their 1975 album, A Night at the Opera, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary.

In the latest episode of their Queen the Greatest YouTube series, guitarist Brian May and drummer Roger Taylor look back at recording the album, which had them rejecting the typical genres, runtime and radio hooks of most rock music at the time.

“We wanted it to be eclectic,” says Taylor. “We wanted different styles. We had things like ‘Seaside Rendezvous.’ Lot of fun. But we also had this monumentally long song, ‘The Prophet’s Song.’ It was kinda fun. Brian had a field day on that one.”

Taylor notes that while the label may have had an issue with some of their longer songs, “We never thought about making singles.”

And the band certainly faced some backlash from their label, with execs rejecting the idea of “Bohemian Rhapsody” as a single. But Taylor says, “It all made sensed to us. … I think we were right.”

May adds that it was quite “brave” of them to put out “Bohemian Rhapsody” as a single “when everyone’s telling you it’s going to fail.”

“The song, without a doubt, continues to resonate,” says May. “We go onstage and play it at the Albert Hall, with a full orchestra and 150-piece choir, and it’s fresh as a daisy. It’s new and exciting, and the reaction you get from people is just amazing. And that’s a classical audience. They just went berserk.”

He adds, “It will always be there, I think, ‘Bohemian Rhapsody.’ It’s truly immortal and it’s a good feeling.”

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One of David Bowie’s most iconic films is headed back to the big screen in 2026.

Fathom Entertainment has announced that Jim Henson’s 1986 fantasy adventure Labyrinth has been remastered in 4K for its 40th anniversary and will return to theaters Jan. 8-11. The new screenings will include a featurette with footage of the recent U.K. fan celebration Labyrinth Experience & Masked Ball.

Originally released in 1986, Labyrinth starred Bowie as the Goblin King Jareth. The film follows a 14-year-old Jennifer Connelly tasked with solving Jareth’s elaborate maze in order save her baby brother before Jareth turns him into a goblin forever.

In addition to acting in the film, Bowie wrote and performed several songs that were featured in the movie.

Tickets for the new Labyrinth screenings are on sale now.

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Former Styx fromtman Dennis DeYoung is calling out the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame for waiting too long to induct some rock legends.

In a post on Facebook, he cites the recent induction of Bad Company as an example of this. They’d been eligible for over 25 years before finally being inducted on Nov. 8. Two members — Mick Ralphs and Boz Burrell — died before they were inducted, and frontman Paul Rodgers had to pull out of the ceremony out of concerns for his health.

“Speaking of the Rock Hall it’s a shame that Bad Company had to wait so long to get in that it rendered Paul Rodgers unable to perform due to health concerns,” he writes. “Bollocks!! I would have liked to have seen him perform years ago to demonstrate how one of rock’s premiere singers ACTUALLY ROCKS.”

“The induction ceremony clearly pointed out the tragic manner in which this joint operates,” he continues. “Making so many musicians wait until they either incapacitated or dead is shameful. Joe Cocker, Warren Zevon et al are suddenly eligible decades after their success? Explain that, what’s changed except the Hall’s inability to let go of their clear prejudices and induct them?”

DeYoung notes that the Hall’s “mission statement about who qualifies was always a ruse and a joke concocted to protect their own personal choices.”

He adds, “I have said this before — as someone whose band has never been considered, whatever I write ends up sounding like sour grapes. ‘Sour Grapes’ would be a good name for a band.”

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On This Day, Nov. 14, 1975…

Queen launched a new tour in support of their fourth studio album, A Night at the Opera.

The tour kicked off with a two-night stand at the Empire Theatre in Liverpool, England, which, according to setlist.fm, featured the live debut of several songs from the record, including the iconic “Bohemian Rhapsody.”

The tour featured shows throughout the U.K., wrapping Dec. 24 at the Hammersmith Odeon in London.

Queen recently celebrated the 50th anniversary of A Night At The Opera with vinyl reissues. The album was released on crystal-clear vinyl with gold labels in October, and “Bohemian Rhapsody” was released on transparent blue heavyweight 12-inch vinyl, as a 12-inch picture disc and as a blue cassette single.

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Eagles guitarist Joe Walsh is set to host his ninth annual VetsAid concert on Saturday, which raises money for veteran-related causes.

The Rock & Roll Hall of Famer is a longtime advocate for veterans issues, something that is personal to him, as he’s a Gold Star Family member. His father died in 1949 serving our country when Walsh was just 20 months old.

Walsh tells ABC Audio that he came up with the idea for VetsAid in 2017, after spending years going around the country meeting with veterans and realizing they weren’t getting the help they needed.

“I thought maybe I can make a difference here,” he says. “I always felt guilty not having a benefit. … It was, ‘Duh. You can do something there.'”

This year’s concert is taking place at the INTRUST Bank Arena in Walsh’s hometown of Wichita, Kansas. He says it’s “overwhelming” to be doing the show there.

“I’m just Joe here, you know,” he says. “That’s how Wichita is.”

This year’s lineup includes Vince Gill; Ryan Bingham and The Texas Gentlemen; and a “super-set” from Walsh, joined by Susan Tedeschi and Derek Trucks of Tedeschi Trucks Band, Nathaniel Rateliff and other special guests. It will be streamed live on Veeps. While fans will be getting a great night of music, Joe hopes they come away with more than just a good time.

Walsh says he wants the concert to bring “more awareness for veterans and their situation,” but that’s not all.

“I want to show that with no politics involved, people can come and hear music,” he says. “People who don’t agree can sit next to each other. Politics doesn’t matter. Everybody has a good time, recharges, and goes home happy. … That’s a good feeling.” 

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The Oscar-winning short film War Is Over!, which was inspired by John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s classic holiday tune “Happy Xmas (War Is Over),” is set to premiere on YouTube.

The 11-minute film, co-written by the couple’s son, Sean Ono Lennon, follows a game of chess, with a heroic carrier pigeon helping the game continue across enemy lines. It ends with the classic tune playing over the closing credits.

Sean co-wrote the film with writer, director and animator Dave Mullins, and it was executive produced by Sean and Yoko. The film won the 2024 Oscar for best animated short film.

War is Over! Inspired by the Music of John & Yoko will premiere on John Lennon’s YouTube channel on Dec. 6 at 1 p.m. ET. It will include a link urging donations to the charity War Child.

In addition, John and Yoko’s “Happy Xmas (War Is Over)” is being released as a 7-inch evergreen vinyl on Nov. 18. The replica of the original 1971 release will feature “Listen, The Snow is Falling” on the B-side. A limited-edition 12-inch zoetrope single of “Happy Xmas (War Is Over)”/“Listen, The Snow Is Falling” will be released Dec. 5.

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David Coverdale, who found fame with Whitesnake and Deep Purple, has announced his retirement from music.

In a video posted to Whitesnake’s YouTube account, the 74-year-old rocker reveals that “after 50 years-plus of an incredible journey” he’s decided to call it quits.

“The last few years has been very evident to me that it’s time really for me to hang up my rock ‘n’ roll platform shoes and my skintight jeans,” he says in the video. “It’s time for me to call it a day.”

“I love you dearly. I thank everyone who’s assisted and supported me on this incredible journey — all the musicians, the crew, the fans, the family,” he adds. “It’s amazing, but it really is time for me to just enjoy my retirement.” He adds, “And I hope you can appreciate that. Once again, I love you with all my heart. Fare thee well.”

The clip ends with a montage of photos and video from Coverdale’s career with Whitesnake, set to the band’s song “Fare Thee Well,” which appeared on their 2011 album, Forevermore, which was reissued in September. 

Coverdale had his biggest success in the ’80s, thanks to the Whitesnake songs “Here I Go Again” and “Is This Love.” They released their last album, Flesh & Blood, in 2019.

Coverdale was also the frontman for Deep Purple from 1973 to 1976, and released the album Coverdale-Page in 1993 with Led Zeppelin‘s Jimmy Page. He also had a solo career, releasing his final solo album, Into The Light, in 2000.

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After releasing his memoir in 2024, Alex Van Halen is getting ready to release another book, which will surely excite Van Halen fans.

The rocker revealed on Instagram that he has been working with Genesis Publications on an official Van Halen anthology, which he describes as “a visual and written journey told through my perspective.”

He adds that the book, which he personally curated, is a “celebration of the music, the moments, and the legacy we built together.”

The book’s description notes that it will include iconic Van Halen photography, as well as rare and never-before-seen images from Alex’s private archives, covering the years 1978 to 1984. It will also include tour memorabilia, press materials, correspondence and more.

The book will be released as a signed, limited-edition box set, with those interested urged to sign up for updates.

Alex released his memoir, Brothers, in October 2024, which he described as a love letter to his late brother, guitar great Eddie Van Halen. The audio book included a previously unreleased song, “Unfinished,” which was described as the last piece of music Alex wrote with Eddie.

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Sounds like we may be getting some new music from Peter Frampton soon.

The Rock & Roll Hall of Famer’s music update came courtesy of Sheryl Crow, who posted a photo of herself with Frampton in the studio on Instagram.

“Got to work with one of my heroes today,” she wrote in the caption. “Y’all better get ready… @mrpeterframpton played me a couple of new songs that will be out early next year… Mind Blown.”

And Frampton was appreciative of the compliment.

“Thank you Sheryl !! Great day having you sing with me on one of my new songs,” he commented on the post. “You sound so good, …as always.”

This isn’t the first time Crow and Frampton have worked together. Frampton came out to perform with Crow during her 2023 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction, something Frampton believes helped pave the way for his induction in 2024.

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The Rolling Stones’ iconic tune “Paint It Black” is the subject of a new lawsuit filed against Behr Paint.

ABCKO Music & Records, owner of The Stones’ early master recordings, is suing the paint company for copyright infringement for using the 1966 chart-topper in an advertisement for its paint products that appeared on social media.

The suit notes that Behr didn’t pay ABCKO to use the song, while most third parties “pay significant fees,” which they say range from hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars to license such ABKCO recordings for ads.

According to the suit, the “commercial use of the ABKCO Recording has forced a business association upon ABKCO that has harmed its ability to license the ABKCO Recording to Behr’s competitors that would pay for the use” of the song.

ABKCO is claiming it “suffered significant damages” thanks to the unauthorized use of “Paint it Black,” adding Behr’s “acts of infringement have been willful, in reckless disregard of and with indifference to” ABKCO’s rights.

ABKCO is seeking actual damages, to be proven at trial, recovery of any profits Behr made off the use of the song, plus statutory damages and lawyers’ fees.

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